Adventurer's Guild Team Dingo IC

[Bonecrusher Doc]

(OOC: assuming everyone is following)

Your motley group of five follow the halfling through cobblestone streets in a part of town that looks as though it has seen better days. It's no slum by any means - there are many two-story homes with shops on the ground level and well-tended flowerboxes above - but the old buildings suggest an elegance that is past. The paint is not as bright as it once was, the streets not as clean, the citizens' common clothing inconsistent with the grandeur of some of the largest homes.

Eldon
"Ah, here we are!" Eldon stops at an iron gate and opens it. A flagstone path of about a hundred feet cuts through an overgrown garden of bushes and small trees to the entry of a large house, which looks as though it could have once belonged to a very wealthy family, but where fine roof tiles and intricately carved shutters are missing, they have been replaced by mismatching cheap substitutes. Eldon opens the double doors. "Please, come in."

You step into a foyer that stretches across the front of the house. There is a stairway going up on each end, and to your front you are separated from another room by strings of glass beads hanging from a wide double doorway. From the other doorway in the foyer, next to the staircase on the right, comes a large, well-muscled man, followed by a frowning, middle-aged gnome with spectacles pushed down on his nose. A stout human woman and a wide-eyed boy who looks to be about nine stand on the stairs to the right.

Bruce
"Well met, well met!" booms the man jovially. He has lost most of his hair, and his right eye socket is scarred shut. He is wearing riding boots and breeches with a loose, embroidered shirt, and has a short sword on his belt. "Welcome to the Adventurers' Guildhall. I am the so-called 'guildmaster,' but please call me Bruce. Eldon and I founded this guild along with Lankin here, who knows a good business opportunity when he sees one! Lankin is our quartermaster - he has made agreements with several merchants in town to give us discount prices, provided you adventurers go through him for all your equipment needs." Lankin nods in agreement. The woman on the steps coughs. "Oh, and of course," says Bruce, "this is my wife Elga and our son Brelgan. The three of us live upstairs on this side of the house, so I'd appreciate it if you will respect our privacy. You are of course welcome to use the Library behind me. Now, let me show you where you'll be staying."

Up the stairs on the left side of the house is a large room, the ceiling slanted to the pitch of the roof, with narrow windows. The room is jammed full of bunkbeds and wooden chests. A few of the beds have bedrolls on them with the closest chests closed and locked. Under each bunkbed is a battered tin chamberpot. A curtain is pulled across the end of the room closest to the street, hiding a few of the bunkbeds from view. On the opposite wall is a fireplace, presumably sharing a chimney with the fireplace in the common room below. A smallish man who looks to be in his thirties is snoring on the bottom bunk closest to the unlit fireplace, a heavy crossbow next to his chamberpot. "This is where you'll be staying, unless you have a home in Bridgeport and you'd rather stay there, as Eldon and Lankin do," says Bruce in hushed tones. "We have a few other Adventurers who live here, but they're out at the moment. Bil here is our night guard. Dependable as a rock, but not very sociable. I suppose the job suits him well." He leads you back down to the foyer.

Bruce then pushes through the strings of beads opposite the main entrance and leads you into the largest room in the house. There is a fireplace at the far end, a bar to the left with barstools, and behind the bar is a large dumbwaiter and a door to the back of the property. A few pathetic-looking hunting trophies and unimpressive weapons are mounted high on the walls. A comely young woman with dark hair and well-toned arms, wearing a simple undyed woolen dress, is taking chairs down from atop the several tables in the room. "This is our Common Room," says Bruce. The kitchen and storage rooms are below us, but the stairs down to them are just outside. Ana is here during the days and evenings, but she lives with her brother and his wife just a block away. She does not speak, but she listens well, and that's a good quality in a barmaid in my book!" Ana smiles prettily, then Bruce leads you outside, quietly muttering, "A good quality in any woman, for that matter..." Ana raises an eyebrow as evidence that she has a keen ear indeed.

In the back yard there is a stone patio, and cellar doors that are unlocked and open, revealing brown-stained stone steps leading under the house. Stacks of firewood, a well, and a small stable are closeby. The iron fence that runs around the property has a small gate in the back that opens to an alley, with a large stone jar sitting outside the gate. A cart drawn by a mule stops at the gate, and a miserable-looking teenage boy hops from the back. He swaps the jar with an identical one from the cart and climbs back in. The driver of the cart is an older man smoking a pipe. Bruce cries, "Hallo, Merrill!" The man turns to face you and bows his head, removes his soft leather cap and waves it with a flourish, as if he were a courtier saluting his king. He then gives a shake to the reins and the mule plods forward to the next house.

As you turn back to face Bruce, Lankin comes up the steps with padlocks and keys and begins to silently hand one to each of you. The padlocks match those that were on some of the chests in the Bunkroom upstairs.

"Merrill is a fellow guildmaster, believe it or not," says Bruce. He got fed up with some of the Council's decisions a few months ago, and stopped dung collection throughout Bridgeport until he got his own guild! My, that was a smelly three weeks! I know it sounds ridiculous, but the Doge, the Marshal, and many of the priests supported him, what with the way some of the guilds have been behaving. Turned out well for us, because you can thank Merill for our own guild status - his was the deciding vote! I don't need to tell you that the idea of an Adventurer's Guild was not a popular one, but you know what they say: Luck is when Preparation meets Opportunity. And politicians desperate for a shift in the balance of power created the perfect opportunity for me to spend my pension on this little venture. Oh, that boy on the cart is Quinn - I'm afraid he's a bit of a delinquent, but Merill's keeping an eye on him."

"Well, like I said, down those steps are the kitchen and stores, and that's about it. I'm going to go help Eldon finish drawing up your contracts. In case the bards didn't mention it - they usually gloss over details like this - we'll provide your room and board, ammunition and a few other supplies, stabling for your animals, and a steady supply of ale! In return we ask that you not do anything to give the guild a bad reputation - we've enough enemies as it is - and we'll need fifty percent of your profits until we recover our start-up costs, at which time we can renegotiate your contracts. Oh, and Father Eldon will provide his services free of charge whenever he's at the guildhall, which is most days. Take some time to explore, get settled in if you'll be staying with us, and ask anyone any questions you have. Ana has some eggs and salted pork - and ale if you want it this early - waiting for you in the Common Room."

[Sledge_bro]

Omoris looks at the common room's wooden feature with disdain, and mumbles quietly to himself

By Obad-Hai! what a waste of good ceder..

He suddenly perks up, and says

Guildmaster Bruce, Sentinel, my trusted companion, dorms with me if that is satisfactory with you.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Bruce
"Oh, Sentinel is his name, eh? Very good. Of course it's fine by me, and Ana and Brelgan love animals. Elga on the other hand... well, I'll tell her you'll take responsibility for anything the doc does. You may want pick up an old horse blanket for the beast when you go down to get your other suppplies. Excuse me, I'll be right back."

(a few minutes later)

Bruce (entering the common room)
"Your contracts are prepared, bold adventurers, and if you will all make your way into the library Eldon will help you sign them, then he will enter your names in the Roll at the Council Chambers when they open in an hour. So please, finish your food and drink, but it would be helpful if Eldon could be on his way before the Chambers get too busy, or the good Father will be there all day. Oh, and once you sign you may take your insignia, and also Lankin has some small welcome gifts for you down in the stores."

(Should you go into the library, this is what you will see.)

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The library is decorated in an odd assortment of styles. A map, which appears to be fairly new, adorns one wall, with a worn spot over the city of Bridgeport. A few shelves have books and scrolls on them, but most are empty. The table appears to have been fashioned from a large wooden door, and there are two rough-hewn benches about six feet long, one on either side of the table. On the table are pen, ink, and sheets of parchment (the contracts). Also on the table are several small silver brooches, in the form of three intersecting lines: a winding road, or perhaps a river, overlaid with a crossed sword and a staff. A narrow window opening onto the back yard allows some light into the room, but there is also a candelabra on the table and a torch in a bracket on the wall.

(If you are literate in Common, this is what the Contracts say - Eldon will read it accurately to you if you request it.)

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CONTRACT
Let it be known that the signer of this contract is a full member of the Adventurer's Guild of the Fair City of Bridgeport, having agreed to the following expectations and benefits:

Expectations: Member is expected to spend most of his or her days actively seeking opportunities for experience, glory, and profit. Member will contribute his or her talents to support other members and the Guild as a whole in pursuance of the same. Member will exercise reasonable discretion in these activities, especially when conducted within the city and surrounding area of Bridgeport. Member will endeavor at all times to prevent the Guild from dishonor or excessive financial loss. Member will contribute 50% of monies earned through any activity to the care of the guild treasurer, until such time that the value of 1000 gp have been contributed. Thenceforth, member need only contribute a tithe of 10%. Should a member experience material gain in a form other than coinage, a reasonable contribution to the guild is expected.
Failure to follow these expectations may result in temporary or permanent forfeiture of your benefits, and a guild officer may ultimately request the Council of Guilds expel you from the Roll of Members.

Benefits: Member shall enjoy free room, board, stabling, and drink at the Adventurers' Guildhall. This privilege shall not be extended to family or guests without the approval of a guild officer. Members are free to go where they please and do as they please, provided activities meet the above expectations. The member shall enjoy the physical sanctuary of the guildhall and representation by the Guildmaster in the Council of Guilds. Requests for loans or grants of monies or equipment, when necessary for a highly profitable adventure or in situations of dire need, may be granted by a majority of guild officers. Should a member be wounded or fall ill while conducting legitimate guild activities and return to the guildhall alive, his healing shall be provided for with guild resources. After ten years of active adventuring, member shall enjoy guild benefits for life, as long as his or her conduct remains good (as determined by a majority of guild officers), whether or not he or she continues to seek adventure.

The new member shall proudly wear the insignia of Adventurers, and a guild officer shall enter the new member's name into the Roll of Members of the Council of Guilds at the first possible opportunity. This contract shall not expire until such time as the new member should resign his membership, or such time as the Council of Guilds decides his membership must be revoked, in accordance with the laws of Bridgeport.

______________, New Member
Bruce Wrightson, Guildmaster
Eldon Highburrow, 2nd Adventurer
Lankin Copperbags, Guild Treasurer

(If you go down to the kitchen and stores, this is what you see.)

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It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the dim light in the cool basement of the guildhall. There are two fireplaces, sharing their chimneys with those of the rooms above. There are three spits for roasting meat, cauldrons on hooks that can swivel in and out of the fireplace, and various other cooking accoutrements. A block of kitchen knives, a mortar and pestle, and a small supply of herbs and raw vegetables sit on one side of a table identical to the one in the library. Wooden buckets, sealed with pitch, are in one corner, along with some cleaning supplies. A calico cat, not fully grown but missing part of one ear, yowls at you and skitters behind some wooden pallets, on which are stacked sacks of grain or flour. Some casks and bottles are stored next to the dumbwaiter which may convey them to the bar above.
Walls made of large bricks separate the half of the room that is furthest from the door (and closest to the main street) into three smaller rooms. Two of the rooms have no doors, and you can see they are each lit with dim, slow-burning torches. You can see smoked and salted meats hanging in one room, while the other is crowded with various adventuring equipment. The third room has a sturdy door, locked with two large padlocks.
Lankin sits on a stool outside the equipment room. He hands you a sack with five days' trail rations, five torches, and a standard bundle of ammunition for your ranged weapon (slings and bullets are available for those without a ranged weapon). He then solemnly counts out ten gp worth of coins to any character who answers that he or she lacks this amount (any combination of gold, silver, and copper that you want), explaining that it should be used as your expense account for guild purposes.

[souldoubt]

Ulysses can think of no reason to delay, and so steps into the library to read over the contract.

Hmm... experience... glory... profit.

Profit is immaterial to Ulysses, but experience, and glory... those are valuable. Gripping a quill, he sets it decisively to paper. He had always imagined himself pledging his fealty and his sword in a throne room on bended knee, rather than standing silently surrounded by books.

Let it be said that Ulysses Valeris never shrank from service... that he acted with the honor and nobility that befit his father's son.

With swift but precise movements, he signs "Ulysses Valeris of Caulbrook" on the line.

[Shades of Gray]

Durx signs "Durx of Clan Ironbeard"

Durx walks to the counter and takes a plate of salted pork.

I missed Breakfast to get here on time.

[ArtifexFelicis]

The library was ornate, and the girl went to the parchment on the table first. Some of the others signed it quickly, but she wasn't as quick a reader. Althea read over the contract slowly, making out the words carefully before picking up the pen and scratching out her name on the line. It was messy and barely legible, but her own at the least. She grinned, perhaps a bit too happy with the simple signature. Still, the idea of the Guild had almost swept her up as they went round her new home.

It was surprisingly large, and far better then the girl had dared hope. Her new companions were not undesirable either. The elf seemed a bit hostile though, but that was a small matter. The knight seemed dependable, as well as the tall man. The man with the dog seemed to be nice as well, and he gave off a vibe as being a shaman or a nature man. Althea didn't run into many of them, but she met one or two when she had traveled to Bridgeport. Bandits were already to attack anyone with a blade such as hers, but the almost feral beast that served a nature man unquestionably helped as well.

She took her insignia, frowning a little at the strange badge. She didn't really have a place to wear it, but that was a problem fixable later. She shifted her pack, and the sword as well. She felt oddly lost though. She turned to the knight, smiling a bit sheepishly at him. She actually had to look down at him slightly, something Althea wasn't that used to. Still, a quick glance also confirmed that only the tall man was actually bigger then her. It was a little disconcerting at least. She looked at the holy man who first brought them there again, trying to hide a slight embarrassment from being noticed.

"When are we going to start? Soon? Or are we going to wait for a bit?"

[souldoubt]

Searching for a place to put his own insignia, Ulysses finally settles on pinning it in prominent view directly to the belt strap that crosses his chest at an angle and holds his sword on his back. Then he too turns to Eldon.

"I'd personally like to get started as soon as possible. Anyone who's ready is welcome to join me in finding employ befitting us as new members of the guild." He pauses for a moment, thoughtfully. "I'm not very familiar with the area though. Our contract states we should seek adventuring opportunities that will bring glory and prosperity to the guild, but I don't really know where to start." He looks around the room at the odd assortment of other guildmembers present. A towering half-orc holy man, a grizzled woodsman, a tall girl in furs with strange straw-colored hair, and an elf with even stranger hair. None of them had the look of locals, to say the least.

He turns back to Eldon. "Perhaps you could advise us on where to start our search?" Then Ulysses remembers something Bruce said. "Or... wasn't there another gentleman we were supposed to meet with first? A quartermaster?"

[Height]

Finde signed the contract, then took his insignia.

He turned to face his companions, then revealed a half-smile, somewhat pleased to be part of a group. He would have to work on his hatred for the humans in the group later, but the half-orc helped ease things a little. The human that spoke had a valid question, so Finde remained quiet, waiting for an answer.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Bruce shows the newcomers down the stairs just outside the back door of the house to the basement, where Lankin is waiting for them. It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the dim light in the cool basement of the guildhall. There are two fireplaces, sharing their chimneys with those of the rooms above. There are three spits for roasting meat, cauldrons on hooks that can swivel in and out of the fireplace, and various other cooking accoutrements. A block of kitchen knives, a mortar and pestle, and a small supply of herbs and raw vegetables sit on one side of a table identical to the one in the library. Wooden buckets, sealed with pitch, are in one corner, along with some cleaning supplies. A calico cat, not fully grown but missing part of one ear, yowls at you and skitters behind some wooden pallets, on which are stacked sacks of grain or flour. Some casks and bottles are stored next to the dumbwaiter which may convey them to the bar above.
Walls made of large bricks separate the half of the room that is furthest from the door (and closest to the main street) into three smaller rooms. Two of the rooms have no doors, and you can see they are each lit with dim, slow-burning torches. You can see smoked and salted meats hanging in one room, while the other is crowded with various adventuring equipment. The third room has a sturdy door, locked with two large padlocks.
Lankin sits on a stool outside the equipment room. He hands you a sack with five days' trail rations, five torches, and a standard bundle of ammunition for your ranged weapon (slings and bullets are available for those without a ranged weapon). He then solemnly counts out ten gp worth of coins to any character who answers that he or she lacks this amount (any combination of gold, silver, and copper that you want), explaining that it should be used as your expense account for guild purposes.

[Sledge_bro]

After signing the contract with a flourish (Using a quill from his hat), Omoris followed Bruce to the basement, uttering to Sentinel to "Stay!" at the top of the stairs (For the cat's safety).


Thank you for the money. I would wish to travel light, so I Will be taking only two torches from you, and no ammunition

*Turns to Bruce*

May I leave this staff here? I find it to be an unessercary burden.

Now I have more than enough food, Would anyone like any bread before I feed it to the birds?

[Bonecrusher Doc]

(in the basement with Omoris)
Bruce nods, and Lankin takes the staff and places it in the equipment room.

___________________________________________

Back in the Common Room, Bil and Ana are moving furniture - pushing the tables and chairs up against the walls. With them are five men and one woman, all of short stature, fine-boned, with olive to brown complexions. The woman is exotically beautiful, her nose, cheekbones, and jaw prominent yet still delicate. She wears a modest, loose-fitting orange dress, and a large assortment of inexpensive jewelry, bangles, and bells. Her waist-length braid of black hair has fresh spring flowers woven into it. Ana sweeps the floor fastidiously, and the men, wearing simple tunics and breeches, unpack instruments from leather bags and seat themselves on the floor in front of the fireplace. The woman removes her shoes and places zills on her fingers, which are already decorated with copper and silver rings. The musicians began to play a few melodies and beats, stopping from time to time to adjust their instruments, while the woman stretches and swings her arms and legs, as if warming up for a footrace, occasionally chattering the zills together.

Bil explains, in his shy manner of speech:

Bil
"I told them to come today. They're staying down at the docks, but I thought it would be nice to welcome you here - celebrating the guild having reached our expected number of members..." He blushes a little, and adds, "Bruce gave me a guild badge too, even though I won't be doing any adventuring," and smiles. "Anyway, Father Eldon wanted to remind those of you who are not from Bridgeport that after they perform, don't throw any coins. All the people from outside of town do that, but in Bridgeport it's the proprietor's duty to pay, and Bruce is giving them a nice little sum - not that Lankin or Elga are happy about that!" Bil chuckles.

[ArtifexFelicis]

Althea collected the new pack and coins from Lankin, feeling the cool metal in her hand. They were fairly shiny, and had a soft, heavy weight to them. The pack itself was of a tough, but somewhat coarse material, with room to spare within the confines. She smiled at the nature man for a moment, amused at his notion.

"I'm fine, thanks for offering. I think I'm going to go up to the rooms for a minute or two. I wish to just put some stuff into my room. This sword gets kind of heavy after a while."

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Feel free to follow Althea up to the rooms, or go with her or something. If not, she'll be going down to the guild common room later.))

[souldoubt]

Ulysses accepts the coins with grateful thanks, and gives a bemused shake of his head to the offer for bread.

Wanting to get to started searching for employ appropriate to his new contract, but noticing that others seem to want to settle in first, Ulysses purses his lips and martials patients. He tromps his way back up to the common room in the hopes that his fellow guildmembers will eventually wander back from their various peregrinations and congregate there.

[Height]

Finde accepted the coins, pocketed them, and also took the rations and torches offered to him.

He returned to the common room, and took a seat in one of the pushed aside chairs, taking his time with the day. He would wait for the group to decide on something before figuring out what to do.

[Sledge_bro]

Suit yourselves. I will not be a second. Come, sentinel

Omoris went outside for a moment, leaving the loaves on the soft, green grass.Almost instantly, several small birds flutterd down, chirping and pecking at the bread. Omoris smiled as Sentinel cautiously eyed the birds, then made his way back to the commonroom, with sentinel close behind him.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

The musicians stop tuning their instruments and the Common Room goes quiet. One of the musicians gestures for all the adventurers present to take their seats. The young woman demurely walks to the center of the room and assumes a pose, standing very still with one leg to the side and her hands on her hips. Then one of the performers starts a slow, deliberate drum roll, his hands playing a pair of small, asymmetric drums placed between his feet. Suddenly the other musicians join in, and the woman begins to dance and sing. The music and her dance are powerful and quick-tempoed, but even though the language is unknown to any but the six strangers, there is something about the performance that seems to tell a melancholy story, or perhaps even a tale of desperation. As the song progresses it becomes more instrumental, allowing the woman to weave more energetic dancing in with her beautiful, haunting vocals. By the end of the song, she is almost leaping around the room as she strides and pirhouettes with amazing power and grace, her long braid whipping around her like a partner in her dance. A final crescendo, and the music stops, the woman frozen in a pose with her feet and one hand supporting her as she arches her lithe body backwards, her other hand gesturing to the imagined sky beyond the roof of the guildhouse. After some appreciative applause from the small audience (Bruce and his family, Ana, Bil, and a few adventurers), the performers take a break to sit at one of the tables and eat, drink, and talk in their mysterious language. Eldon and a short young human man (taller than Eldon, of course) also applaud from the foyer. Eldon then hands the man a guild pin and shakes his hand, then returns to the library as the newcomer walks into the Common Room.

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This is the cue for Ian Luminor's entrance - new team member.

[XiaoTie]

Ian Luminor

The young man had the common adventurer pin put right beneath his chin, holding together his rather worn red cloak. He entered the room with a smile on his face, greeting whom he believed to be his fellow comrades from the Adventurers Guild. He was of an average human built, having a slightly long black hair that was kept in a braided ponytail, and wore brown leather pants, covered by a red skirt that went down up to his knees. Over his back he wore a rather worn, and slightly dirty, red cloak over his beloved leather armor. His eyes had the color of honey, and a long scar crossed his right eye going down until it reached his mouth.

He curved his torso slightly and spoke to them, but his voice didn’t quite came out of his mouth, only his lips moved. The young man didn’t seem to have noticed that, and simply stood there smiling as if waiting for a reply from them.

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Those who can read lips perceive that he speaks: "Greetings, I am Ian Luminor and I will be your cartographer on future missions. Pleased to meet you.

[OOC: He is not telepath or anything, that is just one of the ways I decided to roleplay his low Charisma. And no, he is not fugly ]

[souldoubt]

Ulysses Valeris

After the dazzling finale of the performance, Ulysses applauds along with everyone else in open amazement. His awe only serves to reinforce on him just how far from home he's come, as well as the ironic quaintness of his own "high" upbringing. He wonders at the sad, elegeic feel of the song.

A young man who entered during the performance turns to him and his guildmates, and opens his mouth to speak, but, strangely, no sound comes out.

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Spot check to read lips, which I will no doubt fail: (1d20-1)[7]

Eyeing the newcomer for a moment in puzzlement, Ulysses shakes his head and decides not to concern himself with that particular oddity right now, as there were other things that tugged at his interest.

Striding to the table of performers, trying not to make his height seem intimidating or overbearing, he addresses them. "The gods' blessings to you, and welcome. And well done! I've never seen a performance quite like that. A very beautiful song, I must say. It had such a meloncholy sound, it reminded me of... how far I am from my homeland. I'm curious of the song's meaning...."

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While I'd personally never attempt this, I figure that Ulysses is one of those rare people simultaneous bold enough and charismatic enough to walk up to a table of people he doesn't know speaking a foreign language and not make a complete ass of himself.

I'll take 10 on a Charisma check, just in case, which can substitute for an untrained Diplomacy or Gather Information check in a pinch if necessary. But I hope I get some kind of circumstance bonuses for roleplaying out my action instead of just saying, "Okay, I use Diplomacy."

[Shades of Gray]

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(1d20+3)[17]

Durx greets the strange man.

If success on check:

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H'lo Ian, welcome t' team Dingo.

If Failure

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H'lo, welcome t' team Dingo. What's your name?

[XiaoTie]

Ian Luminor

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OOC: the roll was successful

Ian greets the half-orc with a smile and a nod, shifting the weight of his body from his right foot to the left, and then back to the right. Feeling a but uneasy being in what seemed a pompous celebration of sorts to him, Ian clears his throat and asks the half-orc “Do you know if we are required to stay here?”.

He would feel better working on a new armor or on a new map, smelling the fragrance of a brand new sheet of paper or parchment mixed to that of an open ink vial.

[Shades of Gray]

No we aren't. Speaking of which, I don't know where in this city I'd'ifit in. There are barely 'ny worsh'pers of St. Cuthbert here. 'n the library isn't my type of thin'.

Say, Eld'n, The Guildhouse has a trainin' room, right? I've Been here for two days and I'm gettin' a bit rusty. Is there a Gym in the town?

A map of this place would be useful.

OOC: *nudge Ian*

[XiaoTie]

Ian Luminor

“A map eh? Say, which place would like to have mapped? I happen to be a cartographer and a geographer myself, and I would love to have an excuse to leave this party, especially if I were to make a map”.

He smiled happily as the previous anxiety for being in a “pompous” party is replaced by a more calm feeling within him, “If the place is near maybe we could leave whenever you want and map it”.

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OOC: Yeah. I'll make a map OOC as well whenever Ian makes one

[Shades of Gray]

A map 'o Bridgeport'd be nice, 'fs* not too much trouble. Or maybe even a map of the district. Anythin' to help me get 'round better. 'Ow do you usually make a map? D'you check out the library or walk 'round the places you're mappin'? I 'member we had a village cartographer, spent all 'is time s'plorin' places to chart them. 's that why you joined th'guild? To 'splore 'n chart the unknown?

OOC: *if it is.

[XiaoTie]

Ian Luminor

“Yup, I need to walk around the areas doing a rough sketch of it while I take notes of the important features. Only after that is done I go to the library to see if they have any other information about the area that I missed. When all is done, I transform the rough sketch on the actual map”, Ian smiles, he was talking about what he liked.

“Ah, yes, I joined the guild because I once heard from an adventurer lady that the guild almost always needs cartographers to map. Plus, I love exploring new places”.

[Sledge_bro]

Omoris enterd the common room and noticed a black-haired man in a rad cloak. He turned around and opend his mouth, but no sound came out. Omoris attempted to decipher what the man was saying by looking at his lips

Spot check

(d20+7)[20]

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Eldon (to Durx)
"Training room? Ah, no, in fact, we had a little incident a while back with some roughhousing at the bar, so there will definitely be no training in the building. Some of the other adventurers spar or shoot targets outside, and I suppose you could use the stable in bad weather; it's mostly empty."

Ulysses Valeris

Striding to the table of performers, trying not to make his height seem intimidating or overbearing, he addresses them. "The gods' blessings to you, and welcome. And well done! I've never seen a performance quite like that. A very beautiful song, I must say. It had such a meloncholy sound, it reminded me of... how far I am from my homeland. I'm curious of the song's meaning...."

Two of the musicians don't even notice Ulysses, two look at him rather blankly, but one of them acknowledges him and taps the singer/dancer on the shoulder and says a few words in a strange tongue. The woman turns and sees Ulysses.

Female Performer
"Oh!" (rising from her chair to with Ulysses towering over her, she speaks in Common, but with a thick, strange accent)
"Sorry, we are not used to people...talking to us. My friends... they do not speak your tongue. I am Kata. You said the song was...melon ... oh, sad-sounding? Yes, it is a sad song. It is about a search, searching for someone that you need to live, but you know you will never find her, but you must search anyway."

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The song may have sounded something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-p...am_wma_001_006

[souldoubt]

Feeling slightly abashed, Ulysses bows by way of apology to the table of musicians who cannot understand his words. Then he bows to Kata. "Forgive me for not introducing myself sooner. I am Ulysses Valeris. How long have you been in Bridgeport? I've only just recently arrived myself. I come from way away to the northwest -- but then I imagine you've traveled from much farther."

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Kata
"I am from the west also, very far from home. Perhaps I could meet some of your friends here?"

[souldoubt]

"Certainly," Ulysses replies with alacrity, but makes a mental note to speak clearly and unhastily, as well as prune down his courtly vocabulary to accommodate Kata's non-native ear. "Though I've only really just met them myself. But they're my comrades and guildmates now, so I feel I must trust them implicitly-- er, without question. You must always trust the person who guards your back and they must trust you, as you're guarding their's.

"The towering fellow is Durx, a devout of St. Cuthbert -- a half-orc, but he seems a decent fellow, and amiable enough from what I've seen of him. The tall girl in furs... I believe her name is Althea. A bit shy, that one. Finde is the elf." Ulysses drops his voice to an amused, confidential tone, "I don't think he's fond of me, or humans in general, but I'm sure if you get past his snarky comments he's probably not a bad sort." Resuming a normal voice, he continues, "The bearded gentleman is... well, I'm not sure he ever mentioned his name, but he's a man of nature, as you can see. He has a big wolf-hound that follows him about like a puppy. Quite impressive. The youth with the scar on his face I've never met, I think he's a new arrival -- oh, and I think there may be something wrong with his voice. Just a warning.

"Shall we get acquainted then?" Ulysses offers, guiding Kata in the direction of his companions (assuming she is willing), feeling simultaneously proud, flattered, and strangely out of place, having such an exotically lovely woman on his arm in such humble surroundings.

(edit)

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Feel free to jump in and introduce yourselves to Kata now, anyone who wants to. I decided not to narrate anything about Ulysses introducing her to the group in any particular order; that way, whatever order people end up posting in can be assumed to be the order in which Ulysses introduced everyone.

[ArtifexFelicis]

Althea

Althea had watched the performance in wonder, amazed at both the talent of the musicians and the dancer. There was something oddly mystical, and possibly even divine, about how the dance was performed. Of course, Althea's ears were untrained in the idea of music, familiar with only more of the base beats used to keep rythemn. So many different musicians all at once was almost scary.

Still, her attention was also taken by the new member of their group. He was a shorter looking boy, though not much younger then herself. She collected her small pad of paper that she was scribbling on as the dance went on, trying to capture the life of the dance into a visual medium. She stuffed it into of of her pockets, not satisfied with the results. Still, the newcomer, as well as the dancer and musicians, all seemed too interesting to let that distract herself.

"Welcome to the Guild Hall, I'm Althea," The girl introduced herself as. She did a slight curtsy before the newcomer, a small sign of greeting at the very least. She was grinning, mostly because of her interest in painting. Perhaps this mapmaker could help her one day, or at least offer some advice. "I'm sorry, but I didn't quite catch your name. What was it?"