TheKurdrunMission part 13

[prev: TheLastStand]

In which Sjer Mihan attempts to track down the two captured stones.

Sjer is in a tight spot and knows it. To begin reparations he pens a LetterToLtalus. L'talus then agrees to meet with Sjer.

After giving a L'talus a thorough explanation of events, including why myself and my two companions failed to give all of the stones to him, I voice my concerns over the ease with which the intruders located us. I suggest we have a security leak and that I should investigate. L'talus concurs. A few hours of pointed questioning uncovers that a kitchen maid named Milizi left Sru'haro service the day before the attack. A stablehand named Olavir has been spending a bit of money impressing his friends. A young man named Jaril has been badmouthing Sru'haro lately. I attempt to contact these individuals.

The attack occurred on the 20th. On the 21st I spoke with L'talus, found the two stones that Afalar had hidden in the garden by means of their magical auras, and spoke with members of the staff.

By the 23rd I know whom to talk to. I am unable to find Milizi. She seems to have disappeared after leaving the Sru'haro estate.

I have asked and been given a silver dagger, silver shortspear, and silver spiked collar which Volorn now wears.

I approach the stable where Olavir, the stablehand, is working. There is no one else there. I ask Volorn to sit outside and make sure we are undisturbed. Olavir is 2 years older and 20 pounds heavier than I, but his attitude is much less self-assured.

"Hey, Olavir. I want to ask you about the disturbance the other night. "

"What about it."

"Two members of the Sru'haro house died. You were seen spending far more money than you make the other night. Where did you get the money?"

"None of your business. I didn't have anything to do with it. Who is saying I did?"

Sjer sees that the man is getting belligerent and tries to intimidate him.

"If you aren't going to come straight with me then we'll be going to see Amira La'amhal."

Olavir pauses for a moment, but then begins to get angry.

"Well, why are you asking so many questions. Maybe you are trying to shift the blame to someone else. They were you're friends. Weren't you there when they died?"

He begins to come towards me. It is not going well, he is unintimidated and evasive. I calculate and then decide that this can't go on. Resorting to violence, I hit Olavir solidly in the gut. Olavir swings back but misses.

I knock him out on the next punch. I feel strong.

I then, prop him up, plant a boot on his chest. And revive him. I insult him, tell him that I don't have time to piss around and that his life is now in jeapardy. My second attempt at indimidation works splendidly.

At the broken stallions place up north. He talked to a man named Jaril. He is about 5'10, lean, brown hair with lighter streaks, slightly longer hair. Had a tatoo of a cobra on his lower back about the size of a palm.

I leave an impression on Olavir. I tell him that his sense of loyalty is shite. That he has to earn it back for himself. I try to leave an impression that being Sru'haro is worth more than he has as yet believed.

I then track down Jorimal. He is about 16 and he came from the Sru'haro lands with his brother 3 years ago. He has some scribe skills, some fighting skills, but has not excelled as yet at anything. He is bitter at his brother's death and has not applied himself at anything yet. It seems he is waiting for someone to mentor him and no one has as yet been interested. He feels neglected and lost.

Sensing an opportunity I offer to take him under my wing. I hint at dangerous adventures and an improved standing within Sru'haro.

I give him a purple drop and tell him to wait, someone will come and train him.

I go and engage Amari, a Milar man at arms from the estate currently here because of the civil unrest, to begin serious training of Jorimal. I suggest the lighter faster arms, such as dagger training. I will pay the man personally to take on this task. I tell me that Jorimal is currently waiting for him.

I then meet with L'talus in the wine cellar. I have a bottle of wine ready to drink and opened, the last of the good stuff from the rat cellar. L'talus voices sorrow over the loss of our companions and rues that we can't publicly mourn their true station in the Sru'haro estate.

He contacted Afalar's father and the TaImIelm. He says the Silimiri will also be coming.

While discussing out attackers I mention the magics used by the woman. That she could issue a voice command to "Fall down" and that it worked on Zali'haro

L'talus informs me that the shadow water circle had a power base here in Lie'lm. They were rivals to the Shadow mages and perhaps have items hidden here in the city.

Most of their power was derived from the use of voice and sound.

L'talus and I talk about the information provided. We decide that I should track the Rats of the Dead in hopes of retrieving the two stones that Zali gave them.

Then I should leave to go and get Ezra.

Since the magehunters and the Shadow Mages are both coming we also decide I should leave immediately.

Sjer, standing in the street. Looking lost and alone, "Woof", well, not so alone, heads off to an inn.

On Island 8 Sjer finds the Inn of the Lesser Stallion. For 10 drops a room for the night, dinner and breakfast is obtained. Leaving everything there save for weapons, Sjer exits. The shortspear is bound up as it was when I bought it.

Sjer finds a boat owner willing to take him to the Isle of the Dead. Fall heralds mist on the river. The ride is quiet and mystic. The edges of buildings on the Islands drift in and out of vision. The sounds of the city are distorted by the night mists. We move past an Imperial barge as it dissappears into a large viaduct. The gates of the opening close behind it.

There is anger on the air, lonliness, love, and dispair floating down to us from half heard conversations and arguments.

Finally the boat lands and Sjer and Volorn depart. The landing is unattended.

Sjer and Volorn, lightly disguised. Walk down the street attempting to find the house we came up from the tiger tomb from. Using gather information skills Sjer and Volorn quickly find the place. However, the building is a pile of burnt out rubble. Parts of the walls are still standing.

The building was destroyed a long time ago, but Volorn can identify 11 different were-rat individuals, of which he has smelled 5 before. There are some other odd smells too.

Sjer and Volorn slip into spider mode. Down we go. Volorn is tracking the way the rats go, this way we avoid booby traps and find the route of least noise. At the trap door to the cold cellar Sjer slowly eases it open. Sjer lights his lantern and descends into the cellar. There is a new ladder going down.

The floor has been fixed up and we spend time to find the new way down. The wall has a burnt out shelf propped up against the wall. After some deliberation we decide in our wisdom to bust through using strength. It works, but both of us get hit by poison needles. We manage to shake of the initial effects of the poison, but the feeling is most unpleasant. We then descend the stairs, open the doors with the embossed figures, close it behind us. Avoid the trip wire. Open the tomb by placing staffs from the figures in the appropriate places on either side of the door.

We then protect ourselves further by mystical means. We then descend the stairs and find a large rat golem guarding the hole to the canal. Grunting and slashing in silence, we break to either side of the beast and begin the grueling work. Normal weapons work against this creature, unlike it's wererat masters. Volorn's teeth do the job, my own slashing contributing little. But the beast only falls due to our magical protections as the we got as good as we gave and normally would be the ones to perish.

Volorn and Sjer meet eyes over the carcass of the golem rat. Then turn and go through the small opening to the river. Sjer straps down his lantern and shortspear. We take large breaths and go under the water up the channel.

We go for awhile and then come out to pitch blackness.

As Sjer tries to light his lantern he drops it and then falls, dragging Volorn with him into the water. 5 minutes later, he has his lantern back and the damn thing is lit. The look Volorn is giving Sjer makes him wish that perhaps the wick had remained unlit.

Water, water everywhere. Damn.

Feeling somewhat lost, we strike out again through another tunnel.

We end up at another point, very unfamiliar to Sjer where we must go underwater again. At last we are in recognizable territory. When we get to the rats den we find that the tunnel has been modified. There are strange bits of twisted metal in the tunnel that accesses to the back of the cell. After a look, Sjer determines that some shadow mage has installed a lovely trap. To get around it, Sjer and Volorn close both doors and go down the tunnel in the pitch black. We then set up a light block so that our shadows won't be cast backward up the tunnel when we open the door. With fingers crossed, we open the door and swiftly drop out. Past the door are another rat golem and two wererats. The battle ensues.

I run past the large golem taking some damage on the way and engage the wererats with my silver-tipped spear. Volorn takes on the golem.

Fortunately for us, the rats oblige our choices and do not try to gang up on myself or Volorn. Once Volorn has killed the golem he comes to my aid.

This is what I was counting on, for there was no possibility of me escaping had the fight gone poorly. Ordinarily, fear would have made me less effective in these fights, but these were the rats that killed Zali and so my anger carried me until Volorn arrived.

This shifts the fight back in my favour and we kill one of the were-rats. The other suddenly realized that he is actually in mortal danger and shape-shifts to flee. He is quick, but Volorn is quicker. Just before the rat can slip out a back hole Volorn wrestles him down with a throat grip. I then start poking him with my spear. He gets away from Volorn once and races for another exit, but Volorn proves himself a good ratter and cages him once more. The rat dies a silvery death.

In the rats den is another secret spot with a pouch and box which could hold letters. Sjer takes both the box and the pouch. The box has three pieces of paper, and the pouch has the two stones. LettersInTheRatsDenTwo

We exit and get the stones to L'talus. I then leave town headed for Ezra.

My world has been permanently changed. I must stay away from Li'elm for at least 60 days. There are many in the city who would see me dead and there are a handful I would see buried beneath the earth. My anger will make me less effective within the city and L'talus is the one who must decide their fates. Sometimes it is hard keep foremost that it is Sru'haro interests that must prevail. It will be safer for me out of the city, for that makes is less likely that my own death or imprisonment might be best for Sru'haro. 60 days from now I will make my return, and with more patience I hope to achieve more successes and avoid these carnage filled failures.

For now I need the protection of someone like Ezra, but perhaps with time and planning I can surround myself with less hot-blooded companions. Perhaps it is time to start looking. Jorimal was a good start.