Zahfir smiles, but shakes his head.
"I would not offer a discount, no. Considering the reward, and this request not needing you to go there in person per sé, i'd say that is fair.
For weapons, you'll have to see a smith. But yes, i do have a few oils in stock. I have four oils of magic weapon in stock currently."
We could certainly invest in upgrading Brunhild's bow, but since hers is not masterwork, perhaps better that I give her the bow I am getting repaired that was from my father, and enchant that one instead.
Still, even if we do that, we can't expect her to fight them all herself. ... Wait, what?
Zahfir, I know you said that you were okay with only getting information about its whereabouts, but I hope you aren't counting on that information being here in town. Do you think someone here stole your package? ... If it isn't here in town, we'll be stuck. We'll ask around, but if it actually lost in the Barrow Downs, or even the mountain ridge's paths, it doesn't seem likely that we'll be able to do this for you. We just aren't equipped for it.
Zahfir shakes slightly his head at the suggestion of theft.
"Not in the city, obviously. But i suspect it must have been, somewhere underway. I am guessing the delivering party may have been ambushed. The passage between Bracada and the Barrow Downs lies in the west. I doubt a handful zombies or a wight or two, could take them out.
And speaking of free roaming gargoyles, they do tend to have tendency to collect items and trophies. This is but speculation, of course."
"If it is so, however, past records mention two sets of ruins in the west. A fallen village, and a watch tower."
"I understand your concern, lady Astella, but it is not an immediate concern to have it back. If you feel you need to wait to prepare properly, i don't hold it against you. Just please keep my offer in mind."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Astella nodded, leaving the shop so that the magic didn't tempt her. Money seemed to rule her life. All this money that they had gotten and it still wasn't nearly enough for all that they needed.
She needed money to make more money, and "winning" a castle had just made her more responsible for other people and given her more money problems than before. She couldn't just sing for room and board anymore, and the responsibility was killing her. She wondered if she should just go back home. She needed time to think, but she couldn't wander off alone either, because there was that meeting today that they either needed to crash, or tell the authorities about... or Lady Greenbriar. Actually, that almost made more sense. If Lady Greenbriar knew about it ahead of time, maybe she would catch them all rather than letting them escape like the guards did in the marketplace.
She decided to go and talk to her. She didn't trust her, or think that she was kind or worthy of much respect, but she did like the way that she got things done better than the way the guards did. She leaned back in the door and told Brunhild she'd meet them at the inn, then started off to the Greenbriar residence.
The manservant opens, and seems slightly surprised to see not all of you, but motions you to follow him.
You find Lady Greenbriar sitting behind a canvas, painting, back towards you.
And she is doing a great job at it as well.
A scene of a forested hillscape, with a lake, and some small village of cottages. Sort a scene one would see in Avlee.
"Ma'am, company."
Lady Greenbriar puts down the palette and brush.
"Ah, welcome. Please, have a seat.
Some tea please.", the last towards her butler, who nods and leaves.
Sitting down in her chair, "What brings you here today, do you have some news?"
Astella tells Lady Greenbriar about the notes that they found and about the meeting today. She explains that the group's plan was to let the meeting happen and then try to get the items from the person who purchases them, but she doesn't have any confidence that things will go their way, since it hasn't so far, and she doesn't trust the guards to catch anyone or to stop any of this from happening over and over again, and she thought that Lady Greenbriar should know about it ahead of time so she can make her own arrangements.
They don't know I am here, and I'd appreciate if you didn't share my name as the source of your information, but that's your choice. This seems like the best chance for you to maybe get back your property.
"All right, thanks for the information, Zahfir. We'll convene and see what we can do. As said, we lack magical weapons at present, and perhaps doing this is simply too dangerous without permanent ones for everyone," Estelle says when Astella leaves. "If we decide not to, we can try again later perhaps."
She looks at Daniel and Brunhild to see how they felt about the magical weapon requirements issue for the Barrow Downs.
Something about what Zahfir said stuck with her, and on the way out she convenes with Brunhild. "Maybe there's something to the notion of not having to go ourselves... we may lack magical items at present, but perhaps we have enough gold to hire one or more better equipped mercenaries to do the task for us? Does the city have reliable ones?"
Afterwards, finding herself having a bit of free time, Estelle would try and locate the messenger bird trainer the group had been informed of so long ago. Having means of communicating with Welnin on the road would probably prove invaluable in the future, or so she figured.
Daniel grimaces, As he said, its not of immediate importance. We have time to decide on what to do about it. And even if there are reliable mercenaries about, I doubt we could afford them for this. And even if we did, who is to say they don't just take the job themselves? Anyway.. I think for today, I'm going to try and find some material to help get my armor repaired. After that, If I have time, possibly find a trainer to see if I can't pick up a trick or two from the fighters here.
Daniel will go purchase some raw materials to further repair his fullplate before going to a trainer for practice.
Astella catches Lady Greenbriar in a light hearted chuckle, as Astella mentions a current lack of trust in the guards capabilities.
"Sadly so true."
She is very much paying attention to the information about the notes, not a moment interrupting Astella. Yet, as Astella mentions the warehouses, there is an expression of....recognition? As if someone heard or seen something before. She lets you finish before speaking.
"First, thank you for speaking with me before someone else. The warehouses. That is tricky. Places where wares are stored, have to be watched. But, given thieves like to have more than one exit, there must be another entrance into it."
She ponders for a moment, then as the butler returns with the tea,
"Could you please see if our robin is home? We need some help from her."
The butler nods, and you hear him going out the door.
Fifteen minutes or so later, he and a dwarven lass, around Brunhild's age, maybe slightly older, enters the living room.
Red hair in a bun, most hair still to the front.
Picture
"Hello ma'am, you needed something?"
"You've worked near the warehouses before, please inform this young lady if there are any second exits in them."
To the remaining three, Zahfir bids you good luck in your business.
"Ah, if i may give a tip. If you are looking for magic weapons, a smith down this street sells those as well. I work the magic into his crafts, he's gotten a new number of items in stock as of last week."
Daniel can find a merchant for the materials at the market, easily.
--------------
At the Greenbriar's house:
The newcomer explains there are back doors in the most likely warehouses, and that she'd seen shady folk go down a manhole nearby as well. At the request of your involvement being hidden, she writes a fake missive, with directions to avoid most eyes from seeing you.
"Ye'r goin' yerselves?", as she hands you the paper.
Remains to be seen, but have to get back to the group to see if there are any changes. Last I heard, we were going to let the transaction happen and then pressure the buyer to return the items... so if you want to nab them before that, might be wise, but your call. I've been here too long already waiting, so I need to get back.
Astella leaves and books it back to the inn.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
For her part, Brunhild returned to the monastery. If she was honest with herself, she was offended and embarrassed in equal measures. Astella had dismissed her bow so casually. It wasn't 'masterwork' she said. It wasn't good enough to enchant. Her face etched with a dour expression that seemed like it was carved out of a rock, she marched all the way back, making eye contact with nobody as she went. She had made the bow herself, with her own two hands. It had served her well enough. She had been proud of it. Had been.
Going straight to the workshops, she put it on a table and stared at it. It was solid. It was sturdy. It had held up to months and months of travel and use. But the elf was right. It was serviceable, but that was it. She stared at it, thinking about what she could do. She couldn't change the materials it was made out of, and the shaping of the stave was done. The frame was sourced from local wood. Then she had used a layer of horn and bone, followed by prepared birch bark to prevent moisture from penetrating. It was solidly made, as evidenced by it's continual use. But...the tillering. That she could work on. With single minded determination she went about testing the bend and adjusting it, so as to get the perfect balance and flexibility. She then went about replacing the grip and the string, taking special care with the knocking point and sight window. The hours went by without her noticing, as she continued to work. Not caring one whit about the expenses that she could incur in refilling the monastery's supplies, she continued on, adding filigree to the upper and lower limbs. Delicately made golden runes, each one a prayer for the preservation of the bow and the accuracy of her arrows.
Unwilling to stop working on her bow, Brunhild wearily got an acolyte to go to the inn for her to tell the group not to wait for her. By the time she was finished with her bow, the hour was so late that she fell asleep at her station, passed out next to her weapon. When she woke, she lifted the bow and looked at it again with a critical eye, daring it to have any imperfections. She refused to return to the elf with any imperfections. Her pride could not handle it.
"A moment..", Lady Greenbriar calls out to you.
From a cabinet she takes a scroll and a potion.
"Someone from the family came to visit recently and forgot these.
With your task, you four could make better use of these than them remaining here with me. Good luck."
The redhead nods as you leave.
------------------------------------------------
After doing whatever you wanted to do after leaving Zahfir's shop, everyone eventually ends up back at Grog's Grog inn. Inside a couple of dwarves are playing cards. You find Ryan in the corner, his attention focused at the duo's game.
It is around 14:00, and there is the smell of bread coming from the direction of the kitchen. On a shelf behind the counter is already a piece of cheese and a couple of thick dried sausages.
Astella is last to arrive, carrying a missive that may have been 'misplaced and found', but stashed away out of anyone else's sight.
---------------------------
No mages of skill reside within the monastery. A few members may have picked a level in an arcane class for travel purposes, but none are of high enough skill to work a magical upgrade.
If you're crafting, you'll wake up somewhere in the evening. Craft checks go by the day. If you start past noon, it will be evening.
You could, of course, pause and divide the work spread across today and tomorrow.
You had passed the check to craft it, so that would be perfectly fine.
Stone City has limited people for enchanting. Zahfir's the man to see in town for enchanting, an alternative is the mage advisor in the king's court, if one is in good standing there. The court is currently occupied with the king's problem. Lastly, you could see if you can pass a diplomacy check to see if maybe someone on one of the foreign embassies could help you.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Daniel managed to purchase a fair bit of materials for the armor, and was even able to learn a thing or two from the fighters in the city. He had been trained in fighting evasively for the most part. To stay light on his feet. However, he learned a few tricks about when, and how, to plant himself and hold his ground against a blow when needed or when doing so could throw the enemy off. Though, he wasn't particularly adept at it. A lifetime of being taught an entirely different style hampered his attempts for now.
Having failed to locate the messenger bird merchant the Innkeeper on the way here had been speaking off, Estelle eventually abandons the idea and instead asks around for a weapons instructor. She could see and feel her new bardiche was an expertly crafted, well-balanced polearm, and the excitable recruit deep down couldn't wait to test it. In fact, any royal halbadier would probably be proud to handle something like this! It was much better than the standard issue gear handed out three years ago.
...Yet her face fell as she remembered those better days, of bootcamp in preparation for the war, when Flynn and her other friends had been with her. When their idealism over the coming war and defending their homeland from evil was quickly broken at the harsh reality of the front. It was before it had gradually become clear to her that their commander was all too willing to sacrifice his men in the sake of glory, before losing most of them one by one and being relegated to the Cutters and the Soothsayers, away from the front - which had been even worse.
But worst of all, before Flynn's betrayal at the end. Why or how he could ever have supported Kirrus after his crimes against the nation would probably never stop bothering her, even if she somehow ever found out the answer...
She'd stopped fighting with her habard ever since, and it felt alien to wield again. But she had to put aside such hestiations for the sake of Welnin and her friends, she figured. So maybe there was someone around who could help her re-familiarize herself with the basics, like Sergant Thunderhoof back then?
Estelle tried sneaking around as best she could, which as expected didn't go particularly well. Her plated movements were noisy and pretty much a tell-tale sign that someone was coming. Still, she tried to hold to Astella's and Brunhild's advice of how and where to move while keeping a lookout.
The three of you head out for the warehouses.
Carts, wagons, and people on foot, move from and to the various buildings and storehouses. Going by directions on the misplaced missive, you navigate several turns and corners, avoiding several placed lookouts and a city patrol.
Comes a wider road to cross to the next building, Estelle's armor can clearly be heard, and both she and Astella notice a lookout. Astella holds Estelle by the shoulder briefly, leaving a wagon with clanking metals in cargo, to draw the attention of the shady looking lookout, instead of her companion. Just in time, too.
Having passed the lookout, the three arrive near a generic looking warehouse. A warehouse with a door flanked by two dwarves dressed in leather, arms crossed as they look at whatever passes by near.
But this is just the front, this place was supposed to have more than just this entrance......
You cautiously stick to moving near shadow covered areas, and circle around the storehouse's exterior. On the other side, you see a couple of dwarves standing near a particular area of the wall. It holds nothing of particular interest, from what you can see right now, being hidden. Some 30 feet up, you see a contraption attached to the exterior wall.
A lifting mechanism, of sorts, still holding a wooden platform by ropes attached to all 4 corners, whereupon lay a number of firm looking sacks.
You also noticed a round copper colored tile, up ahead. You are aware there was supposed to be a manhole around here. If those lookouts were not paying attention to that direction, one could head over and find out if it is indeed that.
This is clearly a contraption to lift and lower heavy cargo.
Often an area near it opens, and the cargo can be moved inwards or outwards.
The platform looks to be above the lookouts' general area.
#1: "Hear anythin' abou' who tha' collector is?"
#2: "No, don' care. Some rich fellow. No' from the city, either."
#1: "Oh? Where from, then?"
#2: "Dunno, bu' if i were te have a guess, the wizards' lands. Guy's go' a tan. Ye don' find many tanned dwarves in this city, do ye?"
#1: "Anyway, seems there'll be a couple of extra hands of ours goin' te the exchange, for insurance. Doesn' hur' te make sure you've go' advantage of numbers in case of a deal goin' sour. I'm sure the other's go' their own muscle comin' along."
(pass)
(pass)
(fail)
Astella wants to get a better look at that manhole, so she waits for something that distracts the guards, or figures they can manufacture something if they need to.
... This looked like it was going to be a disaster. There were too many ways out, and if they couldn't shoot at people, it didn't look likely that they were going to be able to confront anyone afterward.
She wondered if Lady Greenbriar's people were going to show up.
In any case, not her problem. She could only do what was possible. If the guards didn't get distracted by anything else, she suggests to Daniel that he should go pick a fight with someone nearby, but away from the manhole.
Pick a fight? Do you mean cause a scene? Why? Also, I don't see many exits. Can you? Daniel wasn't sure how best to approach the place, if they could get to the lift they could potential keep it from working. But he wasn't sure if that was a viable escape route.
Quietly, Astella fills Daniel in.
Pretty sure there is an exit back here, and means to escape either down a manhole, or over the wall. Guards everywhere, and we'll cause a scene if we shoot at anyone to stop them from escaping. Remember last time?
While two of you are talking, Estelle spots a lone dwarf, a young redhead lass of around Brunhild's age, maybe a couple of years older, watching the two guards's situation from a nearby rooftop.
She is dressed in leather gear with a high collar. The dwarf grabs a shortbow and notches an arrow. A little later, an arrow with a cushioned head hits a wall near you. It makes no sound, but a note is tied to it.
[i]Have you beef with the ones inside as well?
Need help? Shoot an arrow straight up for no.
Need a distraction, commotion? Shoot up towards where you came from.
Want them taken out with an 'accident'? Shoot this arrow up.
Having observed the general situation here, an 'accident' may likely involve something falling.
Knowing the platform's 4 corners are held by 4 ropes, you estimate shooting 2 ropes could make things slide off. Those thugs are, after all, in the general era underneath the platform.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Astella tucks the cushioned arrow into her quiver, selecting a different arrow and shooting it up the way that they came, but up toward a roof, not anywhere that might hit someone.
She wonders if arrows flying about around here is normal.
She readies herself for the distraction, getting ready to sprint to the manhole cover and see what she could see.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Astella tucks the cushioned arrow into her quiver, selecting a different arrow and shooting it up the way that they came, but up toward a roof, not anywhere that might hit someone.
Not as if something like this happens, you mean?
The arrow flies off, out of sight, ending up somewhere on a roof way back. The dwarf nods, holds up 1 finger, and you see her cautiously retreat. A minute or so later, you see an arrow with a cord fly towards the roof of a lower building. Following the cord, you see her attaching something to it, then lets it glide across, above the street down the street around the corner.
Something that looks like a set of tattered rags with a white mask in its hood, and two sticks in the arms' sleeves. It, attached to some sort of ring, 'glides' away.
#1: "By the king's beard, a flier! What's i' doin' so close in the city?"
#2: "Come on! Tha' one's gotta go. We'll definitely ge' paid extra if we save some of the workers."
Both guards pull weapons as they disappear around the corner, footsteps fading. But more surprised yelling coming from down that street.
"Flier! Kill i', kill i'!"
The immediate area cleared for now, you three hurry over and open the manhole. There is a stairs leading some 15 feet down. The area is dimly lit with small lanterns every so often.
The passage leads two ways, the direction of the warehouse has a door with a keyhole.
Astella replaces the manhole above them and then examines the door for traps.
She whispers to the others
Okay, do you want to stay here and wait until they try to get away after, or should we go to the warehouse using the tunnel? Remember, there is no guarantee that they are going to leave this way.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The door shows no signs of being trapped. It seems to be a mundane lock.
Nothing Astella couldn't work her way around.
I guess that's our cue? Do you want me with you? If we are going to go in with force, we should make use of any surprise we have left. At the very least, I want to know who has the jewels before we go, but if nothing else, we need to see whoever is buying. I still think there is a lot of potential for things to go wrong, but, I'm not experienced with this.
Daniel is willing to follow Astella's lead on this.
Okay, let's head for the warehouse. Let me take care of this lock.
Uh, yeah, one sec.
Erm. I thought this was an easy one, but ... let's see...
As Daniel and Estelle keep an ear out for anything moving above, as best they can, Astella flicks out her thieves tools and starts working with the lock.
An unexpected design within the lock flips one of the tools, flicking her on the finger. She hastily waves her hand up and down to hasten the sting away, and she tries again.
Only, for it to go even worse. The other tool actually flies out of her hand as she tries turning it slightly upwards, flicking it into the back of Daniel's head. Him rubbing the sore spot, Astella tries yet again.
Estelle cautiously steps behind Daniel for cover...
The tools are stuck, this time, and Astella pries them out with some slight frustration. It is just a stupid lock, right?
But she manages just fine the fourth time.
--------------------------------
The room behind it is relatively small and near empty. A couple of torches, along with some lamp oil and a lantern, flint & tinder to light them. Clearly for an evening stroll, surely harmless.....
A ladder in the back leads 15ft up to a hatch.
*SNORE*
"More mead......another round....."
*SNORE*
"Fool, too much raisin' his tankard again before work."
The sound of a door opening, footsteps and door closing.
Astella takes all of the equipment here and packs it away. They could probably use it in the future, plus it might slow people down if anyone did take this path as an escape route later.
Astella whispers to her companions that there is someone up there. She doesn't think that opening a trap door is going to be very stealthy either way, so she asks if someone else wants to go first.
Severa rushed into the embassy, late again, loaded down with a pitcher of coffee and a pile of scrolls she'd be tasked with copying. As the most junior staffer of the embassy by far and something of a black sheep after her diplomatic indiscretions, she received the vast majority of the grunt work assignments in the Embassy.
[i]"Fumble nuts."[/b] She thinks to herself. [i]"I hope they remembered to use goat milk, not cow, in the coffee. If they got the order wrong again, the Ambassador Elstar is going to send me back for more.
She puts the clay pitcher of coffee on the fine wooded table in the common area and gets to work copying at her small desk, hoping she's not about to hear her name called out to fix an erroneous order.
Except the elves, o'course.
Strom was sitting tonight with the fair minded and equally fair looking Petra Finriver, from northern AvLee, whose family had immigrated to the Barrow Downs and Stone City after the war. The Finrivers were bridge builders by trade, young Petra being the only daughter among nine sons. She was feisty and strong-willed, and Strom found her intoxicating, not only by her confident manner but also her bold thoughts about how things ought to be. He had never known kin so forward-thinking as her. And as luck would have it, she was a eight times removed from him, distant enough as to be almost outside of the family tree.
He ordered the mushroom stew with turnips and lemongrass - the elves' influence on dwarven cuisine - and the roast duck, his favorite. Petra, flanked on either side by two of her brothers not yet sold on Strom as a potential suitor, ordered a tenderloin with pepper and butter, a Stone City staple. Over the course of the evening it had become a good game to see who at the table could drink the most and still recite the dwarven alphabet correctly, backwards. Tonight, Petra was the winner. Her brothers clapped Strom on the back and retired for the evening, and the conversation changed immediately to the future.
"Ah can't stay here, Strom, you know that," said Petra, picking up the previous evening's thread.
"Ah know," replied Strom, his heart heavy. "But ah can't leave. Ah don't even know what's out there. And anyway, my brother is here."
"Bu' he isn't" Petra rebutted. "There's no reason--"
"Aye there is!" Strom interrupted. Fueled this night by a proper ale, his passion was high. "Lookit us, you and ah. Never would'a met if not for the war and the folk here. Ah owe it to them, and not only on account of us, but because we come from the same stuff, at the end of it all, and they need us here."
Petra shot him a pointed brow. "Ah can't stay, Strom, is all Ah'm sayin'. And neither can you; not for long. We don't belong here. No matter how welcoming the local folk appear, we're not the same now, whatever we came from, and they know it."
"Aye." He knew she spoke the truth, because she was only capable of truth, and she saw it more clearly than he. "This season and the next. Ah have to see it through. Darius--"
"He needs you, Ah know. But so do Ah." It was a rare moment of vulnerability from Petra.
"Petra..." Strom looked at his glass of beer, staring at the amber liquid as if it held answers to his quandary.
Petra drained her drink and slammed her glass on the table harder than was necessary. "Ah can't stay," she repeated for the third time as if expecting it would yet penetrate the thick skull across from her.
"Aye," he said again.
Petra closed her eyes and nodded her head, then rose from the table. Strom followed, but she was quickly surrounded by a different trio of her brothers, and then she was gone into the night.
Strom ordered a stout and continued to think in circles until another of his distant cousins joined him at his table.
"Ah know that look." Darius raised his glass, and Strom returned the friendly gesture.
"Ah need to be here," said Strom, trying to convince himself.
"O'course. And if she's the one for you she already knows that, in which case it doesn't matter. You've put in the effort here, Strom, everyone sees it. But ah wonder too, what will you do next?"
Strom tasted the stout. It was dry, earthy, with fungal notes. "Ah've never been one to plan ahead, but she..."
"Yeah, that one's got big ideas." Darius smiled. "But so do you."
"Can it be done, Darius?"
His friend across the table swallowed the rest of his beer and shook his head. "Ah don't know, but we'll find out together."
Since no one else volunteered, Astella climbed up and opened the trapdoor, slowly at first, looking around.
If there is no one, she opens it quietly and motions everyone else up.
If she spots someone in there looking her way, then she throws it open quickly in order to get up there to have room to fight.
"Shaymara's grace, again?! Severa!"
Uh oh, seems the guy at the tab got Severa's order wrong again.
Makes one wonder how he's still working there....
Severa hears her name called out again.
A short Avlee dwarf woman, one of ambassador's support, gives you a slight look of 'poor lass', as you head over.
Ambassador Nathan Elstar, an elven man in his late middle age. Average build and long brown hair to the shoulders, yet with vibrant green eyes.
Very business like, but generally fair.
He holds up the cup of milk that came with the pitcher.
"Young lady, please see if you can find a new place to get our milk from. Evidently the current supplier has an inadequate employee in distribution duties. This city's cow milk doesn't measure up to Avlee's
goat milk."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Astella carefully pushes up the hatch above the stairs, a little bit enough to see above.
Whatever voice she heard before, only a snoring dwarf, sleeping on a chair, is what she sees. A small table with a tankard, and a few playing cards fallen off, decorates this small space. The smell of beer comes from the sleeping dwarf.
When the trio enter the room, a better view of the room is had. A solid support holds up the ceiling, and a set of dusty, barely occupied shelves decorate the nearby wall. A bottle of Copperbrew, half empty. A jar of trail biscuits, stale. A set of crumpled tickets, for a past gig at The Hard Corner. A small length of cord, often used in tying up a package. A dirty table cloth.
If trying the door handle, it is not locked.....
A cough and loud laughter can be heard if near the door, distant, but clear enough all the same.
------------------------------
"Can it be done, Darius?"
The old dwarf druid across the table swallowed the rest of his beer and shook his head. "Oy don't know, but we'll find out. Chances may increase with every help we can get."
During the Avlee drink get together, you get filled in on the latest rumors and news, that makes its way down here.
Petra informs you that, for some undisclosed reason, the king has closed off court meetings with the public. This comes in the same time that The Royal Engineering Guild has closed its doors. Some strongly suggest they are related.The talk of goblins pillaging houses outside of town limits, over in what Darius calls 'The disputed lands', is known to you already. The caravan you came with had spotted small scouting parties a few times in their last trip. The towns of Fairbrook near the Avlee border, and the town of Fairbrook towards the middle of Harmondale, attested to that. Organized, cautious, but not attacking targets out of their league.
Many of the clergy working the agricultural zone, are followers of Vayne, and hail from Avlee, as it turns out. But you are aware, particularly being a druid yourself, that working extended periods of time away from the green plains and forests, wear on the hearts of Avlee folk.
This large number of people will eventually head back home, and another group will come in their stead, staying here a period of time.
In return for help with the consecration and agriculture, Stone City lends Avlee crews of stone masons and craftsmen, every so often.
Darius informs you it is an ongoing project much older than he himself is. Within his own social circles, his acquaintances estimate this 'tradition' dates back several hundreds of years. Though the true date and origins are lost to time and events out of the dwarven people's control.
Darius: "See here, lad. The consecrating of cursed ground, making it fit for life once more, is an achievement in itself. Oy believe our peoples should be proud. But it has been this way for ages. Me goal is to discover a way to reinvigorate the land, without mass consecration."
He empties his mug of ale.
"But that may take the rest of moy lifetime, likely beyond that even.
Even so, oy am but one man, and i am not the youngest anymore. There are a few like me, with these ideals, but they are spread. Avlee, the Tularian forest, Erathia, Bracada even. The faith of the spirits of nature finds its way to many a place. If ye truly wish to help me in this endeavor, find me colleagues, find out if they have made discoveries that may be of use in strengthening life or nature."
"Ah'm fit for travel, if you have leads on druid communes we might tap into. And if the rituals are something ah might perform ah would help, though ah'm not a member of the clergy. But ah fear that the legacy of this place requires more from us." He hesitates, unsure of how best to proceed and for fear of speaking ignorance to the wise fellow across the table.
"The blight on these lands, has it been properly dealt with? Ah have no experience tending to such lands, and the consecration rituals appear to have a diminishing effect, such that you must continue to perform them lest the land spoils. What of the cause of all this?" This type of thinking is not natural to Strom; Petra must be rubbing off on him.
The blight on these lands, has it been properly dealt with? Ah have no experience tending to such lands, and the consecration rituals appear to have a diminishing effect, such that you must continue to perform them lest the land spoils. What of the cause of all this?
"Ah, now that, lad, is a great mystery.
A state wherein the very land itself withers, feels more like the land itself is stained, cursed. That much the city's clerics and oy agree on. Our Stone City brethren have even consecrated altars within their burial barrows, to prevent the taint from defiling their resting places."
"Oy have been unsuccessful in gaining entry to their official historical archives. The ones reserved for government or private noble houses. Whichever the case, something heinous must have occurred.
The dead walk, plants outside the city walls wither, with the exception of the most persistent of foul weeds, surprisingly. Which intrigues me, frankly."
The raven he keeps near caws and perches on Darius' shoulder.
"The blight is ever there, until solved. But oy suspect that, to solve the problem, either we find a means of equal strength, or find the cause of it, and work from there. Since this situation seems to have been such for centuries, the former seems more likely to succeed."
Severa rushes to answer the ambassador's call, quickly brushing back her growing number of flyaway hairs. "That fool with the milk humiliates me. Again!" She nods to her superior. "Yes Ambassdor. My deepest apologies. I will never cross that establishment's threshold again."
Young (for an elf), enthusiastic, and ruffled, her promise might come across as slightly overdramatic...
When Darius explains the stonewalling by the local elites, Strom orders another stout. "If even you are denied these resources while you struggle to feed the people of this city, then whatever the cause for secrecy must either be serious or nefarious. Who are your local contacts? Perhaps I can call on them. I don't know why I might be any more successful, but we owe it to our kinfolk to try."
Team Warehouse:
Astella motions to one of the team to knock out the dwarf, so that they won't have to worry about anyone behind them suddenly waking up, then uses the cord to tie the dwarf's hands.
Astella opens the door a crack to look out and see what is going on in the next room, and if there are people nearby.
Unfortunately, the door seems to have a rusty hinge problem and even just the bare crack she opens it makes a very loud CREEEEAAAAK sound...
"Denied resources, hmm. Oy must've left out something, if that is what it sounds like. From what the ambassador from Avlee told me, any Stone City citizen may consult the archives. For people from outside the city, a request for access must be given, signed by either an official, or the head of a noble house. Oy suspect caution and pride are involved.
Would you immediately show a complete stranger, asking for details of our own history, treasured records, knowing that they are one of a kind? Who knows what has transpired to get them to come up with such rules."
At the request of local contacts, he gives a faint smile.
"Oy have met a matriarch of one of their noble houses, over at a small paerk in their housing zone. Much younger than me, older than yerself.
Still, young for a matriach, early middle age, perhaps. Her family crafts arms fer the city guard. Seemed a sensible and sociable woman. Goes by the name of Lady Greenbriar."
"Oy'd say we are friendly acquainted at best. We met up a few times, coincidental and not, though never at her home. She seems to appreciate green among all the grey, that is the city. An ice breaker, oy'd reckon. Likely, you'll have to do some searchin' for her house."
He rests his chin on crossed fingers.
"Oy'm not much versed in the city's noble houses and their socializin' outside of familial business, it is not of interest te me. But from what she's shared, favors are met with favors."
"So, yes. You can relay i ask her for a favor, in the form of a signed request for my admittance to the city's archives. In return, she'll most likely ask for somethin' to do fer her before she would."
He unchains a particular feather from his collar. It is white with particular specks.
"Oy was the first dwarf she met wearing something like this, so this aught be proof it was oy who sent ye."
Linguistics as a diplomacy check via the Orator feat to try to smooth things over: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16
Young (for an elf), enthusiastic, and ruffled, her promise might come across as slightly overdramatic...
That it does. You've spent no short time under ambassador Elstar's tutelage, varied as spare time for personal attention was to be had.
You know he holds no ill will, it is just that he's a bit picky about his tastes.
"Yes, yes. You can go. I have no other tasks that need your attention. Be sure to be back in the early evening. Depending on what is in the latest missive, i may need to speak with you."
The drunk dwarf is gagged with the cloth, then knocked out again, and then his hands get tied behind the chair. Coast perfectly clear.
As the door lets out that solid *CREAAAK*, the heads of four dwarves, sitting at a large table in the center of the hall, cups and a bottle on it, rise up to look into the direction of the sound. At first perhaps expecting their drunk colleague to finally walk in, they instead see the head of a pretty elf lass.
#1 "We weren' expectin' any elves today, now were we."
#2 "Nope."
All four stand up, drawing a dagger.
The most boastful looking among the four, gestures you to come over.
"Now, now, young lady. Why don' ye come over here, and we migh' pu' these sharp ones away. Have ourselves a nice little talk abou' how and why you are trespassin' in private property, eh?"
His speech, while not slurred, has a slight ring to it, suggesting he might be on the edge of getting tipsy.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Estella held her sap with baited breath as Astella moved forward. If anything, it was a miracle whoever was in that room hadn't heard them approach yet. Of course, that was the exact moment a loud creaking noise, disrupted the relative silence and Astella's cover was blown. "Well, here we go..." She mutters to Daniel, mentally praying to Shaymara things would go better this time around as she advances to help her elven friend.