3. A proclamation in the docks

A proclamation in the docks


  • _Dentin walks trough the docks to a crossroads, setting himself up on the corner and waiting for some time, as his rather stationary presence attracts a small group of workers and cityfolk, a group that quickly grows as he begins to speak.
    **"Good people, I stand here today to bring you news of a grave matter. The creature that is responsible for the deaths of so many of your friends and family.. that is responsible for so much damage.. loss.. grief…
    This creature.. a man some would claim him to be.. is now in the city once more! Mezicq of the ghouls.. a traitor to the city.. weaving lies of how he is cured of the corruption.. has returned!

    It is in the city.. moreso, he has been welcomed and accepted back!
    The creature responsible for mass-murder.. treated a friend by those who would claim to rule for the good of all the city!

    The cure is false!
    What I had always suspected has been confirmed by Gond's Knowledge! Though human they may yet appear, no evidence is given that their bond to the undead is broken.
    Those who would rule know this... I have delivered this information to them long ago.. and yet they welcome it back.

    Without trial!
    Without even as much as a thought or an investigation..this murderer has been given back his position in the city.. trusted with the city's protection.. with your protection.. paid with your hard-earned gold!
    Not even as much as atonement!
    Not a sign of justice!
    No compensation!
    No answer to the losses you have felt!

    I call to you, good people of the city, to cry out against this injustice!
    To demand answers!
    To demand justice!"**_


  • _Once again, Dentin is found standing on the crossroads in the docks. Yet this time, something has changed. His voice is no longer filled with misdirected anger, but his presence has changed to one of peaceful resolve.
    His appearance is hardly spectacular, no match at all for the bards and nobles that also live in the city. His armor has lost much of its shine, marked with the scars of dents, piercing and mending, again and again. His cloak is somewhat torn, the fabric having endured more than it should have.
    Though some could consider it a pitiful attempt at being a knight, others might see a man who values actions over appearance, and who will continue to wear his armor, carrying a particular variation of the symbol of Gond in several places, with pride until it falls apart in nothing but rust.

    After waiting for some time as the docks' people gather around, he begins to speak..

    **Good people of Peltarch, I stand before you today in shame. Shame at my own foolishness, at my pride. I have let His Fire burn too hot within me, and it would well have consumed me, had my eyes not been opened to sense again. It is not in my place to judge, and my words before were those uttered in anger and pride, not in wisdom.

    What happened when the ghouls came here, are days of grief and sorrow. Days of loss and destruction, and it pained me to see a good people suffer so. Yet rage and hate will do no good, and it is not His Path. Much was lost, which was destroyed, can never be replaced. But it is not His Path to dwell on this, to answer destruction with destruction. Instead, one must look to the future, and rebuild that which was lost.

    The ghouls are now defeated. Those who were taken from us, and corrupted to their cause, have been granted peace once more.
    Many of those who have been restored, the corruption of undeath purged from them, have proven to be stalwart and devoted allies in the many battles that lead up to our victory. Yet I turned away from this truth, blinded by pride, and thus the sin is mine.

    Yet, I also stand true to His Words, spoken to me. Perhaps the Cure is indeed false, and there is a property that has been overlooked, that has not been noticed yet. Or perhaps I have lacked the wisdom to interprete and understand His Words correctly. Such will be revealed when it shall be.

    As for those I accused, for those I blamed for what transpired..
    Know that they, as we all are, are but mortals. To expect of them perfection, and complete Wisdom and Knowledge.. is to demand divinity.
    Yes, they have made a gamble, and yes we paid for it dearly. But such flaws of action and knowledge never happen twice, and they will learn from their choices, as we all do.

    The City is not perfect. It has flaws. Yet, what in Creation is without flaw?
    Instead of being angered at these flaws, at these imperfections, let us work to Purge them, to ensure that we leave Peltarch a better place when we leave it, then when we came to it, for all the People.
    And I pray that my mistake, my foolishness and pride, has lead non of you astray.**

    Dentin then looks around the gathered, waiting for any outstanding reactions or questions._


  • _In the wake of attempted Riot and the change of hands of the bounty for the return of mecizq, A darkened figure clad in a heavy woolen cloak was spotted moving through the docks to the various poor houses, distributing gold from a chest.

    The only clear sign of identification was the insignia of an upright skeletal hand holding up a set of scales tailored into the cloak. If the figure is spoken to in any of the houses, she looks up and a hint of a smile can be seen in the darkness of the cowl.

    "The living hold just as much priority as the dead do…I hope this gold eases their struggles somewhat." Those paying attention would note a rich cormyrean accent and a fine, if heavy looking blade sheathed under the cloak._

    (1000 Gold will be handed to DP when I see him next)

  • DM

    A few of the more unruly and thuggish individuals of the docks seem to be incensed by this whipping up of old memories again of this brief period of grief and anger in the docks. A few scuffles break out as tempers and emotions spill over but nothing serious.

    A few of the thugs occassionally point out wandering knights and kelemvorites if seen in the docks but their intention seems more bravado than any real intent for harm.

    A few of the older folk who remember Kara and her Kelemvorite folk seem pleased to see her about after Dentins speech which brought tears to the eyes of the old, and those who lost folk in the attack.

    Zyphlin's speech isn't recieved with much support in the docks either, though they enjoy the spectacle, a few of the rough dock workers wondering who paid the jester to appear. Others seem amused and encouraged into a more positive frame of mind by his words, though some elements in the crowd wander off into the docks when Zyphlin turns up.

    Above all though. the mere mention of someone even considering raising the dead, bringing them back to life is treated with suspicion, the folk of the docks having long disposed of the bodies by burning, or at sea under the blessings of Valkur, Itishia, or Umberlee in the main.

    On the whole the balance of opinion doesn't result in Mecizq gaining many evil glances, fearing perhaps the power of someone who can survive the undeath he was rumoured to suffer. Mystra doesn't gain any new followers it seems through this incident, the commons being observed by many of the exchange of large ammounts of coin as a reward for Mecizqs' return.

    As for Dentin, a few scarred individuals who like a bit of aggravation and violence seem to give him a nod from time to time when in thge docks, a few of them noting the absence of his defender colours, and eyeing his purse on occassion from dark alleys. The few kelemvorites there seem to keep their heads down, in private prayer in their own properties as the faiths born of the sea hold the attention of most of the docks, those of Umberlee above all seen in every shop, dockside and street gathering thesedays.

  • S

    ((Posted all around the Dock District and in the Inn’s and Taverns. Words written to a traditional drinking tune))

    **Dentin Strauss, Dentin Strauss
    A lying wheedling pointless louse
    He whines for all we’ve had to bear
    But while we bore it, wasn’t there
    He blames a man who was dead and gone
    So raise your glasses, to this, my song

    I’ll not mince words, you know it’s true
    Mecizq’s an ass, and a dull one too
    A pole up his butt. Annoying as hell
    But he’s our pain, our fool, our ass as well
    Not like this shyte who screams out loud
    Trying to stir up a rioting crowd

    Lift up your glasses, drain them dry
    Give Dentin Strauss one in the eye
    A moron who degrades his God
    By claiming visions, stupid sod
    We all know Daisy, trust her heart
    And Kelemvorites to know their part

    To Dentin Strauss the message clear
    You really are not welcome here
    Piss off and annoy someone who cares
    Or stay round here ‘til trouble flares
    It won’t be Mec we aim it at
    But you, you miserable little twat.**

    The Shadow Poet


  • @1b6f770f6d=Archon_Prime:

    he turns to Zyphlin again…..

    ….and speaks to no one as Zyphlin had jumped down from the crate he was on opposite the crowd from Dentin, and had vanished from sight....

  • G
    ICC

    Grak can be seen among the listeners, who were watching Dentins speech.

    "Oi, Graks crystal clear memory clearly remembers that huuuumie ya speaking of had old skin and graying hair. But now, it seems that ancient huuuumie looks like younger and not gray at all, eh? Grak thinks that some kind of shady necromantic-trick was used at the nearby hills, when huuuumie was supposedly cured from his previuous state of being undead with great age.

    "Grak has heard rumors about demons and other kind of bloodsucking vermins, who can change color of their hair and shapeshift their form to look much younger. When good, hardy working people start to turn up murdered again, Grak knows who to blame. It be that bloodsucking, shapeshifting demon-huuuumie".


  • Dentin, after hearing and seeing Zyphlin's show, quickly realises he isn't going to beat a bard at his own game, instead heading off towards the different inns and guildhouses instead. But before going out of sight, he turns to Zyphlin again..
    "Very well then. I assume you will pay for the hundreds of raises? For the damage done to the district?
    I assume you will claim responsibility?"

  • E

    Drelan keeping watch over the warehouse and some things moving out of it can't help but loft a brow at all the sudden actions in the docks.

    He's heard muttering,
    "As if anyone in the docks would listen to half the windbags passing through here of late.. They all know who actually has helped them and who has not. And listening to incompetent Dentin of all people? Good hells, he was the one that turned away trained arm men to watch over their things while things were on fire, because "they" had control of it. That's almost as bad as Mecizq telling us residents its none of our business what they do, when the same people they let go ended up murdering an innocent woman who was a mother no less. However, at least Mecizq is quiet. The residents have always been self reliant as they should rightfully expect to have to do. Someone should tell that idiot to go spout off in the Commerce and Civic districts where someone actually cares about these political games."

    Drelan then tilts his head to someone whispering in his ear. "Not a defender anymore? Wonderful." He then motions his hand and people "kindly" prevent Dentin from comming near the Sails warehouse to annoy incomming customers. Often pointing him south and telling him to go there.


  • Corana just smirks and shakes her head at all the proceedings before going back to her prayers and her blessings of ships and seafarers before their voyages.


  • Kara Willendt scowls when word of the ex-Defender's tirade reaches her ears. "Funny that a servant to the god of smithing would proclaim that he knows better than a High Priestess with decades of experience and the local group of Kelemvorites, who would detest any presense of undeath."


  • During one of his little tirades, just as it ends, Zyphlin appears and jumps up onto one of the boxes near by admidst the crowd. Sparks of magic go off, drawing the eyes attention as a loud noise snap goes, as he stands before them….a charming an cunning smile upon his face, his blue glowing tunic billowing over his body giving him an almost halo of light. He looks out over the people, his blue eyes connecting with each as he looks, and gives a kind small chuckle before letting the words charismatically laced with honey roll from his tongue.

    Good people of the docks, I ask you. Do you ask a nobleman how it is best to load a barge?! How best to bait a poll to catch the fine fish the icelace harbor?! No! Who do you ask? You ask a man or woman of the docks, a man or woman that knows the terrain, that knows the situation, that understands it better than some person sitting on thier high or mighty thrown.

    Mecizq…the same Mecizq that helped uncover the plot by Tidus to steal YOUR election. The same Mecizq that has protected this city from Demons and Cults, from Kobold sand Eastlanders...was declared clean and pure not only by our High Priest, who helped all of us dealy in bringing a cure to the Lotus Plague, Daisy AND by the Temple of Kelemvor, the God who holds dominion under the dead and whose clerics very purpose in life is to destroy them.

    But you have this man, Dentin the fool, trying to cause YOU good people to do his bidding and his dirty work. To play his politics because he is inaffectual and is guilty for nearly costing as many lives as Mecizq ever did. He nearly drags Peltarch into wars again and again because of his own shameful and ignorant pride. And now, once more, his ignorance and pride leads him to stand before you, to try to get you to bring him more power for he is abashed that he is not lauded with more praise for his incompetence but yet a good man...who was under outside control but is no longer....who has done more for this city in his time then Dentin has, or ever will, gets welcomed back and he DESPISES it!

    Mecizq is no more guilty for the deaths caused while he was under the control of the vile undead, then any of you would be if a Mage came by and forced you to kill the person next to you. Would you wish your brothers, your sisters, your fathers and mothers to be put to death because an Evil, Vile, mage or undead creatures MAGICALLY FORCED them to do horrible things?! Of course not, and neither should Mecizq...for while that body may have resembled our once and once more Cerulean Champion, that was all that it resembled...for his heart, soul, and mind was not within that creature.

    Dentin has taken a lesson from my past Senatorial Run it seems. He wishs to state the "Truth". Sadly unlike me, the pititful fool does not know what the truth is. He has been in Peltarch for only a handful of years and already is powerhungry to the point of trying to manipulate you simply because he does not get rewarded. He see's people, GOOD peope, do GOOD things, and get rewarded and thinks that somehow it is unfair because his bumbling and warmongering doesn't recieve the same treatement.

    The loss of life caused by the undead was one felt the Nars over, and espicially here in Peltarch, and it was a horrible thing indeed to bare witness to. But it was not Mecizq's fault that he was possessed, and what BETTER way to atone for that then to stand up, to aid Peltarch, and to see that no further life is lost from any Threat, from any Force, or from any enemy of PELTARCH!

    So ignore the bumbling fool with the hue of envious green around his pride. Rejoice that the docks are safe, have a drink and a cheer, and know that those that actually care for this city...the Ceruleans, the Defenders, and the Scouts...will continue doing thier job, and protecting the fine people of Peltarch.

    He gives a flourish bow, a charismatic and dashing grin upon his face, before hopping down from the box and disappearing.


  • Dentin, realising Fadia cannot be reasoned with, sighs, turns and leaves the stray druid, far away from caves, clubs and nature worship, to her own delusions.

  • The Halfling Defence League

    Snippets can be heard from a very animated fadia…who is speaking a good bit louder than dentin

    I don't give a fark about the politics! What you….

    ....At LEAST I want to be able to prove myself! You OWE me that after....

    ....which one? There are two cures!

    ...don't give two farks what Gond told you about the cure! Give me a chance to prove myself....

    ...personal? PERSONAL?! You're actively trying to rally people to KILL me!

    Was that a threat? If you try anything, you'll find that...


  • Dentin pulls Fadia aside, talking to her quite agitated.

  • The Halfling Defence League

    Dentin…the fact that at this point you have nothing but my word is EXACTLY why I volunteered to submit to any means of magically or mundanely discerning whether or not I am fully cured. Go ahead! Test away! I want you to do this just so you'll shut up and keep my ears from bleeding!

    For the love of the gods....

    And...heh...if you can be mistaken...then how do you know it was really Gond who sent you this..."revelation"? It could've been the agents of Myrkul and the ghouls themselves. Or, for that matter, you could even be making the whole thing UP because you had your fragile ego damaged, or somesuch. But if you're not willing to actually test whether you or your 'vision' was right or wrong....then how can we ever know?

    I'm not accusing you of lying, mind you. But I want to be given an opportunity to prove myself, and if you don't even want to give anyone that chance....well....that's just wrong. After all, if we're being untruthful, then we will be exposed...what with your 'divine' aid in this matter.


  • _Dentin turns to Foillir.
    "How are you supporting me? I am no longer a Defender.. and as for a "job", I am a priest. Perhaps you should consider that without them, you would have been dead many times already. "

    He then turns to Fadia.
    "We have nothing but your word on this. Yuo may yet be under the influence of the ghouls and not realize it. Yes, the cure has some effect. But it is flawed. And I may be mistaken.. but Gond is not. And it is by His word that I know of the flawed cure."_

  • The Halfling Defence League

    Fad, on her way to the Ferret, passes Dentin by.

    Right, and while we're at it, you're in league with the Machinist! AND the Mechanists! It's a conspiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiracy! She gestures wildly, but humorously

    Now, I haven't seen Mecizq. I don't know if he's cured or not. And I don't know why no efforts have been made to cure others - I had been under the impression that the opposite was true. But I can assure you of one thing. I am cured. My goddess abhors all that's unnatural, and undeath certainly qualifies there. If I were still undead, she wouldn't grant me spells, she wouldn't offer me her support as I walk my path through life…yes, life, not undeath. I will willingly submit to any and all spells to prove this to anyone who wishes. That includes you, Dentin.

    But if you're not willing to even investigate the possibility that you might be - gasp! - wrong, well then....take Foilir's advice.

  • H

    • Foilir walks past leading a cart of ingots from the smithy towards his shop. He hears Dentin's latest lecture and cringes a bit. He stops momentarily, the continues *

    "Lad, shut deh fark up anna get un honest job…"

    • sighs *

    <d>To think he is living off my taxes... Makes an honest dwarf go mad.

    • with a quick yank he moves the cart quickly towards the west gate *</d>

  • **_"The people of the city suffer for the greed and the lust of power of those that claim rulership, their lies thick as the smoke that rose from the city with Koreth's betrayal.

    When even the elections, the very foundation of democracy.. of rule by the people.. has been corrupted by greed..

    When the gamble of those who call themselves a Shield, in name but not in spirit, who are given priviledges far beyond that of any other citizen… who are with the cause of the deaths themselves.. as they gambled the fate of the entire city for their own glory...

    When the deaths of hundreds is merely dismissed.. the murderer allowed to not only to walk free unchallenged.. but brought into the employ of those who would decide the fate of all citizens...

    Who will answer for what was lost?
    Where can be turned to for answers?

    As for what the Kelemnvorans might tell you.. they have been deceived.
    Their heart may beat, but who can vouch for their soul? Who can say without a doubt that those supposed cured are not servants of undeath still? When Gond himself granted me the answer.. when I was told of the flawed cure.. I must question their words.

    Of course they say the cure works.. of course they say it gives freedom.. it is them who created this "cure". They may not see the fault in their Creation.. they may not see the flaw... but what of those citizens that were turned into undeath.. what of those Defenders and Guards that died defending the city, only to be turned to a fate worse than death?
    Why have no efforts been made to administer the cure to them?
    Is it because they do know the cure does not work? Or is it that one mage is deemed of greater importance than all?

    Yes. What I speak to you of now will displease those in their ivory towers.. in their mansions.. those who are never seen amongst you.. who would never think of aiding you in your honest work.. who believes they are above such things...

    Though I may be, the Truth cannot be silenced. Watch and listen well, good people.. many questions are to be asked.. many answers are being hidden from you. "_**