1 - 003: And it Begins...

[K Man]

SEA GREEN

[Sean Sylvertongue Spot Check]
[dice=20]
[Die Results = 13 + 0 = 13, Fail]

Spot Successes: (Black-Jack) When the ten figures line up against the wall, Roberto included, you notice a glint of metal beneath one of the cloaked figures' robes. Not a hidden weapon or concealed dagger...but something flat and purposeful, authoritative.

You gasp sharply...it's a badge of the city watch! Roberto and his men are members of the city watch!

[Hide and MS Rolls] You sneak closer to Roberto, remaining unnoticed. Flanking him however, is impossible as the man remains slumped against the Eastern wall.

Sense Motive Successes: (Natsumi, Ella) The two of you notice that Roberto is not only shaken, but entirely out of his element. It seems that Roberto is more a man of control and used to handling situations as such. He seems out of place and out of ideas. The way he carelessly wraps his hand around the rapier on his waist is clumsy and unfamiliar. It is not his weapon of choice.

...There is more to this man and his men.

All: Roberto says nothing, looking frantically around the tavern for help...and finding only threats and silken words. There is an exit to the Kitchen at the West end of the Goose, but Ella mounts her dog and aims at lance at the man, ordering him to stand down--cutting off that path quickly.

You hear the words bellow from outside the Glimmering Goose once more.

"I GIVE YOU ONE MORE CHANCE TO EXIT LIKE A MAN BEFORE I BURN THAT INN DOWN ALONG WITH EVERY OTHER PERSON IN THERE!"

...not exactly the words of the City Watch. Perhaps your first guesses where wrong.

One of the Dark-Cloaked men finally speaks, looking to Roberto and speaking in a nervous tone.

"Captain? Your orders?"


Map:

 ______________
|    |   S    D|
|    |  p¤p   D|
|    |        D|
|    |p    ¤E R|
|    |  ¤  N   |
|    |        D[]
|    |   G¤   D|
|   /   ¤p     |
|    |        D|
|    |  B¤    D|
|    | p      D|
|____|_________|

<<<LEGEND>>>
B = Black-Jack
N = Natsumi
S = Sean Sylvertongue
G = Gro-Bug
E = Elle

R = Roberto

D = Dark-Cloaked Man

p = bar patron, barkeep or waitress

¤ = Table

[] = Front Door

/ = Door to Kitchen/Pantry area

---

---

DARK RED

Dermont smiles at Lenny politely, knowing questions like this would come.



"I thought it fared well for your ego to think you alone carried this burden, but I suppose it would help you to know that you are but one of many groups assigned such a task. The generals have decided to re-order many troops to different fronts. The first directive of this re-order to form many small, subversive groups like yourselves to find more of these artifacts. The second is to freshen the troops that have been holed up for weeks in the same trench, watching the same people die."

In response to more of the bones' origins, Dermont can only shrug.

"As I said, I found this bone here, in a dirt crater recently unearthed by a Yexuhl catapault. We have searched the dirt for several hundred yards in all directions, not once finding a bone that even slightly resembles it. We will continue to dig, but leaders thought it wise to send groups in search of more."

"Clearly this bone is not natural, perhaps part of a statue...perhaps unique. The only way we will ever know is if we try to find more. Perhaps it was part of something greater travelling to the Western lands, or to the sea to be sent somewhere farther."

"We will do what we can, while you will do as you can."

As Dermont continues, he watches each of you take the bone in your hands, knowing exactly what it feels like to touch it for the first time. That feeling of your innards becoming like divine fire, churning with enough fuel to keep you running forever. That sudden dizzying sense of your eyesight becoming like a hawk's, minute details flaring to life for dozens of yards in all directions. The simultaneous pain and pleasure of your muscles filling your clothes, like you could tear Tertia from the Earth and move it to a new place...a safe place. If you had to liken the feeling to something, it would be like leaving this mortal plane to walk among the gods for a few steps.

It is all you can do to put the bone down so that others may feel that rush of power.

[Those that touch the bone receive the benefits of Bless for the next 24 hours.]

You come out of the crazed delirium to Dermont speaking once more.



"I cannot say where to begin the search. Perhaps research of these bones, using only the description, at a place of sagely knowledge. One of the larger cities perhaps? Or inquiries among the people outside our lands, there is a chance others may have seen a bone like this before."

"I wish I could offer more, but we are like children grasping wildly for a treat on a high counter that we cannot see...not really sure if there are more treats or just soured milk on that counter."

Dermont stands and bows to each of you respectfully.

"Know that you take a great responsibility on your shoulders men. All of Tertia is counting on you to be our saviours. Without these artifacts, it is assured that we will lose this war--its only a matter of time. The hordes of Yexuhl outnumber us thrice to one and their resources are infinitely greater."

"This bone alone will only slow the flow of our nation's blood, not stop it."

"We are counting on you."

Dermont waits for more questions before motioning for you to leave the tent.


{I will try to get a map of the lands up by this weekend. That should help you decide where you want to head.}[rand=6430237797219398858501450589749957596256389992238741008536215185]

[Fangor the Fierce]

Lenny, ever the curious one, nods at the mention of seeking out a larger city and roaming the lands, asking about anything like this. He is a bit off taken by the request, and the knowledge that other groups have been ordered for the same assignment.

Lenny leaves the discussion as it is, knowing that Dermont would be of no further use. Turning to the others, he has a feeling of relief, anxiety and a little bit of hunger. After all, he's a halfling. Seeing the warriors with the weapons strapped to every place imaginable, Lenny feels a little relief to know that they are on his side.

He keeps his own weapons secured. His own dagger belt was underneath his tunic, yet readily accessible with a flick of his wrist. His favored darkwood bow was given to him by Master Wyn, upon his fifth year of service. The sling and bullets had not seen much use lately, as the bow had a greater range. Lenny preferred the greater distance between himself and any targets. Wanting to live had that effect on him.

"It seems we would need a map. Other than that, I think I am ready to get underway. The sooner, the better."

Waiting for a map to be drawn up, Lenny takes the queue to exit the tent. Upon exiting, he turns to the others in the group. "Looks like we're going to have to work together. Any suggestions? I don't fancy the idea of casually walking around asking people about this bone. A more discreet manner would be preferred."

He taps his masterwork thieves tools, to make sure the others know his thoughts. "We have skills, lets put them to the test. So, where do you guys want to start?"

[TheZebraShakes™]

Natsumi continues to worry for this man, but now something else was at stake, innocent standers-by.

Unarmed and without intentions to threat, she moves to the man's side and places a hand upon his arm. Drawing herself close to him, she speaks with a soft tone.

"Sir, please tell me, before they turn on you from all sides, what are you doing here? I can see into your eyes, this is clearly not a lifestyle fit for a man such as yourself. What has brought you to this state? Who seeks you in the streets that would go through us all to get to you. Dear Sir, you must tell me so that we may escape unharmed."

She keeps near to the man so that her words are not lost on him as she scans the room wondering what the others would do.

---------------------
ooc:(She is built to be alluring and has some charm powers, so take that as you will)

[BluSpecs]

If this strange metal thing these men were trying to conceal was some form of city guard badge as black jack thought it was, something very bad must be outside.

As non-threatening as possible, black jack begins to move towards Roberto.

"Something very nasty must be outside for men such as yourselves to be holed up in here."

"If those are badges that you hide, perhaps I could offer a bit of assistance with your rprediciment?"

black jack stops out of hands reach from any of the cloaked men and waits for their reaction.

<readied action to tumble away if attacked>

[Wicksy]

*Hrumpf* "No man, law or otherwise will burn down this tavern with innocents inside"

Gro-Bug strides forward joining the woman, the red headed man and the halfling who had popped up from no-where. "What manner of man are you that warrants actions like this? You are no petty thief..."

He turns to the mounted halfling "Let the patrons out. We should go too. This cur and his sparrows have obviously angered the law.....that is the law out there isnt it?" he adds to Roberto

[Rojito]

Sean looks startled at the announcment that these men are city-guard. "If you are the guard, then who is outside?"

[VemuKhaham]

Gildas finds himself a bit uncomfortable with the mission he had just been appointed to: places of sagely knowledge, larger cities, inquiries. All of them sounded like he was going to be investigating and researching during most of his time, while his skills and experience weren't focused on those areas. But still, it was safer than being a front line warrior, but Gildas, though strengthened by the firm grasp of the bone and as always unquestioningly loyal to the army, had little trust that this mission held any hope whatsoever. As such, questions of many kinds stirred up in his mind.

"Sir, I do have other questions." Gildas clears his throat, almost apologetically. "Have our Tertian brothers of the army that share our mission made known their plans for the near future? Also, are they anywhere near us so that we can speak to them and better coordinate our search? We would waste our time and efforts if we would all search the same place once for every team that has been made."

He really had many more questions, but he did not wish to come across as cynical or even insolent. He posed only the most immediate concern on his mind: "Finally, I do not know much about centers of knowledge. Can you tell us anything about such nearby centers or individuals; anyone or anyplace that might lead us further?"

He turns to his companions: "Perhaps one of you knows of a good place to start? I can only think of Tartiritia, biggest city nearby."

Little hope, but much to win; perhaps, Gildas thought, he should be a bit less pessimistic. Perhaps, regardless of failure or success, he should be proud to be chosen for such a mission. A true Tertian at heart, this was the time to show it.

[ryngo]

...Tyrano Wystfalrun lightly traces the copper bone with a finger. Being the last, it would seem gratuitous to do more.

Suddenly he is no longer a man in a tent. The lands are laid out before him as if they were only a chess board. Here is Tertia with all it's cities and farms and camps straining proudly against the vast hoards of Yexuhl whose eyes look unsatiated upon his homeland. Yet it seems that with only a gesture he might sweep them off the board and into the sea like they were toys.

He is a man in a tent again. Perhaps this is not such a fool's hope after all. Though it might seem foolishness to assume there were any chance at finding artifacts that may not exist with no leads across a continent of five great nations (three of which he has never set foot upon and likely neither have his newfound comrades), Fate has an interesting habit of showing up at just these time. It has also been the Wystfalruns' experience that Fate is just around the corner at any given time.

Lenny asks for a map. Gildas asks some notable questions the answers of which Tyrano is anxious to hear. For his own part, he considers the possibility of sagely knowledge he might gather in the camp. There are always bards about in the platoons. The soldiers need them. They are well-studied in the lore of the lands, and something as powerful as this is likely to have shown up somewhere in the world of legend.

"The bards," he suggests to the others once outside the tent, "They keep the stories. Has there ever been a hero so great in his time that his very remains were enchanted? Perhaps someone will have heard of so strange a thing. We needn't mention the specifics of the bone to them. With any luck, they will speak to us of it of their own recollection."

[TheUdjat]

Wanderer simply stares at the bone for a long time after he's touched it. The feelings that surge through him seem so genuine, so real, but in a distant, detached kind of way he recognizes it as magic; enchantment. That doesn't make its effect any less profound, granted. Such power and enthusiasm, such vigor, such vim... He shakes his head soberly.

"I see why Tertia would risk so much for others of its kind." He doesn't say what need not be heard aloud: This is power. Power of a kind the war has not yet seen.

He listens to the suggestions and questions of the others, feeling quite out of his league. Maps, sages, and bards... They know what they're doing, certainly. He responds quietly, in that deep, reserved voice, analyzing their options. "Maps would be welcome. I know many of the lands beyond Tertia and Yexuhl, but not all. And it has been years, at any rate, since I last wandered there."

"I would think Tertia foolish if the resources of Tartiritia were not already exhausted researching this bone. No, we need to consult sages and tomes beyond our borders. We will find no such wisdom left in Yexuhl, but there are other nations. The Dune Palace is the nearest such city I've heard of, and then there is distant New Ravenshead and the Dwarven Kingdom north of it. If old knowledge is preserved anywhere, the oldest beings, elves and dwarves, are likely to possess it. The Gathered Nations is abundant with elves." (I'm assuming some of my character's Knowledge: Geography for all of that. I figure he knows about a few critical places; taking a ten on the check grants a 17. If there are more places, let me know)

But in Wanderer's eyes, Wystfalrun presents the best immediate course of action. The dark man almost smiles. "A wise suggestion. The storytellers are often overlooked, but they possess a kind of knowledge not to be underestimated. A being, man or otherwise, with such ensorcelled remains must have a story to be told. This may be a good place to start, as we work our way towards the cities."

EDIT: To correct Wanderer's name and the capital of Tertia's spelling. Damn that's a complicated name.

[Japic]

{Sorry for my delayed response; I was out of town on Friday. Back to the action.}

This man was not certain what he was doing... was he a poor thief, or was he merely pretending to be? In either case somethig was amiss; one of the 'bandits' had referred to him as captain. Based on her learning that meant he was military in some fashion; no common brigand.

Surrounded now by patrons taking an active interest and hearing teh call from outdoors Ella gets the gut feeling that things are not at all as they seem. She immediately deviates from the man, not waiting for him to answer the inquiries of the others.

Moving to the door she tells the man before it (at lancepoint) to move. "I know not what transpires but innocents cannot be harmed for this."

{Hopefully the man will move and she can open the door and speak directly with those outside. If not she'll have to yell.}

"Whom do you seek? There are innocents within; let us come to an accord."

Her voice is obviously not of a man; so hopefully the persons outside would give her a chance to be heard.