CH 3: Trouble Arises

[JadedDM]

"Corya," the woman says. She unconsciously brushes a lock of her hair over her ear, revealing that it has a slight point to it. Realizing what she has done, she quickly covers it up again before anyone else notices. "My room is this way," she says, gesturing.

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Meanwhile, the others gather their gear and head right toward the Chamber of Paladine. As they begin to descend down toward the chamber, all of them immediately notice two sets of muddy footprints on the staircase leading downward; a large dog's and a human's. Both lead directly to the door of the Chamber of Paladine and through the door into the tomb.

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Erastin makes a WIS+2 check (1d20): 1, pass. Notices the footprints.
Galeneye makes a WIS+2 check (1d20): 11, pass. Notices the footprints.
Targin makes a WIS+2 check (1d20): 1, pass. Notices the footprints.
Jinali makes a WIS+2 check (1d20): 4, pass. Notices the footprints.
Selowen makes a WIS+2 check (1d20): 1, pass. Notices the footprints.

(OOC: Did I really roll a 1 three times? Guess it's a good thing these aren't attack rolls!)

[Breila]

"Corya" Karathos repeats. "What a nice name for a nice person." He looks at her, doing the quick series of nods he does in the place of a smile, then realizes Corya can't know that. "You must be confused by my nods. I do that when someone with a more human-like face would smile" he explains.

"You seem to have some elven blood in your ancestry, like my friend Jinali" he says to keep up their conversation as he follows her. Only part of his attention is on Corya, he keeps his senses alert like a bodyguard would, also to catch things that might help him and his friends to find out what happened.

[Jerrard]

"Well these are rather obvious, what do you think Galenye?" Erastin asks as he walks in, dressed in his armor with his blade hanging loosely at his side, his hair fluttering around his head. "A Man, and a Dog? How strange."

[JadedDM]

"Oh, I see," Corya says. "I must confess, I've never met or even seen a minotaur before. But I have heard of them. Supposedly, they are ruthless pirates who plague the northern seas. You seem much more polite and well-spoken than I had been led to believe."

The woman blushes at the mention of her heritage. "Oh, uh...y-yes, my mother was a Qualinesti," she admits.

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It is now First Watch (7:00 AM).

[HorizonsDream]

"I didn't think they would be that obvious," Galenye admits with a shrug as she starts searching for where the footsteps actually began.

[JadedDM]

The footsteps seem to begin at the courtyard, lead down toward the cellar, and into the tomb.

[Breila]

Karathos laughs lightly. "Oh, I have been in the company of a knight candidate and three young ladies for a while, plus the candidate's instructor. They have taught me manners" he says with a wink. "And yes, my people are sea warriors. But we do have our own code of honor, believe me."

He is surprised Corya doesn't want to show her elven heritage, Jinali had never tried to hide it. However, he finds no way to mention it, so he drops the subject. Instead, he asks: "Are you related to Sir Charles?"

[JadedDM]

Corya looks at him funny, then erupts into a melodious laugh, bringing her hand to her mouth. "Oh, Charlie? No, no. How scandalous that would be, a hoity-toity nobleman like him related to a half-elf. We only just met recently. He took it upon himself to be my guardian, as knights are wont to do. I swear, the way these knights act sometimes, you would think they've never seen a woman before. Everyone's opening doors for me, carrying even the smallest load for me," she pauses a moment before giggling. "One poor man even tried to write and perform a sonnet for me. Ohhh, that was painful."

[Breila]

Karathos frowns. "So only »pure« humans are fully accepted here? That is strange, one should think that every honorable and able-bodied person should be welcome among those who have sworn to fight for the good."

Almost unconsciously, his hand strokes over his battle axe, bonebiter. "But if you're not related to Sir Charles, what can he have said that upset you so?"

[JadedDM]

Corya nods. "The knighthood only accepts humans--Solamnic humans--and only those of noble birth can become Knights of the Rose, like the Grandmaster or Charlie." She smiles sardonically. "And by 'humans' I mean men, specifically. There have been some rare instances of a woman becoming a knight, but it's still almost unprecedented." She shrugs. "That's just the way it is."

At Karathos' second remark, she brings her knuckle up to her mouth, as if to cough, but then doesn't. "Oh, were you watching me?" she asks with mock shyness. "Charlie's a nice enough guy, but he can be a bit of a pompous ass sometimes." She grins. "Guess that's true of most noblemen. Anyway, he's all upset about the sword being stolen. Decided to take some of his frustration out on poor little me, I suppose."

[Breila]

Karathos shakes his big head. "How can any man take his frustration out on a beautiful woman like you" he says. "But the sword being stolen is a grave incident indeed. I wish had an idea about what might have happened." Then a glint glows up in his eyes: "What would all these highbrow knights say if it was someone like you or me, whom they see as inferior, who found that sword?"

[JadedDM]

"Oh, you," she says with a modest wave at being called beautiful.

At his question, she giggles again. "How scandalous that would be! I can imagine all of the old coots on the council reacting to that. They would probably tie their mustaches in knots! Especially since everyone's saying that the thief was a knight himself. Or that is what the fellow who was on night guard said, anyway. Some knight approached him, beat him up, then made off with the sword. Poor fellow's in the infirmary."

She shrugs. "But I'm sure one of the candidates will find it. They sure are motivated. It was a smart move to offer them full knighthood for finding it."

[Breila]

Karathos nods. "It was, yes. Unless one of the candidates or a sponsor stole the sword. Then they can lay back for a while and show up with the sword after some time, getting all the honor and gain access to the highbrows' favor.

Anyway, we have arrived at your rooms. And you're laughing again. So I bid you a good day, my lady Corya." Karathos bows and prepares to leave.

[JadedDM]

Corya gives a little curtsy. "Thank you for the escort, Master Karathos." Bidding him farewell, she enters her room, leaving the minotaur only with the faint impression of her perfume lingering in the hall.

[Breila]

Karathos inhales her perfume for one last time, then shakes his head to clear it, and turns toward his room to fully dress and put on his armor before joining his friends. All the while, he goes over the conversation, making up his mind about what he found out and should tell them.