Crimson Tide- Silver Marshes Campaign

Silverymoon, Gem of the North

Silverymoon is that rarest of things, a bustling city dominated by trees and beautiful stone buildings. Old oaks, shadowtops, and duskwoods compete with tall, thin spires to touch the sky, and blueleaf trees shade flagstone sidewalks along most of the cobbled streets. The prevailing style of stonework is flowing curves, as if buildings grew rather than being erected block by block. Many older buildings are clad in a thin layer of fused royal blue or emerald-green grass.

For some, the city has been your home for just a few months time, while others have spent many years in defense of the city and her surrounding lands.

Each of you have received a summons by High Priestess Shalyssa Lurialar to meet with her at the Temple of the Silver Stars tomorrow shortly after seven bells and while each letter was signed by the High Priestess, the wax stamp that had held it shut was not that of the clergy of Selune, but that of the High Court.

[sblock]The time is early afternoon and the rest of the day is yours. Please feel free to post your actions/thoughts/how you will kill the time before the meeting in the morning. Welcome to the Silver Marshes and I hope it will be a good time for us all.[/sblock]

[sblock]*nudge to the front for easier access*[/sblock]

Folo approached the city with trepidation. Though the place was filled with growing things, it was still fundementally unnatural with its fitted stone buildings and paved roads. On a deep level it made Folo nervous, though he still understood the need. Gnomes were close to the earth, closer than dwarves, and very in tune with the natural world. Forest gnomes, of course, did it better than all others, but even the barmy rock gnomes understood it very well. Some may make strange things of metal, stone, and wood, others create alchemical substances that burn like dragon's breath, but underlying it all was a deep understanding of the natural world.

Other races, of course, were not as in tune with the natural world, and needed to create something to fill that void. Their buildings, crafts, and arts were what they used to define themselves. It was pointless to think that other races could learn to live like gnomes, so it was best to just deal with them on their own terms. That meant learning their ways, and helping them grow so they didn't hurt the natural world with their strange, unnatural expansions.

Digger, his badger companion, expressed deep mistrust of the city, and so Folo let him be. Entering the city, Folo crept along near the trees and greenery, ears and nose tuned for signs of danger. He probably looked ridiculous to any that were watching him, but he didn't care. Most wouldn't notice the tiny gnome, being as he was scarcely the size of a human child. At a hair over two feet high, he was effectively invisible.

Folor spent the morning drifting from park to park, green space to green space, conversing with the birds, squirrels, and other animals that made their homes here to see what they had to say about the city. When lunch rolled around, he parted with a few coins for pastries, a rare delicacy where he was from. Mostly he just wandered, a tiny gnome dressed in a single big leaf, a straw basket on his back, a straw hat on his head, and a sickle in his belt.

Folo:[sblock]While the squirrels swear that the birds have taken all the good harvest trees from them they are happy for the most part with their lot in the city. However while you are resting in Mielikki's Glade, the owls tell you that they are not faring as well as they have in the seasons past. The rat population has began to decrease rapidly in the last couple of moons and they are now having to venture out of the city for their meals. Also, the rats that are venturing out at night have a bitter taste to their meat further limiting their desire to go after them.[/sblock]

DM: [sblock]Folo is disturbed by this. Rats, of all creatures, do not have a problem in surviving, and to have them take a drop in population spoke of something unnatural happening. Curious and concerned, Folo began to hunt for rats. He had something to ask them...[/sblock]

Hammer, Condsforged Cleric

Hammer once again reads through the summons as he walks the streets of Northbank. I wonder what this means? he thinks to himself, examining the notice with his usual curiosity. He turns to notice over and over in his hands, examining the wax imprint, though not knowing of its importance.

His travels are stopped as he feels something collide with his right shin. Looking down, he notices a red spheroid artifact of some sort resting at his feet. Hammer bends down, picking it up and examining it. As he does so, he hears a voice call out to him, with a little quiver in his voice. "Sir? Um... sir, might we please have our ball back?"

Hammer turns to look and finds a group of four young children standing, staring at him. The oldest one, and the obvious leader of the group, was standing in front pointing to the spheroid artifact. The other children looked upon him with a bit of fear in their eyes.

Hammer examines the... what did they call it? Ah, yes... the ball for a second, and walks over to hand it to the child. As he approaches, the three other children flee around the corner of a storefront. The eldest child, though obviously nervous, stood his ground.

"There is nothing to fear from me" Hammer tells the child, in his usual mechanical voice. He peacefully hands the ball to the child, who snatches it up.

Seeming a bit bolder for having stood his ground, the child dared to ask a question. "What are you?"

Pondering this simple question in his head for a bit, Hammer finally comes up with a repsonse. "I am a servant of the Lord of All Wonders." he says, as he points to the holy symbol etched on his chest. "And you, bold child, are a wonder yourself. Your courage will aide you on your journeys through life." Hammer hears a rustle, and looks up to see the three other children, peeking around the building's corner. He turns to the child "Go, my newfound friend, and tell your friends how you stood your ground against the mechanical man, and because of the courage you showed, you got a reward." At this, Hammer fishes through his pocket for a silver piece, and places it in the young child's hands.

Hammer watches the young child run off to tell the story to the other children, and then continues his musings on the notice, unaware of the sun sinking low in the sky.

[SBLOCK]
Will post his actions of that morning in a bit... wanted to get some flavor of Hammer's actions in my head first...
[/SBLOCK]

Folo: [sblock] Leaving Mielikki's Glade, heading towards Northbank your search is not as easy as you might think. With the activities of the humans, as well as their guests, in full swing, there are few animals who would brave the streets at this time. However Tymora does smile upon you as shortly after speaking with the alpha cat of a small pride in a residential neighborhood, you manage to find three of them feasting on the scraps placed in a waste bucket outside of a home.[/sblock]

Hammer, Gondsforged Cleric

After walking the streets for a while, Hammer returns to his "home", a little smithy shop named "The Blackened Anvil". He knocks twice on the closed door, as is his tradition, and after a second or two, the door is opened by a dark-skinned dwarf. "Come in, come in! Enjoy your day?"

Hammer follows the dwarf into the shop, and into a back room, making sure to stoop down to walk through the dwarf-sized arch. Hammer ponders the question Alakar Gruffstone, his host and employer, asked him. "It was... an unusual day."

The dwarf stops suddenly, and turns to look at the mechanical man. "Ah? How so?"

Hammer holds out the notice he received. Alakar takes it, and after reading it, looks back up to the hulking gondsforged. "You received this? Why, I knew you worked for the town guard a few times... but this... this is the symbol of the High Court of Silverymoon" he says, pointing to the wax imprint. "And the letter itself was signed by the High Priestess! Why, this seems like an important matter!" The dwarf eyes the gondsforged up and down, making the occasional *tsk tsk* sound as he spots grease on the 'forged's elbow or smudges on his shins. "Why, I've got just the thing!" he exclaims, rummaging through various boxes and barrels. "Ah! Here it is." The dwarf returns with a small can of polish and a brush. "Great for adamantine! Here. Before you head off in the morning, use some of this. You have to make yourself look real nice if you're going to go before the priestess and the high court!"

Hammer, looking confused, takes the polish from the dwarf. I still do not understand the nuances of... what did he call it? Etiquette?... *sigh* "Thank you for being so kind, Alakar."

"Nonsense, nonsense. You scratch my back and I'll... er... polish yours" he replies, followed by a large, dwarven belly laugh. "Anyway, tonight I need you to finish up Sir Steelhand's longsword, and finish adding those spikes to the Arathar's shield. Once they're done, we should be settled in custom work for a while. Which seems fortuitous, especially since it seems that the High Priestess has plans for you" he says with a wink. "Now, I am going to turn in... if there are any problems, wake me... got it?" Without waiting for an answer, Alakar leaves the room, heading for his bed chambers upstairs. Hammer ties on his apron, and begins to spend the night immersed in his work.

The night passes, and Hammer is so intent on his work that he doesn't notice his host enter the room. It isn't until Alakar calls out "What are you still doing here working?" that Hammer realizes that the sizth bell has chimed. With a panicked look in his eyes, he lays down the completed shield and rushes towards the polish. Hammer and Alakar hurredly, but with an expert skill, polish of the gondsforged. Gathering his belongings, including his maul, Hammer goes to leave. He waves goodbye to the dwarf, and starts his walk to the Temple of the Silver Stars.

Rhaine walks solemnly through the streets of Silverymoon, on her way to check in for patrol duty, her gaze blankly fixed on the ground in front of her. She reaches into her pocket again and feels for the folded piece of parchment. Why on earth would the High Priestess want with me? And why is the High Court involved?

She suddenly bumps into a boy, a human, probably no more than thirteen years of age. "Er -- sorry," she mumbles, her cheeks flushing slightly as she hurries past him. Get a grip, Rhaine. Nearly two hours past noon, she thinks to herself. Dorn and Garlon will be waiting...

Quietly he closes the door and makes his way from the tower. "That fool boy is lucky he didn't wake Diesa!" Remembering the previous night he takes off with a grin. "A little food and I will be ready for shift." Up ahead he watches the squat stone shape of the Frosty Mug tavern come into view.

As he enters the noise level dips only slightly as the regulars spy him and go about their business. "What the...!!" He whirls as he feels a slight pinch to his posterior, "Ilde, sneaking up on me like that is dangerous!" he growls, though the smile on his face clearly says different. "Are you gonna arrest me, Sergeant?" the young dwarven female quips, with a bright smile. "No but I think I just better settle with breakfast." as he begins moving towards the bar. As the girl puts in his order and leaves, Dorn' mind returns to the summons received earlier this morning. "Signed by the High Priestess but sealed by High Court! It may be all that Stout last night, but I just can't figure this one out. Either it is something really good or really, really bad! Maybe Rhaine or Garlon have heard something?

His thoughts return to the here and now as the dwarven maiden brings his order. "So are you coming over tonight? Diesa and I both have the night off!" she says with a grin. "Sounds like a challenge!" he says returning her smile "But I have official business early in the morning." and with that there conversations turns to more everyday items till finally Dorn has to excuse himself. With a kiss to Ilde he is off to check in before his patrol.