"I'd rather avoid sewers if possible. Maybe we should ask around for a Loremaster. I'm no good at finding out information myself. Well not good unless I'm serving drinks. Then I can get people to talk." she grins.
"That's a good idea, Isabel. But lets start with...ummm...what we already know about them."
"And what do we know about their home?"
Vladaam: An evil house, and very ancient, House Vladaam is the oldest noble house in Ptolus, older even than House Dallimothan. Vladaam seems to have lost much of its power and influence in recent times. Iristul Vladaam is the current master of the house, although he has not actually been seen in the city for years. Most people whisper that demonic blood runs through the family’s veins.
Vladaam are bitter enemies of House Dallimothan, but allies of House Sadar.
The folk of Ptolus love to gossip with each other about the nobles and their activities and intrigues, and to read about the latest high-society affairs in the various broadsheets available about town. For example, there is speculation that the half-mad members of House Vladaam scheme to destroy House Nagel once and for all.
Your friends the Knights of the Pale (the small Lothianite order dedicated to combating supernatural threats, particularly demons and spellcasters) might know something. Or perhaps one of their allies in the Keepers of the Veil or the Malkuth might be able to tell you something.
Velika, despite your excellent knowledge of Engineering, you know little about the structure of House Vladaam other than what can be gleaned from a distance. It sits at the southern end of the Jeweled Cliffs in the Noble's Quarter (see "Where in Ptolus is it?"). The walled estate contains a large mansion in a park-like setting, several outbuildings, a stables and kennel. The mansion is rumored to contain laboratories, dungeons, armories and secret tunnels into the caverns below Ptolus.
"Well that just confirms they aren't nice people, and asking politely to be let into their dungeons won't work. Maybe we can get assistance from House Nagel or House Dallimothan. You know the enemy of my enemy and all that." she waves had hand in the air dismissively of the idea.
"I think we should take a day or two and ask any Lorekeepers or Knights that you know what they know. Especially if there's a way into the dungeons from the caverns. Don't places like that always have an escape tunnel or something like that."
PING!
"Yes, if we can get under Vladaam without...mmm...going through Vladaam, that would be best. Also, we should...umm..." Dain glances briefly towards Tilver, "...we should probably let Jevvica know what we learned."
Tilver grunts and then nods. "Probably smart. Vicky might have some insight there, and plus she's the one who put us on this path. I mean, the Church knows too with Kalarecent there, but..." Tilver rummages around in his pockets for a moment, then comes out with the magic playing card.
He shakes the card for a moment. "Hello? Hello? Is this thing on?"
In a few moments, Tilver feels the card grow cool, but it doesn't reveal Jevicca's face. "Tilver? Is this important? I'm somewhat occupied at the moment."
"Uh, it's important, but not urgent. We can wait. Perhaps in a few hours?" Tilver looks at the others questioningly. He shrugs.
"Very well," she says, a bit distractedly. The card suddenly returns to normal temperature and grows inert.
What do you do now?
Are we just not enjoying this game? I think that's a shame, as it's one of the best, in my opinion, but if this is no longer fun for people, please tell me.
So, can we decide what to do now?
"Lets spend the day trying to find different ways in and then meet back here tonight to discuss what our options are." Silas suggests as he rises to be about the day.
Velika shrugs. "Maybe I'll try to ... get the lay of the land, so to speak. Anyway want to join me in stealthy, or possibly chatty, reconnaissance?
Dain listens quietly to his friends, then notices that Magill has quietly wandered over to Velika's side, where the gnome absent-mindedly scratches the raccoon's head. He nods.
"I can help you blend in, but probably I should leave the...ummm...chatty...to you."
"I have a person or two I can speak with. I'll also head back to the tavern where I worked and see if I can find out anything about deliveries and such to the manor. Can I meet you in a few hours Velika?" She doesn't need to change she already looks like a bar maid.
Velika nods at Dain and Isabel with a small smile. "OK. Lets plan to meet back here in a few hours. The more information we have before we look around the area the better."
"I will go to the ratcatchers and see if there are any maps of that part of the undercity" Silas says.
While Dain and Velika wait, Isabel goes out into the city and talks to her friends and acquaintances about the area of the Noble's Quarter around House Vladaam. Nearly everyone seems nervous at the mere mention of that ancient and powerful house, so full of devil-worshiping sorcerers, at least according to legend. Nobody seems to know much that isn't observable from the street, but Isabel does hear one clue that might help her team. One old streetsweeper she knows tells her "You know who you could talk to? That Nicalon fellow. He's one of those, oh...what was it? I have it. He's a Knight of the Chord. I hear he knows a lot about... that House. Rumor is he even used to work for them once upon a time."
The Knights of the Chord are a bardic order headquartered at the Templehall of Jode, god of Song.
_____________________________________________________________________
Silas, a noble scion condescending to speak to the ratcatchers excites a certain amount of startled interest. "Maps, sir?" says one ratcatcher, crumpling his hat nervously in his grimy hands. "Lothian bless you, sir, there's hundreds a' maps, I'm sure. But they's all different, 'cause the sewers're built up over years and years, y'see. And there's always the old tunnels, too. Them as some folks call 'the Dungeon', sir. But sir, a gentlemen as fine as yourself ain't got no business down in them nasty sewers, if you'll pardon me gettin' above m'self. No sir, it's no place for the likes of a gentlemen and that's a fact. Anyways, we don't use maps, sir, we ratcatchers. No, every proper ratcatcher has a district and knows it like the back of 'is own hand, so he does."
"Well, I have a bit of a challenge between some friends of mine and myself. If I could look through some of those maps for a bit it might be quite a boon to win the game." Silas says hoping the idea of young nobles challenging each other to strange tasks might explain away his interest.
Tilver returns home to his flat where he cleans up and then meets Evie for a late dinner after her shift. They walk the streets while enjoying some lamb kabobs. "Hey, Evie. Have you run across anything connected to the Vladaams in the reports? I mean, there's all those rumors about them cavorting with devils. Do you think that's really true? Do nobles like them even answer to the guard or do they just do things on their own? They probably have their own security."
"Thank you my friend." Isabel slips the stretsweeper a gold coin. "I'll be sure to look him up." she finishes her rounds and makes her way back to the Inn to meet up with her companions.
She plops into a chair in the private rooms. "I got a name of someone who might have worked in the house at one time. Nicalon he's a Knight of the Chord. They are a bardic order headquartered at the Templehall of Jode, god of Song. We could try to talk to him tomorrow, and see if he will share what he knows. I'm not all that great at talking people up so I thought I'd wait until someone with a more silver tongue is with me."
"Velika, I'm ready to head out to the neighborhood around the manor whenever you are. We might find more info this evening after the servants are done with their work for the day. If we're lucky, we could follow them to a favorite tavern. Buying drinks loosens tongues you know." She winks.
"Well, I have a bit of a challenge between some friends of mine and myself. If I could look through some of those maps for a bit it might be quite a boon to win the game." Silas says hoping the idea of young nobles challenging each other to strange tasks might explain away his interest.
"Well...um..." You can see that the ratcatcher is caught between professional pride and a desire not to offend a potentially important nobleman. "That is, you could talk to the Guildmasters. It's them as have the maps, sir. What part of the city was you interested in, if I may ask. Might be I'd knows a bit about it meself."
____________________________________________________
Tilver returns home to his flat where he cleans up and then meets Evie for a late dinner after her shift. They walk the streets while enjoying some lamb kabobs. "Hey, Evie. Have you run across anything connected to the Vladaams in the reports? I mean, there's all those rumors about them cavorting with devils. Do you think that's really true? Do nobles like them even answer to the guard or do they just do things on their own? They probably have their own security."
Evie shudders and pulls her shawl around her. "What in the world have you gotten yourself into, Tilver? No good can come from dipping into some people's business. An old house like that is a law unto itself. As far as they're concerned, Ptolus is theirs and the Commissar is just a figurehead. And the Emperor isn't even that. They do as they like. If half the things I've heard are true, they'd freeze the blood in your veins. And consorting with devils is the main thing. They say that they don't even look human, except in disguise. I've seen one and he looked normal enough. But everyone says it's true, so there must be something to it."
When Isabel enters, Velika is sitting on the floor. ”Come on, Magill, you have to give the card back or I can’t show you the rest of the trick!” She gives the raccoon one of the most sincere grins she’s been able to muster up in days. Without looking, she pulls an eight of hearts out of the middle of her deck, identical to the one clutched and slightly creased in Magill’s hands. ”Is this your card?” she giggles.
Sadly, the good humor doesn't last and her expression sets back into the recently familiar grim lines before turning to focus on Isabel.
”Templehall of Jode?” She shakes her head with a slightly confused look, "Gotta admit, I’ve always wondered just how good I’d need to be at singing to get them to worship me … But I’d be happy to join you tomorrow and see what this Nicolan has to say.”
She stands up and brushes off her cloak, then looks at Dain and tilts her head toward the door. ”Anything else before we head out?
"You think they're not human? Yikes. You could be right. Lots of things can change their shape. Certainly something harnessing demonic power could try." Tilver takes another bite of his kabab.
"Silas thinks we should try the sewers to see if we can tunnel into their manor. I don't exactly love tromping around in the filth, but I guess I've done worse. But maybe we ought to ask the Church for help instead. If the Vladaams are really into evil, they would keep watch right?"
"I thought it was the Church that sent you to do this in the first place?"
Tilver shrugs. "They did. Kalerecent was even there when we cast the spell." He pauses. "I guess that should be our first stop. See what their reaction to that information was."
"I am looking for the area in the noble's quarter above the Jeweled Cliffs. Have you spent much time in the tunnels there?" Silas asks.
The man's eyes widen and he looks nervous. He looks around to see who else is listening. "Lothian bless you sir, you don't want to go that way! No, there's dark things that live there. Not natural things if you take my meaning, sir. The guild doesn't go there, sir. Nor under the Necropolis, neither. Not without wizards and priests, sir, and only once in a decade or so. It ain't healthy sir."
"That is most dire news. You said that priests accompany you when you go there. Is there a particular church that tends to aid you in your duties? I fear this small game of mine might be more dangerous then my companions led me to believe. Perhaps I will go and see if they might be able to help me." Silas says frowning.
"I'm all set." Isabel responds to Velika. "Or we could wait for the gents and see what they've found out. I want to see you do the trick for the raccoon again."
Later, the team is reassembled in a booth at the Ghostly Minstrel, ready to share what they've learned...
"I hope that someone had better luck then me. I was unable to get a map of the underground area. I did find out that priests of Asche are often used to go into the sewers with workers to keep them safe. They may be able to help with information or a route if we need it." Silas volunteers when they are together.
"I found out a Kinght of the Chord named Nicalon might have worked in the house at one time. The Knights of the Chord are a bardic order headquartered at the Temple hall of Jode, god of Song. Seems there's a lot of representatives of the gods hanging around this devil worshiping family, and area of town."
"That's interesting, Isabel. If they are hiding something in the basement he might know something. Definitely worth checking out. My real concern is if they have no idea at all. How do we find something that lies forgotten in a dusty basement?" He pauses for a moment.
"Well, let's try to find this Nicalon. Maybe he'll be able to point us in the right direction. But we should also check in with the Church. Kalarecent had to have told them too."
"So many churches to visits I haven't spent this much time with religions types in my life. I really hope they've forgotten about it. Hopefully we can get it without them noticing." She sighs and picks at her skirt. I don't have any church attending cloths.
The Knights of the Chord are a small knightly order dedicated to upholding freedom and protecting the innocent. The knights all have mastered, to some degree, the art of drawing power from music and song. While many may have at one time been bards, they are no longer minstrels.
These knights are a martial order and focus heavily on combat skills.
The Knights of the Chord hold an official Imperial Charter but do not receive direct funding from the Commissar or any other source.
The Knights of the Chord are bound by an ancient oath that ties to them to the fate of House Kath. The head of House Kath can invoke this vow and call upon the knights to aid the house when it is in need.
They are also allied with Nivae Tamelli, the greatest bard in all of Ptolus.
"Well that sounds like he'd at least be willing to talk about the Vladaams. Let's go to the Temple of Jode."
The team makes its way to the Templehall of Jode in Oldtown, just a few blocks from the Clock Tower. It is a small but exquisitely carved temple of pinkish marble from far Kem.
An acolyte tells you that he thinks Nicalon will probably attend the worship service that night. When you return later in the evening, you find twenty or so men and women tuning their instruments or swapping stories over a cup of wine. Most are human, but some are elves, gnomes and even a centaur.
You soon find Nicalon Regalis, a slender man of perhaps thirty. His clothes are finely made but a little worn. A rapier hangs from his hip and a harp is slung over his shoulder. "You were looking for me?" he asks when introduced.
Isabel looks him over and gives him a grin and a wink. "Indeed we are. Is there someplace we can talk privately? We have some questions we hope you can answer."
Nicalon looks you over, appraising the armed and varied group before him.
"Right this way," he says, pointing to a small side room that contains several lutes, harps and viols.
Once in private, the slender bard leans back against the wall and sips at a cup of hot tea. "What can I do for you?"
Isabel looks to the more silver tongued of the group to make their case.
With a sparkling flourish of her cloak, Velika bows to the bard. "Velika Wondercraft at your service. Perhaps you've heard of me?"
After a brief pause for him to acknowledge her fame, she continues, "Thank you for agreeing to speak with us. We are on a mission to safeguard the city - nay, the world - and we are in need of some information about a certain noble house who appear to be embroiled in this mess. We've heard you may have extensive knowledge on this house and ... well, would you be willing to help us?"