Marantis shakes his head a bit, concerned and confused, "Something's not right. The trees are right. The correct age for our time, but that mountain hasn't been there for ages. This is just...wrong."
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If it's a forest that's familiar to him at the age he is, they would be a certain size, trying to determine if the trees are as old as they should be.
That mountain range... Marantis quirks his head, and looks at it curiously. There hasn't been anything there since the Age of Might. Marantis starts to look at some of their surroundings, trees, plants, to see if he can get a sense of the age of them.
"It's not Wayreth, or anywhere else that I'm familiar with. The moons are wrong. He points out the mountain range, "And that mountain range shouldn't be there.
Marantis comes out of his reverie and looks about at the odd surroundings trying to get a grasp on where they are.
Marantis comes back to the group and nods to Jakun, "As you say. We should set a watch though, and be wary of that return. I'll take the first watch"
Marantis looks around again to see if he can find some tracks further out, to make sure the Draconians have fled.
Marantis will continue to track the draconians until the trail goes cold. Unless they walked through the burning buildings, they'll still have left tracks.
Marantis moves towards the huts, following the trail, bow at the ready.
Marantis follows the tracks, keeping an eye out for any traps along the way.
Marantis moves to where the last draconian vanished and starts to track it.
Still recovering from being sick, but trying to keep up :D
Round 3 init 24 Marantis gains distance from the fight again and lets loose another pair of arrows. Only one draconian still up, I think?[/ooc]
round 4 init 24
Marantis will try to maintain some distance from the fight, and continue to pepper the Draconian that RedHorn charged.
Sorry if I'm spotty over the next few days. I was treated for chest pains, which thankfully turned out not to be any kind of heart attack, but still recovering, and just plain exhausted.
Quick suggestion on initiative. I've used this on my games and have seen many other GMs use it for PbP games. When initiative is needed, it helps if the GM just rolls it, that way we're not waiting to see who goes first in the init order etc. The order would be up, everyone can post, and then Shalafi just puts things in order.
Round 1 Init 24 Marantis turns and fires two arrows at the draconian in rapid succession. T
Marantis settles, watching the figure and dragon.
Once they get past the pit traps, Marantis will hide himself in the shadows, and approach the camp.
Marantis remains hidden where he is or close to it, nocking an arrow, and waiting to see if anyone comes to investigate.
Marantis inspects the depressions more closely trying to get a better idea of what could have made them. He will then make his way back to the group and relay that information. "Hmm...could be that the construct made those depressions near the hut.
Marantis will take the opportunity, and the help of the rain for cover to scout ahead, and see what he can from the huts.
"What do we know about New Sea?"
I'll have the levelling done today. KN Geography +1 2 total +5 to roll
feat Rapid shot
Refuge might be a place to start. If it lives up to its name, it sounds like it would be a spot for the.... opportunist. Qualinesti would most likely not be to our advantage. I doubt I would even be looked on positively at this point, and our Minotaur friends would find it extremely difficult." Marantis looks down on the black robed wizard, barely hiding his contempt, "And you would not be allowed entry, I am sure. He shakes his head a bit, "I do not know much about New Sea."
"Palanthas makes the most sense. It's a larger city, and the Knights would need more information, and allies in the city to do what they need to do.
Marantis sighs at Aminah. "You clearly were not listening. Sara told us that they were brainwashed, but NOT BY MAGIC. These Knights see what they are doing as the right thing to do. They have not been coerced by magic, have not had their desires supplanted by magical suggestion, have not had their mores twisted by some arcane ritual. They are taught, of their own free will, that what Ariakin and therefore his Queen wants is for the good of all of Ansalon. Bring them to a wizard to "untwist" whatever you want, there is nothing magically twisted for them to untwist. Going after Ariakin himself is plainly a suicide task, but feel free to undertake it if you wish. The ranks of Paladine will mourn for your passing. Now, I will spell this out slowly, and carefully once again, so you can understand it. It seems Quentus knows what I mean, already. If an army is going to make war, they gather information first, if they are smart. Since we already said Ariakin is smart, we can naturally make the deduction that he will be gathering information. The information on how best to take the cities are going to come from people inside thse cities. To get those people to talk, you have to promise them something they want. He stops to see that what he's saying is being followed, and ticks off on each slender finger his next points, "Money, power, or station are the three obvious choices. If we find someone that is giving information back to these Knights, we can follow it back to where the Knights, or the Knights' agents are, and gather more information from them about how large an army they have, where they have that army, who the commanders are. Also, any person that is convinced to betray the city they live in is going to be much more easy to coax information out of than a zealous Knight, that believes wholeheartedly that what they are doing is the right thing."
Marantis shakes his head a bit, wondering if any of them even listened to what he and Sara said. "Capture a Knight, and do what exactly? Did you not just listen to what Sara said? They have committed to the Dark Queen, mind, soul, and body. Unless you know some magics that can turn that around, we are not likely to find out anything from them. But, every army needs information, and that information is likely going to come from greased palms, or from common people that think they will gain from the coming invasion. Or from some noble that seeks to gain power. THAT's who we need to find, and put pressure on. Quentus, I would imagine you have contacts or ways of gathering information from the street? Find out, if you can, about any kind of shady deals that are going on involving people outside the cities. Find out if anyone has been interested in smuggling themselves into the city. Following Sara is probably not going to work well. We are not exactly an unnoticeable group. Three Minotaurs travelling together is noteworthy. Three Minotaurs travelling with an Silvanesti, and a cleric of Paladine? Just about unmistakable. Mittens, Red Horn, I assure you that the time for you to put horn and blade to use will come, but now, we need information."
Marantis frowns for a moment at Jakun's jest, before he realizes it is one, and then smiles, "I am rather fond of my ears, so I'd either have to pass as a full blood elf, or that option wouldn't work well. It would be the same if someone told you to file your horns and shave yourself to pass for an ape." Marantis grins, throwing the jape back at Jakun. "We already know from what Sara told us that these Knights are dedicated to their cause, so capture and coercing information is probably not going to be much of an option. Ariakan was a captive of the Solamnics for a great deal of time, and nobody foresaw him doing this. To expect less of his recruiters is foolish. Joining the rank and file is a long cast approach, and it would take years most likely to be trusted with any other information than being told where and when to fight, and die. Sara already said they recruit from the elves, so we could go that route, but most likely would not find out any information. Not only that, Sara just finished telling us that the clerics and mages can read the thoughts of recruits. I doubt we could all keep our thoughts shielded for the whole of it. Our best course of action lays in figuring out what their goal is going to be, how they can best achieve it, and stopping some small part of it that we can expose to the Solamnics and the people. It seems to me that the natural course of action for them to take would be to see their queen restored."
Marantis looks confused for a moment during the telling. "I thought you said that Steel was your son. Now you're saying that he is Kitiara's son?"
Marantis looks at Aminah, and then just shakes his head, looking back to Caramon and Tika, "Perhaps you have somewhere a bit less public we can go, so our friend doesn't blurt out any more things that were better left in private?"
"Vallenwood trees. Solace is the only place that can claim to hold many, so I would say this is indeed the place." Marantis will head for the Inn of the Last Home, since Caramon Majere is said to own it. Seems like a logical place to start. He sees Mittens simply stepping up to people, and shakes his head with a smile. "Mittens, come with me. Let's start our search at the Inn. I am sure they're used to seeing all sorts of folk there, so an elf and a Minotaur or three won't be too unusual. And barkeeps usually have a lot of information. Should that not sway you, I'll buy the first round of drinks. He claps the minotaur good naturedly on the shoulder, trying to steer him away from any townsfolk that appear like they may be frightened of the huge Minotaur.
Marantis chuckles a bit at Red Horn, "Simple, and direct. I think we will work well together, if you give me time to scout ahead. As one of the Kirath, my skills lend most to that. He grins at Red Horn, "But I promise to let you know which one to charge. You'll know by the arrow sticking out of him."
Marantis shakes his head at Jakun's statement, not quite repressing a smile, "Fair enough, but you'll forgive if I don't cut off my own nose?
Marantis rocks a bit, stunned by the news. "That...that can't be right, they would not be dark elves, it makes no sense..." Marantis shoots a glare at Jakun's statement. "Careful the generalities you throw. They are not always accurate. I could just as easily say that all Minotaur always charge ahead without thought, and would that be accurate?"
"How are we to communicate back to you anything we find?
Almost forgot this
Marantis ponders this all for a moment, and turns to Crysania. "Matters of the arcane are not my concern, nor my interest. I will return with you, Red Horn and Quentus" BEGS has not created a profile. |