.
A cleric of Serenrae appears in the Venture-Captain office with his white vestments and a shiny scimitar in her hand.
"Good to see you around fellow Pathfinders. Here Kyra reporting for this mission."
|
Annalísa sits in the lodge, fixing her armor while paying some attention to the incoming pathfinders. A cup of ale sits next to her, half-full or half-empty, she thinks to herself. She took several weeks off after her severe injuries in the last adventure, which she can still feel whenever she makes sharp movements. She re-sews one of the straps on her armor and takes another long sip of ale. Definitely half-empty now, she thinks to herself, smiling bitterly. A familiar voice addressing her brings her back to the lodge. She stands up, "It's good to see you too Hskovati. It'ss been a while. I hope you've been doing well."
The Grand Lodge feels far away from here, in this opulent parlour in the Druman capital of Kerse. This is the manor home of Temel Passad, a prominent Kalistocrat - a trade leader. He has made sure the pathfinders are served the finest Cherish wine, and the sweetmeats... oh! The sweetmeats!
Our adventurers have been sent here by Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin. In fact, they're still carrying his letter.
[T1]
Two silent servants open a pair of richly lacquered doors, and a human and two dwarves stride into the lavish parlor. The man, clad in immaculate robes of whitest silk, is short and round with a blond oiled beard, and his eyes are alert and amused. He takes a touch of snuff from a golden box and sneezes before saying, [/b]“It is a pleasure to welcome Pathfinders to one of my estates once more. I am, as you may know, Temel Passad. Allow me to introduce—[/b]
One of the two dwarves, a redheaded female in deep scarlet robes, curtly interrupts the man. “We can introduce ourselves, Passad. I am Metella Raugar, representing the interests of several Highhelm mercantile consortia. My companion”—she gestures to a dwarven man with leathery skin baked by the sun, his head swathed in a bright yellow scarf—“is Amauhak of Reth Bezel, a mystic of the sand dwarves of Osirion.”
[T2]
Kyra kindly eats some of the sweetmeats and Chelish wine.
When Temel arrives and introduces the dwarven, Kyra nods with her head "The Society is pleased you are taking the risk to help us in this venture. Razmiran is quite an unpleasant place to visit, and one of the most dangerous for the followers of good gods. Have you ever been there? What kind of protection can you offer us in our mission? Perhaps a disguisse?"
"I guess we are firstly heading towards the port city of Xer. Am I right?" Kyra eats slowly the sweetmeats as she talks with grieve.
|
|
[TI]
Hskovati follows Kyra's example, and samples the sweetmeats and the Chelish wine. Finding the flavor to her liking, the nagaji paladin helps herself to seconds just as the human and the two dwarves enter the parlor.
[T2]
The nagaji bows respectfully at the introductions, and offers her own name in return before allowing Kyra to handle the pleasantries. The cleric's response fills Hskovati with a bit of unease. "We are entering a curssed land, if they would not welcome a sservant of the fair Iomedae."
|
|
T1
Annalísa listens as the dwarfs introduce themselves. This mission is probably quite important for them, as some important people are involved in this and they're investing some resources in it. I guess that means better opportunities for us as well. After sharing her name, she remains quiet at first while the others speak about the mission, then adds "As you all know, we are all Pathfinders, operating through our society and accepting this quest as one of many missions. If I might be so rude to ask bluntly, what in this mission makes it worthwhile for you dwarves to risk your lives - or your money?"
|
Yaroslav doesn't hold back on the treats and by the looks, he is really enjoying those.
[T1]
After chewing up another sweetmeat, he says with a smile:
"Blessed be your path, friends. I am Yaroslav and I am pleased to meet you. Those sweetmeats are quite enjoyable, thank you. Noble Temel, as far as I understand, you will provide us with a boat. Can you tell us, up to which point it will take us? How long will we have to travel on foot afterwards? I heard that Razmiran is not a very hospitable land."
After hearing Yakanzis comment, Yaroslav frowned a bit:"You should respect the choices of your comrades, friend. Every diety is good in one way or another. Someday it might be that the blessing of the Dawnflower will save you from certain death. You never know..
Saying that, Yaroslav puts another sweetmeat in his mouth, showing that he doesn't want to continue this conversation.
T2
Metella responds to Annalisa's question first. You have not been briefed as to who you're looking for? We're looking for three dwarves: Rakuska Imgardam, a well-known Five Kings diplomat and devotee of Torag; Holfist Sendstrom of Taggoret; and Pechas Domri—like Amauhak, a Pahmet dwarf of Osirion. All are valued for their strategic and military acumen.”
Temel adds some background on the land of Razmiran: It’s a strict theocratic government presided over by a vast priestly bureaucracy serving a being said to be a living god. All other faiths are prohibited in the nation, though foreign priests are tolerated as long as they are not proselytizing and just passing through. All nonresidents are subject to
sundry tariffs and unannounced inspections.
While Amauhak of Reth Bezel keeps a solemn silence, Metella explains the route We'll be sailing up the glass river. Xer is an important landmark there, but not our primary destination. Further up the river is a place called the 'Gray Revelation Inn'. It is right at the riverside, so there is no need to march through Razmiran lands. Which is good, the fewer people know of our presence, the better.
Temel's boat is the Abacus, a modest craft manned by five sailors. The journey along the coast of Lake Encarthan is uneventful - it is a safe route after all.
As I said Metella says when the boat first enter the Glass River Xer is the first landmark along the way. It is the law that any vessel entering pays custom duties.
Temel interrupts ... and it is usually a wise choice to add a 'gratuity' to avoid trouble.
Metella, frowning, interrupts Temel in turn .. which is why I say we avoid drawing attention to ourselves altogether, and move past the town without entering it.
Move past Xer without paying duties? Temel sounds alarmed we'd be in great trouble if we run into one of the faith barges, unable to provide proof we've paid our share. Imagine the trouble we'd be in if we're exposed!
Metella's rebuttal becomes increasingly heated: Which is not nearly as bad as what would happen if our boat got searched at Xer. We would be exposed!
|
|
"I ssuggesst we resspect the law here and pay the cusstomss. What iss the worsst that can happen to uss? Iomedae will watch over uss for our just actionss." Hskovati fidgets slightly as she struggles to follow the conversation, a slight headache paying the reptilian paladin a visit as she considers the pros and cons of each side. Holy lissper? The stray thought flits in and out of her consciousness, threatening to turn the slight headache into a pounding migrane with each visit within her mind.
Before departing, Kyra approaches the Grand Lodge and acquires a heavy wooden shield with her sparse founding.
-----------------------------
Kyra thoughtfully consider the dilemma "Well, both behaviours might bring us problems, so it is a sort of deciding when and what problems we want to have."
She strokes her cheek before continuing "As I see it, it might be easy to conceal a bunch of pathfinders as merchants or travellers, rather to conceal a whole ship. That said, I assume there isn't any cargo with us that might place us in a bad position, is there?", really suspicious at the dwarven discussion, the woman looks straight to them.
And to Yakanzi she says "We might well have to serve some heads to our gods before this ends, but Mr. Yakanzi, please make as much as you can to restrain your violence until it is necessary, and let our friends conduct the negotiations when we arrive to the custom house. Last thing we need is a violent half-orc provoking the inspectors aboard the ship."
That said, Kyra starts making preparations to conceal herself as a merchant.
|
|
Annalísa listens to the conversation and considers both options. "I say we should move past Xer without stopping and without paying. There's always a chance no one will get us later, which is always good. Even if those barges will stop us we can try to talk our way out of the situation, and let's just say that whatever their strange god is, I'm sure they'll worship the god of gold if it'll come to that. If for whatever reason they'll decide to fight - we have more than enough able bodies on board to drive them off. These ships should be ready to stop petty merchants, not fully armed adventurers."
Annalísa gestures to Kyra to move aside for a minute, then shares her thoughts - "Something is definitely going on around here and they aren't completely sincere. I'll look around and see if I can find anything."
A sideways glance of Temel's after Kyra's comments tell enough: the dwarves, and the kalistocrat are the cargo.
The party is split between sailing on and docking at Xer. Look Temel says if we dock at Xer, I will gladly pay the customs duties., and he produces two platinum pieces. This should cover the fee as well as allow for sufficient 'gratuity'. It's only customary.
Kyra takes Annalísa by her hand and whisppers "Looking for extra clues is never bad so go ahead. Although I trust those dwarves and their mission."
"Well, what can go bad?" Kyra looks at the rest of the crew in order to know what are their thoughts "They will just see a merchants group of humans and dwarfs with their reckless half-orc bodyguard."
That said, Kyra will not push her thoughts and will let the others convince the crew to take different approach, as for example Annalísa suggested.
She will change her cloths for those fitting a merchant going through Razmiran.
We will hide out in the hold. Metella says There is no warrant on our head, but we should keep in mind that the last dwarven envoy was most likely captured here. A ship with another dwarven envoy is sure to raise attention. It's best if we and Temel are not spotted.
Temel adds some context, hesitatingly The razmirans are... well... let's just say they have a good enforcement system. The local clergy of Razmir has a strong grip on the population. They control the land, and they control the minds of the people. If you're suspicious, acting out of the ordinary, you can make sure that anyone will report you, if not to get ahead, then for fear of punishment.
Metella is right, if we dock at Xer, the dwarves and me should stay in the hold. I'm still convinced docking there is the best way to go.
The city of Xer occupies the north bank of the Glass River, and its dozens of docks remain busy as ships headed both east and west call at the port. Grubby men and women in bulky jackets patrol the docks, and few smiling faces are to be seen.
Temel, Amauhak and Metella ensure they are safely belowdecks before any docks come into view.
The boat’s captain chooses an isolated berth sheltered on either side by tall warehouses, and one of the sailors tosses a rope to a dockworker.
Soon after, three Razmiran enforcers appear, one of them holding a scruffy, vicious-looking creature on a taut leash. How many? the leader asks, in a manner that cannot be mistaken for anything else but unfriendly.
The wolf snarls at Yakanzi, as the enforcers don't hesitate to draw out a long silence. By the mask of the living god, answer me the leader finally breaks the silence how many people on your boat?
|
|
Annalísa greets the enforcers with a smile, "Good day to you, good sirs. No need to get angry here - we're just passing through. As for the number of people, let's see... one, two, three, four...", she counts the visible party members and crewmates, exclaiming the last number. "How much should we pay?"
"We don't want to make you lose your time, make your work, we have as much desire to continue our way as you have. Just tell us how much the tax is and we will pay."
That'll be eight gold pieces, then.
Unsure the platinum pieces from the dwarf may take attention, Kyra instead pays with her own gold pieces "Take this, you have 8 golds now." and hands the money to the tax collector.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Annalísa notices the transaction and quickly jumps in, offering two additional gold pieces for the customary bribe Temel spoke of. "And here, this is for your troubles. I'm sure you all have a difficult job and would like to thank you for your preformance and diligence. It's been a pleasure working with you all."
Two only? That's not going to cut it. Yuslav, you search the boat with Hotspur. There better not be anything suspicious in there.
One of the enforcers, the one with the wolf, moves forward to enter the boat.
"You are in your right to check it, so go ahead if you want to lose your time. We are in our right to get angry on you making us lose our time. But as said, it is your job, so do it if that's what you think you have to do."
Kyra will follow them and try to distract them as they search.
"I have heard the way through the River is not save for merchants lately. Have you heard anything about it? Any incoming attack? Neighbours are unpleasant on the Fluvial Kingdoms as far as I know. Are many other merchants going through like this?"
Cease your obstruction or be taken into custody. Milo, you search as well. Strip every inch!
Yuslav and Miro enter the boat, and open the hatch to the lower deck. Aha. What do we have here. Subversive elements? Miro shouts, while raising his crossbow. This will look good on our record, Yaslav.
Indeed Yaslav answers, then addresses the group In the name of Razmir, you are under arrest.
"I don't know what are you talking about?" Kyra gives a look at what they are seeing "What is the subversive element?"
The enforcers release their crossbow bolts at the resistance Yakanzi puts up. Two bolts hit Yakanzi, burying themselves deep into the barbarian's flesh, while another whizzes past Annalisa's head.
---
Yakanzi
Yaroslav
Hskovati
Annalisa
Kyra
---
Enforcer
Enforcer
Enforcer
Hotspur
---