Adventures in Fallcrest - IC - Part III [4E]

[Nai_Calus]

"I say we try to contact Yojend first. I don't want to cause any undue stress on your parents, and I'd rather avoid working with the drow. No offense, Zyrr, I mean that generally. And the way I came, well, it's there, but."

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

"Yes, we should try to talk to Yojend," Lucan says. "But I don't see why we'd need to wait to work on the others, too."

[Hzurr]

DM Post

OOC: Ok, time to speed things up a bit:

--------Yojend---------

"Was hoping you knew the way. Only available route leads through d'Koloth. Speak to Eladrin Innkeeper named Morrellon, he can help you.

Hubert gives a grimace. "D'Koloth? That's the desert city on the other side of the ocean! By the Platinum Dragon... he shakes his head in frustration. "The Rex family still has a few ships that sail out of Colonus. I'll find out if there are any currently anchored there that could make the trip across the ocean...

--------Drow---------

We know of a feydark gate. Complete the deal with the golem maker, and you can use the gate at Zell'ovv'nx"

Zyrr knows that Zell'ovv'nx is a small Drow City roughly the size of Fallcrest that serves as a trade post far below Thunderspire and Hammerfast.

--------Pavick's Parents---------

The two older gnomes exchange a long look with one another, and there is a long moment of silence before Pavick's mother finally speaks"Well...now, that's something we don't really like to think about..." Her husband puts his arm around her, and a few moments pass as she collects herself. "Getting out was...not easy."

She dabs her eyes with a small handkerchief before continuing. "We had been in the Formian mines our entire lives, and rarely saw any outsiders. One day, a group of Duergar traders came through to purchase feywine. One of the large casks they purchased had sprung a leak, so your father and I were tasked to fix it. Your father had managed to steal a magical ring that would allow you to survive without food or water or air, so after we filled the cask with wine, we hid inside and had a close friend of our seal it shut. We floated in that wine cask, taking turns wearing that ring for 3 days. When the wagon finally stopped and the casks opened, we were in a Duergar mine in the Cairngorm Peaks. We worked as slaves there in the kitchen for another 4 years, until we found out that I was pregnant." She wipes a tear from her eye, and gives a warm look at Pavick.

"We decided that we wouldn't have our child born a slave as we were, so one night we saw our opportunity, and made our escape. We made it to Winterhaven, and eventually were given a ride to Fallcrest, where we opened our shop, and started our new family." Tears are now freely flowing down the gnome woman's face, and she runs over and gives Pavick a hug so tight that a ring to survive without air would have been useful.

Eventually, Pavick's father speaks. "If you want to find out where the Duergar mine is, speak to a man named Valthrun in Winterhaven. He can get you there. Not sure how the Duegar got back and forth to the Feydark, though..."

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

"From what I can see, any way we choose will not be easy," Lucan says. "Maybe we should try to find a route to Sigil. It's sure to have a way into the Feywild."

[Nai_Calus]

"You're obsessed with that place, Lucan," Eltain says, raising an eyebrow. "But while it may indeed have a portal to the Feywild, we would first have to find a way to Sigil."

"Let's see. Over the sea... Ye gods, that one's even further than the one I came through. Although, yes, while we are going against the winter court here, not a good idea to go waltzing into their lands. Although I doubt they'd expect us to be that stupid. I'd prefer to avoid Formian mines, especially with Pavick with us. Drow... Ugh. There really is no good way of doing this." He sighs and closes his eyes.

"Corellon guide and protect us."

[Toric]

Spoiler

Show

Understood. Pallath still in Feywild? Deal will be sweeter if he depends on us to escape the Winter storm. Extraction squad will be ready.

"...I don't think you realize just how good a deal the Drow are cutting us." Zyrr states, shaking his head as the rest of the party (understandably, but no reason to tell them that) recoils at offer he brings. "It's a short distance to travel, the way through the Underdark is a well-traveled trade path directly between two cities, and there's no riders to the agreement. Once we know where a Feydark gate is, it should be trivial to return to the Underdark. The two are much closer to each other than their surface cousins."

[Nai_Calus]

Eltain frowns.

"I'd almost rather take my chances with the winter fey. I don't trust the drow."

[Mando Knight]

"I suppose it could be up to me again, then. If one would be so kind as to loan me a means of extraplanar communication, I could see if I can eke out another favor from my family." Aramil shrugs. "Of course, it's just as likely that they'll want us to come back so we can fix the mess that we put them in. Which could include us doing exactly what we want to with the Feydark problem."

[Hzurr]

OOC: Ok, who specifically in Aramil's family are you going to contact? It actually will make a significant difference on the response you get.

[Hzurr]

DM Post

After hearing Aramil's suggestion, Berrian quickly casts the ritual to get in touch with the Eladrin's father. A few minutes later, Aramil hears a familiar voice.

"Aramil, good to hear from you. I'll send the glyphs for the teleportation circle. You'll be here just in time for your sister's engagement party!"

Insight DC 19

Spoiler

Show

You recognize your father's voice, but the tone sounds...off, from how you remember him.

[Hzurr]

DM Post

Before long, you receive a follow up message with the glyphs. You can use these in a teleportation circle, (such as the one in the top of the tower of the Mage's guild) and teleport directly to the Printempest manor in the feywild

[Haberdashery]

The towering form of the Shepherd has been quiet for some time now since his return to the Rex manor this evening. A deep frown has been chiseled into his face as he stares at the table, a stony hand feeling the wispy hairs in his newly-groomed beard. He looks up suddenly, having had sufficient time to process the conversation happening around him, and clears his throat.

"Is it imperative that we leave now?" He begins cautiously, his hand still stroking his beard thoughtfully.

"I do not feel safe leaving just yet. Not with the naughty elf woman on the loose and Oedipus back in town. I fear that in our absence, something might happen...something we would not like."

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

"You want to wait for the execution?" Lucan says. "I don't really want to watch, but it may be a good idea to make sure."

[Mando Knight]

"Hm. What do you suggest, then? Oedipus be put to death immediately? I'm actually surprised that Tyrannus is waiting this long, honestly. Now that we have the glyphs to travel home, I'd rather not wait."

Even though his home isn't their home, Aramil is quite confident that everyone would feel more at home there. It is, after all, a residence for nobility. Plus, his sister was getting engaged. He had to find out which suitor she (or their father?) finally picked.

[Haberdashery]

"That might be more wise..."

The Shepherd turns his great head to Berrian, his face clearly expressing his concern.

"Could you perhaps ask Tyrannus to have the execution performed tomorrow?"

[Hzurr]

DM Post

Berrian nods. "I doubt that will be an issue. Since the execution has already been announced for later this week, this could help prevent a rescue attempt."

[Nai_Calus]

"I don't like executions, but I suppose it needs to be done... It's more beautiful to die in battle, though." He frowns.

"Would they be moving up Tzunk's as well?"

[Hzurr]

DM Post

Tyrannus has no issue with moving up the execution, and Tzunk would prefer you to be there for his; so both executions will take place at dawn the next day.

OOC: Any last things you want to do in town before you leave tomorrow?

[Nai_Calus]

Eltain goes to bed early and wakes several hours before dawn. He decides to go and see Tzunk before the dawn's excution, and try to bring the man some peace through Corellon's teachings before he meets his end.

[Hzurr]

The next morning, the rain returns, and the city is once again covered in a light mist. Just after breakfast, a small group makes it way to the far corner of the grounds of the Rex family. Berrian, Hubert, Tyrannus, and those of you who wish to attend are the only ones present. Before long, two humans appear in the distance, leading a Dragonborn in shackles. Oedipus walks with his back straight, but as he begins to approach, his stoic demeanor begins to faulter. "This isn't justice. I should have been head of the family; I was only taking what was rightfully mine." he begins struggling, as the two humans lead him to a small stone pillar roughly 2 feet high.

The two humans roughly push him to his knees, and force his head on the pillar. Oedipus gives one frantic last effort to escape, but it proves fruitless. Gasping, he looks up at Tyrannus. "Brother...please...don't do this!"

Tyrannus looks down, and gives a low snarl. "You're no brother of mine." and with a *whoosh* brings down his father's blade onto the pillar, sending the bastard son's head tumbling down to the ground.

---------------------

Tzunk, after thanking Eltain for his kind words the night before, walks out to a quiet spot overlooking the town. He gives you all a warm smile. "Thank you all. You'll never know what this means to me." The stutter is gone, and the Deva looks strangely peaceful. He takes the flame from Berrian, and clutches it to his chest. With one last prayer, he pulls out a small vial he purchased from Zyrr the night before. He closes his eyes, and swallows it in one gulp. He smacks his lips for a moment, and mutters. "Hmm...that's rather salty..." A moment later, he collapses to the ground, and his breathing slows, and eventually stops. A few moments later, you see the Deva's body begin to glow softly, and gradually over the next several minutes, begins to dissipate into golden light. A short while later, Tzunk's body is gone. Hubert walks over, and says a prayer for the Deva, before taking the Flame. The priest stares off in the distance "I hope he found the peace he was looking for...

-----------------------

That afternoon, you find yourself on the top floor of the Mage Guild Tower, in a red and golden circle in the middle of a large room. Nimozaran looks over the glyphs you gave him carefully."Yes...yes, this shouldn't be an issue." He hands Pavick a small sheet of parchment. "If you ever need to return to this tower, these are it's location glyphs. The paper is enchanted, so no one but you will be able to read it." He gives the gnome a wink. "You can never be too careful. Now," he turns to the party. "Are you ready?"

[Nai_Calus]

Eltain winces and looks away when Oedipus is beheaded. He frowns, the certainty he'd once had about the need for the man's death gone. He wonders to himself if the right thing had been done, and if one merciless act really evened out another.

---

Eltain watches with tears in his eyes as Tzunk drinks the vial and collapses, and he steps forward as the Deva's body begins to fade and prays aloud to his god.

"Corellon, Lord of Spring, bringer of renewal and beauty, hear my prayer. I ask of you to watch over and protect Tzunk's soul, and to help him find the peace and renewal he seeks. Help him to wake in a better place, free to once more know the beauty of discovery and the joy of making new friends and seeing new places and of creating and building anew a life he can be happy with. Help him to once more love life."

He finishes his prayer and turns away, overwhelmed by the morning's emotions. He drops to his knees by Pavick's side and hugs the gnome, failing miserably at an attempt to not cry.

---

Eltain nods his assent.

"I'm ready."

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

Lucan strings his bow, and keeps it in hand--just in case. "Let's go," he says.

[dariathalon]

Pavick

Pavick attends Oedipus' beheading; he stands tapping his foot. He is not impatient to see Oedipus killed, but full of nervous energy that has to leave his lively little body somehow. He has no real desire to see the dragonborn killed like this, but at the same time, some part of him knew he would not feel resolution without seeing him die. At hearing Oedipus' final pleas, Pavick simply purses his lips and shakes his head. He forces himself to watch as the blade comes down, but shortly thereafter averts his gaze.

---

Pavick also makes his way to the quiet spot overlooking town to say goodbye to Tzunk. "Good luck. May whatever gods you worship look after you," he tells the deva before stepping back to watch him face his end. A small sad smile crosses his lips as Tzunk seems more at ease than he'd ever seen him.

Pavick fishes out his flute and plays a quiet, simple melody to accompany the deva's final moments. Once it is certain that Tzunk is gone, Pavick puts his flute away and closes his eyes, bowing his head to join in Eltain's prayer.

He had not yet opened his eyes when he was suddenly grappled by the much larger half-eladrin. The little gnome did his best to keep his footing under the sudden embrace. Once it registered to him what was happening, Pavick opened his mouth, ready to try to find something encouraging to say. It quickly snapped shut as he remembered what had happened the last time he'd tried to encourage the young paladin. So instead he simply reached one arm behind Eltain, and patted him gently on the back.

---

In his mentor's tower, Pavick nods to Nimozaran. "Thank you for everything," he says as he takes the paper. He quickly examines it, making sure he understood the location runes, then tucked it away. He pats himself down checking his pockets and backpack, making sure everything is in it's proper place. Then he nods, "Yep, I think I'm ready too."

[Hzurr]

DM Post

As Nimozaran begins chanting, the circle begins to glow. It grows steadily brighter over the next few minutes, when suddenly the old wizard's voice crescendos, and with a burst of light you feel that familiar tug on your innards as you're pulled across the planes.

With a *pop* you re-materialize on a circle similar to one you were in before, but as your senses are overwhelmed with the smell of the air, and the odd glow, you quickly recognize that you've returned to the feywild. The teleportation circle is in the middle of a large, open room. The room is enclosed, but the walls seem to be made of twisting branches that let in both light and a slight breeze, and the ceiling seems to be fashioned from pale-white flowers. In front of you are two Eladrin guards, both with spears. They wear matching light blue cloaks, with a bronze clasp that have an engraved image of a thunderstorm over a blossoming tree.

The guard on the left immediately gives a shout, and calls for re-enforcements; the guard on the right lowers his spear towards the teleportation circle, then pauses, his eyebrow arched. "Lord Aramil?"

[Mando Knight]

"There are those who would call me that, yes." Aramil looks around a bit, then exclaims aloud to himself, partially for the benefit of the guards. "Ah, how absent-minded I am! I should have sent a message ahead to tell Father when we were coming."

[Toric]

Zyrr does not approach Oedipus's execution with what one would perhaps expect of a drow. Loud cheering, mouthing insults to the victim, or perhaps sitting back and enjoying the show with a bowl of mixed nuts. Instead, he looks on with a stoic expression more suited toward the goliath. He watches as the blade that was raised against him day after day rise, sees it slice through scales that are now so obviously far removed from the legendary hardness of true dragon hide, and follows the path it carves to the ground for the blood that trails the steel. Through all this, the dark face does not change. Despite his previous bluster, the drow does not enjoy dragonborn's death.

--

A smile does creep onto his face, however, when Tzunk pulls out his special order and comments upon its taste. Zyrr worked hard on adding that special twist without losing the poison's potence; one who's ending his life due to boredom should do so with a surprise. Once all is done, he retrieves the shards of the flask, shaddered when its holder fell. Zyrr may not have killed two birds with one stone, but he could now honestly say he had brewed a poison capable of ending the endless.

--

*Pop* and suddenly Zyrr finds a spear pointing at his group, hovering more in his general direction than anywhere else. He freezes.

[Hzurr]

DM Post

The two guards snap to attention, and salute you. As the re-enforcements arrive, the situation is quickly explained and dissolved. Word is quickly sent out thoughout the manor, as servants are called. The guard gives another deep bow before speaking. "My apologies for the confusion, Lord Aramil. Most of the family, save your father, is away for the day, while the staff makes preparations for the party tonight. Your sister will be pleased to hear you were able to return in time for her engagement party."

A few minutes later, Selene, the same attendant you had in Mythrassar appears in the doorway. She also gives a bow "It is good to see you again, kind sirs. Rooms are being prepared for you as we speak. Lady Azula will be pleased to see you again once she returns this evening."

Selene leads you out of the room, and across a small stone path. The Printempest house is actually more a complex of smaller buildings in the middle of a massive field of blooming wildflowers, all connected by paths of bright white stones, polished flat and smooth. Aramil's old chambers have been held for him, and Selene provides the rest of you with guest chambers in a small house not far from Aramil's.

As you walk, Selene speaks to Aramil. "I'm sure you sister will be delighted that you have returned. The announcement caught so many of us offguard, that many in the family who are away will not be able to return in time."

Insight DC 14

Spoiler

Show

She says all this with a smile, as if she's just passing the time with idle chat, but you suspect she may be trying to convey some concerns to you

There are still a few hours left til the rest of Aramil's family returns to the manor.

[Mando Knight]

"...Is something the matter, Selene? You seem worried about something."

[Hzurr]

DM Post

Selene looks at the Swordmage, briefly but continues leading you along the path as she speaks, still acting as if it were just idle conversation. "Oh, it isn't my place to be worried, it's just that everything has happened so quickly that many were taken off guard. When we encountered you in Mythrassar a few weeks ago, we had no knowledge of your sister's betrothed. We only arrived here only a few days ago, but it seems that your sister has taken over many of the family affairs, and your father does not seem to be as involved as he once was. I'm sure everything is in perfect order, I was simply unprepared for how quickly the transition of power was happening." She follows up this sentence with a significant look.

Soon, you arrive at your chambers. Each of you has been given a large, open rooms with round beds and shining white sheets. "Well, here are your rooms; I'm sure you'll want to freshen up before tonight. Is there anything any of you need before tonight?"

[Nai_Calus]

"Is there a temple to Corellon nearby, by chance? I have been wanting to consult with a priest, but I haven't had the opportunity."