Draslei Remembers [IC]

[Yawielas]

Selena

Selena shifts from one leg to the other to work out the muscles after the endless flight of stairs. She leaves her pack and cloak in the antechamber, and puts her bow up against the wall. The feywrought kukri hanging at her side she keeps, and steps into the larger room after Stitches and Sorella. Once inside, she glances at the guards by the window, glad she kept at least one weapon, then she turns to the four people behind the table. A small smile flickers briefly on her lips as Sorella takes her place behind the table. She nods at the other four, then listens as one of the women speaks. Raising an eyebrow, she says: "Fourth?"

[Oseyerys]

Anduriel

He couldn't believe he had been fooled. This was the only thought running though Anduriel's mind as he saw Mayora (if that was even her real name) enter the next room. Sure, it was common to take some safety precautions when meeting your hired mercenaries but he, of all people, had fallen for it. Anduriel figures he has been out of the game maybe a little too long and then remembers the dwarf who posed as "Lord Louccin" at his side waiting for a response. The Addonexus turns to him slowly.

You fooled me... Anduriel says quietly, I shall remember that.

Spoiler: If it's necessary

Show

Intimidate
(1d20+9)[21]

In truth, Anduriel was not furious with the dwarf so much as he was annoyed with himself for not seeing things sooner. He held nothing against Mentum, but he didn't know that. Let the dwarf's blood run cold for a while. Maybe he'd learn to know better than to try and trick the Addonexus again. After he says this to the dwarf, Anduriel turns and heads through the door still wearing his cloak and scythe.

[Lentrax]

Sera climbs the stairs, her years of dancing and fighting giving her enough stamina to climb them without exerting herself overmuch, but of course she is still breathing heavily. At the request to remove her gear and weapons, Sera pulls the belt around her waist tighter, making sure the scabbard to her scimitar is square upon her hip.

But in a gesture of, in her view, extreme charity, Sera loosened the strap holding the second sword at her back. With a twirl and a small flourish, she laid the weapon upon the table.

Seeing the table and the empty chairs before her, Sera is versed enough in court matters to know they are wanting to dictate their control over the situation. She will not bow and scrape and sweep the floor before these people. She long ago swore to never kneel or grovel to the nobility, and she will not begin now.

She moves to a chair and remains standing behind it. She maintains a formal posture, ready for whatever may come in this meeting, this job offer. Her hands remain very clearly in sight, and nowhere near her weapons.

[PersonMan]

Spoiler: Anduriel

Show

The dwarf says nothing as you speak, and as you enter the room he stays silent.

You open the door, revealing a large, well-lit room. Massive windows line the wall opposite you, offering a view of the Arsen's greatest monuments. A grand table, perhaps ten feet in length, adorns the center of the room, all carved from the same dark wood as before. While there is room for significantly more chairs to be placed at the table, currently there are only nine, five of which are occupied and on the side of the table opposite you. Mayora is seated on the far left of the five people sitting on that side of the table. Next to her stands another woof elf woman, who looks rather similar to her. She seems to be somewhat thicker set than Sorella, and her hair is braided on the opposite side, but otherwise they look very similar. As you enter she looks at you, a smile on her face.

To the right of her sits another woman, this one human. Compared to the two elves to the left of her, she is all but glowing - a white dress, pearl jewelry, skin that clearly hasn't seen the sun very often, bright blue eyes and hair that could accurately be described as golden in color, all shine in the light of the windows and in the contrast to the brown-and-green of the chairs and the dark brown of the wood. Her gaze runs over you and her lips purse slightly.

Further to the right sits a dwarf, clad in significantly less ostentatious clothing, fingers adorned with several rings and wearing a pair of spectacles with rims of gold. He looks at you briefly, fingers tapping on the table. To his right sits a woman who looks about middle aged, wearing a dress that clearly displays wealth without seeming to flaunt it. She looks at you, smiling, but not for long. The dwarf on her right is armored, although lightly, wearing a vest of chain. His green eyes flit over you, seeming to muster you briefly before he shakes his head and murmurs something inaudible.

A golden goblet sits in front of each chair, occupied or not, and several larger containers sit within easy reach from them. Around the room, you see twelve guards, all wearing the same leather armor as Mayora, minus the stag emblem. Each stands at attention, a spear in their right hand and a sword on their left hip. They have been placed between the windows, where the wall blocks the light, and cast no shadows over the room, standing with their backs to the wall. None of them moves, staring straight ahead as if frozen in place.

Spoiler: The S-Crew

Show

A few moments later, a door to the right of the one you entered through opens and a cloaked figure enters, gender made difficult to determine by their cloak. After a moment, you come to the conclusion that it's a man, but first you notice that he has scythe strapped to his back. The blade looks strange, clearly not made of metal, and looks like it's frosted over, as if it were a solid piece of ice rather than steel.

The man garners a look from each of the other five present. The elf seated next to Sorella smiles at him, but none of the others seem impressed - the woman in white pouts a bit, clearly disappointed, the dwarf immediately right of her looks at the newcomer with a neutral expression, the middle-aged woman seems the most happy, smiling briefly, and the final dwarf seems more focused on the man's odd choice of equipment than on the cloaked figure himself.

As Anduriel enters, the seated elf stands to speak, briefly clearing her throat.

"Now that we are all present, I will open this meeting of the 14th Upper Guild Committee Council of the Northern Near Border Issue. I am Lady Mayora of House Sorordili, presiding over this meeting as Representative of Lord Orden of House Rursus, Lord Endei of House Lorem and Ladies Isile and Elise of House Multum. Present are myself, Lady Sara* of House Estridsen, who is acting Lady of this Council, the Grand Master of the Guild of Mints and Order of Institutions of Investment, Lady Postmaster of the Committee of Arsen's Messagers, Master of Arms and the Arsen Guard, as well as four Freepeople of various backgrounds.

Matter at hand is the Northern Near Border Issue and the hiring of the present Freepeople to deal with the issue in a discreet manner. Details of the Issue are the first issue to be discussed, then nature and amount of payment," she says, voice calm and somewhat monotonous. It sounds rather like she's reading a text aloud, rather than speaking something she's thinking. Anduriel notices a definite change from her former tone. Shortly after she finishes, Mayora sits down again, looking to her left at the others gathered on her side of the table before looking to you all. She seems about to speak again, before the woman to the right of her, Lady Sara, does so herself.

"While your introduction leaves some things to be desired - you didn't mention your lovely sister, Sorella, at all - it does work well enough to get things going. As the acting Lady of the Council, I'll be leading the discussion to inform you about the mission you will, should you accept it, be beginning today," the pale noblewoman begins, a slight accent in her voice. Despite it, her speech clearly shows her noble status. "There is an issue in the mountains to the north. A formerly peaceful group has become significantly less so, to put it lightly. Grand Master, if you would..." Lady Sara gestures to her left, at the dwarf in question, and reaches for her goblet. As the dwarf speaks, she drinks deeply.

"They attacked a trading post we had set up in the area. It brought us regular trade, potentially even with the group who attacked it, via various mountain goods only obtainable in the Mantadivas. The destruction recently caused has cost the Order of Institutions of Investment a great deal of money," the dwarf says, his gaze slowly moving across your group, looking at each of you roughly equally. As he finishes, he turns to look back to Lady Sara, who nods to him before turning to you all again.

"So, obviously, we want to solve the issue. However," she ends abruptly this time, but once again gestures to her left. As the armored dwarf, the aforementioned Master of Arms and the Arsen Guard, begins to speak, her eyes slowly move over the party again, staring directly into those of anyone who return her gaze, a smile always on her lips.

"Ahem, well, our issue is that we cannot send a large group of soldiers into the mountains without it being noticed. It would reveal that something was happening. The Arsen Guard is sworn to never leave the city walls, so we would need to use the other forces at our disposal. They are easily recognized and we could not move the numbers needed without making it an issue of its own," he says, glancing over you and occasionally turning back to Lady Sara. As he finishes, she nods to him and speaks once again.

"Our dear Lady Postmaster will be providing you with information that will be helpful in your mission - some of the more sensitive details won't be mentioned until you accept, but feel free to ask questions. This is your time to bring up what you find most important for your decisions," the noblewoman says, gesturing to you all before taking another deep drink from her goblet.

*Pronounced Sah-rah

[Lentrax]

Which group is it, and what do you want done.

[Hazuki]

Stitches

The masked woman waits patiently as the rest of the people file into the room and find themselves seats, the sight of a man with a farmer's tool walking dourly into the room making a silent chuckle escape from her plump crimson lips. It's soon swallowed up as Lady Mayora begins to speak, turning back into a pleasant smile as her gaze shifts over to the speaking elven woman. She keeps her hands folded on the table, flicking over to the other guests periodically and watching the lips of those who speak as they espouse their instructions and thoughts on the deal that they are proposing.

Stitches' golden eyes intensify slightly as Lady Sara starts to stare over the freelancers' side of the table, meeting the woman's gaze unerringly and tilting her head slightly to the side, her black locks of hair scattering across her armored shoulder. After a few moments, she quirks her lips up into a bigger smile. When all the the talking is finally finished, she reaches into her pack and tears a patch of solk from the inside, then places it on the table and slices it into three pieces with her fingers.

Upon one scrap, she cuts in the shape of a fist inside a stylized castle; the symbol of The Huba Dwarves. In another, she cuts a few crests belonging to prominent Horyani leaders. And in the final one, she cuts a mountain and an arrow pointing to its peak. She then pushes each of the three scraps towards Lady Sara, tilting her head at the woman again.

[PersonMan]

As Stitches returns her stare, the pale noblewoman's smile grows, but she says nothing, although she seems almost bothered by it when it becomes her time to speak again. Nearby, Mayora sits silently, her own gaze going from Lady Sara to Stitches before she takes a brief sip from her goblet. At her side, Sorella visible avoids looking at either of the two, either shifting to throw a glance behind her, look at her sister or turning towards the current speaker. As Sera speaks, several eyebrows go up - Mayora's, as well as that of the Grand Master and the middle-aged woman. The target of the gruff request herself seems unperturbed, however.

"We want the threat removed. Killed, sent elsewhere, pacified - it doesn't matter, as long as they never bother us again," Lady Sara replies, shrugging. "When you come back, we'll write down what you did and put that in a vault where no one will read it unless there's more trouble like this," she continues, looking briefly at Stitches as she begins to slice up a piece of silk but not devoting her full attention to the apparent impromptu craft session until the results are pushed over the table to her. At that point she grins, looking directly at the masked elf. "A clever one, aren't you? It's a shame you can't speak. As for who you're fighting, we'll give you that information in the letter, assuming you agree to the job."

[Yawielas]

Selena

Selena turns her head when the stranger with the scythe enters. Ah....the fourth... She studies him briefly, without gleaning much from his caped form, but the weapon was interesting. She offers a slight nod, before turning back to the council. As Stitches makes her small tokens, she looks from the scraps of silk to Lady Sara. "So...There's a threat in the mountains, disturbing your trade, and you want us to remove it, but you won't tell us what the threat is before we agree to it? Other than it being a formerly peaceful group...How many are we talking about? How are they armed? Are they fortified?"

[Oseyerys]

Anduriel

Anduriel enters the room and assesses those present. He is fully aware of the disapproving and skeptical looks his entrance receives from those present. He is also fully aware of the fact that he doesn't care. If they don't know who he is they probably aren't worth his time. He came to a summons from two people: Mayora and "Lord Louccin" or Mentum as his real name appears to be so as far as he is concerned he answers to them not these other people.

Anduriel then sees the three facing the group of nobles. These, he assumed, were his prospective companions for this job. The one on the far left appears the most curious, hiding behind a mask, much like him beneath his cowl. He could respect that. The one standing up behind her chair appears very tense, as though ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. Also respectable, if not slightly arrogant. The third appears to be the most "normal" for lack of a better word. She appears relaxed although alert which would make the characteristics of the spokesperson of their group and thus able to converse with these people seated before them. Upon seeing him she nods in acknowledgement. He gives the slightest tilt of his head beneath his cowl in a form of a bow. Anduriel respects other mercenaries, he just doesn't particularly like working with them.

With his preliminary assessment of these people over, Anduriel walks around the room, taking his time to stare at the guards and architecture of the wood before making his way up to the table, makes eye contact with the gathered nobility to acknowledge them, and returns his gaze to Mayora. These people may be nobles, but they did not call upon him, Mayora did. He remains standing but relaxed, impassive as he hears the speeches from everyone gathered. As before, he assumes everything will be revealed in its due time and thus remains silent, listening to the others. He was never one for asking many questions, which made him a good mercenary to hire.

[Lentrax]

I do not take jobs that I know nothing about. Who is this group of people?

[Oseyerys]

Anduriel

Hearing the standing woman's question it becomes apparent to the Addonexus that Mayora had given him more information than these three had been given. Either that or that was a ruse as well... Anduriel listens for the answer from the nobles...

[Hazuki]

Stitches

Stitches' eyes slowly travel between the people sitting on the opposite side of the table, watching each little movement they make and the expressions scrawled across their faces. She leans a little further across the table, ears pricking up at the sound of Sera making demands and Lady Sara countering them with ease, then gives another wide smile as the leader of the employers gives her a compliment. She steadily reaches over the table, keeping her sharpened fingers tucked against her palm, and grasps the patches of silk again, then slides them in front of Sera.

With that done, the masked woman sways her head a little until she can manage to catch Sorella's gaze, meeting her eyes and holding her hand up a little. She uses her raised hand to subtly beckon the elven woman over, as the other freelancers negotiate.

[PersonMan]

Seeing Stitches' offered hand, Sorella shakes her head, and everyone but Anduriel, whose attention isn't on the woman, can see that she would like to join the masked feral elf, but feels that she cannot do so because of the other present. Primarily Lady Sarah, who begins to speak just a moment after the armored elf has turned back from Stitches to her sister, who in turn shifts her attention to the pale noblewoman. A brief exchange follows, as the latter begins to repeat herself while Mayora interjects that the group would be able to do the same with the information they had received already, regardless of whether or not they knew the details.

"Alright, this is the one," Lady Sarah says after a few moments of silence, lifting up one of Stitches' silk cuttings. "The tribe of bugbears has turned into a significantly less peaceful one," she explains, looking at the sliced piece of silk with a smile. Then she turns back to the dwarf to her left, giving him a brief gesture which prompts him to nod and raise his arms, clapping his hands twice. A moment later, one of the doors behind you open and a pair of dwarves enter, carrying a chest between them. The two come to the table and set the finely worked stone container onto the table, moving aside several decanters of wine before hefting it again to move it to the rough center between all of those sitting at the table.

Spoiler: The Chest

Show

The Grand Master of the Guild of Institutes of Investment reaches forwards, grabbing the chest's lid and pulling it back towards him, revealing the contents: gleaming gold coins, stacked from the stone bottom to the now-opened top of the chest.

"Those are six thousand gold pieces. One and a half thousand for each of you," Lady Sarah says, smiling, as the two dwarves who had carried the chest in bow and disappear back into the side room they had come from. One thousand five hundred gold pieces per person - that was about thirty pounds of solid gold for each of you, enough to live like a high noble for almost half a year. The best of the best inns, the best food (and lots of it), the finest drink, expensive clothes, an aura of wealth that would quickly call a small crowd of socialites to your person, for seven months, with a bit left over. All this for a single job. That made it by far the best paying of any work you've ever done before, apart from perhaps some kind of several month long task.

The meeting continues, Mayora mentioning that the council would be willing to pay you in other ways, if you would prefer that to gold, but that the details would be discussed upon your successful return. A few more matters are brought up, the most important being loot acquired during the job (you can do with that whatever you will) and an official letter assuring the reader that you are all on council business and are not to be disturbed on your way to the north, before it ends with a formal speech from Mayora similar to the one with which she began it.

With the meeting over, both of the dwarves take their leave, the two from the other room returning to bring the chest away again. The middle-aged human woman leaves as well, after giving your group the letter of information that you not to open until you reach the foot of the mountains, explaining that a mage in the employ of the council has cast a charm on it, so that they will be alerted if it is opened before then. After that, she leaves as well. Mayora and Sorella stay, the former in her seat and sipping wine while the later stands. The two converse quietly.

Lady Sarah waits for the Lady Postmaster to leave before standing, drinking two gobletfulls of wine in the meantime. Then she stands as well, looking to Stitches and gesturing for the masked being to join her before walking to the windows, looking out with a slim smile.

[Hazuki]

Stitches

Stitches doesn't interact much past the point of beckoning Sorella, watching the coin with calm eyes and fidgeting little until the meeting finally comes to end. She taps Selena on the shoulder and gestures to Sara, before leaving the elf's side to approach the smiling woman's side.

[Oseyerys]

Anduriel

The Addonexus listens to the rest of the meeting, remaining silent for the duration. One of the scars from his recent job starts to act up. This leaves Anduriel with the realization that, if he is going to succeed, he needs company. He can only train so much. The scars would never go away and thus the dull periodic pain would always be there. As much as he might not like the idea, he concedes that he can't do this alone.

He walks up to Mayora, standing opposite the table as her and says quietly so only she would hear I don't appreciate being fooled however necessary it may be. If there's anything else you're withholding from me about this job I'd implore you to tell me now before I find out the hard way. If that happens I will be most displeased with this arrangement.

[PersonMan]

Spoiler: Stitches

Show

As you reach Lady Sarah's side, her gaze goes to you, smile widening. Outside, grand estates and massive monuments fill your view. Streets of white marble, wide enough to accommodate large groups but rarely close to filled, perfectly maintained gardens, shimmering pools, all in the shadows of spires hundreds of feet tall, gold tips flashing in the sun. The wealth of old Arsen is displayed prominently in several more structures - the massive statue of the first Dragon Emperor that sits atop the chambers of the grand councils of Arsen, once home to the gatherings of the draconic lords of Draslei. Supposedly, the statue is made of thousands of individual scales, made from rubies, gold and crystals from all across the continent. Great curses supposedly protect it, and an old story tells that it once came to life and breathed flames on three hundred thieves who had banded together to take it apart scale by scale.

The massive size of the buildings, the spires of gold, the shining metal and polished white limestone - it's a view unlike anything you've ever seen before. But before long, the woman at your side speaks, breaking the silence in which she had perhaps also been examining the striking skyline of Arsen's uppermost layer.

"You have a very unique appearance. You aren't a member of the Solfedi faith, are you?" The noblewoman asks, turning to you. "You have the look of a heathen, you see," she adds, face severe for a moment before her smile returns. "I like that. I've been looking for someone more...exciting, than the usual fare here. Would you mind coming with me for a bit of cultural exchange? I don't think you'll gain much from staying here while the others become acquainted with each other, due to your seeming inability to speak."

Spoiler: Anduriel

Show

As Anduriel approaches Mayora, she turns from her sister to the cloaked man, goblet still in one hand, leaning back in her chair, an easy smile on her face. As he whispers to her, she shrugs and sits up, bringing the goblet to her lips again before setting it on the table. "Seeing as I'd like to get this problem taken care of as quickly as possible, I have not withheld any important information from you regarding it," she begins. "The deception was a way of gathering some information about you - a final screening before the meeting, if you wish to see it that way. But..."

The elf gestures for Anduriel to come closer, her voice falling so low that he doubts even her sister, standing barely two feet away, can hear. "If you have further dealings with the council, be prepared for far more deceit. The upper level of Arsen is where the wealthiest and most powerful people come to become wealthier and more powerful. More coin changes hands here in a day than in the rest of the world put together. Everyone here has their reasons to lie, to cheat, to hide. I have things I hide, as well. I just act for the good of my family and for Arsen, rather than for myself alone. It makes me more easily trusted," she says, before leaning back into her seat, briefly closing her eyes.

"Arsen is a city of lies. They're just buried in gold. The council is the only thing that offers truth, honest work, honorable exchanges."

Lady Sarah and Stitches stand at the window, the pale noblewoman turning to speak quietly to your masked companion after a moment of looking out into the bright upper layer of Arsen. Meanwhile, Anduriel has a hushed exchange with Mayora.

[Hazuki]

Stitches

Spoiler: What a wonderful wold...

Show

Stitches pushes her hand against the frame of the window as she looks out of it, eyes trailing over the streets, the statues, and the sighs, as she watches the reflection of Sara in the glass. She tilts her head to the side when the woman makes her proposition and, with a light smile, gives a nod of her head in response, eyes flashing over to the door.

[PersonMan]

Spoiler: Stitches

Show

Lady Sarah's smile grows and she nods at Stitches' response. "That's perfect. Luckily, I have made sure to prepare for such events. In my experience, quite a few especially talented and unique people come through these doors to take jobs for the council. It pays to be prepared for such eventualities, you see," she explains.

With a wave of her arm at one of the two doors of the wall on the right of where you originally entered, she makes her way there, taking a moment to make eye contact with and nod to Mayora. Reaching the door, she opens it, stepping inside and making room for Stitches to follow before closing it again. Another small room, identical to the one Stitches came through earlier. Opening the second door, rather thick and made entirely of wood, Lady Sarah reveals another chamber, in which a large bed takes up most of the space.

"It's truly a shame you can't speak. Still, that shouldn't be a problem here. I've found that one can say very much without a single word being used..."

Lady Sarah and Stitches make their way to one of the two doors on the wall to the right of where you entered and sat, disappearing through the door into a room darker due to the lack of sunshine pouring into it. On the way the pale noblewoman and Mayora exchange a glance. As the door closes behind the two, Mayora sighs, muttering something about exotic flowers before turning back to Anduriel.

[Lentrax]

That went well... Sera mutters under breath. She turns to Selena and the... Whatever he was.

I need a drink. You coming?

Sera exits the room, grabs her other sword, strapping the worn scabbard to her back before turning to the long staircase down.

[Yawielas]

Selena

The elf glances back towards the door to the room where Stitches remains, then looks back to Sera. "Sure. Might want to let Stitches know where we're going, unless our employers have set us up with rooms." She gives the cloaked man a look to see if he's coming as well. The scythe gave her a pretty good idea who he was, but it wouldn't hurt to get to know him better. "How about you? Will you join us?"

[Oseyerys]

Anduriel

The Addonexus ponders what the elf had told him. This is why he didn't like dealing with nobles. The poor did not lie because they had nothing to hide. They were already treated poorly so they would have no need to risk embarassment or humiliation. He hears the inquiries from the two remaining women in the room.

I'll see about this job of yours... thank you.

He backs up from Mayora, taking one more slight bow before turning to follow the elf and her stoic friend.

[Lentrax]

She'll be able to find us. Besides. I don't think she will be... available for some time. Now let's find some hole I the wall, and find me a strong bitter.

[Yawielas]

Selena

Selena nods, and straps her weapons back on before descending the stairs.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Have we heard of Addonexus? Enough to recognize him?

[PersonMan]

Heading back through the smaller room they had entered via, Sera, Selena and Anduriel find a man the women recognize as Terson. He wears the same sort of light armor as Sorella and Mayora, bearing the circle but not the stag. He doesn't strike Anduriel as especially noteworthy, looking normal - short brown hair, brown eyes, nothing out of the ordinary. As you all move to leave, he stands from where he had been seated, gaze lingering on the cloaked man for a moment before he turns to Selena.

"I assume you're leaving now. In that case, I'll accompany you down the council stair - it's both required and, well, it's difficult to be sure of where one is without a guide," the man says, smiling. "Are you looking to stay in the upper city, or will you be going all the way down to the middle one?" He asks.

[Oseyerys]

Anduriel

Recognizing that this man must have been their guide much like Mayora was his, the Addonexus remains silent and allows Selena and Sera to answer. He holds the man's gaze until after the guard turns away.

[Yawielas]

Selena

She looks from Tersen to the other two, then back to Tersen. "What would you recommend? Someplace with good drink, good food and the opportunity for a bath." She runs a hand through her hair, pulling it out of her face. "Wherever it is, please inform Stitches where we've gone."

[PersonMan]

"That would depend on your budget. There are many very nice places here in the upper city, but they all cost a great amount of gold. The further down you go, the less expensive things get, but they aren't as luxurious, either," Terson replies. "Although if you stay up here it'd be best to avoid any of the noble places. They'll let you in, but they'll overcharge you horrendously if they don't think your family line is impressive enough. There are enough that only care about how impressive your coinpurse is, though," he says, clearly thinking for a few moments. "Most of the things up here will want a few gold for their meals, more for a bath and drinks."

[Lentrax]

I wouldn't dare sully your noble bars with my dirty blood. I will find my own hole in the wall somewhere that accepts coin without caring much where it came from.

[PersonMan]

Spoiler: Stitches

Show

After a rather enjoyable time in Sara's private room, you and the noblewoman collect your clothes and return to the council room, where you see that the others have almost all left. The guards are gone, apart from two who still stand at the windows, and Sorella stands alone at the end of the table opposite where you emerge from the door. Seeing you enter, she shifts uncomfortably and begins to speak after a deep breath.

"I was, ah, told to tell you that your comrades have gone off to relax and celebrate their new job in some taverns and...yes. But that was a while ago, so they may be finished soon. Terson mentioned that they had agreed to meet up again at the northern road not long from now," the elf says.

"I'm sure they'll enjoy their time in whatever place Terson convinces them to waste their coin at," Sara says with a slight chuckle, turning towards you with her smile still in place. "I think that means you have some time left before you need to leave to rejoin your little group. How about a drink? It's been too long - almost half a day, I think - since I've gotten to enjoy some wine with two lovely ladies at once," she continues, turning towards Sorella shortly before she finishes. The tan elf says nothing for a few moments, her fingers drumming on the chair that her sister had been sitting in earlier for a few moments before she shakes her head.

"I can't. You know that, my Lady. No wine while..."

"While you're on duty. Yes, yes, I understand," Sara replies, sighing. "But you're always on duty, at least whenever I'm around," she adds, an exaggerated tone of complaint in her voice before she turns back to you. "So, just the two of us. How about a goblet or two before you go off on your trip, then?"

Spoiler: Anduriel, Selena

Show

After a brief exchange between Terson and Sera, where the former makes a quip about the 'noble' bars and their lack of anything that could be called such before promising to take her to the middle section of the city if she wishes, you all make a simple plan to meet at the northern exit of the city once your tasks are finished. Your guide promises to relay the information to Stitches, and after he gives you some directions to a place he recommends as "a truly relaxing experience", you leave the hidden stairway and emerge onto a brightly lit promenade. The stones beneath your feet shine in the light, white stone reflecting the sunlight that falls unhindered onto the wonders of the city's uppermost layer. Following the directions given to you by Terson, you quickly find a grand establishment situated in a large garden surrounded by spiraling gold that seems to form a net over the park.

Quickly, you are approached by a smiling woman in white clothes, who bows and offers her aid to you in finding your way to "your preferred way to relax and regenerate in our place of recuperation and enjoyment". It doesn't take long before you are each assaulted by offers - a dozen types of wine of varying price, food that ranges from a peasant's fantasies to things they couldn't even imagine, ten types of relaxation treatment (two of which involve service from 'sensual professionals'), four kinds of baths, walks through the differing parts of the garden and two types of 'aesthetic improvement sessions'.

Spoiler: Sera

Show

Terson speaks to you for a bit longer, making a quip about the 'noble' bars and their lack of anything that could be called such and promising to bring you to the middle ring of the city to a place you'd like more. You all make a simple plan to meet at the northern exit of the city once your tasks are finished. Your guide promises to relay the information to Stitches, then offers directions to your other companions to get to the place he recommends. Once Selena and Anduriel have left to find a place he recommended to them, the two of you walk down the stairs for some time. You arrive at a door that he opens, and he gives you a brief description of a place that sounds suitable to you before leaving you to your own devices.

The middle section of the city is not as brightly lit as the one above it, but frequent shafts leading up allow for the sunlight to shine down into the alleys to keep them from growing too dark. It doesn't take long before you find the place Terson described. It's literally a hole in the wall, given the nature of the city, although it's made to look like more than just a hollowed out portion of a massive pillar or whatever it was carved out of. As you enter, three of the five people present look up at you - the two tables are mostly filled, with four patrons present and a single gruff-looking man behind the bar.

The ones looking at you, apart from the thickset man working on a large mug, are an obviously armed, burly man wearing black armor covered in triangular symbols bearing an axe and a red-robed woman with deeply tanned skin. The other patrons are less unusual, one merchant-looking man with a full mug in front of him who is pushing copper coins between two small piles in front of him and a sleepy-looking fellow who is staring at his drink.

The armed man appraises you for a moment, smiles and nods to you before returning to his own business, while the robed woman's gaze turns away from you only a moment after it moves away from the odd tome in her lap. The man behind the bar steps to one side, to better face you as he speaks.

"Aft'rnoon. Ye like the strong stuff, 'r the light brew?" He asks.

[Yawielas]

Selena

Selena chuckles a bit at the more exotic offers she receive, then orders a bath and a glass of spiced wine, as well as some fruit, light meats and bread. She turns to Anduriel. "I'll be at the bar in a little while. We should get aquainted, seeing as we're to work together. I like to know who's got my back, and what they're capable of. I'm sure you would like to know as well. We were not properly introduced before, let me remedy that. I am Selena." She offers her hand.