HT Player DS Character Name Type Status/Notes Sex -- ----------------------------------------------------------------- R1.John Haight.......HY..Arawn.............Druid .Normal/Alfar .. Ma --.Tobie Bonahoom....YY..Fremea............Sidh....Normal/Faerry.. Fe R3.Mark Murtha.......HN..Kell..............Trader..Normal/Human....Ma W2R2.David Sanders.....HN..Kiet.Sunan........Acrobat Normal/Human ..Ma R4.Wout Broere.......YY..Unali.............Ninja...Normal/Human ..Fe R3 Panthera..............Pyandalgor........Hunter..Normal/Human....Ma W3R4.Alex Koponen......YY..Z'leyra...........Healer..Normal/Human ..Fe Animals: Corona [Eagle] Z'leyra Game Web Site - http:/nrgcomputers.com/pbem/ Public posts/actions to pnpgm@list.powersandperils.org (mailing list) Private emails (not public actions) to pnpgm@comcast.net Game Update #46 sequence (file #340) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Admin Notes: None. ---------------------------------------------------------------- [Recap] From Z'leyra: [Re: Actions] Glad to have Troy Caver's money dealt with Z'leyra states that the money made should be allocated towards covering party expenses as it took the whole party to get it delivered safely. Z'leyra will do the spells as stated. One to verify what happened to Poorda and who did it, the rest to do her best to track down the murderer. She will take careful note of details like height, length of hair, skin blemishes, shadow, type of stride, et cetera so as to have the best idea of whether it was a disguise or illusion or even her sister. GM: Ack. So to expenses then keep the rest of the gold? Ignore the fees from last update? Ok. From Z'leyra: [Re: Actions] Z'leyra pays the listed costs for court lawyer and guards. GM: Ack. I figured but guess still unanswered about the rest from last update so guess you keep the rest. From Kell: [Re: Actions] [Time: 7:08 am] [I totally don't remember the moneylender's name, so I'm naming him Sorrel. There. Change it if necessary. ] Ha'Kell will politely inquire of Sorrel the moneylender. "I.. Kell will use his eloquence and skills to build a possible plan that needs funding, to keep the moneylender talking. Ideally more dirt will emerge about the Smith clan, perhaps something to use against them. Kell tries to subtly mine the knowledge from Sorrell, using the idea of him making more money to spill the dirt. Business plan - to import metals and other things that cost much more here, and export the cheap items back. There is nothing better than making money both ways on a trip, and Ha'Kell has plenty of experience with this and running these companies. [In case it comes up with the lender.] Point of fact, Kell actually has considered this plan and given more time it may be a possibility, but not now. Z is more important. [Time: 9:41 am] Kell tries to listen in, wondering why Hammerhand is talking so closely with Martin Smith. That seems odd, did he miss it before? Kell will pay any other outstanding costs. GM: Ack. I never named him. We've seen tons of names already and I just added tons to people file. So another moneylender is no big deal. As in what cots to help out so I can refund Z'leyra? Let me know I'll keep the chart below. ------------------------------------------------------------ [New Stuff] [Ticasi] [Decalis 24th, 1634TH] [Ticasi Moneylender shop] [Time: 7:08 am] The moneylender finishes the transaction and starts to setup his counter with merchandise from locked drawers. Ha'Kell will politely inquire of Sorrel the moneylender. "I have a possible business deal, but need more capital for funding. I have two possible lenders, yourself and one Sovis Smith. We have only been here for a few days, yet the Smith clan seems to have fingers everywhere. Can you say anymore about him or the Smiths? I am still unsure about their ability to fund the project, or if you are a better option. I know your are honorable Mr Sorrell, after this transaction." The man stops and stares at Kell and Arawn smiles and raises a hand. He begins to translate what Kell had tried to say. About the Smith clan fingering Mr Sorrell and something about a deal with Sovis it becomes clear. Arawn smiles and glances at Kell for slower speaker as he mis-spoke a few phrases. Calling him his honor instead of honorable? The moneylender nods at Arawn, "what deal?" Kell gets the gist of his lack of Donaran fluency and begins to speak in Marentian for Arawn to translate. Arawn himself may not be a native but knows enough to be fluent. Kell begins to outline his plan about exchange of metals for cheap items. That it seems certain folks like the Smith clan may have the lock on metal imports. But then he sees the small items on the shelves and counters. They are small knick knack painted statues no taller than a fist. The man must be selling these things from afar. On one shelf there is a clear indication of Bhamotin flare of their water marks on the plaster things. Kell adapts and explains he is from Marentian and often does business in Ba'ru his home. He has access to great samples of these items. That he could help bring in more if the man wishes. This seems to perk up the man. Arawn translates as he talks fast and Kell misses a few words. "I do not deal with metals. The merchant ship captains do all that at the docks. My wife likes these things.." He picks up a small statue of a slick tiger like animal leaping over a log in mid stride. Kell knows these tourist things are all over the place. "So those she doesn't like I sell. It is more a hobby thing. Most here in town see it fruitless with their studies. But there are visitors who buy these things. They like them from as far wide as Gom and Bhamotin. As to Smith." He places the small thing on the table and stacks a few others. "He charges high interest and when one can't pay well ...let's just say the healers are busy after that. Any kind of deal would have to be worth it. Shipping by land would take 1 to 2 months. By boat maybe a month. Losses happen and so a good contract would be in order. What do you have in mind?" Arawn looks to Kell like what have you gotten him into? They are due back to court very shortly. [Courthouse lobby] [Time: 9:41 am] The party finds Hammerhand and Smith talking quietly but they both stop when they are seen. Too fast for even Arawn to cast a spell to listen to. Kell finds it odd that the both would be talking. But it does not take a empath to see Hammerhand is annoyed and upset while Smith is gloating and enjoying things. He may not be enjoying his son going to prison but he may be glad to be free. When Hammerhand explains things become a bit clear. Hammerhand must have been hijacked into the conversation and probably wanted to take Martin down but with the guards around he choose not to do so. Kell really wants to see Martin taken down in any way he can. Maybe Kell can talk to Damon and even with help from Unali Duke Aren to get some economic strings pulled. But that may be a long way off. [Time: 9:57 am] The party with Uncle Hammerhand head back to his place in silence for a bit. It is clear that Hammerhand does not like the change of events. Now Martin Smith will get a free ride to avoid jail and probably remain a councilor. [Time: 10:12 am] The party arrives at Tiren's, now Hammerhands's, place and move on toward Poorda's. The guards are still both in position from their night patrol and report nothing but boredom. Z'leyra ensures all get paid. Z'leyra stares at Poorda's place for some time. She was always a crazy old lady even when she was first came here. While she did not openly hate Z'leyra she as with just about everyone else in the city were annoying or brattish. This was just a normal thing for Poorda nothing personal Z'leyra figured out years later. Now she was dead for what? A Vase? A structure so they could build land? Is a life worth so much less than just that? On the walk over Kiet and Fremea gave full descriptions of Gorsh. While he has admitted the crime Z'leyra still wishes to see the murder for some reason. But the man was in the hallway and she never actually saw him. Z'leyra enters the house and into the parlor where the crime happened. Sure enough there is a spot where the vase is missing. She always liked gaudy things even when Z'leyra was in school. Z'leyra think she did it just to annoy folks. She actually paid for a spittoon from Gom that was the color of purple and a chamber pot the color of brown and puke green. Poorda did indeed like to rock the waves of normal things. After circling the room she grabs her wand and casts the spell which was just a day before. She first casts purification and then Akasha. Based on investigator it seems to have been between 2 and 3 hours before the group were at Tiren's place. The problem is since the exact time is not known Z'leyra will need to cast a higher spell just to see that hour. Even at the most basic spell she would only be able to see 10 minutes. The odds of finding that exact time is low. Based on the time frames from the investigator she starts at the low end of the 2 hours and casts for it. In just a few seconds she sees in her trance the day before. The sun is in a different position. She watches as Poorda sits knitting some kind of blanket. The same one that is now under the table discarded. Z'leyra waits and watches as minutes seem to pass. Z'leyra notices Poorda grunt and lift her side and sniff the air. Z'leyra is glad she can't smell from the spell. Soon the exact time unknown, Poorda stands up and moves. Z'leyra sees Poorda disappear as she fades away from the spell leaving the room. Z'leyra curses that maybe she may need to recast. But soon Poorda and Gorsh re-enter. Porrda seems to chide the man for still wearing his hat as he removes it finally. Though there is no sound Poorda seems to listen to the man speak. Maybe Z'leyra will have to learn lip reading one of these days. Gorsh seems to wave his hand as if to indicate the house. Poorda steps back and stamps her feet while crossing her arms. It may not be possible to hear the conversation but it seems clear Gorsh is offering yet another amount on the house. But she is clearly not wanting to leave. Then Poorda steps forward between Gorsh and the couch and tells Gorsh to leave. She then turns to grab her knitting device which is sharp but clearly not a weapon. This is when Gorsh with back to him grabs her from behind. Using a garrote of leather he wraps it around her neck. She begins to struggle wildly. This seems to match what the investigator found with marks on her neck. But Poorda only 95 pounds at best is no match again Gorsh who has over 100 pounds on her. Z'leyra begins to feel sick at the sight of another murder. These spells are meant to reveal truth but now she may have memories of her dad and Poorda for years. Within a few seconds Poorda loses her struggle and slumps to the ground. Gorsh gets his leather strap and for measure kicks the woman to ensure she is dead. Then Gorsh begins to move furniture and items to the side to show a possible robbery. But he does not seem to now how best to do this so just makes things look normal to Z'leyra. Then he sees the gaudy red/orange vase and grabs it. He considers shattering it on the ground but decides to put it under his arms and leaves the room. Soon the spell ends with nothing else happening. Z'leyra heads to the back door and enters the garden. Now it will be a bit more difficult. Poorda was vague on the man with the hat in her garden time wise. "Shortly before" is not an exact time. At the highest spell she will only see maybe an hour or 70 minutes. Based on the Akasha yesterday she can estimate on when the 'start' of Tiren's visitors came about with Milo and such. So she will try to cast the spell at least 90 minutes before Milo's estimated visit. Z'leyra casts another Purification. Again it is hard to tell where the man stepped but there has to be a path between the garden spot and the back end of her yard which is not fenced. Then she casts a high Akasha spell for the 90 min before Milo's visit. At this level she'll have 70 minutes to see. [Time: 10:23 am] Z'leyra watches and waits. But nothing happens. The spell worked but there is no sign of anyone. For the party who are watching to protect her body she is in a trance for almost 3 minutes. [Time: 10:27 am] Z'leyra recasts the spell but this time an hour before the last event. She enters the trance. Soon what seems like hours but is only about a minute she sees a man enter as if appear from thin air into the spell. The man in his early 30s is 5 foot 10 or so. He is indeed wearing a floppy hat but he is not Gorsh. While he is clean shaven his hands show callused intense manual labor. He is flexing his left hand as if nervous or used to something like a drug or dice. She has seen Balrog describe that motion before with folks who like to flex dice for nerves or as an addiction. The man is startled by Poorda from the back door yelling at the man probably not to walk on her garden. The man waves her aside and ignores her. Then Poorda leaves and comes back with a broom exiting the house. The feisty woman begins to wave the broom and the man moves to the north west toward the back end of her yard. The man fades from the proximity of the spell and Poorda continues to yell to thin air. Then she re enters the house. Z'leyra could chase the man but it seems Poorda was correct the gambler was indeed heading to the gaming joint on the other street using her place as a short cut. So the entire set of spells was useless. But it did at least prove it wasn't Gorsh. [Time: 10:30 am] Z'leyra dismisses the guard and waves the party to Tiren's place. There Hammerhand is already there and talking to the guard. Suddenly two men exit Hammerhand's place but he does not seem to be startled by it. The first man stands 6 foot 5 and 235 pounds. Has black hair and around 24-25. He is wearing a sky blue tunic with brown leather pants and a nice snakeskin belt with silver buckle. The man's arm muscles and body frame fills out the tunic well. He has a sword in a nice leather sheath on his hip. On his belt on the other side is a dirk it looks like in a small sheath. His green eyes gleam as he watches the party up and down as if to measure them up. The party wonder how both men can be armed but figure they must be allowed to do so. The second man stands 6' 2 and only about 170 pounds. He is maybe 20-21. The man has light brown hair as if in the sun for a long time. He does not seem as strong as the other man but seems to hold himself with more standing. Based on how he positions himself and his feet he seems to be higher station than the other man who is clearly a working man. This young man has a sword in a sheath but tucked further behind on his hip as it its not his main weapon. On the other side a dagger is seen and on that side a whip is strung on a belt notch. When he turns Unali notices a sling on his back ready for the reach. A pouch on his left is probably sling ammo. He is wearing a tan tunic with brown vest over it that shows both men are not dressed for the cold or their coats are elsewhere. His black pants show nicely made leather boots compared to the simple boots of the other man. Hammerhand waves to the two men. "I'm told these two men will be coming with you to ensure justice and the real killer is found?" He looks at Z'leyra with a stern look. He points to the man with the whip, "This is Lucria Cegra he is one of the city's best bounty hunters. I'm told he has been in many lands. This is Fuk Newsome and he is a Chief in the Constables and is regarded as one of their best. He is one of their best trackers and top men. Occasionally he has to gone to some lands but not as well traveled as Cegra." The men nod and watch Z'leyra. Z'leyra introduces the party to the men. The scholar did say she would be helped by these two men but figured it would be later. Maybe he wants her to leave sooner. [Time: 10:36 am] Z'leyra enters the shop since seeing the murder. To think this place will be destroyed in a couple days. Ki and Martin may not be stopped now even if they tried. Z'leyra fingers the table and then the anvil heating area. She can recall many days working here. Now it seems alien to her as she has her own place back in Sivas. Z'leyra exits into the back yard and sees the place overgrown with weeds and lack of clean up. This is where she saw the green version of herself exit from the last spell. She finds the center of the area the lady must've worked and begins to cast her purification and Akasha spell. In a few seconds she is in her trance. This time she knows when this happened based on estimates of the last spell in the workshop. She watches as Green Z exits into the back yard. This time Z'leyra watches Green Z closer. She is about the same height and body frame. Same eyes overall body frame. Her hair is slightly different more hanging down her back compares to Z'leyra who working over fire tends to bind her hair. Course Z'leyra also lets her hair down often but this is not anything more conclusive. She watches Green Z cross behind the back of the house. At one point she turns and stares at the back door then oddly at where Z'leyra is standing. Could she see herself? No. That makes no sense. The woman moves eastward into the yard of the next house to the east fading from the spell's range. The next home is vacant as it is ready for being destroyed. So Z'leyra moves toward that area. She decides to recast the spell on the north eastern corner of the house. That way if Green Z moves in a different direction she can at least see it. She recasts the spells again. [Time: 10:41 am] Recasting the two spells she watches as Green Z moves into the view of the spell moving behind the second house. She indeed turns at the corner and moves south. That is when Z'leyra sees a horse tied up against a tree. Z'leyra groans knowing that chasing a person on a horse with this spell will be near impossible. Green Z mounts up and pats the horse moving south and out of view of the spell fading away. Z'leyra moves toward the street and places the center of her new spell there. She needs to see where she went. [Time: 10:46 am] The party watches as she recasts the spells in the street. They position nearby to prevent riders or wagons but this street is very quiet. Z'leyra watches the horse and green Z reenter the scene. She watches the horse carefully. It is a normal looking black horse with a thin white stripe on lower left rear leg. The saddle seems typical but with nothing special about it other than wear and tear. There does not seem to be any brands on the horse either. But as Green Z moves Z'leyra notices on the saddle a mark that looks like a ranch logo. She makes a note of the circle with a half square in memory. She watches as Green Z turns eastward and heads down the street. By now Z'leyra can assume the workshop is on fire and the bold nature of Green Z to ride openly like this amazes her. Green Z fades again as it passes the 100 foot limit. [Time: 10:52 am] Z'leyra looks down to the intersection of streets at the end of her own street. There are 5 houses and that's at least 6 or so spells. She can't recast that many. So she decides to hope the intersection will help pinpoint her direction. She heads that way and stands in the middle of the four way street intersection. Z'leyra recasts the spell and waits with a estimated time of 8-10 minutes added to the last spell to give Green Z time to get here. Sure enough Green Z and horse come into view of the spell and then simply turns south down that road. Green Z does not seem to show any expression at all just riding as if its a normal day. In seconds Green Z and horse fade south out of range of the spell. The south street is a major street in the area that is at least 3 miles long. At 100 feet each there is just no way she can scan every 100 feet and have enough energy. Z'leyra scans the street. There are at least a half dozen blocks of homes and some stores at the end. But 3/4ths the way down the street are light woods between two blocks of homes. Where could Green Z have gone? If this is a disguise or illusion she will need to find cover. The nearest gate out of the city is some 4.5 miles south of here. Again it would be impossible to find her using the spell. The spell itself covers the full width of the street so Z'leyra moves to the center of the nearest point before another intersection. Around a half mile away. She hopes to cast it there. She asks the party to ensure her safety from passing folks. [Time: 11:03 am] Z'leyra recasts the spot between the last intersection and next one. She waits and watches as indeed Green Z and horse move south without worry in the world. She sees two people walk by but do not seem to care who Green Z is so ignore her. With half of her possible energy gone from the spells she decides to move to the next major intersection to recast. This time she has to wait for folks to pass and three wagons to cross. Z'leyra recasts the spell with estimated time change of Green Z's possible travel. Indeed Green Z continues southward. Z'leyra scans the road. The woods are now half way between here and the next intersection which is maybe a mile away. She moves toward the next intersection. [Time: 11:12 am] At the next intersection with help from the party she recasts the spells. She exits the trance this time though but does not see Green Z. Either she did not estimate the time frame well or Green Z went somewhere else? She asks if Arawn sensed the spells worked. He nods. Unsure if she did indeed mis calculate the time she shifts the spell duration slightly. Z'leyra recasts but again nothing is seen. Exiting the trance Z'leyra is startled to see a wagon only 3 feet from her with Unali and Arawn telling the man to just wait. But the man hauling fruit argues. Exiting the trance she steps to the side letting the wagon pass. Arawn tells her the purification seemed to fail but not the Akasha spell. [Time: 11:18 am] Z'leyra figures if a killer needed to flee one would use something to cover oneself like the woods. She moves back to the woods which covers the length of 3 streets which is probably 800 feet. Not enough time to cast a spell for each spot much less the energy. She asks Corona to look for any good spots to hide a horse or from view of the streets. Minutes later Corona reports there is a spot some 500 odd feet north of her that has a down rotten log with a thick inlet of trees that would cover a small shack though nothing is there. Otherwise the woods are too light for much cover at least for the first half mile from the road. Z'leyra ask Pyan and others who might could gleam clues. But since it was two years she doubts anyone can find anything. [Time: 11:22 am] Pyan then calls Z'leyra over and shows a plant. Z'leyra scans the area and finds the plant is maybe 200 feet from the road and 50 feet from the woods. But she sees only a plant. Then Pyan points out thin hairs that are very long. Z'leyra leans down and then Kiet recognizes the hairs as a tail hairs of a large animal maybe a horse. Being on the ranch back in Sivas he saw many horses lose hairs or get snagged by railings. I need the hairs seem to be black but there are maybe only 3 of them Arawn finds the plant to be a common one that based o its height would've grown only 2-3 years before. Z'leyra wonders if a tree was here and snagged the horse or a horse here? Could the horse have left waste here and the hairs dug in to a future bush that is only knee high? Z'leyra confers with Corona on where the log is and heads to the nearest clump of trees for the spells. She recasts and sees nothing. [Time: 11:31 am] Z'leyra heads to the log and trees Corona speaks of. But there is no sign of human life not even trash. Course after two and a half years finding tracks would be impossible. She decides to recast the spells. Just before she exits the trance nothing is seen but the last few seconds when Green Z is seen walking past the log. Then the spell ends. With luck she has found Green Z but she is now walking and no sign of the horse. She decides to recast and estimates the time from that last event. This time Green Z appears but the horse is not with her. She must've gotten rid of the horse? Green Z enters the thick woods and seems to count down a few seconds and peers around. Then Green Z begins to mouth something but Z'leyra can't figure out what. Seconds later Z'leyra suddenly reforms. From a human into a thing. No, Green Z becomes a dog of some sort? The dog discards the ruined green suit and moves away. Z'leyra stares and sees the dog is not a dog but a wolf. She has seen Thig's pets which were wolves too many times. She has seen Cetric with his wolves. No this is not a dog but a grey wolf that looks to be larger of middle age or so. There is no distinctive marks on the wolf at all as it moves north east into the woods and fades from sight of the spell. [Time: 11:36 am] Exiting the trance Z'leyra stares. So this Green Z was indeed not a disguise and not an illusion. But maybe she was a magic user who could shape shift? As the others stare she then recalls. Z'leyra tries to concentrate on the change from human to wolf. She tries to see the naked female (well almost as her clothes were tearing) for marks. But it was simply too fast and she did have clothes on. Her sister a fellow Shaman had a Tonah of a Wolf. Hammerhand looks at Z'leyra and asks, "what did you see?" Actions? Comments? Next Update....Monday... GM: A good spot to stop. Z'leyra could try hit/miss to find where the wolf left but again it will take time to pinpoint and spells would be time consuming and expensive. Two updates in one week! :) I was off Today/Fri so it helped. I'll try even 2 for next week. But at 500 lines I think we are big enough for now. Depending on things I'll work on some of it Saturday or Monday. Now what Z'leyra? Might could afford 3 MAYBE 4 more spells. I've not done math but you've done 106 mana for the day already GM: Expenses Court costs - 4 Silver expenses for scribes, etc Lawyer - 14 silver for 2 days work Tiren Guards- 18 copper (3 guards 1 at Poorda's 2 at Tirens) Total 18 Silver 18 CC After pay 23 Gold 2 CC left Guess Z'leyra keeps rest. GM: Spells cast: Success Failure Mana Purification 8 4 36 Akasha EL0 1 - 4 Akasha EL6 11 - 66 +1 EL GM: Website update- Ppeople file updated. All those names from recent updates now in this short file for quick reference in case need later.