Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Delgar" data-source="post: 5087006" data-attributes="member: 3195">Sharn. Lower Tavik’s Landing. Up ahead in the distance the group can see the massive towers looming into view, and floating above them in the clouds is the district of Skyway. Whether this is the first trip to Sharn, or the thousandth, its beauty and architectural magnificence is breathtaking.     As the train pulls into terminus station, one can already feel the energy of the city pulling. This is lower Tavik's Landing, the gateway to Sharn. Although the platform itself is presentable enough, it is heavily patrolled. The group makes their way off the platform and into lower Tavik's Landing and can see that the lower section of Sharn has been converted into a towered shanty town filled with refugees. The streets teem with performers, beggars, and street-side vendors. A saying comes to mind regarding Sharn, "whatever can be bought, can be bought in Sharn and whatever can be sold, can be sold in Sharn."    As the group makes its way through the hustle and bustle of people, a well-dressed human and Kalashtar pass by you. The human bumps into Tor as he passes by. The human nods apologetically and the two carry on their way. As the two of them walk away, one can hear the Kalashtar mumble to the human, "Why do we always get stuck doing the crappy errands?"     The human replies, "Hey, would you rather be delivering messages like we started out doing a few years ago?"    The Kalashtar shakes his head, "Yeah, I guess you’re right. Can I drive the ship this time?"    "Nobody drives my baby but me." The human replies as he punches the Kalashtar in the arm. The two jump into a small airship and fly up into the belly of Sharn. One can observe that the ship has the look of a Braelish royal ship, but bears none of the Braelish royal markings.    A vast maze of towers and adventures awaits you. Welcome to Sharn. Lightning Rail Platform.GRAYOS: Must be nice. I wonder what it'd take for me to acquire one of those. Pampered civilians...     How in the name of Aureon are we supposed to find anything in this citadel?MATHAS: Street signs, obviously!  Or perhaps a map?TOR:  One of us must be wise to the streets.  We should find lodging and from there we could fan out to search the city.GRAYOS: Lodging sounds as good a start as any. From there, well, I aim to strike out on my own to the campus to examine the place. I believe myself the best to "hide in plain sight" as it were, unless heavily armored and weapon wielding is the manner befitting patrons there...The group notices an information board with a posting regarding the Morgrave University giving the folloing information:OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS AT MORGRAVE UNIVERSITY!Morgrave is a large university with its main campus here in Sharn. It boasts large glass towers and its domed building is the centerpiece of the upper Menthis district.It contains the largest collection of Xen'drik artifacts and relics along with a host of other items from past civilizations.Very often the faculty hires adventurers to explore the tombs of the past, and make expeditions into the far reaches of Xen'drik, all in the name of higher learning.But many come to Morgrave to view its exquisite structures as well as its museums, art exhibits and other forms of education.A note is tacked to the poster in the lower corner:HOGWASH!!!True academics have no place at Morgrave. It is little more than an institution of grave robbers and hooligans rather than an institution of higher learning.VRALWYN: Perhaps you could be a patron who's hired some acquisition specialists - us - for your next trip out into the ruins.GRAYOS: A sound plan that keeps us together in the event things go awry. Though, we may be putting the airship ahead of the elemental. We don’t even know if the room is guarded, lived in, or how easy it is to access it. I confess that I myself am getting caught up in devious plots to get in when we know nothing of the scenario and physical location.In that regard, might I suggest we obtain a room at a hospice that faces the campus, if at all possible. We keep a low profile and do as much of our own scouting as possible prior to asking. As Mathas so eloquently put, the less people involved in our own business, the less of a scent we leave for any hounds hunting us. Of course, that is only my suggestion. Mathas seems to have lead more lives than I, and Graelen seems to be a more capable decision maker than a lowly wizard.While standing around gawking at the sights and talking amongst themselves, an old man reeking of alcohol, garbage, and urine, stumbles towards the group. His dirty, stained hand outstretched. He gives a toothless smile and smacks his lips.OLD MAN: Spare some coins for a veteran down on his luck?He coughs violently for a moment into his hand and wipes it on his stained shirt, leaving a fresh smear of blood.GRAYOS: Sure, I certainly shouldn't be a hypocrite. A piece of gold should tide over your vices for a while. Never let it be said that the Dragon Between never worked in mysterious ways to aid you, old man.GRAYOS tosses a gold piece to the OLD MANThe old man takes the coin and places it between two of the remaining teeth and bites down on it.OLD MAN: Thank you kind sir, may the Host watch over you.He then coughs violently, spitting up flecks of blood on Grayos' robe, and then proceeds to wipe it off with his dirty hands. Many others in the area notice the display and begin working their way toward the group with their hands out.    GRAYOS: <to the party> I honestly should have known better. Gentlemen, might I suggest we move along?GRAYOS uses prestidigitation to create what appears to be a small sack of coinGRAYOS: Fine, fine, vultures, here's what you may have for mooching off someone ELSE'S initiative. GRAYOS throws the bag into a crowd of people and uses Ghost Sound to simulate coins falling out and bouncing across the street GRAYOS: Let's be on our way?Sharn. Upper Menthis.    As the group winds their way through the streets of Sharn from lower Tavik's Landing to Upper Menthis, they notice not only a change in the weather and scenery but a change in lifestyle and wealth. On the lower levels of Sharn it is dark and dingy, and very hot and humid, but as they make they’re way to the upper levels everything becomes brighter and cleaner and the weather seems much cooler.     In addition to boasting residence to the famous Morgrave University and University district, Upper Menthis boasts several upper class residential areas and a section dedicated to fine shopping, lodging, and entertainment. It is here in the Seventh Tower district where lodging is found close to the University, for a large fee.     With lodging secured, Sharn awaits.VALWRYN: I would like to scout around the level some to gain some familiarity. Anyone want to explore with me?MATHAS: Another set of eyes wouldn't hurt.  I will join you.TOR: I'll ...go find someplace to get some sleep ...I didn't get much on the ride here.  I'll head over to the University in a few hours. Leave me a note as to where you'll be if I don't catch up to you.<TOR pauses for a moment>No ...they do not need us to be around, there are other things to see, but it...<TOR begins to head into the flow of the crowd and stops.  He puts his hands to his head suddenly>They will do nothing, I must rest and you must let me.<TOR disappears in the crowd>VRALWYN: Your friend's new passenger is charging a heavy toll. I wonder if anyone here would know what that cloak is and how to remove it? Remind me to ask the Tiefling about it. I expect he knows how to talk to these academic sorts without sounding like a wild-eyed yokel spinning a tarn.<VRALWYN wanders further into campus>GRAYOS:  Well, it appears I've been left to my own vices... Intriguing. I think I'll tour the facilities.<GRAYOS takes a different approach, redundancy never hurt. His goal was to, depending on the ease of either attempt, apply for a position as a professor of anthropology for the region of Droamm, relying on his years growing up in the region and unique knowledge of it, and/or wishing to consult one of the professors of the region of Droamm to gain access to the Shava house. If successful, GRAYOS plans to notify MATHAS and VRALWYN... If he can find them>Front of Shava House.MATHAS and VRALWYN wander about campus scoping things out and observing behavior. What is discovered is that the campus is enormous, taking up the entire center of Menthis. It is also discovered that there are a wide variety of people wandering about campus- from heavily armed city watch to students running about with books and scrolls; faculty members chatting in courtyards to tourists taking in the sites of the campus. There are even some rugged folk that can be assumed are treasure hunters looking for work or reporting in.Blending in on campus proves not to be that difficult at all.The location of Shava house is obtained as well as the fact that it is a residence for faculty and visiting professors. To enter Shava house requires going through a security checkpoint at the entrance. The occasional student is seen getting through the checkpoint as if they have an appointment with one of the professors.VRALWYN: How about we watch and see if anyone other than students goes in that house. If treasure hunters aren't prone to go in, we'd stand out going in.<VRALWYN watches the place for about 30 minutes just to see who goes in and comes out. After watching for 30 minutes he sees a variety of people entering and egressing- students, faculty, and a few rough sorts. It looks like as long as you have an appointment you can get past the security station.>Morgrave University Administration.<GRAYOS decides to apply for a position. He thinks this would make for a perfect launching place for a litany of adventures and provide good access, should the group need it, to the university. He believes he can function as a liaison, an inside man, etc.GRAYOS also hopes that, in the event the group needs papers, he can have traveling papers and identification papers that trace back to a legitimate address.In addition, and it has nothing to do with the current mission, GRAYOS wants to go about transferring his ritual book to a spellshard, as they function exactly the same, but he imagines a spellshard is a lot more durable.GRAYOS is able to find out where to go to apply for a faculty position. After a brief discussion with one of the administrators, he is given a huge application to fill out, asking all manner of questions, to write an essay on why he qualifies for a faculty position, and to include any references.  It should take several hours to fill out all the paperwork. Once done someone will contact him within a couple days to a week for an interview if his application was accepted.>GRAYOS: Well, I'd like to interview one of the professors to see if this is the place for me, if at all possible, and tour the facilities and accommodations to see if it's what I'm looking for.ADMINISTRATOR:  Excellent, excellent. If you fill out the paper work I can set you up with a tour and a discussion with a faculty member tomorrow. Remember to keep your application legible.<GRAYOS returns to the inn to begin the arduous task of filling out the paperwork.>     It's been a long day of walking, talking, traveling and observing. The group is very exhausted and retires to their rooms.After a good night’s sleep the group comes downstairs to partake of breakfast. While enjoying the spread a young male page approaches the table and places a scroll in front of GRAYOS. It is sealed with the seal of Morgrave University.The scroll states that GRAYOS has been accepted as a member of the faculty and is to report later that day for an orientation, tour and introduction to his new quarters.</blockquote>

Verification