Starker: “You are correct, friend Chadwick. Duren’s notes mention that his list of contacts included someon at the Astral Elven embassy, The Juggler, Durgan Vox, someone in high-town only referred to as V, several guard sergeants in low-town and mid-town as well as Gurbal Sharptusk listed as owner of Fight Club.
”If you were not to meet Ventrix, then whom? Perhaps a Harper?”
The discussion continues around the table. You can tell that Lady Arin is picking her words carefully as she responds. This does not seem to be in a sense of deceiving you, though. It seems more like what she is free to divulge.
”I am a representative of a Waterdeep faction interested in the good and well-being of Faerûn in general, Waterdeep and the Sword Coast in specific. My contact here is Stallos Kellimades the Sword Master to Prince Andru. Amarra Ventrix’s family and mine have trade and social connections. A cousin of mine is married to a cousin of hers. Her seeking to meet with me was not unsurprising.”
She addresses Starker directly, “You ask about The Harpers. What do you know of that group?”
Starker:”My family moved to Waterdeep when I was young and I apprenticed under Master Charletin.”
Lady Arin nods, "I thought I recognized the Waterdhavian accent. Master Charletin's name is known to me as well. And, you have heard correctly. My family has done business with as well as for the Harpers." She then turns to Chadwick to follow up Inkan's question, "You have notes from Duren in your possession?"
Lady Arin gives Starker a side-eyed looked of disgust as she accepts the documents. She then hands them over to Inkan. “They are in Draconic, I see,” she says with a sigh. “Do you have anyone who can translate this, Inkan,” she asks.
”I will get someone on it,” he replies. “What have you gleaned from these documents that can help us now?,” he asks all of you.
Starker: “ I am happy to translate it word for word, but in essence:
“The notes we found in the lab are details of vivisection experiments he carried out on elves, dwarves, humans, and a giff. Other papers detail his intrigue dealings about the Rock of Bral with contacts and deals represented in detail. The Juggler's Blade is mentioned several times. More recent entries label a contact simply as V. Nolreth was involved with V somehow as well, possibly controlling them.
“There are several different groups of notes obtained from Duren's laboratory:
”Experimentation - There are many pages of notes and diagrams about anatomy and physiology of humanoids. Some describe post-mortem anatomical studies, some functional studies and others from vivisection experiments. From the tone of the notes, the last group seems to have held the most interest for Duran.
“Intrigue – Duren was very active in his dealings with the various factions on Bral. He detailed a large number of contacts through the low city and mid-city and referred to others in the high city. Among these mentioned contacts are someone at the Astral Elven embassy, The Juggler, Durgan Vox, someone in high-town only referred to as V, several guard sergeants in low-town and mid-town as well as Gurbal Sharptusk listed as owner of Fight Club.
“Mind Flayers – He had been working with the mind flayers for about a year now. They were cultivating relationships with factions in reference to The Plan. An envoy from Waterdeep is mentioned as key to this plan. The information they carry was needed. Duren awaited the return of Nolreth the Mindseer to extract her brain the gain that information.”
“I must make contact with Stellos,” Lady Arin states. “Is your group interested in escorting me to the palace?,” she asks. “Bringing these documents about Duren’s spy ring to Stellos will certainly engender his favor. You deserve to earn that firsthand.”
“I must make contact with Stellos,” Lady Arin states. “Is your group interested in escorting me to the palace?,” she asks. “Bringing these documents about Duren’s spy ring to Stellos will certainly engender his favor. You deserve to earn that firsthand.”
“No matter the motivation, you arrived just in time to keep me alive. My thanks to all of you. I am ready to proceed when you are,” she says as she stands.
“No matter the motivation, you arrived just in time to keep me alive. My thanks to all of you. I am ready to proceed when you are,” she says as she stands.
Gneuman whispers under his breath, "Yes, let us go with haste. The sooner that we complete this task, the sooner that we can get off of this accursed rock." The gnome then looks to Ajax for approval.
Starker to Gneuman, sotto voce. In Draconic:”The task is to get her to Ventrix and trade her for money. When did we become a charitable organization? Three of us came within a hair’s breadth of dying, and for this we are going to get the gratitude of a person I have never heard of who lives on a rock we are leaving?”
Lady Arin, I am committed to seeing this mission through and will gladly accompany you. He says with a bow and a fond smile.
He pauses, his smile fades and his gaze grows distant.
What we saw in the laboratory will not fad quickly, but will serve as a reminder of what must be done. Knights of Holy Judgement fight evil and punish the wicked, and these miscreants seem to be about the worst. Anything I can do to aid in that fight I will. Chadwick seems unaware of the passion his voice had taken on towards the end.
Preparations need to be made if we are to head out. Chadwick's thoughts seem to be racing. Any chance you might have access to warhorses? He mumbles a few things to himself. How far on a trip will it be assuming double time? How many, others will accompany us? Infantry, casters? Do you have any maps of the city to help pick the best route?
I wish I had time to summon Freya. The last part said wistfully.
Oh, and if you have any ridiculously large swords Master Hoid could borrow I'm sure he would be most grateful.
Kragen nods in agreement with Chadwick “Tyr knows we have struck a blow to this evil here on this place, the Lady Arin should further aid the Scales!”
”I am prepared to assist the Lady to the palace. The only acknowledgement I need will come from the Justice Bringer.”
Master Inkan “can you send an acolyte to the Lucky Lady and quickly retrieve the remainder of our gear. We did not bring all of our armaments and personal items with us?” (My backpack, Hoids Great Sword, etc)
Inkan responds to Chadwick, "Of course. We have a fully stocked armory. Any weapon you would like to borrow can be had quickly." Replying to Kragen, "It may be best to make haste to the palace without signal of our move to any who may be watching. While it is less than a 1/2 mile away, that is still distance to cover in the open. I will have Belkar and some acolytes accompany you as well."
Starker: “You are correct, friend Chadwick. Duren’s notes mention that his list of contacts included someon at the Astral Elven embassy, The Juggler, Durgan Vox, someone in high-town only referred to as V, several guard sergeants in low-town and mid-town as well as Gurbal Sharptusk listed as owner of Fight Club.
”If you were not to meet Ventrix, then whom? Perhaps a Harper?”
The discussion continues around the table. You can tell that Lady Arin is picking her words carefully as she responds. This does not seem to be in a sense of deceiving you, though. It seems more like what she is free to divulge.
”I am a representative of a Waterdeep faction interested in the good and well-being of Faerûn in general, Waterdeep and the Sword Coast in specific. My contact here is Stallos Kellimades the Sword Master to Prince Andru. Amarra Ventrix’s family and mine have trade and social connections. A cousin of mine is married to a cousin of hers. Her seeking to meet with me was not unsurprising.”
She addresses Starker directly, “You ask about The Harpers. What do you know of that group?”
Inkan seems to make an internal connection and asks Chadwick, “Did you say you have ’notes’ made by this Duren person?”
Starker: “Only that your family is somehow associated with them.”
Starker:”My family moved to Waterdeep when I was young and I apprenticed under Master Charletin.”
Lady Arin nods, "I thought I recognized the Waterdhavian accent. Master Charletin's name is known to me as well. And, you have heard correctly. My family has done business with as well as for the Harpers." She then turns to Chadwick to follow up Inkan's question, "You have notes from Duren in your possession?"
Starker, in an aside: ”As regards the potions we found:
The fog potion is a Potion of Gaseous Form.
The finger nail solution is not resolved. However, it does have the appearance of a potion of giant strength of some variety.”
Hoid s interjects, “Brave, brave Sir Chadwick is clearly distracted. We did recover notes. Starker, please let the kind gentleman review the notes.”
Starker:”Here you go. He was commendably organized and methodical, it seems. His experimental notes are admirable. Fascinating, really.”
Lady Arin gives Starker a side-eyed looked of disgust as she accepts the documents. She then hands them over to Inkan. “They are in Draconic, I see,” she says with a sigh. “Do you have anyone who can translate this, Inkan,” she asks.
”I will get someone on it,” he replies. “What have you gleaned from these documents that can help us now?,” he asks all of you.
Starker: “ I am happy to translate it word for word, but in essence:
“The notes we found in the lab are details of vivisection experiments he carried out on elves, dwarves, humans, and a giff. Other papers detail his intrigue dealings about the Rock of Bral with contacts and deals represented in detail. The Juggler's Blade is mentioned several times. More recent entries label a contact simply as V. Nolreth was involved with V somehow as well, possibly controlling them.
“There are several different groups of notes obtained from Duren's laboratory:
”Experimentation - There are many pages of notes and diagrams about anatomy and physiology of humanoids. Some describe post-mortem anatomical studies, some functional studies and others from vivisection experiments. From the tone of the notes, the last group seems to have held the most interest for Duran.
“Intrigue – Duren was very active in his dealings with the various factions on Bral. He detailed a large number of contacts through the low city and mid-city and referred to others in the high city. Among these mentioned contacts are someone at the Astral Elven embassy, The Juggler, Durgan Vox, someone in high-town only referred to as V, several guard sergeants in low-town and mid-town as well as Gurbal Sharptusk listed as owner of Fight Club.
“Mind Flayers – He had been working with the mind flayers for about a year now. They were cultivating relationships with factions in reference to The Plan. An envoy from Waterdeep is mentioned as key to this plan. The information they carry was needed. Duren awaited the return of Nolreth the Mindseer to extract her brain the gain that information.”
“I must make contact with Stellos,” Lady Arin states. “Is your group interested in escorting me to the palace?,” she asks. “Bringing these documents about Duren’s spy ring to Stellos will certainly engender his favor. You deserve to earn that firsthand.”
“I must make contact with Stellos,” Lady Arin states. “Is your group interested in escorting me to the palace?,” she asks. “Bringing these documents about Duren’s spy ring to Stellos will certainly engender his favor. You deserve to earn that firsthand.”
Starker:”Lady Ventrix offered us a substantial reward. It is why I, at least, participated in your rescue.”
“No matter the motivation, you arrived just in time to keep me alive. My thanks to all of you. I am ready to proceed when you are,” she says as she stands.
Gneuman whispers under his breath, "Yes, let us go with haste. The sooner that we complete this task, the sooner that we can get off of this accursed rock." The gnome then looks to Ajax for approval.
Starker to Gneuman, sotto voce. In Draconic:”The task is to get her to Ventrix and trade her for money. When did we become a charitable organization? Three of us came within a hair’s breadth of dying, and for this we are going to get the gratitude of a person I have never heard of who lives on a rock we are leaving?”
Lady Arin, I am committed to seeing this mission through and will gladly accompany you. He says with a bow and a fond smile.
He pauses, his smile fades and his gaze grows distant.
What we saw in the laboratory will not fad quickly, but will serve as a reminder of what must be done. Knights of Holy Judgement fight evil and punish the wicked, and these miscreants seem to be about the worst. Anything I can do to aid in that fight I will.
Chadwick seems unaware of the passion his voice had taken on towards the end.
Preparations need to be made if we are to head out. Chadwick's thoughts seem to be racing. Any chance you might have access to warhorses? He mumbles a few things to himself. How far on a trip will it be assuming double time? How many, others will accompany us? Infantry, casters? Do you have any maps of the city to help pick the best route?
I wish I had time to summon Freya. The last part said wistfully.
Oh, and if you have any ridiculously large swords Master Hoid could borrow I'm sure he would be most grateful.
Kragen nods in agreement with Chadwick “Tyr knows we have struck a blow to this evil here on this place, the Lady Arin should further aid the Scales!”
”I am prepared to assist the Lady to the palace. The only acknowledgement I need will come from the Justice Bringer.”
Master Inkan “can you send an acolyte to the Lucky Lady and quickly retrieve the remainder of our gear. We did not bring all of our armaments and personal items with us?” (My backpack, Hoids Great Sword, etc)
Inkan responds to Chadwick, "Of course. We have a fully stocked armory. Any weapon you would like to borrow can be had quickly." Replying to Kragen, "It may be best to make haste to the palace without signal of our move to any who may be watching. While it is less than a 1/2 mile away, that is still distance to cover in the open. I will have Belkar and some acolytes accompany you as well."