Imperial Sins (Evil)

[Thatguyoverther]

The trip out to the brothel is uneventful. Aztara and Taelas tag along behind. Well before the group reaches the brothel the air is thick with the smell of yesterday's fire and the odor of burnt meat.

Upon arriving at the site it becomes apparent that the city guard has already done most of the work for you. Charred corpses and burnt remains have been placed in orderly rows. A few guards stand watch as grieving men and women sift through the corpses to find their loved ones.

((Make a spot check to see if you can recognize Elran among the bodies.))

[PId6]

Loren

Loren finds a safe spot to transform back into human form, then walks forth to sift through the corpses for Elran's body. He tells the other two to do the same.

Spot - (1d20+9)[14]

[Thatguyoverther]

The group spreads out, perusing the dead. Loren is the first one to spot him. Most of his lower jaw and upper chest are gone, but some of his features are still distinguishable and his clothes match Loren's memory.

Aztara and Taelas walk over when they realize Loren's found their quarry. Taelas speaks up, "It's kinda weird isn't it? I mean we all got out without a problem. If worst came to worst why didn't he just jump out a window or something?" Aztara also comments on his demise. "Who cares? Now he's my favorite kind of orc. The dead kind."

A haggard looking city guard walks over to the group. "Shame. If I could find the ones who started the fire I'd wring their necks. Word is it was those damn foreigners form Marukan." He looks up from Elran's corpse to Loren, "So your the next of kin then?"

[PId6]

Loren

"Yes," was all Loren said to the guard. He beckoned the others over and together, they lifted the corpse and carried it through the streets back to the temple.

[Thatguyoverther]

The guard eyes them suspiciously when he notices the race of the corpse in question, but doesn't press the issue.

Normally carrying a corpse through a busy street would raise eyebrows, but today they are not the only ones carting away charred remains. As they begin walking through shadier parts of town the thieves stay well clear, either because of a unusual amount of piety or superstition.

Ashvar doesn't seem to have been idle while you were gone. The rotting pews have been pushed aside and a magic circle of some sort has been drawn on the ground, in what can only be blood. The donkey from earlier is nowhere to be seen. He turns to the group "Good! Good, at least something seems to be going right today. Put him there." Gesturing to the center of the circle. "I've got word on the Aslan the Black character that your supposed to recruit. Apparently he was seen last in the Plaza de Arms on the west side. If you hurry, he might still be there."

[PId6]

Loren

Loren unceremoniously dumped the orc's charred body onto the circle, causing bits of the body to fall apart. As Ashvar gave him further instructions, he gives the priest a cold look but says nothing. Once that was done, he transformed once more. As he stood, his teeth turned to fangs and his body sprouted fur, and he fell onto his four paws. Suddenly, he realized the overpowering smell of the orc's roasted meat, making his new form salivate with a desire to devour the body. Forcing himself to turn away, Loren ran out into the streets again, to the Plaza de Arms.

[Thatguyoverther]

Aztara and Taelas move to follow Loren out the door. Ashvar looks up from his work, "Taelas if you'd wait a moment...?" Taelas, face unreadable behind his mask, pauses and heads over to Ashvar as the other two leave the temple.

Loren darts through the streets towards the plaza, Aztara trots along behind him doing her best to keep up. Taelas catches up to them about the time they reach the Plaza de Arms.

The group is greeted by the sight of the normally bustling plaza almost devoid of life. The normal inhabitants seem to have already fled in fear. Two figures stand in the plaza. One dressed in dark plate matches the description of Aslan, the other is similarly armored but bearing a tabard with the holy symbol of Phos emblazoned upon it in cloth of gold. The two are locked in mortal combat. Aslan seems to have the upper hand and he seems to be pressing his advantage.

(If you want to hold on a sec for Blackknight to post.)

[Blackknight1239]

Alsan the Black

"You Phos worshiping fool! Taste my blade!" Aslan brings his blade in a downward arc, aimed at the knight's head.

OOC:

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Greetings...

Attack (1d20+7)[17]
Damage (1d8+3)[8]

[Thatguyoverther]

Aslan's sword arcs through the air and slams into the knights helm glancing off and slicing into the man's shoulder. The blow staggers the man and he falls to his knees but still manages to keep his grip of his sword. He manages to raise his sword in hopes of deflecting the next incoming blow.

[PId6]

Loren

Loren watches the duel from the side of the road, lying on the ground enjoying the show. When it looks as if Aslan is about to slay the knight, Loren starts barking loudly in encouragement.

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Welcome to the Dark Side, young Skywalker.

[Blackknight1239]

Aslan the Black

"Hmph. Useless."

OOC:

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Attack [roll]1d20+7[roll]

Damage (1d8+3)[6]

[Blackknight1239]

OOC:

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(1d20+7)[25]

[Thatguyoverther]

Loren's compatriots seem content to watch the spectacle as well. The main event exciting as it is is short lived. Aslan's sword arcs through the air, smashes past the knight's guard and into the same shoulder. The blade cleaves through the defeated man's body, snapping the mans collar bone and continuing on to break ribs. In a spasm of pain he drops his sword and his arms and head fall limp. The only thing keeping his body from collapsing to the ground is Alsan's sword buried almost to the hilt in his chest.

[Blackknight1239]

Aslan the Black

"Too easy. How do you expect to serve your god, when you're dead?!" Aslan gives a small chuckle before tearing away the man's tabard. "Don't mind if I help myself do you? Your blood is all over my sword."

[PId6]

Loren

Looking around to make sure no one else is around to watch, Loren walks up to Aslan and transforms himself. His fur stretches back into ragged clothing as his wolf fangs turn into human teeth. His paws grow into hands while his dog ears meld into human ones. A moment later, a rugged, savage-looking man stood before the dark knight. "I take it you're Aslan the Black?"

[Blackknight1239]

Aslan the Black

"You could call me that...What is your business with me?"

[PId6]

Loren

"I've been told to find you, the rest you'll have to hear from the one that gave me your description. But sufficient to say that if you want your hands in imperial blood, you'll want to hear him out."

[Blackknight1239]

Alsan the Black

"...Fine. Bring me to him."

[PId6]

Loren

Loren beckons at Aslan to follow, then transforms back into the form of a dog. He leads the paladin through the streets back to the temple.

[Thatguyoverther]

Before leaving Taelas strips the bloody tabard from the corpse. "We might want to hold on to this. I imagine Aslan the Black will soon be a wanted man, masquerading as a knight might be to our benefit."

The pass through the city quickly. A few citizens notice the blood splatters on Aslan's armor and quickly scurry away. Luckily no guards notice the unusual group and their bloodied companion.

When the party reaches the temple Elran's corpse is gone, to magic circle smeared to break whatever witchcraft it contained. Ashvar sits in the gloom alone, his face is pale and drained.

He turns to the Loren, Aztara and Taelas. "I presume this is Aslan?" Without waiting for a response he continues. "I'll get your payment in just a second, I need a moment alone with him." He waits, bracing himself against the desecrated alter, for the party to disperse and leave them alone.

[PId6]

Loren barely glances at the circle as he walks in to the temple. He doesn't say anything, though he does glower at the priest a bit at being asked to leave. But he does, going outside and pacing while he waits.

[Thatguyoverther]

@Blacknight

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Once Loren and the others leave the sanctuary. Ashvar turns to Aslan. "If you would wait for just one moment." Ashvar begins chanting and gesturing towards Aslan. The fetish begins to writhe underneath Aslan's armor, twisting back and forth against Aslan's skin in a sickening fashion.

[Blackknight1239]

@ Mr DM

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"Wh-what are you doing...?!" As the chanting begins, Aslan loosens his sword.

[Thatguyoverther]

@Blackknight

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Ashvar finishes chanting, the fetish twitches and falls still. "At ease my friend, just making sure you are Aslan, and that you really did fall like they said." He pauses as if listening to something, then nods and continues. "Good. I'm glad things seem to finally be going our way."

He pauses. "I'm not sure how familiar you are with our holy texts. But Skotos has revealed to me a dream. We can make the prophecy come true. Destroy the Empire and show the world the supremacy of our God. I want you to be one of the five harbingers. You've already met three of the others. Videssos destroyed, the sun blotted out, rivers turned to blood, all of humanity scourged for their innumerable sins." He steps away from the altar and extends a hand to Aslan. "What do you say brother? Together we can bring this all to pass."

[Blackknight1239]

@Mr. DM

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Alsan considers the offer careful for a few moments before grasping the priest's hand. "Let the world burn."

[Thatguyoverther]

@Blackknight

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Ashvar's smile broadens, and he lets out a laugh that's far to jolly for his slight frame. "I'm glad to have you aboard. Here you'll want to see this."

He walks over to the desecrated altar and opens up an old tattered leather book. "This is it, the book. Dark John's Apocrypha, it cost me a kings ransom to obtain, but here it is." He leafs through the book reverentially, revealing page after page of obscene and twisted images. "It used to belong to the Towerlocks before Murdiel the Mad went, well mad, but that's a story for another time. Contained in this book is the most complete description of the prophecy in existence. I haven't told any of the others but I can hardly keep it from one of the true believers. Skotos came to me in a dream, when I was still faithful Phosian priest." He makes a disgusted face but continues. "He said that the time was nigh at hand and I would be the chosen one. Since that point I've been collecting contacts and power, waiting for the day when the five harbingers will be revealed to me. You've already met three of them. I want you to be the fifth."

"With this," He pats the book lightly, reverentially. "I think we have a good shot at bring the prophecy to fruition. I think I've narrowed down the location of the last of the god pieces, with them we can put Skotos back in his rightful place. I've got to leave tonight to work on the expedition. We won't be ready to go for some time. While we're waiting, I have some plans for our beloved Empire."

He closes the book and turns to Aslan. "We've already assassinated the peace loving Marukaner Ambasador, I have faith that Marukan will declare war if they see any sign of weakness. It's up to us to they see that they do. There is a general on the northern frontier that my sources believe is on the edge of sedition. I want you to push him over the edge. Is name is Lignus Vaspasian, he worked his way up from soldiery and his heart bleeds for the peasantry. I have a feeling that if you stage enough brutality at the hand of 'tax collectors' you may be able to push him over the edge." He turns away from Aslan and shouts:

"You can come back in, I have tested him and not found wanting."

[PId6]

Loren

Loren walks back inside with a surly look on his face. "I am not here at your beck and call, priest, so I'd suggest you stop testing my patience. My payment please. And you undoubtedly have some other egregious stick you'd like me to fetch for you, eh, no insult intended sir knight. Well, speak and I'll decide if I want to put up with you any longer."

[Blackknight1239]

Aslan the Black

"No offensive taken, my friend. But the good priest would have us start a war, it seems. Not sure about you, but I'm rather looking foward to this..."

[Thatguyoverther]

Ashvar smiles back at Loren. "I beg your pardon most esteemed sir. You'll be happy to know that I'll be leaving you all to your own devices. I have your payment as well." He reaches into a pack behind the alter and produces three slips of paper. "I trust you're cultured enough to understand the concept of paper monies? If not I can have you're payment converted into chickens or pigs or some other more easily understood monetary system." The pieces or paper are each letters of credit for the agreed amount.

"My esteemed compatriot knows more about the task at hand. Here is the name and location of a contact that should be able to help you more." He hands Aslan a piece of parchment. "Unless there is something else I'll take my leave of you."

[PId6]

Loren

Loren snatched the paper and stared at it for a moment, wondering whether he's being cheated. He gives a low growl, then puts the paper in his pack. He turns and stalks out of the temple.

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How much does the paper say is on there?