The Shining Hosts - Way of the Wicked Gameplay (Inactive)

Game Master Dennis Harry

More than once looking over at the book in Grumbles hand and then over at Alice while biting back a grin. We could have seen that you know. It would have been hilarious! But no Barely hidden grin vanishes, Shut up.

Nodding to grumble, "Certainly seems like the ideal time to do it."

"Ive talked a bit to the troupe, they are really friendly. Maybe some of us could volunteer?"

Alice leafs to a different story in the book. "Now Grumble, this is a story I think you would like. Its about the boy who cried wolf."

When Grumble remarks upon killing the captains of the guard, Soren nods. "Most likely we ought to, yes. If it's just before the play we ought to follow them out into the wilds and put an end to them. If we can manage it without others knowing where we've gone, all the better. Lord Havelyn will be a problem regardless, I expect, but dealing with his captains will make the job easier. While the tower is empty it may be a good idea to explore to prepare for when Sakkarot and his horde approach, so we know where everything is. I understand Nathanial has seen much of the inside of the tower, but you never know what they may hide from a new recruit."

"I meant now." Grumble said to Soren. "We should follow them and take 'em out today. Why wait?"

Grumble took the book from Alice, eying it like a rival. "Good title. Hope the kid gets eaten."

"I agree, but how will we catch up? I don't know their route, tracking takes time, and they're on horseback."

"Hmm, that's true. Other than the flare, do we have a way to contact Sakkarot? Could Raaven fly out to speak with him, and perhaps he and his bugbears could search out the captains? If they find him and realize the bugbears are preparing to invade, we'll have been shot in the foot before we even start. We need to deal with them." Soren frowns, looking out the window of the room. "I might be able to track them with some help, but it'd be difficult. Maybe we could catch them on their way back into town, waylay them and kill them far enough away that there won't be any witnesses? Grumble could give them a bit of a thrashing to make them look like they were killed by the bugbears."

"They're gonna be out for days, right? They're gonna camp, an' I bet they ain't concerned with covering their tracks. We follow 'em an' hit 'em while they're asleep"

"Do we even know the path they are taking?"

Throughout the conversation Grumble made his way through the painful process of reading, sounding out the more difficult words, complaining about the more nonsensical and counterintuitive aspects of the written language, and brutally mixing up the definitions of words.

"Silent? Who the f+~& came up with that? What's the point of silent letters?"

"Wo-uld? Wait, it's said like wood? So the word wood means two things that changes with how it's spelled? Nobody says the L outloud. How do you know which one they mean?"

"Cousin? Like cussin? Swearin'? F!*& and stuff?"

"So your parent's... sibling? What the hell's a sibling? So your parent's sibling's kid? How is that different from a brother or sister? Seems like a pretty small thing to make up a whole nother word about. Why the hell would it make a difference if yer papa was or wasn't yer uncle too?"

"Oh, good. The kid got eaten. I like this story."

Raaven will wait the captain is on duty before sneaking into his room and searching it. Mostly he wants to avoid the Lord Commander (suspected paladin) and Father Donavan (cleric or inquisitor). The rest of the captains he wants to gather dirt on.

Alice grins. "There is a different version of the story where the townsfolk are so fed up with the boy crying wolf that they kill him, only to learn that this time he was telling the truth, and they in turn get eaten by the wolf."

Alice rummages for another book. "I think you'll like these Grumble."
She holds out the cover so everyone can see. "Fairy tales by the brothers Grimm."

"We need to deal with the Captains. I suggest we either ambush them outside of town or send a message to Sakkarot, via Raaven or some other method. If anyone is more skilled in tracking, we could also try to follow them and catch up during the night."

I can reach the Bugbears. However, asking them to handle this may be a missed opportunity to capture soldiers and extract information from them. Also, it seems an ideal opportunity to test your own strength against Balentyne's finest before assaulting the fortress itself."

Grumble practically snatched the Grimm book out of Alice's hands. The thick tome looked comical in his huge mitts. He grinned. "Grim, huh? These stories must be from before the Mitrans took over."

He opened it and made a face as he sounded out the titles in the index. "The Little Mermaid? Twelve Dancing Princesses? What the f*++ is this s$#+? How much is a twelve, anyway?"

Raaven looked pained. All five of his eyes closed in exasperation and his massive maw winced.

"Of all the Asmodean champions in the world. In any world, I am assigned to this. I was a gift, an offering from one great lord of the underworld to another. I am unique in all the hells, and I am relegated to the role of governess to an ignoramus." the little daemon sighed. The Lord of Nessus does like his tests. I can only hope his rewards are as great."

He considered Alice and Morana. "Do either of you need a familiar? I would serve well."

Grumble looked up from his book and squinted at Raaven. "Pretty sure I'm bein' insulted. When I figure out what igoranus means, I'm gonna squish you like a rotten balloon."

"My contract stipulates that should my form be damaged to discorporation, I will be banished to the forges of Phlegathon to be remade over the duration of one lunar cycle before my return. The battering of the soul hammers sound a welcome vacation"

Grumble looked annoyed. He glanced around the room. "Anyone have any idea what he just said?"

Trying to ignore the children's book being read to Grumble and focus on the less painful conversation of slaughtering the Captains. Sighing at the bickering. Oh quit complaining. Those two are amusing. No one asked you. That is because they do not know I am here Morana. Fine, I should mention it anyways. Grinning at the indignant noise in her head. Woman did you just call me an it? I might have now be quiet please.

Not losing grin, "Thank you for your offer Raaven but I already have all I can tend to." Turning to Grumble, "I am fairly certain he said that even if you kill him Raaven will be back in one lunar cycle, so a month. Anything else was friendly banter."

Shaking her head and pulling the grin off her lips. Tucking a hand into the ever present pouch on her hip as she offers her own opinion, "I do not like the idea of tracking them. Contacting Sakkarot and having his Ogre's tend to the Captains leaves us with more time in the town and no one to claim that we were missing. Though the ambush does hold the option of interrogating them first like Raaven said. But could we not tell Sakkarot to do so? He has much larger numbers available to throw at those men and reducing the chance that one might escape."

Morana we have all witnessed Sakkarots horse first hand, do we truly trust the, to take prisoners. Going off the savagery I have seen I would not be surprised if they don't get torn limb from limb in a day. I thing sending Sakkarot after them would be a death sentence and would indeed lose us a possibly important information gathering session. Looking upwards at Alice as he focuses on the reading of children's tales he asks, Do you have the story about jack jumping over the candlestick, I like that one. Anyone remember how it goes again? Lothyrin begins to tap his fingers against his leg as he tries to recall the lyrics to one of his favorite rhymes. Jack be nimble He shouts in excitement as the first line comes to him. Damn, what is next.

"Jack be quick. Jack eat your face in the dark." Grumble quoted, proud to have known something for once. "Didn't know humans knew that one."

Alice hides her face in a book for a moment, so Grumble cant see her laugh at Raavens remark.

"Thank you for the offer Raaven, but Jasmus would be most jealous if I would replace him. He is after all the seal on my pact."

Leafing back to the beginning of the book, Alice puts it back in Grumble's hands. "Now the first story is about the frog prince. And you're right that this book is from before the Mitrans took over. It isnt banned, but it is considered in bad taste these days. They teach some very important lessons however."

Alice thinks for a moment. "Hm. Dont know that version. All I remember is; Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jumped over, a candlestick. But I'm sure there was a second verse?"

Hmm the one I am remembering is Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack Flash sat on a candle stick 'cause fire is the devils only friend. It used to be one of my childhood favorites. Boy do i love fire. Lothyrin looks off in a gaze thinking of fonder times.

"Must be different in human-speak." Grumble shrugged. "At least ours makes sense. Who gives a damn if this dumbass jumped over the candle or sat on it? And what's that got to do with the devil? Is this another one of them meta-fours? Like the cow and moon thing?"

Grumble stopped caring about the answers as he became engrossed in the story of the frog prince. It was clear that many of his questions about what words meant and how they sounded were being silently fielded by Raaven, who looked like he was considering suicide.

"Might be different in Common, I wouldn't know." Soren says, shrugging. "My parents didn't care much about telling me such stories, and after they threw me out, well... they tell different stories in brothels." Soren shakes her head, not willing to be drawn into discussing children's stories (at least not while there's business to be tended to). "I think we ought to ambush them on their way back, that seems to be more likely to succeed. That means we have a few days to plan out our poisoning of the Tower before we call for Sakkarot. Morana, have you found an in with our cook?"

"What's a brothel?" Grumble asked.

"A place where you pay to have sex with someone else, usually because they're either not likable enough to find someone who wants to do it free of charge or they don't have the time to do so." Soren says. She breathes in deeply and crosses her arms across her chest, staring ahead at the wall as opposed to any of the others. "After my parents cast me out I lived on the streets for a time, but I eventually found myself living--and working--in one. The matron, essentially the owner, was the first person to teach me of Asmodeus; she plucked me from the working girls and trained me to follow in her footsteps. I worked with her for a long time, until I--" Soren stops as she looks down, a few thin red lines welling up beneath where her nails had dug into her skin. She eases up her grip and swallows hard, the emotions that had come welling up to the surface going down as well.

"I worked with her until I was taken to Branderscar," she says simply, her usually steady voice cracking a bit. "Now, I'm here. That's all there is to it."

Grumble looks a bit disgusted. "Pay? With money? What kind of pathetic jackass would do that? Is that normal in the human lands?"

That I am sure is an interesting story. Smiling at Grumbles disgust, "Sadly yes. Some simply lack the skill to convince anyone to come to their bed willingly."

Looking back over at Soren, "Yes I have. She is teaching me to make it and I should be going with her next time." That would be on the third week.

Frowning, "Something about me finding a proper husband." I do not like her even if everyone else does. Tightening her hands and looking down. I know.

Alice shrugs. "Its just like another service provided. You can satisfy yourself on your own, but not everyone wants to do that. So you pay someone to do it for you."

Trying to get grumble to get on with his lesson, "Also, good use of the word 'pathetic' Grumble. Your vocabulary is improving."

"Skill? Willingly?" Grumble said, confused. "What's that got to do with it?"

"People in civilized lands generally only have sex when they want to," Soren says, her breathing steady again. "This usually means that the two people care for one another, although for a variety of reasons a large number of people simply pay others for the pleasure. It's typically because they lack any natural ability to appeal to the opposite sex, although on occasion it's just... easier. There aren't any feelings attached, nothing to lose when you leave. There's a simplicity to that." She sighs, leaning back farther into the wall behind her seat. She shakes her head and brings one knee off the floor and tucks it close to her chest. "I have no respect for the weak, but I will admit such simple terms can be desirable, especially when closeness to others poses a risk of exposure."

"That sounds... Hmm. yeah, I guess I get it. I was always the runt, so I didn't get to take what I wanted from the Dammen. They weren't scared 'a me, so I spent mosta my time in their tents. Got beat to hell whenever I was caught there, but it was worth it t' be around folks who didn't want t' beat me. They always stayed grouped together. Kept 'em in one place for Pa, and gave 'em the numbers to fight off anyone else that came along most 'a the time. I bet they couldn't fight me off anymore, but I don't know if I'd want 'em like that. I liked that they were on my side. Seems like f%#+in' 'em without them wantin' it too might piss 'em off."

"B'sides, seems like it's be boring t' f*%~ someone too weak t' fight back. Where's the challenge in that?"

"Heh. The princess just kissed that frog. There's a picture of it an' everything. Gross."

"That's one way to look at it, I suppose. It's not exactly the same, but it's close enough." Soren gives her head another shake before resting it on the wall behind her. "Many people walk through the doors of a brothel, truth be told. Those who can't find companionship any other way are often customers, but they aren't the only ones. Some don't want attachment or don't want to spend the time to find someone outside of paying for them. Others are already married and seek something more other than their wives or husbands." She closes her eyes and drums her fingers on her knee, her other hand folded up against her body. "I've met them all and more, and I have no doubt if I worked in such a place again I would find even more." Soren stays quiet for a moment, and when she does speak up again, her voice leaves no confusion that she doesn't intend to discuss this topic any farther, at least not now.

"We should use the captains to convince Lord Havelyn that the cultists are in the area. If we kill them and 'discover' their bodies, we can gain his trust. Once we have that, we can break Havelyn and his Tower like we were sent here to do."

"Why not just let this one "go missing?" Less work, less soldiers on watch 'cause no one will think he's dead yet, and they might send some men out to look for the missing guy. Makes 'em weaker without getting their guard up. Then we can pull your trick about blaming the cult on the next one we off."

Raaven looked positively shocked at the coherence of Grumble's idea.

"As loathe as I am to admit it, my own council was going to be similar."

Smiling at the look Raaven has, "The less we have to do and the fewer steps there are reduces the chance of us getting caught. And even if we do not go out and find them then we can still blame cultists."

Looking over at Soren,"Do we know if the Bugbears are close enough because if not then, yes, we will need to ambush him. Or we could send or at least being with some of out new friends."

A simple plan usually works the best. Less moving parts means there is less that could go wrong."

Alice encourages Grumble to continue to the next story. "Its more fun with pictures isnt it? Now, the next one is a little bit more 'down to earth' so to speak."

She points out each words as she reads it to Grumble. "Cat and Mouse in Partnership"

"Who comes up with this s+#$?" Grumble said looking at the book like it was making fun of him. "That ain't never gonna work. Cats and mice don't team up. Cats eat mice. That's the way it is, an' the way it's supposed t' be. No wonder Mitrans are so backwards if this is the b~@@*##! they teach their kids."

He started reading it anyway.

North of the Tower - Week 3 - Day 20

It has been cold out but this morning is really damn cold. About as cold as it can get when there is no storm bringing howling winds to this unforgiving place.

The landscape here is desolate and bleak, so desolate and so bleak you are all having a hard time finding a suitable location to set an ambush. Getting far enough away from the tower was step one. Hopefully the information that Nate received as to the route Captain Varning takes to return to the Tower is not a pattern he will deviate from.

North of the river it is clear that the Mitrans took pain staking care to clear the woods near all trails likely to prevent the very ambushes you seek to deliver. How then do you wish to go about setting one. It is about 5 am and quite dark out. If you do not have some protection from the cold it may soon become an issue for you. Vaundour is back in Aldencross. He can be himself or posing as Sir Balin or any of the rest of you if you so prefer. The Cult of Lamashtu is not with you. If you want afew of their members here, make a Diplomacy check DC 25 to convince Jack and James that their men will be more than mere fodder for your plans.

"We could disguise ourselves as people that aren't a threat. Like unarmed merchants or something like that." Nate suggests.

"That is certainly an option. Any of us proficient in crafting traps? We could trap the path. Even if they discover it, it would maybe distract them long enough for us to act."

"I have a couple bear traps." Grumble said.

Alice nods slowly. "Yeah, those would work. A bear trap can easily cripple a horse. Not only that, a horse injured by one will most likely spook the other horses. They would know emediately something is up, but they would also need to deal with paniced mounts."

"Why disguise ourselves at all? I mean, beyond the disguises we've already made. I don't foresee us allowing them to live, and they'd certainly stop to speak with us. They won't expect an assault, we'll still take them by surprise."