"Out of the Frying Pan" - Book II: Catching the Spark (Part Two) - {complete}
el-remmen
Moderator Emeritus
Session #25 (part III)
Ratchis decided to head back to the inn after the others, leaving Martin to handle the interviews at the alderman’s house alone. He was still exhausted and figured that the if it were the dragon it would likely not have left any tracks, and if it were an illusion (as they often speculated it might be) it would definitely leave no tracks.
He would go and rest, and if Martin discovered anything he could return that night.
Meanwhile, Martin was able to talk to with Brochard, the guard who had seen the dragon kill his uncle after waiting nearly thirty minutes of waiting in the foyer.
“I am sorry for your loss,” Martin said to the sad-faced young man.
“It was quick, at least,” Brochard said. “You want to see where it happened?”
“Yes, please,” Martin replied and followed him outside and around the large house. “Also, a priest of Anubis travels with us, perhaps it would be permissible to allow him to examine the body?”
“He has already been buried,” Brochard said.
“Well, then that is no longer an option,” Martin said.
They stopped on the opposite side of the house. A large section of snow was cleared from the roof and lie in a big pile on the ground, below a window.
“And you saw the dragon here?” Martin asked. “Could you tell everything as it happened?”
“Well, I was inside and I heard a loud blow against the roof, and I was on the ground floor!” Brochard said, his voice cracking a bit. “And then I heard my uncle cry out, so I ran out the front door and around the house, the way we just came. And there is was, on the roof. Even as if came into view I heard its inhuman voice. It seemed to be asking my uncle something, but I couldn’t make out what it was. I guess my uncle didn’t know the answer or said the wrong thing, because as it came into clearer view it bit down on my uncle, rip… ripping the head right off his shoulders. My uncle’s body slid off the roof, and then the head followed. I ran forward. There was… There was blood everywhere, and the then the thing just took off. It flew across the top of the house, towards the woods and disappeared.”
Martin gave the guard a moment to compose himself.
“And what did it look like?” he asked.
“Well, I never saw the whole thing, except from behind and from afar, but it was over thirty feet long, and it had black bat-like wings over twenty feet wide, and it was bronze and golden colored, and it kind of shimmered,” Brochard said.
Martin made a note in his journal, “Thirty feet long? Did that include the tail?”
“No, the tail added another fifteen feet or so, and it had spines along its length,” Brochard added.
“And who else saw it?” Martin asked.
“Well, we think that Miss Jasmine, the alderman’s daughter saw it,” Brochard said.
“You think?” Martin asked, puzzled.
“Well, she has not left her room since it happened, and her window would have given a clear view of the thing scooping up my uncle and the falling body,” Brochard pointed up to the window.
“Hmmm,” Martin thought for a second. “Did it land anywhere else?”
“Not that I know of,” Brochard replied. “My brother and I looked around and didn’t see any other sign of the creature.”
Martin thanked Brochard for him time, and wished him his condolences once again. He noticed that the others had not caught up with him yet, so he decided to head back to town and meet up with them on the way.
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Back at the Golden Plough, Beorth was unsure what to do next, so he went upstairs and told Kazrack about Jana’s arrest.
“What?” was all the dwarf said at first.
“I said, Jana’s been taken into custody and Richard the Red, whoever that is, is on the loose in town, or something,” Beorth repeated.
Kazrack sighed, “Why was she arrested?”
“I don’t know,” Beorth replied. “The constable said something about murder. Perhaps one of us should go to the constable’s office and see what we can discover.”
“Well, they don’t like my kind here,” Kazrack said. “They might mock me up just for asking. Martin should do the asking. He’s the only one with an semblance of authority around here.”
“Asking what?” Ratchis asked, coming through the door, and sitting on the bed.
Beorth explained to the Friar of Nephthys what happened.
“Perhaps they misconstrued her use of magic,” Beorth speculated. “I don’t know.”
“I hope it wasn’t something Jeremy said when he went by there a few days ago,” Ratchis said, angrily. “We are supposed to meet up with Martin on the way back to the elves. Beorth, could you go see if you could find him and bring him back here so we can discuss this while I go to the constable’s office and see what I can find out.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Kazrack asked.
“I guess we’ll find out,” Ratchis said, and left the room to head over to the constable’s office.
-----------------
Ratchis enter the office just after pulling the hood of his cloak up to shadow some of his more monstrous features.
The constable looked up from his desk, where he was writing something.
“Can I help you?” he looked Ratchis up and down, and peered into the hood, catching a glimpse of the half-orc’s wide protruding jaw.
“I am here to inquire about Jana of Westron,” Ratchis said. “Would it be possible to see her?”
“No,” the constable said, looking back down at his work.
“Would it be possible to find out why she is being held?” Ratchis asked.
“Yes.”
There was a long pause.
Ratchis sighed. “Why is she being held?”
“Westron,” the constable said. “Looks like she was on the lam, and I was just the one to bring her in.”
“Who did she supposedly murder?” Ratchis asked.
“Some girl,” the constable said. “An official from Herman Land came here looking for her, and told us the to look out for this Jana person.”
“Who was…”
The constable cut him off, “I am very busy. Please leave now.”
Ratchis grunted his grudging assent and headed back to the inn.
Beorth had gone to meet up with Martin and bring him back when Ratchis returned. The half-orc told the dwarf the little he had learned.
“Do you think she really did that?” Kazrack asked. “She used to do things like that, before we changed her.”
“There have always been more sides to Jana than meets the eye,” Ratchis mused.
“Maybe we can buy her freedom,” Kazrack said. “I’m sure she’s innocent. She’s may be mixed up, but I don’t think she’s a murderer.”
Ratchis put a reassuring hand on Kazrack’s shoulder.
------
Beorth met Martin on the road. The watch-mage was shivering from the cold. He was surprised to see Beorth alone.
“Beorth, where are the others?” he asked.
“Jana’s in jail,” Beorth said simply.
Martin dropped his pack in shock.
“What?”
Beorth lifted Martin’s pack for him and slung it over his own shoulder, “I’ll explain the little I know on the way back to the inn.”
-----
Jeremy knocked on the door to Kazrack’s room.
“There you guys are,” he said by way of greeting. “I thought we were going to meet Martin at the alderman’s and then go to the elves.”
“Jana’s been arrested,” Kazrack said. “Did you say something to the constable?”
“Huh? What would I say?” Jeremy said, sounding offended by the accusation. “What was she arrested for?”
“Murder,” Ratchis replied.
“Did she kill old man Carson?” Jeremy asked.
“She killed old man Carson?” Kazrack said puzzled. “Who is old man Carson?”
“She killed someone in Westron,” Ratchis said, annoyed. His wounds still ached. “They sent someone to find her.”
“What did she kill the king or something?” Jeremy asked. “I mean, must have been someone pretty damn important for them to send someone all the way from Herman Land here.”
“Well, we need to warn the elves that the witch is around and Richard the Red is around and they may be trying to get back to the compound to free the others,” Kazrack said. “We need to do it as soon as possible.”
“I also need to talk to the alderman’s daughter if I can,” Jeremy said. “She came to see me again while we were gone, or so the innkeeper told me. I went to go find her, but all I found was the cook. I passed a message to her through him. She had told me last time he was trustworthy.”
“When did you do this?” Ratchis asked.
“Just now,” Jeremy said. “I just got back. I didn’t see Martin, he must have been inside the house.”
“What did you tell the cook?” Ratchis asked, worried about the Neergaardian being to free with information.
“Oh, just to tell her we are trying to help her friend,” Jeremy said. “But when I get to tell her I guess I will tell her the bad news that her friend is probably gone forever.”
“I don’t think we should tell anyone anything. What’s the point of telling her when it will upset her?”
“She came to me for help,” Jeremy said earnestly. “I thought I should be honest with her, but maybe you’re right.”
Beorth and Martin returned.
“What do we do now?” Jeremy asked.
“I am going to go to the constable’s office and see if I will be allowed to see her,” Martin said.
“I already tried that,” Ratchis said.
“Perhaps as a watch-mage I will have better luck,” Martin replied. “I will find out from her if she is guilty.”
“If the murder was justifiable I will fight to free her,” Ratchis said, his usual zealotry coming to the surface.
“Yes, well, let me find out what I can first,” Martin said, with a bit of dismissive tone.
“Shall I accompany you, Martin?” Beorth asked.
Martin nodded.
The two of them walked over to the constable’s office while the others waited.
-----------
Meanwhile, the constable was paying a visit in her dirty little cell, which was one of four cells in the back of the building, all of which, but hers, being empty.
“If you think that you can murder someone and get away with it by coming here, you got another thing coming,” the constable said to the young girl behind the bars.
Jana did not respond.
“Well, that fellow who was sent after you should be back in a few days,” the constable added. “He went looking for you in the nearby countryside, and maybe some other of the towns, but he said he’d be back.”
“And he is?” Jana asked, softly.
“He said he was called Rindalith,” the constable said. “Enjoy your stay, it will be a long trip back to Westron. Do they hang people there?”
He turned to leave the holding area, chuckling to himself, but turned back one last time, “And don’t bother trying any of that witchcraft stuff. He warned us about it. Heh, hanging? Maybe burning would be better for your kind.”
He left to find Martin the Green and Beorth entering his office.
“What?” the constable asked, rudely.
“I am here to inquire about your prisoner, Jana of Westron,” Martin said, calmly. “The nature of the charges against her, and to make sure she is being treated properly I would like a chance to meet with her.”
“What are you supposed to be?” the constable asked, incredulously, eyeing Martin’s emerald robes.
“I am Martin the Green, watch-mage and emissary of the king,” Martin said, putting on air of superiority.
“Watch-mage, eh?” the constable said. He pointed at Beorth. “What about him?”
“I am Beorth Sakhemet, warrior of Anubis,” Beorth said.
“Warrior of Anubis, eh?” the constable was obviously sizing them up. “So, what you want to know?”
“The nature of the charges against Jana of Westron, whom I might add is here as one of the dragon-hunters invited to Gothanius by the king himself, and how you came to know of these alleged crimes,” Martin said.
“Heh, well… She is wanted for the murder of a young girl in Westron, and a Mister Rindalith was sent here to retrieve her when they found where she had run to, picked the wrong place if ya ask me. He had all the proper paperwork and should be back in a few days to bring her back to the Kingdom of Herman Land. Of course, it will be up to the alderman to decide if she will be, what’s the word? Extradited.”
“Did this Rindalith say how he knew to look for her here?” Martin asked.
“I guess he trailed her,” the constable replied.
“Very well, may we see her now?” Martin asked.
“No, not both of you anyway,” he pointed to Martin. “You can go. The warrior of Anubis waits here.”
Beorth stood by the door, while the constable led Martin the Green into the rear where the holding cells were. He told Jana to step away from the door and let Martin into the cell and then locked it.
“You have twenty minutes, and don’t try anything stupid,” the constable said.
“I assure you sir that I have nothing but the most honor…” The constable had walked off. Martin grimaced.
“Martin, what are you doing here,” Jana asked.
“I was about to ask you the same thing,” Martin replied. “The others sent me to talk with you. They are waiting at the inn.”
“You should not worry about me,” Jana said, sitting on her low bunk. “We have important things to take care of, and it is up to the rest of you to get them done.”
“But what about you? You have to do them, too. You haven’t forgotten the promises to Osiris?” Martin said.
“Of course not. But what are we to do? I am here awaiting someone who is not what he makes himself out to be, because I have to, but the rest of you are free to go an warn the elves and fulfill your promises and help the gnomes.”
“Not what he makes himself out to be? And you are still going to go with him?” Martin asked.
“I did not say that,” Jana replied, cryptically. “But I do have to face him eventually. However, the group’s priority should not be with me. Do not let them do anything stupid, Martin. You have to make them continue with the quests.”
Martin was astonished by her resoluteness.
“Did you kill that girl?” Martin asked.
“I am not saying anything,” Jana replied, giving him a look that suggested most likely they were being listened to.
It was silent for a time.
“Perhaps I will be able to speak the alderman and get you freed to my custody, or I can write to the king,” Martin suggested.
“That is all well and good, but do not delay on my account,” Jana continued to insist.
“Do you think your life is in danger from this Rindalith person?” Martin asked.
“It is very possible,” Jana said, she looked down. “But you can’t run forever.”
Martin sighed.
“You need to give me something, tell me something to help us help you,” Martin tried again.
“There is nothing to be said,” Jana replied. “Go back and tell the others what I said.”
“But. . “
There were footsteps in the hall. “Time’s up,” the constable said.
Martin turned back to Jana, “I will tell the others. Good luck.” And with that he left the cell, as the constable had opened it up, despite the fact that he was certain that the allotted time had not passed.
He and Beorth returned to the Golden Plough, where the Watch-Mage told of his conversation with their young companion.
“She was very specific about priorities,” Martin said.
“Ours or hers?” Ratchis asked.
“Ours.”
“Putting ours over hers?” Jeremy asked, incredulously.
“Yes.”
“That doesn’t sound like her,” Jeremy said, he was polishing his mithral short sword, and admiring the beauty of its make.
“We may have to break her out,” Ratchis said.
Beorth cleared his throat.
“Beorth, what is your opinion?” Ratchis asked the bald pale holy warrior.
“I think for the time being Jana’s fate is in someone else’s hands, and sitting here to wait and wait does no one any good. We need to do what is best for the most people,” Beorth replied.
“I take it that means you are for going and warning the elves, and continuing with what we need to do,” Kazrack tried to clarify.
Beorth nodded.
“If only she would talk, and tell us what happened,” Kazrack said, confused by Jana’s behavior as he often was.
“I think she’d talk to Beorth,” Ratchis suggested.
“But her reason for not talking to Martin probably applies to Beorth as well. She is likely afraid anything she says to them might be used against her if they are called to testify. I think you should talk to her,” Kazrack said.
“But she doesn’t like me,” Ratchis said. Jeremy laughed, and everyone looked at him.
“I need to continue with Jana, or continue without her, but either way I need to continue,” Kazrack said. “We need to come to a decision by morning.”
“There is the matter that Jana said that this ‘Rindalith” is not who he makes himself out to be,” Martin said. “He is not really an official of Herman Land.”
“Who is he then?” Jeremy asked.
“I don’t know, but Markle mentioned his name to me,” Ratchis said. “When we were back at the castle, when he was warning me about Jana endangering our lives. He probably meant that this Rindalith is dangerous, and likely doesn’t care what he has to do to get her.”
“That means this man is bending the law, and using it to his own ends!” Kazrack suddenly cried with great ardor, standing. “I will not see the law perverted! And plus, she is a friend. I say we free her!”
“She said to leave her and not do anything stupid,” Martin reminded the dwarf.
“If a friend is about to drink poison would you let him, even if he said that was what his wishes were?” Kazrack said. “I think not. I do not think even Ratchis with his belief in freedom would allow someone to do such a thing.”
The half-orc shrugged his shoulders, as if to say, if and when that situation were to ever arise I’d make my choice then.
“Well, perhaps her creature can help,” Martin suggested.
“Her creature? She has a creature?” Kazrack asked, befuddled.
“Yes, a familiar. A small lizard,” Martin explained. “It was always on the chimney at the gnome settlement, staying warm.”
“Oh, that thing?” Kazrack said. “I thought it belonged to the gnomes.”
“Well, it is not around,” Ratchis said. “And I need to go downstairs and see if the food I asked the innkeeper to prepare for tonight is ready. It is the second night of the Malar Days .” (96)
Ratchis left the others and began to make his way down the stairs, when he saw Jana making her way up the stairs.
She smiled weakly.
Ratchis closed his mouth, which had dropped open in surprise, and took her by the arm bringing her back to the room.
“Jana!” Martin cried.
“Woo-hoo!” said Jeremy, standing and smiling.
“What’s going on?” Kazrack asked, surprised.
“Richard the Red set me free,” Jana said, as if she barely believed it herself.
“He did what?!?” Martin cried.
“The constable came and unlocked my cell and brought me out to the office, and Richard was there, and he said he had ‘arranged’ everything with the constable and I was free to go,” Jana explained.
“So, the constable saw you go?” Beorth asked.
“Yes,” Jana replied.
“Why would Richard the Red help us?’ Kazrack asked.
“Well, he did say that he enjoyed the fact that I was now in debt to him,” Jana said with a sigh.
“Martin, did you think he used foul magicks to free her?” Kazrack asked the Watch-Mage.
“I’m afraid it is very likely,” Martin replied.
“The constable did not seem strange, but that doesn’t mean it was not magic,” Jana said.
“Or, it could have simply been coin,” Ratchis said. “Sometimes all it takes is the right amount money to have the same effect as a charm spell.”
“Perhaps we should leave now, and go to the elves,” Kazrack suggested.
“Yeah, they might change their minds,” Jeremy said.
“But when we get there I would like a full explanation of what is going on,” the dwarf added, giving Jana a stern look.
“Yes, like who this Rindalith really is,” Ratchis added.
Jana nodded. “He was my mentor in Westron,” she said softy. “But let us go.”
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The party already had their things packed, and Ratchis had Wilson the Innkeeper, pack up the food he had ordered for the holiday meal, and a special goblet and bottle of wine he had bought for the occasion.
They slipped out the inn’s backdoor, and made their way westward, going slightly southward, led by Ratchis.
The wind was cold and bit at any portion of exposed flesh. Jana’s familiar tucked herself into the witch’s armpit to stay warm. The cold sapped them of energy, except for Ratchis whose boots kept him comfortably warm despite the fatigue brought on by his wounds.
Jana shivered and stumbled as they trudged through the snow that was crusted over with ice. Ratchis, who walked atop the snow as easily as if it were solid-packed soil, paused and waited for her to catch up.
“Nephthys! Protect this woman, and I promise I will get to the bottom of what she has been doing!” the half-orc called to his goddess, and she was better able to fight off the elements.
They trudged onward as the last of the sun’s light disappeared behind the looming mountains before them in the distance. Jana spoke an arcane word and touched the end of Beorth’s staff and it gave off light for them to walk by.
After they had been marching nearly two hours (and still nearly an hour from Aze-Nuquerna), Ratchis heard the sound of the flap of leathery wings. He looked up.
“Shh! Listen!” He hissed at the others, who cocked their heads to hear, as Ratchis and Jana looked around.
A huge bat with a wingspan of over eight feet flew silently above them at a height of over twenty feet. Only Ratchis saw it with his darkvision (Kazrack was looking in the wrong direction).
“A monstrous bat!” Ratchis said, when it passed.
“That’s Rindalith,” Jana said, matter-of-factly.
“It was like the thing we saw at the castle, Martin,” Ratchis said, and immediately took off running in the direction it flew in.
“Your master can turn into a man-bat?” Kazrack asked, aghast.
“Yes,” replied Jana.
“Yes, just like the man we saw on the towers at the castle the night that Markle and the others tried to rob the treasury,” Martin explained.
“No one told me they saw a man turn into a bat!” Jana said, annoyed.
Ratchis returned. “It was moving too fast. We had better get to the elves as quickly as we can.”
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The party arrived at Aze-Nuquerna soon after, and were allowed in after calling to the elves on the lookouts. They were escorted to a room on the lower level where they could sit and talk by a hearth, and have the meal that Ratchis carried with him. They were told that Ethiel would come see them soon.
“I’m hungry. Are we going to eat now?” Kazrack asked.
“I prefer we wait until after we have done talking, as there is a set tradition in terms of the meals eaten on these days,” Ratchis explained.
Kazrack sighed, “Okay,” He turned to Jana. “Rather than play questions and answer, perhaps you should just tell us your story?”
Jana paused, and then stretched her arms, and grabbed another of the big pillows they were all sprawled on. Beorth threw more wood into the fire, and it crackled and spat.
She cleared her throat. “While I was learning magic in Westron, Rindalith was my mentor. I don’t want to go into details, but bad stuff happened…” Her voice trailed off.
“I think we need details,” Kazrack said.
“You will not get them,” Jan said sternly.
“Maybe you should have said that from the start,” Jeremy said glibly.
“Let’s just say that he had another student, and they walked in when she should not have when I was contacting a token creature,” Jana said.
“So, what did you do?” Ratchis asked.
“Well, someone else is dead,” Jana said simply.
“Did you kill them in self-defense?” Kazrack asked.
“This is going to sound weird, but partly; partly not,” Jana replied.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Jeremy asked.
There was a knock on the door, and then Ethiel walked in. Behind him enter another elf. This second elf took any words from all their mouths. He was over six feet tall, and his skin had the luster of porcelain. He had strong defined features, that still had a delicacy to them that was reinforced by his soft smile as he looked over the party. He had shock of hair like flaming copper that stood up and back at an angle like frozen lightning. He was dressed in crimson and gold, and the pommel of a long sword was visible from over his shoulder.
“Greetings,” Ethiel said in his typical emotionless tone. “I am glad that you have returned.”
“We are happy to have your hospitality and that of your people,” Kazrack said.
“However, we do have bad news,” Martin added. “As I am sure Tirhas has already told you, we were unable to find the witch, Rahasia, and the Honeycombe seems to have been invaded by creatures called quaggoths.”
Ethiel looked startled.
“Unfortunately, there is other bad news,” Ethiel said.
“A lot of that today,” Jeremy murmured.
“Well, they say it comes in threes,” Ethiel said. “In fact when we found this out we feared that you might never return.”
He paused.
“This is Arion,” he gestured to the tall elf. “He is from the far west, from another enclave of our kind in the area of Derome-Delem humans call the Outland. (97) He is much more learned in the lore of the drow and of witchcraft than any of us here are and he was able to determine something that we had not.”
He paused again.
“When we found out that Karellena had been freed, we used the little means at our disposal to check the stones in the Chamber of the Three. We found that there were spirits there and of course, one was the girl, Rahasia’s. But what we did not realize until Arion arrived was that one of the other stones no longer had the spirit of one of witches in it, it was someone else,” Ethiel paused. “It seems that another, even more powerful of witches also escaped into the body of someone else. And we are afraid it could have only been one other elf.”
“Tirhas,” said Martin.
“Yes, Tirhas,” Ethiel said, sadly.
“But why would she help us?” Kazrack asked.
“Yes, and she seemed to remember of our previous time together,” Jeremy added.
“It is unclear how much of the memory of the host body the witches have when they possess them,” Arion said, speaking for the first time. His voice was like a hypnotic song that seemed to equally echo in the heart as it did in the air. “However, it is known that despite occasionally working together, the three witches were fierce rivals always seeking to discredit the other before their dark goddess in order to gain more favor and power. It is possible that she hoped to help you find and destroy her sister, and to use you as a buffer between the world as it exists now and how she remembers it. You must remember how intelligent they are and how crafty.”
The entire party let out a long breath at once without meaning to. It was a soft grudging groan as if yet another stone had been piled up their already nearly crushing burden.
“You should not be fooled by her present guise,” Anrion went on to say, his voice taking a graver tone. “Drow are evil. They know not love. They know not kindness. They know not mercy. They know not generosity. They only know selfishness, and power and cruelty.”
The room was silent.
“If they hate each other so much if they somehow heard that their third sister was being released would they not come to try to stop it or destroy her?” Jeremy suggested.
“It is possible,” said Ethiel. “It is also possible that such a thing would only hasten your return to your jackal god’s realm.”
“Huh? Return?” Beorth asked confusedly.
“Jeremy died,” Kazrack said to the paladin.
“Yeah, I died,” Jeremy said, as if it were something as simply as visiting a shop.
“He was brought back by a vessel of Osiris,” Ratchis explained.
“We each had to make a promise in return for his life,” Jana added.
“Or forfeit your life to Osiris?” Beorth asked, solemnly.
“How did you know?” Kazrack asked.
“That is how those things usually work,” Beorth replied with a sigh.
End of Session #25
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Notes:
(96) The Malar Days – Celebrated from the 4th of Dek to the 12th of Dek, this series of meals commemorates the escape of Malar (considered by many to have been the first Friar of Nephthys) from the Minions of Set, during his nine day flight, hiding in the homes of loyal families. The holiday is celebrated by a series of increasingly spartan meals (beginning with a fine meal) each evening (with nothing else to eat). At each meal a glass of wine is passed around and each guest takes a small sip, with a small sip left for Malar each day. It is considered a bad sign if the wine is accidentally completely drained. Friars of Nephthys usually celebrate this holiday at the home of a family loyal to the cause of freedom, and it is considered an honor by such a family to host a friar.
(97) The Outland (or “Outlands”) is an expanse of hostile wilderness between the western shore of Derome-Delem and the central spine of mountains that makes up the heart of the huge (by Aquerran standards) island. It is said to be inhabited by particularly dangerous monsters such as landsharks, giant insects and man-eating plants.
Ratchis decided to head back to the inn after the others, leaving Martin to handle the interviews at the alderman’s house alone. He was still exhausted and figured that the if it were the dragon it would likely not have left any tracks, and if it were an illusion (as they often speculated it might be) it would definitely leave no tracks.
He would go and rest, and if Martin discovered anything he could return that night.
Meanwhile, Martin was able to talk to with Brochard, the guard who had seen the dragon kill his uncle after waiting nearly thirty minutes of waiting in the foyer.
“I am sorry for your loss,” Martin said to the sad-faced young man.
“It was quick, at least,” Brochard said. “You want to see where it happened?”
“Yes, please,” Martin replied and followed him outside and around the large house. “Also, a priest of Anubis travels with us, perhaps it would be permissible to allow him to examine the body?”
“He has already been buried,” Brochard said.
“Well, then that is no longer an option,” Martin said.
They stopped on the opposite side of the house. A large section of snow was cleared from the roof and lie in a big pile on the ground, below a window.
“And you saw the dragon here?” Martin asked. “Could you tell everything as it happened?”
“Well, I was inside and I heard a loud blow against the roof, and I was on the ground floor!” Brochard said, his voice cracking a bit. “And then I heard my uncle cry out, so I ran out the front door and around the house, the way we just came. And there is was, on the roof. Even as if came into view I heard its inhuman voice. It seemed to be asking my uncle something, but I couldn’t make out what it was. I guess my uncle didn’t know the answer or said the wrong thing, because as it came into clearer view it bit down on my uncle, rip… ripping the head right off his shoulders. My uncle’s body slid off the roof, and then the head followed. I ran forward. There was… There was blood everywhere, and the then the thing just took off. It flew across the top of the house, towards the woods and disappeared.”
Martin gave the guard a moment to compose himself.
“And what did it look like?” he asked.
“Well, I never saw the whole thing, except from behind and from afar, but it was over thirty feet long, and it had black bat-like wings over twenty feet wide, and it was bronze and golden colored, and it kind of shimmered,” Brochard said.
Martin made a note in his journal, “Thirty feet long? Did that include the tail?”
“No, the tail added another fifteen feet or so, and it had spines along its length,” Brochard added.
“And who else saw it?” Martin asked.
“Well, we think that Miss Jasmine, the alderman’s daughter saw it,” Brochard said.
“You think?” Martin asked, puzzled.
“Well, she has not left her room since it happened, and her window would have given a clear view of the thing scooping up my uncle and the falling body,” Brochard pointed up to the window.
“Hmmm,” Martin thought for a second. “Did it land anywhere else?”
“Not that I know of,” Brochard replied. “My brother and I looked around and didn’t see any other sign of the creature.”
Martin thanked Brochard for him time, and wished him his condolences once again. He noticed that the others had not caught up with him yet, so he decided to head back to town and meet up with them on the way.
----------------------------
Back at the Golden Plough, Beorth was unsure what to do next, so he went upstairs and told Kazrack about Jana’s arrest.
“What?” was all the dwarf said at first.
“I said, Jana’s been taken into custody and Richard the Red, whoever that is, is on the loose in town, or something,” Beorth repeated.
Kazrack sighed, “Why was she arrested?”
“I don’t know,” Beorth replied. “The constable said something about murder. Perhaps one of us should go to the constable’s office and see what we can discover.”
“Well, they don’t like my kind here,” Kazrack said. “They might mock me up just for asking. Martin should do the asking. He’s the only one with an semblance of authority around here.”
“Asking what?” Ratchis asked, coming through the door, and sitting on the bed.
Beorth explained to the Friar of Nephthys what happened.
“Perhaps they misconstrued her use of magic,” Beorth speculated. “I don’t know.”
“I hope it wasn’t something Jeremy said when he went by there a few days ago,” Ratchis said, angrily. “We are supposed to meet up with Martin on the way back to the elves. Beorth, could you go see if you could find him and bring him back here so we can discuss this while I go to the constable’s office and see what I can find out.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Kazrack asked.
“I guess we’ll find out,” Ratchis said, and left the room to head over to the constable’s office.
-----------------
Ratchis enter the office just after pulling the hood of his cloak up to shadow some of his more monstrous features.
The constable looked up from his desk, where he was writing something.
“Can I help you?” he looked Ratchis up and down, and peered into the hood, catching a glimpse of the half-orc’s wide protruding jaw.
“I am here to inquire about Jana of Westron,” Ratchis said. “Would it be possible to see her?”
“No,” the constable said, looking back down at his work.
“Would it be possible to find out why she is being held?” Ratchis asked.
“Yes.”
There was a long pause.
Ratchis sighed. “Why is she being held?”
“Westron,” the constable said. “Looks like she was on the lam, and I was just the one to bring her in.”
“Who did she supposedly murder?” Ratchis asked.
“Some girl,” the constable said. “An official from Herman Land came here looking for her, and told us the to look out for this Jana person.”
“Who was…”
The constable cut him off, “I am very busy. Please leave now.”
Ratchis grunted his grudging assent and headed back to the inn.
Beorth had gone to meet up with Martin and bring him back when Ratchis returned. The half-orc told the dwarf the little he had learned.
“Do you think she really did that?” Kazrack asked. “She used to do things like that, before we changed her.”
“There have always been more sides to Jana than meets the eye,” Ratchis mused.
“Maybe we can buy her freedom,” Kazrack said. “I’m sure she’s innocent. She’s may be mixed up, but I don’t think she’s a murderer.”
Ratchis put a reassuring hand on Kazrack’s shoulder.
------
Beorth met Martin on the road. The watch-mage was shivering from the cold. He was surprised to see Beorth alone.
“Beorth, where are the others?” he asked.
“Jana’s in jail,” Beorth said simply.
Martin dropped his pack in shock.
“What?”
Beorth lifted Martin’s pack for him and slung it over his own shoulder, “I’ll explain the little I know on the way back to the inn.”
-----
Jeremy knocked on the door to Kazrack’s room.
“There you guys are,” he said by way of greeting. “I thought we were going to meet Martin at the alderman’s and then go to the elves.”
“Jana’s been arrested,” Kazrack said. “Did you say something to the constable?”
“Huh? What would I say?” Jeremy said, sounding offended by the accusation. “What was she arrested for?”
“Murder,” Ratchis replied.
“Did she kill old man Carson?” Jeremy asked.
“She killed old man Carson?” Kazrack said puzzled. “Who is old man Carson?”
“She killed someone in Westron,” Ratchis said, annoyed. His wounds still ached. “They sent someone to find her.”
“What did she kill the king or something?” Jeremy asked. “I mean, must have been someone pretty damn important for them to send someone all the way from Herman Land here.”
“Well, we need to warn the elves that the witch is around and Richard the Red is around and they may be trying to get back to the compound to free the others,” Kazrack said. “We need to do it as soon as possible.”
“I also need to talk to the alderman’s daughter if I can,” Jeremy said. “She came to see me again while we were gone, or so the innkeeper told me. I went to go find her, but all I found was the cook. I passed a message to her through him. She had told me last time he was trustworthy.”
“When did you do this?” Ratchis asked.
“Just now,” Jeremy said. “I just got back. I didn’t see Martin, he must have been inside the house.”
“What did you tell the cook?” Ratchis asked, worried about the Neergaardian being to free with information.
“Oh, just to tell her we are trying to help her friend,” Jeremy said. “But when I get to tell her I guess I will tell her the bad news that her friend is probably gone forever.”
“I don’t think we should tell anyone anything. What’s the point of telling her when it will upset her?”
“She came to me for help,” Jeremy said earnestly. “I thought I should be honest with her, but maybe you’re right.”
Beorth and Martin returned.
“What do we do now?” Jeremy asked.
“I am going to go to the constable’s office and see if I will be allowed to see her,” Martin said.
“I already tried that,” Ratchis said.
“Perhaps as a watch-mage I will have better luck,” Martin replied. “I will find out from her if she is guilty.”
“If the murder was justifiable I will fight to free her,” Ratchis said, his usual zealotry coming to the surface.
“Yes, well, let me find out what I can first,” Martin said, with a bit of dismissive tone.
“Shall I accompany you, Martin?” Beorth asked.
Martin nodded.
The two of them walked over to the constable’s office while the others waited.
-----------
Meanwhile, the constable was paying a visit in her dirty little cell, which was one of four cells in the back of the building, all of which, but hers, being empty.
“If you think that you can murder someone and get away with it by coming here, you got another thing coming,” the constable said to the young girl behind the bars.
Jana did not respond.
“Well, that fellow who was sent after you should be back in a few days,” the constable added. “He went looking for you in the nearby countryside, and maybe some other of the towns, but he said he’d be back.”
“And he is?” Jana asked, softly.
“He said he was called Rindalith,” the constable said. “Enjoy your stay, it will be a long trip back to Westron. Do they hang people there?”
He turned to leave the holding area, chuckling to himself, but turned back one last time, “And don’t bother trying any of that witchcraft stuff. He warned us about it. Heh, hanging? Maybe burning would be better for your kind.”
He left to find Martin the Green and Beorth entering his office.
“What?” the constable asked, rudely.
“I am here to inquire about your prisoner, Jana of Westron,” Martin said, calmly. “The nature of the charges against her, and to make sure she is being treated properly I would like a chance to meet with her.”
“What are you supposed to be?” the constable asked, incredulously, eyeing Martin’s emerald robes.
“I am Martin the Green, watch-mage and emissary of the king,” Martin said, putting on air of superiority.
“Watch-mage, eh?” the constable said. He pointed at Beorth. “What about him?”
“I am Beorth Sakhemet, warrior of Anubis,” Beorth said.
“Warrior of Anubis, eh?” the constable was obviously sizing them up. “So, what you want to know?”
“The nature of the charges against Jana of Westron, whom I might add is here as one of the dragon-hunters invited to Gothanius by the king himself, and how you came to know of these alleged crimes,” Martin said.
“Heh, well… She is wanted for the murder of a young girl in Westron, and a Mister Rindalith was sent here to retrieve her when they found where she had run to, picked the wrong place if ya ask me. He had all the proper paperwork and should be back in a few days to bring her back to the Kingdom of Herman Land. Of course, it will be up to the alderman to decide if she will be, what’s the word? Extradited.”
“Did this Rindalith say how he knew to look for her here?” Martin asked.
“I guess he trailed her,” the constable replied.
“Very well, may we see her now?” Martin asked.
“No, not both of you anyway,” he pointed to Martin. “You can go. The warrior of Anubis waits here.”
Beorth stood by the door, while the constable led Martin the Green into the rear where the holding cells were. He told Jana to step away from the door and let Martin into the cell and then locked it.
“You have twenty minutes, and don’t try anything stupid,” the constable said.
“I assure you sir that I have nothing but the most honor…” The constable had walked off. Martin grimaced.
“Martin, what are you doing here,” Jana asked.
“I was about to ask you the same thing,” Martin replied. “The others sent me to talk with you. They are waiting at the inn.”
“You should not worry about me,” Jana said, sitting on her low bunk. “We have important things to take care of, and it is up to the rest of you to get them done.”
“But what about you? You have to do them, too. You haven’t forgotten the promises to Osiris?” Martin said.
“Of course not. But what are we to do? I am here awaiting someone who is not what he makes himself out to be, because I have to, but the rest of you are free to go an warn the elves and fulfill your promises and help the gnomes.”
“Not what he makes himself out to be? And you are still going to go with him?” Martin asked.
“I did not say that,” Jana replied, cryptically. “But I do have to face him eventually. However, the group’s priority should not be with me. Do not let them do anything stupid, Martin. You have to make them continue with the quests.”
Martin was astonished by her resoluteness.
“Did you kill that girl?” Martin asked.
“I am not saying anything,” Jana replied, giving him a look that suggested most likely they were being listened to.
It was silent for a time.
“Perhaps I will be able to speak the alderman and get you freed to my custody, or I can write to the king,” Martin suggested.
“That is all well and good, but do not delay on my account,” Jana continued to insist.
“Do you think your life is in danger from this Rindalith person?” Martin asked.
“It is very possible,” Jana said, she looked down. “But you can’t run forever.”
Martin sighed.
“You need to give me something, tell me something to help us help you,” Martin tried again.
“There is nothing to be said,” Jana replied. “Go back and tell the others what I said.”
“But. . “
There were footsteps in the hall. “Time’s up,” the constable said.
Martin turned back to Jana, “I will tell the others. Good luck.” And with that he left the cell, as the constable had opened it up, despite the fact that he was certain that the allotted time had not passed.
He and Beorth returned to the Golden Plough, where the Watch-Mage told of his conversation with their young companion.
“She was very specific about priorities,” Martin said.
“Ours or hers?” Ratchis asked.
“Ours.”
“Putting ours over hers?” Jeremy asked, incredulously.
“Yes.”
“That doesn’t sound like her,” Jeremy said, he was polishing his mithral short sword, and admiring the beauty of its make.
“We may have to break her out,” Ratchis said.
Beorth cleared his throat.
“Beorth, what is your opinion?” Ratchis asked the bald pale holy warrior.
“I think for the time being Jana’s fate is in someone else’s hands, and sitting here to wait and wait does no one any good. We need to do what is best for the most people,” Beorth replied.
“I take it that means you are for going and warning the elves, and continuing with what we need to do,” Kazrack tried to clarify.
Beorth nodded.
“If only she would talk, and tell us what happened,” Kazrack said, confused by Jana’s behavior as he often was.
“I think she’d talk to Beorth,” Ratchis suggested.
“But her reason for not talking to Martin probably applies to Beorth as well. She is likely afraid anything she says to them might be used against her if they are called to testify. I think you should talk to her,” Kazrack said.
“But she doesn’t like me,” Ratchis said. Jeremy laughed, and everyone looked at him.
“I need to continue with Jana, or continue without her, but either way I need to continue,” Kazrack said. “We need to come to a decision by morning.”
“There is the matter that Jana said that this ‘Rindalith” is not who he makes himself out to be,” Martin said. “He is not really an official of Herman Land.”
“Who is he then?” Jeremy asked.
“I don’t know, but Markle mentioned his name to me,” Ratchis said. “When we were back at the castle, when he was warning me about Jana endangering our lives. He probably meant that this Rindalith is dangerous, and likely doesn’t care what he has to do to get her.”
“That means this man is bending the law, and using it to his own ends!” Kazrack suddenly cried with great ardor, standing. “I will not see the law perverted! And plus, she is a friend. I say we free her!”
“She said to leave her and not do anything stupid,” Martin reminded the dwarf.
“If a friend is about to drink poison would you let him, even if he said that was what his wishes were?” Kazrack said. “I think not. I do not think even Ratchis with his belief in freedom would allow someone to do such a thing.”
The half-orc shrugged his shoulders, as if to say, if and when that situation were to ever arise I’d make my choice then.
“Well, perhaps her creature can help,” Martin suggested.
“Her creature? She has a creature?” Kazrack asked, befuddled.
“Yes, a familiar. A small lizard,” Martin explained. “It was always on the chimney at the gnome settlement, staying warm.”
“Oh, that thing?” Kazrack said. “I thought it belonged to the gnomes.”
“Well, it is not around,” Ratchis said. “And I need to go downstairs and see if the food I asked the innkeeper to prepare for tonight is ready. It is the second night of the Malar Days .” (96)
Ratchis left the others and began to make his way down the stairs, when he saw Jana making her way up the stairs.
She smiled weakly.
Ratchis closed his mouth, which had dropped open in surprise, and took her by the arm bringing her back to the room.
“Jana!” Martin cried.
“Woo-hoo!” said Jeremy, standing and smiling.
“What’s going on?” Kazrack asked, surprised.
“Richard the Red set me free,” Jana said, as if she barely believed it herself.
“He did what?!?” Martin cried.
“The constable came and unlocked my cell and brought me out to the office, and Richard was there, and he said he had ‘arranged’ everything with the constable and I was free to go,” Jana explained.
“So, the constable saw you go?” Beorth asked.
“Yes,” Jana replied.
“Why would Richard the Red help us?’ Kazrack asked.
“Well, he did say that he enjoyed the fact that I was now in debt to him,” Jana said with a sigh.
“Martin, did you think he used foul magicks to free her?” Kazrack asked the Watch-Mage.
“I’m afraid it is very likely,” Martin replied.
“The constable did not seem strange, but that doesn’t mean it was not magic,” Jana said.
“Or, it could have simply been coin,” Ratchis said. “Sometimes all it takes is the right amount money to have the same effect as a charm spell.”
“Perhaps we should leave now, and go to the elves,” Kazrack suggested.
“Yeah, they might change their minds,” Jeremy said.
“But when we get there I would like a full explanation of what is going on,” the dwarf added, giving Jana a stern look.
“Yes, like who this Rindalith really is,” Ratchis added.
Jana nodded. “He was my mentor in Westron,” she said softy. “But let us go.”
-----------------------------------------------
The party already had their things packed, and Ratchis had Wilson the Innkeeper, pack up the food he had ordered for the holiday meal, and a special goblet and bottle of wine he had bought for the occasion.
They slipped out the inn’s backdoor, and made their way westward, going slightly southward, led by Ratchis.
The wind was cold and bit at any portion of exposed flesh. Jana’s familiar tucked herself into the witch’s armpit to stay warm. The cold sapped them of energy, except for Ratchis whose boots kept him comfortably warm despite the fatigue brought on by his wounds.
Jana shivered and stumbled as they trudged through the snow that was crusted over with ice. Ratchis, who walked atop the snow as easily as if it were solid-packed soil, paused and waited for her to catch up.
“Nephthys! Protect this woman, and I promise I will get to the bottom of what she has been doing!” the half-orc called to his goddess, and she was better able to fight off the elements.
They trudged onward as the last of the sun’s light disappeared behind the looming mountains before them in the distance. Jana spoke an arcane word and touched the end of Beorth’s staff and it gave off light for them to walk by.
After they had been marching nearly two hours (and still nearly an hour from Aze-Nuquerna), Ratchis heard the sound of the flap of leathery wings. He looked up.
“Shh! Listen!” He hissed at the others, who cocked their heads to hear, as Ratchis and Jana looked around.
A huge bat with a wingspan of over eight feet flew silently above them at a height of over twenty feet. Only Ratchis saw it with his darkvision (Kazrack was looking in the wrong direction).
“A monstrous bat!” Ratchis said, when it passed.
“That’s Rindalith,” Jana said, matter-of-factly.
“It was like the thing we saw at the castle, Martin,” Ratchis said, and immediately took off running in the direction it flew in.
“Your master can turn into a man-bat?” Kazrack asked, aghast.
“Yes,” replied Jana.
“Yes, just like the man we saw on the towers at the castle the night that Markle and the others tried to rob the treasury,” Martin explained.
“No one told me they saw a man turn into a bat!” Jana said, annoyed.
Ratchis returned. “It was moving too fast. We had better get to the elves as quickly as we can.”
----------
The party arrived at Aze-Nuquerna soon after, and were allowed in after calling to the elves on the lookouts. They were escorted to a room on the lower level where they could sit and talk by a hearth, and have the meal that Ratchis carried with him. They were told that Ethiel would come see them soon.
“I’m hungry. Are we going to eat now?” Kazrack asked.
“I prefer we wait until after we have done talking, as there is a set tradition in terms of the meals eaten on these days,” Ratchis explained.
Kazrack sighed, “Okay,” He turned to Jana. “Rather than play questions and answer, perhaps you should just tell us your story?”
Jana paused, and then stretched her arms, and grabbed another of the big pillows they were all sprawled on. Beorth threw more wood into the fire, and it crackled and spat.
She cleared her throat. “While I was learning magic in Westron, Rindalith was my mentor. I don’t want to go into details, but bad stuff happened…” Her voice trailed off.
“I think we need details,” Kazrack said.
“You will not get them,” Jan said sternly.
“Maybe you should have said that from the start,” Jeremy said glibly.
“Let’s just say that he had another student, and they walked in when she should not have when I was contacting a token creature,” Jana said.
“So, what did you do?” Ratchis asked.
“Well, someone else is dead,” Jana said simply.
“Did you kill them in self-defense?” Kazrack asked.
“This is going to sound weird, but partly; partly not,” Jana replied.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Jeremy asked.
There was a knock on the door, and then Ethiel walked in. Behind him enter another elf. This second elf took any words from all their mouths. He was over six feet tall, and his skin had the luster of porcelain. He had strong defined features, that still had a delicacy to them that was reinforced by his soft smile as he looked over the party. He had shock of hair like flaming copper that stood up and back at an angle like frozen lightning. He was dressed in crimson and gold, and the pommel of a long sword was visible from over his shoulder.
“Greetings,” Ethiel said in his typical emotionless tone. “I am glad that you have returned.”
“We are happy to have your hospitality and that of your people,” Kazrack said.
“However, we do have bad news,” Martin added. “As I am sure Tirhas has already told you, we were unable to find the witch, Rahasia, and the Honeycombe seems to have been invaded by creatures called quaggoths.”
Ethiel looked startled.
“Unfortunately, there is other bad news,” Ethiel said.
“A lot of that today,” Jeremy murmured.
“Well, they say it comes in threes,” Ethiel said. “In fact when we found this out we feared that you might never return.”
He paused.
“This is Arion,” he gestured to the tall elf. “He is from the far west, from another enclave of our kind in the area of Derome-Delem humans call the Outland. (97) He is much more learned in the lore of the drow and of witchcraft than any of us here are and he was able to determine something that we had not.”
He paused again.
“When we found out that Karellena had been freed, we used the little means at our disposal to check the stones in the Chamber of the Three. We found that there were spirits there and of course, one was the girl, Rahasia’s. But what we did not realize until Arion arrived was that one of the other stones no longer had the spirit of one of witches in it, it was someone else,” Ethiel paused. “It seems that another, even more powerful of witches also escaped into the body of someone else. And we are afraid it could have only been one other elf.”
“Tirhas,” said Martin.
“Yes, Tirhas,” Ethiel said, sadly.
“But why would she help us?” Kazrack asked.
“Yes, and she seemed to remember of our previous time together,” Jeremy added.
“It is unclear how much of the memory of the host body the witches have when they possess them,” Arion said, speaking for the first time. His voice was like a hypnotic song that seemed to equally echo in the heart as it did in the air. “However, it is known that despite occasionally working together, the three witches were fierce rivals always seeking to discredit the other before their dark goddess in order to gain more favor and power. It is possible that she hoped to help you find and destroy her sister, and to use you as a buffer between the world as it exists now and how she remembers it. You must remember how intelligent they are and how crafty.”
The entire party let out a long breath at once without meaning to. It was a soft grudging groan as if yet another stone had been piled up their already nearly crushing burden.
“You should not be fooled by her present guise,” Anrion went on to say, his voice taking a graver tone. “Drow are evil. They know not love. They know not kindness. They know not mercy. They know not generosity. They only know selfishness, and power and cruelty.”
The room was silent.
“If they hate each other so much if they somehow heard that their third sister was being released would they not come to try to stop it or destroy her?” Jeremy suggested.
“It is possible,” said Ethiel. “It is also possible that such a thing would only hasten your return to your jackal god’s realm.”
“Huh? Return?” Beorth asked confusedly.
“Jeremy died,” Kazrack said to the paladin.
“Yeah, I died,” Jeremy said, as if it were something as simply as visiting a shop.
“He was brought back by a vessel of Osiris,” Ratchis explained.
“We each had to make a promise in return for his life,” Jana added.
“Or forfeit your life to Osiris?” Beorth asked, solemnly.
“How did you know?” Kazrack asked.
“That is how those things usually work,” Beorth replied with a sigh.
End of Session #25
--------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
(96) The Malar Days – Celebrated from the 4th of Dek to the 12th of Dek, this series of meals commemorates the escape of Malar (considered by many to have been the first Friar of Nephthys) from the Minions of Set, during his nine day flight, hiding in the homes of loyal families. The holiday is celebrated by a series of increasingly spartan meals (beginning with a fine meal) each evening (with nothing else to eat). At each meal a glass of wine is passed around and each guest takes a small sip, with a small sip left for Malar each day. It is considered a bad sign if the wine is accidentally completely drained. Friars of Nephthys usually celebrate this holiday at the home of a family loyal to the cause of freedom, and it is considered an honor by such a family to host a friar.
(97) The Outland (or “Outlands”) is an expanse of hostile wilderness between the western shore of Derome-Delem and the central spine of mountains that makes up the heart of the huge (by Aquerran standards) island. It is said to be inhabited by particularly dangerous monsters such as landsharks, giant insects and man-eating plants.
madriel
First Post
Your poor players, not only are they running around like chickens with her heads cut off trying to complete any any of their quests, now they have to deal with poor Tirhas.
I like how the characters' backstories have been coming out recently. And the way we don't get the whole backstory, just bits and pieces. There they were, all set for Jana's Big Revelation - and in walks the elves. A nice twist on the cliched PC framed for a crime they didn't commit plot device.
The man-bat was creepy. Since witches like Jana are a homebrew, I don't know where her old mentor would get a shapechange ability from. Unless one of his tokens gave him that power, but that would mean he has some really powerful spirits to draw on.
I like how the characters' backstories have been coming out recently. And the way we don't get the whole backstory, just bits and pieces. There they were, all set for Jana's Big Revelation - and in walks the elves. A nice twist on the cliched PC framed for a crime they didn't commit plot device.
The man-bat was creepy. Since witches like Jana are a homebrew, I don't know where her old mentor would get a shapechange ability from. Unless one of his tokens gave him that power, but that would mean he has some really powerful spirits to draw on.
Metus
First Post
Ohhh mannnnnn!!! That's not fair! Well, that settles it. The party has to find a way to restore the person's soul. If it was just the serving girl, then I'd say that'd be okay, but they can't let Tirhas die like that! You guys hear me? You have to figure out a solution somehow.nemmerle said:
el-remmen
Moderator Emeritus
Metus said:
Actually, I would think it would be important to save the girl, Rahasia. Tirhas Tesfey is a guardian and protector of her people - she understands the risks and dangers of the life and duty she has adopted - but the serving girl? She is an innocent.
But how my players will see it I don't know. . But my guess is they will try to find a way to save them both.
Cyronax
Explorer
nemmerle said:
Does Jana the pattern yet? If your going to go and summon infernal creatures, make sure you lock the door!
I had completely forgotten the bat-man-mentor thing during Markle's robbery. Too bad none of the other party members mentioned it to Jana since then.....
As usual Nemm, great update. I hope the length of this last update doesn't affect the posting the another. I'm definetely addicted to this Story Hour. Keep em' coming!
C.I.D.
Last edited:
Pillars of Hercules
First Post
Please Doozy us
Nemm!!! Hurry!!! The torches are goooing oouuutt!
More, please!
Nemm!!! Hurry!!! The torches are goooing oouuutt!
More, please!
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