GM Kiora's Wrath of the Righteous

Game Master Kiora Atua

For the last several weeks excitement has been building in Kenabres: Armasse is coming! Armasse was originally a holy day of Aroden, but since his death, it has become more about training the common-folk in weaponry, choosing squires, and ordaining new priests. There are jousting competitions, mock duels, battle re-enactments, and other events. The festival is much appreciated by all who live in Kenabres, for one day the citizens can forget the horrors of war, and the festival generally does wonders for morale among the crusaders.

You begin at the center of Kenabres, at Clydwell Plaza, west of the grand Cathedral of St. Clydwell. The opening ceremonies will start at noon. The square is already starting to fill up with crowds.

A woman on the taller side of average, appearing as an Ulfen who had been chiseled into smoother lines, and sporting flowing blonde hair shifted easily through the crowd, a wide smile across her face. "'Scuse me. Pardon me." she said in a husky baritone voice as she slipped past a pair of dwarves standing in the middle of the sidewalk, and stopped immediately as a trio of children dashed down the street ahead of her laughing uproariously. The smile somehow managed to become wider as she stopped on a dime, shield arm moving ahead of her to help her retain her balance, as she watched the children continue on her way.

The shield arm was aptly described as even now it carried a viridian shield that absolutely clashed with the rest of her outfit. A brilliant red cloak flowed behind her as she began to walk once more, which matched the red leather of her armor. The reds were, predictably, offset by chain and buckles of a golden color that just nearly matched her hair. She stopped for a moment to brush her hair out of her face as she looked both ways before crossing the street (cart drivers were notoriously insane, after all), and then let her hand fall back down to her sword at her side. It appeared to be an ordinary sword, which actually made it stand out a little from the rest of her gear. The truth was, it could easily be marked as a hand-me-down from the church; there was no such thing as a homeless weapon when it came to her commanders. All the better that it carried its own minor enchantment. The black-wrapped hilt with gold-toned pommel and guard drew eyes to the plain black leather breeches that lead down to red leather boots. It was clear that the woman was dressed with durability in mind, if not inclement weather.

For a moment, she stood still to watch the cart that inevitably had been coming pass, which gave anyone watching her a clear view of the shield; it wasn't all green metal. The crest of Iomedae could be seen resting in the center of the shield, the light that would normally dance off of the blade being turned into upraised spikes of cold iron.

Finally, the cart passed, she resumed her stride; confident, engaged, but still with a hint of sway and swagger. It was evident in everything about her that she was having an incredible time even before the festivities had begun. As she passed a girl of perhaps five to seven years, her free hand darted out to tousle the youth's hair. The child looked up to her angrily for a moment, then started shouting, "Ary! Ary!" dancing and clamoring. Ary grabbed her and tossed her into the air, holding her with her sword arm as she beamed, voice still rich and deep. "Hey there, Pipsqueak." she turned to a crusader in similar dress. "Grim." she nodded. The man was smiling, which was uncommon. His dark hair matching his daughter's was swept back, obviously by comb as opposed to hands.

"Ary." Grim responded dryly, returning the nonchalant nod. "Are you going to steal her, or am I going to get her back before you go off to find whatever form of excitement strikes your fancy today?"

Ary affected being offended (rather badly), as she held 'Pipsqueak' out to her friend, using her shield arm to hold her up. "Oh come on. If you didn't want people to take her, you wouldn't just leave her sitting out in the open. You have to keep your treasures someplace safe!"

Once back in her father's arms, Ary continued, "Honestly... right now, I'm thinking food. That will always be the absolute best part of any festival. Are you coming?"

The man shook his head, "No, we need to wait on Alyssa. You go on ahead."

Ary nodded slowly then shrugged. "Alrighty. But don't say I didn't offer." she said as she attacked the little girl's hair again with a grin, eliciting a tiny 'Hey!' from the girl... and then she was off again, in this case, following her nose. Ary knew exactly what she wanted, too. Carbs. Fresh baked bread. Sure, you could get it every day... but this was special bread. Festival bread.

Most of my posts probably will not be this long, so don't fear the walls of text! I was trying to introduce the image of Ary and her personality so that folks could get a good idea of who they're dealing with in case they decide they've met her before, without having to go through my profile to do so!

Markus is a man without purpose, walking around the Armasse fairgrounds alone and directionless. He wears relatively thick black trousers and a black coat over a layer of silken armor. A single earring adorns his left ear, and he wears laced leather boots. His eyes gleam red under the long gray hair that strays into his face from time to time. Overlarge incisors dominate the smile that he never shows.

The festivities around Markus are a blur - he barely sees any of them, as if they were ethereal and he Material. He wanders around the Kenabres city streets, exiting the festival area proper often to find a minute or two of alone time, but invariably his meanderings always take him back to the festival grounds. Wandering alone, he's afraid, will provoke suspicion.

Absentmindedly he buys a honeycomb from a friendly vendor and continues his wandering, though he only takes a single nibble from it. He forgets about the comb moments after he buys it, and while he wanders honey just drips down onto his hand. After about an hour, his gaze drifts down to his hand, and then to his feet. He's slowed to a stop, and his hand is covered in honey. "Oh." he murmurs, before he finds a bit of water and a trash bin. He washes for a bit. sitting by the side of a small fountain. And while washing, he just sort of loses himself - he washes to the point of wrinkling hands, and keeps washing long after that. He stands there, rubbing his hands in the water, for almost fifteen minutes while the world warps around in his vision. He sighs, takes his hands out of the basin and just sits down at its base, staring at the masses of people running around, gleeful looks on their faces. We looks on while they buy festival food, while they spar, while they celebrate a safe city together. Always the observer to happiness.

Valaria hurries a bit too quickly into the courtyard, narrowly avoiding colliding with a burly man near the edge of the crowd. Her chest heaves as she tries to catch her breath, feeling a little light-headed after her sprint. She looks up and grins. "Made it," she thinks with a hint of relief. "Of all the days to oversleep. At least the ceremony hasn't started yet."

She is a strange sight on the streets. She wears a light suit of leather armor, clearly worn down but reinforced with a hint of metal studs and plates. However, a bright purple silken shirt stands out under her armored vest and a bright gold scarf flutters around her neck. Deep crimson pants run into brown leather boots. All of which stands out from her pink skin. Purple lines spiral up her neck, and a matching purple mark in the shape of a butterfly graces her right cheek. And to top it off, golden brown horns curl over her dark hair.

Having caught her breath, her bright golden eyes flick around rapidly, taking in as much of the scene as she can. A smile crosses her face as the almost contagious festival atmosphere brings a skip to her step. She wanders around the courtyard, looking at the stalls from a distance and weighting her few coins again her desire for a snack or a trinket to remember this Armasse by.

Ary plops down beside Markus, who seems to be a ghost beside her own sunny demeanor. She tears her loaf of bread in half and holds it inside of his gaze. "You seem like you could use a friend about now. Crown for your thoughts?"

Her face still had her ever-present smirk, but the concern also showed through, moreso in her eyes, if not in her mouth.

Markus' immediate and automatic response, without even really looking at what's in front of his face, is "No thank you, I'm not hungry."

He just sits there in silence for a few more moments with the bread hanging in front of him before he realizes that Ary is still there. He blinks a few times and turns to face her, his eyes re-adjusting a couple of times before she really comes into focus. His orange eyes shrink and grow while he refocuses on her, and he closes his mouth (which had been hanging open) when it finishes. "Um, hi." he murmurs. "Can I help you?"

Hrut is a hulking man even among his native Ulfen people. He is standing with other crusader types by the entrance of the cathedral, it is common to have the newest crusaders introduced during Armasse, and apparently he made the cut. His armor newly polished, axe at his side, shield strapped to his back, a crest with crossed swords and a crane on his breast. A blonde almost white braided beard and mustache peers out from his helmet and down the top of his armor, long braided hair out the back as is common for his people. He seems to be happy, jovial with his other knights, seeming to be celebrating his newly minted place in his order, but they are always looking and ready for something to happen.

Walking up and down the line of other crusaders, embracing each as a brother Hrut exchanges words with each moving up and down the stage. Removing his helmet Hrut walks to a more senior member of the knights, saluting him with a fist over his chest. The older man salutes back, giving him a hearty laugh after a few words and they also embrace, it appears to be a wonderful day for all on the stage.

Li'an sat along the parapets of the inner wall looking over the festivities, her legs dangling over the wall. She'd always come up here with her father to get a bird's eye view of the city during Armasse, and despite the small twinge of sadness associated with it, she still enjoyed the view immensely. The masses of people moving back and forth among the vendors and events blended into colorful rivers, ebbing and flowing according to the whims of some unknown force. Unlike many of her bretheren, she rather liked Kenabres as a city. It felt much more alive than Iadara had.

Her thoughts turned back in time as she remembered the seemingly countless times she'd been here for it over her life. Her memories of the festivals flowed together much the same way the crowds below did. And much like some of the individual festival goers, some memories stood out even among the countless masses. The first time her father took her atop the newly completed wall had been a great rush, especially since she'd still been rather short at the time. She also remembered the first Armasse after the death of her father. Despite having been almost a decade and a half since it happened, the feelings were still overwhelming when she let them come to the fore.

Li'an took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, regaining her composure. She reached back behind her, drew her sword and grabbed the rag she used to wipe it down. She polished it gently and held it aloft, looking at the gleaming bronze blade in the sunlight.

"Lleuad, what do you say we head down and see if there's anything interesting going on?" she asked it. Li'an knew it wouldn't answer, it had remained completely inert since that day. Still, she felt a strong connection to Lleuad, thinking of it more as a partner than a weapon. She let the question hang in the air for a few moments before tumbling backwards off the parapet, sheathing Lleuad as she rolled to her feet.

"Off we go then!"

If there was a day she could allow herself to relax some, it was definitely today. She'd chosen a simple sea-green tunic to wear under her simple leather chestpiece and bracers, along with her usual pair of rugged brown leather pants and boots. She had at least managed to get them cleaned for today, and with magic no less! She still struggled with it, but every so often she could manage an act of prestidigitation. Last night's cleaning attempt had been her best yet, although she wasn't quite convinced it hadn't been pure luck.

She headed down to the streets and wound her way through the vendor's booths, buying a few ripe fruits that struck her fancy along with a small skin of wine to wash them down with. Choosing a spot under one of the trees just off to the side of the vendors she sat down to enjoy her treat. She kept an eye on the crowds as the passed, making mental note of those she'd seen before and those she hadn't. While she didn't spend much time outside of her duties with others, she definitely recognized quite a few people, especially those who, like herself, had been living in town for many years.

"I think so, maybe. I bought far too much bread, and I'm afraid that I won't be able to finish it without being swarmed by birds or something similarly terrible. I was also looking for some company. And I couldn't see anyone who looked any less busy than you." She proffered the bread for just a moment longer, if he didn't take it by now, he wasn't going to. Either way, she took a bite of her own flaky, fresh, delicious treat.

Transparency: Ary isn't really a good liar and she's definitely using the bread as an excuse at this point to continue or set up a conversation.

Valaria's eyes continue to wander across the booths and festival goers as she walks through the crowds. The sweet smell of candied apples finally breaks her resolve and she hands a coin to the vendor for the sweet treat. She nibbles at the snack as she resumes her walk, only for her eyes to fall on a strangely familiar green clad elven woman watching the crowd intently. She cocks her head slightly, trying to remember if she's seen the woman before, but nothing comes to mind. "How strange," she thinks. "Well, as the lady say, life is a journey, so be prepared for unexpected friends." She crosses the street to the tree and leans against the side next to the elven woman. "Hello there," she says, giving her a smile and accidentally flashing sharper than normal teeth. "You look very focused on something."

Ehren had never seen so many people in one place before, much less been counted among them. The willowy, barefoot man walked the streets of Kenabres purposefully, a curious glint in his eyes. So this is civilization, he thought, having never stepped foot in anything larger than a small village. The prospect of being here was more exciting than it had any right to be. The large crowds and buildings were nearly overwhelming, making him feel far smaller than he actually was. There was some truth to this feeling of insignificance, he knew; he also knew that this was not a bad thing.

Asides from his all-too-apparent lack of shoes, Ehren wore a tattered green cloak, aged prematurely by his extensive travels. Beneath he chose to wear a rather simple outfit, colored in various shades of brown; the colors of earth, as they were. Underneath the loose-fitting clothing was his armor, crafted from the tanned hide of some beast. The gnarled stick he carried around with him looked more like a walking implement than a weapon - it had proven useful for both purposes since his departure. He kept his hood drawn, hoping to evade notice, but as it were, it had just the opposite effect. With the way he was dressed, he was easy to mistake for a pauper.

More than one kind soul gifted him with a silver piece, offering him their well-wishes and disappearing back into the crowd before he could say a word. Any protest on his part amounted to futility. A good hour or so passed before a less-than-kind soul shouted at him, saying that he did not want vagrants near his stall. It was only then that Ehren realized that he was absolutely filthy, courtesy of his travels. Washing his face at a small fountain and shaking the dust off his cloak made a world of difference. His shoes were still nonexistent, but that was where he drew the line. Nonetheless, the unsolicited donations ceased, much to Ehren’s relief.

Of course, that still left the matter of his “ill-gotten” gains. Ehren looked down at the meager collection of coins in his hand with a frown, the mere handful far outweighed by his own gold pouch. Just looking at them made him feel guilty. Fortunately, it did not take terribly long for him to find a priest wandering the busy city streets, carrying a tithe box. The Iomedaean thanked him profusely when he dumped the handful of silver into the box, blessing him for his generosity. Somehow, that made him feel even guiltier. It was fortunate then that he had kept a single silver piece for himself.

The piece of silver went to another good cause; the one of purchasing some decent food. The druid was spoiled for choice as it seemed, especially now of all times. There were all kinds of food vendors on the streets, marketing confections that Ehren had never even heard of before, let alone tasted. He eventually picked a stall at random, where a man was selling 'candied apples.' He handed over the last piece of silver, receiving the rather large confection in return.

Ehren then took a large bite out of it, nearly breaking his teeth off in the process. As he struggled to chew the piece, a thought a occurred to him: it was the sweetest thing he had ever tasted in his whole life. Never had he not eaten well, but it was the first time he had ever eaten something so... extravagant. I wonder how this will balance into my diet, he ponders with a grimace, Well, at least the apple is natural. Ehren finds a nice spot beneath a tree to continue working on his tree. Sitting down, he looks at the bustling crowds.

The young man could see the purpose behind the festival, and yet, he could not help but to find it strange. Was it truly a cause for celebration? They need this, he eventually decides, nodding to himself. These are good people. I hope they don’t die.

Markus looks at Ary for a moment. He reaches out and he rips off a piece of bread and puts it in his mouth. He chews. He swallows. He sits there for a moment longer. Then, he says: "Thank you for the bread, but you might find better company somewhere else."

His eyes flick back to her face occasionally from their place staring into the "space" of the crowd. "I'm afraid I'm not terribly interesting."

Heh, Ehren, I think you skipped a paragraph. You went straight from having a silver piece to 'taking a large bite out of it'. I understand it to be a candied apple, but I can definitely see how biting a silver piece and chewing it up could break one's teeth. XD

"Maybe." Ary said as she made herself as comfortable as her large frame could be on the cusp of the fountain, her entirety standing in stark contrast to Markus's. The only thing they had in common was their black pants, and even those seemed somehow opposite.

"Everyone's interesting, once you get them talking." she said, head tilted as she returned her gaze to his face. "The question is always about how to get them to talk. You remind me of Grim in that way. And like him, you probably have a very good reason to feel like you've little to talk about. So... what do you enjoy doing?"

She took another bite of her bread to show that she had plenty of reason to stay, even if he didn't care to make it more pleasant.

Whoops! Had just enough time to fix it. :P

Li'an continued watching the crowd as she answered her guest. "When you watch a river in early autumn, particularly after a storm, you'll see fallen leaves being swept away by the current. Sometimes amidst of the tide of green you'll see a flash of red or yellow. But to do so you need to pay close attention!"

Satisfied she wasn't missing anything, she turned to see who'd joined her under the shade of the tree. Upon catching sight of the horned woman, her first thought was that the woman was exceedingly colorful. She took a few moments to examine the tiefling before responding, "And then sometimes a branch full of such colors comes crashing down upon you!" She returned the tiefling's smile, if a bit less pointedly.

"I'm Li'an! Would you care for some wine to wash that down?" She said, gesturing at the woman's snack. Li'an offered up her wineskin, which was already half-empty. Up close it was clear that Li'an's cheeks were a bit flushed.

Valaria tilts her head slightly as the elf responds. "That was... philosophical I suppose," she thinks, suppressing a grin. She giggles as she looks down at her own outfit. "True," she says. "But the colorful trees are always the most interesting to explore." She finishes off her apple with three large bites and accepts the wineskin with another more reserved smile. "Thank you! I'm Valaria."' She tilts back her head and takes a long drink before offering it back. "Are you a local? I felt like I'd seen you before when I was walking by."

"That they are!" she said, enthusiastically nodding in agreement.

Li'an took a bite of the pear she'd bought and thought for a moment. "A Local? I suppose so, although I'd really thought of it that way. I've been living in Kenabres off and on since I was just a child..." She appeared lost in thought for a moment as her voice trailed off.

"Anyway! I'm definitely certain that I've seen you around before. Of course you stand out quite a bit more than I do, so that's to be expected," she said with a friendly smile.

Li'an leaned back against the tree, looking rather relaxed. "What about yourself then? Have you been here long? Have you joined the crusades? Or are you in the city for another reason?" she asked Valaria.

"Oh, so you've been around for quite a while haven't you?" Valaria says as Li'an trails off. "It must be exciting to be living in one of the crusader cities. Was you family part of one of the crusades?"

Valaria laughs. "Barely in the city three days and already making an impression. I guess I am easy to spot."

She frowns as she leans back. "Well, as I said I just arrived a few days ago. I was born down on the southern edge of Avistan, but I've been travelling quite a while. Don't really have on place I've lived long." She pauses and gets a bit of a distant look in her eyes. "Well, I doubt I'd be welcome in the crusades right away. Not sure I'd want to honestly. I'm bad at staying in one place." She sighs and shakes her head. "I'm doing some... research on demons and their like. Figured Mendev would be a good place to start. Once I learn what I'm here uncover, I'll probably move on again."

Hrut looks out into the crowd, noting all of the people gathering for the upcoming festival.

This is what I am meant to do, protecting good people from the worst things...

Continuing to look out into the crowd, looking at the vendors with their wares, selling pastries, children's toys, various things to drink.

This is quite the lively market, Dad would have appreciated this place, there is a lot of coin to be made off of festivals such as this.

Markus' bouts of silence following Ary's questions are starting to seem characteristic, but this one is shorter than the last. After merely thirty seconds, he answers, "Reading. Novels or texts, I nearly always find something I like between the covers of a book." He looks at her. "What do you enjoy? From the looks of it, weights are at least one of them, no?" he cracks a small smile.

Hrut Ingvarson's captain, Ser Holton Albright of the Empyreal Guardians, clasps a hand on the taller man's shoulder, flashing him a grin. "Deep in thought, son? Don't worry so much. You do our order proud. You'll serve the Crusades well. Now...If only you could ride a horse the way you swing that axe, then maybe a Guardian would win the jousting competition this year," he guffaws. "Damned cavaliers of the Order of the Flaming Lance, get it every year."

The street in front of Ehren Ferron is congested with onlookers observing a performer juggling flaming torches. Both commoner and crusader alike watch in astonishment as the man effortlessly weaves the dangerous implements between both hands.

Ehren: Attempt a DC 18 Perception Check

A booth across from Ary and Markus is manned by a short, hunched over old Varisian woman with a head full of wispy grey hair. When one of them makes even fleeting eye contact with her, she cries out to them. "You two! Yes, you! Would you like a harrowing done by old Veserda the Owl?" She smiles at them, her eyes disappearing into a mass of wrinkled skin as she does so.

A woman with short, brown hair, wearing black leather walks up to Li'an and Valaria.

"Oy! Li'an! We need that tree for the archery game! Need ya to move, please and thank you!" She walks over to the pair carrying three baskets full of small, fist-sized colorful bags attached to strings. She glances at Valaria, and grins rogueishly. "Ooh, found yourself a girlfriend at the festival, did you? I approve, very lovely." She gives Valaria a flirtatious wink. "I'm Anevia, by the way. If you can help, I could use the hand. Don't go breaking any limbs on my account, though!"

Anevia grabs a basket and effortlessly climbs up into the upper reaches of the tree, and starts tying the bags from the branches so that they dangle down like ornaments. They're each filled with coins, judging from the sound they make.

To help Anevia, succeed on 2 DC 12 climb checks in a row: one to get up there, and one to get back down again. Failure on trying to get back down results in 1d6 nonlethal fall damage, unless you can grab onto a branch as you fall with a DC 20 reflex save (allowing you to try the climb check again) or negate the damage with a DC15 acrobatics check.

"If you're gonna help, make sure you only tie them loosely else you won't be able to shoot them back down again!"

Valaria steps aside with a nod to allow the woman to reach the tree. "Archery contest? Sounds like fun, but I doubt I'd win anything unless you allow throwing knives. I'm useless with a bow." She catches the woman's grin and chuckles. "Well, not that I'd mind being on this lovely elf's arm all day, but I'm afraid we've just met. She did give me drinks though." She looks at Anevia and her grin widens. "Well, considering I'm single and all, do I get something for helping a fair maiden?"

A low whistle escapes her lips as Anevia scales the tree with ease. "Wow. Okay then." She shakes her head slightly as she grabs one of the baskets. "Can't believe she thinks she needs help when she can climb like that. Oh well, many hands make less work or something like that."

"Be up in just a second."

Climb Up: 1d20 ⇒ 8

Valaria tries to climb up the truck, but she can't seem to get her footing. "Well, maybe a couple of seconds.

I'm assuming I can try more than once to get up.

Climb: 1d20 ⇒ 2

Valaria tries again, but barely gets off the ground before she slides back down. "And there goes any chance of making a good first impression," she says with a groan as she fails again. She looks back at Li'an. "Would you mind giving me a leg up?"

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Ehren watches the show on the streets intently, chewing on what little remains of his candied apple. It had given his jaw quite the workout; delicious as it was, he could stand to never eat one again. Left with only the stick on which the apple was impaled, he looks side to side, unsure of how to dispose of the thing. By chance he sees some passersby tossing their garbage into a waste receptacle. Moving from his spot by the tree, Ehren promptly tosses away the stick. All the while, the juggling show continues to grab his attention. Too much so, perhaps. It is not until he is wiping his sticky fingers off on his cloak that he notices that something is off.

Ah. Spinning around, Ehren sees the apparent thief running off with his truly ill-gotten gains. The druid hesitates for a moment, wearing a frown. If he had to resort to stealing, he must have needed it pretty badly, right? he wonders. After a moment however, he moves to give chase.

Ah, a joke! Great, she was getting somewhere, now! She -hated- to see people unhappy and was -terrible- at quitting, so getting a response at all was good. It meant that he might not be too frustrated with her.

"I... like just about everything, really. Training, teaching, sleeping. I don't read very much, but I've read a few interesting books. I love to eat, but I'm not altogether big on really sweet foods. I prefer things with a bit more substance." she said as she stuffed another small piece of bread into her mouth, chews and swallows. "As for weights... you'd be surprised. This is actually mostly natural, though I did spend a lot of my youth on a farm, and I do spend a lot of time training." she profers her shield arm, which is actually her right arm, "And as you can probably guess, my right arm is a lot stronger than my left. I've thought about sleeping with the shield on. Seems like a bad idea in a lot of ways, though." She nibbled on a bit of bread, "I could show you to one of the places I go for books later, if you'd like." I don't know if this place even has a library. I'd say given its size, yes. But... it's entirely possible it doesn't!

She looks over to the fortune teller, and jingles her coin purse a little, head askance as she thinks about it.

"That depends on how much it costs. It wouldn't hurt to see what you can see for me, but I'm afraid I'm a little light on coin, just now." she returned the smile, but gave a slight, helpless shrug.

Li'an nods again to Valaria in response to her question about her family being in the crusades.

"Well, without a doubt, this is certainly the place to do research on such things, I hope your research is fruitful. If you need something while you're in Kenabres, let me know. I'm off duty for a couple days and would be happy to help."

After a few moments, she spoke again. "I'll bet you've a few tales from your travels then! Care to share one?" she asked sincerely.

Almost as soon as she finished though, she heard her name called out.

"Anev..." she started, before correcting herself "Yes Ma'am!" Li'an stood up quickly and saluted Anevia. The quick exchange between Anevia and Valaria caught her off guard, causing her to turn red. She immediately focused on the tree, turning away from Anevia and Valaria. Li'an focused, trying to decide the best way to get up the trunk. "So we need to hang the targets, yes?" she asked Anevia, without turning.

Climb (Up): 1d20 ⇒ 17

"I think I'll help with that!" she said, bolting up the tree almost too eagerly.

Acrobatics (Down): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

After finishing up, Li'an jumped from her perch, landing with a short tumble and springing to her feet. She took a few moments to straighten out her gear, and feeling proper and composed again, said "Much better!" to no one in particular.

"Ah uhm... Yes sir just taking in the spectacle of the festival with all of these people here, it is just nice to see that for a day the proximity of the Worldwound has no sway over these people and they can get out and enjoy themselves."

"Hah! Indeed if I could only get the hang of wearing all this steel and holding on to the horse and the shield and the weapon, those cavaliers must have some hidden arms somewhere we are not aware of, I wouldn't be surprised if we found two midgets stacked on one another under all that armor, I say we strip the winner down and find out! HAH!"

Hrut proclaims with a heartfelt slap and grasp to the other mans shoulder with a gentle shake.

"How many Armasse festivals have you attended sir? What are some of the spectacles of the festival? Are they always this lively?"

Shaking his head a bit, "Sorry to berate you with questions sir, it is just a welcome sight after such a long time training and preparing."

Valaria watches Li'an scale the tree equally effortlessly. "Right, well I guess I can't let myself be out done now."

Climb Up: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Valaria jumps and grabs a branch, then pulls herself up with a determined grunt. "There we go!" she says with a grin as she begins to tie off the bags. It doesn't take her long to finish and she leaps down from the branches once the last bag is in place.

Acrobatics Down: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

She hits the ground with practiced ease and rolls over once to absorb the force, coming back to her feet with the same motion. "Well that was fun," she says as she brushes off her clothing. She looks back up the tree. "You doing alright up there?" she calls out to Anevia.

Li'an looked impressed by Valaria's easy replication of her feat despite her bad start. Resting her hand on the hilt of the short blade slung straight across her lower back, she turned her head to look at it. "Lleuad, maybe she really *was* a branch crashing down!" she thought to herself as she stifled a chuckle.

"You should reconsider trying to join up, they'll be far more welcoming of someone with your skills than you think," Li'an said as the tiefling brushed herself off.

"Anything else you need help with Ma'am?" she called up to Anevia.

Valaria/Li'an

Anevia groans at Li'an. "Oh don't you Ma'am me, Ma'am, yer at least twice as old as I am! And I appreciate the gesture from a pretty lady," she adds to Valaria. "But I'm a married woman!"

Watching the pair climb the tree with her and help tie up targets in the tree, Anevia nods at Valaria approvingly. "There ya go, not so hard, hm? I appreciate the help, thanks!"

Once all of the bags are tied off, she hops off the tree, and announces to passersby in a booming voice: "Step right up to play the tree game! Show off your archery skills!"

A gaggle of children emerge excitedly to cluster around the three women. "Oh man! Are you starting now? Are you starting now?"

Anevia turns to Valaria and Li'an. "Well... that depends. Do you two want to play? The idea is you try to knock down the bags. Usually people use bows or crossbows, but throwing knives is fine, Hell, throw a dang rock for all I care..." She stops herself. "No, wait, don't chuck rocks. Irabeth'd have my hide if someone busted a window. But knives are fine. If you get one stuck in a branch or sumthin it's yer job to take it back down, though! Anyway, you get three shots each, you knock the bags down, they're full of copper pieces and candy, and the children get to run in and snatch those up when yer both done. The person who manages to shoot down more bags gets a gold piece for yer time. If ye' tie you both get one! Well, you in?"

She takes a moment to grab a sack she had set aside, dumping out a shortbow, longbow, and light crossbow, with bolts and arrows. "In case you don't have yer own. Hey hey hey hey now," she admonishes the excited children trying to cluster under the tree early. "Stand behind the grown-ups. Don't want an eye poked out."

"Oh, and before I forget. No magic! No true strike or all that, that's cheatin!"

To play, you get three ranged attempts.

The bags count as having partial concealment with a 10% miss chance. Failing this chance represents hitting a branch instead.

The bags have an AC of 15. A successful hit always knocks a bag down.

Ehren

The little scamp notices that Ehren is on his tail and speeds up. He clambers onto a precariously stacked pile of crates and hauls himself onto the roof of a small building, taking off from above the crowds.

Urchin acrobatics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

To give chase you may:

Make a DC 10 Acrobatics check to follow him up the crates.

Make a DC24 Perception check to find an easier path onto the roof (a partially hidden ladder under some debris)

If you can make both checks you catch up to him. If you only make one check then you stay 90 ft away from him, but are still chasing. If you cannot make any checks you lose sight of him.

Otherwise, you can let him go.

Valaria pouts playfully. "Too bad. They're lucky to have you." She flashes Li'an another smile. "Still, I have my lovely new friend, so it's not a huge disappointment."

She laughs. "No problem. Just had to get the hang of it I guess."

Valaria looks back at Li'an. "Maybe," she says, not sounding very convinced. "Doesn't matter yet anyway. I can't stop looking for answers until I find out what brought me here. No point in planning my next journey when I've barely started my current one. Who knows where I'll be at the end."

The group of children running up snaps her attention back to Anevia and the game. "When you put it like that, how can I say no to trying to give all of these kids bag full of candy," she says with a playful smile after the explanation. "Just have to be careful not to get my knives stuck. I've done my climbing for the day."

She steps back, judging the distance and waiting for the kids to be safely out of the way. She draws one of the four-pointed starknives at her belt and lines up a shot. "Right then..."

Using lowest 10% for misses.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Concealment: 1d100 ⇒ 48

She bites back a curse as her first knife misses horribly. "Today is not my day for first tries." She runs to retrieve her knife and dashes back to keep out of the way.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Concealment: 1d100 ⇒ 54

"Or second apparently," she adds with a hint of annoyance. She draws her second knife, planning to recover the first one once she finishes her last throw.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Concealment: 1d100 ⇒ 53

Her shoulders slump as she retrieves both of her knives. "Sorry, looks like I'm really off my game today." She sighs and steps back. "Don't suppose you're better at this than I am right now," she says to Li'an, sounding a disappointed. "Someone needs to give these kids their treats."

Ary/Markus

Veserda the Owl chuckles. "No, no. For the birthday girl, it's free." She pulls out a beautiful darkwood box, and opens it, revealing an old, stained set of harrow cards. She starts shuffling them together, humming to herself. "To perform a Harrowing, one must first ask a question. You too, young man. Certainly you have questions you wish answered?"

Hrut

Ser Holton Albright chuckles. "One of the best cavaliers I ever met was a halfling, so I don't think he'd appreciate that joke. Watched the man lance a hezrou in two with one strike, once, long ago, during a maintenance trip on a wardstone on the Ustalav border."

His face turns somber for a moment, then returns to its previous grandfatherly smile. "The people need Armasse. I don't even remember how many I've gone to. The first one I attended was right after the Second Crusade ended. I was a little boy, then. There will likely be a few battle re-enactments later, the Eleven Acts of Iomedae are especially popular. Bards will sing songs of heroism, and crusaders will trade old war stories. And for one day, we'll forget all the men and women we've lost."

He stands up straight, nodding at Hrut. "Between you and me, there's talk down from the higher ups that Crusader Queen Galfrey intends to start the Fifth Crusade very soon. This time, she plans to be the one to start the fight, rather than letting the demons getting the upper hand. I'm sure there will be some songs sung about you before it is over. But for now, why don't you get a bite to eat and perhaps a little too much to drink?"

Li'an tried her best but couldn't help but laugh at Anevia's response to being called "Ma'am". "If rank was determined by age I think things would've fallen apart a long time ago. If I'm half the scout the famed Anevia Tirablade is today a decade from now I'll have something to be proud of!" she said with sincere admiration.

She waited until Valaria had finished her turn, watching as her star-knives missed the bags. "I've practiced with a bow a bit, I'll see what I can do!" Li'an responded to her.

Li'an picked up the longbow and drew the string back to get a feel for it. She'd always liked archery, although she'd not been able to afford a decent bow to practice with. She picked up three arrows and stuck them in the ground in front of her. After a few moments she picked up the first arrow. She took a deep breath as she knocked it and drew back the bowstring, letting the arrow fly when it was ready.

Longbow Shot #1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Concealment: 1d100 ⇒ 33

She blinked as the arrow flew way off to the right, thankfully hitting one of the outer limbs of the tree. Li'an paused to center herself, picked up her next arrow and loosed a shot, trying to correct her aim.

Longbow Shot #2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Concealment: 1d100 ⇒ 50

This time the arrow grazed the bag, causing it to move in response, but failing to cause it to drop. The initial excitement visible on her face faded as the bag ceased its swinging, refusing to abandon its position up among the branches.

A little bit frustrated with the lack of cooperation from the bag, she picked up the third arrow in a huff and loosed it quickly at the same bag.

Longbow Shot #3: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Concealment: 1d100 ⇒ 52

Unfortunately for Li'an her quick aiming skills were apparently nonexistent, and the arrow sailed far under the bag, coming to rest with a sharp 'thut' in the trunk of the tree.

"Oh Lleuad... I'm really a terrible shot aren't I?" she said with a sigh, her free hand resting on the hilt of her blade again. "I think the children may end up waiting until someone with some expertise in this sort of thing shows up..." Li'an said as she turned to Valaria.

Valaria/Li'an

Anevia chuckles at the two, before noticing the childrens' disappointed faces. A little girl looks just about ready to cry.

"Ah, clearly this lot neglected their prayers to Desna this morning, hmm?" She winks at them, grabbing her shortbow from her back and some arrows. She lines up a quick shot, and shoots a low hanging bag off the tree. The children squeal and dash over to snatch up what sweets they can.

One little girl lingers, peering closely at Valaria's face. "I like your butterfly tattoo, it's very pretty. Does growing those horns out of your head hurt?" she asks, shamelessly.

Didn't mean to have an NPC upstage y'all but you left me no choice! I had to think of the children :P

Ary's smirk was replaced for a fraction of time as the woman mentioned her birthday; it certainly wasn't common knowledge, as she didn't celebrate it, beyond what it meant for the Crusade and to holy worshipers. But the woman certainly had her attention. But... only one question.

Ary flushed pink slightly, and stayed silent for a moment as she moved over to join the woman, an inhale, then an exhale that turned from a sigh into simply a gust of wind from her nearly-pressed-together lips.

"Do... you have to understand the question I'm asking, or will whatever power you're calling on understand..?"

Ary/Markus

Veserda gives Ary a cryptic grin. "The harrow deck can answer any question, whether it be about your past, present, or future."

Valaria pats Li'an on the shoulder as she steps up. "You can do it," she says encouragingly. She watches as the arrows fly through the air, perking up for a moment as it seems like the second shot is about to knock a bag down, then slumping when Li'an does little better than her. "Well, it was still better than me." She chuckles half-heartedly at the jab she takes at herself.

She watches as Avenia easily takes one of the bags down, then chuckles again as the children swarm the bag like ants looking for their sweets. "I suppose so," she says. "Maybe the lady is expecting me to be getting something done and I'm just missing it." She shrugs. "I'm sure I can find something at a festival this big to make a good apology offering."

She looks down at the little girl and feels a spark of irritation, but can't be mad at an innocent question. "Thank you," she says with a smile. "The tattoo was a gift from a travelling companion a long time ago. It's very important to me." She shakes her head. "I don't really remember how growing horns felt. As far as I know, I was born with them. And growing them longer feels much like growing my nails." She displays her nails, showing a their strange black color. "They do make it difficult to comb my hair in the morning though."

With rolls like that, I can't even complain :P

Ary stops for a moment, and thinks, steeling herself, apparently, 'If I betray my heart, I have died.'

"Well... I have a really vague one... And if it understands then I'd like that one answered. But if it doesn't... I have a different one."

She pauses for a moment, swallows, and then responds. "Will my patience pay off..?" She turns slightly pink again, then looks away, before saying, "And the second... and more virtuous, is 'Is my sister okay?'"

I can explain the first, though everyone will probably laugh at poor Ary. The latter... her sister is alive and well in the Stolen Lands, but she's joined up with the bandits there.

No complaints here either, the children deserve their reward!

"Missed by the least, is there a prize for that?" she asked Anevia jokingly in response to Valaria's consolation. "Well at least someone came out ahead here!" Li'an said as she watched the children scramble for the candy Anevia had strewn across the ground with her shot.

"Perhaps there's a tree climbing competition in which we can redeem ourselves?" she said to Valaria. "Of course, if we've offended The Great Dreamer, perhaps it's because we've stayed put for too long? There's an awful lot of festival to see out there after all."

Ary/Markus

"Hmmmmm." Veserda gives Ary a long, searching look, long enough to be uncomfortable. Finally, she offers the deck to Ary. "Draw a card. It represents your role in the events soon to come."

Ary draws The Twin.

"Ah, the Twin. The duality of purpose, or identity." She chuckles. "The twins remind you that we all need others in order to be fully human. Your strength will not from your arms, or your size, but from the people around you. The relationships that you make are your own choice. Choose wisely."

She shuffles The Twin back into the deck, and lays nine cards out in a three by three spread. "The leftmost column is your past." She reveals the leftmost cards: The Joke, The Dance, and The Owl. "Hmm hmm. The Dance resonates with you. In the past, you did not know your place in the greater good. You were not staying in perfect step with the dance we must all perform. However whether that was a bad, or a good, thing, remains unclear.....Your sister, though. What I do know is that she is not in step with the dance. She has lost her way."

She moves on to reveal the middle column: The Avalanche, The Eclipse, and The Brass Dwarf. She laughs. "All lawful cards? You must make a great soldier. But still, The Avalanche and The Eclipse together." Her brow furrows. "Those are dire cards to appear so close together. There is a great calamity to happen in your very immediate future. But from darkness, comes light. Do not despair. The fates have deemed this to be the necessary course of events."

And finally, she moves on to the rightmost column: The Sickness, The Forge and The Carnival. "The final column is your future, and has the answers to the questions that you seek." She pauses for some time, contemplating the spread before her. "Hmm, The Forge, misaligned...?" She nods. "Your patience will pay off. But you must earn what you seek, through a trial by fire. But do not despair. The twins have taught you, that with many sources of strength, you will overcome." She smiles at Ary.

"You have some dark days ahead of you. But you will find your way. Now, my silent young man. Do you have a question for Veserda the Owl?"

"I'd ask a question, but something tells me I already know the answer." scoffs Markus, but he stands up anyway, using his quarterstaff to prop him up. He sits beside Ary. "But if the birthday girl is playing along, I suppose I should too." He looks at the old woman, deck in hand. He smirks a little bit. "What am I for?"

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 - 3 - 3 ⇒ (9) + 2 - 3 - 3 = 5
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28 Well, at least I'm not a martial character. :P

The little thief was light on his feet; unfortunate, considering that at the moment, Ehren was not. His armor was a little on the heavy side, and on top of that, he had not packed lightly for the trip. The cumbersome gear was a chore to carry, but he luckily had the endurance to keep up the case regardless.

"These are... good... people," Ehren reminds himself exasperatedly, already breathing heavily. His callused feet slapped hard against the streets as he gave chase. When the boy climbs onto the crates, it quickly becomes apparent that Ehren cannot follow. He glances about, searching for an alternate route. The druid is quick to find a nearby ladder - certainly a less haphazard way onto the roof.

Valaria laughs. "Somehow, I don't think I'd do much better at that," she jokes. She looks around. "True. We shouldn't be wasting our Armasse sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves not making a few shots with a bow." She offers an arm to Li'an. "Would you do me the honor of accompanying me? I could use a friend to show me around and you did say you've been here since you were a child."

Ehren

Once on the roof, the boy darts across the roofs of the city as fast as his feet can carry him. Looking over his shoulder at Ehren, the child does not watch where he is going, and trips and slides off the steepled roof onto the streets below. The kid is like a cat though, and lands on his feet, though the whole adventure considerably slowed him down.

Urchin climb: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Urchin reflex to grab ledge?: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Urchin acrobatics (soften fall): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

If Ehren can succeed at DC10 climb check, he can simply climb down from the roof and catch up to him. He can alternatively jump down, land on his feet, and take no damage with DC15 acrobatics check. Success at either of these checks results in Ehren catching up to the child.

If he fails, a DC20 reflex save can allow you to grab onto the ledge, rather than fall. If you fall and do not avoid the damage with acrobatics, you take 1d6 nonlethal fall damage. Failure results in giving the boy enough time to get moving again, though you can continue the chase if you wish.

Climb: 1d20 - 3 - 3 ⇒ (16) - 3 - 3 = 10

Ehren's rooftop journey is considerably less graceful than the urchin's. He takes special care to make every jump carefully, lest he slip and break his neck. When the boy nearly does just that, Ehren's expression immediately shifts into one of concern. He hurries to the edge of the roof and, thinking better for his next course of action, opts to cautiously climb down the building. A look of relief passes over his face when he sees that the boy is unharmed.

"You are lucky that you didn't get yourself killed," Ehren calls out to him reproachfully, "But then, you seem pretty good at this cat and mouse game."

Ary/Markus

Verserda smiles knowingly at Markus. "With age you learn that even the gods do not have all the answers. But Veserda will try to answer yours. Pick a card."

Markus draws The Trumpet.

"Hmmm. The trumpet. A declaration of power. You will wade into the most dire of situations without hesitation....but I do not believe your intentions are noble." She takes back The Trumpet and shuffles it back into the deck. She shuffles a few more times, then lays another nine cards out in another three by three grid.

"Your past." She reveals The Owl, The Foreign Trader and The Forge. "Hmmm, The Forge again, I see. But unlike with your friend here, you have already overcome great adversity. Your childhood was one that would have burned a weaker man to cinders, and you yourself barely emerged in one piece."

"Your present." She reveals The Bear, The Trumpet and The Liar. "Ohohoho. The Trumpet once more? And at the middle of everything, as well. It appears that only you are in control of your own fate. Choose wisely. The Trumpet grants all or nothing, there is no in-between"

"And... your future." She reveals The Survivor, The Waxworks and The Demon's Lantern. "Hmm. Interesting. You asked, what are you for? Your very existence represents an impossibility. Something that should have never been allowed to exist in the first place. You are aware of this, and so your way of thinking has become trapped, as represented by the helplessness of The Waxworks. But The Survivor represents rebirth. You will find your own purpose, and will find yourself forged anew from the darkness of your past. But the real question is who will you choose to be?"

Veserda smiles. "I have hope for you." Then, to both of them, "Thank you for keeping an old woman company."