D&D 5E The Light of Civilization - A Renaissance Story

As the monastic man entered the tavern, Dominic was already exchanging Arcata's duc for nine, shining, silver donnas, sliding them across the wood and snapping his fingers at the raven-haired serving girl and making a few gestures with his hands and fingers. She seemed to go wide-eyed at first, a deer caught in the path of a rampaging bull, before flashing a meek smile and rushing to the back.

She returned in an instant with a simple, tin goblet, filled with a dark, red wine that smelled faintly of cherry.

" Thank you for your patronage, donna mio," Dominic grumbled, already trying to turn his attention to the next customer as more filed in. So long as she had the drink, it seemed, he didn't care much more what she, or her new friend, did.

He better damn well pay for something too, the owner thought.

Arcata's eyes widened and she whirled around, one hand coming up in self defense. She inhaled sharply, but it wasn't to scream. The curse, that seething metaphysical ball coiled inside her, exploded to fill her in an instant, and words she'd never learned, never heard sprang to her lips.

Nicolo did indeed see the country lord's daughter he'd met while he stayed at their estate, but she was not as he remembered. Besides being a bit older, she was thinner and a good deal jumpier. A strange light boiled in her pupils for an instant when she turned, though it could have been a trick of the lamplight overhead. Her expression was slack with terror.

"Haa...Nic...Nicolo?" And then she was just Arcata again, bemused and lowering her hand and looking furtively around. "What are you doing here?!"

"I could ask of you the same," Nicolo said, catching a flying fork that spun through the air from some nearby ruckus and setting it gently on the counter. "I am supposed to meet an associate, meant to assist me in getting into the Tower, though that doesn't seem possible anymore. I thought you had gone on an extended trip to, what was it, relatives? I had asked your father about it multiple times, when I see him, but he just brushes the question off as if it pained him. Does he know you are back in the city?"

Arcata looked down at the fork, then back at Nicolo...then back at the fork. She picked it up, as if verifying to herself it was real.

"The tower...yes, no...it was broken into. They have it sealed off now."

Her eyes went back to Nicolo.

"He...yes, I'm actually on my way back. Nicolo, what do you want at the Tower?"

"I have spent some time looking through the Library since I left your father's estate, trying to ascertain where my...unique connections come from," Nicolo said, frustration showing on his usually serene features, "But all the useful information will be in the Tower. I have been trying to gain access for months, but there is always something. My application is returned as incorrect, or is lost or misplaced, or is filled out for someone else and I must start over each time, each time it takes weeks for it to be reviewed."

He looked around the bar. This is not the kind of place that Arcata usually frequented. And she seemed antsy. Jumpy. "Is there anything I can help you with, Arcata? You seem...out of sorts."

"They don't let people in there," Arcata agreed, "It's where they keep all the forbidden stuff."

That brought her up short for a second. I wonder if there's anything in there that could help me?

It didn't matter though. The Guild Arcane would have thought of that. They would have looked. And even if not, the tower was sealed and she was on the run. She needed to get clear before she even thought about anything like that.

She hesitated to answer Nicolo's question. Could the monk help? Probably not...he was on his own business. And she already knew who to talk to. It was better for him if he never got mixed up in this.

"I'm...all right. Sort of." Arcata forced a wan smile. "I'm just...really ready to go home."

"Home," Nicolo said, falling into himself. He didn't have a home. The only home he knew had cast him out, simply for being who he was. For wanting to be who he was. The small flat he lived in how barely had room for his cot, much less anything else.

Nicolo saw the bartender then, eyeing him, obviously wanting him to buy something. His hand went to his pouch, pulling out a few coppers. "Water, please," he said. He never had much coin on him, but he knew a few coppers would go a long way to being left alone in a place like this.

He turned back to Arcata, "I don't know what is wrong, Arcata," he said. "But if you need help, I would consider it a partial repayment to your father for his kindness."

Arcata sighed.

"With travel from the city cut off, I don't think there's anything you can do to help me." She gave him a more genuine smile then, like the sun peeking out from behind a cloud. "And kindness that demands repayment is no kindness. You don't owe me or my father anything. Just...be careful. There's a lot going on in the city right now. I'm afraid innocent folk may get caught up in it all before it's over."

Nicolo sighed inwardly, though appeared smooth on the outside. At least, that's what he hoped.

"I will," he said. "You do the same. If you need anything, I'm always around."

With that, he smiled at her and found a seat at the bar, signaling to the bartender that he wanted something. Perhaps something a little harder than water.

While he waited, he looked down at the fingers on his left hand. With an effort of will, he caused flames to burst from his hand, licking his fingers. He stared into the flames, letting them help center his mind once more. He felt himself calming. His apprehension fading in the purity of the element, burning away until all that was left was crystal clarity.

Fossice/Central Market/Tavern
Late morning
Round 0


Magdalena looked at the sky. Crossing the city to the Guild Hall in Harborside would take a while. She might as well grab some sustenance now in the Central Market where taverns were plentiful and decent rather than try to find an establishment later on the way that would provide a decent meal.


There were plenty in the Central Market, of course, but Magdalena looked up and spotted the Anchor and Mermaid was the closest. Most sailor’s taverns would be down by the docks, so this stood out a bit.


Magdalena drew her cloak around her, hiding the symbol of the church emblazoned on her chain shirt, put up her hood, and pushed inside. She paused in the doorway to let her eyes adjust to the light and took stock of the...interesting clientele. Her gaze passed over and then returned to a blonde woman at the bar. Interesting. Of course, she didn’t know if this was the Arcata girl she was looking for. Even if blondes were rare in Fossice, there surely wasn’t only one.


Magdalena moved her way through the crowd. She paused as she saw a man playing with fire through his fingers seated at the bar. Her hand went instinctively to her sword and she started running scenarios through her mind, how best to handle the magic-user, a result of her training. There were too many innocents around, though, to allow a full-out magical fight, though. She would have to bide her time before asking to see his license to practice magic.


Magdalena went up to the bar next to the blonde girl. “Ale,” she ordered, putting down the required coin. Nothing too heavy that would dull her senses, not with a magic user two persons down from her. “And stew, or whatever you have today.” Her wary gaze slid past the blonde to the magic user again, to keep an eye on him.


[sblock=Ministats]
AC: 16 (chainmail)
HP: 28/28 HD: 3/3d10
Divine Sense (3/LR)
Lay on Hands 15/15
Channel Divinity (1/R)
Abjure Enemy
Vow of Enmity
Prepared Spells:
1st: (Bane, Hunter’s Mark), Cure Wounds, Detect Magic, Shield of Faith


Spell Slots Remaining/Total
1st: 3/3
[/sblock]