The Heroes of Dyvers Chapter Six

A Few Nights On The Town, Continued:

Sir Duncan said:

Rumors and general attitude towards Lady Abigail...Starting a business in logistics and commerce...And the general political situation in town...Who’s in charge? And who THINKS they’re in charge?

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Although Sir Aubrey is not shy about wielding his authority, Sir Duncan discovers (through general conversation) that his frequent absences on the Grand Duke’s behalf have weakened his political position, and most citizens believe that Sir Jonathan is, in reality, in charge of the city, for the most part. To further reinforce this idea, Sir Aubrey often confides in and seeks advice from Sir Jonathan, whom he trusts implicitly. That is not to say that Sir Jonathan seeks to undermine Sir Aubrey, because the two of them are lifelong friends, but the general implication is that if something were to happen to Sir Aubrey, the city would look to Sir Jonathan to assume direct control of and look after the city’s interests.

The general feeling among the townsfolk is that Lady Abigail is friendly, perhaps even benevolent, but her reclusiveness makes some people nervous. She is known to be fast friends with both Sir Aubrey and Sir Jonathan, and besides Sir Jonathan, it is Lady Abigail that Sir Aubrey places the most trust in. In fact, there are some who say that he trusts her too much, and that an Elf can never truly be counted on not to advance Celenian interests in favor of Human ones.

There are also rumors floating around that people have been turning up dead in Hochoch, and that the city guard hasn't been doing much about it, since the victims were all known thieves and violent criminals. Sir Jonathan has vowed publicly that he will find the perpetrator and put a stop to the killings, but so far, it's all talk, no action, or at least that's the word on the street. You can't get very many details, because people won't talk to you directly, on the account of you and Ebony being outsiders; but EVERYONE is talking about it, and it's easy to pick up tidbits here and there, and piece them together into a larger tapestry of information. Combining the information gathered with what Kwuest told you, you have surmised that some sort of criminal organization is making a power-play in Hochoch, and trying to take down the existing criminal regime. You are not certain that you want to become entangled in a gang war, although according to Kwuest, your association with Abigail has already made you and your compatriots a target.



There are already two logistics-related businesses operating in Hochoch: there is a large (5 vessels) merchant fleet at The Anchorage, known as The Shining Mermaid Shipping Company, and there is an overland caravan defense business known as The Gallant Defense Company, which protects overland merchant caravans for a 2% fee. There could be some room for healthy competition, although Gallant Defense has a reputation for putting competitors "out of business."

Dewydd’s Party

Dewydd said:

...I then throw myself into crafting the items I will need for the speedy completion of my stronghold. After crafting the maximum allotment of 8 hours each day, I spend the remaining time in training. I craft a Lyre of Building, Glove of Performance (Stringed Instrument) +5, and Tireless Plectrum to be used by the bard while construction is taking place on my stronghold.

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Dewydd said:

...On the 22nd of Sunsebb, after having taken a week to meet with my newly hired teams and ensure their lodgings and gear are adequate for now – with the promise of better gear to be provided by this time next year – and ensuring the castle and bardic college are fully built to my standards as well as the first few farmlands, I make my return trip to Hochoch.

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Dewydd said:

Until Respen returns, I spend my days crafting my remaining items for adventuring and training to improve my developing abilities.

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Dewydd said:

”...If I don't go and ill befalls him, I would not be able to look his wife and children in the eye. However, if it is your desire that I travel to the Steading, I will do so."

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Lady Abigail says, “You should go to the aid of your friends. I have other agents in my employ. One in particular, is an excellent spy, although he sometimes associates with people whom I find distasteful. I shall have him scout the Steading and keep an eye on the happenings there while you are away, and when you return, he shall report his findings to you, and you can deal with the matter at that time, without having lost your advantage. He is as silent as the grave, and he moves like a ghost. If anyone can gather intelligence on the Steading, Pallender can.”

Dewydd said:

I host a lavish party in celebration of my 30th birthday and spare no expense. After celebrating in the morning with the party, I ask Respen to return me for a week to my home. There, I host another party to celebrate with my teams, original staff, and any visitors; there is a quieter and more intimate celebration that night with just my original staff and any family members that visit. We dine on my favorite desert as a child, cherry cheesecake, and reminisce about days gone past while celebrating our current and improving station. There are talks and jibes of ladies that I should meet and court and I accept the ribbing with good humour.

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The party is quite successful. Margull himself is in attendance, as well as Laramon, Delbin, Vega, Lieutenant Benquist, and Sir Denby. A host of other minor nobles and officials are also present.





EVERYONE AT THE PARTY: What do you do?

Lathir does not particularly like crowds. He does not particularly like cities or even large towns, but he is wise enough to know the importance of attending certain events, especially when his friends and colleagues will be in attendance. Of course a druid hovering on the outskirts of a lavish gala does not really draw suspicion from other observers; after all everyone expects aloofness or at least a bit of stand-offishness from one more attuned to nature.

Lathir is cordial to any who approach him and accepts food and drink if offered. He skirts the edges of the party taking in all it attendants and activities.

Tam, who has never been to such a grand gala before, was first totally enamored of the whole thing. But, the thief in him slowly began to win out and he immediately started to play the game of assessing the values of rings, necklaces, brooches, bracelets and even the attire of some of the guests: furs, silks, ceremonial jackets and armors. And the embroidery work on some of their clothing...exquisite, making the women's dresses and the military jackets of several of the various guests quite valuable.

The thing that surprised Tam was how many had the appearance of wealth and success, but much of the bejeweled accoutrements and seemingly fancy attire of a number of these folks was not what it seemed and of, possibly, intrinsic value to the wearer, but of significantly less worth than a goodly number of the others. Tam easily recognized that some of these folk had "value" somewhere other than trinkets and possessions. They may even be fellow adventurers of note; in other words, not usually the type to flaunt their hard-won gains.

This was a concept Tam could respect, for even he was attired modestly and only sporting one ring that was newly made, the stone cut by himself, from one of the emeralds. With all of the wealth his heroic party had accumulated, he was surprised how much he didn't want to flaunt it.

He was also surprised by how few people came up to greet him; so, Tam went back to the sumptuous buffet for thirdsies as he continued to observe the crowd in his socially imposed solitude.

Vale And The Party...

~ Ah...festivities. ~

The unusual cool air of the late summer felt good on Vale's skin. He had spent the lion's share of time over the last ten months crafting magic items and working in the kilns in of one of the buildings near Abigail's tower. Most of that time had been cool, cold, or some version of comfortable. Even the summer had been mild. The weather was quite lovely for the time of year. Although he remained at the periphery of the crowd and away from the receiving line, he nonetheless mingled.

~ Lords and ladies, clerics and soldiers, merchants and adventurers-for-hire, all in a social mood for festive libations and fine food. ~


Vale approached one of Dewydd's retainers, a particularly dour and butlery fellow with a singular mind and lacking in any sense of humor, "My name is Vale Stonegallows, and I wish to present my gift to Lord Moresby. It is magical in nature, and it is of special import. Please see that he receives it. "

The dour fellow, clearly annoyed with the dwarf, replied curtly, "Certainly Mr. Stonegallows", taking the gift on behalf of Dewydd, "May I ask what it is?"

"I would rather not spoil the surprise, but it is a magical undershirt whose mundane component is not mundane at all, but a finely tailored undergarment by Felwin Umziver, Gnomish Tailor Extraordinaire. Please see that Lord Moresby receives discreetly and sooner rather than later. Thank you."

And with that, Vale Stonegallows retired to the terrace with a rather indiscreet large bottle of elven wine, an equally formidable mug of ale, and an even more formidable well-crafted wooden pipe with a pouch of mixed mountain smoke-weed and coastal tobacco. Entertained as he was by Tam's perplexed people-watching, he became increasingly unaware of the nuanced social dances and battles being waged inside, finally succumbing to a full own drunken stupor and carried back to his quarters by two more of Dewydd's retainers who were most amused as the drunken dwarf.

A Good Host

Moonday, Reaping 3, CY 964

Dressed in a black satin tunic shirt, dark leggings, dark boots, a broad black leather belt studded with three moonstones, a platinum amulet with the rune of Eihwaz, fine black leather gloves, and a draping black cloak that sparkles like tiny cascading stars. I personally greet every guest as they arrive. There are 255 guests, including my teams, staff, and visitors. A banquet twice as lavish, and expensive, as a typical banquet is available for all of them. For refreshments, 50 gallons of Elven Mead – something even dwarves grudgingly approve of – are made available. In addition, every guest receives a bottle of Frostwine as thanks for attending. The party has six different events for our entertainment: a Grand Illusion contest, a Dweomerlist, Conjurer's Chess, an Archery contest, a Joust, and a Melee Duel. The rewards for each competition are 600 gp to whomever comes in first place, 300 gp to second place, and 100 gp to third place. Vendors are allowed on my lands and able to sell their wares, with no fee required, and the public happily invited to join in the festivities.

Moving to Lathir, I quietly speak with him. “My thanks for attending. You are the only Druid to have chosen to and I appreciate it. Feel free to watch or even join in on the competitions. I think you might do particularly well in Conjurer's Chess.”

Noticing Tam's semi-loneliness, I approach him with a chuckle and a wink, “Others might socialize a bit more if you look at them as potential contacts instead of as potential marks. You have quiet a few stories to tell, Giantslayer. Mayhaps you'd like to try your hand in one of the competitions?” I add, friendly clapping him on the back.

My butler, Mael Bancroft, quietly approaches and whispers something in my ear. I quietly leave the room, following him and am delighted with what I am handed. I remove my cloak and shirt to don the gifted undershirt. After redressing, I thank Bancroft for informing me and search for Vale. Upon finding him on the terrace I grasp his arm in a warrior's grip. “My thanks for the gift! This must have cost a hefty sum! I'm surprised to find you here and not out watching the festivities – or even participating! Enjoy yourself and I hope the Frostwine is to your liking.”

After excusing myself, I continue to mingle with my guests. Upon ensuring that I have properly thanked all in attendance, I work my way around the various competitions, cheering the contestants on while offering words of encouragement and my condolences to those that don't prevail.

The Grand Illusion
Mages utilize their illusion spells to create spectacular and fanciful images. Mundane, epic, and even impossible creations pulled from their imaginations are put on display for the delight of the crowd. Size, sophistication, fidelity, and imagination are scored to judge each contestant's entry. Those that compete do so with the hope of becoming renowned and invited to banquets and balls for years to come.

The Dweomerlist
A test of arcane skill and combative mettle between mages that are randomly paired against each other for battle in nonlethal spell duels. Lethal spells are forbidden – meaning no death effects, nor spells such as disintegrate or internal fire. Spells with energy, force, or shadow descriptors are “pulled” for half damage. Spells that require melee attack rolls are utilized as nonlethal (-4 to attack to deal nonlethal damage instead of normal damage). Summoned creatures are directed to attack with nonlethal damage (-4 again).

Conjurer's Chess
Two mages utilize summons to entertain the crowd. A 10-by-10 square battle grid is mapped out, the competitors taking place on opposite sides. Over four rounds, a referee rolls a die and calls out a number. The two conjurer's each cast a summon spell, choosing a monster from the list that corresponds to the number rolled. In example, if the referee rolls a 4, the conjurers can summon any monster from Summon Monster IV or Summon Nature's Ally IV. They need not cast Summon Monster IV though – they can use Summon Monster V or VI to get 1d3 or 1d4+1 monsters from the respective list.

In subsequent calling rounds, the conjurers cast their summons again based on the new die roll, and monsters summoned may move one square in any direction. If the summons disobey and move further, that conjurer forfeits the contest. If the summons wind up in the same square, they fight at the direction of their summoner. Once calling rounds are over, the conjurer's continue to direct their creatures until the time limit of 1 minute is reached. At that point, whichever conjurer has creatures in the most squares of the grid wins.

The Archery Contest
A simple contest involving round targets divided into three concentric sections at a range of 150 feet. The outermost section is Tiny (AC 7), the next section is Dimunitive (AC 9), and the inner bullseye is Fine (AC 13). Each archer gets five arrows, earning 4 points for a bullseye, 2 points for hitting the outer circle, and 1 point for hitting the edge of the target. In the case of a tie, the targets are moved 100 feet further and the archers that tied shoot five more arrows. To split an arrow that's already lodged in the bullseye requires beating an AC of 35.

The Joust
Two competitors on horseback charge each other with blunted lances, separated by a rail that divides two parallel tracks. The make three passes at each other. One point is awarded for breaking a lance on the opponent between the waist and the neck, two points for breaking on the helmet, and three points for bearing a rider to the ground. Should a rider be knocked from the saddle, they lose and the other rider continues in the competition.

The Melee Duel
Contestants face-off 1v1 in melee combat. The weapons they use are nonlethal practice weapons. They fight until a person has scored five hits or the other combatant is unable to continue.

Lathir Seems Intrigued

Diarmadhim said:

... Moving to Lathir, I quietly speak with him. “My thanks for attending. You are the only Druid to have chosen to and I appreciate it. Feel free to watch or even join in on the competitions. I think you might do particularly well in Conjurer's Chess."

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Lathir cocks his head, similar in manner to a canine trying to understand vocal commands, not at all an odd expression for a druid.
"That Conjurer's Chess sound a bit interesting. I would like to watch a match before I decide if would like to participate. It sounds similar to checkered conquest, though. In my youth, I played this board game with an elderly gentleman where each opponent placed colored stoned upon a checkered board. If one opponent surrounded a line of the other opponents pieces, he could replace them with his own. This continued until the entire board was filled. The winner was the one who had the most pieces. I think the old fellow's name was Othello. Anyway, I will look into it. Though I am not attired in my usual garb, my profession is likely obvious."

Lathir smooths his increasing length of beard over his new green, silk tunic and adjusts his usual belt over it and his new finer woven brown wool kilt. His regular boots are not the most appropriate for a gala affair, but he drew the line at new shoes.

Party Shenanigans Are Afoot!

The party is a smashing success! Good wine, beer, food, and revelry is had by all!

[sblock=For Tam, Lathir, and Respen, who made their spot checks.]

NOTE: Although all three of you notice / discover what is about to be described, only Respen and Lathir realize the true significance. Tam was not with the party when the “ring episode” occured.

By socializing and exchanging polite small-talk, you are all able to discover the names of the following people:



All of these people are wearing a gold ring, which bears the following crest:



[/sblock]

DEWYDD: A wealthy-looking dignitary from the Barony of Thorngate in Nyrond approaches you during the party, and bows politely. He thanks you for inviting him to such a lavish party, and goes on for several minutes about how grand the occasion is, and about how much fun he’s having.

He thanks you for the Frostwine, saying: ”A most excellent choice, my lord. You are indeed very generous! As a representative of the Thorngate Foreign Trade Relations Guild, allow me to return the favor. This ring is a small trinket, which the guild gives to its most highly valued and favored associates. Aside from being a remarkably lovely piece of jewelry, it is enchanted to protect its wearer from extreme environments, such as desert heat, and tundra cold. The purpose of this is to ensure personal comfort during travel, a common complaint of diplomats who do so on a regular basis. Kolopiah-dubon.”

[sblock=Dewydd’s Eyes Only]
As he stretches out his hand to give you the ring, you start to get a bad feeling in your gut, like something is terribly wrong. But by then, it is almost too late!

The last two words that he uttered were some sort of command word! The ring pulses blue for a brief instant, as you are hit with a spell effect!

Please make a Saving Throw vs. the Suggestion spell, DC 21. A voice inside your head is telling you the following:

The ring is beautiful, and you love it!
You want to put it on right now!
The ring’s giver is a trusted friend!
The ring goes well with all of your outfits, and you should wear it for most, if not any and all, social occasions!
You’re very happy to receive this ring!
This ring is one of your most prized possessions!

Tell me the result of your saving throw in a private LINE message.
[/sblock]

Avram looks on with envy, obviously impressed by the gift, and perhaps even a little jealous of his employer. He raises a glass to Dewydd, offering good cheer.

Tam decides to take up the Archery Challenge. Now having had a few heady craft ales in him, he takes Dewydd's advice and waxes grandly on his exploits he had with their host and the rest of his company/party, magnanimously interjecting the parts the others played in his glorious successes. He even performs leaping shots, crouching shots, prone shots, and twist shots. He hits the target with every shot, and the bullseye very often, but doesn't win the challenge for all his bull-hockey, bravado and beer. He does, however, win a conciliatory award for the Best Showmanship in Archery...and is offered several more rounds of the craft ales.

Remembering that he had seen the Sheriff of Furyondy, and remembering having done some work with him while serving in his father's local militia as a posse for the Sheriff, Tam searches for Sarten Vandelmane in the various clusters of socializing folks. Unfortunately, after having imbibed so many tasty ales and eating so much fine and delicious food, he sees a cozy looking, be-pillowed chaise and while clutching his archery award to his chest, flops into it face first...

...at a dead snooze.

"Guards, take this man into custody and turn him over to the proper authorities - he just tried to influence my mind via magic! Beware the ring he was handing me, it might be cursed!" I shout as I take a slight step back and slip seamlessly into my aggressive fighting stance.