Chapter 5: Blood and Fire

[Jeff]

You there," he says, directing his attention to one of the bystanders, "go and get the Watch." Seeing the bystander gawking, he adds, "Quickly, now...."

The bystander, a young and probably first-year student of the University (though only a few years younger than Kal), nods vigorously and dashes off in search of the Watch.

Grafth drags the Grafth-changeling over to the Belarin-changeling, limping as he goes. He scans the immediate area, turning his eyes this way and that, searching for anyone who stands out. So far...nothing.

Streko places one hand over Grafth's wound, twists the arrow just enough and yanks it free. The shifter growls from the pain, but an instant later it's completely gone. Streko's whispered prayer knits flesh and tendon back together and the wound is completely healed with only a tear and bloodstain in Grafth's leggings to show for it.

Lamara pats down the two changelings quickly, searching for anything that might be useful. "Check the orc-blood, too," she says.

Condign:

"Yes, my lord Streko, healing magic works on tieflings. . .and would be greatly appreciated. I seem to have developed a headache."

More than a "headache," Condign reaches up and feels the very tender back part of his neck and head where the half-orc's mace struck. He even noticed a tiny chip out of the back of one horn.

Knowing the Watch will arrive soon, some of the bystanders drift away. The handful who remain cluster together and look on.

The wounded but stabilized young woman looks up weakly toward Streko. "Thank you," she says quietly to him.

"Who are these people?" one of the bystander students calls out. "Why did they do that?"

_____________________________

Grafth spends a healing surge (9 points). Streko uses Healing word (1d6+4=10). Grafth heals 19 hit points.

Thanks for the clarification, Jeff. I'm never sure if line-of-sight is an issue anymore, either.

Yup, and I appreciate you remembering that it might not be automatic. Here's how that works:any of your allies are in the path, but the target is within your range, there's no problem. If other creatures are in the path, then they may provide cover to your target, which is merely a penalty on your attack roll.

Grafth's Perception check (1d20+11=15)

[Darren]

With Grafth's help (I'm going to assume for the sake of expediency), Kal drags the half-orc over to where the changelings have been laid out. He then removes some rope from his pack and binds the three attackers.

Rising from his work, he looks to the bystander who called out. "I was hoping you could shed some light on that. What happened? Did anyone see what provoked this attack?" Kal catches Streko's eye and says softy in Halfling, "When they are ready, ask those you saved what they know. They will trust you, now, but do not push them too hard. They are probably still in shock."

Kal smiles at his Halfling friend, knowing the wounded students are in good hands. Instead, he turns his attention back to the half-orc and gives him a small kick in the ribs. Again he looks to the crowd. "Did anyone see anything? Can anyone shed any light on this attack?"

[Joe]

Streko reaches into his handy haversack without looking and immediately pulls out a vial filled with liquid. He hands the vial to Condign. "Drink this. It shall help you feel a bit better. I shall return shortly, once I've ensured that the injured students are attended to by the University healers."

Kal catches Streko's eye and says softy in Halfling, "When they are ready, ask those you saved what they know. They will trust you, now, but do not push them too hard. They are probably still in shock."

Streko nods and replies in his native tongue. "As you wish, Kal. I shall do my best."

"Who are these people?" one of the bystander students calls out. "Why did they do that?"

He glances at the student, loitering and, apparently, scribbling notes of everything he overhears onto a scroll of some sort. "May the Sovereign Host preserve me, not another journalist-in-training!"

Streko clears his throat. "Hoy! You, with the quill and scroll!! Stop your gawking! Bring the university healers to this place IMMEDIATELY and quit worrying about your future notoriety! Lives are at stake here and you are quite possibly adding to their woes by not bringing assistance this minute! Now get to it, you mage and the provost might hear how you assisted in a great endeavor today! Or not, as the case seems to be at this moment."

Streko then makes his way to the injured students, checking each of them carefully to ensure they are not worsening. He looks around, becoming more and more frustrated with each passing moment. "Dark-Six-be-damned healers! You'd think they only have time to see appointments in this day and age! Whatever happened to doing what is right and decent?"

The wounded but stabilized young woman looks up weakly toward Streko. "Thank you," she says quietly to him.

"There is no need to thank me, young lady. I am but a vessel for Olladra's grace. Nothing more. As the saying goes, 'Fortune favors the young.' None so much more than today. Fortunately, such a pretty young girl as yourself might have seen something irregular beforehand that could shed light on the situation and help us. How did this ruckus begin and do you know these other two brave young individuals? Oh, and before you ask, they are quite alive and, hopefully, will remain so for many eyars to come, thanks in no small part to your shrill cries for assistance. They owe you their lives, I have little doubt. Please, any information you can provide would be extremely helpful to us...and to the Crown itself perhaps!"

[Jeff's backup]

Streko:

"Drink this. It shall help you feel a bit better. I shall return shortly, once I've ensured that the injured students are attended to by the University healers."

"Thank you, my lord Streko," says Condign as he accepts the vial from the cleric. Watching Streko move to the injured young woman, the tiefling breaks the wax seal on the vial, uncorks it, raises it up to his lips, gingerly tilts his head back, and drinks the liquid. Immediately, the pain in his head and shoulders begins to subside. Condign blinks once as relief floods through him. Now more steady on his feet, he bows his head and takes a few moments to rest further. The pain subsides almost fully.

As Condign looks up, he notices Kalarian addressing the students. Walking over to Kal, he sees the Dragonmarked kick the half-orc in the ribs. Condign frowns slightly at the thought of kicking on unconscious person--it not an honorable thing to do--but lets it pass; the memory of his injury is still too fresh for him to care all that much.

"My lord Kalarian," says Condign, "I have information regarding this half-orc." The tiefling relates his brief interactions with the creature. "I would very much like to participate in his questioning."

OOC: Pending the outcome of the healing roll from Streko's potion, Condign spends one of his healing surges to recover whatever hit points he can, up to 9, toward his recovery.

[Darren]

"Well, isn't that interesting?" Kal says quietly. "Either this was a planned strike to draw us out, or that half-orc was concerned you might get in the way. Either way, we need information from him, and once the Watch shows up, we might not be able to get it." Once again Kal checks the bindings on the half-orc.

"Streko!" he calls out. Then, more quietly, "I do not wish to disrupt your attendance of your patients, but is it possible to awaken this half-orc?" Doing no more than swiveling his head, Kal next addresses Lamara. "My lady? Might we have your assistance over here?"

[Jeff]

Hey, Joe. Wanna tell me what potion Streko's handing out here?

[Ken]

Grafth

Grafth looks at his healed leg and says, "Much appreciated, Streko. Thank you." As the others start speaking, though, he looks a bit anxious, even more so than during the battle itself. "I don't like this," he says. "What was it that the first changeling said to you, Kalarian... that he was hoping that the Watch would show up? If these were Kreelo's men, then this wasn't random, crazed violence -- it was staged mayhem, intended to draw the Watch away ... from someplace else."

Belarin

Belarin looks up. "You mean from something that might be going on now? A ruse?" He addresses Lamara, "My lady, would you know of anything very close by that the Watch would be guarding?"

OOC: It's fun having a conversation with myself. I'll have to stage a philosophical debate between Grafth and Belarin before Josh comes back.

[Jeff]

Kal:

Rising from his work, he looks to the bystander who called out. "I was hoping you could shed some light on that. What happened? Did anyone see what provoked this attack?"

The student answers hesitantly. "No...I just heard a yell. The dwarf, I guess." He indicates the unconscious dwarf. When I looked over, these two just went crazy. Two more people got hurt, I think...but they ran off." A few of the people around the student nod, but offer nothing more.

The student(s) that Streko called out to move quickly away, not wanting to be involved any further.

Streko:

"There is no need to thank me, young lady. I am but a vessel for Olladra's grace. Nothing more. As the saying goes, 'Fortune favors the young.' None so much more than today. Fortunately, such a pretty young girl as yourself might have seen something irregular beforehand that could shed light on the situation and help us. How did this ruckus begin and do you know these other two brave young individuals?

The young woman shakes her head slowly, still too pained to talk much. "I don't know. It was...senseless. No one did anything. I was...reading..." She turns her head as if to search for a book. "And I heard some...scuffle. I didn't think much of it. Then I saw him fall down." She indicates the dwarf. "I...stood up. And he cut me." She stops there.

Kal:

"My lady? Might we have your assistance over here?"

"I'm already here," Lamara says, standing up from where the two changelings, and now the half-orc, lie. She nods at Grafth and Belarin. "While I agree with you, Grafth—it was a planned event—I'm not so sure about it's being a distraction. You fought well, all of you, and brought these three down fast. Very fast." She smiles, but it fades quick. "Changelings are not so common here as they may be in, say, Sharn. With their talents, I don't think they'd be used for mere distraction. Kreelo's got some of his own kind on his payroll, though. More than any other crimelord in this city. These two are his. They have to be."

Belarin:

"My lady, would you know of anything very close by that the Watch would be guarding?"

"This is Fairhaven," the inquisitive says. "There's plenty that's valuable, and well guarded. The University alone is a prize." She looks up at the massive building only two dozen feet away.

Lamara turns in a slow circle, her eyes scanning the entire scene—the scuffs in the grass, the wounded, the onlooking students and curious stares, and the changelings. She clears her throat. "Here's what I think. These two—" She points to the Grafth- and Belarin-imposters. "Wanted to be you. They wanted to assume your faces, hurt some people, maybe kill you, and they wanted to be seen doing it. As you. Then they'd run off, possibly to do more crimes. To demonize you."

"This tells me two things. One, that Malov believes you're all still dangerous to him. Maybe he's still after the book, but more likely he just wants you under wraps. Because you're getting to close to spoiling another of his plots. Two, that he's still keeping an eye on you. He knows you went into Fairhold, and marked your departure as well. So he's either got very attentive spies—that neither I nor Grafth could spot in the streets—or he's got eyes within Fairhold. I'd like to discount the latter, because if he had anyone on the inside, they'd surely have tried to kill you before now. But you thwarted them. You may have the favor of Prince Aurad, but he may think to complicate things by pinning more crimes on you." She looks to the unconscious men. "It's an old trick of changelings: impersonate someone you want to implicate. In the long run it doesn't usually hold out. We can figure them out. But in the short term, it's effective. It creates doubt. Perhaps Malov needs only stall you for a short while still..." She leaves the thought hanging.

_____________________________

Yes, Ken. I've no doubt you could play a full campaign by yourself, as player and DM both.

Condign spends a healing surge and heals 9 hit points.

Joe, even if you had a potion of healing in mind, it would only heal up to 10 points, counting Condign's healing surge value. So it wouldn't be worth it.

[Darren]

"If this was planned for us, though," Kal says, placing his sharrash in the crook of his arm and leaning casually, "the timing is of interest." He looks around to see if everyone is following him. "What I mean is that I'm not sure they followed us here to then create the mischief. It's almost as if they knew where we were going. That, in itself, is cause for worry." Again he looks down at the half-orc. "Streko, we need to revive him. We need to question him, with Lamara's assistance, before the Watch arrives." Looking at the changelings, he adds, "And we need to be here when they do to make sure they see that these men are not you."

____________
Umm...isn't running a campaign where you are all of the players and the DM called writing a book?

[Joe]

Dec 14, 2009 9:29:15 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Hey, Joe. Wanna tell me what potion Streko's handing out here?

According to my records, I still have one potion of cure light wounds available. Is that not so?

[Joe]

Again he looks down at the half-orc. "Streko, we need to revive him."

"Very well." Streko leans over the half-orc and once again recites the Healing Word that he just recently applied ot Grafth. The light, while no less brilliant, seems slightly diminished nonetheless.

"It is the best that I can do," he says apologetically before rising and backing away from the mostly unconscious attacker.

[Ken]

Grafth

Grafth listens to Lamara's description, then he nods, "I suppose that's true. They wanted to lure us over here so that they could study our forms, copy our likenesses, then run off and commit more mayhem, with the Watch right behind them to arrest, well, us." He says little more once Streko turns his attention to the half-orc captive.

Belarin

"Well, to be frank," says Belarin in a very soft voice, responding to Lamara, "I've been concerned about a spy within the palace for quite some time. The reaction of Lady ir'Turian back at Shadowcrest when she was briefly convinced that I was an emissary of the prince... she was stunned. Not because she feared the prince's wrath, but because it seemed impossible to her that she wouldn't have heard about it beforehand. With changelings involved -- and assuming they have access to arcane items that grant concealment or even invisibility at time -- it's certainly possible."

He then also awaits the revival of the half-orc. He looks toward Condign and Kal, expecting them to take the lead in any interrogation.

[Jeff's backup]

Condign listens to the discussions among various members of the company. He considers the theories being bandied about, trying to figure out which one seems the most logical. Suddenly, he recalls something from the battle.

"I do not believe this half-orc may be all he seems, either. Before the fight, when he approached me, his language skills were challenged at best; his intelligence also appeared similarly challenged. During the fight, his fluency improved considerably. And he seemed to understand inherently what lord Belarin was doing to him. He was not central to the original skirmish. It is possible he was the person in charge of the operation." The tielfing looks down at the bound half-orc. . .and smiles. "This could prove quite valuable."

[Jeff]

Lamara shakes her head at Belarin's words. "Changelings' natural ability to assume the form of another, it's still magic. And using magic against the crown within Fairhold—to hide, to deceive, to attack, whatever—is nearly impossible. The arcane scrutiny of the royal wizards would reveal it long before it was used against the Queen or her court."

Kal:

Again he looks down at the half-orc. "Streko, we need to revive him. We need to question him, with Lamara's assistance, before the Watch—"

A few shouts at the edge of the plaza draw your attention. The Watch is arriving...now. You can see a pair of them striding briskly toward you with crossbows in hand, still a distance away. Two more approach from another direction.

Streko leans over the half-orc and once again recites the Healing Word that he just recently applied ot Grafth.

A few of the bruises on the half-orc's skin vanish and he begins to stir...

Then...

Grafth is the first to realize that something's wrong. His keen nose detects the scent of burned flesh. He turns and looks upon the two unconscious changelings....just in time to see their skin reshaping, fading into the pale gray of their natural forms. In death.

Three seconds later both bodies erupt into flame! Streko stumbles back, closest to them...

The half-orc's eyes open just barely. Then he turns his head slightly to the right, catching sight of the burning changelings. His eyes widen in fright.

____________________________________

Joe: FYI, healing word is a once per encounter power. A 5-minute rest is generally needed before Streko can do it again. The battle really ended like less than a minute ago. But...I'll allow it because the power also says: "You can use this power twice per encounter but only once per round." So I'll consider this the second use.

[Jeff's backup]

Standing next to Kal, Condign looks left and right and sees the Watch approaching at a brisk pace. He then sees the changlings burst into flame and the half-orc's fearful expression. In a low voice, he says to Kal: "I suggest we start our interrogation, my lord Kalarian. We will soon be out of time."

The tiefling abruptly squats down, grabs the half-orc's ear, and with a vicious wrench twists the creatures head forward. Condign thrusts his face in close to the other's face, his demonic visage only a hand's span away. "That mace hurt. Now, you have only a short time before the Watch arrives. Considering your failure here, someone will be looking for you. The Watch will be unable to keep you from harm, and you will die like them." Condign gestures to the changlings. "Tell us who is responsible for this, and we may be able to secure your safety." The tiefling moves his face closer until their noses touch. "Who sent you and why?"

------------------------------------
OOC: Condign is using Intimidate to try and get the half-orc to talk.

Skill Roll:1d20+9=17

[Darren]

Kal nods grimly at Condign as he looks at the Watch approaching. "Whoever sent you here has abandoned you to your fate," he says to the half-orc. "We know your involvement was limited to attacking only us, and not to killing anyone else here. Tell us what we want to know and we will make sure the Watch knows your involvement." Kal gets close to the half-orc and puts menace in his voice. "Refuse, and the entire blame will be placed at your feet. We might even make up a few things."

___________________
Kal will assist in Condign's Intimidate check.

[Ken]

Belarin

Belarin steps back quickly as the bodies combust. A look of revulsion comes over his face. Seeing the Watch approach, he then sheathes the pact dagger and takes a few steps toward them, hoping to buy Kal and Condign a few more seconds. "Several of the students have been badly injured. They're alive, thanks to us, but they need help," he says.

Grafth

"Your employer treats your allies like meat," says Grafth, looking at the burning bodies but clearly directing his words at the half-orc. "Answer the tiefling's questions and you might survive. Otherwise, I'll gladly roast some venison over your corpse when you start cooking."

Grafth will also attempt to aid Condign's Intimidate check:
1d20+1=15.

[Joe]

Streko feels a deep repulsion at watching the bodies of the Changelings erupt in flames and consume the gray flesh like fatty fuel. He turns back toward the injured students, looks around and sees the half-orc regain consciousness and smiles, giving Olladra thanks then notices the approaching watchmen.

"Several of the students have been badly injured. They're alive, thanks to us, but they need help," Belarin says.

Streko takes the cue and races over to the downed dwarf. He speaks loud enough for those around to hear him. "Multiple lacerations!" He rushes over to the second downs student. "Puncture wound, internal injuries. We must be careful with this one, as I am unsure as to whether there has been any damage to his back or spinal column." Streko goes over to the girl, who seems a bit more relaxed now that she isn't in as much pain. "This beautiful young lass was spared serious injury, but must be seen with her friends as well."

Streko stands up and stares directly at the watchmen nearest to him as they appraoch. He clears his throat and then, at the top of his voice, calls out "WHERE ARE THE HEALERS??"
____________________________________________________

Joe: FYI, healing word is a once per encounter power. A 5-minute rest is generally needed before Streko can do it again. The battle really ended like less than a minute ago. But...I'll allow it because the power also says: "You can use this power twice per encounter but only once per round." So I'll consider this the second use.

That is exactly what I was working on from my notes. :-)

[Jeff]

"Oh, h-hells...." The half-orc stutters, clearly unnerved by the sight of the roasting changelings. "What...?"

"Tell us who is responsible for this, and we may be able to secure your safety." The tiefling moves his face closer until their noses touch. "Who sent you and why?"

"Answer the tiefling's questions and you might survive. Otherwise, I'll gladly roast some venison over your corpse when you start cooking."

The half-orc begins to shake. He looks thoroughly subdued. "My...my boss," he grunts. "I was supposed to hurt you. Real bad. Was...s'pose to wait for someone else to get your attention first..." He looks at the changelings. "Them, I guess—"

For a moment, the fire intensifies, then it changes from yellow-orange to cold blue. The blackened skin of the dead changelings curls...then crystallizes into burnt chuncks of ice. The frosty flames begin to lessen.

"Malov indeed," Lamara mutters, smiling grimly at the icy display. "And boldly so."

"Stand back!" One of the Watchmen calls out, leveling his crossbow in your direction. "And weapons DOWN!"

The guard's partner takes command, looking to the next pair of approaching guards. "Three citizens are injured. Get a healer here, now!" He spots Streko and looks puzzled. Clearly a healer is already on scene.

He then points to the two dead changelings. The blue fire is diminishing further, revealing a scorched, shriveled, and frozen corpse. "What in Khyber happened to them?"

One of the student bystanders steps bravely forward. "They were changelings. Tried to take the shapes of these men, who stopped them from injuring more." The stuent points to your party.

The Watchman grows silent for a moment, considering the words. "Who are you?" he demands, looking between Belarin, Kal, Streko, and Grafth.

_____________________________

Kal's Intimidate check (to assist Condign): 1d20+5=20

Condign's Intimidate check: 17 +2 (Kal) +2 (Grafth) +2 (circumstance) = 23

[Darren]

"See if you can get anything else from him," Kal whispers to Condign, "like if he was supposed to meet up with his employer again, and when and where. I'll see what I can do about the Watch."

Rising slowly, Kal moves forward with his arms extended, a posture indicating that he is not intending harm to these men. Not at all submissive, though. When he is close enough to be heard without raising his voice to be heard by everyone in the courtyard, Kal says, "We are agents of Prince Aurad. It is lucky we were here, and our business is shortly to take us elsewhere. Any of the witnesses here can provide you with an account of what happened. Unfortunately, we can only supply you with the one prisoner. The other two," Kal glances back at the charred patches where the changelings had been, "well, they will be unavailable for questioning."

________________
Is a Diplomacy check necessary?

[Ken]

Belarin

Belarin nods. "Yes, they viciously attacked students, and we stopped them. Fairly straightforward. As for this," he says, indicating the bizarre, crystalline corpses, "that's not our handiwork. Apparently whoever they reported to didn't want them to talk."

Grafth

Grafth, his weapon sheathed, gets up slowly from his crouched position near the half-orc and faces the Watchmen. He takes a casual step forward, but in such a way as to hopefully block the Watchmen's view of Condign's questioning.

[Jeff's backup]

Condign -- hearing Kal but not breaking eye contact with the half-orc -- grins and opens his eyes a little wider. His expression is now truly frightening!

"Quickly now! Where were you going after this? Who were you supposed to meet and when?" Condign reaches out and grabs the half-orc's other ear, giving the creatures head a brief shake. "Hurry! They are about to take you to your death!"

[Joe]

Streko rises from his place of watch over the injured students and once responds to the guard who called for more healers, ttempting to gras his attention.

"One of these innocent students was struck from behind by an arrow...launched by the burnt assassin over near those shrubs. This other one was brutally beaten by the other roasted fiend, the one over there, who also inflicted wounds upon the young lady here.

"Unfortunately, there is only so much I can do. I've stabilized them, so they will not perish immediately, but they must be seen by healers more powerful and less occupied by more pressing royal concerns than the one to whom you are listening.

Futher, their needs must take precendence, for they may be able to provide more insight into why they were attacked or if it was, as I sadly suspectand ear, a wildly random event."

Throughout the conversation, Streko is pointing to the various locations and items he is addressing, as well as pacing back and forth as if deeply distressed over what has happened, attempting to keep the Watch's attention fixed firmly on him.

[Jeff]

Kal:

"We are agents of Prince Aurad. It is lucky we were here, and our business is shortly to take us elsewhere. Any of the witnesses here can provide you with an account of what happened. Unfortunately, we can only supply you with the one prisoner. The other two," Kal glances back at the charred patches where the changelings had been, "well, they will be unavailable for questioning."

Belarin:

"Yes, they viciously attacked students, and we stopped them. Fairly straightforward. As for this," he says, indicating the bizarre, crystalline corpses, "that's not our handiwork. Apparently whoever they reported to didn't want them to talk."

The Watchmen look on with mingled disbelief and disgust at the smoldering, rimed changelings, and bob their heads at Belarin's description. Finally, their leader cocks his head. "Agents of the prince?" he echoes, chewing on the possibility of it.

The other two Watchmen approach, clearly curious about the makeshift interogation taking place. They narrow their eyes at Grafth, who obviously stands in the way.

Condign:

"Hurry! They are about to take you to your death!"

The half-orc's frightened expression begins to harden, and Condign feels as though he may be losing his angle. "If I'm about to die, why should I tell you anything?"

"Because you're not going to die," Lamara says darkly. "Though you may wish you had." She turns her back to the half-orc and stands beside Kal. "He speaks the truth." She angles her head so that her dragonmark is fully revealed. "This is Lord Kalarian d'Deneith, a proxy for the prince in the matter of these criminals." Keeping her hands where the guards can see them, she points at Streko. "The one who just saved three citizens is Lord Streko d'Jorasco, also one of the prince's hirelings. And I am Lamara d'Medani, inquisitive of the Warning Guild. If you hinder us, be prepared to explain to your superiors in Fairhold."

The Watchmen stand, stunned for a moment. Lamara gives Kal a scathing look. "Your rings, my lords," she hisses, and seems to be speaking to more than just Kal.

"I...see," the Watchman leader says. He turns and beckons forward a pair of Watch-liveried women, who immediately rush to the wounded. They seem to be the healers called for.

The women listen to Streko's description and immediately set to work arranging the wounded for transport. More Watchmen seem to be headed this way to help. "Thank you, my lord," one of them says. "We will tend to them." Having heard Lamara's words, she says to Streko, "If we have more need of your account, can we call on you at the Jorasco Citadel?"

______________________________

Darren, no Diplomacy check needed (at this point). Dealings need to be a longer to warrant it. And tell me honestly, did you really remember the prince's name? Or did you look it up? Either way I'm proud of you.

[Darren]

No, that one I actually remembered....

Kal smiles as he watches the men move out of the way, then turns a hard expression on Lamara. "Did you think I had forgotten, Lady Inquisitive?" he asks harshly. "I was attempting to keep a lower profile, but I suppose I should just announce to the world our presence." Kal takes a step away from Lamara and spreads his arms wide, drawing in a deep breath as if he is about to shout loud enough for everyone to hear. Instead, he exhales and looks over his shoulder at Lamara. Finally, he breaks into a grin. It's impossible to tell if he is angry or being playful.

[Ken]

Dec 17, 2009 6:47:45 GMT -4 Darren said:

"Did you think I had forgotten, Lady Inquisitive?" he asks harshly. "I was attempting to keep a lower profile, but I suppose I should just announce to the world our presence."

"Alas, Kal, that ship has sailed," says Belarin to Kal and Lamara. "Or is it sunk? I forget. The main reason for any pretense of anonymity was to avoid revealing our location to Malov and Kreelo. As today's events indicate..." he looks at the crystalline corpses, "...they know.

"Regardless, any attempt at moving about unnoticed became more difficult in the past day." He looks at the large, horned Condign, who is still leaning over the half-orc. He adds quickly, "Oh, I'm not saying we move about without him. I like him! But instead of running from notoriety, let's embrace it, especially if Malov already knows where we are. It could open doors around this city that would be otherwise closed."

[Jeff]

At Kal's grandiose gesture, two of the Watchmen level their crossbows at him, as if preparing to deal with a spellcaster.

[Jeff's backup]

Condign, seeing he has misplayed his hand, releases the half-orc's ears and softens his tone. "See her?" He gestures to Lamara. "She is an Inquisitive here at Fairhold. She can do what she said. She can keep you alive. If you can give her the information she wants. My friends are trying to stall the Watch long enough for you to prove you are useful. I would not wait much longer. Where were you going after this? Who were you supposed to meet?"

[Darren]

Kal listens quietly to Belarin, then shrugs his shoulders and turns back to the crowd. "Very well," he says with resignation.

When Kal speaks again, his voice is unnaturally loud. "The danger has passed, good citizens. Know that Kalarian d'Deneith and his companions have stopped these would-be murderers. It is our good fortune to be here to assist all of you. If we can be of further service to you, please ask about me at the House Deneith enclave." Kalarian offers a formal bow to the crowd.

He turns back to Belarin and Lamara, and winks. His voice returns to a normal volume. "Was that what you had in mind, good Belarin?" Kal grins.

________________
As before, Kal is using Ghost Sound to amplify his voice.

[Jeff]

Lamara groans. She dismisses Kal with a gesture. "Belarin, perhaps you have the common sense to prove your allegiance to Prince Aurad with your ring?"