"Works for me."
@Jassolen
"Excellent, Kejistise turn us about. All speed to Vulyar."
"Now as promised, Weyland Vineyard’s best." Kayeron Pulls a bottle and 7 crystal glasses from a pocket inside his coat.
The trip takes two days during which Kayeron fills you in on what happened in the last five years.
Kayeron waits till night before crossing the border of Karrnath after crossing drops the skiff almost to ground level and flies a meandering route to avoid being spotted by the armed patrols. When you reach Vulyar Kayeron pilots the skiff quicly to a warehouse on the outskits of town. He then flashes a coded signal and the doors to the warehouse open to allow the skiff entry and close afterward.
"Allow me to make introductions to my crew, Filirrion & Yaraton he indicates 2 half-elves dressed in Layrander fashion. Then there's Inguard (a half-orc) and Qarista (a gnome).
The others are Ennon and Palarrian (humans), they own the warehouse.
Take your time to look around town and of course the skyport, then lets us know when your ready.
You are in Vulyar, Karnnath, and the first time any of you have been there.
The city reflects the martial mentality of its founders; the buildings are made of stone to prevent fires. Each building stands 3 to 3 stories tall, some up to 5; windows are narrow and fixed with heavy shutters to keep out Karrnath's bitter winters.
The paved streets are wide enough for two fully laden war wagons to pass side by side. Everburning lanterns top light posts on every street corner marked with the street names.
The smell of what you assume to be breakfast cooking wafts from many of the houses assaulting your noses with the scent of boiled cabbage and beets.
There is a larger presence of city guards the closer you approach the center of town and the skyport. The guards scrutinize you as foreigners but otherwise leave you to go about your business.
Shops and cafés are opening for the early risers.
"Breakfast and I need to stock up on booze."
"I have been on the road so long, and cloistered the rest of the time. I think I will stick with Malick. If you will have me that is."
"Be a real pleasure, sweetheart."
"I must see to a craftsman. Uriel's bones must be prepared.
Xabulba:
Yep, Vulyar is a fairly large city so multiple merchants of all types are present. Some merchants who specialize in magic and alchemy are a little harder to find but still there.
Vulyar has a lightning-rail connection as well as a sky-port; it also has a Branch of the Kundarak banking guild, a Sivis notary & message center and a Ghallanda outfiters.
"I must see to a craftsman. Uriel's bones must be prepared.
Xabulba:
** spoiler omitted **
Karnnath is the right place for that type of thing.
You want to head to the east side of town and talk to the bone workers guild.
"What kind of memorial are you planning for Uriel? Whatever it is, remember booze has to come into it. It's important."
"I'll tag along with Rennik. Might be able to find out what's been invented since we left."
Typhus, heading to the Boneworkers guild.
Rennik & Ferdinand looking for a place to sell your loot.
Malick, Ragna & Flint, ?
"The thing about life outside the cloister is this. You get to choose your company. Isn't that nice?"
Somewhat to his own surprise, Malick finds himself taking a brotherly sort of interest in Ragna. Heading instinctively to the nearest inn, he orders her some half-decent wine, a plate of pork scratchings, a bag of cheese and onion crisps and grins happily at her.
"So, you ever done anything disreputable before?"
"Well back when I was a low acolyte in training, I used my shapechanging ability to assign extra work to a competitor of mine. Usually it was stuff I would have had to do if it was not already done. You know polishing the arms and armor, sweeping the practice circle, that kind of stuff. Oh but when I got caught it was a beating like I will never forget," trails off and gets quite.
Typhus - Asking for direction gets you near the boneworks and the smell guides you the rest of the way. The bone works is almost a fortress inside the city, 15 foot wall surround the main buildings inside. The main building stands 4 stories tall and made of a grey black brick and is adorned with bone and skulls. Over the main gate the official seal of King Kaius III is proudly displayed.
The work yard is empty except for a few craftsmen fashioning death shrines and coffins.
When you enter an elderly man approaches, he is dressed in a long leather work apron and is wearing a death mask.
"Hoy stranger, what brings you to the famed boneyard of Vulyar?"
"A tourist wanting to see the legions of dead prepared? If you have you will be disappointed. Since the war has ended we can only enshrine and prepare the dead for their final rest, nothing more."
Malick & Ragna - After breakfast you head out to the market district it is noticeably brighter in color than the rest of the city as the store fronts are painted in bright reds, greens and yellows. A few inquires direct you to a few shops that sell wine or beer.
The majority of the wines are the sweet fortified wines preferred by the Karnnathi the beer selections are mostly thick Karnnathi ales and stouts. Most of the people's attitudes towards you are gruff and curt to outright insulting. Barley heard whispers saying things like, dirty paladins, mercenary scum & dam foreigners can be heard as you look around the market.
Rennik & Ferdinand - Looking for dealers in magic takes you off the main streets and into the winding and narrow back alleys. Many of the buildings have built additions to the top floors that reach over the street to the building on the other side.
Roll a perception check not to get lost in the maze of back ally DC 20.
Also roll me a perception check for other reasons.
"Authority does not like creativity. I've noticed that. Only leader I ever met who encouraged it was Blondie, and you know that didn't turn out so well."
Malick sinks some dark ale and looks unusually meditative for him.
"Ragna, do you know anything about Jassolen? What he was like before Blondie got to him I mean?"
Roll a streetwise check DC25.
Malick has no trouble finding his way around an unfamiliar town.
Malick has no trouble finding his way around an unfamiliar town.
High Inquisitor Jassolen was the 3rd most powerful man in the church of the Silver Flame. In his youth he was just a soldier in Thrane's army but during a particular nasty battle with a Karnnathi dead legion Jassolen had a vision from the Silver Flame and elevated to paladinhood and then led the battered troops to victory.
Jassolen quickly rose in rank to Colonel and led his army to many victories against Breeland, Cyre, Aundair but his greatest successes were against Karnnath. Karrnath sent assassins form the Cult of Vol to remove the commander that was causing them so many troubles. The assassins failed and were only able to seriously injure Jassolen. His wounds were severe enough that he was forced to give up his commission and return to Flamekeep to recover.
During his recovery he had a second vision from the Silver Flame warning him of an internal threat to the Church from the displeased nobles. He joined the Inquisition and tracked down and mercilessly killed every member of the plot to overthrow the Keeper of the Flame.
Jassolen stayed in the Inquisition and rose to the position of High Inquisitor by a combination of political savvy and inquisitorial threats.
During the last few years Jassolen began an investigation promted by a third vision from the Silver Flame. During the investagation he became more and more unstable and violent until he was locked up for the good of everyone.
Malick is able to quicly track down Rennik & Ferdinand in the twisting back streets. I am also assuming that Flint is with you.
Give me a perception check please.
"Ragna's ready for a little recreational shopping. Guess Flint is too, but he's so damned sneaky I've no idea where he is. Lurking someplace."
"Sure, I have never really done the shopping thing. It should be fun."
Ragna give me a perception check please.
"Alright, I think I know the way to the market."
"You know you're being followed, right?"
"You know you're being followed, right?"
Ferdinand as you're walking through the back allys you notice that a couple gnomes are following you.
"You know you're being followed, right?"
"The gnomes? Yeah, they stopped being a coincidence two turns ago. Let's just wait in an alley and ask them a few questions."
"Indeed. What could they be after?"
Map coming soon.
The gnomes are below you and not showing on the map yet.
Set your selves how you want but give me a streetwise check to see if your actions alerted the gnomes. If you split in two groups each group needs to make a streetwise check.
Typhus do you want to roleplay the boneworks or just skip it?
Flint are you still there? I hope you putting up with the extra role-playing right now. The adventure is in a transitional phase right now and needs some roleplaying but there will be a lot more combat coming soon.
Malick sings a bawdy song under his breath. "Just act casual. If they want to talk to us, they can."
Even so, his hands tighten slightly around his halberd.
The gnomes don't catch on to your plans to waylay them. How are you arranging your ambush? Are you just rounding a corner and let them catch up, or something more elaborate?
After a few minutes of waiting the gnomes realize they’ve been spotted and approach hesitantly stopping 15 ft away.
The braver of the two speaks, “Are you members of the Breelish Special Forces unit Oddjob? We’re not threatening violence but have an offer of information in return for stolen Sivis property.”
Typhus - "We can make a feasting cup from your friend’s skull & hands easily enough. For a little extra to cover the cost of the spells we can mold the bones like clay and make a complete serving set, six goblets, decanter and serving tray. Silver and gold inlays of course increase the price but will prevent wine from staining the goblets."
@ Ferdinand, very quietly
"Care to tell us a little more?" Malick looks simple and open and idiotic.
"A pair of speaking stones was stolen in the war; the thefts were tracked to company called Ruing's raiders. All traces of the stones disappeared completely and we thought them lost in the mourning. Two days ago we started receiving transmissions from one of the stones and followed it here to Vulyar and to him in particular." he says pointing to Rennik.
Typhus - "We can make a feasting cup from your friend’s skull & hands easily enough. For a little extra to cover the cost of the spells we can mold the bones like clay and make a complete serving set, six goblets, decanter and serving tray. Silver and gold inlays of course increase the price but will prevent wine from staining the goblets."
Typhus stares for a moment. "The silver and gold will be nice. Can't have the wine stain like blood. There will be more than enough blood to go around at the celebration."
Typhus will pay whatever they ask.