Ghosts of the Past

[Evie]

((Good grief, we're having spectacularly bad luck with dice rolls today! LOL!  Well, since Aliset is sleeping, let's see if I can flesh our stalker out a bit in the meantime.))

Austin MacInnis watched the young Deryni knight's display with a faint smile on his face. Was he meant to be impressed? He suppressed the urge to reach a hand up to caress the amulet hanging around his neck beneath his jerkin. He was no Deryni himself, but his master had gifted him with certain protections nonetheless, and he'd managed to learn a few wee talents despite being human-born. He was certain now these two men before him were traveling with the de Mariot chit he was sent to find. He would be rewarded richly once he brought her back. Oh yes, he could tell these two Gwyneddan loyalists a thing or two about Baron Oswald if he chose to--not that he would.  Say whatever one might about him, he knew where his loyalties lay.  Oh, not with Baron Oswald directly, though he was happy enough to be of service to him in this small job, so long as the reward was as good as promised. But he had higher loyalties, as did Oswald. And if he did well in this, there would be more opportunities to prove his value to his master.  Austin was an ambitious man. He would take whatever odd jobs would facilitate his rise to the top echelon in the once and future Kingdom of Meara.

"The heir of Mariot and a man named Oswald?" He shrugged, maintaining his nonchalant demeanor in the face of the knight's aura flare. "Who are they?" 

((Dice roll 5 + 4, verification #dbtlc8rjjp, for whether his ability to block Wash's ability to Truth-Read continues to succeed...which it did, darn it!  Though maybe that's just because he avoided giving a direct answer.  Better luck next round, hopefully!))

[Jerusha]

Darcy Cameron sighed.  He did not like the man's evasiveness.  They had him outnumbered and stood a chance of taking him.  Perhaps they could beat the truth out of him, but it would be hard won, and he doubted Father Columcil would approve.  That amount of penance he did not need.

The flash of light and the sharp crack of thunder caused all three men to startle. The man before them took the opportunity to throw his dagger at Darcy.

((dice role 2d6; 3 + 2 = 5.  Failure.))

The dagger flew wide, missing Darcy's shoulder by inches.  Austin leaped onto his horse, grasping the reins to pull them up.  But he had secured the reins a little too well to the shrub, and they did not come free at his first hasty tug.  On the second they came free, bringing broken pieces of branch with them.

Darcy uttered a curse and sprang forward with his sword.

((dice role 3d6; 5 + 5+ 1 = 11; Success!))

He delivered a backhanded slice, severing the girth of the horse's saddle.  Saddle and rider began to slip sideways, and Darcy heard the swish of Sir Washburn's arrow as it sailed past him....

[Evie]

((Perception roll, 1d6 to see if the thunder/bright flash would wake Aliset or not.  Success on 4-6.  Dice roll=4, verfication #7bm2c1dbf2))

Aliset awakened with a start, hearing the echoes of loud thunder as she sat up swiftly. Had she merely dreamed the bright flash illuminating the room when her eyes first flew open? It seemed even darker now, leaving her uncertain how much time had passed since she had dropped off to sleep.  Not nearly enough to replenish her, she felt as she fell back onto her pillow groggily.  She glanced over at Columcil, who rolled over on his pallet. Without reaching out to him mentally, she couldn't be sure if he was asleep or not, but she didn't wish to intrude on his privacy in either case unless it became truly necessary.

She did, however, feel somewhat uneasy without quite knowing why. Perhaps it was simply because her brief glance around the room had informed her that Darcy and Sir Washburn had not yet returned from their explorations.

Perhaps she should trust that gut instinct and reach out further with her senses to see if she could detect their presence nearby. Or perhaps sense the presence of anyone else close by who might pose a threat to her and her companions. 

Centering herself, she focused on extending her senses outwards to see what they might encounter.

((Dice roll 5 on 1d6, since Aliset is still tired from concealing the party during their journey and not getting enough sleep, but evidently not too tired to detect danger.  Verification #5bsbkm1tx7))

Oh, bloody hell!  She could sense Sir Washburn and Darcy, all right, and what was more, she could sense a third person with them. Some dark shadow seemed to emanate from him, though whether that was because he was a threat or due to some strange power he was using--his was a slippery presence, for lack of a better description coming to mind at the moment, and not easily detected--she did not know, but she intended to find out. Rapidly, she raised her hand to her forehead and attempted to use a fatigue-banishing spell.  An expletive she'd heard Alister use when he thought she was out of earshot escaped her lips as the spell failed ((1d6 rolled due to her exhaustion--result 1, verification #78tq3wssgn)).  Evidently she was too tired to manage her own fatigue now! But despite that, she could hardly leave her newfound friends to their fate unassisted.  Forcing herself to rise and gear up swiftly, she woke up Father Columcil as she returned her dagger to its scabbard.

"Father Columcil, wake up!  Wash and Darcy need our assistance!"

[Laurna]

Lightning struck and thunder cracked through the trees, not too distant. A dagger flew at Darcy, there was no time to Focus it away. Thankful to Saint Camber, the dagger flew wide of its target. Then in an instant, both men before him were moving. This time there was time to Focus. And time to make a good draw. The stranger's near shoulder was a solid target. Washburn aimed, not to kill, but to incapacitate. He still did not have solid proof that the stranger was more than what he said. The ramifications of killing another without due provocation would be strict punishment in Kelson's courts. The stranger did attacked first, but if Truth Read, it could be claimed that he was defending himself against their bullying. Gut-instinct told him otherwise, yet they needed proof that he was their stalker.

His arrow flew.
((3D6 Advantage and Focus  roll 5, 3, 3, Verification Number: 5sn7l23gcm))

The arrow's flight was true, even as the stranger fell from the slipping saddle as Darcy cut the man's girth. The arrow struck the left shoulder and sent him to the ground.

"Don't kill him!  I want to know who he is and what he knows!" Wash yelled as he ran forward.

[Bynw]

(( I am going to give everyone (all four of the PC's - the bad guy doesn't get one) what is going to be called a Hero Point. The player can spend this Hero point in any of the following ways:

• You gain 1 additional die to Initiative Tests.
• Gain 1 Hit Point, but you must be injured before using it this way.
• You succeed on any Test with a roll of 4 or greater. Or if the success is already at that level it succeeds at the next lower pip.

Everyone has 1 (one) Hero Point. ))

(( this post had been edited ))

[Evie]

((I am guessing the Hero Point is a one time use sort of thing, and we only get more Hero points at certain intervals, or have to earn them through game play or something, similarly to how Force Points work in the Star Wars RPG?

[As I recall, one way in Star Wars that you can earn a Force point back is if you manage to use one up during a dramatically appropriate moment.  So, for instance, Luke using one to determine whether to break left or right when evading enemy fire wouldn't earn him a point back, but using it to help tilt the outcome in his favor when making that critical shot necessary to destroy the Death Star would.  But there were other ways to earn them during the game, you might just have to wait longer to get it back if you wasted it on something less heroic.] ))

[Bynw]

(( Hero Points are similar in nature to Force Points from the Star Wars RPG. And the concept crops up in a lot of other RPGs too. It's always nice to have something to give the Hero's an edge. Right now everyone has just the ONE. When it is gone it's gone. Yes you can get more. And I will give them out. ))

[Jerusha]

Austin MacInnis cursed as he and his saddle slipped sideways.  Panicked, his horse attempted to skitter away and Austin kicked himself free from the stirrups when pain slashed at his shoulder.  Damn! He hit the ground hard and tried to roll to his feet but the pain of rolling over on his wounded shoulder stopped him.

"Don't kill him! I want to know who he is and what he knows," Austin heard the taller man shout.

"I'll see you in hell first," Austin thought grimly.  He attempted to roll in the other direction but was stopped by the point of a sword placed none too gently at his throat.

"I would be a bit careful of your next move if I was you."  The fair-haired man above stood far enough away that a lunge on Austin's part would not connect with either leg, and the slightest pressure on the sword would put it neatly through his throat.  The taller man in black had another arrow knocked and ready to fire.  It was time to turn this situation around.

"You have injured me for no reason!  I demand to be taken to the nearest authority to state my case! You will pay dearly for this!"

"We could remove your arrow and leave him to die," the smaller man said. 

The other man thought for a few uncomfortable moments.  "We'll take him back with us.  I will know who he is and what his purpose is here."

Austin smiled inwardly.  This had taken a better turn than he had hoped for.

[Evie]

((LOL!  I had just rolled for Austin to see if he'd make a safe landing falling off that horse, but you got your scene in there first, so I guess I'll use that roll for this scene. I just have to figure out first how I'm going to apply it.  Dice roll 5 + 4, verification# 6n9f1jl3pm.  Yeah, I suspect he really wants to go to that monastery after all!))

Austin had to work to control his smirk. So, they were taking him directly to the de Mariot lass, were they? That would make his job all the more easy. 

Making only a token resistance, he allowed himself to be escorted by the Mariot girl's protectors.  The wound in his shoulder, that was truly annoying, but he'd had worse injuries before. He'd see the two men who'd accosted him pay dearly for that. But first things first.

Oswald had cautioned him not to kill Aliset de Mariot unless it couldn't be avoided. He wanted her alive. Austin was fine with those terms. But he hadn't said anything about unharmed.  Or untouched, for that matter.  Or unscarred. Or even conscious. 

Austin amused himself with imagining several interesting scenarios featuring his runaway prey as he stumbled through the wet countryside towards the dry warmth of the nearby village church.

((Edited to eliminate mention of monastery that isn't here.  ))

[Evie]

((Ooh, something else has occurred to me!  We have a human villain with some borrowed powers, in the service of a Deryni master. Sort of like the Derry/Alaric relationship, but on the dark side, so to speak.  He is also injured in a way that would cause blood loss, has aggravated that injury by falling on it, and is now being led off somewhere by our heroes at a pace that I suspect is not entirely gentle and considerate of his new injuries.     Will there be some natural consequence to his health as a result of that?  [I.e, will he lose a hit point?]  Also, can his master sense his weakened state through the link they almost certainly share?))

((Dice roll #1--2 + 2.  Rolled to see if Austin loses another hit point during this trek back towards the church. I assume he already lost one when the arrow went into his shoulder.  Looks like our villain is out of luck this time! One more HP down, 4 left to go, assuming he starts off with the usual 6 we all have.))

Austin stumbled along the trail as he plotted dire consequences for Aliset and the rest of her traveling companions. The diversion helped to keep his mind off the pain in his shoulder and the feel of his own blood soaking into his clothing.  He felt a wave of exhaustion hit now that the earlier adrenaline rush began to wear off, but he fought it. He would not allow this rabble to see any weakness. His master would sense what had happened to him, he felt sure, in general terms if not in specific details. He just had to see his mission through to completion, or at least endure long enough to see the girl's protectors dead, and once his master (or another of his henchmen) caught up with them, deliver her into his keeping. And then his injuries could be looked after properly. He put one foot before the other, his entire focus now on keeping his remaining energies up until he could complete his mission.

((Roll #2--3 +6 to see if his master can sense his weakening energy through their psychic link.  Oops!  Apparently he can, so let's hope he's not too close!))

((Roll#3--Rolled 1d6 to see how far away his master is.  One day's ride per number on the dice roll.  Result was a 3, verification #4zgzsz5p8d.))

In his fortress three days' ride distant, a Deryni mastermind felt a sudden phantom pain in his shoulder, followed by other muffled pains shortly thereafter, and a wave of weakness.  Dampening down the link between himself and his injured minion, he retreated to his study at his earliest opportunity.  Opening a small engraved box upon his desk, he reached within its velvet lined confines to pull out a polished shiral crystal.  Focusing his concentration on it, he whispered "Show me what Austin is seeing."

((Dice roll #4--3 +2.  Verification #n59rnm8cmt))

The shiral remained clouded for some reason.  Were Austin's eyes merely closed, or had he already succumbed to unconsciousness?  Damn it all, he had to find out what was going on! If the de Mariot chit made it to Rhemuth with her tale, the Mearan revolt would be exposed prematurely.

[Laurna]

The darkness of the road set in. The sun was beyond the hills to the west and the clouds, black with moisture, filled the sky over head. Another lightning flashed, more distant this time, with the thunder reverberating through the forest. It was going to rain. Possibly even before they got back to the church yard. Five paces before Wash, Master Darcy lead his captive. The captive's shoulders sagged and his feet drug slowly forward.  The man was hurting, but he was not fighting back or trying to escape. Wash lead the man's horse. A cursory glance of the saddle and bags gave nothing away to the rider's identity.

((1d6 disadvantage  rolled 3 *failure* Verification Number: rwx63qpnlk))

Washburn cast forward to try to discern what he could of their prisoner. All that echoed back in his mind was a shadow, a shield unlike anything Wash had encountered before. He wanted very much to read the man's intent. For everything about the man, except for his words, told Wash to use all caution. If he could touch him, he could learn if the man were truly Deryni or not. That, however, was filled with its own risks. If their captive was Deryni and he was the enemy, Wash must be prepared to do battle of the mental kind. Which ultimately could end in the loser being Mind-ripped. If it came to that, to protect Aliset, he would.  He could use the excuse of removing the arrow to get that touch. Soon. Out from under these rain clouds with four walls for shelter. That would be better place for that kind of battle, then this open road.

((1d6 disadvantage  rolled 4 *failure* Verification Number: 3r9l2qkvqd))

As they walked, Wash took a try at focusing on the horse's mind, his hand resting on the animal's neck. It was said his father could call a deer to the very gates of Rhemuth. This was a trick he had yet to learn. If he ever could learn it. His Grace, Lord Dhugal was the master of that magic. All Wash could sense from the animal was that he was away from what was familiar. There had been several suns on his left side ending with suns to his right side. Translating into southerly travel for several days.

(( 2d6  rolled 2 & 5 success Verification Number: 4nv72n3k8z))

Ever wary of the man before him and the woods all around, Wash and his companion and captive were mid way up the road toward the church when Wash heard the faint sounds of someone ahead in the darkness. He braced himself for an encounter. @@"Caution!"@@ was the single mental word he sent out with Mind Speech on the chance that it was a friend; or a warning if it was a foe.

((sorry it that was 3 actions and not just 2. LOL))

[Evie]

Aliset saw two familiar figures approaching in the distance, along with one other man less familiar to her, but she recognized him nonetheless. She had sensed him nearby before, albeit not like this, with waves of pain and increasing shock rolling off him.  She felt conflicted at the sight. She was certain this man meant her no good will--indeed had most likely been sent to cause her harm, if not death. Yet despite that, something within her did not wish him dead.  Not yet, at any rate. Not unless it became truly necessary. If he must die in order to ensure the survival of herself and her friends. Not to mention the survival of Gwynedd as an intact kingdom, without the shadow of civil war growing stronger until it overcame the decades of peace that Kelson's decisive actions against the last Quinnell pretenders had brought to Meara.

Within her mind, she Heard Sir Washburn's warning. Caution!

It's Alister! she Sent back swiftly, using her brother's name on the off chance her fatigue had reduced her ability to focus her thought to his mind alone.  ((Rolled one die instead of two because of the distance and she is also tired--result was a 3, verification 5gd54vslxz.))  From this distance, she could not see his features clearly, and there was no other sign that the Deryni knight had registered her attempt to contact him, so cautious she would be.  She stood her ground, awaiting their arrival.  While she waited, she mentally reviewed the small selections of medicinals she'd acquired at the monastic infirmarium the night before.  Which ones might be most effective at preventing infection and promoting healing? After all, Sir Washburn might wish to bring the prisoner to King Kelson alive. And perhaps just as important, which ones might help keep him sedated and prevent him from using any powers he might bring to bear against them?  Or might one of the spells in her family grimoire be better suited for that purpose?

[revanne]

((Columcil tends to veer from male to female pronouns while thinking of Aliset. Nothing in his priestly training or experience has prepared him for this.
Reading back a few, it says that Aliset woke Columcil but he doesn't seem to be with her. I am assuming that he proved very difficult to wake and she decided not to waste time.))

Columcil woke suddenly to a sense of dread. He had finally slept, exhausted enough that the storm had failed to wake him. Something had however. He sat up and listened as to whether the same something, whatever it might have been, had woken his companion. He could hear nothing.  His heartbeat sounded loud in his ears and his breathing ragged, maybe that was what was preventing him from hearing Alister's breathing. The youngster slept quietly - maybe all women did, that was something he would never know - but surely not that quietly. Even though she bore the shape of a man he did not dare to reach out to touch but waited for the next flash of bright light from the sky to fill the church. Alister was gone.

Anger flooded him, anger with Alister, but much more strongly anger with himself. Were all those night-long vigils in vain that he could not watch out even half a night? "Could you not watch with me one hour?", he heard echoing in his thoughts. Was it blasphemy to think so? Well, he had no time to waste worrying about it, he had best follow and quickly at that. Should he go mounted? Both horses were still tethered in the church porch, standing together sheltered from the worst of the storm but trembling with fear. It would be needlessly cruel to leave one horse alone, and Alister had clearly gone on foot. He would too. He picked up his staff, wrapped himself in his cloak and then, on a impulse, slipped his prayer book from the breast of his habit. He kissed the cover and prayed that the Deryni heritage of his father's kin would aid him now. Cautiously he extended his senses (dice role 5+5 verification code 21ptcOrqkb) and felt a presence slipping through the forest just beyond the church yard. He must have woken just as she left. Kissing the book again he replaced it, crossed himself and walked rapidly out through the church porch. Both horses were showing the whites of their eyes and sweating with fear. For all his anxiety Columcil could not leave them like this ((I rolled 3d6 as Columcil is a beast-handler 4+3+6 verification 45fk3z177p)) and placing a hand on each animal he reached into their minds soothing their fear. Then, half -ashamed of his time-wasting, he strode out into the storm.

[Jerusha]

Darcy Cameron marched their prisoner in front of him.  He had used the man's belt to bind his hands behind him.  He had lines within his sea bag, but he had left it at the stable.  The belt had sufficed.

The man's face was stoic as he plodded forward.  Beads of sweat glistened his forehead; he was still bleeding and in pain.  Darcy would have been more sympathetic if he had not remembered the dagger that had been thrown at him.

Darcy heard the rustle of someone travelling towards them.  He gripped their prisoner's arm.  "Steady now, let's not create a disturbance," he cautioned. 

A grunt of pain was the only response.

Damn and double damn!  He recognized the figure in the monk's robe as they approached. Lord Alister!

Darcy had hoped they could secure there prisoner at the church without exposing the whereabouts of Lord Alister.  This did not bode well.

"Good Brother," the man beside him suddenly called out.  "Pray help me!  I have been taken unjustly captive and sorely wounded...."

Darcy cut off his speech by twisting the man's wounded arm.  He was not feeling charitable.

[revanne]

Suddenly a rough hand seized Darcy's and forced him to stop.

"That will do lad, no need to hurt without cause."

Columcil, who had come swiftly up behind Alister, ignored Darcy's glare and stood four-square in front of Austin, effectively preventing him from any further sight of Alister. He nodded at Darcy to keep a firm hold of the belt tying the captive, hoping that would reassure the man that he had no intention of aiding any escape.

Austin knew relief that his pain had lessened but this was a complication he could do without. Still the man was a cleric by the look of him, best carry on with his appeal to the soft-hearted clergy.

"Brother," he repeated, "Pray help me. I have been unjustly taken captive..." but was interrrupted.

"Father it is, d'ye no know a priest when you see one. And as for unjustly, whyfore would an innocent traveler be tracking such as us on a night such as this. But with permission of My Lord here, I can maybe do something about that wound of yourn." He bowed towards Washburn, there was now no point in pretending that the other was a humble monk and Washburn nodded slowly, again wondering about Columcil; the man was clearly more than he seemed, did he mean that he was a healer.

Columcil grasped Austin firmly by his good shoulder and began to peel back the sodden jerkin and shirt from the wound. Austin squirmed and tried to wriggle away, but only succeeded in having his bad arm twisted again by Darcy. This time Columcil made no protest at this rough treatment but growled at Austin,

"Hold still, d'ye want healing or no!"

God! the man was a Deryni too, thought Austin but said nothing. Slowly Columcil began to enter into healing trance (6+5 6rwvf2btg) and slipped his hand inside Austin's shirt. Suddenly he jerked himself out of his trance and turning to Washburn said urgently, "Your dagger, my Lord!" and as the other hesitated, "Now, if you please!" Washburn made a split second decision to trust the priest and handed his weapon over. Columcil pulled a leather thong out of Austin's jerkin, ignoring the other's frantic attempts to kick and bite him, and swiftly cut the leather. As he pulled it free he held up the amulet and handed it to Washburn with a bow, "Maybe you know what this heathen thing is, my Lord. I didna ken whether I could've healed past it but I didna care to try."

Anger was rising in Columcil again. Whatever the thing was that had been round the wounded man's neck, it had stunk of something foul. He'd maybe repent of it later but just at the moment he didn't feel like trying again to heal. He turned away in disgust and spoke roughly to Darcy - "He's all yours, Son." ((Modified to make clear Austin not healed))