Treachery, lies and secrets

[Coan]

The guard nodded.

"Most helpful sir." he turned his head back outside "Bring it in."

The door was opened wider and the occupants of the room could hear the chinking of a chain. Moving in slowly as if every crawling movement was painful was a bandaged creature. It bled deeply and the pitter patter of blood leaking onto the floor was finally identified. Kimuriel recognised it almost immediatley -it was an elf.

Sniffing the ground the chained elf licked the tiles of the floor and slowly began a circular route of the room.

Three more guards entered the room -the first smiled.

**********

Nostalia nodded as concern furrowed her brow.

"I cannot keep you here... you should go out into the world and do what is right." she sighed as if conceeding defeat

[alhoon]

Ixevim looked with wonder at the elf and the guards. One part of him, the mind flayer part he realized, wasn't as shocked by the treatment the strange elf received as he should. This made the other part of Ixevim (the bigger part) even more angry.

His illusionary face always devoid of emotions and his voice even, Ixevim asked:
"What is this? How do you dare to treat a sentient creature like that?" He moved in the way of the elf and blocked it. Using the probing power he has used on the guard earlier he checked the mental strength of the elf's mind.

Recovering from the shock, Kimuriel finds blood rushing through his veins at increased pace as his face becomes red-hot with anger. With a trembling voice, barelly containing his anger Kimuriel says:
"What. . . are . . . you . . . doing there! ! ! Release him immediately or you'll take his place as I'll shatter your bodies like you shattered his mind!"

OOC> Ixevim uses the detect thoughts ability. This gives him an idea of the intelligence of the elf (Ixevim expects it to be animal-like or semi-sentient at most). However, if the Elf is mentally damaged, Ixevim has to make a madness check.

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

Heinrich closed his hands tightly about Nostalia's.

"You would be so willing to let me go when all you had to do is ask for me to stay and I would my lady? Whatever you wished I would make so."

[Coan]

For the second time in so many days Ixevim felt his mind pressed as if by a huge barrier. Though not as bad as the previous time, his vision still blurred slightly and for a while he had difficulty focussing -the elf was clearly mad.

At this time the elf started moving hastily towards the side of the room the girl was hiding in. She was enchanted to avoid eyes but her scent was clearly giving her away.

Picking up on the tracker's obvious hint that something was hidden in the room two of the guards drew strange looking pistols, much smaller than normal. The lead guard spoke.

"Sir there is no need for threats. This thing was found in a pile of rubble to which I believe was caused by Sir Artemis. It was aiding a powerful enemy -Otto the Red. We have simply recoverd the tool and are now using it to earn their penance."

[Coan]

Nostalia looked up at Heinrich and red marred her loving yet aged smile.

"I wish for many things Captain, some impossible while others not within the reach of a single lifetime. But for now I wish you to be safe above all. I wish you to be a champion to people who have none -as you were to me. You need a new purpose... find that as I have found you. Now please... I fear I must ask you to leave me a while... I feel I shall soon need a doctor again."

[VAN]

Kimuriel's face becomes red-hot again and his green eyes seem sparking.

"It's not a thing human, it's an elf! A living creature! He needs a doctor to restablish his mental sanity, not some guards who use him as a dog."

Kimuriel grabs the chain from the guard and holds the elf.

"I think you should leave now, get him to a doctor and let us continue our game!"

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

Heinrich's expression grew more grave at her condition waning once more.

"I shall have him sent for immediately, you rest and be well. You make me proud to be called your champion and if you ever have need of me, I shall be there for you. In the meantime, we shall see who needs my aid most. I... I will leave with the others, but know that I shall return, you have my promise."

Fishing into a shirt pocket, his gloved hand comes out holding something small, he opens Nostalia's hand and places it in her grasp. When she looks upon it, it is a small chain with a lock of hair plaited into it.

"A way of me keeping my promise to return, one I shall keep very soon."

He then rose to his feet and limped acorss the room, opened the door, stepped through and closed it silently, his eyes sad as they fell on Nostalia.

"Lady Nostalia Romaine requires the doctor, fetch him immediately or your lives will have ended before you realised your mistake. I have other business to attend, where are my companions?"

[alhoon]

The guards stood dumpfounded for a moment, looking at the angry psion holding the chained elf while it seemed to have sniffed something in the room.
Having recomposed himself, Ixevim used this opportunity to react.
He sent a telepathic message to the invisible girl, sensing her fear.
"I'm Ixevim. I'm telepathic. Don't be afraid, move silently towards the other end of the room."
At the same moment he hit his boot on the floor to draw the attention of the guards and the elf to himself. At the same time, he sent a telepathic urging in the 3 guard's minds. Not words or psionic influence, he just sent a threating (not openly), calculating, enemy measuring, cold emotion; the emotion created when someone receives a cold stare from someone agitated and displeased, a warning.

As the guards turned to regard Ixevim's blank, expressionless face and they felt the sending, he adressed them with his voice.
"You heard Kimuriel. Leave us." . . . and a moment later he added a telepathic "Well?" directly in their minds.

OOC> No special power in the "cold stare" telepathic message. Just the usual mind flayer way of communicating expressions. Still, I believe the guards aren't used in the "usual mind flayer way", so perhaps this will increase Ixevim's OR a bit. Without any modifiers he has a +9 intimidate modifier.

[Coan]

Heinrich's commanding presence is put to good effect and he is soon led towards his employer's room. At first he goes to Artemis' room intent on having a few stern words but for better or worse the traitor is not there. Moving to the next quarters he also finds Ixevim has gone. Thinking something may be going on he asks for directions to Kimuriel's room and dismisses the guard.

****

Some of the soldiers back off while another trips while fleeing. Two, however, stand their ground.

"So the rumors are true."
"Don't do this Restaz" the other guard pleaded with his friend "I don't won't to die here tonight."
"But he's one of them. An illithid..." he pointed his gun at Ixevim "We've stumbled onto a bigger prize than some silly little trollop. Imagine the reward Fernardo!"

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

OOC: To follow what my character would know to keep it more realistic for Heinrich and myself, I have not followed the last few pages following the other characters, so I have no idea what is going on or where they are. I just like to work that way, not being lazy (coz it has been really tempting to read what has been going on), I just like to keep the same level of knowledge as my characters if I can

IC:
Heinrich raises his hand to knock on the door but thinks better of it, instead opening the door and stepping through the portal to find whatever may be on the other side.

[VAN]

"I have had enough of you."

Says Kimuriel and his eyes flashed. A wave of energy barely appears and the guard flies toward the wall pushed from Kimuriel's telekinetic force. The blow makes the gun fell from Restaz's hand and the guard remains unconscious.

Before Fernando has time to react, Kimuriel draws his own gun and by his turn aims the guards. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Kimuriel says:

"Despite how you have treated the elf and my comapnion, I have nothing against you. I don't think that you should care about Ixevim's nature and what is he doing here. If he is here, there is a reason. A reason that has nothing to do with you. So, I think you should leave and continue searching for that girl elsewhere."

While Kimuriel is talking, Heinrich steps in.


OOC>Since Heinrich was out of the room I think he has heard both Restaz's and Kimuriel's words.

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

OOC: I think he will still pretty much have no idea what is going on though

IC:
Heinrich enters the room and looks at the others about the place, he knows there is seomthing happening and that he does not know the half of it, despite the raised voices he had her for the short moment he had been stood outside.

"What has been happening here? What is all this commotion I just heard?"

[VAN]

Kimuriel looks Heinrich and shakes his head as saying that the situation was under control.

"I think it was all a missunderstood. These guards came in, interrupt our card game and search for a girl with the help of this elf."

Kimuriel points the chained elf.

"They treat this poor elf as a dog."

Feeling his anger raise one more time, Kimuriel gets a deep breath again before continue.

"Of course they haven't found anything here. Then, this man overthere, threatened Ixevim with his gun. He says that he is a mind flyer and he wanted to kill him or catch him alive for a reward. I have no intention to harm the rest of the guards, but you know, our life is very important."

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

Heinrich sighed and shook his head in disbelief of how quickly things can seem to fall apart, even when times appear to be at the most peaceful. He sends out a thought to whoever may be listening to the thoughts of those about them. "If I may, I have some practice in this."

He looks at the guards, steeling his gaze as he does. The old soldier in him takes over and he crosses into the room to stand beside Kimuriel before addressing the guards.

"Even from a brief glance it must be obvious that the person you are seeking it not here! By the Mists, even I could tell that by walking in the door!! What training do they give you rabble in this land? If you had served under me you would bave been put on detention for your actions against guests of Lady Boritsi!"

In a quieter, slightly colder tone he continues.

"I trust you believe your eyes now, do you see a girl here? Do you see a Mindflayer? They stand out a bit with all those tentacles flapping about wouldn't you say?? Be gone with you, I do not wish to see you again, if I do I shall personally see to it that your actions are reported to the lady of this house herself."

He places a kind hand on the elf's shoulder and smiles down at the demihuman before returning his attention to the guards.

"Furthermore, you will not mistreat this person, the elf will be unchained and be left to do whatever they chhose, not paraded like a slave. If I wished to see this ill treatment towards intelligent beings I would pray for the return of old Falkovnia while it was still under the iron reign of The Hawk."

"Now then, I trust you have seen all you are required to?"

[alhoon]

Restaz dizzyly listened to Heinrich from the ground. His gun has dropped about 3 feet away from him and he makes no move to get it.

Ixevim just looks at the guards and says "You chose to not listen" locking his eyes with Restaz.
Ixevim is ready, if the guards make a move that could be seen as hostile he would get them both with a mind blast. Restaz has dropped his weapon in his short flight, but Fernado still kept it. Ixevim used his far hand ability on the gun's trigger to "lock it" in a similar way as he used on Artemis' gun.
He sent Heinrich "Thank you for smoothing this a bit, Heinrich. You really earn your wage and you also earn something more important, my respect."

Ixevim was mildly amazed by the guards' stupidity. They suspected they were facing a mind flayer, and instead shooting . . . they started talking to each other. Ixevim was somewhat angry with them for so underestimating him, but thought what would his kin do in his place. They would probably kill them both for the insult of this underestimation with Restaz seeing Fernado eaten and telepathically tasting his brain before sharing the same fate. Yes, Ixevim was better than them even after all these horrible events and the memories.

OOC> If the guards decide to "believe" Heinrich and leave peacefully, Ixevim will stop them at the door to remind them to not sread more "rumors" about him.