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You say you will not abide evil yet you quote a HELLKIGHT! Kayluss's face is bright red with anger now. Words are useless! That Tyrant will not speak to us and even if she did you really think you'll TALK her off her throne!
Turning to the Barkeep he shakes his head, I can not sleep while Cinderfury's regime stands.
Looking to his fellow Pathfinders, We must act! We must strike at Cinderfury before she can muster her forces! We need to show the citizens of Cristalcrag that change is coming and it is coming now! I say we move on the Smith, cut off the supplies to Cinderfury's War Machine!
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And what ?! let all these people be killed because you can't wait, a night ?
As for my friend the Venture Captain Ilmaktar, he is, like me, a follower of the Dawnflower, he has goodness in his heart. It seems that you can't make the difference between chaos and good, freedom and happiness.
For your information, all Hellknight are not merciless killer ready to call evil at her side to fight. They have true servants of rightness and goodness, like paladin of Iomedae and Torag !
Yes, we must take down Lady Cinderfury, but NOT AT THE COST OF INNOCENT'S LIFES !
Passionnate Kaâb tried to convince people she was right.
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Dalton sighs and tries to calm his allies. "Kayluss, please - while I agree that Cinderfury will likely not listen to us - or even give us audience, we cannot assume that of the Smith. And I'd prefer not press our fortune by keeping out past the curfew - I fear that if we arouse suspicion then our efforts could wind up being for nothing."
He then turns to Kaab, "Please, Kaab. We will give Cinderfury a reasonable chance to answer for her actions. We will find out how the Smith and the Alchemist factor in to our problem and deal with this with as little bloodshed as possible."
"We will be nice until it is time to not be nice."
Dalton then addresses everyone in the tavern. "We will help - but I think we have some strong feelings about procedures. Please let us rest for the night and we will begin in earnest tomorrow."
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Meg nods at Calistan while sipping the beer he bought her. "You're right, we've got to take bite out of tyranny! Oh! That reminds me, we should all probably eat some dinner, too..."
Meg addresses her comrades: "Please, friends, let's eat some dinner and stay the night. Kayluss, Kaâb, it's good that you both want to help these people, but it won't do us any good to be caught outside after curfew. Listen to Bazresh and Dalton and Calistan! Mister bartender, we're happy to stay the night, and thanks for having us!"
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BAH! Kayluss angrily dismisses Kaâb's claims, completely forgetting the true topic at hand. True there are fools who worship deities of good in the Hellknights but they are all just pawns to Thrune! The Hellnights only true goal is to put everyone under their thumb! They want to eliminate all freedom so they can control everything and twist the word in to their own version of Hell! Their Slick words and false promises might be enough to fool the week minded but I know the truth! I've seen what the Hellknights are capable of and what they strive for. The last sentence is forces through clenched teeth. The then storms off to the rooms offered by the Barkeep.
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May be you were wronged by some Hellknight my dear Kayluss but I assure you that my friend is no fool. I agree with you that when looking from outside they could seemed infeoded to the devilish House Thrune but my friend tell me that is not the case, in any way for most of the Orders. Now I'm not a Hellknight and I can't speak for them and as it seems that you are not in good terms with them I will stop talking about my Hellknight's friend.
But please do not use your hatred for the Hellknight blind our work here. We need to protect the people here, we must being vigilant to not arouse suspicion from Lady Cinderfury's spies and be able to make as few casualties as we could while helping the citizens of Cristalcrag to take back their freedom.
The company has another round of drinks (and then maybe another) along with some good solid oread food, which is mostly bland but very filling and substantial in its portions.
The next morning you are able to walk through the town to visit Valsog's Smithy and Armory.
Smoke rises from a massive chimney in this open-sided smithy, whose ceiling rises at least twenty feet above the ground at its lowest point. A fenced yard hosts a multitude of swords, shields, breastplates, and helms—some are propped up on stands and others lying incomplete in piles. The cadence of steel on steel rings out from the shop.
The owner of this forge is Valsog, a slag giant who has lived in Crystalcrag for nearly 50 years and become a soft-spoken but reliable pillar of the community. "What do you want?" the 14-foot-tall red-faced giant grumbles as you approach.
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After praying during one hour just before dawn her goddess Kaâb join her comrades.
Hello, Master Smith Valsog, I am Silver Crusader Kaâb Al-Burda, Lance Caporal of the Eagle Knight, follower of the Dawnflower. It's an honor and a pleasure to meet you.
As my comrades said so bluntly, we hope to be able to rescue our friends, unrightfully detained by Lady Cinderfury. In the mean time, we hope to be able to gather people, Oread, Ifrit and giant willing to throw out Lady Cinderfury from her unjust reign.
I, we, hope to be able to take out Lady Cinderfury with as few casualty as possible and we need all the help we can get from the citizens of Cristalcrag.
The slag giant scratches his head and says, "Those are some nice weapons and armor you folks are carrying...."
He spends a minute examining your gear, even holding and weighing in his hands your weapons if you will allow him. He seems to be stalling responding to you. He thinks for a moment and then picks up his hammer and a half-finished sword, speaking over the banging of his hammer as he answers you.
"Tygora capturing me many years ago. My labor may be forced, but I'm treated well. The ifrits are a little too firey and hot for me, begging your pardon Kaâb, but they still give me the supplies I'm needed and the biggest shop I could ask for. And I get along with the oreads all right; level-headed folk they are, and I like that. So I'm not sure what you want me to do. I like my work, even if it does get rushed with the bigger quantities she's been demanding of late. Can't say my last batch was really my best work, but the quota has to be met...."
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Kaâb let Valsog looked at her scimitar proud to show him his goddess' weapon she carried proudly.
Oh! We don't want you to loose your job ! Quite the contrary ! We hope by putting down Lady Cinderfury, Cristalcrag would open to the world and that your beautiful art work will be available not only for Cinderfury's wishes but for the world itself ! Do you imagine your weapon being used by a proud hero of Sarenrae or she looked at Kayluss an Eagle Knight freeing slaves ?
What a reward it will be, isn't it ? As you seemed to be well integrated in Cristralcrag I'm sure its citizen, ifrit or oread will welcome you as one of their own and will let you keep this shop, which by your own labor, your earned.
Stop working for free for Lady Cinderfury, and flew with your own wings, so to speak, and began to work for you and make what you want !
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Bizzle looks at the oracle with a quizzical look, then speaks, I think my friend here would like to know if you happened to see some friends of ours. Did people like us, wearing these, Bizzle points to his Wayfinder, visit you recently? Do you know much about what happened to them? Bizzle then looks at the oracle and shrugs his shoulders as if to say is that what you wanted?
Valsog shakes his head at Bizzle, "I heard there were other travelers like you but they were arrested right away; not many spoke with them before they were locked away."
Valsog nods along with Kaab and responds to her and Baz, "Life's not so bad under Tygora. I'm sure it would be better with the oreads in charge. . . but it's a risk." He pauses from his work and looks at the red-hot sword with a frown on his face. He then glances at some of the other weapons and armor sitting off to the side.
Valsog lets out a sigh. "But then again, I'm embarrassed even to put my mark on these sorry excuses for weaponry and armor. My work is rushed and turns out like s*&$, not that she or her ifrit friends care much. I wish I could get back to the real art of crafting metal."
Valsog is clearly slowly turning things over in his mind and considering the weighty options before him. "Fine, I'll do it. Cinderfury's not getting her quota this week. And these-" he gestures to the pile of weapons and armor, "-these should be destroyed. Bad workmanship, all around!" He puts down his half-finished sword and moves to start breaking his pile of gear....
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"No, I would find no use for this armor, but yes - the oreads might. Kind Valsog, I appreciate your trust in us. We shall ensure that you are allowed to forge true masterpieces and not be forced to create armaments that you feel are less than worthy."
As the giant begins destroying his creations, Dalton tries to intervene, "However, many of the oreads that plan to take on Cinderfury's guard could perhaps use these items - even if they don't seem to hold to your standards."
He then turns to Kayluss and Kaâb. "See, we've managed to make a blow against Cinderfury's forces while not engaging in unnecessary violence. I hope things go as smoothly with the alchemical supplier."
Valsog stops just as he is about to start destroying his inferior works and thinks for a moment longer. He shrugs and says, "If the oreads want this s##&, they're welcome to it I guess."
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The party heads on from the Armory and Smithy, content that you have gotten the slag giant on your side and reinforced the local oreads against their oppressor. The next stop is the Everlasting Fire Alchemy Shop:
This wood-and-stone structure sits on a busy street corner, red and orange paint brightening its exterior. A sign depicting colorful vials and a beaker hangs above the door.
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Kaâb knocked at the shop's door before entering.
With a smile she address to the owner.
Hello, I'm Silver Crusader Kaâb Al-Burda, Lance Caporal of the Eagle Knight and follower of the Dawnflower. It's a pleasure to meet you and if we can speak about what's going on in Cristalcrag it will be my honor as my duty to do it with you.
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Meg happily accompanies her fellow Pathfinders to the alchemist's shop, glad to be in the company of unusually eloquent and diplomatic Pathfinders. As they enter, she nods in agreement with Kaâb.
"Yeah! We were hoping to talk to you about the supplies you're giving to Ms. Cinderfury. We were hoping you could, well, stop doing that!"
Unfortunately, you are not able to speak with the shop owner, a middle-aged oread, just yet. He comes running out of his shop as you approach, followed by three ifrits chasing after him. As the door swings open, you note that the ifrits toss aside empty jugs of oil as they exit the shop.
"Bloody fire-demons! Get out of our city! You think you own this place? You can't do that!" the oread shouts at the ifrits from the sidewalk. Sensing trouble but fearing retribution if they intercede, other oreads avoid the scene.
Sensing you interest in the situation, one of the ifrits eyes your group down and shouts out, "You'd better keep your distance and avoid obstructing the Queen's justice!"
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Kaâb moved between the oread and the three ifrits, open handed and said before Kayluss made thing worse.
Please enforcer of lady Cinderfury laws, stop this nonsense. You are, you, as well as him, citizen of Cristalcrag ! Don't put to fire his shop, it will risk the lives of many and achieved nothing but pain and suffering and I'm sure you don't want that.
As you can see, I am friend with an oread as well as with these non ifrit and even if we don't agree with how thing must be done, we don't use violence to find a solution. I'm sure there is a peaceful way to do your job.
May be lady Cunderfury asked you to do that but please don't let his words blind your mind and your heart. You are all, ifrits ands oread Citizen and Children of Cristalcrag and if you want to see your town prosper and grow you need to put aside your differences and work together as equals !
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You'd do well to listen to her. Kayluss growls as he moves forward, his hand is on his sword but he doesn't draw it.. yet.
There is change coming to this city! raising his voice so that all assembled can hear but he stays looking straight at the Ifrits. Too long have Oreads and Ifrits lived separate lives here. Do you all not deserve the same respect! The same opportunities! Throw off the shackles Cinderfury has placed on you!
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Calistan wordlessly casts Shield Other on two of the rings on his left hand. He slides off one of the rings and passes it to Dalton, indicating that he should put this on his finger.
"This one," one of the ifrits begins, pointing to the oread shop owner, "has been refusing to cooperate with Lady Cinderfury's, which demand that all business owners in Crystalcrag contribute a fraction of their revenues and inventories to help arm her ifrit guard. Thus his shop is compromised and he no longer has the right to sell wares in this city."
"Help arm her guard so brutes like you can keep beating up on us?! I'll not take such injustice any longer!" the shop owner shouts back, getting dirty looks from the ifrits.