Morganne goes inside through the massive door, stepping through a hazy mist and emerging into a slightly cool circular stone platform. Her senses tells her that she's not in the prime any longer, but in another realm of some kind. There are endless bridges as far as her eyes can see. Below them is an endless void that plunges into a bottomless void.
The gravity is much lighter, and she can float and hover above the ground with even the lightest jumping movement.
For what feels like an hour she adjusts to the strange ways of this plane, trying to adapt to its peculiar mode.
Navigating in a random directiion, you leap to a higher bridge and find it almost impossible to run normally...instead floating and hovering in large bounds. Finally, after a very long while of traveling thusly you spy a cloaked and hooded being in the distance. As you draw closer, it seems to laugh and mock you silently. Then six black garbed ninja float and hover towards you. The first fires off 5 throwing spikes that you parry aside with asp. One penetrates your shoulder though and pierces you, but you barely even register the injury. The human ninja move sluggish and are not adept in movement on this plane, you make short work of them all even though they are skilled assassins from whence they came.
From where the robed figure is, a large hand flies out and grabs you, bringing you towards himself until you are hovering before him. At this close, you see a man robed and hooded in a gray cloak and hood. His face is rugged handsome, with a noble countenance and he bears a look and feel of familiarity though you cannot know where or how you know this man. He looks at you studying you for a long moment then releases the spell that has you. The hand releases you onto the bridge, and the man says "I'm Dresdal Graystorm. Those assassins wanted to rape and murder you, but I had nothing to do with them. They acted foolishly. They were former retainers who betrayed their liege and was banished here, seeking escape. They prey on any who come, except me...for good reason. Many roam this plane and are stuck here, but I came and know the secrets of this place. I've come only today to seek one who lives on the border between life and death, and I saw that it was you in a dream of late. Now that I see you I see you have walked the path of hell, in the ways of darkness and have been through many tests. This gives me hope and joy of testing myself against you"
Dresdal attacks you with a curvaceous elvish scimitar, and his sword is a motion blur whenever it comes towards your face. The two of you battle for a very long time, and he seems to tire and grow fatigued. But you soon realize it to be a false hope and he renews his attacks against you with vigor, coming in with very swift and skilled blows. Several times he delivers slight strokes against non vital areas, his sword piercing through your living armor. Whenever you hurl corvus he dodges and evades the boomerang. With his offhand Dresdal unleashes a devastating whip that seems to always be able to strike you hard in the shoulder or across your stomach. He calls upon magic at various times, disappearing and reappearing behind or above you, and firing magic missiles at you while you are in the air. Finally, when you are exhausted and spent, he sheathes his sword and whip and calls you over to him. He says "My thanks, that was good...but I have to end it even though we could continue for much longer. I had to make certain you weren't a charlatan but the real person I came to meet. Go now, behind me. There's a door there not far. It will take you home, onto the ancient coastal highway which leads to Nyr. You will come upon a thermal bath where a priestess of Lor named Selbica lies. You will know her by the tattooes adorning her flawless body. She wishes to meet with you"
107 comments:
"Dresdal?" Morganne asks quizically "...to be honest with you, I don't know who this Selbica is or why she wants to see me but that's my..half-life isn't it?"
Morganne sheathes Asp and Corvus and continues in the direction Dresdal indicates.
You come to a shimmering portal, stepping through until you find yourself along a simple road winding through some foothills. The road is trafficked by people coming and going, some look to be personal couriers, others are Nyrian soldiers, or petty merchants. After an hour worth of walking you come upon a roadside bath house, advertising a hot spring bath (thermal bath) and enter inside. You see the woman indicated by Dresdal, her back turned toward you. As you draw near, she spun and slashes at you with a short sword. You counter the attack with a parry from Asp, returning the attack with a well executed counter. It strikes the woman across her chest. She keels over, badly injured from the weight of the new blow. She looks up and smiles sheepishly, saying "So, it is...true, you are her, Morganne the dhampir assassin. I had to be sure, a test of your skills" she shows you a cloak clasp with an engraved insignia on it, depicting a crescent moon, the huntress moon. "This is the symbol of my House, House of Clavyur. I and several others bear this clasp, for we are knights of our house lord. We seek the dhampir who is said 'get the job done' where all others fail. I am dying now, but here, take this. It is a star gem, and is worth 500 gold. You will find another bearing this sign, they will tell you little by little fragments of a plot, and pay you the rest of you fee...you must help our house, Morganne...as we have aided your own lord long ago when his enemies rose in secrecy against him from the shadows it was Clavyur who protected your then young master"
The woman collapses into the pool, dead.
Mouth agape and stunned by what has just happened, Morganne takes the clasp and gem. ".you could've just asked me who I was..." Morganne whispers as she closes the womans eyes and says a small prayer to Wrath before continuing on.
As you leave the bath house, you continue along the road that you learn leads to Corealus.
Coming toward you is a cloaked and hooded man. He looks up and says "Hey, there is someone yonder this road who is seeking a woman with deep red hair. I think this man is up to no good, would you like some help to deal with this trouble?" you eye the man closer and see he appears to be a seasoned soldier, clad in chainmail and carrying a broadsword, and a dagger. Strung across his shoulder is a crossbow, too. He has a friendly demeanor, and strides casually like not a care in the world.
Eyeing the stanger for a moment Morganne smiles "..you don't say?" Morganne draws Asp suddenly and turns towards the man "..such kindness is rare in this world, I wonder how is it that you just happen to know that there's someone looking for a woman with red hair and secondly, how do you know that it isn't I who's 'up to no good' as you say?
The man shrugged, "He's over there, and isn't being discreet or stealthy. I heard the fellow speaking about a woman with strangely red hair and emeralds for eyes, and the next moment when I shoved off I spotted you and was concerned. Now, would you care for some warm tea? I carry itin these special elvish containers to keep them warm. Here, have some, it's quite good"
Morganne eyes the warrior with some trepidation "....so you say. Well if there's someone who's got their heart set on meeting me then I shouldn't keep them waiting.." Morganne waves her hand at the offered tea "...no thank you, I don't particularly care for elven tea actually....Thank you and I bid you good day" Morganne says to the stranger and waits for him to be on his way before she makes sure that she's alone.
finding some cover, Morganne uses her limited magical skills and (Change-Self) to look like Selbica before continuing on towards the direction the stranger indicated.
The man nodded and allows you to pass. You come towards a lake, where a cloaked/hooded man is kneeling. In a blur he draws steel and is upon you, attacking you with his longsword. You parry the first attack with asp, and stick a dagger into his gut. He drops his sword and falls to his knees, smiling. "Your skill is impressive, dhampir. You refused the tea, which was full of poison...and your blade pierced my flesh effortlessly. Now, here is another stargem. First harken to my tale, assassin. The crazed lord of House Clayvur passes his daughter off as his own son, and keeps his son imprisoned in his dungeon in secret. He is in love with his own daughter and has scorned his son and deprived him of his future lordship. By Daynar's sword swear to me to kill Lord Clayvur and free our future lord!"
You sense a presence behind you, the man who had offered you tea. His sword cuts across your back and slices through your armor. As you try to bring asp around he kicks you hard in the face and you fly backward, rolling on the ground. The new foe's blade comes at you and you intercept it asp, but then he kicks you again and brings his sword at your neck. You bat it aside and slip a dagger into his stomach. He mutters a groan and drops to his knees, handing you a pouch with some gold in it, 500 gp in all..."Here is the rest of your fee, dhampir. Know that Lord Clayvur is a hated Lord, who the queen had ordered executed but he resisted and went renegade. You do Nyr good if you slay this impudent fool. Now, you act on behalf of her highness"
"What in the nine hells is the matter with you people!" Moranne spits, feeling her regenerative powers mending the wounds received by these...fools "...the first of you tries to kill me, only to die herself, then you try poison which I must add rarely if ever works on me and now you dare me to sweat upon my adoptive father's honor to take care of some business that you yourselves can't handle?"
Morganne takes the gem and the pouch of gold and finishes off both of them. "...fine, I'll do your little job not for gold or anger or for some alleged debt my father owes your master!"
Morganne weighs the pouch, to be sure she isn't being cheated "...good thing i've nothing better to do these days! good thing you didn't try to cheat me either! I'd travel the long road to hell to find you!!"
The two Clayvur knights die as you retract your blade. The second man seemed to cling to life long enough to say "We needed to test your abilities to make certain they were up to this very vital task. Of course, few can stand a chance against Lord Clayvur's three mercenaries, the trio of death. We gladly give our lives for our purpose" the man groans and dies.
You continue along the road, cutting through the hills until you reach Southern Cross, a town nestled between Lor and Corealus. Its inhabited mostly by colorful characters who all are performers and entertainers at one point. Some are acrobats and jugglers, others thespians or street magicians. You navigate through the streets until you come to a clean enough looking inn, named the Lovebird's Nest.
You're greeted at the door by a middle aged man whose friendly demeanor depends on the weight of your purse. He shows you to a room where you relax and spend some time resting. You hear commotion through the wall, some struggle and female gasps. Then a woman comes crawling through the door, blood caked around her mouth and she's half naked. Se begins sobbing uncontrollably.
What do you do?
** great, just once i'd like to be able to get more than 5 minutes of rest before the other boot drops- Morganne groans and picks up Asp, still in it's scabbard. Seeing the woman on the ground Morganne grabs the covers off her bed and tosses them to the woman. "..cover yourself, you can use the waterskin and chamber pot to clean up! What happend to you!" Morganne demands of the woman. "...why did you come through MY door of all others!"
The woman looks up at you and says "A man, he bought me. He tried to rape me and I bit his tongue off. I think...I think he's dead!" suddenly, she moves and does as you command. Then, some men come to the door. They are about to step foot inside when some stern womans voice orders them to halt. The woman shows herself at the door and bows politely. She has raven hair and intelligent eyes. She smiled then said "Forgive us this intrusion. A warrioress of the Succundus House's room isn't to be disturbed. Lady, begging thy pardon but this whore who now dwells in your lodging is our property. Be so kind as to return her to us, she is just a stupid little girl"
*** just what I need, more inturruptions** Morganne regards the men and the woman who commands them "...this, woman has sought the protection of House Succundus and regardless of her..past situation, I have offered and she has accepted it. We are not so unsympathetic to any economic loss you or your masters have expierenced because of this..unfortunate incident. We will compensation and you may go on your way" Morganne pulls out 250gp from one of the pouches and and tosses it on the floor midway between herself and the woman. "...if this offer is unacceptable you may of course decline our generous offer and consider the matter...final" with that Morganne taps her fingers upon the hilt of Asp. "...to be perfectly clear, this woman is now under the protection of House Succundus, her agents and allies. Attempts to rectify this situation would be..unwise."
The raven haired woman smiled, "Ah, but you see, we control the nightlife in this district. This girl is still a virgin, her virginity will fetch a respectable profit...far more than this pittance of gold you have offered us in payment. The Black Scorpions Guild does not care for the protections of the Succundus household!" she knelt down low and said "We have a...issue to dissolve. Your pride versus our loss. If you wish her freedom we will torture her before her release, which she will hardly survive"
Morganne smiles and nods her head in understanding of the situation. Turns to the unfortunate girl and leans in close to speak her softly "..I am sorry for your lot in life...Fate just hasn't been kind to you..you should go on the other side of the room and close your eyes.." Morganne turns around to face the woman, Hurling Bone-breaker in the process.
She ducked low and bone-breaker slices through a wall and disappears. The woman draws a hand crossbow and fires at you, 2 barbed darts thud into your torso but are deflected by the living armor you wear.
"Kill the bitch!" she hissed, and 10 men enter the room with shortswords and daggers drawn...each side by side they creep towards you steadily, eying you wearily.
Morganne smiles, even as Bone-Breaker misses on it's initial trajectory. Most people make the mistake of simply ducking out of the way instead of trying to parry or deflect. It's usually when their back is turned when Bone-Breaker strikes from behind on it's way back to her waiting hand. Still 10 me creeping towards her side by side will prove to be no easy task. Morganne fires a glue bolt at the middle of the aproaching men from her wrist bow.
At the least, they'll have a hard time moving and with when Bone-Breaker returns....well some of them will never know what hit them.
Morganne: your glue bolt whizzed past the group of thieves, striking into a distant wall. Three thieves dip in with thrusts and slashes of their blades, and one of them rolls forward in a dive roll then turned and stabbed backward his shortsword penetrates the small of your back with incredible force (-24 hp dmg) you stifle a scream and pierce the thief in the left eye with one of bonebreakers prongs, killing him immediately.
The woman leader points something, an arquebus straight towards you and fires. You actually see the small metal sphere as it flies over your shoulder and pierces a hole into the opposite wall. She starts to reload the smoking weapon.
You duck and dodge the rest of the thieves attacks.
ROUND 2: you, the woman and her lackey's move at the same instant. The woman reloads her pistol and fires it at you, once again missing she hurls the weapon away and draws a hand crossbow.
Again all of the thieves come at you. You parry and dodge, one cuts you across your arm (-6 hp dmg) as you move among the surrounding attackers. The thieves begin moving in a circular motion around you, their cloaks flapping in your face in an irritating fashion (-2 to hit penalty).
DECISION
Drawing Asp to parry any further strikes, Morganne Hurls Bone-Breaker again, turning her wrist slightly to alter the trajectory of it's strike so that it stays in the room.
The thieves cloaks flurry your vision and disorients you, giving them the draw on you.
Thief #1 is befouled by the whirlwind of cloaks and gasps, falling to his knees and leaving himself foolishly vulnerable. A quick stroke of Asp delivers a slit in the side of the rogues neck and he dies immediately.
You evade several dags and blades easily, some glance off of your weightless armor.
bone-breaker whirls around but the rogues, seemingly familiar with the weapon duck and dodge out of its path. One rogue comes up from behind to sink his shortsword through your back but bonebreaker cuts off his hand at the wrist before returning to your awaiting grasp.
You feel much more skilled and deadly with the glaive now. However, you feel extremely rusty with your sword-work, perhaps time to brushen up.
"You stinking bitch!" the rogue yells as he clutches a bloody stump where his hand used to be.
"STOP!" the woman-rogue leader commanded. She enters the room, her pistol tucked away at her belt. Her men immediately comply. "I won't waste any more of my mens lives against you, but we cannot accept the loss. My man bought that bitch you protect. If you want her so, then she will have to be tortured properly or bought with double the coin we spent on her sorry ass...whats it going to be?"
****sheathing Bone-Breaker, Morganne smirks at the bloody stump of her would be backstabber "..Hah! serves you right for trying to stab me in the back!" Whirling around, Morganne takes stock of her situation and considers her options "...you seem to forget something, I have already declared this woman under my protection! You show your hand too soon! If you truly felt that you could beat me you wouldn't make such a silly offer!" Morganne snorts "..but just for Lor's sake, tell me what your price for the woman is?" Taking Asp, Morganne lifts the bag of coins off of the floor and flips it back into her grasp before putting it away.
The rogue-woman snorted, "Hmph, beat you? It's not a matter of face here...but one of practicality. You're not worth the lives of ten of my men...so its stupid to squander them to take down a warrior of house Succundus...I've already told you, thrice the price...either she be tortured or two thousand gold. It matters little this skirmish here, the Black Scorpions live in every shadow of the city...and I mean EVERY shadow. Decide now"
***Morganne smile and shakes her head "..you are partly correct, the remaining 6 men aren't worth one of me!" Morganne sneers "...Scorpion's guild..we are every shadow! blah blah blah" Morganne rolls her eyes dismissively then walks back towards the girl, keeping her eyes on the woman and her men.
"..1000 gold to buy you? thousand to buy your freedom? Who are you to command such a lofty price girl? Say your wishes and it will be done! I will fight to the best of my abilities to see you free even if it's only for a few moments longer.." Morganne tosses her a dagger, "..live free or die trying" she whispers to the girl before turning to the woman "...your offer is unacceptable! You claim to exisit in the shadows but you forget that there are worser things that exisit in those shadows.."
Morganne hurls throwing daggers at her assailants and follows up with slashes and strikes with Asp.
The girl looks pitiful, her mouth full of her buyer's blood. The tip of the dead buyers tongue lies on the floor nearby, next to the dead thieves. She took the dagger but said nothing.
"Kill them all!" the female thief spat, an annoyed expression took form on her face.
You throw 2 dags at the thieves, one cut a rogue across his bare shoulder, tearing a piece of his shirt and flesh off (-3 hp dmg) the others they dodged.
5 thieves come at you at once, slashing their blades towards your face and body. One man slipped on the dead buyers tongue and left himself exposed, and you sunk asp into his stomach, killing him (-7 hp dmg)
The woman rogue blasts you with two pistols. The first pierces your chest and tears through your armor, leaving a smoking hole in its wake. Your blood splashes across the face of the thief next to you. A second metal sphere pierces through your thigh with searing pain (-22 hp dmg) she then tosses the pistols to the ground and unsheathes a shortsword and dagger.
The thieves assail you and you them the next round, neither striking the other.
The female rogue throws her dagger at you with expert precision, nailing your left arm at the joint (-7) and rendering the limb temporarily unusable. One of her men gets a lucky cheap blow in and chops you in the side (-12 hp dmg) a crooked grin forming on his face.
A thief came at you then from the side, and with two strokes of your sword he flies past you through the wall, dead on the street outside.
4 rogues fire their wrist-bows at you. You dip low and narrowly avoid the incoming projectiles. The bolts whizz past and thud into the wall behind you harmlessly. You curse your own luck as asp misses its prey, and you trip on one of the dead thieves bodies littering the floor. Just then, an invisible wall of force formed, which your vampiric senses saw clearly that divided the center of the room. Out of the hole in the wall came several armed guards, each wearing the uniforms of the city-guards of Lor. Behind them was a man clad in stark gray robes, and you saw he had dark chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes. He exuded an aura of quiet power, and his penetrative gaze was tempered with wisdom and intellect. He lowered his hood and then turned to eye the bodies on the ground, then said "This wanton act of violence is punishable by death in this district. By power vested in me by Lord Clayvur, you will sheath your weapons immediately and discontinue this debacle, or suffer the consequences"
The ten Lorian city-guard rest awaiting hands on the hilts of their broadswords, and two cock and aim crossbow bolts at all in the room. The man who just spoke eyes all in the room expectantly, and you know he's prepared to act with power to back his subtle warning.
**Breathing a sigh of relief, Morganne sheathes Asp and plucks the daggers from her arm. She'd lost too many hitpoints to be much of a protector anyhow.Her regenerative powers should kick in soon. Turning to the girl she asks her name. "...these assassins stormed in, trying to assault this woman who's under my protection, disturbing my much needed rest..." Morganne starts to say "...I have been too long away from Lor, too tired to hear what their dispute was and made an offer to settle with them but I advised that regardless, she is under my care! Instead of trying to negotiate, they attacked! Only my faith in Wrath as his servant and my skills prevented them from completing their deadly business!" Morganne (CHR) displays her Wrathian symbol as well as her Succundos clasp. "....if you hadn't come when you did.."
The woman-rogue scoffed, "That wench there murdered one of my men who had purchased her. She belongs to this inn, and we have proof of purchase...she is a slave, to work off her families debt. This...mercenary here refused to hand her over to us, and slaughtered my men too. I tried to reason with her, but she refused to compromise or negotiate. I don't have to sacrifice all my men for that whore, even we have our pride and cannot give up now"
The cloaked and hooded man didn't show any reaction, and he said in an even edged tone..."This is for a higher court, for the city-lords to preside and justice be the arbiter. Come along peacefully. If you resist it is as if you admit to your own guilt"
Morganne turns to the woman and helps her up, handing her some bed linen so that she may clean herself up a bit "...in that bag at the foot of the bed are some clothes that you may be able to wear" Morganne turns her head to the guards to ask "...would it be ok if the girl is at least allowed to dress properly?
Gray cloaked man: "Yes, see to it"
You're lead along a wide and clean highway that has more foot traffic than horses or beasts of burden. You notice that the gray cloaked human leader and his guardsmen treat you nicely and not without any mistrust or misgivings.
As you all travel along most of your new wounds lessen in severity. Two hours later and you're cutting through the suburb of Graysmag, the northwesterly burb outside Lor. When you reach the gate of the Seakings, the guardsmen there open up without challenge or inspection.
The familiar sight of Lor opens up before you. You're lead to the tower of justice, where a great winged angel of Wrath ominously looms above a tall stretch of stairs that leads to the main entrance, hands resting on the hilt of a massive stone great sword. The statue's face winks at you, a side effect of vampiric vision...
Once inside you are escorted through numerous lengths of stairs and finally into a huge rounded chamber, where six masked figures sit on high chairs looking down upon you.
One of the masked city-lords bades the gray cloaked captain "Greetings enforcer, what is it then?"
The gray cloaked captain lays everything out without any objection. The masked city-lords dismiss you all out of the room for a brief recess then after an hour of wait, recall you. A guard approaches to summon you back.
The leader of the council of lords says "It is a most interesting conundrum you present to us, enforcer. Neither side is necessarily wrong, or right and both share a measure of the right rather than the wrong. This is our decision: the warrioress can endure the torture in stead of the prostitute, as is allowed in such cases when a prostitute is too ill to endure physical punishment and their friends are too ill to endure this. Warriors of Wrath often purify themselves through pain, so it will be a...purification process"
The gray cloaked human nodded, turning toward you he said "The council hath spoken and ruled rightly. But you must agree, warrioress of Wrath to this ruling. It is up to you, or pay the council 5,000 in gold"
Her jaw clenched Morganne glares at the captain "...and what of the rogues who attacked me? Are they not subject to Lor's laws and Wrath's law? My order's higest canon handed down by the solar's of Wrath demand that we defend those who cannot defend themselves! I have lived my...entire life upholding the coda's of Wrath! This woman, bloodied and weak begged for help, for deliverance from her pursuers!..." Morganne relaxes and begins again. "...Captain, I am not an unsympathetic woamn! I offered to compensate..these Scorpions for the money they've lost yet they instead wanted double what they paid or threatened to torture the woman all for the unfortunate circumstance of being sold like cattle..." Morganne paces for a moment "....never has the council even asked why these scorpions paid so much! Which I might add is half of the cost you City lords demand! They sent 10 against one lone girl? and only offered to negotiate when they came upon one or Wraths own chosen..." Morganne states "...ask the girl who she is first, Let me ask her what she wants..I'll not let her endure this...judgement of yours or the Scorpions.."
"such insolence!" one guard hissed, hand gripped tight on the hilt of his sword. The gray clad man, removing his cloak turned his head toward the masked ones.
One of the lords said "Indeed, and in service of Wrath it is purification by pain, in the prostitutes own stead. The law is sated in this. The guild's honor isn't about gain, woman, but about pride. We have spoken. Administer the penalty and be done with this business"
The torture isn't as painful or damaging as your mind had pictured. They dunk you a few times in a well of water, then several men spin you around upside down and whack at your body hard with hallow wooded clubs until you're battered to their tastes. The woman-leader whistles appreciatively, "She's a true warrioress of Wrath, so few these days" and the man next to her says "Her swordplay was good, but her willpower is awesome!"
The brown haired woman thief says "The contract is destroyed then, the virgin is freed to go on her merry way"
The virgin kneels at your feet and sobs, then says 'I am in your debt!"
with the judgement finished, Morganne ignores the guards comments and those of the guild representative. collecting her things she regards the former prostitute/slave. "..yes you are girl, you will remember this day for the rest of your life.." Morganne pulls out a small piece of parchment and scrawls a quick note and then makes her mark with her signet ring and hands the note to the girl. "....you will go to the temple of Wrath, give this note to them. They will watch over you and give you shelter.." Morganne says to the girl, not telling her that she now will be inducted as a new initiate into the sisterhood. "...be well girl.."
The gray hooded cleric says "You are strong of will, dhampir. Do you wish to have some wine and viddles before you depart? I have need of talk with thee, something of...mutual beneficial outcomes"
"..Aye, though some time has passed, I've yet to enjoy a hot meal since arriving here in Lor...let us talk while we eat then.."
The handsome and stern faced warrior-priest lead you away from the hall of the council and through secret stairways that wound through the belly of the citadel, and out into the guarded and enclosed courtyard were a meticulously kept courtyard was nestled, a mimicry of an elvish style garden. There he sat at a simple oak table and made a brief wordless gesture to a man that stood nearby, a gesture of food and drink.
The smells of the garden were aromatic, though you could detect that there were men here very recently.
The gray clad man says softly, "I am Gwaeron Windstrom, agent of the council. Also a priest of Lor and before that, weaponmaster of house Clayvur"
A servant brings some food and drink, consisting of a platter of fresh fruit, cheese, and warm stone oven baked bread. Another brings a clay bowl full of warm beef broth, and a platter of steamed seafood. You both sup and drink before talking:
Gwaeron spoke: "A week ago I had a dream you would come, and through my dreams I can divine small events in my future, all randomly. Most of the time, these are only visual fragments which mean nothing, even to the knowing eyes of a Lorian cleric such as myself. But the dream of you was very vivid and more real than most. I did not know who you were fully so I dispatched some spies on the road to Lor to keep an eye on the road and pay special attention to travelers who fit your description. Because of watching you in my dreams for a week I knew specific vantage points you would pass, and I had my men lead you here to me, though they died bravely to test you and see if you truly were the assassin I have heard many differing tales about. An assassin who journeys the land and protects the likes of a mere prostitute against organized crime. Since both of our particular orders are allied, I have some intelligence you will find useful. First, an evil cleric has your lord Daynar in captivity, and has planted a shapeshifter in his place in order to control house Succundus as a weapon to dispose of the current queen. Daynar is held prisoner in an abandoned temple hidden in the bogs east of here. Agents of house Succundus have been dispatched to free your master, one of them I know personally, a famous swordfighter named Garosh, and another with him is Aronis who is also quite legendary here in the city.
Your other comrades, Sable and Orath are under house arrest in Succundus manor. There may be other traitors within the manor, sleeper agents of the dark priest I spoke of. This man is dangerous, his name is Fzoul Chembryl, a cleric of an ancient and most fell deity. I have tried to illicit my order's highpriest to take action but it is highly forbidden for the clergy to interfere with the affairs of the Houselords purposely...no matter what the situation...even indirectly can be grounds for my own removal"
Morganne takes in the sights and smells of the garden, tasting the scent of men not common to this part of the citadel and files the sense away in her memory. Taking a seat and breaking her fast she listens to to Gwaeron intently, her jaw clenching at mention of her adoptive father being held captive. "..Sable and Orath under house arrest? this...imposter that has taken Daynar's place, is he the reason why?" Morganne asks "...your agents, didn't have to die a fools death! you yourself dreamnt of my arrival and yet you sent good men and women to die by my hand! I would think that one who venerates Lor would've learned that all life is precious and has meaning. that Life is to be preserved and protected! True, both Wrath and Lor are allied for many generations and many more yet, however, if this news of my father is true, then the information I was prepared to act upon regarding your House will have to wait until my father is safely returned home! Aronis and Garrosh are very good at what they do but should things go wrong then I will see to it that Daynar is freed and those responsible are put to the sword.." Morganne says camly "...there's more at stake than just one man or two great allied houses, if the treat to the elvish crown materializes than the entire world would be un chaos!.."
Gwaeron nods taking in your words and he says "Ah, good men they were indeed, very useful while they were alive. They were overzealous and over eager to prove themselves to me I fear no matter what I'd say to dissuade them would have been a waste of my effort" he sips out of his crystal chalice full of white wine before continuing his response, "You blame me, but what you fail to recognize is that I do not control the actions of those who serve me...their own recklessness caused their deaths, not I" he continues "I'm afraid that Fzoul has anticipated the possibility of your interference, and your friends Garosh and Aronis are walking into a carefully laid trap. If you rush to the rescue with only your sword and blind courage, you will fail to rescue your liege and die. Fzoul has dispatched three mercenaries to deal with you. One is a master swordfighter who uses a reverse draw technique that is unorthodox and deadly, another a vicious weapon called the Bear Claw and the third a magical club that can destroy armor. They are good! You must defeat them in order to save your lord"
*** "hahahahahahahaha!" Morganne throws her head back and laughs raucously at Gwaeron's proclaimed innocence "...don't you dare claim to be a leader of men but then blame their overzealousness to please you on their foolish pride! You sit here speaking of visions of things that you have no proof of! You tell me that two of my comrades are under house arrest and two others are walking into a trap yet tell me that to try to help them will spell my doom?" Morganne laughs out loud again "...Gwaeron, you don't know me at all do you? I don't care one bit who is sent against me! If you were so concerned for Lord Daynar's safety and what I might do with my Blind courage and my sword!" Morganne drinks some water and crosses her arms, leaning closer, speaking softly "...ahh Gwaeron, you forget, I always have more than my blind courage and my sword to see me through..." Morganne rises, wipes her mouth and nods her head "...really, if you were so concerned with ensuring that I would act appropiately you'd have never mentioned that Aronis and Garrosh were walking into a trap in the first place!.." smiling Morganne backs out, turns on heel and makes her exit.
thinking to herself, (..of course i'll have to kill these three mercs then i'll kill the double and get Orath and Sable...but first, i need to buy some insurance..)
Gwaeron: "Proof? What proof do I require? That is what the faithless need, not a man of Lor. Digest my words however which way you doth, Lord Daynar will surely free himself ere long...he is a clever man. I am simply telling you what you did not already know of your own. I'm not concerned whether you act appropriate or inappropriately, I am laying out the situation so you can act decisively with the best of knowledge. Both paths can lead to undecipherable ends, Morganne, you can only calculate to a certain point and from there no more...even one rich in anticipating the movements of others"
Morganne pauses to hear Gwaeron's retort then simply shrugs her shoulders and continues out of the inner garden. "...Point well taken Lorian, rest assured that your words of warning did not fall upon deaf ears!" Morganne calls out behind her as she makes her way through the citadel.
Remembering her time spent here years ago, Morganne decides to make her way to the training rooms that the Lorians use to test out some of the knowlede gleamed from years of studying. Morganne was still a bit nagged that she'd let her swordmanship skills lapse for too long and decides that a few hours of practice and study would do her some good before continuing on.
You practice a little, though it doesn't help much so you leave after an hour. It's dark outside, and you feel more relaxed and at ease, naturally.
The familiar streets of Lor you walk down once again, passing up several buildings and establishments you've had past adventures in. You realize you are in a demi-human neighborhood, as most of the Inn's are customized for the little folk like Gnomes, Halflings or Dwarf-folk who visit Lor.
Suddenly your vampiric senses picks up something in a nearby blind alley. Peering into it, you spot a dark cloaked man crouched low over a prone form on the ground. The dark shadowy figure is searching for something and plucks a parcel from the folds of the fallen man. The human suddenly notices you and peers up, draws a shortsword and hisses "Wrong place at the wrong time darling, I'm gonna have to put out the lights in your eyes" he said darkly, "Can't leave any witnesses" he said, creeping towards you.
Morganne smiles to herself and replies "...I never did mind the little things.." Taking in the surroundings and the body on the ground. Morganne flexes her wrist and lets a dagger slide into each of her hands, Morganne walks towards the nearest wall and uses her Dhampiric talents to spider walk along the side of the wall towards the man (DEX) "..your loss, but if it's blood you're looking to see flow, I'll be happy to show you the color of your own!!" Morganne snarls as she rushes to meet the rogues charge.
(20) Morganne moved in a rapid charge, sword drawn and at the shadow skulker with asp (-15 hp dmg) the black sword piercing the rogue just underneath his armpit and gushing out of his shoulder. "You stupid bitch, you don't know what you've done!" the rogue stammered as he died in her grasp.
"Well well well boys whadda we gots here" came a voice, its source invisible even to your sharp eyes. A moment later a man revealed himself out of the shadows of the alley, his face covered in inky blackness of a drawn hood draped low: "wench! you slew one of our adepts in training...this one showed great potential...his very first victim and before he could relish his artistry you snuffed out his lights, depriving him of his pride...teach this impudent bitch some manners!"
"Aye, mi'lord!" a voice quickly responds. Twelve men, some women erupt from hiding places and converge toward your position...some clamber up the walls with great finesse and agility, not impeded like ordinary warriors would be. Their slender swords are coated in black, and in ordinary sight would be impossible to detect.
The man who spoke cackled..."This day is full of sweet chaos. Bring me this wench alive so that I might enjoy her warmth and vitality!" he hissed, laughing. You saw he was a old venerable man, with a sinister gleam in his one eye and a black patch covering his opposite left eye. He knelt down while you were busy fighting and defending, clutched the dead assassin in the chest and your new victim's body shriveled up into a dry empty husk.
"...so the fool was one of yours? well then his death is your own fault! You spent too much time filling his head with what he ought to do and not enough time learning to keep his mouth shut! Your adept ran his mouth and let his pride get his arse killed and for what? so now you seek to follow in the dead boys steps? very well then, come on come all! The night will claim you all!" Morganne chants and fingers a flash marble..waiting to throw it at the opportune time to cause the most damage before attacking the nearest opponent.
The evil looking old man sneered then laughs some 'heh heh, you worthless whore, the night claim me? I AM the night! Bring me this vile vixen's tongue, boys! Fun and games! heh heh heh" he took a deep swig from a clay flask suddenly and then crept back into the shadows to observe the ensuing melee.
we'll see about that.." Morganne murmurs to herself, weigning her options and judging how much time she might have.."I really don't have time for any of this foolishness" Morganne quickly scans the alleyway for any ledges or balconies, a window even 'these bastards have the upper hand but..' throwing caution to the wind, Morganne figures that these...guild rats! will attempt to seal off the alleyway with the most of their numbers. Asp in one hand and a ball of flash powder in the other, she could try to force her way past them. (WIS) looking to where the closest and largest group of thugs are, Morganne hurls the powdered ball onto the ground and will jump (STR, DEX) to the nearest ledge to gain some ground and utilize her spider walk abilities to get to the roof.
2 assassins come at you from behind, front, and the side. WIth acrobatic evasiveness you run along the side of the wall of the alley and flip through their enclosure attack. You throw the ball of flash powder into their midst and it dazes and discombobulates these shadow skulkers. One of the killer's eyes are bloodied as shards of shattered rock pierces his eyes.
WIth vampiric agility you scale the side of the building, with several persistent assassins in hot pursuit, all of them scaling the side of the building. You detect the sinister old man in the alley observing you from the shadows, sensing a force of deep malevolence emanate from his being. Five magic missiles flew from him and came hurtling towards you, but your living armor which was reflective appeared to disperse the otherwise deadly magical projectiles.
DECISION?
Morganne sneers in the old man's direction and contiues up to the roof of the building. "...damn spellcasters!" she thinks to herself as she crests the roof and quickly hurls Corvus to where she judges the first of the assassin's head will more than likely crest the roof.
You dispatch the first assassin, slicing asp across his face and leaving a terrible scar he fell off the side of the building. The second assassin intercepted your strike with a dagger, pushing the sword away with it and hoisting himself onto the rooftop surface.
More came, and more after that. You dispense Wrath's fury and dispatch four assassins effortlessly with unflinching swordcraft, and parry aside five blades at the same instance that came in a downward arc.
"This little darling is a bit feisty" one of the black clad slayers hisses beneath his masked face.
The surrounding circle of assassins came in trying to close around you. Then a voice bellowed 'Stop' from below. The white haired old man leapt up onto the roof without effort, and crept closer. "Weaponmaster of house Succundus indeed, you have the skill befitting that honorary title. I knew I knew of you, but didn't know where until only just this moment. I am Lord Ressadar. I have special need of your talents...would that you would entreat with us? We heard of your little excursion in the brothel district"
** Morganne smiles wickedly at the old man and smoothing her features, nods her head "...Pleased to meet you...Lord Ressadar, You are not unknown to us as well, though your hospitality leaves much to be desired.." Morganne says cooly "..the loss of your..retainers could've been avoided...your men lay dead and dying and now you wish to parley with us?" Morganne says as she shrugs off an assassins blade that strayed too close. "..very well then Lord Rassadar, call off your dogs and lets see if pleasantries and polite conversation be our weapons shall we?" cocking her head "...what would you wish to speak to us about then?"
Lord Ressadar bows politely..."Come, follow us"
You are lead down a dark narrow alley and into an abandoned warehouse. There, he relaxed and explains:
"There has been a fighter who has come to Nyr of late. He has made a mockery of the elite assassins of the queen. This warrior must be disposed of, so that we may save face and regain our respect...else we shall be the laughing stock of the entire realm. Will you kill this impudent fool for us then?"
*** Morganne smiles and nods her head, "..just so we're clear, you sent many of your guildmates to try to take me down and failing that, you now wish to...Hire me to take out this braggard of a warrior for you? What do you offer in return? Who is this warrior and why did you target him in the first place?" Morganne asks
Lord Ressadar: "Well, you slew that new recruit we were in the midst of testing. He showed great promise and skill and was a special talent, but you dealt with him cooly, cleanly, and effortlessly. Now, you are an assassin, and I a potential employer of your fine skill. The usual ettiquette here is no questions asked, but I will tell you since you asked politely. This warrior is not a braggard, just the exact opposite he speaks seldom, weapons unknown and style unknown. He has made a mockery of the royal assassins of Nyr, and must be dealt with swiftly"
He makes a gesture and one of his subordinates moves toward Ressadar and drops a pair of leather pouches onto the ground, each is filled with electrum, platinum, and gold coins, some currencies from neighboring realms like Jez'zur and elvish coins as well.
"This is 5,000 gold in total up front, and another five when the job has been completed. Also, I will give you my own sword to slay him with, and will take credit for the act to restore faith and honor in our guild"
Lord Ressadar presents a sword to you thats sheathed in a black scabbard. Its blade is thin in girth, long, and beautifully crafted, with engravings along the lower portion of the blade length. For demonstration he has two men carry an anvil toward him. With one lazy stroke the blade cuts through the metal, as if it were made from paper and not thick heavy iron ore.
"A sword of ever-sharpness, enchanted to the third level of enchantment. That enchantment also enhances your defensive capabilities, and when you unsheath the blade from the scabbard you can mentally command it to exude bright azure light, but its finest trick yet is its ability to parry back certain kinds of mage or cleric spells...energy based attacks like lightening, hated magic missiles, or fireballs. Succeed in your mission and you may have the weapon, only need to replace it with its twin fake replica that I keep to deceive overly ambitious thieves who long yearn to appropriate this kingly weapon"
** Bowing with a slight nod of her head Morganne holds up her hand "...your aspirant for all of his skill and training lacked humility and perception. Simply put, he could've just asked me who I was and used his head first and then decided to use his sword or not! No matter. As for the swordsman, I care not for what he's done, I am a daughter of Nyr and any attack on her is an attack on me as well. I have a mission of my own to complete and simply needed to know if this target of yours and the one I seek are one in the same." Morganne looks at the offered blade and smiles, " ...a fine blade it is my lord of shadows, very well then, your terms are acceptable and agreed upon. As always, should anyone dare to inquire about this arrangement, you and your guild will take credit for this before the questioner's life is ended..." Morganne takes the offered blade and the gold and backs out away from the Guild lord quickly adding, "do you have a description of the target? a name perhaps?"
Lord Ressadar: "Yes, he wears a mane of dark brown hair and has cat-green eyes, but sometimes travels about in various guises ranging from a decrepit old hag to a fat swine of a man. My spies report that he fights with a sword just shy in length of a longsword, but has many other peculiar weapons some sorcerous by nature, others of Gnomish designs. Good luck!!!"
After the meeting you're walking down a dark alley in Lor, the foul stench of urine and excrement offending your nostrils. You clear of the stench and come to where a old haggardly looking bearded man lies crouched over a small fire, cooking a pigeon on a sharpened stick. It looks as though he's only just finished having feasted on a thoroughly charred city-squirrel, its discarded remains littering the ground at his feet.
Two Lorian city-watchmen appear to be harassing him for information (WIS) and are being physically cruel to the old geezer. Watchman #1 laughs "He he he, you crusty old fart, out here eating vermin and befouling our glorious city. I ought to skewer you at the end of my dag!"
DECISION?
Morganne announces her presence "...Is this how the famed city watch busies itself? Threatening the poor and wretcched with violence when kindness and compassion should be the order of the day?" Morganne says haughtily "...Leave that man alone and go about your business you two..." Morganne says with arms crossed across her chest. Morganne thinks to herself that perhaps this very beggar might be the fighter she's looking for or at the least, know something about the warriors she's bent sent to fight ".....I'm sure there are plenty of cut throats and muggers you could be using your..talents to prevent or aprehend!"
One of the soldiers sneered and gave the old withered man a hard kick. The man grunted and fell over under the mans blow. The same watchman said "What? Who the fuck are you?"
watchman #2 chuckled with sleazy mirth, "Probably a lady of the night, out for some fun and laughs"
watchman #1 grinned, "Well lets show her what kinda fun two capable men can show her, heh heh heh" he said with a obscene grin, drawing a club from his belt..."Don't resist girl, you'll enjoy our fun heh heh heh"
**eyes flashing with anger Morganne pulls out her necklace proclaiming her to be of the sisterhood of Wrath and displays her Succundus cloak clasp for them to see as well...seconds before she draws Asp from it's scabbard "...death would be too easy for you two scoundrels! You two who have forsworn your oaths of office and display such vileness that I can barely contain my contempt! Nah, it is not you two who will be the receipents of a little fun!" Morganne judges their reactions "...perhaps I will be leinent with you two if you decide to go about your business! Though I should warn you, I have killed greater men than you two combined for far much less..."
watchman #1 eyed the crest and sword wearily, but his braver partner didn't seem to care..."You stupid slut, we can do whatever the hell we want we're the city nightwatch...and you're out after dark in our jura-diction...hahaha, get it? Oh you WILL get it real good, come'here!" the watchman makes a sudden diving lunge towards you, which you easily spun past. The impetuous watchman grabbed empty air where he thought he would have had you in his clutches.
The 2nd watchman suddenly looked put on a mask of feigned outrage and swung his club at you. You deflect it with asp, leaving him wide open with his back exposed. In a vicious downstroke you leave a long deathstroke across his backside.
The still living watchman, who falls into a puddle of urine and into some stacks of rotting garbage blew on a whistle. You heard more men approaching, not all that close but converging towards your vague direction.
"You're going to die, bitch" the watchman purred, laughing, "Nobody fucks with the nightwatch...whore of house Succundus!" he spat, throwing a dagger at you and running at the same time.
DECISION?
"...too bad for you! This could have been avoided and we could've gone our separate ways but your foolish oath-breaker! your friend looked like he considered doing the right thing.." Morganne moves to finish off both of the watchmen before the city guard arrive
You easily dispatch the two watchmen, and after wiping your sword clean of their blood the city-watch arrive, at first aghast at the gruesome fate of their fallen comrades. They instinctively draw their warclubs and cautiously advance towards you then stop wearily as their leader approached you tentatively.
"Well well well, these must have been the two fools who've been abducting the poor and homeless in the slum quarter...taking bribes and leaking information to the highest bidder. Good work, you...whoever you are"
One watchman interjected with "Sir, perhaps we should arrest this woman she looks dangerous and might be a criminal"
The watch leader scoffed, "Nah, she did us a service here, those two bastards might've been legally protected by whatever house had endorsed their evil activities...the city-lords would have let them off with a slap on the wrists. Now, warrior woman, tell us your name. And in light of your wanton killing of two watchmen I beholden to you the task of ascertaining the identity of their handler, a small price to pay for disregarding the law in this area"
** casually, Morganne sheathes Asp and regards the new city watchmen
"...these two, I did observe about to do bodily harm to a homeless man nearby, when confronted of their actions and given the chance to remember their oaths of office, they instead chose to turn their vicious sights on me, A Servant of Wrath and retainer to House Succundus.." Morganne says calmly. "..again, seeing that this problem could present some political problems, I entreatied them to remember their oaths and end their attack, they did not and so justice has been delivered by the Storm lords chosen.." Morganne says as piously as possible. "..There are a number of tasks set before me this evening good captain, finding three deadly warriors who seek the destruction of a noble house, deal with a killer who's brought dishounor to a great guild, rescue boon companions, stop a nefarious plot against a city lord...blah blah blah...what's one more task to be done before the sun rises?" Morganne says off-handedly
The captain smiled gratefully, smiling..."Ah, then I have some useful information for you in exchange for you help, lady Succundus. Information which will help your quest's success. When you are prepared, make way to the southron shore of lake Shraka just northeast of the northern suburb of Daggerdale. There you'll find a river pilot named Stragga. He will take you to Sokol isle, for I've heard rumor that your Lord Daynar was taken prisoner there. I tried to hire a group of mercenaries to seek his return but they stole the offered retainer, and now we had to spend double that for professional hunters of men to bring those swine back to justice. Here, take two of my men...they're sharp of wit and not half bad with sword and crossbow. They can assist in your investigation throughout this area"
Once the captain leaves, one of the watchmen knelt down and asked "What's this?" he said, eying a strange looking dagger held in one of the slain watchmen's clutches. The young watchman picked it up and inspected it closely, then said "Hmmmph, its a strange looking dagger...look at these curious runes on it, nothing I've seen before"
Watchman #2: "It's nothing, stop making a fuss out of a stupid dagger"
Old man: "That, my friends is a dagger belonging to the cult of Demogorgon, prince of the Abyss"
*** Morganne regards the captain for a moment "....my mission remains the same, though with my usual luck, they will all be connected in some strange way...."
Morganne turns her head and approaches the Watchman and examines the dagger, "...great, nothing ever is as simple as it should be.. Give me the Dagger, it may come in handy at some point.."
The watchman gladly forks over the dagger, his face turned pale at the words of the old man. After he visibly shuddered and you could smell his sweat and his bloods hot smoky scent also drifted in through the night air. Just then a dog barking somewhere close by intruded on your momentary pause as you examined the small weapon.
The old man suddenly stood up and righted himself, then came closer to you. He said "Morganne, I've heard that name in many circles that I roam. You are a master of the sword, and a gifted warrior by all accounts. Well, you saved my bacon from those two bullies, and for that I have a gift for you"
The man removes a scroll from his pouch and scrawls something on it, handing it to you..."Take this to the great library of Lor and show it to a priest there by the name of Hazor. He will give you your gift. Go when time permits"
** Suddenly on guard, Morganne looks at the seemingly old man "...just who are you? One minute you're an old man and the next, you're standing tall as a man of action.." Morganne takes the note, the Library of Lor isn't that far away but i've been tasked by them for another job already, there are three who I must face in order to free my father and save my friends from walking into a trap! Then there's some...powerful people here who've hired me to deal with another..problem...this problem has brought their once lofty and proud reputation low by sheer skill and bravado." Morganne eyes the man curiously "...it'd be a shame to have to deal with someone who's life i'd just saved.."
The old man laughed, coughed, and smiled "Hah, you think I'm an enemy of some sort? No no no. I was a former cleric of Lor before, but was ousted when I'd attained past acolyte status. They said that I was leaking forbidden lore into the wrong hands, when in truth my job was to release falsified documents into the wild, and push a continuous stream of well crafted deceptions. That was long ago though, and now I am merely a dweller of the slums as you can see…many come to me for sagely advice, mostly city watchmen who seek my wisdom with their marital woes or young wives wishing for Lor's blessing of their wombs so they may bear fruit. And now, the new high priest of Lor has designated me a threat to their order and decreed my termination. He's trying to cover up loose ends, you see. I pray that this debacle does not draw unwanted attention to myself"
***...smiling, Morganne takes the offered note and in return, digs out a handful of gold and palms it in the mans hand "..not to worry, your identity will remain a secret..even if I have to personally wipe your tracks clean." Morganne flips the dagger in her hand nonchalantly and puts it awaw. "..city politics is a dirty game to be caught up in"
The old man returned Morganne's smile and denied the offer of gold, "How can I accept charity from one who has given me aid without want of reward? And she then offers some coin in return for her own heroism? You are a strange one, Morganne. Nay, but if you seek to give me a treat, then listen to an old mans wisdom for your own sake...remember in future situations that knowledge is a weapon when a weapon is useless, and a fight is not always won with swords but with through humility comes victory"
The old man got up and left, and the two watchmen looked after him scratching their heads and pondering his meaning.
As you get to the library through the quickest route, the two watchmen scramble and sweat to keep you within eyesight. Once there you are at first challenged by the temple guards. After a few seconds of ascertaining your identity you are taken to a guardroom and then lead to an office where you meet the cleric that the old man had named as Hazor.
The cleric's face you notice is strong and very handsome, and he has hands which have felt steel on the battlefield. You have heard of priests who have gone from venerating Wrath on the battlefield to taking on a pacifist God like Lor and perhaps you are meeting such a priest this very moment. Since Wrath is a jealous deity at times he would met out swift retribution for such betrayals, especially to a sibling of a Godling that Lor is. But at times, would simply turn a blind eye to such misgivings...for Wrath's true worshippers were those who lived and died by the sword. If such priests as this paid their due on the field of battle, Wrath was contented.
"I am Hazor, cleric of light. You are Morganne, presently a weaponmaster of house Succundus, formerly a retainer for Lord Daynar...a dhampir, an assassin and a fighter. You've come at behest of an old man who dwells somewhere in secret, and he sent you for a reward. Here is your reward:
FLIGHT: tapping deep into the vampire soul within, you are able to fly for 1-2 hours at a time, and at long distances, at will even during the day.
The old man returned Morganne's smile and denied the offer of gold, "How can I accept charity from one who has given me aid without want of reward? And she then offers some coin in return for her own heroism? You are a strange one, Morganne. Nay, but if you seek to give me a treat, then listen to an old mans wisdom for your own sake...remember in future situations that knowledge is a weapon when a weapon is useless, and a fight is not always won with swords but with through humility comes victory"
The old man got up and left, and the two watchmen looked after him scratching their heads and pondering his meaning.
As you get to the library through the quickest route, the two watchmen scramble and sweat to keep you within eyesight. Once there you are at first challenged by the temple guards. After a few seconds of ascertaining your identity you are taken to a guardroom and then lead to an office where you meet the cleric that the old man had named as Hazor.
The cleric's face you notice is strong and very handsome, and he has hands which have felt steel on the battlefield. You have heard of priests who have gone from venerating Wrath on the battlefield to taking on a pacifist God like Lor and perhaps you are meeting such a priest this very moment. Since Wrath is a jealous deity at times he would met out swift retribution for such betrayals, especially to a sibling of a Godling that Lor is. But at times, would simply turn a blind eye to such misgivings...for Wrath's true worshippers were those who lived and died by the sword. If such priests as this paid their due on the field of battle, Wrath was contented.
"I am Hazor, cleric of light. You are Morganne, presently a weaponmaster of house Succundus, formerly a retainer for Lord Daynar...a dhampir, an assassin and a fighter. You've come at behest of an old man who dwells somewhere in secret, and he sent you for a reward. Here is your reward:
FLIGHT: tapping deep into the vampire soul within, you are able to fly for 1-2 hours at a time, and at long distances, at will even during the day.
*** Morganne holds up her hand refusing to take back her offered gift. "..I would've offered you the gold no matter who you are or were for that matter! Those oath-breakers desired Wrath's justice. Giving aid to those in need is our way, please keep the gold, your continued ability to draw breath so that you may spend it is thanks enough.
later at the temple of Lor, Morganne closes her eyes as the knowledge of unlocked abilites become known."..well I guess it can't be stolen from me or lost.."
returning to the two waiting watchmen she simply remarks " well that was productive if not a waste of valuable time, come, let's get moving, the sooner we find these warriors on my list the sooner I can release the two of you to your duties!" Morganne, along with her two new companions, make their way back to where she encountered the old man. "...Let's be clear on something, Your captain ordered you to help me find those who must be found, I do not expect you to intercede on my behalf should any fighting ensue." Morganne says "..in fact, I expect you to leave and make your report about what you've seen to your captain instead"
The two watchmen audibly sigh in relief, "No problem" the first one chimed in, "We're glad to leave the fighting all to you" he said with a hearty laugh.
As you head into the slum area you were in just an hour before, you notice a black robed man skulking in the shadows further down the alley which you had came. Embroidered into the fabric of his robe is the crest emblem of House Succundus, a pheonix clutching a quiver of javelins. He is donned in the livery of a Succundus spy.
DECISION?
** Morganne motions for her two companions to be silent and to continue down the street as normal ahead of her. Morganne quickly finds a doorway and scales the side of the building to the roof top so that she may better watch the alledged House Succundus Agent. "...I don't know of any spy who would so brazenly display the phoenix, dressed as someone used to walking in the shadows.." Morganne murmurs to herself. Using her skills to observe the man's reactions as the two watchmen saunter down the alleyway.
The spy comes up upon the two watchmen swiftly and silently. The first man, Henry was on guard, pulling out his rod. The second was surprised and startled though.
Watchman #1 came at the spy with sudden ferocity, swinging widely. The shadowy spy sidestepped and elbowed the watchman in the back, and plunged a dagger into the back of the second watchman who started to take off deeper into the slums. Despite the dagger the watchman made off, some of his thick leather armor seemed to absorb partial damage.
As the first watchman regained his composure he tried once more to smash the spy with a brutal blow, but the agent wove and dodged easily then finally cut the watchman down with a dual strike of short-sword and dagger. The cloaked and hooded agent lifted the watchman off of the ground, asking "Where'd the woman you were accompanying go? Speak!"
The watchman, his pride damaged and demanding retribution spat into the Succundus spies face. The spy cuts the watchman's head clean off from the shoulders with a swift stroke, wiping the blade on the fallen policeman's cloak..."Fool, you could have lived"
Morganne draws the Guildlord's blade and launches herself off the roof of the building and silently moves to seek revenge on the man who'd so callously killed her two companions. Maybe this wasn't the time for revenge and maybe she might let him live but he was going to bleed for what he'd just done.
the man was obviously not who he claimed to be, Morganne reasoned in the few seconds it took to see the two watchmen die a horrible death. Agents of House Succundus knew who she was and knew well enough to never confront her out in the open let alone skulk around in an alleyway. The man either had no idea who she was, as evidenced by his questioning of the now dead guards or wasn't informed of What Morganne was and could do.
The smells of the night around her as the wind rushes past her face as she falls, rather floats down to strike the man from above and behind. No doubt about it she thought, this fool would be bleed quite a bit before she got down to who he was and cared for that matter.
The man suddenly leaps forward, rolls on the ground and spun around to face you. He looses a long chain that ended with a metal sphere and it shot out like a bullet toward your face. You instinctively bring the new sword you gained0 up to defend yourself and the chain wraps around your sword. With vicious sudden force the man rips the sword from your grasp and it flew from your grasp and cut into the ground as though it were made of dirt and not hard brick.
"Apprehend her!" the shadowy clad man hissed. From a rooftop doorway above two soldiers burst out, followed by several more. And on the rooftop opposite several more, all clad in Succundus arraignment. On either side they dropped nets from above, and they fell upon you...dragging you down. Wrapping your cloak around yourself you phased out of existence and escape the bindings.
"Oh you're good, you're real good" the man suddenly spat, and now the alleyway was being flooded with more Succundus soldiers..."Surrender, Morganne Du'Laq! By decree of Lord Daynar himself. Come along peacefully or suffer the fate of these two bastards. You're surrounded there's nowhere to flee"
***..'Hmm, almost forgot about that one' Morganne thinks to herself, The simple fact that this Lord Daynar, sends these commoner's to arrest her proves that the man known as Lord Daynar isn't her father at all. Morganne moves away as quickly as possible and changes self to that of a Succundus soldier and moves to retrieve the Guildlords weapon and try to learn more about what's going on. These Men were loyal Succundus Soldiers, Loyal to Lord Daynar even if they had no idea that they were serving an imposter.
The robed man shot his chain again and it wrapped around your wrist tightly, and it was a battle of strength. It was obvious that this new agent wasn't a weakling, for in this test he held you with sheer strength and prevented you from reaching your new weapon.
1 Succundus guardsman swiftly kicked the weapon so that it slid further away. For several minutes the Succundus guardsmen try to overwhelm and subdue you hastily, bent on capture rather than your immediate death. It seemed that whomever the imposter was, he had given deliberate orders not to cause you bodily harm.
Ducking and evading the swinging and thrusting clubs you leap up and fly toward the fallen weapon, snatching it up into your left hand you sever the weighed chain-whip at the tip with the new sword, and it effortlessly cut through the metal as though it were made from some cheap cloth. The scout looked pissed, and he gestured for his men to close in..."Don't let her escape!" he hissed. You could hear the Succundus agent furiously muttering the words to a spell, and judging by your experience alongside Aronis it wasn't a cantrip.
Two nearby guardsmen released a pair of German Shepards which raced down the alleyway towards you. The first leaps at you and passes straight through your body as you phase out, crashing into a towering stinking pile of rotted garbage. The second hound came at you with fierce bloodlust at first but you drew on your vampiric power of animal empathy and pacify the creature, calming it down and telling it you were no threat...and even more, that you could kill it if you chose to. It believed you.
DECISION
Morganne quickly decides that staying and fighting those loyal Succundus soldiers wasn't an option, being held prisioner again wasn't one either. That spy would get his one day if it was the last thing she'd do. just another face added to a long list of "Deaders" that her steel would kiss for the long good night.
Quickly leaping up towards one wall then up towards the opposite alley wall, Morganne tests her new flying ability to move as far and as fast as possible before any spells could be brought to bear against her.
"Stop her she's escaping!" the dark robed scout roared angrily. Two Succundus soldiers came at you one with a man-catcher and the second threw a lasso but missed.
You fly, effortlessly and the only way Morganne explains it to herself is like she was made from paper, and even her equipment and things which made one sluggish in terms of gravity felt as though they were weightless, yet some unseen invisible force gave her thrust. This force exuded from her feet and her back and gave her incredible speed with a mere thought. The feeling is at first terrifying, and most disturbing. It is as if you were somehow psychologically distanced from entirely from the race of men...and you knew or had heard from vampires that this is one power that they loathed and made them feel as you feel now.
You land on the balcony of the old man a mile away, in the slum ward...startling him from his reverie. "Back so soon I see, did you like the gift?" he asks with a grin.
smiling like a child who's discovered sheer joy for the first time Morganne turns behind her to see just how far she'd traveled. Then remembering her two companions she ducks inside the man's quarters "...A very fine gift indeed though I'm afraid that it didn't help in saving the lives of my two companions! I am being hunted by those who's house I serve and for reasons i've yet to discover, I need to hide and figure out what's going on and what my next moves will be. "
The old man nodded, "My meager hovel is at your disposal. It may seem...crude at first glance, but that is intentional...come" he bade. His abode was comfortable, and the walls wrought from smooth clay. A fragrant meaty stew boiled in a small iron pot over a roaring hearth. "Some oxtail stew if you're hungry" he said, giving you a black clay bowl full of the stuff.
Pressing a brick in the far wall, a section of it opened up to reveal a secret area beyond. It is clean and spacious, moderately furbished with a oak desk, tools, and even a cabinet with a chill cantrip applied to it that is full of various foods like cheeses, bread, dried berries and nuts.
"This is my home within my home, my bright white mindspace but consider it your own quarters, for now. Yes Lord Daynar has been acting strangely for the last month, and House Succundus agents have been lurking in the shadows searching for one who fit your description, even in the often neglected slum ward of Lor...where even Orc's are weary of trespass"
"...Lord Daynar has been acting strangely because he isn't Lord Daynar!" Morganne relates what she knows of the fate of House Succundus and a little of why she's in the slums in the first place. "...my coming to your aid was pure coincendence actually, had you so much as looked at me wrong i'd have ended your life just as fast as I'd stepped in to save it!" Morganne finds a chair and sits down "..I don't have much in this life but what I do have, I protect and hold dear very fiercely, I too thought it strange that the Succundus agents would claim to have orders from Lord Daynar yet the manner in which they sought to...bring me to him only confirms that Lord Daynar is an imposter." Morganne looks for a mirror and regards her features "..I'm afraid I must for a time, not be me so that I may do what needs to be done..." Morganne studies her face and her hair, so dark that only in the light does it truly look the color of blood "...strange that this imposter didn't simply utilize some of our..." Morganne regards her Succundus clasp for a moment then quickly goes into her pack, removing her traveling make-up kit and other items she often uses when she needs to appear as someone else. Applying dye to her hair tp make it appear a dirty dull brown and small appliques to her face, a wart here, a mole there and false teeth to further disguise her features. Using her mind to will her living armor to appear mis-matched and well worn in places, Morgane takes her cloak and gathers it around her waist and puts her pack underneath, making sure her weapons are hidden but within reach.
Her weapons, Corvus, Bone-Breaker and Asp, They've become associated with her as her red hair and pale features, well that can't be helped but if she can hold off using them she might get through this. Turning to the old former priest of Lor "....Lord Daynar's inner circle each carry a clasp that bears the sympol of our house, it also grants us certain abilites that help us to fight better as a unit. I fear that if it is discovered, my disguise will be for naught. On the other hand, becuase only a select few know of it's special properties, I may yet be able to use it to my gain..what do you think?"
Suddenly remembering advice from ages ago, Morganne uses her Dhampiric sight to scout the outside of the Lorian's home to make sure there are no enemies creeping nearby.
The man laughed, "End my life? In Lor things are different here than in the badlands. To even dream of accosting a cleric of Lor would invite total ruin to your name and house...but I get your point, thankfully not the point of your wicked sword" he said, chuckling. A quick scan of the narrow and bustling street below revealed nothing but the usual over crowded street.
"The slums aint so bad, not as bad as most folk would picture it. They envision it to be a new born hell, but actually the people here are friendly and look after one another like one huge family...in short they give a damn"
The man paused then continued "Eat, get some rest, Morganne...you are safe here...indeed, quite safe"
He goes out onto the balcony and puffs lightly on a pipe, its potent smelling herb has a nice calming effect.
Morganne laughs with the cleric, "...come now, as a serveant of Wrath i'd never attack a cleric of Lor!"
After, scanning the area, Morganne relaxes a little "...so few people give a damn these days, I can't tell you how long i've been on the road, away from home fighting one seemingly lost cause after another, strangers become allies and allies become strange enemies!" Chuckling again she shakes her head. That Succundus spy who killed the two watchmen, He must answer for his crimes even if he's a member of my house or not! Can you put the word out on the street, spread the story around so that the people keep an eye out for him? Even let it slip that he's murdered two of the city watch? I think that'll make his movements here more...difficult and will give me some breathing room"
The old man moved out onto his balcony and surveyed the beautifully lit streets of Lor and the dark waters of the sea of planes beyond its cityscape, inhaling deeply from a pipe he gazed longingly out towards the sea and then turns his attention to you.
"You are angered at another being taking life, yet a minute ago you confided you would have surely slain me if I had looked you square in the eyes, which is itself pretty evil in my book. You are an assassin are you not? But you are quick to harshly condemn a man of your own house for following his liege's orders. If that man you hold in contempt disobeyed his master's orders his lord liege would have asked him to fall upon his sword or to be tortured before his imminent death, his wife and children driven off the land to starve to death…so rest assured when he returns without you in custody such will be his fate by the imposter Daynar you claim is embedded inside Succundus manor. So in your heart you crave the ruin of a man you've already ruined, unbeknownst to yourself. There are much broader things to dwell on in the world besides petty comeuppances. Justice tends to fulfill itself without the need to draw steel and sate bloodlust. It is said in the clergy of Lor that insanity is continually doing the same thing over and over and expecting a change in results. Perhaps the pattern of endless struggles turning sour requires a different approach"
"..a sound argument, I would've slain you had for an instant I thought you were the man I was hired to kill. Let us thank both Wrath and Lor for giving us the wisdom to go against our initial thoughts and to recognize the other for who we truly are?" Morganne smiles "..as for the the man who as you put so callously judged, mind you this, he was tasked to bring me back to this imposter, House Succundus isn't above the laws of Lor and should not take it upon themselves to wantonly slay those who serve Lor honorably either! You didn't see his eyes, the man truly seemed to relish what he did! I doubt that's the kind of man who has love for anyone or is loved by anyone enough to be missed should he be killed!" Morganne's voice grows colder "...spare me your moral ethos Lorian, all of us makes choices in life, I have been trained as an assassin yes, I am a warrior dedicated to Wrath and a member of the Sisterhood! I could've very easily chosen the path of warrior cleric..had that option been presented to me at a young age but it wasn't! those two men who were ordered to help me didn't have a choice and they paid for that...lack of choice with their lives! the Gods will is done by inspiring and directing their chosen here!...."
Morganne sighs and hold up her hands, "...forgive me, I misspeak and forget that i'm a guest in your home. Lord Daynar is more than just the head of House Succundus and my employer, I owe everything to him, the fact that i'm standing her before you today instead of being a...non-entity is proof of that! His family protected me, saw that i was raised in safety, given purpose and educated and when the time came, adopted me as his own.
The old man shrugged, yawned, then said "Good night, I'm going to bed" as an afterthought he adds "I do not think that a simple act of kindness equates to lifelong servitude"
You also sleep deeply, awaking from a nightmare. You hear some faint sounds of revelers nearby. Using your vision you see a cellar below the tenement you are in has been converted into a makeshift underground tavern. The room is smoky and sounds of laughter, crude jokes, and drinking songs are heard. Peering further you see a prostitute in the back servicing several patrons who are lined up to have a go with her. You spot a few shady looking characters inside, a few thugs and some other scoundrels discussing something of a discreet nature.
*** interesting, Morganne thinks to herself as she pulls back her senses. '...I can't sleep anyway so might as well see what I can find out.' writhing a note for the Lorian, Morganne checks her disguise, her oxblood hair now colored a dusty dark brown. a few applied scars and blemishes and a change of clothes. Discarding most of her weapons save the dagger she'd found earlier and a few of her own and a non descript short-sword along with her cloak wrapped around her body like a sash, Morganne makes her way down to the basement bar, waiting to see who comes and goes before makeing her way inside. making her way to the bar and ordeering a drink before sitting down where her back isn't exposed and she has a good view of the room. Listening and watching.
You enter the smokey den of iniquity, sensing a few overly curious eyes on you coming in all directions. After awhile people here seem to ignore you and continue enjoying their drinks and various forms of entertainment. On one table a pair of burly thugs are arm wrestling while on another a shady deal between two scumlords is in effect.
One particular table captures your interest and you focus your vampiric awareness on it with deep concentration. A black robed man, his face well hid hands a leather clad lanky man a leather pouch, plopping it onto the table. You hear: "Take th_ sta_rs out_ and th_rd floor you'll find the _eric' abod_. He's an ol_ fart, put him out of his mis_ery. Bring m_ h_s he_d as proof to collect your fee. You know where to find me once the tas_ is completed"
A conversation overheard at a table close by: "House Succundus is seeking some warrior wench by the name of Morganne, spread the word...two thousand gold dead or alive...she's said to be holed up somewhere in the slums"
reply: "What does she look like?"
original voice: "Nobody knows except she is fair in looks and has red fiery hair. Weapons unknown, skills unknown, former weaponmaster of Lord Daynar himself. Considered extremely dangerous"
***hearing enough, Morganne manuvers around to put eyes on the assassin hired to deal with the cleric. The price on her own head she could deal with but the price on the clerics....She'd sworn an oath to protect Lor's servants.
Rising to her feet she quickly moves around the building until she finds the clerics balcony and quickly checking to make sure no eyes are on her, leaps up to the balcony and re-enters the abode. Assassins would be coming very soon and she wanted to prepare a little surprise for them. She'd only have moments to get the cleric into his hidden quarters and for her to take his place.
As you push your way through the throng of revelers, a drunk man purposely intercepts you, wearing a sleazy smile he reeks of whiskey. He croons "Ah, where do you think you're going lass?" he said, wiping his mouth..."Let's have a wee bit of fun then"
You note two other men, sensing the intention of this brash fellow come up from behind. And two more out of the opposite direction, like a pack of wolves drawn to a fresh kill. One of the men grabs at his crotch and grins perversely "This sweet little slut's gonna make us feel like a real man ought, heheeeheh" he said, drawing a dagger..."Don't fight us, woman...it'll only make it more painful"
The first man leaps at you, and as you try to move away one of the men in the throng of spectators pushes you, albeit weakly and he is flabbergasted that you are not so easily moved...your feet clinging to the ground as easily as it would the ceiling. The drunk lout even hurts himself in the clumsy attempt.
You feel a tapping on your shoulder and turn around, ducking as a second reveler swings a empty flagoon at your head. You see the assassin disappearing into the thick of the crowd...DECISION?
I don't have time for this, no time to fight her way through and get to the cleric in time, pulling the man close she looks deeply into his eyes and attempts to ensnare his feeble mind "...say there love, fancy a bit of a tumble do you? I've got a place up on the third level that's much more comfortable. But there's this bad man who's been after my twin sister who on his way up there now! We'd be eternally grateful for any help you could give...(Chr)
Your eyes briefly glow an eerie spectral red, and the reveler's are suddenly ensnared by their mesmerizing effect. Dulled in mind and their own insatiable lust temporarily forgotten they stand there in a stupor while you bypass these meddlers. Just as you briskly move past the subdued gang of men, a huge mountain of a man with thick corded muscles rose up and got in your path and you realized that this towering Nyriddian was the bouncer of this illegal establishment. He simply grunted then said "Don't try that shit in here again, the boss doesn't allow it!" he mutters, as if forming the right words was a difficult painful thing.
You flew up to the third floor balcony where the nameless old cleric's abode lied, still adjusting to the freakish sensation of flying but loving it simultaneously, especially how it gets you to the action quickly.
Once at the door you see a handful of prickly caltrops sprinkled in a wide radius just outside the door, which is presently closed shut.
DECISION
*** "hmpf" Morganne thinks to herself and walks up the side of the wall until her feet are resting on the ceiling and then towards the door to the cleric's abode. Using her senses to peer inside of the room to see inside.
The old man inside appears to be standing over the prone form of the shadowy assailant you saw in the underground bar just a few minutes ago, and it looks as though the old priest Lars is busy tying up the unconscious assassin sent to terminate his life.
*** taking a few moments to watch a bit longer, Morganne then walks along the side of the door and carefully sweeps up the deadly caltrops, no need to waste them she thinks to herself. Then examines the door itself to be sure it isn't a trap on it. Before softly rapping her knuckles on the door before entering the room.
As you enter the room you see Lars perched on a wooden chair, a thin wire wrapped around his throat. Standing next to him is the assassin from the bar below. As the door opens the assassin tosses a few small metal balls your way, each the relative size of a pea. You maneuver through several of the small spheres but one strikes you square in the chest and detonates in a contained blast of bright blue flame, so scathingly cold that it numbs the side of your arm and shoulder and sends you flying back off of the balcony. The assassin kicks the chair from beneath the old cleric Lars and then leaps out of the side-window, tearing through the window of the adjacent building.
DECISION
using the momentum of being knocked over the balcony to flip over backwards and fly straight back into the room towards Lars to cut the wire with Bone-Breaker before any fatal damage can be done to the old man.
Too late, you realize. The wire-noose was just an added insurance of the old cleric's death, the real cause is that his entire back has been spliced open by a very sharp weapon. You realize what you saw just a minute ago was some kind of illusion masking the true going on within. You release the old man and he collapses into your arms, dying. He grabs you by the shirt and says "Listen to me! *cough* there's a series of rooms beyond the one that I showed you, all very well concealed and difficult to see. A storage room, a bedroom, and a small gymnasium. The wall is impregnable, and the interior nice and cool thanks to a chill cantrip I laced within. Therein is a crystal screen, it is a very valuable magic device I stole from the corrupt cleric within the Lorian order. It gives you direct access to vast knowledge and secrets that my order has kept secret for centuries. You must take it and guard it with your life, give it to your master, but keep it out of the hands of our clergy. Trust me, the corrupt bastard inside the Lorian clergy will use all resources to obtain it. Use it to obtain secrets, knowledge, wisdom, and new skills. Do not give it to any save those in your inner circle! Many a king or queen will easily try to take it from you by force, so be warned!"
With that he keels over and dies.
*** Morganne listens intently and once the life in Lars eyes fade, she closes his eyes and offers up a prayer to Lor to accept him and a promise to Wrath to avenge him. Taking his body and wrapping it in sheets. Secured the entrances to the abode and then brought Lars body to the hidden recesses of the abode. Morganne would be damned if the assassin would profit from Lars death. when she had time she would burn his body and bury his ashes. For now, searching the abode and securing it against further intrusion was the first order of business. Changing her appearance and getting back to work was the second. Thirdly, learning all she could from Lars, magical device would have to be done as well.
Abode: you do your best, but it will require masterful carpentry to repair the front entrance properly. A few minutes after, some men appear. One is a sinewy looking old man, and his two teenage sons that each try to appear more tough and mature than their age.
The father spoke "Well now, you caused quite a rucuous here, and a big fat mess. That door's gonna cost an arm and leg to get fixed"
*** Morganne turns to the old man "...yes it will but cost but it will still have to be done." Morganne says sourly "..I'm sorry, I didn't catch your names?"
"We didn't offer any" the man said in an irate tone, "So who's gonna be fixing dis place up then? I sure as hell aint, madam...I don't care if you be Lars little daughter, can't be dealing with this kinda crap! I'll call on the carpenter's guild marrow but the payment's on you! Dagnabit" he mutters in a grumbling tone.
"We didn't offer any" the man said in an irate tone, "So who's gonna be fixing dis place up then? I sure as hell aint, madam...I don't care if you be Lars little daughter, can't be dealing with this kinda crap! I'll call on the carpenter's guild marrow but the payment's on you! Dagnabit" he mutters in a grumbling tone.
*** Morganne smiles "...no you didn't, I am Lars neice and of course the cost of fixing the door will be taken care of, sooner than later" (chr)
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