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…

New Developments from the Past

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...

The party managed to get back to Yenmass in one piece. With their mine hiring, they had time to relax a little, and work on honing skills or learning new ones. Talia took up residence in the Temple of Saranrae and remained behind while the rest of the group headed to Mahito to find better value for certain items they intended to sell.

They stopped for their stay just inside Mahito, and discovered one of their companions was not whom she seemed to be.

“Who are these people staring at us?” the bard holding Firro/Filayne asked in Elven.

“These are my new companions,” Firro told him. “My business partners. I’ll introduce you.”

“Great! I’d introduce you to my companions, but I’m afraid they’re not here at the moment. That’s why I didn’t show up in Yenmass – I’ve been waiting for them. I haven’t seen my gnome friend in a couple weeks, actually.”

Firro stiffened. “Gnome? What was his name?”

“Uh, his name? It slips my mind right now… He usually travels with a big guy.”

Firro caught sight of Osamu’s hand twitching towards his starknife and stepped in front of Kyaer as she introduced her partners to her husband.

“Husband. Really? Huh.” Celestine began scribbling in a tome.

“You said you traveled with a gnome?” Lilianna asked Kyaer sharply. She scowled at Firro, whose eyes were blue. She could have sworn they were red just a moment ago.

“Yes,” Kyaer replied. “Though I haven’t seen him or the half-orc for some time. They also worked with a druid in the area.”

“What kind of druid?” Firro asked with a sinking feeling in her gut.

“The sand kind?” he quipped.

She didn’t smile at his joke. “I believe we knew them.”

“I think we did more than know them,” Lilianna corrected.

“Perhaps we should speak in private,” Firro suggested.

“But this big guy—” Lilianna started.

“In private,” Firro insisted.

Lilianna stared at her for a moment before nodding. “Do you have a room?” Lili asked Kyaer.

“Y-Yeah, come on up.”

The party tromped up the steps behind Kyaer. Firro hadn’t seen him in so long all she wanted to do was catch up, but she was worried that their news might put a damper on that. Speaking softly to him in undercommon, a language she was fairly certain none of her partners knew, she told him, “I’m afraid it’s not good news.”

The language rolled off his tongue easily. “I think I can handle it,” he replied with a small smile as he stopped in front of a door. “I handled losing you for a long time, after all.” His gaze met hers and they shared a moment.

He reached for the door knob. The moment his fingers touched it, a loud blast nearly knocked them over. Firro put her hands up in front of her face as the door burst into splinters. When she lowered them, Kyaer was impaled on a short sword. He slumped over backwards, hitting the floor bonelessly, his gaze vacantly staring.

Shocked, Firro looked up to find a man wearing an outfit similar to Osamu’s standing just inside the room. She didn’t even have a chance to draw a weapon before he disappeared into thin air.

Osamu, having recognized his house colors, threw a bag of glittering dust into the room. Lilianna reached down and touched Kyaer’s chest. He drew in a deep, ragged breath and began coughing as the cleric pulled him back away from the door. “Saranrae’s given you a second chance,” she told him. She looked at Firro, catching her gaze. “Don’t make me regret doing that.”

Gerard cast a spell that caused glittering dust to coat every surface in the room. Just in the open window they could make out a man crouching on the sill, studying them.

Relieved and enraged, Firro cast a quick spell to make herself invisible, ran forward as she drew her weapons and reappeared as she stabbed the form crouching in the window. Bleeding, he fell backward. Dropping her scimitar, she grabbed for him and barely managed to catch his foot. He kicked upwards with his other foot, catching her in the chin with enough force to make her see stars. She held on by force of will, determined to not allow the killer to get away.

Osamu appeared beside her at the window and tried to grab their attacker past her. The man she was holding kicked at Osamu as well, keeping him from getting a firm hold.

Lilianna’s voice filled the space behind them as she chanted. “Do not move!” she finished in common. The man Firro was holding was suddenly still.

Someone touched Firro’s shoulder. She glanced back as Gerard chanted, and suddenly felt as if she could pick up an entire house. She hefted their attacker easily back into the room.

Alondra appeared in the doorway and cast a spell, the effect of which was not immediately noticeable.

Suddenly there was five of him on the ground. Firro’s eyes widened as she realized that where she was holding his leg was the one central point between all of the five. A dart hit her in the chest and she let out a curse. That could only mean one thing: poison.

Osamu attacked one of the images with his fists, and all five were suddenly bloodied. He punched again and one of the images disappeared.  

Lilianna hit the man and all but one of the images wisped away on the breeze coming through the window. Blood began to bubble up in the mouth of the only one remaining.

Firro let go of his foot and pulled the dart out of her chest. She tried to get up to go to Kyaer, but everything was suddenly cloudy. Her brain felt sluggish, as if she were trying to think through a fog. She put the dart back into her chest. It belonged there, after all. 

Osamu put a knife to the attacker’s neck and cut his face mask off. Then he picked the prone form up, slamming him against the wall. “Who are you?” he yelled. He shook the other man, his eyes filled with fury. Everyone looked at him, knowing danger when they saw it manifest in another’s eyes.

“Calm down, Osamu,” Lilianna said in a soothing tone. She walked up to Firro, took the dart out of her and dodged a punch when the smaller elf lashed out. She looked at the dart for a moment, cast a spell and knew that the poison on the dart was incredibly dangerous. Made from the tears of the dying, the poison would kill Filayne…Firro…if she didn’t get help quick.

Moving quickly, she picked Firro up as the elf began to claw at her face. For some reason, there was no effect despite that blood began to drip to the floor. Gerard chanted quickly and Firro slumped, unconscious.

Lilianna tossed Firro over her shoulder and bolted out the door. “Out of my way!” she yelled at Kyaer as struggled to his feet. He staggered after her as she ran out of the bar and into the nearest temple. The god, Abadla, was one of justice, law, and cities.

Inside, Lilianna called out. “She’s been poisoned!” she told two clerics who approached. “The poison’s called Tears of Death. I did a spell that told me what it was but I don’t have any way to stop the spread of the poison! She’ll die!” 

The two clerics took Firro’s unconscious form, put her on a stretcher and quickly brought her to the back, where they began praying over her.

Back at the tavern, Osamu was barely in control. “Who are you?” he demanded again. The man was wearing the colors of his clan but he wasn’t from his clan. He couldn’t be!

The stranger spit blood into Osamu’s face. “A message from an old friend,” he rasped. He reached into one of his sword wounds, grimacing as he pulled his own organs out. As he died, Osamu lost his careful grip on control. He threw the body at a wall to the the sound of bones snapping. He punched the wall, putting a hole in it.
Gerard and Alondra watched in stunned silence. Alondra hadn’t known Osamu for long, but Gerard had never suspected his “insurance policy” was capable of going into such a fury.

Osamu bent and began ripping the clothes off the body. “How dare he wear these colors!” he snarled and stopped as a tattoo on the other’s back became visible. It was a dragon’s head on a serpent’s body with a red hand gripping the serpent. Osamu took out a dagger and carefully cut the tattoo off the form before he finished shredding anything to do with his clan. Then he punched the dead man in the face. “You don’t deserve to wear these colors!” he shouted.

Gerard began searching the items Osamu tossed aside. Alondra swallowed hard, knowing that this wasn’t a random attack. This was something very, very personal… She backed away. “I’m going to go find the others,” she said. Gerard nodded distractedly. Osamu ignored her completely. She left quickly.

“What the hell are you doing?” Gerard asked as Osamu continued ripping the colors to shreds.

“How dare he wear those colors?” Osamu snapped cryptically. He kicked the body again, and faced Gerard, holding the colors aloft. The lower half of his face was covered, but his eyes were wild with rage. “He is not worthy of these!” he snarled.  

“O-okay,” Gerard said, holding his hands up to placate the man. He stooped to finish searching the remains while Osamu paced. He found two more darts identical to the one that hit Firro. They appeared to be coated with the same poison, and didn’t require any sort of blow gun or cross bow to shoot. He carefully pocketed them.

Osamu took the blanket off the bed and began to wrap up the body.

“There’s no gold on him, but look at this,” Gerard said, holding up a medallion.

Osamu took the medallion and stared at the same markings that were the tattoo he had just cut out of the man’s back. On flip side was strange glyph, but one that he recognized. “I know symbol,” Osamu said with more of his regular tones. “That’s family Ty-ota. I no know what happened to them but they should be dead, burned down with the rest of our clan.”

He stood, scowling at the body. “We need to regroup, plan our next step. You found everything you could off the body?”

“Yes,” Gerard said simply.

Osamu took the assassin’s wakizashi and looked at it. On the blade was engraved the symbol of the red hand gripping the serpent with the dragon’s head.

“What was that racket?” someone down the hallway said. “Did you see the people run out of here earlier? Carrying that other one? Mark my words, something’s going on!”

Gerard and Osamu looked at each other. Their time had just run out. Osamu bent and picked up the body.

“Do you see the door?” one voice said. “I’m not going in there! Go get Jim!”

Osamu stepped into the hallway with the body as footsteps retreated.

“What are you doing with that body?” a man demanded.

Osamu calmly pulled out twenty gold and handed it over. “I sorry for the damage. He was…assassin and tried to kill me.”

The man blinked at the shining gold in his hand. “Oh. Oh, well done! We’ll get you a new door. Oh, and go this way, it’s a back door. Service entry by the stables.”

“Still have horse and carriage?” Osamu asked Gerard as they headed down the back stairs.

“Yes.”

“We are going to need that.”

While they were hitching the horses back up to the carriage, Celestine approached them. “Lilianna sent me to tell you that we’re at the church of Abadla. What are y’all doing?”

“We’re tying up loose ends,” Gerard said. “We’ll be back.”

She peeked beneath the tarp that was covering the body. “Hm. Okay.” She hopped up into the carriage, whipped out a book and began writing down what they were doing.

Osamu straightened the tarp over the body. Then they rode out about an hour outside the town. The once again quiet man tumbled the body out of the blanket, letting it fall haphazardly. Taking the man’s wakizashi, he shoved it into the dead body as far down as he could, impaling him to the ground. That done, they began to head back.

Lilianna stared at Kyaer. The elf was staring down at his wife, holding her hand in both of his. “Is there a reason that when she was clawing her face nothing happened?” Lilianna asked him.

He glanced up at her, irritation in his gaze. “I don’t know,” he replied.

“Why wouldn’t you know?” Lilianna asked suspiciously.

“It’s been years,” he replied. “Almost a decade now. For all I know, she could have trained to be a wizard in that time.”

Firro stirred, blinking rapidly. Her gaze fixed on Kyaer’s and she reached up, cupping his cheek. He let out a breath as if he had been holding it for hours.

“How are you feeling?” Lilianna as Firro opened her mouth to speak.

Firro looked over at her. “I’m all right.” She sat up with Kyaer’s help. “What happened? That dart?”

Lilianna explained about the poison and what it did, tacking on how much it cost to heal Firro as well.

Firro could tell by the half-elf’s body language that she wasn’t happy with her. She swallowed hard. “I owe you an explanation,” she said.

“That would be nice,” Lilianna quipped shortly. 

Firro reached over and took Kyaer’s hand. “Do you know what this is?” She pointed to a clip in her hair.

“Not exactly, but it does have some illusionary effects.”

Firro slipped it out of her hair. As she did, it became a hat. She handed it to Lilianna. “A hat of disguise,” Lilianna said, staring at it. She looked up at the other and frowned. Where the whites of her eyes should have been was pink and the pupils were completely red.

But Firro’s skin was extremely pale. The two didn’t match up. With the eyes, Firro had to be Drow. But why was her skin so pale? Some sort of spell?  

“I am...Drow,” Firro admitted reluctantly. “Albino Drow. I grew up Elven.”

“Hence Kyaer,” Lilianna said, looking at him.

Firro nodded.

“I’ll go get you something to drink,” Kyaer said. He caught Firro’s gaze and she smiled at him as she nodded. After a quick embrace, he moved out of the room.

“I grew up in Absalom,” Firro continued. “I was told that I was kidnapped at a very young age by the Drow. I managed to escape after many years. To make a long story short, I later found out that story was a lie.”

“That was shocking, I can imagine.”

“Indeed. Imagine being trained to hate Drow, to fight and kill them ruthlessly, only to find out you are the very thing you’ve hunted all your life. You are the very thing you hate.” She held out her hand for the hat.

Lilianna’s gaze softened as she turned it over. “That could make you lose your faith,” she said.

“Yes,” she said as she put the hat back on. Her skin took on its normal tone and her eyes were once again blue. “That is why I am no longer a paladin. Immodae would not accept my doubts and I could not continue as I had been.”

After a moment of silence, Lilianna sighed. “You have been a faithful companion despite lying—”
“Not revealing one’s past isn’t the same as lying,” Firro countered.
She ignored that. “Is there anything else you need to tell me?” Lilianna asked.

Firro nodded and pulled out a journal, handing it over. “I found this on the druid we fought. It details his plans for the desert, which aren’t of any import since he’s dead. But—”

“It’s gone!” Kyaer yelled as he ran back into the room.

“What’s gone?” Firro asked.

“My lyre! My lyre is gone!”

“Calm down!” she told him. “Where was it last you had it?”

“I never took it off!” he said frantically.

“What’s the specialty of this lyre?” Lilianna interjected.

“It—it’s complicated. Hold on.” He pulled his pack off and took out a large, thick tome. It slammed on the table beside Firro, its weight alone making the table shake.

“When I was traveling with the half orc and the gnome,” he said, “we came across a vault. It led us up to a lyre that was sitting on the book – this book. I read the book and kept it and the lyre. They laughed at me, but they were too stupid to be able to read what it was talking about. I knew it was important. It talks about a locked up power and seals you need to get to release the power. There’s a lot of other stuff but I couldn’t understand because the dialect is very old.”
Firro kept her expression carefully neutral, but she knew Kyaer was holding something back. 

“It’s in celestial,” Lilianna said, her gaze on the tome. “May I?” She opened the tome without waiting for a response and began to flip through it.

Firro looked up at Kyaer and knew she had to tell him the truth of his friends. “Kyaer…I’m afraid your half-orc friend Rock is dead.”

“What?” he snapped. “What happened?”

“We met up with him. He and Zarzuket attacked us. Rock fell in the battle. Zarzuket was taken by a bounty hunter, a gnome named Majet.”

He stared at her, his expression bewildered. “Majet?”

“He had apparently made some rather wealthy people very angry,” Lilianna said even as she continued flipping through the tome. “I had his life spared.”

Kyaer shook his head. “But—” He cut off, shaking his head again.

“Did you know the druid?” Lilianna asked him, her gaze focused on him.

“No,” he denied. “I never met him. I had business elsewhere while they went to do that.”

“The druid was a Drow,” she told him. “We met up with him as well.”

“I wonder if they had anything to do with Theris?”

“Theris?” Firro repeated. “Did you know him? Do you know what he looks like?”

“No. Again, I had business elsewhere while they were doing that.”

Firro caught his gaze and knew he wanted to talk to her about something later. He glanced at the cleric and back away. She could understand somewhat how he felt. Everything he knew was turned upside-down.

“I’m trusting you with the information we’ve shared with you because you’re Firro’s husband,” Lilianna told him sternly. “Don’t share the info.” Her gaze shifted to Firro. “And is there anything else you need to tell me? It would be best if you come forward with any other revelations now.”

Firro shook her head and looked at Kyaer. “Do you know where Theris is?”

He shook his head. “Only that he’s in town somewhere. I don’t know what he looks like and I wasn’t privy to what they discussed with him.”

“You should use your skills to go look for Theris,” Lilianna told Firro. “But later. We should go look for the lyre now.” She looked over Firro’s shoulder. “Alondra? Where’s Gerard and Osamu?”

The human spoke for a moment in Lilianna’s ear, too quietly for the other two to hear. Lilianna nodded. “We need to find a lyre.” She described the instrument for the human’s benefit. They retraced their steps back to the inn with no sign of the lyre.

Inside, they met up with the others. “Did you find anything out?” Lilianna asked.

“Not exactly. We did find something, though.” Gerard pulled out the medallion he had found earlier and showed both sides to them.

“Do you remember the lyre he had?”

They shook their heads. While Lilianna questioned them about the lyre, Firro and Kyaer checked upstairs. His room had a new door, but other than that they didn’t find anything.

“Perhaps the guy who attacked us dropped it out the window?” she said. She looked out but couldn’t see anything. “Let’s go down.” When they were out in the alleyway, she looked up at him. “What is it?”

He raised his eyebrows. “What?”

“What did you want to talk to me about?”

He sighed. “I wasn’t completely honest with your friend,” he admitted.

“I know,” she told him.  

He searched her gaze for a moment. “I do know where we can go where we can go to get the seals. There’s one in a mountain past Yenmass and then there’s another close to Dwarven mines where the desert turns into more lush landscape.”

“One has been found,” she told him.  

“Which one?”

“The one past Yenmass in the mountain.”

“We should go for the other one, then.”

“I agree,” she replied, and cast a spell that would allow her to find hidden magical auras. She moved into the stables with him not far behind.

Back in the tavern, Lilianna was getting no where speaking to the barkeep. She ordered a drink and shot it back quick. Osamu stepped outside the front door and looked over the dusk-lit city. There was a sound of something passing quickly through the air and then a kukri was sticking out of the wall beside his head. He looked around quickly and spotted a figure across the street on the third floor balcony, its robes streaming out beside it in the breeze. He narrowed his gaze at it and took a step towards it. It seemed to acknowledge him and then disappeared into the building.

When he was certain the figure wasn’t going to make another appearance, he pulled the weapon out of the wall and took the parchment off its hilt, reading it quickly. Then he crumpled it in his fist and jammed the blade as hard as he could back into the wall.

Firro wouldn’t have noticed Osamu when he stalked into the stables since he made absolutely no noise, except that she was looking straight at the entrance when he walked through. She moved towards him as he began to saddle a horse.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

He handed her a crumpled note. She opened it and read.

I know what you’re looking for and I have it. Meet me in the desert east of town. Ride hard until you see three rocks stacked next to each other.

“What’s this symbol?” she asked, pointing to the symbol at the bottom of the parchment.

“The Ty-ota family mark,” he replied. “I’m going now.”

“I’m going with you, then. Kyaer, get the others, will you?” While he ran for the tavern, she began saddling her horse. “What’s all this about?” she asked Osamu.

“How dare they wear the colors!” he snapped. “You all should stay. This is dangerous.”

“I’m not letting you go out into the desert all by yourself,” she returned.

He whirled on her, getting in her face. “They are out for blood and so am I!” he shouted. His eyes were flashing with vengeance. “They were obviously trying to kill you! You stay!”

“That’s unlikely,” Lilianna said from the entrance to the stables. “Celestine’s staying behind, but the rest of us are going with you.”

He shook his head and finished saddling his horse with sharp, jerky movements. They mounted and rode in silence. Gerard spoke to his raven and it flew up overhead.

Nearly two hours later they finally saw the rocks. As they slowed down, the raven swooped down and cawed at Gerard. “Someone’s behind the rocks,” Gerard translated. Not a moment later a figure emerged. He was wearing the same clothes as the previous man. Firro put her hand on her sword.

“I think I have something that you want,” the figure said, looking at all of them. He pulled out something wrapped in sackcloth and tossed it. Lilianna dismounted at the same time Kyaer did and they both ran toward the bundle.

The cleric reached it first. “It’s the lyre,” Lilianna said when she unwrapped it. “What do you want in return from this?” she demanded.  

“Continue on your quest,” the figure said.  

“What quest?”

“Earlier someone said something when they handed you that book,” he replied.

There was complete silence as the group digested that. Firro nudged the horse closer to the pair standing on the sand.

“He had to be in the room with us when we were talking,” Firro murmured to them.

“Who do you work for?” Lilianna demanded.

“For myself,” he replied.

“Who are you?” Osamu shouted.

“Ty-ota.”

“Liar!” Osamu growled.

“I am the last of them as you are of yours, Osamu Mitsubi.”

Osamu hesitated. “If you want us to continue then why attack us? You know the rules!”

The figure scoffed. “You’re losing your edge, Osamu,” he said. He backed up and threw something at the ground. It exploded and when the smoke cleared, he was gone.

With a wordless growl, Osamu threw the star knife into the smoke. It returned without resistance to his hand.

“Calm yourself!” Lilianna told him when he slid off his horse and began to pace.

“How can I be calm when I’m within a hand’s grasp of catching the monster who single-handedly killed my people?” he shouted at her.

She frowned at him. Handing the lyre to Kyaer, she kept one hand on it as she pulled out a parchment and some charcoal. “What are you talking about?” she asked Osamu. She set the parchment over the lyre and used the charcoal to make an impression of the symbol there.

“To further understand the clan you must understand me,” Osamu said. “My village – not assassins. But taught early to fight. I never liked fighting. I liked peace and left for a time. When I came back, I found the burned bodies of my family and friends…desecrated! Horribly! The surrounding villages had tales. One man – no beast! – was responsible. My quest is to find the vermin responsible!

“For him to know me – not many do! And he wears our colors! How dare he disgrace my clan! That bastard!!”

“Who’s Ty-ota?” Firro asked as Kyaer mounted behind her.

Osamu shook his head. “I am not sure who exactly of the Ty-otas he is, but it has to be someone from my clan. There’s a problem with that. They all should have died!”

“We should all watch our words,” Lilianna said into the immediate silence. “We’re being watched and people are listening in on private conversations.”

“Tell her,” Firro said to Kyaer.

He frowned down at his wife, but told Lilianna that he knew where to find the last disk. “I didn’t mention it earlier because I wasn’t certain I could trust you,” he added.

“Does anyone else have anything they need to tell me?” Lilianna snapped, not looking at anyone in particular. “This would be much easier if everyone would just be honest with each other!”

“We all have things in our pasts we do not wish to reveal,” Osamu said. “I’m not one for killing but blood is blood. I stand on my clan’s principles.”

The cleric took a deep breath and mounted again. “I’m heading for the Temple of Saranrae. I’m taking the book and the lyre to study.”

“Not the lyre,” Kyaer contradicted.

“Then you’re coming with me,” she said with finality.

He glared at her, but didn’t protest. As one, the group turned and headed back towards the town.

TO BE CONTINUED…

And Now a Brief Intermission

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 

 When her companions began to stir, Filayne put the Drow’s journal away and feigned sleep. As they began to get up she did as well, stretching as if she had just woken and going about the morning’s chores quietly.

Most of the journal could be dismissed since it contained plans which would never come to fruition. But the last couple entries pertained to meeting with a man in a town on the edge of the desert. This was the man who had requested the Drow follow her party. This was the man who had written the note and who was powerful enough to cause the downfall of Yenmass. But who was he? The Drow never specifically said.

And there was an odd word in his journal when he described the contract. His end of the deal was to make certain that “szarkai” went smoothly. Filayne wasn’t entirely certain what “szarkai” meant. She knew it was something that was important in past times to the elves, and that it had to do with the nobility somehow. Other than that, she couldn’t be certain.

She was left with more questions than answers. How did szarkai pertain to her party? Did this nameless man have to meet up with the Drow in that city, of all places?

She wondered briefly if he was still there.

Her thoughts kept her preoccupied through the morning’s trip to the trade post. Once there, she dismounted to give her mare a chance to rest and something to drink. She noted that Osamu appeared to be selling the rest of the snake steaks, showing them to a merchant from the back of the wagon. That was fine by her. She didn’t mind steak, but they were going to get tired of eating it after a while.

She sought out Vahn, the dwarf she had helped previously, and noted his new tent as he greeted her enthusiastically.

“I overheard the Saranrae priestess that you’re traveling with talking about bringing people back from Yenmass to the mountain,” he said when the pleasantries were over. “I could get any materials that you need when you ferry them through.”

Filayne shrugged. “Yeah, you’ll want to talk to the boss. Boss!” She waved Gerard over and introduced him to Vahn, introducing Lilianna as well when the cleric came as well.

“I could get all the supplies you need to get the mine started,” Vahn offered. “Food for workers—”

“Isn’t Khar supposed to be doing that?” Filayne asked.

“No, he’s getting the buyers and the workers together,” Lilianna replied. “Perhaps we should take a moment to discuss this—”

“Oh, are you all part owners of the mine?” Vahn quickly asked.

The group exchanged a quick glance. “Gerard’s the one who put this venture together…” Filayne shrugged. She didn’t mind letting other people make the decisions when it came to the mine’s activities. She knew next to nothing about them.

“Yes,” Lilianna answered. “We are. That is what we previously discussed, after all.”

“Okay,” Vahn said, taking it in stride. “Well, I could get you anything you needed. Tents to house the workers, picks, hammers, fresh food and water… You name it, I can get it!”

“Lodgings would be appropriate closer to the mine,” Filayne suggested. “It wouldn’t be very efficient if one set of workers had to travel half a day just to get to the mine.”

“Then we’d have a couple sets,” Lilianna said. “That way we could keep it running all day and all night. It’ll take about…one hundred fifty to two hundred workers to keep the mine producing, I should think.”

And that kind of business thinking was exactly why she didn’t mind the others making the decisions. “How much is it going to cost to get all this together?” Filayne wondered.

“I’ll give you guys a few minutes to discuss,” Vahn said, apparently taking cue. He walked back into his tent, maybe fifteen feet away from where they stood.

“He’s eavesdropping,” Filayne said with a grin.

Osamu joined them. “The snake steak provided thirty-six gold coins,” he said softly, tying a new coin purse to his belt.

“Not bad. Hey, we could sell the clay golem tome to help us get started,” Gerard said. “It should fetch a good price in Yenmass.”

“It would fetch an even better one in a bigger city,” Filayne said, her mind speeding ahead. “Say, in Mahito? It’s only a two or three day journey outside of Yenmass.” 

 “It’ll take us some time to get things together, to get all the people,” Gerard said. “Vahn could surely get all we need together during that time.”

“How long are we talking? Two tendays?” Filayne asked.

“Or three,” Lilianna replied. “There’s a lot of preparations to be made.”

“I think Vahn could be a very useful resource,” said Osamu.

“Let’s see how much he’s thinking of charging us first,” Lilianna said, and called for the dwarf.

He appeared immediately and listened politely as she posed her question despite that he had obviously overheard their words. He hemmed and hawed for a moment, but finally settled on a price of fifteen percent off normal selling price of the goods. “And my brother could make an outpost outside the mine’s entrance to house the workers.”

“That would be favorable,” Lilianna intoned.

“I’ll just write him a quick note. Don’t go anywhere.” He turned and walked back into his tent. Filayne looked over and could clearly see that he was writing to someone named Zahn, who he named his brother. The contents of the letter pertained only to the business they had just discussed. She looked away as he signed and sealed it.

“My brother’s shop is on this side of Yenmass, on the outskirts,” Vahn said as he came back out. “Can’t miss it. Give this to him and he’ll take care of what you need.”

Lilianna took the scroll and offered him Saranrae’s blessing. “We should go now. There’s no sand storm on the horizon and it would be foolish to waste the rest of the day.”

As they mounted up, Lilianna took a deep breath. “I hope my companions are in Yenmass when we arrive.”

“You’re expecting to meet someone?” Filayne inquired as she settled her shaded goggles more firmly over her eyes. The glaring sun was giving her a headache.

“I left them in the last town taking care of some business,” she said from atop her horse. “One of them is very talented with the lute. I’m sure she’d make a wonderful accompaniment to your dancing.”

“Oh, you have a bard accompanying you?”

“One of the best!”

“I’d be honored,” Filayne replied as they started into the dunes.

Aside from some strange creatures making whooping noises during one evening, the rest of the party’s trip was uneventful. They finally saw Yenmass in the distance at the end of the third day. Night was falling, and they wearily passed the shops on the outskirts to head straight to the Elephant’s Tusk. Inside, Khar pounced on Gerard.

“Itsgreattoseeyouhowsthemine?” he said quickly.

“In a decent state,” Gerard began after a moment of inner translation.

Filayne left them to their discussion, securing for herself a room and paying to have someone bring her chest up. Back at the table where her companions had gathered, she tuned back into the discussion.

“I can get the workers for you as well as the buyers,” Khar was saying. “How many workers do you need? It’s going to take at least two to three weeks to gather the workers.”

“We spoke to Vahn out at the trade post,” Lilianna said, earning a frown from the gnome. “He’s for supplies and his brother is to help keep the workers in shelter.”

“But not the buyers. I want a monopoly on providing the buyers,” he said.

“Agreed,” Gerard said.

“Good. I’ll have some paperwork drawn up. Do you have any samples of the ore by any chance?”

“I think Filayne is carrying those,” Lilianna said.

Filayne dug in a pouch on her belt and pulled out the samples – garnet, gold and silver – to hand them over. Khar looked over them for a moment before waving his hand. A moment later a man brought over a masterfully crafted chest lined, she saw when it was set on the table and opened, with satin pillows inside. Khar put the stones inside. “I’ll keep those to show potential buyers. That is okay, correct?”

The weary party didn’t dissent.

The man took the chest and retreated at a wave of Khar’s hand. “Is there anyone who would be able to meet me tomorrow to discuss additional matters?” he asked.  

“What time?” Filayne asked, wondering if the bards would show up that evening. If they were playing, she would dance, and if she danced most of the night she would more than likely sleep through early morning.

“Would a lunchtime meeting would be acceptable?”

“I can be here if you need someone,” Lilianna offered.

He nodded. “Until tomorrow, then!” He climbed down off the chair, pushed it in and waved as he turned away.

Filayne watched as he walked out of the tavern. As he exited, a pair of females walked in, a gnome and a human who were bickering like an old married couple.

“She said she’d be here so she’ll be here,” the taller one said.

“Over there!” the gnome practically shouted. They started straight for the party’s table.

“Ah, Alondra and Celestine!” Lilianna said, getting up to greet the two. “I’m glad you’re here. Let me introduce you to my partners.”

Alondra was of average height for her race with black hair. She was also extremely pretty. Prettier than she should have been, it almost seemed. Celestine was a gnome, as short as Khar but with green hair and a short attention span. 

“I’ve heard about you,” Filayne said when the gnome was introduced.

“Oh, she’s been talking about me?” she said with a laugh.

“Indeed.” She eyed the instrument that hung on the gnome’s back. “She said you can play the lute.”

“Oh, that.”

“Go play something!” Lilianna instructed.

With a nod, the gnome moved towards the center of the tavern to the area cleared out for bards. She pulled her lute around and began to play an upbeat tune that made Filayne want to tap her foot. The music was some of the best that she had ever heard.

“I think I’ll go change when I’m done eating and dance some,” Filayne said as Lilianna ordered. “She’s really good.”

The cleric grinned. “She is, isn’t she?”  

When Filayne came back down from changing, she saw two of the bards from before heading towards Celestine. She walked over to them with a smile and as they began to play, made certain they were all in agreement and began to dance. As she danced by her partners’ table, she overheard a snippet of conversation.

“Hey, Gerard,” Lilianna said. “Would you bring this note that Vahn wrote to his brother tomorrow? I need to check on a few things with the orphanage and at the Temple of Saranrae and I’m not sure how long it’ll take.”

“Sure, I’ll take care of it.”

Another bard that Filayne recognized came in. She waved to him and he beckoned to her. She danced over to him and kept dancing as he talked.

“That bard you asked me about?” he said, and she nodded. “He’s still in Mahito.”

She stopped dancing abruptly, searching his expression for any sign of deceit. “You spoke to him yourself?”

“Yeah. I gave him your message and he said something about making a trip out here.”

She eyed him critically, but all she got was that he was comfortably relaying information that he thought she could use. “He’s coming here?” she said dumbly.

“Yeah.”

Stunned, she stammered, “Th-thank you. I-I really appreciate it.” He moved off to play and slowly she began to dance again.

“A room for three,” Lilianna was saying to a serving wench as Filayne danced past. “And bring up a bath!”

At the end of the night she collected her earnings and went up to her room, setting up a noise-making booby trap that would go off if someone so much as rattled the door knob. Or jiggled the window, for that matter. She stared at the ceiling for a while before she got back up, dressed with a couple daggers hidden about her person, and went back downstairs. Maybe a drink would help her sleep.

At the bar sat a familiar blond. Talia. Filayne felt a twinge of guilt. The woman had been so quiet that she had completely forgotten about her.

“How’re you doing?” she asked, taking the seat beside the new oracle.

She barely spared Filayne a glance. “Okay.”

When that was all, Filayne tried another tactic. “Aren’t you tired?”

“I haven’t secured a room yet,” Talia said, her words coming out with less than her normal poise.

“You can stay in mine if you want,” she offered. “We can get a cot, can’t we?” she added to the barkeep.

Talia glanced over. “Thanks. That would be good.” She turned around and stared out over the nearly deserted tavern. “I’m sorry,” she told Filayne. “I’m just—I’m not used to all…this.” She swept her hand over the room and stood, swaying slightly. “The fighting, the…stuff with the…other stuff.” She stumbled and caught herself on the railing beside the stairs.

Filayne hovered behind the sorcerer, ready to catch her should she begin to fall as they ascended the stairs.

“I’m going to go to the Temple of Saranrae tomorrow,” Talia said when they were inside the room and the cot was delivered. “I think they may be able to answer some of my questions.”

“I’ll go with you if you would like,” the elf offered. Now that she was thinking about it, she noted that Talia hadn’t spoken much at all over the past several days.

Talia nodded and curled up on the cot. “That would be agreeable.”

“I’m trapping the door and window so we’ll be warned if anyone tries to come in,” she said as she fixed the trap on the door. “If you need to leave before I’m up, let me know.”

The woman nodded as her breathing became deep and even. Filayne walked over to the window and stared out into the night, wondering when Kyaer would be in Yenmass.

Filayne waited for Talia to wake before she went down the next morning. They met Lilianna downstairs, and she agreed to go with them to the temple when she learned of Talia’s intention. The woman herself was quiet through breakfast, and quiet as they walked through the streets. Only when they were inside the walls of the Temple of Saranrae did she seem to relax some.

The clerics readily agreed to have her stay with them. There were details to be worked out as she wouldn’t simply be a tenant, but by choice Filayne wasn’t privy to the information. She stood in the shade of the temple’s doorway, watching people go by while the cleric and the oracle worked things out with the priests.

“I’ll be back this afternoon,” Lilianna said as she and Talia walked back toward the exit. Filayne hadn’t felt comfortable to go too far inside since Saranrae wasn’t her goddess.

She turned to Talia when Lilianna was gone. “So?” she prompted.

“I was just thinking of my loved ones,” Talia said quietly. Filayne noted that she was standing in the shadow of the doors, and moved closer. As she did, Talia moved deeper into the shadows.

“It’s very disconcerting to have this…connection with the temple out there,” she said softly. “I feel more connected, more attached to it than I do my own family, and we’re a very close family.”

“I understand how it feels to have your whole life turned upside-down,” Filayne said honestly.

“I think you really mean that,” Talia said after a searching moment. “I know things now that I never would have dreamed of knowing,” she added quietly. “That I never would have dreamed existed, even! Like, there’s a second part of the disc. I don’t know where, but I know it’s not complete.”

“Perhaps it’ll come to you in time,” Filayne suggested, letting her gaze roam over the crowds walking down the street outside the temple. “Sometimes it takes a while to make sense of everything after something so big affecting you as it has.”

“You’re speaking from experience.”

Filayne looked at the oracle and found that she was being studied.

After a moment, Talia smiled gently. “You should trust Lilianna,” she said.

“What do you mean?” Filayne asked with forced lightness. “I’m in business with her, aren’t I?”

Talia smiled in a way that made Filayne uncomfortable. “She is trustworthy. That’s all I’m saying.”

Filayne nodded after a moment. “Well, I have some items I need to procure,” she said. “See you at the Tusk,” she said, and waved as she walked away.

The days began to blur together. Talia was staying at the Temple, and seemed happy when Filayne and Lilianna visited her. Filayne knew that Lilianna was visiting the temple more often than she, and she had seen the cleric visit the orphanage, which seemed to be under some sort of renovations, as well.

After delivering the note, Gerard wasn’t seen during the daylight hours. He left before dawn and stayed out until after dark. Training, he said. Filayne noted he was taking on a tan from the sun.

She visited the treasury and pulled her share of the money needed up front to start the mining operation. The start-up fees were a little mind-blowing, but she knew that to make money she had to spend it. She would probably make more than her money’s worth within a couple months of the mine being fully operational.

Zahn was doing what was necessary to have the outpost just outside the mine entrance ready by the time the mine was operational. She and Osamu kept in close touch with him on that project, and things were going well.

She spent the evenings laughing with her partners – her friends – in the tavern at their normal table and dancing when the bards came in. She wanted the practice, and found that she could sometimes make a person so fascinated with her dance that they wouldn’t notice if someone picked their pocket. Not that she would allow that to happen, but it was still possible.

During the day she prowled the city, checking with the other taverns and inns to make certain Kyaer hadn’t shown up there. After two tendays with no sign and no word, she made up her mind.

“I’m going to travel some,” she told her companions on the first morning of the third tenday. “I have some business elsewhere that requires my attention.”

“Where were you planning on going?” Lilianna asked.

There was no reason to dance about the subject. “Mahito. It’s only a two or three day ride from here. I should be able to get there and get back before the mine is operational, even if I hire on with a traveling merchant.”

“Well, we never actually finished discussing whether we would sell that tome,” Gerard said.

When did he show up? “It would fetch a better price in Mahito,” Filayne mentioned again, dismissing the halfling’s sudden appearance.

“There’s some other items that we’re not exactly using that we could sell as well,” Lilianna said. “I think it’s a wise trip to make.”

When there were nods all around the table, Lilianna turned to Alondra. “Get our horses and cart ready. It’s still early; we should leave today.” She looked around the table for assent, and only found one person who wasn’t giving it.

“I’ll think I’ll stay behind,” Talia said. “I feel more comfortable staying at the Temple and feel that if I go with you, I may call unwanted attention to myself.”

“We understand your position,” Lilianna said, and motioned to a man gambling not too far away. He stood, revealing that he was clad in plate armor with the symbol of Saranrae on it. When he was just behind Lilianna’s shoulder, the cleric introduced him. “This is Gallahad. He is a Paladin of Saranrae and will keep you safe while we are gone.” She took them both to the side and began speaking with them in tones too low to hear.

Filayne scraped her chair back and walked over to the bartender, asking him to relay a message for the bards that had come by most evenings since they had gotten back. She hadn’t thought they would all go with her, and that meant a longer trip. She checked out of her room as well, stowing her gear in the back of the wagon and helping Alondra hitch the draft horses to it.

Alondra and Lilianna guided them through the desert towards Mahito. After two days of travel they came upon a wide river with a fast current that looked rather deep. There was no ferry, so the group headed up the river towards the more traveled route to find the normal crossing point.

The next day everyone was moving slower. One of the wheels on the wagon broke. Despite that Alondra mended it quickly, it still set them back some.

The weather was holding, though, and eventually they could see in the distance a walled city that was set halfway into the forest and half out. It seemed to have grooved itself into the forest while the rest sat in the desert area.

Mahito, named after the family who ran it, was a large, bustling city known for its—

“Dwarven metals,” Lilianna said. “You get the best ones here. It’s the mines that run beneath the city. They’re full of very, very good metals.” 

There were merchants traveling into and out of the city and a market set up outside the first wall. Gerard pointed out a tower that he figured was a Tower of Learning hovering in the back of the city towards the forested area. “We can probably sell the tome there,” he added.  

There was a keep behind the secondary city wall which was of a height with some of the trees. “Mahito Keep. It’s a family name,” Filayne said. The Mahito family was a good ruler, as was evidenced by the prospering city. The law was fair, despite that the sheriff could be paid off. And there no slavery, no strange laws that could land a person in the stocks for innocent remarks or the like.

The Mahito family had been trying to sink their teeth into the mining operations beneath the city, Filayne knew. The dwarves monopolized the mines, each clan controlling one shaft of the single mine. With eleven shafts producing excellent metals, no wonder the town was trying to get some profit from it.

Perhaps a dwarf approached the Drow about their mine? It would make sense if one of the shafts made a connection with the Dark Lands…

“Let’s find a place to stay,” Lilianna said, interrupting Filayne’s musings. They didn’t have far to go. The Sandy Forest was a nice inn with a large mural on the wall outside of forest and desert seemingly coexisting in harmony.

They dismounted so that the stable boy could take their tired mounts and Filayne stretched as they headed towards the door. She scanned the crowd as she walked in and did a double-take. Not twenty feet away and coming closer was the elf she was looking for, heading towards her, calling her name.

Osamu’s quarterstaff didn’t hold her back. She knocked it away and darted towards the elf, not stopping until she was in his arms.

Behind her, Gerard, Osamu, Lilianna and her two companions all exchanged glances.

“I thought her name was Filayne?” Alondra said with a confused look.

Lilianna shook her head. “Me, too.”

“Then why’d she respond to Firro?” Gerard countered.

“She seems to know him,” Celestine observed, then added, “knows him very well!”

Osamu huffed. “It would seem our friend is not exactly whom she seems to be.”

TO BE CONTINUED…