Getsemiel, part 2

[Graybeard]

[OOC:

(OOC: I have nothing else to write at the moment... do we jump forward a little?)

Just one brief moment, a thing is being worked semi-offline ... Fast-forward coming by tomorrow at the latest. /OOC:]

"But whe..err, if he happens to escape again to the ship before we can catch him, do we have anything heavy to throw, any magicks, any weapons on this airship to make him wish he hadn't? It's hard to believe Farrel's his final stop, and I'd hate to see him escape again."

Sister Rose didn't like the direction this conversation was taking, although she certainly couldn't blame Tim for taking it that way.

"Not on this airship," she answered, getting a momentary sharp look from the airman nearby that passed when he remembered he was significantly outranked by this Special Forces major. Evidently he'd been doubtful about disclosing capabilities to someone not obviously in the military. Well, this group had the "need to know" about such things, all the communications by parrot had established that. "This is a troop transport, plain and simple, with capabilities for magical defense but not offense." There; that should cover the necessary bases. She chuckled softly. "If Fayna's ship was still available, I bet there'd be more of what we need ... but wishing won't make it so." She made a mental note to try Argus again about just what had happened with that weird episode, since Maduin wasn't exactly forthcoming, but now wasn't the time.

"The temple in Lorrel isn't going to have much, either," she continued. "Probably the best we're going to be able to do, until we get to Kiyoka and our temple there (which, by the way, does have some capabilities), is to try to hire one of the mercenary outfits that more or less run the whole of Farrel. I wouldn't be so sure that Blaise isn't going to try to get lost somewhere in Farrel itself, and if he does, they're almost certainly the right way to go." She turned to Eli. "Now just what, exactly, does this uncle of yours do there, do you know?"

[Jack Rothwell]

"Now just what, exactly, does this uncle of yours do there, do you know?"

Eli squirmed at Rose's question, he answered in halting tones.

"He's... very secretive. I don't really remember much of him as a boy. Just letters. He... operates a business in the..." A pleading look entered his eyes, the next words came out an inch at a time. "I... trust you Rose, but I'd really sooner talk to him first before telling people where he is? Especially before we've found your escaped Father?"

[Graybeard]

Sister Rose certainly didn't need her magical Empathy to sense Eli's discomfort with his answer; it could probably have been felt at the far end of the airship. "All right, not to worry," she said reassuringly. "It can wait. Let's enjoy the flight while we can; I don't think things are going to be so tranquil once we get where we're going."

In fact, it didn't take the full five hours of flight for the travelers' tranquility to be disrupted; it was only an hour or so later that a tight-lipped, taut-faced airman brought another message slip to Rose ... and when she read it, her own face went pale.

"Oh, my," she said softly. "Word from Lorrel. A priest at the temple there has died of an apparent heart attack ... just as he was trying to bring Blaise in to the temple."

[OOC: So you still want to fast-forward? ]

[Graybeard]

OOC: OK, so on to Port Lorrel. Please fire away.

[Drannin]

Argus watched Port Lorrel approach far below. He sighed. "I really hope no one remembers me."

"Do you remember anyone? Or anything?" Harker inquired.

"I remember a booze-filled haze, Harker. Not much else."

A pause. "Uh-oh."

"Yeah," Argus sighed. "My thoughts exactly."

[Graybeard]

[OOC: "Port" Lorrel, not "Fort" Lorrel, although it probably doesn't matter. Also, see below. /OOC:]

A nervous-looking Veracian priest was waiting for the group as they debarked from the airship. He introduced himself as Brother Conrad and exchanged church blessings with Sister Rose, keeping a wary eye on Desiree and Eli in the process.

Rose wasn't sure what to make of that. As far as she'd been able to tell, there were considerably more half elves in Farrel than in Veracia (reasonable enough given its greater distance from the elven homelands), and they were better tolerated here, as one might expect from the free-wheeling nature of the place. As the man mumbled through the ritual benedictions, she decided to take this possible issue head-on. "Is there a problem with our party?" she asked as soon as the rituals subsided.

Conrad flushed. "No, no, it's just that -- when the man you're looking for met Brother Norris, and Brother Norris died --" his facial expression didn't grow more comfortable with the words -- "there was a half elf with him. Father Romuald is anxious to find him, to see what he knows about what happened, but he has disappeared along with -- the other man." For some reason he apparently couldn't bring himself to say Father Blaise's name. Superstition, or something else?

Rose's countenance grew uncharacteristically cold, and she pitched her voice to match. "I will give you my word that there are no -- threats within our party. I trust that that will suffice."

"Yes, yes, of course," the priest mumbled, his flush deepening. "Let me show you to our temple, and tell you what we know, so that you can begin your search."

[OOC: So how do people want to do this? Keep everyone together, or go out and have some small-group adventures in town for a while? There's been a bit of development of Lorrel, and it's a big enough city -- couple hundred thousand, say -- for people to have encounters as they wish. Opinions?]

[Porcelain Fish]

"Well, for not having made any of the Tsuirakuan Travel Destination Magazine lists, it certainly doesn't look all that ill-favored," Maduin commented thoughtfully. "Of course, that probably goes for most of the known world anyway."

"Has it occurred to you that that really makes you sound a little insular?" Bryce's tone was dry.

Maduin snorted. "Don't be silly. We're simply very much aware of the comforts of home. There are a surprising number of amenities one doesn't find provided in foreign lands without undue difficulty and expense." Maduin glanced at Argus. "Dr. Cleiviein, would you say that there are any sights that recommend themselves to the international visitor?"

[OOC: I'm fine with whatever./OOC]

[Drannin]

Argus thought about it, trying to parse through the booze-haze that had shrouded his previous visit. Drunkard or not, he remembered a few things. He'd spent a fair amount of time here, after all. "There's a museum that's surprisingly good, all things, considered. And the Dwarven exhibition was put together well, with a minimum of superstitious guesswork. Elven artifacts section was not, however. Nice artwork, though." He considered. "I seem to recall the local concert hall put together some very listenable performances." As heard from the alley next to it, mostly passed-out.

"Those are the highlights I recall, really." Aside from a thorough knowledge of the local red-light district. He'd been trying hard to forget. Note to self: don't go there. Someone might remember me.

[Jack Rothwell]

Eli departed the airship without a backward glance and a promise to meet back the groupafter he'd paid his uncle a visit. The half-elf cut through unfamiliar streets, asking for directions in a manner which made him painfully aware of his tourist status. The hat pressed reassuringly down on his head, giving a small comfort of hiding his species. If the old man wasn't around... well... there were worse places to go than a pub to pass the time.


OOC Leaving it open to whether Desiree's tagging along or not. There may be schenanigans afoot if anyone stops in a certain tavern away from the waterfront... especially Harker./OOC

[Alberich]

Tim stuck close by Rose and Conrad, eager for the information that would lead them to Blaise. All this talk of "amenities" and museums and concert halls and such made him think only of distractions, leading to another escape by their quarry, or collateral damage if it came to a fight in town. Mentally, as best he could, he went over the barrier raising technique he'd learned from Rose the other day. With Brad and Lillith gone they were only that much weaker.

OOC: It's in character for Tim to be more interested in getting at Blaise ASAP than in knocking around town; and I don't think he'd go solo with Blaise around. As a player, I can take it either way.