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Topics - Dray

#21
Game Log / Game Session 3A - Stolen Spy
June 28, 2008, 01:03:42 PM
GAME SESSION 3A - Stolen Spy

Players:
Johan - Temmit

Non-Player Characters:
Renee Olsteel
Leslie Marks

Note: This is a continuation of the 12.27.2132 - Awakening to a Nightmare thread.

12.27.2132

CHAPTER 1 - A GUILTY CONTACT

Temmit and Renee walked briskly though the snow storm from the Marks tavern to the Theater District. Neither talked as they headed to the new shopping emporium where Renee's contact with the Warden Council of the Old Order ran a doll store.

Upon reaching the place at half past 8 dawnhand, neither were surprised to find the store still closed. Renee tapped on the plate-glass window of the door in a set pattern and an older woman with a medium frame and gray hair answered the door and let them in. (OOC: Picture Martha Stewart).

(OOC: The following conversation is not verbatim from the Game Session, but it does portray the general interaction).

"I am missing one of my people from the guild," Renee said bluntly.

"Oh? Why do you come to me then?" Martha (Stenwert) asked coyly. Temmit already sensing (using both his powers and his sense motive skills) that the woman knew more than she was letting on.

"Because your my one and only contact with the Warden Council, because you know of the goings on in that guild and perhaps may be able to enlighten me on how a girl in my group could have vanished." Renee replied in frustration. Renee was already at the edge of her boiling point for she had been frustrated with her contact's condescending attitude and half-answers for months. The Warden Council, in many ways just an adult version of Whisper, was not very willing to communicate with the leader of Whisper, thinking it kept the group better insulated that way.

"Well, they didn't report anything and I have no idea why you lost someone," Martha said. Temmit immediately signaled Renee that she was lying outright.

Renee went into a rage and unsheathed her sword as she marched across the room and slammed Martha into a curio and some shelves. Dolls and collectibles flew from where Martha hit and crashed to the floor as Renee held her sword to the woman's throat.

"I am not mating around, I want the girl found and you know something!" Renee shouted in her face.

Martha, never before having seen this level of anger from the young red-head, went into hysterics and plead to Renee not to be hurt. All the while, Martha also continued to deny her involvement. Renee shoved her and walked away, giving Temmit a pleading look on what to do next, as she was at wit's end.

Temmit had been looking around the shop while Renee roughed-up her Warden Council contact. Near the door, three shelves mounted vertically above one another each had a pair of porcelain dolls. At least the top two did, the bottom shelf had one doll and an empty doll stand next to it. The missing doll was an important clue that immediately clicked into his mind. For he had already seen that doll...when he had visited Leslie in her room just days prior. (12.24.2132 - A Hopenight at the Tavern). She had been in this store and had bought the doll for her sister's birthday, the very same doll that stood in the now empty doll stand

Temmit pathed Telempathic Projection at Martha. She didn't make her save and immediately fled to Temmit's arms for comfort, seeing him as a friend and ally against the angry Renee.

Temmit played on the woman's emotions, hoping she had not only a connection to the entire disappearance, but would actually identify the very girl they were looking for.

"That empty doll stand over there Martha, on the shelf near the door," he said pointing.

"Yes," Martha said, looking up at it with a tear-streaked face.

"The girl who bought that doll..." Temmit started.

"Cute little blond girl, yes?"

"That was our friend who was abducted."

The shock of it all hit Martha like a ton of bricks.

She cried for many moments while Renee and Temmit looked on. Renee almost came at her again but Temmit stayed her with a motion of his hand, he sensed the woman would about to confess her knowledge.

And confess she did, with tears and apologies she admitted to her part in what was a kidnapping of Leslie Marks.

"The Warden Council has had inner turmoil these past many months. With the increased frequency of Karh'Thul attacks and the interference of the government, the gifted within the Order have been frustrated. They can't use their abilities to defend themselves against the demons because of the Outer-Rim Defense soldiers presence, and they have been wounded and killed," Martha spoke as one who belonged to anti-government resistance group. Temmit sensed where this was going...Martha had turned into a double-agent.

"One of the Warden Council's number, Damien Starke, a gifted Wizard, faked his own death so he could flee from Shadow Keep (Warden Council headquarters). He came to Our-Commons which was really the only place he could hide, hide in case they discovered his ruse. After a few weeks, he contacted me, and at first, I was going to turn him in I assure you!" Martha pleaded, but both Temmit and Renee were not convinced.

"But he spoke of the disparity in the Warden Council's charter. The soldiers mere fodder to the very government that would have them judged and executed anyway had they known the truth."

"He seduced me into thinking that he would form a new Resistance, one that wouldn't be under the thumb of the government," she said in tears. Temmit sensed that she knew how much trouble she was now in, the Warden Council would not be kind to one who was aiding and abetting an criminal refugee from their ranks.

"Instead he used what information I could give him and he made contacts with the black market family, the Cordello. He hired mercenaries and thugs and has formed a new thieves guild called the Lowtown Shadow," Martha said, hitting her fist on one of the doll tables in anger.

"Information you have him? You betraying bitch!" Renee said and made a lunge at her. Temmit held her back, knowing Martha hadn't finished in her confession.

"What else did you tell him Martha?" he asked her politely, trying to maintain the facade of friendship that his power had given her. "What does this have to do with Leslie?"

"Before he had revealed to me his creation of the Thieves Guild, when he was still spouting promises of a new Order, a new Resistance, he told me that the only way that he would remain safe is if he had some leverage against the Warden Council. His plan was to kidnap one of the Whisper children and hold her until they signed a pact to give him his freedom, and their promise that they would not prosecute him." Martha said, her face becoming flush with embarrassment, for she truly had been the fool.

"And you believed him?!" Renee shouted. "Stupid bitch," she said in a sigh.

"Yeah well," Martha started to defend herself, and then thought better of it and continued in her confessional tone. "He was very convincing and charming. He said that he wouldn't hurt the Whisper member, just needed her as a means to an end."

"What other names did you give him beside's Leslie's? Or did you actually bring the man to our members?" Temmit asked, a little more harshly than he intended, for he needed to continue the ruse that they were friends. It was the only reason the confession had come forth.

"I have been reading all of Renee's correspondence between Whisper and the Warden Council, but I only had a few names," she said with her face down to the floor.

"You read my correspondence?! What gives you the right?!" Renee demanded.

Martha's head shot up at her, "The Warden Council does! They ordered me to peruse all correspondence for importance, so as not to bother them with trivial matters."

Renee unsheathed her sword again, but Temmit gave her a stare to back down. She complied.

"In Renee's letters I saw mention of the girl Leslie, who I hadn't ever met before she had come to the store just days ago...poor little child," Martha sighed.

Temmit overcame the urge to bitch slap the woman for Renee, and he ignored the foray of murderous comments that were coming from Smokey.

"She, and two others, River and a girl named Kristen. He was going to spy on the three and pick one to kidnap and bring to a cell he received from Sephlin Cordello" she finished.

"I have heard enough." Renee stated and then moved over and grabbed Martha painfully by her arm. "We are tying you up in the back room."

"Are you sure we are done here?" Temmit asked.

"No please...I didn't meant to help him...I won't do it again...please don't tie me up?!" Martha's begging fell on two pairs of deaf ears.

"I know enough from this idiot to know what we need to do next," Renee said and she and Temmit took the woman to the back windowless room and began to tie her up.

"We are going to go to the Cordello District, speak to Sephlin and get the location of the cell, we will then raid it and save Leslie.

Martha's eyes opened wide at this announcement, and just before Renee put a gag on her she pleaded one last time. "Please don't tie me up? What if the two of you are killed in the cell? I will starve to death!" Martha said.

"Then you better tell us anything we need to know before I put this gag on, shouldn't you Martha dear?" Renee asked, her voice dripping with venom.

She had nothing. She repeated the name of the Lowtown Shadow guild, told the pair about the types of non-Cordello has-been mercenaries Damien Starke had hired, but had little else.

The gag Renee placed on Martha was so tight the woman's face immediately started turning blue around it.

Temmit and Renee returned to the front of the shop, verified the CLOSED sign was still hanging and placed a piece of parchment in the front picture window stating that 'Sorry that I am closed today due to illness. All missed appointments and orders will be fulfilled at a later time with a heavy discount'[/b]. They then cleaned up the room of all it's damaged goods on the floor, lest a passerby see the signs of violence through the large shopping window.

"Come, we need to go to the Bank of Safe Haven first, then to the Whisper supply house before we make our journey to the Cordello District," Renee said to Temmit.

"Lead on," Temmit replied.

(GAME SESSION 3A to be Continued in next post - BANK OF SAFE-HAVEN)

#22
While Temmit's dormitory roommate Filch slept, he laid awake thinking into the early hours of Healday (Thursday). The many events of the past weekend still hindered him with their jumbled chaos. Looking back on it, he realized that he would always mark it as the time that everything started into motion. For how could it all not change now? Something big was coming, and he wanted to be prepared for it, and sleep was the least of his concerns.

But he then fell asleep.

He awoke hands later to the gentle mental nudge of Smokey.
'It's just Renee, don't be alarmed.' he warned.

Temmit opened his eyes, his heart suddenly racing despite the warning. He quickly realized that he must have dozed off, his exhausted mind sneaking past the enigma of his often stalking nightmare without it spying him.

It was pitch dark in the room, he guessed it was still very early in the morning, perhaps 5 dawnhand.

'I don't see her.' he pathed back to Smokey, wondering what she was doing in his dorm room.

'Yet she is there. She is invisible, but I think she touched me to let me know of her presence and so I would wake,' Smokey said.

Just then Renee, whispered in his ear. It was so dark, he had no idea if she had come out of her invisibility or not, but he could smell and sense her body warmth, as she was really close to him.

"Temmit," her voice barely overcame the noise of the wind outside, and Filch slept ignorant of her presence.
#23
This thread continues on where  Investigation left off.
#24
In Character Discussions / Kit's Life - REVISED!!
June 23, 2008, 11:14:38 AM
Greetings!

2 years ago, with the help of some really good friends, I wrote a thread that I think is still my favorite to date. 'Kit's Life.'

As I started the thread, I was afraid that my real-life buddies would find my portrayal of the dramatic teenager's ordeal "foolish" or "way over the top". I never imagined that they (Griznuq, Johan and Wildfire) would so enthusiastically contribute to the storyline and make it so incredibly enjoyable to write.

My hats off to all three of you.

Anyway. It was in the middle of this thread, Kit's Life, that Wildfire and I started an offline email thread that coincided with the bloody one on Griznuq. As both Johan and Griznuq had guessed, there was an internal stuggle going on in Kit's mind that was being played out but could not be seen.

To make a long story short (too late), I have now weaved that storyline into the Kit's Life thread.

It is called
Psychic Surgery and starts on PAGE 10 of the Kit's Life thread and goes to about PAGE 14.

I happen to think it is some of Wildfire's best writing and want to offer him 'kudos' on a job well done.

This inner battle, that played within the one occurring in the 'real-world', I think speaks to age-old storyline of good vs. evil, but it also hints on possibilities on what may lie ahead in the future for our Threshold characters.

Anyway, here it is in it's full content. The PSYCHIC SURGERY is represented by
italicized cyan entries. Also note, I have painstakingly (3 hours) gone through every single post and reformated all the "?" and the colors and links. Now if anyone wants to read the full 20 page documents (pfft), you now can.

ENJOY!!
#25
Characters / Mia Prescott
June 14, 2008, 09:29:03 PM
NAME: Mia Prescott
AGE: 13 (12.23.2132)
BIRTHDATE: 08.31.2119
SEX: F
CLASS: ??
HOUSE: The Artificers House

ATTRIBUTES, APPEARANCE & REPUTATION:

Mia is not popular at school.

At school, Mia Prescott's appearance is always in disarray. To her fellow students, especially the girls, she always appears to be in frantic rush and therefore refuses to stop a moment to put clothing and hair in order. "It will only get messed up again", she often tells them when defending herself.

However, those who have dared to take the time to speak at length with her, have not only discovered her keen intellect, but have also enjoyed her pleasant demeanor. She is often referred to by her short list of friends as a "diamond in the rough". Friends in her House that don't care about what the other students think (more on this below).

At school Mia surprisingly, and a bit unknowingly, has a few male admirers in the Artificers House. Although it does have an 80% male population, that fact notwithstanding, her guy friends sincerely admire the comely young teenager for her incredible artistry with crafting metal.

"The girl has a gift, she makes the metal yield to her command."

"She isn't exactly hard on the eyes either."

"Yeah, put a comb through that hair, take off the lead apron and you definitely have a lovely girl."

"Who can make a masterwork sword twice as good as the Masters."

Most students do not see this side of her though. Since the Artificers House is light in population of gossipy females, Mia's true nature doesn't overpower a reputation that has been built around her the past few years.

For most of the students in the other Houses think of Mia only as the ShantyTown Fortune Teller..

They look down upon her as a plaything for soldiers in ShantyTown, thinking her Fortune Teller practice as a front for "other services" she most likely offers perverted men. Many a girl in whispers "Slut of Fortune" behind her back.

Although her business is legit and Mia is disgusted with the accusations, she stopped battling the reputation months ago, for it was just no use. Why? Partly because of the place she lives, the seediest section of the poorest place in the kingdom, but more because of her family. Her mother is rumored to be a prostitute and her Aunt an out-of-work, overweight actress, and thought to be a raging alcoholic. And no one knows who her father is, including Mia.

And it doesn't help that the rumors about her family are close to the truth.

For unfortunately, her mother is indeed a lady of the night, but knows of no other trade that can make her as much coin. She lives and operates her business on the third floor of a narrow three-floor shack where that Mia and her Auntie Deidra call home.

The rumors of her Auntie however are out of date and in parts extremely unjustified. She lost her beloved husband in the War three years ago, drink proved to be her only comfort during that dark time of her life. But it was also during that time she could have been a rising star, she instead ended her career as she stumbled on stage and even passed out during a performance. The rumors that went along with that embarrassment never diminished, and now her niece carries its stigmata on a daily basis, despite the fact that her Aunt hasn't had a drop since (turning to food for comfort instead).

*   *   *

The above is the general knowledge known about Mia at this time, as she becomes a more permanent member of Whisper, more pertinent information may be revealed.

#26
Out of Character Discussions / SCHOOL FRIENDS
June 10, 2008, 08:28:03 AM
One thing I just intimated to Wildfire in an ongoing thread is something I would to reiterate here. Just a reminder of the current "culture" of your lives.

All of you are students in the Capital City of Our-Commons from the tender age of 5 and up for approximately 8 to 9 months every year. So even if you are an orphan, you would still not be in "solitude" while in this world.

In the non-school-days of summer, orphans who don't find housing with employers share rooms at the orphanage with up to 7 roommates.

During the school year, from 7am to 7pm you are in classes with 10 to as many as 80 other kids at a time.

During the school year, you are in a dormitory room which you share with a roommate. (Unfortunately there are no co-ed dorms.)

So it would stand to reason that even though there are almost two-thousand students in the system, all the players would at least recognize other kids who walk around in this campaign.

eg. "Oh there's Julie, I heard she's a slut."

"Hey, there's Willy, I heard he got demerits for his House when he skipped school!"

That sort of thing.

Anyway...I just wanted to remind you "loner orphans" that although you may be an introverted sulking teenager who thinks the whole world is out to get him (oh wait a minute....it is), that doesn't mean you aren't surrounded by many other kids your age who are getting through the trials of life and having a good time.
#27
Out of Character Discussions / TABLE SESSION
June 08, 2008, 08:12:46 PM
Believe it or not, this campaign will not always exist in this (ICD) medium only. Xavier made it to the table with "the Hunter's Cabin", and that turned out to be an excellent run to get my DM feet wet again.

It is my hope that as these threads continue, you guys start to recognize some obvious clues which lead you to the first epic adventure I had created even before I had developed Safe-Haven.

If I can line up the moons, your schedules, and these threads...then we may yet have a nice little sit-down soon. For there is more behind the screens than in front of them...if you can believe it.
#28
12.23.2132 - Interview in Church

It was 9 dawn-hand and Temmit and Renee stood in the open foyer of the east wing of the church. As Emma had warned, the guards didn't allow them entry during the morning sermon, even though the pair were indeed informed of Temmit and Renee's arrival. So they simply waited for Emma to arrive in the frigid, high-ceiling room that was open to the winter elements on three of its four walls.

The fine crystals of snow, that had fallen the previous night, carried in on the freezing wind into the foyer. A vortex of white intermittently spun around the huge status of Kaine at the room's center. A guard with a push-broom worked hard to keep the snow from gathering too long in any one place on the floor.

The cloudy day was very cold.

Finally, the door opened from the inside and Emmanuelle stuck her head out. A swathe of warm air flowed past her and the guards and teased them with its welcome.

"Ah good, the two of you have arrived on time," Emma stated in a condescending tone. A show for the guards lest they be suspicious. "I hope you have brought all that I require."

Renee had told Temmit of Emma's alibi[/i] behind their visit while they sipped coffee at the Nutcase this morning. They were school friends assisting her with a difficult chemistry homework assignment.

"Yes Miss Keepsake," Renee replied. "But I am afraid the assignment could take the better part of the morning, perhaps longer."

"No matter Renee, let's just get it done," Emmanuelle stated shortly and opened the door the rest of the way.

Temmit and Renee passed the two guards and went inside. When the massive doors closed behind them no one spoke. They simply followed Emma down corridors and up stairwells to many to count as she lead them to her room.

The beauty of the Church was not lost on Temmit who had never been there (since the place isn't one frequented by orphans). Marble everywhere and not a bit of it untouched by a sculptor or painters hand. A dark red carpet ran the length of all corridors, a myriad of patterns mostly depicting battles with Karh'Thul was expertly sewn within it. Arched ceilings were not exempt even in the corridors, like the foyer the stone and wood of the upper floors were held with marble trusses with mosaic paintings in between.

Gold was everywhere, not a single lantern, sculpture or chandelier was not made of it. Even the arched double-door to Emma's room was banded with it.

Beyond the pair of doors was a small corridor which passed bye a massive private marble bathroom and a large walk-in closet. When they reached the bedroom Temmit actually stopped in his tracks, amazed at its size, for it was as big as a house.

The same luxuries they had passed throughout the church were not spared in Emma's bedroom. A canopy bed large enough to sleep four had posts holding up drapes of heavy white cloth. The mattress almost looked too tall for a person to get up on. Dozens of white satin covered pillows that had been beautifully embroidered with gold thread were neatly arranged on the made bed. Underneath them was the same bedding that matched the draping curtains, neatly tucked and folded.

A sharp memory of home hit Temmit unexpectedly as he recognized an object he had burned his fingers on as a very little child. The object was to the side of Emma' bed,s a mattress pot[/i], made of a heavy iron that was nothing more than a pan with a removable slotted grill cover. But the one Emma had was huge and Temmit wondered if it took two servants to heave it up and under the top pillow mattress after they filled it with coals from the fire.


Throughout the room was more furniture than one person could need. Three bureau's made of ancient Outland Pine and inlaid with gold and platinum stood at various places in the room, each large enough to most likely fit the clothes of all seven kids that Temmit shared a room with at the orphanage. A massive writing desk (of the same expensive pine) was on the wall between two curtained windows. The heavy white curtains of the windows had the same gold-thread embroidery matching the pillows on the bed. Each was a was a work of art, the left an exquisite depiction of the holy symbol of Kaine (shield and sword resting on a knapsack), the right a depiction of the God himself (a tall Herculean type of figure). On the desk, writing materials and various instruments (some recognized from school) made of nothing but polished silver.

    A harpsichord covered with the paintings of butterflies,
    *a dressing bureau with silver combs, brushes and make-up kit,
    *a rug that almost reached wall to wall it's ornate pattern depicting a meadow of flowers,
    *paintings,
    *tapestries,
    *sculptures,
*a fireplace taller than a man and made of a solid piece of black marble,
*a wall of bookcases full of books bound in leather,[/list]

...the room reeked of wealth.

But what caught Temmit's immediate attention was the exquisite dining table between the bed and another curtained (embroidery capturing a battle scene with demons) window. Three of the four chairs were set with fine ceramic plates and polished silver utensils around an amount of food that would be a challenge for the three of them to eat. Hot sausages, eggs, pancakes and a large carafe of coffee enticed him beyond the small piece of raisin-bread he had had two hands ago.

"Sit my friends. Lets have some late breakfast, for we still have about half a hand before we can go down to the room Marcus is in," Emma said motioning them to the table. "I figured since we don't have occasion to allow you two into the Church often, we might as well take advantage of the moment, so I had this prepared."





#29
Game Log / Session 2A - The Hunter's Cabin
May 14, 2008, 11:24:17 PM
GAME SESSION 2A - The Hunter's Cabin

Players:
Xavier - Chassic

Non-Player Characters:
Jared Lightwell
River Quintell

Note: This is a continuation of the 04.20.2132 - Southaven thread.

04.20.2132

Xavier and Jared were dropped off by Mr. Church in the Southaven. The two boys made their way first to the End of the World Inn at the heart of the city, figuring they may need to secure a room for the night prior to looking for Jared's dead-beat and drunken father.

Upon arriving at the Inn, they found that the price at 10sp a night would be too steep and decided to forgo the accommodations.

With Xavier prompting Jared's pent-up emotions about his Dad, they made their way to the southern section of the city where Jared once lived with his Mom and Dad. Mr. Pratt, a very wealthy man in Southaven, had years ago taken the liberty to transform the upper level of his dozens of warehouses into apartments. Many of his grateful employees then rented the affordable accommodations.

(For those who may not remember. Two years ago, Jared's father betrayed his wife and other resistance members, turning a whole group of them in to Southaven authorities. At the time he was an incredible drunk and disowned his son. With his wife in jail, Jared was subsequently placed in the orphanage).

When they arrived at Jared's old place they knocked on the door to the apartment and had no idea what to expect, or if he even still lived there. What they discovered was more shocking than they even expected.

A comely woman in her mid-20s answered the door and upon seeing Jared immediately recognized him, for Jared naturally looks a lot like her new husband[/i].

Xavier and Jared spent some time there, sitting at her dining room table that morning, and the shocked Jared learned a good deal of what had occurred the past two years. His father Larry had stopped drinking almost immediately after his old wife went to jail. Staying sober, he was able to maintain his job on Pratt farm where he met Linda, who would become his new wife. They married a year ago and had their first baby, Lisa, a month ago.

Jared did not take all the lovely news of his father's new life very well. He was indeed very angry with him.

Unfortunately, his Dad wasn't there to hear it.

Linda, his new step mom, asked the two boys if they would return on the 'morrow, as Larry was expected to come back from a hunting trip with his friend Allen. They agreed and before they could go, she gave them enough silver to spend the night at the Inn and enjoy a nice supper.

They departed. With an unexpected amount of time to kill in the afternoon, Jared took Xavier down to Merchant's Pond in the center of the city to do some fishing. They caught about 10 fish and sold them at the market for 20 copper.

Making their way back to the End of the World Inn, they secured a room and had a fantastic supper. Jared retired a bit early in order to take a shower and wash his clothes, a noted uncharacteristic concern for him.

Xavier enjoyed the festive spirits of the soldiers who came into the tavern and danced with a couple of the female variety. A big kid, Xavier was welcomed by them and had a good time simply enjoying the night.

When Xavier finally retired he found Jared awake, in his nightshirt and playing with his chemistry set on his bed.

They talked for a bit and went to sleep.

A few hands later, Xavier received a tap on his shoulder, rousing him from his sleep. River had snuck into the room and awakened them. He confronted them with the story he had heard, that they were marching south to go Karh'Thul hunting. He then proceed to tell them how crazy of an idea that would be.

Xavier, with the nervous Jared looking on, half-convinced River that they were actually there to confront Jared's Dad. He then proceeded to tell River all that they had learned that day about him.

River couldn't in clear conscience stop the boys from their current task and decided to return with them to the Lightwell's residence the next day.

*   *   *

The next morning the three boys again found themselves without much to do, having promised to return to the Lightwells at supper after Larry was expected home after his trip.

So the boys went fishing again, and stayed at it all day. Xavier and River talking about hunting and the woodlands for a fair portion of the day.

That evening, when they returned to Jared's old home, they were again surprised at the turn of events. Only Allen had come back from the buddy-pair's hunting trip, claiming that his friend Larry had gone missing.

Xavier and River, hunters both, immediately volunteered to depart right then and there to go searching for the man.

That night, they walked north-by-northeast along the country rode until slow-day of fishing finally caught up with them. During the night, River had introduced his companion, the warhorse named Silver, who stuck to the woods during their journey since the three boys couldn't rider her anyway. Jared also introduced his companion, Night, his crow.

The night along the merchant road went bye without incident.

The next day they found themselves off the road as River new some trails that would take them to the Northeast Hunting Lands that they expected to find Larry in. Walking along a five-mile ridge they made a discovery of a different kind however. The once impassable ridge had been washed out by the heavy rain a few nights prior. River, a consummate Ranger and hunter, couldn't contain his enthusiasm at exploring a new land, and the attitude quickly infected the like-minded Xavier. They quickly changed course to the east and through the pass.

Along the depressions northern ridge they headed east, as they did so they discovered an old hunter's cabin on a flat-topped hill. It was so concealed by the thick forest and underbrush they almost passed it.

Adventurer exploring teenagers never pass up a chance to peek into old shacks, so up they went.

Upon touching the door to the 15-foot square building, it collapsed into a moldy pile. The weather over the ages had pretty much destroyed the entire shack. There was an old footlocker, a bed, a pot-bellied cast-iron stove and a shower head with a collection grate on the floor.

Upon examining the pot-bellied stove, Xavier noticed that it had a pipe coming up to it from the floor and quickly surmised that their must be some kind of basement in the place. Jared soon found the entrance as he stood on the shower grate in the floor which had quite a breeze coming up through it.

Xavier and River moved the grate and one after another they climbed down the shaft with a rope that River had brought. With a lantern in his shield hand and his sword in the other, the three boys proceeded down a rough-hewn corridor that was only about 20 feet into the ground.

Upon reaching a room they discovered that they were indeed in some kind of underground complex, as there were another doors beyond the entry they came in. But before they could investigate it, they had to deal with the animated candelabra that was throwing glass globes at them from a stone table.

This predicament was not only bizarre but frightening to Xavier who was hit by the first glass globe. As he had just two days prior been given lesson about how acid and alchemist fire flasks were shaped....in glass globes.

As it turned out though, the magical candelabra didn't realize it was throwing ancient glass globes with nothing but dried sand in them, remnants of what was once lethal.

The three boys tangled with the candelabra, and although it didn't seem able to hurt them with its glass globes, they weren't able to hurt it either no matter how hard they swung their weapons. A few good swings only scratched the thing's surface.

Then, all at once, River grappled the swinging metal and clung it tightly to him. Pulling soot out of his belt pouch and incanting divine magic, he burst into flames, melting the candelabra in his gauntleted hands.

Nothing of value was found in the room. The remnants of an alchemy lab that had been scattered from the stone table during the fight was too old and rusted to of any use.

Moving on to and through the next door they discovered another similar room after traversing another short corridor. This room had massive tree trunks coming from the ceiling and into the adjacent walls and the very floor of the room. Another pot-bellied-cast-iron stove was in the room, it's pipe going into the ceiling and most likely up to the cabin's stove above.

Making their way around the thick trunks they walked over to one of the two doors on the opposite side of the room.

Xavier heard a clicking hiss and turned around just in time to see a 5-foot long centipede clinging to one of the roots, it's head reared up towards the ceiling and ready to strike him.

This was the end of the night for this particular session, we later reconveined and continued the fun with Game Session 2B - Chemical Hill









#30
07.15.2127 - Auvryndyr Trial

The guard shoved her so hard into the cell that Shannon hit the granite floor and skinned both knees. The loud crash of the cell gate closing behind her was almost deafening as it reverberated in the Church dungeon corridors. She lay on her stomach and sobbed, the cold floor sending a chill through her blouse, but she no longer cared about what happened to her.

She had failed her parents and now all was lost.

Time passed and she had cried until she had become exhausted with the effort. Pulling her arms under her face she fell into a fitful sleep that replayed the mornings event over and over in her mind.

...her father amongst dozens of soldiers in the infirmary, dieing from wounds from the Kah'Tharta...

...her mothers glowing hands healing her fathers open chest wound...

...the look of utter horror and shock of the surrounding priests...

...her father looking down upon her and asking for forgiveness...

...her father slamming the bowl into the Priests head...

...another priest taking a boot to the chest with a sickening thud...

...the savagery of his father as he repeatedly pummeled the same man for not letting go of her mother...

...the arrival of the six guards, two grabbing her Mom and slamming her against a wall while three others surrounded her father and the last came for her...


And then the dreamscape changed the reality of the event and turned it into a true nightmare as the sixth guard held the dagger to her throat. From behind Shannon, the guard shouted over to her two parents as he grappled her tightly.

"Dakin, you and your Witch will have no child!" the guard yelled. The dagger suddenly pierced through the bottom of her chin and pinned the tongue to the roof of her mouth even as the cold steel cut behind her nose and eyes, it's the tip painfully stabbed her mind...

Shannon awoke with a start. Laying on the cold granite floor in the very dark cell, she at first didn't realize where she was, when she did, she wept again. She pulled herself up and crawled to the end of the cell. Her head hurt with a thumping ache that made her want to vomit. Sitting up against the wall that shared an unclean looking lavatory, she looked around for the first time. On the wall to her left were too sleeping platforms, mounted one on top of the other by chains. It was then that she noticed that the top bunk wasn't empty, as she could see an elbow teetering over this side of it, presumably with a man-sized figure laying on its back with his hands behind his head.

She stopped crying with another start, suddenly realizing that she wasn't alone, and worse yet, was in a prison cell with some unknown man.

Her heart sank at the sudden sound of his deep-baritone voice.

"Now what would you have done that was so bad that they would put you, a female child, in a prison cell with a grown man?"


#31
I wanted to take the discussion currently happening on page 8 of "Satyr Tracks" out to this forum so we don't lengthen a very nice thread with OOC.

To continue....

Totally get you Griznuq, and I (the player) never once thought that the backstory wasn't viable or justified in the minds of the Satyrs. Even though I personally wasn't aware of the specifics behind the content of Serephus's words, I got the meaning behind all of it as very serious and honorable.

Fir'Ath however, isn't exactly the "touchy/feely" sort, and thinks its a load of sentimental shit. He thinks any racist problems are solved with only one solution...tearing an elf's head off. OOPS, did I say elf? hehe

Maragarn and Eswarth are very "noble" and well spoken characters. Fir'Ath is not, he is a proud creature who has spent far too much time in solitude sulking about what Fate has chosen for him. Don't get me wrong, he doesn't consider himself cursed, but he has his own demons that he deals with privately.

So in order to keep going and to not have to rewrite the thread from page 7 on, my suggestions is to have us just assume that Fir'Ath hasn't heard the story of the Satyr creation and hasn't made the connection that it is the former W.A.G.E. who have been "cursed" with a change.

Then, excellent role-play fodder will be had as Maragarn brings it to Fir'Ath's attention at a later time.

Cool?
#32
In Character Discussions / 04.20.2132 - Southaven
April 25, 2008, 12:16:07 PM
04.20.2132 - Southaven

(Continued from 04.16.2132 - "Gone Camping")

Mr. Church's wagon made it to the end of South Road in only four calendar days, arriving at the southernmost town of Southaven at mid-morning. The merchant also didn't turn out nearly as bad as Mr. Marks dire warning boded him to be...

The morning after their departure (04.17.2132), without saying much or asking for compensation, he gave both boys enough food to last the entire journey. And although he hadn't stopped the wagon through the previous night and then the entire first day, he did make reasonable stops during that time for "nature calls".

(24 miles)

On the first "official" night away from the city, Mr. Church even made the boys and himself a stew over a small campfire and although not a talkative sort, he let the boys alone as Jared retold the story of the Battle of Millenguarde, as told to him by Leslie.

"Girl is a fantastic story-teller," Jared said to Xavier, his eyes lighting up with a smile in the glow of the campfire. "I won't be able to do as good a job as she does, but I have heard it enough times now that I don't think I will miss any of the parts," Jared had said.

As they went to bed, both boys were shocked when Mr. Church announced that they were already 'half-way to the Outer-Rim'.

On the second day out (04.18.2132), an unusually warm spring day greeted the trio in the morning. Mr. Church sped the journey up a little and allowed the boys to ride behind him on top of the wagon. Both kids were amazed at how fast, yet smooth riding the big wagon was, and watching the wooded landscape go bye the second day was a blast. Especially for Xavier who hadn't been away from the city since the mandatory "Outer-Rim School Trip" at age 5.

South Road, along its entire length, was parallel with the slow, northward-moving Appleseed River. The 200 hundred foot wide waterway had cleared its icy cap, as was typical this early in the warm season. Like Clearwater Lake, it had been long ago discovered that the Appleseed was fed not only by the cold run off from the mountains surrounding the kingdom, but more so by a myriad of hot springs from below the earth. This allowed the river to flow easily from Winterfourth (March) to almost mid-FallEnd (November) which was a blessing to all the merchants south of the capital. As this melting permitted trade barges, simple 8' x 12' load-bearing skiffs attached tightly together by rope to form larger platforms, to float their weirs to the capital. During the day, Mr. Church passed more than a few wagons pulling the now empty flat skiffs back to the supply merchants in the various villages along South Road. Laying stacked on a wagon flatbed, the skiffs were far less of a burden for the horses to pull back to their respective ports then the trade goods that the skiffs had burdened onto the river.

Xavier was amazed at the never-ending expanse of woodland. Although they passed a few settlements that day, not one of them larger than a village, the landscape was otherwise unbroken of the thick pine. Only the river, which meandered in and out of view at times, gave him a sense of any real distance achieved on their journey.

On that second night however, Mr. Church found a small meadow and detached his four large horses from the wagon to allow them to rest and graze for the night. He made a grand fire and allowed the boys to continue to bunk in the wagon, telling them he preferred to sleep out under stars. He even offered share of his rum with the two young boys as they sat near the campfire. The boys didn't find Mr. Church to nervous about being out in the open Wildlands even though they both knew they were far closer now to the Outer-Rim then the capital city.

"You both sighted the myriad of patrols in and out of the forests, not to mention the dozens of guard posts we passed along the road. This route is very safe for a reason, it is the lifeblood of the capital," Mr. Church had explained.

(40 miles)

The driving rain they experienced the next day (04.19.2132) changed Mr. Church's mood considerably and both boys did everything they could not to make his situation worse. As they sat in the wagon playing cards by lantern-light, they heard Mr. Church cursing the weather as it drove wind and sheets of rain hard against him and his horses. Each time the wagon slowed down both boys would make sure boots were on and they were ready to bolt for the woods should Mr. Church stop for a nature call, lest they anger him with delay.

They could tell that their fantastic distance they had made in short time was incredibly hampered by the rough weather, and they heard him swear about it as he drove the wagon.

Finally, when it had to be sometime around evening, Mr. Church surrendered and stopped the wagon. Neither boy owned a time-piece and had to just assume by the complete lack of light coming in from the small wagon window that the day had passed.

"So what's the damage?" Xavier asked Jared with a sigh.

Jared, stacking the old cards one last time to put them away, looked at him with a smirk. "You owe me 42 butterbeers. I don't think I will go thirsty anytime soon."

After they heard Mr. Church disengage the horses and then work in and around the wagon for almost a hand he popped his head in.

"Meh, I don't want to get the inside of the wagon all muddy anyway, you boys stay where you are. I set up a tent outside and the horses are under a canopy. Should either of you need to relieve yourselves there is a hooded lantern on the ground just outside here," he had said and without another word shut the door and retired for the evening.

(48 miles)

Although the typical chill of the summer had returned on the third day (04.20.2132), the sun also made its reappearance, and with it Mr. Church's mood came back to stable. The two boys rejoined him atop the wagon and watched in anticipation as it crested what Mr. Church had claimed was "the last hill", revealing the sprawling town of Southaven below.

Southaven was larger than Xavier expected. Jared had kept calling his parent's hometown "a village", so Xavier had very little expectation. The town however was sizable in that it was spread out over a great deal of land, its center, a small keep, being on a very large hill. It was in quite the contrast to the huge valley of a city they had left behind however, as there wasn't a building anywhere that was taller than three stories.

After verifying papers at the guard checkpoint, they passed thru the gate of the "Second Wall" of the town and entered the apple orchard known as Pratt's Farm. Mr. Church explaining that the huge expanse of land stretched all around the town.

"One man, Mr. Pratt, owns all the land between Second and First Wall," he had stated in envy.

Many Safe-haven citizens passed bye, merchants, farm laborers, mothers with foodstuffs from the general store, and the like. All of them seemed to be either entering or exiting the town and on their way to and from outskirt villages, and soldiers of course were also everywhere. Xavier did find the fact that no one seemed to recognize Jared a bit strange, as he had expected at least one person to look up and wave.

Another thing Xavier also noted was the very specific dog population. Half the people in town, soldiers and citizens alike, held the leash of a large dog, and there appeared to be only two breed types in town. (OOC: Rottweilers and Shiba Inu).
#33
Kingdom of Safe-Haven / GENERAL: Prostitution
April 21, 2008, 07:28:23 PM
Ah, prostitution, my favorite subject....

Thanks for the poke Chassic (doh), here is the skinny (double doh) from every perspective:


GOVERNMENT:

Prostitution is illegal in the entire Kingdom of Safe-Haven. Those offering themselves for any type sexual conduct with another for any type of property gain are subject to a fine of 100 gold pieces and/or 1 month in jail.

MILITARY:

The commanding ranks from top to bottom quietly endorse prostitution. It is a cheap tool to keep the young soldier spirit high, especially with the boys, and most recently, a bit with the girls as well. Although leadership is clueless at the moment as to how this change came about in their female contingent, but as the pregnancy rate hasn't increased and in fact has decreased in the recent year, they are happy with the change.

The reason for all this is that sexual conduct isn't allowed until age 24, which obviously affects the military culture which has mandatory service for 18 year-olds. 6 years is a long time for a young adult to be ridden with this angst, so prostitution offered to soldiers who are on leave is almost considered a necessity by those in command. Note however, this doesn't mean that every soldier partakes in the activity, but again, it isn't discouraged.

All in command are two-faced to those they answer too in the church however, and they keep their fingers crossed behind their backs while praying to Kaine.

SHANTYTOWN:

The theater district couldn't survive without prostitution, nor the reverse. It is part of the culture that goes back almost two-thousand years. Multiple brothels exist within the oldest district in the kingdom, and the Elite Church police force long ago gave up on trying to shut them down.

But the devout Kainites still complain to legislators, so arrests are frequent, sometimes a "strike squad" raiding any given brothel on a once-a-month basis. But most citizens really consider it all a farce to hush the church. Fees are paid by the wealthy brothel owners and the hooker "managers" (neither of which are usually prosecuted) and "business" activity returns quickly back to "normal".

The typical lady of the night is 24 to 34 years old and usually treated very well by their "management". Although considered an abhorrent profession by the devout, those thrifty, sexy and immoral enough recognize the trade as a gold mine to early retirement.

Sexism is alive and well though, for male prostitution is almost unheard of. The complication of female soldiers being arrested for carrying a child before the honorable discharge from service at age 24, is something that angry commanders do not turn a blind eye too, and therefore too risky for the managers of the brothels.

Those young women that find themselves drawn to temptation of the flesh must either find another venue or visit the very skilled women their male counterparts are visiting. Although with a recent potion added to the market this may also evolve.

KAINITES:

Shantytown is an eyesore to those devout Kainites who honor and obey Scripture. Decades of trials and tribulations in exterminating the foul trade of prostitution has only made it stronger. The solution? Get rid of Shantytown.

COMMON POPULACE:

The 20% of people in the city that live by every word in the holy book have no sense of freedom or sense to let other people live and let live. Shantytown is what it is, a place where anything and anyone can be found to do anything with. If you are offended by the entertainment, don't go there. If you are curious by it, go there with caution and a friend and know that there are enough soldiers there that one can be relatively safe. And if you are a frequent visitor? Just keep your hobby in its place, "what happens in Shanty, stays in Shanty."
#34
Characters / LIST of NOTABLE NPC's
April 20, 2008, 12:11:26 AM
LIST of NOTABLE NPC's

Click those that have links for additional information:

    Ashley Hanson – 16 – Female – Whisper Administrator

    *"Captain" Jonathan Athol – 32 – Male – Major of the Capital City Guard

    *Cyric Longbow - 48 - Male - Council of 5, Leader of the Warden Council of the Old Order

    *David Cross – 15 – Male – Whisper Guard

    *Deidra Prescott – 37 – Female – Citizen - Mia's "Auntie"

    *Draven Shanteel – 41 – Male – Orphanage Headmaster

    *
Emmanuelle Keepsake – 15 – Female – Daughter to the High Priest - Whisper Member

*Fresenius Keepsake – 52 – Male – High Priest - 1st Council of Five Member

*Hayden Voit – 15 – Female – Whisper Shaman

* Jared Lightwell – 13 – Male – Whisper Member

* Jena Mistone - 15 - Female - Student, (She) Refused Whisper Membership

*John Tilverton – 15 – Male – Whisper Guard

*Judge Nathaniel Criss - 30 - Male - JUDGE of the House Guard of Kaine

*Kristen Penole – 15 – Female – Whisper Healer – Candidate for Deaconess of the Flame

* Leslie Marks – 12 – Female – Whisper Member

*Louminda Montegue – 15 – Female - Monty's Daughter, Employee at the Nutcase

*Marcus Faithborn - 15 - Male - Suspected Church of Kaine conspirator

*Mark Garstell – 15 – Male – Whisper Guard

* Mia Prescott  – 13 – Female – Whisper Recruit

*Millis Ames – 61 – Female – Employee at the Church of Kaine

*"Monty" Tristan Montegue – 43 – Male - Owner of the Nutcase

*Myrtle Harbinger – 72 – Female – Deaconess of the Flame

* Renee Olsteel – 18 – Female – Whisper Leader

*River Quintell – 16 – Male – Whisper Healer

*Sally Maiden – 9 – Female – Unqualified Recuit

*Stephen Nadell - 29 - Male - Truancy Officer

*Stuart Fallcrest – 16 – Male – Hall Monitor

*William Marks – 52 – Male – Leslie's Father

*William Wheaton – 15 – Male – Whisper Healer – Deaconess Acolyte

*Zak Witherleaf - 72 - Male - Priest at Light's Hope Chapel[/list]

#35
Leslie awoke before the sun in her little bedroom at her parents Inn, "Get There From Here". Her father had converted a large suite at the Inn into two private bedrooms. Hers was in the back corner, the her next oldest sibling, her sister Sarah was adjacent to her, and her two younger brothers still slept in a room adjacent to her parents room on the second floor.

She still remembered the surprise last graduation day, 1 year ago, when she came home and her father took her upstairs to the third floor.

"You're getting to be a big girl now and I am going to be expecting a lot more out of my eldest daughter," he had said.

"As long as I can keep performing for your customers Daddy I will do anything you want", she had said and she had meant it. She had started playing the flute and reciting poetry and tales the summer prior, and had attained enough of a following that customers wanted to see her return for another season.

So as the two of them approached the last suite in the corridor, she had every reason to believe he was just going to review all the cleaning duties she was expected to perform for the Inn during the summer.

What she got instead was the biggest surprise and show of love any daughter could ever want from her father.
#36
(OOC: Continued immediately after  12.22.2132 - Interview in Utopia

Temmit and Renee quickly made it back to the Library in the School District, the snow continued to fall at a steady pace, but no wind with the threat of a harder storm was forthcoming. Finding the address was easy for Renee, as she had just been there a couple weeks prior looking at the article in newspaper records. Temmit and Renee walked the shoveled paths on their way to the outer gates.

(OOC: Switching Renee to a Sorcerer/Warrior btw)

"We may not want to walk in case we run into harder weather,  are you in for a little horseback riding to Lakeshore?"

#37
(OOC: This thread continues where 12.22.2132 – Interview in ShantyTown left off)

Temmt, Renee and Emma made their way out of ShantyTown without incident. Temmit was pleasantly surprised that they didn't encountered obnoxious soldiers during their visit, attributing their luck to perhaps the time of the day.

'No matter, your face didn't meet fist and you now have yet another lovely young lady in the guild.' Smokey said.

Temmit agreed.

Making their way back to Nottingham Hall and the Nutcase, Renee went to buy the three of them more coffee and for her and Emma, a small loaf of bread along with some cheese. Meanwhile, Temmit and Emma stayed out of site, since there was even more kids hanging out at the popular spot then there had been earlier that morning.

"I still can't believe our luck in finding the Hunter's Medallion". Emma said to him while they waited around the corner of a shop.

"I'd rather be lucky than good."

Emma nodded, but was then quiet while they waited. Her mind returned to some far away place that it had been most of that morning.

Renee came back with the girls snack and the coffee.
#38
The Library / Moments of HISTORY
March 30, 2008, 10:24:28 PM
The following is an account of the known history of humankind as it is now understood. From the Fall of the Human Empire to the military age we now live in, with all the trials and tribulations in between. I would like to thank the Council of 5 for the honor of the charge to write this book, a work that I hope will educate future generations for years to come. I would also like to thank High Priest Senathis for his divine council on all religious matters. This project was truly a blessing from Lord Kaine above.

-   Kyle Silverquill (1969 ESH to 2017 ESH)

Excerpts from the much larger volume are as follows:


- (date unknown) – FALL OF THE HUMAN EMPIRE

For thousands of years the human empire existed as hundreds of kingdoms spread all across the globe. All evil sentient strongholds and individuals had been vanquished. Amongst humankind, poverty, strife and war became unknown after generations of peace. A time known as the Golden Age of Mankind had been achieved.

From this, comes our first lesson in Kaine's Scripture. "Arrogance breeds complacency with ignorance, the child of which is a fool that achieves limited goals with minimum effort and does not realize the boundaries of its own dreams.

And to the people within this seemingly timeless age of peace, this scripture would have been prophetic. For indeed over the many centuries children of arrogance were born. Citizens who had no concept of true suffering or knowledge on the depth of evil. These "unenlightened" meandered unhindered throughout two millenia of their Golden Age. People who dreamed of only heaven above, a heaven without a master, a heaven that allowed entry to everyone without judgement placed upon them for their heathestic past lives.

Leslie rolled her eyes away from the book in disgust. Not only was the biased author's writing style almost insufferable, he was only on page 2 and already losing the primary objective of the text.

'This is going to be a hard textbook to get through if it continues like this,'she thought.

No matter, she was happy to be up, awake and reading while in her brand new[/b] bedroom. No little sister or brother would complain this night as she kept the lantern burning for as long as she wanted. As she lay on her stomach, fully stretched out on the new 'big girl' bed, she stretched and sighed in contentment. She smiled at the thougt that her toes didn't even reach the edge of the bed.

But if she was going to get this huge book read during the summer before Grade-Age 12, she needed to get moving. She put her eyes back on the page and tried harder to concentrate.


Approximately a hundred years before the downfall of mankind, sorcery, was discovered by the affluent members of high nobility in many of the kingdoms across the Empire. Evil, let alone the Karh'Thul, was unknown to humans at that time, and these unwitting humans of such high station were held in check by no man or greater power. They accepted this magic as the new science that would be the next great step in man's evolution. Over the subsequent years it quickly became the 'fashion' at royal gatherings to show off and display these 'wonderful new powers', and  soon it was a race amongst the wealthy in each kingdom to discover the next great spell.
 
Little did the typical citizen of each kingdom realize that this was all part of an ancient demonic trap, set by the ancestors of the Karh'Thul at the beginning of time. A trap that had been sprung by their foolish leaders and wealthy citizens who only lusted for more greatness. The Karh'Thul had waited patiently, millenia ticking by for them as only years pass by for us mere mortals. Waiting for the day the key to their prison to be unlocked, and that day was finally at hand.

For the Arch Mage in each Kingdom, in charge of all magic for that region, was tricked. Each powerful sorcerer believed they alone had discovered a complicated spell that would summon a direct portal to heaven above. Each man consequentially over the days and nights worked their magics and their assistants in furious preparation of one glorious casting that would make their Kingdom the Gateway To Heaven.

At the pinnacle of an eclipse above the earth by our innocent moon, all the archmagi unknowingly cast a conjoined spell from each high tower in each kingdom, the result opened a rift in the fabric of reality and a massive portal to the Realm of the Damned was permanently opened.

Demonic armies, awaiting their own black prophecy on the other side had stood in waiting. They charged across continents, killing all in their path and nearly committing total genocide of the human race within two decades. Those that survived, became refugees; hiding, fleeing and living like animals, only to survive at least one more day. After two and a half centuries of this limited existence, the hope of our kind was nothing more than a candle light in the wind.
#39
A cold day, but a clear one nevertheless, thought Temmit as he made his way around Nottingham Hall. The large courtyard of granite tiles was freshly shoveled as was typical of all the 'uppity' parks in the Winter.

Other than the Church of Kaine itself, Temmit didn't find any other building quite as obnoxious as Nottingham Hall. Finished just 30 years ago, the brand new granite building was the "main attraction" for theater extravaganzas and symphony concerts for the 'well-to-do' in the Kingdom.

Leslie had once told him of her "dieing to go", but Temmet deduced that the 200gp ticket, just for the last row of the balcony, was something her parents probably couldn't justify.

He made his way around the ridiculously sized building and towards the Nutcase. As expected, there was an unfortunate amount of the older kids, almost two dozen, hanging outside, including Emma who stood in line behind none-other-than Stew the lunchroom-lacky under the canopy in front of the small building.

As kids picked up there coffee and nutbread from Monty, or his daughter Luminda, at one of the two windows, they would turn and join their intimate groups milling about the adjacent Hall's courtyard.

Five kids were in line at the moment, with Stew in second and Emma third.
#40
The following info can be read by anyone, but only Temmit can act upon the info herein unless he shares it with others at a later time. Thanks.

Journal of Captain Johnathan Athol

"My accounts of the lovely Miss Renee Olsteel"

With that as the lone title on the cover page, you instantly knew that your assumption that this journal would bring nothing but trouble and even danger was correct.

As journals go, it wasn't as boring or as technical as you thought it might have been. From the reading of 240 pages, the following are your assumptions and evaluations of the man that wrote the book.
 
CAPTAIN JOHNATHON ATHOL

Career:

    The Captain is 34 years old, 10 years retired from the Outer Rim Defense. He then immediately re-enlisted as an officer in the Capital City Guard. Like so many in this society, he is a career military man. "Captain" is also a nickname and not an actual title, for unfortunately the man actually carries the rank of Major. His command responsibility is all station posts throughout the city, over 400 men. Obviously this is a major reason Renee chose him.
    *He has one accommodation, earned to him when in battle for the Outer Rim Defense, a Flame Medallion, just like Renee.

Personality:

    The Captain isn't extraordinary, nor is he a schlep. He is a hard working man who seeks to have a family someday. From certain snippets of passages he has ethically worked within the system to gain every advantage he could in his career path. He also mentions a good savings built up in the Bank of Safe Haven. This he plans on using to purchase a home close to the capital where he can then consult part time as a military training specialist.
    *The "Captain" however, is a sexist, it is made plain within his writings. What also is evident is that he is not forthcoming with his opinion of the "fairer and weaker sex" as the book is full of his observations of the admiring young women throughout the city. Temmit notes, women in this society, who by all "normal people" are considered equals, who would be appalled at this man's narrow view of them.


Relationship with Renee:

    The Captain really likes Renee, throughout the journal, even when accounting for all of her illegal activities; he doesn't in any way slight her. In some instances his writing puts him in the light of defense council speaking to the jury, which is the reader. He makes many attempts (again while recording her crimes) to justify her actions for the good of her family and friends.
    *Reading between the lines, as instructed, Temmit knows that the Captain doesn't really love Renee, even though he sometimes speaks highly of her courage and compassion to do the right thing by people in the city. It is Temmit's opinion that the Captain's intention is NOT to marry her after her 6 years of service. So what is his intention then? Temmit wonders.
    *The Captain really enjoys "being with Renee" as the book details their bedroom activities frequently.

Incriminating Knowledge:

    The Captain is NOT aware that Renee is a leader of a resistance group known as Whisper.
    *He is aware of her black market activity, knowing (first hand you might say) of the conception-control drug she sells. In fact he has promoted this drug to his soldier friends who have strongly suggested the drug to their sexual partners. This is the one and only slip he makes with his own hand in scribe. For conception-control was made illegal back in the day when girls needed to become pregnant as soon as their bodies were able, and although the enforcement of the law isn't something heard of in this day, the law still exists in the books.

*        *        *

'Where have I heard that before?' Temmit wondered.
'From Renee's father.,' said Smokey matter-of-factly
'Oh,' Temmit thought casually.
'Oh!' Temmit exlaimed in thought.
'Ooooooh,' Temmit thought as it all "clicked into place".
'Thank fate you can at least perceive emotions, otherwise I wouldn't know what to do with you my friend,' Smokey teased him gently.

 
*   *    *

    The Captain also knows first hand what Kristen looks like. Early on in the journal, shortly after Renee admitted to her "criminal activity" (Captain's words) with the Black Market, Renee asked him to reduce the amount of men at a checkpoint to make it inconvenient to make arrests or otherwise harass. On the night of that very first occasion (of what would be many) that Renee would request, the Captain did what he was asked but he also scoped Kristen out from an unseen vantage point. Since that night, Kristen has had to gain passage into Lowtown numerous times. Since she is a very lovely young woman, many guards tend to delay her at the Checkpoint so they can get good eye candy, but with her flirtations she has never been refused entry. This though, has made her a welcome, but also well known visitor to the guards who have her beauty permanently etched into their memories.

    *The Captain does not reveal on whether he knows where the chemical laboratory is located, though he does mention wondering about it early on in the time the activity started.
    *The Captain mentions the black market raids each and every daily entry at the end of the journal. Reading again between the lines, Temmit wonders how tempting the thought to turn over Renee would have been.