Vagabond (Act1 IC2)

[Deepblue706]

"Damn." Len snaps her fingers. "Maybe we should try to find him? I don't think the poor fella has any knowing of the city; he's probably lost!" She glances up and down the docks. "Although I don't think running around in the middle of the night is going to do us much good; Shimar might stand out a bit, but..." A thought visibly occurs. "Wait a minute; D, you can see in the dark, can't you? C'mon, let's go find Shimar!"

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Since amanodel has yet to clarify, I'm just going to say you'll find him, wherever he is, with a good enough Spot check.

Meanwhile Harold makes his way to the nearest church of Faharam - a tall and looming structure, well-made and maintained - and he is greeted at the door by an old, lone priest. His face is wrinkled, his head balding, and his hand shakes a bit as he reaches out to invite the bard inside. The two now stand at the entrance of the church, behind the last row of seats that extend all the way to the preacher's stand that lies at the front of the room.

"How may I help you, my son?"

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
Harold tilts his head to one side, an easy smile on his face.
"An interesting question father. I believe we can help each other. Do you have a minute or two to talk?"

[amanodel]

(If noone clarified where are everyone's going, Shimar prob'ly just kept wandering around, waiting for something interestin to happen.)


The party finds Shimar at a relatively large square, as he's playing with his dog, Whisper. That might scare the whiney city folk every now and then, so it's not hard to find him. Just follow the screams.

[Deepblue706]

"My son, as a servant of Faharam, I always have the time to talk to His children." He smiles warmly. "Please, if there is something I can do to aid you, let me know what I must do." He then invites Harold to follow him away from the door, and to a more well-lit area, where you can see each other more clearly. Harold now stands before a man he would guess to be well-past sixty, with dark, sunken eyes that look up at him wearily.

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
Harold nods graciously to the priest.
"I came to you, father, because a woman I know is in a lot of trouble, and I can't help her by myself. A week or so ago, she was resting in an inn when the place was raided by the town watch in search of thieves. Well, long story short, there was a brawl and it turned deadly. A lot of people were arrested, and this lady was one of them, even though she had nothing to do with it. Already it sounds bleak, but it gets worse, unfortunately."
Harold sighs.
"There are corrupt people in this corrupt world. A group of highly unethical people...thieves, brigands, murderers...they hatched a scheme. They bribed the officials a large amount of money to release this lady from prison, but I assure you their intentions were not altruistic. They demanded that she pay them back and more besides, or face a fate far, far worse than prison. They gave a deadline of two weeks in which to raise 5,000 gold pieces."
Harold leans back a little.
"Now, I've been helping her as much as I can to raise the money, but so much so quickly is far beyond our reach, especially with such dire consequences hanging over her head. So I agreed to come on her behalf, and ask for help from the church, so greatly renowned for works of mercy and help for the needy."
Harold clasps his hands together, earnestly.
"So this is what I suggest. We've been able to scrape together about a thousand gold together towards her debt, but getting four thousand more in the time remaining is beyond me. If the church can help towards paying some of the rest, then our problem will be solved.
One good turn deserves another, so she and I would be more than happy to work on the church's behalf to pay what we are bestowed and more besides, in time. I will pledge that whatever aid the church can give us will be returned twofold over the next year, so that others may benefit from the mercy of the church as we will."

[Proven_Paradox]

"It still seems odd to me that so many other creatures cannot see in the dark. There are so many problems that would cause..." Drahlo follows Len quietly for a while.

After a few minutes of travel, he sighs and begins speaking. "I... do not like to go behind people's backs, but I wish to know something, and it seems Harold wishes to keep it secret... He creates words that dance around the truth, nearing it but never illuminating it. So I ask you now that he is gone in hopes of a true answer. What is your mission? He said six lives ride on you and him--a dire mission indeed. Why will you not tell me more?"

[Deepblue706]

The priest is a bit startled to hear Harold's story; his troubled face makes it painfully obvious that he had expected to hear nothing of the sort. He takes a moment to compose himself once more, and then looks up into Harold's eyes with deep concern. "I'm not sure how much the church can support you, my son; we are wealthy in faith and blessings here, but not very much in coin. However..." He clears his throat. "The church does some fundraising during sermons, and also receives money through the sponsorship of some more prominent figures of the city. Perhaps we could pay you in exchange for services, although there is not much we can give out freely in advance, even should you swear you'll work us at another time."

He then lets out a breathy sigh, clearly having great sympathy despite his objections. "You seem sincere, and I'd hate to send you out of here with nothing." He then reaches into his robes, and pulls out a small amulet that bears the symbol of his faith. It is ornately designed from silver, masterfully crafted and fit with a tiny green garnet known to be rare in these parts. "This belonged to my wife; she's long gone now. I think you might be able to sell it for as many as a hundred coins. Maybe even more." He holds it out to Harold. "Take it. I think I need to let go of her, anyhow."

------------------------------------------------

Len halts as Drahlo asks his question, and gives him a weary glance. "Look, Drahlo," She starts, and then hesitates. "...it's complicated. We...we've fallen in with some people who just aren't any good. We owe them money, and if we don't get it to them, then they're not going to be pleased. They have a lot of friends, too." She stops herself, and takes a moment to calm down. "You don't want to know more than that - trust me. It'll only make things worse for you. Let's just...go find Shimar, okay?"

Only a few yards away do you spot the hulking man and his dog. Len swiftly walks toward him, leaving Drahlo behind her. "Hey, Shimar." She calls from a short distance, a hint of frustration in her voice.

[Deepblue706]

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OOC: Ahem. Just thought I'd bump in the case that anyone might have suspected there has not been any updates...

[Deepblue706]

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Okay, so I'm saying Harold tried his letters of introduction, tried to persuade the church to make an exception, but it failed in the end because the rest of the clergymen just repeated the same thing the first priest had explained, unwilling to bend.

Meanwhile, the "Fumble Brothers" (I liked that description?) all accompany Len as she sees what Claudius has to offer, prepared to demand higher pay, if necessary

After some time, the party regroups at Claudius' estate in two parties; Len with Drahlo and Shimar, and Harold alone; seemingly defeated by the lack of aid the church had been willing to give him. It would appear he joined with the rest only begrudgingly, as no other options leave Harold to either get some sleep, or to find out what Len had been up to.

After a short wait, the four of you are brought into Claudius' study, where he invites you to sit and relax. He is dressed in very formal attire, perhaps suggesting he may have been out-and-about with some important people; and has simply neglected to change for the time being. After a servant arrives and offers tea, Claudius finally gets down to business.

"I'm very glad you're here, tonight; I'm in great need of the services the likes of your kind..." his eyes scan each member of the party slowly, as he reclines into his grand chair; his hand fumbling with the tip of an ornate cane, holding it in a standing position that lands the other end on the floor, beside his right leg. He then suddenly leans forward. "For some time now, I've been the director of the excavation..." he pauses, and begins to grow a smile. "...of an ancient temple which rests beneath the surface of a tiny isle, not far from the coast of Medici." He studies your reactions. "With my wealth, I fund the state with the money necessary to uncover lost artifacts of civilizations long dead; in return, I earn great renown, as well as ownership of some of the minor trinkets; but really, I am not interested in either, at the moment." His smile grows wider for a moment, but then his face turns a bit more serious. "Many of the scholars I am employing believe this temple to hold great significance...and some even guess that it may hold a book of legend - a text that supposedly holds the secrets of the origins of arcana. It is not said to hold any power, but it is rich with knowledge and possesses great historical significance. I've seen what evidence supports the idea it's there - and I'm rather convinced that's indeed where the book rests. If I can recover it, then I can no doubt sell it to the city, or possibly King Mathias himself, and not have to worry about financial matters for two human life-times. However," His face turns to a frown. "I believe there is some trouble at the site. I haven't received a report from my men in weeks, and I begin to worry about our progress. Last I heard from them, there had been much progress in opening the temple, although there were many troubles with the natives." His voice grows stern. "I need a team of able men and women to go there, learned what has transpired, and report back to me. For that, I'll give you each a hundred gold; but truly, this is not why I've called you here." he reclines again. "I think you are obviously worthy of trust, and your abilities seem far above menial labor...so I actually want you to do something else for me." He now stands, and leans a bit on his cane. "If you can help me get the book..." He smiles to Len and Harold. "...then I think you can consider your monetary troubles to be dealt with." He then glances to Drahlo and Shimar, adding, "Four-thousand gold coins. Each. I hear your can buy quite a lot of farmland on the Guilder-Medici border, with that kind of money...that among many other things. What do you say?" he smiles as he steeples his fingers, obviously awaiting your answers with great anticipation.

[Proven_Paradox]

Len's harsh retort after asking of her troubles quickly silences him, and he speaks little on the way back to the mansion. His expression is obviously troubled.

---

Drahlo sits quietly on the floor next to a chair as they are brought into the study, apparently more comfortable there. He holds Guha in his left hand and idly strokes her fur with his right, listening intently to Claudius's offer. For a moment, he considers answering with something along the lines of wealth not being an issue--but then he looks to Len and Harold with a somewhat guilty expression, shakes his head, and says, "I shall help in whatever way I can."

[amanodel]

Shimar

Buried treasures, ancient temples, path to fame and glory... way to tempt Shimar.

Four thousend, you say? I shall enslave a goblin tribe myself and make them search the entire isle for that! - the barbarian's expression may not be entirely clear to anyone else at this place but him, but he seems quite happy with that.

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
The minstrel sits quietly with legs crossed as the proposal is laid out, and after the others have made their interjections he sits quietly for a little while longer, toying absently with a new silver necklace he seems to have acquired.
"An Expedition, you say." He sounds dubious.
"Well, it's not my specialty. Usually I get the shakes when I'm more than two days from cobblestones, you see. But!" He stands,
"Problems solved, reasonable rates, great renown. And I suppose a great musician is one who's always willing to extend his repertoire. Very well, for my own part I'm willing to take on this little task for you, m'lord. Anything more you can tell us about the island, or the people who live there?"

[Deepblue706]

"Well, Harold," replies Claudius, trying to address his prior statements before actually answering his questions. "Your larger friends here would be present to do the hefty work; you, I think, would be most needed for your reputed scope." He smiles. "But anyhow; yes, there's a bit I can tell. The island takes only about a week to reach by boat; and it is a lush place, filled with overgrowth - which is no doubt covering more of the ruins of the expired civilization. It's small, but there are a few inhabitants to be wary of." He clears his throat. "Apart from a few large insects and some wild boars, you may cross paths with a native kobold." His eyes narrow. "They may be behind what's been happening, or they may not. Although they're uncivilized, they can be reasonable; which makes me hesitant to believe they'd try to cause you any harm, unprovoked. If you don't look for any trouble with them, I doubt you'll find any. Personally, I think they should be avoided at all costs."

He awaits to address any other questions or concerns.

[Deepblue706]

"Well then," continues Claudius, as none appear to voice any further concerns. "I want to send a boat out there in the next two days; but, aside from a basic crew, we don't have many men. Although there is one skilled man I'll be having join you at port, I want you to hire yourselves an additional hand, or two. Perhaps visit a local inn, look about for some people who might be interested in a basic guard's work, and such. Or, who knows? Maybe you'll find some veteran mercenary who happens to be interested in getting their hands a little extra dirty on your behalf. I'll give you some gold up front, to take care of anyone who demands some payment ahead of time; I trust you'll put it to good use." He beckons a servant close, whispers into his ear, and sends him off. The servant returns shortly with a pouch filled with coins, which he sets before the party on a small table. "That matches about eight-hundred in gold, there. If someone asks for more, then I'll need to have a personal audience with them. However, I suggest you manage the coin better than to hire a single person, unless they leave a rather good impression." He smiles. "Of course, if you think you don't need the help, I suppose you could take what's there as an advance on your pay; still, I strongly suggest you at least try to look around, first."

[Proven_Paradox]

Drahlo frowns for a moment and says, "There is one other thing..." He glances to Len for a moment and says, "I wish to have something delivered to... ah... The man said the town was called 'Balanli.' As swiftly as possible. I do not know how I might go about doing this, though. Do you know of a reliable messenger I might hire with part of my payment?"

[Deepblue706]

"Certainly." Claudius nods. "I know of many couriers who can take care of that for you. If you so desire, you can give what you wish to send to my attendant downstairs, and he'll have it brought to whichever service within the city he thinks will bring it most swiftly." He clasps his hands and smiles. "Was there something else?"

[amanodel]

Shimar

I believe we're fine. I'll go to a pub nearby the docks and pull a fight. A good way to select the best crew for a tough journey. - says Shimar, and you know he means it - Anyone wanna join?

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
Harold coughs.
"I'm not, strictly speaking, a nautical man, but it seems like the sort you'd get by taking the last man standing after a brawl are the kind which are good at sustained violence. While that's a useful skill in the wild, I submit that we already have a surfeit of such sentiment in our regular team." Harold carefully keeps his gaze away from anyone in particular in the room.
"I was rather hoping to pick up a soul or two with a bit more...deliberation than that. Perhaps even someone with a soupcon of magical power to offer, whatever its source. Give me a bit of time to ask around, and I'll bet I could find someone decently reliable and puissant."
he nods to Claudius. "Unless our esteemed employer has a suggestion, of course."

[amanodel]

Failing to see the point of Harold, Shimar replies: "This is why we need to go to the dock. There are lot of sailors there, who know a lot more about the oceans than we do. Sailors are hardy folks, and they like fighting, so obviuosly the toughtest one is the best sailor!"

[Proven_Paradox]

Drahlo shrugs as the other discuss how to hire another ally. He looks to Shimar and says, "Friend, combat prowess is not the greatest measure of skill. Between yourself, Len, and me, we've a good deal of strength of arms behind us. Harold's skill with words is powerful, and my connection to nature can heal our wounds. Would be best to find someone who has other skills, so we are not caught unprepared. What that means, I shall allow you to decide." With that, he bows in the general direction of the others and takes his leave. Assuming he isn't stopped by someone along the way, he will make his way downstairs.

Once he finds the attendant Claudius mentioned, he approaches and says, "Your chief told me to come to you with this. I need to send some money to a village to the south, swiftly. He said you would know the best... carrier? I am not certain which word to use..."

[Deepblue706]

Claudius smiles at Harold. "The man I'll have join you is a sort of jack-of-all-trades, if you will; I presume not too different from yourself, Harold. He may know something of magic - so, you may not need to worry about tracking down a mage willing to leave his books to join you in this little 'adventure'. Of course," he tilts his head down to the side, and back up as he gives it more consideration. "If you truly want a sorcerer to join you, perhaps we can pool some assets to cure your friend Flare?" The arch in his brow shows he's a bit troubled. "You left him here, in my foyer, in that awkward, frozen state. He's in a guest's quarter now, still rather stiff. Maybe you should use that gold to find him a cure, and convince him to join you, hmm?"

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
Harold nods thoughtfully at nearly all of Claudius' suggestions. He balks at the notion of curing Flare, though.
"Bring...Flare? I appreciate your grace hasn't had the same...exposure to Flare that the rest of us have, but what you must understand is that taking Flare along with you anywhere is a bit like having a ball-and-chain on one foot; sure you can still get around, and it's somewhat useful if you need to bludgeon someone or destroy something... but it isn't pleasant. It chafes, it makes you unsuitable for a variety of company, and it prevents you from accomplishing even the most simple of tasks without a great deal of trouble."
He holds up his hands.
"However, out of a concern for littering, at the very least, we will remove him from your custody. Shimar, feel free to trawl the dock...Who knows, maybe you'll manage to find a big fish that isn't too badly pickled."

[Deepblue706]

Claudius seems surprised by Harold's reaction. "Very well..." he rubs his chin. "Two days, then. If you have any other concerns," he rises. "inform my attendants. I will be retiring for the evening. Good night. Badda will see you out." he points to the looming orc bodyguard at the door, whose presence had been completely unknown until now. Claudius then offers a final, weary smile before exiting the room.

Len doesn't hesitate to volunteer to grab Flare. "I'll bring him over to a nearby church. Maybe they can take care of him, there. Where should I meet you folks?"

Meanwhile, the attendant that Drahlo finds downstairs is a bit confused by the orc's use of words, although he seems to understand what he's getting at. "Ah. Hum. What town would that be, sir? And, what is the name of the recipient?"

[Proven_Paradox]

"Balani is the town... He said it is small, south along the Lete River? It goes to the ailing aunt of a man we encountered named Jeremy. I do not know her name, but if the town is as small as described, I think it would not be hard to find her from that... Or is that a problem?"

[Deepblue706]

"Well, sir," his face is a bit stern. "Although imagine the people there are honest, it would be difficult to pinpoint the exact person you had in mind. However, I'm sure the couriers would attempt it. If you leave said moneys with me, I'll certainly deliver it to the courier service in the morning."

[Deepblue706]

While Drahlo tries to take care of the shipment of money, Len drags Flare's motionless body from the estate, and Harold does...Haroldly things, Shimar immediately heads down to the docks to search for a pub. Thankfully, it is not long before he finds such a place; a large building, just off the water, booming with banter and cheer. He has little doubt the place will house the sorts of which he's looking for.

As Shimar steps in, he sees before him a drinking hall of great proportions. There are long, wooden tables everywhere he looks; and at them, gatherings of what he presumes to be sailors and other travellers, all lively and some rowdy. Just above his head hang down large chandeliers; which are well lit, but provide insignificant amounts of light compared to the massive fireplace against the far wall. The fire fills the room with a blanket of heat; almost smothering, yet still comfortable when considering the cold air of the outside.

Shimar can hear a tune being played to his right - upon turning, he spots a trio of musicians performing for the drunken bunch. They carry a fiddle, a flute and a lute; the patrons fill in the vocals (if a bit too drunk to much of anything intelligible). The song is certainly rousing - although one could guess that a few tankards of ale would be necessary to appreciate it as well as most others here.

To his left, Shimar sees a lengthy bar, sitting a dozen men who playfully hound a single, old bartender who leisurely serves them their drinks. Among those here, Shimar spies a few gruff men, elves and halflings who may serve as capable shipmates. However, one stands out further from the rest to the barbarian:

With her back pressed against the bar and her elbows behind her on the bartop, a young woman with firey red hair surveys Shimar as walks further inward, then seems to disregard him. She is tall and lean, though far from qualifying as delicate. Her visible musculature-and there is a bit more than is really necessary- ripples with each subtle movement of her body. She wears very little: A pair of skin tight leather jerkins, simple leather boots, and a top that would be more appropriately called minimal covering as opposed to a shirt that halters around her neck. Over her shoulder, a sheathed bastard sword hangs from a belt that should be strapped around her waist, and a simple pack sits at her feet with the hint of some chain armor poking out of it. An unslung bow and quiver of arrowrs rests against the pack. Her eyes are deep blue, and would be pretty but for the look of obvious mischief dancing within them. Her face is thin, much like the rest of her, and tapers into elegently sloping points, culminating in the partial slant of her eyes and the narrow tips of her ears--though not quite as narrow as one of full elven blood.

[Proven_Paradox]

"I see..." The man's tone at the beginning of his explanation seems to put put the orc off a bit; he presses his lips together and narrows his eyes subtly. Still, he would at least make the attempt, and that is enough. His expression relaxes a bit as the orc hands the man fifty gold coins and says, "That is the best we can do unfortunately. If they make the attempt, I will be satisfied.

I'm... not sure how much this would cost. Please tell your chieftain to take the cost out of my reward money if possible. Thank you."


That done, he will hail Shimar and ask to come along--his methods leave the orc wondering if perhaps they would need the services of a healer.

[amanodel]

Shimar tells Drahlo that he will find him at the docks, and adds that if everything goes as planned, he won't be hard to find.

Shimar looks around in the tavern, and finds it nice. Large wooden tables usually good at surviving fights, so this place hosts a fight every other day, according to Shimar's logic. Upon spotting the girl, Shimar changes his mind. Up until this time, the ideal crewman would have a large beard, an eyepatch, and a wooden leg.

He's not hesitant to take his place at the bar as close to the half-elf girl as possible. He tries his best not to accidentally poke someone with his halberd for now, and orders Whisper to behave like a good dog.

[The Great Skenardo]

Harold Betruger
Harold sets off for the library, where he looks for a mustiest, dustiest book on magic he can find.

[Sweet_Venom_84]

Shifting her weight in a bodily expression of boredom, the half-elf turns her attention to Shimar once more, regarding him with an even if not partially challenging stare. Her eyes linger on him, assessing him as one would a beast at market. Seemingly satisfied with what she sees, she turns her back to the rest of the bar, resting her elbows on the bar top as she leans forward and allows her sword belt to slide from her shoulder, joining the pile of equipment at her feet.

"Cute pup." She muses as she glances sidelong at Shimar, with most of her attention focused on a spot beyond the bar itself.