He is greeted by Thoron, the kings right hand.
"My brother squire, s...something about you is different."
"I know , all this business with Finn..."
"No, thats not it. I cant put my finger on it but you're different."
"Is the king up and about?"
"He will be shortly, After last night he was too pumped up to do more than nap."
"What happened?"
"In short, we were ambushed."
"AMBUSHED?!"
"Yes, by what we thought was a party sent by you to escort us to Daharahn.
We figured out that they were impostors when we noticed the devices on their sheilds and tabbards were BACKWARDS. By then we were to close not to have
been caught by suprise. The bandits did not fight well in the weather, but they had dogs with them. The beasts were viscious. They killed two of our party with bites
to the necks that nearly severed their heads. One bit the king THROUGH his plate armor."
"Is he alright?"
Jus then from behing Sean a familiar jovial voice..." A few salves, an incantation or two to insure my health and safety, I'm none the worse for wear. Since Thoron has
told you of our adventure then I suggest we deal with
matters at hand. First FOOD, then we'll get to the bottom of this FINN
thing."
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"Finn" finishes getting dressed, and awaits the arrival of the King;
Watching from a window, he notes that the King arrives. Stepping out his door, he meets the guards that were posted outside his room;
"We have orders from the Lieutenant to take you to see the King."
"Well, then, let's be off..."
'Finn' arrives at the meeting room, a fairly small one - with Sean, Tanara, and His Majesty McFadden inside, talking around a small table. The guards post outside the
door, and it shuts as 'Finn' takes a seat at the table...
McFadden says, "I know some of ... Ah, Finn... What's going on here? I'm told you're dead, I'm told you're alive, I'm told nothing happened /and/ that something
happened. Give me something sensical."
"Well, first let me state that you're looking well tonight, Your Majesty.
As for the events of the past few days, I do not know firsthand what happened.
I was asleep
during the fracas. But, uhm, before we proceed, who, er, what is the
lady here for?"
Sean speaks: "Tanara has brought the healer, Korlys, we asked to resurrect you."
At this, 'Finn' stiffens a bit, just noticably, and says: "Well, I clearly
don't need resurrecting; And what we're discussing is a matter for the
guard alone. Could Tanara,
in the interest of His Majesty's security, please be excused?"
Tanara seems a bit put off by his tone, "Finn, I know what happened already, and I'd probably give some good advice..."
'Finn' says shortly, "Thank You, but I would like to leave that up to the Lieutenant to decide, after I have had my say."
Tanara: "Well, as you insist, I'll step outside." She stands up from her chair, and as she passes, she and Sean exchange a surreptitious glance....
Once she has left the room, 'Finn' states that he went to sleep, then
awoke to Sean bursting into his room. Sean explains to the King that a
body, looking much like
Finn's, was found beneath his window. Finn was not in his bed at the
time, the body was taken to the infirmary, wherein it disappeared. Finn
was found in his bed
later, by guards looking for his body, or the assassin, or both.
Sean says, "Earlier, Finn, you said it could have been a Changeling. Perhaps it could be the one known as Changeling? And why would he do it?"
'Finn', sighing: "I don't know. Changelings are quite flighty, and their
reasoning is beyond /my/ comprehension. From getting past our guard, to
impersonating me, to
getting a body to disappear, Changeling seemss to be the best suspect.
I, myself, am waiting for further developments before drawing my own conclusions."
McFadden, a touch annoyed, says, "Well, indecision and ambiguity are
bad states for me to be in. I want to know if it was Changeling. I want
to know what
happened to you, Finn, and I want to know why snow and ice is coming
out of the sky in Daharan, of all places."
'Finn': "I will keep my eyes open, certainly, Majesty."
Sean says, "My standing orders will keep all the guard on constant watch
for strange happenings. In the meantime, perhaps we can find a local
member of the
Diviner's Guild? Or perhaps there are Druids in this city that can
help us know why the weather acts this way..."
McFadden stands, and says "Perhaps. Let's keep on watch now, and I myself am wanting some bit of rest after my journey. Let's get to the business of a meal."
'Finn' and Sean agree, and following His Majesty McFadden, they step
forth into the hall. As Sean falls back to discuss things with Tanara,
'Finn' gives her a strange
and foreign look, then draws his sword with his left hand and falls
in next to the King, muttering "Flesh to Stone" under his breath. McFadden
walks down the hall,
five guard with swords resting on shoulders protecting him.
Tanara remarks to Sean, quietly, "Finn seems in a weird mood. So Impersonal.
He knows me well enough to know I'm not a threat to the crown. He shot
me a nasty
glance, too, just now. What do you make of it?"
Sean, slowly, replies "I don't know. It's probably the strain of suddenly
being put on the guard, and then having someone try to take him out
in a nasty fashion. Don't
worry..." Sean looks, nonetheless, very hard at 'Finn' as they follow
the procession down the hall.
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Kenta surveyed the scene before him in the bar, "Chaos, complete and
total chaos" he grumped loudly....
several conversations reached his ears, none of them good.
"Red garbed troops...."
"Probably Saracens, the Kings own, no doubt....."
"I mean the Royal Caravan passed this way only days ago headed to Daharahn..."
As Regent of Mourningwood Glenn he had a duty to these people, even
though none had paid him. And with the Baron being insane with
lust and something darker
since his encounter with the Dark Knight, it fell to him to do something.
"Maybe He had good reasons" Kenta said, playing the Devil's advocate.
"Reasons!!??!!" the villager exclaimed. "I'll tell you his reasons
as they were given to us. First his Majesty raises our taxes
to 80% just last month.
Then while we're trying to scrape out a living and the tithe, his troops
come in and say we're behind on out taxes and need to be taught a lesson.
Also, He has always despised and belittled our shire..."
Kenta tuned the little man out, his heart went out to the refugee, but
his pocketbook told him he had more clients. "Free drinks to anyone
who can bring up a
happier topic" he exclaimed
"I remember the reign of Queen Eclipse" someone exclaimed drunkenly,
"helluva great woman, before she was exiled. We'rent her fault
she was posessed"
suddenly the mood of the bar shifted, From several tables Kenta heard
men swear affirmations for Eclipse. Then several men stomped out
muttering
"somethings gotta be done. Someone has to show him the will of
the people"......
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
several days later........
"ATTACKED!!??!! What do you mean the King was attacked?" Kenta roared
at the soldier in front of him.
"Sir as I said, bandits.....after the jewels and gold unless I miss
my guess..."
"any clues to their identities? uniforms, battle cries, or marks?"
"one common thread my Lord, an armband...A sun and moon conjoined,
much like the Saracen symbol, except reversed. And the leader was
too slender to be a
man, although I didn't get a good look at the face under the helm,
my guess would be an elf....."