TheKurdrunMission part 11

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We begin the chase. Sjer, trying to gain control of the horse, spooks her and spends another 3 minutes chasing her down again.

Volorn, meanwhile heads back up the trail and shortly passes by Afalar and Zali. Afalar determines that Volorn is sniffing and questing for the quarry. They too turn back and search the fallen horse.

Afalar finds an intriguing bundle along with some standard travel equipment such as a tinder box and clothes.

Back at the area where we began Volorn finds the scent. The man has apparently evaded us and leapt into the woods to escape on foot.

We begin following the man, Volorn seems to be having some trouble as the man leaves pepper and caltrops to slow us down. On the fourth such trap Zali'haro steps down upon a caltrop, effectively ending our chase.

An hour later, with Zali'haro close to death, he and Sjer stumble out onto the road. Afalar hears the tale and concurs that we didn't have the skill to catch this guy if he didn't want to be caught.

We take all of the gear and the existing horse. We walk back toward town. We realise that it is too far to walk tonight and so find a farmhouse away from the road and ask for sanctuary.

During the night, Zali'haro turns the corner and begins the healing process.

The next day, we go into the city, selling the horse on the outskirts for 550 drops. We then take the ferry across to the big town, hire a boat to Lei'lm.

Sjer and Volorn stay at the boat making sure that it does not leave without us.

We step off the boat on isle 12. We find a inn nearby, The Green Grapes Inn. As we enter, Sjer arranges for 2 rooms, one for him and Volorn, and one for Afalar and Zali'haro. Sjer also arranges for a little companionship throughout the night.

The next morning, Afalar heads off in disguise toward the Sru'haro household.

He stops at the estate pub for breakfast. Someone is smoking a water pipe in the back.

Afalar sits in the back and listens for the mood of the city.

There are some rumblings that the Emperor has attempted to make some decrees in the city, further curtailing weapon use. The estates sometimes skirmish, mirroring the wars down south. The Church is ever growing more powerful.

Three days ago there was an attempted break in at the Sru'haro Estate and people are still talking about the hangings.

There was another assassination within the Tahar household within the last few days. A young woman and her son was killed.

Afalar eats and pays for his meal.. He heads around the corner to the solicitor.

Afalar is asked if he has an appointment. He replies, "No" and is asked to wait. After a few people have come and gone Afalar is given his turn.

"Sru Jamali will make time for you now, you do not have long.”

Afalar enters.

The man is sitting behind the desk, he has black hair that is thinning and going to white. his skin hangs slightly with age.

He look up and says, "You're soliciting, ... what was your name?"

"Afalar Ail Azra"

The man pauses as recognition flares behind his wiley eyes.

"Ah, my eyes were not as good as they used to be. You wish me to?"

"I wish you to contact L'talus so that I may receive instructions without the household knowing about it."

"Very good, just wait outside and I will arrange it."

Eventually the slave is asked to show Afalar back in.

"Very well, L'talus will see you."

"By the sense of secrecy he understands you may not want to go to the compound therefore he will meet you at one of the other safe houses. It is on a different Island."

Afalar gets directions and is given a password. Three hours past noon is the meeting time.

Afalar then leaves and comes back to the Green Grapes and informs us of the plan.

Over the course of a half hour we separately enter the safehouse. It has a soothing decor with many tiled walls and floorings.

Eventualy L'talus arrives and offers us a nice wine.

We convey only that our job was a partial success. We tell of the rogue's evasion of us, show the book we found, minus the map, and also give 5 of the 10 rock samples with the case. We say this is all he had on him. We say that the other members of their party are dead, and that we had found a note (RangersNote) on the body of the Ranger type that mentioned Karan by name as an agent of L'talus.

L'talus welcomes us home and says there is no reason we cannot come back to the compound as long as we have a reason ready for our absence.