The Prince smiles, “So I take it you’re taking the job!”
Khessa - Drallion addresses you, “The ship should have sailed straight back here from Urnst. However, I have gained some intelligence that it was seen in the north of the Nyr Dyv, way off that course. As for the crew, Captian Rehlud was my agent on the ship. He was in charge of procuring the cargo in Urnst. As for the cargo, you’ll find a chest inside a crate, marked with the letter ‘A’. More so than the ship itself, that is the mission. Bring back the crate.” He looks at you seriously with that last sentence.
Coriana - Drallion nods at your questions, “Possible rivals is part of the reason why I’m contracting you. I need this matter dealt with before my competitors find out what the chest contains.” He looks around and then confesses to you, “Deeds to land. Very valuable land in Urnst and beyond, becoming more valuable now that the Great Kingdom is dying. Your payment would be that fortune, 10% of the total value of the deeds. At this point I think it could possibly be up to 10,000gp.” He smiles at you all knowingly with that fact.
Syllen - Drallion is desperate, he clearly doesn’t have much else but this mission. Everything rides on this.
“How much do the survivors split if the rest of us get cut up for bait by your rivals? Or based on your desperate state, is this a super heavy risk situation?”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards. DM - The Old Keep
The Prince smiles, “So I take it you’re taking the job!”
Xanrym was going to protest that they would need more details, but then Aubrek offers the group a reward of up to 10,000 gp in value. He whispers to Theldrin, "Even split 6 ways, that's a princely sum."
“Deeds to land. Very valuable land in Urnst and beyond, becoming more valuable now that the Great Kingdom is dying. Your payment would be that fortune
Xanrym finally speaks up to ask, "Aubrek, thank you for the invitation. The Company of the Grey Chain is available, and your offer is certainly interesting. But I believe that Nyr Dyv is vast, and we wouldn't want to commit to a wild goose chase. How recent is your information? That is, how late is this ship? When was the Emperor of the Wavessupposed to arrive in port? And when did you hear that it was seen at the north, 'way off' course?"
Xanrym had been speculating on Prince Drallion's situation ever since they received his letter, and now he's trying to piece something together....
Khessa would have preferred to have even more details, regarding the crew... Having news only about the captain (especially when the news does not include a description, but is limited to the name) will not help her much in identifying and saving any survivors! But perhaps she will take time later to delve into the details.
She therefore limits herself to confirming with a reassuring smile: "You can bet we are taking the job, Aubrek! We will not leave you in trouble!" but then waits patiently (and listening carefully) for the prince to respond to the clarifications that the others have already begun to ask.
[[ OOC: In the meantime, I had the time to get a pic for Khessa in her shiny full plate armor - though obviously, in this peaceful circumstance, she is not holding the Greatsword drawn. ]]
The Prince smiles, “So I take it you’re taking the job!”
Xanrym was going to protest that they would need more details, but then Aubrek offers the group a reward of up to 10,000 gp in value. He whispers to Theldrin, "Even split 6 ways, that's a princely sum."
Theldrin gives a slight almost imperceptible nod as he quietly continues to listen to the conversation. For a moment he pictures himself returning to the Unearthed Arcana with his share of the reward to spend, then clears his mind and focuses on the meeting.
Coriana - Drallion throws up his hands in acknowledgement, “I won’t pretend this is not dangerous. The ship was full of capable crew, including a new priest apparently. I would have thought that nothing could stop them. But the pay reflects the effort.”
With you all agreeing to the job, he smiles. “Ok, this might just work. The Emperor was supposed to arrive in port a week ago. We received word of its current position two days ago. That’s when I hired another ship to take some adventurers up there. I’ll have Vathrok take you down to the ship now.” He motions to the well dressed dwarf behind you. “There’s some provisions on the ship, which Vathrok will show you as well. Is there anything else you need from me?” He asks this question as he’s packing up his stuff.
Seeing Aubrek gathering his things, Xanrym asks, "Oh! Do you plan to come with us on this expedition yourself?"
Xanrym is willing to take the job if Avery and Theldrin are. (If Avery hasn't arrived yet, Xanrym would want to wait for the knight so that the Company could make a decision together.) If either of them are hesitant, Xanrym points out that they've been waiting a couple of weeks with no other offers, and Aubrek seems to be a reputable merchant. But in truth, Xanrym just feels that the promised pay-out is too high to pass up.
Xanrym would also inquire of Aubrek whether they're just going ship-to-ship. If they might be landing and going ashore somewhere else around Nyr Dyv, the Company usually travels with their draft horse, Heckle. Xanrym asks whether there's space for horses aboard this ship. He looks to both Aubrek and Coriana. He has heard of cattle transported via boat before, but he doesn't know how common it is.
Other than that, Xanrym can be ready to leave in less than an hour. He just needs to return to his room to gather up his backpack, crossbow, and other gear and then settle his account with the inn.
Coriana raises an eyebrow at the mention of the new priest, but says nothing.
To Xanrrym, she responds, “a decent size ship can transport horses, food and water are an issue, although since the Nyr Dyv is fresh, so that’s less of an issue. Some horses don’t like the feeling of the sea very much though.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards. DM - The Old Keep
"Pleasure to meet you too, Avery!" the tall adventuress introduces herself, shaking hands with the newcomer "I'm Khessa, Khessa Cabbagefield! We'll be working together, it seems!"
Khessa is ready to leave at any moment, but first she tries, if possible, to get the Prince to give her as detailed a description as possible of the crew members known to him.
[[ OOC: There's no need to role-play this if you find it a boring detail - I'm happy just knowing that Khessa and the party can recognize certain crew members if they see or meet them. I expect the Prince to be able to provide a good description of at least the prominent members, such as Captian Rehlud or the new priest. ]]
"It would be an honor," Theldrin nods as he addresses Aubrek and offers the Prince a polite, formal bow. "I will just need a short time to finish up at the Black Dragon Inn, where I've been staying."
He will then head back to the Inn as quickly as possible, hiring a carriage if that's available, to check out of his room. If there is time he would also like to stop by the Unearthed Arcana and purchase two more uses of incense and herbs for casting Find Familiar and one more Potion of Healing.
“I can prepare a spell that will take care of the food portion of your issues.”
Turning back to the Company of the Grey Chain.
“If you know of a shop nearby that I could find the supplies necessary to craft spell scrolls I would love to get some before we leave. Other than that I am ready to go.”
Xanrym - Aubrek shakes his head, "Unfortunately I will not be joining you on this run. I will be getting some affairs into order here in preparation for your return. As for your horse, you may take them on the ship if you wish. I'm sure the crew would be prepared to look after it."
Khessa - Aubrek continues, "As for a detailed account of the ships crew, I'm sure Vathroc would be able to supply that to you. The priest I only met once, but was an interesting case. An Orc by the name of Krull or Grohl or something. I wasn't sure about him but Captian Rehlud vouched for him, which was good enough for me." Vathroc politely supplies you with the ship's crew manifest detailing the other crew members, including the Orc Priest Krell.
Despite Aubrek Drallion's act of not liking formalities, he seems to love the bowing and placating. He beams and then gets on with his packing up.
As for the rest of your business. The ship won't leave until the morning, so you can get that all done tonight. Who's going to go and visit the dwarven ship Soul of Winter?
Xanrym - Aubrek shakes his head, "Unfortunately I will not be joining you on this run. I will be getting some affairs into order here in preparation for your return. As for your horse, you may take them on the ship if you wish. I'm sure the crew would be prepared to look after it."
Then Xanrym has one more question he'd like to get Aubrek to answer, but it's a delicate question. He tries to lead into the question gently.
Xanrym says, "Ah, well, if you won't be coming with us, then maybe you could clear up one last question before we embark on this quest to rescue this chest marked with an 'A' from the ship. You see, I've been in the Free City for a few weeks, and I often walk through the River Quarter. So many interesting sights! The ships at port, all manner of different sailors, people and goods arriving from distant lands. And I must say that it's impossible to frequent the taverns in the River Quarter without hearing the name Prince Drallion! As you said, you've made a name for yourself! Especially because you've been selling off your holdings for a couple of months now. When you said that the Emperor of the Waves was missing, I thought that you must hav been selling off goods to raise funds for this rescue mission. But then you said that the Emperor is only 1 week overdue, and you just heard of its possible location a couple of days ago. So, why were you selling off your holdings a full two months before the Emperor went missing?"
Aubrek sighs and stops packing. "Well it seems you've done some clever math there and worked out a couple things. I should expect no less from savvy adventurers such as yourselves. You see, a couple of months ago I found an incredibly lucrative deal. Land holdings in Urnst that were seen as almost worthless by the people there, but oof great value to prospective investors here in Greyhawk. The chest is full of deeds. I'd sold off almost all my assets to get a hold of as many as I could. If I get that chest back I've basically bought myself into the nobility here in Greyhawk. But if I don't, then I'm bankrupt. This mission is in fact worth everything to me." You see now the man has dropped all pretense and is looking at you pleadingly.
Aubrek sighs and stops packing. "Well it seems you've done some clever math there and worked out a couple things. I should expect no less from savvy adventurers such as yourselves. You see, a couple of months ago I found an incredibly lucrative deal. Land holdings in Urnst that were seen as almost worthless by the people there, but oof great value to prospective investors here in Greyhawk. The chest is full of deeds. I'd sold off almost all my assets to get a hold of as many as I could. If I get that chest back I've basically bought myself into the nobility here in Greyhawk. But if I don't, then I'm bankrupt. This mission is in fact worth everything to me." You see now the man has dropped all pretense and is looking at you pleadingly.
Having no reason to doubt this story, Xanrym reassures Aubrek: "Ah! Well, that explains everything. Thank you for your honesty, Aubrek. The more we know about the situation and what we may face, the better prepared we'll be! And the more likely we are to succeed! Don't worry. The Company is discreet and will not reveal your...ah...current circumstances to anyone. Best to keep a low profile so that your competitors don't try to take advantage of the situation while we go find the Emperor. And when we return with the chest, perhaps you can finally claim your informal appellation, Prince Drallion!"
Xanrym is thinking that if they succeed, and the deeds are really worth what Aubrek believes they are, this job could earn them a rich and powerful ally in Aubrek Drallion. In the shifting allegiances of this time, that may be almost as valuable as the reward that Aubrek has promised them!
Once Aubrek seems more relaxed, Xanrym asks one last clarifying question, "I assume that the chest is locked. Do you expect us to return the chest intact, or do you have a key for us?" He holds out his hand expectantly.
Xanrym is hoping that the just find a deserted ship, and they can get the chest, but he doubts that it'll be so easy. But if Khessa or Avery has to carry a big chest out of some pirate's hideout, that'll be one fighter who cannot fight their way out. They would need to clear the way for their escape before trying to take the chest. Or perhaps they could get the chest out through trickery. Xanrym starts imaging various stories for how this job could go, and most of the stories don't end with their horrible death at the hands of pirates.
Xanrym is excited to see the Soul of Winter. He has already re-equipped himself while the Company was looking for jobs. Xanrym would go with anyone (including the newcomers) who wants to see the ship tonight. He wants to check with the crew about quartering Heckle during the voyage to make sure that it'll be OK. He'll bring Heckle (and his own chest of gear) to the ship in the morning.
The Prince smiles, “So I take it you’re taking the job!”
Khessa - Drallion addresses you, “The ship should have sailed straight back here from Urnst. However, I have gained some intelligence that it was seen in the north of the Nyr Dyv, way off that course. As for the crew, Captian Rehlud was my agent on the ship. He was in charge of procuring the cargo in Urnst. As for the cargo, you’ll find a chest inside a crate, marked with the letter ‘A’. More so than the ship itself, that is the mission. Bring back the crate.” He looks at you seriously with that last sentence.
Coriana - Drallion nods at your questions, “Possible rivals is part of the reason why I’m contracting you. I need this matter dealt with before my competitors find out what the chest contains.” He looks around and then confesses to you, “Deeds to land. Very valuable land in Urnst and beyond, becoming more valuable now that the Great Kingdom is dying. Your payment would be that fortune, 10% of the total value of the deeds. At this point I think it could possibly be up to 10,000gp.” He smiles at you all knowingly with that fact.
Syllen - Drallion is desperate, he clearly doesn’t have much else but this mission. Everything rides on this.
“How much do the survivors split if the rest of us get cut up for bait by your rivals? Or based on your desperate state, is this a super heavy risk situation?”
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
Xanrym was going to protest that they would need more details, but then Aubrek offers the group a reward of up to 10,000 gp in value. He whispers to Theldrin, "Even split 6 ways, that's a princely sum."
Xanrym finally speaks up to ask, "Aubrek, thank you for the invitation. The Company of the Grey Chain is available, and your offer is certainly interesting. But I believe that Nyr Dyv is vast, and we wouldn't want to commit to a wild goose chase. How recent is your information? That is, how late is this ship? When was the Emperor of the Waves supposed to arrive in port? And when did you hear that it was seen at the north, 'way off' course?"
Xanrym had been speculating on Prince Drallion's situation ever since they received his letter, and now he's trying to piece something together....
Khessa would have preferred to have even more details, regarding the crew... Having news only about the captain (especially when the news does not include a description, but is limited to the name) will not help her much in identifying and saving any survivors! But perhaps she will take time later to delve into the details.
She therefore limits herself to confirming with a reassuring smile: "You can bet we are taking the job, Aubrek! We will not leave you in trouble!" but then waits patiently (and listening carefully) for the prince to respond to the clarifications that the others have already begun to ask.
[[ OOC: In the meantime, I had the time to get a pic for Khessa in her shiny full plate armor - though obviously, in this peaceful circumstance, she is not holding the Greatsword drawn. ]]
Not feeling any hesitation answering any of the questions Syllen gives a slight smile.
“I shall help you find what you have lost.”
Theldrin gives a slight almost imperceptible nod as he quietly continues to listen to the conversation. For a moment he pictures himself returning to the Unearthed Arcana with his share of the reward to spend, then clears his mind and focuses on the meeting.
Coriana - Drallion throws up his hands in acknowledgement, “I won’t pretend this is not dangerous. The ship was full of capable crew, including a new priest apparently. I would have thought that nothing could stop them. But the pay reflects the effort.”
With you all agreeing to the job, he smiles. “Ok, this might just work. The Emperor was supposed to arrive in port a week ago. We received word of its current position two days ago. That’s when I hired another ship to take some adventurers up there. I’ll have Vathrok take you down to the ship now.” He motions to the well dressed dwarf behind you. “There’s some provisions on the ship, which Vathrok will show you as well. Is there anything else you need from me?” He asks this question as he’s packing up his stuff.
Seeing Aubrek gathering his things, Xanrym asks, "Oh! Do you plan to come with us on this expedition yourself?"
Xanrym is willing to take the job if Avery and Theldrin are. (If Avery hasn't arrived yet, Xanrym would want to wait for the knight so that the Company could make a decision together.) If either of them are hesitant, Xanrym points out that they've been waiting a couple of weeks with no other offers, and Aubrek seems to be a reputable merchant. But in truth, Xanrym just feels that the promised pay-out is too high to pass up.
Xanrym would also inquire of Aubrek whether they're just going ship-to-ship. If they might be landing and going ashore somewhere else around Nyr Dyv, the Company usually travels with their draft horse, Heckle. Xanrym asks whether there's space for horses aboard this ship. He looks to both Aubrek and Coriana. He has heard of cattle transported via boat before, but he doesn't know how common it is.
Other than that, Xanrym can be ready to leave in less than an hour. He just needs to return to his room to gather up his backpack, crossbow, and other gear and then settle his account with the inn.
When Avery arrives and tells the company of what he has learned, he will accept to take the job
Coriana raises an eyebrow at the mention of the new priest, but says nothing.
To Xanrrym, she responds, “a decent size ship can transport horses, food and water are an issue, although since the Nyr Dyv is fresh, so that’s less of an issue. Some horses don’t like the feeling of the sea very much though.”
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
"Pleasure to meet you too, Avery!" the tall adventuress introduces herself, shaking hands with the newcomer "I'm Khessa, Khessa Cabbagefield! We'll be working together, it seems!"
Khessa is ready to leave at any moment, but first she tries, if possible, to get the Prince to give her as detailed a description as possible of the crew members known to him.
[[ OOC: There's no need to role-play this if you find it a boring detail - I'm happy just knowing that Khessa and the party can recognize certain crew members if they see or meet them. I expect the Prince to be able to provide a good description of at least the prominent members, such as Captian Rehlud or the new priest. ]]
"It would be an honor," Theldrin nods as he addresses Aubrek and offers the Prince a polite, formal bow. "I will just need a short time to finish up at the Black Dragon Inn, where I've been staying."
He will then head back to the Inn as quickly as possible, hiring a carriage if that's available, to check out of his room. If there is time he would also like to stop by the Unearthed Arcana and purchase two more uses of incense and herbs for casting Find Familiar and one more Potion of Healing.
Syllen walks next to Corina.
“I can prepare a spell that will take care of the food portion of your issues.”
Turning back to the Company of the Grey Chain.
“If you know of a shop nearby that I could find the supplies necessary to craft spell scrolls I would love to get some before we leave. Other than that I am ready to go.”
"Yes... Unearthed Arcana," Theldrin replies to Syllen, "hopefully Morley is still open... I'm headed there myself if you'd like to join me."
"I would be happy to join you." Syllen replies with a smile.
Xanrym - Aubrek shakes his head, "Unfortunately I will not be joining you on this run. I will be getting some affairs into order here in preparation for your return. As for your horse, you may take them on the ship if you wish. I'm sure the crew would be prepared to look after it."
Khessa - Aubrek continues, "As for a detailed account of the ships crew, I'm sure Vathroc would be able to supply that to you. The priest I only met once, but was an interesting case. An Orc by the name of Krull or Grohl or something. I wasn't sure about him but Captian Rehlud vouched for him, which was good enough for me." Vathroc politely supplies you with the ship's crew manifest detailing the other crew members, including the Orc Priest Krell.
Despite Aubrek Drallion's act of not liking formalities, he seems to love the bowing and placating. He beams and then gets on with his packing up.
As for the rest of your business. The ship won't leave until the morning, so you can get that all done tonight. Who's going to go and visit the dwarven ship Soul of Winter?
Then Xanrym has one more question he'd like to get Aubrek to answer, but it's a delicate question. He tries to lead into the question gently.
Xanrym says, "Ah, well, if you won't be coming with us, then maybe you could clear up one last question before we embark on this quest to rescue this chest marked with an 'A' from the ship. You see, I've been in the Free City for a few weeks, and I often walk through the River Quarter. So many interesting sights! The ships at port, all manner of different sailors, people and goods arriving from distant lands. And I must say that it's impossible to frequent the taverns in the River Quarter without hearing the name Prince Drallion! As you said, you've made a name for yourself! Especially because you've been selling off your holdings for a couple of months now. When you said that the Emperor of the Waves was missing, I thought that you must hav been selling off goods to raise funds for this rescue mission. But then you said that the Emperor is only 1 week overdue, and you just heard of its possible location a couple of days ago. So, why were you selling off your holdings a full two months before the Emperor went missing?"
Persuasion: 16 (using Silver Tongue feature)
Aubrek sighs and stops packing. "Well it seems you've done some clever math there and worked out a couple things. I should expect no less from savvy adventurers such as yourselves. You see, a couple of months ago I found an incredibly lucrative deal. Land holdings in Urnst that were seen as almost worthless by the people there, but oof great value to prospective investors here in Greyhawk. The chest is full of deeds. I'd sold off almost all my assets to get a hold of as many as I could. If I get that chest back I've basically bought myself into the nobility here in Greyhawk. But if I don't, then I'm bankrupt. This mission is in fact worth everything to me." You see now the man has dropped all pretense and is looking at you pleadingly.
Avery will secure his things, "Do we need to get any rations, water, or other supplies before we set out?"
Having no reason to doubt this story, Xanrym reassures Aubrek: "Ah! Well, that explains everything. Thank you for your honesty, Aubrek. The more we know about the situation and what we may face, the better prepared we'll be! And the more likely we are to succeed! Don't worry. The Company is discreet and will not reveal your...ah...current circumstances to anyone. Best to keep a low profile so that your competitors don't try to take advantage of the situation while we go find the Emperor. And when we return with the chest, perhaps you can finally claim your informal appellation, Prince Drallion!"
Xanrym is thinking that if they succeed, and the deeds are really worth what Aubrek believes they are, this job could earn them a rich and powerful ally in Aubrek Drallion. In the shifting allegiances of this time, that may be almost as valuable as the reward that Aubrek has promised them!
Once Aubrek seems more relaxed, Xanrym asks one last clarifying question, "I assume that the chest is locked. Do you expect us to return the chest intact, or do you have a key for us?" He holds out his hand expectantly.
Xanrym is hoping that the just find a deserted ship, and they can get the chest, but he doubts that it'll be so easy. But if Khessa or Avery has to carry a big chest out of some pirate's hideout, that'll be one fighter who cannot fight their way out. They would need to clear the way for their escape before trying to take the chest. Or perhaps they could get the chest out through trickery. Xanrym starts imaging various stories for how this job could go, and most of the stories don't end with their horrible death at the hands of pirates.
Xanrym is excited to see the Soul of Winter. He has already re-equipped himself while the Company was looking for jobs. Xanrym would go with anyone (including the newcomers) who wants to see the ship tonight. He wants to check with the crew about quartering Heckle during the voyage to make sure that it'll be OK. He'll bring Heckle (and his own chest of gear) to the ship in the morning.