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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rybaer" data-source="post: 125741" data-attributes="member: 118">Session #11.5 – The Duke’s proposalWith Kisty disguised and everyone else keeping a close watch about them, the group quickly moved through the streets of north Water Break.  At Duke Gosswall’s keep, they handed off their horses and proceeded up to the guards at the front chamber where they were forced to wait upon the Chamberlain.  Chamberlain Avae Moonhope, looking as stern as ever, finally met them and inquired as to their business.  They stated that they sought an audience with the Duke, private if at all possible due to matters of security.  She didn’t seem very keen on the idea, but decided to leave the request for privacy up to the Duke.  They checked their weapons with the guards and were permitted into the audience chamber without meeting the usual requisite dress code.Once other business wound to a conclusion, the Chamberlain finally introduced them to the Duke and the other assembled members of the court.  The gray-furred minotaur guards stared intently at them as Nigel stepped forward.  The request for a private audience was granted and the Duke again invited them to join him for lunch.  There were a few murmurs of surprise among the minor nobility.When they were seated in the dining hall, someone finally noticed that Kisty was not with them.  No one said anything, nor could they recall exactly when she had parted ways with them.  Each quietly hoped that she was continuing to play the part of servant and stayed out of trouble.The Duke dined with just the four of them this time.  The only others in the room were the pair of minotaur guards in their respective corners and a couple servants who handled the food.  Gosswall, after they had started eating, began the conversation by asking if they were the ones who had slain that monstrous fire-lizard the day before.  They admitted that they were.  He also asked them if they were the ones who had tangled with the Thieves’ Guild thugs and the Shadow up in High Hill a month or so back.  Again, they took credit.“For outsiders,” he told them pointedly, “you guys sure seem to be making a mark in the area.  It’s a shame that the Shadow slipped out of your grasp again.”“No kidding,” was the general sentiment around the table.“So,” the Duke continued.  “What brings you back to my court and why the need for a private audience?”They gave an abridged explanation of how Kisty’s name had slipped out through someone in the Duke’s court to the Thieves’ Guild and how, though a number of events, it had led to the fight in High Hill.  Hence their eagerness to avoid word of any other plans leaking out.  Gosswall nodded at the wisdom in this, and hardly seemed surprised that word had leaked to the thieves.“What we’re really interested in, your Lordship,” said Nigel, “is the use of your griffon riders.”The Duke raised a dubious eyebrow but indicated Nigel should explain before he rejected the notion outright.“As we mentioned the first time we were here,” Nigel said, “we are trying to establish trade back to our home of New Selmar.  We contacted the trader Trevor Aberdeen and he is interested in making a trip out there.  However, in order to make it worthwhile, he’d need to secure contracts in advance and know what goods to bring all that distance.  In order to do that and still have time to make a caravan trip out and back before winter, he’d need a quick way there and back for the negotiations…hence, your griffons.”“My griffon riders are not generally available for private parties,” the Duke said in a level tone that suggested it was unlikely they were going to be able to convince him otherwise.“We understand, sir,” Nigel said.  “It was just Trevor’s suggestion that we ask.  I suppose I should mention that in addition to the stop in New Selmar, he also wanted to swing by Mt. Goldforge to try to work a deal with the dwarves for some of their weapons and armor.  So, the trip would actually be a bit longer…”At the mention of Mt. Goldforge, the Duke’s eyes widened just a bit.  As the group had hoped, this one tidbit was changing the equation in their favor.  “Mt. Goldforge, eh?” the Duke said.  “So, they weren’t wiped out during the war?”“Honestly, we’re not really sure,” Nigel said.  “To the best of my knowledge, New Selmar has had no contact with them.  Though, based on Trevor’s maps, it’s far enough away from our home that I’m not surprised we haven’t heard from any of the dwarves.”  Rurik grunted in agreement.Gosswall seemed to ponder things over for a few minutes and then stood up, apparently having come to a conclusion.  “Please excuse me for a moment,” he said.  “You may wait here.  I have an idea, but I want to run it past one of my men first.”  One of the two minotaurs followed him out while the other remained, silently watching over the group.  Nigel had noted during lunch that the minotaurs seemed to be paying particular attention to Rurik for some reason.For ten minutes, they waited more or less in silence, waiting upon the Duke’s return and sipping wine.  When he finally returned, a serious looking elf wearing a shiny breastplate and the Duke’s colors followed him into the dining hall.  “I’d like to introduce Captain Tanavue Silverleaf, head of my griffon riders.”  The elf nodded curtly.  He seemed to give each a deeply appraising look, as if trying to discern their worthiness on appearance alone.Duke Gosswall continued.  “I’ve spoken with Captain Silverleaf about potentially lending you use of some of my riders for a short time to complete your task.  Now, I don’t generally do this sort of thing and I would expect a form of direct compensation.  Granted, I have an interest in some of what the dwarves of Mt. Goldforge could possibly have to offer…and I will speak with the trader Mr. Aberdeen about this.  As more of an upfront payment for use of my riders, I have something else in mind.  Captain Silverleaf?”The elf stepped forward, standing rigidly.  “At this time of year we always embark on a mission of some delicacy and danger.  The griffons that live on the cliffs to the north of the city are nearing the end of their nesting cycle.  We try to collect a couple eggs just prior to hatching so that we can raise them from chicks.  They are much easier to train this way.  Collecting the eggs without harming the parents, however, can be quite a challenge.  With the few wizards and clerics in the area still wary of association with the government of Water Break these days, we could use your group’s unique mix of talents in this endeavor.”“If successfully completed,” the Duke said, “I will lend you enough riders for you and Mr. Aberdeen to make the trip to New Selmar and Mt. Goldforge and back.”The group talked amongst themselves for a few minutes.  The Duke’s request for some form of compensation seemed reasonable, and they lacked any substantial monetary funds to attempt any other approach.  And, the task didn’t seem unduly risky.  So they agreed to the Duke’s terms.“Very well,” Captain Silverleaf said.  “I will collect a couple of my men and the necessary gear.  We will leave later this afternoon for Vineyard Pass to the north.  From there, it is most of a day’s trip to the north to the griffons’ traditional nesting grounds.  We will provide most of the basic supplies.  You just show up in the courtyard with your gear and horses, say at three hours past noon.”They were dismissed and led by servants back to the front hall of the keep.  Chamberlain Moonhope met them there and saw to the return of their equipment.  The group noted that Kisty, in her guise as an older gnome, was hanging around again.  The Chamberlain pulled Rurik aside once he had his gear.“Father Rurik,” she said.  “Would you accompany me to my office for a moment?”  He gave her a puzzled look but followed along.  Her office was a tidy and small affair just off the main hall.  She stepped around her desk, opened a locked drawer, and withdrew a simple scroll case.  It was sealed in red wax but bore no markings or imprint.“What’s this?” Rurik asked when she handed it to him.“I have no idea,” she said.  “It came to be in my possession through a string of anonymous couriers.  When it reached me, I was simply asked to give it to the dwarven priest, should he return to the keep.  I can only assume it was intended for you, as it came after your first visit and there is a noticeable shortage of other dwarven priests in this area.”He nodded and then asked if he could read it in private.  She stepped out of the office, but waited just outside with the door open.  Rurik broke the seal and withdrew a single sheet of rolled up paper.  The message was written in rugged handwriting.  The characters were mostly dwarven.  The words were partly dwarven and partly something else.  He recognized it as the same ancient form of dwarven as that found in the book Kisty had come into possession of.  Without wasting time to try to decipher it out now, he returned it to the case.It was already early afternoon and the group decided that they really had nothing else to do in town for the next hour or two before they were to meet up with the Captain.  So, they found a quiet inn nearby to have a couple quiet drinks and pass some time.  Rurik took this chance to pull out the note he’d been given and ask Zalman if he could get out their enchanted candle.Placing the candle in the center of the table and lighting it, the words on the note became readable to all:“Devout cleric of Moraein, “A number of your faithful followers are trapped within the ruins of Kladish.  Foul beasts roam the city and only under the temple of Tol can we find haven.  Only a true cleric of Moraein, or another of his pantheon, can show us the way home.“Bring caution, strength of arm, and faith, for this has become a dangerous place.  Travel north of the city about fifteen derr along the coast until you spot the twin spires.  There is one cave at water and another much above.  Avoid the high one for it is home to the most horrid of creatures.  The human-monsters may also have an entrance, but of this I know no details.“Please forgive our assumptions, but we are in most desperate need.  Yours humbly.”Zalman extinguished and repacked the candle.  “What is Moraein?” he asked Rurik.“I’m not sure,” the dwarf said.  “But it wouldn’t be a bad guess to say that it’s the ancient name for Moradin.  Would explain why the note was directed to me…what with my holy symbol blazoned across my shield.”“Okay, makes sense,” Nigel said.  “But what is Kladish?”“Or Tol?”“And what the heck is a ‘derr’?”“I’m not sure of the answer to any of those questions,” Rurik said.  He considered that this could be the connection to the mysterious quest the old dwarf had given him some two months ago while he was watching camp one night.  The dwarf had told him that there were loyal followers in need of his help, somewhere in the direction they were already heading.  He hadn’t told his friends about the visitor from that night, and he chose not to reveal it just yet.“That Kladish sounds suspicious,” Zalman said.  “Think about it.  Someone hires Kisty’s sister to find something.  She hires the Shadow, who goes hundreds of miles to steal this ancient book from the dwarves of Mt. Goldforge.  The page that was marked mentioned that the dwarves fled from ‘Kladish.’  It must have been an ancient city.  My guess is that someone is looking for Kladish, and wherever it is, it must not be too far from here.”“And from this note,” Rurik added.  “It sounds like there are dwarves trapped there.  I wonder if they’ve been there since the city fell all those generations ago.”“But if they got this note out to you,” Zalman pointed out, “then they must not be all that trapped.”They discussed it further over their drinks.  They agreed that someone associated with Misty and the Thieves’ Guild was looking for this Kladish.  They might be after the Adonix, the thing mentioned in passing in the book.  Rurik was convinced that dwarves were either trapped or captive in Kladish and that it was ultimately his responsibility to rescue them.  However, until they knew what a ‘derr’ was, even finding the place might prove very difficult.The group concluded that they would take the following actions.  First, go get the griffon eggs so they could get use of the riders.  Second, fly to New Selmar and then to Mt. Goldforge.  While there, they’d return the book and ask the lore keepers for advice and guidance on the matter, and see if anyone could shed some light on Kladish, the Adonix, and what a ‘derr’ was.  After that, they’d then decide how to proceed with Rurik’s mission to rescue those who had sent him the note.Next session:  Wyveryns and griffons and eagles, oh my!</blockquote>

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