(Missing posts)

• Teodric: "2 spoonfuls of sugar and some honey stirred in slowly please"
• Tez: "Are you... okay? Didn't get stung by any weird bugs or anything did you?"
• Lana: Lana looks at Zirun, 'Would you care for some tea? It's very bracing.'
• Tez looks Zirun up and down
• Holmes: Zirun suddenly starts gasping.
• Lana: Lana looks up in alarm, he hadn't seemed to have any health problems when she first met him.
• Lana: 'Um... are you okay?'
• Teodric: Teodric gives Zirun a concerned look over his tea "Lana, would anyone attack him to send us a message?"
• Tez makes the sign to ward off bad luck, a habit she's come to rely on more and more often.
• Holmes: Zirun can't even reply in response, he's having some sort of attack, it's clear.
• Tez: "Uh." she scratches the back of her neck, "I'm not real good with people, but this one time my father's horse was breathing like that" she waves at him, "and they gave him a few good thumps, and he got real pissed but he was better after that."
• Tez: "Right in the ribs," she adds helpfully, pointing to her own
• Holmes: For a moment Zirun seems to recover, a glazed look coming over his eyes as his body settles down, as Lana tries to do something for him, laying him down. He looks into Lana's eyes and says, "Tell my son these things: The Crow has left the nest, do you have that? And I love him."
• Holmes: His body gives a convulsion, and then seems to cease operating all at once.
• Tez: "Oh. The horse didn't do that."
• Tez prods the prone man a bit. "Hey, wake up!"
• Teodric: Teodric rolls his eyes "I hope I never break my leg around you two. I'm likely to get a pretty new set of horseshoes.
• Holmes: Lana, from her close vantage can see that he's stopped breathing.
• Tez blushes, "Sorry, geez. Next time I won't try to help." she mutters.
• Lana: Lana shakes her head, 'There was nothing to do for him, Tez. Not your fault...'
• Tez: "I guess." She says, frowning. "Now what do we do? Are we going to get in trouble for this too?"
• Holmes: Outside the rain begins like somebody dumped a huge bucket of water from above. It comes down in a sheet.
• Lana: 'Nothing we can do at the moment. I suggest we just rest, it would be a bad idea to try to travel tired when the weather breaks.'
• Teodric: "Is the plan to leave the old man dead in the front room?"
• Lana: 'You've got something you'd rather do with him?'
• Tez checks him over for 'signs of what happened' and shinies.
• Holmes: Nula gives a distasteful look that says, "Somebody needs to do something about the dead body."
• Lana: Lana quirks an eyebrow, 'You volunteering?'
• Holmes: Nula hesitates for a moment, her Rhiani upbringing almost provoking her to, in fact, deal with the body.
• Holmes: She looks around the room to see if anybody else is volunteering. Her eyes linger a bit longer on Teodric than anyone else.
• Teodric: Teodric looks as if he will step between the women then thinks better of it "Perhaps we can put it in a back room, or hide it outside"
• Holmes: Nula nods that she thinks that's fine.
• Teodric: Teodric smiles "well Lana? I'll help. I doubt I can do it on my own."
• Lana: Lana sighs and stands up.
• Lana: As she walks past Tez, she gives her a knowing look and a wink.
• Tez straightens the man's clothes, and neatens his hair, winking back at Lana.
• Holmes: The back room is cluttered with some of the old man's things. Lana recalls that Zirun was against the Ardanians because he'd once had a second son, one who now languished in a jail in Ardania itself. As for his first son...he shouldn't be far and should return at some point.
• Holmes: In Tez's ministrations, Lana had noted her using some sort of techique that's supposed to block Lana's line of sight to her taking things from the body. But as chance has it Lana sees everything. Even the small clay idols that Tez took along with the pouch that looks heavy with some coin.
• Tez: "So... should we bury him? ... wait, forget I said that. It's pouring out."
• Lana: Lana grins, 'I think Nula said she'd take care of it...'
• Teodric: Teodric forwns at Lana "Actually Lana I think you were going to help me drag him into a back room" He grabs the man's feet.
• Holmes: Lana and Teodric remove the corpse to the back room, and return a moment later. Nula gives a pleased look to Teodric as she reaches for some tea.
• Teodric: Teodric beams proudly at Nula's approval
• Tez: "So... how about that tea then." She sips her cup, occasionally glancing towards the back room, and then towards the window.
• Holmes: Something in her pouch, where she had just stashed the man's things, something is moving.
• Tez looks down, peeking into the pouch
• Holmes: One of the clay idols, one that looks like a man seems to be slowly cracking in two. She'd noticed that it was damaged before, when she took it, but it's worse now. As she looks at it, she feels a sick feeling in her chest.
• Tez: "uh oh." she quietly unties the pouch and chucks the little idol in the fire.
• Holmes: Immediately she feels better. As she looks at the remaining idols, she sees that the one she's just destroyed seems very different from the rest. As if made by a different artisan. A very talented one. The rest all seem relatively primitive.
• Tez looks at the little idol as it chars in the fire... did it look like the old man?
• Holmes: Before it burns out, she does note a distinct resemblance between the man and the idol. As it burns, she notes something inside of the idol that glows red even before the fire sets it aflame.
• Holmes: Teodric notes smoke coming from the back room.
• Teodric: Teodric runs to the back room to see where the smoke is coming from.
• Tez looks nonchalant.
• Holmes: Teodric sees that it's Zirun's body that's smoking. And just then it bursts into flames.
• Holmes: Some of Zirun's nearby belongings almost instantly catch fire as well.
• Teodric: Teodric shouts for water as he grabs a blanket and tries to smother the flames.
• Tez waits til Teodric is out of the room, and the others are distracted then grabs a stick, pokes the idol out of the flame, and stomps on it to put the fire out. That can't be pretty.
• Holmes: As Teodric fights the fire, with Lana, he notes that the corpse seems to be shaking as if somebody is kicking it from above.
• Tez furthermore dumps her tea on it
• Holmes: With all of their efforts, eventually the fire is put out with only a small amount of damage to the building and it's contents.
• Holmes: Smoke from the body mixes with the wet air to make a sickening smell. Nula looks ready to bolt.
• Tez eyes the charred ruin of an idol dubiously, then cautiously picks it up, using a cloth to shield her hand, and studies it with mixed awe and dread... These things are real?

(Missing posts)

• Agnes: "Oh. I bet he'll be annoyed. I wonder at whom. Well, why come this way -- there's nothing out here."
• Agnes: "If you want to travel together, we can do that, but we should move your packs over to Kitten, it looks like that poor horse isn't having much fun."
• Holmes: Halant nods, apparently grateful for her assenting to let them come with her.
• Holmes: "To where are you bound?" he asks. "Is it to the place of that brother you told me about?"
• Agnes: "I'm heading to Hizri. I'm sure we can carve you out a place there to live in peace."
• Holmes: "What sort of place is Hizri?" Halant asks.
• Agnes: "It's a city carved into the living rock of a mountain range. Ancient and beautiful. I think that it was carved out by someone else originally but now it's peopled by the crafty ones -- I think your people call them goblins."
• Holmes: "Goblins!" Halant pulls his horse to a stop.
• Agnes: "I think that's right...right?"
• Agnes: Agnes' smile is both an indication of friendship and a challenge to see who can be more civilized.
• Holmes: "Small gnarled men-like things that like to eat people? Right? Those goblins? Uh, they call themselves the Murlogi?" he asks, incredulous.
• Agnes: "They don't normally eat people. Actually, there's a large minority of them who spurn the eating of meat entirely. But yeah, the Murlogi."
• Agnes: "You should see the main avenue on the eve of The Festival of the Blind Fish -- it gets really out of hand."
• Holmes: Halant can't seem to believe what he's hearing. "I've heard of traders who've gone to Hirzi, but...isn't it collossally dangerous? I can't take my family there."
• Holmes: The last sentence is half statement, half question.
• Agnes: "Dangerous? No... Why would it be?"
• Agnes: "Come on...it'll be an eye opener." Agnes smiles and winks at the unsure couple. "We're getting close anyway."
• Holmes: "I..." Halant looks for the right word. "You're some sort of crazy person, aren't you? Acting like a normal person. How is it you know the goblin's ways? Are you an escaped slave?"
• Agnes blinks at Halant a couple of times. "I am not an escaped slave." For the first time that Halant can remember, her smile falters. "I can guarantee your safety in and out of Hizri or you can strike out on your own."
• Holmes: Halant looks at his wife, who shakes her head. Worried that he now has to return to Green Lake, Halant looks at Agnes and shrugs. He turns and begins riding away.
• Agnes: "Well, good luck with your inlaws. That I Lung guy seems genuine -- I'd seek him out when you get back."
• Agnes: "Oh, and wait a sec." Agnes dismounts and walks up to the mounted couple. "Here, take this. If you need to go somewhere else, this'll get you started." She hands over a beautiful cut ruby to whomever first reaches to take it. "Good luck -- and sorry for the trouble." The smile is back, and genuine.
• Holmes: Halant nods, taking the gem with some surprise. He thanks her wordlessly with a wave, and then sends his horse southward. Perhaps toward the desert.
• Agnes remounts and moves forward along the trail.

• Holmes: As Agnes is ushered in by the priest-goblin, she notes that Oblik is there, the lord of Gnar Hold. This large, old, fat goblin, Agnes knows, is considered a general and second only to Mablik in his leadership of the Murlogi horde. Oblik stands off to the side, and watches as Agnes passes.
• Holmes: Ahead, the High King sits on a mighty throne of stone, his titanic frame a parody of the goblin form.
• Agnes pays respect appropriately to all and sundry as she approaches the High King's throne, leading two peons carrying the crate brought from Green Lake.
• Holmes: The High King, as usual, seems not to notice her approach. It waits for her to speak through the priest to it.
• Agnes: Looking at High King, but speaking to the priest, Agnes begins to lay out a deal. "Highness. I have brought something that I hope will please you. I suspect it of being and artifact, instrumental to your plans."
• Agnes: "If this pleases you, I have but a minor request that you might entertain."
• Holmes: The priest dutifully relays all of this. At the notion of Agnes wanting a deal, however, the priest seems to have some apprehension. As if he fears that the High King will stomp him flat along with her for insolence.
• Agnes ignores his fear and gestures to the two porters to pry off the lid of the crate.
• Holmes: The goblins do as commanded, and soon the crate is open, the mirror exposed.
• Holmes: At this, the High King actually stands. It looms four times Agnes' height, looking down at the crate.
• Agnes: "It is my understanding that this mirror, crafted in times old and old by the elves is of substantial power and is somehow linked to you." Agnes stands, enduring the penetrating gaze of the corporeal god before her.
• Agnes: "The elf who first told me of this artifact believes that it will protect his people from some gathering threat that they do not yet understand. I believe this threat to be you, Highness."
• Holmes: The massive being extends a hand, and picks up the mirror carefully between two fingers. It lifts it to look at it closely.
• Holmes: After a bit, the High King looks at the priest intently. The priest relays, "The High King informs Agnes, Daughter of Egani, that the mirror has, in fact, been preventing some of his power from effecting Green Lake. Now that it is taken from there, the High King will be able to do his will. He looks favorably on Agnes, therefore. What would Agnes have?"
• Holmes: The High King still pays her absolutely no heed, seemingly entranced by the mirror, once it's done communicating through the priest.
• Agnes: "Islitarialind. She is an elvish princess."
• Agnes: "If it is in your power to spare her, at any time going forward, please do. If I am yet alive, she can be placed under my protection -- personal and political."
• Agnes waits for the relay between the priest and the High King.
• Holmes: The reply comes back after a bit, "The High King will allow this one thing for Agnes. But service is demanded! Agnes must take something with her to Green Lake, and place it in the home of the High Priest of the Gem Temple."
• Holmes: This is not a request, Agnes realizes. To refuse would be dangerous.
• Agnes: "Of course. I am your humble servant." Agnes bows slightly.
• Holmes: The priest relays, "The High King is done with Agnes, and bades her begone!"
• Holmes: The priest adopts a different tone, "You can follow me to the item The Great One wants you to take."
• Agnes nods, taking a final look at the mirror and the High King and follows the priest away.

• Okhfels and Isadora are sitting in a private chapel in a large cathedral. To Okhfels, at least, the heavy stone walls seem safe and secure. With the heavy door secured, and a generous donation in the hands of the priest, they feel safe from interference.
• Isadora: Isadora, lounging with her feet up on the bench in front of her, looks at Okhfels somewhat sullenly. "I don't see why we shouldn't go after him right now."
• Okhfels: Okhfels still feels compelled to whisper. "You just want to march into the Red Rapiers chapterhouse and challenge him to a duel to the death? It might work but we'd never get out alive. Likewise for his home."
• Isadora looks like she's going to get offended at the suggestion that personal safety matters, then bites back the words with some effort--she and Okhfels have had this argument many times, over the years. Instead she says, still a little sulky, "He has to leave sometime."
• Okhfels: "So what do you want to do... assault him in the street? Yeah, he sent an assassin after us. He's not going to get away with it... but we have to come at this from the right angle."
• Isadora: "I'll have you know, I've had fine luck with assulting nobles in the street--it's very hard to back down in front of a crowd. But you sound like you have another plan."
• Okhfels: "Merudian isn't an idiot. He would accept your challenge, and then declare the venue somewhere that he'd have his boys with him... that's what I'd do in his place. What we need to do is separate him from his sources of support.
• Okhfels: "Red Rapiers to start with."
• Isadora: "I'm listening," says Isadora. "This is where you come in?"
• Okhfels: "Right. Something happened when I was at their initiation ceremony.. I've got some kind of link with their guardian, and I think with a little work I can knock him down.
• Okhfels: "After that, no holds barred."
• Isadora: "So I propose some nice direct violence, and your alternative is to escalate to spiritual warfare? I knew there was a reason I loved you. How do you plan to hit the guardian?"
• Holmes: An acolyte comes in to light some candles. Apparently light is very important to the priests of Valris. Ever since Okhfels had explained what had happened, they'd turned out to be quite nice folks.
• Holmes: The acolyte senses their need for privacy, and quickly leaves.
• Okhfels: "Hit? I have no idea how to do that... " Okhfels stops as the acolyte enters.
• Isadora waves in a friendly way to the acolyte, feet still propped on the bench.
• Holmes: The acolyte smiles and waves back briefly before going through the archway back into the main temple.
• Okhfels: After the acolyte leaves, he checks the door again, and then leans his back against it. "I want to take the leadership of the Red Rapiers away from him. The guardian seems to like me and I'm sure I can win over most of the students."
• Okhfels: "That will leave him without a place to hold a duel where he doesn't have the advantage."
• Isadora: "I think you're forgetting his family, unless you've planned around them too. They're not on bad terms, so that's the next place for him to go to ground."
• Okhfels: "Oh, I'm not forgetting... but he's not in charge there, is he?"
• Isadora: "No, but it'd be a pretty cold family to not support him in a thing like that. Besides, brawling in the family house would be socially disastrous--much worse than assaulting him in the street." Isadora seems to have a lingering fondness for the latter plan.
• Okhfels: "How would the family react if he were challeged to a duel, or goaded into making a challenge? Heck, if I actually succeed in bringing him down he'd probably challenge me just based on that."
• Isadora: "Hard to say, exactly. Dueling wasn't in fashion twenty years ago, and it's gotten worse since. Best to face him at the Red Rapiers house, when you take over."
• Okhfels: "Then we need to make sure that's how it happens."
• Isadora: "All right," Isadora agrees. "When do you want to do it?"
• Okhfels: "Well... I don't know how long it's going to take to push him off. Shouldn't take long though."
• Isadora doesn't look completely happy, but she nods. "Merudian's mine, right?"
• Okhfels: "To finish him off, you mean?"
• Isadora: "He sent errand boys after me," Isadora says, bitter anger in her voice. "It's important he understand his oversight."
• Okhfels: "Ah... well of course."

• Holmes: The baron paces behind his desk with an abundance of energy for some reason. He lights a brazier filled with something, and says, "So, what business this time, Isadora?"
• Holmes: This upstairs room is incredibly spacious, the ceiling 15 feet high. Arches on three sides of the room look out onto walkways that look out over his estate in Hightown.
• Holmes: The views are spectacular as the sun dips down behind the island.
• Isadora leans back enough to appreciate the way the golden light plays on the ceiling mosaic, and smiles crookedly at the baron. "More personal than business, my lord. I appreciate you finding the time to speak to me."
• Holmes: "Ah, so this isn't regarding the council and the military agreement between Kaitane and the Rhiani? I thought that was a personal thing for you, Isadora," he questions. As he stands by the brazier, he inhales deeply.
• Isadora: "I beseech your pardon for being unclear--I meant that it was a personal matter for you," Isadora says, taking her eyes from the ceiling to watch him. "It concerns your sons."
• Holmes: Apparently the Baron has really never gotten over the fact of Isadora's guilt in this matter, and he seems to have a tough time controlling his response. "And what would that be?"
• Isadora: "First, I'm curious why you've been so polite to me since my return to Kaitaine," she says, tone calm and eyes watchful. "I sincerely applaud your self-control, my lord, but I also wonder what you want."
• Holmes: "You've paid your penance in self-exile," the Baron replies. "After more than 20 years, would it be reasonable for me to will you harm?"
• Holmes: "In any case, the agreement with the Rhiani is important in order to keep the Vajaari at bay," he says trying to return to practical matters.
• Holmes: "So I do it for all Kaitaine," he says proudly.
• Holmes: He tries to squeeze out a grin.
• Isadora: "I concur on both points," Isadora says, encouraging him with a reasonable smile of her own. "Should young Merudian find it in his heart to disagree, that would introduce a rather large kink into the plans for the military agreement, wouldn't it?"
• Holmes: "I suppose it would," he replies.
• Holmes: "Why?"
• Isadora: "I've been thinking on the matter recently, and it troubled me to not know your feelings," she says, giving a crooked smile and a little shrug. "I just like to know where I stand when I visit home."
• Holmes: The baron tries to keep his smile up, too. "So, then I'm not quite sure what you need from me."
• Holmes: Isadora, familiar with the looks on people's faces from many, many negotiations, discerns something in the baron's visage. He hasn't lost any of his hatred for her after all this time. Not one iota. In fact, the current rage he's burying must be...frustration. Frustration that he has to speak to her again. Frustration that she's not dead.
• Holmes: As he expected?
• Holmes: The baron keeps looking at the one interior wall, away from the door to a seemingly empty portion of wall...
• Holmes: Perhaps it's not so empty.
• Isadora: Isadora, who now finds the situation much more comprehensible, rises to her feet and bows in one smooth motion. "Only to know where I stand with you, my lord. I'll not trouble you with the matter again, I assure you." She turns to go, ignoring the itchy feeling between her shoulderblades.
• Holmes: The baron tries to make a clumsy offer over her shoulder to get her to stay for some reason, but Isadora is gone before he can execute whatever plan he has for her.
• Holmes: The sun now down as she arrives back in the streets between the noble estates, cyclopean shadows lie over everything as people scurry home.