Arc 3 - Glimmers in the Dark (Main Roleplay)

[SCN_ Grey_fox]

“Where is the body now?”

Turning to Kuori, “Unless if you need me...” a statement he highly doubted, “... I would like to verify this Typhon’s corpse is a pile of ash and salt, before we leave.”  

[Kowsauni]

General Valmist would respond. "I would hate for you to waste your time when there more much more pressing matters at hand. Typhon did not fall anywhere near this fort. Like I said, the majority of the battles took place far from here. The underdark army was able to push pretty far into our lands before we were able to turn the tide against them. I can assure you though, our mages and clerics took great care in disposing what was left of his body. We didn't want anything like him coming back."  

[Psychofish]

Maybe it was because he was restless to leave, and all the strangers had disippated with hardly any word or just because gambling and drinking seemed best saved for after a sortie, not killing time before one, but he traded nods and short quips or pleasantries with passing soldiers while milling about in place with practiced patience. At least, in so far as he was left to it- not ALL of the others had vanished, after all.

He raised an eyebrow at the tieflings gruesome glee, but couldn't help cracking a smile in return. "Oh? Bit of a connisuer, are you?" Attitudes of the crew didn't seem as well suited to this mission as he might have hoped for, but they seemed like better company for it- blunt, straightforward, and heavy handed was quite openly his style, after all, hammer and all. "Maybe they haven't all gone too deep yet. What on the list are you really wanting to see how you measure up against?"

He had his own pick, and he'd answer readily enough if asked back- the umberhulks. Not the nastiest things on the list, but the biggest. That's what sounded like fun to him.  

[Mongooseh]

"Anything worth singing songs about for slaying!" Valac replied with a hearty laugh, "I want to be one of them heroes bards sing about in taverns, praising my mighty deeds and drinking to my name! We've been mostly fighting humans and that's nothing special to sing about! Could you imagine the songs?"

Valac scrunched his face at the thought before continuing, "I'd just sound like a common murderer, but you talked about a bunch of gribblies, I've spent all my time raiding this and that. What out of all of them do you think would win me glory and fame?"  

[PupSage]

Kuori stands, "Well then, mystery solved. Now we just have to get down there before Maukein enslaves whats left of my clan." She turns to look at Ruin specifically, "Of which she is no longer part of, meaning she is no longer my family. I have one living brother in this fort, and, with any luck, one more in the underdark, but that thing isn't my sister anymore, she has been lost to the darkness. You'd do well to remember that, next time you have a slip of your tongue, you might lose it." She nods to the general. "We'll head out within the hour then." She looks to Ruin again, "Lets go get some supplies."

((Mostly looking for climber's kits, rope, rations, and sunrods (Lanterns are acceptable.))  

[Fools-The-Reaper]

"I'm glad it was slain, then," Revenge would comment upon the leader of this army. "It sounds like its destruction was the lynchpin for-" It would be in poor taste to describe it as her army's 'victory'. "- their defeat."

"May I sit?" he'd ask, indicating the nearest chair and, if granted consent, would sit next to her recovery bed.

"As for your request for stories... I really only have one. Back in the day, so many long years ago, I had just lost the most important person in my life, and I fell into a bad place. Luckily, the first people to find me before I did something drastic was a church. The actual building was shared by several faiths located in the lower class section of a city; the Church of the Four Seasons. The high priest of each faith actually considered me a lost cause, only willing to grant me bread and shelter, but it was the archdeacon of Sehanine that took a shine to me. She said she saw an untapped potential to help 'bring balance to the tragedy of loss'. Though she wasn't a fan of the moniker I ended up choosing for myself, as was tradition for Tieflings who wished to start their lives anew. Or... were forced to start anew, in my case. But I'm jumping ahead a bit."

Revenge would smile politely. "Before that point, she taught me so much. I wouldn't exactly say I left the darkness, but neither did I dwell in it. Instead, my soul moved to one of ambient dusk. Marianna, the archdeacon, had me taught how to defend myself, and then asked me how I wished to use my teachings. At the time I thought it a peculiar question to ask, but it wasn't until later upon reflection that I believe it was some sort of test. I had told her that I wanted to find those responsible for the pain I was caused... and make sure they would not bring that pain upon anyone else. I think it was then that Marianna truly accepted my motivations, that my anger had been tempered into cold steel and not loosed as a blazing wildfire."

"They had actually encouraged me to pursue a path of the Avenger after this point. The skillset that it would provide me would be better suited at tracking down those guilty of inflicting such senseless pain, especially with a new name like 'Revenge'. But I chose the path of the Paladin after some contemplating. The other Sehanites were a bit perplexed at my choice, but I just felt that in my heart of hearts, I wanted to stop the guilty by defending those they target and giving them the choice: Repent, or fall. The revenge that I represented would be one of the oppressor's own action by yielding to darkness and not becoming something better. Be it by my words or my blade, they would falter to the code and ethics I was taught in the name of Sehanine. The choice I offer would improve the world regardless of the outcome, making it that much safer for those who more vulnerable to such destructive whims."

His tail would inadvertently brush against the post of the bed. "That said, it would have been easier to defend the weak against senseless beasts who are violent and dangerous, but the path I've been led to walk has not been that easy. I've been caught between opposing factions in recent months who are bent on each other's defeat, blind to those who might be affected if either should fall. The adventurers I've partied with have not necessarily made calming either side easier with their own warmongering sensibilities, but I suppose that's the nature of the beast of the career I've found myself living." He would sigh, and shake his head.

"It's why I'm so eager to aid your army now," he would then say to the young woman. "You've done so much to protect those that would have been senselessly hurt by this rampaging Underdark force. But it was not without cost, and now it is my turn to make sure you are safe. As a Paladin and a worshiper of Sehanine, that's why I think people should do: Protect each other. If there's any chance of these forces regrouping, I will see them scattered and broken if there is no chance of a peaceful resolution. Hopefully your forces have already accomplished that, but I will ensure it so you can rest easily."

Having found himself staring mostly forward and not to his audience, he would turn to the half-elf. "I'm sorry if that's not quite the story you were looking for. My own experiences have been a bit isolated and unconventional. I have little in the way of valorous exploits, but I did not choose this path for the glory of it. It is not Sehanine's way. But hopefully hearing my words will still help your memory some. I've found that rarely does a Sehanite's past not contain at least a little tarnish. But it's that very nature that gives us all such a strong bond." As a gesture of kindness, he would extend an upturned gauntleted palm to her, smiling sincerely.  

[SCN_ Grey_fox]

“Whatever you wish to call her, doesn’t bother me in the slightest.” Ruin would return Kuori’s statement of sisterly love, with a passing shrug. Waiting until his taller ally left the room he turned to the general one last time. “The last question, besides the potion seller outside. Did any other agent of the Arian military come to through fort?”

The tiefling would only wait as long as was needed for the general to completely answer and would leave with a short goodbye. Follow after Kuori.
(Looking for manacles, miner helmets, rations, Healer kits, pints of oil, and a Large Bag to hold)  

[Kowsauni]

General Valmist

General would raise his eyebrow at Ruins question. "Oh, so you say the Alchemist is agent of theirs? Dosen't surprise me. Well, several members of the Arian military have been through here since we've began the construction. They provided us with aid in fighting of the Underdark army and we consulted them on setting up magical defences here at Light's Stand.That's all I can really say about that."

The general would hastily write down a note on a piece of paper and hand it to Kuori. "Have one of my men outside the door direct you to the quartermaster. Give him this note and he should provide you with all the equipment you need for your journey."

((If Kouri and ruin follow the General's directions they will be brought to the quartermaster. He asks what they require and provides them with the following equipment.

1 Climbers Kit
1 Healers Kit
4 50 ft sections of hemp rope
5 miner helmets
25 sunrods
2 Iron manacles
50 Rations
4 large bags.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the medical ward...

The Half-elf would smile back at Revenge and respond. "Well, nothings coming back to me right at this moment. But I thank you for your kind words. Everyone here sacrificed a lot, but in the end, I think it was worth it. At least I have the memory of what we accomplished to spur me on. I hope in time the rest will return as well."

The half elf suddenly grabs her head and seems to feel a bit woozy. She lays back down in her bed. "Well, I think I should get some rest now. Trying to focus to much with my eyes gives me a headache. It was nice talking to you though, Paladin of Sehanine ."  

[Mongooseh]

A bit confused as to why it was taking so long for the new comer Valac slapped him on the side of the shoulder.

"You think on it alright?" Suggested Valac as he turned to walk away, "I've got to find the shitter before we head out, last chance before we're squatting behind the nearest rock right?! Hahahahaaa..."

Valac then wandered off deliberately getting himself lost and finding himself somewhere secluded.

Pausing for an awkward moment, "Ya there ya runt?"  

[Fools-The-Reaper]

"Would you like me to say a prayer to Sehanine on your behalf before I depart?" he would ask the girl, retracting the hand that she did not take.  

[Kowsauni]

Vivian

Valac finds himself in a secluded alleyway between the fort's wall and a building. Everyone is so busy with their own work no one took notice of him disappearing inside. Once he is out of sight he hears a small grumpy voice issue out from behind him. "Who are you calling a runt, you meathead!"

When he turns around he sees the small shrouded form of a child. Wild black hair pokes out from under her hood, as well as two small white horns. By her white skin, red eyes, and arcane tattoos Valac recognizes her as Tristan's adopted daughter, Vivian. She stands more than an arm's length away from Valac, no doubt to avoid potentially being grabbed like last time. After glaring at him for a moment she would cast her gaze to the side. Her tone would soften immensely as she continued to speak.

"Look...I just want to talk, all right? I think we got off on the wrong foot before. I just want to know about our matching tattoos, ok? Do you know what they mean or how we got them? I asked fa-Tristan about it and he won't give me a straight answer or he changes the subject. I...I have no memory of anything past a year ago, when I was taken in by Tristan. I...I-I would like to know who I am... Who I really am. I know I'm some kind of freak that has to stay hidden, but there must be more there! I figured since, you know, you kinda look like me and we have the same tattoo you might know something. You asked me about it last time we talked after all."

Vivian continues to avoid making direct eye contact with Valac. It almost seemed like she was embarrassed to be speaking so openly about herself to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While standing alone Ilikan would be approached by one of his fellow soldiers. "Hey, I heard you got picked for some kind of secret mission; congratulations, I think. Hey, don't give me that look, word travels fast in this little fort, you know that. I don't know exactly what you are up to, but does it have to do with that crazy noble who visited us? Oh, that's right, I think you were away then, but a few days ago this little noble lady rides in here with a handful of guards asking permission to study the corpses of the monsters from the Underdark. Thin little thing, she looked like she was barely beyond being a child but she was pretty adamant about her task so the general gave her permission to roam the battlefield. We were wondering if Ol' Valmist was sending you out to check on her."
 

[Mongooseh]

Valac mimed comparing their heights quickly before commenting, "Till you can clash 'orns with me for saying it you're gonna keep being a runt."

Continuing from where Vivian left off, "Yeah and I've not learnt anything new since other than you have one too. 'As that b*****d told you nothing? Also you only look freaky next to that ginger git. You'd look like an albino tiefling if you hung out with the rest of us."  

[Kowsauni]

Vivian would give Valac a grumpy look. "I don't know what you have against Tristan, He's done nothing but take good care of me."

Vivian face would then go back to looking more desperate. "So, are you sure? There's nothing you know? Does it have anything to do with those Aria guys. You guys seem to talk about them a lot. You... you have to know something. You are the best lead I got. If...if...if you don't know, then how am I suppose to find out who I am!" Vivian's eyes being to mist over. It seemed the girl had put a lot of stock into finding out some information about herself by talking to Valac. The fact that she was coming away empty handed was beginning overwhelm her emotions.  

[Psychofish]

There were a lot of nasty critters in that list- but song worthy? Well. He figured with the big demon dead, that was probably a beholder. Though Ilikan was a little inclined to try and sell up something else that seemed less likely to slaugther their entire band with ease if the barbarian had any luck locating one. Having entire armies around had been a blessing with a few of those about. Better to start small and alive, work ones way up a little, right? The man had something catch his attention though, and it saved Ilikan a bit of time to figure that out for later. And go back to exchanging friendly words as he bade his time, until something a little more came to him.

He considered that hard for a moment, and slowly shook his head.

"No, I hadn't seen her. Lady and her guard all missing out that direction?" he asked, vaguely gesturing the direction toward where all that mess had come out of the underdark in the first place. He probably couldn't fit a full rescue party into this, but if there was someone in the direction he was already heading, knowing what he was keeping an eye out for couldn't hurt.  

[Mongooseh]

Valac crossed his strong arms as the small girl pleaded with him, waving his arm slightly Valac said, "Quiet down runt, you wanted to speak alone didn't you?"

Glancing around to check that his previous question was still true he tried his best to answer Vivian, "Look, if it ain't no chance that you just happen to have the same tattoo as me and are a bit freaky then let me tell you how it is, runt."

Squatting down and leaning forward, casting a menacing shadow Valac said in a low and quiet voice, "You and I aren't freaks kid, we're monsters made by Aria and forged in flesh. They want us dead or captured that's why Tristan tells you to hide. Don't trust him completely though runt, he ain't no angel, he did help free me from whatever they had in keep for me but he was going to sell me and a decade later he's working with Aria making tools to capture people like us."

Standing up straight Valac returned to crossing his arms, "You'd be better off asking Tristan he seems to know more about this whole bollocks than I."