Into the Icy Darkness: The Great Demon War

[Lela]

Amazing.

And I don't just mean the shere size of the update. Nor do I only mean the brilliance with which you bring all the various plot lines together. Not even the story line itself, which happens to be novel worthy, fleshes out my astonishment.

No, it's the life you bring to all of it and present it so beautifly. I'd almost call it cinimetography, as the picture is painted almost perfectly.

Don't get me wrong, there are a few rough edges and some sharp ones too. But I can't wait to see you when you iron those out.

Once again, this forum brings another amazing author to the for. I love it!

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Well... I'm glad people are enjoying it. I like writing alot, its one of the things that keeps me sane when I get stressed out.

The next update is large as well... I like its format better with following everyone's emotions, so its likely what I'll be doing from now on.

So... without further ado... part one of seven from the session on 1-23-04 (The session went long again... four hours turned into about seven):

============================================



Shaun returned from the thieve’s guild to the room Elenya had appropriated for him, and settled in for a restful dinner followed by entertainment.

Tess, returned a little later, to find Elenya and Shaun preoccupied with each other, while Lucius and Siabrey were fast asleep in the room next door. Grumki had left to go to the Temple of Kord, and so she found herself alone... bored, and slightly miffed.

I’m the attractive one, part of her groaned, and yet I’M the one sitting here alone.... hmph. She’d been a little jealous of Siabrey especially... while Lucius was fairly young, he was, in looks and personality, very attractive... far more than the loud Shaun, or their late friend Rogar.

As she sat there, not quite pouting but still miffed, a light knock came from the door. Paranoid after Rogar’s betrayal, she readied Fa’rallan, and snuck up to the door, cracking it open barely.

Outside stood an elf, tall (by elvish standards, he was nearly Tess’ hieght), with jet black hair and violet eyes. He was wearing a simple, brown and white tunic... on the side of which was a small sword upheld by an arm... the symbol of the Church of Hieroneous.

“Ah,” his voice said with a small, slightly shy smile, “it appears that my assigned quarters across the hall are... occupied,” he said, face reddening slightly, “... I was wondering if I may set my bedroll here.”

Tess responded with a confused look.

“Ah... yes... my manners. How uncouth of me. I am the paladin assigned by Harrapias to watch you and your friends,” he pointed to the small symbol of Hieroneous. “Now that you know I am friend, not foe, could it be possible for me to put my bedroll in your room?” He looked her in the face, and suddenly his countenance changed.

“Are you... Tess?” he said, his voice filled with a little wonder. Tess, still confused and holding the door only partially open, nodded.

“I have heard so much about you!” the man blurted out quickly and quietly, shoving hard against the door to get a better look at her. Tess didn’t struggle against it, and merely stood aside, as he blurbed onwards.

“You... is it true? Did you indeed kill the demon Ananias with a mere dagger? Charging him while you were near death?” The elf’s eyes were a little wide, as Tess nodded her head. “That is amazing he says, “absolutely amazing. A feat worthy of record in song!”

Tess gets an evil grin on her face, asking, “Would you like to see the blade that ended the demon’s life?”

“Yes!” the paladin said excitedly.

Tess carefully pulled Fa’rallan out of its scabbard, and handed the blade to the paladin, handle first. The paladin took the blade, and for a second nothing happened... then....

”ZAP!”

Fa’rallan’s giggles merged with Tess’ laughter... the pries t had been a little to hero-worshipy, and pranking him had settled Tess down a little with his presence. To her surprise, he began chuckling as well.

“That was quite shocking,” he said with a wink, and Tess grinned as she gave a groan to the horrible joke.

“Oh!” the paladin said suddenly, with a look of shock on his face, “I completely forgot my manners. My name is Pellaron, Pellaron Bylthankis.”

It was Tess’s turn to go a little wide eyed. As a young girl, interested in music, one of the catchiest tunes that drew her to learning the trade of being a bard was of a paladin, with that exact name, who rode forth to battle a great white dragon...

Pellaron did draw his blade,
And rode he forth, to the dragon’s cave...

The tune rose in her mind, and she managed to sputter out the question, “are you the Dragonslayer?”

Pellaron’s face went deep red, and it was easy for Tess to guess he was embarassed about something. He cleared his throat, as she asked, “What is there to be ashamed of, in slaying an ancient wyrm?”

“Um... well... I’ve tried to avoid that music for so long,” he groaned. “The bard who wrote that tune got a little carried away...”

“How so?”

“First... I did not slay an ancient massive wyrm with my blade. It wasn’t even a full adult dragon. Second, I didn’t slay it with my blade... we were escorting a detachment of siege pieces up north of Irulas, and the dragon assaulted our caravan... everyone else fled, and in a panick I loaded by lance into a ballista and fired from close range...”

Tess chuckled, and said, “Still, standing before the wyrm was a brave act, even if it was a small dragon and you did not slay it with your blade!”
“True,” Pellaron said after a minute, before changing the subject. “Now, if I can put my bedroll here, I can take watch... should you need some privacy for some reason, please let me know, and I can go out into the hallway to wait. I’m meant to be protection, not a burden.”

“I doubt there will be any burden indeed, sir paladin,” Tess said.

The two stayed up for quite a while, Tess recounting what had happened to the party, with Pellaron giving her the accurate, more modest account of his acclaimed adventure. It wasn’t until the deepest parts of the night when the two finally fell asleep.

Very early in the morning, Tess’s dreams are interrupted by a small creaking noise. Sitting up and reaching for Fa’rallan, she is relieved to only see Lucius’ face come through the crack in the door?

”What are you doing up so early?” she asks quietly, hearing Pellaron snoring on his bedroll.

”I’m headed to the Church of Hieroneous, among other places. There are some things I need to do, and some favors I need to call on, considering I am now Count of Holstean and all.” Tess’ face darkened.

“Young man,” she began, her voice as matronly and commanding as possible in its low tone, “you are NOT going anywhere alone again! Not after what happened last time, and not now that we are likely being hunted by people who hurt Hidalas! I shall come with you.” By this point, Pellaron too was stirring to awakedness.

“I have to be consecrated as Count, Tess... its something that unfortunately you can’t come to... and I must also pick up some stuff... who is that?” Lucius pointed, voice more curious than concerned.

“That is Pellaron,” Tess introduced, “he is a paladin of the Church of Hieroneous... the one sent to be our bodyguard.” Pellaron gave a semi-awake wave, and Lucius grinned a little. Tess’ dour face knocked the grin off of his face however.

“I know you mean well, Tess,” he started, “but...”

“No buts, young man.”

“Fine. What if I take the paladin then?” Pellaron sat up a little, and it was Tess’ turn to sigh.

Oh boy Tess’ mind jumped in alarm, He’s planning something.

“I suppose... after you tell me what you are getting.”

“Nothing,” Lucius said, though the slight grin on his face betrayed the fact he was up to something. Tess pressed, and Lucius finally admitted he was going to get the group, “some surprises.”

Nothing... hmm... and let’s see.. Siabrey doesn’t like you, Shaun is chaste, and Grumki can speak any language ever written... yeah right.

Tess gave him a matronly tsking look, before saying, “you had better have left a note or something with Siabrey... she will kill you if you wander off again with her not knowing about it.” Lord knows if she finds out I let you leave without leaving a note for her telling her where you’re going, I think she might kill me.

Lucius’ faint grin grew into a big one.

“Already taken care of... I snuck out a little earlier and found a fireflower (rose with yellow roots on the petals), which I left on her bed with a note, saying I’d be back. She shouldn’t worry too much.”

Smart boy, Tess’ mind mused, He sneaks out with style at least... let him be off.

Tess nodded, and after Lucius and a still sleepy Pellaron had left, she dozed off...

It was some hours later (Lucius’ departure had occurred even before the sun had risen) that Shaun finally woke, to find a warm dent in the bed next to him, and some hot breakfast waiting. His stomach hungry, he eagerly began eating, munching away as he read Elenya’s note saying he should tell her when he’ll be back in the evening.

Elenya’s cooking is the best I’ve had in a while... his mind joined his stomach in musing. Shaun, in his travails, had seen many women prettier than Elenya... but she was kindhearted, friendly, and genuinely fond of him.

She’s great... she might be the one that gets you to stop moving around so much... part of his mind mused. His rebellious part immediately rebuked it, while his stomach merely inserted the comment that the food was excellent.

Siabrey meanwhile also woke to find herself alone. She almost immediately spotted the fireflower and the note under it...

My Siabrey,
I’ve gone out to get some needed business finished. I’ll be back by noon.
Luke

P.S. I’m coming back with a surprise!

Questions immediately flooded her mind... where did he go? When? Did he go alone? What was he bringing back?

The whole thing smelled of a trick... a plot of some kind...

Last time he left... he almost died! And less than a day ago, he was unconscious on the floor here! How can he run out and leave like that? Did he tell anyone where he was going? When I see him, I don’t know if I should kiss him, or wring his neck!

Her first action was to storm to the room neck door, where she awoke a still sleeping Tess.

“How could you have let him run off like that?”

“Run off like what?” a tired Tess replied. “He left a note, and he told me where he was going... the Church of Hieroneous.”

“What?!” Siabrey’s voice rumbled. “How could he tell you and not tell me?!”

“You were sleeping dear,” the ever-rational Tess said, “he didn’t want to disturb you... but he wanted to let someone know. He cares for you, so he let you sleep... he knew you’d be riding hard and running about the city with no rest for nearly two days straight... you needed the sleep!”

Silly girl, Tess’ mind wanted to shout.

“Lucius had some important nobility things to do at the temple... thing that likely you and me, being neither of the reigning nobility nor of the clergy, would have only disrupted.”

He’s the Count now, Siabrey... he has some things that he has to do alone...

Siabrey, now knowing where he was at, had her concerned mollified some at least. Tess’ right... if he let me sleep like that... he DOES like me! her mind grinned, an emotion her face absent-mindedly copied moments later. She then decided that she was going to go do something rather unusual for a warrior as herself.

She was going to go to the public baths, buy a large deal of rosewater, some oils and sweet smelling spices, and clean herself up... thoroughly. She told Tess where she was off to, and invited the bard to come with. Even the immensely beauty conscious Tess thought that was a little pretentious, especially considering the party was supposed to remain rather incognito, and not only refused by urged Siabrey to not go. Siabrey would have none of that logic. As she left, whistling a merry tune and Lucius’ flower in her hair, the bard could only shake her head and laugh...

That girl is in love...


Tess herself decides to just go downstairs, get some cheap rosewater, and clean up in her own room, so that when Shaun finally finishes breakfast and comes outside, he finds the room that once held Lucius and Siabrey locked, and the room that currently holds Tess locked. Miffed a bit at being presumably left behind, he heads downstairs.

Looking around, he finds Elenya working in the kitchen, turning some roasting boar.

“Hey hon,” he says, giving her a kiss on the cheek after making sure her uncle wasn’t in sight.

“Hi sweetie,” she turned, and immediately launched into the rant she had been holding up for some time. “I can’t believe that loud group in the corner! I swear, they’ll eat and drink all of uncle’s food in the day!” Shaun nodded... he too had noticed the large mass of men covering one half of the bar, all evidently from the same group.

“Listen, hon... my friends and I have some magic stuff we need to have looked at, and you said your dad owns a magic shop?”

“Oh, yeah,” she grins, “its down the street, you turn left on the first street and right on the next one... look for Qunnias’ Magic and Goods. If you tell him that you were at this inn and I gave you the hookup, he’ll probably give you a little discount,” she smiles.

“Thanks hon,” Shaun kisses her on the cheek again. “We’ve got some places to run today, but I should be back for dinner again.” Elenya gave a rather roguish grin at that point.

“I’ll be waiting for you,” she winks, “along with...” she reaches over and looks at a piece of paper, which Shaun reasons is the list of menu items for the day, “some green peas, corn, and likely bits of roasted boar.”

”Can’t wait,” Shaun says his goodbye, and then heads back upstairs. God, she’s perfect, his mind said gleefully.



Siabrey herself had a luxurious time at the upscale public baths in the city. With the money they’d looted from Ananias, her normally money tight policies could be lifted. She got a private stall (to prevent others from seeing her wings) along with several different oils, scented perfumes, and hair perfumes and cleansers. She ended up spending several hours there, and came out smelling far better than any fireflower patch in the valley, and feeling far cleaner than she ever had. She was also a little more than excited, wanting to see Lucius’ reaction to her work for the day. After all, she didn’t do this for just anyone.

As she closed in on the inn, she saw two riders out of the corner of her eye. One appeared to be Lucius, but something was different... his long, shoulder length hair was gone... cut short all along the sides, while long along the top. She didn’t recognize the man that rode alongside him in a simple outfit, though there were clanks and clunks of armor coming from the bags thrown across their animals.

”Lucius!” she trotted up, and she guessed from his eyes closing and deep sucking in of air, he smelled her change and approved, “where have you been today... and what did you do with your hair?” He looked down at her and grinned.

“I cut it... easier disguise,” he smiled as she ran her hands through the shortened sides. He never mentioned his true reason for cutting it; a clear break from his ancestors. “As for the surprises, let’s go inside... I’ll show you there.”

After the four bags had been brought up, they rounded up Shaun and Tess, and brought them in to see. Lucius started with Shaun, reaching into the smallest bag.

”Well,” he said, pulling out what appeared at first to be a shiny buckler, “this is for Shaun. Many years ago the Church of Hieroneous here made a raid against a weapons cache owned by the local Thieves Guild, and this item is one of the finest things they confiscated. This magic buckler doubles as a toolkit.” He flipped the buckler over and continued, “by saying the command listed under the picture of the item, the buckler can be turned into a climber’s kit, a bag of caltrops, an adjustable wrench, a small shovel, or a set of boltcutters.” As the others were starting to shift and move the other bags around in eagerness, Lucius leaned close to Shaun.

“And... so the paladin doesn’t hear,” he whispered quietly, “if you look at the center of the buckler, there’s a small hole for a dart... it can shoot them up to ten feet, and the darts can be coated with poison... I called on some favors and brought you three. (+1 buckler of tools, with three darts coated in sassone leaf residue) Shaun eagerly grabbed the buckler, and with a dummy dart began testing it on the far wall... thankfully Pellaron was too busy rummaging through the armors to notice.

“Next, we have an item for Tess.” He reached into another bag, and with some effort pulled out a brilliantly colored blue, gold, and red dress. Tess frowned at his effort, wondering what was wrong with the item.

“This here was originally owned by another well renowned bard, whose wife was a follower of Hieroneous. After his death, she gave his magic chain shirt to the Church... which I now give to you (+1 glammered chain shirt). It takes a smart eye or strong magic to tell that this is actually armor, and not just a pretty dress.”

Tess eagerly put the dress on, and danced around in it for a bit, realizing she could now be protected, as well as look good at all times.

“Finally,” Lucius grinned, “I had to pull some strings for this one. When my ancestor revolted, the one Imperial commander that resisted was General Heraclius, who held off Ananias’ hordes at Irulas. His courageous and doomed fight became legendary... so much so that the Church of Hieroneous repaired his armor and imbued it with magic abilities. So now, I present to you, Siabrey, the armor of General Heraclius, and let it inspire bravery in all around you (+1 breastplate of command).” Siabrey grabbed the armor, and gave Lucius a hug.

“Whats in the fourth bag?” both she and Tess asked, and Lucius’ grins faded quickly.

“Nothing much,” was his quick, quiet reply.

Ok... something’s up, ran through both of the girl’s heads, and Siabrey pulled open part of the bag, revealing a helmet, with a massive eagle coming from the front, its wings covering the sides. Further searches showed that the same eagle, the Caladron family insignia, covered the shoulder pieces, the breasplate, greaves, and other parts of the armor.

“Is it the armor of the Count?” Tess asked, as Siabrey marvelled at the full plate armor inside. Lucius nodded rather unhappily.

“It was my father’s armor... I hardly knew him.” The room went silent for a bit, before Lucius forced a thin grin, saying, “I don’t intend on trapezing around town in it anytime soon.” The provoked a nervous laugh, and ended the otherwise tense atmosphere in the room. “Except to the banquet we’ll be attending tomorrow.”

“Banquet?” Tess asked rather annoyed. We’re supposed to be low key here... not running around testing everyone’s silver spoons!

“I would rather not go, but Baron Valdonis has invited me to a personal dinner tomorrow... I’m his liege lord now, so he couldn’t command me, like he did you.” There are several groans, and Siabrey noticeably rolls her eyes as she realizes she has to wear a tight corset over her wings yet again.

“I’m going to be using this time to... urge my cousin to raise forces to help drive back the invasion... and I’d appreciate any other of your voices or intimidations that might... help me in that cause.”

He hasn’t said anything about his mother, Tess caught, Is he over the fact she betrayed him so early? Or is he angry, and is merely thinking vengeance? Tess couldn’t tell...

 

[Emperor Valerian]

“Well, if we’re going to be visiting the Baron tommorrow, we should probably go to Elenya’s father’s shop today,” Shaun volunteered, “she gave me the directions... and the fact we could get a discount if we told him she sent us.” General agreement went around, until Lucius looked down suddenly, and shifted his feet uneasily.

“I... have somewhere else I need to go,” he said quietly. “I’ll see you guys at the magic store.” He begins to dart out in a hurry until Tess’s hand catches him and holds him fast.

“Where are you going?” she said quietly, as Siabrey moved up as well. Where are you going now, Luke? Siabrey’s mind asked, a little worried, but more curious because of his seeming embarrassment about the destination.

“Are you going to a temple? A brothel? What?” she pressed.

“Um... no...to a place, to do some business I need to...” his voice trailed off again, very quietly.

“I’ll go with you Lucius,” Siabrey volunteered, “as none of us should be going alone. If its more nobility things, take our paladin friend with you!” Pellaron nodded, and Lucius’ face became beet red.

“Um... no... Pellaron cannot come with on this one... and Siabrey, you can’t either. I...um... Shaun,” he said quickly, looking at the roguish bard, “can you come with me?” His eyes had a look of desperation.

“Sure?” Shaun replied, unsure himself of what was going on. Before he could say much more, Lucius dragged him downstairs and off into the street... quickly.

Siabrey and Tess shrugged, Tess commenting, “Your boy can be strange sometimes.”

Siabrey felt her familiar anger at the teasing rise a bit, until a calm part of her mind reminded her, Yes... he is your boy now... isn’t he? Her fuming relented to a sheepish grin as she replied, “Yes... I guess so.”

The main party set out for Elenya’s father’s shop, which they find with little trouble. The shop is out of the way... small, but with a pleasant exterior and in rather cheerful letters on the sign outside, “Qunnias’ Magic and Goods.” Tess and Siabrey step inside, into a small room filled with racks of potions, and random items.

“Hello!” a pleasant man in his early 50s calls from the back. When he comes out the party sees he’s average hieght and graying, and he eagerly comes forward to the counter. “How can I help you?”

Tess and Siabrey extended their own greetings, and began placing the items they had taken from Ananias’ tomb on the counter... a strange ribbon, a quiver filled with white arrows, a javelin with runes on it, and a crystal staff with diamonds on either end of it.

”Hmm... interesting... very interesting indeed,” the man said interested, as he flipped the items about, looking at them in the light. “Normally I charge 10 gold pieces per item to be ascertained...”

“We came here on the recommendation of your daughter, Elenya... we ran into her during our stay at the Drunken Pony,” Tess volunteered, and the man’s face grew into a grin.

”Ah yes, my daughter... an excellent girl... sweet and well behaved! Well, if you come with such credentials, I can probably give you a discount... I’ll look at the whole lot for 28 gold!” The party agreed, and began unloading their old magical armor, which sparked a look of confusion from the man.

“Woah... woah woah woah...” he held up his hands. “I know nothing of shields, armor and weapons... I’m afraid I might cheat you if I looked them over, I’m so inexperienced. Are you looking to sell these?” Tess and Siabrey nodded.

“Ah... well, I’d suggest either one of the temples... or maybe the Mage’s Guild. Both have use for armor like these.” Tess and Siabrey nodded, and thanked Quinnias for his advise.

Hmm... we could get money from the Mage’s Guild, Tess thought, But after Ananias’s loot, we have enough of that. I’d much rather have the goodwill giving the armor to the Church might bring...

”We shall take the items to the Church of Hieroneous then... they will have use for them?” she asked.

“Yes... usually they’re looking for magical armors and the like they can equip their paladins with... Is there anything in the store that catches your fancy?”

Tess laid eyes on a small necklace with five amber beads of varying sizes, and a seemingly random rock. Siabrey saw a rather flashy looking vest, and thought immediately its goofiness belonged on Shaun. They brought the three items to the front.

“Ah...” Quinnias said, “you found the fireball necklace... quite an item, should be useful for you. (Necklace of Fireballs II)”

“What about the rock and the vest?” Tess asked.

“Hmm... the rock is a rock that can give you warning when someone approaches (rock of alarm), and this vest has numerous pockets for keeping lockpicking tools... if you leans to more buggery than anything. It also is... well... slippery, so its easier for you to escape using this (vest of escape). Are you interested in them?”

“By all means,” Siabrey said, “do you accept gems as a means of currency?” Siabrey fingered the two large sapphires in her pocket that originally came from Ananias.

“Why yes, of course, if I may have a look at them at first!” As Siabrey began laying out the gems, Tess began bargaining with him over the price of the items, finally negotiating with him to a total price of 4,000 gold...

Meanwhile, a few minutes earlier, Shaun had been in the midst of pestering Lucius as to where he was going when it became readily apparent after they turned a corner... and Shaun gawked as he saw they were headed to the Temple of Sune, the Goddess of Love.

“So...” he said in a singsong tone, “Lucius... getting ready for...”

“Quiet,” The young man said rather sternly, and Shaun shut up. As they were about to enter, Lucius spun around to face Shaun, and put a finger in his face. “If you ever... ever tell Siabrey, or any of the others for that matter, that I was here and what I’m about to get, I will string you up.” Shaun nodded, a grin spreading across his face.

“So... getting some...”

“Quiet,” Lucius growled as they walked towards the temple steps.

“What are you here for?” he asked as they entered. Lucius seemed to know immediately where he was headed, and upon anyone asking he readily told the priests his rank.

“I.... well... “ he said, looking ahead vacantly almost, “...well... I need some guidance, as I don’t know how to handle some things, and...”

”...you want Siabrey to be happy... if things go as they’re going?” Shaun volunteered a finish, and Lucius gave a little sigh of relief and nodded. Shaun put his arm around the young man as he picked up a single, small book, and began walking out with it. The priests all gave him a short, formal bow as he left, the same he recieved as he entered. Shaun now grew less concerned about how Lucius knew where the book he grabbed was almost immediately, and more about other things...

“Now... Lucius... friend... buddy... pal...” Shaun began as they left, “do you think I could borrow that sometime?”

“Um...” Lucius stuffed the book into a corner pocket of the travelling coat he was wearing, “no.”

“Aw c’mon! If an old friend needs help, you’d help him out, wouldn’t you?” Shaun continued.

I wanna see whats in there!

“I thought you were reasonably happy with Elenya... and the answer in this case, is no,” Lucius continued walking.

“I can give you some tips that aren’t in there... I just need a refresher!”

“This book has advice from priests that lived over the past two hundred years... so the answer remains the same, no.”

“Please? Puleeze?”

“No.”

“How much would I have to pay you?”

“No.”


The two arrived back at the shop just as Siabrey and Tess were finishing their exchange. Rather unfortunately for Lucius, Shaun was still continuing his attempts at bribery as they walked through the door.

“Can’t I read just two pages? Two! C’mon! That’s not much! I’ll give it back to you tonigh... um... hey Siabrey!” Shaun gasped as Lucius delivered a sharp elbow to his stomach.

“Lucius... what did you get?” Siabrey was now facing them, her arms crossed. What trouble did Shaun get him into now?

“Your friend here got... ack!” Another well-timed elbow hit Shaun in the gullet, as Lucius sweetly said, “Oh, nothing... just a history book.”

“A history book?” Siabrey raised an eyebrow. “Does a history book require you to elbow Shaun quite hard in the stomach?” Lucius’ face grew much redder.

Lucius is hiding something. Inwardly, she mind wanted to grin as she wondered what it was... another surprise she assumed, though in her mind it was kind of hard to top her new set of armor.

“Um... yes. He’s getting mouthy... I have to keep him in line... and yes, its a history book...thats what it is.”

Tess could immediately tell Lucius was in some kind of distress, and having some mercy on the poor boy, decided now would be as good a time as any to show Shaun what they had brought him.

“Shaun! Come here... try this on... we bought it for you!”

“Yes...its an excellent purchase!” Quinnais volunteered behind the counter. “You know them and my daughter as well?”

“Yes,” Shaun said, barely keeping himself from growing red with embarassment. I know your daughter far better than you would likely like, sir.

“Good... beautiful girl... well, I hope you enjoy your vest... and may it bring you out of many scrapes!”

Shaun felt the sides of the vest, and it felt... oily... but there was no residue on his hands. Tess pronounced it a perfect fit, and pulled them out of the shop before Siabrey’s curious mind or Shaun’s embarassment could spread further. Her plan almost failed, as Siabrey opened her mouth.

“Luke,” she began, as they were now outside, “what... what did you get?”

“Um... nothing. Its time to return to the inn now, isn’t it?” he called for distraction, and Tess grinned at the ruse, but said nothing. Siabrey frowned, for sure knowing he was hiding something, but decided to not push things...

As they walked back, Tess’ mind was already working in overdrive. I wonder if anyone knows we’re here.

How is this Baron Valdonis?

As much as I trust the Churches, I need to find out on my own if Ilia and Rogar were here...

About halfway to the inn, Tess asks Shaun if he would like to go hunting with her.

“Hunting?! I love hunting!” Siabrey grins, until Lucius taps her on the shoulder.

“I think they mean buggery,” he whispers in her ear.

“Oh...” Siabrey nodded. “Well... we’ll go back to the inn and look for some information from the travellers there... especially the loud, noisy group if they’re still there.”

Tess wanted to laugh at Lucius’ guess as to what she and Shaun were up to, but held her tongue.

“Go on... we’ll spend a couple hours out here, and then see you at then inn!”

Go on, you silly lovebirds!



Shaun and Tess then split away from the other two, and began working the crowds, discreetly asking information, and sifting between rumor and truth. They found a rather wealthy merchant, who loudly told them that the Baron’s subsidies on his business had allowed him to expand to smaller villages beyond the city. In comparison, many of the farmers in town for market had rather dim views of hte Baron, calling him fat, stupid, with the intelligence of a cow.

They also pick up rumors that there are some very important people in town... though no one knows for sure. Rumors run amok that the people might be retainers for the Princess Zoe, others say that they’re representatives for the governor.. and some even claim the Emperor himself is in disguise. The latter causes both Tess and Shaun to laugh after they had a chance to get away from the old man blabbering about it.

When they ask around about people fitting Rogar or Ilia’s description, they find out that both left town a few days prior... the day after Hidalas was attacked. More alarmingly, they hear rumors that, “bad things” are happening to the south. Stories of ice creatures... monsters on the move... and orcs gathering in the mists...



Lucius and Siabrey return to the inn, finding that yes... indeed, the large group of men is still there, drinking and carousing. Contrary to the assumptions of Shaun and Tess, they both set about getting into positions to listen to conversations.

Time went by. And then more time... and Siabrey started to drift off as the only thing she heard from the men gathered were recounts of travels escorting “fat fools,” and the like... it was easy to guess they were bodyguards. Her mind drifted off into a pleasant daydream reflecting on some of the happier moments of her mercenary days, until she caught sight of the girl called Elenya going into the kitchen of the establishment. That brought up other thoughts into her bored mind.

There goes Shaun’s “friend...” I wonder what she really thinks of him... I wonder if I could get some...

And her mind arrived at an opportunity to dig up some serious dirt on her rival. With an evil grin, she gets up and walks to the other side of the inn, where Lucius is listening and drinking some water.

“I’ll be back,” she says quietly.

Lucius recognizes the grin, and asks with one of his own, “what are you doing?”

“Oh nothing,” she says with the most innocent look she can muster... which causes him to almost laugh.

“No, really Siabrey... what are you doing?”

“If you tell me where you went with Shaun, I’ll tell you what I’m about to do,” she rests her head on her arms and gives a semi-pouty look. I’ll tell my secret if you tell yours she thought, and she wasn’t altogether surprised when Lucius shook his head no with a smile. She wandered up to the kitchen, careful to slip in when the barkeep wasn’t paying attention. As she comes into the room, Elenya was standing beside another boar, which was roasting over the fire.

“Elenya?” Siabrey asked rather tenatively. Elenya looked up, and gave a smile at recognizing one of Shaun’s friends.

“Hello... Siabrey, isn’t it?” she says, looking back and forth between the woman and the roasting boar. “I remember you... you’re the one that keeps Shaun in line.” Her smile turned massive. “I like that, he needs it some.”

Siabrey was more than a little taken aback, before laughing herself. I already like this woman.

“Well, I’m glad to see someone appreciates my work, and the need for it,” she said, and Elenya now laughed too. “And speaking of Shaun... I’d like to know... how is he?”

“Oh,” Elenya laughed, “he’s a very kind, generous man... once you get past the exterior... there’s a lot of bravado on the outside but...”

“No... I’ve figured some of that out,” Siabrey said, “but what I’m asking is... how is he?”

“Oh,” Elenya began to giggle once she understood what Siabrey was laughing. “Well... woman to woman... he’s great... excellent. Very creative... except he has one weird trait.”

“I’m all ears,” Siabrey leaned forward, her face eager and hungry like a wolf’s. Elenya broke out laughing, and took a few minutes to restrain herself.

“Well... he calls out Hieroneous sometimes!” she giggled, and Siabrey’s eyebrows rose rather high.

“Um... he what?”

I can’t believe this... this is golden! This is far more than what I was even looking for!

Mockingville, here I come!

“Will that suit your needs?” Elenya said as she turned back to the boar, the red light from the fire glinting off of her smiling teeth.

“Oh... it was far more than what I was expecting,” Siabrey’s mind was now licking its chops at the chance to spring this piece of ammunition on her opponent.

“If it serves to keep him on his toes... all the better,” she smiled, “though I don’t think I could ask for a nicer guy. Oh... and would the rest of you like some dinner tonight? There’s likely going to be boar!” she pointed with a grin.

Siabrey was taken aback for a second, (consider what Shaun always jokingly called food with Elenya) till she realized that Elenya was actually talking about food. “Oh... yes! Yes, of course! Shaun says you are an excellent cook!”

Elenya blushed a little. “Well, when I’m here helping my uncle, I watch... thats why they have me roasting this animal for those animals,” she gestures out to the large party outside.

“Who are they, do you know?”

“Some band of bodyguards... the blond one is their leader. They’re resting in town for now until they get a new job.”

“Hmm... well, Elenya,” Siabrey said, now intrigued about the other people in the bar, “I should probably find out what they’re doing... and um... thanks for the information?”

Elenya turned and gave Siabrey a wink. “No problem. If he feels bad, I’ll make him feel better later.” Siabrey grinned, and walked back out into the bar... and into her mind going into confusion.

The evident leader of the group was a tall, blond man, just as Elenya had said. His hair flowed around his shoulders, and he looked to be in his late twenties. The most dramatic thing about him was his face... it looked almost exactly like Tess’. As she watched, someone from the main group shouted at him, “Hey... Quin! Can ya get us some more ale!”

Siabrey looks over to Lucius’ direction, and nods at him. He doesn’t understand what she means, but she heads over towards the bar anyway as the man sits down and begins his order.

“Barkeep! I’d like another 13 tarabashi ales... three with snowdrops... two with...”

“Thats quite a few ales for one person,” Siabrey said, sitting down next to him. She’d thrown on her deepest, sultriest voice. “You sure you can handle them?” She hadn’t had to lead a man around like this in quite a while, and she decided it might be a quick way to get info.

The guy gave a little bit of a blush, and smiled. “Oh, they’re not for me... these are for my boys,” he nodded towards the large, rowdy group. “We’re bodyguards, looking for work now... the ale keeps them in line, and out of trouble.”

“Really? Say... I think I’ve seen you before,” Siabrey says as the man starts to stand up with the first order of ales. Upon her statement, he sits back down quickly, looks at her, and gets a quizzical look on his face.

”I would have remembered someone with eyes like yours... or that voice,” he smiles.

Oh boy... this isn’t going where I wanted it to, she thinks as she realizes he’s attracted possibly more than his attention. Perhaps the tactic Tess hates would be appropriate here.

“Are you related to a Tesseron Keldare?” Siabey asks bluntly, and the man’s face changes from one of a slightly amorous nature to one of concern tinged with fear. He nods slowly.

“Do you know my sister? Has anything happened to my sister?”

“Your sister is fine... she’s here in town actually, I’ve been travelling with her,” Siabrey says. “I had a hunch after seeing you, I just wanted to confirm it.” Siabrey then got up, noticing Lucius looking a little concerned over at his table. The man called Quin followed her.

“How is she?” he asks.

“She’s quite fine... she might be walking through those doors fairly soon now,” she said as they drew up to the table where Lucius sat. “This here is my...” and her mind stumbled for a second.

Friend? He’s more than that... what term do I use...

“... good friend... Luke,” she settles on the proper term, and she senses a slight relaxation in Luke... he knew her internal conflict. As the two shake hands, a squeal echoes through the inn.

“QUIN!? Is that you? QUIN!!!!”

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Tess charges through the bar at a full run before almost leaping into her older brother’s arms, giving him a bearhug that would have crushed many other men. Quin merely laughs, and grabs his sister in return.

“How are you, Tess? How’s your harping been going, since you became a slacker and chose to ignore the family tradition?” he laughed.

Tess pushed away to get a good look at him.

“My harping has been going well, you silly boy!” she laughed with him. She looks behind her, and points to a rather stunned Shaun still standing in the doorway.

“That there is my compatriot Shaun... he’s also a bard, and has some sleight of hand skills too...”

“ah... still associating with roguish elements of society... I’m proud of you!”

“What are you doing all the way down here in Kulloden?” Tess asks, sitting down beside Lucius as Quin does the same beside Siabrey.

“Well, we got a job escorting a big fat merchant named Escribe or Escarbe of something from Irulas to here. Now we’re in between work, though I’m guessing this place will need lots of work soon.”

“Don’t take work going south,” Tess said, suddenly deadpan. Her brother was taken rather aback by the statement, and he asked why.

“There’s... bad things to the south,” she said, finally deciding proper words. Lucius and Siabrey nodded, adding credence to her warning. Quin looks at her a little surprised, and then smiles.

“Oh well... I suppose I can trust my own sister’s judgement!” He then looked over as he heard a loud crash, and saw one of his men stumbling around over a broken dinner plate.

“Oh boy,” he said quietly. “Well, Tess, it looks as if I have to leave soon. How long are you in town?”

“Next two days at least.”

“Good. We’re going to be at the White Rose Inn... not as nice as the one you’ve got for yourself here, but its got room for all my boys... even when they’re less than sober.” Quin starts to rise, and gives his sister a hug.

“Tess, stop by sometime tommorrow... its been ages since we’ve talked.” Tess nodded, and Quin started rounding up his troops.

“Alright! Who broke it? Hladir, you’ll give the bartender three silver for that. The rest of you... its been long enough... c’mon... lets go. I know this place has the best tankard around, but you’re going back if you keep breaking things! Move on! Move on!” As the last of his somewhat clutzy men stumbled out, Quin gave Tess a wave, and then vanished out the door.

”Hmm... so that was your brother?” Shaun said, sitting down now beside Siabrey. The red eyed woman saw this as her chance to strike, and did so immediately with aplomb.

“So... Shaun... please... tell us about Hieroneous?”

Shaun’s face first goes white, and then a deep, near scarlet shade of red. Lucius begins to chuckle... he has no idea what the joke is, but Shaun’s contorting facial expressions are humorous themselves. Shaun coughs several times, as Siabrey turns the screws a little tighter.

“Shouldn’t you be saying Elenya’s name instead?” she asks with a devilish grin. Shaun’s eyes unfocus, and he stares straight ahead. Lucius goes from chuckling to a confused look, as he too looks at Siabrey. Shaun bites his lower lip, and almost appears near tears.

How did she know?

Yes, I do that... but I’m only thinking of Elenya... but what of the other women from Illyant, Holstean, Danbur Crossing... I didn’t treat them like I treat her...

But Elenya is... the one! Isn’t she? his confused mind rambles through thoughts.

Oh no... he’s really hurt Siabrey’s mind thought. She’d only intended for the ribbing of a lifetime... not to break the man down. I’d... I’d better apologize.

”Aw c’mon Shaun... its joke humor. A joke? Its nothing but a joke?” she tries to backtrack, but he keeps staring off into space, fuming. He’s not buying it her mind though in panic. “Shaun... yes, I did talk to Elenya... and yes, she did say that. But you know what else she said?” Siabrey asked quietly with more than a little desperation.

He stared off into space.

“She said you were the best... that she couldn’t imagine herself with anyone else.” It is basically what she said... Siabrey’s mind justified the little extension she added. His frown began to break, when another voice was added to the conversation.

“Oh, don’t pout, Shauny,” Elenya said as she walked up to the table. She was now standing beside them, a grin on her face, and Shaun’s face broke into a smile on seeing her. She gave him a wink, and then turned to everyone else.

“It looks like everyone’s going to get an extra helping of boar... they left without eating what they last ordered.”

“How much do we owe you?” Siabrey asked.

“Oh... pssah!” Elenya snorted, “they paid and left! It’s on the house! My uncle doesn’t need to know...”

Dang... I really like this girl! Siabrey thought approvingly.

“I’ll get the food ready, and it’ll be up in your rooms in the hour!”

The party ate rather heartily on the extra roasted boar, and between them, probably consumed three quarters of the animal. Elenya of course served eveyone else first, before heading off to the room she and Shaun and commandeered and closing the door for the night. As the door closed, Shaun looked at Elenya, and all the wonderful, alien thoughts in his head came back.

She’s wonderful!

“Do you really mind... the thing I...”

She put a finger on his lips.

“No... I don’t. I know you’re thinking of me the whole time.” She then got an evil grin and asked, “When is the first course?”


Watching the two run off to their own room, Siabrey, Tess, Lucius and Pellaron sat around in Tess’ room, finish their meals. Afterwards, Lucius made some simple gestures with his hands, and the bluish lavender form of an ice-rose formed in his hand, and he then handed it to her.

Oh.. its gorgeous! Siabrey’s mind jumped at the sight of the flower, and she held the image of it in her hands, where it flickered for several moments before slipping into ether. She then looked up, and into Lucius’ eyes, and decided that perhaps the flower was the second most gorgeous thing in the room.

Tess saw the looks they were giving each other, and volunteered to go to an alchemists shop to get some necessities to prevent accidents... 9 month long accidents.

Siabrey very pointedly says that she doesn’t need that right now, and she rather sharply denies the suggestion that it should be required. Tess backs off for the time being.

The two then went to their own room, which quickly filled with the residual wafting smell of her spices and perfumes. Very pleased with this, she was also very pleased to find that it was Lucius that gently kissed her first this night, and that their one kiss turned to two, to four, then eight...

This... could last forever... her thought as her hands flowed through his hair, and sensations that caused her soul to upwell went through her body. She then felt his hands start caressing her body this time, and a few, quiet alarms went off in her head.

He’s moving fast... he’s still vulnerable, Siabrey... Don’t push things...

She tried to toss this cautious out of her mind as well, but it clung and stuck. Within seconds she stiffened up, as her more protective side came to the front.

I don’t want to hurt him... but I care for him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked a couple seconds later, “is everything ok?”

“I’m... I’m fine,” she said quietly, sitting up from beside him. “Um... can I just hug you for now?” she asked quietly, and was relieved to see him smile and take her in an embrace. The two talked for much of the night, revealing each other’s hearts for hours... never closely approaching the next line she inwardly feared.

As she rested her head on his tunic, just before the sweet song of sleep brought her from the conscious world, her mind reflected... He is my handsome knight...

I wonder what the surprise was... hmm... maybe it was another dress... one that fits my wings?

Her tired mind then joined a world full of such dresses as she slipped off into sleep.


Tess, for her part, was torn between being happy for the two lovebirds that closed their door and entered their own little world, and being a little miffed still. The miffed part of her had shrunk greatly... the first night it was more due to loneliness than anything. Now she could look forward to her brother for a bit... and Pellaron wasn’t bad company.

“Did you see what Lucius did? That was so cute!” she said with an absent smile.

“Yes... so cute it was sickening almost,” Pellaron said with a friendly growl. Tess had to laugh at that comment. While she wasn’t attracted to the guy, Pellaron was good company, at least when the others ran off to do their own thing. He and Tess ended up talking for quite a while, with him explaining to her his background; as a young elf, his family was attacked and killed by orcs, and he was dragged off, likely to be sold into slavery. Paladins of Hieroneous broke up the slave caravan, and rescued him. He was raised as a ward of the church, and thus was how an elf became a paladin in one of the chief of human religions.



Tess once again was the first awake with Pellaron the next morning, though Lucius and Siabrey came out fairly soon after. As Lucius went downstairs to grab some breakfast, Tess, with a rather concerned look, asks Siabrey if anything happened the previous night.

“No! No... of course not...” Siabrey replies quickly, causing Tess to immediately doubt her.

“Are you sure you don’t need any helpful items?” Tess asks. You never know when the love bug will bite you, dear... its best to be prepared anyways...

“What? No... we haven’t gotten that far yet Tess! We won’t get that far for a long time! I’m taking things slowly with Lucius!”

“Uh huh... riight,” Tess says, provoking Siabrey to give a sigh of exasperation and leave the room. As soon as Siabrey wanders away, Tess dashes out, and buys three vials from an alchemist’s shop. Better to be safe than sorry.

For their first destination of the day, everyone heads out towards Quinnias’ Shop to pick up the items that were dropped off for identification the previous day. As they walk into his shop, they see he has a rather dark air about him, and looks very concerned.

“Um... were you quite... um... aware of the origins of some of these items?” he asks as they walk in.

“Um... yes. We took them off of some... orcs,” Siabrey pauses only momentarily, guessing it might not be wise to tell him they all came off of a demon. “Is there a problem?”

“This staff...” Quinnias says, “its evil... very evil. If it came off of orcs, that could explain why. Its a staff of frost, and it nearly burned me when I tried to detect its alignment. Do I have your permission to turn it over to the Church of Pelor for destruction?”

“Oh, by all means,” Tess says quickly. A staff that evil was something the party had no use for, and their quick agreement clearly set Quinnias on better nerves.

“Well... the other items were fine. Firstly... this quiver of white arrows... those are sleep arrows... quite nice for putting creatures to sleep. Secondly, the ribbon. Its an item an elven archer probably created... it works the same as casting faerie fire on the target, should the arrow hit... they light up like a thousand candles on a dark night.

And finally, this,” he pulls out the javelin, “is a lightning javelin. When the command word is said, and it is thrown at an enemy, on contact it bursts into a bolt of lightning. This destroys the javelin, however. And if you miss your target, it remains a javelin.”

The party then thanked Quinnias for his work, and he asks them to return sometime, as they were very nice and considerate people.

Remembering that Hidalas was supposed to be awake and ready today, the party then decides to head towards the Temple of Hieroneous, to consult him and find out what happened and what he is aware of.

The party arrived at the Temple of Hieroneous a few minutes later, and were greeted by the same acolyte that Harrapias had given a lecture to the night before. He hurriedly trotted up to the group, and after hearing their request, led them back rather quickly to one of the living quarters, where Hidalas was now resting.

The party filed in quietly, only to see Hidalas grinning on his bed.

“So... I hear you slew a demon!” he shouts with a huge smile, wrapping his arms around Lucius, “I have the deepest respect for that... and my boy, I’m proud of you!”

“How do you feel, Hidalas?” Siabrey asked after Hidalas let go of his former charge.

“Much better,” he grinned. “I can walk today, but they advised me to stay in bed for just a while longer... so here I am.”

“How’d you get attacked?” Tess asked, “We’d like to piece things together, as I assume you hear about Rogar...”

“Yes,” Hidalas’ face fell. He shifted rather uneasily in his bed, “yes I heard... the diamond was with him?” The group nodded, and Hidalas gave a sigh.

”Well,” he began after a little bit, “I was going to the Temple of Pelor, to finish some arrangements for them to recall some of their paladins, when I noticed a blonde young man... no older than Lucius maybe, down at the temple steps. It was rather late, no one was running about, so I went over to help him, when I felt a pain in the back...”

“...the first stab.” Tess said, and Hidalas nodded.

”I rolled over to try and defend myself, and I saw my attacker... a woman...”

“Lemme guess,” Shaun said, “with blonde hair and an eyepatch?”

“Yes... how did you know?” Hidalas asked. He had missed Shaun’s entire explanation of why he had been in Mephys.

“The same woman tried to paralyze me and leave me for dead here in Kulloden. I was chasing her when I ran into Lucius here... and she was in Mephys for a bit...”

“...where she met Rogar,” Tess growled.

God help Rogar if she gets her hands on him, Shaun thought.

Hidalas’ eyes went a little wide, as he put things together. “So Rogar in theory planned this all out?”

“Or Ilia... the woman,” Shaun clarified.

Hidalas shook his head. “The priests at my own temple never told me Rogar was so close to the Countess. If I’d even suspected...”

”Hidalas, don’t kick yourself,” Siabrey volunteered. “You didn’t know.”

Hidalas sighed rather sadly before adding, “And they rode south, I hear?”

“Yes,” Siabrey said sadly, “south towards Holstean, with the diamond.”

Hidalas punched his pillow, and mumbled, “they could come swiftly then.” A series of confused faces caused him to continue, “She could march outwards now. She’ll likley follow the same path that Ananias did so long ago... Kulloden, through Illyatch, to Irulas, and then down the Inerman Valley to the rest of the Empire...Kulloden is the first town in her path... she could arrive her tommorrow, the next week, the next month, or next year...”

“How much strength can she march with?” the ever martial minded Siabrey asked. Hidalas grunted.

“Its rather alarming... perhaps 10,000 regular citizens of the Empire... not counting the orcs, goblins, and the like that will join her banner?”

“10,000 citizens?!” Lucius spat out. “How can that be?”

“Precious few are coming north from Holstean itself... even the priests are remaining.. likely held by her power. Ove the 150 priests of Tarantor at hte Holstean temple, only 15 have come to Kulloden... maybe half the priests of Pelor and only three quarters of the priests of Hieroneous from that city have fled as well. The rest...”

“...are dead?” Tess volunteered.

“I should wish,” Hidalas said, “... but more than likely they have joined her banner... so that now she not only has an army, but priests and officers to command it. At worst case... she could march on Kulloden with as many as 120,000 or more...”

“Sweet Hieroneous in heaven!” Siabrey swore. The biggest armies the Empire had massed for a single engagement were roughly that size, but that hadn’t happened in many many years...

“I’d advise you all to ride hard for Irulas as soon as you can... and get a good retainer of bodyguards as well.”

My brother has a goodly number... Tess thought.

“Would 14 riders sound like enough bodyguards?” Tess asked, and Hidalas raised an eyebrow, asking where so many could be found.

“My brother is the chief of a troop of bodyguards that are here in Kulloden, waiting for work. It shan’t be hard to persuade them to help us out I imagine.” Hidalas asks some questions about their equippage, and once satisfied, agrees that its a good idea.

“I would not stay longer than you have to,” Hidalas reinterated. “Perhaps return with the Imperial Governor once he arrives in three days, at the latest. We need the Imperial armies to begin mobilizing if we want to stop her, and the Imperial Governor... or the Princess herself, are the ones that can do that!”

 

[Emperor Valerian]

With Hidalas’ call for raising troops in their minds after leaving, the party begins to realize how important tonight’s dinner with the Baron Valdonis might prove. Lucius asks everyone else to dress in their best clothes, while he is going to put on his father’s battle armor before heading out. Tess meanwhile made a quick run to where her brother was staying, and notified him of the offer... which he accepted on behalf of his men.

“Um... would that be wise for maintaining cover?” Tess asks after her return, and Lucius stops for a minute, and then agrees it would be rather dim. Instead, he’ll change into it at the Baron’s palace.

The party arrived back at the inn, and began readying themselves for the upcoming non-lethal battle. Tess dons her new glammered armor, as Shaun dons his royal outfit, which hasn’t seen use since the infamous incident with Ilia (aka Rosalyn). Pellaron will arrive as himself... his symbol of Hieroneous carries more weight than the finest of clothes, and Siabrey, with help from Tess, dons her painful red corseted dress (painful in that her wings are crushed against her body).

Seeing Siabrey in her dress, and knowing what book Lucius has, Shaun decides to try some humor with the lad.

“So... Lucius... you see Siabrey’s got a dress on?” he asks. Lucius looks up, and Shaun loses him for several minutes due to staring. The only thing that breaks the boy’s look is Siabrey’s glance in his direction. Both snap their heads away, blushing.

“Oh... um.. yes, I see the dress... she looks absolutely...” Lucius’ voice trails off.

“Delicious?” Shaun volunteers.

“Lovely,” Lucius scowls at Shaun, who breaks into a chuckle.

The party heads out a few hours before dusk, and ride through the city towards the Baronial Keep. Unlike the richer, more powerful Counts in Holstean, the Baron of Kulloden lives in a palace more akin to a castle or fortress than a palatial estate. Its walls are mottled dark grey, with a large tower, somewhat cremulated with decorative carvings along its sides. It doesn’t look like a pleasant place to the party...

As the party rides up, Tess functions as a herald, barking out that the Count of Holstean has arrived, and the large outer gates swing open. The party rides between a sea of halbelds as guardsmen are drawn up at attention on both sides. Siabrey remarks its rather impressive, while Lucius, now in the role of being a noble, remarks that it looks, “as if my dear cousin is kissing up to us.”

The party enters the main keep, where Lucius, devoid of appropriate words, asks if he can “freshen up.” The servants leading them are confused, but lead him to a small changing room where he dons his armor. When he comes out, clanking and ackwardly moving, Shaun starts to wonder.

“Um... how are you going to eat with that thing on?”

“I’m not,” Lucius said, “I’m here on business... the rest of you fill up as you please. I’ll eat later.”

Shaun starts to make a humorous comment, but decides against it as inside the Baron’s estate is not the appropriate place, and saying such a thing when both Lucius and Siabrey were there and within striking distance would not be the appropriate time. Perhaps if he was a little further away...

A grand steward comes out, and calls for the party to enter the private dinning hall. As they follow him into a tall, but rather smaller dining hall than the party is used to for nobility (considering their last noble feast experience was in the Countess’ massive banquet hall), it still carryings the requisite decor... mounted heads, gilt chandeliers, among others.

The Baron sits on one end of the table, and true to rumor, he does not sit in the chair, more flows within its boundaries. His hair is a tousled mass of black, and his skin is a sickly pallid color. When he speaks, his voice sounds thick, and his accent is clipped.

“Ah... my dear cousin Lucius! How do you fare?” No one in the party smiles.

“Fair enough, dear cousin,” Lucius growls more than speaks. The chief servant comes out again, and announces that appetizers will be plum, raisin, and roast puddings, with a main course of roasted pheasant or boar, to be followed by dessert requests. The party hardly notices... save a rather hungry Siabrey.

Dessert requests? Hmm... it has been such a long time since I’ve had a cream pie... Siabrey’s mind runs a bit ahead of her and the present time.

“Please... be seated,” the Baron gestures, and rather warily the party sits down. “I am afraid that two of my other invitations, to your friends Brother Hidalas and Brother Harrapias, were turned down, so it shall be just us for the evening.” Tess’ eyes immediately narrow at the statement, though she can’t prove or pick up anything untoward... other than the man is slimy.

As the appetizers arrive, Lucius begins, “I will be blunt, cousin. I am here to ask for you help in raising troops to put down my mother’s rebellion.”

“Ah... so the young lion seeks to replace the old?” he says, and Lucius stiffens. The Baron then looks across the table towards the rest of the group, and says, “Ah, you look so pallid. Do not worry about the cares of the nobility... they are above the heads of mere... commoners and churchgoers.” The Baron’s voice remained steady and pleasant through the statement.

What the... Tess’ mind snapped, and she came within inches of rising out of her seat. She didn’t have to look around the table to see Siabrey and Shaun both stiffen and glower at the Baron. The Baron himself had a pleasantly amused look on his face, until his eye’s met Lucius’, who to all seemed as if they had gone steel gray. Two minutes into talks, and the situation and already deteriorated.

“I would not talk about us ‘mere commoners’ like that, m’lord,” Tess said, somehow keeping her voice an even keel, “as these commoners were the ones that slew the demon that threatened your lands to the east.”

“And saved your cousin’s life,” Siabrey volunteered, with a nod to Shaun. Not to mention care for you cousin far more than you do, she wanted to snarl. The staff came and took the appetizers away, replacing them with boar and pheasant, which were served to the party as the air continued to grow tense.

“Ah, yes... well...” the Baron said rather uneasily, as even his fubbled brain could detect the tension in the room rising. “I would be glad to assist my cousin in putting down the rebellion... however to sign the orders authorizing a levy of forces will take some time and preparation... three months at the earliest.”

“Three months!?” Lucius snapped, and Siabrey shifted her seat back to stand before Shaun grabbed her arm. Tess, for her part, began to lose the calm sweetness that was normally her calm self.

“Do you realize, dear Baron,” she began, a smile on her lips, her voice respectful, but filled with such venom that it was frightening, “that those rebels could be marching here with five score thousand within a few weeks at the latest?” The Baron began to laugh.

“Where did you hear such foolishness?” he scoffed, only to have Pellaron snarl at him.

“From the Church of Hieroneous... who watches us all... and I know you are a devotee to him, Baron,” Pellaron gave a veiled threat. The Baron blanched a little, and then recovered.

“Nonetheless, it would require three months for...”

“Mobilization takes two weeks, my dear Baron... I am not a fool, do not presume me to be one!” Lucius snapped. Siabrey herself decided on the far more blunt route, adn drew her dagger and began to play with it in her hands.

“M’lord Lucius is a sharp weapon indeed... and there are many blades arrayed against him... blades that will be cut down. After he is victorious there, would you not want such a sharp weapon to be on your side after the dust clears?” The Baron visibly gulped, and had to cough hard to avoid choking on a tender piece of pheasant.

My, aren’t we blunt defending our man, tonight? Tess’ mind asked, but to her surprise, Lucius nodded to Siabrey’s statement and glowered at the Baron.

“My dear cousin,” his own voice began with venom, “you will sign the papers calling the mobilization tonight, before I leave these chambers. Should you not, I daresay I shan’t want to think of the consequences that shall befall your status one this affair has ended.” Tess, sitting beside Lucius, also noticed with some alarm that his sword arm was resting on the hilt of his weapon, alternately gripping and releasing it.

Tess saw the situation was reaching a breaking point, and decided to apply the last bit of pressure. Turning to Lucius, she asked, “would you care for some harp music, my lord, just as a background to dinner?”

Even as the Baron’s mouths slipped to form the word no, Lucius’ loud, “Yes... there shall be harp music,” cut him off.

Thats right boy, Tess thought as she strung up her instrument and began playing songs detailing the grisly fate of the orcs and demons that had faced the party, You are nothing but a fool right now... a fool that is caught and will be crushed by a young boy if you step wrong.

The Baron was no fool, and saw this as well. Rather hurriedly he called in some servants, who brought int he requisite documents which he signed with his greasy hands. Lucius then stood, and signed them as well. Immediately afterwards, Lucius beckoned the party to stand.

“I am happy, dear cousin, that we have come to an understanding. At this time, unfortunately, I have other, more immediate business to attend to. Goodnight, Baron, and hopefully we shall see each other again on more... reasonable terms.” The party filed out, Lucius last, glowering at the fat lord the entire way.

Wow, Siabrey thought on the way out, my Lucius has grown... alot. As she walked alongside Tess, she quietly whispered as much.

“He had no choice,” Tess whispered back, “his world was destroyed, and now he’s the highest ranking noble in the area. He has no choice... we are all he has left of his former world... his former life.” The two sentences sank hard into Siabrey, as Lucius went once again into the changing rooms, re-emerging in his familiar nondescript tunic and brown cloak.

“Lets head back, shall we, now that the vile business of the night is done?” he asked.

The party cantered out, and Siabrey’s stomach growled... she’d only gotten part of the main course, and her appetite for cream pie had yet to be fufilled. She whispered to herself that she hadn’t had any, and to her surprise, Lucius spurred his horse forward, and cut to the left of the surprsingly crowded street, and dipped into what looked to be an upscale bakery, reemerging a few minutes later with a single, rather large cream pie, which he hands to Siabrey.

“I hope thats worth five gold pieces,” he says, reining up his horse.

He bought that... for me? But he hasn’t eaten anything...

”Luke, I won’t eat any of this unless you take half of the pie,” Siabrey said.

“No, its your...”

“Take half,” she slightly more ordered than asked, and Lucius gingerly cut his part of the pie, and then ate it almost ravenously. Siabrey reasoned that he could likely have eaten the rest of the pie as well, but she decided not to push him by trying to offer more (and besides, it was good pie.. she needed some for herself!)

The party arrives back at the inn in a far better mood than they left. Valdonis’ commitment would give them almost 10,000 troops once the levies were complete. Most would be peasant levies... ill armed compared ot regular men at arms, but enough hopefully to be the start of the force that would march on Holstean.

In much better spirits, the party decides they might stay downstairs in the inn for a little while... at least to give Elenya time to fix their dinners (she’d volunteered to do the same as the night before). As Shaun walks in, she comes back from taking an order, walks over, checks to see if her uncle is watching (he’s yelling at an irate customer, so no), and delivers him a swift kiss in the mouth.

“What was that for?” he asks.

“Oh... nothing... just missed ya, thats all,” she grins. “Hmm... I’ll see you upstairs in about a half hour... right?” she winks with another one of those devilish grins as she walks back to the kitchen.

About two seconds later, she walks through the front door. Shaun and the rest of the party do a double take, as Elenya sashays up to Shaun, and strokes his cheek.

“I’ve changed my mind... lets go now. We’ll feed later,” her voice says, deeper and more husky. Shaun looks confused.

Oh... is she hot right now!

But didn’t she just go into...

NOPE! Logic doesn’t belong here! Hot woman wants to take me upstairs! Logic go away... don’t bother me! I’m going to be bizzay soon! Shaun’s mind jumped.

Siabrey, far more proactive than any of the other confused people, walks back towards the kitchen.

And sees Elenya in the kitchen... she waves and asks whats going on.

The Elenya amorously wrapping herself around Shaun sees Siabrey do this over his shoulder... and strikes...

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Shaun did not have any of his armor on, and before much could be done, two claws slashed through his thin tunics and into his skin. He felt his skin curling and burning, as if acid had been poured into the wounds,and a thin whisp of smokiness from his chest wafted into the air. Confused and in pain, he looked down and saw that “Elenya’s” hands now ended in large claws, and the fingers now appeared to be devoid of skin, and less and less of her looked like it was covered by skin... more and more sickening, writhing muscles came into view.

Patrons began running out of the bar, screaming at the first attack, and within seconds the party was in full combat mode. Not just Shaun, but the entire party had been caught at a disadvantage. Other than Tess’ harp and Lucius’ sword, no one had carried anything greater than a dagger to the Baron’s party, and neither had anyone gone upstairs to get their weapons or armor. Tess’ harp was out and her familiar musical strike lashed out by sonic waves, hitting the creature hard as more and more of its skin became devoid of flesh, and nothing more it looked like a human flayed alive, a sea of writhing musles with no covering.

Lucius’ sword came out, and he slashed hard at the creature, which leapt back in pain. Its blood spattered on one of the tables, and hissing noises rose as it burned through the wood. At the same time Elenya pushes past the stunned Siabrey and ran straight at the monster, grabbing it by the shoulder. Small wisps of smoke curl from the place she touched as she yells, “burn!” and her own hand crackles as acid eats at it. The creature snarls, and runs into a corner waving its hands (haste, and mirror image), as four more looking and moving exactly like it appear all over the bar.

Tess launches another songstrike, which wipes away most of the false images, allowing the party to concentrate on the real monster. Shaun, still stunned, and rather badly hurt, declines to close with the creature and instead throws his dagger; his badly hurt arm can’t launch it far enough, and it clatters harmlessly to the ground.

Elenya then touches Shaun and his wounds, which to the surprise of everyone, start closing up. In the midst of the fighting and shouts and screams, Shaun has a brief moment that changes his life...

I love you so much! his mind babbles as she hovers around him, checking his hurts.

Siabrey meanwhile has charged from beside the kitchen, and runs at the monster, who is partially behind a table. She attempts to leap onto the table but instead leaps into it, slamming her side rather hard and thus only able to make an off-balance thrust with her dagger, which connects to the monster's arm, causing it to scream at her.

The creature then waves its hands over itself again, and a thin blue haze appears just off of its skin (mage armor), and then the creature lashes out at Siabrey, hitting her with claws and a nasty bite to the shoulder. Tess launches a third songstrike, mauling the creature before Lucius, in a vicious fury, leaps onto the table beside Siabrey and cleanly decapitates the creature.

As its head rolls to a stop along the ground, it eeriely, magically speaks.

“My name is Arandul. I was sent to kill you...where I fail, others will succeed.” (Arandul was a quth-maren, level 4 sorceress that plays with alter self to get to the targets of her assassination...)

The party, along with the few patrons that didn’t fly out of the windows, or the doors, is stunned for a few moments. Elenya flutters about Shaun, alternately giving him pity kisses and binding his wounds, while Lucius runs upstairs to find the healing staff and fixes up Siabrey. Several former patrons are sent running off to find priests... and a few minutes later, none less than Harrapias arrives with acolytes in tow to consecrate the body.

It was at this point that Siabrey notices a note on the swinging doorway to the inn, pinned into the wood by a vicious looking dagger:

My dear friends,

I shall greatly enjoy chasing you down. The hunt is my favorite part of a kill.

Best Regards,
Rogar

Siabrey, somewhat shaken, reports this note to everyone else, and as crowds begin to push into the bar to gawk, and Tess loudly announces, “We’re leaving!”

Party members head upstairs to begin hurriedly packing their stuff, as Tess runs outside to go to her brother’s inn to tell him of the rushed schedule. As she gets outside into the darkness of night, a sight to the south sends chills down her spine...

A light, chilly wind blows from the south, as distant clouds roil visibly closer, each one impregnated with lightning bolts. The streets are full now, mostly with people with belongings on their backs. They all speak of ice monsters coming from the south... and Tess wants to join their screaming.

Oh my God... Tess’ mind freezes, and her hurried walk to her brother’s place of residence turns to a dead run.

“Quin!” she calls, getting inside. One of his men recognizes her, and tells her he’s upstairs. Unbidden, she rushes up, and bursts into his room.

“Whats the matter?” he asks, turning from some whittling he was doing.

“We need to go... NOW. Someone or something just tried to kill us, and the bad things to the south are coming this way. Get your men mounted! How soon can you be ready to ride?” Quin’s face fell at his sister’s fright, and he answered as firmly and calmly as he could:

“Thirty minutes, we’ll be fully mounted.”

Shaun, meanwhile, managed to push his way through the crowds to the Temple of Kord, hoping to find Grumki. Evil days were ahead, and Shaun thought with a vague remnant of humor, We could sure use a little of the strength of Kord.

It wasn’t hard to find Grumki, as he stood head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd. Shaun waved and shoved until Grumki saw the man flopping in the sea of people, and shoved his massive body forward, the crowd’s parting as a knife parts butter.

“Hallo, Shaun the quick witted! What do you think of this messy night?”

“If we don’t hurry, it’ll be more messy!” Shaun shouts. “The party is riding to Irulas! We need your hammer by our side!” Grumki gave a big hearty laugh.

“Ah... this sounds like another chance to show the strength of Kord! Grumki happily accepts!”

Tess ran back, to find the party outside the inn, on horseback waiting. Shaun and Grumki had returned by this time, both mounted. Minutes seemed like hours, as the clouds roiled and boiled closer in the darkened sky, lightning launching from them to the ground in brighter, closer flashes.

Oh god... oh god... Shaun’s mind was going when to his alarm he noticed Elenya beside him on a small pony, its back covered in baked goods and preserved meats. Her eyes spoke of fear, even though her face tried covering it.

“What are you doing?” he shouted above the increasing noise of the crowd.

“I’m coming with! I’m not going to let you get yourself hurt like that again!” she called back.

“You’ll get hurt! Its dangerous! You shouldn’t come with! I won’t let you!”

“Make me go back in there!” she gave a brave, fake grin, just as Tess arrived. Overhearing the argument, Tess shouts, “She’ll be safer with us!” and points to the closing lightning.

Siabrey’s thoughts also verged on panic as well. The crowds were growing more scared, and still they waited as people streamed towards the north... towards the northern gates of the city. The tension in the air grew rapidly, and for the first time in a long time, she felt worse than afraid, worse than frightened... she was scared. Lucius’ horse pulled up alongside hers, and it was easily apparent from his eyes that he was going through much the same.

It’ll be ok, she wanted to tell him, but she couldn’t do it. He reached out, grabbed her, and gave her a deep kiss, with the phrase, “I don’t know if we’re going to get through this... I love you.”

Any coherent response her mind would have come up with was wiped away as Tess shouted that her brother was coming, and they spotted a line of horses and riders fighting their way through the crowds...

“Move! Make way!” Tess shouted hoarsely, as Lucius and Siabrey joined their own voices. The crowds parted a little, enough that hte group cold trot through to her brother’s contingent. As they approached, Tess shuddered as she saw her brother.

I hardly recognize him... she thought as she saw the visage now clad in breastplate armor, a rather wicked looking short sword at his side and a composite longbow strung to his back. Behind him came 13 others, chain mail drooping from their shoulders, swords from their belts, and bows from their backs as well.

“Vicious night, eh Tess?” Quin shouted above the crowd, and Tess nodded, pointing north. Quin returned her nod, and barked the orders:

“Dragon Wing Company, to protective positions! You four, up to the front, you, to the rear! The rest, flank the sides!” Quickly the party found themselves almost encased in protective bodies, and they began shoving their way northward.

Progress was slow, as many of the people streaming from the south into Kulloden merely passed through while streaming northwards on the main road. Tess, Lucius, and Grumki kept calling for people to move, to little avail. It was finally Siabrey who spurred her horse towards the edge of the road.

As the entourage now passed through much faster, Quin was heard to mutter, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

An hour of riding passed as they slowly pulled away from Kulloden. Fear still ran in their hearts, but was more replaced by the excitement of the moment. It was then that Shaun and Tess saw something strange up ahead.

What the... fires alongside the road? Who would set up camp at a time like this? Tess’ mind wondered.

Moving fires? How can a campfire move into... Shaun’s mind wondered simultaneosly, before panicked screams could be heard up ahead as the flames viciously lunged into the crowd. The party lunged forward, to see that it wasn’t flames in the middle of the crowd, but two flaming creatures.

Demons! ran collectively through everyone’s minds as the group charged forward with little trouble as the crowds ahead scattered into the woods. The monsters ahead in the gloom were tall and thin, their skins dark in the night darkness, their eyes large, their faces narrow. Their wings, or what shreds they had of wings, were wreathed in flame, along with their bodies. As the group charged forward, each creature snatched up a helpless refugee and shredded them to pieces. (Palrethree)

Tess looks on in horror as Quin shouts to his men to charge the creatures, and two of their number are shred as the creatures catch them in their grasps. The others whirl away from the assault, inclined to offer battle with bows now, not swords. To the party’s alarm, they also note that when the men stab the creatures, flames writhe up their blades and burn their arms.

Quin gallops past the party, Pellaron and Grumki soon behind.

Tess, seeing her brother in danger, has a confusing array of emotions running through her... most related to fear. She pulls out her harp and quickly begins her musical magic, lashing out at the demon closest to Quin. Lucius reins up alongside her, and extends his hands, calling for magic bolts of energy which strike the other creature.

Shaun, meanwhile, seeing the havoc the demons are wreaking, considers using his bow until he hears Tess’ voice and sees the damage it wreaks yet again. He then remembers the damage his own wreaked on the kobolds only a week or so prior...
Thats it! I’ll put them to sleep!

He spurs his horse forward, till he is right between the two demons, his voice rising in the air in a haunting song. The commoner at the feet of one of the demon’s falls asleep, and the two warriors closest to the demons seem woozy for a second.

But the demons merely spin towards Shaun, and snarl; They felt magic washing over them from him, and now intend to carve him to bits before he can throw something more effective at them. Both cut open Shaun with their flaming swords, but while Shaun’s clothes merely singe and smoke, thankfully they don’t catch fire. Shaun reels in his saddle, nearly collapsing from the pain.

Quin arrives just as the creatures slash at Shaun, and stabs his sword deep into the shoulder of one beast. Flames leap up his blade and onto his arm, and he nearly drops his sword as Tess’ scream of “Get away Quin!” echoes loudly through the trees.

Desperate now, Tess’ voice cracks slightly as the continues her songs of power, and another blast of songstrikes takes down the beast near Quin. Siabrey, pushing her way forward before this, launches a charge at the lone creature left, and delivers a fatal coup de grace. Flames from the dying demon burn her as well. Her sword tingles, and feels warm afterwards.

Within seconds, Elenya is up by Shaun, hugging him, puttering around him trying to bind up some of the wounds, and nearly crying in the process. Lucius is almost instantly at Sibrey’s side, trying to check out the burns. Tess grabs her brother, and shouts at him, “Don’t you ever charge a demon like that again! That is my job!”

Siabrey and Tess both simultaneously suggest that as it appears the creatures are being sent after them, and not the refugees, it might be better to ride away from the innocents, a comment that the rest of the party agrees with. At the next fork in the road, where the refugees turn left to head towards Illyant, the party heads right... towards Irulas.

They ride hard, hardly stopping over the course of three days. When they do rest, it is for short periods, just long enough to rest their horses. The clouds to the south are far in the distance, and on the third day, the sun is brightly shining as the party slows to a stop near the edge of a flat plain to rest their horses.

Bone tired, Lucius has sprawled himself out at the base of a rather large tree, almost napping as Siabrey sits beside him and the two talk. Nearby Elenya and Shaun are doing the same... in far graver and quieter tones than normal.

“Have you been keeping up on your practicing with that harp, Tess?” Quin quietly and rather jokingly asks her. Everyone is nervous, and Tess is used to Quin cracking remarks when he is tense.

“After what you saw,” she crosses her arms, “what do you think?” She lets out a grin at his humor. Its a thin one, but its better than pacing in her mind.

“I think that mother would have been quite impressed... she’d likely ask you to be the head of one of the family’s bodyguard detachments. Firepower like that is... very very impressive.”

“I’m glad I have your approval,” she says, sitting down next to him to have a bite of an apple. “After all, younger sister mustn’t do anything without big brother’s approval!”

He laughs... a laugh thats cut short by the hurried cry from Siabrey that there is a rider on the horizon. Tess rises in a hurry, and a figure that she hoped she would never see again is on the far ridge... nearly 400 feet away.

It was a woman, sitting on a black charger, her blond hair flapping easily in the slight breeze. A bright, freshly cleaned battleaxe is at her hip, and her beautiful face marred by an eyepatch. As they look in shock, she pulls out her bow.

Shaun immediately jumps on top of Elenya, and Siabrey does the same to Lucius. Both have the same thoughts running through their heads, remembering how Rogar shot dead the frost salamander. As Ilia fits the arrow into her bow, the same panicked thoughts run through Shaun and Siabrey’s minds.

Oh please, protect my love!

The arrow sings through the air, and slashes Siabrey in the middle of the back. Blood drips from her armor, as black poison courses through her veins. She feels her reactions growing sluggish, her limbs growing slow. (DM’s Note: Ilia couldn’t use a death attack as the party saw her and saw her as a threat. So the arrow she launched was merely poisoned with a mess that reduces Dex) Ilia meanwhile pulled out her battleaxe, and raised it to the sky... and behind her, 15 riders in black armor thundered over the hill, and towards the party, the blonde woman at the lead, her axe over her head... a warcry on their lips.

“Ride!” Tess shouted rather unneccessarily, as the party hurriedly climbed on their mounts. Siabrey could hardly grasp the reins at one point, and Lucius had to almost strap her onto her saddle as he grabbed her horses bridle and yanked it into following.

The chase continued some time, with Ilia and the black riders behind her gaining... faster and faster. Tess was the first to notice this, and started to rein up her horse, calling, “We must fight them! They ride too fast!”

Quin did rein up, and shouted, “Tess! You and your friends must ride! Ride hard! We’ll hold them off!” Quin’s riders spun away from the party, and began to take positions in a line beside him, swords drawn.

“QUIN!” Tess shouted, pulling her horse to a halt.

“Don’t worry about me, Tess! We’ll get them away! You get to Irulas! We’ll see you at the Wine Glass Inn! Ride!”

Tess’ emotions burrowed into conflict, and she was frozen, her mind refusing to acknowledge what her brother was about to do. Pellaron, as he rode by, grabbed her horses bridle, and pulled her away as the din of battle rose int he air from the rising clash of the 30 warriors...

As Tess rode off, a deep, solemn, and vicious oath ran to her lips between her tears.

“If my brother should die... I shall find the one that killed him, and cut her head off!”

 

[Emperor Valerian]

The party rode without rest for the next day and night, Tess, Elenya, and Lucius healing people’s horses when the wear and tear started becoming too much for the animals. About a day outside of Irulas, the party noted up ahead (as they were charging forward at full gallop) one of the black riders, looking rather stunned as they came over a ridge, looking right at them.

His armor was midnight black full-plate, as was his very skin. His eyes, however, were blood red, and he drew a deep crimson longsword from its scabbard as the party approached. Tess, eager for vengeance, lashes out with bow as she charges by, as does Siabrey, Shaun and others. Most of the arrows merely clatter off of his armor, and he snarls as the group rides by, swinging at Lucius and missing.

”Ride on!” Tess calls, only to hear Pellaron and Lucius rein up their horses. She spins around, seeing both of them charging the creature again, Lucius calling that they must down it or it will report back which road the group has taken.

Like they haven’t figured that out already, Tess grumbled as she turned her horse around, Siabrey galloping past her already, Grumki following

Lucius and Pellaron both land good blows on the creature before it turns to Lucius, and swings so hard with its sword that it knocks him off of his horse, and sends his bleeding form sprawling to the ground. Siabrey snarls, and with a roar befitting a dragon, charges in and smashes the creature hard enough that it nearly falls off its horse.

Grumki lets out a frightening noise, something between a snarl, a growl and a shout, and his warhammer crashes into the creature’s armor, finally knocking the creature off of its mount. Grumki, furious that his little friend was injured, then begins moving in for the kill.

Shaun launches as an arrow, as Tess’ voice calls through the air again, in the same crescendo of C and C-minor, and the creature shook violently before its armor and various implements, shaking harmonically from the shound, began cutting it to pieces.

As the creature lay in its death throws, Siabrey doesn’t know whether to hit Lucius and kiss him, her mind caught between relief and anger.

“Why do you always charge towards the front! They’re after you! Be more careful!” She opted for the kissing route, coupled with lecturing.

“I am a noble,” he said rather simply, somewhat muffled by her kisses, “I shall fight.” She broke off her affections... anger route.

“Use your brain, Lucius! Heal yourself,” she pointed towards the wounds, and Lucius began to pull out the white healing staff he’d used so much over the past several days.

I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you... for my sake, Lucius, please don’t be reckless, Siabrey’s mind cried, all of its emotion fed into her eyes.

Lucius looked at her for a moment, and caught what she was thinking. His head sunk a little lower, and he gave the briefest of nods... a sign of surrender. He then pointed the staff towards one of his own wounds, and said the command words...

Nothing happened.

He tried again, and again, nothing happened. Grumki came over and began healing the boy as Tess, in a mix of anger and worry at what she felt were her charges now, called for them to hurry.

It was midday the next day when the group galloped towards Irulas... called the Jewel of the Mountains, and one of the largest cities within the Empire. Nearly 130,000 souls lived within its whitewashed walls, from the ancient dwarven city carved into the mountainside to the new human villas and houses sprawled across the plain towards the Inerman River itself.

The city guards initially wouldn’t let the group in, until Lucius produced papers as to who he was. Very hurriedly, the gates were opened, and the party trundled inside, a weary Shaun commenting, “Its nice to have nobles as friends.”

The party then split... Tess went galloping towards the Wine Glass in, while the rest of the party set about trying to find the Imperial governor’s residence... it was obvious it was among the larger buildings in town... but which large building was beyond them.

It takes only a few minutes for Tess to find the Wine Glass Inn, where she found downstairs two people she recognized from her brother’s group, sitting morosely in a corner. They see her, but there are no smiles.

“My brother, where is he? Is he hurt? Did he fall? How did you beat us here?” he voice blurted out four questions in the space of a second. One of the men wearily rises, and reaches out to her.

“Quin was poisoned during teh fight... we managed to get him away. We killed three horses riding here so fast, but we managed to get him to the Temple of Pelor... he’s there now, healing up. I’m sorry he’s not here to greet you ma’am.”

“Him and us two were the only ones left, ma’am,” the other one volunteered.

Tess, worried but relieved, nodded. “I deeply thank you... and as I know how mercenaries think, payment for your services will be prompt,” she began, not knowing whether Lucius really had the funds or not... it was 15,000 gold for the group originally.

“No matter... I’m giving my extra shares to the dead man’s families,” the other one, whom she remembered was called Hladir, said. “I know I don’t plan on staying here... they say the Governor is acting strange.”

“Strange?” Alarm bells went off in Tess’ head. “How so, and for how long?”

“Well, from the people I talked to since we got here, they say he doesn’t take messengers, and that he stays in his palace often. Some think he might be sick... he only goes to the rarest of public occassions. Its been this way for six months”

“Ah... I see,” she says, trying to keep her voice steady.

More evil afoot, likely from the Countess! her mind screamed.

“I thank you both... for you care of my brother at the least. Should there be any way I can be of service to you, please, let me know.” Tess then bid a somewhat hurried adieu, and went outside. A blunt question of “where is the governor’s palace?” later, and she was on her way to meet the rest of the party.

After announcing Lucius’ credentials, and with some rather imposing looks of intimidation from the members of the party, the group bullies their way through the Governor’s Palace into his audience chambers, interrupting a meeting between him and several other important looking officials.

The man, rather annoyed, dismisses the other figures, and snarls at the group, “Who are you, to come barging into my chambers, unbidden and unwelcome?” Guards alongside the edge of the room, wearing the red and blue insignia of the Casalad Rangers unit of the Imperial Guard, snap to face the party, their hands on their weapons.

“I am Lucius Caladron, Count of Holstean, and these are my retainers,” Lucius annouces, his voice tinged with a slight bit of fury at being so coldly recieved. “We are here regarding the rebellion in the south... namely that we need Imperial troops as soon as possible...”

”You are more foolish than I thought, boy,” the old man laughed. “You need Imperial troops to put down an insignificant rebellion? All I heard from messengers from Kulloden was that it only numbered 5,000 at most! Your cousin the Baron can easily give you twice that number! Besides, we must keep our troops here to properly recieve the Princess Zoe, who arrives on the morrow! Now, I am a busy man, young lord, and I can meet with you in two days...”

Lucius was fairly near exploding at this point, as the annoyances of poor receptions int he past week rose to the surface. Tess, unable to keep her near-legendary cool, was the first to snap.

“Are you aware, sir, of what force is marching north... of what force was upon Kulloden, only five days ago?” The governor looks at her with a condescending frown, but she continued. “According to the Churches of Hieroneous and Tarantor, there might be nearly 100,000 marching north!”

The governor’s eyes went wide and then he blinked... with two sets of eyelids. Shaun alone caught this, but wanted to make sure he saw what he saw.

“They were right behind us when we left Kulloden! They could be here any day!” Siabrey added, her own fury rising.

“There can’t be that many... the Empire needs weeks to form and raise that many troops!” the Governor nervously laughed. “We shall keep our forces here in reserve, and prepare to properly recieve a member of the Imperial family.”

“If they come and sack the city, you’ll have nothing to recieve her with!” Tess snarled.

“But I must properly recieve a member of the royal...” his voice trailed off. Tess and Siabrey noticed this, and Siabrey, true to her blunt nature, growled, “Are you afraid of the princess?”

“No!” the governor answered too quickly, “Why should I be afraid of my cousin’s granddaughter!” Siabrey, Tess and Shaun all saw through his statements, and realized he was shaking in his boots about her, for some reason.

The governor’s eyes went a little wide again, and again, Shaun saw the eyes blink with two lids. Siabrey noticed it as well, and the two carefully kept the secret to themselves.

“If, perhaps, Your Excellency would sign the levy papers now, and begin the process as soon as possible after Her Majesty’s arrival, I would be greatly assisted,” Lucius proposed, his voice barely civil in tone. “I am sure that should the rebellious armies march to Irulas, and sack the city, Her Majesty would most likely not be pleased you chose to keep your troops here to properly conduct a review!” The governor was slightly taken aback, before his face went red and the argument resumed.

As Lucius and the Governor continued their verbal duel, Siabrey and Shaun get Tess’ attention quietly, and tell her what they saw.

“I know nothing that has that... ‘double blink,’ as you call it.... except perhaps a doppleganger,” Tess says in a quiet whisper.

“A dopple-what?” Siabrey hisses in a confused tone.

“A doppleganger. They are creatures that can take the shape of another and assume one’s place in society. I’ve heard stories of them, but I didn’t know they might have existed... let’s keep this quiet... among us.”

The governor’s face was filled with annoyance, and further shouts and rumbles echo in the room as the governor loudly protests while Lucius, Tess, Siabrey and even Shaun (mostly Siabrey and Tess) press their point, with numbers, mobilization times, and other pieces of relevant, dangerous information. Finally, the governor relents... more from annoyance and attempting to get the group out of his chambers than seeing their point. To the shock of Tess and Shaun, he rumbles however that per Imperial law, Lucius must command the troops going to put down the revolt. After the proper forms have been signed, Lucius et al bid a very curt adieu, and practically storm out of the chamber.

“Nobles are jackasses,” Siabrey blurts out as they crisscross the various reception hallways and corridors of the Palace. She suddenly remembers what her heart’s desire is, and quickly adds, “No offense, Lucius.”

“None taken,” he fumes, not at her, but at the governor and the Imperial bureaucracy. “Stupidity unfortunately comes in all ranks of people, though in the nobility it comes in unusually large amounts.”

As they break out of the governor’s residence, it is rapidly approaching dusk, and Lucius volunteers the group should find a place to spend the night.

Not in another inn... that plan failed miserably Tess thought, now sliding more and more into the role of bodyguard her family instinct had instilled in her.

“We should go to a Temple,” she said firmly.

Remembering what Tess had told them just before they entered the palace, Shaun jumps in, “perhaps the Temple of Pelor?”

Tess’ eyes light up a bit, and its agreed upon, Siabrey remarking quietly, “We can also look up information on dopple-whatnots there.”

After arriving at the temple, the party is greeted by two acolytes. Tess asks one about an injured rider that arrived some days ago, and he leads her to the Healer’s Wing of the temple, where her brother lay resting. The others ask the acolyte if the Temple has any information on monsters called dopplegangers, and the acolyte, noting especially Lucius’ armor, quickly leads them back to the Temple library.

Tess, meanwhile, arrives outside a small door in the immaculate marble and redstone hallway.

“If you like, madam, I can accompany you in to see your...”

“Brother... he’s my brother.”

“Ah,” the priest said, “if you wish privacy, I shall remain out here. Knock when you wish to be let out.” Tess nodded, and the priest opened the door for her.

Quin was laying on a bed inside the beautifully decorated room. He had bandages covering most of his upper body, and his armor lay on the floor beside his bed. She noted with great alarm the two large holes that had punctured the front of his breastplate, and the fact that one of his shoulder guards had be sliced in half.

“Oh Quin!” she ran forward, giving him as much of a bearhug as his prone position would allow. HE gave her a grin, and said simply, “Keldares don’t die easily, dear, though,” he holds up his arm that corresponds to the shattered shoulder guard, “my new arm feels really odd.”

“You lost your arm?!” Tess gasped, and Quin nodded rather weakly.

“Yup... I managed to give the blond one two or three good stabs with my sword before her friends stabbed me and she lopped my arm off. Hladir and Bernulouas were scared... I don’t blame them, and they ran, grabbing my horse as they went. First time in my life that I’m happy I experienced cowardice.”

The two talked for several hours, Quin confirming that of the original 14, only three came back. His boys had managed to injure Ilia, however, and had taken down two of the black riders, and injure three more before they were trampled underfoot.

As one of the acolytes goes searching for the relevant volume in the temple library, another notices Xanadu peeking out of Siabrey’s backpack. Rather curious, he walks slowly up to the cat... who still has the idol with his intelligence right beside him.

“Ah... yes, the Pelor Library in Irulas... I’ve wanted to come here so much,” Xanadu said absent mindedly. The priest jumped backwards, as others looked up from their work.

“The cat talks?” the priest asked, “how did this magic come about?”

“Um... we don’t know,” Siabrey admitted, as the cat leapt out of her backpack and onto the floor. One of the female acolytes disappeared for a second, and reappeared with some cooked meat as Siabrey continued, “he is bound into the form of a cat, while his intelligence and personality are bound into this idol.” Siabrey pulls out the idol, and the priest winces.

”That thing gives off rays of evil... was it from a demon?” Shaun and Siabrey relate the story of how the idols were found, and the priests eyes widen as he gingerly picks it up.

“Such a thing must be destroyed,” the priest announces after a few moments, and dashes the idol to the ground, and it shatters into three pieces.

A bright light flashes around Xanadu, and Shaun and Siabrey narrowly dodge one f the bright rays flashing out from the cat. It seems to grow immensely, enlongating 20 feet in front and behind, before contracting into a lump, which reveals itself to be a naked half-elf, curled up on the temple floor in the fetal position.

Without bidding Lucius drapes his cloak over the restored Xanadu, as both Shaun and Siabrey reflect, Why didn’t I think of that?

“Thank you, kind priest,” the now half-elf Xanadu say, brushing aside tousles of black hair now showing signs of grey. His face has a few rather stately age lines, but he is neither handsome nor ugly. “And now... onto finding out about this doppleganger, I believe is what you said?”

 

[Emperor Valerian]

DM’s Note: At the end of this harrowing two weeks, our party finds themselves (apparently) safe in Irulas... at least for the time being. People under stress tend to lose their inhibitions around each other, and humor tends to flow...which can lead to interesting circumstances.

That said... be forewarned... SOME OF THE FOLLOWING MAY OFFEND PEOPLE'S GRANDMOTHERS (Isida Kep’Tukari taught me the phrase... roughly ) It is included because its either darn funny, or there are significant potential plotlines coming out of it. So there... its been said

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

As the party looks up the information alongside the priests, Shaun becomes slightly bored.

Hmm... I think Xanadu would look funny if...

“Instead of a cloak,” Shaun volunteers, “how about you wear my entertainer’s outfit?”

Xanadu looks at the bard, and growls a gutteral, “No, I’m not a fool like others present.”

“Oh... a battle of wits is it?” Shaun asks, accepting what he presumes to be a challenge, “at least I wasn’t a grumpy cat for the past... oh... two hundred years?”

Xanadu, thoroughly annoyed, extends a finger, and mutters a word. Shaun’s clothes collapse to the ground around his now furry, cute faced figure.

You bastard! he snaps, but all his voice can muster is, “Meow!”

Siabrey breaks out into laughter, as does Elenya. The priests look on in worried confusion, as Lucius just hangs his head.

“Now, where were we?” Xanadu says to the priests, who rather nervously restart the search. That lasts for only a few moments before Lucius asks politely that Shaun be changed back.

“By all means, m’lord,” Xanadu smiles, “I think he’s learned his lesson.” The trickster reforms into his regular human shape, sans clothing. Shaun quickly moves to cover up vital areas, but not before Siabrey breaks out into more laughter, Elenya laughs a little softly but more goes a slight shade a red as she stares at said areas, and Lucius hangs his head even lower.

“Can we continue our search?” he asks, his voice even, but just barely concealing a slight annoyance.

The party quickly finds the relevant entries... discovering that dopplegangers function as if an alter self spell has been continously cast on them.. and that this spell can break down in periods of stress... such as when wounded, or put in an exceedingly stressful situation. The priests ask why the party is interested, and Lucius starts telling them about the governor before Shaun’s mouth interrupts again.

“Perhaps someone needs to cast alter attitude on our friend wizard... he seems rather grumpy.”

Xanadu points another finger at Shaun, whose lips suddenly cannot convey sound. Siabrey pronounces this an excellent arrangement, and as Lucius, miffed, continued his description of the governor’s actions, Shaun begins scribbling an apology. Xanadu flashes a finger at him again just before he can complete the note.

“Will you behave?” Xanadu asks, his tone very much with the fatherly and lecturing side of speech.

“Yes... I will. I apologize.”

”Good... you were being a jackass. Its a good thing people are here sometimes to keep you in line,” Elenya grins, to Shaun’s shock.

Huh? his confused mind thought. He looked at her in a very confused manner, and she gave him a wink. She’s talked back to me... none of the others did that... She saves my life, and tells me off... ????

Some hours passed with Shaun actually behaving as the party and a few priests delved deeper into the mysteries of the doppleganger. Tess returned, and updated everyone on her brother’s condition. By their fourth hour, it was late into the night, and yawns were dancing around the table.

“Friend priest,” Tess asked, “my noble friend here has but a short list of places where he can safely stay. Would it be possible for us to stay here, in your Temple?”

“I can speak on the behalf of the High Priest that, by all means, we would be honored if the Count of Holstean, and his retinue, stayed within our Temple walls.”




The group set out for some well deserved rest... Tess asking to stay with her brother, with Shaun, Elenya, Siabrey and Lucius following their usual pairings, leaving Pellaron and Xanadu a third room to themselves. The priests spent twenty minutes or so preparing the rooms, before allowing the party to go in. Lucius snuck off, while the rest of the party watched as Xanadu and Shaun got into another spat.

“For a human, you can be pretty stupid,” Shaun spat at one point, and Xanadu snapped, “I am a half elf! Half elf! Don’t deny me the better half of my ancestry! No offense to the other, sane humans present,” he quickly added. Siabrey and Elenya both broke out laughing as the exchange deepened until both parties in the verbal duel decided to just break things off for the night. Shaun missed seeing Xanadu make some slight motions, and didn’t feel that some things on him might have grown smaller... namely his best friend...

Shaun’s mind was on one thing... Elenya. His heart had wandered repeatedly in the past, yet now, he was sure it had finally settled on someone. He wasn’t exactly sure when it happened, but his mind guessed it was likely when she attacked the assassin that had badly hurt him. The mixture of fury against the creature, and her deep caring for him and his wounds afterwards, plowed deeply into the furrows of his heart.

She is the one... and I get her to myself tonight! And now that I owe her so much... his mind snaps back to Lucius’ book. He excuses himself from her room, and begins walking towards the small room where Lucius and Siabrey would be.

Siabrey meanwhile, had nice, warm thoughts in her head as she walked back to her room. After fives days of hard riding, fighting, and nearly dying...I get to spend some alone time with Lucius... Her heart lept a little at the thought... far more relaxing than sleeping on the saddle or slashing her sword into some creature’s belly. Perhaps it was because of the stress of the past few weeks, of nearly losing him five times, of she herself nearly falling in battle several times... but her normal moral foreboding about being around him was gone. Her emotions roiled with a mixture of love and protectiveness... he was her charge the same time that he was her... more than friend. She hadn’t felt this way about any man in a long time, if ever... and it was quite exhilarating for her.

Before she reaches the door, a priest stops her, and hands her a small package, saying it is from her friend Tess. Siabrey thanks the man, and opens it once she’s sure no one is looking. Inside, she finds several vials, with the stamp of an alchemist’s shop on them.

Tess... I ought to smack you tomorrow, Siabrey grinned. I’m not going to need these. Absent mindedly she rolled one around in her hand, as she walked into the room to put them into her backpack...

And then she sees him with a book. Lucius looked up, saw her, and quickly the book flies shut, his hands protectively covering it as he looked at her with wide, surprised eyes.

“What book was that?” Siabrey asks, walking closer. “Was that the surprise in Kulloden?” You let me see the other books you have, Lucius. Why is this one so special that it needs to be covered up?

“Its... its nothing...just a history book,” Lucius blabbers, slowly moving it towards his pack. His fingers don’t cover as much as he wanted them to, and she notices the small symbol of the Temple of Sune on the lower cover. She blushes a tad, but more her face grew a sly grin. Mmm... things begin to make sense now...

“What is it you have there?” she presses, her hands delicately reaching for it. “A book from Sune?” She saw his tension relax a bit, though the look of surprised horror remains on his face. She beamed a big smile at him, taking the book from him. “Why do you have this?”

Aha! her mind shouts, That’s what it was... The thought provokes questions in her mind between the side that loved him, and the side that wanted to protect him. He’s vulnerable... he’s trying to learn. Don’t push him too hard. If he wants to take another step, he will... but let him make the decision.

He’s bought this book! He’s made up his mind already!

No, he could be just curious...

“I... um... well... I... was nervous,” he finally admits, “All I had to go on was... what you mentioned those weeks ago at my mother’s banquet, and should things... um... well.. happen... I just wanted you...um...well...”

“Me to be happy?” she asked, beaming with pride as he nodded sheepishly, the more relaxed part of her mind starting to fill for the first time with anticipation. Hold yourself, Siabrey... let him choose! the more restrictive parts called... in a fight they were quickly losing.

“I got through only 30 pages... I tried to read when you weren’t looking... I wanted it to be a surprise,” he said quietly.

Her smile grew exceedingly bright as she stood over him with the book in hand, glancing at the items he would have covered. He wanted to surprise you... to make you happy!

If he cares for you this much, that he was planning for this... why are you so wound up about the possibility? Its not as if you’re brand new to this thing, Siabrey! You love him, don't you?

Yes! But I don’t want to hurt him... her doubting mind called plaintively, as its last ditch defense.

For a few minutes she was only able to stand there in stunned, if pleased, silence. Her wide smile somehow grew wider...

And then the debate was settled in her mind. She leaned over and delivered on his lips a kiss that conveyed her every feeling for him as her hands pulled his face up towards her. It couldn’t have lasted more than a few seconds, but it was a moment she truly savored until the creak of the still unlocked door rudely interrupted her plans.

”Um,” Shaun’s voice came from the doorway, and whatever he was about to say was cut off when he saw Siabrey leaning over Lucius... the two obviously not wanting to be bothered.

“Are you looking for this?” Siabrey stood up, and held up the book with a grin a rogue would be proud of. Shaun coughed.

“Um... yes... I was...” he said slowly, looking at Lucius who, with a grin on his own face, nodded slowly.

“Here... take it. Lucius won’t have any need for it tonight,” Siabrey gave a devilish grin, handing the book to Shaun. I have some lessons of my own, her mind laughed.

He started to thank her, but she’d already started swinging the door shut, his last glimpse of the two being her sashaying over to where Lucius sat, and his face covered in a grin. The door closed with a slight thunk, and Shaun started peering inside the book. He hadn’t gotten more than a few paragraphs into it when he heard the soft click of the lock on the door, as a few nervous giggles came from the other side.

Happy and giddy, Shaun dashed down the hall of the temple to his own room, the few priests that were up at this late hour too busy in their thoughts and contemplations. He flipped through several pages as he walked, and was more than amazed to see that in the first two pages he looked at, there were more tips and items than he could dream of. Quite eager, he burst into Elenya’s room, slammed the door shut, and started about his business, until his trousers came off; and he screamed.

Priests in the hall noticed this, and several began knocking on his door, asking if all was well, as the screams now mingled with Elenya’s giggling laughter. The door then burst open, and Shaun in his birthday suit flashed down the hallway, screaming the whole time, to the room with Xanadu and Pellaron.

Xanadu opened the door, a big grin on his face, and asked in a shaky voice if there was a problem. Before Shaun could speak, Xanadu nearly fell over laughing, and to the bard’s chagrin, the paladin had almost fallen off of his bed in laughter as well.

“Can you fix it? Please?” Shaun asked in desperation.

“I don’t know... the last two times you didn’t learn your lesson. I don’t know if I should fix this one... how can I be sure you won’t go back on your word again?” Xanadu tried to cross his arms and look imposing, but numerous snickers made their way through his attempts at a stern visage.

“Please... for the love of all that is holy, fix it!” Shaun begged. It was fortunate it was this late, as only three priests had gathered outside the door, confused as to what was going on.

”Fine,” Xanadu smiled, “I’ll return it to its normal size... IF... in return you get a cat’s tail, until I am sure you’ve learned your lesson not to be such a fool around me.” Shaun eagerly nodded, and Xanadu, with the flick of his fingers, restored Shaun’s best friend, and bestowed upon his rear an orange, striped cat’s tail.

“Go...” Xanadu said in a commanding voice that collapsed into a snicker. “Go before I change my mind!” the snicker exploded into more laughter.

Thoroughly cowed and embarrassed, Shaun slinked back to his own room, with his tail literally between his legs. He was too red faced to notice the concerned look of the acolyte who walked by... rather confused. As he dashed back into Elenya’s room, she burst out giggling again, this time at the tail. After her spasms of laughter ended, she said it was too late to do anything, and that she was willing to cuddle, or sleep. Resigned to his fate, Shaun laid down and went into a fitful, rather grumpy sleep.





It was early the next morning when Tesseron came to the wing of the temple where her friends were to wake them up... after all, today was the day Princess Zoe would arrive in Irulas. She found Elenya awake and setting her room straight, save the bed, where Shaun still lay sleeping, the last few inches of a cat’s tail peering out of the covers. Tess and Elenya shared a good laugh, before she went to the next room.

It was locked.

She asked several of the acolytes where she could find a key (fortunately, all of the ones awake now had been asleep during the shenanigans the night before), and soon one was tracked down so she could wake the Count and, “his bodyguard,” as she loosely described Siabrey.

The lock opened with a soft click, and the door cracked as Tess’ voice echoed into the silent room.

“Rise and shine, sleepy... oh!” The door quickly closed, as Tess’ face went beet red.

“Are his lordship and his guard awake?” one of the acolytes asked. “We shall being preparing a meal for them if that is so.”

“Um,” Tess said quickly, “they... uh... need a couple hours more rest. I’ll check on them then... and tell you if they’re awake. Don’t open the door till then.” The acolyte nodded, and Tess had to suppress a laugh.

So, the vials did come in handy. I’ll have to tell Siabrey ‘I told you so’ when she finally wakes up...

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Our next session is tommorrow night, so likley the next story section will appear perhaps three to four days after...

 

[Lela]

Lllllloooooooooolllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!