Black Zenith [Adventure / RPG / Chapter Three: Forgotten Whispers]

[Supernerd]

"Alright then... But if you're really in a hurry you would probably be better off taking a horse-cart."

[BlazerC]

"Alright. Lil' girl, I'm going to give it to you straight, there is a man named Kraine. And I'm not sure if you've heard, but dark monsters have been prowling the continent. Demons, beasts made from not flesh, but shadows, attacking towns and consuming the hopes of men, and worst of all, the nation is completely unaware. Kraine gives birth to these beasts, right of this very moment, Kraine is making his way to the falls to summon an army."

"Please, we need your help."

[Supernerd]

"... In that case, go gather your friends and meet me at the airship. I'll make the necessary preparations."

I'll use the spellrods preset spell on Bohw and head airshipwards. I'll also check to see if the spellrod will accept a Clairvoyance spell.

[chimericWilder]

I am guessing that by clairvoyance you mean like scrying or farsight or something likewise? Itll accept a weak one, but you cant put something in that allows you to see a very far distance away.

[BlazerC]

"Thanks lil gal. I appreciate it."

Bohw sighs with relief and unfolds her arms.

"Hey, my name's Bohw, I didn't catch your name."

[chimericWilder]

Takumi: "A big pint of beer."

"Coming right up, good sir! Here you go." You exchange a pair of spare coppers for the mug of beer. It is topped off quite generously, and a shallow of the stuff informs you that it is better than the usual cheap beer that most taverns serve.

"... In that case, go gather your friends and meet me at the airship. I'll make the necessary preparations."

I'll use the spellrods preset spell on Bohw and head airshipwards. I'll also check to see if the spellrod will accept a Clairvoyance spell.

You cast an immediate Haste on Bohw. I will assume that the conversation continues for a little while, between now and the rest of this post, as you are headed the same way anyhow, despite Bohw being hasted. Regardless, you soon arrive back at the airship's landing. Theres still a few crowds here, but far from as many people as those who were gathering back when it landed initially. Theres pretty much none of your original passengers left, which is just as well.

[BlazerC]

Whats Mayor up to?

[chimericWilder]

I guess he joins up with you and follows you.

[Supernerd]

I'll cast teleport to get myself up onto the airship and start preparing it for liftoff. I'll also take a note of how many civilians are still on the airship. I'll also check to see exactly who the remaining civilians are so that I can decide if I should kick them off for their own safety or not.

[chimericWilder]

Theres pretty much none of your original passengers left, which is just as well.

Most left earlier, the rest must have left while you were away.

[Supernerd]

While I'm waiting for things to happen, I'll go ahead and conjure another Arcane Wisp.

[sjasogun]

Takumi: Take a seat and take a look around the bar.

[BlazerC]

Righto, lets do the obvious thing and grab Daril from the bar. Jane too I guess.

[chimericWilder]

While I'm waiting for things to happen, I'll go ahead and conjure another Arcane Wisp.

Once you've readied the airship, you conjure a weak Arcane Wisp. It has 21 Power, and 15/15 energy. It should dissipate before you get to your destination, though.

Takumi: Take a seat and take a look around the bar.

You locate an empty seat by one of the tables and make your way over, sitting down beside a dwarf.

By your estimation, the people in the tavern are a quite mixed lot. Many of them could easily be citizens, enjoying some time off, but just as many, if not more, seem to be outlanders or likewise, much like yourself. Which makes good sense, all things considered. Besides the dwarf beside you, theres two humans at your table. Most people here are humans, really, but you think you spot a few elves aswell, and theres a pair of orcs who've claimed a corner for themselves. Most people seem to be enjoying themselves, to one degree or another, and, again, theres the trio of performers on their podium. The place isnt exactly filled, but space you could say that the remaining space in the tavern is 'contested'. As you watch, what looks to be a hornless impling enters, get a quick greetings from the innkeeper - he seems awfully fond of greeting all of his customers, for some reason. She traverses half of the common room before disappearing into a sideroom. The human across from the dwarf breaks out laughing at something the latter had said between two gulps of ale.

Righto, lets do the obvious thing and grab Daril from the bar. Jane too I guess.

You trek back to that tavern to drag those two with you. They're still slacking off in that sideroom the innkeeper seems to have temporarily lended you. They seem particularly absent minded. Anyway, you set them into resent events and also now you'll be going off via airship. Just as you're about to leave, though, you hear a voice from out front, apparently speaking with the innkeeper. "Im looking for a particular bunni, Thunderpaw by name. I am to deliver a letter to him, and were informed that he might be staying here." Peeking around the corner, you see a man clad in the sort of livery that servants wear, colored red and gold, probably the colors of some noble house or something. "Hmm, well, he was here earlier, but left a few minutes ago, i think," the innkeeper replies. The servant looks annoyed. "I will just have to wait for his return, then. He will return, i take it?" The innkeeper shrugs, looking resigned. "Dont know about that, but i think so. Hm. Ah, hold on just a moment." The innkeeper turns to fill someones beer, he looks as though he is muttering under his breath. About five seconds pass. Then you hear a whispered voice behind you, from somewhere underneath the table in the sideroom. The innkeepers voice, or so it sounds like. "'ey, someone's asking after your friend, wants to deliver a letter or some such. Looks like some lords servant, they all look the same to me. Anyway, if none of you've managed to piss off some lord or something, just give me a thumbs up and i'll lead him over to you and you can figure out together why someone would send your friend a letter. If not, theres a back door behind the big tapestry. And, dont worry about the voice displacer, it gets handy in my line of work. This guy seems like an ordinary enough servant, but you never know if your customers have been up to something or the other, if you figure."

Yeah so this innkeepers is either not who he pretends to be, or he is like the most badass and/or weird innkeeper you've met yet.

[BlazerC]

Assuming Mayor is waiting outside appreciating the signage work of the Dragon's Tail. Make an appreciation roll.

Anyway, it looks like a servant has been delegated to the task of bringing news about what we gave, Bohw hardly thinks it's anything dangerous, so thumbs up. Then again, this Innkeeper seems far too eager to be helpful, but it's also a better idea not to tell anyone that you've been doing illegal things in the first place.

[Supernerd]

Lets see if I can't fix that problem with an enhance magic spell!

[sjasogun]

Takumi: Pretend you didn't see the same impling from before and turn your head away from the sideroom. You take a good sip of your drink while you think for a bit. There don't seem to be any potential customers for your services here, but then again that's what you'd expect of a well-visited place like this. To find people who might require your service you'd have to find more underground kind of bars. But in a major city like this those kind of bars are better hidden than in small towns where such business can be discussed in any old tavern or bar. For now you'll just enjoy your drink.

[chimericWilder]

godsfcking damnit, why am i getting bluescreens these days? One should think i knew enough by now to never ever leave my pc alone without copy pasting unfinished updates into a notepad :l

[chimericWilder]

Assuming Mayor is waiting outside appreciating the signage work of the Dragon's Tail. Make an appreciation roll.

Anyway, it looks like a servant has been delegated to the task of bringing news about what we gave, Bohw hardly thinks it's anything dangerous, so thumbs up. Then again, this Innkeeper seems far too eager to be helpful, but it's also a better idea not to tell anyone that you've been doing illegal things in the first place.

He is, and boy does he appreciate the shit out of that sign (roll 17)! The artist is clearly good, but also quite exaggerated in his design, and it is obvious the artist never actually saw a dragon, though that is probably not so surprising, since dragons are incredibly rare, elusive, and prefer solitude on top of that. They're not completely unknown, of course, there are so many myths, stories and legends out there that it is ludicrous, but an actual dragon sighting, especially this far into the kingdom, is almost unheard of. Ofcourse, most of the stories are exaggerated aswell, and a ridiculous amount of them are false. Mayor should know, after all, since he has met not one, but three dragons, if you count the reindeer dragon. Also, the dragon on this sign is green, whereas those Mayor met were all red, though that might just have been a coincidence. Anyway, moving on.

Inside, the innkeeper quickly finishes serving an impatient customer, slyly notes Bohw's thumbs up with the barest glance, then turns back towards the servant. "Ah, excuse me, i just recalled that a pair of Thunderpaw's acquaintaces were staying here for a small while, maybe you would like to talk with them? I dont know what their relationship is, but perhaps they know where he went, after all. Hmmm, let me see." He quickly scans the crowds. "Ah, yes. Come along, then." He leads the servant over to the sideroom, nodding to yourself, Daril and Jane. "Sorry to disturb you, good folk, but this man says he has a letter for a one certain Thunderpaw, and i do believe you know him? Anyway, perhaps i can get any of you something to drink?"
Once the innkeeper leaves, with or without any orders placed, the servant glances at Daril and Jane, but gives a quick, though not very deep, bow to include all three of you. "I presume you are Bohw the impling, then? Lord Alcairde said to give you this if i could not find master Thunderpaw." He withdraws a letter from a small satchel at his belt, then extends it to you. "It is about what the good Lord called master Thunderpaw's findings. He cautioned that it be read in, ah, a less public place than this. The Lord also notes that he wishes you good luck on your endeavor, but that he recommends some added 'muscle'. I apologize for the wording, but the Lord can be very direct when he wishes. Uhm, i will offer to take care of acquiring this added 'muscle', if you so wish."

Lets see if I can't fix that problem with an enhance magic spell!

Well, it is hardly as simple as that. Magic will simply decay after a period of time, though greater skill allows for more time. There are some exceptions, such as magic bound into various things, aswell as complex spells meant to hold themselves and certain magical effects dormant, until certain criteria are fulfilled, at which point the magic is 'awakened'. Archmages have long tried to find a away around this hindrance, though apparently none have been succesfull. But you make a damn good try regardless (roll 17+4), increasing the wisps' Power to 35 and giving it a few more hours before it would decay. Alternatively, you can renew it at regular intervals, though doing so requires great skill, since you run the risk of destroying the magical effects rather than restoring them.

Takumi: Pretend you didn't see the same impling from before and turn your head away from the sideroom. You take a good sip of your drink while you think for a bit. There don't seem to be any potential customers for your services here, but then again that's what you'd expect of a well-visited place like this. To find people who might require your service you'd have to find more underground kind of bars. But in a major city like this those kind of bars are better hidden than in small towns where such business can be discussed in any old tavern or bar. For now you'll just enjoy your drink.

Lies.

The drink is good, though. Actually, you hear the dwarf muttering something about 'fake dwarven ale'. Which is actually a huge compliment, from a dwarf. Not that you are specifically aware of this, since your cultural knowledge concerning dwarves is likely limited. But i might be wrong.

[BlazerC]

"Muscle? Uh... Why would we be needing more... 'muscle'.. exactly?"

[chimericWilder]

"I apologize, i do not know, but the Lord implied that you were going somewhere, but that is not my business."

[BlazerC]

"Is it free, then?"

[chimericWilder]

"The Lord has provided me with adequate resources to take care of such a thing. Free to you, yes."

[BlazerC]

Neat.

"Sure then! Go get us some muscle."

Bohw puts on a concerned face, trying to charm a few free meals out of him.

"Oh, but mister... I don't mean to be a bother, but before you go, can you tell the lord we need a few supplies too? Nothing much, just rations for 6, 3 days worth should be fine. Could you sort that out, please?"

[chimericWilder]

"I... Suppose so. Where do you want it delivered?"