Korvosa, the Jewel of Varisia, has long sparkled on Varisia’s southern shore. Established 300 years ago by Cheliax at the height of that empire’s expansion, the city now commands its own destiny. A line of Korvosan kings and queens emerged to rule the city, establishing an infamous seat power—the Crimson Throne. Rulers have sat upon the Crimson Throne for more than a century, and the city has flourished. Yet the monarchy always seems on the brink of disaster. The Crimson Throne is not a prize to be won—it is a curse. No monarch of Korvosa has died of old age, and none have produced an heir while ruling. Even though King Eodred II controls Korvosa more fully than any previous monarch, that control remains tenuous, and many secretly count the days until their latest king falls to what they call the Curse of the Crimson Throne.
Kings and Queens and thrones are all well and good, but you, you have nothing to do with that. You have lived in Korvosa your whole life, or perhaps you have recently arrived as part of a caravan. Whatever your history you have been in town long enough to get yourself mixed up with the notorious criminal Gaedran Lamm. He has wronged you in some terrible way, and you dream of revenge.
It was a rough night, you were in a pub, or on the street or perhaps in a shop. Wherever you wake up, you have a moment of peace as you look around and have a few moments to see an incredible sunrise over the, mercifully silent city. It is at that moment that you notice the Harrow card...where on earth did that come from?
You set it down and sigh...then you see the other side. It reads. This
Kazadarin woke with a start grabbing his great club and jumping to his feet. Just a dream man! Get it together!
Figures danced around a camp fire to the sounds of beating drums. In the fire stood Lamm, the man laughed as the flames kissed his skin, and he pointed at Kaz. Laughed as he did the day he almost killed the ranger and left him to die.
The ranger stumbled around the room before opening the gunny sack curtains allowing the light of the rising sun enter the room and chase away the ghost.
His view was the top of the shingles. The shanty town that now was his home. The sun had just topped the buildings below, its rays giving off a golden light in contrast to the grayness of the old city.
He closed his eyes and enjoyed the rare silence of the city. It had been days since he had been able to enjoy a sunrises like this. Once again Kazadarin's night had been spent attempting to track gown the basterd Lamm. Once again, the ranger's quarry had eluded him.
He opened his eyes and began to gather his kit for yet another day attempting to follow Lamms Lambs. The card frell to the floor as he shouldered his back pack. The ranger's eyes narrowed as he looked at the card were it lay. Where in the hells did that come from?
You flip the card to put it away and you see written on the other side is This
He awoke with a start scrambling to his feet and muttering, frowning as he pushed on his mount and best friend Sebastion. The large hound stirred barely moving from where it lay across his lap. He was in the alleyway behind one of the pubs in Old Korvosa. He was certainly glad his friend was along, no doubt sleeping it off in the alleys alone and he wouldnt have woken up.
His search had neared a dead end enough. Despite looking childlike at times, the urchins had started to give him a wide berth, no amount of copper or candy seemed to change that.
Come on now! Git off me!
He admonished his mount pushing at the great dogs side. He could only roll his eyes as the dog grunted at him.
I know i promised ye a chance to see the kiddos, get off me and we can go say hi to the folks.
He added pushing and squiring and finally freeing his legs from underneath Sebastion. He rose and started to stretch frowning about. That was when he caught sight of the harrow card.
allo' whats this I wonder?
He said picking it up and scanning the card.
Kazadarin picks up the card and turns it over in his hand, slowly reading the message written on its back. He stares at the playing card in his hand, excitement creeping into his mind like a second story thief. ” Gaedran must face his fate, and justice must be done.” He jumps to his feet and begins hurriedly readying his kit. Preparing for the possible battle he has trained for the past 6 years, Kazadrin works as if a man possessed.
The ranger hung his great club from his weapons belt and rushes towards the door, stopping as if he had hit an invisible wall, slowly he turns to the shabby dresser and picks up a small faded mirror that he had over turned when he occupied the room.
His hands shaking slightly, he turns the mirror over and removes his hood. “Others like me.” Kazadarin stairs at his reflection as if looking at a stranger, he doesn’t see the 20 year old man that he has become starring back, all he can see is the scars. The scars left there by Gaedran Lamm. “Time to die Lamm.” Kazadarin places the mirror back on the dresser, and walks out the door.
How in the world had that card gotten under Sebastian? Must have been something you picked up while you were drunk. Taking moment to scratch behind Sebastian's ears as he insists you look closer at the card. The Dance as you look closer at it you have a moment where you feel as if you are in perfect harmony with everything around you. You feel as if you could conquer the world if you needed to at that moment. Then it fades.
Shaking your head you flip the card over and see written on the other side
Donnen woke up and got ready, as his usual. He kneel down for some prayers before dressing up and picking his equipment. His mission was clear - he had to find Gaedren, and find proofs to free his brother. He knew it wouldn't be easy - going against law and criminals, finding Lamm and making him pay would be a very ungrateful task.
His head was still uncovered when he noticed the card and picked up. 3 Lancet Street, huh? - he thought. Maybe his conversation with the guard was more fruitful then he imagined. It was still of concern, though - someone knew where he was and knew he was searching for Gaedren. Maybe the a-hole himself.
He would have to investigate, anyway. Carefully and stealthily.
Donnen is sure the card is a message from his contact, but he looks again, its a harrow card...he looks closer it is the RabbitPrince. As he stares he feels the thrill of combat, the danger the excitement...then it fades.
He flips it over and sees
Intimidate:
They beat a hasty retreat the way they came, unless you follow
Kaz watches the two thugs beat thier feet then heads off towards 3 Lancet st. The young ranger had decided that he would enter at sunset, but he would not walk blindly into a possible trap. A solid recon of the area was definitely in order.
Knowledge local:
Donnen left his room as stealthily as he could and proceeded to the address in the note. He would first observe, from outside, what was that address and who was entering/leaving the place.
Make a perception and a gather info OR knowledge local (not both)
Also if you want to remain unseen make me a stealth check
This early in the morning there are not many folk about, that seems to prevent you from finding anyone who can tell you anything. You set yourself up on the roof of a nearby home, flat on your stomach and you watch.
Nothing happens, no one moves about whatsoever.
The house looks solid, sturdy. There does not seem to be any movement around it.
Donnen disguises himself like a poor merchant the best he can, and then proceeds to knock in the door. He was obviously concerned with all the mystery around there, but convinced his contact probably was the one who set it up. And, besides, he still had his weapons - hopefully he could try to make a run for it if things went bad...
No one answers. The door is unlocked
Donnen opens the door and enters, evaluating the environment the best he can. He will proceed stealthily.
You make your way inside.
The cozy chamber within this small home is filled
with a fragrant haze of flowers and strong spice.
The haze comes from several sticks of incense
smouldering in wall-mounted burners that look
like butterfly-winged elves. The smoke itself seems
to soften edges and gives the room a dream-like feel.
The walls are draped with brocaded tapestries,
one showing a black-skulled beast juggling
men’s hearts, another showing a pair of angels
dancing atop a snow-blasted mountain. A third
tapestry on the far wall depicts a tall hooded figure
shrouded in mist, a flaming sword held in a skeletal
hand. Several brightly-colored rugs cover the floor,
but the room’s only furnishings are a wooden table covered by
a bright red throwcloth and several elegant tall-backed chairs. A
basket covered by blue cloth sits under the table.
On the table is a note which reads.
Had to step out for a while. I will return later. Thank you so much for coming. There is a basket with bread and wine under the table. Please make yourself at home while you wait. Should anyone else arrive please let them in.
The distrustful rogue doesn't seem too comfortable with the whole situation. He tries to cover his face the best he can to avoid smelling the smoke, and then starts searching around the place for clues of who's the mysterious person of the note, things of valor around and places to hide. He didn't want to stay long, alone, over there.
Roll a d20
In general you find no clues
Well then boy, lets see about some early morning grub and stop by the ol' homestead eh? we can sigh hi to mum and the little ones before we take a look at this place eh?
He said to his stalwart hairy companion ruffling his ears. he didnt like the mystery of the card at all, but after all this time he certainly didnt mind perhaps a helpful nudge, mayhap it was a serious offer given by someone in a position that couldnt strike at the bastard. Time would certainly tell.
His parents lived in squalor, too many small bodies in to small a space, but it was 'ard times right now, more so since well the false charges on his da had occured. Thankfully his da wasnt home drunk again, his ma said he was actually trying to get another fishery job since coin was so low. But his younger brothers and sisters had food at the moment, it would be enough.
He didnt want to worry his ma with things like the mysterious card, but at the same time, he didnt want something bad to happen. More than once she had tried to convince him to stop searching for this Lamm fellow, to try and get his position with the guard back, to find a nice lass and settle down, but he couldnt, and he coudlnt make her understand. Instead he left her most of his coin pouch, handed her the books he had gathered for the little ones and most of the chocolates as well.
Now dont you worry bout me Ma, Me and ol' 'Bastion here will be right careful, we will be back to tell you how it all goes soon enough,
He finally said as he left doing his best to not look back as his ma there in the doorway all teary eyed. She did this everytime, it was enough to drive a chap mad it was.
He made his way to this mysterious place, niether hurriedly nor slowly, doing his best to stop every now and then to chat up a merchant or mention the blasted weather to a passerby. It was only when he closed to the place he started to ask a few innoculous questions, about who owned the place and that sort of thing. Still as the sun started to sink low, he made his way to the place, hand nervously fingering his weapon. when he came up to the door he gave it a good knock and waited.
The room flashes and for a moment it seems dank and dirty...
Donnen doesn't lose any more minute. He keeps protecting his mouth, holds his breath, avoids the food and drink and runs to the door to leave the place. He can't fight foul magic.
You go outside
You park yourself on the corner and watch the house. No one goes in it comes out. People pass by on the street going about their business but nothing more
On the way there Kara spots two street toughs beating a hasty retreat and calling out OK corpse. You win this time, but you better have eyes in the back of your head, cause we will get you. We are going to really enjoy peeling you like a orange.
It is almost noon when you finally get out of the house and learn what you can about the place.
You know that it is the home of a local fortune teller, not much more than that though.
You make your way to the house and approach the door and knock. There is no response. The door is unlocked however.
[ooc] gotta pause you here as some of you are about to meet.
As you sit there and wait you see a halfling and a large dog stroll up to the door and bang on it.
The men turn and grin. you talking to us? a particularly large man says We haven't done anything. replies the slender one. The make to walk past Kara
Donnen adjusted his clothes, in the street, and tried to reach the shadows to hide again. The Varisian would adopt again a spot position towards the door of the place - right now, he felt as if someone was toying with him, and he wasn't swallowing it gently.
A beam of sunlight streamed into the humble attic, illuminating first a calendar fixed to the wall, then a rickety bedside table, before finally falling across the face of Aison Biros. In sleep his relaxed expression took years off of his appearance, although the scars left by his final encounter with Gaedran Lamm were always present.
Aison grumbled a bit as the sunlight finally grew too strong to ignore. He promised himself that he would pick up a decent set of curtains later today, setting aside for the moment that he had made that same promise countless times before.
Making his living in the upper reaches of the Midlands district was tough, but it did come with its advantages. One of those was the view from his window of a city just beginning to stir with the sunrise. Aison took a moment to take it all in before heading downstairs. He snagged a broom and dustpan from the storage closet before heading into the shop proper.
As helpful as his familiar could be, the scorpion steadfastly refused to learn how to tidy up.
Aison's idle musing regarding future training regimes was derailed when he saw that somebody had slipped a note under his front door.
"Now, what could this be..."
Kazadarin continues to sit on his perch quietly waiting to see what unfolds.
You grab the card and realize that it is a harrow card, specifically The Carnival As you look at the strange games being played and the bright colors you ponder the power and danger in false dreams and illusion. Such tools can be so valuable and yet so dangerous at the same time.
You flip the card over and see written there this