Gus smiles at Bree, then listens as Reyna continues talking about the rooms. He turns to Cleo resting on his shoulder, "perhaps madame Cleo would like to pick our room?" he watches as the cat leaps down, making their way down the hall until she stops at a door, "ah, an excellent choice." ((DM choice of which room it it)). Gus opens the door and they enter.
Gus finds that his familiar is immediately drawn to the Dalelands suite. Entering it, you find a rustic but homely feeling room three times the size of the largest bedroom you've ever seen, with wood and stone elements, small statues and symbols mostly of Mystra but some of other deities, local crafts from the Daleland region, including some pottery, fine linens, and rare alchemical ingredients. Across the wall that is across from its fireplace, which by the way roared into a cozy fire the moment that Madame Cleo hopped up on the luxurious king sized bed and immediately curled into a reposing position, a large tapestry depicting a pivotal moment in the Battle of Shadowdale, or so it is labeled - on it you see two armies clashing, one clearly portrayed in poor light as to be cruel and unkind, and the other in good light, brave, virtuous and just, and it is the just side that is clearly vanquishing their foes. In the background, Gus notes an odd, twisted tower, of which there is a little replica of on top of one of the bookstands. Of the books, there are many, one for each of the notable settlements in the Dalelands, but also two titles that stand out as curious; The Dales Compact: A historical account of the Dalelands’ formation, and Tales of the Seven Sisters: Stories of the Chosen of Mystra.
Eltra doesn’t wait for the others to choose. He chooses the "Far North" room wondering what histories and curiosities he can find in the books.
Eltra notes that the suite is easily the largest room he's ever seen, adorned with rustic wood and stone furnishings, a somehow already roaring fireplace, flanked by multiple hunting trophies, that as he enters notes continue around the rooms upper walls. Furs and pelts of exotic northern beasts are both adorning the walls and the large king-sized bed. There is also a large ceremonial axe on the wall that looks tribal, yet expertly crafted - if it were to be real that is. He also notes a strange totem that also looks to be tribal. Heading to the bookshelves, he finds number titles on the history of Neverwinter, Luskan, and the other northernmost settlements, replete with maps and trade routes between them. Two volumes stand out: Survival in the Frontier: A guide to the harsh northern wilderness, and Tales of the Uthgardt: Stories of the barbarian tribes and their traditions.
Bree decides to pick the room closest to her. Interested in seeing what she can learn about that region.
Bree enters into the High Forest suite, and finds a large, spacious room with green and earthy tones with natural wood and vine motifs and a large mural of the High Forest canopy at sunrise. What Bree recognizes to be elven-crafted trinkets adorn the walls and on various surfaces such as some fine moonstone jewelry laying across the nightstand, and a finely woven basket containing expertly crafted arrows beneath a ceremonial bow adorning the wall. The bed is king-sized, and its wood almost seems to spring out of the floorboards, as if the room itself just decided to 'grow a bed' there. A comfortable hearth across from the bed holds a fire that warms the room. Of the books on the shelves, most are in elven, but of those in common she finds two titles of interest: Ancient Secrets of the Elven Court: Histories of the High Forest’s elven inhabitants, and Flora and Fauna of the Forests: A naturalist’s guide.
OOC: by the way, the way I'm going to approach learning from books is that if you take one with you, you have to let me know whenever you spend some time reading it - say for an hour or so before you sleep, or before the others wake, or during some short rest, etc. Depending on the book, and your characters comfort with reading, it'll take between 24-36 hours to finish most full sized books, half that if their 'novella length', and 1/8th that if their pamphlets (I've come up with a rough level of skill for each of you regarding that using the number of languages they speak, their INT > WIS > CHA in that order of importance, and their class - as such, the order of reading ability is Gus, Dawn, Eltra, Geren, Bree, Hnefa. Though the first five of you are very near to each other, so the difference between you isn't much; i.e., the same books will take Gus and Dawn only a few hours less than Bree; unfortunately, Hnefa, it will take your character about 50% longer - sorry :/ That said, when one of you learns something from a book, unless you specifically state that you are reading it for yourself only, everyone in the party will learn what you learned because it'll be presumed to be shared over the course of your down times. So don't worry, Hnefa, you won't miss out on much, if any, XP or special knowledge acquired from books.
I am starting to get a little worried if you're still with us, though, Hnefa - I'm assuming you're busy with holiday stuff. For the time being, until you seem to be back, I may just make decisions for your character so we can keep progressing - sort of like what I've been doing, though I may have to make some active decisions on her behalf; eg; what room she picks, etc. I'll do my best to make her act the way that I feel that she would, if not the way that you would.
Dawn is overwhelmed by how large the suites are! One Suite seem larger than the entire sleeping area of the temple! "All this is for one person?!?, she asks incredulously.
Dawn would go for the smaller rooms she heard about, but those seem to be in another wing. Though to get something she's used to, she'd have to head down to the servants quarters.
Dawn is overwhelmed by how large the suites are! One Suite seem larger than the entire sleeping area of the temple! "All this is for one person?!?, she asks incredulously.
"Welcome to the life of the landed gentry... and their dignitaries, anyway," Reyna says sardonically as she opens the door to the Amnian suite, seeing that no one else seemed particularly interested. A moment later, her voice can be heard from the corridor. "Yup. Yup. Figures." Her head appears in the doorway again briefly. "I'm still glad I came back," she laughs, then closes the door most of the way, leaving it just slightly ajar. You recall her desire for everyone to meet in her room before being called away for supper.
Eltra has never said no to a little pampering. "Well you are quite the charmer Geren. You practically charmed the castle right from her....Always good to have a smooth operator amongst traveling companions."
Geren winks as he sketches a quick bow.
"I strive to be as elegant with my words as I am with my blade. Here's hoping I can get the castle next time."
He winks to indicate a joke, but a canny observer might notice Geren glancing around with a covetous eye.
Given the option to pick a room Geren chooses the Lord's Alliance suite and checks it out to see with how easily it can be defended. He doesn't believe their host will try to cut their throats in the night but with the strangeness of their employer he's not about to take chances. Hopefully the room is befitting the royalty he hopes to be one day.
One day he'll own a place like this. No, it'll be bigger!
He searches the libraries for a book on lizardfolk or the area they'll be exploring (OOC: I'm fine with making a skill check for this if need be) and stashes it in the room he's picked before going to meet Reyna. He turns on the charm, determined to make a new ally.
"Well, I hope I've proved at least some of my worth with the accommodations I've secured us. I'm a man of many talents."
Persuasion: 11
OOC: Would Geren having succeeded so well with Morwen have impressed Reyna enough to give advantage on his persuasion roll with her?
Almost forgot - also in the corridor of suites, the is one room with the label 'Warm Baths', and on the other side of the corridor another room with the label 'Cool Baths'.
Bree sets her pack down. She browses the books and spots a couple of them in common and decides to put both the Elven Court and the High Forest books on the table next to the bed to read later. She then goes to meet with everyone in Reyna's room.
Eltra has never said no to a little pampering. "Well you are quite the charmer Geren. You practically charmed the castle right from her....Always good to have a smooth operator amongst traveling companions."
Geren winks as he sketches a quick bow.
"I strive to be as elegant with my words as I am with my blade. Here's hoping I can get the castle next time."
He winks to indicate a joke, but a canny observer might notice Geren glancing around with a covetous eye.
Given the option to pick a room Geren chooses the Lord's Alliance suite and checks it out to see with how easily it can be defended. He doesn't believe their host will try to cut their throats in the night but with the strangeness of their employer he's not about to take chances. Hopefully the room is befitting the royalty he hopes to be one day.
One day he'll own a place like this. No, it'll be bigger!
He searches the libraries for a book on lizardfolk or the area they'll be exploring (OOC: I'm fine with making a skill check for this if need be) and stashes it in the room he's picked before going to meet Reyna. He turns on the charm, determined to make a new ally.
"Well, I hope I've proved at least some of my worth with the accommodations I've secured us. I'm a man of many talents."
Persuasion: 15
OOC: Would Geren having succeeded so well with Morwen have impressed Reyna enough to give advantage on his persuasion roll with her?
Geren enters the room and finds it awash with rich blues and silvers, symbolizing the unity and nobility of the Lord's Alliance, yet with accents of gold and crimson highlight the importance of mutual defense and prosperity. Around the room, he sees a grand oak writing desk with silver inlays, accompanied by a high-backed chair upholstered in navy velvet, a plush, circular rug featuring the crest of the Lord's Alliance—a stylized shield surrounded by laurels, and a canopy bed with blue and white silks, embroidered with subtle patterns of shields and banners. On the walls he finds a large tapestry depicting the formation of the Lord's Alliance, with figures he presumes to be key Alliance leaders, recognizing Laeral Silverhand of Waterdeep featured prominently amongst them, as well as paintings of key Alliance cities: Waterdeep, Neverwinter, Baldur’s Gate, and Silverymoon, most notably, and finally on the wall above the roaring fireplace, a ceremonial sword mounted on the wall, inscribed with the motto: "Strength in Unity." On the shelves of book he finds titles containing histories of the Alliance members, and books that fall into multiple categories: Cultural/Artistic, Historical, Military Stratagems, Governance and Diplomacy, and Practical Guides. Under the Military Strategy section, he notes one title regarding Lizardmen: "Defense Against the United Tribes of Lizardmen: Preparing for Redeye's Inevitable Invasion" by Captain Garan Stonefist. He figures he might find one other title of interest, but there being too many to focus on, Geren figures he should choose an area of interest before selecting.
EDIT: Oh, and it's extremely defensible. The door coming in can be barred and double locked only from the inside and would take even someone like Hnefa a good hour of hacking with an axe to chop her way through it.
(OOC: regarding persuasion - it's more effectively used if you state the specific thing you are attempting to persuade, or make it obvious what that might be. Something like a friendship or alliance is too broad to be very effective. A high roll used in that context may improve their current disposition toward you, but won't make them permanent allies. That said...)
As you (each of you) come into Reyna's room, you find its the most garish of the ones you've seen. Silver and gold dominate the rooms colors, and very real looking stacks of silver and gold ingots rest atop the shelf above the roaring fire place. The art and tapestries all have a trade and wealth generation theme, and the city crest of Athkatla hangs from the wall directly above the fire. The bed is opulent to the point of ridiculousness. Conveniently, there is a pair of tables surrounded by chairs padded with lush velvets. Entering the room, you find Reyna is has already managed to visit one of the baths briefly and has cleaned up her face of the dried blood it had had on it. You come in to find her wiping it dry and taking a seat in one of the chairs.
"Greetings, come in, come in," she gestures to any who hesitate. In response to Geren's remarks, Reyna smiles. "I've noticed," she says. "And I'm glad for it, because I'm going to need your help over dinner. All of your assistance," she continues as the others file in. "I'm going to need to you to help me do something that may seem... unorthodox, if not unjust. But nothing that will result in anyone being hurt. Actually, quite the opposite - it'll result in someone not being killed. And believe me, I'm loathe to do it, but it's crucial - both for your own mission's chances of success, and... for other reasons not important right now."
Geren gingerly pokes one of the stacks of ingots in the room Reyna's taken.
"Nothing but the best for important guests I see. Imagine having so much wealth you can just leave it lying around your home like this and not worry about it."
At Reyna's request he raises an eyebrow.
"You want the pirate spared? I'm not opposed, I have no personal quarrel with him, but I'll need details. Copious details. Or at least the ones pertaining to how this isn't going to come back to bite us if it goes wrong. Lugging around a prisoner when we're on a stealth mission among lizardfolk seems incredibly hazardous, or would we be releasing him before that?"
He pauses for a moment, making a show of examining the ingots.
"And I would assume securing Feydon's release would pay extra? Being connected to an infamous pirate going free's not exactly conducive to future employment so the offer would need to be exceedingly generous. You've done an excellent job of extolling the benefits associated with your employer, and I would think this would be the time to prove it."
Geren gingerly pokes one of the stacks of ingots in the room Reyna's taken.
"Nothing but the best for important guests I see. Imagine having so much wealth you can just leave it lying around your home like this and not worry about it."
At Reyna's request he raises an eyebrow.
"You want the pirate spared? I'm not opposed, I have no personal quarrel with him, but I'll need details. Copious details. Or at least the ones pertaining to how this isn't going to come back to bite us if it goes wrong. Lugging around a prisoner when we're on a stealth mission among lizardfolk seems incredibly hazardous, or would we be releasing him before that?"
He pauses for a moment, making a show of examining the ingots.
"And I would assume securing Feydon's release would pay extra? Being connected to an infamous pirate going free's not exactly conducive to future employment so the offer would need to be exceedingly generous. You've done an excellent job of extolling the benefits associated with your employer, and I would think this would be the time to prove it."
She sighs. "I didn't say his freedom. I said his release into your custody. He will still face justice. But before he does, he has uses that supersede the need for any vendetta that Morwen, or any of the other paragons of Law and Order of the region have to see him killed - I'm not opposed to justice, but killing a man in captivity just seems a waste. What harm can he cause anyone from a dungeon, anyway? Their hypocrisy is besides the point - he has intimate knowledge of those marshes, as they represent one of a few areas he most frequently threw off the trail of his pursuers. Supposedly he even has a hidden base there, though he insists that it's no longer his - the rising bounty on his head lead to a mutiny amongst his men there, which is the reason I was able to subdue him by myself. Save for a broken cutlass, I found him unarmed, beaten and bloodied, limping away from the edges of the marshes, having narrowly escaped his own men's uprising, and even still he proved no small challenge to subdue," she touches the healed wound on her face.
Then she continues, looking directly at Geren. "Regarding proving my employers benefits - first of all, I don't have to prove anything to you. You're a guest of Morwen Daggerford, and you stand to gain citizenship and an alliance with a powerful Patriar of Baldur's Gate. You're also over 50 gold richer for just having had a pleasant night in a tavern. In employer-employee relations, the work NORMALLY comes first, the payment comes second. He's already delivered more than enough payment - so I say the reverse is true - it's time you start to show us that you can do the work. I'm impressed that you talked us into nicer rooms, but don't forget that you wouldn't have been talking to her in the first place, if it weren't for me. And given that I represent my employer..." she raises her eyebrows as if to say, "there's your proof".
She sighs again and relaxes. "Look, it won't be like you'll be dragging him in chains through the swamp. Obviously his bonds will need to be cut. This is where it gets complicated, and why I'll need everyone to support me in this. My suggestion will be simple - a geas."
"I definitely need more information on this request as well. I have no doubt that that man is a murderer and a pirate. I've seen eyes like that in bandits and slavers that have tried to attack my home village."
"If we're unable to convince her, then we'll have to resort to more... drastic measures," she frowns. "If that comes to pass, then we'll talk about 'extra rewards', but let's just hope it doesn't come to that, because that's going to be a serious problem. That's why we HAVE to succeed in convincing her. I don't want to permanently burn my bridges with Morwen, and I'm sure you'd all like to be able to come back again someday. Though if it DOES come to that, I'll take full responsibility - she probably won't even suspect any of you were involved. Not unless we get caught in the act. But that's such a last resort its almost doesn't bear mentioning. Let's focus on the task at hand - persuading her to temporarily release him. Maybe with a little luck we'll catch a break with whomever else will be present at supper. She's got a couple of 'regulars' that hang around here, and a lot of people that might be here or might not. We're going to have to play it by ear a little. I'm going to need you to just trust me that this is the best course of action - not just for my employer, not just for me, or for yourselves, but also for Morwen and for Daggerford - she's just too stubborn to see it, unless we MAKE her see it."
"I definitely need more information on this request as well. I have no doubt that that man is a murderer and a pirate. I've seen eyes like that in bandits and slavers that have tried to attack my home village."
Reyna frowns, not unsympathetically. "I'm sorry that you had that experience. But I assure you, Feydon wasn't involved. Don't hold him to blame for something some other bandit did. Feydon made his reputation by preying on wealthy merchants, relieving them of their excessive wealth. He didn't plunder and pillage helpless villagers. He's got almost a folk-hero level of reputation amongst the destitute, as they see him as striking back against the gross inequities of Sword Coast societies. There's a reason they didn't just put him in the town's jail - that guard was correct that he probably does have enough sympathizers amongst the poorer folks of Daggerford that they might try and do something stupid like break him out, getting themselves killed in the process. He's no hero, and he doesn't deserve any kind of 'folk-hero' status - it's just pure desperation and resentment of the very poor; they've got no heroes representing them, and they're so starved for one they're willing to find one in someone like Feydon. But he doesn't take his plunder and give it to the poor. He keeps it for himself, of course. That said, he doesn't rob the poor. And he only kills people that are trying to kill him. Turns out, that's become a goodly number of people of the last years. So again, I'm not suggesting he go free. I'm just suggesting he be given a chance to provide the coast some usefulness before he faces his justice. He has knowledge that can help, and we can force him to do so."
"If we're unable to convince her, then we'll have to resort to more... drastic measures," she frowns. "If that comes to pass, then we'll talk about 'extra rewards', but let's just hope it doesn't come to that, because that's going to be a serious problem. That's why we HAVE to succeed in convincing her. I don't want to permanently burn my bridges with Morwen, and I'm sure you'd all like to be able to come back again someday. Though if it DOES come to that, I'll take full responsibility - she probably won't even suspect any of you were involved. Not unless we get caught in the act. But that's such a last resort its almost doesn't bear mentioning. Let's focus on the task at hand - persuading her to temporarily release him. Maybe with a little luck we'll catch a break with whomever else will be present at supper. She's got a couple of 'regulars' that hang around here, and a lot of people that might be here or might not. We're going to have to play it by ear a little. I'm going to need you to just trust me that this is the best course of action - not just for my employer, not just for me, or for yourselves, but also for Morwen and for Daggerford - she's just too stubborn to see it, unless we MAKE her see it."
"If we get him, is he going to still face justice for his crimes? I don't like the idea of helping a known pirate escape justice."
She adds: "His favorite type of wealthy merchant to relieve of their excessive wealth? Take a guess. Slavers. More than half his crew were slaves he'd rescued, which is why he grew in power so fast. And yet they STILL turned on him the moment the bounty on his head got high enough," she shakes her head. "Given that's it in turn is an illegal business across most of the Sword Coast, you'd think he'd get at least some considerations for that. But he didn't just target slavers. He targeted ANY excessively wealthy merchant. And that's where he went wrong. Well... that's where he went the MOST wrong, anyway."
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Bree decides to pick the room closest to her. Interested in seeing what she can learn about that region.
Gus finds that his familiar is immediately drawn to the Dalelands suite. Entering it, you find a rustic but homely feeling room three times the size of the largest bedroom you've ever seen, with wood and stone elements, small statues and symbols mostly of Mystra but some of other deities, local crafts from the Daleland region, including some pottery, fine linens, and rare alchemical ingredients. Across the wall that is across from its fireplace, which by the way roared into a cozy fire the moment that Madame Cleo hopped up on the luxurious king sized bed and immediately curled into a reposing position, a large tapestry depicting a pivotal moment in the Battle of Shadowdale, or so it is labeled - on it you see two armies clashing, one clearly portrayed in poor light as to be cruel and unkind, and the other in good light, brave, virtuous and just, and it is the just side that is clearly vanquishing their foes. In the background, Gus notes an odd, twisted tower, of which there is a little replica of on top of one of the bookstands. Of the books, there are many, one for each of the notable settlements in the Dalelands, but also two titles that stand out as curious; The Dales Compact: A historical account of the Dalelands’ formation, and Tales of the Seven Sisters: Stories of the Chosen of Mystra.
Eltra notes that the suite is easily the largest room he's ever seen, adorned with rustic wood and stone furnishings, a somehow already roaring fireplace, flanked by multiple hunting trophies, that as he enters notes continue around the rooms upper walls. Furs and pelts of exotic northern beasts are both adorning the walls and the large king-sized bed. There is also a large ceremonial axe on the wall that looks tribal, yet expertly crafted - if it were to be real that is. He also notes a strange totem that also looks to be tribal. Heading to the bookshelves, he finds number titles on the history of Neverwinter, Luskan, and the other northernmost settlements, replete with maps and trade routes between them. Two volumes stand out: Survival in the Frontier: A guide to the harsh northern wilderness, and Tales of the Uthgardt: Stories of the barbarian tribes and their traditions.
Bree enters into the High Forest suite, and finds a large, spacious room with green and earthy tones with natural wood and vine motifs and a large mural of the High Forest canopy at sunrise. What Bree recognizes to be elven-crafted trinkets adorn the walls and on various surfaces such as some fine moonstone jewelry laying across the nightstand, and a finely woven basket containing expertly crafted arrows beneath a ceremonial bow adorning the wall. The bed is king-sized, and its wood almost seems to spring out of the floorboards, as if the room itself just decided to 'grow a bed' there. A comfortable hearth across from the bed holds a fire that warms the room. Of the books on the shelves, most are in elven, but of those in common she finds two titles of interest: Ancient Secrets of the Elven Court: Histories of the High Forest’s elven inhabitants, and Flora and Fauna of the Forests: A naturalist’s guide.
OOC: by the way, the way I'm going to approach learning from books is that if you take one with you, you have to let me know whenever you spend some time reading it - say for an hour or so before you sleep, or before the others wake, or during some short rest, etc. Depending on the book, and your characters comfort with reading, it'll take between 24-36 hours to finish most full sized books, half that if their 'novella length', and 1/8th that if their pamphlets (I've come up with a rough level of skill for each of you regarding that using the number of languages they speak, their INT > WIS > CHA in that order of importance, and their class - as such, the order of reading ability is Gus, Dawn, Eltra, Geren, Bree, Hnefa. Though the first five of you are very near to each other, so the difference between you isn't much; i.e., the same books will take Gus and Dawn only a few hours less than Bree; unfortunately, Hnefa, it will take your character about 50% longer - sorry :/ That said, when one of you learns something from a book, unless you specifically state that you are reading it for yourself only, everyone in the party will learn what you learned because it'll be presumed to be shared over the course of your down times. So don't worry, Hnefa, you won't miss out on much, if any, XP or special knowledge acquired from books.
I am starting to get a little worried if you're still with us, though, Hnefa - I'm assuming you're busy with holiday stuff. For the time being, until you seem to be back, I may just make decisions for your character so we can keep progressing - sort of like what I've been doing, though I may have to make some active decisions on her behalf; eg; what room she picks, etc. I'll do my best to make her act the way that I feel that she would, if not the way that you would.
Dawn is overwhelmed by how large the suites are! One Suite seem larger than the entire sleeping area of the temple! "All this is for one person?!?, she asks incredulously.
Dawn would go for the smaller rooms she heard about, but those seem to be in another wing. Though to get something she's used to, she'd have to head down to the servants quarters.
"Welcome to the life of the landed gentry... and their dignitaries, anyway," Reyna says sardonically as she opens the door to the Amnian suite, seeing that no one else seemed particularly interested. A moment later, her voice can be heard from the corridor. "Yup. Yup. Figures." Her head appears in the doorway again briefly. "I'm still glad I came back," she laughs, then closes the door most of the way, leaving it just slightly ajar. You recall her desire for everyone to meet in her room before being called away for supper.
Geren winks as he sketches a quick bow.
"I strive to be as elegant with my words as I am with my blade. Here's hoping I can get the castle next time."
He winks to indicate a joke, but a canny observer might notice Geren glancing around with a covetous eye.
Given the option to pick a room Geren chooses the Lord's Alliance suite and checks it out to see with how easily it can be defended. He doesn't believe their host will try to cut their throats in the night but with the strangeness of their employer he's not about to take chances. Hopefully the room is befitting the royalty he hopes to be one day.
One day he'll own a place like this. No, it'll be bigger!
He searches the libraries for a book on lizardfolk or the area they'll be exploring (OOC: I'm fine with making a skill check for this if need be) and stashes it in the room he's picked before going to meet Reyna. He turns on the charm, determined to make a new ally.
"Well, I hope I've proved at least some of my worth with the accommodations I've secured us. I'm a man of many talents."
Persuasion: 11
OOC: Would Geren having succeeded so well with Morwen have impressed Reyna enough to give advantage on his persuasion roll with her?
Almost forgot - also in the corridor of suites, the is one room with the label 'Warm Baths', and on the other side of the corridor another room with the label 'Cool Baths'.
Bree sets her pack down. She browses the books and spots a couple of them in common and decides to put both the Elven Court and the High Forest books on the table next to the bed to read later. She then goes to meet with everyone in Reyna's room.
Geren enters the room and finds it awash with rich blues and silvers, symbolizing the unity and nobility of the Lord's Alliance, yet with accents of gold and crimson highlight the importance of mutual defense and prosperity. Around the room, he sees a grand oak writing desk with silver inlays, accompanied by a high-backed chair upholstered in navy velvet, a plush, circular rug featuring the crest of the Lord's Alliance—a stylized shield surrounded by laurels, and a canopy bed with blue and white silks, embroidered with subtle patterns of shields and banners. On the walls he finds a large tapestry depicting the formation of the Lord's Alliance, with figures he presumes to be key Alliance leaders, recognizing Laeral Silverhand of Waterdeep featured prominently amongst them, as well as paintings of key Alliance cities: Waterdeep, Neverwinter, Baldur’s Gate, and Silverymoon, most notably, and finally on the wall above the roaring fireplace, a ceremonial sword mounted on the wall, inscribed with the motto: "Strength in Unity." On the shelves of book he finds titles containing histories of the Alliance members, and books that fall into multiple categories: Cultural/Artistic, Historical, Military Stratagems, Governance and Diplomacy, and Practical Guides. Under the Military Strategy section, he notes one title regarding Lizardmen: "Defense Against the United Tribes of Lizardmen: Preparing for Redeye's Inevitable Invasion" by Captain Garan Stonefist. He figures he might find one other title of interest, but there being too many to focus on, Geren figures he should choose an area of interest before selecting.
EDIT: Oh, and it's extremely defensible. The door coming in can be barred and double locked only from the inside and would take even someone like Hnefa a good hour of hacking with an axe to chop her way through it.
(OOC: regarding persuasion - it's more effectively used if you state the specific thing you are attempting to persuade, or make it obvious what that might be. Something like a friendship or alliance is too broad to be very effective. A high roll used in that context may improve their current disposition toward you, but won't make them permanent allies. That said...)
As you (each of you) come into Reyna's room, you find its the most garish of the ones you've seen. Silver and gold dominate the rooms colors, and very real looking stacks of silver and gold ingots rest atop the shelf above the roaring fire place. The art and tapestries all have a trade and wealth generation theme, and the city crest of Athkatla hangs from the wall directly above the fire. The bed is opulent to the point of ridiculousness. Conveniently, there is a pair of tables surrounded by chairs padded with lush velvets. Entering the room, you find Reyna is has already managed to visit one of the baths briefly and has cleaned up her face of the dried blood it had had on it. You come in to find her wiping it dry and taking a seat in one of the chairs.
"Greetings, come in, come in," she gestures to any who hesitate. In response to Geren's remarks, Reyna smiles. "I've noticed," she says. "And I'm glad for it, because I'm going to need your help over dinner. All of your assistance," she continues as the others file in. "I'm going to need to you to help me do something that may seem... unorthodox, if not unjust. But nothing that will result in anyone being hurt. Actually, quite the opposite - it'll result in someone not being killed. And believe me, I'm loathe to do it, but it's crucial - both for your own mission's chances of success, and... for other reasons not important right now."
Having let the suspense grown thick enough, she finally spits it out:
"I'm going to need you to help me convince Morwen to release Feydon the Cold into your custody."
Geren gingerly pokes one of the stacks of ingots in the room Reyna's taken.
"Nothing but the best for important guests I see. Imagine having so much wealth you can just leave it lying around your home like this and not worry about it."
At Reyna's request he raises an eyebrow.
"You want the pirate spared? I'm not opposed, I have no personal quarrel with him, but I'll need details. Copious details. Or at least the ones pertaining to how this isn't going to come back to bite us if it goes wrong. Lugging around a prisoner when we're on a stealth mission among lizardfolk seems incredibly hazardous, or would we be releasing him before that?"
He pauses for a moment, making a show of examining the ingots.
"And I would assume securing Feydon's release would pay extra? Being connected to an infamous pirate going free's not exactly conducive to future employment so the offer would need to be exceedingly generous. You've done an excellent job of extolling the benefits associated with your employer, and I would think this would be the time to prove it."
She sighs. "I didn't say his freedom. I said his release into your custody. He will still face justice. But before he does, he has uses that supersede the need for any vendetta that Morwen, or any of the other paragons of Law and Order of the region have to see him killed - I'm not opposed to justice, but killing a man in captivity just seems a waste. What harm can he cause anyone from a dungeon, anyway? Their hypocrisy is besides the point - he has intimate knowledge of those marshes, as they represent one of a few areas he most frequently threw off the trail of his pursuers. Supposedly he even has a hidden base there, though he insists that it's no longer his - the rising bounty on his head lead to a mutiny amongst his men there, which is the reason I was able to subdue him by myself. Save for a broken cutlass, I found him unarmed, beaten and bloodied, limping away from the edges of the marshes, having narrowly escaped his own men's uprising, and even still he proved no small challenge to subdue," she touches the healed wound on her face.
Then she continues, looking directly at Geren. "Regarding proving my employers benefits - first of all, I don't have to prove anything to you. You're a guest of Morwen Daggerford, and you stand to gain citizenship and an alliance with a powerful Patriar of Baldur's Gate. You're also over 50 gold richer for just having had a pleasant night in a tavern. In employer-employee relations, the work NORMALLY comes first, the payment comes second. He's already delivered more than enough payment - so I say the reverse is true - it's time you start to show us that you can do the work. I'm impressed that you talked us into nicer rooms, but don't forget that you wouldn't have been talking to her in the first place, if it weren't for me. And given that I represent my employer..." she raises her eyebrows as if to say, "there's your proof".
She sighs again and relaxes. "Look, it won't be like you'll be dragging him in chains through the swamp. Obviously his bonds will need to be cut. This is where it gets complicated, and why I'll need everyone to support me in this. My suggestion will be simple - a geas."
Bree shakes her head in disbelief.
"I definitely need more information on this request as well. I have no doubt that that man is a murderer and a pirate. I've seen eyes like that in bandits and slavers that have tried to attack my home village."
"If we're unable to convince her, then we'll have to resort to more... drastic measures," she frowns. "If that comes to pass, then we'll talk about 'extra rewards', but let's just hope it doesn't come to that, because that's going to be a serious problem. That's why we HAVE to succeed in convincing her. I don't want to permanently burn my bridges with Morwen, and I'm sure you'd all like to be able to come back again someday. Though if it DOES come to that, I'll take full responsibility - she probably won't even suspect any of you were involved. Not unless we get caught in the act. But that's such a last resort its almost doesn't bear mentioning. Let's focus on the task at hand - persuading her to temporarily release him. Maybe with a little luck we'll catch a break with whomever else will be present at supper. She's got a couple of 'regulars' that hang around here, and a lot of people that might be here or might not. We're going to have to play it by ear a little. I'm going to need you to just trust me that this is the best course of action - not just for my employer, not just for me, or for yourselves, but also for Morwen and for Daggerford - she's just too stubborn to see it, unless we MAKE her see it."
Reyna frowns, not unsympathetically. "I'm sorry that you had that experience. But I assure you, Feydon wasn't involved. Don't hold him to blame for something some other bandit did. Feydon made his reputation by preying on wealthy merchants, relieving them of their excessive wealth. He didn't plunder and pillage helpless villagers. He's got almost a folk-hero level of reputation amongst the destitute, as they see him as striking back against the gross inequities of Sword Coast societies. There's a reason they didn't just put him in the town's jail - that guard was correct that he probably does have enough sympathizers amongst the poorer folks of Daggerford that they might try and do something stupid like break him out, getting themselves killed in the process. He's no hero, and he doesn't deserve any kind of 'folk-hero' status - it's just pure desperation and resentment of the very poor; they've got no heroes representing them, and they're so starved for one they're willing to find one in someone like Feydon. But he doesn't take his plunder and give it to the poor. He keeps it for himself, of course. That said, he doesn't rob the poor. And he only kills people that are trying to kill him. Turns out, that's become a goodly number of people of the last years. So again, I'm not suggesting he go free. I'm just suggesting he be given a chance to provide the coast some usefulness before he faces his justice. He has knowledge that can help, and we can force him to do so."
"If we get him, is he going to still face justice for his crimes? I don't like the idea of helping a known pirate escape justice."
She adds: "His favorite type of wealthy merchant to relieve of their excessive wealth? Take a guess. Slavers. More than half his crew were slaves he'd rescued, which is why he grew in power so fast. And yet they STILL turned on him the moment the bounty on his head got high enough," she shakes her head. "Given that's it in turn is an illegal business across most of the Sword Coast, you'd think he'd get at least some considerations for that. But he didn't just target slavers. He targeted ANY excessively wealthy merchant. And that's where he went wrong. Well... that's where he went the MOST wrong, anyway."