Ancient Spark

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The mage who's talking to you has seen better days. His sleeves are singed, his hair is a rumpled mess, and his beard... looks like it hasn't been combed in possibly years. He stands with a staff in hand looking at you with wide eyes that are just a little /too/ wide. He looks like he's about to bolt. "It's been taken! The Ancient Spark! The holy relic that once united seven lands and turned back the tide of evil is just /gone/." He rubs a hand through his hair and now you know why it's a mess. He's clearly been doing this a lot. "It was under the protection of the Arcanist's guild due to its magical nature, but somehow someone got in and took it. You've got to find it before it gets into the wrong hands!"

Ezil grimaces at the job at hand, looking to the others in the room, and shifting idly before he answers the ragged-looking mage. "I am sure we can help, but is that all the information you have for us?" not trying to sound too skeptical in his words, but a bit unsure. "Do we know how it was taken, or any suspicion as to who, and why?" he asks, looking then to the party. "Should we check where it was kept?" his mind on possible clues.

Garrett looks to the mage and adjusts the hood and cloth covering his face so only his eyes could be seen. "So you want us to steal it back? Shouldn't be too hard." He says as he looks to the others and nods to Ezil.

Durgash is here because he'd been told that this is where brave people come to be given heroic tasks. And also to earn gold, which is good, because he hasn't got much of that. "Who took it?" he asks. "And where did they take it?"

In the back of the gathering, a creature stands and observes. When the mage sputters and everyone jumps up and clamors, the towering plant-man Herne lumbers forth with audible footsteps, and bellows out in a deep voice,

"How...can a spark...be taken? How could it even...be held?"

Zapolklnex is in the back of the group. Arms folded in his sleeves, hood covering his head and face. "What does the relic do? Should we be concerned about it being used against us if we chase it?"

"We don't know how it was taken, or by whom. Whoever it is had powerful magics protecting them from being detected." The mage shakes his head and meets Ezil's gaze and smiles a little grim smile. "However we managed to track it down using other means to Tref. We figure that it shouldn't be too hard to locate for a bunch of adventurers from there. You're free to look at where it was being kept, but we didn't find anything there ourselves."

His gaze flickers toward Garrett and he sort of stares a little bit, but not as much as he stares at Herne. "Well... it's not a real spark. We just call it that because it holds a spark of ancient power inside it. In reality its a silver medallion. It looks like this." He holds out a piece of paper that holds an image on it that looks something like a blank coin in the shape of a sun.

GAME: Ignis rolls knowledge/religion: (14)+5: 19

Ezil nods his head, but as the mage meets his gaze there is another uneasy shift. "Tref, then." he affirms, looking to the others as he seems to have some part of the answer he needed, and is now waiting on the others until he sees the emblem on upon it, falling in to his own thoughts.

Durgash arches a brow in surprise. "They're keeping it in Tref? Tref that's like ten minutes walk from here?" Okay, that's a bit of exaggeration, but there's a Tref close to the city. "Bunch of hobgoblins, mainly," he explains, that's the Tref he's familiar with.

GAME: Ezil rolls knowledge/religion: (4)+5: 9
GAME: Zapolklnex rolls knowledge/history: (2)+5: 7

So many questions. So much uncertainty..and Ignis just watches with an expression that somehow manages to mix bemused with skeptical with concern. Somehow. It might make him a little inscrutable for a few moments as he just listens and casts his gaze between his companions..some familiar and some not..but eventually he just looks back to the mage. As the imagery is revealed he raises both eyebrows and leans forward to get a closer look. "Well then.." he muses while then growing more serious..

"I think I've seen this imagery before. An artifact that unifies the powers of the divine and can be used by any priest no matter their affiliation. Perhaps initially blessed and empowered by Daeus given the symbolism and his position as the supreme.." He holds a hand out for the paper, "May I? And also a quick examination of the theft site might be helpful after all.."

Herne doesn't seem to be embarrassed or shamed by his ignorance, instead quietly reflects for the moment while fireflies emerged from his shoulders and buzzed around this cramped interior space. Herne wasn't sure how he felt about houses and buildings. They were like caves in that you couldn't see the sky or hear the song of life and death in the air, but unlike caves there was no connection to the world, instead you stood upon stone or long dead wood.

He let the more knowledgeable ones speak to the distraught wizard, Herne just stood back and took in the location in general.

GAME: Herne rolls perception: (11)+8: 19

Zapolklnex hums. "Does it emit a powerful aura that we can use to track it?"

The mage nods to Ignis, clearly agreeing with him. "The site of the theft was the mage Grim's quarters. He was studying the device for the clerical quarter. Having some experiance with holy magics. He was out to lunch and when he came back it was gone. No footprints, no disturbance of his belongings. No trace of the thief was left behind at all." He pauses at Zapolklnex's question. "It does not. It has a holy spark, but it is only when one is touching it that you know that it's magical. It's one of the things that puzzled Grim the most about it. That something so powerful could seem mundane until used."

As everyone speaks, suddenly Herne's red and yellow eyes narrow, and he suddenly looks up.

"A creature breathes above us. It is right here."

As he speaks, he holds the very bottom of his shepherd's staff, using it as a makeshift spear as he points it up and taps lightly on the ceiling, right where he hears the strange vibrating rumbling.

Zapolklnex reflexively takes a step back, and looks up where Herne mentions.

There's a sudden impolite squeak from where Herne's staff hits. Suddenly a small golden dragon appears and with a hiss the dragon launches itself into the air, taking an aggressive stance against Herne. "HEYNOWTHATWASNOTNICE!" Her voice is louder than you expect from such a tiny thing. She's the size of a cat and nothing more and the wizard startles at the sight of her and hastily waves his hands to try and calm the little dragon who seems to be revving up to something because she's puffing up about as large as a cat-sized dragon can. Suddenly she breathes a little gout of fire and catches the end of Herne's staff on fire. "HA! TAKETHAT!"

Garrett adjusts his leather armor and he looks at the various people. He then looks to the quest giver and he nods. When the dragon appears he blinks and he begins to move away from Herne. "Did the dragon help the thief?"

Durgash peers calmly at the tiny dragon, and he wonders, echoing Garrett, "Are the dragon and the disappearance related? Can you tell us anything at all, or should we just go and hassle the squatters in Tref until someone coughs it up?"

Ezil is startled out of his thoughts as he had been watching Herne until the small dragon revealed itself with a ruckus and flames. He takes a step back, hand moving to gather his shield as he looks to the other's and then back to the upset, yet tiny, dragon. "Hey now! We don't want to hurt you!" he calls at the dragon, his hand away from his sword, and making a calming motion with his hands. "We just have questions!" for the moment anyways.

GAME: Ezil rolls diplomacy: (11)+10: 21

Ignis turns from preparing to mov for the quarter and blinks in surprise at the appearance of the tiny dragon. Alarm rapidly fades away to slightly concerned humor and he eventually just laughs and shakes his head, "It's alright Herne, it's alright.." He then frowns as he hears Garrett while moving closer to the dragon, "Of course she didn't." There's a pause though as he reconsiders, "At least..if so not intentionally and knowing that harm could result. However she also might have some insight into what happened. Be nice."

For the sometimes slow-moving Herne, the creature's rapid buzzing and mile-a-minute-screeching was somewhat hard to follow. In fact, his staff was burning for half a beat before the towering plant man even noticed. With a disgruntled

"Hrmm"

Rumbling from the great creature's chest, he reached up to pat out the flames with his bare hand, taking any damage it caused until his primary tool was no longer in jeopardy.

"Fire, destruction and change, chaos and rebirth all in one. You control a dangerous power, little one."

Ezil's calming motions earn him some goodwill from the dragon which is for the best as the implication that she's a thief makes her bristle at those who imply it. She lands neatly on the edge of Ezil's shield and preens. Turning herself to best advantage so that the light hits herself just so. She seems to take Herne's words as a complement as well, preening even more. Going so far as to delicately lick her claws and lash her tail so that you can get a good look at its golden perfection.

"No of course we don't think she helped take it. She's been... mostly harmless, unless you insult her or something. -" He's about to say more when Zapolklnex speaks up and the golden dragon perks up like she's just been told its her birthday.

"Ihelp! Ihelpgoodpeoplefindthing! Isawpeoplestake! Icanfind!" She launches into the air and wheels around happily, humming to herself and ducks out the door quick as you please. "Peopleskeepup!"

Ezil stares at that golden form and opened his mouth to speak, though before a word is uttered the dragon is gone, and he is left looking at the others. "I will chip in for the fish, but..." motioning after the little creature and moving to follow. "It does not seem to know patience, and that might be in our favor."

Durgash guesses we're going out the door with most of his questions unanswered. The question of can the dragon actually help remains to be seen, but with a shrug, he will hustle out the door.

"Well..it -is- a baby gold dragon.. I'm not sure patience is in abundant supply." says Ignis with a shrug to Ezil, "However..I think by offering her fish, you might have bitten off quite abit. Just saying." He then quickly moves to follow after her.

"If we must...perform this task. Then let it be done."

Herne seemed to take ages to do most things. But when there was a job to be done, a task to be completed, his motivation and dedication was next to none. When the dragon flew and traveled, the Druid followed right behind. Well, he did to the best of his ability. He wasn't the fastest, and possibly wasn't the fastest amongst this group, but he benefited from needing no rest, and feeling no ache in his 'bones' or 'joints'.

Zapolklnex notes that the others see what's going on, and decides to do his best. When the dragon goes out the door, he will pull his hood off and follow, with reasonable haste.

You are led hastily - as quickly as your group can move in fact and harried all the way by the little dragon who it seems is /quick/. She encourages you the whole time. "Comeonpeoples. Thisway!" Then she'll dart off again all the way to Tref. It seems that this is indeed where the spark is. It's more difficult to follow her through the narrower streets of the refuge town, but she doesn't let you fall behind for very long. She'll lead you all the way to where a pack of children are playing kick-ball in the street. They pay you no mind and she settles herself down on the edge of an awning to preen happily. "Hereitis! Peopleshaveit."

Durgash is, perhaps, not the most winded, he's quite used to moving quickly when the situation demands it. He'll look over the lair of the sparknappers thoughtfully, moving around to the side and back of the building if he can to check for a rear entrance. It'd be a problem if bad guys ran out the back.

Garrett follows along and moves quietly and fast. When the dragon settles down on the edge of the awning, he raises a hand and he begins to sneak his way into the building, looking around for the macguffin.

Ezil is not unaccustomed to having to travel hard and fast, his endurance holding as he comes to rest where they are led. He waits for the others to gather before speaking, motioning to the dragon, and looking towards the children, but using a low tone. "I am not the best at the stealthy arts. I will follow and take lead if there is a fight." making a hand gesture, and murmuring under his breath.

GAME: Garrett rolls stealth: (14)+11: 25

Ezil pauses in his tracks, looking to one of the kids with a strange glance. "What...." he says to himself, looking to the dragon, and then to the child again, making a motion to catch the dragons attention, but mentioning to the group. "We need eyes on that oldest child. Something is not right."

Zapolklnex is going to walk around the group, looking carefully, for any clues of who's the one who might have it. Simple, direct.

GAME: Garrett rolls perception: (20)+9: 29

Herne remains where he is, though he seems more interested in the game of kickball for a few moments. It was a strange thing to do, he thought, but when Ezil speaks, he quizzically tilts his head to study the group of youths as a whole.

"It is difficult for me to determine normal as opposed to 'not normal', when it comes to Man, Elves and Dwarves. All of this is equally strange."

Nobody on the street, or in the shop is behaving particularly untoward, but then the ball goes astray on the street, and hits the older boy sitting on the bench whom Ezil points out. Immediately the boy jumps to his feet, picks up the ball, and proceeds to stomp it flat. "That's the last time! I know you're doing it on purpose!" He glowers at the kids, and one of them starts to cry over the loss of the ball. The rest get defensive, glowering at the older boy irately. "You should all just... go to hell!"

Behind the line of irate children the air darkens and darkens until suddenly a strange creature is standing there behind them. It looks vaguely human with gray skin and a grotesquely twisted form. It's huge in size, and has arching black horns and thin claws that reach out toward one of the children who is as of yet unaware of the form behind them...

GAME: Garrett rolls sleight of hand: (15)+8: 23
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (6)+4: 10
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (1)+4: 5 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (16)+4: 20
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (14)+4: 18
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+1: (2)+1: 3

The demon over by the kid tries to pick the kid up, but the kid somehow, nimbly evades its claws. Meanwhile Garrett is hit twice by a demon that suddenly appears by his side. Taking claws deep into the arm that had dared sneak into the kids pocket.

GAME: Ezil rolls 1d20+7: (10)+7: 17
GAME: Ezil rolls 1d3+7: (3)+7: 10
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (15)+4: 19

Ezil rushes in to action with a growl, something not many has seen from him. "Leave the children alone!" the demon faced down as he places himself between it and the children, his free hand not reaching for his weapon, but balling in a fist. He didn't have the time, and his anger over the situation causes him to act rash. Coming to a halt, and swinging in a hard arch, connecting with a surge of energy and a flash of radiant light. "BEGONE!" he yells again, leaving a smoldering spot where his hand had connected. Fortune favors his decision, as the demon's retaliation for his brash move misses his armored form.

Well, things escalated quickly. Ignis does not see the pick pocket attempt but he -does- see the appearance of the demons and he starts forward in brief shock as he takes in the sudden assault. He initially steps forward in the direction of the child being assaulted but upon seeing the movement and direction of the faster Ezil, he redirects his actions in the direction of Garrett attacker, fully taking in the man's plight. His sword is out in a flash of blue, grey and gold and he quickly pushes forward in order to lend the other man aid and perhaps provide another target for the demons ire.

GAME: Durgash RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 6 temporary HP
GAME: Durgash rolls 1d20+10: (8)+10: 18
GAME: Durgash rolls 2d6+8: (9)+8: 17
GAME: Zapolklnex casts Acid Splash. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14
GAME: Zapolklnex rolls ranged: (10)+3: 13

Durgash is partway around the building when the demons show up, and it takes a few moments to retrace his steps, hauling out his greatsword as he runs. Rushing back when he sees demons, though, is a no-brainer, and he will growl an enraged challenge, swinging his greatsword from behind his back, and he hacks into the demon attacking the child, which vanishes in a puff of smoke. "Scram, kid," he advises the child.

GAME: Zapolklnex rolls 1d3: (1): 1

Herne re-awakens from his spiritual vision, returning to his earthly body and suddenly gasping as he reanimates and looks around for the first time.

"What...is happening? What is...where..."

Zapolklnex was going to go help the kids with the ball, but now.. well, greater issues. He raises himself up, lowers his hood, and flings a blob of acid past the just-fallen demon, back to the other attacker, hitting it with a small hiss.

GAME: Garrett rolls acrobatics: (19)+8: 27
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+2: (13)+2: 15

Garrett growls and mutters something in sildanyari and he tumbles to behind the demon and draws his short sword, just in time to see the demon grab the necklace from him, and he tries to keep a grip on the necklace.

The remaining demon grabs the disk in the shape of a sun from Garrett, and tosses it to the kid who had it to begin with. The kid, having the item in hand, takes off like dart. Ducking around the edge of one building and away.

GAME: Herne casts Shillelagh. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14

He looks at the child running, but the immediate threat were these snarling creatures. Herne bares his own mismatched 'teeth', and raising his shepherd's staff in the air, still singed at the top from the dragon's fire, the plant man roars out loudly as the wooden weapon glows and surges with magical energy. That meant it would not be good to be thwacked by.

GAME: Ezil rolls 1d20+5: (5)+5: 10

Ezil moves to engage the second demon, swiping at one of it's flanks and missing as he calls to Durgash who helped him dispatch the other one. "Get the kid if you can. I will try and help with this one!"

GAME: Ignis rolls 1d20+10: (4)+10: 14
GAME: Ignis rolls 1d10+5: (9)+5: 14

Light flashes and contrails from Ignis' sword as he finally finishes closing the distance and whirls in on the demon that had been attacking Garrett. His blade flourishes around, gripped in both hands as he brings it around to bite deep into the demon before him. Divine energy burns forth, manifesting like the sun briefly coming to rest upon the sword with a brilliant flash of light briefly enveloping the area around the paladin and the demon.

GAME: Durgash rolls cmb: (19)+7: 26
GAME: Zapolklnex rolls cmb: (19)+1: 20

Durgash takes off after the escaping kid like a flash, sword clanging on the ground as he drops it, and he sprints off, running after the kid and catching him up after several paces and reaching out to grab the kid's collar and yanking, pulling the kid up short and hanging on, lifting up, so the kid's not running anyplace.

Zapolklnex sees the spark go, and the kid run. So moving with slower reflexes than Durgash, he takes off like a shot, getting his hands on the thing, and yanking them from the child. Way to go big tough adventurer! "Got it!" he yells to the party.

GAME: Ignis rolls fort: (15)+9: 24
GAME: Ezil rolls fort: (12)+9: 21
GAME: Herne rolls Fortitude: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)

A spark of sulfuric stench suddenly surrounds the demon. "Please don't kill me! Please, please don't kill me!" Gibbers the demon madly, holding up its hands in surrender.

Meanwhile the little dragon apparently heard the call to chase after the kid, and does so with a mighty shriek. "IWILLGETPEOPLES!" Then she's off after the kid, a little bit late, but circling around the pair that caught him as if it's her that did the deed, even landing on the kid and cheering. "IGOTTHEPEOPLES!"

The kid struggles ineffectually in the grasp of the much larger adventurer, trying to reach the item that was stolen from him not once, but twice. "Give it back! Hey, get off my head and give that back to me!"

Herne does not enjoy the stench of the creature, and merely stands in place.

GAME: Ezil rolls 1d20+7: (10)+7: 17
GAME: Ezil rolls 1d8+3: (8)+3: 11

Ezil recoils from the stench, but is able to power through the Demon's defense, scoring a thrust with his long-sword that causes the creature to vanish in to dust. It's only after a few seconds that his sword is kept in just air that he lowers his blade, and takes a moment to catch his breath, moving from that stench.

Zapolklnex holds the spark close to his chest, and backs from the child. "I will not. This does not belong to you. If you cooperate, child, I will report to the Mages that you were cooperative in retrieving ag reat artifact from evil demons." He then turns his back to the boy, and walks to the squished ball, to Mend it.

GAME: Zapolklnex casts Mending. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14

"It's not my practice to immediately kill creatures that beg for mercy. Evil or not." says Ignis towards Ezil after also moving out of the field of the stench. His tone is even and restrained but it's obvious he's not happy. "Not to mention we could have maybe intimidated it into giving us more information on just what is going on.." The deed is done though and he sheathes his sword, the effect of holy power fading now, "No matter.." he grunts, turning now towards the captured boy.

Durgash still has the kid in one hand, carrying him now like a suitcase in one hand as he walks back to retrieve his sword. The kid's struggles don't tax the barbarian much, and he sheathes his sword after examining it to make sure there's no yuck on it. He peers as Ezil kills the surrendering demon, and he's not sure which part puzzles him more. "What's this all about, then?" he asks the child in his hand.

The kid grimly glares at Zapolklnex. "You don't know what you're dealing with. Nobody does. Someday I'll be great and then you'll all suffer!" The boy struggles but doesn't seem inclined to answer Durgash. "Shut up you old man! I'm not answering your questions." The dragon atop his head manages to stay there in spite all his moving around. She seems quite pleased with herself.

With the danger resolved, Herne looks around and sees the amulet rescued and the child apprehended. He looks down at the slain creature, and the squabbling amongst the group is not one he has much interest in.

And so, without a word, the green man turned and made his way back home.

Durgash shrugs as the kid gets mouthy and will carry him, like this, back up to the mage's place. "Fine, fine. All the same to me, we'll let the wizard eat you, then," he says, and will carry the kid back to the mage as we head back.

Zapolklnex tosses the ball to the kid who cried, gently rolling it over. He'll place the spark in a pocket, but keeping his hand on it. And if the boy who ran with the spark cooperates, he will be brought along to return the item. As for the dragon, as they travel he will speak to the creature. " I will honor what I told you. Tomorrow morning, when the fishermen come in, we will meet there, and you will have your fish."

Durgash is not letting the kid go in any event, he will be carried back to the site of the crime regardless, and if the mage doesn't have anything to say about it, he'll take the kid to the watch.

"I'll help you." offers Ignis to Zapo, some of his good nature returning, evident by a growing lopsided smirk. His annoyances regarding the demon becoming a fading memory now. "I've been trying to occasionally bring the little one some treats now and again. I think, considering how proud she is of herself, you're going to probably need some additional hands to fully satisfy her."

The mul'niessan man is thanked for his kindness in returning the ball to its natural state, but the little dragon seems less than pleased by his statement to her. "Tomorrow?!? Todayfish!" She peers at him intently, clearly demanding to be fed /right away/. She flaps her wings on the boy's head and takes to the sky a moment later much to his relief. She'll do her utmost, to convince him to feed her as soon as possible. Won't leave him alone until he does.

The boy is dragged forcibly to the mage, but he's entirely unrepentant. Doesn't care in the least that he's in trouble. He'll be arrested for the theft since he refuses to give up whomever gave him the item, but the item itself is given back to the priests in the hopes that they'll be able to better care for it.

Zapolklnex will relent, and if the dragon is satisfied with whatever the port has left at the end of the day, well, the dragon will get todayfish.

-End