Session
33:
Regroup
[JadedDM]: Chrysote 20th,
Sparkday; 23 bells. Daufer, Gaheris,
Meschior and Loreleii reach the cave that leads to Nikola just as the sun passes
over the horizon and darkness begins to set in.
A terrible, foul smell of rot and decay wafts in from the cavern,
assaulting their nostrils.
[Daufer]: Daufer, pulling a hand
to his face to block out the offending smell, uses his other hand to drag
Sardonx forward into the cavern.
[JadedDM]: Meanwhile, Aidan
steps out of the inn for a moment, going who knows where.
Siara has all ready stormed out, and Eskar and Jasmin are in their rooms.
[Loreleii]: Loreleii pulls her
hat over her face, unable to stand the smell of the place for too long.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Ugh, did something die in here?"
He steps into the cavern. "It's
too dark to see. But I think this
cave leads to Nikola."
[Daufer]: "Why is the
entrance to this place in a cavern?" Daufer says with a strained voice.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"The cave leads to a valley, where the town was built.
It's well-protected from the sandstorms and the roaming beasts, or so
I've heard."
[Eskar]: The duergar makes his out
to the common room of the inn. He claps his hands together to rid them of any
charcoal dust and moves forward towards the barkeep. "Night."
[JadedDM]: Nabal nods to the
dwarf. "Night."
[Daufer]: "'A wretched hive
of scum and villainy', indeed," Daufer says, tiredly.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin sighs softly as
she paces within her room. After a few moments of doing nothing but that, she
steps out of her room and walks down to the common room with a shake of her
head.
[JadedDM]: At this hour, the
only people in the common room are Eskar, Nabal, and a couple of his bar
wenches.
[JadedDM]: The party continues
forward down the cavern until they find the source of the dreadful odor.
About a dozen of bodies litter the ground, with numerous bloodless
wounds. Some have even been
decapitated. The gory remains of a
mule are nearby.
[Eskar]: The duergar gets himself
onto a bar stool and places a piece of gold on the bar. "I am looking for
my friends. A hobgoblin priest, a human priest, a human woman, and a man with a
bow. Have you seen them come in?"
[Jasmin]: "A human
woman?" Jasmin asks as she makes her way to the bar.
[Daufer]: Daufer crouches down at
the bodies, his brow furrowed. "Are you sure this is the right place,
Gaheris?"
[JadedDM]: Nabal:
"I'm afraid I haven't seen this group," he admits, accepting
the gold coin.
[Loreleii]: Loreleii gasps at the
discovery of the bodies. "Oh!"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris examines the
bodies as well, keeping a hand over his nose.
"Looks like they were dead before they were cut up.
Undead, most likely."
[Eskar]: The duergar nods, turning
his black eyes to Jasmin. "Yes, but we are competition no?"
[Jasmin]: "I was under the
impression you weren't with the Shadow Bats anymore. If that is the case, then
no we aren't."
[Daufer]: "Let's not stick
around to find out if they'll rise again," Daufer says.
[JadedDM]: Meschior walks up to
the mule's body. "Did Aidan
come through here?" he muses aloud.
[Loreleii]: The librarian looks
up sharply at the mention of the mage's name.
[Daufer]: "That wizard? Why
would you say so? I thought he would have left back for Voxis."
[Eskar]: Eskar motions at the
Nabal. "Something strong." He returns his attention to Jasmin. "I
am not sure of anything, except that you friends are being my enemies."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"That could be anyone's mule. In
any case, I doubt Aidan could have done all of this."
[JadedDM]: Nabal nods and fixes
Eskar a shot of hellwine.
[JadedDM]: Meschior stands up.
"Perhaps. In any case, I
agree with Daufer. Let's
proceed."
[Jasmin]: "Why would they
still be your enemies if you aren't with the Shadow Bats?"
[Loreleii]: Loreleii gives the
dead mule a worried look before following after Meschior.
[Eskar]: Eskar considers her
words, and then downs the shot. "I am thinking they are still allied with
the Viscount."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin raises an
eyebrow curiously. "Of course they are allied with the Viscount. They are
sworn to protect him, but what does that have to do with anything?"
[JadedDM]: The party continues
forward, eventually reaching a large reinforced gate inside the cavern.
A pair of guards, a female hobgoblin and a male human, stand outside of
it armed with spears and chain mail. "Halt,"
says the human. "State your
business."
[Eskar]: Eskar's throat rumbles in
protest against the bite of the shot, but his scowl has nothing to do with
liquor. "It was you who is always concerned about Viscount and the Bloody
Maw."
[Daufer]: "Supplies and
lodgings," the priest says. "We're to journey deeper into the desert
for Abelard."
[Jasmin]: "I was never
concerned with the Viscount himself. It was the Bloody Maw in general, and I
simply thought that the nobles had something to do with the Bloody Maw. No one
really seemed to take me seriously on the matter though."
[JadedDM]: The human guard looks
the four over and raises a brow. "More
adventurers? Is there some kind of
guild meeting for them or something?" he wonders aloud.
Shrugging, he bangs on the gate. "Open
up! We have more travelers!"
[Daufer]: "'More'?"
Daufer says, raising a brow. "Have another group passed this way?"
[JadedDM]: "Two, in
fact," the guard states. A loud
creaking sound is heard behind him as the gate slowly begins to open.
"One the other day, and another pair arrived just a short while
ago."
[Daufer]: Daufer gives his friend
a knowing look before turning back to the guard. "Could you describe them
in more detail?"
[Eskar]: "Yes, well I am
believing it." He motions to Nabal for another. "I am always thinking
they are threat too."
[JadedDM]: Guard:
"The first group was the Tainted Hands.
Ever heard of them? The more
recent pair was a young man and a dwarf. They
claimed they had slain some ghouls and were seeking shelter."
[Jasmin]: "You didn't really
seem to care much...but then again you are looking a little different too. The
Nightmaster did say that he had something planned with you too."
[Daufer]: "Thank you,"
Daufer says after a moment to absorb this new information. He tugs at the reins
of his mule and drags the beast forward through the gate.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris goes quite
silent at this news and takes another swig from his flask, a long one, before
following Daufer in. Meschior
quietly follows, as well.
[Loreleii]: "Could that
young man with the dwarf have been Aidan, do you think?" Loreleii asks,
dogging at the others' footsteps.
[Eskar]: Eskar shrugs his
shoulders. "Not speaking does not mean not caring."
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"It's possible. Perhaps
Eskar has resurfaced and joined with him."
[Jasmin]: "The times I
mentioned the threat of the Bloody Maw, you could have backed me up a little
then," Jasmin points out.
[Daufer]: "Joined him in what? Going back to Voxis?" Daufer says with some derision.
[JadedDM]: The party arrives in
the small town of
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"Who can say? The man is
an enigma, at best."
[Daufer]: "Well, there
aren't many other dwarves we know of, so it's likely that they're here.
Somewhere."
[JadedDM]: The first building
they come across is simply labeled "
[Eskar]: "This is being true.
I was having different worries." Eskar motions for Nabal again. "I
cannot say you being Tainted Hands is a surprise."
[JadedDM]: Understanding, Nabal
refills the dwarf's drink.
[Daufer]: Daufer looks for a place to stable his beast of burden.
[Jasmin]: "I have been
debating over joining them for awhile, Eskar. I've made enough threats to do so,
and with a little convincing from Siara I finally did it."
[JadedDM]: The inn hasn't a
stable to offer, rather just a few posts out front to tie mounts off.
[Daufer]: Daufer ties Sardonx to
one of the posts and rejoins the others.
[Eskar]: Eskar takes the second
shot, this time making a sour face. "I was asking you to be leader, but you
switch to them anyway? Why be Shadow Bat at all?"
[Jasmin]: "I don't think I
would make a very good leader," Jasmin says. "I was a Shadow Bat
because...well mainly because of Gaheris."
[JadedDM]: The door to the inn
swings open, and in steps Meschior looking tired and worried.
He brushes some sand off of his cloak and steps in fully, then stops
abruptly in surprise at the sight of Jasmin and Eskar.
[Daufer]: Daufer follows in after
the fire priest. "Hey, why'd you stop so suddenly--" Daufer finally
sees what Meschior is looking at. "Ah, yes. In a town so small, there's
bound to be only one inn."
[JadedDM]: Nabal:
"Ah, more travelers. I
haven't had this much business in ages," the young barkeeper says.
[Eskar]: Eskar turns to regard the
Shadow Bats for a moment then turns back to Nabal and holds up three fingers.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin turns slightly
to look towards the newcomers. "Oh, look has finally dragged themselves
here," Jasmin says with a small smirk.
[Loreleii]: Loreleii looks on at
the scene with apprehension.
[JadedDM]: As Nabal fulfills
Eskar's order, Gaheris comes in next. "What's
the damned hold-up?" he asks before he, too, stops short suddenly.
Having removed his hood before entering, the candlelight of the inn
illuminates his haggard, worn-out and unshaved face.
He looks almost a different person, with dark bags under his eyes and
messy hair.
[Eskar]: Eskar downs the next
three shots in succession, grimacing. He turns back to the others with watery
black eyes. "Well you are alive, good."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin wrinkles her
nose as she lays her eyes upon Gaheris. "Aidan was right."
[Daufer]: "No thanks to you,
dwarf," Daufer says viciously. "Surprised to see us alive after
ditching us in the middle of battle?"
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"I was about the say the same about you, Eskar."
[Eskar]: Eskar shrugs. "I was
watching out. It is not being my fault you all split up and I choose the
mage." He scratches at his beard.
[Daufer]: "I expected a bit
more from a dwarf than to run from a handful of goblins."
[Eskar]: Eskar gives another
shrug. "Running is not true. But I help Aidan. Why split?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris pulls out his
flask for another long swig, but is disappointed to find it is now empty.
Then, realizing suddenly he's in a tavern, he heads over to the bar and
sits down.
[Daufer]: "You'll have to
ask him," Daufer says, taking a seat next to the thief.
[Jasmin]: "Aidan said it was
because Gaheris was too drunk to really lead, and that Daufer was...uncaring. It
was something along those lines."
[Daufer]: Daufer barks out a
laugh. "The wizard is simply afraid to die. A remarkably foolish notion,
since he left all by himself to face the desert alone."
[Eskar]: Eskar rubs his gut and
nods to himself, holding up another three fingers to Nabal. "We kill ten
and one ghouls. Very hard. We are strong."
[Jasmin]: "Well, with the
way all of you are looking, I'm surprised you didn't die."
[Daufer]: "Barkeep, a drink,
please!" Daufer shouts.
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"I imagine we would have faired better, had we not been betrayed by
one of our own," he points out matter-of-factly.
[JadedDM]: Nabal gets to work,
pouring drinks for both Gaheris and Daufer.
[Daufer]: Daufer laughs heartily
at the fire priest's statement. "Very true, Sir Chaleur, very true."
[Eskar]: Eskar swings his
attention to Jasmin. "Yes, that is good words."
[Jasmin]: "Meschior, you
haven't been a Shadow Bat for a very long time," Jasmin says. "I
imagine the only reason why you are here is because of Loreleii. Why is she here
anyway?"
[Loreleii]: Loreleii reddens at
suddenly being at the center of attention.
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"She...wishes to study the ruins of Abelard."
[Daufer]: "Besides, she was
a bit impressive back there today. She helped take down a troll almost
single-handedly."
[Jasmin]: "Did she
now?" Jasmin asks, looking to Loreleii curiously.
[Loreleii]: Loreleii flinches at
the warrior woman's gaze.
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"When did the four of you arrive here, anyway?" he asks Jasmin.
[Jasmin]: "This is our
second night here, I think. Siara wished to stay here to do something, so we all
decided it was best we get as much rest as we could before we head out to the
ruins."
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"Siara?!"
[Eskar]: The gray dwarf turns his
attention to his drinks just long enough to consume them. "This Siara is
very good friends of you so suddenly. That is what Aidan be saying."
[Daufer]: "That courtesan is
here?" Daufer says incredulously.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin laughs almost
merrily. "I can't believe she just joined the Tainted Hands without telling
none of you, and none of you realized it."
[Daufer]: "You sure can pick
them," Daufer says to Gaheris. The hobgoblin looks frustrated.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris finally looks
up at this news. "She...betrayed
us, as well?"
[Eskar]: "You are not feeling
bad about betray us?" Eskar's Renosian seems to be degenerating quickly.
[Jasmin]: "I left for my own
well being," Jasmin says with a sigh." And Siara left after speaking
with me about leaving. I guess she decided she wasn't happy with the leadership
either," she says, glancing to Gaheris.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris seems
stunned. "She never said
anything..."
[Daufer]: "Gaheris' led us
through a great many successes," Daufer says, stepping in to defend his
friend.
[Eskar]: Eskar grins darkly.
"Not so happy with women now, Gaheris? Treat them bad they leave,
yes."
[Jasmin]: "He isn't the best
leader right now, is he? Look at him."
[JadedDM]: The thief stands up.
"I never treated anyone badly."
[Jasmin]: "Keep telling
yourself that, Gaheris. Two of us wouldn't have left if that wasn't the
case."
[Daufer]: "He's only this
way, because you came in like a siren, planted your hooks and left him out to
dry. If anything, he treated you better than you deserved."
[Eskar]: Eskar breaks out
laughing, pointing his finger at Gaheris.
[Eskar]: (So this scene right here
is worth having the session I think)
[Jasmin]: "Planted my hooks
and left him out to dry?" Jasmin asks, almost laughing.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris grows
angrily, clutching at his glass until his knuckle is nearly white.
"Oh, and just how is old Kricket treating you instead, eh?" he
asks.
[Jasmin]: "That really isn't
your concern is it, Gaheris?" Jasmin snaps, looking back to Gaheris.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris grins.
"Not what you were expecting, is it?
I know Kricket. He may act
like a charmer, but deep down, he's a belly-crawling snake.
If he hasn't shown you his true colors yet, it's only a matter of
time."
[Daufer]: Daufer looks at his
friend. "Gaheris, you haven't..."
[Jasmin]: "And you
aren't?"
[Loreleii]: Loreleii leans
against Meschior, looking wide-eyed at the confrontation.
[Eskar]: "I am seeing you
both get what you need." The duergar chuckles to himself, looking from
Jasmin to Gaheris. He turns his attention to Meschior though. "I am
thinking I have something to be say to you." He beckons the man over with a
finger.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"The simple truth is, Jasmin, is that you're a gods damned screw-up.
Handy in a fight, sure, but you have no brains or sense.
You were constantly rushing into danger, without any thought for your own
safety or our own. Without any
thought as to how the rest of us might feel if you got yourself killed.
You were reckless, naive, and trusted anyone who acted nice to you.
But just because someone acts nice doesn't mean he is.
You're a pawn, a tool; something Kricket found out easily.
That's why he used you to get information from us, and then he tricked
you into joining them. You're just
like Derell, and that kind of behavior is what got him killed!
And I'll be damned if I was to let that happen again!" he shouts.
[JadedDM]: Meschior, his arm
around Loreleii, manages to tear his gaze from the argument long enough to look
at Eskar questioningly.
[Daufer]: Daufer leans back into
his chair sipping his drink, satisfied that his friend has finally said
something worth merit.
[Eskar]: The duergar instantly
forgets about Meschior, sobering up and turning his attention to Gaheris, then
to Jasmin for her reaction.
[Loreleii]: Loreleii, thankful to
divert attention away from the argument, follows Meschior's gaze.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin simply stares at
Gaheris for a few moments, looking as if she isn't sure on what to say.
"The rest of you wouldn't feel a thing if I got myself killed! That is one
thing about the Shadow Bats. They don't care about anyone but themselves!"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Of course we care! But
I am not here to coddle you! If you
screw up, you're going to hear about it. Because
we're a group. And a mistake can get
us all killed, as well as you! If I
didn't care, I'd just let you die!"
[Eskar]: "Wrong." Eskar
shakes his head and holds another three fingers up to Nabal. "He is being
right one time. We are care."
[JadedDM]: Nabal, clearly
distracted by the on-going drama in his tavern, manages to snap out of it long
enough to fix Eskar three more drinks before returning his full attention to the
show.
[Daufer]: "That certainly is
a mouthful, coming from you," Daufer says.
[Eskar]: Eskar motions for
Meschior to join him, holding out a shot.
[JadedDM]: Meschior pats
Loreleii on the shoulder, and then moves over to join Eskar.
He accepts the glass and sniffs at it experimentally.
[Jasmin]: "You don't know if
I actually care about anyone or not, Daufer. None of you actually know if I care
about anything for that matter. Aidan didn't even know I had a brother until I
mentioned that he was here," Jasmin points out. "And a sign that none
of you really care is that you all thought you left Siara behind in Voxis. You
didn't even bother to check on her did you? You just left. That doesn't say much
for any of you!"
[Loreleii]: Loreleii looks at the
three adventurers with great apprehension and scampers after Meschior.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Yeah, good thing we didn't go back for her.
Since apparently she wasn't there, and had abandoned us.
Not the other way around."
[Eskar]: "Drink." Eskar
takes one himself. He watches Jasmin and Gaheris for a moment before turning his
complete attention to the fire priest.
[JadedDM]: Meschior takes a
small sip of the drink and coughs and sputters a bit.
[Jasmin]: "That isn't the
point, Gaheris!" Jasmin shouts.
[Daufer]: Daufer laughs.
"I've never hidden my flaws or denied anything. I just think it's funny to
be lectured on selflessness from someone who betrayed the group for little more
than self-validation."
[Loreleii]: "Why are you
drinking that? And why did you leave me behind there?" Loreleii hisses.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"It is the point! You
need to grow the hell up! If all of
the attention isn't always on you, you run off to someone else!
What are you going to do when Siara and Kricket start to pay less
attention to you, eh?"
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"He said he had something he needed to discuss."
[Loreleii]: "So you left me
there? I don't want to get in the middle of that!"
[Eskar]: "One motion my
friend, like this." The duergar takes the other shot and downs it like a
pro. The alcohol is very clearly affecting him. He turns to Loreleii. "I am
liking you, but what are you doing to my friend here?"
[Jasmin]: "I don't care
about the attention!"
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"You are free to join us, I am sure."
[Daufer]: Daufer recalls his
first meeting with Jasmin. "That's not how I recall it."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Yes, you do! Damn it,
that's all you ever cared about! You
go on and on about how we don't care about you, but you never cared for any of
us! You just wanted to be center of
attention!"
[Loreleii]: Loreleii looks at
Eskar. "What do you mean?"
[Eskar]: Eskar shakes his head.
"He is giving you ring, yes?"
[Loreleii]: "Ring?"
Loreleii looks confused and flustered. "What? Oh! Yes, we're getting
married."
[Jasmin]: "That isn't
true," she says, her voice softening a bit.
[Eskar]: Eskar narrows his eyes.
"You are saying yes?" The duergar looks back at Meschior.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Oh, yes it is," he says, picking up steam.
"And the moment we stopped giving you our full attention and
devotion, what did you do? Run off
to join our rivals!"
[Loreleii]: "Um, yes, I am,
I mean, yes, I did, " Loreleii says, reddening.
[Jasmin]: "That isn't why I
joined them!"
[Daufer]: "Oh ho, this
should be good," Daufer says.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Oh? Why then?"
[Jasmin]: "I joined them
because I thought it would help me get over you!" she screams.
[Eskar]: The duergar nods slowly.
"Then everything is being fine." He nudges Meschior. "Drink to
future. Let us watch." He turns to watch the developing drama.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"What the Nine Hells does that even mean?"
[Loreleii]: The librarian looks
even more confused than when she started talking to the dwarf.
[Jasmin]: "It means that for
the longest time I have loved you, and Siara convinced me you didn't deserve it
so I left!"
[JadedDM]: Meschior shrugs and
attempts to down the drink in one swig. This
leads him to cough even worse, and look rather pale as a result.
[Loreleii]: "Meschior!"
Loreleii grabs at the priest's sleeve. "Don't you think you've had
enough?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris stares at her
for several moments, his expression unreadable.
"Siara...?"
[JadedDM]: Meschior wipes his
mouth with his sleeve and wheezes a bit. "Err,
yes. Perhaps so."
[Jasmin]: "Yes, Siara. You
know, the one you can't believe betrayed you."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"You said Siara decided to leave because you did.
But now you say she was the one who convinced you to leave.
Which was it?"
[Jasmin]: "She and I had a
nice long talk about it all. She was the one to convince me."
[Eskar]: Eskar chuckles at
Meschior. "It is being good anyway, my friend." His attention returns
to Gaheris and Jasmin. "It is like Aidan is saying. Siara problem."
[Daufer]: "I thought you
marched to the beat of your own drum," Daufer says. "But, here it
seems that a few sweet words were all it took for you to betray the Shadow
Bats."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"I also thought you hated Siara."
[Jasmin]: "I did hate Siara,
but things changed."
[Loreleii]: "By the way, Sir
Armbreaker, Meschior said that a few nights ago, you came back amid a black
vortex. That could have only been the Shadow Plane! What was it like?"
[Daufer]: "You said it
yourself, Gaheris. Act nice to this one, and she changes her mind ever so
quickly."
[Eskar]: Eskar blinks, turning to
Loreleii. "You know... I was floating in black. Very bad business. Was no
good idea."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris looks to
Daufer. "So Siara convinced
Jasmin to leave, and then she left, as well.
What the hell has she been planning?
Is she behind this whole damned thing?" he muses.
[Daufer]: Daufer shrugs.
"You knew her best. What does it matter? This one left of her own
will."
[Jasmin]: "What are you
talking about?" Jasmin asks, looking at Gaheris as if he was insane. "Siara
didn't plan anything!" she says in her defense.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris turns back to
Jasmin. "Don't you get it?
Kricket isn't the only one who's been using you.
Siara manipulated you, as well. To
what end, I don't know."
[Jasmin]: "No, she
didn't!"
[Loreleii]: "But, what was
it like? Did it feel cold? There was no light, but could you see?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"What has she been up to since you arrived here?" he pries.
[Jasmin]: "Well, I don't
really know to be honest. She went off by herself today to meet some Big Boss or
something. I don't know what happened."
[Eskar]: Eskar scratches at his
beard, concentrating. "I am not seeing anything. Even my eyes, nothing. I
was feeling the dark. I mean feeling it, like water. Very cold, nasty."
[Loreleii]: Loreleii nods
excitedly. "Uh huh. Then? What else?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Jasmin, as long as you are so trusting and naive, people are going
to continue to take advantage of you," he says, calming down.
[Daufer]: Daufer inwardly marvels
at the change that has overcome his friend in such a short time.
[Eskar]: "Well, Shadowmaster
is talking to me. He give me this power, feel like shadow moving into me, into
armor. Feel dark but power, yes." The duergar closes his eyes. "You
should not go."
[Jasmin]: "She hasn't taken
advantage of me though. She has been nice to me from the start, and I treated
her horribly and then I almost cut her down at the temple." Jasmin sighs,
as if she feeling bad about the whole thing.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Honestly, Jasmin...has life really been so much better with the
Tainted Hands?"
[Loreleii]: "Can you really
say that darkness and shadow in and of themselves is Evil, though?"
Loreleii asks.
[Jasmin]: "I'm with them
now. I can't leave."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris snorts.
"You left us. You can leave
them."
[Eskar]: "That is for you
smart kids." Eskar shakes his head. "I am no good head."
[Daufer]: "Hold
friend," Daufer says. "What are you doing? She left us, you, so
easily, and now you want her back?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"I..," he pauses in response to Daufer's question, as if
suddenly unsure of what he wants or what he is trying to do.
[Jasmin]: "It doesn't
matter. I'm not leaving Siara behind with them even if I did want to
leave."
[Loreleii]: "Oh, I'm no
philosopher, either. It's just interesting."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris sits back
down on his stool, slumping his shoulders, defeated.
[Loreleii]: "What do you
think, love?" the librarian asks her fiancé.
[Eskar]: Eskar turns back to
Jasmin. "Loyal to woman you just met?"
[Daufer]: The hobgoblin seems
disappointed at his friend reverting back to his depression.
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"Darkness and Light require each other to exist," he says
simply.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks to Eskar.
"She hasn't done anything to me. I don't know why Aidan, you, and now
Gaheris keep thinking that she did."
[Loreleii]: "I've heard that
people in other lands and realms worship the light as they do Shadowbite
here."
[Daufer]: "Oh, I
agree," Daufer says. "Anything that's happened, you've done to
yourself."
[Eskar]: Eskar shakes his head.
"That is not what I say. I wonder why? What is so good with Siara? You
fight more with us, have to trust us more. We were good team."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"If you're that much happier now, then Daufer's right.
It's your choice. I can't
make it for you." He reaches
for his glass, and then, seeming to think better of it, pushes it aside.
[Jasmin]: "She's my
friend...the only one since Arael," Jasmin says, looking between all of
them.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Arael used you, too, Jasmin," he points out.
"Or should I say Lilah? We're
the only friends you've had who haven't betrayed you."
[Jasmin]: "Siara wouldn't do
that to me!" Jasmin insists.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris stands up and
pays his tab. "We'll see about
that. Mark my words, that woman's up
to something fishy."
[Eskar]: The duergar lets out a
long sigh before likewise paying his tab and stumbling to his feet. "He is
right."
[Jasmin]: "You're wrong. All
of you are wrong," she says as she pushes herself off her stool.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris turns his
attention to the others. "Listen
guys, I'm...sorry I haven't been myself lately."
[Daufer]: "It's alright,
friend," Daufer says. "You just needed some time to get your head back
above ground."
[JadedDM]: The thief nods and
smiles slightly. "So what
should we do now about this damned contest?"
[Daufer]: Daufer raises a brow.
"I thought you wanted to beat the Tainted Hands?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris chuckles.
"I guess I realized we are better than the Tainted Hands anyway.
Whether they realize that or not."
[Daufer]: The hobgoblin grins.
"Couldn't have said it better."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"We still need to find Aidan, though."
He looks to the dwarf. "I
assume he's still somewhere in town, right?"
[Daufer]: Daufer shrugs in a
non-committing way. "I suppose so."
[Eskar]: Eskar nods. "He is
stay here... He is in bad way. We both need heal."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin shakes her head
at them all before she moves up to her room.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"We could all use some rest, so I guess we'll run into him tomorrow,
most likely."
[Daufer]: "Oh, you need
healing?" Daufer says, snorting. "Where were you when we were ambushed
by the goblins? When we fought off an angry troll? How do we know you won't just
disappear on us again?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris: "He
has a point, dwarf. You haven't been
particularly reliable lately, and your loyalties are still in question.
What do you have to say for yourself?"
[Daufer]: "Tell me I'm wrong
dwarf," Daufer says. "Tell me you won't disappear on us again, and
I'll let the matter drop."
[Eskar]: Eskar blinks for a long
time, and wavers on his feet then makes his attempt at a defense. "Like I
am saying. I find Aidan first, we go together. I can help with no troll. And you
can not take goblins on own? I saw sign of trap, had to go see."
[Daufer]: "That's not the
way I remember it," Daufer says. "When the goblins ambushed us, you
vanished into thin air and weren't seen again until we saw you here."
[Eskar]: "You not watch back.
You see giant dust storm coming to us? No? I am thinking was more goblin. Had to
see." The duergar belches, trying to stay on his feet.
[Daufer]: "I don't even see
anything remotely resembling an apology in there." Daufer looks at the
thief.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris shakes his
head. "He's drunk.
Better to wait for the morning before interrogating him.
Loudly, preferably."
[Eskar]: "You want apology?
Fine. Won't do it again. Promise. Well, will say before doing."
[Daufer]: The hobgoblin rolls his
eyes. "I'm going to bed."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Good idea. We'll have
four rooms," he tells Nabal.
[JadedDM]: Nabal:
"I'm afraid we only have two rooms left, sir."
[Eskar]: "Since when you
leader anyway? You not even in group when I come. You just bossy. Where are
Shadow Bats with no me, and no Jasmin, and no Aidan? Dead. Should be
nicer."
[Daufer]: "You've just named
the three who betrayed the group first, dwarf. Think on that."
[Eskar]: "Betray? You are
first to betray. You leave first."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris acquires keys
for the two rooms. He hands one to
Meschior. "For you and the
future missus," he says with a smirk.
[Daufer]: "A far cry from
leaving for a rival group or fleeing in the midst of battle, I think."
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"Daufer is no traitor," he says.
"Like myself, he simply has other duties to attend to."
[Eskar]: The duergar shrugs.
"Maybe no one I say is traitor. Maybe you two drive them go away. Aidan
hate you." He points to Daufer. "And Jasmin hate you." He points
to Gaheris. "Maybe problem not with them."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Don't piss me off, dwarf, or you'll find yourself unemployed,"
he growls, getting annoyed. "Go
to bed before you say something you regret."
[Eskar]: "I am thinking you
lucky I still here." Eskar mumbles more under his breath and heads towards
his room.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris grunts.
"I wasn't that bad when I was drunk, was I?"
[Daufer]: Daufer grimaces.
"Let's not dwell on that anymore."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris sighs and
shakes his head. "Yeah, you're
right. For now, we should just focus
on regrouping and then figuring out our next move."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin stops outside
the rooms in which the Tainted Hands are staying in. With a sigh, she knocks
upon the door.
[JadedDM]: Meschior rejoins
Daufer and Gaheris at the bar. "That
seems the best course of action for now," he agrees.
[JadedDM]: The door Jasmin
knocked on swings open and Liam steps out. "Jasmin?
What are you still doing up?" he asks, rubbing at his eyes.
[Jasmin]: "Couldn't
sleep," she says with a shrug. "I'm...pretty sure the Shadow Bats
aren't going to the ruins."
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"That's excellent news then," he says, waking up a little more.
"Then we don't need to, either."
[Aidan]: Aidan re-enters the inn,
looking somewhat relieved as he looks around the familiar building, though as he
turns and notices the Shadow Bats, he hesitates for a moment, turns back towards
the door, hesitates again, then turns and heads towards the bar.
[Jasmin]: "Yeah, I
suppose." She looks a bit down about the whole thing though.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"I'll alert father when he returns, although I probably won't see
him again until tomorrow morning."
[Jasmin]: "He left?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris turns his
attention to the entrance when the door opens.
"Ah, there he is," he says.
"Glad to see you made it in one piece."
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Yes, he's meeting someone. Didn't
say who."
[Jasmin]: "Who is there to
meet in this small town?" Jasmin asks curiously.
[Daufer]: The hobgoblin turns to
regard the mage.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"The Nightmaster, perhaps? I
have no idea. He knows a few people
here, since the last time we visited."
[Aidan]: Aidan orders some soup
from Nabal before answering Gaheris. "A
wonder that all four of you survived your troll," he says coolly.
[Loreleii]:
Since there's nothing to do in the room, Loreleii inspects the scroll she
received from the battle with the troll.
[Jasmin]: "You don't find
that at all odd?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"It was no problem," he lies.
"Went down in no time."
[Daufer]: "Heard you had
some trouble yourself," Daufer says.
[JadedDM]:
The scroll seems encrypted in magic.
It would require a Detect Magic spell to properly translate it.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Not really. Cardel is
out, as well."
[Jasmin]: "Where did he
go?"
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"I saw him heading out with one of the barmaids."
[Aidan]: "'Went down'?
I believe the plan was to avoid it."
Aidan glances at Daufer before returning his gaze to Gaheris.
"Eskar and I ran into a number of undead.
We handled them just fine."
[Loreleii]:
Loreleii moves on to inspect the troll goo.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin shakes her head.
"I can't believe I'm the only one, other than you, that isn't...out."
[Daufer]: "Heard you lost a
mule, though. Bad luck."
[Aidan]: "But still preferable
to losing my own life or Eskar's."
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Siara is out, as well?" he asks.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"The Tainted Hands are here," he says.
"You probably all ready knew that, though," he guesses.
[Jasmin]: "She sort of
disappeared after that conversation with Aidan earlier."
[JadedDM]:
The troll goo is a rather disgusting substance, reminiscent of a thick
mucus, but with the occasional hair in it. Strangely,
it has no odor at all.
[Eskar]: Eskar opens his door a
crack to peer at Jasmin and Liam. "Trouble with Tainted Hands?"
[JadedDM]: Liam starts, but then
calms down. "Oh, it's just the
dwarf."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin glances over her
shoulder to Eskar in annoyance. "There is no trouble," she says
evenly.
[Eskar]:
Eskar shrugs. "I am not being Gaheris or that priest. I don't be
care."
[Aidan]: "Yes, I..." The
barkeep places some soup before Aidan's seat, so the mage moves to retrieve it
and takes a tentative spoonful of the broth.
He takes a few steps closer to the group of Shadow Bats, thinking over
his response. "I had some words
with Jasmin and Siara."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris nods.
"As did we. Well, with
Jasmin. Haven't seen Siara,
yet."
[Aidan]: "And how was Jasmin
while Siara wasn't present to guide her responses?"
[Jasmin]: "You are still
with them though, Eskar. Besides, it is nothing important anyway."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris sighs.
"I suspect Siara is manipulating her in some way.
According to Jasmin, Siara was the one who convinced her to leave.
And now we learn Siara is also with the Tainted Hands.
I don't know what her game is, but it seems pretty suspicious to
me."
[Eskar]: Eskar leaves his room,
shutting the door behind him. "I am no place to going else. Need more
drink." The duergar starts to the common room again.
[Jasmin]: "And I thought it
was Gaheris that was the drunk," Jasmin says, smiling a bit before she
turns back to Liam.
[Aidan]: Aidan has a few more
spoonfuls of his soup. "Mm,"
he agrees. "What wonderful
taste in women you have, Gaheris."
[Daufer]: "Anything they
did, they did on their own."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris snorts, but
then chuckles. "Yeah, I would
have been better off swearing off women altogether."
[Eskar]: Eskar stumbles a little
as he enters the common room, heading straight for Aidan. He remains silent, but
eyes Gaheris and Daufer cautiously.
[Aidan]: Aidan nods to Eskar as he
enters.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris turns more
serious. "Listen, Aidan...I all
ready said this to the others, but I owe you an apology, too.
I haven't been much of a leader lately."
[Aidan]: Aidan quietly eats his
soup for a few more moments, and then says, "No, you haven't."
[Jasmin]: "Well," she
starts, looking up to Liam. "I guess I'll let you go back to bed. I just
wanted to let you know what the Shadow Bats were doing.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"I'll see you on the morrow then.
Hopefully we can pack up and go home once father gets the news."
[Jasmin]: "I just have to
tell my brother the bad news."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"I'm sorry," he says.
[Eskar]: Eskar nods slowly, not
really understanding.
[Aidan]: Aidan takes a few moments
to stare at Gaheris, as if calculating whether or not to believe him, and then
he shrugs and nods, returning to his soup.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin turns from the
Tainted Hands room, and heads back to her room.
[JadedDM]: Liam nods and then
closes the door, returning to sleep.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"In any case, Jasmin insists on sticking with Siara, but Eskar is
back with us. Tentatively," he
adds. "We need to decide what
we're going to do now."
[Daufer]: "Beating the
Tainted Hands isn't quite as important as before."
[Aidan]: Rather than offering a
suggestion, Aidan wonders aloud, "And why should Jasmin insist on staying
with Siara?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris shakes his
head. "I have no idea.
Women. Who knows what goes
through their head?"
[Eskar]: "Can we be beating
the Hands? They are strong. Very." Eskar raises his eyebrows at Nabal and
holds up a finger.
[JadedDM]: Nabal seems surprised
at the dwarf, but obliges and pours him another drink.
[Daufer]: Daufer motions toward
the barkeep for him to come over.
[JadedDM]: Nabal now approaches
Daufer. "Can I get you
something, sir?"
[Daufer]: Daufer whispers
something into the barkeep's ear. "Start
watering down the dwarf's drinks."
[Aidan]: "So it's not strange
to you that just a few weeks ago Jasmin hated Siara?"
Aidan looks at the dwarf and hobgoblin, thinking over their statements.
"Should it be necessary for the Shadow Bats to beat the Tainted
Hands?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"It is strange. She said
things changed, though. I don't know
what she meant by that."
[JadedDM]: The barkeeper glances
to the dwarf, and then nods to Daufer. "Yes,
sir."
[Eskar]: Eskar downs the shot, and
pauses, looking for a moment as if he's made a terrible mistake. He sets the
shot glass down though, and let's out a belch. He wipes his eyes and looks up at
Aidan. "I am thinking yes. They are still helping Bloody Maw. We need
money." Eskar remains completely unaware as to Daufer's machinations.
[Aidan]: Aidan raises an eyebrow
and whispers, "The Bloody Maw? How
do you know they are helping them?"
[Eskar]: Eskar furrows his brows.
He whispers quite loudly. "Sworn to Viscount."
[Daufer]: "The Viscount
could just be their dupe. You don't know how deep he is into the
conspiracy."
[Aidan]: Aidan sighs.
"How much do we honestly know of the Bloody Maw, anyway?
We haven't heard of any activity on their part in ages.
And who knows whether or not we can actually trust the Nightmaster's
words? For all we know, he was
pushing his own agenda."
[Eskar]: The duergar nods.
"True. But I am thinking he is big player. Leader of town should care more
of Maw, but nothing. All sign say yes he is bad."
Eskar shrugs. "All maybes. No fact."
[Daufer]: "The thing is, we
need something. We haven't had a big break in awhile. These ruins might be able
to hold us over, luck willing."
[Aidan]: "The Viscount could
just be a poor leader for the city. He
doesn't have to have a conspiracy backing him."
Aidan downs the rest of his soup. "I
don't see why you would want to go those ruins."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"I suppose it beats doing nothing at all."
[Daufer]: "Why not? Ancient
ruins of the Malice Dynasty. Who knows what's there?"
[Aidan]: Aidan shrugs.
"The Shadow Bats can do whatever they like."
[Eskar]: A grin slowly spreads on
Eskar's face. "You know, I am having idea.
I am hearing Jasmin talk to little boy Hand. They think we not go to
ruins. All of Tainted Hands gone out this night. How can we use this? I am
knowing we use this good."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"You have some suggestions?" he asks Aidan.
[Daufer]: "Using a trick to
win?" Daufer scoffs.
[Aidan]: "I wouldn't presume
to tell a slayer group what to slay, Gaheris.
If the Shadow Bats would like to hunt pyrolisks then you may as
well."
[Eskar]: "Is plan. If we have
plan they fall for, we win."
[Daufer]: "Who said anything
about the pyrolisks? Since we're not competing with the Tainted Hands, why not
go for treasure?"
[Aidan]: "Because the
pyrolisks are still a danger?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Danger is kind of a requirement for any slayer job.
The
[Eskar]: Eskar turns to Nabal.
"Ale." Then, back to the group.
[JadedDM]: Nabal fixes Eskar a
mug of ale and sets it before him.
[Eskar]: The duergar grabs the mug
with a nod and sips at it, contemplating. "I am saying we are to go."
[Aidan]: Aidan shrugs.
"Then have your danger. As
I said, it is not my place to be telling the Shadow Bats what or where to
slay."
[Eskar]: "You are not
coming?" He lowers his voice. "Bad ale here."
[Daufer]: "Seems fine to
me," Daufer says as he takes another sip.
[Aidan]: "If I recall
correctly, Daufer asked me to leave when I disagreed about the troll."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"You're not still on about that, are you?"
[Eskar]: "Daufer is not
boss." Eskar looks over at the hobgoblin, glaring. He drinks the rest of
his ale in one go.
[Daufer]: "You planned on
leaving anyway," Daufer says, shrugging.
[Aidan]: "I was asked to
leave. Should I not be under the
impression that I am no longer part of your slayer group?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Is that what you wish?"
[Aidan]: "It was a leader's
opinion that I leave. What's your
opinion, Gaheris?"
[Daufer]: "I never said I
was. But someone had to do something, the state Gaheris was in. Who else would
have done it? You? Running at the first sign of a few goblins?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"I think we could really use your help, myself."
[Eskar]: "I am think we need
you." Eskar nods.
[Aidan]: "Well.
In that case, I might be inclined to assist you.
But I would rather not go to the ruins."
[Eskar]: "I am thinking you
go to drive members away. Even Gaheris apologize, you just blame." Eskar
shrugs. "You hurt Shadow Bats more than me."
[Aidan]: Aidan remains silent,
considering. "I think I would
really prefer to avoid the ruins." After
a glance at Nabal, Aidan leans towards the others and whispers, "Besides, I
think there's something very different going on between Jasmin and Siara."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Something different?" he prompts.
[Eskar]: Eskar leans in to hear
all of this secrecy.
[Aidan]: "Wasn't it after the
temple that Jasmin began treating Siara differently?
I never really thought about it, I suppose, but when I talked to them
earlier Jasmin seemed almost...dependent on Siara.
That is a very strange shift from practically hating her."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"It is strange. Jasmin
is easily manipulated, but that's because she likes people and trusts them.
But she really hated Siara. I
have no idea what changed between them. Blackmail
of some sort, maybe?"
[Daufer]: "Did she seem that
way to you earlier?"
[Aidan]: "I think she seemed
genuinely supportive of Siara. It
wasn't as if she were blackmailed."
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"Although I have only met her once, Siara does seem a charismatic
woman. Perhaps she was able to
convince Jasmin to set aside their differences?"
[Aidan]: "That could be the
case, but they seem much friendlier in too short a time.
Siara did say she cast a spell on Jasmin to break the charm one of those
priests had set upon her, but she claimed it was just dispel magic.
I'm not quite sure I believe her."
[Eskar]: "Magic? What do you
be think Aidan?" Eskar leans in more intently, alcohol heavy on his breath.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"I don't know much about magic, but Dispel
Magic is pretty complicated, isn't it? I
thought Siara just dabbled."
[Daufer]: "She had a few
interesting bag of tricks, sure, but she doesn't really seem capable of what
you're suggesting."
[Aidan]: Aidan shrugs.
"She could have the skill, I don't know.
If I were present when she cast the spell, I might have been able to tell
from her incantation, or her components, but I was with you, Gaheris."
[Daufer]: "If you're so
sure, simply dispel the bewitchment and be done with it."
[Aidan]: "I don't know the
spell. And I would think it might be
relatively impolite to walk up to someone and dispel whatever magic might be
upon their person with nothing more than a suspicion."
[Eskar]: "Is there a way to
be check it?"
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"You think she's still enspelled?"
[Aidan]: "Not that I'm aware
of. Unless one of you remembers how
Siara cast whatever it was so many weeks ago."
[Eskar]: Eskar becomes pale.
"No way."
[Aidan]: "It's possible.
I had only noticed her acting this way just an hour or two before when I
met them here."
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"I have a prayer...it can detect such enchantments," he says.
[Aidan]: "Whatever Siara
might've done, she could be casting it repeatedly to keep her enspelled."
Aidan looks at Meschior appraisingly.
"Really? That's rather
useful."
[Eskar]: Eskar looks over at
Meschior. "It is simply to wait for her morning and cast then." The
duergar nods.
[JadedDM]: Meschior nods.
"I can ask Renos for this prayer in the morning, during my
prayers."
[JadedDM]: Gaheris:
"Bitch," he mutters. "I
knew she was up to something. But if
Jasmin is enchanted, is there any way we can break it?"
[Eskar]: "What if we tell to
her she is under spell? She will come out of it?"
[Aidan]: "If we could do what
Siara claimed to and dispel it, yes. But
as I said, I don't know the spell." Aidan
looks thoughtful for a moment. "Was
she up to something? Bewitching
Jasmin seems like something of a menial task.
I tried to suggest to her that she was different, but she would hear none
of it."
[Daufer]: "I've been under a
similar enchantment. The death of the caster dispelled the enchantment."
[Aidan]: "I don't quite think
it's our place to be slaying courtesans. Not
without more questioning as to their reasons."
[Eskar]: "Kill her!?"
Eskar shakes his head. "Well if she is Tainted Hand..."
[Daufer]: "We'll know, from
Priest Chaleur's divinations."
[JadedDM]: Meschior:
"I may be able to determine the type of enchantment used, if indeed
one was used. It depends on how
strong the enchantment is. But I
will certainly be able to discern if one exists or not."
[Aidan]: "So we'll know the
nature of the enchantment, but not the reason it was cast.
I think we should question Siara once we learn what it is.
Perhaps we can force her to end it."
[Eskar]: Eskar suddenly looks
quite woozy and stumbles backwards. "Bed, I think." He goes off to his
bedroom.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris nods.
"Good. Sounds like a
plan." He stands up.
"For now, there's nothing we can do but get some rest."
[Daufer]: Daufer stays seated,
sipping his drink.
[Aidan]: Aidan pays for his soup.
[JadedDM]: Gaheris pays his tab
and heads for his room, a spring back in his step now that he realizes that
Jasmin may not have been under her own will when she betrayed him.
[JadedDM]:
(Okay, we'll call it a night here.)