Not sure if Dog and Tock have completely matched up now, and if so, Dog will go find out who the person was who got attacked by the ravens, where he came from, what he was doing, and really everything about him. There's some reason for it, and Dog would want to find out what it is.
Pretty close to synched up, just to make my life easier. ;)
Investigation: 18
Whomever the victim of the attack was, he is long gone now. Word is that it was a short, muscular human. He wore commoner's clothing and a scruffy, reddish-brown beard. One person mistook him for a dwarf, although all other witnesses say he was obviously human. One source says he reeked of animals, sweat, and charcoal. None of the witnesses recognized the man or knew his name. He fled alone into the city.
He methodically goes through all the list of noble names that begin with T to try to have some options to narrow down. He checks in with Spymaster Merro to see which families would have particular reason to dislike Duliani as an outsider. Surely there are people who would gain if she was gone and the initial plan for the succession proceeded, before Haddian.
Merro points out a number of nobles that would prefer a more stable succession plan. none of them have or use the initials WT.
Point of order question -- if Gentoa was not there, Harvell the brother would be the next in line?
Succession would got to Harvell, then his eldest daughter. Some of Harvell's children, including his eldest daughter, feel like Harvell should have fought for the crown. They have supposedly been placated by Haddian and Duliani.
(Sorry, I think all the mixup about how travel was going to happen made it unclear.)
Martin keeps shooting at the horse thieves, now screaming at the top of his lungs. (First roll is straight roll because of the bow?)
Attack: 24 Damage: 12
Attack: 27 Damage: 12
Attack: 28 Damage: 13
(That works.)
The next bandit takes two arrows as Martin systematically peppers arrows into the witless thugs. His third arrow brings down a scrawny young man sneering as he loads his crossbow.
The remaining two take what might well be their final shots at Martin.
Light crossbow Attack: 14 Damage: 7
Light crossbow Attack: 9 Damage: 7
The bolts find only air as Martin turns his own arrows on the highwaymen.
Martin stares down the little turds and keeps up his barrage
Attack: 28 Damage: 9
Attack: 21 Damage: 14
Attack: 21 Damage: 13
The 6th bandit takes two arrows to go down but Martin's final arrow leaves the battle field quiet. Searching the men, he finds 7 light crossbows, Unable to parse dice roll., Unable to parse dice roll.0 gold pieces. After getting back on the road, Martin makes it to another busy campsite.
CON(11) check: 9
Thought tired, taking it easy today has not left him any more exhausted than he already was. Still, he slumps into his bed and falls quickly to sleep.
Martin awakes early and does the math on his arrival today in the city. It is not yet dawn, but an early bedtime has left him energized enough to get going. He has 44 miles left to go. He typically gets about 42 miles in a day, so he may need to push himself just a bit harder to get there in time.
A hearty breakfast starts his day, then he breaks camp. He leaves just as the sky begins to lighten but before the sun rises. It is about 5:30 am. Nine and a half hours of travel time will get him there at 3, when the scheduled time for the funeral is. He is going to cut it extremely close!
Martin sets off driving Macy to keep the same pace they have been keeping. As he approaches the city, the road gets busier and busier. Many pilgrims are leaving the city, having paid their respects. Many more are still arriving, eager to see the new queen crowned. To keep his pace, Martin must ride through the grass to the north of the road. Closer and closer he gets and farther and farther from the road he must ride to keep his pace up.
He passes a brawl breaking out between two men. He passes a donkey wandering on its own, its owner nowhere in sight. He passes an overturned cart, stripped of every belonging.
As noon comes and goes, Martin still has not seen the city. About half past one, the first signs of the walls and towers of Alciondria come into sight. It is a welcome, gratifying sight. Macy gallops as hard as she can under Martin's careful guidance.
"Tired," she says again for the 80th time.
Martin reassures her they are almost there. As Marble Macy trots to one of the eastern gates of the capital, Martin can hear the bells begin to toll. They are ringing not to mark the time but to mark the passing of King Haddian. His funeral is beginning.
Martin leads Macy through the streets of Alciondria, hitching her at the first post with a trough that he can find. He then changes into an alley cat and darts through the city towards the palace. He first hears the funeral dirge played by the Royal Bards. Then he sees the crowds lining the street leading to the palace. He enters the palace from the east entrance, confirming his name and position with the guards, who don't recognize him, even having changed his form back to human.
Martin jogs through the halls of the palace, devoid of all movement save for the occasional servant pausing to pray silently while the bells ceaselessly toll. Martin passes through the west wing of the palace, bursting out into the garden and then dashing across into the and through the guest quarters. He leaves through a north exit onto Royal Street where crowds stand in eerie silence as two stately draft horses draw Haddian's coffin on a golden-trimmed wagon. This is the first time Martin has been close to the King in some months and he pauses at the sight of the box holding the man who gave him a new purpose.
He snaps out of his reverie as the carriage carrying Duliani and Gentoa passes behind the king's coffin. He converts again into a cat and races between the legs of the onlookers, gaining the lead over the coffin in a race to the royal cemetery. He arrives first and wends his way through the guests to find a section where Dog, Tock, and Gash sit, an empty seat between Gash and Tock. He jumps onto the empty chair and converts back into his human form just as the coffin-bearing wagon turns into the cemetery and everyone stands in respect of the fallen King.
CON(12): 22
(Martin has met his goal! The next post directed to him will be one that is directed to the entire party. We just need to get the rest of the group to the funeral....which should be very, very soon.)
Q'wai and Tick eat their lunch as they watch patrons come and go. The stairs leading up are of particular interest and several patrons come down for a meal and several others head up. None of them look especially like demons or even tieflings. Tick and Q'wai have no idea who their target is among all these faces. By Q'wai's count, 13 patrons are definitely staying at the inn that came down for a meal. He also notices that most of them carry a copper key of the same design, forged with the moon & candle symbol for the inn.
Tick is much less observant but he plays along. "I have no idea what I'm looking for," he says as he scoops another spoon of mashed potatoes into his mouth. "Maybe we just shout 'Demon!' and see how people react."
Q'wai watches the various guests of the inn come and go while Tick continues to fill his belly. The monk recalls the words of the curious creature he met ten days ago: for the next ten days, he resides at The Midnight Candle inn on Swan Street in Alciondria.
"Ten days," thinks Q'wai to himself. "That's a rather lengthy stay at an inn."
He looks at Tick and says, "Come with me. Play along."
Q'wai then approaches the innkeeper--or any other employee of the Midnight Candle--and explains that he's looking for someone who's been staying at the inn for several days. "Unfortunately, I do not remember the person's name, but I do have a matter of significance to discuss with him. I'm certain he arrived here many days ago."
Q'wai trusts his ambiguity won't trigger the innkeeper's suspicions, and he hopes Tick can add a bit of flavor and credibility to his story. (Deception: 10
Dog will, if he sees any ravens or other animals that serve as familiars or summons in his wanderings around the royal holdings, cast detect magic to see if there is anything hinky going on.
Has Harvell done anything odd? Has he tried to invite Nev to his estate? And Dog will try to find out what he can about Harvell’s eldest daughter. Who she is, what she does, who she spends time with, what is generally known about her, what is less known. He starts with Tock and his contacts on this and doesn’t range too widely.
Q'wai and Tick eat their lunch as they watch patrons come and go. The stairs leading up are of particular interest and several patrons come down for a meal and several others head up. None of them look especially like demons or even tieflings. Tick and Q'wai have no idea who their target is among all these faces. By Q'wai's count, 13 patrons are definitely staying at the inn that came down for a meal. He also notices that most of them carry a copper key of the same design, forged with the moon & candle symbol for the inn.
Tick is much less observant but he plays along. "I have no idea what I'm looking for," he says as he scoops another spoon of mashed potatoes into his mouth. "Maybe we just shout 'Demon!' and see how people react."
Q'wai watches the various guests of the inn come and go while Tick continues to fill his belly. The monk recalls the words of the curious creature he met ten days ago: for the next ten days, he resides at The Midnight Candle inn on Swan Street in Alciondria.
"Ten days," thinks Q'wai to himself. "That's a rather lengthy stay at an inn."
He looks at Tick and says, "Come with me. Play along."
Q'wai then approaches the innkeeper--or any other employee of the Midnight Candle--and explains that he's looking for someone who's been staying at the inn for several days. "Unfortunately, I do not remember the person's name, but I do have a matter of significance to discuss with him. I'm certain he arrived here many days ago."
Q'wai trusts his ambiguity won't trigger the innkeeper's suspicions, and he hopes Tick can add a bit of flavor and credibility to his story. (Deception: 10
"Yes, at least a ten-day. Perhaps more. He came to honor the king," Tick says, looking sidelong at Q'wai as he tries to keep up.
The innkeeper shrugs. "I can take a message to pass along. I'm not really in the habit of divulging anything about my patrons. Return customers are an important part of the business."
Dog will, if he sees any ravens or other animals that serve as familiars or summons in his wanderings around the royal holdings, cast detect magic to see if there is anything hinky going on.
Has Harvell done anything odd? Has he tried to invite Nev to his estate? And Dog will try to find out what he can about Harvell’s eldest daughter. Who she is, what she does, who she spends time with, what is generally known about her, what is less known. He starts with Tock and his contacts on this and doesn’t range too widely.
(Tock explains that the ravens were the response to Tock's divination.)
Harvell has not yet extended an invite nor dropped by again. His eldest daughter is Duxa Haveli. She is only 14 but already known to be a spirited and clever young woman. She is not especially political but some people have whispered her name as an alternative to Gentoa. It is generally viewed as a disrespectful thing to say during the ten-day following Haddian's death and some even say that Haveli is unlikely to be anything more than a mediocre ruler and certainly not guaranteed to be better than the young Gentoa.
After two days with no better leads, Dog walks over to check on Gentoa and Neventi. He finds Duliani there, sitting next to Neventi while Gentoa plays on the floor. Duliani smiles as Dog bows and waits respectfully for a signal to speak.
"I have few friends that are apolitical to me. I'm blessed to count Neventi as one of them," she says as the bard lays her head on the queen mother's shoulder in a surprisingly intimate gesture.
The pair have indeed become fast friends in the last 10 months. Dog can scarcely imagine what it must like to be Duliani right now. Before he can offer to excuse himself, the queen...regent, now, says, "I'm glad you stopped by. I understand you are experiencing some anxiety about the transition of power."
Neventi chuckles, lifting her head back up. "That may be an understatement," she says.
Dog opens his mouth to explain but the regent continues. "I would like to offer three things to you, Master Brakespine. The first is some reassurance. You are doing a wonderful job of maintaining the safety of Gentoa and Neventi. The second is an order. Trust in the others of the palace to do what they do best. Merro and Juiri in particular have very good evidence that the economy and the line of succession are well tended to for the transition."
The regent turns a steely eye to Doggear during an emphatic pause. "The third is a request. Per your recommendations, we put in an order for several rings of mind shielding to be crafted in advance of the coronation. The artificer we contacted, Burl Ferrousfoot, is a prominent member of the deep gnomes in the northeast of Alcion. The Ferrousfoots have done the most remarkable thing in crafting 10 such rings in only four days' time. And they are providing all of them to the the new queen as a gift! It is most generous. My request is that you accompany the princess and Neventi to accept these rings directly from the deep gnomes of the northeast and inspect them that they will suit the purpose you have identified. We have arranged a special teleportation spell to take you to Tahawa, where we have no teleportation circles established yet. The deep gnomes reside about 2 hours ride south of Tahawa. You will, of course, have a royal escort, as well as yourself and one member of your security team to go with you. You need only ride out to the home of the Ferrousfoots so that the princess may accept the gift. There may be a short tea service, and then you will return directly. How does that sound?"
Over the next two days, Tock does indeed receive several more celestial visitations. Axonia, the devafrom the fourth plane of the Heavens, devoted to knowledge, appears with a request very similar to the one made by Aeryx. A solar arrives that same afternoon from the first plane of the Heavens, devoted to music and poetry, to request a representative as well, this time noting that this representative will also be representing the princess' biological father Milil. The next day he receives a single request from another solar for two seats: one for the eighth plane and one for the ninth plane (the mind and magic, respectively).
By this point Tock has come to expect these heavenly visitations and has managed to accommodate them swiftly, with identical parameters, and to everyone's satisfaction.
On the evening of that day, he receives the visitation he was dreading. A being materializes before the kenku as he is making his way back to his apartment. The sun has long since gone down and the streets are now lit only by magical flames in the lamp posts. A woman appears in a flash. She is short and dark skinned, with equally dark eyes. She wears a revealing dress that would be more suitable during a summer heatwave than the middle of autumn. The light breeze does not seem to bother her, though. And the dress does little for the kenku.
"Emissary Tock," she says with a light tone and a bow. "I am Felistra, a devil from the first plane of the Hells. We may represent War but I come in peace," she says and raises a sultry eyebrow with a smirk. "The two often go hand-in-hand, after all. The gods Tempus and Waukeen humbly request a representative, myself actually, to attend the coronation ceremony of the aasimar princess Gentoa of Milil."
"Emissary Tock," she says with a light tone and a bow. "I am Felistra, a devil from the first plane of the Hells. We may represent War but I come in peace," she says and raises a sultry eyebrow with a smirk. "The two often go hand-in-hand, after all. The gods Tempus and Waukeen humbly request a representative, myself actually, to attend the coronation ceremony of the aasimar princess Gentoa of Milil."
(OH BOY!)
(but in order of things.. )
(On the topic of Lord Kemball having a meeting the next day with Duxa whose father is clueless.. I may be reaching here as a player and as a character, but would it make sense for Tock to make the connection to Duxa Haveli based on this? If so, he would ask Spymaster Merro about this connection. If plausible, he would try to figure out where they would have lunch and then drop in a clairvoyance ball at some point... long shot though.)
(On the topic of Felistra)
Tocksighs, "Hi. You won't mind if we take this someplace more private, do you? There's a small park nearby, walk with me if you will. Or appear there in two minutes, your choice."
He goes and finds a bench in the park and makes sure nobody is nearby. Once Felistra is there he will ask, "I am glad that you came to ask, I appreciate this very much. As a show of good faith I am going to consider this, but I need to ask a few questions first. And I need you to answer truthfully. I will cast a spell that will let me know this, I'm sure you know of such things. I'm also asking you to allow me to proceed with this."
He will cast Zone of Truth centered on her and ask, "Who else from the Hells is going to be there, either publicly or hidden?".. and so on. His goal is to gather information and he will try his very best to ask his questions without any bias. He will finish with this, "What can you do to help this event go as smoothly and peacefully as possible?"
In the end (ooc: assuming nothing too weird comes up in the answers) he will thank Felistra and grant her request as a seat as far away as possible from the representatives of Heavens.
"Emissary Tock," she says with a light tone and a bow. "I am Felistra, a devil from the first plane of the Hells. We may represent War but I come in peace," she says and raises a sultry eyebrow with a smirk. "The two often go hand-in-hand, after all. The gods Tempus and Waukeen humbly request a representative, myself actually, to attend the coronation ceremony of the aasimar princess Gentoa of Milil."
(On the topic of Lord Kemball having a meeting the next day with Duxa whose father is clueless.. I may be reaching here as a player and as a character, but would it make sense for Tock to make the connection to Duxa Haveli based on this? If so, he would ask Spymaster Merro about this connection. If plausible, he would try to figure out where they would have lunch and then drop in a clairvoyance ball at some point... long shot though.)
Yes, Tock could have made that leap. Merro even acknowledges that some nobles have been courting her to form a political union, which likely includes Kemball. Merro is tracking the Lord quite closely, it seems.
However, neither he nor Tock can determine where Kemball's meeting is except that it is outside of the city someplace.
"Emissary Tock," she says with a light tone and a bow. "I am Felistra, a devil from the first plane of the Hells. We may represent War but I come in peace," she says and raises a sultry eyebrow with a smirk. "The two often go hand-in-hand, after all. The gods Tempus and Waukeen humbly request a representative, myself actually, to attend the coronation ceremony of the aasimar princess Gentoa of Milil."
Tocksighs, "Hi. You won't mind if we take this someplace more private, do you? There's a small park nearby, walk with me if you will. Or appear there in two minutes, your choice."
He goes and finds a bench in the park and makes sure nobody is nearby. Once Felistra is there he will ask, "I am glad that you came to ask, I appreciate this very much. As a show of good faith I am going to consider this, but I need to ask a few questions first. And I need you to answer truthfully. I will cast a spell that will let me know this, I'm sure you know of such things. I'm also asking you to allow me to proceed with this."
He will cast Zone of Truth centered on her and ask, "Who else from the Hells is going to be there, either publicly or hidden?".. and so on. His goal is to gather information and he will try his very best to ask his questions without any bias. He will finish with this, "What can you do to help this event go as smoothly and peacefully as possible?"
In the end (ooc: assuming nothing too weird comes up in the answers) he will thank Felistra and grant her request as a seat as far away as possible from the representatives of Heavens.
CHA(16) save: 16
Felistrafeels the spell pulse off of her and she smiles sympathetically. "I shall answer honestly, though I understand if you remain skeptical," she says as she takes a seat on the bench next to Tock. "I believe I am the first of the Hells to approach you, though not the first of the other planes. Expect more, possibly all of the planes. But I am here only to represent the first plane of the Hells. There is much....contention in the Hells right now. My appearance here forces the hand of many others."
The devil smiles, not a wicked smile but one savoring a thought. "I expect some to arrive with their tail metaphorically between their legs and horns in hand. So to speak."She leans in a little conspiratorially. "Savor that moment as I would."
She sits back up again and idly smooths a stray wrinkle in her dress. "The main reason you can trust me, and any other demon or devil who comes to plead for a seat at the party, is that the Accords will keep them all in line. Those Accords are binding on a celestial and infernal level. Nobody wants to break them. In fact, most wished to be done with the child. But bigger things are in motion now. The child is at the center of it but she is no longer the prize."
The devil displays herself with her hands in a motion of invitation to examine her. "But here I am. And as a result others will follow. No plane can have an upper hand in what is to come. Nothing would delight me more than if you turned away everyone else who came to you."
She smiles and winks at Tock. Then she sighs. "I did say I would answer honestly. And I will add to that 'completely' and 'thoroughly'. The young princess will benefit from having a court filled with all of the planes, so heeding my wishes is not in her best interest, even if it is in mine."
To Tock's final question, she gives a toothy grin. "I wish no trouble. Like any others in the court of a queen, I am here in the hopes of one day being heard, of shaping things to come. Angels and devils will make very entertaining courtiers, I promise you that."
She stands and offers another little bow. "Thank you for your time, Emissary Tock. Can I be assured the first plane of the Hells will have a seat at the coronation?"
She stands and offers another little bow. "Thank you for your time, Emissary Tock. Can I be assured the first plane of the Hells will have a seat at the coronation?"
(even though she saved, Tock has a pretty good Insight.. it seems like he has no doubt she was being truthful?)
Tockis thoughtful for a moment. "I was put in place to decide on these things. And I will. But I need to consult with others first - especially if the others will follow as you said. Thank you for your honesty. I am looking forward to more discussions in the future. I will let you know my decision tomorrow at the same time and place."
And he turns around to head back to the Palace, to look for Dogand a be in company of other people to hopefully deter any demon or devil representative from showing up. He'll sleep in the barracks if need be, but he'd like to not be alone for the night.
The next day he will speak with the Council, including Dog, Hurimi the event planner and if the others agree then also Duliani.
The innkeeper shrugs. "I can take a message to pass along. I'm not really in the habit of divulging anything about my patrons. Return customers are an important part of the business."
Q'wai nods. "I understand. That is how it should be. I'll pen a message and have you pass it on to him then."
The monk takes the necessary steps with the innkeeper to procure a room at the Midnight Candle and says, "One of us will return shortly with the message. Thank you."
After he and Tock have entered the room, Q'wai opens his calligraphy set and removes a piece of paper, a pen, and a bottle of ink. He writes, "Greetings, Kraag'ul. At last I have found you. Let's talk."
The monk then signs his name and folds and seals the note. Looking at Tick, he says, "Now for the sneaky part, which means I need your assistance.Two things I ask of you, Tick. One: deliver this message to the innkeeper. Two: grant me invisibility before you do so."
While invisible, Q'wai hopes to follow the message he's written as it is transferred from the innkeeper to its rightful recipient.
After two days with no better leads, Dog walks over to check on Gentoa and Neventi. He finds Duliani there, sitting next to Neventi while Gentoa plays on the floor. Duliani smiles as Dog bows and waits respectfully for a signal to speak.
"I have few friends that are apolitical to me. I'm blessed to count Neventi as one of them," she says as the bard lays her head on the queen mother's shoulder in a surprisingly intimate gesture.
The pair have indeed become fast friends in the last 10 months. Dog can scarcely imagine what it must like to be Duliani right now. Before he can offer to excuse himself, the queen...regent, now, says, "I'm glad you stopped by. I understand you are experiencing some anxiety about the transition of power."
Neventi chuckles, lifting her head back up. "That may be an understatement," she says.
Dog opens his mouth to explain but the regent continues. "I would like to offer three things to you, Master Brakespine. The first is some reassurance. You are doing a wonderful job of maintaining the safety of Gentoa and Neventi. The second is an order. Trust in the others of the palace to do what they do best. Merro and Juiri in particular have very good evidence that the economy and the line of succession are well tended to for the transition."
The regent turns a steely eye to Doggear during an emphatic pause. "The third is a request. Per your recommendations, we put in an order for several rings of mind shielding to be crafted in advance of the coronation. The artificer we contacted, Burl Ferrousfoot, is a prominent member of the deep gnomes in the northeast of Alcion. The Ferrousfoots have done the most remarkable thing in crafting 10 such rings in only four days' time. And they are providing all of them to the the new queen as a gift! It is most generous. My request is that you accompany the princess and Neventi to accept these rings directly from the deep gnomes of the northeast and inspect them that they will suit the purpose you have identified. We have arranged a special teleportation spell to take you to Tahawa, where we have no teleportation circles established yet. The deep gnomes reside about 2 hours ride south of Tahawa. You will, of course, have a royal escort, as well as yourself and one member of your security team to go with you. You need only ride out to the home of the Ferrousfoots so that the princess may accept the gift. There may be a short tea service, and then you will return directly. How does that sound?"
Dog allows a half-grin. "I suppose I must seem anxious, your highness. My job is to protect this one. Been a lot happening. I trust you know about the... note. The others of the palace you mention have, as you say, been helpful and trustworthy. I will... try to do better. As for the trip? I'd be happy to. Who will be the escort? And how do you wish us to return in time? I have a friend with a hat that might help, though I haven't seen him for a while."
(If there was another plan than to use the helm, Dog would like to hear it, but if the helm's the plan, Dog's happy to be able to see Gash again.)
He turns to Genny. "Do you want to go visit the deep gnomes?"He uses mold earth to make the image of some deep gnomes, living in a majestic city, appear on the stone ground or wall near them [shapes, colors, or both to appear on the dirt or stone, spelling out words, creating images, or shaping patterns].
(I'm assuming Dog's heard of Tahawa? How deep underground is it?)
Ronis is still distracted by last night's dream, but offers the man an awkward smile. "Ah, yes that would be my name. Nice to meet you. Quite the friendly fellow to sit down with a stranger based on nothing but a dream. You'll forgive me if I'm a bit of a poor conversationalist, I'm not one for mornings."
She stands and offers another little bow. "Thank you for your time, Emissary Tock. Can I be assured the first plane of the Hells will have a seat at the coronation?"
(even though she saved, Tock has a pretty good Insight.. it seems like he has no doubt she was being truthful?)
Tockis thoughtful for a moment. "I was put in place to decide on these things. And I will. But I need to consult with others first - especially if the others will follow as you said. Thank you for your honesty. I am looking forward to more discussions in the future. I will let you know my decision tomorrow at the same time and place."
And he turns around to head back to the Palace, to look for Dogand a be in company of other people to hopefully deter any demon or devil representative from showing up. He'll sleep in the barracks if need be, but he'd like to not be alone for the night.
The next day he will speak with the Council, including Dog, Hurimi the event planner and if the others agree then also Duliani.
(Let's just say I'm not even making a deception roll. Tock believes her to be telling the truth, though not the whole story.)
Felistranods respectfully and disappears.
The next day, Tock discovers that Dog has left, taking Neventi and Gentoa on a diplomatic journey to the far side of Alcion. He is able to meet with the council late in the day, however, which includes Hurimi.
"We have carved out 18 seats at the wings of the event. It is a respectful but distant position in the audience," Hurimi says.
Merro is uneasy with the idea. "The Heavens and Hells are outside of my jurisdiction. They add unpredictability where we want nothing but stability."
"If the Heavens and the Hells are there in equal measure," says Silverbraid, "then wouldn't we have stability?"
"The Hells in particular caused a lot of problems in Alcion last year," says Polititus. "Or don't you remember the conflict that brought the princess to us?"
Archmage La speaks with a quiet authority well practiced over many years of leadership. "We will have most of the protectors, all of the best mages and clerics, and uncountable numbers of Queen's Guards with us. It will be safest place in the entire world."
"Not to mention the Celestial Accords prohibit the Hells from causing trouble," says Silverbraid.
"We do not entirely understand what the Accords prohibit," says Merro.
There is a long silence as the council members individually considers the situation. "As Polititus has said, if the Heavens and Hells wish to cause strife in Alcion, they will," says Regent Duliani. "Whether we allow them at the coronation or not, they will do as they please. Emissary Tock, as a follower of Tymora, you are the most connected to the gods of us. Would it not benefit the crown to have the favor of the Heavens? And also the Hells?"
The innkeeper shrugs. "I can take a message to pass along. I'm not really in the habit of divulging anything about my patrons. Return customers are an important part of the business."
Q'wai nods. "I understand. That is how it should be. I'll pen a message and have you pass it on to him then."
The monk takes the necessary steps with the innkeeper to procure a room at the Midnight Candle and says, "One of us will return shortly with the message. Thank you."
After he and Tock have entered the room, Q'wai opens his calligraphy set and removes a piece of paper, a pen, and a bottle of ink. He writes, "Greetings, Kraag'ul. At last I have found you. Let's talk."
The monk then signs his name and folds and seals the note. Looking at Tick, he says, "Now for the sneaky part, which means I need your assistance.Two things I ask of you, Tick. One: deliver this message to the innkeeper. Two: grant me invisibility before you do so."
While invisible, Q'wai hopes to follow the message he's written as it is transferred from the innkeeper to its rightful recipient.
Tick casts invisibility on Q'wai as instructed and then immediately delivers the note to the innkeeper. "Please make sure he gets it promptly. Thank you."
The innkeeper does not immediately deliver the note, taking care of things in the kitchen and dining room first. After 45 minutes, he heads up to the rooms, carrying the note.
The room is several doors down and across the hall from the room that Tick and Q'wai have rented.
After two days with no better leads, Dog walks over to check on Gentoa and Neventi. He finds Duliani there, sitting next to Neventi while Gentoa plays on the floor. Duliani smiles as Dog bows and waits respectfully for a signal to speak.
"I have few friends that are apolitical to me. I'm blessed to count Neventi as one of them," she says as the bard lays her head on the queen mother's shoulder in a surprisingly intimate gesture.
The pair have indeed become fast friends in the last 10 months. Dog can scarcely imagine what it must like to be Duliani right now. Before he can offer to excuse himself, the queen...regent, now, says, "I'm glad you stopped by. I understand you are experiencing some anxiety about the transition of power."
Neventi chuckles, lifting her head back up. "That may be an understatement," she says.
Dog opens his mouth to explain but the regent continues. "I would like to offer three things to you, Master Brakespine. The first is some reassurance. You are doing a wonderful job of maintaining the safety of Gentoa and Neventi. The second is an order. Trust in the others of the palace to do what they do best. Merro and Juiri in particular have very good evidence that the economy and the line of succession are well tended to for the transition."
The regent turns a steely eye to Doggear during an emphatic pause. "The third is a request. Per your recommendations, we put in an order for several rings of mind shielding to be crafted in advance of the coronation. The artificer we contacted, Burl Ferrousfoot, is a prominent member of the deep gnomes in the northeast of Alcion. The Ferrousfoots have done the most remarkable thing in crafting 10 such rings in only four days' time. And they are providing all of them to the the new queen as a gift! It is most generous. My request is that you accompany the princess and Neventi to accept these rings directly from the deep gnomes of the northeast and inspect them that they will suit the purpose you have identified. We have arranged a special teleportation spell to take you to Tahawa, where we have no teleportation circles established yet. The deep gnomes reside about 2 hours ride south of Tahawa. You will, of course, have a royal escort, as well as yourself and one member of your security team to go with you. You need only ride out to the home of the Ferrousfoots so that the princess may accept the gift. There may be a short tea service, and then you will return directly. How does that sound?"
Dog allows a half-grin. "I suppose I must seem anxious, your highness. My job is to protect this one. Been a lot happening. I trust you know about the... note. The others of the palace you mention have, as you say, been helpful and trustworthy. I will... try to do better. As for the trip? I'd be happy to. Who will be the escort? And how do you wish us to return in time? I have a friend with a hat that might help, though I haven't seen him for a while."
(If there was another plan than to use the helm, Dog would like to hear it, but if the helm's the plan, Dog's happy to be able to see Gash again.)
He turns to Genny. "Do you want to go visit the deep gnomes?"He uses mold earth to make the image of some deep gnomes, living in a majestic city, appear on the stone ground or wall near them [shapes, colors, or both to appear on the dirt or stone, spelling out words, creating images, or shaping patterns].
(I'm assuming Dog's heard of Tahawa? How deep underground is it?)
"Three King's...er...Queen's Guards will provide escort as well as my friend, the mage. Lady Kiari is one of my dearest and most trusted friends. She has developed quite a talent for magic. She will bring you to Tahawa and back. Lady Kiari will be ready to depart in the morning."
(Tahawa is an extremely distant lakeside above-ground town. The deep gnomes inhabit the nearby hills.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Pretty close to synched up, just to make my life easier. ;)
Investigation: 18
Whomever the victim of the attack was, he is long gone now. Word is that it was a short, muscular human. He wore commoner's clothing and a scruffy, reddish-brown beard. One person mistook him for a dwarf, although all other witnesses say he was obviously human. One source says he reeked of animals, sweat, and charcoal. None of the witnesses recognized the man or knew his name. He fled alone into the city.
Merro points out a number of nobles that would prefer a more stable succession plan. none of them have or use the initials WT.
Succession would got to Harvell, then his eldest daughter. Some of Harvell's children, including his eldest daughter, feel like Harvell should have fought for the crown. They have supposedly been placated by Haddian and Duliani.
(Sorry, I think all the mixup about how travel was going to happen made it unclear.)
Martin keeps shooting at the horse thieves, now screaming at the top of his lungs. (First roll is straight roll because of the bow?)
Attack: 28 Damage: 9
Attack: 17 Damage: 9
Attack: 22 Damage: 9
Paladin - warforged - orange
(That works.)
The next bandit takes two arrows as Martin systematically peppers arrows into the witless thugs. His third arrow brings down a scrawny young man sneering as he loads his crossbow.
The remaining two take what might well be their final shots at Martin.
Light crossbow Attack: 14 Damage: 7
Light crossbow Attack: 9 Damage: 7
The bolts find only air as Martin turns his own arrows on the highwaymen.
(Martin is up!)
Martin stares down the little turds and keeps up his barrage
Attack: 21 Damage: 7
Attack: 28 Damage: 7
Attack: 21 Damage: 13
Paladin - warforged - orange
The 6th bandit takes two arrows to go down but Martin's final arrow leaves the battle field quiet. Searching the men, he finds 7 light crossbows, Unable to parse dice roll., Unable to parse dice roll.0 gold pieces. After getting back on the road, Martin makes it to another busy campsite.
CON(11) check: 9
Thought tired, taking it easy today has not left him any more exhausted than he already was. Still, he slumps into his bed and falls quickly to sleep.
Martin awakes early and does the math on his arrival today in the city. It is not yet dawn, but an early bedtime has left him energized enough to get going. He has 44 miles left to go. He typically gets about 42 miles in a day, so he may need to push himself just a bit harder to get there in time.
A hearty breakfast starts his day, then he breaks camp. He leaves just as the sky begins to lighten but before the sun rises. It is about 5:30 am. Nine and a half hours of travel time will get him there at 3, when the scheduled time for the funeral is. He is going to cut it extremely close!
Martin sets off driving Macy to keep the same pace they have been keeping. As he approaches the city, the road gets busier and busier. Many pilgrims are leaving the city, having paid their respects. Many more are still arriving, eager to see the new queen crowned. To keep his pace, Martin must ride through the grass to the north of the road. Closer and closer he gets and farther and farther from the road he must ride to keep his pace up.
He passes a brawl breaking out between two men. He passes a donkey wandering on its own, its owner nowhere in sight. He passes an overturned cart, stripped of every belonging.
As noon comes and goes, Martin still has not seen the city. About half past one, the first signs of the walls and towers of Alciondria come into sight. It is a welcome, gratifying sight. Macy gallops as hard as she can under Martin's careful guidance.
"Tired," she says again for the 80th time.
Martin reassures her they are almost there. As Marble Macy trots to one of the eastern gates of the capital, Martin can hear the bells begin to toll. They are ringing not to mark the time but to mark the passing of King Haddian. His funeral is beginning.
Martin leads Macy through the streets of Alciondria, hitching her at the first post with a trough that he can find. He then changes into an alley cat and darts through the city towards the palace. He first hears the funeral dirge played by the Royal Bards. Then he sees the crowds lining the street leading to the palace. He enters the palace from the east entrance, confirming his name and position with the guards, who don't recognize him, even having changed his form back to human.
Martin jogs through the halls of the palace, devoid of all movement save for the occasional servant pausing to pray silently while the bells ceaselessly toll. Martin passes through the west wing of the palace, bursting out into the garden and then dashing across into the and through the guest quarters. He leaves through a north exit onto Royal Street where crowds stand in eerie silence as two stately draft horses draw Haddian's coffin on a golden-trimmed wagon. This is the first time Martin has been close to the King in some months and he pauses at the sight of the box holding the man who gave him a new purpose.
He snaps out of his reverie as the carriage carrying Duliani and Gentoa passes behind the king's coffin. He converts again into a cat and races between the legs of the onlookers, gaining the lead over the coffin in a race to the royal cemetery. He arrives first and wends his way through the guests to find a section where Dog, Tock, and Gash sit, an empty seat between Gash and Tock. He jumps onto the empty chair and converts back into his human form just as the coffin-bearing wagon turns into the cemetery and everyone stands in respect of the fallen King.
CON(12): 22
(Martin has met his goal! The next post directed to him will be one that is directed to the entire party. We just need to get the rest of the group to the funeral....which should be very, very soon.)
Q'wai watches the various guests of the inn come and go while Tick continues to fill his belly. The monk recalls the words of the curious creature he met ten days ago: for the next ten days, he resides at The Midnight Candle inn on Swan Street in Alciondria.
"Ten days," thinks Q'wai to himself. "That's a rather lengthy stay at an inn."
He looks at Tick and says, "Come with me. Play along."
Q'wai then approaches the innkeeper--or any other employee of the Midnight Candle--and explains that he's looking for someone who's been staying at the inn for several days. "Unfortunately, I do not remember the person's name, but I do have a matter of significance to discuss with him. I'm certain he arrived here many days ago."
Q'wai trusts his ambiguity won't trigger the innkeeper's suspicions, and he hopes Tick can add a bit of flavor and credibility to his story. (Deception: 10
Dog will, if he sees any ravens or other animals that serve as familiars or summons in his wanderings around the royal holdings, cast detect magic to see if there is anything hinky going on.
Has Harvell done anything odd? Has he tried to invite Nev to his estate? And Dog will try to find out what he can about Harvell’s eldest daughter. Who she is, what she does, who she spends time with, what is generally known about her, what is less known. He starts with Tock and his contacts on this and doesn’t range too widely.
"Yes, at least a ten-day. Perhaps more. He came to honor the king," Tick says, looking sidelong at Q'wai as he tries to keep up.
The innkeeper shrugs. "I can take a message to pass along. I'm not really in the habit of divulging anything about my patrons. Return customers are an important part of the business."
(Tock explains that the ravens were the response to Tock's divination.)
Harvell has not yet extended an invite nor dropped by again. His eldest daughter is Duxa Haveli. She is only 14 but already known to be a spirited and clever young woman. She is not especially political but some people have whispered her name as an alternative to Gentoa. It is generally viewed as a disrespectful thing to say during the ten-day following Haddian's death and some even say that Haveli is unlikely to be anything more than a mediocre ruler and certainly not guaranteed to be better than the young Gentoa.
After two days with no better leads, Dog walks over to check on Gentoa and Neventi. He finds Duliani there, sitting next to Neventi while Gentoa plays on the floor. Duliani smiles as Dog bows and waits respectfully for a signal to speak.
"I have few friends that are apolitical to me. I'm blessed to count Neventi as one of them," she says as the bard lays her head on the queen mother's shoulder in a surprisingly intimate gesture.
The pair have indeed become fast friends in the last 10 months. Dog can scarcely imagine what it must like to be Duliani right now. Before he can offer to excuse himself, the queen...regent, now, says, "I'm glad you stopped by. I understand you are experiencing some anxiety about the transition of power."
Neventi chuckles, lifting her head back up. "That may be an understatement," she says.
Dog opens his mouth to explain but the regent continues. "I would like to offer three things to you, Master Brakespine. The first is some reassurance. You are doing a wonderful job of maintaining the safety of Gentoa and Neventi. The second is an order. Trust in the others of the palace to do what they do best. Merro and Juiri in particular have very good evidence that the economy and the line of succession are well tended to for the transition."
The regent turns a steely eye to Doggear during an emphatic pause. "The third is a request. Per your recommendations, we put in an order for several rings of mind shielding to be crafted in advance of the coronation. The artificer we contacted, Burl Ferrousfoot, is a prominent member of the deep gnomes in the northeast of Alcion. The Ferrousfoots have done the most remarkable thing in crafting 10 such rings in only four days' time. And they are providing all of them to the the new queen as a gift! It is most generous. My request is that you accompany the princess and Neventi to accept these rings directly from the deep gnomes of the northeast and inspect them that they will suit the purpose you have identified. We have arranged a special teleportation spell to take you to Tahawa, where we have no teleportation circles established yet. The deep gnomes reside about 2 hours ride south of Tahawa. You will, of course, have a royal escort, as well as yourself and one member of your security team to go with you. You need only ride out to the home of the Ferrousfoots so that the princess may accept the gift. There may be a short tea service, and then you will return directly. How does that sound?"
Over the next two days, Tock does indeed receive several more celestial visitations. Axonia, the deva from the fourth plane of the Heavens, devoted to knowledge, appears with a request very similar to the one made by Aeryx. A solar arrives that same afternoon from the first plane of the Heavens, devoted to music and poetry, to request a representative as well, this time noting that this representative will also be representing the princess' biological father Milil. The next day he receives a single request from another solar for two seats: one for the eighth plane and one for the ninth plane (the mind and magic, respectively).
By this point Tock has come to expect these heavenly visitations and has managed to accommodate them swiftly, with identical parameters, and to everyone's satisfaction.
On the evening of that day, he receives the visitation he was dreading. A being materializes before the kenku as he is making his way back to his apartment. The sun has long since gone down and the streets are now lit only by magical flames in the lamp posts. A woman appears in a flash. She is short and dark skinned, with equally dark eyes. She wears a revealing dress that would be more suitable during a summer heatwave than the middle of autumn. The light breeze does not seem to bother her, though. And the dress does little for the kenku.
"Emissary Tock," she says with a light tone and a bow. "I am Felistra, a devil from the first plane of the Hells. We may represent War but I come in peace," she says and raises a sultry eyebrow with a smirk. "The two often go hand-in-hand, after all. The gods Tempus and Waukeen humbly request a representative, myself actually, to attend the coronation ceremony of the aasimar princess Gentoa of Milil."
(OH BOY!)
(but in order of things.. )
(On the topic of Lord Kemball having a meeting the next day with Duxa whose father is clueless.. I may be reaching here as a player and as a character, but would it make sense for Tock to make the connection to Duxa Haveli based on this? If so, he would ask Spymaster Merro about this connection. If plausible, he would try to figure out where they would have lunch and then drop in a clairvoyance ball at some point... long shot though.)
(On the topic of Felistra)
Tock sighs, "Hi. You won't mind if we take this someplace more private, do you? There's a small park nearby, walk with me if you will. Or appear there in two minutes, your choice."
He goes and finds a bench in the park and makes sure nobody is nearby. Once Felistra is there he will ask, "I am glad that you came to ask, I appreciate this very much. As a show of good faith I am going to consider this, but I need to ask a few questions first. And I need you to answer truthfully. I will cast a spell that will let me know this, I'm sure you know of such things. I'm also asking you to allow me to proceed with this."
He will cast Zone of Truth centered on her and ask, "Who else from the Hells is going to be there, either publicly or hidden?".. and so on. His goal is to gather information and he will try his very best to ask his questions without any bias. He will finish with this, "What can you do to help this event go as smoothly and peacefully as possible?"
In the end (ooc: assuming nothing too weird comes up in the answers) he will thank Felistra and grant her request as a seat as far away as possible from the representatives of Heavens.
Yes, Tock could have made that leap. Merro even acknowledges that some nobles have been courting her to form a political union, which likely includes Kemball. Merro is tracking the Lord quite closely, it seems.
However, neither he nor Tock can determine where Kemball's meeting is except that it is outside of the city someplace.
CHA(16) save: 16
Felistra feels the spell pulse off of her and she smiles sympathetically. "I shall answer honestly, though I understand if you remain skeptical," she says as she takes a seat on the bench next to Tock. "I believe I am the first of the Hells to approach you, though not the first of the other planes. Expect more, possibly all of the planes. But I am here only to represent the first plane of the Hells. There is much....contention in the Hells right now. My appearance here forces the hand of many others."
The devil smiles, not a wicked smile but one savoring a thought. "I expect some to arrive with their tail metaphorically between their legs and horns in hand. So to speak." She leans in a little conspiratorially. "Savor that moment as I would."
She sits back up again and idly smooths a stray wrinkle in her dress. "The main reason you can trust me, and any other demon or devil who comes to plead for a seat at the party, is that the Accords will keep them all in line. Those Accords are binding on a celestial and infernal level. Nobody wants to break them. In fact, most wished to be done with the child. But bigger things are in motion now. The child is at the center of it but she is no longer the prize."
The devil displays herself with her hands in a motion of invitation to examine her. "But here I am. And as a result others will follow. No plane can have an upper hand in what is to come. Nothing would delight me more than if you turned away everyone else who came to you."
She smiles and winks at Tock. Then she sighs. "I did say I would answer honestly. And I will add to that 'completely' and 'thoroughly'. The young princess will benefit from having a court filled with all of the planes, so heeding my wishes is not in her best interest, even if it is in mine."
To Tock's final question, she gives a toothy grin. "I wish no trouble. Like any others in the court of a queen, I am here in the hopes of one day being heard, of shaping things to come. Angels and devils will make very entertaining courtiers, I promise you that."
She stands and offers another little bow. "Thank you for your time, Emissary Tock. Can I be assured the first plane of the Hells will have a seat at the coronation?"
(even though she saved, Tock has a pretty good Insight.. it seems like he has no doubt she was being truthful?)
Tock is thoughtful for a moment. "I was put in place to decide on these things. And I will. But I need to consult with others first - especially if the others will follow as you said. Thank you for your honesty. I am looking forward to more discussions in the future. I will let you know my decision tomorrow at the same time and place."
And he turns around to head back to the Palace, to look for Dog and a be in company of other people to hopefully deter any demon or devil representative from showing up. He'll sleep in the barracks if need be, but he'd like to not be alone for the night.
The next day he will speak with the Council, including Dog, Hurimi the event planner and if the others agree then also Duliani.
Q'wai nods. "I understand. That is how it should be. I'll pen a message and have you pass it on to him then."
The monk takes the necessary steps with the innkeeper to procure a room at the Midnight Candle and says, "One of us will return shortly with the message. Thank you."
After he and Tock have entered the room, Q'wai opens his calligraphy set and removes a piece of paper, a pen, and a bottle of ink. He writes, "Greetings, Kraag'ul. At last I have found you. Let's talk."
The monk then signs his name and folds and seals the note. Looking at Tick, he says, "Now for the sneaky part, which means I need your assistance.Two things I ask of you, Tick. One: deliver this message to the innkeeper. Two: grant me invisibility before you do so."
While invisible, Q'wai hopes to follow the message he's written as it is transferred from the innkeeper to its rightful recipient.
Dog allows a half-grin. "I suppose I must seem anxious, your highness. My job is to protect this one. Been a lot happening. I trust you know about the... note. The others of the palace you mention have, as you say, been helpful and trustworthy. I will... try to do better. As for the trip? I'd be happy to. Who will be the escort? And how do you wish us to return in time? I have a friend with a hat that might help, though I haven't seen him for a while."
(If there was another plan than to use the helm, Dog would like to hear it, but if the helm's the plan, Dog's happy to be able to see Gash again.)
He turns to Genny. "Do you want to go visit the deep gnomes?" He uses mold earth to make the image of some deep gnomes, living in a majestic city, appear on the stone ground or wall near them [shapes, colors, or both to appear on the dirt or stone, spelling out words, creating images, or shaping patterns].
(I'm assuming Dog's heard of Tahawa? How deep underground is it?)
Ronis is still distracted by last night's dream, but offers the man an awkward smile. "Ah, yes that would be my name. Nice to meet you. Quite the friendly fellow to sit down with a stranger based on nothing but a dream. You'll forgive me if I'm a bit of a poor conversationalist, I'm not one for mornings."
(Let's just say I'm not even making a deception roll. Tock believes her to be telling the truth, though not the whole story.)
Felistra nods respectfully and disappears.
The next day, Tock discovers that Dog has left, taking Neventi and Gentoa on a diplomatic journey to the far side of Alcion. He is able to meet with the council late in the day, however, which includes Hurimi.
"We have carved out 18 seats at the wings of the event. It is a respectful but distant position in the audience," Hurimi says.
Merro is uneasy with the idea. "The Heavens and Hells are outside of my jurisdiction. They add unpredictability where we want nothing but stability."
"If the Heavens and the Hells are there in equal measure," says Silverbraid, "then wouldn't we have stability?"
"The Hells in particular caused a lot of problems in Alcion last year," says Polititus. "Or don't you remember the conflict that brought the princess to us?"
Archmage La speaks with a quiet authority well practiced over many years of leadership. "We will have most of the protectors, all of the best mages and clerics, and uncountable numbers of Queen's Guards with us. It will be safest place in the entire world."
"Not to mention the Celestial Accords prohibit the Hells from causing trouble," says Silverbraid.
"We do not entirely understand what the Accords prohibit," says Merro.
There is a long silence as the council members individually considers the situation. "As Polititus has said, if the Heavens and Hells wish to cause strife in Alcion, they will," says Regent Duliani. "Whether we allow them at the coronation or not, they will do as they please. Emissary Tock, as a follower of Tymora, you are the most connected to the gods of us. Would it not benefit the crown to have the favor of the Heavens? And also the Hells?"
Tick casts invisibility on Q'wai as instructed and then immediately delivers the note to the innkeeper. "Please make sure he gets it promptly. Thank you."
The innkeeper does not immediately deliver the note, taking care of things in the kitchen and dining room first. After 45 minutes, he heads up to the rooms, carrying the note.
The room is several doors down and across the hall from the room that Tick and Q'wai have rented.
"Three King's...er...Queen's Guards will provide escort as well as my friend, the mage. Lady Kiari is one of my dearest and most trusted friends. She has developed quite a talent for magic. She will bring you to Tahawa and back. Lady Kiari will be ready to depart in the morning."
(Tahawa is an extremely distant lakeside above-ground town. The deep gnomes inhabit the nearby hills.)