'The Perilous (Chapter I, II, III, IV)

[Elocin]

"OK, with the additional information from the Orb I say we try and not make any enemies here, especially from the staff. This is a GREAT place where we can get away from things and if we ever have to leave an area quickly, this is it. Keep that in mind when you are interrogating, hmmm - might be too strong a word there, well you all know what I mean."

"I think I will head on down to the Wine Parlor and do some snooping around there and then I will try and get into the Regent Room to see what that is all about. Anyone wish to accompany me?"

The questions I will be asking will mainly be the same ones I posted above:

Wine Palour:
Anyone seen shabu?
Anything about his tower?
Anything about his recent dealings with people?
Anything about his enemies?
Anything about our employer?
Anything about our employer’s enemies?

Gather Information (1d20+3=18, 1d20+3=23, 1d20+3=15, 1d20+3=12, 1d20+3=16)

Regent Room (or observation deck):
Anyone seen Shabu?
Anything about his tower?
Anything about his recent dealings with people?
Anything about his enemies?
Anything about our employer?
Anything about our employer’s enemies?

Gather Information (1d20+3=15, 1d20+3=11, 1d20+3=12, 1d20+3=15, 1d20+3=23)

If I am unable to get into the Regent Room I will go to the observation deck instead as I have got to see that.

 

[Gideon]

Phelen

"I'll tag along if I can find some food with the wine." Phelen pipes up. With a flex of his arms he adds "I needs my vittles to get big and strong!"

 

[drdevoid]

Delmar, Dwarf Cleric

"I'll tag along if I can find some food with the wine." Phelen pipes up. With a flex of his arms he adds "I needs my vittles to get big and strong!"

"Looks like you and I can work the barkeep and wait staff together while the others can work the patrons, Master... (reconsiders his formal tone after looking at the affable halfing) little buddy."

 

[UniversalMonster]

OOC: Sorry for the delay! I am assuming everyone will move through the rooms together for now. It's just easier to have the group kinda stick together.


THANE, DELMAR, LILLIANA, PHELEN, BELOK:
head off to the Feast Hall, which is lavishly decorated. It's really just a barroom type environment, but with more cushions, Delmar notes. Instead of tables there are sunken circular areas lined with cushions. The center of the circle is a small raised stage that can serve as a table, or a place where wizards can play games with their prestidigitation spells- you note one game being played with holographic monsters battling each other across the surface of the stone table while other wizards wager small piles of coins on the outcome. Scantily clad servants (both male and female) take orders, and there are houri dancers that move from cushioned group to group. The room is not exactly packed, but it is pretty well filled.

Joining the largest group of wagerers seems easiest, and after a few throws, the red ahriman eye beats the bluish pseudopod gel. coins are exchanged.
Thane asks one particularly well-bedecked patron about his own magic cloak, and gets back a fairly good answer "there's plenty of wizards willing to work for a price. But if you want a deal, I'd try someone down on his luck!" and some vague indications of the losers side of the table. They don't seem too bad. Phelen comes back with similar responses. Any number of wizards could do it, and you get a few suggestions for 'enchanters'. Eventually a youngish sorcerer with red hair mentions the name. "Shabu is a good enchanter".

The mention of the name Polixarchus gets a round of laughter. The word "pervert" and "loser" comes up a couple of times. Following up on this Belok learns from a nerdy looking elven wizard in thick spectacles that a rumor had been going around that Polixarchus made a deal with "someone he shouldn't have-- someone tricky from off-plane." Lilliana hears the same thing from a rather creepy looking human mage dressed in a black robe covered with skulls; "likely signed a contract with a devil.."

Delmar approaches and the man immediately turns away and melts in the crowd. Delmar notices a lot of the wizards seem a bit uncomfortable around him. Not all, but some.

Nobody has seen Shabu lately though. Many have heard of him, and at least one man- a human clad in dyed blue leather armor and an eyepatch claims to have worked for Shabu in the last month guarding shipments between Windfall and Shabu's tower. He suggests that Delmar give it a try because it's easy money. The orcs and goblins are pretty well intimidated away from attacking anything bound for Shabu's tower. Lilliana asks about Shabu's tower specifically. The man in the blue armor says he has never been further than just inside the door. According to him there is an elaborate doorbell with a magic mouth, and Shabu employs "wooden men"- some kind of animated construct things that came out and carried crates up to an upstairs room.
He hasn't seen Shabu lately, and did not see him at all during the latest cargo run. The constructs simply opened the door and began carrying off boxes. One even paid him. And another served drinks before they got on their mounts and rode back to Windfall.

Phelen learns this: The Regnant Room is a special VIP room with a full-size stage. They always say it is "full", but in general anyone can get in for around 100 gp. It has curtained off subchambers, better entertainment, and they serve drinks from off-plane. Many of the wizards here are of the opinion that it isn't worth it unless you are trying to impress someone.

Belok runs into a bald dwarven bard with a pair of overly voluptuous houri girls on each arm who claims to be headed to the regnant room. The dwarf points out just who to pay to get in- a gnarled looking half-ogre in the shadows, with his back to an unobtrusive door. Phelen and Belok bth watch as the dwarf anbd his small entourage go up, pay the half-ogre who bows and opens the door for the group.

SHER FARHID:
It is likely that you have lost track of the prey for now. You can return and try and join the group if you like or wait it out?

 

[Lobo Lurker]

"Well my friends I think that, come morning, we should..." he trails of while glancing at a passing houri dancer. Suddenly remembering himself he opens his mouth as if to speak and remembers that he's traveling with a lady. His cheeks turn scarlet.

"Er... yes... umm... tomorroow... Em..." He clears his throat and pointedly not looking at a point some six inches above Liliana's head he says, "Tomorrow. We should collect Sher Farid and then make the journey to Shabu's tower. Its clear that Shabu is not here so we might as well look him up in his home. If he's not there then we can always check Denatis Peak."

OOC: Peter, what happened to all of our riding beasts?

"What say the rest of you?"

 

[Lobo Lurker]

Thane glances around at the dancers, then the wizards, and the dancer's again with a thoughtful look on his face. He flags down a dancer (eyeing her appreciatively; OOC: Bluff +5) and asks her about the VIP room and how long one is allowed to remain there. Also, what services, besides the obvious, are actually offered in there.

OOC: Taking 10 on Bluff +5 & Gather Information +5 checks (if checks are necessary).

 

[Gideon]

Phelen

Looking up at Belok "Hmmm...VIP room?...and thankfully I am a very important person" He shoots Belok a wink and begins to head over towards the door.

 

[Tonguez]

As the path through the dunes continues without sign Sher begins to feel the first twinges of fatigue. He has gained some informtion and so loking up at the stars to get his bearings turns back and heads for his camp...

(ooc will wait it out and return when the next day comes - mean time return to own camp to collect armour and weapons (and Tef the axebeak). Of course if things are going to get exciting then hmmmm...)

 

[UniversalMonster]

OOC: Don't worry about the riding beasts. I'll just say they are waiting at the ruined temple entrance-point whenever you warp back.

OOC II: Is the consensus that you all want to try and enter the Regnant Room next? It's expensive for the whole group to go. Phelen could conceivably sneak in along with someone else.

OOC III: I feel bad for Sher Farhid. So this may brighten his day.. or night. (see next post)

 

[UniversalMonster]

SHER FARHID:

Sher turns and heads back to his makeshift camp, following the movement of the stars. Suddenly he hears the sound of a low throaty rattle- from his experience Sher thinks this is a saurian.

It seems to be coming from the far side of a series of brushy dune hills where he is standing. Remaining hidden, he approaches the sound and witnesses the following:

In the pale glow of the desert moonlight, there is a catus-filled gully filled with gravel. About 30 feet away, a man-sized saurian is advancing on the illuminated shadow of a humanoid figure that is picking it's way unawares across the gully. The humanoid moves strangely, almost puppetlike.
When it reaches about the mid-point, it stops, and turns, and Sher notices that in the moonlight the humanoid creature has a featureless wooden face- it looks like a bedknob.

The saurian growls and advances on the construct.. sniffs at it, and then takes an experimental swipe at it with one foreclaw. The construct loses an arm. It bends down to retrieve the arm, and the saurian decides it isn't worth fighting. It bounds past the construct into the brush and continues its way into the gully.

The then construct sits on a rock and begins reattaching its arm.