The man replies with a nod, and the female elf stands up beside him holding his arm affectionately. "We'll both stand watch for now. I doubt I'd be able to still my mind long enough to enter a proper trance anyway."
Vilus and Joren
Vils and Joren head down into the the cellar. About ten minutes later, a muffled thud announces someone's presence. From a shadow in the corner of the room, a vaguely feminine figure takes form. Though she is clad from head to toe in dark cloth and leather, Vilus recognizes the eyes and posture. The one with whom he had requested the meeting. She looks cautiously at Joren, hands twitching by the daggers on her hips. "Is he...?"
"Trustworthy, yes. A man who has been protecting the Eye and assisting in saving this city and continent at large, you may speak unhindered." Vilus sits down on an empty crate, displaying to both Joren and this shadow spy that he has nothing to fear out of this situation and therefore neither should they, he keeps his voice low "We have taken a relic from the grasps of this cult, and seen to it that their plan to lay waste to this continent has been foiled, their next move may be erratic and unpredictable, even without this relic they are powerful. What has been happening up here? I got your message, the lone ship still in the harbour, but what do we know of the ship from Tensmith? And what plans has the Head right now?"
Joren sincerely thanks the two elves before retiring below to the cellar with Vilus.
Joren and Vilus:
Joren senses immediately that he has waded into deeper and murkier waters than he is accustomed. Though perhaps that had started some time back. At the Inn below the Shield Pass, in truth. Almost, he instinctively summons his echo at the sound and appearance of the female newcomer. but discipline allows him to avoid doing so. He forces his tired muscles to relax and keeps his hands at his sides where there are no weapons, with his hand axes lost and his blades behind his back. Inclining his head slightly in a silent, respectful greeting, he keeps his mouth shut and listens.
Protecting the Eye. Is that what I have been doing? Wait... is Vilus the Eye?? Was I already knowing that? Truly, I am falling asleep on my feet...
The woman nods and responds, "The ship with Marigold has been anchored out in the harbour this whole time. The people on board have been keeping a watchful eye on the city, and Marigold herself has come out onto the deck a couple of times. It looks like they are waiting for something, and they have been keeping ready to pull up their anchor and sail away at a moment's notice. The Head ahs not made any overt actions at this point. There are too many eyes on the situation for them to act directly, and they do not know what we know about the situation." She glances at Joren again, uncertain whether she should speak what comes next.
She speaks it anyways. "Your father's number 2 has returned to the city. Yet Tamvere, the agent you sent to make contact, has not returned. Shortly after, Sevrun went dark. He hasn't been seen all day now."
"I thought Two was dead..." Vilus sinks his head into his hands in thought "I wonder what he's been doing all this damn time, he can't have just been looking for me. If Tamvere returns have her debrief with you and then contact me immediately. The immediate worry should not be my father, he is perhaps just keeping his head down, though I would like you to report everything you know to the head and get any info from him pertaining to his covert plans and details on my father's whereabouts." Vilus snaps out of info trading mode and looks to Joren, "anything to add? What's our next move d'ya think?"
Joren grunts, clearly feeling out of his element in the cloak and dagger environment. He sighs, closing his eyes for a moment.
"I am thinking my advice on spy-craft may be providing less value than one would hope. Still, since Marigold is sitting out there in the boat, unless it is a disguise, we can hope they are not knowing yet. Waiting for a volcano eruption which, gods willing, shall never come to Cambria. Must be why they were ensuring Talmouth is having no more vessels capable of mass evacuation. I believe Jean-Lou was noticing that before his assassination. Cultists were wanting no survivors. Yet their waiting for grand plans to develop might be providing a window of ignorance we can be exploiting."
Opening his eyes again, he regards the goliath and the strange woman. "Being a simple soldier, me. Wanting nothing more than to turn any available artillery on the vessel and destroy it. Yet I am guessing you are having it in you to come up with something more suitably subtle. Perhaps Vilus disguising himself as a cultist. As Marigold herself even. Not as Andra - he seemed to be leaving their cause before his demise."
Joren pauses, uncertain of whether it is his place to say the last bit. "Pardoning my ignorance. You are knowing your people. So you must be knowing that to an outsider, it is seeming obvious that... Two? Two, at least in their current form returning to the city, may be compromised. And that this Tamvere, or Sevrun perhaps, are likely encountering an incident. I am recalling cultists are always stealing others' faces to wear."
Joren pauses, wondering if he has overstepped his bounds, but then has to stifle a yawn, finding that he no longer possesses the energy to care much.
"That is a good point" Vilus nods to Joren encouraging his thought process, then turns to the shadow spy, "you already have codes and forms of identifying imposters within your midsts, be on high alert. Even when it comes to the head, or if you encounter Sevrun, confirm identity with certainty before divulging or taking information... Also you've been allowed to speak freely with me, I am not the head and I expect that there will be some things that I've missed, do you feel like yourself and your group could be better utilised with some other task or focus?"
The next morning comes, and everyone wakes rested, if a little stiff. Everyone, that is, except the the half-orc and the two elves. Their chests still rise and fall with breath, but it seems their ordeal has left them absolutely exhausted.
Ashley awakens, completely refreshed from the nights hard sleep and loving the feeling of warmth she now envelopes - more than she ever had before. Bounding down the stairs, she stops short when she sees the three strangers sleeping in the shop. She looks around for others, and not seeing anyone, she heads to the back to see if Samir is back there.
Samir's dreams are of the infinite, and the eternal, and those things that cannot be expressed outside of the lines of figures and symbols that defied the words of modern language. Things of power and complexity, refined and defined in thaumaturgical symbology older than mortal-kind. And so when morning comes and he finds himself awake, it is with a touch of muzziness from the lingering dreams. Samir finds himself depserately wishing for coffee or even strong tea as he pulls himself into his clothes and perches his spectacles on his face.
"Maybe we can grab a good breakfast today without anyone trying to kill us and end the world."
Moreover, the air feels... different this morning. Electric, almost. Like a building potential of some kind, just tickling at his senses. Mulling over that oddity, he reaches for the door, only to blink fuzzily as in general confusion on opening it, at the woman standing in front of him.
"Oh... oh! Ashley, sorry. Bit wool-headed this morning."
Ashley gives Samir a warm smile, "No bother! Shall we go and find a delicious breakfast this morning? We are definitely lacking a kitchen in this shop, maybe thats something to set up at some point?"
Joren sits bolt up right, breathing hard, as the morning light streams in, finding his hand on the hilt of his Dunamis Blade.
It is never over.
Quickly squaring his things away and briefly cleaning himself, he puts on his armor and gear, seeming preoccupied. Nodding an absent-minded greeting to the others, then catching himself and offering a genuine smile instead, he nevertheless ducks outside quietly for some morning sword-work drills.
Vilus is sat behind the shop counter when the others rise, he is in the guise of a shadow person for some reason and his attention is split between keeping an eye on everything and reading a book.
As Ashley bounds down the stairs he says nothing and watches her eyes pass over him before going to find the others. As talk turns to breakfast, he turns back to his Goliath form and grunts in agreement.
Samir notices that when he moves away from the door to the back room, the tingle lessens.
The rain outside has diminished to a light drizzle, and gray morning light leaks through the windows. Despite the walls around them, there is a seasonal chill in the air. Then there is a loud knock on the front door.
Vilus freezes and then shouts out, "identify yourself" before stealthing up to the boarded up windows and seeing if he can perceive who is out there through the cracks. (18 perception)
"Oh my yes, that sounds delightful. Its like you read my mind. But..." Samir turns back for a moment, peering back into the room he just left. "There is something odd. Ashley, would you mind stepping in here and seeing if you-"
Interested by the unexpected knock at the door, Samir looks up in surprise, surprised to find himself tensing up.
Malachi drags himself out of his bedroll as he hears the others “Could you keep the racket down please, some of us are trying to sleep. Though breakfast does sound good. What time is it anyway?” He yawns and rubs his head, his eyes popping open as the loss of his hair hits him again. “This will not do” he mutters to himself as he opens his disguise kit and begins working on two wigs. He looks up at the knock on the door and recognizes the voice outside “Marion! Thank the heavens you are alright, what news do you have from the council?”
Returning indoors from his training and drills, Joren gives Marion a nod and a quick smile, genuine respect from one warrior to another.
"Another ray of light shining in the darkness. Being good to see you, dedicated one! Nevertheless, before we start... though it is paining me to say it, with the cultists wearing many faces, we must be making sure. Samir, are you still having the medallion? Passing it near all of us with no trace of yellow will be again visibly confirming for everyone, including for Marion, that the cultists have gained no foothold in any of our minds."
Vilus gives a sharp nod to Joren's insistence on proof, the Goliath keeps one hand within his leathers holding the hilt of a dagger in preparation, until Marion's identity is confirmed.
The man replies with a nod, and the female elf stands up beside him holding his arm affectionately. "We'll both stand watch for now. I doubt I'd be able to still my mind long enough to enter a proper trance anyway."
Vilus and Joren
Vils and Joren head down into the the cellar. About ten minutes later, a muffled thud announces someone's presence. From a shadow in the corner of the room, a vaguely feminine figure takes form. Though she is clad from head to toe in dark cloth and leather, Vilus recognizes the eyes and posture. The one with whom he had requested the meeting. She looks cautiously at Joren, hands twitching by the daggers on her hips. "Is he...?"
Vilus and Joren
"Trustworthy, yes. A man who has been protecting the Eye and assisting in saving this city and continent at large, you may speak unhindered." Vilus sits down on an empty crate, displaying to both Joren and this shadow spy that he has nothing to fear out of this situation and therefore neither should they, he keeps his voice low "We have taken a relic from the grasps of this cult, and seen to it that their plan to lay waste to this continent has been foiled, their next move may be erratic and unpredictable, even without this relic they are powerful. What has been happening up here? I got your message, the lone ship still in the harbour, but what do we know of the ship from Tensmith? And what plans has the Head right now?"
Joren sincerely thanks the two elves before retiring below to the cellar with Vilus.
Joren and Vilus:
Joren senses immediately that he has waded into deeper and murkier waters than he is accustomed. Though perhaps that had started some time back. At the Inn below the Shield Pass, in truth. Almost, he instinctively summons his echo at the sound and appearance of the female newcomer. but discipline allows him to avoid doing so. He forces his tired muscles to relax and keeps his hands at his sides where there are no weapons, with his hand axes lost and his blades behind his back. Inclining his head slightly in a silent, respectful greeting, he keeps his mouth shut and listens.
Protecting the Eye. Is that what I have been doing? Wait... is Vilus the Eye?? Was I already knowing that? Truly, I am falling asleep on my feet...
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Vilus and Joren
The woman nods and responds, "The ship with Marigold has been anchored out in the harbour this whole time. The people on board have been keeping a watchful eye on the city, and Marigold herself has come out onto the deck a couple of times. It looks like they are waiting for something, and they have been keeping ready to pull up their anchor and sail away at a moment's notice. The Head ahs not made any overt actions at this point. There are too many eyes on the situation for them to act directly, and they do not know what we know about the situation." She glances at Joren again, uncertain whether she should speak what comes next.
She speaks it anyways. "Your father's number 2 has returned to the city. Yet Tamvere, the agent you sent to make contact, has not returned. Shortly after, Sevrun went dark. He hasn't been seen all day now."
Vilus & Joren
"I thought Two was dead..." Vilus sinks his head into his hands in thought "I wonder what he's been doing all this damn time, he can't have just been looking for me. If Tamvere returns have her debrief with you and then contact me immediately. The immediate worry should not be my father, he is perhaps just keeping his head down, though I would like you to report everything you know to the head and get any info from him pertaining to his covert plans and details on my father's whereabouts." Vilus snaps out of info trading mode and looks to Joren, "anything to add? What's our next move d'ya think?"
Vilus and Joren:
Joren grunts, clearly feeling out of his element in the cloak and dagger environment. He sighs, closing his eyes for a moment.
"I am thinking my advice on spy-craft may be providing less value than one would hope. Still, since Marigold is sitting out there in the boat, unless it is a disguise, we can hope they are not knowing yet. Waiting for a volcano eruption which, gods willing, shall never come to Cambria. Must be why they were ensuring Talmouth is having no more vessels capable of mass evacuation. I believe Jean-Lou was noticing that before his assassination. Cultists were wanting no survivors. Yet their waiting for grand plans to develop might be providing a window of ignorance we can be exploiting."
Opening his eyes again, he regards the goliath and the strange woman. "Being a simple soldier, me. Wanting nothing more than to turn any available artillery on the vessel and destroy it. Yet I am guessing you are having it in you to come up with something more suitably subtle. Perhaps Vilus disguising himself as a cultist. As Marigold herself even. Not as Andra - he seemed to be leaving their cause before his demise."
Joren pauses, uncertain of whether it is his place to say the last bit. "Pardoning my ignorance. You are knowing your people. So you must be knowing that to an outsider, it is seeming obvious that... Two? Two, at least in their current form returning to the city, may be compromised. And that this Tamvere, or Sevrun perhaps, are likely encountering an incident. I am recalling cultists are always stealing others' faces to wear."
Joren pauses, wondering if he has overstepped his bounds, but then has to stifle a yawn, finding that he no longer possesses the energy to care much.
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Vilus & Joren
"That is a good point" Vilus nods to Joren encouraging his thought process, then turns to the shadow spy, "you already have codes and forms of identifying imposters within your midsts, be on high alert. Even when it comes to the head, or if you encounter Sevrun, confirm identity with certainty before divulging or taking information... Also you've been allowed to speak freely with me, I am not the head and I expect that there will be some things that I've missed, do you feel like yourself and your group could be better utilised with some other task or focus?"
The next morning comes, and everyone wakes rested, if a little stiff. Everyone, that is, except the the half-orc and the two elves. Their chests still rise and fall with breath, but it seems their ordeal has left them absolutely exhausted.
Ashley awakens, completely refreshed from the nights hard sleep and loving the feeling of warmth she now envelopes - more than she ever had before. Bounding down the stairs, she stops short when she sees the three strangers sleeping in the shop. She looks around for others, and not seeing anyone, she heads to the back to see if Samir is back there.
Samir's dreams are of the infinite, and the eternal, and those things that cannot be expressed outside of the lines of figures and symbols that defied the words of modern language. Things of power and complexity, refined and defined in thaumaturgical symbology older than mortal-kind. And so when morning comes and he finds himself awake, it is with a touch of muzziness from the lingering dreams. Samir finds himself depserately wishing for coffee or even strong tea as he pulls himself into his clothes and perches his spectacles on his face.
"Maybe we can grab a good breakfast today without anyone trying to kill us and end the world."
Moreover, the air feels... different this morning. Electric, almost. Like a building potential of some kind, just tickling at his senses. Mulling over that oddity, he reaches for the door, only to blink fuzzily as in general confusion on opening it, at the woman standing in front of him.
"Oh... oh! Ashley, sorry. Bit wool-headed this morning."
Ashley gives Samir a warm smile, "No bother! Shall we go and find a delicious breakfast this morning? We are definitely lacking a kitchen in this shop, maybe thats something to set up at some point?"
Joren sits bolt up right, breathing hard, as the morning light streams in, finding his hand on the hilt of his Dunamis Blade.
It is never over.
Quickly squaring his things away and briefly cleaning himself, he puts on his armor and gear, seeming preoccupied. Nodding an absent-minded greeting to the others, then catching himself and offering a genuine smile instead, he nevertheless ducks outside quietly for some morning sword-work drills.
(He is ready when others are).
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Vilus is sat behind the shop counter when the others rise, he is in the guise of a shadow person for some reason and his attention is split between keeping an eye on everything and reading a book.
As Ashley bounds down the stairs he says nothing and watches her eyes pass over him before going to find the others. As talk turns to breakfast, he turns back to his Goliath form and grunts in agreement.
Samir notices that when he moves away from the door to the back room, the tingle lessens.
The rain outside has diminished to a light drizzle, and gray morning light leaks through the windows. Despite the walls around them, there is a seasonal chill in the air. Then there is a loud knock on the front door.
Vilus freezes and then shouts out, "identify yourself" before stealthing up to the boarded up windows and seeing if he can perceive who is out there through the cracks. (18 perception)
"Oh my yes, that sounds delightful. Its like you read my mind. But..." Samir turns back for a moment, peering back into the room he just left. "There is something odd. Ashley, would you mind stepping in here and seeing if you-"
Interested by the unexpected knock at the door, Samir looks up in surprise, surprised to find himself tensing up.
"Forget me already?" calls a familiar female voice from outside. Vilus catches the gleam of armour, and recognizes Marion.
Malachi drags himself out of his bedroll as he hears the others “Could you keep the racket down please, some of us are trying to sleep. Though breakfast does sound good. What time is it anyway?” He yawns and rubs his head, his eyes popping open as the loss of his hair hits him again. “This will not do” he mutters to himself as he opens his disguise kit and begins working on two wigs. He looks up at the knock on the door and recognizes the voice outside “Marion! Thank the heavens you are alright, what news do you have from the council?”
Returning indoors from his training and drills, Joren gives Marion a nod and a quick smile, genuine respect from one warrior to another.
"Another ray of light shining in the darkness. Being good to see you, dedicated one! Nevertheless, before we start... though it is paining me to say it, with the cultists wearing many faces, we must be making sure. Samir, are you still having the medallion? Passing it near all of us with no trace of yellow will be again visibly confirming for everyone, including for Marion, that the cultists have gained no foothold in any of our minds."
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Vilus gives a sharp nod to Joren's insistence on proof, the Goliath keeps one hand within his leathers holding the hilt of a dagger in preparation, until Marion's identity is confirmed.