Meetup: Chay and the Charn (Part 2)
The city of Hextus is not what it once was. The previous seat of power for the Charn empire, it was positioned in a geographically powerful position - by land, it was the fastest way to Veyshan, by the Inmost Sea it controlled the shore line between the two. It's no surprise it used to be the capitol and even the city shows that.
The city is a sprawl, run down but still strong, with a wall surrounding the innermost part and a majority on the outskirt where the city continues to grow and poverty reigns more than a monarchy. The docks are well maintained but easily the most dangerous looking part to Hextus, with cargo offloading (both living beings and the more standard fare of trade) and more than a few silver changing hands amongst the officials and non.
You all arrived by sneaking across the western border. This entire trip took quite a bit of time, the boat was near a week (cut down only by the fact a sloop was used). From there, it was going on a foot for another couple weeks just to get this far. It's not hard to imagine that you are well out of touch with the Adventurer's Guild. You are on your own, and within a foreign country. Now you just need to find Razen.
Thankfully you have something of a lead with the name of a ship that seems to frequent this Charn port. You even know that the ship was here several days prior before setting out again and offloaded some cargo. But now the real work starts.
Malorn keeps his hood up as he doesn't like being back in Charn and he'd prefer not to be noticed. He knows they are after Razen and trying to find him. He looks around the port looking around, but also keeping an eye out.
Daechir is trepiditious about the whole trip, concerned that their plan has taken them so long with someone in danger such as Razen is. Though he has never met the man, his situation makes Daed worry constantly about him. As they reach the port he casts a spell so that no one here will recognize him save those that have come this far. His disguise is augmented by the teachings which Yelrona taught him, and by the item which was lent to him by that self-same person. He checks over the port with his disguise-darkened eyes, his form looking very human at the moment. "So..." He looks at Yelrona. "Where do you suggest we begin?"
Yelrona has been looking into the Galleons of Gold for a while, getting a feel for her rhythms and patterns of dock and travel. At first she'd intended to charter a smuggling vessel to follow the Galleon, figuring that a smaller, faster vessel could follow the larger cargo ship without being seen. But on some consideration she'd decided that was probably not going to work, hence the overland trip... which cost them time that none of them could afford, least of whom Razen, wherever he was.
"Well, you know Charn better than I do," she says to Daed. "But I'd suggest starting with the port, and finding out what we can about the Galleon's stop there... what they left behind, what they took on, where they were headed, whatever else we can uncover."
Daechir laughs at the suggestion that he knows more about Charn though it's likely true. He looks around the port with an air of sadness and thinly veiled distaste that only lasts a few seconds before he's smiling. "I have not been here for over a hundred years." He murmurs the words low and quiet before he heads toward the dockmaster's office. Even after all this time the world has not changed that much. Though remodeling may have been done some things rarely change. Besides, it's one of the more obvious buildings and with good reason.
Malorn continues to look around, "I'm afraid that I'm not going to be much help either. I never came down to the dock." He says quietly as he follows along and he reaches up to adjust his hood to try to pull it down and hide his features.
Yelrona herself is in disguise, her natural llyranesi coloring swapped out for a mul'niessa's appearance, and her normally colorful garb replaced by something much darker and duller. The symbol of Tarien that normally hangs from her neck is nowhere to be seen. And she moves with an arrogant stride that suggests anyone who stands in her way won't stand there for long. Even so, though, she is careful to avoid crowds, weaving through the city's alleyways and darker byways.
Unfortunately, while avoiding _some_ dangers, that inspires others. Which in this case might well include the small gang of toughs lounging near a patched-together fishing boat, who look the adventurers over as they move through the port, as though wondering how good they would be to eat. As she follows Daechir, Rona Gazes at them Sternly, as inquisitors are taught to do, in the hopes that they'll decide to go after easier prey... the last thing they need right now is to get into a random street-fight.
Daechir ignores the gang after a brief flicker of his eyes. He walks something to the right of Yelrona, and thumbs his rapier once. Perhaps it's the rapier, or perhaps it's instinct but the gang seems to think better of attacking and Daechir strides right up to the harbormaster's office. Daed knocks once on the door before heading inside. There's a moment of taking in the interior before he walks to the dockmasters desk and offers the man a friendly smile. "Hello, I'm looking for information on the Galleons of Gold ship which came in last week. It had a friend of... a friend on it." He glances meaningfully behind him and subtly jingles his coin purse.
Yelrona is surprised by Daechir's bluntness... she tends more towards indirection, herself... but everyone is entitled to their own style, as far as she's concerned. She takes a stance by the door, playing the role of a hired bodyguard, hoping thereby to convey the message that Daechir is a Man of Consequence.
Malorn glances over at the gang from under his hood. He ignores them as well for now, as he stands behind the others. He keeps his silence as he lets the others do the talking.
GAME: Yelrona rolls bluff: (6)+12: 18 GAME: Daechir rolls bluff: (20)+8: 28
Astaren has been following the group, sometimes muttering about not being able to read a book the whole time. As they reach the docks he glances at the gang, and offers them a friendly wave hello with a smile. Then continues on until they find the harbor master. "Galleons of Gold, sounds delightful." glancing to Daechir for a moment, then scowls, "Or something." The man clearly cannot bluff his way out of a paper sack.
The harbor master stares, then frowns, looking down at his notes, then back up. And around at Daechir, his brow heavily furrowed. A little cant of his head as he seems to appraise this man in front of him, just how much was this true? Even with the jingle of coins, something about the way he asked just felt false to the man. A harder squint, then a slow nod with a frown. "Hmmmm."
Another nod.
"Yes, yes, okay. I do understand that concern. Let me look." He walks over toward a cabinet. A wave of his hand at it as he murmurs, "Let's see, let's see... Which one? Ah" And he grabs a drawer and pulled it open.
"I see, that ship came in... about a week ago. To offload cargo and for a shoreleave." Another nod, "Left - let me look - three days prior. Who might you be looking for aboard the ship? Mayhap they stayed."
Yelrona removes a small knife from her belt and picks her teeth with it, doing her best to radiate uncouth deadliness and project the basic image that whatever Daed might be looking for the man for, it certainly isn't to be _helpful_. No sir, not us.
"Razen." Daed seems pleased with the information that they've gotten already. At least they knew for certain that the ship was here. "Anything you can tell me about what they offloaded, or what they took on, and where they headed out of port would be... very helpful." He smiles again at the man, friendly and smooth as warm butter. Oh hey.
There's a goblin here. With one eye. And red hair. She's trailing along laconically as goblin gunslingers -- any gunslingers really -- are wont to do.
Astaren is wandering around the room poking at things, "oh that is interesting." Moving around and poking something else and he keeps himself busy.
"Ahhh I see." The harbormaster says, giving a glance off to Yelrona and a nod. He is quite used to bodyguards after all. And then back to the papers. he starts running his finger along it, a look over this way and that. Then his brow creases, a furrow and then a shake of his head, "I'm sorry, but it seems your friend wasn't registered aboard that ship. Or, friend of a friend, excuse me. Are you sure you got the name right?"
Daed's brow makes a small furrow and he sighs. "Perhaps you can tell me more about the ship itself? In case I have the wrong ship."
Yelrona considers that, and the likelihood that Razen was not precisely cooperating with his relocation, and adds "He might have been travelling with an oruch slave." She gives a couple of Razen's distinguishing characteristics. "Slated for the arena, you know the type, yah?"
"Iffin they were headed to the arena, why we bein here?" Astaren speaks up as he pokes something else and grins in a lopsided manner, then goes to look at something else.
The harbormaster gives a slow nod, a frown, "I seem to recall that there was an Oruch captive on board. But they didn't make mention of his station or crimes, and it mattered not to me." He gave a half shrug, looking toward Yelrona, "But there were several men that were traveling with him. I do not know their name either, nor where they went. Perhaps it would be best to ask the Captain or First Mate? The ship usually makes its rounds every month to two."
"You know Razzie," Rona tosses toward Astaren, "everything he buys he HAS to show off to all his friends." She rolls her eyes. "Dunno who he's tryin' to impress. Anyway... so where's the Galleon headin' to next?"
"A month or two is more than I care to wait." Daed nods to Yelrona's questions, looking meaningfully at the harbormaster for him to answer them.
"Let's see." He flips through the pages again, "It looks like they plan on next landing in Veyshan again, they're probably half way there by now. Though based on this, they might be in that port for a few weeks waiting on shipment." A nod and he looks between them all. "But I'm afraid that's all I really can tell you. I'm a very busy man you know. Hextus is one of the busiest ports in the Inmost Sea."
Astaren blinks as he glances up, "Oye? I thougth we were after him and all because he owed you money, for the big one and all you sold em boss. Maybe why he not be goin by the name and all he gave you, yah?" tilting his head and offering a dumb stare towards the boss man.
"I'm sure you are," Rona observes. "So much business, and you're here to oversee all of it... I bet nothing happens in this city you don't know about, huh? Important man like you."
"...great," says Nadara, a hand going over her face.
She seems to be increasingly uncomfortable. It could be the locale. It's probably the locale.
The harbormaster blinks and tilts his head looking at Yelrona again, "There is a lot of business, yes, but I don't know the comings and goings of every person on every ship. Please, if you don't mind, I do need to get back to work." He nods. "If you really need to ask, why not try some taverns or something. They might recognize this Razen fellow faster than I would."
Daed heaves a sigh as if frustrated with his companions. He pulls out a few coins and lays them down. "For your time. And more if you can tell me anything about that ship that you have not already told me. Or the oruch slave since it is likely linked to whom we are looking for." He arches an eyebrow.
Yelrona nods. That isn't a bad idea. "You happen to know what bars the Galleon's crew hit while they were here?"
Malorn turns to look around to see if anyone is watching them as they talk to the harbormaster. He looks up and down the docks scanning for any trouble coming their way.
The man takes the gold, his hand sweeping over it before he moves it into a pocket with the same smoothness. He nods his head, glancing to Yelrona, "I know that the crew tends to prefer the Winking Dire Rat. But otherwise-" he glances toward Daechir then and gives a half-shrug, "He was not a slave, they said he was a captive, and I believe they mentioned that was to be brought to the inner city. Beyond that, I don't much know."
Daed nods and adds another five coins - the more promised - to the counter before turning and walking out. He glances around outside for a moment and then heads for the nearest quiet-looking location so that he can speak with the group. "I think looking in the inner city first might be our best bet... But perhaps Yelrona may be able to get more information from the locals." He glances at her and shrugs. "I am not terribly good at gathering such information."
GAME: Malorn rolls sense motive: (12)+12: 24
Yelrona shrugs to Daed. "You do OK."
"I'd suggest hitting the Winking Rat first though," she adds. "It'll take us a while to get there, and I'm not sure we can bluff our way in."
Malorn gives a nod to Daechir as he leans in close and says in a low voice, "I believe the harbormaster is telling the truth." He says to the others, "Yelrona's course of action could be the correct one, perhaps we should try to gather more information before we head to the inner city."
Daechir nods. "So we will do then, and if we do need to enter the inner city... I know a way that will get us in." Daechir doesn't sound happy about knowing.
"Just lead the way," replies Nadara. "I'll follow." She seems fine with whatever course of actions are decided upon by the others, though she is keeping a close eye on Astaren! You never know what mages will get up to.
Astaren shrugs his shoulders as soon as they are out of ear shot of anybody, "If the sky remains clear, I can get us in there easily after sunset." A glance back to Nadara, "Quietly even." winking to her with a smile.
Yelrona looks at Astaren and shrugs. "In that case, maybe we'll do better to go straight there," she admits.
Astaren hmms and shrugs, "Information gathering isn't bad, and if we want to go in after the sun sets and stars come out we can. Though knowing how to act, behave, and fit in would be good."
Daechir shakes his head. "We have hours yet until the sun falls. Best to gather what information we can get about the ship and crew." He glances toward Astaren. "The rest is... known."
"OK, then!" Rona can't exactly 'lead the way' to a place she doesn't know the location of, but she figures a popular sailor's bar can't be hard to find. She asks a few locals for directions as they travel.
Astaren has gone quiet as they walk along then as they find the bar, "So tell us then, what we should be acting as."
So Daechir does as they walk the surprisingly short distance to the easy-to-find bar. It doesn't exactly make for pleasant telling, but he goes into as much detail as he can before they arrive. Unfortunately it's not much and he promises to fill them in more once they're on their way toward the inner city. Given that this doesn't take them until nightfall.
Yelrona listens to Daechir carefully, adjusting her disguise to take his advice into account. Always good to listen to locals.
GAME: Daechir rolls diplomacy: (5)+2: 7 GAME: Yelrona rolls diplomacy: (10)+5: 15 GAME: Astaren rolls diplomacy: (1)+17: 18 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Malorn rolls diplomacy: (12)+0: 12
You all spend time asking around in the bar, some more successful than others, and Daechir manages to scare off a few as they seem to think he's someone else entirely!
In any event, you discover there was an oruch who seemed to have been 'escorted' off to the inner-city. Not anything new there, but what might be is that it seems someone matching the description of a certain Duke was also seen with the man. A bit further digging into it, and you found that the house he was taken to was on the outskirts of the inner city, a smaller house on only a half-acre of land.
With this information in hand Daed and the others have little choice but to head further intoward the city. Daechir spends this time explaining the finer details about his home-city. It never seems to get any more likeable by his accurate description of it.
Astaren glances around and hmms as he taps his chin, "if we want, first off we need to find a roof, and well to go to sleep on it..' He seems dead serious about this.
Yelrona nods. "OK then... let's go find a roof."
Daechir seems less certain of this plan than the others and looks quizzically at Astaren and Yelrona before giving a slight shrug. He is not about to argue with her though it seems odd to him.
A nice open roof is found, and slowly everybody will drift off to sleep. At first it seems somebody is whispering in their dream, soften gentle voices, but in the millions. Then the voices become clearer and a chorus, a beautiful celestial song. Everybody finds themselves in a shared dream. Walking along over the buildings, jumping to each one at a speed so fast everything is a blur. The location that was determined comes into view very quickly. The house an imposing thing, with demon horns that looks at them and opens up with a maw of teeth like a Mimic. The maw sucking them in and chomping down and everything goes black.
Then suddenly everybody wakes up on another roof in the inner city, a short distance from the target destination and relatively safe for the moment.
Yelrona rubs her eyes and sits up. "Nice. Remind me why we didn't come here that way in the first place? Also... did everyone else see that mouth thing?"
"I definitely saw it." He shudders and glances around, noticing the building that they are looking for is quite close. "Remind not to do that again... but also to do it again soon." Daed laughs quietly.
Malorn gets up from his meditation and he shakes out his limbs a bit to get the blood flowing again. He starts to look at the house that everyone else is looking at.
Astaren lets out a laugh, a soft quiet one, "Oh the dreams are different every time. I really have no control over them. I think my thoughts of this being a demon of a place may of influenced. At least the chorus was beautiful tonight." glancing up and closing his eyes as he listens.
Soon you're watching and you can see guards start to make their way around. The guard is fairly light though, the place looking only marginally secure. The magic about it doesn't even seem to heavy. Undoubtedly, if this is where they are keeping Razen, it will be an easy snatch-and-grab back.
"To simple if you ask me, but I could be wrong. Just something feels... odd here." Astaren offering as they watch looking thoughtfully towards the house.
Daechir waits impatiently as they watch the house, and soon enough he's glancing at Yelrona. Trying to measure how long they should wait here with her friend in danger. "It may be so, but we can not wait forever." He murmurs the words to Astaren. "This may not even be where they are keeping him. Or there maybe be many more guards inside."
"Forever is a really long time," Rona observes. "But you have a point. Any thoughts on how to approach?"
Astaren taps his chin, "He is also a criminal, a prisoner. I wonder what charges are against him, and if that might be a avenue to pursue as well." shrugging his shoulders.
Malorn takes a deep breath, "I do not have invisibility, but I have the ability to produce darkness that could surround most of us I believe."
Daechir smiles and looks at Malorn. "I too. We can use both of us to create the illusion that it has become very dark, and sneak in while they are blinded."
"That can't hurt. So here's what I recommend," says Rona. "I go down and check out the perimeter, with Daed and Malorn, see if I can find signs of Razen's passage. If I can, I try to find where he entered and come back and regroup. If I can't, we come back and regroup. If we get spotted, we go dark and vanish, come back and regroup.
Malorn nods, "It sounds like a plan to me." He moves to the edge to start to look for a good way down.
GAME: Malorn rolls stealth: (5)+3: 8 GAME: Daechir rolls stealth+2: (18)+3+2: 23 GAME: Yelrona rolls stealth+2: (13)+15+2: 30 GAME: Yelrona rolls survival+4: (8)+15+4: 27 GAME: Daechir rolls perception: (5)+3: 8
Yelrona doesn't find any specific Razen tracks. But she does find a cart that left relatively recently. It's hard to narrow down specifically when, but it seems to be within the last several days. Daechir doesn't find any particular unguarded entrances, they seem all pretty well the same what with the patrols. An interesting thing to note...
This particular house seems to be owned by someone named Lord Charles of Charn, Gentleman of the Court, Esq.
Astaren, on the other hand, finds a flash for a moment before it fizzles out. The scrying seems to be hampered in some way, but before that happens he sees a cell. Thick iron bars and a threadworn cot. No guards visible, but the way it looks... it feels below ground level and the walls hewn of stone rather than made by it.
Yelrona returns to the roof and listens to the various reports. "So, I recommend we give up on stealth at this point, simply walk in and say "if you have an oruch prisoner with these tats, we're here to pick him up" and if they refuse we go in by force."
GAME: Malorn rolls perception: (9)+14: 23
Astaren shakes his head slowly as he hmmms a moment, 'Not sure he is even in there. I did some scrying, and he appears to in an underground cell. That house doesn't look like it would be that. maybe they put him elsewhere?" glancing around and shrugging, "You keep mentioning tats? could you draw one out, may try a locate object on it."
Daechir considers the proposal seriously. He sighs and shakes his head. "That would put your friend at great risk. Perhaps it would be better to pretend that you are here to speak with this Charles. Me and you could go in with the rest as our... guests." He looks at Yelrona. "Once we are inside it will be easier to see if they have a lower level to hide prisoners in."
Yelrona does the best she can at reproducing Razen's tattoos.
Astaren ponders a moment after casting his spells, "Looks like we need to go in, lead the way." chanting quickly, and suddenly the man is gone having turned invisible.
The group that heads toward the door, looking for the Gentleman of the Court, the Esquire Charles of Charn, are soon confronted with a man very familiar to some of you. It is none other than Duke Archellius... except it's not the Duke. Or, well, it /is/ the man you know as that but that's not actually his name, or title. He receives you all well enough, manners, diplomacy, and caution.
Astaren on the other hand floats up and through the window. It doesn't take him long to figure out where that image of the tattoo is coming from. And it's enough that could almost make someone apply a hand to their face. Because locked away, tucked behind lock and key, is an image of Razen with his tattoos detailed out. Astaren literally found those drawn tattoos... because he found those drawn tattoos on the drawing of Razen.
That's not all that Astaren finds though. The file it is attached to spells out that Prisoner #23 has been moved to a different facility. The location listed, the torture he would soon under go outlined. And all of it to drive a confession out of him about his desire to hurt Charn after being ordered explicitly by the Adventurer's Guild of Alexandria.
A lie to give proof.
A lie to heighten tensions.
A lie in the house of a man who isn't who he appears to be, but at least now there's a location for where the Adventurer's need to go to save their ally.
Astaren takes all this proof and puts it into his haversack. Shaking his head he points towards the window and sends out a quick whisper magical message, "Turn around, we are done here. I will explain shortly." then heads out himself.
Yelrona seems ready to search this place from stem to stern, if only to provide details to share with Aya. But Astaren's comment changes her mind, and she walks out after him.
-End-