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Almir Estate; "Well good day to you then, sir." Dreyxor says, as he leads you out his estate. "Next time you pop in, just tell Mr. or Mrs. Hartleby that you're here on business. They won't give you such a hassle." You emerge from the estate and find the rest of the crew waiting for you on the corner.
Almir Estate; "Ah, my time, my studies, and my notes are things of worth and value to me. And so is a good story. From what I can tell about you in this short amount of time, I would say that you are accustomed to rushing headlong into adventure. I have a feeling you're going to find those ruins, even if they don't exist yet." Dreyxor says, somewhat cryptically. "So, as payment, I'll take a Pathfinder's promise that you'll return and tell me of your exploits sometime. Perhaps when we are not currently under siege. I would advise you to lay low in Piren's Bluff until this blows over or blows up; make your exit as quickly as you can."
Almir Estate; "No. No ruins in or outside the town. Not yet anyway...We'll see how this siege holds out. The Andorens may make ruins out of us yet.", Dreyxor sighs. The tunnel does indeed seem to go straight to the keep. Emergency escape tunnels and passages are not uncommon for nobility, but this one was built long enough ago that most people had forgotten about it.
Almir Estate "I'm quite resourceful, and would profit off of either." Dreyxor quips, as he begins searching his expansive shelves for the brittle pieces of paper that mark the history of the town. "This estate, originally much smaller, was built at the behest of my fore-fathers several hundred years ago. We were part of Cheliax, of course, back then. It was a strategic place then, as it is now, for it is central to many of the mining operations surrounding the region." Dreyxor seems to find what he's looking for, a large and dusty case holds the rolled up surveys and charts. "We've been here since before there was anything else. Which is why I can assure you there are no ruins beneath the town. In fact, I doubt there's....ooh...that's interesting." Dreyxor mumbles looking at one large map in particular. "There's some kind of tunnel, not far from the estate...maybe...a hundred feet...that way." His pointing would indicate somewhere on the ground of Shenk's Dog Yard. "What's the date here...let...me...see...ah, this one dates back to just before my father was born. How strange...and the tunnel leads straight into the keep...." Dreyxor continues his murmuring, quietly drifting off as he studies the charts.
Almir Estate "Well, no, I guess I'm not mining beneath the town." Dreyxor says sheepishly. "But I certainly don't think that there's anything worth noting beneath the town, especially nothing in the way of ruins for that matter, but if you are really adamant, I'm sure we could work out a deal. How much are these notes and survey maps worth to you?"
Almir Estate "Pathfinder, I am a business man, through and through. I have no interest in what, I imagine, are the tedious affairs of running a town like this. I have my own things to worry about, including the profitability of my mines. Which is why, I regret, I am not able to share such sensitive information with you. I've worked hard to obtain these surveys, maps, and charts. I can't give them to you. That would, quite literally, undermine my prospects here." Dreyxor remains calm, puffing on his pipe.
Almir Estate; "The Baron received his Baronship from his father, and his father from his father before that. Three hundred years, House Vendkion has stood there, unmoved. Baron Vendikon is beholden to no one, good sir, save Baron Vendikon. That is the bulk of my point here. Piren's Bluff, small and unassuming as it is, has the distinct property of being in an advantageous position, on the border between Andoran and Cheliax. Piren's Bluff is, in many ways, sitting on the fence. Lately, Chelish emissaries have come to whisper sweet things in the Baron's ear, but I'm not convinced he's fully listening. What's more, we have an Andoren army at our sides, threatening to tear down the place, and build it up for themselves. Quite a predicament, you see. And I'm afraid you'll not be able to do much spelunking or adventuring or whatever it is that you have planned, while this army threatens us so."
Almir Estate; Dreyxor raises an eyebrow when you ask him permission to light your pipe, using his free hand to gesture to the swirling smoke already filling the room. "Smoke away, Pathfinder. I have but one request, and that is that you be seated while you smoke. Standing, rushing, or otherwise hasty approaches do an injustice to the art of pipesmoking. Come, sit." There are a number of lounges and chairs in the room; all of them look comfortable. Dreyxor sits with you, drawing smoke from his own pipe, and sending it swirling around the room. "I'm sorry that you were not politely received in this town, but understand that there are a number of forces at work. My family, and this estate, the House of the Crescent Star have been here since before the town itself existed as it does now. From just a pair of buildings to house our servants, the town sprang up around us as we began carving up the surrounding mountains in numerous mining ventures. Several generations of Almirs have occupied the House of the Crescent Star, each one carrying on the tradition of mining-based commerce, so suffice to say that we have seen a whole spectrum of changes and shifts from our vantage point. And I anticipate more. The Baron has maintained a strict neutrality and independence throughout very tempestuous political changes in somewhat recent history. That, of course, would be fine as a general rule, except that he has more recently come under severe pressures from both Andoren and Chelaxian fronts. Both are trying to influence him to side with them. Tell me, Pathfinder...What happens when you exert tremendous pressure onto something from two sides? Say, a grape, or an egg? How about an apple....or a skull? Or, imagine two children, fighting over a doll, a limp arm in each dirty hand, pulling and pulling in separate directions...?" Drexyor takes a long haul from his pipe.
Almir Estate; Dreyxor listens to Paellet with interest, but is obviously evaluating every thing he says. "Dear Pathfinder, I will be blunt with you, for that is the kind of man I am. A business man. Frankly, I'm not entirely sure what your business with this town and it's history may be. Surely someone who has travelled the lengths and the breadths of the land could not be so enamoured by this...armpit of a town. There's something more, and I pray you spit it out truthfully, here and now." "My feelings toward that simpleton are neither here nor there in this matter. Suffice to say, the less I see of him, the more peaceful I am."
Almir Estate; Dreyxor studies you while he listen to what you have to say. "Bumbo told you about my books? What would that fool know about my books, or any books for that matter?" While one hand holds a large pipe, the other strokes his mustache, twirling the ends as you both speak. "He is correct, of course; I do indeed have a great number of books about a great number of things. In addition, I have quite a number of charts, maps, and records of surveying of the area. There are some ruins in the outlying areas, to be sure, but I'm not convinced that there are any tunnels leading from here to there. What makes you think so?"
Almir Estate; You spend some time studying the spines of Almir's collection, which span a great deal of topics. One particularly ornate shelf seems to cover a variety of Arcane topics, and it's only when you start to analyze those books do you hear a voice from behind you. "Thank you so much for your patience, and your manners. In our day and age, people can't seem to keep their hands to themselves as often as they should." The fragrant smoke swirls around the room some more, before suddenly, a man appears, standing in front of you. He's wearing a bright blue robe, covered with icons of a crescent moon and nine-pointed star. "Mrs. Hartleby tells me that you're a Pathfinder. To what, exactly, do I attribute your presence? I don't think I have done much so as to attract the attention of the Society. I lead a quiet life, as I prefer." |
