The Eyes of the Ten - a retelling by Vex. [SPOILERS]

[vainadaite]

Cast (in order of appearance)
1. Nuri Hala Ar'Raqis "Vex"- Simone
2. Richard Dragonsbane - Richard (Cameo Appearance)
3. Anferno of the Order of the Gate- Daryl
4. Venino der Flinke - Stephen
4. Theodore "Realman" Rohan - KerHsien
5. Akabane "The Vanisher" - Davis

Part 1 : Requiem for the Red Raven

Chapter 1 : Missives from the Decemvirate

Clank. Clank. Clank.

Nuri Hala Ar'Raqis half-awoke from her slumber, letting out a lazy sigh as she rolled over to her side, her flaming red hair spilling freely over the silken sheets. These sheets were worth every bit of gold. She thought to herself lazily, stretching out her limbs, enjoying the smooth sensation of cool silk against her bare skin. As she arched her lithe form, her fingers met resistance - a warm figure lying next to her. The corner of her lips turned up involuntarily into a soft smile as she inched over, fingers dancing softly over her companion's torso as she basked in his presence.

Clank. Clank. Clank.

Her eyes were still closed, flitting at the boundary between sleep and consciousness as she felt the man next to her stir, his strong arms wrapped tightly around her in a warm, comforting embrace. She let a soft purr escape her lips, curling up against the strong form of Richard Dragonsbane. His presence was always welcome, it was safe, and comforting, especially at night, when she couldn't maintain enough focus to will SuperWhite into the Prime Material Plane. Few knew this of the confident, hot tempered summoner, but being alone was one of her greatest fears. Besides... he was amazing both in, and out of the battlefield.

Clank. Clank. Clank. Clank. Clank.

"Aren't you going to get that?" he whispered in her ear, and the Aasimar woman snapped out of her reverie. She sat up, rubbing her eyes sleepily, as the sound of the brass door knocker got louder, and more urgent with each passing second.

"Bloody Ambrus Valsin," she muttered under her breath, evidently annoyed at such an intrusion. "Who else calls at these ungodly hours of the night besides that bloody fop!" Grumbling she slid gracefully out of bed, absently grabbing the nearest article of clothing to mask her nakedness and strode towards the door.  Slamming the door open, she half-yelled "This better be important, I'm a bloody Seeker of the Pathfinder Society, not some maid on house call! What the hell do you want this time?"

A young boy stood outside her door, his knees shaking and face turning a bright red at the sight of the beautiful, yet imposing Aasimar. Despite her small stature, her Angel-touched features radiated an imposing aura - Flaming red hair that glowed like embers framed her delicate face, sweeping over her tanned shoulders. Resembling an incarnation of the goddess Sarenrae herself, the young messenger found himself transfixed by her piercing gaze. "M-m-mess-saage for the m-m-m-iss-ssus..." his hands trembled as he handed the woman a parchment.

Swiping it out of the boy's hand, she saw the letter addressed to 'Vex', her monicker when dealing with the Pathfinder Society. Flipping it over she paused momentarily, instantly recognizing the seal on the back of the letter. "Well, crap," she stated, matter of factly, shutting the door in the young boy's face as she opened the parchment. Her golden eyes glowed gently in the dark as she read the contents of the letter.

A candle being being lit on the bed side table drew her attention away from the letter. "Ambrus can't-his-timing-be-any-better Valsin again?" Richard Dragonsbane asked, pushing his sand coloured hair out of his face, sitting up placidly in the canopied bed. The sheets and covers pooled around his hips, revealing his tightly muscled torso, honed and sculpted from years of swordplay. The light from the candle illuminated his sharp features, typical of his Chelaxian heritage. Out of the full plate armor he usually wore into battle, one might call him attractive, if not for his brusque mannerisms that few could stomach.

"Surprisingly, not this time," Vex replied, walking towards Richard. She re-folded the parchment, such that the seal was intact, and slid it across the bed, so her lover could identify the mark.

His eyes widened in recognition, and he reached out to grab the letter, but Vex quickly pulled it back out of his reach, "official business, for-my-eyes only, yada-yada-yada..." she teased, crawling back onto the bed, tapping the corner of the folded letter against Richard's nose.

"So I guess that's my cue to leave?" he asked, sulkingly. "How can the beautiful, the powerful, magnificent Vex ignore the calls of the Decemvirate themselves when they come knocking at her door? Oh forgive me for taking up your time, this unworthy one shall make his presence scarce!" The Chelaxian man made a great show of dramatically getting out of bed, giving the summoner ample time to admire his chiseled body. Quiet moments like this were few and far between, and it had been months since their schedules aligned and they'd finally been able to spend some time with each other.

"You can leave if you want...." Vex said, letting her night-robe fall to floor as she slipped back under the sheets, "but I still have time for a couple hours of sleep before I have to catch the boat to Galt."

A wry grin formed across the fighter's face. "Sleep?" he asked, cocking his head to one side. "I take it back by the way. These sheets were definitely a better investment than a +6 Headband of Alluring Charisma." Vex laughed, and Richard smiled back at her, he'd always had a soft spot for her easy laughter, one that he found even easier to love. Vex wondered how many had seen this soft side of The Richard Dragonsbane as the candle flame winked out of existence.

[vainadaite]

The harbour was busy this time of morning, ships being unloaded, workers scurrying about fetching supplies and repairs, harbourmasters entering details into their manifesto, trying to maintain order in the busy docks. Vex strolled through the docks with nothing more than a dagger at her belt and a small bag slung over her shoulder. Judging from her appearance, you'd think she was out for a stroll, not adventuring.

Screaming pierced the air, and she turned towards the sound of the commotion - men and women were scrambling out of the way as a large creature dashed down the docks. The creature's fur was white as snow, unmarred by dirt or grime, it resembled a wolf, except that instead of two, it possessed four forelegs, each ending in vicious looking claws. As it ran, it's six legs propelling it forward with great speed, a trained eye would notice that none of its paws actually touched the ground, and instead it seemed to be hovering a few inches off the floor.

"Found it?" Vex asked, as the raging ball of fur skidded to a halt besides her, a strange arcane symbol glowing on it's forehead mirrored the one on hers. The wolf-beast lowered his head into a nod, and knelt down so his mistress could hop on it's back, as he ran off into the sky towards one of the boats on the docks.

"You know, you really shouldn't go around scaring all the dockworkers like that. It's not like you can't fly." She chided, ruffling the fur on SuperWhite's neck. The wolf-beast let out a growl in reply, as if laughing. "Ha-ha. I'm so amused." Vex replied sarcastically. She looked towards the direction her Eidolon was heading, "so that's the Bloodfang."

The Bloodfang was a grand ship, it's black and red sails demarcating it's position as a scout ship in Cheliax's own Naval Army and owned by the Hellknight Inquisitor Anferno of the Order of the Gate. Vex had never actually met the Tiefling Hellknight, but she knew many who did. She'd gone on a few quests with his sister-in-law Shel Kazer, and it was also his ship that Richard stowed away on many years ago. Tales of his conquests were known far and wide, after all, how many could say their will and might were strong enough to make even a Succubus regret her actions and weep.

Vex gracefully hopped of her mount as the furred monstrosity landed on the deck of the ship. Immediately, she was surrounded by the crew, their blades pointed in her direction. "Relax boys," she said, digging in her small bag for the missive from the Decemvirate. She scanned the crowd, trying to find their leader, and she inwardly chided herself for not noticing the imposing Tiefling standing at the helm. He wore the typical Hellknight armor, matte black plate that looked as if they were forged from the depths of hell themselves, blue wisps of light emanated from the chest piece, a tell-tale sign of it's magic infused powers. The tiefling himself tall and imposing, a prehensile tail whipping against the floor lightly as wicked looking claws adorned the tips of his fingers. Most recognizable was the two brands that forever scarred the Inquisitor's face, the two words that ruled the tiefling's life - Law and Order.

Holding up the letter, so that the seal was clearly showing, she looked straight at Anferno and announced in a clear voice, "Seeker Vex of the Silver Crusade, I believe you were expecting me?"

The tiefling waved his hand, and immediately the crew of the ship stood down, returning their weapons to their hips and continued with their business. Vex slipped the letter back into her bag, and with her Eidolon at her side, sauntered up towards the Inquisitor.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, tales of your repute have traveled throughout Golarion. I'm honored to finally be able to meet you." Vex said with a curtsy. The tiefling looked at her with an raised eyebrow, no doubt trying to assess the woman's abilities and skills, his slight scowl relaxed at the sight of her companion, "the others are in the hold below. We'll be leaving shortly."

The interior of the Bloodfang was ornately decorated with the Cheliaxian red and black colours, and although Vex found that colour combination tacky, it was done in a remarkably tasteful way that added to the awe of the naval ship. Anferno led her to a room below deck, where two other men sat deck of cards in hand and a couple of mugs on the table.

"Royal Flush my friend," one of the men said, tossing down his hand of cards on the table. He handled the cards with practiced ease, and Vex noticed the callouses on his palms and fingers, evident of someone skilled with his hands. His laugh was low and rich, his dark slicked black hair contrasting greatly with his pale skin. Someone who spent much time in the dark and among the shadows it would seem.

His companion grumbled, offering a toast to Cayden Cailean before downing one of the mugs of ale. He was clearly of Andoran descent, his broad chested build and Nodachi by his side that looked too heavy for any normal man to wield clearly showed he was a skilled fighter. A gold pin shorn on the lapel of his tunic, and Vex immediately recognized it as a badge of the Captain of the Eagle Knights.

"Realman Rohan," she spoke up, addressing the Eagle Knight, "and that must make you Venino der Flinke," she smiled at the other man. "Seems like my presence here is not necessary with such capable hands."

The rogue Venino stood up, immediately pulling out a chair for the lady in an act of chivalry "Anferno! How dare you bring a fair maiden aboard without so much as an introduction! Please excuse my friend, he's not known for his social graces! Come, come join us in our game of cards! The passage to Galt is a long one."

Vex laughed along with the trio, both the worshipers of Cayden Cailean were hilarious ones and easy to be with and she felt comfortable around this crazy antics. Even Anferno loosened up with the companionship of his two fast friends, enough so relax and share a drink with them on the long journey.

Despite the worries of the Decemvirate, the voyage of the Bloodfang across the Inner Sea and up the Sellen River to the Galtan town of Woodsedge saw few dangers. Even with rumours of the famed longsword the Pale Maiden aboard the naval vessel, the names and rumours of the four seekers aboard were more than enough to deter any pirates or smugglers along the journey. However, even with the experience of the Pathfinders, unbeknownst to them, a shadow slipped aboard the Bloodfang, quickly descending to the lower holds, and vanishing into the darkness below.

[vainadaite]

Chapter 2: The Eleven

The whole nation of Galt remained bloody in the thrall of revolution, and while signs of desperation, poverty and violence were abound, it did not deter the Pathfinders from their mission. Safely strapped to the Hellknight Inquisitor's back, the party traveled inland, and besides minor skirmishes that were easily dealt with, a luxurious manor house looms into view.

Situated on immense grounds just outside the town proper lies the Woodsedge Lodge - it's structure marred by cracked plaster, missing windows and rotting shingles, testament to the near-death encounter it had with the Revolution. A well-groomed topiary awkwardly juxtaposed with the crumbling building, hinting at the revilval of this once glorious manor.

"Guess this is where our mission ends. Seems like a quick trip." Vex mused, hoping that her lover was still back in Absalom and not sent off on another mission already.

"Don't jinx it," the Rogue said, clasping his amulet of Cayden Cailean for good luck.

The Andoran stepped forward, knocking loudly on the wooden doors of the lodge "well, we're not getting in standing around," he stated, and almost immediately, the doors began to open with a slow creak.

A tall, bulky figure takes form in the gloom within, emerging into the sunlight with a gap-toothed smile and a bushy blond beard.

"Venture Captain Adril Hestram!" Vex said in glee, running forward to give the old man a warm hug. It'd been some time since she last saw the old Venture Captain and was wondering how he was faring.

The huge man let out a chuckle with a belly laugh at the sight of the group. "The beautiful Vex, I see you still have that Shoggoth of a wolf at your side! Welcome! To be honest, I was wondering who they would send! The Ten chose wisely of course!" He went forth to shake each Pathfinders hand individually, singing testaments of their acheivement. "Theodore Realman Rohan, tales of your trap disabling abilities are known far and wide! Seems like you put poor Venino here out of a job!" He laughed heartily, patting the Andoran on the back. "Aww! Don't give me that look Venino. You're known for more than just your infiltration, I heard there's a long string of broken hearts across all of Golarion." He added with a wink.

"Anferno! How have the Hellknights been treating you?" Adril asked, stretching out a hand. The Inquisitor remained silent, eyeing him suspiciously. "Still grumpy as ever I see," Adril muttered with a slight shrug, "no matter! No matter!"

He paused for a moment to scan the area, "I swear there should have been fiv- Ah! Akabane. I was wondering when you would show up."

The four Pathfinders immediately spun around, weapons drawn as they looked towards the direction Adril gazed upon. They saw nothing but shadows, but as they kept their gaze, the shadows seemed to... move?

The shape of a figure began to form, as if the shadows themselves were coalescing to create a creature out of darkness itself, as it grew, it began to catch the light, and eventually a human man, swathed in cloaks as black as night stood before them. "It seems I have yet to introduce myself - Akabane, the Shadowdancer," he turned to look at the Inquisitor "by the way, thank you for passage on your ship."

Before the Pathfinders could protest, they were distracted by Adril tugging at the Pale Maiden off Anferno's back "The servants are clucking that you bear the Pale Maiden. Is this it? May I wield the blade?"

"Enough Old Man!" Anferno yelled, brushing the man off the Pale Maiden. "What by Asmodeus's beard are you doing here?"

"Oh come on now Anferno, I'm sure it's alright to let Adril have a little look. It's not like he's going to run off with it." Vex persuaded the Cheliaxian man, and with some input from the others, he eventually relented, handing the sword over the Hestram.

"So, what are you doing here? We weren't aware of your presence Venture Captain." Venino asked as Adril admired the longsword.

Without looking up from the Pale Maiden, Adril explained, "I just arrived in fact. Same as you, orders from the Decemvirate. They won't say why we've been called here, but it's obvious the Pale Maiden is just a cover story." He paused to hand the sword back to Anferno. "I've been... studying up on the Ten. I think I'm about to be promoted into their ranks. It was only a matter of time. My guess is that you're here to represent my efforts as a Venture Captain. No doubt you'll make very convincing arguments for my promotion."

Adril paused to look each of the agents in the eye, his voice immediately lowering two octaves into a low whisper. "Things will... change... between us if this happens. You've always been honest, dependable agents for me, so I'm telling you while I still can. After it happens we will all be sworn to utter secrecy, for the identities of the Ten are the most treasured secrets of the Pathfinder Society. For now, though, I want you to know that I trust you implicitly, and I hope that you trust me. Once I've been made one of the Ten, even if we can no longer discuss it openly, I want you to know that I will always do what is right by you." Adril's tone immediately changes back to his usual jovial manner, "Come now! Come now! Eliza and Osprey await us inside! Let's not tarry! We have a sword to deliver!"

[vainadaite]

Adril Hestram leads the party inside the Woodsedge Lodge. The filigreed front doors open into a spacious great room with an enormous fireplace against the opposite wall. Elegant upholstered chairs and couches scattered about the chamber present an inviting, luxurious atmosphere, as if the whole place had been designed for fashionable lounging. As Vex set her eyes on the furnishings, a contented sigh left her lips, "I could get used to this..." she commented.

A sweeping stair beside the fireplace leads to the balconies of the mansion’s second floor, which looks down upon the room as if it were a stage. A scuffed and oddly stained red carpet runs down the center of the stair, showing that work yet remains to restore the Woodsedge Lodge to its former glory. Some elements, like the threadbare stuffed owlbear in one corner, hint more at the past than the future, but things are coming along. Adril leads on to the west, through a fine wooden door and into a wood paneled
corridor rich with the smell of fresh onions and simmering meat stew. Vex giggles at the sound of grumbling stomachs as they continued down the corridor.

The passage continues several feet to the north, with doors leading to chambers beyond. Adril bounds through the southernmost doors across the hall, leading you into a richly appointed meeting room where two figures are seated at a huge oak table near several empty chairs.

Adril beckons the party to sit, then points to a male human garbed in crude leathers wearing a necklace of bird skulls, a familiar face to the Pathfinders. “This here is Osprey, honorable fellow, a friend to all and a Society man, tall and true. His keen eyes see much among the Pathfinders that others miss, and his counsel is unparalleled in our order.”

Adril then turns to the gorgeous red-haired woman sitting at the head of the table, her pale face a marble bust of confidence and control. “And this,” he says, his cheeks taking on a touch of red and his mouth curving into a lecherous grin, “is Venture-Captain Eliza Petulengro, the Lady of the Lodge.”

The party thanks Adril for his introduction, the seekers offering a slight nod of the head in salute to Osprey. They had worked with the ranger on quite a few occasions, and was quite familiar with his work. "Pleased to meet you Eliza," Venino immediately speaks up, offering a low bow and his famous grin to the beautiful Venture Captain. "The dashing Venino der Flinke, at your service."

Eliza Petulengro let out a smile, "I've heard much of your exploits Venino, it's a pleasure to finally meet you and your friends." She lets her gaze drift past all the members, finally resting on Anferno, recognizing the scabbard strapped to his back. "Ah! Inquisitor Anferno, that must be the Pale Maiden! You must have taken much trouble bringing it here, my thanks to you and the other seekers."

"It was -" Anferno began to speak, but was cut off by the chatter of Venino, "No problem at all milady!" The rogue replied, swiftly pulling the Pale Maiden out of the Hellknight's grasp and handing it over to Eliza. "It was our pleasure! I mean, we did have to fight off hordes of trolls and goblins and orcs hellbent on stealing the sword, but they were no match for our charm and wit and skill!"

"Orcs? Trolls? Goblins? On the high sea?" Vex muttered under her breath to Realman Rohan, who merely let out a smile at his friend's antics. Venino was known to embellish his stories, and judging from Eliza's adoring gaze, it seemed the scoundrel had succeeded in impressing again.

“You have my most sincere thanks for safely delivering the Pale Maiden to me,” Eliza says with a proud smile. “One of my servants will bring it to the lodge’s armory, where it will be kept safe to honor the responsibility granted to me by the Decemvirate.”

As she speaks, several human servants wearing elaborate dresses and fashionable suits bustle in and out of the kitchen through the north doors, delivering delicate flutes of bubbling wine, plates of fresh fruits, and platters of manicured fingerfoods. The servants each dons a featureless white porcelain mask, obscuring their faces completely. Vex looks on in puzzlement at their strange garb, noticing matching thin red ribbons tied around their necks. Eliza catches the summoner's puzzled look and her face takes on a serious cast. “The ribbons represent the guillotine. The Final Blades that sing the song of Revolution and cut the heads from patriots. Each of my servants has lost a beloved one to the Mob. They wear the masks for their own protection. They are safe here in the Lodge. I know their identities, but it is critical that the rabble and the Mob do not identify them as servants of the Society. We are still not fully trusted here, after all, and although the people will not strike out against me, they may very well snatch one of my servants on their return home from a day’s work. I’m sure you understand."

“My homeland of Galt has lost much in this endless Revolution, and even the streets are dangerous. You are lucky to have arrived here safely, but I am sure you could have handled yourselves had you run into trouble. “Of course,” Eliza says, “I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that delivering the Pale Maiden was merely a pretext to get you to the Woodsedge Lodge. You are here for something far more important than a courier mission. For tonight, the Lodge will be host to a Talespinning, one of the most important ceremonies known to the Pathfinder Society. And the guest of honor is Adril Hestram!”

"I knew it!" Adril says under his breath, muttering in glee to himself.

"What is involved in this Talespinning Ceremony?" Anferno asks, matter of factly.

Eliza pauses, and gives Osprey a knowing glance. Her subtle movements and body language suggests that there might be some secret between Osprey and the Venture Captain, but her message fails to reveal any clues, "Osprey will fill you in when we reconvene in the Great Room. For now, I'm sure you're tired and would like some rest." She claps her hands, and servants rush into the room, standing orderly by the sides "They will show you to your rooms, let's reconvene in an hour."

[vainadaite]

Vex allowed herself to be led to her room. She was eager to settle in quickly and do some catching up with Adril. She remembered the Venture Captain fondly, he had always been nice to her even when she was but an initiate to the Pathfinder Society.

The room she was assigned was spacious and well decorated, if a little old. She let out a sigh of relief as she tossed her bag of holding onto the sprawling bed, it was nice to have her own room for a night, especially after weeks on the sea. Not that the company was bad, she was just used to having her own space, remembering her townhouse in Absalom fondly.

Hearing noises from outside, the summoner decided it was time to go explore the rest of the lodge, and also finish up a side task she received. Walking outside, it would seem that Venino and Theodore had the same idea, as the two Andorans gave her a knowing nod as they headed towards the kitchens. Their task was a simple one, to find an undercover Grey Corsair agent. The difficulty, was that none of the other staff or Eliza were to find out his true identity, and with all the staff masked, it would prove difficult to find him.

Venino led the way into the kitchens, using his effortless charm to start up conversations with the kitchen maids, while Vex worked her ways on the porters, requesting help with her luggage and shifting of furniture in the room.

After some precursory chatting and getting to know yous, the Seekers slowly worked together to gather as many of the porters as possible in one place,in an attempt to cajole a reaction from the staff.

Shooting Venino a knowing glance, Vex immediately jumped up with a shriek, "a rat in the kitchens! KILL IT WITH FIRE DAMMIT!" she yelled, jumping behind Theodore for dramatic effect. Some of the maids seemed to be affected by her sudden exclamation, and went scurrying around the room, looking for the supposed rat.

"Now now. Even the most powerful of rats must fear the Talons from above!" Theodore announced pushing Vex out of the way "I will find and kill that dastardly rodent!"

While the fighter made a grand show of looking under the pots and pans for the rat, Vex and Venino scanned the crowd, looking for any reaction from their supposed mole. There seemed to be no recognition from any of the staff, and Venino surreptitiously cleared his throat, the signal to Theodore to stop the farce.

"Damn thing must have escaped into the sewers..." he muttered, returning back to the Seekers.

"What now?" he whispered under his breath, as the servants slowly returned to their duties.

Venino rubbed his chin, and a smirk appeared on his lips, an idea obviously crossing his mind. "I used to have a friend who worked in this area, a young chap by the name of Alondais, he claimed that the Roasted Partridge cooked in Woodsedge were unparalleled! Perhaps we should find him and request that for our dinner!"

The ruse seemed to work, as one of the porters ears immediately perked up "Alondais? Did you mention Alondais?" he asked, looking at the rogue.

"Why yes good sir, is he around? I'd very much like to speak to him!"

The porter took on a slightly nervous demeanor, "...he's umm.. missing. Been gone a week, we're not sure what happened to him. A quiet chap that one, and with no idea of how to contact his family, we're honestly worried sick!"

A frown crossed Venino's face "Missing? Perhaps he's sick. Not to worry, I'll send a message to his family and let you know. Probably one of those colds going around." He said nonchalantly, trying not to make too big a deal out of it.

After making some small talk with the porter, the three excused themselves.

"Seems like we'll need to find out where he's gone, hopefully he'll turn up sooner or later." Theodore said.

"Looks like there won't be a way to poke around more without being overly suspicious. I'll go speak with Adril, perhaps I can glean some information out of him. You two want to go speak with Osprey and Eliza?" Vex offered, trying to find out as much as they could before the Talespinning.

The two nodded in agreement, as the seekers split up looking for more leads and exploring the lodge. Vex quickly made her way to Adril's room, and found the Venture Captain outside, about to enter.

"Oh Venture Captain Hestram! I was just looking for you!" Vex cooed, turning on her charms. "It's been so long since we last spoke, perhaps we can do a bit of catching up before the talespinning?" she asked, slying showing him a bottle of whisky she swiped off the kitchen table earlier that evening.

"Ah yes the Talespinning! I'd like very much to catch up, but I have lots to do before the event, perhaps we can meet again later!" He said, immediately walking into his room and shutting the door.

Vex stood frozen in the hallway, her mouth agape. She wasn't used to being told no, especially from men. "What in the nine hells?" She cussed, stomping off in a huff. Something seemed odd about Adril, but the seeker was too miffed to probe further. She returned to her rooms and summoned her companion SuperWhite, then chucked cork from the bottle of whisky at him and demanded he drink with her. She'd be damned if she were to get drunk by herself.

Before she could even start, there was a knock at her door. The Talespinning Ceremony was about to begin.

[vainadaite]

The pathfinders were led into the Great Room, a massive stone-floored foyer that functioned as a trophy and common room in the Woodsedge Lodge. An enormous chandelier dangled from the high ceiling, illuminating the room as the corridors from the east, north and west hallways on the second floor form a balcony above the foyer. A huge gilded spiral staircase leads up from the Great Room to the upper floors.

The Seekers were led to their seats at a long table in the center of the room, prepared specially for this ceremony. A squad of masked servants immediately start serving refreshment - Galtan cheeses, thin-cut venison and poached axebeak eggs. The delightful hors d'oeuvres were accompanied by the finest champagne served in tall delicate flutes. As the Pathfinders enjoy the delicious spread laid out for them, Osprey slowly ascends the staircase to the balcony upstairs and begins his speech.

"Fellow agents of the Pathfinder Society, I deliver a message from the Decemvirate. Long have the Ten observed the exploits of Venture Captain Adril Hestram. Time and again he has served the Society well, from his own adventures in the Mwangi Expanse to the many activities conducted by the agents under his guidance."

Osprey's scratchy voice pauses for a moment, as he leers out at the party. His brows cast dark shadows over his eyes, giving him an ominous visage as he gestures to the seekers present. "That is where you come in. For tonight we celebrate the Talespinning Ceremony, and our ritual begins with each of you standing where I stand and regaling us with the story of your greatest victory as a field agent of the Pathfinder Society. We stand tonight to examine the achievements of Venture-Captain Adril Hestram, and your victories speak to his capabilities as a leader and judgment in selecting agents for important missions for the society. When we have heard from all of you, it will be Adril's turn. After that we shall know the future of Adril Hestram, and perhaps for you as well. Now who would like to go first?"

                 

[vainadaite]

The group pause a moment, taken aback by the sudden request. None of them had prepared for a speech, they were adventurers not songstresses and charlatans! As Vex sat down to ponder which tale of heroics she was going share when Venino ascended the staircase.

Osprey and Eliza gave him an encouraging clap, as he cleared his throat.

"There are many exploits of Venino." He started, taking a low bow, "but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to share a few. After all, who could claim that they assisted the lodge in smoothing diplomatic relations with the Vudrani enclave of Jalmeray - with the assistance of Adril Hestram of course." He gave the old Venture Captain a knowing wink.

Continuing with a flourish of his cape, "And not only with Jalmeray, for I have also improved standing of the Pathfinders with the famed Blackros family on numerous occasions. As a famed trapfinder, I've also been a good teacher, imparting my trap-finding skills to Realman Rohan, which led to his method of trap disabling. After which -with the aid of Adril Hestram- I created my own Realman-esque fast-trap-finding routine during combat by the aid of kindly cleric’s casting of Shield Other. Incidentally, low-hp clerics can get very anxious when you run through a sequence of traps with Shield Other. Remind me not to do it again, it's quite hard to persuade said Cleric to cast Shield Other on you again."

"Enough about that! I've also, despite my slim stature, heroically tanked a demon and his flaming dog whilst the rest of the part was otherwise engaged in gang-bludgeoning a pre-teen girl. Heroically, unfortunately it led to my demise, but I bought the party enough time to succeed on the mission. With the aid of a casty witch, I tanked hoards of demons on the streets of Nerosyan whilst the rest of the party had fled. Assist-tanked a huge multilimbed two-headed bullette-type devil in hell, whilst anyone with any real sense hung back. Downed in one round. Me, not the devil, and it was all thanks to Adril Hestram!"

With a twinkle in his eye Venino pranced about the balcony, "Who else by the dashing Venino - with aid from Adril Hestram - managed to coup-de-gras a chaos beast, despite it's immunity to precision damage! Only the most-unprecise of rogues can achieve that feat! In fact, even while blindfolded, I perforated a lemur! You know how fast those things are. And finally, with the aid of Adril Hestram, I also stopped the evil machinations of a Runelord!"

The crowd roared out in cheers at Venino's tales. Eliza and Osprey looking very impressed with not only Venino, but his mentor Adril.

"Show-off" Vex muttered to SuperWhite, as Venino walked down the stairs.

Realman Theodore Rohan used this opportunity to go next. Standing at the top of the stairs, he looks down upon the crowd with a harsh glare, then in a booming voice says but one sentence "I'm Theodore Rohan of the Eagle Knights, and I disable traps faster and better than a Rogue."

Osprey and Eliza were expecting more, but they raise their eyebrows in respect. After all, not many fighters can claim that feat. One that it seems Venino was greatly contesting, from his response in the audience.

As Theodore steps off a dark apparition seems to materialize out of nowhere in the space behind him. "Akabane the Vanisher. I appear where you least expect me, and I'm gone without a trace..." As he vanishes again, a small amulet drops to the floor, and Eliza gasps as her hand flies to her neck, and she recognizes the amulet as her own. Impressed she lets out a hearty applause as one of her servants return the amulet to her. "Who's next?" She asks eagerly.

Anferno stands up, and with a snap of his fingers, leaps into the air. But where once was a man, now flies an eagle, who soars up to the balcony then returns into his natural form, clad in his imposing Hellknight armor. Vex notices Osprey sit up in his seat, obviously impressed by Anferno's transformation. The Hellknight pulls out a scroll, and turns it so the text faces the audience. Scrawled with text in Infernal, he reads from memory, "The rebels of Galt play at Revolution, seeing Cheliax in every shadow. They cleanse their land of the Devil's taint by bathing in the blood of beheaded innocents, all in fear of Chelish agents. And now fate brings the agents of Hell into this heartland of hypocrisy. May the mouths of the martyrs overflow with the ashes of apostasy. May the axe-men and torturers meet their infernal equals. May Cheliax come to the land of Revolution. MAY BELIAC TAKE COURT IN THIS LAND WITHOUT A KING!"

As he finishes his speech the floor begins to quiver. "What the?" Eliza cries out as a wisp of greenish-yellow smoke begins to rise from the scroll.

A chill begins to settle upon the Woodedge lodge as the scroll in Anferno's hand begins to quiver and crack, as the corners slowly solidify as if covered by a layer of ice. The chill surprises the Hellknight, who releases his grasp on the parchment, and as it falls to the floor, shatters into a swirl of frost and ice. The ice crystals swirl in the air, mixing with a steady stream of green smoke as the stench of sulfur and brimstone accost the senses of the people present. 

"Oh shit." Anferno cusses, as the chill begins to worsen, a layer of frost begins to cover the marble floor, slowly creeping and spreading across the floor. The remnants of the scroll continue to hiss and spew smoke, as an icy figure begins to take shape in it's wake. Standing at 12 feet tall, it's torso covered in an icy carapace, an insectoid figure emerges from the smoke, wielding a spear in hand. A pair of multifaceted eyes stare coldly from it's insectoid like head, it's antennae twitching as a chittering emerges from it's icy mandibles. 

"By the Goddess's light, I think... Anferno just summoned a Gelugon." Vex whispered, as she and her companions rise to fight.

[vainadaite]

The manifestation of the ice devil sends the servants of the Woodsedge lodge into disarray as they flee screaming from he scene. Cries of 'traitor' and 'kill it with fire' ring out through the hall as Osprey and Eliza immediately ready their arms, ready to strike. Unsure of the allegiance of the Hellknight they stay away from the Pathfinders surveying the situation.

"Who dares summon Beliac!" The Gelugon chitters in a raspy voice, his mandibles twitching earnestly. "Wasssss it you?" He hisses, looking towards Theodore Rohan as the Eagle Knight lets out a beastial roar.

"Wait wait wait!" Anferno cries out, "don't kill it first! Let me diplo it," reverting to Cheliaxian slang in his anxious state.

As the Hellknight begins to communicate in Infernal, the Gelugon lets out a shivering cry as a wave of pure terror crashes over the Pathfinders. Vex shivers in fear as gruesome images of the Gelugon rending flesh and bone flood her mind. 'Run! Run!' The voice of the Gelugon echoes in her mind, as she is transfixed by the gaze of the ice devil. A voice pierces her mind, as SuperWhite snaps her out of the terrorizing trance. 'Fight it!' Her eidolon calls out, as she steels her will and readies her weapons to fight. Looking around she notices similar expressions on her companions faces as they resist the aura of fear. Her attention is momentarily drawn by a feminine scream, as Anferno turns tail and runs at full speed, activating his ring of invisibility as the sound of his clanking armor seems to lead away from the battle.

In the shadows, she swears she can hear a sigh as Akabane face palms and the rest of the party point towards Anferno shouting "traitor" in unison. Inspired by the tale of brave sir robin, Vex starts to sing, 

"Brave Anferno ran away.
Bravely ran away, away!
When danger reared its ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled.
Yes, brave Anferno turned about
And gallantly he chickened out.
Bravely taking to his feet
He beat a very brave retreat,
Bravest of the brave, Anferno!

He is chucking it in and packing it up
And sneaking away and buggering up
And chickening out and pissing off home,
Yes, bravely he is throwing in the sponge... "

[vainadaite]

Before the summoner could finish her song, she heard a war-cry coming from the Eagle Knight. "DIE FOUL BEAST!"

It was over before she knew it, but her eyes remembered clearly the sight that beheld her. She'd always been fascinated by swordplay, and often she'd spend hours simply watching Richard practice his swordplay. The ease of which the weaponsmaster wielded his weapon, the lines of attack and cuts that he made were simple, graceful and yet effective. There was no loss of energy, or wasted movement in his swordplay, and she felt at some level, swordplay was like a dance.

However, the Andoran's fighting style was different. Instead of finesse and technique, he charged forth with the strength of a raging bull. With just a simple swing, less discerning eyes might find it overly simplistic - but the effects were undeniable. The sheer power behind the no-dachi as it cleaved through carapace, bone and flesh made it seem as if the Gelugon was but a simple foe. The speed and power in his strike rendered him but a blur across the battlefield.

The Gelugon's howl abruptly ended, as it's corpse fell to the floor, the glint of metal flashed before her eyes as Venino braced his leg against the back of the devil, and yanked out the dagger that was sticking out of the back of it's head. Somehow, during Theodore's charge, Venino had managed to sneak behind the demon unnoticed, and as it was distracted by the attack from the front, he managed to deliver a fatal wound.

Seekers of the Pathfinders indeed. It was obvious in the their coordinated movements that the two of them were used to fighting together, and had taken down many foes in their travels. All that was left was to find that traitorous Chelaxian and deal with -

The floor begins to quake, and what seems at first like a tiny tremor soon erupts into jerking and heaving cataclysm that shakes the entire room.

"This time, it's not me!" Anferno immediately retorts to the accusing looks from the rest of the Pathfinders.

The party scatter, immediately trying to look for the source of the quake. Vex stumbles as the floor beneath her is ripped asunder. SuperWhite immediately goes to the assistance of his mistress, pushing her out of the way as the floor begins to crumble.

As the dust clears, Vex feels a searing pain in her leg as what seems like a drop of water hits her skin. The acrid smell of acid permeates the room as she looks up, straight at the gaping maw of a purple worm-like monstrosity.

The room erupts into chaos as more of the purple worms burst through the floor, causing sections of the lodge to fall.

"I'll head up to protect the Venture Captains!" Venino shouts out, wanting to rush to the aid of Osprey, Eliza and Adril. Before he can ascend the staircase, another worm bursts forth from the floor, crumbling part of the lodge. A scream echoes throughout the lodge, as the spot where Eliza once stood is now buried in rubble. "Dammit!" Venino cussess.

As the rest of the party scramble to regain footing, the two worms on the ground floor straighten, and what looks like a mass in their throats seems to be travelling ... upwards?

"GET OUT OF THERE!" A voice calls out from nowhere, but his warning comes too late as what looks like two stone figures emerge from the gaping maws of the golems, and are deposited next to the party.

SuperWhite immediately charges towards one of these stone abominations, slamming it's large frame against the rock. As the two grapple it out in a test of strength, a shadow seems to rise from the ground enveloping the second golem and holding it in place as Akabane materializes from the shadows.

Anferno, ready to redeem himself strikes at the closest purple worm, and is joined shortly by Osprey, who flanks it from the other side. Giving the fellow shape changer a knowing wink, both men work on keeping the worm busy.

As Theodore readies to join the fight, he is stopped in his tracks by a glint of steel in the corner of his eye. Barely dodging backwards as a rain of arrows bury themselves in the floor where he once stood, he sees what looks like servants carrying longbows shooting from the 2nd floor balcony.

Out of the corner of his eye, he Adril Hestram fleeing the scene, as a puff of smoke begins to materialize. "ADRIL! BE CAREFUL!"

The rest of the Pathfinders and old Venture Captain turns around as he hears the warning just in time to see a red-caped man materialize and his dagger, dripping with poison bury itself into Adril's neck. "The Red Raven strikes in the name of the Revolution!" He calls out, giving the attackers a signal to continue as he runs into one of the rooms on the upper floor.

"Damn it!" Osprey yells, looking around trying to figure out their next course of action. As he opens his mouth to speak, the worm notices his distraction, and utilizes this chance to launch a frenzied attack, his gaping maw looming over the druid as it clamps down, and swallows him whole.

"OSPREY!" Vex calls out, rolling out of the way of the worm next to her. Softly whispering, the summoner looks for the threads of magic within her mind, gently tugging and invoking one of the spells of power that lie within her "Wind, grace my friends with your speed so the might strike true and fast at the hearts of our enemies." What seems like a gust of wind radiates out from her, and as the breeze hits her allies, they find themselves renewed with speed and vigor like never before.

In his hasted condition, SuperWhite uses his weight and momentum to grasp at the golem with his four fore-paws, then pivoting on his hind legs, sends the golem smashing into the wall behind, rending through it's craggy exterior with sharp strong claws as the golem is reduced to a pile of rubble in the corner.

Meanwhile, Venino makes his way up the staircase, appearing behind the archers whom are pelting Theodore and the rest of the group with arrow. Reversing the grip on his daggers, the crafty rogue appears between two of the archers, slamming a dagger into each of their necks. As the others turn towards him, he backflips to create some distance as they drop their bows, ready to advance on him with swords drawn.

"You didn't think it was going to be that easy I hope." He smirks. Drawing another dagger from his belt, Venino uses the momentum of his draw to continue moving, causing his cape to flutter from the speed of his movement. With his cape now obscuring the view of his attackers, his free hand moves towards the hidden magical needles in his cape, and as he completes his turn, dextrously lets two of them fly, taking down another of the 'servants'.

"Who's next?" He cries, and dashes forwards, expertly holding off the remaining 3 attackers with practiced ease.

"Real-man, COVER ME!" The Hellknight booms, stepping back from the worm, who seems content for the moment digesting Osprey in it's belly. Theodore, now free from the rain of arrows, immediately recognizes Anferno's intent as the Hellknight closes his eyes and concentrates, muttering verses in Infernal.