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You all arrive at your friend Lavinia Vanderboren's towering Gothic three-story estate in the eastern section of the merchant district for your regular evening of dinner, games and drinks. The sky is turning from a lighter blue to a darker azure as the sun moves toward the horizon.
Kora Whistlegap, the wizened halfling housekeeper, greets you as you enter. "Good evening. Her Ladyship will see you in the dining hall."
Valeros stops. "The dining hall? You mean the great hall?"
Kora dips her head, gesturing with her hand towards the great hall. "That is correct."
Kyra frowns. "Why aren't we in the atrium, like normal?"
"Her Ladyship will inform you. In the great hall." Kora smiles, the tiniest hint of impertinence in her voice.
You enter the great hall. You've only ever been in this room on formal parties thrown by Lord Verik Vanderboren and his wife Lady Larissa, and then only twice.
Three chandeliers light the room from overhead. A long mahogany table fills the room. A window overlooks the manor's central courtyard and the carpet is thick and soft. Portraits of the family, both living and dead, line the rich colored walls.
Several people stand before the fire at the end of the room. A jaunty half-elf man dressed in light-colored leather armor laughs at something the dark-skinned dwarf standing next to him must have just said. The dwarf wears green and brown robes, and turns to gaze at you as you enter, his expression souring.
A footman with red hair is holding a tray with several glasses on it, serving a handsome man who wears a polished breastplate, and is seated on one end of a couch against the wall. On the other end is a haughty-looking woman dressed in dark-purple robes. She sniffs loudly upon seeing you, while the man takes a stemmed flute of white wine and throws it back in one.
Merisiel sighs under her breath and whispers, "Wonderful. Who are these idiots?"
You stand in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, broken only by the hiss of whispered conversations, and a tittered laugh from the half-elf by the fire. The red-headed footman leaves and returns with another footman, this one with dark hair. They offer you all drinks.
Valeros tastes the wine. "Cayden's mother, that's sweet," he cringes.
"So..." Seoni asks the man in the breastplate bluntly, "who are you guys?"
Lavinia Vanderboren strides purposefully into the room, a large smile on her face.
"Kyra! Seoni!" she smiles, hugging each woman in turn. She gestures at the table, "come in, sit down." She hugs Merisiel. "How are you dear?"
"I'm alright," Merisiel smiles. "You?"
Lavinia smiles without answering, and seats herself at the head of the table. "Have you all been introduced?"
"We have not," Merisiel says, taking the seat next to Lavinia.
Valeros seats himself. "Some mercenaries, by my guess."
"Not some mercenaries, boy," the man in the armor smiles too-sweetly, sitting opposite Valeros. "The Jade Ravens. We're the mercenaries everyone else wants to be."
As everyone finds seats, Lavinia gestures to the butler, a slightly portly man in his fifties. "Bring in the dinner, Carson." The servants bustle about, bringing a meal in. "The Jade Ravens work for my family. I have a favor to ask all of you today, so I invited them to dine with us as well."
Valeros looks a little dejected as he stares at his flute of wine. "No games tonight?"
Lavinia beckons the brown-haired footman over. "Get him some mead, would you Thomas?"
"Of course, milady," Thomas says, bowing his head and departing.
"Don't worry, Valeros. We'll have time for that later. But right now, I could use your assistance."
"Beg your pardon, milady," the haughty-faced woman says, "but these...children...how can they help you? Let the Jade Ravens handle it."
"Children? Really?" Kyra scoffs.
"What I need you guys to do is totally safe, I assure you," Lavinia says, glowering at the woman. Thomas returns with a pewter mug of mead for Valeros.
"This is Liamae Teslikaria," she says, gesturing to the woman, "Zan Oldivan, Kaskus Kiel," she continues, nodding to the half-elf and dwarf, "and Tolin Kientai."
"Your Jade Ravens," Tolin says, smiling at her.
"Yes," Lavinia says, clearing her throat, "and I need...my...Jade Ravens to go into the bay and board our ship the Southern wind and escort my parents home. We received a threat on their lives, and I want them home at all costs."
"And what cost would that be?" Kaskus says, his voice surprisingly smooth for a dwarf.
"I will pay you your normal retainer," she replies coolly. "As for the rest of you," she turns and addresses the rest of the room, "I have been remiss in paying one of the bills while my parents were away. I am behind on the berthing payments for the Blue Nixie. The harbor-master, Lord Islaran, has had it pulled off dock, into the bay. I would like you to deliver the past due rent to the man in charge of the ship, and have it brought back into dock."
Seoni leans forward. "How much is owed?"
"One-hundred platinum," Lavinia says, producing a large sack of coins. "I'll give you each one percent of that for taking care of this for me."
Zan scoffs, laughing. Lavinia scowls at him.
Valeros stands. "We can do that, no problem. Anything else?"
"No," Lavinia replies. "Thank you."