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| + | <roleplay mode="turn_data"> | ||
| + | turn:121 | ||
| + | title:A Rap on the Shutters | ||
| + | start:1001/9/19 20:00 | ||
| + | end:1001/9/20 04:00 | ||
| + | posted_date:2006-02-02 | ||
| + | weather: | ||
| + | location:in the town of Maelbourg, in the Barony of Huerten, the Kingdom of Rang | ||
| + | xp_ziedon:11300 | ||
| + | </roleplay> | ||
| + | <roleplay mode="turn_start"/> | ||
| + | Late in the night, Ziedon was woken by a rap on his shutters. Thinking it was the wind, he dozed off, but the fourth time it happened, he got up and separated them. The bird stumbled a bit and landed on the outside window sill, peering in. A moment later, there was a knock on his door. | ||
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| + | Ziedon extended a hand to help the bird into the room, and then, leaving the shutter open, headed to the door. Standing with his good leg to block the door from opening, he called out, "Yes? Who is it?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | After a delay of a few seconds, the name "Menathal" came through the door. It was clear that he was trying to be as quiet as possible while still being heard through the heavy wood. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon drew a dagger and then opened his door a bit, keeping his foot propped up against it to prevent it from being fully opened. "Yes?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | Menathal slipped a note through the crack in the door. Ziedon unrolled the scrap of parchment and read it quickly: "Thirty paces west by southwest, second alley, in five minutes. I can help." The note was unsigned. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon sighed. "Who gave you this note, Menathal?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | "I can't say," he whispered through the crack in the door, "but it would be to your advantage to follow its instructions." | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon sighed again and replied, "Five minutes won't do; I have to get dressed first." Ziedon shut the door and got dressed, checking all his daggers before putting on his cloak. He then turned to the bird, who was sitting patiently on the window sill. Ziedon envisioned the room they were in, and then the outside of the building, just outside the window. Not at all sure that this was working, he continued sending images of the route all the way to Menathal's rendezvous, as best he could visualize it. The bird stepped out and took flight, and, nodding in satisfaction, Ziedon opened the door and stepped into the hallway, where he met a nervous-looking Menathal. "Where are my other guards?" he asked. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Menathal peered down the hallway, as if by squinting he could see further than the wall. "Gelefer's sleeping. Tilluri was called away. Hurry. Tilluri may be back at any moment, and I'm not supposed to let you leave the building." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Then you are coming with me. Let's go." | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon followed the directions to the alley, where he saw a familiar figure standing in the dark. "Ah, Ziedon. I've been looking forward to this meeting ever since Sahlman told me about you. Care to join me for a chat?" Forgolon pushed open a narrow door from which the faint flicker of lantern-light emerged. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon looked at Menathal and said, "You had best figure out how to handle Tilluri." Menathal glanced at Forgolon, who nodded. Ziedon then entered the room, leaving his guard behind. "Sahlman talked with you? When was this?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Just a week ago, when things were just starting to go crazy around here. Just passing through on his way to Huerten, I guess. You, on the other hand, have decided to stay for a while." Forgolon closed the door. The two of them were alone in a dusty storage room. Wooden boxes and wine barrels lined the walls in an almost organized fashion. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Huerten, eh? Figures I would miss him". Ziedon poked around the wooden boxes, looking for a nice bottle of wine. "Was that a question? If it was, then yes. I have been forced to extend my time here. But you know, I like this town and think I'll set down some roots. I need somewhere that I can do some quiet research and study. So, who are you working for today? Galgewe or Silnquost?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Oh, a little of this, a little of that. A lot like you. Of course, I'm not trapped here by a book, but it's all the same in the end." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Then what are you trapped by? Your conscience?" Ziedon let out a short laugh, and Forgolon smiled. "So who has my book nowadays?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Silly still has it for now, but that can change, like a lot of things. Like Maelbourg has." Forgolon took a step back, and leaned casually against the wall. "So you're the one who started this whole thing. You work for Balban, and come here to depose Ulan and put Galgewe in his place. Fair enough. Then you turn a soldier who was reasonably loyal to Galgewe into one fanatically against him. Nice trick; I don't suppose you're going to tell me your secret." He smiled. "Then you pop back into town, and Galgewe picks you up right off and has you work for him, even though he knows what you did. And you don't even bother to try and free Waylad. You play some interesting games, Ziedon." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Silly has it? I thought Galgewe had it. Actually, Waylad is on my agenda for tomorrow. After all, I have only just arrived in town. Though, before we get deep into conversation... Who do you support? Gaglewe? Silly? It would make things much easier for me if I knew which side you were on. Or are you on neither?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Which side are _you_ on? I have a feeling our answers are the same." | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon smiled. "I am on my side of course. Does that mean you are on my side too?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Could be, could be. It's certainly better than the alternative. So what was that little trick with Waylad? I can see why you don't like Galgewe now, but then? I hear Balban pays pretty well, and I'm guessing your chances of making any money off him at this point aren't so good." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "The way I see it. Malaener is in chaos. The fight between Galgewe and Silnquost have divided the town and made life for the common folk harder than it needs to be." Ziedon held out his hands like scales. "On one hand if Galgewe gains supremacy than the town will be handed over to Balban and his imperialistic designs. If Silnquost gains the upper hand then he will control too much of the trades and markets and it would be the same as if Balban took over the town." Ziedon reached into one of the boxes and pulled out a bottle of wine to inspect the label. "Either choice makes things harder on Malaener and harder for the people." Ziedon brought his hands level with each other. "But what if there was a third choice? What if someone removed and replaced one of the two rival traders and restored the status quo? What if this third choice gained the support of the healers and the House? No more fighting in the streets, no more dead-of-the-night imprisonments; everyone is relatively happy again and things return to a more normal state of being." Ziedon looked at Forgolon. "What would you think of that?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | Forgolon smiled and folded his arms. "Looking to put yourself in power as a gesture of peace. Very nice. And I notice you avoided the question about Waylad, too... No matter. You can't get real answers by talking people into corners. So let's get down to business. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "You mixed things up pretty neatly around here. Ulan was a push- over. Galgewe's a pain, but I could have dealt with him, even with Ulan gone. Then you dropped Waylad into the mix, along with a few soldiers crying 'witch,' and threw Maelbourg into the chaos you've claimed to be fighting. Sorry, not Maelbourg. The 'glorious capitol of Malaener;' I wouldn't want to offend your new religious sensibilities. | ||
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| + | "Galgewe was paranoid to begin with. People start beating each other up, and he goes nuts. Keeps me far enough away that it would take months to get close, and by then, who knows what the situation would be like. When your southern friend let me in on who was really responsible for all the mess, I got to thinking. Here's a man out for himself and no one else. I can respect that. Here's a man who can reverse a another man's allegiances, scare away mounted soldiers alone and unarmed, scramble the politics of a town without an army or even a charismatic leader like Balban. | ||
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| + | "You asked me what side I'm on, and I'll tell you. I'm on the winning side, and I'm starting to think that's yours. Now pay attention here. No matter what you do, no matter how deep you get into Maelbourg politics, you can't win alone. You're not a Morenthian, and that hurts. You can't pass for a Morenthian either. You don't have the voice for it, and you sound like an ignoramus the way you say 'Malaener.' Even if you really work at it -- even if you convert -- you'll have a tough time, and converting's no walk in the park... That batch is sour." Ziedon put down the bottle he was holding with a look of interested disgust, as if he'd known it was sour all along, and switched to another crate. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "People know me," Forgolon continued, standing straight. "People trust me. Almost no one knows how much I had to do with Ulan's rise to power -- a guy like that doesn't make it on his own. I can help you too, if you're willing. And no, I'm not selfless; I'll get my share of the two things everyone around here seems to want -- money and power -- but I can't do that unless I'm on the winning side, and you can't do that without me." | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon continued rummaging through the bottles. "Galgewe did mention that Sahlman had been in town just recently. He was supposed to come here with Waylad shortly after we parted, so I don't know why he just recently came to town. What transpired with him?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Nothing much, except his little attack on Townsman Batarel. He thought Butterball's men were going to attack, so he charged, and knocked him right off his horse, broke his leg, and then made him a hostage. That little trick got us both a few minutes of jail time, and it was what started the physical fighting that's been going on. That Sahl's a good guy, but he doesn't have a head on his shoulders when it comes to politics." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "I already have the support of Velirra Dufowl, Jerrakken and one of the Morenthian healers. Silnquost also knows of my plans and tentatively supports me. My intentions are to talk with a few more people on the morrow and... gain their support. I planned on talking with Duddan, Calen Finterher and Gerrit Argol at a minimum. If possible, I will try to also talk with Jorran Kal and Eiselon Makierrei but they might have to wait until the day after. Any assistance you can provide in securing meetings with these persons would be appreciated." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Finterher? The dairy trader? Why bother? The others make sense, but you'd better talk to someone on Silly's side, or Galgewe will get suspicious. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "I do not intend to convert, but I thought it respectful to call the city by its proper name... How exactly do you pronounce 'Malaener'?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | "It's not so much the way you pronounce it, though your pronunciation is pretty bad. It's more the context. Malaener is an old political region from before Maelbourg was part of Rang. It's a lot bigger than just Maelbourg. Used to be full of Morenthians before they were all killed or confined to the city. People only use that word in a religious context, or when they're complaining about Andrithans. If you have to use it, it's with more of an 'e' than an 'a,' a little mix of both -- Mal-eea-ner, and the 'r' is almost silent. And raise the pitch a half-step on the middle syllable. Religious words have a more musical sound to them." | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon repeated it a few times "Ah, better. Now... As for you. I frequently have business out of town. My intent was to establish a seneschal to watch over my holdings and interests in my absence. I think that such a person would have to have my interests in mind but also be attuned to the city and its politics. I would offer that position to you. As I rise, so do you. My intent is to have somewhere quiet where I can conduct my researches, which are time consuming and costly. The intricacies of politics I would leave in your capable hands. What is amusing is that currently I am in the pay of both Galgewe and Silnquost. Both think I am working for them, though Silnquost knows of my association with Galgewe. This complicates things slightly but not to a great degree." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "A dangerous game. Watch out for Galgewe, though. He's not as stupid as he seems." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "So, what do you think? Are you with me?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Of course. I wouldn't have contacted you if I didn't think you were going places. But don't spread my name around. Anonymity's what's kept me alive this long, and I won't be able to help you much without it." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Oh, what do you know about these so-called Knights of Peace?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | Forgolon laughed. "They certainly think a lot of themselves. Made me an honorary member once -- I can't remember why. Probably drunk. I wouldn't worry about them." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "There is another thing. I spoke with some of Ulan's old retainers. The red haired fellow for one. For some reason I thought that Ulan was in the prison here and told the retainers that I would bust him out. I then found out that he wasn't in the prison, but I would like to retain the services of the retainers. Could you seek them out and give them some story? Ulan was in the prison but has since been removed from the city or something of the sort, but left instructions that I would taking his holdings. I plan to forge a few documents." | ||
| + | |||
| + | Forgolon gave Ziedon a strange look, not sure what he was getting at. "Ulan was never in prison. You met him yourself on his way out of town." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Yes I know... but I thought I had heard he was captured again by Galgewe's men and imprisoned. Obviously I was mistaken. The issue is what to do now about the retainers; they need to be handled and they would give us a base of manpower." | ||
| + | |||
| + | Menathal walked in at that moment. Forgolon stood up straight and answered hurriedly. "Don't worry about manpower. I have enough men working for me already, including some of the retainers. You'd better get going, Ziedon. If you need me, ask Menathal. Oh," he added, prying up the lid of one of the crates. "Give me that bottle. You don't make yourself out to be much of a connoisseur." Forgolon traded the bottle Ziedon was holding for one from the crate. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon took the bottle and said, "Then talk to the retainers you have and let them know about Ulan; give them a story that puts me in his place." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Please hurry," Menathal said. "We'll have to take the back entrance as it is." | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon turned to follow, and then looked back and added, "Oh, onyx stones... I need two small onyx stones tomorrow. They are a necessity." After that, he moved with deliberate haste out the back door and followed Menathal to the inn. Speaking softly, he said, "So the other guards do not know of your allegiance with Forgolon, eh?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Of course not," he whispered, and was quiet after that. Ziedon looked for signs of the bird as he walked, while Menathal looked out for everything else. When they got to the back door, Menathal gently rapped a three-two-one pattern, and one of the barmaids opened the door and let them into the kitchen. "Are they here?" Menathal asked her. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Not the last time I checked, but that was about a minute ago." | ||
| + | |||
| + | Menathal hurried to the kitchen door and listened at it. "Someone just walked in," he said. "I should go out alone and hope they don't check the room." | ||
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| + | Ziedon stood patiently. "Let me know when I get go to my room." | ||
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| + | A minute later, Menathal returned to the kitchen, looking flustered. "I don't know what to do," he said. "They're out there drinking. In a few minutes, Gelefer will relieve me and look in on you. They think I'm in here getting something to eat." The barmaid nodded and walked quietly over to a few barrels by the wall. She lifted various pickled vegetables out with a skewer and collected them in a bowl. | ||
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| + | "Distract them," Ziedon replied. "Get them to go outside for some reason. I will hurry up the stairs when you do." Nodding in the direction of the barmaid, he added, "Use her if you have too." | ||
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| + | Menathal looked at the barmaid, at the door, and back at Ziedon. "It won't work. They're under orders to stay here all night." He glanced at the door again. | ||
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| + | "I see. Well then, I guess there isn't anything to do but for me to walk in there, eh?" He took a step towards the door. Seeing Menathal's instant look of terror, Ziedon decided to take pity on him. "Okay, there is _one_ way to avoid discovery, but it involves me doing a bit of climbing and taking some risk. I think for keeping you out of trouble you will get me some onyx stones as well, on top of the minstrel's. I require them tomorrow. Small stones." Ziedon circled his forefinger against his thumb to show the size. "Understand?" | ||
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| + | Menathal glanced at the door and back at Ziedon, and nodded. | ||
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| + | "Are they facing the door to the kitchen?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | "I don't think so... Tilluri might be." | ||
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| + | "Take the barmaid with you and go out there; have her bring a round of drinks or something. Keep them from looking at the kitchen door, and keep the conversation going." Ziedon paused, waited, and then added expectantly, "That's it. Chop chop. Get to it, time's a-wasting." | ||
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| + | Menathal almost jumped. "Drinks, drinks," he whispered. "Hurry." He took the bowl of pickles from the barmaid so she could get a few mugs. | ||
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| + | When Menathal left the kitchen with the barmaid, Ziedon sighed. "I guess I can try out my new magics," he thought. After those two were safely out of hearing range, Ziedon chanted the words to a spell he had only recently worked out. At the conclusion, he felt the release of magical energy and smiled. Then he vanished completely from sight. Even the lamp light passed right through him, leaving no shadow. It was disconcerting at first to look down and not see his own body, but Ziedon quickly gathered his thoughts, pushed the door open slightly and slipped through. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The first thing he saw was Menathal's head jerking back to stare right at him -- no, _through_ him, he reminded himself. He must have made more noise than he'd intended. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "What's the matter?" Tilluri asked with a chuckle. "I've never seen you so nervous." | ||
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| + | "Yeah," Gelefer added, "what you do alone in kitchens with bar wenches is your own business." He winked at the barmaid, who laughed nervously. Menathal also tried to laugh, and looked down at his drink. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon walked more cautiously through the common room, avoiding people, tables and chairs until he reached the front door. He made sure the door wasn't locked, and then threw it open as quickly and widely as possible. The force sent a breeze through the common room which blew out the candles on the guards' table, leaving a dim oil lamp as the room's only light source. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "What the hell?" Tilluri asked, and got up to look outside. Ziedon circled the room quickly, back past the kitchen and to the door which led to the rooms. It took some effort to avoid tripping over things when he couldn't see his own legs. "No one there. No wind either." | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon paused for a moment to check everyone's positions in the common room. Tilluri was just turning around, and the others were sitting, watching him. The barmaid was still standing next to the table. "Strange," Tilluri said. Ziedon opened the door just wide enough to slip through while they were still distracted. "Well, you'd better start your watch, Gelefer. Menathal, you're off." As he spoke, Tilluri returned to the table and put one hand on Gelefer's shoulder to disguise the fact that his other hand was slipping something into his pocket. | ||
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| + | Out of sight, Ziedon walked briskly down the hall and to his room, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one was coming, and entered. The room was cold. The shutters he'd separated when the bird had appeared were still open. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Bolting the door behind him, Ziedon disrobed, watching his clothes become visible as soon as he dropped them on the floor. As a test, he picked up a dagger sheath off the floor and frowned when it remained visible. Clicking his tongue in thought, he smiled and slipped the sheath into his undershirt. His smile widened as the sheath disappeared. "Interesting." | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon remembered the bird, his familiar, and sent what he thought should be a mental summons indicating that the room was safe. Then he focused back on his spell, counting slowly to measure its duration. He was startled when he suddenly turned visible. "Hmm, he mused. "That doesn't last very long." As he finished his nightly preparations, he noticed that the bird was sitting on the sill again. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon pried his shutters apart enough for the bird to squeeze through. Then he lit a lamp and examined the bird. He took out some low-quality ink and a scrap of parchment and sketched a picture, noting the color variance and large eyes, and then set the parchment aside to dry. He wrapped some cloth around his hand and held it out, willing the bird to come and land on it. The bird was hesitant, but after a minute, it had come. Ziedon examined the bird even closer, looking at its talons and beak, and marveling at the strange creature's beauty. "A Name," Ziedon said softly. "You need a Name." | ||
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| + | Ziedon woke to the sound of his door opening. It was still dark, and he could see nothing. Soon, he heard the soft tinkle of coins landing on each other on the desk. Then the door closed. Townsman Silnquost's payment had arrived. | ||
| + | |||
| + | <roleplay mode="turn_notes"/> | ||
| + | |||
| + | There you go. Three turns in one. Please send me a new daily spell- preparation list, taking your new level into account. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon has 11/15HP left. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ziedon gained 45gp | ||
| + | <roleplay mode="turn_end"/> | ||
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