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With a pair of (Calidamn!) reading glasses perched on the end of her nose, Luisila looks up from a well-thumbed copy of the Book of Joy that she discovered earlier in the Heidmarch’s library.
His or hers I wonder?
Hair down and dressed in a dragon-breath blue kimono, the priestess reclines on top of her bed, in the dormitory room she shares with a recently arrived, younger Pathfinder.
“You’re back early. How did it go?”
Finished with the door, the younger woman kicks her shoes off into a corner and stalks over to Luisila’s nightstand as she removes a pair of the priestess’s hoop earrings she borrowed a few hours ago. After returning to her own bed against the far wall, the warrior climbs onto it, smooths her skirt and tucks her short legs underneath herself.
It all comes out at once. “Can you believe he brought his Animal Companion along? It had a blaze of white feathers in the shape of a falchion on its ruff – which I thought was a good omen. But all evening it kept … at me … and every time I went to open my mouth, it let out a – right in my face!”
“THEN every ten minutes, he’d reintroduce himself and tell me ‘I’ve got a pet bird!’ ”
“Maybe it’s a sylph thing, but he kept calling me Miss Feathers! And if that wasn’t bad enough, a Bloatmage sitting at another table kept snickering every time he did!”
Eadie concludes her tale in exasperation. “But do you know what the kicker was, Luisila? His ‘smooth line’ at the end was, ‘want to come back to my place and play paper-rock-scissors?’ Then after I storm… walked out, I thought ‘you know, that’s probably what he actually wanted to do!’ ”
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Shan its quietly in his barren room. His adventuring equipment is tucked into the corner with on his bedroll is laid on the floor. Shan sits quietly in lotus position, deep in meditation with a mug of water before him. The water's surface is free of any ripples.
Focus on the Dot. Become One with the Dot. I Am the Dot.
A dot sized depression breaks the water's surface, sending a single ripple. Once the ripple reaches the mug's edge, the water once again becomes placid.
While you are traveling through the wilderness near the dwarven city of Janderhoff, Venture-Captain Canayven Heidmarch intercepts you and quickly imparts your next mission, following up on your recent work with Sandricaan.
“Greetings, Pathfinders,” Venture-Captain Canayven Heidmarch begins. “Pathfinder agent Sandricaan already contacted the lodge in Magnimar with the news of your discovery, and my wife and I are interested in following up on this development as quickly as possible. We need to get you into Koldukar, the Sky Citadel that lies beneath the orc city of Urgir, deep in the Hold of Belkzen.” He pauses to gauge his audience’s response before continuing.
“Marching to Urgir as you are would be an order just shy of a death sentence, and I want to ensure that you have sufficient intelligence to get in and out in one piece. Only one Pathfinder in recent history—Eando Kline—accomplished this task, and he’s not a resource that we can draw upon at this time. Kline traveled through Urglin, a small city made up largely of orcs in the eastern reaches of Varisia, and I have reason to believe he learned about a hidden passage into Koldukar that allowed him to avoid the worst of Urgir altogether. Once you learn where this passage is, I want you to meet with me two days’ travel southeast of Urglin. There we will assess exactly how to proceed.”
The venture-captain takes a deep breath as he surveys the terrain. “Let us discuss Urglin and its surroundings. As you may know, the Cinderlands are a hostile, brutal territory due to both the environment and the inhabitants. So long as you do not linger, the Shoanti are unlikely to give you trouble, but keep a careful eye out for the cinder cones, emberstorms, and many other dangers of the Cinderlands. Urglin itself is a very...”—Heidmarch pauses as if searching for a polite term—“brutal place that is more a repulsive scar than a true city. Orcs are the dominant species, and all others survive there at the orcs’ pleasure."
“You’re professionals, Pathfinders,” he concludes. “Get in, find the necessary information, and ensure that any other risks you take are calculated ones. Good luck.”
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Linnea takes a seat on the ground against a tree as she listens to VC Heidmarch give the team instructions. As she listens, she gets caught up thinking back to her carnival days...
"Hey, I remember hearing stories about Urglin. Yeah, we had a half-orc in our carnival - she would do work as an augur. You know, telling fortunes and all that. Anyway, she was from Urglin. And the stories she'd tell..." Linnea leans back and puts her hands behind her head.
"Well anyway, so Urglin's got so many orcs that I guess they're not nearly as aggressive territorially than normal. But they don't have anyone in charge so, you know. When you've got that many orcs in one place, there'll be plenty of violent outbursts and crime. Pretty scary."
She holds up a hand towards Brachus and Luisila, "But they got priests there. Call themselves 'Bonecarvers' and they act as the city guard - though unofficially. Also, from what Frumhilda said - they only worship Rovagug - it might be best to hide your holy symbols while we're in town."
"But the craziest thing is the names of the districts in Urglin. I mean, Warmouth, Oozefront, Bonerattle, Scabtown and Pinkskin? Huh, I went out with a guy that may as well have been called 'Oozefront' - or 'Scabtown'. He was not a pretty sight down- wait, where was I? Oh yeah, the districts. Well, I guess the districts are all divided based on their function, and then the Ooze river bifurcates the city through the center. Sounds like an odd place."
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Brachus nods at Linnea's words.
"You know why that last one is called Pinkskin don't you? Because it has realitivly speaking the least amount of greenskins..or orcs as they prefer to be called. And even there it's not so safe for us to be.
Although Pinkskin is the district most welcoming of non-orcs, staying in that district is no guarantee of safety. Disgruntled outcasts of all stripes gravitate to Urglin and rarely hesitate to accost newcomers.
I wonder if it would be a good idea to try to pass ourselves off as orcs while we are there. Disguises maybe? Or maybe magical transformation?
And something else...does anyone find it slightly wierd that there is a dwarven _sky_ citadel underneath an orc city? Shouldn't it make more sense if it was..I don't know..on top of it?"
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Quintus is squirrely since the last mission wrapped up, and with the Venture Captain's interception he becomes deeply indrawn.
On the road from place to place, his secretiveness grows more and more, and he disappears from camp for longer and longer until one night he and all his belongings disappear entirely.
The next morning, a Goblin in dark clothes appears out of the mist.
"Thuh Society send for special help." the Goblin says. "I good at sneakin' and got me magics. Toad is Puddleby. I is Quivrel." he says, holding up a toad.
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So, the orc cities are Urglin (in Eastern Varisia) and Urgir (in Belkzen)? How confusing is that?
With her best dumb strawberry-blonde impression, Luisila tilts her head and says.
“Just so I’ve got this straight, Lord Heidmarch. Our task is to:
• Travel through the Cinderlands to Urglin in Varisia
• Infiltrate the city and gather information on where the entrance to Koldukar is, beneath another orc city called Urgir, in the Hold of Belkzen
• Exfiltrate the city and meet up with you two days out of Urglin, for further instructions.”
“OK, I have some questions. How long will it take to travel to Urglin? I’m thinking we’ll need to take our own food as the Cinderlands are barren badlands, right? How cold or hot does it get? Should we take extra clothing? I do have a wand of Endure Elements which may help.”
“Who else knows information about Koldukar can be found in Urglin? Are we likely to come across any competitors?”
“Does the Pathfinder Society have any contacts or allies within the city that may be able to help us? Kline must have dealt with someone to survive so long in the city of orcs.”
"I went out with a guy that may as well have been called 'Oozefront.' "
Luisila pulls a face. “I think I know that guy, Lin … or maybe his brother.” *Blech*
While not a big fan of goblins, Luisila’s profession has taught her to be pretty tolerant.
“Greetings, Quivrel. I’m Luisila. Fellow Pathfinders are always welcome. Generally, how well do you get along with orcs?”
“Hmm … Pinkskin Quarter sounds like a good place to start. Maybe we can get away with disguises just to deal with the City’s Gate Guards and to deal with Information Brokers? I can cast Disguise Self and … didn’t you cast that spell while we were in Riddleport, Lin? Scrolls of that spell are pretty cheap. Maybe we should buy some in Janderhoff?”
“While I don’t think I could pass as a cleric of the Rough Beast, I might pick up a wooden unholy symbol to pass as a follower to enhance our disguise. I don’t think the goddess of Trickery would mind.”
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"An augur from Urglin?" Shan chuckles to himself at the quip remark.
"Varg and I should be able to navigate the badlands and lead the group away from such hazards. As for the city, I'll let the ladies take charge there. I have a Masquerade Veil that may help out. But its effect are only good for an hour."
Shan raises an eyebrow at the goblin, but otherwise keeps quiet.
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Quivrel stuffs his toad, who is doing its best to escape, into a pocket and crosses his arms. "I be good at sneakin' and good at disguisin'." he says. "I be helpin' you all. Orcs be not likin' Goblins much, but be likin' Dwarves and Humans and Elves less."
"Good disguisin' magics be good for ten minutes if ya buys bottle-drinkins or paper-writins. I can make magics meself for disguisin'. I be more powerful than drinkins or writins, but still not for long times. Good transformin' magics be good for much less times." he says. "Disguisin' with no magic be lastin' more times, but how good is hard to say."
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"Hmm, mystical frog. Neat. Welcome aboard, Quivrel." Linnea scratches her chin and thinks on the situation.
"Alright, so our best bet is to definitely make our way into the Pinkskin district - at least we won't stand out quite so much. I can use a spell to help disguise myself - and can cast it multiple times a day, if necessary..."
Linnea's head snaps up. "Master Heidmarch, do we have any idea which district may offer access to Koldukar?" She turns her head and mutters, "Marching into a wretched hive of scum and villainy like Urglin is not my idea of a good time."
“Just so I’ve got this straight, Lord Heidmarch. Our task is to:
• Travel through the Cinderlands to Urglin in Varisia
• Infiltrate the city and gather information on where the entrance to Koldukar is, beneath another orc city called Urgir, in the Hold of Belkzen
• Exfiltrate the city and meet up with you two days out of Urglin, for further instructions.”
"As always, you are on top of things, Luisila." *wink*
“OK, I have some questions. How long will it take to travel to Urglin? I’m thinking we’ll need to take our own food as the Cinderlands are barren badlands, right? How cold or hot does it get? Should we take extra clothing? I do have a wand of Endure Elements which may help.”
"To travel to Urglin you will need to go through Kaer Maga. I believe you know someone who lives there? Ditsy fellow with a pet bird? You'll also be able to pick up supplies in Urglin once you speak with Kline."
“Who else knows information about Koldukar can be found in Urglin? Are we likely to come across any competitors?”
“Does the Pathfinder Society have any contacts or allies within the city that may be able to help us? Kline must have dealt with someone to survive so long in the city of orcs.”
"I'm sure Kline can answer those questions. he may have made contacts that I am unaware of. As for competitors: I should hope not. As far as we know, we're the only ones taking an interest in Sky Citadels at the moment."
"Master Heidmarch, you mentioned someone who was able to get into the Urgir in the past. He's not available to do it now. Why is that? And don't we have access to his chronicles which describe how he did it?"
"If you can find Kline, he will be able to help you."
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“So Eando Kline is in Urglin now?”
Wow. I'm kinda surprised the Ten haven't done more to silence him permanently.
Luisila shares a wry smile with Cleaver before looking back at Lord Heidmarch. “And Agent Hísië, will be available in Kaer Maga to provide us with temporary lodging, updated intelligence and to help us re-supply? Cool! I’m looking forward to seeing Súrë again.”
Luisila thinks some more about infiltrating the orc city of Urglin. “Disguise Self is a personal spell that last about an hour. I believe Linnea, Quivrel and I can cast it. I must confess the idea of masquerading as a half-orc hopeful looking to join the Bonecarvers does appeal. I could wear Shu-Lin Foo’s ruined cleric vestments as a trophy along with her holy symbol with the Monkey King crossed out with an adamantine arrowhead and a Rough Beast symbol inscribed on the reverse.”
“Still that doesn’t help Cleaver, Shan and Brachus ... I could cast Invisibility once. But it only lasts seven minutes.”
“Hmm … I guess we could do the old … ‘this man/dwarf is my slave/porter/herald/lunch’ thing … maybe ...? I guess we’ve got time to think about a plan for getting into the Pinkskin Quarter as we travel to Kaer Maga. I’ve got trail rations to last until we reach the City of Strangers and of course with two clerics along, water will be no problem.”
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Linnea gives Luisila a pat on the shoulder, "Sister, your knack for devising schemes has no equal. However, I do think Shan's idea of the wagon is simple, yet with it's own elegance."
"But we may be getting ahead of ourselves. I suppose we're ready to head to Kaer Maga and find this Agent Hísië. I think its best to glean what information we can from him before we nail down a plan."
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Luisila smiles. “You’re right, Lin. I can get too far ahead of myself. Time to enjoy the journey!”
♝♝♝
“Cleaver, remember that uptight cleric of Abadar who administered that weird contract during the Jester affair? What was her name again?”
*snaps fingers* “I've got it - Amira El-Amin! The way she treated her porter Toshi was appalling!”
“I like Shan’s hay cart idea but there is NO WAY I would stage it so that Cleaver, Shan and Brachus were stripped to the waist, pulling the hay cart by straining against the yoke ... And certainly, Linnea and I wouldn’t be driving them from a comfy divan, with the occasional whip *crack* over their heads for effect. Uh Uh.”
“And I couldn’t possibly let Quivrel bounce up and down on top of the hay pile like it was a trampoline to amuse us, Lin. Oh no. I’ll leave thoughts like that to the kinds of egos that serve the Master of the First Vault.”
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The party arrives in Kaer Maga without incident. Once there they follow the directions given to them by the Venture-Captain to find the house of Pathfinder Agent Súrë Hísië.
"Oh, hello! You're the Pathfinders I'm hosting, right? My name is Súrë. I've got a pet bird. His name is Ilivan." From the background you hear a loud, "SQUAWK!" and a bird nearly as large as the sylph comes wattling into the vibrant and exotic room, which is painted to look like a bright blue sky with clouds spotting the walls.
"Well come in and sit down!" You notice as you sit that all of the furniture is filled with down and is quite comfortable. Súrë wears his typical feather-bedecked outfit. "My girlfriend Miss Feathers will be here later. I don't know if any of you have met her. I'm Súrë by the way. That's my pet bird Ilivan."
"So what is that I'm supposed to help you with?" The flighty sylph grabs a letter from the side table and glances over it again. "Oh, right! You're going to Urglin and looking for that Kline fellow. I think his biggest trek through the area was about six years ago. Careful where you speak that name though. Miss Feathers knows lots of people from all over and she said Kline isn’t exactly beloved in that town. Certain folks might kill you for merely uttering it. He cost a few people a bundle, she said. Miss Feathers knows all the rumors, she can probably tell you more."
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Luisila suspects Ilivan remembers her well – but isn’t 100% percent certain that Súrë does.
The priestess greets the bird with a scratch on the head-feathers. “Hello, Big Bird. Keeping him out of trouble I trust?”
Luisila has a hug for the sylph druid. “Do you remember Eadie, Súrë? She sends her … regards. She’s just about to complete a tour of caravan duty on the Sczarni run from Druma down to Westcrown. Then she rotates back to Absalom for some R&R I believe.”
“I’ll let the others introduce themselves to you but I'm sure you remember Cleaver!”
“In answer to your question, I guess we’re mainly interested in the logistics of traversing the cinderlands to Urglin, any contacts your girlfriend might have in the orc city – including where Eando Kline may be and perhaps some tips on good ways of entering and travelling about the city without drawing too much attention to ourselves.”
The half-elf *smacks* her forehead and pulls a waterproof bag out of her backpack. “Oh, I nearly forgot. On the way over from Janderhoff I picked up some miscellaneous grubs and beetles for you. I’m not very knowledgeable about nature, so they’re probably all pretty common, but maybe they’re of interest to you?”
Luisila empties her bag of entomological treasure into the sylph’s hands.
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“In answer to your question, I guess we’re mainly interested in the logistics of traversing the cinderlands to Urglin, any contacts your girlfriend might have in the orc city – including where Eando Kline may be and perhaps some tips on good ways of entering and travelling about the city without drawing too much attention to ourselves.”
"Oh! I see! Well it's pretty hot and dusty. I think you should stock up on water. But it's not too long of a journey, I don't think you'll have any troubles getting there-"
Suddenly the door opens and a man in an elaborate feather boa and bright makeup enters the house. "Oh, hello! Are these your friends, Súrë? So nice to meet all of you." Súrë introduces, "Oh! Hey, everyone, this is Miss Feathers."
The man gives a little curtsy and winks at Cleaver. "So you folks wanted to know about Eando Kline? He slipped one of clients some coin, he did. Wanted a guide into Urgir. Wanted in unseen. He needed to get a name. He went to Bonerattle then and never came back, so I don't know what name he was searching for. I'm afraid I won't be able to dig up much more unless you folks go to Urgir."
The half-elf *smacks* her forehead and pulls a waterproof bag out of her backpack. “Oh, I nearly forgot. On the way over from Janderhoff I picked up some miscellaneous grubs and beetles for you. I’m not very knowledgeable about nature, so they’re probably all pretty common, but maybe they’re of interest to you?”
Luisila empties her bag of entomological treasure into the sylph’s hands.
"Oh wow! Thanks!" the sylph spends a moment picking through the beetles. "Wow, thanks, Luisila! These are great!"
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Luisila smiles and speaks cordially with Súrë’s ‘girlfriend.’ “I’m sorry, Miss Feathers, but what is this ‘bonerattle’ you refer to? It seems the distance from here to Urglin is roughly the same distance as from Janderhoff to Kaer Maga … so it will likely take a week to get there on foot? Does that sound right?”
“What are the weather conditions likely to be in the Cinderlands on the way? Are any of the Shoanti tribes particularly active at this time of year?”
Luisila turns to her companions. “I’m going to buy a weeks’ worth of trail rations and if Súrë will let me use his kitchen I’ll bake us up a treat for when we’re on the road. My adopted mother was Chelaxian and used to bake hazelnut and lemon biscotti using a traditional recipe. It would keep for weeks and was always great – especially with coffee!”
“Brachus, I’m going to dedicate four spell slots to Endure Elements until we reach Urglin. If you maintain two slots of the same spell, we have everyone protected from temperature extremes in the Cinderlands. Shan, do you think we should take a tent? I already have my bedroll and waterskin. Create Water will keep us all hydrated. I’m thinking we probably won’t need a campfire if we’re protected by Endure Elements, and a fire would give away our position to hostile Shoanti or wild beasts. Unfortunately, no fire will mean pretty plain fare at meal times.”
Luisila frowns. “We still don’t have a good plan for entering the orc city. Do you have any idea how your client got Kline into Urgir, Miss Feathers? Maybe an idea will come to us on the road, but otherwise if anyone thinks of anything, please let us all know.”
Finally, Luisila smiles at her sylph friend. “Súrë, I can’t believe I’m in the City of Strangers! I’ve always wanted to visit it. Can you please take me Downmarket for supplies and then to the Core? I’d love to see a Sweet-talker or two men of the Iridian Fold. Is there time for me to get my fortune told by a Troll Augur?”
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Miss Feathers answers, "Bonerattle is one of the districts, over the western bridge from Oozefront. It's the religious center of the city."
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Súrë responds to Luisila, "No, the Shoanti won't give you trouble. I know some of the clans around here. I'm pretty good at predicting the weather too and it looks like the next few days will be nice."
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Miss Feathers enters back into the conversation, "It may be dominated by orcs but 'pinkskins' as they call us aren't uncommon. You will be discriminated against, but you won't be killed on sight."
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Súrë agrees to give Luisila and anyone else who wishes to accompany him a tour of the strange city. Along the way you pass a brothel where three prostitutes lean out of a window displaying their 'wares': one of them is quite beautiful, one of them has scaly skin, and the third is clearly undead. There are many other strange and intriguing sights along the way, including (but not limited to) a goblin juggling hedgehogs (his hands are quite bloody at this point and his hat disappointingly bereft of coins) and a man walking about with a giant symbol of an eye, followed by a trail of cult members.
----
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On the way about town, Luisila tosses a silver piece towards the goblin juggler’s cap.
“She shoots …”
“She doesn't score ...” *pouts*
"Good disguisin' magics be ... bottle-drinkins or paper-writins ..."
Either before she leaves to play tourist with Súrë or as they pass the goblin street performer, Luisila looks puzzled for a moment.
“Say, Quivrel ... Didn’t you say something before about having experience with paper-writings? I thought writing was a taboo to members of your race because you believe it steals thoughts from your head.”
“Have I been misinformed about that?”
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"Can buy writins of magic hut to make sleepins comfy." Quivrel offers from his place in the corner. "But tents be good also." he says.
Out on the street, to Luisila, Quivrel nods. "That why I not be with my tribe. I no longer be Goblin because paper-writins stole my Goblinsoul." he says. "Now I be Toadsoul. Puddleby be my soul." he says, tossing a silver coin to the juggling Goblin.
You make your way across the eastern edge of the Cinderlands to arrive at the gates of Urglin. You find the entire city is a mess of bone, wood, leather, and crude stone with few structures rising more than 20 feet in height. You have opportunities to interact with the citizens to glean information about Eando Kline, who came this way 6 years ago in search of a guide to Koldukar. Fortunately for the Pathfinders, Eando made a large scene in Urglin when he passed through, so some townsfolk remember him well. A few locals, in fact, find it quite amusing to talk about the “human who stopped the Bloodworks and lived.”
Brachus speaks with a female half orc named Sheraeda, a successful gambler in Urglin. The half-orc drinks her mornings away in the Scarlet Ettin in Warmouth. “Kline? He was here. He met up with a priest of Rovagug, one of the Bonecarvers. I overhead him tell the priest that he was looking for his partner, who’d apparently swindled him and left him for dead. Kline offered to give up the partner to the Rough Beast, so the Bonecarver agreed to accompany the man on his search. They headed toward Pinkskin. I’m looking for Kline myself. There’s a bit of coin in it for you if you let me know where he is.”
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While she listens to Brachus turn on the charm, Luisila observes their new friend for anything out of the ordinary.
“OK. What did that piece of baktag Kline do to you, Sheraeda?”
“Someone as smart as you would know the Bonecarver’s name and that of Kline’s partner too I’m sure. Also, I’m hungry. Can you get fresh gagh anywhere in Urglin?”
Once they’re finished with the half-orc gambler, Luisila will say to her companions “So to the Pinkskin quarter, then?”
"Screwed me over, Kline. I'm quite the gambler and no one gets an upper hand on me. He pulled a fast one, I'm sure. Don't know about his partner. Gagh? Anywhere."
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Brachus heads to another bar, sits down at the bar and keeps ordering drinks (for himself of course, he's not sharing any of his booze) while he listens to people drinking and getting drunk around him before he steers their conversations in a direction of his choosing.
"Geez..did you hear about that Kline dude, I heard he took off on some errand with a bonecarver or something"
Using guidance if allowed
Brachus speaks to a hunched, pot-bellied, loin-cloth-wearing orc smelling like the river who calls himself Gutter. “Yeah, he came into Pinkskin with a Bonecarver. They went over to a beardless dwarf, who was selling elven delicacies at a stall, and gave him the what-for! The Bonecarver split the merchant into pieces! It was bloody—something like you’d see at the Bloodworks. But we got to witness it for free! I guess that dwarf done something to Kline.”
Meanwhile Linnea speaks to a tiny Chelaxian of indeterminate age and dressed in finery and brimming with jewels. The tiefling minstrel calling herself Madiskaal is accompanied by four orcs, two of whom usher her about on a litter, and a comely, bare-chested human male. She responds to Linnea, "Ha, that crazy fellow! He’s lucky to be alive—if he still is. He cast a spell at the Bloodworks to save some half-orc food from Razorbite, and helped kill the bulette in the process. I saw it all! I wrote a song about it, too—though I’ve been banned from playing it. Some people don’t find it so amusing—Ploog, the Bloodworks’ owner, being one of them. He was hopping mad that day, and he’s been mad ever since, really. No one ever stops the Bloodworks like that, especially not a pinkskin. I hear that afterward the human and the half-orc slave fled toward Belkzen, the half-orc’s old home. Only one who likely knows more than that is Ploog.”