Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

Two new sellswords have been placed to guard the temple as of recent. The man known as "Jack", as well as the swordsman Ruarc. They are both seen wandering and living in and around the temple, armed and on watch.

Curiosly though, after their placement, one or two of the more ill patients have vanished completely under unknown circumstances. No sign of struggle or thievery is present. Nothing seen near the door seemed out of place, just a regular passing and going of folk.

A pale and somber Abby steps outside with a sheet of parchment in hand, and hammers it to the door jamb. It reads:

"To those who seek shelter within, know that this Sanctuary has been marked for death by cultists of Bhaal. We cannot protect or guarantee the saftey of any who enter. We shall remain open to do what good we may, however come at your own risk. Sister Abigail Constance Winters, Healer of Ilmater."

Each strike of the hammer feels like a blow to everything the Ilmateri have worked for. She knows that fewer and fewer people will come here for treatment once they read that damning warning... but to let them come oblivous to the danger would be heartless and cruel. Sometimes, defeat is the only way to do what is right. Sacrifice is not always glorious.

She turn from the parchment to look on the remaining crowd. She wonders how many are here in support, and how many would actually side with that villian in his dark hood and mask, dripping venom. She reassures herself... "people are better than that... this Sanctuary exists as a testiment to that..."

~Many of the tired and down trodden sigh, tossing their hands in the air and wonder off in the direction of the nearest tavern~

~Others, having lost what truly mattered to them and with no place to direct their anger continue to sit at the shrine. Some enter the sanctuary, not with malevolence, but determination...looking about, asking questions, looking for answers, and even partaking of a bit of food.

~Some seem to be organizing, shouts between storming the shrine, to forcing the dukes to answer for what is going on. A few whisper of banding together to strike back against the bhaalist, then are reminded that it is uncertain of where they attack from.

~Others have come to town, listened, spent their fortunes on weapons and left again; some return days later with bodies of supposed bhaalist, indeed one or two are and then one or two are not. Still most never return at all.

~Many are just too depressed to motivate, cursing the Gods with the sense that no action is the only action left to them. ~

~Both speeches have caused some murmurings into knowing "where" is this person~

In the distance the shouts of the doomsayers persist, the end is neigh, and that theirs is eternal damnation.

*Nathanel , follower of Tyr, after seeing the commotion comes to the temple to offer his aid to whatever is needed*

Greetings, I have not the knowledge of healing as such of you. But my services are yours for the time. Just as Tyr is a friend of Iilmater I shall be a friend to your temple.

*with that he awaits direction*

As Jonas left Candlekeep, the sellsword, Ruarc, approached as the paladin conversed with Auriel. Ruarc told Jonas of Abby turning away possible help, including himself, and how worried he was about her. Upon hearing this, Jonas set off for the city with all possible haste.

Upon reaching Baldur's Gate, the aasimar made directly for the Sanctuary of Ilmater and sought Abby out to aid in whatever way possible. If she turns him away, he would offer his aid in whatever manner to Brother Marcus. Jonas spends several days in and around the Sanctuary, leaving only to go to the temple of Torm to pray and seek guidance from the Church leaders of his god. On one morning he leaves the temple murmuring, "The time has come to strike, and strike hard. Evil grows ever stronger as the seeds of hate and corruption spread through the hearts of the populace."

In the dead of night, flyers are being scattered in the streets of Baldur's Gate. They are countless in numbers and are spread by the wind, so collecting them would be a nigh impossible task. In the early morning hours, they are picked up by the citizens and passed on from hand to hand.

"To whomever this may concern.

Take heed, a possible attack is imminent. Intelligence suggests that the Triad, in an act of desperation, is planning on marching against the temple of Bhaal. Take the necesarry precautions and ensure that the temple is empty and everything of interest is removed when the Triad arrives.

Also take into account, that if the members of the Triad march, they will leave the places they come from vulnerable"

The messages are signed:

~ The Dark Messiah ~

The more eagle-eyed who were in the right place at the right time may also have noticed a hooded figure entering the temple of Bhaal the very same night, only to leave it again moments later.

[A messenger brings one to Meri early in the day and she stares at it in utter disbelief.

'In secret' she had said. Quietly. She ran through her mind those that she had spoken to and shook her head. They were all so careful. Did it even matter how they found out... It had been so long since she had stepped unnoticed.

She looked about the seemingly empty inn as she tossed the slip of paper into the fire. She spoke to no one in particular as she watched it burn. She spoke knowing some shadow would hear, and she no longer cared. Those who did not know her well would mistake her face for a mask of anger, but in truth she had never been more resolute. Her voice was quiet, barely heard, even in the stillness.]

'It matters not. You who hide behind the blood of children, in shadow, dealing in lies and veiled threats. We shall not waver.'

[She strode from the inn quickly. There was work to do...]

[Phillip walks by to the Temple with his usual donation and spies one of the notes, picking it up he chuckles]

"Attacking the Bhaal temple? How interesting. Dark Messiah? I remember that name... Aha! That cloaked man who tried to sway the crowds. Can't imagine why he'd put his name on there, seems counter-intuitive if you ask me..."

[shrugging he rips the note up tossing it casually onto the ground once again as he enters the temple]

Abby picks up one of the fliers reads it. She looks around at the dozens of them scattered about just around her. Glancing over to Jonas who frowns while reading his own, she gives a small amused snort.

"What is funny?" mutters the paladin.

"Jonas s-ser, do you happen t-to know w-where the local broadsheet is printed in t-this town? I think this may be t-the best chance we've had to find out w-who this Dark Messiah character is... he c-certainly d-didnt write all of t-these by hand, and I h-have trouble picturing an ink press within the t-temple of Bhaal."

Jonas nods in thought.

"Also... a-at least there w-won't be any d-doubt as to w-who he is working f-for when next he c-comes to give speeches in f-front of our Sanctuary. That should p-put an end to that business."

Knowing well that he has put himself in a precarious situation by signing the messages with his alias, but also that is was necessary for authenticity, the Dark Messiah slips through the twilight streets of Baldur's Gate at dusk, the target being the crowd in front of the Ilmatar temple. Realizing that he cannot make a public appearance at the present time, he addresses some of the farmers who are sleeping in the streets and tells them to spread the word:

"That which you seek is no longer behind the walls of the temple. In all secrecy, the boy who bears the mark and his foolish guardian have made it unscathed to Candlekeep where they are now stay under the protection of the Weavemasters. Now the only way all your sufferings and misery will end is if you all march to the gates of Duchal palace and demand that the Dukes take action to reclaim the boy. If they refuse, stop farming your lands, except for what you need yourselves. Tell the same to your fellow farmers. If the Dukes do not deliver, they will bring down hunger and famine upon themselves and the citizens of Baldur's Gate. Seize the oppertunity to turn the tide of war and to get the boy! Rally the men and march against the Duchal palace at once!"

The only thing Ian carries with him into the Gate is a scowl. Of course he understands why Merielle would request him to get what she needed from the temple, but that doesnt mean he had to enjoy his stay. So many peasants and protesters. Why havent the Fist cleaned these fools out yet? When he gets to the door of the temple he cannot help but sigh. By warning and scaring away people, Abby was letting the Bhaalists win. He goes in quickly, offers a cold glance at Abby before heeding to the back, getting what Merielle needed as quickly as possible. As he heads back to the east gate however, whispers of a couple farmers caught his ear. He slips closer to see what was going on.

"Aye, Candlekeep. Thats what I said, she is keepin the boy in the damned scholar keep, gettin watched by the damned weavers! We gotta strike out at em, get the duke to tear down them keeps walls til that boy done gets turned in!"

Ian could not help but interupt at this point.

"Why would the boy be kept at Candlekeep? The keep is there to gather and protect knowledge, and tries to remain neutral in the politics of the rest of the world."

"but I done..."

"And why would the Weave Masters help them if the boy is in Candlekeep? Candlekeep has many many wizards of their own, and the Weave Masters work in Baldurs Gate."

"but I done..."

"And to take the boy to Candlekeep Merielle would have to take the child right passed the Bhaalist temple! Where did you stumble upon such nonsense?"

The farmer pauses for a moment. "I... I dont know, I just know it, thats all."

"Well I am glad you are so certain about these 'facts' you have gathered." With that, Ian leaves the befuddled farmers. Idiots, the lot of them. He frowns, but how did they learn the truth?

Abby watches Ian leave with Merielle's things. She understands his scowl. Better that a house filled with the down-trodden should be slaughtered by another spell like the one which errupted in the infirmary two nights past than that the Bhaalists should be shown a hint of weakness. Warriors understand only war. Who are these people in this Santuary to one such as Ian? Nameless, faceless collateral damage. Certainly he probably feels some duty that they should be protected on principal... but never if defeat must be risked. Compassion is for the weak and the conquered... it has no place in war.

"Ah, but today you are w-wrong Ser Ian." she steps out from the Sanctuary to face the crowds. She speaks quietly to herself as she watches Ian sift out into the crowd. "Today our weakness has bred overconifdence in our foes... and now they've p-put their foot in it."

Without mercy and compassion... there is nothing worth fighting for.

"Hello everyone. Good m-morning." The small healer bends over and plucks up one of the fliers from the ground. She glances at it for a moment before holding it up.

"I trust you have a-all heard the news by now. This man w-who has been urging you a-against our hospital w-was all of this time n-nothing more than an a-agent of Bhaal."

Abby looks over the crowd and sees more saddness, and even shame on the faces present than anger.

"Our Sanctuary is nearly empty. People d-do not c-come here b-because they are afraid." She does not mention that she and the others are also afraid. "Those who a-are sick get sicker b-because there is no place f-for them t-to go where t-they are safe. Children and elderly alike go h-hungry for f-fear of being hurt w-when they c-come to a house of Ilmater seeking s-shelter. And why? Because we a-are all g-gripped by fear of a cult. Of a dark god... even though we h-have all the gods of light on our side... Bhaal has crippled us with f-fear and taken f-from us our reason... and our l-loved ones."

"I trust t-that those of you w-who may have c-considered his w-words understand why h-he spoke them now. They w-want this boy sister Merielle protects. They w-will stop at nothing t-to get him. And if t-they ever do, then woe to t-these lands, for remember; should Bhaal increase his power... than so too will his purpose increase. Murder and Suffering... nothing more.

Remember t-that our Sanctuary here is m-more than a t-temple of Ilmater.... It is a bulwark against plague and famine. It is a symbol of t-the power of compassion and the spirit of generosity. What we do here i-is only possible b-by the kindness YOU have s-shown us. Without the s-supplies you give, the food, the clothing... we c-could not do our g-good work. Agent's of Bhaal like this Dark Messiah w-would have you b-believe w-we are your enemy, but they a-are lying in o-order to further t-their own ends. This flier;" Abby holds the flier high, "is your p-proof. This man's words a-are nothing more than extortion. See them f-for what they are. Destroy y-your healers... do Bhaal's bidding.. or w-we shall take from you t-that which you love."

The small woman crumples the flier and lets it drop from her hand as a thing forgotten and unnoticed. "The d-day good people let g-grief sway t-them to allow kindness and g-generosity to be s-stamped out and diminished in this w-world by tyranny... is t-the day that l-love can no longer b-be taken from us b-by force... because we have already given it a-away willingly... from fear."

"Join with us, and see love and kindness grow strong in the f-face of hate. Let hate be d-diminished in the light of hope. For hate cannot exist in s-such places where people d-do not give in t-to it. Let u-us show these agents of b-blackness that they c-cannot d-drive us like cattle with f-fear as their whip. Your c-children are watching you from the heavens. They love you. Show t-them you are strong by r-returning love where others try t-to draw from you only hate to blacken your hearts with. And through our unity we s-shall drive these villians f-from our homes and our lands."

Abby returns to her work, confident that the tide is turning. The Dark Messiah will hold no more sway over these people. Now for the next step. To Candlekeep with a message.

*The fist guards posted to the sanctuary door and within the sanctuary itself share quite whispers*

Leroy: Did you hear what that Dark Messiah fella did now?

Jenkins: Yeah, damn scally wag. Working with those bhaalist all along.

Leroy: I heard he got some of the people to go storm the palace, walking damn nearly right up to the Dukes themselves.

Jenkins: Yeah, I wouldn't want to be the Dukes right now. They still have a bunch of sad and angry people.

Leroy: You're worried about the Dukes? Look at the way that one is looking at me now, just look. It's like they think we can be everywhere at once.
~thinks about..then decides not to speak to the glowering one~

Jenkins: Yeah, At least that priestess woman talked some of them down. Though it sure still doesn't solve these people's problems or their past.

Leroy: Well at least the house of triad is doing "something", a few of them farmers are damn ready to join them.

Jenkins: Yeah, still filled with anguish, no amount of words can spare a person the pain of lost love.

Leroy: Still have the others that continue to blame Ilmater, wondering how they intend to make them stop the killin.

Jenkins: Yeah, All the good in the world doesn't help when your the one sufferin.. ~looks out at the new arrivals, speaking of their houses burned, their loved one's killed, a few sneer victory at having killed the killers~

Leroy: Can't be too many outskirts homesteads left.

Jenkins: Yeah, I hope you saved up some grain for your belly, and may Chauntea be generous this year.

Leroy: That N.T.E. group sent up some goods, I might be eating here for a few meals.

Jenkins: Yeah, that's nice, considering the rumors come out of Nashkel lately, they didn't happen to send any iron up too did they.... some fights starting to break out between the smithies.

~Idle chatter continues, intermixed with moments of stoic observation and assigned duty~

Jonas tries to spend some time every morning that he does not have other duties helping out Sister Abby. He is especially keen on helping protect against the murderer who has been recently terrorizing the place, but he does whatever Abby asks of him.