Chapter 2: Rites of Passage

[Josh]

"So where were you at, during the war?" He asks it casually, not seeming too intrusive.

"The Plains, mostly," Grafth says, in a matter-of-fact tone. "I had no real interest in the war or who might win it; I doubt it will truly be the Last. My concern was more with keeping battle away from my family, my people.

"I spent some time in the north, on the edges of Karrnath. My familiarity with the region surrounding Vulyar turned out to be quite lucrative for myself, and helpful for Karrns wishing to defend their territory."

Finished clearing yet another thick pool of ex-creature, he glances at Dhaz inquisitively, "And you? The way you fight... it would appear you have had quite a bit of experience yourself."

[Jeff]

In Phorem's Tower

Dhaz nods at Grafth's explanation. When he's asked about himself, he seems almost surprised by it. He busies himself with a section of floor Grafth already got. After an uncomfortable silence, he says, "Angwar Keep."

Grafth knows from his travels that Angwar Keep is a fort in Thrane located due south of Thronehold. Situated at the edge of a wide river, facing former Cyre, the residents of Angwar Keep were among those to get a first-hand view of the Day of Mourning. In fact, the dead-gray mist that now surrounds the Mournland stops right at the river, just short of Angwar Keep. The rumor is, all the conventional living have left the Thrane fort, and an order of monastic warforged occupy the Keep now.

"Yeah," the shifter says. "Trained there. Took a lot of hits in a place like that. But I left when there was nothing more to defend, and I've lost all interest in making enemies." He forced a grin with his large canines. "Seems I've picked the right folks to board the rail with, eh?"

Just then Matheu flaps up from the stairwell. He looks to Grafth. Your companions are positioned outside the alcohol purveyors. They appear to be waiting for something to happen. They look like mice ready to run or bite the approaching hand.

Phorem turns in his chair and holds up a rolled up and sealed scroll. "Matheu, would you deliver this to Roren over at the Cannith Enclave, please?"

Matheu lights on the back of a chair. And shall I fetch a bucket of slop too, old wizard? Nevertheless, he snatches the scroll in his claws. The pseudodragon turns back to Grafth and Dhaz. Anything you wish to impart to your companions? I might be able to stop by on my errand.

___________________________

Grafth's Knowledge (geography) check = 20

[Josh]

Grafth nods in understanding, "I've actually met a few of the Mourners, in my travels. While admittedly, my actions during the war were mostly directed against Cyre, I would never wish such devastation on any being. We may have made ourselves a new enemy... you have gained some friends in the process as well."

As Mattheu arrives, Grafth listens, slightly annoyed. "Hopefully they will find something worthwhile. I have nothing to report to them, other than my hopes that they come to no harm. If it is best not to distract them with such a trivial message, than you might skip it."

[Darren]

Kalarian stifles a yawn. "These men are paid to die. What do I care what you do to them? They knew the risk. Again, I say, come out here and we'll talk about what you want. That's the only way you're going to get it."

_______
Hoo boy. Hope my Bluff check is good.

[Jeff]

The man with the sword merely looks back for a moment, as if perplexed. Then he shakes his head. "Thus is the loyalty of Deneith." He spits on the ground and kicks Enan over instead, holding up his sword. "This man has nothing at all to do with the matter at hand. That you would waste his life resisting us sickens me. But perhaps you can persuaded to come in and talk reasonably with us if we give you a different incentive..."

He turns his head and nods to someone Kal cannot see. On the ground, Enan groans and tries to reach to the wound at his back, but he's very much alive.

_______________________

Kal's Bluff check = 25

[Darren]

"And what incentive is that?" Kal asks as he folds his arms and turns one upward so his chin is resting in his hand, two fingers covering his mouth. Imperceptibly, the fingers of his other hand point towards his companions. "Be ready," he whispers. "It may be necessary for me to go in there alone instead of drawing them out here. If that happens, wait a moment and then rush in as planned. Everyone be ready."

[Jeff]

In Phorem's Tower

Matheu inclines his head to Grafth, then takes wing again, disappearing down the stairwell.

"Never seen a dragon before," Dhaz remarks, looking after Matheu. "I'm wondering if I really have yet."


At Coron's Brewery

Somewhere just beyond the sword-wielding man, Kal detects movement, but it's too far and too dim within to be sure. Then Kal—Goran, Taymra, Streko, and Pel—hear a woman's scream of fright.

Kal sees Enan writhing on the floor, but it's apparent to Kal that the Blademark is feigning more pain than he's really in. He looks up, meets Kal's eyes, and smiles grimly, even offering an almost imperceptible nod.

Closer now to the threshold, Kal also notices a middle-aged man in an apron off to the right—Coron, perhaps, the owner of the brewery. He looks on nervously, seeming to take no part in the event, but offering no assistance, either.

[Darren]

"Taymra, Pel, Streko...head towards the back door. Our moment is coming soon. Stay within sight of me so I can signal you." Kalarian again moves his hand to stifle a yawn. "Listen, if you don't plan on making any sort of real offer, I suppose I'll just take the book and leave." Kalarian begins to turn as if he plans on doing just that.

[Joe]

Streko tries VERY hard not to fidget or pace. He nods to Kal, acknowledging the warrior's orders and prepares to follow Taymra's lead.

He wipes the glistening sweat oozing from his palms across his trousers and attempts to calm his breathing.

"Shadow's beard," he mumbles. "I hate undead..."

[Jeremy]

Goran smiles at Streko.

"Hate undead? Well, my friend...that's what makes them fun to kill. Or...destroy, if you will."

Goran is ready to spring.

[Jeff]

Kal feels a sudden whisper at his ear, and he knows immediately it's a spell just like the one he's using. "Who are you, stranger? Are you hurt?" it asks with a mocking tone. There is something disturbing about the voice, sounding damaged...and vaguely familiar.

Again comes a woman's scream from further inside, though it is somewhat muted by terror.

[Darren]

Kalarian turns slowly back towards the door. He raises his voice loud, despite the spell. "Davin, you coward. I don't know how you survived, but I will be certain to finish you this time. Instead of hiding behind women and children and false pretenses, why don't you come out and face me? I'll let you fight standing up this time, and we'll see who is stronger. Just you and me, you worthless pile of rat droppings. Let us have a duel, as men. Or does your fear get the better of you?" His voice grows louder, making sure that everyone inside can hear him. "Do you still remember the point of my blade against your throat? Do you remember the feeling as it slid through you? Is that why fear is holding you back? Any good, brave soldier would relish this chance to fight me on fair terms, to win back the honor he lost." Now Kalarian does turn his back, taking a few steps away from the door. Then he turns a slow circle as he yells out, "I await you, Davin of the Emerald Claw! I, Kalarian d'Deneith, challenge you!"

[Jeff]

People passing on the street glance over at Kal and his peculiar words.

Kal's eyes are starting to adjust to the dimmer light within the brewery. A figure stirs at the far side of the room, where another door hangs open. He sees a woman in a brown skirt and blue shirt—modest, Aundairian attire—standing rigid, terrified. A ragged-sleeved arm is snaked around her waist, and another holds one arm up. Kal sees a head—little more than a silhouette—appear over her shoulder.

"If you would face me," the whisper says, "I am here. We will see who is the coward."

A grey hand lifts the woman's arm up, and the shadowed head bites down on her arm. The woman screams.

[Darren]

"Davin, you are an idiot. Do you honestly believe I'll walk into a trap for the sake of honor? You face me out here, one on one. Like men."

[Jeff]

The woman's scream of pain softens, as her body seems to stiffen in Davin's arms. The shadowy Davin laughs and tears away a piece of her flesh, which Kal can see hanging from where his mouth must be.

"Do you whatever you wish, d'Deneith," the whisper laughs, muffled slightly by the sound of chewing.

From below—the cellar?—you hear the distant sound of a man bellowing in rage. Kal can tell it's Velhan, the Sentinel Marshal.

[Darren]

Once again raising his hand in front of his mouth, Kalarian speaks to his companions. "Now is our moment friends! Taymra, get inside. Pel, Amal, get through the back door. Goran, watch my back. Streko, you're with me. Davin has become one of the undead!" Kalarians hands then begin to move with the arcane words that flow from his lips, reacting to the presence of the undead almost by instinct.

________
Here we go! Casting Disrupt Undead.

Edit: I think I just realized I may be too far away. What's the scale on the map? Can I move closer and then cast the spell? If not, then I'll move inside the door and to the left (out of Goran's line of sight) and cast Magic Missle on Davin.

[Lara]

Regarding the map, which way's the back? Looks like Pel has to head that way. Why wouldn't they already be at the back if that's where they're supposed to approach the entrance to the building?

[Jeff]

I will repost the map soon, to help clarify. The back door of the brewery is, however, completely on the other side of the building (which includes adjacent shops), so it's more than a quick run. It'll take a few rounds to get to it from here.

Darren: anytime you see a grid, unless I say otherwise, 1 square = 5 ft.

[Jeff]

First off, please refresh your screen....

The rectangle in purple shows where the map below is zoomed into.

Right now everyone is near the front door of the brewery. Understand that going around the whole building to the back door will take several rounds of in-game time. Kal had suggested that Pel and Taymra go toward the alley on the right, but he kept giving commands, and Taymra was suggested to remain closer.

Amal, the blue dot in the left-hand alley between the buildings (the Deneith mercenary currently working for Kal), is not currently able to receive message commands from Kal since Kal is no longer in line of sight of him. The spell can circumvent barriers but you still need to be able to see them and point at them. Everyone else still applies.

The initiative goes like this. If you wish to revise your actions, go ahead.


15 = Pel
13 = Enemies
9 = Blademarks
8 = Goran
7 = Streko
3 = Kal / Tangat

[Jeremy]

Goran nods perfunctorily at Kal's strategy.

"Don't be long. I won't be here waiting in the silence of the street while there are undead to slay."

Goran stows his arrow and bow, and draws his sword, standing away from the door but close enough to peek around it, and hear whatever he might hear from within.

"If I do not hear from you or one of the others in two minutes' time, I will go in."

[Lara]

Please describe what it would take to climb up and over as opposed to running around the building, which simply appears to be a losing proposition from the get-go. Thank you.

[Jeff]

Oh, climbing would be more of a nuisance—in this particular case. The building itself is a few stories high, and whenever you climb (using your Climb skill rolls are good) you move at one-quarter your speed, so it would take four rounds to get 30 ft. up for Pel.

If Pel will run around the building—acquiescing to Kal's request—I will rule that it takes exactly three full rounds. If I do the math, it might take more, so that's being nice.

[Lara]

Whatev. My fault for assuming we were in place rather than shuffling our feet at the front door.

[Lara]

"Keep him busy while we make our way to the back," Pel whispers before taking off in a sprint.


___________________
Taking Jeff's generous offer -- 3 rounds to get to the back. Perhaps this Amal dude is already there....

[Joe]

Streko will follow Pel and around back (his short legs will probably take him four rounds...BAH!).

"Pel! I'm coming with you. Don't get too far ahead of me. We don't want the other mercenary to think we're bad guys, either! We must take care here!!"
_________________________________________

I was assuming that Taymra was also coming with us. Is that the case or is it just Pel and myself?

[Josh]

In Phorem's Tower

Grafth sets aside the cleaning tools and looks around- the place looks passable to him. He sips from his cup of tea, now cold, and joins Phorem in the central chamber.

"Maybe you or Matheu can do soemthing about the smell... I think we've done all we can.

"Tell me, Phorem what do you do around here, apart from inadvertently summoning creatures from mysterious texts? Is there anything else Dhaz and I may be of assistance in, while we are here?"

[Jeff]

ROUND 1

15 = Pel
13 = Enemies
9 = Blademarks
8 = Goran
7 = Streko
3 = Kal / Tangat / Taymra
______________________

Pel turns and runs, light on her feet, to the nearby alley, Streko as close on her heels as he can go.

Even as Kal prepares to step in, he sees Enan—still pained from his injury—rise to his feet in rage. Surprising the unnamed soldier behind him, he reaches out to grapple with the man. The man pulls away and slashes at the unarmed Blademark with his blade—but he misses!

Even as the two men struggle, Davin—or what Davin has become—pushes the woman aside and lopes into the center of the room like some sort of feral beast, hunched over as he goes. He—it?—is a monstrosity that nearly gives Kal pause, closing in on the Deneith mercenary with frightening speed.

The clothing Davin once wore—the nondescript militia uniform—is ragged and soiled, torn as though he's traveled through wild places with no regard to it at all. His skin is gray, appearing both rotted yet pulled tightly against his frame. His hair is gone, his face hardly resembling a man's at all. Lips peel back inhumanly far, and every single tooth that can be seen sharpens to a needlepoint. No longer carrying a weapon, his hands are spread wide with overlong, ragged claws.

When he reaches Enan, who remains grappled with the other soldier, he springs upon him and sinks his teeth into the man's shoulder. Blood spirts from the wound, mostly spraying into the thing that was Davin's own face. In the other man's grip, Enan's body slackens completely and he drops to the floor.

The owner of the brewery, Coron, looks on, his face pale.

Kal sprints into the brewery, immediately washed in the vaguely pleasant aromas of ales and beers....which is suddenly replaced by the smell of Davin's sickly, dead skin—the smell of a creature whose nails and teeth are stuck with rotted meat. He points his finger and lets loose a ray of pure white light. The beam strikes Davin and the creature howls in pain, turning malevolent eyes upon him.

"You're next, d'Deneith!" he promises.

Taymra, waiting for Kal to act first, follows him in along with Tangat. The wolfdog halts beside Kal, snarling and ready to pounce. The Orien heir takes advantage of the confusion and sprints past both man and dog, trying to find a way around to the other side of the room. With her rapier in her hand, she reaches only as far as the brewer, Coron. "Move aside or die!" she screams, he eyes flicking to the dying Blademark.

Goran stands just near the door, and cannot help the revulsion of seeing the creature appear so suddenly. Just beyond, in the street, the passers-by remain mercifully unaware.

_______________________________

Enan's grapple attempt: 16 (success)
Davin's attack: 16 (9 damage to Enan)
Kal's ranged touch attack: 18 + 3 = 21 / 4 damage to Davin

[Darren]

See, here's the thing. I don't understand the way this happened. We repeatedly talked about Pel and Taymra going into the alley opposite Amal, and that apparently never happened. And then I never said Kal was moving near the door, but apparently that happened, too. And then I said that Taymra should teleport inside, and that didn't happen, either. So somehow the plan is all screwed up, and I'm not entirely sure why. Anyway, moving on...

Kalarian calls out a command to Amal to move inside. Taking a step to his left and out of Goran's line of sight (again), Kalarian is icy calm as he mutters more arcane words, his focus on Davin unflinching.

___________
Casting True Strike.

[Jeff]

Come on, guys, if you want to argue out-of-character, please do it here. It's the same old thing, though, isn't it? Please stop being so surprised each time it happens. This group has never learned to cooperate because, I suspect, each person has a different philosophy of gaming.

And very few Play Into the Game.

[Jeremy]

While Goran is suddenly smacked with an overwhelming desire to bugger off and become a florist, he grunts and enters the brewery floor, ready for battle. He casts a look back out into the street before doing so, however, and if possible, closes the door behind him.