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Logged and edited by the Doctor
27-Feb-2006

DM: the Doctor
PCs: Hayli, Jones, Maria, Tylan
Summary: Meeting Baron Haldre
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<OOC> The Doctor says, "So now everyone is in the keep, in the Baron's waiting
room. Waiting."

A big round chamber, furnished with upholstered wooden chairs, sized from
small to large, and a table of snacks and drinks - bottles of wine, honey
mead, ale. Glass goblets. Pastries. Dried meats. Nuts. There's tapestries,
too, on the walls. But they are all in geometrical or floral patterns.
Abstract. Fancy wooden doors (kept shut.)

As you wait, the two ogres who escorted you in sit on the big sized chairs,
grinning unpleasantly at you. Now and then they snatch a morsel from the table
and crunch noisily.

Jones stands near the door the group came in, standing at parade rest with his
weapon and once more being like an empty suit of armor.

Hayli remains standing, as she has been since being brought into the room. She
does move over, after a while, to lean against the nearest wall -- her ribs
still ache from the squeezing of the vine and, try as she might to not show
it, she's showing some signs of the fatigue and pain associated with the
injuries.

Tylan continues to play the stoic, standing on guard, and always just a little
closer to the ogres than Hayli is when he can manage it, letting pretty much
anyone who isn't him handle the talking.

Maria has been quiet during this trip. Unfortunately, it seems as though the
recent change from the icy cold of the tundra to the steaming heat of the
jungle has adversly affected her temperarily, causing an allergic reaction, it
seems. She is careful, however, not to give the illusion of weakness to these
ogres. Such a misstep could prove fatal.

Hayli says, "Tylan", and waves him over when she gets his attention. Once he's
close enough for her to whisper, she does so, in the Sylvan tongue, saying <<I
think there's a door of some kind hidden behind the tapestry>>, also going on
to, in the same whispered Sylvan, describe which tapestry she means, while
making sure to look at a different part of the room. <<Just in case it becomes
important.>>

FINALLY, one of the doors opens again. and a human man, perhaps in his late
40s, comes in. He wears brown woollen traveller's garb, of a finer cut than
usual, and a good sturdy quarterstaff. A wooden holy symbol hangs around his
neck. Not your typical courtier, except that his manner is proud enough. He
says little, only slowly sweeping an intense stare around the room, taking
each of the visitors in turn.

Tylan nods to Hayli, responding quietly, and without looking at the tapestry.
<<Good eye. Something to keep in mind, especially if things go badly here. I'm
still wondering what the situation here is... the humans may well be enslaved,
or as good as. Perhaps just anything is better than being dragon food.
Regardless, I like our hosts less and less.>> he adds, before turning around
to eye the newest arrival, and giving him a small nod of greeting.

Hayli pulls herself from the wall she's been leaning against at the arrival of
the courtier.

Maria nods her head at the staring courtier, trying to be nice for the time
being.

Jones remains still, eyes locking on the newcommer.

The man nods. "Welcome to Haldresburg. May I have your names, please?"

Hayli gives a half-bow, though the motion is a little stiff thanks to her
bruised ribs. "I'm Hayli. Thank you for your welcome", she says, letting the
others give their own introductions.

Tylan nods once. "Tylan." he replies simply, a little surprised at the
welcome. Not the most friendly sounding of folks... but better than the ogres,
at least so far.

Maria takes a step forward, and says, "My name is Maria Evenstar. We are from
the floating island in the sky."

The man smiles slightly at Maria's words. "Yes, we know." He beckons,
including the two ogres in his gestures. "This way, please." He goes back
through the door he just came through, the two ogres standing. One says, "You
go," apparently meaning for the visitors to go in front of them. The human
leads you through a short connecting passageway, then through large wooden
doors to the keep's main hall. He announces, "The visitors from the floating
island, my lord. May I present Hayli, Tylan, Maria Evenstar, and Jones."

A big stone hall, with high vaulted ceilings and sturdy wooden rafters. 60'
long, 30' wide. Tapestries (again, in geometrical or floral patterns) line the
walls. Small windows high up let in some light, while more comes from
everburning torches hanging from the rafters. Ogrish guards (at least half a
dozen) stand in alcoves set on the side walls. A luxurious throne is set on a
dais at the end. Long wooden tables and stools in two lines, leaving a
carpeted path from double doors to the dais. Human servants, human courtiers,
random humans, ogres, and such are usually to be found in the room.

Tylan is willing to go ahead of the ogres. Not a pleasant place, but he takes
great care to stay near Hayli, and get a look at what they're walking into.
The throne gets his first glance, and then the ogres, not paying much
attention to the little details, just assessing their chances should this get
ugly. With this group's diplomatic efforts in times past, it easily could.

The man says to the visitors, "His lordship Baron Haldre."

On the throne is an ogre of a different breed: the kind with green skin and
short ivory horns. He is clad in rich garb, including a chain shirt, and a big
sword is sheathed at his side. He grins and studies the group. "Well, well,
well. So you decided to come see us, did you? An honor, I'm sure."

Maria nods her head to the courtier, and walks through the door, watching the
surroundings. When confronted with the baron, she bows deeply. "The honor is
ours, your Lordship."

Hayli follows through, coming to stand near Maria. She, too, bows and adds,
"Thank you kindly for seeing us. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The baron seems to find Maria more pleasing to the eye than Hayli. He smiles
slyly at her for a moment, then glances at the human, who has now moved to
stand next to the throne. "Guthwulf?" The man chuckles and nods, at which the
baron turns back to the visitors. "An interesting spot you picked for your
floating island. I sincerely hope you have not come to provoke our neighbors.
If that is the case..."

Tylan raises a brow, at mention of provoking the neighbors. As in neighbors
plural. What else is out there besides the dragon? Much as he'd like to ask,
and seems about to, he silences himself, settiling in quietly next to Hayli.

Hayli falls silent, as the Baron's attention has come to rest on Maria. She
almost seems to be a little more at ease now, actually -- the weight of
diplomacy's off /her/ shoulders, at least for the time being.

You paged Maria with 'He does seem to like you, in that lecherous ogre mage
sort of way. Probably he's thinking if he has to kill everyone on the Ark,
he'll try to keep you alive for himself. :-)'.

Maria shakes her head, and says, "I assure you, mi'lord, that our intentions
were nothing of the sort. We had no choic in the location of our little ark
upon this plane." She smiles at him, and giggles slightly. She knows his
interest, to be sure, and is playing to it.

The baron idly taps his fingers on the sheathed sword. "Because it would be a
shame..." He smiles fleetingly again at Maria. "No choice? What, then, are
your intentions here? Your island flies within the bounds of Haldresburg. How
long do you plan to stay?"

Maria smiles, and says, "We came fleeing a situation that was disadvantageous
to our continued survival. We have no wish to cause any trouble to
Haldresburg. We do not have any plans for the future, however. We would stay
as long as we may, if it is not displeasing to you. We would not wish for
conflict, you understand."

Jones idlely, and silently, watches the by-play between Maria and the ogre.
His head tilts slightly signifying his couriosity.

Hayli remains quiet, letting Maria do the talking.

The baron nods slowly. He glares sternly at each of the visitors, then softens
again as he regards Maria. "I see. Yes. I have no wish for conflict, either.
Gart's Truce has held for the last fourscore years. In that time, the Arhei
Valley has prospered as never before. A good thing, no? So I will NOT have it
broken now."

Maria bows her head, and says, "If we could hear more of this truce, we would
do everything in our power to abide by it."

Hayli steps back a bit, letting Maria 'take point' in this situation.

Tylan allows Maria to do her thing here. The ogre chief seems to be responding
well to her, or 'well', but whatever it is, its seeming to work. He shifts a
little, always trying to focus more on the ogres than the baron, just in case.
When Hayli steps back, he shifts back with her, knowing quite well that she's
injured, and not trusting any ally of ogres in the least.

The baron waves to the man, Guthwulf, who explains in a low, scholarly manner,
"Tloshekai Gartemalichtach, king of Tloshketai (commonly known as the
'Wyrmwood'), lord of the green wyrms, made an agreement with the Barons of the
Arhei, that each territory would be respected by the others. This, to end
centuries of fruitless raiding and destruction. Henceforth, none are welcomed
north of the fence, except the slaves and the prey of the greenwyrms. The
greenwyrms are not to burn or to ravage, to take neither men nor kine, from
this side of the fence. Their subjects are to keep to their own lands."

Maria nods her head, and says, "We will make certain that our people do not
cross over into the domain of the king of the Wyrmwood. We have no interest in
stirring up old conflicts between nations."

The baron nods. "Very good. Just one more thing, then. The dragons are not the
only threat. At times we face...other threats. Monstrous things erupting from
the deeps of the earth. Goblins raiders. If you are to live among us, you must
provide a certain number of warriors to our command. How many dwell upon this
island of yours?"

Tylan raises a brow. Mercenary work? That definitely catches his attention,
and it shows. He still doesn't say anything, but at least there's some sign
this part of the request seems reasonable.

One of Hayli's eyebrows arches up, too. Still, she doesn't speak up just yet.
Maria's doing a good job, so far.

If jones had a brow to raise it might be up too but he reains motionless.

Maria nods her head, and says, "Unfortunately the magic that brought us to
this world also binds us to the Ark. By making a solemn oath to return, we are
able to leave for short periods of time. Perhaps we could come to an alternate
arrangement? We could perhaps bolster your forces in the area around the Ark?"

The baron frowns at that. He regards you suspiciously, but after a moment,
concedes the point. For now. "In that case, we shall not call for long periods
of service. The 'Ark'...you are not far from Oerdrik's steading. He takes
little interest in his duties! Very well. You must ward that area, and answer
our summons in case of emergencies."

Maria bows her head, and says, "That is an acceptable agreement, milord. the
people of the Ark will defend the area in our immediate viscinity to the best
of our ability. And, should the mighty warriors of Haldresburg require our
aid, we will of course offer it."

The baron studies the group silently for a moment, then nods. He stands and
puts his hand on the hilt of his greatsword. "So let it be!" He raises his
voice to fill the hall. "Hear me! The people of this floating island, known as
the "Ark", are recognized as part of Haldreburg! They have the freedom of the
barony and the river. They shall abide by the truce and stand with us in our
defenses!" Then he sits down and in a lower voice calls to the minstrel
lurking nearby, some gnomish fellow with a lute. "Music!" He waves at you to
sample the food and drink constantly being replenished at the tables.

Tylan glances at Hayli, giving a small shrug. He regards the minstrel for a
moment, then the food, noting the constantly replenishing tables as compared
to the relative poverty outside, and doesn't head anywhere, at least for the
moment.

Maria bows once more to the baron, and takes a step back to the group, "With
your leave, Mi'lord, unless there is anything further you would wish of us at
this time, we should return to the Ark, and inform our people of the new
arrangement."

The baron smiles at Maria, and nods graciously. "As you wish."

So out you go again. This time, you are left free to find your own way back
home, once you have been escorted out of the keep. The locals still watch you
curiously, but no one is quite bold enough to approach you at the moment. The
townsfolk look like they are neither starving nor overfed, their clothes plain
but not rags. The baron clearly gets the best of everything, but the best is
not the luxury of a really decadent king. On the whole, the humans seem to be
of lower caste than the ogres, though a few humans here and there are in
higher positions.

This time, your trek back through the woods goes without incident. With
Hayli's keen senses, you are able to avoid that other assassin vine over
there, and that big bear shuffling through the trees... It is just around dusk
when you get back.

Hayli frowns as the party approaches the platform. "Something's wrong...
where's the sentry that's usually here?", she comments.

Tylan follows Hayli's lead well enough, enjoying the part where they're
trekking through the woods far better than the town. For that matter, better
than he likes the ark. Hayli's question immediately snaps him to alert
though... he's stood guard enough times - even kind of enjoys doing so.
"Around here... could be all sorts of things. Any signs of them?"

Maria, frowning, looks around. "Perhaps they have been taken by one of the
vines? Everyone on your guard!"

Hayli nocks an arrow to the string of her bow even as she casts a glance
around the area immediately about the platform landing.

<OOC> The Doctor says, "Note, you are still on the ground BELOW the Ark. The
"elevator" is currently in its "up" position."

Tylan draws his swords at all the alerts. Surely if there was someone on duty,
they'd have noted the group by now.

The breeze and the rustling of the leaves prevents you from hearing anything
that might or might not be going on up there on the Ark.

Jones says "I agree. This is strange. There is always someone on duty at the
lift."

Hayli wanders over to a nearby tree. Touching the trunk with her fingers then
rubbing fingertips against her thumb, she says, "It looks as if someone from
the Ark came and cut some wood -- sometime in the past few hours. I see no
signs of any sort of struggle or fight, just the tracks from the platform's
landing to the trees and then back." She returns to the others as she reports.

Hayli adds, "The wood was cut some hours ago -- while we were on the journey
to the town and back."

Jones says "I see no other option then to call out for assistance. Hopefully
one aboard will hear us."

Hayli nods. "I could remove the point from one of my arrows and loose it up to
try to get someone's attention, as well", she offers.

Tylan considers that. "We could also climb one of the trees and see if we can
catch sight of what's happening up there. Or use a rope and grapnel. We
weren't being quiet... they should know we're here."

Jones says "It is about two hundred feet to the platform. I do not have that
much rope."

Jones seems to suck in a breath, a strange sound for the warforged. "HELLO THE
ARK! HELLO!"

Hayli looks over at Maria. "Do you have magicks that might help...?", she
starts to ask, when Jones is suddenly calling out.

Tylan frowns, glancing at Jones, then up at the Ark, tightening his grip on
his blades, and waiting to see who, or what responds.

Hayli looks around, casting her gaze about at ground-level ... in case Jones'
calls drew unwanted attention from the surrounding area.

That seems to get a response. Someone is running down the path. Sticking a
head over the edge for a look. You recognize Syl, one of the Gatehouse crew.
There's an answering cry, "You're back! <...lost in the wind...>
...DOWN...LIFT...!" And a few moments later, the lift is indeed being lowered.

Tylan glances around, then wanders towards the cut wood, taking it slow and
looking for any sign of any more animate vegetation in specific. After a few
moments of that, he heads back to the rest of the group, preparing to head up,
still rather suspicious.

Maria steps onto the landing, looking around as she does so. "I wonder why the
sentry wasn't around. We'll have to ask Dagoth about that."

Jones nods once with a grunt and boards the lift when it's finally down.

Hayli nods, waiting for Tylan to return before also stepping onto the
platform. "The change in routine does seem unusual, indeed."

The lift gets drawn up, normally enough. But once you reach the top, and you
see Syl's stricken face, it's clear that something is very wrong. "Thank the
gods, you live." She rehitches the mule with shaking hands, then starts back
up the path. "This way, quick!"

Hayli arches a brow. "What's happened?", she asks, hurrying after as best she
can.

Jones regrips his weapon and pounds after teh woman as fast as his slow body
will allow.

Tylan trails behind to play rear guard, figuring if its not safe, then the
threat will come from behind them. He keeps his swords out, just waiting for
the bad news.

Maria draws her scimitar, and follows after Syl. "What is going on? Speak,
swiftly!"

Syl says, despair in her voice, "It's too late. But the survivors will need
you...the metal man is a priest, isn't he?" She hurries up the path.

Hayli says "Survivors?! What /happened/?!", Hayli asks again. "Talk while we
run!""

Tylan snarls. "The dragon?" he guesses, picking up the pace.

Maria frowns, and syas, "Survivors? Survivors of what? Speak, damn you!"

Even before you pass under the main gate, you can hear the cries and
griefstricken keening from the courtyard beyond... the sounds of many people
gathered...

Inside Grimstone Court, bodies are laid out in rough rows. 40-50 of them. All
residents of the Ark. Among them, Dagoth, Vera, Sausau... Hyan is alive,
looking deathly ill, tending to some others on one side, who also look ill,
but still breathing.

You paged Hayli with 'And there's one other obviously out of place object - a
painted mask, a beaked grotesque, hanging on the fountain.'.

Tylan frowns, looking about at the chaos. Not nearly as many survivors as he
might have hoped, and no sign that there won't be another attack. Green
dragons he's familiar enough with, they're forest dwellers, and he's still
imagining that's what did this. One of the few things that could wreak havoc
on this kind of scale.

Syl shakes her head. "They were at supper. It was suppertime, so everyone was
in the main hall, in the keep." Others see you come in, and chime in. "It
rolled down, like a mist, a fog..."

Hayli frowns. "Where'd that come from?", she asks, pointing out a grotesque,
beaked mask that's hanging on the fountain. "And would /someone/ please tell
us what /happened/ here?" she asks, even as she puts away the arrow she's had
to string this whole time and moves over to do what little she can to help.

Maria's eyes glow with blue with arcane power as she sees the scene, and
reaches over to try and grab Syl by the throat. "YOU WILL TELL ME EVERYTHING!
NOW!!"

"The fog came, and everyone just died!" "Most everyone..." "And the ones who
tried to pull us out died too..." "Not even time to scream..." "...even the
babies!" "...Vera dead..."

Tylan shakes his head. "A poison mist? This gets worse by the moment." He
doesn't even begin to suggest to tell Maria she needs to calm down -
considering he's not far from wanting to break something himself. "Did anyone
see anything else? We need to make sure this does not occur again or there
will be no survivors."

Syl, shaken, babbles, "I was at the Gatehouse, on watch. I heard the screams.
There was nothing that we could see! I swear! It wasn't the dragon. Maybe the
ghost... The mist came down the keep, filled the dining hall. It's gone
now...it was there for, I don't know, ten minutes?"

Jones moves slowly from one body to the next. He checks for signs of life then
moves on to the living.

One of the other survivors points at the mask. "That thing! It was just there!
It spoke to us!"

Hayli pulls the arrow back out, putting it to string. She draws the arrow back
and brings it up to aim at Maria. "Put her down. There has been enough pain
and suffering, and you will NOT cause more."

Tylan growls low, looking to the mask. "Everyone calm yourselves. Threatening
anyone here won't help any of us live if the fog returns. What did it say?!"

Hyan looks up. She says, voice weak but intent firm, "Please. No violence!
There are forty-eight dead lying here in this courtyard. That's ENOUGH!"

The Ark's resident gnoll, Slash, is present. He's helping to carry bodies out
from wherever they're found and into the courtyard.

Maria shakes her head, and releases Syl, turning aways from them. "I want to
know what mage did this, and I want to know NOW! And then I'm going to feast
upon his heart!"

One of the refugees from Nix whispers, barely audibly, to Tylan, "It said,
'Faithless fools of the Ark: behold the Chosen's payment for broken
contracts.'" The old woman shudders.

Jones pauses to peer at the speaker of the message and then shakes his head
moving on to the next person in need of help.

Maria shakes her head, and says, "Damn you! And damn every last one of you who
wished to leave that plane!" She turns, and bitterly stalks off towards the
well, heading for the Tavern.

Hayli's eyes widen at what the mask spoke. She's quiet a moment, then slowly
looks up at the mask. Then, in a swift motion, she lifts her bow, draws back
on the string, and looses the arrow. The arrow hits the mask squarely,
splitting it into two parts.

Tylan sighs and shakes his head, returning his swords to their sheaths. They
underestimated the power of their enemies, and have paid a dear price. He
doesn't say a word one way or another. No point to it now. "I doubt this will
be the last we hear of them. But there's a lot to do here too. Starting with
finding out who can still stand sentry. A lot to guard against."

Once she sees that no fight is imminent, Hyan, spells exhausted, moves to pray
over the dead, a task at which Brother Fiorian is already engaged in.

Sobs continue to fill the air, and shaken speculation. But another of the
Gatehouse crew, the half-orc Doyle, seems to have his wits about him, at least
enough to bark agreement with Tylan's words. "Syl, you take watch on the
platform." He glances at Fiorian. "We'll set a funeral pyre below. Make the
arrangements."

Jones says "I will stand sentry. I am the only one here who does not need
sleep. If we had a squad of my brothers we would be ok watch-wise."

Meanwhile, no one seems brave enough to go near the mask, much less touch it.

Tylan nods to Jones. "I need only a little time for reverie. Doyle, is it...
see to rounding up as many able swords as you can, I'll head down to the
engines... if there's going to be more chaos, now would be the time for our
in-house assailant to strike." He's not diplomatic in the least, but he does
try for efficiency in a crisis. "They'll need guards at the pyre too. If an
enemy is going to strike, they'll do it while we're out and vulnerable."

The chaos gradually dwindles. People begin to move more purposefully. The
Change Engines are quiet for the moment.

Hayli lowers her bow several moments after having shot the mask into two
parts. Then, she goes over to it to pull the two parts out of the fountain and
throw them onto the ground. She then does something anyone who really knows
her would realize is FAR from her usual -- she throws her bow to the ground,
and pulls Tylan's spare bastard sword from its hangar on her back -- she's
preparing to smash at the two pieces of the mask, and there's already, clearly
now, tears on her cheeks. She's lashing out at the one thing she /can/ lash
out at.

The mask takes Hayli's ire as only an inanimate object can...breaking into
itty bitty little pieces without a protest.

Tylan glancing at Hayli, Tylan gives her long enough to smash the mask. He can
understand where she'd be rather upset right now. "Hayli... I'll need some
help on guard duty, come on." he calls, once the mask is shattered. And
honestly, he's glad to see it go.

Hayli closes her eyes when the mask's just smithereens of its former self.
"You want me to guard? I should've been here. I should be laying there, with
them", she says, in the elven tongue. "I insisted we move the Ark -- and
they're all dead because of me. For all the good I thought I was doing, all I
did was bring harm to those I wished to protect." The big sword falls from her
grasp to clatter to the ground.

Tylan responds in Elven in turn, <<And enough agreed that the decision was
made. And Rogdin's joining the debate decided it. You can pity yourself if you
must, but we have half the strength we're used to now. And you have good eyes
and a weapon. Now come on. Most of these people lost loved ones... they need
their grieving. The best thing we can do for them now is to guard them so they
have that time.>>

Hayli sighs, and nods. Opening her eyes to glance about, she leaves the sword
where it fell and recovers her bow. <<You're right, of course...>>, she
replies in Elven. Her bow once more in hand, she turns to follow after Tylan.
If she had a cat's tail, it'd be all but dragging on the ground as she walked.

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