Dahn:
"No, none of us have been in contact with Goran recently. He has been...occupied. With what, I do not know. He is usually more regular in his communication.
I will leave you to your duties, then. We are engaged in a hunt, and must depart shortly. Though Zillia is rooted to the spot, I'm sure her assistant will speak with you shortly."
I nod at his words. "Take care in your hunt today, then. Perhaps we may be hunting partners in the future, if we are stronger than our prey today."
"Yes yes, what is it now? Zillia i--", though his face breaks into a huge smile as soon as he sees Starlan, switching to Sylvan; "Friend! Play Friend Again!"
"Ahh... Hello, my friend! I see Zillia has taught you human-speak, useful to know in this sky-city. It is an important day, I think you understand, so I am too busy to play today... But later, we can do the loop-de-loop like before... Can I meet with Zillia?"
Irirangi
Shake and Switch both look at each other, wide eyed. "Oooh. You're good! I like that. We can totally work with it." Switch finally exclaims. With a few quick gestures, the ostentatious design is back, only looking a little worse for the wear. With some of the silk brocades ripped, and a few with new and mysterious scorch marks, the battered coach looks all the more authentically besieged.
"Ok Shake, part one is done. How about you swing on around the manor. I'll make some scary guys for the bandits, they'll hop on, bash the thing up, and you'll make a good landing, right in front of the joint. What do you think? Half-Orcs? It's been done, I know. Evil automatons? Boring. What....about...Gorillas? Bandit apes?" Switch appears to be turning endless gears in his head. He tosses Iri a glance and adds "And if you want to get rid of that trane, do it now. Rip it up!"
Irirangi
Shake nods and makes a sharp jerk toward Vraxeris Manor. He dips low just as a a number of figures hop onto the coach. A dirty half-orc with large tusks lands on the front of the coach, and begins pounding away with a large club at the thing. On top of the vehicle, a large ape begins heaving on the roof, trying in vain to rend the thing apart. A third combatant rolls onto the back of the coach. A towering creature built of metal, it's arms are made of spinning blades. It brings them to bear on the already damaged structure of the coach, spitting large sparks in every direction.
Shake coaxes the vehicle into an upward motion, causing the creatures to hold on to their quarry. Executing a perfect barrel-roll spin, he emerges at the sky landing to Vraxeris Manor. A number of other coaches are beginning to unload, so a suitable crowd is bearing witness to the event.
With a loud scrape, Shake manages to land the rocketing vehicle mere feet away from the door. A loud crunching sound as the metal screeches across the landing insures that even those inside the manor are present to the sound. Screams of terrified guests echo this effect as the three combatants jump off of the landed vehicle, and grunt at those inside the coach.
Shake and Switch both jump out of the coach to protect Irirangi.
A solid backhand blow from the Ape's massive paw, to Switch's tiny jaw knocks him down and out of the fight. Shake suffers a cut to his leg, causing him to run around to the other side of the vehicle, to hide.
Vraxeris Manor
A low grinding sound, followed by intense screeching is heard coming from outside of the Manor. A number of already arrived guests and servants rush out to see what the commotion is.
"They look like they're playing for keeps. Hit them hard, kid!"
Starlan
"Wait...you speak human words too? I learned how to speak like this...a long time ago. I barely remember. Why didn't you say so earlier!" Wing visibly cheers up at finally being able to communicate with you. "Well, I'm wing! I'm a protector! That's what I do! I protect things! Right now, I'm protecting Zillia. She's very nice. And pretty! What are you doing? You are...Star...Man...right? Zillia told me your name. What does it mean? Isn't what you call a star...those things way way way up there? Is that why you fly on the big animal?"
Wing has all the fervour of a small child who's been fed too much sugar.
Iri arriving at Vraxeris Manor
As the coach crashes around the corner, Iri grabs her hated train and yanks hard. The material screeches in protest and comes away in her hand, leaving her wearing a knee-length gown and clutching yards of green silk.
As the fight breaks out, she musters all the power of personality at her disposal and screams at the intruders
"One step nearer and I'll melt you."
She hurls the silky fabric full into the faces of the attackers, hoping to blind them and extends both hands preparing to blast acid at them. With her hair collapsing and her eyes flashing defiance, she's a surprisingly frightening figure.
"Sillas? I think things are just a bit out of control by your front door. The war-forged butler you mentioned might be really handy right now."
"How so? We heard a noise in here; what's going on out there?"
Vraxeris Manor
"I was trying to arrive in style. It worked a bit too well."
Vraxeris Manor + Irirangi
The Half-Orc reels as the silk flutters before his eyes. It occupies him for a time, but he manages to eventually bat it away and break free of it.
The Ape is undeterred by Irirangi's threat, and it lunges toward her viciously.
The automaton however runs toward the growing crowd, it's grinnding and spinning blade-arms are enough to cause the people outside to flee, colliding with those who are trying to get outside for a better view.
"Waken, lords and ladies gay,
By the manor dawns the day:
All the jolly chase is here
With ape and orc and spinning gear;
Merrily, merrily mingle they ..."
A parody to be sure Green-eyes, but so is this. Are you sure this is what you wanted to happen?"
"GIRLFRIEND! What in Khyber was in that stuff? Did you take stupid pills. Knock that moron out before you get hurt. Situation!"
"Oh no ..."
Irirangi/Vraxeris Manor
Trying very hard not to panic, and no longer sure what's real and what isn't, Iri ducks and runs behind the coach to find Switch.
"Stop being so good at this. Send them away. People are getting hurt. Do you understand me?"
She grabs his head and forces him to look at her, trying to break his concentration.
"Look at me Switch! This isn't good at all."
Irirangi/Vraxeris Manor
"Uhh...What do you want me to do? You were supposed to intimidate them, or blast them, or something! I was trying to make you a hero. Won't people be freaked out more if they just...disappear? I can make them leave the others along, but for the rest...you figure it out...here they come!"
Before Switch can finish his speech, the trio are on Irirangi again. Bellowing and stomping, they make a fearsome sight. They continue to be calling her on.
"Now's your chance! Everyone's watching", Switch whispers quietly.
Irirangi/Vraxeris Manor
"OK. I know. I'm just panicking. I'm really good at that."
Iri takes a deep breath and turns to confront the pursuers.
Got to be careful with this one, don't want to take down any random party-goers...
Iri breaks open the small capsule she always wears around her neck to hold her favoured blue sand, picks her spot and lets her fingers ripple in front of her. Half-turning her head to Switch she hisses
"Duck. It's a colour spray and it can be a bit wild ..."
Shades of blue arc from her fingers, dazzling the intruders with an astonishing light show, dazzling, dazing and causing them to grab at butterflies, birds and flowers as illusory as themselves.
Irirangi/Vraxeris Manor
The colour spray is well aimed; only a couple of innocent partygoers are hit by the blast. They promptly slump to the ground, unconscious; their minds and senses overwhelmed.
It has quite an effect on the bandits, however. Stunned by the blast, the Half-Orc staggers a little too closely to the edge of the floating manor. Rapt in the movements and fluttering of the colourful display, the ape bounds off. Chasing a particularly elusive spark, he is unaware of the imminent crashing into the other bandit. They collide and launch off of the Skyway platform, hurtling down into nothingness.
Undeterred, the automaton begins to run circles around Iri. Spinning and spinning, it raises it's blades. In concert, they spin as well. It looks poised for an attack, when a loud metallic roar is heard behind her...
Irirangi/Vraxeris Manor
"Not on my watch!" the warforged shouts. Tam, the warforged butler dashes and places himself in front of Iri. He raises his two large arms and defiantly slams them together. "Come any closer, and I'll disable you for good."
House Lyrandar
Ellirayne's investigation of the house yields an eerie feeling. With most of the staff having fled by now, the House is quiet, empty, and still.
The servant's quarters, the kitchen, the library, the meeting room, and the banquet hall are all barren. Each room looks as if it's inhabitants all fled in the middle of what they were doing.
Disheartened and carrying a pitcher of water, Ellirayne begins to return to her brother, when she hears a gentle sobbing and some low voices coming from the entrance to the manor.
Peering around the corner she sees 7 members of the Watch, clad in their officious uniforms. A tall, grim, dark-haired man stands, listening to one of the servants, sobbing and telling her tale. Behind him is an auburn-haired half-elf, dutifully taking down notes of everything the woman is saying. Five other guards stand near the entrance, talking among themselves.
In between her sobbing, Ellirayne can make out a little of what she is saying; "...but then they showed up....and...and...I think they stopped him...I think....or maybe he killed them....I don't know....they're up there right now...up those stairs..."
House Lyrandar
"Ok, we'll take it from here. Please, stay with some family, if you can. A Watch skycoach will take you wherever you need to go.", the man says, his grim demeanour only slightly cracking in an attempt at compassion. He turns and speaks to his companion, in a whispered voice.
The fair-haired half-elf nods in agreement, and they all head toward the grand staircase.
"Are you ready? It sounds like we may encounter some resistance. I want you to be on your toes. Disrupt him if he proves dangerous. The twins could be dead."
House Lyrandar:
"Is this who you meant Sillas? Glad to see him!"
Irirangi/Vraxeris Manor
Glancing gratefully at her new Warforged ally, Irirangi ducks towards Shift again.
"Careful here, if I cool him down, can you push him backwards?" she whispers under the cover of her move.
Spinning to face the foe, she draws herself upright.
"Right. I've had enough. You're going over."
Pushing her hair out of her eyes with one hand, her fingers waggle impressively with the other and she releases a jet of cold at the automaton, aiming for the chest.
"Yes. That'd be Tam."
Vraxeris Manor and Irirangi
Dahn:
"Ahh, yes Wing, I DO fly around alot with this animal. And you can call me Star-LAN. I don't know what it means, it's just supposed to sound nice, I think.
I also work with Zillia, which is why I need to speak with her now."
I'll head into the house calling out "Zillia!? It's Starlan! Can I speak with you?"
House Lyrandar
Having been speaking quietly to his father Deerian looked up and nodded at his sister's words. "I'd hoped that we'd be able to go to them... You're right we'd best get as cleaned up as we can. The most important thing is to make clear this tragic event was a mystic compulsion."
Activating the magic of the ring once more the young man turned to his father. "We'll make sure that the truth is know father.."
Starlan
"No, no, no. You can't talk with her right now. She's busy. I'm supposed to be protecting her. She's...medi....meditraining. Yeah. She's all folded up. And there are little burning things that smell really good. I could take you to her. Do you want to smell the things? She just can't talk right now."
Vraxeris Manor
Sillas' intimidating display seems to be enough to distract the machine warrior away from Irirangi. It turns it's murderous blades toward the young noble instead, just as a bolt of cold energy hits it squarely in the chest. It appears to stiffen and slow in place, until it comes to a halt, seemingly frozen in it's place.
Vraxeris Manor
"Good show! Good show! The fiend looks like it just needs a little helping hand, and it will shatter like mother's crystal!" Merrick yells from the sidelines.
House Lyrandar
The sound of officious footsteps soon fills the Lyrandar docking bay. Two members of the Sharn Watch fully push open the great doors leading to the bay, while a grim faced human man, and an attentive fiery-haired half-elf stride in, followed by three more guards.
House Lyrandar
"Good evening, I am Inspector Innvar. We were told there was quite a commotion here today. Things look pretty calm here now. That's probably for the best. Trust me."
The inspector begins to circle the three Lyrandars as he speaks.
"Now, perhaps you'd like to tell me what happened here. Spare no detail, please. We already have accounts from some of your workers that paint this sobbing chap as a frothing, ruthless murderer. Explain the the disparity, please. We're listening."
House Lyrandar
Setting about to her duties as soon as she enters the room, the half-elf begins the mutterings of a spell. The twins' keen senses and skills in the arcane arts reveal the relatively mundane application of a detect magic cantrip.
Her eyes glowing brightly, she begins to scan the room, concentrating on the twins, on the ring, and on Byron before her eyes are drawn to the heap of chests and antique furniture. Walking over to it, her eyes widen as she begins to process the magical power emanating from it. She begins scribbling notes down in her notepad, barely looking down to watch her hand.
Vraxeris Manor
Tam defiantly strides up to the other construct and resolutely shouts, "It's over", before slamming both of his large arms into the thing. A shower of frozen metal explodes on impact, sending the majority of the automaton in every direction.
"Alright everyone, get inside. The party's just starting. That was planned entertainment. An appetizer, for the main course, if you will. Inside, please, now." Tam commands, as he ushers the remaining straggling guests inside. He waits for them to go inside, before he walks over to Irirangi and the coach.
"Are you okay?"
House Lyrandar
Bristling at the man's words and demeanor Deerian rises to his feet. Looking the man directly in the eyes he speaks in a voice laced with steel. "Inspector.. You are of the watch but this house and indeed this tower on which you stand is the province of the House Lyrandar and this man is it's Lord. Treat him with respect!"
His jaw tightening as he held the inspector's gaze the young man eventually breaks the eye contact. "We will of course help but please magic has been used here and it might be best to announce your intentions before casting spells... Things have been tense.
House Lyrandar:
"What I would suggest however, though I loathe to have to say it, is looking into the whereabouts of Fleskar, our uncle. He is most certainly involved in all of this. Although as he left on his ship, he could be anywhere by now."
"I am going to contact the rest of the House to have someone sent to be a caretaker for the affairs of Lyrandar tower whilst our father recovers from his ordeal. Once that is done you will have all of my time and cooperation, we need to rebuild as quickly as possible to save on more disaster then we can start investigating further into exactly what happened"
Vraxeris Manor
Iri turns gratefully to Tam and clasps his hand.
"Thank you so much. You have no idea how relieved I was to see you. That was a little out of control."
She looks down at her satisfyingly bedraggled outfit and the wreckage of her coach.
"The real heroes were Shake and Switch. Can I bring them along? I know my mother wouldn't approve, but they'd enjoy the party ... once they get cleaned up and conscious. It might be a nice way to say "thank you" as well as anything I can persuade mother to compensate them with."
Sillas, do you mind if Shake and Switch come to the party? I think they've really earned it. I'm sorry if I've over-stepped."
She turns back to her comrades in arms and gives Switch a hug. "You are a star. I'm so sorry I flapped and nearly messed up. It was the all time best entrance you could have given me. I owe you. How's Shake? And, if I can wangle it, how about coming to the party with me? Meet the bridegroom?"
Dahn:
Well, sure, I'll just take a peek if she's too busy to talk."
"Hey, girlfriend - how's about recruiting these guys for your little bank job? Let's not waste the talent."
Vraxeris Manor
Sim nods to Shake and Switch. "Many thanks for protecting my guest. Of course you're welcome; more welome than a lot of the other people who are coming in fact. Come on, Tam'll help you get cleaned up. If anyone, specifically mother, has an issue with it; tell them that they're my favored guests."
Vraxeris Manor
Irirangi's smile lights up her entire face.
"Tam, I'm delighted to meet you properly. If I can ever help you, I'm yours to command. And Sillas, thank you so much. If there is a problem with your mother, I'm truly sorry, but I'm also more grateful than I can say."
She looks around at the collapsed guests, wrecked carriage and the fallen bunting.
"So, shall we go and have a drink? Or is that inappropriate?"
"Sillas, the thing about being yours to command applies to you as well."
"Errr...
I'm not sure what y'all are going on about, but remember that others are listening...
But sometime later this evening after we take care of our own business,
I wouldn't mind meeting up with y'all, either."
Starlan
Wing leads you through the short hallways that divide the complex, into the ceremony room. There, Zillia sits, surrounded by candles and sweet smelling incense. She is sitting on a pile of the blossoms that you brought to her earlier.
Though her lips move, no sound is released, and she appears to be deep in meditation.
Wing puts his finger to your lips, "Shhh Starman. She's Meditraiting."
House Lyrandar
"Respect? Certainly, I would treat House Lyrandar and all it's effects with respect. However, people were killed here today, and as slavery is outlawed in Sharn, the lives that were lost were not your property. We are acting on behalf of those terrified witnesses, and the dead, who can not act for themselves.
While you may be able to remain neutral in political dealings, remember that Dragonmarked houses are not above the law. However, before any charges are laid, I want to make sure I know everything."
Innvar adjusts his uniform, listening to the words of the Byron and the twins. However, it's painfully obvious that he is distracted by his cohort. His eyes follow her every movement around the room, before snapping back to the concern at hand.
"Now, you say you were placed under an enchantment, sir? By a....Fleskar d'Lyrandar? An individual who I've never heard of, to be fair. And now has disappeared? That's awfully convenient."
The inspector turns to his companion again, this time calling out to her; "Lieutenant? Could you come here a moment? We could use your magical expertise here."
Turning again to the twins he explains: "Lieutenant Talia Raynee is the arcane expert here on my team. Maybe you could explain the details of the enchantment at work here to her?"
House Lyrandar
The half-elf strides over to the others, her eyes still glowing under the effects of her detect spell. She focuses on Byron for a brief moment before speaking up.
"There's definitely a protection spell on him right now. I can't see what else is active, because it's suppressing the other effects. You say it's an enchantment? That would make sense. What else can you tell me?"
"Errr...
I'm not sure what y'all are going on about, but remember that others are listening...
But sometime later this evening after we take care of our own business,
I wouldn't mind meeting up with y'all, either."
"Of course Wingy. I'd like to know more about what you thought of Solinthas's proposition. Another perspective - you know?"
House Lyrandar
"I...it's hard to explain, really. But I know it's keyed to those things in a pile over there. When...I...and my guards....began to look through them, I was instantly overtaken by an urge...no..a desire...no...a need to protect it. To guard it, you know? Like...like an animal or something? I defended it so fiercely, I...I couldn't even see. I couldn't even see who I was lashing out against. It's like...nothing made sense...except that damn treasure."
Broken and exhausted, Byron turns to his children; "I...I think I'll probably still have to go with the Watch. Until this spell, or whatever, wears off. You kids know I was never any good with magic stuff. I could be dangerous still. I want you to get in contact with Merk, down at the docks. He can take care of things here...until I get back."
House Lyrandar
Talia turns to her superior; "Well, he's telling the truth. At least a little bit. I definitely noticed a strong enchantment emanating from that pile over there. The stuff is probably triggered to make you obsess over it, to kill for it. Look how he's stacked them all up there, and incorporated the bodies of the guards into it. It's like...a hoard. I think whoever this Fleskar is, we'll be able to charge him with a number of things, including the illegal acquisition and malicious use of dragon's blood. It's just a hunch, but you know me and my gut."