OOC: Moving forward. EximiusNero, I'm writing Lucius out with an open window to return.
The Tournament Grounds: The Line
The mercenary shoves past the cleric and comes nose to nose with Rennaldo, "You got somethin' to say? You got a problem with me? Say it with your sword!"
Aohdan trots up to the line to see a crude looking mercenary yelling at an elite guard, the mercenary's hand on the hilt of his longsword. Johen comes up behind Aohdan and sees the same thing, though Johen also notes the approach of a massive man, larger than any human he has ever seen, from the other side of the line.
As Rungner approaches from the other direction, he sees the mercenary and the guard, as well as a centaur and a tureni human man with a hawk approaching from the other side.
The Tournament Grounds: Near the City Gate
Once the others are gone, Aleera takes Valen's other hand and looks up into his eyes, "We haven't had much time to talk and...well, you know I'm not good at saying what I feel." She pauses to collect her thoughts, "I think you should compete. With you as Lord of Silvergard, you and I can make sure that obelisk is properly guarded...together. I mean, well...I think you know what I mean." She looks away and down, her discomfort evident.
City of Azgund: Main Thoroughfare
Shayuri is making her way through the city to the tournament grounds when she notes a rather preoccupied Alaric following along behind her.
Shayuri's attention is grabbed by and Alaric is jolted out of his mischievous reverie by the passing of a large retinue of guards and servants, at the center of which is the half-celestial Lady Dawn de Guare, high priestess of the Lord and Lady of Shadow. The group is on its way to the House of Lords. But Dawn calls a stop and turns her liquid silver, slightly glowing eyes on Alaric, studying him intently.
The Adventurer's Guild Compound: Drinking Hall
Iphithis stands and addresses Muzdum, "Ironhands doesn't deserve your ire. Yes, the idea to plant the corrupted seeing stone in your pack was mine. There was no other way to lure Azilyk to your group, no other way to get her imprisoned within the obelisk."
Ironhands grumbles, "That worked like a charm, didn't it?"
Iphithis sighs, "It would've worked, but for the misguided heroism of a paladin and the good-hearted ineptness of a halfling."
Ironhands approaches Muzdum, "I ain't proud of my part in this, and ye've a right to feel dishonored. But, Azilyk is the greatest evil there is, aside from what's already locked up in that obelisk. If I have to stain my hands with a lesser evil so a greater evil can be contained...well, I'm willing to live with that shame if it gets the job done."