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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1480609" data-attributes="member: 15043">Returning to Irulas... and Ill NewsThe next morning, Grumki quickly healed Luke of the rest of his injuries, and a brief ceremony was held to bury the fallen guardsman.  After some final respects the party was quickly off.  For two days they rode through the forest, until the trees started to thin... and then they caught a familiar smell in the air.“This place stinks,” Shaun said unnecessarily, as Tess and Siabrey finally placed the stench......chlorine.“Um... I think Emerald is back,” Siabrey said quietly.  There was more than a slight tinge of nervousness in her voice.  “Um... he shouldn’t be hard to see... I mean, its hard to miss a towering head thats bigger than any of the battlement towers in Irulas,” Tess added in a hushed tone.The party travelled onward, slower now, expecting a massive shadow to glide overhead, and a voice to come in their heads saying there were more undead, and that the problem had not been solved.  Instead, to their surprise, no such thing happened.  Indeed, they saw nary a creature in the area.  Distantly, up ahead along the road, they saw a small gnome ambling along quietly.“Friend!” Shaun called, “I’d advice you to not go further unless you have a toll ready for the owner of these woods!”  The gnome stopped his walk, and laughed.“I happen to be on good terms with the owner... thank you for your advice... and for ridding the woods of the undead hullathoin,” the gnome smiled.  It was only then the party realized that the stench of chlorine from the gnome was overpowering, and that his eyes had a green tint to them.“Um... you’re more than welcome... Emerald,” Tess stumbled out quickly.  The gnome chuckled again.“You are a useful lot.  I could use some troubleshooters like you,” the gnome said, his eyes glinting.  “They pay would be excellent... as would accommodations I might say.”  A gnomish eyebrow raised.“No, Emerald,” Anias said somewhat huffily. “I am afraid we are on important business, and at this juncture we are disinclined to take your offer.”“So, the angel one speaks for you all?” the gnome asked.  When the party nodded, he gave a tiny, gnome grumble.  “Very well then.  There is at least one problem out of my hair.  You are free to continue your travel.”  Emerald then placed a pipe into his mouth, and continued walking along the road.  As the party cantered away, the ground around them went dark, as Emerald the dragon soared overhead, banking gracefully towards the southwest, and then disappearing in the distance.The party, upon arriving in Irulas, immediately went to the Governor’s Palace to turn over the items to the Court Mages.  When they arrived, the found themselves shuffled through endless corridors, until finally they found themselves in a hallway... with doors clustered on each side.  There they stood, and waited for some fifteen minutes as mages sauntered by on their own business.  Annoyed, Siabrey finally grabbed one.“Sir,” she said, by this point not feeling like being polite at all, “Inform Aeron and the High Court Mage that Siabrey Sipner as arrived with the artifacts he seeks.”  The man, young and clean shaven, yanked his arm away from her, a proudly shuffled his robes back into position.“Madam, you are in no position to order me around.  My name is Fandrilos, and I’m...”“...an unemployed mage once the Crown Princess, me, tosses your ass out onto the street!” Siabrey snarled.  Going to treat me like a bar room wench only here for your drinks and pleasure!  I’ll pull out the stops... I will do it!The young man jumped, his eyes very wide.  He dashed off, and rather quickly the same group of mages that had assembled over a week prior to decide what the miniature was, now rushed in to gather it.  Siabrey told them how the party had found it, of the loss of Lady Keshalya, the mongrels, and the like.  The mages quickly and hurriedly bowed, thanking her, before leaving.“Ahem!  You are not dismissed sir!” she called, pointing out one bespectacled man.  Uneasily, Aeron walked towards where the party stood.“This man, is a pompous jackass,” Lucius whispered to Anias.  “He deserves nothing but contempt.  He is prideful, and speaks nothing but rubbish.  Would you kindly like to help me... um... show him the error of his ways?” Anias looked at his charge, and shrugged.  Why not?  Pride is definitely a sin... and if I can help them get this sinner to change his ways...  “How can I assist?”Luke motioned towards Grumki.  “Loom.  Just like the half orc... except let your eyes do the whole flaming red thing they did a few nights ago.”As the party began to purposefully look intimidating, Siabrey walked forward, a sneer on her lips.  “Hello, Aeron,” she snarled, looking level at the now shaking man.  She proffed up her hand... which he quickly and nervously kissed.“About a week ago, you sincerely annoyed me but being an arrogant, proud, stuck up fool... shooting spells at my friends.  What was your threat to me then?” she bared her teeth in a grin.  By god, this fool needs to be put in his place... and I’m going to enjoy doing it!“T... Tha... I apologize, Your Highness!” Aeron burbled.“I believe you owe him an apology more than me,” she motioned towards Grumki, who casually patted his warhammer on the palm of his free hand.  “After all, he is the one whose weapon you interfered with, and he is the one you rudely silenced!”“THE STRENGTH OF KORD REQUIRES LOUD SHOUTS!” Grumki roared with perfect timing... and the smell of urine immediately assaulted Siabrey’s nose.  Ewwwww, she shuddered inwardly as she looked down at the spreading stain on Aeron’s robes.  “Go... get out of my sight!  You aren’t worth lecturing,” she growled, and the wizard, embarrassed and frightened, dashed off with a whimper.Later that day, the party decided, rather unanimously, that the palace without Alexander around was decidedly boring.  Considering their close brush with death, the general consensus was for a wild night on the town... a consensus that Anias rapidly and repeatedly objected to.  Finally, it was decided.  Everyone would go to one of the more upscale inns... in disguise... and have their fun there.Anias of course huffed and complained when Luke refused to take the soulfire armor, but had to grudgingly agree that such protection would have provoked attention... and had a higher chance of leading to some kind of assault.  Instead, Luke would go clad in simple traveler’s clothes.  The angel felt a little better when the young man’s wife insisted she was bringing her armor though.The night began normally... a round was ordered for everyone, and Tess began to softly play some of her new music, to not arouse as much attention.  Rather quickly, however, things descended downhill.“I’m going to get some ale... you want any?” Lucius asked Siabrey.  Normally, I won’t touch anything when he drinks... but considering how close things came a couple days ago... why not? she thought, nodding to head up with him.“Good Anias.  One thing that you and your kind do not understand about Kord,” Grumki rumbled as the Prince and Princess walked by, “is that the Strength of Kord is made of many things.  Not just physical strength;  Emotional strength... the strength of love, for example,” the orc paused to chug down a mug of ale.  “Or the Strength of Will... the power to carry on despite loss.  THAT... my man, is where Kord beats out Hieroneous, who focuses entirely too much on adhering only to certain lines.”  Normally Grumki avoided theological debates, but Anias’ quip a few minutes before that Kord was wishy-washy had lured him in.“Ah... if Hieroneous is so limited, how is it that I can, even after all these years, drink any mortal down under the table?” Anias said.  “You confuse the lines set for paladins and those set for the average worshipper... or, indeed, the lines set for some of his... less disciplined celestial servants.”  The entire time he talked, Anias’ eyes still followed Luke up to the counter, and watched as the young man and Siabrey sat down.“So, whaddaya want?” Luke grinned at Siabrey.  “I’m having a dwarven ale,” he said with a smirk.  Her face darkened... she knew what he was implying.“So you don’t think I can hold a dwarven ale?” she raised an eyebrow in answer.  “Ask Shaun what happened in Mephys.”“I saw, what happened in Mephys... and you couldn’t hold your dwarven ale!” Luke laughed, causing Siabrey’s face to harden.  With a smile icy with determination, she turned to the bartender.“Two dwarven ale steins, sir,” she gave Luke a look of challenge.“Two more steins, please,” Anias said a few minutes later, glancing down at the three steins already empty in front of him.  This Kord fellow is intelligent... he’s lured me into a theological argument that he might just win...  Grumki for his part downed another stein, with a grin, as Anias felt the world shift ever so slightly.“Dear Anias, you are becoming tipsy already... ‘tis a shame,” Grumki said in mock sympathy.  “Listen, Kordling!” Anias pointed a finger at Grumki.  “This isn’t over yet!”  The angel grumpily grabbed his new stein and downed it.  “Hieroneous can keep up with Kord any day!”“Thats... one... three... four... six!  Six I’ve downed!” Luke slurred a half hour later.  Amazingly, none of the clientele were paying anyone in the party any attention at all... there was too much focus on talk of a new Imperial cabinet position opening up, and various nobles were arguing over who should get it.  “No... no no no,” Siabrey slurred back, equally as drunk.  “I’ve had six... you had just two!” she waved two fingers around, almost falling off of her stool doing so.  Luke leaned to catch her, and almost fell himself.“Hmmm,” he started giggling, “you can’t focus your eyes! Look look!” he giggled, and she tried to slap his hand to make him stop.  She slapped only air.“I think,” he raised a hand, and ended up pointing at one of the fine pictures on the wall, “that this contest is a draw.  But...” he slurred.  “I know another contest I can win easily... now that you’re drunk!”“Wassat?” she slurred, as he cautiously slipped off the stool and grabbed her had, pulling her towards the stairs.  He tossed ten gold coins at the bartender... they landed a few feet from the man.“One room!” Luke called, and Siabrey giggled as she realized what he had in mind.“Hieroneous surely can’t be pleased if his free-minded servant is laying on the floor like that,” Grumki gave a slurred chuckle..  The half orc was careful not to move, however... his world was spinning greatly as well.Augh... its all spinning Anias thought to himself as he lay under the table.  Down here he could see another noble the next table over, his face mushed against the floor, fast asleep.  His eyes picked up movement, and with a squint, he saw Luke stumbling up the stairs with Siabrey in tow.I’d... I’d better follow... his confused mind said... and from somewhere, he managed to remember his spells.  He took out his prayer beads, and uttered a silent call for healing, to purge the poisons from his mind.  A few seconds later, he rose from under the table, causing Grumki to gawk.“Do not worry, my tusked friend,” Anias said, patting Grumki on the shoulder, “you won that debate, fair and square... but next time...” Anias left the promise hanging, as he walked towards the stairs himself.By the time he reached the top, it wasn’t hard to figure out which room they were in... he had to just follow the drunken giggles and the occasional sound of something like a human head hitting a headboard, usually followed by an “ow!”  Just outside of their door, he uttered another spell to himself, and promptly shrank down to the form of a fly.  Scuttling under the door, he found a position on the wall, keeping his eyes focused on the window and door... the two possible entries.  As much as he’d feuded with the woman fighter, he was sure she wouldn’t harm Luke.Its amazing he thought to himself as the noise of their fun grew, and another “ow!” came from the bed, In my many millenia... some things about human’s haven’t changed...It was much later that night, when Shaun and Elenya, nustled asleep in their beds, were awakened by an urgent knocking on their door.“Wha?” Shaun had time to say, before the door came crashing down, and two men, their tunics in the gloom looking to be those of Imperial guardsmen, burst into the room.“M’lord Shaun?  M’lady Elenya!  We need you to come with us, right now!”“What for?” Shaun asked quietly, as he rose and had his clothing and the like handed to him.Similar awakenings were repeated in the rooms of Tess, Grumki, and Orion.Siabrey had just settled into a third pleasant dream when the same crashing noise woke her up.  Unlike the others, she had a hangover... and was devoid of clothes of any kind when the guardsmen burst in.“What the hell is going on?!” she barked, furious that people seeming to be clad in the Imperial colors could be so rude.  The nerve!  Breaking into MY room!  She felt the sleeping Luke awaken beside her when the guardsmen walked over to the bed, and began hauling her out of it.“I am sorry Your Majesty,” one said as he pulled Luke out of bed as well, “we must hurry, for your safety and Her Majesty’s” he gestured over towards Siabrey.“What the... I’m not a Majesty,” Siabrey said grumpily, clutching some blankets around her form as she was hustled out of the tavern.  Outside, she saw what looked to be a full company of a hundred guardsmen drawn up, surrounding her friends.  She and Luke were also ushered into the middle, and the guards started a rapid walk towards the cliffs marking the landward end of the city.“What the hell is going on!?” she finally barked, relieved that the one item she’d grabbed had been Kelir.  As she watched, the guardsmen handed others their weapons as well, which set her mind at ease... it likely wasn’t a kidnapping of any kind if they were returning the group’s weapons and spellbooks.“Your Majesty.  We recieved word from the camps at Illyant.  We are taking you, His Majesty, and your compatriots to the catacombs for safety, until we know for sure what happened,” one of the men, clad in better armor than the rest said.“Wha... what happened in Illyant?” Elenya pressed.  Did the Countess attack?  Did Alexander go nuts?  Are we in trouble?“The Emperor has been assassinated,” the man replied.  “Until we know what happened, the Emperor and Empress must be protected!”==========================================================Cue ominous music... (I’m a rat eating bastard :-D)</blockquote>

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