Adventurers' Guild Headquarters IC

[strongoak]

Bruce

"... Now, as far as Continuing Magical Education goes, I'm all for it! Teamwork will be key to strengthening this guild... "

Gylvin, Elven Wizard

Gylvin posts the flyers prominently in the tap-room and library. He then goes looking for Matthew in order to enlist his support for the meeting.

{OOC: In real time, I'll put a post up after 4pm EST (Eastern U.S) on the 10th. It will be a generic post about setting up for the meeting. Please post about going to the library after that note is posted. IC feedback on interest prior to the meeting will be helpful. }

The Poster:

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Calling All Spellcasters!

S.P.A.M.
Society for the Perfection of Arcane Methodolgy

Please come to an organizational meeting of S.P.A.M. in the guild library tomorrow at 7pm. The purpose of S.P.A.M. is to provide an intellectual forum for the discussion of Arcane matters and sharing of knowledge.

This represents an outstanding opportunity to develop a guild-wide social network of the magic using community. It also will be the opportunity for spell casters to continue the professional development amongst their peers.

In the future, when we smite an enemy they'll know they've been S.P.A.M.'d. As we develop together, I'm sure every guild team will demand at least one Spammer in their party.

The first meeting will be chaired by Gylvin from Team Cougar. If there is sufficient interest, we can elect officers in the near future.

Join S.P.A.M. Today!

[DavidByron]

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Let's assume people have had a little time to get cleaned up

Matthew re-appears after his bath in time to join the others as they are leaving for a walk about town.

Vlax, Zan, are you coming? I have a cunning plan you will want to hear about....

As the adventurers set off Matthew explains his cunning plan in detail:

According to our contract we are all supposed to be "actively seeking opportunities for experience, glory, and profit." So I asked myself, Matthew, how can we find these things? Well I have been doing some reading in the library and I found something that claimed that 78% of adventures start in a tavern.

Well I've spent most of the last two days in the common room bar and so far no luck. What is supposed to happen is that you sit down and drink a few pints and then someone approaches you with a rumour about how a town is being attacked by goblins and needs help, or people have been going missing near the local graveyard or something like that.

Clearly we need to expand our contacts. Since people are not coming to the guild bar we need to go to the taverns and inns of Bridgeport and make our availability known. To be precise we need to go into as many pubs as we can, drink a couple of beers, talk about being adventurers and then move on to the next. We need to keep drinking going from pub to pub until we find work -- this is all in the contract.

Of course these intelligence gathering missions would be official guild work so the expense account would pay for the necessary ale. Thus killing two birds with a single stone in view of our recent beer shortage back at the guild hall.

[MK Kilmarnock]

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I knew I shouldn't have made Zan so short... okay. As a guy well in the range of 6'3", I should probably inform you that height doesn't work too well in intimidating. Of course, maybe Kyte's all about height, though I gotta say one lousy inch ain't all that much. Oh well.... looks like I must try a different approach.

Zan narrowed his eyes and stared at Kyte. "It's people like you in this world that I just can't stand. I'll make sure to the best of my ability that, in order to make the world a better place for those who are innocent, your kind cease to exist. Oh.... and pray you don't need to be healed by me. My conscience couldn't take it." At that, Zan walked away to get cleaned off.

Later on, when approached my Matthew, he goes along with him and listens intently....

"Sweet Boccob... I can fill my flask again!"

[Zyks]

Vlax answers simply with "Sounds Good"

[rockdeworld]

Having cleaned up the area of the spilled beer, Kyte turns to Shiela.

"We should clean ourselves up now." He says to her. "After that, would you meet me on the roof later?" He catches her eye as he says these last few words, trying, in opposition with his normal attitude and body, to express to her a desire to see her. His eyes, though, show only conflict, and his voice has no more emotion than it normally does. He turns away, returns the mop to its regular location, and heads for the shed in order to clean himself off.

Later, Kyte climbs to the roof and lies down, staring up into the heavens.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Shiela

The fighter nods quietly in reaction to Kyte's request to see him on the roof, and indeed, takes the time to bathe in the basement. Shes clean of beer, for the most part, but that doesn't mean she doesn't bathe.

Before long, Shiela has set her current set of clothes aside to be washed, and throws her purple cloakm over her shoulders, affixing the Guild's insignia to the front.

She leaves the wooden wall of spiked doom behind, but ensures to take her dirk and scimitar with her, the former tucked neatly into her boot, as usual.
And then, with nothing else to day, takes her waterskin with he to the roof.

[rockdeworld]

Hearing another climb to the rooftop, Kyte looks over and sees Shiela coming over the wall. He turns back to looking at the dark, evening sky - quietly saying nothing. The grey clouds pass through the black sky, reflected in Kyte's own grey on black eyes. The movement of the clouds placates him, allowing his mind to be distracted for a few moments while he watches.

"You're wondering why I asked you up here." Kyte says aloud, breaking the silence.

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Is it night yet, or still day? I would guess some time has passed since the beer incident.

Edit: It's night. Or evening, at least.

[Zyks]

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I would think evening at least, since Vlax, Matthew and Zan have all gone out to the local pub

but its DMs final word, not that it really makes much difference.

[souldoubt]

Having spent a good long time making sure his body and equipment were clean of beer, Ulysses finds himself at loose ends -- not a place he is used to being in, or that he finds very comfortable. He sets out to track down the guildmaster and ask him if the guild maintains a practice ground.

[MK Kilmarnock]

"Uh..."
Zan looked to his companion that he was not familiar with.
"V-vlax, right? Tell me about yourself."

[Thanatos 51-50]

Shiela

"If only you were this astute in all your interpersonal relations, we'd still have free and unlimited beer."

[rockdeworld]

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You ninja'd my edit! I had to edit again to make Kyte say something - I think it worked out ok though.

"Does that concern you?" Kyte asked wryly, though no emotion leaks through his voice. "I enjoy your company. Also," He turns his head to look at her, lying back on the roof as he is, she is a giant in comparison. "we never finished our conversation. I wanted to ask why you are still here."

[Thanatos 51-50]

Shiela

"Of course it concerns me a bit. Some of my guildmates are heavy drinkers." Shiela replies as she sits heavily next to Kyte.
"As to why I'm here, I need to get out of Bridgeport. Do stuff. I can't help but feel I burden Pa. Hes been so sad and lonely since Mom died. And he hasn't been able to find a new wife with me around, so I'm striking out."

[rockdeworld]

Kyte turns to look at the sky again. After a few seconds of silence he speaks.

"...and it doesn't seem to you that by joining this guild you are actually staying in Bridgeport?" He goes quiet, but speaks again before Shiela can respond. "No. You must have some other reason for staying here, instead of really leaving. Do you feel guilty about your parents?"

[Thanatos 51-50]

Shiela

"Thats precisely it. I'm not. I have a bae of operations, thats all this is to me. Fuel on the fire of life. Fire needs fuel to burn, right? So, to burn, I came here."
Shiela explains this animatedly, moving her hands in an odd, formless sign language.
"What about you?"

[DavidByron]

Matthew is looking for Father Eldon.

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Continuing with this sub-story

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Ulysses finds Bruce in the stable.

Bruce
"Practice grounds? Well, not in the guildhall, we've had quite enough roughhousing in there. And not in the front, you'll scare the neighbors. But anywhere in the back here is fine. As a matter of fact, if you look in that stall there are a couple of wooden quintains for melee practice, and an old archery target you can drag out and set up with some of the hay bales we have here. I'd like to see those things get some use; you can see they're covered in cobwebs.

Matthew finds Father Eldon in the library. Eldon sees Matthew come in and sets aside the parchment he was reading.

Eldon
"Ah, young Matthew. Please, let's not discuss that incident in the Common Room. I'd rather forget it. Now, is there anything else on your mind?"

[DavidByron]

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Matthew talking to Eldon in the library with the candlestick?

Yes sir, the contract says you can supply healing spells for us and such but I was wondering what that entails. I mean just how much trouble can we get into and you'll still have a favorable spell? It could be very important to know that sort of thing out in the field.

For example, could you cure someone who became blind? Could you remove a .... let's say someone becomes cursed would you be able to remove a curse?

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He's not actually shouting that last bit but I thought some dramatic emphasis was called for. Matthew watches closely to see if Eldon reacts to this.
Search - (1d20+5)[15]
Sense Motive - (1d20-1)[1]
[roll=Spot]1d20+-2[/roll]

Remove curse and cure blindness both level 3 clerical spells btw.

[rockdeworld]

Kyte notes Shiela's hand movements out of the corner of his eye, but says nothing about them.

"When I wanted to leave home, I left." Kyte answers.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Yes sir, the contract says you can supply healing spells for us and such but I was wondering what that entails. For example, could you cure someone who became blind? Would you be able to remove a curse?[spoiler]

Eldon is very matter-of-fact in his response, and Matthew detects no signs of surprise or discomfort.

Eldon
"I'm glad to see you're exercising some caution and thinking ahead. Frankly, I can help you with most healing as long as you're still alive. I can remove most curses and physical ailments, and though I'm not the most respected member of the Bridgeport clerical community, I can ask a few favors if one of you has a problem that is beyond my ability to heal. I could not heal Bruce's eye because it was gouged out, and he says it's not worth the expense and trouble to try to find a way to replace it, as long as he still has his other eye."

[DavidByron]

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One of these days I'm going to roll above 5 on a Sense Motive or Spot check!!

I'm glad you don't mind discussing it in detail. You never know when this knowledge will be vital, as gruesome as the conversation might be.

So the healing spells have to be much more powerful if the organ is completely removed or amputated? How about if someone just gets blinded because they are hit in the eye with an arrow or something? You can heal it but, is it still harder to heal up than just a normal wound? I know some of the other guild members can cast simple heal spells to patch us up in the field but would a damaged eye have to wait until we got back to HQ? Is this also why you cannot heal Ana's inability to speak? (Someone said she wasn't born mute) Presumably her tongue is entirely removed as with Bruce's eye? But you say if the funds were available even such wounds might be cured if your church hierarchy were willing to intervene?

[Bayar]

Jeff

After sleeping all day, Jeff wakes up, but sees almost no one around the guild...so he decides to take a walk in town, meet people, make friends...find some hookers...

The evening is so pleasant...it makes me sing, and dance, and...umm...run naked in the woods...think it is better to just sing...
And he starts singing a song about the woods.

Strolling down the path
Through the forest of Cyver,
I can hear birds singing
And the whispers of a nearby river.

The smell of hazels fills my nose,
The suns rays stroke my head,
I feel overwhelmed by nature,
Just like in that poem I read.

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Sing - (1d20)[15]

[Bonecrusher Doc]

You are correct, missing body parts and destroyed organs require more powerful magic than simple muscle and flesh wounds and lost blood. An arrow in the eye is actually quite serious, and you would need a more experienced cleric than myself to restore sight to that eye, though I could close the wound and stop the bleeding just as any novice cleric can. I don't know who has been talking to you about Ana, but hers is a unique case. She is not missing her tongue, and yes, she has not always been mute. But surely you must think better of us than to suppose we are just uncaring about her affliction. Trust me, as tragic as it is, Ana's muteness is for her own good and the good of many. Other than that, I must insist that you stifle your curiosity and make yourself mute in this matter, for the sake of Ana's safety.

[Thanatos 51-50]

OOC> and not even a Bluff check to help me out, here

Shiela

"You don't strike me as the type. There must have been some catalyst - what was it?"

[rockdeworld]

[OOC: 'Cause he's telling the truth.]

"..." Kyte's silence extends beyond a few seconds this time. Knowing Shiela's eyes are on him, and that she won't leave until he answers her, he speaks.

"I'd rather not talk about it." He says shortly.

[DavidByron]

Eldon:
I don't know who has been talking to you about Ana, but...
Trust me, as tragic as it is, Ana's muteness is for her own good and the good of many.

Are you saying that Ana chose to be in this condition willingly? As for who mentioned all this. The other day an elderly halfling lady came in who seemed to know Ana and she was telling people's fortunes. When she read Ana she saw a vision of her singing in a garden. I didn't get the impression this was a vision of the past. If what you say is true and her vision was accurate, then whatever condition has been laid upon Ana may be coming to an end.

This woman, Linda, didn't want to say anything about the cause of Ana's injury but she was pretty angry about it. And I'm pretty unhappy about this too from what you've said. I'd be happy to drop this matter if I felt that Ana was the willing beneficiary of whatever this is about... but I can't ask her now can I?

Matthew gets a little emotional:
You know I had a sister who was taken away when she wasn't much younger than Ana is now, by some of you religious nuts. Ana even looks the same as her a bit. And they said the same stuff as you about how it was all a big honor for her and how it would benefit everyone. Oh they had very important religious work for her to do.

I never saw her again. But for the rest of my life, I'll remember that look on her face as they took her away.

Perhaps that's nothing to you, but I'll need more than "trust me" this time around.

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Since we're in the library it's possible the SPAM meeting might interrupt the conversation.
[hr]
This story about a sister is actually true and was something I had decided on along time ago. Just to fill you in Matthew's dad was a bit of a "religious nut" as he says and this thing with his sister was just one episode -- though probably the worst. Matthew's dad went through a lot of religions. As a result Matthew is often quite negative about religion, and at the same time also sometimes fascinated by it. Anyway the last time his dad got in with some new cult he left and hasn't been seen since, which was no great loss.
[hr]
Matthew last mentioned his dad here.

Well that's a symbol I can recognise at last. The cross of Saint Cuthbert. My father was a convert.

This was a sort of joke. The cleric is supposed to reply saying, "Oh I am sorry - 'was' a convert? You're father is dead?" to which Matthew says, "No; he just switched to some other religion."
[hr]
Matthew's sister isn't dead btw. She's basically a sort of nun.
That was all years ago.
[hr]
Although the story is true, it's also the sort of thing Matthew might make up to deceive someone. However he knows he's not a good actor / good at bluffing so his delivery of such a lie would not use this sort of medium.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Eldon flushes slightly and he leans forward on the table, raising his diminutive frame slightly on his elbows.

Eldon
"I don't know anything about this fortune-teller's visions, but let me spell this out for you, young man. Does Ana want to be mute? No. Is anyone in this town happy about her condition? No! But if she should speak, or if the reason she must not speak should become public knowledge, it could very well cause her death, and worse. And in the future, if you wish to keep good standing with your elders, I would advise you to keep a respectful tone in your voice."

[Bayar]

Jeff
Arriving at the docks, Jeff walks down a pier, and sits down at the end of it.
Ah, I wish something interesting happened...something truly unusual...something that could change my life.He gases at the seagulls, at the ships that are either entering or leaving the harbour, and at the waves the water makes.
I wonder...there should be a tavern near the docks, where scurby seadogs get drunk...those are always good for some kicks.
And with that, he hacks back down the pier, and starts searching for the dock tavern.

[souldoubt]

"I've never been much for archery," Ulysses confesses to Bruce, thinking of his under-used crossbow. "But I suppose I could give the archery targets a bit of an airing out before I move on to sword practice." At least it might provide some diversion. With that in mind, Ulysses sets out to find the practice targets.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Jeff pauses outside one of the nicer building in the docks region. A wooden sign hangs over the door, reading "Jasmine & Clove" in decorative script, bordered by woodburnings of the two plants. Although it is still early evening, Jeff can hear loud music and synchronized claspping, punctuated by boisterous cheers and shrill whistles. A scrap of paper tacked to the front door reads:

Thys week only: Kata & The Lost Hope. Performences evry day at sundown.

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Anyone else interested in this, feel free to mosey up and join Jeff.