The Necromancer's Pact: Private Conversations

[kuja.girl]

FYI - this part of the game is on hold until Dr. Bob's return on Monday. He left me no instructions about the fate of ye 3 travelers :| sorry.
But fell free to continue talking, just no real travel I'm afraid.

PS - read the OOC thread if you have no clue what I mean.

[Dr._Bob]

Aeroz explains that Prozen is his benefactor of sorts, having hired him, Wottworte, Sedryn, and Lithandrill to chase down a trio of assassins. Callos gets the sense that there may be more to the story than Aeroz is letting on ...

Aeroz shrugs. "I'm the only one left, and I haven't quite been successful on my mission ... I am not sure how warmly Prozen will welcome me if I return empty-handed."

Aeroz's rapier coughs, as if it has something to say, but it holds back. Aeroz holds up the shining blade. "This weapon was a gift from Prozen ... or perhaps a curse ..."

...

Elthan is lost in his thoughts. Wait a minute. Am I the clone or the original? Oden Homm was perhaps the clone's "father" but certainly was not Elthan's, at least not the original Elthan. Elthan tries to remember his true father and origins, but fails miserably. Is this because he is the clone or is this some sort of side-effect from being cloned in the first place? And if Oden Homm was his father, would that now make Shar his mother?

Elthan shakes his head. It is too confusing to sort out right now.

[Frojoe21]

Aeroz

Aeroz pauses for a second to remember all of the events that transpired before his return. It was almost full circle, but this little quest he had been put on was far from an end. Regardless, he needed answers, and Prozen could very well provide them.

"...Wait a second? Did you just cough? Swords don't cough. Do you have something to say? What in the hells do I call you anyways?"

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

Elthan shook his head again. There was little he could do to figuring the whole mess out (which as either clone or original, he had caused), and little use to doing so. Better to let the whole matter drop and simply continue onwards as himself. There was no point to try and fit into preconceived notions about himself.

Still, the thought of visiting Oden Homm was slightly enlightening. Surely, he would appreciate a visit without strings attached. Whether he was father or friend did not matter.

With a slightly lighter step, Elthan points out to Aeroz. " 'Prozen' gave it to you, did he not? If it is yours, you are certainly free to name it as you wish. There's quite a tradition of naming swords around Faurun. For instance; In Calimshan, swords are given plain titles, such as 'The water-giver' and such, while closer to the Dragon Coast, names are made add-hoc from the first use of the weapon by it's current wielder, if not handed down." It would seem in a style only Elthan could master, he had traversed from a simple point to babbling trivia.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

"So..then thats where we are." Callos remarked eyes alight with...was that glee? Sure it had taken a little bit to find out that this city was called Hlondeth during Aeroz's story but once he did...he was practically full of glee. So this was were the Sethra disease had begun, and perhaps it was here that Callos discover the..cure.

"Aeroz...are there any libraries here? Histories of accomplished mages and on those with snake-like affiliations? What about this Order or Cult of the Serpent, would they have any information on the body-stealer? What about you sword, do you know anything?"

[Dr._Bob]

As Callos questions Aeroz, the four of you walk gently downhill towards the city.

There is no one working the hillsides or vineyards, which strikes you as odd. Smoke rises from the city's chimneys, and there are soldiers visible on the ramparts of the outer walls. There is also no livestock roaming outside the walls. Hlondeth appears to be a city under seige, yet there is no threatening army to be seen ...

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel and Khazrael in the snow
Below are the PM's that Koji and I have sent back and forth. What and how much Daimian overhears, I don't know.

Tiriel stops after the two of them are about 10-15 feet away from the shelter. She's silent for a while, not sure where to start. Finally she manages to spit out an awkward question, "What was this about feathers, blood, and abyssal?"

Khazrael scoops up a handful of snow and starts eating it, suddenly very thirsty. Between long periods of chewing on the stuff, he speaks.

"I guess it's fairly simple. I'm a demon, same as you might see tearing through the Great Dale. I think I was supposed to be a part of that army, but I escaped. I have wings, too, sometimes..."

Tiriel absorbs Khaz's last statement. "Oh. I guess that's why you gave me that weird look when I caught you back then...* Wait, sometimes? How does that work?"
ooc: *referring to the Vamp attack. I can't remember the town's name.

Khazrael wheels around and reaches a limber arm over his own shoulder to lay a finger on the large V-shaped scar that traces its way from shoulderblade to shoulderblade.

"They didn't last long, and I haven't been able to call them since. A gift from Pazuzu, I'm told."

He turns back to face her.

"Where'd you get yours?"

"Oh. Sorry." Tiriel shrugs in answer to Khazrael's question, "They grew in when I was little. They're always there though, I can't hide them except with illusion.

Anyhow, I think you were too hard on yourself in there. I know I haven't known you for long, but really, what you do with your life is more important than who your parents were.

Well that's what I think anyway."

Khazrael shakes his head. "That's pretty easy for you to say. We might be different from everyone else, but that doesn't make us alike. How many times did someone make a spot decision to kill you just because of what you are? How'd your parents treat you? How'd it feel when your sword bit into that troll?"

He steadies himself against a bit of stone.

"I'm sorry, I know you mean well, it's just hard to take anything at face value--I shouldn't assume things have been any easier for you."

Tiriel looks into the distance before answering Khazrael.
"You're no stranger to flash judgments obviously, but what I deal with is different, but just as...difficult. People leap to conclusion that I think I'm better than them or that I'm going to judge them or, or something.

"You'd be surprised by how many people resent me. I almost wish they'd always use force instead of words. Fights are easy to deal with." She finishes quietly.

[Koji]

Tiriel and Khazrael in the snow

With a sigh, he continues, "Maybe what we are does make us better than those who would judge. Not by virtue of birthright, but by the fact that we've both gotten this far despite what they've done."

He still feels unsettled by her presence, as always, but now that he understands it a bit better, he turns his discomfort aside.

"You shouldn't have to hide them, your wings, I mean. We can't escape who we are."

[Frojoe21]

Aeroz

"I know how to name a sword. Being the creative little elf I was, I named my first one something that roughly translates to 'Pokey Stabbington' in common. But since this one talks, it may have a name that it prefers to be called by. Its the least I can do in return for swinging at things."

Upon entering the proximity of the smoldering Hlondeth, Aeroz takes on a look of concern. "That..." Aeroz stutters "...that is not good...not good at all"

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel and Khazrael in the snow

Tiriel
"I don't hide them because I have too, I just do it because it's easier. And well, honestly, lately I've been in situations where it's best to not draw too much attention. I break the illusion when I have too, but otherwise it's not that much of a bother."
She smiles then, remembering something. "What do you think of that flying man?" she asks alluding to Tanner, "Seems like there's something kind of wierd there."

[Koji]

Tiriel and Khazrael in the snow

Khazrael fusses with his hair, quite disheveled since the explosion, before responding.

"He flies like a Drow. I bet if I turned my eyes on, I'd be blinded by the magic stuck to him. I actually thought you were a priest like him, way back when."

He clarifies, "Some people give me a feeling. Places too, I think it's my demon blood. You know I've never been able to willingly enter a church?"

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel and Khazrael in the snow

Tiriel snorts in disdain, "There's no way I would be a priest or whatever. I don't like how stuborn some of them are. I don't really mind churches, they're just buildings that people use."
Visabily a bit puzzled Tiriel asks, "But don't demons have churches too?"

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

Curious eyes peered over the city, searching for some kind of hideous army of some kind to be filling the place up to the brim but sees nothing of that sort of sense. A memory tickled in the back of his head and his eyes widened in alarm.

"Oh by Mystara's starry cloak...we need to get to that city or back to that tower! Immiedetely! This is just like when Valentine was using the Kris to call up those skeletons at night!"

[Koji]

Tiriel and Khazrael in the snow

Khazrael cracks a grin at Tiriel's question.

"Some mortals, like the Drow, worship the dark powers, but the demons themselves usually don't bother. When your master doesn't hide in the clouds, there's no need for theatrics. You just try to keep out of his way and hope to please him. Er...either way, areas desecrated in reverence to them aren't a problem for me."

[Dr._Bob]

Hlondeth

The countryside is eerily still and quiet.

Warily, the four of you continue to approach the walled city. The green marble towers of the inner city are visible over the ramparts. Serpentine motifs appear to be carved into almost every surface.

Up above, manning the walls, are scores of soldiers, heavily armed and armored. Interspersed among the regulars are soldiers with more elaborate green and gold armor - the Emerald Guard.

A challenge is issued when you are a hundred yards from the closed main gate. The sergeant who calls out sounds tense.

"Who are you? What brings you to the gates of Hlondeth?"

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

Elthan continues with the group in silence, paying more attention to the details on the walls than who might be manning them. To the side, he remarks, "This reminds me that I should probably scrounge up some money for a new pet.", but otherwise nothing else until arriving at the gate. He steps forward for the group.

"Old Magicians and Northern Armies are why we're here. Rashemen should be under siege within the ten-day, but we hoped to avoid conflict by heading here. It would seem Conflict is no stranger to all of Faurun these days.

"I am Elthan Moonshadow, the others are my friends. We would like to enter the city. What has transpired recently that the gates are so heavily guarded?"

[Dr._Bob]

The soldiers murmur amongst themselves after Elthan speaks. Brows are furrowed as they try to make sense of Elthan's words. Most have never heard of "Rashemen", and even those with a vague sense of Rashemen's location (at the farthest reaches of the East, all the way on the other side of the Sea) can't reconcile that with Elthan's claim that he's just arrived from there.

"Who are your companions?" calls out the sergeant, pointing his gauntleted hand towards Trinark, cloaked, Callos, his arm still wrapped in shadowstuff, and Aeroz ...

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

Elthan, though almost ready to reply, first turned to Trinark. "I'm sorry to ask, Trinark, but I've forgotten which deity it was that you worshiped."

"Elistraee.", the dark-elf replied, forgiving Elthan for his lapse and praying his companion would have better memory in this regard.

"Thank you. I'll try not to forget again." he said bowing his head, then looking back up to the guards on the wall. "These friends are those among me; Callos DeTerran, Aeroz, our elven guide, and Trinark, follower of Elistraee. Again though, what has been happening here of late? You are prepared for an assault against your city, but there is no sign of an aggressor."

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

No you simpleton, I'm the very Baneson himself! Fear the awesome fury of my might! Was the first, and quickly bitten off, sarcastic reply that formed on his acidic tongue in response to the guard's inquiry. He was only doing his job after all. The other responses that sprang quickly to mind were almost as bad.

Soon enough though he approached Trinark and threw his shadowstuff covered arm over the drow's shoulders and giving a hearty laugh. "You'll have to excuse my friend good guardsman, I miscast a spell last eve and...well...he's been taking a lot of misguided anger since then. He's been a bit shy since then while he waits for the dweomer to fade."

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

A strange thing seems to occur with Elthan, as from his typical face of unconcern and melancholy takes the form of acid befitting a gnome priestess not long departed from.

"Don't lie Callos. He either comes in as he is, or we're all going to Oden Homms' instead. I'll not suffer this silliness of having to disguise him at every settlement we cross!", he snaps. For a moment, he stops and feels his heart beating, and his neck pulsing. Trinark has already put up with enough of this and there was no reason to put him though more suffering. It just made him angry that he had to go through with it.

Though he is used to feeling such a way, he is slightly surprised at having acted on it. Calming down, he explains, "I know that up north we were in quite a rush to reach the Iron Lord, and there was interest in avoiding explanation for the sake of speed and avoidance of harassment, but now that we are in a less pressing situation, I see little need to indignify and hide the man for a bunch of idiots with sticks up on a wall."

[Frojoe21]

Aeroz

Upon hearing Elthan speak his name, Aeroz begins to panic.

Gods, what now. I'm not the most welcome person here and that stupid half human had to go and blurt out my name...Damn it, I'd kill him right now if we didn't need him

Aeroz interrupts Elthan during his speech and pulls him aside taking him out of listening range from the guards.

"You dolt! I'm wanted dead here and you go and blurt my name out to a guard? Are you daft? What in the hells is wrong with you! The last person I was associated with who got caught here got the gallows!" Aeroz scolds in a harsh whisper.

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

Elthan is taken aback by Aerozs' sudden burst, having only just recovered from his own. Whispering back, he says, "All you said was that it wasn't a good idea to be here. Next time, you should point out any less than fair standing with local enforcement beforehand."

[Dr._Bob]

The mention of Aeroz's name does not immediately trigger any hostile reaction from the soldiers manning the outer walls.

But the guards can see Elthan, Aeroz and Callos whispering to each other, as though they are having some sort of disagreement. The sergeant isn't too pleased about the mention of Eilistraee either.

Irritated, the sergeant demands that Trinark lower his hood. Trinark complies, wincing at the daylight that falls on his face.

The appearance of the drow causes quite a commotion on the ramparts. Crossbows are raised and voices are raised in consternation.

"What is this? How dare you bring this abomination before our gates!" the sergeant shouts.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

"Abomination? What on earth are you talking about? Trinark doesn't have horns, tails, barbs, spines, growths, extra limbs, excrete slime, devour souls, tempt the innocent, defile temples or people, walk the night and drink blood, or other things of that ilk. Actually I think if you brought out some of your wounded or diseased he'd probably go about healing them."

He snorted dersively at the men with pointy sticks a top the wall. Just because they were higher up, they thought they could go around and boss people on the ground about. Small focus makes a small mind and this men had quite a narrow view. Maybe it wasn't like it for them though, there was a war against the world with drow and demons on the evil side of it so perhaps the caution was well founded.

"However if you've heard of Eilistraee then you know that the benelovent goddess is a patron of those dark elves who have forsaken their spider-kissing cousins and who have embraced the light of virtue. Especially since she would not welcome one of evil ilk into her fold, so you trully have no bias for holding us up at the gate."

[Dr._Bob]

Callos' words do nothing to assuage the soldiers hostility.

Just when it looks like your small group is about to be annihilated by crossbow fire, there is a small commotion up at the top of the gates.

A vaguely familiar (to Aeroz) old man appears, escorted by several members of the Emerald Guard. He whispers to the sergeant, who straightens up and salutes. He barks an order to soldiers standing behind him.

After a short delay, the gates groan open and a set of six mounted members of the Emerald Guard gallop outside and surround the four of you.

"If you please," one of the knights speaks gently, "Inspector Prozen welcomes you to Hlondeth and asks you to please follow us."

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

Though relieved that he had not become and elven pincushion, something seemed just a bit out of place, not the least of which was why he had not become a pincushion. There was something about the name. Of course it was the one Aeroz had spoken of, but 'Inspector' spelled trouble. Didn't Aeroz just mention he was wanted?

Still, surrounded by Knights was not the best moment to contemplate the situation, and he certainty wasn't getting answers staying still.

"Of course, Sir Knight," Elthan says, bowing his head. He turns his head back to the others. "Let's go then. No reason to deny getting what we want, is there?"

[Frojoe21]

Aeroz

"Indeed" Aeroz remarks, "It would be nice to meet up with my old...acquaintance...Prozen once more. I'm sure he will be equally as pleased to see me..."

[Dr._Bob]

The four of you are escorted inside the walls, through a city that is quite clearly under siege.

The streets are filled with livestock and makeshift shelters. Soldiers are everywhere. The civilians and children look tired and unwashed.

The Emerald Guard pushes through the crowd, keeping the four of you in the center of a ring of horses. It is not clear whether they are protecting you or preventing you from escaping.

Gradually the buildings become increasingly more ornate and the avenues become wider and better maintained. You are escorted through a second set of gates and politely handed off to a set of Emerald Guard footsoldiers who in turn lead you toward an official looking building.

The four of you find yourselves alone in a windowless room. Aeroz has been here before ...

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

He was uneasy as he was ushered through the city with the other into a stark unremarkable room. Why him? What had he done wrong?....Or was this guilt by association rather then his own deeds? Oddly enough that had the ring of truth to it which meant that he might be associating with known felons....were they known though if they hadn't told him about it? Secret felons then...how best to establish his own personal innocence then...


With a loud scrape he pulled himself over to one of the corners and sat down on the floor with his eyes zeroed in on his companions. Aside from Trinark. Trinark was utterly blameless....at least he better be.

"...You know I'll sing like a canary if any of you have actually done something wrong in this city.."

[Frojoe21]

Aeroz

"Oh, I've done a lot of things wrong, just not here." Aeroz says as he walks around the room.

"Its like I've come full circle. Sedryn, Wottworte, Lithandrill and I were detained in this room. 'Inspector Prozen' was the one who 'bailed' us out of this place. He's also the one who gave me the talking rapier. Isn't that right Sword?"