The Investigation

Week 3 end:

• return to the school
• travel up to a new part of the castle
• Headmistress' speach
• The investigation

The last group returns to the castle with a much more solemn air than any of the other parties. One of their member's is laying in the cart pulled by the donkey. He has been unconcious since the incident the day before. They had been forced to stop at some point the night before when a storm had blown in and they had been unable to see more than five feet in front of them. They had hoped that Taegen would wake up the next morning and this whole thing would have been but a dream. Only when morning came Taegen had not gotten better. He lay still as death in the cart, his little dragon snuggled into the curve of his neck, growing at anyone that gets too close. The Fairy dragon guide that had been assigned to them was sitting on the edge of the cart, keeping watch. The only reason any of you know that Taegen is still alive is because Gossomer braved getting bitten every hour to check on him. He was still alive, breathing laybored, and heartbeat...strange to say the least. Gossamer's hands were covered is scratches and teethmarks from the little dragon, who had become agressive the longer his person lay unconcious. The rain never let up, still pouring down like the heavens themselves was crying for the little elf boy that struggled to stay alive in the back of that cart. The rain delayed your return to Teirse by hours, travel was slow going, and you were all careful to not jostle Taegen unneccessarily, unsure if that would make things worse. The cart got stuck in the mud twice, and you almost lost the donkey when a bolt of lightning struck a few feet from it, scaring it so bad it tried to run off into the trees, takeing Taegen along with it. It was an exhausted, sopping wet, and shivering party that finally arived back at the school. (roll perseption, with disadvantage: dc10) On success you see a shape silhetted against another lightning strike. A massive figure sits on top of one of the towers of Teirse, it's bulk is almost invisible in the pouring rain, and dark of the night, save for the yellow glow of it's eyes tracking you up to the gatehouse. Three teachers meet you at the door, a glowing orb of light hovering by each of them, casting harsh shadows over their grave faces. Eletha, the kind faced wood elf healer, rushes past you to grab the reigns of the donkey and leaves without so much as a glance at the rest of you. The rest of you are left standing before Vavith and Nuvian, the combat and Dragon handling teachers. They stare you down for a long, breathless moment before Nuvian turns on his heel and marches back through the gates. Vavith gestures you ahead of him before falling into step behind him. As you step into the courtyard, lit by more of those glowing orbs you become aware of the dragons staring down at you from every tower, looking like giant gargoyle's in the night. You are marched through the courtyard, the heavy gaze of the dragons following your every step. Nuvian does not head towards your towers, where you desperately wish to retire too and sleep away this whole nightmare. Instead he heads towards the back gates leading into the second, smaller courtyard, and to a second gatehouse beyond that. It's here that you are met with the rest of the students. Every single student that had arived before you is standing there with two more teachers. They fall into step with you as Nuvian leads you out this second gatehouse and up a road you had never been on before. This road is steep and carved directly into the face of the mountain, leaving a sharp drop on one side of you that gets steeper and steeper the higher you climb. At intervals the road cuts further into the mountain to make room for the towers that have been built over the sheer drop off. And perched on each one of these towers is another dragon, it's glowing eyes staring down at you solemnly. You lose track of time as you walk, the rain making the climb sugnifficantly more difficult than it would normally be. When the road evens out again it's a releif, one that is quickly squashed by the massive building you are now facing, made larger by the darkness of the night, rain, and lightning that flashes through the sky behind it like the gods themselves are angry. You are ushered passed more dragon sentinals into the building, the doors of which had to be opened with magic because they were so large.

• The room is massive, reaching several storys high, with large stained glass windows that cast an eerie glow on the room from the lightning display continuing outside.
• The room is filled with Skygard members, each standing in full armor, weapons at their sides.
• There are perches with fairy dragons all around the room, above people's heads (swings maybe?)
• And on the far side of the room, the centerpiece of this whole thing is a large throne where Sellia Daethyra is sitting, straight backed and regal
• lounging behind her is her silver dragon, his massive head laying beside her on the ground, eyes peering out at you from a level above the female elf's head, despite being prone on the ground.
• Standingat attention on the opposite side is Siralia and Anuin's father.
• They are instructed to put all their equipment and belongings on the table where the wine is siting.

The Sellia's Speach

• Disappointed in the students
• She hand picked each student that steps foot in Teirse, and 

"I have never been more ashamed of my students in my life. You have only been with us for three weeks, but I have never been more disappointed in my life.  You're insistance on infighting, and competing with eachother is unmatched. I'm tempted to scrap this whole generation and start again. I selected each member of my skyguard by hand. I saw potential in each and every one of you. There was something special about you, something that drew me to you. But I'm begining to doubt that. You are petty, vindictive, foolish, and there's not one braincell between you." She stands and walks over to the table where the Old spice wine bottle is. "You know, drinking Old spice wine is not, in itself, something that would get you in trouble. You can find a bottle of it on the menu at the diner in Teirse. You may have been riprimanded for the foolishness of doing so when you have classes the next day. Bur you would not have been in any real trouble. Not Even with a bottle such as this. What I cannot abide is attempting to frame one of your team mates to get them into trouble you think you would be in if caught." She looks over at the cuptrits. "Nothing happens within Teirse that I do not know about. This was unacceptable behavior. What do you have to say for yourselves?" (allow them to explain themselves.) "You are meant to replace some of the greatest noble men and women that have heroicly sacrificed themselves to protect out homeland. You are to be able to stand side by side with some of the best warriors the Elven kingdoms have ever seen. But you are the worst group of students I have ever brought to my school. what happened yesterday was abhorent. There are rules for a reason. Unknown magical items and spells are dangerous, and you cannot know how they will effect you or the people around you. You were to bring all the magical items you find back here where they can be identified, and contained if they are dangerous.  She looks directly at Gossomer here, eyes sharp as they travel from the obviouly magical effect on her hand, to meet her eyes. "And what did you do instead?" "This is not something that can be just swept under the rug, so to speak. What you have done is a very serious offence, and until further notice you all are supsended from active duty, and you will be stripped of your dragons." She motions to a couple of the Skyguard standing off to the side. The crowd move and you can see a row of cages sitting against the wall. One by one the dragons are taken from you and placed within one of the cages, much to the dragon's displeasure. "Your dragons are a privelage, not a right. You may have them returned to you when you earn them. Nuvien will be the one to determine your worthiness to have them back." she gestures to the dragon handling teacher. "You will not be leaving the school until you earn your dragons back. Now. This incident is to be dealt with swiftly and efficently. There will be an investigation." she says as she moves her gaze over each of you, "You will each cooperate to the best of your ability.  Return to your rooms, for tonight. Get's some rest, tomorrow will be a busy day for all of you."
You are escourted back to your towers, where you are left to get to your rooms on your own. Syralia and Auluin are taken aside by their father to be ripramanded. (if anyone attempts to eavesdrop: DC10, They are getting pretty heated. On a success you learn that the Sellia believes that the school has been infeltrated by a spy who is trying to undermine the Skygard by getting the next generation out of the way.)

• Ara is in particular under suspition due to their race
• Lute Pluck is under suspition as the one to have done the magic
• Bones in under suspition as Lute Pluck's Brother
• Iulek is under suspition as the sister of a traitor.

Questioning:

• What happened?
• What was the magical item?
• Where did they get the item?
• What did the item do?
• Why did they do it/ not stop it
• did they know what the item was? or what magical effect it would have
• have they had any contact with anyone outside the school since they arrived?
• Is there any other magical items that they have been keeping to themselves, not turned in.
• Do they have any resentment for being adopted into the skyguard.
• how did they feel about taegen, why was he the target?
• what else was found at the cabin
• what was taegen's relationship with the other members of the party, was there anyone that might want to hurt him.
• Was Lute Pluck acting strange at all before the act.