[Eberron] Raider's of Xen'Drik

[Lobo Lurker]

Location:
Khorvaire
Nation of Breland
City of Sharn

After meeting your companions in a tavern 2 days ago, you went your separate ways. You had errands to run, jobs to do, the little things that fill up life between big plans. Perhaps you see a dentist, perhaps not. For whatever reason you've been drawn to the great city of Sharn, you now wonder if you've made the right decision. Everything is so big here. Towers literally strech up to the heavens, stores and hawkers line the streets, dragon-marked houses sponser shops of every type. Everything here is all business and tourism... luckily enough.

Last night, a messenger showed up wherever you were staying. The messenger was dressed in the gray and red uniform of the Runner's Guild. "Got a message for you." he says while holding out his hand (he obviously expects a tip). "Before you ask, I don't know who it's from 'cause I never read the messages I'm given." After being tipped, he hands you a simple wooden scroll case.

Opening the case, there is a small rolled sheet of parchment and a necklace.

Tomorrow morning, brunch
Tower of Seven Stairs, level 46
Valtosh Jade Museum, Yrgrad's Cafe
Your necklace will grant you admission.

J.R.H-V

Five seals are imprinted into the document. The first three are from dragon-marked houses (houses Vadalis, Sivis, & Lyrander), the fourth is from University of Wynarn, and the fifth you're not quite familiar with.

Groswen: [SBLOCK]The 5th seal is that of House Vlad'dam, a relatively minor Brelish noble house with claims dating back to the formation of Galifar. This house, not well known to the public at large, has been implicated in a number of shadowy operations down through the years though no one has ever found a shred of evidence to support the accusations. In particular, two memeber's of the house distinguished themselves spectacularly in the Last War. Navanna lead a cadre of elite commandos behind enemy lines time and time again and was personally responsible for much of Breland's intelligence reports. Alastair, on the other hand was known as a mighty sorceror and demon-binder. He personally held off an attack by no less than 200 of the Karrnathi undead by himself.[/SBLOCK]
Mortachi: [SBLOCK]The 5th seal looks similar to the seal on the equipent of some of the soldier's you faced during the Last War. You remember that those men had been under the command of some minor noblewoman from Breland. [/SBLOCK]
Rezzin: [SBLOCK]The 5th seal belongs to a minor non-dragonmarked noble house. You don't remember the name though. [/SBLOCK]
Rik: [SBLOCK]After digging around a bit, you learn that the 5th seal is that of House Vlad'dam. They've got thier hooks into all kinds of underworld activities and you're pretty sure you've worked for them on a number of occasions. [/SBLOCK]

The necklace is made of a cheap gold chain with a small jade disc attached to it. It's pretty and not worthless, yet not very valuable either.

 

[Lobo Lurker]

The next day, after washing and dressing (and possibly eating breakfast) you make your way accross Sharn's fantastic arching bridges and towers. You marvel the great height of the structures as you make your way though the crowds.

Finally arriving at the Tower of Seven stairs you see why it's earned that name. A pair of massive stairways, each half as wide as a boulevard, climb thier way up the tower in such a way as to have two exits and entrances on each level of the massive tower. Ornately carved into the sides of the tower in each of the cardinal directions, a stone ladder can be seen climbing into the heights and decending into the depths below. Making your way into the tower you see eateries, bookshops, a bakery... it's just like mall that streches upward beyond imagination. The perceptive among you note that each entrance of each floor of the building has a security person in a black and gray uniform. On the breast of each of these uniforms is the same seal that adorned your letters of invitation.

Slowly making your way to the 46th floor by way of a mechanical crank-driven platform powered by a quartet massive (yet well-groomed) ogres in the same uniform as the guards at the doorways. The Valtosh Jade Museum is a quiet establishment that takes up this entire level and the level above as well. Flyers promise exotic works of far off cultures and site the University of Wynarn as one of the museum's patrons. School children lead by thier teacher and a handful of minders are in line getting ready to go inside and view thier history lesson/field trip.

By presenting your jade amulets you are allowed to enter free of charge and are directed past mummy's, bas relief's, statuary, and carvings of jade, turquoise, and gold. The atmosphere here is reserved, quiet, and studious. The heart of the museum, a chamber opens up into the floor above and you can see various galleries promising exciting and beatiful works of art from Argonassen, Xen'Drik, and Sarlona.

A large cafe is situated on the floor of this open space and a variety of people are having coffee, tea, and sweetbreads. Noting your medallions, the serving staff direct you to a pair of large tables pushed together toward the back end of the cafe... where a most wondrous site awaits you. A young man, perhaps 17 years old with sandy blonde hair and a slim build sits at the head of the tables. From his neck dangles a thick bronze chain and a very large ruby that seems to glint with its own inner light. His clothes are finely tailored, but not terribly ostentacious. He waves to you and indicates that you should sit. A large red-haired woman stands behind him and seems to be scanning the room. The insignia of house Deneith is clearly visible on the shoulders of the long leather coat that she wears. A finely crafted darkwood crossbow lies within easy reach of her hands.

The table's other occupant is far more interesting. It appears to be an elf with midnight black skin (for the purposes of this game, the world at large has no idea what a dark elf is). A scarlet scarf is tied in a way that cover's his left eye and his long gray hair is tied behind his head. The remaining eye is a baleful red as he regards you for a few seconde before returning to sipping whatever it is that's in his cup. From his dress, you'd say that he was a sailor and not a poor one at that. A black, wide brimmed, blue-feathered hat lies on teh table in front of him.

Rezzin: [SBLOCK]This is the captain of the Lunar Fury, a ship well known for privateering during the Last War and now for smuggling artifacts from Xen'Drik to Sharn. You met him a few month's back and he offered you a position on his crew, but due to circumstances, you had to decline.[/SBLOCK]

Xarut: [SBLOCK]The creature is a drow. You remember that some ancient rift amongst the early elf civilization of Xen'Drik separated your people and over the course of the millena they changed and became something different. Your people don't hold them in high regard, but don't necessarily have a problem with them either.[/SBLOCK]

A black-haired human (house Lyrander from his clothing) and a dark-skinned half-elf woman (house Vadalis from the medallion that hands from her neck) round out the people waiting for your arrival.

 

[tyrlaan]

Takis - Druid 2, Search +2, Spot +8, Listen +8, Flatfooted AC 17

Takis takes a seat at the table as requested. He looks at all in the room, sharply darting his head from one person to the next instead of the typical scanning most would do. He spends more time looking at the black-skinned elf than the others, but there is no discernable expression on his face that would belie any attitude or emotion he may hold toward him. Takis continues his scan/study of the room and its occupants until he is addressed.

In fact, Takis just finds the elf interesting because he has never before seen an elf with black skin and red eyes.

 

[Lobo Lurker]

Yup. I just listed them... http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=2035419&postcount=144

 

[Xael]

Xarut, Elf Wizard 2, Search +5, Spot +5, Listen +5, Flatfooted AC 10

Xarut takes a seat as offered, and takes a quick look at the dark-skinned elf. For a moment, he regrets that he neglected his studies of history, and decides to correct that error later. For now, his attention is directed at the red-haired woman, who seems to be the most (potentially) dangerous - and thus interesting - person in the room. Xarut gives a small nod to the people present as he sits, but otherwise waits for somebody to either address him or somebody else to start conversation.

His Raven Familiar Veran unceremoniously moves it's claws from his shoulder to the back of the chair.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Rezzin - Swashbuckler 3

Rezzin skips across the floor of the cafe, moving towards the back of the room where the interested party awaits his and the others arrivals. His white hair flops back and forth as his head bobs, and the smile on his face is wide and inviting. The Mandrake had just recently been put into drydock because of damage suffered at the hands of some sauhaugin raiders, so Rezzin was stuck for work. When he received a note from a representative from House Lyrander he was taken completely by surprise... after all, he'd been persona non grata from the House for a couple years now, so their contacting him was quite unbelievable. But as the half-elf reaches the table and he sees the black-haired human wearing the colors and symbols of Lyrander, he knows that something special and odd must be happening.

'Good day all! Rezzin Ka'Zari at your service! How may I--'

The site of the dark elvish Captain takes him even further by surprise!

'By the Ring above! Captain! How are you? This is incredible! It's like a reunion of all my old acquaintances and friends! How's the Lunar Fury? Still sailing fast and free? Sorry I wasn't able to sign on with you at the time, but I still had a couple months left on my term with the Mandrake and couldn't leave Captain Destrallo out on a lurch. You understand, I'm sure! My, my, my... this is shaping up to be a very interesting day!'

Rezzin searches out for a waiter and signals for her to come over. When she does, he orders a glass of sparkling white wine and a plate of cheese. Then he settles back and awaits the arrival of the other attendants and then for the fun to begin.

 

[Elocin]

Hobbes Shifter Barbarian 2, Search+1, Spot-1, Listen+5 - Flat-Footed: 14

Having received the scroll and necklace which looks nice I tuck the scroll into my backpack and go in search of Takis so he can read the scroll to me. He informs me of what the scroll says and we meet at the appointed place at the appointed time. Then following the rest of the group to the table and noticing all that are gathered there I grow a little suspicious as to the attention our little band might be getting. With the amount of home insignias involved I doubt anything good will come of this. Dismissing the boy as anything but a messenger I am more concerned with the red-haired lady and of course the odd looking elf. I will have to make it a point to ask him what happened to his skin and why it is so much darker than normal elves.

Preferring to stand I also signal the wench to get me a drink and some meat that I can snack on as I pace back and forth. Hoping this meeting will not take long I let my mind and eyes wander over the rest of the crowd in the room to try and see if anyone is taking any particular notice to this meeting. I hope this meeting will not take long and we can get to the action soon enough. I just wish one of these times we did not have to deal with anyone from the official capacity as they are hard to understand and more often then not have their own agendas.


Spot=6 and Listen=7

(ooc: oh lord just point me where to swing and be done with it with rolls such as this)

 

[Lobo Lurker]

"So good of you to come. So good of you to come." Says the smiling youth as he bobs his head at each of you. "My name is Jherod." He walks over to shake your hand as you sit down. "We're just waiting on a few others and then we can start."

The black-haired man introduces himself as Lon d'Lyrander while the darkskinned woman introduces herself as Yelena d'Vadalis (oops! I've edited the text above to reflect this).

Hobbes notes that the little kids in the area are staring at both he and the black-skinned elf. The rest of the people nearby look like he thinks normal museum patrons would be like.

The black elf captain looks up at Rezzin as he speaks. As he finishes up the captain smiles and says "Take a seat then. I was wondering if this man-child had netted any seadogs when he cast his net." As he speaks, you all note that several of his teeth have been replaced with gold. He slyly lets his gaze slide from Rezzin to Lon d'Lyrander and back again. "There's not going to be any trouble is there?"

Glancing at Takis, the black skinned elf says "Boo." and chuckles to himself. "Ever been on a ship o' the line, boy? Nah, 'course you haven't. If you'd been a sailor during the Last War, if you'd seen the things I had to fight and kill, you'd not think of me as an odd curiosity." He seems unpreturbed by your attention.

The red-haired woman meets Xarut's eyes briefly. She seemed to size him up and dismiss him as an immediate threat. He notes that she stands on the balls of her feet and that none of her joints are straight. All-in-all, though she appears relaxed, Xarut reckons that she is ready to spring into action on a momen't notice.



OOC: I just wanted to give an example of the smaller action text 'cause tyrlaan misunderstood my bad explaination.

Lobo screams in anger as he leaps into the air and impales his spear into the sahuagin's side
Attacking blue sahuagin w/ shortspear +1; Power Attack: 2; +4 to hit; 1d8+7 damage

 

[Scotley]

Mortachi Human Cleric search+1, spot/listen+2, ff AC 15

Mortachi decides to forgo his armor and scythe for a brunch meeting in a museum. He arrives filled with questions, but is quickly destracted by the exhibits. He can't help but stop and look at several of the mummies and things related to tombs. He is running just a bit late when he finally arrives in the cafe in a rush. He is a tall thin man with pale skin and a long dark leather cloak. He asks the waiter for the cafe's selection of teas and selects an unusual blend and a pastry. He takes the offered seat and smiles warmly at his hosts, sizing them up and wondering how they know of him.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Rik, Male Changeling Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1, Spot +5(+9 vs. Disguise) Listen +0 FF AC 14

Rik stepped into the room as quietly as usual, keeping his eyes on everything and curious of the reason for being here. He walked softly to the table and had a seat in silence, simply looking over the others at the table from beneath his usual grey cloak. Normally, he wouldn't wear the hood up in such public places, but for some reason had no real interest in appearing in one of his more common disguises. But knowing the prejudice against his kind, he had decided it would be best to leave the knowledge of his Changeling heritage to those who already knew it...even though those were few in number.

He looked over everyone at the table quietly, taking no noticeable interest in one more than the other. The curiosity at this dark skinned Elf was kept inward, though after a moment he decided to speak up, although quietly and obviously loaded with sarcasm, "So it seems some of us know each other already..."