The store front smells of wood and pipe smoke. Two padded chairs flank a hearth containing a small yet lively fire. The fireplace's carved mantle bears a tinderbox, small vase of dried flowers, and a finely wrought collection of pipes.

A burgundy strip of carpets leads from the entrance to the wall across from it, where you can see dozens - perhaps hundreds - of keys hanging from tiny hooks. The keys come in all shapes and sizes.

A handsomely engraved mahogany counter stretches along one wall. Behind it hands a red curtain that neatly hides the rest of the store.

Behind the counter stands a individual with salt-and-pepper hanger and a neatly trimmed mustache and goatee. He's some six-foot tall though his torso seems much shorter than his legs
This message was last edited by the player at 18:16, Tue 13 Sept 2016.

Leaving Rani at the door, Marik slowly makes his way in the shop, looking at all the various keys on the wall.

Approaching the counter, the elf face the individual and bow the head slightly. A sign of respect back home.

"Moïen...You are mister Ghelve, I gather?"

The man behind the counter nods, "Indeed I am Keygan Ghelve, how might I help you lot this afternoon?" He adjusts his stance to look at the four people who've come into his shop.

Raszire cleared his throat, "Master Ghelve, we are investigating the disappearance of the children from the orphanage and it is our understanding that you are the craftsman that provided the locks for the building. We were wondering if you could give us some insight into the possibility of those locks being bypassed?"

"I do not wish to insinuate that the locks were less than adequate, but it would be most helpful if you could take a look at the locks and possibly discern if they had been picked at some point in the past."

The dwarf looks up at Raszire, an off look crosses his face for a moment "Even my best locks can be picked, should someone's have enough skill." He  plucks a rather fine lock and a lesser quality lock from behind the counter and shows them to you, "Only difference between these is configuration and complexities of the tumblers."

OOC: Insight if you'd like

OOC: Marik rolled 5

Marik quietly listen the conversation, preferring to let Raszire helm it as he likes. He study Ghelve as he talk and try to pick up subtle signs that would let out more than words. Marik thinks for a moment he don't ever remember seeing a dwarf this tall and forget for a moment to pay attention at what the locksmith says about the locks...

OOC: Filimena the Gentle rolled 7 for Insight.

While Marik and Raszire were speaking earlier, could Filimena also take the opportunity to look around the shop to see if anything stands out as unusual or interesting?

OOC: Filimena the Gentle rolled 7 for Perception.

Wow.

Filimena is going to ask about the locks at the orphanage specifically, but I'm going to withhold that for now just in case Raszire decides to roll, or in case my two 7s miraculously give me something.

Marik and Filimena doesn't notice anything off about the dwarf - aside from his height. Filimena looks about some but again doesn't anything strange in the area.

OOC: MAP!

• North is a door, but it is behind counter and closed
• South is the door you in came from
• East is a curtain which is blocking the view of whatever is beyond
• West is the fireplace

This message was last edited by the GM at 17:56, Fri 16 Sept 2016.

"And the locks at the Lantern Street Orphanage?" Filimena asks, pouting slightly and tilting her head to one side in an attempt to look less confrontational. "How skilful would someone have to be to pick those?"
This message was last updated by the player at 14:41, Sat 17 Sept 2016.

Replacing the pair of lock from the display he pulled the from, Keygan looks down at Filimena saying, "It has been a while since I put those in, but I recall them being rather fine locks. The headmistress wanted the best they could afford, and I gave them a discount to get them better than that. So they would have to be quite skilled to get through those locks. Why do you ask?"

08:42, Today: Raszire Toumash rolled 18 using 1d20+3.  Insight. (somehow missed that earlier)

"Well Master Ghelve, as you may have heard. The orphanage recently had four innocent children abducted in the middle of the night by unknown individuals. The Church of St. Cuthbert and St. Fenwyn has asked that we investigate." Razire studies Ghelves reaction and movements as he speaks, "As of yet we have been unable to find how they managed to enter the orphanage. Would you be able to come to the orphanage and inspect the locks for any sign of tampering?"

"I had heard something of that nature yes," the dwarf replies as he lines up a few locks in the counter. "Of course, I could go during my lunch break..."

[Private to Raszire Toumash: You notice Keygan's eyes shift to the curtain more often than you might expect as though he thinks someone is going to come out from the back.]

Raszire move slightly closer to the curtain, "Master Ghelve, is there something you would like to elaborate on. I am sensing that there is something you are not telling us."

Keygan's eyes grow slightly wider as he moves to prevent the Dragonborn from getting past him, "Only my store room is that way sir... I don't think you have need to see into."

OOC: Note that Keygan is between Raszire and the curtain as it is behind the counter where Keygan stands
MAP

Filimena doesn't know what exactly Raszire noticed that has led him to think something isn't right, but she sees him approaching the counter, and steps towards it as well to lend him her support, rolling her shoulders and her neck as she does, as if warming up for a fight.

"Mister Ghelve either you are a very nervous man, which seems unlikely considering your occupation. Or your agitation is due to something else. Are you possibly hiding something from us. It would be quite easy to summon the city watch and let them help us in this investigation, so I will ask once more, Is there anything you would like to tell us?" Though not a tactic Raszire often employs he presses Ghelve trying to intimidate.

OOC Intimidation roll if needed.
21:42, Today: Raszire Toumash rolled 22 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 19.  Intimidation.

OOC: Could Filimena assist Raszire in his intimidation? That was what she was aiming to do anyway with her shoulder-rolling. Haha. Not really sure how you want to do it, but here's an intimidation check anyway:

13:28, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 14 using 1d20+6.  Intimidation.

Marik frowns a bit when Razsire imply that Ghelve is hiding something, but keep quiet and focus his attention on the locksmith. He hasn't sense anything that would give him the same suspicion, but he is curious to see where the Dragonborn is going with this.

Marik then see Raszire and Filimena approaching Ghelve with a menacing look. While he was previously quite affable, the change of expression now leave no doubt in Marik mind on the fearsome nature of the Dragonborn. The confidence he lets out in his last sentence, combined with his towering form, make Marik think he could just as easily summon the city watch or rip apart the dwarf with his bare hands should he feels like it. The priest has the look of a hound who smelled blood.

In any case, Marik refrain from intervening at the moment, for two reasons. First, because he don't want to mess with Razsire or Filimena efforts by doing so. He never was very good at trying to look assertive. Also, he is curious to watch Raszire and Filimena in action and see what they can do.

The dwarf is obviously rather scared of Razsire, as he backs away from the imposing dragonborn. "Please no ... they have ..." he stops and looks back at the curtain

Seeing the dwarf look back at the curtains behind him, Filimena instinctively cranes her neck to get a better view of them, even though it doesn't actually let her see more of them than she already can. She begins to move silently around the counter towards the curtains, getting as close to them as the dwarf will let her.

OOC: If she can, Filimena gets close enough to the curtains to touch them, although she doesn't open them, and tries to listen for any sounds behind the curtains that might suggest someone is there listening.

I'm just going to go ahead and roll stealth and perception checks, assuming they come into play. Also gonna roll a strength check, just in case there's some kind of contest. Trying to be efficient :p

15:16, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 5 using 1d20-1.  Strength contest.
15:15, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 8 using 1d20+3.  Perception.
15:15, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 19 using 1d20+3.  Stealth.

Edit: Actually, gonna roll dexterity instead, since Filimena would presumably try to dodge, rather than shove her way through.

15:18, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 4 using 1d20+3.  Dexterity contest.

Why am I rolling so horribly?!

This message was last edited by the player at 07:19, Wed 21 Sept 2016.

Raszire looks at the dwarf, his demeanor slowly slipping away from that of a pleasant mannered priest, "They?" Raszire's eye narrow, "Look you pompous little man if you know anything about what happened to those children you had better tell us now or so help me if they come to harm I will make you wish you had never been born" Raszire pushes forward, his hand finding its way to the haft of his mace.

The dwarf cowers before Raszire holding his hand before him as though the might shield him should the dragonborn attack. He stilts he was using to make himself taller fall away as he collapses to the floor in a heap sobbing "They have my daughter. They have my daughter." over and over again.

Filimena slips past Keygan as the dwarf is otherwise occupied by Raszire. [Private to Filimena the Gentle: To your right black curtains partially obscure a window niche that faces the street. You recall seeing ornate locks and complex locking mechanisms neatly displayed in the niche.

The room itself looks tidy but lived in. Carpets cover the stone floor, and a broom leans against the railing of a wood staircase leading up to a second floor balcony. A trio of wooden chest rest in the middle of the floor, their lids bound shut with sturdy iron padlocks. Small tables, shelves, and benches hold various kick-knacks, and a framed portrait of a silver-haired dwarf hangs next to a tall wood box at the stairs. The wooden box containing an intricate array of tricking gears, counterweights, and cylindrical chimes, surmounted by a circular face that bears the numbers 1 through 12 on its circumference.  ]

MAP
This message was last edited by the player at 00:30, Thu 22 Sept 2016.

They have his daughter, did he say, Filimena thinks. Well, I'm in here anyway. May as well take a look around. I'm sure the other two can handle the dwarf. She's in a square room, about the same size as the shop she'd just left. A trio of wooden chests lies on the floor in the middle of the room, secured with sturdy-looking iron locks. A flight of stairs on her right leads up to the second floor. Filimena sneaks to the bottom of the stairs and looks up, listening for any activity. I wonder if anyone else is around?

18:07, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 18 using 1d20+3.  Perception.
18:06, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 10 using 1d20+3.  Stealth.

Filimena realizes that the wooden box is a clock. She looks around and notices that there is a series of boards under the stair seem to be off compared to the rest.

The halfling is sure they hide a secret of some type but before she can investigate farther something falls upon her. She feels a blade pierce her side and when she looks there is a shimmering person as though he's somehow is blending into the background, unfortunate the halfling drops to the ground in a bloody pool before she can do much else.

OOC:
COMBAT!
Surprise Round
09:18, Today: Skulk rolled 19 using 2d20+4, dropping the lowest dice only.  Attack vs Filimena.
Skulk hits Filimena for 12 damage ... dropping the warlock to -1 HP

Initative: 09:23, Today: DM5 rolled 18,20 using d20,d20.  Initiative Party vs Skulk.
Looks like Skulk goes first ... X_x

---

Round 1 [Private to GM: 09:24, Today: Secret Roll: Skulk rolled 9 using 1d20+5.  Bonus action to Hide.]

From the back everyone hears the sounds of Filimena cry out which cuts short as something hitting the floor.


OOC: Party's up! Filimena needs to roll a death save ...
MAP S marks the secret!

OOC: Marik rolls 20 for Initiative, so I guess I'm going before Raszire. I'll edit if that somehow is not the case.


As Ghelve falls on the floor weeping before Raszire, Marik hears the locksmith cries about his missing daughter.

"There we have it...now we know how they got into the Orphanage without messing with the locks" he thinks. He feels some empathy for Ghelve, but remain impassive, as he slowly begin to make his way toward him and Raszire.

He was about to say something to try to comfort the locksmith when he hears a cry from Filimena behind the curtain, with what sound like the wet sound of flesh being pierced. A burst of adrenaline fills his veins as his well honed instincts kicks in.

Using all the power he can muster he makes his way to the counter and jump, sliding across it as he has often do with tree trunks in the forest. Getting back on his wooden feets, he gets out his hunting bow and pull out the curtain. He sees a pool a blood, with the fallen form of Filimena on the floor and a sinister looking individual with a crimson blade in his hands.

"Filimena!"

In the urgency, Marik doesn't quite take the time he would needs to properly stabilize himself and let loose an arrow, which miss the individual and hit the wall behind him.

OOC: Marik has rolled 9 for a Attack.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:29, Thu 22 Sept 2016.

Raszires expression softened when Ghelve blurted out the statement about his daughter and silently chastised himself for letting his temper get the better of him. Whn he heard Filimena gasp in pain he threw open the curtain, bringing his shield and weapon to the ready. Once in side the room the anger he had been trying to suppress grew as he saw the halfling lying in a growing pool of blood, he turned toward the dagger wielding individual, "Normally I would subdue you for questioning, but today I will make an exception." the word ending almost in a growl as he advanced swinging at the assassin.

10:50, Today: Raszire Toumash rolled 19,7 using d20+5,d6+3 with rolls of 14,4.  Attack and damage.

The creature ducks under Marik's weapons then is hit by Raszire. It then growls at Raszire as it slashes at the dragonborn with his shortblade. The wicked looking weapon connects just under the chain mail Raszire wears leaving a nasty cut along his belly.

OOC:
12:23, Today: Skulk rolled 18 using 1d20+4.  Attack vs Raszire.
12:23, Today: Skulk rolled 6 using 1d6+2.  Damage.

Raszire gets hit for 6 damage!

---

Round 2
Party
Skulk [Private to GM: 15 / 22]

MAP

Raszir snarls as the blade connects and brings his mace around for another swing, but he pain throws off his aim and the mace misses its target.

12:32, Today: Raszire Toumash rolled 10,7 using d20+5,d6+3 with rolls of 5,4.  Attack and damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:35, Thu 22 Sept 2016.

Cursing himself for his lack of aim, the elf knock another arrow and wait until Raszire makes a slight step on the side. As he finishes his attack, the Dragonborn leave him a clear view of the attacker. Marik let loose a second time and the arrow this time flies straight into the chest of the dark individual.

OOC: Marik rolled 23 for attack and 10 for damage

The creature who looked to be running away is cut down by the group. It's skin seems to stop shimmering and turns to a dull grey color.

OOC: Need 2 death saves (straight d20 rolls) from Filimena before we move on.

As soon as he sees the creature falls, Marik rush to Filimena side and attempts to stop the bleeding by covering the wounds and using medicinal herbs in a small satchel by his belt.


OOC: after the discussion in the OCC topic, Marik will use one use of his Healing kit to try to stop Filimena from bleeding out.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:58, Thu 22 Sept 2016.

Raszire moves over to where Marik was with Filimena, "Please friend Marik allow me" Raszire kneels down and places one hand on Filemena and one hand clasping his holy symbol recites a short prayer to St. Fenwyn asking for her divine aid.

15:16, Today: Raszire Toumash rolled 7 using 1d8+6 with rolls of 1.  Cure Wounds.

OOC: And of course it rolls a one on the die.

OOC: Whoa... A lot happened while I was gone. Haha. Erm. I'll just go ahead and roll the two death saves, just in case I somehow manage to fail once, and critically fail twice (taking into account the fact that Filimena has halfling luck). Gulp.

09:39, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 14 using 1d20.  Death saving throw.
09:39, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 2 using 1d20.  Death saving throw.

Filimena gasps to life. It takes her a few seconds to take note of her surroundings, and to realise what has happened. She slowly picks herself up, still feeling weak. She looks over at Raszire and Marik, feeling rather embarrassed. "Thank you. What... What happened?"

Marik gently put his left hand on Filimena shoulder to stop her from moving.

"Easy. Stay still. Your wounds are still closing..."

Under the influence of the divine power channeled by Raszire, the gaping wounds caused by the dagger quickly subsides, leaving only a small gash of crimson color.

Seeing the halfling now out of danger, Marik then smiles, and remove his hand.

"That was close...Welcome back to the lands of the living, Filimena."

He then turn to Raszire.

"Well done, priest...Wait, are you feeling fine? You took a  nasty blow from that sword yourself. "
This message was last edited by the player at 04:27, Fri 23 Sept 2016.

The dwarf walks in, visibly shaking. He's standing at normal dwarf height, if not a bit shorter, with his pants legs trailing behind him like a kid wearing his father's breeches. He looks at the dead creature and spits on it. "They took my daughter ... forced me to make skeleton keys ... to get them into ... most any building in the city." He gulps down air as he speaks, just stares at grey body on the floor.

"They took her to Jzadirune... through the portal there," Keygan points to the wall under the stairs. As though anticipating the question he continues, "Jzadirune was a small enclave inhabited by we dwarfs, but it abandoned when the drow came up from below and took over the area some 75 years go. The drow had developed a magical plague, we called it the Vanishing and it caused people to slowly fade into nothing ..." Tears in his eyes,  "Those kids ... they'll be there ... with my daughter... Nisris."

Raszire faces the dwarf, "Master Ghelve we will get your daughter and the other children back. I am sorry for earlier I should not have lost my temper."

Marik, still on his knees, look up to see Ghelve and restrain himself from laughing when seeing the pants trails off behind the dwarf. He then listen closely to Ghelves, without showing any expression. At the mere mention of the Drow, however, his whole demeanor change instantly. His face hardens and his hands clenches into a fist.

"Drows, you say..."


The mere mention of the Fallen is sufficient to send Marik into another state of mind. A predatorial state honed from decades of training by the High Elves on learning the ways of the Dark Ones and hunting them down to the last.

Marik gets up, without looking at either Raszire or Filimena, and go inspect the creature corpse, as well as the wall, trying to recall his training to validate if the Drows could really be behind all of this based on what he knows of them.


OOC: Marik makes  a Survival check to track hints of Drow presence in the room and a History check to see if he know anything about the Vanishing and the fall of Jzadirune. Both are with advantage as Drows are one of his favored enemies.

Marik rolls 16 on Survival and 16 on History.

As he investigates, Marik ask a question. Far from the friendly tone he used with Filimena, his voice is now icy as winter.

"If indeed the Dark Ones are involved, how are the Last Laugh implicated in this? Do they had any dealings with you?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:04, Fri 23 Sept 2016.

Keygan shakes his head at Raszire's words, "You didn't know ... couldn't have know. These things and their shorter companions are to blame." He moves to the chests and opens one from which he draws out a scroll case. His gaze shifts to Marik,"I haven't had any dealings with the Laugh... just these large ones and their smaller, cloaked, and hooved companions."

[Private to Raszire Toumash: You hear a whisper in your ear saying, "Find out more about this Vanishing... " and recolonize your saint, Fenwyn, making a request of you]

OOC: Marik finds no trace of Drow.

Neither Jzadirune nor The Vanishing doesn't ring a bell, but one is a dwarf conclave in now Drow controlled territory and there is much unknown about the dark elves war tactics.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:08, Fri 23 Sept 2016.

OOC: Marik would like to insight check Ghelves, to see if he is lying.

Marik rolled 8.


Also, can I make a check to see if I know what kind of creatures he is talking about as Marik is inspecting the corpse?
This message was last edited by the player at 18:46, Fri 23 Sept 2016.

Filimena steadies herself against the wall under the stairs. She feels better now, but still slightly weak. She listens with interest as the dwarf tells the party about the Jzadirune and about the secret portal under the stairs.

A secret enclave, she thinks. Presumably underground. Her eyes flit towards the curtains. And the curtains... That's the second line of the poem settled, then.

Filimena's attention is drawn back to the dwarf as he draws a scroll case from inside one of the locked chests in the centre of the room, and tilts her head in curiosity. She steps closer to the group.

OOC:

Filimena intends to ask Ghelve about the remaining lines of the poem, just in case he knows anything that might be able to help them, but she's going to wait and see what he does with the scroll first.

Can Filimena also make a history check to see whether she knows anything about the Vanishing and about Jzardirune?

18:04, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 21 using 1d20+2.  History check.

And perhaps a nature or arcana check to see whether she knows anything about the creatures Ghelve is talking about?


18:14, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 7 using 1d20.  Nature check.
18:14, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 10 using 1d20+2.  Arcana check.

Blah...

Marik believes Keygan is telling the truth.

OOC: Give me an History roll for what this 'thing' is.

---

[Private to Filimena the Gentle: Jzardirune !  The Vanishing of Jzardirune

^Dwarf _Stronghold yes! Place _{filled with traps} ^{and tricks} and secrets!

Cousins of the Korim dwarves _cleverer than ^cousins they dug <sub>deep

So deep</sub> woke the spider elves Set them upon the world and then vanished for their

^t
 _r
  o
   _u
    ^b
     l
      _e
       ^s
        ]
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:50, Mon 26 Sept 2016.

OOC: Marik rolled 14


For future reference, would that thing be considered a "Humanoïd"? :P
This message was last edited by the player at 23:19, Mon 26 Sept 2016.

OOC: why yes yes they are ...

[Private to Marik: You've heard of this creature before it's called a Skulk. Skulks have skin which changes color and can allow them to blend into their environment. They can see VERY well in the dark and are often in the Underdark. ]

One moment, Filimena is with Marik and Raszire and Ghelve in the room behind Ghelve's shop, the next there is a gentle sucking noise, and Filimena finds herself floating in a field of white. All is silent at first, then the voices begin, whispering quietly and serenely all around her. This is different, Filimena thinks. They're not usually this... Calm. All of a sudden, she feels a tap on her right shoulder. She tries to turn to look, but at that moment, it's as if time has frozen, and she cannot move. Her pupils widen, though. Somehow, she knows who it is.

Finneas? She wants to say his name, but her lips won't move, and her lungs won't breathe.

"Filimena..." comes a voice from behind her, not her brother's, but her own, whispering.

Finneas, where are you? She wants to say. Finneas, I'm looking for you!

"Find them, Filimena..." The voice responds.

Filimena pauses, confused. Find them? Find who? She tries to ask.

"Find them..." The voice continues.

Filimena begins to panic. Tears are welling up in her eyes. The children? I'm looking for them now. Filimena struggles. She desperately wants to turn around, to see her baby brother again. But I'm looking for you too, Finneas. Please, let me find you!

Silence. Filimena begins to weep.

"The Korim..." The voice reappears. Filimena stops struggling.

What?

"The Korim..." The voice says again. The millions of other voices around her begin to join in. "The Korim... Cousins... Deep" The voices are getting louder and louder. "THE COUSINS... DEEP... SPIDER ELVES... DEEP... VANISHED..." Filimena begins to struggle again. The voices are deafening now. She wants to hear him again, but they drown him out. "THE COUSINS... DEEP... SPIDER ELVES... VANISHED..."

Then, as suddenly as the vision began, it ends. With another sucking noise, Filimena is back in the room. She sees Marik standing over the body of the creature that had nearly killed her. She breathes a deep sigh.

[Private to GM: Hope you don't mind me taking liberties with the voices. Just thought it was time I brought back some of the drama of when Filimena was first introduced. Also, I noticed a parallel between Filimena's missing brother and the missing children, and thought it might be interesting to bring that up.

Can I do a history check to see what Filimena knows about the Karim?

19:55, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 19 using 1d20+2.  History check.]
This message was last edited by the player at 12:08, Tue 27 Sept 2016.

Standing over the creature, Marik forgets for a moment he is not alone and studies the dark individual while talking to himself, as he often does in the solitude of the forest.


"Gedonnwer'fen, never thought I'd actually see one... Lady Siannodel was on point with her description." he mutters for himself, but probably loud enough so that you can hear it.


He then hears Filimena sigh loudly. Marik turn the head toward her, suddenly snapping out of his cold demeanor. The halfling looks upset, with a small, single tear crossing her cheek.


"Oh, Filimena. It still hurt, doesn't it? Come here, I'll make you something to dull the pai..." he is saying while opening his satchel to get some herbs.


Marik is interrupted by the sound of a door opening and a large form suddenly entering the room.

Having found a way to open the door, a large cat quickly makes her entrance in the room, passing before Ghelves as if he wasn't  here and making her way to Marik. Her teeth are bared, and she is growling as if she was ready for battle. Seeing Marik uninjured, she calm down quickly and go find her master, rubbing her head against his chest while purring, almost making the elf fall on his back.

[Language unknown: "Me...Eifo. Ri sall. Ure lar."] says Marik, as he pats the big cat on the head.

Marik turn toward the others.


"She heard the fighting and thought I was in danger. I taught her how to open doors with her mouth and paws whenever needed." says the elf. "And damn was it long before she finally understood how to open the door to the treehouse."he thinks for himself.


Reassured, the big cat find herself a corner in the room and lay down, watching quietly.

Raszire moves over to Filemena a cast a healing spell, then casts another on himself. "Thanks to St. Fenwyn we should be free of any damage. But I would suggest that we rest before continuing, it will take some time for me to regain my spells."


10:40, Today: Raszire Toumash rolled 14 using 1d8+6 with rolls of 8.  Cure Wounds on himself.
10:40, Today: Raszire Toumash rolled 7 using 1d8+6 with rolls of 1.  Cure Wounds on Filimena.

Marik nods in agreement.

"Yes, let's take some time to prepare before moving on. This investigation has taken a much darker turn than I imagined when setting out this morning."

He looks to the wall, where the portal should be.

"Do any of you have ever been to the Underdark?"

Keygan opens the scroll case he previously retrieved then removed and unrolls its contents on a chest. "This might help, it is a rough map of Jzadirune." The map is made of rough tattered leather.



[Private to Filimena the Gentle: Korim is the small dwarven kingdom to the north. They are masters of construct magics and though a small kingdom defend their lands with the constructs they build. Their constructs are both large and powerful, and small and delicate.

A civil war between the dwarves of Kalazanbaar and Korim. Korim developed the Construct technology out of their need to beat the larger, more established kingdom.

Before the civil war the two dwarf kingdoms traded with each other and some of the Korim dwarves even had outposts in the mountains of the Kalazanbaar kingdom.]

Intrigued, Marik steadies himself on the chest with his hands and bend over to examinate the map. He looks at it silently for a few second.


"Do you have any idea where the childrens would be kept in the settlement?"

Filimena nods at Raszire, thanking him, as the last of her wounds close, and even the bruise she had on her arm from where she hit the floor disappears.

"And any traps or secrets we should be aware of?" She adds to Marik's question.

The dwarf looks over the map intently and frowns, "I don't recall any jails or good spots to hold people in the enclave ... but I hadn't been there since I was rather small. The many of doors in Jzadirune are specially keyed to prevent people from getting into some areas due to the work being done in the enclave. I have no doubt that they are trapped as well because they would have fortified the enclave against the Drow attacking."

Keygan then rummages through a second chest and pulls as square rod which is about eighteen inches long and has several notches in it. "You'll need this to get back through the portal here." He pushes on the wall under the stairs and slides the panel to the left relieving a 4 foot round gear with a depressed dark metal center one. There are runes carved into the door. "This is one of the only way to get to Jzadirune. All the doors down in the enclave will look like this though the door slides out of the way rather than how this portal works."

Door + rod/key :


Runes:

This message was last edited by the player at 23:19, Wed 28 Sept 2016.

Marik studies the map for a little moment and nods. He get back up and makes a few steps, his hand on his chin, apparently in deep thought. He takes a looks at Rani and then adress Filimena and Raszire.



"Well, this most definitely isn't what I had in mind when we start this investigation this morning, but here we are. Making a search party for missing children work out well enough as it is, but braving Geddonn...what you call the Underdark... will be a whole different hunt. Raszire, I saw that you could fight and master divine energies to a certain level. Filimena, do you have any skills....besides fighting... that you think could help us down here? "

Filimena looks at Raszire and Marik, then shrugs nonchalantly, as a disembodied voice suddenly appears in both their heads, saying, Well, I can do this

Also, for the moment at least, this, her body suddenly changing into that of the creature which, just minutes ago, had attacked the group. And a couple of other spells besides.

OOC: Not really sure how to represent telepathic speech. Using bolded text here, but let me know if there's another way I should do it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:49, Tue 29 Nov 2016.

As though wanting to help more Keygen says, "These runes spell Jzadirune in dwarf," then points to each rune and spells out, "J-Z-A-D-I-R-U-N-E." indicated which rune corresponds to what letter.

"Master Ghelve, if you do not mind mind, could we rest here for a time to regain our strength and magic. That way we can keep watch should anyone decide to return." Raszire looks at Filimena and Marik "Or would you prefer to press on?"

Marik nods in approval at Filimena display "This could be useful" and turns to Raszire.


"How much time do you need?"

"I wouldn't mind taking a rest," Filimena offers. Usually, in a situation like this, she'd be quite impatient to move on. Raszire did, however, just save her life. It felt the right thing to do.

"To regain access to my more potent spells will require approximately eight hours. I can still cast some minor cantrips and channel some small amount of divine energy. But that would be little help if we were to become seriously injured."

Marik nods with approval.

"My mentor have a saying...had a saying" says Marik. Varameim Hem'hulfuer. "I can't find a way to properly convey what it means in Common tongue and it's obnoxious lack of vocabulary, but basically it means "Who lives in minutes soon meet his hour". "The Underdark is full of spiders hungry for foolhardy flies..."


Marik makes his way to Rani, and sits on the floor besides her. He gets out a little teapot from a sack on her back and starts to make tea, using water from a waterskin and a little burning element. In doing so, as is customary among his people, he can't help but feel his heart tighten a bit in his chest.

It's been ten years since he last prepared tea for a host. Why does such a short time suddenly feels like it was an eternity ago?
This message was last edited by the player at 15:17, Fri 30 Sept 2016.

The dwarf nods to Raszire, "Of course you can stay here for a while, though it is only now midday so customers will be coming and going. I have a sitting room upstairs you may use."

OOC: see G4 on the MAP

"We will keep our eyes and ears open, should anyone with the Laugh or from Jazidrune showup."

The silence settles in, as minutes slowly fly by like sand brushed off by the wind.


Marik removes the pot of water from the fire a few moments before the water reaches the boiling point and puts some  finely rolled, dried, leaves, into a tea pot. He pours some water into the tea pot, waits a few second, and empties the liquid into a finely carved small wooden box. He then fills the teapot anew with more water, and afterward wait a few minutes.

Once the tea is ready, Marik pour some for Raszire, Ghelves, Filimena and himself into small brown clay cups with intricated green vines painted with extreme care on them.

He hands one to Filimena.


"This is Ethariel Emerald Oolong, picked from Vol'ahsr Peak in the Spine mountains. This one always provides me comfort when the time calls for it. I recommend you let it roll on your tongue with some air to let the flowery flavors fully reveal themselves..."


and then to Ghelves, as he continue talking.

"It is said the seedlings were a gift from Vellardin to the Kalazanbar thousands of years ago, long forgotten since then and rediscovered by my people as we scoured the mountains. The plants survived the war unscathed and prospered. We drink it as a source of hope and good omens."

Ad then to Raszire. Marik tries to change the subject, to lift the somber atmosphere still present after the battle.

"Here's to you, master Raszire. Pardon my curiosity, but your accent reminds me of the one from a dragonborn minstrel from Zir we heard yesterday. Would you also be of Zir by chance?"

Raszire gratefully accepted the tea, gingerly handling the small cup "Yes Marik, this is my first trip outside of Zir." Taking a sip of the tea, Raszire did as Marik had suggested "I must admit your tea has a pleasant taste."

Filimena accepts Marik's tea with an awkward smile, recalling all the times her parents had forced her to drink tea back when she was a child and still lived with them. She'd hated it. It seemed silly and pretentious and so typical of her parents. The stuff didn't even taste very good. She doesn't want to appear rude to her new friends, though, and so, following Raszire's example, she brings the cup to her lips and sips it. It tastes surprisingly pleasant, a fact which annoys her just a little bit.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:03, Sun 02 Oct 2016.

Marik nods, listening with curiosity. A few verses of Targana, the dragonborn minstrel, come back to his mind while Raszire talks. He remembers standing there like he did as a child, listening to those who wandered out of the forest (and they were many) for stories of the world and imagining what were these lands they talked about, waiting for the moment to see them with his own eyes. He had growned up just like the mens and womens of his community, unable to stay in place, always eager to look farther, to wander the mountains, the forest and the plains in search of something to use, or simply a little bit of beauty. And while the Ban'thuur had taken a heavy toll, his lust for exploration had not been one of the casualties.

"Please, tell me more about Zir." says Marik, eager to know more.

Raszire smiles, at least you think it is a smile "Zir is dry, hot and sandy. Far different than this land, before I ventured here I had no idea there was so much water and green in the world. I was born in Ziris, capitol city of Zir, the Glass City, the Shining Star of the Sand. Literally made of stone and glass. The dragonborn are renowned for fashioning glass weapons and armor using their fire-breath. Dragon-glass, also known as Zirathnian Steel it is light and strong, durable and also readily accepts enchantment. My mace is one example of Zirathnian Steel." Raszire picks up his mace and holds it out for Marik.

"But what of you and Filimena where do you call home, or perhaps the question should be where do you hail from?"

Keygan accepts his tea and heads back into the main room, leaving the curtain slightly open so that the group can see inside.

He returns at the close of the day and show you how to open the portal, "You'll need this key to come back."

OOC: new thread is up - continue talking here as you wish but we should move the story along some as well
This message was last edited by the player at 19:39, Mon 03 Oct 2016.

As Raszire is talking, Marik is imagining landscapes of hot sand and a giant city shining like a mirror under the sun. When Raszire talks of Zirathnian steel and shows the craftmanship of the dragonborn, a pleased smile cross  his lips as he admire the weapon made of glass turned as strong as forged steel. Raszire only confirm what he felt talking to Targana. He needs to see this for himself. He is already imaging ways to fit Rani to make the trip. Maybe he could work out something with leather for her paws, to avoid making them touch the hot sand....

As he hears Raszire ask of home, Marik smile remains, but change to a more reserved expression, as his gaze turn to the floor. He close his eyes and drink some tea.


"Such a loaded question, despite it's apparent simplicity..." begins the crippled elf, who then remains silent for a long time, in what would be a awkward silence in most cultures. "I "hail", as you said, from many places, yet none I would call home. From what I understand of the Common Tongue, "Home" is a word that carries comfort, security, harmony and identity. In that sense, I feel at "home" as much in the plains, or the mountains, as I do in the woods." He take another sip of tea.

"I do however have taken stronger roots somewhere at the moment, if that is what you mean. Up in the North-West, passed the Gate and near the human capital of Haldrim. There, after the hills of blackened trees lies a forest, haunted by ghosts and fell beasts. It is a place of mourning and lamentation, where the Eladrin still grieve the fall of their city and the death of their royal family. Little did they know that the shadows of the Dark Ones would so soon be followed by even more raging flames..." says Marik, while one of his gloved hands hold and massage his wrist under the leather, as if it was itching him.


"Still, despite all this, the Old Wood still stands. As we do..."


He then turns the head toward Filimena.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:23, Wed 05 Oct 2016.

Seeing that it's her turn to answer, Filimena frowns slightly and looks towards the floor. "Home..." she murmurs. It's not a word she's had occasion to use in a while. Then, making up her mind, she looks back up at Marik and Raszire.

"I was born in Haldrim, if that's what you mean by home... My family were merchants, a long line of traders, mostly dealing in furniture and antiques. We were not what you might consider extremely wealthy, but I had a comfortable childhood. We wanted for nothing, except... We were groomed, my brother and I, from a young age to one day take over the family business. It was understood that we would, just as my parents had, and their parents before them. But it's not what either of us wanted. On my twelfth birthday I ran away. I left Haldrim, hitched a ride on a trading caravan to Cardus. I'd heard they'd been raising an army there. I wanted to join up. I wanted glory. I wanted adventure..."

"When it became clear that was not going to happen, I left Cardus too... I've been wandering ever since... For a while I returned to Haldrim, not to see my parents, but to check on my brother, to see that he was okay, but..." Filimena turns to look out the window. "One day he disappeared. Ran away from home too, I suppose. It was really only a matter of time. We were twins, after all. He might have been a bit more timid than I was, but still... So I left Haldrim. Again. I went looking for him. I've looked everywhere."

Filimena turns back to face Marik and Raszire. There's a calm expression on her face. "There are few places north of the Spine I haven't been," she adds after a brief pause. "Although, I don't always remember..."

"But I apologise. You asked a simple question, and I answered with a longwinded story. Home," She pats her backpack. "I suppose this is home."

"Seems like a very long hunt you have put yourself into." says Marik, as he refill everyone cups. "But maybe he doesn't want to be found...Is he the one you see in your moments of transe?"



[Private to GM: OOC: Can Marik attempt a History check to see if he ever recall encountering someone who looked like Filimena's twin? Marik rolled a natural 20]
This message was last edited by the player at 19:18, Fri 07 Oct 2016.

A troubled expression momentarily crosses Filimena's face, only to be replaced by a stern confidence. "No. If there's anyone he's hiding from, it's our parents, not me. We were... We were close. I did hear rumours of a halfling meeting his description, training to be a bard in Ardenia, but by the time I got there, he was long gone."

"As for my trances..." Filimena shifts uncomfortably in her seat. This is not a topic she's particularly comfortable talking about. "It is not one being I see, nor only one voice I hear."

While Filimena is talking about his brother, Marik takes a sip from his tea, studying closely the halfling facial features, thinking. The nose, the eyes, the chin...Yes, there are similarities...He has seen those somewhere. But where?


As Filimena starts talking about her transes, Marik put the thought aside for a moment.


"I have seen a few of my kin enter transes before, usually to commune with forest spirits or more rarely with cosmic beings. But the communion were always initiated by the individual...and they never were that frequent or that violent."


"Unless they were the result of a curse from the Dark Ones" thinks Marik, suddenly remembering the departed Maeven, reduced to the level of a terror-stricken boar by Drow magic.

"Have the voices always been there or did they started after a certain event?"

Filimena picks up her tea and sips from it. Perhaps this is why people drink tea when they talk, she thinks. To buy themselves time, to think of a lie, perhaps, or a way to make the truth more palatable.

"They are not evil, if that's what you are suggesting," she begins, wearily, looking to the ground. "They want only to survive, same as us, and just as we are willing to injure and to kill so that we might keep on living, so they are prepared to hurt... and to destroy." Filimena looks back up at Marik. For a moment, there is disquiet in her eyes, but this fades quickly to calm, and she turns back away, sighing, then shrugging.

"As for whether they have always been there: I did not seek them. They came to me, through a book, a history, of an ancient city known as Viirapalu, in the far south. I resisted at first, but they were too strong, and after a while, I came to pity them. Algalbassadur, they call themselves, not one, but many, thousands, millions, the minds of an entire civilisation, lost and wandering through the cosmos. They wish to return. They believe they can, through me. But I know it is futile, and I think they are beginning to suspect it also. This is not their world. They do not belong in it."

Filimena turns to Marik and Raszire again, this time smiling nonchalantly. "I don't have to listen to them, to obey them. I choose to. Because I know what it's like, not belonging anywhere. And they give me my powers, which is fun also, so why shouldn't I listen?"

She chuckles, before glancing at Rani, then back at Marik. "I don't suppose there's a story behind him? Or her?"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:53, Thu 13 Oct 2016.

Marik listen closely to Filimena story, occasionally nodding, without saying a word. He frowns a bit when she talks about the capacity of the voices to kill and destroy, but his expression otherwise remains neutral.  His eyes are focused intensely on the Halfling as she speaks, while his thoughts are racing in his head.

Marik is troubled and conflicted about what he hears, despite Filimena joking about it.  She says she is in control of her powers, but her frequent and violent trances definitely suggest otherwise. If the voices using her as a vessel already have such power over her mind, what would happen should she refuse to be their liberating champion in the future? Or otherwise, what WILL happen, as Filimena herself suggested, when their patience runs out and they fully realize she can’t deliver them the freedom they have yearned for ages…?

He feels empathy for Filimena. Being cursed with no place in the world and a missing brother is a cruel fate. But her pact, chosen or not, also make her a danger in waiting. Maybe he should put Filimena down and avert now the possibility of yet another destructive force entering the Spinelands… After all, are the Laments not proof enough of the chaos and violence wrought by demented wizard and foolish warlocks? And should Filimena eventually succeed, the uneasy peace reached after the invasion would certainly shatter with the introduction of another civilization colonizing the lands and extracting resources. With all the savagery, past and present, brought upon it by the humans, the orks and the drows, Marik isn’t sure the fragile ecobalance of the forest could sustain another war.

But, on the other hand, travelling with someone having access to the collective mind of an entire civilization is also a tantalizing prospect. Despite living in the far south, maybe the Algalbassadur would have some answers for him. Maybe their sages have seen what is coming, what he only could catch a glimpse of that day under the stars…

After a bit of time pondering on the dangers of leaving Filimena alive and debating internally on whether the potential for destruction should mean condemning an entire civilization, Marik decide to simply keep an eye of the Halfling for the moment. He’ll wait until he knows more about the Algalbassadur, or Filimena, before he judges if they present a threat sufficient to take action.

Marik realize the room is silent, while Raszire and Filimena awkwardly wait for him to answer. He constantly forgets how quickly conversations are conducted in human cities. He snaps out of his thoughts.


“Oh....Rani? Yes, I have many stories that I could tell.” He says, a warm smile now on his lips. “I have known her only for a short time, but I could tell you enough stories about her to fill a whole winter.” He says, as he extends his hand behind him to caress the fur of Rani neck.


OOC: I imagine Laments as mourning songs that also serves as historical lesson on past episodes of loss and destruction.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:10, Wed 19 Oct 2016.

The panther groans and lift her large head to rub it against Marik shoulder. The crippled elf is almost thrown on the ground by the sheer size of Rani, who seems enormous in comparison to him. As he stabilizes himself, laughing a bit, the big cat passes her head on Marik neck and knock back his brown scarf, loosening it a bit.

As the scarf fall a bit further on the elf neck, you can see a glimpse of what is hidden underneath. Just below Marik chin, you can see a patch of red, deeply scarred skin with stretches of black tissue, where veins pop under the thin epidermis. The burned skin appears to cover all the lower half of his neck and stretches in some places almost to the jaw.

“Really it depends on what you what to know” says Marik, as he pushes back the big cat gently and quickly replace his scarf as if nothing happened, tying it more tightly this time.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:57, Tue 18 Oct 2016.

Filimena sees the scars running down Marik's chin and neck, but chooses to ignore it.

"Why, how it is you came to meet, and to travel together," she replies. "Or do all elves have an animal companions?"

"Most of us do in some form...at least those who remains. It's a long standing practice among the V'aelkith  to seek the companionship and trust of the forest denizens. While most civilizations, including the Eladrin, seeks to establish mastery over the fauna and the beasts, we understood long ago that a better path resides in harmony, balance and mutualism. It is with the help of animal companions that we were able to fight off parasites like the Dark Ones or the humans for so long..." he says, with a hint of disgust in his voice.

“As for why Rani is with me now...It is still a question that bugs me, despite being at her side for ten years. Her mother, Velara, was found by my sister in the Spine and became her companion. Her three cubs, one of which was Rani, were afterward raised and trained by my sister until they were adults...”

"When the Ban'thurr came, I got stuck under a falling oak, felled by the raging fire." continue Marik, his eyes now closed as if the memory in itself was painful. "I can still hear the howling of the flames in the wind. For a reason I can't explain even today, Rani saw me screaming and struggling between the branches and braved the fire to get me out. Maybe my scent reminded her of my sister. She dragged me into the Valar river nearby, whose water thankfully was one of the few things that could extinguish the arcane flames. She never left my side afterwards, despite the forest burning and everything and everyone fleeing in terror all around us…”

He pauses, his hands agitated by a subtle trembling around his cup of tea

“I would be dead for a long time now without this big ball of fur.” He continues, a smile returning to his lips. “She helped me rebuild a house and crafting weapons. She’s been my legs since I lost mine’s under that oak and my most trusted friend among the ghosts. While I lost many, including my sister, that cursed day, I’ll be ever thankful for meeting Rani. “

“And that warlock who led the scorching will be much less thankful when I meet him or her again” thinks Marik for himself, remembering the vague sight of the long-haired form leading the riders, spewing large gouts of raging flames from both hands as they charged through the Old Wood. He remembers the distinct sound of its warcry, clear and feral, amidst all the cacophony.

He turns the head toward Raszire.

“And you, Raszire, what were you doing before joining the church? How did you decide to put yourself at the service of St.Fenwyn?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:48, Tue 01 Nov 2016.

Raszire stares at his cup for a moment "Those days are not something I am proud of. I grew up on the streets of Ziris. I have much in common with the children of the orphanage, I never knew my father and my mother died while I was quite young. Leaving me in the care of an uncle, he was far less than the caring or nurturing type. So I spent much of my younger years wandering the streets stealing what I needed to survive."

"One night, I guess I was a little more desperate than usual when I decided to break into a Church of St. Fenwyn. Thankfully I was not as good a thief as I thought I was, the priest who was there caught me in the act, I was sure that I would be sent to prison for the crime but the priest must have seen something in me that I did not, or he just felt sorry for me. Either way he ended up feeding me and providing me a place to stay for the night. I feel ill shortly after and was sure I was gona die but one night Saint Fenwyn came to me in my dreams and comforted my fevered mind, the next morning I awoke healed. That gesture of kindness opened my eyes. The next day I talked with Father Mogar and began my service to St. Fenwyn"

"When the word came that the Church need someone to travel here I volunteered. I now see that it was St. Fenwyn's will that I be here."

OOC: Made a slight edit forgot a small portion of the story.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:38, Tue 01 Nov 2016.

Marik listen and nods.

"I am not familiar with St.Fenwyn. What domains is he known for? Is he a war deity? One that prefer healing? Was he one of Zir hero who ascended to sainthood? "

"She is a patron Saint of Doctors and other healers of the Dragonborn. She spent the greater portion of her life researching a cure to a disease that was ravaging Zir. She diied not long after finding the cure. She now served as a guide for our wisest healers."

"She certainly is a powerful patron. I have rarely seen someone close a gaping wound as fast as you did earlier. "

Marik makes a mental note to look into St.Fenwyn life more closely whenever he has the time. If she was a savant, maybe some of her research is still available somewhere. It couldn't hurt to look into existing developments on healing potions or rituals to expand his own medical knowledge. Maybe it would even interest the Elders. The combined millennial knowledge of the Elves was extensive, but curiosity was always encouraged and fostered. You could never have too much knowledge.

He refills everyone cups.

"It's a very long road from here to Zir, especially for someone who never done it before. Which way did you pass? By water or by land? I'm sure you have some stories to share."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:09, Fri 04 Nov 2016.

"I joined a caravan that was making its way to Titans Gate, it was a long trip especially with it stopping a couple days at each town or city along the way. But caravans are always willing to take on people to help protect their goods. It was not a exciting as one would expect. The caravan was large and well defended, there was only one time when we had just crossed out of the desert that a band of raiders were seen scouting the caravan. They must have decided their forces were not enough though, because they soon broke off, not to be seen again."

"What about you and Filimena, did you travel alone all the way to Titans Gate?"

So it appears I'm not the only one who's experienced life on the streets, Filimena thinks. Although it does seem he's since found a bit more... stability?

Filimena's train of thought is interrupted when she hears her name, and realises she's been asked a question.

"Well, on some level, I'm never really alone anymore," she replies, once again feeling self-conscious. "This particular journey... to be honest, I don't remember much of it. I was in Arden, looking for my brother. I'd heard there was a famous bards' college there, and it seemed just the kind of place he'd want to go to. I did hear word of him there, but then... one moment I was in a tavern in Arden gathering rumours, the next I was in another tavern, in Titans Gate, it turns out, dripping wet with rain. How I got there, I'm not entirely sure. I can only assume I hitched a ride with somebody. I don't have many people I can call friends, but when you're a young, halfling girl, people tend to assume you're harmless. The more good-hearted sometimes offer to help."

At the mention of her brother, Marik is once again thinking. He knows he saw these traits...or something strikingly similar some time ago. But where?

"Rani and me did travel on our own from Tal'Onarafel to here. I was supposed to meet someone here, but apparently she couldn't make it or forgot about me. It was a relatively uneventful journey, apart from a few close-calls. We departed from the forest during the last moon cycle, at half-circle and made our way across the Burnt hills.  It is a dangerous area for any traveler or caravan, home of former rebellious soldiers turned low-down thugs and high road bandits. That is…unless you now how to follow some of the beast-path that cut through the hills…”

Marik talks at length, taking pleasure at recounting in detail the journey, as he would for a fellow elf.  Maybe it was the battle, but it looks like his guarded attitude has receded and gave place to a enthusiastic young elf rediscovering the pleasure of sharing simple discoveries in a conversation.  A voice inside him still warn him about opening up to these strangers, and it surprised him how much he doesn’t care about it this time.

“Passing near Pallem, Rani and me slowed down to get some reserves. There are a lot of deers in the area and their venison is exquisite. The fact is there are plenty of Daten’sh…hum… what’s the word?…delicious red berries that grow around the villages. The deers feast on these and it gives a delicate fruity taste to the meat.  “

Marik goes on to elaborate on a few of his favourite recipes using deer meat in tartar, in karakoni, or roasted with various herbal seasoning found in Tal’Onarafel, using the Elven names for half of them as he never heard their Common translation (and don’t think there is even one). He then moves on to narrate the days of travel through the Maw. Marik don’t speak of the sense of dread and the sensation of being watched he always feel passing through these cursed mountains, but rather of a few intriguing encounters.

“First, there was this band of dwarves, passing under the cover of darkness disguised as a merchant caravan. I never make fire while camping, apart from a small one I extinguish quickly after cooking, and so they never saw me as I was resting in the dark with Rani, as far away from the road as possible. I hadn’t given them much attention either, except when they suddenly quit the road and made their way toward a wall of the mountain. From the caravan sprung about a dozen dwarves, male and female, wearing simple shirts as armor and bearing arms. Their leader, a very muscular red bearded tattooed warrior, activated something in the façade and they all disappeared afterward in a secret opening, which sealed itself shut a few moments later.”

“There was also this black-armored woman, looking angry but resolute, who made her way southward on horse. It wasn’t as much her that struck me than her polearm and the golden crest she was bearing on it… a half-blackened sun encircled by walls. I don’t recall seeing it anywhere in the Northern Sanction or learning about it. Probably a very minor house. I was intrigued enough to think about asking her, but something held me. There was this eerie feeling around her, something unnatural and unsettling. I stayed hidden and let her on her way… “

After finishing narrating his passage though the Maw, his expression changes a bit as he talks of the last bit of the journey before Titan’s Gate, through the Ban’thurr steppes. There he tells Raszire and Filimena about the desolated plains and a few close-calls, as he was nearly spotted by roving bands of horsemens.

“Remember this large muscular woman, back in the tavern?” he says to Filimena. “She was one of the Ban’thurr. And frankly, I’m quite relieved she decided to go her own way finally. I don’t think I could have resisted putting an arrow into her at one point. As far as humans culture goes, the Ban’thurr are by far the worst of them and a plague upon existence on this land. I would kill every one of these fire-spewing horsefuckers if I could and rid them of existence. “

Marik takes a deep breath and calm himself. He feels the anger rising in his guts.  He needs to change the subject.


“Well, I arrived before Titan’s Gate doors yesterday, around the end of the afternoon. I had some inconvenience with the guards, who didn’t want to let Rani in…but the end I…”

He suddenly stops, as if something just struck him. Now, he remembers where he has seen that face.

“Ah Filimena, I just remembered something. You said you brother was your twin, is that right? There was someone who passed before me as I was arguing with the guards. If I take your traits and transfer them to a male figure, I think that would be just the one. The resemblance was striking now that I think of it. I didn’t talk to him or gave him any attention…I was rather busy with my own problems at the moment…but he was making his way out of the city yesterday… “


[Private to Filimena the Gentle: Dear Filimena. Make of that what you will. I had asked the DM privately a while ago if I could make a history roll to see if Marik could have encountered your brother and rolled a Nat 20 (7th Oct roll). It doesn't imply anything, you have the final say in this since it's your character, but I thought it could make a nice character moment ;). Could also be I have just seen someone who looks like him. Who knows? ]


EDIT: corrected some typos and add a passage that mysteriously didn't copy and paste last night.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:49, Tue 15 Nov 2016.

Filimena had been wondering what exactly Marik had against the Ban’thurr when he mentioned spotting someone resembling her. She immediately straightened up, her eyes growing wide. It took her a while to collect her thoughts.

"A male halfling? And he looked like me?" She asked, urgently but softly, for some reason not wanting to be loud. Finneas wasn't her identical twin, and she didn't think they looked too alike, but sometimes it takes a stranger to notice these things. "And he was here, in Titan's Gate? Did you see which direction he was heading? Was he with anybody?"

OOC: Took a long time figuring out what to write next, and got a bit paralysed. Decided to give up thinking of something clever and just ask the obvious questions. Haha.

[Private to Marik: My main concern now is thinking of a reason why Filimena would continue on the adventure, knowing her brother might be out there.

I'm not sure either if this should really be Filimena's brother. It could be, but I'm also open to the possibility that our DM might have other plans. ]
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:16, Tue 13 Dec 2016.

"As I said, my attention was mainly focused on the two guards before me who didn't want to let me and Rani in. One of them even wanted to keep her in a pen for the whole time I would be in this blasted city. Your brother seemed to be alone from what I recalled and made his way out of the city, but I don't know where. From what you said earlier, he seems to be used to wander about. Given the time that passed, he could be anywhere right now."


From the urgency in her tone, Marik understand easily that Filimena is ready to abandon them and fly out to seek her brother. He was expecting that reaction...and an idea is forming in his mind. Maybe that could be the way to keep her on watch...

He look at the portal...


"Here, I have a proposition for you. We have some children here that needs...and most probably could be... found. From what I recall, we could use someone of your skill in doing so and to deal with these foul things (he point at the grey corpse of the Skulk). Help us find them, and in return, Rani and me can help you track your brother wherever he's gone. We always relish the opportunity of a good [Language unknown: ica]" 
This message was last edited by the player at 18:39, Tue 13 Dec 2016.

At the mere mention of the word "hunt", Rani begins to growls softly and whip her tail excitedly, looking at the conversation with wide eyes...


[Private to Filimena the Gentle:
Yeah, I was kind of expecting that reaction and I had prepared some ideas for it. XD From the result of that History check, I thought it could offer a good roleplaying opportunity for Marik to offer his help to Filimena (with reasons tied to his own background). Maybe we'll find out if it was really Filimena brother in the future.]
This message was last edited by the player at 18:43, Tue 13 Dec 2016.

Filimena's initial reaction is one of anger. He could be anywhere right now. Who is this elf, who dares tell her what she should do? And to do so so calmly, as if it were the most reasonable, most natural course of action. Obviously, she should put her search for her brother on hold. Obviously, she should instead go tramping around some dwarven ruins, in search of kidnapped children who may or may not already be dead. How typical of elves to presume to know what's best, and what's wisest.

It is true, though, and she knows this. He could be anywhere. Hasn't she been searching for him for years? And hasn't her search turned up empty. Filimena couldn't have survived all this time on the streets without developing a sense of hardened realism, and that sense tells her now it might be time for a change in strategy. A ranger and a large, predatory cat could be useful allies in tracking down a person. And there are the Voices to think about too. They called her to Titan's Gate, and to the Scoundrel and Dirk. She is bound by her pact to listen and to obey.

Filimena quels her anger, hoping Marik doesn't notice. She looks to the ground, and lets an appropriate amount of time pass, to give the impression of careful consideration, before looking back up at him. "Perhaps the problem lies in the fact that I know my brother too well," she says, finally. "I've been anticipating his movements, looking in all the places I expect him to be. I forget that in the intervening years, he might have changed. An outsider's perspective might come in useful."

"Besides," she adds, looking out the window. "The Voices seem to have an interest in locating the children."

Not sure whether it matters to Marik, but just in case you want to contest, I rolled a performance check to see how well Filimena hides her anger and feigns careful consideration, and rolled awfully. 6 Haha. So much for having a high charisma stat.

Marik doesn't pick up any sign of Filimena anger. A small grin cross his face when the Halfling mentions the benefits of a outsider perspective, and looks surprised when Filimena mentions the voices again

"Really? What interest would the Algalbassadur have with these childs?"





OOC: Sorry for the long delays! Kinda swamped trying to extinguish fires everywhere in my thesis work. I'll manage eventually!

"That's what I would like to know as well," Filimena replies. "Presumably, one of them is connected in some way to the ancient civilisation which Algalbassadur manifest. Then again, Algalbassadur's ways are mysterious. In the past, they have sent me on adventures with no apparent aim or purpose. I can only imagine it is so I acquire some skill or some knowledge which they foresee shall be vital later.

"Anyway," Filimena continues, trying to change the subject, now that she's made up her mind. Also, she's finished her  tea, and figures it might be time to get down to business. "It seems we might be heading underground. Have you much experience, delving around in dark, underground places? It seems from your stories you have spent more time out in the wilds.

"As long as these are natural caves, I know enough about the Fallen and Geddonn...the Underdark to guide you both, and keep us from being ambushed" says Marik with confidence, although his experience is limited to a few scouting parties and the teachings of the Elders. "The Vael'kith are trained early to fight against Drows, which naturally means learning more about the dark holes they hide in. That being said, I will grant you Rani and me prefer the open spaces. There is something utterly depressing about living in a place without the warmth of sunlight or the watchful gaze of the Moon. It's no wonder the dwarves are always..."  says Marik, before looking at Ghelves, who is at some distance."Well, like this fellow... But you are right, it is getting late. We should prepare." says Marik while also finishing his tea.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:54, Tue 14 Feb 2017.