Belathorian seems a little disheartened, he is desperate to help the group, Viv in particular for the guilt he feels over her father. But he has been trying to investigate for weeks now, every alley he turns seems a dead end.
"I'll join you Viv, Al. I could do with the walk."
Smiling at Vivan, Gad begs off.
"As fascinating as the temple to the god of war and combat must, but I suggest the rest of us try wandering near the new
Temple of Razmiran and see if we can pick up any valuable information that may help us infiltrating the cult."
Raising an eyebrow at Brezik and Qina Gad queries.
"So are you up for a bit of rumor-mongering and skullduggery my friends?"
Looking again at Vivan, Gad will point at the floor.
"We can meet back here an hour before we need to go to the 'recruitment?' Does that work?"
Whelp... Looks like this where we all part ways. Allister make sure to tell me all the jokes I miss. Brezik gets up and gives Beltharion a handshake that is both a little over strong, and a bit greasy from the pork luncheon. Then Brezik salutes Vivian.
Taking off his armored coat and putting it into his backpack along with his shield Brezik turns toward Qina and Gad.
Rumor-mongering... Skull-duggery... Sounds like fun. Any chance we can ask some questions around the blacksmiths. I have been dying to see what kind of forge they have in the big city.
|
Vivian smirks at all the crude salutes, returning each one of them with one crisp and military grade. "Ugh, if Gorum's temples weren't massive armories I'd be even more jealous than I am! I'll see what they have for smithing Brezik. Here an hour before tonight's events, sounds good to me!" She gives Gad a friendly fist to the shoulder, "Keep an eye out for a dojo or gym, I could go for a sparing rematch." She then pats the overstuffed Qina on the back lightly, "If you see a tattoo merchant I can repay you for supplies for my Everflame tattoo." She lastly makes sure she knows what direction the Temple of Gorum is.
"Of course, but I'm not sure that I know what either of those words mean. Wait, is that like when I told everyone that Pressi had lice?" She looks up at Gad quizzically.
Smiling at the halfling's good humor, Gad will ruffle her hair and clarify.
"Sort-of Mother Dragon. We will go talk to people and ask them what they know about the cult. Some of it may be true and some of
it will be rumor, but we may glean a bit of useful information if we are lucky, and talk to the right person the right way..."
Gad drifts off obviously thinking of something.
"Brezik, let's go see the town smiths and other major vendors first. Knowing what the group orders for it various needs, weapons and armor,
foodstuffs, and the rest...Can possibly tell us a lot about the group's needs and capabilities. Which could lead us to something or someone
we can exploit for our benefit once we are inside."
Reginar smiles again and drops several gold pieces on the table. "Good luck to all of you. Remember, meet me here in a week."
Gad nods heavily.
"Thank you goodman Reginar. Yes! One week."
As you are looking in a tiny voice calls from beside you, "Hey! You! Haven't you caused enough trouble?! Leave this town at once!" With this final proclamation a stone sings through the air and clatters against Allister's armor.
|
Allister stops in his tracks, surprised and confused.
He spins around twice looking for the source.
"Hello there! I think you dropped your rock. Have we met?" It takes another couple seconds before he realizes that the stone was launched on purpose.
"Hey! What's the big deal?"
"We do not cause trouble little one, not yet anyway. We are new to town. Come, talk with us."
Belathorian does his best to seem friendly, but the sight of a tall alabaster skinned youth with pure white eyes, dressed all in black, may have an unnerving affect.
Brezik is able to find the best smiths in the area and talks with them. He finds that all of the local merchants in the area pay the temple for its blessing. An older man, thick across the chest, whispers things almost conspiratorially, "The cultists take in far more money from the locals than they could ever possibly use for their work in the city. It is my belief that the extra coin funds the buildup of an army that will conquer all of Avistan."
Similarly an armorsmith who seems afraid to speak ill of the temple is convinced the cultists beat and steal from those who refuse to believe. Gad'larr has less luck talking to anyone about the cultists, most being too afraid to openly talk about them.
|
|
"Huh, Al there's something about you I guess.." Vivian slowly inches closer to the girl and stoops to get at her level. "Hey there, no reason to throw things. Can you tell me what's wrong?"
When Vivian feels that she isn't getting through to the kid, she'll look closer at the surroundings and try to deduce what is going on.
In the distance you hear a man calling out, "Cora!" The little girl, Cora presumably, starts and ducks back around the corner and heads back to the man.
|
|
Allister's confusion only deepens, and for an unknown reason makes him profoundly sad.
"Captain, what does sal-sallow mean?"
He cannot make out what the little girl says as she runs away to her father, but Allister feels some compulsion of duty to settle her heart and mind.
The large paladin drops to a knee and bows his head humbly before the man and girl, though at a distance to not frighten her further.
"Blessed child, I am not who you believe me to be. My name is Allister Sunscale of the Dawnguard and I am alive and well. I did not mean to frighten you, but if you wish me to leave then I will."
|
|
Vivian stands and replies to Allister, "Sallow refers to a person's complexion, meaning yellow and sickly. You must resemble someone else that has been causing them trouble." She walks up to Allister and puts her hand on his full-plated back. Her hand glows slightly and gives him a kind, charismatic aura.
"He speaks the truth, we are from the country North of here and can't be this Bad Man. We wish to hear your story though in case there's a way we may help."
When he grew angry my parents grew defiant. He drew his sword, a foul and evil looking blade, and..." Tears form in his eyes and the man can't seem to choke the words out. Cora sniffles and cries into his pant-leg. "Cora slipped out of my arms and ran to stop him. He laughed and kicked her into the street. My wife and I were in a state of shock, but that snapped us out of it. By this point the Gorumite priests were investigating what was going on and stopped the man from doing anything else. They said something to him and he walked away. The priests took Cora in and healed her, fixed her broken ribs, while we watched." Wes coos at Cora, trying to get her to stop crying gently but with hollow eyes.
He looks at Allister directly, kneeling in the road next to his crying daughter, "The man could easily be your brother, you look so much alike. But you radiate light and life, while he radiated nothing but darkness and death."
|
|
"I am so sorry. My friends and I will help in any way we can. Was the man caught? Do you know anything else about the trinket or the man?"
Allister can almost feel their pain. The world can be so cruel, filled with such monsters.
"This is exactly the type of thing we must put a stop to, my friends. I will not stand to see good people suffer."
Feeling the metal workers itch... and a forge being so close at hand makes Brezik feel a little impulsive. He offers to help out for a while at the store with the nicest forge. More than likely this is where he will be when the other two memers of his group come looking for him.
A small clamor starts outside the temple to Razmir as the doors open. Out walk a dozen priests in masks, most of them wearing white robes, three wearing gray robes, the leader wearing a black robe. All of the masks are the same iron visage, dour and grim. The ones in the black and grey robes start extolling the power and virtue of Razmir. Six of the acolytes move among the people, four with open bags demanding donations to the church, threatening the ire of the Living God should one not donate.
With the clamor of the opening doors Brezik puts down his tools and walks to the smithy entrance to see what's going on outside. He catches sight of two of the Razmiran's pickpocketing in the crowd and draws Gad'lar and Qina's attention to the two thieves with some whispered words.
Extortion apparently isn't enough for them... but they resort to outright theft as well... Seems we're dealing with criminal organization... not a church.
Qina trailed along after the others, trying to separate herself from them somewhat. There was no real point asking the same people the same questions and it would probably raise suspicions. So she spread out and looked at food vendors, sampling different treats and meals. Spending a few coin, she picked out a few pastries and fruits that she thought the others would like.
As Brezik drew their attention, she tried to act casual as she made her way over to the smith's shop. It took a minute but she eventually made out the pick pockets Brezik was pointing out. She shook her head muttering "I guess it only makes sense. If they're willing to come to our neck of the woods and steal, you gotta imagine they're stealing from their own as well. I wonder how the others are holding up."
|
|
If she senses they need it, she'll Channel as well.
Gad'larr curses under his breath when Brezik points out the pick-pockets. Making sure no one is close by he whispers Qina and Brezik.
"This 'church' is a blight upon Nirmathas. This spectacle tell us they are willing to do almost anything to get what they want.
We must haste to bring them to their knees in front of the Law. Let's get back and meet the others. We have enough to go on for now.
I also have another idea I want to bring to the others before we try and infiltrate."
|
|
Allister listens intently to Wes and Cora, but he is still confused how someone could look so similar to him. The situation causes a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"We will find this man that looks like me, and I will bring him to justice for you. I only wish...well...it makes my heart hurt what happened to you." He kneels down before Cora. No words come, so he remains before her for a few moments, head bowed.
When he stands, he looks Vivian. "You were right, Captain. We must go to Gorum's temple."
As they leave Wes and Cora, Allister's mind races and spins. He thinks aloud so his friends can hear. "I just don't understand..." Allister stops. He stands still and silent for several seconds. His blood runs cold and that sinking feeling drops like a brick in his gut.
"People always used to say my brother Baeloth and I could be twins."
As your group heads back to the walled compound you realize the sounds of ringing steel have stopped. The great gates open silently, the hinges oiled and doors balanced so well no sound is made. Behind the door are the men that were sparring earlier, sweating heavily from their exertions. The most grizzled of them step forward, scars heavily crossing his face, an eyepatch covering his left eye. He looks over your group before recognizing something in Vivian.
"Sister of steel! Welcome to our temple! What brings you and your battle-brethren here?"
|
|
I am Haergod, current priest of this enclave to Gorum. I take it you've seen or at least heard of the so-called Temple of Razmir in Tamran? Rumors only seem to fly about them these days." Haergod spits into the dirt, "Their leader is a woman who wears blue robes and a cowl. No one has seen her without it so the townsfolk think she is a medusa, and uses the cowl to hide her snakes. Doubt that's true. Personally, I think the minions of Razmir are all brainwashed, giving up everything they own to blindly follow the Living God. Those deemed unworthy are sent to Razmiran to be killed out of public eye."
|
|
Allister nods in respect to the priest of Gorum. "Well met, Haergod. I am Allister Sunscale of the Dawnguard. Captain Ferris has told me much your iron god."
Baeloth. His name is Baeloth and he is my brother.
He had no choice to be brothers with Baeloth, but he still felt great shame that they shared a last name.
With a shallow bow in way of greeting Bel gets straight down to business
"We have come to your town on something of a quest. Is there somewhere we may talk freely? Yours is a temple I trust."
Once more Belathorian's outlandish, some might say ghoulish appearance, might work against him...
"Lead on."
Bel follows into the temple
Haergod gestures to a large table set before an altar to Gorum and takes a seat himself. "Now, what is it that bothers you? All are welcome here, especially those that heed the Gorum's call to war."
|
|
Qina nodded at Gad. She had seen enough, more than she wanted to really. She slowly munched on some sweet bread she had bought at a nearby vendor.
"I'm ready when you are, but it may take some effort to pull Brezik away from such a forge. He seems quite content."
Looking at the sun, Gad nods.
"We have some time. Let the dwarf enjoy himself."
They know nothing of the glory of proper battle. They are nothing but bullies, always picking on those weaker than them. Because of that they are overconfident when presented with weakness and are easily broken when presented with strength. Unfortunately with the guards on their side they can hide from anything that gets to them."
Belathorian has been listening in silence, looking for anything they can use in this
Turning over a temple of falsehood is one this, overthrowing a stable government is quite another, no matter their morals.
"It seems this... Baelon you say?... may be working with the Razmirans, too much of a coincidence that the item he sought is not the one we also seek."
"Their hold on the guards is the tenuous grasp of gold on minds and hearts. They can get away with what they do simply because they are able to bribe certain unscrupulous individuals. But if the leaders of our fair city are given proof of what the cult is doing they'll certainly be run out of town."
|
|
Vivian will take very detailed notes of the forge for both Brezik and her own recent curiosities in forge design.
Meeting back at the inn, Gad'larr will be found pacing with a worried look on his face. Once everybody returns and is settled he will stop and turn to Vivian.
"We have some disturbing news: These 'cultists' are nothing more than thugs and thieves. I see very little charity or generosity,
and I assure you we need to make sure they are brought before the law of the land as soon as possible."
"However, I worry that infiltrating cultists will handicap you three greatly. Displaying any sort of holy ornament of another god
will give you away, and hiding or removing your holy vestments will render you powerless to reach your gods. What say you on this?"
|
|
On the way back to meet the others, all Allister can think of is food. So much so that it seems like an unconscious defense mechanism to avoid thinking of his brother, Baeloth.
"I know we just ate a while ago, but I'm so hungry I could die. Really. Last night I dreamed of this turkey pot pie - but like a huge one the size of a room at the inn, all steamy and warm and I had to keep peeling back layer after layer of crispy topping to finally get to the good stuff underneath. I just kept peeling and eating until I finally got in to the gravy, and you wouldn't believe it, there were carrots as thick as my arm and green peas the size of melons! I ate and ate until it was all gone and I was the size of the room, about to burst. Then I woke up, and we had leftover fish... Could we stop somewhere for a snack? It won't take long. I just don't think I can inflicate a cult when I'm this hungry."
Allister scrunches his face in thought and frustration.
"If they see my sword I'm dead meat. Maybe I can leave it here and take a different greatsword. If only there were some spell or something...I hate these cultists already."