Hanali Hal'Oight's page

"It's lunchtime."

Hanali rises up from her seat.

"My Gods, so it is! We should get a bite before rejoining our companions. Chirper's is close to here, and they have the most lovely menu!"

Hanali stretches a hand to Eir.

"Shall we?"

I suspect that the others would like to plan and kick off the mission together, and certainly their input may be beneficial. Now the spa, that sounds harmless and wonderful."

Heh. I knew I should have went with my first thought of saying 'it's mostly Halfling to Eir', but it just didn't sound as cool.

Hanali claps her hands together.

"Splendid! I have been just dying for a Gehennan purple mud soak and a rubdown by Thormaldi.I do hope he is available. Perhaps a mani-pedi as well?"

Noresh returns with another large ornate palanquin in tow. This one sports extremely large burly porters and no driver. The curtains are purple silk , the frame some reddish hardwood. The head porter dickers with Hanali and they arrive at a mutually acceptable price.

The two women climb aboard and the palanquin sets off with a smooth uplift down the frantic avenue of Copperman Way.

The Peak hours see many less people on the road. Most merchants are ensconced in their stalls at the Great Bazaar, and many of the Knights of the Post, Fiends, and Night Market workers are safely indoors resting up till next Anti-Peak. Shoppers and tourists still linger among the small sidestreets and along the raised sidewalk, but your pace is much smoother on the main avenue. You once have to stop while a group of the outcast Collectors drag a knackered horse off the street, arguing with a man who you assume is it's owner.

The palanquin turns onto Risvold street, then Duskgate Road, and eventually approaches the Great Gymnasium. The large square fronting the enormous faction headquarters is buzzing with activity. Rich dilletants, Cipher namers and anyone with a little time on their hands and jink in their pockets are heading in for an Afterpeak of massages, acupuncture, mud baths and sparring classes.

The palanquin deposits you in from of the Great Gymnasium. Hanali dismisses Noresh (who had been jogging alongside rather breathlessly) with the proviso that he rejoin them in three hours time.

Hanali guides you up through the milling crowd of hopefull entrants and climbs the gleaming marble stairway towards the enormous entrance foyer. She talks quietly with an attendand guarding the door, and with something small passed between them, Hanali and Eir are let in.

The size and splendor of the building is truly amazing. The Ciphers are reputed to act first, think later, but whoever built this pile was a thoughful cutter indeed. The interior is decorated in marble with brass torch fittings in the wall. Large Atriums set at regular intervals allow light from outside filter in. Despite Sigil's normal stink in the background, the air within seems scented with an amazing variety of pleasant odors.

Hanali leads Eir to a changing area. Hanali strips to the buff, revealing a musculature that Eir had suspected, but really hadn't been able to confirm until now. They rent locks and deposit their gear in several lockers guarded by a large woman with a few fiends in her family tree. Hanali flips her a Lady and says "Kepp an eye on our lockers would you?"The attendant nods

The two dress in soft cotton robes and Hanali leads Eir to the Gehennan mud baths. The room is dark and steamy, with a large vat of very warm purple mud. Eir can make out several other patrons neck-deep in the sulphuric vat.

Hanali strips off her robe and motions for Eir to do the same. They relax in the mud for about half an hour. Eir feels very refreshed afterwards give yourself a +1 to any initiative checks until Antipeak. and the two retreat to a warm water bath to wash up.

After the mud bath, Hanali arrainges for the two to get a rub down by two large male masseuses. The treatment is truly one of the best massages that Eir has ever received. They then get a makeover from a stylist that Hanali seems to know on a personal basis Due to the styling, Eir can also take a +1 CHA circumstance check for the rest of the day. As the shadows lengthen along the marble hallways, Hanali yawns and stretches her newly-manicured hands towards the ceiling.

"I guess it is nearing the time to be getting back Eir. Is there anything you would like to do before we return?"

Lucius smiles at the two as he rises to see them off.

"Thank you very much for your attention to this delicate matter ladies. You both have my complete confidence. Hanali, please give my regards to your father and Renkar as well."

Lucius scoots around the desk and graciously (if not too gracefully) pulls the ladies' seats back to allow them an easy exit.

Hanali smiles winningly at the porcine salt trader.

"I will certainly do so Lucius. We will contact you when we have learned more on your matter. Are you attending the Debutante Cotillion next ..."

The two engage in a little idle gossip about their social circles. It's mostly Abyssal to Eir. They wrap up and Hanali and Eir descend to the lower level and emerge into the brightening light of Peak.

Hanali motions to Noresh, who gets up from what looks like a dice game in progress in the alley. Slightly abashed he trots over.

"Find us a decent palanquin Noresh if you please."

Noresh nods and trots off to the main thouroughfarre.

Hanali looks over to her companion.

"Well we have a few choices Eir. We can head right back to Copper Court, or we can try and case the warehouses. Or ..."

Hanali's violet eyes take on a wicked cast.

"We can take a few hours and visit the Great Gymnasium for a little spa treatment. I have an in with the Ciphers, we can probably get an appointment right after Peak. Their mineral baths and massages are to die for!"

Hanali and Lucius get down to brass tacks. In the discussion of the fee, it seems that the breakdown will end up giving everyone involved 500 GP for the info found, plus a 500 GP bonus if the goblin's operations are shut down. Standard looting is left to the descision of the mercenaries on the scene.

Kruelaid, unless you wish to ask anything, or if anyone else wants Eir to mention anything (please ask it in discussion thread) this meeting will be adjourning soon.

Hanali motions for Lucius to continue

"Ahem ... Well you see, the Saltiere Society has supplied Sigil with salt for generations now. It is an essential duty to our city as without salt, our provisions would rot away much quicker. Ample salt allows us to preserve food, making it easier to transport and store. My shop deals with specialty salts, but the warehouses on this street move tons of salt each year to the food warehouses of Sigil."

Lucius pauses to mop his balding pate.

"While we do charge a fair bit for our wares, it is not only the salt, it is because of where we get the bulk of our supply: The Plane of Salt. This Inner Plane is almost entirely pure salt. We have mined it for years, paying our laborers a good wage and good benefits should accidents happen. We have also negotiated expensive treaties with the inhabitants of the plane to allow us to continue mining unmolested. Despite the dangers of the plane, we have never found a better source for pure salt than our mines at Saltiere."

Lucius pauses to sip his sherry.

"Recently a new supply of salt has made its way into Sigil. It didn't come from our stocks, and no one has managed to spill the dark of how it is getting here. The sellers are docking our price by 50% and we are losing several of our best customers in the Meat District in the Great Bazaar. Without our expenses, these bandits can cut our business to the quick."

Lucius mops his brow again

"The only information we have been able to find out is that the prime movers are a clan of recently-arrived goblins named the Broken Claw. They have set up residence in the Goblin neighborhood of Crackskull Close in the Lower Ward. What I would like to see happen is finding out the dark of where they are getting their salt. Portals, locations, keys. If you could shut the operation down completely, I am sure the Society would be happy to double your normal fee."

Hanali smiles at Eir's puns

"Well if we are to salt any salary away this will be the start. Lets go check out the case."

Hanali leads the way into the shop. Noresh the silent man-at-arms does a fade into the alleyway to the side of the shop. Eir can see a few others like him leaning up against the alley's wall.

Being near the Lady's Ward I know I said Clerk's Ward in previous post but I got mixed up the shop is packed with servants in various ornate uniforms perusing the wares. This group is liberally mixed with several well-to-do Cagers, a few chefs and a disdainfull-looking Githyanki female. Several salesbeings work the floor, showing various salt crytals to clients. A glass case holds salt shakers of many and varied make, some looking quite pricey. Eir's eye falls upon a solid gold number shaped like a temple as a woman approaches the two.

"Can I help you ladies?" The woman asks with the practiced warmth of a salesbeing

"Hanali Hal'Oight and Eir Haakonen to see Lucius Sar'Ormand. We have an appointment." Hanali replies to her, her earlier Cager accent fading into a more polished dialect.

"Oh yes. He was expecting you. Right this way please."

The woman leads you down a corridor picked out in gilt wallpaper and leads you up a stairway towards a spacious office. She knocks lightly at the door frame and announces ...

"Ser Sar'Ormand your appointment is here."

The porcine man at the desk rises and gives a slight bow towards the two of you. He is dressed in an expensive tunic, hose and cloak ensemble vaguely remeniscent of Henry VIII gear with a diamond studded brooch at his cloak's clasp. He motions for you to be seated at the two leather chairs in front of his imposing desk.

"Hanali, can that be you? It has been so long! How is ...blah blah.."

The two engage in small talk about the merchant social scene for a few minutes. Eir can see as she waits that the office has quite a few nice pieces of gear lying about. This salt-slinger is loaded. Finally the small talk winds down and Lucius offers you both a glass of sherry.

"What I had asked Renkar to help me with was this problem we're having with someone undercutting our business. I was hoping that perhaps he could help me and the Saltiere Society out with this delicate matter."

Hanali laughs

"Oh you are a dear one Eir! I think we will get along famously. Come."

Hanali slides over to allow Eir space to enter the palanquin. As soon as Eir gets situated the diminutive driver Garamonde issues a few curt orders to his sweating employees and the large litter rises up and moves forward into the swirl of Before Peak traffic.

The chaotic life of Sigil unfolds around the palanquin as Eir looks out from her silken perch. A Mercane, it's tall blue body decked in a fortune of silks and jewels, travels close to them in another palanquin, surrounded by hard-bitten mercenaries. Beggars, whores, and touts all beseech passing palanquins as they pass by their spots, trying to winkle copper and silver from their hidden passengers.

The palanquin passes by the Great Bazaar, its famous Tradegates standing 25 feet in the air, their arches shimmering with the constant flow of beings back and forth from the Outlands and beyond. The drone of the crowd becomes a cacophanous din as thousands of buyers and sellers haggle in the giant marketplace. If Eir wanted to count, she could probably see a representative of every sentient being known on the Great Wheel.

The palanquin travels on towards the Clerk's Ward, where the shops begin to take on a much more well-to-do air. The porters turn down a side street flanked with well-kept shops and several warehouses. Wagons hauled by several beasts, including men, are pulled up to these warehouses loading and unloading large squares of a whitish substance.

The palanquin halts and gently sets down at the curb in front of a polished red-brick storefront with a large glass window displaying crystals and powders of all shapes, colors and sizes. The sign above the door reads:The Salubrious Cellarer.

Hanali emerges from the palanquin, takes a moment to smooth her black dress, arrainges a stray lock of white-blonde hair and extends a hand to Eir.

"Shall we, my witty friend?"

Hanali laughs at Eir's dry wit.

"Then come sister of the sword and we shall descend upon the Cage and wring it of its secrets."

Hanali and Eir descend the stairs and exit the old warehouse onto Copper Court. The fog has thinned a bit since they arrived as the hour climbs towards Peak. Hanali walks briskly alongside Eir. Although her expensive dress and severe mien would make you assume that she is just an upper-class popinjay, her walk has a hint of acrobatic muscularity. A large gentleman dressed in chainmail darts out of the Copper Cauldron's alleyway and falls in behind you. Hanali looks over and acknowleges him.

"Noresh"

The chainmailed man raises his knuckle to forehead in a small salute and paces them several feet back. Hanali takes no further notice of him.

The two women reach the end of Copper Court where it opens into the thouroughfare of Copperman's Way. Sigil enfolds both of the women in a maelstrom of sights, smells and sounds. Copperman's Way leads to the shabbier parts of Sigil from the Great Bazaar. Streams of Night Market workers trudge back to their kips. Merchants stream the other way.

Hanali peers into the chaos, motions to Noresh and sends him running and waving for a palanquin. A trio of Arcanaloths walk by you, their jackal heads unreadable and their eyes cold. Rickshaws rocket by, their sweating carriers ringing their special warning bell as they careen into traffic. A cursing drover attempts to calm a lizard-like animal that hauls a wagon loaded with melons.

Ragged children swirl about the two women, selling flowers, peanuts, sachets of potpourri and a dozen other small items. Hanali reaches into her purse and scatters a spray of copper pieces along the sidewalk. Shreiking the children dive for them.

Noresh returns with a palanquin of six large porters. The palanquin is very sumptuous looking, with silken curtains decorated with semi-precious stones. Pillows line the interior. The driver, a smallish man or a largish Halfling, jumps off his seat at the head and sketches a small bow.

"Good day yer ladyships, Garamonde is my name, and my palanquin is at yer ladyship's service for the unheard of price of 50 gold pieces ."

Hanali snorts

"Unheard of is right, shorty. Quit rattlin' yer bonebox and pretend we aint Clueless for just a moment and rethink yer peel."

Hanali and Garamonde dicker a little, but she finally pays and enters. She looks back at Eir.

"Coming my dear?"

Thread monster acting up again .. read Renkar's recent posts!

Hanali inclines her head at Renkar.

"A pleasure Renkar. Are you ready Eir?"