~ Dire Struggle for Dillend: [Archive] [Home] [Previous Turn] [Next Turn] ~

Crayne rubs his eye with one of his hands which shakes badly. He sits on a small boulder and his staff is way over to where he slept. The partys has never seen Crayne without his staff in-hand before. He scratches at his stubbled chin and then takes a sip from his water. He looks very pale and gaunt. His head his huddled into his shoulders. He looks up and smiles a little, "My friends! I hope I can still call you that! I am tired! I have tried to put a brave face on matters, but I have come to realise that I cannot go on as I am. The world around me has caused me to become introverted. The kingdom is falling apart. Treachery is rife and I do not have a friend in the world. I swore to myself at the age of ten when standing in front of my parents' destroyed bodies that I would not let this happen again, but it seems I have failed. I have grown paranoid and stubborn as you have so kindly pointed out to me. Perhaps I was wrong back there with the knights, to ask them for identification. It seems you have come to question my judgement and think that I do not fight for the cause as strongly as all you do! This hurts me more deeply than anything else. For I would give my life up for any of you. I would have thought that Storm, Cy and Edyrd would know such but obviously I have failed you in some way. This dream I have had means that I will have to pursue it for a good man is in need of my help. It seems to me that Dire has been framed. I have seen many of the reports that have showed absolute astonishment at hearing that Dire Luthor was a suspect in the murder of Sir Logan. I know now that my cause is to help Dire Luthor and I believe he is the man to answer a lot of unanswered questions that still swim through my mind. My path is Jilten and I will understand if you want to go your own way." Crayne yawns and closes his eyes. He looks in definate need of sleep.

Listening intently to Crayne's dream, Hannibal wonders to himself what all of this means. Waiting long enough to ensure the mage is finished, Hannibal asks the question to everyone: "Um, forgive me for being the new guy here, but who is this Luthor guy? And why should he need our help?"

Hoping he wasns't coming across as the uncaring type, nonetheless, Hannibal wasn't crazy about risking his skin unless it was for a good purpose. He had had enough of the pointless killing from his younger years.

Emma feels inclined to ask the same question, having no knowledge of anyone named Dire Luthor or why Crayne would suddenly be dreaming of him. She knew that Nire, the God of the Sky, the Stars, and the Future, often used dreams to communicate with his priests, but she'd never heard of someone outside that caste receiving such visions. Why would Crayne feel that the dream was anything more than that? If this Dire Luthor person was charged with the murder of a knight of Rinder, how could Crayne possibly expect to help him anyway?

Canter listens intently as Crayne reveals a tired, tender, and quite unhappy face. As Crayne finishes, Canter rises from his seat by the fire and walks over to where Crayne is, not hearing a word Hannibal says. He stands squarely in front of the mage and places a hand on his arm.

"Crayne, over these past weeks I've come to know you as a fellow adventurer, traveler, and as a friend. You were instrumental in saving me from the clutches of Mazen's men in the mill, just as everyone else was. I would not be standing here today were it not for your efforts. I owe you my life at least twice over.

"I will go with you to Jilten."

Canter takes a deep breath, and then turns to face the rest of the party. "And I think we all should. Crayne may be right. Perhaps Dire Luthor was framed. Maybe he didn't murder Captain Frond at Mitchend and Sir Logan. But he obviously knows something...enough to cause him to drop everything he had--even his station at the Knight's side--and run. We know that all is not what it seems on the front. I think some of those answers lie with Dire Luthor.

"But we have also heard, from Crayne here, of the Red Dragon School. And we have discovered that Dire Luthor is actually a member of this ancient and dangerous society. He is a hunted man. Hunted by the army and knights, and perhaps hunted by those who wanted to see him tried and hanged for murder.

"If we find him in Jilten and discover that he is as evil as some say, then we can be responsible for bringing the murderer to justice. But if he is not the murderer, then perhaps he can answer some disturbing questions about the events at the front. And those answers may be of great help to us when we try to retake Dillend.

"What say all of you?"

Cy is skeptical of what Crayne is telling the party. This goes beyond his normal distrust for magic and into Crayne's own person. Cy does not think that Crayne has been making good judgement call as of late and Crayne's words will not carry much weight in Cy's decision on this matter. Cy simply listens to the group's opinion, waiting to hear from Edryd and Emma, the Paladin and Priestess.

"Voices in yer head, eh?" the warrior says, "I wouldn't be trustin that. If they could speak to you, why nay to all o' us?"

Cy stops polishing his sword and looks up at Crayne. He understands what the mage has said, but feels deeper obligations. "Realize we are on a quest, from a King, here and now. What we have honorablly accepted as our duty should not be lightly dropped... or dropped at all. A call from afar, in the head of a mage, be not much to drop a honor-bound quest on."

"Ok," Hannibal says while holding up his hands, "could someone please tell me who this guy is and why you all care about his wellness? Was he a member of Rinder's Six? I only say this as running off on a crusade is not how we are going to get paid here, folks! Could someone please tell me why I should care."

Emma looks nearly as confused as Hannibal, but has kept silent for most of the discussion, preferring to understand what everyone is talking about before voicing her opinion on the matter. Finally, she stands up and brushes the dirt from her pants. "I don't exactly know who this Dire Luthor is," she begins, "Maybe he's a murderer. Maybe he's not. Cy and Hannibal have made good points, though. We are on a mission given to us by the Duke of Raimead and Sir Nigel on behalf of the King. And...as Hannibal pointed out...our payment does hinge upon our participation in the retaking of Fort Dillend. The fate of our country would seem more important than the fate of a single man accused of murder."

She turns and begins walking toward her horse, still talking as she goes, "However, the Scrolls of Anhur often speak of the best laid battle plans hinging upon a simple, overlooked, detail. This might be one of those situations. And it might be in our better interest to investigate the options that we have..."

She stops and rummages around in her saddlebags, lying on the ground near her horse's saddle. Finally she pulls out a small satchel and within that, a slender book. "Our instructions from Sir Nigel were to journey to Fort Lowfield and meet with the King's men in order to participate in the battle for retaking Dillend," she says, returning to the morning campfire, "Although those were our specific orders, it would seem that it was left up to us to determine how quickly we reach our destination, with the understanding that sooner would be better than later, of course. It would also seem that we are left to determine the manner in which we aid Sir Moore in his attack. Even Sir Nigel believed that Rinder's Six would not be used as common foot soldiers...perhaps information gathering might be a better choice for us?"

"Canter?" she asks, "You seem to think that Dire Luthor can provide us with information that could put things in our side's favor. Why? Did the murder of Sir Logan precipitate the border invasion in some way? Or is he allied with the troops from Caerloon? Aside from bringing a murder suspect to justice...something which I have a vested interest in, of course...what other reasons do we have for finding this man?"

"Yes, of course," Canter begins, realizing that neither Emma nor Hannibal know of the events at the front. "On one of our previous missions, we were sent to the Rinder-Caerloon border--the front--where the line of forts sit. We arrived at Fort Mitchend. During our overnight stay, the captain of the fort, Captain Frond, was found murdered. Instantly, we were supects. We managed to convince the other officers to allow us to go to the nearest fort, Fort Dillend, and retrieve the Knight--Sir Logan--who was in command of the entire line of forts along the border. It was hoped that Sir Logan would conduct the investigation into Frond's murder."

Emma blinks, but keeps her attention focused on Canter's story. The murder of a captain in the King's army could not be considered an insignificant thing. But surely, the Knight, Sir Logan, would have been able to deal with the problem, given that he was in command of the entire line of border-forts. But, didn't Crayne indicate that the knight was also murdered? And supposedly by Dire Luthor...?

Canter strokes his mustache as he continues, his eyes alternating between Hannibal's and Emma's. "We set of for Dillend, but were attacked by a party of raiders from Caerloon en route. I was captured. The rest of the party made it to Dillend, and notified Logan. Then they set off back to Mitchend with the Knight. Along with Sir Logan travelled his mage, Dire Luthor. Dire seemed a nice man, he befriended Crayne and even gave Crayne a few new spells, I was later told, to add to his spellbook.

"Before reaching Mitchend, the party bid Logan farewell and set off to find me and complete their mission. Thankfully, they did both! Then, on our way to the mine (where our next mission lay), our path crossed with a messenger from the front to Parton. The messenger told us that Sir Logan had been murdered, and that Dire Luthor was the prime suspect. We completed our mission in the mine, at the end of which we discovered a treasure which included magic scrolls created by Dire Luthor. The scrolls revealed Luthor to be a member of the Red Dragon School, which Crayne told us is an ancient, mysterious, and powerful secret society of mages."

"Red Dragon?" Emma murmurs to herself. Wasn't that one of the mythical creatures she had read about in the books and scrolls of her temple? A very evil, cunning, and powerful beast that only the holiest of Anhur's servants had ever defeated before. Why would someone name a school of magic after such a thing? The connotations of the name alone would be enough to declare such an organization as evil. And Dire Luthor supposedly belonged to such a group? That wouldn't bode well for his defense, if he were actually innocent of the crime...

Canter continues, "When we arrived at Castle Parton, just before you two were introduced to the party, we were informed that Dillend had been captured. But it seems that just before its capture, the forts acting commander, Captain Sanford, ordered all border patrols stopped. Why would he do this?, everyone at Parton wondered. We would not know, as Sanford was captured along with the fort. Plus, Dire Luthor escaped his captivity.

"But you see," Canter continues, his eyes sparkling in the firelight, "because Sanford deliberately stopped the patrols, the soldiers at Dillend had no way to know that they were about to fall under siege. What's more, for Sanford to become commander of the fort, Sir Logan had to be killed. And with Sir Logan gone, coordination between the border forts will fall into disarray.

"This all sounds to me like more than a simple murder. And though the evidence about Dire Luthor is contradictory, he did not seem to me like an evil man. He must have known something to make him escape his capture and risk the entire Knighthood hunting him down. And if what he knows reveals why Sanford stopped his patrols and why Dillend fell to Caerloon so quickly, then I believe he is worth going after."

Canter turns to Cy. "Cy, you of all people I know can appreciate a tactical advantage when planning an assault or battle. We have the plans for Dillend, and that will help. But Dire Luthor has actually lived, worked, and fought at Dillend. Imagine the help he could offer in retaking the fort!"

Emma's thoughts turn inward as Canter turns to speak with Cy. The warrior's words seem distant as she considers what Canter has told her so far. If Dire Luthor was innocent of the crime of murder, then a great injustice would be done if he was allowed to take the blame. More over, if the true villain turned out to be Captain Sanford or someone else in the service of Caerloon, evil would be laughing in the face of justice as it sat back and watched Rinder pursue one of its own for a crime the mage didn't even commit.

That was a possibility, though. Not a certainty. Then again, why would Crayne be having such strange dreams proclaiming Dire Luthor's innocence? Could the mage be powerful enough to reach into another's dreams in order to communicate? Or was this dream sent by the god of Fate, himself, in an effort to spur Rinder's Six to action? The truth was in there somewhere...and it would take a servant of Anhur to discern it fully. Of that, she was certain...

Returning his gaze to Emma and Hannibal, Canter concludes. "I don't know if what I tell you convinces you any further. But it seems to me we ought to at least check it out. Jilten isn't even that far off our path to Lowfield. It will allow us to, as you say, Emma, investigate our options."

"No offense Canter," Hannibal objects, "but I was never much for the company of mages. That aside, however, I don't think we can turn down this opportunity. Sounds like this Dire Luthor fella can help us a great deal more with this mission than we originally thought. I'm in, but I think we need to stick together too so if this is going to lead to a breakup then maybe we should just press on."

Looking at some of the others, especially those who don't care for the idea, Hannibal asks, "How about the rest of ya?"

"It would seem that Canter makes a very good case," Emma replies, briefly bowing her head in his direction, "I cannot judge Dire Luthor unless I see the man and hear his own defense. Only then will I be able to determine if there is evil in his soul. And, believe me, the stain of murder cannot be hidden from the eyes of Anhur. If Jilten lies close enough to Lowfield to cause us very little delay, then I would say it is in our best interest to investigate the matter.

"If nothing else, it might help our friend Crayne rest a little easier at night...," she says, smiling in the mage's direction and noting the sleepy look on his face and in his eyes. "And, if Canter's right about Dire Luthor, perhaps he would be invaluable in assisting us. If the mage truly is innocent and Sanford is playing a game and just pulling everyone's strings from the shadow of Caerloon, then we must put the captain down and bring him to justice instead. Perhaps Luthor will have some ideas on how to do just that, ideas that will prove invaluable to our troops when they try to retake Dillend."

Storm grumbles a bit and shrugs his shoulders. He turns his head to the site and spits into the grass following a loud snort. "I be no good at these thinkin' things. So I be sayin' I go along with what the rest uh ya's be decidin'." He scratches his nose as if to punctuate the final word.

Edryd, so far silent, sits by the fire rubbing his chin, just staring into the orange flames and the sunrise over Merriam. Finally, the Paladin speaks. "I'm not much for evil magical societies. Nor do I like to keep company with murderers. But I agree with Canter's reasoning. Hannibal," he turns to face the thief, "you're right. We're not paid to track down suspected murderers. But we'll also not get paid if we don't survive the battle at Dillend. If Dire Luthor can aid in our success, then I believe it is worth at least a short detour...at least enough to speak with him."

He clears his throat, looking up to Crayne. "Crayne, you may not have always been the most polite member of our fair gang, but you've always fought hard with us and remained loyal." He then looks around the rest of the party. "I think we should go to Jilten, at least to hear this wizard out."

It is then decided. Though not fully satisfied with the reasons, Cy does not argue his point further. He gathers his things in silence as the party prepares to continue the journey.

The horses are soon mounted and Rinder's Six sets off along the road once again. They follow the road, which leads toward Merriam, but decide not to enter the city, believing time to be crucial. They then turn onto the south-bound road, heading toward Nesor, Jilten, and the Caerloon border. The day passes without incident; the weather is prime for travel. Just a slight breeze from the north through partly cloudy skies.

Nightfall approaches, and once again the party pulls off the road to make camp. The fire is lit, rations are eaten, and soon sleep is upon the party. In the morning, everyone awakens once again. Crayne looks a bit more rested this morning, which pleases Canter. After a short breakfast, they continue their ride southward. By midmorning, they pass through the small village of Nesor.

Another night spent around the campfire passes. Edryd informs the others, after looking over the map, that they should arrive in Jilten by dusk the following day. Watches are set, dinner is eaten, and once again the party drifts off to sleep. The morning routine is much the same, and soon camp is broken and Rinder's Six once again hits the open road.

By late afternoon, the town of Jilten can be seen on the horizon down the road.

"Did Dire Luthor say where in Jilten he would be?" Emma asks Crayne, pulling her horse alongside.

"No. No, he just said he'd be in Jilten." Crayne responds quietly.

"Hmm..." Emma replies.

As the sun sets the party enters the town of Jilten. The town itself is made up of many buildings along the main road, as well as smaller roads which lead off to farm houses on the outskirts of town. The main town square sits in the center of town, off of which the familiar tavern sits (where the party first met 'The Stranger'). Pulling up to the tavern, the horses are secured to the hitching post and the party prepares to walk inside.

The room is fairly large, with an area for round tables taking up most of the room, and the bar taking up the rest. A large fireplace is on the far wall to the left (as you enter the room), and the bar is long the wall to the right. A staircase can be seen straight ahead, presumably leading upstairs to the rooms for let. Another door sits along the wall just next to the staircase.

The tavern is lightly populated. Three or four men sit at the bar, dirty from a day in the fields. A man and two women sit around one of the round tables. A family of six sit around another. Three elves sit at one of the tables, their bows leaning against the wall behind. A dwarf and halfling share a pitcher of ale at another. And a lone woman, dressed in common clothes, her brown hair just shoulder-length, sits at another table, hunched over a bowl of soup. Her eyes dart up to the party as they enter the room, but quickly return to her soup.

"Okay, Crayne," Cy growls under his breath as they stand in the doorway, "Where is the mage from your dreams? Or are you simply wasting our time?"

1. Healing: Emma has cast Cure Light Wounds on Canter, Cy, and Edryd, and Cure Moderate Wounds on herself and Storm. In addition, each character gained an additional two hit points for overnight rests during the trip. As of now, all characters are at max hp unless marked with a (*) below:

HP Status: *Canter: 20, *Storm: 23, Edryd: 21, Crayne: 9, *Cy: 29, Hannibal: 14, Emma: 24

2. Emma, according to your records, how many/which spells do you currently have memorized?

3. What about the scene in the tavern in Jilten?

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