Arabesu's Eyes of the Lich Queen; Flashback - IC

Arabesu · Mar 1, 2008

OOC this is the flashback thread between encounter 2 and 3 of my game.

The heroes, Faris Ravenblood, Fenwick Cobwinkle, Hightower Razorshard, Rosapila, Trent, and Saris, are resting after their most recent adventure in the busy metropolis of Sharn. However, having earned less coin than they would like, your stocks of consumable supplies and foodstuffs having dwindled so low that you’ve considered selling some of your potions. Asking about the adventurer districts for word of jobs for adventurers had not yet provided you with gainful employment… yet.

It is during one of these session, plying unsavory fixers with ale on the hope that they could provide a snippet of news regarding “action,” when with no warning, Trent suddenly hears the voice of what sounds like a gnome inside your head:

“Your services are requested. Bring you companions to Kern’s rest and Revelry tomorrow morning to discuss arrangements. Be prepared for travel. A House Sivis Service.”

moritheil · Mar 1, 2008

Rosa is drinking a steaming cup of hot water, having used magic to flavor it with the subtle nuances of bergamot tea. She looks over as Trent pauses. "Anything amiss?"

Vertexx69 · Mar 1, 2008

Hightower is lounging in the corner near the table, as none of the wooden furniture would support his weight. With his armor stowed for a bit more comfort while in town, he slouches with Arcanas truedeath draped down over his stoney form as he murmurs to it, knowing his place in the group is not at the negotiation table. The goliath knows every scrape and imperfection in the huge spiked chain, but still meticulously studies and feels every steel link and spike as if it was made of pure platinum.

renau1g · Mar 2, 2008

Fenwick will stick close to Rosa and wait for leads to seek them out. Even though he would most likely make a good spokesman, Fenwick's not comfortable with "the tall-folk" and makes not efforts to find work unless pressed.

Fangor the Fierce · Mar 3, 2008

Trent's alarms go off, as he scours his knowledge of the House of Sivis. He then turns to Rosa, the more knowledgeable one, and asks, "What do you know of the House of Sivis?"

moritheil · Mar 3, 2008

The gnome pauses to think for a moment.

Know (Local) 5 (1 ranks 4 int) (1d20 5=23)

Arabesu · Mar 3, 2008

Rosa is well aware that the Gnomish House Sivis controls the flow of information throughout Korvaire both by magic and conventional means. She suspects from the quizzical look Trent has just given and the nature of his inquiry, that he has just received a House Sivis transmitted Sending. This is a service that can be purchased by anyone wishing to pass a message. House Sivis has been rather stand-off-ish with her in the past; most of the mercantile houses show an aversion to the tainted subraces and the relationship between the dragonmarked true-blooded gnomes of House Sivis and the whisper gnome subrace is no exception.

Their enmity to whisper gnomes is most often born out in the information brokerages of Zilargo wherein whisper gnomes, making excellent spies, have begun to become introduced into many of the gnomish fraternal organizations, colleges, and libraries, much to the chagrin of many of House Sivis' upper echelon. Since most Zil gnomes are back-stabbing Machiavellian types to begin with, this has made making a name for herself in Zilargo... difficult.

OOC Rosa is a member of a gnomish subrace; if she were to manifest a dragonmark it would invariably be an aberrant mark rather than one of the true dragonmarks. Unfortunately, most of the dragonmarked races find this to be a disgusting perversion of their "true" marks and would often shun such marked person. Thus, most possessors of an aberrant mark, hide their gift under scarves, large hats, or long sleeves. This tendency to avoid the subraces thus carries over even into relations between non marked individuals.

moritheil · Mar 4, 2008

Rosa relates the basic facts of House Sivis, leaving out what she deems to be unnecessary details such as anything touching upon Zilargo or Whisper Gnomes, simplifying and presenting the antipathy as one of in-house vs. out-of-house.

"Basically, the Sivis keep to themselves, apart from the rest of us gnomes," she concludes. "I wish it weren't so, but there it is. Still, they have coin."

OOC: Hurrah for Knowledge!

Arabesu · Mar 4, 2008

OOC not to nit-pick, but those of House Sivis aren't members of royal houses as much as they are part of a mercentile house. There are blue-blooded royal houses that are distinct from the dragonmarked houses. The distinction in Eberron is often manifest by the leading prefix:

Gobstopper d'Sivis would be a member of House Sivis, whereas Galron il'Loraine is a member of a true noble family with ties to one or more of the princes or kings of old. So d' anything suggests a member of a dragonmarked house even if the name doesn't match up in a way that is obvious. For example Gobstopper d'Loraine could be member of house Sivis, but on the maternal side. Any name with the prefix il' is someone associated with a royal on genuinely noble bloodline.

I used the word "noble" above in post 7, but that probably wasn't exactly correct on my part either. Sorry about the confusion, I have fixed it.

renau1g · Mar 4, 2008

Not understanding why a gnomish house would dislike other gnomes, but being ignorant of such things Fenwick will only shrug and suggest "Well if they're going to be like that, maybe Rosa and I shouldn't go meet them. We'll let you handle negotiations, I don't want any prejudices getting in the way."