Herald of Shadows IC

[Darvin]

Din steps up with another dagger. He takes his time, again clearly listening, and lets the dagger fly. He immediately looks agitated, and after the thunk seethes, "bad throw," even if this was not his intended target, his throw still manages to hit a valuable scoring area, striking the yellow ogre firmly, complementing his previous yellow dragon throw and tying Matthew.

Mithra hears a whisper from outside of the darkness from Rick, "so, uh, there isn't much to watch out here,"

"Shush, I'm trying to listen," Cassie hushes him.

Spoiler: OOC

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FYI, when a throw misses I roll randomly to determine where it goes. Din rolled terribly on his attack roll (a 3) but perfectly on his random redirection roll so it hit a scoring area near the one he was actually aiming for.

Anyways, since you can see colors the current score is:

Din (yellow 8) (1 throws remaining)
"Matthew" (blue 8) (1 throw remaining)

[Genth]

Mithra frowns within the darkness for a moment, then smirks as a plan comes over him. He grabs his knife and with careful aim, plants it dead inside the Red Dragon's belly. But when Din comes to begin his turn, the Kyton pulls from within his robes a slender black rod, featureless, and made of a dense metal. He quietly moves it, channeling his energy through it, and as the wheel spins up, it click-clacks, the loudest click now coming from the Blue Dragon.

Spoiler: OOC

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(1d20+21)[33]

Using Ghost Sound through the Silent Metamagic Rod. Heh heh heh.

[Darvin]

Spoiler: Din's Dice Rolls

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These decide the game, so I'm just going to roll everything here:

Attack Roll (1d20)[19]
Concealment Roll [roll]1d100[roll]
Concealment Re-roll (if necessary) (1d100)[96]

Screwed up the concealment roll, but the reroll would have hit anyway. So he hits.

Din steps forward, clearly listening for the yellow dragon. He breaths carefully and looses the blade. It slams straight into the red dragon. Din grins, "calling it now, that was the blue dragon!" True enough, Mithra's ruse had redirected Din's shot two positions clockwise... straight into a different-colored dragon, and out of the trap Mithra had set in the blue color.

The final shot cast, the time has come to lower the darkness, but Mithra can see plainly that the two of them stand perfectly tied. The darkness recedes

"Oh, that's not quite how I thought it would look," Din squinted as he examines the board. There's a hush as Trent carefully examines each dagger,.

"Eight points blue for Matthew, eight points yellow for Din, five points Red each. It's a perfect tie," Trent says, rather shocked, "ain't seen such perfect shots in blind throws since... well, since when your father played,"

"Getting him to do much of anything these days is nigh on impossible," Din sighed, "but whatcha gunna do? He's fallen into the doldrums. All you can do is give him a few centuries and hope he shakes himself out of it,"

"So, uh, I guess it's sudden death. We just keep throwing until someone pulls into the lead. Can you do the blindness thing again, or do we need to throw the old fashioned way?" Din asks.

[Genth]

Mithra feigns a wide, bright smile, and happily nods, expanding the darkness wide once more, picking up his own blade and sending it at the Red Dragon this time, the blade making its way home with ease. As with the last time, he pulls the rod of silence from the robes and casts ghost sound, save this time making the click happen upon the red wolf.

(1d20+21)[32]

[Darvin]

Spoiler: Din's Rolls

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Attack Roll (1d20+17)[18]
Concealment Roll (1d100)[61]
Concealment Re-roll(1d100)[7]

So.... natural 1

Surrounded by darkness, Din is completely attentive to Mithra's throw. As he reaches for his own dagger, he speaks, "I have a feeling that if I strike anything other than the red dragon, I've lost," he chuckles, "regardless of where this lands, let me just say this has been one of the most... interesting... games I've had in a long while,"

Dins steps forward and looses his dagger. There is a thud as it bounces off the board and clatters to the ground. A number of gasps emerge from the onlookers. Din chuckles, "not exactly how I'd like it to end,"

The darkness recedes, and a third knife pierces the red dragon. There are murmurs abound from all involved. The pot is brought forward and presented to Mithra. Piles and piles of currency, as well as a number of articles of jewelry fill the plates. Mithra's own kukri, unharmed, sits among them. Mithra carefully examines his winnings as he stows them safely away. One particular locket catches his eye as he picks it up; there is something more to it, something that deserves closer examination. The short thrower named Rick clears his throat as if to speak when he sees Mithra picking up the locket, but he is preempted by Din.

"Congratulations, friend. You've earned these winnings. I have a great deal of respect for someone with the guts to wager so steeply, and the skill to make it. Please take my card, and drop by in the morning. I think this could be the beginning of a very fruitful business relationship," Din smiles and passes a card. It reads Din Arxalis, Arxalis Arcana Topaz Office, 326 Riddle Street, Suite 201

Spoiler: OOC

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You got a natural 1 on your secret appraise check when you evaluated the contents of the pot. I rolled randomly, and you vastly under-estimated the total value and missed the fact that there was a magic item among the valuables.

[Genth]

Mithra gathers his winnings, picking up the locket and looking at it curiously before stowing it away. With a small bow of his head, he accepts the card, looking down and memorizing it before it, too vanishes into his robes. "If there's a way to turn knife tricks into a business, Din, then I'm certainly your man.
I'd let you know where I'm staying, but truth be told I haven't actually gotten to getting accommodations in the Ward yet. Any suggestions?" he asks, grinning. He glances over, looking for Cassie, and raises a hand. "Cassie! Before you go, I believe I promised you a drink!" he says, giving his best, and obviously theatrical, wink.

Spoiler: OOC

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Diplomacy for the Rogueiest of rogue winks (1d20+29)[39]

[Darvin]

"At this hour? You'll have trouble finding any lodging," Din scratched his head, "Melvin, you've always got a property up for rent, can you offer our good friend any-"

"For a price," Melvin, who had been grabbing his coat and preparing to leave, said curtly, "say, fifty gold pieces for the night,"

"For one night!?" Din sighed with exasperation.

"Take it or leave it," Melvin shrugged and began to walk off.

"I'm afraid I can't offer you my own couch, since I live in a restricted building. If you don't feel like getting gouged, maybe you can look around? I've got an errand to run before it gets too late, so I'm afraid I can't be of much more help that that, but I do hope to see you in the morning," Din excuses himself.

"Rick, we'll continue our conversation later, I'll take up our dear Matthew here on his offer," Cassie smiled and waved. Trent, the man who had been running the game, was too busy packing up to say anything or respond to the conversation.

[Genth]

Mithra gives a soft laugh, shaking his head at Melvin's back "Sorry, but the answer's no on your kind offer." he says to the man's retreating back, and rounds upon Cassie, sauntering over and offering his arm. "You'll have to tell me the best place for a drink,
ma'am" he croons.

[Darvin]

"Can't say it's the best, but Ilduhan's over there is located on the square and he's serving outdoors. It would be a shame to spend such a fine evening in the confines of a pub," Cassie smiles as she directs Mithra towards a rather narrow building tucked in between two residential complexes. Indeed, there is a large section of the square cordoned off with tables filled with men and women drinking. The storyteller from earlier seems to have moved away from the center of the square and is now playing an accordion for the revelers - the children seemingly having been taken to bed by their parents. There are a few tables where people play games and cards, but no one playing for stakes here.

As Cassie and Mithra sit down, a young and haggard-looking server runs up, "what can I get you?" he seems exasperated, but there is a jingling in his pocket. He has received many tips this evening and clearly hopes to earn more.

[Genth]

Mithra grins up at the boy, inclining his head and pondering for a moment. "Something strong, and bitter for me" he says, pulling out three large coins and placing them on the table, before looking over to Cassie. He raises an eyebrow, simply, letting her order as she wishes.

[Darvin]

"Oleman's Ale," she answers. The server collects the coins and runs off.

"So, Matthew, which district did you come from? No, let me guess... hmm... you don't look like the sort to come from our cluster. You're too out of your element. So maybe... hmm... perchance you're from the platinum district? I hear they've run out of room for young adults coming of age recently. Is that it, just hit three hundred and got kicked out of your parents' home? Or maybe a little older and got bumped by someone from a more influential family?"

[Genth]

Mithra grins, and sits back, tenting his fingers and looking back at Cassie, head tilted slightly. "Nice guesses, and.. somewhat accurate.
But ultimately no, I'm not from the Platinum district. Don't rightly have a home, and I've actually just come from down below. I'm a traveler, you see, been one since I was fifty, going from place to place and learning. Decided to make this cluster my first one on this level after about a century in the seas and on the farmland." he smiles, and stretches his arms out. There are a few small 'cricks'. "How about yourself, Cassie? Topaz born and bred?
"

[Darvin]

"Oh, well if you've never settled down before then you'll need to be mindful of the doldrums. I've seen too many interesting individuals whittle away decades or centuries as they lose track of time," Cassie laughs nervously, "Din was insufferable when he went through it, but he eventually forced himself out,"

"But me, I've been around. I was born in Sapphire, raised mostly in Diamond, but moved to Topaz when I came of age. I've traveled around to other clusters and districts, but this is where my friends live, so I don't stray for too long," your drinks arrive as she finishes speaking, a thin layer of frost coating the mugs.

[Genth]

"Oh, Cassie.." Mithra says, delicately picking up his drink and taking a sip, savoring the taste, flowing from bitter to sweet to bitter once more as it flows across his palette. As he places it down, he locks eyes with her, and for a moment, allowing a tinge of his unnerving, fascinating gaze to wash over her. If her will is not strong enough then for a moment she is captivated, unable to look away. Even so, he holds it for only a moment, so that it could be mistaken, easily for something more mundane. "I have little danger of falling into the Doldrums. There's just so much fascinating things to do,
to taste." he tentatively reaches out with a hand to brush delicate fingers against the back of hers. "To feel, and to experience."

Spoiler: OOC

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DC to not get fascinated is 25.
Diplomacy Roll for, in lack of a less hackneyed term, seduction- (1d20+29)[31]
Might be worth jumping forward here - Mithra is certainly going to try and get into Cassie's good graces, and have an enjoyable night, possibly ending up sleeping at her place, should she be interested (IMO, btw, consent is actually quite important to Kyton Philosophy, to avoid any icky stuff). He'll also try and get some knowledge about the Cluster, as far as he can while not spoiling the fact he's woefully knowledgeable.

[Darvin]

"Still aiming for the dragons, Matthew? Hmm, I know your type well. Always going all in, to win it all or lose it all with no in between," Cassie chuckles, "well, I'm afraid that's not in the pot. Not tonight, anyways. But you are an interesting man, and Topaz could use more of those,"

"But racing ahead into everything, living life at a breakneck pace... that's exactly what threw Din into the doldrums. Maybe you can keep it up for a few centuries, but you'll eventually burn yourself out like that. Take time to savor life without becoming static; it is balance that will stave off the doldrums,"

[Genth]

Mithra diplomatically withdraws his hand, and smiles quite warmly at Cassie. "You discredit yourself, Cassie with that metaphor. To insinuate that friendship is lesser a prize than companionship is never apt." he says, taking another long drink. He allows silence to fall for a few moments, before placing the glass down. "So tell me about Topaz ward then? In what ways could it 'do with' more people like myself, hmm?"

[Darvin]

"More people fall into the doldrums than come out of them," Cassie answers, her tone reserved and careful, "most people don't care for excitement, or a bit of disruption. They're perfectly happy in the doldrums. Then you got those who join watchers or the arbiters, or those poor saps who end up joyless, or the people who just pick up and leave without saying a word. There ain't enough young blood to make up for the people we're losing. Our social circles are shrinking, and if what Din says is right they have been since even before my time,"

"We're looking for like minds. People like... someone who will walk up to a table of strangers playing a game they've never seen before, and stake a family heirloom on the outcome," Cassie smirked, "and even pretend to be drunk to try and convince 'em," she takes a good long swig of her drink.

[Genth]

Mithra smiles inwardly. And outwardly too, but his inward smile is far, far more... predatory. Wherever mortals gather, even if those mortals happen to be nigh-immortal, there will be some who hear the call of their own desires. He raises his hand and waves at the waiter, passing over a few more coins for another round of drinks. "Sounds like the Doldrums here are worse than I heard." he says, finishing his drink and waiting for another. "With all the years to fill, and nothing but the same things to fill them with." he muses, tapping a finger against his lips. "And even the ones who pack up and leave - where can they go that they won't find themselves again in a hundred years?" He asks. "So yes, I can see how you might be looking for individuals with enough spark to do things on a whim. Play in games, even when their opponent is cheating." he says, waiting for Cassie to take a drink before he says the last part.

[Darvin]

"Heh, when you showed that you had some magical craft to you, I was afraid you might have seen through our little ruse," Cassie blushes a deep red, "yeah, fat load of good it did anyways. The wheel is of Din's design, by the way. Didn't stop him from joining the game, and I think he liked the idea of seeing if he could beat his own cheat,"

[Genth]

This revelation makes Mithra laugh out loud, throwing his head back and eyes closing in mirth. "Oh, I definitely need to buy Din a drink tomorrow." he says, grinning. "That's rather brilliant, I have to say. I like you two. Melvin, on the other hand..." Mithra raises an eyebrow at Cassie.

[Darvin]

"Melvin is... well, we have mixed feelings about him. Like, I'd bet you'd be surprised to find out he paid for a big chunk of the festivities tonight. He's an ass, but he's not without his redeeming qualities," Cassie admitted, "and think about the rental thing from his perspective. He was offering to give up the last hours of his evening to return to his office and fill out some paperwork so you'd have a place to stay. Yeah, he was an ass about it, but the fact that he was willing to do that at all says something. Because believe me, fifty gold pieces is nothing to him,"

[Genth]

Mithra frowns for a moment, and then sits back, a puzzled look on his face. "Why such paperwork? Surely it's not that big of a deal to just let someone sleep in a room?" he asks. "Clearly things in the wards are more complicated than I remember."

[Darvin]

"It's his business, but it's not just him, right? He's got insurers and stratas and all such things to worry about. And if he doesn't follow the rules, why would his underlings? Life's easy when it's just you and a few friends, not so much when you're managing properties across the ward," Cassie remarks.

[Genth]

Mithra's eyes cloud a little, and a look of pained annoyance crosses his features "As ever, commerce and it's ragged whip-wielder, bureaucracy,
make us slaves to drabness" he pronounces, darkly, before giving his head a little shake and smiling once again. "So who else should I know about in the ward? Who should I avoid, who should I try and charm the pants off?"

[Darvin]

"Lady Landrea is our overseer. I saw her earlier, but it seems she's gone home for the evening. She's a busy sort, but if you can find an opportunity to get to know her - or even earn a favor - that can be helpful. You've already met Din and Melvin, who are probably the two people to know in Topaz. You want to talk money and business, Melvin is your man. If it's magic, then Din is the one you'll be dealing with. Well, I guess it's not just Din, there's his sister as well. But if you meet Taril... well, you'll see for yourself. Suffice to say that Din is the people-person of that pair," Cassie stops to think, "oh, and there's my cousin Maxwell. If there's something worth knowing in the ward, he hears it first,"

"And as for charming pants off... wouldn't try it with Landrea, Din, Melvin, or Taril. Might work on Maxwell, though," she winks.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm just going to summarize the list of names you've encountered so far:

Phirrin - person frequently named in the writings of the summoner
Hemlan Freen - you found a book belonging to him in the home of the summoner
St Donnagul - semi-mythical heroic figure
Elrian - someone associated with diviners who detected your arrival
Rick - thrower at the dagger game
Cassie - thrower at the dagger game
Melvin - influential property owner
Din Arxalis - influential business owner and magical craftsman
Trent - man running the dagger game
Lady Landrea - overseer of Topaz ward
Taril Arxalis - Din's sister
Maxwell - Cassie's cousin and information peddler

[Genth]

Spoiler: OOC

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In Lieu of spreading this out, would you feel comfortable with Mithra making one last diplomacy check and using that to say what information about the Ward further they discuss? I'm aware this scene is dragging on a little, and while enjoyable, best to move before it starts to not be?

[Darvin]

Spoiler: OOC

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I'd say you can just take 1 and succeed on such a diplomacy check, so here's some info:

Topaz, Ruby, Sapphire, and Diamond are a cluster of four wards. There is also a large structure that was meant to serve as the foundation of a future Emerald ward, but it was never developed for reasons that are unclear and is only home to a detachment of watchers.

Watchers are the protectors of Gaudisium, serving to confront and eliminate outside threats. They were mortals who volunteered for the positions, but have been transformed into supernatural creatures. Watchers seldom interact with anyone other than their handlers. The watchers do not handle ordinary crimes, regardless of severity, and only act against threats to the integrity of the plane. Watchers exude emotional energy, and when something is amiss their agitation is perceptible to people nearby. The watchers are naturally incorporeal and thus move undetected unless their emotional state is sufficiently heightened to be detectable. They can freely shift into a corporeal state if they wish, and - at least according to Cassie - are impossible to truly kill.

The arbiters are something of a civil service for Gaudisium, and act above the level of any individual ward (each of which handles local affairs in their own way, typically with an elected Overseer or Council). While mundane crime is handled at the level of ward, serious crimes are investigated and prosecuted by the arbiters. Although most arbiters are little more than career bureaucrats and planners, there is a sizeable part of their operations that are capable warriors.

The joyless are one of the most pitiable fates that can await a resident of Gaudisium. The exact causes are unknown, but in some people the part of them capable of emotion simply fades away. The joyless are incapable of feeling emotion of their own, and while they can still experience base pleasure and pain these sensations are ultimately empty for them. Instead, the joyless must seek out experiences vicariously. They have been described as emotional vampires, their very presence draining away at those around them. It's widely noted that the joyless seem to be the opposite of the watchers in many ways, and it is known that joyless are incapable of becoming watchers. Due to their condition the joyless are immune to the doldrums, for whatever good that does them. There is no cure, but the condition usually shows itself between the ages of 150 and 400 if it appears at all.

[Darvin]

As the night draws to a close, Cassie takes Mithra to meet her cousin, Maxwell. As she suspected, he's chatting away the last of the hours in a gazebo near his home with friends. The introduction goes smoothly, and the man seems amicable enough.

"You need a place to stay for the night? Well, if you're a friend of Cassie's I guess I can bend the rules a bit. You're welcome to sleep on my couch, and all I expect in return is for you to cook breakfast in the morning," there's a chuckle among his friends, as if there was some in joke between them.

Maxwell leads you to an apartment complex on a back street. It's a bit smaller than the one the summoner lived in, being only two stories and containing only two abodes per story. His own home on the second floor is tightly cramped, but as promised he has a couch for Mithra to sleep on. He retired to his bedchamber, leaving Mithra to look out a nearby window. Though the apartment looked like it was on a back street earlier, the windows here have a marvelous vantage. Lookout out of them, one can see two large plazas to the right and left, and straight ahead, over the rooftops, one can see the sparkling towers of the diamond ward in the distance.

[Genth]

After thanking Maxwell, Mithra continues to sit, cross-legged on the couch for a while longer, eyes half-open as he considers his position. This place, in many ways similar to the Empire he left so long ago. Contentment, and the myth of a false perfection draining the vitality and spirit from the people. A greyness, spreading inexorably. The Kyton smiles, pulling out his kukri and with loving care, draws it in a long line across his face, savoring the pain that flares briefly before the cut heals over. He will save this plane.

The morning comes, and after bidding farewell and a thanks to Maxwell, Mithra sets about the somewhat boring business of ensuring he is established, going to an agency just as places are opening, to arrange for him to rent out a small apartment. There's little chance in this place of finding somewhere suitably isolated for a long-term home, but he needs somewhere to abide. Once his accommodations are sorted, and his winnings from last night somewhat lighter, he makes his way towards Din's offices, and opens the door with a smile.

"Good day to you, Din! Hope you got a decent rest last night!"

[Darvin]

The streets of the Topaz Ward are well organized, and Mithra quickly finds Riddle Street and follows it towards the address; 326. It's an imposing building, clearly of different construction from the building around it. A pair of stone statues flank the entrance... or are they golems? Strangely, they don't see like any construct Mithra has ever seen, but upon examination there is no questioning it, these are constructs. Upon their breast is emblazoned a coat of arms showing a dragon and a wolf. As Mithra approaches the door he feels the gaze of the golem follow him. As he moves to open the door one of the golems speaks, "you are expected," and the door opens itself for him.

The inside of the building does not appear to be guarded by any constructs, and is well lit by magical sconces. Mithra's eyes briefly move towards suite 104, the same one referenced in the book he found earlier in his summoner's abode. At first it might have seemed strange coincidence that this Hemlan Freen occupied the same building as Din, but looking around it appears that every business located into the complex deals in magical wares. However, the plaque at the door has been ripped off, and the suite sits empty at the moment. It appears the building has a relatively low occupancy at the moment.

Climbing up to the third story, Mithra finds that suite 326 has a very large double door. Another golem, this one smaller and made of polished wood, stands next to the door. It preemptively moves and opens the door as Mithra approaches. Mithra speaks his greeting as he walks in, but finds the room strangely empty. It's filled to the brim with magical components, work benches, and half-finished constructs, but nothing seems to move. It takes several moments before Din comes around the corner, a set of goggles strung over his head and some kind of mechanical part in his hand.

"Oh, you're earlier than I thought you'd be. Sorry, we'll probably have to wait for the others to arrive, but why don't you sit down. I've got a butler around here somewhere who will make you tea, or whatever you want," Din pulls up a pair of chairs - from the peripherals of the workshop - and seats Mithra, "but I guess it's just as well since I need to fill you in,"

"So as you can see, my family business deals in all manner of arcana. My father started it in the earliest days of Gaudisium, back when we needed an army of constructs to help fight against the monsters. That's long history now, and we've sort of been fading over the centuries. We aren't even authorized for primary power draw anymore, which increases our costs substantially. Dear old dad's in the doldrums, and we've been left to more or less manage ourselves amid this decline. Well, my sister and I aren't going to just sit here and watch it all go downhill," Din grins wildly, "and we have plans. I'm working with a number of people, a few of which you've met, who are are going to help us change things in this district and beyond. We'll transform the entire diamond cluster into something that Gaudisium has never seen before,"

"But I'm getting ahead of ourselves. First thing first, we need to remove Overseer Landrea from office, and have Melvin installed in her place. As irritating as it will be to have him as overseer, he's the only real candidate we have for that position and we wouldn't have all this lovely blackmail without his assistance," Din carefully lowers his voice, "but more importantly, the arbiters will move to seize control of the districts power source if they fear we're pulling a power grab. Which we are, quite literally. That's why I want my men already in place when they get there. For the security of the district, of course,"