Last Stand of the Dorinthians (Final Chapter)

[Deuce Traveler]

OOC: <grumble> Fenris is getting either too seasoned for this campaign or I'm becoming predictable.

Barok
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Before you enter the rooms to the west you take a longer moment to examine the portraits on the wall. The ladies and gentlemen have a familiar likeness to Kyle Radnal, which is confirmed by the last portrait... one of a younger Kyle or his close kin wearing the armor and holy symbol of a Paladin of the Rider and a sword with a horse and rider motif on the pommel and hilt.

The nearest door to the west leads to a large kitchen and small pantry, while a door to the north connects to the next western room, which is empty except for several cabinets filled with expensive china and a long dinner table that holds little but dust. A locked door leads to the west, but looking out the window you see that it leads to what are probably houses for servants.
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Caramip, Dartis, and Silas
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Nefius warms up to Silas' question and answers, "If you are speaking about whether or not Festios touched me spiritually, he did through my not-so-easy survival off what the wilderness provided. However, I don't really feel that he did truly bless me until the disease passed through here. It was when I first contracted it that I began to see my fellow worshippers in my dreams. In dreamspace, the greater of his priests told me that I was to be his tool in this location and that the disease first infected the Tallione capital. It was these priests that foresaw the coming of this pestilence, and they somehow altered it so that it would key into Festios' faithful and strengthen them rather than kill them. The disease has quickly spread throughout the Empire and has either changed or is in the process of changing the entire race of humanity. Only the capital still stands against it, as that stubborn Emperor and his court still has not figured out that their time is done and wield their powerful, yet weakening magic and science to fight back the inevitable. No matter. They can only last so much longer, although that does not stop them from trying to call the brave to their salvation. Once the capital falls, however, there are few places with the resources to change this fate."
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[Fenris]

OOC: <grumble> Fenris is getting either too seasoned for this campaign or I'm becoming predictable.

OOC:
The only thing predictable DT is your unpredictability. I am the longest tenured player, is that too seasoned? But rather chalk it up to your many hints dropped through, what 4 chapters now? I think it was the brass reference that tipped me off. But you laid the path to that conclusion through all the chapters. So think of it as a master story teller finally seeing the pay off of the audience saying 'I knew it' not because it was inevitable but rather foreshadowed so well.


Dartis listens with horror to Nefius' tale. Deep down a small part of him laughed at the irony of the great Tallione empire being brought down by the plague by one of its own gods. But The was overshadowed by the horror that this thing may spread, spread to New Dorinthia. Instinct dictated a swift and final blow. But somehow Dartis restrained that dire urge, if only to extract the last bits of information from this vile snake before it was struck down forever.

"So Counselor, if humanity is being changed, in whose image? I hope for the better, yes? But All I see are walking corpses, not a new breed of humanity. How then are the infected different than these?" asks Dartis barely keeping from gritting his teeth.

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Caramip Ashhearth

"The poor children..." Whispers Caramip mournfully as she looks onto the evil priest with horror.

 

[GlassEye]

Silas feels sick and revolted at Nefius' tale and is quite glad when Dartis speaks up. He leans back in his chair and stares at the meager provisions laid out for them (which he hasn't touched, by the way) by the mad priest. Wanting to see how Nefius reacts to Dartis' questions, Silas looks up to watch the man.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Nefius grimaces and for a moment you see a strange flicker of something that is strange for a priest... doubt. But then his eyes flash into the determination of madness and he says, "The true believers, that is those that become worshippers of Festios, become transformed by the disease into humans that are also partly plant so they may be closer to nature. Right now a number of these worshippers are swarming over the fragmenting Tallione Empire in order to take it over and usher in a new age. Those that become interested and yet are not initiated in the process become the mindless beings that the worshippers may control, and thus an army so that we have no need to bloody our own hands. The unbelievers stay dead as they have no place in the world and will not be rescued by the god of transformation." Festios is also known by more sane people as the God of Decay.

 

[Nephtys]

Barok continues searching the mansion in greed mixed with frustration. There was no way he'd ever be able to bring any of this with him far enough to find anyone who would pay for it. Still, maybe there was some liquid wealth around. Although if this was the Radnal estate they had probably already emptied it when they fled.

 

[Fenris]

Nefius grimaces and for a moment you see a strange flicker of something that is strange for a priest... doubt. But then his eyes flash into the determination of madness and he says, "The true believers, that is those that become worshippers of Festios, become transformed by the disease into humans that are also partly plant so they may be closer to nature. Right now a number of these worshippers are swarming over the fragmenting Tallione Empire in order to take it over and usher in a new age. Those that become interested and yet are not initiated in the process become the mindless beings that the worshippers may control, and thus an army so that we have no need to bloody our own hands. The unbelievers stay dead as they have no place in the world and will not be rescued by the god of transformation." Festios is also known by more sane people as the God of Decay.

Dartis smiles diplomatically regaining his composure.

"Well this is a great system I have to admit, but I have a couple of questions. Being closer to nature is great, but how are non-humans affected? I hope Festios treats all races equally. But my biggest question revolves around you Counselor. You were traded as you say to Festios, but what did Oberius receive in turn? And this new age seems to favor the followers of Festios, surely Oberius and Cryon are getting their share. I would hate to think Festios is operating alone in some attempt to usurp the Triumvirate."

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Silas, Caramip, Dartis
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"Well, Oberius gets what he wanted... a host of people sacrificed and transformed into the idea of obediant servitude. And Cryon gets the destruction of the civilized lands that he despised so much. As for Festios, he gains the control of those willing to convert. The shock troops and military of the trilogy faith you see. But surely he would rule together with his partners and not plot against them. Surely..." Nefius repeats the words, rubbing both his Oberius and his Festios symbols together as if testing their weight.
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Barok
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As Barok continues the search of the house he goes up the stairs to the second level and walks through some double doors in the center of the level. On the other side is a richly furnished bedroom, however what catches the rogue's eye first is a large glass case near the doors and to the left of him. Inside he finds the two broken halves of a boldly crafted longsword. It looks as if the edges of the blade have been laced with a trace of silver, along with golden etchings in the old tongue on the flat of the blade. The hilt and pommel are fashioned in the manner of a horse and rider.
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[Bloodweaver1]

Caramip Ashhearth

"So what happens now?" Asks Caramip. "Are we to presume that you are going to let us go even if we choose not become one with your 'herd'?"

 

[Nephtys]

A weapon as garish as that could well be magical. Maybe it had some value even if broken.The Rider... Barok had never understood the appeal of that faith, even if he was the patron deity of Dorinthia. Too much honour and valor for his taste, too much sacrifice. Even though Barok himself had been forced by destiny to walk in that deitys footsteps that only added to his urge to be free of Him. And still, the very familiarity did add some degree of comfort.
Barok opens the case, after checking for traps, and retrieves the pieces of the weapon. After wrapping them in cloth he places them in his backpack.