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

Suddenly Hannibal realizes the magnitude of what he has done and feels the guilt of the burden he has brought upon the party. Stammering, trying to explain himself, the best he can come up with spills off his lips: "I didn't think he'd catch on...he was drunk!"

Seeing the judging eyes of his friends fall upon him, especially those of Emma, Hannibal decides it is time to react. Dropping the coins he had just stolen, Hannibal takes Storm's beefy hand and places it against his throat. Winking, he exclaims, "Now squeeze, but not too hard." Once done, he hollers out, "Lemme go, get your hands off of me runt!"

Storm stands in the alley, still bewildered at Dire Luthor's transformation.  He catches himself standing with his jaw gaping open a few seconds later, just in time to hear the victim of Hannibal's pickpocket yell into the street.  He turns to look at Hannibal with the rest of the group, but instead of scorn Storm looks upon him with a smile, genuinely amused at Hannibal's successful thieving skill. "I not be tryin' that meself in a while!" he thinks to himself.

Storm then feels Hannibal take his hand and raises it to his own throat.  Storm, catching on, squeezes a little (perhaps a little too hard), and then looks toward Crayne and Canter, as if silently asking them to say something.

Emma quickly steps forward and attempts to slap Storm's hand away from Hannibal's throat. She looks at the admitted-thief and hisses in a quite angry voice, "You will NOT add deception to your list of sins this night! What do you expect the rest of us to do? Stand around and be party to the lie you seek to weave?"

She steps back and crosses her arms over her chest, obviously not in a mood to be argued with on this case, and continues speaking in a low voice, "If you have the courage to admit to us the crime you've committed, then do so to the man that you have robbed, and beg for his forgiveness! If you return the money now and acknowledge your wrong-doing and convince him that you've learned your lesson, perhaps all will be set right again..."

She shakes her head and says, "Hannibal, you disappoint me. I thought you said your life had changed. Was that a lie as well? Or did you give up robbing caravans in order to pick the pockets of drunkards? You can be a much better person than that..."

Hannibal, his attempt thwarted by Emma, begins to boil with anger inside. What did he need with this whole mess after all? Maybe Cahner was out of his mind for suggesting a thief to accompany this quest. He curses under his breath as the voices drew near, no doubt attracted to the noises from the alleyway.

Under his breath, Cy curses, "Is there ever an end to the troubles?" He addresses the group: "If there is an exit, we take it now. I will not fight those wronged by one of us... even if it is in their own minds. If we are cornered, do not kill." He then whispers, "That bard would be handy now..."

Completely shocked by Hannibal's words, Crayne looks sheepishly at Dire Luthor. Seeing Emma take argument, he spits out: "We haven't time for this! For Dire Luthor is a wanted man and we are bringing unwanted attention to ourselves. I'll deal with these. Hannibal wait with me!"

Seeing Crayne make motions as if to cast a spell, Emma remembers back to the way Rinder's Six handled the ruffians in the marketplace back in Parton. She imagines Crayne must be preparing to cast the same dazzling spell that knocked the lead ruffian unconscious, and she grows even angrier.

She begins to move toward Crayne, but find's Cy's body standing in her way. The warrior cautions her, "Priestess, there is a time for everything. Now is not the time for morals of societies. We will police our own... LATER. Now, we endager others. Let them solve this with action and we'll mince words LATER."

She glares at the warrior, daggers in her eyes. Then, looking past him, she calls to Crayne. "NO!" she says to Crayne, her voice straining to keep low and quiet, but it's clear enough for him to hear her easily. "Once before you have used the excuse that there isn't enough 'time' for whatever mess we find ourselves in...and you seek to make matters worse by attacking the innocent in order to protect the guilty. That's WRONG! And we will NOT engage in that sort of solution again! I tell you there IS enough time to deal with this matter honorably and peacefully! Stop trying to find the 'magical' way out of things. Use your common sense for once, instead of that rubbish you've been reading in your book of spells! Is there no thread of common decency or courage in you or Hannibal at all?"

She looks at Hannibal and says, "Take responsibility for your actions! Show to me that you wish to change. Now is the time to make your decision...and quickly!"

Her eyes move from Crayne to Dire Luthor and then back to Edryd. What must the older wizard think of Rinder's Six now? Did he approve of Crayne's solution over hers? Was he murderous enough to not even care about a few drunken townspeople? And what about Edryd? How did the Sword-Bearer feel about everything now? He had taken the easy way out at the marketplace in Parton...would he do so again...and disappoint her once more?

Crayne pauses in his spellcasting; but not due to Emma's stern words. Rather, he sees Edryd's body move toward the street. He exhales loudly out of frustration, then turns on Hannibal after giving a quick angry look through Cy to Emma.

"I suggest you return their money for the Rinder's Six believes in the conquering of evil." Crayne winks and steps closer towards Hannibal, "I think it's for your own safety lad, for I don't think Emma will take kindly to such actions and you've seen her on the battlefield."

Nodding in agreement, Hannibal fishes the rest of the money out of his pocket and holds it in his sweaty hand. Looking Crayne in the eyes, he allows a slight smile. "Thank you friend, I owe you."

As Edryd hears the men coming and searching for their 'thief,' Edryd reddens with shame. As Storm, Crayne, Canter and Cy have now often seen, his eyes flash like blazing emeralds as he considers how this can be handled honorably. Driven by their need and his desire to help his newfound friend live honorably, he motions everyone to hang back (essentially ignoring the bickering behind him) and turns the corner to meet the pursuers, making sure that the mark of Anhur the Just is evident on his tabard.

As they approach, he hails them, asking, "What troubles you this night, gentlemen?"

The lead man stumbles up to Edryd, the stench of ale on his breath and his eyes bloodshot red. "I been robbed! By one of yer pals!"

As they relate what has happened, even accusing him of being an accomplice, Edryd tries to assure them that he had no idea this had happened. "Yes, the man you seek is my companion, but no, Anhur would never sit still for such an injustice. Allow me to make restitution to you directly. What was your loss?"

He waits as they tell him, being sure that he is not being lied to, and then, seeing that they are truthful, says, "Allow me to repay you double what you have lost, sending you home richer than when you left, and secure in the knowledge that Anhur will see that this sin, like all others, are answered for in full."

The 'victim' looks flabbergasted, peering over his shoulder at his two drunken friends. "I...I...uh...well..." he then lets out a reverberating belch and promptly passes out, buckling at the knees and falling backwards into the arms of one of his buddies. The two buddies behind him burst into laughter, dropping their friend into the dirty street, clenching their stomachs, and clapping their hands with uncontrollable laughter.

Emma watches with wide-eyed concern as Edryd takes matters into his own hands and steps around the corner. She listens intently, though quietly, as she hears him speak with the townspeople. "Anhur watch over him and bless his efforts," she mentally prays. She motions toward Dire Luthor, urging him to move back into the shadows, so the townsfolk won't see him if they decide to turn the corner anyway. After that, she stands beside Hannibal, determined to see him do the right thing...and just as determined to see that the townsfolk give him the opportunity. Her hand tightens on the grip of her broadsword, just in case.

Edryd hesitates, unsure of what to do next. Suddenly, the two stop laughing, peering straight at Edryd. One steps right up to the paladin, pressing his face very close to Edryd's to look him in the eye. "Yer still gonna pay up, right?" He then bursts out into laughter again, which causes his friend to laugh again, as well. Edryd releases his breath (which he had been holding to avoid the stench), and looks into the alley to Hannibal.

Hannibal mopes out of the alley, dropping the coins onto the chest of the drunkard lying in the street. Edryd reaches into his own pocket and pulls out the matching amount, placing it and Hannibal's coins into the man's pants pocket. "Now take your friend here and head back to the tavern."

Still laughing, the two grab their friend's shirt and drag him back toward the tavern, leaving Rinder's Six and Dire Luthor alone once again in the street.

After returning to the others, Edryd turns to Hannibal. "Friend, it is with great effort that I still believe in your efforts to change, to become upright. Emma has vouched for the truth of your intentions, and I will not see her trust besmirched. I have paid for your sin this time for the greater good."

The situation defused, Emma spins around and yells at Cy. "'LATER' is NOT sufficient!" she snaps, realizing that the majority of the group seems to exercise the morals of society only when it benefits them to do so, "People that wrap themselves in the law of convenience are nothing more than hypocrites. If you can't stand here and face the consequences of Hannibal's actions as a caring friend rather than encourage him to get away with such behavior by only dealing with it 'LATER', then you're as misguided as he has become, Cyveiliog. And how can you sanction the use of force against people that we have no quarrel with? We would only cast ourselves in just as bad a light as Hannibal..."

Cy, his own anger aroused, shouts back at the priestess. "Who's bad light are we cast in? Who's society is deciding how WE should behave? We decide how we behave. Our morals are between ourselves and our gods. They need not be thrust upon others!"

"What?!" Emma sputters, "And you just said not a moment ago that you 'police your own'. That in and of itself implies that you are thrusting a set of morals upon someone, even if it is determined as part of a group vote. But, don't you have any respect for the law of our society and your King at all, Cyvieliog? Your words border on anarchy and even treason. If the society that we live in didn't set some sort of general laws to live by, we would be nothing more than barbarians, thieves, and cut-throats, every last one of us!"

She takes a step back and looks at Cy strangely, "If I were to live by your words right now, I could decide for myself how I want to behave...and if I decided to kick you in the groin, beat you unconscious, and steal your valuables, you're telling me that society shouldn't do anything to prevent me from doing that? Are you saying that their laws shouldn't be 'thrust' upon me? It should just be between me and the gods? Ridiculous! That's not the way things are in Rinder's society...and I'd suggest you look around and get used to it, lest you find yourself thrown into shackles and rotting in prison as a result of your philosophy. Or perhaps you'd rather cross the border and join with those under Caerloon's banner? From what I've heard of them, they seem more inclined to agree with your line of thinking..."

Edryd then looks around the group for Dire Luthor. His eyes widen as he realizes that the wizard is gone. He steps between Cy and Emma to halt their argument. "Where did he go!" Edyrd wonders aloud.

"I see him!" Hannibal says, running down the street. Luthor's figure can be seen walking away from the party, his head shaking. Canter walks by his side, matching the older wizard's gait. The rest of the party follows Hannibal, jogging down the street to catch up with them.

Crayne catches up to the wizard, panting. He looks at Dire Luthor and smiles, "I thought it was you sitting there in the bar, it was your style. It's been a long time my friend! Too long! Now we are here we will do all that is needed to help you and restore Rinder from the threat of its enemy...."

Dire scoffs at Crayne's words, shaking his head.

"Please, sir!" Emma pleads, "Do not judge us by what just happened back there! We are stronger than we appear."

Dire suddenly stops in his tracks. The rest stop behind him. He slowly turns around, rolling his eyes and speaking as he does. "Sound. Stronger than you sound, my dear. If battles were won with but words, you would be a general." The tone of disgust in his voice betrays the sarcasm of his words.

"We have issues of command and contingencies to work out, yes, but Mister Luthor, we are a strong, cohesive force," Edryd says, holding his hands open in front of him. "And we are here at your request."

"And using precious time on our hasty route toward the front," Cy adds.

Dire breathes deeply, peering at Canter next to him. Embarrassed by his friends, Canter kicks a stone between his feet, not saying anything. "Very well. But general," Dire says sternly, pointing a finger directly at Emma's face, "you hold your tongue. I will not engage in philosophical debate with you. I do not have the patience. And you, thief," he turns his harsh attention to Hannibal, who snaps up erect, "if you cause any more trouble, I will deal with you myself. Now let's go."

Dire turns and begins to march down the street, the others following in silence. He turns a few corners and after a few minutes leads the party to another inn. He looks to Canter. "You, come with me. The rest of you, don't move."

He disappears into the inn with Canter. There is an eerie and embarrassing silence among the party. Nobody says anything. Cy glares at Emma, who at first returns the look, but soon decides that it is unproductive. She simply closes her eyes and lifts her chin, to face the stars above. Storm paces back and forth. A few minutes later, the wizard and the leatherman's son emerge from the inn.

"Come on, we've got rooms for everyone," Canter reports with an uneasy smile. "But first, a meeting." He leads the others into the inn, which is small, but cozy. Up a rickety flight of stairs and into one of the guest rooms the group marches. Then, sitting on the hard bed and two wooden chairs, the group settles in for the 'meeting.'

Dire Luthor clears his throat before speaking. "I did not murder Sir Logan. Nor was I involved in the death of Captain Frond. Yet I have been arrested and charged with both these murders. My reputation among the officers and the men along the front has suffered a severe blow. And it was not extremely well off to begin with, considering how the art of magic is often perceived by the uneducated.

"I did call for you because I do need your help. I have some news for you. I am a member of the Red Dragon School of Mages, a very ancient, powerful, and secretive school of mages which has existed and quietly exerted its influence in matters of politics and state for centuries in this realm. I believe that enemies of my position within the School have conspired to frame me in order to remove me from the membership, knowing that once charged and convicted in the murder of a Knight of Rinder, I would be put to death." He waits on the last word, looking around the group huddled in the room.

"I will make a deal with you, 'Rinder's Six.'" He chuckles quietly as he says the name. "I know you are no doubt on some sort of mission to alter the tide of battle on the front, which lately favors Caerloon. You will probably attempt to retake Dillend.

"Well let me tell you all something, and listen closely: If you attempt to do so without my help, you will all die at Dillend." He stops to let those words sink in. The crickets can be heard in the night outside over the silence in the room.

"So the terms are these. You will--first--help me clear my name. Learn why I have been framed and by whom. And for what greater purpose. In return, I will fight with you--in the name of Sir Logan of the Knights of Rinder--by your side at Fort Dillend. You have some idea of what I can do. There is much more power where that came from, and it will be the wind at your backs.

"If you accept, we leave for Caerloon tomorrow morning. If you refuse, I will not ask or offer again. I will be gone by midnight and you may go on your way.

"What say you, Rinder's Six?"

1. Hannibal and Edryd both gave 2 gp, 7 sp to the drunkards in the street.

2. I tried to include as much as I could from everyone's actions regarding the situation with the drunkards. I hope this was satisfactory...but I didn't mean for that to be a major encounter. So in the interests of keeping the game moving and maintaining excitement, I've pushed the plot along with this turn.

3. What do you say to Dire Luthor's offer? Any questions?

Storm listens to Dire Luthor more intently than he listens to most people of late. He still makes his rude little noises and performs his irritating little quirks as he normally does, but he does not look off or pace or fidget. He is immersed in complete respect of the wonderous magic Luthor is capable of.

Crayne looks at Dire and is completely unsuprised by his tone, "I can only apologise for what happened back there in the street! Recently, through the loss of our bard we have had to fill our group out with two new recruits. Emma and Hannibal. You must bare with us as it takes time and experience to form a group into an efficient and cooperative team. Just like it would I suppose in the army when forming a legion."

Emma interrupts Crayne's words only briefly to add: "Much as it takes honor and a moralistic attitude when forming heroes of legend." She then keeps quiet so the mage can continue...

Crayne does so, "...However you can be rest assured that we will again become as tightly knit as the Rinder's Six that you called upon through my dream. The lady Emma is an accomplished warrior, a master healer and a strong speaker. Her views are firm I know but in time I believe she will maybe be more willing to concede a little."

Emma suppresses a bit of a frown, firmly believing that she was correct to call attention to the group's behavior and lack of moral responsibility. The timing hadn't been perfect. But if this problem was allowed to fester any more than it had already, Rinder's Six could very soon find itself hunted in much the way as Dire Luthor.

Crayne presses on. "Hannibal, too, is a good man and through time I am sure he will quench his desires and keep his hands to himself. When this time comes which will I am sure will be soon the Rinder's Six will be stronger than before. Please, you must recognize that we will try our hardest to help you in what you have asked."

Emma nods in agreement with the mage. Hannibal should and could become a better person...and would take time and friendly encouragement to accomplish it. In addition, Rinder's Six should investigate the matter of Dire Luthor's charges, and doing so, should further the cause of Rinder's forces at the border. "Well stated," Emma says.

When Luthor outlines his proposal, Storm is touched by the words, and as he speaks Storm gets more excited about the possibility of fighting along side this powerful mage. So much so is he excited that when Luthor finishes his speech, Storm is so enthused that he jumps up out of his chair with a triumphant "Aye!!" He looks around though, surprised at his own reaction, and then sits back down. While not actually saying it, it is apparent that Storm wants to help this mage as best he can.

Emma is startled a bit by Storm's quick acceptance of the mission. Was he really so eager to join forces with a man such as this? Dire Luthor would probably make a powerful ally, but at what cost? A frown starts to creep upon her face, but she quickly puts that aside. It would do no good to put on a sour face for everyone again...it would only undermine whatever she tried to say.

"Dire Luthor," she finally states his name, letting it hang for a moment, as if gauging everything that it might stand for, or imply. She gives him a wary look, and continues, "We already know that you are a member of the Red Dragon School. We discussed that before coming to Jilten. The school's very name does not speak well of its members. Even so, Canter and Crayne say good things about you. Both find it hard to believe that you would murder someone. And you claim that you are innocent. I must ask you if you have any proof to support your side of the story? And, admittedly, the deck seems fairly stacked against you at this point...though I'm willing to listen."

She pauses to let the wizard respond, and while listening to his answer, calls upon her god-given talent for peering into the soul's of men. The taint of murder would have to leave a stain of evil upon Dire Luthor. Of that, there could be no doubt. What would Anhur's sight reveal to her?

Dire Luthor raises a single eyebrow as Emma reveals the groups prior knowledge of his association with the Red Dragon School. "Hmm..." he begins, "I see..." Then he appears to gather his thoughts and responds to the priestess' questions. "I have no proof. That is the short of it. I believe that as we conduct this investigation the proof will present itself, and you will see plainly and convincingly that I have been wronged. And for a purpose." He strokes his beard and stands, pacing slightly, his tall frame seeming to fill the room. Then he looks back at Emma, "Until then, I suppose, priestess, you'll just have to accept my innocence at face value...perhaps, take it on faith?"

While listening to his words, Emma silently calls on Anhur to peer into Luthor's soul. She looks into his eyes as he responds, and follows his figure as he paces in the darkened room. Concentrating, she almosts misses his sarcastic remark about faith. She frowns, inwardly, upon hearing it, but remains seated and satisfied, not sensing any great evil within his person. No particularly strong or extreme good, either, but at least no evil.

After being satisfied that the mage held no such sin within him, she taps her chin with one finger, deep in thought. Finally, she speaks to him once more. "If we are to become your investigators, I would like to have more information from you than a simple prediction of our force's doom if we attempt to retake Dillend without your help," she says, keeping her voice level and quietly logical. At the mention of Dillend, Edryd noticeably flinches. The mage and the rest of the party can tell the priestess' opinion of the wizard has improved at least a little.

"What do you know of Dillend and Caerloon's plans to make you so certain of the outcome?" she asks, "And, why would someone have framed you in the first place? Who stands to gain from it? Is it a simple maneuver to insure that you don't take an active role in pushing back the invaders? Or, is it something more than that? Surely you have your suspicions. Tell me about the Red Dragon School. Do the Caerloon forces have members of that organization fighting for them as well? Could they have thrown their support to the Caerloon banner and seek to eliminate those within the organization that would oppose them?"

Crayne smiles, hoping that he has convinced and improved the temper of a man who he looks up to as an idol-figure. As he hears Emma's questions Crayne nodds in an approving manner. "Her points are well made, Dire! I think we do need to know a little more before we just walk into this situation."

Crayne, having listened to Emma, is suprised to hear such questions brimming from her thoughts. Questions that suggest distrust and a certain paranoia for which he was recently slated for by herself when asking for identification of those knights. Perhaps she had learnt something from Crayne after all.

Emma is surprised to find Crayne agreeing with her so much. Her questions had sought to uncover Dire Luthor's character, in an effort to understand if he could even be capable of murder...or if his Red Dragon school could have "evil" intentions toward Rinder. Perhaps Crayne had learned something from her after all about the pursuit of justice? She smiled in his direction, obviously pleased about the turn of events...

Edryd reaches into his heart to see if there is any indication that Dire may be less than truthful. And yet he feels he already knows that answer, and again chastises himself for being mistrustful.

He chuckles to himself at Storm's reaction. "Good sir, it would seem that should we wish to part ways with you, we would still have to chase you on your path if for no other reason than to retrieve our dwarf, and our mage as well." Canter lets out a quiet chuckle, as does Hannibal, from his comfortable seat on the bed.

Edryd smiles, then and continues. "Allow me to clarify a few things. We may have our moments, but there is one thing that is clear. We need you, but you need us as well. If we can all dispense for a time with the conflicts, disagreements and general individualism assaulting our group, and our conversation with you as well, we will find a way to meet all of our goals.

"I believe we will help you, but in the end, we will keep our own counsel. We will depend on you for your expertise, but we will not jump into the flame of battle at your whim or command. We are partners in this effort, if we are to be together at all. For my part, and for Emma's, if I may be so bold, we answer first to Anhur before any other. The rest have their own final authority. Anhur has not failed Rinder's Six. Neither shall we by our own wilfulness fail him. In that you should plainly see that should all agree, should we join you, that neither shall we fail you."

Emma nods at Edryd's speech, graciously allowing the charismatic paladin to speak on her behalf as well as that of Rinder's Six. She watches the wizard carefully for his reactions, noting the way he carries himself with a certain amount of authority and superiority all at once. It reminded her of Crayne at times and only to a certain degree. Her eyes glanced in the "Highbrow's" direction briefly once again. Were all mages destined to become that way? It must have something to do with the amount of personal power...and responsibility...that they assumed.

Coming to her senses, she hears the last of Edryd's words, and picks up where he left off. "Anhur is a god of Truth and Justice, as well as War," she tells Luthor, "If you are innocent then we shall discover that fact with His help. And if you are guilty, the result shall be the same. Will you submit yourself to a trial for treason and murder if we bring a case against you once we are done? Or will you once more go into hiding?"

Dire strokes his beard as he listens to the speeches before him. He nods and paces. "I will share with you my suspicions. And though it breaks the high trust of the School to share its secrets, I beleive it necessary to the very survival of the School, itself, to do so. And so I will share those secrets with you, as well. As for the trail for treason, well..." Dire's voice fades as he continues to pace, a distant look in his eyes. He does not look to Emma, who bites her tounge, still waiting for an answer to the question.

"The Red Dragon School," the elder wizard begins, "has been in existence for many, many centuries. Since before today's modern kingdom's of Caerloon and Rinder. Since before even the older kingdoms of Faren, Lenten, and Sinele. The School has survived the rising and falling of great kingdoms. The fires. The plagues. And it has done so because of its immense strength and power.

"Yet we do not act openly, or often. We do not associate with the various religions of the realm. You will find that most mages, myself included, care little for the stories of great gods and the rituals and festivals one must perform and attend to those gods.

"You will, find, however, that members of the Red Dragon School are placed in key positions in the kingdom. Among advisors, magistrates, judges. We are loyal servants to our masters and lords, and we serve with the utmost skill and honor. Few can wield the power of a Red Dragon mage.

"We each look after the School. Carrying out deeds, doing what must be done, to maintain the power and secrecy of the School. The School." Luthor faces Emma. "The School will look after its own."

Hannibal raises a hand tentatively, which Dire catches out of the corner of his eye. Hannibal asks, "I don't understand. Then why do you need our help?"

Dire nods. "A good question. With events at the front and within castle walls being as they are and as they have been over the past years, a change has come over the School. You see, we are not partisan. We, traditionally, do not side with one kingdom over another in wars. But this change has altered things."

He lowers his chin and smoothes out the front of his shirt. "At the last meeting, the School was bitterly divided between those who openly expressed support for the Kingdom of Rinder, and those who chose to stand with the Kingdom of Caerloon. You must understand, this was unheard of. The great Red Dragon School? Siding with one kingdom against another? We may be powerful, and our intentions are not always seen by others as "good," but we are not murderers! To side with one Kingdom would lead to the slaughter of thousands of innocent men, women, and children who happened to live within the borders of the enemy. The awesome powers of the School have never been allied with one King for this very reason.

"Well, some believed that it was time to change that. I stood up to be recognized, and made my position known. I felt that the School should take neither side. Individual wizards in posts on either side may continue their jobs, fight their battles. But the School as a society should not get involved. The response from the Caerloon camp was immediate and bitter. They cursed at me and pointed at me, yelling that if I was not on their side, I had joined forces with Rinder.

"You see, this outburst was only the culmination of other internal politics within the School. The camps had already been chosen, this was simply the issue where it could all rise to the surface and show its ugly face.

"I pleaded with them, called for them to reason with me. But they would not. They walked out on the meeting, ending any chance of an easy way out of this mess."

"But Dire," Canter says, scratching his temple, "what does this have to do with Sir Logan's murder?"

Dire nods toward Canter. "This is where fact ends and suspicion begins. I suspect that one of the wizards in Caerloon's camp had Captain Frond and Sir Logan murdered in order to frame me. With the perception of wizards as it is, I would never stand a fair trail. After after being convicted of the murder of a Knight, I would certainly be put to death. Then, with me gone, the mages on Caerloon's side could reunite the School and throw the society's weight behind the King of Caerloon.

"Now I understand, too, that Logan's death put Sanford in command of the forts. And that his loyalties are now being questioned. Yes?" Cy nods to Luthor. "This puzzles me. Sanford is not connected to the Red Dragon School in any way that I am aware of. So if he is, indeed, a traitor--truly working for elements of Caerloon--there must be a connection between that and the School somewhere higher up in the chain of command. Where exactly, I cannot say and I do not know. But Logan's death put him in charge, and that change of command immediately precipitated the fall of Dillend..." Dire's voice tails off, his thinking obviously hitting a dead end. "I just don't know the connection. This is what we must find out.

"My death would mean a clear path to reuniting the School behind Caerloon. To whose advantage would that be? And my supposed murder of Sanford led a clear path to the fall of Dillend and the beginning of the war--in which Caerloon has quickly taken the upper hand. Where in the Caerloon heirarchy was that arranged? Who benefits from all this? These are questions which, once answered, will shed light on my innocence, and I believe the true murderers of Frond and Logan." Dire clears his throat.

He turns to face the party once again. "I believe you understand, now, why I say that if you try to retake Dillend without me, you will surely die. I believe with all my intellect that elements of the Red Dragon School are deeply interwoven into the fabric of Caerloon's Army and its plans at the front. I suspect even Red Dragon Mages, themselves, are among the troops. That is why you certainly would not have survived an assault on Dillend.

"Now I will fight with you at Dillend (after proving my innocence). And I have no qualms about taking on another Red Dragon Mage. We would be serving our masters, and loyalty is key. Besides, I have my reasons, otherwise."

Cy, having now quite enough philosophy and storytelling for this lifetime, loses all trace of emotion and returns to the calculating of a mercenary. "You offer a good deal. I do not doubt what you say about losing. My mind would rather have one more ally than one more bystander or worse, enemy."

Hannibal, too, agrees. "Yes, I have been on the battlefield of war. Cahners would attest to that. And if you mages are as powerful as you believe, I would like very much to have one on my side...especially if Caerloon has one, too!"

"Good," Dire says, a smile appearing at his lips. "What say the rest of you? I know of a place where we can start looking. It is a few days travel from here, over the border and in Caerloon. It will be a dangerous journey. Crossing the border without being noticed--or attacked--by either side will be tricky. Not to mention how the mages will feel if they know I am there and that I brought outsiders. But my life--and your lives--depends on our success."

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