Welcome to the city of Kharum. Founded by a few merchant families 10 years ago, it has become the main trade port city of Varisia. The city council consists of the heads of the founding families, adviced by the captain of the guard and the two priests of the main 2 churches in Kharum. Father Hamshaw, high priest of the church of Abadar and lady Kierra, high priestess of the church of Desna.
These families need a little introduction.
-The Lamare family. Traders in high quality selfmade clothing, they are frequented by the wealthy and the influential. Consisting of three, father Alphonse, mother Brigitte and son Jules.
-The Landorras. A family of charasmatic Varisian aristocrats. They handle negotiations well, as such their talents are called upon for resolving high profile disputes. Their main product are the finer quality goods in life. Such as fine wine and exotic delicacies amongst other things. Consisting of father Markus, mother Beatrice, daughter Vanessa and son Jamell.
-The Kromm Brothers. 2 furniture artisans gifted in their craft. You name it and if you've got the gold they'll make it to the detail.
-Hayley father&sons. Consisting of father Basil and his 2 sons Clayton and Perton, they are the main suppliers of every day goods for the households within Kharum.
Upholding the laws set by the families are the Kharum Guard. Disciplined men led by captain Tarson. A middle aged man whom, despite his 40 years, is as strong as an ox.
Parts of the city
Kharum is devided into several districts. These being:
-The commons, the houses of the servants of the city's permanent merchants as well as the shops of the normal craftsmen like the smith and armorer. The humble inn "Mary's" is a modest but charming place located there.
-The lower markets. The southern markets featuring the average wares like foods, cattle and travel supplies. The Hayleys have their main shop here.
-The upper markets. The northern markets have the more luxury goods. The Landorras have their store in one of the buildings adjacent to the market.
-The specialists quarter. The place where the Kromm brothers and the Lamare family have their stores. You can find your magic and alchemy shops here.
-The Docks. It's a busy place during the day.
-The central plaza. It's a large circular plaza, with a great fountain in the middle connecting to all forementioned places. Lush trees give it a certain charm. The famous "The Eager Patron" inn is located here, along with small shops for souvenirs. The guard station is located here.
-The churches to the several deities are adjacent to the plaza.
The festival is proceeding according as planned. The markets are busy, chattering and laughing are mixed with sounds of surprise as musicians and performers entertain the public.
Promoters shout to draw in customers for their shops and establishments.
To the two of you who live here, you are way busier than normally with so many people coming from all over Varisia.
A small boy, no older than 10, darts throught the masses. In his hands a bag with flyers. You each get handed one.
The grand lottery of Kharum's festival.
5 gp for a ticket, main prize 300gp.
Buy your ticket at the city plaza great tent near the fountain.
A lottery? I doubt I'll win anything, but why not try?
Lyssa walks up to the great tent at the city plaza, and waits in what's probably a rather large line. "I'd like two tickets. Here's the money," Lyssa says, and she hands over 10 gold.
Standing on the lower market with a small stall is a tall elf. The sign of the stall says: Purifier of food and drinks. Sabel is calling people from the market over to her stall.
"Purify your food and drinks here, don't want to get sick? Purify your food and drinks!"
It is a busy market day, but as always people are not too interested in the stand.
Maybe I do need to buy a ticket or two with my last money later in the evening, with trade like this.
Later that evening Sabel heads over to the city plaza To the big tent. She enters the tent just before it closes for the public and buys 2 tickets, reducing her "fortune" to a meager 2 gold and 5 silver.
Hope it pays off, everything is better then a dry throat every day
Elsa walks along the edges of the crowd, keeping to herself and shying away from any contact. She keeps her head down, her hood up and wears gloves to hide her hands, which sometimes have flurries of snow spilling from them.
When the young boy approaches her she draws back but then gingerly takes the proffered flyer from his grip.
What is a lottery? Do they choose lots for sacrifice?
She had much to learn about these Varisians and their ways.
Grint walks up to the market square, his bland and simple uniform giving him almost no glances as he moves around in the crowd. he looks around in disdain as he sees his former colleagues getting drunk with wine and ale during the festivities.
I can't believe that trained men like that can let go of their habits and training so quickly and easily. They could at least show a little restraint.
He wonders what the little commotion is just several feet up ahead, but when he sees the boy handing out flyers he quikcly settles down and grins. As the boy oofers him the chance to buy a ticket, he frowns for a bit.
"5 gp? That's almost a small fortune for a simple soldier like me. Amuse me little man, what's gonna happen with the money you make on this?" He says as he takes several silver coins and 3 gold ones out of his pocket.
"I'd like to know the money's worth it of course. One ticket please." he says as he hands the boy the money and messes up his hair in a joke after he gets the ticket.
He then walks slowly along the crowd, looking around ath the different shops and stalls in the city of Kharum, amdiring the people's craftsmanship and handywork. The stall with the helpful skeleton and the woman calling out for food purifactions is especially memorable, though Grint is not sure whether it's due to the skeleton or the long row of people making use of her service.
Lyssa puts the tickets in one of the many folds of her monk clothes, and walks away from the great tent. Without a specific goal in mind Lyssa wanders the streets, and inspects the stands.
Hmm... not sure where to go...
"Hey!" Lyssa calls out to Elsa when she walks by, curious about the snow spilling from her gloves. Though when Lyssa approaches the girl shies away from the contact.
Okaaaay...
Lyssa then sees Grint pass by, and walks up to him. "Hey! You look like you're a law enforcer," Lyssa says to the man who wears a uniform, "Anything I can help with? My name's Lyssa Kail. I'm a monk of Irori, and serve the law as well."
While she speaks to Grint, Lyssa notices the stand Grint's looking at. Lyssa sees an elf woman purifying the food of one of her customers. "I've never seen such a stand," she mumbles.
Sabel looks up after she finishes the food of the customer, she sees a lovely young couple looking at her stand. She beckons them over to come to the stand.
"You look like a nice couple, wouldn't want anything to happen right. It's always best to cleanse you food before you eat it"
She looks at the skeleton and gives him a look to begin the couple on their way. The skeleton walks over and gives the couple an extra nudge.
"Are you enjoying the festives? Or are you on business in the town?"
Grint looks down at the young woman calling out to and approaching him.
"Well met miss Lyssa Kail. I'm not an actual law enforcer, I'm a caravan guard on a break for the festivities. Keeping an eye out is my job and it's hard to let go of such habits even when at a festival."
He glances over her attire and nods.
"Even if you hadn't mentioned it, I would have guessed you were a monk. The robes and muscled arms are a dead give away." He grins as he hopes she doesn't take offense to him saying that.
Being called over by the woman at the stand, he walks slowly down the crowd to see what she wants. He could only hear a few words; 'nice couple, festivities, business' and the questioning tone of her voice.
"G'day miss, it seems like you were trying to get my attention? I couldn't really hear because of the music and the murmurings of the crowd, what did you want to ask? Or did you also think I was a guard, just like that young woman over there, the one in the loose-fitting robes?"
Sabel, talking a bit louder now, says: "Since you were both looking over at my stall I thought you might be interested in my services. You look like such a lovely couple together, Wouldn't want anything to happen with you lunch today would you?"
She looks at Grints backpack, almost prying the food out.
"So what shall it be?"
Grint blinks for a moment, unable to say anything in response to the vendor's statement about lovely couples.
"Uhm...I..We've just met, so... As to my provisions, I have some hard tack and travel rations with me, water and going to get something good to eat at the tavern later. Somehow I stay clear of all the exotic new foods offered to me at the stalls, so I'm not worried about any indigestion caused by them."
"What?! we're no couple!" Lyssa says, arriving at the stand a few seconds later. "Why do you tell her we're a couple, Grint?!"
This man's way too hairy, no way I'd date that.
Lyssa glares at Grint. "Pervert," she states in an absolute tone of voice.
"My name's Lyssa," the monk says as she turns to Sabel, "Lyssa Kail. I'm a follower of Irori, and serve the law as well. How's business?"
Grint looks with a raised eyebrow at Lyssa and holds up his hands.
"I never said we're a couple, miss Lyssa. I just tried to explain it to her that we weren't."
Grint sighs a deep sigh. Why are things taken out of context already. One thing I didn't miss from city life. But wait, how did...?
"Wait a minute miss Kail, how did you know my name?"
"But he looked at you... like... well you know. Good that you ask, business isn't the best ever since the kebab seller next to my stall never returned after the soap washing." Sabel looks a bit accusingly at Lyssa.
"Are you interested in some cleansing of food or drinks?" She asks Lyssa with a smile.
She looks over at Grint again and says: "Well you really are missing out on the good stuff. A couple a stall over to the right they have mighty good candied apples!. Although the stand looks a bit dirty, but well that's why I'm here."
"You look like a Grint to me," Lyssa explains, "I call all strange men I meet Grint. Seriously, that's your name?"
Lyssa tries to keep a serious face, but obviously has trouble keeping in her laughter.
Seriously, that's his real name?
"Oh, you're that woman!" Lyssa exclaims, "Yeah, sorry about that, but he had to be punished according to his crime. Wasn't your name Sabel?"
"Yes I am that "woman" and yes my name is Sabel. Your name is Kail I assume? And you are named Grint?" She says with a smile.
Sabel leans forward and studies Grint.
"Miss Kail is right though, you do look like a Grint. Not meant as an offense ofcourse!"
She leans back again and asks: "So what is the cute "couple" doing in town during the festival?"
Look like a Grint, they almost make it sound like my name is a joke.
"None taken. Though I can't understand why the monk finds it so amusing."
He looks out over the crowd again, shaking his head as he sees the partying guardsmen.
"I came here with a caravan, Kharum was it's last stop for some days due to the festivities. The festival is my time to relax a little, though some of my colleagues take relaxing somewhat further."
Barely finishing saying that last line, one of Grint's colleagues comes stumbling around the corner. The gaze greatly unfocused, his mildly bearded chin still containing a few drops of his last drink.
Looking at Grint, he smiles, then drops to the floor and starts to snore.
2 others, looking more sober, drag the guy off by the armpits with a look of "sorry" on their faces......
"You may call me Lyssa, Sabel. I'm here to study the local law, and help enforce the law during the festivities. And no, Grint and I aren't a couple."
Lyssa watches Grint's colleague drop to the floor. "Huh, the other Grint passed out," she says as she watches two more Grints drag the unconscious Grint off to someplace else.
"You do like the name Grint don't you Lyssa?" She looks apologetic towards Grint. "Well it's good that you don't drown yourself in beer like that guy, are they like that on the road too?"
In the meanwhile another customer comes by and places his food on the plate placed on the stall. She calls a spell and with a small gesture of her hand the food looks more appetizing than before. She wishes the customer a good day and joins back in the conversation.
Grint shakes his head both at the drunkenness of his travel companion as to Sabel's question.
"On the road they have more discipline, they can be loud at times when back at camp, but never so drunk as this."
He watches as the two others drag him off and again he looks out over the crowd, his length allowing him to see above most of the crowd.
"I worry for the caravan if they can't keep their liquor down. Almost makes me not want to leave." he murmurs quietly to himself.
I've sent a PM to our fortune telling Bard. I'll wait a bit before posting more than the following bit.
The day was, aside from misunderstandings and embarrassing moments, rather what you'd expect. Walking through the city to see much makes the time fly by. It's too big a city to see in one day. Luckily, the festival lasts 3 days.
Evening had come and you have all got to the big tent at the plaza, intent to buy the tickets you'd got the flyers for. Entering you see a ticket booth, as well as a stall for refreshments.
"Ladies and gentlemen, honored guests, get your ticket here and get the chance to win 300 gold pieces."
The line is modest, even though you have arrived early in the evening.
"Didn't I already do that?" Lyssa checks to see if she still has the tickets, and takes both out of a fold in her robes. "Yep, here we go. Two of them."
While tucking the tickets back into the fold of her robes Lyssa joins Sabel, who's apparently waited until the end of the evening to also buy two tickets. "Do you think we'll win? Not a lot of chance, probably. I once beat this con artist up, 'cause he tried to fool people with a fake lottery. He didn't even have a real price. I sure hope these people do, they seem trustworthier."
"Hey Grint, you got tickets?"
Elsa watches the proceedings from the side. She does her best to blend in with the crowd but she hasn't been able to shake the feeling that she has been followed here, thousands of miles from her home. She notices the black haired woman staring at her hands, and she quickly hid them from view. Elsa follows the black haired woman to the plaza. She hears the man make his announcement, she waits and watches, trying to learn these strange Varisian ways.
After spending a good part of the day telling fortunes for the visitors to the towns and generally playing her role as an entertainer, Malena figures that she's worked enough and decides she'll participate in this lottery. She makes her way to the plaza to pick up a ticket.
Seeing several other people gathered around, she throws them a smile. A very traditionally dressed Varisian woman-- almost excessively so-- in a flowing skirt, a top that bares her midriff, billowing sleeves, a silk scarf, some jewlery, and a headband that holds back the man of black hair that hangs down her back, she looks dressed to the part of the Varisian entertainer and fortune-teller. "Here for the lottery?" she asks the others, as she moves forward to buy her own ticket.
Grint nods in response to Lyssa's question.
"Just one though, 5 gp sounded alot for a small chance to win, but I figured I might give it a shot."
With the sound of a new voice close by him, Grint looks up at the sight of Varisian woman, most likely a fortune-teller by her attire.
"Yes we are, though by the look of you, you might already know if you're gonna win or not." Grint grins as he says that.
Sabel turns to Lyssa "We might win, and it's fun to participate. The excitement with waiting for the announcement is also a bit thrilling. Do you punish people for a living? I get the feeling that you really do like to punish people." She said with a wink.
In the corner of her eye Sabel sees someone skirting away into a hiding place.
I've got the feeling that someone is following us.
A little while later when waiting in the line a Varisian woman joined the waiting group. Sabel answers her question. "Yes, that is a lot of money I could get and I know a lot of stuff I really want to do with it!"
Sabel buys 2 tickets at the end of the line. "Well there goes all my hard earned money." She said with a look of excitement in her eyes.
A little later, the sound of the man's voice sounds loud again.
"Do you all have your tickets? Have a seat at one of our tables. The lottery will begin shortly."
Waitresses from the refreshments stall wade through the crowd, taking orders from the eager public. One red headed, freckle faced waitress comes up to your table. "Can i get you anything? A drink, gossip?"
Sabel; DC 10 Perception
You indeed see a figure barely hiding about 15 meters to your right behind a table. Though it doesn't seem aggressive.
Lyssa nods at Sabel's questions. "I punish everyone who breaks the law according to the severity of their crime. I love it."
I don't get the wink, what's she suggesting...?
"Yes, I bought two tickets," Lyssa answers the Varisian woman, "I'd really like to win, but of course we all do."
After seating herself at one of the tables, Lyssa waves at the people she's just met. "I'll wait here while you buy your tickets. Come and join me when you got yours!"
Sabel looks a bit surprised at the answer "Well I didn't really expect that answer. Never have I heard someone say they love punishing people."
She looks back at the place where she saw someone following her to find any evidence.
Might have been nothing after all.
Sabel bought two tickets earlier and follows Lyssa to the table also taking a seat. "I can't wait for the results!"
Grint follows shortly after Lyssa after he has purchased a ticket for the lottery.
"I hope you don't mind me joining, you're better company than my former mates." He says to Lyssa as he takes a seat, he picks it so he has a view over much of the crowd.
As the waitress comes over to ask them for a drink, Grint shakes his head.
"No thank you miss, I'm all set for the evening." he taps on his hipflask to indicate he has a drink ready.
Quietly while the others seem in anticipation of the revealing of the lottery winner he scans the crowd for any troublemakers or other familiar faces.
The waitress nods and looks at the others at the table, "Can i get one of you girls something?"
Grint
You see a few of your colleagues a few tables ahead. However they are too busy to notice you. You spot something else too, a figure is poorly hiding behind a table 15 meters to your right. It seems to observe Sabel with interest.
"What's the gossip?" Lyssa's eyes shine mischievous when she asks it. "Anything good, or bad, happened?"
The waitress smiles.
"Sure thing hun, word at the lower markets is there's a gang of pickpockets active. Trouble is, they don't seem to stand out in a crowd.
Something which might be of interest to you ladies, the tavern "Mary's" at the commons is holding a beauty contest. It'll be at noon tomorrow, though what the prize is hasn't been said yet."
"Pickpockets?! Awesome!" The cheer in Lyssa's voice may sound a bit misplaced. "That'll give me a chance to beat up some criminals!"
"Hmm... the contest could also be interesting... Seems like tomorrow will be a busy day!"
"Hey girls, we should do some shopping tomorrow! We'll need a good outfit for the contest. And Grint will come too, because someone has to carry everything." Lyssa looks at Grint with her cutest smile. "You will come, won't you Grint?"
I reallly don't feel like carrying all of it myself.
Malena arches an eyebrow and looks at Lyssa. "There's always pickpockets around the docks. Especially at festival time, and when the crowd is large, as it particularly is this time around. But, then again, I suppose if you always want to have somebody to punish, you'll never run out of targets."
The last sentence has a bit of a bitter cast to it.
"No thank you" Replied Sabel to the waitress. "I don't really like the idea of a beauty contest though, don't like to stand out too much."
No one will ever see more then my face.
She looks at Lyssa. "But the shopping sounds fun! And I think Grint will join us, he's such a good lad. I still think you a good pair, such a waste that you don't like each other in such a way." Sabel has a mischievous look in her eyes.
"True true," Lyssa answers the Varisian woman, and holds out her hand. "I'm Lyssa, by the way. Lyssa Kail. What's your name?"
She sounds bitter... Did the pickpockets steal something of hers?
Lyssa shakes her head at Sabel's words. "No, Grint's too hairy for me," she says casually.
Grint shakes his head, grinning as he does in response to Sabel's remark.
When Lyssa answers Sabel he adds his two cents.
"And a good thing that is too."
Grint taps with his fingers on the table as he thinks on the subject of being an errand boy.
I meet three strange women and all of a sudden I am their errand boy. Seems like I'm 14 again and back at Korvosa.
"Though that shopping sounds so much fun," he says with a real sarcastic tone, "You can stop looking at me with that smile miss Lyssa, we've already established that we're not a couple, so you hold no power over me."
He takes the cap from his hipflask, takes a sip, then screws the cap on again.
"Handling pickpockets on the other hand, is more my taste than becoming a personal packmule."
I'll still be in the crowd of that beauty contest if I get the chance, but they don't have to know that.
"Malena Omoroi," the Varisian woman responds to Lyssa. "Pleased to meet you," she adds, albeit a little hesitantly.
Turning to Grint, she says, "You know... pickpockets, sure, they take your change. Sometimes they're part of something more sinister. But, on the scale of things, they're not that big of a problem, really. After all, this is a port city. Sometimes ships show up and steal people, with the intent of selling them into slavery. Surely that's worth more focus than a few pickpockets."
The waitress' hushes Malena mildly,"Don't go scaring the guests now.", she looks back at the others.
"Sure, we see the occasional loudmouthed sailors, but we haven't had any real proof though."
"Well, if that's all i've got some more tables to serve, goodbye."
She takes off.
Bah, it didn't work! Ah well, sounds like he'll still help with the pickpockets. That should ease the job.
"Pleased to meet you too, Malena. They steal people? That's awful... If I see anyone do that... Well, you know what I'd do to them."
Lyssa leans back in her chair and stares at the ceiling. "How long do you think till they announce the winner? I have to contemplate my outfit for the beauty contest."
Sabel nods at Malena. "Greetings fellow gambler! You said your name was Malena? My name is Sabel Ae'tari, but you can call me Sabel." she said with a smile.
Turning to Grint she says. "Do we have to force you to join us? You are in the company of 3 lovely women, if I may say so myself, this is a chance you will never get again. But if you are a bit shy, boy, you may excuse yourself. You are joining us right Malena?" Sabel has an evil grin on her face.
He will join us even if we have to force him, I can not miss the chance to get them together!
"If i had a choice i would go after the slavers instead of some petty thieves." Sabel said with a bit of a dreamy voice. "There are enough criminals why not start at the top?"
Merely a few seconds later the voice of the announcer echoes over the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the lllottterrry is about to begin! We have several smaller prizes of 10 gp, followed by the grand prize of 300, indeed, 300 gp!"
From the back another man comes with a device that scoops numbered small balls and lets them fall in a tube with a number matching the ticket's number.
Lottery rolls.
When the initial lottery is over, all of you who bought a ticket(except Jadwiga) had won one of the smaller prizes. Sabel was Lucky, earning 10gp on both of her tickets.
"You Lucky people, but now the grand prize, namely.....",
a large fume of white smoke is coming from the back. The man who brought the device earlier comes in coughing. "Sir, the money...*cough..cough*, the ticket money has been stolen!"
You don't smell the smoke though...
Spellcraft 17
The smoke is a Fog Cloud effect.
Perception 12
You hear a hastened pace of walking outside the tent, it's likely to go the long way around. It should at least come past the entrance.
"Well met Malena, my name is Grint Mavric." Grint says as he holds out his hand to shake hers.
"Though I agree with you on the pickpocket thing, they still do seem a better use of my time than playing baggage handler for this little lady next to me."
He motions with a quick nod to Lyssa.
He laughs as Sabel mentions the part of lovely women around him.
"Perhaps not, if I would tell this tale I'm sure some men would call me a fool. I might be younger than you Sabel, would that also give me the right to call you old everytime?"
He asks her with a raised eyebrow.
Let's see how she likes her own tactics back. I won't be downgraded just because of my age.
Sabel Ignores Grint and focuses on the coughing man.
She couldn't find any information on what happened and asked the others present to help her. "Could anyone aid me or see if you can find any information on what happened?"
She looks at Grint clearly angry that he ignored the man calling for help. "Well stand up man and help us!"
Men! Ignorant as always.
Grint immediately springs up and looks for any signs of the thief moving through the crowd as he hears about the money being stolen just moments ago.
Seeing many people in awe and murmuring to each other he can't really keep a clear head and says softly to the others.
"I can't see anyone in here that acts guilty or acts too inconspicuously. If any of you can spot someone, let the others know. I'll guard the entrance, perhaps the pople there have seen someone suspicious."
With that he strides towards the entrance of the tent, his bow drawn and an arrow notched on it.
"Got him," Lyssa whispers to those still around her, "Outside the tent, he should come past the entrance."
Lyssa moves as stealthy as she can, passing Grint on her way to the entrance. While she passes Grint, Lyssa quickly motions at the entrance while she puts a finger to her lips.
When the person Lyssa's heard appears, Lyssa jumps on top of him/her and grapples the person. "Gotcha!"
Noticing the spellcasting but not the person responsible Elsa becomes almost panicked They are here! she frantically searches for the person responsible for the spell. They must be slain, so I am not found.
As Lyssa makes the jump she knocks the guy's air out of his longues. With a loud *ugh* he goes to the ground. With his arms held tight behind his back, he's not going anywhere.
The culprit is still a lad, barely a man.
How will you proceed?