Chapter 1: A Peaceable Kingdom

[Jeff]

>> Goran finds that Cutter is not there, outside the door, any longer. Only the Deneith guard. <<

Note that only Goran is aware of this, as he hasn't told anyone else.

[Jeremy]

After enjoying his tea for a little while, Goran snoops around a bit looking for Tangat, just to make sure he's still around.

Then...back to the tea!

(Goran likes tea)

If Cutter hasn't shown up after fifteen minutes or so, Goran will look for him once more and, if unable to find him, will first question the Deneith guard about his whereabouts. then go back in the room (assuming the others haven't all stormed off in a variety of huffs) and tell the party that he's concerned about Cutter.

[Darren]

Kalarian looks around the room in disbelief. "I cannot believe this. Are you all so intent on dying that you would turn down the only offer of help we've had since this all began? Have I been saddled with such complete idiots?" Kalarian rises from his seat and begins to pace the room a bit. "Lady Korvine, I am at your service, and I know Master Streko is as well. I believe that Grafth has enough common sense to know that we need your help. The others are fools and can rot in Khyber for all I care."

Moving closer to Lady Korvine, Kalarian throws a quick glance over his shoulder at Pellorien. "My lady," he says, looking back at the Deneith official, "I'm sorry. There is one other fact I witheld from you out of some strange sense of loyalty to these half-witted grimlocks. Pellorien was given a book by Gurend right before he died. It must have been of some importance, as it was securely locked. She got Fenwolt to open it, but she has yet to let any of us see it. I imagine you'll have to knock her unconscious to get a look at it."

Pacing again, Kalarian mutters, "Fools. Complete fools. Tangat has far more sense than any of them." At the mention of Tangat's name, Kalarian stops as though he has suddenly realized something. "Lady Korvine, please do not leave. I must find Tangat, and I will return shortly. I believe something is wrong inside of the inn. Please be on your guard until I get back."

Looking to Thoreld, Grafth and Streko, Kalarian says, "Do not let anything to happen to her." Turning back to Lady Korvine, Kalarian adds, "Being a lady of Deneith, I'm sure you are quite capable of defending yourself, as well." Kalarian seems to take great pride in that fact. Giving her a smile, he excuses himself and goes out the door.
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Kal is going to look for Tangat.

[Joe]

Streko is torn...what to do? Where to go? Follow Kal? Stay with Lady Korvine? Kal told him to wait...but he rushes off alone as he believes himself to be immortal...Streko knows otherwise, having healed him of some very mortal wounds...all of this he mutters to himself, as if hoping an answer may follow. When nothing seems forthcoming, he shrugs. "Olladra help me..."

Turning to Lady Korvine and her dwarven ally, he bows politely. "My Lady, Lord Kalarian may be an able fighter, but I would ask your permission to follow him, as I believe you are both quite able to protect yourselves. In any event, my other friends are here should something occur, plus your own guard sits outside our door. Not to mention, the entire Deneith enclave is merely across the way. I would prefer to stay with Lord Kalarian...should he have need of my assistance in....ummm...locating his....errr....dog."

Streko smiles, blushes and races off after Kalarian.

[Josh]

Grafth looks around the room, disbelieving the scene his "friends" are causing.

"What is going on here? You," he points the end of his fork at Pellorien, "what is your problem? Speak up, or leave." He looks at Oss, "If you and the others are not interested in being a part of a group, why do you sit here with us?"

As the room empties, he looks at the guests from the enclave- "We are none of us friends, this much is clear, and if you were lead to believe otherwise, I am sorry to disappoint you. These people have no sense of trust or comeraderie. It saddens me to think that strong bonds seem only to form during war. I am reminded of why I travel alone.

"Lady Korvine, I do not seek your protection, but I have seen enough suffering in my life and am willing to aid in the quest to vanquish this 'Dark Echelon' with those who feel the same. As for those here who would continue to keep divisive secrets, I'd rather see them follow another path. I can never work with those who will not work with me. And I can't see, especially in this situation, why this is becoming the case."

Grafth remains seated, hoping that those who left will return, and that everyone will come to their senses.

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Seriously, what is going on, everyone? Q&A Thread, please...

[Ed]

Oss grins at Kalarian's words and barely holds back a snort as he watches the man leave. He says nothing as Streko chases after. The half-elf shovels more food into his mouth but pauses at Grafth's words.

"You expect me to just share my life story with her?" he asks pointing to Korvine. "I don't recognize any authority she has and I never will. The idiot Deneith shouldn't have involved her in the first place. As to why I'm still here? Have I had much choice up to now? I traveled here with you out of common sense for my own security. I stayed with you because again, there would seem to be safety in numbers. If I struck out on my own, who knows how long I would last if there are people hunting us all," he says.

He stands from the table, his chair falling away behind him. "I thought you people were going to get something done. I thought we could all get to the bottom of this but you've done nothing! You sat around this accursed inn all day while the pompous ass went and dragged more people into the situation without our consent. I don't trust any of you any more than you trust me, but I sure as hells trust her and her ilk even more," Oss says, again motioning toward Korvine.

"But you raise a good point, shifter. You're posing the question to me of why I stay. After your extreme inaction...all of you, except Pellorien here...I can't answer your question because I have no reason. So, I'll correct that error now," he says. With that, he moves to and through the door.

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Oss is leaving the inn. He'll head out into the streets and back toward Fenwolt's place.

[Josh]

"Well, for all that 'action' that you two took care of, what came of it? Was it truly worth the rush? Why won't you tell us more?"

[Lara]

wentzjw said:

Grafth looks around the room, disbelieving the scene his "friends" are causing.

"What is going on here? You," he points the end of his fork at Pellorien, "what is your problem? Speak up, or leave."

Pellorien jumps to her feet, unable to bear the tension any longer.

"You sit around here on your butt all day like somebody's granny, the great mastermind himself hides behind the skirts of his House, and you call me out for being calcitrant?" She snorts in a very unladylike manner.

At Grafth's next words, Pellorien spins around to face him and replies,"You want to know what I learned today? At Fenwolt's family compound, there were dead gnomes all over the place. All over the place. Maybe they wouldn't be so dead now if the high and mighty pompous windbag who calls himself Kalarian hadn't somehow gained control of our merry little group and decided that it was for some reason better to wait 'til nightfall to let a person know that his brother had been killed... Fine idea that was and a fine lot we are!

"If I had just contacted his brother a little sooner..." her voice trails off, and she suppresses a sob. Looking around the room, eyes wide, bright and a bit wild, she grabs her things and leaves.

[Jeff]

Lady Korvine watches Goran leave the room with no particular expression on her face.

Goran

Goran moves past the Deneith guard and back towards the front of the inn. In the dining area, he requests a tea...

In the Private Room

"Do not let anything to happen to her."

Lady Korvine raises an eyebrow at this. Thoreld shakes his head in disbelief as Kal walks out.

"My Lady, Lord Kalarian may be an able fighter, but I would ask your permission to follow him, as I believe you are both quite able to protect yourselves.

"You need no permission," the Lady says at Streko's words, then stands up.

She listens to Oss, Pellorien, and Grafth. Her gaze lingers on Pellorien as she leaves, but she makes no move to stop anyone. The dwarf taps his hammer lightly upon the table and the shard dims its radiance; the spell dissipates.

To Grafth, Lady Korvine says, "The implied threat of Malov is nothing to ignore, but I will not force anyone's cooperation. I repeat to you, Master Grafth, those who wish for Deneith's protection, come to the enclave. I came here only because Kalarian insisted upon it. I am a woman of action, not mere words. But you must understand your enemies before you can effectively defend yourself from them. This fact is lost on your chance companions. I am sorry for it."

The lady and the dwarf paladin exit the room, heading towards the front door. The Deneith guard, Haral, looks a bit bewildered.

Elsewhere

It is obvious to all who have exited the private room that Cutter is gone from his "post."

While Goran is ordering tea in the dining hall, Kal strides past (with his slight limp), seeming to think Tangat is upstairs somewhere. Streko follows, trying to keep stride with the tall human.

Pellorien is in the lobby, drawing a curious look from the clerk at the desk. Oss has already gone out the door into the streets. There, he sees three members of the Fairhaven watch lingering. The warforged looks to Oss. "No one's come in."

As Kal heads up the stairs, he begins to hear frantic barking.

[Josh]

As the two leave the room, Grafth says, finally, "With that, Lady, I'm inclined to agree."

Finding himself once more the last of his party in a group meeting, he shrugs and fills his plate with a bit more salmon, and sits for a moment to collect his thoughts.

"There's plenty in here, if your hungry, guard, or you can go ahead and leave," he calls to Haral. "My apologies for the scene and your involvement in it- but our Deneith friend did have the best of intentions."

"...somebody's granny," he repeats to himself, shaking his head. "I suppose so... after all, our elders are the wisest."

Grafth will consume the last of the food on his plate. If Haral decides to leave, Grafth will finish dinner quickly and walk out to the lobby to see what everyone's up to.

[Darren]

Nothing else to say until I find Tangat...

[Jeff]

Kal & Streko

Kal hears a yelp of pain from Tangat somewhere on the third floor.

He races up as fast as possible, Streko always half a floor behind him. When Kal gets to the third floor hallway, he sees Tangat laying on the carpeted wood floor across from the door of Cutter's and Goran's room. The wolfdog lays limp. Kal knows, even at a glance, that Tangat is alive—but he looks badly hurt. And thoroughly unconscious. The wall above him, across from the door, looks partly smashed...as though Tangat had been hurled against it with great force by something in the doorway.

The door itself hangs ajar.

Kal sees or hears no other occupants on the floor. Almost...too quiet.

The Lobby

Lady Korvine and Thoreld enter the lobby, where Pellorien and Grafth now stand. The Deneith guard follows warily behind. Goran, in the nearby tavern, has just been served his tea. He can see the others standing in the lobby.

Everyone—except Oss, who's outside—heard he sound of Tangat's barking and then sudden yelp from some floor above.

Korvine turns and draws her blade, looking in the direction of the stairs. Thoreld readies his hammer.

Oss

Oss hears the sound of crashing glass. He looks up, instinctively, then is forced to hold his arms up to shield his face from the broken glass that rains down on him. Tiny pieces graze his face, but he suffers no real harm from it.

Apparently, one of the third floor windows—was that Cutter's room?—has just exploded outward. Oss sees nothing that might have broken through it.

"Quite an interesting group you've got there," the warforged says to him. He draws out the punch dagger at his hip. "Shall we go in...or stay out?"

The three Fairhaven guards approach Oss, halberds at the ready. "You, there! What's going on?" They don't sound particularly accusatory, but they want answers.

[Josh]

Grafth, on hearing the yelp, bolts headlong up the stairs. He pulls his handaxe from its place under his coat as he surges forward.

As soon as he sees Tangat and his two companions, he stops just short of their location. He crouches down next to Streko and says, quickly and quietly, "What is this?"

[Joe]

Streko shakes his head, a little out of breath.

"I don't know. It would appear as if something attacked the dog."

Streko closes his eyes, touches his holy symbol and murmurs a prayer to Olladra.

_______________________________

Streko casts a Bless Spell, after which he reaches back into his backpack without looking and pulls out his sickle.

[Ed]

Oss nods to the forged and starts to head in. He stops at the words of the constables and says, "How do I know? I'm not in there!"

With that, he turns to run inside and up the stairs.

[Darren]

A look of complete fear and terror on his face, Kalarian turns frantically towards Streko. "Please, Master Streko, please! You must heal Tangat!"

Seemingly unable to do anything else, Kalarian kneels at Tangat's side and cradles the dog in his arms.

[Joe]

"Perhaps we should worry about who or what attacked Tangat. Rest assured, while I draw breath, I shall do what I can to heal him...but we must be careful...as his attacker might still be lurking nearby. Kalarian...prepare to defend yourself. Grafth and I stand ready to assist you."

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Streko makes a listen check. Further, once Kal and Grafth come together, if nothing attacks right away, Streko will cast a cure minor wounds on Tangat, in which case you may remove his Mending spell in exchange.

[Darren]

Still appearing striken, Kalarian does what he can to stabilize Tangat, then rises slowly, holding his sharash before him with a murderous rage in his eyes.

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Heal check on Tangat to stop him from losing hit points.

[Lara]

Seeing Oss run back into the inn shakes Pellorien from her confusion. She realizes that something is going on upstairs near their rooms and heads that way.

[Josh]

As Oss and Pellorien enter the hallway, Grafth looks back and takes notice. He stands back up and vaults past the doorway, attempting to catch a glimpse of the interior of the room.

Once past the door, he quickly presses himself against the wall, next to the door.

[Jeremy]

Goran will try to locate the others to see what is going on and how he can help.

[Jeff]

Streko's first prayer to Olladra sends out a wave of courage through everyone, rippling through the air—even to those still coming up the stairs.

Behind him, Grafth is distracted for just one moment as he watches Streko reach back with one hand and pull a gleaming sickle—albeit halfling-sized—from a pocket of his haversack as if it had been position just within. Grafth can't be quite sure, but he feels as though it would have been difficult to place the curving weapon just so for easy removal.

Streko casts a second spell, which leaves Tangat in a steady sleep. His frightful panting slows. Kal can see no visible marks on Tangat's body, no obvious means of injury beyond him being thrown somehow.

Streko and Grafth hear nothing beyond the sound of themselves catching their breath from the sprint upstairs. Grafth does, howevr, smell something...visceral nearby. It's hard to place what it is.

Oss, Pellorien, and Goran are following from behind, nearing the third floor. Goran is aware of Lady Korvine and Thoreld at the bottom of the stairs—but they seem hesitant to follow, knowing their presence is unwelcome.

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Streko's Listen check = 13
Grafth's Listen check = 13

Streko casts Bless. Should there be combat (none has yet been initiated, as there is no identified enemy), everyone gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and on saving throws against fear effects. Streko then heals Tangat 1 hit point, stabilizing him.

[Jeremy]

Goran stops at the top of the stairs and looks back at the Lady and the dwarf, and speaks quickly, but in a friendly tone.

"Thoreld, and Lady, your aid is welcome, but we'll understand if you don't wish to involve yourselves publicly. If so, I respectfully suggest you return to the enclave and we will attempt to find you again later.

He glances up the passage, then looks back at them.

"It may be nothing, but if it's trouble...we could use all the help we can get. It is your choice, of course."

With that he gives a bit of a genuine smile, and turns back up the passage. His sword is drawn. He nods to Pellorien and hustles up the passage toward the others. If the scene has quieted down a bit, Goran will start carefully peeking in their rooms.

---

Goran will Listen (check) carefully, especially in the rooms, if things have quieted down significantly.

[Lara]

Unsure what's going on, Pellorien advances cautiously, peering around the corner and then moving a few steps further along the hallway. She finds herself standing before the door to her room.

_______________________________
Listen check
Spot check

[Ed]

Oss dashes straight for Cutter's room to investigate the shattered window.

[Jeremy]

Goran thinks he knows whats going on, but he's not certain yet, and doesn't want say what is in his mind about Cutter.

He has whispered his thoughts to Pellorien and will do the same with Oss the moment he gets a chance.

---

Jeff, I sent Oss and Pel messages to this effect through the board.

[Jeff]

Before Goran gets up there....

"Wait!" Before Goran disappears up the stairs, Lady Korvine calls back to him. She seems to consider something for a moment. Then: "Take this, if nothing else. I feel you'll need it." She pulls from her cloak a sheathed dagger and tosses it to Goran. "Kalarian can find me again, if that is your ever your decision."

Goran catches the dagger easily. The sheathe is carved with archaic symbols, and even the gleaming hilt tells Goran it's a remarkably crafted weapon.

Lady Korvine turns away to intersept the three Fairhaven watchmen who storm through the front door.

___________________________

Jeremy, can you send me these whispered messages?

[Darren]

"Find whoever did this," Kalarian growls at Grafth. "Find them, so I can tear their hearts out."

Picking Tangat up, Kalarian moves down the stairs towards the sound of Lady Korvine's leaving voice.

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If it is necessary to put down the sharash in order to pick up Tangat, Kalarian will simply hand it to whichever party member is closest.

Also, what the heck is Tangat doing on the 3rd floor? I asked him to stay in the hallway behind the private room. Darned disobedient dog.....

[Josh]

Grafth nods in understanding, but makes no move forward. He concentrates on hearing any sounds that come from the room, either from Oss, or from something that the man might not pick up on. He looks tentatively at the others, but only for a moment.

The grip on his axe tightens, more than he thought possible. His look is one of determination and concern.

[Jeff]

Kal carries Tangat down the hall toward the stairs. He did not hear Lady Korvine’s words down on the 1st floor, but he does pass Goran coming up.

Oss pushes open the door of the room Cutter and Goran had briefly occupied. It’s immediately apparent that a fight took place here—a nasty one. Both beds have been trodden upon, the small rug swept aside in a skuffle. Neither of the two small desks looks serviceable anymore. One small painting on the wall now lies shattered on the ground, a chunk of wall missing where it had once been. Several other places in the room appear to have been struck, or perhaps a body thrown against them. The room’s only window looks like something very large smashed through it. Even the window frame itself sustained a good deal of damage.

There is no sign of Cutter.

However, the small, well-made lantern that the big man had carried (attached to his backpack) now lies on its side near the corner of the room. One of its shutters lies slightly open, admitting a beam of bright yellow-white light—not oil-fueledlike a regular lantern. Streko has already recognized Cutter’s lantern as being the exact model often carried by members of the Sharn Watch. It is clearly an everbright lantern*. Shuttering it again will turn it “off.”

Pellorien hears and sees nothing out of the ordinary outside of her room. Grafth, just outside the room Oss went into, smells human sweat in the air, and that very strange odor that he’s entirely unfamiliar with—but there’s something decidedly biotic about it. The smell seems to be dissipating already.

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* Everbright lanterns are one of the hallmarks of Eberron, for they are found everywhere. Magical devices crafted by magewrights, they contain a small Eberron dragonshard—generally orange in color—which serves as a focus for a heatless flame. Everbright lanterns (known as cold fire lanterns in Breland) can be found in all cities and large towns.