| Logs |
2001 December 29
| Inizii |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Inizii Logs |
Locusts and Landsharks
Kyrel had successfully roused an attendant, and word was sent out immediately. After that, the wizard settled down, and quickly dropped off to sleep. Morning will be here soon enough, and it's not going to be pretty.
Derleth awakens promptly. He's not sullen but does seem a bit....quiet - out of seriousness or frustration is anyone's guess. He attends morning services, but returns promptly to the room afterwards.
Kyrel is finishing up work on his spells when Derleth returns. "So. Any ideas what we should do next? Try the old Thieves Guild, maybe?"
Derleth shrugs, changing from his robes into his blessed armor. "Less ye've got a better idee, Ky."
Kyrel points to Grim's journal. "I looked through it last night, and marked the high points. The quick version is, he created a bunch of animal undead to spread disease through the marketplace, there's an army of skilled undead ready for the Talons to use, and stage two may involve an attack on the surrounding village's crops."
Derleth grimaces. "We canna fight off an army o' undead. And naew, neither can the Watch. Beshaba's breasts." he swears. "No timeline on th' attack, ah suppose...?" He is interrupted by a knock on the door. "Enter!"
The door swings open. An attendant of the church steps in, giving a polite nod, before holding out a sealed scroll. "This was sent to you gentlemen, last night. It was kept for you, as it was received quite late."
Derleth looks at it semi-suspiciously. "By whom?"
The attendant shrugs. "A delivery boy. Said to give the message 'Requested information'."
Derleth takes the box and arches an eyebrow at Kyrel. "C'd be what ye went lookin fer?" He absently gives the boy a silver.
Kyrel says, "Ah. This might be useful, then. Thank you." He takes the scroll as the attendant leaves, and breaks the seal on it. "Let's see...." The boy nods, smiling at Derleth, and leaves.
Kyrel. The meeting place you required. Half past midnight, third warehouse off the dock, left of the Decanter Fishery stand. Knock three times, then kick the bottom of the door.
Derleth looks over Kyrel's shoulder. "Sounds awfully cloak and dagger, what....?"
Kyrel says, "Just a bit. I think... yes. I think I'd like to go apparently alone, with you and Silniya providing backup. One thing in that journal that worried me... a comment about sacrifices being readied. I'd hate to think that was us." Another knock is heard at the door. "Come in."
Derleth blinks. "They knaew about us at that time?" Kyrel shrugs. "It is supposed to be a prophecy... It's possible. That entry was after I had that first dream. Unless I'm misremembering it. It was smudged."
The door is pushed open and Silniya stepping in, seemingly refreshed and dressed in her leathers and equipment. Closing the door behind her, she asks, "Why the grim faces?"
Kyrel says, "Just debating what to do next. I got a note from the information broker giving the location of a midnight meeting with, presumably, a smuggler. What do we do today, is the question? The Watch is practically out of action, things will be rough in the streets."
Derleth stuffs his flail into his swordbelt. "Storm the Thieves' Guild. We canna sit around wi' our thumbs up our arses."
Silniya nods to Derleth, then frowns a little. "That's an option... Do we even know how to get in?"
Kyrel says, "We know where it is. From that point, getting in isn't that hard... getting out again, on the other hand...."
"If it's a thieves' guild, there's likely traps or defenses set up... Shame we don't have someone who knows the floor plans."
Derleth says, "Personally, ah think it'll be easier than ye think. Ye said it yourself Ky: things will be rough in the streets cause the watch is out of action. I'll be bettin' every cutpurse'll be taking advantage of that. We might nae have much resistance."
Kyrel says, "Except for traps, and the Wind himself... Hmm...."
Derleth says, "What about yer friend? Th' one that ye were palling around wi' yestiday?"
Kyrel says, "That was then. I'm not sure he's interested in joining us full time, but I'll look for him." He frowns and opens Grim's journal again, looking for the passage near the end. "Hmmm. It does say sacrificers. Sacrificers lured and confused, not sacrifices. What the heck is that all about?"
"The executioners themselves?" Silniya offers, then shrugs. "In either case, maybe we should set out now?"
Kyrel stands up and settles his gear into place. "I suppose so. We can go take a look at the old Guild headquarters, and see if it looks like it's still occupied."
The three move down the street, toward the more business section of the city. Then, the sound of a cow bell pierces the din of scared or annoyed citizens going about their tasks. "Don't Drink the Water!" The voice yells, and coming into view a bell-clanging young man in Ilmaterian robes.
Kyrel says, "That is not good. How many people have reserve water supplies outside the temples?"
Derleth grimaces. "Nae many, Ah'm bettin."
The crier continues on, ringing his bells. Apparently some citizens are laying the blame on the Ilmaterians for this plight, yelling curses. But he continues on, passing the group. "Don't drink the water!"
Someone in Kyrel's earshot comments to a friend, "Probably some of them damned nobles; I hear they have their own personal wells dug into that part of the city's water supply."
The messenger begins to move past the group.
Kyrel pauses, and turns to the speaker. "Excuse me... I'm new in town. Did you say that some of the nobles have private wells dug down to the same layer as the municipal water supply?"
The person, a shopkeeper beating dust from a rug along the sidewalk, looks up from his conversation. "Eh? Ya, I thinks' there's water under the ground, in the limestone, that pours into the sea. Each section of town's got a well. And, them Merchant lords gots enough coin to dig their own hole into the groundwater of the Uppers' part of town."
Derleth scratches his chin. "Have the nobles been getting sick , d'ye know?"
Kyrel says, "They have, according to the acolyte of Ilmater we talked to last night."
Derleth humphs. "Ah just thought they sent runners t' check iff'n they were. Ah musta misheard."
"Oh yes," comments an aging woman, taking a morning break from the next shop over. "Serves 'em right too. Last I heard, some even are going blind from the sickness, like many of the watch."
Kyrel says, "If the sickness is in the water, though... it'll get down here soon enough. I think the Ilmaterians have the right of it. Stick with beer or wine, anything that hasn't been pulled out of the ground recently. Thank you."
They shrug it off, mutter agreements, and go about their business. Others who'd gathered around out of curiosity begin to filter away.
Kyrel looks toward the Upper Town, inland of the rest of the city and on higher ground... if the sickness has been put in the water, then it'll hit them first, and the rest of the city in a few days. We'd best hurry.
Kyrel talks quietly as the trio continues on its way. "Didn't want to panic them, but I'd bet that the Talons have access to one of those private wells, and started the disease into the water supply that way. Getting it back out is going to be a problem."
Following the directions Kyrel had received the night before, the three find themselves before what looks like an abandoned office building, a worn sign suggesting it's occupational use.
Kyrel points the building out surreptitiously as they approach. "That's the one. Looks like it's still abandoned, doesn't it?"
Derleth eyes the building. "Should send Kiri t' reconnoiter. See where the exits are.
Kyrel nods. "Not a bad idea. Kiri?" He rouses the bat, who makes the usual complaints about sunlight. I know, I know. Just see if you can find a way into that building over there.
Kiri, after promise of fattened crickets, flies up to the building, and wiggles in between the boards of a window.
Silniya, bored, glances around...and stops. She peers toward the north. After a moment of squinting, she clears her throat. "Errr... gentlemen?" She points. The air seems to have...darkened. "That doesn't look like a low cloud to me."
Kyrel looks over to where the werewolf is pointing. "Oh, by the Gods..."
Derleth blanches. "Blessed Lady preserve us...."
Kyrel calls his familiar back as the little bat is assaulted by spells - fear, confusion, or something worse. Back to me, Kiri. Follow my mind.
Derleth looks at the house. "Dammit. We've got t' get under cover..."
Kyrel is distracted by something, apparently. He reacts slowly to the cleric's comment. "I would not recommend the old Guild. Something nasty in there."
Almost after Kyrel comments, the familiar comes speeding out of an opening in the window like a bat out of hell.
Kiri dives for Kyrel's tunic, chittering wildly.
The surrounding area includes a bakery that's obviously not doing well, with the current lack of usable grain or water, a leatherworker's shop, a tailor, a cobbler, and an apothecary.
Silniya looks between them. "What about that insect storm? Are we just going to stand here?"
Kyrel calms his familiar, who is babbling about a little man with a tail and wings who flew after him. How big? Bigger than Derleth?
The bat wiggles out of Kyrel's hands, and flaps down, hovering around his knee, chirping, before ducking back into the wizard's cloak.
Kyrel nods, then. Knee high to me? Okay. That'd make it a homonculus or something like that. Thank you, Kiri. I think we'll have a whole lot of bugs for you in a minute or two... "Some kind of homonculus, it sounds like. We could duck in there, or into one of the shops."
Kiri keeps chirping, steadily.
Kyrel continues to 'listen' to his familiar as he follows the others to shelter. "Maybe not. A shapeshifter, perhaps. Shifted from humanoid to hawk. This is strange."
Derleth points. "The tailor's. It be closest."
Derleth opens the door and ushers all inside.
Spools of cloth, half finished hats, various clothes are displayed in the front room of the shop. The bell on the door jingles as they enter, and a gnome shuffles out from behind a counter, peering up at them. "Can I help you?" he asks, pushing his hair out of his eyes.
Derleth says, "Good gnome, bar all yer doors and shut all yer windows as tight as ye can make 'em. An enormous swarm of plague carrying insects could soon be upon us!"
He sighs deeply, and goes to shut the windows. "First rats. Then cats, now insects. Does the animal kingdom see fit to hate me?"
Derleth blinks. "What did ye say about cats, sirrah?"
Kyrel says, "Not them. They're just tools, I'm afraid. They're directed at the city by evil men."
Kyrel peers out the window toward the Bazaar. "Hmmm. Perhaps not, either. The swarm doesn't seem to be moving much, if at all."
He ahs, then looks at Derleth. "Cats. We had a big rat problem, about the time they found that fellow in the sewer drain, beaten to death. I and a few shop owners invested in buying some mousers, and the things bred like wildfire." He shakes his head, "Couldn't sleep with all that yowling in the alleys.
Silniya glances to Kyrel. "If...they're not moving, then why're they there?"
Derleth blinks. "Wait a minute. What iff'n the bugs d'nae carry plague....what if the bugs be locusts or sommat, t' eat the food supply like yer journal said?"
Kyrel says, "I rather had the impression that they were to eat the crops in the surrounding villages... still, never can tell. It could be both. And if the plague itself is in the water, then the lack of food just makes folk more susceptible."
Derleth says, "Aye, but the market is in the bazaar...that be a food supply as well, and one closer at hand. Dammit!"
Silniya nods to Kyrel darkly. "IF they destroy all the available food, then the crops themselves...The city'll starve."
Kyrel nods. "Eventually. Drat, where are the druids when you need them? That's about the only thing that'll stop a locust swarm."
Derleth rubs his forehead. "Well, on th' plus side, it means we dinnae have t' fear the swarm itself. Ky, did Kiri get a good look at the entrances next door before that thing scared him away?
The gnome glances from person to person, then shrugs his stubby shoulders. "You said some 'evil men' caused this, huh? So, wouldn't evil men be out there poking them into action? Then again, I don't know a thing about magic." He shrugs, and begins barring the door.
Kyrel says, "Not really. The upper floor is empty and abandoned - the other thing was on the first floor." He nods at the gnome's comment. "Aye, but from where? That's the question. If they're not heading this way, I suppose we could look...""
Silniya chews her lip. "There's no word about them hitting the crops yet, so it's safe to say this is their first stop?"
Derleth sighs. "Well, mebbe I could go in there invisible like and check it out..."
Kyrel says, "I don't think bugs care if you're invisible." He shrugs at Silniya's comment. "It could just be that the messengers haven't arrived yet. If I read that journal right, though, that's correct."
Derleth says, "Ah'm referrin' t' the thing what chased Kiri out..."
Silniya nods, to that. "What about your bat? He eats insects, maybe he could fly through and try to find the culprit unmolested."
Kyrel snorts. "He eats them one at a time. He'd still get badly bitten in a swarm like that."
Derleth says, "There be a lot of area t' check, Sil...iff'n it had a short range, that be one thing....as it is we could be racing all over hell'n back an find nothin'."
Kyrel says, "Smoke. Smoke, or wind, will disperse them. Fire will clear them temporarily. We need to burn something upwind."
Kiri chirrups, hearing the faint sounds of buzzing easier even in the building...and squeaks!
Silniya unsheathes a sword. "I heard something, I swear..."
Kyrel looks carefully around the room. "Kiri says it's his little man."
Derleth curses as he feels a pressure on his mind that he manages to steel his will against. "Dammit! It's a spellcaster!"
Kyrel says, "An invisible one. Where is he, Kiri?"
Kiri, hiding in Kyrel's tunic, only peeks out enough to chirrup and hide again.
Silniya glances to Kyrel, her longsword in hand. "Where is it?"
Kyrel takes aim based on his familiar's blindsight and unleashes a color spray at the door at the moment Kiri says it's moving there.
"Hey!" Intones the gnome, "No painting the walls!"
Derleth takes out his bag of flour, and starts tossing it in all directions!
The flower erupts in the room, sprinking about. It clings to a roughly humanoid shape, bat wings a flutter. An angry "Bastard!" Squeaking out, the thing wiggling as it flies at Derleth, it's tail poised.
Kyrel says, "Ah-hah. There you are." He gestures, the green magical bolts flying from his fingers to strike the strange little creature. "Why are you following us around, eh?"
The bolts speed in, compounding against the little flying creature, and knocking him against the wall. "Ow!" He spits out, and starts swearing up an uproar, insulting the wizard up and down his family tree with a passion. Silniya takes advantage of the little flying rat's distraction, and swings her blade. Unfortunately, she misses, sinking her weapon deeply into the wooden wall.
Derleth draws his flail, but moves into a defensive stance as he tracks the flying creature.
It rears back, and swings its tail at Silniya. She moves out of the way, but the attack disrupts the creature's spell of invisibility. A little winged humanoid, about a foot and a half tall, its features sharp to the point of sinister with horns and a stinger-equipped tail, comes into view. "Damn it! Stop it!" It hisses, and wings backward a good five feet. "Leave me alone! You're not to interrupt the casting!"
Derleth groans. "Imps. Why did it have to be imps."
Kyrel grins at the imp. "Says who? I'm a follower of Chaos. I never do what I'm told." He sends another brace of magic bolts at the creature.
As the wizard casts, he spits and points a finger at them. "Shut up! This city will fall! Master and the Raksh-" At this point, those bolts have intercepted the little imp's words. A squeal of inhuman pain, before the battered corpse falls to the ground, and begins to melt, an acrid smoke rolling off the body.
At this point, the Gnome's head has appeared over his counter. In his hands an odd little contraption, similar to a crossbow, but with quarrels of an X shape. "Ok, what's this about?"
Derleth leans his head into his hand. "Lovely. We kill it just as he was aboot t' shed some light on the situation, wouldn't ye know."
Kiri chirps.
Derleth rolls his eyes at the gnome. "Oh, just the Church of Talona plotting to turn this city int' a dead zone, don't ye know."
Kyrel sighs. "We're still figuring it out ourselves. But that's the gist of it, yes." He reaches into his bag and pulls out five gold pieces and lays them on the counter. "Sorry about the mess." He shrugs at Derleth's complaint. "Didn't realize he was going to keep babbling. Sorry about that."
The gnome puts down his odd crossbow. "Talonites, eh? Is that all?" He shrugs and picks up the gold. "I swear. First the Thieves Guild is wiped out, now this." He clucks his tongue. "I should relocate."
Kyrel is staring absently out the window at the cloud of insects. "Same problem, if we've got things straight. Relocating might not be a bad idea. I'd suggest another town, if we can't stop this business soon."
Kyrel says, "We've got a Rakshasa involved, though. Did you catch that?"
The gnome dusts his shirt off. "Mmhm. Then I wouldn't have to worry about wererat neighbors." He hops off his stool. "So, anyone interested in a coat?"
Derleth says, "Ah suspected as much, aye." He turns back to the proprietor. "Wererat neighbors?"
Kyrel says, "A coat? This time of year? What have you got in a light cape?"
He moves out from behind the counter, gathering a broom. "Mmhm." He starts to clean up. "They're what killed most of the guild, I believe. Seen one of the filthy things come flying out a window. Got back up and walked in, but still. Blessing and a curse, really; the guild kept ties with me, wouldn't let me leave the neighborhood. Now the place only has one or two of the sewer filth flittering about. I can smell 'em." He taps his nose, as he sweeps.
Derleth ponders that a moment. "Well, that be more'n we knew before..."
"Cape? Oh, well, hm." He rubs his chin. "I've got a nice woolen one. Then one made of beaver fur, keeps the water out it does, but a little warm. Oh, and then the treated one, very nice. Fire resistant. Of course, can't just broadcast about that."
Kyrel says, "Fire resistant? How do you manage that?"
"With the right chemicals, of course." He's cleared away most of the flour, piling it in the corner. "Though, I sure do miss the guild too; they financed my brewing and whatnot. Even had me make a few garments specifically for their workers. My business took a slump when they were eradicated." He shrugs. "Wonder if Regin got out." He fetches a dust pan, and begins sweeping the white powder into it. "Not a cape? Then how about a hat?"
Derleth grimaces. "Sorry about the flour, sirrah." He scratches his chin. "Well, if that be the guardian....lets go in now an' see what he was guarding."
The gnome wags a finger. "I wouldn't."
Kyrel says, "Why not?"
"Place is a death trap. Know the fellow who set up most of their defenses, too. Regin even set me up; haven't had a successful burglary since. Even helped me dig out my cellar." While talking, he's taken several trips to the trash bin, emptying the flour. Now he starts dusting off the clingy powder off the clothes on display.
Derleth groans. "An us wi' no light-fingers o' our own. Damme."
He shrugs. "That just depends. If you can find the kobold, good for you. Though I think that woman hid him very well... if he's still alive."
Kyrel says, "Indeed. That's a reason for us to avoid it, too. Might be able to send Kiri in now that the imp is gone, but I'm not sure it's worth the trouble if we can't follow him in. Maybe we can find Demitri again."
Off in the distance, the sound of a crash comes to ears.
The gnome shrugs. "Interested in anything? I could show ya what's in the back."
Kyrel grins at the gnome. "Just a quick look. We're in kind of a hurry right now, but you've been very helpful." More helpful than he knows. If the traps are that dangerous, maybe I should find out if the Mill will sell me the current location of the Guild's master of traps. She did mention him in passing....
The gnome nods. "Sure." He walks into the back, waving his hand. "Come on, then." Walking into the next room, he goes through another door, and nods. On the walls are racks of clothes, but with obvious differences from the main room. Shelves are filled with varied vials, powder-pouches, jars full of spheres, stones, and other nicknacks, as well as several larger boxes along the bottom row. "I won't show you my 'lab', but, I have a nice little alchemic collection." He turns around, showing off the place. "If you're in a hurry, no worries about coming back, you know."
Kyrel chuckles wryly. "In my line of work, that's probably best for both of us right now. No guarantee that I'll be around in a week." He notes the alchemical gear. Hmm. I'll bet he really can do a fireproofed cape. Maybe I should go for that.
Silniya glances about. "Well, Kyrel, it sounded like things are getting rougher, in the Market... Not that I think we shouldn't browse, but I'd like to know what's going on, that way."
Kyrel nods to the werewolf. "Just a minute or two. With any luck, the insect swarm will disperse when the spell ends, and we won't have to wade through the damned things."
She nods. "Yes, but I distinctly heard something big. I have a gut feeling, that the insects might be the least of our worries..."
Kyrel says, "This also doesn't surprise me." He sighs. "Duty calls, sir. I'll be back if I live through this." He puts another 5 gold down on the counter. "Call this a down payment, and if I don't make it back, think very hard about relocating." "
He gives a nod. "Certainly."
Fleeing citizens, the sound of utter destruction in the making, shouts, and the smell of smoke are in the air as they approach the Market. Most of the insects seem to have dispersed, though a reduced clump is still swarming some stands, but the place has been demolished, food and goods scattered everywhere. A large cart has been flattened, part of a shop is crushed inward. The rooftops of a few adjacent buildings are charred beyond repair. However, that's not what draws the most attention. Standing in the street, is what could be described as...a land shark. A streamlined monstrosity, its head sleek and sloped down to a mouth that runs the entire length of its head, is rampaging through the plaza. It's enormous; twenty feet from snout to stout tail, and half that in height. Its bellows are matched by a dwarf in half-plate armor, swinging a pick-axe. "Ye bastard! Ye ugly snaggletoothed runt! Get ye back here!" Off to one side of the beast is what's left of a dwarven corpse in tattered robes, the body bitten through and a leg completely missing.
Derleth grimaces at the bulette. He's never having seen one before, but heard tell of them when he was a novice. "Bloody 'ell. What else can go wrong?"
Kyrel glances at his companions. "Okay... where is this supposed to be on the agenda? I don't think Grim knew anything about a monster attacking the city..." He checks his spells quickly, wishing he knew more about the landsharks.
Derleth glances at Silniya. "Swordlady, remind me t' get a crossbow after we down this damned beastie." He takes his flail off of its baldric, wondering how he's going to manage taking on a land shark....
With a sigh, Silniya unsheathes her blades. "Duly noted." A glance to Kyrel. "Can you get rid of the thing before we need to close in?"
The dwarf's pickaxe swings...and simply slides across the scales on the creature's leg. A toeclaw is cracked, but no other damage is apparent ... and the bulette's head turns toward the dwarf, and inevitably, toward the new arrivals.
Derleth winces as the dwarf gets the beast's attention. "Lovely. The dwarf is an appetizer, an' we're th' main course."
Kyrel says, "I've got two lightning spells and a fireball. Nothing else that'll do much to that creature. And the dwarf is too close to use a fireball at the moment. I'll do the lightning spells, and if that doesn't take it down, you'll have to go in and finish it off, I'm afraid." The half-elf is rummaging through his spell components as he speaks, and with a few guttural words, an electrical barrage is unleashed on the creature. The bolt of lightning blazes in, zigzagging through the sky over the dwarf's head and smacking the creature right on its upturned snout. The creature rears back, letting out an angry roar, which nearly sends the armored pickaxe wielder rolling from the sheer stench.
Silniya, with a sigh, moves off to one side and starts moving toward it, taking a less than direct path to sweep in from its side. The dwarf looks over his shoulder, smirks, and brings up the pickaxe for another blow, swinging its piercing spike at the creature's scarred, scaly snout.
Derleth steels himself and moves to flank the landshark, preparing to mirror Silniya's attack from the opposite side.
The pickaxe's swing digs into that tender flesh, ripping a deep gouge. The bulette's screech is enough to rattle nearby buildings, as it thrashes its head, the motion making the second swing miss. "Damn it! Hold still, ye overgrown rat!"
The landshark glares around the plaza, hunting for the origin of the lightning bolt. Spotting the mage, straight ahead, it lowers its head and charges straight for him, opening its mouth wide to bite a leg or two off. Kyrel has only a moment to react to the surprising speed of the thing, and then the charge throws him to the ground, bleeding.
Derleth blinks in surprise as the monster goes unexpectedly lumbering by, and he lashes out desperately with his flail. He grimaces as he fails to connect, and then his eyes widen as he sees Kyrel's body pushed aside with the force of the charge. Yelling his defiance, he attacks the rear of the shark with zeal, but the flail simply bounces off the bulette's hide, earning an annoyed snort as it snuffles over the bleeding half elf's body.
SIlniya calls over to Kyrel, "Get off the ground! Fly!"
Kyrel gasps, "Can't... didn't bring that one with me." He edges back from the angry creature and casts a mirror image, his form blurring for a moment and separating into multiple images to confuse the monster.
The landshark, seeing Kyrel move back and multiply, leans forward to snap at him again. Its mouth snaps an illusionary wizard into nothingness. It snorts out of annoyance, having no food for its effort. From behind, Silniya comes up, blades driving into the beast's back flank in rapid slashes. Just as Derleth's weapons were turned aside, her blades are unsuccessful at penetrating its armor. However, the dwarf, screaming in defiance, charges up toward it from behind, attacking between the cleric and warrior. The pickaxe pierces through flesh, and as he mercilessly yanks the weapon free, tears a gouge in it.
The landshark shakes its head at the irritating nothingness. But there's more prey to be found around her. It almost seems to smile broadly as it launches itself into the air and lands on Derleth, all four claws extended in readiness for this morsel.
Derleth shrieks in pain as one claw sends him reeling backwards, opening up nearly parallel gashes through flesh and armor. The cleric hunkers down and pulls himself to his feet. Knowing that his likely hood of making a blow count through the bulette's armor is slim, he tries something else instead - thrusting out a palm, he chants words of power. The ray of holy light that springs forth from Derleth's fingers, penetrates into the bulette's underbelly and bores a hole deep into the hide, sending a torrent of blood and ichor spilling onto the cobblestones. Silniya, taking advantage of the beast's distraction, moves in to attack, her longsword sweeping in to hack into one of the hind legs, biting deep.
The dwarf, coming in on the opposite side, mercilessly hacks into the creature's side, his pickaxe ripping open a vicious gash along its flank. The beast screeches, but its pain is only starting, for the pick disappears into the wound, hitting sensitive flesh beneath, spearing through bone, and puncturing a lung. He jerks the weapon back to strike once more, but the bulette is already bleeding profusely, mouth snapping in defiance as death approaches. It sinks slowly to the ground, stricken by the blows. It collapses in an awkward pile, limbs splayed, and mouth still open in that hauntingly wide grin.
Derleth sinks to his knees in relief, reaching up and putting pressure on one of his chest wounds that yet oozes blood.
The dwarf stomps over to the dead bulette, kicking it in it's chin. Planting a boot on the snout, spitting in the thing's big face, "And That's fer me brother." With that, he rips a tooth out of it's jaw, and lets it sit, before walking towards the shredded corpse.
Silniya, wiping her blades clean, moves towards Derleth. "What say you? Going to live?"
Kyrel lets the mirror image fade away as the beast collapses. "Ouch. That was definitely unpleasant."
Derleth is busy binding the worst of his gashes and looks up. "M'alright." he grunts.
The dwarf shakes his head over the corpse, and starts to pick him up, swearing about 'bug men' and various other things, as he shoulders his unfortunate compatriot.
Derleth ignores the pain as he stands. "So...great, then. We stopped a rampagin' shark, but what did it have t' do wi' anything?" He looks up to see if the locusts are still present, but the insects have mostly dispersed, the summoning spell apparently gone.
Kyrel says, "No idea. Doesn't seem to be related to the disease stuff..." He looks up as the dwarf mutters about bug men. "D'ya think he saw something?""
Picking up the corpse, he glances over at Kyrel. "Yah, we saw what was about. Ye want to know what that be about? Go track down the coward vermin fella that ran off! Now, where be the nearest temple?"
Kyrel says, "What'd he look like?"
Despite the gruff, angry exterior the dwarf is displaying, his thick eyelids are wavering. "Do ye mind?" He bellows, glancing at the dead dwarf in his arms.
Kyrel thinks about the other question. "Let's see... the nearest temple is run by the followers of Ilmater, but they're pretty busy. There's an epidemic trying to get started here..." He gives the directions anyway, and adds the directions for Lliara's temple as well. "Good luck."
The dwarf nods, grunting in thanks. "Well aware o' the plague. Brought 'ere to go down into the caves, an' all." With that, he turns, and shuffles off toward the temple.
Derleth sighs. "Naew what? Back t' the guild, r' is that a dead fish at this point?"
Kyrel starts to turn back to Derleth and then stops and catches up to the dwarf. "Caves? Who asked you to come here?"
Kyrel's continuing is met with a glare. "The mayor, ye daft man. Gah! Ye this persistent, come a 'knockin' after I pay respects to me brother!"
Kyrel nods. "Thanks. Sorry about that... things are insane around here right now."
A grunt of agreement, before the dwarf continues on.
Kyrel returns to the others. "The Guild... hmm. Not unless we find one of the trap artists and find out how to disarm things. I don't feel like trying to find them all the hard way."
Silniya moves back to the group, and pauses a moment. "Huh."
Kyrel says, "What?"
She points. "I thought I saw something under that overturned wagon. Or it could've been a stick."
Derleth nods, scratching his curly red hair. "Ye have the right of it, Ky..."
Kyrel shrugs. "Can't hurt to look, Sil... things are all torn up here, no one'll even notice. That wagon?"
She nods. "Aye. Under one of the wheels, I think."
Kyrel limps over to see what Silniya has noticed.
After a short search, the mage finds eight inches of crystal, dusky hued and streaked with blue. Its length is zigzagged, its base has a lodestone set into it, and at the pointed tip shines a diamond.
Derleth moves over to Kyrel, but before showing the least bit of interest in what he's found, he kneels down and lays his hands on the mage's bloody leg, chanting sutras to Lliara. The gashes close up easily, leaving but blood and torn cloth as a reminder of the wounds.
Derleth stands, looking around Kyrel. "What'd ye find, then?"
Silniya walks over, grinning. "Eye of the eagle, eh?"
Kyrel says, "Something very interesting. Looks like a rather unusual wand... I wonder if our friend with the bugs dropped it when the bulette came calling."
Kyrel inspects the crystal wand for identifying marks or inscribed commands, and notes a series of dwarven glyphs along the base. He nods. "Ah. Looks like that dwarf dropped it, actually. I suppose we should return it to his friend."
Kyrel looks around, noting where the bulette was and looking at the fire scorches along the roofs of the buildings in that direction from here. He points it out. "Bet it's a fire wand of some sort. Or... hmm. No, I was just using bits of crystal myself. Might be a lightning wand. Still... it belongs to that dwarf "
Silniya glances at the wand, then shrugs her shoulders. "In any event, we should get moving."
Derleth leaves Kyrel to his studying as he sits on a cast-aside box and tries to think. If I were a Talonite, where would I be hiding?
Kyrel nods to Silniya. "I agree. I wish I knew what we were looking for."
She nods, rubbing her chin. "You mentioned finding this trapsmith?"
Derleth says, "The gnome said that it'd be unlikely, Sil...mebbe we should pay fer the aid o' a Lliaran diviner...."
Kyrel says, "Actually... I think we'd be better off visiting that information broker again. She mentioned something about knowing where one of the old Guild Masters was hiding..."
Derleth blinks. "Really. Well then, let's march to, then, lads."
Silniya gives a nod, gesturing. "Please, by all means."
The Wide Realms, a rather spacious and cylindrical building stands before the three. Inside it is teeming, a sign declaring that very evening to be the opening night of a new play.
As the three enter the theater, four men walk out, sporting dangerous scowls, or even leers of menace, except for the last, whose face is hidden by a cowled cloak. They spare a glance toward the entering trio before they push their way out through an adjacent door.
Kyrel nods. "Looks like they're not letting a little thing like an epidemic stop them." He looks around for a stagehand, and passes on the same message as before. "Excuse me.... my friends and I are interested in some grain...?"
The stagehand jumps. He glances around, somewhat nervously, particularly after the departing men. He glances back. "Uh...uh, I think the...uh sale may be halted a moment. Er...wait here." He disappears down a hallway.
Kyrel frowns at that, and wakes up his familiar. Kiri. Go keep an eye on the four thugs who just left, okay? I've got a bad feeling about them... He lets the bat out the door and rejoins his partners. "We may just want to ask them some questions later. I sent Kiri to watch where they go."
Derleth relaxes a little. "A'right, den. Ah were gonna check them out mesel' ...but Kiri'll attract less attention.
The attendant returns several minutes later, with the honey-haired woman. Her dress seems rumpled, despite constant attempts to smooth it. "Yes, gentlemen?" She asks.
The lady waits patiently, carefully assessing each member of the party in turn.
Kyrel sketches a polite bow, and waits until the runner leaves. "I got your message about tonight's meeting, milady. Events have generated a need for a bit of information you alluded to yesterday. If we could talk privately?"
Derleth seems edgy, tapping his fingers on the hilt of his flail hilt: not out of any desire to intimidate, but more in the sense of a personal twitch of tension.
The lady nods slightly. "Certainly, sirs. If you will follow me? There are, after all, more private places to discuss our ... business.
Silniya elbows Derleth. "Stop staring at her," she stage whispers with a mockingly scolding tone. Derleth blinks, taken completely aback by this. "Ah weren't staring at all!" he protests, dropping the volume of his voice midway through his retort.
Kyrel says, "My colleagues... Derleth, Silniya, this is the lady known as 'The Mill'"
Silniya simply gives a grin to the cleric.
Derleth nods quietly in greeting, rolling an eyeball to glare at Silniya.
The lady raises one eyebrow. "And a pleasure of mine, Lady, Gentleman. But this is too open a place for names. Come." With that she turns and holds out one hand quietly, motioning for Kyrel to lead the way.
Kyrel retraces the route that he'd taken the day before to the costume room, and stands aside as the woman deactivates the traps.
The four make their way down a flight of stairs, before the woman opens up a door along the wall. Beyond is a room filled with cabinets, boxes, and racks of clothing. She waits patiently while the door is closed. Once the door is closed she inspects the room once, carefully but quickly, before inviting everyone to sit.
Kyrel says, "I take it your last ... clients weren't very polite? They seemed a bit on edge as we passed them."
Derleth wordlessly declines a seat, to twitchy to properly relax.
The lady winces perceptibly. "No, polite would not be the word I would use."
Kyrel murmurs, "Barbarians." in Elven. "I shall keep that in mind if our paths cross. At any rate... things have been happening, and we find ourselves in need of the services of a trapmaster - we need to investigate the old Thieves Guildhall in our search for the ones responsible for this epidemic."
The lady remains standing. "A master of traps; one who is capable of navigating the traps in the Thieves' Guild. An expensive proposition. This is the kind of information that is hard to find. Perhaps ... two hundred fifty gold?"
Derleth gives Kyrel a look that says, We've got the money, pay her. Apparently, recent events have made money less important in his immediate desires.
Kyrel digs through his bag of holding after glancing at Derleth for approval. He counts out the money, knowing full well that the woman is going to notice that he's gotten contents about twice the apparent size of the bag out of it.
Indeed, the lady observes quite closely, albeit quite quietly. The money is carefully dropped into a leather bag, but left sitting on the table for now. She smiles, briefly, at Kyrel. "So. A master of traps. I met a master of traps only a short while ago; he hired me to find him work as a maker and breaker of traps in the houses of the rich and the powerful. Will he suffice?"
Kyrel says, "He should... especially if he's familiar with the Guildhall."
A single nod. "Well, he hired me to hide him, but his gold and yours has bought you directions on how to find him. You travel into the Scab, and search out the abandoned warehouse on Peasoup Street, by the crossing of Skinner's Lane. Daub vanilla perfume on yourself generously; don't stint. Beware of how you dress."
Kyrel says, "Not too nice, I would assume...? That wouldn't be safe in the Scab."
The lady smiles. "No, not too nice. But not too poorly, either. You've bought directions to him, and the implicit introduction. And perhaps ... yes, a small bottle of vanilla perfume. But the hiring you will do yourself."
Kyrel nods. "Of course. You can't speak for the gentleman in question, after all. As long as we're here... " He repeats the directions from the morning's note. "Correct?"
The lady nods. "Indeed."
Kyrel says, "Then..." He looks to his companions. "... unless there are other questions you might have...?""
Derleth shakes his head.
The lady smiles wistfully.
Kyrel says, "Then we shall take our leave." He bows. "Until we meet again.""
"Until we meet again, sir." The lady opens the door and holds it for the party.
Having left the theater, and Kiri returning only to report the four vagabonds disappeared into a building in the business district, which smelled and sounded like an animal house. The three find 'The Scab', and the nickname for the poorer part of town becomes clear: the walls which surround it are colored a distinctive reddish pink, as if it itself were a stone scab. As they enter, it's quite clear that this section of town has seen better days; the buildings are in various stages of dilapidation, some to the point of collapse. Half naked children play in alleys and streets not taken up with peddlers, drunks, and the homeless. One man lies unconscious at the bottom of a filthy ditch, a shattered bottle nearby. The few taverns seem full, and loud, even at this time of the day. They find the place, an old, ugly building.
Silniya's face screws up. "This place smells horrid."
Derleth looks at the others. "R'we supposed t' go in, or wait outside?"
Kyrel and the others stopped by their rooms to clean up a little after the excitement with the bulette, and are dressed in rougher clothing now than they were earlier, hoping not to stand out quite so much in the rougher section of town. The abandoned warehouse is easily enough found... now they only need to find a way in. They daub the perfume liberally on themselves as they arrive. After a few moments of inspection, they find a nondescript side door.
Kyrel nods to Silniya. "No surprise. I think we're supposed to go inside."
Derleth sighs, straightening the tunic he wears over his breastplate. "Aye, then."
Silniya nods. "Who first?"
Kyrel shrugs. "I'll go. This was my idea in the first place..." He pulls open the door and steps inside.
The half-elf steps inside, unmolested. The warehouse looks old, filled with scraps of metal, trash, crates, and other odds and ends. Instead of a full, open ceiling, a good half portion, some twenty feet up, is a loft. Two inch holes have been cut through the loft floor every few feet. The place is nearly utterly dark. Silniya nods, and steps in after the half elf, glancing around, hands on her blade hilts.
Derleth looks around as Silniya enters, looking to see if there's anyone watching, but he doesn't see anything.
Kyrel stays by the door, quietly closing it once everyone is in. "I'd suggest we don't move around much. The fellow we're looking for is likely to have the place rigged. Wait for the perfume to spread around."
Silniya nods. "We needn't stand together, either. Spread out a little bit." She takes a step and confirms Kyrel's judgment. As her boot touches down, there's a loud pop, followed by several thunderous explosion sat their feet. The area before the door is buried in a roaring clap of sound.
Derleth yells and puts his hands to his ears, closing his eyes...
Kyrel winces as the burst of energy rolls over them. He shakes his head to clear it as the dust settles again. Kiri, are you all right?
Kiri seems to be almost stunned, trying furtively to curl his head under Kyrel's arm.
A raspy, high toned voice sounds from somewhere in the warehouse. "I have an arrow trained on the mage's head. I smell vanilla, so I've not shot yet. Speak fast, before the trigger slips accidently."
Derleth winces, pulling his hands away from his ears, absently noting that there is the stain of blood on one of his palms. "Awfully friendly how ye be treating potential customers, trapmaster." he growls.
"Potential customers, potential assassins. Either way, caution is warranted."
Kyrel says, "We're here to offer a business proposition. We need to get into the old Thieves Guild - we think the folks who took over are behind this epidemic. If you're not interested, we'll leave." He nudges Derleth and whispers, "What'd you expect? He's hiding."
Derleth looks sourly at Kyrel, but doesn't respond.
Kyrel comforts his familiar while he waits for a response.
There's silence, for a few moments. "Don't move," The voice announces. There's the faintest whisper of boot on wood above their heads. Another moment later, a dark form starts making its way down the ladder at the edge of the loft. It skips several rungs on the way. The figure approaching moves quite carefully, avoiding certain spots. It's quite short, no higher than three and a half feet. A crossbow bounces from a strap around his cloaked back. Stopping ten feet away, he crosses covered arms.
Derleth watches the shadowed figure warily, controlling his nervous twitch, as the hooded head nods impatiently.
Kyrel clears his throat after the silence stretches out. "We've been tracking things from another angle, and have a suspicion that the followers of Talona are trying to wipe out the whole city for some arcane reason. We killed one of their people and found his journal giving some details of the whole plot. If you'd like to see it...?"
A hand is raised. "No, no. But, I'm concerned," he responds in a raspy tone, "About going back in. Why? It's dangerous. The best way is the sewer entrance, and Tiamat knows the rats likely have spies, or posts, or whatnot there, even if it's not inhabited... And, be aware that the new inhabitants likely put up new traps." He turns back towards them, yellow eyes glaring underneath the cowl. "What am I getting out of this?"
Derleth sighs. "We are willing t' pay for services, trapmaster. This is, after all, important. Though I am curious. Is it the Talonites that are after you, then?"
Kyrel shrugs. "Up to you. We can offer some cash... there's revenge on them, if the opportunity offers.... a bit of magic if you'd rather have that. I've got a couple of invisibility potions."
Derleth absently wonders why the man in the shadows knows about Tiamat. They're a little known cult that spawns out of Mulhorand, and he's never heard of them doing anything in the local area...
The little expert seems to perk up at the prospect of magic, though the shifting under his cloak could also indicate nervous twitching. "Who's after me doesn't matter. I'll go back in, but under a few rules. First, when I do my work, Do Not Move. Second, I check everything first. Third, half of anything found within is mine. Fourth, you protect me. If any of you tries to betray me, rest assured I can take you all with me into the serpent's coils."
Silniya leans over, murmuring to Kyrel. "I don't like his scent. He smells reptilian."
Kyrel shrugs and whispers back to the werewolf. "Really? But... doesn't matter. He's got no love for the Talonites, whichever way it falls out."
Derleth glances at the others. "Ah dinnae have any problem wi' that. Ye?"
Kyrel says, "Seems reasonable to me. One and two were going to be _my_ requests, four is perfectly acceptable, and three... under the circumstances, is not worth fussing over."
He nods, and moves carefully to them, holding a hand out to the mage. The other is quite close to the inside of his cloak, for safety's sake. As he peers up at Kyrel, the cowl starts to slip back, exposing the ruddy brown, scaled snout, then the pale horns and overall grim face of a kobold. "Deal."
Kyrel blinks, but manages not to look surprised. He takes the offered hand firmly but not roughly. "Done."
The kobold shakes. "Good. When do we delve?"
Derleth folds his arms. "Ah be getting the impression that you're pretty worried about whoever it is finding you. Would you prefer t' go after dark?"
Kyrel says, "We have a midnight appointment with some smugglers... aside from that, as soon as possible, I think. Up to you."
The trapmaster nods, considering a moment. "Well, I don't expect there to be much need for stealth at night or day, and likely the cult works at night?" He spreads his hands. "I need a few hours to gather my equipment."
Kyrel nods. "Shall we wait here, or meet you somewhere?"
"The tailor's, beside the guildhall. If you decide to postpone, leave a message for me there."
Derleth glances at Kyrel. "Aye..we know where th' place is." he says wryly.
Kyrel chuckles. "Indeed. I wanted to go there anyway... I put a deposit on a cape, and then got called away before I could get the details sorted out."
He nods. "Then, we'll meet there after your meeting, case pending. I'll see you then. And, watch your step; you missed the tripwire coming in."
After leaving, and taking care to avoid the wire, the three head straight to Lliara's temple. According to the acolyte on duty, the dwarf placed his kin in a coffin, in a wagon at the stable, and is currently inside 'filling Lliara's tables'.
Kyrel says, "I'm going to go in and say hello to the dwarf. Ought to see if that wand belonged to his kinsman."
An acolyte walks by. "Oh... You're the gentlemen who're staying with us? Two boxes came for you. The delivery boys placed them in your room. Said something about requested business."
Silniya whistles. "That woman got your onyx papers fast, eh?"
Kyrel says, "If that's what it is... Let's find out."
The werewoman pauses, then shrugs. "Lead the way."
Derleth grunts. "Tae bad we don' have our friend with the crossbow wi' us...." he says as he follows...
Kyrel says, "Indeed. Still... we can take them to the courtyard and flip 'em open with a pole. Just in case."
The three stop outside of Kyrel and Derleth's door. No light spills out from beneath it, just as they'd left it before.
Kyrel opens the door cautiously.
Light from the dim hallway floods in. Kyrel's vision, a gift from his elven parent, shows a box sitting on the far table in the room. Derleth looks around Kyrel. "Ye wan ah should use an orison t' detect magic?"
Kyrel shrugs and enters, getting out his magicked torch and setting it in the wall bracket. "Seems rather a lot of stuff for the reports I wanted." He looks at the box carefully. "Wouldn't hurt."
Derleth nods and takes out his holy symbol, murmuring softly. The spell finds no magic. However, as Kyrel stares at the relatively plain box, they all do notice something. A hiss. And another. And another.
Kyrel's hand drops to his dagger at the noise. "I don't think this is what we wanted...." He backs carefully out the way he came.
As Kyrel starts back, a black snake snaps at his foot, from beneath one of the cots. Another begins to slither out from beneath the desk. Both look none too small.
Derleth takes out his flail. "Back up, Ky. Once yer outta the way, I'll bash 'em."
Silniya, unsheathing her sword, eyes the cleric. "I would hesitate to do that...why not just leave the room alone?"
Derleth says, "We will have to sleep eventually, Sil."
Kyrel moves more quickly once the snake strikes at his foot, and retreats to the door. "And me without a sleep spell." He tries the color spray instead, the coruscating patterns flooding the room that he's just left.
One snaps at Kyrel's leg as he passes the doorway, before slithering out of view again.
The explosion of color fans out in the room, sending the two slithering snakes into unconsciousness. The third isn't in view.
Derleth says, "Hey, that be useful."
Kyrel nods. "It has its uses. They're unconscious, I don't know how long it'll last. Get 'em while we can. And ware the third, I don't know if I caught it or not."
Derleth nods and pokes his head in, looking around for the last snake. It seems to have joined the others in an unconscious stupor, half of its head poking out from beneath a cot. He picks them up one by one with his gauntleted hand, and quickly puts them back in the box, which then promptly goes in a sack.
Silniya peers at the box, from the doorway. "What about that?" She gestures to the sealed container.
Kyrel says, "No idea what is going on here. Probably something else dangerous. Let's take it outside before we open it."
Derleth hmms as he ponders the sack. "Well, it's not magical. Do you think I should bash the snakes to death, 'er just toss 'em in a fire or what? Ne'er disposed o' snakes before."
Silniya balks. "Drop them into the sewer."
Kyrel says, "I was going to suggest chopping their heads off while they were knocked out."
Silniya glares at Kyrel.
Kyrel looks a bit guilty at the ranger's glare. "I know, I know... but we don't want them biting anyone else, either."
The woman gestures to the sack. "Give it here. You two deal with the box."
Derleth wonders aloud. "I wonder if snakes can drown..." He looks over at the ranger's peremptory gesture. "Hmm? Okay, here." He hands over the sack.
Kyrel says, "There's probably some in your room, too. We'll help you check it out before you go in... but let's deal with this first."
The ranger takes the sack rather quickly. "Yes, they can." She turns, and starts towards the door...only to have the sack start to rustle. "Damn it." She moves quickly out.
Kyrel says, "Safe enough in the sack... she knows what she's doing, Derleth."
Derleth says, "I'm sure, I'm pondering how to open the box. Dinna see a broom anywhere around..."
Kyrel looks at the box. "Let's see...."
Kyrel says, "Well... it didn't do anything the first time I went in. Here goes." He gingerly enters the room, slowly getting closer to the box, still hoping to find some sort of markings on it. Now that he's looking more closely, it seems to be well crafted wood, held closed by a string tied around a nail in the front.
Derleth says, "Let's just take it outside and open it with a stick, 'r sommat."
Kyrel says, "Hmm..." He looks at it closely, but doesn't touch it. "I think a broom is definitely in order."
Kyrel says, "Hmm. The string is tight, but the nail it's hooked to looks pretty solid. If the nail is as long as it should be...." He gingerly touches the nail to see if it wiggles, while holding the lid down. "Let's see...." The nail turns out to be firmly imbedded in the wood. Kyrel gingerly lets go of the lid. Still nothing happens.
Silniya returns, tossing Derleth a bag with several small holes in it. "There."
Kyrel shrugs. "Okay... looks like it's safe enough. Let's take it outside." He tries to pick up the box slowly, hoping that nothing will fall out from underneath and ready to slam it back down if it does - but the box doesn't budge from the desk.
Derleth says, "Well. That's sure different."
Kyrel blinks as the box refuses to move. "What the hey? Derleth, have you offended the god of practical jokes?"
Derleth blinks. "They have a god?"
Kyrel says, "How should I know? You're the cleric..." He steps back. "Right. I've had about enough of this. Let's find a spear."
Silniya unsheathes her longsword. "Would this work?"
Derleth says, "Let's get our stuff out first. Given our enemy's penchant for fire traps, it's likely t' burst into flames."
Kyrel nods. "And I'd rather be as far away as possible from it when we cut through the string, Silniya." He starts gathering the gear he's left in the room.
A loud hiss erupts from under a cot as Kyrel pulls some spare clothing from the footlocker at its base.
Derleth says, "Gah! Out, Ky, out!"
Kyrel is already moving. "Uh-oh. Missed one."
Derleth sighs. "Ahm tempted to ask me brothers for a refund. The security in th' temple stinks."
Silniya rubs her forehead. "Gods... Ok, what're we going to do? We can throw a knife at the string, for all I care. As for the snake, we'll probably have to flush it out." The snake doesn't come out from wherever it's hiding.
Kyrel says, "Daggers, or maybe arrows... I think I can cut the string sooner or later with an arrow..."
She nods. "So do we open it before, or after we deal with our slithering friend?"
Kyrel says, "After. If it explodes, it solves both problems..."
She nods, and gestures to the mage. "My bow is in my room."
Kyrel reaches into his bag. "Fortunately, mine is right here..."
Derleth coughs. "Be right back." He marches over to the Lliaran armory and requisitions a spear, and while he's at it, a crossbow and a quiver of quarrels.
Silniya nods to Derleth's new weaponry, as he arrives.
Derleth says, "Okay....stand back, ye all." He eases the spear point towards the box, trying to saw through the string while keeping an eye out for snakes.
The string snaps. In one fluid motion, the lid pops open, as if on springs. A split second later, the front and sides, and likely the back if the wall wasn't in the way, spring out, unfolding. The table, the wall, and even the floor are suddenly swarming with the hundreds of spiders that spew out from the box. Several begin marching up Derleth's spear. He tosses the spear into the room and closes the door. "Just a guess. I think we ticked off the Talonites."
Kyrel says, "More to the point, they found out where we sleep."
Silniya nods gravely.
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