The journey to Burova is one that the group as a whole end up swearing to never take again by the same route. As if the skies above wished them ill, the heavy rain continued on the majority of the two weeks, and when it was merciful enough to stop for a few hours, a heavy fog would set in, forcing them to make camp until it dissipated, usually with the coming of more rain. The trails that Temnir led them on to reach the capital were at one point hard packed dirt but the rain had turned them into thick mud, trapping boots every few steps and ultimately forcing them to abandon them and cross through the countryside instead. That did not spell the end of their troubles though. Almost as if a daily ritual, small bands of the recently turned would appear and, although easily disposed of, necessitated a guard to be posted at all hours of the day and during their resting hours, the few that they got.

Finally as the day feels to be coming to an end, the actual time of day nearly impossible to judge from the lack of sunlight over the last two weeks, the group comes around a large hill to reveal the city of Burova gleaming though the darkness and rain a few miles away. With every last one of them weary from travel, caked in mud, and in desperate need of a bed softer than the rocks they had been forced to sleep on to avoid floodwater during the night, the group picks up a second wind as they make their way to the gate.

The city of Burova is easily one of the largest civilized locations in the world, the capital city of Caris in Tycosia being the only one to surpass it. Three giant hills dominate the city, the southernmost one housing a large complex of religious-looking buildings, the middle almost entirely covered in houses, and the northernmost utterly dominated by a behemoth of a castle, easily as tall as the mountain it sat upon and threatening to spill over the sides of its pedestal. The valleys in between the mountains play host to a number of other buildings, most smaller than the ones on the middle hill. The bay of the city is surrounded by a large seawall with an opening of a few hundred feet open to allow vessels in and our of the harbor. Currently, it seems that there is a large chain blocking access though. In the darkness, the harbor itself is hard to make out though the two outcroppings in the water where a pair of lighthouses sit are illuminated enough to show the tops of a plethora of masts inside the wall. The wall surrounding the city itself is tall, thick, and scarred from a myriad of battles though at first glance, it seems battles with the undead are not among them. No skeletons or other undead creatures littler the ground nor do the guards at the gate look overly alert to danger as a steady stream of farmers and workers make their way back into the safety of the city wall after a hard day of working in the farms outside the city that the group had been passing now for close to an hour.


As the group nears the gate and the guards come into view better, it seems something forgotten jumps into Temnir's mind and he immediately turns on his companions and speaks in a rapid whisper, "Whatever you do, you must not tell them you are followers of Pelor. St. Cuthbert's word is law here and there are precious few that take kindly to those who would usurp their power. I know this is a touchy subject and I apologize for the last minute notice, but if we are to be able to stay here for now, I need you to trust me on this." His warning is emphasized towards Solomon but he makes sure to take Renard into his gaze as well. To back up Temnir's assertions, there on the breast of each and every mace-wielding guard was the insignia of none other than St. Cuthbert the Cudgel.

Solomon was cold, muddy, and wet.  He was not used to this type of weather and his mood was just as foul.  He glared at Temnir as he gave his religious warning.  Solomon would not forsake his god for convinience, but he also was not in the mood to deal with persecution at the moment either.  He bit his tounge.  The charm he wore around his left wrist was small, and resembled a stylized sun.  While some might recognize the signifigance, to most it would appear as a simple charm.  For now he kept it where it was.  Should the need arise to enter a cathedral of St. Cuthbert, he would then consider hiding it.

Temnir looks a bit chagrinned at Solomon's reaction but tries not to let it show as he turns to the line that has just about led them to the gate of the city. As the last person in line in front of the group moves up to be inspected by the guards, one of the armored men pulls his mace off of his belt and raises it just high enough to hint at the threat of violence. The man who had been trying to gain entrance into the city had to be older than sixty and even walked with a cane. As another guard comes and grabs his arm and begins dragging him away into the guard house, the man looks around wildly and as if he has no clue what he has done wrong.

As the group watches the man being drug away, the guard with the mace clears his throat expectingly, "Name and reason for visit?" If the group hadn't witnessed what just happened, they would have thought that this man had been sitting idly on an uneventful day of guard duty with how he presented himself and at the tone of nonchalance in his voice.

Renard remains quiet at the back of the group, looking quietly from Solomon to Temnir and waiting to see what they say.  He does not want to give away any information that would get them into trouble and so he will go along with whatever they say to the guard.  He isn't overly worried about being caught out as a worshiper of Pelor.  He has made his own way in hostile territory before, and his small holy symbol is easily hidden among the chains around his neck which he can even now feel rattling menacingly, Jeeves probably picking up on Renard's own anxiety about the situation.

Skraag stands in line with the others and watches the old man being dragged off. While he doesn't want any trouble with the guards, he is not in the best of moods. Days on end of tramping through the mud have ground away at his patience.

A dragon should not be arriving at a new city tired old and covered in mud. It was embarrassing.

"We are travellers who have grown weary of the foul weather and seek a more comforting establishment for a few days," grumbles Solomon.  He stands up straight letting the guard know that he will not be so easily assaulted or intimidated as the old man before them.  Solomon knew not what the old man spoke of that got him hauled off, so he said nothing of the undead for now.  Most of Solomon was hidden under a large cloak, giving the man little to judge him by.

Cho'kobo eyed the guard like he did the skeletons days ago, but Solomon held the reins tight.

"Travelers that try to inconspicuously leave their names out of their plea for entrance? Not to mention, you travel with that," the guardsman says down his nose while looking at Skraag as he regrips his mace in his hand. Temnir quickly steps forward and waves his hands placatingly and, in the most humble the man has probably ever had to act in his entire life, attempts to mitigate the situation. "You'll have to forgive him, good sir. We've been traveling for weeks now and the going has been rough indeed. This is Solomon of the Burning Sands, Kuldar Balak, a bard most talented, Renard Waywynd, a wiseman of sorts, and that is Skraag, a kobold of no small magical skill," motioning to each in turn. "As for myself, I am Allistar Hilton, entertainer and this group's guide through Derevaan until we reach our destination of Delgall in the coming weeks." Temnir finishes with a grand flourish and a bow before looking up at the guard. For a moment there is silence as the guard looks between each of the group members and then back to Temnir with a cocked eyebrow and a dubious expression on his face. "Fine, then. Cause any trouble in the city though and it's the Rat Cellars for the whole lot of ya." Motioning them to proceed, the group enters the city by the hair on their chins.

The buildings around the wall of Burova are mostly defensive in nature; guard houses, armories, barracks, and a few shops to assist their living needs including a butcher, smithy, and leatherworker. A bit further in, the lower city residential houses begin to make an appearance, their roofs shingled but neglected and their walls cracked, dirty but still standing. Now that they are a reasonable distance from the guards, the group moves to the side of the busy thoroughfare and huddles around. "Well that couldn't have been less enjoyable..." Temnir mutters, his typical salty self surfacing. "Welcome to Burova, capital of Derevaan, where the rich stay on their hills, and the poor suffer under waves of filth until they conscript out of necessity," he continues, mocking the persona of entertainer and guide he created for the gate guard. Stopping abruptly and looking around at the crowd and the faces within it, he pulls up his hood a bit further and shrinks back a little further into the shadows of the building they're currently taking shelter from the rain under; a cobbler. "So what's first then?"

Tired of holding his tongue and temper, now that the group has stopped, Skraag kicks Temnir in the shin, then tells him angrily, "Dragon! I don't care if these yokels can't tell a Dragon from a toad! Next time you tell them! If they don't believe me I'll burn the lot of them!"

Skraag's foul mood really had more to do with the groups traveling conditions then any lack of respect for his being a Dragon, but being called a Kobold was the stick that broke the bundle.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:48, Tue 27 Nov 2012.

"Son of a-" Temnir makes to lash out and grab the little weasel by his throat but restrains himself mid-lunge and places himself back in the shadows. "If you're so keen on being called a dragon then explain to me why you aren't enormous, flying around, and have a treasure hoard and infinite wisdom hmm?" The argument is petty but the bruise the little bastard had likely left on his shin was worth the hurt ego he was aiming to inflict on Skraag. It had been a long and tiring trip indeed.

"It's easier to believe that he's a dragon than YOU are an entertainer," Solomon said with a half-hearted chuckle.

"As I told the guard, a safe, warm, dry place to spend the night is first..." Solomon said.

Much of his anger having dissipated with the kick, Skraag scoots back from Temnir's grab and strikes an arrogant posture. He listens to the man's rant. It was nothing that he had not heard before, so he lets him finish and answers calmly. Not really caring too much if he changes the fellows mind. After all, he is only human, not Dragon!

"Infinite Wisdom takes infinite time oh wise one. A hoard will come, as Wisdom, with time. As will strength to my wings. One day I will fly and I forgive you your jealousy of my wings and dragon-ness. I am young and far, far from my full power." , Skraag answers as he has a few times before to challengers.

Kuldar kept quiet at the guard gate, coming off as rough and ornery a Dwarf as any had seen- mostly it was just the frustration of their travel, but he was also gaining a quickly growing dislike for this town in general- or at least those that ran it.

The back and forth between Temnir and Skraag did conjure a bit of a chuckle from Kuldar, which was quickly hidden(poorly, on purpose) if Temnir happened to look his way. "So ye be a Hatchling then? That would explain the size..." He lets out another stifled laugh, before shaking his head and turning to the others. "Well one of the first things a Bard is taught is how to adapt to a new locale, why don't I see what information I can scrounge up?"

18:56, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 30,23 using d20+12,d20+9. Diplomacy(Gather Info), Kn: Local.
Gather Info: Looking for basically anything out of the ordinary, or stuff that might point towards our foes.

Kn: Local: Looking for the least infested Inn that isn't tailored toward the rich, assuming that part of town is even publicly accessible(not sure if commoners are banned from the swanky part of town or not)

Kuldar sets off on his search for a half decent inn and any information that may present itself along the way, leaving the rest of the group still huddled under the awning of the side of the cobbler. The alley behind them is dark but from the groups initial survey, rather dry and absent of any padfoots or beggars. With any luck, Kuldar would come back with the good news that this would not be where they had to sleep tonight. As the time moves on while the Dwarf and his mount were absent, the group finds seats on various barrels and crates outside the shop and sets about scanning the crowd to get an idea of the populace of Burova. It is not a very pleasant sight. The men, women, and children on this part of the city look like the group feels and likely are always so by the way they shuffle around almost lifeless. More than a small percentage of the lower city population seems to be dressed in rags rather than proper clothes with the children wearing sacks with holes cut in them and planks tied onto their feet with string for shoes. It is during this time of sad observation that the group feels as if they are being watched. Apparently whoever was watching them notices because moments later, a voice sounds out from the alley behind them they believed was free of intruders.

(OOC: Introducing Inori Korosu! Give him a moment to make his post :P Also, I'm typing this on my phone so I'll have your search results to you in PM when I get home Kuldar.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:36, Wed 28 Nov 2012.

A gruff and aged voice that sounds like it has seen many trials as well as a tinge of amusement sounds behind the party, "Allistar Hilton, eh? Last I saw of you, that wasn't the name you were going by, Temnir Liyaan, and you most certainly never had the knack for entertaining. Quite the opposite actually." Leaning up against the wall of the alley a mere couple of feet from Temnir is a man dressed in a concealing black cloak as well as a cloth across his mouth in a similar fashion to the one that Temnir wears but in dark red. His clothes underneath the road likewise have a dark red tinge to them but are less bright than, say, Skraag's coloring. The skin that shows on his face is, remarkably, even more pale than Temnir's, one might even call it semi-translucent. The main thing that stands out about him though are his eyes; the irises are blood red. At the man's belt hang two long serrated blades, like that of an elongated saw, but that seems to be the only weaponry visible on him. The arm not currently assisting him in leaning against the wall has its hand firmly set on the hilt of the corresponding blade though he makes no movement to brandish it.

Solomon draws forth his tetsubo and steps between Inori and Temnir.  "Enemies of Temnir are enemies of mine; and friends of Temnir, are even bigger enemies of mine.  What business do you have with us stranger?"

The hood of Solomon's muddied red cloak hid the upper half of his face and helped shield him from the rain.  Until, he had the chance to warm himself in front of a fire and dry his toes he was going to be crabby.

Skraag steps up beside Solomon and comments to the stranger, "I'd leave that blade where it is stranger. That is, unless you want to fried on the spot."

Renard was more interested in the ragged state of the people than this new person who had approached them.  How could there be so many people with so little to call their own?  Before he joins the rest of them in the alley he digs a spare robe from his pack and brings it to a beggarly-looking woman who has two small children shivering in their rags beside her, "Here, you need this more than I."  When he turned around everyone's attention was on some black-cloaked fellow.  He quickly pushes a gold coin into the woman's hand and then hurries to join his group.  He had plenty of gold and it was a challenge to keep himself from handing out more but the last thing he wanted was to start a mob or a riot or something like that, so he pushed the idea out of his mind.  There was one thought he couldn't shake, however, Can St. Cuthbert truly be so unable to care for his followers?

Inori's hand lingers above his weapon. There is a softness to his touch, his hand fitting comfortably on the hilt, for comfort more than anything else. His eyes dart to the approaching, muscular figure. He makes no movements. No twitches.

Slightly muffled by the cloth, he exhales slightly. His tone is less abrasive than before. Each word appears precisely placed.

"I do not claim myself to have earned the title of friendship from Temnir, nor would I label myself 'foe.' I watch. I wait. My curiosity has been piqued."

At this he gestures to the group, pointing with his chin. Garb from across the world.  Mercenaries? No, the robed one appears too kind. Appearance. Appearance. If not unified in orders, perhaps unified in goals.

When his gaze meets Skraag the muscles in his eyes, almost imperceptibly tighten. "I claim no power for myself here. Threats are not necessary." His eyes soften and he tilts his head back slightly.

Skraag flexes his little wings and relaxes a bit, although still tired and muddy from the road. He comments, mainly to the other in his group, "It is good to see someone respect a Dragons might, even if it in a small package."

Temnir had spun around, the dagger hidden within his cloak now in his hand, to confront the man. It seems he had been nervous something like this would happen and had made preparations against it. When his eyes meet the stranger's, the fight almost goes out of them completely as he takes an involuntary step back. "You," the word escapes his throat as if ripped from it as his eyes widen. "W-What are you doing here?" For someone who had faced down the undead and certain death on multiple occasions in the past months, the shakiness in his speech seemed to surprise even Temnir, who looked back and forth between his companions and the stranger.

Inori's lips curl into a smile beneath his mask, as they were apt to do when he knew no one could see his face. Only then.

"Business, Temnir. Not with you. Nor with dragons."

His neck leans forward directly towards Temnir, pivoting his head slightly down to the left. His gleaming eyes lock onto Temnir's.

"What's wrong? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

Kuldar's time on the streets had been...enlightening to say the least, he felt he had seen more of this town then any Dwarf would need in a lifetime. He eventually found the others, so drained from the experience he barely noticed the new face- er, mask that was among them. "The state of this place..." He mumbles to himself as he approaches, before looking up and acknowledging everyone. "I found an Inn that likely won't give us any new diseases, though I suggest we have someone on watch during the night...what's this then?" He gestures to Inori now noticing the look he and Temnir were sharing.

"Is this going to be a problem Temnir?  I'm tired of standing in the rain."

Solomon turned and headed to the end of the allyway.  He looked around at the city and shook his head.  "The god that watches over this city does so with blind eyes.  I'm already starting to miss the land of light and golden sands.  Pelor bless us." he says, whispering the last part.

Inori snickers lightly.

"There is no God in this city. Only a name, backed by diplomats who have gone too few nights hungry and too many nights in comfort."

He shoots a glance to Temnir.

"If problems are to be had it's with them."

"No, Solomon, I don't believe so," he says, eyes squinting slightly. The more Inori talks, the more Temnir seems to take account of himself and break out of his fear and move into his suspicion. "You seem as if you know something we do not. I can't imagine what business you have bothering me after all these years and, frankly, I don't give a damn. From what I know of the circumstances of your departure, your old affiliates are no longer around, so that's not your cause, so why don't you quit speaking in riddles and tell us he true nature of your business in Burova or leave us in peace and forget you ever saw us." Temnir tucks the dagger back into his robes, anticipating that he won't be a threat to the group or at least hoping that's the case and the show of confidence would position Inori against such trains of thought.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:30, Mon 03 Dec 2012.

Inori moves away from the wall, taking a step towards Temnir. His hands are off to his sides, clearly away from his weapons. He reaches out to touch Temnir on the shoulder and whisper in his ear.

His head twists from one side to the other, but his eyes do more of this work.

"These matters are not intended to be discussed in the streets. Let us retreat to this tavern your stout one spoke of. There we can speak in less hushed tones. As to my employers, where they have moved to is their own concern and not mine own. Just because we see them not, doesn't mean that none can."

Temnir nods slowly and, still reluctant to turn his back on the man, motions for him to go first before looking to Kuldar. "Lead the way to the inn."

The walk doesn't take long and the scenery doesn't change. Still the citizens of the capital city shy away from the group, still the filth and decay of the city is prevalent, a fact that doesn't exclude the inn they are led to by the bard though it seems to be in better shape than many of the other building around it, being one of the three standing buildings in a series of collapsed structures. There is a pole that seemed to at one point have the sign for the establishment hanging on it but all that's left now is two broken chains, likely the case of thieves or vandals; the group would hardly be surprised. Down the street, the docks are visible but also a more alarming feature; it seems the water has flooded a good portion of the city, water flooding the streets no more than a hundred feet down the road. Putting all other concerns other than getting out of the rain and resting their feet, the group enters Daruin's Last Resort.

Inside, they are neither greeted nor served but instead have to seat themselves in the empty common room and it is only after five minutes of uncomfortable silence that a thin and dirty man, hairline slightly receded, with a sickly look to him comes out. "Welcome esteemed customers. I'm Sven, the owner. Can I offer you rooms and...food?" he says in a way that just screams that he's dead inside and he was doing this simply out of habit. The pause before food was so that he could swallow the grumbling in his own stomach before it made itself known.

During the walk through town Renard grips his money pouch fiercely.  To an outside observer it might look like he was afraid of pickpockets but internally he was struggling not to spread gold to every dirt-stained, hopeless-gazed beggar they pass.  After a short time he stops looking at other people and simply watches the stones pass under his feet until they reach the inn.  Looking down toward the waterfront he can't help but consider how appropriate the establishment's name is, but lacking any other choices and wanting - needing - to get away from the suffering outside, he follows the others inside and finds a seat.  He is still deep in thought upon Sven's arrival and doesn't show any sign of hearing the frail man's offer.

Skraag is not too concerned about thieves. After all he is a Dragon and no one but fool would try and steal from a Dragon. That and the fact of his size makes it hard for someone to take anything without being really obvious about it.

Skraag is not impressed with this city, at least what he has seen so far. The people almost all look poor and miserable.

Inside the 'Inn' Skraag climbs up on the seat at the table, standing so he can see things and reach the tabletop easily. He pokes Solomon in the side when the sick looking man finally comes by and reluctantly offer food, "Can we trust anything we are served in this place?"

Inori motions a finger or two in the air, attempting to indicate he'd like a drink.

He turns to Skraag;

"As always trust must be earned. I doubt most things here will live up to a sane person's idea of trust. So perhaps, settling for it is better than trusting it. I haven't had too much trouble with it myself."

Kuldar takes the time to look over whatever swill they had available before choosing the hardest, cleanest drink he could spot. "So apparently the rich of this town put up a wall around their precious streets to stop any of the regular folk from dirtying it up- this means that the entire city is either High Town or the Slums." He spoke with a modicum of disgust, making it clear that he did not enjoy this city, or at least those who claimed responsible for it.

"Yeah, your strongest drink," said Solomon.  Where he came from,  there were rarely walls.  His people looked out for one another.  Food, water, and work were all shared among the tribe.

How long could or would the poor and starving suffer until they grow desperate enough to revolt against the nobles, who are doing nothing to ease their suffering?

"Could you stoke that fire?" he called out to Sven.

"It seems the living are as willing and able to cause death and misery as the undead," he said more wearily to his friends.

"Indeed they are," Temnir says dryly, all the while eyeing their guest. Refusing drink for himself, he waits until the others receive their drinks from Sven minutes later. Calling the drinks somewhat watered down would likely be an understatement but if the aim was to dull the senses and ease pain, then this was the right stuff. "So here we all are, in a common room free from prying ears, all eager to hear the reasons for your appearance," Temnir ends the sentence expectantly, waiting for Inori to bless them with his actual business in Burova.

In the warmth of the inn Renard was slowly working his way out of the tangle of thoughts running through his head.  He had not missed the presence of someone new and now he eyed the man surreptitiously.  The fact that the others seemed more or less at ease around him was enough for Renard, but he was eager to hear the man's story, especially if it gave him some insight as to what was going on in this city...

Waiting until the innkeeper leaves the room to get their orders, he turns his head to the members of the group.

"Temnir, I trust your tongue has memory of the old ways? What is about to be spoken of must not be repeated, lest the speaker be traveling alone in the near future. Is this understood?"

He waits for the inevitable nods of approval or dissenting groans.

"A beast of a man haunts these streets by night. He kills, I will not say, indiscriminately, but rather that the pattern is yet to be found.  Perhaps as diverse a group as this has individuals who are trained in detecting that which I am not capable of?"

He looks at Skraag and the cleric.

"This city's true face is hidden by the masquerade balls of noblemen. They refuse to see the darkness that plagues their people. Or if they do not refuse to see it, they are reveling in it. And yet, the people here are unaware that their plight is caused by the respectable ones they care for. They vote for. They serve willingly. Do they die, willingly? I've never met a man who has died in that way. So why do they refuse to care for their own? What enchantment serves the nobleman's dire purpose?"

He poses this last question slowly, scanning all of their eyes as if for some treason. They seem honest enough. Is honesty what I need to get this job done though?

This talk of helping the people at least partially rouses Renard from his own thoughts.

"If this.. beast that you speak of is in some way magical or undead then I may be able to sense its presence nearby without actually being able to see it.  I would need to be close, though, which means we must find the most likely area for it to strike."  This was the most he had spoken since they entered the city, and it was marked by a half-distracted quality.  Even Jeeves knew to keep quiet when Renard got like this.

"As he said, I can probably sense it if it's nearby. I don't need a precise location to burn it to ash in any case. Dragon breath can cover a fair area.", Skraag offers to the new guy.

"I take it you want us to help you hunt it down?", Skraag asks Inori.

Solomon looks over to Temnir, "I don't suppose it could be the same evil that escaped Skraag's Mine?"  He kept his voice low so as not to attract undue attention.  "What kind of creature could influence the minds of an entire ruling class?  Granted the greedy bastards would only need the slightest of push, but still..."

Temnir scratches his chin through his wraps, contemplating Inori's words and Solomon's question. Leaning over slightly to him, he mutters softly, "There's a possibility. He did mention having a base near the capital. It's within reason to think that he's manipulating someone high in power to bring the city low like this." Lowering his voice so that only Solomon could hear him, he gives words of caution as well.  Looking back to Inori, Temnir seems interested in the man's information, "If what you say is true, what is keeping you from dealing with the man yourself? Surely a man of your...skills...would have the means to execute such a deed."

Kuldar shakes his head, this whole town could do with a makeover of the drastic kind. "Man-beasts stalking the streets and preying on the innocent? I wouldn't be a Bard if I passed up a tale like that..." His grip tightens on his Axe, though he kept the weapon stowed. "And I ain't no Dwarf if I let this stand." he half-growled from his seat, it was obvious this man's blood had been heated since they arrived, since the first Inn he found was in shambles, since he had to witness children turned to pickpocketing for a chance of survival...survival that was short-lived at best given the current state of their nights.

"Our goals were broad anyways.  Seek out the evil that plagues this land and cleanse it..." he was going to through in "with Pelor's light" but caught himself.  "There is definite evil here."  He took a sip of his ale and cringed.  He looked into his mug as if evil was inside it.  "Let us rest for tonight then perhaps Inori here could show us around town."

Temnir's question ruffles Inori a little bit but he replies starkly.

"And execute it I will. My 'skill' is part of the reason I have not intervened. It is of utmost importance to gather information about this foe. Why, so important for this one? Not so much more than any foe. All those worth consideration of my... hobby... must meet my qualifications. Knowledge is something I'd prefer to have on him and them, not the other way around. I can do this on my own, but if you have an interest in getting back into the game, I'll oblige you. Just this once, since I never got to give you any sort of parting gift."

He looks to the others, his red eyes gleaming... kindly?

"As for your talents, detection of this 'man' would be useful. He leaves few tracks that can be detected by the usual means. Some say he's a ghost. Ghosts are kinder. You talk about undead as if you are quite acquainted with them. Perhaps this man has influence of that sort?"

He leans back in his chair and crosses his arms.

Renard watched this Inori fellow intently, picking up a hundred little question about the man but very few answers.  Obviously he and Temnir were acquainted, but how he could not say and neither man seemed likely to go into detail if questioned.  Still, there were no overt hostilities so he figured he was safe enough for now, especially if this fellow was intent on bringing down whatever sort of evil plagued this city.

"First I think we'll need to know more about this fellow we'll be tracking." here he holds up his hand, pointer up, raising another finger with each question, "What has he done?  Who are his victims?  How often is he active?  Can we visit the scene of his crime or crimes?  Perhaps the most recent one to see if possible."

He looks around the table at his companions, "Any other suggestions for where to start?  I think we should rest this evening to rid ourselves of this travel weariness and start fresh in the morning."  He raises his eyebrows in question, hoping for some support from his travel-worm teammates.

Solomon seems to ponder Renard's words.  "In fact, taking a look at the bodies themselves may answer a few questions.  I don't suppose any of you are trained in the healing arts?  And by that, I mean without the aid of divine intervention?"

Renard briefly mocks a hurt look at Solomon's suggestion, showing a bit of a return to his normal self.  He hasn't forgotten about the suffering outside but now he has a clear goal in mind that he believes might actually alleviate part of the problem, "Of course, Solomon!  You learn an awful lot about someone's insides just by seeing what's there before the magic closes them up.  It comes in mighty handy when the magic ceases to flow, let me tell you..."

The rest of the night was spent in collecting information from Inori while Temnir kept watch, both of Inori and the increasingly suspicious Sven who seemed to be eavesdropping in on their conversation from time to time. While nothing came of it as the group headed to their rooms, shabby excuses for living quarters with barely enough room to fit the over-small feather mattress with quills poking through the lining in all the wrong places and barely enough room to store gear and no proper place to do so. Still, the group was happy to have a bed, no matter how uncomfortable and even with their reservations about the city, everyone quickly falls into deep sleep...

...That is until a man's piercing scream of pain splits the air, jolting everyone with ears in the district upright in their beds with the tone of it. Almost immediately, the scraping of feet can be heard as boots are thrown on, door hinges being ripped open, and footsteps of concerned patrons, the few there actually were other than those in the group, hurrying down the stairs to see what the commotion was. The scream had not come from within the inn but it most definitely was close and nobody in the inn seemed to want to be alone for fear they were to be a victim themselves as can be seen when the group makes it down to the common room. Three men and a woman are huddled together in what passes for nightclothes as well as Sven with a candle and a larger man with a billy club in hand standing nearby, all looking cautiously out the inn's one window.

Inori lurches out of bed instinctively. He hooks on his belt and pulls his hood up over his head. He creeks open the window and silently as possible, and then merging with the shadows climbs straight down the side of the building like a spider woven from darkness.


He glimpses through the darkness of the night, but he is more than used to it.

He scuttles along the wall with an insectile grace.

Solomon lacked the subtlty of Inori.  He came flying out of the room dressed in nothing but a loin cloth and a small tight red turban.  The charm of Pelor, which was constantly around his left wrist, was forgotten in his room.  Pelor's Thumb, his magic tetsubo, was in one hand as he carried a lantern, that was swiped off his bedroom wall, in the other.  Leaping down the stairs he gave the room a quick look.  Noticing that the attention was drawn to the outdoors, he threw open the front door and stepped outside ready to confront the nightmares that plagued his mind as of late.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:41, Fri 28 Dec 2012.

Exhausted from the long journey Renard is not stirred by the screams.  Instead it is the rattling of the chains, still worn around his neck even as he sleeps, and being jerked back and forth so hard that he is nearly tumbled out of bed before he can reach out and grip the edges of the mattress, "Ugh.. Jeeves.. what-" he stops and listens, hearing the commotion from other parts of the inn.  Untangling himself from his blanket he hops up, throwing his light crossbow sling over his shoulders and grabbing his morningstar before emerging carefully in his room.  Following the noise of the others moving about he makes his way downstairs to see what the fuss is.

Skraag bolts upright at the scream. He grabs his pack from beside his speeling pad and slips it on as he races to the top of the stairway. His wings snap out and he glides quickly to the floor below. Following Solomon, he rushes outside, looking around first with his darkvision, then scanning for magic auras.

Kuldar was sleeping in the manner he was most accustomed to- sitting on a hard wooden chair with a half-full mug of lukewarm ale barely held in place by his unconscious digits. A scream woke him from his slumber, his first reaction being to rise and empty his drink with a sour expression, he couldn't help but smile at the little gem adorning his left pauldron, knowing nights like these was what he bought it for.

OOC: Still armored thanks to my Restful Crystal, Kuldar felt that being able to sleep in his armor was a good thing to manage.

As a few of the party members make their way out of the inn in various fashions, Solomon, Skraag, and Temnir through the front door and Inori down the side of the building from his room's window while Renard and Kuldar make their way to the common room, still unsure of what was occurring. One thing is obvious to those that are either outside or can see out the window of the inn; while there are many people watching the streets in fear from out of their respective abodes, none have ventured out into the street. Again, a scream, this time weaker, comes from down toward the flooded section of the city and while there doesn't seem to be anybody in sight of the single dim gas lamp that still miraculously works, the sound of aggravated footsteps in water is easily heard.


"No, no, no, no...." Sven murmurs to himself, rocking back and forth slightly. "Not again. This can't be happening." From around the back of the inn, the sound of Cho'kobo and Kilgur's anxious cries can be heard where they are still secure in their stabling that was provided for them earlier by one of Sven's employees.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:29, Wed 02 Jan 2013.

Skraag takes off down the street towards the creature. He was a Dragon and Dragons did not fear creatures that skulked in the shadows. His fiery breath would take care of it. If the craven beat did not run away.

Renard enters the common room to find his companions and the other guests gathered at the front windows.  He was as eager as Skraag to get out there and help, but the innkeeper's words kept him back.  He tugs Sven's shoulder to turn the groaning innkeeper away from the window and look him in the eye, "What is happening?  Tell me everything you can, man!"  His chains rattle threateningly as he interrogates the fellow.

Solomon looked down the street towards the scream.  His attention was then torn from him as he heard his mount call out.  Without pause he took off towards the stables.  The image of monsters and murderers faded from his mind and was replaced by something he wouldn't be able to fight against.  Before he did anything else he was going to free the animals.

Kuldar gave a loud whistle hoping Kilgur could hear it and do something to meet him, otherwise he'd continue his path toward the stables behind Solomon. Once mounted the Dwarf raises his shield arm and rides off toward the troubling sounds of the night.

In the blink of an eye, Solomon is around the corner of Daruin's Last Resort and around back to the stables which consist of four poorly maintained stalls, two of which contain nervous horses and the other two Cho'Kobo and Kilgur. Quickly unlatching the door that bars his mount, the paladin also has the good sense to unlock Kilgur's stall as well as he hears the dwarf whistle from back on the road. While Cho'kobo waits for his master's orders or for him to take to the saddle, Kilgur races off and almost before Kuldar's whistle finishes echoing off of the broken cobblestone, his mount is at his side.

Inside the inn, Sven stares wide-eyed into Renard's intense gaze at the questioning, clearly in shock, mouth hanging open slightly as if he has the words but they won't manifest themselves. Unexpectedly enough, it is the man with the billy club that answers Renard's question. He speaks in a rough voice in a heavy accent that speaks of little formal schooling, perfect for his chosen profession. "Ain't none stupid 'nuff t' go outside after midnight no more. That be when people get attacked, it is. Never tell us by who or what but the bodies dun look like it be a person killin 'em. If ya want me humble advice, dun make the mistake yer friends made; stay inside where it be safe." To this, Temnir scoffs and speaks quickly while pushing his way through the others crowded in front of the window to look out for himself. "And what makes you so sure that staying indoors will keep you any safer than if you were out there with it? I strongly doubt something that is murdering its way through the populace nightly would be hindered by something as trivial as a window or perhaps even a barred door." Snapping out of his stuppor enough to correct Temnir, Sven starts in a shaking voice, "I-I-It didn't k-kill one of its t-t-targets once. The woman e-escaped into her h-home and it just stood t-there on the hearth f-f-for a moment before runnin off."

Outside, Skraag's pride as a legitimate dragon, which had been called into question more than once recently, dictated that it was the time for action. Charging down the street as fast as his legs would carry him, the dragon contemplated the best way to cook the shadow-stalker with his fiery breath even as he splashed through the water that covered the lower areas of the street. The beast had lost its main source of attention when Solomon went to fetch his axebeak so now its attention was fully on the smal creature running toward it but it wasn't until Skraag neared it that it locked eyes with him and slowly unbent itself up into a standing position. Standing there at the height of a man, with the flickering red eyes looking down at Skraag, the sorcerer's mind begins to fog over and his movement begins to slow. Realizing what was happening, Skraag steels his mind as he learned to do through his studies of the arcane and the defense against it and closes his mind off to any intruding forces. The creature huffs as he does so and bends forward letting out a terrifying roar of frustration and anger before making ready to rip the little dragon limb from limb.


(OOC: Initiative and actions! Those not outside can continue to talk or join in the fight, your call.)

Skraag laughs at the creatures attempt to control him, yelling at it, "You can't touch a Dragons mind stupid!"

He then lets loose his most powerful blast of fire at the creature.



OOC:
Initiative: 21

Current/Max HP: 50/50
Current AC: 21
 - Touch: 16
 - Flat-Footed: 17
CMD: 17

Target: Creature.

Rolls:
07:57, Today: Skraag rolled 32 using 7d6+3. Breath Weapon, Fire.
07:56, Today: Skraag rolled 21 using 1d20+4. Initiative.

Inori watches Skraag run off into the distance, fuming, so to speak. Impetuous little whelp. Nevertheless, an interesting distraction. Perhaps my quarry will toy with him a little bit first before I get to strike.

Inori attempts to jump the ten foot distance across from the inn to the warehouse to his left. He lowers himself so that it's mostly a horizontal jump and he won't fall the full one story. 15:40, Today: Inori Korosu rolled 34 using 1d20+17. Leaping across to the warehouse.

He will then expend a point from his ki pool to increase his stealth bonus whilst utilizing fast stealth to get as close as possible to the creature as he can. This should get him to at least point P2 if successful.
15:48, Today: Inori Korosu rolled 27 using 1d20+23. Stealth to move close to the monster. .

Initiative: 15:29, Today: Inori Korosu rolled 21 using 1d20+8. Initiative vs. scary clawed thing.

Current/Max HP: 38/38
Current AC: 16
 - Touch: 16
 - Flat-Footed: 10
CMD: 21

Buffs: (Bonuses from spells, abilities, etc.)+4 to stealth.
Debuffs: (Ailments from spells, abilities, etc.)
Ki pool: 7/8 points

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Casting "true strike" spell.
 - Move:
 - Swift/Free: Knowledge Religion roll (identify the weaknesses of an undead creature): 16:34, Today: Inori Korosu rolled 14 using 1d20+7. Knowledge Religion: undead weaknesses.

This message was last edited by the player at 06:29, Tue 08 Jan 2013.

Initiative = 12.  Gaming in real life tonight probably won't be able to dump an IC post till the marrow.

Kuldar now reunited with his mount takes off after the mighty Dragon in hopes of doing this sorry town some good. He rode closer directing Kilgur to keep his distance while weaving a new spell to fill himself and his allies with speed, followed by a bellowing War Cry.

Kilgur Initiative: 16
Current/Max HP: 63/63
Current AC: 27
 - Touch: 14
 - Flat-Footed: 23
CMD: 19(+4 vs Trip)

Buffs: ---
Debuffs: ---

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Enter Total Defense
 - Move: Move to L5
 - Swift/Free:

-Note: After Init count 6 Kilgur gains the benefits of Haste and Inspire Courage-

Kuldar Initiative: 6
Current/Max HP: 87/87
Current AC: 26
 - Touch: 15
 - Flat-Footed: 23
CMD: 19(+4 vs Trip)

Buffs: Haste(7 rounds), Inspire Courage +2(? rounds),
Debuffs: ---

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Cast Haste
 - Move: Begin Bardic Performance; Inspire Courage +2
 - Swift/Free: Using my 1/day Lore Master ability to get a 29 on Knowledge to identify this creature and it's strengths or weaknesses.

Recap of Buffs: Inspire Courage +2(Competence bonus to attack and damage, morale bonus on saves vs fear effects) to any allies who can hear me and are within 30ft.

Haste(+30ft base land speed, +1 Attack/AC(dodge)/Reflex, and an extra attack when full-attacking. This is targeting Kuldar, Kilgur, Solomon, Cho'kobo, Inori, Skraag, and if either get within the area and could benefit from it, Renard or Temnir as the final target.

Caring little for his own safety Renard turns and rushes for the door, still holding a weapon in each hand.  The focus of everyone's attention was obvious, the strange beast-thing in the water at the far end of the street.  He didn't know what it was, but he knew that people were in danger and he was hoping to put a stop to that as soon as possible.  He begins to work a spell, making the gestures and intoning the words under his breath as a link of his chain snaps off of it's own accord.

Initiative: 8

Current/Max HP: 76/76
Current AC: 17
 - Touch: 16
 - Flat-Footed: 13
CMD: 9

Target: Monster-thingy at H-1
Rolls:

Buffs: +2 Att/Dam/Saves vs. Fear, +30 ft., +1 Att/AC/Reflex Save
Debuffs:

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Cast hold person, Will save DC 18.
 - Move: Move to N-14 (should be able to make it w/2 diagonal movements)

Notes: Left armor inside due to being in a hurry. :P

Most people would feel vulnerable if dressed in as little as Solomon wore, especially in the middle of battle.  If Solomon felt this way it didn't show.  He muttered a quick spell that would help protect him from the forces of darkness.  In one smooth motion leapt atop Cho'Kobo's back and kicked him into action.  The Axe Beak ran towards the creature in the water, his powerful beak open wide in a threatening manner.  With a grunted command, Solomon stopped the bird just on the water's edge to assess the danger.  The bird honked in disapproval, it wanted to fight.  Pelor's Thumb rested on Solomon's bare tanned shoulder.  "Crawl back into the Abyss beast or be smited where you stand!"  The desert rider seemed fearless.

Initiative - 12

Current/Max HP: 72/72
 Current AC: 13 (15 vs evil) (Broken armor left in Inn along with holy symbol)

CMD: 22

Target: Monster-thingy at H-1
 Rolls:

Buffs: Inspire Courage, +2 Att/Dam/Saves vs. Fear, +30 ft.
       Haste, +1 Att/AC/Reflex Save
       Protection from Evil, +2 AC and Saves vs evil, second saving throw allowed to resist mental manipulation by evil.

Actions:
  - Full-Round:
  - Standard: Casts Protection from Evil on self
  - Move: Ride to J6
  - Free:  Mount (Ride check 21)

"You can't touch a Dragons mind stupid!" Skraag laughs as he sucks in air, his chest swelling outward, before letting out a jet of red flaming death from his mouth, engulfing the clawed creature as well as burning the back of the deceased man. Unfortunately, the little dragon's enthusiasm seems to have the unintended effect of setting fire to the old building behind the creature as well and as the flames take to the rooftop, the screams of terror from those inside the house can be heard over the crackling of the flames.

As the flames from Skraag's breath clear, at least from the street, the clawed creature is no longer there for the briefest of moments until the water where it had been standing begins to stir. Coming up out of the water, flesh burned despite its efforts to mitigate the attack, the creature growls menacingly and launches itself at Skraag, moving with murderous intent. Slamming into Skraag, the two tumble backwards out of the water and onto the cobblestone street, landing just in front of Kilgur and Kuldar, the former who skids to a stop to avoid crashing into the others, causing Kuldar to hesitate momentarily before beginning his performance. The creature rebounds from the attack and uses the tumble to leap to its feet and scan the area and then assess it's prey. Still reeling from the tumble, Skraag makes it to one knee, a few scrapes and cuts making themselves known from the sting of dirt in the wounds. As he tries to lift himself up though, suddenly he notices his strength is not what it should be…

Meanwhile on the window ledge of Daruin's Last Resort, Inori watches the exchange with calculating eyes. Impetuous little whelp. Nevertheless, an interesting distraction. Perhaps my quarry will toy with him a little bit first before I get to strike, he muses to himself before letting himself fall a few feet down the wall before launching himself across the gap between the inn and the decrepit warehouse across the alleyway with a swift push off with his feet. He lands on the top of the building with hardly a sound, the only trace of his passage a blurred shadow in the dark. Cho'kobo turns his head back down the alley and cocks his head at Inori's passing but at Solomon's mounting, turns back toward the enemy he could see. Quickly and quietly lowering himself through the all but destroyed building, Inori rests himself in the opening of a long-gone window, out of the water below him, and within striking distance of the creature.

"Crawl back into the Abyss beast or be smited where you stand!" Solomon commands the creature as he spurs Cho'kobo out of the alley and around the combatants, Pelor's Thumb held threateningly on his bare shoulder. With Renard bolting out the door and Temnir shoving people aside to make his way right behind him,  the creature seems to realize that the odds are no longer in its favor. It begins to look like it's going to heed Solomon's "suggestion" until Renard calls out in a divinely tinged voice, "Hold!" Mid-turn, the creature's joints freeze and it wobbles slightly as if it is going to fall before the only thing left moving on the creature is it's red eyes. "I have no spells to put out the fire. Someone fetch buckets for water and get the civilians out of there while I fetch help, you seem to have the creature under control." Without another word, Temnir turns and runs off down the street looking for the city guard out of sight and into the darkness. Only a few seconds after he is out of sight though, the sound of quickened marching feet can be heard from down the alleyway past the inn's stables.


Initiative Order
21 Skraag & Inori
16 Kilgur
15 "Scary Clawed Thing"
12 Solomon & Cho'kobo
  8 Renard
  6 Kuldar
  3 Temnir

Overall Party Status (Cumulative)
Cho'kobo:Full HP
Inori: Full HP
Kilgur:Full HP
Kuldar: Full HP
Renard: Full HP
Skraag: -4 HP + 1 Negative Level
Solomon: Full HP
Temnir:Full HP

This message was last edited by the GM at 01:01, Wed 09 Jan 2013.

As he feels the spell take hold of the beast Renard calls out, "Attack in full force!  The beast is held but I cannot guarantee that it will last for long!"  Renard was most certainly thankful that that particular spell did not require his concentration, leaving him free to pursue other activities.  He continues moving forward, hoping to get close enough to the fight to be effective without attracting too much attention from the beastly foe.

Initiative: 8

Current/Max HP: 76/76
Current AC: 17
 - Touch: 16
 - Flat-Footed: 13
CMD: 9

Target:
Rolls:

Buffs: +2 Att/Dam/Saves vs. Fear, +30 ft., +1 Att/AC/Reflex Save
Debuffs:

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Drop light crossbow (hanging from a sling) and draw tanglefoot bag from pack.
 - Move: N-14 to N-8
 - Free: Speak

Spells Per Day:
1: 8/8 (DC 16)
2: 7/7 (DC 17)
3: 5/6 (DC 18)
4: 4/4 (DC 19)

Notes: No armor

Solomon had a pair of manacles in his saddlebags, but didn't think they would help.  The creature had terrible looking fangs, that could still prove dangerous.  Also, Solomon knew not what demonic powers the creature possessed.

He rode over to flank the beast with Skraag.  He took a swing with Pelor's Thumb but missed.  The lapping of water up against the Axe Beak's feet seemed to be freaking him out.  The giant bird was being a baby and would not stand still.

Solomon seemed more ashamed that he failed to hit a frozen foe than his loin cloth had slipped awkwardly to the side.

08:31, Today: Solomon rolled 14 using 2d6+7. bite damage.
08:30, Today: Solomon rolled 13 (15 with flanking bonus) using 1d20+9. bite.

08:29, Today: Solomon rolled 12 using 1d20+11. attack.

Kuldar was first cursing his proximity but when Renard's spell had taken hold he now saw the benefit- he just hoped he could act before it had taken it's body back. "Kilgur, slay it!" He calls out directing his mount as he readied his own Axe to bring down on the beast.

Kilgur Initiative: 16

Current/Max HP: 63/63
Current AC: 24
 - Touch: 11
 - Flat-Footed: 23
CMD: 19(+4 v Trip)

Target: Monster
Rolls: 14:54, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 20,17 using d8+14,d8+14. Damages.
14:54, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 21,22 using d20+10,d20+10. Kilgur Full-Attack(if unable).
14:52, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 37 using 2d8+28. Kilgur CdG(if able).

Buffs: Inspire Courage +2, Haste,
Debuffs:

Actions:
 - Full-Round: Coup de Grace, or Full-Attack.
 - Standard:
 - Move:
 - Free: 5ft step to M5

Kuldar Initiative: 6

Current/Max HP: 87/87
Current AC: 26
 - Touch: 14
 - Flat-Footed: 24
CMD: 19(+4 v Trip)

Target: Monster
Rolls: 14:59, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 10,10 using d10+6,d10+6. First 2 damages.
14:58, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 31,26,13 using d20+13,d20+13,d20+8. Full-Attack(if alive and not paralyzed).
14:58, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 34 using 3d10+18. CdG(if alive and paralyzed).

Buffs: Inspire Courage +2, Haste,
Debuffs:

Actions:
 - Full-Round: Coup de Grace/Full-Attack(if unparalyzed)
 - Standard:
 - Move:
 - Free:

Skraag grows large claws and fangs and tears into the thing. He has no magic he can use with his allies this close.



OOC:

23:45, Today: Skraag rolled 8 using 1d20+5. Bite.
23:45, Today: Skraag rolled 7 using 1d20. Claw 1.
23:45, Today: Skraag rolled 15 using 1d20. Claw 2.
23:46, Today: Skraag rolled 4 using 1d4. claw 1 damage.
23:46, Today: Skraag rolled 3 using 1d4. Claw 2 damage.
23:46, Today: Skraag rolled 3 using 1d4+1. Bite damage.

Inori darts from the cover of darkness with barely an outward breath. Drawing his Sawtooth Sabers, The Widowmakers, he takes a single swipe at the frozen beast, recognizing it as one of the foul undead. It would need to be dealt with swiftly.

After striking the creature, Inori seems to vanish behind its massive disgusting bulk, blending with the shadows below the creature. His voice emanates from nearby: "The beast is undead, it must be consecrated or burnt to be fully vanquished."

Initiative: 21

Current/Max HP: 38/38
Current AC: 16
 - Touch: 16
 - Flat-Footed: 10???
CMD: 21
ki-pool: 4

Target: <Scary Clawed Thing>M4 <x>
Rolls: To hit. 00:20, Today: Inori Korosu rolled 51 using 1d20+35. Attack roll against clawed creature. =51 to hit.

Damage: Sneak attack (+4d6) weapon damage d8. Str mod. 0. +2 for weapon specialization. +1 for magic weapon. 8,20 using d8+3,4d6. =28 damage.

Buffs: (Bonuses from spells, abilities, etc.)+2 flanking, +20 (true strike), +5 (bab), +6 (dex from combat finesse), +1 (weapon focus) +1 attack (widow makers +1).
 +2 bonus on damage (weapon specialization sawtooth)
Debuffs: (Ailments from spells, abilities, etc.)

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Attack.
 - Move: To square N4 (flanking)
 - Free/Swift: Activate forgotten trick for 3 ki points selecting Vanishing trick -- used after I make my strike.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:45, Thu 10 Jan 2013.

"Attack in full force!  The beast is held but I cannot guarantee that it will last for long!" A command that the entire group seems to take to heart with great fervor and flashing weapons. Skraag and Inori start the assault on the currently helpless creature, the small dragon ripping with his claws and Inori wielding his deadly dual saw blades to devastating effect.

Solomon and Cho'kobo attempt their part but the ankle-deep water on the axebeak as well as the cramped circle the group had formed around the undead make it difficult to gain purchase, let alone do so without wounding one of his companions; Pelor's Thumb was quite large after all.

"Kilgur, slay it!" The battle-boar bearing his bearded bard heeded the command and tosses his head in a powerful lift that caught the creature in the hip and lifted it off of the ground still impaled on the tusks of the boar. Landing with a thud and a splash on the edge of the lapping water, the fight seems to go out of the eyes of the creature and after a moment or two of twitching, the beast goes still…and that's when the interesting begins to occur.

Before the group's very eyes, the dark grey skin of the creature begins to lighten, it's pointed claws and teeth shorten, it's pointed ears retreat back into a normal curved shape, and before a minute had passed, there before them laid the body of a naked man, faceup in the street with all manner of wounds marring his skin. As the group watched the transformation take place, or rather the detransformation, the sound of the now growing fire Skraag had started grew louder, but not so loud to mask the sound of the now extremely close footsteps.

---

Overall Party Status (Cumulative)
Cho'kobo:Full HP
Inori: Full HP
Kilgur:Full HP
Kuldar: Full HP
Renard: Full HP
Skraag: -4 HP + 1 Negative Level
Solomon: Full HP
Temnir:Full HP

---

Within seconds of the transformation completing, a squad of city guardsmen, closer to soldiers in their presentation, garb, and armament really, came at double time out of the alleyway and quickly surrounded the party, heavy steel maces drawn and raised in preparation to attack. Recognizable among them is the guard that had been on duty manning the city gate earlier that day when the group entered Burova. Once all the guards have taken their positions around the group, a single set of footsteps can be heard echoing off of the walls of Daruin's Last Resort and the destroyed warehouse before their owner rounds the corner out of the shadows. Dressed in the fine livery of what must be the royal house on top of a gleaming silver set of full plate armor, the man carried himself with the authority of the king himself.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" he muses idly looking over the scene before him before his eyes reach the corpse in the street between them all. "Well by my hope of rebirth, that's Abelard Erland. I'd wager a year's salary." Suddenly growing very serious, he scans the faces of the group before looking to the burning building and then back to his guardsmen. "Arrest them, restrain the mounts," he says harshly and abruptly to which a handful of guards approach, including the guard from the gate.

"Looks like you didn't heed my warning. Now it's the Rat Cellars for the lot of you…didn't you have another with you? Your guide, yes." Shrugging, he pulls a pair of dark steel manacles from a pouch that have obviously seen plenty of use. "No matter, I'm sure he'll end up joining you all shortly."

As the guards attempt to start to manacle Renard, and Skraag, others move in to 'help' Solomon and Kuldar from the respective mounts and clap the shackles on them as well. "Murder and arson. Both are offenses punishable by death by order of the King." Seeing that more than one of the group had a few choice words in mind, he raises a hand, "Don't waste your breath on me, you'll have your chance to make your excuses for your actions though from what I can see here, I'm not sure there can really be any."

"Sir, the building?" one of the guardsman standing closer to the burning building remarked.

"Leave it. It's likely a den of thieves or malcontents anyway. We head for Hochburg."

(OOC: So some complicated things to figure out quickly. If you are going to resist arrest or ignore the captain's instructions to remain quiet, now would be the time to do so. Otherwise, I will post again soon to take you sorry maggots to the Rat Cellars! It seems that both Temnir and Inori have evaded capture though. Intriguing. As always, spam OOC with the questions you undoubtedly have for me.)

And THIS was why Renard had made it a habit to stay out of cities.  As always the guards showed up just in time to draw entirely the wrong conclusions from the scene that lay before them.  He was mostly just glad that nobody else was hurt in the scuffle.  He makes no move to resist them, and, though leery of any possibility that his words might be twisted by the guards he still calls out to Skraag, "Let none mend your wounds, Dragon, they are the only thing that might prove our way out of this."

Kuldar's frown was obscured by his beard, but this situation was laughably unfair and was not looking to improve any time soon...quick thinking was called for, he just hoped it didn't make things worse. Kuldar moved from his saddle and began a slow approach to the man in charge while working his magic somewhat warily. "That won't be necessary, my companions and I have diplomatic immunity, I leading a mission from the Dwarven King himself- the ultimate goal is unimportant but it currently has me and my entourage here while we wait." He paused a moment to gauge the reaction, hoping his honeyed words were not falling on deaf ears. "It did not take long to realize this town was in a trouble of sorts, we kept our ears to the ground and decided to act if the need arose. The death of that man is regrettable, but he came at us as a beast so we were forced to defend ourselves, albeit it some of us more zealously then the others." He looked to Skraag at this point, before deciding to conclude before he ruined it all. "We are capable of taking on these beasts, so if you'd rather gain a few extra swords over prisoners, please do let us know."

I italicized the lying part since most of what he said was the truth, just in case that affects how the Bluff check vs Sense Motive would work.

06:00, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 38 using 1d20+22. Bluff(Glibness).

Solomon was not gifted in bluffing like Kuldar; and his shear contempt for the guards would bitter his words towards them.  For now he remained quiet.

Cho'kobo likely wouldn't go as quietly.  While it would be amusing to see a guard lose and arm to the beast it would likely result in the Axe Beak's death.  Solomon started making soothing sounds to try and calm the beast.

The rapid escalation of the events indicated to Inori that their future interventions should be more cautious. As was his nature, he retreats to the shadows of the nearby decrepit warehouse.

His admiration of this group's noble efforts caused his blood to boil and his decision to execute this new interloper was set. He could cross the distance and attempt to slay this man, and even if successful he ran the risk of being attacked by the guards and risking his own life.

I will have to follow behind and see where they take my associates. Then I can strike this authority figure in the comfort of his own den."

Skraag takes the hint his companions offer and remains quite, at least for the time being.

The captain of the guard cocks an eyebrow and looks at the "sigil" Kuldar flashes at him. As he ponders what Kuldar said, the guard from the gate steps forward. "When they entered the city, sir, they say they be travelers bein led by an entertainer of sorts, who do be missing by the by. The story sounds fishy to me, sir."

Shooting the guard a sideways glance as he talks, something catches his ear that he says and he turns to face him fully. "So you were on guard when this lot passed into the city?"

"Yessir, but I don't-"

"You let this lot into the city who no more than a day later are wrapped up in arson and murder?" the captain cuts off the guard who begins to pale at the implications of what the captain is beginning to get after. "A week's salary might keep you from making the same mistake again."

The guard's face all but turns purple in lividity but he grits his teeth, "Sir," before moving back into formation.

Turning back to the group, the captain looks them up and down for a moment, pausing with a questioning look to Solomon who was still dressed in naught but his loincloth and turban before addressing them, Kuldar as his main focus. "Well, Dwarf, I can't say I know much for your customs with how much you and your kind keep secret from the world, second only to the bloody elves themselves, but the law here in Derevaan is strict with those believed to be murderers or arsonists. While your story may check out, I still need to bring you in for questioning. Out of respect for diplomatic ties between our nations, I will let you avoid the Rat Cellars but I can't have you trying to sneak away in the night. Therefore, you will spend the night in The Guesthouse. Yes, I believe that will do nicely. I will have my men collect your belongings and bring them to you, minus your weapons of course." The various weapons the group had on them had already been collected by those placing the manacles on them and were being toted around by two of the guards currently, the one stuck with Pelor's Thumb straining under the weight. "Tomorrow at dawn you will be appear in court to present your case to the King as is custom for crimes committed against nobility. Then we shall see how much weight your diplomatic immunity holds."

The captain had seemed almost diplomatic himself there for a moment but the last line betrayed a smug smile and a cruel intent behind his mask of pleasant words. With a wave to his guards, the four prisoners are herded into the center of the formation with four guards in front and behind and two on either flank with the captain in the middle of the group just in front of the party.

The formation of guards and prisoners marched briskly up the street away from the docks and upon reaching the main thoroughfare turned right toward the largest of the three hilltops the captain had identified as The Hochburg, the one that housed the royal castle. As they turned, to the left, Solomon and Renard both spied a figure darting into the shadow of a nearby building, a potent curse leaving its lips in an all too familiar voice before it vanished into an alleyway. Having already passed the closed gate and manned wall to the other two hills, the third's defenses were, no surprise, more fitting for what they were defending. A thick grey wall comprised of stones the size of small carts reached up twenty feet into the air and was at least five feet thick, a fact easily observable as the portcullis was raised to allow their group entry at the behest of the captain whose name seemed to be General Hovan by how they hailed him. It was once the formation was inside of the wall though that the real defense of the hilltop castle became evident. Soldiers all sporting the tabard of the city, which was simply the red mark of St. Cuthbert surrounded by seven golden stars, milled the area around the stairs to the ramparts of the wall, all armed with crossbows with maces at their hips. Several cook fires were going with at least two dozen soldiers huddled around each one with more on the outskirts hoping to catch some of the warmth they were putting off. In all, there were likely no less than a hundred of them in sight, let alone those that must be guarding the rest of the perimeter of the wall.

Quickly, the procession turned right again heading up a smaller hill that stood separate from the main rise. At the top there stood only one building; a decent sized manor with a large wrought-iron gate surrounding the premises. Outside the gate were four guardsmen who saluted General Hovan as he approached and opened the gate for them. All but two of the guards and General Hovan stopped outside the gate, the last three and the party continuing on into the courtyard. The guards had been having a rather difficult time corralling Cho'Kobo and Kilgur along with the group but with urging from both Solomon and Kuldar to keep up and behave themselves, the two animals had made it there without too much difficulty. Now, without the larger amount of guards to control them, they broke away from the main group into a grassy section of the courtyard and eyed the General and his two guards wearily, swapping the gaze back and forth from the potential threat to their masters, just waiting for a signal to tell them what to do.

"This is The Guesthouse. As one may infer by it's name, it's a place where political...guests find themselves while the King is playing host to them. Tonight, it will be your turn to partake in its comforts. You are free to roam about the house and its grounds but know that the gates will be guarded constantly. Any attempt to escape or make contact with anyone on the outside will be met with a short trip to the Rat Cellars which are conveniently located at the bottom of the hill. Do not test my hospitality. You will not receive another break." Motioning for the guards to undo the manacles that still bind the party, he turns his back and walks to the gate. "Sleep well, we will meet again in the morning, I'm sure."

In reality, morning was only a few hours off but the effect was the same. The house itself was a noticeable upgrade from Daruin's Last Resort yet the group seemed to be thinking that the circumstances of their upgrade could have been better.

Renard rubs his wrists, which had begun to chafe and ache even during the relatively short march up to the Hochburg.  For all his show with the chains and manacles about his neck it was very rare that he put them on, and he had in his possession the key to undo them so that he never had to wear them for long.  Once again he was glad that the chains themselves acted as his divine sigil so that the guards did would not find anything that would provoke their religious zeal.  As these thoughts run their course through his head he steps out the front of the Guesthouse and eyes the gate that they had come through set into the wall which presumably circumnavigated the building.  It isn't long before he is back inside, "Well, it's better than a prison.. marginally.  At least the folk in town can sleep easier now one of their many troubles is dealt with."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:29, Sat 12 Jan 2013.

Skraag walks up to Solomon and and asks him, "Did we really kill that thing? I don't know much about undead thing, but I've heard they are really hard to to destroy sometimes?"

"I don't think it was undead after all.  My people tell stories of men who can become half man half jackle.  I think what we encountered may have been something akin to that."

Solomon looks to Kuldar, "Will your lies hold up to closer scrutiny?  I know the Inn Master was eaves dropping upon us while we were there.  He may be called to help accuse us.  I have a spell prepared that will make all within range tell the truth, but I'm not sure if that'll help or harm our cause.  Though it may help us to learn who among the king's men are corrupt."

Kuldar stroked his beard, looking around before grunting and patting Kilgur's snout to calm him. "Well...we never said we didn't work for the Dwarven King at the Inn. My lies will hold as well as they can, there shouldn't be a way for them to check my status but I wouldn't put it past them to just not care at some point." He looked disappointed, the lie had made their situation more comfortable...but the outcome wouldn't change if all they did was stay here, as they would be forced to do in the Rat Cellars.

---

OOC: Did they happen to search diligently enough to notice my spring-loaded wrist sheathe? If it was noticed he would relinquish the hammer but it would be another tool at our disposal. Granted, my armor comes with gauntlets which I doubt they'd take, so there's always that.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:01, Sat 12 Jan 2013.

Skraag steps back to Solomon and pokes hie leg to get his attention, "I think you are wrong. My wounds don't look that bad, but it did something to me. I feel off and I've lost some of my magic since it hit me. I've never heard of shape-shifters able to do that. I thought they either killed you or maybe infected you."

"May Pelor's blessing banish the curse upon you and lend you some of his strength," Solomon said as he reached down and pressed his thumb to the center of Skraag's scaley head.  "Well, I know not what that creature was.  If we only had the oportunity we may be able to learn more about it by investigating its more human guise.  But...one problem at a time.  How are we going to get out of this mess?"

"I have a spell that would force all in range to tell the truth.  If I do, I'm sure one of their clerics do as well.  It would be simple enough to clear our charges.  After all he who actually fell the beast is not here.  Thus none of us are technically guilty of murder.  Second, the only one of us here that struck the beast was Skraag.  If I'm not mistaken?  With his wounds, self defense against a beast that was more than human would certainly be provable.  Even the fire was done in self defense.  So long as these men's hearts aren't corrupted by evil, certainly justice will prevail." says the young desert Paladin, knowing he sounds both hopeful and perhaps naive.  Were they going to continue Kuldar's ruse or Soloman's truth?

Cast Lesser Restoration on Skraag
This message was last edited by the player at 21:39, Sat 12 Jan 2013.

While the group debates amongst themselves about what their next action should be or if they should just consign themselves to whatever the king and his men have in store for them and try to explain their innocence, a commotion can be heard from down by the southeast gate they had been recently led through. From the gate, those looking can see smoke rising from just outside the wall as well as hear a rather obnoxious bell tolling at uneven intervals. The guards standing watch over the compound all look toward the now billowing black smoke but none move off despite the questioning looks they give each other. None seem overly worried about the burning of whatever is obviously on fire but rather at what is causing it. Again, the feeling that the hill-dwellers care little for their lower-altitude kinsmen is reinforced.

The minutes go by and the plume of smoke quickly changes from black to white and the bell, which has by now woken many residents of the area whom can heard grumbling and moaning all the way from The Guest House. In the opposite direction though, unseen by most, a familiar shadow lurks in a bush just outside a span of the gate. Unseen by the group, the shadow begins a simple spell, a minor cantrip really, and a familiarly put out voice pops into each member's head. "I'm gone five minutes and you get yourself locked up. I should have known. Where is Inori? Why is he not with you? You can speak softly and I will be able to hear you through the spell."

Kuldar was a little surprised by the fire at first, but later when he heard a familiar voice, albeit in an unfamiliar fashion, he was thankful for the opportunity to move onward. "Lad...that friend of yers has been missing since the fight, if he ain't with you he's likely taken off to save his hide. I've still got about a half hour of my little spell left, but even if we get out of here we'd be wanted criminals and still unarmed." He looks over the others, knowing Solomon was willing to escape but was not supportive of the plan. "And if I got to speak with a King tomorrow my lie might get found out, even if I rested and had another spell ready no King worth his salt would be unprotected from something so simple- but we could also explain the nature of these beasts, not that the guards would do a damn thing about it."

Renard nods along as Kuldar speaks and then, realizing that Temnir probably can't see him, adds, "I didn't even think of it like that.  If we can explain ourselves to this king, however, and see if we can get someone to check with the townsfolk who saw the fight, we might stand a fair chance of winning free of this still.  In all honesty I would rather walk out of here free and clear rather than break out and deal with being a fugitive.  If it comes to a choice between the latter and death, however... well, I think we all share the same opinion on that matter."  He looked to the others at that last part, as if for confirmation, though he already knew their answers.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 20:24, Thu 24 Jan 2013.

Solomon was torn.  He respected law and justice, yet here he was, wrongfully imprisoned for aiding this town.  Something corrupt lingered in the minds of the men that ruled here.  Something more subtle than the beast they had recently slain in the street.  Would the truth be enough to set them free?  He doubted it.  So where did that leave the desert Paladin.  He prayed silently for answers.  Unfortunately, only Temnir's voice answered, and it answered with more questions.

"Well that sounds like a resounding 'Temnir please get me the hell out of this birdcage' to me. Now let's see what I can do about that. A little fire here and a little- hey, who in the hell are yo-" and suddenly the mental link connecting Temnir to the rest of the group vanishes. Quickly after the link goes dead, the group can hear a soft thud back where Temnir had been hiding, soft enough that it was probably only heard by those that were listening for it. Indeed, none of the guards seem to have turned in the direction at all.

Avianna grimaced as she stared down at the hooded man's inert form. "Sorry, but we don't have much time," she whispered, though it was unlikely that he could hear her in his current state. It was unfortunate that the man had spotted her, though, ultimately, he offered little resistance before the pommel of her blade connected with his temple. An unfortunate but necessary act, as she could not afford to create further commotion that might attract attentions from the guards that stood only meters away.

Initially, Avianna had hoped to remain unnoticed as she waited to see what the man would do. Having followed the group of strangers as they first entered the city, she was very much aware of the predicament they have now found themselves under. The way that they were unfairly arrested by the city guards did not surprise her, though she could not simply stand aside and let it slide by. No one should suffer from the corruption that plagued the majority of those who governed this city, even if they were mere passerby. Although, judging by the actions she had witnessed earlier, she knew that there was more to the group than being simple travelers.

As such, Avianna had followed the group, disguised as a guard, as they were escorted through to the 'other side' when she noticed a shadow that also followed the group. Intrigued, she had abandoned her initial pursuit and decided to follow the shadow instead as he followed the group, slipping through the fortified wall as he did. The game had been quite entertaining, shadowing a shadow that was competent enough to pass by the tight defenses of the city. A thought had even crossed her mind that, perhaps, her assistance was never needed.

Unfortunately, after the fire distracted the guards, Avianna could not seem to discern any further action from the man. He seemed to simply crouch silently by a bush outside the gate of The Guesthouse and waited. She could not think of what else the man had in mind and patience was never a virtue she possessed in abundance. Finally, the man's seemingly lack of action irritated her enough that she decided to simply take matters into her own hands.

Making sure that the stranger's crumpled form was hidden sufficiently by the thick foliage, Avianna looked up at the tall, opulent building inside the compound. Surely these people knew that they were little more than prisoners, despite the lavish establishment they found themselves in. Or had they naively assumed that the king would give a fair, unbiased trial when he had so easily turned a blind eye on the sufferings of his own people.

The urgency of the situation weighing heavily on her mind, Avianna shifted her gaze back towards the guards, to ensure that they were still preoccupied, while she stood up from her hidden position and wave wildly, gesturing for the group to make their escape while they had the opportunity to do so.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:01, Mon 28 Jan 2013.

The sound of the commotion draws Renard outside again.  After initially looking in the direction of the fire and then noticing how the guards are distracted by it, Renard sees something out of the corner of his eye, a shadowy figure waving to them from a bush near the fence at the back of the building.  He points for the benefit of his cohorts, "Look, that must be Temnir.  Everybody gather your things and let's be gone from this place!"  With most of his own possessions held by the guards he didn't have much to worry him as he hurried to the fence.  He wasn't much of a climber and those "decorative" spearheads at the top looked dangerous.  He looked to his companions for advice, "What do you think?  Should we climb or do we have any magical means of conveying us past these bars?"
This message was last edited by the player at 11:35, Wed 30 Jan 2013.

Solomon was concerned about what the situation would be once they managed to escape...if they managed it.  Would he be willing to kill to escape?  All of this was just a misunderstanding.  A misunderstanding he felt he could clear up if the mind of the king wasn't too corrupted by evil.

In truth, Solomon didn't seem to keen on escaping.  He stood there as if simply waiting to be told what to do, or for the others to come to their senses.

Skraag stands rather quietly near Solomon. The little Dragon was not sure what the humans where planning or why. They killed a monster that was killing people. Why should they be in any trouble?

The fear of being seen by the guard and the uncertainty that the group would even notice her caused Avianna to question her action. Looking at the steel fence, she was wondering whether she should try and climb over when the silhouette of a man came out of the house and walked straight at her. Fearing that she had indeed been caught by one of the guards, she quickly duck back under the cover, eyes straining as she looked up to see whether she could be seen where she was, until his visage came to view as he approached the fence. Memories flashed through her mind as she recognised the man as the one who was smart enough to hold on tightly to his coin pouch as he passed the streets.

Relieved, Avianna stood back out of her meager hiding place and scanned the courtyard to see if any of his companions followed. Unfortunately, to her distress, not only was he the only one to have come but a crashing sound followed not long after while a face appeared near the broken window and began to talk, though she could not make out what due to their distance. That was the least of their problem, however, as the sound attracted a few of the guards attention back to the house.

Cursing hotly underneath her breath, Avianna turned to the man who now stood in front of her and quickly muttered, "Look, I know that it may sound strange and suspicious but I am here to help. I was going to try and unlock the gate for you but looks like your friend has alerted the guards instead. If they come to you, tell them you saw someone climb over the fence. Create some story that make them want to open this gate themselves. I'll try and keep it open when they do." She stood out in the open for a moment longer to see his reaction while keeping tab of the guards in the background, her mind racing for a way to get out of this predicament.

Renard was rather concerned when he turned around to find that not a one of his companions had followed him outside to see what the commotion was.  When the woman spoke and he finally realized it wasn't Temnir hiding in the shadows he was absolutely full of questions, but he knew now was not the place or the time, "I.. need to speak to the others.  Give me some time and if the guards open the gate do whatever you can.  I can't guarantee the others will follow me on this, especially since the guards have all our weapons stashed away somewhere."

He shrugs and lingers for a moment before continuing, "You might actually be able to help us another way - a way that will get us out of here legally and with our possessions returned to us."  The chains that hang about Renard's neck rattle menacingly at the word 'possessions' because Jeeves the poltergeist has the worst sense of humor, "If you can get the townspeople to vouch for us we might be able to convince the King or anyone else important that we've done their city a favor.  Talk to Sven at Daruin's Last Resort, see if he can locate anyone else that was there for the fight and see if you can convince them to talk to the guards about us.  If it takes a little coin to convince them I'm sure we'd be willing to pay you back and then some.  What do you think?"

OOC - However you reply, Avianna, afterwards Renard will head inside and relay to the others whichever plan you think is best.

Kuldar got worried when Temnir's spell or concentration had been lost, the appearance of another figure didn't calm him much but...for some reason he got the feeling they were here to help. "What in the blazes..." He mutters under his breath while approaching the window and peering outside at Renard and some figure. He didn't know how long the guards were going to stand around lazily, so Kuldar sighed and walked to a position where they could hear him.

Kuldar embellishes some quick story about seeing a shadow lurking around off in the distance, implying that something like that was right in their job description. He kept an eye on Renard wondering what was going on out there.

16:08, Tue 29 Jan: Kuldar Balak rolled 42 using 1d20+22. Bluff.
Reusing this since I deleted my last post and edited it into this one? If not then I'll reroll.

The guards look at one another, then to Kuldar, then back to each other before one nods to the other, "Best t' check just in case. Go see if you can spot what Mr. Dwarf is talking about. Could be somethin t' do with the fire after all. We catch whoever did that, sure as salt we'll get a promotion. I'll keep watch until you return but make it quick, no use for anyone else gettin our promotion." While not wholly effective in getting rid of their captors, it did lessen the amount of attention they would draw if any escape plans were to go awry as the second guard trots off into the darkness after the imaginary figure.

Meanwhile, Temnir lets out a soft groan as he begins to stir from his place prone in the bushes but doesn't fully gain consciousness yet.

It was as she feared. These strangers believed in the just and fairness of the King's judgement that no longer existed. The only laws left in this city were the ones that the guards and their General Hovan deemed important enough to uphold. Somehow, she doubted that protecting simple travellers were one of them. As much as Avianna would like to stay and enlighten the group to the folly of their plight, she seemed to have used up all the time they had as one of the guards she had kept her eyes on began to make his way towards the gate. So, instead, she replied simply, "I hope, for your sake, that Lantrest will be present during your hearing. Hovan is... Well, you've met him. I'll do what I can with the witnesses." She had no heart to tell the man that coins would likely do naught compared to their fear of the Rat Cellar that would surely become the destination for those who dare defy the General publicly.

A soft groan that followed her speech reminded her of the shadow she had followed to this very spot. He seemed to have regained consciousness at the most inopportune of time. She should've struck harder. There was no point in lamenting the decision, however. So, with a parting nod to the man behind the gate, Avianna crouched back underneath the conveniently placed bush. Once she located Temnir's barely moving form, she pressed one hand against his mouth before he could alert the guard to their whereabouts with his groaning while her other hand unsheathed one of the swords hanging from her waist. Keeping the blade pointed downwards, she pressed a finger against her lips as a sign for the man to keep his silence. Hopefully, she hadn't also knocked the common sense out of him.

Returning to his friends inside Renard relays the details of what happened, leaving nothing out, "There's a woman out by the gate who wants to help us out of here.  I'm not sure if she's with Temnir or what but she suggested breaking out.  I asked if, instead, she would gather the townsfolk who saw us kill the beast and have them proclaim the truth of our deeds to the captain."  He sighs and scratches his head a bit as Jeeves rattles at his chains like a petulant child, "I suppose you're right, Solomon, I'd rather walk out of here free and clear with all of my belongings intact if that is at all a possibility.  We may end up paying a pretty penny in order to see it done, though.  If you would all prefer I might still be able to catch her in time to have her bust us out.  She claims it would be as simple as getting the guards to open the gate and then holding it open after them..." he leaves the statement open-ended, wanting to hear the others' thoughts on the matter.

Solomon nods.  "I would rather not be forced to flee the city like a common crook.  Pelor has granted me a divine gift that would cause all nearby to speak true.  If it turns out the king and his men are not interested in justice, and I sense evil in their souls, then may the gods help them.  If you see this stranger again tonight.  You may want to have her locate our weapons, and retreive them for us if possible.  Fore tomorrow, King and General will have to choose their fates."

Solomon makes himself comfortable at a table.  "I don't suppose any of you are gifted with the ability to fix enchanted armor?"  He asked, turning the magical broach over in his hands.

Kuldar looked back toward the outside then to Solomon gesturing at the door as if to ask 'Seriously?', before sighing and moving to take a seat opposite. "Sadly I be the one Dwarf who never really picked up metalworking, if we had a scroll or wand of a certain spell(Make Whole) I could help ya there." Kuldar seemed ready to wait this out, despite every fiber of his being saying to get his fine beard out of there.

Renard steps over to the table to look at the brooch in Solomon's hands, "I've got some minor ability there, actually.  May I see that?"  He holds his hand out slightly, waiting for Solomon to hand him the item.  He doesn't actually need to touch it to cast the mending cantrip but it would be rude to do so while the object is in someone else's hands.

OOC - Since mending is a cantrip I'll just cast it a couple of times until the brooch looks like it's completely restored and then I'll hand it back.

With their minds seemingly made up, if not a bit grudgingly from some members, the group settles down to wait for their trial with the King in the morning as the guard Kuldar had fooled into moving away from the gate returned wit ha shrug to his fellow guard. In time, the fire outside the gate was squelched and a semblance of order seemed to have returned to the city, if any was actually present at all and not just a facade of some sort. Some members of the group get a couple hours of rest while others pace anxiously and rehearse what they want to get across to the King during their meeting, fretting that whatever evil possessed this place had seeped into his mind as well.

As promised, as the sun rose behind the seemingly permanent cover of the dark clouds, barely casting any light on the city at all, a small contingent of guardsmen arrived at The Guest House, a few of them lugging along the group's belongings, noticeably absent their weapons. Also absent was one General Hovan. In his place, another officer of a much greener nature who fidgets uncomfortably with his helmet when he believes the others aren't looking. "Give them back their gear and get them ready to stand before the King," he barks overly aggressively to one of his subordinates. Stalking over to the group who by now had come outside of the house to see what was to happen, he looks them up and down as a whole, disgust plainly showing on his face. "Such filth before the King. Hopefully you'll at least remember what shreds of manners your whores of mothers taught you or you'll find your heads misplaced from your shoulders faster than you can blink. Not that you're likely to keep them anyway after what I've heard you're being charged with." A smile that reflects no joy cracks the mans face in two as he turns crosses his arms and makes way for the guards carrying the groups supplies. "Get ready quickly. Your trial begins in half an hour."

(OOC: Forgot that I hadn't actually submitted this back when I was writing it. Whoops! Feel free to offer a retort to the captain if you desire. I just don't have time to finish the update tonight so I figured I'd give you what I had already done. Will get the second half of this post up when I wake up.)

Finally having taken enough abuse from these city humans with there overstuffed sense of self worth, Skraag takes a step forward from his usual place near Solomon. Filled with righteous anger he spreads his wings and puffs himself up to most imposing stature and dreesses down the new officer, "Dumb provincial lout! You think your position in this city makes you special! You are so ignorant of the real world you don't even recognize that you stand in the awesome presence of a Dragon! Dragons don't have to bother with lying like your kind! We are all of us innocent of breaking your laws! Now show me and mine the proper respect or I'll turn you into a cinder for you impertinence!"

OOC:
07:52, Today: Skraag rolled 33 using 1d20+14. Intimidate.

With a pompous laugh, the captain tries to dismiss Skraag's attempt to intimidate him though the quivering in his voice belies his fear that Skraag might just be able to carry out the threat, "Save your breath lizard. I have no doubt it's that murderous temper that got you into this position in the first place! Enough wasting time, we leave for the palace now." The last line was said hurriedly and without making eye contact, one hand wiping away sweat that had begun to form on his brow. Turning on his heel, he motions his troops who have since surrounded the group forward and they begin to walking, poking those who are slow to start moving their feet with the butts of their weapons to get them going. In the dim light that began to spread through the city like a lamp seen through thick fog, the giant silhouette of the Burovan Castle emerges from the darkness. It is clear that the influence of the city's architecture was quite militaristic as the first thing the group reaches is yet another wall surrounding the top of the Hochburg where the castle sits. Again the group passes through with a quick search of the party members and a visual glance over the guards accompanying them by men dressed in sets of armor whose purpose was obviously for show rather than practical fighting; the honor guard perhaps if honor was still a word that could be applied to anyone with a shred of power in the city.

Once inside the gates, the group enters the castle through a small entryway in the side of the main building that leads through a stone passageway flanked by lit torches. The halls are mostly barren and the reason becomes somewhat clear as the path leads them to what looks like a waiting room with a handful of wooden tables and benches and not much else. This seemed to be the entrance for those who had gained audience with the King or his council and where they would wait for their turn at justice. It seemed they were not alone this morning as a handful of others were sitting at the tables. Two of them, men, sat under watch of another, smaller, group of guards while three more, a man, a woman, and a little girl sat at a table in the corner unattended, hopeful looks being shared between them.

"Sit here and wait your turn. When you are called, you will rise and enter the Hall of Scales and your trial will begin. Oh, and if you value your head, you may want to bow to the King." The demeanor of the captain was quite different than his original one when he had first presented himself to the group, now almost pandering to them though if it was the result of Skraag's threats or not was hard to tell. The guards who were left to look over them who kept their distance near the others who had previously been present was a definite indication of the little dragon's effectiveness though, leaving the group free to sit where they would.

(Any last minute plans for how to deal with the King or if you want to try and strike up conversation with anyone in the room should be done now. If there seems to be no interest in either, I will move us forward soon)

As curious as Renard is about the other people waiting to be taken to the Hall of Scales he instead sits near the guards, listening to their idle chatter to see if he can figure out which one is the most amenable.  Should he discover one such, or if they all seem equally aloof, he will approach slowly and ask, "Would it be possible for us to see the others' trials first before our own turn comes up?  Maybe just one?  I have a great interest in these sorts of things and it is my first time in Burova."  This was entirely a lie on his part, but the guard knew little enough about him to judge him on that it might just be believable.  He simply wanted to see the process in action so that they might better formulate their defense.

Or to make sure they weren't headed straight for a chopping block...

(Roll: 13:05, Today: Renard Waywynd rolled 23 using 1d20+5. Diplomacy. )
This message was last edited by the player at 21:07, Mon 11 Feb 2013.

Solomon remained quiet and followed the guards' instructions.  He constantly used his ability to detect evil, on everyone they came across.  If good existed than he was sure justice would prevail.  If not, then he was likely going to have to fight his way out.  He watched to see who carried weapons and who didn't.  He even hoped he would spy Pelor's Thumb, but thought it doubtful.

As most of the group takes a seat or stands near the others to await their audience, Renard and Solomon work on their respective  plans. As Renard takes a seat near the group of guards, he finds that the chatter between then, the little that there is, is mostly directed toward the events of last night, both the thing that landed the group in this situation to begin with as well as the mysterious fire the night before that had distracted the guards. At his approach, the former gets dropped from the conversation and soon, so does the latter, replaced by stares in his direction that are a combination of accusation, disgust, curiosity, and even a little fear at the unknown. With the attention suddenly on him anyway, he speaks up. "Would it be possible for us to see the others' trials first before our own turn comes up?  Maybe just one?  I have a great interest in these sorts of things and it is my first time in Burova."

One of the guards that had been stationed in the room already upon their arrival spoke up in a deep voice which was unexpectedly smooth in nature, like a stone washed smooth by a stream over years; a stark contrast to the man's dark, scarred skin. "Not sure the good general would like that too much but I don't see what harm a peek would do. I can tell you're not from around here and I don't want you to offend the King after all. Perhaps you'll learn something." The guard leads Renard to the door opposite where they entered and cracks it enough to see through slightly. Nodding to Renard, he says quietly, "Don't let em see you watchin or it'll come down on both of us."

The show of kindness, or at least acquiescence, wasn't something expected in a city that had, since their arrival, been singularly unpleasant and ruthless in it's demeanor towards everyone who merely looked at someone wrong. As Solomon scanned the room with his divine gift to detect the hearts of men, it served to challenge his assumption that every person that worked for the King was evil. In fact, out of the four guards in the room, only one seemed to have a questionable heart, and even then, it wasn't very strong to say the least. Neither were those assembled at the table over on the other side of the room tainted with the veil of evil though the other prisoner was. Perhaps it was possible that the entire city was not evil but instead just overseen by an iron fist of corruption. That idea would have to wait for their audience with that fist.

In the meantime though, Renard was getting a bit of a preview of what Burova's council system looked like. It was a long hall inside full of exquisite, if not a tad militaristic and dark, ornamentation. Portraits of great battles and shining heroes flanked the walls between complexly-wrought iron braziers which gave the hall it's light. The flickering made it seem as if the shadows of the room had a life of their own, moving around far more than the inhabitants of the hall itself. Standing with eyes lowered in the middle of a circular fresco on the floor, the judged was silent as a rater monotonous voice read off the list of crimes that the man was being accused of; the least among them being conspiracy to overthrow the empire, a harsh claim though one the man did not seem to be disputing.


The man with the monotone voice stood on the side of the room with a large scroll that he was reading from and immediately, Renard was able to peg him as a spellcaster of some descript. It wasn't anything magical about the man but the dark red robes, staff leaning against the wall behind him, large tome chained to his side, and the small rodent familiar on his shoulder all spoke for themselves. "Thank you Rortie, that will be all. I feel we have enough evidence against this man to come to a resolution." The man who had spoken was none other than the King of Burova himself, a man of sturdy build, a warrior himself likely, garbed in a phenomenally flashy crimson red cloak that rested over his broad shoulders, framing the shining silver chain armor he wore underneath a golden shirt and leggings. The man's face was angular and hard, with the expression of a thundercloud. Dark brown hair with grey encroaching at the temples and throughout his beard placed him likely in his fifties though his physique would say otherwise. No crown adorned the man's head, instead a golden headband with a single ruby inset in the front rested on his forehead, the crown of a warrior-king. In his lap rested a sword truly fit for a king; a gleaming longsword with golden filigree along it's length with a large cross guard with red rubies the size of eggs on both ends and on the pommel. It was difficult to make out from this far away, but there also seemed to be something etched onto the flat of the blade. This seemed to be a man who would take to the battlefield without reservation, leading his own troops not from a command tent, but from the front lines.

"Your majesty..." The mage named Rortie bowed slightly and stood back against the wall fully, taking hold of his staff once again and fetching a small cracker from a pocket to feed to the rodent. Unconsciously fingering a pendant around his neck, the mage watched the proceedings in quiet though his eyes spoke of an analytical mind and great ambition. Surely to become the court scribe, or wizard, or magical advisor, whatever role the man played, had taken years of hard work and politicking. He was hardly the only person present besides the King and the accused though. In fact, the good General Hovan stood to the left of the King's dias, hangs clasped in front of him, boring holes into the accused's head with his gaze. No wonder the man's head was lowered.

"Evelyn, General Hovan, what are your thoughts on this man?" the King spoke without taking his eyes from the man in the center of the room.

"Guilty, sire. Obviously. We've been hunting these damned rats for months now and still they keep popping up from their sewers and dung heaps they call home to bite at our heels. Where else better to keep a rat but the Rat Cellars?" This advice came from the cultured General Hovan who spoke without reservation or hesitation to condemn this man to imprisonment and likely a slow and miserable death. It was the voice that spoke after him though that seemed out of place in a room full of executioners.

"If I may suggest, Lucort, consider this: Condemning this man will end his involvement in Der Leichentuchschutz but it will only serve to inflame the rest of the Shroud Guard into further action.  Would it not be best to come to some mediation that would see a resolution between us rather than further bloodshed? We already know the extent that their leader is willing to push them to and I fear it will only get worse the more that we threaten them. We need a parlay with them and letting this man free may be a way to show them we are capable of a gesture of good faith." The soft but commanding voice of a woman echoed off the walls of the hall as a beautiful woman, the likes of which Renard had never seen, stepped forward from behind the throne and stood as the King's right hand. Long, wavy crimson hair flowed down from her head, her face radiant in the firelight, seeming to emit its own illumination. Dressed in a long red dress absent of the colored gems the rest of the hall seemed to display, her simplicity was her strength and beauty. As she finished and the King began to speak, her gaze drifted past the man in the center of the room toward the door where her light brown eyes locked onto Renard's with a hint of surprise and curiosity.

From behind Renard, that same voice rang out somewhere that seemed a thousand miles away though the hand on his shoulder was very much present. "Best not to push your luck, son. You've seen what the Hall of Scales holds and you'll get to see more soon enough, I reckon. Now go join your comrades and wait for your turn before we both end up in the Rat Cellars." With a sympathetic grin, the guard closes the door and ushers Renard back into the room to face the others.

Renard leaves his spying spot with a minimum of resistance, straining his ears to hear as much as he can as he is led away by the oddly ambivalent guard.  When he returns to the rest of the group he relays as much information about the Hall of Scales and its occupants as he remembers, including what was said between the King and his two advisors.  It was most unfortunate that they were facing off against Hovan, who seemed to have already decided upon their guilt.  He held little hope that the stranger at the gate would come through for them, though he certainly couldn't help the strange feeling that she would be trying her best despite not truly knowing anything about them.

Skraag moves from the others for a moments as they wait their turn and mutters to himself, casting a spell.


OOC: Cast "Mage Armor", +4 AC for 7 hours.

One after another, the rest of those waiting for an audience with the King, either by desire or by force, leave the waiting room and enter into The Hall of Scales. The prisoner never returns though the family reenters the room just as the group is being ushered up out of their seats, looking somewhat disheartened but also somehow content as if they only got part of what they wanted or at a price they had hoped to avoid. It was finally their time to find out for themselves if it was indeed the hierarchy that was corrupting the city from within and, with any luck, they would be able to find out how to stop it and leave with their heads still attached to their bodies.

As when the other prisoner entered the hall, guards accompanied the group as the entered though, in their case, all four entered instead of just one as was the case with the other man. As they reached the same circular area that Renard had seen the other man who was receiving judgement standing on, the four guards spread out around them, none staying within the circle themselves. Solomon had been making sure to keep his divinely granted vision active as they entered in order to judge those in attendance with the King as well as the King himself. What he had not expected as the royal court that had previously been in the wings of the room to be roaming around the room in front of the dias, the chatter among them loud and proper, most of it political maneuvering with each other and pandering to the King who was only able to be seen in fleeting moments. Luckily for Solomon, he had years of practice in detecting evil and he was able to lock his eyes on both the court wizard Rortie and King Vanderdaat himself. To his surprise, neither radiated evil though there were a few in the court that had the telltale red glow around them. They were nobody he recognized, a sea of nondescript faces, but he felt as if each one of those outlined in red would shoot knowing glares his way the moment he looked away, only to be talking cheerfully to another as soon as he looked back.

"The last group has arrived, your highness," Rortie announces dryly to the King, all the while moving his glance between Skraag, Kuldar, and Solomon, seemingly skipping over Renard as the members of the court make their way to the sides of the room once again, leaving only the King, General Hovan, and Lady Evelyn standing on the dias. Quickly reaching into his robes, Rortie takes a handful of what looks like iron dust and blows it towards the group where it disappears into the air. Almost immediately, Solomon's detection of evil vanishes, Skraag's magical armor is no more, and Kuldar feels reasonably less influential as his glibness vanishes. "Spellcasters. At least three, though I suspect all of them have some measure of ability. The proper precautions have been taken, your highness." King Vanderdaat raises an eyebrow as he examines the group, leaning back in his throne and giving a noncommittal grunt and a wave of a hand at Rortie to continue.

The wizard leans down, causing his rat familiar to grasp onto his robes to keep from falling off, and grabs one of the scrolls stacked on a small table before unfurling it and clearing his throat. "The accused that stand before you are hereby accused of the following crimes against the crown in ascending order of severity: Public indecency, public disturbance, threatening a city official, arson, and the murder of Lord Abelard Erland. How do the accused plead?"

Solomon stepped forward and dropped to one knee kneeling before the king.  "We claim innocence.  Our intentions were not but just and honorable, your Lordship."  Solomon hoped "lordship" was the right title.  Those of the Sands had different words for such things.

"Not guilty," said Renard, simply.  He felt it was probably best to be as courteous as possible here.  He would answer their questions and then when it was his turn to provide a defense he would tell his side of the story.  If Solomon hadn't requested a zone of truth be cast by that point then Renard certainly would.  The chains hanging from his neck rattle slightly, the spell of anti-magic weakening Jeeves but not suppressing him entirely.

Skraag steps up beside Solomon and bows deeply the the King. "Innocent your Majesty!", Skraag replies in his best deep and carrying voice.

Kuldar was still admiring some of the architecture that went into building this place, though he devoted his full attention when speaking, using all his years of Bardly training to give his words the power magic can't carry. "To be fair lads, assuming that name be the thing we fought- technically we killed him, but ye cannot 'murder' a wolf, ye cannot 'murder' a rampaging beast. You kill it to defend yourselves and those around ye-" He gestured to his friends and slowly to all of those in the court room. "So no, we didnae murder no man, but to fight off this beast one of our men had to leap to combat in his skivvies- assuming that's the Public Indecency, the fight caused quite a ruckus but saved the lives of many walking the streets, that be the Disturbance, and our little friend here can get a bit excited at times...hence the Arson and threats." He gives something of a scolding look to Skraag, more a 'know the time and place' then 'you done did bad!'.

"While I am sure your guards do not charge through the streets half-naked and setting fire to things, if they did so to fulfill their duties I can't help but imagine some leniency would be made. While I'm not suggesting we carry the same rights as those sworn to protect your city, I offer an alternative punishment: Hunt down these beasts, once we capture another we can prove all the claims I've just made...and if we fail, then we're still in your city under your rule."

Kuldar steps back into line, before realizing something and leaning forward to add. "Oh right...not guilty of the charges presented, not fully at the very least."

13:20, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 30 using 1d20+14. Diplomacy...?
This message was last edited by the player at 21:23, Tue 26 Feb 2013.

Solomon thought Kuldar was jumping the gun with his rendition of events.  He hoped he had not gained offense by setting loose his tongue.  Solmon was practicing choosing his words with care, should he be allowed to use the truth spell.  He used the word 'innocent' instead of 'not guilty' for the very reasons Kuldar had just explained.

After the first few words of Kuldar's explanation, around the time he realized that the dwarf wasn't going to simply answer the dichotomy of innocent or guilty, General Hovan opened his mouth to cut him off but only got one syllable out before King Venderdaat cut him off with a swiftly raised hand. The King has his eyebrow raised at the bard and seemed intrigued enough to let him continue with his explanation. As he finished, the King sat forward on his throne and thumbed his chin as he spoke, "Your account of the situation is quite different from what General Hovan here has briefed me on, Master Dwarf. What concerns me most is this mention of this beast you mentioned the Lord Erland had become when you killed him. No witnesses have come forward to support your claim and I suppose none will." The last was said with a dry tone and a sideways look at General Hovan who seemed to be fuming over being silenced but was holding his tongue by no small matter of self control. Evelyn in the mean time was examining Renard with the same look she had when she caught him peeking with the addition of a small smile in the corner of her mouth.

"Obviously, diplomatic immunity from the King of the Dwarves or not, I can't just let you up and leave without sentence being passed one way or another. As there is no evidence to the fact that this beast existed, and letting you free to investigate would likely only invite further problems, I am unfortunately pressed to judge you as gu-" The King paused mid-word at the hand on his shoulder as Evelyn moved forward to his side.

"Pardon, my King, but perhaps there is a way to do just that." The look she fixed the King with held unspoken volumes, all of which seemed to be open to him as he turned away from her with a pleased smile. "Master Rortie, do you know of a spell that can be cast to monitor if they try to leave the city and track their whereabouts? That way they will have the opportunity to find the proof they seek while not being let completely off of the leash. Think of it as a house arrest with the city as the parameter."

Rortie once again stepped forward, shifting his staff to his other hand and raising his tome with the other, the pages flipping as if by their own accord. "It is indeed within my power. Shall I begin the preparations Your Majesty?" The wizard's familiar had already begun to dive in and out of his robe, each time bringing with him a different reagent to set on the open face of the tome.

The blood vessel in General Hovan's neck was just about at bursting point, his face turning red under the pressure of his own thoughts that it was only a matter of time before they spewed forth in furious disbelief, "You can't actually be considering this. This is ludicrous! These people are murders and malcontents! Letting them free to roam about the city is to invite more chaos upon the city. The Rat Cellars-"

"Is your answer for everything Hovan and you will show respect when you address me or you will find yourself in that place you love so much." That silenced Hovan who murmured a subservient "Yes m'lord," and contented himself to staring daggers at the group. Turning back to the group, the look of scorn still on his face but fading quickly, "I will take Evelyn's advice in this matter. Bring me proof of your claims within a week Master Dwarf and company or General Hovan's suggestion will be considered instead. Master Rortie, cast the necessary spells and send them on their way." Standing, the King turns around the throne and heads toward the large double doors at the other end of the hall, Evelyn and General Hovan trailing behind him, the latter with a last look of disgust in the group's direction.

"Well that was expedient..." Rortie mumbled to himself as he stepped forward, collecting the reagents his familiar had finished compiling for him. "This will pinch a little," he says as an afterthought as he begins reading from his tome and the reagents disintegrate into a sandy mist that falls over the group. Each member's head feels momentarily like it's held tight in a vice, though not painfully, before the feeling subsides. "I will be able to track your movements throughout the city now and although it does not afford me the luxury of visual or auditory connection, if I suspect anything, I will not hesitate to send that brute Hovan after you. Understood? Good. Now you may leave the way you came in. The guards will escort you out."

(OOC: The King doesn't seem to be taking any more questions today. Any questions for Rortie while you are here? If not, then assume you have been let out of the castle and are free inside The Hochburg's wall.)

Skraag can't resist giving the nasty General a finger as he glares back at the group.

Skraag then addresses the mage after he casts his spell on the group, "We have told the truth. That Lord fellow was a beast of some sort. He struck me and his touch sent a wave of weakness over me. Isn't there some checking you could do on that?"

"I do want to tell you the fire was an accident. I breathed fire at the beast to try and kill it I overshot a bit in the heat of battle. That beast was in the middle of killing someone though."

Kuldar couldn't have been more pleased, he got a chance to infuriate Hovan, and had likely left quite an impression on the court...a bard could only wish for so much more, and given the alternative he was fine with a week to work. He turned to the court wizard. "Lucky for us you had that spell, many thanks...Rortie was it?" He heard Skraag and turned to see if there was still any sign of the wound. "Hm...Rortie, do you know if you or someone else in the court could examine that wound, possibly find any residual taint or magic to trace back?" It sounded more the job of a healer, but this was as good a place to start as any.

Renard could not help but notice the stares he was getting from the Lady Evelyn.  He genuinely hoped he had caused more trouble for his group when she had seen him watching the earlier judgment.  When it was his own turn to address the court mage Renard steps forward, "Please give my- ah, our thanks to Lady Evelyn for her kindly intercession on our behalf."  He considered briefly asking about the possibility of using a zone of truth spell to help build a case for the group's innocence but he figured that would be more up Solomon's alley.

Solomon's mouth draped open slightly.  He had been all set to refute the charges, but in what seemed like only seconds things were over.  Had Kuldar managed to use some bardic magic despite the cast anti-spell?  He blink unbelievingly at the Dwarf.

Solomon collected his wits long enough to flash Hovan as snide grin.

He then turned to the rest of the group and shrugged.  He had no idea exactly what happened, and assumed the others were in the same state of mind.  He did notice the the look between Evelyn and Renard.  He would have to remember to ask Renard about it.

"I guess this situation benifits us greatly.  We get to remain in the city free to search for the taint of evil.  I suspect General Hovan will seek to hamper our efforts, but to do so openly would draw offense of the king," he said in hushed tones to his companions.

Rortie listens to the group's back and forth and when Kuldar asks him about Skraag's wound, he simply shrugs, "The field of medicinal magic isn't really a strong point of mine but I believe I have a detection spell that may be of use." thumbing through the front pages of his tome, Rortie finds what he is looking for and begins to cast a quick spell, free of material components. After a moment of looking over Skraag, he shrugs again. "If there's something wrong with the wound, it isn't a poison or a disease. I suggest that you seek assistance from one of the clerics of St. Cuthbert on The Kirchhügel. That would be the hill with the large cathedral on top of it. Quite hard to miss. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some matters to attend to before the day ends. Good day, and good luck. I feel you may need it." With that, Rortie bows his head slightly in acknowledgement and strides back toward the door the rest of the others went through leaving the group alone with the four guards who seem impatient.

Renard gravitates toward the center of the group as they turn and make their way together out of the grandiloquent Hall of Scales.  He wasn't sure what the others had in mind but the court mage's suggestion of visiting the Kirchhugel seemed as good a place to start as any.  Once their dragon was properly mended the they could focus on tracking down more night-beasts or gather witnesses to their defense.

"To the Kirchhugel then?  We don't want Skraag wasting away or turning into a nasty monster now, do we?"  He gave a wry grin, simply happy to be out of the frying pan for the moment.

Solomon simply nodded.  He still seemed a bit stunned as to how recent events had proceeded.  He really didn't to begin making any plans when the guards were within earshot.  He was convinced General Hovan would do all he could to try and hamper the group's efforts.

The group wasted no time leaving the castle after their questioning of Rortie was complete. The faster they could clear their names and be left to their own devices, the better. The audience with the King had seemed rushed, as though the King couldn't be bothered to deal fully with a group of accused murderers and arsonists. More than one member of the group noticed this fact, Solomon chief among them. Now that he thought about it, when the other prisoner in the waiting room had entered into the Hall of Scales, his trial had also been strangely expedited. However, when the family had gone in for their audience, it had taken the King and his advisors nearly a half hour to come to a decision on the matter. Perhaps there was something there?

Solomon was deep enough in thought about the matter that as they exited the Hall and the waiting room, he nearly ran headlong into a pair of guards who were standing in wait, blocking their path. Heart racing, expecting it to be General Hovan's men already, Solomon was surprised to find the same guards who had brought some of their gear back to them earlier that morning. This time, however, they were carrying the group's weapons, one of them carrying nothing but Pelor's Thumb and seeming to struggle with it nevertheless. "By order of the King," was the simple response the taller of the two gave to Solomon's surprised stare. Just as the group moved forward to retrieve their weapons though, both guards grinned sinisterly and dropped the lot onto the ground with a symphony of metallic thuds and clangs. "By order of General Hovan." Laughing sadistically to themselves, both guards turned and walked away without another word, leaving the group to gather their weapons off of the muddy cobblestone street.

At least they were out of earshot of the rest of the guards. Being humiliated by one set of deviants was bad enough, let alone if others were to take the opportunity to join in. As the group solemnly begins to retrieve their weapons, a soft whisper can be heard though the words are unintelligible. At the obvious lack of understanding of the words, a voice snaps into place in each of the group member's heads with a familiar presence behind it. "And this is why I prefer magic during my sneaking escapades. Well it seems you lot came out fairly unscathed. Why don't you casually grab your belongings and make your way towards the copse of trees over by the wall. I believe I've made some friends and they seem eager to meet you. They were even ready to risk their scrawny necks to free you. You should feel honored." The familiar wave of sarcasm washed over the last bit but he didn't seem to be lying. Looking over to where Temnir had told them to move to, the black-clad figure was leaning against a tree part way into the copse, nearly invisible in the shadows unless you were looking to find him. "Well, we haven't got all day!"

With a piercing glance at the retreating guards' backs Renard lets out a weary sigh.  Why did they have to go and spoil his good mood?  Temnir's sarcastic comments echoing in his head certainly didn't help as he gathered up his crossbow and mace.  Once the rest of the group had sorted their own belongings out he would walk with them oh-so-casually to the small stand of trees where their hidden ally waited.

"Did you meet the woman who offered to help us escape from the 'guest house'?  She popped up right after you went quiet on us last time you used that spell."

Not bothering to move from the tree he was leaning on, Temnir simply jerked a thumb behind him where not only the woman from earlier but about 10 others all wearing dark clothes or mismatched pieces of leather armor. Some carried weapons while others did not though by the way they carried themselves and the trinkets around their necks, it was likely safe to assume that they were really unarmed. One of the men who had been standing next to the mystery woman said a few words to her and then walked forward to meet the party. The man was tall and had a humble look to him, even in front of strangers. An undecorated leather eyepatch covered one of his eyes and he walked with the assistance of a walking stick though he couldn't be more than 30 years of age at the very most. Despite his visible weaknesses, he seemed ready to go to war with the amount of vials and potions of all different colors that were hanging from straps, belts, and stuffed into coat pockets. When he spoke, it was in a jovial tone though one that seemed somewhat forced, as if it used to be his usual tone but now it was just kept up as a facade.

"Well I have to admit, I didn't think that the King would let you get off that easy. Your friend and V convinced us you were valuable enough to warrant a rescue should it be needed though I am quite glad it was not. We are spread quite thin as it is and an operation like that was sure to have caused casualties...on both sides." He seemed sad about that. "But where are my manners? I'm Cristoph Lamprecht, an...er...acquaintance of that Temnir fellow." He looked around uncomfortably behind the group to see if there were any guards within earshot that might pick up on the conversation. "I'd be happy to explain everything in greater detail but perhaps that would be suited to a more secure location. For know, know that we are friends, the only ones you're likely to find in this city anymore, and we believe we can be of mutual assistance to each other." He stretched a hand out toward the group, seeming to hope someone will step forward and take it.


This message was last edited by the GM at 22:16, Fri 08 Mar 2013.

Skraag steps forward and takes the offered hand. "I'm Skraag the Dragon. pleased to meet you."

"Careful," joked Renard, "he's a mite ill after the fight with that.. thing from the other night."  He bows slightly then steps forward to shake Cristoph's hand, "The name's Renard."  He turns and does repeats the introduction to the woman he had spoken to the night before, "Forgive me for skipping the formal introductions when last we met."

Kuldar spread his arms wide and greeted the group, once again reunited with Temnir. "Friends be a good thing to have right now, let us be off to discuss further, aye?" The Dwarf would heartily return the offered hand, but took extra caution given the apparent fragility of this man.

Using Loremaster for 29 on Knowledge(Local) for anything I might have heard about Christophe and his 'associates' while out and about the other day.

The motley crew looked more like the types to need help not the types to offer it.  Solomon sensed a bargaining for aid in their future.  Still, they spoke wise when they mentioned getting off of the streets before details were discussed.  With a sweeping arm gesture Solomon invited them to lead the way.  This was their city afterall.

"Excellent." Cristoph seemed genuinely pleased that the group was amenable to accompanying his rag tag team. "I hope you don't mind taking a few more back alley ways. The city is not as friendly as it once was and now the dark places that would normally be feared for cutpurses and murderers are safe havens now that their ilk walk the streets in the guise of soldiers. Come, let's make haste."

There didn't seem to be much to say other than that so Cristoph turned and headed towards the back of the grove of trees where two old pines pushed up against the masonry, hiding a small breakthrough that the leader of this group nimbly dodged through. Just as it was the group's turn to follow, a noise from behind causes them to turn towards the shuffling in the bush...when snorking can begin to be heard. Shortly after, Kilgur's head pops out of a bush and his features brighten at the sight of his master whom he had been forced to leave behind at The Guest House during the trial. The boar's return marked the now noticeable absence of Cho'Kobo. Temnir could tell Solomon's gears had begun turning with thoughts toward his mount. "Don't you have the power to bring that big bird to you? Like you did while we were stuck in that mine last week? I'm sure he's fine. If anything, I'd worry about any guards who get in his way," Temnir chuckled as he ducked through the hole after the rest.

---

The Dancing Dervish. It had taken them the better part of an hour to reach their destination but what stood before them hardly looked like the headquarters of whatever group this woman and Cristoph belonged to. While it was indeed a three storied building, possibly serving as an inn or some similar function, those currently present could probably fill a large majority of the rooms it would have inside, and that assumed that these were all of the members. Luckily, the building seemed to be in much better shape than Daruin's Last Resort had and upon entering, it seemed the interior seemed to be better off as well. Surprisingly, the smell of hot cider and apple pie wafted throughout the place, causing more than one stomach in the group to break down into rumbling.

"Charlene, I see you're making good use of those apples we got you from the orchard. You'll have to send some down with whoever comes in after us." A soft chuckle and a soft noise of assent drifted out of the kitchen with the smells as a woman with thick brown curls and blue almond eyes stuck her head out of the kitchen access window. Seeing that Cristoph had other with him other than those of his original company, she refrained from conversing further and just nodded before leaning back into the kitchen. "Out caretaker, Charlene. She runs the half-way house we have set up here for those who have fallen on hard times or have had them fall on them," he explained over his shoulder as he led the group down a hallway and into the room at the end.

"If you'd be so kind to stand on the rug." The rug in question took up a good portion of the center of the room, an ornate wooden dining table in the center, devoid of setting currently with the exclusion of a tablecloth and two burnished iron candelabra. Once everyone was in place, Cristoph leans over to one of the candles and lifts it out of its holder to reveal a small chain attached to the bottom which extends as he pull it out. As he replaces the candle, the room seems to jerk while gears, pulleys, and chains can be heard beneath the floor as the center of the room begins to descend into the ground. Cristoph, the mystery woman, and their members, as well as even Temnir didn't seem to be surprised by the vertical movement though the sorcerer did seem to be taking careful note of something.

As the lift comes to a sudden stop about twenty feet below, a stone hallway lies before them and the party disembarks the moving floor just as it begins to raise up again and take its place as a simple table once again. Rounding a corner, the hallway opens up into a large room with a cistern in the middle. Lounging around in uncomfortable looking chairs, practicing swordplay and archery on wooden and hay dummies and targets, and examining maps on a large table, are a small handful of people, primarily humans though a few gnomes, halflings, even a pair of dwarves. All but the woman and Cristoph move into the room to greet their friends and leave the party to speak with Cristoph.

"I'm sure you have many questions of Avianna and myself and we'll be sure to see them all answered if we can. First of all, welcome to one of the safehouses of Der Leichentuchschutz. You may call it The Shroud Guard or just The Guard for short if you wish. Most everyone does anyway. The other name is more a formality than anything." Leading the group to the table with the maps on it, Cristoph dismisses a rather ragged man with a bow strapped to his back with a soft word. He doesn't look thrilled but takes the order without hesitation. Taking a seat and motioning for the others to do so as well, he folds his hands in front of him with a quick glance at what documents are currently on display; a blueprint of what looks like a dock-side warehouse and its interior. "While I could talk you death about what I believe your questions to be, I think it would be best if I let you choose what is important for you to know."

Renard glances around the table at the others as if to take some sort of cue from them about how to handle all of this new information.  His gaze finally settles on Temnir for a few moments before sliding back to Christoph.  He can feel a tugging on his chains as Jeeves tries to annoy him once more, but the poltergeist had refrained from rattling during their stay in the Hochburg which probably meant quite a bit more than Renard was currently willing to admit to himself.  He speaks up first, "I thank you for your hospitality but I feel it best to warn you as you seem to be friends of Temnir's.  We are only released into the city and not beyond the walls.  They claimed to have means of keeping track of our movements within the city so if this place is a secret from the king and his advisers it may not be so for long."  He looks back at the others in his group, particularly at Solomon and Kuldar who, it seemed to him, had been somewhat sharing in the leadership roles.  He wasn't sure how much they wanted to reveal to this group so he didn't explain further about their current situation.

Solomon had left Cho'Kobo with the guards for two reasons.  First, they deserved it, Cho'kobo was going to make sure they were punished for their deeds.  Second, stabling was free.  Still, he wouldn't wait too long.  It was only a matter of time before the Axe Beak was considered too big of a pain in the ass to let live.

"I suppose my first question is who are you people?  What is all of this?  Who is it you rebel against?"  Solomon had suspicions but wanted names and details.  The city was obviously corrupt, but who was responsible for it was still hard to determine.  The king did not have an evil aura.  Could is be simple ignorance?  Was the king just a tool of darker forces?

"And what are you wanting from us?" he asked rubbing his chin.  They still had to clear their names, after all.

Uncharacteristically quiet, Avianna chose to stay her tongue as the group made their way into The Shroud Guard's safe house. A part of her had wanted to greet the man whom she had met, briefly, during the previous night but she realised that it would probably be best to let Christoph introduce the group. After all, after her impulsive decision last night, she was not in a hurry to overstep her position again. Besides, time to mull over the events over the past few hours would surely be sorely needed. From being taken prisoners, to having been 'released' and now meeting with The Guard. She knew that, should she was placed in their position, there would be many information to take in and questions to ask.

Unsurprisingly, not long after Christoph had spoken, the clearly desert-born man released a torrent of questions. Sparing a glance towards Christoph for his reaction, Avianna waited to see whether she should address some of the issues their guests seemed to have or if he would be the one to enlighten them. The result of her last attempt still fresh in her mind, she was quite reluctant to speak up.

First and foremost, Cristoph dispelled Renard's worry about being tracked by the Rortie's magic with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry about that. We've long since dealt with the problem of members of our group being tagged and sent back to us in an attempt to divine our hideouts. Just a matter of obscuring the exact location of the beacon with a few well-placed wards. Right now, to that court wizard of Lucort's, you probably seem to be wandering the streets above. The same can be said for the rest of the safe houses." Eyes suddenly hardening and mouth snapping shut audibly, Cristoph seems to realize he may have said a bit more than he had intended. Clearing his throat, he continues by addressing the barrage of questions from Solomon.

"Well, as I mentioned, we are the Shroud Guard. The members are nothing entirely special. Yes, we all have some skill or another than we put forward for the greater good of the organization but at heart, we're all just concerned citizens of the capital that want to take our city back. Personally, I am the chief medical officer of the Guard and the Watcher of this safe house. And hopefully that beings to answer your other questions as well. The aim of the Guard is to either dethrone the current King in favor of someone who would have the people's best interest at heart, not just the rich ones mind you, or to at least get the King to acknowledge a list of grievances against the people of the Lower City.

"Our methods are in line with our goals as well. We don't harm the innocent under any circumstances and, when possible, we take our targets alive to be held and questioned. That's how we get the majority of our intelligence. There is, of course, the more risky way that we employed this morning as we spied on your proceedings through a crawlspace in the ceiling of the Hall of Scales but the security around the castle is tight and being caught inside the Hochburg without permission is a one-way ticket to the Rat Cellars if ever there was one.

"As to what we want from you, simply, we want your help in furthering our efforts. Avianna here has been keeping an eye on you since you entered the city and despite the association with that member of Verdammten, you seem to be clean and genuinely concerned for the people of Burova." Temnir stiffened visibly at the name but said nothing. "We were hoping as kindred spirits we could ask for a bit of a favor, especially now that you have a bit of leniency to explore the city in it's fullest; something we only gain by subterfuge and stealth. We know that you slew the creature known as Lord Abelard Erland but we don't believe that he is the only one. Up on Estage Paar, where the nobility and wealthy merchants of the city reside, we believe there to be a group of them gathered somewhere. Now that one of their number has been killed, it is only a matter of time before the rest come to take his hunting ground." Cristoph didn't seem to like thinking of the city in those terms but he hid it well. "Will you help our city?"

"It seems the sands blow in the same direction.  It is as if our destinies are intertwined.  By helping you, we help ourselves."  Solomon turned around and looked at each of his companions.  He doubted any of them would disagree, and even if they did, he doubted any of them had a different course of action planned.

"Tell us what you know of Lord Elrand, and the creature he had become.  Was he always such a beast or was he transformed by curse of magic?"

On the heels of Solomon's question Renard jumps in with a question of his own, "You made it sound like he was part of a group or a.. pack.  What are these things and how can we fight them effectively?"  He didn't need to know much else for now and he was anxious to be of further benefit to this foundering city.  He hadn't yet forgotten about their dragon friend, however, and was rather wondering when they would pay a visit to this Kirchhugel place to get him healed.

Kuldar reunited with his trusty War-Boar happily, he looked to Solomon but it seemed Cho'kobo's continued confinement was expected. "We'll get your Bird, I ain't one to leave a comrade behind."

---

Kuldar listened intently while stroking his beard, he had in fact heard of the Shadow Guard during his time in town, what he knew of them seemed admirable enough but...it was not difficult to mislead an oppressed populace. "Lad if what ye say be true than call me a friend, we can't have a pack of those beasts roaming the streets now." Kuldar's grip tightened on his Axe to emphasize his plan for the matter.

00:38, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 17 using 1d20+14. Sense Motive.

"We of course would have to discuss the possibility of catching one alive.  We have to prove to the courts that they are the monster we claim.  I have a set of manacles, but I know little about our foes or how effective they will be.

In reply to Solomon (msg # 139):

"The easier solution may yet be to pull yer blows then lad- not somethin' you practice often given your usual foes but I've trust in ye."

OOC: After all the -4 for dealing nonlethal damage is slightly bypasseed by Inspire Courage.

"I guess that means no fire?", Skraag comments to the others.

"Lord Elrand can be summarily defined as quite the piece of work." Cristoph's mouth turns upward in an unpleasant grimace as he describes the man. "If there ever was a man to dislike the common folk, it would be him. If anyone not of high birth looked at him the wrong way, he would have them lashed through the streets. A man of many hobbies, though I wish that weren't the case as none of them could ever be considered pleasant by any kind-hearted folk...mainly consisting of torture and The King's Games."

As he looks at the group's faces at the mention of the games and sees no reaction one way or the other, he knuckles his forehead uncomfortably. "Ah, yes...you've likely not heard of the games. A noble tradition possessed by the new nature of the city and transformed into a grisly affair. Where once they were competitions of strength, ingenuity, teamwork, and progress, now they are nothing more than a bloodbath to entertain those lucky enough to avoid the pit themselves. Now, those condemned to the Rat Cellars are often offered a choice; serve their time, a fatal sentence for most, or risk their judgement in the pits, unfortunately, an equally fatal endeavor. Those who choose to participate must fight their way through three challenges and if they emerge triumphant, gain their freedom. There have been precious few, our leader one of them." Cristoph exchanged glances with Avianna at the mention of the man; a knowing look that recalled how the experience had shaped the man into what he was today.

"But I digress. I have no knowledge of how Erland came to be what he was before you dealt with him though I suppose if I had a specimen to examine, I may be able to discern their origin. As to the rest of the creatures, I admit that I personally do not know of their identities or their exact whereabouts, nor do we have much experience with fighting them though whatever tactics you employed against Elrand will likely be sufficient. Some sleuthing will be required to discern these things though you will hardly be alone in doing so. We will pass along any findings of our own to you, of course." Turning once again to the woman besides him, he smiled softly as he spoke, "To this extend, I would ask that you allow Avianna to accompany you. Having a representative of the Guard and a current resident of Burova," his gaze lingered on Temnir for a moment, "will likely be a valuable asset to you."

Standing from his seat, Cristoph placed both hands on the table in front of him and looked the group in the eyes one by one as if measuring their worth. For a man who had originally seem soft and jovial, he had the skill to turn on the intensity when he needed, likely a reason he had been chosen leader of the safehouse. "If you have no other questions, we will resupply you and point you in the right direction. You have a week to bring the King your evidence so I suppose you don't want to waste any more time than you must."

Solomon nodded when asked to be joined by Aianna.  They would certainly need a local to go to for information.  Temnir, seemed more than reluctant to talk about anything having to do with his past, even if doing so would aid them in the present.  Solomon flashed Temnir a scowl.  Why could the man not be more forthcoming?

"May the gods bless our endeavors," he said muttering a quick prayer to Pelor.

Renard bows slightly in welcome to Avianna before speaking to Christoph once more, "Any supplies I would need are already currently in my possession.  I would make a request that you send some of your surplus supplies up to the homeless.  If our efforts in this place improve their lives then that is all well and good, but if not there is no harm in making smaller steps towards the greater good."  He eyes the rest of this group, hoping some of them will follow his example before continuing, "Other than that.. just give us an idea of where to start looking and we can take it from there..."

Kuldar nodded to Avianna, before addressing Christophe. "Solomon here needs his armor fixed, or somethin' to replace it for the time being. The people of this  town are a wee bit shy, your Guard carries much weight here...is there some way we can get them to warm up to us? Or so they know we be the good guys?"

Solomon had nodded.  With all that has happened he had nearly forgotten about his armor.  Monster hunting would require functioning armor.  It's golden gleam also helps establish a sort of authoritative awe with people, or so Solomon believed.

"And while I respect Renard's morals, strength of character, and dedication to helping the less fortunate.  I personally have a weakness for fresh fruit.  I would love an apple or two before leave."

"Don't worry, Renard was it? This safe house may have a front upstairs but I assure you that it is fully operational as a halfway house for those in need. We supply food, fresh water, clothes, and temporary lodging to those who need it the most. We keep only what we need to supply ourselves and keep the Guard operational. The rest goes to the people we have sworn to protect." Cristoph's face contorts into contemplation at the mention of Solomon's armor needing fixing, even more so when it is revealed that it is magical in nature. "I may be able to assist you in repairing your armor though it would take some time and would not be available to you in the mean time. If you wish, and I would recommend this, we can supply you with replacement armor for the mean time."

"As for the fresh fruit, that is a commodity that we obtain from Tycosia which brings up a whole other monster. We haven't seen a Tycosian ship in close to three months. The last set of ships that made it here were corralled into the harbor, their crews apprehended, their cargo seized, and their boats burned. That is why the water level has risen so dramatically in the Lower City's dock district. So I'm afraid that there is not much that I can do for you on that front." Cristoph seemed troubled as he spoke of the turn of events with the Tycosian ships and their burning though who wouldn't be? He seemed to be leaving something out though it seemed that if Avianna knew anything about it, she was keeping her cards hidden well.

"Solomon, if you are interested in switching your armor out, go see Hanval in the back there by the sparring dummies. He'll know how to fix your broken armor and will be able to supply you with a replacement set. For now, it may be wise for me to check in with our leader to bring him up to speed on current events. When you are ready to leave, let Avianna know and she will get the lift working for you. Good luck my friends." Cristoph lingered slightly to entertain any final comments before heading toward the lift himself, apparently heading topside to contact the leader of the Shroud Guard.

"Sad to hear about the fruit. Solomon, lad let's see if they have anything in your size, eh?" Kuldar gestured toward the back where Christoph had said Hanval waited. "If that's all we be needin' I suggest we take the time to get yer bird before anything else."

Solomon nodded and headed over to Hanval.  He grinned as he handed the man a brooch instead of an actual suit of armor.  Solomon whispered the word that would transform the armor and cringed at the noise of twisting crunching metal.

"We need not worry too much about Cho'kobo.  Once we leave a simple whistle will bring him instantly to my side."

He trusted in Hanval to pick out armor that would best fit.  Though Solomon couldn't help but be disappointed at some of the pieces.  Nothing compared to the golden armor that was gifted by the gods.

"I have no idea how we are to find these hidden beasts.  It sounds like they come down to the lower districts to hunt.  I fear we may only be able to draw them out with bait.  I would still like to see the area they live in, and the rest of the city for that matter, none-the-less," he explained to his companions.

The Shroud Guard armorer that Cristoph sent Solomon to seemed like a competent enough man though his wares were far from the quality of his divinely blessed armor that he had given up for repair. Hopefully the burnished copper banded mail that he supplied him would keep him from harm while his brooch was being taken care of. After he was equipped with his new protection, the group followed Avianna up the lift and into the streets, following her in relative silence except for a few murmurs about what they were going to do once they arrived until they reached the street that led them up to the gate of Estage Paar.

Five guards stood watch in front of the gate, and realizing that the King had granted them access to the entire city but had neglected to give them any way to prove that they were allowed into the different walled districts, Avianna came in handy by showing them another of the Shroud Guard's passageways. She led the group through a back alley a few streets down from the gate and quickly opened a cellar door, leading the adventurers down the steep steps quickly and shutting the door behind her. There were a few rows of things being stored in the room though nothing of major importance jumped out to them. The most that could be said for it is that it probably houses a couple of kegs of cheap wine and perhaps a few dusty heirlooms with no value to any but their owners. "There's a small tunnel in the back corner behind the-" Avianna was cut off mid-sentence as a shadowy figure stepped out from behind one of the large wine casks.

"It seems that I was correct in waiting for you here," the voice seemed familiar and the fluid motions spoke of a nimbleness foreign to all but one person that they had come into contact with recently. "I see you've made friends with the Shroud Guard. Unfortunately, that puts you and my employers at odds and it would be bad for business for me to let you pass this way. But I am not an unreasonable man, nor am I one who is above a favor for an old friend," the word seemed foreign in Inori's mouth  as the spat it towards Temnir's direction. "Turn around and leave. Leave Burova. Leave Derevaan. Seek shelter in the warm bosom of Tycosia and await the coming storm in whatever way you see fit. Else we may have a problem and that would be... unfortunate."

Kuldar followed Avianna in silence for now, there were still many unanswered questions but they could wait to talk. Kuldar was not a fan of all this sneaking around, it wasn't what he was trained for...so when Inori showed his face and revealed his own goals countered theirs, he was more then glad for a chance to make some noise. He bounded forward between Avianna and Solomon, a Dwarven Throwing Hammer seemingly appearing from nowhere into his main hand. "I ain't got patience for slime like ye! Now crawl back into your twice-damned snake's nest before I teach ya the difference between a Bard- and a Dwarven Bard!" Kilgur rushes forward making predatory snarls at Inori's feet mirroring his master's Ire.

19:21, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 17 using 1d20+14. Intimidate.
19:22, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 13 using 1d20-3. Kilgur: Aid Another Intimidate(?).
19:22, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 3 using 2d4. Gallant Inspiration: Intimidate.

Total 20(22 if Kilgur can aid)

"I would be quite keen on leaving this foul city behind and doing just as you suggest.  Unfortunately, your king has banned us from doing so.  If your employer is who I suspect, you should know this.

Solomon held his warhammer down near his hip, ready to defend himself, but not quick on the offense like Kuldar.  He moved to stand near the end of the wood pile.  Certainly this man did not think he could stop them all.  Perhaps the room was trapped, or maybe he had allies hidden.  Solomon took a quick peek around the corner of the wood pile.  "Careful of what may lay beneath the rug," he warned his companions.

Perhaps Temnir could talk sense into this man.  They seemed to have shared a past.

18:04, Today: Solomon rolled 3 using 1d20+2. initiative.
18:04, Today: Solomon rolled 12 using 1d20+2. perception.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:06, Fri 05 Apr 2013.

A sour look appeared on Renard's face.  Was there no end to the constant stream of misfortune that had befallen them upon entering the city?  He had thought they had enough enemies in this place without this fellow turning on them.  Not that it was particularly surprising of course.

Standing at the back of the group he hopes that the others' words provide enough of a distraction.  He murmurs a few words and suddenly steps forward, a section of his ponderous chain held out in one hand.  A single ink disconnects itself and shoots towards Inori like a bullet from a sling, deforming and reshaping mid-flight into a metal band that threatens to hold the man tight.

Current/Max HP: 76/76  |  Current AC: 20   Touch: 15   Flat-Footed: 17
Buffs:                 |  Debuffs:
Actions: Cast hold person (DC 17)
Target: Inori
Rolls: 17:18, Today: Renard Waywynd rolled 17 using 1d20+3. Initiative.

Skraag moves along behind the group and up to the edge of the bearskin rug laying on the floor. He is careful, after his fellows warning, not to step on it.



OOC:
10:46, Today: Skraag rolled 17 using 1d20+5. Initiative.
Move as far 'left' as possible and still be at the edge of the bearskin rug.
If possible cast 'Mage Armor' as he moves.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:48, Sat 06 Apr 2013.

"I would be quite keen on leaving this foul city behind and doing just as you suggest. Unfortunately, your king has banned us from doing so.  If your employer is who I suspect, you should know this." Solomon made the hint at his guessed connection as obvious as possible but Inori's face betrayed nothing. Sarcasm dripping from his voice, Temnir reaches into his robes for spell components, "What a surprise." Inori merely smiles maliciously in his direction until Kuldar and his steed burst forth from the back of the group, causing his smile to vanish, his composure faltering slightly. "I ain't got patience for slime like ye! Now crawl back into your twice-damned snake's nest before I teach ya the difference between a Bard- and a Dwarven Bard!" As Kuldar pushed his way forward, Avianna took the diversion to move backward to the edge of the room and tried to make herself looks as much like a wallflower as humanly possible. "Careful of what may lay beneath the rug," Solomon advised as he scoped the room out for possible dangers.

Just as Inori's mouth opened to likely mock the futility of their actions, Renard did the unexpected. A length of his chain shooting out and expanding, it slammed into the man, knocking him against the back wall as it wrapped around him, pinning his arms to his side. Finding that his legs are no longer working either due to the magic infused into the iron band, all civility drains from Inori's tone and his demeanor becomes aggressive. "Then you have chosen to die for a world that is already beyond saving! If you think things have been surprising so far, Temnir, I invite you to redefine the sensation!" With a short, sharp whistle through is teeth, movement begins to come from the dark corners of the room as figures begin to sauner out from the shadows. Each figure is robed in intricately runed coats that give off a yellowish-brown aura, almost like pollen, and wear hoods that end in decayed bone beaks for masks, the only thing visible through them are the eyes. While still obviously human, not undead, every set of eyes shimmers dully with the same color of their auras. Some have weapons strapped to their hilts, swords primarily, though none have reached for them yet.

Then comes the deep growling from behind the bar in the corner of the room closest to the party. The wooden structure shakes as it is hit with a thud and bottles fall from the top to shatter on the floor. As all eyes fixate on the noise, a toothy maw extends from the entrance to the bar, followed by a horrifyingly twisted cross of an alligator and a dove with pure white feathers and piercing blue eyes. Yx'raul waddles his way forward with predatory slowness. As realization hits the group, the master joins the servant. Or at least his visage does. "Strip the flesh! Salt the wounds! Let's see if we'll finally get a taste of that Dwarf flesh!" A crazed look sat in Raznik's eyes as he hoisted himself up onto the bar, crouching in an almost feral manner as if he were ready to pounce, and licked his lips while staring Kuldar down.







Initiative:
21 Temnir
19 Kuldar
17 Renard & Skraag
16 Yx'raul
15 Inori
13 Cronies
10 Avianna
  6 Kilgur
  3 Solomon & Kraan

Cumulative Party Status:
Avianna:Full HP
Kuldar:Full HP
Kilgur:Full HP
Renard:Full HP
Skraag:Full HP
Solomon:Full HP
Temnir:Full HP

This message was last edited by the GM at 22:13, Fri 12 Apr 2013.

Gesturing towards Inori for the benefit of whoever can see Renard calls out, "Take him quickly, the spell will not last long!"  He then turns his attention towards the other man they had once called friend, Raznik, "I don't know why you fight with them, Tayn, but only regret will come of it, be it mine or yours."  He grasps his chain again and mutters the word of a different spell, his already-intense demeanor sharpening just that much more.

Current/Max HP: 76/76  |  Current AC: 20   Touch: 15   Flat-Footed: 17
Buffs: +4 CHA (80/80)          |  Debuffs:
Actions: Cast eagle's splendor
Target: Self
Spells/Day:
1: 8/8 (DC 16)
2: 5/7 (DC 17)
3: 6/6 (DC 18)
4: 4/4 (DC 19)

Rolls:

Notes: Hold person (Inori) rounds left: 7/8

Kuldar glared at Raznik but felt a twang of sadness for the young man, even when he was talking about eating him. "Alright- Kilgur keep that snake company." Kuldar made a line around the carpet with his hand just in case Solomon's instincts were correct. "Don't go killin' him now." He added wondering if Kilgur could take that order.

Kuldar turned back to Raznik and his crazed beast as he banged his hammer on his shield and called out. "Alright lads! We've taken these bastards down before- and now they're desperate enough to use our own friends against us! Now show them what we're made of- and double-time!" He chants while filling everyone with an arcane speed.

Move: Activate Inspire Courage(everyone after Init 19 benefits this round)
Standard: Cast Haste(everyone after Init 19 benefits this round)

Kilgur: Move next to Inori, avoiding the carpet and AoO as much as possible. If done within a single move action either a Nonlethal Gore, or standing over him readied to knock him down if he breaks free of the magic

Party Buffs: Inspire Courage +2(Attack, Damage, saves v Fear)
Haste(+30spd, +1 AC/Attack/Reflex, plus one additional attack when full-attacking)

There was little reason to try and talk their way out of the situation.  Kuldar and Renard had both reacted with haste, but perhaps that was for the best.  Inori seemed intent on stopping them.  Was his earlier offer of aid a simple trick to try and get close to them?

Solomon felt the speed and grace of Kuldar's magic take hold.  Still, he called upon Pelor, "Grant me the elusiveness of your dancing flames O' God of the Sun."

Solomon ran forward dancing and spinning past Inori's cloaked subjects and skirting the edge of the rug.  As a wanderer of the desert it was only instinct for him to hold his breath as he passed through the cloud of yellow-brown dust.  He jabbed the heavy end of his Tetsubo into Inori's solar plexus.

Swift action - cast Grace to avoid AoOs
13:16, Today: Solomon rolled 14 using 1d10+5. damage.
13:15, Today: Solomon rolled 17 using 1d20+11. attack.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:28, Tue 09 Apr 2013.

The others moving forward prevents Skraag from using his most effective power, so he decides to improve his defenses for now casting another spell. And wait to see what develops on the battlefield. Melee is not his strong point.



OOC:
Cast Shield, + 4 AC.
Initiative: 17

Current/Max HP: 50/50
Current AC: 21
 - Touch: 16
 - Flat-Footed: 17
CMD: 17
This message was last edited by the player at 11:01, Thu 11 Apr 2013.

"Inori I expected as much from, but not you Raznik. you had your…quirks, but I did not think you had evil in you." Temnir spoke as he moved toward the man and his eidolon, almost off-handedly throwing two rays of blue fire toward one of the cultists who looked to be moving toward the group a little too quickly for his taste. The first hit the man in the shoulder though the second struck the large wooden chest as the cultist dove behind it for cover. "I don't know why you fight with them, Tayn, but only regret will come of it, be it mine or yours." Renard added in with a tinge of sadness. Focusing on the most important task at hand though, Renard made a few gestures as and immediately looked as though the entire ordeal of traveling, fighting, and the business with the King had never happened. In fact, he looked almost regal himself in a way now. Pointing towards Inori, he spoke to his companions, authority in his voice, "Take him quickly, the spell will not last long!"

"Alright- Kilgur keep that snake company." Kuldar instructed the boar. He may have been talking about Inori but he had eyes for Raznik at the moment, sadness at the circumstances of their reuniting. Almost as an afterthought, he called out to Kilgur who had already made it halfway across the room, "Don't go killin' him now." The boar slowed its advance, looking over its shoulder with a puzzled look before turning back and closing the rest of the distance. While Kilgur tried to avoid the bearskin rug, he wandered a little too closely to one of the cultists who tried to take a haunch off of the mount with a speedily-drawn shortsword. He succeeded only in nicking the boar but even then, Kilgur almost stumbled as his legs buckled slightly before he powered through it and made it to Inori where he rammed his head sideways into the man, slamming the sides of his tusks into the traitor's ribs. Looking over his shoulder once again to Kuldar, he looked for approval for his actions.

Pleased with Kilgur's actions, Kuldar nods to the mount who squeals happily before turning back to keep watch over its charge before turning to the rest of the group. Pounding his warhammer on his shield, the resounding reverberation and words inspiring courage into the hearts of those present as well as feeling like their limbs were made of feathers, rather than bone and muscle. "Alright lads! We've taken these bastards down before- and now they're desperate enough to use our own friends against us! Now show them what we're made of- and double-time!"

The cultists took the bard's words as the only signal that they needed and begun casting and moving forward with sword and crossbow, attacking in force. Yx'raul, his mouth opening and closing in anticipation of blood, was the first to charge the party, stubby legs betraying the creature's true speed as it closed the gap between itself and Temnir. Having forgotten the ferocity of this creature, Temnir stood no chance as Yx'raul charged the robed man, launched itself off the ground with its back two legs and slammed into Temnir, nearly knocking him over. From there, the creature's claws ripped into his torso with sprays of gore while it's toothy maw crunched down sickeningly on his arm, the bone obviously broken. The only mercy Temnir was afforded was that his body was able to fight off the poison that Raznik had told him the eidolon possessed, and that did little to calm his terror and agony at the swiftness of the attack. "H-help…" Temnir muttered weakly, the blood loss weakening his voice.

Unfortunately, Solomon, perhaps the most qualified to act as savior for the sorcerer, did not hear the plea in time, already charging forward toward Inori just as the man finally wriggled free of his bonds. "Grant me the elusiveness of your dancing flames O' God of the Sun." Charging past the advancing cultists, brushing aside attempts at stopping him, the paladin thrust the end of Pelor's Thumb into Inori's solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him and knocking him back to his knees where Kilgur looked over him with a ferocious snort.

The advance of the cultists was swift and without mercy. Rolling out from behind the chest that Temnir's scorching rays had sent him seeking cover behind, the man cast a ray of his own, aimed at Kuldar, striking the Dwarf in the back as he attempted to inspire the party. The ray heated the metal of his armor, burning his back rather badly but as the ray dissipated, so did the metal's burning heat. Two more converged on Renard after failing to stop Solomon, brandishing shortswords. The first bounced off of Renard's mithral shirt as he dodged to the side but the second dug deeply into his shoulder, a deep burning sensation threatening to spread if it found the right purchase accompanying the sharp pain of the sword. At the back of the room, two more spells resounded through the cellar, one line of what looked to be purple smoke nearly stuck Solomon who managed to spin out of the way. Instead, it hit one of the wine casks behind him, the wooden barrel and metal rings immediately rotting and rusting, causing it to break open and spill its contents onto the floor. A second attack, an arrow shot from the palm of one of the cultists that trailed a sickeningly green trail of what was likely some form of acid, missed Kilgur but almost ended up hitting Inori instead, resulting in a few choice curses from the man toward his subordinate. Where the arrow had passed, the wooden boards below began to burn and blacken, sending up green fumes.

In the back of the room, almost forgotten in the din of battle, Avianna slinked through the shadows past Temnir and the eidolon, vaulting silently over the metal chest, using the distraction to sneak past the bar and behind Raznik. "That's quite enough out of you," Avianna hissed. Just as Raznik turned to see the rogue, two short swords entered his stomach. Avianna twisted one of them, causing the summoner to cough up blood and fall backward off of the bar to land on his back on the floor. Through bloody gurgling, the voice that had spoken before softly muttered defiantly, "But…I…..am…Kraan…." before Raznik passed out from blood loss and Yx'raul blinked out of existence like he had never been there at all, leaving Temnir in an awkward position before he fell to the ground in pain.



Initiative:
21 Temnir
19 Kuldar
17 Renard & Skraag
16 Yx'raul
15 Inori
13 Cronies
10 Avianna
  6 Kilgur
  3 Solomon & Kraan

Cumulative Party Status:
Avianna:Full HP
Kuldar:-11 HP
Kilgur:-2 HP
Renard:-6 HP
Skraag:Full HP
Solomon:Full HP
Temnir:-41 HP

Raznik:-64hp + Unconscious

This message was last edited by the GM at 00:32, Sat 13 Apr 2013.

Renard winces as the second sword hits home.  He backs out of range of the blades for a moment and glances behind him quickly, noticing massively-injured Temnir.  He attempts to gauge the man's wounds to figure just how urgently healing is needed.  He has other problems at the moment which, should his spells work as planned, will be mitigated and allow him to better focus on healing.  He notices Skraag too, staying back and out of the fray, and he calls to the self-styled dragon, "Help me with these two so I can tend to Temnir!"  He then concentrates on casting yet another spell, different from either of the two before.  As he completes the invocation he begins to glow with a celestial light that slowly extends out and away from him to a radius of 20 feet in all directions.

Current/Max HP: 70/76  |  Current AC: 20   Touch: 15   Flat-Footed: 17
Buffs: +4 CHA (79/80), Archon's Aura (80/80)    |  Debuffs:
Actions: 5 ft. step (J10 > K9) then cast archon's aura
Target: Self
Spells/Day:
1: 8/8 (DC 16+2)
2: 5/7 (DC 17+2)
3: 5/6 (DC 18+2)
4: 4/4 (DC 19+2)

Rolls: 21:59, Today: Renard Waywynd rolled 14 using 1d20+13. Heal check.

Notes: Archon's Aura (Will vs. DC 20) = All hostile creatures within 20 ft. take -2 to attack, saves, and AC until effect ends or they strike Renard.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:06, Sat 13 Apr 2013.

Feeling, perhaps overconfident, now that he has had a chance to use some of his spells before getting into the fight, Skraag mutters a quick spell. His eyes begin to burn with a fiery light. Skraag moves forward, placing himself between Renard and the Cronies who where trying to attack him.

Skraag looks up at the Crony and gives him a toothy grin, commenting, "Burn baby, burn!"



OOC:
Initiative: 17

Current/Max HP: 50/50
Current AC: 30
     Touch: 25
 Flat-Foot: 25
CMD: 17

Buffs: (Bonuses from spells, abilities, etc.)
      +4 AC Mages Armor
      +4 AC Shield  (8/8 minutes)

Party Buffs: Inspire Courage +2(Attack, Damage, saves v Fear)
             Haste(+30spd, +1 AC/Attack/Reflex, plus one additional
                   attack when full-attacking)

Debuffs: (Ailments from spells, abilities, etc.)

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Cast "Burning Gaze"
 - Move: to J-9
 - Free: Speak, Direct Gaze Attack

Target: Creature I-9.
        1d6+3 fire Damage, Fort to Negate (17), if damaged,
        Reflex save (17) or catch fire. 1d6+3 every rd on fire.

Rolls:
10:09, Today: Skraag rolled 7 using 1d6+3. Fire Damage on Fort Fail.



Spells/Day:
0:  I  (Dc 15)
1: 6/8 (DC 16)
2: 7/7 (DC 17)
3: 6/6 (DC 18)

Solomon smirked as he witnessed Inori cursing the acid casting cultist.  The back-stabbing assassin betrayed a weakness; one that Solomon was going to take advantage of.  "You attack my friends, betray my companions, and turn friend into foe.  May Pelor have mercy on your soul, fore I will not!"

Solomon's hands started to glow with a sickening yellow-green light.  A sickly green mucus started to spread across his tetsubo.  A single drop fell and hit the ground causing the stone to smoke and hiss.

Solomon then launched a barrage of mighty swings intent on putting the betrayer down.  Hastened by the bard's magic he was a force to behold.  Solomon knew the faster he put this man down the faster he could come to the aid of his companions.

OOC:
Initiative: 3

Current/Max HP: 72/72
Current AC: 19
     Touch: 13
 Flat-Foot: 16
CMD: 22

Party Buffs: Inspire Courage +2(Attack, Damage, saves v Fear)
             Haste(+30spd, +1 AC/Attack/Reflex, plus one additional
                   attack when full-attacking)

Buffs: Elemental Assault (acid) rounds 7/7

Actions:
 - Full-Round: Hasted Attack
 - Swift:  Activate Elemental Assault (acid)

Target: Inori.

Rolls:

11:28, Today: Solomon rolled 18 using 1d20+9. full attack 3.
11:30, Today: Solomon rolled 12 using 1d10+7. damage 3.
11:33, Today: Solomon rolled 5 using 1d6. acid 3.

11:28, Today: Solomon rolled 16 using 1d20+14. full attack 2.
11:30, Today: Solomon rolled 9 using 1d10+7. damage 2.
11:33, Today: Solomon rolled 6 using 1d6. acid 2.

11:28, Today: Solomon rolled 30 using 1d20+14. full attack 1.
11:30, Today: Solomon rolled 15 using 1d10+7. damage 1.
11:33, Today: Solomon rolled 1 using 1d6. acid 1.

Kuldar winced as he saw Raznik fall so quickly. "Hold yer blades on that one Avianna, if he lives he may yet be saved." He said letting his Inspiration's lingering effects take over. Skraag seemed to have Renard covered, so Kuldar turned his attention to the wounded Temnir. "Stay with me lad- and get behind me fer cryin' out loud!" Kuldar reached out with his shield arm coated in a soothing light, though not as effective as he'd have liked.

Kuldar was confident that Solomon could handle the held Inori, he called out to Kilgur with new instructions. "Kilgur! Keep those casters busy!" He said throwing an arm out at the cultists who were barraging the party with fire and acid. Kilgur squealed in affirmation and turned its tusks on the side of the room, preparing to charge as soon as any of them made a move.

Initiative: 19

Current/Max HP: 76/87
Current AC: 26
 - Touch: 14
 - Flat-Footed: 24
CMD: 22(+4 v Bull Rush and Trip)

Target: Temnir
Rolls: 20:29, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 16 using 2d8+7. CMW -> Temnir.

Buffs: Haste(7 rounds), Inspire Courage +2(5 rounds)
Debuffs:

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Cure Moderate Wounds on Temnir
 - Move:
 - Free: 5ft step to K7

Kilgur
Initiative: 19

Current/Max HP: 61/63
Current AC: 24
 - Touch: 11
 - Flat-Footed: 23
CMD: 20(+4 v Trip)

Target: Enemy casting a spell
Rolls: 20:40, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 20 using 1d20+12. Kilgur; readied PA charge.
20:41, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 15 using 1d8+14. Damage.
*forces a concentration check DC 25 to avoid losing the spell*

Buffs: Haste(7 rounds), Inspire Courage +2(5 rounds)
Debuffs:

Actions:
 - Full-Round: Ready an action to disrupt casting with a charge.
 - Standard:
 - Move:
 - Free:

As Kuldar watched Raznik fall from his perch and slip into unconsciousness, he called out to his attacker, "Hold yer blades on that one Avianna, if he lives he may yet be saved." With a raised eyebrow, she stopped her advance for the killing blow and instead melded back into the shadows behind the bar, disappearing from sight. "Help me with these two so I can tend to Temnir!" Renard called out to whoever would listen. Spotting Temnir behind him still losing blood and looking the most injured he had seen the sorcerer, Kuldar decided to take action of his own instead and let the bardic magic trail off and began casting a healing spell. "Stay with me lad- and get behind me fer cryin' out loud!" The only response from Temnir was for him to shake blood from his arm, his bandages almost solidly stained red from fingertips to shoulder, and nod quickly as he half picked himself up and made it to the back wall where he leaned against it for support before standing fully.

When he rose though, a malicious fire burned behind his mismatched eyes. Apparently he hadn't gotten the memo that Skraag had made about the fire in a wooden house because a small orb of swirling flame appeared in his hand, the start to one of his devastating fireballs. Before anyone could stop him, he threw the thing full force toward the back of the room and the three cultists that had been harassing the group. As the orb hit the floor, it seemed to almost bounce for a second before an enormous ball of fire erupted outward from the point, singeing some hair off of Kilgur's back but otherwise avoiding any friendly targets. Temnir's look of satisfaction was short lived though. As soon as the flames cleared, two of the three cultists caught up in the blast crawled out from behind shelter, completely unscathed while the third was unlucky enough not to get a place to hide yet still looked ready to continue on. Swearing under his breath, Temnir begun making mental notes of his remaining spells even while the back corner singed and burned.

One good thing that came from Temnir's outburst though was that the bearskin rug was blown back enough that its careful placement send it plummeting into the hole in the floor that it had been covering. The downside was that the groaning and moaning that issued forth from the bottom of the hole became quite audible. Those closest to the hole, namely Kuldar and Renard, can see movement below and the occasional glint of red and blue glowing eyes looking up from about twenty feet down, hopeful for some poor soul to fall and provide them with lunch.

Renard was witness to Kuldar's and Temnir's actions, even as he jumped back a few steps to avoid the blades of the cultists swords. It seemed that Temnir had been healed in some measure though it was still difficult to gauge the extent of his injuries in part due to the flow of blood everywhere on the man which made it hard to tell where the wound was and also that he was covered in his bandages and so showed no external signs of the lacerations he must have sustained. Jeeves isn't having it and tugs Renard toward the two cultists though so the oracle begins to cast once again, creating an aura that emanates out from Jeeves and envelops the two cultists, causing one of them to look like the pressure of the spell weighs down on them, slowing their movement.

Just before the cultists moved forward though, Skraag pushed his way past Renard and positioned himself between them. The cultists came to a stop, looking down on the kobold with a questioning looks between them before beginning to raise their weapons. Giving one of the cultists a toothy, confident grin, Skraag opens his eyes and looks the man in the eyes. "Burn baby, burn!"….but nothing happens. The two cultists exchanged a confused look, then slash at the "dragon" with their swords though Skraag easily bounces out of their way.

The cultists in the back of the room began to cast spells of their own again, one of them staggering a bit from the fireball but able to get off his spell regardless. "Fire with fire…" the singed one muttered as both shot flaming ray out of their hands at Kilgur, both hitting the boar squarely, eliciting a pained squeal. The remaining cultist looked up from behind the water trough that he had taken refuge behind and shot one of the purple beams toward Kuldar before ducking back down behind his cover. The beam only hit the Dwarf in his leg but immediately he could feel the strength drain out of it as it threatened to buckle underneath him from the sudden heaviness of his armor.

The cultist that had scored the hit on Kuldar let out a triumphant chuckle from out of sight but the sound was cut short and mixed with a gurgling cough as his body fell forward from out of its cover before slowly being dragged back behind the crate as a shadow moved farther back into the room, a sigh unseen. No longer having to worry about the spell caster, Kuldar called out to his recently injured mount, "Kilgur! Keep those casters busy!" The mount seemed to understand the command and looked ready to charge the casters whether given permission or not after the two scorching rays it had received from them, bloodlust beginning to take place.

Meanwhile, Solomon and Inori squared off as the red-garbed man had finally regained his composure and began to reach for his weapons, a pair of mantis-like saw-edged swords. "You attack my friends, betray my companions, and turn friend into foe.  May Pelor have mercy on your soul, fore I will not!"

"You think yourself so high and mighty. My master will slay you like he did that oracle back in Heldenberg. You will watch your friends die before you one by one. But fear not, for they will be raised again so that you can meet them once again." Solomon's weapon began to drip with the acid that had made its way from his hands down the hilt and with one fluid motion, he caught Inori in the side of the head with a series of quick blows, the final detaching the top of his head, leaving only his lower jaw in tact as he slid down the wall that he had splattered in gore. The remaining cultists noticed the death of their leader but instead of becoming demoralized, they seemed to revel in the death of the man and rallied. "For Nerull and the White Ziggurat!"



Initiative:
21 Temnir
19 Kuldar
17 Renard & Skraag
16 Yx'raul
15 Inori
13 Cronies
10 Avianna
  6 Kilgur
  3 Solomon & Kraan

Cumulative Party Status:
Avianna:Full HP
Kuldar:-11 HP & -3 STR
Kilgur:-30 HP
Renard:-6 HP
Skraag:Full HP
Solomon:Full HP
Temnir:-25 HP

Raznik:-64hp + Unconscious

This message was last edited by the GM at 23:54, Mon 15 Apr 2013.

Clapping Skraag on the back briefly Renard voices his thanks, "I owe you one, Dragon."  Turning away from his comrade and the cultists he hurries to Temnir, shaking his head in disapproval, "If you insist on being a part of this battle at least let me heal you first..."  He reaches out, making the appropriate signs with his hand and mumbling the divine prayer that activates the healing spell before touching Temnir's forehead to allow the powerful magic to flow into him.

Current/Max HP: 70/76  |  Current AC: 20   Touch: 15   Flat-Footed: 17
Buffs: +4 CHA (78/80), Archon's Aura (79/80)    |  Debuffs:
Actions: 5 ft. step (K10 > L9) then cast cure critical wounds
Target: Temnir
Spells/Day:
1: 8/8 (DC 16+2)
2: 5/7 (DC 17+2)
3: 5/6 (DC 18+2)
4: 3/4 (DC 19+2)

Rolls: 22:05, Today: Renard Waywynd rolled 25 using 4d8+8. Cure critical wounds.

Notes: Archon's Aura (Will vs. DC 20) = All hostile creatures within 20 ft. take -2 to attack, saves, and AC until effect ends or they strike Renard.

Skraag's grin widens at Renards praise. He then decides to change tactics and throws up a field of icy draining cold around himself. It's something that won't hurt the building or burn it down.


OOC:
Initiative: 17

Current/Max HP: 50/50
Current AC: 30
     Touch: 25
 Flat-Foot: 25
CMD: 17

Buffs: (Bonuses from spells, abilities, etc.)
      +4 AC Mages Armor
      +4 AC Shield  (8/8 minutes)
      Burning Gaze (6/7 rnd)

Party Buffs: Inspire Courage +2(Attack, Damage, saves v Fear)
             Haste(+30spd, +1 AC/Attack/Reflex, plus one additional
                   attack when full-attacking)

Debuffs: (Ailments from spells, abilities, etc.)

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Cast "Elemental Aura"
 - Move: None
 - Free:

Target: Creature I-9 & I-10
        Creatures affected by your aura are fatigued.
Rolls:
18:19, Today: Skraag rolled 6 using 2d6. Cold Damage, Reflex(18) for 1/2





Spells/Day:
0:  I  (Dc 15)
1: 6/8 (DC 16)
2: 7/7 (DC 17)
3: 5/6 (DC 18)
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:43, Sat 20 Apr 2013.

Kuldar let Renard take over Temnir's healing, there was now a small inferno to address. "Have ye learned nothin'!? Fire's one of da reason's we're in dis mess!" He says to Temnir before sighing and taking off through Skraag's cold and within reach of a couple cultists. "Alright, no chance of taking Inori alive- can someone pull their blows so we can at least learn something from all this?" He asked the room in general as he came to a stop by his trusty steed.

Initiative: 19

Current/Max HP: 73/87
Current AC: 25
     Touch: 13
 Flat-Foot: 24
CMD: 22(+4 v Bull Rush/Trip)

Buffs: Inspire Courage +2(Attack, Damage, saves v Fear)
       Haste(+30spd, +1 AC/Attack/Reflex, plus one additional
             attack when full-attacking)

Debuffs: -3 Strength, Fatigued

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Ready an action to toss my hammer at the target of Kilgur's charge
 - Move: move to D 8, pass through an Aura of Cold and provoke 2 AoO from I-9/10
 - Free:

Target: Kilgur's target
Rolls: 18:00, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 12 using 1d20+11. Readied Throwing Hammer.
18:12, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 20 using 1d20+6. Kuldar's Reflex vs Skraag's Aura.

Kilgur: Still on a readied action, forgot he acts after the casters when I gave that order- but changing it now won't do much good.

18:11, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 16 using 1d20+5. Kilgur's Reflex vs Fire.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:52, Tue 16 Apr 2013.

Having devastated the assassin known as Inori, Solomon moved on to his cronies.  Still moving with an unnatural speed he crossed the room and spun.  His tetsubo passed behind his back several times.  He finally extended his arm, revealing a powerful back-handed swing causing the first caster to flinch out of the way.  His target, however, was the second.  Solomon waited for the resounding crack of metal on bone.

OOC:
Initiative: 3

Current/Max HP: 72/72
Current AC: 19
     Touch: 13
 Flat-Foot: 16
CMD: 22

Party Buffs: Inspire Courage +2(Attack, Damage, saves v Fear)
             Haste(+30spd, +1 AC/Attack/Reflex, plus one additional
                   attack when full-attacking)

Buffs: Elemental Assault (acid) rounds 6/7

Actions:
 - Move:  To D3 avoiding AoOs
 - Standard:  attack


Target: Goon at C3.

Rolls:
09:22, Today: Solomon rolled 4 using 1d6. acid 1.
09:21, Today: Solomon rolled 10 using 1d10+7. damage.
09:21, Today: Solomon rolled 31 using 1d20+14. attack.

"I owe you one, Dragon." Renard praises Skraag as he retreats to tend to Temnir's wounds, taking over Kuldar's job. "Have ye learned nothin'!? Fire's one of da reason's we're in dis mess!" the bard chastised as he took off toward his trust mount, leaving the bleeding sorcerer in the hands of someone more specialized in healing magic. Temnir seemed to take the scolding to heart but of course not without the tinge of defiance the man wouldn't be caught dead without. "It will burn itself out. It's damp in this cellar and the wood is boated with the rain. The trinkets and such may burn but so be it. I will stick to the spells that will only possibly burn down the building. Renard gives him a look like a mother would give a misbehaving child and shakes his head as he sighs, "If you insist on being a part of this battle at least let me heal you first..." and get to work, closing his wounds and mending the damage caused by the eidolon, it's master still unconscious nearby, drawing shallow but visible breath.

Taking Kuldar's words and his own actions the day before to heart, Skraag casts a spell that begins to turn the air cold, rather than burning it up. As he does so, both of the cultists' movements begin to slow, even as they take slashes with their swords at Kuldar as he runs by, jumping across a corner of the hole to get by them, though the cold seems to do its trick, leaving the Dwarf cold, but unscathed. The cultists seem to realize the source of their failure and turn back on the dragon with anger in their eyes, barely visible through their masks. As the cultist in the back of the room rallied them again, the anger was replaced with a cruel joy as all four of the remaining cultists clapped their hands together in a religious manner. A split moment went by went by where nothing happened. Then the four black explosions of oily death exploded from them at once. Getting hit by the emanations felt like your soul was being tainted or twisted in some awful way. It felt like the wind was being knocked out of you and hope vanished like a stray breeze.


Reeling from the damage taken, Kuldar makes it the rest of the way to Solomon."Alright, no chance of taking Inori alive- can someone pull their blows so we can at least learn something from all this?" he gasped.  Even Kilgur who had charged in at the cultists as soon as they began casting had taken heavy damage, looking the worse for wear, even after giving one of the cultists a tusk to his robed leg which was now dripping blood onto the floor.

Holy fervor in his eyes, Solomon straightened himself from the unholy barrage and charged with the supernatural speed and grace Kuldar's performances had granted him, flourishing his tetsubo and feinting at the precise moment to make the first cultist flinch for fear of being hit and catching the second nearly completely off guard. His back-handed swing of the heavy weapon was the cause of the cacophony of broken ribs that issued forth from the hit, causing the cultist to double over in pain but not fall.

Just as the first cultist that had recoiled at Solomon's charge began to recover and looked ready to take another swing at the paladin, Avianna's blades once again appeared through the cultist's chest, leaving him groping at air before his head rolled back and he, too, slid off her blades. This time, however, the woman did not disappear into the shadows, instead heeding Kuldar's advice. "You want one of them alive? Done."



Initiative:
21 Temnir
19 Kuldar
17 Renard & Skraag
16 Yx'raul
15 Inori
13 Cronies
10 Avianna
  6 Kilgur
  3 Solomon & Kraan

Cumulative Party Status:
Avianna:-7 HP
Kuldar:-26 HP & -3 STR
Kilgur:-50 HP
Renard:-14 HP
Skraag:-8 HP
Solomon:-19 HP
Temnir:-25 HP

Raznik:-64hp + Unconscious

This message was last edited by the GM at 02:45, Sat 27 Apr 2013.

Pausing a moment to let the wave of nausea and hopelessness run its course Renard stands and surveys the battlefield while feeling as if he might just barely contain what remains of his previous meal in his stomach.  He spares a bit of attention for Raznik, considering healing the poor fellow so that he might be questioned.  There were other more pressing matters at hand, however, such as keeping those comrades still on their feet from kicking the bucket.  It would take him some time to get close enough to help but in the meantime he figured there were other ways to be useful.  He moves closer to the center of the room, wary of that ominous pit as he performs the gestures and intonations that make up yet another spell.

Current/Max HP: 62/76  |  Current AC: 20   Touch: 15   Flat-Footed: 17
Buffs: +4 CHA (77/80), Archon's Aura (78/80)    |  Debuffs:
Actions: Move (L9>K8>J7>J6>I5 = 30 ft.) and cast doom (Will save DC 18)
Target: Cultist @ I9
Spells/Day:
1: 7/8 (DC 16+2)
2: 5/7 (DC 17+2)
3: 5/6 (DC 18+2)
4: 3/4 (DC 19+2)

Rolls:

Notes:

• Archon's Aura (Will vs. DC 20) = All hostile creatures within 20 ft. take -2 to attack, saves, and AC until effect ends or they strike Renard.
• Doom (Will vs. DC 18) = Creature gains shaken condition for 1 min./level (80 rounds)

Solomon fought the urge to grab at his charm of Pelor, as the feeling of dark energy washed over him.  He wanted nothing more than to call forth the warming light that would heal him and his companions and bring comfort to their souls.

Instead, he moved his hands closer to the center of the tetsubo.  He poured his frustration into this swings focusing on the cloaked figure before him.  He swung both ends of the club-like weapon into the stomach of the figure.

OOC:
Initiative: 3

Current/Max HP: 53/72
Current AC: 19
     Touch: 13
 Flat-Foot: 16
CMD: 22

Party Buffs: Inspire Courage +2(Attack, Damage, saves v Fear)
             Haste(+30spd, +1 AC/Attack/Reflex, plus one additional
                   attack when full-attacking)

Buffs: Elemental Assault (acid) rounds 7/5

Actions:
 - Full-Round: Hasted Attack
 - Swift:  Activate Elemental Assault (acid)

Target: C3.

Rolls:
Attacks:  17, 27, 13
Non-lethal Damage:  13, 8, 13
Acid Damage:  2, 6, 1

Kuldar tried shielding himself from the blast but this tainted energy tore through him and Kilgur like their armor and hide were nothing. "Damn these blighted cultists! Kilgur, take him out and then stay back." Kuldar directed his mount, not wanting to risk losing the fiery soul in this once-damp cellar. Kuldar turned back to help Skraag keep the two (mostly)non-magic ones busy, drawing his larger Axe Blade with some extra effort and making to chop the legs out from under one of the sneaks.

Initiative: 19

Current/Max HP: 61/87
Current AC: 26
 - Touch: 14
 - Flat-Footed: 24
CMD: 22(+4 v Trip/Bull Rush)

Target: Crony at I 9
Rolls: 21:29, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 7 using 1d10+5. Damage(doubt it hit).
21:28, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 18 using 1d20+13. D. WAxe(flank)(haste) vs I-9.

Buffs: Inspire Courage +2 (3 rounds), Haste (5 rounds)
Debuffs: -3 strength

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Attack I-9
 - Move: Move to H-9
 - Free:

Kilgur
Initiative: 6

Current/Max HP: 13/63
Current AC: 24
 - Touch: 11
 - Flat-Footed: 24
CMD: 20(+4 v Bull Rush/Trip)

Target: Crony at C-3
Rolls: 21:32, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 28,18 using d20+12,d20+12. Kilgur Full-Attack(haste, PA).
21:33, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 20,16 using d8+14,d8+14. Damage(if hit, likely just first).

Buffs: Haste(5 rounds), Inspire Courage(3 rounds)
Debuffs: (Ailments from spells, abilities, etc.)

Actions:
 - Full-Round: Full-Attack C-3
 - Standard:
 - Move:
 - Free: 5ft step to B-3

Skraag leaves his aura up to damage their foes and adds his Gaze attack to one of them.


OOC:
Initiative: 17

Current/Max HP: 50/50
Current AC: 30
     Touch: 25
 Flat-Foot: 25
CMD: 17

Buffs: (Bonuses from spells, abilities, etc.)
      +4 AC Mages Armor
      +4 AC Shield  (8/8 minutes)
      Burning Gaze (6/7 rnd)

Party Buffs: Inspire Courage +2(Attack, Damage, saves v Fear)
             Haste(+30spd, +1 AC/Attack/Reflex, plus one additional
                   attack when full-attacking)

Debuffs: (Ailments from spells, abilities, etc.)

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard:
 - Move: None
 - Free: Look (Burning Gaze) at I-10

Target: Creature I-9 & I-10
        Creatures affected by your aura are fatigued.
Rolls:
18:19, 18:03, Today: Skraag rolled 7 using 2d6. Cold damage.Reflex(18) for 1/2


Creature I-10,  1d6+3 fire Damage, Fort to Negate (17), if damaged,
        Reflex save (17) or catch fire. 1d6+3 every rd on fire.



Spells/Day:
0:  I  (Dc 15)
1: 6/8 (DC 16)
2: 7/7 (DC 17)
3: 6/6 (DC 18)

The entire group seemed staggered from the cultist's attack but nobody seemed to be in life-threatening danger from it save perhaps Kilgur who was beginning to wheeze as he moved, his attacks becoming slightly sluggish. Pulling up the first spell that came to mind, Temnir rapidly shot four bolts of force at the nearest cultist as it looked as if it were about to take another swing at Skraag. The bolts hit him squarely and caused him to reel backward a step, rethinking his attack.

Temnir had been healed and now it was time for Renard to help out as much as he could once again. Moving carefully around the open pit, the undoubtedly undead creatures inside thrashing and swarming violently, the oracle cast another spell sending Jeeves into another of his rattling sprees. Even as the cultist was recovering from Temnir's spell, Renard's spell gripped him, an overwhelming sense of doom and despair holding him back from his full potential.

While neither of Skraag's opponents seemed to succumb to the chilling aura at the very moment, the burning gaze he fixed the remaining cultist with caused a burst of flame to erupt from the man's face, making him drop his sword and likewise take a step back involuntarily. Having been both embarrassed by minor spells, both begin to cast ones of their own, two scorching rays shoot from their hands, aimed at the hard-to-hit kobold. Their frustration seems to be earned too, as Skraag dodges this way and that out of the way of the jets of flame, both barely missing Temnir behind him, much to his chagrin. Feebly the last cultist facing off with Solomon, Avianna, and Kilgur lashed out wildly with his sword, more defensively than anything, not even coming close to any of the targets.

"Damn these blighted cultists! Kilgur, take him out and then stay back." he called to his mount as he charged back the way he had come at the tag team of cultists, brandishing his axe and aiming low, slicing cleanly though the one man's achilles heel, eliciting a cry of pain and a drop to one knee though the man seemed more angry than badly wounded. Meanwhile, Kilgur struck out with his tusks with the permission from his master, perhaps a bit too emphatically, goring the man in the chest and throat, quickly ending his life in a gurgle of blood. This man would not be around for questioning after all. Solomon's stroke came up short, giving the man a displeased look. He had hoped to take him alive after all. "Well that defeats the purpose," Avianna muttered as she took the crossbow off of her back instead, leveling the weapon across the room and firing the weapon one-handed, the bolt screaming across the gap and slamming a good three inches deep into the cultist's shoulder.

Suddenly, with all but two of the combatants silenced for good and those not quite so vocal what with their predicament, something struck some of the group members as odd. The groaning and cryings out of the undead in the pitfall had stopped making as much noise. Instead, there seemed to be the sound of scraping and clawing. As Renard looked over the edge and Kuldar spared a glance into the darkness, hands shot out toward whatever flesh they could get purchase on. At least a dozen zombies of various descriptions began clawing their ways out of the hole, those closest to humans forgetting their struggle to get out in favor of fresh flesh.




Initiative:
21 Temnir
19 Kuldar
17 Renard & Skraag
16 Yx'raul
15 Inori
14 Zombies
13 Cronies
10 Avianna
  6 Kilgur
  3 Solomon & Kraan

Cumulative Party Status:
Avianna:-7 HP
Kuldar:-26 HP & -3 STR
Kilgur:-50 HP
Renard:-14 HP
Skraag:-8 HP
Solomon:-19 HP
Temnir:-25 HP

Raznik:-64hp + Unconscious

This message was lightly edited by the GM at 10:38, Sat 27 Apr 2013.

Recoiling slightly in disgust Renard frowns as the zombies in the pit reach out for him.  Whether it was his own reflexes or his aura of righteousness that protects him he manages to scoot away from the edge of the pit before he is nabbed by grasping hands of rotting flesh.  He most definitely wanted to do something about them but there were several still-living opponents to be dealt with as well as several friends to be healed.  Skirting around the pit more carefully now Renard begins to gather divine healing energy that he can spread to all his allies nearby.

Current/Max HP: 62/76  |  Current AC: 20   Touch: 15   Flat-Footed: 17
Buffs: +4 CHA (76/80), Archon's Aura (77/80)    |  Debuffs:
Actions: 5 ft. step to H4 then channel energy to heal all allies except Temnir.
Target:
Spells/Day:
1: 7/8 (DC 16+2)
2: 5/7 (DC 17+2)
3: 5/6 (DC 18+2)
4: 3/4 (DC 19+2)

Chanel Energy: 3/4 (4d6)

Rolls:
08:29, Today: Renard Waywynd rolled 18 using 1d20+5. Reflex save.
08:35, Today: Renard Waywynd rolled 10 using 4d6. channel energy.

Notes:
Archon's Aura (Will vs. DC 20) = All hostile creatures within 20 ft. take -2 to attack, saves, and AC until effect ends or they strike Renard.
Doom (Will vs. DC 18) = Creature gains shaken condition for 1 min./level (80 rounds)
This message was last edited by the player at 04:43, Sun 28 Apr 2013.

"Back to the Abyss with you!" Solomon hissed as he turned and sighted the damned rising from the pit.  He moved to stand before one of the zombies.  As he moved the charm on his left wrist began to glow with a soft golden light.  The undead were a mockery of nature and of the people they once were.  As a trained Paladin he saw it as his duty to return their souls to the quiet Ether.  "Pelor, I call upon your cleansing heat to reduce this rot to ash."  He thrust an open palm towards the pit itself.  A halo of bright light pulsed outwards and covered the pit and all those climbing out of it.

OOC:
Initiative: 3

Current/Max HP: 53/72
Current AC: 19
     Touch: 13
 Flat-Foot: 16
CMD: 22

Party Buffs: Inspire Courage +2(Attack, Damage, saves v Fear)
             Haste(+30spd, +1 AC/Attack/Reflex, plus one additional
                   attack when full-attacking)

Buffs: Elemental Assault (acid) rounds 7/4

Actions:
 - Move: Move to D7
 - Standard:  Channel Positive energy to harm undead.

Target: All undead within 30'.

Rolls:
18:44, Today: Solomon rolled 19 using 4d6. damage.
Will DC17 for half damage.

Skraag takes a step forward to once more bring the two men still up into his cold Field. He turns his gaze back on the left most minion.


OOC:
Initiative: 17

Current/Max HP: 50/50
Current AC: 30
     Touch: 25
 Flat-Foot: 25
CMD: 17

Buffs: (Bonuses from spells, abilities, etc.)
      +4 AC Mages Armor
      +4 AC Shield  (8/8 minutes)
      Burning Gaze (6/7 rnd)

Party Buffs: Inspire Courage +2(Attack, Damage, saves v Fear)
             Haste(+30spd, +1 AC/Attack/Reflex, plus one additional
                   attack when full-attacking)

Debuffs: (Ailments from spells, abilities, etc.)

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard:
 - Move: None
 - Free: Look (Burning Gaze) at I-10

Target: Creature I-9 & I-10
        Creatures affected by your aura are fatigued.
Rolls:
19:03, Today: Skraag rolled 8 using 2d6. Cold Damage. Reflex(18) for 1/2


Creature I-10,  1d6+3 fire Damage, Fort to Negate (17), if damaged,
        Reflex save (17) or catch fire. 1d6+3 every rd on fire.



Spells/Day:
0:  I  (Dc 15)
1: 6/8 (DC 16)
2: 7/7 (DC 17)
3: 6/6 (DC 18)

Kuldar cursed in Dwarven as the grasping hands struck out at him but was able to keep from getting caught. He knew it wouldn't be long until Renard and Solomon turned the entire pit into a zombie cookout so he kept his focus on the Cultists bothering Skraag. He swung the flat of his axe at the one that looked the closest to passing out(left if I can't tell) hoping to take another alive in case Raznik was a recent enough acquisition that he did not know much. "Hm, Kilgur- Defend Raznik." He calls out as an afterthought just in case there were any more cronies hiding out nearby, mostly he wanted to keep the Boar out of the fight.

Initiative: 19

Current/Max HP: 61/87
Current AC: 26
 - Touch: 14
 - Flat-Footed: 24
CMD: 22(+4 v Trip/Bull Rush)

Target: Weakest Crony(or H-9)
Rolls: 18:27, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 18 using 1d20+6. Reflex Save DC 15.

18:37, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 12,24,7 using d20+9,d20+9,d20+4. NL Full-Attack(Haste+Flank+Inspire).
18:38, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 9 using 1d10+5. Damage.

Buffs: Inspire Courage +2 (2 rounds), Haste (4 rounds)
Debuffs: -3 strength

Actions:
 - Full-Round: Full-Attack
 - Standard:
 - Move:
 - Free:

Kilgur
Initiative: 13(?)

Current/Max HP: 13/63
Current AC: 28
 - Touch: 15
 - Flat-Footed: 24
CMD: 20(+4 v Bull Rush/Trip)

Buffs: Haste(4 rounds), Inspire Courage(2 rounds)
Debuffs: (Ailments from spells, abilities, etc.)

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Total Defense
 - Move: Move to stand over Raznik
 - Free:

Having been sandwiched in-between two scorching ways, Temnir decided to respond in kind. "Only one each? You may borrow mine then," he says with smugness as he shoots off one flaming blue ray at each of the cultists. Combined with Skraag's relentless burning gaze, the cultist burst into an inferno of flames, only to drop off the side of the hole, into the depths below to meet an even crueler fate. Having taken the time to jump free of the fingers clawing at his legs, Kuldar missed the opportunity to knock out the first cultist so settled on the second as well. With a few quick swings of his hammer, aiming for non-vital spots, the last, a light tap to the back of the head, the last cultist keeled over, unconscious on the floor, pulling a few logs off of the stack as he did so.

"Back to the Abyss with you!" Solomon hissed at the clawing tide of zombies as he stepped forward and raised his holy symbol. "Pelor, I call upon your cleansing heat to reduce this rot to ash." From his outstretched palm, a burst of golden radiance shot forth down the hole, burning flesh away from the undead as it went until they were nothing more than blackened bones. Renard had managed to wrestle himself away from the grasp of the undead as well and now that the paladin had dealt with them, was free to supply healing to his comrades now that the battle was won. With a quick prayer to the Dawnflower, the living once again looked as though they indeed intended to continue doing so. Even Raznik began to stir in his corner of the room, still lying the puddle of his own blood.

"Hm, Kilgur- Defend Raznik." Kuldar said as an afterthought to his mount, should anything else be lurking around the immediate area that could pose a threat to the group. Shielding her eyes from the two flares of light coming from the holy men, Avianna followed Kilgur over to Raznik's side, keeping her blades in hand, not venturing too close as to be caught unaware. "An acquaintance of yours?" As the summoner's eyes began to open, the madness that had been there during Yx'raul's rampage was noticeably absent. The fervor and desire for violence seemed to have ebbed away from the man, leaving him once again Raznik Tayn of the Burning Sand.



Cumulative Party Status:
Avianna:Full HP
Kuldar:-16 HP & -3 STR
Kilgur:-40 HP
Raznik:-54hp
Renard:-4 HP
Skraag:Full HP
Solomon:-9 HP
Temnir:-25 HP

This message was last edited by the GM at 23:20, Thu 02 May 2013.

Solomon moved around the room, not only making sure all the threats were taken care of but to evaluate the health of both those on their feet and those who are not.  "The dead may yet tell tales.  Search their bodies.  If they have nothing of use and nothing which betrays their employer's identity then toss the bodies into the pit.  Proper rights will not be given to those who follow evil.  We'll make sure there is no substance for dark magic to reanimate, unless they are able to give form to fire and ash."

Kneeling near one of the fallen robed ones, Solomon speaks up, "This one yet lives."


18:09, Today: Solomon rolled 17 using 1d20+6. Heal.

Kuldar heaved a sigh of relief as a warming light fell over him, Solomon had made quick work of the undead pit so Kuldar moved to the now stirring Raznik. "Nah just an acquaintance, this one be a friend." He answered Avianna while holding a stocky arm out to the Summoner offering to help him stand. "Good to have ya back lad, think ya can stick around this time?"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:20, Fri 03 May 2013.

PM

Solomon proceeded to roll the unconscious spellcaster over on his side.  He pulled the man's arms behind his back and slapped on a pair of masterwork manacles.  He would have gagged the man had he not intended to interrogate him once he awakened.

Suspicious, he couldn't help but throw an angry glare towards Raznik.  Solomon had warned the man not to be tempted by his summoned beast's aura of evil.  His will had obviously been overcome.  He was a danger, more enemy than friend at this point.  "He's lucky I only have one pair of chains.  Keep a close eye on that one.

Eying Kuldar and Solomon in turn, Avianna raises an eyebrow at the contradictory information. "The paladin seems to think otherwise," she muttered unsure of what to make of Raznik before slinking off to wrangle up the corpses of the deceased and begin her search for valuables. The holy men amongst them may have a problem with pilfering the dead for loot but to survive in the streets, you took what you could get where you could get it. Plus, Solomon had called for them to search to see if they had anything incriminating on them. That was good enough reason to 'investigate.'

Renard moves through the group, casting healing and restoration spells on the most battle-scarred members of the group.  He also assists Solomon in checking the cultist's wounds, satisfied with the Paladin's diagnosis and prescription of iron manacles to be applied immediately to the wrists.


OOC: One cure critical wounds for Kilgur, one cure serious wounds each for Kuldar and Temnir, one lesser restoration for Kuldar.  Holding off on healing Raznik until we confirm he's back on our side. :P
Spells/Day:
1: 7/8 (DC 16+2)
2: 5/7 (DC 17+2)
3: 2/6 (DC 18+2)
4: 2/4 (DC 19+2)

Razik lay where he had fallen, dazed and confused, as consciousness swam to the surface. He blinked a few times before suddenly sitting up, shocked and breathing heavily, his head snapping about, despite his obvious pain from his grievous wounds. He shied away from Kuldar's offered hand, almost afraid of it. Burying his face in his hands, his body shook with sobs, as he leant against the bar. "What have I done?" he mumbled into his knees, drawn up to shield his body from the world.

Kuldar looked ready to have words with Solomon but quickly turned his attention to Raznik with a frown. The Dwarf stomped the couple steps to reach the Summoner and hefted him to his feet before slapping a gauntlet across his face knocking him back down. "Alright lad, enough of that aye? You keep blaming yourself for what that beast makes ya do and you'll never have a life to live for yerself. Now on yer feet, and pull yerself together. We have a town to save."

"Raznik has known what effect the beast has had upon him, yet he's done nothing to stop it.  Now he has just attacked us with his creature.  A reluctant foe is a foe none-the-less.  We have enough enemies we do not need one in our ranks disguised as a friend." he said calmly, but sternly, towards the Dwarf.

He then turned to Raznik.  "If your beast is the cause of your suffering and hate then dispel it and never summon it again.  I don't know how your magic works, but perhaps you can make a pact with a beast with a less evil soul.  Only then would I be willing to let you stand at my back."

"Easy fer you ta say, I fer one don't understand how dese pacts work, or what can and can't be controlled. If it was as simple as dat don'tcha think he'da figured it out by now? I'd assume a holy man would be willing to give the benefit of a doubt to an obviously tortured soul." Kuldar says calmly, though a little antagonistically toward Solomon. Kilgur sniffed at Raznik's feet curiously before wandering back over to Kuldar and getting pet.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:33, Mon 06 May 2013.

Raznik reeled back, shocked by the slap. He opened his mouth to speak, but Solomon's words seemed to strike a chord with him, and his tear streaked face turned to the floor. "You are right. I am a danger to all around me. I do not understand this, nor did the pact with that monster come by choice. Every day I pray to Pelor to save me from my curse, and every day I am unanswered." The desert man looked up at Solomon. "I understand if you feel unsafe to travel with me, but I fear for what I may do to others if I am left unguarded." His voice lowered as he slumped against the blood streaked bar once more, his wounds clearly taking their toll and his voice lowered. "Perhaps it would be safest to vanquish me to save the world from the demon."

Normally the last person to intervene in such matters, Temnir quickly finds himself standing near Raznik, facing down Solomon's demands of the man. "Would you, as a paladin who is charged to cleanse darkness, leave this man to sink into it? Would you really Solomon? Yes, he is dangerous, but he is also our companion, whatever led him astray. And it was not by choice. Anyone here can see that." Looking into Raznik's eyes for some hint of what could be done with the man, Temnir's brow furrows and he is silent for a moment. "Either way, he may have information that we can gleam from him. From the way he doesn't seem to remember what happens when he's like that, it may all be subconscious but there may be ways to bring it forth, if in fact there is anything there. We're already short on information, why pass up such a prime opportunity?" The longer Temnir spoke, the less it sounded like he was really interested in the man at all, rather than his value. It could just be Temnir's nature or perhaps him trying to cover his display of protectiveness toward the summoner.

Renard stayed out of the conversation for now.  His sense of camaraderie told him that perhaps Raznik had been tricked in some way and was not responsible for his misdeeds.  His sense of self-preservation, however, forced him to stay his healing hand until Solomon, the de facto leader of the group, gave the all clear.  It was definitely an uncomfortable position to be in.

"I have seen too many die, and more still, come back from the dead to us harm.  If Raznik can not help himself how is he to help us, this city, or others?" Solomon asked, wondering if no one else agreed with his feelings of mistrust.  As the seconds ticked by his stern look grew softer and a look of compassion came to his eyes.  "Still, perhaps your words ring of some truth.  I have done little to actually try and aid him personally.  Pelor seems to listen to me more often than most.  I will use that honor to try and send him your pleas."

"Until then, I warn you all.  His demon has more sway over his actions than he does over it.  Until that changes he is a danger.  Watch him well."

"Renard, if you would be so kind to see to his wounds.  Then perhaps see what you can do to wake this stinking sorcerer so we may question him."

Nodding once in acquiescence to Solomon's request Renard moves in, working his way through the verbal and somatic components of the spell before resting a hand on Raznik's shoulder.  The man's wounds immediately begin to stitch together, though the scars and some lesser wounds still yet remain.

With his friends healed up enough for the moment Renard turns to the single still-living cultist.  As he prepares to wake the fellow up a rather disturbing thought pops into his head.  He glances towards Solomon, speaking softly though the disgust is plain in his words, "We should burn the dead or our enemies will find some way to make use of them..."  Not wanting to waste any magic on the cultist Renard slaps him around a bit.

12:09, Tue 07 May 2013: Renard Waywynd rolled 27 using 4d8+8 ((3,3,5,8)).

"Our intentions are shared.  I wish for him to see his friends burn however, and know that no god will be able to return them to this world.  I wish him to know his death will be final."

It seemed Solomon had all intentions of destroying the bodies.  As he spoke to Renard he started dragging the bodies of the dead near the edge of the pit.  "Skraag we may have use for your fire after all."

"It would be my pleasure to assist our resident pyro with that task," Temnir said with a grim determination in his eyes and a hint of unhealthy eagerness. His personal experience with the cultists was toxic at best and in some way, this helped sooth the wounds that time could not completely heal.

OOC: Temnir will mimic whatever fire spell Skraag uses, substituting Burning Hands for his breath attack is need be.

Renard's careful ministrations to the cultist seemed to do the trick after a couple of particularly unfriendly slaps, jolting the man awake, causing him to look around frantically at first then, realizing his situation, into a motionless sentinel, calculating eyes scanning each member of the party. Through the skeletal bird mask, the man's eyes are obviously tinted with a slight reddish glow and seem rather...off.

OOC: Perception check for anyone who's close to the man.

Kuldar still looked a little miffed and ready to butt heads with Solomon, but Temnir's words seemed to sway the man so he calmed down a bit. In his new state of calm he looked over to the lone cultist and narrowed his eyes before shouting. "Ah damn it- somebody break his fingers, he's castin' a spell!" He said pulling out his Warhammer and charging forward not waiting for someone else to act.

Kuldar's haste serves him poorly and he ends up tripping over the remnants of the battle, nearly tumbling into the pit of the dead a second time, and all finishing with a loud thud as he faceplanted a good few feet from the cultist. "Now that just...ain't fair." He manages to cough out as he tries hoisting himself back up.

19:12, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 13 using 1d20+11. Sunder-ho!
19:12, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 12 using 1d20+11. *twitch* Story reroll.
19:17, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 1 using 1d6. Fumble.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:17, Fri 10 May 2013.

Had Kuldar made it in time, perhaps there would have been something that could have been done to stop what the cultist did next. As it was, nobody was quick enough to stop him. Having been found out, the slow, calculated movement of his fingers rocketed into a flurry of moving digits, no longer concerned with secrecy. The last thing the group saw of the man, was a supremely satisfied look in the man's eyes past the crack in his skull mask. Then he suddenly vanished as if he had never been there at all. Things were just not going the group's way since they entered Burova. Even Kilgur seemed to be agitated by the turn of events. As soon as the cultist vanished, the boar ran over to where he had been sitting and began sniffing the floor, letting out what could be considered distraught squeals considering the circumstances. Moving to Kuldar, he began to nudge his master the his snout, squealing all the while.

OOC: Anyone who cares to do so, make a Knowledge Nature check. Kuldar adds +2 to this roll.

Still kneeling over the spot where the man had been laying only moments before Renard looks around bewilderingly, "Damn it!  I should have paralyzed him when I had the chance!"  He curses himself under his breath, paying no attention to Kuldar's mishap as he wracks his brain to come up with a solution.  After a moment he makes a simple gesture and speaks a single word of power, his eyes scanning the room once more as magical auras become visible to him.

OOC: Cast detect magic
21:01, Today: Renard Waywynd rolled 19 using 1d20+10. Kn: Nature.

Kuldar got himself vertical again while looking to his now frantic boar. "Eh? Wha' is it boy? Some'tin smell off?" He looked where the cultist had been with a contemplative expression. His eyes immediately turned toward the spilled wine cask and points. "The blasted fool is invisible!" And he points out the spot where the liquid had rippled slightly, making his position obvious.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:38, Fri 10 May 2013.

Renard looks in the direction Kuldar is pointing and immediately spots the glow of a magical aura moving about.  He doesn't waste any time, holding up one end of his great chain and intoning the words of the same spell he had used to bind Inori.  His free hand makes an arcane gesture which sends a link from the chain flying in the direction of the currently-invisible cultist.

Raznik had slowly clambered to his feet at the commotion, a little confused as to what had happened, but as Kuldar cried out that the man was invisible, a quick spell crossed his lips, and a cloud of golden particles appeared covering the point Kuldar had directed them to.

Cast Glitterdust centred on the ripple.

Between Kilgur catching the scent of the man, Renard's magically enhanced vision pointing out the man's magical belongings seemingly floating away toward the tunnel, and Raznik's quick thinking with his glitterdust spell covering the man in easy-to-see flecks of gold particles, the cultist never stood a chance at his hasty attempt at escape. "I won't tell you anything! Neruul take my black soul, I will not betray the master!" he shouts out, as his held form finally looses the balance he had barely been able to hold onto with his hands so clamped together by Solomon's manacles. The thud as he hit the floor was unmitigated and elicited a slight cringe from Temnir as the man's head bounced off the floor, unable to keep himself from harm. Still conscious despite his fall, the man began murmuring some unholy mantra. Thought obviously not a spell, the profane words oozing out of his mouth were blasphemous nevertheless, calling for the smiting of the living and righteousness's agents so that the lord of death could rise to power again.

Renard moves over to the captive and assists in dragging him back into the middle of the room.  With a glance over at Solomon he speaks in a low voice, though not a whisper it is more indicative of his attitude towards the cultist before him, "I'm going to heal him so that the next part doesn't make him pass out," and with that he casts another healing spell, aimed at the muttering fellow, causing his lightest wounds to knit and heal.  He then returns his gaze to Solomon, voice still low but rather more aggressive now, "As Kuldar said, probably best if we break his fingers now so he doesn't try any more tricks," he says with a nod towards the tetsubo in the Paladin's hands.

20:54, Today: Renard Waywynd rolled 7 using 1d8+5. Cure light wounds.

"Save your healing.  He is a fanatic.  I think our time is wasted here.  And I'm not one for torture.  I say we send him to his god, burn the body, and move on."

It was ironic that he had a spell that could cause the cultist from speaking lies.  Yet it could not force him to talk.

Having worked his healing magic on the cultist he turns his head to glance up at Solomon, "I can make him talk.  Pelor's light will compel him to tell me everything I want to know."  He grips the front of the muttering cultist's shirt and lifts him until they are face to face, the Archon's aura creating a burning fire in his deep brown eyes until they glow with a golden light.  When he has the man's full attention he suddenly bursts into a golden-white flame as he had during their more desperate fights back in the mines, "Isn't that right?"

Use energy body ability, sustainable for 8 rounds.
01:23, Today: Renard Waywynd rolled 20 using 1d20+6. Intimidate cultist.
Note: The energy body does not specifically increase the intimidation attempt in any way but I'm hoping it'll scare the bejesus out of him for a possible +2 bonus in addition to any help from the others.

As Renard burst into the flaming avatar of Sarenrae, the cultist tried to stammer his defense again, this time, much, much less convincingly. "I-I won't t-t-tell you a-anything..." the fanaticism and confidence and willing to die for his cause suddenly seemed to vanish at the first sign of a threat. That or Renard was just quite intimidating and never knew it. Perhaps it was the poltergeist rattling Renard's chains in tandem with his display of power that pushed him over the edge. Jeeves would likely think that was the case.

OOC: Intimidated for 1 hour, 10 minutes. Have your way with him folks.

Solomon continued to drag the bodies of the dead across the ground and drop them into the pit.  Lazily kicking one of the bodies in, he looked over at the cultist.  "Who hired you guys to kill us and why?" he asked simply.  Solomon was a simple man from a simple tribe.  He spoke plainly and without a thought to Machiavellian scheming, plotting, or manipulation.

The cultist was quiet for a stretch as he watched the bodies of his fellow cultists being thrown into the pit by the paladin of Sarenrae. He would be next if he didn't tell these madmen what they wanted. True, his master would enact a fate worse than death if he found out that he planned on divulging information to the enemy but that was if the master found him. He had other problems on his hands other than a simple rat. He would flee to the north and begin a new life. For now, he would preserve the one he had here and now.

"The master doesn't hire us..." the man said nervously, beginning to open up marginally. "We volunteer our souls to the black flame and the service of Neruul and his servants. The master is one such servant. As for why he wants you dead, I can only speculate. You have interfered with his plans on multiple occasions and are likely too close to home for him to let you live any longer." The man spoke quickly and nervously, looking over his shoulder as if he expected something to jump out of the shadows and take him at any moment now that he had begun to divulge information.

Now that the cultist's tongue seemed to have loosened Solomon cast a Zone of Truth spell.  As he cast the spell he flicked the charm on his wrist causing an audible ping to reverberate around the room.  "Know now that all words spoken will ring only of truth,"<aqua> he says to his companions as well as to the cultist.

<aqua>"I, Solomon, will not hamper your freedom to leave once you fully answer all our questions to the best of your ability.  Of course hamper us in any way again, and all bets are off.  I will see to it your body and soul burn in Pelor's cleansing light, and failing that, I will see to it you are named as traitor to your cult and cause.  First, name your master.  Second, tell us where he can be found."

"H-he," the man seems to struggle momentarily with his words, likely trying as hard as he can not to revela the name of his master, "he only goes by the master. B-but we all know who he is. The stories of his rise to power were taught to the Verdammten during our initiation. It didn't take much to connect the dots. H-his name...is..." visibly struggling against the words coming out of his mouth, what escapes next comes out in only a whisper, "Edrich Manstein." The man now looks truly worried as his gaze shifts back and forth nervously. "If you are suicidal enough to search him out, the White Ziggurat is two days to the southwest of the city in the mountains. You will know the path when you see it..." he trails off as Solomon kicks the last body into the pit and begins to eye the cultist as if he is next. "I have answered you questions. Make good on your promise and let me free! If I do not leave, he will find me for what I have told you!"

After Solomon is done questioning the man Renard turns his head, first to the left then to the right, glancing at the others in case they have any questions for their captive.  When nobody is forthcoming he speaks up on his own, the glow fading from his body as he lets go of the divine light, "Are there any other groups like yours after us?  What sort of resistance can we expect at this White Ziggurat.  Are there any hidden ways in?"  He was eager to hear the answers, though he was wary of asking too many questions.  He also knew well and good that as soon as the man left this place everything he told them would be relayed to this Edrich Manstein.

Half chuckling to himself, he looks Renard in the eyes, his confidence growing once again, "You have no idea what you're up against. Any other groups? There's an entire cult that has been ordered to kill you if given half the chance. Stumble into the wrong store, the wrong tavern, the wrong whorehouse, and you will find yourself besieged by Verdammten. The same goes for the White Ziggurat. The master's most loyal and dangerous undead abominations reside there, guarding him day and night, unsleeping. But the undead are not his only protection. The leader of our cult as well as her elite necromancer dread guards keep his council, waiting for the opportunity to strike. And that is just the residents of the stronghold. The Ziggurat itself if a labyrinth of death traps. The building itself will rise against you. You will die there."  The man's initial boltering courage had turned into a rant of wide-eyed desperation and pride. The indoctrination of this Verdammten must have been powerful for a man betraying it to speak so highly of it.

Kuldar gave something of a snort when the man began rambling about how great his leader was and how fruitless it would be to chase after him. He looked down to Kilgur who made a similar sound before the Bard picked himself up and walked over to the cultist. "Aye lad, we may well die takin' yer big baddy down- but at least we'll live that long. All you get is a disappointin' death where you realize most a' what ya stood for and did will just be undone by us, or some other band of adventurers." He pulled his hammer back and was ready to send the man's head airborne like Solomon had earlier to Inori, but then he stopped. "Hmph. Death is too good fer ya, I get da feelin' most of you'd be happy to die and serve yer god or whatever delusion it is ya be livin' with."

Kuldar turned away from the man as if leaving him under the watchful gaze of his comrades. "I say we keep him breathin', then turn him in. Even if this cult isn't directly connected to this city, dey're causin' trouble and the law can at least work with us in that regard. And da mages here are much better at interrogation den us I'd suspect, so somebody gag the blasted fool-" Kuldar turned on his heel and brought the other down with quite a bit of force on the cultist's left hand aiming to shatter bone with steel-plated Dwarven foot. "-I'll get his hands."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:13, Tue 21 May 2013.

Barely suppressing a smirk at Kuldar's gruff treatment of the cultist Renard turns away from the man, letting someone more talented in the use of ropes and knots tend to his binding.

"Should we find the nearest guards and hand him over or do you think it would be better to take him directly to the Hochburg?  If he's got friends in high places he might easily find himself back on the street whatever we do..."  He lets out a sigh which is accompanied by the irritating rattle of the chains around his neck - Jeeves doing the poltergeist thing.

Raznik watched the brutality with a little disgust, but did nothing to signify his objection to it. "I would be rid of him as soon as we can," he said in response to Renard's query, as he moved forward to offer to bind a gag on the man, tearing a strip of cloth from the cultist's robes.

Avianna had been standing back, watching the proceedings up until this point. She didn't know much about this cult or what they wanted with these people but she had an idea. "You could always have The Shroud Guard hold him for now. We have places that we can keep him secluded and make sure he doesn't get up to any trouble. Granted, that would mean me taking him to our headquarters which I have yet to be given permission to bring you to so I would have to go alone and leave you to conduct your investigations alone. I have shown you the entrance in though and everything else up there should be easy enough to figure out. Just don't stand out too much if you can help it and you won't have too many people get in your way."

Solomon could not really offer a suggestion.  He had given his word that he would not hamper the cultist's freedom.  Luckily, that would not stop the others from doing so.  "I would hate to backtrack now that we found ourselves to door."  It was hinted that he preferred Avianna's suggestion.

With a nod of agreement in regards to both Avianna and Solomon's statements Renard nudges at the cultist with his foot, wary of any more tricks or games the man might try to pull, "Alright, take him back to the headquarters.  If he tries to fight break his other hand.  If he should find himself dead for whatever reason make sure to burn his corpse."  When the man doesn't respond to his nudge he aims a swift kick at the fellow's ribs, "Get up, soulless cur."

Kuldar nodded to Avianna. "Aye lass, ye can take this one- but make sure you take all the proper precautions for casters an' other mystical surprises." He put his weapons away and patted Kilgur while feeding him a small shred of dried meat.

"Don't worry," she said as she took a quick moment to mercilessly break the man's fingers on his un-smashed hand, "I know what it takes to keep these magical types in check. I could use someone who knows more about magic than I to assist me though. Perhaps Skrag would be kind enough to accompany me? At least far enough so that others from the Guard can help me take him into our headquarters?" The man screamed as she did so just as he had when Kuldar smashed his hand just moments before. Skrag sat there and considered her request through the screams before nodding. "No good to let man get away if a true dragon can prevent it. I will help." Hopping up from where he had been listening to the interrogation, he fell in line with the rogue. "Without saying too much in front of our friend here, seek out our mutual friend where you saw him last and he will get word to me if you need my assistance. For now, I can only wish you good luck and may your shadows be free of danger." Without much more to-do, Avianna lifted the man from his feet and led him up the stairs slowly and out into the street, out of sight.

Kuldar nodded to Skraag, he had to admit he still wasn't fond of the dragon but he'd proven himself more reliable than any Kobolds encountered so far. "Best of luck to the bot' of ya, we'll keep in touch as we learn more." He turned and continued through the way Avianna had been leading them down.

Stuffs the pile of stuff gathered from the cultists into his backpack and quickly follows the others.  He didn't know if the cloaks rings and amulets would come in handy or not, but it could.  Of course if captured once more by the king's men it would certainly make things worse.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:52, Wed 29 May 2013.

The now slightly diminished group made their way through the tight secret entrance that would lead them into the mercantile and noble district of Estage Paar. At the end of a hundred foot tunnel was a ladder that lead up to a grate concealed by a stack of crates in an alley. The group was able to raise themselves out from their secret entrance without much notice, the first luck they had seemed to have today. As they made their way out of the alley, the first thought that sprung to mind was that they had somehow crossed over into a different city entirely. The prosperity and wealth displayed here was extravagant, and even that could be considered the understatement of the century. Colorful banners hung from every lamp-post advertising the upcoming bout in the arena, set to take place the following day at midday, shop windows displayed expensive wares and masterfully crafted merchandise, the streets were paved with well-laid cobblestone, free of mud, and the people. The people themselves were walking mannequins for luxurious coats of rare animal pelts, gold-embroidered cloaks, and fine silks. If this were to be the state of all of Burova, it would truly be considered a prosperous city. Alas, it was a mere dozen feet from crushing poverty and a void where hope was seldom found but at the bottom of the bottle.

Several inns presented themselves with colorful signs hanging on their fronts along the main thoroughfare, hawkers singing praises for their food and hospitality to anyone who would listen. Further down was a signpost that pointed out that the guild chapter houses were around the east side of the hill and that the estates of the nobility in Derevaan could be found closer to the peak. Easily visible poking up from above the storefronts was the Colosseum itself, flags flapping in the wind that had the residents of the prosperous district holding tight to their hats. It had yet to rain today but even now that the sun should have been well into the sky, the thick clouds overhead refused to let sunlight through.

OOC: So what's the plan? Where do you start?

Renard scowled at the opulence on display as if looking upon a man beating a small child.  It was inconceivable that these people did not know the suffering going on in the lower district yet they seemed to have absolutely no concern.  He turns away to face the group and compose himself, lest he draw any unwanted attention, "What was the name of the man-beast we killed?" his voice was strained with barely-concealed anger, "We should start with his house and see what we can find, and quickly.  The very existence of this place makes me weep for all is good in this world."  His knuckles turn white as they grip the chains around his neck, and it was not clear if the rattling was from Jeeves or from his own shaking hand.

Raznik had watched the others depart in silence, his mind introspective. Noticing Solomon collect up the cultists' belongings, he volunteered himself to carry them in his sack, looking for a chance at redemption, or perhaps just seeking self-destructive punishment.

As they emerged into the light of day, Raznik looked about incredulously, but paused at Renard turned to speak to them. "What was this beast you speak of?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Abelard Erland," Solomon answered.  He seemed confused by the sudden shift in city style and wealth than angered by it.  He couldn't understand why the people would horde so much while those in the lower levels had so little.  The place was truly different than the desert home he was used to.  "I doubt we'll find a banner waving in the wind portraying the abode of evil cultists."

Kuldar cleared his throat and felt a little embarrassed he had forgotten to catch Raznik up with current events. "Right lad, our first night 'ere in town a monster make a ruckus out in da streets. We took it down and it turned to a man before our eyes, some curse or spell likely the cause. Unfortunately da king found us guilty of murderin' the poor bastard since nobody else saw 'im as a beast, name was 'Lord Abelard Erland'."

After looking around Kuldar stepped off to the side and used a cantrip to clean his armor, clothes, and body, before taking off in the direction of one of the Inns. "I'll get ta work, you lot try to not look suspicious, or come along and rent a room. Business often gets people ta talk."

16:22, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 29 using 1d20+14. Diplomacy: Gather Information.

Looking for information on Abelard Erland and his family, the monsters, anything on our evil cult, and what ever else is the buzz in this part of town.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:24, Mon 03 June 2013.

"A noble? What do you mean nobody else saw him as a beast? Was he a shape shifter?" Raznik asked as he followed along beside Kuldar.

"My best guess is somethin' akin to a lycanthrope, somethin' dat turns its prey but they always go back to their original form when they expire. The fight was quick with only one enemy, witnesses who rushed out saw only a man."

Raznik seemed disturbed by Kuldar's words, but said no more on the matter for the moment. Instead he allowed himself to fall behind as he returned to his sullen thoughts.

As Kuldar entered a tavern Solomon followed.  He simply had yet to come up with another plan of action.  He sat at a table cradling a mug of hot hard apple cider.  He stared at the wisps of steam as they rose from the cup's edge.  He seemed lost in thought.  Eventually, when prying ears had fallen further away from their table he divulged those thoughts to the rest of the group in hopes one of them would have answers to his questions.

"Why would folks from this part of the city join a cult that worships death and destruction?  These folks seem to have everything:  power, prestige, wealth.  Why would they worship a deity that wants to take all that away?  I could understand if the lower inhabitants joined, but...It just doesn't make sense."

He looked at the inhabitants of the room seeing if any of them wore rings or amulets similar to the ones they found.

"I'm thinking about heading to the church of St. Cuthbert.  Since these cultists dress in robes and regalia people may have seen them.  Rumors would fly.  Rumors cause concern, and those with concern tend to take them to priests and gods.  I may take my concerns to a cleric to see how he reacts.  I would be willing to bet the cultists have a mole in the church.  If we could catch that mole....  If nothing else it will keep me busy until Kuldar works the room."

Barely able to conceal his disgust for these people living so well with such misery in such close proximity Renard quietly follows behind.  He was keen to let the others take the lead here as he was much too distracted by the open displays of wealth that shouted out the greed of this place to all who cared to see it.  Their task here was to stop this undead menace, and if doing so would make the lives of the poor in this city better then that is where he would focus his energy.

"If the entire church is corrupt it might be difficult to find a cult mole.  I still think we'd benefit from a quick investigation of Erland's lair - er, home." he corrected himself unconvincingly, "If he has any family, friends, or fellow cultists staying there they might be able to lead us to what we seek.  Either way, where you go I go and you can count on my magic at your back." he tried to sound pleasant at that last part but his mood in this place was foul enough to spoil even his sense of camaraderie.