The party heros continuing their party of chit-chat amongst the rich and famous.
Ade learns that Selwen retained the services of a respected alchemist who specialized in naval conflagrations, as well as a renowned merchant captain, a famed mercenary and a number of top navigators.
Sayyid met Endrigo Mare, infamous spymaster of the house Montain-Vemtal and started some spurious rumors.
Ade hear a rumor that Selwen recently had a contract from the magisterium and that Endrigo had miscalculated, believing she had failed to deliver. However, he was mistaken, a rare occurrence, and is now somewhat on edge.
You both come at each other viciously, striking at each other rapidly and only deflecting attacks as an after thought.
The second blow of his flurry catches you a slash across the arm, but in the follow through you deal him a much more serious puncture wound in his upper torso.
He follows up his flurry attempting to catch you out with a feint, but you see through it and use the opportunity to launch a furious broadside of your own, you come at him with three rapid slashes. He manages to turn the first two, but you catch him out on the last one and give him a moderate slash across the upper thigh. Though he looks pained, he does not yet look interested in yielding.
He comes at you swinging, in a quick flurry of blows. He strikes from the left, following with an upswing on his right, and a quick thrust to your center. He deflect the first two, but the final thrust scratches slightly across the chest as you deflect his strike. He attempt to reposte, but he catches your blow without difficulty.
You come press Nozar, quickly following the early advantage you where able to win. You slice low, then high, and manage to turn his feeble repost. You catch him lightly across the side on the second blow, leaving a minor gash across his side. He is however able to position himself off to your side after your attack, resetting his guard.
Nozar comes at you early, swinging left. You block comfortably, then feint deceptively low and come in from the side. He is caught out, just barely managing to recover and deflect your blow.
A space on the veranda is quickly cleared and an area marked. The crowd gathers around the demarcated area, their excitement palpable. Your seconds quickly agree on the rules, which are standard.
- You are to use a rapier, and no other weapons.
- If you leave the marked area you forfeit.
- Duel ends when one party forfeits.
You both shed any extraneous clothing and square off in the circle.
Mechanics: I want to use some extra mechanics for 1 v 1, "cinematic" fights, as opposed to just regular combat.
Each round I want you to choose one of the following "modes" and make the corresponding roles:
- Aggressive: Make 2 or more attack roles per the usual rules and one defense role. You are attacking hard and looking to score a hit.
- Looking for opening: Make an attack role and a defense roll. Additionally, you may make a feint roll using your weapon skill with agility modifier. If successful you get bonuses, if not they see through you.
-Guarded: Make a defense roll (with bonuses Ill account for) and an attack roll (a riposte which may or may not come into effect).
In addition to a defense roll, make an "insight roll" each round using your weapon skill with your acumen modifier to counter feints.
I will also be using a "momentum" modifier behind the scenes, basically if you just try to defend to long and don't land a riposte, you will slowly be overwhelmed.
After meeting up with a group of sailors from the House of Blue and Gold and the Seven ships company, Asmund and Ula! enjoy the party, make small talk, the like. Eventually being joined by some sailors from Selwen's Konpen Company Ula! mentions a story he heard about a ship burning down after receiving a strange treatment in Yeza. This prompts a story from one of the newcomers who says that a friend of his got re-assigned from a ship that was to head north from Yeza recently at short notice, and that this happened to a number of people from the crew.
Later Breilen and Denman "Plankton" show up, trying to find their missing third sailor for their boat in the harbor race. Failing to find the missing sailor or another volunteer, Asmund is presented as a suitable candidate. After a close fought and mildly treacherous race, the manage 4th place to much acclaim and celebration and moderate winnings from Ula!'s wagers.
After some conversation with Selwen on the in's and out of futures and predictive market models based on past spoke-wind locations, the Pajian contingent of Ambassador Kazem Kamran and his associates Nozar Diba and Pejman Deljou is introduced.
Nozar Diba begs permission of Selwen to demand satisfaction of Sayyid, and she seems "totally down with this sort of thing, yo."
The challenge is issued and agreed to, with Pejman and Herstor Redsail serving as seconds.
You make your way back out of the crowded square and make your way towards the harbor. Crowds of cheery citizens move past you, bedecked in their gaiest attire, ribbons streaming from sleeves and flowers adorning every manner of head. As you come to the harbor you see the cities fleet of proud ships similarly bedecked, and a flotilla of small, sleek sailing vessels gathering at one of the docks.
You find the alehouse mentioned, but notice that the bars and alehouses generally are quite sparsely populated, the party is in the streets.
Enjoy it friend! I must stand in this line a while longer, but mayhaps I shall see you again this night. Many of the Paijan merchants in the city may be found at an alehouse called Birqual's Oasis near the harbor, be welcome if you wish to stop by.
Ha! Well where I come from the Shah is Shah and the Satraps are Satrap's, unless the Shah says otherwise. No man ruled over me ever asked my opinion on the matter before I came here. But it's not such a bad idea I'd say, a man might as well have a say in who has power over his life. If nothing else, they do through a fine party.
Once the voting wraps up here you'll want to make your way to the docks, the harbor races are well worth seeing and wagering. After that, simply let the night take you where it will.
Asmund and Ula!;
Well met friend, and many thanks. I am called Aglashan, a humble trader from Gwuara. I have found good fortune sheparding carpets and glassware from my home to the north. Because I purchased a warehouse here in the city this year I am now eligible to partake in this curious custom. And yourself?
Asmund + Ula!:
You move through the crowds, and after trying a few vendors, you purchase a sizeable skin of a chilled date wine for a copper piece, its been watered down, but only moderately.
As you continue to walk by the crowds milling about the electors standing in their queues and merrily mocking those stuck in line. As your moving by, a man of medium height and greying hair calls to you in a voice clearly betraying a Gwuaran accent.
Greetings cousin of the sands, can you spare a drink for a thirsty man waiting long hours to do his civic duty?
You rest a while longer after your compatriots depart, before heading to a public bath house to ensure appropriate cleanliness and donning the attire provided for you. The clothes are exceptionally well cut and of very fine material, you already feel more comfortable with the though of rubbing elbows with the city's elite. As late afternoon gives way to early evening you start making your way through the boisterous crowds in the street to Ardashir's residence.
You part company from Ade and Sayyid in the late morning and start wandering the city. The mood is festive from an early hour and already many are cavorting and drunken in the streets. You make your way to the large plaza sitting before the city palace where the voting takes place. Any person of Brestlor owning property in the city of who can prove 7 years of continuous residence is eligible to vote and the square is filled with long lines of citizens waiting their turn. Numerous mead and wine merchants with push carts work the crowd and the mood is festive, though you gather there is little doubt of the outcome.
You spend the next few days taking in the city, seeing some sights, waiting for the big occasion.
Sayyid and Ade see the tailor who fixes them up with appropriate clothing. He does a commendable job fixing you up in "wanderer-chic" attire. Sayyid is fitted with loose, flowing sand colored pants of the Paijan style with an elegant blue vest, with a rippling pattern embroidered to evoke the waves of the sea, the crests done in silver thread and a wide, loose coat of a handsome brown cloth. He leaves you your sword, but fits you with an elegant, yet functional leather sheath with gold trim.
Ade is fitted in a style meant to sit halfway between Sayyid's garb and a more northern style. A long, narrow skirt of dark blue with a similar, but more subtle, rippling pattern sits below a similarly functional, yet elegant bodice in a light purple color and finished with a flowing shawl of light blue and silver cloth.
You make your way back to the harbor, and after a while meet up with ula! and asmund. You now have a way forward, the festival and the gala clearly representing your best chances to find some answers to the questions plaguing you and perhaps to find a way out of your predicament.
I recommend you recap what you've learned and identify the questions that need answering. A lot of background and hints has already come your way, the better a handle you have on all that the better you'll be able to learn something useful.
Indeed, I will let you get to that. It was a pleasure to meet you as well, I greatly look forward to our next meeting. Meet me here around the 17th hour on the 15th, my carriage will take us to the gala. Here let me write you a note for my tailor. My man can show you out.
He heads to a small desk at the side of the room, scribbles a bit, then hands you two pieces of paper. The first is an address, the second is a signed and sealed instruction letter for the tailor.
No my friend, I will let bigger fish than I undertake that endeveaor. There are those who change the world, and those who react. I endeavor merely to be among the quickest to react.
To your other comment.
Both, Sayyid, there one and the same. As I mentioned, everything is on edge. Now is the time to probe for weaknesses. By bringing you, I wish merely to see what sort of reaction I may provoke among the allies of the good Vizier. And consequently, who else might smell weakness in such a reaction. Don't worry about presentation, I'll give you a letter for my tailor. Hell provide what you need, understandable that a man has greater concerns than fashion when fleeing his Homeland.
He waves his hand.
There are a hundred rumors, likely all false. But what they all agree on, is that he's escaped. Thats enough. My father had men in the south when he had his fight with those priests years back, they saw him destroy the temple at Shen'Dun first hand. Earth shaking, purple flames that burnt the stone itself, the very air turned corrosive. No one in a hundred years or more has had that kind of power. That changes all the rules.
Happy to hear it. I had feared some assassin's knife may have found you, or worse, that you had opted to live a quite life in some backwater hoping to avoid being found.
The butler brings a tray with three glasses and unobtrusively sets it on the table. Your host begins sipping from one and gestures you to do the same.
Excellent. There are exciting times coming my friend, mark my words. Much opportunity for those who meet the winds of change head on, great danger for those who get caught up in their wake. You've heard the rumors of the wizard no doubt?
Charmed. If your travelling with Sayyid I must imagine you've been having some fine adventures.
To Sayyid.
Ah, you know me, I go wherever the most interesting people are throwing the best parties. As you know I represent my father in many of my families dealings, and I have arrangements with some of the trading houses we are allied with. So I travel the world in unearned luxury and amuse myself as I can. Brestlor is where the action is at the moment, so I've been here a few weeks and Ill move on again in a week or so. But tell me Sayyid, what sort of escapades have you been getting up to since you disappeared from our humble homeland in such fine fasion?
Then please excuse me while I check if he is available.
He goes back in the house, and returns a few minutes later and invites you inside. He shows you to a sitting room, set out in a Paijan style with low couches arranged around table. Shortly thereafter Ardashir enters the room and greets you.
Sayyid, so glad you decided to come by. And who might your lovely young friend be?
Sayyid and Ade make their way to a handsome townhouse in an airy side street away from the harbor. It sits about half way up the hill that forms the overlook on the south of the harbor where the cities largest estates are clustered. The street is lined with carefully kept trees and expensive, but not extravagant, houses. You knock on the address you where given. After a moment, an elderly Paijan man in the formal coat of a Butler opens the door. He quickly looks you over, but is far too professional to give anything away with his expression.
I see. I can make an appointment for you to speak with one of our agents, but I must warn you, without relevant experience and recommendations from parties familiar to us, you've come to the wrong place.
Name? Are you on our books? Have you worked through us before? Do you have recommendations? Qualifications? If your looking to learn a new trade, you've come to the wrong place.
The next morning you make your way to the address you've been given. You press through the throngs of people on the main thoroughfare, into a quarter of handsome stone buildings set among wide avenues of carefully kept trees. You find the name your looking for on a two story edifice of medium size, well maintained but otherwise unremarkable. You enter the building into a wide reception area. A few people are lounging around the chairs and benches arranged around the room. At the end are a couple of doors leading to what look like offices, and a prim, middle-aged women sitting at a long desk, running her eyes along several sheets of paper.
Belwa: Sure, we get the odd murder. Would be more but anyone worth murdering invests in their security. Where you from, Cimfell? Surely your chiefs have a go at each other every now and again, no? Same thing here, maybe a little more frequent.
Thanks friend, by all means. If you guys are good, you might even make it near the staffing list for these kind of events in a year or two. Worth the investment from where I'm sitting. Hard to make more money on land, and I don't have the stomach for the sea.
The man seems moderately into his cups at this juncture. He smiles knowingly.
plenty ask me that, you got some scheme your looking to propose to some wealthy merchant? Everyone does. It's not that easy I'm afraid. All the Manors in the gold quarter get their staffing through the same few agents. Until one of them trusts you, you won't get near those estates. It's hassle, but it cuts way down on poisonings.
Ula! tells his compatriots hes going to look for information and heads of to browse the dockside taverns.
No idea what the rest of you are up to, guess your standing around in a huddle until I hear otherwise.
The taverns are all bustling, even during working hours. After a bit of searching you find a promising game of dice between some local workers and some sailors from a log haul freighter that just put in.
Once you show you have silver, they gladly welcome you to their game.
sailor1: ...So they tell me the election festival here is second only to the parties in Yeza, that true?
laborer1: My friend, you'll see it yourself soon enough. The entire dockside will be turned into one giant fair ground. They cover the harbor in torches that burn in different colors. They spend a fortune on rockets and other pyrotechnics, and we race two man sloops around the harbor, between all the merchantmen. You won't be disappointing.
He elbows the man next to him.
Unlike Belwa here, he serves up at the palace of blue and gold. He'll be stuck serving stupid snacks on stupid plates to every imbecile that owns a trading house all night. Well, not every imbecile. Guess they're all bailing for Selwen's affair this year.
The other man glares at him.
Belwa: Well, I may be missing your debauchery, but you should see how those a&+%#+#s tip when they're trying to impress each other. There's a reason serving at these parties is so highly coveted.
The party spends some time walking through the market, in total about 8 bits of silver have been spent on inexpensive cloaks, harbor side barbers, lifts for Asmund, etc...
Ula! browses some leather workers, examining a range of quality of cuirasses. You find anything from about 4 silver bits for some real bargain basement quality stuff, to about 12 for some plain and decent, up to fist fulls of silver for exquisitely crafted pieces of the finest leather inlaid with gold or silver.
The market is still abuzz with gossip, most of it along the lines of what you've already heard.
...I'm telling you (insert any house or faction here) freed him!...
...Heard blue and gold are near insolvent they lost so much...
...Can anyone figure what Selwen's up to? Throwing this crazy ruby fest or whatever she's calling it on the election but not running a candidate? Felstad will win, and hardly no one's gonna show to the party...
...Heard seven ships agents are looking for warehouses here now as well. Might not be the worst thing if we trade the fall of one house for 5 new ones...
...Yeah, shes doing same thing glue and gold always did, just her party's in red. Hard to miss that message. Yeah, same deal they always did, whole mansion decked out in shades or red. Event the waitstaff, probably have to die the hair on half of em. My cousin knows a guy who specializes in importing rare flowers from the Issan islands. Largest order of blood orchids hes ever had....
...I'm telling you, Imtajut will be at war with the magisterium in no time. Who knows what they did to him...
...Everyone talks about Selwen, but it seems to me Montain was just as ready for our misfortune as she was. You seen how busy their warehouses are?...
Ah, forgive me. I am Ardashir al-Silqa, Sayyid and I knew each other at the court of Purstaija before his rather spectacular exit.
Turning back to Sayyid.
Well, I am afraid I am expected elsewhere but you can find me at my apartments in [address]. And I meant what I said, I insist you accompany me. The world has gotten exciting these last few months friend, and Brestlor is the center of it for the moment. There must have been a reason you came here, even on the run from such a powerful man. You know I have no need of coin and you know my father is a key rival of your friend the vizier, how many others from our homeland can you trust not to sell you out? Trust me, Selwen's affair will be the event of season. No one interesting should miss it.
He starts to back out into the street before he's even finished talking and takes off into the crowd briskly.
Wrapping this part up
You swing by the warehouse again, where the somber merchant has taken stock of the cargo you delivered and pronounced himself satisfied. He pays you the full 18 sovereigns of silver in freshly minted northern coins, and voids the lien against your ship.
After, you head towards the harbor-market, Sayyid looking for a barber. As you stroll through the crowded streets, browsing street-front wares from a dozen lands, a well dressed man in his late youth moving with a haste ill-suited for such a crowded street knocks into the two off you as he leaves a shop.
Sayyid:
In flash, you recognize the man, Ardashir al-Silqa. You were acquaintances and occasional drinking companions in your days at the court of Purstajia. You remember him as carefree and something of a thrill-seeker, the second son of noble house in Pajia. You recall he worked as a courtier and agent for some foreign trading house. You also are reminded that the man could talk for days
The man makes to brush you off and continue, but his eyes lock with Sayyid for a moment, and you see a sudden flash of recognition in his features.
Sayyid? Son a thousand Devils, Sayyid! I never thought to run into you in a market half the world away. You sly old dog, the vizier's wife. Glorious! Just glorious. And now here you are. But don't tell me, you must be here for Selwen's scarlet ball on the election.
He powers on, before you can interject so much as a word, grabbing you by the shoulder.
Excellent, excellent. Everyone in the city will be trying their damnedest to arrange the biggest scandal at a party such as that. Every minor courtier tripping over themselves to invite their rival's mistresses and bastards... But Sayyid, the man who befriended the minister of finance and then got caught with his wife, what a coup! You must accompany me my friend, you simply must.
He is out of breath for a moment, his face flushed with excitement.
The man nods and arranges a shallow canal-barge to follow you and walks with you to your ship. Once there, he and his men transfer the cargo to the barge and head back to the warehouse, poling the cumbersome vessel through the waterways.
Ula! and Ade:
You make your way up from the teaming docks, to an open air market that sits just above the harbor. You move through the crowds mingling here as well, careful to keep an ear peeled for any chance rumors of your situation. You browse some storefronts, clothing and other items that might be used to alter your appearance are readily available. After taking stock of the offerings, you make your way to an open-air alehouse, the long tables packed with all manner of sailor and merchant taking advantage of the beautiful day to embellish the latest rumors they've heard. One argument in particular soon rises above the rest in volume.
Sloppy Drunkard:I'm tellen ya', ya' ignorant ponce, Selwen's got her hands in damn near everything goes on in the northern world these days. No way the magisters look to anyone but her to move Imtajut wherever he's gotta go
Slightly more composed Drunkard:Shows how incapable you are of following your own premise, you wine-besotted simpleton! Selwen's favor with the magisterium has never been higher, surely, if she had just lost their priceless wizard, they wouldn't be quite so fond of her would they? No, I tell you, you need a dangerous man carted off in secret, you call house Montain. They got more spies than the sea has fish, this sort of thing is them all day long
Sayyid and Asmund:
Satisfied that the harbor guard is keeping a close eye on the loading and unloading along the dock, you collect your paperwork and set out in search of the merchant who's goods you are carrying. A few quick inquires direct you to an address in one of the tall, narrow warehouses that line the narrow canals leading into the city from the harbor. You make your way to the given address, pressing through the boisterous masses clogging the streets. As you enter the office, you are greeted by a prim, middle aged man with a secretarial look about him.
Sherdyl, I treated that as just a knowledge check and gather information in two parts.
Sayyid Knowledge Roll:
True enemies of the magisterium are hard to come by, ultimately the are too powerful for anyone with any real sense to be particularly interested in making a real enemy of them. But that isn't to say there aren't myriad parties working against varies interest of their, or interest of parties within the magisterium, at any given time. In the intrigues of trade, alliances are fleeting and the lines shift every day. Similarly, its unlikely that any magisters give a toss about you personally. More likely, some one's plan involves a scapegoat for the burning and at the moment you're the best candidates. If you can find an ally with the right leverage at the right moment, such things can quickly be forgotten... if it profitable.
Sayyid Asking About:
The town is in rare frenzy. In addition to the upcoming election, anxiety about the lack of a spoke-wind, gossiping about whos plotting what, etc... there's one story that is on everyone's lip. The wizard Imtajut has escaped the magisterium's custody. The name rings a bell, and you recall the story from several years ago. Imtajut was supposedly a sorcerer you rose to prominence in the far south of Khisia. Unlike the myriad minor hedge-magicians who ply their trivial magicks around the world, Imtajut is said to be a true wizard. While there is far more rumor than fact about his powers, it does seem that he posses (possessed?) truly awe-inspiring abilities, like the legends of old. Several years ago as his legend was growing like wildfire, he was captured by the magisterium under mysterious circumstances for crimes against the order of the world. They held him in secret, presumably some magister or another was hoping to learn his secrets. As the rumors go, some weeks ago he was moved to an unknown location. The news has just arrived two days ago: he never arrived.
With the gloom of your would-be capture hanging in the air, the rest of the journey slips into the past with little to remember it by.
AU 1189, 11th Day of the month of The Sun.
One fine morning the wondrous city if Brestlor rises before you out of the endless sea. While Yeza might hold the undisputed crown of the cities of the earth, the Blue City undoubtedly counts among the contenders for second place. A storied past and a bright present as the key trading hub of the northwest sets Brestlor apart from its neighbors, its current spot of misfortune non-withstanding.
The great sea walls of Brestlor rise before you, painted meticulously to match the blue of the seas it sits against. To the west of the city, overlooking the great harbor, you spy the great manors of the many wealthy merchants and houses taking up residence in Brestlor. Greatest among them the palace of Blue and Gold, seat of that great house, whose fortunes in years past have been almost synonymous with those of the city it shares its past with.
You come into a harbor absolutely teaming with activity. From tiny fishing and cruising vessels, to the great galleys used for the windless trade. Notably, you also spy a fair number of the great wide-bellied cogs used to sail the spoke-winds, sitting listless and abandoned at their berths.
Any kind of world/trade knowledge DC7:
Seeing the teaming harbor, you recall that Brestlor must be electing its Lord-Mayor at mid high sun, just a few days hence. Surely that is also the market for your cargo.
The elections in Breslor and Lantyll are some of the most noteworthy events of any year they occur. Anyone who's anyone in the great golden game will be here, or be represented here. Along with half the spies and hanger-ons in the known world
After you manage to find a berth for you ship, a harried looking customs officer gives your ship a quick look over and hurriedly stamps the papers for your cargo. You will be charged a silver bit per day for the berth.
Character Points. Get you some. Specifically, I'm thinking 8. That's a little bit a guess in terms of quantity although I imagine it's not a lot, but I wanna see how much you lot can do with it and that will help me determine that kinds stuff better in the future.
Please note my guidelines for character advancement above, and outline here how you are advancing your character.
Topaz, I missed this post (guess everyone else did too).
In general, my concept was that adventurer's would be generally curious and nosy enough to be interested in strange happenings and machinations when they got caught up in them (as well as not having that much better to do).
But by all means, fleshing out backstory during play is certainly encouraged, especially if it will help give you a better sense of the character/how to play them.
