Harbingers of the Silver Flame

[Saskia]

Aria stands, saying flatly Zal's right, we can't have that. You want me to distract them, or has somebody got a better plan?

[mistformsquirrl]

"It's best we just leave immediately - otherwise we'll just draw attention to ourselves." Ari says.

[Nihilarian]

The middle-aged dwarven woman you all now know to be Ko, speaks. "Very well then. Lead on."

Spoiler

Show

I've been out of commission for a day or two. I'm going to mark down that I made a scroll of Identify, and take the costs out of my GP and XP totals.

I was under the impression that Ko had already returned the ring by the time I said I was making the scroll. He would have also returned the dagger, seeing as how Zal seems to be willing to part with it, and it would have made sense to him to save a second trip.

[Mantid]

The five of you hurry out the church doors and head toward the shore. You have only moved by a couple buildings when you hear a someone yelling an order. Slipping into the shadows between two houses, you glance back up the street and see a pair halflings riding a pair of large dogs, asking a few people outside a building to return to their homes.

"Bet they're pretty confused," Dalton says with a smirk. "People don't think of the House of Healing having their own troops, but we all have them.

"Looks like we'll need a plan if they have already started patrols."

OOC:

Spoiler

Show

Reng is unconscious in the Church if you want to leave the dagger and ring with him.

[Saskia]

How many patrols can we expect?

Spoiler

Show

Also, how far is it to the boat?

[Mantid]

"Hard to say," Dalton replies. "Maybe one or two? Maybe we won't see any. I think the biggest problem may be at the shore, if they spot the Gallant and the rowboat."

Spoiler

Show

You have about 400 yards to the shore. There buildings and pathways up until about the last 100 feet, when the tide is in. You have about another 350 feet of rowing to the boat.

[Saskia]

Is that all? Get ready, because once I'm done we may not have long. And look scared! Her wide eyes and sadistic grin give the impression that she may be a bit too into this idea of hers.

With a few flourishes and words, and Aria's lips curl into a mischievous smile.

Her first spell doesn't seem to do much, but her second covers the ground and wall in what looks like freshly splattered blood, as if from a terrible sword wound, creating a trail that looks like a winding trail of dripping blood leading the opposite direction from the shore. As she finishes her third spell, she says Go-go-go! and takes off running toward the shore, screaming as if being chased by Asmodeus himself, It's back! It can't be killed! It's back! as a terrible scream, sounding as if a human girl had been stabbed, followed by painful sobbing sounds from nearby.

A voice like the rakshasa's rings out loudly over the crying, Halflings! How about a game? Find me or my lunch, and I might not eat her liver! You have half an hour or until I get bored! And play fair! If I see any casting I'll just snap her whiny neck!

Spoiler

Show

1) Expeditious retreat
2) Prestidigitation, using an artful combination of the "soiling" and "coloring" effects
3) Ghost sound


Aria's only going to be keeping pace slightly ahead of everybody else, rather than running far ahead again.

[Gildedragon]

What in the... says Zal looking at Aria as they run. What's with the voice?

[mistformsquirrl]

Ari is momentarily startled, but quickly heads off following Aria as quickly as possible.

[Mantid]

Confusion is the first reaction of the few halflings and townsfolk you can see, followed by panic as your group run out from between the buildings. The townsfolk immediately run for the church, while you see the dog riding halflings making their way south, away from the shore.

You come up short at the edge of the buildings however. A pair of halflings are standing on the shore, looking your direction with a mixture of confusion and concern on their faces. You are certain they haven't spotted your group, however.

[Nihilarian]

Ko shakes her head, and says "Aria, you're crazy. Zal, give me the sword. I'll go return the items to Reng and meet you at the boat."

[Saskia]

The breathless Aria speaks frantically to the halflings, looking back and forth between them and back behind her with a frantic sense of urgency.It's a lich! The rakshasa we killed is a lich, and we burned its corpse, but it's back, and it's powerful! You have to keep the people safe while my team and I hunt down the phylactery! I know where it is and we can get in, smash the thing, and get out to curb the incursion from the Demon Wastes! We'll report back crew and all for quarantine but a lot more people are going to die if this monster keeps coming back! We've got to get to our ship!

Spoiler

Show

Bluff (1d20+16)[19]

[Mantid]

One of the halfling immediately replies, "This town is under quarantine! No one..."

"We're not here to fight a lich,' the second interrupts. "We pull out and patrol from a distance, as ordered. It's a fishing village, I'm sure they won't be the first to leave this way." The halfling turns his dog away from the beach.

"They're trying something,' the first halfling says, glaring at Aria. "But, yeah, those are our orders. Don't expect me to forget your face though..." With one last glare he follows his fellow patroller out of the village.

As soon as they disappear between the buildings, Dalton hurries out of hiding and up to the rowboat. "You're a real gem," he says to Aria as he throws a few things out of the boat into the water. "Get in, we'll take off as soon as your dwarf friend gets back. Going to be a little tight. The boat is only made to hold four."

Once Ko returns from making sure the dagger and ring are returned to Reng, Dalton rows the boat to the ship. Despite appearances, the captain proves to have some muscle to him as you quickly cross the distance.

"Welcome aboard the Gallant!" he says once everyone climbs onto the deck of the ship. "She's one of the fastest wind powered ships in the seas. We have a small place for you below decks. Not much, but it'll be private and more personal space than the rest of us have. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to give us a little push to get us on our way."

The captain goes to the aft of the ship and holds his palms out toward the sails. Pulling on the powers of his dragonmark, he summons a strong wind to fill the sails and move the Gallant away from the shore.

Claspim, Dalton's first mate, takes the four of you below decks where a small area of the cargo area has been converted into a pair of small rooms, each sporting a small table, chair, bunks for two people, and hardly enough room for one person to move around if the second occupant isn't seated on a bed or in the chair.

[Gildedragon]

Zal draws the dagger and hands it to Ko along with a letter of thankfulness. Here. Be quick he says.

He looks at the dragonmark's powers impressed and claps. Nice. he says, finally taking his time to look at the ship. That was a handy trick cap he says. Thank you for the help.

[Nihilarian]

Ko looks around one room. "... Not much room... Well, Arcutia and Aria can have one room, Zal and I will take the other. Perhaps I should be an elf, to fit better."

[mistformsquirrl]

Once the Harbingers are alone, Ari begins to chuckle, then briefly, laugh, before forcing herself to stop.

"Sorry... it's just... Aria that was so perfect, I can't believe you did that..." she shakes her head while smiling broadly. "And got away with it for that matter!"

[Nihilarian]

Ko shakes her head. "It worked well enough, but I would hardly call it perfect. Many of the villagers whom you panicked recently lost possessions, homes or even family. Still, it got us through so I suppose it is acceptable." Ko hops up onto one of the bunks and reclines.

[Gildedragon]

I would rather had a discrete exit, no one knowing we even left says the Zal. But it was clever. Hadn't thought about the emotional cost though he admits. It is good to see Ari laugh though. I thought your face might be made of stone.

[Saskia]

Aria can barely subdue her giggles or her proud smile, and as she speaks, the usual joviality in her airy, lilting voice remains undisturbed. What else was I going to do? she asks with a shrug. Talk to badgers at them? She sobers up a bit and looks at Ko before continuing I understand what you mean, though. With the Aundairian army having reliable reports about what happened during an attack, they might actually station some real security in the at-risk communities now, instead of at forts leagues away. Trumping up the terror a bit could only help in that regard, so I'm really not terribly worried about the stress I might have caused. What I am worried about is all the rest of the terrible stuff that will go on with marauding barbarians. That's what we're here to stop, and I'm not keen on delaying our mission to make nice with the sorts of people who can look a dying man in the eyes and demand a pound-and-half silver for the level of magical acuity my kid sister mastered before she even left to study properly.

[mistformsquirrl]

"Sorry... I'm not oblivious to what happened, it just caught me funny I suppose." Ari frowns. "Still, I can't wait till I get another crack at those barbarians - I won't let them get away with what they did here. Not to mention they still have whatever it is they were looking for... whatever it is must be important to them."

[Saskia]

It's also important to the village priests, Aria says with a heavy sigh, sitting cross-legged in the chair made for somebody larger, idly running her fingers over her silver choker. And to the Church. Thiel said it used to be part of an important Silver Flame relic before the war, but whatever that was they hit it with the Seven Piece Samba. As the words leave her lips she leaps to attention with urgency in her eyes. Seven! she shouts loudly with surprise. There were seven dots on the map! What if they have the whole thing!? Ari, you're brilliant! We gotta check the other dots! She curses loudly in the dwarven tongue and rushes to find Dalton.

[mistformsquirrl]

"Dots? What dots?" Ari is entirely befuddled, but makes an effort to follow Aria just the same.

[Gildedragon]

Zal shrugs. Whatever was taken from those places is long gone. Detouring through those places will only slow down our mission he remarks. I'll be going to the top floor. Never been on a moving boat before. he says heading out the crowded room. Let me know if any brilliant insights are had. Stopping by the room he and Ko were to share he quickly takes off his armor, sniffing at himself. The strong sea winds would help with that.

Once on the top deck Zal hawks at the view of the sea; he'd never seen something so vast and empty. His jaw open as he takes in the sights (or lack thereof).

[Mantid]

You find Dalton under the quarter deck. Hammocks and chests line the side walls of the cabin, while the aft wall is covered by shelves, containing scolls, books, and piles of papers. The captain is laying out a map on one of the two tables that take up the middle of the quarters. Although the room is as large as a thrid of the ship, it feels even more cramped than your small quarters below decks.

"Aira, good," Dalton says as he sees the gnome enter. "I was just about to have someone ask you to come up here. I think we should get those marking from that paper moved over to a proper map."

[Saskia]

Yes! Yes! she says frantically as she produces the paper. Her eyes are wide and her body shakes with a manic excitement, We have to get to the closest dot here as quickly as possible! I think we know what they're after but we don't know what it does and we don't know if they have the whole thing!

[Mantid]

Dalton carefully matches the markings on the demon's map with those on his larger map. "Looks like the closest one matches up with another village called Salenport," he says, handing the glasses back to Aria. "We can probably make it in a couple hours if needed. Might catch some of the villagers still awake."

[Saskia]

Let's hope that's all we catch. With luck killing that rakshasa scared the wastelanders off to regroup instead of just attacking the next spot on their list. She pauses to let out a strained sigh and runs her hands through her hair, continuing Assuming they weren't going the other way, oh flames alight we could be coming up on real carnage now...

[Mantid]

"Ok, then, we have our course," the captain says with a nod. He leaves the quarters to the decks, yelling orders to his crew as he marches to the back of the ship. The crew begin to double check lines are tied down and everything on deck is secure. Many of them take off their hats throw them into their quarters and secure their cloaks and jackets.

On the quarters deck, Dalton uses his dragonmark to begin contolling the winds again, pushing the speeds to the limits of his ability. Powerful winds begin to sweep over the deck and the ship's sails bulge forward and the masts creak as they pull the Gallant forward.

OOC:

Spoiler

Show

The winds over the decks are now blowing at 30 mph.

[Gildedragon]

Brisk winds, eh? remarks Zal to a passing sailor as the sails flare out and stretch. He holds onto the rails, breathing in deep of the salty air. He notices Dalton on deck and smiling he heads over. Hey Captain! he calls out over the wind. These winds your doing?

[Mantid]

"It is," Dalton answers. "Aria wanted us to get to another village as quickly as possible. She seemed really concerned about it.

"Whew. Been a while since I've had the winds at my back and the spray of the ocean in my face. Nothing quite like being at sea, is there?"