Servants of the Thrallherd IC 2 [3.5, faster posting speed]

[Cavir]

Cendrik graciously accepts the items. He slides the crystals into the gloves of his claws and dons the headband. "I imagine seeing in the dark will be quite useful soon."

He looks to the group. "Back to the inn to find Balmor? We need to find this Fentir too. Any ideas besides asking around and getting the attention of the Thieves Guild?"

[BelGareth]

Rex nods, "Yes, lets go back to the inn, and we can at least notify Belmor of our work. Then we can go from there. Perhaps Xaan has a way to notify the Master?" He had no knowledge of his mystical powers, and truly they terrified him.

He begins to walk towards the inn.

[PeacefulOak]

Xaanthios

"The most pressing question before us is whether the wait of three days is justified. From what I understand, the items that we are waiting for are important to the longevity of our efforts, and will improve the odds of our success significantly. I am well equipped now, and content to wait these few days for each of you to be equally fulfilled... if that is what the Master desires.
I have finally discovered the power to communicate directly with Him, and shall do so upon our arrival to a private space." Xaanthios follows the group back to the inn, and begins to prepare his mind for a communication with the Master.

My lord and Master, it is your humble servant Xaanthios. We are deep in enemy lands, readying ourselves to travel beneath a mountain in search of our objective. A delay of three days improves our power and chances of success. Do you approve?

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Manifest Correspond, target our Divine Leader.

[J-H]

Xaanthios receives a response shortly.
“What is three days on a journey such as this? Better prepared and alive than rushed and dead. For just such a reason, I have not breached the walls of Josen and seized the throne. If only their Emperor knew what he sits… Forget that last sentence. Do well what you do. Delay if you judge it best.”

[PeacefulOak]

Xaanthios

A near beatific smile crosses Xaanthios' face as the Master's thought-voice fills his mind.

It shall be as you say, Master. We grow ever nearer. I pray you grant us safety in our minds, for they are yours, as we travel below the mountain here. Are there any other tasks we might achieve for you in our quest? While the words around a seat tickle the edges of his mind, the absolute obedience he lives wipes that tickle away at the instruction to forget. Forget what, now?

Aloud, he speaks to his allies and fellow blessed servants. "We are to wait here, and take advantage of the benefits afforded to us before we venture beneath the mountain. We should do our best to use this time to our advantage. Train yourselves, research, prepare for the darkness to come before us. I will seek insight into the depths and train my mind as best I can."

[Cavir]

"If you haven't, you may also want to mention we've linked up with Balmor and may be able to help him while we wait."

"We still have a lot to do while 'waiting'. Finding Fentir, aiding Balmor, getting our passes, learning about the undermountain... Finding Fentir may not be so easy."

[J-H]

"Be good to any converts you make or find." The mental voice grows more distant. "Check to make sure they're not using that as a distraction to tunnel under our--"

The connection cuts out.

[Kish]

Melinda waits for Xaanthios' report. If she feels any uncertainty, it doesn't show.

[PeacefulOak]

Xaanthios

Xaanthios blinks at the sudden disconnect, mind quietly analyzing the last words received. I wonder if the efforts go as well as should is implied... very curious. If only I was by His side. His eyes turn to his companions and he smiles warmly.

"Indeed, there is much to do. Let us seek out this guide, and secure the shipment that Balmor was manning. Much to do, indeed.
Our glorious leader's final thought was to embrace any of the family that we encounter... or create. Now, let us be about our business! Shall we make our way out into the city to be about our business?"

[Cavir]

"Right. Let's split up again? Melinda and I work on finding Fentir while Rex and Xaan get the passes and see about Albin helping out with Balmor? We can meet back at dinner time at the inn."

Unless alternatives are made, Cendrik continues. "We can start with the proprietor at the inn."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Have the 66gp "found" from the thief getting arrested for us to use for Gather Info. Not spending it all at once, expecting it to take some time, working together, taking our time and being discrete.

[J-H]

The team splits up. RexThaun and Xaanthios pick up the passes with no issue, then visit Albin. The secret door to the basement is already covered by a new tapestry. Albin offers use of some storage space on the third floor, and says that he has a couple of the surviving lesser golems reprogrammed to help move things up and down the stairs. Much of the rest of the day is spent shuttling Balmor’s goods to a more secure storage area.

Melinda and Cendrik, both carrying spellcasting implements and dressed well, find the service good at most of the places they visit. The innkeeper at their inn does not remember Fentir. However, you recall meeting some UnderGuard members at an establishment called Short Stouts, and go there. One of the servers there, a halfling woman, comes over after you ask at the bar, and quietly tells you that she recalls him. “He was very quiet, and would sometimes come in here and drink quite a lot, even for a dwarf…but always quiet. I nearly backed into him more than once.” She stomps on the wood floor. “Almost everyone makes noise walking, but never him. My younger brother spends too much time with some of the street rats instead of working, and I think I heard that Fentir got mixed up with the thieves guild somehow. I could ask him and maybe get word passed along through the street boys, but it wouldn’t be subtle.

Elsewise, you may just keep checking other places around town.”

[Cavir]

Cendrik discreetly slips the halfling woman a gold piece. "Thank you." He turns to Melinda. "What do you think? Use the streets to do our work or keep searching on our own for someone who may not like to be found with the skills to match?"

[Kish]

"Sounds like you favor the first," Melinda replies, "and it does sound better. Finding people is not my forte. He'll likely know we're looking for him well before we find him anyway."

[Cavir]

Cendrik ponders for a moment. Ten more gold pieces discreetly find their way into the halfing woman's hand. "That is greatly appreciated. We would prefer it to be kept as quiet as possible. Tell him we have something he wants and he has something we want. Let him know we'll meet him out on the street outside of this place at dusk. I'll be there tonight and tomorrow. He can recognize me by my cloak. OK?"

[J-H]

She takes the gold. “Silvie won’t let you down.” She takes a careful look at your cloak as she makes the money disappear.

What do you do between now and sunset?

[Cavir]

Cendrik gives her a smile and a nod then turns to Melinda. "Shall we go?"

Once outside he continues. "To Albin's new tower? Hopefully Great Leader led the others to the same success we have had and are already there." They have time to kill. He's open to ideas to stop at along the way. He pulls out a wand as they walk. "I grabbed this Wand of Order’s Wrath during the tower battle. I don't see myself using it. You can have it, or we can sell it for some spending coin to split."

Assuming they reach the tower and the others are there, Cendrik tells Rex and Xaan of their planned meetup with Fentir. He happily inspects the arms and armor already collected for Great Leader. He asks Balmor about his mission, its status, and if there was anything he needed them to do if time allowed.

[J-H]

Balmor expresses his gratitude. “Safe storage for free, improved contacts, and you’ve not done too shabby for yourself. Good work!”
(skip to sunset?)

[Cavir]

Near dusk Cendrik leads the group back to the Short Stouts. "I'd suggest you all wait at a distance within sight but not grouped up. Don't want to scare him away from making contact. Grab some dinner inside in the mean time if you want. I'll make contact then gather us all together."

The swordsage picks a building across from Short Stouts that has an alley besides it. At dusk he leans up against the corner leading to the alley. He faces the street but with his training he isn't concerned with a rogue getting into stabbing range.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Hearing the Air stance, blindsense 30'

[J-H]

As the rest of the party waits inside, Cendrik leans against a wooden wall in an alley, eyes quarter-closed as he listens to the air, the family having dinner on the other side of the wall, and the glass-blower next door clanking jars in his shop.

The food smells good. A group of kids run by, one of them glancing at him. A young human tough gives him the side-eye, strolling past with a sword barely concealed under his jacket…. And there’s a dwarf coming up behind him, making not a single sound as he steps surprisingly lightly across the dirt and gravel.

[Cavir]

Cendrik's lips turn to a small smile. He turns his head slightly to the side toward the alley. "Greetings Master Fentir. Your silent feet match your reputation." The swordsage slowly turns to the dwarf behind him with his hands relaxed against his stomach, left hand holding his right wrist. His claws are visible but his stance is non threatening. He looks over the dwarf.

"I am Cendrik. I travel with several others who are nearby. We have need of your services and though you don't know it yet you are looking for ours. Would you mind if I gather my compatriots before going into details? They are waiting in Short Stouts."

Unless he objects Cendrik gets the rest of the party.

[J-H]

“Certainly, I’ll be happy to find out what you want poor Fentir for. There are plenty of services and goods to be had in this town.”

[Cavir]

Cendrik let out the slightest of chuckles. "I'll be right back."

He casually wanders over into Short Stouts. He approaches the table the group is at and keeps his voice low just for them to hear. "Our new friend is waiting for us outside. The female halfling server over by the bar is the one that arranged this for us. Ready to go? Perhaps have her hold the table for us?"

When the group is ready he leads them over into the alley, taking note of anything of note along the way as usual. He makes the introductions. "Someplace nearby you'd rather talk?"

Once Fentir is satisfied Cendrik lays the cards out. "We've heard of you a few times. May have made some enemies in town here. Made it through under the mountains and back. Silent feet. A unique dagger not from around here. Itching to go back into the mountains but need gear... so far so good?"

"We are looking to head deep into the mountains underneath. We need a guide. You seem uniquely qualified. We have the needed passes. And we've already arranged to get the gear you were looking for. The gear is yours if you'll guide us to our destination and back. Mutual protection all around. The four of us are all quite capable in a fight."

He looks to the group to see if they have anything else to add. Once done he turns back to Fentir. "Interested?"

[J-H]

You don’t see anyone watching you as you go back out to meet the dwarf. “A trip into the mountains, pay, and more equipment. That sounds…interesting. You must be very well funded. Oh, are you the ones who were involved in that recent fight in the wizard’s tower? Fentir would be interested in the equipment. Problems with the thieves guild, you know? When you get on the wrong side of the wrong people, bad things happen. How soon can you make this happen?”

He’s a smooth talker.

[PeacefulOak]

Xaanthios

Listening carefully, the psion considers the man with piercing eyes. "We await some final items to be completed. Our intent is to leave on the third day from today, as soon as we are fully equipped. Does that meet Fentir's needs?" One eyebrow arches as he refers to the man before him in the third person.

[J-H]

Fentir nods. "Certainly, certainly...simply tell me when and where to meet you. I also need to know what your strengths are, and what weaknesses must be covered in travel. Are you sure you know the risks you take?"

[Cavir]

"You can keep yourself safe in town for three days from those wrong people I hope? Our message found you very quickly."

"We're set on food and water. We have light but not all of us can see in the dark like you. Melinda is skilled with energy walls and blasting things. Xaan also has energy walls and can at least summon things to take the beating for us. Rex is skilled with his weapons and taking a beating." Cendrik gives a friendly grin to Rex. "He also has a large capable 'pet' but I don't know if it is coming. I can quickly get to where needed to dice things up into little pieces. Healing is a weakness."

"You've traveled the caves. What else is needed?"

[J-H]

“Silence, and a wise choice of paths. The best fight is one you avoid, and the second-bets is one where you opponent doesn’t even know there’s a fight until they’ve been had." He smiles.

"Where did you say you were going? All the way through and across? Most people don’t even believe there’s a way through.”

"You say you can get the equipment I've been looking for. Can you provide it early? There have been...issues."

[Cavir]

"Agreed, avoiding fights or winning before the enemy knows there is a fight is our preference too. If forced to fight we can bring the pain. If we can get to our destination without a fight, all the better."

"We don't know the 'where' precisely. We can tell the direction as we go. It may or may not be on the other side. I look forward to those chats later. As to what we're after, we can discuss that after we are on our way, which is when we'll have the gear for you. You were looking for a ring, boots, and another object right? To avoid issues later, what precisely were you looking for"

"You can't guide us if you are already dead. Seems we'll have to keep an eye on you." Cendrik gives a questioning look to the others of the group.

[J-H]

“Hmm, what was it? It’s been a few days. The ring, the boots, and I think a short sword?” Fentir stretches a bit and yawns. “Staying out of sight does involve a few sleepless nights, sorry. I can handle myself, though.”

[Cavir]

Cendrik raises an eyebrow. "A shortsword? That wasn't on the list. I heard you have a fancy dagger not from around here? Still have it? Let's see it."

"We need our guide to be alive and awake. Better to stay with us. Any other business you need to do in town before we hit the mountains?"