"Right. My first stop will be a Smith. I want to get this armor of mine enchanted and sell my old Ranseur." she says.
"I'll go with you", Vermundr offers. "I’ve thought about having my bow magicked for a while. The fire-trick that harpy used was pretty nice.”
After a few moments of silence, Ameiko coughs and chimes in. "Thank you, Sandru. We'll find a capable guide, or this trip is going to be very short. I, for one, would love to see the Jade quarter. I have never been around more than a handful of Tian people, and those were pretty much my family, except for Ahiko of course.." She gives a sheepish smile.
Vermundr moves about the streets, enjoying the sights and smells of the city. Even if it wasn't the most hospitable place it was home and it was nice to be back.
The young ulfen's first stop was a fletcher, preferably one that dabbled in enchantments...
Ahiko smiles at almost being forgotten. It's not surprising to her as she isn't very forward. She does speak up softly after Ameiko's stated desire to see the Jade quarter.
"I too would like to see the Jade quarter. I miss Minkai and would love a reminder of home. WOuld you mind, Ameiko, if I accompany you there?"
Kalistrine walks with Vermundr, joining him at the Feltcher, and is on the lookout for a good armorer. "So, this is your neck of the woods, isn't it?" she asks Vermundr as they go.
"Aye. I grew up in a village not far from here", the young ulfen explains. "It's just the way I remember it."
Vermundr glances at his exotic companion.
"It'd be best if you let me do the talking. My people can be a bit cautious around outsiders."
Criss-crossing the teeming streets of Kalsgard, you pick up a few details about Ulfen life in the city. In the Amber quarter, you notice the Ulfen like their jewelry. You pass by seemingly dozens of jewelers selling their intricare wares - armbands and torcs for men, brooches and necklaces for women, and rings and pins for both - wrought from steel, silver, gold and other valuable metals. You see many men wearing armbands similar to those on the raiders, but with many different patterns and symbols to mark their allegiances.
In the Ice quarter, you pass by the massive fortress-temple of Gorum and the curving sky-shrine to Desna. The scents of cooked food from the many restaurants make your stomachs gurgle. In the middle of the quarter, you come upon a curious worn lump of stone about the size of a horse, set in the middle of a street intersection. As you watch, locals brush their hands against the stone as they pass by.
Finally, over an hour after you left, you reach the Jade quarter. After the stone and slate buildings of the Ulfen, the colorful, curving wood designs of the Tian immigrants here are a stark contrast. Although you see many Avistani among the crowd, the majority of the people are Tian in descent. Syllables of Tien are heard everywhere. Even the air smells different, with a mixture of exotic spice and sweat coming to the fore. For a few moments, you feel like you've stepped into another world, before an old lady barks at you rudely in accentless Common, telling you to stop standing in the middle of the street.
"This is amazing," Ameiko says in a wonder, her eyes sparkling. "Let's find some place to eat, first. I'm damned starving!" She points out a red-walled tavern with golden, square lanterns hanging over the door.
"Looks like a great place to eat.. I'm hungry too," Ahiko says, realizing how hungry she's been as she speaks. The sights and sounds have put her in the mood for some good miso soup and rice balls.
"Ahiko, do you mind loaning me some additional coin. Kalistrine are heading into town to look for new weaponry and I think I'm a bit short. Two-hundred crowns should do it."
"Fine with me... it will just languish for me until there is a good bit more, so better it be put to some good use for the time being." She hands Vermundr 200 gold coins.
"Thanks sweetheart", the young ulfen says with a wink as he pools the coins in alongside the other wealth he's accumulated.
"I'll pay you back as soon as I can."
"No rush and I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunity to earn new coin along the way, and a long time again before we will be able to spend it."
Morthar sat at a table in the corner drinking a small glass of wine and studying a small stone fragment which in part detailed the ancient cults of the archdevil Barbatos...
Seeing the middle age man from the Inner Sea amongst so many people from the Tien Xa, she walks up to him and addresses him in Common, "Hello, you seem a bit distraught."
Morthar looks up at the woman who had just come up to his table...
He spoke in a deep voice that echoed with years of experience. Nay I am not, those of us who aren't young imps like yourself tend to grow darker and more weary as the past weighs upon us. Tell me, do you come from the old Sandbox and if so how is the old Sandbox doing these days?
Ahiko looks a bit non-plussed at first that Ameiko approaches the strangerm but she stays by her side nonetheless, looking a bit nervous. She listens to Morthar speak and wonders at the man's words. He speaks like an ancient one, but he doesn't bear the look of one. I wonder what he is.
Ameiko looks quizzically at the man and says, "Sorry to have bothered you... Sandbox, we had a sandbox as a child but I have since built a gazebo in its stead."
Ameiko waits for the service to come and orders herself sweet and sour pulled beef ribs with a large helping of rice. She then smiles at Ahiko and says,
Tien
Ahiko just orders rice and vegetables. she daintily eats the vegetables with the chopticks.
Then she lifts the plate to her mouth and eats the rice off the edge, using the chopsticks like a shovel, though somehow, she still makes it look dainty and elegant.
Nevermind then, but a question of note interests this old scholar. Of late I have been looking for work as a mercenary, unfortunately the locals view me as something of a weakling... The fact that I am an arcanist doesn't help matters, the ulfen are not exactly known for their appreciation of the arcane arts.... Except for those of their skalds who they hold in high reverence.
Ameiko puts down her bowl of rice and says, "If you are familiar with the city of Kalsgard we can definitely use your services... would you happen to know where I could find the merchant Fynn Snaevald or maybe his kin... he has a very important family heirloom of mine in his possession."
Ahiko watches and listens to the exchange, tilting her head to one side curiously, wondering at Ameiko's quick assessment of the man and his possible usefulness. She is fast to make judgments, but she is much wiser than I am, I'm sure. I hope this fellow is trustworthy.
trader of amber and whale oil, and a well-known collector
of Tian antiquities. His home in Kalsgard’s Amber Quarter
Knowledge (local)
You can find him in the Amber quarter, just follow the smell of whale oil...
Ameiko smiles at Morthar and says, "Thank you, we can definitely use a guide at least for the next few days, our Ulfen native has a funeral so we can most definitely use your help sir. This samsaran to my left's name is Ahiko."
I have heard of and seen many things in my life, Samsarans are a new one...
Morthar shows the party a place to crash in the Jade Quarter, you all meet up at the caravan to exchange notes and go back to your lodging called the Emerald Inne and Chaihuiz.
You wake the next morning refreshed and ready. The air is misty and cool, but noticeably warmer than the last few.
In Search of Suishen
Snaevald's home is in the Amber quarter, and you're able to easily get directions there. A knock at the door brings an ancient man to answer. He is slender and wiry, with blue veins crawling across his arms and neck beneath a shock of white beard and long hair. He wears a thick fur cloak of high quality. Although obviously very old, the man's eyes are sharp and fiery with suspicion.
"Who are you lot? What do you want?" the old man asks in clear Common.
Ahiko bows to the old man in greeting, in awe of his venerable old age. She speaks slowly in common, cautious to talk with as little accent as possible so there is no confusion. "Excuse our intrusion, elder. I am Mitsuhara Ahiko, and my companion here, Ameiko-sama, needs to speak with Master Snaevald, if he is home."
She is careful to keep Miso out of sight behind her skirt for the time being.
Kalistrine stands at the back of the group, not speaking and being generally imposing. She resents having Ameiko along, but the others overruled her.
Vermundr remains silent while Ahiko handles introductions. He keeps a close eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Those raiders, whoever they were, could be close.
The old man looks at you quizzically and says, "Tis I and I am him, state your business. I am far too old for game playing and overcourtesy is not the way of the Ulfen"
Ahiko looks to Ameiko to let her explain what they want from the old man. "That's your cue, Ameiko-sama," she encourages gently.
Ameiko draws a breath slowly and says, "I and my friends are here about an unusual item that you acquired a long time ago. May we come inside, the streets have ears, sir. And I am looking to reacquiring it for a price."
The old man grunts again, then inclines his inside his home. "Aye. I'm always happy to speak with potential buyers," he barks, but you can tell he's playing along. He opens the door wide to let you in, revealing two tall Ulfen guards with blades drawn. He waves them away and leads you into a large den-like room with a blazing fireplace. The old man settles down into a thickly-padded chair while well-groomed servants rush in with mugs of warm ale and long loaves of bread for all. "Now, the majority of you never bothered to tell me. SO, who are you? What is it you want from me?" Fynn's clear blue eyes bore into you.
Sense Motive DC 15:
Ahiko enters the home cautiously and looks at the guards with some trepidation. She visibly relaxes when they are sent away,
since all seems to be well now... She smiles warmly toward the others and gives them a little wave of her hand to encourage them to speak up and introduce themselves. If they don't speak up relatively quickly, she will introduce all who came with them.
Sense Motive
Morthar had dealt with devils for years and he could clearly sense the anger in this man, if anything productive was going to come of this he needed the man to be less angry...
I sense the smoldering anger that roils in your mind and flesh, it would be advisable to put it aside for now... The angry merchant is soon a poor merchant.
diplomacy to improve attitude
"Good, that's one thing I like about the Ulfen at least." Kalistrine says, pushing her way through her comrades into the house once the man invites them in. She eyes the guards defiantly and stands, looking down at the old man until they move into the den. She takes a mug of ale and nods to him before drinking, and remains standing, looking about the room.
The venerable man snaps back quickly and says, "You come into my home and make snippy judgements regarding my feelings, drink my ale and still refrain from introducing yourself. Your group know who I am but I have no idea who you be..."
He then chuckles to himself. "Evidently the ladies are in command of this bunch..." and then looks at Vermundr and says in Skald
You many know me as Morthar, I have worked as a mercenary and scholar among other things. I hail from Korvosa which has long served as my official place of residence.