The Stuff of Dreams (Orsal Judging)

[Dungannon]

Fatwon had the look of a cat about to devour a mouse. "She didn't tell you what it is? Brimbor didn't either?", he asked with an air of anticipation.

Devlin frowns a little at Fatwon's attitude. "No. Neither of them were willing to discuss much in the way of details. Perhaps you would be willing to enlighten us."

ooc: Sense Motive = 24

 

[El Jefe]

"No. Neither of them were willing to discuss much in the way of details."

The huge half-orc seemed derisive. "Hmpf", he snorted. "Do they know what the orb is, sir? What is your impression?"[sblock=OoC: ]

ooc: Sense Motive = 24

Since Fatwon has given you precious little information, it seems he isn't bluffing you. Rather, at this point, he seems to be jockeying for position, or possibly just using an outsider (you) to spy on his associates. It seems likely that once the preliminaries are complete, some sort of genuine offer will be forthcoming.[/sblock]

 

[Dungannon]

"Do they know what the orb is, sir? What is your impression?"

Devlin ponders this for a moment, letting Kamdar stir in anticipation. "I believe both Ms. O'Shally and Mr. Brimbor are fully aware of what the orb is, sir. To me it seems that Brigit's secretiveness is motivated by fear while Jobe's is motivated by greed."

 

[El Jefe]

"I believe both Ms. O'Shally and Mr. Brimbor are fully aware of what the orb is, sir."

Fatwon waved his hand dismissively. "You give them both too much credit", he snorted. He turned to Ryland. "So, you say that you can deliver it within a week, eh? So where are you keeping it until them?"

 

[Salix]

Fatwon waved his hand dismissively. "You give them both too much credit", he snorted. He turned to Ryland. "So, you say that you can deliver it within a week, eh? So where are you keeping it until them?"

"I wouldn't have much to bargain with if I told you that would I? Especially the way people tend to die with this thing around. Don't worry, its safe and we will deliver it. You still haven't named a price.", Ryland says, giving him an expectant look the says, Your Turn.

 

[El Jefe]

"I wouldn't have much to bargain with if I told you that would I?"

Kamdar's response was unexpected. "So, I must tell you what I know but you won't tell me what you know?" He shook his head. "That's hardly equitable, sir. No, no, I don't think we can do business along those lines."

 

[Salix]

Kamdar's response was unexpected. "So, I must tell you what I know but you won't tell me what you know?" He shook his head. "That's hardly equitable, sir. No, no, I don't think we can do business along those lines."

"That's the only way we're going to do business, unless you want your little prize going to another bidder. The only thing I want to know from you is how much you're willing to pay.", Ryland says back with certainty.

OOC:I'm headed out be back next Wednesday.

 

[El Jefe]

"That's the only way we're going to do business, unless you want your little prize going to another bidder. The only thing I want to know from you is how much you're willing to pay."

Kamdar Fatwon showed no expression at this pronoucement, simply taking in the words and (apparently) calculating his next move. Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Excuse me for a moment", he frowned, and rose to answer the door. It was Brimbor, the elf who had graced Archer's establishment the previous day. Jobe gave a start when he saw Ryland and Devlin sitting there, but he must have at least half-expected them, as he quickly recovered. Before sitting down, Jobe gave Fatwon a slip of paper, and Fatwon bent down so the diminutive elf could whisper something into his ear. The large one nodded, his face devoid of expression, and he poured Jobe a drink before they both sat down. He offered Ryland another round, and Devlin a second chance at a first one, before returning to his seat, a replentished drink in his own hand. He crumpled the little scrap of paper and tossed it onto the table haphazardly.

"Perhaps I have been too hasty", the massive half-orc announced. "You should know what it is that you are dealing with, and so I will talk of this orb that has been the focus of so much attention."[sblock=OoC: ]Fatwon is about to launch into a description of the orb. I'm pausing here so that you can head him off or take some action should you choose to do so, and to give Salix a chance to post before heading out for a week.[/sblock]

 

[Dungannon]

Devlin nods at Jobe, a light smile on his face. "Good day, sir elf. I must apologize about your weapon. I forgot I had it with me until I arrived here and then the City Watch confescated it when they arrested Wilbur. Officer Vagan has assured me it will be returned as soon as the matter is cleared up satisfactorily."

The rogue tries to nonchalantly strain his attention to pick up what Jobe says to Kamdar (ooc: Listen check = 11) but can't quite make out the conversation. He eyes the piece of paper tossed onto the table with obvious interest. "I trust Mr. Brimbor's news hasn't caused our host any undue discomfort."

 

[El Jefe]

"I must apologize about your weapon..."The elf strained to control his emotions as Devlin innocently teased him about the loss of his crossbow. Apparently, Brimbor was accustomed to such embarrassments, and took them well.

"I trust Mr. Brimbor's news hasn't caused our host any undue discomfort."

With the look of a cat who has just discovered how to open the door to the canary's cage, Fatwon replied: "Oh, no, no, quite the contrary." He refilled everyone's drinks, and sat a glass in front of Devlin without asking if his guest desired it. The half-orc sat next to Devlin, and patted his knee in a friendly gesture that the rogue found quite unsettling. "Now, now, where were we? We must talk about the black sphere."

The story of the orb is quite elaborate. It was made in 971* from gold and jewels from the coffers of the Knights of Fallon, a mercenary band who took their name from the city long before it had been struck by a meteor. "We all know the Righteous Wars to them were largely a matter of loot." Buccaneer pirates stole the jewel-encrusted and heavily enchanted orb when it was sent by galley ships from the Knights of Fallon to the Dragon Asphetoon, then ruler of what is now Monemvasia, as a tribute, in appreciation for his granting them title to the jungles to the south of the rock: "It never reached Monemvasia." Then in 1145 after a long disappearance, the orb turned up again in Orussus. In 1272, it re-appeared in Rheim, where by that time, it had acquired a protective coating of lead "so that it appeared as nothing more than an interesting black ornament to even the most powerful of magic." Afterwards, it "kicked around Rheim for over three score years by private owners too stupid to see what it was under the skin."[sblock=*971: ]As Devlin is well aware from his last adventure, the current year is 1373 by the system of reckoning that Fatwon is using.[/sblock]Years later in 1355, a Rivenblight antique dealer found the orb in an "obscure shop" and recognized its real value. While researching the orb's history, the dealer enamled the orb over the lead with a coat of black paint. The dealer's establishment was burglarized and he was murdered - and the orb was stolen again, before Fatwon could acquire it. Fatwon had been searching for the orb for the last 17 years ("I'm not easily discouraged when I want something"), and often had just missed getting his hands on it. The orb was then traced to the home of a Medibarian general (named Khemidrov) in an Earling suburb. Fatwon offered to purchase it and sent Brigit and Thursby to get it, but failed: "I made him an offer, so I sent him some - ah, agents, to get it. Well, sir, they got it - and I haven't got it - BUT I'm going to get it!"

Fatwon believed that the owner of the black orb with a "clear title" is the one who owns it "by right of possession." Again, he touched Devlin's knee with an unsettling air of familiarity. "So, you can produce the orb in a couple of days. Then I shall offer 50 thousand Crowns: 25 thousand for the orb's delivery and either another 25 thousand later on or one-fourth of the proceeds from its sale." The half-orc hinted that the one-fourth share would be the greater value, and gloated as he speculated on the orb's real value: "That would amount to a vastly greater sum."