Chapter 3: The Enemy Within

[Josh]

Scanning the people exiting the pavilion, Grafth sees no sign of Streko. Wagering that Torhak has indeed distracted everyone sufficiently, he slips casually toward the pavilion once more, peeking inside. If the coast is clear enough, he will enter and take stock of his surroundings.

[Jeff]

Inside the Pavilion

Grafth steps in and finds that the chaos—though still evident—is calming down now that the Aundairian rider and militia have exited. Across the way, he sees a few people lingering outside the Jorasco station. One of them, the human nurse, spots Grafth and waves him to come over.

It may interest you to know, a familiar voice says in Grafth's mind, that there is a hidden exit to this building—one of which is the House Phiarlan station. For a small fee, they will provide you with access.

Grafth isn't quite sure where the "speaker" is relative to him.

Outside the Pavilion

Torhak continues unimpeded for a few moments longer, then he sees the western gate approaching. Kal is there now, detained by one of the two guards standing there.

At the Gate

"Just wait," the militiaman tells Kal. "Something is going on here."

Kal sees the Aundairian rider approaching...and just behind him, Torhak and the other rider approaching separately. Everyone seems to be converging right there at the gate.

Outside the Gate

"I would advise against violence," Lever says to Goran. "It will go badly if you attack any of the guards here. Trust me, I've seen it before. They protect their own. But I will stay here."

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Jeremy: Goran can shoot short range at 110 ft., so yeah, he's still close enough for a good shot.

[Darren]

"That dwarf looks dangerous," Kal says. He crosses his arms and looks over at the guard, sizing him up. "I bet you and I could stop him. You look like a man who fought in the War, too. Am I right? Where did you serve?"

[Josh]

Grafth nods, wondering if the "speaker" can even see him, and heads to the Jorasco woman.

"Have you seen Streko? It seems as if something strange is going on around here."

[Jeremy]

Goran nods at Lever's words.

"Only if absolutely necessary, my friend. Only if absolutely necessary."

[Jeff]

At the Gate

"Yeah," the guard says, raising up a shortbow and knocking an arrow. "Served right here, defending Windshire from the worst of the Reachers...and sometimes those surly Thranes." He glances over at Kal, then back to Torhak. "You think he's going to attack?"

In the Pavilion

Grafth receives no response from the telepathic voice. When he approaches the Jorasco woman, she speaks conspiratorially. "I don't know if anything that man was saying was true....but he hurt your friend, Master Streko. We have him here. But they'll come back for him soon. Will you take him away?"

[Darren]

Kalarian leans casually next to the guard. "Nah," he says, "guys like that tend to be all bluster. I saw plenty of men out on the Plains who talked and boasted, but if it came to a real fight, there was nothing left. No, I think that dwarf might be dangerous, and I think he might be crazy, but I don't think we'll need to take him down." Kalarian looks over at Torhak again and adds, "But we definitely could, you and me." Kal pushes away from where he's leaning and faces the soldier again. "What kind of action did you see here? If you're anything like me, you probably lost a few good friends..."

[Josh]

"Rest assured, if any attacks on Streko's character were made, they are entirely false." As quickly as possible, he reaches into his pack, grabbing a handful of coins and shoving them into his pocket. Grafth hefts the halfling's frame over his shoulder and heads swiftly to the Phiarlan station.

[Jeff]

Torhak will be at the gate soon, where two guards look ready to feather him with arrows because of his riotous charge. Kal is standing with them, speaking to one of the guards.

What's Torhak going to do?

[mike]

Torhak runs straight at the guards, not slowing down in the slightest.

"What are you doing?" he shouts at them. He points out at the gate as he runs. "Your arrows are pointed the wrong way! The conspirators are out there, waiting to attack! You must find them!"
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Torhak's going to try and run right by and through the guards at the gate. If that means that they're planning on shooting at him, or taking AoO as he runs by, fine.

[Jeff]

To Kal, unless something averts it, bloodshed appears imminent. Both Aundairian riders and and a total of four members of the Windshire militia will be involved.

[Darren]

"That dwarf is mad!" Kal shouts to the guard standing next to him. He takes a step forward, placing his body between the guards and the charging dwarf. He holds his sharash across his body, one finger subtly pointed out at Torhak.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing, friend?" Torhak hears Kal's whispered voice in his ear. "There are six soldiers here waiting to cut you to ribbons. I may be able to distract one or two of them for you, but surely even you can't withstand that much punishment."

[mike]

"As long as they are chasing me, they cannot look for Streko," Torhak mutters in response. "They were about to arrest him for murder."

[Jeff]

"He is," the guard mutters to Kal, drawing back his bowstring. "Step clear, sir. No need for heroics. I'll take the fool down."

[Darren]

Kal turns, placing a hand on the soldier's bow and lowering it. "I don't believe he means any harm. I think he's just crazy. He seems to think there's danger from outside. Has anyone checked to make sure he's not correct?"

[Jeff]

The other guard beside him draws back his bowstring as well, and he doesn't have Kal blocking his line of sight. "Now?" he asks the other.

________________________________

In my next post Torhak will be within melee reach of Kal and the guards.

[Darren]

Kalarian spreads his arms wide. "Please, let me try to talk to him. You were soldiers during the war. Haven't we seen enough needless bloodshed? Do you want the blood of a dwarf whose only crime might be that he's lost his mind on your hands? I have a way with people. Maybe I can talk him down. Will you let me try?"

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I guess it's time for a Diplomacy check...

[Jeff]

The closest guard looks at Kal, then relaxes his bowstring. He throws the bow over his shoulder and draws his sword. The other does the same, and both guards take a position directly within the threshold of the gate. Only initiating combat against them will allow anyone past.

"Aye," the first guard says to Kal. "If you can halt him, please do so. We need to know what's going on, and his ravings aren't helping."

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Kal's Diplomacy check: 12 + 7 +3 (circumstances bonus from Lever's infusion) = 22 (success)

Mike: One of the guards can be bull rushed, but that will also be considered combat.

[Darren]

"My thanks," Kal says, offering a quick bow and then turning to face Torhak again. He takes several steps forward, his hands held out in front of him in a peaceful gesture, but his fingers again pointed towards Torhak.

"They're giving me an opportunity to talk you down. I think we might have an chance here. Pretend to attack me. We'll grapple for a bit, make it look good. Hopefully they'll seperate us. They might try to detain you, but you have no direct connection to us, so they'll probably only hold you for disturbing the peace. Meanwhile, I'll look like a hero for trying to stop you, and may be able to use that leverage to get not only myself, but you out of here, too. Ready?"

"Please, Master dwarf," Kalarian calls out loud. "Calm down. There is no need to cause all of this trouble. Let's just talk about this. Who is attacking? What can we do to help?"

[mike]

"Fair enough. I shall do as you say."

"The ghosts! The ghosts!" shouts Torhak. "They took the murderer Streko away! We must catch them all! Justice must be served!"

The dwarf runs up to Kalarian ... and with his free hand (the one not clutching an axe), he grabs Kalarian and tosses him to the ground, 'grappling' with him. He drops his axe as he 'throws' some punches at Kal, shouting all the while.

"Stop standing around like fools!" he shouts. "Catch them, quickly, before they are gone!"

[Darren]

Kalarian lets his halfling war-scythe fall as he struggles with Torhak, putting on the best possible show that he can for the guards.

[Jeff]

Outside the Gate

For one moment, Goran's convinced that Torhak has just attacked Kal and that things are just going to get real ugly. Then he sees that Torhak has dropped his axe and Kal has dropped his sharash...and then he understands.

"Yours is an interesting squadron," Lever remarks, walking up beside Goran.

At the Gate

Kal actually finds Torhak's false "punches" to actually hurt...the dwarf is stronger than he knows, and Kal even finds himself feel, for a moment, panicked in Torhak's grip. Has he gone savage all of a sudden? It sure is convincing! Kal decides then and there—understanding that he's actually going to have some bruises from this—that he doesn't want Torhak as his enemy. The dwarf's true anger must be a terrible thing to bear.

But then he falls into it and together they make a convincing struggle.

"All right, all right!" one of the guards shouts, approaching with his blade out. "Settle down. You, dwarf: what ghosts?"

The two Aundairian riders stop and look down at the wrestling human and dwarf. They seem mildly disgusted, but genuinely convinced that this was real. "You!" the first shouts, presumably to Kal. "Who are you? Let me see your papers."

In the Pavilion

The Phiarlan station front is decorated with bright, curling colors. A lean elf in a slick gray suit of leather stands against an open doorframe. No one else seems to be paying any attention to the Phiarlan area right now; Grafth can't help but think it's the quieter business, despite the fact that Phiarlan usually hires out bards and other entertainers.

"Might you be Grafth?" the elf says, his voice just above a whisper. "Might you be carrying five dragons?"

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Torhak actually manages to inflict 2 points of nonlethal damage on Kal....unintentionally.

[Darren]

Kalarian rolls to pin Torhak, hoping that the dwarf will relent and allow him to play out the planned charade. "Calm down!" he shouts into the dwarf's face. "We're trying to help you!" He ignores the Aundarian's request for his papers, pretending to be too occupied with his struggle. Kal places his knees upon the dwarf's arms, noting that the dwarf's muscles far outspan even his own legs. Indeed, Kalarian has gained true respect for Torhak's strength.

Finally satisfied that he has "subdued" the wild dwarf, Kalarian looks up at the guards, his speech somewhat broken as he tries to catch his breath. "I think I've got him. Thank you for allowing me to help avoid a disaster."

[Josh]

Grafth merely nods at the elf's words brushing his hand across his coat pocket, allowing for an audible jingling of the coins within. "Which way?"

[Jeremy]

Goran chuckles at the warforged's remark.

"Indeed. That's the kindest word it deserves. I could think of worse. But they're all decent, somewhere inside."

He shifts his seat in the brush.

"...makes for interesting days and nights, I can tell you."

[mike]

"You, dwarf: what ghosts?"

"The ghosts!" Torhak shouts, pointing straight upwards. "See how they glow? They came from ... a ring, was it? An amulet? The creature, he wore it, and then they appeared with deafening thunder and hideous wrath!"

"Or ..." The dwarf's shouts grow quieter, less angry, more thoughtful. "Perhaps ... I ... I do not know. They are ... they were there, I know ... they spoke to me ..."

Torhak hangs his head low. "You did not see them. They are not there. I am a fool. My humblest of apologies, good sentinels of Windhaven."

[Jeff]

At the Gate

The Aundairian rider shakes his head with disgust. He turns to his fellow. "Get back in the air and look. If the halfling is here, then the others may be as well." The other walks away, back toward the dragonhawk.

"Thanks, friend," the militiaman says to Kal. "That was a bold thing to—"

"Who in Khyber is this dwarf?" the remaining rider demands of Kal. "And where are you coming from? What's your name?"

In the Pavilion

The gray-suited elf smiles and beckons Grafth to follow him. Past a series of desks and tables, there is a sudden corridor that vanishes into blackness. "Payment first, if you please, sir," he says. "Then through here."

Grafth smells a strange incense coming from the darkness; his keen ears hear the distant strum of an instrument and girlish laughter.

It should be safe, Grafth, the shifter hears in his head, though he still has no idea where Matheu is.

[Darren]

"It was the least I could do, friend," Kal says to the militiaman. "I've seen too much blood, too many friends cut to pieces. The war...." Kal trails off as he rises to his feet. "I don't think this dwarf meant any harm. I think he's just a bit confused. You're probably best off just sending him out of town. As for me, like I said, I'm just an adventurer passing through, and if it's all the same," he says as he bends to pick up his sharrash, "I'd like to just be on my way, now."

[Josh]

Grafth pulls five platinum dragons from his pocket and hands them to the elf, adjusting Streko's body as he does. His shoulder strains a bit under the unusual load. As he moves towards the corridor, he asks, "Where will we emerge?"

[Jeff]

Phiarlan Station

In a smooth act of legerdemain*, the platinum coins appear to vanish within the elf's palm.

"Outside of this building," the elf says in a near whisper. "Or outside of town, whichever you prefer. Mind you, this isn't a typical service my house provides, so you will need to go through it blind-folded. But if you trust me...you will escape your pursuers." The elf offers a deliberately sinister smile and holds up a strip of black cloth.

Grafth hears some more shouting in the pavilion proper. Sounds like the militia.

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Take that, WotC! I'm using "legerdemain," not "sleight of hand."