Random Banter D&D 3.5e Campaign IC, Thread II

[LaZodiac]

Lead the way then.

"Of course, Lady Tass." Alphonse says, and he leads her back to the priest he was talking to.

[Cuthalion]

Bela will continue to stand on the balcony, leaning against the railing and looking down at the people.

[Amidus Drexel]

The Street

Emilie raises her eyebrows and grins. "Hey, we've got time - how's this story go?"

--
Rasua's Temple / The Blind Eye Gambling House

You present your letter to Gus, who takes and reads it carefully. "Oh ho! You're friends - why, I didn't know! Let me take the two of you someplace a little quieter?"

--
A Back Room

Spoiler: Alphonse, Tass

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He leads you through the back door, and through a series of dark hallways, and opens a nondescript door into what looks like a dark supply room. The room carries an acrid, chemical odor vaguely reminiscent of paint-thinner. A sturdy wooden pole is driven into the floor and nailed to the ceiling joists, and you can see two holes on the near side, one about two feet off the ground, and the other about 8 feet off the ground. The pole is slick with soapy water, and the floor seems to be finishing drying from a recent clean. Two figures wearing white cloaks, hard at work in the back corner of the room (by another door) wield a bucket and a mop, respectively.

A few books and some loose parchment are stacked on some crates in the back of the room, behind an unassuming desk chair. Atop this desk chair is an – unconscious? – grey elf in a plain bathrobe. The cuffs and hem of the robe are both stained a rust-red colour. You see a shiny steel chain that tethers the elf’s ankle to the floor.

Gus speaks up. "Oh my, it looks like he left me some skeletons." The aging priest turns to the two of you. "Well, here's the Lieutenant. He's a little tuckered out right now - he had a busy day today - but feel free to wake him up if you need him right away. If the Whitecloaks get in your way, just send them out - I'll have someone come by to pick them up in a little while, I think."

He steps back into the hall. "If you need me, I'll be leading a ceremony for the priests in our sanctuary - you are welcome to join us, if you wish."

[AtlanteanTroll]

Niro pauses to think. Where do I begin...

OOC: Niro will tell his personal story as described in the "Other Notes" section of his Myth-Weavers profile. He will not specify which family keeps him in his employ, however, nor any personal feelings about his employer.

[LaZodiac]

Spoiler: Backroom Stuff

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"So...hello, Sir Morgan?" Alphonse says, giving a sort of gesture to Tass, not...actually expecting to get this far honestly, and not sure what to do now that we're here.

[Teddy]

The Back Room

Spoiler

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Tass frowns at the skeletons, then turns to the priest.

We're in no immediate hurry, and this man looks like he wants to sober up a bit. I'd gladly follow you for now.

[LaZodiac]

The Back Room

Spoiler

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Tass frowns at the skeletons, then turns to the priest.

We're in no immediate hurry, and this man looks like he wants to sober up a bit. I'd gladly follow you for now.

Spoiler: Backroom politics oh man

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"I shall come along, too. If that's okay. If I may ask...what seem's to be wrong with him? Maybe it's just me but he seems...how you say, indisposed."

[Amidus Drexel]

The Street

Emilie blows a few smoke rings while you relate your tale, nodding attentively as you go. "That's a hell of a story, Niro. Ya never figured out what did ya in all those years ago?" She hesitates for a moment, pipe halfway out of her mouth. "Ya know, ya never said why ya left the posh life up on Penylan Hill ta' go adventuring. Get tired of your friends up there, looking for something new? Or do ya just wanna go home now?"

--
A Back Room

Spoiler: Tass, Alphonse

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Morgan does not stir when you call him - he's either ignoring you, or he really can't hear you (due to unconsciousness or perhaps for some other reason).

"Oh! Very well, then." Gus leads you back out, and back through the maze of hallways to another dark room, answering Alphonse's question along the way. "Well, he has had a very rough few days. I must confess - I don't know the whole story. He was knocking on death's door when we picked him up a few days ago - mummy rot, and a few other more obscure curses I couldn't identify." The aging priest smiles softly. "Luckily, Silver-tongue has friends in high places - and a specialist with the Whitecloaks paid us a little visit to take care of our dear friend. And now, he is resting up!"

--
You finally reach the sanctuary, which contains a few priests, clergymen, and a few other worshipers chatting amongst themselves. Gus gestures for you to take a seat, then moves behind the altar with two of the other priests.

The two priests each light a candle in front of them, and Gus claps his hands once to silence the congregation. "By the light of the moon, the dim of the stars, and the black of the void, we are gathered here tonight. Father, you have many names: Silver-tongue, Phantom, Snake, Fox, and Coyote - ever wise and ever clever are your namesakes, in your image."

The candles in the priests' hands begin to float, and indeed, all the candles in the room begin to hover, moving slowly towards the altar. Gus raises his hands, and deepens his voice. "But one name is yours alone - Rasua. This name you gave to us, to invoke your power. Outsiders see it as the power of lies, but as the devout among us know, it is also the power of truth!" A small chorus of amens follows from the crowd.

"And it is this power we seek tonight - by the light of the moon, the dim of the stars, and the black of the void - father, you who have dominion over truth and deception. Each man and woman here has deceit to offer you, and asks only for some truth in return. Come, children! Thieves, charlatans, knaves - we, the poor and downtrodden of the city - Silver-tongue will take you all under his wing!" Another chorus of amens, this one a little louder.

"Please, join me." The congregation mumbles along, as the priests say, "By the light of the moon - lend us your words to hide our mind. By the dim of the stars - lend us your shadow to hide our flesh. By the black of the void - lend us your steel to hide our past. Remind us of this often..."

There is a long, solemn pause, and suddenly Gus grins. The sanctuary promptly erupts in a tremendous roar as everyone shouts - "OR YOU WON'T GET THEM BACK!" The priests and clergy all chuckle, and the candles begin to move back into place. "A-men." A third, slightly less cohesive chorus of amens follows from the crowd. "Those of you who have questions to ask of our father should come to the altar now."

A few people from the crowd go up and begin to pray, and everyone else begins to file out or mill around - it seems the ceremony is over.

[LaZodiac]

Spoiler: Backroom

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"An impressive display to be sure..." Alphonse says, to himself more than anything. It occurs to him he could ask about his potential changeling problem here, but he's not sure how useful their information would be.

[AtlanteanTroll]

I'm not entirely sure, but I have been given reason to believe it was a dragon. I'm in the process of picking up leads. Which I think answers your second question, to a degree. I do have some local obligations that must be fulfilled first, but at the end of the day, I want answers. Niro pauses. You wouldn't happen to know anything of dragons, would you?

[Amidus Drexel]

The Street

Emilie grins. "Big, mean, and sleep on piles of gold, right? I wish I could help ya, but there ain't many dragons living in the city. I'll keep an eye out for 'em, though - sometimes we get dragonslayers come through." She winks. "Ya might have more luck at an adventurer's guild, though. There's a few big ones around here ya could ask at. Order of the Red Sea, off the top of my head, and I think Mairah's church sponsors some too."

[Teddy]

Tass moves around a bit to take in the whole situation while also trying to overhear if anything interesting is said by the altar. She'll then suggest to Alphonse that they'll go back to wake Morgan up.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Listen check: (1d20+17)[31]

[Amidus Drexel]

A Back Room

Spoiler: Tass

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By and large, the prayers are silent - most worshipers don't even move their mouths. You do hear words from a few, but never a response. One in particular catches your ear:

"How curious. I am most certainly not a worshiper of yours, and I desire nothing at all but the satisfaction of my curiousity. What will you give me?" - A man in black robes, wearing glasses that remind you of a fly's compound eyes.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Order of the Red Sea, eh? I should go there later. Turning the conversation back around on Emilie, What about you? Have you ever considered taking up adventuring since coming to Capel Kerig?

[Amidus Drexel]

The Street

"Nah, that's too much moving around for me. I like ta' stay in one place and sorta settle, ya know? Plus, adventuring's dangerous - at least here, if I get in over my head, I can always call up the city guard."

[AtlanteanTroll]

Please. You more than know how to swing that hammer. I belive my comrade aluded to this, but that isn't a style you just pick up in Fylke.

[Amidus Drexel]

The Street

"It's a little more common there than ya might think. There's still folk around that remember the old ways, before Cymru and the western gods - mostly up in the mountains." Emilie picks the hammer up and absentmindedly taps it on the ground. "I picked up a few tricks from one of the wyrm priests in Fylke, but I mostly learned by myself. Is your friend a dragon-worshiper?"

--
A Back Room

Spoiler: Alphonse, Tass

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Your curiosity satisfied (or, perhaps not), you return to Lieutenant Morgan's room. The two Whitecloaks are standing outside, bucket and mop still in hand, but they step aside as you approach.

The inside of the room is not much different - everything is a little drier, and the offensive odors of soap and acetone are a little subdued. Morgan is still slumped over in the desk chair, but he stirs as you enter the room. You hear a dry mumble, "who's there?"

[LaZodiac]

Spoiler: Backroom pass

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"Hello, Lieutenant Morgan. I am Sir Alphonse, and this is my friend, the Lady Tass." Alphonse begins, giving Tass the lead.

[Amidus Drexel]

A Back Room

Spoiler: Alphonse, Tass

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Morgan slowly rises, and a bit of sand falls out of his robe. You have a better view of him now, and you can see that he's missing quite a bit of skin (and in some places muscle) - you can see the bone sticking out of his wrists and his jaw. You also notice holes - one in each palm, and one in each ankle. He spits sand out of his mouth and shuffles over to the desk to put on some slippers. "don't worry, it's not contagious. i hate mummies. what are you fine, wealthy people looking to buy today? oh, and who recommended me to you? i always like to send thanks to people that send me customers"

[AtlanteanTroll]

There definiely are, you're talking to one. Niro laughs, a sound reminiscent of gears grinding. I am not entirely sure who Alphonse venerates, but it's a distinct possibility. He's certainly obsessed with dragons.

[Teddy]

Back Room

Spoiler

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Tass puts Padrig's letter on the table before her, but jumps straight to the issue.

We want to buy black lotus extract.

[Amidus Drexel]

The Street

Emilie snorts, and smoke shoots out her nose. She gives you a playful shove, breaking into a fit of coughs that are somewhere between laughing and choking. "Ya know what I meant!" She shakes her head and grins. "Why don'tcha ask him about your dragons, then? Surely he's gotta know something?"

--
A Back Room

Spoiler: Tass, Alphonse

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Morgan grins, the dry skin on his cheeks noticeably cracking from the movement. "very wealthy indeed." He glances down at the letter. "sent by the king himself, are you? you aren't, by chance, the new gophers? you don't look like it. no... friends, maybe? actual friends, not 'friends' of the temple? no... i would know who you are... you must be a new acquaintance of his..."

The elf shuffles over to the back of the room, then mumbles something incomprehensible at the crates stacked in the corner. "unfortunately for me, i only have a handful of doses left. as i'm sure you are aware, black lotus extract is not easy to get here, and my next shipment is due a month or two out from now. how much were you looking to buy? also, i will need to see your payment, if i am to take you seriously. the regular price - ninety pounds of gold for a dose. forty-five hundred gold pieces is the price of a life. any life. distressingly cheap, is it not?"

He gestures at the crates again. "sir alphonse, would you move these for me? i don't have the strength. or palms, it would seem. you wouldn't, by chance, have any idea what that necromancer did to me when i was unconscious? aside from keeping my jaw from turning to sand, of course."

[LaZodiac]

Spoiler: Back room politics

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"I'm afraid I don't have a clue what happened to you. Perhaps Lady Tass has an idea of it. If I had to guess...he saved your life by consuming another's. The barest minimum to keep you alive...and considering that you're chained to the floor that's not a surprise." Alphonse answer, and he'll move the boxes for the guy politely, though carefully as he'd rather not make any mistakes around deathly poisons.

[Amidus Drexel]

A Back Room

Spoiler: Alphonse, Tass

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Glass rattles softly in the crates as you push them. Moving them aside reveals a hidden hatch in the floor - which Lieutenant Morgan opens and begins to climb down a ladder inside - stopping when the chain goes taut. You can see dozens upon dozens of tiny drawers and cupboards set into the walls of the space around him.

"can that even be done? i truly don't know - i never learned much necromancy - aside from a few hexes, of course. it never held my interest. necromancy is such a slow magic. it takes a kind of patience that i suppose i lack." He chuckles dryly. "that is why i am a conjuror, of course. no patience. everything must be done now, immediately. it makes dealing with humans easier, i suppose. rasua's temple too."

Morgan clambers back out of the hole, carrying a small box of vials and wearing a pair of thick leather gloves. He presents the box to you, though careful not to let you actually touch it. Six vials contain a dark, resinous liquid that reminds you of tree sap, and two others contain dried leaves of some kind. "as pure as can be made. this is all i have right now - if you wish to purchase more, you'll have to wait for my next shipment. i can let you know as soon as it's in."

He sets the box on his desk and gingerly removes the gloves, then retrieves a record-book and a quill. "how much would you like? oh, i'll be needing to see that gold about now."

[AtlanteanTroll]

The Street

Emilie snorts, and smoke shoots out her nose. She gives you a playful shove, breaking into a fit of coughs that are somewhere between laughing and choking. "Ya know what I meant!" She shakes her head and grins. "Why don'tcha ask him about your dragons, then? Surely he's gotta know something?"

Perhaps I shall. Niro pauses to think. His interest seems, well, to be just that, though. A fascination with dragons does not make one knowledgable of them.

[LaZodiac]

Spoiler: Back room!

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"I've a question, actually. When IS the next shipment?" Alphonse asks.

[Teddy]

Back Room

Spoiler

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We'll need three, but neither am I going to bring that much gold into a den of thieves, nor carry the goods through a brawl on my way out. I was hoping to arrange for a meeting somewhere more secluded where the transaction can take place instead. However...

Tass retrieves her pouch with rubies and puts it on the table for everyone to see.

This is 100 pounds of gold in value, to prove we're not without assets.

[Amidus Drexel]

The Street

Emilie leans back and resumes smoking. "I suppose so." Just then, the door opens and one of the clergymen leans out - "Can you throw those musicians out? They won't play anymore and they won't pay for their drinks either."

"Damned bards." The short woman picks up her hammer and casually swings it around as she heads back into the gambling house. Before she disappears back inside, she pokes her head out the door. "Sorry, Niro - gotta do my job. I'll be back out soon enough, unless these pricks start a fight." Emilie flashes you a mischievous grin, then dashes off towards the bar and out of sight.

--
A Back Room

Spoiler: Tass, Alphonse

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Morgan leans back and scratches his neck. "let's see... forty-six days from today, if the ship arrives on time. i forget what day of the week that comes out to. it is about halfway between the solstice and the first equinox."

The lieutenant inspects the gems closely, then nods. "very wealthy indeed! yes, i admit, this isn't the best place to handle transactions of this nature. it's safer for me, however, but since you seem to be serious... do you have a neutral, secluded location in mind? and when would you be ready to meet?"

[AtlanteanTroll]

Niro rises from the ground and dusts himself off. Not knowing when Emilie will return, he goes off in search of the Order of the Red Sea's guild.

[Amidus Drexel]

Market Square

Spoiler: Niro

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You return to Capel Kerig's market square, heading towards the Order of the Red Sea's guildhouse. The guards patrolling the streets give you some strange looks, but nobody stops you on your way.

The guildhouse door opens readily, and a soft chime sounds. You descend a set of stairs, perhaps 20ft vertically, and enter the guildhouse proper - a massive underground room filled with merchant stalls, private tables, spaces dedicated for practicing swordplay or archery, a bar, and a great bulletin board. An exotic menagerie of persons are sprawled across the expanse before you - Rasua's temple looks practically homogeneous by comparison. Taxidermied heads of fearsome monsters, flashy weaponry, and other such trophies adorn the walls.

A man in blood-red priest's vestments sits at a desk by the entrance, with his feet propped up dangerously close to a glass of what looks like red wine. He's staring intently at a small segmented cube in his hands, but looks up as you approach. "Hey, you're that warforged who lives up on Penylan Hill, aren't you? I think I've seen you around the city before." He smiles. "Are you here to sign on?"