New Age of the Goddess - Chapter 0: A friend in Nede (IC)

[An Amy]

Chapter 0
A Friend in Nede




Gregald of Nede found his way north near Fort Landrift, an Order of the Bison fortress in Riesland. Also known as the Festering Land, Riesland is home to only those that are very stubborn to leave or very reliant on the paladin order's presence for protection. Nede is one such village, and Gregald is one such stubborn individual. However, this time he didn't go to Fort Landrift due to a zombie or skeleton that got through. Quite the opposite. He sought out his friend, Sir Ropert of Hardent, to help with Iestern cavalry demanding taxes from Nede and otherwise bullying the quite little village's population. Sir Ropert was in the middle of trying to keep out a scourge of undead from breaking through at the Tinwell Barrier north of Fort Landrift and was hurrying with himself and a large group of assembled Bisons to push ti back. Too many other villages were at risk if the undead broke through. He told Gregald to wait until his return and that Nede should just play along until they could come and help out and investigate the issue.

Sir Ronald Silvershield was at the fort at the time and overheard this. Stating that he would like to investigate it, Sir Ropert said that it would be a good idea. Just keep things low for the time being. Iestern has a reputation for overstepping their bounds and usually all it takes is to tell a commanding officer of this and the issue gets resolved. Despite being run by a drow, as loathsome as that may be, the nation is a lawful one and does not abide such violations of their regulations. Regulations that clearly state Riesland territory is not to be occupied or approached. That's in accordance with the Riesland Pact by Tyrmattore, Vernia, Iestern and Afrides.

Investigating what was happening in Nede lead Sir Ronald to the Vernian march town of Boarn, the seat of the Boarn March set in the Tyrmattore foothills. There, he learned that a company of Iestern cavalry, lead by Captain Trumbol, was stationed in Boarn and was making demands of the local populace and the surrounding villages. Nede included. Being a clear violation of the treaty and Iestern procedures, Sir Roland was going to take matters into his own hands. But before he could act, he was arrested for the attempted murder of the margrave, Pol Ledonmirth. Roland was stripped of his belongings and thrown into prison.

Roland
The prison is a largish 15 feet wide and 10 feet deep meant for more than one person, though he is alone in the cell. The wall with the door is entirely steel bars thick enough to keep almost any creature from breaking free, a door in the bars with large bolts in its stout hinges and an impressive lock that looks heavier than a piece of stone a few times larger. There is an opening on the far wall about seven feet up the nin-foot ceiling. There are bars over the narrow opening showing the street above. People pass and water from the continued rain pours into the cell and down into the drain in the middle of the cell from where the smells of human waste and rotting food frequently rushes out like a festering exhale. You've not been fed since you were taken the previous evening. You've been given a bucket of questionable water. Your "fair" trial is set for the following morning.

Fir
You've been returning from Iestern by way of the march roads. They are more pleasant to travel and come with far less scrutiny. Iestern offered good work for changelings, but the requirement to frequently change shape did not sit well with you... given other conditions. The other nature of the various tasks that could be given were not pleasing either. While in the march town of Boarn, you hear of a paladin that was being accused of murder. The same paladin was investigating corruption. Almost laughable to investigate corruption this close to Iestern, but Vernia is not entirely corrupt. Border towns, especially northern ones such as Boarn, are more autonomous from the crown and generally follow their own values. Boarn is known for hospitality especially for paladins given the proximity of the Order of Bisons just to the north in that undead swamp. The whole thing with this paladin in Boarn smells of someone being framed. Besides... Iestern cavalry are in town for some reason and seem to be pushing people around. The Margrave Pol Ledonmirth included.

Griffin "Shadowspawn"
For those that love sticking it to a corrupted official or robbing a cruel nobleman, the Iestern Evils are overflowing with opportunity. Esterhaze has nobility so fat their coinpurses have footmen. Iestern is ruled by a Drow of all things. Vernia is just indifferent and apathetic to most of the plights of its peasantry. Leaving roguish heroes more than enough opportunity to tip the balance. Boarn is not such a town, however, that needs help often. But news spread along the North Maern road that some Iestern military types were in Boarn making a mess of things. Not only are they technically invaders, despite the crown's lack of concern for such, but it's well known that Iestern does not allow its military to do such a thing and hasn't since Si'Firali, the drow, was crowned king. This makes them a great target for someone that wanted to teach them a lesson by way of vanishing coin... swords... other valuables. Heartbeats even...


Boarn sits on a hill. It's a moderately sized town surrounded by a wooden wall supplemented by stone towers at intervals. The southern side of the town has a large gate that's generally open the entire time. Muddy streets extend beyond the wall to the south whre various buildings of wood and stone line the paths that spread out in an unorganized fashion. It's raining today but that doesn't stop people from going to the morning market or the morning market from opening. It's not particularly heavy rain, but it makes the mud in the streets thick and cumbersome. It's been raining for long enough that the town drains coming from the hightown are spilling out muddy water like barrel taps several sizes too large. It smells. Unpleasant all around of horses and people. The rain doing little to wash it away. instead, it seems to be washing it up and keeping it in large puddles. The hightown is cobbled throughout and drained, but the drains are starting to back up. The Iestern cavalry have more or less occupied the best inn and tavern in town, the Tall Flute, and can be heard carrying on forcing that poor bard to play throughout the day and well into the night. Luckily, it's morning and most of the drunkards in the black and white tabards have passed out giving the town some somber peace for the moment.

[Lioslaith]

Griffin (Shadowspawn) sits in his normal spot at the Inn, near the fire, back to the wall, watching the room and the door. Sipping a warm honeyed mead, he is the picture of relaxation. Feet propped up on the hearth, letting the day pass. Something would pop up, it always did.

His ever present hat, large brimmed and tilted slightly to the side, much like his grin, was pulled down just enough to give the illusion his eyes were hidden. They were not. Non-descript but functional clothing adorned the remainder of his person, his twin blades hung at his sides.

The serving wenches here found him almost charming. The gold he usually splashed upon them smoothed over any of his rough edges. Edges forged growing up an orphan and having to fend for himself. Most thought him reasonably good looking if not handsome. That is until he spoke. Gruff and blunt, he had just never acquired the gift of gab a lot of his brethren seemed to have. He generally preferred to cut his way out a sticky situation rather than talk it out.

[junlogji]

Fir sits in a chair in a corner of the same inn trying to plot out a next course of action. She knows that the paladin was likely framed and she also knows what she might have to resort to if she wishes to free him. The changeling puts a hand to her mouth suddenly as she suddenly has a strange taste in her mouth.

Fir decides that spending some gold on some hired would be better than the alternative and starts to scan the room to see if there is such a person. She knows that she may have to look for a while yet considering how severe the law is in this nation.



[roll0] for whichever skill the DM deems to be necessary for this action.

[Lightning Fast]

Sir Roland Silvershield, Behind Bars

Sir Roland the Brave, Sir Roland the Holy, Sir Roland the Captive, Sir Roland the Unjustly Executed... Sir Roland goes over these names in his head, wondering what he would be called if his trial didn’t go according to plan. He sighs, thinking of his daughter, little Lucina, and Roland’s mother, who was watching over the child back in Auraniss City. “Gai, give me the strength to see this through,” he mutters almost inaudibly, head leaning against a wall, “And may the Goddess Alila give me the patience not to slaughter each and every one of those drow-loving tyrannical bastards...” Having not eaten all day, he’s beginning to feel the effects of hunger fatigue. Though most would shy away from drinking from the bucket of tainted and questionable water he was given, Roland drinks it almost happily, knowing that his faith shields him from succumbing to any sort of ailment, magical or otherwise.

Happily, that is, until he tastes it. Sir Roland grimaces. “Bah, I’d rather drink bear piss...” Setting the bucket down, he glances around the tiny cell, giving it yet another once-over, as if it was suddenly going to reveal its secrets to him. I’ve gotten out of tougher situations than this before... Despite this, the grizzled knight begins to pray. “Gai, Saint of Justice, hear my prayer, deliver me from my bondage so that I may clear my name and exact justice in your honour... and so that I may once again see my daughter...” Lying against the wall, he passes the time by falling into a half-asleep state, allowing himself to comfortingly fade in and out of consciousness as the hours tick by... If I’m not out of here soon... perhaps I will demand trial-by-combat...

[An Amy]

Griffin "Shadowspawn"

The Eight Mug Mary is an inn just barely and a tavern more so. But it was a good place in Boarn's low town, also known as Mudhill, to get an idea of what was going on in the town. It wasn't too crowded this early in the morning, but the place was never empty. Only one serving girl was making her way around the room and seemed to cheerfully respond to various lude comments with brief retellings of the last time Kurg dismembered someone on accident while throwing them out into the street. Kurg was the a dwarf standing opposite the door with crossed arms. He was broad. Looking like he had five thick thighs coming out of his torso, legs, arms and a neck. He looked built like a large tree. Stump... on account of being a dwarf.

News of the paladin being arrested made its way through the area the previous day and night. It was old news already and few brought it up except to inform those that hadn't woken up since then.

The other news, that was more disconcerting to the locals, was that the grain stores in the north of hightown were being emptied and loaded onto carts. Iestern carts for that matter. A quarter of one of the houses had already been emptied and sent on its way with a small force of black sun-clad cavaliers.

Elves in the area were being especially disturbed. Iestern has a special animosity against elves even if the laws state that all races are equal. A drow king probably turns such a blind eye to it. Or that these cavaliers were pushing the stamp around a little too much as it were and didn't feel like withholding any bigotry. Griffin wouldn't be without having received a comment or two, should his heritage become evident. On account of his hat, however... maybe not so. So far in his time in Boarn, he'd not run into any of the Iestern cavaliers up close.

[An Amy]

Fir

The inn known as the Eight Mug Mary attracts many visitors of the ale-loving variety, which usually includes those that are rough and easy to persuade via small pieces of round and flat metal objects. Or flat and sharp metal ones.

Of those at the inn there is the large dwarf named Kurg who seems about as cordial as boulder rolling down a hill. He seems to have put up with some comments from the visiting military foreigners and is loath to keep his mouth shut and his hands merely crossed. But he listens to Mary, the innkeeper's wife and woman who really runs the place, and does what she says exactly when she says. Business for her has actually been good given that the primary goto for lot of the march road travelers are coming to her rooms instead of the Tall Flute.

There's a figure sitting with his back to the wall in a broad-rimmed hat near the hearth that seems to dote on the serving girls with coin to make his uncouth comments more palatable. He also seems trained to use daggers that Fir spots rather easily.

A third figure sits at the bar itself. A bow on his back that is unstrung but wet from the rain outside. He's friendly with the barkeep, Tom, and seems to be a hunter in the area given the nature of their conversation regarding hare and boar.

[junlogji]

Fir surveyed her options for a couple of minutes before deciding that the dagger user was likely the most discreet one of them used to urban environments. Fir made sure that her dark blue tunic was covering her leather armor and that her shortsword and dagger where properly fastened to her belt.

The younger changeling walked over to the man and sat down next to him. Before he could say anything she slid him 3 gold coins and whispered into his ear, "Do you mind if we lose the company for a couple of minutes?"

[Lioslaith]

Griffin watched the changeling survey the room and settle on him. His first reaction was that she was there to harm him with the way she checked her armor and weapons but then he realized it was just nerves. He watched her sit down and What was this? Coin?i

He chuckled at her offer, "Darlin, that amount of coin will get you far longer than a few minute tumble. Hell, that'll get ya all day."

[junlogji]

Fir seemed a little annoyed by that but kept her composure. "It is for a different application of skill that I need your help with." The changeling explained to the lustful man in a low voice as she leaned closer and whispered in his ear, trying to make it look like an embrace from the outsider's perspective. "I need your help breaking a paladin out of prison and am willing to pay more than a couple pretty coins for." she whispered into the stranger's ear.

[Lioslaith]

Griffin leans into the false embrace to lend it creedence. "I know, little bit. No one comes to me for anything...legitimate.". He knew she wanted something, people always did, but whoa...

"Just what is this paladin to you then?". She noticed that he hadn't really made any advances nor any move to take the coins offered.

[An Amy]

Fir and Griffin

You two have drawn the attention of the common room, all ten others. Three of which are employed by the innkeeper. A table of half-lings mutters a comment about "You can pay me to give me a hug too..." Or something to that effect. The barmaid that had picked up a good tipping sum from the brim-hatted rogue looks a little put out that another feminine figure comes up and embraces him. She pouts a little as she walks past the you both and your table toward another dark-hooded figure sitting not too far from them. The man's old, wrinkled hands reach out to take the cup and plate offered by the maid unsteadily. Everyone else was momentarily distracted by the embrace... convinced, perhaps, that it was genuine. Or they saw the three crowns hit the table and have been focused on that instead. Either way, again, the attention is on you two.

A man sticks his head in from the rain and calls toward the bar.

"Losha... come loan us a five, might yeh?"
"In the rain?" the man at the bar with the unstrung bow questions with a small gesture toward the obvious weather.
"Building a gallows for... well..."
"The paladin?"
The man at the door relents a nod.
"Splittin' sunders, tis that all round," the barkeep comments.
"Aye, blue that be," the man at the bar, Losha, replies. "I'll be ups on yeh."
"Tosser then," the other man nodded solemnly before ducking back out into the rain that seems to have picked up a little.

You both get the impression that both these men, three with the barkeep included, aren't too happy about seeing a paladin put to death. Seems they perhaps don't believe the accusation. Even the barmaid shakes her head with disappointment. The exchange and news worked, however, to draw the attention back off you two. For the time being. A changeling still draws attention regardless. Part from the bright skin and hair. Part from the reputation.

[junlogji]

Fir stopped her answer to pay attention to the scene unfolding before whispering back quickly "A way out." before making out with the man briefly to put on a good act and whispering to him "Let's discuss this outside."

[An Amy]

Blank post no longer needed

[Lioslaith]

Fir notices the man is a tad reluctant to make out despite earlier blustering to the contrary. He nods at her suggestion, in fact he almost seems uncomfortable, "Yes, let's do that. My name is Shadowspawn, by the way. And you never answered my question about the paladin."

He rises from the table and grabs his mug, ready to follow her outside.

[An Amy]

Fir and Griffin

Outside the common room is a covered porch. A sitting area that seems to be occupied mostly by empty crates. Before the door is a rug of short straws for cleaning mud off boots before entering the inn; though, the mat appears to be now just a brown mess probably no more effective than a corner of wood. The few people moving about either do so with great haste or resigned lumbering. Or guards with the bird and snake on a field of yellow upon their tabard fronts. The late morning sky darkened by the clouds. It's warm as the spring approaches. The rain is coming down harder, creating a roaring sound as it hits the muddy streets and wooden roofs of nearby buildings. This creates a level of privacy, in a way. Even to hear each other, you two would need to be close.

[Lioslaith]

Shadowspawn takes Fir's hand and pulls her in close, continuing the charade from inside, he knew eyes still watched them both. "They can't hear us out here at least. I'm going to need some answers before I decide to try and buck the local authority here with something like this."

[junlogji]

"I want to free a paladin. Is that so hard to believe?" Fir said in exasperation. "Or is it just hard to believe because I am a changeling?"

[Lioslaith]

Griffin grins down at Fir, "No, can't say that you being a changeling ever crossed my mind as to why you'd want to. It's a big undertaking, he means something to you, that much is obvious. You just don't strike me as the type to run around righting wrongs, that's more his job. And you don't seek out shady characters in taverns to break murderers out of jail."

[junlogji]

"When the law is corrupt the only good comes from outside the law." Fir said in annoyance. "Do you want the job or not?

[Lioslaith]

"Pass." He starts to walk away and then stops and turns back to her. "If you can't be honest with me then how do I know you aren't just trying to set my up like they did him?"

[Lioslaith]

"Look, no one in their right mind would buy this silly story. But...I can see he means more to you than you are letting on. And.... it would stick it to Iestern...that's never a bad thing. Alright... alright, do you have any ideas as to how?" This wouldn't be the first time he let a cute face away his judgement and it probably wouldn't be the last.

[junlogji]

Fir nodded, satisfied by this outcome. "I need your help getting a lay of the land first." Fir explained as she rubbed her finger around her chin in thought. "Most likely I will need your help getting a guard distracted while I spring the lock." The changeling explained. "Oh also can you please try to not kill any of the guards unless you absolutely have to?"

[Lioslaith]

Griffin nodded through the exchange. Well at least she's confident be a shame to watch her die. When she got to that last part he shook his head, "No. I'll make no promises to someone who won't even tell me her name. Let me know when you are ready to go."

[junlogji]

"It's Fir." Fir said with minor annoyance before turning to go back into the inn. "Im going to change into something less conspicuous and then I think we should go scout today and attempt the rescue tonight."

[Lioslaith]

"I'll be here when you are ready, Fir."

[An Amy]

Fir and Griffin

The two prison cells are located in the northern part of the town beneath the guardhouse on the left side of the northern gate. The guardhouse is made of mortared stone and stands two floors tall with another three floors above that as part of the left tower. The main guardhouse in the town, it is also where the barracks are. The local militia make up the majority of the Boarn town guard with some supplements from Griergon, a city several days south. Unlike Boarn, Griergon is more appreciative of Iestern influences. The Iestern cavaliers have not been seen in or around the guardhouse.


Roland*

The paladin's busy schedule of being incarcerated is interrupted later that morning by a visitor. A visitor that the paladin is supposed to be familiar with given that he's being accused, tried and probably convicted of attempting to assassinate. Pol Ledonmirth is a fairly small man standing under Roland shoulder height. His pointed beard and mustache are well-groomed, and his dress and style is that of what any nobleman would have. Dismissing the guard for the time being to "speak to my accused assassin" the margrave slumps noticeably. Taking on a more humble and tired appearance.

"You must forgive me," he begins as he addresses Roland. "There is little I can do at this point. You see... the captain Trumbol... well, let's just say he has leverage. Good leverage...familial. I am a father. I do hope you understand and can forgive me."

[junlogji]

Fir is standing outside the building at night wearing a simple brown tunic she has no sword at her time this time but she has a few daggers hidden on her person. "Just to review, I am going to need you to distract the guards so I can go in and spring him out. After I have the paladin we meet outside the city gates near the stables. Any revisions?" she asks of her companion.

[Lioslaith]

"You are sure you can pick the lock to his cell? Or do you have some other means of opening it? I have it on good authority that the locks are no easy task." Griffin mulls over the girls plan in his head thinking a role reversal might be better. "You don't think you might be much more distracting to the guards and I might be better at the breaking and entering stuff?"

[Lightning Fast]

“You’re a father...” Frowning, Roland stands up, his stomach cramping due to lack of food. “So am I. Of a daughter.” Roland seems to be having trouble looking his accused target in the eye. “Her mother left a year ago, and I don’t know if or when she’ll be back.” Having already resigned himself to execution, the mighty paladin appears to be... crying? Perhaps just a bit. A single tear rolls down the bridge of Roland’s nose, falling to the ground with almost audible magnitude. “I’m sure her grandmother can take care of her... but... oh goddess, how will her poor heart take it?”

Now, he looks Pol Ledonmirth dead in the eyes. “You know what will happen to me if I remain here. The guards, they’ve been chattering about how they’re constructing gallows. I can hear whispers of the outside world through my cell’s outer bars: they’re talking about how the paladin is to be hung. For a false crime that not even my accusers believe I committed.”

Placing his hands on the bars, Roland whispers to Ledonmirth: “I beg of you, good sir... please, at least delay the execution as long as you can. Speak to the Order of the Bison, try to get an inquisitor to rescue your child.”

“... Don’t tell me you actually trust Trumbol to hold up his end of the bargain,” He adds.

----

Diplomacy, I guess? C'mon, Charisma...: [roll0]

[An Amy]

Roland

"I trust him to live up to his end of the threat," Margrave Ledonmirth replies somberly. "I already sent secretly a message north... but I'm not sure if it was ever received. When you arrived in town, I thought that surely you are not the only response to my letter? If you are then my intent was severely misunderstood. But no, I cannot help you. The Goddess herself... maybe. She's saw fit to send a tumult from the heavens that it renders constructing your gallows impossible. The attempt made this morning was... well, it won't go up today."

"I will send more letters if I can," he begins to conclude as he turns from the cell bars. "But I fear they will not arrive in time to save you. I truly wish I had other options."

[junlogji]

"I have been forced to use a lock pick since I was three." Fir said with confidence. "And my shapeshifting has been unreliable of late." the changeling explains in a half-truth.

[Lightning Fast]

Roland lets out a sigh and rolls his eyes. "Gee thanks," he chides, "Should I just get back to praying, then? Hope for some saviour with golden wings to fly down from the heavens and rescue me from execution for a crime I didn't commit?"

He goes to sit against the wall of his cell once again. "I'm not sure why you came to speak to me, unless it was to clear your conscious, in which case, consider it cleared: it is the greatest honour for a paladin to die in the name of duty," He turns to the noble one last time. "I hope that your child is safe. But please... leave me in my prayers and thoughts. They are my last respite from my looming mortality."

[Lioslaith]

"I have been forced to use a lock pick since I was three." Fir said with confidence. "And my shapeshifting has been unreliable of late." the changeling explains in a half-truth.

"You didn't need to shift to distract me. But suit yourself." Griffin shrugs and stands ready. Fir might notice that Griffin is idly rolling two coins across his knuckles. One chasing the other.

[An Amy]

Roland (still earlier that day)
The margrave stands there for a moment or so longer though in silence. A defeated expression on his face backed up by a pride that he's never felt more ashamed of. He has words left to say, but in the face of the situation they seem like they'd do little more than fill the air with noise. With that, the man turns away and exists the cell in a hurried step.

Fir and Griffin
The guardhouse at night has two guards standing watch outside at the ground level. One has a lantern on a pole in attempt to keep out the utter darkness that is a cloud-covered night. The other a crossbow for the other things in said darkness. Both with halberds as well. The gate is closed but the towers above are manned. Within the guardhouse can be seen the glow of some source of light. Otherwise the streets are empty. The only sounds are coming from the Tall Flute now muted from the other side of town.

The sounds of hooves can be heard above the faint patter of continued rainfall as two men on horseback approach the gate from further in the town. Lances appear at the ready. Torchlight from one of them easily identifies the black sun and white disk of Iestern, golden in the warm glow. They prattle on about some local girl and chuckle disparagingly at the claim of her beauty. One claims he doubts. The other is willing to wait to see before judging but holds little hope the town could offer anything better than what they've already had.

"We'll see when we get to the camp where the captain's got the lot," the one with the torch says as they approach the northern gate. "What's this? Gate's closed?"
"Get it open, you pig," the other mounted Iesternan calls out.
The gate watch scramble to open the gate but are otherwise quiet about it. The two cavalier proceed northward.

[Lioslaith]

Griffin approaches the guards quietly, not really intending to sneak up on them so much as just his normal, quiet self. "Good evening Carl, horrific night tonight isn't it?" Once the guard acknowledges him he continues "Look the nights bad and I'm not one to mince words much. I need inside tonight and you need to get home safe, so what say you?"

Carl had seen Griffin fight, something about a knife fighter tended to send chills up the spine. It was almost...intimate...

[An Amy]

Griffin

With one guard still escorting the two cavaliers through, the one remaining stands down from the gate back more to the left near the door to the guardhouse. There are three doors into the structure, all of which the two guards can see just fine. "Carl" groans slightly upon hearing the name his daughter-in-law calls him. It is a reminder, though, of her... family in general. And the sight of the knife-fighter straightens the man's spine otherwise. Causes a tighter grip on the tall pole. Griffin stands just outside of the ring of light, though two men could clearly see each other as close as they were. Clearly enough in the darkness.

"There's nothing in 'ere for yeah, Shadowspawn," he says and tries not to spit as would be normal after speaking such a slanderous title. The man seemed to wear it with pride, however, as if it was a joke where he was the only one laughing. "Just a poor paladin lost 'is way."

[Lioslaith]

"Ahhh, yeah, see that's the rub, Carl. He's who I am here to see." Standing eerily still, Griffin makes himself ready as a thought occurs to him, "Look, I don't see any black sunbursts on your chest...yet. And you want to be around to see that new grand baby when she gets here, right? As loyal as you have been to Vernia and Boarn I just can't see it being worth stepping up and dying for Iestern, can you?"

[An Amy]

Griffin
The man grumbles a little and seems to take offense, though at the words about him wearing any Iestern heraldry. He looks left and right as if the darkness of the town hid a secret or so.

"Seems a little dark down that way," he mutters. A gesture of his head over to the far left of the guard house. It went inside the structure, but as to where exactly was unsure. "Can't really see that well down there... and I'm supposed to be watching the gate..."

Which was on the opposite end.

"Good evenin' to yeh. Stay out of trouble." Then the guard turned to the right and moved further from the far door as indicated earlier.

[Lioslaith]

Nodding and retreating into the darkness, Griffin re-established contact with Fir and relayed the opening. "Let's go, we don't have much time."

[junlogji]

Fir nodded and and went down the dark passageway trying to make her way to the cell where the paladin is being kept.

[An Amy]

Fir and Griffin

The passage to the left of the guardhouse begins with an unlocked door that leads into a dark corridor. Some faint light from a room at the end of the path bleeds out from the large gap at the bottom of the door. Shadows move about in the room and muffled words can be heard. There are two doors on the right side of the corridor that are shut and what appears to be a passage off to the left that descends into more darkness. The cover of night has eliminated light from the moon. There is utter darkness beyond. Griffin can see a little better, but it is still dark and without a light source it will be rather impossible to navigate.

[junlogji]

Fir tries to listen closely in order to try to hear any breathing or voices in the room or beyond the doors.



Listen Check:
[roll0]

[An Amy]

Fir

There is a faint conversation in the second room on the right. The first room on the right seems to have nothing audible. Each door also has a large gap beneath it.

[junlogji]

Fir faces Griffin and places a finger over her mouth and and points to the door on the far right. She then slowly tries to go across the room into the pitch black corridor on the far left. If she gets into the dark corridor safely she will pull out a dagger and mimic a light spell onto it.



Move Silently roll:
[roll0]

[An Amy]

Fir

Light from the large gap under the door at the far end of the corridor casts a warm glow along the mortared stone floor. The light does little to illuminate the descending stairs that turn to the right on a landing just a little further down. The steps end a few feet from an iron-reinforced wooden door. An iron lock built into the latch.

[junlogji]

Fir knocks lightly on the door.

[An Amy]

Fir
There's a voice on the other end calling out as well as movement.

"Hold, now," the voice speaks. Tired but compliant. It is accompanied by the rattle of keys and cloth over chainmail. The figure on the other side settles a key into what can only be his side of the locking mechanism. "Was it now?"

Roland
There is a guard sitting on a short stool at the end of your row on the left near the only door that goes up and out of the cell area. There's a knocking on the door an the guard stands, opening up his lantern for more light an moving to unlock and open the door while asking what the disturbance is all about. So far the guard has done nothing but sleep given the hour.

[junlogji]

Fir readies a mimicry of color spray for anyone who is not the paladin.

[An Amy]

Fir and Roland
The guard unlocks the door and pulls it open to reveal the changeling on the other side along with a blast of vivid color. It's out of the paladin's view, at least the impact. The spray's edges are visible. The guard slumps to the floor. Unconscious. A relatively younger man with dark curling hair, he drops his lantern to the floor and it crashes loudly. The flame dying due to the shock of hitting the floor. The rest of him clatters as well as a long chain shirt slumps around the form that collapses at the changeling's feet.

The keys are still in the door, though they are more like key. Just one. And it obviously doesn't appear to fit anything but that door. The young man doesn't have any other keys on him either. Just a letter from someone with very fluid handwriting and a coin pouch with more lint and twine in it than coin.

Griffin
The half-elf hears the crash of something from below down the stairs. And apparently so does someone at the end of the corridor. A pacing shadow stops and all falls quiet at the far end. Someone begins to speak but they are cut off by a quite audible shushing.

[junlogji]

Fir approaches the prisoner with her dagger still out "Are you the paladin that was framed?"

[Lightning Fast]

Roland gasps, pushing himself up off the ground and running to place his hands on the bars of the cell. "What's going on?" he says in a panicked tone.

"I am that paladin," Roland says, exasperated, "You're here to rescue me, then?" The knight chuckles. "Funny, I always remember the stories being about the brave paladin saving the damsel, not the other way around."

[junlogji]

Fir rolled her eyes. "Sexism aside." She muttered as she pulled out one of her daggers and handed the paladin it. "Take this but hopefully you won't need it." Fir said with a brief pause before she continued explaining. "We where not able to salvage your gear and we are exiting through a side passage assuming that no one discovers us. I don't suppose that guards doing their jobs are evil enough for you to sense but knowing this city there are probably a few crooked guards you could help us avoid." Fir explained.

[Lioslaith]

Griffin sighs to himself at the crash, and here he thought he wouldn't have to kill anyone tonight. He silently drew two daggers and melded into the shadows of the corridor hoping they'd just dismiss the noise.

[An Amy]

Roland and Fir
The large iron lock fastened to the cell door appears quite complex and has even two key holes. The guard only had one key that does not appear to fit the iron lock on the cell door in any fashion. Most likely a certain rank of guard carries the keys that can unlock the prison doors. Vernia is known for it's prisons that are quite hard to escape from if simply from the fact that their locks are notorious. The light from Fir's dagger provides enough illumination to work for the time being.

Griffin
There is audible but hushed debate on whether or not the noise heard was something from down the corridor or outside. Slowly the door at the far end opens to the form of a guard in Boarn colors standing in a well-lit room. The man in his middle years has a concentrated look and a weapon drawn. A shortsword.

"I still think it came from outside," another voice from within the room speaks. Out of view of Griffin at the moment.

"Hush!" the man at the door gets out with an annoyed tone of voice.

[Lioslaith]

Steeling himself for a quick kill and hoping it doesn't come to that Griffin thinks I've been forced to use a lock pick since I was three, snarling his lip, Well get to pickin girl, these men's live hang in the balance.

[Lightning Fast]

"I mean no offense: my wife was an adventurer too," Roland apologizes, taking the dagger and testing its grip in his hands. "I'm perhaps not in my best state. They haven't fed me since they threw me in here yesterday," he says, frowning as Fir works on the lock.

He keeps an eye out for guards as Fir works, careful not to make too much noise. "Not that I'm one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but why risk your life like this for a random paladin you've never met?" He doesn't say anything else, so as not to distract the changeling currently picking the locks on his cell. Why the hell do they need so much security for my cell? I'm a paladin...

[junlogji]

Fir works vigorously on the cell lock. "I'll explain later."



Open Lock roll + using an inspiration point to activate cunning knowledge
[roll0]

[An Amy]

Griffin
The door quickly is thrown open and the far room's light floods the corridor in a golden glow from a hearth on the far end of the room. A shadow of a table is sharp and crosses the corridor as well like a mask along with the man's form standing in the way. Taking a cautious step into the hall before turning back to his companion in the room.

"Get your crossbow, Dran," the man barks rather loudly. Then begins to proceed slowly forward. His eyes darting between large pockets of shadow.

Roland and Fir
Tools tinkering around the large lock, Fir taps into experiences and tales gathered to find a point of inspiration regarding Vernian-styled mechanisms. Their penchant for reliance on dual key locks for a lot of secure locations. Having heard this or that regarding their inner workings, her deft fingers find the trick and make the final twists and pin placements to cause both tumblers to easily turn in their places and release the large hooking bolts. The massive lock falls from the u-shaped lock bar, leaving it in the door and separating into two halves as it drops. Fir, quickly enough, catches the two pieces before they crash to the floor. Not that a falling lantern and chainmail-garbed member of the watch was not loud enough already.

With the lock done, hook removed, the cell door opens with well-oiled silence.

[Lioslaith]

Thinking this is taking far too long and the guard is advancing too close Griffin barks out a fake yelp and makes a rather clattery and noisy exit from the guard shack, hoping to draw the attention and chase of the guards. Thus leaving the exit free for the changeling and her paladin.

[junlogji]

Hearing the noise, Fir readies her mimicry of sleep for any more guards that show up as she starts to head back to where they came in from.

[Lightning Fast]

"Thank you," Roland whispers, exiting the cell. He does his best to be quiet, "Do you know where they're keeping my things...?"

[An Amy]

Griffin
"Hey! Stop right there!" the guard yells behind Shadowspawn as the rogue breaks from the guardhouse into the darkness of night before giving chase. "Dran, go! I'll get the lantern. Mik! Chalil! There's an intruder fleeing! Carl, where are you?"

The younger man with the crossbow runs down the corridor and stops at the door to raise the weapon up and take aim at the rapidly disappearing form of the trespasser before shouting a threat. "I'll fire!"
Dran, as the man was called earlier, lowers the weapon with a curse and continues pursuit into the city. Carl and his lantern on a pole soon join the younger man and a second lantern from the other guard from earlier.

Roland and Fir
At the top of the stairs is lantern light as two of the guards remain behind, weapons drawn. One mutters to the other about the lock to the contraband. "Seems fine... probably had trouble getting into it."

"Creepin' bloody two fingers," the other one responds.

[junlogji]

"I don't know and I doubt we have time to get them." Fir whispered back before bounding up to the guards and releasing her sleep mimicry on them. If they are incapacitated she keeps running down the corridors to the exit.

[Lightning Fast]

Sighing, Roland follows along behind Fir. "Suppose I can get some new gear when we get out of this mess..." he grumbles. He didn't have anything irreplaceable on him, but it would be expensive to replace.

[An Amy]

Roland and Fir
At the top of the stairs, the two guards notice the light coming up at them. Light coming from a dagger. They notice barely that two individuals are coming up the stairs. Expecting, perhaps, the other guard, they are confused for the briefest of moments as they realization that it is not their fellow watch member ascending toward them. But the mimicked sleep spell from the changeling soothe their various concerns as they fall to the floor in a similar fashion as the guard below. Their bodies limp and stacking in the back corridor of the guard house. Shouts from outside indicating that there was no alarm sounded but that several guards are now involved in pursuing someone. Shadowspawn is nowhere to be seen.

Griffin
The various guards following the rogue are in chainmail and various other restrictive armors. The ones who are not were either roused too late or were too far from the initial point of the action to catch up to the running silhouette. The rain is coming down and drowning out the sounds of running footsteps despite the puddles here and there. Fires and torches in guard towers cast a very faint glow. Only just illuminating the tops of buildings and allowing the rogue enough light to navigate the streets with his enhanced, elf-blooded vision.

[Lioslaith]

Griffin wil confuse the pursuit and put enough distance between them to blend back into the crowd. Pulling up his cloak and stuffing his hat in his pack. Hopefully it's enough to change his silouette, once that's down he starts making his way to the jail looking for the changeling and her paladin.

[Lightning Fast]

Roland raises an eyebrow and glances at Fir. "I must say, I'm impressed with how smooth this is going..." he says, "You must be good at this... gonna have to ask you about that later." His tone is more cordial than threatening. Despite the situation he's in, Roland seems fairly calm and content, likely to do with his being hardened by years of service and the fact that he was just freed from prison and saved from execution.

[junlogji]

Choosing to not respond to the paladin for now, Fir runs out of the prison and ends the light mimicry and starts running through the city to their meeting spot. If they get there safely, Fir will sheath her dagger and extend a hand to the paladin. "I am Fir, a bit of a jack of all trades. I convinced a local outlaw going by the title Shadowspawn to help me break you out. Since we got separated I must assume that when I made your guard pass out earlier that the noise alerted some of his comrades. Do you know any place around here that it safe for us and not a place they would expect us to look? We need a place to rest up and plan our next move."

[An Amy]

Griffin
The currently Vernian-based blade returns to the guardhouse under no suspicion. The guards are not on particularly high alert given that a would-be thief was run off, though the town's gates are better manned. By the time Griffin makes it back around again, there is no sign of the changeling or the paladin. However, the meeting place of the stables in the lower town is easy enough to find in the darkness. By the time he arrives, the cloudy sky breaks just a little and the moon begins to come out. The rain has lightened to a drizzle but has gotten markedly colder. The Changeling and the Paladin are discovered within the darkened stable.

Roland and Fir
The movement through the city is easy enough with the guards searching now rather passively for suspicious people. The darkness aides in remaining hidden. Couple that with the guards not being too aggressive in their searches... or, rather, glances, the pair make it from the city to the stables as agreed upon earlier.

When Fir is done speaking, the door to the stables opens. Shadowspawn enters without his hat, silently, and pulls the stable door shut once more.

[Lightning Fast]

Roland smiles, reaching out a hand to shake Fir's, then Shadowspawn's. "I owe you both my life. You have my eternal gratitude," he says genuinely, "Thanks to you, I can go home and see my daughter again."

"If we need somewhere else to recuperate," Roland adds, "The Order of the Bison may not be a bad idea, though that's likely the first place they'll be looking for me. If I'm to truly be safe, I must expose the bastard that framed me to the higher authorities, and hopefully have him recalled and disciplined. I cannot leave this place until I have taken care of something for a particularly cowardly but otherwise innocent nobleman."

Holding the dagger close to his cheek and slicing off a few beard-hairs, he asks the two sneaky figures: "Do any of you have a mirror? If I shave and cut my hair, perhaps it will be harder for the guards to recognize me."

[Lioslaith]

Clasping the paladin's strong hand Griffin's eyes widen at the daughter comment. Casting a sideways glance at Fir he thinks Hmmm, misread that. But then I never was any good at that.

"We can use my room at the Mary. Or talk here if you'd rather." Peeking out of the stables to see if it's all clear. Through the rain and their position he's pretty confident no one will overhear them, "What about this bastard that framed you now?"

[junlogji]

"The room at the Mary seems like a better idea right now. If I where looking for an escaped paladin I would be looking at the nearest paladin orders." Fir explained. "In that room you can shave and cut your hair and then we can plan our next course of action. It would be too risky to sleep there."

[Lioslaith]

"Easy now, I didn't put sleeping there on the table as an option. Let's get a short term and long term strategy hammered out here before we go anywhere. It will also give the guards time to check the Inn's and other places first."

Griffin relaxed and took a seat on some hay, letting it draw the moisture out of his clothes.

[Lightning Fast]

"I believe my framer's name is Captain Trumbol, head of an Iestern Calvary regimen," The paladin says, "Bastard knew I was looking into his regimen's violations of their treaties with the border towns, until he framed me for Margrave Pol Ledonmirth's murder. Pol didn't want me in the clink either, but Trumbol's got his family, so there's not a whole lot he can do. Roland sits down on a pile of hay as well, sighing. "Were it not for Pol's predicament, I'd have left already. The Order of the Bison should be able to bring Trumbol to justice if they put their heads together, but they may not be able to save the Margrave's family.

[Lioslaith]

"So we need to find where Trumbol is keeping the Margraves family and rescue them. And we need to do it soon before they get the impression that you have fled the area and decide they don't need them for leverage any more. . Griffin wonders if any of his guild contacts would be trustworthy enough to ask for information.

Realizing something the paladin said earlier "By the way, don't go thinking you owe me your life, that was all this ones doing, not mine. I'm no hero." He nods towards Fir as he says this.

[junlogji]

"I'm looking for redemption." Fir said quietly while trying to keep a look-out. "And I hope I can find it."

[An Amy]

All

Fir explains that she's had issues with her ability to use her shape change ability. And she's seeking redemption for her past actions. Roland's false imprisonment presented itself to her as an opportunity to start to right some past wrongs, though she's not going into details as to what they are. Just her want to balance things out.

The margraves family is being held by the Iestern cavalier captain north of the town. Fir and Griffin remember seeing some cavaliers headed north out the northgate and commenting on seeing people to the north. The camp is not large. The land is rather flat and featureless with slow rises for hills here and there. The camp sits off the northern road. About six cavaliers can be found there including a large tent where the margrave's family is being kept. Freeing them turns out to be a task engrossed in battle. While Fir and Griffin sneak in to assure the family's safety, Sir Roland calls out for a challenge of the cavalier captain. The challenge is met with all the cavaliers mounting and charging into combat, though sabotage of saddles makes their efforts far more difficult. Fir whisks the family away while Griffin joins in the combat against the armed foes in the night.

Ultimately, Trumbol is arrested in the camp and the other cavaliers are bound and tied up. The watch tower saw what was going on and came out to investigate with the margrave instructing them to put Trumbol's men under arrest. In the town is a different matter as more than a dozen more Iestern men remain and out-class Boarn's guards. With the group's help, they manage to surprise enough to the cavaliers and subdue them that the remaining are outnumbered. The arrested men are carted up and sent back to Iestern north toward the Order of the Bison where they will be guaranteed to be returned to Iestern properly and not released by another Iestern sympathizer, as can be frequently found in Vernia, unfortunately.

However, the events begin to tell the tale of something deeper. Corruption in the senate. Trumbol, in his angered ravings of revenge and justice, said that he'd be back soon enough with full support of the senate. This hinted at his presence actually having been authorized perhaps. Or at least a senator having arranged it even if it was not official. The margrave was none too pleased to hear it and seemed distraught. He explained that rumors, dismissed as far too wild to hold any truth, spoke of a supposed change. Vernia becoming a state of Iestern like many other former nations. Iestern had not pursued any conquest in generations. Si'Firali, the drow king of Iestern, had never raised an army for conquest. Perhaps that could be changing...

Over the next several months, the three, Roland, Fir and Griffin, discover that there is truth to those rumors. Some members of the senate are seeking to be added to Iestern by way of willfull succession of land. Working with some others and eventually another senator or two, the three uncover the corruption and its links back to Iestern's western governors. They expose the members of the senate that made such arrangement, rescue an entire city from a fiery destruction and even get the attention of the Drow King himself who personally invites them to attend the public execution of the Governors who plotted to add Vernian territory to their own. Whether or not the group accepts the invitation from the openly ruling drow, is up to them. Regardless, the Vernian senate is sent a gift from the Iestern ruler in the form of a hundred slaves carrying chests of gold that also contained the heads of the governors plus the head of one of the former Vernian senators that fled to Iestern and sought asylum after avoiding the adventurers' trap.