Emerging from the Winch after another visit to their home village, the Dermorian huntsman Zephan Cystennin left his Nolthrir wife Calluna to rest while he set off to visit the Iron Temple, as he strived to make his habit each time he was in Hydlaa. He trotted up to the city messageboard, scanning the new postings. Then he came across one that made his blood run cold.

Beaten senseless... by Laanx priests... torture and abuse... Giroum...?

The words strung together in the paragraph twisted and turned in his mind, his vision beginning to darken. Not a few days ago, Mellas Fenixxes had shown Zephan a book Giroum allegedly wrote, 'The Way of True Darkness', and this had angered the young Dermorian. After what Giroum had helped him to understand about Laanx... no, Zephan would not believe it. He could not.

His thoughts and eyesight beginning to swim, Zephan rushed madly towards the Temple, but before he reached the steps he spotted a familiar young dwarfess in the middle of the plaza. She was trembling and holding a familiar-looking holy helm in her small hands. Alce Martlet.

Though this was only the second time that Zephan had crossed paths with the Laanx devotee, she would not be easy for him to forget. She was there when Zephan first met the Lemur priest Giroum Duphra in the Temple of Laanx... and their openness had drawn his curiosity closer to the mysterious Masked Lord. Where is Giroum? he asked Alce, and she pointed him to the Temple, telling him of a Diaboli and a fenki who pushed Giroum down the well, Mellas following suit. At that very moment, Garosan Ringe of the Brotherhood of Talad appeared on the scene. Though his current chosen path was at odds with his friend, Zephan knew Garosan was one he could count on to help. The three of them descended down towards the dungeons beneath the Iron Temple.

They split up, Garosan and Alce setting off to search the Windowless Tower, and Zephan running in the opposite direction. Before he could descend towards Zak's lair, he heard voices, and entered the vast room of columns, following his hearing towards the set of stairs on the right.

At the top of the steps he saw a cloaked figure, and Mellas, talking. Garosan and Alce soon appeared behind Zephan, but as they could see no aggression between Mellas and the cloaked one, they emerged from the shadows of the staircase. The figure in the cloak jumped back, surprised, drawing a galkard. It was a fenki.

Alce immediately reacted, recognizing the fenki. However, the fenki - later introduced by Mellas as 'Morila' - reasoned she feared for the priest's life and offered to help his Diaboli attacker. The tension lessened, though did not disappear. Morila stayed behind as the rest of the group agreed to search Zak's lair and ask the rogue if he had seen anything.

Garosan mentioned he didn't trust the fenki, as they descended without her into the mining tunnels deep below the Temple.

Zak had no information to provide, unfortunately. The present search proving fruitless, Alce looked up to the rest and said she wasn't going to give up. Snapping out of his deep thoughts, Zephan heard Mellas promise to help searching. No, Zephan certainly wasn't going to give up on Giroum at all, either. Not after all he'd done for him. Giroum didn't deserve this.

The group parted ways, for the moment.

Zephan went back to Calluna and told her all that happened. Bidding her to stay safe where she was, he headed to the Eagle Bronze Doors and sought the young Xacha mage Sysial Shillor. Gaze cold as ice, Zephan held his Azure Way glyphs in his hands as he faced his new trainer. He knew he didn't have much time, but he had to prepare, somehow.

Teach me everything you know...

And a happy birthday to Lilura, today!

In your backstory you're saying that the onyx dagger have a "good" guild cover and then in the next paragraph you mention the Klyros Junction.  This implys that the onyx dagger IS the KJ.  Now, that better not be true or your gonna get a spanking

From what I understand of the backstory above after some careful reading, they (the former members of KJ who formed the Bulwark) were using a good guild (KJ) as a "cover" for their separate Onyx Dagger activities. Not implying that KJ is a cover for the Onyx Dagger.

((OOC post:

I'd probably suggest a content warning above posts that contain graphic violence?

Also on the RP being confusing:

This doesn't look to me as an "event" per se that's intended to be a one-shot or something short-term... the impression the story gives me so far is it will be a long-running and dynamic one. In other words, if I'm not mistaken, it'll end when it ends. This is not a scripted RP story. Nothing is planned, except maybe for some instances who's going to be involved with the main characters especially Jacula. Like in the opening post, the encounter I had with him was completely spontaneous... and the RP has just grown and grown on its own until more have become involved.

Edit: I added an explanatory note to the opening post, I hope that might give readers an idea what to expect in this thread. ))

I have though of doing a Pie eating contest before. Each person would have 5 pies and use a 10 sided dice to determine who finished each pie the fastest. THe first to finish 3 pies faster wins. IN case of a tie you would go to a 6th pie. The stone head has plenty of generic pies to such a contest.

That's it exactly. 

Would it be an idea if pies were also baked during the cooking contest? Just to add to the items to be used.

((It wasn't over yet...  here comes the epilogue.))

---

Zephan sits cross-legged on a pedestal, at the top of the stairs leading to the Temple of Laanx. He furrows his brow, tapping a stick of graphite against the paper of his journal notepad, before he finally begins to write a new entry after noting down the date.

Calluna and I found Giroum at the Temple, fortunately, and he destroyed the scroll, in the holy fire burning beside Sharven, before we called Eluran and Pootle in. Giroum went to dispose of the ashes, and Jirage returned at the break of dawn - surprised and happy to discover that the curse was broken. Jirage proposed marriage to Eluran right then and there, a truly happy moment. I am glad to say that they are together now and safe, somewhere far away from Hydlaa.

I realize things aren't over yet. Rigwyn is bound to discover that the scroll is no longer in his possession, and I know that we - Anibela, Calluna, and I - are at risk. I think I know what I must do... I hope I can bargain and make peace with him before any danger befalls us.

Zephan stares at the last page of his writing for quite a while. His course is clear now. But he wasn't going to do anything without taking a few precautions first... he calls his groffel back to him, and gives her instructions...

---

A little later, Zephan wanders around Hydlaa, somewhat aimlessly, and stops at the foot of the stairs heading to Kada-El's, near the Highwatch signpost... unaware that Rigwyn is waiting in the shadows.

(01:40:37) Zephan glances around, looking fairly deep in thought.
(01:42:36) Rigwyn hides the dagger behind his back and proceeds... "Stickin yer nose in my business lately eh ? "
(01:43:12) Zephan's posture straightens, and he frowns, glancing over his shoulder. "Thought I'd run into you again sooner or later."
(01:44:12) Rigwyn frowns holding the dagger behind his back. "Ya know .. bad deeds have a way of making their way back. "
(01:44:56) Zephan tilts his head. "Indeed they do. Depends on what you define as a 'bad' deed..."
(01:45:31) Rigwyn says: "Bad as in stealing a historical document and replacing it with a scrap of paper"
(01:45:45) Zephan says: Historical document? More like a curse.
(01:46:06) Rigwyn says: "Curse ? Who ever said that was a curse .. or that curses are real for that matter"
(01:46:23) Rigwyn says: "Tell me why this concerns you"
(01:46:45) Rigwyn sneaks the dagger into his sack.
(01:47:02) Zephan says: I was asked to help a young woman whose love was taken away from her...
(01:47:30) Rigwyn says: "Taken away from her ? How so ?"
(01:47:33) Zephan says: It matters not, now. He is free, and they are likely far away from here as we speak.
(01:49:30) Rigwyn says: What a fool .. he was always free.
(01:49:50) Zephan says: Ah, so you know what I speak of.
(01:50:11) Rigwyn says: Let me guess, he read the scroll and got scared
(01:50:46) Rigwyn says: Better yet .. He read the scroll, got scared and had a heart attack
(01:51:06) Zephan says: We've been told quite a different story, which, out of respect, I don't wish to repeat in the open where people can hear.
(01:51:51) Rigwyn speaks sternly, "Open your eyes. There is no such thing as a curse. And poetry , as bad as it may be does not cause a curse"
(01:52:11) Rigwyn says: "The man is superstitious. And he seeks to blame someone"
(01:52:58) Zephan sighs. "There is nothing that can be done about that now, they are no longer in the vicinity. But what if the authorities are told about this, eh?"
(01:53:40) Rigwyn says: "If they are told that a man got scared by a story... and had a heart attack... and then killed himself every night out of fear ?"
(01:53:48) Rigwyn says: "I think they would say that he was a fool"
(01:54:06) Rigwyn says: That is , if he had the courage to take his own life.
(01:54:38) Zephan shakes his head, watching people run past. "Hm, maybe we should talk over here."

They circle around the Red Crystal Den, to the ledge with a clear view of the Laanx Temple.

(01:56:38) Zephan glances in the direction of the temple, his eyes wandering up its points, then looks back to Rigwyn. "What they'd be told is that a certain Diaboli read the scroll and cursed him with, presumably, the true death, out of jealousy."
(01:57:47) Rigwyn says: And I would argue that its merely superstition. Why are you telling me this ?
(01:58:14) Zephan says: I'm telling you this because they would point to you.
(01:58:32) Rigwyn says: They would believe such a childish story ?
(01:59:44) Zephan sighs, rubbing his forehead. "You're telling me you weren't that Diaboli."
(02:00:25) Rigwyn says: Im saying that if you stied to slander me you might get yourself into more trouble than you think.
(02:01:01) Rigwyn says: Perhaps we could meet half way....
(02:01:21) Zephan says: Indeed. I don't intend to slander anyone at all.
(02:02:32) Rigwyn says: Another point.. Do you still have the scroll ?
(02:02:47) Zephan shakes his head, frowning. "It has been destroyed."
(02:02:55) Rigwyn says: Destroyed ? how ?
(02:03:09) Zephan says: Burned.
(02:03:26) Rigwyn laughs, "It seems that you have no evidence then. Just hearsay"
(02:04:11) Zephan says: It isn't hearsay if it's come from the persons themselves. And I don't think you'll want to have to watch your back, and neither do we, eh?
(02:04:44) Rigwyn says: So how do you propose we avoid having to watch our backs ?
(02:05:31) Rigwyn says: "Its still not believable anyway . Such a silly claim would be dismissed. "
(02:06:22) Zephan says: I suppose it might. But, you leave us alone, and we'll leave you alone. Just... this sort of thing really shouldn't happen again.
(02:06:38) Zephan shakes his head again. "I really don't believe it."
(02:07:41) Rigwyn looks Zephan over carefully and then looks him dead in the eye, "A truce ? fair enough"
(02:07:55) Rigwyn holds out his left hand to shake
(02:08:07) Zephan reaches for his hand, his expression grave. "I'm a man of my word."
(02:08:48) Rigwyn smiles and pulls Zephan's hand while aiming his right fist at his face, "Well Im not !"
(02:09:29) Zephan manages to dodge at the last minute, Rigwyn's fist zipping past his nose. He tries to use the momentum to swing Rigwyn in the direction his fist is going.
(02:09:59) Rigwyn is thrown off balance slightly.
(02:11:24) Zephan attempts to pull his hand free so he can point to one of the temple spikes.
(02:11:47) Rigwyn turns and looks at the spike for a moment
(02:12:22) Zephan says: You see why I chose this location? There is a groffel there, poised and ready to call the guards if you try anything funny. I suggest you stop before she actually does.
(02:13:01) Rigwyn looks again and squints, "You set me up!"
(02:13:15) Zephan sighs, "I'm a man of my word, I didn't say I was that stupid."
(02:15:16) Rigwyn looks around and then spits at the ground, "Fine! But if you double cross me I'll make sure that both you and your lady friend suffer"
(02:15:23) Zephan says: Look, I'm ready to just pretend this never happened. The last thing I'd wish for anyone is for them not to be able to live their lives in peace.
(02:15:44) Zephan says: And yes, I'm quite aware of that.
(02:16:06) Rigwyn grumbles, "Fine... no tricks then"
(02:16:31) Rigwyn steps back, hands open
(02:17:28) Zephan nods. "We might not trust each other, but I don't consider you an enemy." He shakes his head.
(02:18:07) Zephan says: Life's far too hard for more of those...
(02:18:46) Rigwyn nods, "Same here then... But I suggest ya dont believe every thing people tell ya. "
(02:19:08) Zephan gives Rigwyn a somewhat pointed look. "Aye, you've illustrated that point quite well."
(02:19:27) Rigwyn says: "That scroll was just a piece of hide with writing. The mind is a powerful thing"
(02:19:50) Rigwyn says: "Belief has far more power than any glyph or sword"
(02:20:00) Zephan says: So it is.
(02:20:12) Rigwyn says: "The bard's belief is what killed him. Not the scroll"
(02:20:50) Zephan says: Surely there can't be a belief without something to cause it, but that matter is done.
(02:21:19) Rigwyn nods, "Suppose its possible the scroll had some power that Im unaware of"
(02:21:43) Rigwyn says: "Suppose its possible that I have some power that Im unaware of."
(02:21:54) Rigwyn says: "Its all a blur to me"
(02:21:56) Zephan tilts his head. "Perhaps."
(02:22:55) Rigwyn smirks and waves, "Farewell"
(02:23:46) Zephan gives him a nod of farewell in return.
(02:24:13) Rigwyn wanders off

Zephan watches Rigwyn walk away, before hopping off the ledge, and sprinting in the direction of the Temple. As his groffel flies down to meet him, the Dermorian feels as if a burden has been lifted from him and that things will be alright... for now.

Zephan adds a new entry to his journal, dated a few days after his last one. He writes this in his hurried but legible hand:

Another opportunity with Rigwyn came by. We'd invited him to the Stonehead Tavern, together with Anibela. On our way there, Calluna noticed Rigwyn remove something from his left hand, and called his attention, asking if his ring had gotten too tight. Although he seemed uncomfortable, Rigwyn produced a ring from his sack when he was asked what he'd dropped in it - but it was a ring of the summoner, not a Dark Way ring he showed us.

Upon reaching the Stonehead, we thought to compare jewelry while enjoying our meals, to get Rigwyn to reveal his rings. Anibela had a Dark Way ring of her own... Rigwyn mentioned that it matches his and showed his left hand to reveal only one ring. So he'd more than likely removed the other ring while we were on our way to Gugrontid.

Our efforts were starting to look futile, although our dropped hints and references to what happened to Jirage were causing Rigwyn some unease. It was then that Anibela noticed part of a scroll sticking out of his pocket, and pinched it from him to take a look. Rigwyn reacted, snatching the scroll back, saying it was a letter from his mother. Anibela commented that it was a strange letter... which caught Calluna's and my attention.

When Rigwyn rose from the table to relieve himself, Anibela once again nabbed the scroll from his pocket and handed it to me. The words of the curse leaped out from the parchment, and it made me sick to my stomach just reading them. I pocketed the scroll at once, just as Rigwyn made his return into the tavern.

My clever wife decided to switch the scroll with a decoy, a blank piece of parchment. She pretended to be reading it with interest, causing Rigwyn to grab it back and leave the tavern in agitation.

Before leaving Gugrontid, I cautioned Anibela to steer clear of Rigwyn until we'd managed to tie up the loose ends, so to speak.

So, we have achieved our objective. The scroll is in our hands; I only hope we can get it to Giroum and save Jirage before Rigwyn finds out what we've done...