Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1449855" data-attributes="member: 15043">Tying up Loose Ends, and Meeting the Baron of Tor... Yet AgainTess had watched her friend trot away, seperate from the party... and she had inherently known where Siabrey had gone to.  She’s talking to the other person she loves and trusts as much as Luke...There must be something that can help her and Luke keep in contact, despite the distance... I shall talk to Xanadu.With that thought, Tess spurred her own mount towards the Imperial Library. After several questions as to the locations of a certain half elf, she finaly found him in a stuff corner, books, scrolls, and parchment surrounding him, looking like a keep of paper.“Xanny?” she asked gently.  He was hunched over, and she didn’t know if he was awake, or if he’d dozed off.“Yes, Tesseron?” the half elf turned, and indeed his eyes were tired.  “Is there anything I can do for you?”Tess proceeded to inform Xanadu of their meetings with the Crown Prince and the Empress, along with the orders.“I’m... I’m afraid for Siabrey,” Tess finally said.  And if the Empress keeps pushing her, I’m going to be afraid OF her...  “Xanny, do you know anything that might be able to keep her and Lucius in contact, beyond couriers or pigeons?”Xanadu frowned, and rubbed his bare chin.  “You said we have two weeks?”  Tess nodded.“Hmmm... well, if I can get a week’s notice, I can create a set of books where they can communicate with each other instantly.  If its shorter notice, I might be able to collect on some debts, possibly...” He then saw how broken up Tess appeared over the whole thing, and his voice changed to soft and comforting.  “I’ll do my best Tesseron.  Do not worry... it sounds like you all have planning you need to do.”Shaun sighed and looked at Elenya.  “At least, we’ll be together here,” he said softly.  He saw Lucius’ head turn slightly at the remark, and sink even lower.Poor kid, Shaun thought.  His mom’s out to get him, and now he’s being split from his only friends to go do something he has no experience with...  As they watched, Lucius headed off towards the hospice wing of the Temple, where the party still had their quarters.“Luke,” Shaun said worriedly, “where are you off to?”  I’m not sure we should leave you alone...  Luke turned slowly, and gave a wan half smile.“I’m just off... to read some army type books that Xanny left here,” he said quietly.  “That’s all.  Tell Siabrey I’ll be in our room when she gets back.”  With that, he turned, and quietly walked out.“We are truly lucky her ire is not at us,” Elenya said softly.  She took a look outside towards a courtyard within the temple complex, noting the blazing red of a setting sun.  “I don’t think this place is going to be pleasant for a while,” she gave Shaun a hug.  “And in all honesty, I’d like to spend a couple happy hours with you somewhere else... considering there is a war coming.” And once its starts, I don’t know if I will see you again...Shaun nodded, and the two walked out of the temple, arm in arm.It was a few minutes later when a red faced Siabrey tied her horse up to the stables outside of the temple.  She spotted Shaun and Elenya leaving slowly, and hailed them.“Hey Siabrey,” Shaun called back, and the fighter could tell by his voice that something was amiss.“What’s wrong?” she asked slowly.  Did the Empress do anything else?  Did something happen to Luke? Or Tess? Or someone else?  Shaun waved off her question.“Nothing... we’re just going to spend some... quality time together,” he looked at Elenya.  “Lucius told us to tell you that he’s in your room, looking over military books, if you’re looking for him.”Now would be a good time to practice getting used to him not being around, the practical part of her mind said, as she nodded to Shaun.  It will take some time, but you must be prepared... be ready.  If you aren’t, Zoe will best you... and you will find yourself doing something foolish to endanger many... even Luke...He’s probably feeling down, another part of her mind wondered as she walked through the Temple courtyards and corridors, He might need some comforting... maybe a distraction...That’s precisely why you shouldn’t see him tonight, the first part of her mind rejoined, You’d distract him from what he should be doing... learning how to run an army.  He needs time to think... YOU need time to think... to clear YOUR mind... so you won’t endanger him in your anger against that vile woman.As that last thought ran through her mind, Siabrey pulled open the large set of double doors that led into the Library of the Temple of Pelor.  Off to the side, she noted a dwarf, intently reading parchments, scrolls, and books, and took a wide berth to avoid Alisandra, and any questions he might have.Siabrey instead climbed up a narrow set of iron stairs to the third floor of the library, and waded through the lesser used areas, thick with dust.  She found a halfway clean corner, far removed from any other people, and sat down.  She took a book and laid it on the ground, set her head on it, and curled into a small ball.  Tears flowed, driving away the dust from the books cover.Tess had just eaten breakfast the next morning when an acolyte approached and whispered that some members of the City Watch were here.  The bard hurriedly finished an extra biscuit she’d snagged, and went to the main foyer of the temple.  Seven guardsmen were there, and to her surprise, gave her a crisp salute.“Um... at ease?” she said questioningly.  Her impromptu lessons from her mother were on bodyguarding and fighting... not military protocol.  To her relief, the seven bring down their salutes, and their leader asks if the rest of the party is assembled.“Um... no,” Tess said, “I’ll go fetch them.”It was easy to find Shaun and Elenya.  They had returned from a side trip to a bard’s performance in the city center and time at the Sune Temple early enough that they were not awake, and in better spirits than the night before.   Grumki was sent for, and the half orc arrived fairly quickly... the only ones that couldn’t be found were Luke and Siabrey.“Did you see either of them?” Tess asked Shaun and Elenya.  Normally I would be miffed, but considering what happened to them yesterday...“Lucius went to his room last... and we told Siabrey thats where he was,” Elenya said.“Ok,” Tess nodded.  “I’ll check their room, Elenya, check the alcoves and halls, Shaun, check the library in the off chance they’re talking to Alisandra or something.”Tess then dashed off, and finally arrived in front of the hospice room Luke and Siabrey had been using.  A few soft knocks brought no response, and so she finally tried the door-handle... and it swung open freely.Luke was inside, sprawled out in sleep on the floor, his head resting on one of the open books.“Luke?” Tess said gently, rocking his shoulder, “Luke?  Wake up.  We’ve got to go now.”  The boy’s head rose, groggily, an imprint of the book’s edge on his cheek. “Mm.... nrghr...” her groaned, “Siabrey?”  His eyes blinked open, and his face fell slightly.  “Oh... hi Tess.  Have.. have you seen Siabrey?”  Tess shook her head.“She... didn’t come back last night... unless she stopped off while I was asleep,” he said quietly...Shaun, upon entering the library, found it to be busier than normal, yet still not crowded.  He didn’t spot either of them by the dwarf that was obviously Alisandra, and so he adopted the blunt method... he asked if anyone had seen someone like her.  A few patrons that had been in there the previous night said they saw her on the third floor, and so he heads up there.After fifteen minutes of searching, he finally comes upon her small corner.  She is still curled up, head resting on a large book, fast asleep.  Shaun gently shook her, calling out her name softly.  When he got no response, he got a devilish idea in his head.  Leaning close to her ear, he yelled:“Lucius!  Look out!”He barely dodged Siabrey flying to her feet, jumping to fighting stance and drawing her katana in one fluid motion.  Her eyes darted about, as Shaun started to giggle.  It took a few minutes for her sleepy mind to put things together, and when she did, she delivered a hard, vicious punch to his belly that knocked the wind out of him.“That was cruel, you... gah!” she sheathed her sword.  “Why did you wake me up like that?”“Because... the city watch is here,” Shaun wheezed, “people are waiting for you and Luke.”  He coughed a few times, before rising to a partially erect stance... his stomach hurt too much for him to stand up fully.  Siabrey ignored his state as she tramped angrily out of the library.Tess’ face filled with relief when she saw Siabrey coming down the hall, a slightly shocked looking Shaun following.  She was about to ask Shaun what had happened to give him that look, when Luke immediately headed towards his love.“Siabrey... Siabrey!” he said, catching her arm.  She turned to look at him, and Tess noticed it wasn’t the same loving stare she usually had.  It was blank, as if she was willing whatever feelings she had to the bottom of her soul, where they could not be seen.“Siabrey... whats wrong?” Luke asked quietly, his concern written all across his face.“Nothing,” she turned, pulling herself away from his grip.  “We can talk about it later.  For right now,” her face did change, revealing a volume of distaste, “we have some peacocks to kill.”The party, with the support of the guardsmen, arrived outside of the Tor family villa in the wealthier section of the city some time later.  It was still relatively early in the morning, and little was stirring outside the manor... and it looked as if little was stirring inside as well.  The villa was relatively large, a single story building  made of stone with ornate carvings.  Pillars and a room extension provided shelter for the front entrance, a set of double wooden doors ornately carved with glyphs of lions and bears, parts of the Tor family coat of arms.“Alright,” Tess said quietly, “now, Shaun, Elenya, I want you two to go to the left, and scout out any rear entrances.  Siabr... hey!” Tess’ voice rose in annoyance.  She reached out and tried to grab the fighter, and failed.  Siabrey’s katana was already dancing in the light as she began to run towards the front entrance.  Shaun managed to grab her, but only momentarily, as Luke swept by the pair, the guardsmen behind.Dammit, Tess complained as her plan for subtlety was thrown out the window, and Grumki ran up to the front door.”Open this door in the name of hte Empress!” his roaring half bass thundered, two seconds before the strength of Kord found itself personified in a warhammer that crushed two ornate wooden doors, allowing the party and guardsmen to pile in.The party burst into the main audience chamber of the villa, a room with chequered floors, and a small, ornate throne in the middle with two small reflection pools to each side.  Three guardsmen, clad in the colors of House Tor, stood in front of hte throne, their swords dropped and their hands raised high.That was easy, Tess thought as she looked at hte guards, just before from the right a loud screeching voice shouted.“You’ll never find it!  You’ll never get it!”   A door slam followed a millisecond afterwards, and the party saw the ornate wooden doors to the left side of the hall were still quivering from being slammed shut.The part dashed over there, leaving the seven city watchmen to watch the prisoners.  With a heave, Grumki slammed through the door, and the party found themselves in a ballroom of some kind, the next set of double doors to their front also quivering.  They dashed forward, crashing through there before the same panicked voice came to their ears yet again... a voice that Siabrey and Luke recognized.“You’ll never find it!  I’ll die before I tell you where it is!” the voice of the Baron of Tor screeched.“Surrender, Baron!” Tess called, noting the voice was coming from ahead and to the left.  As the party dodged the table and bookshelves of an apparent study, they found a smaller, very ornate door in that direction.  The flung the door open.The room they saw had no other apparent doors into or out of it, and was decorated as one would expect the bedroom of the Lord of the Manor to be... tastefully done, with glorious family tapestries on the sides, carpets on the floor, and a deep, ornate bed in the center.  For all its finery, the party couldn’t see anyone in the room.  They looked around furiously, until Siabrey, with her unique sight, saw a large aura of magic floating about ten feet in the air in the center of the room.  She called this fact out, and Tess and Shaun notched arrows in that direction and blasted away... both missing (as they couldn’t see anything themselves).The invisible Baron, who had some 30 years to develop his spell powers, lashed back at the party.  Everyone in the party saw a flash of blue coming from above in the middle of the room, and a blast of freezing ice and snow slammed into all of them.  Elenya found herself badly frostbitten within a second, and nearly collapsed to the ground. (cone of cold)  Siabrey dash directly underneath the Baron, and for once was grateful that her katana was barely a foot shorter than she was.  With her long blade, she lashed upwards, cutting open the invisible man’s legs... causing blood to seemingly through mid air.Tess now had something she could target, and she dashed forward, and managed to wrap her hands around one of the blood-stained legs.  A song, shrieking and frightening in its form, rose from her lips, and as the party watched,feet, then shins became visible... not as flesh and bone, but as glass (song of vitrification).The glass rose higher and higher up the Baron’s body as her shriek continued, joined by the Baron’s screams until his mouth turned to glass.  As the last of his scalp grew clear transparent, his form began to fall.  Tess tumbled away, while Siabrey jumped over, and attempted to catch it.  She couldn’t arrive in time, and the Baron’s 5’7” glass statue tipped from her hands, and shattered to the floor.  Blades of scything glass shards cartwheeled through the air, though the party managed to deftly dodge all of them.“Nasty,” Siabrey remarked, and then looked over at Tess, “that was quite impressive... more impressive than blowing people up with sonic power.”  Remind me not to annoy her when she has that harp of hers.  Tess grinned, and gave a graceful bow.“How about we take a look around... and see what he was screaming about so much?” she said quietly.  After checking Elenya over to make sure she was ok, Shaun laughed at Tess’ remarks.“I don’t think they’ll mind if a dead traitor’s body has a few less coins?” he asked rhetorically, as he too searched.</blockquote>

Verification