Malice of the Medusa (pt-1) [Manzanita judging]

HolyMan · 6th October 2009, 06:42 AM

Setting: LEW
DM: HolyMan
Players: Theroc, ScorpiusRisk, WalkingDad, Errandir
System: 3.5 D&D

Rewards

HolyMan · 6th October 2009, 07:10 AM

Upon waking at the Red Dragon Inn, you enjoy a grand breakfast before setting out to see about the Detirman Trade Company job. Joe must have known excatly what to make for your breakfast it was almost a shame it had to end. But bidding the common room a farwell and promises of returning as soon as you could you left to find the compound rumored to house the DTC.

Orussus is quiet this fine morning and the air is crisp, making for a fine walk to Merchant's Avenue. As you draw closer the smell of the harbor starts to dominate the air and cries of gulls looking for an early morning meal can be heard. Turning the bend onto the long street know as Merchant's Avenue the city starts to come to the life you knew was there. Merchant's and Guildmasters, tradesmen and laborers, buyers, sellers and everyone in between it seems has come to this busy street.

Finding someone to point you to the Detirman Trade Company compound is easy as it is the only walled merchant house known in Orussus. Getting into that compound is not easy though. The walls stand some three stories from the ground with battlements all along their length. The grey stone dull in the morning light. Thin towers of the same stone stand at the corners of the squared off area but they look more like thin spikes rather than anything that could fight off an assault. A tunnel sealed by a portcullis on each end is the only way in to the compound and a trio of guards stand by each end of the tunnel. There is noone walking the walls or standing guard from on high.

After much debate and the sending of runners inside the compound to acquire you an "escort" you finally are let in. Passing through the fifteen foot high tunnel you notice that the walls must be as thick as the tunnel is long and if thats the case then the walls are nearly twenty feet thick. As you are led across the courtyard to what must be the main building you notice the standard buildings one usually finds in a fortress. There is a stable, bunkhouse, and what looks to be a squat tower near the far corner, and a min building some three stories tall that you are led to.

After entering you are quickly led into a room with one long table in the center and more than a dozen chairs, fruits of all varities sit on platters across the table, and a small table with six different types of drinks is also made avaiable. The large room starts to fill with others looking to get the DTC job.

ooc

Walking Dad · 6th October 2009, 10:48 AM

Midias

Midias is a trained athletic human. He wears his black hair short and his face clean shaven. He proudly wears his armor and insignia of Hyrag, to show others his devotion.

He will wait standing until there is an invitation to sit down.

OOC

Image

ScorpiusRisk · 6th October 2009, 06:32 PM

Firebuilder walks in with the others, looking around curiously. After taking things in, he sits at the table, waiting patiently for things to start.

He stands tall for a human, bald with a small, neat beard. His body marks one who has labored hard for many years. The Pouring Cauldron of Ayratha swings from a chain on his neck, before his scale mail. A large shield leans against his chair. A morning star rests on one hip with a crossbow on the other and a dwarven waraxe on his back.

Spells

Theroc · 7th October 2009, 01:31 AM

The noble boy enjoyed a good meal before departing the Red Dragon Inn, heading out into Orussus to make his way to the interview.

Viktor had opted to carry his adventuring gear with him, wearing a shirt of chain, a rather large polearm and a flail on his hip, as well as a somewhat heavy backpack of adventuring supplies. His smile seemed bright, making his sharp features slightly less pronounced than when he took a very serious one. His skin was fair, though lightly tanned and he'd made sure to clean all the mess from the forge from his skin and clothing, in his 'adventuring best', one could say.

He did not pay extreme attention to the environment on the trip, though he was not entirely oblivious. In the main room, he chose to stand and did not touch the food, in case there was an elimination process to precede the niceties.

Errandir · 7th October 2009, 01:42 AM

Reis looks distinctly elvish. He is small, slight, and nimble, with a high brow and keen, emerald eyes. His skin is not fair, but there are still traces of sunburn visible on his youthful face. From his sleeves, it is clear that he's wearing a chainmail shirt, but he has on a faded green tunic over it, with a simple embroidered pattern of leaves on the shoulders. He is carrying a small pack.

Reis enters the room behind Viktor, glances around, and leans, standing, against one of the walls to wait. He notices Midias and smiles in recognition, but remains silent.

Walking Dad · 7th October 2009, 11:50 AM

Midias

Midias nods back on Reis, still waiting for the things to come.

OOC

HolyMan · 7th October 2009, 07:12 PM

And the group does wait for nearly twenty minutes till a small thin man appears at another door at the other end of the room. He says nothing but bows low his arms gesturing that the group should come through the open door.

As you walk pass the still bowing man you notice tiny beads of sweat on him, although the room you walk into is quite cool. It is a large airy room with a fifteen foot ceiling supported by four white coulmns. Light comes from windows set high on the walls and a few candle floor scones in the corners. A small dias is at the back of the room and a large man sits alone on a thick cushioned seat atop it.

Motioning for you to come before him, the large(very fat) man takes a few bites of something from a plate he holds in front of him. The little sweaty man hurries past you and takes a spot standing behind the chair. There is no place for any of you to sit so you must remain standing before the dias.

"Good(chomp), good you(chomp) all look capable," he says while chewing. Then before continuing he swallows and the little man places a cup in his hands immediatly. Taking a long pull and watching the group from over the rim the man finally gives the cup back and brushes imaginary crumbs from his belly.

"I'm glad you all have come," he says again dusting his clothes and straighting his turban. "I am Amik Sha, DTC Trade Master of Orususs, and I speak on behalf of The Detirman Trade Company. I am authorized to hire you for a simple job that will pay quiet handsomly for the work involved."

He looks to the man behind the chair and the thin little man hurries off to a door behind the dias. Returning in moments he sits a large coffer before the group, sweat dripping from his nose, and opens it to reveal eight coin pouches. The four largest ones he pulls out and takes to Amik leaving the four smaller ones in the open coffer.

Amik pulls open a pouch and brings forth a handful of platinum dragons. "These I will keep till you are finished those others are for each of you to do with as you see fit." he says with a grin. He holds out the pouches to be takin up by his servant and holds out a hand to have the cup be placed in it again. Drinking slowly and watching the group he looks content to wait out any questions first before going into more details.

ScorpiusRisk · 7th October 2009, 07:29 PM

Firebuilder moves with the group into the next room, and stands toward the right of the group, trying to keep his back towards the wall.

As the coffer is offered he makes no moves, noting only four pouches and more than that in able men. He watches the man and waits for further explanation.

Errandir · 8th October 2009, 02:20 AM

Reis watches Amik Sha finish speaking with a slightly bemused expression. He glances around the room in the silence that follows Amik's statement, shrugs apologetically, and addresses the man on the dias.

"Well, perhaps we could hear some details? I'm responding to the notice posted in the Red Dragon Inn, and all it said was to show up here for a briefing on what you were hiring for." Reis finishes and his gaze moves away from the dias, wandering up towards the daylight coming from one of the windows in the wall.

ooc

HolyMan · 12th October 2009, 06:37 AM

Amik smiles and holds out the cup to be takin' from him. He looks to the quiet members of the party studying them each but a moment. "You are all here but did not come together," he says not really asking a question. "If you wish for one person to speak for you as a group this may go quite easily and quickly."

"The job is easy enough we wish for you to locate a man for us and bring back some information he posses or better that you could bring him to us alive." Amik studies the reactions of each of the four men standing before him.

ooc

Theroc · 12th October 2009, 07:39 AM

"What has this man done that he must be retrieved by a group such as ourselves, rather than your own employees?" The boy asked, looking about curiously.

OOC

Walking Dad · 12th October 2009, 10:40 AM

Midias

"Just tell us, what you think is important. Maybe this will be all. Maybe this will lead to further questions. But now, I don't even know what to ask." Midias explains calmly.

OOC

Errandir · 12th October 2009, 03:17 PM

At Amik's pronouncement, Reis' wandering gaze turns abruptly back to the dias and his mouth twists into a slight frown. He is clearly troubled by the request. His eyes, also, contain a hint of mistrust, but he says nothing, waiting for an answer to his companions' questions.

ScorpiusRisk · 12th October 2009, 09:54 PM

Dane keeps his place, and his words to himself, curious to see the questions posed, answered. He's not sure that this is the kind of mission he should be involved in.

ooc

HolyMan · 13th October 2009, 01:11 AM

ooc

"A good question and you need not worry we wish Aedan Kharsus no harm," he says noticing the troubled looks. "Let me see maybe the best is to start at the beginning and then tell you what it is DTC needs of you."

Shifting into a more comfortable postion the large man looks to be thinking hard as where to start. "Some years ago when trying to find new routes through the Great Desert we unknownly traveled through the domain of Ssedenka, The Lady Medusa. A veil and evil creature who leads a cult of demon worpishers, mutants, and even has a band of desert warrior followers. We tried everything to negotiate an agreement with her." Amik shudders as he remembers something, then continues. "Later we used divine magic to find a solution to are problem, and we discovered that an item a magical staff could help us to defeat the creature. So we spent alot of resources and man-power in it's location and retrieval."

He pauses and has the cup put in his hand again. Wetting his throat with a long drink Amik hands the empty cup back to his servant, the thin man wipes sweat from his forehead as he takes the cup away. "Aedan was a part of the group who found the location of the staff and is the only member of it left who can tell us where it is located. But and this is where you gentlemen come in, he is at the moment lost or in hiding for his life at a hospice not half a day away from the city. We need you good sirs to go to the hospice and retrieve Aedan or at the least the knowledge he has. We know he has not left so it should be easy enough." Amik smiles, "Well worth the reward we are offering, yes?"

Sense Motive DC0

ScorpiusRisk · 13th October 2009, 03:42 PM

"Very well," Firebuilder says taking a step forward. "I agree to find the location of the staff. Which hospice?"

And as he asks the question he moves before the group and pulls his pouch from the coffer. Better to take my pouch now, in case this job turns sour before we are through.

Theroc · 13th October 2009, 04:31 PM

"Very well, I accept." Viktor replied, reaching to take his upfront payment with one hand, the other holding his guisarme still. "Any additional information you can provide would be very helpful, of course."

Errandir · 14th October 2009, 02:04 AM

Reis nods his agreement with the terms and steps forward to take a pouch of gold, but does not yet stow it in his pack. He regards Amik with a flat gaze.

"Very well, I accept. But I would like to know why this man is "hiding for his life", as you say, since I imagine that could complicate matters for us considerably. If it were simply a question of contacting him, it would be unnecessary for you to hire adventurers, no?"

Reis gives a habitual shrug and leans back against the wall.

Walking Dad · 14th October 2009, 11:21 AM

Midias

"From whom he is hiding? Did you threatened his life? Or do you hire us to retrieve him and the information to protect him?" Midias asks, stepping closer.

OOC