Knightfall
World of Kulan DM
AT THE GATE OF SCALES:
"Sir, that is not a rule," Roland counters. "There is no official protocol for taking your request first over a visitor from beyond this district's walls. Each request must be judged on its own merit." Roland holds up his hand. "I'm not saying your request has no merit. There is only so much I can do for you right now. There aren't enough Regulars here to deal with your problem, but we'll get more help here soon."
"Where are the Elites?" The nobleman complains. "This problem should be handled by Elites!"
"The Regulars can handle a stolen goods complaint," Roland insists.
"I must insist on the help of Elites," the noble finally notices Akos. He raises an eyebrow in surprise at seeing the Loremaster 'working' at the Gate of Scales. "But, a local hero-."
"Loremaster Akos is currently engaged in a special mission for The Five," Roland argues.
"Then why is he here helping you?"
Roland sighs. "His mission brought him here. I can't tell you more."
The nobleman introduces himself to Akos. "Lormaster, I am Lord Griffith Samuel Reddish. It is an honor to meet you. I hope you can help with my lost goods. I own a nearby shop that was broken into this morning. The Sparkling Moons sells only the finest of textiles and shoes and boots. We have the finest leather belts, pouches, and sheathes in all of Old City." He pauses. "Imagine my horror to find the back door smashed open and half my inventory gone or in ruins. The louts also made off with a fine carving of Kulan's great twin moons, which is how I came up with the name for the shop. My shopkeeper, Frederik, is rattled beyond belief. By the gods, the bastards took his cat too!"
Akos can tell the man is quite rattled and seems to care about his business and his employee. Roland listens to the man's plea with more concern.
"You didn't mention that a beloved animal was taken," the guard says. "That is horrible behavior! We will look into this matter as soon as we can!"
Just as Roland finishes speaking, a female voice rings out over the crowd. "Make room! Regulars coming through!"
Akos recognizes Marina's voice. The crowd parts slightly and she and the other Regulars who had been watching over the dead bodies on the street. Mariana is carrying Odhran's body slung over her shoulder while the other two Regulars are dealing with the fallen Rising Swords. Daithí is dragging the bodies of Castañon de Durgos and another of the dead mercenaries. Zaquiel is carrying the last of the Rising Swords. The dead are wrapped in their cloaks but Zaquiel's burden is bandaged. Along with the guards are three locals carrying the castoff gear of the mercenaries.
"We couldn't wait any longer for the meat wagon," Daithí says to Roland. "The street was getting crowded."
"And, some damn thieves made off with a couple of the mercenaries' swords!" Zaquiel adds. "We looked away for just a moment."
"It's got to be the Golden Sabres," Mariana notes. "They are growing more bold beyond the canals of Sordadon."
"We'll worry about the thieves later," Roland replies. "Take the bodies into the post, quickly."
Akos notes that the gathered crowd of locals making requests thins out slightly. The sight of dead bodies sends the austere scurrying away with handkerchiefs over their mouths and noses. Even Lord Reddish steps back from the Regular's and their grim cargo, but the nobleman doesn't leave. Roland waves the nobleman to move back as Mariana and the other Regulars take the bodies into the guard post. The young locals with the gear follow the Regulars into the post. Sergeant Herleva tells them to put the dead mercenaries in the empty cell with the secret passage. The gear is put away into storage. Zaquiel puts the wounded mercenary on an old ragged cot before escorting out the old matron. Mariana puts Odhran's body on a long table and covers it with the fallen guard's cloak.
"We promised them some coin to help us," Daithí says to his sergeant about the three locals.
Herleva goes into her own pocket and gives out handful of coppers and silvers to the young lads. She thanks them for their help.
"Glad to chip in," the oldest boy says. "You call on us if you need anything else, eh, Street Sergeant."
"Yes, thank you again," she says with a wry smile.
The boys leave the post and the old matron does as well, not wanting to be near the dead bodies. Roland asks the boys and Zaquiel escort the elderly noblewoman home.
"What a day," Roland says. He sighs again. He seems very tired.
Then, everyone hears it. A sound that rises high above Old City. Turning towards the sound, Akos and Falen watch as a colossal construct rises above the district. It reaches out towards something, lifts it high into the sky, and then pulls it to its form and disappears downward, it seems, into the ground.
"By the gods!" Lord Reddish exclaims.
"I can't believe it! The Five have opened the Iron Gate!" Roland exclaims.
The few remaining locals who had been seeking help from the Regulars are soon rushing off either towards their homes or north towards the the scene that just played out in the distance. Daithí and Roland seem to be in shock.
Inside the guard post, Breva and Tuck hear the ungodly racket. Tuck knows the sound immediately. He heard the sound of the Iron Gate being opened once before when the city was under siege from the Underearth. He had been very young, barely out of his hatchling stage. The gate was opened to allow the Palace Guards and Regulars to get to the walls surrounding the Old City Rift more quickly. Morlocks had tried to use the Great Gate Construct as a ladder to the city above. The gate has never been opened again since that day. The tunnels the morlocks had used were either sealed or collapsed during the ten-day siege.
"The Iron Gate," Tuck says. Mutt sits close to his packmate and is unusually quiet. "It stands open."
Sergeant Herleva can only nod.
OOC: Since Akos, Breva, and Falen aren't from Bluffside, they would need to make a successful Knowledge (local) check to know about the Iron Gate. Knowledge (architecture and engineering) would be useful, as well, but more for inspecting the Iron Gate and the Great Gate construct.
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The nobleman continues his tirade toward Roland. "In Old City, local merchants and nobles always come first! You should know that rule!"
"Sir, that is not a rule," Roland counters. "There is no official protocol for taking your request first over a visitor from beyond this district's walls. Each request must be judged on its own merit." Roland holds up his hand. "I'm not saying your request has no merit. There is only so much I can do for you right now. There aren't enough Regulars here to deal with your problem, but we'll get more help here soon."
"Where are the Elites?" The nobleman complains. "This problem should be handled by Elites!"
"The Regulars can handle a stolen goods complaint," Roland insists.
"I must insist on the help of Elites," the noble finally notices Akos. He raises an eyebrow in surprise at seeing the Loremaster 'working' at the Gate of Scales. "But, a local hero-."
"Loremaster Akos is currently engaged in a special mission for The Five," Roland argues.
"Then why is he here helping you?"
Roland sighs. "His mission brought him here. I can't tell you more."
The nobleman introduces himself to Akos. "Lormaster, I am Lord Griffith Samuel Reddish. It is an honor to meet you. I hope you can help with my lost goods. I own a nearby shop that was broken into this morning. The Sparkling Moons sells only the finest of textiles and shoes and boots. We have the finest leather belts, pouches, and sheathes in all of Old City." He pauses. "Imagine my horror to find the back door smashed open and half my inventory gone or in ruins. The louts also made off with a fine carving of Kulan's great twin moons, which is how I came up with the name for the shop. My shopkeeper, Frederik, is rattled beyond belief. By the gods, the bastards took his cat too!"
Akos can tell the man is quite rattled and seems to care about his business and his employee. Roland listens to the man's plea with more concern.
"You didn't mention that a beloved animal was taken," the guard says. "That is horrible behavior! We will look into this matter as soon as we can!"
Just as Roland finishes speaking, a female voice rings out over the crowd. "Make room! Regulars coming through!"
Akos recognizes Marina's voice. The crowd parts slightly and she and the other Regulars who had been watching over the dead bodies on the street. Mariana is carrying Odhran's body slung over her shoulder while the other two Regulars are dealing with the fallen Rising Swords. Daithí is dragging the bodies of Castañon de Durgos and another of the dead mercenaries. Zaquiel is carrying the last of the Rising Swords. The dead are wrapped in their cloaks but Zaquiel's burden is bandaged. Along with the guards are three locals carrying the castoff gear of the mercenaries.
"We couldn't wait any longer for the meat wagon," Daithí says to Roland. "The street was getting crowded."
"And, some damn thieves made off with a couple of the mercenaries' swords!" Zaquiel adds. "We looked away for just a moment."
"It's got to be the Golden Sabres," Mariana notes. "They are growing more bold beyond the canals of Sordadon."
"We'll worry about the thieves later," Roland replies. "Take the bodies into the post, quickly."
Akos notes that the gathered crowd of locals making requests thins out slightly. The sight of dead bodies sends the austere scurrying away with handkerchiefs over their mouths and noses. Even Lord Reddish steps back from the Regular's and their grim cargo, but the nobleman doesn't leave. Roland waves the nobleman to move back as Mariana and the other Regulars take the bodies into the guard post. The young locals with the gear follow the Regulars into the post. Sergeant Herleva tells them to put the dead mercenaries in the empty cell with the secret passage. The gear is put away into storage. Zaquiel puts the wounded mercenary on an old ragged cot before escorting out the old matron. Mariana puts Odhran's body on a long table and covers it with the fallen guard's cloak.
"We promised them some coin to help us," Daithí says to his sergeant about the three locals.
Herleva goes into her own pocket and gives out handful of coppers and silvers to the young lads. She thanks them for their help.
"Glad to chip in," the oldest boy says. "You call on us if you need anything else, eh, Street Sergeant."
"Yes, thank you again," she says with a wry smile.
The boys leave the post and the old matron does as well, not wanting to be near the dead bodies. Roland asks the boys and Zaquiel escort the elderly noblewoman home.
"What a day," Roland says. He sighs again. He seems very tired.
Then, everyone hears it. A sound that rises high above Old City. Turning towards the sound, Akos and Falen watch as a colossal construct rises above the district. It reaches out towards something, lifts it high into the sky, and then pulls it to its form and disappears downward, it seems, into the ground.
"By the gods!" Lord Reddish exclaims.
"I can't believe it! The Five have opened the Iron Gate!" Roland exclaims.
The few remaining locals who had been seeking help from the Regulars are soon rushing off either towards their homes or north towards the the scene that just played out in the distance. Daithí and Roland seem to be in shock.
Inside the guard post, Breva and Tuck hear the ungodly racket. Tuck knows the sound immediately. He heard the sound of the Iron Gate being opened once before when the city was under siege from the Underearth. He had been very young, barely out of his hatchling stage. The gate was opened to allow the Palace Guards and Regulars to get to the walls surrounding the Old City Rift more quickly. Morlocks had tried to use the Great Gate Construct as a ladder to the city above. The gate has never been opened again since that day. The tunnels the morlocks had used were either sealed or collapsed during the ten-day siege.
"The Iron Gate," Tuck says. Mutt sits close to his packmate and is unusually quiet. "It stands open."
Sergeant Herleva can only nod.
OOC: Since Akos, Breva, and Falen aren't from Bluffside, they would need to make a successful Knowledge (local) check to know about the Iron Gate. Knowledge (architecture and engineering) would be useful, as well, but more for inspecting the Iron Gate and the Great Gate construct.
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