Vandomir learns that the CCG are devout Asmodeans, but there's some disagreements with the church. He may be familiar with the same faiths being interpreted differently from different clergy, or entire churches focusing on different aspects of the same deity. This can occasionally turn bitter, but rarely hostile.
----------------
Rexandi decides to travel to the church of Shelyn in an effort to be creative and express herself through music. She plays the organ with skill and grace, her lithe fingers a blur upon ivory keys. Men and women, priests and peasants, turn their heads and stare in wonder. At the end, with a dramatic final chord, the crowd gives a rousing applause for the unintended performance. Rexandi is given six gold pieces, and the high priest asks her if she'd be interested in playing next Sunday.
---------------
/7=4.28/2=2.14gp
Abbo heads into the salt market in search of a bit of work. Most people aren't interested in hiring a stonemason for a single day, but eventually he's able to find a Dwarf who could use a bit of extra help. A man in the crowd is looking for a stonemason to come in for a day's work, as one of his regular employees didn't show up. Abbo spends his time working alongside some other masons, as they work towards crafting smooth, straight, stone blocks for a new house's foundation. Abbo is a quick and skilled worker, making a sizable earning compared to his coworkers. He's given 2 gold, a silver, and 4 copper pieces for the day's work.
After 3pm, when Bazzle finishes learning how to make frost bombs, the group heads into Yolubilis district to meet with their mysterious enchanted Milanite.
The owner of Clenchjaw's, Rinston Jon, ejects anyone who brings up politics in the tavern.
Being one of the few taverns still available on this side of the city, Clenchjaw's already has quite a few patrons. Some of them are sailors, some are labourers, and even the odd student is present. The tavern is dimly lit, and smells faintly of fish. The man they spoke to the other day is sitting at a table in the corner, easily identified by his red cloak. He isn't eating or drinking anything, just sitting there creepily.
As he returns back to the den, Abbo breathes deeply and lies down against a wall. He was happy to be back swinging masonry tools, for a moment thinking it's too much dreaming to think life could be like that. Yet, that's what they're fighting for - to get to the point where people can actually be free to work and head back to their loved ones by night, without suffering under the rules of the Thrune.
"This Clenchjaw Tavern, the owner. Rinston I think his name is he is prone to toss anyone out on their butts if they bring up politics. So lets make sure we keep our words quiet and their meanings vague."
Bazzle enters in the same disguise that they met the man in previously. He nods and moves toward the man's table. He smiles warmly like he is meeting an old friend. "I see you waited for us. Good to see you again." He smiles to the server and waves her down ordering a drink for himself.
"A pleasant evening sir, I hope our conversation is as interesting as our last." Aster greets him formally while looking about as subtly as she can with her magic, eyes, and nose.
"Its been a long day. Should we get some dinner? Seems a strange thing to come to a table without laying anything on it."
"Good day to each of you." The man says with a stone cold face. "Have a seat, and we can eat."
Aster can see that the man is armed with his mace and hand crossbow. His buckler glows with transmutation and evocation magic, and his lamellar leather armour glows with transmutation magic. He's also wearing gloves that radiate divination. Her nose can tell that he's been in the sewers for quite awhile, as he smells like dung, piss, and sweat.
After everyone is seated and drinks/food are ordered, the man in the red cloak says "I asked a favour of you yesterday, and you kept your word. You have my thanks and my trust."
"Indeed, no politics discussion it is. Shall we then discuss religion instead?"
"What would you like to discuss?" He replies
"Well, the mystery of Aroden's disappearance is always a crowd favorite."
"What to a florist and a silversmith know about missing gods?" Bazzle takes a drink.
"As much as any, I would imagine. Since none know the truth of it."
"Florist, silversmith. Maybe I should buy something for my love." The enchanted man muses, clearly uninterested in the conversation. "A locket... with a rose petal. That would be nice. I think she'd enjoy that." He begins to stand up, as though he's about to walk away.
"Roses have had a hard time in Kintargo of late. Something in the soil. How is your girl. Holding up well I hope."
Bazzle smiles, "I have to admit I was never one to settle down myself. Flitting between nests I suppose. Slow to trust. How do you suppose one establishes a real connection that could lead to a productive relationship."
Aster is just enjoying the pretty dance the two of them are having. And having the ability to sit for a moment. Too much walking on old warped leg.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The man stops for a second to think about what Bazzle just said. He relaxes, sitting back down, and replies "She's doing well, thanks for asking. Blossoming, so to say. I feel like she's the one, you know. She knows everything about me, and I trust her fully." To Bazzle's question, he says "Well for me, it was love at first sight. I saw the fire in her eyes, watched her hips turn my way, and her smile, that damned smile. I knew from that moment, I was her's."
A nearby patron groans and says "You're f+~#in silk-wipes, bud." He moves away from the conversation, as do several others as they're grossed out by the man's gushing. The man in red doesn't even seem to notice.
"She has exquisite fashion sense, but expensive tastes. She'd like me to find or commission some magical clothing for her, but I don't have the money, even if I sell all this." He gestures to all his equipment.
"Since you have my trust, perhaps you'd like to meet her?" He asks.
"Since you have my trust, perhaps you'd like to meet her?" He asks.
Bazzle does notice the sudden change of approach. It feels like there was a very quick change of heart, though the reasons for this are unknown.
"Indeed we would."
The man puts on an empty smile, one who smiles from the mouth, but not from the eyes. He says "Very well. Shall we go?"
Abbo isn't able to read much more on the situation.
Aster adjusts her small reading glasses that perch on the end of her nose and looks at the man.
As Aster had identified last time, the man is under some sort of enchantment. As such, he may be being manipulated from afar, or at least have the best interests of another in place of his own. However, this time when Aster was watching, she caught a little reaction he had. When he paused after talking about fashion, he looked down and perked up his ears. It looked like he was listening to something, or someone, but Bazzle didn't say anything. It was right after that that he invited the group to meet his love. Curious.
Bazzle looks to the others making eye contact, "Shall let our new friend let us meet his love?" He stands up as if getting ready to leave.
"I don't see any reason why not."
Aster thinks and looks.
She knows they need to know what this is about and that they might be walking into a trap, but she is unsure how to find out anything without one of the others looking at the spell. Which would mean detecting magic and would tip off the man they are casting spells at him. So...
"Before we go meeting people, I am afraid my aging bladder needs to be emptied. Rexi, you know where the facilities are around here so please show me."
Once away from the others she let Rexi know "Remember we found out he was under an enchantment before well..." she'll tell what she saw and ask "What kind of spell might it be?" also she'll suggest a quick detecting of magic at a distance, covered by the crowd to see more.
"Yeah, of course, Aster," says Rexandi. She stands up and says, "Right this way..."
Aster can understand enough to know that it's an arcane spell, but she's not sure what it is. Of the items, she can easily identify his armour as a simple +1 enchantment. His gloves grant him a limited ability to see or listen through doors and similar objects, commonly called gloves of reconnaissance. His buckler is not only enchanted, but it can produce a blinding effect. Though his mace glowed when they first met him, the mace does not produce any aura of magic.
Rexandi notices that the man is under two spells. One is a charm person spell, and the other is a dominate person spell. With a strong understanding of magical forces, Rexandi can also tell that these were cast as spell-like abilities, requiring no components or preparation.
"Okay, so we know he is not the one we are really talking to... but that doesn't help nearly as much as I had hoped it would." Aster sighes, and wants to go home, but knowing what this is might be too important. "We go with our eyes wide open at least, trap or not."
Aster and Rexi return to the table ready to go.
The enchanted man leads the Ravens to Bleakbridge, when he peers down its length and sees a knight dressed in full black plate armour. He mutters "No good. There's a Hellknight present. He'll detect my aura." Instead, he leads the group into the sewers, where they quickly emerge beneath Bleakbridge. He reaches into the water and fishes around for what he's looking for: A series of long ropes connected from pillar to pillar. He says "Hope you don't mind getting wet." before making a slight chuckle and hauling himself through the water hand over hand.
Now on the other side, the group is soaked and tired. The man takes a moment to recooperate, before leading the group deep into south-eastern Red Roof. Among the numerous abandoned buildings lies a partially collapsed stable with rotting wooden beams.
This building was called the Fair Fortune Livery. The founders of the current Silver Ravens, such as Kethaera, ransacked this place just a few months prior. It contained weird fey creatures and lesser devils, but was also one of the main hideouts for the very first Silver Ravens. It was here that the figurines of Silver Ravens were found.
Inside the old stable, there's a rusty old gate guarded by a dog. The dog doesn't bark, but greets the man with a big doggy smile and a wagging tail. The man doesn't pay any attention to the dog, and it whines as he passes by. He enters a room out of sight from the stable's entrance, and opens up a trap door with a ladder leading below.
"Nice dog."
"Yes very nice isn't she? Come along." The man replies. His focus is fully on the trap door. He takes hold of the ladder and swiftly descends, leaving the party alone with the dog.
Abbo looks briefly at the others, then back at the trapdoor - and proceeds to descend behind the man.
"Wish I had a way to wipe those spells..." murmurs Rexandi as she follows along.
"Oh good more sewage. I thought I wasn't going to tempt the plague again today."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"I've learned some magic that can help with diseases, Bazzle, so just let me know if you get foot-rot, or gut-churn, or a fever, or blisters, or anything."
"Gut-shurn sounds horrible." the Tian woman scrunched her nose at the thought of the after effects of that one.
The group decides to follow after the enchanted man. They each climb down the ladder to find themselves in a room of black slate. The air is warm and moist, and water trickles down the sides of the slate walls, making them shimmer in the firelight. There's a faint rhythmic sound emanating around the walls, like a single distant clap repeating after slightly more than a second. A single torch lights the room, found above a pile of crates and barrels. There's also a table lit by candlelight, holding a ceramic pot. A few notes are left on the table, as well as plates holding empty oyster shells. There's a woman sitting at the table, wearing a loose wizard's robe that's draped off her shoulder. She shows only a passing interest in the group's descent with a side glance before taking a sip of wine.
On the far end of the room stands a man dressed in Dottari breastplate, holding a greatsword point down. He stands in front of a circular door, alongside the familiar man. The enchanted man says "He's one of us. Come along now. It's not polite to keep a lady waiting."
Vandomir's clothing remains clean and pristine through all of the muck and scum it may be exposed to.
Aster's clothing smells of things not to be thought of and is stained like someone suffered dysentery, but she still greats the disinterested wizard and Dottari with a smile and a nod.
She'll try and gather whether they are tensed and ready to jump them while they move through.
Aster gets a sense that the wizard was attempting to show disinterest while subtly checking out Rexandi. Meanwhile, the Dottari's eyes sized up Abbo and Vandomir. Both put on strong faces in their own way, but Aster thinks they are actually fearful. She also notices that both of them are enchanted.
The Dottari steps aside from the round door, and the enchanted man goes up to it. He knocks casually, and the door splits in half to open. A wave of humid air escapes from the doorway, revealing a rough circular tunnel. The tunnel is large enough for one person to stand in it, but two abreast would be too tight of a fit. Like the slate walls previously, the tunnel has water trickling down its walls. About twenty feet down the length of this tunnel reveals another circular door.
The enchanted man walks into the tunnel, exhaling and muttering "So good to be home." before walking down its length.
Rexandi's eyes slide back and forth before she says quietly to Aster, "This many magically-influenced people and a hideout underground? Are we meeting a vampire?"
The group decides to follow after the enchanted man. They each climb down the ladder to find themselves in a room of black slate. The air is warm and moist, and water trickles down the sides of the slate walls, making them shimmer in the firelight. There's a faint rhythmic sound emanating around the walls, like a single distant clap repeating after slightly more than a second. A single torch lights the room, found above a pile of crates and barrels. There's also a table lit by candlelight, holding a ceramic pot. A few notes are left on the table, as well as plates holding empty oyster shells. There's a woman sitting at the table, wearing a loose wizard's robe that's draped off her shoulder. She shows only a passing interest in the group's descent with a side glance before taking a sip of wine.
On the far end of the room stands a man dressed in Dottari breastplate, holding a greatsword point down. He stands in front of a circular door, alongside the familiar man. The enchanted man says "He's one of us. Come along now. It's not polite to keep a lady waiting."
Bazzle walks through attempting to keep as casual as one does after walking through muck and smelling like . . .
He nods politely at the woman in robes.
Aster gets a sense that the wizard was attempting to show disinterest while subtly checking out Rexandi. Meanwhile, the Dottari's eyes sized up Abbo and Vandomir. Both put on strong faces in their own way, but Aster thinks they are actually fearful. She also notices that both of them are enchanted.
The Dottari steps aside from the round door, and the enchanted man goes up to it. He knocks casually, and the door splits in half to open. A wave of humid air escapes from the doorway, revealing a rough circular tunnel. The tunnel is large enough for one person to stand in it, but two abreast would be too tight of a fit. Like the slate walls previously, the tunnel has water trickling down its walls. About twenty feet down the length of this tunnel reveals another circular door.
The enchanted man walks into the tunnel, exhaling and muttering "So good to be home." before walking down its length.
Bazzle tenses up when he sees the Dottari and instinctively moves his hand to his weapon. He looks up at the man when he notes that the person is 'one of us' and he nods.
"I am worried a bit as well." she whispers back. Especially at a perfect choke point with doors and unknowns at either end. Aster hangs back a bit, letting the others reach the other side and start to move through the other door before she moves through.
She'll blame her leg, needed a moment due to her age.