Arca Terra, Chapter One:

[FloatingDisc]

"I've got to take Wattock 'ere to some o' my superiors. He'll know what to do with 'im. I don't want to have to kill this bloke. Sure he's an evil-minded, cruel-hearted bastard who never gave nothin' to nobody, but Im not sure he should die for it... 'Course, he'd 'ave killed both of us, had he not been as slow and stupid as a haddock that's 'ad it's brains dashed out."

The air in the sewer is getting hotter, but the thick, cloying scent is beginning to abate somewhat. Soon you see dim light spilling from a grate overhead, and Sul-Mahat weighs anchor (actually just a lump of stone chained to the boat).

"Okay, we're here. Part o' the reason I took ye this way is so you don't know where in the city we are. My superiors, comrades in arms if you will, are just above us. Obviously, they don't know I brung you 'ere yet, so you just let me do the talkin'. 'Course, you could take your chances goin' back up the sewer on yer lonesome, only I wouldn't fancy yer chances what with the snappin' eels and whatnot that make this fetid stinkhole their home..." He indicates the lithe, winding black body of something slippery as it passes the boat. "Now maybe I can't convince ye to join us, but perhaps you'll allow us to reward ye? Bahamut knows ye've earnt it! What d'ye say, Reedson?"

 

[Dire Lemming]

Corrin sits silently for a moment, contemplating his options... which really aren't all that plentiful. "Well... I'd like to meet your leaders. See just what they think they can achieve. Like I said, I don't care for the prince. If you blokes have an idea of how to rid us of him I wouldn't mind hearing it. Lead on."

 

[FloatingDisc]

Sul-Mahat looks pleased by your reluctant acceptance, and gleefully taps out a tune upon the grate above. Presently, someone above removes the cover and the two of you wrestle Wattock's unconscious form through the hatchway.

You are in a stone-floored, low ceilinged room with no windows. You suspect it is a basement somewhere, as a nearby ladder leads towards a hatch in the ceiling. In the centre of the room is a round wooden table with five chairs around it, and tankards, plates and forks lie upon the table, along with the remains of the midday meal. In the far corner of the room is a curtained section. Several candles placed throughout provide dim light.

Besides yourself and the kobold, the room appears to hold two other inhabitants, both young humans. Sul-Mahat greets them both formally, and introduces you, explaining (and somewhat exaggerating) your deeds and how you saved his life. He also explains their predicament regarding the brute, Wattock. You are introduced to the following:

Correus Romani
Tall, slender and fair skinned with short dark hair and a dark goatee around a tight-lipped smile, Correus is handsome in a cold sort or way. Despite his severe appearance, Correus' manner is polite, if a little reserved. He is clad in traveller's garb: leather trousers and a loose cotton shirt, with a heavy cloak thrown back over one shoulder. Under the shirt you see the gleam of chainmail.

Dashiel Romani
Correus' younger brother, Dashiel shares some of Correus' good looks, but little of his polite charm. He scowls, openly suspicious of you. He wears his hair long and shaggy, and like his brother sports a small number of golden hoops through both ears. He sports a patchy beard in obvious emulation of his older brother. He is dressed in the leather garb of a woodsman, or hunter.

After the introductions, Correus asks you to tell them a little about yourself, and what you think of their cause. He invites everyone to take a seat at the table, and pours everyone a drink of ale or wine, according to their preference. He listens intently to what you have to say, chin resting in his hand and eyes narrowed in concentration. Dashiel meanwhile restlessly paces the room, shooting dark looks at both you and Sul-Mahat.

OOC: I was thinking it might be fun for you to pick out some Lacerda-flavoured items that Corrin may or may not choose to wear, given that he's a local. Of course, he may not choose to use any of them, as they are purely for flavour. What do you think?

 

[Dire Lemming]

OOC: Sure, what sorts of items did you have in mind?

Corrin drops his pack and shield next to his seat as he climbs up onto it and dangles his feet over the edge. "Ah thank you, I'll have wine please... So you want to know about me? Well... I guess there's no point in hiding it. I'm a holy knight of Avandra." At this he hops up onto his feet and bows before quickly sitting again. "Not many of us in the city, and there's not much to do for those of us there are lest we go out adventuring or whatnot. Hunting down random beasts isn't really something I find to be all that helpful to anyone, save maybe some noble who'd like to buy the pelt, so I figured I'd come down to the... erm, neighborhood, to see if I could find something worth doing. Well I did right quick it seems, though I'm not yet all that sure about your idea as Sul here explained it. Like I told him, I'd like to be rid of that damned prince just as much as anyone, but really, how do you plan to do that?" Corrin takes a sip of his wine.

 

[FloatingDisc]

Lacerdan Accroutrements for the Discerning Gentleman of Taste and Means

Pets
[sblock]Pets are a persistent feature of Lacerdan culture, rather than a passing trend, and almost everyone of any means (from dockworkers and labourers to wealthy merchants and court officials) is accompanied by a small animal from the following list:

Monkeys
Popular with everyone, small chimps often become so attached to their owners that they often seem to share a mental link, offering them food before they even know they are hungry and such like.

Birds
Either parrots and gulls (popular with dockworkers) which sit upon the shoulder, or small caged canaries and other tiny birds.

Ferrets, stoats and weasels
Very popular among younger people, these creatures are playful as well as being useful for retreiving small objects and that sort of thing. They are sometimes hidden up people's sleaves, or draped around their neck like a scarf.

Cats
Domestic cats are a recent arrival in Lacerda. Very popular with well to-do ladies, and men of more refined professions, such as jewellers and tailors.

Just about any animal would be fine though, if you would like a pet. Like everything else, it's all optional, and doesn't cost Corrin anything. It's assumed to just be something he might have as a local. [/sblock]

Accessories
[sblock]Both men and women commonly sport jewellery, and it is not uncommon to see robed men wandering the streets with golden torques, bracelets, hoop-earrings and nose rings. Jewels are also common, usually set in gold.

Sashes and robes are always popular in the hot climate. Loose, billowing garments that stir with the breeze are both practical and comfortable. Adventuring men often wear loose cotton pants tucked into leather boots. And wide-necked cotton shirts over whatever armour they have on. Sashes are more commonly seen than sword-belts, or bandoliers. Of course, many people wear other clothing and armour and simply disguise them with colourful fabric to blend in with the locals more and not draw attention to themselves.[/sblock]

 

[Dire Lemming]

Hm, I've always wanted a monkey.

As for clothes, I don't think he'd wear too much gaudy stuff, he'd definitely dress like a local though. I suppose he'd have some sort of ornate holy symbol as a sign of his devotion to his goddess or something. He's not all that wealthy, and neither is his order I'd assume.

 

[FloatingDisc]

Correus leans back in his chair and says "Dashiel and Sul-Mahat, could you two excuse us for a moment? Take the foxglove there and put him in another safehouse. Take Pandran's cart, she won't be needing it for a few hours."

When they've left, he leans forward again, staring deeply into your eyes.
"No doubt our reptilian friend gave you poor impression of our enterprise. I can't say I'm surprised. He's certainly eager, but I sometimes wonder if he belives in our work. Perhaps he just needed to latch on to a cause, any cause, to give him something to believe in. Gods know he didn't have much cause for joy before I bought him off the slave blocks a year ago. I suppose he filled your ears with talk of 'glorious upheavel' and 'righteous insurgence' and that sort of rubbish? Well, I'll come straight to the heart of the matter. You're obviously a man of principle and morals, and I thank you for being so forthright about your religion. The deed I have sworn to undertake is intended to be victimless, or failing that, certainly bloodless. The plan we've forged has no need for bloodshed, and, gods willing, noone need be hurt by our actions. Your concerns are certainly not groundless, of course, and I wouldn't deem to trivialise your beliefs that way. I understand the risk, and take full responsibilty for it, though I truly believe if my plan works, it will be a 'bloodless coup' as they say. I plan to prove before the people of Lacerda, on behalf of my patron, that they do not need this strutting imposter. They need someone who'll look out for the wellfare of his people, rather than extorting them.

"My plan involves retrieving the possessions of the true king, from where they've been scattered by the current ruler. When Darukan seized the throne, so the story goes, he took the true symbols of rightfull rule and scattered them across Arca. My patron's goal is to retreive them and present them to the true king, whom they claim to have found, and in turn present the true king before his subjects. The usurper, Darukan can do nothing but forfeit the throne in the face of popular opinion! Such is my belief, and I would appreciate your views on the matter. Let me tell you, the cause has great need of someone other than rash, impetuous Dashiel and foolhardy Sul-Mahat!"

 

[FloatingDisc]

OOC: Yeah, the current trend in 4E re. religions is that multi-deity temples are more common in the cities than the old "temple quarter" that used to exist everywhere, so it wouldn't be expensive for a small cult like that of Avandra to maintain a small shrine inside a larger temple devoted to multiple gods.

We'll say your order has quarters nearby one of the temples in Lacerda, what do you reckon? The temples are usually used by all the faiths that have follings in the city, and Avandra's priests usually conduct a weekly service there.

New thought: Avandra's followers in Arca often dedicate a period of their lives to being a pilgrim, travelling far and wide to visit the numerous wayshrines dedicated to this popular god. They exist in all corners of the world, as almost everyone prays for luck at some point, especially travellers between the 'points of light'.

 

[Dire Lemming]

Corrin finds his eyebrow creeping up incredulously again. "That's all of you? What about this Pandran you mentioned? Look, I'm no leader, I'm no good a plans and schemes. But are you seriously telling me that your plan is to run around lookin for symbols of the the rightful ruler that Prince Darukan just decided to scatter around instead of using them himself? You're going to have to explain that one to me."

 

[Dire Lemming]

OOC: Sounds good. The pilgrimage thing would be a good extra reason for Corrin to go looking for those objects, assuming Correus can convince him they're real.