Chapter 3: The Enemy Within

[Joe]

Streko looks miserable again...just the thought of Pel...Malov...Varna...

"I can do nothing to help Pel, for the time being. And I am not much of a hunter...so I shall go ask Ralsor if there is anything that he needs within my meager capabilities to assist him with."

He trudges off, food momentarily forgotten...images of his sister square in his mind.

[Darren]

"That's a good question, Grafth. There's too much we don't know. I'm inclined to believe that Malov's ability to control others doesn't work that way, but just in case, I believe that two guards should be present with Pel at all times. Hopefully, if one is overpowered or compromised, the other will be able to at least warn the rest of us."

[Jeremy]

Goran nods at Matheiu and hands over the dagger, sheath and all (I've always assumed it came with a sheath).

"Thank you, Mathieu."

Goran turns to the others. "I am not against binding Pel, for now. The needs of this group are paramount to any concerns of kindness or manners. Short of downright cruelty, I say we do whatever is necessary."

The half-elf checks his pack.

"I will help, if you want to do it now, Grafth. I would guess there is some extra rope on this ship? All I have is twine, and I have no desire to cut her wrists to ribbons..."

[mike]

Torhak reaches into his pack, and removes a long coil of silken rope.

Wordlessly, he hands the rope over to Goran.

[Darren]

Kalarian listens to the words and watches at Torhak hands over the rope. "Listen, we must not forget that despite Malov's control over her, that is still Pel, and she sacrificed her own life to help in this cause. We need to keep ourselves safe, and I think Pel would agree, but we must be fair and considerate in our treatment of her. Malov is our enemy, not Pel."

[Jeremy]

Goran looks intently at Kal.

"Nonetheless, the risk is real. And we should be considering more than just ourselves here. Whatever it is we're doing, it's important, more important than us, than hurting Pel's feelings or offending someone's sense of honor."

"The risk is real."

Goran prepares to leave, to go to Pel.

"Whomever would help, come with me now."

[Jeff]

Matheu leaps into the air and clasps the enchanted dagger with his claws tiny claws. He beats the air quickly with his wings to stay aloft in place. He looks to everyone. Do you wish me to assess this weapon now or examine the changeling with you first?

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Jer: Yup, it came with a sheathe.

[mike]

"Whomever would help, come with me now."

"Let us go, then," says Torhak. "We have little time to waste."

[Darren]

"If you would, Matheu, please examine this weapon first. If it might be of use in whatever is happening to Pel, best that we find that out before we approach her again." Kalarian seems suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion. "If no one minds, I will go lie down for a while. Matheu, please wake me when you've finished with your examination of the dagger." Kal moves slowly out of the room, leaning on his sharrash, a limp having developed from his right leg.

[Jeff]

With the dagger in its rune-carved sheath clasped tightly in his claws, Matheu flies up and out of the cargo deck to find peace and quiet somewhere else on ship.

Everyone is left standing there.

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Torhak and Goran seems prepared to head right to Pel, but Kal is suggesting waiting. A decision needs to be made that everyone agrees with. Should the group consent to simply wait for Matheu, we will skip ahead to when he is finished. In which case simply tell me what your character does to pass the time.

[Darren]

Kal is going to rest, because I don't think he's done that in a very long time. I can't stop anyone from doing anything, but I would recommend that no one really confront Pel before Matheu has a chance to get to her. This might be a good time for that hunting we've been talking about.

[Jeff]

The hunting bit won't be for another few hours in-game, since the airship is not yet flying above the Chanthwood forest, which is the optimal place for hunting. But that doesn't mean you can't simply wait for Matheu.

[Josh]

"If Torhak and Goran will restrain Pel for the moment, and one of you take first watch with Amal, I will releive you of that duty in an hour's time. I will bring Mist with me, so that Amal may also rest." Grafth turns to Kalarian before he heads out of the hold, saying "You're right, we must still treat Pel as a compatriot. I'm sure that any one of us would rather be restrained for safety than to be overtaken by magic in order to harm another companion."

With that in mind, Grafth will head to find Ralsor and the warforged to let them know of the party's decisions.

[Jeremy]

"My mind is made up. I am going down to Pel. Torhak? Grafth?"

Goran heads for the door. Whatever decision the rest of the party has, his is made.

[Jeff]

Goran makes his way up to the quarters deck, where Amal stands at the doorway to Pel's quarter. "Goran?" the Blademark asks, unalarmed. "What's going on?"

Grafth heads up toward the wheelhouse. Mist is standing upon the steps leading to the helm, while Ralsor and Lever stand talking about the ship within.

[Jeremy]

Goran replies in an even tone.

"We are going to take steps to protect everyone on this ship. We will be restraining Pel, as gently as possible...but restraining nonetheless."

[Jeff]

Amal nods, but looks uncomfortable letting Goran past him. "I understand. How did you want to restrain her? Right now she seems to be just Pel. I can't know for sure, but she's been...crying."

[Darren]

Walking down the hallway (towards room A), Kalarian sees Amal's questioning look at Goran. His face is a mask of weariness as he nods at the Blademark. "Let him do whatever he judges is best. He has all of our best interests at heart. I am going to rest for a little while. The little dragon should be by soon with some information, and others should be coming to join you and then relive you of your watch. If Matheu arrives while you are still here, please make sure that I am woken." Kalarian places a tired hand on Amal's shoulder as he moves past him. "Thank you, my friend." He moves into the room and closes the door behind him, settling heavily onto one of the beds.

[Jeff]

Kal moves into one of the empty officers quarters, while Amal steps aside and lets Goran into the sickbay room. Pel sits on her bed, her back to the wall, staring into space. When Goran enters, she looks up at him with red-rimmed eyes. Against her white-gray skin, they really stand out.

"What is happening now, Goran?" she asks wearily.

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I'm going to assume, though it's never been stated, that Pel's weapons and equipment have been removed from her. Who would have taken them and where would they be placed?

[mike]

Torhak is with Goran in the sickbay, ready to restrain Pel (if necessary), and to help/assist Goran in whatever he intends to do.

[Joe]

Streko arrives in the wheelhouse of the Lysander airship.

"If you don't mind, I would prefer to stay here, out of your way of course, for a while."

[Jeremy]

Goran looks once at Pel, giving a little smile, but doesn't meet her eyes for long. He speaks quietly, as if in no mood for negotiation. Clearly he is not happy about this, but does not waver.

"We are here to restrain Malov...to limit the ways he could hurt us, and you."

Goran uncoils the rope immediately and nods to Torhak. He seeks the best way to tie her down with the minimum damage to her wrists, ankles, etc.

---

Jeff, does Use Rope help me here? Goran's got a +3 on that.

[Jeff]

Pel looks hard at Goran for a moment, anger and sadness there. Then she nods, looking weary and defeated. She holds out her hands to be bound. "Please just don't tie it so it hurts," she says. "And will I not be given food and water? Already I'm thirsty. What about...." A touch of color reaches her cheeks, and she casts her eyes down. "....if I need to use the privy?"

In the wheelhouse, Ralsor looks quietly at Streko for a moment. "I'm sure I can find some tasks to occupy you, Streko."

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Yup, this is exactly what Use Rope will be for. The roll is only needed if Pel tries to escape, then it's her Escape Artist vs. Goran's Use Rope.

[Josh]

Grafth brings Ralsor and the warforged (if they are still in the room) up to speed on the party's discussion, confirming that they wish to hunt for food reserves as soon as possible, and that they would be guarding Pel in hourly shifts.

"In the meantime," he says, as Streko enters the wheelhouse, "if there's anything you or your ship needs, I am happy to oblige."

[Jeff]

Mist listens to Grafth silently but fingers the hilt of her scimitar as she does. When the shifter is finished, she says, "I am not a spellcaster but I do know some things of magic. Yet not enough to understand possession. I wonder, could this wizard possess a warforged body? Perhaps I should avoid contact with Pel?"

Lever looks between Streko and Grafth. "One thing I do not understand," he says. "Streko, your sister is allegedly a captive of Malov, correct? You've said her name is Varna? Isn't Varna the city in the Eldeen Reaches—not so far from where we are now—where House Vadalis is headquartered?"

The angular warforged steps over to the wall map. "Yes, it is. That must be confusing in your Jorasco household." There is a moment of silence. Lever may have attempted a joke.

[Joe]

Streko takes in a deep breath and sighs. A smile forms on his lips that he isn't even aware of.

"Her name is Varnaleen and she has always been...a wanderer. She had a penchant for getting into trouble...still does apparently. Varna got into more trouble than any child should, but I know she never meant to cause trouble or concern. It just never occurred to her that she was such..."

He clears his throat. "She and mother stopped getting along after something happened what I was very young. She had run away. Disappeared for over a week. Everyone searched for her. When she returned, there were harsh words spoken on both sides. She finally left for good one day. I vowed to find her.

"As to why I call her Varna. Well, it's a nickname she allowed me to give her...because it reminded her of other worlds to explore. Other places that she wanted to see and travel too.

"That is really all there is to it, I'm afraid. I, myself, have never been to the city withing the Reaches. Perhaps, one day, once we are together again, she and I can travel there together."

"That would be nice, I should think. Yes, very nice."

[Jeremy]

Goran nods at Pel.

"I'm not happy about this either. Would that it were the last thing Malov ever took from us...but I doubt it. I will do my best to see you are not hurt."

With that Goran ties the rope, with Torhak's help, as best he can to make it secure yet not painfully binding.

"As for restroom...necessities...perhaps Mist can be of service."

The half-elf looks to Torhak.

"One of us should stay with her and Amal, and the other check in on the others and see what's going on. Do you want to go or should I?"

[Jeff]

Pel allows herself to be bound, cooperating fully. She also looks utterly miserable, her skin looking clammy.

"My mouth..." she says to Goran and Torhak. "If I need to call out for something, can I? Do you need to gag me, too? Every spell I knew requires the use of my hands, so if you bind those then if he takes over...he can't use any spells. I can sense that, that he cannot use his own. He can only use what abilities and spells I have."

[mike]

"Do you know that for sure, my lady?" Torhak says gently to Pel. "Beyond a shadow of a doubt? For if not, then I fear we must gag you as well."

"We take no joy in this, know that. We do not seek to punish you, but to prevent Malov from doing harm. Since it seems you share a single form, we have no choice in what must be done."

Torhak looks over at Goran. "I will stand watch over Pel. You should probably join the others, to learn what is happening."

[Jeff]

"I believe he would have done worse, and probably killed you already, if he was able," Pel says. "As it is, the worst he's done is tried to charm Kal with a spell—a spell I have—and it failed. At least leave me with an ounce of dignity." She seems to resent being talked to in this manner by Torhak, as he is a newcomer to the group. "I deserve at least that much for playing my part."