Chapter 2: Blades and Knives

[Throndir]

To read the full version of Chapter 2, please visit the old forums.

Summary of Chapter 1: New Allies
The party meets for the first time. The members include Tebastion, a centaur paladin in the service of the Silver Arms for some time, Uthaal, a druid with a few years with the Silver Arms, Lyle, a new halfing rogue to have joined, Arian, a dark elf who also recently joined, Perlot, a human barbarian from far away lands, and Rasilope, a cleric of Ehlonna.

The group meet at an abandoned tower where they meet a halfing who was at first frightened, but after a short time the party finds out that he was an agent from the Silver Arms sent to guide them to Taelthan through the use of a teleportation spell. The party, still suspicious of the halfing, decide to go along. However, the halfing's teleportation spell was disrupted mid-way between crossing planes. The party was uninjured, save for the halfing who sustained some minor wounds.

They find themselves on the outskirts of Taelthan where they meet with another group of Silver Arms. Annia, Balthas, Haron, as well as two un-named individuals have apparently disrupted the spell and are now seeking to discern the identities of their prey. After a clash of Balthas losing control of himself and ending up with a 1500 pound centaur on top of him, his apparent blood-lust disappeared and was replaced with confusion. The party soon finds out that Annia, the friendliest of the group, was a paladin in service of the Golden Dawn. Their motivations was finding a dark elf who also branded the name of the Silver Arms, and was last seen after a slaughter of Rasilope's second-home town of Knight's Crest. Hearing news that the dark elf may have wandered near the area of Taelthan, and finding out that Arian, a dark elf himself, was to be near the area, they assumed that it was the party who was responsible for the slaughter.

The party soon make their way to Taelthan, only to be greeted by a guard who would not allow them passage. After a series of events the party eventually made their way through the gates where they were met with Talas Arlam, the Division manager of Taelthan city. It was then that the party realized the the halfing who had accompanied them before had disappeared.

Reaching the Taelthan branch of the Silver Arms, the party is told that the warden was busy and wouldn't see them until some time. The party takes it to themselves to explore and get to know their surroundings where they each had their own adventures. Finally, they gathered again.

End of Chapter 1: New Allies Rewards

Statistics Awards +50 exp
Most gold accumulated: Arian
Most thank you points received: Teb
Most thank you points given: Teb
Most talkative: Uthaal
Most skills used (Non-live-RP): Uthaal
Most Criticals (Non-live-RP): None
Most Misses (Non-live-RP): Lyle
Most Finishing Blows (Non-live-RP): None

Opinion Rewards +25 exp
You guys can copy and paste this, and vote yourselves. Whoever wins gets some exp.
Most Interesting Live Roleplay: Ardeth
Funniest Live Roleplay:  Uthaal (Honary mention to Teb?s unofficial one)
Best Backstory: Arian
Best Forum RP Post: Teb (Recollection of Liana)
Most Amusing RP Moment: Teb, Uthaal, Arian, Lyle (Human ladder)
Most Amusing OOC Comment: Uthaal "Does the rock wall seem reasonable to climb? If so, climb check!"
Most Amusing IC Comment:
Most Character Development: Arian (Civerb)

Exp Awards:
Teb: +100 +50
Lyle: +50 +25
Uthaal: +100 +75
Arian: +50 +75
Perlot: +0 +0
Rasilope: +0 +0
Ardeth: +0 +25
Kulik: +0 +0

Summary of Chapter 2: Blades and Knives
Once the party had gathered once again, they realize that two among them are missing. Rasilope and Lyle are no where to be found. Talas, the Division Manager of Taelthan, promises the group to comb the city for their whereabouts as well as make inquiries. As they could not wait any longer, the group decides to enter the Taelthan Branch headquarters. There they meet a friendly but ditsy receptionist named Leasa, the volatile and uncouth Warden, Ranulf, himself, as well as veteran Silver Arms member by the name of Ardeth.

Although it was obvious the party and the warden conflicted easily, Talas managed to placate the warden. After prompting from Talas, the warden reluctantly decides to give the group their first mission; to meet a contact named Liana Amarir in the settlement of Darkroot located to the east in the Swamps of Orcen. The warden, for reasons unknown, orders Ardeth to join along with the group.

The group are given horses, and they were soon headed towards their destination. Along the way they find themselves at the Eastern Taelthan checkpoint and find that the two guards stationed there were killed. Shortly after examining the bodies, they were ambushed by assassins which the party had managed to fend off with the help of an eccentric Blood Mage, and fellow Silver Arms operative, Viran, who had been tailing the assassins.

After the battle, Perlot, wandered into the woods, only to be found dead some moments later by Tebastion who came running into the nearby forests after the sound of a large thud. They found a nearby fallen tree, and one could have expected it to be an accident save for Perlot's Silver Arms bag lying some distance away with a thin film of what looked to be a dark mist covering the object, signifying that perhaps something had happened. Using Uthaal's cloak, the party wraps it and allows Viran to hold on to it for the time being. Once they explored the outpost, they realized that an amulet Perlot had found in the abandoned tower earlier was no where to be found.

Worried, and hoping that perhaps venturing onwards would shed some light on the mysteries, they travel once again eastwards after cremating and burying the bodies of both enemies, allies, and a comrade.

Entering the borders of the swamps, they come upon a loud and highly spirited gnome who sold Viran a glove-like device. After accepting to take the gnome to Darkroot, and acting as bodyguards, they set out for the village.