The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)

[Bladehunter217]

"Excellent!" Fle clapps his hands together and turns to Anna. "Goblin agree help with free song. We may proceed."

[Saskia]

"No, the goblins have sensitive information. We can't risk getting them killed, and the racial animus isn't going to help Elastial make a case for us. The goblins stay here for now."

[Diful Takveh]

The party starts out on the last part of its journey to Bentwood, a quiet journey through the darkness led by Greta and the inverted bag of light which she fastened to the hilt of her sword which remains in its scabbard at her waist. The sun had long since retreated beneath the horizon while the moon had yet to make its entrance onto the ever revolving stage of the celestial dome leaving only the stars to try to shine onto the road through the empty patches in the canopy of trees above. After many minutes of walking, the branches gave way to the ever-present curtain of stars above, and the town of Bentwood was revealed in the light of the newly-risen moon.

A fog has descended upon the town, scattering the moonlight to illuminate the otherwise lightless city. From out of the silence of the sleeping town, a single shriek of terror makes its way, leaving the world even more abruptly than it arrived. In response, Greta undoes the bag of light from her sword, puts a rock in it, tosses it to Fle, and dashes into the darkness, ready to draw her sword. Without turning back to them, she shouts, "Focus on freeing Hansi. I'll meet up with you after I take care of this."

[Shinovar]

Elastial, mounted on Tai'shar, grabs his lance tightly and raises his shield. He scans the empty land between the group and the town, wishing that Pelor had blessed him with the vision of elves. Well, Pelor had given him something better.

Elastial detects evil. He doubts that anything will be close enough, but it is worth a try.

"Hopefully she can handle it, but if not, we need to be careful. We can't afford to cause trouble here and then hope to rescue our friend. Still, if we can help someone in the town, it can only aid our cause with the townfolk."

[Saskia]

"Agreed. We can only handle so much at one time."

[Bladehunter217]

"Mother Strange, mind help Fle tie belt." He gestures from the bag to his belt, not certain if he can tie it on without sealing the opening completely. After that problem is dealt with, he removes the rock from the bag and grins. "New lady likes Fle best.

[sparky9042]

Hansi spins the dagger around in his hands as he backs up a bit. Casting a simple spell, the bard creates a few sharp objects in his empty hand, and shatters them. "You know...I am quite the versed arcanist. Are you really willing to take me down? Do you honestly think that you, or the city guard, for that matter, could take me down? I have allies coming for me, you know. So whatever you think you can do...it's not going to matter. Now. On to more important questions...first things first, what happened to that guy?" Hansi points at the man on the ground.

Spoiler

Show

5-foot step back.
Prestidigitation.

Bluff: (1d20+9)[24]

[Diful Takveh]

The party continues its walk into the town with the only audible sounds being those of their footfalls against the dirt, and even that seems to be muffled. The fog lays low against the ground that the mounted Elastial can see above it while the rest can barely across the street. The view doesn't offer the paladin much. All the doors are closed, the windows with shutters are shuttered, and besides the party, the street is completely devoid of life. As they approach the center of town, there is a crossroad extending to both sides, and Elastial can tell they have a slight curve, as if they were on a circle with the center being the center of town.

Farther ahead, Elastial can see the faint glow of an artificial light at about the same level he is riding at.

-x--x--x--x--x-

The guy on the ground is most certainly not on the ground anymore, and he now stands behind the guard who had hit the bard. The latter stopped mid-swing as Hansi started to talk, too focused on the bard's magic to do anything but stare awkwardly with his club raised slightly above his head. His wounded partner, however, answers for him in a weak voice, "Even if you try to feign innocence, everyone will know that you were the one who cut me, but it is only the least of your crimes, even those you committed in this town."

[sparky9042]

Hansi's response is exasperated. "How could I have cut you if I've been in here since this morning? Unless it was...no, you'd never believe that. But if I could have escaped, I would have done so already."

[Shinovar]

"There is a light up ahead. We seem to be moving towards the center of town, and it makes sense that the center is where the officials will be. Unless any of you have a better idea, I suggest that we go to the light. There doesn't seem to be much else around here that offers any promise. I wish that Greta hadn't left. She knows the town and could at least point us in the right direction."

[Saskia]

It galls her to do so, but Anna pulls the hood of her cloak down. Best not frighten anyone unnecessarily. The Taker is a goddess of prudence as much as pride. "It's for the best. Being seen in my company won't help anyone right now. Let's proceed."

[Diful Takveh]

The group continues through the fog toward the center of town, toward the light that Elastial sees. Soon enough, the buildings, one on either side of the group, give way to the space at the center of town. Elastial can tell that the source of light he had seen was a candle, about as wide around as his forearm, the type of candle used in religious rituals of light except, unlike those candles which were almost entirely white, this one was a deep crimson. Near the point the candle descends into the fog is a patch of white before it continues in its blood-red hue. As with the rest of the town, the surrounding buildings are dark with closed doors and shutters, and even the temple of Pelor, known for its light even in the darkest of times is darker than the weak light of the candle in the center of the center of the town.

[Bladehunter217]

"That not good light, Fle doesn't trust it, probably evil or magic or evil magic. Pali, put it out." Fle shudders and pulls on the bag of light, hoping the light from it would put him at ease.

[Diful Takveh]

Though none had been able to see it so far, due to the fog, Fle remembered that there was a stage in the center of town, so he had run ahead to see if he could get a better look at the surroundings by climbing atop it. Close as he is, Fle can tell that the white band on the candle is actually a piece of paper about an inch tall wrapped around the candle and held in place by four needles spread equidistant about the circumference.

Hearing Fle, Elastial focuses on the candle, and indeed sees evil about it, but at the same time, he can feel a subtle evil behind and to the side of them, in the direction of the prison.

[Saskia]

Evil light? Is he rambling again? Anna instinctively draws her dagger and holds it with her arms behind her cloak. She pauses to look at Elastial before moving up to Fle's position for a better view. Whatever it is, it's probably not related to retrieving Hansi, and she's got very little patience left for any distractions.

[Shinovar]

"You're right Fle, the candle is evil." Elastial dismounts, readies his weapon and his shield. He looks to the others "I do not know what this is or what will happen, but any evil we can rid this town of, the better." Elastial goes up to the candle and blows it out.

"Now quick, we must leave here and find those in charge to talk to. I hope that this act won't hurt our efforts, but if extinguishing evil hurts us, then our negotiations never had a chance."

Elastial looks around at the building in the town center, trying to determine which would be most likely to house someone of importance and power.

Spoiler

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Knowledge nobility and royalty: [Roll]1D20 + 7 [/Roll]

[Diful Takveh]

As Elastial extinguishes the candle, a great cold wind blows through the city from the south, clearing the fog from the streets, increasing visibility dramatically. As everybody looks around, they notice a light that wasn't lit before shining out of the barred prison windows at the street level of one side of the building. Elastial also notices that the evil which had been lurking in the prison has now become much stronger.

The wind seems to have brought on much more than the chill of the night air, but a sense of dread for what was to come.

Spoiler: Sin Je, Anna, Fle

Show

As Bestow Curse's second function except it is -2 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks (instead of four) and a -4 penalty to initiative rolls for quite a while.

[Saskia]

Disgusting. The town's authorities might burn just for this horrid black magic. And Anna might well be the one to burn them. "Never do that again, Elastial. When you're dealing with Erythnul's psychopaths, you must always make the assumption that whatever it is, it is a trap that will kill you."

She looks at the candle again before turning to the jail. "Come on. I doubt we have much time."

[Bladehunter217]

Fle shudders with the curse, holding tight to the bag. Move is good, away from stage bard was stoned at is good, Fle not want get stoned too." He moved his stump to draw the rapier and sighed remembering he was still missing the arn. Let know Fle when can bring out light. He moved his left had away from the bag and drew the rapier.

[Shinovar]

"My apologies Anna. I have often been to rash when confronted with evil. I am a straightforward man who likes to face my enemies head on. I have no mind for traps. I vow to you that I shall be more careful in the future. When I blew out the candle, the evil in the prison surged. We should head there now, for Hansi's sake." With that, Elastial starts towards the prison, looking back to make sure that the others are following.

[Bladehunter217]

'Yes, traps are for Fle, Pali leave traps for Fle, that spell though, not for Fle." He giggled, finally something he knows on mind and follows Elestial to the prison.

[Diful Takveh]

The four of you make your way to the entrance of the prison, and the door creaks open ahead of you, and a brief gust blows against your backs, ushering you inside and closing the door behind you with a loud slam. Though none of the party can see the source, a beam of crimson light shines down, illuminating a disembodied hand holding an open book. Both items are held to the wooden desk by a ritualistic knife which keeps the front cover and the few pages before the current one from closing, a bookmark for those with no care for books.

Elastial's evil sense fails to notice anything about the desk ornament as the prison had been saturated with evil to such an extent that he can only sense its source, and that is further within the building.

[Saskia]

Anna hums a derisive tone and walks toward the table to idly examine the book, the hand, and the knife, though she doesn't touch anything just yet.

"Sin Je, I expected other priorities this morning and didn't prepare any divinations, is any of this magical? And shall we make our presence known or hunt for Hansi in silence?"

[Diful Takveh]

Anna walks over to the table to examine the lovely desk ornament, and while the right hand on the table cannot be placed beyond it being the right hand of an adult human. The knife, however, Anna recognizes immediately as the same fashion of knife that she had used ever so long ago when death meant something very different to her. The book, not much larger than a journal is held open to a familiar page:

A Simplification of Transaction
A Handbook for Members
issued to:
Eli Sharp

Beyond the change of name, there is a note written at the bottom of the page in crusted red letters, "A gift for my daughter at the request of my granddaughter."

[Gem_Knight]

Sin Je looks around as if lost in thought, "Sin Je sorry, Sin Je just a little worried. Sin Je will see." He takes a moment and casts Detect Magic and begins looking at the items Anna directed to.

Spoiler: an assortment of spellcrafts for your pleasure to order...

Show

Spellcraft (1d20+8)[23]
Spellcraft (1d20+8)[24]
Spellcraft (1d20+8)[28]
Spellcraft (1d20+8)[22]
Spellcraft (1d20+8)[23]
Spellcraft (1d20+8)[14]
Spellcraft (1d20+8)[12]
Spellcraft (1d20+8)[15]

I should only need a couple, but better safe than sorry >.>; I'm sure there are other auras around too- and hey- why not wonder about that rapier I've got to. (Though I think you told me out of character what it was and I've already forgotten)

[Shinovar]

Elastial looks at the others examining the items they have discovered, uninterestedly. "Fle, unless those are trapped, I suggest we keep moving. The evil is up ahead, not with these trinkets. For our own sake as well as Hansi's, the less time we waste the better. You can always come back, or take them with us, if you are really that interested."

[Saskia]

Anna nods slowly. What kind of sick creature is behind this, exactly? Eli can't be the only one, unless he was a survivor...?

No. Cross that when you get to it, Anna.

"Yeah, let's go."

[Bladehunter217]

"Fle has idea, tie bag to arm, Fle not do often, but Fle know few trick in scare. Might help not have fight. He offers his stump to reinforce the idea.

[Diful Takveh]

Elastial leads the group toward the source of the evil, walking down a hall of empty cells to a staircase to the upper floor, a floor that was more administrative than penal. Whatever it was, the evil was strong, but quite possibly more disturbing was that it was moving, not letting the party catch a glimpse of it as it moves about the prison.

After a minute or two of pursuit, it stops moving, and Elastial leads the way toward it. He stops outside the door to the warden's office, for that is where the evil has decided to halt its flight.

[Shinovar]

Elastial whispers to the others as he gets his weapon and shield ready, being careful to stay out of earshot. "It's in there. Be ready for it. This is an evil I have not sensed often, and it needs be dealt with now. Get yourselves ready, and we can all go in at once. If we are lucky, we can all be on it before it realizes we are here."