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Logged and edited by the Doctor
14-December-2005
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PCs: Drayakir, Maria, Skrags, Slash

Setting: the Ark, and the icefield below

Background: Maria and Drayakir quarreled over Drayakir's diplomacy (he
made an alliance with the Ice Raiders who came to see the Ark). The quarrel
having escalated to blows and a charm spell on Maria, Maria challenged
Drayakir to a duel after the charm wore off.

Summary: Maria and Drayakir argue their cases before Captain Vera of
the Gatehouse Crew (and also Brother Fiorian and Hyan Luize). Maria refuses
to withdraw the challenge, which Drayakir continues to accept. Thus they
go down to the ice and fight. Maria wins, killing Drayakir (and decapitating
his corpse).
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On the landing platform of the Ark, where Maria and Drayakir face each other:

Contents of Platform:
 Slash.................... - 7s - Gnoll: big, hairy, big. Did I mention 'big'?
 Maria.................... - 1m - A dancer
 Skrags................... - 0s - Human woman, brown hair, leather, wolf companion
 Drayakir................. - 50s - A man in a black robe with red trimming

Roused by the hubbub and the promise of excitement, it seems like half the Ark
has come down to see for themselves. Captain Vera, Brother Fiorian, and Hyan
Luize push their way to the front. Vera shouts out above the wind and the
noise of the crowd, "QUIET!" Repeated a few times, it eventually has its
effect. She looks at Drayakir and Maria. "Now what's this about a duel? You
two are outlanders in origin...duelling is a serious matter here, and a
nobleman (or woman)'s prerogative."

Slash is here, too, with Oskar -- everyone's favorite grouchy dwarf.

Oskar is there, too. He is taking it seriously - at least as far as taking bets
and calculating odds. Discreetly. In the back of the crowd.

Slash is busy trying to 'look mean' so that no one'll get the idea in their
head that Oskar's an 'easy mark' when he's got his hands on so much money.

Skrags is there. She's not betting. She and her wolf are glaring warily at the
would-be duellists. Especially Drayakir.

Drayakir spreads his arms out. "But I am a noble. In addition to that, I am an
arcanist. As is Maria. We seek to establish supremacy by duelling, the only way
arcanists can prove superiority over each other. When we say duel, we do not
mean "duel" in the strict sense of the word. Just a challenge between two
peers."

Maria looks to Vera, and says, "I am the daughter of the Red Wizardess
Celinnia Darkshadow of Thay. I am certainly of noble blood." She stands there
looking quite impressive in her mithral armor, brandishing both her mithral
shield and her unsheathed scimitar. "And this thing has brought it upon
himself. I do not seek supremacy as an arcanist. I seek vengeance for the use
of mind affecting spells upon me."

Drayakir smirks wryly. "Do you forget to add that you attacked me first?
Seeking alliance with the-" he makes a dramatic pause, and then an emphasis on
the word 'Shadow' "/Shadow/ Witches, in addition to assaulting me without
provocation, seeing that something did not go your way. And of course," he
makes a sweeping gesture towards Skrags "we have a witness."

Vera frowns, surveying the two arcanists. "Brother Fiorian? Are they noble?"

Brother Fiorian clears his throat, then says, "They are not of the blood of
the Lord Protector, nor are they of the three Great Houses of Face, nor are
they kin of the Ancient. Whether their families of another plane are noble,
we have no record. Thus we must go by their deeds here. Have they acted as
nobles? Do they stand between the Ark and danger? Do they lead? Do they care
for those in need? Do the people go to them for aid?"

There are various comments in answer from the crowd. It seems some of these
criteria are indeed satisfied.

Skrags scowls. She seems reluctant to be dragged into it. "Without
provocation?" She shakes her head. "I think not. Your foolishness provoked it.
Maria did no more than a wolf must to discipline errant cubs, and if her teeth
hurt, that is the lesson! And you! You yourself claimed her as enemy, by
casting the enchantment. You had death in your eyes...you wanted her on the
ice with you, alone, under the spell."

Slash comments to Oskar, in the dwarven tongue (which sounds really funny in a
gnoll's high-pitched 'hyena voice'), "All humans smell pretty 'noble' to me --
or does that word mean something else?"

Oskar mutters something back to Slash.  "Humans are a disorderly lot, and are
constantly brawling to see who is on top. The ones on top call themselves
noble, and pass their position on to their offspring.'.

Maria eyes Drayakir coldly, and says, "You are even more of an idiot than you
appeard before, Drayakir. You offer the services of the ark to people who call
themselves raiders, who are openly at war with a rival group, without speaking
to both sides first? You do not even know what powers these witches have, or
much about the ones you would ally with. You are as stupid as you are
tactless. How you ever managed to learn spells is beyond me."

Drayakir throws his head back, to let the crowd see his face. "I do not deny
casting a mind-affecting spell on her. However, I will stand by my point that
she," he points to Maria, "attacked me first. And I did the spell in pure
self-defence, just so that she would not continue to attack me. It was my
intent to pacify the incident after the unpleasantless." After Skrags had her
little tirade, he responds "Foolish from your perspective. Indeed, the raiders
would've attacked us had I not made peace with them. Furthermore, do you have
/proof/ that I wanted to take her to the ice to die? As I said, I thought
Maria to be my friend. Due to an unfortuante event, she attacked me. I wanted
to prevent further attacks, and then reason with her." To Maria he just
remarks "Well, perhaps then, if our duelling will ofeend the people of the
Ark, we should step off, and duel on the ice. We'll have judges to see that
this is fair." he folds his arms across his chest. "And just so you know, I do
not seek to kill you."

Slash grumbles something else over at Oskar.  "Why aren't you in charge? You
could beat them both senseless -- at the same time, with one arm behind your
back..."

Oskar laughs, and says, "Why would I /want/ to be in charge of this lot?"'.

Slash looks over at Oskar, nodding and cacklling more laughter.

Maria smirks, and says, "I have a better idea. Lower the lift halfway to the
ground. The first to fall is proclaimed the loser."

Skrags shakes her head. "Self-defense? Nonsense! She clearly had no intent to
kill."

Drayakir looks to Skrags. "She attacked me with her bolt. She tore away half
of my side. If it weren't for Hyan, I'd have bled to death. And you might've
helped me, too."

Skrags adds, "/Then/. Now, there is no peace between them. Let them settle it between themselves, and not take us with them! They have been companions of mine, but it is dangerous to us all if they attempt some treachery before our enemies."

Slash hefts his axe. "I rip half your side off, but try to not kill you. That
be okay?", he says, cackling hyena-sounding laughter afterwards, returning his
axe to the hanger on his back.

Vera glances at the druid, then at Maria and Drayakir. "Neither of you deny
the truth of these allegations? That Maria attacked Drayakir, and that
Drayakir cast a spell of charming upon Maria? Both are offenses, and both
require compensation, but not necessarily death."

Drayakir stands with his arms folded, looking to the leaders of the Ark to
make their call.

Skrags visibly bites her tongue on whatever comment she has in her mind.

Slash grumbles deep in his chest -- the low sound of it in direct contrast
with his high-pitched voice. He paws at the ground with his big, furry
gnoll-feet, watching.

Maria shakes her head, and says, "You know nothing about diplomacy, Drayakir.
The raiders very well may have looked as though they would have attacked you,
but there are millions of ways to pacify them without offering alliance to
them. You put the entire ark and all its people at risk with such a move."
She takes a step onto the lift, and says, "You act out of petty jealousy,
trying to make yourself seem important."

Vera frowns. "This disagreement is over an issue of policy? Heretofore, Maria
has been our representative to the surface folk. It is natural that she resent
your diplomacy, Drayakir, regardless of its merit. You would both kill over
it? Should it not be taken to a vote of the people of the Ark?"

Slash makes a side-comment to Oskar in the dwarven tongue, again.  "I
challenge them to arm-wrestling, maybe?"

Slash cackles laughter again, after his comment.

Oskar replies with a, "Hush, you."'.

Drayakir shakes his head. "I do not intend to kill. If I am to emerge victor
in the arcanist challenge, I shall be the first to assist her." Glancing at
Maria, he adds, "I hope she does likewise. And as for her not liking my
actions, the question is where was /she/ when we were dealing with the
raiders?"

Maria nods her head. "Indeed it should. But Drayakir already committed the
people of the ark to an alliance with the raiders, not knowing what powers
their opponents in their war have. Threatening to bring us in the middle of a
war we cannot win." Then she looks to Drayakir, and says, "As Hyan can attest,
I was tending to one of the ladies who work in my parlor, who had injured
herself recently."

Slash quiets down after Oskar replies to him, pawing at the ground again with
both feet as he watches.

Drayakir quirks an eyebrow. "Then, seeing that I am also trained in the arts
of diplomacy, I assumed the role of spokesperson since you weren't there. And
as you have never delegated anybody to replace you should something happen to
you, I showed initiative."

Vera nods. She considers the point, then mutters in consultation with Fiorian
and Hyan. Then, "Yes, Hyan confirms that point. Again, foolish or not, this is
a matter of policy. Policy may be discussed rationally. Why the violence and
use of enchantment?"

Skrags grumbles, "Discussed rationally! Alone on the ice while she's under a
charm spell? I don't think so!"

Skrags adds, "And I was there. Drayakir himself proposed the alliance.
Drayakir himself proposed an attack upon the shadow witches. The Ice Raiders
made no such demands."

Drayakir eyes Skrags again. "Once again, I did not intend to lead her to the
ice. Do you really assume I would be so... low." His face twists in a face of
disgust. "That's despicable. And as for the Ice Raiders, they needed more
proof. As you might've noticed."

Slash asks, "Why try kill for stupid talk? Just say 'no'."

Maria shakes her head. "Do you not spank a child when they become insolent? Do
you not use the crop on the horse who does not respond to direction? Does not
the wolf bite the cub who does not work for the pack?" Looking to Vera, she
says, "As Skrags has just said, Drayakir proposed we insert ourselves in a war
between two parties we did not yet have enough knowledge of to make any
determination about."

Vera says, "Even so. Any damage is not irreparable. Have we not the power to
move to another plane if need be?"

Slash says "But, mother wolf not bite kill cub. Why you try kill him with
magic? Just say 'no' to stupid talk. Why you want kill him? If I say you do
stupid thing, it okay for me kill you?"

Maria shakes her head, and says, "The first rule of long term magical effects
is that they tend to degrade over time, become uncontrolled, or refuse to work
at all. This happens even faster the more the effect is used. We must conserve
the magic of the ark, or we may find it falling from the sky. Shifting to
another plane should be a method of last resort."

Meanwhile, the spectators are growing impatient. Maybe a quarter of them are
bloodthirsty half-drunken imbeciles who keep trying to start up a chant of
"Fight! Fight! Fight!" while the more sober folk stomp on their feet or elbow
them in the ribs to shut them up.

Drayakir is just standing quiet, waiting for Vera's last verdict.

Vera glances at Fiorian and Hyan, and they give small nods. Hyan says, "Many
magical artifacts have only a limited number of uses. And from what I've seen,
no one knows if that is true of this Ark, and if so, what that number may be.
The spell to determine this is of a higher order than our people are capable
of."

Slash says "I say box ears for stupid talk. Is more stupid to kill for that."

Skrags looks at Slash. "That's what she did. She boxed his ears. Then he raped
her mind."

Slash says "She attack him with magic used to kill. That not ear-boxing. And
she is one who want to kill, now."

Slash says "If I box your ears, you want me yell loud or 'box' you with axe?"

Drayakir narrows his eyes at Skrags. "Boxed my ears? If you knew anything more
than your animals, you would know that having your side torn off, does not
constitute boxing." He turns to Vera "we await your decision."

Skrags says, "A box to my ears might kill a nestling bird. The force of an
attack must be judged relative to the strength of the one who takes it. And
yes, I have come far closer to death than that, Drayakir."

Slash nods. "I promise not hit hard enough to kill you when I box with axe,
then?"

Slash cackles his hyena-like laughter.

Skrags shrugs. "You hit me, I hit you back. I do not cast spell to make you
think me your dearest friend."

Slash says "Spell not kill. Spell stop from killing."

Slash shrugs. "I think more stupid to kill for do stupid talk", he says,
grumbling low in his chest.

Vera looks at Maria. "Do you withdraw your challenge?"

Maria looks to Vera, and shakes her head. "I do not."

Slash says "It okay challenge for kill-fight if someone do stupid thing?"

Vera says, "Honor is the soul of the nobility. It is not for us to strip you
of your honor. So be it. If it is indeed a matter of honor, then have your
duel, on the ice below the Ark."

Vera looks at Drayakir. "Do you accept the challenge?"

Drayakir points to Maria "She is wearing armor and weapons. All I have is a
robe. Would I be allowed to bring some of my own weapons?"

Vera nods. "You may arm yourself, before witnesses."

Slash says "We not witness her get weapons."

Maria looks to Slash, and says, "My weapons are here before you, for all to
see. Stay out of things that do not concern you. This is a point of honor."
Looking back to Drayakir, she mutters a curse in Abyssal, and then heads to
the lift, saying her oath, and motions for them to lower her to the ice.

Vera says, "If the challenged requests, the challenger will also be examined
before witnesses."

Drayakir strips off the cloak of his robe. "I cam prepared." At his belt he
has a flask of alchemist fire, and two scrolls of Sleep and Magic Missile.
"That is all I will need." He follows after Maria, and waits for the lift to
come up.

Vera, Hyan Luize, Brother Fiorian, and Doyle (another of the Gatehouse crew)
accompany Drayakir and Maria on the lift. Vera says, "You must wait upon our
word before attacking."

Drayakir nods and says "Set the distance."

Slash growls, saying "You lead Ark. I live on Ark. It concern me."
Slash says "Vera-captain, you wants me go with you?"

Oskar mutters to Slash, "She's got delusions of grandeur, that lass. Stay out
of it. She has the best voice and the prettiest face for outsiders to see!"'.

Slash looks over to Oskar, and quiets down -- but he grumbles a little and
paws at the ground with both feet, again.

Vera shakes her head. "No, Slash. Everyone else stays on the Ark." She and the
others mutter their oaths of return. Skrags hitches up the mule and the lift
starts to descend.

Maria looks to Vera, and says, "I say we set a perimeter of ten feet. Anyone
passing outside the perimeter forfeits the duel."

As the lift slowly descends, Vera looks to Drayakir. "Are those terms
acceptable? You are the challenged party, you have the right to negotiate."

Drayakir shakes his head. "No. Let it be a duel until one of us loses
consciousness. And make it thirty feet. I believe that will be the fair way
to settle it. I have a feeling she has some trick up her sleeve to just
expulse me out of the designated area."

Maria smirks, and says, "Very well, then. In that case, let us also prohibit
enchantment spells."

Vera says, "You start thirty feet apart. Whoever concedes loses, regardless of
where you go. Death and unconsciousness are considered concession. As for
restrictions on spells..." She quirks an eyebrow at Drayakir.

Drayakir shrugs. "However you decide. I note that she definetely has the
advantage. I was taught little magic but enchantment. Your call."

Vera consults with Fiorian, who shakes his head. He says, "In a duel, he must
be permitted the use of all his magic, as long as they do not affect anyone
outside the duel."

The lift reaches the bottom. Doyle and Hyan step out. Vera gestures at
Drayakir and Maria to go next.

Slash growls people away from the edge Oskar seems to want to watch from, to
let his friend get a good view.

Icefield

Dark. Cold. The sky is low, thick, with neither moon nor star. Clouds glimmer
with reflected light from the ice. Under the ice, tiny glowing creatures swim.
On the ice, vast herds of giant seal-like creatures skate ever forward, a
fringe of open water at their leading edge, feeding on the tiny glows. Their
own skin shines with a pale green light. In one direction, call it north, the
ground rises abruptly above the ice, starting some four miles away, foothills
extending to either side for about a mile. In the center, a mountain juts up
some 500'. On the mountain, a huge castle or tower rises, perhaps a mile in
diameter at the base, rising up into smaller needles that seem to pierce the
black sky. The higher towers glitter with thousands of lights, blindingly
bright against the never-ending night.

Maria steps off the lift, shaking her head slightly. She had hoped to disallow
the use of sleep spells and the like, but that seems to not be a possibility.
She'll just have to finish the man quickly, it seems. Moving to her position,
she readies herself for combat.

Drayakir walks to the opposite side of the "ring." He bows to Maria, bows to
each one of the judges, and then to the "gallery." He pulls the hood of his
robe onto his head to obscure his face.

Fiorian paces out the thirty feet and nods for Drayakir to stand there. He
says, "Hextor and Heironeous bless this duel. In the name of the honorable,
let honor be done. The duel starts when I clap thrice..." He and the others
take their positions midway between the two and to the side, out of the line
of fire.

He claps thrice, rapidly.

[OOC note: Maria wins initiative. She closes in with a Hideous Blow, and
scores a critical hit.]

Game: Drayakir takes 19 points of damage.

Maria charges forward, her scimitar glowing blue with arcane power. "You're
going to regret ever crossing me, Drayakir! May your spells fail and your gods
forsake you!" And then she cuts deeply into his flesh, almost killing the man.

Drayakir stumbles back several feet and reaches into his pouch, and throws
something at Maria. He mumbled something, but his breathing is ragged due to
the huge gash across his chest. However, Maria seems unfazed by this. Drayakir
just looks at his impending doom, knowing that this was going to come
eventually.

[OOC note: Drayakir casts Tasha's hideous laughter. Maria makes her save.]

Maria smirks, and raises one hand, pointing at Drayakir. "I hope you prayed to
your god before you came down here, Drayakir." And she unleashes a bolt of
arcane power at the man, striking him in the chest.

Game: Drayakir takes 11 points of damage and is now dying.

[OOC note: Drayakir fails to stabilize on his turn.]

Game: Drayakir takes 1 points of damage and is now DEAD.

Maria, seeing that Drayakir has died, swings her blade again, meaning to
decapitate the corpse. "You should never have gone against me. Now you know
your error."

Captain Vera, Brother Fiorian, Hyan Luize, and Doyle look glum. But they do
not interfere until Drayakir is clearly dead. They approach and Vera calls
out, "The duel is decided. Maria is the victor."

Maria wipes the blood from her blade, and says, "That went about as expected."
Looking to Vera and the others, she bows, and says, "I thank you for allowing
me to defend my honor in this duel."

Vera nods. She gestures at Doyle. The burly half-orc picks up both pieces of
the corpse and takes them to the lift. "I think it's time to head back. We're
short one wizard now, and the Ice Raiders are coming back in three...no, more
like two days now."

Hyan shakes her head in disapproval. To Maria, she says, "Sister, you still
have much darkness in your heart."

Meanwhile, up on the platform, Oskar is redistributing coins and paper IOUs
around to the half-drunken bettors.

Maria nods her head, and says, "Then we shall have to work on what to say to
them when they arrive. I believe the truth will suffice. We tell them that
Drayakir did not speak for all the ark, and that we cannot support an
offensive without first analyzing the situation." Pausing slightly, she looks
to Hyan, and says, "I was born into darkness, Hyan. It is all I have known."

Hyan says, "Alas, the same was true of Drayakir, and now, that is all that he
shall ever have known in this life. But you are still alive. Darkness is not
all that there is! Even under this dimmed sky, I sense the sun somewhere
beyond the dark...This rage may destroy you in the end, and many of us with
you. Will you not look for the warmth of the Sun?"

Vera waves a hand impatiently at all the moralizing. "Done is done." She
glances up, giving the signal to raise the lift once everyone is aboard.

Maria smiles to Hyan, and says, "I will try, Hyan. If not the sun, then
perhaps Mystra, the weaver of magics. My land was a harsh one. My father was a
cleric of Nerull. I have come a long way since then."

<Connection monitor> Slash has just disconnected.

Hyan reflexively makes the sign of Pelor at the mention of Nerull. "Yes. But
it is a long path yet..."

The lift creaks as it gets drawn up on its chain. Maria gets a few dark looks
from the others, but no one says anything openly.

Maria nods her head, and says, "A path that I have been walking. I am not my
father, nor am I of his faith. I have no use for his church. I prefer life,
and the living." Looking to the people of the ark, she sighs, and says, "I did
what I had to for honor. If any question what I have done, they may come to
see me in my chambers, and I will discuss with them the reasons for my
actions."

Hyan doesn't look terribly happy, but she says, "Yes. I understand how
difficult it is to go against the faith of your society. I, too, grew up in a
city where the darker deities were worshipped. But I pray that you may learn
mercy and forgiveness. That doesn't mean ignoring the ill done to you, but
rather to transcend it. The cost to your body is less than the gain to your
soul."

Meanwhile, everyone up above scrambles out of the way. There is more than one
fearful look among the spectators. Mutters of, "Two blows! She killed him,
just like that!" And so on.

Maria nods her head to Hyan, and says, "I will try, Hyan. I'm actually much
more merciful than my mother would have been." She shakes her head, and spits
upon the ground. "She would have turned the body into some form of undead.
Personally, I can't stand for that kind of thing, as I'm sure I've given
witness before."

Hyan nods. "Aye, I have seen it. The undead are an abomination. Death is a
gift. We should not pervert it."

Once the lift reaches the platform, Captain Vera and her associates herd the
spectators back up to the keep, taking care that people do not fall off the
path. "All right. Nothing to see. Everyone back to bed! Now!"

Skrags smiles slightly at Maria as the warlock comes into view again. "Well
fought. A quick, clean kill."

Maria nods her head. "I agree, Hyan." Looking over to Skrags, she bows her
head, and says, "I thank you, Skrags. I did not wish to prolong things. My
object was not to make sport of it, but to fight the duel and be done with it."

Skrags nods in approval. "Aye." After that, she is quiet as she and the wolf
follow the others back.

Maria walking alongside Skrags, she looks around, and says, "What do you think
the others will say about this? I believe they will be whispering rumors
behind my back now."

Skrags mutters, "I think they fear you. And with reason. But I am glad. The
wizard was a fool and honorless. He lied and plotted murder."

Maria nods her head slowly. "That is to be expected. Still, that demonstration
of my power could prove useful, down the road. And in time, my powers will
grow, and I will be able to do other things, as well."

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