spyscribe
First Post
I'm a day earlier than I thought. So sue me.
Part the Twenty-Eighth
In which: all in not well in the aftermath…
When Anvil emerges from his chambers the following morning, he finds the usual order of the temple disturbingly unsettled.
When he goes searching for Tenacious, Anvil is informed that the elder Justicar has been in meetings since that night, along with much of the rest of the church’s upper hierarchy. The halls are abuzz with whispered rumors. Several members of the order who had spoken out against arcane magic have been confined.
Several others are missing.
Anvil goes in search of one of the former. Being locked in his rooms, Sturdy the Just is easy to find.
“It is an outrage what has been done to you! An outrage, I say!” shouts Anvil as he pounds on the other man’s door.
There is a puzzled pause on the other side. “Err… come in?”
Anvil does.
“What has happened in this city?” Anvil asks as he takes a seat. “Fires at the Mages’ Academy, suspicion among our ranks. What have you done to deserve this treatment?”
Sturdy spreads his hands wide. “I know not.”
“You do not approve of these wizards.” Anvil suggests.
The other man remains silent. After a moment, Anvil continues. “They meddle in unnatural matters.”
The other man suddenly bursts out, “That is what I say! Is it not a question still undecided by the Church?”
Anvil nods, but says nothing, encouraging the other man to continue. He obliges. “If it is found that these arts are the domain of the gods, I will abide by it, but,” his voice rises as if to air his protest to the entire building through his closed door, “that is not yet the case, and I have merely spoken what I find to be the truth of Kettenek in this matter!”
##
Despite her displeasure the night before, by morning, news of what happened at the Mage’s Academy has reached Mrs. Blackburn, and she doesn’t even mind when Lira and Thatch are a bit late to breakfast.
She fusses over them and Reyu as much as they will permit, and Tessa is practically glued to Thatch’s elbow, despite his best efforts to dissuade her. The three eat quickly and head to the Temple of the Justicars to regroup.
##
Once the party has convened, they decide to see if they can gain any information about what happened the night before and who the perpetrators behind it might be.
The most obvious route of investigation seems to be the origins of the shadow creatures, and so they decide to pay a visit to the Keepers of Light.
(Keepers of Light are an Ehktian sect that worship their Lord through self-improvement, specifically through the acquisition of knowledge. Sort of like the Questors, only they read, instead of climbing random mountains.)
“Hmm…” the head of the chapter house leans in close to examine the five parallel scars running over Lira’s belly. “And the rest of you scarred as well, despite magical healing?”
Anvil and Reyu nod, but Thatch speaks up. “Umm… I didn’t.”
“You weren’t wounded!” Lira points out.
“They weren’t that tough!” Thatch replies.
The man looks up from Lira’s midriff and quirks an eyebrow. “Interesting.”
As Lira steps aside to re-tuck her shirt, Thatch bends down to speak to the older man. “Really. They were lightweights. I mean, I know she says they nearly killed her, but Lira’s kind of…” Thatch searches momentarily for the appropriate term, “delicate.”
Lira rolls her eyes, but Reyu speaks up. “We believe the creatures had a… preference for spell-casters. That… may have affected Thatch’s assessment.”
The Keeper thinks for a moment. “That is fascinating. Not like anything I’ve heard of, but I’ll do some research. Check back in the next couple of weeks. If I’m going to find anything, I’ll have it by then.”
The party thanks him and takes their leave. Although there is very little discussion, almost as one they find themselves walking towards the Mages’ Academy.
The party soon finds they are not the only curiosity-seekers who have come to investigate the excitement of the night before. As they near the academy, they spot four students, in their schools robes, walking together back to the campus. Or rather, they were walking, now they are running while vainly trying to shield their heads from the cobblestones being thrown by a small gang of local children.
Almost by reflex, the party falls into tactical mode. Reyu and Anvil shout as they run towards the stone-throwers, Thatch remains quiet, but obviously reaches for the hilt of his sword. Dennis and Lira stay alert, watching for allies in nearby alleys or other trouble on the periphery.
The ragged gaggle of nine to twelve year olds looks over to find a wild elf, a Justicar, and a very tall man with a very large sword running in their direction shouting… and quickly decides to be somewhere else.
As the urchins melt away into the alleys, Reyu, Anvil, and Thatch turn their attention to the students.
Most of them are unharmed, although one is bleeding from a small gash on his forehead. With a whispered chant, Reyu touches the wound, and it vanishes.
“Thanks,” says the young man.
But not all the students are so happy about their rescue. “Well, that’ll show them,” grumbles one… whose voice is not entirely unfamiliar.
Reyu turns to the source of the complaint and finds... Amelia, pushing back the hood of her cloak.
Part the Twenty-Eighth
In which: all in not well in the aftermath…
When Anvil emerges from his chambers the following morning, he finds the usual order of the temple disturbingly unsettled.
When he goes searching for Tenacious, Anvil is informed that the elder Justicar has been in meetings since that night, along with much of the rest of the church’s upper hierarchy. The halls are abuzz with whispered rumors. Several members of the order who had spoken out against arcane magic have been confined.
Several others are missing.
Anvil goes in search of one of the former. Being locked in his rooms, Sturdy the Just is easy to find.
“It is an outrage what has been done to you! An outrage, I say!” shouts Anvil as he pounds on the other man’s door.
There is a puzzled pause on the other side. “Err… come in?”
Anvil does.
“What has happened in this city?” Anvil asks as he takes a seat. “Fires at the Mages’ Academy, suspicion among our ranks. What have you done to deserve this treatment?”
Sturdy spreads his hands wide. “I know not.”
“You do not approve of these wizards.” Anvil suggests.
The other man remains silent. After a moment, Anvil continues. “They meddle in unnatural matters.”
The other man suddenly bursts out, “That is what I say! Is it not a question still undecided by the Church?”
Anvil nods, but says nothing, encouraging the other man to continue. He obliges. “If it is found that these arts are the domain of the gods, I will abide by it, but,” his voice rises as if to air his protest to the entire building through his closed door, “that is not yet the case, and I have merely spoken what I find to be the truth of Kettenek in this matter!”
##
Despite her displeasure the night before, by morning, news of what happened at the Mage’s Academy has reached Mrs. Blackburn, and she doesn’t even mind when Lira and Thatch are a bit late to breakfast.
She fusses over them and Reyu as much as they will permit, and Tessa is practically glued to Thatch’s elbow, despite his best efforts to dissuade her. The three eat quickly and head to the Temple of the Justicars to regroup.
##
Once the party has convened, they decide to see if they can gain any information about what happened the night before and who the perpetrators behind it might be.
The most obvious route of investigation seems to be the origins of the shadow creatures, and so they decide to pay a visit to the Keepers of Light.
(Keepers of Light are an Ehktian sect that worship their Lord through self-improvement, specifically through the acquisition of knowledge. Sort of like the Questors, only they read, instead of climbing random mountains.)
“Hmm…” the head of the chapter house leans in close to examine the five parallel scars running over Lira’s belly. “And the rest of you scarred as well, despite magical healing?”
Anvil and Reyu nod, but Thatch speaks up. “Umm… I didn’t.”
“You weren’t wounded!” Lira points out.
“They weren’t that tough!” Thatch replies.
The man looks up from Lira’s midriff and quirks an eyebrow. “Interesting.”
As Lira steps aside to re-tuck her shirt, Thatch bends down to speak to the older man. “Really. They were lightweights. I mean, I know she says they nearly killed her, but Lira’s kind of…” Thatch searches momentarily for the appropriate term, “delicate.”
Lira rolls her eyes, but Reyu speaks up. “We believe the creatures had a… preference for spell-casters. That… may have affected Thatch’s assessment.”
The Keeper thinks for a moment. “That is fascinating. Not like anything I’ve heard of, but I’ll do some research. Check back in the next couple of weeks. If I’m going to find anything, I’ll have it by then.”
The party thanks him and takes their leave. Although there is very little discussion, almost as one they find themselves walking towards the Mages’ Academy.
The party soon finds they are not the only curiosity-seekers who have come to investigate the excitement of the night before. As they near the academy, they spot four students, in their schools robes, walking together back to the campus. Or rather, they were walking, now they are running while vainly trying to shield their heads from the cobblestones being thrown by a small gang of local children.
Almost by reflex, the party falls into tactical mode. Reyu and Anvil shout as they run towards the stone-throwers, Thatch remains quiet, but obviously reaches for the hilt of his sword. Dennis and Lira stay alert, watching for allies in nearby alleys or other trouble on the periphery.
The ragged gaggle of nine to twelve year olds looks over to find a wild elf, a Justicar, and a very tall man with a very large sword running in their direction shouting… and quickly decides to be somewhere else.
As the urchins melt away into the alleys, Reyu, Anvil, and Thatch turn their attention to the students.
Most of them are unharmed, although one is bleeding from a small gash on his forehead. With a whispered chant, Reyu touches the wound, and it vanishes.
“Thanks,” says the young man.
But not all the students are so happy about their rescue. “Well, that’ll show them,” grumbles one… whose voice is not entirely unfamiliar.
Reyu turns to the source of the complaint and finds... Amelia, pushing back the hood of her cloak.
