"Wonderful." Razif starts moving again. "Let's go forward."
Drael will take the lead once again as they move past the trees and closer to the city itself, gingerly stepping around any remaining insects.
Min and Rab-rab get back in line and follow the others.
Layaali stays with Min and Rab-rab, allowing her halo to dim to darkness as she takes their hands.
She nods at Razif in thanks as he takes the tamping staff. Then she walks with the gnomes after the others.
Rab-rab holds Layaali's hand and follows them forward in the darkness.
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The gang of battle-weary adventurers round the turn in the path that ascends up into the upper portion of Kelmarane. As the sand-strewn cobbled path flattens out for a stretch, the appearance of decrepit and blasted buildings gives way to that of quietly-stated adobe edifices and tiled roofs of varying fiery hues (for those who can see in the dark in colour). The walls of what appears to be a stone church stand above and to the northwest. Towering over all of these structures at the top of the city rise is the massive three-story domed battle market.
Drael leads the gang forward in the darkness, scanning the road for movement. The presence of a small lone figure at the point where the road splits and begins climbing anew - to the east and the north - gives Drael pause. When the figure raises a small hand in greeting, the pause turns to concern.
Drael stops in his tracks, then, after a moment, raises his own hand. He does his best to make out what the figure looks like, and waits for it to respond or approach.
Rab-rab cannot see, but she sees Drael wave so she says "Hi! I am Rab-rab. Nice to meet you"
Razif stays on guard and whispers.
"Could this be Jank, the goblin Undrella told us about?"
Unable to see that far, Layaali waits for something to happen...
"What are you doing?" Min asks Drael. He can't see the person in the dark.
Drael speaks quietly to Min, still facing into the darkness. I see someone up ahead. It might be that goblin Undrella mentioned, the one that can take us safely through town.
He takes another step towards the figure, and beckons it to approach.
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Undrella steps up next to Drael, lowers her head, and cranes her neck forward; she then snorts. "It is Jank. He is not alone. He is coward. He was sent - he does not leave entrance to Battle Market unless made to do so."
She turns her eyes to Drael. Her vision softens and she almost smiles. "Kardswann calls you, my sweet."
Drael shrugs, and looks back at the others. Well, should we go to him?
Rab-rab nods. "Okay! They know we're here, so we might as well go."
"Yeah, we should go and you should kill him, Drael. Then you should take over Kelmarane and the gnolls and stuff. Just don't die today."
Pushing his hair back from his face, Drael begins to walk towards the figure in the distance. Sure, what could possibly go wrong?
Layaali activates her halo, so the others can see. Then she follows the others uphill.
Razif takes a deep breath, slightly anxious to get even deeper into the lion's den. "Yes, let's go, then."
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The figure awaiting them at the top of the gentle rise is indeed a goblin, but unlike any that you have encountered. The strange creature wears a jester's outfit complete with a floppy hat adorned with jangling bells. He carries in his hand a fabric-topped baton with ribbon streamers that flutter as he moves his hand excitedly. Off to his right, a pair of hulking gnolls with heavy flails at their sides watch the exchange as the previously-identified Jank greets the gang.
"Welcome, welcome!” the goblin rasps, gesturing wildly with his baton. “You have been expected! The Mouth of the Carrion King seeks an audience with you immediately! This way, this way!” He makes to move off towards the gnolls who part silently in anticipation, their mouths peeled back in what appears to be a grin.
Rab-rab skips up to the happy goblin and sticks out her hand. "Hello! I'm Rab-rab! Nice to meet you Jank! Wanna be friends?"
Min hustles over to his sister and stands right behind her. "Ah! Careful!" He shakes his head and sighs. Sisters.
He looks at the goblin. "Hi."
Razif looks around frowning, somewhat uncomfortable to be welcomed in this den of villainy. Regardless, he attempts to keep up the act.
"By all means, lead the way."
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The goblin stops abruptly as Rab-rab greets him by name.
"Yes....it is not I, lowly Jank, whose friendship you should seek. Come, come..."
He continues moving towards the massive Battle Market. The gnolls await your passage and fall in behind after a growl at Razif.
Min sticks close to Rab-rab.
"Okay!" Rab-rab follows Jank.
Layaali follows along with the others, sure to stick near the middle of the group this time.
As soon as the gnomes approach Jank, Drael follows, and overtakes them to walk in front as they walk towards the Battle Market.
Razif sticks close to the back, constantly looking behind him to make sure they're not about to be ambushed.................
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The group cautiously follows Jank through the massive open doors leading into the battle market. The interior of the three-story circular stone fortress is surprisingly active for this late hour in the evening . A large skylight about 30 feet wide shows a wide view of the night sky in all directions. Torches blaze in sconces along the walls, illuminating the carousing and swaggering denizens of the shadowy ground floor
Aside from this roof portal, no windows feed to the outside. The interior smells strongly of urine, evidence that visitors seem to be relieving themselves in some of the many unused interior chambers - likely former vendor stalls - that line the ground floor. One cooking stove tries vainly to stave off the odour of waste with its black smoky vapours of some form of well-cooked meat.
A large crowd of gnolls, bugbears, humans, and others poke their heads up from their games of dice, cups of liquor, and conversations as the goblin jester leads you to the interior of the chamber. None make move - in fact, some return to their previous endeavour with little reaction. Jank turns to you to spur you on with a wave; the gnolls behind you growl slightly at any hesitation on your part.
You are brought into the arena-like room to a massive circular wooden stage, its surface smeared and sticky with gore. Two rows of terraced benches surround the stage, which is ringed in torch light. A darkened gallery of compact market stalls in the eastern half of the first floor’s inner wall contain a number of viewers eating food. A raised platform along the northwest curve of the inner wall sports four round tables, several wooden chairs, and a long bar stocked with numerous bottles of distilled spirits.
About twenty feet above is a dark open balcony; several rows of empty bleachers peer down from the edge of the balcony. Twenty feet above the second floor a half-circle balcony marks the highest of the citadel’s terraces, its view illuminated unnaturally by obvious magical means. Three thrones look down from this vantage, each positioned to give a commanding view of not only the stage below but the entire market.
Unable to see far enough to perceive the highest balcony, Layaali whispers to the gnomes, "Where is he?"
"Be careful, Rab-rab. We don't want to make the whole place angry or anything. Act SUPER SERIOUS." Min put on his best SERIOUS FACE and scowls at the gnolls and other bad guys, looking very tough.
"There's some balconies up there, and the top one has some thrones, but I don't see him. He's probably up there, though."
"This is spooky, Min! I wish we could leave." Instead, Rab-rab smiles like she always does.
Razif moves close to the others. "Stick close together now, if they end up attacking, we'll be completely surrounded."
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The group moves cautiously onto the battle stage (with Undrella at Drael's side), following the goblin jester as they look around the dim galleries at the snarling, hooting, and glaring inhabitants of Kelmarane's battle market. Jank bows in the direction of the left shoulder of the approaching adventuring gang, his intentions unclear until a booming voice sounds out from high above, and a monstrously-large human male stands in plain view on the second-floor balcony above the battle stage.
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Min starts to panic, and whispers to his sister. "If a fight breaks out, stay away from that big guy. And be ready to run if we all start to die. Leave us this time."
Then Min points up at the big guy. "YOU! Kardswann! Why has a Templar of the Four Winds come to serve a gnoll king? How far have you fallen? And WHAT did you find in the church?!"
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Rab-rab leans over and whispers back to Min, "I will leave all of them but you. I'd never leave you. I'll drag you out of here."
Rab-rab skips around the stage as the other people talk.
Though probably not intended for his ears, Razif overhears the gnomes and whispers back. "Nobody's going to die anymore, not on my watch."
He then stares down Kardswann, unable to hide his disdain for the traitor templar and anger at how this conflict among templars caused Uzma's death.
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Layaali blindly points up at the voice of Kardswann, her calm, collected voice sounding oddly furious. "You are an abomination and a pathetic excuse for the..." she pauses, getting an odd look on her face, then gives her head a shake. "For a templar! You betrayed Nefeshti! You killed Uzma! You will pay for your crimes! Now! And in the afterlife!"
Unfortunately, her aim is off, and she's pointing at an empty throne a few feet to the side.
Drael stands quietly with the others, shifting uneasily from one foot to the other as he watches Layaali, and the crowd behind her, intently.
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The hulking form of Kardswann looms over you all, 40 feet above the battle stage. He sneers at the gnome's words but cocks his head at the oracle of Vildeis. Though Layaali's veiled eyes prevent her from truly seeing the monstrous humanoid, something within her repositions the thrice-born aasimar's head to address Kardswann directly, her eyes unclouding as a strange voice exits her mouth.
Min looks at Layaali REALLY WEIRD as she speaks in a weird voice.
Layaali places her hands on her hips, then shakes her head, making a 'tsk, tsk, tsk' sound. "Do you not recognize me, brother? Have you fallen so far? It is I, Vardishal. And you? Have you so forgotten yourself? You have wandered off the path of the Templars of the Five Winds. It saddens me to see you this way. Come. Turn your face to the winds and embrace the path of the Templars. It is not too late."
Razif leers at Layaali, mumbling some very rude names towards Vardishal as he realizes the templar is possessing someone in his party again.
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The promise of bounty for the heads of the gang of adventurers ignites no small amount of chaos within the ground floor of the battle market as individuals jostle position roughly to view the combat, escape the fray, or mount the stage and join the fracas. Jank proves to be part of the fleeing group, racing away from the battle stage as soon as Kardswann's pronouncement booms down from on high. At just about the same time, from within the shadows of the crowded drinking perch northwest of the battle stage a large figure emerges, cracking his knuckles in anticipation.
"About time I get to strangle again! Hurvank bored!" the over-stuffed ogre in padded hide armor yells out, eyeing the stage eagerly.
Undrella answers the ogre's challenge. "You were defeated on this very stage fortnight ago by the leggy swordswoman, great oaf. Now, you will be defeated again - and for good - by my love, Drael, slayer of Kardswann! Come and meet you doom." The harpy shrieks briefly in the direction of Hurvank before pecking Drael affectionately on his cheek. "Kill him for me, darling." she murmurs before circling around the suli.
"Ahhh!" Min shrieks in a panic.
"Your hubris will be your undoing, Kardswann!" Layaali bellows back, voice deep and booming. She turns to the crowds and yells, casting her arms out wide. "MARK THIS AS THE DAY THAT KARDSWANN FALLS!"