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Tassira history check please and will check please
Emperor Runan the 1st commanded that there would always be a 536th and that completing a term of service (4 years in war time, 20 in peace time) would see anyone’s honor restored and record erased.
Furnok checks out the maps. These will certainly come in handy.
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The Twelve--
Tassira's thoughts are halted by a sharp pain searing through her head.
"ARGH!"
She holds a hand to her forehead. Her ring of House Alenkine feels especially warm on her finger.
The pain passes. The knowledge is still there.
Tassira's eyes widen. The Twelve *were* weapons! But why did Rodger make them?
A flash of memory--
Little better than cannon fodder, they said. They showed them.
The Forsaken never faltered. Corporal Reid never faltered.
Came back with Alumananx the Vile's right hand. Came back with one of the Twelve.
The 536th went down in history. So said Emperor Runan I. Once a convicted murderer, now the new Emperor.
Any who serve may have their honor restored.
"What...?" Is all Tassira can say.
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Tassira has stumbled in part on one of the campaign's secrets. This particular secret is protected by a powerful magic that causes people to forget it if they stumble upon it or part of it. To connect "The Twelve" to weapons and remember it requires a DC 20 Will Roll with the following special bonuses
Scholar feat: +5
Wearing (on finger)Great House ring: +5
Imperial Army Veteran: +5
Conspiracy Hunter trait: +10
If you fail the roll you may roll again when presented with new evidence.
Another searing pain, this one worse than last time.
Like a knife to the eye.
Tassira almost collapses from the pain...
The knowledge tries to flee. It doesn't want remembrance. It wants to stay hidden. Too important to let anyone else know.
But she will have none of it. Any scholar worth her salt would not allow it.
She *forces* the knowledge to stay. Her ring seethes with power. It stops resisting her.
On one condition...
Tell no one else.
She reluctantly agrees.
The Twelve are weapons... But they must either be so powerful or evil that they were never meant to be remembered.
Tassira opens her eyes. She's breathing heavily.
"I... need some air." She says. She stows the journal away in her backpack, then leaves the library without another word.
She spares a quick glance at Kariel before walking out onto the Library grounds.
From behind him, he hears Tassira cry out. He spins around to see Tassira leaving. He follows.
"Tassira, what is wrong?"
He reaches out to touch her shoulder.
Marrovak sees Tassira almost stumble out onto the grounds as he is finishing his ambulance-chariot.
He asks wih concern,
"You are alright, Sorceress?"
Eldrian finishes his breakfast and while waiting for the laywer to return goes to the practise yards with his bow and sword to practise.
He doesn't score any bullseye's(crits) but it is not a bad effort. He retrieves his arrows and then lays his bow down. With a flourish he removes his cloak to reveal a fine looking Elven Curve Blade strapped to his back, a rare weapon in any part. With a smooth motion he draws it over his shoulder and holds it in front of him at a slight angle.
Practicing the different strikes and defensive maneuvers and stances he makes a few mistakes and doesn't look happy. He begins again. This time with no mistakes and an almost perfect form he is much happier with himself.
Arean paid careful attention to the Sorceress' showing her the book. Inscribed to the younger girl, it had seemed to be, but it was as Tassira had said, Tass was one of a line of the same name. In any case, Tassira did have a claim to the book, and Arean regretted teasing her, even smilingly, about 'withdrawing' it from the library.
When the pains struck Tassira, Arean rushed again to her side. "Careful of the sunlight, after so long inside...", Arean cautions.
Furnok looks on as Arean pokes Tassira in the eye.
In the kitchens, Vigar is busy. Overseeing the what food supplies can be carried and in what form, is what he's doing. He knows that he'll need to have enough supplies for maybe a month and having some spices would be good, packing nontraditional trail rations better.
Trail rations far tastier than the norm and lighter. He looks at his handiwork and smiles. His family isn't going hungry at any time soon as he adds in the herb that Marrovak gave him once having found where they grew here. The herb is simple, Mint.
In the kitchens, Vigar is busy. Overseeing the what food supplies can be carried and in what form, is what he's doing. He knows that he'll need to have enough supplies for maybe a month and having some spices would be good, packing nontraditional trail rations better.
[dice=Profession (Cook)]1d20+6
Trail rations far tastier than the norm and lighter. He looks at his handiwork and smiles. His family isn't going hungry at any time soon as he adds in the herb that Marrovak gave him once having found where they grew here. The herb is simple, Mint.
Tassira turns just as Arean reaches out to touch her.
Arean's finger pokes her squarely in the eye.
"Ow! Careful!" She says, flailing her arms.
Rowan's hand on her shoulder steadies her.
"...nothing, aside from getting poked in the eye." She says.
She IS, however, not being truthful that nothing else is bothering her.
Passing onto the Library grounds, she addresses Marrovak's concerns.
"It's just a headache. Probably eye strain from sitting in a library for too long."
She finds a spot on the grass and lies down, staring up at the sky.
I WISH I could tell you, but I... I can't. It's too important.
You probably wouldn't remember anyway.
"Well we are just about done researching things now. Perhaps it's best we stop for the day. I'll go get our things from the library and meet you back at the inn."
She IS, however, not being truthful that nothing else is bothering her.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!", Arean exclaims, as Tassira, turning away from some other interloper on her crisis, runs into Arean's reaching hand. Embarrassed at her clumsiness, and never really comfortable with her charred hands, Arean flutters back, but continues to orbit and fret on Tassira.
"It's not just the light, she'd a headache in the library...", Arean offers aloud.
Since her brother is practicing outside, she goes there to have the usual competition with him, ignoring the mess the others are making with their study.
"Crap! What the hell is wrong with me?"
Tassira rubs her eye. "Don't worry about it, Arean."
She stands up again. "I'll be fine. Just needed to take a break."
She returns to the library, wandering over to Kariel's corner.
"What are you studying?"
At the livery stable not far from the Harbor ...
"We mostly rent horses here, Master Bloodshield, our stable serves mostly the students and the visitors to the island. People tend to find it easy to buy horses on the mainland at their port of destination then to buy them here and then have to have them shipped to the mainland."
"Let me give you a couple of names. In Varde, see Terrance Forge, he's a shrewd business man, and a hard bargainer but he's also no cheat. Most importantly he a real eye for quality horseflesh, you may end of paying more than you want but you'll being getting excellent quality horses."
"In Quiesce see Heironymous Jenson, he runs a pawn shop by the waterfront, he doesn't normally handle horses, but we play chess by letter. I got a letter just this week in which he told me he had unexpectedly acquired about a dozen horses by chance and was looking to sell them quickly."
"Thank you for the names and advice, I will be sure to make enquires once we arrive"
Krag heads back to the others.
"That is good, Sorceress."
"Shady and quick horse deals? Sounds rife for interesting interaction. And a "purveyor" of secondhand merchandise would be quite the acquaintance to make. "
Marcos smiles at the thought of buying stolen horses.
After having finished researching, Rowan returns to the inn, waiting for the others to return to tell them what he has learned. He prepares two journals detailing the will, annotated with what was learned from the library, including information on the locations, the rings, the genealogy , House Alenkine, warps and twists, and the Storm.
Vigar is already waiting in the Inn after praparing rations and is even now arraning 12 bowls laden with falt bread and thick stew. Carrots, Potatos and mushrooms flavouring it.
He nods to Rowan and ladles some of the stew into a bowl before handing it to Rowan with the bread.
The meal is light but hot.
"Thank you, Vigar", Arean said, sitting to the stew and bread. "So many years, and so far to come, to have again a meal from the hand of family." She regards the bowl with eyes once again filled with daylight, and slowly shining also with tears. "To Family", she says, making a sort of toast of it, with her first spoonful.
Vigar nods to Arean.
"No truer words spoken than before. I have not had the pleasure of cooking for my family except now."
Marrovak agrees heartily.
"To family!"
"Well said, though I fear for a time s be apart and no doubt facing dangers we never dreamt of. If all have you have finished your research maybe we should prepare to make some head way."
Eldrian chuckles at Ikvvy's outburst. He had been watching her shots and noting the things she was doing wrong but had kept silent so far, wondering if she would pick up on it herself. She had never focused on his lessons as much as he would have liked her to.
"Control your breathing Ikvvy. Keep your arm and your posture straight. Now line it up. Breathe out slowly. Remember you are the arrow. Now release."
After a thin sheen had started to form on his skin from all the sword exercises he wiped his weapons clean and resheathed them. "Have you eaten already? There should be something to eat about now. When is this laywer supposed to show up?"
Vigar looks around wondering the same thing as Eldrian even though they're in the different place. A nagging feeling creeps up then.
They had enemies didn't they? With incredibly wide resources and powerful servants, what if......... He stills a moment.
The Lawyer. Where is he?
"Rowan." Vigar calls.
"Perhaps, we should gather the rest and proceed on to the lawyer's office? It's being nice meeting all of you and I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I have a twin brother and such a large family."
He looks sad but for a moment.
"We must make arrangments to leave."
Marrovak looks sadly at his now-empty stew for a moment, but shakes it off.
"Yes, we must leave."
Rowan looks up from the journals.
"Yes, that's a good idea. Tassira should still be at the library, but I don't know where everyone else has gone to."
Following Kariel, Tassira arrives at the lawyer's office.
"Sorry to keep you all waiting. Let's see what Mr. Massys has to say."
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As you walk into the lawyer’s office, a tall thin middle aged man behind a desk, gets up and welcomes you. He introduces himself as Mr. Massys’s clerk. Among the various items such as bookcases and file cabinets you expect to find in a lawyer’s office you notice a pile of backpacks against one wall. The clerk knocks quickly on a door he calls the conference room and lets you right in. Inside is Mr. Massys who rises from his chair at the head of the table to great you.
“Please be seated, there isn’t much left to tell you, but there is quite a bit of paperwork to finish. As soon as you are comfortable we can get started.”
”Professor Crispin left you each a significant amount of money in several different banks. Unfortunately that money has been seized by Imperial Edict and placed into a trust fund. The requirement that will see the release of that fund I have not been able to get revealed to me. As executor of the will I will of course continue to pursue this matter but I suspect you will have to take it up will the Imperial authorities in Marthos.”
That said as you already know money wasn’t the only thing that was left to you. In addition to the items you received last night and the various properties that I mentioned, the professor had a number of things he wished to pass on today. Mr. Massys takes two 2 jewelry boxes from the pile of books and papers he has in front of him and passes one to each Tassira and Kariel.* ”The professor said to say that these are the necklaces that he would have given you on your 16th birthdays if he had been able to. You’ll note that they comprise a matched set when added to the necklaces you received last night, as do the sets that Arean and Ikvvy are wearing”
The lawyer pulls out a stack of papers and passes them around. ”Next, aside from the assets that I mentioned last night, all assets that Professor Crispin owned in full were seized by the Imperial Edict that took the money. Still that left a number of properties that he had ½ ownership of and was considered a silent partner in; Each of these business are located in or nearby Marthos. This list details the professor wishes as to who was to get his share of each business; the name of the individual who runs and owns the rest of the business, and a little information on what kind of environ it is located in.”
”Finally, you certainly will have noticed the backpacks in my outer office. There is a pack** for each of you, inside are some supplies and a small bag of traveling money. As this money was left in hard currency it was beyond the scope of the Imperial seizure edict. ”
”We now need to call my clerk in here so he can witness the signing of these various documents and that will conclude our business for today.”
The Longtooth Lounge, “Social Club”, very high class, run by Madame Kel Nokie, 1/2 ownership (silent partnership) to Eldrian.
The Brass Orchard Tavern, water front, family friendly, working class, run by Lesir Delow, 1/2 ownership (silent partnership) to Kariel.
The Singing Frog Sanctuary, Tavern, working class, run by Kother Landsend, ½ ownership (silent partnership) to Krag Bloodsheild.
The Bloodmoon School, fighting academy, run by Re’esh, ½ ownership (silent partnership) to Braden Swanson .
The Cock and Bull Gaming Club, all classes, run by Wasco “Dicey” McFarland, 1/2 ownership (silent partnership) to Marrovak Wolftooth.
The House of Infinite Dreams, “Social Club”, extremely high class, run by Gilada Nev, ½ ownership (silent partnership) to Marcos DeAngelis.
Vigar signs the document presented to him and chuckles.
This have to be a joke. Is there some hidden secret to be uncovered? I know nothing about gambling and Marrovak must be in the same situation.
Neither of us must have touched any of the gambling games in our lives. However Marthos seems to be the key here.
There could be a clue there. Better wait to see how we're going to go about it.
That's seriously alot of cash.
Wonders what Marrovak thinks about this?
Tassira signs the necessary papers & opens her jewelry box.
She puts the necklace on, next to the one she's wearing already.
The backpack, however, she's having difficulty carrying.
"Oof... this is pretty heavy..." Tassira says.
Vigar reaches out and takes Tassira's backpack for her.
"Let me do this cousin"
The words seem right.
Easily shouldering it,Vigar carries it to where Tassira would want it placed.
In the evening, Brad retires to the temple of Irori and not to the inn. It was all a bit much to handle. Brad was angry, and he knew that anger could lead to foolish mistakes. Or so he had been taught by his master, Yang. He pulls out a copy of the sacred scrolls he had taken upon his departure, meditating on its words and attempting to still his mind, but he can't seem to focus.
As darkness falls and frustration sets in, he gives up. Stepping into the night, he begins to strike at the air, turning and striking at invisible ghosts with fist and foot. Finding peace through fighting.
"A fighting academy? Hah! Good one. He should've given me one of those gambling dens instead. That's what I'm really good at." He signs the document, then looks up at the lawyer. "One question, Mr. Massys. Seems like you knew the professor pretty well. Did you know any of his family? Do you know anything about Vors?"
Furnok listens to the lawyer go on about the inheritances. Looks like we have a secure future, unless we all get killed first. He examines the backpack and nods.
Very generous, I will most certainly put these to good use. He then signs his name where required.
"Vors Ancona, I didn't know the adult at all. The child I meet in passing once or twice. I'm afraid that most of the information I could give you would be considered 20 year old gossip at best. Still...there were rumors, understand I never asked the professor to confirm anything, that Vors had been kicked out of the Imperial Mage Academy, that The Imperial University expelled him for the practice of Necromancy, that he spent several years in the Lands of Lord Bane, other then these bits of gossip I'm afraid I can't help you " says the lawyer.
"A fund is seized to force an accounting. To force an appearance. And with our money in their hands, to wring concession, conversation, convivial comradeship... or combat. Advantage: theirs, is their point. And if they might goad Marrovak, purely as a for instance...", Arean smiles, "...into an altercation, perhaps they might keep more of it."
"I have no trust for rules, nor those who stand on them...", Arean says, but taking the pen, she signs, and continues, "...even a decent man, bound up in his own rules, might make a ready tool for evil. Like your writings, Rowan. I might trust the man, (I DO, for you), but the word serves whoever holds it."
"My writings aren't nearly as complicated as these. Well... maybe some of them are. But they concern not rules or regulations, but knowledge, information. Not everyone can go into a stupor and come out knowing the secrets of the universe. Some of us need to write things down to remember them." He winks.
Rowan brings his paperwork to the lawyer and picks up his backpack. He is lost in thought again.
Damn I wish I could remember all those damned edicts.
He asks the lawyer "Is there a time limit on retrieving these funds and buisnesses?"