Notice is sent

[Jezerai]

A messenger shows up at the guildhouse of Saga, leaving a note from Samaal Borichan.  The note says that Jezerai Silvermoon has been captured and even now awaits trial in Kojan.  The note warns your house that her situation is dire and begs your assistance on her behalf.

((I thought it might be fun to give people an opportunity to post a short, or long, addition to the ongoing story.  The only things you can't do is effect a rescue or kill off any participants!  Otherwise, add your character's thoughts or reactions to the news.  You can assume that the note gives you a brief history of the events related in the story and Jezerai's condition.  I will combine the posts from all three guilds and include them when I resume the main storyline.))

[Titia]

It had been a small day for Titia, following a noble on the order of his wife who was convinced he had a mistress somewhere. Usually she wouldn't have taken this kind of job but the wife was an old friend of hers and she couldn't really decline. Turned out the husband didn't have one mistress but two - and probably more - and Titia was reluctant to go back directly to her friend with this kind of news so she decided to take a break at the guildhouse.

The house was small but warm and above all it was in a place only few people actually knew. Ideal to plan long run strikes abroad on Qalia as it was near open water but out of the usual searoads. A few pirates were known to roam the area which made it unlikely to cross anyone not living half in the shadows. Guard patrol sloops were not welcome there.

For all these reasons Titia was surprised to see a note on the table when she entered. It might have been picked up by other Saga members but something was odd about it. Picking it up and looking at the signature first to determine if it was something she was supposed to see - old habits die hard - she immediately realized the letter had been writtten in haste by that Samaal character.

Intrigued Titia decided that despite not knowing that person there would be no harm reading the letter. Her eyes moved back up to the top.

The temperature in the guildhouse suddenly dropped several degrees.

... Jezerai Silvermoon... awaits trial in Kojan.

Locking the door of the guildhouse behind her making sure the note would be seen by any other coming in, Titia moved toward her ship. First thing would be to figure out who that Smaal Borichan was and how he was connected to Jez. It had been monthes since the assassin last set foot on Kojan. Right after a smuggling deal gone bad and almost having been thrown herself in jail in fact. Among thieves Kojan was more reputed for the expeditive punishments than for the fairness of them. Jezerai was a friend, the cheating husband would wait.

(not sure I'll be able to keep that up very fast, I barely have the time to write Titia's stories lately)

[Jezerai]

Alanni sauntered in the guildhouse, with a bit of a swagger in her walk.  She managed to take the Skalliwag out to water that was nearly one hundred feet deep!  It was only a matter of time until she got up the courage to sail out of sight of land! 

A piece of paper on the table caught her eye, and she picked up to read it, laboriously sounding out the words.  When she saw it was regarding Jezerai Silvermoon, she scoffed.  "Wonder where tha gel has run off to now?"   But, reading further, she scowled, her brows drawing almost into a straight line across her forhead.  Nobody was going to shanghai one of her crew! Sweeping out the door, her cloak blowing behind her, she bellowed in a true pirate captain's roar.  "Where's me boat!  I be headin' ta Kojan!"  Her descent to the docks could be traced by following the muttered string of oaths that marked her path.

When she got to her boat she set sail, not once looking at the depth gauge or even thinking about the water separated from her feet by the width of wooden boards and air.

[Jasyn]

The door to the guildhouse creaked open, and old man Quyzbek (but not just Quyzbek) tiptoed inside.  His wand was drawn defensively as he peered to his left and to his right, as if he were wary of someone ready to spring upon him from the shadows.  Behind him followed a stout--and far more relaxed--snow-furred Raki.

Quyzbek breathed a sigh of relief and refastened his wand at his side.  "Good tidings, everyone!" he said while clasping his hands enthusiastically and beaming a warm smile.

Wyndyl stepped inside behind him and twitched an ear.  "It would appear that no one else is pwesent, fwiend Quyzbek."

"Oh, what a positively delightful place this is, Master Wyndyl. Far more charming than the last, I might add."  Quyzbek roamed about the room and began to gesture.  "Oh!  It would be even more marvelous if we knocked down this wall and added on a quaint little research library.  It would be perfect."

Wyndyl twitched his nose.  "Pwease excuse me a moment, fwiend.  I would wike to have another wook awound outside.  Perhaps I will find a nice pwace to meditate upon the teachings of Lao'Jin."

As Wyndyl opened the door to leave, Quyzbek's attention was captured by a solitary note that had been resting on a nearby table.  A rogue breeze from outside lifted it up, and now, like a feather, it was gently gliding down to the floor.

"Oh!" Quyzbek exclaimed.  "Oh my!  What do we have here?"

Quyzbek adeptly--and quite surprisingly for his age--snatched the note before it reached the floor and began to read it.  Suddenly, Quyzbek emitted a glass-shattering shriek.

Wyndyl's fur, whiskers, and ears all simultaneously jolted erect.  "What is it, fwiend Quyzbek?" he asked with reserved concern.

"This is terrible!  Horrible!  THEY'VE found me!  Oh dear me.  What am I going to do?  THEY'VE finally come to get me, and THEY know where I am, and now THEY'VE taken Madam Jezerai hostage to use her as leverage!" Quyzbek began to wring his hands with fret.  Turning a shade paler as he fanned himself, he finally collapsed to the floor.

Wyndyl blinked, his ears and follicles no longer in a state of alarm.  He muttered a quiet prayer, wrapping a rejuvinating breeze around the comatose mage.  "Your fur is going to become whiter than mine if you awen't careful, fwiend."

As Quyzbek recovered his wits, Wyndyl reached out a paw and picked up the note that Quyzbek had dropped onto the floor beside him and began to carefully read it.  "Hmm.  This is most dire news indeed, but I don't quite bewieve it's what you bewieve it is, fwiend," Wyndyl paused to twitch an ear as he cocked his head curiously at Quyzbek, "Whatever that might be... ."

"I should weturn to Ca'ial Brael at once.  I certainwy may not be as seasoned a dipwomat as fwiend Tsol Ylenasni, but I do have the ear of the council.  I weawize they will pwobabwy wish to wemain uninvoled in external affairs as usual--but perhaps evewy wittle bit will help.  Bwessings of jin be with you, fwiend."  Wyndyl closed his eyes, whispering a prayer of Jin, and with a few fluid gestures, he was surrounded in a mystical hum and vanished in an ethereal glow.

Quyzbek rose to his feet, nervously chattering to himself, "Oh.  That sounds like a splendid plan.  I'll... ahem... I'll wait right here!"  Quyzbek hurried to the door--locking himself inside--and quickly cast a veil of invisibility upon himself as he cowered in a corner with trepidation.

[Lyrima]

Female voices outside the Guild Hall come to an abrupt halt as the door is pushed, but remains closed.

"Prithee! Open tis door! I am in great need of a place to rest myself," the tall blonde gestures regally at the shorter darkhaired ranger.

"Yah, yah, Princess,  just did. Ain't movin'.  I"m thinkin' someone's locked this here door, but I dunno why."  Another firm shove against the door leaves Lyrima muttering under her breath and rubbing her arm.  She moves to the window and peers in, green eyes squinting into to the darkened Hall.

Kiaria glances over her shoulder at her room mate and sighs.  "Tis always up to the mage, tis."  She gestures gracefully, murmuring an incantation in her musical voice.  The lock explodes, shattering into pieces as a bolt of lightning rips through it.

"Aight! Good work!" Lyrima glances at the Druid then puts up a roughened hand, "Lemme go first. Ya's take the rear guard."  With awaiting for a reply, Lyrima pulls a dagger and cautiously enters the Guild Hall.  "Ain't nuthin' here..."  The ranger shrugs at Kiaria.

The Druid gestures again and lights spring up throughout the room.  Nothing seems amiss to the two until they spy the fallen page.  Lyrima picks it up and scans the writing,  "Nother language, I reckon'" and she hands the page to Kiaria.

Kiaria takes the page and glances, her expression puzzled. Her face clears as she carefully turns the paper right side up and commences to silently read the message.

"Sweet goddess! I must needs notify my lord Terim immediately!"  Her braid flying, Kiaria rushes from the room, dropping the parchment to the floor once again.

Lyrima stares a moment at the swiftly receding wolf, amazed both by Kiaria's abrupt departure and her transformation. "Goll, I didn't know she could do that...!"

Lyrima stares a moment at the message before picking it up. "Whelp. Looks like I gotta wait for someone to read this to me, cause it sure has gotta be in another language."  She places it on the table, sits next to it, and puts her feet up.  "Thinkin' now's the time for a nap"

[Jasyn]

An explosion at the front door was the last thing he wanted to hear while alone and in hiding.  First, he had heard the murmur of approaching voices, and as he braced himself under a magical shroud of invisibility, Quyzbek waited with trembling knees for the door to open after the lock had finally shattered.

He closed his eyes tightly, clenched his jaw, and braced his fists.  As soon as the path was clear, he scrambled through the open door in a silent scream, barely brushing past two figures, not even pausing for a moment to get a decent look at their faces.

By the time he had caught his breath, he realized he had managed to clamber onto the rooftop, now hugging the chimney stack in a manner that, under certain circumstances, would have first required extending to it an invitation to dinner.  Fortunately for Quyzbek, it was neither hungry nor particularly concerned with his informality.

He listened for as long as he could, uncertain how reliable his ears were, but he could no longer distinguish any movement or voices from down below.  The effects of his invisibility spell having subsided, gingerly, he scaled back down to the ground, thankful that he was wearing something other than a robe.

"Ahem," he carefully cleared his throat as he peeked into the interior of the guildhall.  Cautiously stepping within, he noticed a familiar figure lifelessly sprawled out on a chair, and he unleashed a terrible ear-splitting wail.  "MADAM LYRIMA!  NO!  THEY'VE gotten to you too!  Why!?  Oh gods, WHY!?"

Quyzbek dropped to his knees, burying his face into his hands, and began to sob.

[Jezerai]

((From Strength and Honour))



Alone at the guildhouse, Lothiriel hears the knock and opens the door greeting the messenger with a warm smile. Staring at the letter he holds in his hands sends a strange chill down her spine as her heart grows heavy. She politely thanks the messenger as he passes the envelope to her and closes the large wooden door.  Lothi turns standing in front of the door as her jittery fingers open the letter and she begins to read.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Lothi reads the note a second time finding it harder to focus on the words as the tears fill her eyes.  She leans against the wooden door for support, descending to the ground beneath her slowly.

Almost as if someone was there to hear her, "How?....No, no....not Jez.  What could she have done to be thrown in prison much less to now be on trial? Surely this must be a mistake.  It wasn't that long ago that she sat right there....." *gasps*

That was the last time she had seen her.  The night of.....

Her eyes flash back to the letter and quickly focus on his name. Samaal!  Lothi had found it peculiar the way he watched and studied Jez that night at the tavern.  It was as if his heart wrestled his soul when he looked at her yet he did seem to care about her that evening.  She recalled the sparkle in Jezerai's eyes as she watched him laugh and talk among her friends and she seemed so jovial and carefree.

Jumping quickly from the floor, she dashed around the guildhouse filling her satchel and saddle bags with all the things they would need for the journey.  She threw the bag onto her unicorn, Alfaghan, and set off to find Khaeden at the forge.  Digging her heels into her mounts side, she cuts through the wind quickly whispering elven words to speed his pace. 

Lothi knew Khaeden would be at the forge and practically jumped off her mount at the site of him before stopping. She shoves the letter at Khae and rambles as he tries read.

"Lothi, please"  he snaps as he tries to quiet her down.  She seals her lips together, an obvious look of anguish upon her face.  He finishes reading the letter and stares at Lothiriel obviously stunned.

"Khae, I cannot loose another sister.  I know Jez is not my blood but nonetheless she is closer to me than my own sister was before she disappeared.  I will sacrifice my own life for hers if I can."  Lothi watches Khaeden as he processes what must be done next.

"What have you prepared?" he asks in a calm, stern voice rubbing his chin with his hand.

"In my satchel I have packed all of my healing potions including antidotes.  Jez is too strong to be taken so easily so I feel trickery was somehow involved.  I'm scared they have done something terrible to her and I intend to be prepared for anything.  I also have the other things we would need from food to clothing for our journey.  Your armor is here so please dress quickly so we can be off."

While Lothi waits for Khaeden to depart, she writes two letters, one to Kromb and one to Qlaria telling them where in Kojan they will be and asking them to meet them there.  She knows Kromb will be furious and Qlaria worried but at least they will all be together.

[Jezerai]

((From Palehorseman))



Title: Re: Notice is sent
Post by: Kromb on October 19, 2007, 10:08:10 PM
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He walked into the tavern nearly knocking a small man off his feet. He eyed the stranger mommenteraly who pardoned himself and nodded toward the message board. The man stepped wide around Kromb and exited the tavern with out another word. His eyes moved to the message board where a ne notice was posted. He walked over to it wondering what guild was inviting them to what festival or cerimony this time. He crossed his arms over his great chest reading the notice.
"No..."
Re-reading the notice.
"Thats not possible...
Again.
His eyes flased a briliant purple and his face contorted with anger and rage. He drove a fist through the wall next to the message board and let out a deep cryptic growel, his eyes we still resonating with the bright purple glow when he spun around.
"I'm going to kill him... "
He made for the docks and set sail for Kojan


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Title: Re: Notice is sent
Post by: Tsol on October 20, 2007, 08:44:22 AM
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Tsol walked into the guildhall and looked at the message board, noticing that there is a new hole in the wall,  he muttered, "Guess that is going to be needed to be fixed."   He then looked at the new parchment on the wall and his eyes began to widen.  "Damn it,  what in the name of Finch did she get herself into."   

The half elf went upstairs to grab a few things and then left the guild, heading towards the docks.   He had to talk to a few people in Tanvu and hopefully gather some people to help Jezerai.  He had known a bit of Jezerai's past, with some of the hints she had dropped.  He did not pry into her past because it was hers to keep.  But he knew of the monks she spoken of and that would be his first stop, hopefully they will be able to help.

[Lyrima]

"MADAM LYRIMA!  NO!  THEY'VE gotten to you too!  Why!?  Oh gods, WHY!?"

Quyzbek dropped to his knees, burying his face into his hands, and began to sob.

The chair topples over backward and the table shoots forward as the startled ranger leaps awake.  Windmilling her arms for a good moment to regain her balance, she fails to do so and falls to the ground with a crash.

"Wha?? Where? Who..??"


Frantic green eyes survey the Hall and discover the kneeling Quyzbek.  "Quyzbek! Who died? What's wrong?"  Remembering the illegible parchment, she snatches it up and shakes the page in front of his face, "Does this say somethin about someone dyin ?  Is it CEDAR?!"  Lyrima yanks the parchment back and anxiously scans the page for the name of her partner.

[Jasyn]

(( imagine a terrified Homer Simpsonesque scream here ))

"Madam Lyrima!  You're aliv... ahem... oh my, of course... you're waking up from a nap!"  Quyzbek bolted to his feet, at once as mortified by his foolishness as he was relieved that death had not found its way inside the guild house.

"Why, the note is written in plain common, Madam Lyrima!  It says Madam Jezerai is being held against her will in preparation for some nonsensical trial!  Someone would have us believe that our dear Madam Jezerai has committed some heinous act worthy of a trial?  Crimes against the Kojani? 

"No, no... I see the truth behind this missive.  It's a sign from THEM that THEY have found me and that THEY intend to use Madam Jezerai as THEIR bargaining chip to draw me out into the open!  Oh dear me...  using my own friends as leverage.  How unbecoming!"

Quyzbek tugged at a fine linen handkerchief and blotted his brow nervously.  "Ahem... but Master Wyndyl seems to think that my interpretation is off the mark.  In any event, it would seem that Madam Jezerai is in grave danger."  Continuing to fidget, he twisted his handkerchief into a loose cord, wrapping and unwrapping it around his palms interchangeably.

"He's already returned to Ca'ial Brael, probably seeking audience with the elders there as we speak, to see if anyone is willing to lend aid."

Quyzbek sighed, "Unfortunately, he's not expecting any worthwhile results.  I haven't the foggiest if anyone else has received word so far.  No one else was here when we arrived."

Quyzbek jerked his head around, obviously in a shaken state.  "Oh my!  I think I just heard a mage-eating bird."  Before he even finished his sentence, he was already hiding behind Lyrima.

[Jezerai]

((From Strength and Honour - Khaeden))




Let the hunt begin....


It droned over and over in his head like a mantra as he sat in the back storage room of the shop closest to the forge he'd been working at when Lothi showed up with the note and his armor.  He was still reeling as he tried to absorb it all while hurriedly yet methodically he began to don his armor after stripping out of his smithing garb.  He tried to process it as he fastened each buckled that held his armor in place.  Jezerai had just joined them a few weeks ago, but they had known her longer than that and she was a wonderful person and fantastic addition to their family of friends.  Now she was locked up somewhere.  Lothi was upset. She suspected foul play.  Their lives had been turned upside down in a blink and that made him furious.


Fastening the last strap he checked himself over completely again.  Ready. He knelt down and rolled up his apron, put his tools away, and looked to the array of weapons and shield pondering how best to prepare.  He sheathed his long sword and belted it around his waist and reached for his shield, but hesitated reaching to pick up us mace instead.  He hefted it once in his hand before fastening it to it's home on his right hip.  He didn't feel any caution right now.  No need for a shield.  All he could think about was the rage growing inside him and setting things right, and if that meant a headlong charge into a blood fest...so be it.



Taking a deep breath and muttering to himself, "May Sartholas let us find her safe." he exits the building and calls to his unicorn where it was grazing nearby, and after stowing his gear and mounting up he trots over to where Lothi is waiting anxious to be on their way.



"I'm Ready." He says to her.

[Tsol]

The bard looked at the building, with the robed monks walking around,  he had finally tracked down the place where Jezerai had stayed after her time with the army.   He hoped that they would be able help Jezerai in the trial.   A soft breeze rustle the leaves in the trees almost giving a calming sensation to the area, he could almost feel the Jin.   He shrugged uncomfortably, the breeze played with his long hair, caressing it like a lovers touch.   It was not that he had forsaken the teaching of Jin; it was just that he had put those thoughts behind him.   

He casually brushed his hand through his hair pulling the loose strands away from his face as he walked towards the monastery.   

"I need to see the Head Master," he addressed one of the robed monks at the entrance.  The monk bowed, and without saying a word motioned Tsol to follow him. The passage thru the building was light and airy, a monk was watering a flowerpot with blooming lavender and the scent of the flowers carried thru the hall.   Following the monk, they passed closed and open doors, as he passed some of the open doors he glimpses within the rooms and saw some monks meditating in the crossed legged lotus position.   The calmness of the building drew into his himself.  Finally they reached a intricately carved wooded door, the monk knocked lightly on the door,   "Master there is someone here to see you,"

A muffled voice from the other side of the door consented, and the monk opened the door and motioned the half elf to enter.  The fragrant smell of incense wafted from the corners of the room. An old monk sat crossed legged in the center on a large rug.  There were no chairs around but a cot and some pillows. Tsol nodded to the old monk, watching the wrinkled folds of his eyes crinkled as he looked at the bard.  The monk's dark eyes calmly looked at the half elf, as he motioned for him to sit in front of him.  The bard slowly sat down in front of the old monk, crossing his legs in the style of the monks and calmly looked at the old monk.   

"Hello Tsol," the old monk smiled at the bard,  the calm eyes looking deeply into the green eyes of the bard. A brief look of surprise registered on Tsol's face as he looked at the man,   

"How did you know, who I am?"

"We heard that you were asking questions in Tanvu, and who the person was, it was just a matter of time before we would see you here. and..." the old monk glanced at Tsol's arm noting the scales of dragon tattoo snaking up his arm,  " ... that tattoo is unique, I only know of one other who has it...."  Tsol almost leapt up from his seated position,  then he thought of the reason of why he was here.   

He shook his head, "I will have to ask you who this other one is later.  I've come here on the behalf of a dear friend. She is on trial.    I know she had stayed here after she left the army...  " Tsol continued to talk, spilling everything he had known of Jezerai,  while the monk calmly listened and nodded every so often.  Occasionally he would stop the bard with a question, and clarification.   Finally Tsol  grew silent,  and the old monk stood up.

He motioned for Tsol to follow him, "Walk with me."