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Message: <blockquote data-quote="arwink" data-source="post: 278276" data-attributes="member: 2292">I'm really not entirely sure about this bit - the notes from the end of this sessions are somewhat vague about what happened, and at least half a missing.  Perhaps either Solomon or Madeline can point out if I get something wrong.Solomon and Madeline head accross town, following the few scant clues they have to find Galliad and the missing contracts.  While they're picking their way through Eaglespire's crowded streets, they hear a sudden call.  An elderly woman, sitting along the road in sages way, gets their attention.  She offers to read their palms, offering a glimps into their future.  Both PC's are hesitant, but she offers a few clues to suggest that she knows what they're both up too, so they agree.  She examines their palms carefully, eventually telling them that "the one they seek is a minor wizard who lives in the shadows of another wizard.  The spirit of a man recently slain says you will find the wizard where sight meets sound and smell."What little doubt they have about the villains lurking on the Path of Silk Flowers is dispelled by the womans vision.  They hurry along, eventually finding the long path and its houses of corteasans without incident.  They walk along, Solomon admiring the ladies who wander back and forth along the path, Madeline admiring the flowers made of silk they plant in their window-boxes to signify their trade.  A few questions are asked, but lead to nothing substantial.  With nothing else suggesting itself, Madeline suggests that they walk the Path's length with their eyes and ears open.Halfway along the path's length, they come accross another Eaglespire landmark - the Avenue of Chimes.  The legacy of an deceased wizard, anyone who walks the Avenue is followed by a loud tingling.  Originally designed as a warning system for people who approached the wizards home, these chimes have become a pleasant diversion for those finding their way too or from the Path of Silk Flowers.Figuring that this is the place where sight and sound meet in the path, the PC's take the time to examine the dweelings on either side of the intersection.  One is an apartment building, several stories high, with silk-filled flowerboxes hanging from many of the windows.  On the other side is a two-story manor house, a residence of some value that supposedly once belonged to the wizard who created the Avenue of Chimes.  A quick examination of the premises ensues, peering in through the darkened glass of the front windows, and circumnavigating the walls that surround the manors gardene.  It is when they pass the garden wall that all three of the fortune-tellers clues come together - they smell the musty scent of exotic flowers.Plans for breaking into the manor house are quickly formed.  Attempts at the front door are futile, as guards quickly arrive and snipe on the pair from the upstairs windows.  After retreating, a second attempt is made by the garden gate.  Unfortunately, the lock on the gate is beyond Solomon's ability.  An attempt is made to clear the high garden walls with a potion of jump, but this results in Solomon winding himself as only half his body clears the walls hight, then falling back to the street below as his armor weighs him down.  Evening is fast approaching by now, so they return to Kathkallan's warehouse to think of a new plan.  THis nights guard duty isn't as quiet as the one previous.  A group of four armed men attempts to break in, and all but three of them escape after the PC's foil their attempt.  The forth is brought down by magic missile and crossbow bolt, and a search of his body reveals the silken mask of a Nerindi Guildsman, a theif's guild in the spires of blood that seeks to branch out into other cities, and a holy symbol of Sucat, a Sabinnite God of Vice and Greed whose worship has spread through the Blood-spires pirate cities.  Sucat and Olidammara are also known as former partners in the universal pantheon, although Sucat betrayed his partner and created hatred between the two gods followers ever since.Figuring that those behind the attempted break-in are likley those in the manor house, the PC's decide that tomorrow gaining access to the manor is imperative.  The attempts to steal their employers cargo are becoming more overt, and the hatred between Solomon's faith and the burglars further spurs their need to resolve the mystery.  At daybreak, they set off for the Demon-mouth district for the biggest, strongest, densest barbarian they can find, ready to offer him a twenty gold to brave a few crossbow bolts and smash in a door.  After asking around, they're directed to Tork, the former ogre gladiator and now thug for hire.  The ogre readily agree's to the deal, follows them to the Path of Silk Flowers.  Coming up with a quick plan, it's decided that Tork should pretend to be drunk, break down the door and wander off.  Hopefully this will prevent the manor-houses occupants from realising he's part of an organised assult, instead framing him as just another of the cities few ogre citizens who'se known for random acts of violence and destruction after a few drinks.  Tork shrugs.  He doesn't much care, as long as he get paid.  He wanders down the street, doing a bad impression of drunkenness, and charges the houses door twice before it shatters.  A pair of nervous guards emerge, making a not terribly confident attempt to the ogre off.  They're both surprised and pleased when it appears to work and Tork wanders away.Madeline and Solomon wait a block up the street for Tork to return.  They happily pay him and ask how much his help would cost when assulting the Manor Houses occupents.  Tork declines, telling them he's already got a job for the afternoon and he needs to go see some scrawny little-'un about a sword.The assult on the manor house happens quickly, with MAdeline and Solomon making good use of stealth and surprise.  The two door guards are taken down fast, and their room by room search of the manor house reveals only three more occupents - Catellion, Anteashara and a semi-famous blood-spires pirate sword-mage named nicknamed Bruiser.  The fight never gets to melee, with both sides taking cover at the end of a hallway and fighting it out with crossbow bolts and magic.  Solomon is forced to do some haty healing to bring both himself and Madeline through, diving across the doorway they're using as cover at one point to ensure his companions survival.  After bring down both Catellion and Anteashara, Madeline's sleep spell forces Bruiser into slumber and capture.  A search of the manor house finds the missing contracts hidden among the pirate's collection of trophies.  By the time the city watch arrives to investigate Tork's assult on the door, they've discovered enough evidence (stolen contracts, a few scattered stolen goods, Gilliad's shallow grave in the garden and an alter to Sucat among them) to excuse them of any wrongdoing and ensure Bruiser is incarcerated for some time to come.  They collect a small reward that was posted on Bruisers head, return the contracts and collect their payment from Kathkallen before delivering the news of his apprentice's death and head to an inn for the evening, Madeline revelling in her first chance to sleep above ground since arriving in the city.-------The next session is when everyone finally gets together as the one party.  The group discovers some interesting bits and peices about the brands they all bear, tangle with the servents of Tiamat once again, and then go out searching for trouble with the servants of Hextor, Tiamat's son and god of destruction and warfare.</blockquote>

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