“Aye.  I’d have to be in me grave to refuse that.”

“Let’s bring him out to party.”

"Aside from tracking footsteps, throwing darts far away, and placing traps..."

The small kobold pulls out the Hunting Trap from his backpack.

"Meepo doesn't have anything much to offer in combat but Meepo will do his best."

Aradurk calls out in a booming voice:

”Rowan - I strongly suggest you come out and parley with us. There is an imp roaming the woods, discontent with the night you spent with it. I think he means to have you killed. Seems like you have that effect on folks.”

Smiling at Aradurk's straightforward approach Karst turns his penetrating gaze towards the treeline, looking for any sign of the Watchblade.

Perception 19 

Murmen will give Karst guidance.

Guidance 2 

Karst Perception (disadvantage to find Rowan, guidance included): 21

There is no sign of Rowan in the treeline as Karst scans over it. Aradurk's voice booms, bringing a halt to the nearby proceedings. 

"What is the meaning of this?" Shang's voice likewise booms. Trelanna's frown belies the calm she continues to exude. 

"I can't see him, doesn't mean he isn't there though, we should warn Shang and Trelanna now they know we are here, keep an eye out for Rowan, this may force his hand." Karst says quietly to the others before moving forward towards the two leaders, sword sheathed and hands raised non-threateningly.  "May I approach?  I have information that you will wish to hear immediately." 

Karst moves towards the party but in a route which aims to place himself directly between Shang and the trees where he thinks Rowan may be, rather than obscuring the party's view of the leaders.

I lend my bulk to the task of obfuscation while Karst opens a discussion with Shang and Trelanna.

"Please forgive the interruption", I say with my eyes focused on Shang's movements.

DM Screen:

Trelanna frowns, but returns to a calm expression once she sees your badges. "Of course," she says, "I trust the information is critical."

It is then that Karst and Meepo notice the glint of the sun beaming off of a drawn arrow, high in a tree in the forest: Rowan, with a shortbow drawn, aiming in Trelanna's direction.

Initiative:

Shortbow Attack: 26

Karst is just in time, reaching Trelanna as the arrow flies, sinking into his back and dealing 10 piercing damage, sending him to one knee. He looks up to see Trelanna's expression become a pure mask of anger. Her long, lustrous hair lifts in the air and her arm stretches outward, sending a massive crack of electricity through her finger tips toward the would-be assassin. There is a brief shout of pain and a rustle of branches as the blast meets its target. Rowan falls from the tree to the forest floor.

Trelanna helps Karst back to his feet, and Glendale rushes to Rowan's side, laying healing hands on the Watchblade and saving his life, an action that he may soon come to regret. Binding his hands and feet, Glendale and Roccar drag the beaten man to you and Trelanna. Rowan's typical demeanor has been replaced with rage and hysteria.

"Let them starve, Mary! I refuse to bolster the Orc Kingdom's power with more troops!" he screams.

"Why, Rowan?" Glendale asks, "You are a smarter man than that. Have they not held up their end of the truce this far?"

"They are savages! They can't even trust their own kind! You remember Weasel, the goblin smuggler? He works for orcs; enemies of the Dark Arrows empire. He introduced me to Gorcrom. Gorcrom would have given Luruar the edge in the upcoming war had these damned fools not gotten in the way. I would have just done it myself but you insisted on keeping the meeting place to your damned self!" Rowan shouts.

"I hope you are satisfied, Rowan. You will be stripped of your title and brought to justice for treason against the Luruar alliance," Glendale finishes sullenly, "I am ashamed to call you my former traveling companion." 

Shang loudly clears her throat. "We get it, we get it. Now let's sign this pact before my diplomacy wears thin and I grant your Watchblade's wishes."

"Well, at least we have Rowan captured and the pact seems to be as good as done."

Meepo then sits on the ground to take a breather as he asks the Watchblade.

"There is still one loose end Meepo wants to know about Rowan. Do you know why an imp, a rude one to be exact, named Pipyap wants you dead?

From what Meepo knows, imps can turn invisble and that seems handy when you want to kill someone.

I don't know what Paladin Glendale will do to you once you get back to Sundabar but Meepo thinks that's much better than dying from a fiendish patron.

Your information will truly help the rest of us guarding you way back."

".......my thanks...." is all Karst can manage as Trelanna helps him to his feet, his back afire with pain after being wounded again.  As the scene unfolds he joins Meepo on the floor, barely able to stand up anymore after so much punishment, his eyes are clear though and alert as he listens to the proceedings, a strained smile as Rowan is healed and then a broader one as Meepo reminds him that he may be in danger from the imp despite being in Glendale's custody.

Flexing his fingers on his sword hand he finally has a chance to replay the battles they fought and the dangers they faced, working well as a team.  The dwarven cleric had been a good addition to the party but Karst did not know whether he would remain with them once this mission was complete but looking at Aradurk and Meepo he realised he had found a good couple of allies who complimented each other well and would hopefully be able to continue together in the future.  Having never had the bonds of friendship he had here growing up in the monastery of Hoar, Karst came to the conclusion that he valued them greatly.

Rowan only fumes silently, but Glendale responds to Meepo in his stead. "That would be Pipyap," she sighs, "Those were better days. Rowan bound and compelled the creature, something devils are never fond of."

Trelanna brings the crowd back to the task at hand, standing in the center of the clearing with Shang. An assistant brings an inkwell and quill to the center of the two representatives. "With this signature I declare Luruar's allegiance to the terms of the Devilsfall Pact. You are all witnesses to another step along the path of this budding truce," she says, taking the quill and ceremoniously signing the parchment with a flourish.

"Shang."

Roccar's baritone voice interrupts the statement and he walks briskly toward the center of the clearing. Shang meets his stare, locking eyes and glaring evenly at the barbarian man. "You want the child," she states, smirking between her wild tusks. Her hand lunges toward Trelanna, snatching the quill away, and she rapidly scribbles a signature across the bottom of the parchment.

"No!" Roccar's face turns red, shaking with rage. The human delegates gasp as Roccar's hand moves to the hilt of his greataxe. The orcs reach for their weapons, but the moment stops when Trelanna calmly places her hand on the barbarian's shoulder, turning the parchment to him.

His eyes dart back and forth, searching the pact. "This...says that you release your claim on Dazzar?" he asks Shang, startled, but the priestess has already begun walking away. "Your soldiers earned it, Roccar. Not you," is all that she offers.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

"Your performance matched and even exceeded our expectations," Glendale explains to the party in her audience chamber days later. "You have done the realm a great service, and though your actions were done in secret and may never become the grand tales of traveling bards, know in your hearts that tens of thousands of Luruar citizens will not have their lives stripped away or ruined by war. You will find in these pouches your payment of five hundred gold pieces. Tell me, what will you do now?"

OOC: Each character has received 2,000 XP for saving Trelanna and the Devilsfall Pact, and 400 XP for behavior throughout the adventure convincing Shang to agree to release her claim on the half-orc child. 500 gold pieces have been added to each character's inventory.

"First and foremost, this is the first time Meepo had gold coins heavier than what Meepo can carry on his person.

Meepo had enough of fighting orcs as you can see from the scar he got from almost getting completely cleaved by one in half. Good thing Murmen was there or Meepo wouldn't be standing right here.

Meepo will probably buy himself a wagon and another camel to help ease his travel to find a good place for his tribe to stay. Meepo will also need a good source of income along the way so Meepo have to make a custom-made wagon so he could create and store wines and spirits."

Karst hefts the gold and then puts it away safely. "The recognition of bards is not why I do this, the knowledge that those who broke the trust placed by others on them have fallen as a result of my actions is paramount. Hoar teaches this, the world is a better place without Gorcrom and will be without Rowan too." He fixes his gaze on Glendale "If you have further need of me, then say so. Otherwise I will depart, I will look to further accomplish my work in my god's name wherever I find the need for vengeance and in this world I seldom have to look far."  After a brief pause he continues "It does please me to know that the people of Luruar will be safer now than if we had not helped this pact be created, I am not without a heart although my task is a brutal one."

"My life is best when I have a purpose.", Aradurk state plainly.

He looks at Glendale and states, "I will gladly continue to fight at your side - it is just, and you seem to have a need for people you can trust. I am better off for having had the chance to fight and bleed beside some amazing folks. Meepo, Karst, and Murmen, you will each only need call me and I will be at your side. As for now, there is nothing wrong with the world that a bottle of my ale, some female companionship, and a good night's sleep would not cure."

Glendale can't help but smile at the sight of the kobold monk toting around the nearly kobold-sized pouch of coins. "Meepo, if you'd like, we could exchange those for their value in platinum?" she chuckles.

"You may be right, Karst. It pains me to see Rowan sink so low. He has always had a roguish tendency, but never has he placed his companions in danger before Devilsfall. He and Sal await their upcoming trial in the dungeons, alone. I do not currently have need of you, but since it looks like Aradurk and Meepo may also be around for a time, I would direct you all to Fumbles...after your ale, companionship and sleep, of course. He has been asking about you since our return. It seems you have gained his trust for an important task," she explains.

OOC: The adventure continues in The Lonely Tower...