Amongst the Flames — IC

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 6:36 pm

Before the man can react, Shira'stasa's hand manages to grab the hempen rope and tie him up, binding his arms and legs and rendering him defenceless. Now in his bindings, he is unable to remain in his crouched position and he falls to the floor. You hear grunts of resistance as the man struggles to no avail. "What is the meaning of this? Who are you?" He says, now unable to turn to see the party.

Post by **Fialova** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:17 pm

"Uh, who are you?" Cleo shouts, emboldened by the man's helplessness. "Our friends were just minding their own business while we explored, and then when we get back you're hunched over their lifeless bodies? Perhaps you'd like to join them? I just crushed a statue with these fists, I am sure your bones would be nothing." Despite the strong words, however, she is still a bit nervous of the fact that the man could very well have killed all of those people singlehandedly.

[SHOW]: Intimidate: 10

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:19 pm

"A statue?" The man asks, ignoring Cleo's first question. "You were in the temple then. I didn't kill your friends. What happened it there?" He says as he wriggles some more trying to turn to look in the direction of Cleo's voice.

Post by **Fialova** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:25 pm

"Wouldn't you like to know," Cleo scoffs, annoyed he didn't take her threat seriously. "Who are you and what do you want with us? And how do you expect me to believe you didn't kill them? We weren't in there long and you're the only one here."

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:28 pm

"My name is Kanan," the man says with an air of impatience to his voice. "Is anyone missing from who should have been up here? I need you to tell me what happened down there?" He asks, clearly more concerned with answers for his own questions than providing any for Cleo's.

Post by **Fialova** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:36 pm

"Nothing happened down there, we went inside to check out the temple but apart from some ancient bodies there was nothing to be found." Cleo doesn't like the man's tone, and is not about to tell him anything that could potentially put the group at risk. Clearly he knows something about this place if he suspects something happened to us.

[SHOW]: Bluff, to lie: 21

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:40 pm

"Hmmm, well that's not good," the man says, seemingly having bought Cleo's lie. "Someone must have gotten in and out before you got here. Bandits may have gotten your friends.... There wasn't a large gemstone?" He says, his last question sounding hopeful.

Post by **ratwizard** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:44 pm

"A gemstone?" The man's question piques the Tenant's interests. "Why?" she asks, vaguely, hoping for him to give up more information about the strange encounter with the entity earlier.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:47 pm

"If it's gone then I need to leave immediately, action needs to be taken," he says, finally getting into a position sitting up and facing the party. "And so should you," he adds starting to sound worried.

Post by **Fialova** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:05 pm

"What's the big deal about a few jewel thieves?" Cleo asks, continuing the charade. "People rob temples all the time, what makes this one so special?"

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:10 pm

"You wouldn't understand Tenant," the man says noticing Cleo's robes. "This place has long been erased from the history books in your libraries."

Post by **Fialova** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:24 pm

Cleo's face twists into a look of disgust at the man's words. "I am a Tenant, you said it yourself! There's nothing I wouldn't understand, you just don't want to tell me." She walks over to the man, her face now red with anger, and grabs him by the shirt, holding him tight with a balled fist near his head. "But you will tell me, even if I have to beat it out of you."

[SHOW]: Intimidate v2: 7

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:30 pm

"Well at least with my hands and legs bound it'll be a fair fight," the man says laughing off Cleo's threat. "I have a small place where we can talk. a mile or so from here, untie me and I will take you there," he says appearing more cooperative and his intentions seemingly honest.

Post by **PureZaros** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:02 pm

Relaxing slightly as Shira'stasa incapacitates the man, Eoli is somewhat relieved to find that he didn't attempt to immolate someone who is seemingly innocent. He is still quite upset at the deaths of the slaves, however. I will put no faith in this man unless he is proven innocent.

Moving forward, Eoli gently pulls Cleo away from the man. "We could untie you, yes. However, you are the only person I can see around here and there are people dead that I really didn't want dead. We know next to nothing about who you are, and we know even less about your intentions." Making a small motion, Eoli summons forth his wisp, which forms a relatively comfortable looking pouch of sand around itself with another gesture. "I am not willing to untie you, but we can carry you to this meeting place on this. Only after hearing your story will I feel comfortable releasing you."

[SHOW]: Call Spirit Companion

Speak With Spirits for a +4 boost to my next skill check.

Diplomacy check for something or other if it's needed:3 + 4 = 7

Insight check to sense shenanigans: 19

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:08 pm

"What and slip through the sand and onto the ground every five steps? I'm good," the man says, looking distastefully at Eoli's wisp. "Check the bodies, I didn't kill your men. My spear is here on the ground, there's no blood on it, and from the looks of it they weren't killed by a spear. That's what I was doing, examining the bodies. In fact they look like they were attacked by someone who was unarmed and had some magical capabilities."

Post by **PureZaros** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:16 pm

"Magical capabi... ?"

Eoli cuts himself off before saying anything more and bends to examine the bodies. The wisp slowly bobs next to the man, forming faces in the sand that mimic his expressions.

[SHOW]: Perception to examine the wounds: 27
Arcana to examine the bodies for residual magic: 26

Do the woudns look anything like what we got in the temple?

Post by **Fialova** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:19 pm

"Hey!" Cleo shouts as she is pulled aside, scowling at Eoli before bending to sit in the sand. She has nothing more to say to their captive, and instead merely sits and stares angrily at him from afar. Every so often, when his head is turned, she sticks her tongue out at him.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:19 pm

Kanan seems to sit patiently while Eoli checks the bodies, waiting for a response.

[SHOW]: From what you can tell Kanan is telling the truth. The bodies look like they were attacked by an unarmed assailant, all are beaten and one has a snapped neck. Some of the wounds appear to be somewhat similar to the wounds the party sustained fighting Vor-kaleth. You detect the same magic as you sensed within the temple.

Post by **PureZaros** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:27 pm

Standing up slowly, Eoli looks over at the roped man. "So, tell me. I was able to sense some kind of arcane power in the temple. I am sensing the same power on these," he says, motioning to the corpses. "Is that a bad thing?"

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:29 pm

"Yes... Very..." Kanan says, a look of deep thought on his face. "If that truly is the case then there is no time to lose."

Post by **ratwizard** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:34 pm

"You must understand that your vagueness is what is making us very hard to trust you," Shira'stasa reasons. "However, we're obviously not getting anywhere arguing here. The temple is hardly structurally sound and there is an objective danger of sticking near it," she says. "Let's see if you're telling the truth, Kanan. Which way?"

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:38 pm

"West." Kanan says, nodding towards the slowly setting sun. As he nods, his hood falls down revealing his face. He appears to be at least in his 50s, with greying hair and a wrinkled and scarred face. "Now can you please untie me?" He asks holding out his bound hands towards the group.

kalis5 · Post by **kalis5** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 8:55 pm

Geral looks at the bodies and shakes his head, listening to the man.
"I do have to ask one thing before we untie you... A number of the pictures inside were defaced, scratched off. I'd like to know why. They depict the gods we know today, and an unknown being... Is that what you are afraid of? Perhaps the bandits defaced it?"

Post by **Namelessjake** » Sun Nov 16, 2014 10:59 am

"If bandits did kill your friends, which I doubt, then they would have had to go into the temple before you which would be impossible. They would have been defaced years ago, when we tried, and succeeded, in destroying all knowledge of these temples and the unknown being you're referring to," Kanan says to Geral. "So..." he says holding up his bindings once again.

kalis5 · Post by **kalis5** » Sun Nov 16, 2014 5:19 pm

Geral nods and walks over slowly, bending down and picking up the spear, examining it, his finger testing the tip of it for how sharp it is.
"I see, I see... So. You're a Golden Spear Mercenary, correct? You know, one of the same group that was here who knows how long ago defacing the murals and books inside? I let you go, you'll probably kill me and everyone here. I doubt you want us knowing that your group still exists, they're supposed to be just rumors after all."

He thumbs back to the temple, smiling.
"And don't go trying to put it off as an assumption. The bodies in there have the insignia and everything. And, for the record, just because you have a spear doesn't mean you crept up behind them and snapped their necks. I don't trust you just yet."

Post by **Namelessjake** » Sun Nov 16, 2014 7:56 pm

"We're not mercenaries anymore. We gave up that long ago," Kanan says, seeming to not really care if the group knows who he is anymore. "I'm not going to kill you. In fact I'm starting to feel like we're going to need each other. Your tenant friend was convincing but now the more you reveal the less I'm inclined to believe nothing happened in that temple. I might even go as far as to assume you did find the gemstone and accidentally released him."

Post by **Fialova** » Sun Nov 16, 2014 8:01 pm

Cleo turns and scowls at Geral for ruining her bluff, but continues to say nothing as she sits on the ground. He just has to open his mouth, can't ever just be quiet. 'Oh, look at me, I know everything and I have to always act like I'm in charge of everyone.' What a joke.

Post by **PureZaros** » Sun Nov 16, 2014 9:50 pm

"Him? Who is him, Kanan?" Eoli interjects, gazing questioningly at the man. "The only 'hims' we found in there, at least I assume they were hims, were all centuries old skeletons."

Post by **Namelessjake** » Sun Nov 16, 2014 10:20 pm

"He was known as Vor-kaleth. Can you at least untie my legs so we can be walking to mine? If he has escaped then I need to make haste," Kanan says, clearly starting to get annoyed at his predicament.

kalis5 · Post by **kalis5** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 8:05 am

Geral looks back at the group and shrugs, bending down and using his sword to cut the mans ropes.
"There were bodies, and we got into a small scrape in the library with a few bugs trying to eat us, nothing more. They probably came in after the bandits, what with all the corpses in there... I should mention, we did see the statues, one of them was left and I guess active. Tried to kill our friend Shira over there before Cleo reacted and punched the thing to death.
There were a number of bandit corpses below as well, most likely from when they released this... Vor-Kaleth. Never got the hang of those sorts of names. Not to mention we come up and find that the people we had helped in the desert are now dead, alongside a bandit we were taking in for a reward in the hopes he'd spill about the bandit camp locations to the authorities, so yes, we're a little suspicious of each other."
As he speaks, his words almost feel like they carry extra weight to them. To everyone around them, it feels like a small voice is whispering in their minds, agreeing with him as his sword reaches out to the others, making them feel like Geral speaks the truth, even if they know he does not.

[SHOW]: Jedi Mind Trick! (AKA Arcane Mumblings) Using Arcana in place of my Bluff check: 9(1d20) +12 = 21

Post by **Namelessjake** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 6:39 pm

Hmmm... Interesting," Kanan says as Geral frees him. Once he is released, he picks up his spear from the ground. "It's this way," he says, setting off, West into the desert. He was right about it no being far and after about a quarter of an hour, as the group crests a sand dune, a small hut comes into view. It is a simple building, made of sandstone with a red canvas held up over the roof, to allow the roof to be used as living space, protected from the heat of the sun.

Kanan appears to slide a key into the door before heading inside. He removes his cloak, hanging it on a hook on the wall, revealing his armour underneath. It appears to similar to the armour worn by the skeletons inside the temple, albeit with a few different pieces. It does however bear the same symbol. He grabs a backpack and starts rummaging through a couple of chests, packing things into the bag. "Now, I need to leave as soon as possible to meet with the others," he says still packing. "But I'll answer any questions you may have. Well the ones I have answers to at least... Actually, you're welcome to come with me if you'd like. You seem like capable people, and you may have useful information. Anyway, questions?"

Post by **Fialova** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 7:05 pm

"Where are you going? More interesting ruins? That sounds much better than escorting some stupid piece of paper to Thesus," Cleo says, already over her frustration with the man. He hasn't attacked us, he is probably trustworthy. More so than some of these other people, for sure.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 7:09 pm

"Well you've probably guessed I'm not the only remaining Golden Spear. We have a base of operations hidden away near Ariol. I plan to head down to the river, find a village and take a boat to the capital. Then it's just a case of finding a ship to Ariol," Kanan replies, continuing to pack. "Escorting a piece of paper? You people seem to lead an odd life..."

Post by **Fialova** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 7:33 pm

"Oh! The Capital! Yes, I definitely want to come then. I was actually already headed there. I am a scholar, you know. Of the gods, specifically. I was going to the temple of Sek-bas to learn more about her, but I got attacked and then forced to take some paper to Thesus by some shady merchant guy, and then we got attacked again, and then ambushed by animals and I am just kind of sick of the desert and being attacked so riding on a boat sounds wonderful!" Cleo ends her excited rambling with a big smile on her face, as she anxiously awaits the man to continue packing so they can leave. Oh, I can't wait to see the river again. Maybe I can catch some fish, mmm. Crescent Bluff, finally.

kalis5 · Post by **kalis5** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 7:59 pm

Geral raises an eyebrow at Cleo's sudden burst of energy, then shakes his head at her assumption. She really thinks being on a boat will be safer, ha.
"I'd be willing to accompany you for the right reasons. I'm part of the Malachite Blades, mercenaries. It would be good to get away from some of the bandits that have been hunting me for a time, perhaps find work in the capitol... Build more relations."

Post by **Namelessjake** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 8:21 pm

"Well like I said you're welcome to accompany me as far as you would like. It shouldn't be too hard to find a river boat big enough for us all," Kanan says. "Any more questions?" He asks.

Post by **PureZaros** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 8:29 pm

"I'm not comfortable in big cities, but in the interest of keeping these louts alive I'm not against it." Eoli says, shifting uncomfortably. "I do think that we should either finish delivering that scroll at some point, though. Sarab made it seem urgent."

Post by **Fialova** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 8:49 pm

"Thesus is on the way to the river anyway," Cleo says, her knowledge of Serran geography coming in useful for once. "It's certainly the nearest place we'd find a boat, especially a larger one, so why not just stop on the way? We can deliver the stupid paper and then get in a pretty boat and watch the fish and go to Crescent Bluff and see the temples and everything will be wonderful and no one will attack us."

Post by **Namelessjake** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 9:18 pm

"Well we could stay here tonight then and reach Thesus by midday tomorrow. There's not enough light left in the day to make it now," Kanan says, nodding along to Cleo.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 9:43 pm

Cameryn shrugs as the plans are being made. "Might as well go too if everyone else is. Besides, I've got no place to be." And the more I move around, the more my trail is lost if anyone was sent to find me. He smiles impishly at the thought of a bounty hunter getting lost in the desert trying to track him down.

Post by **PureZaros** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 9:43 pm

"Fine by me, then."

Eoli moves to a corner of the room and sits cross-legged. "Do we need to set a watch?"

Post by **Namelessjake** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 9:57 pm

"Then it's settled," Kanan says as the group decides to travel with him. "Well, if you don't have anymore questions, I'll head to bed. I'm not as young as I once was," he adds, looking to Shira and Cameryn in particular, who have yet to say much.

Post by **ratwizard** » Tue Nov 18, 2014 5:42 pm

Shira'stasa smiles as the younger Tenant's excitement to travel becomes tangible. "With the war brewing in central Serran, I doubt that we will be able to make it back to the Great Library to report on our findings anytime soon," she says, mostly to Cleo. "I have no problems with free and relatively safe passage to Crescent Bluff."

She feels relieved to have the task of delivering the scroll off her back soon. I'm not the type to owe any favors, really, she thinks to herself. Although the merchant very well did save my life.

"And Kanan-" the tenant interjects suddenly. "Sorry to have rudely incapacitated you. I'm sure you understand what we saw from our perspective upon leaving the temple," she apologizes. Though I'll not reveal the truth about the gemstone, yet.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Tue Nov 18, 2014 6:40 pm

"I'm sure I'd have done the same. I was a rather suspicious circumstance. You should rest, Vor-kaleth will be gaining strength, and so should we," Kanan says, giving Shira'stasa an appreciative nod for her apology.

Post by **Fialova** » Tue Nov 18, 2014 6:45 pm

"Wait!" Cleo calls out to the man, trying to catch him before he heads to bed. "What is 'Vor-Kaleth' anyway? You keep bringing it up, but you never said what it is. Is it a monster?"

Post by **Namelessjake** » Tue Nov 18, 2014 6:57 pm

"He's a monster yes, although not really in the way you mean I suppose," Kanan says, stopping and turning to face Cleo. "Many years ago he was simply a man, a powerful one yes, but a mortal man. The legend says that over time, as his power started to match that of the gods, he decided to seek out a way to best them, and he found it in the form of Lis-beht. They say he travelled to the edge of the world and did battle with Lis-beht, emerging victorious and riding him back into our world. Eventually he was defeated but it took a huge effort. Now that's the story anyway, I doubt he truly rode Lis-beht like a steed, but there's no doubt he is extremely powerful."

Post by **Fialova** » Tue Nov 18, 2014 7:13 pm

"Huh. And now he is back? That's sounds pretty bad then." We probably should not have gone in that temple...

kalis5 · Post by **kalis5** » Tue Nov 18, 2014 7:53 pm

Geral sighs and scratches the side of his head. Well, looks like they released an old God. Wonderful. At least they took it out before it could gain much power.
"Well... That explains some of the murals at least... I'm conflicted now. On one hand I wish we were there sooner to stop it... and on the other, I'm kind of glad we weren't. I doubt that battle would have gone smoothly."

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 12:54 pm

"Great decision wanting to explore that temple," he smugly whispers to the miniature tenant. "Now look what you've done!" All of this because of a snot-nosed brat's curiosity piqued. Merch dwp...

"So, Kanan... I assume you and your Golden Spears know how to stop this thing?"

[SHOW]: Stupid girl

Post by **Namelessjake** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 2:57 pm

"Yes it is potentially very bad indeed," Kanan replies to Cleo before turning to Cameryn. Unfortunately I do not know the answer to that. We can only hope that one of the others know how.