This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ronis purses his lips in thought. He looks out onto the sea, measuring the distance between the vessels. He draws up the hood of his Manta Ray cloak.
He turns to the first mate, a grin on his lips. "I'll be right back." He dives off into the water and begins swimming to the approaching ship, looking for a way up and onto it.
"Your voice I hear," replies Q'wai, "but your form I do not see. I am Q'wai."
He eases his grip on his quarterstaff and shifts his feet, choosing to stand in a more relaxed pose. "I was certain that what I sought would be here. Can you tell me of the dagger's location? And, if it is acceptable to you, can you tell me of your own search?
Martin strokes his Mable Macy’s neck and head. “That’s a good ****ing question.”
There were teleportation circles to use in many cities 10 months ago, but I’m not actually certain if I can use those still. For now, Martin will tie the thief across Mable Macy. Then cast longstrider at 2nd level on himself and Mable Macy. Then wildshape into a horse, and get running for Pallaxus
"What else you need, boss?" Tronk says. He gently strokes Macy's mane as Feldus dangles in his grip.
“I need a quick way to Princess Gentoa. The king has died.” Martin says, shifting back to his humanoid form. He doesn’t mince words, and lets it sink in with a nod to the team for taking care of the thief.
The soldier does not have name yet. I assign her one below. Any unnamed characters in your Extras tab on your character sheet you can customize with a name. Or I will when the time arises.
“We were supposed to play chess tomorrow,”Dog says in a monotone, to himself. “Thought I might have a chance this time. Now...”
He trails off. Steely eyes dart back up to Gunnur. “I assume it’s the expected cause? How many people know this? Gather the others. The ones we trust. But stay close. I am going straight to Prin- Queen Gentoa. She is where I left her?” All of this has been said through message. He looks at his sparring partner. “Come. Adapt. Stay sharp. Expect everything.”
He waves his hand and the erupted earth reforms to its original state. He waves again and the silent image bends down in a crouch, deep in thought. “Always keep them guessing,”he says to Gunnur’s quizzical look.
He will send the guard (does she have a name?) off to help enact the plan they had developed for this eventuality. Secure Genny and Nev... Gentoa and Neventi. Give the Queen her space to grieve, leaving most of the task to Bulwark. Gather the core group of advisors and screen them for magical influence and deception. Prepare for the more mundane, formal, and official tasks that came next. Pull down the casks of the good stuff that Hadrian liked, and pass around glasses, per his request. Get Gentoa ready for her big day. Watch for anyone who might try to take advantage of this, and crush them into paste. Ensure domestic tranquility.
Gunnur heads off to begin gathering advisors while Dog's sparring partner, Kyva Losein, makes her way to the presumptive queen and her biological mother. As Dog exits the training facility, he encounters his third underling, Bitzer, polishing his weapon.
"What's up, chief?" Bitzer says with a salute that clanks against his metallic head. Bitzer, like Dog's former teammate Bulwark, is a construct. They could not be more dissimilar, though. Bitzer is a jovial, social person who is keen on improvising strategies and trying to invent new jokes. "Gunnur and Kyva took off like their pants were on fire."
(Did Gunnur say how many people knew? I suppose the horse has left the barn at this point!)
”Bitz, walk with time. King Hadrian has died. The Queen will need space and time and support - Bulwark will be busy. I know you think he’s a bore but he really cares a lot, so check with him to see if they need anything. Kyva is going to Neventi, and I am going to Gentoa. Remember the plan. This is happening now. If we are lucky, the worst we will have to deal with is grief and bureaucratic drudgery. If we are not, someone will try something stupid, looking to take advantage of a time of transition, and we might have to convince them to stop with sharp metal objects. Find me and tell me about anything suspicious. I trust your perceptiveness and judgment implicitly, especially after that business with the ambassador and the peacock.”
He nods at the warforged and turns off at the top of the stairs to go to Genny, eyes open for anything amiss or anyone who shouldn’t be there, and his cloak billowing faint trails of smoke behind him.
Tock says, "Listen, I am not here to antagonize you. I am here to make sure to explain the thinking of King Haddian in a way that conveys the meaning and intent of his wishes."
He settles in more comfortably and explains. "As you most certainly know then the character of a person develops based on two parts - the blood and the environment they are brought up in. How each part is weighed is up for debate, but that both of these play a major role is a certainty. Now there are some who claim that a noble blood is all that it takes to be great and the lack of a noble birth must surely manifest as a weakness of character. The King himself is an example of this being plainly false, no matter how many may believe otherwise."
He looks at Lord Kendall, "You may wonder where I am going with this. And I will get to that in a moment. The princess is very young and very susceptible to all kinds of new ideas. She is also of the very age where the why-questions are prevalent. This is why I am here right now - to prepare you for what you might be facing meeting the little princess."
Tock pulls out a long thin roll of paper and does a purposefully bad imitation of the voice of Gentoa, "Who are you?" He looks at Lord Kendall expectantly.
"Why is your belly so big?"
"What's a lord?"
He inches forward along the paper that's actually blank and asks around a dozen questions.
Tock tucks the paper back into a pouch, stands up and summarizes, "So here are a few suggestions for when we discuss this again in a few weeks' time: practice talking to kids of that age and make sure your answers are understandable by them. You will need to provide a list of orphanages in your lands and I will pick a random one that we will pay a surprise visit to as a final step of the preparation."
He stands up and smiles, "A tip if I may - kids love juggling. If I were you I would pick up a skill that puts them in a good mood to start with."
"Your voice I hear," replies Q'wai, "but your form I do not see. I am Q'wai."
He eases his grip on his quarterstaff and shifts his feet, choosing to stand in a more relaxed pose. "I was certain that what I sought would be here. Can you tell me of the dagger's location? And, if it is acceptable to you, can you tell me of your own search?
(Sorry, I missed your post entirely! You snuck it in, I guess.)
"I know who you are, Q'wai," the voice says, again difficult to pinpoint.
Then a figure steps out of the beam of light and into the shadows. Whoever this is, they are exceedingly powerful. He...or she, as it is difficult to tell...wears a long, dark cloak. A broad-brimmed hat covers the stranger's eyes and face. The stranger holds no weapons or threatening stance. "I can tell you where I suspect it to be. The demon Kraag'ul has taunted me by withholding my prize for many centuries. I believe he carries it even now. For the next ten days, he resides at The Midnight Candle inn on Swan Street in Alciondria. After that, it may take a long time to find him again. Once the young princess is crowned, however, Kraag'ul will no longer have business in the capital."
The capital is not close. These ruins, near Ahtapaala, are a three-day ride to Va, the nearest port. It will probably be six or seven days at sea to get to the capital. And that is if all goes well...
Ronis purses his lips in thought. He looks out onto the sea, measuring the distance between the vessels. He draws up the hood of his Manta Ray cloak.
He turns to the first mate, a grin on his lips. "I'll be right back." He dives off into the water and begins swimming to the approaching ship, looking for a way up and onto it.
(Perception and Stealth rolls if required: 1514)
Swimming through the cold, turbulent waters is refreshing. It is some distance to the approaching ship but the cloak makes the swim easy. A shadow looms behind Ronis as he speeds through the water. A glance behind him reveals Verkolax casually whipping his body back and forth like a snake as he swims up alongside the sorcerer. The dragon offers him a little wink, then corkscrews around him playfully.
Ronis rises from the water ahead of the oncoming ship, which is moving at a good clip. The waves batter him around a little but he endures them to try and spy a way onto the other boat. There is no anchor chain, rope, or ladder visible, unfortunately. He looks to his only other options: The rope in his pack or his companion.
Before he can make a decision, he hears a distant, "Man o'erboard!"
Looking back to the Waterwyrm, he spies many of the sailors gathered at the rails of the ship and watching him. But that is not where the voice came from. On the oncoming ship, a sailor in the crow's nest points at him while two more on the rigging are turning their heads to search for him. One or two on deck run to the rails to look for themselves. But look is all they do. None make a motion to try and offer aid to Ronis.
The soldier does not have name yet. I assign her one below. Any unnamed characters in your Extras tab on your character sheet you can customize with a name. Or I will when the time arises.
“We were supposed to play chess tomorrow,”Dog says in a monotone, to himself. “Thought I might have a chance this time. Now...”
He trails off. Steely eyes dart back up to Gunnur. “I assume it’s the expected cause? How many people know this? Gather the others. The ones we trust. But stay close. I am going straight to Prin- Queen Gentoa. She is where I left her?” All of this has been said through message. He looks at his sparring partner. “Come. Adapt. Stay sharp. Expect everything.”
He waves his hand and the erupted earth reforms to its original state. He waves again and the silent image bends down in a crouch, deep in thought. “Always keep them guessing,”he says to Gunnur’s quizzical look.
He will send the guard (does she have a name?) off to help enact the plan they had developed for this eventuality. Secure Genny and Nev... Gentoa and Neventi. Give the Queen her space to grieve, leaving most of the task to Bulwark. Gather the core group of advisors and screen them for magical influence and deception. Prepare for the more mundane, formal, and official tasks that came next. Pull down the casks of the good stuff that Hadrian liked, and pass around glasses, per his request. Get Gentoa ready for her big day. Watch for anyone who might try to take advantage of this, and crush them into paste. Ensure domestic tranquility.
Gunnur heads off to begin gathering advisors while Dog's sparring partner, Kyva Losein, makes her way to the presumptive queen and her biological mother. As Dog exits the training facility, he encounters his third underling, Bitzer, polishing his weapon.
"What's up, chief?" Bitzer says with a salute that clanks against his metallic head. Bitzer, like Dog's former teammate Bulwark, is a construct. They could not be more dissimilar, though. Bitzer is a jovial, social person who is keen on improvising strategies and trying to invent new jokes. "Gunnur and Kyva took off like their pants were on fire."
(Did Gunnur say how many people knew? I suppose the horse has left the barn at this point!)
”Bitz, walk with time. King Hadrian has died. The Queen will need space and time and support - Bulwark will be busy. I know you think he’s a bore but he really cares a lot, so check with him to see if they need anything. Kyva is going to Neventi, and I am going to Gentoa. Remember the plan. This is happening now. If we are lucky, the worst we will have to deal with is grief and bureaucratic drudgery. If we are not, someone will try something stupid, looking to take advantage of a time of transition, and we might have to convince them to stop with sharp metal objects. Find me and tell me about anything suspicious. I trust your perceptiveness and judgment implicitly, especially after that business with the ambassador and the peacock.”
He nods at the warforged and turns off at the top of the stairs to go to Genny, eyes open for anything amiss or anyone who shouldn’t be there, and his cloak billowing faint trails of smoke behind him.
(He did not, nor does he likely know. It is safe to assume the word is spreading quickly.)
"Well, damn," Bitzer says before Dog takes more than a few steps. "But remember that Queen Duliani is in Delphendria this week? She left two days ago."
Martin strokes his Mable Macy’s neck and head. “That’s a good ****ing question.”
There were teleportation circles to use in many cities 10 months ago, but I’m not actually certain if I can use those still. For now, Martin will tie the thief across Mable Macy. Then cast longstrider at 2nd level on himself and Mable Macy. Then wildshape into a horse, and get running for Pallaxus
"What else you need, boss?" Tronk says. He gently strokes Macy's mane as Feldus dangles in his grip.
“I need a quick way to Princess Gentoa. The king has died.” Martin says, shifting back to his humanoid form. He doesn’t mince words, and lets it sink in with a nod to the team for taking care of the thief.
"I wondered if that's what this was about. You had said he was ill," says Gileon. "Should we make our way to the capital too or do you want us out on the road still?"
"Maybe summon a giant eagle?" Tronk offers, as if everything could be so easy.
Gileon cannot remove the stupid grin he always gets when Tronk starts brainstorming. "Failing that," he says. "Gods carry you quickly!"
Tock says, "Listen, I am not here to antagonize you. I am here to make sure to explain the thinking of King Haddian in a way that conveys the meaning and intent of his wishes."
He settles in more comfortably and explains. "As you most certainly know then the character of a person develops based on two parts - the blood and the environment they are brought up in. How each part is weighed is up for debate, but that both of these play a major role is a certainty. Now there are some who claim that a noble blood is all that it takes to be great and the lack of a noble birth must surely manifest as a weakness of character. The King himself is an example of this being plainly false, no matter how many may believe otherwise."
He looks at Lord Kendall, "You may wonder where I am going with this. And I will get to that in a moment. The princess is very young and very susceptible to all kinds of new ideas. She is also of the very age where the why-questions are prevalent. This is why I am here right now - to prepare you for what you might be facing meeting the little princess."
Tock pulls out a long thin roll of paper and does a purposefully bad imitation of the voice of Gentoa, "Who are you?" He looks at Lord Kendall expectantly.
"Why is your belly so big?"
"What's a lord?"
He inches forward along the paper that's actually blank and asks around a dozen questions.
Tock tucks the paper back into a pouch, stands up and summarizes, "So here are a few suggestions for when we discuss this again in a few weeks' time: practice talking to kids of that age and make sure your answers are understandable by them. You will need to provide a list of orphanages in your lands and I will pick a random one that we will pay a surprise visit to as a final step of the preparation."
He stands up and smiles, "A tip if I may - kids love juggling. If I were you I would pick up a skill that puts them in a good mood to start with."
"Have a nice day."
Lord Kemball stares at Tock after just the first question. As he opens his mouth to say something, the door flies open. Kemball's secretary, a midnight-black tabaxi woman, strides in. She is an impressive specimen of her species, most notably because she has taken on a traditionally male job assisting a Lord. She pads across the room, straight and with purpose. Her eyes look everywhere except at Tock. She bends down and whispers into Lord Kemball's ear. His eyes go wide and stands up, straight as a board.
"If you will excuse me," he says. "I...will be right back."
He leaves with no explanation or excuse, his secretary right behind him. Tock is alone in Kemball's room. The office door is open but nobody is in sight.
"Hello!" Ronis waves up at the maybe-pirates, shouting so they can hear him, his cloak keeping him afloat. "I just wanted to ask, just in case: Are you pirates?" He looks down to where he thinks Verkolax is swimming below him. "I hope they're not, that'd be a hassle..."
Ronis frowns, once again glancing down. He knew his new friend wasn't a fan of needless bloodshed, so as much as he was feeling that this wasn't going to go very well, he still had to properly establish their aggressive intent. How tedious.
"Listen, if you do intend on pirate-like activities, I'm afraid you wont get very far in such an endeavour. If I were you I'd turn away now, lest a very nasty fate befall you. I promise you, that if it's an easy mark you're after, you wont find one here. Best to move on, and live another day."
(If they're at all able to be persuaded/intimidated by that. It's the same roll either way. - Persuasion/Intimidation: 12)
"I know who you are, Q'wai," the voice says, again difficult to pinpoint.
Then a figure steps out of the beam of light and into the shadows. Whoever this is, they are exceedingly powerful. He...or she, as it is difficult to tell...wears a long, dark cloak. A broad-brimmed hat covers the stranger's eyes and face. The stranger holds no weapons or threatening stance. "I can tell you where I suspect it to be. The demon Kraag'ul has taunted me by withholding my prize for many centuries. I believe he carries it even now. For the next ten days, he resides at The Midnight Candle inn on Swan Street in Alciondria. After that, it may take a long time to find him again. Once the young princess is crowned, however, Kraag'ul will no longer have business in the capital.
Q'wai sifts his memory, pondering the name Kraag'ul for a moment. (Arcana: 10)
"You do not mean to pursue the dagger any further?" asks the monk as he studies the strange figure that now stands before him. "And whose prize will it be if I am to find it?"
Q'wai glances upward, gauging whether Tick and Tyrol are aware of the conversation taking place in the cavern below them.
"I know who you are, Q'wai," the voice says, again difficult to pinpoint.
Then a figure steps out of the beam of light and into the shadows. Whoever this is, they are exceedingly powerful. He...or she, as it is difficult to tell...wears a long, dark cloak. A broad-brimmed hat covers the stranger's eyes and face. The stranger holds no weapons or threatening stance. "I can tell you where I suspect it to be. The demon Kraag'ul has taunted me by withholding my prize for many centuries. I believe he carries it even now. For the next ten days, he resides at The Midnight Candle inn on Swan Street in Alciondria. After that, it may take a long time to find him again. Once the young princess is crowned, however, Kraag'ul will no longer have business in the capital.
Q'wai sifts his memory, pondering the name Kraag'ul for a moment. (Arcana: 16)
"You do not mean to pursue the dagger any further?" asks the monk as he studies the strange figure that now stands before him. "And whose prize will it be if I am to find it?"
Q'wai glances upward, gauging whether Tick and Tyrol are aware of the conversation taking place in the cavern below them.
Kraag'ul was mentioned in the Tome of the Traveler, Q'wai remembers. It was written that he was a demon of the fourth plane of hell, aligned with the god Cyric, the god of lies. Kraag'ul was mentioned only briefly as the first to meet the god known as The Traveler or The Stranger when he or she was cast out of the seventh plane of the heavens to roam the mortal world for a thousand years, his...or her...name stripped from the pantheon.
The stranger chuckles. "I do not need the dagger. I need it's sheath. Find the dagger and you will find its sheath. The dagger will be yours, if you can obtain it. It is all they have written it to be. And more. It is a worthy prize...for a mortal. Even more valuable will be the favor of a god."
As Q'wai looks up to his companions, he instinctively gulps. This treasure hunt has definitely exploded into something much bigger than you anticipated.
"Q'wai," shouts Tick. "You okay? Need a hand?"
"Who are you talking to?" Tyrol says.
The stranger leans in, capturing Q'wai's attention again. "Go," s/he says. "Find the Dagger of the Daystar. I expect we shall meet again."
The stranger evaporates into the shadows but Q'wai feels the hair on the back of his neck raise knowing he is still not alone.
Dog‘s brow furrowed. It wasn’t like him not to know the whereabouts of the queen, and not like Bulwark to not to inform Dog of a trip.
He tells the warforged to go get Kyva and return to the perimeter around Gentoa. He doesn’t break stride to the new queen.
Neventi and Princess Gentoa are in the guest quarters where Neventi has lived for the past 10 months. The young princess has her own quarters across the garden from the guest quarters. When Dog arrives, he finds Kyva there as ordered. Bitzer arrives shortly after Dog and barks out a laugh. "That simplifies things," he says. Guards stand outside the quarters and one patrols the garden.
Gentoa is quietly crying into Neventi's shoulder. She is too young to understand death but has seen much of it already. Neventi looks stalwart as she gently rubs her biological daughter's back. She looks at Dog with sad eyes and nods in understanding of the security measures Dog has enacted. "I'm going to trust you to just lead us through this," Neventi says. "I thought I was prepared for it but..."
The door opens and one of the guards hands Kyva a message, which she reads and hands to Dog. He doesn't need to read it though, because Kyva spells it out for everyone.
"The Lords' Senate is meeting to set the coronation date," she says. "That could mean we'll know when it is this afternoon or in four days depending on their moods today."
"Well, it's hurry up and wait, per usual," Bitzer says. He heads out into the garden to stand watch with the King's guard out there.
Kraag'ul was mentioned in the Tome of the Traveler, Q'wai remembers. It was written that he was a demon of the fourth plane of hell, aligned with the god Cyric, the god of lies. Kraag'ul was mentioned only briefly as the first to meet the god known as The Traveler or The Stranger when he or she was cast out of the seventh plane of the heavens to roam the mortal world for a thousand years, his...or her...name stripped from the pantheon.
The stranger chuckles. "I do not need the dagger. I need it's sheath. Find the dagger and you will find its sheath. The dagger will be yours, if you can obtain it. It is all they have written it to be. And more. It is a worthy prize...for a mortal. Even more valuable will be the favor of a god."
As Q'wai looks up to his companions, he instinctively gulps. This treasure hunt has definitely exploded into something much bigger than you anticipated.
"Q'wai," shouts Tick. "You okay? Need a hand?"
"Who are you talking to?" Tyrol says.
The stranger leans in, capturing Q'wai's attention again. "Go," s/he says. "Find the Dagger of the Daystar. I expect we shall meet again."
The stranger evaporates into the shadows but Q'wai feels the hair on the back of his neck raise knowing he is still not alone.
"Q'wai?" Tick says.
"Until we meet again," says Q'wai to the empty air before him.
The monk then ascends the rope and returns to the sunny brightness above ground. "I am well, Tick, but I must make haste to Alciondria. Each of you will come with me I pray."
After fastening his pack to Kazar, he hops onto the donkey's back and nudges the beast toward Va.
Kraag'ul was mentioned in the Tome of the Traveler, Q'wai remembers. It was written that he was a demon of the fourth plane of hell, aligned with the god Cyric, the god of lies. Kraag'ul was mentioned only briefly as the first to meet the god known as The Traveler or The Stranger when he or she was cast out of the seventh plane of the heavens to roam the mortal world for a thousand years, his...or her...name stripped from the pantheon.
The stranger chuckles. "I do not need the dagger. I need it's sheath. Find the dagger and you will find its sheath. The dagger will be yours, if you can obtain it. It is all they have written it to be. And more. It is a worthy prize...for a mortal. Even more valuable will be the favor of a god."
As Q'wai looks up to his companions, he instinctively gulps. This treasure hunt has definitely exploded into something much bigger than you anticipated.
"Q'wai," shouts Tick. "You okay? Need a hand?"
"Who are you talking to?" Tyrol says.
The stranger leans in, capturing Q'wai's attention again. "Go," s/he says. "Find the Dagger of the Daystar. I expect we shall meet again."
The stranger evaporates into the shadows but Q'wai feels the hair on the back of his neck raise knowing he is still not alone.
"Q'wai?" Tick says.
"Until we meet again," says Q'wai to the empty air before him.
The monk then ascends the rope and returns to the sunny brightness above ground. "I am well, Tick, but I must make haste to Alciondria. Each of you will come with me I pray."
After fastening his pack to Kazar, he hops onto the donkey's back and nudges the beast toward Va.
"Of course," Tick says and begins gathering up some things. "I've always wanted to see the capital. And it would be good to see Tock and Dog and Gash again."
"Uh...not me," Tyrol says. "I can't start up with the craziness again. I have customers to take care of now. I have...Cortia..."
Tick smiles and punches Tyrol stiffly on his thigh. "I knew it!" he says. The minotaur would be blushing if he could.
"Come home safely, though. And wish Q'wai well. His focus is intense."
"I know it," the gnome says with a chuckle. Tick grasps Tyrol's forearm firmly and they give each other a solid look in the eyes before the turn and depart in separate directions. Tictanus, hustling to catch up to his friend, Q'wai.
On the second day heading to Va, the pair happen upon a wagon overturned on the side of the road. A pair of horses munch on some corn pulled from the adjacent field while a half-elven man and his half-orc wife struggle with one of the rear wheels. A pair of children are stacking up the luggage and goods that have spilled from the cart. A third, older child, steps out into the road, waving her hands.
"Please, help us!" she says.
Tick looks up at Q'wai with a questioning arch of his eyebrow.
Ronis frowns, once again glancing down. He knew his new friend wasn't a fan of needless bloodshed, so as much as he was feeling that this wasn't going to go very well, he still had to properly establish their aggressive intent. How tedious.
"Listen, if you do intend on pirate-like activities, I'm afraid you wont get very far in such an endeavour. If I were you I'd turn away now, lest a very nasty fate befall you. I promise you, that if it's an easy mark you're after, you wont find one here. Best to move on, and live another day."
(If they're at all able to be persuaded/intimidated by that. It's the same roll either way. - Persuasion/Intimidation: 12)
(Might have been missed?)
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Ronis purses his lips in thought. He looks out onto the sea, measuring the distance between the vessels. He draws up the hood of his Manta Ray cloak.
He turns to the first mate, a grin on his lips. "I'll be right back." He dives off into the water and begins swimming to the approaching ship, looking for a way up and onto it.
(Perception and Stealth rolls if required: 15 18)
Does Q'wai hear any sort of response?
“I need a quick way to Princess Gentoa. The king has died.” Martin says, shifting back to his humanoid form. He doesn’t mince words, and lets it sink in with a nod to the team for taking care of the thief.
Paladin - warforged - orange
(Did Gunnur say how many people knew? I suppose the horse has left the barn at this point!)
”Bitz, walk with time. King Hadrian has died. The Queen will need space and time and support - Bulwark will be busy. I know you think he’s a bore but he really cares a lot, so check with him to see if they need anything. Kyva is going to Neventi, and I am going to Gentoa. Remember the plan. This is happening now. If we are lucky, the worst we will have to deal with is grief and bureaucratic drudgery. If we are not, someone will try something stupid, looking to take advantage of a time of transition, and we might have to convince them to stop with sharp metal objects. Find me and tell me about anything suspicious. I trust your perceptiveness and judgment implicitly, especially after that business with the ambassador and the peacock.”
He nods at the warforged and turns off at the top of the stairs to go to Genny, eyes open for anything amiss or anyone who shouldn’t be there, and his cloak billowing faint trails of smoke behind him.
Tock says, "Listen, I am not here to antagonize you. I am here to make sure to explain the thinking of King Haddian in a way that conveys the meaning and intent of his wishes."
He settles in more comfortably and explains. "As you most certainly know then the character of a person develops based on two parts - the blood and the environment they are brought up in. How each part is weighed is up for debate, but that both of these play a major role is a certainty. Now there are some who claim that a noble blood is all that it takes to be great and the lack of a noble birth must surely manifest as a weakness of character. The King himself is an example of this being plainly false, no matter how many may believe otherwise."
He looks at Lord Kendall, "You may wonder where I am going with this. And I will get to that in a moment. The princess is very young and very susceptible to all kinds of new ideas. She is also of the very age where the why-questions are prevalent. This is why I am here right now - to prepare you for what you might be facing meeting the little princess."
Tock pulls out a long thin roll of paper and does a purposefully bad imitation of the voice of Gentoa, "Who are you?" He looks at Lord Kendall expectantly.
"Why is your belly so big?"
"What's a lord?"
He inches forward along the paper that's actually blank and asks around a dozen questions.
Tock tucks the paper back into a pouch, stands up and summarizes, "So here are a few suggestions for when we discuss this again in a few weeks' time: practice talking to kids of that age and make sure your answers are understandable by them. You will need to provide a list of orphanages in your lands and I will pick a random one that we will pay a surprise visit to as a final step of the preparation."
He stands up and smiles, "A tip if I may - kids love juggling. If I were you I would pick up a skill that puts them in a good mood to start with."
"Have a nice day."
(Sorry, I missed your post entirely! You snuck it in, I guess.)
"I know who you are, Q'wai," the voice says, again difficult to pinpoint.
Then a figure steps out of the beam of light and into the shadows. Whoever this is, they are exceedingly powerful. He...or she, as it is difficult to tell...wears a long, dark cloak. A broad-brimmed hat covers the stranger's eyes and face. The stranger holds no weapons or threatening stance. "I can tell you where I suspect it to be. The demon Kraag'ul has taunted me by withholding my prize for many centuries. I believe he carries it even now. For the next ten days, he resides at The Midnight Candle inn on Swan Street in Alciondria. After that, it may take a long time to find him again. Once the young princess is crowned, however, Kraag'ul will no longer have business in the capital."
The capital is not close. These ruins, near Ahtapaala, are a three-day ride to Va, the nearest port. It will probably be six or seven days at sea to get to the capital. And that is if all goes well...
Swimming through the cold, turbulent waters is refreshing. It is some distance to the approaching ship but the cloak makes the swim easy. A shadow looms behind Ronis as he speeds through the water. A glance behind him reveals Verkolax casually whipping his body back and forth like a snake as he swims up alongside the sorcerer. The dragon offers him a little wink, then corkscrews around him playfully.
Ronis rises from the water ahead of the oncoming ship, which is moving at a good clip. The waves batter him around a little but he endures them to try and spy a way onto the other boat. There is no anchor chain, rope, or ladder visible, unfortunately. He looks to his only other options: The rope in his pack or his companion.
Before he can make a decision, he hears a distant, "Man o'erboard!"
Looking back to the Waterwyrm, he spies many of the sailors gathered at the rails of the ship and watching him. But that is not where the voice came from. On the oncoming ship, a sailor in the crow's nest points at him while two more on the rigging are turning their heads to search for him. One or two on deck run to the rails to look for themselves. But look is all they do. None make a motion to try and offer aid to Ronis.
(He did not, nor does he likely know. It is safe to assume the word is spreading quickly.)
"Well, damn," Bitzer says before Dog takes more than a few steps. "But remember that Queen Duliani is in Delphendria this week? She left two days ago."
"I wondered if that's what this was about. You had said he was ill," says Gileon. "Should we make our way to the capital too or do you want us out on the road still?"
"Maybe summon a giant eagle?" Tronk offers, as if everything could be so easy.
Gileon cannot remove the stupid grin he always gets when Tronk starts brainstorming. "Failing that," he says. "Gods carry you quickly!"
Lord Kemball stares at Tock after just the first question. As he opens his mouth to say something, the door flies open. Kemball's secretary, a midnight-black tabaxi woman, strides in. She is an impressive specimen of her species, most notably because she has taken on a traditionally male job assisting a Lord. She pads across the room, straight and with purpose. Her eyes look everywhere except at Tock. She bends down and whispers into Lord Kemball's ear. His eyes go wide and stands up, straight as a board.
"If you will excuse me," he says. "I...will be right back."
He leaves with no explanation or excuse, his secretary right behind him. Tock is alone in Kemball's room. The office door is open but nobody is in sight.
"Hello!" Ronis waves up at the maybe-pirates, shouting so they can hear him, his cloak keeping him afloat. "I just wanted to ask, just in case: Are you pirates?" He looks down to where he thinks Verkolax is swimming below him. "I hope they're not, that'd be a hassle..."
The ship is close enough to see that it has no obvious name painted on its hull. Several of the crew laugh at Ronis' question.
"Yarr!" says one in mock response.
"We'll make ye walk the plank, me hearty!" says another, oblivious to the fact that Ronis is already in the water.
The rest just laugh all the more uproariously. But none answer his question.
Ronis frowns, once again glancing down. He knew his new friend wasn't a fan of needless bloodshed, so as much as he was feeling that this wasn't going to go very well, he still had to properly establish their aggressive intent. How tedious.
"Listen, if you do intend on pirate-like activities, I'm afraid you wont get very far in such an endeavour. If I were you I'd turn away now, lest a very nasty fate befall you. I promise you, that if it's an easy mark you're after, you wont find one here. Best to move on, and live another day."
(If they're at all able to be persuaded/intimidated by that. It's the same roll either way. - Persuasion/Intimidation: 12)
Q'wai sifts his memory, pondering the name Kraag'ul for a moment. (Arcana: 10)
"You do not mean to pursue the dagger any further?" asks the monk as he studies the strange figure that now stands before him. "And whose prize will it be if I am to find it?"
Q'wai glances upward, gauging whether Tick and Tyrol are aware of the conversation taking place in the cavern below them.
Kraag'ul was mentioned in the Tome of the Traveler, Q'wai remembers. It was written that he was a demon of the fourth plane of hell, aligned with the god Cyric, the god of lies. Kraag'ul was mentioned only briefly as the first to meet the god known as The Traveler or The Stranger when he or she was cast out of the seventh plane of the heavens to roam the mortal world for a thousand years, his...or her...name stripped from the pantheon.
The stranger chuckles. "I do not need the dagger. I need it's sheath. Find the dagger and you will find its sheath. The dagger will be yours, if you can obtain it. It is all they have written it to be. And more. It is a worthy prize...for a mortal. Even more valuable will be the favor of a god."
As Q'wai looks up to his companions, he instinctively gulps. This treasure hunt has definitely exploded into something much bigger than you anticipated.
"Q'wai," shouts Tick. "You okay? Need a hand?"
"Who are you talking to?" Tyrol says.
The stranger leans in, capturing Q'wai's attention again. "Go," s/he says. "Find the Dagger of the Daystar. I expect we shall meet again."
The stranger evaporates into the shadows but Q'wai feels the hair on the back of his neck raise knowing he is still not alone.
"Q'wai?" Tick says.
Dog‘s brow furrowed. It wasn’t like him not to know the whereabouts of the queen, and not like Bulwark to not to inform Dog of a trip.
He tells the warforged to go get Kyva and return to the perimeter around Gentoa. He doesn’t break stride to the new queen.
Neventi and Princess Gentoa are in the guest quarters where Neventi has lived for the past 10 months. The young princess has her own quarters across the garden from the guest quarters. When Dog arrives, he finds Kyva there as ordered. Bitzer arrives shortly after Dog and barks out a laugh. "That simplifies things," he says. Guards stand outside the quarters and one patrols the garden.
Gentoa is quietly crying into Neventi's shoulder. She is too young to understand death but has seen much of it already. Neventi looks stalwart as she gently rubs her biological daughter's back. She looks at Dog with sad eyes and nods in understanding of the security measures Dog has enacted. "I'm going to trust you to just lead us through this," Neventi says. "I thought I was prepared for it but..."
The door opens and one of the guards hands Kyva a message, which she reads and hands to Dog. He doesn't need to read it though, because Kyva spells it out for everyone.
"The Lords' Senate is meeting to set the coronation date," she says. "That could mean we'll know when it is this afternoon or in four days depending on their moods today."
"Well, it's hurry up and wait, per usual," Bitzer says. He heads out into the garden to stand watch with the King's guard out there.
"Until we meet again," says Q'wai to the empty air before him.
The monk then ascends the rope and returns to the sunny brightness above ground. "I am well, Tick, but I must make haste to Alciondria. Each of you will come with me I pray."
After fastening his pack to Kazar, he hops onto the donkey's back and nudges the beast toward Va.
"Of course," Tick says and begins gathering up some things. "I've always wanted to see the capital. And it would be good to see Tock and Dog and Gash again."
"Uh...not me," Tyrol says. "I can't start up with the craziness again. I have customers to take care of now. I have...Cortia..."
Tick smiles and punches Tyrol stiffly on his thigh. "I knew it!" he says. The minotaur would be blushing if he could.
"Come home safely, though. And wish Q'wai well. His focus is intense."
"I know it," the gnome says with a chuckle. Tick grasps Tyrol's forearm firmly and they give each other a solid look in the eyes before the turn and depart in separate directions. Tictanus, hustling to catch up to his friend, Q'wai.
On the second day heading to Va, the pair happen upon a wagon overturned on the side of the road. A pair of horses munch on some corn pulled from the adjacent field while a half-elven man and his half-orc wife struggle with one of the rear wheels. A pair of children are stacking up the luggage and goods that have spilled from the cart. A third, older child, steps out into the road, waving her hands.
"Please, help us!" she says.
Tick looks up at Q'wai with a questioning arch of his eyebrow.
(Might have been missed?)