Second Darkness [Shadow in the Sky] (IC)

[lostsole31]

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

Name [Player]	Color	Race [Ethnicity] (gender ID)	AL	Side 1	Side 2
Eric Achabij [Silphael]	Gray	Dhampir [Vetala-born; Vudrani]	NG	Harbinger 3 [Crimson Count]	Warder 3 [Dervish Defender]
Kwava [NPC]	Saddle Brown	Elf [Ekujae] (m)
Ozlech Darkwing [bcool999]	Teal	Tiefling (m)	NG	Harbinger 3 [Ravenlord]	Vizier
Rodriguez Orcarr [DMSpirit] [AggressiveBread]	Dark Orange	Tiefling [Pitborn] (m)	CG	Skald 3 [Bacchanal]	Summoner 3 [Soulbound]
Sol Flood [NPC]	Fire Brick Red	Human [Chelaxian] (m)	NG (CG)	Alchemist 3	??? 3
Visto [meemaas]	Blue	Suqur [Nisr] (m)	CG	Radiant 3	Stormbound 3
Apophis, Rodriguez' Eidolon [NPC]	Golden Rod	Fire Elemental (m)	CG	Eidolon	Serpentine Form
Huginn, Ozlech's Raven [NPC]	Navy Blue	Raven (size S) (m)	NG	Companion 3	--

[lostsole31]

Eric Achabij

Description

Eric is thin, and quite emaciated, although not exactly bony. His pale bronze skin shows traces of old wounds, reminiscent of past combats. He walks with calculated grace and seems to keep some deep rooted anger at bay. He prefers to keep his jet black hair short.

Personality

No the kind to forget grudges, Eric still tries to by staying focused on his fiend and undead hunts, through his dedication to Sarenrae.

[lostsole31]

Ozlech Darkwing

Description

Ozlech isn't a pretty sight to see. His demonic heritage often leaves him with skin blemishes and renders his hair a greasy black mop, which does him no favors with his sickly grey skin tone making him appear a diseased wretch. One of his horns remains on his head as a broken stump shattered by blunt force. His face holds two noticeable scars while his arms are filled with many smaller blade scars. Perhaps a stunning smile could fix his appearance? If only his mouth wasn't full of needle like teeth meant for tearing flesh from bone.

Personality

Despite all appearances, Ozlech is a nice fellow that wouldn't hurt anyone who didn't try to hurt him first.

[lostsole31]

Rodriguez Orcarr

Description

Rodriguez has long horns which arch back over his head like a mountain goat. His skin is an olive green color. He is very tall and heavyset with broad shoulders covered in patches of fur which help protect him. His yellow eyes have long horizontal pupils like a goat. His hair is a a curly brown mop on his head with a small goatee on his chin. He has long pointed ears. His digitigrade legs also have a protective coat, and they end in two large goat hooves. His tail is almost 3' in length and covered in small, rigid, blunted barbs, allowed him to hold objects with it.

He wears no shoes, he has two hip holsters where he keeps two water skins filled with alcohol, his clothes a simple and pretty shabby, consisting of a tunic and long grey pants. He does not wear a cloak or cover his face, the only colorful bit of clothing he owns is a bright blue sash that he wears over his armor.

Personality

[Under construction...]

[lostsole31]

Sol Flood

Description

Somewhat underfed-looking. Close-cropped jet black hair with tinges of red at the ends. Eyes: Dark Brown. Complexion: Pale but not anemic.

Personality

Generally spiritual, but not specifically religious. He believes in decency and the alleviation of suffering. Cruelty is a cancer that should be removed. Goodness may come from a temporary ill. Altruism is an important guide to his inner moral compass. One must be willing to suspend one's personal interests to render assistance to those in need.

[lostsole31]

Visto

Description

Visto is a fairly tall humanoid, bearing the head of a vulture, along with wings, covered in black feathers. While his body is still fairly similar to a human, it's easy to tell he's in good shape, while not overly muscular, he's at least at a healthy weight. His customized Leather armor overlaps his basic traveling clothes, and his sharp talons round out the look.

Personality

Visto is a friendly person who believes strongly in nature. He habitually speaks in the third person, and when he has taken to an ally, he will fiercely defend them at virtually any cost.

[lostsole31]

As the group travels, Sol will tell you of a very large, multi-wave raid that hit the Gold Goblin Gambling Hall (his place of employment) the night prior. It's one of the reasons he seemed out of sorts, but was very curt and business like in giving you a job from one of his coworkers.

But this evening, he went out to the Boneyard because his boss - Saul Vancaskerkin - got word that his enemies were planning an even bigger raid on the Goblin. So, Sol and another by the name of Devil-Dave went out to the Boneyard to perhaps listen in. It seems that they knew they were coming and were ambushed by a handful of wererats. Devil-Dave didn't make it. Sol almost didn't make it and had to leave as soon as he saw DD fall into the muck of the swampy Boneyard. But, there was a mysterious, white-haired elf that helped them, and if not for him Sol's body would surely be prematurely buried in the mire.

So, Sol wants to head back and find the bodies of the wererats for any usable evidence, and possibly to track and find this white-haired elf to find out who he is and what he was doing there, and how he knew to help.

Any questions to Sol before you arrive in the Boneyard?

[silphael]

Looking at Sol, Eric starts with a simple question.

"So all the wererats have been taken care of by this white haired elf ? Must be quite the warrior then."

[meemaas]

Visto chooses to travel in silence, just listening.

[lostsole31]

"Oh, he didn't do it all!" Sol chuckles. "Devil-Dave took down two by himself. But that white-haired elf is a damn fine archer, and he came prepared. He had to have been using silvered arrows. But, yeah, they're dead. But I was so wounded and out of bombs and extracts, that I wasn't about to say or do anything that would have that elf turn his bow on me, so I got out of there to get help ... you. This felt like an ambush, so I don't know if Saul Vancaskerkin's plans were discovered - by a turncoat or divination magic or something - or if Saul himself set it up to get us out of the way.

"Devil-Dave was the most powerful defender at the Goblin ever since Dirk left to be trained at the Cypher Lodge. He gave the wererats a what for until he finally fell. It was breath-taking, horrifying, and inspiring to see, all at once. And with Lini's death of her droogami, Lini and Sajan left. I don't trust Seltyiel, and that left me and DD to knock off. Whether that is to weaken Saul, or for Saul to weaken us, I don't know. So, I want to see if these wererats had something that could be a clue, and possibly feel out this white-haired elf as possible ally? .... or to be identified as future foe."

[bcool999]

Ozlech

While Sol talks about the battle in the boneyard, Ozlech tries getting Visto’s attention and asks, ”Can you take a look at Ginny? She took a bad cut in the last fight.”

Ozlech otherwise doesn’t ask any questions of Sol.

[meemaas]

Visto will calmly place his hand on Ginny, infusing the Raven with his healing power wordlessly.

Spoiler

Show

Use Unicorn Feathering on the Raven.

[AggressiveBread]

Rodriguez will walk beside Apophis, massaging the sore areas where he was stabbed.”Our night didn’t go too much better. Beltias got away, but we did drive him out of the mission. Who knows where he is now.”

[lostsole31]

"I'm sorry to hear it," says Sol, smiling compassionately as he sees Ginny fully healed now. "But if we can prove that's what you did, even if his daughter finds him, that should be good enough as gold in hand.

"Say, whatever happened to little Lin and her raven? She went with you, didn't she?"

[bcool999]

Ozlech

Upon being asked about Lin, Ozlech racks his brain for a second before saying "Oh that one. Dunno what got into them. Maybe they had a change of heart or something because they just up and left."

[lostsole31]

The party gets to the Boneyard. There is a fetid mist all around the marsh at this time now in the dark of night. Ahead is a flickering globe of light centered around a bit of ship’s rigging protruding from the surface of the water. This can only be the Spar. Dangling from this boom is a single lantern providing the illumination for a group of dark-cloaked humanoids huddled together in the muck beneath.

"Those are basically decoys that drew us in before the ambush," Sol explains.

There is a hummock that is a little larger than most of the surrounding islands of "solid" ground. There is a twisted old tree and a fire burning up on that small hill.

"Up here!" calls a voice, and you see a silhouette of a slender humanoid outlined by the fire behind him.

Is the party fine just strolling up? Mind you, travel through the marsh has been (and will be again just getting to that spot) very messy, muddy, and smelly.

[AggressiveBread]

Rodriguez will pick up Apophis to keep him out of the muck before following Sol forward.

[lostsole31]

Rodriguez picks up Apophis, a bit comical as it is, but now is carrying a heavy load ... in a marsh ... and he begins to sink down more than he gets forward.

[AggressiveBread]

”Sorry buddy we’ll have to get you cleaned up later. I’d rather not suffocate in swamp mush. What a night for us huh?” Rodriguez will set Apophis back down with a sigh, and slowly pull himself upright in the muck to stop sinking and continue forward.

[lostsole31]

Actually, Apophis fairs better than everyone else. While still slowed by the mud, Apophis' long form means that more weight is distributed across a greater area ... so less sinking.

And there is a point where it comes to either swimming or being held up by friends ... and Apophis is a proficient swimmer. Even in his armor, Rod is a strong swimmer. Visto, Sol, and Ginny fly. So, the two problems are Eric and Ozlech. But since they have strong friends and it isn't very deep so you know that in an aquatic situation Eric and Ozzy would be in peril ... but not today.

The group gets out of a soupy-swimmy bit of the marsh and scrambles, huffing and puffing onto the rounded hillock and get to the top.

That is when you see a silver-haired elf with tattoos on his arms, accompanied by a hawk. A fire burns well, and there is the smell of meat.

[meemaas]

Visto will arrive near the elf and give a respectful bow to him. "Visto would like to thank his new Friend for helping Friend Sol survive the Wererats.

[lostsole31]

He definitely speaks in a strange dialect of Taldane, and with a strange cadence that solidly earmarks him as Not From These Here Parts. "My name is Kwava, and the hawk is my friend Ganmeed. You fought bravely, flying man," he says to Sol, "but you are healed since last I saw you. Allow me to offer this gift to the stranged horned man you bring with you, that he may be healed of his wounds."

He holds out a small vial to Visto, and seems to gesture to the still-wounded Rodriguez.

[meemaas]

Visto holds his hand up as if to refuse the vial. "Friend Rodriguez. Visto did not realize there were still injuries. Visto will see to them personally." Visto heads over to Rodriguez and places his hand upon him, helping his wounds to heal. "As Friend Kwawa can see, Visto is capable of healing wounds himself, and so insists that Friend Kwawa keep his healing to protect himself."

[lostsole31]

Kwava nods and Visto heals Rodriguez of the remainder of his wounds.

It is assumed at this point, that introductions are made (so as not to take two weeks of real life with introductions).

"I took this off the body of one of the dead rat-men." And Kwava hands the group a note (see Handouts in Discord).

[bcool999]

Ozlech

Taking and reading the proffered note before passing it along, Ozlech says, "Good proof of this being a planned ambush, but nothing directly incriminating. Though honestly they way they wrote the letter e was offensive on the eyes."

[lostsole31]

It turns out that nobody in the group, Sol, nor Kwava .... have any skill whatsoever at cryptography and coded messages ... so the best you can do is draw what conclusions you will.

[AggressiveBread]

Rodriguez squints at the note before shaking his head,”Well at least we can confirm that this was planned, and not some random attack. What were you doing out here in the Bonyard anyway Kwava?”

[lostsole31]

Kwava tells you the story of his people, and his reason for being here....

"I, Kwava, am a wild elf of the Ekujae tribe of the distant Mwangi Expanse far to the south, a tribe whose ancestry dates back to before Earthfall. When that ancient disaster struck, the Ekujae elves were left behind, but we survived the Age of Darkness nevertheless. The oral traditions of my people preserved the memories of this time as legends and warnings, and fear of a second darkness weighs heavily upon ours seers and prophets.

"I, Kwava, come from a long line of heroes who have served my tribe’s shamans since those ancient times, and it was after one of those shamans received a vision of a lone elf holding aloft a single light against the darkness that I left my home to seek my destiny. As a result, I traveled Golarion for several years, eventually coming to the small town of Crying Leaf at the edge of the Mierani Forest. Here, I first learned of the Shin’Rakorath. After hearing the company’s rhetoric (“to be the light against the coming darkness”), I took it as a sign and joined the mercenary company. My direct superior in the Shin’Rakorath explained that he feared a renegade elf from the Mierani Forest might have fled to the human city of Riddleport, where the renegade might have recruited the aid of one of that city’s crimelords. My first assignment was to scout out the city of Riddleport and the environs and to determine if any of the city’s crimelords had indeed taken in a mysterious elven ally of late.

"I, Kwava, come to you thus to this region, and to the human city of Riddleport.

"I, Kwava, am wary and unsure around human settlements, but I do not want to disappoint the Shin’Rakorath on my first important mission for them. I've been sneaking into Riddleport after dark for months now, listening to conversations on the streets from hidden vantage points, trailing suspicious characters, and in generally keeping an ear out for rumors of elf sightings. Recently, my investigations have begun to bear fruit, and I have come to suspect that Saul Vancaskerkin has allied with a mysterious benefactor. Yet I have no proof, and furthermore, have such limited experience with human societies that I fear any attempt to interact with the folk of Riddleport would give my hidden quarry plenty of time to escape.

"I, Kwava, have observed Saul Vancaskerin. During that observation, I have become familiar with the likes of Daevan Devil-Dave ... Sajan Gadadvara ... Lini the druid ... Seltyiel ... and even Sol Flood. When I followed Saul on a late-night trip to meet with Ziphras to arrange this meeting - the one where you were ambushed, Sol, I knew something was up. I hid near the site Saul and the wererats had chosen for the ambush, intending to save your people when they arrived in an attempt to secure their aid.

"I, Kwava, hope my forthrightness .... and helping Sol Flood ... has earned your trust. I assume you will return to Riddleport to confront Saul? If you aren’t planning to do just that, I encourage you to do so. And I hope you'll agree to fill me in on any information you might learn about any 'renegade elves' Saul has been harboring or interacting with."

[bcool999]

Ozlech

Listening to the elves lengthy explanation, Ozlech turns to Sol and says, ”Well you were looking for clues on your ambush. This Ziphras character Kwava mentioned could be the Z that wrote the letter we found. So Sol, how much do you trust your boss not to double cross you?”

[lostsole31]

"I don't know," answers Saul. "I don't like to think he's trying to double-cross his own employees. It doesn't make sense to me. But I don't particular trust him as a human being, either."