A couple of traders driving a wagon came down the road from the Bazaar. At first Blodwen winced and nearly doubled over with pain. But then she started to get the hang of the doors system. And the next time someone passed she was able to shut them out without too much trouble. She kept practicing for awhile.
:Okay, I think I'm getting the hang of this. Time to try a larger group.:
A couple of traders driving a wagon came down the road from the Bazaar. At first Blodwen winced and nearly doubled over with pain. But then she started to get the hang of the doors system. And the next time someone passed she was able to shut them out without too much trouble. She kept practicing for awhile.
:Okay, I think I'm getting the hang of this. Time to try a larger group.:
:Do you want to move closer to the Bazaar? We should probably find the range on your telepathy and empathy.:
:Do you want to move closer to the Bazaar? We should probably find the range on your telepathy and empathy.::Okay, I think I'm getting the hang of this. Time to try a larger group.:
They experiment with it for awhile, walking closer and farther from the Bazaar. Blodwen seems to have the control now to handle larger groups and it gets better every time she tries. Her range seems to be quite long when dealing with an individual, but only about a quarter mile when dealing with a group.
She leans against him, exahusted. :I'm ready to go home now, eranoyeh.:
She leans against him, exahusted. :I'm ready to go home now, eranoyeh.:
:Then let's go sleep in our nest tonight.:
He picks her up once again, and flies gently to the Eyrie.
Rumours fly around the Bazaar that King Mirathan of the Pearl of the South has embarked upon a campaign of imperial conquest, and is already sending troops to annexe neighbours and to expand his territory.
There is a noticeable impact almost immediately in the markets of the Bazaar, as merchants hoping to profit from the anticipated war start adjusting their prices and orders accordingly, hoping to steal a march on their competitors.
Rumours fly around the Bazaar that King Mirathan of the Pearl of the South has embarked upon a campaign of imperial conquest, and is already sending troops to annexe neighbours and to expand his territory.
There is a noticeable impact almost immediately in the markets of the Bazaar, as merchants hoping to profit from the anticipated war start adjusting their prices and orders accordingly, hoping to steal a march on their competitors.
Rumours fly around the Bazaar that King Mirathan of the Pearl of the South has embarked upon a campaign of imperial conquest, and is already sending troops to annexe neighbours and to expand his territory.
There is a noticeable impact almost immediately in the markets of the Bazaar, as merchants hoping to profit from the anticipated war start adjusting their prices and orders accordingly, hoping to steal a march on their competitors.
The 'news' that emperor Mirathan has taken over Sandreef with the assistance of insider agents in the town's Merchant Guild causes a fairly predictable stir, and merchants in the Bazaar start planning to send delegations to the imperial capital to inquire if in return for 'gifts', the emperor might consider looking favourably upon them when he sends troops to add various towns in which they have contacts to his burgeoning empire.
Muulsh, after refurbishing his shop to a showpiece and becoming Treasurer of the Merchant's Guild begins loaning some of his newly accquired massive wealth to various merchants, especially those dealing in armaments and bulk grain. He rejoices to hear about the new king's expansion in Sandreef.
"Ahh, one thing you can always bank on is a war starting somewhere or other," He chortles
He dispatches an envoy to the royal court of King Mirathan offering his services as a factor in the Bazaar.
A young unclean waif moves in between customers and peddlers, collecting discarded coins and gemstones that haplessly fall on the street.
A cloaked dark elf enters the Bazaar and proceeds swiftly, (with obvious magical assistance) towards the nearest bank and moneylender. An amulet of her faith can be seen dangling loosely from her neck.
A cloaked dark elf enters the Bazaar and proceeds swiftly, (with obvious magical assistance) towards the nearest bank and moneylender. An amulet of her faith can be seen dangling loosely from her neck.
** spoiler omitted **
The dark elf spies many houses of lending. One in particular, the House of Muulsh is extremely well apointed, with gold and jewels displayed in its window. The sign boasts of banking, lending and goldsmithing services. A huge chimney rises like a squat smokestack from the center of the building, belching an orange-tinged fire smoke. A crossed-hammers symbol is carved below the sign:
Knowledge(Local) 10:
The dark elf spies many houses of lending. One in particular, the House of Muulsh is extremely well apointed, with gold and jewels displayed in its window. The sign boasts of banking, lending and goldsmithing services. A huge chimney rises like a squat smokestack from the center of the building, belching an orange-tinged fire smoke. A crossed-hammers symbol is carved below the sign:A cloaked dark elf enters the Bazaar and proceeds swiftly, (with obvious magical assistance) towards the nearest bank and moneylender. An amulet of her faith can be seen dangling loosely from her neck.
Flanked by two minotaurs wielding large spiked flails, the dark elf and her bovine mercenaries enter the establishment. The stench of pungent hay and unclean cattle-flesh begins to waffer through the establishment.
"Is the proprietor of the establishment here! Now!" she demands loudly with a voice of authority. "There is something here in this building he has in his possession. Something I want!"
The omniportal flares back to life as Devlyn, Allura, Aidan, Oroth and LK enter the Bazaar of the Bizarre, followed a moment later by Alaina.
Flanked by two minotaurs wielding large spiked flails, the dark elf and her bovine mercenaries enter the establishment. The stench of pungent hay and unclean cattle-flesh begins to waffer through the establishment.
"Is the proprietor of the establishment here! Now!" she demands loudly with a voice of authority. "There is something here in this building he has in his possession. Something I want!"
Several large guards rush out and a harried counter person runs over
Please, I must ask your bodyguards to wait outside. If you wish to speak with Lord Muulsh directly you will need an appointemnt.
Zhalail stretches her fingers outward clawed raking the air. Suddenly the counter person and the guards kneel over, clutching their stomachs in agony.
"I! DO! NOT! MAKE! APPOINTMENTS!"
She hisses at the armored minotaurs. "Tear the counters apart and find that gemstone! It's here, I can sense it."
The bovine mercenaries snort from their nostrils and their thick nose rings quiver. One advances forward and kicks one of the guards in the stomach. He slides across the floor like an limp pillow. Bloodied and half-conscious, he continues to clench his stomach. The minotaurs take their blunt weapons and thrash the store.
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Zhalail stretches her fingers outward clawed raking the air. Suddenly the counter person and the guards kneel over, clutching their stomachs in agony.
"I! DO! NOT! MAKE! APPOINTMENTS!"
She hisses at the armored minotaurs. "Tear the counters apart and find that gemstone! It's here, I can sense it."
The bovine mercenaries snort from their nostrils and their thick nose rings quiver. One advances forward and kicks one of the guards in the stomach. He slides across the floor like an limp pillow. Bloodied and half-conscious, he continues to clench his stomach. The minotaurs take their blunt weapons and thrash the store.
Zhalail stretches her fingers outward clawed raking the air. Suddenly the counter person and the guards kneel over, clutching their stomachs in agony.
"I! DO! NOT! MAKE! APPOINTMENTS!"
She hisses at the armored minotaurs. "Tear the counters apart and find that gemstone! It's here, I can sense it."
The bovine mercenaries snort from their nostrils and their thick nose rings quiver. One advances forward and kicks one of the guards in the stomach. He slides across the floor like an limp pillow. Bloodied and half-conscious, he continues to clench his stomach. The minotaurs take their blunt weapons and thrash the store.
Devlyn catches sight of some kind of commotion from deeper in the Bazaar. People are running away from some kind of goings-on. He also catches the scent of minotaur on the warm wind.
"Looks like we've got some kind of hullabaloo down there, and I think it may involve some minotaurs. Who's coming with me?" he yells back with a grin as he takes off in the direction of the commotion.
Allura pulls her ranseur out of her pack and follows after Devlyn.
Devlyn comes to a stop as he hears the sounds of things being broken loudly. As Allura catches up to him, he sniffs the air again and catches another familiar scent.
"Great. Minotaurs....and a drow. And I'm guessing they're in there" he says, pointing to the House of Muulsh as a piece of demolished furniture comes hurtling from inside to land on the steps.
"If they're this brazen, I'm betting the drow is a priestess of some skill, so we'll need to take care of her fast. I can try to keep her occupied if you can keep the big boys under control," he says, looking to the others. He pulls out a wand and taps himself with it.
"Okay. We'll focus on the minotaurs then. Just be careful, all of you," she adds.
"If they're this brazen, I'm betting the drow is a priestess of some skill, so we'll need to take care of her fast. I can try to keep her occupied if you can keep the big boys under control," he says, looking to the others. He pulls out a wand and taps himself with it.
"Ready for a fight Lil' Fire?"
"Do you need to ask?"
Together, the brothers move to stop one of the minotaurs, starknives on fire and sword flashing.
"Okay. We'll focus on the minotaurs then. Just be careful, all of you," she adds.
Together, the brothers move to stop one of the minotaurs, starknives on fire and sword flashing.
"Does that mean we get the other one Allura?"
Lk starts to bounce on his feet, eager to help, the little gray bird looking worried as it tries to stay on his shoulder.
Devlyn gets Allura to reset their telepathic link, then uses his innate talents for stealth to quickly close the distance and get a peak inside the threshold to Muulsh's establishment without being detected. Part of him was hoping that this wasn't the 'typical' drow, and that maybe this was a big misunderstanding. Those hopes get thrown out the window when he sees the clerk and guards doubled over in pain, the drow woman obviously using magic to cause their agony.
Through the link, he sends his thoughts to Allura:
:Two large minotaur bodyguards, one drow priestess. I don't recognixe her holy symbol, but it isn't Lolth. She's using magic on the people inside, and it looks painful. The minotaurs are turning the place over - I'm not sure if they're just sending a message to the owner, or if they're looking for something. If you can make a distraction outside, I'll take the priestess down (or at least keep her from casting anything else).:
"Be careful, Lk. Minotaurs can be pretty nasty. Stick close, okay?"
"Hey, ugly," she yells out, taunting the minotaur from just outside the shop. "Let me guess, the reason you're attacking the furniture is because you can actually hit something that doesn't move."
She readies an attack, prepared to expend her psionic focus to make sure that her ranseur would take a significant chunk out of him when it did connect.
"Ready for a fight Lil' Fire?"
"Do you need to ask?"
Together, the brothers move to stop one of the minotaurs, starknives on fire and sword flashing.
When he sees the brothers coming in to square off against one of the minotaurs, Devlyn quickly activates his amulet of true sight to make sure the drow has no contingent surprises on her person, then closes the distance and goes to make a subdual-damage strike to break her spell (though he will still try to target her hands or windpipe to keep her from casting anything else, if he can).
"Be careful, Lk. Minotaurs can be pretty nasty. Stick close, okay?"
Letting out a small howl, Lk shifts to his hybrid form and readies himself to trip the minotuar Allura is taunting.
"Back down or your horns are mine!" He shouts. His eyes, now lupine yellow, never seem to stop calculating what is happening...
The little gray bird lets out what could be considered a battle whistle.
Alaina flashes into the Bazaar, right into the tumult. She wanders over to see what all the fuss is about
"Be careful, Lk. Minotaurs can be pretty nasty. Stick close, okay?"
"Hey, ugly," she yells out, taunting the minotaur from just outside the shop. "Let me guess, the reason you're attacking the furniture is because you can actually hit something that doesn't move."
She readies an attack, prepared to expend her psionic focus to make sure that her ranseur would take a significant chunk out of him when it did connect.
When he sees the brothers coming in to square off against one of the minotaurs, Devlyn quickly activates his amulet of true sight to make sure the drow has no contingent surprises on her person, then closes the distance and goes to make a subdual-damage strike to break her spell (though he will still try to target her hands or windpipe to keep her from casting anything else, if he can)."Ready for a fight Lil' Fire?"
"Do you need to ask?"
Together, the brothers move to stop one of the minotaurs, starknives on fire and sword flashing.
Devlyn:
The Bazaar Watch comes trotting out to the House of Muulsh. Backed by priests and arcane casters, they set up a perimeter around the building. The leader, a mail-clad knight bellows:
Drow witch! Come out of that building with your cowmen and surrender!
A deep moaning followed by a long grunt can be heard from the interior of the establishment, One of the minotaurs, an ivory white albino howls lustfully with the thoughts of battle.
"No! They will suffer!" The dark elf screams. "But first, we have a job to do."
A loud crash rolls through the establishment followed by a long scrapping sound of wrought iron against stone. It is followed ny a second heavy crash. A flash of heat can be seen from the interior. The smell of sulfur and acid burning metal waffers outward into the Bazaar.
A loud crash rolls through the establishment followed by a long scrapping sound of wrought iron against stone. It is followed ny a second heavy crash. A flash of heat can be seen from the interior. The smell of sulfur and acid burning metal waffers outward into the Bazaar.
"Devlyn..." Lk rushes for the shop, pushing past any people that are in his way. He makes his way in, and launches himself at the priestess, shifting into his full wolf form in midair.
"Devlyn..." Lk rushes for the shop, pushing past any people that are in his way. He makes his way in, and launches himself at the priestess, shifting into his full wolf form in midair.
"Lk, no wait," Allura says, running in after him.
"Lk, no wait," Allura says, running in after him."Devlyn..." Lk rushes for the shop, pushing past any people that are in his way. He makes his way in, and launches himself at the priestess, shifting into his full wolf form in midair.
Zhalail gestures her hand towards the rushing wolfling and its stops in mid-air. Suspended, Little Kiba looks around surprised before he finds himself pushed back by some unseen, but very tangible force. This force pushes him back towards Allura. Both collide and hard.
Alaina grimaces as LK get pushed
That was your last mistake, ugly!
Alaina hurls a drow epithet at the strange dark elf:
Dos inbal l' t'zarreth d' natha yibin ilharess ilhar!
She then raises her arms and chants
Sunny Godhead
Hear your proxy's plea
Fill this place
with sunlight free!
The House of Muulsh and the surrounding area is filled with bright sunlight, as if on the hottest sunniest day of summer.
Alaina grimaces as LK get pushed
That was your last mistake, ugly!
Alaina hurls a drow epithet at the strange dark elf:
Dos inbal l' t'zarreth d' natha yibin ilharess ilhar!
She then raises her arms and chants
Sunny Godhead
Hear your proxy's plea
Fill this place
with sunlight free!The House of Muulsh and the surrounding area is filled with bright sunlight, as if on the hottest sunniest day of summer.
One monitaur turns and shields Zhalail from the outpouring of sunlight. His bulk blunts the flash of sunlight but leaves his backquarters exposed. The other shields his eyes with his thick forearm, trying to block as much photo-energy as he can. Distracted, the heroes have an opportunity, a slim one, to advance their attack.
Devlyn: ** spoiler omitted **
Allura:
One monitaur turns and shields Zhalail from the outpouring of sunlight. His bulk blunts the flash of sunlight but leaves his backquarters exposed. The other shields his eyes with his thick forearm, trying to block as much photo-energy as he can. Distracted, the heroes have an opportunity, a slim one, to advance their attack.Alaina grimaces as LK get pushed
That was your last mistake, ugly!
Alaina hurls a drow epithet at the strange dark elf:
Dos inbal l' t'zarreth d' natha yibin ilharess ilhar!
She then raises her arms and chants
Sunny Godhead
Hear your proxy's plea
Fill this place
with sunlight free!The House of Muulsh and the surrounding area is filled with bright sunlight, as if on the hottest sunniest day of summer.
When Devlyn hears Alaina's voice (and more importantly, her incantation), he immediately closes his eyes and relies on his blindsight and scent to guide him through the next few seconds.
Disentangling herself from Lk, Allura steps in front of him and strikes with her ranseur as hard as she can at the minotaur guarding the priestess.
Disentangling herself from Lk, Allura steps in front of him and strikes with her ranseur as hard as she can at the minotaur guarding the priestess.
Disentangling herself from Lk, Allura steps in front of him and strikes with her ranseur as hard as she can at the minotaur guarding the priestess.