Outsiders: Insidious Takeover

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     Gwydeon says with some surprise "Magnus! What is going on here?"

     Upon spotting Gwydeon, Magnus laughs and smiling says," Gwydeon well met, "what a pleasant surprise. What brings you to Telor and is Mordred or any of our other old companions-in-arms with you?" Without waiting for an answer the mage continues, "Come with us as we search for an establishment with better service." As he finishes he looks around the room adding, "Unless you have pressing business here."

     Magnus hands the bag with the gems in it to Jassal. "Allow me a moment first with my friend here," bobbing the body up once, " in a empty alleyway."

     The group quickly leaves the inn filled with death and moves around to a nearby alleyway. Jassal and a bodyguard move to block the entrance of the alleyway. As he moves away, Gwydeon feels strange. Suddenly that innate trust of all of his own kind has returned. The fear and suspicion is gone.

     Magnus shakes the man awake and as he groggily comes out of his sleep Magnus speaks the rune of charming. Its effects are immediate as the man's eyes focus on the mage, he smiles and says, "Ah, my old friend! Fancy meeting you here! Oh I have a splitting headache, last thing I remember is a bar fight, something about a dangerous mage, never got a clear look at the fellow though." He notices that his hands are bound. "Ah, coming to my rescue I see! We must have lost. Do me a favor will ya!" He holds up his hands and Magnus unbinds his wrists. "Ah thanks too bad you can't get rid of this headache so easily."

     When Magnus asks him his name, he looks at the mage and laughs saying, "Looks like I'm not the only one who took a bump on the head! How could you forget a name like Hyland!" Magnus feels the magic of his amulet working once again.

     When Magnus questions him about Coreli and his men, he says, "Ah, we were supposed to capture this dangerous mage, only Coreli and the boy knew the exact orders. I take it then the mage got away, eh?"

     When Magnus questions him about Torana and a message, he looks blankly and says, "Well you always were more popular, I haven't a clue which one of your friends that one is."

     He takes a deep breath and looks down at his uniform and turns pale, "Oh no, they've stolen my gem. That means that mage could use his magic to destroy me at anytime. Even worse! Now I'll be subject to this cursed valley's magic. What good is being a soldier, if you can't kill anything?"

     Calming him down Magnus gets him up and introduces him to everyone. Jassal looks at Magnus in askance, but says nothing. As Jassal nears Gwydeon and Magnus that feeling of dread and mistrust comes over them again. Hyland gets a strange look over his face and begins thinking fiercely, finally he says, shyly, "Um, I think I took a real hit on the head (untranslatable)...what was your (untranslatable) friend?" Gwydeon drops behind Magnus and Hyland.

     Magnus looks at Hyland and says with a smile, "My name friend is Magnus." As Hyland edges his hand toward where his sword should be he receives a double punch as Magnus smashes his staff into Hylands jaw and Gwydeon hits him on the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. As Magnus ties Hyland back up again, Jassals tries very hard not to smile, "Can't decide whether he is friend or foe?"

     Gwydeon says, "I think that those red gems are anti-magic. These armbands I got from an orc are magical but, everytime I get near one of those gems they go cold. I have a magic wand as well but it never works near these guys."

     "This doesn't look good; those gems," Magnus says pointing to the bag Jassal holds, "interfere with magic of any sort, including the magic of the valley that keeps us all peaceful. There may be an army of men equipped with those gems. I believe that we can find some more information at the Lone Roc Inn." Magnus says, "Give me another moment with him, maybe I can coax some more info." He brings the body away from Jassal, waking Hyland up with a rude kick.

     Hyland quickly focuses on Magnus, his eyes filled with hate, "We'll get you eventually you know that!" Magnus says in a low voice, as he plays with the dagger making arcane gestures, "Which part of your body would you like me to start on first? The last fool who angered me actually lived long enough to see both legs and most of his right arm flayed to the bone...I do love magic so....", he gives Hyland a wickedly evil smile. At that Hyland looks down at where his gem used to be and pales considerably. "W-w-hat do you want to know."

     Magnus asks him about the Lone Roc Inn and any other meeting sites, "L-lone Rock Inn, they actually named an inn after a rock?" He starts to laugh, then remembers his situation and sobers instantly, "We are staying in many inns scattered throughout the city. I was staying in the Wandering Minstrel, I was only here, because we were keeping watch on that tavern, `cause we knew a powerful mage was going to be there."

     "What are the goals of your group?"

     "What business of it...", he snaps before Magnus moves closer. His tone becomes frightened again, "You shouldn't be against us; we are here to free you from the oppressive power of the Universal Harmony Church! It is they who placed the ward that binds your behavior! We are visionaries who will free you, don't oppose us! Join us!", he pleads. "Our numbers are without limit beyond your small valley and soon here as well!" Gaining some backbone, he spits in the general direction of Magnus who easily moves out the way. A moment later he is unconscious as Magnus knocks him out again.

     "Jassal," Magnus begins, "Jassal, I must ask you for your men's assistance, I know that your time is valuable, but this conspiracy can threaten the entire valley. Will you join me to stop this? Gwydeon I ask you as well..."

     A quick glance at Hyland and he continues, "This man is of no further use, his uniform however might be..." Magnus then proceeds to strip Hyland of his uniform and then says, "It seems we have several options: we can find a place to plan our next move and gather our strength or we can walk into possible danger and go to the Lone Roc."

     Jassal looks around at his few remaining bodyguards and says, "I will help in any small way I can, but I must continue my trade in the next few days or I may go broke. So what is your plan?"

     Magnus smiles and says, "First, we will untie Hyland and then keep watch from a hidden distance to follow him to wherever he goes as well as to watch the bar and to see if more men come. Possibly a nearby rooftop with easy access down would be good or some vendors stall where we would be out of sight."

     That decided Magnus kicks some rubbish on the now unconscious Hyland and they go in search of a suitable location. Oddly enough, the only suitable location is another alleyway obscured from the street but offering a nice view nearby area, including Hyland's alley and the Ogres Eye entrance.

     While waiting for Hyland to recover or someone to miss his group, Magnus, Gwydeon, Jassal and his bodyguards settle in for a long wait.

     Gwydeon updates Magnus on his travel since they last left and asks, "I found a detect magic scroll, but I need help to copy it into my spellbook as well as any spells you have that you could teach me. I could use a few after all my adventures made me wiser and I trust myself more."

     Magnus takes out several bags and scans through them doing a quick count of the coins inside. After a few moments he pours some coins from one sack into another and hands Jassal three of the bags, "I hope this will make up for your losses."

     Gwydeon says, "I am getting some leather armor made up at the Armored Fist and it will be done tomorrow. Mordred, Hunter, the speaker, Albian and Zraxin are around here somewhere. Tasha is in her Universal Harmony temple."

     Jassal, keeping his face neutral, opens one of the bags and pulls out a silver coin. "Thank you very much Magnus, this will go a long way to making this trip a profitable one." He turns to Gwydeon and says, "The Armored Fist, eh, it is a good place, they do excellent work, and their rates are reasonable. But I might suggest if you get the chance to slip him a few extra gold pieces and give him an extra day and you'll find that, the armor is better than normal." He taps his chest. A friend passed on that little tip to me and extra five gold I got some fine armor that's quiet, tough and resistant to water and flame."

     Magnus gives a silver to one of the burly bodyguards and asks him to retrieve some ale. The man takes the money and with a nod quickly and quietly leaves the hiding spot. "If soldiers come or Hyland leaves, don't hesitate to interrupt my studies.", he says. Jassal purses his lips and nods, exchanging a pensive glance with one his other men, while the third makes an impressive display of studying the alley where Hyland sleeps.

     Magnus and Gwydeon settle down to study the scroll. The strange rune seems to be written with all the flows of magic. Each one starts in an impressive loop before one begins to thread its way through all the others.....

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     As he reaches the end of tracing the last flow he realizes that this rune helps him to detect magic by making anything touched by magic, glow with a radiance whose color depends upon the type of magic used. Stretching his muscles he notices that a pair of tankards filled with ale, sit next to them. Taking a long draught, Magnus and Gwydeon, pull out their spellbooks and paper and begin the process of transcribing the runes.

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.

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     After transcribing the runes in his spellbook he realizes that the tankards have been refilled and it's starting to get dark.

     Jassal looks at Magnus and says, "Ah good. Several people have gone in and come out very quickly. Oddly enough though no one has called the city guard, nor have any more of those soldiers showed up." He smiles, "I think you hit Hyland a bit too hard he is still out." He turns and nods to one of his men, with a green scarf wrapped around one arm. He disappears with a bucket in one hand. Jassal says, "It's getting a bit late. I think we should wake him up."

     They watch as the man strolls across the plaza with the bucket in his hand and disappears into the alleyway to reappear a moment later. He ducks out of the alleyway into the shadows. His furtive motions invite a frown from passers by, but not as many frowns as a half naked and wet Hyland gets as he bursts from the alleyway. He heads purposely down into the marketplace back into the more crowded parts of town never looking back.

     They follow him with ease as the streets are much less crowded at this hour and he doesn't look back. He eventually turns into an wooden building whose outside has seen better days. Over the door is a picture of a bard, the sign says the 'Wandering Minstrel'".

     "Hmm....", Magnus looks at the tavern and then at his companions, " It has been a long day and I find myself hungry again, shall we go in?" He smiles and continues, "Let's find out how much of a scare we put into these soldiers. Jassal give each of your men one of the gems and go in as pairs. Once inside, spread yourselves out, Gwydeon and I will enter a little later. Watch and listen for any important news...be careful."

     Jassal smiles at Magnus, "You are truly a strange one, willing walking into the lions den. If they were after me, I would be well out of town by now." Taking three gems from the bag around his waist he hands one to each of his bodyguards. Then opening the bag of silver, he hands each of him men several silver pieces. "Try not to drink too much, I get the feeling he is going to make this an interesting evening." He nods at his men with a slight smile to soften the words.

     The two men move towards the inn, one moving slow the other moving faster. The man with the green scarf wrapped around one arm enters first. A few minutes later the largest of the three bodyguards enters. "Good luck", Jassal says back over his shoulder as he and the last bodyguard put an arm around each other and begin to stumble down the street slurring the words to a song. The pair weaves in and out of the crowd and somehow manage to get into the inn without incident.

     Magnus moves off to one side with Gwydeon following. "It might help if I change my appearance a little..." Moving to an out of the way spot, Magnus pulls out one of his daggers and begins to scrape away at parts of his full beard. Several minutes and a few cuts later, Magnus has turned his beard into a wide mustache and goatee.

     Magnus mentions that they should look around the Wandering Minstrel for all of its exits and entrances, "... wouldn't want to get trapped in another burning bar room again..."

     Gwydeon laughs at the reference to their last adventure.

     Gwydeon nods to Magnus and moves off to check the left side of the building while Magnus checks out the right side.

     A few minutes later they meet again at the front entrance, comparing notes they found that there is a low wide window on the second floor off the right side just above a kitchen entrance; and there is a concealed back door on the left side.

     "After you good friend... try to find a shadowy corner or something to that effect.", Magnus gestures to Gwydeon. Ready for anything Gwydeon opens the door and enters the inn.

***************

     They are greeted by a loud nerve jangling sound. A moment later they realize the sound is coming from a man at one end of the room attempting to play a harp and doing it badly. Oddly enough no one pays him any mind. Gwydeon takes off following the inside wall toward a table near the corner that hasn't been taken.

     As the pair walk in several men look up form various spots in the bar, but none do more than give a curious glance before turning hostile stares toward several parties in the bar. Looking around they see Jassal and his men in various locations in the bar and each one has a bit of personal space around him, unlike the rest of the crowded room. Those nearest to the men give openly hostile and distrustful stares to them. But they aren't the only ones. Dominating the room by far are men in the red and white uniforms. Each one contains that red gem. They seem not to have a care in the world and they laugh and gamble and sing off key, completely ignoring the hostile stares of the men around them. Hyland is no where to be seen. Fresh blood and a few broken tables indicate that there was a fight not too long ago in this bar. Magnus takes a seat that faces him away from most of the patrons in the bar.

     After only a few moments sitting down a once pretty serving girl, in a dress that might have once graced the figure of a wealthy merchants daughter, comes by and asks what they want. Magnus smiles at the lady and orders a meal and ale for two. The girl gives a defeated nod and moves quickly back to the kitchens, giving those men with the gemed uniforms a wide berth.

     At one point Hyland appears, dressed in uniform, in the room from the back. The moment he appears, all the men in uniform begin sneering and laughing at him.

     "Hey Hyland, you gonna try and get another girl? Next time if she wants you to take your clothes off make sure she does it first!"

     "If you're gonna go swimming, next time take off your clothes."

     "Hyland where did you get that mark on your head, fighting off all those beautiful women!"

     The jibes continue, each one followed by laughter, each one more cruel than the last. Finally Hyland just moves off toward the back and sulks in a corner, not too far off from the Jassal's man with the green scarf on his arm.

     Magnus asks Gwydeon about the armbands and what happend to his old armor.

     During the explanation, the serving girl returns with a tray of hot stew and two tankards of ale. The evening passes quietly for several hours, Jassal's men mingling freely with the men in uniform and getting into a game or two. It all ends, abruptly when the front door bursts open and a man in uniform streaks toward the back.

     As he passes, all the other uniformed men stop and watch his passage. When he is gone, they quickly clean up and close up their games. Hyland moves after the man. Several minutes later Hyland, the messenger, and three other men in red uniforms with golden gems stride into the room. The three men look furious. "It seems we have a problem!", shouts one of the men. "I have just received a report that several of our people have been killed at the Ogre's Eye Inn. You are to find who is responsible for this, search this city ask every beggar, thief, merchant and child for information on this man known as Magnus. There will be a handsome bonus to the man or men who brings him to me alive. Remember the man is a powerful mage and seems to be able to counter the power of our gems. We'll pass out the rings, to help you find this dog and bring him to justice." The second man with the golden gem opens a box and begins to walk amongst the soldiers. Each one takes a plain gold band and places it over his hand, before their sergeants order them outside. "No one is going to sleep tonight! Check the gates first to make sure he hasn't left then make sure he doesn't leave!"

     Quickly the room empties out except for those who were not in uniform, Jassal and his men, Magnus, Gwydeon, four serving girls, the man with the harp, Hyland, the messenger and the three men with the golden gems. The five of them stand in the center of the practically deserted room holding a muted conversation.

     Magnus concentrates for a moment before slowly slipping out a scroll and placing it on the table in front of him. Opening it up he sees the rune on the scroll describes a missile made of pure magic.

     The men in the center of the room continue to talk, their voices so low that the sound only comes out as a low buzz.

     Magnus asks Gwydeon to make his way nearer to the doorway that the soldiers came out of.

     Gwydeon slowly gets up and casually walks around towards the side of the door.

     Jassal and his men watch every single movement, their hands reaching for hidden weapons. As Gwydeon gets halfway across the room, the men appear to relax.

     The near silence of the bar is broken as one of the patrons still in the bar says, "Wench! Bring me some more ale."

     All of the serving girls, and a few of the patrons, jump at the sudden noise. The men in the center of the room stop their conversation for a moment to look at the man before ignoring him again. Their voices raises slightly as one of the men with the golden gems berates Hyland, "You were there and his magic worked? Impossible! Are you sure he used a spell on you or were you just frightened?!"

     Hyland retorts, "No, sir! I was not frightened! Coreli got overconfident when the first spell didn't work. He taunted him and the mage's next spell killed Coreli where he stood. I survived because he wanted to use me..." His voice drops down lower as he controls his temper.

     Magnus starts reading the rune on the scroll and he stands up and turns around completing the rune. The air in front of him glows a brilliant blue, the glow nearly blots out all sight of his midsection, before turning into two bluish arrow shapes. One streaks upward toward the roof above the soldiers and slams into it with a brilliant flash of light. Leaving a large scorch mark in its place.

     At the sound of the speaking of the rune, one of the soldiers turns toward Magnus seeing the glow he gestures to the others. When the arrow strikes the roof he has the undivided attention of everyone in the bar.

     "My deepest apologizes good folk, my quarrel is only with these 'soldiers'", He speaks the word soldiers as if he were saying scum, "who I believe have been causing a nuisance in town." He smiles toward the men in the center of the room and says, "Hyland how's your head feeling? I hope it doesn't hurt too badly. And you gentlemen why is it that you are looking for me? Come now am I alone worth so much effort, though it seems you will probably need more help. Or do you believe that just five of you can handle me?"

     As he speaks, the men with the golden gems begin to turn red with rage. Some of the bar patrons start to drop under their tables sensing trouble has begun. The serving girls flee back to the kitchens. Jassal and his men casually position themselves nearer the five men.

     One of the men in golden uniforms steps forward and says, "I take it then you are this man called Magnus, who is responsible for the deaths of my men."

     Though the man can't see him, Hyland begins nodding furiously, on his face a mixture of fear and hatred. "Coreli was merely an underling and a grunt. It seems you were more powerful than our spies led us to believe. Before we merely wanted to remove you from the harmful influence of this valley, there we could make you see how the Harmony Church had controlled you. Now I'm just going to rip your guts out! Your magic may have worked once, but it won't work against me!" He draws his sword and the others do the same. He charges Magnus sword raised to deliver a crushing overhead blow.

     Magnus gestures with one hand and the second blue arrow shoots toward the man it seems to shatter long before it reaches him, but the man stumbles anyway. His sword falling out of his hand and skittering toward Magnus across the floor. The other who had started a charge as well stops and look incredulously. The man looks up at the dagger protruding from his arm and shouts, "It's a mere trick, his magic doesn't work! Ha! Ha!"

     Unfortunately his men cannot take advantage of the moment, because Gwydeon, Jassal and his men already have. As they stood stunned by their companions' fall, swords suddenly blossomed from their midsections, with blood spraying on the floor. Hyland and the messenger drop immediately. The two men with golden gems however only roll forward off of the swords and immediately spring to their feet. One slips down to one knee, but the other despite his incredible injury seems to be fine. His face becomes a mask of pain, but set with grim determination as he and his companion face the five.

     The one who charged Magnus quickly recovers pulling the dagger out of his arm an drawing another dagger from it's sheathe he looks at Magnus then at his men. "Hold them off while I finish the Mage" With grim determination he advances upon Magnus. He gets about three steps before being hit in the head with a tankard. He glances over and from the back doorway enters a woman in a olive green shirt with a brown leather vest and pants and carrying a bow, hanging from her neck is a makeshift net holding a red gem tightly. "I just wanted to get your attention! You won't get to kill him, not before I kill you. You and your men are responsible for the death of my husband and I'm here for revenge!"

     With that she aims and fires, but the man's reflexes are good and he dodges the arrow before it gets to him.

     Though woefully outnumbered and mortally wounded, the two men fight quite well just barely keeping Jassal and his men away from them.

     Both Magnus and Gwydeon tell Jassal to try and get the gems away from them.

     Gwydeon beings to circle around, picking up Hylands sword as he goes. He then moves purposefully toward the third man.

     Magnus rushes over to where the third man's sword lay.

     The woman pulls out another arrow and takes aim. Magnus laughs as the man, seeing his options cut off and his sword being taken away as Magnus picks it up, dives behind a table which he over turns. A moment later an arrow imbeds itself into it. He jumps up from behind the table and begins chasing Magnus only to come up against Gwydeon armed with two swords.

     As the battle goes against the two men, one begins to foam at the mouth and his swings get wilder and wilder and his attacks come faster and faster.

     Magnus shouts as he moves, "Good people of Telor, you heard what these men have said, they are invaders from another land here to destroy our valley for their own twisted purposes. Come and take arms against them, help to stop this invasion. Without leadership the rest of them will be like a snake without its head. You must fight for your freedom!"

     The third man back pedals quickly giving Gwydeon a chance as he scores a couple of easy hits right off the bat.

     One of the bystanders says to Magnus, "Why should we listen to you! He says, we've been oppressed. Everyone here knows the valley's history. What he is saying makes sense. The only one I see causing trouble around here is you. I never trusted mages in the first place and now I know it's true!" He picks up a chair and tosses it at Jassal and his men. It catches one of them full on the back and knocks him straight onto the waiting sword of his opponent.

     The other man in golden robes, though his lifeblood is almost gone, begins to become more and more active and frenzied soon his blade is whirling fast and furious and despite the three on two advantage. Jassal and Company are being forced back.

     The bystander is about to take another chair and toss it when an arrow sprouts out of his chest. He drops the chair and looks at the arrow in shock, before falling back in surprise.

     The third man finds himself in a corner facing an elf wielding two swords, despite the advantage it is still a couple of minutes before the man sinks to the ground lifeless his blood coating both of his swords. The woman takes aim and fires twice at the body of the man fighting like crazy, both times, the arrow is deflected by a sword moving at incredible speed. Unfortunately his partner can take no more and falls to the floor. Despite the now three on one disadvantage, he is winning his fight, as he first injures the man with the green scarf, then the largest of Jassal's bodyguard. Jassal pulls out wisely and tries a different tactic trying to surround the man but the effect is useless. His blade seems to be everywhere, then just as suddenly as it started, it stops and the man collapses to the ground dead. His body seems to shimmer and move in death.

     After the battle is over the woman shouts, "Does any one else side with this scum!" Any actual answers are discouraged by the fact that her bow is fully cocked and ready to fly.

     Gwydeon checks the body of the men with the golden gems, coming up with only their belt pouches, the gems on their uniforms, the weapons and the rings that they put on.

     Gwydeon speaks loud enough for all in the bar to hear, "These soldiers are the evil ones! You didn't see what happened or who killed them. OK?" Most of the bar patrons take an unusual interest in their partially filled mugs. "Else it means that you associate with them and must be disposed of." With a grin he finishes, "I think it's not the case over here? Does anyone know the where the other soldiers are stationed?"

     The answer comes from the woman who looks around with suspicious eyes, "They are all over town you can find them nearly anywhere. In most inns and taverns they crawl over this city like roaches." She checks the pile that Gwydeon came up with and demands, "Which rooms are theirs!" Pointing to the men with the golden gems. A frightened serving girl points back to the back door, "Well show me you stupid cow!" Putting away her bow she grabs the girls arm and thrusts her toward the open doorway.

     Gwydeon asks, "Has anyone seen a tall dark skinned human about medium build with short curly black hair and a strange vest with a monster on it? Or How about a short elf, black hair, blue eyes in heavy armor?" He receives silence in response to both inquires.