[Campaign] Darkness Falls, Light Shatters

[Aylstra Illianniis]

OOC: Psst, L's not disguised anymore, V. It faded while they were talking to the rogue he tied up. So, um- yeah. Pretty sure the guards are gonna have some issues with him now....



IC: He chuckled at Zana's joke about singing, then shrugged in answer to her question. "Ah, well, my family and I were on our way to visit Sir Veraka and his family, but when we arrived in town here, he burst into the inn looking a bit more desperate than I've ever seen him. Long story short, I know only a little more of what's going on than you do. And yes, it HAS been a long time. That goes for you, as well, Lady Luaxena. Vendui, milady."

He bowed to the priestess, and listened to the exchange of the others as they strode toward them, and almost laughed as Aurora started shaking the rogue, obviously playing with her. He turned to the knight, and spoke. "Sir veraka, Lady Luaxena is an old acquaintance of mine from a when Vala and Palax had recently arrived. We were on a mission together once, and she's a good person to have at one's back. As for her friend there..." He shrugged again, looking over Kallanar dubiously. "Not a bad sort, if one can keep him away from the ale for long enough to get anything done."

At that moment the guards came running up, and he suddenly remembered his spell had dropped. "Vith!" he swore, knowing that this was not going to go well. "Fogive me, Veraka, but I do believe they've noticed those of us who are- 'racially undesirable'."

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

Inrii looked at the bard, his disguise gone.
"an orc infested swamp, ticked off wizard and sister, drake(?) and an island if i am correct," she stated, recalling an early adventure she had. how long ago it was!
she rolled her eyes to Veraka's reply. standing idly while the chatting and planing occured. it was then the guards showed up. which meant really bad news for any one who looked drow.
"[color=blue:24cotye0]this is not good. do not think they will let it go or come to reason[/color:24cotye0]," she signed discretly, "[color=blue:24cotye0]blame my house, but we need to get out, [b:24cotye0]now[/b:24cotye0]![/color:24cotye0]" the seriousness of it shown in the intensity of her finger movements.
then suddenly, she began the spell, a shimery spot opened.
"dont ask just go," she said to everyone.

[Zekafae]

Watching her he knew what she was going to do and sighed. Seeing the guards he muttered." Damn humans... always showing up.. and ruining the fun..." He wanted to make sure everyone, including her got through. Stragglers was not something he liked dealing with, moreso when he would want to strangle them to death for dallying.

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Elwyn had traveled far, his constant goal of creating his masterpiece puppet always so tantalizingly close, and yet out of reach. He needed money, gods be damned, and in the desert, money wasn't as free flowing as it was in the "civilized" lands. And so, he had been forced to leave his precious home, and his dreams, in search of work, be it as an adventurer, weapon smith, or even as an entertainer, a puppeteer, even though his true calling was more the first, and less of the last. And so, it was due to his work guarding a local noble's life and treasures, that had brought him to this gods forsaken town. He didn't even know the name of it, but the name of the establishment he roomed in was called the Old Skull's Inn.

[t:w8jkkach] Elwyn had stayed there for about a week, his contract had long expired, and yet, he felt the need to remain here a while longer, for a reason he didn't know of. Honestly, he hardly cared, since it gave him time, and most importantly a place, to properly maintain his wide array of puppets. Currently, he sat in the common room, with what used to be a halfling stretched out on the table before him. Where there used to be organs, Elwyn had replaced with weaponry of all kinds, namely poisons for this puppet. He was meticulously reapplying his special brews to the various sharp knives, stakes, and other projectiles this puppet housed, occasionally sipping out of a large mug of ale. At his table sat 4 other figures, slumped over, as if asleep, but to any passerby who walked closely and listened carefully, they all whirred with the same noise as the halfling being worked on.

[t:w8jkkach]Elwyn's hood was thrown back, showing his jet black hair, horribly ungroomed, the same color as the wispy beard that had just started growing on his chin. His eyes were focused intently on the task at hand, but they would also sometimes dart to the door, and then snap back to once again scan the intricacies of the puppet laid out before him. The other patrons of the inn obviously avoided him, and whispers about the crazed southerner could be heard all about the place, but Elwyn hardly cared. So long as he was left in peace, he could finish up with his repairs, and be on the road again.

[veraka]

[color=violet:29hypw63][i:29hypw63]I am Luexena[/i:29hypw63][/color:29hypw63]

Veraka found himself relaxing when Luexena came up and introduced herself. He nodded to her when she mentioned the Dark Maiden, as he too, had once served Eilistraee, but as a paladin.

[color=violet:29hypw63][i:29hypw63]I was sent here by the Goddess to aid in your search. The Maiden sent me a vision of your wife and son in the hands of the Llothites. Then I saw you, in that vision, in your radiant aura.[/i:29hypw63][/color:29hypw63]

"Well met, Lady Luexena; and thank you for your assistance in that earlier battle. I'm afraid that . . . " he dropped his sentence in mid speech as Luexena's words hit him like an avalanche.

"What?!" he asked, a little louder than normal, turning to face the priestess, his silver orbs glowing with power and fear as they gazed into Luexena's lavender eyes, questioning them. However, if Luexena looked there, deep within the aasimar's eyes, she, and anyone else who was perceptive enough, would find that dread, sorrow, and a small amount of joy filled his heart.

Veraka's tone foretold that he could potentially erupt at any moment from that information, but he didn't. Instead, he strode over to Luexena and looked her in the eye.

"Where are they. Please, if you know something about Neriah and Dante, please tell me." Despite his towering size, Veraka's voice held both hope and worry, as he seemed to be almost begging for Luexena to tell him what she saw exactly.


[color=blue:29hypw63]"Forgive me, Veraka, but I do believe they've noticed those of us who are- 'racially undesirable'."[/color:29hypw63]

Seeing the guards arrive, first, followed by Inrii's quick hand motions, however, quickly changed the scenario for him, as his mind began to work up a plan to get them all out of there quickly.

[color=darkblue:29hypw63]
Seeing first Drakin, then hearing Lothir comment to the paladin, the guard captain gritted his teeth and found himself putting a hand to his sword.

"What the . . . " was all the captain was able to say as in a blur of motion, the half-drow assassin broke rank and rushed the platinum paladin.[/color:29hypw63]

[color=darkblue:29hypw63]Drakin looked up to see the town guards approaching and by the looks on their faces, have already identified at least one Dark Elf within the group.

Drakin sighed; “I’m almost wish I had that damn gargoyle with me right now. At least he could have provided a good distraction.”
He then thought of something that almost made him curse aloud. Veraka had asked for help against Dark Elves, and here he was conversing with a group of them; the assassin also doubted that the humans would wait long enough to find out why. So Drakin pulled out his shotel and did the only thing that would keep Veraka free of suspicion.

He moved next to the giant aasimar and whispered, “left shoulder” and swung for the paladin’s shoulder.

Veraka understood Drakin’s warning, and spun to meet the challenge; he raised his shield to protect his shoulder. As the blade and shield met, a loud gong-like sound reverberated throughout the square.

Neither of the combatants even noticed it, as both fighters were already moving into their next attacks.

Veraka swung Marala Vharc in a mighty slash that would have decapitated the assassin if he wasn’t already spinning down to his knees, though he thought he did feel his already short hair get cut yet a bit shorter. As his knee hit the ground, he’s shotel hooked Veraka’s leading foot and pulled.

The big paladin snarled as he felt his foot leaving the gorund. So he decided to help the assassin out by kicking at his face with the same foot.

Drakin rolled past the kick, between the paladin’s legs, were he kicked Veraka’s knee joint.

[i:29hypw63]Gods[/i:29hypw63] he thought, [i:29hypw63]it’s like kicking a damn tree.[/i:29hypw63]
But the kick had the effect he wanted; the already over balanced paladin fell to his knees. But he almost forgot about Veraka’s shield.

The aasimar, growling at his collapse, swung around on his knees, shield leading, and forcing Drakin to roll away once again; this time, away from the paladin, and towards the portal that Inrii had opened up.


As he got up, he called to Veraka, loud enough for the guards to hear as they fumbled for their weapons, “you win for no, paladin! But beware, the shadows at your back, for we will be there waiting.”

With the deception in place, Drakin gave Veraka one final nod, and went through the portal.

The glare that Veraka gazed upon the others with, except Luexena and Kalannar, told them to do the same as Drakin; get their asses through the damn portal and meet back up whenever they could.

One by one, Lothir, followed by Inrii, Zana and Vlad, went through the portal, Zekafae trailing in last, before it closed.
The group would find themselves within the basement of the Old Skull. From there, they'd all make their way back to the main lounge and back to their, though eventually, each would find themselves back in the company of Veraka and Alasse, as the aasimar would come in a tad bit later.[/color:29hypw63]


Veraka breathed a slight relief as his friends vanished after he and Drakin lighting display of swordsmanship and fighting skill ended just as fast as it had begun.

Suddenly realizing that Luexena was still out in the open, along with the more apparent Kalannar, out of there before the guards decided to make them a target just as easily as they had Lothir and Drakin.

"Lady Luexena; perhaps you and your. . [b:29hypw63]captain[/b:29hypw63] would like to accompany me to further discuss this vision you tell me of, hmmm?" As he finished his question, he emphasized his point with a hand waving towards the Old Skull.

[color=darkblue:29hypw63]"Hey!! One moment there, ya shiny golem. What is this here, drow, doing accompanying ya, when you specifically asked for the city-guard to keep any and [b:29hypw63]all[/b:29hypw63] drow outta the city and away from ya!?"
The guard captain had his sword drawn and was using it to point towards Luexena and Kalannar as emphasis to his statement.
[/color:29hypw63]
Luexena opened her mouth, as if to respond in haste, but the aasimar cut her off, with a wave of his armored hand.

The paladin turned and narrowed his glowing silver orbs towards the guard captain.
"Lady Luexena is one of the few whom you might know as the Dark Dancers. She has been granted a boon from her goddess, Eilistraee, the Dark Maiden, whom [b:29hypw63]I[/b:29hypw63] used to serve under myself. This gift has been, what she tells me a vision of my own wife and son, who, if you remember my telling you, have been kidnapped by unknown forces."

The paladin stalked up to the guard, towering over both him and his squad by a half a foot easily. Some of the guards took a step back at the aasimar's menacing appearance towards them.
"And yet, here you stand, wanting to arrest this woman and her friend, [b:29hypw63]before[/b:29hypw63] acquiring knowledge of who they are and why they're here. Knowledge that could prove essential for me finding my wife and son. If this is what you want, then you and your squad best be praying that my god, Bahamut, Lord of Justice, is merciful to your souls, for I will not be." The last part of his statement, Veraka growled towards the captain.


[color=darkblue:29hypw63]"Is what the shiny one says to be true, priestess of the Dark Maiden?" The captain seemed almost eager for Luexena to nod her affirmative, which she did, simply that and nothing more.

With that said and done, the captain stood back from one pissed off aasimar and said; "I apologize for my ignorance and assumptions. I do hope that you find your family soon." With that, he turned about, his squad following, and made head way in a direction [b:29hypw63]opposite[/b:29hypw63] of Veraka.[/color:29hypw63]

With that said, Veraka turned about to Luexena and nodded for her and Kalannar to follow him back to the Old Skull. When they arrived, they were greeted by an eager Alasse, who came running towards Veraka and leaped onto him.

Veraka, smiling with his daughter in hand, guided Luexena and her pirate friend back to the table where Vala, Palax and the twins were, with possibly, Lothir as well as the others.

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Elwyn heard the commotion, who could not, as that mountain of metal armor walked into the establishment. His eyes widened with possibility of money, for to his sensibilities, anyone who owned such armor, must be a lord or other important figure in the land. He stood up, hoisting the gourd he always wore onto his back, and walked over to the armored man, "Greetings, milord, I hope I do not intrude" He said quietly in a heavily accented voice, "Are you in need of a task performed, or some other way in which a poor traveler can earn some coin?" He bowed at the end.

[Aylstra Illianniis]

As Inrii opened the portal, the bard started to protest, but took one look at the guards, then back to Veraka, and seemed torn. The mock battle between him and Drakin decided it, as his keen ears picked up the nearly whispered warning. At Veraka's glare to get going, he shook his head in resignation, and dashed toward Inrii's portal.

"Iblith! I HATE portals...." he muttered as he dove through. He came up in a fighting stance on the other side, ready for anything- he hoped. He looked around and saw what looked like a wine or ale cellar. He could smell the wood of the huge casks, and food cooking somewhere. He saw the others appear, and hastily recast his disguise spell, including changing the appearance of his clothes.

Heading up the stairs with his disguise back in place, he found himself back in the Old Skull, and chuckled at the irony of hiding in plain sight so close to the scene of the debacle. "Reminds me of my visit to Almin," he muttered, and strode back over to Palax and Vala at the table with the children. A few moments later, Veraka entered the inn, along with Luaxena and Kallanar. They had just reached the table when a human- and a familiar-looking one, at that- approached Veraka with what sounded like a plea for work.

"E- ELWYN?!" He exclaimed in utter surprise. "Where in the Nine Hells did YOU come from?!"

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Elwyn jumped at the unexpected reaction, he was certain he hadn't seen that man before. He pulled at his beard, and smiled weakly, "Where the Hells indeed, and uhmm, forgive me, milord, but I do not recognize you. I am naught but a traveler in these parts, I believe you have me confused with some other man."

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

with the others in who were going, Inrii entered and closed it behind her. it had opened where she intended, the inn. her disguise still in place. her table still had most of her dinner, so she walked over and sat down to eat, tho not before casting a quick check on it before finishing it. she made sure to watch for the others, even when the strange human walked over to the group.

[veraka]

Veraka finally was able to sit down next to Lothir, Palax, and Vala, with his adorable daughter hugging him around the neck and bouncing up and down when Aurora padded up to her.

"Aurora," the young half-elf girl cheered with glee.

The giant winter wolf chuckled; [i:ix7gngus]And how are you doing, my dear, hmm?[/i:ix7gngus]

"Good, real good!" she remarked with an unusual amount of charisma.
Alasse then turned up to Veraka; "daddy; can I go play with Aurora? Plleeeasssee?" She looked into the aasimar's eyes with her own copper orbs, round with hope and wondering.

Veraka sighed; "go ahead then."

"Yay!!" With that, Alasse jumped off of her father's lap, right past Elwyn and landed on Aurora's back.
[i:ix7gngus]I'll take her around to the bar for some juice. . . and before you say anything, if anyone comes within five feet of her with anything that I take for a threat, their throat will be on the floor.[/i:ix7gngus] With that said, Aurora padded off, with Alasse on her back, towards the bar.

With his daughter in good hands, or rather paws, as it were, The huge armored paladin then turned his gaze upon the odd human who came over.

[color=blue:ix7gngus]"Greetings, milord, I hope I do not intrude" He said quietly in a heavily accented voice, "Are you in need of a task performed, or some other way in which a poor traveler can earn some coin?" He bowed at the end.[/color:ix7gngus]

The human's question sparked a fuse within the already super ticked paladin. In his state of mind, the aasimar was a walking keg of explosive, and that question was just the right thing to cause a spark.
"Am I in need of a task?" he growled in a low tone; "yes; what I [b:ix7gngus]need[/b:ix7gngus] and want is to find my wife and my son, and gut the fucking bastards with my blade till their corpses are too dry for even a leech to nurse on."
Veraka could tell from the number of gazes that were cast his way, that he'd struck a few nerves within a few of the people nearby, including some of his new-found companions. Shaking his head muttering to himself, the paladin shook his head, and looked up again to the odd human.

"Forgive me, traveler, it is just that my day has not been one of the good sort," he sighed again, covering his near pale skinned face with a platinum dragon-scaled glove.

"First off, my friend, please, tell me your name, and I shall tell you mine."

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Elwyn smiled, "Well, that can easily be arranged. I specialize in that particular field. My name is Elwyn, a resident of the Calim Desert," He waved a hand, "Well former resident, I suppose, since I most obviously do not live there right now." His eyes gleamed, "However, I have two conditions, if I am to provide my best work." He bowed, "Of course it might not be my place to negotiate with persons of your obvious... standing," He bowed again, "but there is something I must do. Rest assured, it doesn't affect the task you set for me, however, should any enemies we face prove to be... interesting, I ask that you grant me all rights to their corpses. And secondly, I need monetary support, and if your lordships should see fit, I would like to be paid at the end of this. The price, of course can be negotiable, but," Elwyn spread his arms, and shrugged, "I am in obvious needs of funds." He smiled, and turning back towards his table, "Your lordships, may of course, think it over. Should you come to a quick decision, I will be right over there... practicing my puppet shows." A wicked smile creased his face, and muttering under his breath about poisons and gears, Elwyn headed back to his table.

[Aylstra Illianniis]

"Have you confused with someone else? Ha-ha, I don't think so, Elwyn of Calimshan. Unless there happens to be ANOTHER human roaming about with a cadre of mechanically-endowed corpse-puppets and an over-sized flesh golem. But somehow I doubt that. Besides, that halfling one looks rather familiar. Forgive, me abbil, you've never seen me in this guise before. Usstan tlun lalat'uilus, 'zil ussta valyrin ph'naut al'doer ghil. Lothir Ustdalharn E'Terrin'dar, a dosst klath'ra." He bowed and grinned, with a wink at the human. "Long time, no see, eh?" he said with a chuckle.

He looked from Veraka to the human and back, and nodded. "Mercenary to the core, eh, Elwyn?" He chuckled again. "Veraka, I'm willing to vouch for his efficiency, though his methods of doing things are perhaps a bit- unorthodox. I've encountered him once or twice before, though it was several years ago. Not long after I first arrived on Toril, in fact. Do you remember that odd fellow Ven, Elwyn?" he asked the human, speaking loud enough for him to hear as he approached his own table full of slumped-over puppets. "And that wizard you introduced me to- Zazzt? Send him my greetings, would you?"

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Elwyn looked back at the man, and activating the magic on his necklace, which allowed him to see through all illusions, Elwyn saw the drow, and with only a small nod and smile, called over his shoulder, "Ah, yes...Zazzt is a name I haven't heard in a long time. We parted ways a while back, I know not how he is." He shrugged, "And of course I am, money is a necessity for an artisan such as myself. How expensive did you think killing a dragon would prove? I lost all but three of my puppets!! THREE!! All of whom had to be reconstructed or replaced." He waved a hand hurriedly, "Of course, I had to first preserve the beast. That in itself was a difficult task, dragon hide being so strong and all. Then it has to be hollowed it out, another week's work right there. Now, I must create new and wonderful toys to stuff him with, for I realize that none of my current weapons will suffice. All of that costs money, you know. Money an outcast like myself doesn't have." He chuckled, an manic gleam in his eye, "Imagine, a veritable castle, soaring through the sky, is that not magnificent? It would become my laboratory, house, weapon, and shield, all at the same time." He opened his mouth, as if to say more, and indeed, it sounded like a speech he had rehearsed multiple times, but he clear his throat, and pulling at his wispy beard, simply shrugged. "But I doubt you wish to hear the ravings of an outcast." His fingers twitched, and the puppets at the table all stood up, including the halfing, and walked over to him. Elwyn pulled out 3 scrolls, and the puppets were drawn into them. "So I am to understand you wish to hire me?"

[veraka]

Veraka first looked at Elwyn, then to Lothir when the bard spoke up for him, then back to Elwyn.

"I'll hire you, yes; that I will do. As to your terms, well. . . " he thought about it for a moment; then the aasimar looked at Elwyn again; "if you can find any corpses remaining from whoever crosses my path or has my wife and son with them; because I can assure you, that if Sir Palax here doesn't tear them apart first, I [b:2wswz2zb]will[/b:2wswz2zb]." The last part of his statement came out as a growl.

"To your pay; I judge based on one's actions, accountability, and willingness to follow through with one's word. If you can show me that you go above and beyond those three base principles that I have stated forth, then I think that you'll find that I pay generously."

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Elwyn smiled, "Oh I can make do so long as the vast majority of flesh is there, missing limbs can be easily reattached or replaced." He flicked his wrist, and what seemed like thin wires shot out of his finger tips, curling around his mug of ale, and with a twitch of his fingers, the mug flew across the room, and was snatched out of the air, never stopping on its way to his mouth. Elwyn took a long pull, and reaching behind him to get a chair to sit on, Elwyn looked at Veraka, "Do you happen to know the identities of the kidnappers?" As he spoke, Elwn reached into the bag on his back, and pulled out two miniature iron figures, roughly humanoid in shape, and humming quietly to himself, sparks of electricity arked between his fingers, and the two litle puppets clattered to life. They floated just in front of Elwyn, and seemed to be either wrestling witu each other, or playing a 3 dimensional game of leapfrog.