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Message: <blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 4259987" data-attributes="member: 11">Session #22– “Alarm & Intrigue” (part 3 of 4)Osilem, the 17th of Ese - 566 H.E. (637 M.Y.)The next several days were full of meetings and errands. <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Euleria+Finch" target="_blank">Euleria Finch</a> was able to dole out shares of the money once she arranged to have some of it converted to the local currency and sold items in the local market.  She also advised the party about potential buyers for some of their more rare items, and suggested taking them up on it rather than trying to deal with the expense and worry of transporting examples of goods to other cities and then using messages for bids in hopes of getting better prices. Timotheus stuck close to Telémahkos and the two of them made several trips, occasionally accompanied by Victoria, to the Achor Brothers Smithy in the dwarven quarter to deal with the crafting of their masterwork items. The biggest point of contention was the sardonyx statue, which a local mason was interested in buying for its weight of the precious stone to be used in other projects.  If sold as an art object it might earn more coin, but its very size and weight made it inconvenient to sell in a timely way.  In the end it was decided to let the mason have it for 1000 pieces of silver.  The gold and silver octagon coins from the time of <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Agon%27s+Realm" target="_blank">Agon’s Realm</a> were probably the most valuable thing, and they were to be sold to a collector in Lilly City, though the party agreed to keep a couple of examples of both for each of them.  These ancient coins would garner them close to 3000 silver pieces to split among them.The topic of gifting something to the University of Thricia came up again and Markos suggested the two gold masks they had retrieved from the tomb of <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Dalvan+d%27Amberville" target="_blank">Dalvan Meir</a>. [sup]1[/sup]“Do you think that if we donate the masks we might get special consideration?” He asked Euleria. “I mean, easier access to their libraries and archives?  Some kind of membership where we will not have to pay the fees or such?“Not from one donation,” Euleria replied with mild surprise. “Perhaps if you donated enough for a new building…”“What about two donations? Markos asked.“That won’t get you very far towards a building,” Telémahkos snickered.“Maybe if you build an outhouse…” Bleys said in his even tone.“You…” Timotheus’ eyes widened and he pointed at the watch-mage. “You just made a joke!”“An outhouse is a very small building,” was all Bleys said in reply - still no smile or change of tone.“By the gods! You just told a joke!” Timotheus was flabbergasted.A couple days after they arrived they were visited by Eubren Winter of Ra who met with Laarus and Bleys to tell them about the concern that Lord Falkoner Wetherwax expressed when given the news about the potential attack on his fleet. [sup]2[/sup]  Eubren was squarely-built man, a little shorter than average and with big eyebrows that seemed all the bushier in comparison to his glabrous scalp. He also warned Bleys that <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/House+Wetherwax" target="_blank">House Wetherwax</a> were strong supporters of elevating <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/The+Winter+Family" target="_blank">the Winter Family</a> to the status of nobles, and that he would try to reach out to those portions of the family that were distant or estranged.  Finally he offered to help Laarus with his meditations on the new powers his faith in Ra was opening up to him, as long as the young priest would pay for the needed sacred materials and make a small donation to the church in his name.  [sup]3[/sup]Laarus agreed, but asked. “If I may ask, why are you taking the time to help me?”“I value the establishment of friendships within the order, and I also value what your charter represents and want to help it along in what ways I can,” the dark-eyed priest replied.During this time Bleys’ own training with <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Cwell+the+Hawk" target="_blank">Cwell the Hawk</a> began as well.  Cwell was staying in one of the smaller rooms downstairs in Death & Taxes, but the daily lessons took place locked away in one of the suite rooms, and sometimes in Barakis’ garden. [sup]4[/sup]The Signers of the Charter of Schiereiland also went to the temple of Isis to meet with Leisel and tell her of their success in retrieving the Amulet of Fallon, and got to meet High Priestess Amarantha Roorback in the process.“We need to return the relic,” Bleys said, gesturing for Laarus to pass it over.The priestess took it in her hands and turned it over with obvious reverence, but then passed it back. “Return it to a temple of Fallon,” she said. “The Fallonites should determine what is best to do with it, but I am honored to even hold it in my hands.”The closest temple of Fallon was in Lilly City, not too far away. The young nobles decided they would take it over there when Bleys’ duty as temporary watch-mage of Sluetelot was over, though Markos speculated aloud what they might try to get something out of the church in return for presenting it.“We should honored to just have the opportunity to give it to them,” Laarus said. “To ask for something in return would be impolite and perhaps even sacrilegious…”“But if they offer us something…” Markos replied.“That is a different matter,” the priest of Ra said, ending the conversation.It was also in this time that Tymon had taken off for <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Azure" target="_blank">Azure</a> with Telémahkos’ blessing in order to visit with his family for a while. [sup]5[/sup]But one fine <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Osilem" target="_blank">Osilem</a> afternoon, when the sun was shining brighter than it had the day before, the autumn growing oddly warmer and warmer, as Markos and Bleys took a trip to meet with Harbormaster Joezef Winter, an appointment Euleria had arranged for them, Telémahkos and Timotheus were visited by <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Joezyn+Barhyte" target="_blank">Joezyn Barhyte</a>.  They met him at a quiet table in the common room and shared drinks and slabs of toasted hard bread with slices of bloody roast beef and wedges of a pungent cheese.The older man’s hair was bleached, and the rouge on his cheeks and his manner of dress and speech made him seem almost foolish.“So how were the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/King+Stones" target="_blank">King Stones</a>? Profitable, I hope?” he asked, smiling.“A lovely place,” Telémahkos replied, his mood had been subdued since the attempt on his life, and he had recently noticed people avoiding him in the spots he liked to go gamble, though he was not sure if that might have been due to Timotheus being with him all the time.“Great! Full of goblins! You’d love it!” Timotheus replied, sincere in his enthusiasm.  He took the opportunity to tell of some of their battles against the Flor’choo, the wargs and the ogre, leaving out all mention of Hezrah.“Very good! Very good!” Joezyn smiled.  He drank less and ate more than the two younger nobles, but he nodded at everything they said with exaggerated interest.  “So, did you get a good sense of resources down there that can aid our fine nation?”They explained about the friendliness of Ray-Ree.  “But in terms of really fertile land, it was really dry or swampy with little in-between,” Telémahkos explained.  “Though obviously there were hundreds of miles of lands we did not see, and someone more experienced than any of us in matters of horticulture and irrigation would likely find all the space down there appealing and potentially productive.”“Good… Good…” Joezyn raised his mug to call for more ale and a serving wench brought over a pitcher. “Thricia will need all the internal resources it can get as the events in the east become more dire and trade becomes even more constricted.  The <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Wizard%27s+Sea" target="_blank">Wizard’s Sea</a> needs to be kept safe from the machinations of organizations that want power within our borders.  It is important that we keep our barrels full in order to help not only resist this influence, but take the fight to them and eliminate the danger.”“Barrels, huh?” Telémahkos’ eyes narrowed, and he search the elder noble’s face for more information. [sup]6[/sup]“Yes, barrels… Strong, sturdy, capable barrels that have been performing the task of hold on to our resources and helping to keep Thricia secure for a long time,” Joezyn said. “I mean, we can all start using horns to carry our goods, but that’s inconvenient when you have a lot to carry…”“Why are you talking about barrels?” Timotheus asked, and Telémahkos gave him a quick elbow to the ribs.“Oh, we’re just discussing mercantile logistics,” Joezyn replied, still smiling.  “Like how when you have a leaky barrel you plug it right away. Leaks are dangerous… Take for example, Stanislaw Torn…” [sup]7[/sup]“Sta… Hey!” Timotheus pushed his chair back as Telémahkos’ drink spilled all over his lap before he could complete his thought.“Who?” Telémahkos asked, risking a look of warning to his cousin.Joezyn Barhyte leaned in and spoke more softly. “You were told someone would be contacting you and giving you a name and information. I am here to give you that.”“Who told us what?” Timotheus was confused, but not too confused to fill his mug again.  Telémahkos shot him another death look.”I do not know, and I do not want to know,” Joezeyn replied. “But Stanislaw Torn is the name you wanted.  He is the lord of the Black Mantle, a pirate ship of ‘<a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/The+Hammer" target="_blank">the Hammer</a>’, and can be found in that area from late spring through the summer. But by this time, and if not by this time, then soon, he retires to his tower in the south for the winter.”“And you were told to tell us this by…?” Telémahkos asked.“You know I can’t tell you that,” Joezyn replied. “It is sufficient to know that the future safety and prosperity of Thricia is best stored in a barrel, and if times get tight we just need to find new avenues for resources so we may continue to prosper and to be of aid to those who have ever been our friends. Long have the Briarei been involved in these efforts, and now it is going to fall on a younger generation to keep up with it.  That number… The number that we should not speak… must be defeated.”“Uh, who are we talking about again?” Timotheus asked.Telémahkos gave him another elbow and gestured under the edge of the table where he held out nine fingers for his cousin to see.“Ohhhhh!” Tim smiled and nodded.“I had considered inviting Victoria Ostrander to meet with us as her house are also bannermen of <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/House+Barhyte" target="_blank">House Barhyte</a>, but something told me a young militant of Anhur would not have the finesse needed for dealing with the means by which you are gaining this information,” Joezyn said.“You made the right decision,” Telémahkos replied.“If you are to seek him out in the north you need to visit <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Puntos+Negros" target="_blank">Puntos Negros</a>,” Joezyn explained. “You might be able to catch the Black Mantle there. Otherwise, his tower is in the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Kingdom+of+the+Red+God+of+the+West" target="_blank">Kingdom of the Red God of the West</a>, about a day’s ride from the town of Krysia, but the locals would need to help you find it exactly.” “You’re kidding… In then Kingdom…Not just the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Disputed+Territories" target="_blank">Disputed Territories</a>?” Timotheus was skeptical.“Yep… The Kingdom of the Red God of the West.”“Is that even legal?  I mean, according to their laws?  They won’t string us up or anything?” Timotheus asked.“As long as none of you go around flagrantly using magic, and all of you are human, so you should be safe from angry mobs,” Joezyn replied, his smile returned. “It is a place that has a lot of contact with Thrician Rum Runners. It is used to outsiders.  It is not like deeper in the kingdom…  In fact, if you are going to go there, I recommend trying to get passage on a ship large enough to accommodate horses, as you probably won’t be able to directly come to shore near the town… What with everything going on in <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Devil%27s+Grasp" target="_blank">the Devil’s Grasp</a> right now.”“I thought the Rubes didn’t use horses, won’t that makes us stick out?” Telémahkos asked. “Like I said, they are used to outsiders there, you should be fine…”“And this Torn, who exactly is he loyal to?” Telémahkos asked.“No one but himself,” Joezyn answered. “He once spent time in Vijand, but he’s not welcome there anymore, and he is no friend of that number either, having left them…”“And he will help us? Tell us more about them… Ways we can foil their plans?” Telémahkos continued with his questions.“Yes, though he will have to convinced or bribed.  It should not be too difficult, no love is lost there. And I recommend that if you want you want to find out more about him you try The Sign of the Black Sword in town.”“Hey! I know that place!” Timotheus was happy to finally have something to contribute to the conversation.“Good…Good…” Joezyn Barhyte adopted his acquiescent tone once again. There was a long silence as the three of them ate and drank some more.“You all sure did make a mess of Kraken’s Cover,” Joezyn finally said. “ Rumors are that you killed everyone there, but I know better than that.  You wouldn’t cross <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/The+Coopers" target="_blank">the Coopers</a> that way… I know you are loyal sons of Briareus…”“Here, a souvenir of our journey to the Disputed Territories,” Timotheus said, holding out one of the silver octagon coins the party had recovered from Dalvan’s tomb. “If you had not provided us with the map of the King Stones we never would have gone down there…”“Thank you,” the older man replied with genuine interest. He held the coin to the light.  “Most of these got melted down centuries ago…”Later as the cousins returned to the suites, Timotheus asked. “What was all this about our family’s involvement in the guilds?”“Oh, Tim! Let me give you the list of our family’s shady dealings, and don’t think your own father is not involved, because you’d be wrong…” Telémahkos began to untangle the complicated knot for his cousin.  Afterwards, they sought out Victoria and went out to the stables to retrieve their horses. They took a long ride out in the countryside and Telémahkos explained to Victoria about the information Joezyn Barhyte had brought, leaving out most of the references to the thieves’ guilds and emphasizing that an elder from their liege house seemed to want them to fight against <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/The+Nine" target="_blank">the Nine</a>.Meanwhile at the Harbormaster’s office in Havesting, Markos and Bleys found Joezef Winter willing to explain to them all about the dockworker’s strike.  The office was at the south end of the harbor near the great gates that closed off access to the Sluetelot Canal from Drie-Hoek Bay beyond.  It was as loud and busy as a bazaar and there were a few dozen ships and boats of all sizes, coming and going. Some rumor had started that all or some of dockworkers were to be replaced by <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Lizardfolk" target="_blank">lizardfolk</a> laborers from the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/City+of+the+Spices" target="_blank">City of the Spices</a>; their affinity for water and willingness to take lower wages being listed as the reason for this. After over a week of sudden accidents and work slowdowns, the workers staged a walk out, during which some altercation started with some <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Weirspierogener" target="_blank">Weirspierogener</a> mercenaries who had a lizardfolk among their number.  At some point sailors joined in the brawl and several watchmen were hurt in quelling the fights.  Currently the local gaol was full of dockworkers including their guild representative and foreman, Jeroen Zale.“And the mercenaries?” Bleys asked.“Gone,” Joezef replied.  “They were on their way up to <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Rosecote+Keep" target="_blank">Rosecote</a> to join up with the forces heading to deal with the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Hobgoblins" target="_blank">hobgoblins</a> in <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/the+Schrabs" target="_blank">the Shcrabs</a>.” He asked them about their role in the Kraken’s Cove Massacre, and they denied involvement, explaining they had arrived after the vast majority of everyone was dead or transformed into savage frog-men.“Where did the rumor come from? The one about the lizardfolk?” Markos asked the harbormaster.Joezef shrugged. “No idea. I do know that there is more trade coming out of the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Lilly+City" target="_blank">Dry Estates</a> since <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Agon%27s+Cold+Revenge" target="_blank">Agon’s Cold Revenge</a> to make up for the lack coming in from the east and there was general talk of getting more workers on… The only company of lizardfolk dockworkers I know of are in the City of the Spices, and from what I understand, they’re busy…”“Could it have something to do with these pillars drawn everywhere?” Bleys asked. [sup]8[/sup]“I don’t think so… Then again, no one knows what that’s all about, could be just an elaborate prank,” Joezef replied.“Or something meant to unsettle a populace,” Bleys answered.  They talked a bit about Winter family politics and the push to grant them the title of nobility and establish a House Winter.  Joezef said he did not care much either way. “I am so low down in pecking order that I probably wouldn’t qualify even if they did decide to draw line all over the family tree and decide who’s noble and who’s not…”Soon after Joezef Winter ended the meeting, pointing the stack of papers, logs and maps on his desk and the chart of the immense and complicated harbor on the wall.  One of his assistants came in and dropped a stack of logs and picked up another.“That reminds me, while we were in Kraken’s Cove we saw evidence of several ships that might be reported missing, and that we can now confirm have been plundered and destroyed,” Bleys said, pausing as the harbormaster grabbed a ledger and a quill. “We saw the name plates of the Wavereaper, Asmod’s Hope, the Sea Ghost, Dozen’s Cousin, Lavly’s Future, Tiamat’s Wake, and the RMN Sea-Tamer.” [sup]9[/sup]He also relayed the news of the sacking of Majenta by the gathered barbarian hordes and of their building boats to continue their rampage south and west.“Wow! This is news for <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/the+Dwarf+Wall" target="_blank">the dwarf wall</a>!” Joezyn said.“Yes, but as I will not be in <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Verdun" target="_blank">Verdun</a> anytime soon, perhaps you can pass it on to someone who will be,” Bleys replied, and he went on to describe the black angel that killed with a glare and the desecration of a High Temple of the Red God of the West. [sup]10[/sup]“Oh, and I was hoping you might know of someone who is selling a sailboat,” Markos asked out of nowhere. Bleys turned and looked at his companion as if surprised, though as usual his face showed no sign of the emotion that his head and shoulders suggested.  “Or someone that has a boat I can borrow?  I was hoping just to use some of my free time sailing around… Relaxing… And maybe you might have some charts I can look at, navigational charts I can copy?”Joezef Winter stiffened. “Uh… Most people around here require their boats for their livelihoods. It is unlikely they would be willing to lend it out…”“I can pay well for the use of it,” Markos added.“Very well, if I come across a possibility I will send word to you,” the Harbormaster said, now he was herding them towards the door of his office, just by walking in that direction. Bleys the Aubergine thanked his distant cousin and stepped out into the hall.“And the charts…?” Markos asked, while right in the doorway.“Have a good afternoon!” Joezef Winter as he closed the door.Later, back at the inn the young nobles made plans for all of them to take a ride outside of town and discuss what news they had gathered what their next move would be.…to be continued…------------------------------------------------------Notes:(1) See Session #17(2) Eubren of  Ra agreed to carry this news to Lord Falkoner Wetherwax. See Session #9 (3) He would train Laarus to gain/use his smite evil class ability. (See <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Priest+of+Ra+Characters" target="_blank">Priest of Ra Characters</a>)(4) Barakis’ garden and patio is right across from that of Death & Taxes.(5) This also a way to get rid of having to deal with an NPC for a while and give the DM a break.(6) Telémahkos and Joezyn Barhyte were talking a bit in the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Slang+and+Sayings+of+Aquerra" target="_blank">cant and slang</a> of Thrician thieves.(7) The party first heard the name ‘Stanislaw Torn’ from the Mind of Oberah in Session #21(8) The party first heard about the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/The+Day+of+the+Pillars" target="_blank">Day of the Pillars</a> and saw evidence of it when they returned to Sluetelot in Session #21(9) Bleys wrote down the names of these ships while he and the other explored Kraken’s Cove in Session #7.(10) The party heard this news relayed from the returned Ray-Ree women in Session #16.</blockquote>

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