Session 21

[Bynw]

20:14 <~bynw> |------------------------------------------------
20:14 <~bynw> |          Session 21 - Imperial Dreams
20:14 <~bynw> |------------------------------------------------
20:14 <~bynw> |
20:14 <~bynw> | The conference room over looks a great grassy
20:14 <~bynw> | plain, and on that plain lies Chadwick's tower.
20:14 <~bynw> | The host, Audric Schear, stated that the tower
20:14 <~bynw> | is suspended in statis at the very moment you
20:14 <~bynw> | last remember being in it.
20:14 <~bynw> |
20:14 <~bynw> | It has been about a day or so since the group
20:14 <~bynw> | entered Chadwick's tower and confronted him and
20:14 <~bynw> | his owlbears. Seemingly, Chadwick has lost. He
20:14 <~bynw> | died when Maylda pulled him from his cocoon,
20:14 <~bynw> | thus halting his ressurection.
20:14 <~bynw> |
20:14 <~bynw> | But most startling to those that have never
20:14 <~bynw> | been to Hemmelhold, can see beyond the stolen
20:14 <~bynw> | tower of Chadwick lies rolling hills, a large
20:14 <~bynw> | lake and a city further below. While there are
20:14 <~bynw> | other larger estates nearby.
20:14 <~bynw> |------------------------------------------------
20:17  * Alianna looks out the window to the tower.  "So we succeeded?"
20:20 < Alderic> "Killing Chadwick wasn't what we where after."
20:20  * Alianna looks (and sounds) confused.  "Then what the hell were we trying to do?"
20:21 <~bynw> *Maylda* "But you sprayed acid on him after I had that vision to pull him out."
20:24 <~bynw> ::another man enters the room. wearing the uniform style that many of the wear here and reports to Audric:: "We have cleared Utha Sire"
20:24 < Alderic> "Chadwick is a pawn to someone much more dangerous. When Chadwick dies his essence goes somewhere to be reborn. I was hoping we could follow that essence to his master."
20:25  * Alianna gives Alderic a perplexed look.  "How?"
20:26 < Alderic> ::Gives a lopsided smirk:: "Magic"
20:26  * Alianna rolls her eyes in exasperation.
20:27 < Alderic> ::To Audric:: "Where are you taking us?"
20:27 <~bynw> ::Audric to the officer::
20:28 <~bynw> "Set course for our rendezvous. Make sure we aren't being followed"
20:29 <~bynw> ::as the officer turns and leaves Audric calls out to him:: "And Colonel. Double the watch too."
20:29 < Alianna> "Rendezvous with whom?"
20:31 <~bynw> "Our alias in this endevor. The Anadari and some Spectral magicians." ::Audric says::
20:31  * Alianna nods.
20:33 <~bynw> ::Audric:: "I'm glad we are out of Utha. Too many people in danger while we were there."
20:33 < Alderic> ::frowns, and speaks to Audric:: "Do you care to tell us what is going on now or are you waiting for something?"
20:35 <~bynw> ::Audric:: "Well we are waiting until we reach the rendezvous point. It will take several days to reach it. And we must be certain that the Uthani are not following us, by any means. After all we are all criminals in their eyes." ::he turns and looks out the window towards the tower::
20:36 < Alderic> "Criminals? I did not know that my great uncle gave much thought to your city."
20:37  * Alianna looks from Alderic to Audric.
20:38 <~bynw> "Everyone in this city is a criminal. Including yourselves, if the Uthani decide to press issues. And as far as we have been able to tell. Chadwick is reborn in that pod."
20:38 < Alderic> "For what crime?
20:38 < Alderic> "
20:39 <~bynw> ::Audric turns back:: "Ours or yours?"
20:39 < Alianna> "Well, hell, being considered a criminal is not news to me."
20:39 < Alderic> ::Smiles at Alianna::
20:40 < Alderic> ::To Audric, he shrugs:: "Both. I'm curious."
20:42 <~bynw> ::Audric:: "For yourselves. Treaspassing onto Chadwick's homestead. Destruction of magical property, the animated trees that guard his homestead. Killing his livestock, the owlbears that did die due to the wounds they were given ... unlawful entry into his home. Attempted murder of the awakened owlbears. And murder of Chadwick himself."
20:44 <~bynw> "Surprisingly he used Uthani law to create an official homestead where his tower was located. Thus giving him legal status and recourse in Utha."
20:47 <~bynw> "For us ... well that's pretty much the same. But we unlawfully entered Utha with 30,000 some odd counts. Destruction of magical property and livestock. We did steal the tower. And aided your escape. But I don't really think the Uthani would press charges."
20:48 < Alderic> "Chalk it up as extraditing a wanted criminal."
20:49  * Alianna smiles.
20:50 <~bynw> ::Audric laughs and gazes out the window again::
20:54 <~bynw> "In the last day not a second has passed within that tower. If there is still any magic up Chadwick's sleave it will still happen when the stasis is released."
20:55  * Alianna raises one eyebrow.
20:57 < Alderic> "How did you know he died, and about us?"
20:58 <~bynw> ::Audric:: "Lord Hagen was our agent in this bit of bounty hunting."
21:00 < Alianna> "Oh, and where is he, anyway?"
21:01 <~bynw> ::he turns back around clapping his hands together:: "So we have a few days. Anything I can do for you?" ::he pauses:: "Lord Hagen is taking some time off."
21:01  * Alianna waits for Alderic to answer.
21:05 <~bynw> ::Audric:: "You dont even have to stay really. We can give you a ride down. Not much below us right now save for the mountains of Brennashar. "
21:05 < Alderic> "I'm sure my companions would love a tour and a brief history lesson of your magnificent city."
21:05  * Alianna smiles.  "Certainly.  A floating city is...unusual."
21:06 < Alderic> ::Raises an eyebrow at Audric:: "Are you saying we're not needed any longer?"
21:07 <~bynw> "Well then. History first. Hemmelhold, in its current form has been around for about 300 years. Floating in the skies above you as we have made a trade route around the Quarte."
21:08 < Alianna> "Interesting.  I would guess that you don't have too many issues with piracy, given that you don't have to sail on the ocean to travel from place to place."
21:10 <~bynw> "There are other floating cities, but none as large as ours. And there are number of floating castle fortresses. That could act as pirates. So it can happen but rarely does. The sky is a big place."
21:10 < Alianna> "So is the ocean."
21:10 < Alianna> "Maybe not AS big, but big."
21:13 <~bynw> "The existance of Hemmelhold is an open secret. We wont erase the minds of those who manage to discover us. We are an independant city-state. Not part of the Empire or any nation."
21:13  * Alianna nods.
21:14 < Alderic> ::Half listening, he walks to a window and gazes out::
21:15 <~bynw> "we have magic and guns to defend ourselves if needed. but like pirates, they are rarely used."
21:15  * Alianna nods again.
21:16 < Alianna> "How does Hemmelhold float?"
21:17 <~bynw> "We have ships that we sail from the city to the surface below us. When we trade with others for things we need. And in turn trade with things we have."
21:17 <~bynw> "Magic"
21:17 <~bynw> ::he replies with a smile::
21:22 < Alianna> "That seems to be everybody's explanation for everything."  She laughs.
21:28 <~bynw> "Well it does solve a lot of problems."
21:28  * Alianna barks a short laugh.
21:29 <~bynw> ::he gestures out towards the window:: "We have a nice lake and further down the hill is the city itself. Home to some 30,000 people."
21:33 <~bynw> "I hold the position of hereditary governor."
21:34  * Alianna smiles.  "That's a fairly humble hereditary title."
21:37 <~bynw> "I've been governor for ..." ::he thinks for a moment:: "... 182 years."
21:38 < Alianna> "That's a fair run."
21:43 <~bynw> ::another officer bursts into the room almost out of breath:: "Governor. We have been scryed. Unknown source ..."
21:45 <~bynw> ::Audric, who was sitting down during the talk of history, jumps back to his feet.:: "That's impo..."
21:47 <~bynw> "Change course ... and drop us down to the deck"
21:50 <~bynw> "Sound the alert for the city." ::Audric orders to the officer::
21:52  * Alianna flares her shields unconsciously.  "What's going on?"
21:56 <~bynw> "our defenses should be able to locate the sourse of any scry attempt. but we were not able to locate this one."
21:56 < Alianna> ::sotto voce:: "Oh shit."