March 18th

(I already did Zeiss)

OOC:

*Zeiss jumps off a cliff.*

The audience holds its breath tensely as the GM rolls two D20's...

*dramatic tension*

Javan comes up dry but Kolson believes he knows how to open it. It requires holding it in a certain way while unfolding it and requires two people. He can instruct Javan to assist him though it will require a DEX check.

My God the tension. Let's do this Essoje!

OOC:

Yup, Javan is willing to do it while the player facepalms for not holding to the non-combat AP.

OOC:

Javan fumbles suddenly on the letter, his hand slipping as he catches sight of a passing butterfly and becomes distracted. Fortunately, Kolson quickly reaches over and grabs his part, allowing Javan a moment's reprieve to regrip it properly and finish the opening pattern.

The letter itself is rather plain for the effort required to open it. After some thought, Kolson realizes this letter had to have been delivered very recently, possibly right before their raid on the place, and has the official Aluvian Military seal on it. The two check it and it checks out magically as well as mundanely. The letter itself is a list of orders for the Lefftenant, organizing and coordinating where to send his bandits where and also giving an updated location to drop off the skim. Finally, it notates in a more personal tone that 'they' should have the Undermarket in this region fully replaced within a month at the most.

Reading the letter to himself, Kolson's eyes grow wider and wider. Making sure no one can hear them he says to Javan, "This isn't good, this isn't good at all. The Exchange is in danger and we must warn the others immediately. I was hoping we could catch up with the caravan but I don't think we have time. We must make for Holtburg directly. We'll need to travel fast. Let's keep the Lefftenant but turn the others loose. It's not an ideal situation but we should be able to move much faster without them."

OOC:

"Agreed. I'll just have to give relay some orders to the rest of the Scarves, which I'm going to do now."

Soon after that, Javan approaches Eric of Anvilmar and gives him orders to meet the other Scarves and tell them that as soon as they finish their escorting job, they have earned 3 days to do as they wish, then are to travel to Holtburg and wait for Javan's return at the pub he usually frequents although the player doesn't remember the name of it. The once-fairy also promises to explain his motives for having to leave them in such a hurry once they meet.

The dragoon also gives his blessing if Eric decides take his extended leave, pointing him at the Arena as a possible place to test and refine his combat prowess further.

He then returns to Kolson, confirming he's ready to leave.

While Javan is doing that, Kolson will make ready to leave, only freeing the extraneous bandits at the last minute. We'll then leave them with a warning to stop making mischief for travelers. Otherwise a lot more people like us are going to come and they may not survive that encounter. And then away we go to Holtburg.

Kolson and Javan head towards Holtburg, their erstwhile Dwarf in tow, and will arrive early the 19th if they don't stop to sleep, or late afternoon if they do.

Whenever they arrive, Zeiss will explain the situation to them (in private):

• Someone deposed Lady Lightmane. Ursolan of Prowler is the one who told us about it. He has refused the usurpers' bribe and fled the city.
  
• Sareth has been kidnapped. Higaide has left to rescue him.
  
• Gretta and her soldiers should soon come to Holtburg through the secret Veil entrance to help us take the Royal District. She didn't believe me when I said there was a coup d'État but she still support our takeover in exchange of a "slice of the pie". We'll give it to her, so no need to mention the coup. She'll see it for herself soon enough.
  
• We're basically waiting for Gretta to show up before we strike.
  

I'm okay skipping sleep so long as Zeiss is okay letting us crash for 8 hours after our debrief.

To avoid questions and problems later we'll smuggle the dwarf into Holtburg. Kolson doesn't know about it but he'd leave the dwarf with his troops and possibly Javan, and then go see Zeiss. Zeiss should easily be able to show Kolson the correct tunnel or tunnels.

Zeiss tells Kolson how to enter Holtburg using the secret entrances. He then sees him off.