"Ah, Mickey! There you are! Bluth said that you would be here! And that today was a good day for you to have ale and companions to drink it with! I see that you have both at hand!"
Erix chuckles, lightly "No charge for the delivery to the Vista-View Feasthall as I have to go there myself."
He accepts the packages and makes his to the first drop, before heading to the Vista View.
"Anyone here members of Dragonmarked Houses? Which ones?"
Gauntlet turns at the announced question from Artival. If a Warforged could sweat and look nervous, then he
does as he slowly looks around at all the faces to see responses.
Viorr leans back, observing the flow of the revelers around him. As he seeks a seat near the fantatsic walls, he notices an oddness...something at his belt does not feel right. He casually pats himself, checking his belongings...dagger, belt pouch, the reassuring clink of a coin purs...reassuring clink...
Viorr's face loses it's casual smile and goes carefully blank. His coin purse is gone. Every coin he had.
His eyes flick around the room, searching the floor, the bar, visually retracing his steps through the hall, hoping against hope that he had merely carelessly dropped it.
With Bonal is tow, you reach the back of the Library asking another assistant along the way to watch over the front desk in your stead.
A soft knock at his office door brings the Head Librarian to the door, "Ah Ama and Professor Geldem? What brings you here from Morgrave?" Atiel gestures you both in to sit in the comfortable chairs placed in front of his desk.
"I seek a few tomes, The Pre-History of House Cannith, a treatise by Alder d'Cannith, Schema: Functions and Origins and House Cannith and the War of the Mark, A Guide to their Innovations and Inventions. These are Tomes that Morgrave does not possess, they are one of a kind writings donated here but referenced in other materials. However, it seems that you checked these books out several months ago according to your records".
Atiel purses his lips and turns to a ledger on the side of his desk. He flips through it and a look of dismay comes across his face. "I do not remember taking the books nor do I have them written here in my personal ledger, are you sure I checked the out Ama?"
Mickey grins, "A good take, from the Last War? I think the nobility and the Houses have all the good tales there truth be told, most of us o the lines got glory while the gold went elsewhere, no offense to yer house, Deneith blood was spilt on many sides to be sure.
Before I tell ya a tale let's see if anyone else has one. An no wait, I've got one". He then calls to Viorr.
You are unable to see the coin purse, if you dropped it, it seems that you did so outside of the establishment.
Mickey waves you over, "Come on over my friend. Have a drink and hear my tale!"
You see Viorr attempting to retace his steps as if he is looking for something.
Dolom places his hand upon his chin considering your question, "Yer father was a man of action not words. He did not talk much about home. He did mention he had a little 'un back home. Look like that little got big eh?! When the war ended he never aid where he was goin' just shook hands with all the company and took his leave, same way he walked in, he walked out".
---------------------------------------------
You arrive at the festhall just as a another small group of humans arrives, five in all wearing the colors of the Fire Talons.
Pink Eye listens intently to all the dwarf has to say and then says in return it is more then I knew of him before this day, thank you. I will sit and wait until the end of the night and perhaps he will still show up. with that he moves and takes a seat and has some honey mead if available.
Seeing no one speak up about being a d'Cannith house member, Gauntlet invisibly relaxes and finally notices Viorr again,
acting strangely this time. He approaches the swordsman carefully, estimating his prowess with his chosen weapons to be considerable.
"Sir Viorr? Is something amiss?? Did...did you lose something?"
Caelan pauses, then says, "I'm from the Orien family." He spots Gauntlet and his brow furrows momentarily, but his attention is diverted by Viorr looking for something.
Artival nodded at the dwarf. "You are right, friend dwarf. Our House's blood was indeed spread on all sides of the battlefield. It's no secret that we are honorable business folk. Once we are retained to assist, we see our duty through all right. Even if that leads to conflict. Can't be prevented I suppose.". The human was noticeably interested in the Minotaur and the talk about his father. Two bull men in one place? That would be amazing to see, he thought as he watched the hulking brute.
Atiel shakes his head in disagreement, [b]"No, whoever checked these books out was posing as me but why would someone do that? I cannot remember a time when this has ever happened before. I fact the only person who could check these particular tomes out would be me as they are restricted due to their rarity.
What is it you are working on Professor Geldem?"
Geldem frowns, "I do not wish to say at the moment based on these troubling events".
Atiel nods in understanding, "Well spend the day here looking through the stack Ama will help you, perhaps they were returned and not catalogued properly. In the meantime, I will investigate this disturbing possibility".
The place erupts as six members of the Fire Talons show up at once!
Blunnor Windvale, Gruth Dreamtaker, Leor-Viohpuf Sakrevruehk, Gideh Vehpad, Foodjimzoom Tralbernumze, and Drorlod Tryedirni.
Their presence makes it difficult to get Mickey P or Dolom alone for a one on one conversation.
"Hey! At last the party can really get started!" says Caelan with a bit of jocularity. He claps Mickey on the shoulder and backs away so that the festive reunion can get underway.
To Viorr he turns and says, "Did you drop something?"
Artival headed to get a fresh drink. As rowdy as the place was becoming with all the new arrivals, the chances at conversation were becoming nonexistent. If Mickey hadnt have already been here, he'd have probably ducked out at this time, but he waited to watch the festivities a while longer.
"I wonder if I have...my coin purse seems to have gone a-walking..." The elf's manner is puzzled, rather than suspicious or accusatory.
"I wonder if I have...my coin purse seems to have gone a-walking..." The elf's manner is puzzled, rather than suspicious or accusatory.
"Of course. That does seem to happen sometimes unfortunately. Luckily for you all the food and drink are free for the reunion!"
As the day progresses more veterans of the group arrive to share stories, good ale, and probably not enough food considering the drunken condition of most of those in attendance.
Noticeably absent is Red Horn, Pink Eyes father though by the end of the event Pink Eye has been called Red Horn so many times he has a hard time convincing anyone he isn't Red Horn.
Viorr's coin purse never does turn up. Erix - Caelan's "cousin" arrives to deliver a package to Mickey P which he places on the bar seeming to pay little attention to it.
Before you all know it, day has turned to night and the veterans of the Fire Talons take their leave, leaving all of you behind.
Mickey P turns back to the bar, "Oh by the Sovereign, the package! Oi, I need to get this up to an address near the Kelsa Spire, tell you all what, I am too damn drunk to do this and too damn content. I'll pay ye all 10 gold marks a piece to deliver for me, what do you say? You too Gauntlet, live a little!"
Ama and the Professor work all day and finally discover that indeed someone did sign Atiel's name in the logs that day and the signature has small anomalies from his normal signature. The tomes themselves are nowhere to be found.
Professor Geldem seems frustrated until you find the signature, "Ah excellent work my dear! I am no mage but I have a friend who could cast a spell on the ink of the register and perhaps divine information from it. Care to take a trip to the University? You helped me reveal this mystery do you not wish to see it through?"
"House Deneith will never turn down a proper deal. being slightly buzzed shouldn't disqualify us, should it? For 10 gold, Mickey, I'm in. What is the package, and where are we taking it?"
"Nah buzzed'll do. Don't know what it is, guessin' a book or something. In the University District is a Professor, Geldum, Geldarn some such, this is for him".
Mickey turns to Pink-Eye, "Sorry your dad didn't show pal, don't give up hope, maybe you'll find him someday, in the meantime make some good coin and join my friends here for an easy run".
Moving back to Mickey, Gauntlet places a heavy hand on the older man's thin shoulder.
Too frail these humans.
"Live a little? I am already ALIVE Micky...Of course, you mean take chances and have an 'adventure'? Well, I'm sure delivering
your package to the Spire will be a 'Hoot' as you would say. Will you be okay getting home on your own then, or will you just
collapse and sleep here until they kick you out?"
"No need, Micky, you know I'm happy to help you out," says Caelan, waving off the promise of payment with a smile. "Besides, you put on quite a party. Least I can do."
Red horn is not the worse thing he has ever been called and by the end plof the night he has grown fond of these men and their easy comraderie, so Pink eye nods and agrees to escort the package for ten gold, what could go wrong, he thinks...
Erix walks inside the Feasthall and looks around, trying to see if he spots his contact.
Erix walks inside the Feasthall and looks around, trying to see if he spots his contact.
The elf shrugs, with a crooked half-smile. "Apparently, I am now in need of coin! I will happily go along."
Now a bit suspicious, Caelan checks his pockets, then gives a rueful laugh. "It seems you weren't the only victim of circumstance, my friend!" he says to Viorr. He finishes the glass of wine in his hand and says to the elf, "On the up side, if we ever formed a mercenary company or suchlike, we have a ready-made name for the group: The Penniless Band!" He puts the empty glass to the side and says, "Onward! Er, where was this package going, again?"
Mickey P replies to Caelan either tired or a bit drunk likely both, "University District, near the Kelsa Spire. Professor Bedlam or some such".
Artival, Caelan, Gauntlet, Pink-Eye, Viorr, Erix - University District
Of course as luck would have it, the minute you walk out the door the skies open and it starts to pour.
Your group takes a series of lifts to University District, the combination of thievery, drink, and general lack of familiarity keeps the discourse to small talk.
Curtains of water fall from the sky as you traverse the labyrinthine walkways of Sharn. The stone and wooden paths wind around and between the towers and spires high above the ground, forming a complex latticework that can be very confusing on evenings such as this. The rainfalls hard, running off higher walkways and balconies in drenching waves, making it difficult to see much more than a few feet ahead of you. The distant glow of everbright lanterns, barely visible in the soaking gloom, does little to light the paths on this warm, wet evening.
Finally, after what seems like a very long trip through the city you have nearly arrived at your destination near the Kelsa Spire.
Ama ONLY
As you exit the Library, the weather which was fine all day turns foul as rain begins to cascade down onto the city.
Despite the poor weather the Professor is an engaging conversationalist. Soon enough you arrive with him at the University District crossing over a skybridge between Dalannan Tower and the Kelsa Spire, "My colleague lives nearby, just a few apartments down from me. Once we retrieve the scroll I know he must have laying around, we can head to my place, put on some tea and use that scroll!" he states excitedly.
As you turn to reply he grunts in pain and staggers forward.
Turning to the others Gauntlet points and speaks up first.
"There appears to be a lady on the bridge ahead. She looks lost?"
Pink Eye spots the body on the ground next to the woman and calls out in alarm there is a body at her feet and with that he dashes up drawinf his battle axe from its back sheath (scary, huh)
Eyes full of rain, Viorr has to take his comapnions' words for it...
"... what the... ?" Caelan says querulously. "Dammit, I'm dressed for a party, not a mugging." His hand goes to the dagger at his unarmored belt.
Perception
Artival didn't notice anything untowards in the pouring rain. He was able to see the Minotaur spring into action, and decided to follow it, listening to it bellow about a body ahead. He had to follow up on that at the very least.
Pink-Eye draws his axe from his sheathe and rushes to the scene. With the pouring rain Ama cannot see a thing and is shocked as the Professor falls forward.
Viorr
Artival
Erix
Gauntlet
Ama
Pink – Eye
Caelan
Ama does hear bellowing from behind and sees a 7' Minotaur charging at her from across the skybridge, "There is a body at her feet!" Ama is smart enough to know that by "her" the monster means her!
(1) Caelan, Artival, and Viorr,
(2) Ama,
(3) Erix, Gauntlet, and Pink-Eye
"Wait a sec! She doesn't seem too sure of where she is. Don't attack her just yet!!"
That being said, Erix does unfurl his whip, just in case.
Sensing possible danger, Gauntlet un-clouds his mind and pictures an enormous two-handed blade, 'wrapping' his hands
around the nothingness that then becomes something.
Bits of shadow, dust, and similar things that can only be interpreted by the eye rather than seen, seem to gather suddenly
around Gauntlet and coalesce into a warrior's enormous two-handed sword in his outstretched metal hands.
The blade is a dull-black and does not shine like normal metal.
Trying to decide where his blade is needed, if at all, Gauntlet steps forward slowly to the closer end of the bridge
trying to understand more of what is happening.
Viorr moves forward, drifting to the side a bit, and frees his double-blade from its back-sheath, through he does not move it into a threatening guard position just yet.
As Artival closed to the scene, he kept an eye out as he tried to find out exactly what was happening.
Perception
He double moves toward the fallen figure.
Pink Eye will cast stabilize on the downed man from thirty feet out and then growl and attempt to cross the frozen slicked stones saying You harm that man any further and I will snap every bone in your body, girl. You better be trying to help
And with that Pink Eye falls flat on his face with a solid thud.
Caelan advances on the scene cautiously. As he approaches he says, "What happened to that man? Does he have any visible injuries?" He glances around at the motley assemblage. "Does anyone know him?"