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"A test of both physical strength and manual dexterity? How... interesting..."
Aeleth sets his hand to the sideboard and puts all 9 mugs on it. His irises turn red as he focuses inwards and calls upon a hidden reserve of power within himself... and lifts.
"Hrrraaaagh!"
"Move over, Arvin! There's a new 'big guy' in town!" he proclaims triumphantly.
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Starling smiles as she joins the competition, but frowns as Aeleth's new muscle power allows him to easily balance nine cups on the massive sideboard. Her expression quickly turns back to a smile, as she congratulates her friend. She lifts a stool full with nine mugs on it, hoping it would be enough to win the second prize at least.
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Dusklord is the first to lift a stool, he's not strong enough to lift it above his head, but at least all the mugs stay on the furniture. Nago lifts a sideboard easily, but once it is above his head all the mugs start to slide and drop to the floor. Serak makes an attempt and he lifts a stool with three cups. He barely manages to balance the cups atop, but none of them drops. Some drunken guys clap their hands. Next one is Aelet who lifts a sideboard with all nine mugs on it. He holds the sideboard above his head for almost a minute and demonstrates who's the new big guy in town. The crowd cheers and applauds. Starling, less strong, but more agile, lifts a stool with nine mugs and also succeeds. "The new guys are great!" you hear a guy from the crowd shout.
Stephani has a look at the prizes and sees a battered metal mug, a bottle of high-quality brandy and a chalice of lacquered teak. She's sure the battered mug is the one they are looking for.
The last competitors are two locals. "Fwerd, Big Arvin! It's your turn! I doubt you can beat the half-elf! Hahaha!" Rolf laughs.
Fwerd tries first, he tries to lift a stool with six mugs, but can't even lift the stool. Embarassed he walks away.
Big Arvin attempts to lift a table with three cups. After lifting the table and the cups Arvin beats his chest, but Rolf reminds him that Aeleth lifted a sideboard with the full amount of mugs.
"The winner of this contest is the half-elf! What's your name, btw?" Rolf asks and raises Aeleths arm. "Big Aeleth, gentlemen! Look at his muscles, that's amazing! Which prize do you choose?"
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Aeleth begins to reach for the brandy, only to be subtly kicked in the shin by Stephani at the last moment. Seeing her indicate the mug, he scowls and reaches for the brandy again, only to receive a harder and less-subtle kick from her again. With a deep sigh, he lets his shoulder slump and resignedly takes the mug.
"You owe me a week's tab at the wisp for this, Stephani" he laments grouchily.
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Aeleth takes the mug and the crowd laughs. "Did he really choose the battered thing? Haha, he's strong, but stupid!" you hear Not-so-strong Arvin say. He chooses the chalice, which leaves the brandy for Serak.
"Congratulations, strangers!" Rolf says and shakes your hands.
The sacred mug radiates magic.
It's a goblet of quenching.
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Dusklord holds out his hand for the tankard.
"Allow me," he says.
He takes several moments to cast a cantrip on it, then inspect it.
"A goblet of quenching. Though it does not create liquor, it does create a quantity of water each day...you would never thirst, even in a desert. It has some value, and I believe we have obtained the first of our three required items," the wizard adds.
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The bartender gets you a few mugs and some of you taste the brandy. After a round of fine spirit you leave the tavern and head to the Calistrian temple to retrieve a magical dagger.
Upon first glance, it is hard to imagine the House of the Silken Veil as a brothel. It is a large, grimy marble building topped with an ugly blood-red steeple. Nevertheless, its three entrances are each hung with freshly laundered curtains and the heavy, floral smell of incense wafts from the building.
When you enter the House of the Silken Veil, the resident prostitutes and attendants assume you’re new customers looking for a good time. "We have something for everybody. What are you interested in? An exotic woman from Mwangi? Or a strong man from the norhtern colds?" a blonde woman, almost naked, asks.
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"No need, for a strong man. We already have one who can carry anything we need," Aeleth replies as he folds his arm across his chest with a wide grin, obviously missing the innuendo implied in the girl's words. "We have an exotic girl of our own too, though she's not form Mwangi. But our leader is from Varisia which is quite exotic too, and she does magic stuff!"
"But we were hoping to speak with the gentleman or lady who runs this place. I believe he or she has a certain dagger we are looking for."
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"Oh, of course. Sorry for bothering you, Sir." the woman answers and an attendant leads you to the high priestess and madam of the house.
A tiefling greets you. "Welcome, my name is Shorafa Pomadae." the tiefling welcomes you with an enticing smile. She offers free wine and invites you to get comfortale. "What is your business here if you are not looking for our hospitality?" she asks.
You can see that Shorafa knows why you have come and is angry at your presence, despite her veneer of hospitality.
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Starling follows the attendant into the brothel-temple strange, I never understood how this Calistrian cult works. They seem to be doing quite well though as a business, she thinks to herself as they wander around the temple on their way.
She approaches the tiefling with a smile to assuage her initial anger. "Greeting, Madam Pomadae. We are grateful for your hospitality. I have heard much about the famed House of the Silken Veil in my travels, and had been thinking to pay you a visit some time ago and find out whether the stories of one of my friends - an elf follower of your deity - were truth or mere exaggerations." She takes a deep breath and continues with a sigh, "unfortunately, I am here for business rather than your unique mix of pleasure and piety tonight. You see, I work for an employer who had previously loaned your temple some money. As these things usually go, time moves fast and interest accrues. He sent us to collect that interest - in the form of a certain dagger I'm sure you know well. Were you to hand over the dagger quickly - despite your reservations - I can assure you that we will be able to return to your establishment for its softer sides in but a few hours."
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"Maybe I can make an offer to you. You leave the dagger with us and I invite you to a few hours of indulging in exotic wines and the devoted company of my acolythes. In exchange I require a signed statement on behalf of the Aspis Consortium that my temple's debt has ben paid in full, including the past-due interest." Pamodae says.
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"Maybe I can make an offer to you. You leave the dagger with us and I invite you to a few hours of indulging in exotic wines and the devoted company of my acolythes. In exchange I require a signed statement on behalf of the Aspis Consortium that my temple's debt has ben paid in full, including the past-due interest." Pamodae says.
Starling smiles at Shorafa, "A generous offer indeed, and one I would surely have taken had I could," she lets her voice drop down for a moment, then continues, "but unfortunately, this matter is not for myself and my associates here to determine. We are, for a lack of better term, independent contractors, working for various employers and occasionally the Consortium. Our personal preferences have nothing to do with the job we are paid for. A night of pleasure without accomplishing the mission would irrevocably ruin our reputations and would cause the naja's offspring to starve and the gnome's parents to suffer countless additional cold nights in their rickety hut," she says gesturing at Nago and Serak. "I'm sure the dagger is important to your temple, but think of it as a way to pay back your debt and help the poor. Two birds by one stone, as they say."
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Serak glowers at the mention of his family being poor, even though he knows it's just a lie to get the woman to cooperate.
Rickety hut?! My father is one of the most accomplished clocksmiths in Absalom! Huh, maybe I should swing by and see how he's doing, though...
The glower disappears, to be followed by a contemplative look, which on Serak's oddly featured face looks more like a grimace. Then, he remembers he's supposed to be poor, so he gives the brothel owner the best "puppy dog eyes" he can muster.
Unfortunately, one eye opens up much bigger than the other, his huge, toothy maw sort of hangs open, and he just ends up staring at her like he's pondering what she would taste like grilled with portabella mushrooms and poblano peppers.
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After leaving the establishment, Aeleth considers how the encounter went.
"She did not deny that she resents the Consortium. She simply refused to say why... I wonder if we can use that to our advantage later. At the very least, if that dagger was intended for the aspis, I'd handle it with care. If you find runes on it and intend to read them, let me know so I can stand at least 15ft away..."
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Starling nods at Shorafa, and says more softly. "Thank you. We appreciate your cooperation and regret that things between you and our -current- employer have gone so foul. Let us hope things will get better in the near future." She takes leave, and heads with the others to the last temple, the Fish Bowl.
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The dagger seems to be made of mithril, but Dusklord does not have an idea of it's magical abilities.
You leave the temple and move to the Fish Bowl. The Fish Bowl stands along the river atop a high stone base. Well-worn stone stairs ascend the stone base to access the temple above, but a chain has been drawn across the bottom of the stairs to block easy access. From the street, it is difficult to see anything occurring in the temple at the top of the platform. Only a few dim lights flicker up in the temple, and an arrow tower or lookout post rises above it.
From the street, the Fish Bowl appears to be a ramshackle building constructed on top of a sturdy stone base 15 feet tall. Narrow spiral stairs connect the temple to th small lookout post 30 feet above ground level. Just as you arrive, two children start shrieking in terror in the lookout post above.
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As they arrive to the Fish Bowl and hear the children crying out, Dusklord takes a wand from his belt and casts mage armor.
"It appears this might be more difficult than our previous encounters," he says. "Perhaps we should hurry up."
He waits for some of the brawnier party members to take the lead, then follows up the stairs.
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Nago examines the dagger and finds out that it is a masterwork dagger enchanted with magic aura. Removing the dagger from the case reveals that mithril poison covers it s blade, around which a silk tag has been tied that reads "Do not ever again cross the Savored Sting."
Dusklord uses his wand of mage armor and waits for somebody to lead the way.