If they stop attacking when the elf disappears he will not cast his spell but will shoot daggers at Jor.
A bad situation her. I am compelled to help the elf, but I can't risk exposure. It seems one of the others is on the bandits side attacking the weapon. I shall see what happens with the dark knight on the way.
Gabriel grips his staff tight and remains hunched over looking on at the event, but can't risk being caught himself especially since the elf is going to get away it seems.
Mithas watches the elf disappear, successful in his robbery, and leans back to see what unfolds next. He looks over at the date seller, "This kind of thing happen often?"
Seeing as the Elf disappears Jor lowers his weapon and turns around to watch at the others nearby.
Noticing the old man near one the men with his walking stick Jor's eyebrowns raise up Did you old man just knock one of these guys down? I Mean, it is admirable but they did nothing wrong except threatening the elf and being a$*&%%*s but still they did not deserve to be attacked. Could have been solved with talking but, well, the elf seemed like not wanting it
Turning his attention to cleric It also nice of you priestess to try to negotiate there but as you saw, the elf was a bit, in my opinion, too hotheaded. Could have been avoided by talking but what can you do huoh but soon pokes with one of his foot one of the bandits awake
Standard
Total Defense: +4 AC
Move
Poking one the bandits awake
Free
Speak
Turning to the Kagonesti and speaking in Elvish The Nerakans and their bovine allies have no problems ransaking the Ancient Realms and raping, pillaging and destroying forests that have stood since the time of Huma. The fact that this other human came to their defense against us is of no surprise. Yet, what can you expect from those who life is over in the time that it takes a dwarf to pass gas after eating mushrooms in their dark and dank caves? as he continues to stare at Jor.
Noticing the elf staring at him Jor stares backIt is nice to see such a helpful people, even if they are not locals. We do understand each othet quite well in human town, mhm? Jor throws back at elf
From your accent I can tell you are from Solamnia. I could expect nothing less from those who abananonded their allies and left a Diaspora behind. Their culture is fleeting. In the end, it was our people who destroyed the Queen of Darkness.
Those times are in the past and have nothing to do with me. I suppose it is fleeting but its the steel which speaks today. Each man for his own and each man has his price. These are hard times and each one needs to support one another, not to dwell in the past like some of us who cant get rid of their delusions
First Gods being away, then the dragons, now minotaurs. Is it so hard to move on? We have seen already plenty of things just to remind ourself about happenings. Everyone has lost something. Man does not eat from relics or items. You need steel to buy food, not dreams Jor speaks with a bitter voice as he spits on the ground
Ok we'll get out of combat for now as the Bandits recover. Nedd says, "Dammit! That Knife Ears got away!"
He reaches down and picks up the damaged rapier. "Maybe Cole can find him with this"
Just then a Dark Knight solider arrives and bellows "What's going on here? I saw commotion and heard a scream"
Nedd says, "A dammed elf attacked me, cut open my arm and stole my goods. Dammit, where were you!
The Dark Knight says, "An Elf ya say. Yea they're all a bunch of troublemakers and thieves the lot of em. Probably working for that Shaylin character. We've got a hefty bounty out for her arrest. You have my regret that I was not here sooner to make an arrest. Where did the Elf go after he robbed you?"
Nedd says, "I don't bloody know! The elf vanished into thin air. He cast magic he did."
The Dark Knight says, "Blood elf is a magic user as well. Good to know. Give me his description and I'll give a report to the Garrison. I'll see that the watch knows who to look for."
The Dark Knight takes the Elf's description and then gives a suspicious look to the elves nearby and approaches lets say Terevalis, "You Elf! What did you see? Who was that bloody elf who robbed a citizen of Pashin?" he says getting into your face.
Meanwhile, Nedd looks to Jor and says,
"You're dam good with that sword man. Your help is appreciated. We could use a man like you on our side. You'll make some real money working for us."
In sylvan The common tounge is not one I am familiar with Sir KNight.
Alathea nods to the mercenary and moves along to find her contact in the city.
Dark Knight Sense Motive
The Dark Knight can't tell he's pretending to not know common. He gives Terevalis a rough shove and says, "Bah! You're not worth my time. Get out of here Elf!"
And then angerly points for him to leave.
You are most welcome. Name is Jor Majere. Looking for possibilities and chances to inform myself about the situation and happenings in here. Representative of "Brass Tiger Company" mercenaries. At your service and gives a small bow
May I ask how you are called? We could have a talk and maybe share some information along some beverages? Jor asks curiously while sheathing his greatsword on his back. Everyone can prosper and even better, a good business partner is hard to come by in these days
Thinking to himself, A Majere that does not wear the robes of a wizard or have spell component pouches. Perhaps he takes after the proprieter of the Inn of the Last Home and not the Master of Past and Present. He should be watched.
Responding to Terevalis in Elvish, "I weep for the trees, but they will return. Their scavenging the ruined cages of the Silvanesti bother me not at all and I pray that they remain ruined always."
Nedd gives a slightly nervous glance to the dark knight questioning the elf and then looks to Jor. "Brass Tigers huh. Heard some word about the skill of your group. I will tell you what. We got one more day in town before we are going to meet the boss. Come to the Wounded Crow tonight at about 8 and we'll get some drinks and talk about introducing you to the boss. For now da boss would want us to look around town and try and find that dammed bloody elf, get back the stuff and beat the stuffing out of him. We'll talk later Jor."
Nedd says to the other thugs, "Spread out and find that Elf. He can't have gotten far."
And with that they break up into the market and begin their search.
He got away. Tension were high. A resistance must be here for sure. I can't concern myself with that for now. I have to find my contact.
Gabriel approaches Terevalis
In Sylvan: "You were brave to help him. Hold to your convictions."
The old man puts a hand on the elf shoulder as he speaks and then wonders into the crowd.
Looking for Omar's Oddities. Will shell out some steel to help just let me know how much it ends up costing me.
Alathea of Solace using the directions from Akmed is able to find the back alleyway in the Merchant District where Old Omar' Oddities is. A simple wooden sign hangs outside this small store bearing the name of the location as well as the symbol of a hand holding a skull.
Entering the shop Alathea see that this small shop has shelves brimming with potions, alchemical supplies, herbal remedies and other items you might find in an apothecary. There is also numerous jars of random and perhaps rare reagents as well as books covering a number of subjects. A tiny bell rings as Alathea walks through the doors and the woman sitting behind the counter looks up to see who it is.
The woman who is currently grinding some alchemical concoction with a mortar and pestle appears to be a very large woman but definitely more muscle than fat. She is probably close to seven feet tall with a yellowish tint to her skin, black hair she keeps in a pony tail and a very pronounced jawline with a clear underbite. She breaks a smile when she takes a look, showing a maw of some pretty sharp looking teeth.
She says with a booming voice but nevertheless friendly, "Greetings customer and welcome to Old Omar's Oddities. Is there something I can help you with?"
After shopping, the wizard will make his way back to his Shalafi and report what has taken place.
As Terevalis is heading toward the nearest sewer entrance to head down toward the elven enclave there is a tap on his shoulder.
He turns to face an Elf man he does not recognise dressed in non-descript brown robes and wearing a hood. However when he speaks he has the voice of the elf that got in the stuffle earlier.
Spellcraft DC 11
"You helped me brother in liberating some of our relics from those brigands. But they were only a small part of the problem. Please meet me at the Five Dragon Inn and Tavern at your earliest convenience. We have much to discuss on how to further the cause of our people in Pashin."
Does he have a medallion of faith or spell component pouches?
Alathea is slightly taken aback at the woman's appearance, she expected a Human and not a Half-Ogre but her face remains serene. She reaches into her backpack and affixes her Starjewel in her hair. She also pulls out the bag of cinnamon that she purchased.
"Dearest Klaudia. Has it been so long that you do not recognize me from your journeys west? It is Alathea". She smiles warmly and approaches Klaudia.
"I brought you some cinnamon as I know it is your favorite spice. Can we sit in the back room of your shop and enjoy this fine spice? Perhaps with some tea. I have maps of my adventures in getting here I would love to share with you".
Klaudia gives Alathea a look as she flashes the Starjewel and takes a moment to process the innuendo. She then gives a smirk and says, "Ah yes Alathea my old friend. It has been some time. Indeed please join me in the back and we shall get reaquainted."
She opens up the side-stall and leads you throw a doorway into the back rooms of the store. She leads you into what looks like a small sitting room with a table and an extra-large chair at one end. In addition to this the room has a cabinet with a few drawers in one corner of the rooms She then looks to Althea and says, "Greetings Alathea. As you may already know I am Klaudia Lorn. As you are my guest, allow me to get you a drink and we shall sit and discuss things further."
She goes into her cabinet and pours you a brown beverage from a few bottles she keeps in there and places it on the table in front of you. She herself takes a reddish looking beverage from another bottle and pours herself a glass of it. She takes a seat at the table and Althea likely does as well on the opposite side.
She takes a swig of the beverage she poured and then says "So tell me, where have you travelled from Alathea? You do not look to be from the lands of Khur by your dress and appearance.
Sense Motive
"I hail from Solace. I am on my way to visit the Temple to the True Gods and I could not help but to stop by as I knew you were in town".
Alathea, having no way to identify what has been poured sips gently tasting but not fully drinking the brew.
will save
Ok Terevalis you see through the illusion and see the man you saw before. He does have what appears to be 2 belt pouches on his belt, one of which could be a spell pouch and he has a necklace but currently it is on the inside of his overshirt so you can't see what it is. He appears to have a fine silvanesti courtier outfit over a backing of padded armor.
As for the sense motive check, you get the sense that Klaudia Lorn is being cautious. She is being careful with her words to avoid saying anything that might tip her off to her true affiliation and is making some small talk in order to better test your loyalty. In addition she gets the sense after gulping the drink in front of her that she is more insightful than she was initially.
Alathea takes a sip of the drink and it goes down easy and has a slightly bitter aftertaste. However the nature of what you drank makes you more loose with your tongue. You suffer a -1 penalty to bluff checks for the next hour (Which becomes a -3 if you drink the whole drink).
Klaudia Lorn says, "Quite. The Temple of the True Gods is one of the most prominent buildings here in Pashin. I must admit myself though that I put my faith in achievements we can earn on our own two feet rather than relying on fickle deities. So you have heard of me have you? It is a detour to find my store down these streets. Surely someone sent you here. Who was your Elder again back in the town of Solace?
Alathea, with that sense motive roll you can tell she is giving you a test. She is referring to Silver Claw, the High Eldar, basically the current head of the Legion of Steel who works out of Solace.
Alathea smiles at Klaudia, "The Gods merely guide our steps. We must stand or fall on our own with that I agree. In fact, one of my heroes, Goldmoon was often quoted as saying so. But I digress. Back in Solace my extended family suggested that I seek you out as I was making this pilgrimage anyway. In fact, with Steel in their gaze and Silver in their palms did they hand to me these travel maps that I might share them with you".
Less than thrilled about the strange feeling, Alathea brushes it aside and draws the orders given to her by the High Eldar. She places them on the table in front of her, within reach of Klaudia.
Of course, Son of Silvanesti. The treasures and the relics of our people are not lightly surrendered to those who do not appreciate it them, even the lesser elves do not understand what it means to lose so much tradition and culture to barbarians.
Klaudia nods and says, "Ah I see. Quite an errand you had to undertake to get here. There are many dangers along the trail."
She takes the bundle, looks inside and takes a scroll and reads it. She then puts it back and recloses the satchel.
Klaudia says, "I apologize for my innuendo Novice Alathea. The situation in Pashin gets worse by the day and I suspect that the Dark Knights may be sending spies and setting traps to root out any Legion resistance left in the town. As you may know Five years ago the Legion aided Khur in repelling a Dark Knight invasion. As a result Khur became one of the strong points for the Legion of Steel. Even now the Dark Knights increase their garrison here in Pashin. Their fears of a Minotaur invasion have led them believe that they must fortify their hold here and use Khur as a bulwark against further Minotaur incursions. This can only lead to one thing, another war between the Legion and the Dark Knights. The question is not if they will strike but when."
She lets her speech sink in and takes another drink of her beverage and continues.
"Currently I am waiting for a courier from our fortress in Ak-Khurman. I have heard word that it will not be a Legionnaire but one of the Knights of Solmnia that will make the delivery. I have heard the Knights of Solmnia also are wary of the Dark Knight activities in this region and have sworn to support the Legion in the resistance against the Dark Knights."
With that there is a ding from the bell heard very faintly in the front as Gabriel arrives in the store.
Klaudia says, "Another customer I see. Please wait here until I get back Alathea. I have been given dispensation by the Silver Claw to give you your next commands in reguards to serving the legion."
Klaudia gets up and leaves, exiting out to the front and looking to Gabriel and saying "Hello sir. Can I help you?
Jor nods in agreement Wounded Crow tonight around 8. Understood. I will be residing at Five Dragon Inn and Tavern if there is need to discuss further with me. I bid farewell till later and with that Jor takes off to reach his destination.
Mithas buys some dates.
I will meet yuo there this evening. Solinari's light guide you until then. es off to talk to his Shalafi.
Gabriel gives a nod to the lady as he limps to the counter keeping his hunch in his back and leaning on his staff.
"Good day miss. I see the name of this place holds true as there are many oddities on the shelf. I was wondering if you have something rare I have been looking for. It is called Star Eyes."
Gabriel looks up a bit to gaze from his drawn up hood and make eye contact with the woman.
Klaudia gives an eyebrow raise and replies to Gabriel, "Well that is quite a rare component. Due to its value I do not keep such reagents on normal display. Please follow me into the back and I shall show you what I have in my private stock."
With that she opens the side door and leads him into the back area. She then says, "So you know the password it seems. However just to be sure I would like to see another form of identification. There is a certain individual I am expecting. One bearing a symbol not of this land."
You get the hint she wants to see something that will identify you as a Solmanic knight.
After going the elven enclave in the underground Terevalis enters Shaylin's tent. Shaylin of House Mystic is dressed in gossamer robes with Silver-white hair and pale blue eyes. As many elves she appears young but you know that she is older than you are and a very powerful White Robe wizard. She often seems dour and reserved in her emotions the loss of Silvanesti and the plague of the "Sunblight" that has ravaged the elves in Pashin.
When Terevalis enters she says in elvish "Terevalis. You have returned safely I see. Have you brought the reagents I have requested?"
Shalafi, I was only able to procure roses as there was an incident in the marketplace. Some Nerakans were peddling artifacts from our beloved homeland. They also came upon a member of the Chosen of E'li and proceeded to harass and bully him and even drew blood on both sides. I was able to put one of the foul people to sleep and in the course of the battle the elf used magic to disguise himself. After the battle I met him again and we are to meet this evening in the 5 Dragons Inn of course this is in Silvanesti elven. :)
"You are right to be weary. These are troubled times for this land. Lional Uth Dartan sends his regards. I am Gabriel Lucas Barca. Knight of the Crown."
As this is said Gabriel pulls back the hood stands up strait and unties his robes revealing the Solamnic crest on his breast plate.
"I believe you have a package for me..."
Klaudia nods to Gabriel and says, "Ah, Solmanic Agent I heard was going to arrive. I am Klaudia Lorn, the head of the Legion of Steel operations here in Pashin. Indeed, I have a very important package for you to deliver for me, one with vital intelligence. Please follow me."
She leads you into the back room where Alathea. "This is Alathea, one of the Legion agents from our western branch in Abasinia."
She then looks back to Gabriel and says, "The legion has been keeping a good eye on the operations of the Dark Knights in the past few months. We have been watching their troop movements and operations and indeed the number of Nerakans has been steadily increasing as well as the amount of troops garrisoning this town. I have created extensive reports on what has been discovered and it is vital that these reports be delivered to Kenet Three-Lives, the commander of the Legion Fortress in Ak-Khurman or someone there of relevant authority. I must warn you that for no reason must these reports fall into the hands of the Dark Knights. It will expose myself and a good deal of our operations in the town and ruin further chances to gather intelligence on the dark knights."
Klaudia looks to Alathea, gives a thought and then says to her, "Indeed, Alathea, it appears that your next assignment has just walked into my door. As vital as this delivery is, I want to make sure we have an agent of the Legion helping this fine knight get to his destination. I would request you accompany Gabriel Lucas Barca to the Legion Headquarters in Ak-Khurman to make sure the package arrives without any undue complications."
Alathea stands and curtsies, ""Pleased to make your acquaintance Sir Knight. I am Alathea of Solace Cleric of Zivilyn".
"Alathea. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Gabriel Lucas Barca." He then looks back to Klaudia. "I will give my life to keep them safe if that is what it comes too. I would be happy to have the assistance of one of your agents. The journey here was uneventful, but the road is dangerous. Klaudia can you arrange a horse for Alathea? I have my own, but if we both ride mine we would have no chance in a chase. I suggest we leave at first light. Is this alright with you Alathea?"
Gabriel takes a seat as they discuss further business.
Shaylin nods to Terevalis and speaks, "So you had some troubles on the surface it seems. I believe I know the man you are speaking of. He is Kaithanelas of House Servitor, a minstrel who worked for the royal house of Quinari. He is a passionate young man but loyal to the cause of our people. He choses to live on the surface and occasionally provides useful information of the goings on in Pashin. As for the peddling of artefacts it has become a distressing trend of late. A number of elven relics were plundered by the Dark Knights when they fled Silvanesti. Many seek to profiteer off of these relics."
She sighs looking more saddened and then says, "I would advise you to meet with Kaithanelas at the appointed meeting time. Perhaps he has some intelligence on the profiteers that have been hording and selling elven relics. I would like you to do what you can to liberate stolen relics so that they can be returned to the Silvanesti. We must do what we can to preserve our culture lest we forget who we are truely are.
Alathea sits as well, "I would be happy to assist the Legion in this endeavor. I may want to spend the afternoon at the Temple of the True Gods. While that was my cover story to come here but as I am here, I should like to see it. Tomorrow is as good a time as any to leave. Klaudia, perhaps Gabriel and I should find lodgings for the evening and then come back here in the morning to pick up the documents for delivery. Is there anywhere that you can suggest we stay?"
Klaudia says to Gabriel, "A horse can be arranged for Alathea. But it is too late in the day to start your journey. I suggest you both travel to the Five Dragon Inn and Tavern and get yourself a room for the night. By morning I will have a riding horse ready for the trip. As for the package itself...
Klauda pulls a rug up and opens a hidden compartment in the floor. She takes out a leather satchel and hands it to Gabriel.
She looks to Alathea and says, "The less we meet the better in case your arrival has already drawn attention from the Dark Knights. I shall put the package in the trust of Gabriel. I shall have a message delivered when your horse is ready to pick up."
Is Kaienthalas of House Servitor a follower of the Moons, the gods or mysticism?
"Very well Klaudia. The Knights of Solamnia thank you for your service. Be safe. Alathea would you honor me by joining me for dinner. I have to do back up my robes here." Gabriel takes the time to make sure his robes are closed back up and secure with the package in his backpack. He hunches back over and leans on his walking stick before drawing up his hood.
"Off to the Five Dragon Inn." He approaches the door and opens it geturing for Alathea to go first.
"After you."
"Kaienthalas is a bard and thus is a worshiper of Astarin and channels power from his gifts. I understand your caution but it is quite traditional for bards to draw power from a divine patron in order to better improve their performance skills." says Shaylin.
I will be most careful, Shalafi
Off to the inn.
Alathea pauses for a moment, "Sir Knight, I do appreciate the offer but I believe that we should remain separate for the evening. Let us leave this place separately and arrive at the Inn separately taking dinner separately as well. We can become acquainted on the road. My time in the Legion has shown me that once cover is removed it is not possible to get it back".