Illyana finishes training Aldarin today...and so you make tracks back to the Megadungeon. It is a cool, overcast day with a strong southwest wind.
Around Castle Yuri the peasants are happily putting in another 20 hour day in the fields, getting the crops planted, singing as they do so, glad to have survived another winter. Soon, though, you find yourself in the wilderness that borders the Kingdom of Nlad along the flanks of the Rockies.
It is midafternoon before you arrive at your campsite near the dungeon...in the midst of a torrential thunderstorm.
Farad is ready to return to the dungeons. "But without J'Harast, we should at least have someone who is even potentially able to spot traps in the front. Aldarin, Kelar; are both of you rangers, or simply fighters? I think you would both work best in the front ranks, scouting the way. Then Illyana and I, followed by Raz in the center where he can cast spells to cover both fronts if need be. Then Pillar and Bel, and Britan and Humphrey can take up the rear."
"Sorry Farad but I have no skills with finding traps. I am like you I like to fight but dabble a little in the magic ways. I don't mind being in the front it gives me the best chance to get in on the action." replies Kelar.
Britan is also ready to return to the dungeon if everyone else is.
"As for being in the rear It is better than not going at all I suppose."
"We need a fighter in the back. Aldarin is the only one who has shown any indication of being able to scout for us, and I need to be in the front to determine our direction and because I'm one of the better swords here. Illyana should be next as our leader and as the most experienced fighter among us. She'll have to work twice as hard to cover for the loss of J'Harast. His sword was also deadly. Bel and Raz should be in the center. Pillar I'd prefer to be in the center also. Humphrey is probably the least experienced, so I'm going to put him in the back for now. I'd rather not see him carried back in a box. That leaves Kelar and you, Britan. Kelar has some magical ability, so I think it best if he remain in the center as well so he can use it if need be. The rear is important. We've been attacked from that flank before. Your job is to make sure Humphrey stays alive until he can stand on his own two feet and to protect our magicians."
Farad claps Humphrey on the shoulder. "I do not mean to demean you in any way. But until I see you in action I would prefer to keep you in the back. Don't worry, you'll see plenty of action from there."
Illyana nods. "We do need a rear guard - I hate getting jumped from behind. You are of course more than welcome to step forward and assist if needed." She looks around the group. "There are more ways to be useful in the rear, you realize. Anyone capable of using a bow is just as useful in the rear as the front. I just picked that skill up myself. Farad is right though, I've been around the longest so I am probably the most skilled of the group."
Humphrey returns the gesture. "I am not insulted. I just hope to prove my worth with these", he shows his two-short swords, "and I'll make sure that no one surprises us from behind."
Humphrey smiles at the group. The smile fits his face, but still this one seems a bit enthusiastic. He will learn as the rest look at each other's faces with knowing expressions.
"Lets head on in."
"While reviewing my maps, I realized there were two areas on the first level that we accidentally missed. Lets check those out now."
Farad directs Aldarin to scout the way, going northwest from the entry room, and then west down the first passage to the room beyond. We never checked the second door in that room.
"Aldarin, you're now scout. Listen at the door and if you hear anything let us know. Otherwise open it."
You do so. Aldarin listens at the unopened door, hears nothing, and so you open it.
Beyond is a 10' wide passage running to the northwest...for 60'...at which point it opens up to the west.
You head down there and look...to find yourselves staring into a large chamber (30' X 50': 10' north, 10' south, 50' west).
Apart from a large metal urn with a lid on it, in the northwest corner, with a number of bodies of dead adventurers lying on the floor in front of it, the place is deserted.
Farad looks concerned.
"Careful everyone. I wonder if this has anything to do with that other urn we found that mysteriously knocked us out."
As far as you can tell from 50' feet away, they look like standard human and demihuman types...wearing chain mail, leathers and simple robes. There are four of them. They look like they have been here for awhile.
"Aldarin, spike the door so that it can't shut on us."
Bel, having been far too quiet lately, says, "Quick Farad, it could be another tile, you better go touch it." he snickers a little then says, "OK, anybody got a rope? I propose someone lassoo the lid and pull it off from a good 20 feet away."
"Raz, can you detect for magic?"
Farad has rope. "Lets wait and see if Raz can determine anything."
Bel says, "If he can't I can." and casts detect magic on the urn.
Farad pulls out his map and shuffles it about. "Interesting. The room with the other urn was also 30 by 50. Lets be careful here."
Farad holds his hand to his head, and precogs what might happen if we disturb the urn.
Farad shakes his head. "The urn is trouble. Some of us could die if we disturb it, and some of us are sure to be injured. I wonder if there is an animal of some sort inside."
Farad holds his had again to his head...
Farad takes his hand from his head. "If there were creatures, such as poisonous spiders or centipedes inside, I should have neutralized them just now. And the future doesn't look as bleak."
"Bel, what about magic? If its clear, then lets try pulling it over with the rope now. Also, is any of the stuff these people are wearing magical? Might as well check them too while your spell is going."
The druid concentrates for a second and then says, "It's clean folks, not a speck of magic. Must be a pretty good trap though to catch all those guys."
Nothing on or around the corpses radiates magic either.
Humphrey adds his two cents.
"Could we all stay out the room and have someone shoot the urn to break it? That way we can shut the door hurridly if we did to."
Humphrey is continously looking back down the hall to make sure no one approaches from behind.
"Yes, staying out of the room is ideal right now. But no need to waste arrows or bolts. The rope should work nicely."
It takes you several attempts to get a rope around the urn but finally you do. While the urn is heavy, it does not seem to be full, and so you have little trouble pulling it over.
Suddenly the air at the far end of the chamber is full of darts...as you have triggered some sort of trap...
None of the darts come near you, though.
You cautiously go and look into the tipped over urn...and find a small treasure horde: 13 small diamonds.
Farad eyes the diamonds.
"Not bad. Not bad at all. Aldarin, do you have any skill at appraising such things?"
Aldarin replies, "Nope, can't help you in that aspect."
Farad looks about. "Lets search the room now, and if we don't find anything more we shall head over to the pit that descends down to the lower level and see what lies east of there. Check those bodies, they are sure to have a few coins on them."
Bel says, "Wait a minute folks. If all these warriors dies from darts, why aren't the darts still in them? Who or what came and collected them? We should also have been able to se holes in the clothes, blood stain patterns, etc. Something does not add up here. Be very careful, I think the traps are still to come."
Farad nods, carefully examining everything before checking the bodies for coins and the walls for secret doors.
The corpses are riddled with darts...you just couldn't see them earlier from 50' away.
"Quick grab the loot lets go, there are bound to be more traps here".
Pillar looks around warily.
"We probably would have been okay anyway. If it is to be believed that Farrad did take care of the poison. that is probably what killed those fools," says Kelar.
Farad shakes his head. "I did nothing about poison. I was guessing that perhaps an animal or something like scorpions or spiders were inside the urn. If such was the case, my mind blast should have killed them. But as you saw, I misguessed the nature of the trap."
You take the gems.
Searching everything else in the room, including the bodies, turns up nothing else of interest or value.
You head north and east...past the pit...
The passage continues east of the pit for 60' and on. In the last 10' section of the south wall is a door.
You make for this door.
East of the door the passage runs for another 60' and on.
Opening the door, you see a 10' wide passage running south for 50'...after which it ends at a "T" intersection with a passage running east-west.
You continue east.
Again, this passage continues for 60' and on.
You continue east.
The passage ends 10' past what was previously described. However, there is a 10' wide opening in the south wall.
You look through it...to see a chamber (40' X 60': 10' east, 40' west, 40' south). The chamber is totally barren. A thorough search turns up nothing.
"Well Farad which way do we go now? Is there any more undiscoverd area here or is it time to go down?" asks the cavalier.
Farad suggests going down now to the second level again and going to the passage leading to the elevator shaft. There, instead of going west, head east and then north.
You do so.
Looking north, you see that the passage runs for only 20' and then ends. There is a door in the last 10' section of the west wall.
Aldarin goes and listens at it.
He hears nothing.
Illyana nods. "Open it, lets see what is inside."
Aldarin opens the door.
Beyond is a 10' X 10' room...filled with filth and carrion...and a large, horrible looking, centipede-like creature with 8 tentacles surrounding its maw...
It comes at you...
Kelar says, "I have a feeling we better hope that some one has a cure poison or at least a slow poison spell handy"
Then he waits to see what the others do.
Bel says, "How many do you want? I've got plenty."
Illyana shakes her head. "Those tentacles can paralyze, be careful. I would rather no one came within range if possible." With that, Illyana pulls forward her bow.
Seeing this, Aldarin also pulls forth his bow as well.
Farad mindblasts it.
Humphrey moves up to attack it with both swords smiling all the way.
"My first encounter with a creature".
Laughing Pillar falls over but quickly recovers his dignity "Ahhh reminds me of me in my youth" chortling he charges into combat.
"Tally ho and all that hey Humphrey".
Humphrey smiles in return
"Take this you overgrown fish bait"
"Get um Happy" says Britan.
Raz steps back out of the range of combat and lets the fighters do their thing.
Suddenly the carrion crawler drops dead in its tracks.
You've seen this sort of thing happen before.
Farad stops glaring at the now dead monster.
Aldarin looks to Farad, "Do you wish for me to search the dead end for secret doors?"
Searching, you find no secret doors.
Checking out the garbage-filled room, you come up with all of 333ep.
Farad smiles. "Well, next time we get to bloody your swords. I won't be able to do that again today."
Farad marks down the room on his map. "South and then down to the southwest. We've not looked much past that jumble of halls."
40' past the 5' wide passage is a chamber to the west (20' X 30': 20' west, 20' south; door in east wall south corner).
Apart from 2 incense burners lying on the floor, there is nothing in here.
Aldarin listens at the door but hears nothing.
You open it.
Beyond is a room (20' X 20': 10' north, 20' east). A spear launcher faces you...and sure enough it launches two spears at Aldarin as soon as he opens the door. They nail him in the thigh and the left arm for 6 hit points in total.
Otherwise, the room is empty.
Humphrey looks very puzzled.
"Wait, would someone please tell me what just happened?"
Farad nods. "I killed it mentally. Animals have little protection against such attacks. But I can only do it a few times per day."
Bel sighs and says, "Oh it's just Farad showing off again. He has the power to make any creature see how he views the world and they are usually so appalled that they drop dead on the spot."
You notice Raz staring intently at Farad with a slight grin on his face. He says nothing though.
Humphrey smiles in return,
"So you're one of those mental wonders, that I've heard about. What else can you do?"
With that Humphrey gets back to then end of the party keeping a sharp eye for anything from behind or the sides.
"The gods have blessed me. I can see somewhat into the future, but such things are always hazy at best. And as a paladin I have been blessed by the gods with the ability to heal others."
Raz smirks at this remark, but says nothing...again.
Farad places his hand on Aldarin and heals him fully. "Check the room for secret doors. A trap is usually placed for a reason."
Aldarin finds no secret doors.
Finding nothing, you go back up the hall, go southeast, and down to the door on the right that lies a 100' south of that passage.
Aldarin listens at this door and again hears nothing.
Opening it, you find a barren room (20' X 40': 30' north, 20' west). You search it but find nothing...not even a secret door.
"Alright, lets go up the hall a bit, through the door on the right, and back south and around the corner to the next door."
Reaching the door in question, Aldarin listens at it. He hears nothing, so you open it...to reveal a room (30' X 40': 10' north, 10' south, 40' east; door in north wall, 10' - 20' section; door in north wall east corner; door in south wall, 20' - 30' section).
Otherwise, this room is bare.
You head in to poke about.
As Illyana goes in, though, the floor opens up under her feet and she falls into a 10' deep pit - just inside the door - and is impaled on the sharpened spikes at the bottom for 13 hit points of damage in total.
Fishing her out, you search the room but find nothing of interest.
Aldarin listens at each of the three doors but hears nothing.
"Yee-ouch! That hurt!" says Illyana.
Humphrey smiles at Illyana, glad that she is alive.
"Wow Illyana, I thought you were dead for sure. I can't say I would have survived such a fall. Shouldn't someone heal that?"
Illyana shakes her head. "I've survived worse, thank you."
"You know this rear of the party thing isn't as bad as I thought. Ok so what I have learned so far. Open doors so your are not in the doorway and hey, how should we avoid such pits in the future?"
Farad smiles. "Watching where you step is important. We've been hit from above so many times we may forget that."
Farad asks Pillar, "Are you a strong enough cleric that your god grants the ability to see traps?"
Springing into action from deep intrspection Pillar says "Of course, but not at the moment, I have other more important prayers I will think we will need. That prayer has a rather limited duration as well, so perhaps it should be best used only when we are pretty sure of a trap"
Pillar grins at his last few words.
Farad heals the woman fully.
"Aldarin, spike the two northern doors. We'll follow the south one."
He does so and you open the south door.
Beyond is another good-sized room (30' X 40': 30' south, 30' east; doors in middle and northern sections of west wall; door in north wall, 20' - 30' section as measured from the west; door in east wall, north corner). Apart from a pair of rusted thumb-screws lying on the floor at your feet, this place is empty.
Aldarin again listens at doors.
He hears a low grunt from the northwest door...nothing through any of the other doors.
"Quick grunt back, lets set up some communication and grunt this out peacefully" Pillar looks at the rest of the party expectantly.
Humphrey responds to Pillar,
"Pillar, I would but I don't recognize what language that paticular type of grunting is. For all I know, I might grunt the wrong thing and insult the creatures mother."
You can tell Humphrey enjoyed his own remark, as he has a big grin on his face.
Quietly Farad motions for Aldarin to secure the other doors in this room.
He does so.
Farad then takes position near the door with the noise and nods that it should be opened.
His sword is out and ready.
Illyana pulls her bow forward and readies it. "I want one shot before everyone rushes in."
Britan has his sword out and ready for action making sure he is not directly in front of the door.
Raz, noting his companions actions, moves out of the range of combat.
Kelar moves to the other side of the door that Farad is on and waits for Illyana to get her shot off before attacking.
Aldarin opens the door...revealing a room (20' X 30': 20' west, 20' south; door in middle of east wall).
In here is a giant...an enormous, ruddy specimen, sitting on a stool munching from a bag of dwarf-ear chips. He wears a King Snurre Fan Club t-shirt.
"GRUNT!" he exclaims when you open the door, leaping to his feet and taking up his spiked club. He charges you.
Illyana releases her arrow. It nicks him, breaking a fingernail for 1 hit point of damage.
Then he is on Aldarin, whom he proceeds to mash for 19 hit points of damage right off. The elf is sent reeling...blood streaming from a massive head wound.
Seeing his friends in trouble, Raz casts a magic missle spell at the creature.
Three missiles slam into the giant, bruising him.
Farad points his finger at the creature and releases his magic, hitting the thing with arrows that appear from nowhere.
Two more missiles hit the giant.
"Raz, hit him with whatever you've got! Everyone, surround him. He can't hit us all. Aldarin get back. Bel, do what you can for him now."
Bel says, "Oh lord not again. I hate it when I have to do this." And proceeds to cast charm on the giant.
The giant shakes his head ponderously but otherwise seems to be unaffected by the spell.
Aldarin scrambles back as the giant turns on Farad.
Farad attempts to place himself between Aldarin and the giant, swinging his sword at the thing.
Humphrey, moves behind the Giant. After seeing what the Giant can do Humphrey will save one attack for to Block the Giants attack and the other(s) to attack the Giant.
Illyana draws her two handed sword and tries to get in on the giant's flank.
The fire giant brings his club down hard on the grey elf, who takes 19 hit points of damage. He brings up his longsword, though, and slices open a nasty cut across the monster's knee.
Humphrey, still smiling, attacks with one shortsword and deftly removes a kidney from the giant's left side.
"GRUNT!" grunts the giant in anger.
Illyana is on the other side and also connects for 10 hit points of damage.
The giant goes after Farad again and his spiked club tears the length of his shield arm open for 17 hit points of damage. The elf, fighting for his life now, misses with one sword thrust but connects with his next, badly wounding the giant.
Behind him, Humphrey misses repeatedly...as does Illyana.
Illyana keeps swinging..
Humphrey shouts towards Farad
"Farad block his attacks we'll slay the beast."
Farad does so, and Britan steps in. Once out of harm's way, he fully heals himself.
The giant swings at the cavalier and misses.
Raz casts another blaze of magic missiles at the giant!
Raz blows its head off!
The giant topples to the floor...dead.
Bel, judging Aldarin is worse off than Farad, casts heal on Aldarin. The elf is healed for 8 hit points.
Searching the room and the body, you find a lot of giant-type odds and ends (stones, bones, those dwarf ears, etc.) but nothing of value.
"Wicked, most wicked indeed" Pillar exclaims.
You hear Raz say, "Well...that takes care of that.", in a matter of fact tone. Looking towards Raz, you can all see that he is very pleased with himself at the moment.
"That was some impressive fighting Everyone" says Britan.
Looking at the crumpled members of the party PIllar sighs " I told you we should have sorted this out peacefully, now look whats happened", shaking his head in disgust Pillar peers around the room.
"So anyone need the aid of a cleric or will the mind mage suffice?"
Farad shakes his head. "A close one, but as a team we were a match for it." Farad lays his hand on Aldarin and heals him the rest of the way.
"Lets finish checking this room, and then we'll go out and try the door on the east wall of the room leading to this one."
"How is everyone doing for spells? If we are low, after we check the next room we will likely be back near the entrance to this level."
Holding his hand to his head and looking still shaken a bit, Aldarin says, "I hope that is the one and only member of the Snurre Fan Club residing in this dungeon..."
Raz replies, "I'm doing okay right now."
"It looks like we might actually be getting better at this. No arguments or anything. Or it could be we were all scared to death and no one could talk," adds Kelar. "I am okay on spells still how are the two of you?" nodding towards Farad and Aldarin.
Aldarin: "I still have mine, though nothing that would fell a giant."
You open the door in the east wall.
Beyond is a room (20' X 30': 10' north, 30' east; door in west wall north half; door in north wall west corner; door in east wall south corner; door in middle of south wall).
Just inside the door are a pair of snakes...fangs dripping venom...
One lunges at Aldarin and bites his arm! The elf howls as he takes 16 hit points of damage from the bite.
The other snake slithers up to Illyana...
Raz steps back out of the range of combat shouting, "Step back everyone!" and casts sleep on the attacking snakes.
Humphrey and Britan fall asleep. The snakes remain wide awake.
The snake bites Aldarin again...and he takes an additional 7 hit points of damage.
He falls unconscious.
Farad attempts to decapitate the snake on Aldarin with his sword. "Vile creatures!"
He does so.
Illyana squares off against the second snake. Both miss.
Kelar tries to help her but misses as well.
Raz kicks the fighter and the cavalier awake again.
Bel sighs and casts cure poison on Aldarin.
Aldarin regains consciousness, but he is still very weak and unable to fend for himself, as...
...the door in the north wall west corner opens, six men and women pour out, brandishing various weapons and things, and come at you...
Raz steps back and casts magic missle at the biggest looking man.
One of the armoured men is badly wounded.
Farad speaks the incantation that hopefully will put this lot to sleep. (And no, its not a sermon.)
Bel listens and says, "I think the sermon would be more effective for that purpose. Does the job for me."
Humphrey nods off again...so does the snake...as does a woman clad in the robes of a magic user.
Bel, shocked at Raz's sexist behavior, casts heat metal on the most dangerous creature (Wouldn't want to be prejudiced against the snakes mind you, oh sorry appendage impaired saurians) present that is wearing or wielding metal.
Princess Sarah obviously had a greater impact on Bel than he will admit to...
Suddenly a seventh female appears, magic missiles springing from her outstretched hand. They slam into Raz...who takes 13 hit points of damage.
One of the other armoured individuals commands Bel to -
"Sleep!"
Bel obliges, and falls into a comatose slumber...his spell only half cast.
Then another armoured woman - a cleric as well, obviously - says to Pillar:
"Die!"
"Oh I am slain" Pillar exclaims, a look of mirth on his face slowly fades as he loses muscular control.
He drops dead on the spot.
The clerics begin casting more spells.
Farad begins swinging his sword at any left standing...as do Britan, Kelar and Illyana.
Farad clangs his longsword off of his opponent's plate mail...as his opponent does likewise with him.
Britan connects with the fighter that Raz wounded, and the big man drops.
Kelar goes after the magic user who hit Raz...but she dodges him and runs away.
Illyana finds herself confronting a man in chain mail with a tuba strapped across his back. The tuba carrying man has a longsword, though, which he uses with great effect on the girl...as she takes 13 hit points of damage right off. Illyana misses with her two-handed sword, but her opponent does as well.
Suddenly Raz feels his joints stiffen...but through sheer strength of will alone he manages to resist the foul magic. Farad is not so strong, though, and he is held. Kelar also successfully resists the magic.
Simultaneously it becomes very quiet at your end of the room...as a magical silence spell takes effect...
Raz speaks...but nothing comes out.
He curses silently and kicks Humphrey awake. The fighter scrambles to his feet.
Kelar pauses, casts a magic missile at the remaining magic user, and then moves against a cleric.
Britan attacks the fighter who was on Farad. He says something but the spell silences his words.
His sword misses. The enemy turns on him and misses too.
The clerics are incanting again. Raz feels his joints stiffen a second time...but again he successfully resists.
Illyana waves her hands, trying to get people to stop fighting..
Her foe takes advantage of her actions and hits her twice, for a total of 27 hit points of damage.
Aldarin reaches down and draws one of his magic cards, that he received as a gift at Yuri's, at the attackers.
Suddenly the fighter on Britan and the guy with the tuba both throw down their weapons and surrender.
At the same time, Bel wakes up and Pillar surprisingly comes back to life.
Britan leaves the surrendered fighter be and goes after the magic user. Seeing him coming, she speaks a word and winks out of sight. He swings his sword at where she stood but misses.
Bel gets up and swears a blue streak but the streak is all you see due to the silence spell. Bel draws his glowing hammer and charges the cleric on the left and bashes him with the hammer. She finishes a spell and reaches out to touch him as he swings...and both miss each other...
Illyana starts cursing (trying to anyway) and waving for one of the clerics for healing.
Kelar, meanwhile, corners the other cleric. She also tries to touch him, but he dodges her outstretched finger and swings his scimitars. She dodges both of them as well.
Humphrey helps Britan deal with the invisible magic user, who you can hear running around. He connects twice with her...and you hear her drop.
All that remain are the two clerics. Bel and the first cleric trade misses. Then, Humphrey steps up and plunges a shortsword into her side, opening up a terrible wound. His second attack misses.
Meanwhile, Kelar and his target both miss. Britan charges in to help out...and misses as well.
Back with the first cleric, Bel gains initiative and crushes her skull with a final swing of his hammer.
Kelar, the last cleric, and Britan all miss each other.
Humphrey joins them...and everyone misses each other again.
Finally, Humphrey lands two hits and finishes her off.
The final tally...four dead (a fighter, magic user and two clerics), one sleeping magic user, and two surrendered people (one fighter and one fellow with a tuba).
"Please, have mercy on me!" wails the latter when the silence spell wears off as he grovels at Illyana's feet. "If you do...I'll play a tune for you!"
Aldarin is out of action. Farad is thawing out.
"You'd better not make a move you!", says Raz getting back up on his feet.
"If anyone has any rope, I suggest you tie these three up so that we can interogate them.", says Raz to his fellow companions, he then turns to face the two standing captaives and says, "You make one move and you're dead.", in a deadly serious voice.
Bel puts one foot on the dead clerics chest and gives his best Tarzan imitation then goes over to tuba boy and says, "One toot and you'll get what she got. That's all we need, some guy charming us with a magic tuba. I don't want to be doing polkas down the catacombs." As he watches tuba-boy he casts a heal on Illyana.
"I won't charm you! I give you my word...or my name isn't Bill the Bard!" tuba boy replies.
Illyana is healed for 1 lousy hit point.
When Farad is finally able to speak, he looks at the fighter. "No music. I do not trust you minstrels and bards. I've heard you can charm a man with your notes. No, if you wish to live, you will tell us what you are doing here, and why you attacked us."
"You guys looked like easy marks. Guess we were mistaken, huh?"
"Are there others about? Who do you serve?"
"Ourselves, mostly."
"If anyone, where is this person?"
Bill the bard shrugs with a friendly grin.
As Farad speaks, he goes to those who are injured and heals their wounds.
Farad also cuts off the head of the sleeping snake. "Lets tie these others up. One of them is sure to talk."
You tie them all up.
Illyana shakes her head. "Not worth it, not with a tuba. Why are you down in this place?"
"Looking for loot. How about you guys?"
"What orders do you have which make you attack someone else on sight?"
"Probably the same orders as you have."
"This place has enough monsters running around in it, we don't need people as well coming after us."
Bill smiles at her warmly.
"I'd love to come after you, my dear. Why don't we get together for some fun? My wife won't mind."
He nods to the sleeping magic user.
"Nothing personal here but how bout we conduct this little interogation outside. I would feel a hell of a lot safer." With that said Kelar starts to check all the dead people.
Illyana glances around the group. "Perhaps now would be a good time to use a detect magic spell. I'm curious as to what tuba boy here could be carrying which makes him hit so hard - I'm lucky I lived through that." She glances down at herself. "What a mess, this will take forever to clean. Oh well, you pay the price of combat I guess."
"Ah, but you look so sexy in red!" says Bill, undressing Illyana with his eyes.
Bel nods and casts a detect magic.
After a moment he gets a concerned look on his face.
Bel urgently yells, "Bogies coming out the door (He's pointing at the door the group we just killed came through), two magic souces. Illyana and Raz, invisible magic sources bearing down on each of you from the door." Bel trys to use his detect magic as a guide and trys to swing his hammer at the source bearing down on Illyana. As he does he says, "Farad, Britan give Raz some help. Pillar to Illyana."
Raz readies his staff in an effort to defend himself.
Bill smiles.
"That sounds like my friends Bob and Newt," he says. "Don't worry about them."
Easier said than done...
Suddenly Bob, the most aged thief you ever laid eyes on, appears as he lunges at Raz with a longsword. Raz easily sidesteps him and swings his staff, missing.
Newt, somewhat younger but no more effective, appears behind Illyana, and clangs his sword off of her back plate.
Illyana spins about, sword a-swinging, but he dodges out of her way.
Bel brings his hammer down hard on Newt, but it slides right off him.
Illyana laughs at Bill while she battles Newt. "I doubt you're even close to what I would want. I'm surprised you even have a wife."
"You know, so am I," Bill replies.
"I don't know Illyana you do look pretty good in red," says Kelar with a chuckle, as he heads over to help out with the really old thief.
Illyana shakes her head. "Too boring. Reminds me of blood anyway - which I don't like seeing the sight of because it reminds me someone is dead."
Illyana looks at Newt. "You wish to try me on? Very well, it is your choice. Killing other people seems like such a waste sometimes."
"Never," sneers Newt. "And if you were *my* wife, I'd divorce you."
"More enemies?" Farad quickly springs into action.
Britan charges over to aid Raz with his foe and attacks, saying "Pretty sneaky guy how many more of you are there?"
Bob dodders in and nails Raz with his longsword for 6 hit points of damage. The mage, upset at finding himself in a fight, misses with his stave. Kelar catches Bob a minor hit with his scimitar. Farad, though, misses badly.
Newt slithers under Illyana's old sword but then misses with his own. She catches him the next time, though, and blood sprays out of a leg wound. Bel is still swinging away...and still missing. Britan jumps in and also connects with Newt.
Bob again manages to connect with Raz for 7 hit points of damage. The mage, blood streaming from a chest wound, runs away, and as he does so the old thief lands a parting blow for 8 more hit points of damage. Kelar again lands a minor blow on Bob, though, and Farad does likewise.
Seeing the opening left by the departure of Raz, Humphrey smiles and moves in.
Over with Newt, everyone misses.
Bill cheers.
"Hooray for all sides!" he says.
Bob wheezes as he swings his longsword at Kelar, but the elf is faster and lands a solid blow first...before suffering 2 hit points of damage himself. Farad again lands a minor blow...but they are starting to add up as Bob is slowing down even more. Humphrey connects with his first swing, and Bob's head goes flying.
"Way to go, Bob!" exclaims Bill.
Illyana again catches Newt, but he is healthier than his erstwhile accomplice and still fights on. Bel actually connects with his hammer and then drops it in surprise when he hears Newt's bones crunch. Britan, though, misses badly.
Newt connects with a nice hit on the girl for 6 hit points of damage. Illyana then misses. Bel shocks himself again by connecting for a second time, and Newt's left shoulder is reduced to a bloody pulp. The thief is looking rough, now. Britan, though, fans again.
Illyana lands a blow that sends him staggering...but Newt comes back for one last hit...for 3 hit points of damage. Bel and Britan both miss this time.
Newt swings again and misses...as does Illyana. Bel doesn't, though...and suddenly the battle is over as Newt falls to the druid's gleaming hammer.
In the sudden silence that follows, Bill speaks.
"Can you guys be bought? If I told you where our treasure is, would you let me go?"
Illyana shakes her head. "What a waste. I gave him the option though."
She replies to Bill the Bard.
"Perhaps, depending on what this 'treasure' of yours is and where it is located."
"It's enough to make you rich beyond your wildest dreams," Bill replies. "We found quite a haul, y'know. As for where it is, well, I can't tell you that unless you agree to free us. Is it a deal?"
Farad grins. "Now now. Lets not be hasty. You see, if you don't talk, we can easily kill you and ask your corpse where the treasure is."
"You wouldn't kill me out of hand, would you?" Bill asks in a concerned tone. "Not after I surrendered to you fair and square."
"Hmm yes, I would" Pillar readies his flail.
Farad smiles again. "And why not? You would have killed us. And as for surrendering, if you had your way I'm sure you would have avoided that."
"That's neither here nor there," Bill replies. "You captured me before I could do anything much...so who's to say?"
" As it is, all I can promise you is that we will let you live, and insure that you get a fair trial at Yuri Castle."
"A trial? What am I charged with? Whatever it is, I'm innocent. It was all a bureaucratic mix-up."
"You are guilty from your own words. You thought us easy game. We will find this treasure with or without your help."
"You'll probably be free in a few years. Now wouldn't you rather go that route than the other?"
Farad uses all his charm and charisma in this question...
"My friend, I'd rather avoid getting the law involved at all," he replies. "I offer you a fair deal: our freedom in return for treasure beyond compare."
"Yes, a fair deal. Your life for your treasure." Farad places his sword under the man's throat. "Your next words had best be where the treasure lies, or else make them good, for they will be your last words otherwise."
"Indeed, the law is strong, so I will take that burden off you along with your life". Pillar swings his flail at Bill.
Bill's skull shatters like an eggshell from the impact.
Kelar gets back to more important matters.
"What did your spell detect on these dead people anyway...I don't think they will need it."
Bel scans again...seeing as how his spell has not yet expired.
Bob carried a magic light crossbow...as well as an engraved gem that radiates magic.
Newt had 10 arrows and a wore a helmet.
Al the fighter (the other person who surrendered) wears magic chain mail.
Something in Bill's pack radiates magic.
Bill's wife - who is just coming around - wears a ring.
The second cleric also has something in her pack that radiates magic.
"What are you goingto do with us, then?" asks Al, regarding the smashed remains of Bill's head with a dubious expression.
"You killed my husband!" exclaims the magic user, a woman with Big Hair, now fully awake. "Oh well."
Illyana shakes her head when Pillar crunches Bill's skull. "You people are sometimes a little too bloodthirsty for my tastes."
Britan just shakes his head at what Pillar had done.
However, when Bel announces what is magical, Illyana smiles. "That's why I asked him to do it."
To Hillary, Illyana sighs. "What a sorry lot these people are. I suppose if we let you go outside this dungeon with your lives intact you won't be coming back in to bother us? Especially considering if we remove everything you own."
" I say we take these people to the law if we release them that just makes an enemy that knows us and will prepare better for the next encounter." says the cavalier.
"Oh no, don't do that," says lady Big Hair.
Hillary looks at Illyana for a moment before replying.
"I am an adherent of the ethos of Law. I give you my word that should you free me, I will leave and never trouble you again," she replies in a solemn tone of voice.
"At what time did you become adherent to the ethos of law before or after you were captured?"
"I have adhered to the tenets of Law since I was a young girl," she replies. "Besides skills in the magical arts, I am also a lawyer...so you know that you can trust me."
Illyana gags. "Trust a lawyer. Whatever your twisted mind thinks."
"Hey, Hillary, what about me?" asks Al.
"I can't speak for you," she says, "Make your own promise."
"Okay," says Al. "I promise, too."
"Promises are cheap and worthless unless you have Honor to go with it and I seriously doubt you have any." says Britan.
"What makes you say that?" Al asks.
Illyana shakes her head. "So should we let them go, minus all weapons of course? One other question - what was all the blabbing your husband mentioned about some treasure? What was _his_ profession?"
"Oh, he's always blabbering over something," Hillary replies. "He was a bard...they get paid to blabber."
Farad shakes his head. "Two choices. They reveal the location of their treasure, and we allow them to live and take them to be tried at Yuri's. Or they die like this other fellow."
Farad goes through the packs and open them up, so that we know what inside is magical and it can be taken from them.
In Bill's pack you find a scroll, and in the pack of one of the dead clerics you find a second scroll.
"Very well, then," says Hillary. "I look forward to proving myself innocent in a fair court of law. Our treasure is in the room we came out of."
She points to the doorway in the northwest corner with her hair.
You go in and search.
In there you find a few items of camping equipment, as well as a gleaming military pick, 4000gp and 17 diamond studded rings...which look to be awfully valuble.
Aldarin is out of action for the next week.
Humphrey will assist Farad with his search.
"Thanks for casting that sleep spell earlier. It was quite refreshing. Yaaaaawwwwwwwwwnnnnn."
Raz, still recovering from his many wounds, says, "I hate to say this..but think we should either tie and gag them and leave them here...or kill them. They've proven to be far to dangerous to us to let them go free."
Humphrey helps hauling the equipment.
"Well I guess we should start heading back to the castle. That will give us enough time for the trial and to get Aldarin in condition to be functional again. Any chance that the treasure that we are looking at is an illusion. There sure doesn't seem to be much variation. I bet that there's soemthing fishy going on."
With the last Humphrey is smiling towards Hillary.
"Hey with names like Bill, Hillary and Bob, you guys should had been in government, not adventuring.
"Never," she replies cooly. "Politicians are much sleazier than we are."
Farad smiles. "Thank you. Now we shall proceed with the trial. As servants of Yuri, and a paladin of justice, I am empowered by the gods to cast judgement upon you. I find you guilty of the act of assaulting a person with intent to kill. Pleas of self defense are not permitted, for you are the ones who initiated the attack."
"What..?" says Hillary, agast.
"The penalty for such crimes is death."
"Now see here - " says Al.
"Sentence shall be carried out now. Pillar, if you will aid me."
Farad plunges his sword into the lawyer...
Bel, horrified to the bottom of his chivalric soul at the impending murder of an unarmed female, tries to tackle Farad...but the elf sidesteps him and completes his sword thrust...
Hillary screams...but her cry is cut off short.
"You chaotic, law-breaking double-dealing scoundrel! Your gods will judge you!" says Al, as Farad turns to him.
Raz does not look happy about Farad's actions, but does not move to stop him.
Bel, scrambling back to his feet, says, "You sanctimoniuos, self-rightious, moral-less idiot. What the hell do you think you are doing? This group is accused of doing what we you have done a dozen times since I met you, come upon a group in a dungeon and attack without finding out their side first. If you believe Yuri has the right to judge this group, which I don't, then let's bring them to Yuri. To kill them outright, out of combat, unarmed is as evil a deed as they could ever perpetrate and completely removes any claim you can make to being good." With that Bel stands before Farad with his hammer drawn. To Al he says, "You be quiet also, just cause I won't kill you out of combat does not mean I won't knock you out to keep you quiet."
"Uhhh...right-o," says the fighter.
"You are wrong, druid. Name one whom I've attacked that did not serve evil." replies Farad.
Bel says between gritted teeth, "It's not who they served it's you attack people without knowing who they serve."
"Again wrong, and you can name not a single example. But that is not the issue at hand."
"And are you saying that a just punishment for a crime is evil? That the executioner's sword is a tool that can not be used for good?"
Bel says, "You do not have the authority to impart judgement on these souls, you are not lord of this area, you have no historical rights to sovereignty. You are a traveller and must obey the local laws."
"There are no local laws in this area. We are in the wilderness, and my authority is given by the high gods. A cleric speaks with the authority of his diety. So do I as a paladin of their will. Do you think it not strange that both Pillar and I have slain these men? The gods have demanded their death. You sin against them to deny them their just sacrifice."
"Which god who is supposedly just requires the sacrifice of all your enemies without a chance for redemption?"
Farad then laughs, "We'd best go now and pull down every king in the land, for they are obviously wicked. We can't allow them to continue their tyranical system of laws that execute those who murder, rape and steal. You would rather release the criminals so they can plunder where they wish again. Better they die now and harm no one."
"I am a member of that class of royalty and when one of our own starts to think they are above the laws as opposed to the instrument of the laws we ourselves pull them down. The law dictates what a punishment should be, not your personal whim. By your own words you are Yuri's representative and by any stretch you should have brought her in for trial to him. She probably deserved to die but it was not our place to say it."
"And again you are wrong. I serve the law. These men would have killed you and taken your possessions. It is our right as servants of order to dispatch those who flout the law. Yuri is a busy man. He can not sit in judgement for every wrongdoer we come across. What is the difference between us killing these bandits than you charming and killing the ogres?"
"Ogres cannot be reasoned with most of the time. To kill someone who has willingly surrendered and offers no resistance cannot be called good without strong evidence to back it up." says Illyana.
"Pillar see's things my way. Good cleric, show Bel here what must be done. Kill this man here as ytou did the other so that he may never sin again."
Illyana shakes her head. "What do you define sin to be, paladin? Is someone sinful for any little detail which you do not like? Where do you draw the line?"
Farad smiles. "You can't stop both of us, druid. So stand aside."
"He doesn't have to stop both of you. I'm in charge in case you have forgotten. If we run around killing everyone we run into, then we are no better than they are." says Illyana.
Raz looks directly into Farad's eyes and says, "I can stop you both Farad" in a deadly serious voice.
"Pillar, what happens when you disagree with Farad? You will be given no more thought then her. I will risk my life and even give my life for my friends and comrades, all Farad will do is give your life for his cause. You saved my life from the orcs and let me be brought back at great risk to your own so my life is yours to take but you will have to strike me down to kill Al before he is judged." With that Bel faces Farad and leaves himself totally open to Pillar's attack.
Farad frowns. "You go too far in your lies, Bel. Have you not disagreed with me from the start. Yet even so I offer to heal and protect you. My blade stands even now in service of what is just and right. Pillar can choose what he may, and I will respect him for it. Yes, I use those who I can. But so do you. We all use each other to survive and defeat those who fight for evil."
"For that reason alone I will not remove you - but until decided otherwise you will do as I request. If our prisoner agrees not to return after we set him free, then we shall do so. If he does return for vengance though, then and _only_ then do you have suitable cause to kill him."
"But enough of this. You all stand against me. I shall let you keep your fellow to do with as you wish."
"We are heading back to the castle.. Aldarin needs his rest. While there, I would like the items to be identified - and perhaps we can find a way to trade the weapons for ones which we can use."
Kelar steps up behind Pillar with both swords drawn.
"Don't even think about moving Pillar to help Farad. I have my sword at your neck and it will go right through this little hole in your armor you have here."
Keeping his eyes on Pillar "Farad you are not god we have had this argument many times. Having these people tried is one thing doing it yourself is another. You shouldn't be a paladin you should be a assassin. That is what you seem to do best."
"Kelar, some day you may learn that the world is not as pretty as you like it to be. Occassionally you have to kill the vermin. Such is not the act of an assasin, but a man serving the interests of his fellow men." replies Farad.
"Define vermin for me Farad.. define who decides who lives and who dies."
Farad sighs. "Surely with all of your years at Yuri Castle you would know that only the gods can decide such things. Do you deny that the gods speak to their clerics and make their will known?"
"I do not deny that, but clerics are mortal just like the rest of us. Even when talking to a god mistakes can be made in the interpretation."
"Raz check on the lawyer see if she is dead or not. If she is it looks like Farad will be tho one going to trial for murder in the first. With no plea of self defense being as he is the one who did it" says Kelar with a smirk
"Illyana you had better take a side before this gets bloody. This would be the time to prove that you are our leader."
Farad gives a smirk at this, but says nothing.
"You don't believe me capable of doing the job? Now I admit that certain creatures can be inherently evil, but that is their choice. There hasn't been a single indication of that here, only your decision that there was."
Farad smiles. "I mean no disrespect for your skills, Illyana. But as a leader I have found you lacking. But perhaps the time has come for that to change. If you say this man should be spared, I will obey."
Raz, obviously hurting and in a very foul mood, says, "Illyana...your the party's chosen leader...I have but one simple question for you and you alone...what are we going to do about Farad's evil and fanatical actions? Do we let it slide or do we bring him to Yuri's Castle for trial?"
Grinning Pillar begins to laugh.
Bel says, "Trial by a Yuri of his peers is the only fair thing."
Farad smiles, "And is Pillar immune to this? It was he who struck the first blow, and not at my orders either."
Pillar continues to laugh and shrugs.
Farad turns to Pillar, "Come, good man, lets return to Yuri's and leave these fools to chat in the dungeons. Perhaps once out of these damp tunnells some sense will return to their heads. Next they will be hugging the bugbears and kissing the snakes. But I will have no part of it."
Stopping his laughing Pillar looks up, tears stream from his eyes "You slay me, honestly you really kill me" Pillar stands up with the support of the wall taking large wheezing breaths. "Well now that the party is functioning smoothly again I say we head back, Aldarin seems to be in no fit state to continue and there seems to be some scores to settle"
Sighing Pillar puts his flail away. "I have no crimes to answer for, I was dead, I returned that favour, if any has cause to disagree with me come against me now or forever hold your peace. I have no quarrel with these fools" Pillar motions to the prisoners. "However I will not stand by and watch this party argue in the middle of this dungeon, there are better places to settle scores, and safer ones"
Shrugging Pillar turns to Farad "Interesting actions it certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons, come lets leave this place before the arguing draws monsters of better ability".
Britan with a look of disgust on his face draws his sword and steps in between Farad and the prisioners and says. "You and your Good Cleric Pillar are not going to assassinate these people you don't have the right to be judge, jury, and executioner, and if you want to kill them you'll have to go Through me!!"
"So long as he listens to me and does not kill someone tied up without my authority, I will not do anything. The moment he disobeys an order is when we can decide to get rid of him. I believe the same goes for Pillar as well." says Illyana.
Farad nods. "Fair enough. Someone has to lead this group. If you don't take action, I do. I suggest if you do not like what I do, that you state your desires quickly."
Farad then notes, "But a leader has to be wise as well as strong. It was a foolish thing to attempt to parley with this group when they are the ones to attack us. Learn from this lesson, and perhaps some day I will indeed respect you as our true leader."
Illyana shrugs. "Perhaps had there been no silence spell, things would have worked out better. I admit that I have not had to deal with spells like that before."
Illyana shrugs. "I do not wish to spend hours in a philosophical debate, that is not what I do. There are others who can argue about such matters. My concern is that each of us makes it out of here alive and that we don't waste time bickering like now." She pauses. "You fail to understand that I am a soldier, and respect for our enemy is the first thing taught - so you never underestimate your opponent. I do not kill people for doing their jobs - only evil tyrants do such."
Farad signs. "If these men and women were soldiers, and we were fighting a war, they would be treated with respect. But they are not. They are self serving mercenaries out for their own good. You hang the looter. You hang the pirate. Likewise you kill the bandit that preys on the unsuspecting."
"True, but even mercenaries can be reasoned with sometimes. They are not all evil, although they were not expecting us - or they would have laid down an ambush for us."
Raz quickly moves to the 'lawyers' side and checks for signs of life. Thereafter he moves to Kelar's side and says, "Farad..you've gone too far this time...hand over your weapons to us now."
Aldarin speaks up from his resting position on the floor, "Listen to you all, you sound like squabbling orcs, seeing who is the biggest bully. We are suppose to be a group, striving for a better ends in this world. Why is it that every time there is a disagreement it turns into an argument? We have elected Illyana as our leader and yet most of the time she is ignored. I for one follow those in authority, for only through this sort of structure do we accomplish the means. If there is a disagreement as to the future of this individual then put it to a vote and respect whatever the outcome. If we can not do this simple process then perhaps it is time that we went our separate ways." Coughing into his fist, Aldarin slides back against the wall and closes his eyes.
Farad again laughs. "Fools, the lot of you."
Farad sheaths his sword. "Grab your man then if you want him alive. We return to Yuri's castle. You can release him if you wish, or see if Yuri wants to try him."
"Try him for what? For being overzealous in his attack? If that was the case, you could have been easily jailed before this. Not everyone who opposes us is automatically evil." says Illyana.
Farad pulls out his map and marks the chambers we've just seen. "Lets move."
Raz wipes away some of the blood that has been driping from his mouth and says, "Farad...I know that you did what you feel is right..however you must realize that your actions were indeed evil. For the sake of this group and because you have been such a valued member of our party, I will hold off on any action until the rest of the party has spoken. I do feel however that you should be held accountable for this crime...just as I felt that J'Harast should have been held accountable for his."
Farad turns about. "Crime? You would accuse _me_ of a crime?" He laughs. "And what might that be? Killing a bandit that had attacked me first? Good luck..."
Farad places the helmet on his head and puts his share of the goods in his pockets and turns to leave.
"The only real crime here is that the rest of you don't see this man as deserving his execution."
Farad begins to leave.
"You'd best hurry if you don't want to be left..."
"I thought only nobility could judge, jury and executioner. Should we take this case to Yuri and see if we cannot sort this out with his help?" Humphrey is not happy.
Farad shakes his head at Humphrey. "Lords and ladies gain their power by the grace of the gods through the position they are born with. My authority comes from the gods I serve directly. Their voices shout out the damnation of these bandits, and demand their blood."
"Do you deny the power of the gods above in choosing who shall live and who shall die?"
"If the gods choose who gets to live, then why should they have even been born in the first place? It is after all within a god's power to simply not have someone born. Wouldn't that be easier then? Alas no, you would be out of a job then." says Illyana.
"Such is the question of a philosopher, Illyana. Why worship the gods in any case if they have no power over our lives? You may as well worship a tree."
Farad gives a smirk towards Bel. "I know only what the gods tell me. They don't explain why the sun turns overhead, or why the stars only come out at night."
"Yes let us leave. I would like to talk to a cleric of your religion though when I get a chance Farad. I didn't know that you were in constant contact with your god. Or maybe that is just a paladin that is thinking the exact thing their gods want at a moments time unlike a cleric who actually has to pray to commune with his god." says Kelar.
After a civilised negotiating session it is agreed by all of you to return to Castle Yuri with Al.
You leave the dungeon and return to the Keep. It is mid-evening when you arrive.
I also forgot to mention that you found some traveling spell books in the treasure pile as well...two in fact.
Farad is wearing the helmet and has the engraved gem.
Looking at the scrolls, Raz is unable to read either of them. The magic ring is plain and cheap-looking.
After a time you present yourself to Yuri.
"Well well," he says. "And how did it go this day? I hear you have a prisoner."
Bel steps forward and says, "Yes, we have a prisoner and a dilemma. We encountered a group of adventurers in the dungeon and as is wont to happen we were attacked by them. We were victorious and two surrendered under the proviso they got a trial. We disarmed them, tied them up and took their belongings. At that point, without consulting the rest of us, a member of the party declared that they were guilty and executed one, an unarmed, bound female, before we could stop them. We are very divided on this issue and wish your advice. Some believe the individual should be put on trial themselves, others believe they were behaving perfectly fine. We wish you to mediate."
Farad smiles. "Don't mince words Bel. That lot deserved to die. And your bias against me is again showing, for you forget that I was only the second to strike. You did not attempt to stop Pillar, only me. I can see your real motivations. Of the group, you have always shown the most disrespect for my holy profession. If another had raised the sword, you would have stood by, as you did when Pillar did so. Only when I became involved to you speak out and even now you attempt to do all you can to harm me."
Bel stares at Farad and says, "I had no chance to stop Pillar and am appalled at his behavior also, however his deed pales before yours. We were technically still in combat and no deal had been struck with Bill. We had made a deal and given our word to Hillary and Al and they were bound. I have nothing against your profession, I only object to your attitude. As to doing all I can to harm you, I believe my statements were absolutly accurate and neutral. No names were mentioned or accusations made."
"I challenge you Bel. Apologize this instant, and admit that it is your hatred for me that motivates you, and submit, or choose your method of challenge that I may be satisfied."
Yuri watches Farad and Bel but says nothing for the moment.
Bel growls, "In order to make a challenge you must have honor, you have shown none and therefor are not worthy of a challenge. I will say this, i will accept whatever Yuri's judgement is, while I believe he is overbearing and insufferable he has always acted with honor and decency foremost. If he exonerates your behavior I will remove any objections and leave the party forever. However you must also accept his decision. Acceptable?"
"I do not ask you leave the party forever. I ask only that you appologize for your unmitigated antagonism against me. As for my own honor, have I ever lied, or used my powers other than in aid of the group? I am as I have always been, as I have always presented myself. I fight and destroy evil. Your claim that I hold no honor is baseless."
"As for Yuri, I too will live by any decision he makes, and hold no grudge for it. Can you say the same?" asks Farad.
Bel says slowly, "You have unceasingly tried to cajole, push, badger and I believe use your enhanced charisma from the wall to get party members to do things you want. You have repeatedly put your "mission" over the well being of the group and the accomplishment of our mission. You have never had any concept of the group, there is only you. I have not condemed your goals, just your attitudes and methods. My antagonism toward you is based on my own beliefs and is unlikely to alter but has not effected my actions toward you, only my words. If the behavior you have perpetrated is seen to be acceptable I cannot stay with the party, my Chivalric code of Honor will not let me. I live by the code and base all my actions on it, much as you do yours. I do not see a way around our antipathy short of one of us compromising our principles and that is out of both our natures."
"Overbearing and insufferable?" Yuri repeats. "I'm a paladin...what do you expect?"
Bel smiles and says, "True, it comes with being a Paladin just like being selfrightious and cynical comes with being a Druid."
Yuri nods.
"Quite true..."
"And who performed such a dishonourable act?" he asks quietly.
Farad stands forth, "I did the deed Bel claims. But he lies in his hatred for me. I was not alone in my actions - "
"You were not alone? That fact justifies your actions, then?" asks Yuri in the same quiet voice.
"I did not claim that it justified my actions. I merely used it as proof that the druid holds a grudge against me."
"But that is not the issue here," replies Yuri. "The issue is that the party gave their word to these captives and then you broke it."
"I always keep my word. A trial was promised, and a trial they recieved."
"The other man slain not by my hand was as much in our power as the man I had."
"I will deal with him presently."
" - and indeed, I gave this lot a trial on the spot."
"Who appointed you their judge? You are not of the ruling class of this land."
"In the tradition of naval captains holding the authority when out at sea, so too does lawfully appointed deputies of a lord hold authority in uncivilized lands. If this is not the case, then by what right do we have to clense the dungeons of evil and drive monsters forth from their homes? You charged us with that task, and have thus given us authority to do so."
Yuri shakes his head.
"Never have I formally appointed you my deputy, Farad. You are not up to that task. I asked this party, through Illyana, to clear an underground maze of the evil that had infested it. Such a request does not give you the right to murder people who had laid down their arms and surrendered to you."
"I agree. However the captive was not murdered, but executed after their actions had been considered."
"And that is the crux of the matter. If they agreed to a trial under the terms that you tried them, then I cannot reprimand you. If, however, they agreed to be tried under my auspices..."
"They agreed to a trial in a fair court of law - "
"They agreed to a trial before me," Yuri interrupts.
"No, they did not. Their words only accepted agreement to a fair court of law. If they wished a trial before you, they did not say so when they agreed. I tried them and found them wanting."
"Again you twist the truth."
"I felt I provided such."
"You provided no such thing."
"And what constitues a fair trial for the guilty? The chance to escape and do their evil once again? Pah, they got more of a trial than they diserved. If they had not chosen that path I would have slain them where they stood."
Yuri shakes his head but says nothing.
"As for the naval captain analogy," he continues, "You imply that you are the leader of this party. Is that so? I believed that Illyana was that."
"She was silent on the issue. I have always acted as her second, giving orders when others would not."
"On whose authority?" asks Yuri.
"We tried to explain this - Farad seems to think that we kill people simply for fighting. I tried to stop the fighting, seeing how pointless it was, but we were silenced and at that point had no real choice." says Illyana.
"Destroying evil is good," Yuri replies. "But were they evil? Killing in self defence is also justifiable. However, murdering a bound and helpless captive - especially after promising her a fair trial - is dishonourable in the extreme."
"Do not put words in my mouth. We kill those who are evil. Thus do we cleanse the world."
Yuri nods agreeably at this.
"The evidence was weighed, and their guilt was obvious."
"Please describe this evidence to me."
"They did unprovoked attack us, and enspell us with intent to kill. Illyana, attempting to forge a truce, was twice attacked and gravely hurt. When the first group was subdued, two more appeared invisibly and attacked us attempting to gain an advantage. The man Pillar slew admitted that they served only themselves, and attacked us because they thought us easy game. If such is not the actions of a bandit, then nothing is."
"They did yes, but I was unable to really do anything effectively - a spell of silence kept everything quiet. By that time there was no choice in the matter of attacking." says Illyana.
"But your party does the same thing every time you go into that dungeon," Yuri says. "But that is not the point. By slaying a helpless, bound captive - regardless of her guilt or innocence - especially after promising her a trial outside of the dungeon - you have broken the chivalric code of the Paladin."
"I think not, as I have continued to slay evil. A trial was asked for, and a trial was given. If such is not my right, then that is the only sin I will admit to."
"Again, it depends on the nature of the trial that was agreed to."
"You do still claim to be a Paladin, do you not?" asks Yuri with a slight smirk.
"Indeed I do, although I have admitted in the past and admit now that I am not of the same exact order as yourself. No non-human is that I know of. But I do feel called by the gods to serve their justice, and thus am a paladin in heart, if not one in reality. I hear the gods speak, and carry out their will."
"I see."
"I tried to get this out of him - Farad simply claimed that his god ordained their deaths. I found that difficult to believe."
"Who is your patron deity, Farad?"
"I serve no specific diety. Rather I have dedicated myself to the fight against evil in all its forms."
"Yet you call yourself a paladin...a holy warrior...and yet you serve no specific deity? But you have said in the past - at my own table - that you were touched by the gods...and yet you know not which gods? For all you know, you may be an unwitting pawn of an evil god!" he exclaims.
Farad smiles. "I do not know the specific names of my Benefactors. But I am sure no evil god has touched me. It is said by many churches that healing is the sign of favor. I can heal, and have used this ability only for good. The gods granted this ability. Can that be the work of an evil god? I think not."
"Of course it can be," replies Yuri. "Who are you - or I, for that matter - to fathom the will or motives of the gods?"
"Each of us must do what we believe is our duty and the will of the gods. I am not a theologian to argue what is or is not that will. I do what I think best, as each of us must do. I have never claimed to be all knowing. I am mortal as any other. I follow my conscience as all of us must. Thus I serve the gods, and work their will which has manifest itself to me."
"But I am a holy warrior. I fight for all the high gods, and seek to insure that evil is vanquished and destroyed from the earth."
"So you believe..."
"So I do."
"You insult my patron, Odin the All-Father, by claiming to serve him," says Yuri, rising.
"Not all the gods of good agree with each other's means. But all seek to fight evil."
"Demonic powers and the drow especially are my hated enemies, for they are the slayers of my family and village."
"That I can understand, for my own family was slain by evil."
"Rather, that they had admitted that they were bandits, and their attack on us was proof enough. Would you rather they had killed one of us first? I stated this first. My conscience is clear. The gods ordain that the wicked be punished. I was the instrument of that punishment."
"Yuri, it seems the main question is do we or do we not have authority to kill the evil creatures of the dungeon. It is for this crime that I have been charged."
"We have never agreed that those people were evil, just that you claimed they were for attacking us." says Illyana.
"No...that is not the question or the charge. The question is whether you killed them honourably. It should be of concern to you, since you claim to be a paladin; and it is of concern to me, since my name was involked." replies Yuri.
"Execution is the penalty for banditry who attempt murder."
"Is it, now? I fear that your knowledge of the laws of Nlad are sadly lacking."
"It is true, that I am not from Nlad and do not know its laws. But Nlad's laws hold little sway in the megadungeon or else we would not be there as your representatives attempting to clense it."
"And yet you involk them anyway, Farad. You are contradicting yourself."
"I did not invoke the laws of Nlad, but the laws of all civilized people to see to it that those who prey upon the lesser are punished. Common law is often recognized in the courts."
"I see."
"Shall we bring every creature we find back to you to judge?"
"Of course not. But if you make that promise to them then you must honour it."
"And so I did. I have never lied."
Yuri nods.
"These bandits are no less monsters than any other thing we have fought and slain. Or am I to be convicted for slaying a sleeping snake also?"
"If you are truly a paladin then that act was dishonourable as well."
"I call myself a paladin, because I hear the voice of the gods speaking to my soul. But I do not follow the rules of your specific order that govern honor. I am not a cavalier."
"Yes...and you may call yourself a god, too, but you are not."
"I would not be so vain. A paladin is the name for one who follows the dictates of the gods. I have stated before that I am not of your specific order, but I am a paladin none the less, as the sage Webster names them, outstanding protagonists of a cause."
"You are no paladin, period," says Yuri impatiently. "You seem to have your own unique definitions for everything, to justify your warped actions. You are not a paladin, you are not good, you do not dispense justice, you have no honour...except by your own standards which are of no relevance to anyone but yourself.
"Very well. You may keep your standards. But you may not inflict them on others in my name."
"Very well, I release any claim of serving you, and will not invoke it again. Will that be all?"
Yuri laughs at Farad's audicity.
Kelar takes the two travelling spell books while everyone is talking to Yuri.
Turning to Yuri "I believe that his evidence as he calls it was that they attacked us and lost and therefore being as they were still alive after the battle that they should join thier comrades that weren't as lucky as to have surivived."
"I am sorry Yuri please do not listen to my last statement it was made in haste and my anger was still with it. As Bel said we had told them that we would either take them here to face you for trial or we were going to let them pledge to us that they wouldn't return to the Megadungeon when they were realesed on pain of death if they broke that pledge. While we were trying to determine what to do with them Farad - having part of his brain attached to his gods and knowing that these men and women were evil beyond hope according to his god - gave them the death sentence. Wait sorry again Yuri there goes my temper but you get the general idea. I believe Farad would be better able to tell you the exact proof he had being it was enough for him to kill an unarmed person that was tied to boot."
Yuri nods.
"Are his words true, Farad? That this party gave their word to these bound captives...and then you broke that promise and killed one of them...a helpless woman at that?"
"A trial was promised."
"A trial? With you as judge, jury and executioner? Not exactly a fair trial, as it took all of five minutes. I do not seriously believe there was a chance of any of them being declaired innocent - what would you have done had they refused a trial? Killed them the same?" asks Illyana heatedly.
Farad shrugs. "Most likely. Their guilt was obvious in my eyes."
"Where? Your companions say that they were to be brought here for that trial." asks Yuri.
"Such was not my impression at the time. They demanded a trial, it matters not where."
"You lie to me, Farad. They did not demand a trial."
"I do not lie. The choice was death or a trial. They chose the trial."
"You lie by omission, Farad. They chose a trial before me, not before you."
"I never lie. I remember well what the woman stated. She asked only for a fair court. I consider myself to be one. If you do not." Farad then shrugs. "Perhaps you can go back and raise the woman and execute her again for me."
"I gave them one and carried out sentence."
"You overstepped your juristiction."
"That is the question is it not. If such is your verdict, then I am indeed guilty of slaying these vermin. I still stand by my actions and would do the same again if orders to the contrary were not obvious."
"It matters not what sex the guilty party was. A woman is as capable of evil as a man. She had only moments before attempted to kill us."
"The chivalric code - which I am sure you know by heart, being a paladin - demands that you show courtesy to all ladies...evil or not."
"I am not a cavalier, and do not follow that code to the letter. I find many things in it flawed. As you well know, no non human can be a true paladin. That does not mean however that the gods can not speak to the elves and dwarves of the land. I feel they have spoken to me, and thus name myself after your order, for the gods have blessed me in numerous ways, granting the healing ability of the Paladins, and speaking to my soul."
"And yet by passing yourself off to the ignorant as a paladin, you dishonour true Paladins."
"I have never presented myself as other than I am. I can not help the ignorance of the peasants."
"You call yourself that which you are not. You are a sham, Farad. The vision you have of yourself in your own warped mind bears no resemblance to the reality."
"And what reality is that? I have never turned on my companions. I serve them with all my ability. I would gladly die for them in sacrifice to save their lives. I smite evil in all its forms, and give mercy to none. I have never portrayed myself as other than I am. If you asked any of my companions what I would do in the circumstance we found ourselves in, I am sure they would have guessed I would do exactly as I did. I am not false to myself or others, Yuri. If I do not meet up with the standards of your order, then I shall never do so again. Your idea of justice disgusts me. You would let these vermin live when their guilt was obvious, and blame the righteous sword that executed them. If such is the justice of a Paladin, then I will never claim to be one again."
"We did offer them the deal - or try to. Things got a little out of hand. Fortunately Farad backed down when I asked him to or there might have been bloodshed even before we arrived." says Illyana.
"Because I serve the law of the land. In the absence of law, or clear rule, one must do what one's conscience deems best. You are our elected leader, and I follow your orders."
"But a deal was struck between yourselves and the captives?"
"A trial was offered, and they accepted. I judged them and gave them a trial on the spot."
"But where...and by whom?"
Yuri looks at the rest of you.
"He offered offered them such a trial as he carried out, and they accepted?"
Yuri fingers his holy symbol and mutters a low prayer.
Bel says, "Not quite.. the quote is -
"Farad shakes his head. "Two choices. They reveal the location of their treasure, and we allow them to live and take them to be tried at Yuri's. Or they die like this other fellow."Farad shakes his head. "Two choices. They reveal the location of their treasure, and we allow them to live and take them to be tried at Yuri's. Or they die like this other fellow."
They accepted this offer from Farad."
Yuri watches Bel as he speaks.
"You speak the truth," he says to the druid, before turning back to Farad.
"And you?"
"Their actions convicted them, and I carried out sentence. Of this I have no regrets. If you consider it a crime, so be it. I respect authority, and will do as you deem best, Yuri. If need be, use our share of the money to return these bandits to life and execute them again. But I feel I am correct in my actions, and your charge to us gives some authority in such circumstances."
Farad stands ready to hear Yuri's judgement.
Kelar steps back and heads over to where Raz is standing. "If you don't want to say anything maybe we should start looking over these spell books. And if we are going to be in the keep a while maybe you could train me."
Raz steps forward.."While I cannot speak for others Yuri, I do believe that Farad's actions were evil and that he should be held accountable for them...I leave that for you to decide."
Yuri glances at Farad.
"He is not evil," he replies. "He would be dead already if he were."
"With your leave, Kelar and I are going to study some magical books that we have just aquired...please do not hesitate to call on us of you need our testimony."
Raz then steps back, turns, and exits the room, tapping Kelar on the shoulder as he goes by him.
"As Raz said if you need us we will be close by."
Kelar follows Raz out the door.
"By all means," says Yuri, then turns to a servant standing unobtrusively nearby. "Bring me this captive of theirs."
"Yes, m'lord," says the servant, and leaves as well.
A few moments later the door opens and the servant brings in Al.
Yuri looks at the captive.
"I detect no evil," he says. "Who do you serve?"
"Untamo," Al answers, glancing around nervously.
"He speaks the truth. A god of neutrality. That figures," says Yuri.
"Does it really Yuri? How does it figure?" taking a small cloth from his puch Pillar begins to shine his holy symbol.
"A party of adventurers like yourselves - and like I have been a member of, as well. You probably live by the adage - in the dungeon, anyway - of 'shoot first, ask questions later, correct, Al?"
"Of course," the fighter replies.
"I know I do."
"I find your ability to mince and choose words disturbing, of course you dont have the full story so it may be hard for you to comprehend the situation we were in".
Placing his symbol on his lap Pillar continues. "I found Farad's actions to be interesting but hardly that exciting, you seem to forget the fact that quite a few of us fell in combat to these people. They aren't saints, they aren't even neutral... Oh they may follow its tenaments but down in that dungeon, the horrors we have faced, the evil we have encountered. Did you expect us to come out happy campers or something".
"As I said before, I have no complaint with you fighting these people fairly and honourably. My complaint is that you used my name in order to dupe them...after they had surrendered and were held captive by your party," Yuri replies.
Illyana sighs. "Then can you explain why we need to undergo a trial of some kind to redeem ourselves? To me it does not seem that grievous an error which we have to put ourselves into more danger to correct."
"A member of your party dishonoured my name. That is grevious."
"Perhaps that is why I never could become a Paladin - I never understood the personal honor involved."
Pausing Pillar peers around the circle of people "Farad may have done something wrong by the laws of a Paladin, but I think extenuating circimstances exist. That may not excuse his actions but it should be considered". Grinning Pillar says "And what God do you follow Yuri?"...
"He behaved horribly for a paladin...but as he is no paladin that is not for me to judge. And, I serve Odin."
Britan steps forward and says, "Yuri what happen down there today appalls and disgusts me. What Pillar did was wrong but unlike Farad he knows and has some remorse about his actions. But I have never seen a Paladin perform actions like what Farad has done such as quote "("Yes, a fair deal. Your life for your treasure." Farad placed his sword under the man's throat. "Your next words had best be where the treasure lies, or else make them good, for they will be your last words otherwise." ) "Then after they had revealed where there treasure was and they exspected there bargin to be up held Farad Said Thank you. Now we shall proceed with the trial. As servants of Yuri, and a paladin of justice, I am empowered by the gods to cast judgement upon you. I find you guilty of the act of assaulting a person with intent to kill. Pleas of self defense are NOT permitted, for you are the ones who initiated the attack. And before anyone could do anything he slayed the bound woman who at that time was of no treat to the party.
"Sir Yuri with no disrespect to you or Paladins but if this is what a paladin is then I am glad that I am not one and pity the rest."
"He is no paladin...except perhaps in his own deluded mind," replies Yuri.
Raz and Kelar return to the room.
Farad again shrugs. "Attacking us unprovoked. As this man has been proven to be a follower of neutral gods, we know that he is not evil. But does it matter if he did what he did for his own gain rather than a deep hatred for life? Preying on the innocent is an evil act. Banditry is a crime no matter what the motivations of the bandit."
Raz follows the servant into the room. Overhearing the on-going conversation, Raz raises an eyebrow while looking that the squabbling people. He then takes rests his staff up against the wall and takes the nearest available seat.
After a short moment, Raz clears his throat and says, "Excuse me Yuri, but all of the personal insults and bickering here is pointless. As a experienced paladin, I am sure that you realize the need for an objective, factual point of view. Regardless of what Farad is or is not, he committed an act which some, including myself, consider evil. Farad is not denying he committed this act, he is only arguing his motivations. But whatever reasons he had for doing so, you have several eye witnesses that can verify that Farad killed a unarmed, restrained, female that possed no threat to our group after promising to deal fairly with her. I ask you now Yuri to please come to a decision reguarding this matter so that my fellow adventurer's and I can continue our quest."
Raz then sits back in his chair and looks expectantly towards Yuri.
"But enough of this," the Paladin replies to Farad, taking his Holy Avenger from its sheath behind his chair and drawing it forth. A golden glow fills the room. "You are truly warped and no rational words will ever come from your mouth.
"Therefore, I find you guilty of the charge of dishonouring my name by involking it with the promise of a trial before me for that party," he says, nodding to the wide-eyed Al. "And then proceeding to murder them out of hand."
Farad stands still. His eyes flash with anger, but he says simply, "Very well."
He turns to the rest of you.
"I also find the remainder of this party guilty of complicity in the use of my name to achieve your ends. My name is of value to me, and the use of it in such a way can have awful consequences, as you are learning."
"I never used your name, I was perfectly willing to let them go provided they ceased all further hostilities. It was Farad who was muttering about a trial which I didn't think was necessary. I am not one to go around dropping names." argues Illyana.
"But a member of the party that you are also a member of chose to involk my name, Illyana," Yuri replies with a touch of sadness in his voice. "A party that you are nominally the leader of. Therefore, you must all share the responsibility for his actions...if only because you were unable to control him."
"I understand this.. Next time I will mention it more clearly. I am trying to make a name for myself, I do not like to rely on mentioning other people to get things done."
Yuri nods.
"That is wise," he replies. "Especially my name...in a situation such as this. For when you involk my name also involk my code of honour. In doing that you make yourself subject to it. Illyana, I am a Paladin, and I operate under a strict set of rules...but I try not to impose them on others...nor do I expect non-paladins to be able to honour them. They are not for everyone. But, in this case I had no choice. I am sorry."
"You are a group, you work together, you win and you lose together. Thus you shall bear the consequences of the actions that Farad led you into, but you all followed...until you realised the evil of his actions.
"Your sentence is thus:
"Tonight you shall enjoy the hospitality of my Castle for one last time. Tomorrow morning you shall return to the Megadungeon, retreive the bodies of the party that you killed, and return here with them, so that they may be raised to face the trial that you so foolishly promised them in my name...that is if grounds exist for such a trial."
"Only one was promised a trial - by Farad who promptly carried out his sentance. The rest died in combat."
"That is not what others have said. There was this person Al, and a woman."
"The woman was the only one for which it was carried out. I personally told Al that if he agreed to leave quietly I would let him go. I am not 100% certain how he wound up coming with us here in the first place."
"I promised, too!" says Al. "Damned if I remember why, though..."
"You shall donate the monetary treasure you took from them to cover the cost of the raisings.
"After that you shall quit Castle Yuri and the lands about it...for all time."
Yuri pauses.
Illyana sighs. "Wonderful, now I manage to get ousted from my own home. I do not suppose you would be willing to give directions on where we can go if you want to do such a thing?"
"That is my sentence. Farad, you have dishonoured me and insulted me, but the words of a madman are of little consequence. I cannot sentence you. That is the responsibility of your fellow party members."
The paladin regards Pillar.
"Chaotic cleric of Tuoni, I know better than to try to impose my standards upon your kind. Besides, I gather that you murdered the helpless prisoner before a trial before me was agreed upon, so you have not dishonoured my name. Nevertheless, I find your actions reprehensible, but why should you care? Your god will judge you."
Yuri looks back at the rest of the party.
"There is one task that you may undertake to redeem yourselves. It would involve a long journey through the wilderness and the evil lands beyond. If you succeed and the gods see fit, I may allow you back in my halls again."
"Redeem ourselves for who? For your benefit?"
"Of course," says the Paladin.
"I figured as much. Your discipline for a mistake can be rather rough at times. Yet if you explained what the task you wanted us to accomplish was, I may find another reason to do it, one other than making amends and then we can both be satisfied."
"I doubt we would even know where to go to even attempt such a quest. I don't know if the party even remembers what we had originally set out to do anymore, I for one can't really remember." says Illyana sadly.
Farad sighs. "It is for this reason that I do not respect you as a leader. You lose sight of your goals, and forget important facts."
"Perhaps I do, perhaps not. You take everything at face value, Farad. I am not a paladin, I simply do what I feel to be right even if at times I have to play to both sides."
"Originally you were charged with clearing out the house in Sandas. I joined you for your last mission in that place. Apparently you succeeded in clearing out the house, but the building was built on top of the catacombs of a temple of chaos. Since those catacombs prooved too tough, we came to the megadungeon."
"In an attempt at learning to work better as a party - yet fundamental differences keep the group fragmented."
"In addition to all of this, once we have strength enough, we shall go to the abyss and bring back the soul of Jaramir. This I promised to the elf J'Harast and Sasha. They have both left us, but I shall keep my word when the time comes."
"Ah yes, Ray Jay kicked us out as well. I remember that quite well. Wherever we go, we always seem to dig ourselves in deeper."
Farad asks -
"And what is this task? I care not for myself, but I do, despite your claims, serve my companions faithfully and honorably. Your realize that your unjust sentence of them will hurt them considerably. Illyana has been barred from her father for no fault of her own. I find that your brand of justice is no different than my own. Yet I will stick by my companions and see that they are redeemed in your eyes, because I know they value your opinion and your hospitality." says Farad.
Upon hearing Yuri's pronoucement, Raz frowns deeply and says "I refuse to return all of the bodies of the party members that died. It is only the woman ..and prehaps the man that Pillar killed...who died unjustly...the rest of the party were killed in self-defense. I also regret your opinion reguarding the rest of the party's actions and do not agree with your overall judgement concerning all of us. For the sake of goodness I will retreave the bodies of the two who died unjustly at Pillar's and Farad's hands and will even go so far as to donate my portion of the treasure for their raising. I will not however return to this hall again for any other purpose. I too have honor Yuri..and you have just done great damage to it."
That said, Raz raises himself from the chair, grabs his staff, and stalks out of the room.
Yuri replies, "You - all of you - came here and submitted this matter to me for judgement. I did not ask for this burden, but I took it anyway. Now, Raz, because my judgement does not suit you, you reject it. In doing so, you display a level of immaturity and self-centredness rivaling Farad's. You are little better than he is."
"Therefore, since you reject my judgement, you also lose the hospitality of my Castle and my lands."
Yuri signals to a servant.
"Call a guard squad to escort this fine mage out of my fief."
Farad only raises his eyebrows at the statement about immaturity and self-centredness. "Your disparagement of my character more than equals any I may of done to yours."
"Of course. As a true Paladin, I have been especially trained in disparaging characters such as yours."
Farad smiles. "Actually our leader had already decided to not bother you with this matter, but one among us decided to do so anyway. But such is the past..."
"Name what this quest is, Yuri, and we shall be out of your sight and out of your fief with Raz."
Illyana speaks up.
"Wait a second, Yuri. Do not be so hasty in your judgement, please. We have not rejected anything yet. Sometimes the members of this group are a little too full of pride for their own good."
Yuri signals the servant to wait.
Farad shakes his head. "Do not beg Illyana. It does not suit you. We can all go with Raz. I will not abandon him."
Farad takes the gems and coin and lays them on the floor. "Here is the treasure we took from them. There should be more than enough to bring the two who died back to life. Since we are bar'd from your lands we shall leave the bodies of the two on the border. Expect them there by the end of the day tomorrow."
Hearing Yuri's Judgement towards the party Britan lowers his head and shakes it for a few seconds then says -
"I have to agree with Raz whole hearted I'll go in and retrive the woman and her husband's body and bring them here but the rest were done in our own self defense and if you want them you can get someone else to get them. If all you were worried about was the wronging of your name and not the wrong doing that took place down there then once the bodies are retived then I also will not return to this hall again for any reason but it won't be from dishonor or shame but from just the opposite."
As Britan turns around and picks up all of his belongings and starts to head out, he adds -
"As for you hospatality tonight I won't be needing it I would rather sleep on the cold hard ground."
"As you wish."
Farad stays.
Farad nods. "I have always respected Raz, and value his opinion. 'Justice is blind' is the old saying. What is the difference between my justice and your own, Yuri? In my case I saw evil and had it destroyed. In your own you saw nothing but an infringement upon your name. You said it yourself, that if a trial had not been promised, you would not be able to judge me for killing those bandits. Its not my actions you are judging, but only your own selfish name that may have been sullied. You have wronged these people, but I agreed to accept your verdict, as did they."
"Exactly."
"What is this task you propose to redeem them in your eyes?"
Bel nods and says, "I accept your judgement and will retrieve Bill and Hillary for your judgement. The rest of the party died in fair combat and are not a stain on anyone's honor. I will also take up the quest you offer to redeem my own honor, I should have taken steps before this to either insure Farad's honor or prevent the deeds. I am besmirched by this failure and must restore my honor. (He turns to Farad and says) I gave you every chance I could for you to show your "faith and family values" (OOC:Oh sorry that just slipped out) and you showed things i denied until too late. You must live with the judgement of your gods, whoever they may be, but you will not travel with me. I went with J'Harast because he showed remorse and wanted to repent. You show no such inkling. We will go our seperate ways and if the party chooses to go with you, so be it. I will seek redemption alone. Yuri, I stand your servant until I am forgiven this sin."
With that Bel leaves the room and heads to pack for the journey to the megadungeon.
Farad smiles. "Farewell then Bel. I am sorry that you can not put your opinion of me aside so that we may work together to restore your honor. Have I not always worked to serve the party? You shall fail if you venture alone, and I will not put aside my duty to restore yours and the others good graces to Yuri. Illyana has already said so long as I follow orders I shall be welcome. Are you going to abandon your friends so easily?"
Illyana sighs. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire. It seems sometimes no matter what I do the party will fragment itself. Bel, leaving the group in a temper tantrum won't accomplish anything. It also does not say much for the integrity of this group if everyone is willing to leave over a disagreement."
Farad nods. "Yes, Bel. It is time to prove our former patron wrong. Despite what you and he say, I do have my own code of honor. I stick with my companions, through thick and thin. Can you object to my actions and then show a similar lack of honor by abandoning your friends when the going gets tough? You may disagree with me, but it shows more strength of character to put that aside to achieve our goals than to run away. No matter what Yuri's response, I still would work with you. Its a matter of professionalism. One does not let their personal feelings interfere with what must be done."
Humphrey adds, "I too would like to see this group stay together since it has done much good together. May I make a few suggestions. From now on we need to leave up to the leader of our party such decisions as what to do with prisoners and settling any arguments that exist in the group which relate to the dealings of the group (Theological arguments and such are another matter. Which means that from now on the group should be consulted before anything drastic happens (of course sometimes this is not possible in the heat of battle.) But when one acts on one initiative and does something which others will question, shows disrespect for the others in the group. And we should all respect one another. If not, then it would be better if we split up, otherwise the disrepect will fester and will cause more harm than the good than this group can do together.
"In order though for me to stay with Farad, I would have to hear him admit that what he did was an error and that he would be willing to make admends. If he admitted such, than I would believe him and would have no problem marching along side him. Without such an admission, then I would always have an eye on him and wonder when his sense of code might once again go against what I believe follows the path of light. For I believe that the means do not always justify the results."
"I admit to no such error. No policy was set, and I felt I was within my rights to carry out judgement."
"But I follow orders, and if Illyana sets a policy for prisoners then I will follow it. I do not break my word."
"Farad, do you plan to present yourself to your order and tell them of what has occurred?"
Farad smiles. "What Order would that be? I follow the path the gods have set for me. I follow no Patriarch. I have no need to. I can see and hear the true voice of righteousness for myself without someone interpreting it for me."
With that Humphrey waits for replies.
Bel, completely ignoring Farad, says,"Illyana, I have no choice. By my chivalric code of honor I have had my name besmirched and my honor soiled. I have only two choices, kill Farad or leave and try to regain my honor. Since Farad has been a party member I would be breaking my code a second time to kill him so I have no choice. If he admits his error and trys to make amends, as J'Harast was trying to do, I could stay. But this is not the case and with his history I could not believe him if he said he did. As to our original mission, the last coherent goal, other than killing monsters, was to redeem J'Harast. Now J'Harast is gone and Sasha also, yet Jaramir is still in limbo and we have forgotten where we are going. Humphrey, I will wait in my beloved woods in contemplation for you to finish training. Come for me in a week, but do not bring the oathbreaker with you. I am seriously considering trying to find J'Harast and Sasha, we need their presence to retore our lost balance. Of course this would be after my redemption."
"Very well...since it seems that the members of the enemy party who were killed fairly and honourably by yourselves have met a just end, I will not insist that you retreive their bodies as well," says Yuri. "I will be satisfied if you will retreive only the two who were killed while held captive."
With that Bel leaves for the quiet of the dales below castle Yuri.
Farad asks, "Are you claiming all of their treasure for yourself, or only that needed to restore their lives? Since their treasure was ours no matter the case, I think it only fair that only the proper amount be given to correct the supposed wrong." asks Farad.
"To raise two people will require a donation of 20,000gp. If there is any left then of course you may keep it."
"Very well then. I shall deal with your treasurer and see that the funds are turned over and the proper value paid."
Yuri tells you of the task he has in mind.
"I have a guest here...a prince who wishes to be escorted back to his homeland, far away. He has decided on a particularily perilous route...one populated with enough evil to engorge even yourself, Farad."
Yuri eyes the grey elf.
"A fair enough mission. Have this prince meet us at the borders tommorrow and we shall be on our way." says Farad.
"Make it the day after tomorrow...after you retreive the bodies."
Kelar speaks.
"Let us be gone...we are not welcome. I will go along with this quest not for honor but to help a member of my party regain the right to visit friends and family. Your name is just a name Yuri you made it great and that doesn't change what it is. To take a family away because of it is wrong. There are many rumors I am sure about you and your name do you sentence all of these common folk with the same. I don't think so."
"Bring your prince and we will be gone. Do not expect to see me ever again though."
"Raz if you wouldlike to join me I have a wonderful tent that needs to be tried out. Plenty of room and food. Any that need somewhere to stay are welcome."
Raz nods quickly and follows Kelar.
Yuri tells you more about the mission.
"It is as I said. Many years ago a young dwarf-prince was sent out into the world by his father to make a name for himself. Now, he wishes to return home, via the same route that he took then. But the lands are more dangerous, now, and though he is now a lord in his own right I fear that he would still be overwhelmed should he attempt the trip alone. Much of the lands are wild wilderness...but a fair portion of the trip will be through the land of Nolthen, which is ruled by an evil Wizard named Imrimil. Kludar lies on the eastern border of this land...and to make matters worse, it and Nolthen are at war...so you will have to cross the battle lines to return this lord home."
"A rather nice predicament, I take it we will not be totally away from civilization?"
"The route will take you through northern Nlad to Strabath...over the mountains and into the halfling lands. From there you enter the wilderness...travel along the Canabar River until you reach the Grand Duchy of Adford," Yuri smiles. "It isn't that grand, I'm afraid. After that you continue north until you reach the ruined city of Derextar. It is a dangerous place...crawling with evil, Farad.
"At that point you cross the Mississippi River and enter the eastern lands. My knowledge of them is limited. I know that it is wilderness directly east of the river...and then you come to Nolthen. It is an evil place, but you will probably find towns and even cities there.
"East of Nolthen is Kludar...stronghold of the Hill Dwarves. Beyond it is a region known as the Small Kingdoms...former provinces of the fallen Empire of Saltar. I have never travelled there, though."
"Or are there absolutely no towns along the route? I am more interested in the military aspect of this rather than a general 'go this way' plan. Normally I might not have cared, but since he obviously wants to live, I would like a little more information." says Illyana.
"As I said, you will towns as well as dark wilderness. As for information, you can ask him...but remember, he has not been to his homeland in 30 years or more."
"I make no bones about it," he concludes. "It is a perilous trek...but Lord McTavish is in no hurry to get home and would like to visit some places along the way that he has not seen in many years.
"I think the trip would be good for you all."
Illyana pauses for a second. "I would like to meet him before we set out. I also need to know from people what kind of weapons they can use and whether or not these people know how to handle a horse properly." She sighs, "Back in the mud again.. I'll need more clothing. Yuck. If anyone needs anything, I suggest they purchase it quickly."
Yuri signals a servant.
"Please ask Lord McTavish id he would honour us with his presence."
The servant departs.
Aldarin looks to Illyana, "Well, I still consider you the leader of this group, your decision is what I stand by, but I believe we should try to meet with the others outside this fine hall so that we may discuss our next move in a rational and private manner. Do you think?"
"Can someone send a word out to Bel? I need to talk to him about this.. I also would like to know who is going along, for whatever reasons."
At this point only Illyana, Farad, Pillar, Aldarin and Humphrey are present.
"Sounds fair to me Yuri", Pillar hefts his flail and says, "Well lets go and get these corpses before the monsters eat em?". Pillar stretches and yawns "Quick before we insult lord Yuri some more".
Squinting Pillar looks at Al "You're lucky your're alive".
"I know," replies Al. "When all this is over I think I'll take up a less risky profession...like politics."
Pillar exclaims happily "Well Yuri do we get the corpses or do we do escort duty? I think corpses first. Oh I wouldn't worry about my judgment, my God likes the dead, I am sure it will like mine".
"I'm sure he does," replies the Paladin.
Laughing Pillar gets ready to leave.
Humphrey asks the following question to Yuri once people start leaving the room.
"Sir Yuri, I ask the following of you. How can Farad restore his lost honor before your eyes, when he will not admit that he was in error?"
"He cannot, can he?"
"If you were one of us, would you continue to adventure along Farad with him believing that what he did was right?"
"No...I could not. But I am a Paladin. My code of honour would not permit me to. However, you are not bound by that code and so are free to make your own decision."
"How is it that a Paladin can have powers when he represents no order and can such a Paladin lose these powers."
"Because he is not a paladin, period," Yuri replies. "He calls himself one, but he is deluding only himself. He believes in Law...his law. He is not good...but he is not quite evil, either. The powers he claims to have must come from some other talent that he possesses."
"I am also worried, that since you said the party must judge Farrad and we do nothing, then that makes us as guilty as he."
"I found the rest of you guilty of complicity in soiling my name," Yuri replies. "What you do with Farad above and beyond that is your business. He is a powerful elf, and as such can benefit you...if you can tolerate his darker side. As long as he benefits the powers of Good you may wish to keep him around. But remember, he is not Good himself and will always seek to dominate the rest of you. You must always keep that in mind."
"While I am no Paladin, I do hope to become a Knight and therefore believe in many of the pricipals, if not all, that a Paladin follows and these recent events have left me confused. I thankyou for whatever spiritual guidance you can offer."
"You have a difficult road ahead of you, Humphrey. May Odin guide you."