Ptolus: The Legend of Longcoat

[Cthulhudrew]

Vanden recovers the scythe, offers the dagger back to Maugra. "The rest of you may feel free to divide the contents of the chest- I'll trust you to make certain my share is equal."

He sighs, the aches of the day's ordeals catching up with him. "For my part, I shall return to the houses of the Sisterhood, to inform them of Longcoat's demise... though I do not know what they'll make of my efforts at taking on his capture alone.

"In any event, I need some rest, and perhaps one of my brethren can decipher these runes from the pentagram beneath the inn. You may leave my share with Yan at the Savage Shark to claim. Mayhap I'll see you all there tomorrow?"

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

[sblock=ooc]So, off to the Shark for everyone but Vanden?[/sblock]

 

[Erekose13]

"I need to check in with my parents to tell them the good news. But I think a drink is in order first. See you at the Shark later Vanden." replies Maugra having pocketed the dagger for now.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

By the time the group arrives back at the Savage Shark, word has already spread of what has transpired beneath the Ten Bells. A larger -- and friendlier -- late night crowd than any of the group can recall seeing at the Shark are waiting for them when they return. The group bursts into cheers and then song. For a long time, none of the battered-and-bruised survivors can get a word in edgewise or even discern what's being said to them -- it's simply too loud.

Eventually, Hanthan Yan climbs atop his bar and bangs a gaffing hook against a cast iron frying pan.

"By Rajek, shut your faces already! These raggedy ass wharf rats look like they've been enough without getting your grubby paws all over them! These are what we call heroes, folks. Those dandies in the Delvers Guild don't never come down to the Docks, and Saltbeard's men only realize there's someone killing working girls when they can't find them on payday."

The crowd laughs at this, with even the handful of off-duty watchmen joining in.

"So we had to turn to some of our own, and by the gods, more than a few of them ain't coming home ever again. But Longcoat is dead, and I'm a man of my word. Five hundred gold between you survivors and more besides from the Dockmaster. But that's for tomorrow. Tonight, we drink to these heroes. And none of you filthy bastards better let them pay for their drink tonight, or I'll have you tossed out on your miserable faces!

"NOW DRINK!"

These are hardened men (and women) unused to kind words or warm feelings. But the survivors of the expedition to kill Longcoat see them at their warmest tonight. More than a few have tears in their eyes and Garnet is positive a rib broke when a huge ancient Nallsman grabbed him in a bear hug that drove all the air from his lungs.

 

[Trollbabe]

Holding his side but smiling none the less Garnet raises a glass to the cheers. Moving to a less rowdy area of the inn he sits and smiles watching the festivities. "Mom would be proud he thinks... or hopes."

 

[Voadam]

Garn starts drinking hard, pounding ales and tossing back shots. The cheers of others are not what he is used to so he turns to his natural comfort in uncomfortable situations. The habitual hatred plastered across his broken face seems to fade for the moment though, for once not being directed at those immediately around him as the good wishes and raucous atmosphere surrounds him as he builds into a roaring drunk.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Hours later, everyone works their way home, having agreed -- at least, they're reasonably sure they agreed -- to meet back at the Savage Shark in the morning to collect their reward from Yan.

In the morning, Vanden is the first to awake, when fellow eunuch Brother Baldassare Irons knocks on the doorway of his sleeping cubicle.

"Brother Vanden? Are you awake? I've translated what I think your inscription said. It was in Draconic, like you thought."

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Vanden rouses himself wearily, the injuries he suffered at Longcoat's hand still paining him.

"Thank you, brother, for your assistance. What does it say?"

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

"Well, the runes were not all copied down perfectly, which I attribute to the difficulty of your situation and the stylized nature of the circle you said these runes were a part of," Irons says, "But I believe the runes say 'to enter or exit' -- in Draconic, this is 'rise and fall,' since the language was created by a flying race -- 'to enter or exit the realm of the ...'"

He frowns.

"The word didn't make sense to me, but two of the runes that made it up were 'water' and 'queen.' So the realm of some sort of 'water queen.'

"'To enter or exit the realm of the water queen, speak 'descend' or 'ascend' in the tongue of the builders.'"

He hands his translation to Vanden.

"I don't know what builders this refers to without more context. I hope this was help to you, brother. I will be in the Guildsman District the rest of the day if you need me."

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Vanden's brow furrows as he considers the implications of Baldassare's words. "Most intriguing. Could it be that these builders constructed some sort of elevating conveyance?

"This has been most helpful Brother. It certainly bears some more investigating."

Vanden sees Brother Baldassare on his way, then gathers his things and heads off to the Savage Shark to meet with the others.