Shilsen's Eberron SH (Finished - The Last Word : 9/20/15)
- Thread starter Rackhir
- Start date
![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
GoodKingJayIII
First Post
Rackhir said:
That reminded me of this:
shilsen said:
Me, I feel sorry for the gnome. He was probably crushed to death by her bulbous, shifter man-weight. (Because, let's face it, warforged are more female than shifters).
GoodKingJayIII said:
We're sorry to report that GoodKingJayIII was mysterously killed today. Apparently a large bear went on a rampage in his home and ripped him to shreds. Authorities believe that the fires which consumed the building were the results of a gas leak. A side effect of the massive distruction of the interior most likely.
Comemorative donations can be made at.
www.don't_Piss_off_Psychotic_shifter_druids.org
Where they will be used to purchase chocolate and other passifying agents to hopefully spare the rest of us his fate...
shilsen
Adventurer
I sent the above to Luna's player and she was roundly amused. Especially since she had actually sworn dire vengeance on GoodKingJayIII on reading his comment.Rackhir said:
I haven't quite got to the Luna hijinks yet, but here's the preceding bit to it. Which has some things that may have intriguing short and long term effects for the group:
* * * * * *
The Cannith artificers work on Six for the better part of an hour, poking and probing, running various instruments over his body and the harness. They also break off sometimes to have discussions amongst themselves, the bits of which Six overhears underlining the fact that the harness is quite new to them.
Eventually, Rowal says, “Now we’re going to try and figure out how tightly that thing’s attached to you. This is going to hurt, possibly a lot, so you should let us render you unconscious.” He reaches across to a tray and picks up a wand.
“No,” says Six quickly. “I’d rather be conscious?”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” says Six with certainty.
“Okay.” Rowal speaks to one of the warforged and he walks over and shuts the door. “Try to relax,” says Rowal to Six, with a little shrug, “This will hurt a bit.”
He is not kidding, Six quickly learns, since the artificers begin to try to investigate under the harness, to create a little space between it and Six’s body, to cut away a small piece of it, and other experiments that involve the use of probes, clamps, scalpels and other unpleasant pieces of equipment.
Six lies there stoically for the most part, his slightly limited sensitivity to sensation combining with his fairly regular experience of pain to let him withstand the little twinges. He cannot contain the odd grunt or twitch at a particularly painful moment. The worst comes when Rowal and those working with him attach a large rod with multiple clamps to one side of the harness and slowly force it about an inch away from Six’s metal and wooden ‘flesh,’ which makes Six feel like part of his side is being ripped off.
Rowal peers through the small gap using a light at the tip of a wand and then looks up at Six. “Hold on, now. This will hurt.”
More? thinks Six, his metal jaws already clamped together as hard as he can.
Rowal reaches for a tool which is unusually flat and flexible, and has a couple of cutting edges at the end. Then he carefully inserts it through the gap. It takes a few tries until he is finally satisfied, each of which feels to Six as if someone was jabbing a knife inside his chest, and then Rowal nods with satisfaction and squeezes something on the tool.
Five seconds later, the door flies open as half a dozen Cannith employees look in worriedly, to see a groaning warforged being held down by two other warforged and a couple of other workers. “What the hell was that?” asks one of the people at the door. “I heard that scream down the corridor!”
“Damnit!” says Rowal irritatedly, from where he stands a little distance away, holding the tool, where he leapt to avoid Six’s flailing arms. “Shut that door! We’re fine here. Right, Six? Six? Let him go.”
The others do, and Six, who’s just recovering from the incredible pain of the moment that Rowal cut whatever he did, sits up. “Sorry,” he says, a little apologetically, “But that really hurt.”
“I did tell you it would,” grumbles Rowal. He waves away the people at the door, who do leave, talking among themselves. “Anyway, we’re done here. Give me a minute.” He is joined by two of the others who have been assisting him, and they go over to a nearby table. After a couple of minutes of discussion, they come over with a small bowl, which has a dark grey lump of material in it.
“This is what I got out of you,” says Rowal. “I’ve frankly never seen anything like this harness. It’s semi-organic, and it’s extended what I can only describe as roots into your entire chest structure. This material’s what the roots are made of, and there’s a big lump of it in the center, where you have the slot that normally one can insert an amulet or similar item into.”
“Is it … alive?” asks Six, having bad memories of Kizmet, the Key, Luna’s symbionts and other sentient or semi-sentient items they have encountered.
“No. Or not that I’m seeing any sign. But some magical items and a few non-magical ones can change and adapt to a user without being strictly alive.” Rowal scratches his chin. “We could possibly remove it, but that would definitely be risky and would be a long, costly process, since we’d effectively be cutting the entire thing off you and keeping you alive by magically healing you throughout the process. And,” he adds a little severely, “You would be unconscious during the process.”
“I may want that done later,” says Six, “But not right now. Thank you.”
“All right. Do you mind if we take a few further schematics of the harness? I want to see if we can replicate the effects. And I’d really like to know where you found it.”
Six considers for a moment, but the Key is safely bestowed now, and more than enough people know about it already. “We found it on an ancient warforged on an island near Xen’drik.”
“Really?” says Rowal, his eyes lighting up with interest. “Somebody get me a pad.”
…
An hour or so later, Six walks back into the Gray House. Luna meets him at the door and notes the warforged’s worried demeanor, despite his unchanging face. “What’s wrong?”
Six scratches at the harness on his chest. “I think I have a fungus.”
* * * * * *
A more pleasant visit for Six is to the long-planned meeting with the Tyrants, the third, and significantly most subtle, of the criminal organizations in Sharn. Fett, who has arranged the meeting, accompanies him to the location, a luxurious inn located in the Dragoneyes district in Lower Tavick’s.
On the way, Fett tells Six that the inn specializes in fulfilling fantasies. Velvet’s provides companions of all races and genders, most of them actually changelings, who will also enact any role that the client chooses. The inn provides not just companionship but also plays out any scenario a client wants, so a nervous groom could play out a marriage proposal, a couple could spend an evening with the child they lost during the War, or anything of the kind.
When they reach the inn, the two are quickly taken through into a private room, where two changelings are waiting for them. They greet Fett and Six but do not share their names. Instead, one of them (his companion simply sits silently and watches throughout the meeting) says to Six that he is curious about the reasons for the meeting, also adding that he has been following the Guardian Angels’ increasing fame in the city with interest.
Six replies, “My group has had some unfortunate run-ins with both Daask and the Boromars recently, and I am looking for news about Daask. I have been told that your organization specializes in information. Can you tell me about the origins of Daask?”
The changeling says, “Yes, I can. Most well-informed people in Sharn know that Daask first made a power play against the Boromars two years ago, and the two groups have been fighting ever since. But Daask was building its power in Khyber’s Gate for over a decade. What significantly less people know is that there’s now a Daask gang operating in every city in Breland, though the one here is by far the largest. What even less people know is that all of the Daask gangs answer to the Hags of Droaam.”
Six, who already knows about the connection with Droaam due to the letter from Sora Teraza they found during the attack on the Daask payroll months ago, says, “I know a little about the Droaam aspect already. Do you have any idea what the hags want?”
“That is still unclear. I personally believe it has something to do with Dragon’s Blood.”
“What is that?” asks Six. “I think I’ve heard of it.”
“It’s the costliest and most addictive drug in Sharn. Only Daask produces them, and we’re fairly sure that some of the ingredients, if not the entire thing, come in from Droaam. There are three kinds, but they all enhance dragonmark abilities and sorcerous magic.”
“So why do you think that is of primary importance to the hags? And where can one get some?” asks Six.
“It is only sold in the shadow markets of the Cogs. And the reasons why I think it may be important are too long to get into, but let’s just say that Daask spends a lot of time and effort on it. You may find it worthwhile to investigate.”
“All right,” says Six. “Thank you. Something else I wanted to know is where the Tyrants stand with regard to the Boromars and Daask. After all, the kind of violence and trouble they cause must create difficulties and be bad for business, right?”
“Not really,” says the changeling, with a smile. “We’ve never had much trouble finding a space for our own activities without the Boromars interfering, and their troubles with Daask haven’t either. Our areas of specialty are not ones they are much good at, and we don’t get involved with the things they squabble over.”
“All right,” says Six, “But wouldn’t it be beneficial for you if there was only one gang in power?”
The smile broadens. “Think about it. If the Boromars are the only ones in power, with nothing to interfere with their operations, they are liable to think of increasing their control or simply being more … troublesome to others. Being occupied with Daask keeps them more tractable.” He smiles at Six. “Your group has done some interesting things towards keeping things in balance between the two.”
Though he is unable to grimace, Six’s tone expresses the same emotion, as he mutters, “I’m glad you’re appreciative.” Then he adds, “So you’re not really interested in helping one side or the other?”
“No. We might, however, while not acting ourselves, look kindly on those keeping things in flux, so to say. People like your group, for example. Why else did you think we agreed to meet with you?”
Six shrugs. “I was wondering. And I appreciate it. Thank you for the information.”
“You are welcome. If we can think of anything else that might help you – and us – we will contact you through Fett.” The changeling looks at Fett, who has also sat silently through the entire discussion. “He is achieving quite an effective presence in the Sharn underworld.” Fett simply nods in acknowledgement.
Since it is quite clear the meeting is over, Six again thanks the changeling and then Fett and he leave. The last he sees of the Tyrants is the two changelings, watching him leave with an inscrutable expression on their partly featureless faces.
* * * * * *
A few hours later, one of the warforged guards announces the arrival of two guests. They are Lalia and Tasra, wearing different but equally fetching darkweave gowns, arriving to pick the Angels up for their visit to the Tain Gala. Most of the Angels are ready to go, perhaps all of them besides Gareth better dressed than they have ever been before. The fact that Gareth cast an eagle’s splendor on all except Six (who is permanently enhanced in that way due to the gifts from the Flame) may have something to do with it too. Lalia greets Gareth with a hug and a kiss, and Tasra’s greeting for her date, Korm, is possibly even more effusive.
Then she links her arm through his, smiles innocently, and says, “Lalia told me you have a really big sword. Is that true?”
After just a moment’s surprise, Korm grins widely and says, “Yes, I do. Maybe I’ll show it to you later today.”
Tasra smiles back as before, though now there’s a gleam in her eye. “I’ll look forward to it. As you can expect, in a city like Sharn we don’t get to see many druids. So most of what I know of them is hearsay. Like hearing that they can make anything grow.”
Korm’s grin widens. “You have no idea!”
Lalia rolls her eyes and asks Gareth, “Are you ready to go?” He says apologetically, “Not yet. Luna’s not ready yet. She’s not exactly very comfortable with the whole dressing up thing. Of course, if she was as beautiful as you,” he adds gallantly, “She might reconsider it.”
The Angels and the two Sentinel Marshals sit and chat, and are joined a few minutes later by Luna, who actually looks surprisingly attractive in her gown. Both of the twins stare in surprise, and it takes a second for the Angels to realize that they’re not looking at Luna but at Fett, who enters behind her. Then Tasra giggles loudly, and has a coughing fit, just as Lalia turns around to stare (or glare) at her.
“Are you all right?” asks Korm solicitously. “Yes, just fine,” says Tasra, recovering remarkably quickly. She then rises, even as Fett walks up. He bows, smiles urbanely and says, “I am Fett. If you recall, we met at the Tain Gala a few months ago, when I was a member of the Blades of Arakhain. I am now being employed by the Angels.”
Tasra smiles back and says, “I think I remember meeting you.” Then she turns to her sister and says, her tones dripping with sugary sweetness, “Lalia, do you remember meeting Fett?”
Lalia’s responsive glare should have killed Tasra on the spot, but instead, she smiles too, though it is slightly forced, and says, “I believe so. It’s a pleasure to meet you again.”
“Yes,” says Fett with a smile and a nod, his demeanor as natural and unruffled as Lalia’s is clearly uncomfortable. “The pleasure is all mine.”
From the side, Tasra again has a louder coughing fit, within which a couple of the keener-eared Angels hear a “cough *busted* cough”. Lalia again quickly looks at her and says, “We really should make a move.”
Uncertain what is going on, but realizing that something is clearly making Lalia uncomfortable, Gareth rises quickly, and the other Angels – all very curious about what just transpired – follow suit. Fett sees them to the door and says he will be there when they return.
Waiting at the nearby dock is an especially large and ornate skycoach, one which Gareth has hired for the evening and had ordered to pick up the twins before coming to the Gray House. Once they are seated on the comfortably cushioned seats in the cabin, the skycoach heads northwest, towards the center of the city. At the same time, it angles upwards towards the glittering lights of Skyway, floating far above the rest of the city. In the darkening evening sky, the passengers see other skycoaches rising, both above and below theirs. Nameless, who decided to flaunt/exercise his powers, flies beside the vehicle and gets an even better view. Beside the skycoaches, there are a few other forms of conveyance that he can see. Off in the distance, a couple are rising through the air on what can only be a pegasus, and closer at hand, a pair of giant owls are winging their way silently upwards from the towers of Central Plateau.
Their skycoach eventually reaches and rises over the side of Skyway, revealing what seem to be buildings and towers floating on a giant cloud. As they pass over Azure and Brilliant, the two wards of Skyway, the Angels can see that they are very similar, consisting primarily of large estates unlike anything found in the lower towers, with large spaces of cloud making up the landscape in between. The cloud-stuff is evidently quite solid, since people are walking over it. Lalia and Tasra, who know the place well, point out various sights of Skyway as they fly over.
The skycoach eventually stops among many others clustered near the entrance to the largest and most palatial of the estates, which is built around a manor that would make the average prince’s palace look slovenly. A set of stairs are lowered and the passengers disembark, to join and follow the other guests already walking along a brilliantly lit avenue towards the main door. Despite the degree to which they have prepared themselves, the Angels are significantly outshone by a number of the other guests, such as the woman walking ahead of Six with what look like a dozen blood opals in her hair, each as lustrous as the one from the forgewraith they sold.
As they reach and pass through the main entrance, the Angels note that dozens of armed guards are present. None of them come close to the guests except for a quartet at the doorway, who quickly check the invitations of some of the guests (the Angels among them), though most – as regular visitors – are not accosted. As they pass by, Luna notes that two men stand silently in separate shadowed alcoves near the door, unseen by anyone lacking her supernaturally keen vision. Each man wears a circlet identical to the one worn by the man checking for magic at the Burning Ring, and each wears a symbol on his clothing indicating his membership in House Medani, whose members form the Warning Guild. Since the Angels have left the majority of their magic items safely ensconced in the vaults of House Kundarak, they are not stopped.
After passing through a large entrance area, the group enters through a wide set of open double doors into a giant hall, elaborately bedecked for the Gala. Two broad sets of stairs curl up the opposite wall to meet high above the floor at a large landing in the center, where two guards stand beside a closed door. Open doors lead from the hall, one in front and one each to left and right, revealing a large ballroom with musicians, a huge banquet area with loaded tables, and a comfortable sitting area. Most of the people already present are in the main hallway, talking among themselves.
Luna looks around the chamber with an air of disinterest, and reaches up to scratch behind an ear. “I think I’m going to be really bored.”
Luckily for her, and very unfortunately for her companions, she is completely and utterly wrong.
julia1737
First Post
I think not
In response to GoodKingJayIII post # 294 and later commentary:
3. A general question for both you, Shil, and the players: everyone seems content right now to offer services to various contacts throughout the city. Being the most powerful characters in Sharn, does anyone have Bigger Plans (tm)? Maybe Gareth wants a more powerful political position in the Church? Nameless looking for more respect from the Guild? Maybe Six will use his newfound citizenship and artistic clout to mingle with muckity-mucks and garner himself a powerful bureaucratic position? Basically, what are the PCs Big Plans?
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Just contend to do contract work in Sharn???
I THINK NOT!!
I do more before breakfast than most characters do in a freaking year!
I beg your pardon!
Indeed!!
I don't suppose anyone has bothered to mention my plan to breed a new and deadlier generation of Druid Shifter Impure Princes or other lethal genetic/class combination to continue fighting the good aberation fight and keep the world safe. I guess that is pretty aimless and unambitious. Why don't you tell us what you're doing. Oh yeah... you wanted to be the boss of some stupid area. That's really important! Like there aren't billions of petty tyrants ready to fill in that void when it come up! Listen - I don't care whose in charge of what - I'm the boss of me. And no one else!
Oh, and by the way..... though if I have to explain the sinuous and ovrerwhelmingly erotic allure of the shifter female to you, then the point is mute, because clearly you're either an angry a-sexual misogynist who is threatened by strong smart women, or you're just a very deeply disturbed individual. And I pity you.
But regardless, if I ever run into you, I will have to empower flame strike you because you should show respect to a lady and we can't have fools like you running around setting a bad example for the children!
Sincerely,
Luna
In response to GoodKingJayIII post # 294 and later commentary:
3. A general question for both you, Shil, and the players: everyone seems content right now to offer services to various contacts throughout the city. Being the most powerful characters in Sharn, does anyone have Bigger Plans (tm)? Maybe Gareth wants a more powerful political position in the Church? Nameless looking for more respect from the Guild? Maybe Six will use his newfound citizenship and artistic clout to mingle with muckity-mucks and garner himself a powerful bureaucratic position? Basically, what are the PCs Big Plans?
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Just contend to do contract work in Sharn???
I THINK NOT!!
I do more before breakfast than most characters do in a freaking year!
I beg your pardon!
Indeed!!
I don't suppose anyone has bothered to mention my plan to breed a new and deadlier generation of Druid Shifter Impure Princes or other lethal genetic/class combination to continue fighting the good aberation fight and keep the world safe. I guess that is pretty aimless and unambitious. Why don't you tell us what you're doing. Oh yeah... you wanted to be the boss of some stupid area. That's really important! Like there aren't billions of petty tyrants ready to fill in that void when it come up! Listen - I don't care whose in charge of what - I'm the boss of me. And no one else!
Oh, and by the way..... though if I have to explain the sinuous and ovrerwhelmingly erotic allure of the shifter female to you, then the point is mute, because clearly you're either an angry a-sexual misogynist who is threatened by strong smart women, or you're just a very deeply disturbed individual. And I pity you.
But regardless, if I ever run into you, I will have to empower flame strike you because you should show respect to a lady and we can't have fools like you running around setting a bad example for the children!
Sincerely,
Luna
Michael Tree
First Post
julia1737 said:
Korm squeaks like a frightened little girl and hides under his bed.
GoodKingJayIII
First Post
julia1737 said:
You know I love you, baby.
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