Impatient to dock Tempest leaps from the ship and flies to the piers while the ship is still berthing. As he lands on the wooden boards the ape-man takes a moment to survey the scene about him, taking in the sailors, the ships and their wares, the labourers and the warehouses that they work in and the other miscellaneuos shops and offices that support the busy dock.
Anything But Normal, Sailing the Endless Falls...
- Thread starter Isida Kep'Tukari
- Start date
Erekose13
Explorer
Vaukriel takes to the air with Tempest both to get a bird's eye view of the city and to keep a close watch on his friend. While in Bluegorge he will be looking for the contacts they are hoping to make as well as someone offering messenger service (preferrably with sending spells).
Kelleris
Explorer
As he sees the others dispersing, Lupaz telepathically tells them of his plans to establish a link with the palace via Trebuchet's suggestion. Giving the warforged an appraising glance, he tells him to meet him an hour before dark at Tin Street square before leaving him to his own devices. Then, Lupaz shimmers momentarily and reappears a moment later in a shadowed alleyway well away from the Khoira Aisa before trotting off to gather news of the outside world's reaction to the Time Elementals' coup.
[sblock=Isida -]Gather Information +17 and Knowledge (local) +11 to find the right kinds of bars and such to loiter around in to get this kind of news. I'll try to be discrete about it, using disguise self to pose as a nondescript dog of whatever breed is appropriate, but if there's anyone here I trust from my earlier trips I'll make it a point to look them up and feel them out for their possible use as an ally, without necessarily mentioning the rather tricky situation we're in already. Bluff +11 and Diplomacy +8 to do so.[/sblock]
[sblock=Isida -]Gather Information +17 and Knowledge (local) +11 to find the right kinds of bars and such to loiter around in to get this kind of news. I'll try to be discrete about it, using disguise self to pose as a nondescript dog of whatever breed is appropriate, but if there's anyone here I trust from my earlier trips I'll make it a point to look them up and feel them out for their possible use as an ally, without necessarily mentioning the rather tricky situation we're in already. Bluff +11 and Diplomacy +8 to do so.[/sblock]
"One hour before dark, Tin Street square," the warforged repeats, then nods.
He then plods at a steady, methodical pace off the ship and into the city as Watcher spins and twists in its socket, capturing as much of the new locale as it can. After spending some time simply taking in the sights of the cliff city (which Trebuchet experiences more as an analysis of architectural style and engineering prowess than with any sense of aesthetic beauty), he makes his pounding, inexorable way towards the nearest local blacksmith to observe his works and crafting style. From there, he visits alchemist's displays and charm shops...purveyors of minor magical tricks...looking to see what the town has to offer.
Finally, as the sun dips low and the city is drenched in the shadow of its own cliffs, he makes his way to Tin Street square to await with infinite patience the arrival of Lupaz.
He then plods at a steady, methodical pace off the ship and into the city as Watcher spins and twists in its socket, capturing as much of the new locale as it can. After spending some time simply taking in the sights of the cliff city (which Trebuchet experiences more as an analysis of architectural style and engineering prowess than with any sense of aesthetic beauty), he makes his pounding, inexorable way towards the nearest local blacksmith to observe his works and crafting style. From there, he visits alchemist's displays and charm shops...purveyors of minor magical tricks...looking to see what the town has to offer.
Finally, as the sun dips low and the city is drenched in the shadow of its own cliffs, he makes his way to Tin Street square to await with infinite patience the arrival of Lupaz.
Oob makes himself into a living boardwalk, all the better to observe the people who are walking, strolling, and even flying around the market. Several entertainers are set up in odd corners, including jugglers, someone with a bunch of trained rats that manage to show up in the most amazing places, a few illusionists, a group of contortionists putting themselves in unlikely pretzel-like shapes, and many musicians playing a variety of happy tunes. Ooboobobo can get a prime view of all of them, if he's so inclined.Voidrazor said:
Nissa: [sblock]The tempest twins smile at her words, and Coron says, "One thing we're good at is irking the very devil out of people. We were born and bred to be spies and thieves, and if Chronotrypsis thinks we're just going to roll over and die because of his betrayal, he's sorely mistaken. Have no fear lovely lady, we're not fighters, but we're going to be making life nearly impossible for the time elementals very shortly."Rystil Arden said:
As for Bluegorge itself, you know it was attacked and nearly overrun several years ago, and the scars from the attacks still linger. The only reason it didn't fall was that the fire-ogres and water-kobolds (from the adjoining cliffs and behind the Falls respectively) weren't joined by the gnoll tribes from the Sea of Grass to the east. Somehow they were turned away before they could join in the general slaughter, and the defenders of Bluegorge were able to repel the invaders after a long and viscious fight. But both before and since it has always been a center for trade, due to its location between several large kingdoms.
It only exports a few of its own items, mostly crystal items harvested from the falls and other finished stone goods, but it does a lot of processing of other goods from other kingdoms. It turns raw wood into beautiful furniture, rocks into gems, grain into rations, cowhides into boots, etc. It does have a small but dedicated magical industry. While it doesn't go in for the larger, flashier magic, it does a lot with "consumer" magic. Small items with small enchantments, but mostly things that make life easier.
An air-blooded giant eagle rules Upper Bluegorge, while a tumble of geons (a kind of earth elemental with significant magical abilities related to earth) rules Lower Bluegorge. They tend to rule lightly but well, and there has been no coups or assassination attempts against them that you're aware of.[/sblock]
There's at least a dozen ships, from a tiny vessel seemingly made of woven silver, holding barely a half-dozen people, to a large water-bound sailing vessel that you realize, after a moment, that you recognize. It's the Crazed Compass! Currently the ship is being unloaded by a busy group of half-giant stevadores, while the down Captain Ironarm looks on, a scowl on his face.D20Dazza said:
Tempest pauses in his flight, looking at some of the ship with curiosity, but you fly a bit higher to get a better view of the whole city. It's vertical, V-shaped structure makes it look like a mountain gorge, even though it's actually a crevice in a cliff. A few other people scoot by on cloud-skffs, fluffy puffs of magically-stable water vapor that draw their substance from the spray the falls produce. There's several other flying peoples in the air as well; raptorans and aarakroka mostly, along with a lone air elemental that seems to be cavorting around the flags on the towers.Erekose13 said:
Going closer to the merchants, he can begin to make out districts; tailors, weavers, fullers, and other people related to the clothing industry here, cobblers and other shoe-people there, and so on. Eventually, he can spy places where there's a great deal of singular traffic, most with people leaving or departing clutching a message-tube, parcel, or something similar. Most places seem to be those that used various ways of conveying a message physically, albeit sometimes with magical assistance. But two places employed several wizards or other magicians for more discrete and expensive communication. The small Whispered Secret, its clientelle consisting (of what could be seen with only a couple hour's casual observation) of women or pages in livery, and the larger Magic Mouth, with its customer seeming to be richer men, merchants or other tradesmen.
You recall a couple of taverns that might attract the crowds you need. The King and Cat caters to merchants, while the Raven's Claws has a somewhat shadier crowd. Between the two you hope to get a good cross-section of opinions. Taking the form of a cliffdog, a sturdy beast with short claws it uses to climb nearly-verticle surfaces, you go to flop near the kitchen door, or even by the fireplace, in order to hear what you need.Kelleris said:
While traveling there, you notice that most of the scars from your last time in the area are starting to heal. Battle damage is being hid underneath paint and fresh stone, and several areas of the place have the kind of fragile newness that comes from being rapidly rebuilt. Overall the city seems to be doing quite well, considering last time you were here.
Inside the King and Cat: [sblock]The mood is somewhat subdued, and the wine and ale are flowing fairly freely tonight. It's not because of happiness, but because of sorrow. Several merchants express dark mutterings of how they were turned away from the Kingdom of Knowledge, being denied their shipments of pure element. "Going to bankrupt me if they do it again! My clients nearly skinned me alive when I didn't have the rare earths they wanted," one says gloomily. Others chime in with expressions of sympathy, some pointing out that political unrest was quite terrible for profit. One fellow chirps up, "Well, just be glad the new people seem to know what they're doing. I mean, it's only been a week. Sometimes this stuff drags on for years, but I hear they'll be ready to open their contracts again in a month." Some people seem to perk up at that, but the older merchants mutter cynically that promises fill no chests.[/sblock] Inside the Raven's Claws: [sblock]In here the mood is fairly boisterous, the group of shady-looking toughs and lean rascals getting rowdy. No less than three arm-wrestling matches are going on in the front room, and in the back room a few of the younger thieves are challenging each other to a pick-pocketing contest on a belled dummy. While the coup seemed to have dampened the spirits of the middle-class, the lower class seems to have profited. A couple mention that they're heading there tomorrow or the next day, or that they've been hired by people out of the Kingdom to fetch this or that. The time elementals seem to be trying to acquire a whole range of items; everything from gems, to old scrolls, to rare woods. You have a sneaking suspicion that they're trying to get tributes for the weirds. It seems the time elementals are wanting the weirds' favor and insight in a big way.[/sblock]
After some looking around, Trebuchet can find several kinds of blacksmithing shops. People look at him in askance, but with some overheard comments he learns that most seem to regard him as a construct sent out on some errand for his master. Twice he spots other constructs in the street, a heavily-armored one with a simple helm for a face at the entrance to some kind of meeting hall, and a rune-encrusted one that trails behind a wizened older man in robes. The blacksmiths are doing a lot of ornamental iron work; apparently to replace what was lost in a battle some years back. People are still recovering from that one, and also are still somewhat scarred, as several sturdy window bars are also being constructed.Shayuri said:
Some of the weaponsmiths you observed were also close to the alchemical district, as some processes to forge certain kinds of metal required alchemical assistance. One was making a sword with an orange blade, and pouring something called Essence of Orange in between each hammer strike, while another worked with a dark purple metal that apparently had to be quenched in acid to gain its characteristic sharpness. The alchemical shops themselves offered dozens of items to enhance the abilities of living men and woman, to make them temporarily faster, or stronger, or even more lovely. Others offered items for the home; oils that burned brighter and longer than regular lamp oil for instance. A few offered combat items; alchmist's fire or acid, sparkstones or flashbright, ghostoil or bleeder.
The charm shops were run by tinker mages, men and women that offered many items of minor magic to entertain, protect, or discern. Charms to detect poison or magic, to create small illusions or to defend against street thugs. A few offer potions of healing salves, or concoctions to gain temporary strength, agility, or endurance.
Finally, much later at night, the blink hound and warforged can meet at Tin Street, the place still echoing with small hammer blows even at this hour.
Rystil Arden
First Post
*Nissa watches where the others go, including the tempest twins and the crew of the Khora Aisa, but she is in no particular hurry herself. She spends some time with Anemone before heading out to see if she can find anything interesting or useful.*
Kelleris
Explorer
[sblock=Isida] I assume I can track down Nissa and report by using dimension door and scent to pick up and follow her trail, even though I don't know precisely where she intends to go. If that's not the case, tell me and I'll alter the following. [/sblock]
About an hour and fifteen minutes before dark, as deep shadows start to cloak Bluegorge and the sun rests on the waters to the east, Lupaz appears from nowhere softly padding behind Nissa, more out of habit than anything else. Suddenly, he reaches out with his mind to "speak" with her.
I had the Dark One's own time finding you, sea-child. I had anticipated that you would stay on the Khoira Aisa. In any case, you seem to have appointed yourself the spokesperson for our motley crew, so I thought you had better know what I've found. It seems the time elementals are moving quickly to re-establish their trade with foreign nations. Our best bet to keep them off-guard might be to prevent them from fulfilling the Kingdom's trade obligations. Perhaps you have some friends that might be inclined to cause a little chaos? Perhaps even those timespawn you were being so friendly with, though I know nothing of their connections.
Lupaz shakes his head and glances around into the gathering shadows. He seems nervous, keenly aware that plans are afoot that he'll have a hard time tracking and controlling on his own. It's not something he's used to.
More disturbingly, the elementals are attempting to acquire all manner of rare and arcane materials, and they're doing it quietly, through underworld channels. I assume they're attempting to appease the weirds, but for what purpose, I don't know. Any ideas? You know more of the elementals' magical secrets than I do...
About an hour and fifteen minutes before dark, as deep shadows start to cloak Bluegorge and the sun rests on the waters to the east, Lupaz appears from nowhere softly padding behind Nissa, more out of habit than anything else. Suddenly, he reaches out with his mind to "speak" with her.
I had the Dark One's own time finding you, sea-child. I had anticipated that you would stay on the Khoira Aisa. In any case, you seem to have appointed yourself the spokesperson for our motley crew, so I thought you had better know what I've found. It seems the time elementals are moving quickly to re-establish their trade with foreign nations. Our best bet to keep them off-guard might be to prevent them from fulfilling the Kingdom's trade obligations. Perhaps you have some friends that might be inclined to cause a little chaos? Perhaps even those timespawn you were being so friendly with, though I know nothing of their connections.
Lupaz shakes his head and glances around into the gathering shadows. He seems nervous, keenly aware that plans are afoot that he'll have a hard time tracking and controlling on his own. It's not something he's used to.
More disturbingly, the elementals are attempting to acquire all manner of rare and arcane materials, and they're doing it quietly, through underworld channels. I assume they're attempting to appease the weirds, but for what purpose, I don't know. Any ideas? You know more of the elementals' magical secrets than I do...
Kelleris
Explorer
Assuming nothing but speaking occurs in Lupaz's run-in with Nissa...
Lupaz passes quietly through the dwindling crowds of Tin Street, almost unconsciously avoiding attention by taking on the sidelong bearing of one of the countless homeless curs that frequent any sizable city. Moving up to Trebuchet once he spots him standing quietly and patiently out of the main wash of traffic, Lupaz resumes his usual proud bearing and meets the warforged's eyes.
Good, you're here. I thought we would look for a spellmonger with discretion, to contact this young friend of yours. And of course that means looking at night, when the kind of person whose loyalty can be bought with coin and rumor is best to be found. Will you be willing to do the talking? I wouldn't worry about diplomacy, though - these are the kinds of allies best made with a show of strength and an undaunted mien. And you have both in spades, from what I've heard.
Lupaz passes quietly through the dwindling crowds of Tin Street, almost unconsciously avoiding attention by taking on the sidelong bearing of one of the countless homeless curs that frequent any sizable city. Moving up to Trebuchet once he spots him standing quietly and patiently out of the main wash of traffic, Lupaz resumes his usual proud bearing and meets the warforged's eyes.
Good, you're here. I thought we would look for a spellmonger with discretion, to contact this young friend of yours. And of course that means looking at night, when the kind of person whose loyalty can be bought with coin and rumor is best to be found. Will you be willing to do the talking? I wouldn't worry about diplomacy, though - these are the kinds of allies best made with a show of strength and an undaunted mien. And you have both in spades, from what I've heard.
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