powered by FreeFind index sitemap

Von Fedel scrambles to his feet staring after the dragon as it flies away to the east. He whirls back to the party, looking at Milo and Yvandel particularly. "You bastards!" he cries, before starting to cast a spell...

As Milo starts to run towards Von Fedel, Balnor throws a dagger, the blade hitting Von Fedel in the shoulder. Larz, almost at the same time, points at Von Fedel and shouts "Sleep!" Von Fedel's spell is interrupted as he is spun around by the dagger and collapses to the floor, momentarily asleep.

As Cleo and Milo arrive next to Von Fedel's inert form, Larz yells "He'll awake again any second!" As if to echo that, Von Fedel groans...

Balnor draws his rapier and starts to approach as well.

Cleo holds her blade to Von Fedel's neck as Milo rolls the man over and grabs his wrists. Balnor arrives and puts his own dagger to the evil priest's neck. Von Fedel comes fully awake again, and starts to struggle, but almost immediately stops, when he realises just how pinned he is. He relaxes then, and lets himself be tied, but as he is turned over again, he scowls at everyone nearby. "Ungrateful bastards!" he says, before looking off in the direction Manshoon disappeared. "Ungrateful bastard!" he says, before spitting, narrowly missing Balnor.

Nearby, the wooden "horse" that Von Fedel had been riding still lies where it had fallen. Slung across it is Von Fedel's smelly old satchel. It moves and a very smelly and disgusting looking dead cat pokes it's head out. It stares with lifeless eyes at the party, before slowly walking towards Von Fedel.

Manshoon's pouch of coins still lies stuck in the mud at the side of the road nearby.

Luc catches his horse and after a further 10 minutes returns to the party with the other horses which had bolted in tow.

Serena strides up to the undead cat which hisses at her, going back on it's haunches to spring. Quickly, Serena swings her sword, catching the cat in mid jump -and batting it out of the air just before it clawed her. The cat lands feet first, the head and shoulders landing a moment later a few feet further on. It doesn't move again.

Larz looks over at Serena. "What do you want a fire for?" he asks. "I reckon we should get back on our way as quickly as possible!" he continues, glancing to the south east at the distant black moor.

Feeb looks out bleary eyed at Yvandel. "Wassup?" he asks. Suddenly, his eyes go wide as he spots Von Fedel all tied up. "Yougotthebadman! Yougotthebadman!!" he starts to sing, and do a little dance, causing him to fall out of his hammock. He comes out from under the wagon, squinting in the bright daylight. He does a little jig all around the group surrounding Von Fedel, laughing and pointing.

Any worries Yvandel had about the goblin being Von Fedel's puppet disappeared as he saw Feeb dance around the captive spellcaster.

"Don't get too close, Feeb. Bad man still has bad powers..." Yvandel wanted to make sure nothing unexpected would happen.

<Balnor aka Mike B wrote>:
> Leaning his face close to Von Fedel's Balnor holds his dagger
> tighter to his throat. "If you can give me one reason not
> to kill you now would be a good time." He draws a barbarian
> dagger in his other hand (if he is still holding his rapier
> in that hand he will throw it to the side) "I'm just waiting
> to hear it from you, what can you tell me that will stop me?
> I just saw Cleo's cat die for the third time. (well second)
> I'm pretty sure there is nothing you can say!"

Von Fedel's eyes follow the goblin, a puzzelled frown on his face. His attention is suddenly brought back to focus though by Balnor and Cleo, both with blades to his neck. At Balnor's words, his face shows no fear. "You are right," he says. "There is nothing I could say that can persuade you. It is what your friends might say and think about you that might persuade you. What would they think of a man who would kill another in cold blood just because he holds to different beliefs?" His eyes flick towards Milo then back to Balnor. "And to kill a helpless man, bound and trussed like a chicken for slaughter..." He lapses into silence.

"You're only bound and helpless because we acted in time, preventing you from hurting, possibly killing any of us. We could've killed you instead." Yvandel's gaze was focused solely on Von Fedel's dark eyes. "We couldn't very well just let you go, so I think killing you is our only option..."

Yvandel rubbed his chin with his right hand, his eyes looking up into the sky for a moment.

"Although... we <could> put you in the back of a wagon, with some of us guarding you, making sure you're bound and gagged. Then we'll drop you off and have the proper authorities deal with you. You are after all a Zhentarim, follower of Manshoon..."

<Lucretia looks on in relative silence as the conversation with Von Fedel continues...he paces a little closer and then throws in his two cents.> "Thanks for the help with the barbarians Von Fedel" <he swings himself up on his horse>..."Well if you guys are going to kill him get it over with...but I think turning him over to the authorities maybe a better idea...though what are you going to charge him with?" "Bad tastes for turning a cat into a zombie or helping us defeat a group of barbarians?" "The guy is obviously a little off kilter and has a dislike for our friend Balnor here but besides that I see no reason to kill him or take him to the authorities...this is only my opinion you can take it or leave it."

<Balnor wrote>:
> Never takgin his eyes off Von Fedel "What are you guys talking about!
> This person woudl not think twice about killing any and all of you. And
> he will at the first opertunity!" Balnors eyes drift to Von Fedels shoulder
> with his dagger in it. "That must hurt... and you know what it looks like
> mine." He puts one barbarian dagger back in his belt and grabs onto the
> handle of his throwing dagger. Makign sure Cleo still has her blade to the
> clerics throught Balnor pulls the dagger out of Von Fedels shoulder and
> stands. "Well Cleo, what do youi think, should we bind and gag him and
> bring him off to the officials or should we just be rid of this scum now."
> He Spits on Von Fedel and waits for an answer.

Blondung peers out of the wagon, watching events transpire, but saying nothing.

Cleo’s sword stays perilously close to Von Fedel’s neck. Her eyes have gained a little maniac gleam to them. “He hasn’t done anything to us, you say Luc...” she says quietly yet sternly. “Just take a look at Balnor’s hand. I don’t know about you but that means something to me.” Her voice raises a little “He attacked US! We hadn’t done a damned thing to him and you want to let him go...” her voice trails off again. It appears as if she is fighting an inner battle. “Should I kill him...” she thinks to herself among all the feeling she is being drowned. She tries to fight down her anger, which is more directed at herself then at Von Fedel (How could she have let this happen....), once that is done she turns her thoughts back to what to do with him. She thinks over everything he has done to and with them. How he has helped them in battle, has played with her cat, the attack on Balnor and her, and how he has blamed them for getting Soggrin into trouble after trouble. He deserved to be punished, but should they be the ones to do it. Hadn’t she told Balnor not to kill Von Fedel when he had first found him playing with Stormy. How would they be any different from him if they kill him. What Yvandel and Milo said earlier now come into her head. They could give him to the authorities. They did have a case against him. Von Fedel did attack her and Balnor, there was no denying that and they have proof in the form of Balnor’s hand. She would hate to have to bring it up but it may be their only chance of getting Von Fedel out of their hair.

As Cleo’s little mental debate goes on the rest of the party can see that her arms stop trembling and her eyes lose the gleam that it had gained. As she is silently thinking her eyes even gained a look of pity toward the mage. Finally she speaks “Let’s take him to the authorities. The attack on Balnor and me should suffice in reason for turning him in.” She moves her blade a little away from his neck. Not enough so he can make any sudden movements, but enough that he can move without killing himself. “If we kill him” she explains “we would be no better then he. And I don’t want us to degrade ourselves.” She waits for everyone’s reaction, but most importantly she waits for Balnor’s reaction.

Merrell stared at von Fedel for a long while, letting the others converse around him. Finally he spoke, “If you won’t kill him, I will.” He then directed his words at the captured perp, “I have nothing personal against you von Fedel… at least no harder feelings than that I have for anyone who cries ‘Destroy them’ at me and my friends. You’re simply a loose end I don’t want to leave hanging about. I believe you… for your own reasons you’ve helped us out all along, but how can we believe you won’t turn that energy against us. Manshoon doesn’t want you, and we are the reason for it. I do NOT want to encounter you over and over again.”

Merrell lapsed into silence again, giving von Fedel a chance to speak. He then turned to Blondung. “You know this man better than any of us. Would you not kill him now?”

At Merrell's words, Von Fedel's eyes leap to the mage, widening with fear. He starts to look between each of the people talking about him, looking for any support for those who wish to show some mercy.

Blondung looks out from the wagon and shrugs. "I'm not going to kill him - I'd rather not have the blood of a Priest of Cyric on my hands - but if you want to - I don't care!" he says in answer to Merrell's question.

"At sea, as in the wild, there is only one law. Survival. Nature is cruel and kind at the same time, and if do a little mistake, many may loose their lives." Her voice cracks at the last sentence, closing her eyes, a big mask of pain and hurt can be seen in it. "Von Fedel is a crazy man, as all who work with the dead become sooner or later. He did attack us, played with Cleo's emotions, hurt innocent people, only to further his little agenda."

"I don't know how he did it, but he must be the one who called Manshoon, making yet another victim, Soggrin." A lone tear leaves her left eye and descends her cheek. "Even if we turn him to the proper authorities, to be questioned, from the despised look Manshoon gave him leaving him behind, he must be worthless to any attack or defense plans against Manshoon."

"I am prepared to do what I have done before. As far as I can gather, he sold one of our own to the enemy, and this, on the sea, is called treason. The penalty for treason...." she looks at Von Fedel's eyes, draws her harpoon, and puts it near his heart "The penalty for treason is death. Normally hanged or on the plank. I'll be mercifull and take your life with one swift stroke.... No suffering."

"If any of you do not want to take part in this," she looks at Milo and Yvandel "leave this place. I'll catch up with you, after I take care of him. And before anyone starts complaining, I'll do this. If not here, I'll do it at night, on the cart, or even in jail. I'll not change my mind"

"Enjoy your last five minutes of life, Von Fedel." seh says as she presses the point of the harpoon on his chest.

Ceely approaches and speaks, finally pressing the tip of her harpoon against Von Fedel's chest. Von Fedel starts to babble in fear, his eyes brimming with tears as he stares imploringly up at Ceely. "Don't kill me! Please don't kill me! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Yvandel was untouched by Von Fedel's tears. He'd made up his own mind, wanting to take him to the authorities, but he could certainly live with a quicker resolution of the problem. He didn't want to be the one carrying out the death sentence, but he wouldn't have any problem turning his head away.

Larz, standing on one of the wagons, suddenly drags everyone's attention away from Von Fedel. "Heads up" he says, pointing off down the road to the east. "We got company".

A group of four people are riding this way. They bear no coats of arms or any flags, and appear to be simply four travellers. As the group draws nearer, you can make out that a man and a woman wear no armour and carry only light personal weapons - knives and daggers. The other two look somewhat oriental. You've heard of warriors from faraway places in the East such as Rashemen, Thesk and also the Tuigan horde. Perhaps these men come from one of these races. The two easterners are heavily armed warriors with chain mail. The woman holds her hand high in a sign of greeting. As you come within shouting distance, she says: "Samastrus galtora Dracluus heilah!." The two armed men stay to the front, hands on sword hilts, prepared to defend themselves if necessary, but certainly not attacking. The other two remain just behind them. The man is a Halfelf.

Yvandel quickly stepped up to meet the arriving group. He mimicked the stranger's salute, putting his right hand high up in the air. "Hail, strangers." Yvandel then put his hands out in front of him, palms up (staff is secured to back, puppet strung around neck). He remained at a distance from the group, though he was a little too close to be able to escape an all-out charge.

Ceely looks directly at Von Fedel's feeble attempt to find pity in her heart. She flexes her fingers a few times around her harpoon, until an almost devious smile comes to her face.

She looks around to the others, and eyes Merrel, Cleo and Balnor, as if waiting for them to move along. She finally says "Damn you Von Fedel. I liked beeing your friend." She goes down and raises him, still tied, the point of her harpoon touching the ground now. "Come on. You will ride with me, I know this looney act must be some kind of magic Manshoon put over you. Let´s do this."

She smiles to Von Fedel, and continues :"You promise me you keep quiet, and not give these guys something to complain about, and that we will seek help from a mage on our way to Silverymoon. How about it?" Without waiting for an answer, she starts to undo the knot on the ropes.

Ceely finishes undoing the knots holding von Fedel, and with a quick pull, helps him stand on his feet. "Are you ok?", she asks while helping him clean himself. "Let´s go, you will be riding with me, on my horse." She gently puts her arm on his shoulder and guides him to her horse.

<Link to NEXT Scene>