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--- paldegora:session_33_the_search_for_angelique [2024/02/17 02:00] – created davidm
+++ paldegora:session_33_the_search_for_angelique [2024/02/24 19:13] (current) – debmurf
@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 ==== Detail ====
-There is a split campaign running at the moment, Angelique s missing. They don't know where she is or what is or has happened to her. She is keeping a separate journal of what is happening to her. It will be inserted here if they all survive enough to get back together again. In the future, we will add her notes here.
+There is a split campaign running at the moment, Angelique is missing. They don't know where she is or what is or has happened to her. She is keeping a separate journal of what is happening to her. It will be inserted here if they all survive enough to get back together again. In the future, we will add her notes here.
 = = = = = = Angelique's diary = = = = = =
+Dear Diary,
+I feel two sets of hands grab me, dragging me backwards, almost yanking me off my feet. I can’t tell which direction I was taken. But I could sense a change in atmosphere. I moved through something, not sure if it was a door or something else.
+While it was still dark my staff was ripped from my hands and a bag or cloth was forced over my head. Then my hands were grabbed back behind me. Whoever it was is very strong.  They dragged me away.  A few steps later the sound came back
+I hear us struggling, then a man and woman say, “you need to be still”. They are just dragging me along.
+Angelique – “Who are you? What are you doing?” (I get no answers to my questions.)
+ “Be Still”
+I try to determine if I recognize their voices, I am not sure. (missed roll)
+I am dragged some distance, not sure about making turns or going through doors and after a few minutes I sense another change in the atmosphere. It seems warmer. They keep hustling me along and I feel like we made a turn to the left. Then dragged a little further, then the male voice says,” Open the door”. I heard the keys jingle and the door then unlocked. The door squeaks and I am dragged inside. The door slams shut.
+Angelique- “Hello?”
+I am dragged over and slammed into the wall.  I hear a girl or woman laughing.  They rip my bags and belongings from me and throw them to the side.
+Then my arms are grabbed, and cuffs put on my wrist and feet and then chained to the wall. They then rip the bag from my head.
+I see 3 other people with me in the room. Braziers lit. There are chains, cuffs, cage and old blood everywhere.  Then a half elf woman comes up to me.
+Sarah - Ha! So, this is the bitch that all the fuss is about. You don't know how much I looked forward to getting you in my little playroom here. Lord Mathias will be in shortly to speak with you, and it's my job to ensure you have the proper attitude when he arrives. I've thought up some especially painful things just for you. I have been looking forward to trying them out.
+She starts pulling out these wicked looking knives and stuff.  She takes a step toward me.  Marlena comes forward and grabs her by the neck and starts squeezing her and says...
+Marlena - “You will not touch her for any reason.”
+Sarah - “What is your problem? It's my job. Let me go.”
+Morgan - “No one touches her! Not until our agreement is completed. Understood? She is to be delivered to Mathias unharmed, as required.”
+Sarah - “OK, ok, just let me go.”
+Morgan - “Very well.” “Let her go, Sis.”
+Marlena lets her go and steps back. She says,
+Marlena - “Now, why don't you be a good little psycho slut and run and get Mathias so we can get this business concluded?”
+Sarah looks at them with a scared venomous look. Then she leaves the room.
+Marlena and Morgan lean up against the wall and start mummering to each other.
+Angelique- “Look, you two have helped me before. What is going on? Help me out of here.”
+Marlena - “unfortunately my dear you’ll find out soon enough.”  Then she says something to Morgan, and he nods.
+About that time the door opens again and Sarah walks in, then a man who is dressed differently and clean, someone that I have seen before. He walks in with Sarah behind her. Sarah is looking timid toward the twins, kinda of scared, and give them a fuck you look. He walks in and glances at me, then looks at Morgan and Marlena.
+Mathias - “Morgan, Marlena so good to see you again. Well done! Your payment is being sent to your quarters as we speak. By the way, her troublesome companions are in the main temple. Feel free to eliminate them now.”
+Morgan cocks his head sideways and says, “No.”
+Mathias - “No? What do you mean no?”
+Morgan - “We only eliminate targets under contract or those unfortunate enough to get in the way. We don't kill for any other reason.”
+Marlena - “We are professionals. We have our reputation to consider. If we start killing people left and right, we would be no better than your little psycho slut there.”
+Sarah looks at Marlena and gives her an evil bitch kinda look. Mathias steps back and says...
+Mathias - “Oh really? So how is it you chose to kill Sir Charles when you failed to acquire the diary as I asked?”
+Marlena snickers and looks over at her brother and says...
+Marlena - “He is not very bright, is he?”
+Morgan - “Easy Sis. We are more than capable of working on more than one job at a time.”
+Mathias -”Do you mean to tell me someone else had a contract out on Sir Charles? What about the diary? Were they after it also?”
+Morgan - “No, and the diary wasn't in your contract, otherwise you would have it now.”
+Marlena - “We did shake him down for it, but it wasn't with him at the time.”
+Morgan - “We simply had no obligation to pursue it further”.
+Mathias - “Damn it! I needed that diary! Who put a contract on him?”
+Morgan - “That, I'm afraid, is confidential. So, if you wish Miss Blazecaller's companions dead you will have to handle that yourself. We are not doing it.”
+Then the door opens again with a really disturbing looking figure, creepy with red eyes... Sarah moves out of the way. He walks in.
+Mathias - “Yoakum, I'm glad you are here, did you send word we have her?”
+Yoakum - (monotone creepy voice) “I did. I know Master Aphobis will be very pleased at the news. All precautions have been taken for the inevitable response from the Order. He is well prepared for the repercussions of us capturing Silverstien's granddaughter now.”
+Mathias - “Good, good! I hope to shortly have even better news for him.”
+“Now then, down to business.” He turns and looks at me.
+“So, Miss Blazecaller I have some questions I need answered before we get to the main reason we have you here. You can of course choose not to cooperate, but I can assure you we will get all the answers from you in time. One way or another. You see, Sarah here is skilled, very determined, and highly motivated and can be most persuasive. Now then. Tell me, where is the diary?”
+Angelique – “I don’t know, we could not find it either when we got there.”
+Morgan interrupts and says...
+Morgan - “She and her friends no longer have it.”
+Mathias whips around.
+Mathias - “What do you mean?”
+Morgan - “I suspect she left it with Archmage Tinkle when they met him outside of Frosthaven.”
+Mathias - “What!? Why the hell wasn't I already told about this?”
+Yoakum’s demeanor changes and he seems nervous, and he says...
+Yoakum - “This is bad Mathias! I warned you he was liable to pop up somewhere. I'll have to let Aphobis know this immediately. This might put my Master in jeopardy within the Order before he is ready or even aware of the danger he is in!”
+Mathias - “Damn it! Tinkle and Silverstein are always either nipping at my heels or a half-step ahead of me.”
+Morgan - “Perhaps Miss Blazecaller read the diary and can provide you with what you need.”
+Mathias - “Maybe so. There is the one thing they don't have, and it will put me well ahead of them again. We will have to move quickly!”
+Marlena - “Maybe that idiot of yours, Rohgard, read it?”
+Mathias stops and looks at her and says...
+Mathias - “Rohgard is currently fermenting in the bog for losing it, to begin with, and failing me with his stupid idea about using her blood.”
+Marlena just laughs.
+Mathias - “So Angelique, tell me then what the diary said about the three artifacts and the Heart of the Dragon. You do know what that is, don't you?”
+Angelique –” No, I was not able to read the diary. It was not in a language I could understand.”
+Mathias - “Sahn has commanded we find and release the Dragon Emperors and use the Heart of the Dragon to control them and bend them to his will.
+You see, we followers of Sahn were very close to acquiring those artifacts ourselves from those white bitches on their precious little island when that fool Lundar stole them out from under everyone's nose. I'm not sure how he did it, but he was able to use them to defeat the dragon spawn. I had determined their true purpose. They were created by the Grand Archmage Timothy Montague to defeat and imprison the Dragon Emperors. I also surmised Tim then hid the Heart of the Dragon on his island. Why else would he make his island disappear and impossible to find without Azar's map? What I don't know is how the artifacts functioned. Perhaps you can shed some light on that for us? What did the diary say? I know you read it, you had to read it.”
+Angelique – “I don’t want to tell you. It’s none of your business.”
+Mathias – “I see. Also, I'm guessing you and your friends know how to find the Dragons Vale. Where is it?”
+Angelique - “We have not quite found it. We don’t know exactly where it is”.
+Mathias - “But you know where it is or where to go to find it.”
+Angelique - “We still have not found it.”
+Mathias – “I will find it and I will have those artifacts if I have to kill Lundor and everyone in the Vale one by one!
+ “Very well. I will just leave it to Sarah to extract this information from you. But now, let’s get to the most important thing, the real reason you are here.  Perhaps you recognize this.” He reaches into his coat and pulls out a ring.
+{{:paldegora:sessions:angeliques_ring.png|}}
+Angelique – “Where did you get that?”
+Mathias – “I took this along with the map from your father when I caught up to him. Why I took the ring at the time, I am not really sure. I am glad I did. You see your father was not the weak unassuming scholar he pretended to be. He was truly quite an accomplished wizard. He enchanted the map and locked it so it could not be opened. I was able to detect the ring was needed in some way to open it, but everything I tried failed. With Archmage Aphobis's help, we determined what was missing. You see, the ring is needed indeed, but only a Blazecaller wearing it can unlock it. Very impressive and sheer genius. That, however, presented a unique problem for us. Your father was dead, and it would be impossible to make your grandfather Silverstein open it. Your mother was useless since she was not a Blazecaller by blood. That left only you. They both must have guessed you could be in some kind of danger because they put magical spells in place to hide you. We put spies all around to find you and watch you the old-fashioned way, but even with that, we could not seem to get an opportunity to capture you. That is until you struck out on your own. Even then, we were not sure of your identity. Proof came the day I touched your hand outside the Three Points Tavern. Perhaps you remember that day. Then we knew it was you for certain.”
+“Because of your troublesome grandfather and his impish friend, we still knew we could not just grab you up. We had to let you come to us, courtesy of Morgan and Marlena here helping you all along the way. Now we have you! So, I'm happy to return your father's ring to you, because you are going to open the map for us.” With that he reaches into his cloak and pulls out a map.
+{{:paldegora:sessions:map.png|}}
+It looks very old, jeweled and seems to glow with magic.
+Mathias tells Sarah and Yoakum, “If you would hold her hand and let's get this ring back on her.” Sarah and Yoakum come up. Yoakum grabs me by the throat and holds me up. Sarah grabs me by the arm, takes a knife and starts poking it in there to force my fingers open. She slips the ring on my finger. I try to struggle, but she is very strong.
+Mathias- “Hold her hand steady.”
+He walks up and touches the map to the ring. Pop! The two snaps open.
+Mathias - “After all this time, now we finally have it! Now we’ll have the directions. Now we’ll find the heart of the dragon!”
+He flips it open, looks at it for a minute, then his face changes.  The blood drains from his face and he turns white. His eyes fill with rage and walks toward me. He holds it up to my face.
+Mathias - “Read it! Tell me what you see.”
+I look at it.  It is definitely a map with like instructions. A very detailed drawing of an island with a small, sheltered harbor, where ships come in and out, maybe a little village, and I see a stone hold a little way up the valley.  On the outside of the map around it I see a drawing of a maelstrom surrounding it. Up above I see longitude and latitude, but the numbers keep changing. On the side, there seems to be some notes, but they keep changing. I can’t make out anything, but the picture of the island doesn’t change.
+Mathias- “Tell me, what do you see?”
+Angelique – “You tell me.  What do you see, you see the same thing I see.
+Mathias takes it back and slams it shut.
+Yoakum – “What, What?”
+Mathias hands it to him.
+Yoakum - “I don't understand this. it's all gibberish. Did Sullivan put something else on it?”
+Mathias - “No this is not his doing; this is Azar himself.”
+Marlena – (just dies laughing)
+Morgan - “With that, it's time for us to go. We have other business to attend to. We will stop by our quarters and collect our payment.”
+They start moving toward the door, Marlena pauses and looks at me... (not hateful)
+Marlena - “You may find this odd Angelique, but we both enjoyed protecting you. It was fun for a change.”
+Angelique –” I enjoyed your protection. Thank you!”
+Marlena - “I would wish you farewell now, but unfortunately, your fate is no longer in our hands.”
+Angelique - “If you ever find me again in trouble, I would appreciate your help.”
+ Marlena bows to me. They walk up to the door and Morgan opens it. Something happens
+Morgan - “Until another time.”
+When he says that, their tattoos begin to glow. They get brighter and as they do; they are gone.
+Mathias looks pissed off.
+Mathias - “Yoakum, go and send a message to Aphobis and inform him of what we learned and about our new situation with the map! Ask him for suggestions on breaking this damn enchantment. Then meet me in the map room and let's see if we can match this up to some island somewhere and begin assessing this obscurement magic!”
+Yoakum - “Very well.”
+Mathias - “Sarah, get some of the guards together and send them to kill our other guests. I don't care if some of them have turned, instruct them to kill every damn one of them. Oh, by the way, you can kill that other stubborn bitch now and have her body taken back to her crash site. That should send a message to that pain-in-the-ass sister of hers.
+Then get back here and get to work on Miss Blazecaller. Extract the information we need. Use whatever method you see fit and maim her however you wish, I don’t care, only do not, do not kill her! She is too valuable a hostage and the perfect weapon to use against her grandfather.”
+Sarah - “Consider it done my Lord.”
+Mathias - “Now go!”
+With that she leaves for the door to the west. Mathais and Yoakum leave to the east. I am left only.  A few minutes later, Sarah returns.
+Sarah -” I do have one thing to do first.”
+Where my stuff is thrown, she starts going through it. She finds the bag of holding. She starts going through all the stuff. She takes the gold. She starts going through my personal stuff.  She finds the pendant with a green stone in it.
+Sarah -” This is pretty, where did you get it?”
+She looks at it and the moment she does a bright lime green light flashes and blinds me.  When my eyes came back to me, I noticed she was laying against the wall unconscious. The pendant is on the floor. It’s not doing anything. (I remember, we got it from Tinkle.)
 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =