** Part I: Fire and Ash **

[spike]

Azonia: "At the Rusted Dagger inn of Lor, one learns a great deal of things. Especially when coins loosen twisted tongues. A cleric of your order confided me the trick and secret when I hired him to tell me about you two and where I can start my search. He said the revelation of this key is a gift from your God. "

[Chris1234]

"Walk with me, if you would," responds Karlane. When they're as far from the forger & black guard as the room allows, she continues in a very quiet voice, "So, Azonia, do you know what it is a key for, exactly? As in exactly what it unopens and where that is? And why did you decide to 'side' with us rather than my so-called sister? And I would repeat that I'm pleased to count you as 'friend'; it feels sometimes as though it's us against the world."

{OOC: She's happy to share all of the conversation with her brother later; just not the forger or black guard, just in case..}

[TristenC]

While his sister has Azonia occupied, Idrys speaks more with the forger. Formerly a royal scribe of the supreme court in Lawhaven you say... One of your talemts would be a boon in many endeavors I should think... no doubt you have some skill in Information Gathering and things of that nature... I take it with your recently revised circumstances you're currently unaffiliated?

[spike]

Azonia smirked wryly at Karlene, clamping her hand on her shoulder in a friendly gesture 'because, whilst I am a hunter of men and an assassin at times, I have one condition: that any who would hire my blade tell me all the story behind the reason they wish to eliminate an intended target, sparing no detail and providing no lie. Your sister broke that golden rule, choosing instead to tell me some frivolous lie that you stole the family inheritance and dishonored her ancient family lineage with your polluted blood. When the Lorian priest told me of the key I knew there was some greater role in all this than I realized. I should state for the record here that I worship Wrath, and he is the elder brother of your own God. Unlike yours, mine is the God of Blades and also Storms, which are manifestations of his awesome power. In that sense I am obligated to protect you as your anointed one, as I have been commanded thus. As for this key, that my dear is entirely in your realm of expertise."

Meanwhile, Erodan says to Idrys: "Well, now that you ask no, I am not. I've had my fill with guild lords commanding me to their nefarious deeds or mindless bloodshed in the shadows of piss drenched alleys and whore filled back streets where murder and double crosses happen every minute of every day!'

[Chris1234]

Karlane pats the hand on her shoulder and smiles, "It's how you act; the deeds you do, rather than which god you worship that is important from my perspective. I'll not hire you but neither will I knowingly lie to you and I'll tell you what I can. Not all stories are mine to tell though. But I would welcome your company while you choose it so. If you're ready to face off against 'the rest of the world'." She shrugs and offers Azonia her hand. "It does seem overwhelming sometimes; it's all moved so fast. But I keep telling myself 'One thread at a time. One plot at a time. One body at a time.' It's helped so far." After a few moments of quiet Karlane continues, "While the key might be my 'realm of expertise', as you put it, do you know anything else about it that you haven't told me? That includes what it is a key for, exactly? Exactly what it unopens? And where that is?" She shrugs and smiles half-apologetically for pressing on the earlier apparent evasion about the key.

[spike]

Azonia thought for a moment, 'the key was held in secrecy until the appointed time it would be revealed unto you and your brother there. The priest who divulged its secret to me had hid it there, for there were corrupt clerics within your order in search of it. Hence why you and your brother have felt so much unwanted attention no doubt. It is obviously special, but its precise use is beyond my ken' she paused and said, 'however, I am curious myself since it seems to be a new branch of questing for ye, I will tarry along until this is solved. For it is said that in the olden days when servants of Wrath and Lor walked in tandem, that great things happened'

From Idrys's standpoint, he sees a suit of ornate armor covered with cobwebs and dust clutching a polearm.

[Chris1234]

"Thanks Azonia. They walked the same path oftern, 't'is said. It seems little can be taken for granted," Karlane replies as she looks round to see how Idrys is getting on.

"Idrys, I had a vision of something nasty in the secret passage that garrotes people from above. Any better plan than me going in and keeping one hand on my head? And how's it going with the paperwork? Figured out yet how you'll get it to the right place? And I'm just going to try something with this creature." She indicates the undead, and wills it to show her any c=secrets of hidden things in this room (apart from the fireplace door that they're discovered.)

[spike]

The zombie groaned in acknowledgement and pointed toward the suit of armor Idrys stood adjacent to, grunting incomprehensibly as if trying to communicate something to you. It sauntered over to the suit and impaled its own hand on top of the polearm, when the pointed metal top portion came off revealing the wooden shaft to be hallow. Within was a set of scrolls the zombie hands to Karlene. After a quick glance over them it appears to be the instructions of a master assassins technique called death attack.

[Chris1234]

Having scanned the scrolls, does Karlane think it's a technique she could learn to use? Or Idrys? Or alternatively that it could be used to fashion a defense against the technique that either of them could learn?

She wills the creature to show her any secrets or hidden things in this room (apart from the fireplace door that they've discovered and the hollow polearm that it's already pointed out.)

======
{OOC: As the pace of story telling has been somewhat frenetic, did we manage to sell this stuff:
From Black guard #1: dirk, longswords, mace, cloak, black chainmail & from Black guard #2: dagger, boot dagger, cloak, black chainmail, I think to a bloke is a nearby alley as recommended by the girl we rescued? And also the silks and cheese from the people we saved even earlier from (I think) the black guards}

[spike]

Scrolls: Idrys yes, Karlene can also since she is a follower of Lor she can learn anything. The technique requires training x3/week from a higher level assassin for a month to acquire.

The zombie makes some slight noises but does nothing but go back into the secret passage it was previously inhabiting. Beyond, you can make out a secret chamber with engravings covering the walls, floor, and ceiling:

Engravings room

The chamber beyond the secret passage contains engravings lining the floor, walls, and ceiling. Some of these appear to be telling stories of old, others ancient prophecies and histories of old. Somehow, Karlene realizes that if she meditates, prays, or sleeps in this new chamber she will gain some new dreams and insights.

[Chris1234]

Karlane tells Idrys what's on the scrolls and offers them to him for safe keeping and then tells him that she needs to pray in the room beyond.
She adds, "Please would you stand guard over me, just in case the creature with the invisible garrote that eats its prey is still around. It seemed to do so from above, so I presume there is some kind of shaft or overhead tunnel."

[spike]

Azonia: "My dear, I shalt watch over you during your prayer time, fret not" she said sincerely.

Erodan informs Idrys 'The best way to get this letter delivered now is to intercept one of Lomag's messengers, replace their usual message with our newly minted one. They typically approach Harby from the north along the highway, disguised as a wine merchant or a spice dealer'

[TristenC]

To Erodan:
And would you consider joining us and having the chance to stir up trouble among those who likely made your past so miserable? I must warn you, we are hunted constantly and by many but so long as you sre loyal we will never betray you.

He accepts the scrolls from Karlene. Perhaps something that cannot be strangled should investigate so we can attack the garptte-thing. We don't need to draw it out anyway, do we? Leave the badger in its den?

Idrys inspects the scrolls.

That seems a good plan to get the message in place.

[spike]

Erodan nodded affirmatively toward Idrys, 'Aye, you intrigue me dhampir, something that is not easily done. You've both my gratitude and loyalty, in addition to my supreme skills such as they are. I've but one request of thou, if thou would right the wrong inflicted upon me. Before I came to Harby I was set upon by the scum I call the masked reavers. They massacred my entire retinue, killed my entire family and made it look like I was the one responsible. They did this in retaliation, for I created a master forgery of a portrait of King Rodak that was sold to an Elf Lord. Needless to say, Lord Tralith was livid and sent these murderous goons upon me. I hid the gold in a cave, which lies within a swamp, and said swamp within a forest. Help me recover said gold, in the heart of the Direwood. I will use it to pay you to eliminate Lord Tralith in due time, but I wish it done right...it will take you a year just to prepare for such a mission, when time permits'

[Chris1234]

Assuming Karlane's heard (or Idrys updates her), she asks, "Do you want to introduce this letter first, Idrys? That is, before we explore further into the Direwood?" as she steps forwards to examine the zombie's neck for garrotte marks. She adds, "Erodan, roughtly how far into the Direwood is this place that you refer to? From here, I mean."

After a few more moments she concentrates on the zombie, ~Is there any that would be hostile, to me, in there?~ as she points to the secret chamber, and then mimes being garroted.

If nothing untoward is revealed, Karlane makes her way into the secret tunnel, keeping one hand jammed on her head to make it harder to be throttled with an invisible garrotte. (It the meazal-looking creature has a go at her, and is visible, it can have a full set of magic missiles {from her glove} in the face.)


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Does Karlane know of Lord Tralith ? What race? What was his relationship to King Rodak? Indeed, is King Rodak still around? (If dead, approx when?)