Sapphire:Sessions:20190209

Everyone aboard the ship Ghost Bedlam watches the dragon rise up from the city of Colvin and fly away. Inspired by the leaping flames, Intrinsius is convinced that he has joined a just cause. Regor feels Mensep watching over him. Each of them is ordered by a nameless lieutenant to board a longboat, the first to go ashore.

It seems as though every person in Colvin is awake and out of their homes now. Shawna tells a roving squad of six city guards to maintain order, but they ignore her.

Alastor, in front of his rented storehouse puffing away at a cigarette, watches with secret amusement as the "precognitive" guard walks away to the east, possibly headed out of the city.

The lieutenant leads his group of five to Alastor's storehouse and presents them to Shawna and Chalker. He is unable to explain why he has led these particular men here; Shawna feels that somehow Roo was involved. Chalker senses Mensep's touch on Regor, a thief, whose Aura shows strong will, magery, and Weirdness Magnet. Intrinsius, a warrior, is touched by Phor and Santash.

Chalker says to Alastor, "I think if I'm gonna kill some people, you should come." Alastor heals Kimtri's injuries. Ahn-Lee gives him a very positive report on the efficacy of the sleep bombs. Regor requests a supply of poisons, and Ahn-Lee gives him a paralytic drug.

An injured man in torn leathers rushes breathlessly up to Shawna. He is one of her half-dozen spies. He and another spy had encountered Elvin Kolton (next in line to the Malprin throne) guarded by three Protectors. He had managed to slash Elvin before getting away; the other spy had been killed. He hands Shawna his bloodstained knife. She casts Seeker on the blood and gets an image of Elvin Kolton headed toward an estate located across the city.

Alastor leads Intrinsius and Regor to the livery. They become aware that three thieves are pacing them. Regor splits off and climbs up on a roof. He can see that one of the thieves (T1) wears a belt pouch that shows magic. Regor fires his bow and T1 drops to the ground; the other two scatter. Regor descends and grabs the magic pouch.

Intrinsius asks Alastor, "Do you want them dead or alive?" Alastor replies, "Why would we want them alive?"

Regor casts Blur on himself, and when T3 slows to look over his shoulder, Regor slams into him and knocks him down. Regor kayoes T3 with his elbow, then drives a knife into his ear.

Alastor turns his horse to block the mouth of the alley as T2 emerges. T2 stammers, "You're that rich new merchant... we would have robbed you... I won't tell anybody." "No, you won't," replies Alastor, slitting T2's throat.

Intrinsius removes T1's arrow and stanches the bleeding. T1 opens his eyes but cannot move. Intrinsius throws T1 over his saddle.

Alastor asks Regor about the pouch he's acquired. Warily, Regor replies, "To the victor go the spoils." Alastor tells him about Pandemonium Dagger Guild and their use of magic pouches. Regor opens the pouch and finds a medallion resembling a small coin (which shows as magic) and two sprigs of a green herb which Alastor identifies as a stimulant. When he pulls out the coin, the sprigs are drawn up after it. He feels a pleasant tingle from the coin; one side depicts some kind of winged creature.

Chalker and Shawna approach the estate house. Shawna detects "serious prayers" going up to Gauder (war) and Aakbarath (vengeance). Chalker hooks onto the metal gate, which gives him a slight staticky tingle, and pushes it open. The gate makes no noise, but in his mind he "hears" it creak. He motions toward the large fire and the two gate guards run off. Chalker and Shawna ride quickly through the gate and shake off an effect beyond it which attempts to drain their fatigue. They ride straight up to the door and dismount. Chalker kicks open the door and Shawna strides into a large foyer and faces another closed door.

Alastor, Intrinsius, and Regor find themselves moving much faster than normal. Regor suggests it's an effect of the pouch he found. Alastor's talisman feels warm. They ride at speed through the gate, Alastor swaying a bit from the fatigue effect. They dismount and enter, Intrinsius leading his horse (bearing the paralyzed T1) inside. Regor bars the door behind them.

Chalker's Penetrating Vision lets him see only a yard beyond the door. He describes "white gravel" on the floor and a shimmer in the air. Alastor squishes some sleep gas under the door and Regor casts Air Jet to push it through.

Chalker TKs the lock and swings the door open. Before them extends a plain covered in small white rocks. Forty yards away stands a circle of raised stones six feet across. Lined up in front of the stones are Elvin Kolton and the three Protectors, one of which is armed with a longbow. Shawna announces to her companions, "This is an Aakbarath Challenge Plane. I suggest we behave honorably." She draws her sword.

Regor immediately fires at PB (the Protector with the bow); his arrow bounces off PB's armor. Regor begins sliding off to the side. Chalker hooks PB's arrow, feeling a "static effect" from the Protectors, either psi or magic. Intrinsius calls out, "This is your last opportunity to surrender!" Alastor throws a vial of sleep gas; Elvin collapses, but there is no reaction from the Protectors (which leads Regor to reason that Elvin is a decoy). Alastor runs toward Elvin.

PB aims at Shawna. PM (the Protector in the middle) steps in front of Elvin, drawing his sword and smiling at Alastor. PR (the Protector to the right) takes a step and turns his head, sweeping his gaze across the room. Stepping forward, Chalker pulls PB's arrow into PM; it bounces off armor and hovers there. Intrinsius charges toward PR. Regor fires again, and again his arrow bounces off. Alastor draws two knives (one poisoned, the other +2/+2) and heads for PM. Shouting "For Delsa!" Shawna charges.

Chalker moves the arrow over to Elvin and jabs it into his ear, declaring "We win!" PM says curtly "No," bringing up his sword and waiting for Alastor. PB steps back, yanks the arrow out of Elvin's ear, and speaks a word in some ancient magical language that Chalker translates as "Speed up." PR draws his sword and steps toward Intrinsius, smiling. Intrinsius attacks and misses, sliding off to PR's side and parrying PR's swing. Regor nocks an arrow and takes aim. Shawna swings at PM in passing and parries his swing in return. Alastor rushes up, acrobatically springs over PM's head, and strikes downward, pushing himself off PM's shoulders

Shawna strikes PM solidly in the juncture of his neck and shoulder (luckily not hitting Alastor's hand). Intrinsius swings hard and cripples PR's left leg. Regor feels a surge of energy from the coin (which he realizes will allow him either to move very fast or take two actions per combat round). He runs 15 yards and shoots PB in the face. PB staggers, raising his sword. PM grabs for Alastor's wrist but misses. PR says "Replace" and a ghostly leg appears, supporting his crippled leg. Alastor stabs PM's hand and lands near Elvin; PM starts to collapse from the poison. Chalker snatches the arrow (that PB is holding) forward and PB stumbles.

Shawna slices into PR's neck and ducks to the right. Chalker runs toward PB. Regor also runs toward PB, who has dropped his bow and drawn a sword; Regor casts Glue at PB's feet, then swings and hits. Alastor stabs PM in the vitals; PM collapses. Intrinsius thrusts his sword through PR's vitals and PR falls.

Chalker rushes past PB, fast-draws Dink-Dink, and strikes hard. PB collapses.

Shawna raises her sword in salute, calling out, "We take the field! All honor to Aakbarath!"

The stony plain fades away and the group stands in a library. The bodies of Elvin Kolton and the three Protectors are laid out neatly on the floor. Chalker searches Elvin, finding papers that confirm his identity. Intrinsius searches through the books; he takes a history of the elves and a history of the Calventine Empire. Regor searches PB, finding a money pouch containing 5g and a quantity of silver, a pouch containing a parchment covered in unknown writing, a silver ring on one hand and a brass ring on the other, longsword, longbow, and a quiver containing 19 arrows. Alastor's search turns up a pouch, two rings (one silver, one copper), 8g 4s, and some throwing daggers. On Elvin Chalker finds two pouches containing a total of 10g, a pinky ring set with a diamond, and a small PDG tattoo under his left arm. Regor finds a large knife with a handle Chalker says is carved in the ancient Xanthyppian style; Chalker detects traces of dark mithril in the blade. Alastor searches the three desks in the library, removing a number of documents including blackmail material against several merchants. He goes downstairs into the study.

Meanwhile, Shawna has walked outside. Three thieves that had tried to follow her and Chalker lie unconscious on the ground just inside the gate. She judges that a half-hour has passed since the group entered the manor. The fire has been brought under control. She mounts up and rides out to meet up with Ahn-Lee, who tells her that one of the royal counsellors, Brist Portius, and a general have gone to the barracks/training grounds north of the city.

Shawna writes in her journey book: Chalker, I'm going north. He writes back, Who's with you? Shawna: Delsa. Chalker: Don't get killed, Delsa will blame me.

In the expensively-furnished study, Alastor finds many carvings and trinkets in jade and other semiprecious stones. He finds the journals of the kings of Malprin.

Regor voices his opinion that there must be a hidden room somewhere. Intrinsius locates and pushes a hidden switch and a wall slides back. Beyond is an open book atop a desk (Regor sees both are magical). Intrinsius takes that book and Regor another, similar one.

The paralyzed thief gets left behind with the unconscious ones, and Chalker locks the manor door.

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