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<blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1335433" data-attributes="member: 15043"><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“How are you, Tess? How’s your harping been going, since you became a slacker and chose to ignore the family tradition?” he laughed.</p><p></p><p>Tess pushed away to get a good look at him.</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p>“That there is my compatriot Shaun... he’s also a bard, and has some sleight of hand skills too...”</p><p></p><p>“ah... still associating with roguish elements of society... I’m proud of you!” </p><p></p><p>“What are you doing all the way down here in Kulloden?” Tess asks, sitting down beside Lucius as Quin does the same beside Siabrey.</p><p></p><p>“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.”</p><p></p><p>“Don’t take work going south,” Tess said, suddenly deadpan. Her brother was taken rather aback by the statement, and he asked why.</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p>“Oh boy,” he said quietly. “Well, Tess, it looks as if I have to leave soon. How long are you in town?”</p><p></p><p>“Next two days at least.”</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p>“Tess, stop by sometime tommorrow... its been ages since we’ve talked.” Tess nodded, and Quin started rounding up his troops.</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p>”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.</p><p></p><p>“So... Shaun... please... tell us about Hieroneous?”</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p><em>How did she know?</em></p><p></p><p><em>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...</em></p><p></p><p><em>But Elenya is... the one! Isn’t she?</em> his confused mind rambles through thoughts.</p><p></p><p><em>Oh no... he’s really hurt</em> Siabrey’s mind thought. She’d only intended for the ribbing of a lifetime... not to break the man down. <em>I’d... I’d better apologize.</em></p><p></p><p>”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. <em>He’s not buying it</em> 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.</p><p></p><p>He stared off into space.</p><p></p><p>“She said you were the best... that she couldn’t imagine herself with anyone else.” <em>It is basically what she said...</em> Siabrey’s mind justified the little extension she added. His frown began to break, when another voice was added to the conversation.</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p>“It looks like everyone’s going to get an extra helping of boar... they left without eating what they last ordered.”</p><p></p><p>“How much do we owe you?” Siabrey asked.</p><p></p><p>“Oh... pssah!” Elenya snorted, “they paid and left! It’s on the house! My uncle doesn’t need to know...”</p><p></p><p><em>Dang... I really like this girl!</em> Siabrey thought approvingly.</p><p></p><p>“I’ll get the food ready, and it’ll be up in your rooms in the hour!”</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p><em>She’s wonderful!</em></p><p></p><p>“Do you really mind... the thing I...”</p><p></p><p>She put a finger on his lips.</p><p></p><p>“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?”</p><p></p><p></p><p>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. </p><p></p><p><em>Oh.. its gorgeous!</em> 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.</p><p></p><p>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. </p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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...</p><p></p><p><em>This... could last forever...</em> 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.</p><p></p><p><em>He’s moving fast... he’s still vulnerable, Siabrey... Don’t push things...</em></p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p><em>I don’t want to hurt him... but I care for him.</em></p><p></p><p>“What’s wrong?” he asked a couple seconds later, “is everything ok?”</p><p></p><p>“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. </p><p></p><p>As she rested her head on his tunic, just before the sweet song of sleep brought her from the conscious world, her mind reflected... <em>He is my handsome knight...</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>I wonder what the surprise was... hmm... maybe it was another dress... one that fits my wings?</em> </p><p></p><p>Her tired mind then joined a world full of such dresses as she slipped off into sleep.</p><p></p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“Did you see what Lucius did? That was <em>so</em> cute!” she said with an absent smile.</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“No! No... of course not...” Siabrey replies quickly, causing Tess to immediately doubt her.</p><p></p><p>“Are you sure you don’t need any helpful items?” Tess asks. <em>You never know when the love bug will bite you, dear... its best to be prepared anyways...</em></p><p></p><p>“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!”</p><p></p><p>“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. <em>Better to be safe than sorry.</em></p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“Um... were you quite... um... <em>aware</em> of the origins of some of these items?” he asks as they walk in.</p><p></p><p>“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?”</p><p></p><p>“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?”</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p>“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 <em>faerie fire</em> on the target, should the arrow hit... they light up like a thousand candles on a dark night.</p><p></p><p>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.”</p><p></p><p>The party then thanked Quinnias for his work, and he asks them to return sometime, as they were very nice and considerate people.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>The party filed in quietly, only to see Hidalas grinning on his bed.</p><p></p><p>“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!”</p><p></p><p>“How do you feel, Hidalas?” Siabrey asked after Hidalas let go of his former charge.</p><p></p><p>“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.”</p><p></p><p>“How’d you get attacked?” Tess asked, “We’d like to piece things together, as I assume you hear about Rogar...”</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p>”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...”</p><p></p><p>“...the first stab.” Tess said, and Hidalas nodded.</p><p></p><p>”I rolled over to try and defend myself, and I saw my attacker... a woman...”</p><p></p><p>“Lemme guess,” Shaun said, “with blonde hair and an eyepatch?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes... how did you know?” Hidalas asked. He had missed Shaun’s entire explanation of why he had been in Mephys.</p><p></p><p>“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...”</p><p></p><p>“...where she met Rogar,” Tess growled. </p><p></p><p><em>God help Rogar if she gets her hands on him,</em> Shaun thought.</p><p></p><p>Hidalas’ eyes went a little wide, as he put things together. “So Rogar in theory planned this all out?”</p><p></p><p>“Or Ilia... the woman,” Shaun clarified.</p><p></p><p>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...”</p><p></p><p>”Hidalas, don’t kick yourself,” Siabrey volunteered. “You didn’t know.”</p><p></p><p>Hidalas sighed rather sadly before adding, “And they rode south, I hear?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes,” Siabrey said sadly, “south towards Holstean, with the diamond.”</p><p></p><p>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...”</p><p></p><p>“How much strength can she march with?” the ever martial minded Siabrey asked. Hidalas grunted.</p><p></p><p>“Its rather alarming... perhaps 10,000 regular citizens of the Empire... not counting the orcs, goblins, and the like that will join her banner?”</p><p></p><p>“10,000 citizens?!” Lucius spat out. “How can that be?”</p><p></p><p>“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...”</p><p></p><p>“...are dead?” Tess volunteered.</p><p></p><p>“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...”</p><p></p><p>“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...</p><p></p><p>“I’d advise you all to ride hard for Irulas as soon as you can... and get a good retainer of bodyguards as well.”</p><p></p><p><em>My brother has a goodly number...</em> Tess thought.</p><p></p><p>“Would 14 riders sound like enough bodyguards?” Tess asked, and Hidalas raised an eyebrow, asking where so many could be found.</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p>“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!”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Emperor Valerian, post: 1335433, member: 15043"] 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. [i]How did she know?[/i] [i]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...[/i] [i]But Elenya is... the one! Isn’t she?[/i] his confused mind rambles through thoughts. [i]Oh no... he’s really hurt[/i] Siabrey’s mind thought. She’d only intended for the ribbing of a lifetime... not to break the man down. [i]I’d... I’d better apologize.[/i] ”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. [i]He’s not buying it[/i] 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.” [i]It is basically what she said...[/i] 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...” [i]Dang... I really like this girl![/i] 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. [i]She’s wonderful![/i] “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. [i]Oh.. its gorgeous![/i] 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... [i]This... could last forever...[/i] 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. [i]He’s moving fast... he’s still vulnerable, Siabrey... Don’t push things...[/i] 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]I don’t want to hurt him... but I care for him.[/i] “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... [i]He is my handsome knight... I wonder what the surprise was... hmm... maybe it was another dress... one that fits my wings?[/i] 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 [i]so[/i] 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. [i]You never know when the love bug will bite you, dear... its best to be prepared anyways...[/i] “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. [i]Better to be safe than sorry.[/i] 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... [i]aware[/i] 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 [i]faerie fire[/i] 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. [i]God help Rogar if she gets her hands on him,[/i] 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.” [i]My brother has a goodly number...[/i] 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!” [/QUOTE]
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