I thank Stilgar and Gregor for their help. While the rest of the group gathers information and supplies, I shall pay one last visit to Willem's farmland. "Friends, I know that we have just met, and that this is a time of great uncertainty for you, but I thought you should know that my party intends to get your son back. We have already dealt with four of the Nocturne and two bats. I will not ask you to come with us and risk yourselves, but I think Sunset may be of great help to us and that Willem would be that much the more happy to return riding his prized horse. What say you? "
Diplomacy
It takes Jinjer a few minutes to get her bearings. She asks what happens and listens carefully to whoever explains the past hour to her. She grits her teeth at the knowledge of captives and eagerly sets to get things ready to go after them.
[ooc]Well it will help at least.
Fill Jinjer on the events she missed while off 'whinning'. How manu of the nocturne's posioned darts do we have?
Knowledge Nature.
Before departing, Stilgar would check around the chapel to see if any spare medical supplies are available, in spite of the nocturne attack. Recalling the armaments that they had perused from the nocturne on the hill, Stilgar would attempt to discern the nature of the sealed container, carefully opening one of them.
Brodgar remains stoic as the plans are made and takes some time to assemble his full kit, strapping his shield across his back and donning his helmet.
With time being of the essence, he assists Stilgar in his search before they make ready to depart.
Unfortunately, there is little here in the chapel to be had. One of the healers suggests that he has a spare kit he could sell.
Stilgar takes time to examine one of the sealed containers. It is a ceramic vessel, unglazed and very utilitarian. The lid has been sealed with a heavy coating of wax, making it difficult to remove without carving away the seal with a knife or some other type of instrument.
Jinjer is able to fill the group in on what she knows of the nocturne, or ilthrakti in their own tongue. Degenerate cousins of gnomes, the nocturne are a savage species. They commonly lair in mountain caves, shunning contact with other races except for the bats that share their chosen homes. They use dire bats as mounts and parties of nocturne will go abroad in the night to raid the settlements of other humanoids. They take goods and food in their raids, but also try to make off with one or more residents; the nocturne savor the taste of humanoid flesh. They favor the use of blue whinnis, applied to their weapons, to ease the capture of such prey. They show no mercy or compassion for other races, little enough for even their own kind, and no affection except for their flying mammalian allies, monstrous in temperament as well as appearance. When attacking, they often loose a shrill, ululating warcry that strikes fear into their enemies. They have keen senses of hearing and smell, and see in the dark as well as, or perhaps better than, any dwarf.
Stilgar readily pays whatever amount the healer asks for the kit, knowing that it could prove useful should one of them get injured during their travels. He decides to leave the ceramic container alone for the moment, suspecting what it might contain.
Later, the cleric listens as Jinjer provides information on the nocturne, adjusting his buckler as he does so.
"Aye, a journey through the mountains could prove arduous, yet we must make haste. There is no telling how long their prisoners might have," he would say as he slings his pack over his shoulder, "Worst case scenario, the journey could take more than a day. It's hard to say - they have the advantage with those flying creatures of theirs."
"We have no time to waste," Jinjer says, exhausted from her ordeal and angry at the same time. "I'm ready to leave - just say the word."
Whether or not Annah agrees to loan out Sunset, I shall return to the group with what supplies I have and ride out with them once all of us are ready. Perhaps it is more obvious to some, but I have an uneasiness and impatience about this venture. Once we travel for an hour or so in the direction of the Nocturnes' known departure route from town, I shall bring out the finding sphere.
"We seek a young, redheaded, human boy. Willem, son of Annah, rider of the horse called Sunset, wearer of his mother's knit scarf "
The party prepares to depart. Gaius informs the constable about the missing trio, and is assured that the constabulary will keep an eye out for them.
Stilgar notes that among the items taken off the nocturne, that ten of the twenty darts taken recovered are still freshly poisoned.
Magnus speaks with Willem's parents, and they give over Sunset into his care, hoping to see their son on the mare's back when you return.
Tarrana makes her way outside the village, as the rest of you move onto the green and toward one of the many bonfires lighting the night. As you pass, you toss your mask into the flames, a symbolic act of sacrifice to Baal, asking for protection against those evils that lurk in the darkness.
Then the party rejoins. Magnus activiates the sphere and you watch as the needle floating in the liquid moves of its own volition. It turns to point north by northwest and pauses.
"Handy little device. Tarrana noted her humor and oddness returning now that she's away from the potential dangers in the town. "I don't suppose it can show us the way to more peaceful and prosperous times?"
" It just may be doing that very thing now, but one ambition at a time, my ally. Stilgar, is there anything from the loot of the Nocturne that I may benefit from? I've only 5 bolts left in my quiver." This spoken, as Magnus pushes Sunset in the direction of the arrow. She should still be loose from the run earlier this day and a decent lope or canter will be well received by the creature.
"No spare bolts, I'm afraid," Stilgar would say, mounted on one of the light horses that had been lent to them, "However, they were carrying several darts, some of which are coated with blue whinnis. They were also carrying two sealed vessels which I have not yet opened, though I suspect they may hold more doses of the poison."
"Yes I have the darts here. Let us be off!"
ten of the twenty darts taken recovered are still freshly poisoned.
ten of the twenty darts taken recovered are still freshly poisoned.
"These should help, watch out the tips are poisoned."
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Duly noted. I'll be sure to use them carefully. It's non-lethal poison, I now know. That makes me feel a bit better.
Duly noted. I'll be sure to use them carefully. It's non-lethal poison, I now know. That makes me feel a bit better.
"Does it? That merely means that they face a fate worse than a merciful death."
"I refer to the Nocturne. When I fell them with their own poison, they shall be spared suffering. As for the Nocturne's captives, they shall be spared by our actions, or I will swear it my duty to make it right. "
"I refer to the Nocturne. When I fell them with their own poison, they shall be spared suffering. As for the Nocturne's captives, they shall be spared by our actions, or I will swear it my duty to make it right. "
"You mean for them to live?" Tarrana said quizzically. "When the townsfolk bay for their blood and the blood of children may be on their hands?"
Magnus looks sternly at her as they ride, then back on to the horizon. "They are no more responsible for who they are than are you, horned woman. If I destroy them for their nature, I am no better than those who would judge you so quickly. The mission tonight is to return the captives home safely, not to execute Baal's justice. I was always of the belief that Baal needs no aid in delivering his message and that those who presume to speak for Baal are a bit high in the saddle. " Raising his voice so all may hear. " Present company included. We do not presume Baal's judgements, we allow him to reveal them to us. "
The temperature around Tarrana rises significantly as small pebbles roll and dance away from her. "Do not presume my nature little one. I speak of deeds witnessed and done, of men killed and injury taken, of children maimed and fates worse than death that wait for them in darkness. Do not think those creatures will spare you because of your mercy. And do not deceive yourself in thinking Baal will care when your mercy sees more innocents hurt while you wait for his judgment. We must make our own good happen in this world because he saw fit to imprison us in it. That, at least they have right.
If necessity requires all of them to die so that no more children may fear being taken in the night during a time of joy. Then they will burn."
Tarrana says these last two sentences with a terrible passion and clarity that up until now has been relatively reserved.
Stilgar rode silently as his two allies had their heated discussion, reminded of his own debates with the arrogant zealots that he once served alongside. They were not nearly as open-minded as Magnus or Tarrana.
The dwarf's mind then wandered to the events they had experienced that day - the vision, the attack, it had all come so suddenly. It was then that a sinking feeling manifest within him, as he recollected something he had previously overlooked.
"The nocturne..." he said in a stern murmur, his gaze not shifting from ahead, "They attacked the village this same day, during the festival, five years ago..."
It was only then that the cleric of Baal considered the idea that this could be the very mission he had assembled the group for after all.
The temperature around Tarrana rises significantly as small pebbles roll and dance away from her. "Do not presume my nature little one. I speak of deeds witnessed and done, of men killed and injury taken, of children maimed and fates worse than death that wait for them in darkness. Do not think those creatures will spare you because of your mercy. And do not deceive yourself in thinking Baal will care when your mercy sees more innocents hurt while you wait for his judgment. We must make our own good happen in this world because he saw fit to imprison us in it. That, at least they have right.
If necessity requires all of them to die so that no more children may fear being taken in the night during a time of joy. Then they will burn."
Tarrana says these last two sentences with a terrible passion and clarity that up until now has been relatively reserved.
Jinjer watches and listens and once Tarrana is finished, she says, "Tarrana is right - when the world you live in has gone to sh!t, then you do what you can to clean it up! Those sick, twisted bastards will get no mercy from me either. If you wish to hold their hands, Magnus, while I slit their throats, so be it. Just don't get in my way."
Jinjer gives Tarrana a brief nod of understanding and then returns to the trail ahead.
Brodgar listens to the conversation, his horse bringing up the back of the group. "Indeed. I presume nothing of Baal's judgment; I see a direct attack on our people, and I intend to see it does not happen again. Most likely, that will be a call for their blood."
He heaves a sigh and turns to Stilgar. "Unsurprising that history would repeat itself. It seems a fine time to attack. What happened in the raid five years ago? Perhaps a victory then emboldened them this night."
With a reluctant sigh, Magnus concedes victory in this debate. "Indeed it would seem that the choice has been made for us. However, I will not enjoy this bloodshed." With that, Magnus spurs Sunset and rides up ahead of the group, to think and try to understand. He speaks to Tuboo now, who is riding in his pack. " They seem all too quick to damn others, but I have to believe that all minds can change. It seems that death will be the means to our goal and I realize there are precious few options. Still...I would respect the value of the life I am taking more highly. A racially motivated slaughter is no way to start a journey where we seek to free a race. Perhaps the irony is lost on them. "
The party heads out into the night, riding towards the unseen destination the sphere has set out for them. The night has been clear and cold, but the rising wind has started to bring in clouds, which shroud the stars and moonlight from above. You pull your cloaks about you against the chill and forge on.
Soon, you find yourselves near the site of your recent battle. Stilgar realizes that though he mentioned the captured nocturne here to Speaker Chandler, there was no sign that anyone has yet been dispatched here to investigate. Your prisoners may still be here.
Brodgar listens to the conversation, his horse bringing up the back of the group. "Indeed. I presume nothing of Baal's judgment; I see a direct attack on our people, and I intend to see it does not happen again. Most likely, that will be a call for their blood."
He heaves a sigh and turns to Stilgar. "Unsurprising that history would repeat itself. It seems a fine time to attack. What happened in the raid five years ago? Perhaps a victory then emboldened them this night."
Gaius catches up with the others, his horse restive in his inexpert hands.
"Best to leave the big questions to the thunder. We ride out the storm as we may. We ride to save what we can, if there is a slaughter let it come later.
Yes stilgar what did happen those five short years ago?
Giaus is tall enough for a horse. His poor rideing ability will probably put him towards the rear of the group.
Tuboo listens to Magnus' rant, and with his weasel intellect, he is able to understand something that Magnus himself has ignored. "We do not kill the Nocturne because they are Nocturne, we kill them because they kill us, because they hurt friends. Not the same as humans and fire-lady. They are nice. yes. Nocturne not nice. " Magnus stews on this for a few moments, then returns to Tarrana and the group. "I am sorry for what I said. I should not have compared you to those creatures. We attack them because of their actions, not because of their race. I was perhaps over sensitive to the degrading terms you called them. I was reminded of similar words spoken about humans earlier this day. "
"Apology accepted." Tarrana said. She looked as if she may say something further but gets a distant look in her eyes adn stares off into the distance for quite sometime.
Jinjer will ride a mule and lead the way if she can. She will approach the top of the hill slowly, shortsword in hand. If the nocturne prisoners are still there, she will approach cautiously and then swiftly kill one of them, but slicing its throat.
As it bleeds out, she puts her sword to the other nocturne's neck and says, "The other nocturnes - where would they take the villagers?"
Jinjer leads the party back up the hill. One of them is still unconscious. The other two are awake and lying near one another, attempting to undo each others' bonds. Jinjer strides quickly over, ending one of them with a quick motion of her blade followed by a gush of red. Then she asks her question.
The nocturne bears its teeth at her; they have been filed into sharp points. Then it gives her a hissing reply.
The nocturne gives a strange, hissing laugh, this time baring its teeth in a wicked grin.
The nocturne bears its teeth at her; they have been filed into sharp points. Then it gives her a hissing reply.
** spoiler omitted **
The nocturne gives a strange, hissing laugh, this time baring its teeth in a wicked grin.
Jinjer returns the grin and replies in Gnome and then she grits her teeth and drives her knife under its chin, through the roof of its mouth, and into its brain.
Jinjer's Reply in GnomeShe then kicks the unconscious one, or dumps water on it, until it wakes up. When it does, she holds the dripping blade over its face as she says...
For those who speak Gnome
Magnus cautiously watches these events from a distance. Well aware of what is being said, he looks around again for the bats, thinking that Jinjer would be more able to lead the beasts into the sky, perhaps this would save us enough time to save a life. He listens and watches her actions with an unusual fascination, trying to understand the way she can so easily decide right and wrong. He snaps back to attention when he notices the bats..:
Stilgar grimaces at the brutality Jinjer displays towards the nocturne, but chooses not to intervene. If he had, it would have been Baal's judgment that he was carrying out - no, it would have been naught but his own. And so he watches from afar, watches as the creature suffers Jinjer's judgment. Their tongue was foreign to him anyhow - he had never quite brushed up on his gnomish.
"Such a thing is in her power?" Stilgar said, glancing at the gnome as she dealt with the nocturne. He, admittedly, was not very familiar with his allies' abilities, Brodgar and Magnus being the only exceptions. It was a folly necessitated by urgency and haste. His tone was obviously skeptical, but unlike last time, it held a distinct air of consideration about it.
Brodgar watches silently, surprised at the gnome's brutality. Frustrated at the exchange being in a language he doesn't understand, he holds his tongue until her interrogation is finished.
Tarrana says nothing noting to herself that the nocturnes were lucky to be allowed to live this long as it is.
Awakened and threatened, the nocturne reacts by spitting on Jinjer, then replying:
Those who speak Gnome:
Once Jinjer replies to the nocturne, she slits its throat too and wipes her knife on its filthy clothing before turning to her companions. "We're not going to be able to reach the villagers in time. But...we can avenge their deaths. Let's move out."
"so this is the way the wind blows..." he says under his breath.
Gaius looks at jinger like the gnome is something foul he just stepped in.
If you are quite finished bravely murdering your defenseless relatives, I believe we have a job to do."
Gaius spurs his horse forward taking care to stay away from Jinger.
Jinjer doesn't look at the half-elf or even give him a reply. Instead she gives Tarrana a nod and then looks at Magnus. "Any luck with aerial transportation?"[/b]
Tarrana shrugs. "It makes little difference. They are trapped on this world anyway and they likely have many tormented souls trapped with them. Besides, the villagers would have done much worse to them than a clean death were they discovered. Perhaps they would have called Baal's fire hmm?"
Tarrana's ears perk up and she listens. "Ah, can you hear it? The screams of them now? It seems the woman who was executed here was quite lonely. Let's go. It unnerves me."
Responding to Jinjer, Magnus forwards the question to the healer. "What do you think? Seems that Jinjer is willing to try it if you are, Stilgar."
Before any action is taken to awaken the bat, I will move the dead Nocturne out of the view and smear some of its blood on myself as a war-paint to cover my own scent, gesturing to Jinjer and the others that this may help to keep the beast calm. As I do this, I expect there will be a number of odd looks. "I am doing everything in my power to protect lives. These Nocturne are already lost. If the only good they ever did in this world was to provide us with this transport, then so be it. Now let's give Jinjer a chance to persuade the beast." With that Magnus steps back behind the bat and out of view. crossbow drawn in case the bat must be permanently put out.