Six From Gate Pass - Chapter 3: Shelter From The Storm

[digimattic]

Arnir looks momentarily terrified as the engine reaches its peak, and then visibly relieved as it slowly winds down. Nodding with agreement at Kirio's effective explanation, he walks to the crew quarters but adds "Don't forget to fetch that body - I would like to make sure it is Giorgio."

 

[funkmamagoat]

"Bannock is right, they said nothing. Our aim was to stop them quickly, knowing what would likely happen if the ship teleported. All Giorgio said was "the Council dies today! Your pitiful resistance ends now! I'm not sure he died in that teleport". Kirio frowns and nudges the rogue with his foot "We can maybe get something out of this one, but she's likely just hired help. I am not unskilled at this type of thing if you would like assistance. I am deeply troubled by the corpse we are dragging along. I don't know what Girgio was planning, but the last thing we need is an openly hostile Shahalesti..."

 

[Gregor]

"Its as my friends say," says Torrent, "Giorgio was mad and he very clearly wanted this ship to incinerate in the fires of teleportation." She looks down at her feet and says, "There is something else as well. These two half-orcs. We've met them before. With Lee."

"Sideonth?" says Simeon with surprise. "But he should be here with the Council."

"He is not present Simeon," says Kiernan. "I noticed him missing part way through the show."

 

[funkmamagoat]

"Torrent is right. These two were most definitely there. It was our first meeting with Lee, they were in the sitting room and left as soon as we came in after Lee spoke to them, these two" Kirio indicates the two dead Half-Orcs "As well as a third, stranger fellow, a human in robes. His flesh was adorned with unnatural protrusions and alterations, from teeth on his cheeks and tentacles on his arms to what appeared to be a half-formed eye on the back of his hand. I don't know why I didn't think more of it at the time... You have a serious problem Simeon, you've been infiltrated at the highest level. We heard rumors of spies when we arrived to seaquen. Katrina told us of a Ragesian spy called Nelebekus that visited the witches that held her captive in the swamp. We were also stopped by a Shahalesti officer named Thalan who stated seaquen was infiltrated by spies. I tried my best to find a lead when we got here, but utterly failed at finding anything...

 

[Gregor]

Kirio, in the school of arcana, the only plausible explanation for those types of growths and protrusions are transmutation magic.

"Infiltrated," says Simeon, "all this time..." He shakes his head. "I don't know either of these people you've mentioned. We need more information and we need to find Lee. I want to know if he has anything he can tell us. Lets discuss more at the school."

After a while of slowly lurching to the harbour, the ship eventually reaches the deepest and lengthiest dock. Simeon gives some orders and then ushers the party off the ship. Sheena and the remainder of the Wayfarers go about the safe removal of the dignitaries.

When outside, the storm has increased in intensity yet again. The sea is heaving, the skies black with rain-heavy clouds and the wind strong enough to topple carts and send piles of goods and rubbish through the air. Thunder constantly rumbles and forks of lightning draw across the sky in every direction. Everyone is having a hard time even walking against the wind and it takes the whole party to help Simeon, Lowduke and Kiernan make it through town. Windows on houses and shops are smashed, roof tiles are being ripped off and everyone is rushing for shelter.

When you arrive at the Lyceum you are soaked through and some of the windows in the tower have been smashed by flying debris. Most of the students and staff have locked themselves away in their room. You are needed to back track somewhat to help some of the Wayfarers who are trying to bring some of the dead elven bodies and the unconscious rogue up to the school. With your help, the process goes much quicker.

Everyone assembles in a large interior lecture hall and Simeon and Kiernan get to work by gathering various instruments and reagents from their offices. In particular, Simeon brings in large ball of crystal which he places on a silk pillow. The dead elves lay on the floor and the knocked-out rogue is slumped over a chair.

Simeon sits down at the desk and prepares his station with select packages of powders, candles and other arcane materials. Kiernan begins to cast a number of wards about the room.

"Well we can't go searching out in this storm," says Simeon, "as its likely on its way to becoming a full blown hurricane. I've never seen weather like this and I'd bet the contents of our treasury that its magical in nature." He continues to organize his things. "What I can do, is try to locate Lee through divination magic and also try to learn what I can about the source of the storm. However, this is going to take me at least an hour and I can only hope that this storm doesn't rip the town apart, or kill all the refugees in that time." He looks at you and implores, "We need you now friends. Whatever I am able to find must be handled by you. Nobody else can go out in that. In the mean time, you can help by interrogating that rogue or analyzing those corpses. I need more links to work from."

 

[funkmamagoat]

Kirio nods and turns his attention to the grisly collection of corpses that have been brought in. He shakes his head and looks at Hrimr and Arnir "you two are likely better suited at this than I; maybe they were burned after they died...? I'll see if I can get anything out of blind girl..."

Kirio approaches the unconscious rogue, and thinks a moment before beginning. Making sure she is good and tied up with the rope Lars found on the wayfairer ship, he kneels by her and wonders how long he'll have to wait before she wakes up.

			Bannock clocked her good...

he shrugs and then waves his hands over her while humming a soothing tune...

OOC: Kirio casts CLW in hopes of waking the rogue up

 

[Gregor]

The milky white orbs of the blind rogue open up and she struggles against her bindings. She groans from the pain in her head.

"Where am I?" she asks, "Who is there and what do you want from me?"

 

[funkmamagoat]

Kirio smiles as he sees the empty white orbs of the rogue... seeing nothing.

He takes a deep breath, kneels beside and addresses her in a calm tone "Ahhhh, good, I feared perhaps you had suffered... brain damage. A Nasty blow that. You are safe in a warm dry place..., for now. You are alive, which is good. You are however bound and captive, your boss has abandoned you, and you are blind; so not all rosy then. I am Kirio, and unlike you, I am not captive or bound. I am going to ask you questions, and you are going to answer them; that honestly is all I want from you. So... you know who I am, lets begin with two simple questions yes - who are you? How have you come to work for Giorgio?

 

[Gregor]

"Who is Giorgio?" she asks, "Who I am is irrelevant. I was hired by some bald man a month or so back. Paid me good gold to help get a couple of half-orcs onto the Wayfarer ship, silence some lookouts and help out in a fight. I met the third member of the group, that fruit of a performer, only yesterday. Never told me what he was up to and we didn't use any names."

 

[funkmamagoat]

Kirio sighs loudly, then whispers in the rogue's ear in the coldest tone he can muster "Yes my blind sweetems, the fruit is indeed Giorgio. So listen ct, you seem to misunderstand the situation, so I will explain it to you. I will be the judge of what is or is not relevant. When I ask you for your f name, you will tell me your :f name! After you tell me your name, you will describe the bald man in excruciating detail. You will then tell me anything you overheard him saying to the Half-Orcs, and then anything they said to each-other. Then you will tell me everything you recollect Giorgio, that is the fruit, saying, seeing as you met him yesterday that should be easier. You see, figuratively of course, I am old by your standards, that makes me impatient. I took your eyes from you, I can take much more, and I will, unless you start acting the part of the compliant prisoner; so shove the attitude up your arse and start talking, clear?"