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Message: <blockquote data-quote="sniffles" data-source="post: 2820884" data-attributes="member: 30035">A Race for JusticeThe day of the horse race dawned with no sign of Rock or Liadan. Rock had been so insensed by the attack on Aratan that he had set off to take the Millwright family to task for their behavior. Liadan had accompanied him to keep him out of trouble - a futile task, I fear.I made my way to the fairgrounds where the race was to begin and took Aratan for a quiet ride through some open country that lay near to the fair. As I rode I noted two other riders coming along behind me. At first I paid them little mind, but after a short while I began to be convinced that they were following me with no good intent. My suspicion was confirmed when I turned Aratan and rode past them in the opposite direction. They did not acknowledge my greeting, and one of them bore a crossbow. As I continued back toward the faigrounds, I heard the snap of a bowstring. Before I could steer Aratan aside, a bolt had struck him in the near flank. Observing that the injury was not serious, I quickly took charge of my startled steed and raced back toward his attacker. This insult was too much to bear. My fine mount had done this fellow no harm, and to risk Aratan's life over a mere competition seems ludicrous to me. But I am afraid I lost my composure.Two swift slashes with Sulian brought the crossbowman down, while his accomplice fled. I then dismounted and examined Aratan's wound. I had the foresight to bring several potions of healing in my saddlebags and applied one of these. Then I turned my attention to the injured man. I noted that the side of his face wore a purpling bruise that I had not inflicted; I later learned that must have been Rock's doing. As I did not wish to kill this man I used another potion to heal him sufficiently that he would not expire. When he regained his sense I remarked to him that perhaps he ought to find a more honorable method of winning races, such as having a good horse. Then I mounted Aratan once more and returned to the fairgrounds.The blood on Aratan's flank caused some consternation among the other riders. I cleaned him and prepared to await the start of the race. My friends soon arrived and Liadan kindly extended Lathander's mercy to Aratan to relieve him of the last effects of the poisoned grain. I left my blades with her as the race officials indicated weaponry would be frowned upon.The other competitors and I gathered to observe as a gnome summoned up an illusory map to show us the racecourse. The course wound through various pieces of terrain and passed several potential obstacles. Along the way, guides in red vests would help to keep the racers from straying, and judges would also be present to deter any attempts at diverging from the course. We were told that we might increase our winning scores by taking a stave topped with a red flag from a barrel during the last third of the race.My friends wished me luck and warned me against two of the other competitors, who were members of the troublesome Millwright family. I had noted that the two men I had encountered during my morning ride showed signs of having been involved in a scuffle, and the two Millwright riders showed similar evidence of injury. Rock looked quite smug when he pointed them out to me. I said a brief prayer to Corellon for the safety of my mount before the race began. Despite his experiences during the morning, Aratan performed admirably. We galloped past a flock of geese and through an apple orchard, having already achieved such a lead on our competitors that I felt confident enough to snatch an apple from a bough as we passed beneath. A flock of sheep and two herd dogs provided no distraction, as I called out to the dogs to heel and they readily obeyed my command. When we reached a small bridge crossing a stream I chose to take a nearby ford instead.A red-vested guide directed me to the right, and I permitted Aratan to run on a short distance before realizing that the map I had seen indicated a turn to the left after crossing the stream. Fortunately this unintended detour did not cause me to lose my lead. More amused than angered by yet another subterfuge from the Millwright clan, I turned my steed back to the correct course.I must have lost my concentration, however, for I failed to properly judge the distance when I came to the barrel of staves, and missed my grasp. Another Millwright supporter attempted to startle Aratan by hurling some exploding object at him but I was able to steer him away enough that it did not deafen us. As we galloped toward the final stretch more Millwright compatriots hurled rotten vegetables at us. Poor Aratan crossed the finish line covered in filth. I did not realize until I saw my companions' elated faces that we had won the race!The Millwrights had failed in whatever scheme they had prepared to prevent Sir Tyrion from judging the race. He stood upon a small dais beneath a tent, with the city governor and Elder Furnael nearby. I noticed that there was a second man with the Halruuan elder, wearing a similar style of dress and surrounded by orbiting magical stones, but I did not know who he was.I was already beginning to realize the import of my winning: in addition to a handsome statue of a horse and a purse of 800 gold pieces, I would be given an opportunity to seek a boon of the Justice of Tyr!Suddenly my attention was drawn to a figure in the audience who appeared to have smoke emanating from his person. This reminded me of the peculiar knife we had found in the street on the previous day, following the attack by the huge black beast. The smoldering figure appeared to be moving toward the dais. Then a knife hurtled toward Elder Furnael! It struck some invisible force near the Halruuan's body and hung motionless in the air. Furnael's features curled into a cruel smile as he began the gestures to summon some arcane force, and a shape began to form nearby. The audience screamed in panic as a huge golden bear, covered with bony spikes, appeared beneath the tent!Quips & Quotes for this session:Jubilee: "Nekaya utters a short prayer to Elishar to heal this vessel and Rock gets 30 HP back."Devo: "And Elishar says this vessel is only a quarter full!" (Rock has over 120 HP - he'd lost about 80% in a bar fight)Devo (to Nekaya): "You see no evil in this man."Erim: "And no trans-fatty acids!"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Next session: A Furnael and Four EldersThe huge golden bear at once began to target the would-be assassin. As I stood gaping in astonishment, Liadan approached the dais and handed me my swords. But I did not draw them. Furnael began to gesture and mouth arcane syllables once more, his eyes on the man who had hurled the smoking knife at him. A burst of magical energy lanced out from the Halruuan, but the assassin deftly managed to avoid the effect of the spell.Sir Tyrion shouted some words about justice, though I cannot now recall quite what he said. He brandished his sword imperiously. I could see that Nekaya was casting some divine enchantment on the assassin, though it seemed to me that she was calling upon one of her gods to heal the man, much to my confusion. As Erim clambered onto the dais I felt the familiar tingle of his spell of haste. But I had no opportunity to avail myself of my increased alacrity.Rock struck the bear reluctantly with his hammer, bringing the skull-shaped head down on the creature with a resounding blow. When he struck a second time the bear collapsed on top of the man it had been assaulting and then simply vanished. I recognized the signs of cold fury on Rock's face as he bellowed at Furnael. Furnael then cried out incongruously for justice. The second Halruuan wizard flung a spell at Rock. It was countered by a burst of arcane force from somewhere within the crowd and I realized that Phaele must have blocked the Halruuan's wizardry with her own.Sir Tyrion called for all aggression to cease, and I was cowed by the power within his words. Furnael then accused my friends and I of aiding the assassin! One of the Halruuans conjured a huge blue hand of spectral force that thrust Rock away from the dais. He struggled fiercely for a moment before the hand winked out of existence beneath his might. In the meanwhile Nekaya had begun to argue with Furnael, who demanded that the assassin be executed on the spot.Sir Tyrion once more called for justice, but Furnael did not heed him. The Halruuan sent a bolt of lightning at the fallen assassin, and Nekaya interposed her body to shield the injured man, taking the brunt of the bolt herself. Furnael's action so offended Sir Tyrion that he struck the wizard in the back of the head with the pommel of his sword!As I gaped in surprise, I became aware that the air surrounding us was filled with arcane energies. Four figures abruptly materialized around the area in which Furnael stood. I knew by their elaborate attire that they must also be Halruuan mages of great power. One floated in the air like a tuft of thistledown, while another was wreathed in flames that did not burn him. All had enchanted stones circling their heads and bore staffs or wands in their hands, and their eyes glowed an eerie blue.The mage who stood by Furnael began to speak, and as he drew breath, Furnael vanished! One of the new arrivals exclaimed, "It is worse than we feared - he must be stopped," and all four of the wizards also disappeared, along with the man who had stood beside Furnael. This left my friends and I standing alone with Sir Tyrion.The assassin clambered to his feet and Sir Tyrion touched him with his sword, pronouncing some portentous words to dispel all pretense. The assassin's form shifted and blurred, transforming from an ordinary man to a strange greyish creature with indistinct features - I believe he was a doppelganger. He appeared startled by this transformation and swiftly resumed the appearance of a man.Under Nekaya's questioning the doppelganger admitted that he had masqueraded as Furnael during the time that Camber was under siege. Afterward the elder had attempted to slay the shapechanger, and the doppelganger had slain four people and assumed their identities in an attempt to elude the elder's attacks. This explained both how Furnael could be in two places at once, and the reason behind the strange appearances of monstrous creatures in Ankhapur, as Furnael had attempted to dispose of the shapeshifter. Sir Tyrion took charge of the assassin to bring him to justice. Though Nekaya and Liadan asked for mercy on his behalf, it seems likely that the shapechanger will die for his crimes. I was surprised when Nekaya sought clemency for the assassin, for she has been so vengeful in pursuit of Furnael. But perhaps her more recent allegiance to Elishar has softened her. Sir Tyrion assured her that should the Halruuans not return, he would continue his pursuit of Furnael.A scant moment after he stated this, two of the Halruuans reappeared. One of them was the younger man who had stood with Furnael. His name was Geeghan Waas, a magehound of Halruua. Waas explained to us that the other elders had succeeded in capturing Furnael and would return him to his native land to meet justice, stripped of all his arcane power. He would be questioned thoroughly regarding his evil acts. While Waas spoke to my friends and I, the other wizard conversed with Sir Tyrion.Rock asked Waas if Furnael's possessions might be sold and the proceeds sent to the survivors of Camber. Waas seemed pleased by this idea and stated that he would suggest it to the council of elders. He then produced a small bag and a chest adorned with ornate latches and a silver symbol upon its lid. I am told this symbol is the sigil of Mystra, goddess of magic, who is greatly revered in Halruua. He offered both bag and chest to us in reward for our aid in capturing Furnael. Rock took charge of the bag, which was filled with a quantity of precious gems. These were enchanted gems of the variety the Halruuans have encircling their heads. The chest held stacks of what at first appeared to be wooden disks bearing the tenets of Mystra. But when touched these disks transformed into platinum coins! The Halruuan elder explained that this was a mere token of their gratitude, and that we would remain in high esteem among his people. I am proud of my companions for their determination not to let Furnael escape retribution.Magehound Waas then spoke privately with Phaele for a moment. When she turned back to us she explained that her parents had been afflicted by some mysterious illness that seemed to affect only the households of those with sorcerous power. Sorcerers are not well regarded in Halruua, hence Phaele's departure from her homeland. But as a result of her parents' illness Phaele intended to accompany the elders back to Halruua. She knows our intended destination and can perhaps even communicate with us by contacting Sandrue in Arrabar, who has the other enspelled book. It is sad to say farewell to yet another of our company, but I cannot begrudge her the opportunity to be reunited with her family in their time of need. As the Halruuans were departing immediately to return to their native land, our farewells were perforce kept brief. I pray that Corellon keep Phaele and her family safe, and that the people of Halruua will maintain their vigilance against the temptation to evil. Now I must go and contemplate the boon Sir Tyrion granted me. I do not wish to squander such a gift. Naturally my inclination is to seek some sign as to the fate of my dear Erendis. Corellon grant me wisdom!Quips & Quotes for this session:Devo: "The bear bellows - meow!"sniffles: "The bear has laryngitis!"Hedrin: "Bearyngitis."Erim: "I cast Bigby's Interposing Paladin."sniffles: "Come on! I don't have all instant!"Devo: "Who pinched my guano?"Zora tells a story about an orc running away with his PC's magic dagger impaled in its back.Jubilee: "That's why you should never let the bad guys escape - you never know what magic items they might have impaled in their backs."Erim: "Oh, look, he's got a magic ring impaled on his finger."Devo: "Brimstone Keep sprang up overnight like an instant fortress, but not mithral like Daern's Instant Fortress."Zora: "Bob Vila's Instant Fortress. This Old Fortress."</blockquote>

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