Aegwyn flips her own coin. It hurtles across the table, landing 5 feet away, with a head smiling up from it's face.
"The winds have chosen heads, and so shall I. If yours shows heads, we go to the house of Kal'ishal, if tails we go to talk to Anwyn."
(GM Note: Nope. No deception. Varan’s being about as plain as he can be with the information he’s got to go on.)
Varan looks to Toranindracar, “The story is not, I fear – for the present, at least – entirely mine to share. Suffice it to say that she may know, or at least know of, some people whom I hope to find. I shall have business with them, though the precise nature of those dealings will depend largely on their sense of… shall we say, open-mindedness…” He chuckles softly for a moment, and then continues, “As to what pointed me in Anwyn’s direction…” he glances over to Gwythyr, indicating the bard with a nod of his head, and then looking back to the halfling, “he did. I didn’t know her name before I walked in the door. Now, I do. As to the matter of mutual assistance, that sounds perfectly lovely. Due to recent events, I find myself disconcertingly devoid of friends.”
Toranindracar nods at Varan approvingly, finishing his steak before wetting his hands and wiping his face clean.
Then, when coins are tossed, he rolls his eyes and throws his hands up.
To all:
Yes, that's all well and good, but it seems to me that if we go searching for the Domani, asking all over town, only to find out that he was simply at home in a drunken stupor, we'll be laughing stocks. My assistant and I must go to Kal'ishal's home first. Anyone here is welcome to come along, especially you [Thomi], if you'd care to show us the way. Seems to me that anyone here might find useful information there.
Bijannar, feigning boredom, walks a few feet away and leans against one of the taverns wooden support beams. He watches the group carefully, taking stock.
Gwythyr mutters to himself and to all of you: "It seems as if all of you are off to the house of Kal'ishal, and the more the grace of the Arshama'a to you. Those who remain behind I shall see at the theatre. You others, may the Magus have mercy on your souls."
** spoiler omitted **
Bijannar, feigning boredom, walks a few feet away and leans against one of the taverns wooden support beams. He watches the group carefully, taking stock.
** spoiler omitted **
Gwythyr, you have been most helpful. In case we have more questions, where can we find you, most times? Here?
** spoiler omitted **
Gwythyr, you have been most helpful. In case we have more questions, where can we find you, most times? Here?
Gwythyr to Toranindracar and everyone:"It is a pleasure to serve and assist the Brotherhood, and I have no doubt that the favor will be returned some day. Yes, you can find me here most days, although not too early please. Elsewise at the Theatre of Rahan where I perform with my troope. I don't know how long I, we, shall stay in Mtol Daerine, it is the most interesting city in the world, but I feel the call of the open road and fresh new audiences too. In the meantime, let me know how I can help and I wish you all the best of luck in your search!"
Aegwyn,I've changed my mind: I believe we shall indeed make use of your services. You can count on the normal commission you've seen before from Navza'ar, for your help in locating Kal'ishal. Shall we head to his apartment together, so that the ... winds may guide us from there?
Thomi, I'm guessing it's the same to you either way? We'll be heading to Kal'ishal's apartment first, and no doubt to find Anwyn later. Welcome to join if you like.
Same to you, Varan.
To all:
Shall we then to Kal'ishal's home?
Toranindracar makes ready to leave.
GM:No worries. I thought you just misunderstood me. I'll have the runner deliver the message here. I'll return for it later.
In which case it seems decided. Lead on to Kal'ishal's home. Let's find out where this brother is lurking.
To Thomi:
Yes, Thomi, lead away! We're all at your back.
We make for the Lesser Ward, and Kal'ishal's home....
Friends: before you head off, it is between the watches called Barol and Thami, what would approximate between 14:00 and 15:00 by our understanding. I wanted to be sure that that was the time you wanted to head to Kal'ishal's. Also, Aegwyn seems interest in stopping by her home and picking some things up before you go, this would add, in total, roughly another hour, so the Watch of Athir (roughly 4:00 PM). Is everyone okay with this and what time do you wish to arrive at Kal'ishal's (Saemyyr has a roughly 30 hour day)?
Varan appears to be in no especial rush. If Aegwyn wants to grab her things before heading to Kal’ishal’s place, that’s fine by him. If she’d rather head there directly, that’s fine, too.
Hmmm, appears as if the consensus is for picking up Aegwyn's things, which, admittedly would still put you within the hours of natural light.
So the party's stops at Aegwyn's garret to collect a few things, any other stops along the way before proceeding to Kal'ishal's, an hour or so before sunset?
Aegwyn heads back to her garret quickly, grabs her trusty morningstar and shield, quietly cursing that she didn't forsee the need for heavy weaponry in her midday jaunt to a bar, before meeting up with the others on their way to Kal'ishal's place.
Toranindracar grumbles wittily about still not seeing the need for heavy weaponry, until, thankfully, we press on toward Kal'ishal's place, being led by Thomi!
Bijannar follows the group, keeping an eye out for observers or anyone that might be tailing our motley group.
The five companions settled their bill at the Scarlet Strumpet and made their way into the streets of the Guild District. The Scarlet Strumpet lay nestled in the narrow ancient alcoves of the southern tier of the Guild District, a stone’s throw from the broad cacophony of streets which made up the adjacent Merchant District. The Merchant District is a thing of majesty indeed. Unlike the impositions of the guilds in the Guild District, the traders of the Merchant’s District were free to sell to whom they choose, organize their own stalls, their own shops, regardless of quantity or quality, and after a manner of their own choosing. The merchants preferred it this way, they could set their own prices, sell whichever wares they so choose, and do not have to attend to the lengthy and expensive affiliation required of the major and minor guilds. For the buyer what remains is a gluttony, like nowhere else in Saemyyr, of available options. The haphazard but ordered streets of the Guild District are replaced in the fray of commerce by the teeming streets of the Merchant District, where streets cease to become streets and instead are merely one merchant stand after another, from selling exotic offerings of rare animals, their cages under tables and their tongues split to speak like humans, to the rare and illegal Vestige artifacts, hidden among folds of cloth and obtained from who-knows-where by who-knows-who (some group of underpaid mercenary adventurers!) were the shards and pieces of Vestige artifacts (perhaps you could even get a ring, or something like a ring from one of them). The Merchant’s District of Mtol Daerine is like no other, a swirl and din, a mixture of old and new; bauble, trinket, swine and pearl – the district has it all, for sale and at a ‘reasonable’ price. Well, at least to someone it would seem reasonable.
The Companions made their way through the chaotic tangle of one storefront after another until they eventually and finally came to the an area not as densely packed as the rest, the storefronts and merchant’s stalls giving way to squat residential apartments and the daily lives of normal people, an area which could only be the Lower southern edge of the boundary between the Merchant’s District and the Lesser Ward. For those of the Companion’s party who had not yet ventured foot into the Lesser Ward, there is no preparation. The Merchant District, with its vast halls of open air, where daethol merchant stood side by side in the swelling swirl with human and tegan alike, selling anything and everything, free and available to all with coin to spare, the engine of industry, wealth, and commerce, to the morass of humanity which is called the Lesser Ward.
The Companions entered solemnly into that district universally shunned and avoided by all – the Lesser Ward. It is here that the working class of Mtol Daerine lived their days, from here they were born, and no doubt here they would die. Immediately each could smell the fetid smell of the unwashed hovels of the workers who kept Mtol Daerine, even all of Saemyyr, working and forever hungering for the next gilded trinket, yet it was here, that so many labored, without food to bring home to their families.
Thomi led them quietly, without comment, through the jumbled maze of the Lesser Ward, a place forgotten, at the lower edge of the mtol, two miles above the desert floor, forgotten by all save who lived there. They traversed the length of the district, to its northern boundary with the Journeyman District (a place of unimaginable wealth and education in comparison). Seated at the unacknowledged border between the Lesser Ward, that hovel of crowded and dilapidated apartments, stood the Emerald Inn, a short walk from Kal’ishal’s apartments.
Those of you who know their race could only wonder as to how Kal’ishal’s Aríannaith lover, such an ethereal entity, could have ever withstood or embraced such conditions. You make your way to the small apartments of Kal’ishal, at the edges of the forgotten district of Mtol Daerine, upon the lesser wind buffeted slopes of that high mesa, and in the shadow of the great stone keep of the Knights of Kashouli, perhaps the only who give a damn about the districts inhabitants.
From the outside Kal’ishal’s apartment is a modest dwelling, although perhaps opulent to those who work tirelessly to afford what little they can in this district for their family. A set of narrow stone steps lead up to a small iron gate and then further on, up, flight after to flight, to the other dwellings of the apartment. Kal’ishal’s apartment, from the outside seems immediately nicer than the rest. The stuccoed walls are more freshly painted, if only by a generation, and there two narrow windows facing you upon the street, parallel to the worn stone steps which lead up to the front door. You can’t tell from here whether one of the windows, like so many of the district, is either broken or missing, or whether instead it is merely open. What you do notice is that a thin curtain blows from inside out toward the street in one of the crevices called a window.
Despite the light of the late afternoon sun, an ominous feeling approaches each of you as you approach the base of the old stone steps which lead up to Kal’ishal’s apartments. No one is about you, the streets are quiet, and you have only the soft wind, and the welcoming hand of some curtains, to draw you toward the interior.
Seemingly caught up in his thoughts, Bijannar follows the rest of the group, his hand resting lightly on his spell component pouch. Although he realizes his cloak and insignia should be enough to dissuade all but the deadliest - or the dumbest - of criminals, Bijannar does his best to maintain awareness nonetheless.
That said, he finds the clutter and chaos of this part of the city more than distracting. Before long, he's lost in his thoughts.
Aegwyn hangs back, near Bijannar, watching how the others will approach this missing Brother's home.
As Thomi nears the scene and indicates that this is the building where Kal'ishal lives, Toranindracar (walking in front with Thomi) throws his hands out to either side, motioning for the others to halt.
He steps cautiously forward, inspecting the ground around the stairway carefully, holding a small pouch at the ready. "I ask everyone to be mindful as they step here. Friends can be very useful to have around in many situations, but if one of you tramples evidence before I've had a chance to examine it, it won't go well for you." Looking around at tracks left by passersby, he takes in the scene and attempts to make note of anything unusual, as well as simply storing an image of the scene in his mind.
Perception:
Provided there is nothing obviously suspicious, Toranindracar moves on, up the stone steps to the apartment....
|
I am also interested in the open window, and examine it to determine whether there is any evidence of damage (forced entry, breakage, etc.), or whether it is just an open window.
General characteristics of the window:
Evidence of mechanical or magical traps:
And, I see if I can look through the window (if it is at a level for me to do so) to view the interior room:
All: Given that it will probably be obvious that you will be looking at very specific things (unless you are trying to hide it), you should probably go ahead and write out what it is that you are specifically looking at (without the spoiler tags) to let your companions know. You can certainly hide the results of your roll, but it may be more helpful for you all to communicate what you see to one another. It will also help me to know what each of you are specifically trying to Perceive.
Toranindracar: Nice roll! Yes, as you face the house from the street, a low set of steep narrow worn stone steps leads from a worn metal gate up several flights on the outside of all the apartments, up to the top, some several storeys up. There is a small landing after about 12 feet on the left hand side of the steps which stops at the first door. The ground everywhere in this district is covered with the grit of the desert and you see several sets of foot prints passing through the iron gate, going to and fro. You notice that the window seems to have been left open, and this is the cause for the billowing curtain.
I hang back in front of the door and window, using detect magic and including the whole facade of Kal'ishal's apartment in my view if possible. I'll scan for 3 rounds (18 seconds) to be sure.
Knowledge (arcana):
Totandindracar: You start your spell at the base of the steps so as to be able to scan the outside wall of Kal'ishal's flat as it extends to your left and slowly walk up the steps to the front door. From this vantage point though, neither the outside wall, the window, or the front door (nor steps) show any signs of magical residue.
I shrug and look to Thomi to lead us in, if and when he feels it's safe.
Bluff:
Again, in case I see any emanations, my attempt to discern the type:
Knowledge (arcana):
Is the door locked?
I dunno, do you test the handle?
All: Could you all let me know what magic items you have on your possession and if you are feeling industrious, what spell level and aura type they might have (otherwise I will look it up).
I attempt to open the front door.
You move to open the front door, the expectant push of resistance against your hand and as you do your realize that it was neither locked nor even fully closed but simply pulled enough to as to appear shut.
5 x faint conjuration(healing)
1 x faint abjuration (good)
I concentrate on detect magic and peer through the doorway into the apartment, pushing the door open. If I see magic, here's my attempt to discern the type:
Knowledge (arcana):
Otherwise, I just take in the scene and see what I can make out inside, checking first the floor area just inside the door, in case of traps or evidence (which I would be careful to mark for avoidance with the pouch of chalk powder in my hand).
Perception:
I call out: "Hello? Is anyone here?"
Thomi and Toranindracar are both standing on the small landing, immediately outside the front door of the house, Thomi has just opened the door and is in front. I need to know where the rest of you are.
Thomi- You peer into the dim darkness of the house, shadowed by the playing rays of the soon to be setting sun. As you stand in the doorway you can hear the sound of people moving in the apartment above, you are immediately accosted by the putrid smell of sour milk and the fetid stench of other foods gone bad. Laying immediately inside the doorway and next to it is a pair of boots, the heels caked in mud with large broad leaves stuck to the mud and the boots.
You cannot see clearly more than a few feet into the small hallway which opens up into the larger living room.