Imbellem leaned forward and and shook his hair like a wet dog drying his fur; the last of the dust and small stones trickled onto the ground. Likewise, Jacqueline padded a few spots on her shoulders clean. “Well, that wasn’t the most graceful thing we’ve done,” Jacqueline said dryly. Imbellem chuckled and replied, “It wasn’t the least graceful thing I’ve done either. Once, I was at the court of Proxai, see? And there they served wine in fancy, glass goblets that were like, 100 years old. I think 27 were destroyed in the accident which-” “Ahem,” Herr Johannes interrupted. “That sounds like quite a story but let’s save it for another time.” Imbellem gave a brief facial expression of embarrassment at his rambling, “Right.” As Johannes concluded a few more words with Adwonus, Dwalin gently nudged Imbellem in the side and whispered, “Seriously, tell me that tale tonight. I’ve seen the sultan of Proxai, and I’d love to hear about the expression on that smug little face of his.” Imbellem grinned, "It's a good one, but in short, I can't go to Proxai anymore."

“If you would give us a moment, Adwonus?” Johannes finally said. Adwonus merely shrugged and meandered to the wall where he leaned up against it and folded his arms. “Thanks,” Johannes replied, regardless of the lack of verbal response. Johannes motioned to the party with his hands to follow him. His companions followed him a few steps away, and they stood together in a circle, speaking in low tones. After only a couple minutes of conversing, they broke their huddle and returned to Adwonus, who gazed uncaringly at southern sky. At their return, he ceased leaning on the wall and squarely faced them. “Well?” he demanded with slight impatience. “We’ve decided, I believe,” Johannes replied, glancing around at the others to see if there was any sign of contestation. When no one spoke up, he continued, “We’ve decided we can’t trust what you’ve told us just yet, not enough to base our actions off of. We’re leaving to continue pursuing our mission. If you find some hard evidence, well, we’ll see.” Johannes pushed the strap of his backpack further up his shoulder, trying not to disturb the parrot sitting on his other, and nodded to his companions. “We’re leaving. Goodluck Adwonus.” Adwonus leaned back on the wall and simply shook his head in disapproval. Seeing he wasn’t going to say anything else, Johannes turned and started walking down the street; recognizing their time here was at an end, the other party members followed. Adwonus didn’t even watch them as they got further down the road. When they turned a corner a short ways down, Adwonus was cut from view, and the party was split.

"Fools. All Fools,” Adwonus muttered to himself. “Yes, they are.” Adwonus glanced up and saw Pyrra casually walking toward him, now only a few feet away. Briefly, Adwonus wondered where she might’ve been hiding - the roof perhaps? He continued, “I’ve gone out of my way enough for them. You’d think at least one would have the sense to listen. They follow that paladin’s charismatic speech blindly.” Pyrra put a hand on his shoulder, “One thing I’ve learned in my life is that those in the front never see the full picture, for they rarely bother to think on something from an angle other than their own.” He glanced up at her, nodding at the wisdom. At last, she smiled, “I’ve freed myself from my duties this day. I’m here to help you.”
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:36, Wed 18 Feb 2015.

When Pyrra appears he speaks to her. "Maybe I should have just killed them as they slept. I don't really know." He turns to her. "I thank you for the help, and I trust that what you have told me is true. Can we gain more support. I feel if this comes to blows we alone will not be enough to take them. We need to be smart. I know that they will likely head for the market to buy a bunch of last minute supplies they should already have. That should slow them a bit.... Pyrra, do you know of Delcor's location?"

"Perhaps you should've," Pyrra chuckled. "And no, I don't no Delcor's location. I didn't have a role in the assault plans. We should head to Rielle on Middle Island, the island between the Twin Bridges - she'd know. She might also be able to get us more help."

The sun drifted a little lower in the sky as the afternoon latened. A few townsfolk passed Adwonus and Pyrra by; people were beginning to return to the streets now that the fear of looters and further battle subsided. Pyrra pushed back her lengthy brown hair, exposing long and pointed elven ears. Like all eves, she was tall, about the same height as Adwonus. And also like many elves, her every movement and step had an air of grace, as though the mere act of movement was a dance.

Together, they stood on the cobbled stone street. A few seagulls from the bay flew overhead and quickly vanished behind the tavern. “Things are going to get ugly soon,” Pyrra spoke. Adwonus looked at her, his eyes locking with her deep violet irises. The color was rich, a coloration that belonged to those of elven blood alone. “We’d best get a move on and do what we can to stop this. Those rogue agents are rushing headlong into destruction, and they themselves will aid it.” Her tone was grim. “Adwonus, what do you wish to do?”

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 4):

The half orc looks at his long time friend and nods. "let's get to the middle Island. We need intel, allies, and supplies. All in that order."

Adwonus and Pyrra made their way through the city, and they reached the north bridge of the Twin Bridges. Both of the bridges were massive in their construction, one of the finest architectural achievements of the city and built over a century past. On immense pillars of sound stone, the bridge spanned over the first half of the bay. The arch was large enough that full-sized ships passed underneath it, continuing upstream and into the interior of Perdane. A beautiful, tripled-masted brigantine ship with white sails drifted underneath the center of the bridge as the small party drew near. Another smaller ship was following the brigantine, an exotic felucca, a kind of ship often used by Olseeni traders. It disappeared beneath the breadth of the bridge.

As always, the Twin Bridges were filled will with commoners and traders, a steady flow of traffic between the peninsulas. As they walked and further crossed over the bay, they could feel the cool sea breeze sweep over them, flowing unhindered from the open waters. The Bay of Andor always looked marvelous from this vantage, for one could view nearly all the docks of Herrod from here. The interior of the bay was filled with ships of all sizes and shapes, from all corners of the Isles. Marvelous. Not long after they stepped onto Middle Island, which split the great river flowing from Perdane into two before merging with the bay and sea. Middle Island was a small town in its own way, crowded with businesses and shops that catered to the constant passing of traffic between Upper and Lower Herrod. And a main road stretched from the west end to the east, from edge to edge. At the eastern end was a fortress tower that also acted as a lighthouse come nightfall. That was their destination.

Adwonus and Pyrra stepped onto the main road. A little further down, the wide road also branched south, continuing to the south bridge and Lower Herrod. Most of the traffic took this route, but Adwonus and his companion walked straight past, toward the fortress tower at the end of the Isle. Made of stone and greater in width than any of the other ordinary buildings, it stood decently tall over the bay and Middle Island itself. On the other side was a special dock reserved for naval ships of Herrod, though they didn’t have very many. As they neared the entrance, Pyrra glanced behind. Adwonus noticed and asked, “What is it?” “Keep going,” she replied. After a moment they passed through the open gate into the tower and were sheltered in a stone hall. Pyrra pulled Adwonus to the side, “Your friends, the rogue agents - they’re here on the island. They were a little ways behind us. I don’t think they were following us, but I’m not sure if they didn’t see us either.” Adwonus nodded in silence. Pyrra continued, “So, continue going to see Rielle, or do we want to do something about this?”

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 6):

"I say we lose them, and keep heading on our way. We can't confront them, we don't have the forces to take them on. Unless of course we summon a shitload of guards as canon fodder, which is unlikely. We need to get to the spymaster. Stay focused."

The half orc moves on, keeping a good pace through the winding streets.

Inside the fortress tower, Adwonus and Pyrra walked down the hall, their footsteps resounding on the stone blocks. On both sides were a couple large wooden doors, and at the very end was a winding stair leading to the upper levels. Two city guardsmen, who’d just come down the steps, approached the party. “Can we help you citizens?” Pyrra spoke first, “Not citizens. I’m a Hand of the state. Where’s Rielle?” The guardsmen suddenly straightened up, “Sorry for the presumption ma’am. Rielle is just through the last door on your right. Do you need anything else ma’am?" “No, that’ll be all,” Pyrra replied authoritatively. The two city guardsmen continued walking toward the front door, probably to go on patrol, but only this time they had a little more hop in their step.

Pyrra glanced back at Adwonus and winked, “Come on.” Together, they walked to the end of the hall, and Pyrra knocked on the thick wooden door. “Come in,” a voice answered. Pyrra turned the iron latch and pushed open the door which made a lengthy creaking sound. Adwonus peered inside as Pyrra stepped in first. It was an office. At the rear of a modestly sized room was a desk and chair upholstered with red leather. A decorative rug nearly covered the entire floor, immediately softening their steps. On the left hand were bookcases from wall to wall, filled with books and scrolls, some of which were starting to pile on the ground. And sitting in the chair, busily writing a letter with quill in hand, was Rielle. Her short black hair was tied in a tight bun, and she wore a conservative leather armor, a blue so dark it was almost black. She glanced up at both of them and instantly set down her quill. “I admit I’m a little surprised to see you here. For you to come straight to me - must be important.” She folded her hand in her lap, ready to listen. “Now, Report.”

Roleplaying Experience
Adwonus: Gained 32 XP
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:21, Sat 28 Feb 2015.

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 8):

The half orc views the room, checking for things, but he knows its secure. Even so, he speaks low. "Do you remember the hirelings you introduced me to? Well long story short, I killed, llarbin as ordered, and it pushed them to join the rebels, or so it seems. They attacked the guard tower. I did my best to end the situation non violently, but the paladin attempted to kill me. Needless to say I was outnumbered. The tower fell to the rebs. I attempted diplomacy and the party ended up getting me captured by rebel forces for a bit. Me and Llarbin's stepdaughter were locekd in together. The palaidn who leads the group has got a thing for her, so we both ended up being released. I tried to make the party see reason, tell them that Steyus was rightfully chosen to rule and the economy is too entwined with the pirates for now, but they wouldn't listen. In short, there's a man who's higher up. I bet he knows where Delcor is, his name is Darus. The other party members also picked up a priest, real zealous god-boy, just like the paladin, so now they have a healer. I don't know why they were so keen on joining the rebels. It really makes no sense. All of them are guilty of murder in my book. They've killed guardsmen, and gone on to rationalize everything they've done. They're trying to find Delcor as well to protect him or something. We need Delcor's location, and some muscle to back us up. I'm not talkin just city watch, were gonna need some people with real skills, maybe a caster or a healer. It can't just be me and Pyrra. We also need some supplies. I'm thinking thunderstones, bows, tanglefoot bags and some heavy duty poison at least."

Rielle set her hands on the table. Her eyebrows twitched in consternation and there was the slightest shake of fury in her fingers. Noticeably, she calmed herself. “And what do you plan to do? Hmm? Go make up for your obvious mistakes?” Despite her voice being paced, there was a painful sharpness. Momentarily, Adwonus winced at the rebuke. She continued, “The adventurers turned on us. You warned us of their disloyal tendencies early on, so that fact wasn’t so surprising. It’s why we didn’t include them in our further plans. However, they’d received an invitation to Larlben Manor, which proved a perfect opportunity to remove an enemy faction before it could cause any more damage. You were instructed to use them to get close to Larlben, and indeed you did so. I’ll state for the record that you carried out your mission perfectly and were rightly rewarded for it. But, at that point the usefulness of those adventurers was at an end, and then they were only traitors to the state - nothing more.” Rielle stood from her chair and looked sternly at Adwonus, eyes scolding, “You should have ended them then and there.”

Pyrra spoke on Adwonus’ behalf, “Madame, in his defense, he was outnumbered. And I don’t think there was an opportunity for him to take them out while sleeping. Even as the gatehouse was lost, I don’t think we had the strength to overpower them.” Adwonus glanced at Pyrra who responded with an assuring smile out of the corner of her mouth; he knew he could always count her on his side. Rielle looked out the small window behind her desk. It offered a glimpse of the bay where wind dragged ripples across the blue waters. After a moment of thought, Rielle said, “I suppose you're right Pyrra. That does seem to be the case.” Her tone became contemplative, “So, it seems they’re aware of the assault on Delcor’s hidden base at dawn, and they’re likely going to warn them. I’ve no idea how they stumbled on his location - not an easy fact to find - but we must presume that they know.” Pyrra added, “I don’t think we can intercept and stop them. They’ve already passed through Middle Island I suspect. They may be too far ahead of us.” “If I had known sooner, we could’ve laid a trap for them here,” Rielle spoke bitterly. “But I suppose we can’t dwell on missed chances. As to your request, Adwonus, casters and healers and thunder things? I know you came from the outers islands, but you’ve lived among civilized people long enough to know fiction from reality. Please, let us focus on real solutions.”

Pulling out some papers from several piles, Rielle spread them side by side on her desk, standing over them. While reviewing each of them, she continued, “We can’t move up the assault much further. Mobilizing all the guard units in time would be impossible. So they may be expecting us when we come. It’ll make things harder, but they’ll lose all the same. Most of the rebel strength is spread out in small, decentralized outposts, which are often little more than bands of urchins. A concentrated attack by the city guard will easily overpower whatever defense they may have.” She looked at Adwonus and Pyrra, “I don’t think you can do any more good in this matter, at least for time being. Sending you after the rogue adventurers would be pointless and unlikely to success, as would be sending you into Delcor’s hidden base - until the city guard is ready anyway. The rogue adventurers will meet their fate soon enough. For now, I have another task in mind, one that should make good use of your skills. But first I want you to tell me something. . .” Rielle stacked the papers on her desk and pushed them to the side. Opening a small drawer at the base of her desk, she pulled out a long cylinder case and held it in her hands. “Tell me, what have you learned of the Pirates thus far?”

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 10):

The halforc folds his arms. "Magic or no, my time on the islands taught me that there are things beyond what we know. that white haired woman with the others is something... unnatural, she weaves things with words. I can feel it. As for the pirates, rumors mostly. Apparently there's a new, bigger and badder pirate lord running the show, and the little bugger's sooo secretive noone really knows who he is, accept that he's not Red Jack. If our economy is as reliant as they say, why not ask their help in this matter? Think about it. We could use the pirates to fight Delcor's men. They'd probably lose plenty, as would the rebels. If the pirates win, they will be weakened and we can crush them later, then again, if we use them it could legitimize the rebel's claims... hmm. Maybe I'm thinking a little too big for my position..."

Rielle held a long brass cylinder-tube in her hands as she spoke, “There is much more to those rumors than you’ve heard. . .” Her tone was serious and flat. “Everyone knows that Herrod, and most of Perdane for that matter, has been in financial debt to Pirates Lords for nearly 70 years. They’re annoyingly skilled at keeping it that way. For Herrod, different Pirate Lords have exerted their power in different ways over the years. For the last 20 years, the Pirate Lord was Red Jack; he tended not to interfere in government matters except when it dealt with laws concerning pirate-owned businesses. This was acceptable. The situation is far more dire in other provinces where some Pirate Lords try to control everything, and rule the province themselves.”

Setting the cylinder-tube on desk, Rielle walked over to the small window and opened it. A gentle breeze from the sea flowed inside and ventilated the room. Adwonus heard the cries of a passing seagull. Rielle turned toward them again and continued, “The Pirates’ wealth and power rely on a good economy (in their favor of course), so problems for the city also tend to mean problems for them. As a result, Herrod has indeed asked the Pirates to intervene on problems over the years.” Her voice grew darker. “But things have recently changed. . .”

“Three months ago, every spy and informant we had among the Pirates went silent, never to be heard from again. The Pirates themselves ceased contact with Lord Steyus except for a single representative who comes once a month to check the financial books. Even I did not discover what had happened until very recently. There was a coup. With a stealth I must admire, Red Jack was overthrown - he’s believed to be dead by most. The coup was led by his second in command, who took complete control of the organization.” Adwonus spoke, “I had heard Red Jack got pushed out, but I didn’t learn who the new bastard is. Who is it?” Rielle walked over to a short table near her desk. On top of it were a number of spirits and bottles. She took one and began pouring three drinks. Finally she responded in a dark tone, “Alldyde. . . Alldyde was his second in command, ruthless and efficient they describe him. Now I have no idea how Alldyde has remained shadowed from us for so long, nor how he purged the pirates of our agents, but I became very worried after I learned this - for a couple reasons.” She set the three drinks on her desk.

“The first reason is that Alldyde has clearly no interest in contacting us. I can’t fathom the implications of this. It would seem this rebellion would be damaging to their wealth, and yet, they do nothing - it doesn’t make sense. What do they have to gain from this? Second is that Alldyde isn’t a new name to me. . . One year ago, when Kelden Delcor was still imprisoned, the Delcor family was making progress in the royal court to get their son released. Seeing the danger the reckless Kelden might cause - as we can see for ourselves today - Lord Steyus wisely decided to have Kelden killed while in prison and made to look like an accident to avoid increasing tensions. Lord Steyus asked the Pirate Lord Red Jack to do it. Alldyde was the one Red Jack sent. And even though Alldyde is well known for his competence, he somehow botched the entire task, and Kelden Delcor escaped! This seems far too coincidental for me.”

Adwonus then asked, “So what do you want to be done?” While Adwonus picked up a drink for himself, Rielle picked up the long brass cylinder-tube and unscrewed the top. She pulled out a rolled-up parchment and laid it flat on the table. It was a map. “This, is a very valuable map. I have a both dangerous and important mission for you.”

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 12):

Trapper looks at the spymaster after taking it all in. He speaks slow. "So you're implying this new pirate lord is puppeting the rebellion? or at least playing on their side? Hmm... Anyway, what's the mission, and what's my support?"

Pyrra picked up a glass and sipped the cool drink. Her violet eyes watched over the rim of the glass. Gulping, she said, "It'll be a good day when these Pirate Lords finally go extinct. With any luck, this Alldyde will be the last of them." Setting her glass down, she pushed a strand of dark hair behind her pointed ears. "So, what do you want us to do?"
This message was last edited by the player at 12:30, Tue 10 Mar 2015.

Rielle began, “This map marks the location of a pirate shipping warehouse north of here, close to the bay in Upper Herrod. You might have unknowingly passed it on your way here.” She tapped her finger on top of a black mark on the map. “I want you to investigate. We need to know what the new Pirate Lord has been doing all this time. Go inside the warehouse and see what you can find. You need to be extremely careful, for any fighting would be a hard fight.”

Adwonus then spoke, “What’s my support?” “It was difficult finding an agent for this,” she answered. “This mission requires both stealth and the skill to fight if need be. Most of our agents aren’t strong enough, and would be liabilities to you. So I picked a support from our routinely hired sellswords, one who's both light on his feet and capable.” Looking toward the door behind them, she called out, “Zinvaris, you can come in.”

The door opened, and a man walked inside. His dark blue overcoat covered a white shirt, the collar of which peaked around his neck. His thin beard and styled hair were as black as black could be. Fair-skinned, he looked- “He looks like an asshole,” Adwonus bluntly stated. “Yea, nice to meet you too pal,” he sneered.

“Gentlemen!” Rielle snapped. “The fact of the matter is, you’re the only three capable of successfully carrying this out. So you’re going to work together. Deal with it. Pyrra, take this map.” She rolled up the map and handed it to Pyrra. “Now you know what need to be done. Go do it. That will be all.” Rielle sat back down at her desk and swiftly grabbed her drink. Adwonus and Zinvaris looked at each other, sizing the other up. This was going to be interesting.

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 15):

The half orc, nods, regretting his silly comment. He's been stressed of late. Making it difficult to work well and correctly. He looked at the man Zainvaris, and spoke. "As long as you can move nice and quiet, we'll do fine together. Name's trapper. This is Pyrra." he turns to the spy master and asks, jumping on Pyra's question. "Yes. What's the deal?"

In reply to Adwonus Swillman (msg # 16):

{supply run}
Trapper peruses the merchant's on the middle island, using some of his funds to upgrade his arsenal.
the following items are purchased.
one orc double axe(60gp(Racially profiecent, treated as attacking with two weapon fighting and reduced penalties)
one suit of MWK studed leather(175GP)
Sold the leather armor(+5gp)
Sold the old hatchet(+3gp)
bought a new dagger(-2Gp)

-231gp?

“Wait,” Rielle said as they were about to leave. She had opened a letter on her desk and was reading it intently. Finally she gestured to Pyrra, “Bring me your map.” Pyrra gracefully walked over and handed her the rolled up parchment. Rielle spoke, “Slight change of plan. There’s been recent activity at another warehouse of the pirates, very recent. This one’s in the southeast part of the Bazaar, down in Lower Herrod.” She unrolled the map; taking her quill, she scribbled a new black mark. “Same thing. Investigate. See what you can find. But be even more careful around this one, for its much closer to the Pirate’s headquarters. Just be smart.” She handed the parchment back to Pyrra who tucked it in her pack. “Alright, now go. There’s no time to waste,” Rielle ordered.

With a simple nod, Adwonus left, followed by Pyrra and Zinvaris. They made their way back out of the tower and into the main road of Middle Island. “I need to pick up some things,” Adwonus succinctly said.

It didn’t take long - a half hour at the most. A brief tour of the shops was all it took for them. Adwonus adjusted his new studded leather armor, masterwork, which was just the slightest bit tighter around the waist. He needed to lose some weight anyway. His orc doubleaxe was slung on his back; it wasn’t as concealable or elegant as his old axe, but it would certainly handle more enemies at once if the situation arose. Even Pyrra had resupplied herself with arrows, content with a newly full quiver.

Only Zinvaris didn’t make a purchase, for he was already happy with his arrangement. Despite wearing little more than a deep blue overcoat and perhaps some padding beneath, he insisted he was fine. “All I really need is this,” he said, pulling out a very thin blade. “What? A toothpick?” quipped Adwonus. “This toothpick could cut you to ribbons.” His tone sounded like a joke mixed with a threat. But he smirked and continued, “I’m the best swordsman in this town you know. I guarantee it.” “Sure you are,” Adwonus muttered. Zinvaris gracefully sheathed his sword, not quite catching Adwonus’ last remark.

Pyrra turned to Adwonus and said, “Well, we have a bearing. What do you wish to do now?”

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 18):

Trapper looks at his group before speaking. "I say we should start making our way nice and easy towards the objective. On the way, I wanna know more aboutchya Zin. Tell me what you can and can't do. Tell me why you're here. Hope ya don't mind. I just like to know a bit about my team before hand. It's a new policy of mine."

Zinvaris walked with his gaze at the clouds, as relaxed as could be. “I go where the money’s good.” He spoke the fact bluntly, almost bragging. Pyrra narrowed her eyes at him, “So that’s it then? Just a heartless sellsword?” Zinvaris chuckled and smirked, “I try my best to be.”

They crossed the southern twin of the Twin Bridges and into Lower Herrod. It was a fairly long walk to the Bazaar, but the streets were moving, the traffic fair. Zinvaris continued, “Before Rielle I did a few other things. Was a sword-fighting tutor for a bit. Worked for Larlben; taught his son how to hit things.” “Wait what!?” Adwonus exclaimed, bordering on shouting. He glared intensely at Zinvaris, “You worked for Larlben?” It was more of an accusation than a question. Zinvaris just started laughing, “Relax, or your green face might turn red. Yea, I did. At least until he fired me. That was like a year ago, when he first decided to do the politics thing. He wanted his place to be more secure or something and I guess he didn’t want a sellsword around his kid. And apparently my assurances weren’t enough so, surprise - I get kicked out the door.” He shrugged. “After that I did some work for the City Guard and must’ve got noticed, for they sent me Rielle’s way - who’s got much deeper pockets! Anyway, you won’t meet a better swordsman, and I’m light on my feet. Seems you agents appreciate that kind of thing.” “Yea, well don’t fail or betray us, or we’ll see if you’re as good as you say with our own blades,” Pyrra uttered. Zinvaris replied with a light tone, “Feisty! Well you don’t need to worry about a thing miss. . . I haven’t had any good offers!”

Continuing through the streets of Herrod, they walked along the road to the Bazaar. . .

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 20):

As they walk together and converse, trapper keeps his eyes up and open. He glances around, hoping not to run into the other party. Instead he continues his conversation with Zin. "I can respect going for the gold. Makes sense in this city. Myself, I owe a debt to mr. S. And the pay's good.... if it's any consolation to you, I opened Ol' Llarbin's throat. You trained his son though, tell me what you know about 'im. He's on the other party's side. His relationship seemed, not so great with the old man when I was there. He even refused to fight in the street on Delcor's side. Wasn't to shook up about daddy's death neither. Care to shed some light on that?"

“Hell if I knew what went on in another man’s head,” Zinvaris said. He shrugged as they continued walking down the main road. The streets had grown thin of commonfolk as the day wore on. “Marcus was a decent student, though nowhere near amazing. Funny that you killed old Celus. That’s what I call an ironic fate. If he hadn’t of fired me an’ I was still around, I doubt that woulda happened.” He chuckled.

Adwonus felt a soft breeze on his skin; smelled like salt and sea. The Bay of Andor was a short distance north, but they were far from sight of it. Walking eastward to the Bazaar, the day had grown late, and the sun was finally beginning to dim in the western sky. The normally crowded highway had become sparse and only a few wagons moved ahead and behind them. “The sun will set in an hour or so,” Pyrra said, traveling beside Adwonus. He nodded in agreement. All was getting quiet.

Then Adwonus heard a strange sound in the air, a whistling. In a way, it seemed familiar, and- “Adwonus lookout!” Pyrra cried. She grabbed Adwonus by the arm and almost violently pulled. He stumbled into her while watching an arrow, sharp and fast, fly past where he once stood. It missed and shot into the wall of a house nearby. Hastily, Adwonus turned, as well as Pyrra and Zinvaris.

At the side of the road, they saw a manly, cloaked figure with a bow, standing. He began reloading with another arrow from his quiver. And he wasn’t alone. Adwonus frantically glanced around as saw at least two other cloak figures, both exiting a nearby alley and heading their way. Adwonus spoke to his companions, “I count three.” “Make that four,” Pyrra corrected. She gestured toward another hooded head peering from the window of a house, loading a crossbow on the sill. “Well let’s kill-” “Wait,” Pyrra interrupted. “We’re outnumbered, and we’re on the defensive. We don’t even know who we’re against. I think this is one of those times to run.” "Nah!” Zinvaris contested. “Let’s get our blades wet!” He unsheathed a thin sword. “Adwonus!” Pyrra pleaded. It suddenly all rested on him.

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 22):

Trapper unsheathed his weapon and spoke breifly. "Pyrra. Zin. I say we charge that archer, and retreat down his ally.There should be cover in there, and we can bottle neck the other bastards. If it gets too rough, we'll just keep running."
With that, Trapper charged the archer. Slashing at him with both hands on one end of his double axe.
14:13, Fri 20 Mar 2015: Adwonus Swillman rolled 13 using 1d20+9 ((4)).
(Hope that hits....)
if it does....

14:15, Fri 20 Mar 2015: Adwonus Swillman rolled 7 using 1d8+5 ((2)).
I am now at (4h/3h) engaged in combat with the archer.

“Charge the archer! Make for that alley!” Adwonus shouted as cloaked men ran toward them. Next to him, Pyrra pulled out the bow from her back with a grace only an elf could muster, and before Adwonus could blink, she’d armed it with an arrow. In reply to the archer’s shot, she delivered an immediate response. Her arrow whistled through the air and sailed into the chest of the assailant {Pyrra hits Enemy #1; 18 Dmg ~ Critical}. The archer’s head whipped backward at the impact, and his hood fell. As Adwonus had suspected, it was a man, a human, but it was someone he’d never seen before. With slanted eyes characteristic of the Shan-tai people, he was fairly aged, for streaks of gray patterned his otherwise black hair which was tied in a short ponytail. He appeared wounded now.

Adwonus charged, sprinting across the cobbled stone street. He took a large swing with his double axe. Despite his injuries, the archer still had the wherewithal to escape the blow, ducking beneath it. The axe missed and struck the corner of a building instead, tearing away some splinters of wood {Adwonus misses Enemy #1}.

Pyrra and Zinvaris caught up with him. While Pyrra took repositioned herself on the far side of the incoming enemies, Zinvaris entered fray. Highly enjoying himself, he laughed in the midst of combat. “Lovely day for this isn’t it?” He lunged with his rapier at the archer and missed, but he didn’t seem concerned, keeping one eye on the enemies approaching behind them {Zinvaris misses Enemy #1; Combat Expertise}.

The archer hastily took a step backward. Wasting no time, he loaded his bow with two arrows and fired them simultaneously. Adwonus eclipsed the entrance to the alley, standing only a short distance away; although he saw them coming, there was little he could do as both arrows shot into his stomach {Enemy #1 hits Adwonus; 3 & 8 Dmg}. Pyrra looked at the protruding arrows with terror.

Their enemies behind reached them. Carrying a lengthy shafted weapon with a bladed end, a halberd, one dashed toward Zinvaris and swept the polearm at his legs. With superb nimbleness, Zinvaris gleefully hopped over the blade as though he were a child playing jumprope {Enemy #2 misses Zinvaris}. “Is that all you got?” he provokingly retorted. Following behind his companion, the second foe charged into the middle of the group; the sound of metal links clanked beneath his cloak. He uncovered a thick knobbed club from his side and with both hands swung toward Adwonus. To Adwonus’ relief, the attack was clumsy and slow and he side-stepped it easily, even with arrows in his gut {Enemy #3 misses Adwonus}.

Past the enemies at their back, he saw a glimpse of the fourth person leaving the nearby house  and running across the street {Enemy #4}. At first Adwonus thought it was a child, for the figure was not even four feet tall, but he soon noticed the stocky physique - the sign of a halfling. Holding a crossbow, the halfling positioned himself on the other side of the road.

Adwonus began to sweat.

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 24):

Trapper checks his surroundings, and swings his axe, the first blade at the adjacent foe,

22:34, Tue 24 Mar 2015: Adwonus Swillman rolled 8 using 1d20+5 ((3)).


22:33, Tue 24 Mar 2015: Adwonus Swillman rolled 11 using 1d8+5 ((6)).
his attack misses,


He then takes a five foot step and swings at the archer with his other blade.

attack(critical)22:30, Tue 24 Mar 2015: Adwonus Swillman rolled 25 using 1d20+5 ((20)).

Confirm crit(fail)22:31, Tue 24 Mar 2015: Adwonus Swillman rolled 6 using 1d20+5 ((1)).
Damage(22:32, Tue 24 Mar 2015: Adwonus Swillman rolled 9 using 1d8+5 ((4)))
He yells to the others, watch the halfling! Keep moving, he can't fire into a melee with ease!

"Adwonus, duck!" Pyrra fires an arrow into the alley. Crouching, Adwonus hears it whistling through the air above his head.

She falls back to the nearby alley, taking cover behind the corner.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:42, Thu 26 Mar 2015.

Sword blazing, parrying everything that came his way, Zinvaris put his back to Adwonus'. "I've got you covered. I can hold these three for a little while, but seriously, don't take your time!"
This message was lightly edited by the player at 11:40, Thu 26 Mar 2015.

Adwonus smiled at the blood on his weapon. This was a first for his new double-headed axe, a proud moment. Across the archer’s leg, the blade had left a red streak; steadily, the stain began to grow and visibly soak into his cloak {Adwonus hits Enemy #1; 9 Dmg}. Adwonus was worried when he’d missed the first swing on his other foe, but a fast change of targets made it all worth it {Adwonus misses Enemy #3}. At least he hoped it would in the end.

Suddenly he heard a cry from behind, “Adwonus, duck!” Adwonus hastily crouched and heard the arrow sailing above him. But apparently the archer heard as well, for he ducked simultaneous with Adwonus. Even as they crouched, their eyes remained locked in a deadly glare, scarcely blinking. Both had made slaying the other their goal, the task at hand. Adwonus could see the intensive focus in those brown eyes; he imagined his own blue stare was not very different. Pyrra’s arrow sailed overhead and disappeared down the alleyway, missing them both {Pyrra misses Enemy#1}. With zero hesitation, Adwonus and his foe resumed their combat stances.

Adwonus then felt someone touching his back. Alarmed at first, he glanced over his shoulder but saw only Zinvaris, pressing his back against his and covering his flank. Parrying like the wind, Zinvaris’ sword was a blur. Adwonus could scarcely see it as the thin blade scratched one of their enemies {Zinvaris hits Enemy #3; 5 Dmg}. What happened next impressed Adwonus even more. A crossbow bolt shot across the street from the halfling; although it darted through the air faster than a hummingbird, Zinvaris struck it from the air with his sword, knocking it to the ground {Enemy #4 misses Zinvaris}. One of their enemies swung a knobbed greatclub, but Zinvaris parried this as well {Enemy #3 misses Zinvaris}; This was instantly followed by the halberd, hoping to catch Zinvaris distracted, but to no avail. Somehow, Zinvaris parried this too {Enemy #2 misses Zinvaris}. His thin rapier seemed to dance effortlessly around the bulkier weapons, guiding them astray. Adwonus was indeed impressed. Zinvaris glanced over his shoulder, Adwonus only inches away, and smirked, “I’ve got your back man. Just don’t take too long.” Adwonus nodded in reply. Things relied on him now.

He returned his attention to the archer who’d taken another step back. Predictably, he’d reloaded his bow with another two arrows. Adwonus looked right and left, but the alley walls towered on both sides - there was nowhere to hide. “Shit,” he muttered to himself, “This is gonna hurt.” The archer released both arrows and they shot straight into Adwonus’ stomach, joining the others already there {Enemy#1 hits Adwonus; 5 Dmg, 5 Dmg}. Adwonus briefly stared at the four arrows now protruding from his gut. His thoughts had become a blur, and he felt hot, much too hot. Things were becoming dangerous. And bloody.

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 28):

Trapper spoke to zin. "I'm stepping forwad. Keep at my back, funnel them in, it will take pressure off of both of us!"
The half orc leapt forwards, swinging both hisblades towards the archer, intent on killing him.

15:11, Fri 27 Mar 2015: Adwonus Swillman rolled 8 using 1d20+5 ((3)).
MISS

15:12, Fri 27 Mar 2015: Adwonus Swillman rolled 10 using 1d20+5 ((5)).
miss.

Weariness crept over him. The loss of blood had made everything seem distant, and he strenuously fought to keep his mind. Exhausted, Adwonus swung his axe, but neither axehead landed anywhere near his opponent {Adwonus misses Enemy#1; Adwonus misses Enemy#1}. His elbow touched one of the arrows protruding from his gut and a twinge of pain flared through him. “Damn these bastards,” Adwonus spitefully muttered. Facing him, the archer was on the verge of reloading his bow. This might’ve been Adwonus' last moment alive if it wasn’t for a welcome interruption. Behind the archer, Pyrra suddenly leaned around the corner with her bow! She released an arrow straight into the archer’s back who shouted at the pain {Pyrra hits Enemy#1; 6 Dmg}. The foe who wielded a halberd yelled to his companion, “Takki, fall back!” The archer heard. Wasting no time, he withdrew. Able to do nothing, Pyrra bitterly watched him turn the corner opposite her and disappear down the alley and into the street.

Behind Adwonus, Zinvaris was continuing to parry with great skill. Despite focusing on defense, he added yet another cut to his previous one (mostly for style) before falling back into the alley {Zinvaris hits Enemy#3; 3 Dmg}. Perhaps giving up, the enemy suddenly sprinted to the east and out of view. Now with a clear shot, the halfling across the street fired bolt into the alleyway and this time hitting Zinvaris in knee {Enemy#4 hits Zinvaris; 4 Dmg}. Zinvaris briefly gasped through his teeth. “You ok?” Adwonus asked. Zinvaris glanced at the arrows in Adwonus’ stomach and dryly chuckled, “Better than you!” That was all Adwonus needed to hear. Zinvaris returned his attention to the matters at hand just in time to parry the incoming halberd, deflecting it to the side {Enemy#2 misses Zinvaris}. Zinvaris continued speaking to Adwonus, “You know, I’m starting to think we might not have the strength to finish this fight. We might want to consider some alternate plans. Then again, we could risk it - I’m behind you either way.” “Pyrra’s over here, so we could-” Adwonus was cut short by a cry from Pyrra. Her elven face peaked over the corner, "The other one. He’s coming up behind me!” This was becoming a close-quarters fight. . .

Trapper looked down at the arrows in his armor, then at the ensuing chaos. "Zin. With me, were' going to withdraw down the alley and take Pyyra with us. We need to find better ground. Pyra! Withdraw! We'll deal with these bastards in a bit!"

We fully withdraw down the alley and duck into a random building(if possible if not, we keep moving into a zone with more inhabitants(IE a market))

“Let’s go!” Adwonus harshly shouted. The clang of swords abruptly ceased as Zinvaris turned and followed him. They both rushed down the alley, bolting at full speed. As they passed Pyrra, she escaped a final swing from her opponent and dashed away, sprinting close behind Zinvaris. They took sharp and random turns through the alleyways. Before long, they exited out the alleys and stepped into a street on the other side, parallel to the main road. A passing merchant with his wagon gave them an alarmed look, thinking for a moment he was about to be mugged, but was relieved when all they did was rest and pant heavily, out of breath. The merchant hastened away.

Pyrra glanced back into the alleys, “I think they’ve disengaged. Perhaps to take care of their wounded. Perhaps because they want to catch us on their own terms. I’m not sure.” Zinvaris warily touched the cut on his leg, assessing the damage. “Who the hell were those guys?” he asked. Pyrra frowned and replied, “I’m not sure of that either. But I know where we could find out. However- . . . Adwonus?”

Adwonus leaned on the wall. His heavy breathing had a sickening rasp to it. He suddenly vomited on the ground - there was blood. “Oh no,” Pyrra gasped, rushing to his side. She lightly touched his stomach. “These arrows are in there pretty deep. You’re hurt bad. We need to get you someplace where you can rest.” Adwonus glanced at her and stubbornly said, ”No, I’m fine. Let’s-” He vomited again. The concern on Pyrra’s face deepened, “There’s a place we can rest. I know the owner. Come on.” She placed her head beneath Adwonus’ shoulder to help him walk, her arm supporting his back. “Trust me,” she said in response to Adwonus’ scowl at being helped. She continued, “Be as prideful as you want. But you don’t help anyone by dying, and I have no plans to let that happen. . .” As hastily as they could, they disappeared down the street, staying close to the shadows. And for the time being, they had lost their attackers. Adwonus hated the thought of being prey.

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 32):

"Allright," he barked. "Let's get to a safe place. Pyrra, lead the way."

Pyrra spoke with a frail, old man while Zinvaris helped Adwonus up stairs to the bedroom. After laying down a sheet, Zinvaris eased him onto the bed. It hadn’t taken them long to reach the northern edge of the Slums, being close to where they were, but each step was torture for Adwonus. Pyrra entered the room, “I finished talking with my old friend. He said we could use this room for the evening.” “Old friend?” Zinvaris inquired. Pyrra set down her things and moved next to Adwonus. She spoke as she pulled out some tools and bandages, “Yes. I had a mission to investigate a gang of criminals in this area a couple years back. By pure coincidence, I found them just as they were about to kill that old man, and stopped them. He’s provided me with information and occasional help ever since.”

Zinvaris nodded as he grabbed a few wash clothes and soaked them in water. Wringing them so they were damp, he crouched next to Adwonus. “These arrows have to come out you know.” “I know,” Adwonus muttered. Pyrra added, “After that you should get some rest. It’s not even the evening yet; if you get sleep now, we’ll still be able to continue our mission in the dead of night, which perhaps would be better anyway.” Adwonus silently nodded. “If you have Clay Tokens, I could get some Elven Medicine for you. There’s a dealer close by.” “But first let’s get these arrows,” said Zinvaris. While he readied the wash clothes and some bandages, Pyrra stood over Adwonus and gulped. “This is going to hurt,” she said. Carefully, she grabbed the first arrow. Adwonus wasn’t sure when he blacked out, but after that moment, everything was a blur. . .

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 34):

Trapper sat up in the bed, wincing a bit. He looked around the room, at Pyyra, at Zin. "We have a problem. Those boys in the ally were no thugs. They meant to kill. We got assassins on our hands... We're going to have to move even quieter to keep this mission from getting complicated..."

"Agreed," said Zinvaris as he cleaned his blade in the corner. "We could move tonight. I doubt they know where we are. My guess is they're tending to their own wounds. Meanwhile, we could go complete our mission. Then afterwards set our sights on retribution."

In reply to Zinvaris Artian (msg # 36):

THe half orc looked to zin and nodded. "Retribution does sound nice. But I want one alive. I want to know who's trying to kill us, but I do have my ideas."

Adwonus shot up from his bed in a cold sweat. Pyrra was touching his shoulder, her purple eyes shining in the dark. She’d woken him, but his reaction caused her some worry. “It’s the middle of the night. We’d best get going.” Adwonus breathed heavily for a few moments before nodding, then, easing himself off the bed. He could walk on his feet now, stand, move like he used to, as long as the bandage held in place anyway. It shifted as he reached down and picked his weapons off the floor, sending a jolt of pain and weakness through him. He endured it.

Zinvaris was rubbing his eyes, having just woken himself, “Time to get this party started?” “Now or never,” said Pyrra with a wavering in her voice. Zinvaris shot a glance at Adwonus looking for a final say. He grunted in reply, wanting to show no weakness. And together, they departed the old man's wooden house that had been their hiding place and re-entered the streets. The moon shined brightly in the night sky.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:55, Sat 11 Apr 2015.

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 38):

trapper got up from the bed, checking his wounds(did I heal at all?)"Let's get moving then."

Moonlight illuminated the city streets. Most citizens of Herrod slept in their beds at this hour, dreaming pleasant dreams, unaware of the great events to come. But the streets were not entirely empty, for Adwonus and his party walked them, footsteps echoing lightly on the cobbled stone. Zinvaris gazed upward at the pale stars, confident of his feet in the dim glow. He walked beside Adwonus. “Lovely night.” Adwonus couldn’t help but agree. Many of the constellations overhead were familiar to him. He didn’t know their proper names, only the names he himself had given them; he’d spent many nights in his youth, on the island, watching the heavens.

Truly, there was little else to do during that solitary time of his life. Days and nights passed without uttering a word. Who was there to speak to? So he’d lay on the rocky bluffs, eyes open, waiting for sleep to come of its own accord. One constellation, three bright stars in alignment, he’d named the spear, and crafted a story for it so that he might remember its shape. This spear belonged to an amazonian woman, or so he imagined. Strong and fierce, she fought back the others stars, enemies all around. And indeed the line of stars rotated throughout the night as it traveled from one horizon to the other, like a clock, eventually facing all directions. This amazon was surrounded, but she faced her foes one by one, always triumphant, for the next night she was always there and the fight began once more. If only his mother had be so strong.

Adwonus abruptly ceased his fanciful stargazing and set his eyes on the road where they belonged. Pushing out whatever thoughts he’d been thinking, he directed them, forcefully, onto the task at hand. Yet they were stubborn. His mind wandered onto Pyrra walking ahead of them whose elven eyes and ears led the way. She was strong. And in a way, she was also motherly. Fierce on the outside but tender and gentle within, when the world permitted it. Her life had been far from easy. Adwonus had always considered his own to be a difficult one, always him against the world, but it seemed much less so next to Pyrra’s, who lost not only her family but her entire people. Adwonus never really had a people, for which he was grateful. You can’t lose what you don’t have.

The Bazaar drew near. The entire market district was surrounded by a wall, sectioning it off from the rest of the city. This city was full of walls. It normally took an hour to walk from one side of the Bazaar to the other, but at night when the streets were barren, it’d take perhaps twenty minutes - not that he was concerned about time. Dawn was many hours away. Time was on his side for once. . .

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 40):

Trapper kept himself focused the best he could. THe wounds hurt with movement, but pain was a part of his life. He pushed on towards the objective, moving with his companions as inconspicuously as he could...

It felt different walking through the Bazaar at night. The streets were empty and silent, and the air was cooled by the nearby ocean. Familiar with the market streets, Adwonus and his companions swiftly traversed the roads leading the warehouse, which was to be found in the southeastern corner of the Bazaar. Before long, cutting through the various side roads, they reached their destination. It was exactly where it was supposed to be. Beneath the stars and moonlit sky, they gazed upon a large wooden warehouse built near the towering stone wall that enclosed the market district. Thirty feet high with a sloped roof, the warehouse appeared worn and derelict, like a barn decades old. Adwonus would have presumed it to be abandoned if it wasn’t for the two fifteen foot high doors propped wide open with torchlight and voices emanating from inside. . .

“We’re here,” said Pyrra. “Now, we need a plan.” As they began discussion, something suddenly caught the attention of both Pyrra and Adwonus. Ahead, just around the corner of a building opposite the warehouse, they caught sight of a group of people lingering on the pier. Largely out of sight, they stood conversing quietly. “I count five,” Pyrra whispered tersely. “Same,” Adwonus replied. Zinvaris asked, “Is it a gang of pirates?” “I’m not sure,” Pyrra answered. “But I’m sure we’ll find out.”


This message was last edited by the GM at 17:20, Wed 22 Apr 2015.

“Let’s try to slip in and out before anything goes down,” Pyrra whispered. “I see a backdoor just over there, in that crevice. Quick.” Following closely, Pyrra led them into the narrow space where there was indeed a backdoor and opened it silently. To their relief, a wall of crates blocked view from the rest of the warehouse leaving a small walkway between it and the wall - something to hide behind. As quietly as they could, they slipped into the warehouse. . .


This message was last edited by the GM at 17:52, Mon 27 Apr 2015.

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 43):

Trapper ducked into the coridor attempting to move nice and quiet like.(ms
16:30, Sat 25 Apr 2015: Adwonus Swillman rolled 11 using 1d20+10 ((1)).)
and hide check
(
16:31, Sat 25 Apr 2015: Adwonus Swillman rolled 12 using 1d20+10 ((2)).
( i have shitty rolls dude. lol)

Adwonus rested his back against the wall of crates which were stacked five layers high, about fifteen feet. Through a small crack between one column, he could catch the slightest glimpse of men moving back and forth, not to mention the constant drum of voices and footsteps as they worked. Pyrra and Zinvaris crept by either side of him, listening. Adwonus felt a bead of sweat dripping down his forehead. This was a dangerous place. If they were caught in a fight, Adwonus thought, they wouldn’t be able win. Pyrra and Zinvaris realized this as well. They took a moment to catch their breath.

And as if fate itself was against them, their ears perked from an even worse sound; they heard another set of footsteps approaching. . . from behind the backdoor! Pyrra and Adwonus glanced at each other with tense and worried faces. Adwonus harshly whispered, “As soon as the door opens, I’ll grab him and keep him quiet. If there’s a clang of swords, the pirate will hear us, and we’ll be overwhelmed. We’ve gotta do this stealthy. Got it?” Pyrra and Zinvaris swiftly nodded and took their positions next to the door. For a brief moment, Adwonus was proud of their competence and professionalism, but now was not the time for praise.

The footsteps drew closer. Adwonus readied himself. The moment the door opened a crack, Pyrra suddenly opened it the rest of the way, undoubtedly surprising the fool on the other side. Only one man, Adwonus grabbed the fellow by the collar and placed a thick, green hand over his mouth. He pulled him inside, ready for a hard struggle. Pyrra closed the backdoor as swiftly and silently as she’d opened it. As he was about the wrestle the oncomer to the ground, Adwonus realized something. He recognized the person in his grip!

“Mikael?”

The elven eyes gazed back at him in equal surprise. Options raced through Adwonus’ mind. Mikael, like himself, clearly didn’t belong here - the elf was trying to sneak in. It was a great risk trying to fight, Adwonus concluded, especially when there might be another way. If there was ever a time that Adwonus needed more men, now was the time.

“Now, I’m going to take my hand off you,” Adwonus whispered in a low growl. “Don’t make a sound, or the pirates will hear us, and kill us. Understand?” Mikael blinked with comprehension. Slowly, Adwonus lifted his hand off the elf’s mouth; Mikael stared back at him still trying to overcome his shock. This was a high stakes game.

In reply to DM Ryan (msg # 45):

Trapper looked at the elf, and whispered. "What are you doing here?"

“Well, uh, goodbye,” said Mikael. “Alright,” Adwonus replied simply. Timidly the elf glanced between the members of Adwonus’ party and proceeded to open the backdoor. He eased himself through. Although it appeared entirely unintentional, the latch handle of the door then slipped from the elf’s grasp, and Adwonus’ blood went hot. The door didn’t slam shut by any means, but it made more sound than he would’ve liked as it fell back into place. He could hear the elf scram on the other side. Filled with trepidation, his senses sharpened and caught a voice within the warehouse.

“Mate, I think I hear somethin’. Go check the backdoor will you?”

Pyrra glanced at Adwonus, “We gotta move, now.” He nodded. Swiftly, they opened the backdoor a second time and scurried out the building. They stepped into the street just in time to catch sight of Mikael crossing the road and entering the adjacent structure. “Let’s go,” said Adwonus.

Adwonus knew what he might find. He didn’t have a full plan yet, but one was forming in his thoughts. As he reached the entrance of the building, he took a moment to examine it beneath the moonlit night. It was old and clearly abandoned, perhaps a storefront during the time it was in use. The frontside faced the pier and the open ocean beyond; dark waves crashed against the stone a mere twenty feet away and rocked ships along the docks. Some rotted boards were nailed over the upper half of the entrance to the abandoned store, with several lower boards apparently having been pried off - recently. The door was open, and Mikael could be clearly seen just inside. Him and others. Adwonus stepped up to the doorframe and peered within.

Five figures returned his gaze, very familiar figures: Johannes, Dwalin, Mikael, Imbellem, and Jacqueline.

He heard Mikael finish saying, “I ran into someone, someone I didn’t expect.” “Yes,” Adwonus uttered, commanding their attention. “Definitely unexpected.”