Amongst the Flames — IC

Post by **ratwizard** » Tue May 02, 2017 9:15 am

"It took the ambush near Nhai for us to realize our homeland isn't as safe as it once was," Shira'stasa says, eyeing Amir. "Most of the Tenants have some grasp on the arcane through their study, that much is true. However, in the past several weeks Cleo and I have had our abilities and study tested by the trials of the desert. I wouldn't chalk the others up to have the competence to do what we do, but if you had subjected them to the same worldly treatment we have seen..."

She trails off. It'd be a curious endeavor to militarize those at the Great Library. Engage them in dangerous situations. Force their hand. Their command of the arcane in its various fashions could hammer a wedge into whatever half-cocked war is brewing here. A cruel thought, surely, but wars tend to draw out grayer morals than usual.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Wed May 24, 2017 11:22 am

"Well if it's Crescent Bluff we're headed to, returning this loot, then we can always seek out the sword in the area," Ghaliya says, still clearly wary about giving away too much about her companion's and her quest.

"Helping to guard this should be worth something too," she adds, giving Amir a nudge.

Post by **ratwizard** » Wed May 24, 2017 11:30 am

"We'll see," Shira'stasa replies in a vague tone, now back at their horses. "Shall we ride?"

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Thu May 25, 2017 7:21 pm

"Killing two birds with one stone. I like it," Amir says with the topic on Crescent Bluff. "Let's hope the collector is willing to part with his, but we'll worry about that whenever we arrive."

At Ghaliya's second comment, Amir says, with a grin, "I was thinking the same thing. Maybe a handsome reward, or some goodwill with some powerful people."

With the wizardess ready to ride, Amir nods. "Yes, let's get out of here. No sense waiting around here." With a smirk, he adds, "Besides, I heard giant scorpions like to come feed on fresh corpses."

Post by **Fialova** » Sun May 28, 2017 4:13 pm

Crescent Bluff sounds nice. I never even got to use my bed before being whisked off on this adventure. "If we're in the city for awhile, we should take a moment to soak it in a bit too," Cleo adds, hoping that the nature of their investigation doesn't necessitate haste, as all her recent endeavors had.

"I've been given access to the temple of Sek Bas there, so I may be able to find more details on these mystical swords in their libraries as well. It can't help to look, at least," she adds, hoping this is enough to convince them to stay at least a day or two in the capital.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Mon Jun 05, 2017 1:58 pm

The remaining Blades leave to fetch the horses and soon return with the beasts. Everything of value and of any use is loaded onto the horses, before the Blades put what is left of the camp to the torch.

"What route should we take to Crescent Bluff? We'll likely be a target with this much cargo." Ghaliya asks as the groups sets off, all on foot due to the load the horses carry.

"You may have eliminated those bandits but there's still a war on, and the inner desert is dangerous enough in peace time."

Post by **ratwizard** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 7:17 pm

"We'll take the long route, through Azkahir and Nhai. I think we should avoid Thesus after the destruction we saw there. With the central roads, we can count on bandits and ambushes, but at least we know not to be afraid of them," Shira'stasa reasons. After all, they have blades and subterfuge -- but I have the power of Am-ines. If more come upon us, we will strike them down like vermin.

Post by **Fialova** » Wed Jun 07, 2017 9:11 pm

"Yeah, they're no match for me. At least when I can see them coming," Cleo says with a smug smile. "That boat ride was boring, anyway. At least on horse you can make detours or take a break to view your surroundings." Safer, too. If we're ambushed on a boat we're sitting ducks!

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 7:16 pm

"I'm good with the long route. I've been stuck in that cage for Gods know how long, and I'm itching for some traveling," Amir says as the group discusses their route. "And hey, maybe we can come across some ruins worth exploring on the trip," he adds with a sly smile, hoping to uncover some long-since-lost riches.

Post by **Fialova** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 8:16 pm

"Yeah... maybe..." Cleo responds, thinking back to the last ruins they'd explored. Hopefully they don't all contain some sort of evil magic ball that can possess rocks. "I'd love to find more ancient tomes if we do. Perhaps some of them will hold more information on Sek-bas!"

Post by **Namelessjake** » Sun Jun 25, 2017 10:26 am

With the group in agreement you head off back towards the road and Azkahir. Your progress is slower now without everyone being mounted, and the attack on the camp and its aftermath took up much of the day so you end up making camp in the desert.

The night passes uneventfully and you reach the road between Braavais and Azkahir soon after you set off again in the morning. Around the late morning you spot a large dust cloud rising on the horizon behind you, in the direction of Braavais.

Post by **Fialova** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 8:04 pm

Cleo looks on at the dust cloud, worry beginning to show on her face. What could it be? A storm?

[SHOW]: Perception to identify if the source of the cloud: 14

Post by **ratwizard** » Thu Jun 29, 2017 7:23 pm

Shira'stasa squints into the distance, her hand shielding her eyes from the sun above. Trouble, or just the desert playing its tricks?

[SHOW]: History check to try and remember how Serran dust clouds are and if this looks typical: 18(1d20) +13 = 31

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Thu Jun 29, 2017 9:21 pm

Amir's eyes widen as he takes note of the dust storm stirring off the horizon, breaking the group's silence, saying, "Unless we'd like to get caught in that, I'd suggest we pick up the pace. I'd hate to end up lost in that thing." On the other hand, maybe we'll come across a newly uncovered ruin if we do.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Mon Jul 03, 2017 9:38 am

[SHOW]: The cloud does not seem to be as thick or rising as high as a typical dust or sand storm would do. Instead it suggests that the dust is being kicked up by a large group travelling through the desert.

Post by **Fialova** » Mon Jul 03, 2017 7:21 pm

"It's worse than that," Cleo says, having gotten a better glimpse of the dust. "That's too low to the ground to be from a storm. That's from people - a lot of people - riding through the desert." She looks to Geral, before asking, "how many people have deserted the Blades, anyway?"

kalis5 · Post by **kalis5** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 4:25 pm

Geral crosses his arms and shakes his head.
"It's hard to say. Not every desertion can be recorded. Some leave during missions, others eliminate their squad mates and come back lone survivors. But it would be best if we got out of the way of whatever is coming towards us as soon as possible. It could, for all we know, be an army coming our way."

Post by **ratwizard** » Thu Jul 06, 2017 4:08 pm

"I'll agree with that sentiment," Shira'stasa says. Turning her horse off the path, she begins to try and find dunes, brush, or any sort of cover they might have.

[SHOW]: Perception to find cover: 11(1d20) +4 = 15

Post by **Fialova** » Thu Jul 06, 2017 4:54 pm

"Yeah, same. Last thing we need is to be caught in another battle." Are these armies following us? Or do we just have the worst possible luck? She follows her friend, recognizing that Shira'stasa makes a better lookout than she.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Sat Jul 08, 2017 6:41 pm

"Oh great," Amir says following Cleo's information. "If it's not one deadly thing, it's another. At least this desert gives you lots of options in how you die. Bet you can't say the same about Tulrisse!"

Looking back at the armies approaching on the horizon, the dune raider says, "But I'd really prefer to delay my death til I'm good at ready, so let's get a move on."

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:56 am

You move off the road and find relative cover behind the dunes that flank the road. You continue travelling towards Azkahir off road but make minimal progress. After around half an hour you draw to a stop and commit to hiding as the dust cloud draws near.

A few men on horses pass by on the road, dressed in the uniform of Serran Cavlary. Around ten minutes later, you start to here the steady beat of drums before a column of soldiers appears on the horizon marching down the road. They all carry spears and large round shields, with swords at their hips.

There are a few banner holders amongst the column, all carrying banners not typical to traditional Serran Legions. As the column starts to pass you, it appears you have not been noticed, however there appears to be a sizeable army marching past, easily numbering in the thousands.

Post by **Fialova** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 5:34 pm

Cleo looks upon the banners, finding their insignia to be quite curious. She tries to remember if she has seen it anywhere before, or if anything about it seems familiar.

[SHOW]: History check: 15

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 6:37 pm

Amir is astonished to see such a large movement of troops, especially with a symbol unlike typical Legions. Gods, where are all these soldiers going? He hopes his group is able to remain out of sight from the armies, not keen on an altercation with thousands of armed men.

Post by **ratwizard** » Sat Jul 29, 2017 8:48 pm

Shira'stasa brings her hood down over her face, shielding her eyes from the glaring sun. With eyes scanning the ranks of soldiers marching, she is drawn toward their banners. "The Rakhul's men? Or the Pretender Army?" she asks, mostly to herself.

[SHOW]: Herstory check to determine the loyalties by the banners: 3(1d20) +13 = 16

Post by **Namelessjake** » Wed Aug 16, 2017 11:18 am

[SHOW]

Shirastasa and Cleo

You don't recognise the complete banners however they bear many similarities with the banners traditionally carried by the legions stationed in Azkahir, although they appear to have been embellished with more ornate regalia.

You also notice one part of the column carrying banners from Thesus.

Post by **ratwizard** » Thu Aug 17, 2017 10:04 am

"The latter," Shira'stasa confirms. "They haven't seen us, and they might not do much if they did. But we've stayed in the shadows this long so perhaps we should continue to do so."

The Tenant turns to her younger counterpart. "What do you think about this Pretender? Jurhas? Do you think he's doing the right thing with this war, or costing lives?"

Post by **Fialova** » Thu Aug 17, 2017 3:45 pm

"It seems so pointless," says Cleo, after taking a moment to ponder the question. She had never really thought about it before, as she'd been too focused on her studies and her own future. "The Rakhul is old, he will probably not be around much longer anyway. Sure, he hasn't been the best leader, but to go to war over it?"

She thinks about the people losing their homes and lives over this, especially those back in Thesus. We could be focused on making things better instead of fighting one another.

Post by **ratwizard** » Sun Aug 20, 2017 11:48 am

"It was inevitable. Our kingdom has been weakening for over a century at this point. It was simply a matter of time before someone stepped up to force change," Shira'stasa explains. "Not that I agree with the move. My allegiances lie with the Library and myself. I could hardly care who sits the throne, provided our funding or security isn't challenged."

[SHOW]: Ay Jake just to clarify: We are outside Azkahir and this seems to be the Azkahirian army returning to its base?

Post by **Namelessjake** » Wed Aug 23, 2017 1:30 pm

[SHOW]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3_lVSrPB6w

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Wed Aug 23, 2017 5:34 pm

"If all this new Pretender cares about is conquest, I'm not sure he'll respect your funding and security," Amir responds to Shira as the army marches by the group. "But we'll see if he succeeds in his plan. Having an army is one thing, but having the mandate to rule is another. He's nothing without people supporting him."

Post by **Fialova** » Thu Aug 24, 2017 7:49 pm

"Who could realistically hope to rule the kingdom without the support of the Tenants? We are not just scholars, you know," Cleo says, a bit defensively. "We maintain the histories and traditions of the Serran people, not to mention the research we do into bettering our future. No ruler can expect to just toss that aside and still maintain the support of the people. Should this stupid war end with Jurhas on the throne, I should expect that the Library and Academies have the least to worry about."

Post by **ratwizard** » Fri Aug 25, 2017 5:56 pm

"A fair assessment," Shira'stasa agrees. "Our order upholds both the tradition and progression of our people. A leader without the support of the Library would neither move backwards nor forwards -- instead, stuck in a stand-still. Like quicksand."

She watches as the army continues passing. "Do you think we will have any difficulty passing through Azkahir?" The woman flips through her pack, confirming the travel papers are still there. As a Tenant, I'm sure I will have the authority to pass. The others, excluding Cleo... we shall see if my status is enough to vouch for them.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Mon Aug 28, 2017 2:04 pm

After some time, the columns of soldiers and cavalry gives way to a train of pack animals and wagons guarded by small numbers of soldiers.

"The baggage train. It'd shouldn't be much longer before the whole army has passed," Khaled says, pausing for a moment while a thought develops.

"We could try sneaking into it, claiming to have gotten lost. It would likely make getting into the city easier. Although keeping this gold might be a bit harder if they think we're stealing the army's loot," he says, pitching the idea to the group.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Tue Aug 29, 2017 2:38 pm

"Well he already seems to be shattering the customs of our people with this civil war he's started. This kind of fighting isn't part of our heritage like those westerners over the mountain. It seems to me that his idea of progression has him at the helm, not your library," Amir replies the the tenants, not fully convinced that the pretender king will keep the status quo.

As the group discusses entrance to the city, Amir adds, "I just got out of a cage, so I'd rather not be locked up again if we get caught."

Post by **ratwizard** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 2:00 pm

"We've already put our motives into question by obscuring ourselves. I'd rather not try and sneak toward an army -- especially one that is likely on high alert," Shira'stasa says with a cold tone.

"I'll take my chances trying to use my Tenancy as leverage. We should wait until this passes, and then make ground again."

In the meantime, she looks down at the palm of her right hand carefully, inspecting the strange mark she had attained.

[SHOW]: Does the mark I got from the dream look any different?

Post by **Fialova** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:39 pm

"I've got my tenancy papers as well," Cleo adds, holding her identification up for the others to see. "I feel like the two of us would be enough to convince the guard to let us all through. We can just tell them the others are our hired muscle," the girl adds with a smirk. I doubt it would be a hard sell. Who really expects tenants to do all the legwork on their own? Most of them are too old to do any heavy lifting.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Sun Sep 03, 2017 4:12 pm

"I've got my own papers as well," Amir chimes in with the tenants as they discuss the entry plan, "But I'm sure your tenancy status holds much more sway than my own status. In any case, the hired muscle story could work pretty well."

Looking back towards the passing troops, he adds, "In any case, we should wait for them to fully pass before we start moving, otherwise it'd be a little suspicious for our group to just appear out of the dunes."

Post by **Namelessjake** » Sat Sep 09, 2017 8:28 am

With the descision made, the party stays hidden in the dunes for a while longer until eventually the passing army is once again just a cloud of dust on the horizon.

You lead the horses back down to the road and set off again towards Azkahir. After a few hours, you arrive at the city gates which are bustling with activity. Around fifty soldiers stand in formation, at attention, to the right side of the gate while several large wagons and pack animals are being unloaded and inspected by merchants and officials to the left.

The gates themselves are open and have a steady flow of people and animals passing through in both directions, with three guards spaced evenly out across the opening.

[SHOW]: The mark remains unchanged.

Post by **ratwizard** » Sat Sep 09, 2017 9:26 am

Trotting in close tandem with her allies, Shira'stasa draws her hood up atop her horse, hoping that her Tenant robes would leave them unhindered. Seems easy. She approaches the open gates, continuing forward unless otherwise asked not to.

Post by **Fialova** » Sat Sep 09, 2017 4:11 pm

Cleo jumps down from her horse and follows her friend's lead, though watching the soldiers off to the side both with curiosity and a bit of worry. They will probably want to inspect the chest. Not sure how we can pass a mountain of gold off as 'just Tenant things.'

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Sun Sep 10, 2017 10:51 pm

Maybe this'll be easier than we thought, Amir thinks as they approach the bustling gate, with many freely going in and out of the city. He keeps a watchful eye on the guards, however, as he trails behind his companions. Worse comes to worse, maybe these are the types of guards to be paid off.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Wed Sep 13, 2017 9:39 am

You make your way up to the gates and pass through with barely a look from one of the guards.

Finding yourself in a much busier city than the last time you were here just a few days ago. Large crowds of people go about their business and the streets are busy with carts and animals. "I guess they've got more on their plate at the moment than searching everyone coming into the city," Ghaliya says once you are out of earshot of the guards at the gate.

"So now what?" She asks, looking to Amir and the rest of the group.

Post by **ratwizard** » Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:52 am

"We've got to get these stolen goods back to the Malachite Blades," Shira'stasa reminds her allies. And hope that they actually return them the best they can, not fence them.

"What is the best path to achieve that?" the Tenant asks, looking toward Khaled and Geral.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Thu Sep 14, 2017 5:56 pm

Wow, that really was easier than I thought it'd be. The guards didn't bat an eye. Amir thinks as they freely enter the city, a smirk at the corner of his mouth. At Shira'stasa's mention of their gameplan, the ruin raider replies, "If that's our plan, then we'd better hand it to people we know we can trust. Especially if people like those turncoat bandits are common among the ranks."

Post by **Fialova** » Sat Sep 16, 2017 4:56 pm

"The people we spoke to before seemed trustworthy enough," Cleo chimes in, remembering the other Blades that Geral had introduced the group to recently. At least as trustworthy as sellswords can get.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 11:03 am

"I assure you those bandits are not the norm of our company," Khaled says, a slight tone of offence in his voice.

"Our main camp is back in the capital, as you know. The road to Crescent Bluff should be much safer for now too with the bandits gone. Although I imagine that safety will only be temporary until the war comes to that part of the country." he continues.

"There is a small sect of the Malachite Blades based here in Bancur to the North where we could take the gold, although I don't know the men there."

Post by **Fialova** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 8:53 pm

"Hm," Cleo says involuntarily, thinking of their options. Crescent Bluff is clearly the best choice, but also the wrong way if we are going to the Library. Carrying the gold all the way from here to the Library, and then to the capital, just increases the risk of it being stolen. It's also heavy, and I definitely don't want to have to help carry all of that.

"We should probably just drop it off in Bancur on the way to Qedra," she says, finally, after a moment of thought. "If your Bancur friends are bad eggs we can just beat them up too. We did it once, we can do it again," she confidently concludes.

[SHOW]: Qedra is the name of the city surrounding the library.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:25 pm

Amir nods as the miniature tenant, remarking, "I'd prefer to see Qedra and the Library while we're this far north already." Given the third sword that eludes him, Amir has had a growing desire for more information on it, not one to pass up the chance for great riches and the favor of a patrician. "If any place would have information about the Swords of Veiastys, it would be there."

Post by **ratwizard** » Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:31 pm

"Bancur it is," Shira'stasa agrees. "While I have every wish that these spoils are returned to those they were parted from, I have no interest in seeing through that responsibility. There are more important matters at hand than playing escort to a mishap caused by the schism of a mercenary group." Her tone is not scathing, but very matter-of-fact.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 10:02 am

"Very well, Bancur it is," Khaled says listening to the Tenants and Treasure Hunters. "Makes no difference to me really."

"We've still got a few hours to sundown," Ghaliya says, a small blue orb dancing between her finger tips. "We should find a place to stay. And somewhere to put the horses. After being on the road and being kept in a cage, I'd quite like a warm bed to sleep in," she says, looking to Amir.