"I suspect you are right. I am just plain disgusted by the decadence and frivolity I have seen in this place. I have no wonder or amazement now at the idea that it fell as these people have completely abandoned any sort of ideas of diligence or guardianship. They have left no defences intact against the wolves that are ever present, and now their careless attitude and lack of stewardship seems them doddering about like wayward lambs simply waiting for the bite at the throat. No wonder those Elves in the forest were so defensive and dismissive, they were no doubt concerned the truth about the fall of their city would come into the light like a hidden wond that had gone to fester... they have much to be ashamed of. No sense at all of guardianship of the hearth and home, no backbones forged of steel and hands turned to granit from hard toil..."
"How could they have fallen so low?"
Winter follows Kabal back to the observatory.
Bree barely twitches an eyebrow and Winter's speech. It isn't the first time she's heard him scold someone, and she only hopes it won't be the last. She is quick to move with the others back towards the observatory.
The elf backs away from Winter, confused, embarassed and disheartened
W...what are you saying? But we...
Silsavar pushes him away before he can say anything further and follows the rest of the group.
Getting back to the observatory isn't that easy because every now and then groups of elves staring at the sky block the way.
Even though the meteor is still far away, its shadow grows by the minute and more and more spectators open their windows or join their neighbours in the streets.
As you finally reach the park again, you spot a group of elvish city guards who were able to capture one of the drow snipers. But the finding of a black elf has surprised them so much that they didn't dare to bind him by now. They just surrounded him and now wait for orders...
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"Now I'm just going to pause and re tie my bootlace, I suspect it is a little loose for my liking, I will be over in a moment... perhaps I might wander around the corner where I can adjust it in private"
Winter looks to Bree, Kabal, and Caterine, then steps aside.
Kabal nodded at Winter and eyed the drow warily. He grabbed Silsavar and pulled him along on their way towards the captive.
Tell them that that spineless worm is with us and that we're taking him into our custody.
Bree marches right past the guards and to the Drow, trusting that Kabal and Cat will handle the guards. Using her skills she has learned as a bounty hunter, backed by all the pointy things the guards have pointed at him, she maneuvers to get the Drow bound and disarmed. It's possible she may have hit or kicked him once or twice in the process as well.
The drow snarls as Bree gets close to him and suddenly one of these small crossbows appears in his right hand - only for a second - then Silsavar knocks the weapon off his grip and follows up with a nice punch in the drow's kidney. No problem for Bree now to bind him...at least the drow offers no more resistance.
Evianna has meanwhile used all her skills to persuade the sergeant of the guards that the drow is just a cursed brethren who works as a mercenary for the Ambassador of Nowheria - just like you.
For a second the sergeant seems unsure but then he nods and leads his men out of the park...
Kabal was starting to like Silsavar; mostly due to how he was handling the drow.
Lets get him inside the Observatory and carve some information out of him.
The Brevian shot a glance towards the sky to gauge their remaining time as he moved towards the door.
Bree nods and offers a brief thank you in elven to Silsavar, and since the Drow pulled the crossbow in the first place she offers him another kick for good measure before placing the point of a blade against his back and leading him away after Kabal.
"...grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference...ahh Sable, I was just taking a moment or two for some quiet prayers. Never mind, what do you make of this place? Do you suppose the Drow are hiding underground again and that is why we cannot see them?"
The guards remain behind, unsure whether what they just did was very clever...
You drag the drow over to the laboratory, glancing every now and then to the now fist-sized black blot at the firmament.
When you enter the observatory, the drow hisses hatefully
I won't tell you anything - I'm used to torture so you needn't try that, weak surfacers!
Caterine just offers a slightly off kilter laugh as she re-coils her whip... her eyes much harder than the rest of her face...
Intimidate:
...responding to the drow in it's native tongue
Well, if you aint gonna talk then we dont be needing to keep your scrawny ass alive now do we?
Kabal rumbles as he draws his falcata from its sheath.
While the drow only gives Kabal a mocking grin, the words from Cat unsettle him deeply - maybe it's the use of one of his native tongues, maybe her cold eyes...anyways, he nervously licks his lips and replies
If I help you, they kill me, what can you offer that has any value for me?
Drawing her cutlass, Caterine holds up one hand and wiggles her fingers at the drow. She then uses her strength to flatten one of the drow's hands and raise her blade as though ready to sever digits and speaks plain "Talk... where are the rest of your kin?"
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Replying to Winter, "I am not certain what to make of this nest out of time. We fly after foes that slip through shadow and seemingly time itself. I am uncertain of many things in this endeavor, but I hope that the winds will turn in our favor and we may begin to find the answers we seek. I believe the sharper taloned members of our flock are trying to discover some of those answers now."
Bree has perched herself on a chair where she uses a dagger to clean her nails. She says nothing, does nothing, just occasionally looks up at the trio offering an inquiring eye to Cat and Kabal. She's ready to step in and take a turn should they require her to do so. If at anytime the Drow meets her gaze, she gives him the same faked, friendly smile she's been giving to people since the day her parents died.
"Indeed, we came for a war in an occupied town, and yet we find no occupiers and only strange magic. The obvious places turn out to be red herrings... the observatory would have been an obvious choice, and the place our clues led us to, but nothing, and likewise the strange item in the plaza, nothing. There must be Drow here somewhere, but where? Are they holding a ceremony out of sight? It could only be underground, but the Elves dwell in trees, not dungeons, so where would we find a subterranean lair? I leave our fellows to talk with the Drow, I would feel tempted to offer him quarter in exchange for his compliance, though that would be wrong as I am in no position to offer such sureties, indeed I know full well none of the Drow can be suffered to live and so I leave him to his fate that my word and my honour are not compromised... he wants to live by the sword, he can live with the consequences"
You're so ignorant you didn't even realise that they are just above you? Listen: In the dome of this building is an astrolabe, there you find the Shadow Door....that's the only way to get out of this version of Celwynvian...but you won't manage getting past the guards, no way!
The elf snarls and tries to wriggle free from your grip.
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Kabal watched calmly when Cat laid out the drows fingers and threatened to cut them off. He figured the dorw was actually lucking out...he'd have already lost fingers if Bree was runnning this show...and probably a lot more...he's still going to die...but still... and he cracked a rare smile when the fool spilled the plans. He stayed out the...woman's work... as he was beginning to think of it but stayed close to cut the bastard down when the time came for it.
Turning to Bree, Cat asks "Bree, get Winter... and give us a few moments..." her face hinting of what may come for the drow when she steps outside.
Bree stands, sheaths her dagger and stretches before approaching the Drow once more and delivering another punch to his jaw before nodding to Cat and leaving to retrieve Winter.
"Winter, Cat has requested that I bring you to her."
Kabal shrugged when Bree left before the blood spilling began...i was damn sure that she'd want in on it...just goes to show that you dont know shiite about women bub...aint that a fact... and drew his blade across the hapless drow's throat as Cat held him.
You see Mercus? No need to draw it out and never, ever leave an enemy behind you. Especially one that just ratted his pals out, you heard?
Winter finsihes off his pleasant exchange with Sable and heeds Bree's summons.
"What news Caterine? Any closer to revealing the whereabouts of the Enemy?"
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The drow grins as Cat grabs him and hisses a compliment that is brought to an abrupt end by Kabal's falcata.
Mercus looks spellboundly at the drow as the blood pumps out of the wound and says
It's the cycle of life...kill or be killed. Since I met you I see many things clearer than before.
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Kabal nodded at the youth's recognition of life's cold, hard reality.
That's the damn truth there son. You're doing good. Stay alert. I'd bet Corvax's hidden chest of gold...now where did he say that was again?...bah! had to have been another bold, faced lie...like how he spotted that mermaid....damn fool... that it's about to get real busy soon.
The defunct War Leader began searching the drow for anything worthwhile while they waited on Bree, Winter and Sable.
Letting the drow drop to the floor, Caterine sheaths the cutlass and puts hand to whip once more. When Winter enters she looks him in the eyes and adds in a flat voice "The rest of the bastards are above in the dome... shadow gate or somesuch, though he said there were guards as well." making no effort to explain why their previous prisoner is now prostrate and bereft of life.
"Well done friends, it is good to know we finally have a lead on the enemy. Kabal, whats your plan for the dome?" Winter addresses the party, making no effort to question why the previous prisoner is prostrate and bereft of life.
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Bree looks at the dead Drow and then back up to Winter. "I didn't do it. Really. He was still living when I left to get you. I mean, I would have, if it was needed, but I didn't." and then suddenly she frowns and looks somewhat petulant. "Not that I would have any reason to apologize if I had." She crosses her arms beneath her breasts and extracts herself from the circle of the group, leaning against a wall nearby scowling at the floor and mumbling to herself. "Why should I care what he thinks anyway?"
Winter looks a little stuck, all of a sudden having the topic of dead Drow brought up. "I never asked, nor wished to know. His colleagues and companions attacked Riddleport, so into Riddleport hands he was left for them to carry out the Law of that territory. In this city we suspect him of assassinating one of the Elves, and if that were borne out to be the truth then no doubt the penalty for murder is death. I'd have also counselled that this expedition against the Drow is under Kabal's lead and it was agreed that no quarter be asked nor given, so I have respected that agreement and honoured my word. The Drow did not beg for redemption, nor ask me for mercy, so I do not feel inclined to speak of mercy on his behalf" Winter looks at the cooling body "We have learnt from them already that there can be no talk of peace, that there can be no offers of mercy, and that there is no room to share, there is only us and them in their eyes, and so it must be"
You can be fairly certain that Bree isn't hearing Winter's words at this point and has entered into her own little world of conflict. It would seem that having her brother dangled in front of her like this after so many years of being without him is seriously threatening her sanity.
Caterine lets Winter speak his piece, but her interest is on Kabal and what he plans to do about moving above and getting to the spilling of fresh blood.
Winter goes back to astutely trying to ignore the dead Drow.
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Sebastian tries to keep the Elves focused away from the activities of his companions. Granted a giant rock heading for the city provides a better distraction. While waiting, he studies the sky...for posterity.
The drow's possessions consist of a hand crossbow and two curved daggers. There are also some small bolts and some strange triangular black coins (12).
Silsavar grunts approvingly and points at the broad stairwell leading into the dome of the observatory
Up?
behind him the elves around Sebastian begin to fear the worst as the meteor has already reached the size of a melon...
Unless restrained by Kabal, Cat replies "Aye" and begins to ascend...
Kabal stows the drow's gear that no one else wants and nods his head at Silsavar and Cat.
Aye indeed. Weapons out and up the stairs.
With his sword still drawn and dripping drow blood; Kabal will be in the vanguard up the stairs.
Lets make haste and lay waste to these bastards!
Bree nods and draws her blades, following the others up the stairs.
Winter too prepares for ascent.
You hasten up the stairs and suddenly you all have the sensation that reality blurrs for a second and from that moment on it remains diffuse and cloudy in the corner of your eyes...
Mercus is the first to address the strange change
Did someone knock me on the head? Something's wrong with my eyes?!
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...like after a night hard on the rum...
Pipe down and pay attention. It has to be some sort of drow trick.