D&D 5E [IC] Creamsteak's Princes of Elemental Evil

[Creamsteak]

As Merosska and Thaliss spoke to one another, Maighan looked around the room...doing her best to seem simply goggle-eyed at the architecture and wonder of the tall tower, when she was really trying to gauge the expressions and actions of the other Feathergales in the room. Did they betray anything their master was more skilled at hiding? Servants were often used to feeling invisible; beneath notice. Much could sometimes be learned from them.

Savra seems to admire her captain quite a bit. The vulture riders look more like they begrudge their work. They seem not like highborn nobles, but rather like foppish playboys. Both the riders and their mounts seem to stare at your group and Savra with less than noble intentions of various sorts.

"I seek what most good-natured and ambitious nobles want: wealth and the respect of the common folks. Oh, and the occasional smile from lovely maidens, of course" Thaliss answers, lightheartedly.

"I gladly accept your hospitality and look forward to the feast. Are we free to roam the halls of the tower, or is there an area where we can wait; with hopefully the opportunity to meed existing and other prospective members?"

[sblock=ooc]Thaliss will spend the time waiting for the feast gathering information regarding the feathergale society, looking for potential ties to an air elemental cult, and of course, for snowflake[/sblock]

"You are free to wander. The doors that are locked should remain that way, of course."

 

[Steve Gorak]

Thaliss will head over to the riders, and tries to strike up a conversation with them regarding their mounts. He will ask them how many riders there are, and how does one manage to fly such interesting creatures. His goal is to figure out who attacked them.

 

[Creamsteak]

Your group finds the currently preoccupied riders at the pinnacle less than savory or friendly. They seem to dismiss any questions for the time. When your group wanders around the spire to the stables, however, people are more reasonable.

A circular landing surrounds the central shaft of a spiral staircase. The landing is piled with supplies and bales of straw. Radiating from the landing are twelve stalls with straw-covered floors. A harness, riding crop, and saddle hang in each stall. Swinging wooden doors cap either end of each stall, one leading from the tower to the stall and the other from the stall to the open air.

Four hippogriffs and two giant vultures occupy the stables, each in its own stall, along with a rider currently at rest.

One seems particularly personable. She is a young fifth-born daughter of a noble family from Waterdeep by the name of Shae Lomsgulch. She explains that "Riding one of these trained mounts is not all that different from a horse. To simply ride is not all that difficult if you know the basics. There is much to learn, though, in regards to becoming an expert. I could show you and your friends the basics, if you wish?"

 

[Forged Fury]

Tolan tipped his straw hat up with one finger, clearly interested in the offer. He remained silent, however, electing to not undermine Thaliss' play.

 

[Steve Gorak]

"Definitely my dear, thank you for the offer!" As they proceed to learn, Thaliss will question her about who can use the flying mounts, and what is the general arrangement as far as schedules and such. Again, his goal is to learn whom may have attacked them.

 

[Creamsteak]

Shae gives a basic riding lesson to each willing participant. It takes an hour per person, but is fairly informative. Each person also gets a ride, if willing, to see some of the valley. After four hours or so of the work, it seems Shae's mount is quite exhausted.

Regarding Thaliss inquiries, she seems to openly explain that at any given time two riders are responsible for patrolling. One watches around Feathergale spire and another watches over the Sighing Valley which passes by the spire. While they have sent some patrols out in the past few months to sweep the wider Dessarin Valley, she does not seem to think anyone has "gone missing" and she doesn't seem to believe anyone from the spire has seen any real combat. She does imply that, "Some that have come to the spire to train have left rather too soon. They have gone missing in the night. No search parties were sent, nor have they ever been heard of since."

When asked about other females that might have passed by the spire, Shae only seems to know of Savra. The two of them are the only women to have been here in the past few months. She seems moderately talented at riding, and her hippogryph is quite the friendly one.

 

[Steve Gorak]

After his flying tutorial, Thaliss chats with other people within the tower to learn as much as possible.

[sblock=OOC]Hey guys, ideas are welcome as to what other next steps we could take[/sblock]

 

[Forged Fury]

With his blood pumping from the flying lesson, Tolan excused himself from the group. Leaning over to Carrodoc he said, "I'm going to see if I can find a sparring partner." The elf made his way up and down the tower, looking for a location where he would have the space to practice his sword forms. He didn't try to hide what he was doing. Instead, he hoped to pique the interest of one of the nobles or their arms men into sparring with him. Perhaps he could learn a thing or two that way.

 

[Creamsteak]

Tolan starts to wander around the tower and finds that in [S7] the Solarium there are three men tending plants and contemplating philosophy.

A bright room occupies the east quarter of this floor. Flowers and shrubs of many varieties grow in a labyrinth of planters. Spidery red and purple plants grow suspended in baskets in mid-air. Robed humans water the plants.

There is also a [S6] kitchen.

In this kitchen, sacks are heaped along the walls, and a small pile of vegetables is spread on a table. A huge, steaming cauldron stands at the center. Two wooden paddles and two knives hang on a rack next to a brick oven. Four wall shelves hold a dozen loaves of bread.

From what he can gather, there's not a man here, even Meroska, that would stand up to him in an even fight. Not even vaguely. The tower seems full of either willing supplicants or pompous pretenders. When asking about training and such, he quickly finds that even the haughtiest "knight" seems to back down from any conflict.

 

[Forged Fury]

Frowning with his lack of success, Tolan couldn't help but think the place was perfect for Thaliss. He did have to appreciate the fact Dent was no longer there, the brutish thug's ways would have likely rubbed the Spire's occupants in a very bad way. Completing his sword forms, the elf warrior sheathed his weapon and gathered up his gear. He departed the room and asked about for Lady Savra. He hoped to find out a bit more about the Spire and the activities in which the Feathergale Society engaged.