Chapter 10: Eye of the Storm

[Dave W.]

Jul 17, 2012 17:32:28 GMT -4 Ken said:

Belarin/Nerrin stares as though he's addressing a talking cow. "Of course, young man, you may have a look at it. Simply make an appointment with my attache, Redoubt, here," he says, making a dismissive wave that seems to include the mercenary and Adamant. "At the moment - as should be obvious - I am in the middle of a conversation with this man, whatshisname. No need to pout, lad - I'll get to you. Redoubt..." Although the volume of his voice doesn't change, the tone becomes cooler as he speaks to Adamant while keeping his eyes on the mercenary. "See to this Polite Young Man's needs. Won't you?"

Redoubt pulls himself to his full height. He sets his chair behind and out of the way. "Of course Master Nerrin." The tall warforged starts moving towards the mercenary captain, "Do you have a card, a note of rank? Perhaps one of your employer's? There is also a customary gift; some small token to prove your interest is genuine and not simply the curiosity of young-... umm,... -ness. A few coins for the Master's time. I would not mention it but you seem to have overlooked other protocols."

Adamant makes no move towards weapon or shield, instead, clasping his heavy hands together as though patiently waiting.

[Joe]

Streko watches and waits, unsure as to whether or not he should instigate more problems.

Olladra forgive me, but I think I will wait and see who starts what before deciding what to do.

Then again...

Streko comes up to Kalarian's side. He bows to the young warrior and then, upon standing, turns to Kal.

"Did you break wind, my Lord? I'm afraid I smell something...unpleasant. Odd, I didn't smell it a moment ago."

He looks back at the warrior. He lifts his finger to the ceiling and smiles.

"Of course!! Have you eaten Kodo Tripe recently? It often gives the the smell of defecation after being consumed. My tribesmen prefer to eat other parts of the beast. Better relations that way, if you know what I mean."

He moves to the other side of the table and addresses "Nerrin," noticing "Redoubt" rising to his full height a moment later and feeling a bit...impressed.

"Now, where were we?" he asks Nerrin. "I believe we were discussing this map's authenticity?"

[Jeff]

The mercenary closes his mouth and regards Kal with smoldering eyes. When Adamant speaks, he takes an involuntary step back. The thin line of his frown turns into a borderline snarl when Streko subtly insults him.

"Hey, no troubles, ladies and lords," he says with a forced smirk. "I...we...can wait our turn." He turns, face burning, and starts to walk off. "See you another time. Or soon."

The mercenaries fellows have been watching, as has everyone else in the tavern. They rise as he approaches them.

[Darren]

Kal watches him leave, a smug smile on his face. Then he turns back to Belarin as though resuming their business. He leans far over the table, presumably examining the map, and drops his voice low for Belarin's ears only. "We may have pushed him too far. I expect you'll be in danger when you leave here."

[Dave B.]

Shorak relaxes slightly as the young mercenary walks away. He continues watching the proceedings and the audience around them, but he is now keeping extra care in regards to the group of mercenaries.

[Ken]

Jul 18, 2012 8:08:27 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal watches him leave, a smug smile on his face. Then he turns back to Belarin as though resuming their business. He leans far over the table, presumably examining the map, and drops his voice low for Belarin's ears only. "We may have pushed him too far. I expect you'll be in danger when you leave here."

Belarin responds with a very Nerrin sigh of exasperation. "Well, that WAS the original plan, wasn't it?" he says in a similarly low voice. Then he says at a slightly louder volume, "Don't think you've fooled me with that charade, Lord Kalarian. Those fellows are employees of yours, paid to intimidate me into striking a quick deal with you, weren't they? Heh! It's not so easy to fool me, but I applaud the effort. Well done. Now... one of you good lords was asking about authentication, yes?"

[Joe]

Streko blinks a few times.

"I don't understand. They never just leave. Is that all we have to do? Insult them? Where were the good insults when the Otyugh was busy trying to digest us?"

Belarin's, or rather Nerrin's, voice snaps him out of his confusion for a quick moment.

"Now... one of you good lords was asking about authentication, yes?"

He clears his throat. "Yes. Authentication."

Streko frowns, obviously unable to completely absorb the past few moments.

"We want the map...ummm...authenticated." He looks over at Kal, his eyes glassy. "Right?"

[Ken]

"Yes, well, as I said, before we were interrupted," intones Belarin/Nerrin with irritating condescension, "look at these map notations. That's an ancient dialect of Sylvan -- the language of the fey. That's because there's an enchanted passage, right by the Ring of Storms, leading to your destination. Wherever Gerhest appears this time, stepping through the passage will take you there. Ah, but to find the passage, and to use it, you'll need to know the proper phrases... and this map. Feel free to take a sample of parchment, as I said, to verify the parchment's age."

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a folded piece of paper. "My asking price represents the culmination of my years of research, and compensation for a great deal of aggravation." He slides it over to Kal and Streko.

Whichever of them opens it will read, Also demand to copy some of the phrases down, so you can have them independently translated and verified. We'll meet again when you're satisfied.

[Jeff]

Within a few minutes later, the mercenary group files out the door of the Bogwater Tavern. Condign notes their exit, and they do indeed appear to walk away down the street.

Meanwhile, the elderly gnome slides from his chair. He thumps his crooked cane and hobbles over to a respectful distance from Kal and Belarin. "You, boy. The scribe-looking one with the fancy map. Just some advice, because I like the audacity of you. Stop banding about the name Gerhest so much." He seems to speak it a little too loud himself. "This isn't the right time, hear? Quiet your tone and keep your skin, as the old saying goes."

The gnome grins. And if there were any doubts, now there are none: beneath the bushy brows and wide-brimmed hat, Kal and Belarin both recognize Sem Darlesh's eyes lurking there, even though the rest of him looks aged.

With that, the gnome pivots, shakes his head, and strolls off towards the bar.

Shorak and Adamant can see that several more groups have taken interest. The dark-haired rangery elves have returned to their own private conversation, but they send furtive glances toward Belarin's and Kal's groups. The humans and merchant-looking dwarves are watching with less surreptitious skill. The wizard-like robed human looks away, but rises and exits the tavern almost a little too quickly.

Shorak in particular notices a human with the Mark of Handling at the other end of the bar eyeing them intently, too.

[Darren]

Kal's head snaps around to look at the gnome, and when he walks off, his eyes begin to slowly drift around the room, noticing all of the attention, as though he just realized they were in public. He clears his throat as he turns back to Nerrin. "Yes, well, we will take that sample you offered, but I will also need to copy down some of those phrases you mentioned. You understand that I can't offer you this kind of money without first ensuring that what you say is true. Once I've done that, I'll contact you again."

Kal begins to rise, trusting in his companion to gather the necessary pieces for their "verification". Before he turns away, he grasps Nerrin by the shoulder and leans his face in very close. "Do not give this map away before you have heard from me again," he says, loud enough for other to hear. Then he pitches his voice low again for Belarin's ears only. "Remember, we need to make sure we have the map available to show to the Coin Lords if they ask for it." Again raising his voice, he stares into Nerrin's eyes. "Are we clear?"

[Ken]

Belarin/Nerrin opens his eyes wide as though Kal has just whispered something very threatening. He swallows hard. "Y-yes... yes, Lord Kalarian," he says. Then, seeming to notice his wider audience for the very first time, he blinks and regains his composure. He stares through red-tinted spectacles at Kal's hand on his shoulder. He seems to be viewing a tiny, audacious centipede. "The heavy-handed tactics you employ are well known, my lord... but I'm disappointed you're so... literal. Nevertheless, our dealings have been fair, if not amicable."

He allows Streko to cut off a small piece of the parchment and to "copy down" several fey phrases. "No, not like that...!" he mutters impatiently. "Less cursive!" Satisfied, he rolls up the map and stores it in the scroll case. "You know where to reach me... or did you have another location in mind?"

[Joe]

Streko stops scribbling so crusively, glowers at Nerrin, then returns to finsihing the task.

"We shall see if your price is worth the effort,"

Streko also notices the attention their little theatrical display has garnered.

"Be careful with our map," Streko says, hopeing Belarin gets the full measure of his statement.

[Dave B.]

Shorak watches closely. When it is apparent that Belarin/Nerrin is readying to leave, he slips out of his chair and glides outside ahead of him and Redoubt/Adamant. Once outside, he quickly falls into the shadows and waits for the pair to exit. He will follow them back to their rooms, sticking to the shadows and looking out for any threats.

[Darren]

Kal turns his head as he walks away from the table. "My agents will be in touch," he says. Then he strides out of the bar, Tangat close at his heels.

________________________
Unless anything bad happens along the way, Kal is ready to return to their rooms.

[Dave W.]

Adamant again wants to chuckle when Kal mock-threatens Belarin, and again he belatedly realizes that Redoubt should intervene. But it is too late. Instead, he just stands up after the fact. 

He observes Streko copying the text, doesn't focus on it. He tries to remain alert and observe the crowd instead.

When Streko leaves, Adamant turns to Belarin, "I am somewhat concerned about the mercenary captain. I may have treated him roughly; your customer certainly did. I will need you to stay close as we move through the city."

[Jeff]

Condign watches as the robed, wizard-like human exits the building and stalks away down the street, going east, in the opposite direction as the mercenaries.

Many eyes are still on Kal and Belarin as they wrap up their discussions, but no one speaks to them or moves to intercept.

[Ken]

"Yes, Redoubt," replies Belarin/Nerrin ruefully, "that Deneith fellow was a pushy sort, wasn't he? The mercenary deserved it, though." He sits quietly for a few seconds, then has a long, final sip of wine. "Unfortunately, this business has brought us into contact with unpleasant sorts, but it's necessary, I suppose." He stands up and taps his "bad" leg. "If I cannot safely take part in an expedition, I might as well turn a profit by aiding someone who CAN -- as you have been pleading with me incessantly to do!"

He adjusts his cape and begins limping out. "Come along, Redoubt. I need some rest ... we have several more interested parties to meet tomorrow before the event. If we are fortunate -- a rarity -- we shall be rid of this in two or three days, and I won't have to listen to your worrying anymore."

He quickly allows Adamant to take the lead as they exit. Although Nerrin's face displays a sort of unfocused consternation, Belarin is inwardly delighted by tonight's events. Still, he quickly tamps down his emotions so that he can keep his eyes and ears open. The mercenary captain seemed to be the reckless, capricious type -- and Belarin knows all too well how unpredictable such people can be.

[Dave W.]

Jul 20, 2012 11:14:02 GMT -4 Ken said:

[Belarin] adjusts his cape and begins limping out. "Come along, Redoubt. I need some rest ... we have several more interested parties to meet tomorrow before the event. If we are fortunate --  a rarity -- we shall be rid of this in two or three days, and I won't have to listen to your worrying anymore."

"Well Master Nerrin," Redoubt replies, "nothing would please me more than not bothering you with my worries. Yet any rational person would be worried associating with a map as valuable as this. Between this and that cursed vampire Krez, it's been a worrisome time."

"And in a way you pay me to worry."

[Ken]

"Oh damnation, Redoubt," mutters Belarin/Nerrin on the way out, "did you have to remind me of the vampire? The Patriot has certainly docked by now. Its dark crew -- and Claw troops -- could be skulking about even now..."

[Dave W.]

Jul 20, 2012 22:26:10 GMT -4 Ken said:

"Oh damnation, Redoubt," mutters Belarin/Nerrin on the way out, "did you have to remind me of the vampire? The Patriot has certainly docked by now. Its dark crew -- and Claw troops -- could be skulking about even now..."

"As I said, Master Nerrin, you pay me to keep track of your worries."

[Jeff]

Kal, Streko, and Condign (who falls into place beside them) head vaguely south, ready to exit the district and wind their way around to Cross again. Behind them, only a short distance behind, comes Adamant, Belarin, and then Shorak. Each group keeps just enough distance from the other to seem unrelated as they stroll among the evening passers-by.

Five minutes into their walk, while passing between a few small houses and other businesses, Belarin, Adamant, and Shorak see a skinny boy—possibly full-blooded elven, given his delicate features and almost feral eyes—standing in the middle of the street. Directly in their way. He's dressed in simple urchin's clothing, but is perhaps a trace finer than Rinti's had been.

"Master?" the boy says, looking up, then gives Adamant a cursory look (he doesn't even seem to notice Shorak, who blends into the shadows more and is a slight distance away). "Master Nerrin, is it? May I ask you a question? You are a procurer of maps?"

The boy is about ten feet away from Belarin and Adamant both. Around them, citizens mill about, paying little mind.

Condign, who's been watching their backs, notices that Belarin, Adamant, and Shorak have stopped in the street—possibly approached by someone—about sixty feet behind them. He quietly alerts Kal and Streko, prompting them to pause.

[Darren]

Kal gives a slight nod at Condign's warning, but continues to walk on a bit further down the street. It is only after another 30 feet or so that he pauses, as though checking out some interesting piece of architecture. He points it out to Streko, as well, engaging in a conversation with him about it, allowing Condign to keep an eye on events behind them, should the need arise to engage.

[Dave B.]

Letting the shadows keep him hidden from the elf boy, Shorak listens and watches carefully. He definitely gives the small urchin a good long look. If this is truly just one of the street urchins being paid to deliver a message, then this shouldn't be dangerous. Even so, the boy could also be a diversion or the actual danger. Shorak keeps his eyes open for any potential approaching threat.

[Ken]

Belarin pauses at the boy's approach. He mutters for Adamant's ears only, "Send a child as a distraction while those mercenary morons stage an attack to grab the map. Amateurs." He takes two limping steps forward and says in Nerrin's nasally voice, "Oh my word, child! It's far too late to be conducting business. Now move along. First..." He tosses a sovereign at the boy as he continues to walk, now around the boy, still keeping a good ten feet away.

"There will be ten more of those if you tell me the name of the person who sent you here. Plus a galifar -- that's gold, boy -- if you say where that person is right now. Come, Redoubt." And he continues to hobble away in his original direction, making sure that Adamant is right alongside.

[Dave W.]

Jul 21, 2012 18:12:20 GMT -4 Ken said:

"There will be ten more of those if you tell me the name of the person who sent you here. Plus a galifar -- that's gold, boy -- if you say where that person is right now. Come, Redoubt." And he continues to hobble away in his original direction, making sure that Adamant is right alongside.

Adamant nods to indicate he's heard, but is purposely ignoring the boy as best he can. The warforged scans open windows and rooftops, looking for trouble. He also tries to say in arms reach of Belarin.

[Jeff]

Adamant looks up. The rooftops seem clear.

The boy goes to catch Belarin's silver coin, but clumsily reacts too late—unusual for an elf—and it chinks to the ground. He doesn't react or go for it like most street kids would. Instead he seems to seize up and go still. Unnaturally still.

Meanwhile, Belarin has already begun to move around the boy, with Adamant right beside him.

And then the boy's body dissolves in a spray of fine white strands. They swirl around him in all directions like a cyclone and magically expand. The webs wash over both both—individual strands seem ineffective but there are thousands of them and threaten to hold them fast. Even a passer-by walking the other direction gets snared in the wide web-like net, crying out in surprise. The web has filled a fifteen foot radius around where the boy used to be. Belarin easily recognizes the spellwork of a mage of some kind, and the boy might have been an illusion or some sort of delayed spell trigger.

Shorak is clear of the webs, lurking near the shadows of the nearest building. While the street is decently lit from many ambient lights, the alleys between the buildings and walls are much darker.

• Spell vs. Belarin's Reflex: 14 (miss)
• Spell vs. Adamant's Reflex: 22 (hit) / Adamant is immobilized (save ends)
• The web is difficult terrain and requires 2 squares of your speed to move 1 square. Any creature that ends its movement in the zone is immobilized (save ends).

One of the people on the street just beyond the web, a fellow in poor man's clothes with his back to a rock wall, looks up and smiles at Belarin. His form shimmers and becomes that of the robed, middle-aged human with the staff from the Bogwater.

With a gesture, a very large, somewhat humanoid figure begins to step from the shadows of the building behind him. Its movement suggest a decidedly unhumanoid physiology.

"The map, Master Nerrin," the wizard says simply as the air seems to ripple above his staff. "Or you will shortly be dead."

Shorak is fairly sure the wizard hasn't actually noticed him.

Further down the street, Kal, Condign, and Streko can tell something's happened. There was a burst of white....magic? They can't make out any specific details or faces of those involved from their position about 90 feet further down the street.

p = other street pedestrians
W = wizard

____________________________________

Assuming you'd like to do something about this other than comply, this is the initiative order:

24 = Shorak
11 = Belarin
10 = Wizard
5 = Adamant

If Kal, Streko, or Condign wish to hurry to get onto the scene, I'll place them in the intitiative order once I know what you're doing.

[Joe]

Streko sees the sudden appearance of something white appear where Belarin and Adamant were standing.

"Did a giant white bird just explode on Adamant? Well, whatever it is, it can't be good. With us, nothing ever is!"

He looks up at Kal, eyes questioning. "Back-up only, or shall we dive into the middle of things?"

[Ken]

Jul 21, 2012 21:45:04 GMT -4 Jeff said:

With a gesture, a very large, somewhat humanoid figure begins to step from the shadows of the building behind him. Its movement suggest a decidedly unhumanoid physiology.

"The map, Master Nerrin," the wizard says simply as the air seems to ripple above his staff. "Or you will shortly be dead."

Belarin breaks free of the last few strands of the spell, although he sees that Adamant is not as fortunate. He looks at the wizard with a disappointed scowl. "A hedge wizard," he says disdainfully. "And an unimaginative one at that. You're not the only one with tricks ... and a special tailor."

He steps away and, with a dramatic flourish of his cape (as though activating some power), he draws upon his fey-granted talents to summon the shadows around him. He then sinks even deeper into the shadows, vanishing from sight!

________________________________
If the wizard loses his prize, he likely won't stick around for a fight. So...
Move: 1 square SW, 2 square S.
Belarin invokes shadow walk for concealment.
Minor: Belarin makes a Stealth check via shrouding gloom. Stealth check (1d20+11=24)
Move: Belarin moves silently 3 more squares S.

[Dave W.]

Adamant is appalled to be covered in sticky threads. He starts pulling and tugging at them. "Umm, Master Nerrin, I am impeded. If you just wait a moment I'll be with you..."

Even as the warforged fights with the threads, Belarin insults the wizard and disappears. "Oh lovely, and so he teleports away again..." Adamant whines, "I would have made my way to you if you had an ounce of patience." he shouts to the sky.

Adamant, still tearing away threads, addresses the wizard, "well, the brave Master Nerrin seems to have abandoned us... I don't suppose you would be satisfied giving me your card so he could contact you at a convenient time? We can skip the customary gifts, you obviously have serious intentions." 

-----------
Adamant can't move this turn so, it's just going to be some babbling and the save at the end of turn:
Save vs Imobilization (1d20=18)

[Darren]

Kal turns his head in the direction Streko had indicated. For the sake of anyone watching, he says, "Is that our friend with the map?" He squints, taking a few steps towards the conflict. "Damn it all, it is. Streko, I believe someone is trying to take what is ours." Hefting his sharrash to his shoulder, Kal runs off down the street.

________________
Kal will move as far back towards the fight as he can.