Session 3 (Magnimar Dockway District)

The Sweet Taste Of Victory, The Bitter Acrimony Of Betrayal

Voxel, Byragh, and Oarg successfully snuck away from the defiled Shrine of Sarenrae in Underbridge and returned to their rooms at The End Of The Line inn. Oarg carried the warded and locked chest that presumably held the prize Voxel sought, while Byragh carried five burlap sacks of as yet unidentified stuff that were near the chest in a locked cell adjoining the altar of Shax.

As noted, Voxel had rented the entire establishment for several days, and thus the first floor tavern was empty save for the bartender, Jaervol, and Voxel brusquely waved off the proprietor's offering of refreshment. The three ascended the stairs and at Voxel's direction repaired to his stateroom on the far side of the hallway from the stairs, wherein he had a small table and other amenities the other rooms lacked. Oarg put the chest down upon the table, and the trio stood back while Voxel studied the wards placed upon the box, and finally dispelled them all.

Ordering Oarg to open the box, Voxel made sure to keep the Ogrekin's bulk between him and the box lid. But the chest opened without further drama. Nudging Oarg aside, Voxel looked into the box and declaimed, "Ah! Very good; the information was correct. This is indeed the thing I seek."

Voxel then dug into one of his belt pouches and removed a small smooth iridescent scarlet and blue stone; reaching into the box holding the stone by his fingertips. A few moments later he lifted out a yellowish shard of metal, vaguely blade shaped, with the iridescent stone affixed to an indentation in the Shard's side.

"Much ado over something so seemingly insignificant, eh lads?", Voxel mused as he looked at the sliver of metal in his palm; success rendering him more effusive than normal. "Well, now that's done. On to the next labor. You have both served me well in this endeavor; therefore I offer to extend both of your retainers for the next few weeks and perhaps longer should we continue to get on so well."

Though not much showed on his thick features, Oarg was thrilled by this extension. So far it had been easy work by his reckoning; better than going back to the gladiatorial arena to eke out a living.

Byragh however had more immediate concerns. "You sed you'd giv'me ten gold crowns if'n we got yore shy-nee before the week's end. You gots yores; why ain't I gots mine yet?", Byragh gutturally slurred out.

Nonplussed, Voxel blinked at Byragh, visibly parsing what was said. "...By which you mean you wish to be paid the...ah...'finders bonus' we discussed?", to which Byragh nodded, "Very well then, it is not a problem. Ten gold it shall be. One moment while I fetch it out.".

And so saying, Voxel placed the Shard of Pride down upon the table to root through his belt pouch to extract the agreed upon payment. But that was all the opening Byragh needed, for his urge to power had taken hold. Byragh decided he should have the...important...uh...thingy. Whatever it is.

After all, had not Byragh taken most of the risks in stealing it? Had it not been Byragh who beat back the darkness in the fight against the crazy fire wizard woman? Had it not been Byragh who defeated the wall of fire? Was it not Byragh who stood toe to toe with the stone beast? Was it not Byragh who burned the deathless crypt things to a crisp? Yes...the broken stabby thing they had stolen should be Byragh's! Also, well, Byragh had warned Voxel when they first met; his way is his own.

Therefore, Byragh leaped into action. Dashing towards Voxel and the edge of the table upon which the Shard lay, Byragh snatched up the item and shoulder shoved Voxel out of his way to run across the cramped inn room and leap with arms akimbo before his face through the shuttered window. Diving into the night Byragh landed on the split level roof of the inn's entry way beneath the window, rolled off the eave and somersaulted to land on the ground in the inn's courtyard near a well, unharmed.

Momentarily stunned by this disruption of his plans, Voxel was briefly gobsmacked and stood frozen in the middle of counting out change, staring across the room at the flapping shutters and broken glass of the window Byragh had just dived out of.

"Um...didn't you want that metal thing, boss?", Oarg asked, standing around impassively.

That snapped Voxel back. "YES! OF COURSE I WANT THAT 'METAL THING'", Voxel nearly shouted, "Catch that miserable thief!".

Oarg lumbered over and started climbing carefully...ever so carefully...down from the window, setting the wood of the inn's sidings to groaning and creaking.

Voxel shifted to the window's sill and used the elevation to spy out Byragh below, who had sprinted across the courtyard and vaulted a horse fence, clearly heading back towards Underbridge. "Return at once Byragh, and I will forgive your transgression", Voxel called out with his arcanely charged voice.

Feeling the tug of Voxel's insidiously commanding voice trying to claw its way into his mind, Byragh concentrated on remembering that he must seek his own path to power and managed to shake it off.

Oarg reached the ground near the well but was trying to reorient hismelf as to where the fast moving and sneaky Byragh was, relative to himself.

...more to come...

Who Invited The Antagonists To The Party?

Fire In The Sky