Far too early you are rudely awoken next morning by a pounding on your door which matches the marching band that has taken residence in your skulls. The morning after an evening of copious fine wine proves to be nearly unbearable and you find yourselves tempted to turn over and hide in bed till the room stops spinning.
Unfortunately the instant pounding on the door continues followed the should of, "Wake up!"
Eventually one of you gets up bleary eyed and opens the door to find the same runner Bishop Braccio has employed on several occasions. The lad hands you a note.
The Note:
Sorry for waking you up so early. We have a problem, despite us slaying scores of them yesterday the undead are back and in greater numbers. I fear we will not be able to contain them for more then a few hours. The council are willing to offer you a commission. If you're interested please come to the temple as soon as possible. Braccio.
As you eat a light breakfast a runner appears. It's the same lad from yesterday. "Good morning." he said brightly, "Complements of the Bishop." He hands over a scroll case and waits smiling.
Inside:
Inside is a fancy scroll penned in Braccio's hand. It contains a single spell Crusader's edge.
A day passes, and a rather familiar runner comes looking for you. Deepa smiles, feeling honored to be delivering messages to the heroes, "Māsṭara Bvar aura māsṭara bālā adhyādēśa para āpa sē milanā cāhatā hūm̐ . Baṛā krŏsabō cīza kē bārē mēṁ tarka kē kucha prakāra uha hai..."
Vudrani:
"Master Bvar and Master Bala want to meet you at the ordinance. There's uh some kind of argument about the big crossbow thing..."
We've lost a lot of momentum. Can we please try and get the post rate back up to at least once per day? Ideally twice, but I know that can be hard to keep going.
@Shikyo those items are available at the usual prices.
Deepa looks disappointed, it's not every day one such as her gets to travel in a fancy carriage. Still she'd made a promise to Mistress Tari and meant to keep it, "Kyā maiṁ mālakina tarī batā dēnā cāhi'ē?"
She seems to have no idea of the letters contents and replies happily to Alwyn, "Unhōnnē kahā ki vyāpārī kī vastra dhāraṇa ēka mūn̄chēṁ kē sātha ucca jāti madhyama āyu varga kē ādamī, binā bāla kiyā gayā thā. Unhōnnē kahā ki mujhē mērē li'ē ēka bahuta laga rahā thā jō isa, vitarita karanē kē li'ē ēka cāndī dē dī hai. Vaha apanē paisē kē sātha itanā mukta hōnē kē li'ē bahuta amīra hōnā cāhi'ē."
Vudrani:
He was balding, high-caste middle-aged man with a mustache dressed in merchant's robes. He gave me a silver to deliver this, which seemed a lot to me. He must be very rich to be so free with his money.
Sense Motive DC 15:
She feels that a silver is quite a fortune. She has no comprehension of the wealth that a lucky few have.
Deepa lightly runs over to you with a grin, and excitedly says, "Vāha tuma ēka phainsī gāṛī mēṁ āsapāsa kī savārī, baṛē samaya mārā gayā hai! Bahuta sē lōga aba āpa dēkhanā cāhatē haiṁ, mālakina tarī lōmaṛī laṛakī acchī taraha sē ṭhīka hō rahī hai lēkina bānī hōnē vālī mautōṁ kē daravājē para hai ki śabda kē li'ē bhējā hai. Vē kala kucha karanē kī kōśiśa karanē kē li'ē jā rahē haiṁ, lēkina vaha surakṣā kē bārē mēṁ cintita hai aura āpakī madada kē li'ē pūchatā hai. Ōha, aura maiṁ āpakō yaha patra dēnē kē li'ē ēka vyāpārī sē pūchā gayā." She looks at you expectantly with a smile.
Sense Motive DC15:
She seems pleased to be of service and is hoping for a tip.
Vudrani:
Wow you've hit the big time, riding around in a fancy carriage! Lots of people want to see you now, Mistress Tari sent word that the fox girl is recovering well but Bani is at deaths door. They're going to try something tomorrow but she's worried about security and asks for your help. Oh and I got asked by a merchant to give you this letter.
Letter:
The letter is cheap vellum and written in the common tongue with a flowing hand. It says "The promise of death awaits you if you choose to keep interfering." Make a linguistics check, DC 20 to know more.
You get a faint aura of transmutation and possibly illusion. Make a Kn:Arcarna roll.
The children lead by one adventurous looking boy of perhaps 8 decide it's time to go up! Mohktar manages to grab one of the kids who shrieks in delight thinking it's a game.
Deepa takes Always hand and says, "Grēṭa yaha nahīṁ hai, uṭhō dētā hai! Yaha āpa dēkhēṅgē ṭhīka hai."
Deepa suggests heading off to her abandoned tower, claiming that the docks will be too crowded and all the best spots reserved hours or even in some cases days ago. Well all but one spot, known only to her.
As the afternoon turns into evening, and the heat goes out of the sun you make your way towards the south, skirting the docs proper. Judging by the press of the crowds in the distance, Deepa's prediction was correct. Of course the road less traveled has it's own rewards, for you passed through several excellent food markets and where able to buy some truly excellent street food and perhaps a bottle of wine. You marvel what the local cooks are able to do with a few spices, and the freshest of ingredients. Creating delicate little rice pastry cups filled with what might be chickpeas and the most incredible greenish sauce. Mmm delicious!
Eventually the kids tear you away from the street food vendors and onto their tower. You groan inwardly when you see the rickety old thing. It's what you'd imagine happens to a mad wizard's tower after a fire and a hundred years of neglect. The ground floor building is gutted and long overgrown and alarmingly there are sections of stone missing, and much of the mortar is in a sorry state, washed out with rain or invaded by the roots of wild flowers.
Kn:Engineering DC 20:
You're puzzled by how this edifice is still standing. There are various load bearing sections of the lower tower missing, but the heavy looking observation platform is still standing stubbornly resisting the passage of time.
Even more alarming is the state of the wooden steps, some of them are clearly rotted through or missing. Yet the children seem unperturbed and are apparently keen to go up.
Sense Motive DC 18:
You think Deepa and some of the braver ones have been up here before many times. They're also really excited to see the fireworks.
Survival DC 20:
You spot a few child size foot prints, leading up, and some leading down. The prints don't seem particularly recent.
Perception DC 15:
There appears to be a tree, or perhaps a large shrub growing out of the side of the tower towards the top. That's can't be good for the condition of the mortar!
Gasps of wonderment are heard from down the ally, and as if by magic the wide-eyed children follow Alwyn's glowing orbs into the street enchanted. They kids seem a little in awe of the group. The bravest of the urchins Deepa suggests, "Ki parityakta ṭāvara kē li'ē jānā ā'ō. Hama ātiśabājī kā sabasē acchā dr̥śya hōgā!"
Vudrani:
Come lets go to that abandoned tower. We'll have the best view of the fireworks!
The other kids seem a little scared of this idea, but Deepa cajoles them, "Āpa heightd sē ḍara nahīṁ rahē haiṁ aura sūkā rōgī sīṛhiyōṁ āpa kara rahē haiṁ?"
Vudrani:
You're not scared of heights and the rickety stairs are you?
On a closer inspection you notice she is smeared from head to toe in multi-colored powders, and is beaming, apparently she had a very good day. Excitedly she tells Pratavh, "Varṣa hara kisī kā isa bāra khuśa hai. Sūraja, mandirōṁ pūrē śahara kō garma fīḍa hai, itanā svādiṣṭa khānā! Āpa nāriyala, aura kiśamiśa kē sātha jaṛī mīṭhā phlaiṭa brēḍa kōśiśa kī thī. Mērī pasandīdā mmmm! Ātiśabājī sabasē acchā kabhī isa sāla hōnē jā rahē haiṁ, vē kucha prasid'dha kavi sabhī taraha sē academe sē vahām̐ kā kahanā hai. Unhōnnē kahā ki saṅgīta, yā kucha aura karanē kē li'ē unhēṁ ḍāla rahā hai, yaha saba bahuta hī rōmān̄caka lagatā hai!"
Vudrani:
This time of year everyone is happy. The sun is warm, the temples feed the whole city, so much yummy food! Did you try the sweet flat breads studded with coconut, and raisins? Mmmm my favorite! The fireworks are going to be the best ever this year, they say there's some famous bard all the way from the academe. He's putting them to music, or something, it all sounds very exciting!
As you leave the watch station, you notice a huddle of excited street children from across the street. They're talking animatedly and pointing at you.
"Vāha ki unhēṁ hai! Mujhē lagatā hai vē Saville girōha pakaṛā sunā!!" says one.
Another adds excitedly, "Mainnē usē dēkhā! Vahām̐ ēka hai ki dēkhō, vaha gāyaba hō ga'ī aura jaba vaha vāpasa āyā, vaha thōṛē dō mēṁ Artus kālā kaṭā hu'ā!"
The first can hardly believe it, "Vāha! Āpa ḍara lagatā hai kahāṁ?"
"Bilkula nahīṁ!", the second replies.
The third retorts, "Āpa bhī kara rahē thē!"
"Vaisē maiṁ kala maiṁ nāva para unasē milā aura rahanē kē li'ē unhēṁ kahīṁ acchā milā, usa kahānī kō harā sakatē haiṁ!", says the fourth one.
"Vāha kī taraha vē kyā kara rahē haiṁ?", ask the first.
Vudrani:
"Wow that's them! I heard they caught the Saville Gang!"
"I saw it! See that one there, he vanished and when he came back, he kinda sliced Artus the black in two!"
"Wow! Where you scared?"
"Of course not!"
"You were too!"
"Well I can beat that story, yesterday I met them at the docks and found them somewhere nice to stay!"
"Wow what are they like?!"
But at that moment they notice you looking, and all but one runs away, hiding down an ally. It's Deepa the street urchin from yesterday. She says, "Āpa ātiśabājī kō dēkhanē kē li'ē karanā cāhatē haiṁ? Nāva bhī aba taka bhīṛa hōgī, lēkina mujhē lagatā hai ki sabasē acchī jagaha patā hai! Yaha kō'ī bhī kabhī bhī mērē dvārā vahāṁ sē calā jātā hai, isa parityakta ṭāvara hai, lēkina yaha bandaragāha kā sabasē adbhuta dr̥śya hai."
Vudrani:
Do you want to see the fireworks? The docks will be too crowded by now, but I know the best place! It's this abandoned tower, nobody ever goes there by me, but it has the most amazing view of the harbor.
You're here for the festival right? Of course you are, whole world here for festival. The city is full to bursting, you need place away from the temples and the parade. Something by the cliff, I know The Seafarer's rest! You'll like. Posh, but not too posh like that other one. The owner nice man, take kitchen leftovers to shanty ville. Noting wasted!
She blinks in surprise at the coin, but soon one grubby hand darts out and the coin disappears in to a picket faster than you can blink. She nods and says respectfully, "Bahuta acchī taraha sē sara, maiḍama. Maiṁ bahuta ucita sarāya kē bahuta sārē, svaccha, patā hai. Sāgara kā ināma, hām̐ maiṁ usa ghara kā patā hai. Mahaṅgā, kyā āpa vahām̐ jānā cāhatē haiṁ?"
Vudrani:
Very well Sir, Ma'am. I know lots of Inns, clean, very proper. Sāgara kā ināma, yes I know of that house. Expensive, are you sure you want to go there?
Suddenly she spies the Pseudodragon and she gasps in wonder an delight. She point to Hitari and asks Pratavh, "Usakā nāma kyā hai?"
A girl of perhaps 6 winters in dirty once white rags but with bright eyes and a warm smile seems particularly eager, saying "Pān̄ca rajata, lāla battī jilē kē daurē!"
Vudrani:
Five silver, tour of the red light district!
She gets yet more instant... "Cāra rajata? Lambī yātrā Sirs, maiḍama? Dīpā āpa sabasē acchā sthānōṁ kō dikhānē kē!"
Vudrani:
Four silver? Long journey sirs, ma'am? Deepa show you the best places!
After a pause, she looks non-pulsed and adds "Tīna rajata? Sirs! Lēḍīja! Yadi āpa ēka kaṭhina saudā ḍrā'iva!"
Vudrani:
Three silver? Sirs! Ladies! you drive a hard bargain!
