"Well I must say that it was more by accident than anything. For you see, in my younger years, I was a bit of a...shall we say, unfocused. I had been drinking my way steady for several days and I ended up in this harbor town. I don't even know which one it was now, that is how bad I was then. When I began to sober, against my will, I might..."
Nguyen was interrupted by a knock on the hidden door. "Who the devils could that be," he replied. Opening the door
Raelc was standing there with another person. The cook said "I'm sorry about this," in Common, "but the courier says it is important. He wishes to see your friend about a note from an important person." It takes a second for the tone to sink in, but then Nguyen realized it. Perhaps it is time already? he thought. The courier came forward and passed along a note to Nguyen, mistaking him for the true receiver of the message. He turned around and left before Nguyen could say anything. Nguyen nodded to the cook and shut the
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door. Nguyen looks at you and says, "I believe it is a note from the Society. I shall read it to you." He then opens the missive and reads the following out loud:
Greetings, Young Adventurer:
I am writing this to invite you to have a conversation with some esteemed persons about an expedition into the wilds of the Worldwound, to be more specific could be harmful to those entrusted with this letter. The gentleman in questions wishes to speak to you and several others in one hour's time about this potential arrangement. To meet with him, please walk four blocks to the South of this establishment that you are presently in, and then wait to hear the following phrase: 'I though' I saw A puddy tat.' It may sound crude, but several of us this far North do speak with a bit of a broguish accent. Please respond with the following phrase: 'I did in fact see such a cat." You will then be led to a Respectable establishment and we will have our meeting in peace. Please be prompt as we do not have time to dally.
Nyugen sits back in contemplation for several moments before looking back to you. "Nothing that I can remember hearing from anyone will help me to remember more about it. Only that it is considered a priceless artifact that must me returned to the Emperor at all peril, assuming that it is in fact, still within the cursed city of Tsar. I can, of course, try to see if I can find more information, and have that passed along to you in your travels."
Looking at you intently, he says, almost in a whisper, "Can we count on you, Shadow Warrior, to complete this task for our Lodge?"
Macavity raises his active and interested hand. I would be ready to play sooner rather than later. As others have mentioned, any further investment in time for a game that I can not participate will be disappointing.
** spoiler omitted **
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"In answer to your first question. It is an allegory. In real life, the liege sits around all day and will tell anyone who will listen how great he was when he was younger. The problem is that, he would rather do this, then enter into his old lands and take back what he believes is his by right, as any warrior should do. Am I right about this, Shadow Warrior?
"It is your second question that I brought you back here. Yes, you should eventually rejoin your peers as they sit around the campfire. But for you does our Lodge require a service. Somewhere inside the city itself, lies an ancient Tien artifact. Little is known about it, except that it was stolen from the Grand Council chambers of the Celestial Emperor's Palace of Tianjing, many centuries ago.
"Those of us who study that ancient culture know little of it, of whether it holds any powers or what they might be. What little is known for certain is that, first, it IS somewhere within that accursed city, and second, the clue to obtain its location is, 'I am the Celestial Lord Regent, who resides humbly within the House of Jade.' Only, we do not know of any such structure that was built within the city, based on our rather limited knowledge."
"To answer your first question, there is much information that the Society can use towards its long term goals. This is as much expedition as an archeology dig. That being said, there is a certain task our group would like you to perform, should you be chosen to go, which I will get to in a moment.
Second answer - You will be part of a group, unless I miss my guess, at least some of whom are already outside talking to the army officer. All of you (whomever is chosen that is) will travel via boat along the Sellen River to Gundrun. It is on the far side of the Worldwound from here. Gundrun is but a small town whose clanliege wishes to claim that it is part of the old Sarkosis empire from the last century. In reality, it is a few hundred people that are hanging on by threads to their existence. The clanliege prefers to spend his hours spinning takes rather than be the honorable warrior he might have once been.
About 50 miles to the northeast lies the place known as "The Camp." It was once a rear-line military base, used mostly for planning. It had some sort of strategic significance, but I am not sure what that was. It is still there and people live there now, but it is not a military site anymore. Should you go there, be very wise about who you speak to there. Yours won't be the first, nor the last group to try and plunder Orcus' wealth."
"Hmm, I see. Wait. Let me close this panel before we talk further."
Nguyen stands and walks to the door, peering out before...
** spoiler omitted **
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Sitting back down, Nguyen continues.
"Tsar is a mystical place, but not one that would make one want to stay there. It is said that the Demon God Orcus still roams that place, looking for his lost temple. If he should ever find it, he will again loose demons upon the world. That being said, the devils that continue to pour out of the Worldwound might have something to say about that, but who argues with gods?
"There are actually three entrances into the city, although face in one general area." Nguyen pulls out a sheet of paper and begins drawing. Before long, what you see is what you guess is the marker for Tsar, with mountains directly (on top of?) behind it. In front of the city, facing east, are three gates, one appearing NE, another due E, and the last to the SE. In the bottom right corner, Nguyen draws another, smaller symbol and writes "Camp" next to it. He then draws an arrow to the SE and writes "Gundrun." His map scale indicates that this "Camp" is perhaps 20-25 miles SE of the gates.
Bao replies to Domson's question with a smile, a nod, and extending two fingers. He continues to follow the Tien through the kitchens like a panther in pigs clothing.
With a push of a hidden switch, a wall panel opens before you and a small room, with table and chairs inside. Stepping in, you see that the walls are mostly covered with various military maps, some with stick pins, most without, adorning the walls. Nguyen motions you to have a seat. Moments later, the cook (Dumbson?) enters with tray and items for a proper tea ceremony. After placing the cups, saucers, and other items on the table (almost exactly where they belong, you notice), the cook leaves, allowing privacy to return.
"Domson may be a foreign devil, but he is quick to learn our ways, not to mention that he is an excellent cook. But do not listen to his prattling about how he is a great wizard as well, he is anything but."
After completing his portion of the tea ceremony, Nguyen speaks again. "So please, tell me of what you know so far about Tsar and its environs, and I will do my humble best to fill in the gaps."
Bao nods to the Tien and gets up to follow him to the more private area of the tavern. He stays in character as a normal traveler occasionally slightly jostling a table or making a board creak with noise. With all of the active circus creatures in the tavern, he passes without notice.
His mentor had told him where the secret rooms were in the tavern. It wasn't so much of a secret, as just a more quiet place to hold conversations. Many a military patrol had been plotted out in these back rooms. Nguyen walked back though the kitchen, nodding to the cook and asking in Tien for some tea and a quiche. In broken tongue, the cook replies,
"No eggs now, you want stew?
"No Dumbson, just tea."
With a scowl, Domson quips to you, "You friend want tea also?
"Yes, we can move to a more private area of the tavern. There is much that I would like to pass on." Nguyen shifts to begin working his way to the back.
The Fortunate Foul? The Drunken Goose? The Happy Duck? Yes, that's it, a duck. That's what the Society contact said. Bao thought to himself. He had arrived yesterday and spent the day watching the normal village activity of Nerosyan. After the lobster-man and little girl with the machine-monster passed, he figured that it was time to arrive.
His average height, strawweight frame, and hunched gait attracted little attention. Shapes of a backpack, quiver and shortbow can easily be seen under his mud-splattered cloak with a hood that hid his bespectacled eyes in shadow. No one gave his two curved shortswords a second thought.
A casual observer saw a lost traveler needing a tavern after a long trek. Bao approached the Duck askew and apparently confusedly circled around the building starting with the back. When he slowly arrived at the front door behind the machine-monster, he had cataloged all of the doors and windows for potential improvised exits.
Bao pulled the front door open and entered. The dim interior light caressed him like a lover. He settled into a wooden chair against a wall at an unoccupied table. He didn't remove his hood or gloves as one would have expected from a weary traveler.
Nguyen walked slowly and cautiously towards the tavern. It was not that he was nervous about entering the bar. In the 250 moons that he lived in this military fortification, he had gotten used to warrior types walking the streets, many of whom did not take of what they wanted. It was an interesting sight, given his childhood memories. No, it was the fact that is place served alcohol, and he hated being put into situations of temptations. He succumbed once, and was not sober again for almost half a moon, such was his desire. But, needs must, as his mentor told him.
Looking around, Nguyen was not sure if he would be able to spot anyone here. He was told to find a tall man of wiry stature, and that it was important to find him this evening, before he should meet with his peers at the Society lodge. Much information needed to be passed. Nguyen looked around and saw a couple of people that could be his contact, but he wasn't sure...
He waited for his Society contact or table service that probably would not come. Wow a minotaur? Never seen one at a bar before. This ought to be entertaining. He wondered.
