frp

• Third Age, Year 1108
• 9 May - Leave Miakoda with General Sewati
• 11 May - In Paco - fight White Slaad - Bigby, Kesi, and Odin killed

Despite his alignment, Odin was a much-loved leader. It is feared that if word of his death were to get out, the populace would explode. They have been primed for weeks for war with the Sibutco - a loss like this would fuel that fear and people would be demanding war.

Sewati has few allies in the court. His chief ally was Gaho, Odin's pet wizard. She was able to keep a lid on Odin's ambitions - but since her assassination about three weeks ago, the king spiraled out of control.

Now, with Odin dead and Gaho gone, the war with the Sibutco is almost a given. There is little Sewati can do to prevent it, and his only hope is to postpone it by keeping the king's death a secret as long as possible.

Sewati's political opponents:

    Payat, male Commoner/12: Merchant leader - pushed for war with Sibutco for
    two reasons: 1) Profit from arms trade  2) To control the only legal
    channel of goods to/from Sibutco.

    Elsu, male human Warrior/12:  General in charge of the Tupi.  Believes he
    can take over as king if Odin dies - which is probably true!

    Pahana, male human Sorceror/9:  Second-in-command to Gaho (who was
    assassinated on orders from the White Slaad).  Now, Pahana is a little
    lost and distrustful of everybody.  Will side with Elsu if trouble erupts.
    Has been known to assume other forms!

Probable allies in Sibutco:

    Ogin, female human Cleric/10:  The high priestess of Sibutco.

    Ayita, female human Fighter/12: General in charge of Apollo's elite guard.

    Ogaleesha, male human Commoner/9:  Merchant in Sibutco that is suffering
    the most because of Payat's trade monopoly.

Payat, male Com12: Merchant leader - pushed for war with Sibutco for two reasons: 1) Profit from arms trade 2) To control the only legal channel of goods to/from Sibutco.

CR 11; Size M (5 ft., 9 in. tall); HD 12d4+24; hp 54; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+2 Dex); Attack +10/+5 melee, or +8/+3 ranged; SV Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +6; AL LE; Str 18, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 11.

Skills and feats: Climb +17, Craft +2, Escape artist +3, Hide +2, Jump +18, Listen +2, Move silently +2, Profession +17, Ride +11, Spot +11; Armor proficiency (light), Great fortitude, Martial weapon proficiency (flail, heavy), Run, Skill focus (profession), Skill focus (ride).

Elsu, male human War12: General in charge of the Tupi. Believes he can take over as king if Odin dies - which is probably true!

CR 11; Size M (6 ft., 1 in. tall); HD 12d8+12; hp 72; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (+3 Dex); Attack +16/+11/+6 melee, or +15/+10/+5 ranged; SV Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +5; AL NE; Str 19, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 12.

Skills and feats: Climb +18, Handle animal +16, Hide +3, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Listen +3, Move silently +3, Ride +15, Spot +3, Swim +16; Alertness, Endurance, Improved bull rush, Improved initiative, Mounted combat, Power attack.

Pahana, male human Sor9: Second-in-command to Gaho (who was assassinated on orders from the White Slaad). Now, Pahana is a little lost and distrustful of everybody. Will side with Elsu if trouble erupts. Has been known to assume other forms!

CR 9; Size M (5 ft., 1 in. tall); HD 9d4-9; hp 16; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Attack +2 melee, or +4 ranged; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +6; AL NE; Str 6, Dex 11, Con 9, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 14.

Skills and feats: Alchemy +10, Concentration +11, Hide +0, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Listen +0, Move silently +0, Profession +6, Scry +13, Search +4, Spot +0; Combat casting, Empower spell, Heighten spell, Scribe scroll, Skill focus (concentration).

Sorcerer Spells Known (6/7/7/6/4): 0th – Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Resistance. 1st – Charm Person, Chill Touch, Identify, Mage Armor, Magic Missile. 2nd – Blindness/Deafness, Blur, Daylight, Melf's Acid Arrow. 3rd – Fly, Hold Person, Summon Monster III. 4th – Charm Monster, Polymorph Self.

Gaho, female human Wiz12: (Included for completeness - despite the fact that she's dead). She was fairly level-headed and was fond of Sewati.

CR 12; Size M (5 ft., 3 in. tall); HD 12d4+12; hp 48; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+2 Dex); Attack +4/-1 melee, or +8/+3 ranged; SV Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +7; AL N; Str 6, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 12.

Skills and feats: Alchemy +18, Craft +12, Hide +2, Knowledge +14, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Listen -1, Move silently +2, Scry +17, Spellcraft +13, Spot -1; Craft staff, Craft wand, Empower spell, Enlarge spell, Heighten spell, Improved initiative, [Scribe scroll], Spell mastery (Sleep, Charm Person, Magic Missile), Spell mastery (Mage Armor, Knock, Invisibility).

Wizard Spells Known (4/5/5/5/3/3/2): Spellbook missing and presumed destroyed.

Ogin, female human Clr10: The high priestess of Sibutco.

CR 10; Size M (4 ft., 11 in. tall); HD 10d8-10; hp 39; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+2 Dex); Attack +7/+2 melee, or +9/+4 ranged; SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +11; AL CG; Str 11, Dex 14, Con 9, Int 9, Wis 19, Cha 11.

Skills and feats: Diplomacy +11, Hide +2, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (nature) +3, Listen +4, Move silently +2, Spot +4; Craft rod, Craft wand, Dodge, Heighten spell, Weapon finesse (mace, light).

Cleric Domains: Good, Strength. Cleric Spells Per Day: 6/5+1/5+1/4+1/4+1/2+1.

* Note the feats: Craft Rod/Wand * Also the skills: Diplomacy(!)

Ayita, female human Ftr12: General in charge of Apollo's elite guard.

CR 12; Size M (5 ft., 10 in. tall); HD 12d10; hp 78; Init +4 (+4 Improved initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Attack +14/+9/+4 melee, or +12/+7/+2 ranged; SV Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +4; AL CG; Str 15, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 13.

Skills and feats: Climb +15, Craft +13, Hide +0, Jump +4, Listen +0.5, Move silently +0, Ride +9, Spot +0, Swim +9; Blind-fight, Improved initiative, Improved unarmed strike, Mounted combat, Power attack, Quick draw, Ride-by attack, Sunder, Trample, Weapon focus (flail, heavy), Weapon focus (greatclub), Weapon focus (lance, heavy), Weapon specialization (flail, heavy).

Ogaleesha, male human Com9: Merchant in Sibutco that is suffering the most because of Payat's trade monopoly.

CR 8; Size M (5 ft., 6 in. tall); HD 9d4-18; hp 11; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+2 Dex); Attack +8 melee, or +6 ranged; SV Fort +1, Ref +7, Will +6; AL NG; Str 18, Dex 14, Con 7, Int 17, Wis 17, Cha 13.

Skills and feats: Diplomacy +2, Disable device +3.5, Disguise +4, Hide +2, Intimidate +3.5, Intuit direction +6, Jump +16, Listen +12, Move silently +2, Profession +17, Spellcraft +4, Spot +5, Swim +16, Use rope +13; Alertness, Lightning reflexes, Martial weapon proficiency (shortbow, composite), Skill focus (profession), Two-weapon fighting.

Kesi,

There is an almost tangible serenity around you. Your eyes are closed and the emotions surging within you keep them that way. It is not fear. Nor is it pain. (Though both of those are part of the mix). No, it is more like embarrassment.

As a child, your mother told you many times that life's road led to a husband and children. And, as you grew older and watched all your friends take that road so naturally, you began to wonder if there was something wrong with you.

Your father understood, though. He let you train. He gave you the staff, which his father had given to him. Perhaps if you had a brother, your life would have been different. Perhaps you would have a husband. Perhaps children. You smile at the thought. Often you have wondered about children - but rarely about a husband. The contradiction amuses you.

But suddenly, you realize your mind is tricking you. Something happened. Something terrible. And all you can think about is comforting thoughts of home and family. No! This is too important. You must remember!

The discipline returns. Your mind freezes in place. The shadows dissolve and your memory begins to return.

You remember falling. You remember the cold floor as it hit your head. But there was more. There was fear. There was screaming. There was chaos.

Yes. Chaos. You remember the beast's teeth - so long and so sharp - as they tore your skin open around your neck. You remember your first thought. A scar! You are going to have a scar.

But then you saw Roderick. He looked so scared as he watched you. But then you saw the expanding pool of blood from your neck wound and realized the scar was the least of your worries.

Now, though, there is no pain - though you still feel your hand clutched over your neck where the wound must be. Your eyes remain closed. But you must open them. You know that now. Whatever has happened, you must know what it is. You must face it.

It is a supreme effort. After a few failed attempts, you even try to move your hands up to pry your eyes open, but your body doesn't seem to work as expected. Again, you fall back to discipline. Your mind is alive. Your mind controls your body and all it can do. Your eyes will open. And they do!

At first, it is all shadow and fog. But then, shapes form. Nearby, a man lies still. Is that Bigby? He seems too thin, but the clothes look right. And where are the others? Where is the king's throne? Where are the support pillars and the balcony? Indeed, where is the palace?

Beyond the man is another person, lying (or is that drifting?) in an unnatural position - as if gravity did not apply over there. Beyond that, what seem like stars in a 360-degree sky.

Slowly, the world around you begins to make sense. You reach up to feel your shoulder and neck. There is no wound. You look around again as the reality sinks in. You are dead. And this is your journey to Godsland. Soon, you will see the gates and the gatekeeper will ask your name. But even as you've been told the stories all your life, it is nothing like you expected.

You try to move to the man lying near you, but find your body jerks strangely as you command it to move. After a few feeble tries, you realize that it is not your body that needs to move - it is your mind. Your body is most likely still lying in Odin's palace. You will yourself forward and find that you move with surprising ease.

The man lying (or is that floating?) here is, indeed, Bigby. But he is younger, more athletic than usual. He seems to be in a deep sleep, with a satisfied expression on his face.

“Bigby!” you shout as you jab at his arm.

He stirs for a second, then snaps his eyes open. In a flash, his expression turns from serenity to panic. Understanding comes quickly to him.

“We're dead, I see,” he mumbles, almost casually, as he surveys the endless gray around him.

A nearby voice answers before you can. “Yes, dear, you are.”

It is a woman. She has deep black hair, dark eyes, and perfect skin (almost golden) that glistens with moisture. She wears a short, white dress made of a light fabric which clings to her skin from the moisture. A black belt is emblazoned in silver with the stylized rain cloud that the Lomasi used on their armor. On her left hand is a plain, gold wedding ring.

“Hello, Kesi,” she smiles warmly as she drifts toward you effortlessly. “I am Matchitisiw and I am sorry that we had to meet under these circumstances. But it may be the only way we can do so from now on without drawing the attention of the lords of chaos.”

Behind her, you see a large black bear and two men. One of the men has a shaved head and wears long white robes, which are reminiscent of Roderick's formal outfit. The other is an ancient, skinny man wearing an equally ancient toga. In his hand, though, is a staff that draws your eye immediately. Sixteen runes adorn each end - grouped in four sets of four. It is your staff!

As you are distracted by the old man's staff, Matchitisiw reaches over with a single outstretched finger and touches you lightly on the forehead. (Was she really that close?! Or did she just move that fast?) Her touch is wet - more so than you'd expect from just one finger - and a small bead of water drips down your face.

“Give that to Roget for me,” she whispers to you - as a wicked smile forms across her face. You have no idea what she means.

She steps back and gestures toward the old man. “This is Tsylaire, the wanderer. He has a question for you.”

The old man steps forward, says nothing, and hold his staff out for you. As you take it, you notice that the wear patterns and wood grain are different. This is NOT your staff. The runes are the same - and in the same order - but as you hold it, the Law rune begins to glow faintly.

The man smiles and nods his head slightly. “She is certainly a candidate,” he says back to Matchitisiw - then reaches out as if to ask for the staff back. You hand it back without even thinking. You wonder for a moment whether you have any free will here - in the presence of these beings.

Matchitisiw drifts back as the old man turns and begins walking away. The second man and the bear step up.

“When you return,” the bear says in a gravelly voice, “you will need to sleep for a full day. Then, you must rest for at least a week.”

The man adds, “Roderick will take good care of you.”

As he says this, his eyes dissolve into a black fog and you feel a sharp pain in your neck. In the fog of his eyes, stars begin to form. You wince at the worsening pain and grab for your neck instinctively. You can see deep into his eyes now - as if they were windows to another world. You can't seem to look anywhere else. With your peripheral vision, you sense everything around becoming indistinct. You hear the bear roar in the distance.

Then, sensations throughout your body return. The pain in your neck flares up to intolerable levels and you briefly black out. When you awake, there is a woman standing over you. “Welcome back,” she says with a smile.

As the confusion in your mind recedes, the world around you becomes more and more real. You are lying on a table, in a room you don't recognize. Next to the woman who just greeted you is Roderick. He holds your staff out for you.

You reach to take it, but your body has been drained of its energy. At first, you don't think you have the strength to do it, but you focus just enough to reach out. As you touch the wood, your vision flashes briefly to a black pool of stars - and you KNOW about the sixteen staffs. You know who made them. You know what the runes mean. And you know what your staff can do.

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