The Secret Scion

[D20Dazza]

[sblock=Rayni]"Ahhh I'm OK thanks Rayni" Bail says, delicately extracating himself from the hug "But I appreciate the offer" he says smiling at his friend "I don't mean to be rude but I am pretty tired, and I have a few things to think about. Do you mind?" he queries sweeping a hand towards the door.[/sblock]

 

[Rystil Arden]

[SBLOCK=Bail]"No, I don't mind at all. I completely understand. Sweet dreams, Bail," Rayni smiles back at him as she heads out.[/SBLOCK]

 

[Rystil Arden]

[SBLOCK=Mel]*Rayni knocks quietly on Mel's door later that night.*

(OOC: Before the morning with all of us together where Sheny cooked breakfast)

"Psst, hey Mel? You still awake? I talked to Bail, and I have good news."[/SBLOCK]

 

[Bront]

[sblock=Rayni]Pause..."Wha? oh come on in."

Mel is sitting in revere, her eyes squinting, and leaning back against a pillow. She blinks and looks a little dazed.[/sblock]

 

[Rystil Arden]

[SBLOCK=Mel]*Rayni waves sheepishly.*

"Hiya. Sorry to barge in during Reverie, but I thought you'd like to hear the story. So, I wasn't 100% sure I was right before, but now Bail has clarified it too. You needn't worry that he hates you. Here's what he said:

"I know Rayni, I just don't know what is going on inside me. I've had a shletered life, up until the last couple of months, and all sorts of changes are happening around me. I think I love Mel, but I don't really know what love is. I don't want to get close to anyone only to have them ripped away from me. I will try to do better"

He was crying too as he said it...he doesn't hate you Mel, he's just afraid, just like you."
[/SBLOCK]

 

[Bront]

[sblock=Rayni]"Did he... did he realy say that?" Mel asks, sleepy but excited. "I guess maybe I don't know what love is either, but maybe we'll have to find out. I'm going to sleep on this, but this should ease my dreams. Thank you Rayni."[/sblock]

[sblock=Bail's Angels] "No, I've not spoken to her. Part of me is afraid if I did, she'd turn me back into my father. Though I think there is little love lost between them," Mel says. "But, if word of my presence at the party may get to her, perhaps it's best I do so before then. Or at least divise a different disguise."[/sblock]

 

[D20Dazza]

[sblock=Bail's Angels]"A new disguise might be best" Bails says "That takes some getting used to though" he states simply "You being able to change your skin as easily as we shed our clothing"[/sblock]

 

[Bront]

[sblock=Bail's Angels]"It's not that easy Bail. I am who I was raised to be, to a point, and that is Melphina. Just because I have discovered I am more doesn't mean I am so ready to abandon myself as I have known me for so many years."

Mel pauses before continuing. "But for the party, I could do something. But that might clue the others that something's wrong. How much can we trust them?"[/sblock]

 

[Rystil Arden]

[SBLOCK=Bail's Angels]"I could not go and say you and I decided to stay home, and then you could go as Bail's date--perhaps Melanie Vega?"[/SBLOCK]

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Harolk: [sblock]You receive a more formal invitation to the party about a week after your get-together with your friends.

To Silas Ludor, Harolk Karrnathen, and guests,

You are cordially invited to House Thuranni’s 51st annual Blade Gallery Gala, to be held on the fourth Zor of Barrakas. This year we are proud to present never-before-seen spells and weapons of astounding rarity, innovation, and beauty, in addition to discourses by the finest minds in the field of weaponry and magic.

The Gala will be held at the Swansdown Festhall and Green in Skysedge Park in Upper Central, beginning the second hour before sunset.

Second hour before sunset – Social hour, light refreshments will be served.

First hour before sunset – Blade dances by scions of House Thuranni.

Hour of sunset – Discourses on new dance techniques will be held in various grottos in the Green.

First hour after sunset – Galleries will be open to view new blades, with exhibitions by House Thuranni smiths. Demonstrations with the blades will also be held.

Second hour after sunset – Demonstration of new spells and magical weapons.

Third hour after sunset – Mock duels will be staged for all who wish to participate.

Fourth hour after sunset – Dinner will be served.

Fifth hour after sunset – Discussions of the future.

Music will be provided by House Thuranni musicians during the evening.

While the invitation is in fairly spare language, Harolk knows that House Thuranni prides themselves on leaving their guests breathless in delight at their entertainments.[/sblock]

Mel: [sblock]

Mel is going to find out about the person who invited them to the party, do some research into Wallbreaker and Terrik, possibly even using the book, and finally, see if there is anyone else anyone needs researched.

Lorien d’Thuranni is a renowned blade-dancer, and he and his fellow elves are in great demand for the parties of young, thrill-seeking nobles. He is known to be arrogant, but with a long history of innovation, skill, and artistic vision that somewhat justifies his attitude. He lives at his family enclave in Dragon Towers, and mostly entertains and teaches visiting Thuranni scions. He generally only leaves the enclave when working, but is known to visit several theaters, including the Art Temple and the Grand Stage, for inspiration. He’s also known to visit the Diamond Theater (know for its sophisticated and tragic modern plays) in the tavern district of Downstairs. (That’s the place where Kerrik d’Kundarak was coming from when you rescued him, it is a much lower class district than Lorien is typically seen in.)

Of Terrik, you discover he’s a goblin gambling-hall owner with a shady reputation. He has several vices, drinking, gambling, and possibly dreamlilly, but runs a tight ship when it comes to his profits. He controls several levels of the Slatebone tower in Sharn’s Welcome, a red-lantern district in Cliffside. He is known to belong to the Boromar clan, a powerful clan of halfling smugglers, thieves, and gamblers, and is not known as one to cross.

Of Wallbreaker, you can find out only a little. He was apparently gifted to Terrik by the Boromar clan in an attempt to protect their investment about a decade ago. No one deals with Terrik directly; everyone has to go through his warforged guardian first. He is uncompromising and has casually maimed people for trying to get through him to Terrik.

Of Arden Fair, you learn he came from Aundair about seven years ago, though from exactly where, you’re not sure. Records of his passage are… difficult to get to. You are given to understand that it would take you a small fortune in bribes to trace Arden’s exact movements and history. But that in and of itself is revealing. He doesn’t want his past known…

Finally deciding to use your mother’s gift, you clear your mind and gaze into its depths. You see yourself sitting at Arden’s feet with the rest of his students, listening avidly as he speaks animatedly about something. He turns to one girl in particular and she puts herself in an attitude of meditation. Arden speaks more words and smiles at the rest of his class. But you see something else, something horrible! Overlaying Arden’s face and body is a hideous, transparent ghost of a bug-eyed monster. While you can still see Arden’s handsome face gesturing and speaking to his pupil, the monster within him seems to be calling something… A smaller version of it seems to be struggling to emerge from within the girl… there the vision stops, but not before you see yourself clouting Arden on the head. As he slumps to the ground, the smaller monster disappears from within the girl, and she runs away.[/sblock]

Tondrek: [sblock]

Tondrek reads the letter with increasing glee, and giggles several times. He studies the story several times, and the picture, before asking for something to write with. He scrawls a very simple note in his atrocious handwriting: "I go! Friends want to go! I think!" and leaves it to be found later.

[OOC: Knowlege (arcana) and Knowledge (architecture + engineering) to see if Tondrek knows anything about this supposed legend or this odd architecture. He'll spend an action point on each, as it is something he is interested in (unless it looks like he'll fail miserably, of course).]

Tondrek thinks the story definitely jives with what he knows of warforged construction. The detail of what the “godforged body” was made out of is very accurate, as far as he can tell. The idea of soul transfer is not something he’s familiar with, but the ability to grant sentience or even souls to an inanimate object is not the providence of mere mortals. The idea of a higher being, even a god, being responsible for the ‘forged makes far too much sense.

The ruins themselves you recognize from pictures in the Korrenburg Chronicle, Xen’drik ruins. The giants of old used enormous stone blocks in their construction, and statues of their ancestors figured prominently in their construction. It is very clear the story originated in Xen’drik, but from exactly where… you’d probably have to talk to someone who had been there, or do more research to pin down a part of the continent of mysteries.[/sblock]

Shenystari: [sblock]

Does Arden ever give speeches or meetings in public settings? If he does, the invitation will be to one of these public events, as a private event could easily put an innocent kalashtar in greater danger. Regardless, Shenystari will compose an anonymous letter to the Kalashtar enclave regarding Arden Fair and the Illuminated Minds as if she were a student of his doing some extra research and noting the similarity between his methods and the esotericism of the kalashtar community. She'll take on a note of superiority in her writing, as if inviting the Kalashtar to one of his meetings is a great honor for them to attend (something she believes one of her affluent friends would be likely say). The invitation will be for a specific date, in about two weeks time when she hopes to attend with Bail, Rayni and Mel as well.

He doesn’t give public speeches per se, but he does occasionally hold introductory discourses on the steps of his Ocean View home. He uses it to attract the casual passer-by into his circle. Arden holds them periodically, and you can find out one within your two-week time frame easily. You receive no letter back from the kalashtar, but you didn’t exactly expect one either.[/sblock]

Hxaptos: [sblock]

Hxaptos does not prod into anyone's past lest they ask about his. Though he does address Lump in his mind. Does Xendrik have anything to do with Xoriat? Might more secrets lie within the continent of secrets?

What destroyed the giant empire? They say it was the wrath of the dragons. I say not. The rot of the giants’ culture was accomplished by more than simple destruction and war, something from below helped destroy them. Yes, I think we will find much of interest across the sea…[/sblock]