Where do you go?
Someone mentioned decapitating bodies, does anyone actually do so?
Companions I believe we may have a new option, the Preservers ignored are entreaties at the shop but the mage we saw was most certainly a defiler. We should visit our friend and tell her what has occurred, if the Preservers can be brought to believe that our foe employs defilers they may become far more cooperative. They might also provide us with shelter where no assassin dare go...
|
Is there anything special in the rooms besides the bodies? Some clues perhaps?
Hamailii looks at Rennoc:
You only think of killing or more of that twisted magic! That defiler thing might be something though. I guess i could scout out those places on the map, or at least around them. Should we remove those corpses here perhaps? I do agree on the quick and inconspicious leaving! I wonder nobody came looking what went on here already.
Taking whatever weapon/tool is available Rennoc begins the removal of the heads. He is careful to sever the heads from the necks at the lowest possible point.
Elf I will note two things, first that to kill a defiler is not in any way a crime: It is an act of self-defense. Second my magic is no more twisted then a Preserver's, have you ever once witnessed the local plant life wither when I cast a spell?
As for the bodies no need, all we need to do is take the heads. Remove the heads and they will not be able to use the spell that interrogates the dead, that particular spell requires an intact skull. I know where the spell can be found, it will be a question of getting the elemental priests to assist us...
A search of the building yields little other than various kinds of ash and the remains of a dive bar.
Rennoc collects four heads in short order with the use of the longblade. When he severs Yaris's, there is considerably more blood than the others. In retrospect, she may have still been alive when he did so.
It is common knowledge that the elemental priests of Tyr will perform miracles if the standard donations are made. Paraelemental priests exist on the fringes of society, but are more rare.
You return to the Sandstone Inn and say the pass phrase. You wait about an hour before Talara sneaks into the establishment from the back door. She sits down across from you and says. ”I have news, but let’s hear your report first. What did you find in House Troika?”
We didn't get to search the complex, we did however run into some of their assassins. Three of them are now dead and one escaped with the aid of a powerful defiler, even in death however our foes will yield answers...
Rennoc calmly takes out his sack and discreetly shows Talara the "collection" and then closes the bag up.
Give us your information and then we need to discuss any favors you are owed bye elemental priests or information you have on them.
Talara mulls over what you tell her. ”Just before I got here, I received word that my cousin had left the city in a hurry. Apparently he thinks that those.” she gestures to the heads, ”are enough to expose him. I’ll call an emergency meeting of the council. Timor and Sadira hold no love for him and have been looking for a public justification. It will be a hard sell with only the heads as evidence, people may think the priests have an agenda in this matter. But still, I may be able to finagle something.”
knowledge (religion)
The priests of water would be the most well liked for obvious reasons.
The priests of rain and water would be our best choice to please the masses, the maps we recovered from the assassins can be used to provide even more evidence to confirm our story...
|
|
We found this two maps on them, each one marking a different location. Do you by any chance know what is at that locations? I´m afraid he tricked or lured my tribe into something there. Could be a full scale attack or just a quick and silent job, who knows. It would be best if we or you could offer them a better deal!
Dai watches her employer very carefully.
"This... this is my estate." says Talara as she looks over the maps. "I owe you my life it seems. The other one I do not know for certain, but if I would hazard a guess, the residence of a templar or city guard official." Hope fills the Vordon scion's eyes. "This should be enough. No, this will be enough for his arrest! I know a psion skilled in psychometry that can use the maps to corroborate what the priests will glean from the heads."
“If you could do me one last favor and bring Thaxos Vordon back alive. He will be convicted in the Courts and exposed for the people to see his true motives for offering his aid. The tyrant Thaxos will be revealed, and the people will hate him for it. He must not be allowed to escape. A man with his resources could retaliate in the future. Bring him back alive. He is less worth to us dead. Once I have convinced the council, I will have them muster the city guard to track him down as well, but I fear they will be too late. I will handle the politics here."
Talara appears to be entirely on the level with you.
Bringing him back alive will be problematic, but I can assure you that if nothing else he will die... As it so happens however I do have a "contact" within the elven tribe called the Breezechasers, if they are in the area their support may be leveraged in the hunt for your cousin... Do you have any information concerning the Breezechasers or know anyone who would have said information?
"I am afraid I do not know anything of this elf tribe." she replies. "Still, if at all possible bring him back. Only he needs to be breathing to stand trial. His subordinates can be put to the sword."
Does your cousin have any particular skills such as say psionics? Also where would your cousin go? Lastly do you know any reputable trackers and guides for the sands? With the help of such a person we might traverse the sands quicker in our pursuit of Thaxos.
"My cousin an utterly ruthless man, but he likes to keep his hands clean of direct conflict. He is nearly seventy-five years old now. I would be more concerned with his entourage. However, he is quite manipulative, so do not trust anything he tells you. If he does have any special powers, he has kept them well hidden, even from me. You should make haste, the longer you wait, the more of a lead they will take."
As Rahger listens to Talara explain the situation, he speaks aloud his assurance of not being persuaded by Thaxos: "Rahger not be tricked by this man's lies. Rahger bring him breathing. Broken but breathing."
The burns on his body flare up briefly. Rahger ponder but can't really put it into the right words with his limited Common, so he whispers to Daishata.
"If bringing him in alive is what is needed, then we shall do our best to do that. Would you have any healing for us? We all took a beating bringing these assassins down."
Dai listens to Rahger and nods, and nods again when Chumani speaks.
"Your words are true Talara. We have saved your life. We will do this final thing for you - but first do this for us. Outfit us, provide us with all you can that we need - healing, weapons, resources. Have we not proved diligent, trustworthy and willing to put body and soul at great risk to do your bidding? More, Nadar's encampment and the drug den affray prove the danger we face - throw your last dice with the odds in our favour!" Dai settles with a last point.
"When Thaxos is incarcerated - you - stand to gain all. If we fail, he is likely to strike to end you again, and you will scrabble to find mercenaries of our calibre, or loyalty. We have trusted you - I, who trust so very few, trust you. Reward us in kind so that we may prove victorious!"
”Would that I could. While taking control of the house is second on my agenda after arranging an arrest warrant upon my cousin, I fear it will be too late when I regain access to my assets. This, “ she scrapes the bottom of her pockets producing a few more silvers and a gold coin, ”is all I have left in the world until I can settle things and take control of the house. If they will mean the difference between victory and defeat, then I throw them in the ring. I still have contacts in the markets who will provide potion fruits and other enchanted tools, but they will still need to be paid.”
”Good luck, friends. Both I and the city will reward you upon your return.”
You saddle up and charge out into the desert after Thaxos Vordon and his remaining retainers. Their trail is easy to follow and it isn’t long before you come across a more concrete mark of their passing. Aside the trail is the carcass of a dune reaper, a covering of desert dwelling bugs and a lone kes’tre’kel pick at the corpse. You shoo away the bird for a closer look. The thing was slain recently, by edged weapons of some sort.
Rahger takes a closer look around the carcass. "This blood not reaper blood. They have wounded."
We should take this opportunity to rest, if they have injured that means they have been slowed down. Also we must assume that Thaxos has brought his pet defiler with him at the minimum, I will need all my magic to slay such an enemy. I would not fret concerning the ground he might cover, these wastes favor the pursuer far more then the hunted. Simply commandeer the highest sand dune and you can see for miles upon miles...
|
|
Fine. Let´s rest. Hunting in the wastes is not that easy and on the highest sand dune, you´re most likely the one to be spotted. By the suppossedly hunted and who know´s what else. Reckon we will catch up soon enough though. You can´t watch them by magic, can you, Rennoc?
Hamailii would also fill all empty waterskins in the loot.
One can´t have enough water travelling through the desert.