JSL's Runelords Campaign


Play-by-Post

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Female Human (Shoanti) Druid 3, Sorcerer 1 6,000 XP

I'm gong to respond out of order, as it'll make more sense if I do.

Watching Slidell's struggles with Veren, Naelah laughs loudly, her voice full of strength and joy at seeing her companions again. Letting Veren have his fun, she waits until the mage gathers his wits^ before smiling warmly at him, letting her eyes say what her voice cannot - that seeing them all again was probably the best thing that had ever happened to her.

But right now, that gaze is just for Slidell - the first non-Shoanti man to ever show her kindness and friendship.

Striding forward, Naelah drops her quaterstaff with a clatter, and gathers the lanky mage to her breast, holding him tightly. "It is good to see you again, Stormraven!" She exclaims as she releases him from her grasp. "How I have missed you all so. And no, no sugar rocks today Stormraven."

Nodding to Malcom, she takes the offered seat, Veren lying by her side. "It is good to see you too, Malcom." She says, clasping hands with him in the warrior fashion as she sits. "Thistletop?" She asks, having never heard the name before. "An apt name. It is good that you are planning to leave soon, as I can only imagine that the number of goblins there are swelling if they are left alone for too much longer."

^-Yeah right! 'gather his wits' indeed. That's an AP in and of itself!


Male Half-Elf Fighter 1 / Monk 1
Sir Malcolm of Riddleport wrote:
"Well, as for a backdoor, what if we sailed to Thistletop rather than going by land? We could probably cut down on time, and avoid whatever goblins are between here and there. Plus, I'm guessing that the goblins aren't ready for an assault from the sea. They aren't renowned as sailors."

Zieke starts to ponder Mal's idea, weighing the merits and disadvantages of an approach by water. As a result, he completely misses Naelah's entrance and doesn't realize a wolf has approached their table until it's practically bowled over Slidell. Startled, Zieke rises from his seat, reaching for his sword as Veran flaps away in a flurry of wings.

"What the...?!" he starts to exclaim, but then holds his weapon as Sli doesn't seem particularly alarmed by the wolf's appearance. He stares about in confusion as it licks the wizard's face and the snowy-haired young Shoanti approaches their table.

Naelah wrote:
"We are brought together once more!"

"We are...?" Zieke asks aloud, then looks around at Mal and Vesh, "I take it you know this woman?"

Naelah wrote:
"I think I know where the goblins came from!...They traveled west along the coast, and there are signs of heavy traffic within one of the larger forests in the area....What has happened to you all? And where are the others? Ehlissa? Corran? The desert-woman?"

Zieke holds his tongue, obviously unfamiliar with the lady. Since she seems to have information about the goblins, he pays careful attention, however, sparing only a wary glance at the wolf as Slidell regains his feet.

Sir Malcolm of Riddleport wrote:
"Naelah! I didn't expect to be seeing you again anytime soon. Come on, have a seat....Yes, Thistletop seems to be the source of our troubles. It's where we're going next, actually."
Slidell Stormraven wrote:
"Neahlah. You look fully recovered. It's good to see you. I...that is we...were wondering what had happened to you. I mean, you were recovering, and then you were gone, and...It's good to see you."
Naelah wrote:
"It is good to see you again, Stormraven!....How I have missed you all so. And no, no sugar rocks today Stormraven....It is good to see you too, Malcom..."

"Seems to be quite a reunion..." Zieke comments to Vesh as he sits down again.

Naelah wrote:
"Thistletop?....An apt name. It is good that you are planning to leave soon, as I can only imagine that the number of goblins there are swelling if they are left alone for too much longer."

"Yes, Thistletop," Zieke finally addresses the newcomer, "Malcolm here was just suggesting we could take a boat there instead of traveling overland." He nods as he folds his sizeable arms on the table in front of him. "Zieke Halveran, by the way," he offers, "A former guardsman here in Sandpoint."

He too offers the girl a seat, curiously measuring her tribal markings with his eyes as she joins them at the table. Although Zieke had encountered a few Shoanti in the wilderness north of Korvosa, most of those meetings didn't go very well. So he continues to watch her and the strange wolf with a wary, guarded edge.

"Thistletop is supposed to be an island," Zieke states in order to bring their conversation back around to their future task, "Shaped like a head some say. So I figure it's more like a mountain or rock jutting out of the sea. If that's the case, I'm not sure we'd find much of a beach to land a boat on. And even if we did, it sounds like there might be quite a bit of climbing involved to scale to the top of it. Locals around here agree that Thisteltop is the most defensible stronghold of the goblin clans anyway. As such, I figure they've got lookouts posted. So they might see a ship coming from miles away long before we even set foot on land again. That would let them raise the alarm and warn this Nualia of our approach."

He rubs his jaw for a moment and then suggests, "I'm still thinking the overland route might be the better route. That way, if we catch a few goblins outside or along the road, maybe we can interrogate them so we can learn more about what we're up against? Also, I think we should approach Thistletop during the day. Most goblins are nocturnal. And they can see in the dark better than us. In the sun, we could catch them sleeping or less likely to poke their heads out to keep an eye on the approaches. And besides, with Salome on our side, I think we might have the sun goddess' blessing on our effort if we go when the sun's at its highest point in the sky..."


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Female Human (Chelaxian) Knight 1/Fighter 1/Paladin 1 (2)

Ehlissa smiles like a child and hugs the young druid tight, "Somehow I knew we wouldn't be parted long." she says quietly.


Female Human Cleric

The wizard-wolf-induced commotion catches Salome's attention and she returns to the table. Maybe she left to get something for their meeting. She briefly catches Naelah's eye and offers a Qadiran bow.

Long, busy day for me today. This will probably be my only post.


Male Human Wizard 2/Sor 1
Neahlah wrote:
Striding forward, Naelah drops her quaterstaff with a clatter, and gathers the lanky mage to her breast, holding him tightly. "It is good to see you again, Stormraven!" She exclaims as she releases him from her grasp. "How I have missed you all so. And no, no sugar rocks today Stormraven."

Slidell stand there, stock-still, as the shoanti woman turns to be greeted by Ehlissa, and takes the proffered seat by Mal and Zieke. He still stands unmoving as the conversation continues. After a moment, he slowly reaches into the bag of candy and takes a piece himself, then sits down, extremely quietly, pulling his hat even lower over his face than usual. A keen observer might notice he seems to be blushing.

Neahlah wrote:
^-Yeah right! 'gather his wits' indeed. That's an AP in and of itself!

Naw. That's only an Encounter, or a Side Trek at best. He just doesn't have that much to gather! ;P

Hope you have a good day Salome/Dreamer!


Male Human (Varisian) Spellthief 4 (XP = 6405) as of 7/28, Wrathspawn and Shrine (10,000xp = 5th level)
Zieke Halveran wrote:


"If this Nualia is under the influence of that stuff we found under the Glassworks, it'll have had a long time to work on her," Zieke comments. He can't help but stare at Vesh as he contemplates his next words, "But if we can shake him out of it, maybe we can do the same for her.

Vesh looks at Zieke and feels defeated inside. He is weary to his bones and thinks of his time at the docks earlier, watching the broken stick-butterfly float away. It has gone to the ocean, thinks Vesh.

A frown plays across his place, but Vesh is far away in his mind... and his heart.

Naelah wrote:

As the men discuss plans for approaching Thistletop, a somewhat dusty woman enters the inn. Casting her eyes about, she spies some of her friends - Slidell Vesh and Malcom, all sitting together and chatting with a tall, blonde, muscular-looking stranger. At her heels is Naelah's ever present companion, Veren.

"We are brought together once more!"

Vesh smiles, but shocks himself with his lack of feeling. His lack of joy at seeing Naelah walk through the door. A joy that would have overflowed just a few days ago.

He greets her in traditional Varisian fashion, and scratches Veren's ears. But his greeting is with his words, and they feel hollow even to him.

Naelah wrote:


Belatedly, she seems to realise that Vesh, Malcom, and Slidell have all changed.

"What has happened to you all?"

What has happened to me? Thinks Vesh as he looks at his companions. They talk and make plans, but Vesh is lost in thought. He thinks about his father...and stares at the scars on Salome's face. He thinks about Lamashtu, the mother of monsters and wishes he could blame her for the feelings--or the lack of feelings--that he has.

But Vesh knows that attacking Salome was just the fulfillment of the road that he has been cursed to walks since childhood. He has become the monster he used to hide from as a child. The monster he clashed with in his teens. The monster he killed before fleeing the plains. He has become his father.

FFW

As the others return to their rooms and he returns to the Rusty Dragon, Vesh maintains a brooding silence. He knows what he must do. Returning to his room at night, he sets his equipment in order and leaves the following items on his bed, to be found by Ameiko or his companions:

Any of the recently-gained loot from their most recent journey under Sandpoint that he was carrying, Vesh leaves on his bed. The dagger that Ameiko gave to him lies next to these items along with a small bag of gold coins. Next to the dagger is his butterfly medallion. And next to all of those, is a letter that reads:

"To My Companions, My Friends,

In wounding Salome, I have wounded all of you and myself. I have broken the trust that we had, Milk of Lamashtu notwithstanding. And it is a trust that is vital to your success if you are to face her minions in the next few days.

I have left what we recovered. Please return Ameiko's dagger to her. There is enough money in the bag to cover the expense of intruding on her hospitality these past ten days.

The butterfly medallion is yours to keep. May it bring one of you more luck than it brought me. Desna took me up only to return me broken and have me cursed by Lamashtu. I do not understand the road that I am on, but I know that Desna has removed her favor from me.

So I go it alone, now. A Varisian never really has one home, but a piece of me--a piece unsullied by the taint of Lamashtu--will always consider Sandpoint home. Perhaps now I will return to the plains to face the demons I have been running from for almost five years. Or, perhaps I am the demon that I have been running from. I don't really know.

May Desna give you the luck that you need to defeat evil in your way.

Yours,

Vesh

And in a slightly more illegible post-script below, is written:

Salome. If your heart ever truly heals from what I have done, seek out the plains and the Velashan Snow. Perhaps I will be there, and perhaps I will have forgiven myself. Love, Your Bazé.

Whoever finds these items the next day sees that Vesh has left through the window in his room. Inquiring with the guards at the north gate reveals that he--or someone matching his description--left alone in the last hours before sunrise.

To all: I apologize for the abruptness of this post. Please see my comments in the discussion thread to be posted shortly.


Vesh wrote:
Inquiring with the guards at the north gate reveals that he--or someone matching his description--left alone in the last hours before sunrise.

As the young Varisian slips through the gate leaving the town of Sandpoint behind, a pair of figures emerge from the shadows of a nearby building.

One - tall, lean, and with a droopy mustache - looks to the other and nods silently. They mount a pair of riding horses and make their way leisurely towards the gate. As they apporach the guards snap to attention and salute sharply. The tall man returns the salute as the guards' lanterns glint off the steel of his sword and armor. The crest of Sandpoint is proudly displayed on his shield and his livery matches the blue-grey uniforms of the gatemen. The other figure wears a dark cloak, hood pulled tight leaving his face shadowed. He rests a heavy crossbow idly across his lap as he rides. Passing through the gate, the riders pick up speed as they make for the Coast Road.

"Now is our opportunity, while the little Moth is alone and his friends lie sleeping in their beds." growls the tall rider through clenched teeth.

As he raises his crossbow to the ready, the other replies, "Yes, Master Vancaskerkin."

We will resume the game around October 6th; although the baby's due date is the 3rd, so don't hold me to that exact day. See the discussion thread for details. In the meantime, I'll see you in Elsir Vale.

Spoiler:

A little prop to those who have read the adventure. Yes, I know all about you. Now if only you knew why he goes by 'Horatio' ;)


Female Human Cleric

Meanwhile, at the cathedral...

As Salome begins her morning prayers, a dark cloud passes across the sun, blocking the comforting sunbeams of morning. After a few moments, the cloud seems to pass, but the shrine remains darkened.

Distant hoofbeats. Silence.

Salome feels an irrational sense of dread deep in the pit of her stomach. "Dawnflower," she prays, "guide me this day, for I fear the darkness is rising."

Thoughts tumble through her mind. Alzanist. Lamashtu. Quasit. Nualia. Naelah. Hannah. "Give me peace, my Lady," she pleads silently -- and then realizes --

Why am I crying? she wonders.


Male Half-Elf Fighter 1 / Monk 1

The next morning, Zieke awakens with a sense of invigoration he hasn't felt in years. He goes through his morning routine and training regimen with gusto, relishing the cloudy morning and cool sea breeze. It seems to put him at ease as he contemplates his future freedom and whatever adventure lies in store at Thistletop.

Before finally returning to his temporary room at the Rusty Dragon, Zieke makes sure to wash off with a swim in the ocean. He changes clothes again and then enjoys a massive breakfast in the downstairs tavern. His high spirits and smiling face even take back the serving staff. No one in Sandpoint has seen him quite this...happy?

But Zieke spends more time contemplating the group's immediate future than talking with the locals. He already has a busy day planned to seek out those with knowledge of the road to Thistletop. He half-hopes that Shalelu might pass through town again so he could ask her about the challenges the goblin stronghold might present. Failing that, he suspects the Sheriff or even Mayor Deverin might have some information provided to them by the elven ranger.

Then, Zieke anticipates the gathering of supplies for their trip. Food and water aplenty, of course. He considers horses as well, and maybe a guard dog, knowing full well how much fear such creatures could strike in goblinkind. Other mundane items, like rope, maybe a grappling hook in case they need to climb the head-shaped island...and a handful of other possibly useful things. The big warrior makes a mental list and then informs Bethana and Ameiko of where he can be found if the others come searching for him.

Just thought I'd post up some kind of transition for Zieke as well. Plus, I didn't want this thread to fall off the main listing for the play-by-post games just yet. I'll leave it to Sli or Mal to discover Vesh's disappearance.


Male Human Wizard 2/Sor 1

I confess, I already have a whole 'Slidell discovers Vesh is missing' story in my head! I figured it was in character with his nosiness. I will try and make a post today. RL (Work & home) kinda playin' hardball right now. I just had to tell 2 busloads of kids that I didn't have any idea about this person they came on a field trip to see at my auditorium! (Sigh) Maybe it will get better this weekend,... or maybe I'll just grow wings and fly myself to a nice, deserted island! ;P


Raven- Tiny Magical Creature

As the young Varisian slips through the gate leaving the town of Sandpoint behind, a pair of figures emerge from the shadows of a nearby building.
One - tall, lean, and with a droopy mustache - looks to the other and nods silently. They mount a pair of riding horses and make their way leisurely towards the gate. As they apporach the guards snap to attention and salute sharply. The tall man returns the salute as the guards' lanterns glint off the steel of his sword and armor. The crest of Sandpoint is proudly displayed on his shield and his livery matches the blue-grey uniforms of the gatemen. The other figure wears a dark cloak, hood pulled tight leaving his face shadowed. He rests a heavy crossbow idly across his lap as he rides. Passing through the gate, the riders pick up speed as they make for the Coast Road.

"Now is our opportunity, while the little Moth is alone and his friends lie sleeping in their beds." growls the tall rider through clenched teeth.

As he raises his crossbow to the ready, the other replies, "Yes, Master Vancaskerkin."

As the riders pass through the gate, a tiny shadow detaches itself from a larger patch of darkness on the church roof. Small glassy eyes watch the interchange between the riders.

This was possibly of interest. As the riders pick up speed and head down the road, the black bird turns and launches itself silently back towards the center of town. The sun was rising, and he needed to be back in the room before his master woke up. Otherwise, the mage was just clever enough to ask the right questions. Questions that he wasn't allowed to answer. And his orders if that happened were quite clear,...

Silent as a shadow, Veran wings his way back towards the Rusty Dragon.

Don't worry JSL, Slidell won't find out what happened from this! I'm just adding fuel to the fire of Sli's past. And hoping we get a chance to explore it. Eventually. ;)


Male Human Wizard 2/Sor 1

With your permission, I present 'Slidell Discovers Vesh is Missing'.

A work in progress,... ;)

Dreamer, JSL, the due date was the 6th, right? SO you are 'officially' past due? Just fishing for hints on how you are doing. Waiting for the good news!


Male Human Wizard 2/Sor 1

Slidell murmured, stretched, and lazily blinked his eyes open. He blinked again to clear the blurriness, and found himself staring directly into a pair of huge, black, glassy orbs!

"NGYAAAAAAAAH!" The mage cleverly responded to this imminent threat, flailing as he attempted to rise, but only succeeding in entangling himself even more in his bedding.

"Darn you Veran!" Slidell cried, muffled by his persistently engulfing blanket to the bird still staring at him upside down from his perch on the headboard. "You KNOW I hate it when you do that!" He finishes after he finally frees his head. The two sit there for a long moment, gazes locked.

Slidell grins. "Good morning to you too!" HE declares, and begins the task of extricating himself from his bedding. "I had the most fantastic dreams last night!" He continues. "Several, I think. Each more vivid and fantastic than the last! The details are fading of course, One of these days I WILL master remembering everything I see or dream, but the images, fantastic. Undead, hidden tomes, giants made from stone and covered in runes, Runewells, the night sky alight with flashes from dozens of spells cast by 2 warring mages simultaneously,..." He shakes his head as he escapes the last clinging grasp of the blanket. "Fantastic! Obviously this business with the Alzanist's chamber has fired my imagination. Speaking of which,..." He grins at Veran and waggles his eyebrows. He then turns and dives headfirst into his pack, discarding assorted junk until he emerges with his spellbook and writing implements.

"It came to me during the dreams. I haven't given up on the sound research, but I have a new idea involving concentrating the beam of light produced by the Color Spray spell. If I can figure out the exact prismatic properties and focal length needed for a crystal to achieve a more focused coherent light output,..." He murmurs off, scribbling furiously.

A half hour later, the mage declares "Ah-HAH!" as he finishes his final notations with a flourish. HE carefully blows the ink dry before slamming the volume shut. "I knew it couldn't be that hard! And the conjuration spell, well that's getting to be almost too easy. Perhaps I should consider investing time specializing in another line of spellcasting? Naw, I enjoy them all too much!" The mage hastily dressed and grabbed his belongings. "Come along lazyfeathers! We have to go and pick up those supplies I need for enchantment. We need to be ready to leave for Thistletop by tomorrow. I swear, you move so slow in the mornings. It's like you stay out all night or something! Come along!" He called, waggling his shoulder impatiently.

The familiar obligingly flew to the proffered shoulder as the skinny mage swept his wide-brimmed hat into place. In the hall he paused and turned towards Vesh's door. "Daylight's burning, might as well make sure that everyone's up!" HE declares happily as he raps lightly on the door.
After a moment he raises an eyebrow. "S'funny, Vesh doesn't strike me as the heavy-sleeper type." HE murmurs, rapping on the door again. "Perhaps he's already up?" HE asks, giving it one last final, solid knock. At this firmer touch the door creaked inward slightly.

"Now that's odd. I could have sworn I heard Vesh set and check the latch last night,..." The mage's brow furrows as he reaches and pushes the door slowly open.

"Vesh? Are you awake? It's a beautiful day and I wondered if you wanted to go to, the, shops,..." He slowed to a halt as the door opened enough to reveal the made bed, the items laying on it, and no Vesh. "To help me haggle for spell components." He finishes to the empty room. He steps to the bed and looks at the items on it. He leans over and reads the note without touching it. He then begins slowly walking around the room, examining the floor, the bedstand and finally the open windowsill. Pursing his lips thoughtfully, he makes another circuit of the room, ending with picking up the letter and examining it carefully on both sides. Sighing with frustration, he stares out of the open window.

"Well,... darnit Vesh." HE murmurs. "Godsspeed." He then closes the window firmly and latches it. And then moves to the bed and places the items there into his already bulging backpack. "A companion returns, a companion departs. It's almost as if there were a cosmic balance involved, eh Veran?" He asks his familiar as he closes Vesh's door behind him. His only response is a shrug of feathered shoulders as he strides swiftly but solemnly down the stairs to find Zieke enjoying a hearty breakfast with presumably? Malcolm and Ehlissa looking on.

Slidell joins them at the table, giving them a wan smile in greeting. Perhaps noting his serious demeanor, they turn to him expectantly. "It seems," he begins as he opens his pack and begins laying out the items he found on the bed, "That Vesh has decided that our current path is not one he feels he can share." HE places the note on the table, and leans back. After giving them a moment to read the letter, he continues.

"I've made a thorough examination of the room and it's contents, and I can find no evidence of foul play. The letter itself is written in a neat, heavy hand. Obviously written slowly, as if he was weighing every word that he was putting down carefully. And, except for the postscript, all very legible and carefully blotted. Not likely if one were forced to write a letter at knifepoint. I believe the single small spot near the bottom of the page is a tearstain. If so, it would indicate his emotional state while writing. He obviously left the room through the window after leaving the door unlatched. The disturbance of dust and scratches on the sill again indicate that he left by himself, under his own motivation and without physical duress. Perhaps we might ask Corran to indulge us with an examination of tracks under his window, but I suspect you will find only Vesh's."

Slidell pauses and rubs his eyes. It dawns on the others that he isn't being cold in this matter, but rather struggling to contain his emotions. A bit unusual for the mage who normally wears his feelings on his shirtsleeves.

"So," Slidell continues with a sniff. "While obviously my first reaction is to set out and find Vesh, all indications are that he reached this decision after much deliberation, and left of his own volition without being forced by an outside agency. As much as it pains me to say so, I think we should respect his wishes. We could probably find out which gate he left out, but since we still wouldn't know where he was headed, or if he had even selected a destination, it is highly unlikely that we would find him in a timely manner. Logic dictates that we should continue on with our plans for dealing with the most pressing problem first. And Then perhaps we can try to figure out where Vesh went and convince him to return. If you think it's wise. He may only need a few days alone and he'll be fine." HE says with a small smile, obviously trying to convince himself.

He sniffed again. "Well, I'm not really hungry. I still have lots of shopping to do. Items to purchase, enchantments to conjure, that sort of thing. Let me know if your looking for anything in particular, I'll try to pick it up for you while i'm out. See you later." And he abruptly stands, grabs his pack, and heads towards the door. One hand resting on his familiar, drawing strength from the contact.


Male Half-Elf Fighter 1 / Monk 1
Slidell Stormraven wrote:
He sniffed again. "Well, I'm not really hungry. I still have lots of shopping to do. Items to purchase, enchantments to conjure, that sort of thing. Let me know if your looking for anything in particular, I'll try to pick it up for you while i'm out. See you later." And he abruptly stands, grabs his pack, and heads towards the door. One hand resting on his familiar, drawing strength from the contact.

In the silence that follows Sli's departure, Zieke regards Ehlissa and Mal. It seems hard to put together any words that won't sound hollow. Being new to their group, he could hardly claim to understand Vesh. Perhaps Salome would have better insight...provided someone told her.

The big warrior mulls over his breakfast. "I certainly hope that boy's himself," he finally says aloud, "The wizard said Vesh's note was deliberately and carefully written. That would imply Lamashtu's curse didn't compel him into any sort of rash decision or odd behavior. Still, a part of me fears he might still be carrying some wound of the mind from that vile stuff he drank. I hope he isn't venturing into the wilderness just become another monster of that accursed goddess. Or worse...that he be drawn somehow to this Nualia and her goblin army."

"Seems like we've all got stuff to do today," he finally settles his own mind, "I'll drop by and check on Salome...give her the news...and see what she thinks. The rest of you get your things together. We need to reach Thistletop. And the sooner the better, I'm thinking."

Zieke then excuses himself from the table and goes in search of the priestess of Sarenrae...

Might as well keep things moving while we wait...but no pressure to respond for anyone. It just seems like a natural direction to take the story. And all of our characters will have to come to some sort of transition in accepting Vesh's departure.


Female Human (Chelaxian) Knight 1/Fighter 1/Paladin 1 (2)

"We must each walk the paths the gods have given us. I will miss him." Ehlissa says stoically.


Female Human Cleric
Salome wrote:

Alzanist. Lamashtu. Quasit. Nualia. Naelah. Hannah. "Give me peace, my Lady," she pleads silently -- and then realizes --

Why am I crying? she wonders.

Slightly confused, Salome shakes her head as though to clear it and wipes her eyes. Back to business. She starts to rehearse her side of her conversation with Hannah as she wanders back to the White Deer Inn for breakfast. Maybe the white-haired druid will be there... they could plan out what they need in order to keep their party alive in the goblins' nest...


Male Half-Elf Fighter 1 / Monk 1
Salome wrote:
Salome...wanders back to the White Deer Inn for breakfast.

Still munching on an apple as he departs the Rusty Dragon, Zieke skims Vesh's letter for a second time as he looks for Salome. His path naturally takes him to the cathedral, assuming the priestess of Sarenrae will assuredly greet the morning sun in some kind of devotion there.

'She won't take this well...' he tells himself, carefully folding the letter and tucking it away, 'The two seemed genuinely close and concerned for one another. Being a healer, I suspect she'll want to rush off and find him...worrying over whatever mental wounds or depression is affecting the boy. But we've got no time for that. Sandpoint could be attacked anytime by Nualia's army. And the Mayor's trusting us to put a stop to it. If Vesh is in no shape to contribute to that effort, it's better he sit it out than become a liability. But we can't afford to lose Salome. She's the grease that evens out all the rough edges in this group...including me.'

Zieke finally reaches the cathedral and checks with the acolytes there. Although many saw Salome at sunrise, he learns she's already left. At least one of them mentions the White Deer. So he thanks him and crosses the small courtyard separating the two buildings. As he enters the inn, he catches sight of the distinctive priestess. Hardly anyone in Sandpoint dresses quite like a Qadiran.

"Priestess..." Zieke greets her as he approaches her table. One of the serving staff questions him if he'd like to order something for breakfast, to which he answers, "No thanks, I just ate at the..." But his words trail off rather than tell them he patronized the Rusty Dragon over the White Deer. "I...um...already ate. Thanks."

Turning his attention back to Salome, he pulls up a chair uninvited. But the normally brash warrior's demeanor is quite different as he frets over exactly how to break the news of Vesh's departure to her. "We need to talk..." he explains, "Something's come up."

He reaches into his vest and draws out Vesh's letter. "Stormraven found this..." He passes it across the table, but doesn't lift his hand from it until she meets his eyes. "It's about Vesh." With that, he sits back and leaves it to her to read the letter or ask about its contents.


Female Human Cleric

I do not intend for Salome to be monologuing here. Feel free to interject and break up what she says with Zieke's responses as you see fit.

Zieke Halveran wrote:
"Priestess..." Zieke greets her as he approaches her table.

Salome, startled from her reveries about the best way to approach Hannah, looks up, then offers a rare smile when she sees the warrior. "Zieke, what brings you here this morning? I had imagined you would be gathering supplies or planning strategy."

Zieke Halveran wrote:
"We need to talk..." he explains, "Something's come up....It's about Vesh."

Salome's brow furrows questioningly as she takes the letter and begins to read. It takes a few moments for her to understand what she is reading. As she reads, her expression passes from curiosity to disbelief to shock and grief. She shakes her head. "No," she whispers. "No, no. No, no, no!" she crescendos, as if she can command the letter to change, to retract its own words.

"Zieke! We need to bring him back! We cannot let him go! Who knows what will happen to him? I promised I would protect him. I promised I would heal him. I promised I would stay by him... We need to go. We need to go now and find him, bring him back." She looks around the room as if searching for a clue, a plan to suddenly present itself.

"Yes, yes. We can do this," she says, though it's unclear whether she's talking to herself or to the former guardsman, "but we need to leave right away, before he gets too far or gets in trouble." She looks up Zieke. "You can track him. I will convince him to come back. He will listen to me. We can be back here before noonday and still leave for Thistletop when we planned." She stands up and heads toward the door before turning back and beckoning to her companion.

"Zieke, please, we need to go," she says, growing more agitated. "You do not understand. This is Vesh we are talking about. Mijn bazé -- my brother. Lamashtu must have poisoned his mind against us. She is turning him away from us when she knows we all need each other the most. She is trying to weaken us, break us apart so we cannot complete our mission. We must find him!"

Growing more frantic, she lowers her voice, again seeming to talk to herself. "It must be Lamashtu. It must. Desna is good. She guided him so many times, blessed him with luck. Preserved his life. Lamashtu must be making him think this way. Because if she is not...if she is not...the only alternative is that...oh, no. No, no, no, no!" The normally stoic priestess starts rocking and breathing heavily, trying to stave off the nearly overwhelming flood of emotions behind her realization. "Zieke, I did it. It is my fault. I told him that when he attacked my face, he attacked my soul. It is Qadi belief. But I held no grudge. I forgave him. I did not mean to send him away! I need to talk to him! I need to bring him back!"

"Everyone I have ever loved has been taken away from me. Now Vesh too!" Unable to hold back her overwhelming grief, Salome covers her face and weeps, still rocking. "Mijn bazé, mijn bazé," she repeats, futilely calling him back through her tears.


Male Half-Elf Fighter 1 / Monk 1
Salome wrote:
She shakes her head. "No," she whispers. "No, no. No, no, no!" she crescendos, as if she can command the letter to change, to retract its own words.

Zieke frowns as he hears Salome's initial reaction. He looks around the inn, fearful that other patrons might assume he's somehow wronged the priestess. Luckily, it doesn't appear very many guests have made it down for breakfast so close to sunrise.

Salome wrote:

"Zieke! We need to bring him back! We cannot let him go! Who knows what will happen to him? I promised I would protect him. I promised I would heal him. I promised I would stay by him... We need to go. We need to go now and find him, bring him back." She looks around the room as if searching for a clue, a plan to suddenly present itself.

"Yes, yes. We can do this," she says, though it's unclear whether she's talking to herself or to the former guardsman, "but we need to leave right away, before he gets too far or gets in trouble." She looks up at Zieke. "You can track him. I will convince him to come back. He will listen to me. We can be back here before noonday and still leave for Thistletop when we planned." She stands up and heads toward the door before turning back and beckoning to her companion.

"Um...I really don't think that's wise, priestess...I mean..."

Salome wrote:
"Zieke, please, we need to go," she says, growing more agitated. "You do not understand. This is Vesh we are talking about. Mijn bazé -- my brother. Lamashtu must have poisoned his mind against us. She is turning him away from us when she knows we all need each other the most. She is trying to weaken us, break us apart so we cannot complete our mission. We must find him!"

"I assure you Slidell already examined the letter...Vesh's room...and assessed his probable mental state," Zieke tries to reason with her, "This wasn't Lamashtu. It was Vesh's own choice."

Salome wrote:
Growing more frantic, she lowers her voice, again seeming to talk to herself. "It must be Lamashtu. It must. Desna is good. She guided him so many times, blessed him with luck. Preserved his life. Lamashtu must be making him think this way. Because if she is not...if she is not...the only alternative is that...oh, no. No, no, no, no!"

Zieke hesitates...unable to follow wherever the mind of the distraught daughter of Sarenrae has gone. He stares at Salome, mentally comparing her behavior to that of a wild animal under duress...at a complete loss whether to try and help or stay back.

Salome wrote:

The normally stoic priestess starts rocking and breathing heavily, trying to stave off the nearly overwhelming flood of emotions behind her realization. "Zieke, I did it. It is my fault. I told him that when he attacked my face, he attacked my soul. It is Qadi belief. But I held no grudge. I forgave him. I did not mean to send him away! I need to talk to him! I need to bring him back!"

"Everyone I have ever loved has been taken away from me. Now Vesh too!" Unable to hold back her overwhelming grief, Salome covers her face and weeps, still rocking. "Mijn bazé, mijn bazé," she repeats, futilely calling him back through her tears.

Finally making up his mind, Zieke crosses to Salome and pulls her into a reassuring embrace, tucking her head just under his chin and murmuring softly. "Shhhh..." he tells her. His own voice sounds strained but determined, "Now you listen to me."

He swallows hard.

"It's nobody's fault. Only Vesh controls his actions. You didn't push him to do this...and Lamashtu didn't either," he says. The conviction of his words rises with each statement like a well-placed blow, "You read his letter. There's something that's been eating at that boy since before he even knew you. He may have found a kindred spirit and leaned upon your wise advice, but he's got demons of his own making to deal with. What happened in Lamashtu's shrine just woke him up to it. That's all." Even as Zieke says those words, he can't help but compare his own past to Vesh's situation.

"It's better for him to go," Zieke continues, "He needs time to sort out his own mind. It doesn't matter if you already forgave him. He has to forgive himself. You can't help him with that. And even if you could, we've got other duties."

He draws back so Salome will look up at him.

"There's a whole town full of people here that need our help more. The Mayor is counting on us. And given Vesh's state of mind, he knows he's not prepared to help us. He would only endanger our efforts. And now Lamashtu is trying to confuse and distract us from opposing her. If we waste time tracking down Vesh...instead of moving on Thistletop...Lamashtu and Nualia will win. Think about that. You destroyed her shrine. Now, Lamashtu views you as a threat...all of us. Vesh would have been an instrument for her to use against us...either by compromising our efforts at just the right moment...or by making us give up our quest and go after him instead. But Vesh has realized all of that. He's turned away from Lamashtu. He knows we have to oppose her. But he's got his own demon to face. And it's a personal one. We can't help him with that. And he can't help us with ours. So as hard as it may seem, we have to turn away from him. For now..."

He wipes away some of the tears from her face. "It's better for everyone this way," he whispers, "Now pull yourself together. This town and the rest of your friends need you right now. Pray to your goddess that she'll guide Vesh in mending his own past. Ask her to free you to guide the rest of us. And together, let's seek her wisdom so Sandpoint isn't overrun by its enemies."

He continues to stand solidly, holding Salome, and trying to use his presence as a reassurance for her. But he waits for her own reaction before deciding on any further response.


Female Human Cleric

As her sobs subside, Salome closes her eyes and breathes, listening to Zieke's words. "Duty. Yes, duty. I always have a duty to do..."

Zieke Halveran wrote:
"...It's better for everyone this way..."

My father's family said that before they took all my parent's possessions and turned me out on the streets. The leader of my ganya said that after he discovered I was a girl and forced me to leave. The women on the line and the man who sold us. Even Mejjur De, before meting out a punishment or taking away any tiny joy I happened upon. "It's better for everyone." Why is it that things that are "better for everyone" are never better for me?

Zieke Halveran wrote:
He continues to stand solidly, holding Salome, and trying to use his presence as a reassurance for her. But he waits for her own reaction before deciding on any further response.

Salome sets her jaw before pushing herself away from the big man. "I take it that the others agree with you?"

She scoffs and adds bitterly, "You will all just let him go. No questions. No good-byes. No attempt to find him. If I had drowned that day you found me on the riverbank, would any of you have raised a finger to find my body? Because, "liability" to us or not, I honestly believe Vesh is going to get killed out there."


Male Half-Elf Fighter 1 / Monk 1
Salome wrote:
Salome sets her jaw before pushing herself away from the big man. "I take it that the others agree with you?"...She scoffs and adds bitterly, "You will all just let him go. No questions. No good-byes. No attempt to find him. If I had drowned that day you found me on the riverbank, would any of you have raised a finger to find my body? Because, "liability" to us or not, I honestly believe Vesh is going to get killed out there."

Zieke steps back in order to give Salome room. But his expression hardens a bit at her line of reasoning.

"The others agree. Even Ehlissa and Mal," Zieke nods, "It's a hard life out here, sister. It's hard everywhere. It doesn't seem your friend Vesh came out of a noble's household. That means he's lived no life of ease. So I reckon he'll make his way just fine."

"He didn't come to this choice on a whim. And I can't say I wouldn't do the same if what happened to him had happened to me. You keep his letter. Read it again sometime when you're at peace," he suggests, "This was Vesh's own choice. And if there's anything you've taught me in the short time I've been with you, there's little we can do to force others to believe or act the way we'd want. If Vesh feels this is right for him...given everything that happened...you and I can't make him feel otherwise just by tracking him down and then what? We plead with him to reconsider? Meanwhile, Nualia and her army razes Sandpoint?"

He gestures with his hand palm up. "You're telling me you want to go after your friend because you think we can change his mind? And your faith doesn't balk at that, knowing hundreds more will die here if we don't intervene in Nualia's plan? C'mon, priestess. You're wiser than that. Everyone else needs you here...much more than Vesh needs you chasing after him right now."

Then, Zieke's expression softens a little. "As for your time at the riverbank," he offers, "I came running quick enough, did I not? Are you telling me that was your way of saying good-bye?" His words linger in the silence as he measures her response.

Sense Motive check... (1d20+4 = 20)

As he begins to get a sense of what the day at the riverbank might have been about, he leans back and reads Salome in a different light. "At least Vesh was thoughtful enough to leave us a note explaining his frame of mind," he answers, "There's not a soul among these friends you've made...including me...who wouldn't search for you if we didn't know what happened to you. But we know what's happened to Vesh. And we know what Vesh intends to do...by his own words to us. I'm going to honor his decision. But I don't believe he's going out there to commit suicide. He's going out there to find himself...forgive himself...and he's left you a note in there to find him when enough time has passed for that to happen."

He moves to leave, but looks back over his shoulder.

"That's a big difference, sister. Maybe you should meditate on that?" He hesitates, worried that maybe he's being too hard on her. "I'll be at the Rusty Dragon once I've gathered a few things for the trip to Thistletop. If you want to talk, find me there..."


Female Human Cleric
Zieke Halveran wrote:
"The others agree. Even Ehlissa and Mal," Zieke nods, "It's a hard life out here, sister. It's hard everywhere. It doesn't seem your friend Vesh came out of a noble's household. That means he's lived no life of ease. So I reckon he'll make his way just fine."

The priestess's eyes flash angrily at not being included in the discussion but holds her silence.

Zieke Halveran wrote:
"We plead with him to reconsider? Meanwhile, Nualia and her army razes Sandpoint?...Everyone else needs you here...much more than Vesh needs you chasing after him right now."

"You act like it is either one or the other--Why can we not do right by both? Besides," she adds in a near-whisper, "Vesh did more for me than Sandpoint ever did," her eyes welling with tears again.

Zieke Halveran wrote:
Then, Zieke's expression softens a little. "As for your time at the riverbank," he offers, "I came running quick enough, did I not? Are you telling me that was your way of saying good-bye?" His words linger in the silence as he measures her response.

Her lower lip trembles, but she swallows keeps her voice steady. "Vesh is not the only one who has had a hard life. Healers come by their knowledge of pain and suffering through experience. But no one considers whether or why they may be in pain."

Zieke Halveran wrote:
He moves to leave, but looks back over his shoulder..."I'll be at the Rusty Dragon once I've gathered a few things for the trip to Thistletop. If you want to talk, find me there..."

"I think we have said enough on this. I see that I am fighting a losing battle. I will follow you to Thistletop and whatever fate lies there, but I believe that this path is leading us to our end."

By now, Salome is all business, her emotions once again locked deep in her heart. "Thank you for being the one to let me know," she says evenly. "It looks like we have work to do." She turns her back on him and walks deliberately back upstairs to her room, leaving her unfinished breakfast on the table behind her.

That's not quite how I expected this to go. I think these guys are in serious trouble as they prepare for the final battle. How many will we be? Three? Four?


Female Human (Chelaxian) Knight 1/Fighter 1/Paladin 1 (2)

Ehlissa grimly makes sure she has everything she needs for the journey ahead, and makes her preparations. She visits the cathedral to pray, and to dedicate herself to the defence of Sandpoint and its people.

Is there anything craft point-wise that I can afford?


Male Half-Elf Fighter 1 / Monk 1
Salome wrote:
"You act like it is either one or the other--Why can we not do right by both? Besides," she adds in a near-whisper, "Vesh did more for me than Sandpoint ever did," her eyes welling with tears again.

"Because there isn't enough time to do both," Zieke answers calmly, "Lamashtu has seen fit to make us choose." He considers his next words for a moment, but in typical Zieke fashion can't seem to leave well enough alone and continues. "You know, I'm no expert on the doctrine of Sarenrae. I feel out of place defending the notion that the well-being of the many innocent lives here in Sandpoint might mean more than that of a single friend. Hell, I'm not even a local. I don't owe these people much of anything, but I do feel a sense of responsibility for them. I just assumed you would, too, because of your faith."

He notices the priestess' demeanor again. "Don't look at me that way," he tells her, "I'd count Vesh as a friend, too. And I'd happily help you track him and save him if we could. But by his letter, it sounds as though he's headed into the Uplands. That's east of here. The route to Thistletop will take us north and along the coast. It's two different directions and terrain. I can't be in two places at once. And I can't stop Nualia alone."

"Besides, Vesh is a big boy," he finishes, "He comes from the school of hard knocks like anyone else out here. If his mind is sharp enough to write that letter...in such specific terms about his wishes...then he's sane enough to look out for himself while we have this job to do."

Salome wrote:
"Vesh is not the only one who has had a hard life. Healers come by their knowledge of pain and suffering through experience. But no one considers whether or why they may be in pain."

Zieke mulls this response, but doesn't have the insight to completely see behind Salome's words. "If you're carrying such a burden," he says, "You hide it well. I suppose that's what a healer has to do. Set aside their own suffering to see to everyone else. But if you don't talk about it...and if you hide it as well as you do...then how will anyone else ever know what you're dealing with? Open up sometime. There's not a soul among these friends you've made that wouldn't give you a shoulder to lean on if they only knew you needed it. And that includes me."

"But hell...you've known me all of a couple days, I guess," he realizes, "If you want a more experienced ear, talk with Father Zantus. But talk with someone, sister."

Salome wrote:
"I think we have said enough on this. I see that I am fighting a losing battle. I will follow you to Thistletop and whatever fate lies there, but I believe that this path is leading us to our end."

Zieke frowns at the notion of that ill omen.

"Let's hope not," he answers, "Because if we fail, it won't just be our end. A whole lot of people...in Sandpoint...and this entire region, really...will die if Nualia's army succeeds. They could even expand their threat to include wherever Vesh may have gone if given the chance. In that regard, if we save Sandpoint, we save Vesh, too. At least long enough for us to survive and find him after we're done."

Salome wrote:
By now, Salome is all business, her emotions once again locked deep in her heart. "Thank you for being the one to let me know," she says evenly. "It looks like we have work to do." She turns her back on him and walks deliberately back upstairs to her room, leaving her unfinished breakfast on the table behind her.

"I didn't want anyone else to break the news to you," he offers to her retreating back, "I wanted it to be me...I wanted it to be me."

Salome wrote:
That's not quite how I expected this to go. I think these guys are in serious trouble as they prepare for the final battle. How many will we be? Three? Four?

Yeah. Not quite how I envisioned it either. Zieke's words probably came across too strongly initially in the conversation. But given where Salome's thoughts have gone lately (i.e., suicidal, depressed, etc.), I was kind of hoping Zieke could help her turn a corner in her thinking. Of course, given that she's just lost her "brother" Vesh, that's kind of hard to pull off in a single in-game conversation. :-)

As for our numbers, we are a bit thinner than we started. On the other hand, that could mean easier GMing for JSL. There won't be a major need to tweak the power-level of the encounters from here out if we're down to four.


Male Human Wizard 2/Sor 1

Nice work guys!

I count 4 of us for sure now, (Zieke, Salome, Ehlissa and Sli) IF Psi (Nealah) is still out there, just waiting, then that's 5 with a wolf for an extra skirmisher. Not the most stealthy of groups, but with all five we can certainly dish out some damage and keep ourselves healed to boot! I think were ok. I sure am gonna miss those sneaky guys though! ;)

Will post later when I get the chance.


Female Human Cleric

Back in her room, Salome indulges herself in a few more selfish tears, grieving the loss of the man she thought was her friend, hating herself for letting herself care about him, and angry with Zieke being so, so... Ziq! she shouts into her pillow. Zieke, solid, steady, immovable, concrete, duty-bound -- and clueless about the secrets of the human heart. She thought Zieke was her friend too...

Exhausted and empty of tears, she falls asleep.

Salome finds herself in the middle of a bustling bazaar, surrounded by people so focused on buying and selling their wares that no one seems to notice her. A young woman with purple eyes strides past and Salome suddenly remembers she urgently needs to talk to this person. She tries to follow--but loses her in the milling crowd. The press of the humanity nearly knocks her off her feet, but she moves forward, pushed to the center of town by the oblivious multitude.

She is surprised, upon reaching the town's core to find herself, not in a marketplace, town hall, or cathedral, but alone in the middle of a misty graveyard, standing before a freshly filled grave. Salome becomes aware of others joining her, conversing quietly. Her heart leaps when she sees her companions of the last two weeks--people so recently strangers--encircling her.

"What shall we do next?" she asks. But rather than answer, she notices her companions are looking elsewhere, seeing things she is not immediately aware of. But when she follows their gazes, she sees... A marching army and distant drums... A palace of ancient tomes... A great ship on the high seas... A river flowing past a meadow of snow-white flowers... A gust of wind passing through the trees... An urgent letter and a great horse... One by one her friends, called by ghostly images, turn from her and fade away. She reaches out, trying to grasp them before they disappear, keep them with her--but in vain. Again, she is alone.

Salome falls to her knees and buries her face in her hands. "Dawnflower," she prays--

"Yes, child?"

Salome looks up to see the golden woman once more. "My Lady," she motions toward the graves around her. "It is ending, is it not?"

She nods. "All earthly things come to an end. Did you expect differently?"

Salome recognizes the chastisement and shakes her head, but she persists. "Was it worth it?" she asks.

"That is for you to decide. You may not choose what happens, but you can choose the meaning you make of it."

Salome hears a crackling sound behind her and turns to see a flaming triangle on the surface of the grave. Three vents open -- two on a leg and one on a vertex of the triangle -- and acrid smoke seeps out. The ground rumbles and a claw pushes through the soil atop the grave.

"I am Salome bajAtru, Child of None!" Salome shouts to the coming threat.

"Ah, but you are not alone," says a deep, familiar voice behind her.


Female Human (Chelaxian) Knight 1/Fighter 1/Paladin 1 (2)

Ooo. Coolness. Now who relates to what image? Sli is obvious with the palace of tomes, and Mal with the ship, but the others are more ambiguous, which is fun. Any thoughts, peeps?

Ehlissa looks up at the sky, and breathes in deeply, something her grandfather told her to do each day.

Where is Salome? I suppose someone should tell her about Vesh... she did seem to dote on the silly boy...


Male Half-Elf Fighter 1 / Monk 1
Ehlissa Briez wrote:
Ooo. Coolness. Now who relates to what image? Sli is obvious with the palace of tomes, and Mal with the ship, but the others are more ambiguous, which is fun. Any thoughts, peeps?

My guesses:

Spoiler:

Salome wrote:
A marching army and distant drums...

Zieke

Salome wrote:
A palace of ancient tomes...

Slidell

Salome wrote:
A great ship on the high seas...

Mal

Salome wrote:
A river flowing past a meadow of snow-white flowers...

Vesh

Salome wrote:
A gust of wind passing through the trees...

Naelah

Salome wrote:
An urgent letter and a great horse...

Ehlissa? Does she have a horse and a letter for some reason?

Doesn't look like Corran is in the mix...


Female Human (Chelaxian) Knight 1/Fighter 1/Paladin 1 (2)

Ah, yes, they make sense. The letter... hmm unsure what that could mean. Rather nifty that's so mysterious; perhaps some forshadowing or maybe it's entirely symbolic (Ehlissa being a 'messenger' for her goddess) The horse is important to Ehlissa, I should have thought of that. Now by English Lit graduate senses are in overdrive with interpretations!


Male Human Wizard 2/Sor 1

Very Cool!
Nice work, as usual Dreamer.

I was going to write a dream-post as well, but after that I don't think I will. I wouldn't want to sully such good writing with my clunky prose! Besides, by now we ALL know that Slidell has serious issues, and someone watching over his shoulder,... ;)

I wonder who the final voice was! It could be the voice of her old mentor, or of one of her friends, (it would be a nice twist on the 'Even though you saw them leave your never really alone' train of thought.) Very nice!


Female Human Cleric
Zieke Halveran wrote:


My guesses:

You're close. :)

If you care for an explanation:

Spoiler:

It probably all seems obvious now, but it wasn't easy to match up characters and calls. I didn't want to dictate where everyone went next; I didn't want it to be an obviously good or bad fate; I wanted space to fill in with each person's interpretations and imaginations; and I wanted it to be a place or a call to which each person would willingly go.

Corran was called to the military life; I wasn't sure where to send Zieke. Both the military and monastary had a "been there, done that" feel to them. He's a man on the run, but after their last conversation, I didn't want Salome's dream/fantasy to single out or punish Zieke. So I didn't give him a named destination. And not having a 1:1 correlation between people and places does leave some extra room for interpretation.

So did Salome count wrong? Does Zieke leave his own way or does he stay with her? Or is that "mystery man" someone else from her past? (I don't even know; I can think of 5 or 6 possibilities.)

- A palace of ancient tomes... Slidell -- combination of knowledge and power -- but whose palace is it?
- A great ship on the high seas... Malcolm -- didn't stick around long enough to say where he was going; maybe he doesn't know?
- A river flowing past a meadow of snow-white flowers... Vesh -- reference to the river where his sister disappeared and the Velashu snow; also a juxtaposition of heaven/hell or life/death, his uncertain future
- A gust of wind passing through the trees... Naelah and Veran -- I imagined Naelah disappearing into a whirlwind and riding above the forest; she goes where the wind blows
- An urgent letter and a great horse... Ehlissa -- I imagined what it would take to change Ehlissa's course. A summons to Cheliax? A letter from her family? A call to a crusade? A surprise inheritance? The request of a noble? A proposal? Either way, it would likely come in letter form, and be very official. I was thinking of Ehlissa's horse, Fleetfoot (who hasn't gotten much screen time this chapter), but I think I described more of a warhorse instead. Hmm...

And the unseen voice belongs to... oops, I'm out of time. :)


Female Human Cleric

Checks as applicable:
Diplomacy check (1d20 6=15)
Perception check (1d20 6=23)
Gather info (1d20 2=8)

Waking, Salome feels a new sense of determination. After cleaning herself up and eating some honeyed bread and fruit, she makes her way to the south end of town to Hannah's house and knocks at the door.

"Good morning, Hannah," Salome says, bowing. "May the light and goodwill of this day's Dawn shine upon us," she smiles. "Hannah, I need your help. Can we take a walk?"

"Hannah, you are the first person I met here in Sandpoint. I respect you for your skills in the divine art of healing and for your knowledge and insight. And right now I have a problem that exceeds my wisdom."

"I have spent the past week assisting the 'Heroes of Sandpoint' in their assignments. They rescued Ameiko who had been kidnapped by her half-brother, Tsuto, and they were asked by the mayor and city council to clear out some tunnels they discovered under the glassworks. Along the way, they suffered severe wounds--you saw that majji's burns--and discovered a dangerous evil. It appears that there was a shrine to the goddess Lamashtu hidden in the tunnels. A vile black liquid, the Milk of Lamashtu, flowed freely, carrying the goddess's evil to all in its path. We even saw the effects it had on one of her monsters--and one of our own." Salome pauses and traces an ankh in the air, as if to ward off the evil of which she had spoken. "Fortunately, by the grace of the Dawnflower, I was able to purify the shrine and cleanse away the influence of the Beast-Shaper."

"My problem is this. Despite all that we saw, those heroes--especially the majji seem to be obsessed with the fire that took Father Tobyn's life and with the fate of Nualia. I do not understand it. This town is threatened by goblins and the growing darkness of Lamashtu, yet they keep talking about the priest's daughter. Is there anything you know or anything I can tell them that would allow me to convince them that Nualia has nothing to do with this and there are far more serious matters to attend to?"

"In my service to Sandpoint, I have seen that these good people have suffered much in the past five years. They are grieving and they are afraid. My hope is that, if the Heroes understand there are greater forces of good and evil at work here--and perhaps if we can learn some means by which we can turn the scales to good--we may set things to right and end the late unpleasantness and bring light and healing back to this town."

"Will you please help me in this?" she asks Hannah.


Male Half-Elf Fighter 1 / Monk 1
Salome wrote:

You're close. :)

Spoiler:

So did Salome count wrong? Does Zieke leave his own way or does he stay with her? Or is that "mystery man" someone else from her past? (I don't even know; I can think of 5 or 6 possibilities.)

Ah! Cool!

Spoiler:
So Corran wasn't skipped! Good. And, to be honest, I like the open-endedness of: "Where's Zieke?" Did he somehow die by the sword so that he's no longer around at the end? Or did he slip away into the wilderness again without giving anyone an indication of where he's gone? Or does he become Salome's staunchest ally and someone who will never let her stand alone? Or maybe he's the beast about to break out of the grave? ;-)

For what it's worth, I've intentionally set Zieke up as a character who's ultimately looking to redeem himself (in his own eyes at least) over the way his life went awry since his days in Korvosa. So his stint in Sandpoint gave him a small-scale purpose of defending a town much like he intended back when he had aspirations to join the Korvosan Guard. I believe his interactions with Salome should help him find a larger purpose.

The inklings of that are just beginning now with his release from Sandpoint's militia and the foray against Thistletop. Basically, I see this as the place in Zieke's story where he's stepping up into more of a hero's role, even though he doesn't necessarily recognize it yet. By the story's end, however, he could very easily become someone with the conviction and loyalty to be that voice in her dream. I certainly wouldn't mind it if his story closes that way.


Male Half-Elf Fighter 1 / Monk 1

After gathering as much information and preparing supplies for the road ahead, Zieke finds himself hovering around the Sandpoint garrison still. It feels a little odd to imagine himself anywhere else after so many months of service to the town. He spends some time conversing with the other guardsman, advising on various things involving weapons or the town's defenses, and then wishes the new recruits well before heading back to the Rusty Dragon.

Once he arrives at Ameiko's establishment, he looks around for any sign of the 'Sandpoint heroes.' Finding them mostly gone or retired to their rooms, he eventually approaches Bethana asking if there's someplace he can get a shave and perhaps a haircut. As it turns out, the Rusty Dragon has much better amenities than the garrison. With Bethana and Ameiko's assistance, he soon emerges with a more proper Korvosan cut about him.

OOC: Yeah, I decided to switch avatars for the rest of the game. This is a reasonable explanation for why he looks a little less rough around the edges now.


Male Human Wizard 2/Sor 1

NIce haircut! Zieke cleans up good. Who woulda' thought? :)

I apologize in advance for the novel-length post. But I've been churning this over for a while now. AND it's been a long time since I saw a good, 80's-era 'training sequence'! ;P Enjoy!

The door to Slidell's rented room bangs open, eliciting a loud squawk, of either panic or outrage, from the familiar who was napping on the headboard. The noise is followed promptly by the mage himself, arms full of small assorted odd shaped bundles.

"Rise and shine sleepyhead!" Slidell cries far too cheerfully as he tromps loudly to the bed and deposits his loot upon it half-hazardly. "I hope you got your beauty rest, because we've got work to do!"
The familiar gives a long-suffering sigh, an echo of Slidell's own exasperated expression, as the wizard carelessly tosses his hat aside and begins sorting his packages, whistling tunelessly.

Giving up on the hope that the wizard would be sleepy after a large breakfast, which he apparently skipped given the lack of crumbs decorating his cloak, the raven preens himself to replace his ruffled feathers, settles them with a shudder, and hops down onto the bed itself. Veran examines the odd assortment of items as Slidell unwraps them one by one, then turns a critical eye upon his master.

"Don't give ME that look! If you don't like what I buy, YOU go shopping next time!" Slidell responds petulantly to his familiar's steady gaze.
"I know that diamond, being the hardest substance, also holds and channels magical energy relating to light the best of all the stones. But while we are currently richer than we've ever been since we started out, a large, flawless diamond, or even a copious amount of ground diamond dust, is a little out of our budget right now. But look at these!" He eagerly snatches up several items and holds them up for Veran's inspection.
"I collected and ground up a selection of mica, quartz and glass. I'll run a few tests to see which ones collect and disperse the radiant energy best. Possibly a combination of all three,... and I did manage to find an almost perfect piece of quartz and get it cut into a decent prism without having to pay an arm,... and a leg." He finishes with a cough.

Slidell replaces the items on the bed, and looks at the collection with a grin. Bags of dust, slim lengths of wood, assorted common stones and gems cut into various shapes, pages of parchment and small bottles of ink. Not to mention the items for Zieke, Ehlissa and Salome. Instead of being daunted by the enormous amount of work he has set for himself and the short amount of time, the wizard looks like a kid in a candy store. The one who can't decide what he wants to eat,... first.

Still grinning, the wizard tosses his cloak carelessly aside to join his already battered looking new hat and rolls up his sleeves.
"Alright Veran." He says, pulling out his spellbook and a couple of the tomes he removed from the secret library. As he flips open his spellbook his mind is already swirling with the possibilities as he mentally begins combining components and chants in various combinations.

"Let's get to work,..."

Slidell's manic energy seems boundless as he focuses on task after task. Instead of getting tired as the hours wear on, he seems to gain energy as he faces each challenge. He stops once, at Veran's screeching insistence, to run downstairs and grab a hastily assembled plate of food from Bethana which he carries swiftly back upstairs. The rest of the day passes in a blur. But bits and pieces stand out like flashes in a night sky,...

,... Polishing the slim lengths of wood, comparing thicknesses, lengths and weight. And cursing when his selected favorite turns out to have a natural break in it. ,...

,... Testing combinations of powdered mica, quartz and glass by flashing them with minor cantrips. And cursing again when a sliver of glass ends up under his fingernail,...

,... Arguing with Veran over phonetics as he struggles to translate a section of ancient text into something pronounceable and still be effective,...

,... Blinking in the middle of chanting over an item as an image of Vesh walking through a gate at sunrise flashes though his mind. He recovers his rhythm and continues the repetitive chant. 'He'll be fine.' He tells himself, firmly putting the image out of his mind,...

,... Night has fallen, and the only light in the small room comes from the two remaining everburning candles. Their purple radiance gives Veran a majestic, if spooky, gleam as he watches Slidell poring over his spellbook, committing a spell to memory,...

,... Wrestling with a length of thin golden wire and his prism-cut quartz. The image of Vesh and the gate returning unbidden as he thinks how the young rogue's nimble fingers would be a blessing right now,...

,... Working feverishly on a scroll, His energy high but his eyes bleary, he blinks to clear his eyes while reaching to dip his quill. Only a swiftly shouted cantrip saves both the scroll and the precious ink,...

,... Sitting on the corner of the bed as if in a daze, An ancient volume open before him, mumbling chants he does not fully recall or comprehend. His silver knife flashing as it bites, taking tiny flecks from the Darkwood staff as he meticulously copies symbols from the page before him into the wood in seemingly random patterns,...

,... Veran sitting on his shoulder as he works. The raven leaning forward almost eagerly, staring unblinking like a gleaming obsidian statue as the mage carves the tiny runes into the wood glowing ebony in the violet candlelight. As the pattern slowly emerges, the bird positively radiates approval,...

Slidell stands once again in the room that he KNOWS he has been in before, but cannot for the life of him remember where. The wizard with the spell-shrouded features still sits in his overstuffed chair, sipping a glass of wine as he observes the weary Slidell leaning on his staff.

'You've done well.' The seated mystery mage observes with a hint of grudging true admiration. 'You have grown into your powers. You begin to see your true potential. It is almost time, almost, to call you back.' The figure takes a sip of wine as Slidell, seemingly unhearing, slowly strokes the patterns of his staff as if caressing a faithful pet. 'Almost.' Slidell echoes softly.

'Yes.' The seated mage muses. 'Almost. You have grown in power and ability. Let us see how well you USE that power first, shall we? This little journey you are preparing to take should be an adequate test of your mettle I think. It has hidden dangers you are not prepared for. And your band of intrepid heroes dwindles rapidly. Yes. Let us see how you deal with those first. That should tell us what we need to know.'

'What we need to know,...' Slidell again echoes in a whisper. The skinny mage blinks, and turns is head slowly to look at the figure in the chair, as if just realizing he was there. He squints, puzzled, as he looks the featureless mage in the face. His eyes focus, and he reaches for the unidentified glasses he has taken to wearing on his head to keep his wild hair out of his eyes.

Glass and wine go flying in the seated mage's haste to make an arcane gesture and shout a mystic word. As the arcane syllable echoes deafeningly in his ears, Slidell is hurled backwards into blackness, and gratefully falls unconscious,...


Male Human Wizard 2/Sor 1

Slidell swims to consciousness with all the good grace of a legless dinosaur. His mouth is full of cotton, and someone is using his head as a message drum.

He peels his eyes open, and blinks to clear the blurry vision, then closes them again.
Then snaps them open wide to stare at the serpentine head facing him.

"NnnnGYAAAAH!!!" He cries cleverly as his sleep deprived brain calmly tries to remind him that swift movement is not wise, but his primitive fear response beats it to the punch. In a flurry of arms and legs, Slidell tries to escape and falls to the floor.

The mage slowly raises his head up until his eyes are even with the top of the bed. Wide-eyed, he stares at the offender, then slowly closes his eyes and beats his head against the mattress.

"I have GOT to stop waking up like that! Shuttup Veran, it's not funny!" He whines to the snickering avian perched on the headboard.

"And tell your woodpecker friends to get out of my skull!" HE grumbles as he climbs gracelessly back up and picks up his staff. He examines the fine etchings on the darkwood staff. The pattern formed by the combination of tiny symbols gave the staff a serpentine appearance at casual glance.

"Very interesting." He muses as he examines his handiwork. "I don't remember doing that." Then his gaze falls across the other items on the bed.

"Ah, now THAT, I remember!" He grins, his discomfort temporarily forgotten. One by one he examines each item for any flaws. By the end of his examination his usual grin is back in place.

He quickly flies through a brief ablutions, scrubbing his face in cold water until he is fully awake. He gathers the items and shoves them into his bulging backpack. ("Where's a Handy Haversack when you need one?!?" He mutters.) HE stares at his staff thoughtfully for another moment, then uses it to lift a surprised Veran from his perch and deposit his familiar on his shoulder. Sweeping his wide-brimmed hat onto his head, he almost flies down the stairs, looking for his companions.

OK, ready to meet up with the others! :)


Female Human Cleric
Slidell Stormraven wrote:
("Where's a Handy Haversack when you need one?!?" He mutters.)

Maybe at a family reunion; sounds like the name of a cousin of Zieke's! :)


Female Human (Chelaxian) Knight 1/Fighter 1/Paladin 1 (2)

Ehlissa looks out at a new day, "Let's go hunt some goblin." she says to herself with a smile.


Male Human (Varisian) Spellthief 4 (XP = 6405) as of 7/28, Wrathspawn and Shrine (10,000xp = 5th level)
Vesh wrote:
Whoever finds these items the next day sees that Vesh has left through the window in his room. Inquiring with the guards at the north gate reveals that he--or someone matching his description--left alone in the last hours before sunrise.

Vesh jogs up the Lost Coast road at a brisk pace in the predawn cold. The air is still and has a woodsy, autumnal mustiness that Vesh finds confining within the closeness of the enveloping forest. He feels a thrill of nervousness wash over him and presses on, hoping that none of his friends follow him, hoping that the one of the several ravens he saw take wing near the town gate had not been Veran going to get his master. A choking feeling in his throat and Vesh shoves the thoughts of his companions deep down within him, along with feelings of guilt.

I’m doing the right thing. Vesh assures himself.

A feeling of dread, of confusion, swells within his stomach. He stops and looks back down the stretch of road he has just travelled and is surprised that he can just make out the top of the Cathedral spire through the treetops behind him, a black spike against the dark blue of the pre-morning sky.

If he does not move more swiftly, Vesh knows the others will be able to catch him on the road and will try persuading him to return with them to Sandpoint. He thinks of Ehlissa and her horse and knows that she would catch him within the hour were she aware of his absence.

Panic and uncertainty makes him shiver. Or is it something else?

Something brushes past his face, and makes him start. A butterfly hovers about his face and suddenly Vesh knows that something is wrong. He knows it in his bones and in his joints. He knows more than he knows anything else in that moment that something is on the road . . . or is it in the forest?

He is about to step into the forest when it slams into his back. A bear? A bull? One moment he is on the road, the next, he is not. He gasps for breath and turns, but such a weight falls on his chest that he cannot breathe. His jaw moves up and down, but no words, no sound, comes out.

Vesh is on his back in the forest underbrush, and as the sparks clear from his vision, he sees the black outline of a hulking man kneeling upon his chest. The man shifts his weight just enough for Vesh to inhale sharply, but a vice of a hand, a hand the size of a forest pig, slams down upon Vesh’s mouth before he can utter a sound.

“Sharatha,” the man says in a hissed Shoanti that sends fear shooting through Vesh. “Shata a sheth ath o ka.” Make a sound and you die. A Veleshan! Fear turns to dread as recognition comes to Vesh. He knows that this man means to kill him.

As if in answer, Vesh sees the man move his arm and feels a cold blade on his neck. He is suddenly aware, above the sound of his own blood rushing through his ears, that hoof beats are rushing up the road from the direction of Sandpoint. Ehlissa could not have gotten her horse so quickly, unless she was riding bareback.

He hears barding and mail as the horses gallop near. Not one horse, but two. Not Ehlissa, unless Zieke—no, he did not have a horse. The horses slow almost to a stop, and Vesh can hear male voices.

“You’re sure he was not aware of our leaving?” The voice of a snake says from the road. It is Horatio. “We should have caught up to him by now, certainly.”

“Unless he left the road, Master.” Vesh does not know that one. “We’ll never know until daybreak without the help of hounds.”

“We ride until sun brightens the road and then backtrack.”

Without reply, the horses are spurred and trot up the road in the direction Vesh had been travelling. The dark outline of the bear-man does not move from atop him and Vesh’s chest starts to ache. Ten heart beats, and still the man does not move. Twenty. Vesh tries to free his arms and suddenly the big man does move. Vesh moves, too, as he is hoisted to his feet as a parent lifts a child, or a child a rag doll.

“I should gut you now, moth.” Is all the man says in guttural Common before bounding deeper into the forest. “You’ll follow me quietly,” he says over his shoulder, not looking back, “or I’ll spit you over a fire and eat you for dinner.” He disappears in the underbrush. For one so big, Vesh cannot hear him moving through the forest and has difficulty keeping up with bear-man’s long stride.

***


Male Human (Varisian) Spellthief 4 (XP = 6405) as of 7/28, Wrathspawn and Shrine (10,000xp = 5th level)

The air is still cold by mid-morning, the sky gray with marine clouds. It starts to rain lightly when Vesh and his captor reach a clearing. The bear-man is clad in skins and furs, but his bare arms show muscles that Vesh can hardly imagine belonging to anything but a giant.

He’s bigger than I remember.

Vesh stops in the middle of the clearing. “Is this where you plan on killing me, Heller?” Vesh asks in Shoanti.

The bear-man, Heller, stops and turns, landing a crushing blow on Vesh’s jaw that sends him sprawling and almost knocks him out. “I’ve wanted you dead for years, you little moth.” Heller’s scars, dark skin, and long, mangy black hair are all the same—as are the bloodshot eyes, so common with Velashans, a mark that their people migrated from beyond the borders of Varisia, inherited from the legendary Mammoth Lords they count as ancestors.

Vesh checks his teeth and spits blood upon the ferns, “Well, what’s stopping you? Hmm? Your sister is not here to stop you.” Vesh is sure this should instigate trouble, but Heller surprises him.

“No,” he replies quietly, “she isn’t.” He turns to continue into the forest on the other side of the clearing.

Vesh stands and draws his short sword. “Where is she?”

Heller draws his sword, an impossibly large broadsword. “Dead,” he says, breathing hard, “Gone. I don’t know. She was exiled because of you, dishonored because you defiled her.”

It is Vesh’s turn to get angry, “I loved her.”

“And doomed her! You dirty moth!” Heller lunges.

Steel clangs as the rain falls, both combatants shed water in all directions as they move and slash and thrust. Heller is powerful but Vesh is nimble and that saves them both. Vesh gashes Heller’s sword hand and sends the broadsword flying into the underbrush as Heller seats Vesh with a shoulder to the chest.

Breathing hard, wiping rain from his eyes, Vesh shouts, “What the nikh are you doing, Heller? You pursue me all these year because I lay with Hela? And now what? You drag me into the woods to save me from men more capable of killing me than you seem to be—”

Heller advances but stops, seeing Vesh’s sword, “I cannot kill you, you bastard, because you are my brother-in-law!”

Vesh frowns, a vision of beautiful, naked, Naelah-like, Hela intruding on his thoughts, “We never mar—”

But Vesh stops himself before he finishes and looks into Heller’s fiery eyes, “What was it, Heller? A boy?”

Heller bats Vesh’s sword away and lifts Vesh by the collar of his chain shirt. Though painful, Vesh does not resist.

“I don’t know, Moth.” He casts Vesh to the ground like so much sodden cabbage. He spits upon the heap that is Vesh, “You were my friend,” he says in a low voice, “when you had no other among my people, I was your friend. And you go and f+++ my sister.” He kicks the heap, hard.

“Then you abandon her when she is found to be carrying your child! I followed you to Riddleport after my father cast Hela out,” Heller says, his face close to Vesh’s as he pushes Vesh’s head into the mud. “I was going to kill you in the street, but you were already in league with the bastard Scarzni, and they threw me into the Donjon to rot for three years!” Vesh’s mouth fills with mud and blood as Heller forces him downward into the earth.

Suddenly Heller releases Vesh. “But I knew you’d run by sea, so I promised to help your family find you in return for the ransom to release me. Should’ve known the Scarzni only let me go to get at you.” Heller spits again. “Get up! I made a promise that I intend to keep so that I can be rid of you once and for all.”

As Heller circles the clearing looking for his sword, Vesh spits out the mud and the blood. My family? He thinks. My family doesn’t have enough money to pay anyone’s ransom. And they certainly wouldn’t pay that dog’s ransom just to find me.

Finding his sword, Heller heads into the woods once again.

“I didn’t know she was with child when I left.” Vesh says, but Heller makes no sign that he hears.

Vesh cleans his blade, sheaths it, and follows the Velashan into the woods.

***


Male Human (Varisian) Spellthief 4 (XP = 6405) as of 7/28, Wrathspawn and Shrine (10,000xp = 5th level)

Vesh’s head is spinning. I fathered a child with Hela and then left. If only I had known! I could have . . . “I Could have what?” mutters Vesh to himself. Stayed? Been a proud father?

Vesh starts to shiver as the rain soaks through. He is hungry and has hiked all day in the wake of the tall Velashan. What would Salome think of this? Vesh thinks, not for the first time that day. Her Bazé is a father. An absent father. The thought sobers Vesh as he trudges through wet undergrowth. A better father than mine, at least.

“Tired, Moth?” Smirks Heller from up ahead. It is the closest thing to a smile that he has seen on the Velashan, and it is a disturbing sight—a smile to frighten small children and widows.

“No.” Vesh lies. “Where are we going?”

“The land rises to the north and east. We keep going that way as the land rises. When we reach the snow line, we turn east.”

Vesh frowns. “But we won’t reach the snow line until tomorrow, maybe the next day in this weather.”

“Turn back and I kill you,” grunts Heller. “It’s up to you.” He moves forward, pushing low-hanging branches from his path.

“My father,” starts Vesh. To his surprise, Heller stops. “My father always spoke highly of you and your clan, Heller.”

“Your father,” says Heller without turning, “spoke highly of our clan because ours was the only clan that would do business with him.”

Turning he adds, “Ours is the race of savages, remember? ‘Nothing but the horses they sleep with,’ you Moths would say. But a man in our clan found beating his children would be executed in front of his family. What did the ‘civilized’ Varisian clans do for you, huh? What did they do for your sister?”

Vesh feels the color drain from his face. “I killed him.”

“Good,” Heller turns and continues.

***

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