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Mark of the Raven, Chapter 1 - 'Convergence'

Galec Setou, shifter cleric

Hanuman47 said:
”My father’s name was Nathalharath. I never knew him. My mother only knew him for a few hours, twenty years ago. She gave me this, from him.” He raises his right hand to show the plain silver ring on his finger. He furrows his brow, knowing that he’s not explaining things very well. ”I don’t really know what any of this is about – I just came here because the letter from Ranos asked me to come in my father’s name.” He frowns. ”I guess that means he’s probably dead. I was hoping to meet him, or at least learn more about him. Did any of you know him?”

Galec shoulders fall at the mention of Nathalharath. His eyes dart about, as if trying to find something comfortable to rest his gaze on and finding nothing.

"Nathalharath was a boon to the Ravens, indeed. His mind was a weapon stronger than my own sword. If he is, as you fear, lost to us, the world is weakened by his absence." Finally the shifter brings himself to look Wen in the eye. The previously harsh glare is much softened as he says "I am Galec, favored of Dol Dorn, and Nathalharath's son is most welcome to test his strength with the Ravens."

[sblock=Hanuman47]I tried to keep most of that vague, since I don't want to go defining another PC's notable NPC's. I don't think it locks Nathalharath into anything other than having known Galec, but I can edit if need be. Just let me know.[/sblock]
 

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Wen meets the shifter's gaze. He breaks into a smile. "Thanks, Galec. I'm glad to be here. If there's anything I can do to help Nathal...my father's friends, you can count on me to do it." The youth sits back down, grinning and happy that he is accepted.

jkason
[sblock]Heck if I know what Nathalharath's like! What you wrote looks fine to me.[/sblock]
 

Denihade, Changeling Beguiler

"Right," the young man stops absentmindly scratching his head. "Like, um, that fellow there, my father served with the Ravens. My name is Horat Fierlen, son of Grell Canendale. Bastard son of a bastard in all likelihood. I 'aven't seen much of 'im since I was a child, but I'm told I get my good looks from him. He sent my mother money for a year or so, then we didn't 'ear anything from 'im. Then this letter came, so naturally I was a bit curious."

Horat smiles rogueishly. "I don't suppose any of you fellows 'appen to know my old man? Otherwise, I'm interested in what this Ranos character wanted with us," Horat lifts a tankard of ale to his lips and takes a sip. "I'm generally skeptical of vague business propositions delivered by courier, but I'd be lying to say my curiousity 'asn't been piqued already."

Horat paces by the window, placing his tankard on the sill. "Does that assay your suspicions, um, Galec? If so I want to 'ear what this is all about."
 

Izril's eyes gleam faintly, two chips of obsidian in an alabaster frame. "I knew not your father, boy, but your honesty is refreshing, and speaks well for your integrity. You are welcome among our number." The dark-eyed Elf smiles faintly at Wen.

"Green as summer grass." Nakaz grunts quietly to himself.

"As for you, sir Horat," Izril continues, turning his attention to the second of the two newcomers, "I am unsurprised to hear that Grell once sired a bastard, and should hardly think that you are the only such one he begat. I pray you have not inherited some of his less...appealing traits, though your manner marks you as more and clever than I ever believed him to be." Izril's words are blunt and without emotion, more recitation of fact than scathing invective. "Either way, the Captain seems to have placed his faith in you, so I would be a fool not to do the same."


"Now that our friends have established themselves as such for the time being, let us get straight to the point, as was suggested. I regret to say that Ixen'vaerirlym is wrong. Our Captain will most likely not be joining us for this endeavor, judging by hs words to me," Izril produces a sheet of parchment from a pouch at his side, holding it up for emphasis. "Fortunately, he was good enough to leave us with as clear an explanation of our task as we could hope for, given the circumstances. Hardly ideal intelligence, but sufficient to the task nontheless. "

"Four years ago, in the final days of the Last War, a small airship known as the Stormrunner departed from somewhere in western Breland, Sharn, perhaps, bound for Metrol. The ship never made it to its intended destination. According to the Captain, it went down somewhere at the edge of the northernmost extent of the Seawall Mountains, some 200 miles south of here." Izril puts one finger down on the location indicated map spread out across the table. Originally, as a stipulation of our contract with Cyre, a small group of Ravens were to be detached to the location as we travelled north to join our new employers in order to retrive the ship's cargo and transport it to Metrol via an overland route. As most of us well know, the ambush we faced at the hands of House Deneith's Blademarks prevented us from doing such, and, with Cyre destroyed in the Mourning, there was nowhere for us to deliver the items even if we did retrieve them. Thus, the task was abandoned with the dissolution of our unit."

Izril steeples his fingers together, bringing them briefly in front of his face before speaking once again. "Presumably, the wreckage of the Stormrunner and its cargo have languished there amidst the mountains, forgotten, since then. It does not seem to be such an impossibility; Whoever attached this strange corollary to our contract most likely died in the Mourning. Things seem to have changed, however. The Captain has requested that we renew our efforts to retrieve the ship's cargo, and once found, bring it to one Ederic d'Cannith, presently residing in New Cyre, whereupon we are to be well paid for our efforts. Since the Captain has graciously provided me with an approximation of the location in which the ship crashed, all that remains for us now is to go there and collect them. Of course, this is hardly a risk-free undertaking. In entering this region of the Seawalls, we will effectively be crossing the Brelish border into Darguun well away from any major road or thoroughfare."

"The goblin clans who live in those mountains aren't likely to be happy with us sneaking around up there." Edaura observes.

"Precisely. If we take care, however, we should be able to stay below their notice. Dividing our number should serve this purpose adequately. The six of you and the four of us shall take separate paths into the mountains once we arrive." Izril replies smoothly.

"You've certainly thought this through, brother." Arlas notes with a wry smile.

"Indeed. Now that our purpose is clear, have you any questions? If not, I suggest you take a day to ready yourselves, if you are still willing. We leave at our earliest possible convenience. I have arranged to provide horses for any of those who lack them.."
 
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Wen, having just now worked out that Nakaz's remark referred to him, blushes as he raises his hand. "I hope this isn't a stupid question, but what exactly is this cargo? Why is it so important?"
 

Farsis Nightshadow -- Ranger 1 / Warlock 1

"That question, perhaps, could be taken a step or two further," remarks Farsis quietly. "The contents of the cargo are undoubtedly valuable, considering the implication that House Cannith has some involvement in the matter, and knowing what they are, or some clue of what we're looking for, is a necessity for success.

"My questions, however," he continues, "start here. Why now? Why wait four years after the disappearance of the Stormrunner before any interest is once again shown in its' cargo? And why hasn't anyone else made the attempt to reach the wreck of the Stormrunner before now?" A slight pause. "Or has there been a previous undertaking of this mission before we were summoned?"
 

Galec Setou, shifter cleric

Galec raises an eyebrow as Horat details his parentage, but says nothing further as Izril speaks.

"My concerns are similar to Farsis'," the shifter pipes up. His eyes seem incapable of resting on any one thing for too long as he continues. "I'll admit I didn't really think through this journey; the mention of the Iron Ravens was all it took to send a proud surge up my spine. But as I settle in, this continues to feel odd.

"For all that our missions were clandestine, the captain was never so ... oblique as this. Vague missives, a failure on his own part to meet us."
Here the Galec's eyes do rest, locked on the parchment in Izril's hand.

"What, exactly, does your letter from the captain say, Izril?"

[sblock=OOC]Galec's not much for convincing folks, but he's brash enough to give it a go anyway: +0 on his Diplomacy checks if that's needed to try to get Izril to read his letter.

Galec does have a +4 Sense Motive, so I suppose we'll throw that one in as he weighs Izril's responses. [/sblock]
 

Horat nods, "Yeah, I'm interested in knowing what that letter says. Particularly regarding compensation. If understand correctly even the eight of you who did serve aren't under contract, since the unit was disbanded, correct? Unless there's some plan to reform the Ravens..."

Horat trails off, as if something just occured to him. "Is that the idea? To reform the Ravens?"
 

"Bah! Is the captain's purpose unclear to you? Yes, perhaps Cyre is destroyed, and with it the original holders of the Ravens' contract...but do not the survivors of that foul day deserve a chance to rebuild? No doubt the Cyran refugees have a right to this lost treasure, whatever it may be. I can easily see that the captain seeks to help these people by finishing off this final mission."

"This strikes me as a noble endeavor, Izril. I shall be honored to obey the captain's request."
 

"Wise men do not make a habit of questioning their superiors, Galec." Izril counters, a hint of annoyance seeping into his tone. "However, as Horat has said, none of us our under contract, given that the Iron Ravens are officially disbanded. Since no chain of command exists, we are all all equals." Izril thrusts the letter into Galec's hands.

The appearance of the letter, particularly the handwriting and choice of words, is similar to that of the letter Galec himself received. Izril's letter is noticeably longer, however, and contains much of what he has already relayed to the rest of the group. The letter concludes with a request from Ranos to Izril to 'do what he can to hold the Ravens together in his absence for one last mission'.

"I hope this satisfies your curiosity." Izril says after some time has passed. "As for your questions, Farsis, they mirror my own. Perhaps it is as I said, and information regarding the ship's crash site and cargo were lost and only recently rediscovered. We cannot even begin to guess the extent of their knowledge, though it would certainly help if we knew more of this Ederic d'Cannith."

"I have friends in Sharn who may be able to help us with that. Arlas offers. "But it would take time to contact them. If what you say is true, it might be better to act sooner than later. Who knows if anyone else besides us is looking for this cargo. " Arlas' smile is grim.

"What do the rest of you think?" The half-elf tilts his head in curiosity.
 

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