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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jul 2, 2023 19:08:41 GMT -5
The chaos that was engulfing Charon was getting harder and harder to ignore. Quakes had shaken cities, claimed lives, and cults found themselves swelling in numbers and strength. A cheap salve for the masses scared by what is happening, but Leandros found it hard to fault many of them. Especially those in Capitol Landing. A prison break in Sol City and the leaders in charge are caught resting on their laurels, guards mean little when the fox is already in the hen house.
All of those thoughts cloud Leandros' normally docile demeanor before a gentle touch to the elbow from his wife brings him back. The shadows in his mind are expelled with a breath as he puts on a smile and looks to her to assure her all is well. They did have a cult to deal with at the moment.
It seems some people have gone missing around King's Valley and the powers that be would like that to stop. The field of decrepit ruins choked with vines and moss make for a good hiding spot. There are likely secret entrances and exits hidden all around this place.
"Where do we even begin? I imagine they are not unaware people would like to retrieve their loved ones....but I imagine a false step in the wrong direction will lead to traps."
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Post by Issala 'Izzy' Arodre on Jul 15, 2023 21:36:05 GMT -5
It was a great question. One Izzy would have loved to answer if she was anywhere near the man.
The cell is uncomfortable; it would be small even for someone of a more reasonable height and without a thick tail, but for Izzy, it's more like a too-full closet than a space. She can't stretch out, can't relax, can't nurse the impeding wound they had given her in order to drag her off.
Now, some might ask, how could someone as impressive, as wonderful, as awe-inspiring as Izzy get herself captured. Why the answer, good friends, was simple; It was on purpose.
Now, some might say, Izzy, getting captured and injured on purpose sounds reckless, dangerous, and ill-advised! And those people, well, they would be correct.
What she knew of the group was that they were uniquely insular, similar to the type she and Askr had dealt with when the mountain blew up in the Ashlands. They were making sacrifices with gusto, and seemed more organized compared to the group she had deceived a few weeks prior. They looked for things, people, that would please whatever god it was they were attempting to worship-- they'd take anyone, but special people, now, that would make their god the most happy it would. At least, as far as Izzy could tell.
"As I was a goin' over the far famed Drakholt mountaaaains," she sings to herself, terribly off key, "I met with captain Farrell and his money he was countinnnn'." It was nonsensical, bad, annoying, and perhaps slightly drunk sounding. Izzy wasn't drunk, but that was what she wanted ker kidnappers to think, so drunk she was.
It also made for a delightful cover in picking her lock. Now if she could just reach the damn thing...
"I first produced me crossbow and I then produced me rapierrrr." she has to be subtle. Robed figured abound, and none of them can be trusted. Even those others who are imprisoned with her, quiet or unconscious or worse, she could not trust. But she would try to get them out of here. It was her against the world! "Saying "Stand and deliver" for he were a bold deceiverrrr."
At last, she found the pick she was looking for lodged in her hair. She grins, only to slip it back up her sleeve as robed figures start to approach, eyeing the fellblood over the racket. "What do you think you're doing?"
Izzy lifts and lowers her shoulder in a loose shrug, leaning on the bars as she cannot comfortably recline any other way. "Jus' singing to pass the time. Can I go now?"
The cultist rolls their eyes, and looks to the others. "Leave her, if she starts causing a scene, we'll cut out her tongue and be done with it. Now go check the perimeter."
The two cultists bow, and make their way out of the repurposed ruin to go and do just that. The cultist watches them until they're out of sight, before looking back at Izzy, brow furrowed. Studying her. Perhaps trying to figure out what her game was.
Izzy clicks her tongue and points her finger at the man in the shape of a gun, followed by a hiccup. The cultist hums thoughtfully, and departs, going back to whatever it was they were doing. Whatever it was, it was beyond Izzy. But not for long.
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jul 16, 2023 9:15:09 GMT -5
"Start with the less obvious places, if it's secret they don't want people to just find it right away." Apogee smiles as she pats his back once more and the pair begin to make their way through the ruins.
Gilder and Theobo would be chasing down leads in Thunderhoof Village, so the ruins would only be explored by the knight and his wife. They slowly and carefully make their way through the ruins, cutting through vines and moving rubble to try and uncover any secrets.
This was somehow worse than trying to find a needle in a haystack. It was like trying to find one needle in a thousand different haystacks. Perhaps they were making this a bit too difficult on themselves, clever or not if the cult is abducting people regularly then they would need a place that is hidden but also easy to move in and out of. The entrance couldn't be buried under one of these ruins.
It was in this pause that they finally saw the two cultists coming out from one of the ruins. Suddenly the search just got that much easier.
Leandros bursts over[1] and rams his forearm into one of their throats to pin him against the wall. Before the other can draw a dagger to strike the lion, he finds a rapier aimed at his eye.
"I wouldn't move anymore, I'm not as well practiced as my husband, I might slip~"
"Tell us where your cult is hiding."
The cultists try to remain firm for a moment, but the one held up by Apogee breaks first as his knees tremble. "Down below, there's a ruin northeast with a cellar entrance, please don't kill us."
It is time for Leandros and Apogee to share a look and a small nod. Both cultists are given a good crack to knock them out. With weapons removed and limbs tied up, they move to make their way to this supposed entrance.
1. Rushing Charge
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Post by Issala 'Izzy' Arodre on Jul 29, 2023 16:01:07 GMT -5
Once she teases the pick back out of her sleeve, getting to the lock is the next little hurdle she has to contend with. The cage is decidedly not designed for someone of her size. Which, is something she could easily fix, if she had the wherewithal to show her hand just yet, but Izzy knew that patience was the name of the game. She couldn't go and blow her cover just yet! Where was the fun in that!
It takes her a few seconds of silent manuvering and bending her arm in unnatural positions to get the angle she needs, Izzy starts singing to herself again, covering the subtle noises of tapping the pins into place.[1,2]
"There's some take delight in the carriages a rollinnn," And others take delight in the hurly and the bowlinnnn'."
She pauses, hearing distant argumentative voices somewhere above her. Listening for a few tenative beats, she determines they weren't meant for her, and resumes her task.
"But I take delight in the juice of the barley--."
Pop, goes the lock.
Izzy grins, and nudges the door open, starting to slip through the crack like the wraith she is. "--whack fall the daddy-o, there's whiskey in the jaaar~!"
Then, she hears footsteps again, biting down on the ending notes of the song and rolling her eyes. Why this. Why now. Couldn't they wait literally ten more seconds? Izzy reluctantly slips back into the cage and closing it quickly, taking care to ensure it remained unlocked. She has just enough timt to readjust her less than comfortable postion, leaning against the cage wall and drunkenly murmur/singing, when a harried band of three robed figures hurry around the corner.
"You're certain?"
"I fear it true. The scryers at the door saw the pair dispatch the exterior guards."
The first man clicks his tongue, annoyed, but not as disturbed as the pair that follow him. "Cave the primary entrance tunnel in, and make sure the side entrance is open for our swift evacuation. It is dangerous to continue in this state."
"But... sir, the ritual!"
"Better that we survive another day to attempt this a second time than get caught by some heathens who do not understand our goals." the man intones gravely, rounding on the individual with a blazing look. "Lord Vulcdreus will understand--,"
"Will he now?"
Approaching from the other direction, the man who had stared at Izzy dubiously (fair) earlier approaches, even more calm than the other leader appeared to be. The group of three bow in reverence. "Please explain what you mean by assuming the Lord's intentions and wishes."
The man straightens abruptly, fixing the aloof leader with an urgent look. "Forgive my impertinence, sir. We have been compromised-- we have people sniffing at our door."
The lead man arches an eyebrow. "Is that all? Where is your hospitality, my good man. We should invite them to join us."
The group of three freeze, shocked. "Sir... beg your pardon, but these two have already started the task of infiltrating our sanctum--"
"Then let them," the leader lifts his shoulder and drops it in a casual shrug. "The more the merrier. If they want to commit themselves to the cause, we will welcome them with open arms. If not..." his gaze slides over to Izzy again. She blinks at him out of sync. "Then we will ensure their participation in other ways."
There's a tense silence that follows the instruction, before the man who had led the group of three nods. "If... Lord Vulcadreus so wills it, sir."
"Very good. You two, go and collapse the main tunnel as your commanding officer suggests. That should give us some more time to finalize the ritual and prepare for our guests." He flashes a toothy smile to the room of captives before leading the others away to their tasks.
Izzy clicks her tongue once they're out of range. There were people investigating, too? Well. Best of luck to whomever was up there.
[1] Lockpicking [2] Disjoint Tattoo[/font]
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jul 30, 2023 11:42:58 GMT -5
The activity at the door was less sniffing around and much closer to OPEN UP FBI as Leandros kicked in the door, splintering it off the hinges. Izzy can hear the crack of the door and then a moment of stunned silence as the entire complex tries to figure out what is happening.
Both cultists sent to collapse the main tunnel turn the corner and nearly impale themselves on the halberd. The haft of the weapon is turned quickly to crack them both against the jaw knocking them out into dull thumps on the ground. The two step over the bodies and continue on.
"We could have questioned them, you didn't have to hit them so hard." Apogee gave a little pout as she looked up at Lee.
The knight shrugged, "There are going to be more, we can't question every single one we run in to."
Apogee sighs and shakes her head, of course he is going to just charge forward. Ever the knight, but she smiles behind him as they head in deeper. A map or directions would be helpful admittedly, but knock out enough people and eventually only the main guy will be left, right?
That is Leandros' logic at the very least as they jog down the halls. He glances down hallways to get clues like a person lost in a grocery store looking for a specific item they can't find. It has to be down one of these, just have to find where everyone is off and running too.
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Post by Issala 'Izzy' Arodre on Aug 21, 2023 18:08:50 GMT -5
Somewhere, wherever the cultists were going, there's a crack and several shouts of pain and alarm. There's a scramble, as more of the cultists start moving to their inner sanctum. Izzy remains where she is in the cell, watching things move rapidly, before her cell-block goes quiet. Tapping the upper corner of the metal door, she slips out and takes a look around. Quiet for now, but the sounds of chanting were escalating. It wouldn't be long before they came to collect their sacrifices for the remainder of the ritual. Time to go dig a little deeper before--
"BAH, Ginma's fuzzy horse ass," Izzy leaps back, almost running into the couple that had decided to come and join the party. Or mess it up. Either way, things were bound to go down. She waves off the alarm takes a step back again, trying to regain her suaveness. "Ah. I'm not in a cult." Which is exactly what someone in a cult would say. Izzy flashes her attempt at her best, most convincing smile at the shiny knight man and the woman with deep blue hair next to him. "Issala Arodre, Private Investigator Extraordinare and all around Good Time Gal. I just escaped jail. They're uhhh. Heading down there and want to invite you to their soiree." she glances around them furitively. "I don't know if you're up for it but we could get the drop on 'em if they lead me down to their chambers or whatever. They wanna drop rocks on you, so the less of a threat they think you are, the better."
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Aug 23, 2023 18:41:49 GMT -5
"And which part got you trapped down here, investigator or good time gal?" Apogee's lips curl in a smirk as she laughs. "Apogee and my husband Leandros Aurthurian." She offers a hand to shake, always a lady even in weird cultist basement dungeons.
"I doubt I will do much help in the area of stealth, though...I suppose if I create enough noise, then I imagine that would be a benefit to the both of you." Leandros looks to the both of them, Apogee glancing over to Izzy for her input.
"Whatever tricks they have I am not too worried about, this doesn't seem to be any more well organized or outfitted than most cults. I imagine whoever is in charge down here will be more capable than the others, but getting to him shouldn't be a trouble."
Izzy likely is not surprised that a man like Leandros is not exactly worried about the cult. Thick armor, thicker head. But both of those things are resilient to having rocks dropped on them. Still, they had both made it down here with little trouble, which could also be good time.
Part of the chaos was their intrusion, but from the growing shouts the cult was also expediting the timeline for their ritual. Leandros motions with his head for the two to follow so they can walk and talk. The voices were far off, they had time, but not much to plan.
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Post by Issala 'Izzy' Arodre on Sept 10, 2023 12:51:45 GMT -5
Izzy flashes the lady a grin, extending her own hand for a friendly shake. "Little of column A, little of column B. Pleasure to meet you both. I'm here on purpose, as a matter of fact, doin' my own investigation into this cult nonsense."
Her gaze shifts back to Leandros, the knightly lookin' fella, as he comments on stealth. She clicks her tongue against her sharp teeth and considers the options while they walk. "Yeah, I figure that could work. Might not be easy to out flank them if they're in a place with only one in or out.... I could make myself smaller so you could smuggle me in and then toss me at them like 'aaaa, pocket giant'. They wouldn't be expectin that."
Whilst following after the pair, Izzy searches the hall to find a door with a keyhole. Locating one, she pulls one out of the inner pocket of her shirt-- it clearly, on visual appearance, does not match the lock itself, but it fits anyway, popping open with a click and revealing... somewhere else.[1]
A dimly lit room with peeks of sunlight through the curtains, an ungodly mess of clothes, papers and personal effects stretched over everything. Izzy leans in, grabs a bag off the floor and shoulders it before pulling the door closed again. She removes the key and tucks it back into her usual spot, grinning as she pulls her weapons and gear out from where she had kept it safe before her capture. "Alright. Ready when you are."
[1] House Key
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Sept 12, 2023 21:19:37 GMT -5
The mix of reactions is probably something Izzy is used to. Leandros seems a little confused by Izzy's antics, but Apogee seems to be enthralled with what the fellblood is getting up to. She certainly appreciated someone willing to do things a little bit differently.
"Keeping them all in front works to our advantage as well, the reach I have will make it harder for the average bandit to do anything." Leandros leads the way through the hall, peaking around corners as he does.
Following the sounds of footsteps and yelling make it pretty easy to track the cultists. They stopped being subtle it seems as whatever was going on had been kicked in to full gear. Great. He starts into a light jog to follow the sound.
"Whatever they are doing, let's hope we aren't too late....maybe they found the wrong translation of their ritual and they end up summoning a horde of rabbits or something."
"A hopeful thought, dear, but I doubt after this much effort they won't be entirely sure this is the right spell."
"You went to the Mage's Guild, I'll trust your expertise."
"It was maybe two classes when I was 12 Leandros!" She fakes a huff.
"Two more than I took." He smiles back to her with a little laugh, seemingly no worry about whatever they were about to head in to.
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Post by Issala 'Izzy' Arodre on Sept 30, 2023 15:10:10 GMT -5
"One can hope," Izzy chortles, loping at a light pace after the two. She pats herself all over to make sure they have what they need; walking straight into the lion's den certainly had its disadvantages, but this couple seemed capable.
The sounds of distant chanting appear to get louder and louder the closer the three of them get to the main chamber. In the vestibule before the chamber proper, a shut door made of stone looms enormous before them all. The door is thick and heavy, and not prone to easily being moved. The voices get louder, more fervent, punctuated by the ecstatic screams of the faithful. Izzy grimaces, and looks down to her new companions.
"Sooo that's not gonna be easy to get past. I think I can try to unlock it from the other side so you can bust in without having to hit the door too many times?" she whispers conspiratorially before doing just that. Flicking up the lapels of her jacket, she makes herself six inches tall and flat as a piece of naan[1], sliding under the crack in the door to gain that entry they so desperately needed. Once on the other side, everything was simple from here; she could see the group of chanting individuals surrounding a dais, where a man was gesturing with an obsidian knife towards his faithful as they lined up for sacrifice. However, around him and around the walls of the chamber proper, were multiple people with cross-bows, lined up and aimed at the door.
Before getting started on regaining her height to unlock the door, Izzy firsts casts a little spell, murmuring quietly into a wire she carried with her so her voice travelled directly to Leandros' mind.[2] "Yo, it's me, so uh, there's like five or six dudes with loaded crossbows aimed at the door? In case you were wondering." With that, she quickly grows back to her usual size, lifting and hauling the bar across the door off it's brackets and hopping back to give Leandros his moment to bust in-- an opportune time to duck for cover, as three crossbow bolts fire in her direction.
[1] Red Rogue's Coat [2] Message
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Oct 2, 2023 11:18:42 GMT -5
"I can just kick in the door." Leandros barely gets it out before Izzy has already disappeared.
Apogee smiles and pats his arm, "She is right though, a little discretion isn't the worst."
Easy for them to say the knight huffs as they wait. He cocks an eyebrow as the message is relayed into his head. He certainly wasn't expecting that sensation, but the information is good. Taking a different approach, Leandros readies his halberd as Apogee steps to the side and slowly pushes open the door.
Out of the end of his halberd a sudden burst of light shoots forth burning through 3 of the bandits.[1] In that confusion, Leandros then bursts in to cut down another one with a quick swipe.
"I'll take the front, you two handle any stragglers."
Apogee nods and readies her rapier as she gives Izzy a firm nod and smile. It was pretty easy to fight when you had a massive moving shield in front of you. The bandits that didn't get burned or cut down try to charge past and go for what they think are the easier targets. While far from the physical presence her husband is, the woman is incredibly nimble on her feet. She moves back to avoid the swipe, but still manages to land a piercing stab to his shoulder.
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Post by Issala 'Izzy' Arodre on Nov 13, 2023 16:32:38 GMT -5
Of all the things Izzy was anticipating that the couple on the other side of the door would do, it was not shoot a beam of light out of the end of a halberd and into the crowd of cultists, evaporating a handful of them. It was a prime distraction while she tried to duck and dodge around flying crossbow bolts, but in due course, they were all focused on the big man in armor, and not her or the cobalt haired wife flanking him. A bulwark was a fine thing to have in a moment like this.
She returns the grin, her sharp teeth glinting in the firelight. Her own rapier flashes out of its sheath as she circles back and around, slinking through the shadows to harry the cultists from behind. After running one through, another whirls his quarterstaff overhead, striking Izzy painfully in the shoulder, but allowing her to get close and cut the legs out from under him. She pauses to touch her bleeding scalp, and narrowly avoids a spell as it crackles much too close to her head, only to see the cult leader next to him chanting something low and fervent, the air around him crackling with power as he started to aim his staff towards Leandros.
"NOPE," Izzy calls out, pointing a finger at the cultist with a spell on his lips, her own eyes glowing faintly as magic sweeps through her [1]. The spell fizzles on his lips, and the chief cultists snarls his rage.
[1] Counterspell
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Nov 13, 2023 21:29:29 GMT -5
Both Izzy and Apogee would enjoy the comfort of the Lion of the Landing taking point. He spins the halberd to deflect the incoming crossbow bolts[1] before his wife would step out from cover to pierce one cultist with her rapier.
In the same motion as stopping the spin, Leandros cuts down another in front of him. Another cultist charges, but the shortsword only gets him a glancing blow off the shoulder armor.[2] Once more the momentum of the halberd changes and this cultist is cracked in the jaw with the back end of the halberd.
He turns to see the spell fizzle out, first thanking his luck, then seeing Izzy he knows where is luck truly came from.
"Seems like you weren't quick enough." Leandros surges forward to shoulder check the cultist into the wall.[3] A very nasty knock to the head has the cultist stumbling from the wall.
Apogee saunters over to Izzy handing her a health potion and a smile, "Thank you, since Leandros will certainly forget."
The knight has flipped the end blade of his halberd to face the cultist's chest and hold him in place without harming him. The others in the room hold their places nervously. Do they book it? Are they under arrest? Wait....can this random guy arrest them?
"Everyone stand down....it's over, there's no need for anymore bloodshed."
There is a moment of silence before one guy sets his sword down, "Oh thank Solaria I was so nervous you were gonna kill us all. I just joined this for the friend group, can I go?"
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Post by Issala 'Izzy' Arodre on Dec 25, 2023 21:54:38 GMT -5
Izzy blinks as the potion is offered to her by Apogee. An unusual set of circumstances, lately. People giving her things. Out of the blue. Some semblance of kindness or care. Weird.
Weird weird weird.
Regardless, Izzy flashes the blue-haired woman a smile and takes the vial. "Well, thank you kindly, madam." She knocks back the vial and pockets it, before sheathing her rapier and dusting off her hands, as if the matter was officially concluded when one of the last remaining cultists surrender to Leandros' declaration that they are beaten. "See what happens when you don't stay in school? You get convinced to get in to wack ass cults for a entity that definitely doesn't exist." she bends lower so her eyes are level with the one who spoke, ooming over him with her sharp toothed smile and crazed eyes. "Read. A book."
The Chief Cultist, bleeding and defeated, curses, and pushes himself to stand, holding his stomach as he staggered towards the center of the dais. "You think you've won, but you can't stop us. No one can stop Lord Vulcadreus." he fixes Izzy with a look, pointing his finger at her. "You claim you don't believe, but you're marked. Take heed... and ascend with the destruction!" With that the man pulls a cloud of ash around himself and vanishes, leaving his disciples standing there dumbfounded and Izzy with a little grimace on her face.
"Well. That was cringe." she looks at Leandros and Apogee with a shrug and an easy smile. "Well done us, then. So, I take my findings and head back to Zeinav, what are you two gonna do?"
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Dec 25, 2023 23:52:21 GMT -5
"I wonder if he knows we can see the blood trail he's leaving behind. Going after him, love?" Apogee cleans off her blade before sheething it with a smile.
"Let the wretch go, its the raving of a lunatic, if he survives hopefully the lesson learned today causes him to change course and he knows he is lucky that a lion should give up its prey." Leandros gives his halberd a flourish to fling it clean of blood.
The few cultists that are left look around in confusion. Were they just supposed to go as well? What exactly was the next steps here. Leandros sighs and sheathes his blade now to go about shackling and tying up the cultists he can.
"I think Leandros and I will take these people back to the closest town and find them new lodgings so to speak~ and I am sure the Crown will be interested to know what happened here, so there will be those talks. I can only pray I survive another day of those stuffy old men."
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