Chapter 3: The Enemy Within

[Jeff]

Just as Streko begins speaking to the Ghallanda clerk...

"You," an authoritative voice says behind him. "Halfling. Turn around."

[Joe]

Streko frowns.

"Excuse me a moment, dear lady. I fear that our pleasant conversation is being interrupted."

He turns to face the voice ordering him about.

"I'll abide many things, human, but rudeness is not one of them. I suggest to rethink your attitude or perhaps, one day, you will find House Jorasco suddenly too busy to listen to your needs, or is it commonplace in this hamlet to treat all Dragonmark heirs with such disdain? Hmmm??" His voice begins to rise above the din of the crowd. "I am asked to heal people here and my first day in this Host-forsaken village, I'm treated like an alley rat because of my race and size? Is that how it's to be?"

Streko puffs himself up and glares at the speaker. "WELL??? You've already interrupted my purchase of lunch items and pleasant conversation with a beautiful woman. How else would you like to embarass an heir of House Jorasco? Do tell, human."
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I'm certainly sure this counts as an intimidate check for Streko...or perhaps a bluff? Both? Can he hedge his bets any more? :-)

[Jeff]

A warrior in a chain shirt and Aundairian livery stands looking down at Streko, a dangerous gleam in his eye. He looks like a veteran of the war, a scar on his cheek and an expression that almost seems to welcome violence. He holds a naked blade in his right hand. "Then you are of Jorasco."

Just behind him, two militiamen are armed with short swords and hold light crossbows in hand.

"Surrender your weapons, sir," the Aundairian warrior says, not the slightest bit fazed by Streko's words. A small crowd is beginning to form to watch. "In the name of the Queen—Streko, is it?—you are under arrest for murder."

He angles his head toward one of the guards, but his eyes do not leave Streko. "If he does not comply immediately...take him down."

"Lord Dassek, are you—?" of the militiamen says, nervousness in his tone.

"Yes."

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Streko's Intimidate check = 5

[Joe]

"Murder? Oh, PLEASE! I'm a HEALER...in fact, you can check with the Jorasco enclave, from which I was just summoned...I've spent the last hour with them healing a poison victim. How DARE you accuse me of something so heinous! Who is this person you CLAIM that I've murdered? Where did this murder take place? Certainly your hatred for the Eldeen Reaches is clouding your judgement, sir! I'm sure the shifter community I was working with the last two months will have something to say on this...and further, for your information, not a single shifter has died under my care. SO you are OBVIOUSLY mistaken. Not to mention that I am taking time away from my work to answer the aid of this Jorasco enclave...and now THIS! You, sir, shall be formally reported to not only House Jorasco, but to anyone and everyone who has anything to do with your 'services!' THIS OUTRAGE WILL NOT GOT UNANSWERED! NOW TELL WHO YOU THINK I'VE MURDERED!!!"
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Streko is pretty close to screaming at this point...trying to get SOMEONE'S attention from his party.

A Bluff check please?

DAMN! Just once, I'd like to NOT have to cast spells first thing in the bloody day....

[Jeff]

In the Pavilion

The Aundairian rider shakes his head, holds out his left palm, and speaks a few words of power.

Immediately a torso-sized ghostly white hand appears in front of him, which jerks forward in a flash and slams into Streko back against the counter. The Ghallanda clerks behind the counter shriek, as Streko is battered against it and drops to the ground...his body aches but he takes no lethal damage.

The Aundairian hasn't budged. "Take him," he orders the militiamen, who begin to move forward.

Streko hears words of protest and outrage from the Ghallanda halflings around him but his own blood is roaring in his ears from the sudden slam. He's on the ground, just feeling very battered, but he can still act.

Outside the Pavilion

Grafth, waiting on the bench, hears—just barely—a commotion within the building. The sound of a disturbance in the milling crowd. But that's all he can tell.

_____________________________

• Aundairian guard's attack: 17 (15 points of nonlethal damage to Streko) and bull rush roll of 16 vs. Streko's Str check of 8 (roll 12 - 4 for size); Streko falls prone.
  
• Streko's Spellcraft check = 15 (fail to identify the spell)

Joe, a Bluff check would be if Streko is knowingly telling a lie or attempting to mislead someone. That's not really what this situation involves.

"Combat" has begun, for the moment:

16 = Aundairian rider
14 = Streko
10 = militiamen

(It figures, the PC dice roller suddenly isn't working for me lately. I'm using the DM dice roller for the interim.

[Josh]

Grafth strolls towards Torhak. When he's close, he turns toward the pavilion, saying, "Something's up... have you seen any of the others come out yet?" His posture slackens in his attempt to convey a casual conversation to onlookers.

[mike]

"The others are already heading back to the ship," says Torhak quietly. He does not look up at Streko, but continues digging through his backpack. "And wise they are. Something is amiss in Windhaven. The guards are on the alert and looking for someone ... and I fear it may be you or one of your companions."

"We must make haste for the ship, and quickly. Where is Streko?"

[Josh]

"The halfling was headed to the Cannith pavilion when I saw him last. Perhaps I should go in and find him," the shifter says as he steps toward the building.

But then stops, "After one of us, you say? Or me in particular?" He pauses, considering his options. "Well, it's a good possibility. Torhak, will you stay here while I try to extricate Streko? If we must make a speedy escape, it would be good to have you at the ready as we do."

Grafth will head into the pavilion and survey the scene.

[mike]

"They may be looking for you," Torhak reminds Grafth. "I was already asked questions by one of the guards. The fact that I am not in chains tells me they are not looking for me."

"It may be wiser if I look for Streko."

[Josh]

Grafth considers this, "As you wish. Just remember that we need as little trouble as possible."

Grafth stays put.

[Darren]

Unaware of the peril of their halfling friend and sticking to the original plan he set up with Torhak, Kalarian moves closer to Goran. "Go, my friend. Take Lever and get through that gate. I will watch you from here and go once you've gotten through. Wait for me just outside of town and we'll move to the ship together."

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I'm just waiting on Jeremy, now....

[mike]

"Just remember that we need as little trouble as possible..."

"Aye," says Torhak, grimly nodding. "I certainly shall not seek it. But if trouble finds us, I shall deal with it."

He gets up and heads back into the Pavilion.

[Joe]

"Khyber's breath..."

Streko musters enough energy to cast a spell.
_____________________________________________
Summon monster II - Celestial Giant Bombardier Beetle - attack Aundarian Rider

[Jeff]

Having completed his spell, the Aundairian merely watches for a moment.

But Streko, while prone, immediately sets into motion a spell of his own. He sits upright, grasps the domino symbol of Olladra, and begins an incantation. But the spell is not a fast one...

And the two militiamen storm over to him. The first leans down and attempts to smash the halfling with the flat of his sword. Streko moves his head aside, but the second guard was ready for him. The pommel smacks into his temple, and Streko's prayer fumbles on his lips....the spell dissolves, wasted.

A raging headache begins...

The Aundairian rider sighs. "Wasting your energy," he says, then raises his hand again, summoning with a word another translucent oversized fist in the air.....which surges into Streko again! The pain is muted as an overwhelming dizziness falls over Streko...and the world begins to blacken as he falls unconscious....

The last thing Streko hears is the Aundairian addressing the shocked crowd. "Do not be deceived. This halfling is wanted for conspiracy and murder in the city of Passage...."

_______________________________

• Streko begins casting Summon Monster II, a full round action...
  
• Militiaman #1's attack: 10 (miss)
  
• Militiaman #2's attack: 16 (hit, 6 nonlethal damage to Streko)
  
• Streko's Concentration check: 13 + 2 = 15 (failure, spell is lost)
  
• Aundairian guard's attack: 15 (hit, 12 nonlethal damage to Streko)

Streko now has 33 points of nonlethal damage. Since that exceeds his actual current hit points (27), he is now unconscious. He needs only the slightest real healing or a couple hours of rest to come to naturally.

[Jeff]

Torhak strides back into the Pavilion...only to see that a commotion near the far side of the room has drawn the attention of almost everyone there. Shoppers and tradesmen stop and watch a knot of people right near the entrance to the Ghallanda station. Torhak knows immediately that this is where Streko has gone, so he heads that way. He pushes his way through the first wave of the crowd and sees:

The Aundairian dragonhawk rider who spoke to him earlier. Streko lies collapsed on the floor about ten feet away from the rider, and two members of the Windshire militia stand over his form, looking uncomfortable and vaguely guilty. Torhak has seen vicious battle before and knows instinctively that this was barely a brawl. But whatever happened, it's knocked out Streko soundly. There is no blood, though his body looks a bit bruised. Tending to Streko are two women: a human nurse from the Jorasco station and a halfling wearing a kitchen apron from the Ghallanda station. The latter is applying a wet rag to Streko's brow, while the Jorasco-employed human is speaking irate words to the Aundarian rider.

The rider looks calm but slowly growing angry. "He is a liar, and it is not your place to speak of guilt or innocence!"

"Would a murderer use the Mark of Healing on a complete stranger!?" she nurse shouts back.

Slowly, more of the Jorasco and Ghallanda personnel crowd around Streko. "Step aside, woman, in the name of the Duke of Passage and your Queen!" the rider demands. "All of you, clear away from him!"

But Torhak sees a chance: those sympathetic to Streko have almost cut him off from the rider and the two guards.

"Toe-rack!" Riaan suddenly appears beside Torhak. "What's going on? What did that halfling do? My pa doesn't like fighting..."

[mike]

"No one likes fighting," replies Torhak. A grin comes to the dwarf's face. "I think you need to tell the rest of the crowd that no one likes fighting. So tell them. As loud as you can." He points to a relatively vacant spot several paces from the crowd, away from Streko. "Shout at the top of your lungs, my boy. As. Loud. As. You. Can. But over there. If you do, you shall be a hero."

Torhak then moves quickly over to Streko ... and to the halfling's haversack. Without hesitating, he quickly kneels beside the unconscious halfling, ignoring everyone else around him, and opens the haversack. With a violent shove, he attempts to push the halfling's body inside it, hoping the haversack is as unusual as he suspects.

Should anyone sympathetic to Streko look at Torhak while he performs this strange task, he merely puts a finger quickly to his lips ... and then continues with his work.

And should the dwarf's suspicions about the haversack be wrong, he reaches into his own backpack for his pouch full of caltrops.

[Jeff]

Riaan grins and leaps away, moving into the spot Torhak designated. He takes some coaxing, looking uncertainly back at the dwarf. But then...

"Stop fighting!!! NO ONE likes fighting, you see!! Stop fighting!"

The shrill voice draws the crowd's attention, as hoped. The Aundairian spins around, raising his hand as if ready to hurl a spell. There's a murmur and some protests and lots of voices speaking at once....

"Stop fighting!!! NO ONE likes fighting, you see!! Stop fighting!"

Torhak dashes over to Streko, grabs a hold of him, and proceeds to stuff him into his own magical haversack. But it's quickly apparent that not only is it difficult to fit him through even the large pocket of the pack, Streko already has a fair amount tucked away inside and he's just not going to fit...

The act leaves the two women around him gaping at Torhak in shock. Him holding half of Streko's body into the pack...looks...weird.

"What are you doing!?" the Jorasco nurse hisses, grabbing at the dwarf's hand. "Who are you?"

She looks up, eying the Aundairian rider...he hasn't noticed yet. "You're his friend?" the Ghallanda halfling asks him.

[Jeff]

Lever takes the lead as the warforged and Goran approach the western gate of Windshire. Lever holds up one three-fingered hand in greeting to the guards.

"Greetings, sirs. I am Leverage. My Cannith masters within the Pavilion"—he gestures back toward the center of town—"have paid this ranger to lead me to a cache of oil that he discovered while hunting in the Duskwood. I need such things to keep my joints from rusting up. We will return soon."

The guards stare at Lever for a moment, but they seem to Goran to recognize him. They scrutinize Goran for a moment, too. "So much for the grog, eh?" he laughs, and Goran can see that it is indeed the same man who let him by earlier. "Aye. Silver is more important."

At last, the guards wave them both through.

Once a short distance past the gate, Lever turns to Goran. "They don't know anything about warforged. I do not, in fact, require oil at all. A foolish rumor. Your companion, Lord Kalarian, asked us to wait here for him."

[mike]

"You're his friend?" the Ghallanda halfling asks him.

"I am his ally," Torhak says quietly to the halfling. "That is enough. Quickly now, if you wish to save him. Hide him under your cloaks, or whatever you can, and spirit him away. I shall make sure the guards do not see you."

Torhak pulls Streko's body out of the haversack. He slings the haversack over his shoulder, and starts to run towards the Pavilion entrance, away from Streko.

"The criminal Streko has escaped!" he shouts at the top of his lungs. He pulls out his axe, waving it about wildly as he runs. "He dropped his pack! Quickly, to the gates, quickly! Before the criminal can escape the justice of the Queen!"

[Jeff]

The Ghallanda halfling just stares at Torhak, but the Jorasco nurse immediately throws her apron over Streko's body and enlists the help of one of her colleagues. Streko seems to vanish amidst a sea of people.

As Torhak bolts away from the scene and toward the door with his axe and Streko's haversack, all attention turns to him. "What?!" a voice demands. He hears the sounds of the guards following—or pursuing?—him.

[Darren]

Kalarian grins at the ease with which Lever and Goran make it through the gate. He casually begins to stroll towards it, intending to simply walk past the guards unless they try to stop him.

[Jeff]

"Whoa," one of the gate guards says, stepping firmly in Kal's path. Already he seems irritated at Kal's confident stride. "You. Identification papers."

[Darren]

"Why, of course," Kal says as he begins to reach for them. "Is there some sort of problem?" he asks while still appearing to search for the papers.

[Jeff]

"What's your business here?" the guard asks Kal. "And didn't you just come in a short while ago?"

A shadow falls over Kal briefly as one of the dragonhawk swoops past overhead. The guard glances up at it as it, and its rider, pass by. "Why are you leaving so suddenly?"

[mike]

Torhak continues his mad dash out of the pavilion, and continues onward towards the gates of Windhaven, not slowing or stopping for anyone or anything.

"The murderer Streko has escaped!" he shouts. "Dark sorcery walks among us! Quickly, quickly, we must find the halfling! The justice of the Queen must be served!!!"

[Darren]

"I told you earlier," Kal says in a friendly tone, "I was just passing through. Looking for supplies and as short a stay as possible. I didn't find what I was looking for, so now I'm on my way. Why so jumpy? Is something going on? Is there trouble? Maybe I could pick up some extra work...."

[Jeremy]

Goran chuckles at the plan, and how well it worked.

"Well, my friend, already you've proven yourself useful and loyal. I hope I can return the favor someday."

Goran looks for a good place to lie low and keep an eye on the road. Anything that might give them a little cover should someone come along.

[Jeff]

The dragonhawk circling the town swoops low and starts to land...about fifty feet from Kal and the gate. The rider seems to be looking this way, ready to dismount.

"Wait," the guard says to Kal.

Closer to the center of town, Torhak runs and shouts. Some people scatter, some begin to follow him. The Windshire militiamen and the Aundairian rider begin to pursue him, seeming uncertain. Grafth, watching, can't quite tell if the guards are interested in what Torhak is shouting....or if they're starting to think of him as party to the "criminal Streko." To the shifter, it seems they're trying to decide between the two.

Goran finds a good place to wait, half-hidden beneath a tree of low-hanging branches by the side of the road, in clear sight of the road leading west out from the gate. He can see that Kal has been detained for the time being.

[Jeremy]

Goran keeps a sharp eye on Kal and, especially, anyone around him. He's decided he should keep a low profile for now, but nocks an arrow on his bow.

He mutters toward Lever.

"We may have...a situation. I might have to head back toward the gate. If you don't want to involve yourself, try and keep your head down here in the brush."

Then he adds...

"With any luck, it won't be necessary. Let's hope Kal knows how to employ that famous swagger of his in a useful way."

---

Jeff, I'm guessing Goran isn't within a decent shot distance to the gate?

[Darren]

"What's going on?" Kal asks, gesturing towards the rider who has landed. "I'd like to be on my way," he says without seeming over-anxious.