Chapter 5: Blood and Fire

[Joe]

Streko frowns. "I am not good with puzzles, Belarin. My first guess was the goblin for exactly the reasons you suggest it might not be. Something about his appearance seems...unprepared...for this environment. However, your logic for the dwarf being the correct choice makes sense. I simply do not know."

He continues frowning, but also continues watching the goblin.

[Darren]

Kal crumples the paper in his hands and though his face betrays no emotion, his voice is cold steel. "I will make that gnome pay for this," he says as he tosses the paper into the garbage.

"Come on, Condign. I think we've delayed long enough. We'll miss the meeting if we don't hurry." With that, Kal walks on towards the University.

[Josh]

"I also fell most compelled to approach the dwarf," Grafth says, his eyes narrowing on the individual in question.

[Ken]

"Well, let's get to it, then," says Belarin. He advances toward the apparently slumbering dwarf. He closes to about three feet away, crouches down, and says happily, "Good afternoon, my friend! My compliments on your woodworking. So sorry if I've kept you waiting."

[Jeff]

Kal & Condign

Both men resume their march. The girl giving out the flyers continues to stare at Condign as they walk away. The University buildings are within sight, but it's still a few minutes' walk to what they believe may be their destination.

Belarin, Streko, & Grafth

Streko:

"He continues frowning, but also continues watching the gnome."

The gnome continues her reading. If she is aware of Streko's glances, she gives no sign.

Belarin, Streko, and Grafth advance on the apparently-sleeping dwarf. He doesn't stir at all at their approach.

He closes to about three feet away, crouches down, and says happily, "Good afternoon, my friend! My compliments on your woodworking. So sorry if I've kept you waiting."

"What?" the dwarf's eyes fly open and he starts at the sound of Belarin's voice. His face twists in confusion and irritation, eyes going wild for a moment as if getting his bearings. Brows scrunching up, he looks back and forth between human, shifter, and halfling. "What's all this?!"

Then he looks to the figurine in his hand—then to the wood shavings in the grass around him. "What? This some sort of joke?" He looks angrily at Belarin. "That stinking Possum put you up to this?"

[Ken]

Belarin sighs, "So the figurine is NOT your handiwork, I take it? Oh, that was cute. My apologies, good dwarf. Yes, someone has practiced a prank on you, but it was not us. I'm sorry to have interrupted your sleep."

Standing up and walking quickly away from the dwarf,* Belarin says, "Well, Good Streko, let's find out if your surmise was better than ours."

He walks toward the skittish goblin and says, "Good afternoon. My compliments on the hat ... and the pranking."

_______________________
* Assuming the dwarf lets us walk away!

[Jeff]

Kal & Condign

A few minutes later, as Kal and Condign draw closer to where they're going, they hear a man's commanding voice. "Citizens, visitors, whatever you may be....stop."

Turning, they see a uniformed member of the Watch. Beside him is a middle-aged woman with fearful eyes. One hand clutches at the guard's arm—which obviously annoys him.

"What has this...man done?" the Watchman asks her.

"Look at him," she answers, not looking directly at Condign but clearly talking about him. "Can he be allowed to just...just walk about?"

The Watchman looks uncomfortable with the situation.

Belarin, Streko, & Grafth

"So the figurine is NOT your handiwork, I take it? Oh, that was cute. My apologies, good dwarf. Yes, someone has practiced a prank on you, but it was not us. I'm sorry to have interrupted your sleep."

There is a distant, spritelike laughter in the back of Belarin's mind. Again he can't tell if it's his imagination—quite possible—or the fey spirits who represent his pact.

"Foul gnomework!" the dwarf spits as Belarin and the rest of you walk away from him. The centaur figurine is flung at you, overshoots and lands in the grass near your feet.

"Good afternoon. My compliments on the hat ... and the pranking."

When Belarin addresses the goblin, he curls up into a more defensive posture. Both the sheaf of papers and the rust-colored hat get balled up roughly in his grasp, clearly trying to protect them from being snatched away.

"Red hat is mine, human man!" the goblin growls through clenched teeth. "Kritzz is a student, same as you. I has the same rights, you'll see. Readings is mine!" He shakes the papers. "And hat is mine. Found it, I did. If you dropped it, you lose it!" His Common is particularly good for a goblin.

When the goblin sees Streko and Grafth in tow, his lips curl up a bit, revealing sharp but blunted yellow teeth. "Mine!"

[Darren]

Kal turns and grounds the butt of his sharrash in front of him. Holding it with his right hand, his Deneith signet ring is clearly visible to those facing him. "Of course he can," he says dismissively, then turns and continues walking with Condign.

[Ken]

Nov 17, 2009 9:07:53 GMT -4 Jeff said:

"Red hat is mine, human man!" the goblin growls through clenched teeth. "Kritzz is a student, same as you. I has the same rights, you'll see. Readings is mine!" He shakes the papers. "And hat is mine. Found it, I did. If you dropped it, you lose it!" His Common is particularly good for a goblin.

"Well, of course it's yours, Kritzz!" says Belarin placatingly. He resists the urge to curse in Sylvan. "It's a fine hat and you're very lucky as well as obviously very smart to be a student here. Where did you find the hat? I'd like to be lucky, too."

[Jeff]

Belarin, Streko & Grafth

Again, that evanescent laughter in Belarin's head...

The goblin, Kritzz, scowls up at Belarin. "Found it here. Left behind, they don't get it back." He doesn't offer Belarin any ideas on where to get his own rusty-colored, short-brimmed hat.

[Jeff's backup]

"Look at him," she answers, not looking directly at Condign but clearly talking about him. "Can he be allowed to just...just walk about?"

As Kal begins to move away from the Watchman, Condign bows with a deep flourish before the frightened woman. "My most gracious Lady, please forgive me if my appearance is unsettling to you. Imagine the fright it gave my poor mother and father when they first set eyes upon me."

With that, the tiefling turns to catch up with the Kalarian.

[Jeff]

Kal & Condign

The woman stares, red-faced and awkward, as both Condign and Kal turn away and continue their walk. The Watchman makes no move to stop or follow them.

A short while later, the south end of the University comes into view to their right. The broad plaza of grassy lawns, trees, benches, and the paved pathways winding between them, lays before them. Somewhere in the bustle of students, citizens, and tourists are bound to be Belarin, Streko, and Grafth.

Tangat barks, randomly, seeming happy to be trotting out freely. He sniffs the air, intrigued by various aromas.

[Darren]

Approaching the plaza, Kal quickens his pace to get a step in front of Condign, then turns in front of the tiefling, forcing him to either stop or run Kalarian over. "Hold a moment, my friend," he says quietly. Drawing a step closer, Kal lowers his voice even more. "I have nothing but respect for you, but please understand that your presence draws a lot of attention, and we do not wish to add any more in this place. Would you mind drawing off a bit while I look for the others? We will rejoin you shortly, I promise."

Assuming Condign agrees, Kalarian turns to Tangat and speaks to the dog in the Halfling tongue. "Find the others, Tangat. I'm certain Streko or Grafth might even have a treat for you." Smiling, Kal follows along behind the dog.

__________________
Happy birthday, Brian!

There's something very amusing about seeing balloons float up in front of a tiefling face....

[Ken]

"Well, thank you, anyway," says Belarin to the goblin. "I'm sure you'll continue to be an excellent student. And... try some Eldeen tea. It steadies the nerves."

Walking away from the goblin, Belarin says to Streko and Grafth, "Not very good so far. This is like finding the one pea under the three moving cups, only the pea is in on the trick." He looks again at the three remaining "candidates": the card-flipping human, the studious gnome, or the elven couple.

"Hmmm.... well, I really do want to learn her name," he says, walking directly toward the elven couple.

"Excuse me," he says, "and good afternoon. I so hope that the two of you exquisitely charming people can provide my friends and I with information."

_______________________
OOC to Joe & Josh: I don't mean to cut off any discussion of our remaining options. Just trying to keep things moving.

[Jeff's backup]

Condign nods to Kalarian. "I will stand watch to see if anyone follows you. You will find me here when you are done."

[Joe]

Belarin:

"Hmmm.... well, I really do want to learn her name," he says, walking directly toward the elven couple.

Streko looks around and mumbles to himself. "Gnomes...they are like roaches, crawling out of every dark recess to be found..." He shakes his head and follows behind Belarin, allowing his friend to take the lead in the conversation.

[Jeff]

Kal

Tangat woofs his compliance, a soft bark, then turns and dashes off happily amidst the noontime crowd. Kal can see him stray from his hunt a bit as various lunches among the students draw his attention. But he soon gets back on track and darts through the winding paths, nose lowered.

Belarin, Grafth & Streko

Belarin:

"Excuse me," he says, "and good afternoon. I so hope that the two of you exquisitely charming people can provide my friends and I with information."

As Belarin and his companions approach, the woman withdraws her left hand from behind the neck of the young elf she's been sitting with and makes a flourishing gesture with her fingers. The male elf beside her vanishes with a wisp of red smoke—an illusion.

"Figured it out, did you?" she says with a smile, lowering the green spectacles on the bridge of her nose. "Third time's the Lady's Luck, they say," she adds, looking pointedly to Streko. The holy symbol of Olladra around the halfling's neck is usually plain to see.

Behind the elf woman's spectacles, you can now see bright green eyes of the same color. Like a gnome's eyes, she has no pupils, only solid emerald color, which lends her an otherworldly countenance.

An eladrin. Almost indistinguishable from an elf, and certainly related by race, but more part of the fey realm from which all elves trace their lineage.

"You are late, and deserved some misdirection," she says, seemingly to all three. Her smile fades, and you can't tell if her tone is jesting or not.

Condign

Standing alone for a few minutes, Condign feels eye begin to turn his way. He's starting to get used to it, but here among students of the University, the expressions facing him are more suggestive of curiosity than shock or scorn. Some small groups make discrete (but not discrete enough) gestures toward him and speak quietly with one another.

One gnome, sitting on a softly glowing disk of force with a book in her hands, takes notice of him. She watches with some interest from afar.

Out of the corner of his eye, Condign sees a woman approach him, then drop down to her knees as if lacing her boots. A slight turn of his horned head and he can see it's Lamara. The half-elf inquisitive wears her wide-brimmed hat, but she now also now carries a low-slung satchel, like a student's.

Lamara looks up at him only for a moment, acknowledges him with a fleeting smile, then stands up and keeps walking, merging into the plaza behind Kal.

[Ken]

Nov 18, 2009 23:34:17 GMT -4 Jeff said:

An eladrin. Almost indistinguishable from an elf, and certainly related by race, but more part of the fey realm from which all elves trace their lineage.

"You are late, and deserved some misdirection," she says, seemingly to all three. Her smile fades, and you can't tell if her tone is jesting or not.

"I truly am sorry for the lateness," says Belarin, flashing what he hopes is his most charming smile. "I'm normally the paragon of punctuality. But I'm delighted to see you. The centaur woodcarving on the dwarf was a deft touch." He looks around briefly before he continues, "My associates should be joining us quite shortly if you wouldn't mind waiting a minute or two longer.... hmmm, what is your name, if I may be so bold?"

[Jeff's backup]

One gnome, sitting on a softly glowing disk of force with a book in her hands, takes notice of him. She watches with some interest from afar.

Figuring attention would be better if it were fixed on him than his new companions, or the half-elf Inquisitive, Condign smiles and bows slightly to the gnome. He then flips back his cloak to reveal the chainmail armor, bracers and longsword.

[Darren]

Kal strolls through the crowd like a lord out for a Sul walk. He smiles and winks at some of the prettier girls as he passes by, but continues to follow Tangat towards his companions.

_______________
Ugh. Dammit, Jeff.....

[Jeff]

Belarin, Grafth, and Streko

"Names are not so important," the eladrin replies to Belarin. "And it is a bold request, asking for my name and that I wait longer." There is a hint of a smile on her lips, but at the same time some seriousness in her voice.

Condign

On the edge of the crowd, a member of the Fairhaven Watch also eyes Condign warily. The students nearest him, however, continue their quiet discussions. None approach him.

But after a few moments, Condign catches sight of someone else who draws a few glances...if not quite as many as he. An full-blooded orc. From his workman clothes and lack of arms or armor, the orc looks to be responsible for cleaning the grounds. He moves among the lanes, picking up idle trash. The orc stops when he notices Condign, stands tall, and eyes him with a hint of challenge, even from a distance.

[Jeff's backup]

Condign briefly returns to orc's stare, then purposefully shifts his attention to others moving about the university plaza and avoiding an outright challenge with the orc. He senses that circumstances have shifted from mildly entertaining to potentially serious. A run in with the orc would do more than attract attention: it could disrupt the meeting his companions were holding, and he must avoid that at all costs.

Condign keeps the orc's position within his peripheral vision as he continues walking along the plaza. Any sense of playfulness has fled; with every gesture, every movement, the battle-hardened warrior has returned.

[Ken]

Nov 21, 2009 11:28:45 GMT -4 Jeff said:

"Names are not so important," the eladrin replies to Belarin. "And it is a bold request, asking for my name and that I wait longer." There is a hint of a smile on her lips, but at the same time some seriousness in her voice.

"On the first point, I proudly confess my guilt," says Belarin. "I am bold, but I make it a point to never let that boldness compromise my appreciation of both beauty and arcane craftsmanship." Still smiling, he bows his head politely. "On the second point, truly, I can't ask you to stay longer than you already have. You've been very accommodating. If you must leave, then let us get to the matter at hand. Please tell us what was learned from the fool Alvek. And perhaps we can make plans to continue our charming conversation at a time of your choosing."

[Jeff]

Grafth first sees a gray shape appear...

And perhaps we can make plans to continue our charming conversation at a time of your choosing."

Just as these words leave Belarin's mouth, he feels a cold wet nose in the palm of his hand. He looks down to see that Tangat has appeared. The dog pants happily and wags his tail.

The eladrin looks down at the dog and holds out her hand. "A familiar?" she asks, going off-topic.

Kal, meanwhile, receives empathic word that Tangat has found his companions. A few moments later and he can see Grafth, Streko, and Belarin, standing over a elf woman who sits alone, one leg over the other, on a bench.

[Darren]

Kal walks over to the elf and to his companions and seems on the point of offering an elaborate bow, but then remembers his surroundings and their desire to not draw extra attention. Instead, he places his fingertips to his forehead and nods deeply in her direction. "My lady," he says, straightening to look at her, "please accept my humblest apologies for being tardy. I found myself in a debate with one who is quite misguided on the best way to govern a nation. It is a pleasure to see you here and I thank you on behalf of all of my companions for making the journey." Kal sits on the grass next to the bench, trying to appear casual. "What word from the woods?" he asks.

[Ken]

Belarin, scratching Tangat's head, smiles at Kal's display of "casual formality" and awaits the eladrin's response.

[Jeff]

The eladrin levels her deep green eyes at Kal for a moment, studying him. She smiles, then gestures at him. She says, "In the courts of my homeland, your looks..." She flicks her eyes up at Belarin, "And your tongue might earn some attention."

Then the eladrin's smile fades. She looks slowly around, as if to make sure no one else is eavesdropping. "The human refuse—Alvek, was it?—has, after some...persuasion, revealed some morsels of information which the Emmisary believes will be of some value to you." She directs her words to all of you, even including Tangat directly.

"First...The possession that Alvek's uncle is employing is not the same as the possession his planar cohorts are using. Theirs is an inherent attribute of devil-kind that can only be countered with powerful magic or excorcism. But he, Malov, is mortal, or at least mortal-born, and the powers of possession he wields are carried through a contagion. As such, it can be treated as one, or as a venom. It is, in effect, curable."

The eladrin reaches into a pocket, unfolds a piece of cloth, and holds up a small clear vial with some sort of viscous red-brown substance in it. Congealed blood? "Take this. A vile vial, it disturbs me."

"It is some of Alvek's blood. The Emissary bids you bring this to the most learned herbalist you can find. An antivenom can be fashioned, using a sample of blood from one of Malov's own kinsman. Tell whoever you find to 'remember the amaranth theory.'" She shrugs and hands over the vial to whoever accepts it, happy to be rid of the vile. "With the resultant solution, you may be able to dislodge Malov's spirit from an infected host. Should that prove at all useful."

"Now...as to the other slice. The Emissary knew you were concerned about—"

She stops, then, and you realize Lamara is now approaching, gently, as if aware that her presence may be unwelcome. Half-elf and eladrin regard each other for a moment, neither woman's expression very readable.

The eladrin looks to the rest of you for approval or comment. "How many of you are involved?" she says to no one in particular, seeming annoyed.

[Darren]

Kal looks at the vial but does not reach up to take it, waiting for someone else to do so.

At Lamara's approach, Kal sighs. "There are more people involved than we might like, and too many sticking their nose where it doesn't belong." He says the last part loud enough to reach Lamara's ears. "Still," he continues, "this one can be trusted."

[Ken]

Belarin takes the vial without hesitation. His fingers stay in gentle contact with the eladrin's hand for a split-second more than necessary to grasp the vial.

After looking at Lamara, he says to the eladrin after Kal speaks, "She has extensive knowledge of Malov's criminal activities in his more mortal days. She has been -- and will be -- of great help. No one else will disturb us. Pray continue."

[Jeff]

Lamara looks at Kal, then shakes her head. "I suppose Fairhold's dungeon's would have been preferable, Kal?" she says under her breath, but loud enough for all to hear. The eladrin doesn't miss it.

Lamara nods her thanks at Belarin's words, then turns her back to the eladrin, one pointed ear cocked toward the fey woman but with her eyes outward, as if she's paying more attention the crowds. Alert. "No one will disturb us," she echoes.

The interruption seems to have distracted the eladrin, though. She looks up at Grafth and Streko from her comfortable position. "Were the rest of you present in the Whisper Woods?" she asks them, then turns her gaze on Lamara's back. "I hadn't heard there were Khorovar among you. This city is thick with half..elves." She says the word with some hesitation, as if unaccustomed to it. "Did the rest of you speak with the Emissary in person, or are you mercenaries under the employ of House Deneith?"