EltonJ |
The Master of Swords opened up the door. Standing before you is someone with long hair tied in a ponytail, a dashing beard, and a scowl on his face. His eyes were blue, his skin fair, and his eyes were not bloodshot. His clothes were framed by a long cloak made of shimmerweave, and his doublet was blue and white, not at all looking formal but of everyday wear.
"Yes, can I help you?" he says. "Students, right?"
Custos The Sentinel |
Custos stands at attention when the door opens, looking down at the man who is finely dressed before him.
"Greetings Sir. I am Custos and these are my comrades. We have heard of a contract regarding grave robbers that is offered by Baroness Ilyana ir'Menenthil. We seek to extend of combat services for such a task."
"May we come in to discuss further terms?"
Custos The Sentinel |
Custos prefers to stand, letting his allies sit and not test the weight limit of the seats. He looks between to the others before nodding to the human, speaking in that low and robotic voice.
"Yes, we are interested in the details of this contract. If you could please detail the parameters of this task as well as the area of operations."
EltonJ |
"Yes, we are interested in the details of this contract. If you could please detail the parameters of this task as well as the area of operations."
He takes out a decanter full of ale and pours many drinks. One for each of you, and the decanter is emptied. He puts it back to where he got it and passes a drink to each of you. "Tell me, all of you, do you know Karrnathi history?" he questions, opening with a question.
Custos The Sentinel |
Custos looks at the drink and then looks back at the man, taking the ale and drinking it. It wasn't impossible for him to eat and drink, after all, just unnecessary.
Kn: History: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
"A bit, sir. It depends on what specific parts of this nation's long history you speak of."
EltonJ |
"Military History is required by this institution to learn," said the Master of Swords. "The Master of History will be teaching you Military history. But this I can tell . . ."
He draws a breath before speaking. "There is a group of thieves that used to operate called the Band of Shadows. They began operating when Karrnath was forced to use the undead for our troops. The Band of Shadows started stealing from the graves of Karrnath in order to prevent us from using our dead as warriors."
He takes a sip from his glass and continues. "The Band of Shadows were apprehended during Kaius I's reign before his disappearance. They were discovered by the Order of the Emerald Claw and were taken into custody. No one has seen them again, and we thought they were all dead. However, their calling card . . ."
He flicks a card from his wrist, a tarot card that is the fool. " . . . is being seen in graves and people's coffers. This is strange, and the Baroness Ilyana ir'Menenthil is dispatched to find out if the Band of Shadows is still operating."
Custos The Sentinel |
Custos carefully listened to the Master of Swords explain the scenario and the history behind a group known as the Band of Shadows. He was familiar with the beginning usage of undeath by the Karrnathi, a tactic that had helped them gain the advantage they needed.
The Band of Shadows seemed strange, though he supposed he could understand the ethical reasoning behind their initial actions made sense. To strike again now though? What purpose did it serve?
"I understand, so we are to investigate their resurgence and confirm if this is the Band of Shadows. What incentives is the Baroness offering and what will our area of operations be?"
The usual, slightly awkward and chummy demeanor of Custos would seem to have faded away. He seemed more natural here, a mission of sorts. This was what his life was made of, of military operations and objectives. This was something the warforged could wrap his head around.
EltonJ |
"The Baroness offers a scholarship for anyone who can find out about the Band of Shadows," he said. "It's a dangerous mission. Especially for cadets like yourselves. So you might need these."
He pulls out longswords for each of you. "These broadswords come from the Last War," he explains. "Each has a history. They were made in Cyre by House Cannith smiths and each are enchanted. So, you have to earn the right to wield them. Treat them with respect."
Custos The Sentinel |
Custos looks at the storied weapons that are produced in front of him, a frown spreading across his face to an extent. They were unlike the massive weapon upon his back, his weapon of choice. With a bit of reluctance, he would take whichever sword was dedicated to him with a nod.
"Thank you, sir. I will treat this weapon with the respect it deserves." He would take the blade, ensuring it was safely secured at his side. "I suppose this will do if I am ever disarmed or fight something resistant to my blade."
EltonJ |
"Sir can you elaborate on what you mean by enchanted? Better to know what our weapons are capable of before we need to use them."
"All of them are magically enchanted. One of them is a sunsword, called Savaug the Vampire Cleaver. Another is called Orcrist, the Goblin Slayer; one is Nova, it glows when hobgoblins are present; and the last is Shadowglove, it cloaks you in shadow. Another is the singing sword. Keep them well."
All are +1 magic swords, and were made during the first days of the last war. These swords are intelligent and choose their wielder.
Garra has Shadowglove, a black sword that covers her in the night, making her invisible during nighttime. The shadows flee during daytime.
Karola has Savaug the Vampire Cleaver. It's a sunsword.
Kutishek has the Goblin Slayer, it is slaying to hobgoblins and goblins.
Custos has Nova, the sword that glows when hobgoblins are present.
Finally, Ilbryn Herubawienagar irManimar has the Singing Sword. It's very flexible, flexible enough to sing during combat.
Ilbryn Herubawienagar irManimar |
"You honor us, Master." Ilbryn says, the word Master being used more as a title than a term to denote servitude.
Ilbryn regards the blade strangely, taking it and looking it over.
1. If we are not proficient with longsword, do the blades grant us proficiency? 2. Can a dhampir USE a sunsword? Hahaha
EltonJ |
1. If we are not proficient with longsword, do the blades grant us proficiency? 2. Can a dhampir USE a sunsword? Hahaha
A1. No. But through the course of the adventure and it's encounters, I'm hoping that you will learn how to use one.
A2. She should. It would be interesting to see how she reacts to wielding the Vampire Cleaver.
Karola Kraal |
It'd be suspicious not to take the sword, that's for sure. And in truth, the most dangerous opponent any dhampir can face, save a full vampire... is another dhampir. Besides, it'll deflect suspicious quite nicely.
"I'll strive to wield in with the honour in which it's given," I say.
Custos The Sentinel |
Custos studies Nova's style, examining the blade but frowning at the...smallness of it. It just felt too light, too simple in his hands. He supposed that at least the ability to glow would prove useful upon his hip and a backup weapon was not to be underappreciated.
He listens to the question between the Master of Swords and the others, those green orbs flickering from one to the other without a blink in between at all. "Crypt raiders. They'll be sneaky, quiet types. Prone to ambushes and using advantage. Eliminating them quickly will be essential, as will spotting them first."
Custos The Sentinel |
Nodding with the Master of Swords's suggestion, Custos will rise and politely extricate himself from the man's office once Karola's question is answered.
He, along with the others unless they had other idea, make their way to the city watch. There is a frown upon his face, his first interactions already forming a disappointing opinion of them.
Custos The Sentinel |
Custos seems to almost jump when Garra asks her question, his brows furrowing slightly as he spoke.
"I am bothered to be working with the guard. So far, they have shown a propensity to bribery and corruption. If the Band of Shadows has returned, they would certainly bribe the officials. I am worried we will find more resistance than aid but...we have nowhere else to turn."
Looking down at the sword upon his side, he gestures to it with a sigh. "It is an honorable weapon and a gift of station but...I am afraid it is not my style of weaponry." Hoisting the large blade from his back, he balances the greatsword while walking with ease. "Weapons with heft, like this blade, are my weapons of choice. My style of battle focuses with such tools, not anything as light as the sword." His frown seems to deepen even further. "I also feel...unworthy of a blade with a history. I have not accomplished much of anything yet, simply stopping simple pickpocketing and reporting a bribe."
He looks to Garra, nodding. "Am I alone in these feelings?"
EltonJ |
The way to the Common Room was across the quad to the student building. There, the watch had the Blood of Vol priest. Who looked scared, more than anything. The baroness was not here, though. Just the city watch and the priest.
The room was decorated in red and black. The brightest scarlet against the darkest black. However, tapestries each show each king, except for King Kaius the third. He had a large portrait painted of himself in blood red armor with his boot on the head of a boar. Other than that, it looked like a regular common room with stonemasoned walls and two or three fireplaces to keep the place warm. The common room held ten tables made from trees felled in the Nightwood. It is cold outside, but the room felt comfortable with the three fireplaces a blaze. It's unnerving to see that the proud eyes of the King seemed to follow your every move. Almost as if the painting is magically alive.
Garra |
Garra, as per her usual practice, sticks close to Custos. When she sees the terrified priest, she nudges the bit warforged to follow as she passes to go to him.
"Are you the one that saw the graverobbers? We're here to help," Garra says as soothingly as she can.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Custos The Sentinel |
Custos followed in behind her, falling back to frame the woman with his large, metallic form. He studied the man's demeanor, trying to ascertain what it was that the Blood of Vol priest was so terrified of.
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Custos is trying to learn whether the man is scared of being punished, being found by the baronness, or something else.
EltonJ |
"Yes, I saw the graverobbers," retorts the priest. "They wore black, and carried daggers. They were creepy. Like how a man without any sort of panache would creep out his catamite."
"Indeed, it is as she said. We are here to help. You can trust us." says Ilbryn, walking in but standing behind and to the side of Garra, allowing her to continue her line of questioning.
Aid Another rules can be appropriate here, as a friendly reminder.
Garra |
"Can you show us where this happened? While we're on the way, would you mind telling us what happened," Garra asks gently.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
If Ilbryn rolls another check, then count this as an aid another.
Custos The Sentinel |
Custos remains quiet, the thought of the man's sexual orientation not even registering in the warforged's mind. Such a detail was not intrinsic to one's martial and tactical capability, though it did provide insight to possible tactical complications if paired with less reasonable sorts.
As the priest began to head out, Custos would follow behind with his heavy steps. Each step he took was solid and sure as they made their way to depart from the academy.
"Priest, did you see anything else unusual about them? Perhaps there was some identifying traits, such as a limp or unusual hand color. Was any of their weapons unique or unusual? Were they of a strange race, perhaps?" The metal man would ask as they made their way out.