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Welcome to the Halmae (updated 2/27/07)
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<blockquote data-quote="spyscribe" data-source="post: 1975615" data-attributes="member: 5808"><p><strong>Part the Ninety-Third</strong></p><p><em>In which: resistance is futile. (In a few cases anyhow).</em></p><p></p><p>The spell-casters in the group quickly realize he is casting a <em>zone of truth</em>, and all the party members decide that resisting might not be such a bad idea, although some are more successful than others.</p><p></p><p>Once the Inquisitor lowers her hands, she begins to ask her questions. She aims each question at a specific individual.</p><p></p><p>“What is your business in the Sovereignty?”</p><p></p><p>Anvil: “We are on a mission from our King and our Temples.”</p><p></p><p>“Do you know a man by the name of Komatsu?”</p><p></p><p>Lira: “I believe I may have met him.”</p><p></p><p>“You will describe your relationship to this man.”</p><p></p><p>Eva: “We traveled with him by ship from Dar Karo.”</p><p></p><p>“And beyond that?”</p><p></p><p>Kiara: “No, we didn’t travel with him beyond that.”</p><p></p><p>“I <em>meant</em>, your relationship to him beyond that.”</p><p></p><p>Kiara: “Oh. Nothing.”</p><p></p><p>“What was your impression of him?”</p><p></p><p>Thatch: “Don’t like him. Don’t trust him. Don’t want to see him again.”</p><p></p><p>“Have any of you ever been to the Sharp Stone Monastary?”</p><p></p><p>Annika: “No. Not as far as I know.”</p><p></p><p>“Do any of you have any intention of traveling to the Sharp Stone Monastery?”</p><p></p><p>Reyu: “As I believe my colleague has already told you, no, we do not.”</p><p></p><p>The questioning continues for some time. The Inquisitor asks many questions, confirming what Anvil has told her about the party’s mission, but mostly focusing on what they know of Komatsu and the Sharp Stone monks. She asks different questions of different people, changing the phrasing but always searching for the same basic information. Fortunately, the party is truthfully able to give the same answers: they have no relationship with Komatsu, and they have no intention of going to the Sharp Stone Pass.</p><p></p><p>Yet.</p><p></p><p>That night, as they all bed down on deck for a few hours sleep before the now expected midnight bell, they finally all get a chance to discuss the matter together. Of course, they hadn’t been planning on going to the Sharp Stone Pass, but…</p><p></p><p>Lira bites her lip. “I don’t know. She seemed <strong>so</strong> adamant that we not go there--”</p><p></p><p>Anvil breaks in, “--that now you <strong>want</strong> to go.”</p><p></p><p>Small shrug. “Kinda.”</p><p></p><p>Reyu sighs. “I confess, you are not the only one feeling a… perverse desire to annoy the Inquisitors.”</p><p></p><p>But Thatch, to everyone’s surprise, speaks up firmly. “No. We find the archmage, we leave. We have no reason to go to this monastery.”</p><p></p><p> “Look, there’s clearly something wonky going on there,” Lira says. “Why else would they want us to stay away?”</p><p></p><p>Thatch shrugs. “Not our problem. We’ve got other things to worry about. Why risk getting ourselves in trouble and endangering our mission?”</p><p></p><p>Reyu blinks. When she first met the young fighter he seemed much less… cynical.</p><p></p><p>The argument goes on. Thatch is adamant that they not go looking for trouble that does not concern them. But Lira’s curiosity has been piqued. Reyu is also inclined to swing by eventually—perhaps after they visit the dwarves and the Archmage of the Valley—theorizing that anyone who can annoy the inquisitors that much cannot be all bad. Anvil, on the other hand, tends to agree with Thatch; this could be trouble they don’t need. He and the young fighter’s arguments begin to take sway.</p><p></p><p>Eva had been hoping to stay out of the argument. She had been hoping not to have to say anything, to count on the group’s natural curiosity and do-gooding tendencies to get the result she wanted without tipping her hand. But now it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.</p><p></p><p>“Everyone,” she breaks in, “I sort of think… that I need to go to the monastery.”</p><p></p><p>The silence that follows is punctuated only by the lapping of the water against the boat, the background rumble of the dwarves at work, and the sound of the Inquisitor’s tent canvass flapping in the breeze.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Then, in a rush:</p><p></p><p>“What do you mean <em>need</em> to?”</p><p></p><p>“Why do you say that?”</p><p></p><p>“Huh?”</p><p></p><p>Eva waves them all down, and continues in a whisper. “I’ve been told I have to go. It’s important and… and I think it relates to our mission.”</p><p></p><p>She looks around at her companions, expressions ranging from outright skepticism to confused support.</p><p></p><p>“Told by whom?” Anvil demands.</p><p></p><p>“Kemmer,” Eva says.</p><p></p><p>“Who is Kemmer?”</p><p></p><p>Eva squirms, uncomfortable with all this direct questioning. There are things she’s not supposed to talk about, but the party clearly won’t be comfortable until they get some kind of answers…</p><p></p><p>“Look, he’s someone I… answer to, okay? He contacted me and told me to get in touch with the Sharp Stone monks, see if they needed aid, and help them if I could.”</p><p></p><p>“How did he contact you?”</p><p></p><p>“Magically. It was some spell. Like the one the headband uses.”</p><p></p><p>Reyu pauses, studing Eva. “Why did you not tell us when he first contacted you?”</p><p></p><p>“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to,” Eva admits. </p><p></p><p>Thatch speaks up. “Look, we don’t know for sure that these monks need any aid, right? If they don’t need aid, then you don’t need to go there, do you?”</p><p></p><p>“I… I guess not,” Eva says.</p><p></p><p>“So can we use the headband to contact the monks and see if they need aid?”</p><p></p><p>Everyone looks to Annika to answer this. They’ve never used the headband to contact anyone but Professor Alexandra before.</p><p></p><p>Annika winces slightly. “Well, I’m fairly certain, if I understand the spell involved, that we can use it to contact anyone we want. However…”</p><p></p><p>“However…?” Eva prompts her.</p><p></p><p>“We can only use it to contact someone we’ve met. We’ve never met any of the monks.”</p><p></p><p>“As the Inquisitor has taken great pains to remind us, we’ve met Komatsu,” Anvil observes wryly.</p><p></p><p>A plan is hatched. Anvil gives Eva the headband and shows her how to use it. She’ll use it to contact Komatsu and see if he needs help. If he doesn’t, they’re free and clear. If he does… they’ll have to find a way to get to the monastery without arousing the ire of the Inquisitors.</p><p></p><p>Carefully, Eva composes her twenty-five words. When she’s ready, she activates the headband and speaks through the <em>sending. <span style="color: PaleGreen">Komatsu, it’s Eva, from Alirria’s Star. I’ve been asked to assist you. Where are you? Inquisitors are coming. Do you or your monastery need help?</span></em></p><p></p><p>There is a brief pause. And then a voice speaks in her mind.</p><p></p><p><em><span style="color: PaleGreen">What? Huh? Oh, praise the Goddess! I had lost all hope. I’ve been taken by the Inquisitors. Warn my Abbey. The relics must be safely—</span></em></p><p></p><p>That’s it. Twenty-five words.</p><p></p><p>Eva relays the response to the others.</p><p></p><p>“Well then,” Anvil says.</p><p></p><p>“’Praise the <strong>Goddess</strong>’?” Lira repeats. “Which Goddess? I thought they were Sovereign monks.”</p><p></p><p>“I did, too,” Eva says.</p><p></p><p>“You probably should have warned him he only had twenty-five words to respond,” Annika says, meekly.</p><p></p><p>“I thought it was more important to warn him that the Inquisitors were on their way,” Eva replies, though inwardly she’s been thinking the same thing.</p><p></p><p>“Regardless, it does appear that this settles the matter,” Reyu points out. “If he has been taken by the Inquisitors, he is clearly in trouble. And he has asked us to carry a message of warning to the monks.”</p><p></p><p>“Indeed,” Anvil agrees. “It appears that we must now go to the Monastery, and that we must arrive before the Inquisitors, without letting them know that we are involved.”</p><p></p><p>The party sits back, trying to figure out how they’re going to pull that off.</p><p></p><p>“Polished,” Thatch says, out of the blue.</p><p></p><p>“What?”</p><p></p><p>“What Komatsu was going to say. Polished. ‘The relics must be safely polished.’”</p><p></p><p>“Do you really think that’s it?”</p><p></p><p>Thatch puts a hand on the hilt of his greatsword. “I can hope.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="spyscribe, post: 1975615, member: 5808"] [b]Part the Ninety-Third[/b] [i]In which: resistance is futile. (In a few cases anyhow).[/i] The spell-casters in the group quickly realize he is casting a [I]zone of truth[/I], and all the party members decide that resisting might not be such a bad idea, although some are more successful than others. Once the Inquisitor lowers her hands, she begins to ask her questions. She aims each question at a specific individual. “What is your business in the Sovereignty?” Anvil: “We are on a mission from our King and our Temples.” “Do you know a man by the name of Komatsu?” Lira: “I believe I may have met him.” “You will describe your relationship to this man.” Eva: “We traveled with him by ship from Dar Karo.” “And beyond that?” Kiara: “No, we didn’t travel with him beyond that.” “I [i]meant[/i], your relationship to him beyond that.” Kiara: “Oh. Nothing.” “What was your impression of him?” Thatch: “Don’t like him. Don’t trust him. Don’t want to see him again.” “Have any of you ever been to the Sharp Stone Monastary?” Annika: “No. Not as far as I know.” “Do any of you have any intention of traveling to the Sharp Stone Monastery?” Reyu: “As I believe my colleague has already told you, no, we do not.” The questioning continues for some time. The Inquisitor asks many questions, confirming what Anvil has told her about the party’s mission, but mostly focusing on what they know of Komatsu and the Sharp Stone monks. She asks different questions of different people, changing the phrasing but always searching for the same basic information. Fortunately, the party is truthfully able to give the same answers: they have no relationship with Komatsu, and they have no intention of going to the Sharp Stone Pass. Yet. That night, as they all bed down on deck for a few hours sleep before the now expected midnight bell, they finally all get a chance to discuss the matter together. Of course, they hadn’t been planning on going to the Sharp Stone Pass, but… Lira bites her lip. “I don’t know. She seemed [b]so[/b] adamant that we not go there--” Anvil breaks in, “--that now you [b]want[/b] to go.” Small shrug. “Kinda.” Reyu sighs. “I confess, you are not the only one feeling a… perverse desire to annoy the Inquisitors.” But Thatch, to everyone’s surprise, speaks up firmly. “No. We find the archmage, we leave. We have no reason to go to this monastery.” “Look, there’s clearly something wonky going on there,” Lira says. “Why else would they want us to stay away?” Thatch shrugs. “Not our problem. We’ve got other things to worry about. Why risk getting ourselves in trouble and endangering our mission?” Reyu blinks. When she first met the young fighter he seemed much less… cynical. The argument goes on. Thatch is adamant that they not go looking for trouble that does not concern them. But Lira’s curiosity has been piqued. Reyu is also inclined to swing by eventually—perhaps after they visit the dwarves and the Archmage of the Valley—theorizing that anyone who can annoy the inquisitors that much cannot be all bad. Anvil, on the other hand, tends to agree with Thatch; this could be trouble they don’t need. He and the young fighter’s arguments begin to take sway. Eva had been hoping to stay out of the argument. She had been hoping not to have to say anything, to count on the group’s natural curiosity and do-gooding tendencies to get the result she wanted without tipping her hand. But now it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. “Everyone,” she breaks in, “I sort of think… that I need to go to the monastery.” The silence that follows is punctuated only by the lapping of the water against the boat, the background rumble of the dwarves at work, and the sound of the Inquisitor’s tent canvass flapping in the breeze. Then, in a rush: “What do you mean [I]need[/I] to?” “Why do you say that?” “Huh?” Eva waves them all down, and continues in a whisper. “I’ve been told I have to go. It’s important and… and I think it relates to our mission.” She looks around at her companions, expressions ranging from outright skepticism to confused support. “Told by whom?” Anvil demands. “Kemmer,” Eva says. “Who is Kemmer?” Eva squirms, uncomfortable with all this direct questioning. There are things she’s not supposed to talk about, but the party clearly won’t be comfortable until they get some kind of answers… “Look, he’s someone I… answer to, okay? He contacted me and told me to get in touch with the Sharp Stone monks, see if they needed aid, and help them if I could.” “How did he contact you?” “Magically. It was some spell. Like the one the headband uses.” Reyu pauses, studing Eva. “Why did you not tell us when he first contacted you?” “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to,” Eva admits. Thatch speaks up. “Look, we don’t know for sure that these monks need any aid, right? If they don’t need aid, then you don’t need to go there, do you?” “I… I guess not,” Eva says. “So can we use the headband to contact the monks and see if they need aid?” Everyone looks to Annika to answer this. They’ve never used the headband to contact anyone but Professor Alexandra before. Annika winces slightly. “Well, I’m fairly certain, if I understand the spell involved, that we can use it to contact anyone we want. However…” “However…?” Eva prompts her. “We can only use it to contact someone we’ve met. We’ve never met any of the monks.” “As the Inquisitor has taken great pains to remind us, we’ve met Komatsu,” Anvil observes wryly. A plan is hatched. Anvil gives Eva the headband and shows her how to use it. She’ll use it to contact Komatsu and see if he needs help. If he doesn’t, they’re free and clear. If he does… they’ll have to find a way to get to the monastery without arousing the ire of the Inquisitors. Carefully, Eva composes her twenty-five words. When she’s ready, she activates the headband and speaks through the [i]sending. [color=PaleGreen]Komatsu, it’s Eva, from Alirria’s Star. I’ve been asked to assist you. Where are you? Inquisitors are coming. Do you or your monastery need help?[/color][/i] There is a brief pause. And then a voice speaks in her mind. [i][color=PaleGreen]What? Huh? Oh, praise the Goddess! I had lost all hope. I’ve been taken by the Inquisitors. Warn my Abbey. The relics must be safely—[/color][/i] That’s it. Twenty-five words. Eva relays the response to the others. “Well then,” Anvil says. “’Praise the [b]Goddess[/b]’?” Lira repeats. “Which Goddess? I thought they were Sovereign monks.” “I did, too,” Eva says. “You probably should have warned him he only had twenty-five words to respond,” Annika says, meekly. “I thought it was more important to warn him that the Inquisitors were on their way,” Eva replies, though inwardly she’s been thinking the same thing. “Regardless, it does appear that this settles the matter,” Reyu points out. “If he has been taken by the Inquisitors, he is clearly in trouble. And he has asked us to carry a message of warning to the monks.” “Indeed,” Anvil agrees. “It appears that we must now go to the Monastery, and that we must arrive before the Inquisitors, without letting them know that we are involved.” The party sits back, trying to figure out how they’re going to pull that off. “Polished,” Thatch says, out of the blue. “What?” “What Komatsu was going to say. Polished. ‘The relics must be safely polished.’” “Do you really think that’s it?” Thatch puts a hand on the hilt of his greatsword. “I can hope.” [/QUOTE]
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