CELESTIAL SUMMONS - GM Angelina's Campaign

Game Master Lady Firedove

"What we were doing in Endurant, Lord Mayor, was arriving too late. We are a band of, among other things, traveling healers, but when we reached the town of Endurant there was nobody alive to heal, save one small girl. The fiends we killed set upon us on the road, but the town itself was a smouldering ruin—and we chose to return here, in order to warn the nearest city."

Also sorry for forgetting where we were... ^^;

Lesith nods at Cernan words.
"And we are at your service if we can help keep the town safe."

The Lord Mayor eyes Lesith, Cernan, and Natanja with curiosity.

"You are... mages? Priests? What?"

"I'm a forensic wizard, craftsman and healer. The others have their own specialties."

"I am a healer, willing to help. My cousins, as Cernan tells you, have a very useful range of abilities. But more importantly, a genuine desire to help."

Finishes her late breakfast with her companions. Gives pleasant thanks to their hostess for their time, effort and the meal provided, before rising, settling her cloak about her shoulders and heading off to re-join the rest of the company.

Natanja considers The Lord Mayor's question, and finds herself the third to respond.

"I walk with the Spirits and am a fair healer. I managed to find the surviving girl in the rubble and aid her.
Others of our group are strong defenders, and thus we were able to defeat the small fiends whose corpses you see before you."

She nods at the guard holding the imp corpse and bag.

"Fascinating.
Well, you're certainly welcome to help defend the city against threats, just so long as you're not causing chaos, and this isn't some grand scheme to get paid an exorbitant sum.
We want to keep the peace here."

"Sir, they've not asked for payment, and have even filed a proper report on their findings."

As Captain Ronald reaches into his own bag to produce Cernan's report, he also notices something else, and extracts a certain distinctive ring and dagger.

"Also, Sir, you may be interested to see these items they recovered from the rubble. It seems there was a nobleman visiting Endurant who died in the blaze."

"According to the surviving girl Gina, those belonged to a Sir Hawkthorne who was in town for the Summer Festival, visiting his sister."

Mayor Vertin's eyes grow suddenly wide, and they flit from one of you to another, then back to the ring. He leans forward with utter fascination, reaching for it...

"You say the owner of this ring is now dead? Are you quite certain?"

"From the state of the bodies we weren't able to identify any of them. But from the state of the town I would say it would be very hard for anyone, except the little girl we found, to have survived. Also, if anyone would have escaped, we would have found them, or they would have reached here already."

"Well, yes... and if you hadn't been listening, also hundreds of non-noblemen, many of them children."

The Lord Mayor examines the ring and responds softly, almost to himself.

"Yes, of course. It's a great tragedy. But none of those non-noblemen or children could potentially have become the next King of Theramark. This definitely changes things!"

Lesith can't hide her disgust at the Mayor's comments.

The Lord Mayor seems too caught up in his own racing thoughts to notice.

Arabeth -With Shyness, Chap, Marius and Poterol- walks towards the Mayor's office and to rejoin the rest of her companions.

"Good idea Arabeth," Chap quickly finished her mead and watered ale and with blushed cheeks and a pick to chew she joins Arabeth's side.

As they leave Max Gelthis' Shop Aeryth splits off to go to the Blacksmith's.

After assurances that he will devote resources to Vigilant's defense and send word of this tragedy to appropriate persons in the Capital, The Lord Mayor dismisses the lot of you.

Captain Ronald thanks you again for your information and assistance and asks that you report to him with any new information.

Cernan, Lesith, and Natanja head back toward the Green Tree Inn to find their companions.

Meanwhile, Arabeth, Chap, Marius, Poterol, and Shyness step out of the Green Tree Inn to see about finding the rest of you.

Also, Eli, Aeryth, and Sister Azmaria stop by a local blacksmith's shop after returning Gina to Uncle Max. At the sight of Capt. Ronald's note, the blacksmith willingly allows you use of his forge in the coming days, but suggests that you wait until morning to begin, since the forge has already been heavily used today.

As the sun sets, all eleven of you find each other once again outside the Green Tree Inn.

Now's the time to update each other on what you've learned and decide what you're doing next... Game on!

Eli heads up to his companions. There is a conspicuous lack of a young girl, and his sacks seem somewhat lighter. Nodding briefly at those who've come from the Inn, he turns to Cernan, Lesith, and Natanja.

His impassive masked face appraises them. "Greetings, cousins. How goes it. What happened with the mayor. Did he take the threat seriously. Was any more information gathered." he... asks... yes, asks, that's it... his fellows.

Arabeth curtsies politely in greetings towards her traveling/adventuring friends. She listens intently to learn all that she can about the meeting with the Mayor.

"I hope we were taken seriously. And we learn that Sir Hawkthorne could potentially have become the next King of Theramark."
She looks down.
"And I am afraid the Mayor consider that life much more important than all the others lost at Vigilant."

"The Mayor has gone so far as to strongly suggest that the whole attack was just an assassination—or at least, that he believes such an explanation more likely than random fiendish attacks."

"Sounds as good an explanation as any," Marius grumbles. He didn't pretend to understand the machinations of devils and their kin, but knew they always had some kind of agenda behind their actions. Destruction for destruction's sake was one thing - but that would make them no better than a common vandal. No, devilkin were always up to something more. "It's not like we found any indication otherwise. But why?"

Shyness nods along with Marius' reasoning. "Next warlord killed. Greed for power," she offers succinctly.

"If they were really after just one person, it was an attack with a lot of collateral damage."

"Evil not care. Cover tracks."

"Without evidence of any kind, it is speculation to guess, and mentally draining to conjure up and consider all of the possibilities with the little information we have."

"We need to take consideration as to our next plan of action. What are we to do next?"

"I fear for the town. Maybe we can make ourselves know to the guards, and patrol tonight..."

Arabeth frowns but has little more to add at the moment.

Sorry for dearth of posting. Real Life getting busy. :P

Nodding at Lesith behind his mask, Eli finally adds "This is awful. The next high-chief of Theramark was killed along with an entire village." he states in his usual emotionless way.

"Though very rare among my people, in more recent years, there are those who are so confused as to believe that they can become a chief by killing the current one. It was a sin unheard of before the advent of 'politics' from civilization. There was murder and cruelty yes but it was always for slights or wrongs or honor or fear instead of seeking to take another's burden in this way. It is only within my lifetime that-" his seemingly-emotionless ramble cuts off.

"Apologies." he says with no hint of anything, much less regret, "I ramble. My point was that this does bear the hallmarks of that insanity. This seems to be what Shyness was thinking as well." he nods at his cousin, and continues impassively, "So it may be that Vigilant is entirely in the clear. However, we know that whoever started this did not want it discovered, yet. That means that if it is related, there is still a method by which the wicked akuo~orokku. Oh my apologies," he states flatly, "I think it is like an onimajo or perhaps an wizard in your tongue, yes." he says emotionlessly, while snapping his fingers rapidly, as if to recall something. It takes a few moments before you realize he just asked a question.

"Regardless of what it is called, it is evil." he states flatly. "And it must be stopped. And if the news was not to get out yet, than there is still time to stop his ultimate scheme. Still time to expose him. Thus, in addition to protecting Vigilant, we must seek out this man. Prevent him from taking burden upon himself."

The words seem like they would be better suited to someone speaking them passionately and emphatically. Instead, Eli merely gestures like he's being passionate while a flat, calm, almost disinterested voice issues from behind the unreadable mask.

"In the insanity of politics there is usually multiple ones ready to take the burdens. Do we know who else is would take the burden instead of Hawk-thorn." Okay, this time it was definitely a question.

"Slow down a moment Eli. Who was the next chief of Theramark, and where is Theramark? Do we know if this person is indeed deceased? Who is going to become chief of this Theramark now? How do we know a singular wizard is responsible for the travesty at Endurant? What burdens are you talking about?" Chap rapid fires questions while counting them on her fingers as if to keep track of them.

Natanja smiles slightly at the tough but confused woman beside her.

"I know you have traveled far, Chap, but I would have thought you'd remember that Theramark is the name of the Kingdom in which we now sojourn."

"Vigilant's Lord Mayor seemed to have some reason to believe that Sir Hawkthorne --the man whose hawk-crested ring and dagger we found in the wreckage of Endurant-- might have become the next King of this Country if he had not met with such an untimely demise."

"Eli, given his tribal heritage, seems to be using the phrase high-chief to mean King. Shyness is using the term warlord. Either way, it is a position of leadership and great responsibility, and I believe it is this burden of responsibility to which Eli refers."

"Shyness and Eli are suggesting that someone else hoping to become ruler of Theramark may have been behind Endurant's destruction. The question is, who else stands to gain from Sir Hawkthorne's death?"

"Why did the Lord Mayor think Sir Hawkthorne might become King? Last I heard, the Queen was alive and well ... although I may have very old information."

"But, if Sir Hawkthorne was indeed to become King, who will rule Theramark now that he certainly seems to be dead? I don't think we have any specific way of knowing whether one person is behind this or many, or whether or not that person is a wizard, but he or she or they do seem to be able to summon or call fiends."

"I suggest that tonight some of us guard Vigilant and some of us rest in hopes of further enlightening dreams. Perhaps Angelina will be able to shed some light on the matter. And perhaps we should examine more closely this 'insanity of politics' in order to bring Endurant's mass murderer to justice."

Oko, perched on her shoulder as usual, caws a note of assent to Natanja's monologue.

So, can we get five in-character volunteers to stand guard first tonight and five in-character volunteers to sleep first in hopes of receiving enlightening dreams and, if possible, asking Angelina questions?
Five people to sleep first: ...?
Five people to guard first:...?

Eli to sleep~!

Eli nods, his face covered by an impassive mask, "I volunteer for sleep first. Hopefully rest will assist in continuing to restore my flesh to its strength, and hopefully Angelina can commune with a few of us as we rest."

"Even evil have purpose. There is reason behind attack whether we know it or not. We hunt reason, must pursue to catch prey. Seeking power not only possibility, but strong one. Shyness guard dreamers who hunt."

Cernan will sleep normally, so he can oversee some blacksmiths during regular business hours.

Azmaria was busy cleaning her weapon as the others talked, she was listening, but she has always been told to just shut-up and listen by mother superior in the past. It was a habit that she found difficult to break.

hehe, Habit...Sister...hehe... nevermind

I am curious, She eventually asks, Are we positive that this Sir Hawkthorne is actually dead, I mean absolutely positive?

Azmaria probably knows the answer, but it didn't hurt to ask, there could be another possibility as to what is going on.

In any event, My order is not in the Habit of getting involved in political squabbles, we are to eliminate the threat of demons and devils into our world.

hehe... Habit...again

"While I'm curious as to what new information our patron will bestow, I believe I can stand guard again without trouble." Poterol is all ready setting out a small ink kit and what looks like a journal.

Lesith will stand guard...
"Shyness, Poterol, hope you don't mind if I join you."

So we have Eli and Cernan planning to sleep. Who else?
Also, I assume you'll sleep in your own rooms upstairs at the Inn, with their closed, latched, and newly-belled windows, yes?

So far we have Shyness, Poterol, and Lesith staying awake to guard. Who else?
Also, will your guardian group be staying downstairs in the common area of the Inn? Patrolling outside around town? Or what?

Sister Azmaria, from your post, I wasn't sure which group your character is choosing to join... dreamers or guardians?

Patrol outside... Making the rounds, checking the guards are awake and ok, and no fires appear...
In Lesith case, using Detect magic here and there...

Arabeth will seek a 'normal' night's sleep. So as to be useful on the coming morrow....

Marius will offer his and Rex's services as the nightly guard dogs. He's tired of feeling useless with all this talk... He's nothing if not a man of action.

Dream Team: Eli, Cernan, Arabeth and ...?

Guardians of the Vigilant: Shyness, Poterol, Lesith, Marius, and ...?

Shyness will stay within the inn, patrolling throughout.

Guardians R us