Out and about

As the spell wears off Valtore stands back up. He shakes off the daze effects and looks around. "Damn mages" is all he says in responce. He then looks over the area to see the two living and few dead Zhents as the dark skinned man talks. He removes his helm and wipes his face clean of the blood. "Perhaps our scout should make sure none be hidden in the shadows listenin and perhaps a spell ta make sure none are scryin us as well? As fur their fate...kill em, tis more mercy then they'd show us and burn tha bodies is my vote."

- We need the castellan alive to interrogatory you know. About the soldier, his fate was decided in the moment he made his pledges to the lord of strife and joined the army of slavers and defillers of nature and all that is good and sacred, just be fast, no need to make him suffer before join his god realm my friend, or you can take him as prisoner too since he is defenseless in the moment... this is how I vote.

Tohrm eventually shrugged off the matter of the Zhents.

"Let 'em come to, I'd like t' hear how many a 'em're willin' t' die fer tha' God a theirs when it comes down t' it. Iff'n they ain't already dead, nay wantin' yer t' gut unconcious folk."

After that, he focusses more on the dark skinned man, then to the rest of the group.

"Now, I ain't got nay bloody clue wha' this's fer, but I jus' happened 'cross this on me daily 'rounds. Nay that'd matter, these lot 'ere're perfectly fine fer bashin' Zhents.
I dunno wha' all o' yer are plannin'..." He spoke generally, to the dark skinned man and the rest of the group.

"But iff'n this meetin' includes all a the lads 'ere I know, then I 'spose yer lot can nay be bad either... e'en iff'n yer did shoot at us. 'sides, yer shoul' work on yer aim." He jibed, then presently waited for another of the group to vouch for him in this mysterious meeting as well.

Lucius having been in the Temple catching up on the events of the last few months he was away, steps out the door and down the steps of the Temple and out onto the road. As always when leaving the safety of the Temple, he dressed in his Half Plate armor, his darkened large shield held in his left hand.

At his sides are the weapons of his trade, mace that swings at his right side looks to be rusty..but is not. And the Katana that rides firmly in place on his left hip. Only hints of that blade can been seen, hidden behind the shield and his Green cloak of the Church of Bane, that shows his rank. The man's face is also hidden, behind a black & white mask, only his long straight flowing white can be seen. Falling down the back of his cloak.
(Those that would check for the touch of the Weave on his items..would find they do glow with magic. If you wish to know what is what... pm me and I will let you know... if you make your roles. )

The man walks with no fear of his surroundings, for this is Shadowdale. And any that would attack a member of the Church, seek only their death. Turning left out of the city, Lucius goes to see how the work on the walls are going. For he firmly believes that a city is only as safe as those whom are entrusted to see to it's safety.

The dark-skinned man gave Tohrm half a chuckle and spoke, "Right. Well, I have a secure location where we can speak with him. Or, if you'd prefer, you can relieve him of his breath and we can be on our way." He scanned the area, even though Recon and the others were spread out and would let them know if anyone approached. Overly cautious, he wasn't one ot leave things to chance.

Valtore grumbles at the talking going back and forth then walks up to the zhent soilder and runs him through. A quick stab to the heart to end his miserable life. "One less ta deal with. Take tha Commander and question him if ye want or I will put em ta the blade as well. Either way I'll not be standin 'round here till half of Shadowdale arrives lookin for this lot. I'll torch the crap here and meet ye at the meeting ifin Taeron hadn't taken Yur head by then of course." He then starts to toss the dead on a pile and pours the oil he carries to torch drow trusting everyone knows better then to wait to be found by noisy adventures....

Taeron takes off his metal gauntlet and makes sure the Castellan is out cold (sending him to sleep the Uthgardt way).

He then gets up, cracks the knuckles and walks straight towards the shady guy with the crossbow. He keeps focused - his eyes locked on his "prey".

"I warned you." he mutters.

There's no doubt in anyone's mind that the barbarian will attempt to fulfill his word.

It appears the shady crossbow wielder is about to experience an Uthgardt lullaby. Firsthand.

Tohrm raised his eyebrows before taking a bottle out and opening it.

"This shoul' be good... seems more t' this than first appears."

Nadin sheets his sword and picks some rope from his pack, he ties well the castellan arms and his legs.

- Lets move, we can talk after, the fire will atract more zhents. Taeron, want The honour to carry our sleeping danzel?

Distracted by a moment from the flames of Valtore's pyre, enjoying it rather a bit too much, the dark-skinned man doesn't manage to catch Taeron's intentions in enough time. Taeron's fist meets his jaw with a smack, pushing the mystery man back several steps. Instead of responding in kind, he immediately looks to where his colleagues are assumed to be, holding his hand up, so as to indicate no response from them.

Rubbing his jaw he looks directly at Taeron, "I s'pose you imagine I deserved that," he started to move his sore jaw around. "Maybe I did. Not everyone takes to being tested. S'pose I should thank you for not swinging a blade." He continues to hold his jaw as he spoke.

He looks around at the group, possibly considering how that might affect their image of him. He shakes it off almost instantly and begins speaking again, "Either way, the pile there," he gestures towards the pile of burning corpses, "is going to attract attention soon enough and we need to find a better place to talk with this one. I'll follow your lead," his eyes meet Taeron's as he speaks the last words.

Taeron speaks a lot quieter than he usually does:

"I have no intention to challenge your leadership or damage your standing in the eyes of your men. By all means, swing back if you must. But if you order your men to shoot at my allies ever again, I will not be swinging bare fists. I care little for tests and I have seen enough great archers miss their mark."

The barbarian then puts his gauntlet back on and walks towards the fallen Castellan. He picks him up with relative ease and sets him on his shoulder.

The dark-skinned man nods respectfully and circles behind the group, "Let us move into the woods so that a decision can be made there. The perimeter is being watched, but I'd be much more comfortable less in the open."

The group began moving out of sight, into the woods nearby and the dark-skinned man followed behind. He would make sounds similar to those made by animals, including birds periodically to instruct his men.

////////// The rebel factor of this thread is concluded. It is now open to discovery. A tracker might find signs of the struggle and anyone could find a pile of burning corpses with Zhentarim armor on the corpses or lying nearby.

((assuming that enough time has passed that Castle's absence has been noticed...))

The Balck Fang looks across her desk at the shadowy figure sitting in front of her with her usual cold and calm expression before speaking softly, "Find the Castellan, tell me where he is."

The figure nods, "Understood," and stands before bowing and leaving the office quietly.

Once the battle is over the dark figure that had been standing in the shadows since the Castellan entered the woods would smirk to himself before turning and walking off into his own direction.

Tohrm shrugs at the group and looks around the perimeter.

"Watched is it? Tha's nice, yer coul' jus' figh' the bloody bastards rather'n try prove somethin'.
Le's get this o'er wit' then, I can't see this goin' ver' far."

**Edited to reflect in-game RP**

The shadowy figure immediately begins to work looking for clues as to where the Castellan went. She would begin by taking note of the Castellan departure through his guards and would soon find herself out of Shadowdale heading toward the rising smoke keeping to the shadows not attracting attention.

Having found a Zhentarim soldiers burning the shadowy figure numbers them and link the dead to the escort of the Castelan. She then returns to Shadowdale and seeks further clues. Not finding much she resorts to her next best tactic... getting someone to give the information willingly... or not. That person took the form of an elvan girl freshly out of a public lashing.

"Let's try the gentle way with this one... it may bring results she thought..."

She brought the elf to the inn where she helped her heal the wounds in exchange she requested her help to pay back her debt. A simple enough task really... "Where is Castelan Castle?"