Second voyage

Oct 17, 2025 8:41 pm

Sarge... Sarge...! One of the most junior soldiers is trying to get his leader's attention. He is looking scared.
Can you... Can you hear the scissors?

You all stop your shouting and arguing and listen. You can also hear the shearing sounds of scissors. The sound of metal on metal, the two sharp edges that glide against each other.

The young soldier is sitting huddled together with his head between his knees and his hands over his ears. Make it stop!

But the sound only intensifies, before there was only the sound of a scissor; now there are hundreds.

And then, as suddenly as it appeared, the sound disappeared, and the hallway is silent again.

Talin Windborne

Bullseyepsa

Oct 18, 2025 1:21 am

Second voyage

Talin grabs the nearest Syndicate crewman (the one he was already talking to if possible) and puts steel in his voice as he asks "Where's your Prince, clearly he's in danger?"

OOC:

Was there any result from his previous talking to one of the crewmen? If there wasn't time for him to have that conversation, please let me know so I can have the Hope back that I spent on it.

Sergent

runekyndig

Oct 18, 2025 8:00 am

Second voyage

Sergent

The Prince is on the ship, of course, what did you expect?! And we can't fucking leave because these fucking wizards have put this fucking bubble around everything, so where fary-boy did you fucking expect him to be? The Sergeant is not having a good day.

Sarge... says one of the other soldiers who is attending the one who panicked

WHAT?! The Sergent yells angrely.

Jimmy is dead Sarge. The huddled body of the young man keels over and lies dead on the floor.

Horrified, the Sergeant looks at his young charge. Angerly, he pushes Talin out of his way. Piss off the lot of you! Then he kneels down to the dead soldier.

Rolls

reaction: low internal, high external - (1d20)

(12) = 12

Zandor Kalryth

DrifterDwarf

Oct 18, 2025 12:41 pm

Second voyage

The warrior looked over at the dead soldier. "How? His own fear?"

A look of concern crossed his face. He could cross swords with anything, but how could they deal with this.

Emberskyes

Oct 18, 2025 4:32 pm

Second voyage

OOC:

do this help at all? I'm driving so I can't really ponder too much. I'm at a traffic light right now.

[ +- ] HEALING HANDS

Last edited October 18, 2025 4:33 pm

Talin Windborne

Bullseyepsa

Oct 18, 2025 7:18 pm

Second voyage

While Vethalia tends to the junior crewman (for whatever good it will do), Talin softens his tone and addresses himself to the Sargeant for the first time.

"Things are escalating. Look, we're trapped here too, crew of the Independent, and something's going on. I was hoping your Prince was negotiating with the headmasters to get released, but if he's holed up and left that to you, maybe we need to work together to solve this."

Vethalia Pixeldust

Emberskyes

Oct 18, 2025 9:28 pm

Second voyage

Vethalia rushes to the side of the fallen crew man and quickly produces a card that glows with celestial light.

"I do not know if this will work, but it cannot make things worse." She says looking at the Sargant waiting for his approval. "It is your chose to let me try to heal him, he is after all your man."

https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/uu4wxsrha5jzf8s9gaem6/IMG_7337.JPG?rlkey=8t0qxaiiie9n8y5bboq5ay4hz&

Footsteps click up the hall from somewhere deep in the building and Kasandra reappears with a young dark elf woman. "Is there anything we can do to help?" Kasandra asks not entirely certain what is going on. Her hair moves as if tussled by an unfelt breeze.

https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ershargmhsvbrrhboztos/IMG_7332.jpg?rlkey=eqogvk47f9efg31j3ibn5q9z8&

The dark elf nods, "Yes, anything. Anything at all." She glances towards the docks and then back at the crewman who has collapsed.

Last edited October 18, 2025 9:30 pm

Game Master

runekyndig

Oct 21, 2025 12:52 pm

Second voyage

OOC:

First I apologize for the delayed response. The read/unread bug made it seem like there were no updates to this tread. Its is frustrating.

There is no life left in the young sailor. He was literately scared to death. Nothing that Vethalia can do will bring him back.

Talin is right, this is escalating. First there was a group of snakes that caused panic. Looking back at it, they seemed to draw from the runes in the dining hall.

Kasandra tells about a claustrophobic episode she had, and but luckily Andariel was there to get her out.

And now this poor sailor was scared to death.

The Sergent takes the body of young sailor and carries him from the hallway. He is flanked by the rest of the men. The grief and frustration is palpable.
Outside you can see they are headed for the flagship.

Talin Windborne

Bullseyepsa

Oct 21, 2025 6:30 pm

Second voyage

Talin gathers his friends together and, after confirming that Vethalia trusts Kasandra, he shares what he's thinking about the prince.

"I don't have proof, but I may have the ability to prove, that the Prince is not who he seems to be. If I had to guess, the crew aren't in on it. I think we need to keep quiet about what we saw on the way in. Someone's operating with very bad intent and has stronger magic than we do. Maybe not stronger than the headmasters but maybe something they're not used to. At least they weren't able to recognize and stop it right away."

Zandor Kalryth

DrifterDwarf

Oct 22, 2025 12:28 am

Second voyage

Being new to the group, the warrior did not know what they had seen, but did not ask as they seemed to not want to speak of it at this moment. "We should continue to investigate then. At least in a group we will not all be afraid of the same thing. Perhaps that will help us, although it did not help that man."

Vethalia Pixeldust

Emberskyes

Oct 22, 2025 2:59 am

Second voyage

"I know this is a bad time for everyone involved," the dark elf woman, Andariel Lunadawn, says to the Sergeant taking a few extra steps to catch up with him, "and I completely understand if you think the circumstances make it entirely inappropriate but I have a private invitation for drinks with your Prince this evening."

Vethalia stops and looks at Andariel, *Seriously?* says the look on her face.

Kasandra nods at Vethalia, *I know right?* Her expression responds.

Last edited October 22, 2025 4:06 am

Talin Windborne

Bullseyepsa

Oct 22, 2025 4:35 am

Second voyage

Talin whispers to Vethalia, "Are you going to introduce us to your friends if we're going to get each other into trouble?"

Vethalia Pixeldust

Emberskyes

Oct 22, 2025 3:30 pm

Second voyage

"Oh!" Vethalia says looking surprised, "Oh my gosh yes, I am so sorry, I'm usually much better at this."

The tiny goblin runs through your names quickly before turning to the two women. "Kasandra Mistral, mistress of the heavenly motions." She says indicating the woman with the crimson hair that seems to move of its own accord. Andariel snorts at this.

Kasandra smiles a smile that reaches the corners of her eyes and offers up a quick curtsy, "Delighted."

Then Vethalia turns to the dark elf, "Andariel Lunadawn, lady of the dark realm below the library."

Andariel nods her mind clearly elsewhere and on something more important.

Talin Windborne

Bullseyepsa

Oct 23, 2025 1:41 am

Second voyage

Talin nods to each of them in turn. "Talin Windborne. Now that we've all met is there somewhere quiet we can go share information?"

Vethalia Pixeldust

Emberskyes

Oct 25, 2025 1:12 am

Second voyage

Kasandra nods, "There's a lecture space over here." She says pointing towards a nearby door. "We talk in there."

Talin Windborne

Bullseyepsa

Oct 25, 2025 2:56 am

Second voyage

Talin nods and leads the way to the room. He makes sure the room is clear of anyone not vouched for and that everyone who wants to be is in before closing the door.

He pauses with a pensive look at each of the assembled before speaking. "The man who appeared here as the Prince is indistinguishable, other than an absence of serious injuries, from the man on the island. I suspect that, given that the crew is acting like everything on that end is normal, despite all of the things that are not, someone with a great skill in deception has taken the Prince's place. I can do something similar, but I don't know that I could maintain it for as long or with people who know him. Might be helpful later in the right circumstances, though I hope we don't get there."

He looks from Vethalia to Andariel to Kasandra "Do you know if the Prince has ever come here before or just representatives? I'm curious how he fooled the masters." He pauses, "Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe the same magics that power his deception are involved in these phantasms."

Zandor Kalryth

DrifterDwarf

Oct 25, 2025 2:28 pm

Second voyage

The warrior walked near Kasandra as they moved into the open room to speak. She was the only person he had met prior to the last few minutes, although he knew almost nothing more about her than he did about any of the others present.

Zandor was not an idiot, but he certainly was not a scholar either. The sum total of his knowledge about magic was 'dodge!!' and 'don't stand in that!!'. Had he not just seen an entire room full of snakes and a man die of his own fear, he might have discounted the entire thing as fancy.

"You think this imposter may be the cause of this fear magic?" he paused to consider. "It is an elaborate plot you suggest."

Emberskyes

Oct 25, 2025 5:24 pm

Second voyage

OOC:

I'll let our GM answer the, has the prince been here before question before I post.

Game Master

runekyndig

Oct 26, 2025 1:31 pm

Second voyage

OOC:

Its the first time that the prince has visited Angelholm Monastery.

I'll recap what you have learned about the Stormspire Syndicate

Quote:

Nature & Role
The Syndicate is one of the monopoly guild-like powers in this world (similar to Eberron’s dragonmarked houses)
Their flagship is a massive, rune-etched vessel, run by crystal engines—a flying fortress that symbolizes their dominance.

Reputation
Known for being ruthless, ambitious, and politically savvy
They jealously guard the secrets of airship construction and binding crystals.
Other factions tolerate them because their ships are vital for trade, warfare, and prestige.

Political Influence
The Syndicate is not noble-born, but they wield power equal to dukes and barons because of their monopoly.
They negotiate trade rights with institutions like Angelholm Monastery, where arcane knowledge meets practical magic.
The leader of the Syndicate is Hanov Von Himden. He is old and has started to let his oldest son take a more active role in the goverment of the Syndicate. Lucien Von Himden is also know as the prince of the Syndicate.

This journey is the first public step for the prince to take a more active roll in the goverment of the Syndicate

The prince is travelling with a fully crewed flagship and a retinue of advisors (think lawyers, managers, and specialists in various fields of the business). People who used to advise Hanov Von Himden are now getting to know the prince.

Guesclinbert the Raven

Lemming23

Oct 27, 2025 5:28 pm

Second voyage

DrifterDwarf says:

"You think this imposter may be the cause of this fear magic?" he paused to consider. "It is an elaborate plot you suggest."

Guesclinbert nods as Zandor speaks. "It certainly seems that way. Whoever is disguised as the prince can cast powerful magic that disguises himself - or he has an accomplice who does so - that defies scrying and discernment. If it is a form of illusion magic, then that would also explain the fears that have been preying on us here, more illusions of a powerful nature. Talin, didn't you say that when the snakes first appeared, the prince seemed surprised but unafraid? Perhaps it is an accomplice then that is doing this, and he didn't realise what was about to happen, simply that something was about to happen. Either that or he isn't fully in control over his own magic."

Preview

Post Preview

Rolls

You do not have permission to post in this thread.