Snatched in the Night
30th of Kuthona 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
After the Chelish ship had continued along its course, no doubt to the misfortune of the captain once it becomes known how he had been fooled, for the Infernal Empire does not abide fools, you continue on until the daylight leeches from a sky left mostly starless in the gloom of the year's passing. Still, there is plenty of light for you to see by and your companions likewise, all on guard against a shadow slipping behind you, cold fingers reaching for the throat. So all of you are standing with your backs to something solid, which around here mostly means trees, though Mina had managed to find a piece of rough moss covered granite rising from the bank like the fallen tooth of some primordial river god and Cob had choose to stay in a tree to cast his sharp eyes farther.
For her part Anippe is a little too excited to be up this late with a monster abroad, but one can hope nothing will show itself to dissuade her of the naivete of youth as she chats quietly with Srim about the arcane significance of shadows and if something can be a perfect reflection of imperfect material reality.
Maybe the vampire won't show itself, it's shown itself cautious so far, you allow yourself a note of rising hope as the hours wear on.
Alas, the enemy has another prize in mind. The alarm goes up among among the iruxi first, a flurry of sibilant calls frantically seeking an answer, then one of them jumps from his self-appointed post and Cob almost falls from his perch.
Three of the hatchings are gone and in their place a note in the script of Nidal, though lacking the flourishes and barbs so common to the Umbral Court. 'Blunt as a pick to the skull,' Sirim calls it as he begins to read out for the rest of you and for the iruxi gathered close to hear:
Heretic,
I have taken the little beasts away to the North, there you will find a glade once belonging to the druids of the Whisperwood before the Chelish Inquisition dealt with them. Know that it has been rededicated to our Lord in Endless Agony. Unless you wish the savages to be serenaded by the screams of their get all throughout the flight you will face me there alone to meet your fate.
Cicat of Brimstone Springs
Never since you have known him have you felt his voice so cold in your mind.
"It would seem the blood-drinker was after me after all. Though why he would seek to take iruxi youths to force my hand I do not know..."
Because it saw how you acted around Anippe, you bite your tongue against saying. It's easy to imagine one raised on the same poison as Sirim had been simply judging that the shade had 'gone soft for children,' not bothering to distinguish between the young mageling he had taken under his wing and the young iruxi who were Gorok's charge. After all, it would be so much easier to kidnap them then the girl whom you had kept so close, thinking her his quarry.
"He is proposing a duel, though contempt drips from the page," the shade continues.
"Alas for ambitious 'Cicat,' he could not make the offer formal as that would imply I am still worthy of the honor, heretic that I am. I wonder what forced his hand? First he risks revealing my past and the shame it brings to petty Chelish officers where it might become common gossip, then he kidnaps the iruxi... it almost reeks of desperation. I wonder how many favors he had to promise already to follow us this far?"
"It doesn't matter, we are going after then," Mina says, but then to her surprise Gorok interjects.
"It does matter,
why?"
"Either his patron is growing impatient or... The blood. Cob, you said he injured you back in Augustana?"
Your small friend nods, ears still dropping, teeth set in a sharp-toothed grimace that no one could mistake for his usual smile.
"He must have taken your blood before destroying his own, but it will run out eventually. The more times we break the trail the harder we are to follow, and now we head out onto the water. This thrall might know we are heading to Cassomir, he might not."
Sirim Knowledge Arcana (DC 22): 1d20+15 = 24 (Success)
That gives you an idea...
[] Sirim should go alone while the rest of you teleport in once he reaches his destination
[] So this blood-drinker can hide, can he see as well? Sirim can feign going alone while the rest of you hide and follow
[] Write in
OOC: Perception vs Stealth rolls hidden again since since that's an unknown unknown.
