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::Since we last left our intrepid heros.... Roni and Mira made it back to the Purple House in the ether. Roni, exhausted and badly wounded, collapsed onto his bed, informing Mira that his healing psionics could take care of his wounds, but he needed a day's worth of rest, during which time he would be completely unconscious, but awake fully healed. He then closed his eyes. A few hours later, Mira could see noticeable differences in the burns across his back:: <Temire> ::Mira at first collapsed in a corner of Roni's room shivering before finally crying herself to sleep. Shortly after Mira awakens a contingent of Purple Dragons lead by her brother Lucien Plose arrive to question her concerning the kidnapping. After finally getting rid of the Dragons Mira mopes around the house until a ransom note is delivered. She's spent the few hours since then angrily pacing the house and generally working up a good head of steam:: * Temire paces into Roni's room, a crumpled letter in one hand, the other clenching and unclenching, a scowl on her face and grinding her teeth. * Ilarion groans, shifting in his bed, the first sounds or movement he's made since arriving home. * Temire looks at Roni, hope and worry replacing some of her anger as she turns to look at Roni. <Ilarion> ::rolling over gingerly, he sits up, trying to look down his back sleepily:: Oof. * Temire chuckles a little sitting on the edge of Roni's bed, "Is that all you have to say? Oof?" <Ilarion> ::turning to her, he gestures to his shoulder:: I can't see. All better? <Ilarion> ::a faint, puckery scar traces down the skin of his back:: * Temire smiles and kisses the scar, "All better." <Ilarion> ::shivers, before turning to look at her:: Are you hurt? ::touches her shorn hair, his expression woeful:: * Temire takes Roni's hand and smiles faintly at him, "Nothing time won't fix." * Temire sighs and looks into Roni's eyes, "Roni, have you ever heard of Nanler One-Eye?" <Ilarion> ::leaning on his knees, he puts his chin in his hands and thinks:: I... not sure. Why? * Temire hands Ilarion the crumbled letter, "Kauriss sent a letter. Apparently someone is holding Ilya for ransom." * Ilarion takes the letter, his fingers trembling. <Ilarion> ::reading aloud:: I know you do not look back on our time together with fondness, but I never thought your unfounded malice against me would extend to allowing harm to come to our daughter. I understand you would ordinarily never consent to help me - indeed, your final words made it clear that you would happily go out of your way to see me harmed - but I still dare to hope you will help Ilya. Do you know who Nanler One-Eye is, or what these Charts are that they mention? I beg, not as your former lover but as the mother of your child, that you do all in your power to save her. <Ilarion> ::softly:: Kauriss... <Ilarion> ::he opens the attached note:: We have your young daughter, Ilya Quilisian. We will be in contact with you again to arrange the return of the Charts of Nanler One-Eye. If you do not return the Charts, we will be forced to kill your child. Do not attempt to rescue her. Do not seek assistance. We will be in touch. * Ilarion shudders as he reads the ransom note, his eyes strained and terrified. <Temire> Do you know what it means Roni? <Ilarion> ::slowly:: It sounds like Kauriss has something they want. Or at least they think she does. <Temire> Her husband maybe? <Ilarion> ::clenching the note in his hand:: I don't know much about him. He's a spice merchant... ::trails off, blinking rapidly:: * Temire tilts her head, "What?" <Ilarion> ::closing his eyes:: In my study, third shelf, there's a leather book... "Pirates of the Sea of Stars" Get it. ::opening his eyes:: * Temire nods and goes to get the book returning shortly and handing it to him, looking at him curiously. * Ilarion opens the thick tome, scanning through it rapidly, his finger tracing down the pages. "Ah!" He reads from the book. "Nanler, formerly of the great Dales, banded together one of the more terrifying group of pirates in 933 CY. Nearly a dozen ships answered to his command, and many merchant vessels were captured by this crew of cutthroats. In an historic event, the fleets of Cormyr and Sembia, united for the first time, set after the pirate and his bands." <Ilarion> united for the first time, set after the pirate and his bands." * Temire looks at Roni expectantly. <Ilarion> ::reading further:: Although most of the pirate vessels were captured, including Nanler's flagship, the Tsunami, one ship did escape, called the Vengeance. That ship was never seen again, nor were the cargos recovered. Nanler, hung for his crimes of piracy, would not recant or give information regarding the location of his treasure trove." <Temire> Do you think Kauriss' husband may have found the charts? <Ilarion> ::looking up at her, shutting the book:: We'll find out. * Temire quirks an eyebrow, "Teleport lead to Sembia?" <Ilarion> ::nodding:: Just off the coast, a small smuggler's cove. I daresay it'd be a bad plan to go directly there. I expect our flame retardant friend has warned them we might be coming, and getting ambushed for the second time this week would be a bad plan. * Temire nods, "Kauriss and her husband then?" <Ilarion> ::holding up the letter with a rueful sigh:: Not the best of reunions, I expect. * Temire takes the letter and sets it on the nightstand, "I promise not to break anything unless she starts mistreating Ilya again." <Ilarion> ::getting out of bed, he strips off the remains of his tattered and burned clothing, rummaging through his dresser absently:: There's a map of Cormyr and Sembia and some of the surrounding areas in my atlas... could you get it? * Temire smiles. "Sure." <Ilarion> ::eyeing her after pulling a fresh shirt on:: I think there's still a few of your changes in the guest room. * Temire returns in a few moments with the atlas open to the appropriate page. She's looking over it having apparently learned Glossaria and Zoya's trick of walking and reading at the same time. * Temire looks up and blinks at Roni, "I didn't even think of that...Just a moment." * Temire sets the atlas down on the bed and leaves again. <Ilarion> ::tracing the map with his finger:: Hmmmm. ::he points to a small cove:: Here's where they went... and Kauriss lives... here. The city of Selgaunt. * Temire returns wearing unsinged clothing and examines the map. <Ilarion> Three-hundred and fifty miles... ::he sighs:: That'll take a while. * Temire nods, "Got any ideas?" <Ilarion> ::considering:: About five days, by sea. Longer if we go overland. * Temire looks at Roni, "Can you afford the trip for the two of us, and do you think we have that much time? <Ilarion> ::grimacing:: I don't know... she's already been gone for a day... ::biting his lip:: Let's go to the school. Someone can give us a lift, I hope. * Temire nods, "By the way I managed to get you a slightly less flashy sword. The last thing we need is for your mother to hear that you're gallivanting about the country side trying to save her granddaughter." <Ilarion> ::nodding:: All right. ::he throws a few things into a backpack, then opens his small wall safe in the closet, removing a double handful of coins and a few small gems:: Here. ::handing Mira some of the money:: * Temire nods, taking the money. "My stuff's downstairs by the door." <Ilarion> ::tossing his backpack onto his shoulder:: Come on, then. ::belting on the sword, he leads the way, stopping to tell Sallah what they're doing and where they're going.:: * Temire grabs her stuff while Roni talks to Sallah then follows him out. <Ilarion> ::a few minutes later, the two enter the school, heading down the hallway to Interim Headmaster Bluestar's office:: <Bluestar> ::Temire and Ilarion are preceded into his office and announced by his secretary. Bluestar sits behind his massive oaken desk that still has scant little on its surface and surveys the two:: Going somewhere, or is this the new fashion rage amongst the students? <Ilarion> ::putting the ransom note down on the desk:: We hope very much to be going somewhere. Selgaunt, if possible. * Bluestar reads the note, his eyes flicking rapidly down its length. He looks back up. "Why Selgaunt. How sure are you?" <Ilarion> ::swallowing:: Kauriss - Ilya's mother - lives there. And... yesterday we pursued the kidnappers. They hired a mage to teleport them. We found the mage, who was a little less than pleased about it, and I broke rules to get the information from him. I'm sorry about that, but I didn't know what else to do. * Bluestar pushes his chair back and stands up. "Part of knowing the rules is knowing when you have to break them. This counts. You don't have these gifts to not use them. The rules exist at all so I don't have to deal with idiots who-- never mind. I assume you want me to get you there quickly?" * Temire nods. <Ilarion> ::nodding:: Yes, please. ::he blinks rapidly, his eyes brimming:: I can't not go. Kauriss... ::shaking his head:: * Temire puts a hand on Roni's shoulder. * Bluestar pulls a thick atlas off a shelf and begins leafing through it. "Don't cry in my office, Master Quilisian." <Ilarion> ::swallows again:: Sorry, sir. * Bluestar locates a map of the Dragonsmere and finally locates Selgaunt on Sembia's coast. He finds a reference to another page and flips to a more detailed map, showing the outline of the city. "There. Where do you need to go?" * Ilarion looks at the map, angrily brushing at his eyes, before pointing to a section of town away from the docks. "Here, or outside of town, if that's safer. We can walk the rest of the way. * Bluestar laboriously folds the map back into the book and closes it, replacing it on his shelf. "Very well. Temire, my right hand. Ilarion, my left. Just close your eyes and clear your minds." <Ilarion> Thank you, sir. ::closing his eyes, he takes Bluestar's hand:: * Temire takes Bluestar's hand and closes her eyes, attempting to clear her mind. * Bluestar closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, letting the air out slowly. From behind their closed eyelids, Temire and Ilarion 'see' a flicker of deep, abysmal blackness, and then they are surrounded by a dusky light. "We're here." * Ilarion opens his eyes, swaying slightly. * Temire opens her eyes and lets go of Bluestar's hand, looking around, "When did it get so dark?" <Bluestar> We're quite a bit east of Marsember, Temire. The sun's further down here than it is back home. Obviously, I need to increase the load of general education classes at the school. * Temire looks surprised then hangs her head. <Ilarion> ::gently:: Don't worry about it, Mira. Geography was never my strong point either. <Bluestar> You should be able to get into the city fairly easily from here. One more thing, Master Quilisian. Give them hell. * Temire shakes her head and looks up, "Aldis taught me about it. I've only teleported twice though so I didn't make the connection." <Ilarion> ::bowing to Bluestar:: I'd ask you to tell Master Dupre I'll be missing my test this week, but he already knows that. We'll be home soon as we can. * Bluestar nods. "Very well then. We'll be ready for you when you return." * Temire looks at Bluestar, "I assume this is an instance where we don't have to hide the bodies." * Ilarion takes a deep, shuddering breath, looking over the city. "Gods... Kauriss... " He scrubs at his face. <Bluestar> It's a kidnapping, so I'd hope the city guard would be on *your* side. Still, I wouldn't go out of your way to kill people if you didn't have to. It tends to rub the law-and-order people who run things the wrong way. * Temire nods, "I'll try to remember." * Temire pats Roni's shoulder, "Come on. Let's go get Ilya back." <Ilarion> ::clenching his jaw:: Oh, this is going to be fun. Let's go see my ex. ::nodding once to Bluestar, he heads into the city:: * Bluestar lets the pair get several paces away, and then vanishes with a slight popping sound. * Temire follows Roni, absently cracking her knuckles. |
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