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Bramblespine slowly unfurls and rights themselves, raising up from what initially appeared to be a thorny rose bush into a rather thorny humanoid who's hands open up like petals on a rose while closed roses encircle their neck.
With a strongly arboreal voice, Bramblespine speaks. "I am Bramblespine. Once a guardian of Feathereyes' Maze, after nearly 200 years of service I have decided to commit a life to exploring The Universe, with the help of the Society for whom I have served for so long."
Yesterday, you received a letter at each of your lodgings.
Pathfinders,
Thank you for serving in my stead at Ulthun II’s fundraiser for the Knights of Lastwall at Vigil’s Hope. The Pathfinder Society has already made its donation to his cause through the purchase of the tickets for this dinner. You may make additional financial contributions if you so desire, but do not feel pressured to do so.
From my understanding, other members of Absalom’s “upper crust” are in attendance as well, though the contingency seems to be heirs from well-established houses and the primary members of houses attempting to rise in status. Please attend and build a warm relationship with these representatives. My experience is that individuals only become more important over time, so treat everyone with respect.
On a final note—at least one member of the Peacebuilders will attend. This organization has been critical of the Pathfinder Society, on both valid and invalid grounds. I recommend you avoid interacting with them. Don’t escalate any conflicts, even if they attempt to antagonize you. You don’t have to answer for every agent’s misbehavior and many of their larger concerns are best addressed by the Decemvirate and venture-captain leadership.
I hope you enjoy your evening! Please write back with any dietary restrictions or other accommodations needed to attend, so I may communicate them to Ulthun II and Lady Hesla Embersplitter in advance.
Yours,
Csilla
Accompanying the letter was an embossed and sealed invitation for an "Evening Fundraiser for the Knights of Lastwall, as presented by Lady Hesla Embersplitter and Ulthun II.”
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A tiny sprite with wings that shimmer like sparking electricity rides up on a bigger-than-usual corgi.
"Hail and well met," he greets, formally. "I am Sir Perian Trilling, knight of the wild, and this is my faithful steed, Gerald Fumpwhistle Eddington III." Geri wags his butt at the mention of his name.
"I hear we are recruited for a formal occasion. Despite my prestigous title, I know little of Absalom's nobility. Is anyone able to help me?"
Maneki is more in tune with the subtle currents of power within the order of knights.
While Ulthun is the nominal leader of the Knights of Lastwall, the mother-child pair of Clarethe and Kalabrynne Iomedar hold significant power. He does not seem to mind this change, as he has found a comfortable life focusing on fundraising for the organization in Absalom.
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Highwire shrugs, not aware of who most of the individuals and groups mentioned in the letter are, but they aren't one to miss a good party. They get their hair properly prepared, and find their best and most colorful set of tights to wear.
When they meet up with the other Pathfinder guests, they are pleased to learn about all of the intrigue of which they were unaware. "Ah, I have been to the remains of Lastwall. Those Gravelands are quite a terrifying place. I hope they get things worked out and are able to make progress in fighting back the undead that have taken root there."
They bow elegantly. "But my manners. Let me introduce myself, Highwire Sanja, acrobat and disciple of the Unfolding Wind." As they bow, a purple squirrel pokes its head out of their hair and waves, then turns around, tail up in the air and blending in with the camouflage of the extravagant hair. "That," Highwire says, "is my little friend, Zagnut. He's my plus one this evening."
The entrance to Vigil's Hope, the Knights of the Lastwall's embassy in Absalom, is a barbican gate positioned in the center of the renovated moat around the keep itself. The gate has been decorated to portray a stable. A wooden cutout of a Lastwall Jasper stands along the center path, accompanied by a sign positioned next to it.
The sign describes the costs to feed and maintain one of these warhorses, which amounts to fifty gold per year.
There is a lockbox with a coin-sized slot on the top attached to the wooden cutout.
Beyond is the drawbridge that connects the gate to the keep.
When the coin slips through the slot, a whinny sounds in the room followed by a disembodied voice saying, "The Knights of Lastwall thank you for your contribution."
The same illusory sound and voice echoes with each gold coin placed within the lockbox.
You cross through the gate and over the drawbridge to the bailey. Vigils' Hope has transformed to host tonight's event. Tables dot the courtyard, a stage has been erected in front of Iomedae's temple, and large placards printed with tonight's schedule have been hung around the walls.
The cocktail hour has already begun. Socialites and noteworthies move about the courtyard. Many of them are crowded around one particular table. Some of them, you notice by their gait, must have started fast and furious with their drinks. Among the more common ancestries represented by the attendees, a tall, white-furred minotaur cannot help but stand out as much as Bramblespine.
First, however, you should secure your appetizers and drinks!
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Bramblespine nods and plucks a rose from their neck and places it upon Maneki's lapel.
Maneki blushes, though she tries to appear nonchalant about it.
"My thanks Bramblespine"
She follows everyone's lead and tosses a gold coin into the box. She then heads over to the drinks table and grabs a libation.
J'ndar leads you through social inertia toward the nidus of activity and attention. The ground is gathered around part of a long table displaying donated goods for a silent auction. There are toys donated by Ozi the Merrygleam, vouchers for dinner at various local restaurants, a case of half a dozen aeon stones donated by the Society. Everything has a wax tablet in front of it where one's name and bid can be inscribed.
"Ah, you’re the representatives from the Pathfinder Society, correct?" a young aiuvarin man with short-cropped blond hair and dressed in very fine clothes says, and then continues without a moment for a response. "I’m in a bit of a strange predicament. When I arrived, I was asked if House Avenstar provided an additional donation for the auction. I wasn’t aware of any arrangement, so I panicked. I said that we had and proved a signet ring. However, that signet ring is my personal one–it should say ‘Danbry of Avenstar’ on it–and I can’t let it get into the wrong hands."
He flushes and glances at the floor. "Of course, asking for it back would be a faux pas. Could you perhaps bid on it for me? I’ll be happy to provide you with the necessary gold."
Perian finds the socialites crowded around the section of the table where the ring is displayed block his way.
"Last I saw, the ring had a bid of five gold," Danbry says and hands you a pouch. "This should be enough."
Interest and bidding are heavy around the signet ring. You will need to force your way through the bidders and gossips to get your hands on the wax tablet to place your bid.
You also see a plaque on the table--there is an identical copy spaced evenly along the tables--that states that the winning bid must be paid in full at the end of the auction, or it will pass to the next lower bid.
Recall Knowledge: Gnethe Eraseen:
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Highwire ducks around, beneath, and even over some people to get to the table, looking at the notes. Tehy scurry back and say, "Does anybody know who Gnethe Eraseen is? They're bidding hardcore on this thing." He glances around. "Where is that Avenstar guy? We're going to need more money to bid on this ..."
Danbry has refilled his wine glass and stands not too far away, chatting with a slightly older socialite.
Perian hops off of his corgi and onto the table. He is back down in the blink of an eye, and the tablet is now missing from the table.
The bid underneath Gnethe's 75 gold bid is 42 gold.
Grouper smudges the wax so that Gnethe's name and bid are not legible, but you can still see that something was there before.
Bramble spine smooths over the erasure and forges a new bid by Gnethe Eraseen at forty-five gold. It seems to be rather fine work. You then make a bid of your own for fifty gold.
Perian slips the tablet back before anyone notices that you were writing on it.
You then disperse to mingle and enjoy the food and drink. Unfortunately, ten minutes later, you collectively notice a dwarf holding the wax tablet for the signet's bid and tapping the stylus against their lower lip.