Chapter 6: The Limitless Rise

[Jeff]

Adamant looks towards the sun, or at least where it should be if it's hiding behind the city walls, "Thank you, my Lady." he says.

There was a place in High Walls, a short climb on the southeastern side of the district, where Adamant was able to view the rising sun each day, a place with overlooking the sea. Outside of this one place, it's been hard to find good views of the sun in Sharn. The upper districts are said to have better vantages.

I am called Adamant. What is your name, do you recall being attacked?"

"I..." The boy starts to look around for the first time, now noticing each of you here. "I just remember...being scared by something, and then feeling cold, and...it felt like my heart was dying. Will I be well, sir?"

Let us make sure he is okay, then move him to safety.

"Not to be rude," Varna says. "But let's not waste time searching for the Watch just now. We've already heard several people say the Watch hasn't been around here lately—how convenient, by the way—and we haven't time to run to a hospice with the boy. Let's just drop him off with Gerus. His shop is two blocks away."

Adamant looks a bit closer at the statue. It's old, very old...despite the lack of wind this far into the city, it's been worn by time. But the stern, middle-aged face of the robed man is still clear, as is the symbol the figure wears around his neck and is carved from stone: an open book. This makes him a priest of Aureon, Sovereign of Law and Lore. Etched into the pedestal is an unreadable name; that time and moisture have worn away. Beneath that, in clearer etching, is the Doctrine of Universal Sovereignty, which both Adamant and Streko know well (having learned on their very first day of religious study):

As is the world, so are the gods. As are the gods, so is the world.

[Dave W.]

Mar 4, 2010 6:50:09 GMT -4 Jeff said:

"I..."  The boy starts to look around for the first time, now noticing each of you here.  "I just remember...being scared by something, and then feeling cold, and...it felt like my heart was dying. Will I be well, sir?"

"I have faith that you will. Do you feel like your parts are working correctly?"

"Let us make sure he is okay, then move him to safety. Let's just drop him off with Gerus. His shop is two blocks away."

"A good suggestion, Varna," Adamant replies. He turns to the boy, "We will take you to a friend of ours." looking at boy's still weakened condition, Adamant suggests in a light, musical voice, "If you like you could ride my shoulders; you can see how the streets will look to you when you've grown a bit."

"Perhaps Gerus can find you something to eat or drink, I've noticed that seems to help sometimes. Is that acceptable to you?"

When he gets a chance, Adamant will mention to Varna, "The statue in the fountain? That would be a priest of Aureon. Aureon is Sovereign of Law and Lore. I'm not certain as to why this priest is depicted here. Perhaps a reminder of the Laws of Nature that seperate living and dead. Or perhaps this priest was the architect of this section of the city. I'm afraid I was a poor student."

----------
btw, I'm not opposed to Condign's plan to have Adamant
Guard one of the passages, but Adamant is not there to hear it.

[Darren]

Kal takes a few steps towards Adamant and the boy. His remains constantly in motion, taking a few steps this way, then a few steps that way, his head swiveling and trying to watch all directions at once. He nods at the warforged. "Guard Streko and the boy. Get him back to Gerus....QUICKLY. Then come straight back here. No stopping. We'll hold this intersection until you get back." He looks straight into the gems of Adamant's eyes. "Straight there, drop off the boy, and straight back. Understood?" Not waiting for a response, Kal turns back to the gateway. "Tangat? Anything?"

[Jeff]

Tangat pads around the intersection, inspecting each direction. He seems to have found no good leads on the creature. However, he stops and sniffs more intensely in the northeasternmost street. He woofs once and looks back at Kal. The Deneith heir understands the subtle tone: Tangat smells people in that direction. Living people.

[Mike]

Mar 4, 2010 5:37:48 GMT -4 Brian said:

"My lord Syrdan, if I you agree, I will go left and watch the two paths. You and the. . .you and Adamant can stand guard over the other two paths. We should be close enough to come to the other's aid should the creature appear before we are regrouped and ready." Condign looks at where the blood trail ends. "We must be careful. For all we know, that creature is standing right there, unseen, waiting for us to enter its City."

"Stand ... guard? We can't afford to do that for long," says Syrdan. "We're wasting time letting the creature get away."

"I'll wait here a minute or so for the rest of your companions, good sir, but if they don't come quickly, I must track this beast down alone. We cannot afford to have it escape us."

The elf moves straight ahead to the narrow path opposite the main gate. He moves at a slower pace ... but once he reaches that path, he continues to move slowly down it, splitting his attention between looking for the rest of the group to catch up, and looking for any signs of the creature.

[Ken]

Mar 3, 2010 23:55:30 GMT -4 Darren said:

"Belarin....any advice from the voices in your head?" Kal grins at this.

"Oh very good! Yes, Kal," says Belarin with amusement, "but I told them that even if you were anatomically able to do what they suggest, I couldn't see how it would help us. I've been 'sniffing around,' and I'll keep doing so until the others come back."

_________________
Nice, Darren!
Jeff: Belarin will use the otherworldly whispers to boost his Arcana check for the next minute as he looks for arcane emanations.

[Darren]

Mar 4, 2010 11:44:41 GMT -4 Mike said:

"Stand ... guard? We can't afford to do that for long," says Syrdan. "We're wasting time letting the creature get away."

"I'll wait here a minute or so for the rest of your companions, good sir, but if they don't come quickly, I must track this beast down alone. We cannot afford to have it escape us."

The elf moves straight ahead to the narrow path opposite the main gate. He moves at a slower pace ... but once he reaches that path, he continues to move slowly down it, splitting his attention between looking for the rest of the group to catch up, and looking for any signs of the creature.

"A hothead, huh?" Kal mutters in a quiet voice. "I thought that was MY job." He winks at Belarin, aware that the other man probably heard him.

Kalarian calls out to Syrdan. "Try not to get yourself killed, Master Elf."

[Jeff]

Varna looks between Kal, Belarin, Condign...and Adamant and Streko.

"Are you already arguing?" she scolds, seemingly everyone. She looks pointedly at Kal. "You, d'Deneith, don't let the elf go far. Or else he goes it alone altogether. That...thing is using a division tactic. This is his turf, he has the advantage, knows the way around the City of the Dead, and apparently he can go through walls, too. Separating the enemy is the best way counter strength of numbers."

She turns and looks at her brother and Adamant. "Kal's right, though, we need to be fast. Adamant, can you carry the boy? Streko, come with us, we'll make this faster. Back to the Gerus."

She turns back to look at Belarin and stabs a finger his way, heedless of the fact that Belarin has begun to study the area for magic detection. "Wait for us, all right?"

[Darren]

Kal throws up his hands. "That's exactly what I was trying to say!" He smiles, but also seems exasperated. His tone becomes more serious as he continues. "Go quickly, please, and be safe. We will hold here. We are not moving until you return." As he says this last part, he turns to look at everyone else, as much directing his words to them as he does to Varna.

[Brian]

Condign, intently focused on watching the two paths, hears faint snatches of conversation drifting from the direction of the arch. It sounds like Kal and the halfling woman, but he can't tell what's being said, only that the dragonmarked human sounds exasperated.

A familiar sly smile spreads across his face. "No time for a lover's quarrel, d'Deneith," he mutters under his breath, then returns his attention to the matter at hand.

[Dave W.]

Still kneeling by the boy, Adamant glances over to Varna and once again employs the light musical tone in his deep voice, "I hear and I obey my Captain."

He leans closer and looks the boy directly gems to eyes. "I'm afraid the shoulder ride will have to wait, my young friend."

Adamant sheaths his sword and slings his shield. The heavy metal arms scoop the boy up gently but firmly. Adamant steps off quickly carrying the child. "When we have destroyed the creature I will take you home if you wish. And I suppose we will have to find your dog who seems to have wandered off."

[Joe]

Streko makes sure the boy is stable, then allows Adamant to pick him up. "We will be back as soon as our legs can get us here. Worry not, Kal! When have you known me to dally?"

He smiles at Kal and leads Adamant and Varna back towards Gerus' place.

[Ken]

"That was interesting," says Belarin softly, the majority of his attention still focused on finding magical energy in the vicinity. "Once this is over, I suggest sending her to Fairhaven to singlehandedly deal with our Kreelo problem."

[Darren]

Kal lets out a sharp bark of a laugh and claps Belarin on the shoulder as he walks past him and looks down the pathway to the right, then circles back around to stand near the fountain and look out in that direction. He seems anxious for the others to return and his attention is focused on making sure the intersection stays safe until they do.

[Jeff]

Varnak, Streko, Adamant

Varna trails her brother and the warforged, looking occasionally over her shoulder at the others. "I'm no captain, Adamant. Please don't call me that."

Adamant:

"When we have destroyed the creature I will take you home if you wish. And I suppose we will have to find your dog who seems to have wandered off."

"That wasn't...my dog, sir," the boy says, his breath still weak. "Just a...street mongrel, I guess. But I'm...glad he brought you to me."

A couple of minutes later, they reach the Shining Detritus.

Belarin, Kal, Condign, Syrdan

A short distance down the northeastern path, Syrdan detects no sign of the creature, but he knows that incorporeal apparitions are not easily tracked. He does, however, see another junction further down, and he hears solid footsteps on the cobbles approaching it. The pace is slow and steady, like a leisurely walk.

Kal's dog, who has begun to follow Syrdan slowly, seems to hear it, too. His ears are up. He turns, pads back to Kal, and woofs softly.

[Mike]

Syrdan continues to move at a very slow pace down the path. His eyes constantly dart about, looking for any sign of the creature that he seeks.

[Dave W.]

Mar 5, 2010 8:54:13 GMT -4 Jeff said:

[Varna saya]"I'm no captain, Adamant. Please don't call me that."

"I apologise Mistress Varna. I did not intend to offend. It was meant to be both humorous and a complent. You may not approve of the association but you did handle that well. 
Perhaps a more pleasant comparison would be that you remind me of your mother organizing things at the Tavern." 

"That wasn't...my dog, sir," the boy says, his breath still weak. "Just a...street mongrel, I guess.  But I'm...glad he brought you to me.".

"Hmmm... That seems very strange. A brave mongrel to defend you against a powerful and unnatural being. And an insightful mongrel to recognize that we were not a threat to you. A special dog indeed."

As they hurry along, another thought occurs to Adamant, "Or, please concider, that perhaps it's you, young man, that is special. The gods sometimes arrange fortune to favor young men with special destinies. Master Streko is the Vassal of Fortune, he would have better insight."

--------------
I was originally going to go with a comparisson to Varna's mom when I had Addy make the captain comment but thought better of it, but if you're going to give me a second crack at it I guess I can't refuse.

I'm sure it's just Jeff's way of getting us to point A, but the dog wondering off seems like a we're missing something. Probably paranoia again...

[Brian]

As he was listening intently for unusual sounds, Condign hears Tangat's woof. His experiences with the canny canine have taught him to take the dog's actions seriously. While maintaining a vigilant watch on the two paths to the west, he backs slowly toward Kalarian and Tangat.

After all, something may be amiss.

[Darren]

Kal leans casually against his sharrash, but his attention darts between each entry to the intersection. He looks to the side, his mouth covered by his collar.

Suddenly, Condign and Syrdan hear Kal's whispered voice as though he were standing right next to them. "Incoming," he says, "from the northeast. Be careful, elf."

_____________
Kal is using Ghost Sound to speak with Condign and Syrdan.

[Jeff]

I apologise Mistress Varna. I did not intend to offend.

Varna sighs, but she smiles up at Adamant. "All right, we need to practice this. I'm just Varna. I'm no one's mistress or lady. Unless...you want me to call you Lord Adamant? Is that fair?"

___________________________

Ken: results of Belarin's analysis coming next. I didn't forget.

[Joe]

As soon as they reach The Shining Detritus, Streko immediately calls out for the proprietor. "If you can, summon a healer to help this young man. He was attacked by a creature we are now in the process of hunting down. However, by us being here, the creature has more of an advantage, despite our numbers and prowess. We must leave the boy here for you. Contact a cleric from one of the temples of the Sovereign Host and offer a donation of one galifar for their assistance."

Streko hands over two Galifars.

"I trust you as my parents would. If they cannot arrive quickly, contact House Jorasco. Any fees they charge over the two galifdars I have provided you will be reimbursed by me upon my return. You have my word.

"Unfortunately, we must leave immediately if we are to return to assist our friends. Will you do this, sir?"
____________________________________________________

If he says yes, Streko thanks him and collects both Varna and Adamant for a quick return to the "battlefield." If no, I will address that complication when it happens. Heh.

[Brian]

Kalarian:

Suddenly, Condign and Syrdan hear Kal's whispered voice as though he were standing right next to them."Incoming," he says, "from the northeast. Be careful, elf."

Responding to Kal's warning, Condign spins, a graceful pirouette for such a large creature. His red tail sweeps along the ground as he brings his shield around. Flesh Seeker arcs high, only to pull quickly into a defensive position; the blade's metal flashes with the cold light of the City of the Dead.

As Condign moves to stand with Syrdan, his blue-tinged brows furrow in concentration. He inhales deeply and catches the astringent, dusty smell of ancient death. He strains to hear the sounds of approaching danger.

[Dave W.]

Mar 5, 2010 21:20:08 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Varna sighs, but she smiles up at Adamant. "All right, we need to practice this. I'm just Varna. I'm no one's mistress or lady. Unless...you want me to call you Lord Adamant? Is that fair? "

"Humpf, me a lord, no, that won't do. You have out-flanked me, Mis... umm, I mean Varna. Fair or not, correct or not, I will try to call you just Varna and I will remain simply Adamant." A pleasant rumbly sound reverberates under Adamant's chest plate.

Seeing that Streko is handling things with Gerus, Adamant will set the boy down on the nearest chair, couch, setee, etc, "Rest a while child. We will return as sooks as we can."

He will wait quietly and be ready to leave as soon as Streko is.

[Jeff]

Looking around, Belarin senses very little here. What few auras he detects in the vicinity come from the stone doors that occasionally break up the monotony of ancient stone walls, each the entrance to a mausoleum. But many have been sealed for all time, and no doubt the auras he's noticing are spell-wards to keep out tomb robbers. But there is nothing suggestive of any creature.

Perhaps a more pleasant comparison would be that you remind me of your mother organizing things at the Tavern."

Varna groans at this. "Just what every halfling wants to here," she says. "'You're just like your mother.'"

"Or, please concider, that perhaps it's you, young man, that is special. The gods sometimes arrange fortune to favor young men with special destinies."

"Thank you, sir," the boy says to Adamant when he's placed down within the Shining Detritus.

Gerus come running forward, agitated, but he nods at Streko's words. I'll do my utmost to summon the Watch, or anyone, for help. "Go, go, do what you must." Although gruff and clearly not comfortable around kids, the dwarf takes hold of the boy and carries him into the back of his shop, seeking a better place for him.

Adamant, Streko, and Varna exit the shop and head once more toward the entrance to the City of the Dead.

Within, Condign reaches Kal and Belarin. In the bleak but not overly dark light of the necropolis, they can see the silhouette of Syrdan down the street, but can make out little more.

It seems that although the City of the Dead is situated mostly between the Lower and Middle City of Sharn, and thus far from the sun's light, shafts have been bored strategically through the stone above to allow some daylight to pierce the gloom. But when night does fall, it looks like it will grow dark indeed. You don't see any everbright lamps hanging in here. Still, that is hours away.

Syrdan sees the figure of a robed man ahead; tall, not hunched or moving like the creature. Lacking the grace of an elf, the man is clearly a human or half-blood, and possibly elderly. Holding a staff, not unlike the fountain statue.

"Who is there?" the aged voice calls out as Syrdan draws cautiously closer. The man, standing in a junction, appears to be squinting to try and make out Syrdan's shape. He obvious spots the greatsword in the elf's hands. "Know that these halls are subject not only to the Code of Galifar, but the omnipresent laws of Aureon. Do no harm here, son. What is your business? Are you seeking a relative?"

Tangat woofs again, sending empathic communication to Kal: someone is here. Belarin, Kal, and Condign can just barely make out the sound of someone new speaking.

[Dave W.]

As Adamant reaches the fountain he swing the heavy shield back to his left arm. "Very well, we have done a good deed today, rescuing the boy." His deep voice takes a more serious tone as he draws Dire's Folly, "Let us go do another."

He passes through the doorway and enters the City of the Dead.

[Ken]

"I'm not 'sniffing' anything out of the ordinary," says Belarin to Kal and Condign. "A few old wards around some tombs, presumably to keep out thieves. Ptui. Vile miscreants, those thieves." When he hears the words coming from ahead, he starts moving forward toward Syrdan. "It doesn't sound like a threat...."

[Darren]

As Adamant moves past him, Kal points to the passage to the east while nodding to the northeast. "There's someone coming from that way. Watch over there and make sure no one else is coming." He turns his head quickly and lets out a small sigh of relief on seeing Varna back safely.

Then his mind returns to the present situation and he places a hand on Belarin's shoulder to stop him from moving forward. "Stay near the center here, with me. I think our particular," Kal holds up a hand as he pauses and small sparks dance between his fingers, "talents...may be of more use here. Should trouble arise, we can cover all angles while our companions fall back towards us." Turning slightly, Kal also smiles at the sight of Streko. "You too, Halfling. Your mother would never forgive me if I let you get too far into trouble. Stay near Belarin and myself so you can more easily get to where you are needed."

Once again, Syrdan hears Kal's whispered voice next to his ear. "We are right behind you, elf. We are ready to support you if trouble comes."

[Dave W.]

Adamant nods at Kal and heads over to guard his assigned passage.

[Jeff]

When Streko and Adamant pass between the doors and enter the City of the Dead, they immediately feel that it's a solemn place. And not merely sedate, but vaguely sacred. From the shape of the buildings and mausoleums, they can tell that many of the hands that shaped these stones centuries ago—much of it is older than Sharn itself—belonged to Vassals of the Host.Certainly not all, as occasional Flamic designs suggest, but most.

Although it's clear this "district" isn't lived in and populated by the living, either superstition or guards and wards you haven't seen keep it from become a warren of criminals. It seems you have free roam of its corridors and streets. And it's obviously vast and mazelike, so it may prove easy to get lost.

Approaching Syrdan's position, Condign sees the elf and then spies the robed figure beyond, whose voice now echoes down to him softly. "....these halls are subject not only to the Code of Galifar, but the omnipresent laws of Aureon. Do no harm here, son. What is your business? Are you seeking a relative?"

[Brian]

"....these halls are subject not only to the Code of Galifar, but the omnipresent laws of Aureon. Do no harm here, son. What is your business? Are you seeking a relative?"

Condign comes to a stop beside Syrdan. He sees the robed figure ahead and assumes this is the person who had just spoken.

"My apologies, my lord, but we tracked a creature wearing a grey tattered cloak into this area. It had attacked a small boy. I am not even sure if the child still lives. The creature seemed to move at speed, and apparently passed through the doors behind us without having to open them." Condign hears footsteps behind him, and a quick look reveals Kal, Belarin and Adamant waiting in the intersection, with the others following close behind.

He looks back at the robed figure. "Have you seen this thing? Can you help us?"