At the Tower of Resugent and Surrounding Lands (TS GL3 Pregame week 1)

#1

Khalid looked upset, worried, as he glanced around the beer tent. The rough hewn bar was made from sand smoothed and sun bleached wood, and the haughty blond haired blue eyed Earther behind the bar had no interest in the swarthy traveler who already seemed to have lingered a bit too long.

Khalid didn’t have much of a choice. He needed to meet with Knight Captain Resugent, and needed to do so in a location where he would not draw suspicion. This beer tent was but one of many along the border of Absalom and Hebron, places where Paladins and others could hobnob with no one questioning who was for and who was against integration.

Knight Captain Resugent would be here on his rounds visiting the holdings within the border of his tower. This specific area had drawn attention due to rumors of rogue Inquisitors hiding among the hardscrabble farmers.

Once Resugent arrived, Khalid could ask him about the rumors that Mortis Leonin had come back to town.

#2

The Tower of Resugent stood proudly like it had for years, however it was no longer a lone bastion of civilization surrounded by barbarism, it now proudly defended a small community of earthers who had fled from the ruins of Jamesville after the vile Warmonger cultists irradiated the town. Paladin Resugent had come far in his life, just a year ago he was simply a veteran Paladin in the army of Lord Grimaldus, now he was the leader of a community and in charge of his own army. He had learned much about the realities of this world and was proud that he managed to convince his Lord Grimaldus of the truth. Together they had managed to carve out these new Provisional colonies and had taken the first step toward peace in these Goblin Lands.

Things had been quiet for the last couple of months, the Church had mostly kept to themselves with only a little trouble coming out of the lands they still controlled. That is when Paladin Lord Resugent received a letter regarding the capture of a thief. Normally Resugent wouldn’t take up such a task himself, he had too much work to do to go out searching for a criminal but when he learned that the criminal in question was Mortis Leonin he knew that sending his soldiers would only mean their death. He would have to go himself, he couldn’t order any of his people to their deaths. He ordered his squire to gather his equipment and gather supplies, then wrote a letter to Lord Grimaldus explaining the situation.

Ser Resugent mounted his horse and began riding to the location written in the letter, it wasn’t too far from his tower. As he rode, his mind wandered to Khalid Phoenixkiller, he wondered how he was doing. After all, it was only after meeting that strange man did his life change so drastically…

#3

Lord Resugent arrived without any fan fare, which surprised retired Sir Mandrell where he stood behind the bar. The barkeep immediately set a table up for his lordship and the strange swarthy man dressed in the red leather trench coat.
He also put up a small privacy curtain which would muffle some of the sound of their conversation.
He placed a mug of ale before each man, and lit some blessed incense. Surprisingly to Sir Mandrell, it seemed to soothe the swarthy man. The barkeep never suspected the sandalwood reminded Khalid of a long lost home.

None of the three ever noticed Maverick Multimancer hiding out in a Church of One Sanitation division garbage truck.

#4

Ser Resugent looked at Khalid, “It is good to see you again my friend, though I wish it was under better circumstances. As you are aware our old friend Leonin is reported to be back, in fact he is suppose to be nearby this area. We cannot risk him causing chaos, countless lives will be lost if he remains on the loose. We need to form a plan on how to deal with him, I am also concerned about this device that he is suppose to be carrying that is suppose to be destroyed. While Leonin needs to be stopped, I am afraid that whomever has given out this information has their own agenda that we need to look out for as well. What do you think friend?”

#5

Khalid looked around nervously when the name Leonin was spoken aloud. "Resugent my dear friend, I fear in a way I have not feared in a long time. I have much I must share with you and little time to do so. I wish we would have time to feast and drink and celebrate our reunion after this incredible year.
I suspect the hands of dangerous enemies, people who are probably an equal threat to Leonin, behind these contracts flying across the Provisional colonies. Again I cannot trust Leonin with any stolen alien technology or worse yet a weapon.
He could shatter the peace won so hard by your Lord Grimaldus and the civilized folk of the UtR with a single unprovoked attack.
But it is more than that my friend.

It seems a lifetime ago now…but…" Khalid took a deep breath before continuing.

#6

“I once had a wife, a woman I loved more dearly than life, and with her I had a handsome baby boy whom I began to love even more than her,” said Khalid as he stroked his goatee and unshed tears made his eyes appear glassy, "But I never had the joy of watching that child grow up. At the time my employers made a lot of enemies and one enemy was more dangerous than them all.
That enemy was an assassin. An alien. Someone who never failed at a contract he had been given. And he didn’t fail when he came for me.

I thought I could protect them from my work, Resugent. But I was wrong.

My child and wife had to watch me be slaughtered in front of them for my foolishness. My wife did not survive her wounds either and was granted final death. I was lucky or cursed that my employers saved my life at the time.
What happened to my baby, I never did learn, but I had heard rumors during my travels that the assassin took my baby boy and raised him as his own."

Khalid stopped and slammed back the beer. A low and quiet cry came from deep in his throat, but it was stifled like all his other emotions on this topic.

"In my investigations into this contract work, I noticed a merc who was on the trail of Leonin. And he looks just like my son would look if he had grown up. He has his mothers eyes and hair, and my chin and cheekbones. I know Resugent it probably sounds absolutely insane but with all we’ve seen so far…
Wouldn’t it be an odd coincidence if my missing son and I were reunited after all this time?

I would ask for your help. I need someone who understands capturing Leonin is my primary objective, but I can’t succeed at that if a man who might be my missing son is killed in the process. "

#7

Resugent sighed, of course I will help you. Our primary objective is to keep and dangerous items out of Leonin’s hands, however if we can reunite you with your son then that would be even better. Family is very important, a long time ago I lost my own children, though if a different way. After my wife passed away my son took his sister and they ran off. Last I heard they went north to the colonies, my children turned away from our faith, perhaps I should have tried to figure out why sooner. The very least I could do is do my best to save your son, perhaps that might give me the courage to try to save my own in the future.

#8

Lord Resugent and Khalid planned, argued and plotted throughout the night and far into morning. They had quickly realized mobilizing Resugent’s loyal knights would tip off Leonin AND any other Inquisitors in the region. The knights were good honest men, but to march en mass would require too many public prayers for success and other mandated behaviors simply for the knights to keep their honor.
In his time ascending the ranks, Lord Resugent had already learned the value of keeping certain important tasks private. For the good of the community, he would have to take the law into his own hands privately and apprehend the rogue Inquisitor.
In a way it reminded him of the simplicity of the time before he learned the Church of Ones’ dark and secret history. A time when he had been a gracious knight of loyal service to the good. Now he would be so again.
For Khalid, there was a more complex past that threatened to pull him down. But still the following days journey raised hope in the old, old man. For though he would never look older than forty with his salt and pepper hair and beard, his millenia of life was weighing heavily upon his spirit.

They would have to go in alone, together.

#9

As they galloped down the sandy road, Khalid spoke, "Resugent my friend, I have only the kernal of a plan.

I will secure for myself and you the robes of the Pilgrims. That would make sure that both local Olgogs and local former Oners would probably ignore us. You know how the Paladins consider Pilgrims? They view them like the scenery.

We approach on horseback until we got within sight of the farmhouse, but not close enough for them to see us. Then I dismount and sneak to the back of the farmhouse he’s hiding in.

I wait for your call to arms or your battlecry depending on how you want to play it. I leap through a rear window or door with my flamethrower to convince him to drop his weapons. People are usually quite scared of immolation, and Inquisitors have smelled enough burnt flesh and seen enough Witches bubble away and char while screaming to want to feel it himself.

But if we fail in catching Leonin he could escape my friend. Then we have little choice but to track that godless monster in mans skin.

If he has any church of One backups, my only hope is that you can convince them to stand down. Remember your faith has remained virtually unchanged since its inception. Certain behaviors are ingrained. You could save a life or two if Leonin has any paladins serving him and you can convince them to hand him over or at least let us pass."
Khalid looked perplexed for a moment, “I am not really sure how we could track Leonin over and through former church of One lands if he were to run for it. Couldn’t he just go to ground inside somebodies house? Anyone in lands faithful to the Church of One would open their doors and homes to an Inquisitor on fear of excommunication, torture or worse.”.

#10

Your plan is sound, I shall follow it. I shall go in through the front and get his attention so you can sneak behind. I shall attempt to disable him through the leyas to keep his attention on me, however I think your weapon will be better at getting through his defenses.
As for reinforcements my presence and rank should distract them at the least. However if the has convinced them that he is a loyal Inquisitor they will follow him over me, we would have to convince them that he is false. If we can get the word out that he has been excommunicated from the Church due to heresy he will find none willing to help, however he could always gain cooperation through threat.