Redemption: The Preludes (IC post)

[Civit]

Aly Treltor

---

"I am the one being hunted, for reasons unknown. I was in a caravan. Roland and I are the only survivors. We witnessed and overheard enough to know it was me they were after."

"These were not mere bandits or bounty hunters. They were lead by a very powerful sorceress, possibly a match for your dragon." The thought of trying to pit the two against each other occurred to Aly. But not knowing who or why these things were happening made that problematic. For all she knew they could be working together.

"I can offer a solution to the boat issue. Our original plan... like anything has gone to plan, was to get to Skuld and I would contact a former classmate of mine that has a ship. It is how I travelled down here from The Dalelands. It is only a few more days past that to The Moonsea, and a week or so upriver to Damara. I'm sure she would extend the friends discount to you."

[Harding]

Roland Weisley

---

Roland Weisley considered the grim reality of their situation. Everyone in their group seemed to be pursued by mysterious, deadly foes—whether a grand beast like the green dragon or the malevolent sorceress and her devoted assassins. On Roland's side, there were likely bounty hunters and assassins hunting him, but at least he totally knew why and who sent them after him. But he wasn't still certain if it was the case or not. The incertitude was disconcerting thoughts...

As the group discussed their options, Roland listened intently. Yopine's suggestion of venturing into the Underdark filled him with as much dread as the dragon itself. However, he noted Yopine's confidence that staying nearer to the surface might mitigate the risks, contrasting with the terrifying stories he had heard in Waterdeep's taverns and shadowy alleys.

"Well, if Yopine says it's safe to stay closer to the surface in the Underdark, I'm inclined to trust her judgment," Roland spoke up, pensively "After all, she's not only from there but has survived and thrived in its depths. But if this dragon is truly ancient, it likely has agents, possibly even eyes in that forsaken place. I'd prefer to face the dragon's minions over the monster itself, though. But that's just my two nibs..."

 

 

[PixCO]

Yopine (Svirfette) Quietclock

---

"Err... actually..." There was a look of profound guilt written on Svirfette's face at Roland's words.

"We moved to Heldepan when I was only twelve. Barely old enough to leave the nursery, so I'm not sure the words 'thrived in its depths' should apply. But the theory's still sound."

She turned her attention back to Ragz, remembering the question that both Rillik and Aly were insulating her from.

"And I need to know why you're being hunted because that'll tell me how you're being hunted. I don't have anyone hunting me. At least not that I know of, but then neither did you until it was too late. I'm here because I was considered to be The Right Person to Help. I think this might be how I'm supposed to help. I know how to evade pursuit because I'm a very good pursuer. So please believe me when I say that everyone in this clearing needs to consider their next move carefully, but make it quickly."

[Harding]

Roland Weisley

---

He looked at the deep gnome with an embarrassed grin. "Well, the Underdark seems like a less appealing option, based more on theoretical ideas... Sorry, while I don't shy away from a bit of risk, I prefer calculated ones."

Listening to Yopine's repeated inquiry to Ragz about why an ancient dragon might be pursuing them, Roland interjected at the end. "While it would be extremely useful to know why we're being hunted, they mentioned earlier that they don't know. We're losing time interrogating them here. Precious time. This could be done later, in a more appropriate setting."

Crossing his arms and leaning against a nearby tree, he continued with a sense of urgency. "Considering all that's been said and revealed, the best option is to continue toward Skuld. I suggest that Ragz and Torben join our group at least until we reach our destination. Safety in numbers: we can be your temporary clan until you decide otherwise. If the dragon is on your trail, he may spot our party anyway, with or without you, and he won't ask us be nice about you anyway - probably use unsavory means to extract information about you. If we stick together, at least we can use all our resources to distract, elude, or defend ourselves if things get dire. Again, just my two nibs."

Roland looked around at the group, hoping to see some agreement or further discussion on their next steps.

 

 

Edited April 10 by Harding (see edit history)

[PixCO]

Yopine (Svirfette) Quietclock

---

"Except that not all has been revealed. Ragz has his suspicions, remember? He asked for a reason to tell them. I'm trying to give him one."

She didn't have anything more to say on the subject, but did keep her gaze on Ragz waiting for his next reply. It was time to start thinking tactically rather than running around at random. They needed a path, a plan, and a place of safety. At the moment the lack of the first two prevented them from reaching the third.

[Wizard of the Coat]

Ragz

---

Sensing the return of the dog's carefree disposition, Ragz clumsily dismounted black dog.

The canine executed a strange sort of hop of excitement or perhaps it was a release of pent up energy. She offered the kobold her best puppy dog eyes as she vocalized another of her half-whine half-grumbles.

"Ragz has not forgotten," the kobold assured her.

He drew something small from beneath his robes. The tree-canopied darkness obfuscated the object, but those with darkvision saw it was a rather large and perfect looking strawberry.

The dog licked it up from his palm, wolfing it down in an instant. She wagged her tale and grumble-whined for more.

His reply was firm but quiet, "ManamIn the Kobold dialect of Draconic: "No"."

The dog wandered off to sniff the half-orc, eyes bright, hoping for some fun.

All the while, Ragz had listened to the conversation. His eyes briefly widened at Aly's disclosure before softening to thoughtful relief. Then the deep gnome made more words, making more sense this time, shedding light on her previous words. Like Ragz, she was a hunter. But a different kind of hunter. He understood the role of a bounty hunter. Over the past year, he had considered taking up the profession. Having never seen a bounty hunter in action, only did he make the connection: her strong words and questions, these were the hunting tactics and tools of a bounty hunter.

The deep gnome was joined by the large human soldier, the two together producing more wisdom than either alone might have done. Ragz found himself nodding to more than a few of the human's observations and conclusions.

In a moment of quiet, he inserted more of his quiet croaking words. "Ragz has no explanation for any behavior of an ancient green dragon, including why such a powerful being hunts a bugbear and gnome. Ragz has thought on the matter and can see only two very small possibilities. First, a dragon seeks to stop a bugbear from reaching his destination to complete his task. Second--"

The kobold turned his gaze to the stray black dog. Then to the bugbear, his face an apology.

"An ancient dragon seeks a stray black dog."

Ragz paused as all eyes turned to the dog, now trying her best to start some sort of play with the half-orc.

The kobold took in a breath, resolved to tell the painful story. He kept his eyes mostly on Aly as he spoke--perhaps because she had shared her story first, perhaps because he sensed she was a collector of histories. "Almost a year past, the Menagerie of Murghôm were escorting a Gur caravan covertly led by Harpers, escorting one specific wagon of the caravan: heavily reinforced with no windows and only one narrow hatch for an entrance. The caravan stopped to camp at a crossroads. Ragz left camp to scout the road ahead, and perhaps hunt if lucky. When he returned, while yet some distance away, Ragz saw and heard the signs of powerful magical battle: fireballs, thunders, screams, clashings. Ragz is not brave, but..."

The kobold paused, reigning in hold emotions, composing himself. "...the Menagerie were friends of many, many years. And so Ragz ran to the battle, feeling the Dragon's Breath in his blood. Ragz arrived in time to see both first Quwi the Shadow Master and Charapa the Humble Paladin fall to black-clad cultists' blades and spells, and the Wizard Fel Blackeye, greiviously wounded, disappear in a puff of smoke."

"Only a few cultists remained alive, each heavily wounded as they searched the ruined wagon. They had not observed Ragz. Not finding what they searched for, they spread out among the camp searching other wagons."

The kobold paused again. He would have preferred to omit the next part of the story, but he had no gift for guile, and feared these travelers would discern he was holding back important details. "The Dragon's Breath still pulsed in Ragz' blood, no longer boiling, but cold and predatory. Ragz slew the cultists one at a time as they searched, taking them by surprise, from behind, from darkness. Offering only the mercy cultists offered the caravaners."

Ragz sighed, relieved that the worst was passed. "Ragz knew that the massacre would draw monsters and scavengers, but Ragz could not leave dear friends to be eaten. At the crossroads was a small shrine. With much effort and time, Ragz buried the bodies of Quwi and Charapa near the shrine. The task complete, Ragz heard a sound coming from the shrine. It was one of those crossroads shrines dedicated to Shaundakul, in the form of a tiny shelter just large enough for a kobold to hide within. Ragz crouched down and peered into the tiny shrine, a kobold's keen eyes perceiving a small black puppy, nearly invisible in the shadows within."

The kobold looked again to the dog.

"Ragz had explored inside the ruined security wagon. It had been home to a small animal. A stray black dog was that animal. Important enough to be protected by the Menagerie. Hunted by powerful foes. Foes powerful enough to end the Menagerie."

The kobold looked to Torben. "If a Bugbear no longer wishes to travel with Ragz and a stray dog, Ragz will understand."

 

[Civit]

Aly Treltor

---

Aly paled at the description of the attack. The details matched so closely, could it be the same assailants. She was already fond of the big black slobber machine, but now felt a deeper connection to Allqu. She reached out to the dog, giving her a big hug and whispering to her, "We are now sisters, you and I."

Standing back up. "My knowledge of dragons is limited to books and stories, aside from the few scales back in my home. But from what I have read, green dragons relish the hunt. It COULD be as simple as it sees you as prey to toy with. On the other hand, dragons are territorial. Not that an ancient great worm would fear entering another dragon's territory. But leaving their own unguarded is another thing."

"Was the wizard Fel a woman? We overheard an assasin address his leader as Lady F."

[Harding]

Roland Weisley

---

As Roland listened to the Kobold's story, which seemed to resonate with elements of déjà vu, he struggled to repress his anger. His face turned red, and his expression underwent a violent emotional shift. Glancing at Aly, who appeared to be thinking along the same lines, he managed to keep his composure. It was clear that the assassins described were the same ones who had murdered his companions—the caravan guards he had worked with for months. Despite his anger, looking at Aly's troubled expression tempered his emotions. He knew she carried guilt for their deaths, as the events strongly suggested that the assassins were targeting her. Roland gently squeezed her shoulder with compassion.

When Aly asked Ragz about the black-clad cultists referring to their leader as "Lady F," Roland rummaged in his backpack once more and retrieved his sketchbook. He crouched down beside Ragz and handed him the item, opening it to a page that displayed an extremely detailed drawing of Lady F's face and her second-in-command, Althmet.

"Do you recognize her? Is she the wizard you were talking about?" Roland inquired, his voice calm yet urgent.

 

[Wizard of the Coat]

Ragz

---

The kobold listened to Aly, slowly understanding where he'd gone wrong. By the time he'd figured it out, the tall human warrior was showing him drawings. They were quite good. Ragz grunted approvingly.

"Please forgive Ragz' poor explanation. Fel Blackeye was one of the Managerie. A a powerful wizard with a magical black crystal replacing one eye. And a friend. Fel retreated from the battle with teleportation magic. He was very injured at the time."

To the human warrior with the drawing, the kobold added, "Ragz does not recognize such a female wizard. Apologies."

[Rumrunner]

Rillik d'Sivis

---

This, this was none of her business, well it was kind of her business, in the same way flower picking was her business, because she sometimes used their dyes in her tattoos. Except these folk didn't smell as nice, weren't as pretty and this was much more stressful than picking flowers.

As far as she was concerned most of this amounted to sub-officer banter, those painful meetings to make people feel included that stop you from being productive with preconsceived rational that should have been a memo. Eventually the commanding officer gets frustrated and just tells everyone what to do, would it be the same here? They weren't walking or doing anything productive, they were comparing stories and each trying to present why they are important. She knew her roll was to support them, so she simply leaned against a tree and gingerly touched up her tattoos, carefully filing away bits of what they said that may be useful at some point in the future. Was this how people talked when they lacked gnome intelligence? Sure, Yopine was a gnome, but a deep gnome, so their minds likely pittered away in the dark with the need of survival surpassing the grace of invention. Could their minds not filter out useful bits, like there was this or that pivitol person or group? Do we have any information about them? No, but does she look like this? No. Even if they did would it change anything? No. Were they now going to investigate a person they didn't already plan on investigating in Skuld. Nope...

She shook her head and found herself petting the dog, and stiffling a laugh at the implication of Aly being the sister of a dog, a whisper she probably wasn't supposed to hear. Involuntarily her mind found similarities such as general geniality and nice shiny black fur/hair... "So, you think we could walk while we talk? The dragon is well and gone and we're all heading to Skuld are we not? Or if you'd like to keep talking here, I can use the time to conjure a phantom steed to make things faster? Perhaps send someone ahead to secure river passage?"

[Basil_Bottletop]

Wyckmere Mirth

---

 

Wyck chuckled at the idea that a dragon sought a dog. Audibly to some. If anyone looked at him, he simply turned away or tried to hide his smirk. The idea was outlandish, but he wouldn't dismiss it outright for the sheer sake that it was humorous. Made only moreso because here was multiple adults all considering the possibility. The amusement was worth the effort they'd put forth so far.

The fabric continued to fold in on itself, it seemed. Wyck wasn't sure any of the layers were truly pertinent to his needs or those of his marks, but the blanket was getting thick and scratchy. He watched as Rillik detached herself from the conversation and find a comfy tree to lean against. He still wasn't quite sure where the two gnomes fit into this whole thing, but it wasn't the first time the final details weren't revealed until very late.

At her suggestion, he turned toward D'Artegenon to see his command.

[Civit]

Aly Treltor

---

Aly was only mildly annoyed that she had forgotten the detail of Fel's name being in the Menagerie. But then, she had only heard Selwin recite the full story once.

Despite Ragz not recognizing Roland's sketches, Aly was leaning towards the same assailant theory. It was just too similar. "No, no reason we can not multi-task and walk and talk at the same time."

Trying to listen and think at the same time, Aly started mentally cataloging every story or song she could think of about special or magical dogs. As she thought, she was surprised how many there were. Nyella, the spirit dog that guarded an Inn in Rashamen, King a reincarnation of Marcus Shadowdale, Rivuryn who's grave was at the entrance to The Magister's sanctum... so many more. Most were allegory, paying homage to normal yet loyal companions, all the way up to the Evermeet skin walkers. It would take time to sift through the stories to see if any fit. But since all Allqu had done is lick people and fetch sticks there was not much to go on.

[Wizard of the Coat]

Ragz

---

"Ragz and a bugbear have been traveling by night. To avoid being seen on the road. Would that not be wiser?"

The kobold was starting to warm to the idea of joining this unusual band of travelers, considering how things might work if he did.

[PixCO]

Yopine (Svirfette) Quietclock

---

Svirfette cocked an eyebrow at Wyck's chuckling, but didn't make much of it. She had to admit that dragonfear had likely fixed the image of her as just a silly girl for certain. Some ridicule should be expected.

She stood, finally, as the two women were right. They should be moving already. As well, sending a runner to have passage secured by the time the rest arrived was logical.

Yopine then gave her head a light snack as she realized where the word 'logistics' came from in the first place.

Ragz had a point, though. Would their guide be able to protect someone that far away? For that matter, how exactly was he protecting them now? Her own abilities were noticable enough, but she'd yet to see what method the half-orc was actually using.

Those would be good questions for later. Right now she was just ready to get away from wherever they were.

[Zelphas]

Torben

---

Torben was confused. First they were going to the Underdark, then they weren't, then they were accused of trying to join the group (even though it was two of their number that asked him and Ragz to join in the first place!), and then they were all sharing stories while the sun was getting closer to rising on the horizon.

He shook his head, dismissing the whole thing. "C'mon then, Ragz; we can either follow them or go our own way, but we should probably keep moving." He tried not to stress the "we"s in his statement. Ragz had just told Torben that he (or his dog) might be in danger; what kind of person would Torben be if he just walked away from his friend? Shaking his head again, Torben struck out down the road once again, figuring that someone in the group would just start arguing again or tell another story if he walked in any other direction.

Edited April 13 by Zelphas (see edit history)