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[ThLunarian]

((Keranos has nothing on the hill.

Also I want to apologize for being a little distant lately. There's a lot of serious stuff going on in my personal life. It might be that way for another week or so, and then I hope things settle down a little. But I'm still in this))

 

[Mike M]

The small hilltop that served as the exchange point between the capture of the animals and transport to elsewhere doesn't yield much, and given the current state of the Red Hand's operation in the area isn't likely to be of use anytime soon. The wilderness will probably reclaim the place in a matter of months, erasing what insubstantial traces remain

Their curiosity satisfied with the brief detour, the party resumes its trek along the hobgoblin's crude boardwalk road through the woods. It is a meandering route, often choosing to skirt around the perimeters of any elevation rather than go up an incline or weaving in between the stout trunks of particularly large trees rather than clearing a path. It is a rattling, uneven ride, but still preferable to having Ludwig haul the laden wagon over roots and rocks.

The boardwalk ends abruptly just before the tree line terminates at the top of a gentle hill that slopes down to a wide and well-maintained road cutting through the heart of the woods. This is doubtlessly the road that runs roughly southward from Kingsword, from which the boardwalk would be invisible to any who traveled it. Who knows what other secret thoroughfares the hobgoblin forces have carved throughout the kingdom like worms through an apple?

The road is not empty, however. A familiar wagon hitched to a pair of placid horses stands in the middle, bearing the brunt of a squat little man's verbal abuse as he conducts a rather one-sided argument with the animals.

"Ye blasted idiot animals!" Barrow shouts, alternating between yanking on the reins and kicking dirt on the horses' hooves. "Don't ye know who yer 'spposed to listen to? Why even have reins if yer not goin' to pay attention to the one holdin' 'em! First I can't get ye to go anywhere, then I can't get ye to stop goin' somewhere, and now ye just sit there not goin' again! In the middle of the damned road! Oneiroi preserve me, I'm at my wits end with you, I am!"

 

[Song of Fire]

((Galen knows what he must do: he must make a perception check. That always helps find things that don't exist.
Perception:

Spoiler

[11]+5=16

Should he see nothing that would suggest he do otherwise, he is making his way to Barrow and playing with one of the horses. Primeval Awareness, purpose queried in post 1166.

"Don't ye know who yer 'spposed to listen to? Why even have reins if yer not goin' to pay attention to the one holdin' 'em! First I can't get ye to go anywhere, then I can't get ye to stop goin' somewhere, and now ye just sit there not goin' again!"

Very interesting. I say magic:

Barrow finds that the horses need little minding once a destination has been set, though cannot be determined if this is due to some magic or if they just happened to be exceptionally well-trained.

But more importantly, what happened to the other two? Did Barrow eat them?))

 

[Mike M]

Galen:

Spoiler

The mood of the horses is one of infinite patience and indifference to the angry dwarf hopping around and shouting at them, and their intent is to stand right where they are until they decide the wagon needs to be somewhere else. They are strangely single-minded about pulling the wagon, even for creatures of lesser intelligence. You're pretty much certain they're under some manner of enchantment.

But more importantly, what happened to the other two? Did Barrow eat them?))

((Ha, I was wondering how many horses I had said there were. Though looking back to the map of the gnoll attack, you were down to two horses even then. Also, they're brown, which is another thing I couldn't remember.))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((They're Schrödinger's horses. ))

Thosar peeks his head around the cart upon hearing Barrow's voice. "Well, these horses are more useful than I'd thought. It's well to see you again, Barrow, though our journey was less fruitful than hoped."

 

[KittenMaster]

Before the group had discovered Barrow, the boardwalk takes the artist's notice, "Obscurity through staying under the height of the view is clever. Their routes of delivering such large animals must have been a place so easily overlooked, even if not completely shrouded."

And then after reuniting with the caravan and its driver and after expressing surprise and a greeting, he comments on the odd curiosity Barrow brings up, "It is odd that we meet here. It's as if the horses have a mind of their own."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((I'll echo the same sentiment, I hope to get back up to my usual amount of posting soon too. Assorted hecticness and just not having much for Ludwig to contribute to the situations have been factors, but I'm still along for the ride too. But now, back to magic horses!))

Ludwig trudges along with the wagon, its load continuing to weigh more on his dignity than anything else. It's a dull affair until, to his surprise, Barrow and his wagon come in to sight. As the others say their greetings, he pulls in behind the dwarf's wagon. "Fancy seeing you here, seems like that saves us some time. I guess we've got ourselves a caravan for a bit now, at least until we can offload this loot wagon."

 

[Song of Fire]

((

They're Schrödinger's horses.

And they are neither here nor there. At all times they feel the presence of the brush, and they are drawn to its power.))

Galen stands to the side of the horses as the others approach, running his hand along the length of its face.

"It's not going to help," he states; "these horses appear entirely uninterested in your actions; they act as though they follow some compulsion to be here." He looks at Barrow. "Just as they follow the desired path with little minding from you, it seems they may have arrived at this place to wait for us."

 

[Mike M]

Barrow lets out a high-pitched, startled yelp at the unexpected arrival of the party and their address of him before coughing demurely into his clenched fist. "That is, I mean t'say," he mumbles, then continues more firmly, "Ye lot ought t'be more careful, comin' up on me unawares like that!" He raises his chin and hikes his pants up by the belt for emphasis. "Why, if I hadn't realized it was ye, who knows what kind of harm I could've done? All this raw power coursin' through me the way it is, it's not a thing t'be trifled with! Why, I bet I could have a fightin' chance against Old King Hector himself!"

He wheels back around on the horses and unleashes the last reserves of his anger at the docile beasts. "Not that it did me a lick of good with these fool creatures! Oh, ye be magical animals, do ye? Well, we lot be magical too, ye know! Ye daft, brainless, intolerable--I be the Chief Engineer of Commerce an'Trade Logistics! Th'wagon be my business, not yers!"

Barrow sputters for a moment, trying to find more insults to hurl at the unassuming horses. The horse nearest to him chuffs, seeming oblivious of the dwarf's objections, and gives Barrow an affection nuzzle with its nose. Whatever steaming fury Barrow possesses seems to leave him then, and he looks like he has visibly deflated as he lowers his shoulders and lets out a long sigh. "But ye can't help it, can ye? Not yer fault th'fellow in th'cloak didn't bother t'tell us ye be ensorceled, no, it isn't." He pats the horse on the muzzle and turns back to everyone else.

Ludwig, being slower to come out from the woods than those who aren't loaded down with hundreds upon hundreds of pounds of hobgoblin loot, warrants a surprised expression from the stout wagon master. "Ye lot've been busy! D'ye mean t'tell me th'gnolls had all that lyin' about in th'woods?"

 

[ThLunarian]

"Just so," Keranos replies, smiling mysteriously. "It is good to see you again, Barrow. Shall we make way for Hammerfall?"

A thought occurs to him and he turns to Galen. "You have the Sending Stone, right? I think we should inform the rangers of what we've found in these woods."

 

[Song of Fire]

Galen raises an eyebrow at the dwarf's question. "All this in the woods, Barrow? Why, this is but a taste of what we've found. These gnolls are running a veritable circus in here: they've got dead tree guardians of magic stones, lots of desecrated earth, and wolves that could bite your head off. Why, they've even got a dancing owlbear! Have you ever seen one of those, Barrow!"

Galen takes a deep breath before continuing, a smirk showing on his face, and he states matter-of-factly, "We have just come back from the nearby market, run by the magical goblins who operate all this, and who, dare I say, deal in an odd substance with the power to make even an owlbear become aggressive. Wonderful, fine folk; they put on quite the show."

He lets out a huff of air. "Things here seem actually rather serious, despite the madness I just spouted." Galen turns to Keranos and adds, "Yes, we should inform them of these matters; I had hoped to be able to discuss what information we may wish to share, though."


((Keranos took comedy Galen's "Good to see you, too." Who would do such a thing?))

 

[KittenMaster]

Fhiess can't help but adore the horse's affectionate reaction to Barrow's anger, then laughs, "I suppose it's fair to say that we were the ones that deviated from the wagon business.. It is odd, maybe the horses somehow knew?"

He procures some of the substance that was extracted before the rest was (assumed) burned down, "This is the first that we've been able to get a sample of the strange substance the hobgoblins and gnolls have been ingesting and... been using to enrage animals. We have something that can be studied when we arrive at Bellows."

 

[Mike M]

Barrow gives a chuckle opens his tobacco pouch and grabs a pinch of the shredded leaves inside. “I didn’t know ye such a sense of humor about ye, lad,” he says to Galen as he stuffs the tobacco into the bowl of his pipe with his thick fingers. “Just be sure ye keep it t’yerself if you ever happen by Remdormo, I know a man who’s as like t’take you at yer word as not an’ ask how he might go about consignin’ these performin’ gnolls t’put on a show for th’town.”

Looking skyward at the darkening sky, he puffs smoke that smells faintly of vanilla. "Won't make Kingsword b'fore nightfall," he observes. "And magic or no, I be none too keen at the prospect of these horses haulin' this wagon through the woods at night. The light of the Oneiroi don't shine on the ground in a forest, who knows what other foul business be conducted outside their watchful gaze? Better t'make camp with a proper fire and watch, I say. We can be on our way at dawn, be back at Kingsword by afternoon. Bellows be a day and a half, two days ride from there."

Barrow turns and gives Ludwig an appraising look. "Ye good t'carry that all the way? Looks mighty heavy, even for a strapping fellow such as yerself."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

Ludwig cranes his neck towards Barrow and says "I appreciate the concern, but I should be able to manage. I haven't had to do this kind of manual labor in a while and usually tasks like these are left to beasts or unskilled J'raffa, but pride aside, the weight isn't too bad."

Ludwig is glad enough to get out of the harness as they set up camp, giving him time to nurse his dignity until morning.

 

[Song of Fire]

"And I know a man who's like to offer more outlandish claims," Galen answers Barrow, "if only to see how far he can stretch believably."

Galen glances about the immediate area, offering, "Than do we intend to camp here, right at the edge of a hidden goblin path? While we could do so, and expect that they might approach from there, we could also move on a ways to someplace less... immediately accessible." He pauses, his eyes glancing about the trees and land.

"It is very well possible they may learn of our encounter and seek to pursue us through the night."

 

[Mike M]

((While debating where to set up camp makes sense in character, I'm just going to tell you guys right now that you're not going to be ambushed tonight so we don't have to spend a lot of time haggling out watch order or where to put alarm spells and whatnot))

 

[KittenMaster]

Fhiess hms, tapping a finger on his chin, "What if the animals we had just feed were supposed to be exported? Maybe there's a chance that they were supposed to leave the camp to deliver them, rather than waiting for somebody to come take the cages. I think, with all of the places we could hide and a chance for that being an outcome, the risk is in our favor to receive some rest before they really will start looking for us."

 

[Mike M]

((Did anyone have any business they wanted to attend in Kingsword, or is the plan to push straight on to Bellows?))

 

[Nezumi]

((Sagishi might want to restock his firework materials, though not sure whether that would be even possible there. Started on a post with some flashback stuff but won't have it done before tomorrow. For the time being Sagishi has spent the journey so far rolled up in fox form on the top of a wine barrel, sleeping.))

 

[Mike M]

((Yeah, Kingsword isn't the best place to buy or sell anything at the moment since Commandant Hauer probably wouldn't have anything he's willing to sell you, and might not look kindly upon you trying to sell stuff to the fort instead of donating it freely in their time of need : P))

 

[Nezumi]

((Yeah, that also rules out the existince of any notable blackmarket to gather further information on that substance.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Yeah, Fhiess has been looking forward to seeing the university at Bellows again and thinks they might find out more information on the strange substance they now have and, uh, something else I forget (I think we were also going to find out more about a magical item or prophecy?)

We could also try visiting Kingsglaive to learn more about crucial events and characters

Spoiler

>

 

[Mike M]

((For the record, I wrote this waaaaay before Kingsglaive was a thing : P))

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((Yeah, I don't have anything for Ludwig to do in Kingsword either. He probably needs to pick up some shrinking potions to get around Bellows, but that will probably have to happen once the party's there.))

We could also try visiting Kingsglaive to learn more about crucial events and characters

Spoiler

((Maybe we'll find a dangerous ring along the way which only has its risk explained if we stop there XD.))

 

[ThLunarian]

((This conversation can happen either by firelight before bed or during the trip to Kingsglaive, whichever is more convenient for Nezumi))

"Sagishi," he says to the Fox. "You made mention that your former lover betrayed you, correct? Yet thus far you appear not to be bothered by... Well, by much of anything, I suppose. I pray you lend me your wisdom and tell me how you avoid being consumed by a lust for revenge. Surely the thought at least crosses your mind?"

 

[Song of Fire]

((Galen hasn't any real need to stop at Kingsword on the way, and would be fine passing it by.))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((Thosar is similarly uninterested in stopping at Kingsgate any longer than needed. Maybe drop news of the results of the excursion to the Sergeant))

 

[Mike M]

((We'll let Sagishi get a response in before we fast forward a few days))

 

[Mike M]

((While Nezumi gets that Sagishi background story down at long last (AND THERE WILL BE NO GETTING OUT OF IT), here're a few side stories related to past campaigns and characters that I wrote at various points to pass the time.))

The Siblings Fierno
((An unrelated side story for my character in Lunarian's Quest for the Holy Relics set before the events of that campaign. It was, at the time, the longest thing I'd ever written. This was also not terribly long after I had started writing "for real," so it's not particularly great.))

Get Val
((Kind of spoilery if you didn't follow QftHR. Val goes on a side quest to tie up a loose end. Also written in my first year of serious work, plus it has the dubious distinction of requiring some major revisions at the last minute that I probably didn't smooth out entirely))

Best Laid Plans
((An unrelated side story about the patriarch of the Fierno clan before he ascended to the position of leader. I had been writing for... 3 years when I wrote this, so it's more put together than a lot of the other ones listed here.))

The Westbound Man
((The first appearance of Dreadstone, though like many pilot episodes there are some differences between this and the final product that went into production. Another first year work for me, but it was at the end rather than the beginning so there's an arc of improvement to be had.))

Father's Day
((The first of a planned series of stories about Dreadstone prior to the start of Kitten Master's Excalibur campaign, but I never got past this first one. The abridged version of everything else I had can be found here. Coincidentally, it was another post where Lunarian provided an opening for another character to get some background exposition in!))

 

[Nezumi]

Sagishi lies curled up on top of a wine barrel, almost dozing off as the wagon rumbles along the crude forest road. He can't remember the last time when he had felt so secure and comfortable while in his true form. His true form... Funny that he'd still think of it like that when in truth he had spent the last six decades or so almost entirely in human form, practically keeping his fox nature a secret, and only transforming for short periods at a time in order to hide even better. Oh, the irony.

For a moment he lifts his head and lets his eyes wander over his companions, none of which pay any special attention to his current appearance. Sagishi settles his head back onto his front paws, making a quiet sound of utter satisfaction. He closes his eyes once more and soon gets swept up in the stream of memories.

Sagishi crouched low in the underbrush, carefully peaking through the leaves. He was watching a small group of children. Two human boys, a dragonborn girl and one of the frog creatures, Sagishi could never quite tell the boys and girls apart, where in some kind of ball game. For the last half hour he had tried to get a grasp of the rules by which they were playing, but to no avail. Either, he started to suspect, because the nature of the game was so complex that it simply was beyond his intellect or because there actually were no strict rules and the kids just invented and reinvented them as they played along. No matter which of the two it was, the whole affair looked like a lot of fun.

How Sagishi yearned to jump out from his cover and join them. Sure, given his size, he probably was at a bit of a disadvantage, whatever the particular rules were, but he wouldn't need to actually tark part in the game, just watching from the sideline and maybe cheering them on would have been enough for him.

Of course that wasn't possible. Sagishi had already broken the rules by simply coming this close to the town and he would surely get into much trouble if either his mother or father found out he had done so, he couldn't even imagine what would happen if they were to find out he had revealed himself to another person, even if they were just children. He'd probably never be allowed to leave their little hut on his own ever again.

If only he'd be able to transform yet. He was sure that if he were finally able to look like a human child, his parents wouldn't mind him playing with the other kids. He was sure of it. After all, father went to town almost everyday to work and even his mother twice a week to sing in something called a tavern. No, it was obvious that it was his current appearance that was the reason he'd had to endure this isolation for so many years now. He loved his parents deeply, but in the last couple of years he had felt an ever growing longing to interact with some other people besides them. He was sick of having to hide every time someone came to their remote little hut to discuss something with his father or mother. He was bored of the jungle around his home, where he seemed to know every leaf and every stone by now.

If they'd at least tell him what they where hiding from, but every time Sagishi had asked them for a reason they had just shook their heads. You are still to young, you don't have to worry, we are save here... as if he didn't see them whisper to each other with worried looks on their faces, as if he couldn't feel their anxiety. It were those looks and that anxiety that kept him from jumping out from the bush right this moment. Because deep in his heart he simply understood that there was a real and serious reason his parents kept him hidden away from everyone else. He just wished they'd shared that reason with him, after all it wasn't as if he was still a little cup, still unable to open its eyes. It would make obeying the rules so much more easy.

The four kids had finished their game and were walking away from Sagishi toward the town gate. Sagishi sighed knowing that it meant it was time for him to return home as well. He turned around himself and scurried through the thick jungle undergrowth. He'd better hurry. If his mother arrived early and wasn't able to find him immediately there was bound to be trouble.

When the small wooden hut finally came into sight, Sagishi was relieved to see that the front door was still closed. He quickly jumped up the three stairs to the porch and settled on the cushion next to the door waiting for his mother. He didn't have to wait long before he spotted a slender figure approaching the hut along the path.

Sagishi jumped up from his waiting place and with a few jumping strides closed the distance, for a moment he had forgotten the frustration of being cut off the world. He circled around his mother, yelping and jumping until she finally picked him up, so he could lick her cheek affectionately.

His mother laughed. ”What has gotten you all exited today, my little whirlwind?"
Sagishi seized the licking and wiggled himself free to jump back to the ground, where he settled into a trot next to his mother. ”Nothing, really. I'm just happy you are back. It was so boring, all alone. How was you day? Did anything cool happen at the tavern, was their a fight? What songs did you sing them this time? Did they like it? Did you bring me something?" The questions bubbled forth as they climbed up the porch and entered the two room hut.

Sagishi's mother put the back she was carrying on the table in the center of the room and started unpacking some groceries. ”Everything was fine at the tavern. No, there wasn't a fight and you really shouldn't be disappointed about that," she said with a smile as Sagishi's ears had sagged. A few month back his mother had told them about this huge fight between several people and it had sounded very exiting, with glasses flying everywhere and tables breaking. Ever since then he hoped for another such incident, a notion his mother had little appreciation for. She continued, ”There was a big crowd today so I decided to perform some of the local songs. They are very crude and not as elegant as the great ballads of our home but the people seemed to like it. They even sang along and I got enough coins so I went and got you..." she stopped for a moment as she pulled out the last item from the bag. It was a honeycomb wrapped in paper. She unwrapped it and put it on the floor, where Sagishi immediately pounced on it and started devouring the sweet treat while his mother begun preparing the meal for the evening.

A little later when the honey was gone and Sagishi sat on his fathers chair, watching his mother cooking. His thoughts had returned to the events of the afternoon and from time to time he would close his eyes and concentrate really hard, trying to imagine himself in a human body. He stretched himself as long as he could, willing his paws into hands, trying to wish away his tail, shaking himself in the hopes to get rid of the fur.

”And what exactly are you doing, little whirlwind?" His mother had turned around and was observing his antics with a look of amusement on her face. Embarrassed Sagishi stopped his exercise. When the questioning look didn't vanish he mumbled, ”I was just trying to turn myself into a human, so that maybe next time, I can come into town with you." He had a hard time hiding the frustration from his voice.

His mother smiled warmly and threw a quick glance at the stew, making sure that it could be left alone for a while, before she came over to the chair, picked up Sagishi and sat down with him on her lap. She started stroking his head and ears.

”Don't be so sad, my little whirlwind. I'm sure that it is not long now. One of these mornings we'll wake up and you'll be a proper little boy."

”But I don't want to wait anymore!" Sagishi moaned. ”I'm bored! I want to go to the town. I want to play with other children. I want to have hands, so I can help father in his workshop and learn how to play the lute from you. I..."

”Shhh," his mother hushed, while continuing to stroke his back. ”There is no rushing it. It will happen when it happens. You can only be patient."

Sagishi sighed. ”But I've already been patient. I've been patient for years now. How much longer do I have to wait? Why do we have to wait so long before we can transform anyway? That is so stupid!"

His mother laughed again. ”I can't tell you how long you have to wait, it is different for everyone. But believe me, you are not the first kitsune to eagerly await his first transformation and you won't be the last. We all must wait. It is simply how we were created."

”But why?"

Sagishi's mother sighed. ”Very well, I think we have time for a little story before dinner. You see, back when the world was still young, all the animals lived in peace. The waters in the river was sweet and nourishing and the fruits on the trees filling. No animal needed to harm or hunt another.

”But it was a short peace, for soon people came to the world and they poisoned the rivers and they took the fruits and they started hunting the animals. Soon some of the animals turned on their brothers and sisters for they had grown hungry and thirsty and they too hunted, like the people do.

”And up in the heavens the Gods watched but it was Zumerasu who took pity in the plight of the animals, for she had a gentle spirit and no interest in the affairs of people. So she turned away from the other gods and created a garden of her own and she invited all the animals to come and live there in peace.

”For a long time the animals lived in the garden happily and Zumerasu watched over them with loving affection. But one day the crow came to her, three feathers on her tail missing. 'Mother,' it said. 'The fox has stolen my tail feathers.'

”So Zumerasu called the fox to her and asked whether the crows accusation was true. 'I didn't mean any harm, Mother,' the fox replied. ”But the feathers looked so beautiful and I wanted to make them into a charm for my mate to wear.'

”Zumerasu shook her head and told the fox to give back the feathers and apologize to the crow.

”A few days later the rabbit came to Zumerasu. It's fur was covered in dirt and filth. 'Mother, the fox has dug a hole before my home and hid it under some leaves, so that I fell in and now I'm all filthy.'

”Zumerasu called the fox again and asked whether the rabbits accusation was true. 'I didn't mean any harm, Mother. It was just a little prank so that my children might laugh a little.'

”Zumerasu shook her head and he made the fox lick the rabbit clean and apologize.

”Weeks went by without any incident until one day, the ape, the bear and the pig came to Zumerasu. They looked tired and exhausted. 'Mother," they said. 'The fox has been making a terrible ruckus for three nights and three days now. We haven't been able to sleep at all.'

”So Zumerasu went to find the fox and when she arrived at his home she found that he had collected a number of stones and branches and was trying to roll stack them onto each other. But the construction was very fragile and soon came crumbing down with a thunderous crashing sound.

”Zumerasu shook her head 'What is this noise, fox?' she asked. 'Don't you know that the others can't sleep because of you?'

”The fox bowed low. 'Excuse me mother. I was trying to build a house for my family but I can't seem to get the stones to stand together properly.

”And Zumerasu snapped her fingers and in a moment she and the fox had returned to the home of the people once more. She snapped her fingers again and from the ocean rose and island. Zumerasu turned to the fox. 'You are not an evil being, but still I fear that there will no peace in the garden with you there.' The fox opened his mouth to protest. 'I didn't mean to harm anyone, Mother. I was just bored and wanted to have some fun.'

”Zumerasu nodded. 'I understand that, and you have to believe that I'm not punishing you.' The goddess plucked a hair from her head and wrapped it around the fox's neck. No sooner had she tightened the knot as the fox began to change until a human was standing before her.

”Zumerasu looked upon her creation with a smile. 'This charm will help you disguise yourself from the other humans and will help you live among them.'

”The fox now in human form immediately fell to his knees and kissed the hem of the goddess' dress. 'Thank you mother. I'll shall honor you gift with the utmost dedication. Now that I have hands I shall create the most beautiful art and I will build wonderful houses for my families to live in. And I will only play tricks on humans never on animals.'

”Zumerasu nodded. 'I will grant my blessing to your people, fox, but listen. You are foxes and not humans. This form is but a disguise and your children will still be born as foxes and have to stay foxes until they are old enough. Then I will visit them and grant them a hair from my head as I have granted you and they will be able to disguise as well.'

”The fox frowned but didn't say anything to not anger the goddess. Still Zumerasu felt his confusion and explained. 'Where we come from is important. By not granting your children my blessing until they are old enough, I can be sure that you never forget where you came from, so that you will never become fully human and have respect for nature and its creatures.' And when she had finished saying that she turned around and returned to the garden, leaving the fox on the shores of his new home."

Sagishi's mother finished her tale and smiled when she saw that Sagishi had fallen asleep on her lap. She carefully lifted him up and carried him over to the little basket that was his bed, before she returned to the stove and put the finishing touches to the stew.

Back in the present Sagishi still fights against sleep on his wine barrel. He tries to remember the way his mother's hands had felt on his fur, all these years ago, but his recollection is vague at best. And another memory from that same evening keeps creeping to the surface. One that is far more unpleasant. That night his father had returned with a worried look on the face again and he and his mother had started one of their whispered conversations once more. It had been the first time that Sagishi had caught the name ”Foxhounds" and even though it would be another two years before he'd fully understand the meaning of it, the way his parents had said it back then had brought a chill to his guts that he had not been able to grasp at the time.

((OK, that was only the first part that I wanted to write. I still have to address Keranos' question and I will do so in another post tonight, since that will involve another backstory piece of similar length. Gotta had out now, but will get down to the rest this evening. Stay tuned.))

 

[Mike M]

 

[Song of Fire]

((That story sounded quite authentic. Well done, Nezumi, well done.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Excellent writing as usual. Keep up the good work!>

 

[Song of Fire]

((Since we'll be having a time skip, I suppose now might be a good time to make good on my earlier threat:

Also, when the party does take that short rest, Galen will be taking an official look at the quarterstaff, and he will have to talk with Fhiess after he tells his restful story.

))


When the party has stopped, Galen opts to take a closer look at the goblin quarterstaff. He sees that, indeed, it shows good workmanship, but that is not the most intriguing discovery.

"Thosar," he says, pointing at the markings on the staff, "look here; the staff is covered in these, all declaring reverence and praise for Maglubiyet, who conquered all the gods of goblinkind, reigning over them supreme." He pauses, closing his eyes. "The Hand of Maglubiyet, raising an army to wipe this world clean of your existence..."

Fhiess' story catches Galen's attention. Turning to the artist, he asks "Your father had a pet kobold?"

 

[Mike M]

<Excellent writing as usual. Keep up the good work!>

((Back stories are always with the wait! Says the guy who does overly elaborate back stories...

Now Nez just needs to give us the next half and we can fast forward a bit.))

 

[KittenMaster]

Although prepared to fall into silent contemplation about oppression soon after telling his short tale of childhood inconveniences, a question sparks a response, "Oh! Yes. Had. I believe it was intended to become a servant of sorts and less of a pet, possibly even a potential familiar. When my father realized that it wasn't a suitable personality, one that lashed out at given moments, he rid the house of it."

He huffs, "It was a terrible thing anyway. When I tried to hold it, it bit and scratched me. It was the first time I remember seeing myself bleed."

 

[Song of Fire]

"Interesting," Galen muses. "What was your father's profession, if I may ask?"


((Apparently there are some things more important than a friend's memories of blood...

I'm sure we are all eagerly awaiting Sagishi's answer to Keranos' question. Anything from DeadPhoenix?

In case it found its way to being lost in the vastness of the thread, Galen was also looking to discuss what the party would like to share with the rangers on the other end of the speaking rock.

He considers these hidden paths to be of great importance as something to disclose, as well as the potential for an army of wildlife to be unleashed upon the world.

Nocbus? He has some amount of concern with sharing that, as it is currently unconfirmed if that is actually where this fun substance comes from; they might stop shipments if they learn what it is and how it is being used; the authorities might make it worse if they approach this supplier (causing some amount of panic); and, certainly Ludwig's favorite reason, they could shut down the business. See the other concerns for why this last one is an issue.))

 

[KittenMaster]

"My father was a practicing sorcerer before my time, it is said he devoted much of his time to intellectual studies and growing his powers given to him by blood to specialize in practical and non-violent spells.. then he fell head over heels for my mother, and decided to marry her and refocus his talents on supporting his new family."

Fhiess pauses briefly, to shift his thoughts, "My mother is human, and does not carry arcane blood. As a result, my arcane powers were deemed too weak to become a sorcerer myself, so my father arranged for me to pursue wizardry studies instead. However, I discovered my love for art at the academy and changed my courses to focus on the craft, with having intellectual studies alongside to temper my father's concerns."

 

[Song of Fire]

"Ah, a sorcerer," Galen responds. "From your guess that his kobold may have been intended as a familiar, I should have figured such a thing." He looks upward to the canopy above their heads, as though the night sky is clearly visible to them. For a moment, he remains like that, facing the leaves above, after which he returns his attention to Fhiess. "Did your added studies do well in alleviating his concerns?"

 

[KittenMaster]

Fhiess gives a very light hum, almost like a minute laugh, "About as well as you might expect, but.." his initial lighthearted attitude turns dour, "even though he eventually came around and saw that I was able to find work under my new path, I'm sure it further damaged his relationship with his own parents who were no doubt already upset that the bloodline had diminished after him." Fhiess shakes his head, "But it can't be helped and I do not regret my choice." He considers for a moment, "Perhaps I can restore some pride in him after this journey brings me aptitude in bardic spell casting."

 

[Song of Fire]

Galen nods. "Perhaps that is so," he says; "I am sure you will be able to acquire quite the grasp of the subject, if you put your mind to it." He smiles at the half-elf. "I would say you are quite a bright young lad, Fhiess, and I expect to see great things from you as our travels go on."

With a light chuckle, he adds, "I would very much like to see your artistic work sometime."

 

[Nezumi]

Sagishi looks at Keranos with amusement, curious what might have motivated the question and whether it had something to do with the youth's strange behavior during their last battle. He leans back and for a moment ponders the question in earnest.

“You know.... I say, 'My lover betrayed me.' 'My lover tried to kill me.', but, while those are indisputable facts, those facts alone sure don't paint the whole story...”

He stares into the fire without saying anything more for a while.

“I think what frightened me the most was, how easy they caught me. Just like that. No warning.”


-----------------------------------------------


The heavy linen cloth that had been pulled over his head didn't make breathing the hot Nodoff air any easier. It had been less than 30 seconds since he had been attacked and there was sweat running down his face already.
“You guys are making a bad mistake.” It seemed like the proper thing to say in a situation like this. Sagishi slowly began to get over his initial surprise and tried to process the situation. Who on earth might want to have any interest of kidnapping him? Not that he didn't have some former drinking buddies that might be under the impression they'd have something to get back at him for, but this set-up certainly was more elaborate than what any of those would be able to muster. So the only other, and most logical, explanation was that this had nothing to do with Sagishi at all and was instead directed at his partner, Myressa.

But that was crazy. Such a radical act of aggression wouldn't make any sense, as it would gravely endanger the fragile peace between the different districts. And if he had understood Myressa's explanation correctly then, 'those old divas might act as if someone has taken away their favorite toys... the small turf wars, the power plays... but the fact is that they make more money this way than they ever did before and when it all comes down, money can buy a whole lot of other toys.' She had laughed dryly after saying that. Myressa had been among the central figures that had discussed, negotiated and fought for years to implement the conditions of the current treaty. Knowing how little it might take to bring all those years of work down, had always dampened her feeling of triumph over her victory.

So who then? Who of the old farts had decided that this whole peace business was more hassle than it was worth after all? Sagishi had heard of some trouble brewing in the south. Some new kids that took over a couple of blocks without going through the proper channels but somehow managed to get some momentum going. So maybe...

He was disrupted in his thoughts when his captors stopped. Focusing more of the immediate situation at hand again, Sagishi wiggled his arms to get a feel for the cuffs his attackers have thrown on him. On first inspection they certainly didn't feel too hard to open, but he had to get to this tools first. Nearby a horse snorted, accompanied by the clinking metal and grinding leather of a heavy bridle.

“Horses? A carriage? Where are you bringing me? Who are you? I can guarantee you, that you don't want to be doing, whatever it is you are doing here. I'm not saying I'm anyone important, but I'm important to people that are and those people... I mean, you guys, are probably new in these parts and not familiar how things are done around here. But not like this. They are not done like this. But hey, everyone was the new kid once. I know what that is like. When you are not quite sure yet how to behave. When you can’t be sure how the others will react to you. I get it. But, believe me, what you are doing right now. Bad idea, really bad idea. Won't make you any friends on this playground.”

His kidnappers seemed not to have any reaction to any of what he was sputtering forth and as he heard the sound of a metal door opening, he decided that he had played along with this situation quite enough. He wasn't happy that he had to resort to this method since it would without a doubt only be further fuel for the more ridiculous stories that floated around about him, but there simply wasn't a chance in hell that he would get blindfolded into any kind of vehicle.

Sagishi concentrated for a moment and... nothing happened. Irritated he tried again, harder this time, and still nothing happened. His heart started to pound in earnest now. Who where those people and what did they know?

Before he had time to think about this any further someone clubbed him over the head and the world under the hood became a little darker still.

---

When he awoke someone had been so kind as to remove his hood, so at least he could try to push his splitting headache away with some deep breaths of fresh air. He had little success. He focused on the room around him, trying to discern any clues to where he might be. But if they were to give out an award for most generic backroom of a pub, this one would have definitely brought home a medal. The wooden walls were painted in a muddy green but without any hangings or pictures. A chandelier and a worn out carpet were the only decoration in the room. Apart from himself of course. The masterpiece of the exposition, neatly on display on a wooden chair for anyone to marvel at.

Sagishi turned his head to make out what was behind him and spotted a window that would make for a better exit route than the room's only door. His arms were still cuffed behind his back and against all hope he tried to concentrate on his fox nature once more, tried to slip out of this skin and change into the other one, the one that was always there, waiting by his side patiently. But now there was nothing. And the more Sagishi thought about this nothingness the heavier the feeling of profound loss grew in him and he felt like he had to force himself to focus his thoughts onto something else as to not go crazy.

Escape. He needed to get out the cuffs. Sagishi started to contort himself on the chair in an effort to get his hands in a position where they might reach any off his tools. Apparently his kidnappers thought he was so little of a threat that they hadn't even bothered to pad him down. He could feel the familiar weight of at least one of his daggers and, more importantly in his current situation, of the box he used to store the more delicate of his tools. If he could only reach them he would be out of here in no...

The door opened without a warning and three men entered. All of them wore helmets reminiscent of dog's or wolf's heads with black silken masks that covered everything but their eyes. The two on the sides were tall and bulky and screamed dumb muscle from every fiber of their being. They wore a strange armor made from overlapping plates of hardened leather that fell over their legs like a short skirt. Leather strings with what looked to Sagishi like either some sort of carved talisman, but might also be an indication of some military rank, were tightened around their chests.

The man standing between the two, was of a less imposing built and judging by the intricate ornaments painted on the plates of his armor and the amount of details on his helmet he was probably the one in command. He looked down at Sagishi with a mixture of disgust and contempt.

“What do you think you are doing?” His speech was heavily accented, though it wasn’t an accent that Sagishi was familiar with, even though somewhere in the back of his head he thought he might have heard it before.

Slowly he settled back into a more comfortable sitting position before answering. “Just a little itch.” He put on his best innocent face and even considered smiling, but still wasn’t entirely sure how to approach his current predicament, so decided against it. His experiences in that area were slim, but he would have bet a good amount of money that those people were military, which didn’t help shedding any light on why they had kidnapped him.

“So,” he asked. “Are we getting to the point where you tell me what is going on here any time soon? Though..., I can already tell you, that you have the wrong person and that if I don’t walk out of here soon there will be people looking for me and they will not happy with you and… Can’t we make this simple and just all agree that this was an unfortunate accident, OK? I’m not the type to carry grudges. Just cut me loose and…”

The words caught in Sagishi’s throat. His captors still hadn’t uttered a single word, but that wasn’t necessary. From one moment to the next the three men had vanished. In their stead sat three foxes. The two that had taken the places of the muscle men had dark brown fur that almost seemed black. They were also really big, even in their true form, almost as big as large dogs which, somehow, to Sagishi was more unnerving than the fact that they had two tails each.

His parents had told him a lot about the significance of tails in Nihaanese culture when he had asked them, long ago, why he only had one when they both had two. Most of it he had forgotten. After all, since he’d never met any other kitsune than his parents, how important could proper tail etiquette be? Still, some of the knowledge had stuck and it was that which was now turning Sagishi’s throat dry as the desert surrounding Nodoff.

If there had been an inkling of doubt left that the guy in the middle was the commander it would have been washed away now. Opposed to the almost monstrous appearance of his two companions, the slight build and his light brown fur would have made him look unassuming if it hadn’t been for the five tails that fanned out behind him like a peacock’s feathers.

Five tails.

They swayed ominously in a tantalizing dance and for a moment Sagishi thought them to be pulsating with a menacing energy that reached out to him in slithering tendrils, pulling at him with an alluring force, offering dark promises. Promises that sent shivers of cold fear down Sagishi’s spine.

The men returned to their human form and it felt as if something smothering and suffocating had just been lifted off him. His eyes fell once more on the snarling grimaces of their helmets and the realization finally sunk in.

“So that ghost finally gets a face…” The words were almost inaudible, mostly uttered to himself.

“What was that?” The commander had stepped forward.

Sagishi shook his head. Who would have thought that, after all this years, in which enemies had come and went, it would be an almost forgotten terror of his childhood that finally caught up with him? “Nothing,” he answered in a louder voice this time.

The commander sniffed dismissively before he started, “It think I’m right in assuming that your sudden lack of any further desire to explain us how ‘we have the wrong guy’, means that you are very well aware of the fact, that we indeed ‘have business with you’ and that, no, there is not a ‘misunderstanding’. Which means we all here can also agree that any further disruption of the traditional process would be unnecessary, unwanted and generally unpleasant for all parties involved. So, it would be most agreeable with me if we go through the required motions swiftly, as to avoid further delay of our departure from this scorching hellhole.”

All of this he had said in Nihaanese and now he was watching Sagishi intently. The initial shock was slowly subsiding and somewhere deep within a spark of defiance seemed to get ignited by the commander’s monotonous speech. It might be too late to try and convince them that he wasn’t a kitsune, but he certainly didn’t plan on cooperating with these people.

He put on his best fake puzzlement. “I… sorry… too fast.” Sagishi did his best to deliberately mess up the finer nuances of the Nihaanese pronunciation. Though after decades of not using the language, this took a lot less effort than he liked to admit.

The commander’s gaze seemed to pin Sagishi to his chair, but still he managed to not let his mask of honest idiocy slip. After a few seconds the man sighed. He stepped forward, bringing his face eye to eye with Sagishi’s. “What. Is. Your. Name?”

Sagishi hesitated a moment before answering. “Sagishi.”

There wasn’t even a moment’s notice before the foxhound’s fist hit Sagishi hard enough to almost throw him of the chair. His head was spinning and immediately his headache came back with a vengeance. Sagishi groaned and could feel blood collecting in his mouth. The commander had stepped back and ever so gently rubbed his fist, making clear that he had no trouble hitting Sagishi again and again.

He sighed. “No more jokes. What is your name?”

Sagishi considered to repeat himself, but decided to listen to the pain in his head, and shake his head instead. “No other name.”

The last syllable hadn’t even left his lips before the fist struck again. The commander shook his head. “Fine. Have your wish. You know, things would be a lot easier if you just told me, though? I might even put in a good word for you back home. Tell them how you were really well behaved and remorseful. But why waste my time? They have their ways to make you talk in the capital. And believe me, you will talk. You will tell them everything. Your whole life story will spill out of you, just like that. You will tell them exactly who you are, how you ended up in places you don’t belong, who helped you, who else you might know that is hiding in this part of the world… everything. You understand?”

Sagishi bit his lip fighting down the urge to tell that creature anything. He had no intention to ever reach the capital, so the promise of awaiting torture was slightly less frightening. Something that couldn’t be said of the promise of spending any second longer in the same room with the man before him. Still, he kept his focus and remained silent. Why was the other so eager to get these answers anyway? If it was so easy for the people in the capital, why bother at all? Sagishi couldn’t think of an answer, but thinking about it at least kept him occupied while he continued staring at the commander with the most featherbrained expression he could muster.

His strategy seemed to work. He wasn’t hit again and the commander turned away from him with an annoyed expression. “Fine, as you want. We still have enough time to continue our discussion on our journey to Nihaan. And just in case you are thinking about escaping. I’m sure you have already noticed by now that you can’t transform. That’s because there is a spell on those cuffs. So there will be no slipping away as a fox. That strategy might work on the lower life forms in this part of the world, but not with us” He grinned before turning to his two soldiers. “Get the coach ready and be on your way as fast as possible. I’ll be taking care of that little bitch of his.” He turned back to Sagishi again, a malicious smile on his lips. “Can’t have someone running around and spilling state secrets, can we?”

---

As the coach rumbled across the dusty roads of Nodoff, the commander’s last words still reverberated inside Sagishi’s head. Was there any possibility that he hadn’t been talking about Myressa? Surely he must have talked about another woman, right? Sagishi looked around the carriage. Lucky for him, the foxhounds hadn’t bothered to pull the hood over his head this time. So at least his scheme of playing the idiot had somewhat worked out. But that was only a tiny consolation in his current situation. He needed to get out. Now. Otherwise Myressa…

He had planned on using the journey to the nearest port to wait for the perfect opportunity to flee, but this was not an option anymore.

On first inspection the coach turned out to be just that. The interior was simple unornamented wood with two benches running along the sides. There was a small sliding window on the opposite side, right next to one of the bulky foxhounds from before. It was closed at the moment, so Sagishi couldn’t tell where exactly they were but the fact that the whole construction looked rather flimsy was at least a little encouraging. He had expected steel bars or the like but this was almost reckless as far as prisoner transports went. Whether it was to keep a low profile or simply because they were really underestimating him, he wasn’t sure. As it was, however, he was rather thankful, whatever the reason.

He turned his attention to the one goon that was riding with him in the back of the coach. “So, what’s your name? I mean, looks like we’ll be spending quite some time together, might as well get to know each other, huh? After all this is probably going to be a long journey and time goes by so much faster with a little conversa…”

The foxhound turned his head and fixed his cold eyes on Sagishi. “Or maybe you keep your mouth shut, unless you want to be gagged for the entire journey to Landsend?” He had a low and rumbling voice.

Sagishi just nodded and settled back on the wooden bench. He had already learned more than enough from that little exchange. First, as he had suspected the guy was indeed not the brightest, otherwise he’d probably have taken notice of the fact that Sagishi’s Nihaanese had just become a lot more fluent than before. Second, he had revealed that they were going to Landsend. Sagishi had already suspected that, but it was good to have it confirmed. And if they were going to Landsend that meant that they would without a doubt leave Nodoff through the southern gate which would bring them past…

He had lived in this city for over thirty years now. And as familiar as he was with its sights as equally familiar was he with its sounds and smells. So Sagishi leaned back and closed his eyes and started listening to the sounds of the city that penetrated through the wooden walls. He listened to the cries of the various vendors, took in the scents of a myriad of food carts and piece by piece the city came to life before his inner eye and it was almost as if the coach vanished around him and he could see himself floating through the streets, past taverns, gambling halls and whorehouses.

They had driven for a good ten minutes, when Sagishi finally heard what he had been waiting for. He moved around a bit on the bench, leaning forward ever so slightly.

“You know,” he addressed the foxhound once more. “These cuffs are really quite something. I mean, putting the spell on them and everything, that's some good thinking.” He leaned forward a bit more. The foxhound had turned his head back to him but didn't say anything.

“The thing is, I can't help but wonder, if you already go through the effort of enchanting them…” he paused for a moment, making sure that he had the foxhound's attention. “Why not pay some extra money to actually get a decent lock as well.” He put up his hand, the opened cuffs dangled from one his fingers.

For a moment the foxhound just stared, dumbfounded, at the cuffs, but a moment was all that Sagishi needed. He jumped forward and whacked the other man over the head with the cuffs as hard as he could. He knew that he wouldn't be able to seriously hurt his opponent but that didn't matter. As the foxhound was still recovering from what probably was more surprise than actual pain Sagishi had already grabbed the window, pulled it open and flung himself through and out of the coach.

As he soared through the air he felt deeply relieved that his estimation had been right and in his mind he thanked the old guy who, everyday, without fail, stood in front of an especially run down tavern, preaching the return of some god or another. When he had heard the familiar ramblings he had known that firstly, their coach was indeed going down Main Boulevard and secondly that it would only be a minute or two before they passed through Gold Donkey Gardens.

About fifteen years ago, the owner of the Golden Donkey Casino (or The Ass, like the locals liked to call it.) had awoken one morning and decided that owning one of the largest buildings in the city wasn’t quite enough to let everyone know hoe rich he was. So, naturally, over the next month he had aggressively purchased as much of the surrounding land as he could, showing little consideration for the former inhabitants of the area. All the houses had been torn down and in their place Golden Donkey Gardens was created. Hundreds of trees, bushes and flowers had been transported from all over Telmur to create a little artificial oasis, with walkways, statues and even a full sized hedge maze, that apparently was designed after the one in the capital.

At its most glorious times a small army of gardeners had tended to the well being of the place, but in the last years that number had decreased more and more, indirectly confirming some of the more persistent rumors that the Golden Donkey was not making as much money as it used to. Many of the paths were now overgrown and almost impassable. A fact that Sagishi had planned on using to his advantage, as it meant a lot of easy hiding places. There was only one little problem…

Having a small forest in the middle of a city that was surrounded by nothing but mostly barren desert had apparently not been pompous enough, so the Golden Donkey’s owner had also hired some of Telmur's brightest to build him a river. Circling almost the entirety of the garden, this marvel of engineering had first been fed by the city’s meager water supplies directly. The result had been severe droughts with people literally fighting over water. The protest had been so bad that in the end the Crow King himself had stepped in and after some back and forth it had been decided that the river could stay, but the water had to be reused. An even more complicated system of pipes and pumps had been installed that now brought the water from the ending back to the beginning in an continues circle.

Needless to say that, over time, what really flowed through the artificial riverbed had little in common with actual water anymore. Myressa had once said that Nodoff had the ability to even turn the brightest diamond into black dirt and the Golden Donkey River was no exception. Two bridges crossed the river where Main Boulevard passed through the western part of the gardens. Two bridges. Each of them no longer than ten maybe twelve meters and yet Sagishi had somehow managed to time his spectacular exit just as the coach had been crossing one of them.

Relief turned into panic as Sagishi saw himself plummeting towards the greenish brown soup gurgling below him. He had just enough time to inhale before he hit the muck face first and vanished beneath the surface with a splash.

Once under Sagishi was quick to discover that despite the sluggish looks of the surface the current was still a lot stronger than he had suspected and soon he had lost his orientation completely. Oh what a masterful escape, only to drown in a decade worth of garbage, piss and vomit.

He flailed his arms and legs about wildly, fighting to return to the surface, to light and air. He tried desperately to remember the swimming lessons his father had forced upon him after he had almost drowned for the first time. He hadn’t been really good back then either, but luck appeared to be on his side or maybe he had done the right movements after all, but from one moment to the next he felt his head break through and when he opened his mouth he felt sweet air entering his lungs, though accompanied by something unpleasant that he did not want to think about too much.

He looked around and discovered that the current had already taken him out of sight of the bridge, meaning that once he made it out of the river he would have a good chance of shaking the foxhounds and reaching Myressa before they could. He tried a few clumsy strokes but only managed to get closer to the river bank a little bit before he got sucked back to the center again.

 

[Nezumi]

And as he fought down his disgust at the situation and his worries for Myressa’s safety suddenly another threat announced himself. The river wasn’t a complete circle. It started spouting forward from a rock in an once impressive waterfall and it ended rather unceremoniously in a large hole, from which the water then was pumped back to its beginning. Sagishi had no idea how exactly that was done, but what he was sure of was that it probably wasn’t a journey he would survive. He doubled his efforts as the gurgling of water vanishing down the hole started getting louder and louder. Myressa. He had to get to Myressa. He had to warn her. He…

An idea struck him and he cursed himself that he hadn’t thought of it sooner. Free of the cuffs he could turn into a fox again and as it turned out pedaling with four legs made the fight against the stream a considerable lot easier.

He finally managed to reach the shore about fifty meters before the stream plunged into the unknown depths. Panting he allowed himself ten seconds of rest before he got up and, transformed back to his human form, started his run towards Myressa’s and his home.

He couldn’t have said whether he had run for ten minutes or twenty but by the time the tea shop that functioned as a front for their business came in sight, Sagishi’s lungs were burning like hot iron in his chest. Still he sprinted even faster and positively burst through the front door, causing several of Myressa’s people to jump from their seats, producing weapons from various hiding places in a matter of seconds. They only relaxed a little when they discovered it was him.

Huffing madly he stopped, trying to regain his breath and speech. “...Myressa… where…,” was all he finally managed to produce between ragged breaths.

Crelor, who was Myressa’s first bodyguard and responsible for the more ugly aspects of their operations, looked at him questionably. “The boss is upstairs… everything OK, Sagi?”

Sagishi managed to shake his head. “No… trouble… coming.” He took another deep breath before continuing. “No time for explanations. Double security, here and on the entire block, look for a guy or several guys with dog helmets. After that I want you to get your best people and go to the safe house, me and Myressa will wait for you there.” He was already halfway up the stairs when he had finished barking his order and when Crelor didn’t react immediately he added a shouted “Now!” for emphasis. Taking two steps at a time he only heard how Crelor started assigning the men.

Myressa’s office was on the far left on the first floor of the building and when Sagishi burst into the room without knocking, she, like the men downstairs, jumped from her chair. When she saw who it was her eyes widened.

“Sagi… what are you doing here and,” she took a step backwards, “what is that smell?”

He shook his head. “No time. We have to get out of here, now. I can explain on the way. But we have to hurry.” He stepped forward, ready to pull her along but to his surprise she stepped out of his reach.

“Myressa, really…I’m not joking around. Trust me we need to get out of here as fast as possible!”

He reached out to her again and was surprised when, once more, she stepped away.

“Come on, I know the smell is terrible but…”

“I should have known…,” Myressa said, her gaze turned towards the floor. She shook her head and to Sagishi’s amazement she started laughing.

“Myressa…?”

“I should have fucking known!” She slammed her fist on the desk beside her, toppling over a flower vase and fixed her dark blue eyes on him. “You really have the devil’s luck, don’t you? The world could blow up and crumble to pieces and still you somehow would be the last man standing, with a stupid grin on your face.” She grabbed the vase and threw it at him. He barely managed to dodge.

“Myressa, Love, what the hell are you on about? I don’t…”

She didn’t even seem to hear him. “When I heard rumors, that strange folks with dog helmets had been seen in the streets, I thought my chance had come. After all you told me all about these foxhounds and so I listened around a little more and as it turned out they were offering quite the pay for information on people like… well like you of course…”

Sagishi felt his body go numb, a cold feeling was spreading from his gut to his limbs. “You called them on me?” His voice was barely a whisper. All his thoughts seemed to have stopped as he tried to process the information. He knew that he was supposed to react, but it was like a giant cold hand had him in its grip and all he could do was stare. Stare at the woman before him. The woman he had spent over thirty years with. The woman he loved more than his life. Stare at her eyes, looking for the mirror of his own love... but all he saw were two dark holes that reflected nothing back but black emptiness.

“Of course it was me!” Myressa howled. “Who else? How many people in this town besides me know what you are, huh? Oh, but you haven’t thought so far, of course not, you never do!” As she said those last words, two daggers had appeared in her hands and she darted forward, their points directed at Sagishi.

For a moment he thought he would just let him stab her. Wouldn’t even have cared if she did. But some survival instinct took over and before she reached him he had sidestepped her as if in a trance. She screamed and lunged at him again, while he just stared and let his reflexes work on their own. In his head he still didn’t understand. But maybe there wasn’t anything to understand. Maybe it was a dream. He stepped onto a piece of the shattered vase and as the piercing pain ran through his leg he knew that this wasn’t a dream. He was here. And so was Myressa. And she really was trying to kill him.

The realization made him stumble and only a quick transformation saved him from getting fatally stabbed. He dashed backward and turned human again as he remembered something else. The foxhounds were still coming. They could be here any minute and they would kill Myressa.

He circled around the room, trying to keep a distance between him and the lashing knives. He had to stop her. They needed to get out of here, everything else… everything else was unimportant for now. He fixed his gaze upon her one more time and took a deep breath. He had sworn to never use his little trick on her but circumstances had just changed considerably and he didn’t see any other option. Just as Myressa started her next attack Sagishi lashed out at her with his power. Myressa stopped dead in her advance, her eyes glazing over, the daggers falling from her hands. The sight alone made Sagishi want to stop but he just swallowed and said, “Sleep!” and watched as Myressa closed her eyes and crumbled to the floor.

---

He had watched her in silence for the last 30 minutes when she finally opened her eyes. He had tried to burn every inch of her face in his memory. So peaceful and gentle she had looked in her sleep. He had followed the curls of her black hair that had loosened themselves from the tight bun she always wore, had traced with his fingers the few strands where gray had started taking over the black.

When she fully regained consciousness Myressa wound in her restraints for a moment but then gave up, sacking against the wall of the dimly lit room in defeat. The sight sent another arrow of pain through Sagishi’s chest.

“Why?” He didn’t shout the question. He didn’t even feel anger. In a strange way he felt just as defeated as she did. She didn’t answer at first so he repeated his question. “Please, if nothing else, at least tell me why?”

Finally she looked up at him. For a few seconds she said nothing, before she let out a short resigned laughter. “You really wanna know, do you? Well, why have we ever done anything, huh? Money of course. That reward… it would have been my ticket out. Out of Nodoff out of this life. A new beginning for the last chapter, if you want.”

Sagishi frowned. “I don’t get it.”

She laughed again more harshly this time. “Of course you don’t get it because everything is a just a game for you, right? But look at me, Sagi. Look at me! My life is ending. I have what? Maybe a decade or two before that’s it for me. And I wasn’t going to spend them in this hellhole, with its constant little wars and squabbling. I was tired Sagi, so tired.”

She paused shaking her head at something only she could see “I wanted something for me. Just for me. I’ve already gave up so much. Didn’t I deserve something for me, just this once? Before the curse of old age would demand its price.”

Sagishi leaned forward, touching her cheek gently with his hand. “Age? That was what this was about? Age? Myressa, you are as beautiful as you were the day we met, I…”

“Shut up!” She turned her head to escape his caress. “Don’t you understand that these lies make it even worse? Don’t you get it how much it hurts to hear you say that, when you look exactly the same as you did on the day we met all those years ago? I just… I… I thought that maybe this way I still might have one last chance to make something out of this life that mattered, that I could look back at with pride...”

“Like what?”

“I don’t even know.” She laughed again. “Anything really.”

“What about the organization, you put so much work in it, why would you give all that up?”

“Ah, yeah, the organization. The treaty, my great legacy." The bitterness in her voice seemed to cut through the air of the room. "Only, who would have picked this legacy up once I was gone. You? Let’s not kid ourselves here, Sagi. The only reason you are still here is me. Once I was dead, you would have left Nodoff and never looked back. You aren’t cut out for this life. Not the hard parts of it anyway. It’s fine as long as it’s fun. Drinking and gambling in taverns, a little break-in here and there, like I said. It’s always been a game for you, but for me, for me this has been my life. A life I invested everything in. And that has given me nothing back in return. So yes, I would have given it up. I would have given it all up. I’d have done anything to make my last years count. To create an actual legacy.”

Sagishi struggled for understanding but it wouldn’t have come. “Why haven’t you told me? We could have done this together? Why did you have to betray me?”

Myressa sighed. “Because I didn’t want to. This was supposed to be for me… Every time I thought of you all I would see was how you would move on to live centuries after I was dead. I couldn’t bare the thought that I would end up being a mere footnote in your life when I had given my entire life to you. It… it just seemed so… so terribly unfair.” Her voice broke and tears filled her eyes. “So when I heard about the foxhound in Nodoff… I thought this was it. That was the sign. My chance for a fresh start. Better late than never, right?”

She looked up again and smiled. The gesture being more painful than everything else. “I guess I should have known that you would find a way to weasel out of this. You always had more luck than brains. I should have known better than to gamble against you I guess.”

She sat upright, as far as her bounds allowed her. “So, you won. What are we going to do now? Are you going to kill me?” The last question was asked in a mocking tone, they both knew the answer anyway.

Sagishi looked at her for a long time before talking. “Do you know why I came to the office right away, when I escaped? No? Because they told me that they were going to kill you. See, there never was any reward in this for you, never any chance of winning. You had lost as soon as you entered the game.” He got up and gathered up a bundle lying next to him. “I paid the owner of this place in advance. He will feed you and help you with your other needs and in three days he will let you go. By then I’ll be as far away from Nodoff as possible. I advise that you better keep a low profile for some time, just in case the foxhounds are still around.”

He turned to leave the room but then stopped. “You know, you are probably right, I really do have some growing up to do and I probably should take things more seriously but…” Sagishi turned around and knelt before her. “You were wrong about one thing though. You would have never been ‘just a footnote’ in my life.” He smiled and pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Never.”

With that he got up again and left the room. Leaving her behind on the floor.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When he had finished his story night has fallen and Sagishi stares out in the darkness for a few moments before turning his head to Keranos.

“So, to answer your question, why I didn’t seek revenge? Because I had no reason to do so. I had all the revenge I could have wanted. I had gotten away, while she had gained nothing and believe me, I’ve been with this woman for a long time, the fact that despite everything I left her with the knowledge that I saved her life…” He laughs. “No, I had my ‘revenge”. And you know what?” He fixes his ice blue gaze on the young boy. “I have never felt more miserable in my entire life.”

((Yeah... I think I might have gotten a bit carried away with this one. Thank you for your patience and i hope that the wait will at least have been worth it. I'm honestly not sure anymore at this point. I had also planned to write a short scene to initiate the whole bow training with Galen, but... can we just say that the both of them talked about this the day they reunited with Barrow, so that we can start counting the days of the following journey to the training already?))

 

[Mike M]

((Yeah, we'll just count the days traveled towards the longbow training. We can backdate reactions to Sagishi's story, but let's move things along, shall we?))

As night falls in the woods, the Endowed move their burgeoning wagon train off the road and into the trees so that they might conceal themselves from any lingering goblinoid threat lurking nearby. A quick communication through the sending stone relates the details of the unpleasant discoveries made in the woods to the Kingsfort rangers. They vow to look into it, but what is left unspoken is the shared knowledge that they have no way of knowing when that will be. The goblin menace is not something to be overlooked or disregarded, but even if they were fielding a full army against Telmur right now, it would still be a smaller concern than the situation with the black tower.

Let us all pray that they are not about to field a full army.

The night passes without incident, each member of the party taking their watch in turn as the wind rustles the boughs of the trees above, allowing for snatches of the sight of the naked sky above where the light of the Oneiroi send the shadows on the ground into crazed riots of confusion. The following morning brings a thin layer of mist on the ground and a grumpy dwarf patting himself down and mumbling something about his missing knife. He finds it a moment later in its sheath on his belt and mutters a half-heard recrimination about losing his marbles in his advancing age before he goes about distributing the bounty of the enchanted haversack, once again a meal of bread, cheese, and apples.

The ride out of the woods is a pleasant one, shady and sun-dappled with a cool breeze caressing the skin. With the trees overhead, it's almost easy to forget the violet stream of malign energy stretching from the east all the way over the Pillars of the Sky to the west. Out of sight is truly out of mind.

Kingsword appears in the distance as they ride into the afternoon and grasslands. In the interim since you left, it seems to have sprouted an impressive network of barriers constructed of sharpened wooden poles that would certainly give any cavalry charge cause for hesitation. The corona of tents and wagons and refugees extending out from the walls has likewise expanded, and even as you watch you can see the Kingsmen running drills in the use of martial weapons with the able-bodied among the civilians. Commandant Hauer's size and bearing make him unmistakable, even at a distance as he moves from one location to the next, a scribe hurrying after him, presumably jotting down his manifold commands and instructions.

The horses never take the wagon closer to an arrow's flight of the fort's walls, however, as they dutifully turn west toward Bellows after Barrow engages in some repartee with the Kingsmen regarding Barrow's ability to command the horses. Clearly, they got a good look at his problems as the horses carried him unwillingly into the woods to rendezvous with the Endowed and are familiar with his frustrations, but they seem good-natured in their jests about it, even if Barrow does not.

Evening falls while Kingsword is still visible in the distance, a glowing beacon in the night. The night is peaceful and uneventful, and Barrow spends most of it staring at the stars and muttering what sounds like prayers as he puffs his pipe and handles his little bag full of glass beads made in the image of the heavenly bodies. Uncharacteristically, he fails to make it to his bed roll before falling asleep for the night, and the morning's departure is delayed while he attempts to form a search party to locate his pipe in the grass near where he had been sitting the night before. He eventually finds it beneath the satchel he set down when he began his search, and the wagon train moves on again.

Bellows is visible in the distance when they stop traveling for the day, and Barrow informs the party that they'll be knocking on the city's gates before the next nightfall. Another night passes without incident and another morning finds a surly dwarf, upset that his tobacco pouch has popped a few stitches and subsequently emptied itself of its contents. The horses hardly needing his guidance, he spends most of the ride trying to mend the thing, but it proves a difficult task in the jostling wagon. Even when he finally holds it up and declares his triumph in the matter, he still bears a chip on his shoulder for the tobacco he has lost.

The walls of Bellows grow larger as the sun dips lower toward the western horizon. By the time the indefatigable horses draw the wagon to the mouth of the city's gate, the skyline blazes with false fire as myriad glass windows and gilded roofs catch the reddening light of sunset. Barrow hops down from the wagon and goes to discuss arrangements for the stabling of the horses and storage of the wagon with an attendant he flags down. The discussion is too far away to hear, but it quickly becomes apparent that Barrow is inordinately displeased, even more so than his usual curmudgeonly attitude would allow.

”We've got a problem," he grumbles as he stomps up to the wagon. ”Hammerfall, they've... They've closed the damned gates! Bloody bastards think they can just cut themselves off and ride this out, do they? Ooooh, I'd love to show them what for!"

 

[KittenMaster]

<I still haven't read all of Nezumi's story yet, and I still need to draw something for a Fhiess painting, but it looks like there's call for immediate action.>

Fhiess shuffles to the edge of the wagon to speak to Barrow, "That's not good! Perhaps I can speak to them to let them know that we arrive on peaceful terms."

He scratches his chin, "Do we still have the certificates inviting us to the King's parade?"

 

[Nezumi]

((Quick question. The info in the index is something that every character knows? Because I somewhat struggle to believe that Sagishi would have ever concerned himself with Hammerfall or Forgerun to an extended that he'd know that there are Hauntaur tunnels that they could try and pass when the doors stay closed... Also, totally unrelated to anything, whenever I read the name Hammerfall my mind starts playing the song and long haired Sweds start singing "... we~e will prevail...", so thanks for that.))

 

[Mike M]

((A good chunk of that was because someone (I think Thosar) rolled a pretty good Knowledge check on it. So it's known to the characters, even if it's not particularly common knowledge.

Also, I totally named it after the band : ) ))

 

[ThLunarian]

Keranos listens politely to Sagishi's story. "I see," he says, skipping a beat before adding "That sounds like a truly harrowing experience. But perhaps rather than stay miserable about how things ended, you can be grateful that you were able to spend thirty happy years with a woman you loved. I've lived for thousands of years, and though I have known the touch of a woman, I've never known the love of one."

As he lies down for the night, Sagishi's tale rolls around in his head for a while. Of course the fox-man was miserable; he had been wronged by the love of his life.

Keranos had a decidedly less cordial relationship with Talos prior to his imprisonment.

He decides that he'll have to look elsewhere to find the answers he seeks.

-----------------

Keranos smirks at Barrow's news. "I've never known a city gate that could keep a storm at bay. Surely there is some other way into the city; if we cannot pass through this entrance, let's go find another."

 

[Nezumi]

((So, how long have we been on the road for? So that I can note the days of longbow training.))

Happy to finally been back in a proper city Sagishi appears to be unfazed by Barrow's news. He listens to Fhiess suggestion and shakes his head.

"I somehow doubt that those people will be overly impressed by an invitation to a birthday party of a king that they didn't accept in the first place. I do agree with Keranos though. Even if the doors are closed now, there are bound to be other ways in or out. There is no such thing as total isolation when there are large numbers of people involved. People are opportunist. I bet you ten gold that there are already people making money by getting things and people in or out of Hammerfall. The only question is how much are we willing to pay?"

 

[Mike M]

((Trip took three days))