Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
[D&D4e] Sheep in Wolves' Clothing
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Sgroh87" data-source="post: 5204420" data-attributes="member: 90869"><p><strong>Solzigg's Prelude</strong></p><p></p><p>"Zigg, you've got a client waiting on you. He's in the conference room."</p><p>It is a late Friday afternoon, and you were just about to close up and head home for the weekend. You've had a long week: A member of HouseThuranni was accused of a botched assassination attempt, and he's hired you to act as his defense. The problem is, you are fairly certain that he was the would-be assassin, and your work is conflicting with your conscience. But business <em>has </em>been slow, and you can use any cases you can get.</p><p>You gather yourself up, sigh, and walk through the door to the meeting chamber. The building where you practice is nice: thick, cool stone walls, with coldfire lamps lighting the hallway. Portraits of friends and family members line the hallways, with small notes under the pictures with their names and information on them, just to help you out. You reach the conference room doors. The thick cherrywood is beautiful, and you're really glad that you splurged on something from across the sea. Expensive, but in your mind, well worth it. You sigh, and draw open the doors.</p><p>Inside, sitting at the table facing you, is a human. Not your usual clientele, but you have no problems with it. He is wearing a black suit with a red tie, and has a black bowler hat on his head. He appears to be older (by human standards): his beard is completely grey, and his hair is salt & pepper. There is a black wooden cane to his side, and he has what looks like a copper-colored glove on his right hand. You smell something in the air, slightly spicy and definitely exotic: cologne. You get the feeling that this man is the kind of man who is cool and charismatic; the kind who takes control of situations even when he doesn't have to. What makes you think that? The fact that he is sitting behind your desk, in your oversized (to you) plush leather chair. </p><p>He smiles at you, a wry grin. "You must be the famous Solzigg Lumwick. I think I have a job for you." He gestures at the chair across from him, and says, "Please, have a seat."</p><p> <span style="color: RoyalBlue">I cock my head sideways, taking an inventory of the human before me. I narrow my eyes slightly- not at all menacingly, but simply allowing my innocent perplexity to be known. Arrogance is a relatively common vice, and when in the presence of a physically smaller being some humans never fail to succumb to it. Still, the clothing, cane, and scent emanating from the elder man practically scream money. I don't think a lesson in manners is going to get me any of it.</span></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"> “Assembled by the finest carpenter I could find from the skin of a wild beast in Xen'drik whose name I can't even pronounce, that chair is the finest piece of furniture on this floor of the building.” I say, offering a wide smile as I proceed forward, climbing into the seat indicated by the guest. “Though don't even bother! It isn't for sale.” I declare, crossing my arms and shaking my head, the polite smile still plastered on my face. “What are for sale, however, are my services. What about this job you speak of?”</span></p><p>Johann smiles. "Oh, I have a much nicer one at home. But this one is comfortable enough for a short meeting.I'm aquainted with several people involved in your current case. The accusations against Elandel are just terrible, aren't they?" He says, leaning back in the chair. You can now see that what you thought was a glove actually seems to be made of metal, with a chronograph built into the back of it. It's too small to be a gauntlet, which leads you to believe that this man lost his hand and had a replacement made. "I've been told that you're handling the case quite well. Very... professionally." He shifts his weight forward in the chair, moving into a more conspiratorial position. "Now, tell me. How is his case going? Does he have anything to worry about?" he asks pointedly.</p><p>As he says this, you feel a very comforting sensation wash over you. You've known this man for less than two minutes, and everything about him has been very off-putting thus far, but you get the overwhelming sense that you can trust him. </p><p> <span style="color: RoyalBlue">My smile falters slightly, the full flash of white teeth settling into a more comfortable and friendly grin. The perplexed and piercing gaze of my eyes fades as I lean forward slightly, superficial first impressions warming considerably all of a sudden. “I think the case is going well, though the accusations certainly are...terrible, as you put it.” I say, my mind returning to my internal presumption of guilt on the part of Elandel. While recollecting the possibly sinister nature of my client and his associates, a small glimmer of professionalism returns, though diminished significantly. After all, what could it hurt to divulge just a bit of information?</span></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"> “Political conflict is something we've all gotten used to handling by now. It isn't entirely uncommon for the accused to walk free even when noble blood has been shed, and conclusively proving a failed assassination attempt is a difficult process. These are tumultuous times, typically the legal system has enough trouble resolving bloody issues. Accusations regarding an intricate, convoluted, and ultimately bloodless incident are likely to be thrown aside. I'm confident.” Oblivious to my own arrogance I offer a smug smile. After a moment I feel a pang of guilt at my loose lips, wondering why I offered an uncharacteristic and ultimately illegal glimpse into my case.</span></p><p>Johann leans back in your chair. You think you see a flash of disappointment on his face, but it is gone as quickly as it appeared. "Interesting," he says. He seems to contemplate something for a few seconds, then continues, "Will you excuse me for one moment?" Without waiting for a reply, he goes out into the hallway. He closes the door, but with your extraordinary hearing, you can still hear his muffled whispers. </p><p>"So, Gaerhi, what do you think?" he asks.</p><p>Then, another voice. This one is deeper, slightly sinister sounding: "I dunno, m'lord. Just one spell made him spill the details on his current case. Can y'trust him?"</p><p>Johann again: "I think that he'll be fine. We don't expect them to have access to powers like <em>that, </em>do we?"</p><p>Gaerhi responds, "No, we don't. But taking any cha-"</p><p>"Our scryer said that he'd be the best for the job." Johann says, interrupting Gaerhi. A pause. Then Gaerhi again: "Do what y'think is best, m'lord."</p><p>Johann walks back into the office and sits back down. "So, Solzigg Lumwick. I'm looking to fund a, shall we say... diplomatic mission, and I would be remiss if I sent the team without someone possessing your particular skills. It would be an ongoing contract with an indefinite duration, but rest assured the pay will be good. And the team is doing good work, of course." He leans forward again. "I want you to work for me."</p><p> <span style="color: RoyalBlue">I hide my anger the moment Johann steps back into the room. I do not enjoy being taken advantage of or made to look the fool, and the guilt at my own indiscretion quickly changes into anger after hearing that I was the victim of a spell. Still, I replace my narrowed eyes with the same polite smile. One for one. He got me, but I heard it all. I commit the names dropped to memory – the obvious one of my potential benefactor, Johann, and the other...Gae...what was it? I focus and manage recollect the name Gaerhi, quickly grabbing the note-pad and scribbling it down, tearing the paper free and stuffing it into my coat in a fluid motion. I sit with pen and paper in hand, listening to Johann's offer.</span></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"> Steady work? That would be a welcome change of pace...and 'good' pay from a human dressed this nice is likely to be more than my standard fee. I shrug off the magical effects, conscious knowledge of the unwelcome influence freeing me. “It sounds appealing..” I say, my smile growing more genuine. “I'd obviously need a few details, and I would also need to either finish my current case, or make sure it is adequately taken care of. I'm not agreeing to anything right away, I'd like some solid information.” Still, I don't bother to hide my obvious excitement at the prospect of traveling again.</span></p><p>Johann grins even wider, and pulls out a small stack of blank parchment and a quill from your desk. He begins to write something. As he writes; a neat, elegant script, he says, "I'll pay you triple your salary, plus room and board, if you... sign... this..." He looks up and hands you the papers and pen. It is a contract, a promise to work for him and only him until the assignment is complete, and a non-disclosure agreement, vowing you to silence about the project. He smiles. "Right now, no questions asked." </p><p><span style="color: royalblue">You read through it, and everything about it looks in order. There are no loopholes he could take advantage of, no hidden clauses; nothing that would lead you to think that he is doing anything backhanded.</span></p><p><span style="color: royalblue">Solzigg looks over the parchment carefully, the quickly drafted document appearing to have all the subtleties and nuances of a carefully crafted contract. “You must do this often...” he murmurs, eyes still locked down on the paper as he finishes reviewing things. “Contracts on the spot, that is...” looking up and offering a smile. “I would like time to see to my cases, or at least time to reassign them.” he restates, dipping the tip of the quill. “Opportunities like this are few and far between, and triple is quite a bit of money...”</span></p><p><span style="color: royalblue">Solzigg writes his name as elegantly as possible over the paper, pushing the documents back across the table after finishing. “My services might be of value to your diplomatic project? Well, in that case I'm your gnome.”</span></p><p>If possible, Johann looks even more satisfied with himself. He stands up, grabs his cane, and walks to the door. As he's walking, he says, "I'll have someone take care of it for you." He gets to the door and holds it open. He turns back around and says, "Well, are you coming? We have work to do."</p><p><span style="color: royalBlue">Solzigg rushes to his feet, quickly pocketing the pen and paper, a few loose coins, and grabbing a hat from the corner of his desk, suprised by how quickly the expectations of the contract have taken effect. He shoves the hat onto his head, matting down orange and silver hair. The hat is a stark contrast to the rest of his attire - a frayed straw relic from decades ago sitting atop a body donned with an expensive suit in the current fashion. </span></p><p><span style="color: royalBlue">After taking a few important papers from the top of his desk and locking them into a drawer, Solzigg walks briskly out of the door being held open with a quick glance back into his office.</span></p><p>Johann eyes your hat, and chuckles. "Nice hat."</p><p>He lets the door close behind you, and as Johann walks beside you, he says, "We will be taking a lightning rail to the north. I've booked a private cart; we can discuss your new position there."</p><p>Half an hour later, you're at the central rail station. Johann has booked passage on a lightning rail headed northeast of your location. As promised, you are in a private cart. That is to say, he booked an entire 1st class cart for himself. About half an hour into the ride, Johann says to you, "Solzigg, have you ever wanted to do something exciting with your life? Something important? Have you ever wanted to save the world?"</p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">Solzigg looks away from the window, curiously glancing at Johann. His mouth opens with a grin, as if to joke, but then closes after noticing the serious expression on his companion's face. "I think everyone wants to do something important...leave some kind of a personal stamp on this world to be remembered by...." he says quietly, taking the question seriously. "Saving it? That is some serious business...." then adding with a smile, "Apparently it pays well though! But...yes. I used to dream of...doing something for the world. Not necessarily saving it just...mattering, I guess."</span></p><p>"Oh, if everything goes according to plan, you will definitely matter. I just know that Merrix is going to explain things when everyone arrives, I know how full of himself he can get; so shall I lay out the details now, or would you rather wait? We'll be at our destination in just a few hours." Johann looks at you, waiting for a response.</p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">Solzigg offers an answer with little inner deliberation, almost immediately. "I think I'd rather hear the details now." He says firmly, meeting your gaze. A mixture of slight distrust from being magically influenced, and a natural inclination towards accumulating relevant facts, leave him grabbing onto any hint of further information.</span></p><p>He grins. "I would too, were I you. Very well then; let's start with a history lesson. You are familiar with the Last War, I assume. But how familiar are you with the greatest weapons created during the War, and their creators? I am, of course, talking about the warforged."</p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">“About as familiar as anyone else I imagine. They started off as a project of House Canith’s correct? After the war they were given their freedom. Still, a few seem to be unaware of that fact, or simply don’t care to exercise free will. The city still has some complacent with a life of servitude, though I’ve seen completely independent warforged traveling about.” He glances down at the floor in thought, curious how the warforged factor into his new job.</span></p><p>"Well, that's basically correct. Good enough for our purposes, anyway. Merrix d'Cannith and his son, Aaren created the warforged that we know and love today. Aaren's son, Merrix the Second, continued in their line of work, and designed some of the best warforged that were ever produced. One of those units was Merrix's crowning glory; a warforged with incredible wisdom, tactical wit, rallying command, and a master of violence. His name was the Lord of Blades. Have you heard of him?"</p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">Solzigg's eyes narrow a bit, a flicker of recognition. "Only as much as the legends tell me. I hear them passed around the taverns from time to time. He hides in the Mournland, recruiting others of his kind to bring war upon...well, anything with flesh from what I've heard. Intelligent, merciless, efficient...not someone you want pitting himself against your existence. What could I possibly be doing that involves him?" He asks, incredulous voice mingling disbelief with a tinge of fear.</span></p><p>"Well, I was only stretching the truth earlier when I told you that this would be a diplomatic position." He grins and leans forward. "You are going to infiltrate his operation."</p><p>Looking out the window, he says, "That's part of it, anyway. There's more to it. And don't worry, we have ways to ensure your safety. But I think it would be best if Alston, Solli, and Merrix explain that. They're the ones actually doing something, I'm just funding this operation." With that, a big, warm laugh emanates from your traveling companion.</p><p>He refuses to answer any further questions on the matter, only speaking of it to quell any of your fears. He insists that it will be cleared up once you arrive at your destination.</p><p>Several hours pass, and it begins to get dark. The rail is running through the woods; dark, imposing trees tower around the line. "We're almost there. Time to go." With that, he pulls out a small token from his coat pocket. With a magic word, he opens the window and tosses the token outside the car. He then proceeds to jump out the window.</p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">Solzigg's eyes widen as he watches the man jump from the window with no warning. "What?!" He manages to yelp between clenched teeth, scrambling quickly to his feet and slinging the pack over his shoulder. Peering over the edge, he hisses into the darkness, "You KNOW I am considerably smaller to you...what looks like a small leap to you is a significant fall for me!" Grumbling incoherently to himself, he grabs onto the sill of the window, fingertips digging into the cold metal. He finally lets go, taking it on faith.</span></p><p>You drop about two feet, and then feel a soft surface give beneath you. You look down and see that you appear to be floating next to the train. It feels like there is something underfoot, but you can still clearly see the ground rushing underneath you. You hear Johann's voice behind you: "Floating disk tokens. Cool, aren't they?" You can imagine the everpresent smirk on his face, though you can't make it out in the dark.</p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">His legs wobble in confusion, steadying as the realization hits that there is no immediate threat of hitting the ground. "Do I get issued one of these?" He asks loudly over the rushing air, eyes fixed on the dark ground rushing by. A small smile forms over his lips, enjoying the rush.</span></p><p>"We might be able to work something out. I'm going to detach from the train now." </p><p>You feel a slight jerk, then you see the train start to pass you. The disk of energy you're standing on begins to slow down, gradually reducing speed until it coasts to a stop. Johann steps off of the disk, and you feel it wobble. He pulls out a sunrod from his jacket and ignites it, bathing the two of you in a yellow glow. He points into the woods, and says, "This way. We're getting close."</p><p>You walk through the forest for about half an hour. You hear crickets chirping and owls hooting in the trees. The canopy is thick, blocking out the moonlight. Eventually you come across a large stone building. The walls are high, even for a regular human. The gray granite walls are seamless, giving the appearance of it being carved from one massive chunk of rock. The side you can see is about fifty feet wide. Johann steps towards the building and says, "Impressive, isn't it? There's only one way in. I hope you have a good singing voice." With that, he turns back to the wall and begins to sing. You recognize the melody as the Cyran national anthem. As he reaches the end of the first verse, you hear the sounds of stone grinding against stone. A section of the wall slowly recedes and slides out of the way, and inside you can see a long hallway lit by cold flame torches. Johann turns back to you, and says, "We're home."</p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">Solzigg watches with wide-eyed wonder as the massive structure comes into view. Wondering if perhaps an entrance is on the other side, he looks curiously up at Johann when singing is mentioned. He listens intently to the lyrics, surprised that a questionable and somewhat intimidating character such as Johann would be able to carry a tune. Leaves crunch as Solzigg takes a single step backwards, alarmed by the sudden sound of stone on stone. He stares as the granite walls slides inwards and to the side, revealing a hallway casting a glow that is vaguely reminiscent of the hallway and office he has recently abandoned. A tinge of regret sweeps over him before being quickly discarded, taking a few steps forward towards the building. "Home huh? Well, let's take a peek inside!"</span></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"></span></p><p>Inside you see that thick doors made of a warm red wood line the long hallway, which extends about fifty feet into the building. The walls are tall and made of the same gray stone as the outside. It's cool inside, but not unpleasantly so. </p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">Slowly stepping into the long hallway, Solzigg looks about at the multiple redwood doors lining the walls of the opened building. "Is everyone else here? Merrix, Alston and any team I might be working with?" He asks, turning to face you, exploring the long hallway.</span></p><p>"Merrix is probably downstairs, working late. As usual. I don't know where the others are, or if they've found the others you're to be working with. Let's go see, shall we?" And without waiting for a response, he begins to stride purposefully down the hallway. At the end of the hall is a small stone pedestal; small, at least, for a human. It is about three feet tall and slender, with a bluish crystal embedded in the top. Once the two of you reach it, Johann presses down on the crystal. You feel a jolt and again hear the grinding of stone on stone, and the floor suddenly begins to drop. You realize that you were standing on an indoor lift, like the ones that are common all over Sharn. </p><p>The lift goes down several dozen feet with only solid grey stone surrounding you, until suddenly a crack of white light appears at the bottom. The crack steadily gets bigger, and you see that you are entering a large chamber. The chamber is dominated by a large machine in the center, easily twenty or thirty feet tall. Scattered around the room are several people: a man in worker's clothes is working on the machine, and a hooded man with blue skin is talking to him. On the opposite side of the room, you see a group of 12 warforged, standing stock still in rank and file while a female gnome in brown robes waves her hands around, drawing intricate symbols with her fingers. As the lift gets even lower, you see a tall, skinny human with glasses standing with another very sleek warforged standing near the bottom of the lift. With a loud hiss, the lift settles into its resting place. Johann says, "Well well, it seems that there are some new faces around here. Shall we go meet them together?"</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Sgroh87, post: 5204420, member: 90869"] [b]Solzigg's Prelude[/b] "Zigg, you've got a client waiting on you. He's in the conference room." It is a late Friday afternoon, and you were just about to close up and head home for the weekend. You've had a long week: A member of HouseThuranni was accused of a botched assassination attempt, and he's hired you to act as his defense. The problem is, you are fairly certain that he was the would-be assassin, and your work is conflicting with your conscience. But business [I]has [/I]been slow, and you can use any cases you can get. You gather yourself up, sigh, and walk through the door to the meeting chamber. The building where you practice is nice: thick, cool stone walls, with coldfire lamps lighting the hallway. Portraits of friends and family members line the hallways, with small notes under the pictures with their names and information on them, just to help you out. You reach the conference room doors. The thick cherrywood is beautiful, and you're really glad that you splurged on something from across the sea. Expensive, but in your mind, well worth it. You sigh, and draw open the doors. Inside, sitting at the table facing you, is a human. Not your usual clientele, but you have no problems with it. He is wearing a black suit with a red tie, and has a black bowler hat on his head. He appears to be older (by human standards): his beard is completely grey, and his hair is salt & pepper. There is a black wooden cane to his side, and he has what looks like a copper-colored glove on his right hand. You smell something in the air, slightly spicy and definitely exotic: cologne. You get the feeling that this man is the kind of man who is cool and charismatic; the kind who takes control of situations even when he doesn't have to. What makes you think that? The fact that he is sitting behind your desk, in your oversized (to you) plush leather chair. He smiles at you, a wry grin. "You must be the famous Solzigg Lumwick. I think I have a job for you." He gestures at the chair across from him, and says, "Please, have a seat." [COLOR=RoyalBlue]I cock my head sideways, taking an inventory of the human before me. I narrow my eyes slightly- not at all menacingly, but simply allowing my innocent perplexity to be known. Arrogance is a relatively common vice, and when in the presence of a physically smaller being some humans never fail to succumb to it. Still, the clothing, cane, and scent emanating from the elder man practically scream money. I don't think a lesson in manners is going to get me any of it.[/COLOR] [COLOR=RoyalBlue] “Assembled by the finest carpenter I could find from the skin of a wild beast in Xen'drik whose name I can't even pronounce, that chair is the finest piece of furniture on this floor of the building.” I say, offering a wide smile as I proceed forward, climbing into the seat indicated by the guest. “Though don't even bother! It isn't for sale.” I declare, crossing my arms and shaking my head, the polite smile still plastered on my face. “What are for sale, however, are my services. What about this job you speak of?”[/COLOR] Johann smiles. "Oh, I have a much nicer one at home. But this one is comfortable enough for a short meeting.I'm aquainted with several people involved in your current case. The accusations against Elandel are just terrible, aren't they?" He says, leaning back in the chair. You can now see that what you thought was a glove actually seems to be made of metal, with a chronograph built into the back of it. It's too small to be a gauntlet, which leads you to believe that this man lost his hand and had a replacement made. "I've been told that you're handling the case quite well. Very... professionally." He shifts his weight forward in the chair, moving into a more conspiratorial position. "Now, tell me. How is his case going? Does he have anything to worry about?" he asks pointedly. As he says this, you feel a very comforting sensation wash over you. You've known this man for less than two minutes, and everything about him has been very off-putting thus far, but you get the overwhelming sense that you can trust him. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]My smile falters slightly, the full flash of white teeth settling into a more comfortable and friendly grin. The perplexed and piercing gaze of my eyes fades as I lean forward slightly, superficial first impressions warming considerably all of a sudden. “I think the case is going well, though the accusations certainly are...terrible, as you put it.” I say, my mind returning to my internal presumption of guilt on the part of Elandel. While recollecting the possibly sinister nature of my client and his associates, a small glimmer of professionalism returns, though diminished significantly. After all, what could it hurt to divulge just a bit of information?[/COLOR] [COLOR=RoyalBlue] “Political conflict is something we've all gotten used to handling by now. It isn't entirely uncommon for the accused to walk free even when noble blood has been shed, and conclusively proving a failed assassination attempt is a difficult process. These are tumultuous times, typically the legal system has enough trouble resolving bloody issues. Accusations regarding an intricate, convoluted, and ultimately bloodless incident are likely to be thrown aside. I'm confident.” Oblivious to my own arrogance I offer a smug smile. After a moment I feel a pang of guilt at my loose lips, wondering why I offered an uncharacteristic and ultimately illegal glimpse into my case.[/COLOR] Johann leans back in your chair. You think you see a flash of disappointment on his face, but it is gone as quickly as it appeared. "Interesting," he says. He seems to contemplate something for a few seconds, then continues, "Will you excuse me for one moment?" Without waiting for a reply, he goes out into the hallway. He closes the door, but with your extraordinary hearing, you can still hear his muffled whispers. "So, Gaerhi, what do you think?" he asks. Then, another voice. This one is deeper, slightly sinister sounding: "I dunno, m'lord. Just one spell made him spill the details on his current case. Can y'trust him?" Johann again: "I think that he'll be fine. We don't expect them to have access to powers like [I]that, [/I]do we?" Gaerhi responds, "No, we don't. But taking any cha-" "Our scryer said that he'd be the best for the job." Johann says, interrupting Gaerhi. A pause. Then Gaerhi again: "Do what y'think is best, m'lord." Johann walks back into the office and sits back down. "So, Solzigg Lumwick. I'm looking to fund a, shall we say... diplomatic mission, and I would be remiss if I sent the team without someone possessing your particular skills. It would be an ongoing contract with an indefinite duration, but rest assured the pay will be good. And the team is doing good work, of course." He leans forward again. "I want you to work for me." [COLOR=RoyalBlue]I hide my anger the moment Johann steps back into the room. I do not enjoy being taken advantage of or made to look the fool, and the guilt at my own indiscretion quickly changes into anger after hearing that I was the victim of a spell. Still, I replace my narrowed eyes with the same polite smile. One for one. He got me, but I heard it all. I commit the names dropped to memory – the obvious one of my potential benefactor, Johann, and the other...Gae...what was it? I focus and manage recollect the name Gaerhi, quickly grabbing the note-pad and scribbling it down, tearing the paper free and stuffing it into my coat in a fluid motion. I sit with pen and paper in hand, listening to Johann's offer.[/COLOR] [COLOR=RoyalBlue] Steady work? That would be a welcome change of pace...and 'good' pay from a human dressed this nice is likely to be more than my standard fee. I shrug off the magical effects, conscious knowledge of the unwelcome influence freeing me. “It sounds appealing..” I say, my smile growing more genuine. “I'd obviously need a few details, and I would also need to either finish my current case, or make sure it is adequately taken care of. I'm not agreeing to anything right away, I'd like some solid information.” Still, I don't bother to hide my obvious excitement at the prospect of traveling again.[/COLOR] Johann grins even wider, and pulls out a small stack of blank parchment and a quill from your desk. He begins to write something. As he writes; a neat, elegant script, he says, "I'll pay you triple your salary, plus room and board, if you... sign... this..." He looks up and hands you the papers and pen. It is a contract, a promise to work for him and only him until the assignment is complete, and a non-disclosure agreement, vowing you to silence about the project. He smiles. "Right now, no questions asked." [COLOR="royalblue"]You read through it, and everything about it looks in order. There are no loopholes he could take advantage of, no hidden clauses; nothing that would lead you to think that he is doing anything backhanded. Solzigg looks over the parchment carefully, the quickly drafted document appearing to have all the subtleties and nuances of a carefully crafted contract. “You must do this often...” he murmurs, eyes still locked down on the paper as he finishes reviewing things. “Contracts on the spot, that is...” looking up and offering a smile. “I would like time to see to my cases, or at least time to reassign them.” he restates, dipping the tip of the quill. “Opportunities like this are few and far between, and triple is quite a bit of money...” Solzigg writes his name as elegantly as possible over the paper, pushing the documents back across the table after finishing. “My services might be of value to your diplomatic project? Well, in that case I'm your gnome.”[/COLOR] If possible, Johann looks even more satisfied with himself. He stands up, grabs his cane, and walks to the door. As he's walking, he says, "I'll have someone take care of it for you." He gets to the door and holds it open. He turns back around and says, "Well, are you coming? We have work to do." [COLOR="royalBlue"]Solzigg rushes to his feet, quickly pocketing the pen and paper, a few loose coins, and grabbing a hat from the corner of his desk, suprised by how quickly the expectations of the contract have taken effect. He shoves the hat onto his head, matting down orange and silver hair. The hat is a stark contrast to the rest of his attire - a frayed straw relic from decades ago sitting atop a body donned with an expensive suit in the current fashion. After taking a few important papers from the top of his desk and locking them into a drawer, Solzigg walks briskly out of the door being held open with a quick glance back into his office.[/COLOR] Johann eyes your hat, and chuckles. "Nice hat." He lets the door close behind you, and as Johann walks beside you, he says, "We will be taking a lightning rail to the north. I've booked a private cart; we can discuss your new position there." Half an hour later, you're at the central rail station. Johann has booked passage on a lightning rail headed northeast of your location. As promised, you are in a private cart. That is to say, he booked an entire 1st class cart for himself. About half an hour into the ride, Johann says to you, "Solzigg, have you ever wanted to do something exciting with your life? Something important? Have you ever wanted to save the world?" [COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Solzigg looks away from the window, curiously glancing at Johann. His mouth opens with a grin, as if to joke, but then closes after noticing the serious expression on his companion's face. "I think everyone wants to do something important...leave some kind of a personal stamp on this world to be remembered by...." he says quietly, taking the question seriously. "Saving it? That is some serious business...." then adding with a smile, "Apparently it pays well though! But...yes. I used to dream of...doing something for the world. Not necessarily saving it just...mattering, I guess."[/COLOR] "Oh, if everything goes according to plan, you will definitely matter. I just know that Merrix is going to explain things when everyone arrives, I know how full of himself he can get; so shall I lay out the details now, or would you rather wait? We'll be at our destination in just a few hours." Johann looks at you, waiting for a response. [COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Solzigg offers an answer with little inner deliberation, almost immediately. "I think I'd rather hear the details now." He says firmly, meeting your gaze. A mixture of slight distrust from being magically influenced, and a natural inclination towards accumulating relevant facts, leave him grabbing onto any hint of further information.[/COLOR] He grins. "I would too, were I you. Very well then; let's start with a history lesson. You are familiar with the Last War, I assume. But how familiar are you with the greatest weapons created during the War, and their creators? I am, of course, talking about the warforged." [COLOR="RoyalBlue"]“About as familiar as anyone else I imagine. They started off as a project of House Canith’s correct? After the war they were given their freedom. Still, a few seem to be unaware of that fact, or simply don’t care to exercise free will. The city still has some complacent with a life of servitude, though I’ve seen completely independent warforged traveling about.” He glances down at the floor in thought, curious how the warforged factor into his new job.[/COLOR] "Well, that's basically correct. Good enough for our purposes, anyway. Merrix d'Cannith and his son, Aaren created the warforged that we know and love today. Aaren's son, Merrix the Second, continued in their line of work, and designed some of the best warforged that were ever produced. One of those units was Merrix's crowning glory; a warforged with incredible wisdom, tactical wit, rallying command, and a master of violence. His name was the Lord of Blades. Have you heard of him?" [COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Solzigg's eyes narrow a bit, a flicker of recognition. "Only as much as the legends tell me. I hear them passed around the taverns from time to time. He hides in the Mournland, recruiting others of his kind to bring war upon...well, anything with flesh from what I've heard. Intelligent, merciless, efficient...not someone you want pitting himself against your existence. What could I possibly be doing that involves him?" He asks, incredulous voice mingling disbelief with a tinge of fear.[/COLOR] "Well, I was only stretching the truth earlier when I told you that this would be a diplomatic position." He grins and leans forward. "You are going to infiltrate his operation." Looking out the window, he says, "That's part of it, anyway. There's more to it. And don't worry, we have ways to ensure your safety. But I think it would be best if Alston, Solli, and Merrix explain that. They're the ones actually doing something, I'm just funding this operation." With that, a big, warm laugh emanates from your traveling companion. He refuses to answer any further questions on the matter, only speaking of it to quell any of your fears. He insists that it will be cleared up once you arrive at your destination. Several hours pass, and it begins to get dark. The rail is running through the woods; dark, imposing trees tower around the line. "We're almost there. Time to go." With that, he pulls out a small token from his coat pocket. With a magic word, he opens the window and tosses the token outside the car. He then proceeds to jump out the window. [COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Solzigg's eyes widen as he watches the man jump from the window with no warning. "What?!" He manages to yelp between clenched teeth, scrambling quickly to his feet and slinging the pack over his shoulder. Peering over the edge, he hisses into the darkness, "You KNOW I am considerably smaller to you...what looks like a small leap to you is a significant fall for me!" Grumbling incoherently to himself, he grabs onto the sill of the window, fingertips digging into the cold metal. He finally lets go, taking it on faith.[/COLOR] You drop about two feet, and then feel a soft surface give beneath you. You look down and see that you appear to be floating next to the train. It feels like there is something underfoot, but you can still clearly see the ground rushing underneath you. You hear Johann's voice behind you: "Floating disk tokens. Cool, aren't they?" You can imagine the everpresent smirk on his face, though you can't make it out in the dark. [COLOR="RoyalBlue"]His legs wobble in confusion, steadying as the realization hits that there is no immediate threat of hitting the ground. "Do I get issued one of these?" He asks loudly over the rushing air, eyes fixed on the dark ground rushing by. A small smile forms over his lips, enjoying the rush.[/COLOR] "We might be able to work something out. I'm going to detach from the train now." You feel a slight jerk, then you see the train start to pass you. The disk of energy you're standing on begins to slow down, gradually reducing speed until it coasts to a stop. Johann steps off of the disk, and you feel it wobble. He pulls out a sunrod from his jacket and ignites it, bathing the two of you in a yellow glow. He points into the woods, and says, "This way. We're getting close." You walk through the forest for about half an hour. You hear crickets chirping and owls hooting in the trees. The canopy is thick, blocking out the moonlight. Eventually you come across a large stone building. The walls are high, even for a regular human. The gray granite walls are seamless, giving the appearance of it being carved from one massive chunk of rock. The side you can see is about fifty feet wide. Johann steps towards the building and says, "Impressive, isn't it? There's only one way in. I hope you have a good singing voice." With that, he turns back to the wall and begins to sing. You recognize the melody as the Cyran national anthem. As he reaches the end of the first verse, you hear the sounds of stone grinding against stone. A section of the wall slowly recedes and slides out of the way, and inside you can see a long hallway lit by cold flame torches. Johann turns back to you, and says, "We're home." [COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Solzigg watches with wide-eyed wonder as the massive structure comes into view. Wondering if perhaps an entrance is on the other side, he looks curiously up at Johann when singing is mentioned. He listens intently to the lyrics, surprised that a questionable and somewhat intimidating character such as Johann would be able to carry a tune. Leaves crunch as Solzigg takes a single step backwards, alarmed by the sudden sound of stone on stone. He stares as the granite walls slides inwards and to the side, revealing a hallway casting a glow that is vaguely reminiscent of the hallway and office he has recently abandoned. A tinge of regret sweeps over him before being quickly discarded, taking a few steps forward towards the building. "Home huh? Well, let's take a peek inside!" [/COLOR] Inside you see that thick doors made of a warm red wood line the long hallway, which extends about fifty feet into the building. The walls are tall and made of the same gray stone as the outside. It's cool inside, but not unpleasantly so. [COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Slowly stepping into the long hallway, Solzigg looks about at the multiple redwood doors lining the walls of the opened building. "Is everyone else here? Merrix, Alston and any team I might be working with?" He asks, turning to face you, exploring the long hallway.[/COLOR] "Merrix is probably downstairs, working late. As usual. I don't know where the others are, or if they've found the others you're to be working with. Let's go see, shall we?" And without waiting for a response, he begins to stride purposefully down the hallway. At the end of the hall is a small stone pedestal; small, at least, for a human. It is about three feet tall and slender, with a bluish crystal embedded in the top. Once the two of you reach it, Johann presses down on the crystal. You feel a jolt and again hear the grinding of stone on stone, and the floor suddenly begins to drop. You realize that you were standing on an indoor lift, like the ones that are common all over Sharn. The lift goes down several dozen feet with only solid grey stone surrounding you, until suddenly a crack of white light appears at the bottom. The crack steadily gets bigger, and you see that you are entering a large chamber. The chamber is dominated by a large machine in the center, easily twenty or thirty feet tall. Scattered around the room are several people: a man in worker's clothes is working on the machine, and a hooded man with blue skin is talking to him. On the opposite side of the room, you see a group of 12 warforged, standing stock still in rank and file while a female gnome in brown robes waves her hands around, drawing intricate symbols with her fingers. As the lift gets even lower, you see a tall, skinny human with glasses standing with another very sleek warforged standing near the bottom of the lift. With a loud hiss, the lift settles into its resting place. Johann says, "Well well, it seems that there are some new faces around here. Shall we go meet them together?" [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
[D&D4e] Sheep in Wolves' Clothing
Top