"Just how much gold is a cracked skull worth old man?" Ryn asks, nevertheless dropping another gold into the vagrant's palm.
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I've heard of a spell that lets you talk to dead people... Ulfr comments almost under his breath.
Zev sighs and starts rubbing his head before mumbling some slithering yet song like words.
Ulfr
At the veiled and not so veiled threats the disgusting man's eyes narrowed and for a moment it seemed he was about to make a comment. Then his shoulders slumped it seemed.
"Fine! fine Fenster will tell and the rot take you cheap bastards... "
He began sounding like a defeated old man for a moment.
" That one she slunk off away from the others I hear, after they left their stay here. Some say the blue dwarfies got 'er but i've seen her slinking about. Nuthin' in th'shados gits by me good peeper!"
He cackled hacked tapping the sallow cheek under his non clouded eye.
"... blue dwarfs?"
Sarinah watched carefully, placing herself between her sister and the disgusting Fenster. She was certain that all of his hacking and coughing would result in some flegm hitting the ground and turning into putty like monsters. She was determined to be ready...just in case. The fact that he backed down in the end actually surprised her a bit and she nodded in acceptance. His comment about blue dwarves caused her some consternation as she though about what he might mean.
"Where'd you see her last?" Ryn asks, her arms folded as she looks down on the little man.
I saw 'er creeping about an old abandoned boarding house... one that half collapsed into the short 'bout... three... mebbe four months ago? It got overrun by sewer goblins but they seem to be fine with 'er presence... Aint no other tower gurls there either an oddity.
He began jabbing a finger up his nose clearly not worried that you might think less of him for doing so. He dug around a bit before he continued on.
"Go on Fenster be done wit' ye unless you got more coin."
He cackled in excitement at the size of the gross green gob pulled from his nose.
As best you can tell there have been rumors of blue dwarfs running about the underbridge in the darkest part of the night... but it seems the tales of drunkards filled with too much Ale.
Ulfr roles his eyes and begins to walk off. He felt dirty just for being in that creature's presence.
"Ugh!I think we're done here." Ryn mutters beginning to turn away.
Sarinah was frustrated that she couldn't figure out what these blue dwarfs ere and it almost made her miss the obvious when Marinah suddenly looked ill. It was only their link as twins that allowed her to realize what was happening and she turned to catch her sister before she passed out with a quiet moan. Sarinah cradled her sister's body in her arms and looked at the others as she said urgently, "Come on, we need to get Marinah to the temple, or at least I do." She went to climb in the carriage, intent on commandeering it if they weren't quick enough.
Zev nodded and hurried alongside the sisters, concerned for the dark haired one's sudden ill turn.
Never one to miss a visit to a temple of Calistria, Ulfr is right behind the twins and helps Sarinah with her ailing sister.
Taking Marinah from her sister, Ryn easily carries her to the carriage. "If that disgusting old troll infected her with something I'll come back here and burn his hovel to the ground." she growls.
The trip to the temple was quick, Ulfr's glare more than enough to keep the driver from saying too much about the sudden change in plans. Once you all left the sisters and Andrezi within you stepped outside to realize the carraige that was rented was long gone. No doubts the driver decided to get while he had the chance.
The dawn broke the next morning with the skies heavily laden with dark angry clouds. A summer storm was brewing up quickly too it seemed. Low deep rumblings in the distance pulled you up from whatever sleep state you were in, a simple not penned upon your door. . .
"Developements and discoveries have outpaced your investigation into the irespan delvings that birthed the shriezyx in 4623 will have to wait. Word from the lord mayor himself about looking into the disapearances. While I know tracking down missing persons is not the normal fare of our agents, I have faith that your talents will be able to get to the bottom of this.
No doubt this will take you to parts of the city best walked with a large stick, I'm attaching you to a new team i have assembled. Your task is to aid them in their mission tracking down one of our many agents that has gone missing, then once she is secure you all will find the whats causing the disapearances with all due haste.
Please join us at my estate past the nine bells for a brunch repast and a meet up with your new team mates.
Venture Captain Sheila Heidmarch
Please join us at my estate past the nine bells for a brunch repast and to meet up with your new team mates.
Venture Captain Sheila Heidmarch
Azura is up once the rumbling awakens her, and surveys the note with sleepy eyes. After re-reading the note to make sure she understands what it says, she performs her morning devotions and cleans up, has a quick bite to eat, then arms herself and runs off to find her co-Pathfinders, Ada, Saersha, and Marisa.
Ulfr is early to rise and spends most of his morning hanging out near Serpent's Run. He still has some fans there and he feels at ease among the raucous and rowdy crowds that come to see the contests. He's already wrestled five men into submission in pick-up brawls before he meanders over to the place where what's left of his team is staying.
Azura arrives hastily at the Venture-Captain's estate just before nine bells, breathing a bit heavily as she skids up to the door.
For those who've not met her yet, she is, like many Pathfinders, notable at first glance: She is clearly slightly nonhuman, with highly symmetrical features and lovely golden hair that shines almost like the metal. Her clothing is expensive and threaded with tiny gems along the sleeves, and she has a signet ring and a valuable-looking pair of earrings and a choker. Her comely form is suggestive of something angelic, as if a lascivious painter decided to portray a heavenly being of suggestive, exaggerated proportions but still shrouded in mundane garb and with an innocent, carefree expression.
Obviously at least somewhat experienced in Pathfinder business, she has a well-constructed backpack, a rapier at her side, and a chain shirt to protect her torso. As she arrives she is busily tying back her long hair to keep it out of the way.
Ada wakes up in the small room she rents. She pets Erras and feeds him some smoked fish. Reading the message she packs her things into her backpack. Rope? Check. Rations? Check. Waterskin? Check. "That's the last of it Erras. Let's go we have a mission. This could be our chance to show the Venture Captain we are worthy of leading an expedition."
She grabs a quick cup of tea before arriving at the Estate just before nine bells. She sees her fellow Pathfinder Azura standing at the door straightening her clothing and hair.
It can't hurt to be presentable. She straightens her well made, but simple clothing, and pulls back her silky hair into a knot at the back of her head. Her hair is unusually soft for a half-orc, and her skin is has a very light green tint to it. You have to look very closely to see that she is in fact part orc. If she smiles broadly her fangs show. She doesn't smile that broadly often.
"Good Morning Miss Azura. Did you get the same message about meeting the Venture Captain at 9 bells?"
"Ada!" says Azura, beaming like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. "Yes, some field work, it sounds like. Are you excited?"
Ulfr arrives at the inn that he and his team stayed at and found no one in the main room. Assuming they left already, he gathers the rest of his things and pokes his pet fox from beneath the covers of the bed. A red snout nuzzles his hand and the two walk out.
Ulfr and his friend walk into Heidmarch manner as if they owned the place. Ulfr is a huge man with vaguely Orcish accents. Kelid totems decorate Sklar-Quah style layers of desert robes in shades of orange and yellow and tan. His skin is weathered and tattooed in the Sklar-Quah Shoantai style. What is uncommon is the large Orc war drum that was strapped to his back along with a ceremonial Shoanti totem spear and huge thigh bone.
Unders his feet flashes a red creature, a fox. How it's not getting stepped on is a mystery, but the two move smoothly together without a care as the man picks a wide seat and unloads next to it before plopping down.
Having dropped off the twins and returned to the inn, Ryn spends a restless night, bothered by their questionable success so far. Awakening early as is her norm, she runs herself through her normal rigorous morning training ritual, the one she usually did when she needed to blow off steam.
Availing herself of a quick bath, she gathers up her gear and heads to Heidmarch Manor, entering and having been seated for a few minutes when Ulfr rolls in with his fox and his signature swagger to throw himself into a chair. It would be interesting to meet the other Pathfinder group Sheila planned to combine them with. "Mornin'"
Ulfr nods to Ryn. Mornin'. Are you as mystified as I how our beloved venture captain pinned something to your door without waking you? Because I am.
Saersha started her morning in one of the best ways that she could laying next to a very attractive Venture Captain. Reaching out she drew her fingers down Sheila's bare side and thought seriously about trying to entice the noble woman into one more go before getting out of bed. Of course Saersha knew where that would lead to and so resisted the urge. Instead she leaned in and gently kissed Sheila's neck before saying, "It appears we need to get up if we're meeting with the rest of the team this morning. I'm curious what these new ones are like." There was a wickedly hungry tone in her voice as sh finished, "Especially these Calistrian twin sisters? They sound like fun."
Slipping from the bed Saersha retrieved her spellbook from her pack and sat on the floor, still unclothed, while she studied it for an hour. Once her preparations were finished the lovely woman with golden brown skin and long black hair began dressing. When her preparations were completed Saersha looked over to where Sheila had been making her own preparations, "Well, are you ready to meet with the rest of the team?"
More confused and restless with yesterday's events than anything, the Nidalan retired to the inn the others had picked. Finding the bed too comfy he ended up curled in a ball on the wooden floor for most of the night. The hard cool surface and vibrations and creaks from those walking around outside the door at least lefft him some amount of awareness, which put him at ease.
Hearing the grunts of exertion coming from another room draws him awake and soon after he finds himself stretching before heading outside. Once he sees Ryn exit he bows to the gladiatrix and follows after her. For lack of anything better to do.
Arching a brow as their destination takes them to the opulent manor overlooking Magnimar he contains the urge to let out a whistle as they enter. When Ulfe mentions a letter Zev cocks his head to the side. He had heard a few people come and go last night, but they all matched up with the room doors opening and closing.
As the two warriors sit Zev remains standing, the master of the house may or may not have given them permission to sit, but he knew that he hadn't been given permission.
"I figure a Venture Captain has her ways." Ryn replies with a shrug, putting her feet up on the chair beside her.
Zev's eyes drift over to Ryn as she gets comfortable. Is everyone so easygoing here?
"Should we wait for Marisa or go ahead an knock? I guess she saw the note." Ada asks Azura while looking around for their other friend. "I haven't seen her today."
Almost as if the word knock was a summons the grand front doors to the Heidmarch manner opened and and strange tall furred creature opened the doors wide.
The grey furred feline like woman wore a dark well tailored suit, almost like a butler. She bowed low to those waiting outside.
"Please come in, come in, Here for the bruncheon yes yes? Allow me to lead you, Miss Heidmarch will be down shortly by my very whiskers yes yes."
She began turning and leading the way deeper into the mansion it was easy to note the lack of any sort of noise made by the cat folk woman. She paused in front of two large oaken doors for a moment before she produced a little brass key from her pocket unlocking the doors and opening them wide. A large banquet table set for easily two dozen sat empty aside from the place settings in front of them.
"Food will be served shortly yes yes, please take a seat and make yourself at home. I'll inform Mistress Heidmarch you are here.
Seeing the feline woman made Zev's hair instinctively stand on end but he brushed the atavistic urge to the side. Seeing her bring two other women with her he turned and gave them a quick bow in greeting.
Standing tall the pallid man in heavy dark furs had what appeared to be a tracework of intricate lines running across his face and hands, the only exposed flesh he was showing, that seemed to continue under his clothing. On closer inspection they were not tattoos however, but scars that ran across his body. He looked on with piercing golden eyes.
Marisa groans inwardly at the note on the door. Wonderful... more of a chance for my family's name to be dragged through the mud by my... condition. Silently resigned, she accompanies her companions wordlessly, listening to them talk and focusing on controlling her emotions.
Eyes widening at the sight of Tuli, Marisa doubles her efforts to remain calm. No sense in fretting, it is not like she is here to poison us.
Sitting quietly, she awaits whatever the meeting is about. Pulling out her silver holy symbol and her harrow cards, she shuffles them slightly nervously, occasionally revealing the top card at random.
Ulfr watches the new girls enter. They all certainly looked capable, and one even had a bit of the Ork in her, like him. He stayed seated. He may assume quite a bit, and he certainly enjoyed making Zev squirm, but he wasn't about to go eating without an explicit go-ahead from the Captain.
After seeming to calm down a bit more, the well dressed woman puts away her deck and holy symbol.
Sitting upright once more, her clothes and posture befitting a lady at high court, Marisa smiles to her new companions around the table.
"Good morning. My name is Marisa Vanderale, a pleasure to meet you all, I am sure. No need for formalities around me, I am no longer a welcome member of my family for reasons..." she hesitates a moment, focusing on her inner calm, "that are private in nature. I have been working closely with Ada, Azura, and Saersha," she indicates the three women with polite nods toward them as she says their names, "for the Society to investigate the Irespan. Well, until today that is. It seems whatever you have been working on is a higher priority. I am sure the Venture Captain will explain more when she gets here."
Assuming she isn't too distracted by Sae's 'charms' that is. Would it be too much to ask that she doesn't try to seduce everyone in the room, just once?
Zev smiles without showing off his teeth and gives another bow to Marisa. "A pleasure to meet you as well, Marisa. My name is Zev Kelevra, whom is not welcome among his family anymore either."
Marisa nods at Zev, thoughtfully. "Kelevra... I can't say that I have heard of that house name before... what city was your home, if you do not mind the question."
A polite smile graces her face as she says this, years of training in the courtly 'art' of small talk kicking in as if by instinct.
"I don't mind at all, Miss Marisa, but I am slightly sorry to disappoint you. I do not hail from any city in particular, but from the Uskwoods of Nidal." he replies.
A slight shudder passes through the young woman, unbidden, followed by a frown.
"I see. Even I have studied some of the history of that land. Dark, and twisted, tales they were. The shadow touched Aristocracy has no small amount of infamy." Shaking the thoughts away, Marisa draws her cards again, shuffling them unconsciously.
"Still, knowledge resides even in the shadows, as they say. I look forward to learning what you have to share."
"Oh?" Zev lets out as he watches Marisa' reactions, common ones he had noticed whenever he told people from where he hailed, paying a bit more attention to how she kept drawing those cards. "Then I will gladly share what I can, in hopes that it will be of use to you and the others, whilst leaving as many nightmares as possible in the shadows."
Ulfr introduces himself without standing. He lounges in the large chair in which he planted himself and says, Ulfr Uggason. Former gladiator of Serpent's Run.
When the others arrived at the dinning room they found Saersha waiting for them. When she saw her friends enter, as well as those she didn't know she rose and went to Ada, Azura, and Marisa to kiss each lightly on each cheek if allowed as she greeted them. She gestured towards the table and said, "Please, have a seat, Lady Heidmarch will be with us shortly." She chose a seat near the head of the table and sat, looking smug with a grin that should belong to the proverbial cat who at the canary while she listened to the banter. After most of them had taken a turn doing their introductions she spoke and said, "I'm Saersha, an enchantress with an interest in many subjects."
As the latest woman appears Zev's eyes snap to her, after a longer than he would have preferred cursory glance he returned his gaze to the others till Searsha joined them.
"A very effective one." he says after she introduces herself while bluntly stating her status as an enchantress.
Ryn grinned when the first three women entered, her eyes taking in each of them, her expression one of appreciation, until she gets to Azura, at which point it is all she can do for her jaw not to drop.
Wow. Focus girl, don't come off as some dim witted yokel.
At some point she realizes it would be a good time to speak, and is about to when Saersha sweeps in, settling herself near where Lady Heidmarch usually sat, with an expression that speaks volumes.
"Uhm yeah, I'm Ryn, Ryn Mero. Also of the arena." she says making eye contact with Ada, who she was pretty sure she recognized from there. "I get the feeling we're all going to get along famously." she says with a wry grin.