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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nonlethal Force" data-source="post: 3128359" data-attributes="member: 35788">This thread is for the solo game between Nonlethal Force and Velmont:Into the Moral DarknessVenial had been sent be the Baron Eiden's royal court to investigate Jairal Oakshod, the half-elf mayor of Devil's Hand - a small suburb of Stalagmite.  He was to impersonate the Aster Rufus Harassha, otherwise known as the Voice of Geoffsonburg.  The mission was rather simple - it was to be a simple impersonation and information gathering event.The Voice of Geoffsonburg is a minor ambassador serving under King Sigfried of the Nation of Barghost.  The ambassador is typically used for minor things such as trade agreements and minor troop deployment pacts.  As an Aster, Rufu Harassha claimed a name that was a decription of his work.  Being an ambassador he took up the name "Voice" and originally he is from Geoffsonburg in Barghost.Unfortunately for Venial, the job was botched horribly; although the fault did not belong to Venial.  It was unknown to Venial (and as far as he can tell unknown to Baron Eiden's as well) that the Baron's court had a spy or informant within it that tipped Jairal of Venial's coming.  A trap was laid and nearly succeeded.Looking in hindsight, the first clue should have been in Jairal's lack of reception upon the arrival as Venial as the ambassador.  Yet this was not out of character for Jairal, either.  Jairal was a low ranking mayor who knew that his power and influence knew significant limits.  Thus, Jairal often made it policy that delegates, ambassadors, and other important figures would be greeted with an invitation to retire to their quarters until Jairal was prepared to greet them.  While it gave Jairal a great feeling of power to force those more powerful to wait on him; it also largely contributed to the fact that Jairal stayed a small town mayor.  Most people with influence were put off by Jairal's pretense and through their great offense ensured that Jairal's name never was mentioned for promotion in power.  As was JAiral's custom, Venial was dismissed to the ambassador's suite to await Jairal's summon.The second clue should have been in the fact that the butler avoided entering the ambassador's quarters once he had shown Venial the room.  The butler managed to pull the doors open and then humbly bow, awaiting Venial to enter the room without him.  Once Venial entered, the butler offered a quick excuse for being needed in the stables.  Before leaving, from the doorway the butler pointed out the door that leads to the bathroom, the door that leads to the sauna, and the doorway that leads to the study.  Once the butler was able to answer Venial's questions, he skillfully closed the doors to the suite and dismissed himself.By the third clue, Venial had caught on.  As Venial approached on of the doors in the room, he saw a glimmer of a substance on the door knob.  The substance was slightly more shiney than the brass handle.  The refelction of the light drew his eyes and before he touched the handle he paused.  His skill in alchemical poisons gave him perfect confidence that there was poison upon the handles.Once Venial stopped short of the door handle, three trained rogues eapt out to corner Vanial.  Greatly outnumbered, Venial knew that escape was the only possible way to survive.  Fighting would likely lead to death; but he had to move quite quickly to keep his escape route from being sealed off.  A couple of defensive parries and appropriately timed feints, glances, motions, and words kept the escape path open.  In a flash he slipped through the door and the chase was on.The chase only lasted for a few seconds, although from the perspective of those involved it seemed for too long.  Venial was able deftly move down an adjacent hall, turning several times in quick succession to throw them off his trail.  After a few lucky choices he found himself once more back along the hallway in which the ambassador quarters was located.  As he ran down the hall looking for a place to hide, he suddenly found himself lifted off of the ground.Venial was lifted into the air and brought into a shadowy niche along the wall in one quick motion.  A heavy hand gripped over his mouth tightly, preventing him from making a noise.  The person's other hand wraps around Venial tightly to prevent him from moving.  A few seconds later Venial's pursuit passed by the niche and turned down another hallway.  Their footsteps receeded down the hallway.  The firm hand released Venial's mouth and he heard a soft voice whiper from behind.  "Whoa, there, little one.  I'll let you go, but I've gotta warn you.  You run down that hallway and you get caught.  Follow me, and I'll get you out safe."  The voice seems to be feminine, but Venial is unable to twist and turn in the stranger's grasp to see the person that picked him up.  He is able to speak as the hand is removed.</blockquote>

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