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Thread: Ansalonian Adventures IC
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2015-12-09, 07:34 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2010
- Location
- Christmas City, USA
- Gender
Ansalonian Adventures IC
The Lord City of Palanthas, the great port of the north. The jewel of Solamnia. The beautiful, precious home of noble families, sea trade, The Great Library. A vast and glorious testament to the ideals of human society, its endless streets and soaring towers stretching as far as the eye can see from the gleaming Bay of Branchala and up the verdant sides of the surrounding Vingaard Mountains.
Palanthas is truly the greatest city in the world.
You recall being told this once as autumn’s gray bleakness sends sheets of chilling rain and whips bitter wind though your clothes and deep into your bones. Bits of trash float down the well cobbled streets and shivering stray dogs look at you balefully from alleys. The occasional passerby is bundled against the weather and neither of you spare the other more than a cursory glance. The only people working out on the streets as dusk falters are a handful of lamplighters; soggy and miserable, bearing long wooden sticks with hooded ends they use to light the small oily wicks in the lamps along the major thoroughfares.
You would much rather be doing something else, pretty much anything else really, but a message had found you at seemingly the last possible moment from Gravvik Ironeater, and it wouldn’t wait. You owe the wily old dwarf a favor you’re sure he’ll keep over your head for the rest of your life if you don’t return it, so you wind your way through the cold wet streets to the small corner shop where he conducts his business not far from Smith’s Alley, in the eldest section of New City.
As you were called in haste, you walk through the solid front door into the familiar cluttered chaos of Gravvik’s shop. A sort of catch-all merchant, the dwarf has been established her for decades and works with everything you can think of. The open shop is a tangle of just about everything you could find at a general store, a pawn shop and an antiquities dealer. And it’s not a big shop.
Gravvik’s personal business is always done in the room at the rear of the shop, and you show yourself in maneuvering carefully to the door, tugging it open by shoving aside a leaning crate. You aren’t alone. And neither is he.
You arrive at nearly the same instant as several others, equally wet and out of breath. In the incredibly messy pipe-smoke filled room, lit by a hanging lamp over a table you are barely able to squeeze around, is Gravvik. With him is a dark-haired, thick-browed man in black leather armor. One hand is tugging Gravvik’s fine tunic and vest, the other holds a wickedly sharp knife. He looks quite annoyed to see you.
Gravvik, never taking his from his molester, leans back almost casually and puffs on his pipe. “Why look. My friends! What a surprise,” he says almost triumphantly.
Spoiler: NotesFeel free to give me Perception or Insight rolls in OOC – it might help set the stage. Or don’t.
The nature of the favor owed to Gravvik is not germane to this; it was a hook, is all. But if you want to write up that scenario as a means of a little more character history, by all means do so.
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2015-12-10, 12:29 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2012
- Location
- Definitely lost
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
If there are two things that try my patience, it's kender, and being in buildings not made with seven foot tall, horned gentlemen in mind.
So how did I wind up in the latter, with the former?
I have made plenty of disparaging comments about the kender and their questions about my people, especially regarding things like asking about why we don't have hooves, but I'll admit I was almost wishing we did have those. It would mean not having to walk miles in wet boots. I take every wet footprint in the stinking dwarf's store he'll have to mop up as a little bit of revenge for forcing me here. I mean, you get a guy out of town when the racists come knocking once, and you expect him to just sprint eighteen miles to you at a moment's notice?
I mean really it's a fairly reasonable expectation aside from the sprinting part but that wasn't helping my mood.
Oh, but it looks like someone has offered to help it along today. A warm, welcome helping of catharsis. My hand goes for the hammer at my belt. Not enough room to swing a sword here.
"Need me to pay you back already, Gravvik? Didn't think it'd be so fast. Did you want this discussion or did you call me to have it ended?" I rumble.
SpoilerIntimidation roll on Mr. Stabby. Charisma plus Proficiency bonus, right? (1d20+4)[24]Spako Highclaws by Ceika.
[Sorry Boss, but as always, I get the last word.]
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2015-12-10, 01:05 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2006
- Location
- State of Denial
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Tarina Davenledge
Tarina pulls her cloak tightly around herself as she makes her way down the road to the dwarf's shop. What could he possibly want already? It's been only a week, she thought to herself as she turned the final corner leading to Gravvik's shop.
She shakes the water off her cloak and makes her way to the back, "Are you back here, you old..." she starts to say, then cuts off as she nearly walks into a mountain of fur.
A minotaur...a...a real live minotaur, she almost says out loud. Looking up to the backside of this tall humanoid, eyes wide, she is struck speechless. Tarina has almost completely forgotten why she was summoned, let alone that she should be looking for Gravvik, and is totally oblivious to anyone else in the back of the shop.Last edited by Fishybugs; 2015-12-10 at 01:12 AM.
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2015-12-10, 04:38 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2015
- Location
- Finland
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Darrik ran in the rain, hood up. The old dwarf, Gravvik, had done him a favor couple of weeks ago and now wanted it paid back. He didn't mind, and visiting the dwarf's shop was fun, since he tended to just find things while there.
As Darrik entered the shop, he noticed there were a few people talking to Gravvik, one of whom was a real minotaur! Darrik immediately went to him, offering his hand. "Oh hello sir, my name is Darrik Proudfoot. This is exciting, I haven't met a minotaur before. Well except one, but I think he just wanted to snap my neck and I didn't really have time to talk with him since I had just found something interesting I wanted to take a closer look at. Are you a friend of Gravvik's? Are you a pirate? Do your horns ever get stuck in the ceiling, since you're so tall and all?". Darrik paused to take a breath and looked past the minotaur at the old dwarf. "Oh, hello Grav!"
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2015-12-10, 01:07 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2010
- Location
- Christmas City, USA
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
When you all suddenly enter the already tight quarters, the wiry thug first appears surprised, then annoyed. He begins to turn toward the dwarf with a questioning snarl on his lips when the hulking minotaur presses himself through the door with a frustrated growl. He pauses instantly, the knife's edge dropping several inches. "What in the Abyss ... Gravvik, you scum." He glances at the chattering Kender but keeps his focus upward. He says, "This needn't concern you, minotaur. This is business between my employer and the dwarf."
The dwarf waves his pipe about pointedly. "No no. Oh, no. This here is their business as well, you see. Koshal here and the others are here to, er, expedite the resolution of your employer's concern. Yes, indeed. They're my help. And look at the assortment, eh? Surely you can go tell your employer I've made up for tardiness with some real effort. I mean I'm putting my best troubleshooters on it!" He grins at all of you and nods as if encouraging you to play along.
Spoiler: TarinaYou barely manage to get into the room, and between the minotaur and thick smoke in your face, you're too preoccupied to get a clear impression of the man.
Spoiler: DarrikYou are deeply interested in the minotaur, but your keen eyes pick up on some details about the thug. He seems to turn a shade paler when the minotaur speaks, and he's as wet as the rest of you, so he probably only just arrived as well. Also, his clothes aren't faded or frayed at all - they appear sturdy and new.
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2015-12-10, 03:10 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2015
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Mara had arrived just late enough to catch the minotaur and the kender sauntering in, the former eyeing the latter like a very late lunch. Both races tended to be trouble, especially in a shop of all things. Mara wondered if she'd been called upon to deal with the two of them. Squires could probably help grab a kender, if it wasn't quick with a blade, but a minotaur...she moved to the side of shop, away from the rain, and turned to her squires.
"Alright. Listen up, everyone. I'm here to meet with Gavvik Ironeater-dwarven guy, that's his shop. Had a couple drinks with him when he made some deliveries to m'lord in Caergoth. Lot of trinkets in there, couple weapons, some nice things, some garbage. I'm going in to talk to him, pay him some kind of favor. You three are going to enter a minute or two after I do, and until we all leave this shop, you don't know me, because this is a learning opportunity." She hands Zee four gold pieces. "The three of you are going to find something nice in that shop-and Juliet has the last word on what's nice on this one, because she's a lady of taste-and working together, you're going to haggle it down to at least four gold pieces. Less if you can. Do it any way you like, so long as you don't break the law or get too immoral. Got me?"
She waits for confirmation, than hurries inside. She enters the backroom just as Gavvik finishes up his explanation. She clears her throat loudly as she enters, moving to the side of the other woman in chain and making sure not to get too close to the kender. "Gavvik, I know I'm not particularly popular right now, but did you really call in a Dame to help out your loan shark or... whoever this fine gentleman is?"She points to the man with the knife drawn flippantly as she speaks.
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2015-12-10, 04:53 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2012
- Location
- Definitely lost
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
This time I admit that I did something that had I been on the other end, I would be complaining to you about.
I got snippy.
People often find it surprising when someone my size does so. It's rather entertaining, really, even if I admit it's not terribly polite.
If there's one thing I'm sure Kiri-Jolith frowns on me for, it's my tendency to drop my manners when irritable. Something to consider during meditation.
And really, am I wrong for getting irritable at the Refer To People By Their Race Game? I don't even do that for Kender. Well, not unless they do it first.
"On the contrary, human, I believe that since Gravvik's skills tend to rely in getting people to do everything for him, you might as well tell us, since it's unlikely that there's another plan besides us." I say, not being entirely nice to Gravvik, I suppose, but I didn't think he deserved all my niceties at that moment.Spako Highclaws by Ceika.
[Sorry Boss, but as always, I get the last word.]
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2015-12-10, 05:31 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2015
- Location
- Finland
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Koshal the minotaur didn't seem interested in answering Darrik's questions, though he didn't let that get him down, since it sounded like they would have more opportunities to talk. He then decided to check if Grav had gotten anything interesting. The human was pointing a knife at the old dwarf, but it seemed like everything was under control. "Oh yeah, I've shot at a lot of troubles", Darrik says as he examines an interesting looking trinket.
Spoiler: OOCDarrik's hands make sleight of hand check to pocket the trinket: (1d20+5)[7] without anyone noticing
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2015-12-10, 06:52 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2010
- Location
- Christmas City, USA
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
The thug looks increasingly unsure and outnumbered, and Gravvik gently pushes the knife away with the long stem of his pipe. He looks at each of you with a thankful grin. But he responds to Koshal and Mara. "Now, not to worry, my horned friend. We don't share trade secrets or names during business. The details aren't important, especially when the results are sure to satisfy.
"And you wound me, my lady. As if a fine dwarf such as myself would need to rely on such a figure as some mischievous moneylender! Bah!"
He he stands up, showing little discernible between the length of the chair's legs and his own, and motions through the thick smoke and dripping audience toward the door. "Now then lad, you can go and assure your employer the matter is in hand." The thug looks distinctly unhappy, especially as he is forced to squeeze past each of you on his way out. "You better come through, Gravvik. My boss is getting impatient, and your a very visible example." He hesitates at each of you, pressing uncomfortably close. He can't keep his eyes on the kender (though he somehow manages to smack an adventuresome hand) and can't help but share a nervous stare with the towering minotaur as rainwater drips upon him from horns and fur. He actually looks a bit apologetic when brushing against the ladies. Up that close he's actually a rather handsome roguish sort.
A moment later you hear the front door open and shut and Gravvik sags back into his chair. "Whoo. Many thanks to you all. And before you go blamin' and shoutin', yes; of course I'll share secrets and names. Because I need your help and each of you owes me."
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2015-12-10, 08:08 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2006
- Location
- State of Denial
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Tarina Davenledge
After stepping out of the way of the quite handsome young man exiting the shop, Tarina turns to her friend, Gravvik.
"Gravvik, I'm so sorry it took so long to get here," Tarina says, glancing back and forth between the dwarf and the minotaur, obviously distracted. A sudden thought seems to come to her and Tarina rounds on the dwarf with a startled look on her face. Was that a knife?!? You should have said you were in trouble! I can't believe someone would come in here and harass such a sweet old man like this!
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2015-12-11, 07:09 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2010
- Location
- Christmas City, USA
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
The dwarf smiles amiably around the room and wiggles his fingers at the kender for a moment. "What didja find there, lad? Mayhaps you should take a look in your bag and find a corresponding empty spot on the shelf."
At the young woman's words, Gravvak practically spits. His bushy eyebrows rise, as does his voice into a very undwarflike pitch. "O-old! Why, girl I've barely seen eighty years!" he jabs his pipe at the young lady wearing rather decrepit armor, spilling ash over his tunic and the table. "Old," he blusters, "Respecting your elders is one thing but to take such liberties ..."
Just then three young faces appear in the doorway, looking about curiously though the haze and low-hanging junk. The foremost, a very pretty girl of about 16, with skin the color of coffee beans and primped, curled hair spilling across her shoulders like spun light chocolate, twists her mouth in distaste at the sight. She looks deliberately at Dame Mara, quite disappointed, and says in a high Ergothian accent, "We don't know you."
She then escorts the two teenage boys back into the shop proper.
Gravvik shakes his head. "Hell of a thing. Close the door, one of you.
"Now look. I got me a client who's been waiting very patiently for a certain item. I sent one of my best men to bring the thing home to Palanthas, but I haven't heard from him in over a month. I fear the worst for the poor man, and beyond that it's put my arse in the fire. If something's happened to him, then I need capable folk to either find him and the item or learn what happened to him and come back with the item. That'd be you. Shouldn't take too long, and then we'll all be evens, yeah?"Last edited by Gorgon_Heap; 2015-12-11 at 08:37 PM.
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2015-12-11, 10:25 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2006
- Location
- State of Denial
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Tarina Davenledge
At Gravvik's admonission, Tarina says, "No, sir, I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." She is relieved when his attention turns to the three young strangers entering the shop, and even more relieved when he doesn't return his glare to her. "I'm no good at this stuff, but I know She chose me for a reason. Help me be strong, M'lady. she mumbles to herself as Gravvik continues on about the proposed mission.
As he finishes, Tarina has hardly heard a word the dwarf has said. "Of course I'll help you, Gravvik. After what you've done for me, I can hardly leave you out in the cold now. We'll all help." Tarina looks around the room of strangers, though not making eye contact with the minotaur. "Right?" she asks, not sounding sure anyone will agree with her.
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2015-12-11, 11:36 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2012
- Location
- Definitely lost
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
I resisted the (severe) temptation to roll my eyes.
"That remains to be seen. I need details, Grav. If the 'item' is, say, a dragon's egg or some-such, then I don't owe you nearly that much. What is it, and where did you send that guy?" I ask, folding my arms across my chest.Spako Highclaws by Ceika.
[Sorry Boss, but as always, I get the last word.]
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2015-12-12, 02:20 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2015
- Location
- Finland
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
"Oh that's impossible, I never would..." Darrik mutters as he went through his bags. "Well look at that, sometimes my hands just seem to move their own", Darrik says and puts item back on the shelf. Then he crosses his arms tightly, as if to keep them from moving.
"Ooh, dragon egg, that would be so exciting! Please tell me we have to find a dragon egg! I'm happy to help with whatever the task is! Unless it's boring"
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2015-12-13, 04:26 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2010
- Location
- Bangladesh
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
The Lord City of Palanthas. The greatest city in the world, or so one braggart human merchant had once told him the first time he'd come here. He had been young enough and gullible enough to entertain the remote possibility that that was the case. He still remembered the keen disillusionment that he had felt at actually entering the city. As he walked down the rain-soaked streets, he could almost taste it again.
Hobnobbing with humans and dwarves had never been Aenshae's idea of having a good time; it was necessity that had brought him to Solamnia and it was honour that now bade him heed the summons of an upstart dwarf. He could not deny he owed Gravvik a debt and he would be damned if he would let the dwarf claim a Silvanesti had done wrong by him. So it was he found himself pushing open the door that was the entrance to the dwarf's personal room at the back of his messy little shop.
And so it was he found himself looking up at a minotaur, taking up almost all the space in the tiny little room. Aenshae grit his teeth; his nostrils flared angrily. A minotaur here in Palanthas! His hand gripped his wand tightly and he half raised it, his eyes falling on the dwarf. "I'm here like you asked, Gravvik." He said, his voice carrying a strong Silvanesti accent. "Now please tell me that the task you called me up for involves disposing of a minotaur." He almost snarled, trying hard to contain his roiling emotions.
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2015-12-13, 01:15 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2015
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Mara furrowed her brow; she knew Juliet hadn't yet warmed up to the life of a minstrel yet, and if there was anything a woman needed to be, it was willful. She'd hoped she'd at least be interested in bartering-there were few more lucrative ways to show off one's social intelligence, and Mara herself had been delighted by the practice when Priscilla had first taken her to the port markets, all salt air and bearded merchants and wonderful little trinkets hidden between slop. Ugh. Well, she had all the time in the world to wrangle her in, but Gravvik seemed to need help now.
Mara pushed her silver blonde locks forward, shielding sight of the scars on her neck as she lowered her hood and sat down at the nearest open chair. "...Sorry about that. What I said earlier, I mean. If an innocent's in danger, I'm glad to help. But I'll naturally need to know more about this man. Who is he? What doe he look like? And if this item is worth a knife to your throat, how do you know he didn't just split with the thing?"
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2015-12-13, 01:51 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2010
- Location
- Christmas City, USA
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
The dwarf doesn’t appear to care about the angry elf’s opinion, but he does give the wand a concerned glance. “I could say that, but it would be a lie, so I won’t. Mind yourself in my shop. Your grudges don’t carry weight so far as my lifeblood is concerned. Especially given present company.” He draws on his pipe and realizes it’s out, and mechanically goes about refilling and relighting it.
“Tarina here is a priestess of Mishakal. Mother? Sister? Revered Daughter? Not sure what the label is, sorry. And this is Dame Mara Torson of Caergoth. The kender is Darrik Proudfoot. Koshal, meet Aenshae of Silvanesti.
“No no. No dragon egg. That would be crazy and irresponsible. And just not efficient from a cost/reward standpoint. Nope, it’s a piece of art; a statuette of significant beauty and worth, called The Brass Cat. It’s actually good for business, as it tends to pass hands frequently. Now my man, Robert of Dawn’s Peak, went of to speak with his connection and collect the Cat in … well, not it’s this nice seaside village. Just a nice voyage up the coast a way. And, uh, a bit eastways.” He shrugs. “Pentar. In northern Nordmaar. But it’s really closer than it sounds.”
You all know vaguely of Nordmaar, of course, as a land of savage horsemen and tropical forests. It’s also many hundreds of miles away.
“Don’t you worry. I know a certain ship captain who’s heading that way and owes me a favor, and is willing to take a party hither and back gratis. You sail on out, see some sights, ask a few questions, bring back a stone kitty and maybe a body. Two weeks tops.” He smiles toothily.Last edited by Gorgon_Heap; 2015-12-21 at 02:52 PM.
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2015-12-13, 03:24 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2006
- Location
- State of Denial
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Tarina Davenledge
"Wow, Gravvik. You know so many people. You must have done a lot of nice things for people. So many are willing to drop everything to help you out. You are so sweet."
Pentar. I've heard of the Sacred Gardens there. The beautiful temples to the gods Can we see them? It sounds beautiful. It sounds like there are so many things to see." She pauses for a moment and the exuberance comes out of her for just a moment. "It sounds so far from here."
Another thought occurs to Tarina, apparently in rapid-fire. "How about Kalaman? Can we stop in Kalaman and see the Temple of Mishakal there? I hear that it is beautiful, and I really would like to see it."
She then realizes nobody else has really agreed to help Gravvik out, and looks around the group anxiously.
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2015-12-14, 12:25 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2015
- Location
- Finland
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
"Oh, doesn't sound as exciting as getting a dragon egg, but still it could be pretty fun. With good luck, we might see some sea monsters. Count me in!" Darrik exclaimed enthusiastically.
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2015-12-14, 10:53 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2015
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Mara thought about it. One of the nice things about wandering was that you could go wherever you liked, for better or worse. She wasn't sure if she knew what kind of music they played in Nordmaar, or how friendly they'd be to essentially street performers. And what of her squires? She'd never asked, but most of them probably already had their sea legs-if they didn't, now was the time. But then there was the matter of living quarters...
She looked up at Gravvik. "I need at least two quarters on the ship. Both of decent size. And storage for my caravan and horses. Otherwise, I can't help you."
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2015-12-15, 07:55 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2010
- Location
- Bangladesh
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Aenshae didn't appear to pay the dwarf any mind at first, staring up at the minotaur. But at last, he snarled under his breath and put the wand away, his expression smoothing as he turned to the other occupants and bowed gracefully while introductions were made. Well, he bowed to the priestess of Mishakal and the Dame Mara - a knight of some sort? - but he gave the kender a slightly disdainful nod and ignored the minotaur entirely. "Aenshare of Silvanost, Wizard of the White Order," he said quietly, but proudly.
He kept an eye on the minotaur as he listened to Gravvik speak, his brow furrowing further and further. Nordmaar?! To acquire some stolen statuette?! Did the dwarf consider him some sort of mercenary, to be sent off to errands like an child?
To his dismay and irritation, the two women both accepted the dwarf's offer, one rather exuberantly, while the other at least seemed a bit more level-headed. The kender, of course, did so. He had been intent on declining the mission; better to carry a life debt for a little longer than accompany a minotaur on a sea voyage to a lawless, uncivilized land. But he did not want to lower himself in front of these others either. Certainly not in front of a minotaur!
"I am certain,he said, his voice a little cold, "that you know better than to think I would simply accept a commission like this just because you called on the debt I owe you. This thing will take months, Gravvik. I can't spare months. Besides, you'd have me share air with a... He grimaced, eyes shining with anger, A minotaur. Give me a good reason to do this, or I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere for your wizard."
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2015-12-15, 06:32 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2010
- Location
- Christmas City, USA
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Gravvak nods gratefully to Darrik as soon as the kender opens his mouth. “I’m sure sea monsters are better enjoyed at a distance, lad.” At Tarina’s enthusiasm he’s a little more sedate. “I don’t know religious sites from snake knees, and Kalaman’s not on the itinerary. Once this is done you can plan a trip of your own maybe.”
He squints with one eye and gives an impatient puff toward Aenshae. “I tell the truth, and that’s why folks trust me. And the truth is it should take two weeks, or else why would I be worried if my man was overdue so soon? And since when can’t an elf spare a few months, anyway? You back out and I’ll only do what I always do; tell the truth. And the truth’ll be you can’t be bothered to repay your debts. How’ll that reputation help your cause, whatever it is? Whatever their sins, minotaurs are good to their word.” He points at Koshal. “You going to show him you ain’t?”
But when Mara levels her brief ultimatum, Gravvak rocks back in his chair in surprise.
“What d’ya – now what do you expect here, yer ladyship? I realize this isn’t the best timing so I got you a free berth to and from. Shouldn’t be anything out of pocket for you, just footwork. If you need to take your retainers and such you'll have to do that on your own. I’m doing what I can to help – and I don’t have a household staff waiting back in some fancy manor to care to my dailies.
My man Robert's been working with me for a decade and he's made a fair pile of coins doing it. And of course he knows better than to cross my clients.” He gives a complete and detailed description of Robert of Dawn's Edge, as well as the sorts of places he's likely to frequent and the sorts of ladies he's likely to seek once there.
He relaxes and awaits answers from the holdouts.
Spoiler: GravvakYou each start to realize Gravvak does not actually know a lot of personal details of your lives. But he’s a shrewd businessman, and he probably doesn’t help people out without knowing anything about them.Last edited by Gorgon_Heap; 2015-12-16 at 02:47 PM.
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2015-12-15, 09:10 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2012
- Location
- Definitely lost
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
I ignore the priestess. She is kind, naive, and can have things explained to later.
I ignore the kender. This is the appropriate response when there is a kender in the room.
I ignore the other woman, despite her demands making the sailor in me want to laugh in her face.
Then the elf speaks.
I turn, ever so slowly. Every single scrap of self-control comes together to make sure that I do so as gently as I possibly can, without baring even a hint of the rage that burns in my breast at that moment. Kiri-Jolish guide me; Sargas whispers in my ear. And damn is he persuasive.
"We of the Isles do not all hold it against the elves, or any of the others, our ancestor's long years of servitude. If we do against the Ogres, it is because of their present sins. I do not speak for those who gave the commands regarding Silvanost, and I have not been to my home since the Throne was restored. I am not responsible for any of the crimes to which you hold all my people responsible for. To hold me in contempt for them is not only foolish, but spits in the face of your Order, which proclaims to use its magic for the betterment of the world. Solinari might be more...esoteric than his father or brother, but none of Paladine's children would look favorably on your pettiness today. " I say, slowly. Ever so slowly. Without further comment, I turn away from the man.
"I should likely be on my way soon, rain or not. I doubt I'll get a better mission if I choose to wait for later to pay you back, Gravvak. I can explain things to anyone who's not experienced with ships. It isn't as simple as getting on and standing there for a few days. Let me know now if there's anything else."Spako Highclaws by Ceika.
[Sorry Boss, but as always, I get the last word.]
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2015-12-15, 09:38 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2006
- Location
- State of Denial
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Tarina Davenledge
Tarina stands quietly as the minotaur berates the elf, pointedly looking everywhere around the shop except at the two. She felt bad for the elf, Anshy? Ansay? This reminded her way too much of the time Father Reginald called her out for running and hiding from a Draconian the first time she had seen one. The stories all told of the evil which brought them into the world, and Tarina had never previously met a Flame Draconian, nor heard of good Draconians, prior to his visit to the temple.
Glad that's not me, slips out of Tarina's lips without her even seeming to notice.
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2015-12-16, 05:04 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2010
- Location
- Bangladesh
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
The elf's pale skin suffused with colour, first at Gravvik the dwarf's insolence and then the minotaur's rebuttal. He could hear the bull's words drip with contempt and it was all he could do not to give into the rage storming in his heart and cast a curse on the creature.
"It is a bitter and cruel irony to hear a minotaur speak of pettiness and chastise me for not living up to the precepts of my god." Aenshae said, giving a bark of laughter. "You speak of present sins? As we speak, your kin holds mine in slavery, destroying a land and a people that has held fast for millenia. You speak of past sins? The Silvanesti have never been responsible for the enslavement of your people in the past. You speak of the betterment of the world? When the Empire is driven back into the ocean and the forests of Silvanesti are free again, the world will be bettered." He laughed again, a bitter noise. "Forgive me if I do not take your declaration to be untainted by the crimes of your people to heart. I have learned not to trust the self-serving lies of evil men."
"And you!" He said, suddenly turning on the dwarf. "How dare you threaten to besmirch my name for your own petty purposes? How dare you imply I have less honour than...him. I am Aenshae of House Mystic. I do not go back on my word. I will find out what happened to your man and I will bring this statuette of yours back. And then my debt to you will be done. The elf declared, standing tall and firm, full of righteous indignation.
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2015-12-16, 05:36 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2015
- Location
- Finland
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Darrik patted the haughty elf on the back. "That's the spirit!"
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2015-12-16, 03:01 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2010
- Location
- Christmas City, USA
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
The dwarf grins and coughs a little, tilts back to peer at a whirring little lumpish device on a shelf behind him. "It's gettin' late. Thank you all for this; you may keep me from being stretched to a very undignified height for a dwarf. The ship's the Clampherdown, pier 21, under Captain McKinnon. Due to leave dawn the day after tomorrow."
He starts shooing you all out of the shop, answering any last questions as you go - but a lot of the details of the pickup were privy only to Robert. He locks up behind you draws a heavy bolt on the inside of the door, leaving you all - including the three youngsters (with their few small purchases) - together in the wet street, lit only by an oil lamp about fifteen feet away, as the moons have yet to rise.
The teens - all barely younger than the cleric in your midst - are all dressed in new, sturdy traveling clothes that are nonetheless now quite damp. They are worried, gesturing and urging each other until the eldest, the dark-skinned girl, speaks for them. She speaks to Mara with words of respect but an inflection connoting mere tolerance. "My lady, while we certainly didn't mean to listen in, the ... confines of that place made overhearing some of your discussion impossible to ignore. If you are to undertake this errand with these people, what of us? Are we to accompany you? Remain here?" She adds pointedly; "Return to Caergoth?"
Spoiler: OOCFeel free to roll in OOC for info, attitudes and/or ask questions.Last edited by Gorgon_Heap; 2015-12-17 at 09:42 AM.
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2015-12-17, 10:26 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2006
- Location
- State of Denial
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
Tarina Davenledge
Tarina gets rushed out of the shop by her dwarven friend and stands in the rain for a moment, processing everything which just occurred. Aside from the one time she sailed from Northern Ergoth to Palanthas, Tarina had never been on a ship. She had no idea what she even needed. It makes it easier, she thought, that I hardly have anything. I'll just bring it all.
She looked around at the group unceremoniously deposited outside Gravvik's shop, wanting to introduce herself more, but unsure if anyone was in the mood after dealing with Mr. Gravvik. There was a long trip ahead, and that may be a better time. She stands in the mud awkwardly for a few moments, then turns and heads back to her room at the inn. The day after tomorrow. Don't sleep in.Last edited by Fishybugs; 2015-12-18 at 01:07 PM.
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2015-12-18, 02:29 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2012
- Location
- Definitely lost
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
I'm fairly sure that the elf said something to me at that point, but I'd suddenly developed some sort of temporary curse that prevented me from being able to speak Pompous Git. Probably something about how the very clearly recorded history of my people is wrong, because everyone knows that elves love recording and publicizing all their dark and incriminating actions.
Did I tell him that we don't hold things against the elves? I think I might have lied. Well, most of us not in the armies needing reason to justify fighting don't hold grudges to the point of killing. The rest of us just find it all mildly distasteful. The slavery thing was rather unfortunate. It's poetic justice for some, but it's mostly hypocritical to the rest of us. I've long suspected that changes weren't made to the practices there primarily because going back on past decisions would make the Empire look weak. Either way, I'd never been in the Empire's formal navy, so I wasn't telling any Elven half-truths when I said I was innocent of it.
Either way, back in the rain. I should really get a nice hat. Takes extra coin, finding a human or dwarf that's willing to try making the horn-holes. Of course, there's no hat in the world that'll keep the rain off your nose. Well, there is if you're...anything but one of us or a dragon, actually. I will concede this point in the arguments of racial superiority: we're are the only mortal race that can wear a hat and still get our faces wet in the rain.
I was thinking about all of this because my alternative was to risk actually hearing the elf or start humming something to block him out, and I still had some discretion. And in doing so, waited a bit too long. Oops. They're leaving. Two days. Enough time to get a hat. Or a helmet.
And enough time for a pretty young cleric to get her throat slit in an alley.
I was assuming she was pretty anyway. I didn't exactly stare during the conversation, but she seemed like the kind humans seem to go for. Not sure why they seem to like their women without muscle, but everyone has something.
Either way, the other woman seemed to speak of retainers or some such. I'm sure she afforded to employ at least one of them as a guard.
I trot up to the poor priestess, trying my best to not be too imposing. It's...hard, since I'm twice her size.
"Where are you staying, Miss? The rain is a deterrent but it's not going to keep the streets from being dangerous for a lone young lady. I don't mind taking a few minutes if you'd rather have someone with you." I offer. Is "Miss" proper? Do humans say Your Grace or something like that? Or is that only for high priests and priestesses? Oh Abyss take it, she's definitely not the sort to correct me on that.Spako Highclaws by Ceika.
[Sorry Boss, but as always, I get the last word.]
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2015-12-18, 08:05 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2015
- Location
- Finland
- Gender
Re: Ansalonian Adventures IC
"I think I'll be coming with you guys as well", Darrik said to Koshal and Tarina. "I have to figure where I'm staying tonight. Cells here in Palanthas are pretty comfy, but I don't to abuse the guards' hospitality too much".