Rhiannon PNP Supplement

[Gwaihir]

Location:Antioch

Randall the owl spends a few hours attempting to overhear conversations. He is able to glean snippets of several conversations that occur as groups leave the Mongrel and the Mitre. Situated in the very heart of the headquarters of the Rhiannon Church, Randall expects to hear discussion about the upcoming Funeral (tommorrow) and the Conclave.

He is not disapointed. Much of the talk he hears centers around these events as well as the quality of the supper just completed.

It appears there are four favorite contenders among the cardinal archbishops.

Edmund, an elderly man, the former Partriarch's Chief of Staff.
Aravel, Archbishop of St. Salix. The head of the Salixian denomination. His claim is bolstered by the recent return of St. Salix's bones.
Semaus, Archbishop of St. Jonas. The head of the Jonasian denomination. His claim is bolstered since it was his archeology teams that found Salix's bones.
Alegestin, Archbishop of Sardina.


(Know Religion +0)
You quickly review Church Hierarchy in your head. "Where's Trailen when you need him? I can never keep this stuff straight."
There are administrative Archbishops who serve the Patriarch, seven total.
Denominational Archbishops who lead each Denomination, nine total.
Metropolitan Archbishops who are responsible for areas, five total.

These make up the College of Cardinal Archbishops.

Randall spends several hours watching the comings and goings of those who are working late around the High Church Hill. He is specificallt looking for unusual or suspicious activity. His position, as an owl still, in the trees overlooking the 'back' and northwest side of the High Church. The entire area bustles, even this late at night with preparations for the funeral. Messengers run to and fro, and work continues on a large wooden platform, near St. Rhian's square, where the initial funeral will be held, before the procession climbs the hill to the High Church.

Most notable is the increased security presence on the hill. Even at this late hour, dozens of heavilly armored knights, presumably of St Salix, St Angus and St Dismas have joined the normal guard. Many of the normal gaurds have shed their ceremonial armor and are dressed in more servicable and protective garb.

Randall notices at least two clerics working their way around the exterior of the Church Hill, casting spells he believes to be detect evil and detect magic.

With the Funeral now less than 10 hours away, it is clear that the Church is ready for trouble.

 

[Gwaihir]

Location: Antioch

Enjoying the mouse she has caught, Elbereth ponders what she has just seen at the dock.

A clipper just in from Tarsus, bearing the staff (i.e. people) of the Archbishop of Tarsus has just arrived for the Funeral of Patriarch Dion VIII. The Archbishop himself, apparently, travels by more convenient methods.

(Spot +14, Listen +14)
As the staff disembarks, she notices that one of the priests is pulled aside by a dark cloaked, tall figure. She checks again to be sure, it is, she is sure, Keth Anar. She catches only a snippet of what the priest says to the man, "It is done."

She follows Anar into the city proper, but he ducks into a shadow, almost as if he knows she is there, and vanishes from sight. She circles back around, trying to relocate him, but cannot.

Frustrated she goes after the mouse.

 

[Paeter]

"hmpfff.....that learned me a whole lot of nothin. Heres yor god priest and i thank you for yur services. "

what a waste of me time aa money. at least i know it aint a church thing..

Gori'On heads off to the seadier parts of town to find some taverns. He will try his luck with more conventional means.

Gather Info +4, Diplomacy +11, INtimidate +6, Listen +3Sense Motive +8

Gori'On heads deep into the docks area of town looking for the dirtiest dive he can. After passing up on several almost respectable looking joints he arrives at the dirtiest dive he's ever had the pleasure of entering. The Twisted Teat.

Gori'on steps into the bar and takes a look around. At this time of day the bar is relatively empty with the barkeep, a bored looking tavern wench and three drunks. Gori'On approaches the drunk sitting by himself in the corner. "what says yah, you wanting another drink? Ima buyin for just some talk,"

"Suurrr ill hav another. whats it yoo wana talk about?"

"Im lookin for people ta do me a job. the kinda job yah dont talk about. Im need in to know if you know who it is i can talk to? Wench i be need in a drink fur my friend here, an nothin for me the plesure of good company is all i need,"

 

[Tilmamir]

Antioch

Randall returns to the inn at roughly five in the morning. Most of the dining ended hours ago, a few of the late drinkers went to bed at midnight or one in the morning. However, the investigations around the church were most interesting to watch.

Before meditating for his four hours of sleep, he and Elbereth discuss the nights information.
"Keth! What is he doing here? Knights of the high temple can teleport, so perhaps he has been here before, like to arrange to kill his former mentor. Hmm. Well, here is what I found out"
...

 

[Gwaihir]

Message for all

**************************************************************

Plan on 5pm at my house on Saturday.
I am planning on making Hot Dogs.
As usual, Everyone should bring something. Pop and Munchies always a good choice.


***************************************************************

 

[Wadioka]

Z- Well, Miriam, yeah... I found out that the rabbit stew with leek and foluna fruit at the King's Cross is absolutely divine. Oh, and we have to meet with an elven priest, explore the secret caves behind the huge faces on the mountain and risk life and limb... plus spend a whole bunch of money... to get the third star gem.

M- Well, at least we don't have to kill a dragon..... yet.

Z- Mylander told me that he'll be in touch with me regarding setting up a meeting with this elven priest. I'll have to be in contact with the rest of the group soon as we'll need to pool some serious funds to meet with this guy. Mylander is not some small time sailor, but even he balked at trying to procure us a face-to-face with the elf. It seems as though Mylander met the elven priest while he was exploring these hidden caves and vaults himself and they almost both spent the rest of forever inside them. I trust Mylander to show caution, but I'm a bit hesitant to walk into this meeting without some backup. Maybe I can scout around and see if any old aquaintances are in Malta that might lend some blades to our cause.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Dan and Nate, is this a good way to link me up with Gori'on? While snooping around Malta... and ask him if he wants to serve Cuthbert by finding out exactly what religious artifacts and other are hidden away.

Back in Character

M- Yeah, it's good anyway isn't it. I mean we were looking for some leads and now it turns out there's even more going on behind the scenes here. I wonder how the others are fairing in Antioch.

Z- At any rate, once I hear from Mylander about this meeting I'll need to be able to get money together and form a small party to start scoping out the hidden tunnels. I'm going to go ahead out to the bars and try and dredge up some information and possibly some help.
Think I'll try the Twisted Teat first... haven't been to that hole in ages.....

 

[Paeter]

answer

i think its a perfect way to link up

 

[Gwaihir]

Location: Malta

"Sounds like my kind of place," Says Miriam with a wince. "Surely your not going there until tonight."

'No, I mean tonight," says Zoick, "But I'm going without you."

"Come on. I can handle myself."

"I'm sure, but its not about you, its how I operate." Says Zoick.

Miriam drops the subject, but gives him a dirty look.

"I've got some coin with me, and we can get lots more." She tells him.

Zoick spends the rest of the day poking Malta around like a shopper, buying some food and other assorted nick nacks. He is not surprised when a young woman, dirty and hardly more than a girl clumsily bumps him.

He grabs her hand, but a she flashes a small knife that is skillfully concealed in her other hand with enought skill that Zoick knows that the clumsy bump was likely intentional.

"You stinking thief, I ought to..." He plays along.

"Wind and Waves. Dawn. Your wife can come if you like." She deftly slips your grip and vanishes into the crowd.

 

[Gwaihir]

Location: Malta

Still upset with Miriam for insisting that shes coming to the Wind and Waves in the morning, Zoick sets off into the Malta night.

"She's attractive when she angry, but still..." His thoughts turn to mother bears protecting thier cubs.

Zoick enters the Twisted Teat, alone but disguised.

The Twisted Teat is, to be very generous, a dive. The floors are dirty, as are its customers, the waitresses unattractive and unhappy and it was only recently that Urghel, the half-orc proprietor/barkeep repaired a large hole in the roof. Still, the beer is cold and only moderately watered down, and if you need to make a deal. Yes, that kind of under the law deal-- this is the best place in Malta to start. Of course, not everyone here has those kind of connections, as Gori'on seems to be noticing.

"Uh Can ye buy me anuther? Then wese can talk about this work stuff." Says the old drunk.

Zoick notices the mismatched two- Fat Drunk sitting at a table with a bald overtly religious dwarf.

"Oh no," He thinks, walking over.

Zoick approaches Gori'on, a smile on his disguised face. "At least this time I won't have to save your white skin from the undermen, he's no more a thief than you."

 

[Wadioka]

Z- Only a bald-faced dwarf like yourself would come in here so blatantly looking for trouble..
(Zoick is still disguised as a pony-tailed, freckle-faced young man with a gleaming smile and big green eyes)

G'O- Who the heavens of Cuthbert ur ya ta beh stickin' yur face in te my business? (standing up now and grasping at his weapon)

Z- (quietly now) Don't you ever see past the surface you kobold-lookin' bufoon? Like I said, I'm the one who saved your Holy Nosiness from the Undermen, talked you out of storming the thieves guild in Antioch, Chipped your front tooth with that awkward follow through against the "Gerunt 6" when I was helping you track them out west of the pillar of Cathar. (Gori'On flashes an angry and still puzzled look) The pillar you puked at the foot of after I told you I cooked the venison with sherry!!!

G'O- Whurt? Aaaa.... Zoick? ZOICK!!?? Take that false face off ye traitorous thief-lover!!

Z- (whispering now and smiling wryly at the pig-nosed barkeep) Drunks, what are you
going to do.

G'O- I ain't drunk!! I dern't even drenk!!

Z- (whispering still) I know that you fool... just trying to keep up appearances so that the trio of Wally Knubet's "Battery Boys" watching us from the corner don't realize who I am. Than I'll have to save your pale butt one more time.... and don't even think about that fire explosion crap... don't!.. I see it in your eyes. Gori! (smacking him to break his concentration as he notices the rune-coated dwarf begin to chant slowly) Come on now! (returning to a normal voice) Come my friend, my fiance is waiting for me at the inn we stay at this week. I'd love you to meet her.

G'O- Yer gettin' married? Who'd ye get te tolerate that silver face of yers?

Z- (to himself) By Cuthbert it's going to be a long night.

pushing and prodding the dwarf out the door as he continues to eye the now alert Battery Boys, Zoick leads Gori'on to the inn while recounting their storied past together...

Z- C'mon old timer, I want you to meet Miriam.... and we've got a lot to talk about....

G'O- Herrah! Yeh reely ur gettin married!!!