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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 8024017" data-attributes="member: 6971069">The Lightboy - 6/28/2020 Serendipity is where chance leads to something in a happy or beneficial way.  Not sure who coined it, but it would have been nice if he coined the opposite. Because it seems to be far more prevalent.The sky was a deep red, as the sun had set, and shadows crept into the city.  While the lampposts in this district lit up with some magic of the elves, it did little to banish the darkness.  It would be some time before Selune rose to cast her light across the streets and even then, it would be only be a quarter of her grace.So, the shop lay in darkness, quiet as a tomb.  Then from the entrance, the soft sound of the door handle turning slowly to avoid making a sound.  Once the latch had cleared, it opened quietly, and a cloaked figure entered the shop quickly closing it again, and slowly releasing the latch.  They then, moved quietly to the stairs, looking around casually, unconcerned with being seen or heard now in the empty shop.The cloaked figure climbed the stairs to the second level and turned on the landing, heading towards a lantern that sat on a nearby table, near a window.  The figure started to move when they stopped dead in their tracks.  The figure’s head twisted around sensing something was out of place.  Or perhaps they heard a creak in the floorboards, or a breath of air that was unexpected.  They paused with uncertainty when a voice called to them.“Let me light that for you,” a woman’s voice called out.The lantern blazed with a brilliant white light.  The light from it was pointed, not at the window, but towards the stairs and the hooded figure, who jumped in surprise.  Startled, they started to backpedal towards the stairs, when from the darkness of a side room a shadow flung themselves at the retreating figure, with a gleaming dagger in hand.  The attacker swung his blade and the cloaked figure deftly evaded the blow.  Too late the figure realized it was a feint, as their attacker reversed the strike, smashing the pommel into the cloaked figure’s head, causing them to stumble down the stairs.As they stumbled, the figure attempted to stand and run back towards the front entrance.  They never saw the second shadow that smashed a metal shield into their body.  The figure was slammed into the wall, and then crumpled into a wheezing lump on the floor.  Looking for an escape they then heard a pair of swords drawn as the shadow downstairs blocked the exit, while, the one from upstairs pointed a freshly drawn sword at the skulker’s throat.  The figure then coughed, chuckled, and then raised their hands in surrender.“Wise move berk,” I said, as I slowly came down the stairs, looking at the cloaked figure lying there with contempt.  Beside me, carrying the brightly lit later, was Beepu, his eyes as hard as flint as he regarded the invader to his family’s dwelling.  The figure sat up awkwardly and moved their hands towards their hood that covered their head.“Easy there; If I so much hear an arcane word from you, I will kill you where you sit,” Iesa said evenly.  “Or my brother will beat your head in with that shield.  Take your pick.”“Well, this does alter my plans slightly,” a familiar voice mocked us.  “But I suppose this does spare me in having you chase me down.”  The figure pulled down his hood, revealing long blonde hair and the tapered ears of an all too familiar sun elf.The instant I saw his face, I seethed with anger, drawing my greensteel blade.  I jumped down the stairs, knocking the elf flat on his back.  I knelt on top of him, with my knee on his chest and my blade at his throat.I hissed between clenched teeth, “Paradros.   You unhende spiv.  I should cut your throat now and bleed you dry for what you did.”Beepu slowly walked down the stairs, surprisingly calm and said simply.  “Where is she?”“See Myrai, I think you should cool your taste for my blood a bit so we can talk like reasonable people.”“A reasonable person would just kill you, as you are just a dead elf walking,” I retorted.“Myrai?” and I felt Beepu’s hand on my shoulder.  “I will ask you again, where is my mother, Paradros?”“Not far; just a little ways outside the city walls.  Someplace we can talk undisturbed,” Paradros said coolly.  “Assuming that your friend doesn’t nick me with her blade.”“I’ll do more than that,” I snarled.“So, you just what?  Lead us out of town and we walk away with his mother?” Iesa said.  “You have been trying to get us killed for months, so pardon me if I don’t trust you.”“My dear Iesa,” Paradros said smoothly, “We are well beyond trust here.  After all, if you don’t come with me tonight…who knows what might happen?  The same could be said if I don’t come back at all.” He turned to look at me in the eye. “That would be a terrible thing if you lost control Myrai.  Horrible things could happen.”I leaned in close to him, “You’re right.  And horrible things happened to those who trusted you.  You have a lot of your kin’s blood on your hands.  So, your word means very sodding little.” I pushed my blade higher against his throat, forcing his head backwards.“You should put a leash on her ‘Big ‘D’’ before she does something you all regret.” Paradros said smiling, sure of his position.“Myr, please,” Daneath said.  I didn’t move and continued to stare into Paradros’ eyes. “So why not meet in town?”“Because Silverymoon’s ward prevent a lot of spells from functioning,” Beepu said evenly.Paradros shrugged.  “I didn’t choose the place.  I had intended to have you follow me there after all, and not be assaulted so brazenly by the four of you.  I don’t even know what will be discussed, as I am a simple messenger,” he said mockingly.“So, you delivered your message,” I hissed.  “Well done, errand boy.  Why don’t you make it easy on yourself and tell us where to go, so we don’t have to drag you with us.”“You don’t scare me.  None of you do. So, shall we get this over with?” Paradros said, with an exaggerated sigh.“You don’t know how…fortunate you are,” I said through clenched teeth, as I pulled my blade away from his throat and got off him.“What?  That I have powerful friends?”“No,” I said.  “That I do.”[HR][/HR]Daneath and Iesa disarmed Paradros, casting his sword and dagger in the corner of the shop, and then secured his hands behind his back.  Finally, they put his cloak back on over his bonds.  Now only a close inspection would be able to determine he was our prisoner.We set out and headed to the market.  While it was dark, there was still some stragglers leaving town out of the Hunter’s Gate, heading to farms or homes in the nearby Moonwood.  We were able to move our prisoner along and outside the walls without getting the attention of the city guard.  Paradros didn’t seem to care in the slightest, carrying on with a smile and humming to himself, while Daneath and Iesa shepherded along him, three abreast.Beepu and I were following just behind them.  “They will return my mother,” he said quietly, his eyes still glaring at the sun elf.“I hope so,” I said.  “I know this is a trap, but I hope we can find our way out.”Beepu nodded. “I would…sacrifice a lot for my family,” he said almost whispering.“Let’s hope that we don’t need to,” I said.“Do you really think it will be that easy?”“No.  I just don’t know how hard it will be.”Paradros guided us northward along the road, and eventually pointed out a side path.  It was barely visible with the overgrowth of the wood, and it led up into the hills, and even deeper into the Moonwood.  The track was in poor condition but eventually it opened into a small clearing.In the clearing stood an old manor house; covered in vines.  The windows on the floors were missing, and the shuttered hung loosely on their sides.   The rear part and the side wings were all in ruin, worn away by the weather and time.  Broken branches lay on the roof, which had holes rent by other larger branches.  But what used to be the very front hall was mostly intact, with a set of double doors that hung loosely on their hinges.  But beyond was the barest hint of firelight flickering with.“Nice place for a meeting,” Iesa said dryly.  “Just the right amount of ruin and darkness.”“I suppose we like a bit of the theatrical,” Paradros said smugly.  “And I am sure what you are looking for is inside.  So, if you don’t mind untying me.”“Why would we do that?” I said, stopping Daneath short.  “As far as I am concerned you are a prisoner.”“Now Myrai, I think it is only proper that you trust me—”I whipped my greensteel dagger out and then I held it to his surprised throat.  “I don’t think you understand your position here,” I breathed into his face.  “This blade was forged in the fires of Dis, sharper than any you can forge here.  And I cannot think of anything more appropriate than using it to slit your throat.”Paradros swallowed slowly and he stared at me coldly.  “I think that my master values me, and would be…troubled my by absence,” he said evenly.“So, he’s here to notice it then,” I replied.  The other three turned to look at us as we talked.“Along with Beepu’s precious mother and…friends,” the elf replied with cold smirk.“Friends of yours or ours I wonder?” I said still holding the blade evenly.Paradros looked confused before speaking, “Of yours?  You won’t find them here.”“Then, I guess you stay a prisoner,” I said with a mocking sorrowful tone.  “If you are valuable…then you are perfectly safe.  Otherwise, your master has sent you to your death…like all of his tools.”  But as I said this, I turned over something else in my head.He never mentioned Kingsley.   Not as a victim or a warning, and certainly not as another prisoner.   So, if the Kershak didn’t know about him, where was he now?  I hoped that he was in a safer place than we.Paradros grimaced and nodded.   “I guess I shall have to be patient.”I withdrew my blade and returned it to its sheath and pushed Paradros’s shoulder to face him towards the house.  “Let’s get this over with.”Iesa nodding, drew his rapier and made a couple of clicking noises with his tongue.  Mo crawled out of his pack, and then quickly scampered for a nearby tree.  Beepu looked at Foggle who hovered nearby.  Daneath pulled the strap of his shield and drew his longsword.  I pulled out the new rod I had created, gripping it tightly.Goss…I don’t know what is going to happen.--Well I’ll warn you if I see something that should be seen.Daneath went inside the doors first, followed by our prisoner with Iesa tapping him with the flat of his blade, and Beepu and I in the rear.“Stop that, you might actually cut me,” Paradros complained“I thought you would prefer this to Myrai's blade.  She actually does want to kill you.”Paradros grunted in return.  We found ourselves in a grand hall.  This hall thought was lined with rotten and decaying bookshelves.   A small set of stairs led to a dais with doorways leading to the shattered remains of the manor house.  The roof had collapsed in spots, scattering debris on the floor.  Any books that were here had been taken long ago, leaving bookcases with empty or broken shelves scattered around the room, with some broken apart on the floor.Bur our eyes were drawn to a lit pair of braziers on the dais, and there stood three figures.  The one on the left I recognized; the halfling we met outside of Portstown, north of Yartar.  He looked at us disapprovingly as if we were children who ignored a warning.  He had already a scimitar drawn, which he turned over in his hands in anticipation.  The figure on the right was a heavily armored dwarf, who cradled a battleaxe.  Unlike the halfling, he stood his ground without nervous tics.  But he gave the impression that he was a coiled snake ready to strike out.Between them stood another man.  If Daneath were to stand toe to toe with him, I would have guessed he was a head and half taller.  He stood there armored with a breast plate, greaves and vambraces.   A sword hunt at his side, as he stood there with his arms crossed.  He had no hair, and his eyes seemed to be a black mirror of his soul.   In front of him was a large sack, bulging with something inside, but unmoving.“So…my belligerent, wayward…progeny?” he spat contemptuously, “finally do me the honor of a visit.  It took you long enough to leave Melandrach’s ‘protection.’  As if he could grant you any.”Daneath and Iesa stepped forward, while I swung my rod in front of Paradros from moving forward.   Beepu also stepped into the center of the room, and as we talked, the brothers flanked him at a distance.“Well, my manners are a bit rusty,” Beepu spat.  “But I do not believe my parents taught me how to address and keep appointments with criminals.”“Beepu…you do so resemble your father…and your mother,” the man drawled.  “And I am no criminal. I am one of your betters, so I expect better manners from you.”“You flatter well enough,” Iesa retorted.  “But you talk like another bully in the slums.”“One that kidnaps an old woman out of spite,” Daneath said contemptuously.  “Clearly the mark of a brave man.”The large man smiled, “I didn’t drag Beepu’s mother into this; for that you can blame your father Beepu.  If he hadn’t of…stolen what didn’t belong to him, perhaps we could have all met under different circumstances.”“My father was not a thief,” Beepu growled.“In the end he took something from me.  It doesn’t matter if Umbra gave it to him or not.   And so, I want what Pachook took from Umbra.  And I want Pachook’s rand Helsa's rings.”I squinted at the man’s demands and thought.They don’t have the rings?“I demand you return my mother!” Beepu said angrily.“Certainly,” and the man bent forward to grasp the sack.  “Tell you what, I’m certainly willing to return her in exchange.” He said as he hefted the sack, like it contained nothing.“Exchange for what?” Daneath said between his clenched teeth, as he twisted the pommel of his longsword in his hand.The man looked at us all with a sneer.  “Your lives,” and then he threw the sack across the floor off the room.  As he did so, the neck of the sack unfolded, and some of the contents scattered across the floor as the sack flew towards Beepu.As I looked, my stomach started to churn as one of the objects that spilled from the bag was clearly the burned remains of an arm, the length matching a child…or a gnome.  The arm was a charred to the bone, with only the barest amount of tissue holding the upper arm, forearm, and hand together.  But it skidded on the floor, and settled by Beepu’s feet, with other parts strewn close by in front of the gnome.Beepu started to shake and his hands clenched in rage.   He thrust his hand into a pouch and drew a vial of water and spilled it on his hand in a practiced motion, and then flung a shard of ice at the armored figure.  The ice spun in the air and then shattered on what appeared to be a globe, only made visible by the ice shards that scattered across its briefly visible surface.“Pathetic.  Did you really think that I, the Kershak would be affected by your minor magics?  It is time to bring this to a close; for all of you.”  The man raised his hand and a mote of fire appeared and within a blink of an eye, he hurled the mote of fire straight at us.  It exploded into a wreath of flames, that surrounded Iesa, Daneath and Beepu, while Paradros and I dove.  The flames licked at us as we both scrambled to find a shelter from the flame.As the spots faded from my eyes, I stumbled to my feet slowly coughing.  I looked around at the shelves that were scattered around the room.  All of them now were alight in orange flame.   In the center of the room, Daneath was on a knee, with his shield in front of him using it as a barricade from the blast of fire.  Beepu was crouched behind him, coughing.  Glancing across the room, I saw that Iesa had dove behind a bookcase.  But as it turned out he wasn’t alone, as he had already traded blows with an armored warrior.    The dwarf and the halfling on the dais started to run towards Daneath, with blades drawn.I then turned to look at Paradros next to me who now stood, using a pillar to steady himself with his hands…“Soddin—” I said starting to pull on a strand.  But Paradros turned his head to face me with a knowing smile that dissolved into mist before my eyes“—ing prod!” I whirled and saw Paradros’ cloak snapping behind him as he bolted towards the front entrance“No!” I screamed, and I lashed out with a dark strand, the rod letting me focus.  From the purple sapphire, two bolts of deep purple shot across the room, striking Paradros.  The elf grunted, and stumbled and ran outside, never turning to look behind him.  I was about to chase him, when I heard the sound of a blade being drawn and turned around just in time to deflect a sword blow with my shield.  Another armored figure had been lurking in the stack of shelves and they tried to take advantage of my distraction.Beepu and Daneath split apart from each other.  Daneath ran and collided with the dwarf as he tried to block the axe from finding anything vital.  He swung, knocking the axe blade away, and attempted to thrust and bury the sword in the dwarf’s chest.  But the dwarf was remarkably fast, spinning with the momentum of his blade, and using that to knock Daneath’s sword away.Beepu however, moved at a slight angle along the floor, pulling out of his pouch a small glass rod, and a bit of fur.  He then planted himself and said some arcane syllables.  From the rod emanated a bluish white light that streaked across the room, hitting first the dwarf, and striking the halfling who was closing with the melee.  The sound of the strike was deafening and the overwhelming scent of burnt hair marked the bolts passage.The Kershak shook his head sadly, as the smoke from the lightning strike disappated.  He had a resigned look on his face as he spoke again.“If that is the best you can muster, I see no reason to stay,” the Kershak gestured with a mailed gauntlet and then turned around.  He the strode into a shimmering cloud in the air, into which he disappeared.“No!  Get back here!” Daneath shouted, as he swung his sword at the dwarf in front of him.  The dwarf deflected Daneath’s blows with large sweeping swings of his axe, each one threatening to pull Daneath off balance and exposing him to attack.  Daneath hammered at the dwarf, trying to use his height advantage to wear down the dwarf. The dwarf, however, was used to fighting larger opponents.  He kept swinging low and wide, forcing Daneath to constantly move and never setting his feet for a hard strike.Meanwhile, Iesa was busy with his own opponents as a second armored figure came around a bookcase, flanking the rogue.  Iesa spun with his blade, deflecting a thrust from the second man’s longsword.  But he was at a disadvantage, as the first man landed a solid blow to Iesa’s side, causing blood to splatter the wood near him.I too was busy, as I now had to deal with a second attacker.  However, I simply pulled on a single dark strand, and looped it around both of my attackers.  Skeletal hands grasped at both of their throats, tearing away at their life energy.  One clasped his neck and sunk to his knees, while the other one swung and landed a blow on my shield, as he gurgled in pain.That elf has run into the trees somewhere.--Keep an eye outside, let me know if any reinforcements arri—OOF!The man had swung again finding his way past my shield, and his blade slammed into my armor.  I wheezed and coughed up some blood.  Each breath was now painful, as I suspected a rib or two had been bruised or possibly cracked.  Grimacing I swatted his blade away with my shield and focused on ripping his soul away with a miasma of darkness, as the sound of a bell rang in the fiery field of battle.  The second man clutched at his chest and looked at me in horror as he sunk to his knees in a clatter of metal, before he fell flat on his face.Turning I saw that Beepu was throwing bolts of flame at the halfling that now had engaged Daneath with a pair of daggers.  The flames didn’t even slow the halfling down, however.  He quickly moved behind the warrior, sinking a pair of quick strikes into his side.  Blood poured down from behind the faulds of his armor, dripping on the flagstone floor.Iesa finally ran his rapier through one of his attackers, straight into his chest.  But the smile on Iesa’s face was short lived, as his second foe, landed a vicious blow on the rogue, his blade landing across Iesa’s midsection.  With a groan, Iesa stumbled to his knees, and slumped backwards against a burning bookcase.  I watched as his rapier fell from his hand, clattering on the stone.“No!  Pike that!” I shouted and threw both light and dark strands wide around the Kershak’s lackeys, and pull them taut, before mentally yanking them so tight that the strands snapped.  The sounds of bookcases and stone railings exploded as the sound of thunder shook the hall.   This knocked down Iesa’s former foe, and he fell into a crumpled heap onto the floor.  But my heart sank as I realized neither the dwarf or the halfling seemed concerned, or even wounded by the magic.Daneath was hard pressed on two sides, trying to prevent the halfling from finding a vulnerable spot.  So, when the dwarf struck him with the axe, he used the momentum and staggered backwards, causing the halfling to miss with a dagger thrust.  Daneath seized the moment, and reposted, thrusting his blade deep into the stomach of the halfling.  The halfling shook his head clearing the pain, only to be struck by a trio of bluish bolts from Beepu’s hands.  He tried to twist away, but it was in vain as the missiles struck him unerringly.   The halfling grimaced and spun trying to slash Daneath with his blades again, but this time he was unable to find an opening in the mithral plate armor.I gritted my teeth and threw a miasma at both the halfling and the dwarf.  As I approached them, they both grunted and glared at me in pain.  I gulped, hoping that they would keep their eyes on me, and miss what I was doing, as I whispered a single word, and used a light strand to envelope Iesa, and channel healing energy into the fallen man.The halfling took a step towards me, and once again he was struck by a trio of missiles from Beepu, who ran towards the fallen Iesa.   But as he did so, the dwarf shifted positions, and brough down his axe hard in the back of the gnome, causing Beepu to fall and skid on his stomach to a nearby shelf.  The dwarf returned his focus on Daneath, while the halfling looked at me with an evil grin.Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Iesa crawling towards Beepu, pulling a vial from his pocket.  Looking at our opponents, it seemed that neither was severely hurt; little bleeding, and neither were even slowed from their exertions.  We needed to balance the scales in the fight.  I then remembered something.  I slung my rod to my side and thrust my hand into a pouch and pulled out a gemstone.  One that we had found on the outskirts of Portstown on the way to Flint Rock.  I then held it up and spoke:“Hey dwarf, looking for this?”He turned to look at me with greedy eyes.  As he did so, I triggered the magic contained within the stone, and a brilliant white light emitted from the stone and struck the dwarf in the eyes.“You blasted wench!” the dwarf shouted.  He turned around in confusion, blinking his eyes trying to regain his sight.  He swung wildly trying to keep Daneath from getting close to him.  The halfling glanced at the dwarf for a moment, and grimaced and ran at me with blades ready.  He swung with both them, and while my shield deflected his offhand blade, the main one sank deeply into my thigh, causing me to yelp in pain.I stared into the eyes of the halfling and I watched his smile fade as I pulled dark strands and then screamed.  As I did, dark energy exploded all around me consuming and raking at everything nearby.  Black tendrils flayed at the halfling, sapping at his strength and then they reached and struck the dwarf as well.  The necrotic energy wave tore at their souls, weakening them.  When the darkness receded, I moved toward Beepu, who was now sitting up shaking his head.Iesa took advantage of the dwarf’s blindness and thrust his blade into a gap beneath the pauldrons.  The dwarf’s head jerked up at the sudden breech as his lungs were suddenly flooded with his own blood.  He fell to his knees and heaved.  Then he fell forward flat on his stomach and blood disgorged from his mouth on the stone.I reached Beepu, and heard steps behind me, and I turned to see that the halfing had pursued me and was about to strike when a blade erupted from the halfling’s chest.  His face twisted with surprise as Daneath twisted and flung the halfling from his sword.  The body crumpled on the floor, and a pool of blood quickly appeared beneath the body.I stood there panting, my chest burning and the wound in leg throbbing.  I was helping Beepu to his feet, when the sudden sound of timbers creaking and snapping grabbed our attention.  Looking up, the flames had reached the rafters of the room, and the ceiling was starting to collapse, as the support beams burned away.“Get Beepu out of here, now!” I yelled.  Iesa grabbed the gnome, while Daneath raised his shield overhead to protect them from falling debris.“What are you doing?” Daneath huffed over the roar of the flames.“Saving the dead.  Go!” I slapped him on the shoulder, and raised my own shield overhead.  I turned around to the center of the room, and found what I was looking for; the sack that the Kershak threw at us.  I stumbled over the flaming beams, and collapsed roof sections and grabbed it.  Using a white strand, I summoned the form of a ghostly white hand.  I used it to grab the scattered body parts of Beepu’s mother, that had fallen out of the sack.--Hey, you might need to hurry---I know the place is falling apart!--Not that; there’s a cart coming.Oh sodding Baator, what now?!?Grabbing the final body part I could find, the charred arm, I placed it gently into the sack.  I covered my mouth and nose with a section of my cloak, and trotted outside, and away from the conflagration that consumed the hall.They were all coughing from the smoke and flame, but Beepu looked at me with tears in his eyes before speaking.“Did…did you get her?”“I have her, Beepu,” I said nodding my head to the sack I cradled gently in my arms. “We can lay her to rest when we get to town, however you like.  But we have a visitor coming.”“Who the?” Iesa said, as he turned around with Daneath looking down the road.   And indeed, a cart drawn by a pair of horses approached us.   Framing the front where the drover sat, were a pair of lanterns gleaming brightly.  The drover was covered in a leather cloak, but the hood was down revealing the face of a dark-haired half-elf.  In a few moments, the cart stopped a small distance from us.“Come on!  Get in, we have little time,” the half-elf shouted at us.“No offense, but we don’t even know who you are, let alone what you are doing here.”The half-elf shook his head, “You’ll have to trust me, but I was sent by a friend.  We must go!  Now!”I looked at the others, and we silently made our decision after looking at each other’s tired expressions.  Nodding, we clambered into the back of the cart, with Foggle and Gossamer flying close behind.The half-elf quickly turned it around as we huddled in the back watching the flames retreat into the distance. As we sat there, I looked at my companions as they stared at the hall each with different emotions clear on their faces.Pain.Regret.Disappointment.And as for myself, not one single emotion could describe what I felt.Sorrow.Disgust.Rage.The last one was the strongest; before now, the Kershak was just another person’s problem.  Even after the vague threats it seemed abstract and distant.No longer.It was now real and tangible.  A person that only cared about their wishes and agenda.  Nothing else mattered; not others lives, not their beliefs, not even people who should be innocent bystanders.  I sat there in pain, shivering in the dark, hoping that this wagon would lead us solace or succor, even for just an evening.Session Notes:For some reason it was a library in the middle of the woods; it didn't make a lot of sense at the time, so a ruined manor worked better.  It was a mess of spells not working right most of the time.And I very much almost killed (or tried to ) kill Paradros while we stood outside.  I let the good tendencies play out however.One small thing we had to ignore as players;  when we tied up Paradros, the roll from Isea was a 5.  So we all had to believe he did it properly, when we knew full well it didn't.  Not that it would have stopped a misty step.  Next time I'll blindfold them.</blockquote>

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