Part I: Spy Games (Karlene Blackcloud intro)

[Chris1234]

Idrys and Drusilla
Idrys looks at Drusilla to see if she judges that Voraina isn't pulling a con trick to just pocket the gold and disappear.

Assuming Drusilla nods, smiles or gives a concealed (from Voraina) thumbs up, then Idrys, always easy with money, merely a means to an end, says, "Agreed, by Wrath, I will give you that on the basis that the 1500 gps includes whatever there is of value that you wring from Karnac's operations and current holdings. You keep a fifth of anything above that to a total of 5,000 gps to you, including the 1,500gps. And you keep some kind of coded ledger. Shake on it." He offers Voraina his hand.

If she agrees and shakes his hand, he gently rests a restraining hand on Drusilla's arm so that she doesn't stump up any cash, and says, "Here you are," and hands over 153GP, retaining only 11sp 6cp. "If you need more for bribes then you can always lift it from Karnac's current holdings. This enough to work with, yes?"

======
OOC: 153 GP deducted from Idrys's char sheet.

Karlene and Valtor
"I have heard of such blades but never seen one. Thanks you for this honour. Fare thee well, Tethir. And also to you, Priestess Ilrune," bids Karlane before she leaves with Valtor.

******
The pair fly to spy the actual weapons caravan and then back off by 30-40 minutes or so of caravan travel time (using the previously stated evasion tactics).
En route they discuss whether after setting up the portal at the real weapons-caravan ambush site they should return to help the decoy ambush or if Valtor should show Karlane the riverside hideout.
Karlane favours returning to help but Valtor's argument that his place is very close wins out.
Arriving at the ambush zone for the actual weapons caravan, Karlane cancels the portal to the decoy area and puts it off the road behind some bushes near the decoy site.
Leaving Valtor on guard she steps back through the portal to the safe-house and fetches Garosh, briefly updating him en route.
The priestess wishes Garosh well and departs with Valtor for the riverside hideout.

******
At the riverside hideout Karlane thanks Valtor for trusting her with this secret and compliments him on how impressive the set up is despite his efforts to downplay it.
"I propose I set up a portal here so we can manhandle through all of the small stuff, she asks. "Probably offer a small part of the weaponry to the elves as a sign of good faith that may pay returns later. So, where do you want the portal? Doing it this way, no one else need know just where this place is. Who, if anyone, from our group, will thereafter be needed to transport the big, heavy artillery stuff to here by road? Who also will be needed to load all the weaponry onto the ship. assuming that is your intent? And then who from our group is required to move it all to the ranger in the south?"

[spike]

Drusilla smirked, laughed, 'you're very...methodical' she said at length, approving of her.

Voraina said 'A girl learns to be in this dark world. No, I only want the fifteen hundred, none of Karnak's filthy coin is any good to me and I shant touch it, you keep it. Consider it payment for my families freedom, even if you did blow one to a million pieces through no fault of your own. However if you are so inclined toward generosity, I know an orphanage that could use that sort of cash. I will dispatch a raven to you both when I have made progress. Also, I will send my servant Lorria to send you any important letter. Keep watch over her when she comes to you, she is the only family I have beside my sister.'

She shook your hand and laughed, 'This day I was freed from Karnak's enslavement, and now I'm going to become that damned snake, life sure is most strange!'

She turned her head over her shoulder, smiling 'get that gold ready for me!'

As you and Drusilla prepare to head out,, you thought you saw a little girl running up the side of a hill nearby, giggling.

[Chris1234]

Idrys and Drusilla
Idrys just nods.

When Voraina is some distance away, he says quietly to Drusilla, "As we're due to meet Karlane at the place you mentioned in a few hours, where do you think we should keep the cousin? Oh and what did you think of Karlane's tattoo? I thought it was unbecoming."

[spike]

Drusilla: 'Karlene's tattoo? What am I supposed to think, laddie?" she asked, then considering the cousin she said 'Griffon's Eyrie should be sufficiently safe. There are good people there'

[Chris1234]

Idrys and Drusilla"
"Well, you saw it. I wanted a woman's take on it", Idrys answers. "How long to get to the Eyrie?"

[spike]

Drusilla: 'an hour, more or less, by the backroads. Mmmmm to be perfectly honest I hadn't given Karlene's tattoo much thought at t'all. I've much works on the noggin, things you wouldn't be knowing that much about, and incredulous if you did!' she said, then added 'come come, and do not be too hasty in drawing steel. This is a 'different' area than the big city, many bravado's and small timer's trying to etch out a name fer themselves, or plain kill and steal from any. Best to lay them low without undue bloodshed. A wee bit o' mercy can have far greater reward than you would imagine'

After twenty minutes of cutting through beautiful, lush countryside, you see a charred skeleton of what appears to have once a modest roadside inn. You hear a girl's giggling, and spot a young girl with blonde hair running through the woods in the near distance. With your spectral vision you can clearly see she is translucent: a ghost, trying to entice you in a game of hide and seek.

[Chris1234]

En route, Idyes brings up the tatto again, "So what did you think my sister's tattoo was actually supposed to be?"

Assuming this doesn't end in tears and the trio reach the roadside inn's charred skeleton, he relates, "I can see a translucent young girl with blonde hair. Looks like she wants a game of hide and seek. So as you know things that I wouldn't be knowing that much about, what wisom would you offer about this phantom? A trap? Or she needs her body put to rest? Or..?"

======
{OOC: Actually Karlane does not have a tattoo. His sister's level of paranoid precaution is rubbing off on him so he's trying to check whether this Drusilla is the real Drusilla or another face-shifter (like the one that blew itself up.)}

[spike]

Drusilla turned to you and struck you upside the head with a whapping hand, 'that's what I think, you little miscreant!' she fumed in irritation, 'I've only met your sister when she freed us in the assassins guild, so I haven't seen her actually bathing and in her birthday attire, so if she has one it must be in the inner crack of her supple arse. As to your present query, do you not have some affiliation with, to put it delicately the supernatural?' she asked with a exasperated sigh. 'I've seen my share of ghosts, this one is playing a game, go talk to her and see if she knows anything useful. The living dead do not have power over dhampir'

[Chris1234]

Idrys takes the 'whap' in the same way the a 500 year old oak tree stares down a 30mph breeze.
"It will be interesting to see her reaction when she knows that you've been staring at her 'supple arse'. You know know, you might get a bite," he delivers totally dead pan.

After a pause, the assassin volunteers, "That affiliation is something I have not explored. I shall do as Your Wisdom advises, provided you can look after the (breathing) girl."

Unless Drusilla expresses doubt in her ability to look after the rescued niece, Idrys trots off after the supernatural girl, slowing where there are thick trees or heavy vegetation in case of long forgotten bear traps.
If he can't find her in 15 minutes he gives up.
If he sees her, he offers, "Come and talk to me, girl. I am Idrys. What is your name?"

[spike]

'As appealing as that sounds to a man, I fear tisn't my cup of tea laddie' she smirked wryly 'now git, I can take care of this girl and I need the rest, you walk too damned fast'

After ten minutes you catch the ghost girl, she says 'father said not to speak to strangers' then she said 'I'm Elgi! Did you bring me some sweet treats perhaps?' she inquired innocently. She covered herself, 'sure is cold this time of year, it's going to be a good harvest I just know it is!'. Ever so often her eyes peer down the road toward a distant, unremarkable looking farmstead, and her eyes averted away. She did this repeatedly, then ceased.'Can I hold you, Idrys? I'm so cold'

When she hugged you, you caught a glimpse of a scene unravel. You saw an old man, and woman, both looked withered and their faces permanently fixed with scowls. They opened the door as Elgi (alive) stood there on their front porch. Then, the old woman pushing her into an oven to 'clean' the interior. Moments later, the elderly couple are feasting on something, presumably the little girl they just cooked. Moments later, parents knocking on front door, 'Have you seen Elgi?' the father asked, 'we sent her over to borrow some butter'

The elderly couple offer the parents tea and pacify them with a fabricated, elaborate story 'we sent her on a quest to find a magic egg, she'll be along now any minute' the parents knock out from something laced in their drink. Just as with Elgi, they consume the parents over the course of an entire month, feeding extraneous bits to their cows and pigs in the back.

[Chris1234]

Idrys says, "You're right, it's going to be a good harvest this year. Are you warmer now, Elgi?"

After waiting for her answer, but regardless as to whether it is yes or no, he continues, "I'm sorry that I haven't brought any sweet treats with me, but I'll see if I can put things right for you."
The strange assassin gently disengages from this girl who doesn't know she's dead, "I have to go now to try and make things right for you." He smiles at her, touched by her plight, and heads off to the farm.

If there's a dog in the farm grounds he tries to charm it and then have a look around.

[spike]

Elgi said 'Yes, very cold, Idrys. So cold, I miss my family, if you see any of them please tell them I'll be near the house'

As you drew nearer the house your advance was halted by a German shepard, which was a hunter of men you sensed. Your preternatural instincts detected death in its breath, blood of innocents and evil doers alike. It has tasted flesh and enjoyed it. It came at you then, as it saw your eyes flash a eldritch crimson light, it cowed and heeled immediately.

A old, ugly woman creeked open the door, she had a permanent scowl fixed on her face and she said in the most chilling voice 'won't you come in for some pigs feet stew, young man?' she forced a contorted smile. You heard the laughter of an old man somewhere deeper in the interior of the house.

[Chris1234]

Idrys checks his memory - is this the same woman as in the vision.

"Thank you. I'm Idrys. That your husband? Just the two of you to work the farm? Need a hand?"

[spike]

She said 'Ah yes, a handsome strong man such as yerself would be quite handy...my back has been achy for quite some time. First let me fix you a plate...young man needs his nourishment fore a hard days work' she said, then, after fiddling with something she spun around and hurled a bowl full of acid toward Idrys! Some of it struck your forearm (-4 hp damage) and burned a gaping hole through your cloak and armor.

Before you knew it, the old hag's eyes filled with glowering yellow light that pulsated, and her form cracked open, when out of it grew an unusual looking Ogre that drew forth a two handed katana. It bellowed 'now you worthless scrub, you'll be well cooked at the bottom of my cooking cauldron!' it laughed mockingly, 'you look like you like one who would taste exceptionally delicious, I do so enjoy the sweet flesh of half-elves!'

DECISION?

[Chris1234]

While the ogrr-hag is fiddling around, Idrys uses his visual powers to look around the house for the husband and anyone else alive.
When the hag throws the acid at Idrys he fast draws his weapons and goes to kill the hag/ogre at a run, head left, kick off the wall to roll low to the right to scissors cut the foe from the right flank.