Chapter 10: Eye of the Storm

[Jeff]

Team K

"That is...vague, human," the voice says, its speaker still out of sight beyond the closest dark opening on your left. "What were you supposed to do with this coin once you had it?"

[Jeff]

Team B

Shorak knows that the Black Wrack does have a large open boarding room immediately adjacent to this common room. He's never had to stay there before, but Brick allows travelers he trusts to stay there for a single silver piece per night. It's not exactly private, but the room is spacious and the cots are plentiful.

[Darren]

Team K

Apr 17, 2012 17:47:40 GMT -4 Jeff said:

"That is...vague, human," the voice says, its speaker still out of sight beyond the closest dark opening on your left. "What were you supposed to do with this coin once you had it?"

"I wish I knew," Kal says, beginning to relax unconsciously. "As I said, I was given a vision that told me to seek the coin. In it, a great dragon, a dragon I know now to have been bronze, spewed lightning upon me and told me to be transformed. But before that, it instructed me to seek out a coin the same color as it." Sudden recollection takes Kal, and his eyes widen slightly. "I was told..." Kal reaches into his pocket and removes the two bronze coins he picked up during their earlier travels, "to return the coin to the horde of the 'Wyrm Ascendant'." Kal drops the coins and listens to them clink against the floor and roll away.

[Dave B.]

Team B

Shorak finishes the last couple of sips of his drink and rises out of his chair. "Well, I'll go talk to Master Handlon and make arrangements for some water and soap if he has it."

He intentionally passes by the wizard's table on his way to the bar, glancing at her reading material and anything else she has that looks interesting.

Approaching the bar he hands a galifar to the barkeep. "If you please. We would like to make use of your boarding room to rest a bit and perhaps clean up a little as well, if you could supply us with some soap and water? Will that be enough to cover the cost?"

After making the arrangements, Shorak starts to head back to the table, but turns back. "I wonder if I might ask you a question." He describes the glyph that was carved into the crazy attackers. Just the glyph, not anything else. "Have you seen anything like that recently?" He knows it's a long shot, but Shorak feels it doesn't hurt to ask around. He's also ready to grease Brick's palm some if it looks like it would help.

[Brian]

Condign

Condign raises one thin eyebrow as he watches the hill giants stroll down the lane. If beings that size were commonplace outside the city walls, then the trip with the failed professor could be a dangerous one indeed. He will have to stay sharp.

Turning his back on the giants, he walks into the Forgelight district. The Temple of the Sovereign Host should be easily identifiable. That is, unless he gets lost again.

[Ken]

Team B

Belarin nods as Shorak leaves the table to hopefully secure a room where they can wash up a bit. He's about to whisper something to Adamant, but now that the wizardly looking lady is "on the hook" and listening in, he chooses not to break character, even in a whisper. When magical talents are concerned, it's best not to take chances.

"Redoubt," he says in Nerrin's nasal twang, "I must admit... you performed... admirably back there." The compliment sounds as though it's causing Nerrin some degree of pain. He coughs for a moment. "If not for your actions and Shorak's, well, we might not even be having this conversation now. I should have realized that the damn Claw would have had advance agents who could act in the daylight. The vampires in the Patriot's hold are stuck there until sundown."

[Jeff]

Team B

"Brick" Handlon accepts Shorak's gold coin with a smile and a nod. He gives his companions a glance. "Sure thing, that's enough for you and your friends. I'll have plenty of clean water sent along...but we ain't got any baths here."

When Shorak asks about the sigil, doing his best to describe it, Brick shakes his head. "Sounds like you need to go ask some wizards. The only symbols I ever see are those carved into my tables." He frowns. "But no, nothing like that."

The woman continues to read, or pretend to read, in her book. It does look like a spellbook. But she doesn't react to Belarin's words noticeably.

Shorak, Belarin, and Adamant are given access to the boarding room, which is half the size of the common room, filled with cots. At the moment, no one else is in there so there is relative privacy. And true to Brick's words, several basins of water and cloths are sent in.

[Jeff]

Team K

Kal:

"I was told...to return the coin to the horde of the 'Wyrm Ascendant'." Kal drops the coins and listens to them clink against the floor and roll away.

"Is this so?" the unseen speaker says, more intensely. "Who told you this? Answer quickly! Then approach."

That voice is just around the corner...

[Jeff]

Condign

It doesn't take Condign long to find where he's going. Once inside Forgelight, the Temple of the Sovereign Host becomes quickly apparent. As he approaches the steps, he sees both Tangat and Rinti hanging around outside.

Tangat immediately dashes toward him, then pauses to check that Rinti is staying put, then continues on, tail wagging.

Below the temple, Kal can sense Tangat's excitement and can easily envision the dog's tail flailing madly. From the empathic emotions, he can sense that it's merely the arrival of a friend. Probably Condign.

[Darren]

Team K

Apr 18, 2012 10:58:21 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Team K

Kal:

"I was told...to return the coin to the horde of the 'Wyrm Ascendant'." Kal drops the coins and listens to them clink against the floor and roll away.

"Is this so?" the unseen speaker says, more intensely. "Who told you this? Answer quickly! Then approach."

That voice is just around the corner...

Below the temple, Kal can sense Tangat's excitement and can easily envision the dog's tail flailing madly. From the empathic emotions, he can sense that it's merely the arrival of a friend. Probably Condign.

"Condign," Kal says with relief. Then realizing he has spoken out loud, he quickly says, "No! Sorry. I was distracted for a moment." He smiles sheepishly, then realizes how stupid the gesture is and tries to study his face to seriousness. "Honestly, I do not know. It was a voice in my head that told me this, just as the world was blacking out on me and I was kidnapped to find myself on a ship on the way here. In my mind I saw a glowing symbol," he rolls up his sleeve and points to his dragonmark, "this one. It was something I had seen in the floor of a cavern....umm...possibly the den of one who 'dwells in the heights without lights.' I don't know what it all means. Truly, I don't." Kal takes a few steps forward.

[Brian]

Condign

Smiling, Condign bends down and scratches Tanget behind his ear. "Well, boy, I know if you are here, the other two cannot be far away."

Still petting the dog, he looks up at Rinti. "Well met again, my lady. Did anything exciting happen while I was away?"

___________________________

What I wanted to post . . . .

"Woof woof. Bark!"

"What, boy," says Condign. "Kal and Streko fell down a well?"

"Bark. Woof."

"And they are about to be eaten by a dragon!"

"Barky bark."

"Yes, go find that rope so we can rappel down and rescue them!"

"Woofy woofy yip."

"No, I didn't bring any treats. Now let's go!"

[Dave W.]

Team B

Apr 18, 2012 9:26:44 GMT -4 Ken said:

"Redoubt," he says in Nerrin's nasal twang, "I must admit... you performed... admirably back there." The compliment sounds as though it's causing Nerrin some degree of pain. He coughs for a moment. "If not for your actions and Shorak's, well, we might not even be having this conversation now. I should have realized that the damn Claw would have had advance agents who could act in the daylight. The vampires in the Patriot's hold are stuck there until sundown."

Redoubt looks at Nerrin and tilts his head as though the complement would make more sense at this angle. After a moment the warforged accepts it. "Thank you Master Nerrin, but you are too kind."

"Yes, too kind. It is not you who should have anticipated the vampire Krez. That is more properly my job as your guard; and therefore my failing as well."

"I do appreciate the complement and Shorak did perform better than I had anticipated. There is one thing, a request perhaps. When we have these situations, it would help my effort to protect you if I could rely on you being nearby."

"I just would consider it a favor if tried not to wander off too much, Master Nerrin."

[Ken]

Team B

Belarin smiles at Adamant. But as Nerrin, he sighs deeply. "You're right, I suppose," he complains. "But the arcane scholar within sometimes gets the better of me. In a place like this --- well, some of the sights are so wondrous that, yes, curiosity overwhelms common sense. I vow to be guided by your protective hand, Redoubt. Ah, here comes Shorak...."

Apr 18, 2012 10:55:44 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Shorak, Belarin, and Adamant are given access to the boarding room, which is half the size of the common room, filled with cots. At the moment, no one else is in there so there is relative privacy. And true to Brick's words, several basins of water and cloths are sent in.

"Excellent work, Shorak. Excellent," says Nerrin. However, as soon as the doors are closed, he mutters to Shorak and Adamant, "Check for spyholes and the like. In a place like this, the walls often have ears. And Nerrin needs to fix his face."

He limps over to a basin, and after assuring himself that the surfaces in the immediate area don't allow for any mundane eavesdropping or viewing from the other side, he begins stripping off his clothes and cleaning his face. The combat and the exertion had already caused some of his pasty makeup to vanish, yet it seems that the soot and ash adequately concealed any flaws.

After washing the blood out of his hair and cleaning his wounds -- largely healed, thanks to Adamant's healing touch -- he takes out his makeup kit, reapplies Nerrin's "face," and dons the tinted spectacles. Then he begins the process of salvaging what he can of his and Adamant's newly purchased clothing.

"Shorak," he says as Nerrin, "when you have a moment, please ask your friend if there's a seamstress we can borrow this afternoon for some repair work. If not, then perhaps a sewing kit...? My, um, interesting past has required me to do a lot of fine work with my hands. Sewing should not be a problem."

[Dave B.]

Team B

Shorak joins Adamant/Redoubt in checking for any obvious spyholes, etc.

He then begins to wash the soot and ash from his body. When he is done he heads back to the common room. "I'll see what I can find, Master Nerrin. Perhaps one of the servers might have what you seek."

He quickly asks around the bar in search of needle and thread. Definitely within ear shot of the wizard. Giving her a chance to make contact with him, if she happens to have what Shorak is looking for.

[Dave W.]

Redoubt does a careful job searching for eye holes or other means of spying on the room.

Once he's satisfied he goes over and fusses with Nerrin's clothes and such. He whispers, "You know I'm not really being annoyed, insulting or petulant my friend? It's this subtrifuge; it must be what intoxication feels like."

When Shorak is done, Redoubt will take his turn trying to de-soot. "Shorak, I only saw some of your dance with our opponents today, but you did well. My compliments."
------------
dont know if you want a searching check here or not

[Ken]

Team B

Belarin looks at Adamant and whispers back, "Yes, I know." He smiles. "Just as my own less-than-pleasant demeanor doesn't reflect my admiration of you. You're quite good at this, you know." Belarin knows that if Adamant could physically frown at this "compliment" about his talent for subterfuge, he would.

[Joe]

Streko stands behind Kal and shrugs. "I have nothing to say on this matter. This is your destiny and only you know the answers to our hosts questions. While I will be happy to remain alert, I certianly won't go trespassing, at least verbally, into things I know very little about unless Olladra herself orders me to interfere. Even then, I wouldn't even begin to know what to say. Suffice to know, my friend, that I am at your side through this journey. Do what you must to see it through."

[Dave W.]

Team B
Adamant once again tilts his head, pondering Belarin's remarks. He nods, no longer whispering, "Yes, well, I thank you for cooperating, I don't mean to restrict you but if you could try moving towards me from time to time."

Adamant stands tall and tugs at his damaged surcoat unfortunately expanding a tear.

"Hopefully our drow friend will find two or three needles. I'm afraid there will be more new thread than old before this is made presentable again."

[Jeff]

Team K

When Kal, and then Streko, steps forward a few more paces, they can start to see around the corner into the closest passage. And they see.... Nothing there. Just a torch hanging there on the wall and the corridor stretching into darkness.

Something about this place makes Streko think of a wisp of a dream he may have once had, too...

Then something heavy rustles the space behind both of you. Turning to look, you nearly stumble with the proximity, size, and strength of what's right there, only a few feet away.

"Move aside," says the deep voice, not impolitely, now coming from the shining, reptilian maw that lingers above.

It takes both human and halfling a few moments to process what they're seeing.

A dragon. Large. Dark yellow scales flecked with metallic gold. Looming just behind them. A profusion of horns and frills sweeps back from the armored mask of its head and thick whisker-like tendrils hang down from his jaw. As the candle- and torch-light shines upon the creature, its scales catch the light and seem to cast about the room, shimmering golden light all around. Not so much outward as upward, illuminating the heights of this vaulted undercroft.

One heavy claw comes down and scoops down into the coins where you were standing only a minute again. It almost looks like an attack. As the claw comes back up, coins rain back down to the ground as the dragon allows them to trickle through its widening digits. With remarkable dexterity, a number of coins remain.

"Bronze, Dhakaani." There is a hint of excitement in the dragon's voice.

And now that you can see more of the space around you, you can see the golden light glinting off even more objects. Mostly weapons and armor, some of it looking quite foreign and antiquated. There are also a number of small figurines half buried in the coins, mostly of magical or exotic beasts: you can see a chimera, a pegasus, and a wyvern right off, each one seemingly made of a different, single piece of rock or crystal. There are chests and urns and various receptacles of wealth here.

[Jeff]

Condign

Tangat nuzzles at Condign constantly, craving more attention.

"Well met again, my lady. Did anything exciting happen while I was away?"

"Nahh," the girl answers as she fusses a little over her new clothes, trying to pull it and arrange it properly. "Did you meet Fire Eyes?" Some mischief creeps into her voice."Did she find you handsome?"

While standing there, Condign spots a lone copper coin lying between two cobbles on the street. Looks like his lucky day.

[Darren]

Team K

Kal's face cannot hide the emotions he feels. He is truly impressed and awed, thrilled to be in the presence of such a creature, excited to learn more of his destiny. It is almost too much for him and he feels a weakness in his legs.

The other children laugh and point at Kal. "Why won't you help me?" the little boy shouts as he lies on the ground, his right leg twisted at an impossible angle. "Please," he whimpers as he begins to cry.

Kal feels a surge of strength flow through him, an iron resolve. He takes a few confident steps towards the dragon. "My lord," he says, "this is indeed an impressive horde you have amassed. Again I must express my gratitude for letting me and my friend witness its magnitude."

[Joe]

Streko is in a cavernous chamber, dimly lit...but the ground is glittering with gold...coins, thousands of them. Treasure. And then a great shadow enters the room and drops down, scattering some of the coins. It's a majestic animal with black and brown feathers, leonine bearing but an eagle's head.

A griffon.

It appears to be watching Streko...and then suddenly the coins shift and the griffon sinks into it like it's quick sand. It doesn't seem distressed. In fact, it assumes a regal, statuesque sort of pose, then drifts out of sight.

Streko blinks. He addresses the great dragon.

"My Lord, I believe my destiny has brought me here before as well. I've...would Your Grace allow me the honor of looking for something? I believe it's somewhere within the coins we landed upon when we arrived. If it is there, I would be honored to, perhaps, make a trade with you, if it would be your wish."

He turns up to Kal, feeling tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. "Kalarian, it would seem as if my destiny is here as well. Olladra, bless us all."

He bows deeply to the dragon, but makes no move toward the hill of coins he had just crawled down from. In fact, Streko finds himself thanking Olladra profusely that he didn't recall this dream memory before...he might have gone swimming into the coins without permission, perhaps angering thier host.

While he awaits the dragon's response, he reaches back into his haversack and feels what he is looking for, making sure the jade figurine he randomly purchased at the shop is still there.

[Jeff]

Team B

Neither Shorak nor Adamant spot anything so direct as a spyhole, but then it would take a thorough search of the boarding room to find something like that. Still, neither feel spied upon.

When Shorak goes searching for needle and thread, he finds the barkeep himself helpful. He's got a stash of various tools and materials behind the bar. He offers it up to Shorak when he catches wind of what he's looking for.

Even so, the woman takes the bait. As Shorak's walking alone back to the table with the kit, she rises from her chair in front of him. She's fairly attractive, a little older for him (for a human), but still young. "Excuse me...sir? You are from this land, are you not? May we speak?"

[Brian]

Condign

Rinti:

"Nahh," the girl answers as she fusses a little over her new clothes, trying to pull it and arrange it properly. "Did you meet Fire Eyes?" Some mischief creeps into her voice."Did she find you handsome?"

Bending down, Condign picks up the copper piece. He is not normally a superstitious person, but perhaps this signals a change for him. Standing, he glances at Rinti. Then again, maybe the change is meant for someone else, someone more deserving.

Handing the coin over to her, he smiles. "How could she not find me handsome? We did talk, though. She spoke of someone, a seer. Does the name 'Orvak' mean anything to you?"

[Jeff]

Team K

Kal:

"My lord...this is indeed an impressive horde you have amassed. Again I must express my gratitude for letting me and my friend witness its magnitude."

"This is a rare collective," the dragon answers with a stirring of his tail, seeming to indicate the hoard. "Though some of it still belongs to me." The creature's eyes are fixed on the coins in its claws, though.

"You have brought...the missing coins from my collection. That is remarkable, human, that you would know to bring just these. The minting is not so old—the final decades of the rulership of Dhakaan—but it is rare. These were of the last currency before the daelkyr came. I have no such collection back home."

Streko:

"My Lord, I believe my destiny has brought me here before as well. I've...would Your Grace allow me the honor of looking for something? I believe it's somewhere within the coins we landed upon when we arrived. If it is there, I would be honored to, perhaps, make a trade with you, if it would be your wish..."

While he awaits the dragon's response, he reaches back into his haversack and feels what he is looking for, making sure the jade figurine he randomly purchased at the shop is still there.

"A trade?" The dragon slides his claw to the side, allowing his eyes to fall directly upon Streko. There is annoyance in his tone, as if he is soured by presumptions. "Some of this is not mine to give, little Talentan. This treasure is for the growing.

"Would you make demands? Who are you? A follower of Fortune's Fang, I see."

[Darren]

Team K

Kal quickly steps between the dragon and Streko. "My friend," he says in a rush of words, "is simply a seeker of destiny, like myself." Kal puts his hands in front of him and takes a step forward. "He means no disrespect. It would seem that, like me, he has been given a vision of his destiny. He too bears the dragon's mark."

Kalarian smiles. "My lord, it is my pleasure to return to you what is yours. Perhaps, in return, you can help us to understand our purpose here and why it is that we have been marked in this fashion. I must admit to knowing little of history, so I don't know the races of which you speak. Are they significant?"

[Joe]

Streko steps back and allows Kalarian to speak for them both.

Last time I open my mouth to speak in a dragon's presence.

[Jeff]

Team K

"I am a student of the Prophecy, as are all who choose to see it. My colleagues and I have our theories, yes, and most of them are probably accurate. We have yet to understand, or even fully accept, why the Prophecy has marked the young, weaker races like yours. We would suppose you to have significance, to play some part, but the lives of the 'dragonmarked' are usually wasted in frivolous pursuits."

"You have given to this vault," the dragon goes on, looking back to his new bronze coins with interest, then staring straight at Kal with his giant golden eyes. "So I will hear any one question you ask and answer it to the best of my ability."

The dragon pauses, as if considering. "Know that I cannot tell you what path you must follow toward your prophesied outcome, whether it will be an end...or another path. But perhaps I can tell you which star can guide you to the one."

[Darren]

Team K

Kal stands silent. The weight of the questions he has bear down on him, and the knowledge that he can ask only one nearly knocks him off his feet. As he has been known to do, Kal begins to pace.

"I was told that once I returned the coin to the Wyrm Ascendant, I would find my own path. So I don't suppose I need to be told where to go. I imagine I will find it on my own, just as I found my way here." Kal spins on his heel, beginning in the opposite direction. "In my vision, however, I was asked what I would be willing to sacrifice to find out what my place in the prophecy is." Another spin. "I replied, truthfully, that I did not know that I had anything to give, and I was told that until I understood what I was willing to sacrifice, I would never gain true understanding. I confess, I am still at a loss." Kal stops and spins to face the dragon. "I suppose what I would ask is, how do I find my place within the Prophecies? What sacrifice is required of me? I come before you, humble as I have never known, and ask can I give in order to achieve understanding?"

[Dave B.]

Apr 22, 2012 13:05:37 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Team B

Even so, the woman takes the bait. As Shorak's walking alone back to the table with the kit, she rises from her chair in front of him. She's fairly attractive, a little older for him (for a human), but still young. "Excuse me...sir? You are from this land, are you not? May we speak?"

Team B

Shorak stops before her with a curious look on his face. His usual charm turns the corners of his mouth up into a polite and questioning smile. "Yes, I was born on Xen'drik. My name is Shorak. What would you like to speak about..?" His question ends with a raised eyebrow. An obvious attempt to prompt her for her name as well.

He gives her a quick appraisal as he waits for her to reply. Not unattractive, but then his eyes are already drawn to another, so he doesn't really look at her in a romantic way. Not that he's going to let her know that. Showing even the slightest physical interest in the wizard just lends itself to his charming wiles. He has learned that a bit of seduction, even just in fun, can get him more information.