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Comment
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Tarondor
Moderator
Posts: 1246
(8/25/04 2:38 pm)
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Re: Rituals
Quote:
A crescendo of trumpets announce the arrival of the tatoo'd wizard... the Sultan of Stealth, the Paragon of Pith, Madragar.
What? My pot-and-kettle armor wasn't quiet?
Turns out the inn Madragar initially selected (The Kraken's Head) was headquarters for a gang of unruly toughs, press agents and slavers. Luckily, Ruglan found everyone's favorite mage and hauled him out of there before he could get into any trouble.
Madragar (now using the sobriquet "Anorre the Sage") arrives safely at the Five Wells with assurances that Atan is fine and with the Merek Lenk. He seems at least as energized as when everyone last saw him, and quickly sets to studying the musty volumes dredged up from the depths of the Cairnhollow. He frequently pesters other members of the company to pick up certain items for him on their trips through town (such as rare inks, powders and arcane oddments), though he rarely leaves the inn himself. If asked, he excitedly says that he has no time to lose and quickly returns to his studies. Even his meals are usually eaten in his by-now messy room.
One day, at a rare lunch in the sun, someone (Ulwe?) mentions Vala and Madragar stands straight up, spilling his meal on the ground and runs upstairs. Not long after, he sends a message by post to Ravensgate.
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yucatanyeti
Moderator
Posts: 1134
(8/25/04 4:44 pm)
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victuals
Across the way a lonely dog stops chewing on his groin at the sound of crashing cookware. Seizing the opportunity lone dog rushes in and devourers the now dirt covered victuals long before the 5-second rule expires.
Go Lone Dog!
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Ulwe
Moderator
Posts: 1006
(8/26/04 4:59 am)
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Re: Temple on the Water
December:
Ulwe spends his days under the tutelage of Waed Daeva, learning rites of Concentration. (marked off the 60 gold and the 10g for Leisel's boarding.)
The few moments of his day he has for pursuits other than his studies and practice are spent with Khelzhad, Ruglan, or a very rare meal with Madragar. He is also in contact with Draxim from time to time. Ulwe promises Khelzhad a fine excursion on the seas when the weather warms up. He asks both Ruglan and Draxim to help find a skilled armorer so he can commision a Masterwork Chaion shirt, and a new fine shield. A weapon-smith is also sought after to make a Master-worked shortspear.
(what happened with the Synod? any retelling will omit the "resurrection" and any mention of the hyrgurae)
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Jubilex
Posts: 3539
(8/26/04 7:14 am)
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Re: Temple on the Water
Madragar:
It'll cost him 20 gold per month for food and lodging at the Five Wells.
Madragar looks around for someone to deliver a message to Ravensgate, but finds nothing resembling a post service. Particularly during the autumn rains, travel between the major towns of Moagara is both difficult and dangerous. It takes him about a week to find a trader that is going to Ravensgate (via Thasvara), agrees to transfer the message, and seems trustworthy. It costs him 15 gold.
Ulwe:
Ulwe finds a master armorsmith in Dobrug that can make a chain shirt for him by spring. The masterwork shortspear he can have immediately.
I'll post something in your private forum about the Synod.
Edited by: Jubilex at: 8/26/04 7:15 am
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doggius
Moderator
Posts: 795
(8/26/04 9:51 am)
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Re: Temple on the Water
When the sun arises over the horizon, Pogar wakes, like clock work. Quietly, as to not disturb his cousin, Pogar dresses, grabs his pack and heads off to, what he likes to grumble about, work.
Spending his day standing near a hot fire, bending and tapping metal, to form into the shapes he desires, Pogar toils hard and dilligently. Pogar intently watches the other blacksmiths around him, as to pick up any tips. Once the fire grows cold, the sooty Pogar heads back to his homestead. After a quick washup, to clean his face, Pogar will try to have dinner with any of his friends, that are around. If none are available, Pogar will eat alone. As quickly as he arrived, he disappears out the front door, up to something, with a determined look.
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Tarondor
Moderator
Posts: 1248
(8/26/04 4:34 pm)
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Re: Temple on the Water
[Madragar will pay the room and board and is very grateful to find the merchant who will carry his letter to Ravensgate. By the time he does so, it is a small bundle of letters.]
One day, Madragar goes looking for Draxim. "Master Dwarf, did you ever manage to sell those...unusual items...we acquired?"
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Jubilex
Posts: 3547
(8/27/04 8:41 am)
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Rubies and Crown
Once everyone is settled in to their winter routine, the streetwise team of Draxim, Ruglan and Janes go forth to see if they can pawn the two rubies and the enigmatic, opal-encrusted crown.
The gemstones are easy enough to unload. Even during the winter Dobrug is an important center of trade. A tiny man with an enormous grey beard named Oler Raesha, apparently a native of Thasvara searching for Olmani caravans laden with precious stones, makes an immediate offer for the pair of rubies. Janes and Oler haggle over the cut of the scarlet stones, both emphatically pleading for the sake of their sick mothers. Janes gets the better of the deal, and sells both rubies for 1800 gold total.
[That's an even 200 gold per person. Draxim will hold onto Atan and Sangraal's share for the time being.]
The crown is a different story. While a number of jewelers and traders marvel over the item, few of them hazard a guess as to what it's worth, and none of them dare to make an offer. Word of the search starts to get around town, and more than once Ruglan's watchful eyes notice groups of armed men following them. Adding Pogar to their retinue, as well as a couple of Ruglan's friends from the town watch, seems to keep the thieves at bay. Ruglan warns, however, that eventually someone is going to try and steal the crown, and eventually someone is going to succeed.
After a subtle invitation from a soft-spoken Olmani nobleman, Ruglan, Janes, Pogar and Draxim find themselves sitting crosslegged among a sea of carpets and pillows - the luxurious foyer of the House of the Lioness. Flanked by eight massive Olmani brutes, steel-eyed and pitiless, Yashai greets the companions warmly, offering them harsh Xixia liquor and pipes of foul smelling tabac.
The meeting is cordial and the middle-aged Yashai inspects the crown closely, and for some time. Clearly well versed in the nature and history of obscure treasures, the Lioness smiles enigmatically.
"This is a crown of the Rhusai," she explains. "It was crafted in the time before the Plague of Sorrow culled that noble tribe and brought them to the sad misery that holds them now. It was from beyond the wide plains of the Rhusai that your folk came to this land, driven on like a feather before the serpent's wings."
Yashai looks up from the crown smiling, her eyes shining in the firelight.
"The kings and princes of the Rhusai are gone now, and will not return. This crown is an heirloom of a family long since passed into oblivion. Yet the one who crafted it left clues as to its purpose. See, here, along the brow."
Yashai points out a series of tiny scribbles, characters that Draxim and Janes noticed but couldn't decipher. The Lioness gently places a parchment over the inscrip tion* and rubs a bit of charcoal over it, creating a copy.
"I will see what my counselors can make of these writings."
Yashai hands the crown back to Draxim.
"Thank you from bringing this to me. It is a fascinating artifact."
The meeting ends abruptly, leaving the companions wondering whether the Lioness is genuine in her interest, or merely setting them up.
* Ezboard gags on the word s c r i p t for whatever reason.
Edited by: Jubilex at: 8/27/04 8:45 am
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doggius
Moderator
Posts: 797
(8/27/04 11:28 am)
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Re: Rubies and Crown
Feeling slightly on edge, both from the liquor and from the strangeness of the meeting.
"Hrmm" is all Pogar can say while clenching and unclenching his fist.
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Tarondor
Moderator
Posts: 1249
(8/27/04 12:05 pm)
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Re: Rubies and Crown
"Hmmm," indeed. Get a receipt!
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Jubilex
Posts: 3555
(8/30/04 10:27 am)
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Re: Rubies and Crown
Two days later a message is delivered to the companions as they sip wine at the Five Wells. After breaking the seal of orange wax, they lay the parchment out on the table before them and read.
8,000 gold Lunars for the crown. First and final offer.
- Yashai
Edited by: Jubilex at: 8/30/04 10:29 am
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doggius
Moderator
Posts: 798
(8/30/04 2:16 pm)
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Re: Rubies and Crown
"Now, why are all the merchants afraid of this crown, but a lot of armed people are very interested for this crown? Me thinks that there is more to this crown than we know. Do you think we should just sell it out right, or try to find out more of the origin of this crown?" Pogar asks after he puts down his 4th mug of strong mead.
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Tarondor
Moderator
Posts: 1252
(8/30/04 4:13 pm)
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Re: Rubies and Crown
Madragar smiles appreciatively at Pogar's perceptive insight. "I quite agree, Master Dwarf," he says. "The crown of a lost kingdom may indeed be worth the offered price, but it will also be worth that tomorrow."
"We should inquire into the history of this interesting object. With luck, Ulwe, Sangraal and I can turn up the truth of this matter."
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yucatanyeti
Moderator
Posts: 1142
(8/30/04 4:20 pm)
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Re: Rubies and Crown
OOC: Sangraal is in Thasvara as you all know so he can not assist in the decision to sell or research on the crown.
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mikedobbs
Moderator
Posts: 245
(8/31/04 2:26 pm)
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Re: Rubies and Crown
Janes will try to find out around town what the general impression of Yashi is. Do people like her? Is she the kind of person that is out for personal power? Also, Janes strongly recommends that we secretly take an impression of those marks as well before we sell the crown, if we do.
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doggius
Moderator
Posts: 799
(8/31/04 2:29 pm)
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Re: Rubies and Crown
"Well then, lets go with that, we will hold onto the crown. Should there be some sort of timeline, so that if we dont get the information we seek, or any leads, to try to sell it again, or just keep onto it until a later date? If we are going to keep it, I think we should start rumors that we sold the blasted thing, so we dont get any blood on our hands. I dont want to stain the ground this winter, but will if I have to." Pogar states as he grabs his mug and heads for the bar, for his 5th cup of mead.
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Ulwe
Moderator
Posts: 1010
(8/31/04 3:31 pm)
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Re: Rubies and Crown
In whatever fashion Ulwe can, he recommends selling the crown. "We are not kings and need no crown. The coin would be more useful to me than any fancy hat."
Besides he reasons that once the crown is out of the party's posession, it would not be a potential source of trouble.
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Tarondor
Moderator
Posts: 1253
(9/1/04 7:23 am)
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Re: Rubies and Crown
"Believe me, Ulwe," says Madragar. "I am in sore need of coin. Such work as I do empties a man's purse quickly. But what if the crown is the key to something more important in Moagara? What if the line of kings is not as dead as most believe?"
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Ulwe
Moderator
Posts: 1012
(9/1/04 9:27 am)
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Re: Rubies and Crown
Ulwe agrees to meet with the companions one night at the flat of Pogar and Khelzhad.
Once there he requests the crown and then prays to Orlanth to tell if selling the crown would be boon or bane. (Augury)
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Jubilex
Posts: 3564
(9/1/04 9:40 am)
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Re: Rubies and Crown
Orlanth replies that selling the crown would be a boon.
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Ulwe
Moderator
Posts: 1013
(9/1/04 4:02 pm)
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Re: Rubies and Crown
"Sell it!" exclaims Ulwe. "Let us not worry ourselves in the lost kingdoms of the Olmanni. My lord proclaims it a boon to sell this crown. We need cash, and the crown will only bring more problems."
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