That stray cat had snuck in through the window again, this time with a mouse’s lifeless hindquarters dangling from its maw.
“You make a mess in here and I’m throwing you out the window.”
The cat paid Tarian no mind as it slunk beneath her desk. Tarian shrugged; having just finished gearing up, she didn’t want to bother with the cat at the moment. She headed downstairs.
“Dannar?” Tarian was a bit confused. Usually Elise would manage the office during the day while Dannar tried to manage what repairs he could on the building.
“Elise’s out getting more wood. She’s got a better head for business than I do, so here I am.” Dannar was a bit older than Elise, but his muscles were more apt for the heavy work of building repair. He was quarter-orc, with strong jaw, heavy brow, and dusky skin, but mostly human. He was fluent enough in orc-speech to keep Tarian in practice, though.
Tarian nodded. “Today’s rent, then,” she said, and pulled out a gold coin. Dannar slid several panels behind the counter, pulled out the hidden strongbox and swapped Tarian’s single gold for five silver pieces. “Your wife could make a far fairer bit of coin with her clever woodwork than running this building,” Tarian stated, tapping the counter. “That secret compartment is far too well done.”
Dannar frowned. “We like it here. She likes it even more than I do.”
“Well, the meals here are lousy, though.” They shared a laugh. Meals weren’t provided in this building. “So I’m off to the Souk for lunch.”
Dannar waved and returned to reading his paper. Battle for Borogrod, Sparks Inventions, and Madman Escapes Duskrock Asylum—as Tarian’s eyes flicked over the headlines, she really hoped her name wouldn’t come up in the paper.
The Souk was thick with people, as always. Through narrow, winding alleys, past and through a variety of storefronts, Tarian wended her way. She stopped at the occasional shop to make a purchase or two: some skewered chicken, some dry bread, a few bruised fruits and roasted nuts, and then to the tea shop she would often visit.
The shop was fragrant, even from outside. The scents of varieties of teas steeped in the air itself. Inside, the shop was dense: each wall lined floor to ceiling with shelves, each shelf packed wall to wall with capped tins of tea. The mélange of scents was intoxicating, relaxing. The floor space was rather small, dedicated to product rather than service, but it was both that Tarian came for today.
When the shopkeeper greeted her, Tarian smiled, and winced from the throbbing pain that it brought to her bruised face. “My usual, please,” she started. “And some information on jewelry or jewelers, if you have it.”
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"On the other side of the screen, it all looks so easy." --Kevin Flynn, Tron (1982)
Out of context, also applicable to Dungeons & Dragons.
Colyn takes Kerrigan by the hand, and is leading them towards the city walls, heading north, towards the coast. The smell of mud increasingly gave way to the scent of tang and brine, with the occasional cawing of seagulls in the background. The city wall justted a few hundred feet into the sea at this point, marking the edge of the city's harbour. At the foot of the tall walls were many shrubs and bushes, some with delicious black berries and raspberries on them, others that would provide a great hiding spot. As she approached with the two boys by the hand, she saw two teenage half-elven girls gathering small bundles of sticks. They exchanged a fearful look with Kerrigan, afraid that they might be reprimanded for helping themselves to firewood on city ground, before recognising the two little boys with her, and, now more relaxed, greeting them with a smile and a hand wave.
"Hey Liza, Hey Eryn. This is Kerrigan, she's my friend, she's gonna find Alathea" Colyn bubbled forth. At this, the two girls smiled at Kerrigan too.
--------------------------------
Corti is heading towards one of the bigger smokestacks on the horizon, over short or long, she'd reach a factory and might be able to ask her questions there.
After ten or so minutes in the winding alleys of the Forge, she reaches a courtyard opening up into the entrance of a large factory building. The big iron gate in front of the factory are closed, but looking inside, Corti sees a few workers standing in a circle, seemingly discussing something with a figure in the middle, wearing a long dark coat. She couldn't quite figure out any details on their faces or clothes, but she saw the many banners and posters around, making it clear that the workers were likely responsible for the closed gate and were ready to spend another day on strike. Strangely enough, no people were here, on her side of the gate, not even any guards.
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Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
As Brandt reaches the lower floor, he's amazed at how full the Velvet Glove already was in the morning. Seems like any time is a good time to gamble, he thought to himself, looking at the numerous individuals sitting by the gaming tables. The bar itself was empty though, manned by a sole human woman, currently busying herself with arranging the bottles of exotic liqueurs and alcohols on the shelf. As Brandt approached her, she turned around flashing him a smile. She looked Brelish, with an interesting tribal tattoo that curled from her cheekbones to just under her chin, giving the appearance of jet black streaks of blood flowing down her face. The tattoos reminded Brandt of something he'd seen East, during the war. But those... people... certainly weren't from Breland.
----------------------------------
"Ah, Tarian, wellcum. The usual, of coarse of coarse. Taek a seat, I'll bring it over rite awae", Thorbek Oakleaf, the portly dwarf running this establishment told her.His comical appearance was underlined by his spherical posture, and the fact that he had reduced his red bristles to nothing more than a set of extraordinary whiskers, which he kept waxed into thin points, givning him a rather unique moustache for a dwarf. Adding to this, his short stubby fingers carried many differently jewled rings, and his ears were pierced with rings and small golden chains. Although most probably not a native of the Khalashtar trade empires, his sense of style was certainly influenced by them.
Within a few minutes, Thorbek brought Tarian a richly decorated pot and a small cup. The tea was fragrant, with the scent of cherry blossoms and jasmin. It had an immediately calming effect on Tarian, helping her to order her thoughts and focus on the questions ahead. "So, about the jewelers?" Thorbek looked at her, and playfully displaying the rings on his hand answered in his unusually high voice for a dwarf: "Aye, I mite knoe a thing orr two aboat that. What arr ya looking for?"
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Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
"So, what's on the menu for breakfast? I've got a job to do that can't be done on an empty stomach." Seeing this woman reminds Brandt of the war, but he knows better than to start talking about it right now.
The tattooed woman smiles at Brandt, and recites the daily specials, most of which are in liquid form: "We have Dusker Grit, Forger's Water, Hammerfall, and Foundry's Flame on offer. To eat, there's Docker's Stew, some Outer Hammon and bread, or some Souk Specials. What are you in the mood for?" Brandt had travelld far in his service, but most of these drink names were unfamiliar to him. All he knew of was Dusker's Grit, a blend of sailor's rum and wheat beer, usually with sea salt mixed in. It was a favourite of some Brelish gunner units he'd come across a couple years back.
-----------------------------
As Corti attempts to open the ironwrought gate, but not knowing that some of the iron bars were bent, her attempt led to a loud scraping noise, which immediately drew the attention of the workers and the man standing in the middle of them. A few moments later they had approached the gate, and Corti immediately recognised the firebrand student from last night as the man who had stood in between them. Some of the workers were brandishing chains, hammers and wrenches, afraid for the worst at the sight of a warforged unit outside of their factory. Trying to de-escalate the situation, the student shouted over the top of some of the workers: "Don't! I know this unit. She's a musician in a local tavern, she's not been sent by the guards!" His words made the workers hesitate, looking at the student and the Corti in turn, intent on holding the barricade should the warforged unit attempt to break up their strike.
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Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
Corti takes a couple steps back and raises her hands, alarmed. “He’s right, no one sent me. I just wanted to see what was going on.” She slowly reaches for her guitar and strums a few soft chords. “Can I come in? I can offer music. I promise that I mean no harm.”
Persuasion: 18
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Corti- Warforged bard (Union!)
Hadar Jaffe- Half-elf Knowledge Domain Cleric (Nemo's Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun)
“Thorbek—Mister Oakleaf, sir—“ The dwarf’s moustache twitched at the formality, but Tarian had to make sure that he knew this was a business question, not personal. “—You see, I’ve recently come into possession of a certain article—legally, as far as I know—that I need assessed. I need to know who made it, who it might belong to, just in case it needs returning… or disposal.”
“Aye, aye.” The dwarf nodded absently, and continued to stare at his fingers drumming rhythmically in the air.
Tarian looked around the shop. Empty, but for her and Thorbek. Her first few times here, she thought it odd that the shop was usually empty when she came in, but that Thorbek was still well off enough to own such jewelry, despite the mostly reasonable prices of his teas. She figured he had a more profitable side business, but figured it would be better to stick to questions related to her work rather than his.
Questions had to be kept to under three minutes, though: the steeping time of the tea.
To speed the process, Tarian pulled out the locket and pressed it to the table with a quiet clack. She kept it firmly shut with the pressure between her fingers. “I need to know more about this. You know anyone who might know?”
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"On the other side of the screen, it all looks so easy." --Kevin Flynn, Tron (1982)
Out of context, also applicable to Dungeons & Dragons.
Being familiar with the library, Thia was able to methodically move her way through the sections suggested by Thaddeus. She stopped in sections SYX - TAD first to pick up the newest additions on potions and healing tonics. She'd then pad her way to the Apothecary sections for the newest medical codices, finally swinging by the Botany section on her way out. Thia adjusted her bag slung around her shoulder, feeling the weight of her new study material. She contemplated strongly whether she should grab any more. She did have special access. Knowing she was pressed for time, and not wanting to push her luck at this point, Thia left the library, quite proud of her haul. Her sights were set on making it to the presentation.
Kerrigan glances around the area trying to note if anything seems out of place or if anyone is hanging around watching the two girls. She has no idea how to start some sort of investigation like this, but she's good at spotting shady looking types.
"So, this is where you were playing? Do you remember what you saw around here at that time. Strange people hanging around, a weird thing that happened." She turns her attention to the two girls. " You two, as well, have you noticed anything unusual here around lately. "
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"All will become equal now" | "Cause we're going to shout it loud, even if our words seem meaningless. It's like we're carrying the weight of the world"
Leo was still trying to calm the labourers, who were mistrustful after a week of strikes. Hearing Corti playing, he shouted out a suggestion: "Play some worker songs, to lift the spirits. If they see you put words to their struggle, they'll let you in for sure." By now more trusting and curious, some of the goblin workers open the gate and usher Corti inside, onto the cobbled courtyard in front of the factory. Some of the orcs around still stood ready to clobber her with heavy coal shovels, picks and wrenches, but the exchange between Corti and Leo had softened their resolve. Once inside, the smaller goblins cleared a space, and the general chit chat quited down, ready to hear what she would do or say next.
------------------------------
Brandt quickly received his drink, and gulped it greedily. The taste somehow brought back his memories, and all of a sudden, he remembered exactly where he had seen such facial tattoos: The Black Tears tribe, in Northern Cyre. Originally, they were a band of wood-elven mercenaries, he heard, but they turned renegade and hid in the forests, attacking supply convoys and raiding nearby villages when the armies had passed. Over time, the life in the wild and the constant exposure to the alchemical substances around them had turned them into half-crazed creatures of rage and bloodlust. They would mutilate their own bodies in shows of courage, and some would carry the black tears, a distinctive facial tattoo, looking like blood streaking over their cheeks. Brandt had on occasion seen the devastation left behind after one of their raids, burning everything to the ground and cutting off ears as trophies. He was thoroughly stunned to see this tattoo here, on a woman that otherwise showed no connection to the Black Tears.
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Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
"Well, I dunno what ta tell ye, that lockit is dwarven maed. 'S far as I knoe, this'd be worth a pretty pennae. The metalwork is exquisite. Unfortunately, there ain't no makers mark on it, so I can only comment on tha craftsmanship. Rare ta see such lockits in tha hands o' commoners tho, much more a thing for rich merchants and noble houses. Sorry, if I cannnae help ye any more. I'll buy it off ye, if ya want." At that, Thorbek flashed Tarian an oily smile of a vendor, who was already calculating profits in his head. Hmm, so it's got value beyond the obvious...
-------------------------------------
Thia quickly rushes out of the library, intent on dropping the books off at her apartment before heading back out to the presentation. If there was any truth to Leo's words, she'd not want to be weighed down by valuable books. After depositing the books in her room and leaving the building again, she heard a nearby clock strike eleven. One more hour until the presentation.
------------------------------------
The two girls looked at Kerrigan, but Colyn, in his element, started to show her exactly where he had hidden, before it was Alathea's turn to hide. The two teenage girls weren't there, and couldn't really help, although they said that on occasion, fishermen would land their boats here, they said. The brush was dense, and impenetrable to her,though it was possible for a small child to squeeze through the branches, although the thorns made the endeavour likely rather painful. As she looked out towards the fisherman though, something struck her as odd. Although he was out there with his boat, she couldn't see any net near him. As she turned around to look at the bushes, she suddenly heard Tenley cry out in pain. As she turned around, he was sucking his thumb. He had pricked it on a thorn, trying to get a jet black feather from the bush.
Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
It's always fascinating how much you can learn about a city by walking it's streets, Milo thought. After meeting Emma, he'd spent his time walking through the districts, at a leisurely pace, somewhat aimlessly, although he was heading in the general direction of the Hill. Emma was right, and he spotted street urchins in many places, though while they were working a job or other in the Forge, he had a distinct feeling that the children in the Souk were only pretending to play marbles or hopscotch. He had observed them for a while, and had noticed how a couple of them would draw in unsuspecting merchants, while another kid cut their purse and made off with a week's pay in gold coins.
Now, walking through the Terraces, he saw almost no children on the streets. Most of the children here had families, and they had enough money to educate them. Funny that, he was convinced that the kids growing up on the streets had the better teacher in the end.
He enjoyed playing the fly on the wall, observing without being noticed, the advantage of being of shorter stature. His train of thought was suddenly interrupted by the ringing of a nearby bell. He'd have another hour before the presentation on the Hill would commence.
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Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
“While that’s quite nice of you to offer, Thorbek, I don’t think it’s mine to sell.” Tarian frowned and palmed the locket. She opened it where Thorbek couldn’t see inside to carefully check the interior for a maker’s mark. As she looked, Tarian weighed her options: the taverns of the Forge were unlikely to be helpful. Northward would still be the best bet to find out who owned or commissioned this piece, but she would have to know who to ask, be better connected for a proper introduction, and be better dressed for the occasion. Still out, not that she wanted it to be. No, if she couldn’t find a maker’s mark, she would have to head Uptown. Perhaps the craftsmen there might know something if this thing was made locally.
The dwarf’s nose twitched as the fully matured aroma of the tea wafted out of the teapot. He reached for the teapot and from a hidden bandolier of them beneath his waistcoat pulled a slotted spoon to strain the loose tea leaves as he poured it into Tarian’s cup. Her three minutes were nearly up. After a thorough search of the interior for the maker’s mark, Tarian placed her thumb squarely over the picture inside and showed Thorbek her findings.
"Those are interesting tattoos you got there. I haven't seen them in a long time and I certainly wasn't expecting to find them here, and certainly not on a human. Do you know the story behind those markings on your face?"
Corti looks around her, at the strained faces of the workers, and at the silent factory that loomed over them all. She waits for a moment of relative quiet and then launches into a worker's song. The song was nothing special, slow, meant to keep the pace of the day, but it was ancient, and beautiful, and as well known as any common tavern song. As she reaches the beginning of the lyrics she takes a breath - as much of a breath as her kind takes, anyway - and starts to sing. Her voice is rough and strange sounding, as she was certainly not built to sing, but she makes her way through the tune. As the final notes fade, she pauses, waiting for a reaction.
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Corti- Warforged bard (Union!)
Hadar Jaffe- Half-elf Knowledge Domain Cleric (Nemo's Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun)
Arc had arrived in Souk a few minutes ago, and his investigation had been further dragged out. Having asked around the various vendors about who might have been selling a fine tobacco, he was pointed towards a vendor by the name of Thorbek, who'd supposedly give him the information he needed.
As he entered into the vendor's store, he noticed that he was already attending to another human customer. Giving her a quick size up, he didn't recognize her, but she seemed the brutish sort, best be careful if things with the vendor turned sour. Arc, not exactly feeling patient after wasting a morning asking about apples, steps up along side the human female and asks, "Pardon me, I shouldn't take long. Mr. Thorbek I presume? I have an inquiry about a possible sale you made to a customer early this morning."
Milo makes a note of the children in the streets. “I’ll pay them a visit later.” Stepping off into one of the alleyways, our of sight. Milo strikes a match and enjoys a smoke from his pipe before heading off into the presentation. The smoke fills the air with hints of black cherry and pepper giving a lingering sweetness in the air before dissipating.
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Brandt wakes up the next morning, feeling refreshed and ready to start his new job. But first off, he heads downstairs to get himself breakfast.
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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That stray cat had snuck in through the window again, this time with a mouse’s lifeless hindquarters dangling from its maw.
“You make a mess in here and I’m throwing you out the window.”
The cat paid Tarian no mind as it slunk beneath her desk. Tarian shrugged; having just finished gearing up, she didn’t want to bother with the cat at the moment. She headed downstairs.
“Dannar?” Tarian was a bit confused. Usually Elise would manage the office during the day while Dannar tried to manage what repairs he could on the building.
“Elise’s out getting more wood. She’s got a better head for business than I do, so here I am.” Dannar was a bit older than Elise, but his muscles were more apt for the heavy work of building repair. He was quarter-orc, with strong jaw, heavy brow, and dusky skin, but mostly human. He was fluent enough in orc-speech to keep Tarian in practice, though.
Tarian nodded. “Today’s rent, then,” she said, and pulled out a gold coin. Dannar slid several panels behind the counter, pulled out the hidden strongbox and swapped Tarian’s single gold for five silver pieces. “Your wife could make a far fairer bit of coin with her clever woodwork than running this building,” Tarian stated, tapping the counter. “That secret compartment is far too well done.”
Dannar frowned. “We like it here. She likes it even more than I do.”
“Well, the meals here are lousy, though.” They shared a laugh. Meals weren’t provided in this building. “So I’m off to the Souk for lunch.”
Dannar waved and returned to reading his paper. Battle for Borogrod, Sparks Inventions, and Madman Escapes Duskrock Asylum—as Tarian’s eyes flicked over the headlines, she really hoped her name wouldn’t come up in the paper.
The Souk was thick with people, as always. Through narrow, winding alleys, past and through a variety of storefronts, Tarian wended her way. She stopped at the occasional shop to make a purchase or two: some skewered chicken, some dry bread, a few bruised fruits and roasted nuts, and then to the tea shop she would often visit.
The shop was fragrant, even from outside. The scents of varieties of teas steeped in the air itself. Inside, the shop was dense: each wall lined floor to ceiling with shelves, each shelf packed wall to wall with capped tins of tea. The mélange of scents was intoxicating, relaxing. The floor space was rather small, dedicated to product rather than service, but it was both that Tarian came for today.
When the shopkeeper greeted her, Tarian smiled, and winced from the throbbing pain that it brought to her bruised face. “My usual, please,” she started. “And some information on jewelry or jewelers, if you have it.”
"On the other side of the screen, it all looks so easy." --Kevin Flynn, Tron (1982)
Out of context, also applicable to Dungeons & Dragons.
Colyn takes Kerrigan by the hand, and is leading them towards the city walls, heading north, towards the coast. The smell of mud increasingly gave way to the scent of tang and brine, with the occasional cawing of seagulls in the background. The city wall justted a few hundred feet into the sea at this point, marking the edge of the city's harbour. At the foot of the tall walls were many shrubs and bushes, some with delicious black berries and raspberries on them, others that would provide a great hiding spot. As she approached with the two boys by the hand, she saw two teenage half-elven girls gathering small bundles of sticks. They exchanged a fearful look with Kerrigan, afraid that they might be reprimanded for helping themselves to firewood on city ground, before recognising the two little boys with her, and, now more relaxed, greeting them with a smile and a hand wave.
"Hey Liza, Hey Eryn. This is Kerrigan, she's my friend, she's gonna find Alathea" Colyn bubbled forth. At this, the two girls smiled at Kerrigan too.
--------------------------------
Corti is heading towards one of the bigger smokestacks on the horizon, over short or long, she'd reach a factory and might be able to ask her questions there.
After ten or so minutes in the winding alleys of the Forge, she reaches a courtyard opening up into the entrance of a large factory building. The big iron gate in front of the factory are closed, but looking inside, Corti sees a few workers standing in a circle, seemingly discussing something with a figure in the middle, wearing a long dark coat. She couldn't quite figure out any details on their faces or clothes, but she saw the many banners and posters around, making it clear that the workers were likely responsible for the closed gate and were ready to spend another day on strike. Strangely enough, no people were here, on her side of the gate, not even any guards.
Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms
Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms
Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
As Brandt reaches the lower floor, he's amazed at how full the Velvet Glove already was in the morning. Seems like any time is a good time to gamble, he thought to himself, looking at the numerous individuals sitting by the gaming tables. The bar itself was empty though, manned by a sole human woman, currently busying herself with arranging the bottles of exotic liqueurs and alcohols on the shelf. As Brandt approached her, she turned around flashing him a smile. She looked Brelish, with an interesting tribal tattoo that curled from her cheekbones to just under her chin, giving the appearance of jet black streaks of blood flowing down her face. The tattoos reminded Brandt of something he'd seen East, during the war. But those... people... certainly weren't from Breland.
----------------------------------
"Ah, Tarian, wellcum. The usual, of coarse of coarse. Taek a seat, I'll bring it over rite awae", Thorbek Oakleaf, the portly dwarf running this establishment told her.His comical appearance was underlined by his spherical posture, and the fact that he had reduced his red bristles to nothing more than a set of extraordinary whiskers, which he kept waxed into thin points, givning him a rather unique moustache for a dwarf. Adding to this, his short stubby fingers carried many differently jewled rings, and his ears were pierced with rings and small golden chains. Although most probably not a native of the Khalashtar trade empires, his sense of style was certainly influenced by them.
Within a few minutes, Thorbek brought Tarian a richly decorated pot and a small cup. The tea was fragrant, with the scent of cherry blossoms and jasmin. It had an immediately calming effect on Tarian, helping her to order her thoughts and focus on the questions ahead. "So, about the jewelers?" Thorbek looked at her, and playfully displaying the rings on his hand answered in his unusually high voice for a dwarf: "Aye, I mite knoe a thing orr two aboat that. What arr ya looking for?"
Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms
Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms
Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
(Do I know what this woman is?)
"So, what's on the menu for breakfast? I've got a job to do that can't be done on an empty stomach." Seeing this woman reminds Brandt of the war, but he knows better than to start talking about it right now.
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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Corti tries to open the gate.
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Corti- Warforged bard (Union!)
Hadar Jaffe- Half-elf Knowledge Domain Cleric (Nemo's Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun)
The tattooed woman smiles at Brandt, and recites the daily specials, most of which are in liquid form: "We have Dusker Grit, Forger's Water, Hammerfall, and Foundry's Flame on offer. To eat, there's Docker's Stew, some Outer Hammon and bread, or some Souk Specials. What are you in the mood for?" Brandt had travelld far in his service, but most of these drink names were unfamiliar to him. All he knew of was Dusker's Grit, a blend of sailor's rum and wheat beer, usually with sea salt mixed in. It was a favourite of some Brelish gunner units he'd come across a couple years back.
-----------------------------
As Corti attempts to open the ironwrought gate, but not knowing that some of the iron bars were bent, her attempt led to a loud scraping noise, which immediately drew the attention of the workers and the man standing in the middle of them. A few moments later they had approached the gate, and Corti immediately recognised the firebrand student from last night as the man who had stood in between them. Some of the workers were brandishing chains, hammers and wrenches, afraid for the worst at the sight of a warforged unit outside of their factory. Trying to de-escalate the situation, the student shouted over the top of some of the workers: "Don't! I know this unit. She's a musician in a local tavern, she's not been sent by the guards!" His words made the workers hesitate, looking at the student and the Corti in turn, intent on holding the barricade should the warforged unit attempt to break up their strike.
Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms
Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms
Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
Corti takes a couple steps back and raises her hands, alarmed. “He’s right, no one sent me. I just wanted to see what was going on.” She slowly reaches for her guitar and strums a few soft chords. “Can I come in? I can offer music. I promise that I mean no harm.”
Persuasion: 18
I do both party and individual character commissions. PM me for info.
Corti- Warforged bard (Union!)
Hadar Jaffe- Half-elf Knowledge Domain Cleric (Nemo's Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun)
"I'll have the Dusker's Grit." Brandt says as he tries to figure out what's so familiar about this bartender.
History: 15
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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“Thorbek—Mister Oakleaf, sir—“ The dwarf’s moustache twitched at the formality, but Tarian had to make sure that he knew this was a business question, not personal. “—You see, I’ve recently come into possession of a certain article—legally, as far as I know—that I need assessed. I need to know who made it, who it might belong to, just in case it needs returning… or disposal.”
“Aye, aye.” The dwarf nodded absently, and continued to stare at his fingers drumming rhythmically in the air.
Tarian looked around the shop. Empty, but for her and Thorbek. Her first few times here, she thought it odd that the shop was usually empty when she came in, but that Thorbek was still well off enough to own such jewelry, despite the mostly reasonable prices of his teas. She figured he had a more profitable side business, but figured it would be better to stick to questions related to her work rather than his.
Questions had to be kept to under three minutes, though: the steeping time of the tea.
To speed the process, Tarian pulled out the locket and pressed it to the table with a quiet clack. She kept it firmly shut with the pressure between her fingers. “I need to know more about this. You know anyone who might know?”
"On the other side of the screen, it all looks so easy." --Kevin Flynn, Tron (1982)
Out of context, also applicable to Dungeons & Dragons.
Being familiar with the library, Thia was able to methodically move her way through the sections suggested by Thaddeus. She stopped in sections SYX - TAD first to pick up the newest additions on potions and healing tonics. She'd then pad her way to the Apothecary sections for the newest medical codices, finally swinging by the Botany section on her way out. Thia adjusted her bag slung around her shoulder, feeling the weight of her new study material. She contemplated strongly whether she should grab any more. She did have special access. Knowing she was pressed for time, and not wanting to push her luck at this point, Thia left the library, quite proud of her haul. Her sights were set on making it to the presentation.
just an unstable unicorn.
Kerrigan glances around the area trying to note if anything seems out of place or if anyone is hanging around watching the two girls. She has no idea how to start some sort of investigation like this, but she's good at spotting shady looking types.
"So, this is where you were playing? Do you remember what you saw around here at that time. Strange people hanging around, a weird thing that happened." She turns her attention to the two girls. " You two, as well, have you noticed anything unusual here around lately. "
"All will become equal now" | "Cause we're going to shout it loud, even if our words seem meaningless. It's like we're carrying the weight of the world"
Leo was still trying to calm the labourers, who were mistrustful after a week of strikes. Hearing Corti playing, he shouted out a suggestion: "Play some worker songs, to lift the spirits. If they see you put words to their struggle, they'll let you in for sure." By now more trusting and curious, some of the goblin workers open the gate and usher Corti inside, onto the cobbled courtyard in front of the factory. Some of the orcs around still stood ready to clobber her with heavy coal shovels, picks and wrenches, but the exchange between Corti and Leo had softened their resolve. Once inside, the smaller goblins cleared a space, and the general chit chat quited down, ready to hear what she would do or say next.
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Brandt quickly received his drink, and gulped it greedily. The taste somehow brought back his memories, and all of a sudden, he remembered exactly where he had seen such facial tattoos: The Black Tears tribe, in Northern Cyre. Originally, they were a band of wood-elven mercenaries, he heard, but they turned renegade and hid in the forests, attacking supply convoys and raiding nearby villages when the armies had passed. Over time, the life in the wild and the constant exposure to the alchemical substances around them had turned them into half-crazed creatures of rage and bloodlust. They would mutilate their own bodies in shows of courage, and some would carry the black tears, a distinctive facial tattoo, looking like blood streaking over their cheeks. Brandt had on occasion seen the devastation left behind after one of their raids, burning everything to the ground and cutting off ears as trophies. He was thoroughly stunned to see this tattoo here, on a woman that otherwise showed no connection to the Black Tears.
Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms
Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms
Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
"Well, I dunno what ta tell ye, that lockit is dwarven maed. 'S far as I knoe, this'd be worth a pretty pennae. The metalwork is exquisite. Unfortunately, there ain't no makers mark on it, so I can only comment on tha craftsmanship. Rare ta see such lockits in tha hands o' commoners tho, much more a thing for rich merchants and noble houses. Sorry, if I cannnae help ye any more. I'll buy it off ye, if ya want." At that, Thorbek flashed Tarian an oily smile of a vendor, who was already calculating profits in his head. Hmm, so it's got value beyond the obvious...
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Thia quickly rushes out of the library, intent on dropping the books off at her apartment before heading back out to the presentation. If there was any truth to Leo's words, she'd not want to be weighed down by valuable books. After depositing the books in her room and leaving the building again, she heard a nearby clock strike eleven. One more hour until the presentation.
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The two girls looked at Kerrigan, but Colyn, in his element, started to show her exactly where he had hidden, before it was Alathea's turn to hide. The two teenage girls weren't there, and couldn't really help, although they said that on occasion, fishermen would land their boats here, they said. The brush was dense, and impenetrable to her,though it was possible for a small child to squeeze through the branches, although the thorns made the endeavour likely rather painful. As she looked out towards the fisherman though, something struck her as odd. Although he was out there with his boat, she couldn't see any net near him. As she turned around to look at the bushes, she suddenly heard Tenley cry out in pain. As she turned around, he was sucking his thumb. He had pricked it on a thorn, trying to get a jet black feather from the bush.
Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms
Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms
Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
It's always fascinating how much you can learn about a city by walking it's streets, Milo thought. After meeting Emma, he'd spent his time walking through the districts, at a leisurely pace, somewhat aimlessly, although he was heading in the general direction of the Hill. Emma was right, and he spotted street urchins in many places, though while they were working a job or other in the Forge, he had a distinct feeling that the children in the Souk were only pretending to play marbles or hopscotch. He had observed them for a while, and had noticed how a couple of them would draw in unsuspecting merchants, while another kid cut their purse and made off with a week's pay in gold coins.
Now, walking through the Terraces, he saw almost no children on the streets. Most of the children here had families, and they had enough money to educate them. Funny that, he was convinced that the kids growing up on the streets had the better teacher in the end.
He enjoyed playing the fly on the wall, observing without being noticed, the advantage of being of shorter stature. His train of thought was suddenly interrupted by the ringing of a nearby bell. He'd have another hour before the presentation on the Hill would commence.
Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms
Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms
Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
“While that’s quite nice of you to offer, Thorbek, I don’t think it’s mine to sell.” Tarian frowned and palmed the locket. She opened it where Thorbek couldn’t see inside to carefully check the interior for a maker’s mark. As she looked, Tarian weighed her options: the taverns of the Forge were unlikely to be helpful. Northward would still be the best bet to find out who owned or commissioned this piece, but she would have to know who to ask, be better connected for a proper introduction, and be better dressed for the occasion. Still out, not that she wanted it to be. No, if she couldn’t find a maker’s mark, she would have to head Uptown. Perhaps the craftsmen there might know something if this thing was made locally.
The dwarf’s nose twitched as the fully matured aroma of the tea wafted out of the teapot. He reached for the teapot and from a hidden bandolier of them beneath his waistcoat pulled a slotted spoon to strain the loose tea leaves as he poured it into Tarian’s cup. Her three minutes were nearly up. After a thorough search of the interior for the maker’s mark, Tarian placed her thumb squarely over the picture inside and showed Thorbek her findings.
(PERCEPTION ROLL): 17
"On the other side of the screen, it all looks so easy." --Kevin Flynn, Tron (1982)
Out of context, also applicable to Dungeons & Dragons.
"Those are interesting tattoos you got there. I haven't seen them in a long time and I certainly wasn't expecting to find them here, and certainly not on a human. Do you know the story behind those markings on your face?"
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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Corti looks around her, at the strained faces of the workers, and at the silent factory that loomed over them all. She waits for a moment of relative quiet and then launches into a worker's song. The song was nothing special, slow, meant to keep the pace of the day, but it was ancient, and beautiful, and as well known as any common tavern song. As she reaches the beginning of the lyrics she takes a breath - as much of a breath as her kind takes, anyway - and starts to sing. Her voice is rough and strange sounding, as she was certainly not built to sing, but she makes her way through the tune. As the final notes fade, she pauses, waiting for a reaction.
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Corti- Warforged bard (Union!)
Hadar Jaffe- Half-elf Knowledge Domain Cleric (Nemo's Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun)
Arc had arrived in Souk a few minutes ago, and his investigation had been further dragged out. Having asked around the various vendors about who might have been selling a fine tobacco, he was pointed towards a vendor by the name of Thorbek, who'd supposedly give him the information he needed.
As he entered into the vendor's store, he noticed that he was already attending to another human customer. Giving her a quick size up, he didn't recognize her, but she seemed the brutish sort, best be careful if things with the vendor turned sour. Arc, not exactly feeling patient after wasting a morning asking about apples, steps up along side the human female and asks, "Pardon me, I shouldn't take long. Mr. Thorbek I presume? I have an inquiry about a possible sale you made to a customer early this morning."
Milo makes a note of the children in the streets. “I’ll pay them a visit later.” Stepping off into one of the alleyways, our of sight. Milo strikes a match and enjoys a smoke from his pipe before heading off into the presentation. The smoke fills the air with hints of black cherry and pepper giving a lingering sweetness in the air before dissipating.