B6: The Veiled Society - IC

[kinem]

Specularum, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Karameikos, is the most important city in the area. Ruled by Duke Stefan Karameikos the Third, Specularum is the Duke’s home, and the trading center of the dukedom.

The city is accessed by a port. A large river east of the city allows ships to carry cargos inland to other towns of the dukedom.

The Duke has protected his city from attack by erecting a wall around it, which is dotted with towers. His castle is located on a craggy hill that looms over the harbor entrance.

The gate is open. A few soldiers with spears lounge near the entrance. They wear tabards of red and blue with a device of a ship on the front.

Beyond the gate is a narrow muddy street, choked with people. Most dress in their best clothes and many wear brightly-colored outfits. Jugglers and fire-eaters are scattered throughout the crowd. The noise from whistles, drums, singing, and happy chatter make normal talk difficult.

“Halt! Do you wish to enter Specularum?” shouts a guard inside the gate. “The tax is 8 silver pieces, each of you.

All but daggers must be bound with cloth. Unbound weapons are fined.

Murder by unbound weapon is punished by confiscation of property, or death for the landless. Interference with the Duke’s men gets you prison. Treasonous activity is especially nice - it gets you one day of slow torture and then we draw and quarter you. So enjoy yourselves.”

The guard appears quite bored. He tries to watch the festival out of the corner of his eye. He recites his speech from memory, becoming interested only when he begins talking about the punishments doled out for crimes, which he does with relish.

 

[ghostcat]

Caridoc Gnome Cleric

A nondescript looking Gnome wearing a lime green cloak and a bright red floppy hat, which almost hides his face, walks up to the gate. When he hears that there is a gate charge he mutters to himself at the same time as he starts to fish out a few silver pieces.

When the guard get to the part about treason against the Duke, Caridoc briefly thinks that the town could do with a new leader instead of the current despot. However, he quickly decides he is having much too much fun to want to be saddled ruling a Dukedom and decides to think about it again in another 100 years or so.

Caridoc reluctantly hands over 8 silver pieces and asks "Where can I get some peace cord as I do not appear to have any?"

 

[kinem]

The armored young man takes the silver, putting 5 of the pieces into a large bag, and the other 3 into his own pocket.

He sighs and replies "I'll bind them for you."

He reaches down for some supplies and lashes the gnome's morningstar and starknife with cloth thongs and wraps the crossbow with rags. "Starknife, eh? Pretty cool. Don't see 'em much in the city, on account of daggers not needing to be bound."

Once he is satisfied that the wraps are secure, he turns his attention to the other guys at the gate.

[sblock=ghostcat]I assume Caridoc's weapons are small, in which case they should do small weapon damage.[/sblock]

 

[Rhun]

Celythia Andrenia, elf wizard

"Eight silver? That's quite a high tax for lone travelers, isn't it?" ask Celythia, fishing the coins out of a pocket in her cloak and handing them to the guard. Her only weapons being a dagger and bow, she smiles at the guard. "How will you bind my bow? Do I simply need to keep it unstrung?"

 

[jkason]

Barek Fhald, half-orc bard

Barek raises an eyebrow as the guard pockets some of the gate fee, but merely smiles amiably, saying nothing about it, as he fishes out his own fee.

"Afraid I've nothing for binding, either," he admits with a friendly tone, offering his weapons for binding. "Good of you to help us out like this. Means the world."

"By the by, I don't suppose you know the closest place where a body could find a dagger? Preferably someplace not likely to gouge a soul on the price," he adds with a wink.

[sblock=OOC]Diplomacy +9[/sblock]

 

[kinem]

The guardsman takes the coins from Celthyia, looking her over. "Thanks. Bows get wrapped in cloth. Hmm, if you're alone, m'lady, it may be a good idea for me to show you some things in town. My name's Lucas, and I get off at dusk, so come back then. I have a bit of noble blood, y'know."

He wraps her bow in relatively clean rags, and pockets three of the silver, as he does for all of those who enter.

When it's Barek's turn, he ties the bard's weapons with cord.

"Ah, a body can easily find a dagger by strolling the wrong part of town at night - but I reckon you might get gouged that way. No, you want to go to Koro's, about three blocks down this street from the gate. Tell him Lucas sent you. It's a pretty common request from new arrivals, actually."

 

[Rhun]

"Thank you, Lucas," says Celythia with a nod, as she accepts her bow back. She moves to head past the guards and make her way into Specularum while the others pay their toll.

 

[Theroc]

Kynar frowned. First he's getting his weapons taken, and then he sees the man pocketing money from the tax?

"How do you propose I display my talents if my instruments are bound?" He protested, looking to the others somewhat incredulously that they would give up their weapons so easily, particularly after the man mentioned knifing like it was a common practice.

 

[kinem]

The man answers Kylar "We'd rather not have our citizens be the canvas for such artistry. Oh, I get it, you're worried about what I told the last guy. The town is safe enough, mostly. If you feel the need for self defense, you can buy a dagger at Koro's, three blocks ahead. Tell him Lucas sent you. Or if you're so talented, apply for a job with the city guard. The guards and Duke's men carry their swords unbound, of course, for your protection."

 

[HolyMan]

"Wells be'n as I has no coin fer yur binders fee, it bees luckys I's has no weapons ta binds." Rezak says holding his hands up in front of him to show his empty belt. His patch work cloak and travel worn clothes show that he isn't wealthy, his three days growth of beard and scruffy face say he isn't clean either.

[sblock=ooc] Well I do have 5sp and 8cp but won't give them up lol. Perform(act) or Profession(beggar) to get out of this fix. Dagger hidin' in small of the back. [/sblock]