Part I: Spy Games (Karlene Blackcloud intro)

[Chris1234]

En route to finding Drusilla, when alone Karlane says, "Erodan? Did you detect anything unusual about the mage or his guards? Were they 'part-shades'?"
And then adds, P"lease remain hidden to all bar me. There may be one in the group that cannot be trusted. I may be wrong, but I prefer to keep your return as something of an insurance. At a minimum, I will talk with you every night."

[spike]

Erodan will say 'his eyes, they are not natural. They are some sort of 'living' thing, infused with power. Perhaps magical' he adds 'the assassin discerned your location when you casted your silence spell, you are not entirely utterly invisible my dear when you wield magic. Only near invisible, and these are keen eyed killers who are accustomed to delivering death from afar'

[Chris1234]

"Thank you, Erodan," Karlane said genuinely, but still in dismissal as she scurried to find Drusilla.

On finding Drusilla, she asks, "Now that we've been attacked, time is of the essence but I would get the ex-prisoners to safety. Have you found out yet how many of the ex-prisoners want to go to each of the three towns? And how many have no plan? I was going to split up the tridents to escort them. Or is that no longer viable? The only other possibility is to take them through a portal to the edge of the bogs. Advise me, please. Then we must get them assembled while we hold our war council."

[spike]

Drusilla says 'They will go to Harby, for they are too weak and weary to travel, and have no ties to other places like Targos. The trident's all fled to their town, but they assured me that they have had a change of heart and have turned from their ways. You may dismiss the prisoners they will return to yonder Harby, and worry not for their welfare. I have placed a special blessing upon them that will mask their presence for a day, the boon of Johydee.'

She paused for a moment and said 'my Goddess told me that you are to go to a forest nearby to be tested, but to complete the test you will require the presence of the mage, the assassin, the spy who is me, apparently. You are the protector. . She says to be mindful of these passages from your holy book: be merciful to the merciless and be faithful to the faithless, and a shield for the defenseless, the oppressed who Lor keeps vigil for.'

[Chris1234]

The Lorian smiles at Drusilla and pats her arm, "Thank you for taking care of that. I had planned to use the tridents to guard them on their journeys. I will trust your judgement on the tridents. This way is simpler and faster. When we can safely catch our breath I will need to pray for some more spells. Now, let us go to dismiss the prisoners together."
She moves to do just that, and bids the prisoners, "Be off to Hardy with you now. Make what haste you can and go with Lor's blessings." Karlane hands the {OOC: 15?} children 1GP each and the {OOC: 24?} adults 5GP each, "..For your immediate needs. In turn, I bid you to be kind to the deserving."

On the way back, Karlane replies, "I heed your words, Drusilla, although will admit before Lor that I struggle with the first. No problem to give mercy for those who can be redeemed, but to give mercy to the unredeemable that will go on to kill and oppress. The extremes are clear, but the boundary between the two gives me trouble. I err on the side of damage to my soul rather than risk allowing endless violence against the innocent. This should remain between us. Our secret. Now, I would that you tell me a small one of yours: just how many years have you seen? Then we must go for our war council."

[spike]

Drusilla says 'Struggle as you may, but mercy begets mercy, and how can you expect mercy from your own God if you cannot demonstrate it to simpleton sinners? For by so showing the righter way you plant seeds of doubt and weal in their souls. Trust me when I say that a time will come when mercy will be shown by your enemies, and cruelty from your friends. Now, being the follower of the God of secrets, surely you can respect so simple a secret as my true age? Not that it matters much. I am not that advanced in age as you might be purposely misled into thinking.' she smiled then said 'worry not, answers will come. You have much to learn yet still, but your true purpose will be revealed ere long, and your destiny. You see, the order of Lor has become inebriated parasites on the power they protect. I believe Lor wishes to use you as his mortal instrument to purge the priesthood of its corruption. However you have much triumphs and suffering to wade through before your purpose is revealed'

[Chris1234]

Karlane laughs; a good feeling. "Of course I respect it. But I would be remiss in not seeking to know it. Surely you see that in return."
She leads the way back to the others.

[Chris1234]

"No map. Take me to the Drow," the Lorian continues.
While the jailer leads, she taps Idrys on the arm to get his attention and then taps his sword while making a meaningful look at the jailer.

Idrys pauses only for a second, always responsive when it comes to dealing death, and then reaches for his main sword, but relaxing and leaving it when he sees his sister shake her head.

Kalrane pays particular attention, looking especially for traps, while the jailer opens the door to the sleeping drow. She then looks at the Drow then take a half pace to the jailer's side that is opposite to Idrys. When the jailer's eyes move to meet hers, putting Idrys behind the jailer's head, she nods twice, still looking the jailer in the face, and says, "Good. Now it can start," as a signal for Idrys to end the jailer.

He understands. And does so.

[spike]

IDRYS missed the guard twice (7, 8) who spun around and bashed Idrys with a metal rod (-4 hp blunt damage) then cried out 'INTRUDERS!'

The guard darts past you and runs toward the door 8 paces away. You swung your mace but also failed to deliver any physical damage (3) he hurls his rod at you striking you from a distance (-3 hp blunt damage) then laughed 'you damned idiots!' he moves toward the door.

Idrys flung a dagger at the guard nailing him perfectly, the dag sunk hilt deep straight through the base of the jailer's neck, the point came rupturing out of his mouth and he fell over, dead (20, 88% critical, assassination)

[Chris1234]

"Great shot. Slippery fellow. Keep a watch, please," asks Karlane. She drags the jailer a couple of feet away from the cell doorway, not wanting to be stiffed by the unknown drow, and then, facing the cell door, searches the jailor.
(She's looking for keys, maps, orders, weapons, valuable in that order.)

Idrys retrieves his dagger and wipes it clean on the fallen, then switches to bow and takes a stance in a showdowy corner where he can cover the area.
(If he thinks the jailer's eyes have the demonic-remote-seeing property, then he pokes both eyes with the dagger before cleaning it.

If the drow emerges, Karlane says, "We're from Ash. Wait there a moment please." ~It's true enough,~ she thinks, ~even if not entirely accurate. But fast, which is more to the point.~

When done she says, "I am Karlane. What's your name? And are you damaged?"

======
OOC: Clarification on Healing Touch: Can cure 2H/cleric level per day. Query - can this be split up, e.g. C2 can give 1HP to each of 4 unconscious people (assuming all on 0HP) to get them back on their feet. It's not a big thing, just could add a bit of flexibility on the rare occasions when it would make a difference. Also (as Healer's Touch doesn't have a write up on the website, and I'm probably trying it on a bit), Would Healer's Touch also confer the Paladin's ability to Cure Disease once/week (at Cl1-5); twice/week (at Cl6-10) etc? Again, not a biggie, but potentially useful as there's limited healing across a growing party size..

[spike]

1ed Paladins don't cure disease they're immune to diseases.

Yes, can be split up. Additionally you have the healing nwp no? That instills 1d4+1 healing non-magically, fyi.

When you get to 3rd healing touch is augmented by being able to cure disease or blindness once a month and you gain a +1 to the healing per 3/cleric levels.

The drow elf looked perplexed, but undamaged 'No I am not injured, minus a few scratches. Ash Elkroth? Hmmm, I owe him much. Why he aids me so is beyond reason, more like madness. Must be a human trick of some kind, most peculiar! I am Zyn, formerly of house Everhate but no more. I must say you are quite beautiful for a rescuer, I must thank Ash next I see that rascal. Now what do we do?"

[Chris1234]

"Hi Zyn. We can talk 'bout Ash later. Now? Clean this place. Just three?" responds Karlane. She lets the compliment slide; vanity can come later.
Idrys interjects, "Man, woman and that," obviously referring to the jailer.
"Just those three here normally, Zyn? And what's your skill set? We can work on payback later. " Karlane continues as she finishes searching the jailer. {OOC: What does she find?}

She scans the cell for any in-your-face traps and whether the drow is restrained or shackled. If none, or when countered, she points the drow to the room where the prisoners' kit is stored. "Just yours." While the drow re-equips, she touches Idrys's wound and channels Lor's power into it. {Healing Touch, +2HP}

And she then moves on to the next cell and checks it's contents, door and any lock.

[spike]

Zyn: "warrior, thief too" he stated flatly, 'Bel’la dos, err, thank you kind woman' he said, spitting on the dead jailer. He paused then said 'They had another here, they take him. He wanted to be caught, strange man. Said he will see you soon, working uh behind scenes, to helps you and your friends. He predict you comes here to free us. Now I believe, crazy halfling' he said 'elf with big stomach is Valtor, think he is mage, talk too much, sneaky guy. Other is Garosh, also talks lots, strong, killed one jailer with bare hands'

[Chris1234]

{OOC: Did these slip through the cracks?}

...facing the cell door, searches the jailer. (She's looking for keys, maps, orders, weapons, valuable in that order.)...

...payback later. " Karlane continues as she finishes searching the jailer. {OOC: What does she find?}...

...she points the drow to the room where the prisoners' kit is stored. "Just yours." While the drow re-equips, she touches Idrys's wound and channels Lor's power into it. {Healing Touch, +2HP}
And she then moves on to the next cell and checks it's contents, door and any lock.

[spike]

Jailer:

Key ring, 5 skeleton keys
Leather coinpurse: 50 silver, 10 gp
parchment, with following words written on them: eltoszz, morgonth, noquar
another parchment, note reads 'Parn, a man named Clyde is coming to fetch the halfling, he might actually be a prince worth a considerable fortune. Also another named Gellor has been stirring up a rucous lately, snooping around about the safehouse. We'll take care of him, but keep a watch out for suspicious persons. We think he may be a spy or something'
wrist sheath with spring loaded dagger
a leatherbound palm sized diary, 20 pages have been filled.

page #1: Taken mercenary job guarding safehouse, easy wages. Fun work, wife keeps it clean and the men keep it guarded. Need more muscle though, some of the prisoners they have stored here are pretty crazy, and difficult to manage.

#2: my mysterious employers want me to hire some fools to go and explore the tunnels below, to clear them out of whatever infests their dark passages. If I can only find a gullible group stupid enough to undertake such a mission, I can follow them from a distance and when injured from whatever vicious things lurks down there, I can off them and claim their reward in their softened state. Just as I had the first group of imbecilles I sent down there, exploratory team #1. They fell prey to some kobolds to the east, found their bodies peppered with poisoned arrows. These kobolds are lead by a mysterious magic-user named Lance, who has a face of melted wax. Some thieves at the Poisoned Dag inn told me that he tried casting a fireball spell when he was too inexperienced, not popular with the ladies I imagine.

Page 2:

We had some fun with some girlies that another guard brought in, then we had fun with the prisoners that we were told to guard. After some time we got bored and tortured them just to see if they would talk, and they talked alright, told us about a great deal of interesting things. Then we got our employer very drunk and put him in the cell and also tortured him, made him give us enough coin to last us right for the year and blackmailed him, hahaha. First we got him to bring his family to us, then we had fun with them, they were the funnest we had. Their screams and struggling, so beautiful! And finally after torturing them for a solid week, we ate them. It was the other guard Bonk's crazy idea, but I ended up liking it, I must admit. Then we took our employer and boiled him in a big cauldron of scalding hot oil, until his flesh melted right off. The look in his eyes were memorable. I think I loved him then, at the height of our merciless fun, we shared a deeper spiritual connection, hah hah.

Page 3

We have resumed our guard duties, even with our employer gone and out of the picture. I never knew how sweet the taste of human flesh of women and children could be, and I must have more ere long.

Now we need to decide what to do with our new 'guests'. They are a belligerent bunch, not even slightly discomforted by lack of food, threats, torture, blackmail. The drow is a steely sonofabitch, killed a guardsman by scaring him to death that the fat slob shit his pants and had heart failure. I'll keep em alive til end of the month, then we'll cook em good and see what they tastes like. Never ate a drow elf before! Hah. Still, I know they're important to someone.

Page 4

Map of the tunnels below, 50% of it I believe. The thieves who drew this map mysteriously died. We got the drow elf to retrieve it off of the thieves dead corpses. We got out of there and narrowly escaped an undead patrol.

Page 5

I sent three out of work assassins to try and take out the mage with the melted face, but they didn't report back. I assume they're now dead, the useless bums. Now we will send a more substantial force. Six of these so called adventurers should suffice, their freedom is enough to dupe them into the undertaking. They soon fled and returned, most of them were injured beyond saving. I'll have no choice but to kill them and partake in their meat. I killed the ones who were still healthy, as the price of their failure. They died real good at the end of my rod! Hah. I dashed their brains in, some heroes! Hah. I'm the hero here, not you craven cowards.

Page 6

I crept into the mage's dwelling, wearing the drow elf's boots and cloak however small and tight fitting they were. He didn't even see me as I wrapped a garrotte around his pretty head and sliced his head clean off, heh heh. His blood was everywhere. 'Time to die you bastard' I whispered just before his fate was sealed. His kobold guards did not even notice me. All the fool had was a stupid wand made of human bone and a dumb ring, the bloody sod duped me into thinking he had more wealth than he had. Oh well, at least he's dead now. Good riddance.

Page 7

I have joined the secret cult that this magic-user served in. I must commit a hundred sins before I can be considered worthy of the dark gift. That is, true immortality. Only a hundred? I have more than this in a single day! Hah. Yesterday I met the master vampire, an old fiend who was five thousand years old. He told me he had something far greater for my talents in mind. For five measly years of service he will personally give me the dark blood! Then I will strike true terror in the world like none has ever laid witness.

page 8

I have recruited a worthy servant named Scarn, he's a useful pawn in my future masters employ. We have assembled a unit of stealthy fighters who master solely the trident, a good weapon to disarm, kill, and eliminate threats to our operations. By months end I will gain sufficient credit to earn my rightful place as a new offering to that ancient, withered old fart, and his power will soon be mine to enjoy for a lifetime!'

Page 9

I had Scarn deliver the vampire a message, and in doing so he noticed that the field was wealthy beyond all comprehension. I wondered then, if this master of life and death were so abundantly wealthy, then all of his immortal ilk must be vastly richer than the most prominent kings, queens, and emperors in all the thirteen realms. This is not mere wealth amassed during a lifetime, but entire generations! I believe these vampire lords to be even wealthier than the dragons. If we could find their lairs below ground or above and somehow rob them, that wound be most grand!'

Page 10

An imperial spy among the tridents gained wind of my plans to rob vampire lords, who will someday be my future competitors, and has assembled a party of misfits to find these vampires and steal their wealth. A party of evil adventurers goes to do just this, I must put a foil in their plans before they deprive me of my security!'

Page 11

I contacted and alerted one Lord Kaneloon to the threat that these adventurer's pose him and his lair. He thanked me personally by sending me their heads back in baskets. Doubtless that the empire will simply hire other similar parties, outfitted with mage and priest, fighters and assassins, or a thief.

Page 12


The game is afoot. Not only was I right, but the black imperium have deployed six parties of seasoned, stalwart adventurers to a. identify, b. locate, and c. clear, if possible the lairs of several undead lords, each who apparently serve a mysterious vampire king they refer to only as the emperor of the night, and others call him the pale lion. However, I have also learned an incredible secret of the vampire world no mortal is presently privy to save for me, and a few human familiars. A particular vampire only known as the bard has been capturing a great deal of unwanted attention and freely giving information on vampires to mortals through song, play, or poetry. The vampire masters in turn have been hiring these adventuring parties to contend and destroy this bard. A rather curious affair.

Page 13

Meeting with the immortal council

I met with the immortal council yesterday, the old crusty dried husks wanted in on some of my recent findings. They threatened me with pain and enslavement of course, and I fed them some tantalizing tidbits about my discoveries, and gave them evidence. I gave them a lesser vampire to examine as living proof that true immortality exists. I could feel their sheer delight and longing to acquire life everlasting. Little do they yet realize I will permanently end them once I've gained it for myself!

These revolting, detestable decrepit old farts are of the Nyborrean dynasty that faded aeons ago. An elder race of rather foolish magic-users who decimated one another in an epic war for Godhood. The remnants turned themselves into Lich's and are said to still exist today. These still fleshly Nyborreans maintain their artificial immortality by way of siphoning the soul stuff of the degenerates, the unwanted, dregs of society that they capture and enslave. They have blue skinned giant servants to protect them, treacherous louts. Note that these giants are incredibly formidable! Impervious to enchantment, poison, resistant to fire or cold, and can regenerate as quickly as a troll. I would so love to have one of these as my own personal bodyguard! I saw one squash a stupid slave flat as a cloak. Truly a horror that would do well under my command. Just wait until I rise up and see my destiny yet revealed!'

Page 14

The underbelly of cloud keep is where these disgusting Nyborreans keep their slaves and siphon their soul energies. I have spied a great deal of this place and wish to assume ownership once I've successfully assaulted it. Easy enough, I will get the full might of the black cloaks to do that for me! And involve the watchers at the same time, and then let them wipe eachother out so I can take custody of this floating island fortress. We seem to be hovering above the Gate Mountains, and like its name cloudkeep is alwys surrounded by clouds, just to make it all the more difficult to lay siege to it. The comically ironic thing is that many of these Nyborreans take their own lives out of sheer boredom of life, I wish they would do so en masse and save me the trouble of planning a perfect invasion.

Page 15

The boss is a copper dragon thats been possessed by a powerful daemon named Plaggeais, and has dispatched a group of adventurer's known as black company. So far they have been the most persistent and resourceful group of the six, of whom I have been leading into carefully laid traps my mentor has painstakingly prepared for them.


















Zyn retrieves his possessions, clad now in armor and having swords at his side.