Roland walks over to Menaria, checking to see if she is alright. Afterwards, he flicks the blood from his hands and moves towards the prow of the ship. "Shall we commandeer ourselves a ship? It’s high-likely we’ll all be wanted men and women and this crew certainly no longer needs it," he says with a sigh, then speaks quietly to himself under the din of the ocean. "I’m already wanted for murder here anyhow. I don’t suppose this changes things." He looks down to the scar on his right wrist, then clenches a fist and turns to the rest of the group. Menaria sighs with relief once it is over. "Remind me never to do something like this again... well that is be a part of this again." She shakes her head as she hears Roland approaching. She immediately checks him over to ensure of any wounds. Her eyes soften as she gently caresses his cheek. "I am glad you were not hurt," she says huskily as she smiles warmly. She then follows him to the others. "I don't know anything about ships," she says. "It would depend on if anybody can commandeer this hulking beast." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Korg casually wipes the gore off of his greatsword before sheathing it across his back. Only then does he appear to notice the pair of arrows that are sticking out of him, one between a gap in plates of the armor on his left arm, the other in his right leg. He casually breaks off the shafts so that they don't snag on anything until they have enough time to remove them properly. With a grunt of approval, he turns across the charnel house the corridor has become and glances at Katrina. "Oh good, you're still alive. Some people would have been disappointed if we got here to rescue a corpse." Kyran, changing into a wolf to get past the others, manages to muscle his way near Katrina and sniffs her carefully. He nods to himself and sits down, looking at the surrendered mooks, a spark of red in the back of his eyes. Katrina allows Paia to climb to her shoulder, raising an eyebrow at Kyran. "You expected a corpse? You underestimate me." As the others gather around, taking stock, Segev quietly slips out of the deepening darkness to join them. The hood of his robe is up, shrouding his face in darkness. He quickly examines the one in the Crusader armor, then looks to the rest of the group. "That was masterfully done. I assume all who saw your faces are dead, or captured here?" His quiet voice is even raspier than before, but it is hard to determine if that is intentional or not. Korg shrugs slightly at Segev. "All within reach, but there's always more witnesses." To Roland he comments, "Not necessecarily a bad idea, but most of us have horses and would be loathe to part with them." Finally he takes note of Katrina's objection and chuckles. "Underestimate your luck perhaps; you were the one captured in the first place. Surviving long enough for us to arrive says less about your skills and more about the incompetence of your captors." "If I had died, I assure you," Katrina states simply, "you would have not have found half as many of these bastards alive when you boarded." "Any out of reach are unlikely to be able to recognize your faces," replies the necromancer. "It is growing quite dark. Now, where would you suggest we go with a commandeered vessel?" He turns his shadow-shrouded countenance upon the gathered prisoners. "It is more a matter of whether we need them alive, to sail, or need them dead for silence, that we may remain in town until our work here is done. Kyran gets up and manages to move his head under Katrina's hand, having the hand go down his back as he walks past. He smiles happily, then looks over at the rest of the crew. "Of course," Segev continues, speaking directly to the prisoners "loyal service is always well-rewarded; perhaps you should try to convince us to let you enter our employ." Kyran gets off of his haunches and starts walking torwards the crew, sniffing them warrily and *very* closely, as well as looking them in the eyes. Growling for much of this process, he looks like he might attack unprovoked at any moment. He doesn't avoid contact with the crew: in fact, he seems to enjoy the fact that they're basically helpless while he does his searching. "He seems hungry," says Segev dispassionately. "Which of you would be of use to us? I think you'll find out hiring prices... unbeatable." Kyran exposes his fangs to the nearest mook, blood still dripping from thebite on the previous victim. Segev waits silently, watching the prisoners and the "hungry wolf" with an unnervingly steady stare. The former crew of the ship shift uncomfortably, eyeing both the werewolf and Korg with obvious fear before turning--almost as one--to one of their own: a young kobold with bright green eyes who gulps when he realizes who the others are looking at. The kobold stands up. "Bosun's mate Arzosa Shothy Lorezhohaz, ranking 'officer' on board ship, as it appears," he exclaims in flawless Caere. "I squeek... uh, speak for the entire (remaining) crew when I say that we will do whatever you ask and go wherever you wish us to take our ship, so long as you let us live." He trembles with fear, his tail swishing back and forth nervously, awaiting the group's reply. Kyran hmmfs and pads his way up the ship to look over the carnage, and possibly for things that the dead will not be requiring in the afterlife. The necromancer's shadowed mouth smiles coldly. "Excellent, Bosun's Mate Arzoza. As their ranking officer and spokeman, I'm sure you will be able to get the most out of them." He tosses a gold coin to the kobold, continuing, "That is your signing bonus. The rest can see Tanda for a silver apiece, once we're underway, as theirs. Work hard and well, and you will be paid and treated well." He turns away for a moment, starting to walk off, then turns to look over his shoulder, his silhouette vaguely visible under his hood as he gestures for his servant to stand guard over the crew. "However, no one is permitted to leave the ship while we're in this port. Consequences for breaking that rule..." he smiles coldly, this time with menace, "...well, you can imagine." His servant plants his(?) still-bloodied sword point-first in the deck, guantleted hands resting on the hilt. Segev walks over to Tanda, and whispers to her, "I have the silver to pay them. I will give it to you when we're underway." Turning to the rest of the group, he concludes, "I have no further business in this city. Have any of you discovered more of the quest to find our 'friend'?" "Well," Tanda replies, eyeing Seg's silent companion warily, "the gobbos did say the illithid they were after may have been headed for Caer Ritaegno. I don't know if Menaria caught anything at her temple; she hasn't told me yet." "Some of us still have horses in the city... I've been on ships before, and there is room enough. But if someone not covered in blood could fetch them, it would be preferable." Korg shrugs. "For what it's worth, I have some experience in sailing, though it has been a while." Segev's hood nods, once. "Lannstucht is our resident expert on horses. If she will accompany me, I would return the horse she lent me to her care." Tana, tearing what is left of his silk shirt off, and staunching any still bleeding wounds, comments' "I carry all that I need. Though I have never been on the great waters." Looking at the remnants of his shirt he is currently using to clean his blade, "It does look like I am in need of a new shirt. On a note of further importance, I think we need to dispose of the dead. It would not due to have any more of the city guards arrive before we depart, and find their compatriots." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Upon coming above deck, Kyran notices the dangling person off the ship. He pulls him aboard and shakes his head, checking the "corpse" for signs of life. As the dangler isn't dead, Kyran makes it so by choking him with his front two paws on his throat. Ruathor, having just boarded the vessel, locates and accounts for each arrow he fired, whether good or damaged. Perhaps a search of bodies might be in order as well... to learn something of this enemy. Drakar unstrings his bow, stowing it carefully across his back next to its quiver and the greatsword that was never used. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Fetch Alastyn for me, please? I've already called Ananzi." Katrina nods to the group. "And thank you, for coming for me." The fox soon appears, trotting up to his mistress and coiling around her legs like a large cat. After checking first the group to see if any require healing, Drakar heads back down to the docks. Retrieving Katrina's horse, he walks along, lifting up the bodies of the city guards and carrying them over his shoulder back up the gangway to the ship. placing the bodies on the deck he checks each for signs of life, relieves them of arms, armor, and possessions and heals any who are still alive. He hands the reins of Katrina's horse to her and clasps her upper arm. "I am glad to see that I will still have an opportunity to repay the debts I owe to you and Paia, Katrina. You fought most impressively and I would be glad to have you at my side in a fight." Turning, he taps Lannstuchts shoulder for attention, places the reins of her borrowed mount in her hands and pitches a whisper low enough to be heard only by her, he promises, "You and I will have a....discussion...on this," He waves his hands at the dead city guard, "sometime later when we are away from here." Lannstucht looks expressionlessly at Drakar. "Indeed. There should be such a discussion among all of the party, after we are underway." Turning away stiffly, she sees to settling the horses into a suitable location. Looking at Segev's hooded form, Drakar nods respectfully, "Necromancer. I am glad we fought on the same side." He waves his hand at the charred and blackened wood at the bow of the ship, where the enemy mage's fireball detonated at point blank range following Segev's volley of magic missiles. Turning to the others, he speaks. "Some of us have gear and animals still here. We should go and retrieve them. This is not a safe place to stay however, and I suggest we see if the crew of this ship can set sail with her out of this harbor to somewhere nearby where we can rendezvous in the morning. There, we'll be able to deal with the bodies and decide our future course without worry of more of the city guard coming to investigate. What say the rest of you to this?" Segev slides to the doorway of the room being used as a holding cell. "This, perhaps, we should all discuss in private. My servant can guard the crew for the moment." The party moves up to the top deck. Kyran, already being top-side, has already begun searching for bodies that may have been disposed of in... inappropriate areas. Changing back to a human when he's sure that nobody above deck is watching, he takes the posessions of the dead as well, and looks over at Drakar when he comes up. "I wonder, did we do the right thing?" He wipes his face of blood and looks over his clothing, which is fairly ruined now as well. "And what are the plans down there? I don't know if they'll enjoy your company on shore anymore, I'm sure of it." "If we seek to rendevous," Segev explains quickly, "we should leave at least two members of our group aboard to ensure the crew does not cut and run. I suggest Kyran be one of them. I can remain aboard, as well, having all my effects with me and no further business in the city. If anyone else feels they would be better suited to this babysitting task, I would be willing to retrieve their effects for them while they remain aboard. However, if I remain aboard, it will give me opportunity to replace some of my spent spells." He wrinkles his nose at the smell of the boat. "This whole ship could benefit from a thorough immersion in Hygiene." Lannstucht breaks her unwonted silence tersely. "I shall remain." Korg nods, still filthy and arrow-pierced. "I think that I am in no shape to go ashore without a thourough cleansing; as I also have knowledge of sailing I think that I'll remain. Tanda, could you fetch Grithak?" "No problem Korg, just get yourself cleaned up and I'll grab our stuff...and a couple pints of that toxic brew from the 'Mushroom." Tanda grins with mock humor intentionally ignoring Korg's grey pallor. "Menaria, I'll get your things as well as everyone else's so that the rest of you can get this barge going." Tanda turns a smirk on the rest of the party, "Besides, who better to sneak out of a city after your head than a thief with my skills? Don't answer that Korg." Sketching a bow with a flourish she skips soundlessly down the gangway after Drakar. Katrina takes Drakar aside, and hands him a small list of food and other quickly expended supplies. "Since I was unable to finish my shopping, and I would rather remain here for the moment, could you please fetch these things for me? She hands Drakar a small pouch of gold, just enough to cover the supplies. Drakar nods assent to all of the valid points brought up by Segev, Korg, and the others as he heads for the gangway. Turning back he says, "Quickly, there is not much time. Everyone in the city will have heard the explosion of that fireball," he nods towards the blackened stern where the slaver spellcaster self-immolated himself with a fireball. "Others will be here in minutes. You must cast off. You can have the crew take the ship up four leagues to the fishing village of Tolwyn and those of us who go ashore can meet with you there." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drakar and Tanda whisper arrangements quickly to one another, and they briefly glance back as the crew casts off mooring lines and makes way under the command of the Kobold Bosun's mate, Arzosa Shothy Lorezhohaz shouting orders in a squeaky voice under the watchful eyes of Segev. Tanda and Drakar slip quietly past the city guards running to the scene of the explosion on the docks. Tanda makes for the Inn to collect belongings and horses while Drakar makes directly for the city wall, leaping over it and hurrying to his camp & Narush. The dire wolf greets Drakar eagerly, and Drakar spends some time calming him down before gathering the weapons and gear left at the camp previously and meeting Tanda outside the city gates. Tanda charms her way past the gate guards and gets them to open the gates long enough for her to lead the train of horses out to meet Drakar. She offers Korg's horse for Drakar to ride, but Drakar declines and starts off running. Tanda thinks to herself that at the rate Drakar is running he'll tire within a mile or so, but surprisingly enough, the half-orc keeps up a pace that forces Tanda to ride the horses at a swift canter to keep up. Drakar and Narush lope on either side of the horses as the group races to rendezvous with the ship up the coast. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lannstucht sets about arranging makeshift tiestalls for the horses on deck in some sheltered location. As the ship is otherwise prepared to sail, she is often seen going about the most menial of tasks silently. Between self-appointed tasks, when she is not working on the tiestalls, Segev approaches Lannstucht. He still has his hood up, making his face impossible to see. "I thank you for the loan of your horse," he begins, "Without him, I would have been hard pressed to complete my business within the town. If my skills or possessions can be of assistance to you in the future, please do not hesitate to ask." Lannstucht looks up from her work and nods courteously enough to the necromancer. "The offer is appreciated." The necromancer nods once, and slides away. Moving belowdecks once more, he claims a small cabin for himself. Given the lateness of the hour, he only bothers to replace his Magic Missile spell, and memorize one more Fireball, just in case an artillary battle occurs between now and when they cast off. Between jobs and as she comes across members of the party, Lannstucht inspects and bathes the wounds of all in the party, clearly fixing them in her mind as she does so. Menaria helps with the healing/cleaning/fixing up of wounds as well, but she also tends to the prisoners and crew of the ship. Slightly pale in complexion, she goes to each person quietly as the pressure of the killed town guards weighs heavily on her. After the brief meeting, Korg goes to find a place to start removing his armor and bloodied clothing, careful to avoid jarring either of the arrows sticking in his limbs as much as possible. He then proceeds to dump a bucket of water over himself, taking care of... well, some of the mess. He starts carefully working the arrow out of his left arm when Lannstucht finds him. "Oh, good... I'm not too skilled at removing arrows for one who gets stuck with them so often," he comments as she helps to work the heads out and bind the wounds. Indeed, numerous other scars around his exposed torso and arms would seem to indicate that he moonlights as a pincushion... though longer scars here and there would give the lie to that and instead suggest that he'd served as a practice dummy for swordplay. "Thank you for that," he adds after she finishes, and starts cleaning his armor and weapon, about when Menaria finds them. Lannstucht has a twisted, bitter expression set into her face and waves away any offers of healing. "Wounds caused by foolishness should leave scars to learn from." Korg smiles slightly, bringing the scar that crosses from the bridge of his nose to the jawline on the left side of his face into white contrast to the grayish tinged pallor of his skin. "Careful; it hasn't yet worked for me," he quips. After a moment, he adds, "But probably I'm more foolish," a bit more quietly as he works remains of other people out of his belongings, apparently relatively unbothered by what it signifies beyond something that needs cleaning. Tana finds tarps or other suitable cloth to cover each of the dead. He says quiet prayers to Vilhelmo for the fallen, and asks Golma to treat their souls kindly. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tanda, Drakar, Narush and the horses arrive at a bluff overlooking the fishing village of Tolwyn by mid-morning and are relived to find the ship moored out in the harbor. They ride down into the town and pay a local fisherman ten silver to ferry them, their horses and goods out to the ship on four trips. The fisherman grins with a toothless smile as he does so. Ten silver is more than he'd normally see from an entire days catch. He's a bit apprehensive about the armored dire wolf, but the silver, the atill alive horses, and adventurers convince him that it should be safe enough. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After people have returned with belongings, settled in and the ship is otherwise prepared to sail, Lannstucht asks the party to meet on deck when convenient. Segev is waiting on the deck, sitting quietly in a rickety-looking chair--- presumably taken from the cargo hold or one of the cabins below-decks--for the others to arrive. It takes less time to memorize a couple spells than it does to perform the more exhaustive tasks to which the others have devoted themselves. Roland moves quietly over to Menaria. "If there was a path carved out for us what was free of slaughter, of hardship, we would tread down it. It seems that no such path exists, m’lady." He reaches over and takes her hand in his gently, and it hardly seems as if these same hands had killed men just moments ago. "I am sorry that you have tasted now of the blood the world bleeds when you first set out upon it. There will be more, and it will be no more easily palatable than this. You have to keep in mind your duty, and mourn later." She looks up into his eyes, her's reflecting sadness and pain. "I..I know. It is sad to know that coping with it will get easier..." She smiles weakly at his assurance and gently squeezes his hand in return. Whispering under her breath, "We have each other and that is what counts, right?" Segev looks over from his position on the darkening deck, face invisible beneath the shadow of his hood. "Do not waste your tears, Menaria. They were not worthy of them, by any measure. Roland is correct; allowing sorrow to cloud your purpose now will avail no one. Tell me, have you discovered where our quarry heads, or where what he seeks lies, that we may beat him there?" Looking over at Segev, she nods. "Yes... I have some information, but they have no idea where it is at either. I had hope we could go to the city where it was last and investigate from there. It was stolen... perhaps we can find the thieves and work from there." Roland nods. "Coping with it will not get easier. It will get to where you become accustomed to the pains of it, but it will hurt every time. A good way to think of it is that it was either their lives or our failure and the lives of the many others who are at peril from this." When all are gathered, Lannstucht hands a vicious-looking whip to Korg and strips unceremoniously to the waist. "I have wronged each of you and caused injury to the party though rash action and uncontrolled temper. I ask those I have wronged to bestow upon me an equal reminder of the injuries they have borne through my foolishness and stupidity. Should your own arm be insufficient to level the scales, please designate a member of the party to act in your stead." Turning away from the group, she ties her hands to a railing over her head and steels herself to her earned retribution. Menaria then hears what Lannstucht says and pales once more as she watches the woman tie herself to the railing. "By the gods..." She shudders. "Why would you think any of us would...?" She shakes her head sadly. Korg shrugs slightly at the whip. "You understand when I say that as someone who lives by the sword, I take responsibility for my own wounds. But if you wish to be rebuked this way, I have to respect that even though I bear no particular resentment." His tone of voice is even as he says this and before anyone can react, he uncoils the whip with a flick of his wrist and lashes Lannstucht across her back. He lashes out again but misses, the tip of the whip cracking about a foot to the right of Lannstucht's head. "Two lashes for two wounds," he says as he casually coils the whip. "Though I apologize that my lack of skill made the second go wide." He hands it to someone else and strides off to help prepare the ship to sail as best he can. Seeing and hearing Korg hit the woman with the whip, Menaria turns her head to the side and nearly faints against Roland as she flinches at the cracking sound coming from the whip. Roland doesn’t even twinge, it’s a sound he’d grown used to long ago. Not rising from his seat, Segev speaks up in a voice dripping with liquid disdain. "Lannstucht, you are behaving the fool. This mission was not going to occur without bloodshed; we are most likely not going to be connected with the death of the corrupt watchmen. Is it not the behavior of a firracht to ask for punishment to assuage an imagined stain upon one's honor? I do not know this Lannstucht, who would claim to have wronged when no wrong has been done. What manner of machismo, of arrogance, is this to which you play?" His voice chills, but ceases to be so mocking, as he concludes, "I will not tire my arm, nor wound a friend, just to soothe an imagined slight. Do not presume such arrogance; it does not become a woman with as much true pride as you possess." Tana takes out his dagger and cuts the bonds around Lannstucht’s wrist. "I say for myself, any who feels wronged would not correct an injustice by striking out at one such as you." Drakar takes the whip from Korg's hands, regards it for a moment, and tosses it over the side of the ship, denying anyone else the opportunity to either the use of it, or the chance to protest it's use. "For once the necromancer is right. Besides, I put forth the plan for you and the others to go forth into danger while we covered from afar with arrows and sorcery, and I must thus take responsibility for the wounds of all. I might disagree with you on the execution of the attack, but the attack was necessary both to rescue Katrina and rid the world of the great evil of enslavement. I make no excuses for the death we visited upon these." Drakar waves his hand at the dead aboard the slaver ship. Katrina watches silently, frowning, but making no move either way, having not seen the attack, and respecting Lann's culture. The half-orc lays his hands upon Lannstucht and heals her back of the wounds from Korg's whipping. "Your honor is intact. It was upheld by the rest of us when we followed you into battle. You led. We followed. There was no moral ambiguity about this ship. They were the bad guys, we were the good guys, and they made a very satisfying 'thump' when they hit the floor!" Moving to find Narush a place to rest alongside the horses on deck he shoots back over the shoulder, "If you wish scars, find them in battle, leading the rest of us in our quest." Kyran sighs and looks over at Lannstucht after wincing at the sound of the whip. "The only person who would have a right to punish you for that would be one who has not acted in such a manner before." He looks to the rest, in particular Menaria, and asks, "I am still confused on what we are supposed to do now. Where shall our quest lead us?" Lannstucht raises her head slowly in shock, then lowers it again in abject understanding. Her voice is completely flat, stripped of any emotion. "I... see. I have caused far more harm by my actions than I had even realized. If.. you believe that I cannot be allowed to face the full consequences of my actions, so be it. Call me no more by Lannstucht, since clearly I no longer deserve to bear my family names as an adult. As long as you believe me a child, I must be called Achmuid, like any babe who has not earned the right to bear responsibility." Moving slowly, obviously gathering the shreds of her dignity, Lannstucht, no, Achmuid redons her clothing. Quietly, she goes below with her back ramrod straight and her face a mask of shame. Tana places his hand on Lannstucht's shoulder before she can procede below deck. "In my sight your are Lannstucht. I know not the way's of your people, I am but a simple desert nomad. I will not follow a child into battle, if you must claim responsibility for the battle that insued, you can no longer retreat into the world of a child. You are refused the name of Achmuid, you are Lannstucht." Tana says this last part with a force striking deep withing her mind, "You cannot refuse, it is YOUR responsibility." With the chill of wounded dignity, she meets Tana's gaze. "It is not the way of Rochlad, but your argument has some merit. I will think on your words." Katrina shoots Drakar an annoyed "nice going" Look. "It is not that, m'lady. Others in our company do not have much experience with your people, nor your ways. You did what had to be done, but if you must punish yourself, so be it. We may not agree with your traditions, but it is your choice, after all. Perhaps you and everyone can agree on an equally arduous punishment? Say, working with the crew and helping them with the sails? The pain while you learn may teach as well as any whip's lash, and having one who has proven their loyalty to the party learn how to sail would benefit all of us." "It is no punishment to accept the responsibility of one's actions," Lannstucht explains, "merely what must be done. Pain and work have nothing to do with it." Korg ignores most of the proceedings of people being scandalized by Lannstucht's ways, instead working to help ready the boat as best he recalls how from his youth. He genuinely doesn't understand the big hoo-hah about it and has pretty much put it out of his mind, though if Lannstucht comes up to help he might say something to her regarding the immaturity of the party by Rochlad's standards. Having seen far worse punishments for fouling a raid, whipping doesn't seem that big of a deal, though her plan worked out fine anyway. After Lannstucht's little proclamation, Segev rises from his chair. "I will inspect whatever is left of our group's acquisitions when everyone else has taken what they desire. For now, I have categorizing and catelogging to do." He strides to the ladder leading down belowdecks, carrying what he's claimed from the pile of loot. His servant follows him, carrying the chair. The necromancer does not even glance at Lannstucht as he passes her. If he has an opinion of her declaration that she is a child, he does not share it. He heads for his cabin once below decks. Katrina notices Segev taking all the scrolls as she emerges from belowdecks. "Hey now, don't be greedy with those." "I am going to scribe them into my spellbook. You may copy them from there when I am done. If you wish, we can barter for further spell trades. I would not mind seeing your collection of spells and scrolls, and I'm sure you would find things of interest in my spellbook." With that, the black-clad mage slides easilly by the plate-wearing half-elf. His servant, however, is neither so graceful nor so thin, so jostles her somewhat roughly as he(?) pushes past, following his(?) master with the chair. "I cast mainly from scrolls," she explains. That actually gives the other mage pause, as he turns to look at the girl quizzically. "Why would you do that?" Katrina scowls, not having expected the third degree. "Because I am primarily a fighter, and not a mage. I received training mainly at the insistance of my mentor, Paia's former master. If I need to cast a spell during a battle, I refuse to strip myself to my undertunic, opening myself to attack, rather than deal with the very large chance that my armor will cause my spell to fail." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drakar claps Kyran on the shoulder reassuringly, "Kyran is right, we should focus on the reason we are all gathered together. Menaria, you spoke of finding answers in this city, did you? I see that there are some of us here that have only recently joined. I think introductions and an explanation of what is really going on might be in order." The half-orc immediately puts suggestions to words. "My name is Drakar. I was a ranger under the service of Baron Shi'uarra when this group first helped deliver the Barony from the threat of Redwater fanatics." Drakar indicates each as he names them one by one, "Menaria, Lannstucht, Segev, Korg and Tanda, Katrina, Roland, and Kyran." Drakar goes on, revealing a bit of his past to the group. "I was once a Shaman for my tribe on the slopes of the Wyrmspire mountains, before they were betrayed in battle, slaughtered and enslaved and sold to the highest bidder. I alone escaped when my master laid a spell on me that hid me from our enemies. I know a bit of the healing magics and the ebb and flow of the spirit world, and as you have seen I can handle myself in battle as well." Roland Looks to Drakar and bows politely. "Let it be known that as long as you walk with me, that you will not wear the bonds of a slave, this I can promise." "I have failed at introductions, I apologize," Tana starts. "I am Tana Mauru, and I come from the great wastes. My flesh has failed to darken with the light of the relentless sun; therefore many who have made my acquaintance scarce believe my origin. It was a few years ago I left my caravan to seek answers from the oracle. By chance I have become acquainted with your group. I have given the edge of my blade to Menaria for her quest. By the will of Navor and Ryl I am bound by the fate of that which she seeks. By the will of Vilhelmo I will surpass the test set before me." Taking a deep breath, Menaria pulls her long dark blue robe closer around herself as if to keep the chill of what had just occurred away from her. "I am Menaria Darce, as some of you already know. I know not my origins. I was brought to the temple of Akanksha in Caer Zitheral upon my birth. I am just a humble priestess of my goddess' faith. And I live to serve her. Currently I have been tasked to hunt down an item and to return it to a safe holding place." She then eyes each one in turn. "I truly thank you all who decide and those who have already decided to join me on this quest to bring back this evil item and prevent the further spread of chaos that it is currently causing." "I am Kyran Wakefield, a simple ranger of the north. I encountered you while tracking down a Illithid. I am with you because you have the same quary as I, and I've heard it's safer to travel in a group, that I have." He bows. "I'm sorry if I have caused any suspicion to arise, but..." He sniffs the air briefly. "Excuse me, it seems there is at least one person aboard that is unacounted for." He makes his way to the hold. "I am called Ruathor, of the Taur'Quendir. I have travelled far, from Al Quenda. I came to these lands searching for my destiny and believe the Oracle has brought me insight. From my visions, I also believe that we all are destined for something great; something tht revolves around this spear we seem to be searching for. I pledge my bow and sword to locating this artifact and seeing that it is returned to its rightful place." Tanda steps forward. "Tanda Cantwell; the big bruiser over there is Korg Magnusson. I'm from Redwater, he's a Northern Raider." She stops, and thinks. "Menaria, there's one little bit that we need to remember. The goblin ranger, Snarkle, indicated that the illithid he and Fringle (the gobbo paladin) were tracking was headed for Caer Ritaegno; about halfway between here and Marach." Her stout facade vanishes as she slumps her shoulders slightly. "You are right...I forgotten momentarily." She says to Tanda. Sighing heavily, she turns to face the open waters. "Then we should be off as soon as possible to Caer Ritaegno." She then walks over to the railing, leaning and stares off into the distance. "Actually," Tanda considers, "there might be another way. There are eleven of us; we don't all need to converge on one place or the other. We can approach this from both sides--one group of us gets off at Caer Ritaegno to intercept the mind flayer, the other sails on to Marach to poke around there." "I would not think it a good idea to split up...but if we bring it up to the others and it is decided to split up then we can do that. Though I have no expertise in 'digging' up info. I will be among the group that heads to the Caer if a decision arises to split up." Menaria continues to look off into the distance as she brings her robes closer around her once more. "Either way we need to leave the harbor as soon as possible...someone has bound to have reported the attack by now." "In case you haven't been paying attention, Meni, we left that harbor a few hours ago. Why else would Narush be pacing the deck like that? We're out by a fishing village, now." Tanda points first to the dire wolf that's pacing the deck, and then off the starboard side to the small fishing village. "Snap out of it! We need you focused, not moping about! What's your goddess say about letting guilt overcome your ability to think and act when needed?" Menaria sighs lowering her head momentarily at the accusation. "I am sorry. You are right, you are right. I need to think on the quest. My personal problems and feelings can be resolved at a better time. Not here and not now." She turns around to face Tandra, her shoulders straighten and her eyes alight once more. She chuckles half-heartedly. "I didn't notice we had left the harbor. Strange too since I don't have sea legs." She cracks a small smile as she then remembers the treasure that was discovered. "Do you think the others would mind if I borrow a set of those bracers?" "I don't think they'll mind." She nods and pulls her robes closed once more. "I guess I'll get them then. Where are they keeping the stuff?" "That's not a bad idea Tanda," Drakar says, coming up behind them. "Didn't Kyran mention that he had found us by following the trail of an illithid? And Menaria, you mentioned that your temple in the city told you that this 'item' was stolen from Marach? Well, we can solve this problem from both ends, for we may beat the Illithid to Caer Ritaegno if it is traveling by land and we by sea. Katrina said that Paia had offered to fly messages for the group. I see in our group we have two rangers, two clerics, two wizards. These cannot be mere coincidences. Fate has brought us together to give us the chance to right a wrong." "If the party agrees to split up, I have no qualms against it. It could be easier to accomplish our goals in finding information while still heading to the city. If we do beat the creature to the city, then perhaps we can find it before it does." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kyran steadily looks through the cargo for other unfortunates that may have been taken in by the crew (read: slaves). He looks very uneasy around Segev's servant, as if something is definetly not right about it. Only one slave is still held in the hold: a naked young Umojan girl who immediately drops to her knees and presents herself in a painful position without showing any change of expression. She seems almost pleading. "Are you my new Master?" she asks in flawless Caere, never moving otherwise. Kyran blushes *bright* red at this and shakes his head, turning away. "Nononononono. Um... You're free?" He starts shuffling through his backpack and hands her a set of his own clothing. Note that at the moment, Kyran's clothing is rather torn. He's walking around barefoot, and his shirt and pants are both torn off from before: pants at the knees and arms at the shoulder. He offers her the set of clothing, looking away. "Dress yourself, could you please?" "As you wish, Master," she states, standing up and dressing. The clothes turn out to be way too large for her; she doesn't seem to care, however. She stands perhaps a head shorter than Kyran, and is very slender. "What does this mean, 'free'?" Kyran blinks. "Uh, free? Without that obligation stuff..." Kyran thinks a bit more, but it appears the young woman just fried his brain. "Not saying 'master' every other phrase?" "I don't know what you mean, Ma... sir. I am your slave, until you give or sell me to another master. I am Jonahli, and I live to serve you." "You are not my," muttering this last worth with considerable distaste, "slave. You have no master, and you are not a slave. And you do not live to serve me, you definetly do not! You live to find your own purpose in life which you decide, very much so." Jonahli frowns, then eases forward, dropping back into that painful position she assumed when Kyran first entered. "Do I displease you that much, that you cast me aside with no second thought? If so, then sell me. Or give me away to someone else, I care not which. I am a slave, whether you call me one or not." She seems almost... proud to be called a slave. "Nonono, come on." He holds out her hand to help her up. "You are not a slave to me or anyone else, I am positive. Because those who would own or sell you are not around anymore." He looks like he's swimming for what to say... "Please don't do that again? It looks painful..." "Being a slave is all I know," she replies softly, looking up at him with large brown eyes. "I know nothing else. My personal discomfort means nothing. As I said before, I live to serve." She hesitates, thinking. "You mentioned those who would own or sell me are not around. If the former captain of the ship is dead, then I belong to the new owner of the ship. Take me to him." Kyran sighs. "Then it is perhaps time you learned something other than being in another's service. Please keep following?" He continues, talking the while. "There is no leader among us. As there is no leader of the ship to succeed the captain, even in that fashion, it's time for you to learn to act on your own." She follows, three steps back and in step, head held high with her slave collar prominently and proudly displayed, even through the baggy clothing Kyran gave her. At this point, Katrina, Segev, and Seg's Minion appear. She gets a slight smile on her face upon seeing the Minion following Seg much as she is Kyran. Kyran sniffs and frowns again. "Why do you have that corpse follow you Segev? It's not right to wake the dead... Could you tell me where Menaria is? Jonahli here is still of the idea of slavery, and I seek her council in what to do." He frowns after looking back at her again. "I certainly hope she's not getting the wrong idea, that I do not." Segev breaks off his conversation with Katrina, mildly suprised for the second time in five minutes as he notices Kyran's...companion, in particular the fact that she's wearing a slave collar. In his quiet-yet-carrying tones, he asks, "Why have you a slave following you, Kyran? I would not have thought you to be the kind to claim such." Jonahli bows to Segev and Katrina. "Good day, masters." Segev glances briefly at the slave-girl, then turns his attention back to Kyran without verbally acknowledging her greeting. "I have my servant follow me because it is useful to me. I care not whether you think it 'right', and my choices are not yours to question. I told you once not to force me to lie to you; I believe you to be useful, and that we can work well together. I would hate to have to treat you as an enemy. Willing allies are so much more constructive, for all involved." He sighs, shakes his head, and softens his tone a bit. "Softens", in that is now could only chill water, rather than turn it to daggers of ice. "As for Menaria, she is on deck, talking to Tanda. I believe Korg is overseeing the crew, to be sure of their continued good behavior." Looking back at Jonahli, as if studying an oddity, he continues, "However, I do not think she will be of much aid; if anything, this...unusual occurance...will most likely cause her more distress. Be careful not to place your burdens upon her, Kyran. She carries enough of her own, and must grow strong enough to bear them, first." He sounds almost...approving...as he describes Menaria's bearing of said burdens. Kyran frowns, but doesn't press it. "Perhaps you can offer assistance in this then? And how were you able to tell immedately that she was such?" He's uneasy at best. "I am not the type to take another, at any rate. I prefer to stay with my own kind when I can help it..." The mage actually smiles with genuine amusement for a brief moment. "You are naïve, aren't you," he begins, almost kindly. Then he becomes serious again, speaking in a lecturing tone, as a teacher to a student. "It is easy to recognize a slave when she so blatantly shows off her collar. Her manner, too, would be a hint if you knew what to look for, and her 'greeting' to myself and Katrina confirms it beyond doubt. As to assistance...what exactly is the difficulty presented?" Kyran takes a deep breath and starts talking again. "She's still wrapped up in the slave thing. It's hurting my head, and she thinks I'm her master, but I'm not because she doesn't have a master anymore, and why is this happening to me?" Jonahli gets a mischevious glint in her eye, but keeps a straight face as she steps up to peer around Kyran. "Sell me, master?" Kyran just looks upset now. "There you go with the master thing. I am not your master! And, agh, this is making my head hurt." He shakes his head. "Maybe you could offer some advice Katrina? I ask you please." Katrina shrugs. "I really don't know." Segev's eyes glint with understanding, and he turns his full attention to Jonahli for the first time. "Do you not think it impertinant for a slave to speak so to the one she calls 'master', girl?" Katrina GLARES at Segev. "That, I have an opinion on. Don't encourage her, Segev. Kyran is making the obvious right choice. Stop thinking of your own gain." "My own gain, Katrina? Whose, then, should I be looking out for? That aside, I couldn't care less what Kyran does with her. Whatever 'gain' you see me pursuing here is a construct of your imagination. Unless you refer to gaining a companion's peace of mind - an upset Kyran is far less useful than a calm one." "Do not trouble yourself over it, Kyran," Segev explains. "She behaves as she has been trained. And she is obviously remarkably well-trained. You will only 'hurt your head', and perhaps this girl, if you continue to try to treat her as you would anyone else. It will take more skill and willingness to accept things as they are than you possess to change her views, and it would be cruel to try to break her. Even moreso to abandon her. However. She believes you to be her master, so she is for all practical purposes yours until you get rid of her. "Treat her as you will. Who knows, you may find her useful. Of course, since she seems to want you to sell her, she may not want you as her master anymore. Which could be a sign that her training is not perfect, after all." He looks once more at the girl. "So, girl, explain yourself. You are confusing and mentally paining the boy you call Master with these games." "Permission to speak frankly, master?" she asks Seg. "Of course." Kyran watches silently as Segev and Jonahil converse. "He has stated that he does not wish to have me as a slave. I was presenting him with one of the two options that are known to me, and the one most profitable for him. The other option is for him to simply give me away." Kyran shakes his head again. "I do not wish you to be a slave to anyone, including myself. There are options that are not known always available, are there not?" "Often, yes. Perhaps, in this case, it is you who are blinded by what you perceive as limited choices, Kyran?" He then looks back to the girl. "So you can think. Good. Already an improvement over my servant in one regard. Have you anything further to add?" "Nothing at the moment, sir." "Very well, then. Kyran, it is your decision what to do with her, by the simple expedient that she will listen to no one else until you tell her to. And that would be tantamount to 'giving her away'. She would recognize the person you named as her new master, and it would be out of your hands. Perhaps that is what you want, perhaps not. "If I were you," and it is clear that he means it as more than just "if I were in your position"; he literally means if he were Kyran, "I'd find a use for her, and use her kindly. Or, if I could not bring myself to do that, I would give her over to someone who could, being sure she would not be abused in her new master's care. Be warned, though, boy. It would be a cruelty to give her to someone who shares your views entirely. If you cannot stomach it, then they could not either. You would hurt both them and her. So choose wisely, for regret is one of the worst things a man can do to himself." Kyran sighs and nods. "Can I ask you one more thing? How would you remove such a collar without harming the person it holds? Perhaps without being reminded of such an issue every time I look around, I may have a clearer head." "I do not think she would thank you for removing it, Kyran. Not with your continued expression of distaste for what she considers herself. However, I don't think most slave collars are dangerous to remove. Either unbuckle it or cut it off." The necromancer watches the girl's reactions to these suggestions, and curls his lip in an unreadable emotion. "From the looks of things, she'll try to kill anyone who dares to force her to take it off, though. Maybe, just maybe, she'd let her master do it. If he commanded it. "Listen to me, Kyran. And hear this well. You cannot change her mind by trying to force it all at once. You can only do it slowly. If you cannot treat her as she is, as she sees herself, then she will resist you and will resent you, if not worse. Here, lets hear it from her own mouth, how she thinks. "Girl, what do you think of Kyran, here?" Kyran glances over at her, waiting for her response. "Frankly, sir... He does not know what a pleasure it is to serve someone as a slave. As such, he makes a..." she turns to Kyran, "forgive me for saying this honestly, master," and back to Segev, "an unworthy master, and would be better off being sent to be trained as a slave himself, than given command of a slave." Kyran gets fet up at this point and storms off. "I don't care what you do anymore! Keep the clothes, just please do not bother me any longer." Once he's out of sight of her, he changes into a wolf and pads up onto the deck, lying down next to Menaria and the rest of the group, listening to the conversation. Jonahli looks after Kyran, then turns to Segev and Katrina, looking very much like a lost puppy. "And... I am without a master to serve. Please," she says softly, "sell me?" "I do not wish to offend you or your people," Tana tells Lannstucht. "Perhaps you may educate me so that I may comprehend," Tana says, quietly adding so nobody else will hear, "And perhaps you can enlighten to me why some here so protest to the idea of servants." "Perhaps another time when things hare more... settled." Lann turns and descends the ladder she had been partially blocking. Segev watches Kyran flee for a moment, before turning expressionlessly back to Jonahli. "Deciding what to do--" he begins before being interrupted by the arrival of Lannstucht or Achmuid or whatever she's calling herself. "For shame! Cease tormenting this girl." The Rochlada looks... remarkably more self-possessed. With a valiantly repressed sneer in Kyran's fleeing direction, she looks at Jonahli sternly. "Only a one who choses to be a slave may follow that path. You are clearly proud of your status. Tell me, do you serve with as much zeal as you cling to your position? I would accept nothing less in my stacht." The necromancer looks at the Rochlada horsewoman coolly, then smirks just a bit. "Tormenting her, Lannstucht? If anyone was being tormented, it was the young cub. It is good to see you behaving like a reasonable person once more. "Now, if you will excuse us, Katrina and I had some mages' business to discuss in my cabin. After that, I need to sleep; it has been a long day. So, I shall leave you and Jonahli to work things out. If you need any assistance, do not hesitate to ask. I am still in your debt over the loan of the horse." His parting half-smile before he turns away indicates that he is not entirely serious about his willingness to assist being solely due to debt over the horse. At this point in time, Roland steps up. "I will take the girl. To slaves like her, freedom is a cold and hard thing. She needs to know the world around her, but such knowledge is not granted in the span of five minutes. There is naught much else besides that that we can do if we care for the girl's well-being, which I myself do." "So then, she is presented with her first free choice. Shall she be free or whom shall she serve? Choose wisely, youngling. Fear not, dignity and hard work shall be your lot however you choose." Jonahli looks between Lannstucht and Roland briefly, then approaches Lannstucht silently. She drops to her knees, and presents herself in the same painful- looking submission position Kyran originally found her in. "I am called Jonahli, Master," she tells Lann in flawless Rochadisch. "How might I serve you?" "Very good, I can see that posture took quite some time to manage so gracefully. However, it is quite unhealthy for the joints. Do not use it again. Come with me and we shall discuss your duties and get you more properly outfitted." Jonahli raises gracefull to her feet, bows, "I understand mistress." Then she follows Lannstucht. Roland shrugs. "One less pupil, I suppose." He looks to Lannstucht. "If you so much as threaten this girl with a whip, I will kill you in your sleep." He doesn't really seem to care much about the girl, but the emphasis he'd put against her punishment seems more important than her being a slave. Lannstucht eyes Roland coolly. "You persist in underestimating those around you. I hardly think that Jonahli would fall so short in her responsibilities as to merit such a thing." "There's a difference between underestimating someone and not granting them an estimation to begin with. You have received the latter." "I was not refering to myself. No matter, it is none of your concern." Lannstucht sweeps off to her newly adopted quarters and sets about gearing Jonahli from her pack. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kyran, now away from the girl, looks at Darkar quizzingly, as if asking what now. He appears a bit depressed and worried after the encounter with Jonahli, and as such is staying low on the deck. Drakar walks over to Kyran and scrathes him in wolf form on the head between the ears, an old habit of a ranger more used to sleeping with wolves and wild creatures than dealing with civilization. "You did well boy, worry not over your choices. We are headed up the coast to Caer Ritaegno and Marach. Some of us must go to Caer Ritaegno to try and track down the Illithid Tanda was talking of, and the rest must go on to Marach to investigate the original theft of the 'item' Menaria spoke of. I've overheard you before talking about tracking this illithid. Do you think you could find its scent again if you crossed it in Caer Ritaegno? I wonder. Mayhaps we'll arrive there in time to prevent it from causing more mischief." "There are great things ahead of us. And the first is to get this boat underway! Come help me find this Kobold bosun who's running the boat for us." As Drakar strides off in search of the bosun to get the ship underway, Kyran loping along on his left, and Narush shambling on his right, the crew scramble out of the way and try to look busy somewhere far away from the trio. Kyran leans into the scratching, enjoying it quite a bit. He nods to Drakar on both accounts, sniffing briefly, then helping guide Drakar and Narush to the kobold. Every so often he glances in the direction of the crew, watching them hop about the rigging and doing who-knows-what to make the ship work. The kobold bosun's mate is easily found. He's supervising the restocking of the ship's pantry from the fishing village; with still close to 150 people on board ship, there's gonna be some tightened belts for a few days. Drakar corners the Kobold. "Bosun how much more in the way of stores do we need? If need be the three of us," Drakar indicates himself, Narush and Kyran, "can go ashore and hunt for food to make up the difference. Meat is all we can provide quickly, foraging for plants will take much longer. And how large a purse do you need for the rest of the ship's provisions?" "We can go for two weeks with what we have now," he says calmly. "Although some additional meat for the carnivores on board would be a good thing, sir." Kyran looks up at Drakar and nods. He smiles back at the kobold, following Drakar when he goes off to prepare for some hunting. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tana heads to the fore deck of the ship, staying out of the way of the crew getting the ship under way. Finding a suitable place, Tana sits and starts to meditate, finding the movements of the ship akin to that of the movements of a camel. He meditates not only to recharge his mental energies but also to try to gain more of an understanding of the visions he received from the oracle. Tana gave his blade Menaria and will follow her, to the destination she takes, even though it may be the path to his death. Tana mutters, "We must all face Golma, that is inevitable." Once the sun has set, Tana stretches out saying a quiet prayer to Vilhelmo then sleeps until the false dawn, unless someone awakens him. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roland moves quietly over to Menaria. "I will accompany you my lady, whatever path you choose to take." Menaria will smile warmly at Roland. "I would have hoped that you would travel with me." She then looks over toward Lann and the girl. "What's going on over there? Is that girl...a slave?" Her face softens as she looks on almost 'motherly' like at the girl. "Yes, one by choice, it seems." says Roland. She visibly shudders, drawing her robes closer and shakes her head sadly. "A shame...but if she was born into it...then it is all she knows and regretably all she has." Her shoulders slump slightly as she looks back over the open waters. "I can't see...no I can't *understand* why people would make slaves out of other people. Why?" She shakes her head once more and looks down. "All because of power...greed I'm sure. Or just the thrill of being able to be *over* another being. Sickening...just sickening." She pales as her grip tightens on the railing. "If only one could rid the world of such filth and evil..." She mumbles under her breath as it catches in her throat. Roland grabs Menaria's hand and drags her to wherever the Captain's quarters are, "We stay here." Menaria allows herself to be taken to the quarters and eyes Roland carefully. "Are you sure we can have it? I mean... well whom all is left alive of the crew, rank wise?" She asks quietly as she attempts to push her anxieties away. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drakar and Kyran return to the ship as dusk falls, their backs bowed with the gains of their hunting expedition. For this night at least, the part and the crew will eat well as deer, rabits, pheasants, and other creatures are brought aboard and stowed under the harried direction of the kobold bosun. Drakar piles his gear on deck next to the spot Narush has picked out to rest, and undoes the wickedly spiked scale mail barding on the dire wolf, adding it to the pile. Free of gear and wearing only a coarse woolen tunic and loose-fitting, checkered breaches tucked into the armored boots he still wears, he heads below to the galley to help with the cooking. A few hours later, he rejoins the party with food and gathers all to eat and talk in the Captain's cabin that Menaria & Roland have taken over. Taking what remains of the pile of loot, he scratches his chin as he picks out the ring of animal friendship and seperates the remaining potions, scrolls and wands. As he picks up the potions one by one, he unstoppers them and sniffs with a discriminating nose, then eyes their color as he swishes the liquid inside. Drakar picks out two and hands them to Tanda. "This one seems to be a potion of spider climb. I know that with what you do you'll value it. And these two seem to be potions of sneaking, which I'm sure will come in handy." Drakar says as he hands the bottles to Tanda. Tanda chuckles, taking the potion of spider climb but refusing the other two. "Chum, you and Korg need those potions of sneaking more than I do, clanking around in that armor. But I will take that potion of Alter Self that you have over there." Tanda claims the two potions and places them within her own Heward's Handy Haversack. Shrugging, Drakar hands one of the potions of sneaking over to korg and takes the other for himself, pouring the liquid into one of the many glass vials he keeps in the bandolier that crosses his chest. He adds to it the potion of swimming, and takes the last potion and hands it over to Segev. "There necromancer. You've taken little," Drakar nods, almost in approval, "and I'm sure you'll have more need of this than any of the rest of us." And the half-orc hands over the Potion of Intelligence to Segev. "Thank you, Drakar. I will put it to...good use," replies the wizard, without looking up from his scrolls and spellbook. Turning, Drakar addresses the group. "We have a few more items left unclaimed. We should see if any are items that can benefit one of us and we can sell the remainder when we get to Caer Ritaegno. Menaria brought up Marach, and Tanda mentioned the Illithid going to Caer Ritaegno. If we are to divide this group, we should decide now who is going where with whom." Drakar pauses for a moment thinking. "We should take care that each group take a wizard and a healer with them. Beyond that I am content to go wherever my services would be most needed. But first, I have a proposition to make to the group. I say that we should give this galley over to Korg since he seems to know the most of sailing of any of us and he has taken little of the spoils of our battle. What do the rest of you say to this?" Kyran nods, having turned back into a human out of sight of the crew. "The galley is best suited to Korg, that it is." He considers. "I would like to go to Caer Ritaengo, to track down the illithid. I got his scent earlier, and as so I would be best suited to find him wherever he is hiding." Tana heads down with the rest to the meeting. Standing behind and just to the right where Menaria is sitting, Tana quietly says "My path lies with Menaria, that is the one I shall traverse. As to the spoils, I have gathered that which is of use. However what ever share of the coin derived from the rest, that I may have earned, I request that half of the coin be turned over to Menaria to fund this quest, or whom so ever is controlling the funds." Menaria smiles a little at the gathering group. Her mind whirls with amazement at how a mixed up bunch could come together for a single cause. Well most of them might be for riding the world of evil...or containing the item to prevent the further spreading. But as for the others... money and treasure. But there won't be money probably except found on those that wish to stop us. Her smile fades as folks begin to talk. "I wish to go to the Caer to track down this dark creature and hopefully find the item before it does. I would ask some of you to go to Marach if possible. My expertise does not lay in information gathering areas. Which is what will be needed. It has been three months since the item was stolen from the temple in Marach. Perhaps the thieves identities could be found and traced to where they went next." She eyes Tana and nods at her suggestion. "It could come in handy, but also some of it must go with the Marach group if we do decide to split up. They'll need funding too." Segev speaks up for the first time, looking up from his study of the scrolls he has out. "You should be going to Marach, Menaria. It is your order that must be interviewed. You would have a much easier time getting the failed guardians to speak than would any of the rest of us." Nodding at Segev, "Yes you are right... it is just afterward I wouldn't know what to do exactly. Talking with my fellow priestesses won't be a problem." She sighs and looks down momentarily at her hands. Her long black hair falling around her shoulders, covers her face. She then looks back up at everyone. "Then I will go to Marach... and I wish the best of luck to those that go to the Caer. My thoughts and prayers will go with you." "As to my preferences, I wish to join the hunt for the illithid beginning in Caer Ritango," continues the necromancer, after Menaria's kind-hearted well- wishing. "My arcane knowledge will be useful in subduing and tracking it, as well as dealing with any minions it may have. Katrina should probably go with Menaria; her group will need a mage. Provided I can acquire the materials for scribing, I should be through with the scrolls and able to give her the ones she requested by the time we part ways." Drakar grins toothily at Segev and slaps him on the shoulder in a gesture he is sure will annoy the wizard. "Then I will have to go with you necromancer, so that you have a healer among you. Three trackers will find this illithid, if he exists, far faster than one. What do the rest of you say?" The scrawny wizard is knocked forward by the slap, but straightens smoothly, almost gracefully. If it annoyed him, any outward expression of such annoyance was concealed by the jerky motion induced by the slap itself. "Let us hope," he begins when back upright, "that you are correct, barbarian." Kyran blinks. "I was unaware that we had another tracker among us. Still, that would be most beneficial. Finding and eliminating this threat should be of the utmost importance, and for that the quickest should be taken, that it should." He looks around for approval, which he assumedly gets. "Who else shall join in the hunt?" He snickers. "I see no reason why he would be wrong. Perhaps you feel your stoic attitude is the norm for others?" After turning his cold, gray eyes on Kyran for a moment, Segev returns to his perusal of the scrolls. Lannstucht reappears some minutes later, having outfitted Jonahli as best can be arranged on such short notice and given a brief lesson in the proper cleaning of tack. Jonahli is following her newfound mistress quietly, staying a few feet to the left behind her. "I shall go to Marach with Menaria," Lannstuct states. Kyran keeps his attention intentionally away from Jonahli, instead deciding to focus his attention on the rest of the group and the division of the party members. Ruathor eyes the group, pondering his options, "I have but one question at the moment... How shall we keep in touch, one group with the other? For myself, my quest lies with finding this spear." Katrina looks thoughtful. "Perhaps Segev should accompany Menaria and Roland? Lann should possibly go with them, as well, while Drakar, Kyran, and I stick together. Korg and Tanda are free to join either group, though we may need them." "Paia is our best bet for sending messages, and Menaria and Lann may be the easiest for her to identify with. If she favors you, she will be able to find you, no matter what.Therefore, it is perhaps better if one or both are with the other group, since she is already able to find me." Katrina holds up a well tended feather, very like Paia's. "These cannot be shared, and must be freely shed and given by her, but they can help her find us again." "My quest is to find my mentor's murderer. I have the feeling it will not matter which path we choose." "You said Paia was your master's familiar," Segev remarks. "Would it not, then, be easiest for her to 'identify' with another wizard? I would be far less useful in what amounts to information gathering at Menaria's temple than I would be in following the illithid's trail, and have more interest in seeing what path one who hunts this relic follows than in seeing from where it was stolen. I will go to Caer Ritango. Lannstucht has stated she would go to Marach; Menaria must go, for she is the one who can get that party in to ask questions that need asking. Roland is going with Menaria. The two skilled trackers, Kyran and Drakar, are following the same path as I. I had suggested you should accompany Menaria's party, as they will need a mage, but my greater skill will serve better in facing the monster. it is, however, your choice. As for the vision-driven twins, it is up to them to decide which path most closely follows their visions." "This may sound odd, but I think the killer team of Tanda and Korg need to be split up, at least for the time being," Tanda adds. "Korg's well-suited for taking on an illithid, and his dense skull should be thick enough to deflect any of the mind flayer's tricks." She grins mischeviously at Korg as she says this. "My own talents would probably be better suited in Marach; Korg and I have visited it a few times, so I know several of the back-alley places that aren't on the map. Some skullduggery may net us some information where more direct methods would fail." Before long, while the group hammers out who's going where, Arzosa comes up to them, indicating that the tide is right for moving out, and asking which course to set. He is told to make for Caer Ritaegno and Marach, in that order. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- XP Time again! This was another long one; two whole weeks worth of messages to slog through, over 100 in all. Everyone gets 350 session XP instead of the standard 100. This also goes to Barb, now playing Jonahli. In addition, there was too much going on this time to accurately break things down, but I'll give an additional 300 to everyone involved. So grand total: 650 XP for everyone this mailing. As the group seems to be angling for splitting up (which will make tossing effective baddies at you guys a lot easier), I'm going to list who it looks like will be on what team. The Caer Ritaegno team is headed into the hornet's nest, so most of the party's combatants are best used there. The Marach team is the more social and cloak-and-dagger type of team, with Katrina and Lannstuct added for their combined magical and fighting prowess; should combat erupt there, they'll need someone able to handle it. Any comment or possible changes, please email me in private. Caer Ritaegno: Drakar, and Narush Kyran Segev, and his Minion Korg Tana Mauru Ruathor Marach: Menaria Lannstucht Roland Katrina Jonahli Tanda