Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Iituem]

He wondered if the drake he and his men got from Osir's hunt was worth anything at all -- asking nearby.

Cold drakes are not nearly as valuable as their more mature brethren, but there is still a market for the hide and bone amongst craftsmen.  [3/2] You are able to find a local trader who, after butchering the beast, will offer you 15 crowns for the corpse.  Most of the profit from this venture went straight to your and Osir's vassals as part of their looting rights.

Returning to Osport, Osir began by commending his men on a job well done, visiting the halls of the slain, and then ordering the smiths and leatherworkers to fashion Osir a set of drakehide armour. The whole set, awesome helmet included. I honestly don't care if the armour has no tangible stat boost, I just want it for the awesome.

The hide and bone from your kills will fetch you [3/2] 15 crowns on the market, but if you keep the body and have the craftsmen work it into a cover for your existing chainmail it will not cost you anything in addition (the craftsmen take any remaining drake parts as pay).  This will not have a real advantage in battle over your existing mail, but it will look fantastic. [Standard +1 Armour score.]

The problem is that cold drakes do not have the same scales as fire drakes (a Haegar huntsman tells you he once found a cave full of glossy translucent scales where a cold drake had moulted during maturity) and so only a handful of the strongest scales will compare to good steel.  If you had taken down a fire drake a true drakehide armour set would be viable, but there are limits to what the craftsmen can do.  [5] Gerome Arondson in Stormstead, along with the master leatherworkers there, could fashion you a set of armour comparable to full steel plate using the drake parts, but it would cost you 85 crowns for their labour in addition to the drake corpses.  It would hold to their usual masterful standard, backed up with additional steel for effect.  [+2 Armour Score, -1 to personal Stealth or Acrobatics/Agility checks.]

Trent pushed Darnell back, and spoke "Get Tellard if he's still alive and make a run for it, get to the others and start running for the border, lose them in marshes if they follow and head back to Northwatch to tell them what we saw here. I will try to lead them north, go now this Hunt was not meant for you, forgive me for my foolishness." With that Trent jumped up and loosed an arrow from his bow, he needed to distract them till Darnell had gotten away then it was his task to flee.

Give Darnell my orders then attack the archers closing on us until Darnell has time to escape.

[5] Darnell ties a rope down the ramparts and shimmies down with ease and grace.  [1] Your arrow misses wildly, striking the brass alarm gong.  A dozen faces look to your position, [2] seeing the escaping rangers down the rope.  [2] Four archers on different positions along the wall start firing at you.  [6 vs 2] You run, firing arrows every few steps.  One of the archers drops, [2] and you try to light one of the pitch-covered arrows but find it's bloody difficult to start a fire when you're under fire yourself.  [4] The Haegar axemen below hang back away from the walls - someone is shouting for their bow.

The wind picks up overhead as arrows hurtle all around you, [4] and by sheer luck one of them misses your face by inches.  [6] You huddle against the wall and start struggling with the tinderbox.  Finally, the arrow catches light!  You fire the arrow, but your aim is off and it strikes a tent directly beneath the wall you are standing on, [1] which is full of lamp oil.  [4] You leap into the air as a gout of flame bursts up from the camp like a dragon's maw, landing roughly on the now flaming wall.  [1] Haegar commanders scream in anger and panic, and your position is merrily visible to all by the roaring firelight.  A dozen Haegar archers take aim, [3+3 vs 3] and arrows slice through your arms and legs, wounding you harshly.

[2] You scramble for the rope Darnell left, only to find it blocked by the inferno.  [5] Against all odds, you see another way down - a rope ladder has been left next to the gate, presumably for emergencies.  You run as fast as your freely bleeding limbs can carry you, [5+3 vs 4] taking an arrow just below your hip.  You can feel blood flowing freely, but you don't think it's spurting the way an artery wound would.  [1] Trying to let down the ladder, your injured leg gives way, sending you careening off the edge... [6] directly onto a returning Haegar huntsman, who breaks your fall.  You think your other leg is broken, but the huntsman's back's been snapped by the impact.

[?] You try to stab him in the throat and run, but you can barely move.  Pain begins to blot out your vision.  You hear arrows whistle by overhead, and rough hands grab you by the body...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[5] You awake in a clearing, thick with fever, with Ardella and Darnell standing over you.  [5] The screaming pain in your limbs tells you that the broken one has been set, and the arrows pulled out and sutured.  You're going to come out of this with scars that will last you the rest of your life, and your left leg will always ache when it rains... but you're alive.

Tiakath: You hang back and watch the infiltration go horribly wrong, one of the rangers fall from the battlements and die, and the other shimmy down on a rope just before part of the camp burst into flames.  The ranger captain fell onto a Haegar scout just as he was being riddled with arrows and rather than go back his rangers saved him and dragged him away north, to the forested parts of the wilds.  [3] You weren't able to get a runic axehead or the like from the adventure, but you grille Darnell for information about the camp layout and retrieve the Haegar arrow from Trent's leg as proof of your work.

From here you have a choice; you can freely return home to Northwatch and maybe to the capital to collect your 50 crowns in earnings this season (thank goodness the new king hasn't set proper business taxes yet) with minimal further danger, or you can continue north and risk life and limb even further to go on a lunatic troll-chase with the man who probably saved your mission.  In about two weeks, once he's recovered enough to travel.

"Then that is where I shall go."

Follow the directions given to me. write a letter to the Lord of Northwatch, and one for Aveline

Spoiler: letter to Renart (click to show/hide)

Milord.

I have been 'delayed' by bandits known as the Black Arrows. They have taken everything. My mission to kill Ban Yi Soong will take a little longer than anticipated. is it possible to delay him for as long as possible?

Regards
Karas Sirenna

Spoiler: Letter to Aveline (click to show/hide)

Dearest Aveline.

You may question why I am taking longer than usual. Bandits have Blackjacked* me and 'relieved me of my possessions'.

But fear not, for I still live. I hope to see you again.

-Karas

Your letters will naturally arrive (the one to Lord Renart only taking an hour for him to notice), but by the time Aveline receives her you are already well underway.  [6] You discover that the village is indeed along the path given to you.  You also discover that treachery runs in families.  [2] Half a dozen [2] archers spring out of hiding, [6] led by a familiar character, at least.

"You have got to be kidding me.  How gods-damned stupid are you, boy?"

Action: The King questions Barran and his high ranking Bravos about the strange going-ons.

[6] The Bravos conduct a swift and thorough search and by the end of the night produce a shifty looking man in a worn brown coat with a ratlike moustache.  Your steward reports that his name is Bran Brown and a notorious petty thief who has only escaped losing hands because to date he has always come up with money to pay a fine instead.  He readily confesses to stealing various minor objects from the castle, [5] in a ragged voice and with the rather pathetic excuse that he needed to feed his family.  The man has obviously been beaten to the point where the bruises are clearly visible where he has tried to hide them under his clothing and there are patches of blood staining the robes.  [5] You interrogate him, asking him to list what he stole and though he mumbles 'silver' and 'pretty things', it is clear he actually has no idea what he is talking about.  [3] The Bravos do not respond much to the interrogation, save to ensure the man makes no effort to escape.  Bran does keep glancing at them, though.

Action: Investigate matters at the inn. Sahainn, as always, will help in the investigations.

[6 - 1] Bringing a large wolf to a small pub is not known for attracting friends, but it does do a good job of keeping away enemies.  Nobody makes any overtly threatening gestures during your investigation, but everyone is a little more reticent because of it.  [5-1] Intimidation has its advantages, so you speak softly and politely while a big worg growls equally softly at your back.  The pub, the Rusty Spoon, is owned by the men who tried to chase you off earlier, one of whom is currently manning the bar.  He has set the spiked publican's club on the table as a clear warning, but is presently just cleaning mugs.  They have a sister/daughter/niece (or perhaps she has brothers, a father and an uncle) [3-1] who nobody is willing to talk about.  [2] Sahainn growls and paces, but there isn't much room in the pub and her nose doesn't pick up on anything specific.  [5] You catch sight of a cloak hung up behind the bar, tucked away in a corner, and recognise it as belonging to the woman you saw the night before, [?] but the publican ignores your questions regarding it.  He seems eager for you to leave and take your worg with you.

[Ghazkull]

Harald the Mad. that's what they called him now...damn traitors. When the letter of the Duc arrived Harald's mood lightened up. At last a friend in the sea of traitorous scum. He knew the Duc would know what to do...

Harald travels to Arborvent to meet the Duc.

[Ardas]

Edgard was seated in his usual day chamber, dressed lighlty and sitting by the window, enjoying in the sea breeze.
As soon as Harald entered, the duc stood up to welcome his guest.

Harald, its so good to see you. I heard that the last week wasn't overly kind to you? I want to know what happened". Edgard smiled reassuringly and with a note of concern. Southern part of the country was already weakened, and despite seeming unity of the kingdom, the nobility of the North was more numerous. Edgard disliked that balance, and to lose another man would be a political suicide.

"Please sit down, I will have refreshments brought over. Artis, bring in some wine!" Edgard sat down in a chair , with servant bringing over a platter with light snacks and a pitcher with wine and cups.

[Ghazkull]

Thank you for your Hospitality Edgard.

The Marquis looked bad. Days without sleep and fear of more betrayal had let the young man look 10 years older. When the servant came with the wine he emptied his cup in one gulp.

Harald's voice was hoarse.

The Question is, Edgard , what do you want to hear? What officially happened, what the mad Reader claims , or what really happened?

[Ardas]

"And what is more likely to save you? Tell me the whole story. I just can't fathom what could have occured to bring this situation about, but I can't let you be destroyed by some bloody misunderstanding."

Edgard took note of the bad state that Harald was in. He really looked tired. It would be easy to assume madness has overtook this man if the rumours are to be believed.

[micelus]

The Comte thought about what he could do with the hide, and seeing his choices, decided to send it off to Stormstead to hammer out some armour.


Send off the drake parts to the leatherworkers in Stormstead, and make sure that they remember to include a helm made of the drake's head.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Treasury: 0.95d
Holdings: Osport [6.8d/y]
Units: Inf (Marine, Beserker, PG)
Upkeep: 2/y
 Breakdown:
                 Regiment: 1d
                 Berserker: 0.5d
                 Marine: 0.5d

[Iituem]

The High Inquisitor steps forward from the shadow of the palace gates.  He stands next to the king, making no pretense of being of lower station; he has been appointed directly by the Adranic Council and he is second only to the Arch-Priests themselves in matters of heresy - save, perhaps, for the word of an Oracle.  There is a distinct resemblance between the two men, and in the right light the Inquisitor in his cold blue robes seems like a younger version of the Messiah in his tattered grey clothing; fuelled by the same righteous fury, but where it burns like a sun in Jitpau's eyes it freezes like winter in the Inquisitor's.

"In the Blessed Land there were the Adrani, who saw truth amid the Eldani.  They did battle with the great Haegar lord, Garrmyn, and laid waste to all his works, and slew his soldiers, and defiled his women, and feasted upon his livestock.  And in that Haegar's town they found a group of slaves they called the Piersyja and they asked the Gods what to do with them.  And the Gods, they replied; 'Keep Them Bound, for Ye, the Free-Men, are Our People.  Ye are Masters to the World, and Live in the Blessed Land.'  And so it was, and so we are known as the Adrani, the Free-Men."

[?] "A little bird tells me that a Grand Reader has been spouting heresy," calls out the Inquisitor.  "She tells me that he seems confused as to who is slave and who is master, who is bound and who is free.  I think it would be a shame to lose so honoured a scholar, but the will of the gods propels me onward.  [?] I am myself a Reader, and before this duty was placed upon me, I Read that very text myself.  I spent years Reading it, in fact, and I thought its meaning quite clear.  But even as an Inquisitor must root out heresy, a Reader must strive for proof.  Tell me, Jitpau Itavny, what text did you spend your life Reading, and what proof have you gained as to its meaning?"

[Caellath]

"Excuse me, Sir."
Talinth said before turning around and walking outside the inn. He was not yet done, though. Sahainn had apparently made them even more reticent to talk instead of intimidated. It was time to act as a pacient hunter.

Move outside the inn, hide somewhere near and stay on the watch for any suspicious movement along with Sahainn. If a suitable hiding spot isn't found, let Sahainn lead the way to one, worgs are probably better at those things.

[Ghazkull]

Harald emptied a second cup before taking a deep breath and then he begun.

Due to the Grey Death i sent a message to the King to send somebody to purge this evil. He sent me a High Reader, who proclaimed that this Epidemic was the result of a witch. Following his advice i ordered a witch hunt. We got three suspects and i wanted to bring them in to interrogate them. The Reader refused he stated that it was his right and his alone to check whether these people where witches. He would take them to the Capital and then call a Convent of the Faith who would then decide about what to do. Just think about how long that whole ardeur would take. Till he gets finished half my people would be dead. So i told him that we would interrogate them at the Pact and nowhere else. Then everything went nuts.

Harald shook his head.

He started screaming at me that due to his age i had nothing to say and that this was a religious matter nobles had not right to interefere. He would take them to Stormstead and then do a thorough Inquisition of my lands to cleanse the land from all evil. An Inquisition! Do you know what that would mean? Lynch Mobs, random burning of my peasants and my nobility, false accusation just to settle old scores and inbetween all that the Grey Death would continue raging. When i refused him that he just started screaming obscenities at me and i ordered my guards to take him to his quarter to bring him back later when i would interrogate the suspects. Instead that madman manages to turn my guards against me. I ordered them out ere he talked them into arresting me.

 When they went i tried to talk reason into him. In answer he started sobbing like a child, screaming about his dead parents and about how he studied the illness and that it all wasn't fair and so on. Imagine it! A High Reader sobbing like a child. He screamed that it must be witches because he can't find a mundance way of dealign with the plague and that all people must be thoroughly interrogated and tortured. That he would cleanse the land of all that would oppose him. And here's where the story diverges from its path.

he emptied another goblet of wine. His face pale and waxen from not enough sleep and now blushed from talking himself into a frenzy

In my official version, he stumbled in his mad dancing ramble and then fell out of the window. In his story i was possessed by an evil demon and he was thrown out of the window just to be touched by the gods midflight and turned into the messiah. What really happened was the following: i was appalled by this madman and what he could do when i let him continue. I had to dispose of him. Wouldn't you have done the same? I mean he is just a random old man, nobody but my guards knew as High Reader. I would claim he stumbled out the window and thats it. No inquisitions, no Convents, no raging mobs.

I gave him a good knock on the head when he ripped at my clothes and then he fell over unconscious. I quickly grabbed him and threw him out of the window. Edgard have you ever been in the Pact? Nobody survives a fall out of the throne room. No One. Of course that damn fuck survived, somehow. I thought him dead until i heard a commotion at my gate. I grabbed my guards and went down there. And what did i see? The damn Reader. Inciting the people claiming he is the messiah and i an evil daemon. I rallied my men behind me told them to escort the man to his chambers he msut be obviously hurt his head in the fall. Instead they leave me! More than half of my men just flipped me the finger and followed in a frenzied mob that priest out of my gates. Men who have served our Hosue loyally for years. Men that i knew since i was a child. Men that were treated as family...


Harald's face took a pained expression. It seemed the betrayal of his Hosue Guards hit him far deeper than anything else in the story. he sagged together.

What shall i do Edgard? That man will manage to assemble a whole crusade against me. He will propably declare me a Heretic or a Witch or some other bogus and burn me alive!

[Ardas]

"Oh boy.... this is.... well damn, I can't think of anything. I thought I've heard everything, but nnow you have me stumped."

Edgard stood up and started pacing around the room, engaged in his thinking, and commenting on it as he walked around.

"I agree with you, the whole purge is pointless and counter-intuitive. The old man is clearly mad, but you can't tell that in his face. And you are a prime target for any and all religiously-motivated attacks. And since Albert is your liege lord, it would be up to him to arbitrate and prosecute you under the full extent of the crown law,as he is forced to do so by the national arrangments."

He sat back down.
"However, I believe that there is a way out of this. But you must be prepared to go all the way with what I'm about to tell you. I can't promise you much ,but its definitely better than seeing your land stripped from you. I'd hate to give more power to the like of Ursa while south is picked clean of its nobility.

[Ghazkull]

A way out? Harald straightened in the chair.

What do you have in mind?

[Ardas]

If any accusations or demands are made against you, its up to your liege lord to execute those and act upon these demands. Albert will do what the priests will tell him to do, since it is expected of him to toe the religious line. But if someone else was your liege lord...

Edgard leaned back and smiled weakly.

I could stand as your protector and act on your behalf if you were to transfer your immediate vassalage to me and name me your custodian, since a recent bout of "madness" made you "incapacitated". While you would be free to carry on with your business as usual, it would be necessary of you to act as my vassal for all intents and purposes whenever situation calls for it.

He dropped the smile and sat upright.
"However, its not all that simple, since I would be under a lot of pressure to dodge the demands of inquisitors, "the prophet", and king might grow weary of my manouvering. I hope Elise will keep him sufficiently occupied... so you see, I need to have your loyalty as a security against the political risk I'm about to take on."

[NUKE9.13]

The High Inquisitor steps forward from the shadow of the palace gates.  He stands next to the king, making no pretense of being of lower station; he has been appointed directly by the Adranic Council and he is second only to the Arch-Priests themselves in matters of heresy - save, perhaps, for the word of an Oracle.  There is a distinct resemblance between the two men, and in the right light the Inquisitor in his cold blue robes seems like a younger version of the Messiah in his tattered grey clothing; fuelled by the same righteous fury, but where it burns like a sun in Jitpau's eyes it freezes like winter in the Inquisitor's.

"In the Blessed Land there were the Adrani, who saw truth amid the Eldani.  They did battle with the great Haegar lord, Garrmyn, and laid waste to all his works, and slew his soldiers, and defiled his women, and feasted upon his livestock.  And in that Haegar's town they found a group of slaves they called the Piersyja and they asked the Gods what to do with them.  And the Gods, they replied; 'Keep Them Bound, for Ye, the Free-Men, are Our People.  Ye are Masters to the World, and Live in the Blessed Land.'  And so it was, and so we are known as the Adrani, the Free-Men."

[?] "A little bird tells me that a Grand Reader has been spouting heresy," calls out the Inquisitor.  "She tells me that he seems confused as to who is slave and who is master, who is bound and who is free.  I think it would be a shame to lose so honoured a scholar, but the will of the gods propels me onward.  [?] I am myself a Reader, and before this duty was placed upon me, I Read that very text myself.  I spent years Reading it, in fact, and I thought its meaning quite clear.  But even as an Inquisitor must root out heresy, a Reader must strive for proof.  Tell me, Jitpau Itavny, what text did you spend your life Reading, and what proof have you gained as to its meaning?"

"Ah. A fellow Reader. I would gladly discuss my studies with you, brother. I can assure you, my sources are numerous. I would not suggest such a major reinterpretation of the old texts without both certainty of mind and spirit. You know, of course, that the passage you cited is translated otherwise amongst both the Eldani and Altani? I encountered evidence for the fourth translation of mine primarily amongst the effects of an old Duluk lord, who sacked the Low Library around 110 BAL. He had in his tomb several sacred pillars, taken from the Low Library, which, though faded, revealed certain inconsistencies in the grammar used to refer to the Piersyja. I found further evidence in Haeger lands of an invasion by an unknown people, which appeared to precede- by layering of artifacts- the emergence of the first Eldanic Empire. Furthermore, early religious texts often refer to the blessed people as the 'saved' people, and whilst this has often been considered a mere translation error, I found in my travels dozens of fellow scholars who could attest to making the same translation- a remarkable coincidence if it is a mere 'error'.
I have written a manuscript of all of my findings,"-

Jitpau withdraws a thick book from within the folds of his robes*; bound in leather, titled
"Studia librorum veterum pertinentia ad 'Clade Garrmyn'.
Conclusio est controversiae. Sanctitatem studium invocata."
and offers it to the Inquisitor.

-"which you would be welcome to read. But those are the main points of evidence I have for my claims. All of which pales, of course, before the assurance of the gods themselves that I have uncovered the truth, and that I should spread it throughout the lands, and unite all the Blessed People under one faith, one interpretation of the texts- a new orthodoxy, a BETTER orthodoxy. One approved of by the GODS.
A holy task which begins in earnest today, as the king of Windheath- and so in spirit, the kingdom of Windheath- accepts my orthodoxy, and the salvation that goes with it."


*Reader robes can contain an entire library's worth of books.

[Ghazkull]

Harald sighed. Why had he seen this coming?

I agree to declare myself your Vassal. But not my custodian. I have been betrayed to often lately Edgard.

[adwarf]

Trent looked up at the two rangers and said, "Don''t stand there acting like I'm about to die, make sure I'm patched up and lets start moving farther north right away, we have a long way to go to reach the mountains here in Haegar territory. If I remember correctly the Haegar avoid them for the most part since a few tribes of Mountain trolls are believed to live there. As for you woman knight, if you want to leave do so now because once we go farther in there is no turning back till our job is done, of course if you want I can delay my quest and take you back if you need an escort."