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Message: <blockquote data-quote="weem" data-source="post: 4679341" data-attributes="member: 9470">Session 4: Aug 24, 2008Chapter I: A Road Frequently TraveledKilling The MessengersThe party left Verge, the drama of Sheriff Kreenan and their battles with Kobolds behind them. Their eyes were now firmly set on getting to Kelvin to deliver a request from the new Sheriff - a request for soldiers to be sent for Kreenan. Heavily undermanned and under protected, they could spare no one to deliver him themselves. The new sheriff also hoped that upon arrival, said troops would be obligated to help with any further incursions by the Kobolds, or by Goblins for that matter. Rumors from Rifflian to the South indicated that Goblins were attacking the city there and had even been seen working side by side with Kobolds and other creatures.By the time the party arrived in Rifflian it was apparent the city had recently been attacked, and while it was not from a force worthy of taking and/or destroying the city, it was obviously large enough to inflict serious damage.Arriving with them were refugees from Verge, as well as the stories of their (the party's) success against the Kobolds and the corruption of Sheriff Kreenan. As word spread, they received more stares and became the focus of more and more attention. Eventually they were dragged into a tavern by an eager group of men offering to buy them drinks and wanting to hear their tales... they were less than excited, but went along with it.It wasn't long before the Constable of Rifflian stepped into the tavern and made his way to the group. He had heard of how they had helped the people of Verge and appreciated everything they had done. He let them know that he had something they might be able to help him with as well if they were willing. They agreed to hear what he had to say at which point he offered to recommend a place to stay for the night and more information about the task in the morning.By the end of the night, the group had all but split up and found accommodations of their own. By the next morning (with some efforts by the Constable and his men) the group had regathered to hear the plight of the Constable. He lead them to the building from which he worked and took them to a cellar where a small prison cell was located and was currently being occupied by a human wearing normal civilian clothing, but the boots of a Rifflian soldier. The Constable told the group that the man (LT. Greywall) was caught trying to steal from the city vault with the aid of Goblins. He was caught with the help from "an ally of Rifflian", for which the Constable was very grateful (though he never mentioned who the person was).The dilemma the Constable was now faced with needed to be resolved immediately. The man, who most definitely was guilty of attempting to steal from city coffers, was a Lieutenant of Rifflian and had many supporters - people who were very loyal to him and do not believe the charges against him. The polarization in the community due to this predicament was threatening the peace at a time when the city was barely being held together after the Goblin attacks. The Constable needed to have Greywall brought from the city to Kelvin as soon as possible. However, he could not trust to send him to Kelvin under the guard of his troops - he didn't know who could and could not be trusted - this task required a third party as he saw it, especially now that he had been presented with the gift of a proven group of individuals from the North.There were two major problems with getting Greywall out of the city however. The first was that as soon as it was known he was being taken out, the party would in all likelihood become the target of some kind of ambush from those loyal to him. Secondly, if the group wanted to use deception to get him out, there could be outrage about the tactics and those loyal to the Lieutenant may incite a full blown riot. With both of those possibilities in the light, the Constable agreed that using deception to get him out was the best method and that he would deal with the reaction as need be.After much planning, the group decided to have an cart brought to the building as if it had been found abandoned (the building was the location for holding such things). A crate from the cart would then be brought down to the cellar (again, normal procedure). that crate would then be used to hold Greywall long enough to get him out of the city via the cart driven by false merchants (under the hire of the Constable) which the party would follow and take control of outside the city limits.Despite some miscalculations and mis-communications by some of the Constables men, the plan worked and the group eventually arrived in Kelvin with Greywall. In Kelvin, the Wizard of the group met up with his mentor and gleaned some information about the Hutaakan civilization (Kreenen's paperwork mentioned something about a "key important to the Hutaaka" located within the Kobold stronghold - the group believes this has something to do with the key/keyhold inscribed "box" found in the stronghold). Ketana's mentor (Garicci) mentioned a friend (Mareco) of his who studied the Hutaakan civilization residing in Specularum... if they wanted to know more about the Hutaaka, they needed to speak with him.The group then went to speak to General Pailer on behalf of the Constable of Rifflian (who wanted them to let the general know of the troubles his city had just had). The general heard (which seemed more like dismissed at the time) their concerns and sent them on their way.At this point they decided to head to Specularum to investigate the Hutaaka connection further. While camping along Duke's Road on their first night, they were awoken by a man who called himself "Backwater". This was a man they had seen enter the room to speak with General Pailer as they left. He warned then that he was hired to kill them, and despite the fact that he accepted money for the job, killing them was not his intention - but, the General had sent troops to follow him to assure he did the job. While trying to get more information from Backwater, they were attacked by the General's men. Backwater and some of his men helped the group fight off the soldiers and took them into the woods to one of his many hideouts. At the hideout were other men and some elves, about 40 people total. Backwater informed them he had been keeping an eye on them when he heard of their deeds while he was visiting Verge.In fact, Backwater claimed to be the grandson of a man who was a member of the Clan of the Cliffs... a group of men (outlaws according to others) who once lived in what was once the Kobold stronghold the group cleared out. His father grew up there as a boy, but the clan was forced out due to unknown events after which the kobolds moved in. It was at this point that Backwater asked to see the box. The group was hesitant at first, but he assured them he only wanted to see it and that if he wanted to take it, he could have it by way of his men. The group showed it to him. Backwater responded that he was not aware of anything about the box, but that it was simply a family heirloom/trinket he had heard of and wished to see, but at that point he grabbed at what appeared to be a necklace under his shirt - a move that made the group uneasy, despite his outward appearance that everything was normal.That night, Roland, who carried the box, was awoken by a buzzing from his bag as well as light emitting from it. He pulled out the box which burned his hand causing it to fall to the ground. It lit the entire camp with intense light which dimmed to a large glow into which faint images of humanoid figures stepped. Their faces and hands had what appeared to be scales and their focus seemed to be on the box. Despite the fact that they seemed to be nothing more than projections, they seemed well aware of their surroundings and continued moving towards the box. He quickly put it back in his bag... the light faded, and the figures disappeared.Backwater immediately made them pack and escorted them to the southern border of the woods. He feared his hideout had been compromised, but told them that should they need his help, he would not be far away. They then made their way to Specularum...</blockquote>

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