RealmsToowoomba Recap # 85 [RPG]

[Shieldmeet 1372 Continued]

With scant hours remaining until Cain’s duel with Felix Ruul, Mellia takes the opportunity to talk to her husband about his strategy for the battle. They discuss the mephits, whom Cain intends to put to good use. Mellia hesitantly asks Cain if he intends to play by the rules and Cain affirms that he does. Mellia is obviously tense, despite trying to hide it from Cain by biting her lip and making a conscious effort not to babble. She tells Cain that she hates the rules for this duel which give Felix all the advantages, though Cain does not seem worried or concerned. Finally, Mellia says she feels tired and intends to rest for a time. Cain escorts her inside but it becomes clear that she wants time alone to indulge her temper and he soon withdraws. Once she is alone, Mellia lets her temper show and begins breaking things and is eagerly aided by the mephits. Watching the creatures at play soothes her nerves and Mellia takes the opportunity to tell the mephits how important it will be to protect their master in the upcoming battle. 

Outside the mansion, Ralkin talks to Shiro and wonders whether she has brought any poisons with her. She says that unfortunately she has not, though if her shadow gains access to the mansion she could make some, though not in time to aid Cain in his duel. Ralkin heads inside.  For her part, Shiro spends time talking to Markus to learn the layout of Startop Castle and the location of known secret doors. She then turns invisible and seeks out Truehammer to learn his routine. 

Markus speaks with El Capitan and demands a rematch of their previous duel; the Cat-Man agrees and goes off to prepare. When Cain emerges from the mansion, Markus attempts to inspire his friend with a boisterous pep talk.   As the time for the duel draws closer, Cain heads back into the mansion and prays in his fireplace. Hearing her husband in the next room, Mellia shushes the mephits and heads downstairs.

Outside, Jygil Zelnathra has come by to inform the adventurers that Sir Truehammer will be giving a speech shortly that they should all hear. Markus agrees to gather his friends.  He finds Ralkin and Mellia inside and both agree to attend the gathering, though Mellia notes that Cain must keep his focus on preparing for his duel.

A crowd has gathered to hear the warleader of New Nesme give his speech. Sir Truehammer addresses the crowd calmly, but passionately. He says they must have noticed that no festivities for Shieldmeet have taken place and there is a good reason for that. The camp cannot risk the potential injury to their fighting forces at this time. He informs the crowd that a vast army of undead is marching on Nesme but a large splinter group--some two thousand strong--heads toward Startop Mountain and New Nesme. Though reinforcements from his order are on the way, and other allies are rumoured to be coming, there is no guarantee they will arrive in time to defend the camp.  Truehammer invokes the name of Arden Brightheart, the legendary Paladin of Try who built Startop Castle to protect the Everlands from what lay on its surface and within the vast caverns below.  He says that he intends to rebuild Brightheart’s dream, and invites those who believe as he does to remain and fight to forge order out of chaos.  No one will be forced to stay, however, and at dawn those who wish to leave will be escorted north to the river where a barge awaits.  The crowd disperses, its members murmuring with their loved ones about the weighty decision that must be made.

After this speech, with reference to so many undead, Markus begins to come unglued. Knowing of the swordsman’s fears, Mellia attempts to reassure him, reminding him that he is a stronger fighter now and that he has his new elven courtblade. Markus does not seem overly comforted. He does, however, finally obtain the location of his missing pack from Mellia, learning that it is secure in Tunak’s wagon.

The Bronzefeather siblings are also reacting to this news of the undead threat. Shiro tells Ralkin that it appears the timeframe for the adventuring group to make a decision has been sped up. Shiro suggests that they persaude the gnome cleric, Callushands, to reopen the passage to the mountain below, going so far as to offer to torture him into compliance. For now, Ralkin declines this offer, asking Shiro to wait until after Cain’s duel, when he believes the way forward will be much clearer. 

Markus arrives at Tunak’s wagon, noting that other wagons appear to have arrived along with the refugees, one of which has a crude painted sign “Bowclicker’s Obscurancies and Discoveries.” Markus is successful in persuading Tunak to move his wagon closer to Mellia’s mansion by offering to help him in the process. Once that is done, Markus attempts to regain his possessions, but Tunak refuses (since Mellia was the one who asked him to store them). The two argue back and forth until Markus attempts to secure the key to the locked chest by force. Tunak promptly puts the swordsman to sleep with an enchantment. 

Meanwhile, Mellia has sought out Jygil Zelnathra. Mellia notes that during an attack she could hide the non-combatants in her magical mansion to keep them safe, though she cautions Zelnathra that it would be critical to make sure none of the refugees had any extradimensional items on their person. Zelnathra is receptive to this idea. Mellia then brings up Cain’s duel with Felix, obviously hoping it too will be cancelled. To her disappointment, Zelnathra confirms that Cain’s duel will be going ahead. 

Returning to the mansion, Mellia seeks out her husband and informs him of Truehammer’s speech and that his duel with Felix will proceed as planned. Cain questions which action the group should take regarding Truehammer’s ultimatum, but Mellia suggests that they get through the duel before making a decision. After an interruption by Urist, in search of Markus, Mellia finally works up the courage to remind Cain that he is not obligated to accept this battle with Felix. However, Cain is determined to proceed, arguing that once Felix has been defeated he will never again be a problem. Mellia attempts to hold in her emotions, though Cain easily sees through her pretense of being fine. 

Urist arrives at Tunak’s wagon and is perplexed to find Markus asleep. She eventually resorts to a kick in the ribs to awaken her friend. Markus is extremely confused about why he was sleep in the first place. However, Urist tells him the time for Cain’s duel has arrived and the two hurry off, as does Tunak. 

It is time for Cain to head to the dueling ground. He finally asks his wife if she will be attending the duel or remaining in the mansion. Mellia is shocked at the question and some of her frustration finally emerges as she assures him she wouldn’t miss it. She pulls herself together as best she can, kisses him fiercely and offers him a traditional lady’s favour for his duel, in the form of a scarf scented in her perfume that she ties around his gauntlet. 

Once everyone has arrived at the location of the duel, Felix Ruul teleports in via scroll, along with his herald. Cain notes that Felix has taken the precaution of giving his valuable boots of teleportation to his herald, obviously so that if Cain wins the duel, the cleric will not be entitled to those items. Jygil Zelnathra reviews the rules and cautions the crowd that watching the duel could involve some danger. Tunak watches from his wagon and prepares to use the powers of his elders to remove any spectators from harm if it should come to that. During this time, Mellia uses a powerful divination to glean some insight into the nature of Felix’s magickal items, telling Cain all that she sees. 

The combatants enter the dueling ground. Felix has no familiar but Cain is accompanied by Magnim as only one of his mephits is permitted, as per the rules of the challenge. Cain as challenger has the choice of casting first or last and opts to allow Felix to go first. The Red Wizard begins with an abjuration that makes his skin rock-hard and continues by creating a shimmering shield to turn back minor magickal attacks. Finally, he summons a fiend-touched giant crocodile that takes up a position between the two men.  For his part, Cain utters a transmutation to heighten his perception and cleverness, an abjuration to shield himself from physical attack,and a ward to immunize himself from certain necromantic attacks. 

The duel begins and Felix is the first to react. He steps forward and shouts Deoculus!  Suddenly, Cain is totally blind! The Archon of Kossuth is forced to take up a defensive position and can only listen helplessly as his loyal mephit is devoured by the fiendish crocodile.  When the powerful creature lunges forward and snatches Cain up in its toothy maw, Felix launches twin sets of magic missiles which Cain cannot avoid. Nearing unconciousness, and knowing that he cannot defend himself, nor launch an assault on the Red Wizard while blinded, Cain opts to slump into the jaws of the creature, willingly forfeiting the duel. Zelnathra immediately declares the duel to be over and Felix, as the victor, is ordered to abort the attack.  The crocodile releases Cain from its jaws and he slumps to the ground, still blinded, though he does begin to draw his sword. Mellia, having prepared herself to step in regardless of the rules if Felix had attempted to kill her husband, begins to move forward. Markus, eager to involve himself, also rushes forward toward the crocodile, claws bared. 

All throughout the duel, Shiro had invisibly kept an eye on Felix’s herald. As the battle finishes she sees her chance and attacks him, raking his neck with her claws. The herald survives and, in great pain, immediately shouts to Felix that they are under attack and teleports into the arena. 

Cain, hearing the commotion, shouts to his unknown allies to halt. Before disappearing with the herald, Felix takes the time to taunt his fallen foe. Cain simply responds with a threat and promise. “One year.”  Sir Truehammer angrily confronts the adventurers about the attack on Ruul’s herald.  Mellia argues truthfully that she has no idea what had caused the herald to claim an attack, but Truehammer demands that she keep her people under control.  Mellia ignores him and goes to Cain’s aid, helping him to his feet with Tunak’s assistance. Tunak helps Mellia guide Cain back to the mansion and also provides some needed magickal healing. 

El Capitan, having wandered up as the duel finished, talks to Markus and they discuss his cat-like nature which Markus appears to find fascinating. When Tunak comes back, Markus again tries to get access to his pack, eventually getting the key information from Tunak that he will only release the goods to Mellia or Ralkin (the two individuals present when the items were placed in his care). 

In the mansion, Cain’s sight returns after a few minutes but he is far from happy. He moves to the fireplace in his former room and begins to brood. After a time, Mellia hesitantly tells him that if he doesn’t want to wait a year to deal with Felix, she and the others could always seek the Red Wizard out and attack him. Cain replies that he would prefer to deal with the man himself, noting his belief that the spell of blindness was a cowardly maneuver. Mellia tells her husband that she knows it must have been tempting for him to fight to the death, rather than yield and suffer the humiliation of having to abase himself to Felix for a year. She knows Cain’s commitment to her, their children, and their quests were a big factor in his decision and she is grateful. Cain acknowledges that he has more pressing concerns than Felix and they discuss whether they should remain in the camp given Truehammer’s growing lack of patience with them. They debate various options and decide they should discuss them with the others. 

Meanwhile, invisible and using her ability to fly to conceal any noise, Shiro continues to stalk Sir Truehammer, following him about the camp for the remainder of the evening and observing his actions before he turns in for the night. The warrior beds down in his rather spartan chamber and clearly trusts in the vigilance of the sentries on the outer walls of the castle to keep those inside safe.

El Capitan and Markus return to the mansion and continue to talk. El Capitan says his moniker is actually a romantic-sounding stage name and proceeds to disclose his real name. Markus introduces El Capitan to Ralkin and asks the kenku if he will intercede with Tunak on his behalf. Ralkin says no and heads to his room, though he is soon called back by Cain and Mellia for the planning meeting. 

In the common room the group quickly comes to a consensus that they should move on from New Nesme. No one appears enthusiastic about fighting the undead and they have other goals. Markus is eager to begin the journey under Startop Mountain and is annoyed that Mellia continues to insist on dealing with Nesme. His protestations that Mellia keeps getting distracted from her real goal (finding the Crown of Horns to rescue Allia) are cut off by an angry call for silence from Cain and Mellia’s own statements that dealing with Nesme is a holy quest and an honour.  El Capitan is confused by the discusson and is given a brief background on both the issue of ‘heretics’ at Nesme and the quest under Startop to find an artifact needed to reclaim Mellia’s kidnapped daughter. 

Mellia explains that her newest plan for Nesme will take time and require her to write a series of scrolls for which she needs materials. Since everyone seems to prefer going under the mountain now, those materials will have to be obtained first. There is much discussion about where and how to get under the mountain. Both the slave pits and the hallway where they once negotiated the freedom of Bearos from orc slavers are considered potential options. It is decided that Markus will seek out anyone in the camp who may have scroll writing materials for sale, while El Capitan will seek out Callushands and learn more about how the mountain passage was sealed.  As the others head out on these errands, Mellia conjures a new mansion and Cain immediately returns to his fireplace to brood silently. Mellia sits vigil near him and continues the task of transcribing her spell of darkvisioninto her spellbook. 

El Capitan finds Callushands working on repairing a wall and offers his aid. As they work, they talk about the defences and how the passage below was sealed. Callushands says he not only used magic to seal the doorway to the stairway below, he also collapsed the ceiling in the chamber and it would take hundreds of man-hours to clear it.  Meanwhile, Markus asks around the camp and gets a promising lead on scroll-writing materials for Mellia, only to find that the inks are dry and the quills old and brittle. He returns to the mansion and he and El Capitan continue talking. 

El Capitan asks Markus why he is helping Mellia and Cain and the swordsman simply replies that they are his friends and that he made a promise that he is going to try to keep this time. He also adds that he is seeking fame and glory. When Urist arrives, the three decide to drink and carouse in memory of happier times, toasting “To the Nine Hells and Back!” 

As midnight approaches, Mellia finally finishes transcribing her spell. As she puts away her spell book, Cain finally leaves his fireplace and joins his wife in getting ready for bed. As they settle in for the night, Mellia finally asks Cain if there is anything she can do to comfort him. He merely tells her that for now, all he wants is to forget about today. Knowing there is nothing she can say, she settles for holding him tightly and tries to offer him what solace she can. 

Shiro returns to the mansion briefly and gets an update from the group. With no one watching, she alters her appearance to make herself look and sound like Sir Truehammer. With that accomplished, she turns invisible and leaves again. Shiro puts all of her assassination skills to good use to sneak into Sir Truehammer’s room without waking him or alerting the guards. She makes no sound as she dons the sleeping mans armour and weaponry, before silently and bloodily murdering him in his bed. 

With Truehammer dead, Shiro cleans up as best she can, searches his room for useful information and hides the body. Still in the guise of the war leader, she speaks to the guards and tells them that the reinforcements will be delayed and she needs to find Callushands. When she finds the gnome, she demands that he reopen the passageway under the mountain for the “adventurers” who can clear the way as a last-resort escape for the refugees. Callushands is very surprised at the request but does not see through Shiro’s disguise. Shiro then announces (as Truehammer) that she will inspect the outer defenses. With that accomplished, Shiro retrieves the body and hides it on the path partway down the mountain. She leaves her shadow crouching over the body with orders to flee only when seen and returns silently to the mansion. 

[1 Eleasis 1372)

When Mellia and Cain awaken, Mellia tells her husband that she knows this is a difficult time for him, but she is grateful still to have him with her. Cain tells her that is the only reason that he is still there. 

The adventurers gather in the common room to face the new day and their likely departure from New Nesme. Shiro hints to Ralkin that Sir Truehammer has had a ‘change of heart’. Reading between the lines, Ralkin gives his sister five platinum pieces.  Seeing Mellia, Shiro spins a tale of having encountered Truehammer the night before and says that he has changed his mind and would like the adventurers to ‘clear a path’ beneath the mountain for the refugees to lose as a last resort hiding place. Mellia is very confused by this as the area under the mountain is extremely dangerous. Markus tosses in that he was unable to find any scroll writing materials the night before. 

Mellia excuses herself briefly to go in search of Jygil Zelnathra. When she finds her, she explains that the adventurers will be leaving and she will be unable to conjure a mansion for the refugees to hide in. Zelnathra is disappointed as she sees great power in the adventurers, great power that could be very useful in the fight against the undead. She says the odds are not as overwhelming as they might at first seem, because any armies attacking Startop Castle would be channeled through a narrow and winding path up the mountain that provides excellent advantages to defenders.  She adds that she could persuade Truehammer to be more welcoming to Mellia and her friends and offers the inducement of scroll writing materials if they stay. When Mellia mentions Truehammer’s proposal about the group ‘clearing a path’ under the mountain, Zelnathra is equally confused by the knight’s sudden change of heart, but says she will talk to him when next she sees him. For her part, Mellia agrees to think about what Zelnathra has said. 

Returning to the mansion, Mellia pulls Cain aside and recounts her conversation with Jygil Zelnathra, telling him that Jygil made a compelling case and she is tempted to stay and help the refugees. Cain appears open to the possibility of staying, even noting that they could stay secretly without Truehammer even knowing. The two debate whether or not the stubborn Truehammer could be brought to change his mind. They decide to wait and see what happens when Jygil speaks with him.

When Mellia and Cain share this news with the others, they have strong reactions. Markus fears the undead and notes that as defensible as Startop Castle is, it did not keep out the flying undead. Mellia tries to soothe him with the knowledge that with teleportation spells, they could depart at will. She notes that with the time she needs to devote to writing scrolls for Nesme, they will be unlikely to get a huge amount of exploring done under the mountain anyway.  Shiro adamantly pushes for the plan to ‘clear a path’ under the mountain, citing the need to defend the refugees. Mellia continues to protest that this is a poor plan and the refugees would be safer in a conjured mansion, though it would be ideal if they left altogether. Shiro says hiding refugees in a conjured mansion is only delaying the inevitable, as the spell will expire sooner or later.

With no conclusion reached, Ralkin decides to pursue the idea of getting the refugees to leave and heads out of the mansion in search of Tunak. Shiro follows hot on his heels.