Warriors Of The Coast

[Brogarn]

The three Watchmen each take sips from their drinks and look to see how Skarghash feels.

Skarg shifts about uncomfortably, not being used to this amount of attention... or comradery... Vacations are for the rich, the loved, and the lazy. I'm not any of those things. Scratching his cheek, Skarg continues My plan is to become the first, buy the second, and live out the third. With a wide grin on his face, he snorts out a loud chuckle.

His eyebrow raises with Boggs' suggestion. Newthrone, eh? If you've got a name or a contact, I think I might take that suggestion. I learned a few things out in the field that I'd like to get a bit better at. Besides, from what the Watchmaster's told me, I might even find me a willing woman! Or at least a blind mute with questionable morals... he snorts out another laugh and looks around the table hoping others found it as funny as he did.

The next morning, Skarg heads to the Watchmaster to ask for permission to head up to Newthorne for a few weeks for training and a bit of relaxation. Following that, he'll begin preparations for his trip and look for a caravan to hire on with as a guard for extra cash. The trip itself would drive Skarg into boredom if he didn't have anything to do. May as well make an extra bit of coin while keeping his mind occupied.


OOC: I don't have my Eberron book here with me, so am not sure if folks from Seawell would travel by ship or land to Newthorne. If it's ship, Skarg will look into hiring on, helping with cargo and the like (with a 16 strength, I'm sure they'd be happy to have him help). If it's land, then caravan guard it is.

 

[drothgery]

Deciding to put off copying for a bit longer, Khalia drew out three sheets of parchment. On the first, she wrote a letter to her father in the common language of the Five Nations, telling him of the progress of her research and thanking him for the devices that he had sent. There wasn't anything unusual about the letter, except for a small mark by the date that most would have taken for a slip of the pen.

The second, she quickly scribed out what she really wanted her father to know, about the cultists, and her conclusions, and did so in Draconic.

And the third took her far longer to write. It was written in the Draconic alphabet, but the characters had little meaning in themselves. She opened a copy of ir'Maneli's Letters of the Keepers to the page that today's date would indicate in a formula her father and she had worked out long ago, and began the slow process of ciphering her letter. When she finished that, she burned the second -- the unciphered version of the third.

The two remaining letters would be sent by House Sivis tomorrow. The clear missive, addressed to her father at his manor in the north of Thrane. The ciphered, to a box in Flamekeep, which would eventually end in Lord Alistair's hands as well, though it would pass through another pair of hands along the way. She -- and her father -- knew the gnomes' reputation for confidentiality was excellent, but there was no point in taking chances, and they had known well before she left on this expedition that they might wish to communicate with some degree of secrecy.

 

[DEFCON 1]

"Here are the others I've retrieved so far. But I'm a hunter, not a miner. Why don't we negotiate terms for the location of these precious stones, and leave the work to your more capable employees."

Dhelleck looks at the other two dragonshards and nods in appreciation. He goes back to the safe and deposits them, while pulling out a House Kundarak bill of exchange. He writes it out for 2000 gold, and hands it to Ari. "The thousand in cash and the bill of exchange should cover the shards you gave me for now. You can hold on to the location of your secret stash for now. Dubbin and the others are out in the field and wouldn't be back to stake the claim anyway. I know where you are, and can always get in touch if and when I need to know where the rest of these are." He nods to you one time, and unless you had anything else to discuss, you pack your things up and leave the guild house.

Once outside, you see that the sun is beginning to set and evening is coming on. A good wash and some dinner might be a good idea, plus the weight of the gold in your purse should be put to some good use. As several people walk back and forth down the street, you hear the mumblings of a hanging probably happening within the week. One guess as to who they are referring to.

It's a nice, cool evening, and your reputation and bank accounts has become more pronounced. All in all, a very good last two days.

 

[DEFCON 1]

"Do you know what this place was before it was lost and almost forgotten? I was wondering what the captain Erqua could have been seeking down there. She might be interested with Khyber's shards, three had been removed, at the cost of three lives it seems, but the hidden room and the statue seems to worth more importance to her."

The changeling smiles at the question, as the curiousity of the young is always good to see. Only by questioning and analyzing your experiences can you truly learn. As more people begin coming into the tavern to start having drinks and supper, his face changes ever so slightly to take on a more humanistic look. As most people recognize him, this is the best way to avoid incessant questioning that many towsfolk... Luttins in particular... give him over and over and over.

"From Khalia told me, it sounds as though it was a temple dedicated to some of the fiendish creatures that were bound beneath the earth in the Ages past. Probably before the aberrations were exiled off the surface of Eberron they had their disciples and devotees like any other religion. If Khalia's description of the marked and locked portals are accurate, the temple was probably locked off for eternity during the Age of Dragons when all aberrations were exiled deep underground. The fact that this particular one has now been unlocked does not bode well. There always a good chance of other cultists getting back in... or more importantly and much more scary... other... things... able to get out. Captain Erqua may have, wittingly or unwittingly, allowed for the possibility that some fiends who have been locked up for millenia can now find freedom. Khalia is writing to her father I believe for guidance in this matter, because that temple should really be re-sealed if at all possible."

He lifts his glass and finishes off his beer, then smiles to the young elf. "But that is nothing that we need to concern ourselves with. Re-sealing a lock that was put in place eons ago is far beyond any of our capabilities. So do not worry, my lad. It will be taken care of... it is too important to just be ignored." Zan leans in a bit across the table and asks "What about your arcane abilities? Is there anything I can help you with, or anything you need to accomplish that my guidance might be of assistance?"

 

[DEFCON 1]

Newthrone, eh? If you've got a name or a contact, I think I might take that suggestion. I learned a few things out in the field that I'd like to get a bit better at. Besides, from what the Watchmaster's told me, I might even find me a willing woman! Or at least a blind mute with questionable morals...

Citen Boggs furrows his brow for a second as he tries to remember the name. He stutters and stammers trying to form a name on his lips, until Andreana reminds him to check his pockets as he invariably writes things down and then forgets about them. Sure enough, he pulls out a slip of parchment that has the name "Zendarrill Lorren" on it. He hands it to Skarg and then you go back to drinking through the night.

The next morning, Skarg returns to the Watch's headquarters, where he finds Watchmaster Silversun at his desk... not in a very good mood. Something must have happened last night that is bothering him, mostly likely to do with the pirates is your best guess. The halfork walks in and hands him the note about the training up in Newthrone, and the elven Watchmaster looks at it and nods.

"Good. Yes, very good. Smart. I've heard of this Lorren fellow... has a good rep. Spends half the year back in Aerenal and the other half on the mainland-- Valenar, Q'barra, the Talenta Plains. Never really accepted by the elves of either side. Mixed elvish parentage is always a problem for them. Take it from me... our people can occasionally be real tight-assed about things." Silversun smiles as he makes the minor indictment about his own race. "You want to go up and learn from him, you've got it. He'll kick your ass out in the woods for days on end, but when you're done... you're much better for it. Permission granted." He writes it all down in a large book and signs off on it, and Skarghash is now free for the next several weeks.

 

[Velmont]

Jango listen to the changelling. Putting these information in perspective with the events that happen in the caves, things start to make some senses.

So that voice could be a creature luring me to free him. An aberation? A demon? Maybe worst? I would need to study more about that time. But what if he truly hold some answers to my questions? I might be able to understand more thinsg about my marks... history have always been written by the winners, I have the mark on the losers on my shoulder, so much things have been lost. resealing the room might be teh best thing to do, but I will need to visit it at least once before they do it... but if Khalia needs to write a letter to have advice before being able to seal it again, it means I have a few days...

Seeing he has been silent a bit too long Jango quickly thinks of something else. "Yes, maybe. I've read some book of history on the last war, and the many sharded items that have been used during it. I've heard about those wand that never run out of energy, or the crystals that amplify the magic of the caster. I was thinking that latest item could be usefull to me. I have not the versatilty you have, but as I use more often teh same spell again and again, it might be usefull to invest some ressources in such item. Do you know anything about these shards?"

 

[DEFCON 1]

Having finished the two letters to her father, Khalia stands in her bedroom of the inn and stretches. It's been a long couple of days, but she's a better person for it. But as she looks out the window and sees the sun setting in the west, her thoughts come to what she should do with her evening... stay in and keep researching the maps of the Ruins, go downstairs and grab a bite to eat, attend to Mother Tharavar (since she will inevitably still be up until the middle of the night in prayer), or perhaps go out and about town for a night of entertainment (an event she doesn't do nearly enough of).

The possibilities open before her and she makes her decision.

 

[drothgery]

Khalia looked over her dress before heading down to the common room -- I appear to have come into some funds. Would it be too pretentious to hire a maid? Keeping my clothes in a state fit for a Lady is more work than I had thought... -- for the evening meal.

I suppose I must deal with Mother Kylin eventually. She thought, and made plans to visit the shrine to the Flame after she ate.

 

[DEFCON 1]

"Yes, maybe. I've read some book of history on the last war, and the many sharded items that have been used during it. I've heard about those wand that never run out of energy, or the crystals that amplify the magic of the caster. I was thinking that latest item could be usefull to me. I have not the versatilty you have, but as I use more often teh same spell again and again, it might be usefull to invest some ressources in such item. Do you know anything about these shards?"

Zan nods in understanding and takes a second to think. "Well I have heard about so-called 'eternal wands', but from my understanding they are more military weapons that casual magical items. I myself would not know how to go about getting one. However, one item I do know about is the 'shard of power'. This is a small Eberron dragonshard that allows a spellcaster to recall a spell they had already cast at some point in the day. Some artificers are known for using pearls for this function, but using a dragonshard means you can save your pearls for the casting of Identify spells. And goodness knows we do enough of that!" he laughs.

"However, I do not believe you'd be able to find any 'shards of power' here in town. There are only one or two artificers in town, and I don't think they'd be able to afford to buy the shards on the open market. I think House Tharashk sends all the shards they find up to Newthrone where there is more of a market for them. If you wanted something like that, you should head up there."

Zan takes a roll from the table and begins pulling small bits of it apart and placing them on the table. To Jango's surprise, a toad crawls out from inside Zan's robes and leaps upon the tabletop and begins eating the small bits of bread. The changeling smiles at the elf. "Please excuse Derra. He hasn't eaten today."

 

[DEFCON 1]

Khalia makes her way downstairs and enters the tavern section of the Lilac. She sees that it is pretty well filled at this point... the Green Lilac being one of the more popular places in town because of Morinda Silversun's insistance on importing some fabulous wines from Aerenal. As she looks around, she sees Zan sitting at a table and talking with the young elf Jango. His toad is out and eating some bread, and the two of them are drinking.