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Redlun XXXI
Missiledine: shall we start?
Dukejr01: sure
Missiledine: Ok... Your night passes undisturbed and you feel a hundred percent better in the morning...
Missiledine: When a servant wakes you it is well past your normal time for getting up, but you feel the better for
Missiledine: it
Dukejr01: Good. A gets up and does morning abulations.
Missiledine: Beal meets you in the Hall where breakfast is being put out for you, Jacinta and your men
Dukejr01: A does get up early anyway... :-)
Missiledine: "I ytrust you slept well, Lord Athamar... Jacinta?"
Dukejr01: "Good morning, Master Beal. It ws welcome to have a warm bed."
Missiledine: He will join you as you eat. "I have checked on your man. He is past any danger and sleeping
Missiledine: comfortably."
Dukejr01: Athamar is visibly relieved. "Thank you...... Thank Mitra!"
Missiledine: "Do you plan on departing today?" Beal asks, his gaze on Jacinta
Missiledine: <Lets have Athamar leave Jacinta here for a couple weeks, you know as liason, or something!>
Missiledine: <Serve Troy right for being late!>
Dukejr01: "One way or another, I am keen to get ahold of this..... problem." Are we relatively afe from
Dukejr01: eavesdropping?
Missiledine: you seem to be, as safe as you can be in a big hall
Dukejr01: "You mentoned joining forces. I thought perhaps you would be intersted in a little expedition to
Dukejr01: secure the prisoner we took. the danger would be small. and perhaps the gain worthwhile....
Dukejr01: "there were a number of half wild ponies that we shooed off in my haste to find my man medical
Dukejr01: attention. they will likely stay near the water. If they are still there, we can split them between
Dukejr01: us at the same time we recover the prisoner."
Missiledine: Beal nods, absentmindedly, still watching J, "Yes, I think that an excellant idea, My Lord. Though I
Missiledine: have but few men to contribute."
Missiledine: He focuses on you, "There are six professionals garrisoned here, plus the militia. I would prefer not
Missiledine: to risk the villagers."
Dukejr01: "If they have horses that is more than adequate.. you seee. I wasnt to send a few men with my wounded
Missiledine: "So perhaps myself and four men at arms?"
Dukejr01: back to Redlun. then take a second group to retrieve the prisoner. they were reluctant to press an
Dukejr01: attack earlier when I had but a 7 men."
Missiledine: "Certainly, perhaps a cary with some straw and blankets for your man?"
Missiledine: cary = cart
Dukejr01: "Excellent! This will also give us an opportunity to work together. If all goes well, We can squeeze
Dukejr01: infromation from the prisoner, and have a plan of action to deal with them."
Missiledine: Beal nods approval. "Yes, it would be a relief to eliminate, or at least weaken, such a force. Like
Missiledine: Redlun, Windhook is on the edge of the Wild and things are risky enough without a score or more
Missiledine: potential brigands dwelling nearby."
Dukejr01: "I couldn't agree more, Master Beal."
Missiledine: "Perhaps we can pool not only our men at arms for such a project, but our militia as well."
Dukejr01: Athamar nods. "A great deal hinges on the intelligence from the prisoner. Their numbers and defenses.
Dukejr01: They have already proven to be skilled and resilient."
Missiledine: "When would you like to depart?"
Dukejr01: "that is why I wish to secure the prisoner as soon as possible."
Dukejr01: "Let me check my men. Soonest started, soonest done, my aunt would say."
Missiledine: Beal nods, "Then I shall tell my men to be ready in a few hours." He gets up and excuses himself,
Missiledine: with an extra smile to Jacinta
Dukejr01: A goes to check his men. Asks if they slept well. Tells them his plans and asks for volunteers for
Dukejr01: escorting the cart back to Redlun.
Missiledine: <What's his name> your senior remaining Man at arms, suggests the two youngsters
Missiledine: <Your right, I really need to update the NPC page>
Dukejr01: Corren nods. "Very well. Jacinta, you are charged with the task."
Dukejr01: "I don't expect trouble, but then I wasn't expecting any before we left Redlun." A chuckles. "Men
Missiledine: <AWWWW! Beal will be soooo disappointed! Of course, some one has to bring the cart back!>
Dukejr01: from Windhook will be joining us."
Missiledine: "When do we leave My Lord?"
Dukejr01: "A few hours. Master Beal is preparing his men. We may be working with these men in the future, has
Dukejr01: everyone been informed about the smugglers?"
Missiledine: they have all heard the rumors and story
Dukejr01: "We strongly suspect that these men were smugglers, if so, they will have to be dealt with. We will
Dukejr01: know more in time. Any questions?"
Missiledine: No one seems to have any
Missiledine: they start getting their gear together
Dukejr01: Right. good eniough.
Dukejr01: good men
Dukejr01: Athamar used the leadership style his father taught him. Informed men are the most useful.
Missiledine: <Ah, ok>
Dukejr01: Athamar doesn't tell them everything. of course.
Missiledine: lol
Dukejr01: who they are fighting and why is perfectly reasonable
Missiledine: The time will pass quickly... Beal has a cart with straw and blankets sent to the herbalist's house
Dukejr01: A looks in on miklas.
Missiledine: to collect Miklas... There is a placid looking work horse pulling it. The man who leads it up says
Dukejr01: A will thank Anita and ask her if she would care for some E-earth for her garden.
Missiledine: that the horse is strong and calm and "Won't give the poor lad any bad jolts."
Missiledine: She smiles, "Yes, My Lord. That would be much appreciated."
Dukejr01: Athamar smiles. "Your concern is appreciated."
Dukejr01: Athamr casts E-earth twice. making two hexes. "Are you familiar with Essential Earth?
Missiledine: "A bit, My Lord."
Dukejr01: not at the same time. he rests between.
Missiledine: ok
Dukejr01: "Two concerns. first. if the essential earth is diluted with ordinary soil, then it loses its magical
Dukejr01: effect. second, not only do beneficial plants grow three times faster and larger, so do weeds.
Missiledine: She nods her understanding, "I will have the earth moved into my herb beds and spread thickly."
Dukejr01: "Right! and keep it weeded!"
Dukejr01: Athamar smiles at her
Missiledine: She smiles, "Yes My Lord."
Dukejr01: Athamar looks at Miklas and his smile fades to a pensive concerned expression.
Dukejr01: "Thank you again."
Missiledine: Miklas appears pale, but does not seem to be in pain
Missiledine: and looks to be asleep rather then comatose
Dukejr01: good.
Missiledine: A couple men come in to carry him out, the girl goes along to get him settled
Missiledine: <Well, here is troy!>
tacit01 has entered the room.
Missiledine: Hello
Dukejr01: Athamar hangs around but stays out of the way. his eyes stray to her rear end.
tacit01: sorry I'm late - just got back
Dukejr01: troyster.
Missiledine: it's a cute one
tacit01: whose rear end?
Missiledine: yours
tacit01: !
Dukejr01: Troy, A is sending J to Redlun. so Master Beal won't be watching your buttocks the whole way.
Dukejr01: <How long can the two of you play tonight?>
tacit01: <what's rather inappropriate in the workplace, don't you think?>
Missiledine: <Me? I'm good for an hour or so more>
tacit01: <late as you want>
Dukejr01: <k, I was jsut wndering what would be most efficient in terms of time use>
tacit01: probably a good idea - J goes to Redlun
Dukejr01: the two youngsters are going along. you are escorting Miklas.
Missiledine: <With Troy here, you don't need to send J out of play>
Dukejr01: good point.
Missiledine: <And Master Beal would be MOST grateful if she stayed around awhile.>
Dukejr01: <lol!>
Dukejr01: <well, if I am leaving in an hour, but troy can stay longer. might it be more efficient to run A
Dukejr01: that hour then troy?>
Missiledine: okay by me... Ok with you Troy?
tacit01: sure
Missiledine: <We can play out you and Beal after Dave leaves!>
Dukejr01: <lol. play hard to get, troy! he won't respect you if you are easy>
Missiledine: <He can show you his... etchings.>
tacit01: <I have to use more foresight in the character creation process>
Dukejr01: Well, Athamar enjoys the view. then sends his men off with a letter to home.
Missiledine: <lLOL!>\
Dukejr01: Jacinta is told that she will be traveling thru the monestary and the Abbot is entitled to be
Dukejr01: informed
Missiledine: <Uh, which ones now?>
Dukejr01: <talking to me?>
Missiledine: ok, J is going...:-(
Dukejr01: I thought we were splitting,. you want us to stay together?
Missiledine: its ok, just making sure
Missiledine: Jacinta heads out with the cart, Miklas and the two youngsters, headed of the monastary at Oak Hall,
Missiledine: then on to Redlun
Dukejr01: A wants J to go because the folks in teh monestary are likely to ask questions.. oh, how long a trip?
Dukejr01: will they need some cash?
Missiledine: You meet Beal out in the courtyard watching Jacinta leave in a wistful sort of way. "Please come back Jacinta!"
Missiledine: always need cash!
Dukejr01: <oh man....>
Missiledine: Figure a day with the slow cart
tacit01: <this man is desperate!> does J hear him?
Dukejr01: will this be a two day ride for them?
Dukejr01: okay
Missiledine: <of course>
Missiledine: <Over night at the monastary>
tacit01: She will wave to him
Dukejr01: okay,. so TWO days?
Dukejr01: A gives J some silver for beer, food and lodging.
Missiledine: Damn AIM!
Dukejr01: <eh?>
Missiledine: lost the message
Dukejr01: <AOL sucks. yes we know that.>
Missiledine: You could ride straight through and make it in a long day with horses, but the cart will slow it down
Missiledine: a lot
Dukejr01: okay. well, a stop at the monestary will not hurt
Missiledine: after the cart leaves, Beal says "We are ready, My Lord."
tacit01: So, the monestary is a day away, and we're stopping there for the night?
Missiledine: yep
Dukejr01: "Lets go."
Dukejr01: A keeps two scouts ahead.
Missiledine: The men mount up and you set off
tacit01: k - got it - we're off (I think)
Missiledine: right
Dukejr01: During the course of the ride. A chats amiably with Master Beal.... he says:
Missiledine: You will head west, retracing your steps. The countryside, once you leave the herds of goats and
Missiledine: sheep behind is again barren and empty
Dukejr01: "Jacinta will be difficult to catch. But well worth the effort, I think."
Missiledine: He smiles, "So I believe."
Dukejr01: <BTW is ther e ra term to differentiat unmana and standard mages>
Dukejr01: Athamar nods and lets it drop with that.
Missiledine: no, not in the 'Character" so to speak
Missiledine: <Good idea tho>
Dukejr01: <k. thanks>
Dukejr01: Is the other mage along?
Missiledine: hmm, if you want him. Otherwise Beal will leave him to bolster the defenses while he is away
Dukejr01: < I was thinking the terms Thaumaturgist vs Sorcerer. or somethign>
Missiledine: <Hmmm, need to kick that around a bit>
Dukejr01: Athamar would have liked the time to chat with him a while, but no matter. he can do that later.
Dukejr01: <maybe something more mundane like Spellweaver vs Spellcaster>
tacit01: <warlock, wizard, mage, sorcerer...>
Missiledine: <Oh well, later on that>
Missiledine: After several hours riding, allowing several rest stops and a food break, one of your scouts comes
Missiledine: back to report seeing the herd ahead
Missiledine: "Maybe a mile up,, cresting a hill, My Lord."
Dukejr01: A concentrates for a moment, casting Seek earth. looking for silver. excluding ours.
Missiledine: long, long way off to the south
Missiledine: SW
Dukejr01: okay.
Dukejr01: "Very good."
Missiledine: Beal looks at you expectantly, "My lOrd?"
Dukejr01: "I think we should herd them back toward the water so they don't stray too far."
Missiledine: <He's wondering about the spell>
Dukejr01: "Ah. I learned little of note. There shouldn't be anyone else nearby but ourselves."
Missiledine: He nods, "Good, then we should be able to do this quickly."
Dukejr01: "Vigilance is still prudent"
Missiledine: Beal has the men form a long, loose line abreast and set off in the direction of the horses (after
Missiledine: closing the gap a bit)
Dukejr01: good.
Missiledine: Soon you can see them standing, alert, watching your approach
Dukejr01: hopefully the three saddle horses we exhausted will be among them.
Dukejr01: Athamar looks around for that bird.
Missiledine: no birds that seem suspiscious
Dukejr01: k.
Missiledine: it will take a couple more hours to work the herd back into the valley with the pool
Dukejr01: okay. I suppose its getting toward dusk?
Missiledine: yes, very soon. You have to make camp a bit away from the water so as not to spook the ponies... and
Dukejr01: k
Missiledine: yes, the saddle horses are there, still looking a bit worn, but in much better shape then you last
Missiledine: saw them
Dukejr01: gather them up directly. "Poor beasts. They served well, deserve a long rest." A pats them.
Missiledine: One of your men suggest leaving them with the ponies for the night
Dukejr01: A shrugs. "VEry well."
Missiledine: "They aren't afraid of us, and that might keep the herd calmer."
Dukejr01: "Good thinking. might want to simply leave them with the herd all the way back then."
Missiledine: The men gather some brush and wood and get a fire going, start fixing food
Dukejr01: A goes over to the spot where the man was entombed.
Dukejr01: Looks over the earth. does it seem disturbed?
Missiledine: no
Dukejr01: "I can release him now and we can start questioning him. Would you like to start, Master Beal?"
Missiledine: He nods, "As you wish."
Dukejr01: "REleasing me will tire me some, but after a short rest I will cast Truthsayer on him to aid your
Dukejr01: interrogation."
Dukejr01: <releasing him, pardon.>
Dukejr01: A waits for Beal's nod of understanding andthen reverses Entombment.
Missiledine: Beal looks uncomfortable, "Uhm, My Lord. About this interrogation..."
Dukejr01: A stops "yes?"
Missiledine: "How, uhm, thorough do you want it to be?"
Dukejr01: <query: Torture is not allowed to secular authorities, but magic is, correct?"
Missiledine: <Yeah, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen... No magistrates around here!>
Dukejr01: "Torture is illegal for secular authorities. It is also not necessary, I can use magic to cast
Dukejr01: Truthsayer, and a little more tiring but perhaps more effective, I can simply pry the information
Dukejr01: out of his mind with spellcraft."
Dukejr01: "A suggestion. Get him talking. Ask him general questions, his name, etc. Soon I wll cast
Dukejr01: Truthsayer on him and he will be compelled to tell the truth. if he figures it out and clams up, I
Dukejr01: will use another spell."
Missiledine: Beal nods, "As you say, My Lord."
Dukejr01: Athamar nods. and reverses the Entombment.
Dukejr01: <Athamar is Honest, so he WON'T torture. tho the rules might fly out the door for Goblins.>
Missiledine: The ground heaves upwards and the man is deposited on top... He immediately shakes off the effects
Dukejr01: A gestures for his men to sieze him again.
Missiledine: of the Suspended Animation off and looks around sharply
Dukejr01: <probably not necessary>
Dukejr01: <I mean, to gesture>
Missiledine: they secure him and quickly bind his hands
Dukejr01: "Give him some water."
Missiledine: Water is roughly splashed in his face, but he is allowed to drink some
Dukejr01: <8-)good men>
Dukejr01: <do you want me to list the questions?>
Missiledine: <It would be useful>
Dukejr01: Okay. Athamar actually has the Interrogation skill. he sets up the psychological paradigm....
Dukejr01: He is helpless, if he cooperates he will be treated relatively well, etc.
Dukejr01: the first questions are innocuous. what is your name, where are you from, whould you like something
Dukejr01: to eat. etc. just to get him talking. once he is talking. A surripticiously casts Truthsayer, and
Dukejr01: then s couple questions repeat. like, where were you from again?
Dukejr01: THEN the real questons start. Who is your leader? How many men do you have? what are their
Dukejr01: names? where are you based?
Dukejr01: All questions require SHORT answers. a few words.
Dukejr01: or yes/no
Dukejr01: <comments so far?>
Missiledine: <I'm reviewing the Archives to see if there is anything pertinant to this, hang on a sec>
Dukejr01: one question in particular will be imprtant to break his resolve.the Where are you based question.
Dukejr01: that can be a leading one. "Yes, your base is SW of here, near the cliffs?"
Missiledine: OK
Dukejr01: the idea is to get basic information first. then elaborate.
Dukejr01: if he resists. A does it the hard way. Mind Search.
Missiledine: At first he ignores you, looking around at all the men, seems to be studying faces. One of your men
Missiledine: cuffs the back of his head, "Answer My Lord you scum! What's your name!"
Missiledine: He looks around sourly, the spits out, "Guy."
Dukejr01: <going to roleplay this out??
Dukejr01: >
Missiledine: <yep>
Dukejr01: <that is cool. but it will take a while.>
Missiledine: He glares at you "What do you want from me?"
Dukejr01: "Where were you born, Guy?"
Missiledine: <we can pick it up later>
Dukejr01: <k>
Missiledine: "What difference does that make?"
Dukejr01: A looks at the man who cuffed him, gesturing with his eyes.
Missiledine: "Why do you want to know?"
Missiledine: He cuffs him again, "Be ploite! Lord Athamar is asking you nicely! He doesn't have to you know!"
Dukejr01: Athamar does not reply to any questions.
Dukejr01: "Where were you born?"
Dukejr01: Did this guy have his papers on him?
Missiledine: Off to the side you see a man, one of Beal's hold up a glowing stick from the fire and smile
Missiledine: no
Dukejr01: didn't think so.
Missiledine: "The City."
Dukejr01: Athamar nods and smiles. "How old are you?"
Missiledine: "Not sure... twenty somethin"
Dukejr01: "Would you like some more water?"
Missiledine: "Wasn't doin nuthin... why'd you attack us?"
Dukejr01: A gestures to one of his men to hold a cup of water for him. while he is drinking, A cast Truthsayer.
Missiledine: "Yeah, sure..."
Dukejr01: A ignores the question.
Dukejr01: <Jeffy Jeff is here, he says "Hi!">
Missiledine: The man drinks and looks around, "You kill all my friends?"
Missiledine: <Hi Jeff!>
Dukejr01: <shall we pick it up later?>
Missiledine: Ok,
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