Ragna shivers at the thought of more people like Typhus.
Typhus smiles.
"At last, family!" He walks boldly from the tunnel and into the line of sight of the Half-elf in command.
"Ho, cousin! What news of home?"
"You're a Lyrander? There's a surprise."
Startled by Typhus’ abrupt entrance the valanar elves drop the crates they are carrying and reach for their weapons.
The Lyrander yells out “Hold you weapons men; give him a chance to prove his family ties.” Turning to Typhus “You can prove your Lyrander heritage, yes?” he says as he gestures to the helmsman.
The helmsman grabs hold of the control wheel and a deep thrum reverberates in the hollow as the skiff rises a couple of inches.
Startled by Typhus’ abrupt entrance the valanar elves drop the crates they are carrying and reach for their weapons.
The Lyrander yells out “Hold you weapons men; give him a chance to prove his family ties.” Turning to Typhus “You can prove your Lyrander heritage, yes?” he says as he gestures to the helmsman.
The helmsman grabs hold of the control wheel and a deep thrum reverberates in the hollow as the skiff rises a couple of inches.
"I can so prove it. Behold!" Typhus holds aloft his left arm and pulls his sleeves up to reveal the dragonmark snaking up his left arm. "Is that proof enough, cousin, or shall I pilot the ship as well?"
"Well met cousin, but how did you happen upon our little secret depot?"
"Better yet where did you come from and on whose orders?" he asks with a forced smile on his face.
As the Captain speaks one of the elves darts into the other passageway.
"If this is secret, cousin, you may be doing it wrong. I serve the Eye of Caiphon, from which nothing is hidden and what is seen cannot be unseen. I have been sent by the family to check upon the progress of your mission. What is your status, cousin?"
"I am most embarrassed; you see our business is also a secret and I cannot tell. Be assured that our mission is known to the Viceroy and he has not voiced any concerns. “
“You must think me rude; I am Kayeron Captain of the Fluttering Petal And you are, Dear cousin?”
"I am most embarrassed; you see our business is also a secret and I cannot tell. Be assured that our mission is known to the Viceroy and he has not voiced any concerns. “
“You must think me rude; I am Kayeron Captain of the Fluttering Petal And you are, Dear cousin?”
"Rest assured I do not think you rude at all. My name is Typhus Aurelius, third son of Hesten. I am also known as the Tool of Lyrandar; I am my House's scalpel. A blade to cut away the decayed and wounded flesh. If I have been sent for you, you may rest assured that the House will soon not think of you at all." Typhus stares hard at the captain with a steady and steel eyed gaze. His face is not troubled, it is simply the face of a man who is waiting to see what shall happen. It is not a reassuring face.
Intimidate:
History/Lyrander
Kayeron's smile wavers for the briefest moment before he speaks, “Yes I have heard of you, Typhus Aurelius star-stricken, hero of the war. The family believed you dead on the day of mourning, it is a joyous day that you come back from Dolurrh.
“Come, come aboard the amenities are slim but I have been saving a bottle of Aundair wine. Let us sit and discuss were you have been for the last 5 years.
“Men let him pass he will not break the peace of our family reunion.”
“Come, come aboard the amenities are slim but I have been saving a bottle of Aundair wine. Let us sit and discuss were you have been for the last 5 years.
“Men let him pass he will not break the peace of our family reunion.”
"Say, does that invitation apply for the rest of us? Because I could use a- wait did you say five years? Let me rephrase that, I need a drink."
"Typhus you didn't tell me you brought friends, are you trying to hide something?"
"It is only a small bottle but there should be enough if there aren’t any more hidden surprises."
"Typhus you didn't tell me you brought friends, are you trying to hide something?"
"It is only a small bottle but there should be enough if there aren’t any more hidden surprises."
"Relax, we're not going to steal your ship. Just ask a few questions and maybe get a ride back to Breland. That's not too much to ask, is it?"
"Nothing hidden about us."
Malick strolls into view. "Good to meet you. Malick. Definitely in need of that drink you mentioned."
"There's a few more of us. Flint, Rennick, Ragna - step along and meet the nice Lyrander scions."
Aside to Ferdinand "Damned yuan-ti, now Blondie's five years ahead of us. Just great."
"How wondrous a family reunion is becoming a party? Perhaps you are hiding a banquette somewhere, maybe a band to enhance the occasion?"
"This is becoming difficult indeed, family is one thing but my client requires silence. What can we do, what can we do?"
"We're discreet. Have to be in our business, and so far, we're all still alive. That should be enough to tell you a few things about us."
"My new friends I believe you, I really do but I am not the one you need to convince." Kayeron nods his head in at the direction of the opening to his right. "Explaining away a wayward cousin I can do, a small mercenary company not so much."
"Hear that now? That would be these fellows’ friends.” He gestures at the Valanar elves.” If you have a way of leaving in the next few moments I would take the opportunity."
The sounds of running feet come from the tunnel.
Initiative and positions please.
Typhus will step up to stand beside his cousin, looking as if he belongs exactly where he is.
Init:
Looking at his team, Malick considers the options. "Rennick can slip on board easily enough. I really doubt the rest of us can stow away without being noticed. You reckon it's worth talking or shall we just have another bloodbath? Or we could try simple bribery."
"Diplomacy might work. Who knows, maybe they won't try to kill us on sight."
"I can be diplomatic. It depends on the company."
"I can be diplomatic. It depends on the company."
Might I point out that 4 Valanar elves know that you're there so hidding isn't going to work.
Typhus, Ferdinand and Malick heve steped out of the boulders and are in plain view the others. Ragna, Rennik and Flint can either start as hidden in the rocks or have stepped out into the clearing.
With Ragna disguised, I will use Guillaume's Veil to make Flint and I invisible so that a quick getaway or a nasty surprise could be possible.
More armed elves pour out of the passageway four of them are guarding an emaciated elf.
The emaciated elf quickly assesses the situation and addresses Kayeron with a voice that sounds like rustling leaves, “What is this, why are the intruders not dead? I paid a premium for Lyrandar discretion and you can’t even handle that small task.”
“Your grace, these are not…” Kayeron manages to say before the elf cuts him off.
“I don’t care to hear your excuses, you couldn’t eliminate them so I will” “Men kill the intruders no one must know of this depot.”
“They are Lyrandar agents” Kayeron yells over the sound of blades being unsheathed.
"True. You know Lyrander. Don't let the right hand know what the left hand's doing."
Malick looks as guileless as he can contrive and doesn't make a very good job of it.
"Wheels within wheels which we're not at liberty to discuss."
In a thunderous voice: "I am the Tool of Lyrandar! To assualt me is to bring down the Wrath of House Lyrandar upon your miserable heads. Pray to your gods that I am not angered by this intrusion and beg forgiveness for your rudeness, lest the stars themselves fall down upon you mortals!"
Intimidation:
Having said this, Typhus will pull back his sleeve to reveal his dragonmark to the elves.
The old elf eyes Typhus for a minute before snapping "Curse the day I had to involve House Lyrandar." "I am not paying for House meetings & expect to informed when visitors are to arrive do you understand Kayeron".
"Yes your grace" Kayeron says as he bows to the old elf.
"I will expect a large discount on the next shipment to make up for the disturbance I have suffered because of their intrusion."
Kayeron winces and is about to speak but then glances at Typhus and says nothing
"Kayeron take them with you and do not bring them back as long as Lyrandar wishes good relation with the Undying court".
The old elf turns to leave followed by four of the Valanar, the other Valanar stay and keep an eye over the clearing.
Kayeron motions for the others to board, "Kejistise wake Bella we are leaving" he says to the helmswoman.
"Let's move this along. Kayeron needs to get out of here and so do we."
He bows to the old elf. "I don't believe any of us ever saw each other."
Give me a history check DC30.
Malick has no idea.
Everyone scrambles aboard the skiff, some shoveing and trod on toes occur as the the invisible Rennik and Flint are the last to get in.
The skiff rises swifty above the bone yard revealing the great expanse of the Talenta plaines below before turning southwest andd rising even higher.
@Jassolen
Give me a history check DC30.
History:
Let's make it a skill challenge, 3 successes before 3 failures at DC25.
1 success
2 failures
"Book learning and truth about possible heretics, a paladin craves not these things. Just give me something to smite and I am happy."
"You know, I think I do remember who that was..."
Rolling for Flint, history =
2 success
3 failures
Between the 6 of you, mostly Ferdinand & Typhus, all you can recall is a Lord from the Undying Court was a guest at Morgrave University during the war and (s)he looked like the one you just met.
Kayeron breaks the silence, "Well now that was exciting. Exciting enough to cost me a large sum of money but family first especially family with the mark."
"Perhaps as we travel you can tell the real reason you were in the Boneyard?"
"Good question. I wish we knew the answer ourselves. Typhus vanished five years ago, you say? Unfortunately, so did we, so we're out of touch with recent events."
“Lost for five years, you’ve missed much then. The War is over, for now. Each of the factions is its own nation now along with a few extras. Peace is tenuous and profits are good for people with the right skills.”
“I am headed to Ariel on the southern coast of Valenar; you are welcome to join me if you wish. Or perhaps you are people with the right skills and wish to help me recover my losses caused by your inopportune appearance?”
"Depends on what skills you had in mind. I'd say that seems a fair trade. We're five years behind our quarry anyway, a few more weeks won't make much difference at this point."
"Most excellent! Let me tell you a story of misunderstanding and woe."
"In the not too distant past, just after picking up some cargo in Karrnath for her Grace, I was boarded by the provincial magistrate’s troops and wrongfully accused of smuggling and treason. I am wholly innocent of the charges but try explaining that to a Karrnathi magistrate. In an overly hostile move the magistrate seized the Fluttering Petal and ordered the detention of my crew and I until a trial could be held. Being on a tight deadline we could not afford to linger in prison waiting for the Karrnathi legal system to exonerate us so my crew and I choose to leave the prison and complete our contract. Our departure from our secured accommodations wasn’t without incident and two of my crew perished at the hands of Karrnath’s dammed undead soldiers. The survivors managed to reach the Fluttering Petal but powerful rituals locked her in her berth. We followed the only course of action left to us; we gathered the pertinent cargo and liberated transport, Bella. Bella is too small for the cargo and crew so the crew went underground in Vulyar while Kejistise and I took Bella to fulfill our contract. My crew awaits our return to liberate the Fluttering Petal.”
“I need a highly skilled group to get into the Skyport control tower to release the rituals holding the Fluttering Petal in dock while Kejistise and I gather my crew. Once free the fluttering petal can easily out maneuver any Karrnathi ships in port and fly to freedom.”
“Are your skills up this challenge? If not say so now and I will continue to Ariel and hire some Valenar to help.”
"I have not pity for those lovers of the dead in Karrnath. I would be willing to help if I can."
"So, we just head up to Karrnath and steal your airship back? Sounds easy enough."