So it begins.
You have each come to the dinner party as applicants for the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye. Throughout your training and young adulthood someone meaningful in your life, for some a parent for others a teacher, has been a participating member of the Order. As you neared the end of your training and were preparing to go out into the world on your own, you made it known you were interested in joining the Order. Two days ago you received an invite from Keleri Deverin to attend a dinner party. Your mentor said it was an invitation to meet you to determine if the Order would offer you an apprenticeship.
(Some or all of you may know each other. Post in the Discussion thread to work out relationship details.)
Emmy strides over to the table. She's wearing capri style pants and a loose fitting shirt suitable for exercise. A flute hangs from a strap that runs over her head. It is tight enough to keep it from interfering with her movements but slack enough that she could pull it up and play if need be. She pulls out a chair and sits down. To the room at large she says, "Hello, my name is Emmy." She partakes of the appetizers smiling at the others around the table.
Tiger Lillie enters along with Arwen. She is wearing a black cloak with the hood down, her shirt and pants are made of buckskin. She has a quiver dangling from her side as a counter balance to the scimitar she wears on the other. Tiger Lillie sits next to Arwen and looks about the room, a friendly smile on her face, but she says nothing.
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Arwen walks in wearing a hooded tunic and leather leggings, with a quiver of arrows strapped to her back. Her blue eyes dart across the room meeting the eyes of those at the table. She gently lifts her heavily gloved hand and removes her hood, revealing her blond hair. She gently smiles nods as she chooses a seat. She pulls out a seat beside Emmy and sits. "Greetings, I am Arwen. It is an honor to be here," she says smiling at most of the group. She removes her glove and reaches for the appetizers.
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Striding in confidently, Grak has a black cloak wrapped around his large frame which covers his metal armor. A bright, silver symbol of Torag stands out against the black cloth on his chest while a shield with a matching symbol is strapped to his back. "Good day to you," he says as he quickly takes in the three ladies in the room. Despite the semi-formal nature of the event, he turns his chair around backwards, draping his arms on the back of the chair as he straddles the wooden seat. A large hammer hangs to his side as he surveys the light course before him and tries to hold his manners allowing the women to begin eating before he reaches for some type of meat.
A motley crew of 3 well dressed adventurers enters the room together. Ash is a large fellow with a large battle ax and shield strapped to his back, and dull gray chain mail covering black sleeves and pants. The armor has been intentional darkened to eliminate reflection and aid stealth. His blonde hair is pulled back with a leather cord in a utilitarian way that suggests function is more important to Ash than form. Despite his intimidating size and equipment, Ash has a freindly and open demeanor and offers a genuine smile to the group.
A tall, thin elf enters just behind the large warrior wearing loose gray paints and a gray wizard's robe. He smiles and bows slightly to the group and says, "Good evening. I am Malkis the Gray at your service. It is a pleasure to meet you all."
The third entrant of the group enters the room with a flourish and a slightly ostentatious bow. He is wearing a silver shirt with puffy sleeves, royal blue pants and tunic to cover leather studded armor, also died blue. He wears a royal blue cape trimmed in silver, with a foppish, plumed hat. "Good evening all, and well met!" he exclaims. "I am Aramis of Trent, here in service to the Various and Sundry Things Merchant House. My commrades and I are most please to meet you."
Ash shakes his head slightly at Aramis' theatrics while Malkis shows a knowing, but warm smirk. All three proceed to the end of the table to be seated.
Grak nods at the three new comers as they enter. "Did any of you happen to pass a rather ugly dwarf on the way here?" he asks those at the table. "I fully expected him to arrive before I did. I hope the little guy didn't get lost... again," he says with a laugh that comes out more of a snort.
The evening hostess enters the dining room before the aforementioned dwarf arrives. She is dressed in a red gown with a white shawl over her shoulders held in place by a ruby pendant. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being patient. My name is Keleri Deverin. I know some of you are probably hungry so I wanted to get the dinner started. Afterward, we will discuss why I asked you here."
Cocoa came in, waved at everyone, and took a seat at the end of the table near the druids. She said hi to Arwen and Tiger Lillie, friends of hers from the small gnome enclave in the forest near Magnimar.
Following right behind the gnome is the butler with a push cart with various dishes upon them. He sets a covered silver dish in the center of the table and raises the top to reveal a roasted goose. Then he begins to set other dishes upon the table, all designed to accent the succulent goose. Once all is set Keleri turns to Grak the paladin, "Would you be so kind to bless the food before we begin Sir Grak?"
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After the customs of Torag, Grak stands up, raises his glass, and looks from face to face while offering thanks. He asks Torag to bless the food, to continue to forge the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye, and to sharpen the skills and abilities of its members. He closes the blessing with a cheerful "Here, here!" and takes a drink from his cup before sitting back down in his seat, still with the back of the chair facing the table.
Walking in the halls Bruno overhears his friend Grak's blessing, never wanting to be late for good food and better ale he bursts through the doors and shouts out a hearty "HERE, HERE!", then striding (as well as any Dwarf can anyway)across the room he takes a seat next to Grak while motioning for the bar wench to fill his tankard, "Sorry I'm late friend, I was sidetracked along the way but that is the way of things sometimes, and now I am here by Torag's blessed fires. Did I miss anything?"
This Dwarf is as any other Dwarf, un-remarkable in most every way. His eyes are sharp and keen and his hands look as if they have worked the forge fires for ages upon ages, but he is not dressed in the standerd leathers of a common smith but instead he wears a cassock with Torag's holy symbol around his neck and simple leather boots.
"Ahh, here is our good dwarf now." Keleri says. "So, please enjoy the food and then we will talk about the reason you have been brought here."
Everyone tries the various dishes that are provided. As the main courses are eaten the butler then brings out a Korvosan custard. As the last few cups of custard are being finished off, Keleri wraps her spoon on the side of her crystal goblet sending a tinging that cuts through the noise. All eyes turn toward her, even as some finish off the custard. "This coming weekend, I am preparing to head to Sandpoint, a small town to the north famous for its glassworks, to attend the dedication of their new temple. I want you all to attend with me. The trip takes a little more than a week by caravan and we should have time for me to discuss matters with you individually. Then, we will present the Star of Desna, a relic my grandparents discovered, at the dedication and have it blessed on that faithful day." She pauses for any questions then continues, "Please follow me and I'll show you this relic that we will be transporting."
There is murmuring about the festival, has anyone heard of Sandpoint, someone mentions the Sandpoint Devil, and others just continue their discussions from dinner. Keleri walks back out to the hall. Everyone follows her as she leads the way into yet another room (room 6 on the map. She picks up a candelabra for light and then beckons for everyone to wait before she descends the steps to the cellar.
"Oh, my" Keleri says when she reaches the bottom of the stairwell. She rushes back up to the top of the stairs and says, "I've been robbed."
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"How can we help m'lady?" Grak says stepping forward. "When was the last time you saw the relic?" He nods towards Bruno, "Gather a couple of people and take a look around outside." He points towards Tiger Lillie and Arwen, "One of them nature people may be helpful in checking for tracks or other indications outside."
"Ok, let's go outside." Tiger Lillie said as she followed. Outside, she had Cappuccino, her dinosaur, begin sniffing for tracks as she begins looking.
Keleri answers Grak, "I had it stored downstairs. The place is a shambles and the box holding the Star of Desna is gone."
Grak leads the way down into the cellar. Most of the others follow, Cocoa stays to comfort Keleri, "Don't worry, we'll find it." she said to the obviously distressed woman.
The cellar is a scene of destruction. Broken boxes, shelves are swept clean, storage barrels have been pried open and broken glass from wine bottles litter the floor. Then you hear a sniffle, it was quick and short but definitely a sniffle from the other room.
Keleri shakes her head no. What seems like a long silent moment passes before a small scratchy voice speaks from around the corner. Then a female goblin steps from behind the corner holding her hands up. Finally, in broken common she says, "No hurt, pease?"
For his part Bruno goes outside with the others to look around. Not being a tracker by any means he will follow the lead of the druid.
Those outside find nothing and return inside to report their lack of findings. They surmise everyone has moved into the cellar and so follow suit. They arrive in time to see the goblin step out and ask not to be hurt.
Back in the cellar, Cocoa asked "Are you the thief who made this mess?"
The goblin seemed glad to have an opportunity to explain, or at least she was happy to be alive, "Sort of but I not want to. Talga's tribe was taken over by Drakus. He mean, very mean. Kill bad goblins. So we try be good goblins. Drakus say get in longshanks homes but goblins say can't. Drakus kill goblins so we get into longshanks homes. In this home Talga hide when others leave. No want to go back see Drakus." the goblin said in one long breath.
Drak lowers his weapon as this goblin seems sincere. Speaking to Talga, "Can you tell us how to find Drakus? You did good getting away from him. Help us find him to recover what he took and we will not let him hurt goblins any more." Before heading upstairs and outside he turns to the others and says, "Let's get what information we can from her. I'll let the others know to look for goblin tracks."
Once outside, he lets the others know about Talga and her depiction of the goblin thieves. "So if there are any goblin tracks nearby, they may give us an idea of which way they went with the relic." Pulling Bruno aside he whispers, "Does this seem a little too convenient to you? We finally get invited to be interviewed for the Order and a relic is stolen by goblins. This may be a test that sifts out potential members. Just my 2 coppers that we need to stay sharp."
Talga responds to the question of where to find Drakus by pointing into the side room she stepped from, "Drakus that way. We make hole in floor."
Some of those in the cellar step past the goblin to see a large hole in stone floor, apparently tunneled from below. In this part of the room, the smell of the sewers below can easily be detected whereas in the other room it was concealed by the aroma of smashed wine.
At Grak's mention of heading out, Cocoa says, "Wait, we're already back. We found no tracks or scent trails."
"Into the sewers? This is some party. I guess there is nothing left for us but to jump on in and find this Drakus. Sewers can be a maze though, Grak do you think we should take Talga with us to act as a guide?" Then turning to face Talga, taking a knee to be eye level and with a sincere tone, "Talga, could you help us find the way? I promise you will be safe, and when we are close enough to Drakus to find him without you, you are free to go your own path. How does that sound?"
"Talga can do that." the goblin says.
i'll need to prep, put on my armor and ready my weapon. But then lets jump in
Keleri thanks everyone who offers to pursue the goblins, which turns out to be everyone. She recommends everyone make any preparations they need and return in two hours.
Before they descend into the tunnels, Cocoa walks up to Talga and shakes the goblin's hand, smiling at her reassuringly.
Talga leads the group to a given spot in the sewers and points straight ahead. She then quickly scampers off with a faint cry of good luck. The damp sewer passages have led to a slimy cistern that stinks of decay. On the northern edge of this circular chamber lies a pile of burnt bones in front of a scorched tunnel.
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Arwen looks around the burnt sewer. She looks at Thor, "Not what we had in mind for a sewer, huh boy?" Arwen walks in between Emmy and Tiger Lilly. She glances at Emmy's flute. "You play flute? I used to play guitar near my village. I would play under the shade of a large oak tree in the outskirts of town, not to mention target practice. I also met Thor under that tree, almost makes me feel homesick. Where do you come from?"
"I was born in the Whispering Woods but most recently I came here from Sandpoint." Emmy said to Arwen as Grak stepped forward to inspect the bones.
"Hey," Cocoa says to Arwen and Tiger Lilly as she walks past them. "Do you want to come and join me in exploring this tunnel? Safety in numbers."
"Arwen, you going with her?" Tiger Lillie asks.
Malkis: "I'm going down the tunnel." And he runs down the tunnel summoning light with a minor cantrip.
Ash:"Oh man. I guess I have to go save the wizard's butt!" Ash says as he rolls his eyes and heads down the hall. "It's like he's Leroy Jenkins or something."
Aramis: "Since the Paladin looks to be capable, I suppose I should render assistance down the hall," Aramis says with a non-chalant shrug. "Please remember to drag our carcasses out of this hole should things turn unseemly," he says to the remaining crew in the chamber.
Malkis moves foward, Ash and Cocoa close behind him. Cocoa's light spell shines forth lighting the part of the room ahead they can see. There is a screech as goblins cry out from the sudden bright light. Then the three of them hear the smacking of little feet, a LOT of little feet.
Cocoa begins to chant. Those around her can feel the power building but she holds it, waiting for something to step into the light.
Arwen notes it is getting a bit crowded in the tunnel and may not be conducive to archery.
Follows quickly behind Arwen, rapier drawn and ready for action.
Tiger Lillie gestures to her dinosaur and the two of them move closer to the hall taking up a position on the stairs.