"A night rest and a potion tomorrow will do me Elleross, I thank you for the offer." Greyston smiles as he pulls out his formula book and begins to work on it again. Happy to be able to use a table to write in his book.
Del spends the evening chatting with his rescuers, Nadya and Ringierr, and reminds Orm and Mjoli that he hasn't forgotten his promise to get his hands on some bananas for them in the future. As the evening winds down and the boys go to sleep, he steals some time to tend to Ruby as well as the new hand crossbow he'd recovered from ol' stabby Manny. "Oh my, you're much too fine and elegant a tool to have stayed with that nearsighted lout. But what am I to call you though? Hmmm. Well, I can't call you 'Sapphire', that name's taken." He chuckles then and sighs, laying the new weapon in his lap as he reclines and clasps his hands behind his head.
So it's settled then. But listen, you can't just walk around the city decked out in and openly displaying weapons without papers authorizing you to do so. This is exactly why identifying yourself as stilyagi or their retinue is for the best - more privileges and fewer questions.
For his part, Ringeirr intends to push a handcart full of snow-packed fish through the district as part of their cover.
Unless you've got better disguises or use magic, I suggest you wrap your heavier gear in oiled cloth and bury it under the fish. Don't worry, it's only until we clear the Howling Gate, once in the Howlings District itself, you can grab it all again - though even then I'd recommend against it until the fish are delivered and we get to Mortin's house to obtain your paperwork.
Corum looks at the ranger with a raised eyebrow. "Spell it out for me. Are you telling me to stow my axe and armour? Or can I get away with being a guard for the stilyagi?"
That's right. I'm saying if you try and get in through the Howling Gate whilst wearing armor and carrying that axe, well, you'll be stopped. Most likely aggressively. So yeah, stow 'em. he shrugs.
"Our ruse as these Stilyagi can't really start until after we've slipped in through the howling gate, Corum." Del looks up from his reverie and offers the straight forward man a shrug. "Claiming to be Stilyagi without those papers won't get us anything but trouble and attention as I read things. Best to just try and pass the gate quietly with a greased palm or two if necessary. No sense in playing a card you haven't drawn yet."
so we go in tomorrow, hopefully we can pass the gate with no trouble. he says hopefull they can buy or talk their way through.
As they all talk and relax in the relative safety of ringierrs house Elleross notices the discomfort of some of the others. His own wounds are mostly healed but Dell and Nasrin are both carrying injuries dell in Particular looks pale.
I have some potions available, Nas take these. We need you strong for tomorrow. he says as he rummages I. His pack and draws out two vials and hands them over to the wild girl.
del I can help you as well, I have some spells prepared I can modify to heal some of your wounds
Taking him to one side he begins to weave the two spells together, combining and altering them to replicate a simple healing spell.
Looking at them both their colour seems better and they seem in much less discomfort
I have some more potions if you need them? How are you feeling? he asks
Corum scowls. "The armour I can do without but I don't like to go unarmed."
He shrugs then says "But if that's the way it is I still have this." He points to the longsword at his side. "I'll stow the axe."
Just for getting through the gate Corum, we'll manage with our teeth and nails till then she slaps the barbarian on the back as hard as she dares.
Unbuckling her swordbelt and unknotting the leather ties that hold her armor in place, she wraps them in an oilskin so they're ready to go under Ringeirr's fish.
"Corum please, you've seen the results we've gotten flying under their suspicions. I don't want to know what we'd have to do if the bridge stopped turned into a fight." He folds up his formula book, now paying full attention to the conversation. "We will still have my bombs, Elleros and Sappires magic."
Corum looks aghast when they tell him to stow his sword. He swears mightily and mutters to himself as he grudgingly unbuckles his sword belt. "No axe, no sword. No armour. What kind of damned uncivilised place is this? Must be damned boring here. Nothing but knives and harsh language to settle arguments. Bloody wierd lot live around here I tell you."
His muttering and swearing continue as he grudgingly strips off his armour and hurls it at the sled. Then last of all he hands over his axe gazing forlornly at it as he does so. He turns then and sits cross legged with his back to the group. Arms ceossed like a child who has just been told off by his parents. The sight of the big man pouting is comical.
"Its not fair I tell you." He mutters then turns and points at the others. "And another thing. The first scumbag that runs at us with a sword and you'll all know I was right. You wait and see."
He turns away again, draws his dagger and begins sharpening its already razor sharp edge. "Knives! Pah! No use to anyone. Better than nothing I suppose"
He continues complaining to himself for a good long while.
Ringeirr looks at the big barbaran and says;
Trust me. If they catch you trying to get in your axe might be useful against the first guard that comes at you, maybe even the sixth too. But there's an army of soldiers loyal to the queen in there. You might as well try fighting all them with your c*ck. he says with the typical gruffness of the north.
Ringeirr arranges for some fisherfolk to help him get the fish cart to the outskirts of Whitethrone, but he and yourselves must push it through the Howlings Gate and the district beyond.
The walls of Whitethrone tower 30 feet high and have the appearance of giant, sharpened femurs fused together, though closer inspection reveals only smooth stonework the colour of bleached bone.
Massive skulls of the same bone-white stone top the walls, staring with blank gazes outward from the city in all directions. A rough road of frozen mud, churned and trampled from the traffic of countless feet, leads through an opening in the wall, which appears to have been deliberately left unfinished rather than sundered.
A tall human woman, with shoulder length silver hair, fair skin, and bright blue eyes stands guard beside the Howling Gate. By human standards she is incredibly attractive though her gaze is steady and steely. As you approach with the cart, she motions for you to stop.
Halt there. Routine inspection. she says, one hand raised in the air.
She is dressed in well kept chainmail and a fur-lined cloak. In a harness on her back is a huge butterfly-bladed greataxe. Several other guardsmen stand around and behind her.
Corum snaps out of his mood and laughs. "If I was using THAT to fight them then they WOULD be in Trouble."
@ the night before
i know it is difficult Corum, but this is our only plan. We need to tread softly here until we get the papers that will allow us some more freedom, dell has talked us through before and he will do so again the old elf says trying to placate the warrior.
Seeing he will not be able to fully convince the man he moves away and stretches out on a nearby bench, closing his eyes he relaxes his body and his mind.
From here corridors and smaller stairways lead off like tributaries feeding some great river.
He has never counted the rooms within his palace but they must number in the hundreds.
This night his steps take him toward one of his most grand rooms, a huge domed ceiling dominated this empty room that was seemed impossibly large.
The vast entrance to this room were an immense pair of arched double doors of wood and iron simar in many ways to those that adorned the grandest churches throughout the land.
As he approached the doors they draw themselves open of their own accord to reveal a huge polished stone floor that stretched away for nearly three hundred feet.
The room was surrounded by a multitude of stained glass windows each bearing a different scene from the religious history of golarion.
The bright sunlight from outside his palace flooded in through the multi coloured exquisite windows, filling the chber with a mesmerising rainbow light.
His steps ring out upon the stone floor as he passes depictions of Cayden caileans ascension, the dawn flowers casting down of rovagug, pharasma judging souls at the infinite stairs, the eternal conflict between Shelyn and Zon-kuthon and many others.
At the centre of the vast chamber is a triangular pool that stretches almost twenty feet across and fashioned of pure white marble, it gleamed in the light and it's crystal clear waters reveal a rainbow coloured mosaic of the all seeing eye.
Elleross moves toward the pool and as he does so his "body" sheds all of its clothing, his robes evaporating like steam into the air as he plunges into the warm still water and swims effortlessly to the centre of the pool.
Floating upon his back he looks up toward the focus of the domed ceiling, a huge circular stained glass window of breathtaking beauty.
This one is more magnificent than all the rest and depicts the battle between the first gods and the Rough Beast Rovagug.
Nearly all of the great gods are depicted here, Desna,Abadar,Calistria,Gozreh to name but a few and it is a marvel to behold.
It is here that he floats in tranquility his mind opening as he expands his own powers and explores the difficult problems he faces in the real world, developing solutions or experimental theories that may or may not work.
At present he works on a half dozen different ideas, the first is a solution to Corums curse. He has been tackling the problem from many angles and he believed he had now found an answer, come the morning he will be ready to test his theory.
Another issue he wrestles with inside his mind is the need for a mundane spell book. The mechanics of recording his arcane structures upon parchment for his mind to focus upon them is horribly inefficient and he has developed an intriguing breakthrough, a way of recalling certain spells to mind without the usual need of his spell book.
Indeed elsewhere within his memory palace, in the tower of the sun his spell book lay open as usual but now floating above it just beneath the large central crystal sphere there was a duplicate book, this one constructed of pure crystal and its pages etched with arcane script, it held only a few spells at the moment but these spells Elleross now needed no book to prepare and this breakthrough pleased him no end.
He would now never be caught without access to at least some of his power.
The chamber is silent as he floats there and as he completes his "work" he fills the chamber with a soaring symphony from the great composer Mozart and he loses himself within the complex and wonderfully stirring music and as he gazes up at the stained glass window the gods animate and begin to act out the terrible conflict that was the defense of Golarion.....
.
Sapphire opens her mouth to answer the guardswoman with a nonchalant 'we've nothing to hide' before recalling the part she is supposed to be playing.
Instead she simply glances at the woman then looks away bored, sighing as if she has some place to be and this is yet another hold up.
She absent-mindedly fiddles with her yeti cloak, as if unfamiliar with the weight of such a garment.
Nasrin silently listens to the debate about how to sneak in and finally offers this to Corum, "A warrior is not his weapons, a warrior is his will. We will be fine with fists and fang - none can turn our will."
She hides her gear with the others, and takes her place in the rear of the column, Jagar at her side.
Watching carefully the interaction between the blonde guardswoman and the blonde would-be Stilyaga, she wonders, Is this one of the winter wolves in human guise? She catches herself staring and abruptly breaks her gaze, looking at the fish cart instead.
It is my duty to to search all persons and items brought through the Howling gate. she says moving toward you.
She glances down into the fish cart and curls a lip.
I'll save that for last. Stand in a line please.
@ the morning
Though his body rests through the night his mind is free to roam the halls of his memory palace and he continues to develop his grasp of the arcane.
After he spent hours relaxing in the divine pool as he thought of it he returned to the tower of the sun in order to complete the replication of two new spells.
In his mind he adds the arcane script to his spell book and as soon as he rises in the morning he adds them to his actual book as he prepares his spells for the day ahead.
good morning everyone he says as he packs away his book and moves to ringierrs small wash room and strips off his heavy furs.
The garments are stiff with his own dried blood and he does his best to scrape away the worst of the blood.
Taking some cloth from his back he soaks it in the icy water in the basin and stripping off fully he washes the blood off himself as best he can.
The skin around the deep wound from Mancians sword was a ripe purple- black in colour, the flesh badly bruised, covering almost all of his abdomen.
The deep puncture though was healed and the pain was now minimal.
Tossing aside the bloody rags he looks down at his thin arm, the pale flesh marred by the distinct silvery burn that was his prison number.
As he traces his fingers across the raised scar tissue he shivers though whether from the chill air or the memories of his time incarcerated he doesn't know.
It was likely both.
He had not been out of prison for very long before he had stumbled into this situation and he had had little time to adjust to life outside the prison, it was such a radically different life to what he had known before. He had never endured such peril before or such hardship but he relished every day. Each obstacle overcome , every foe defeated gave him the means to develope his own power so he could hunt down and destroy these witches.
maybe when this is all over....when I have gained some measure of vengeance and retribution, maybe then I will be truly free he thinks as he pulls on some clean clothing before he puts on the heavy furs again.
As clean as he will get in this place he joins the others for breakfast.
I hope we are ready for today, we will be without weapons and vulnerable but keep calm and we will prevail he says as he eats
Ringeirr , what is the situation with magic users ? Will they view my spell components in the same light as Corums axe? he asks their host
Level 0 acid splash, detect magic, light, disrupt undead
Level 1 2 x magic missile, 1 x colour spray , 1 x grease 1 x burning hands
Level 2 1x create pit , 1x scorching ray, 1 x mirror image
Level 3 1x haste , 1 x dispel magic
1 Scroll of endure elements
1 scrolls of magic weapon
1 Scroll of unseen servant
1 scrolls of lesser animate dead
1scroll burning hands(level 1)
1 scroll colour spray
1scroll create pit (level 4)
2 scrolls comprehend languages
1 scroll snowball
1 scroll sleet storm
1scroll iriseni mirror sight
2 scroll youthful appearance
Couldn't say. Ringeirr muses as he scratches his chin. I never had nothing like that on me. Better safe than sorry I suppose. 'less you can explain them if you're asked.
As the others are searched Nasrin's curiosity gets the better of her and she calls on the wolf to sharpen her sense of smell. As the tall woman searches her, she avoids eye contact, but does not hinder the search. However, she does catalogue every aspect of the other woman's odor.
Anything odd about the way she smells? Is she one of Ringeirr's shapeshifting wolves?
@ earlier.
The old elf nods his head slightly as Ringeirr offers his opinion
better safe than sorry he thinks echoing to Ringeirr's words.
if weapons are not allowed then scrolls, components and spell books will be just as bad...worse maybe than getting caught with a sword he says looking across at sapphire and Greyston
I have no way to explain my spell apparatus, it will be clear I am an arcane adept.
Greyston, can you disguise the nature of your alchemical agents? Or concoct a reason for carrying them? he asks the young alchemist
I will be leaving my spell books and scrolls behind. I will not need and components for some of my spells, and I will take only minimal components. Things I can exain away.
My hex nails I will leave as well, Corum the one I gave you you should also leave. It is treason to carry them and if they find them we will be in trouble
Taking out some liquorice root he puts it into a small pouch and pockets it.
The only other component he takes is a small exquisitely crafted shovel which he ties to a length of rawhide and hangs around his neck.
@ the gate
As the guard approaches his heart begins to beat a little faster and he limps to one side and nods toward her.
of course he says and moves to the side and waits for her to search him.
He has little on him to raise suspicion but still he is nervous.
Back in the prison his cell was inspected regularly but there he had gained allies amongst the guards and he could usually move his contraband and away before it happened.
This was a shade different.
In the morning Corum helps the others load their gear onto the sled and hide it beneath the pungent fish.
He wears only his furs and a long dagger at his belt. The rest of his equipment, apart from arms and armour, he carries in his rucksack. When Elleross states his intention leave his gear the warrior shakes his head.
"No Ellri. You won't leave your stuff. I will carry it. We may not return this way. The nails can stay but if they find your books and scrolls on me I will tell them the truth. I took them off an old man. No one will believe I can cast a spell but they may well believe I would bully an old timer into giving up his prize possessions. "
When they are stopped Corum eyes the female warrior appreciatively. Not just appraising her gear. He smiles as she draws near. "Now here's a girl to walk the mountains with. What's your name beautiful?" as she tells them to line up he is the first into line.
"Search away lovely. But be careful. You might find something you can't handle."
He glances down suggestively. The others are momentarily taken aback but Del gets what he is doing. Playing the part of an arrogant ruffian. Maybe to try to embarrass her or put her off her stride so he can take advantage with his eloquence.
Diplomacy
Sapphire grins inwardly at Corum's wit, but her face still shows merely boredom, she sighs and walks slowly to stand in line. Weight on one foot and with her arms crossed, she glances around as if desperate to find something, anything more interesting than what's currently happening around her.
"I'm going to keep what i have, together all my ingredients mean nothing it's only with the correct combination that they become deadly. IF they wish to confiscate them I will just have to get more in the city." He pats his satchel.
@Gate
Greyston stands back, listening to orders and letting the search take place waiting on his turn to be frisked.
The woman smiles wolfishly at Corum's compliment. She walks close to him and he is surprised to find she stands nearly as tall as he.
Oh I doubt that. she replies, not in the least coquettishly. Though I'm often in receipt of such compliments, I am yet to meet a man who is strong enough to back them up.
She gives barely a cursory glance at the fish cart and the party itself, her eyes rarely leaving Corum's own.
Everything seems to be in order. she says. Now there is only the matter of the 'toll.' I'm sure a man like you must have a back strong enough to carry much coin. she adds.
Corum smiles and says. "Aye lassie. I am strong enough to carry a horse. Strong enough for other things too. I'll wager I'm strong enough for you shieldmaiden."
He moves closer to her and says "If it is coin you want then we have it. If you want payment in other ways then I'm sure we can work it out. Be good to get some blood flowing in these muscles eh lass?"
As the group approaches the gate and the striking woman steps forward to call for a search, Del can't repress the grin that begins to spread across his face as he considers what fun his typically clever wordplay might lead to. But the grin stalls, half formed and twists into a look of bald incredulity as Corum not only produces a brand of crass, clumsy innuendo, but that it seems to be staggeringly effective.
Turning slightly to hide his face from the woman and the other guards, he shoots Sapphire and Greyston both a wide eyed "who in the world is that and what did he do with our Corum" look coupled with a puzzled shrug.
HP: 20/25
AC: 18 (14 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 18
F/R/W: +5/+8/+4
Grit remaining: 2/2
Hero Points remaining: 2
Regular bolts remaining: 63/80
Cold Iron bolts: 40/40
Ongoing Effects
Vigilant Loading
Gunslinger Initiative
Again. she says, Words full of promises and yet when it comes to it, words turn to wind - "It's too cold, my lovely" they say. Well gold doesn't lose its lustre no matter the weather. 100 gold shines all the more brightly. she adds still smiling at the warrior's bravado.
Corum laughs. "I'm from lands like these. A bit of ice and a cold wind are nothing to me. And I keep my promises. We make the beast with two backs and you'll see."
He shrugs "But I get it. You're daunted by the task and would rather the gold. It's a shame. Now you'll always wonder what you missed."
Elleross watches the exchange between Corum and the female warrior and he relaxes slightly.
His advances toward her have not been spurned as he would have expected and he smiles inwardly.
ahem...excuse me, if I can interject. We will of course pay the toll he says as he pulls out the gold and hands it to her.
that should cover it he says, glancing across at the others. Eager to be away from her and away from any more scrutiny.
My thanks. she says, quickly pocketing the gold coins. You are free to enter the city. she adds.
Ringeirr nods his thanks and begins pushing the cart through into the Howlings district. As you pass her hand reaches out and grasps Corum's arm. He can feel the strength of that grip as she says;
Perhaps you would like to meet up for some tea or spiced wine later? she asks, quite brazenly.
Nasrin catches scent of her as she passes by, there is a familiar canine undercurrent and she suspects either the woman is a winter wolf or at least has contact with them.
The streets of the Howlings wind back and forth crookedly, and are lined with wooden houses covered in intricate and detailed woodwork. Unlike in the Fishcamps, even the poorest homes are in good repair, pleasantly decorated, and painted a clean white or light pastel colours. The rooftops are steeply pitched to allow heavy snow to slide off.
Covered alleyways run between some closely adjacent buildings sheltering ground-floor entrances from the elements. In other places, open-air bridges or crosswalks join buildings together at their upper levels. Snowdrifts lie heaped between houses, but the streets are shoveled and brushed clean. There is little sign of domestic animals, but handcarts are parked outside some residences.
Corum smiles back and even more brazenly pulls her to him and kisses her.
"I"m sure we'll meet later beautiful. Where can you get a drink around here anyway?"
Once the group is through the checkpoint, Sapphire turns to Ringeirr
Lead on, pub first or else the delivery address, wherever 'traders'/stilyagi would go next...we don't want to draw attention
Still utterly flabbergasted by what he witnessed at the Howling Gate, Del is uncharacteristicly quiet as Sapphire turns to Ringeirr. The half-orc nods vacantly as his gaze keeps passing from the gate to Corum and back again. He scratches the back of his head roughly, his brow knit in plain confusion, as he holds up his other hand and interrupts, "Wait. Wait." He looks pointedly at the gate then to Corum once more before emphatically asking, "Calistria's striped panties, what just happened?"
Smiling to himself Elleross follows the others through the gate and I to the surprisingly well maintained area beyond.
The streets are clean and clear of snow and everything seemed well ordered and he did not trust the place one bit.
some things just can't be explained Dell. he says as he claps the cocky bowman on the back just be glad we are through the gate. Even if it was accomplished in an unexpected manner. he smiles.
I would not presume to tell you what to do Corum, but should you go ahead with your rendezvous with the guard. It is possible you could find out some useful Information, pillow talk can reveal a lot more than one would normally divulge he says as to the warrior as they walk along
Grayston looks on in shock moving next to del. "I have to share Del sentiment here. It seems the bear can talk his way through without using his muscle." He smiles. "Good job, Corum! Very smooth."
"Maybe when Manny stabbed me in that hovel of his he nicked something vital and I died. Yeah. I'm dead and this is some twisted afterlife where everything is similar to how things were, but opposite. Obviously some unfortunate mistake." Del pats himself down, looking for gaping sword wounds or some other indication he's now immaterial and inhabiting an outer plane but frowns when he finds the tender, mint-green and mending flesh beneath the newest hole in his long coat. Stymied and still trying to find a means of rationalizing what he just witnessed, he struggles for words before finally settling on an incredulous, "Ok, yeah. But how?"
Nasrin smiles and shakes her head. She says quietly to Del, "Or she's one of the wolves in a woman's guise, and prefers rough men to polished boys?" She says it in a flat way that makes it hard to tell if she is teasing, telling facts or mocking the normally suave and collected half-orc.
Corum smiles when he sees Del's confusion. "I was just trying to distract her so you could charm her. But Has is right. Perhaps she likes rough men. Sometimes the direct approach works after all." He claps the speechless bowman on the back.
He smiles at the thought of the tall, powerful warrior woman. "what a woman!" turning to Elleross he laughs. "Oh I'll meet up with her but there won't be much talking Ellri! Now Who wants a drink?"
Del staggers forward a half step at Corum's jovial slap then stammers at his call for drink. "Drink? No, no. Papers. We need to get those papers first! Drinks can wait." He looks to Ringeirr and asks, "Which way to your friend's place?"
Ringeirr pushes the cart through the Howlings and hisses;
G%%*+$ned wolf in women's clothing. Literally. And we got food to deliver too, remember.
The streets of the Howling wind hither and thither though you see few citizens.
Everyone is starving, save the Jadwiga. Ringeirr spits. Whatever the hell they are up to looking after the people of this city aren't high on the agenda.
You round a corner and find a semi-circle of wagons lined up beside the buildings to the right of the street.
There is a sudden cackling laugh from behind the carts and a nasal, high-pitched voice that shouts;
Get 'em, Back-Alley Boys! I wants those fishes!
Several pale blue faces with wide grins appear behind the cover and launch a volley of arrows at you.
Miss
Hit
and
Hit
and
Hit
and
Did not confirm
Hit
and
Tee-hee-hee! one of them laughs. We'll not go hungry tonight boys!
This one removes something from beneath its small furs and lobs it end over end toward the party. As it hits the hard ground between Greyston and Ringeirr it explodes in a flash of white light.