Chapter 3: The Enemy Within

[mike]

admin said:

"Yes, sir, I am. My pa's on the militia. There aren't any dwarves on the militia. Pa says they only like counting their gold." He says this innocently, seeming no offense, and then seems to consider Torhak. "You don't, right? You fight bad orcs. There aren't any bad orcs here, but sometimes they're mean half ones."

"Your father has met Clan Toldorath, I imagine," says Torhak. "They indeed like to count their gold. Fortunately, a few dwarves still remember what matters most, and know that honor cannot be paid in coin."

Torhak looks up at the human woman and the half-orc, watching their exchange very, very closely.

[Jeremy]

Jeff, totally spaced on the arrows. Goran will go back (when he is finished at the Ghallandra tea and berry thingy and purchase a quiver of 'normal' arrows. It was one galifar, I believe.

[Darren]

"Hours, minutes....I know very little of your craft or how long it takes. The warforged, as I said, it just outside of town." Kalarian reaches into his pocket to produce the money. "I suppose there's no one better to work on a warforged than one of your own, huh?" he says to Lever. He seems almost uncomfortable around the construct but is trying hard to hide it. As he passes the money across the counter, he eyes his halfling war-scythe. "What could you do for a weapon like this one?" he asks the man behind the counter.

[Jeff]

Cannith station

Kal had said:

"It won't be long. The warforged is with some friends of mine just outside of town. We could have your artificer there and back within a few hours."

"Hours, minutes....I know very little of your craft or how long it takes. The warforged, as I said, it just outside of town."

"They're your words," Keldan says to Kal. Then, to Lever, "In any case, the longer it takes, the more work you'll accrue back here. Don't drag your feet." Kal is detecting a fair amount of condescension in the Cannith artificer's tone when he speaks to the warforged.

Lever says nothing in reply to Kal's small talk. He merely looks away, as if he's not willing to chat much in the presence of his boss.

Keldan holds out his hand. "May I see it, then? A sharash, is it? I've not seen one this size."

Center of the Pavilion

"Clan Tole-rath," the young Riaan tries to repeat the word. "They're not good dwarves?" Spontaneously changing the subject before giving Torhak a chance to answer, he asks, "Have you killed many bad orcs?"

The half-orc standing guard atop the staircase of the Cannith section seems to have spotted Torhak watching him. He crosses his arms and holds his stare, small tusks protruding from his lip.

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Goran is only purchasing 20 arrows (for 1 gp), then? They might go fast, if this is his last resupply for a while.

[mike]

"Clan Tole-dor-ath," Torhak says gently to the boy. "And no, they are not good. At least I never meet one of their clansmen who made me think otherwise.

"As for orcs ... aye, I have slain many of their kind. All were wicked and deserving of death."

His eyes stay on the half-orc, his gaze cold and unwavering. "Tell me, Riaan ... what can you tell me of the half-orc up there? And the woman with whom he speaks?" He slowly and deliberately points upward at the staircase of the Cannith section, where the half-orc stands.

[Jeremy]

20? Oops, guess I forgot the amount. Did Ralsor give me a few arrows? I'll get another 20 for a total of 40 plus whatever scrapper Ralsor gave me.

[Darren]

Kalarian holds out the sharrash for the artificer to inspect. "It was made for me by a Halfling artisan out on the Plains. The Halflings, they were....reluctant...to teach me the ways of this weapon. It took me some time to win their trust, to convince them I was worthy of learning the secret to wielding such a beautiful and deadly weapon. Before I left, I was presented with this. I suppose maybe it was a sign of their acceptance. I don't know for certain, but I value it highly, regardless." Kalarian flashes his familiar grin at the artificer. "I wouldn't mind seeing it become more deadly, though."

[Jeff]

Between the few arrows he had left, the few Ralsor gave him, and his newly purchased ones, Goran is now armed with 54 arrows. He feels...better.

Center of the Pavilion

Riaan repeats the word, still pronouncing it "Tole-rath." Then explains what he knows about the half-orc.

"That's a Thu-rash half-orc. He's always here, guarding things. He's from House Thu-rash, and the other ones here pay him to guard things. He doesn't like people much, though. I think he wants to be somewhere else."

Cannith station


Keldan takes hold of the sharash and examines it closely. He seems to be only absently nodding his head at Kal's story about it. At least he looks to Kal. "It's a fine design, to be sure. But this one isn't fine enough. Any permanent enchantments would fail to take hold. There needs to be better precision in its crafting. This won't won't serve. Only temporary infusions would have any effect on this*. If you'd like it to be more....'deadly' then you might consider, well, sharpening it."

Out of the corner of his eye, Kal sees Lever shake his head.

"Had you an artificer in your company, Lord Kalarian," the warforged adds, "You might benefit from such infusions when you needed them—"

"Lever," Keldan interrupts. "He's not speaking you with. Do shut up."

The Cannith artificer tries to brighten the mood again. He hands Kal back his sharash and gestures at the sword at the Deneith heir's belt. "Deneith make...that should be very good. You might be able to pay for an augmentation for that blade. But such things do take time."

_________________________________

Jeremy: I've updated Goran's equipment list t account for this. His new arrows now require two quivers, which he's got.

* This is Keldan's way of informing Kal that only masterwork weapons can be permanently enspelled. An artificer's temporary infusions, however, can work on any weapon. Kal has heard this before, from magewrights and artificers within House Deneith, but he's never heard it said about his sharash before.

[Darren]

Kalarian takes back his weapon indignantly. "It has been plenty sharp enough to kill on many occassions." Under his breath he mutters, "It's killed much better men than you." Turning to Lever, he says, "Don't shut up, Lever. *I* was talking to you. Come, let's head out and you can tell me more about these infusions." Kalarian places a hand on the warforged's shoulder and begins to lead him out without looking back at the other artificer.

[Jeff]

Cannith station

Lever comes around the counter and stands beside Kal.

"Ten galifars, sir, are required up front for reviving your warforged," Keldan says again.

[Darren]

"And if you'll look down, you'll see that I've already handed them to you," Kalarian says, indicating the coins he placed on the counter.

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Who's not paying attention now?!?

[Jeff]

Hah. You got me. I'm allowed to miss one sentence now and agan. You try managing five people, tough guy!

[Jeff]

Cannith station

Keldan waves his hand dismissively at Lever. The warforged joins Kal and the two walk out from the shop. On the way down the spiral stairs, the warforged extends his hand to the Deneith heir. "I apologize if any of that was awkward for you, sir. My name is Leverage, but it seems easier for most to simply use Lever."

"You asked about infusions. That is my work. Most artificers will have the ability to temporarily augment weapons such as your...sharash, is it?...to grant it a magical property for a short while. That is, essentially, what you were probably asking Keldan about? It would effect the same result, but it would be temporarl—yet probably long enough in most combat situations."

[Josh]

Jorasco Station

Grafth accepts Streko's bottle of wine, and retreats to a place where he can observe the young shifter while staying out of the way of any other traffic. He seems lost in reverie at the moment.

[Jeremy]

Goran heads back to the meeting area, trying to remain unobtrusive, but failing utterly in his effort not to sit sniffing his new pot of tea leaves.

[Darren]

"Well, Leverage," Kalarian says, offering his hand only slightly reluctantly, "it seems like we might get along just fine. Who knows," he says slyly, "we might even have more work for you after we see to the 'forged."

Kal leads Lever to the meeting area. "We've just got to wait here for my companions, and then we'll head out. It doesn't seem to me like you were in too much of a rush to get back, anyway." Kal winks at the warforged, then wonders if the construct would understand such a human gesture. He smiles awkwardly.

[Jeff]

Center of the Pavilion

Lever does not reply to Kal's mention of not being "in a rush to get back." He walks in silence until the two of them move toward the center of the pavilion's ground floor. There, Torhak and a small human boy are talking. Goran walks up, a jar of tea in his hand, two packed arrow quivers, and a seemingly delighted look on his face over said teas.

Streko and Grafth, it would seem, are still browsing. Kal knows, of course, that a Jorasco employee whisked the shfiter away at Streko's request.

Torhak looks up to see the slender warforged standing beside Kal. It's odd to him to see one walking freely. As far as he knew, warforged were the property of either House Cannith or whichever nation purchased them from House Cannith. Not that many warforged ever visited the Mror Holds, but he'd see the odd warforged now and again.

This one looks more like a field technicial instead of a combatant, its relatively skinny body in a harness of artificer's tools—and no weapons at all.

"Good day," the warforged says awkwardly to those he had not yet addressed. He stands aloof beside Kal.

[Darren]

"This is Lever," Kal says. "He's going to patch Mist up for us." He leans down near the boy and says, "A 'forged fixing a forged. The world is a strange place, huh?" He smiles and ruffles the boy's hair. "My friend here," he says, indicating Tangat, "could use some exercise. Think you can outrun him?"

Watching the boy and the dog play, Kalarian turns to Goran and Torhak. "I assume Grafth and Streko are still of doing...whatever it is that Streko does?" He looks around the pavillion. "Well, my personal needs are done here, but I think we were to run some errands for the captain, right? We need food, healing supplies...anything else?"

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I don't remember, guys. Did Ralsor give someone money to buy supplies? It wasn't me....

Also, Jeff....what's up with the weird new icons?

[mike]

"We need food, healing supplies...anything else?"

"Answers," says Torhak. "Although I do not believe that we shall find them in Windhaven."

"Where do we head next, gentlemen?"

[Jeremy]

Goran fills his lungs again with the fresh air, even in this town setting, so close to his forests.

I'm finished with everything I needed, and then some." Goran says, a conspiratorial grin as he eyeballs the tea.

Then he perks up, a bit more "business".

"Oh, and I have some berries now. I don't wish to use them all too quickly, but I think some of us are still hurting a bit. I can help, if needs be."

[Jeff]

Center of the Pavilion

Tangat begins to playfully wrestle with the boy...

"Where do we head next, gentlemen?"

Even as Torhak asks this, a pair of Windshire militiamen enter the pavilion through the same doors that your party did. Leading them is a leather-armored soldier wearing the national colors of Aundair (blue, orange, and brown)—he is one of the men who had flown in on a dragonhawk only moments before you entered. He holds a scroll in his hand, consults it, then points the two militiamen to one side of the pavilion: the Ghallanda station is where they head first, seeming as though they're looking for someone.

"Pa!" the little boy shouts and races off toward the Windshire guards as they disappear inside the Ghallanda section.

The Aundairian rider stays where his and begins to scan the crowd...

Jorasco station

As Streko speaks with the Jorasco nurse and exchanges supplies with her—Grafth sees him swap his old healer's kit with a new one and even purchases a potion—another halfling enters the room. This one looks more like a blood member of House Jorasco, but Grafth doesn't see any obvious dragonmarks on him. He eyes Streko and the nurse, then looks up at Grafth. "You really ought not to carry weapons in here, sir. Would you mind waiting in the 'waiting room' outside if you insist on being armed here?"

[Josh]

"If you must know," Grafth says, in an uncharacteristically contemptuous tone, "I was asked to stand here and wait." He nods in the direction of Streko.

"If I'm going to give up my time to wait around here, I don't plan on going anywhere."

[Darren]

"Goran," Kalarian says in a low voice, "eyes up." He nods towards the guards who just entered. "They're obviously looking for someone, and I'm afraid it might be us." Kalarian's hand edges slightly towards his sword.

[mike]

"Then I suggest we depart this place, as quickly and as quietly as possible," says Torhak, "or we make ready for battle. If we stand around and wait, we only give our enemies an advantage that grows greater with each passing moment."

"I would prefer battle ... but I defer to your counsel, Kalarian."

[Joe]

Streko places the healing kit and the potion into his haversack, then turns toward the other Jorasco halfling.

"Sir, if you could provide a small dose of strengthening potion or herbs, I believe this young man will be able to awaken and answer the question of what exactly poisoned him. After which, I am sure you have the correct antidote in your stores to assist in his speedy recovery.

"As for my dear friend, Grafth...I asked him here to provide this young patient a comforting kinsman upon his awakening, again, to further our chances of healing him quickly. So, if you would be so kind to, as the humans say, work your magic?"

He makes room for the other Jorasco halfling to do his good work.

"In the meantime, as to not hold anyone up, I will move on the Cannith store and quickly take care of my business there."

Streko moves over to the Jorasco halfling. "Please afford my friend every courtesy. He is not quick to use his weapon and is, in fact, a most pleasant guest. As soon as your patient awakens and is at ease with your ministrations, my friend will leave our establishment. You have my deepest thanks, kinsman, for your understanding in these troubled times."

He nods his thanks to Grafth. "I thank you again. Also, just between you and I, should we be forced to leave quickly, this young patient lying here no doubt would be quite beneficial to us regarding the surrounding area. Prudence is the better part of valor, after all, and foresight could very well prove the deciding factor in our constant quest to survive this maelstrom we find ourselves in."

[Jeff]

Jorasco station

The Jorasco halfling looks at Streko strangely. "I understand your request, Lord Streko," he says, "But such a potion would last for only minutes—a temporary boost of strength, nothing more. Regardless, the one who brought this shifter here paid for his longterm care but did not leave sufficient funds for a potion of strength or endurance. However, I do believe your dragonmark can restore strength more permanently? That would very likely waken our patient. I apologize that are not currently better equipped. The enclave in Fairhaven has not sent us another dragonmarked heir and we have suffered for this."

[Darren]

"Stay your blade, Torhak," Kalarian says quietly, adding, "for now." He looks around the pavillion, impatiently awaiting Streko and Grafth. "Stay here, Torhak. The guards won't have your description. Wait for Streko and Grafth. Goran and I will take Lever back to the ship. If you're not back with us in a bell, we'll come back for you." Nodding at Goran, Kalarian gestures for Lever to follow him and moves towards the exit, trying to stay as far out of the watchmen's sightlines as possible.

[Joe]

Jorasco station

Streko stops and gives the halfling a sour look. "So much for shopping..." he mutters. Then, to the Jorasco healer, "Yes, I'm aware of what my dragomark is capable of doing and I have already brought him away from the brink of death once this day."

He returns to the young shifter's side. "Grafth, would you assist me please?"

He leans close to the shifter, assessing the young man's breathing and searches closely for anything resembling a powdery residue. "There doesn't appear to be an open wound of any sort and, as you say, he is new to his legacy and therefore, no doubt, inexperienced. It would then have to be some type of either contact poison or, pehaps, an airborn one. Either way, it would have to have been extremely potent to weaken him as it did. I would suggest he touched something that entered his sytem through his skin."

Streko turns to the halfling and the human nurse. "Are there any flowers or other substances in the forest nearby that would account for his symptoms? Also, it might help to know who was willing to pay us for his long term care."

Glancing back at Grafth, Streko shrugs. "An embarassed public official with family ties to the young one, perhaps? I would just as soon not get involved in yet another mystery...however, I am also not willing to let a boy wither away to death without trying to get some information that could save him."

Once more, back to the halfling. "If I was able to remain here another day, I could do more to assist. However, I am only passing through. Was the boy conscious when he arrived and did he say anything? Did the person who provided payment for the boy's care say anything that might help us?"
_______________________________________________

Streko will search his vast store of knowledge in the local environs and nature to add to his professional herbalist experience in attempting to determine what might have crept into the boy's system and how to cure him.

[mike]

"Stay your blade, Torhak," Kalarian says quietly, adding, "for now." He looks around the pavillion, impatiently awaiting Streko and Grafth. "Stay here, Torhak. The guards won't have your description. Wait for Streko and Grafth. Goran and I will take Lever back to the ship. If you're not back with us in a bell, we'll come back for you."

Torhak nods grimly. "Understood, my friend."

[Jeff]

Jorasco station

The Jorasco personnel leave Grafth alone.

Streko examines the young shifter as much as he can. His administrations have stabled him and his earlier application of the Mark of Healing has brought him back from a bad place. Without a good deal more time, Streko knows he can't revive him right now but he always feels that the young man will recover. He just needs more time and rest.

The other Jorasco halfling and nurse have no information for Streko: the person who dropped him off was a human man, a ranger type who did not leave his name. He'd ony left some gold behind to pay for the shifter's care for a couple of weeks' time. Streko's herbalist knowledge is good, but not expansive enough for him to know about the particular plants or spores in this region. But he can tell it is from a plant and very likely a naturally occuring one. Most likely it is something from the deeper woods of the Duskwood. A local druid is more likely to know of particular poisonous substances.

It is Streko's professional opinion that the shifter will recover.

The human nurse watches him. "Thank you, Streko. I know you don't have the time to stay. I think we can manage." She seems to hesitate, then: "If you return to another enclave, perhaps you can ask on our behalf for another dragonmarked heir to be sent here? There've been skirmishes along the border near Redleaf lately; we could use more healers here like you."

Center of the Pavilion

Lever grows silent and moves with a certain hesitation as he follows Kal and Goran away from the center of the room. Fortunately, the milling crowds are thick enough that Kal can lead them out without the guards seeing them. When they've cleared the front door, Lever turns to Kal. "May I ask what is going on? May I ask how your warforged companion came to be damaged?"

Torhak remains inside, once again alone at the center of the ground floor. Suddenly the Aundairian rider steps right up to him, his scroll in hand. "Excuse me, master dwarf," he says respectfully. "I am looking for some people who I believe came through here. You have been here for a short while, standing here in the center? Can you tell me if you've seen a man in House Deneith colors traveling in the company of a shifter and a half-elf Reacher?"

He fixes his attention fully on Torhak's face.

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Streko's Profession (herbalist) check = 7
Streko's Knowledge (nature) check = 18

Mike: bear in mind that if Torhak knowingly misleads or lies, a Bluff check might be in order.