Sometimes Even Sticking Together Fails

NOTE: THIS STORY IS BASED OFF OF THE PATHFINDER RPG. SOME COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HAS BEEN USED UNDER THE OPEN GAMING LICENSE RULES.

Storyline by Justin Groby

Compiled by Amber Manuel

Last time on Dice vs. DMs…

Our heroes arrive in Mojito and are swept into a whirlwind of events. Filayne reveals a background she had kept quiet while Lilianna attempts to gain everyone’s trust.

When Kyaer’s lyre is stolen, it is revealed that he knows how to find the next seal, but only after Osamu receives a message and a challenge from a man claiming to be from his past.

Osamu’s background is revealed after a brief interchange with the man, who identified himself as Ty-ota. From what Osamu reveals about his past, that’s not possible. The man wants them to continue on their quest, he says when he gives them back the lyre. But who is he really? And why would he want them to continue on their quest…to find the seals?

With the lyre back in their possession, the companions draw their first day in Mojito to a close.

But it’s not over yet…

Back at the Temple of Saranrae, Kyaer and Lilianna holed up with the holy texts to attempt to decipher what secrets the celestial-written book contained. Osamu, Gerard, Filayne and Celestine decided to get some work done as well.

“We should try to find Theris,” Filayne suggested. If they found the man, perhaps they could question him and get some answers.

“If we split up, we have better chance,” Osamu intoned.

They agreed, and went their separate ways. Filayne started at The Sandy Forest. Finding her bard friends already there, she moved over to them and asked if they wanted accompaniment. When they were agreeable, she went up to change. When she came back down, Celestine was playing with the other bards.

She listened for any mention of the names while she danced, but no one seemed to be talking about Theris. After only thirty minutes, she stopped and moved over to the bartender. She ordered his best ale and asked him if he knew a guy named Theris. When he shook his head, she switched tactics.

“What about Majet?”

“Short lady?” he said.

She nodded. “Yeah, she’s a gnome.”

“Yeah, I heard about her. Poor thing.”

Filayne frowned. “What happened to her?”

“Heard she was in a fight. Got messed up real bad. Shot four or five times.”

“Was that recently?” Filayne pressed.

“Yeah, actually. She’s over at the temple now, getting healing.”

Very recently. “Which one?”

He scratched his head. “Dunno.”

“Tell me if Theris comes around?” she asked, and tipped him. He nodded and she finished her ale. “Thanks.” She changed quickly and headed out to start looking for Majet at the nearby temples. Celestine fell into step beside her, handing her the share of the night’s takings.

“Not bad,” she murmured, and slipped the money into her purse. Now to see if Majet was still alive. Maybe she could give them some answers!

Meanwhile, in a tavern deeper in the city…

“Yeah, I know Theris,” a man with a thick drawl told Gerard. “He’s got onna dem nice pepperboxes.”

Gun, Gerard translated. Very nice, very rare gun.

“I heard he got two,” another man at the table said.  

“Oh really?” Gerard said, mimicking their accents to make them feel comfortable around him.

“Yeah he got one up on a bounty hunter, took the bounty back,” the first man continued. “Shot that hunter 5 times!”

“I saw it all! Yeah, Majet, she hit ground fast. They took her to the temple, but I don’t think she made it.”

“Which one?” Gerard asked, startled by the drop of Majet’s name.

“Temple of, uh, Phrasma.”

He frowned. “Where is that?”

“On up da road a bit,” they replied.

“Did you see where Theris went?” he asked as he filed that information away.

“Nah.” All of the men suddenly had their heads in their drinks.  

“Why, I thank ya,” Gerard replied as he got up. He tipped the barkeep to tell him if Theris came back around and went to check on Majet.

The temple was easy enough to find. Gerard walked in and addressed a male cleric, asking for the gnome.

“She’s awake, but she’s still weak,” the cleric said. “I’ll see if she is up to visitors. May I say who’s asking?”

“I’m a friend,” Gerard replied when he’d given his name. “Well, a business partner, really.”

The man inclined his head and moved towards the back of the temple. Gerard cooled his heels for only a few moments before the cleric reappeared, beckoning to him.

“You may enter,” he said.

Gerard walked into the back room and lifted his eyebrows. Majet was lying on a pallet across the room, bandages still around her abdomen and a terrible scar across her cheek. She motioned for him to come closer. He took a few cautious steps towards her, making certain to be aware of his surroundings.

“What do you want me for?” she said in a whispered rasp.

Gerard took a deep breath. “I heard you had a run in with Theris.” He tried not to stare at the scar.

“Yeah. He took Zarzuket.” She broke off and coughed haggardly. 

“What happened?”

“He was waiting for me when I went to go in to turn in the bounty,” she said. “Shot me up. I didn’t even have a chance to pull my weapon! I thought it was the end of me, but some peasants drug me aside and got me here.

“He moved so fast. Never seen someone move so fast! It’s unnatural!”

Gerard digested the information and took a deep breath. “Well, I feel I have a need to talk to my companions. I’ll get back to you.”

“If you’re still traveling with Filayne,” Majet said as he turned to go, “tell her to watch herself. When you got into town, I know she was hanging out with someone who’s connected to Theris.”

“Which town?” he asked with a frown.

“This one.”

That was interesting news. “I wasn’t aware you were keeping tabs on us that well…” he fished.

“It’s not really me taking tabs, but I heard from a friend who knows a guy who does a thing who saw you talking to some people of worth. You were supposed to meet someone of the eastern persuasion…?”

“We’ll talk later about your sources of info,” he said dismissively. “I’ve gotta go connect with Filayne and give her the warning. Thank you.”

He turned and walked out, the new information swirling around inside his head. What did it mean? He didn’t know Kyaer, but he was the only viable suspect. There couldn’t really be anyone el—

Three rapid gun shots broke into his train of thought. Using ki energy, he darted towards the sound, leaving a trail of dust behind him.

Earlier…

The bar was a bit rowdy and filled with mostly dwarves. Osamu watched and listened to the crowds for a little while before he heard a name he recognized. In the corner, a group of dwarves were playing a card game and gossiping.

“That Majet ate dirt faster than shit eating dirt. Got shot five, six times!”

Osamu got the bartender’s attention and bought the table a round. As the drinks were delivered, he asked if he could play. “What is this game, anyway?”

“Three Dragon Ante,” one replied. “Know how to play?”

“Oh, yes. You play with different cards here.”

The dwarves dealt him in and slowly began to chat again. One complained that his boss was an ass and if he could run the mine, it would be so much better. The others chimed in as well, and Osamu won the first hand.

“You heard any interesting news or stories around here?” Osamu asked.

“Nothing but that gnome that got shot,” one said and turned to another. “What was your friend’s name?”

“Majet. Took six, seven bullets.”

Osamu latched on to the important information. “Friend? You know her how?”

“We’ve dealt business before,” he said evasively.  

“She okay?”

“Well, not now,” he said to general laughter.

Osamu bought them another round and kept playing the game. By the time he’d bought them a third round, Majet’s “friend” was talking more. “Don’t think she’s gonna make the night,” he said.

“There goes that job,” Osamu said. “Well, I guess I should go check back for another job.”

Silence. “You had a bounty on her?”

“Yes.”

“Wasted your time,” he said. “I heard Theris got her.”

“Theris?” Jackpot! “I’m looking for him as well.”

“What? You don’t want to get involved with Majet, let alone Theris! He’s got the fastest hands in the east!”

Osamu concentrated on the game he was playing. It was a tight match, but he won the pot.

“You looking for Theris?” a shady, stinky, dirty guy asked as he walked past the table.

“You know where to find him?”

“Yeah.”

Osamu put a silver coin down, left his winnings and headed outside after the shady character. The guy motioned for him to go into an alleyway.

“I’ve got some info for you on Theris.”

Something like a thick, hard stick snapped behind Osamu. He pulled his weapon, and whirled around, but saw nothing. Behind him, a pistol cocked. “Don’t turn around or I’ll pump you full of lead,” a menacing voice snarled. “What do you want with me?”

“Well, you seem like you need a better helping hand.”

“Cut the shit. Why are you looking for me?” Theris demanded.

“Why does anyone look for someone?”

“You have three seconds or I’mma shoot you dead right here,” he snarled. “I don’t have time for this shit. People looking for me, someone impersonating me, taking off with my workers! Tell me now or I will shoot you dead like I shot that gnome earlier when I took back my worker!”

Osamu threw his voice behind them, attempting to distract Theris. He jerked as the gun went off three times and channeled energy to make himself invisible. He moved away from Theris, holding his side where he was bleeding profusely. He didn’t fall, but the pain was bad enough to make him want to.

Coming up on the scene, Gerard saw a man holding a smoking gun in an alleyway, but didn’t see the victim. The man was in leather armor with a nice cloak, and had a feather in his cap. He cast daze on the man, but could tell it didn’t work.

The man lifted the gun and shot at thin air. Then he turned and ran down the alleyway, turning a corner to the left.  

Gerard ran after the man, going to the end of the alley before he lost track of him. There were too many people in the street for him to be able to track the man, and he could have ducked into any of the places lining the street by now. He turned to head back down the alleyway.

Still bleeding, Osamu cast a spell on himself to heal some of the wounds. He made certain to keep himself invisible, and turned when he heard running footsteps. Filayne and Celestine ran straight past him down the alleyway.

“Gerard?” she said.

“Yeah. I think Theris was shooting someone.”

“Theris? How do you know it was him?”

“The gun. Most guns don’t have three chambers and there were three shots that went off.”

“I heard them.”

“He carries pepperboxes. That’s a type of gun. They have six shots apiece.”

“But who was he shooting at?” she asked.

“Me,” a voice right behind her said.

She whirled around and found Osamu standing there. “What happened?” she demanded, taking in the blood and the sorry state of his clothes. “I don’t have any healing otherwise I would give it to you. We should get back to Lilianna.”

Osamu took off his torn tunic, revealing a scarred chest with a tattoo beneath.  Celestine touched his clothes and suddenly they were mended. Osamu used them to wipe the blood off his chest.

“Let’s go back to the Temple of Saranrae,” Filayne said. “I think we’ve had enough of Theris tonight.”

“I saw Majet,” Gerard said.

“I did too,” Filayne said as they walked. “She’s pretty messed up.”

“She said to watch your back because you’re next.”

“What?”

“She thinks Theris might be coming after you.”

“Me? Why?”

“I don’t know…something about your connection through your friend.”

“Kyaer?” she asked sharply.

“Yeah.”

She frowned and picked up the speed.

Inside the temple, Osamu went to a corner, sat on the ground and began to meditate. Filayne went to the room where Lilianna and Kyaer were still studying.

Lilianna glanced up. “Any news?”

“Osamu’s hurt.”

She immediately put down her book and walked out of the room. Filayne got Kyaer’s attention. “What do you know about Theris?” she asked him.

“Only what I’ve already told you,” he said.

She studied him closely, watching for any tells that would inform her if he was holding something back or lying about anything. “You never met him?”

“No. That was Zarzuket that met up with him. We kinda went our own ways while we were here.”

She sighed. He was telling the truth. “Zarzuket’s free,” she said, and told him how Theris attacked Majet to free the gnome. “She almost died.”

He shook his head. “You’re talking to an elf who had no clue what kind of people he was hanging out with,” he said.

“That’s the truth,” Lilianna said as she came back in. She asked him a couple of the same questions about Theris before she seemed satisfied. Then she buried her head back in a book.

Filayne looked up to find her husband rubbing his eyes. “Can I help?” she asked.

“I need a break,” he said.

“Show me what to look for and I will,” she replied. Lilianna and Kyaer pointed out a few things.

“I’ll meet you back at the tavern,” Kyaer said when they were finished.

“We should stick together,” she contradicted.  

A worried frown crossed his expression. “What happened?”

“Osamu was shot by Theris,” she said, earning a shocked expression. “And Zarzuket’s not happy with me,” Filayne told him.

“Why?”

“Well, I sort of…tortured him,” she said sheepishly. “A bit. After we caught him.”

He sighed. “All right, I won’t leave.”

“I can get us lodging for the night,” Lilianna said, and walked out of the room.

As Filayne began reading, Kyaer walked out and moved over to where Gerard and Osamu were speaking. “You were shot?” he said.

Osamu nodded and told Kyaer everything. When he was done speaking, Kyaer pulled the lyre out of his pack. “I think perhaps the lyre would be safer in someone else’s hands. One of yours perhaps?” They both shrugged. He turned away and went back into the library.

Filayne looked up as he walked in. He held the lyre out to her. “I think this would be safer in your possession,” he said solemnly.  

She hesitated before she took it. “I’ll take good care of it,” she promised. She put it in her pack and used her hat of disguise to hide the lyre by making it look like she wasn’t wearing a pack.

“I think I’m going to call it a night,” Lilianna said with a yawn.

“I think we all should,” Filayne said, and winked at Kyaer. He grinned.

Lilianna rolled her eyes and left the library. Inside her room, Lilianna wrote down questions for which she felt she needed answers. Then she prepared a spell, casting it with the utmost reverence. A burst of light nearly blinded her and suddenly there was an angel standing in her room, a halo of fire hovering above its head.

“What can I help you with?” it intoned in the voice of a thousand bells.

“Thank you for responding,” she said, bowing. “I am trying to see if I am on the right path. I’m not sure where to go, not sure I’m looking in the right places.”

“Ask your questions.”  

“Is Theris the main problem?”

“No,” the angel answered.  

“Do you want me to find the seals?”

It seemed to think. “This is unclear.”

“Is there someone close to us using us?”

“Yes.”

“Is Zarzuket in mojito?”

“Uncertain.”

She took a deep breath. “Is Talia ok?”

“Yes.”

Good. “Should I continue my search in this book?”

“Yes.”

“Is the other seal in danger?”

“Yes.”

Crap. “Again, I thank you.” She bowed. When she looked back up, the angel seemed to implode and then disappear as if it had never been.

Though she had much to ponder, Lilianna knew she would be better able to understand the angel’s answers on a full night’s rest. After saying her prayers, she lay down and closed her eyes.  

Firro’s nose twitched. Something smelled gross. Blinking her eyes open to darkness, she frowned. It was still very early morning, and what was that scent? She turned to Kyaer to see if he smelled it and gasped. Only her life of blood and death kept her from screaming.

There was a gaping hole in the middle of his forehead. Blood and brain matter splattered the pillow and wall. His eyes were closed, his expression peaceful, as if he hadn’t even woken up.

Why hadn’t she woken up?! Why was she alive? Who would kill him but not her?

She reached out hesitantly but didn’t touch him. His skin radiated cold. He’d been dead for hours…

Someone banged on the door. Filayne scrambled out of the bed to her backpack. Was the lyre still there? Had they been after it? Finding it, she stuffed it back down as the banging continued and whirled the bag onto her back. Immediately the bag changed to appear to be her cloak.

A gun went off close by and her door swung inward to reveal Majet. The gnome was panting, weaving on her feet, and holding on to the wall to stay up.

“There you are! Where’s Theris?” she demanded.

Filayne shook her head. She was dimly aware that she wasn’t firing on all cylindars. “I don’t know. What are you doing here?” she snapped. She looked away and cast a spell to see if there was any magic hiding anything in the room. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

“Zarzuket tried to kill me,” Majet returned sharply. “You haven’t seen either of them? The bastards tried to finish me off and you’re hanging around with—” She cut off as her gaze finally landed on the bed.

Filayne couldn’t look again. She couldn’t bear—

Her gaze focused on the gnome. “Why are you still alive?” she asked Majet.

“Bastard likes drama. Woke me up so I’d know who was trying to kill me.”

That couldn’t have been too long ago. There was only a few other people who could have done this to Kyaer, and she wanted their heads on pikes. “Lilianna!” Filayne yelled, and stepped out into the hallway. The cleric stepped out of her room and Filyane pointed to the gnome. “Heal her.”

“What?” the cleric said as she started towards them.

Filayne didn’t have the patience to deal with questions. “Heal her! Now!”

Lilianna put a hand on Majet’s shoulder and chanted for a moment. While she was busy, Filayne looked for any trap or secret doors in the room and to see if either of her traps had been disturbed. Neither of them had gone off. How the hell had someone gotten into the room and killed Kyaer while she was still asleep beside him?

“What is going on?” Lilianna snapped.

The Drow beckoned the half-elf to step into her room and motioned towards the bed. Lilianna immediately said a quick prayer one Filayne recognized was reserved for the dead. Not those who might be brought back, but those who weren’t going to come back.

Her heart clenched and her chest constricted. Then her gaze landed on the bounty hunter. “Where’s Theris?” she demanded. “Did you see him? Did you chase him here?”

“That bastard tried to kill me, too!” she replied.

“When?” she snarled.

“While I was heading here,” Majet said.

“Where’s the last place you saw him?” Filayne snapped out.

“A couple blocks down.”

“Take me.”

She started away. Filayne started to follow her and stopped as duty rang in to complain to her honor. “Wait.” She looked back into her room and clenched her fists. While the vengeful rage burned inside, she had to take care of certain things first. “Later,” she gritted.

“Get the Head Priestess,” Lilianna told Alondra. The rest of the group as well as several clerics had trickled out of their rooms at the commotion. “What happened, Filayne?”

She shook her head, staring at nothing. “I don’t know.” She paused as Gerard moved into the room and began casting. “Why didn’t they kill me, too?”

“You weren’t a liability,” Lilianna replied as gently as she could.

Filayne met her gaze and then looked away at the pity there.

“Looks like some sort of magical gate provided the access point,” Gerard said. “Right over the bed.”

“What about the book?” Filayne asked as the thought occurred to her. “Is the book safe?”

Lilianna moved into her rooms with Filayne on her heels. “It’s here,” she said, placing her hands on it.

“We need to plan our next step,” Osamu said solemnly.

“They want us to go after the seals, I think,” Lilianna stated. “Regardless, I think we need to do what we came here to do and sell the tome.”

“What seals?” Majet asked.

Filayne looked down at her. She had forgotten the gnome was there.

“Zarzuket was at the mountain looking for a seal that’s an ancient artifact,” Lilianna told her.

“Maybe we shouldn’t divulge too much information,” Filayne suggested.

“Is it one of those things where I could get killed for the information?”

“Yes,” Filayne replied, thinking of Kyaer.

“There’s another seal that we need to find, and it’s here in Mohjito,” Lilianna said. “And it’s in danger.”

“Maybe you guys should go back to your mine instead of going after this second seal,” Majet suggested. “They expect you to go after the seal.”

“Why would we go back to Yenmass?” Lilianna asked.

“The opening of the mine,” Filayne replied on autopilot.

“I have people there that can take care of that,” she informed.  

“What about Talia? She could be in danger.”

“She’s okay,” Lilianna said with calm certainty.  

Filayne shook her head. “Then what about the seal? If this one’s in danger then the other one is!”

“Both seals are here,” Lilianna revealed.  

Filayne blinked. “One of you has it?

“It’s safe,” Lilianna replied evasively.

“Great,” she snapped, suddenly weary beyond words. “I’m going to talk to the Head Priestess.”

“We’ll continue planning,” Lilianna said.

She walked out of the room and found the Head Priestess chanting over Kyaer’s body. “Is there a temple of Immodae here in town?” Filayne demanded without preamble.

The head Priestess of Saranrae nodded shortly.  “Yes. It’s a smaller temple, but there is one. We’ll take you there.”

“And Kyaer,” Filayne snapped.  

She looked startled, but nodded. “Yes. Of course,” the woman said.

The next hours were a blur for Filayne. The temple was easy enough to get to, and the Saranrae clergy readily agreed to pay for full rites for Kyaer. Filayne was stoic through it all, unable to fully grasp what had happened and therefore unable to accept it. All she knew was that she had made a horrible mistake, and she was going to stop at nothing to correct it.

The first light of dawn broke as the sacred soil was placed over Kyaer.

TO BE CONTINUED…