Khessa happily pats Bruthwol on the shoulder, asking if his journey went well, if he had any difficulties, how he's coping... She's generally happy to see someone friendly again—though she's a little surprised by how easily he's managed to prevail over the other merchants. 'Does he have powerful friends, perhaps?' she thinks. 'Well, if so, so much the better!'
After the pleasantries are over, the blonde arcane warrior smiles and thanks him for the handkerchiefs and then buys a new coil of rope and some caltrops from him. "I hope we can meet again!" she says "Until then... I wish you good business, my friend!"
The tall adventuress is ready to head to the docks to get to the Isle!
Does anyone have anything else to do? Or is it to the docks to get to the Isle now?
Xanrym buys a couple of coils of rope, which he stashes in Khessa's bag when he can do so without attracting attention. He also buys a signal whistle for each member of The Company. After following the Inheritors and their Blueknight the previous night, it had occurred to him that The Company may need a way to signal each other if they get separated in the city.
(OOC: @all - add a signal whistle to your inventory if you don't already have one.)
Khessa happily pats Bruthwol on the shoulder, asking if his journey went well, if he had any difficulties, how he's coping... She's generally happy to see someone friendly again—though she's a little surprised by how easily he's managed to prevail over the other merchants.
As he pays for his rope, Xanrym says, "Thank you. And thank you for the advice yesterday! We ran into a little trouble at the Southern Gate, but we were able to make it to the Dripstone Inn and make contact with the...um...person you suggested. I also had an interesting conversation at the inn with a dwarf named Regrak. I just thought I'd mention it: I'm not sure how many dwarves are in Pedestal and how close-knit your clans are." He knows that it's not a natural way to bring it up, but he just wanted to work Regrak's name into the conversation to see whether Bruthwol reacts at all.
Theldrin gladly accepts one of the handkerchiefs after looking it over and deciding that it would fit nicely as a face covering. He thanks Bruthwol and then browses casually around the nearby vendors, but keeping close to the rest of the group, and is ready to head to the docks.
Bruthwol starts at the mention of Regrak, "What business do you have with the Assassin's Guild? Surely you haven't made that many enemies in the city? Or is it to do with the person you're looking for?"
Xanrym replies in polite surprise, "Oh! Well, we have no business with Regrak yet. Just making our own contacts with the local residents of Pedestal. Now that you mention it, he did say something about a Guild. I wondered whether he meant whatever guild you're a member of, Bruthwol."
That's not strictly true since Xanrym definitely knew that Regrak was a member of the Assassin's Guild, so rolling Deception: 17 (Silver Tongue feature).
Xanrym is trying to be a bit vague about what he knows about Regrak and whether The Company contacted the Assassin's Guild on purpose. Like in Orlane, until The Company learns a lot more about the people in this city, he's not inclined to fully trust anyone outside The Company itself. He's just trying to use this conversation about Regrak to figure out where Bruthwol "fits" among the Pedestal factions.
Bruthwol shakes his head, "Well be careful who you speak to friend. Best you keep your head out of all the politics of the city if you don't want to attract the wrong attention. That's what old Bruthwol does." You get the feeling he's being honest about that.
So you head back over the other side of the city, you see more of the same as you go: strange humanoids and people of Pedestal, probably somewhat familiar to you now. However, you have to pass within sight of Noble's Bluff and start to see a lot more drow around. At one point, you see down an alleyway, a group of varied dangerous looking humanoids accosting a group of unarmed drow. The situation seems to be getting somewhat dangerous, as the humanoid gang start pushing a couple of the drow around.
Do you get involved in this or carry on with your mission to the docks?
Khessa smiles at the sight of the hated drow who, for once, find themselves in the role of oppressed rather than oppressors! She can't help but pause for a moment to savor the scene. She even entertains the thought of joining their tormentors.
The drow... Those evil, cursed elves who mercilessly razed Twardens, her hamlet, exterminating the population and ignoring the survivors! How many people have suffered because of them?! Khessa has certainly suffered greatly! And her family... her family is still suffering!
Without even realizing it, the blonde arcane warrior has already taken a few steps toward the group, fists clenched.
Then... Then something bothers her. Every time she imagined revenge, she killed drow, yes... sometimes even ruthlessly and painfully... but they were drow she imagined having faced in battle or caught red-handed committing their usual atrocities. These... it pains her to admit it, but these drow, for now, aren't displaying a blatantly evil behavior. Maybe they're evil. Probably they're evil! And yet... she's not sure — and seeing them like this, bullied by others, makes her see them uncomfortably similar to the peasants of Twardens bullied by the drow slavers...
But they've certainly done something. That's why they're about to be punished. They must be guily. The tall adventuress then asks the other group: "What did these drow bastards do this time? Were they trying to enslave people? Did you catch them killing or torturing someone?"
From Khessa's expression, it should be clear that, despite these questions, asked almost purely out of concern, she isn't at all kindly disposed toward the drow...
Avery, seeing the situation, suggests "We need to focus on the job, we might not want to get sucked into a gang dispute even with humans down here. Its also an alley, not a suitable place to fight."
The Company of the Grey Chain has generally intervened to help whenever they could, but the rivalry between the factions in Pedestal isn't clear to Xanrym. It seems more like a power struggle over resources and control, and there's no clear moral reason to support one group over another. From Khessa's stories, Xanrym isn't inclined to support the Drow. He cannot imagine that the Assassin's Guild is the strongest force for "good" in the city. And the Inheritors already tried to kill the party for just mentioning Es Sarch.
As far as Xanrym is concerned, he would just like to avoid conflict with all three factions. He had been hoping to keep them uncertain about The Company's allegiances and purpose in Pedestal. If they're lucky, The Company will find the lost king's bones and the other artifacts and get out of Pedestal before they get drawn into this conflict among these warring factions.
As Khessa pauses and then calls out to the group down the alley, Xanrym shoots a worried glance at Avery and Theldrin and says, "Well, we're in it now."
The situation seems to be getting somewhat dangerous, as the humanoid gang start pushing a couple of the drow around.
The Drow aren't the only danger in Pedestal, as The Company has already learned. After seeing the Kuo-Toa who threw lightning at the South Gate and then the Blueknight's strange victory outside the Dripstone Inn, Xanrym is wary of confronting a group without learning their capabilities first. Xanrym moves close enough behind Khessaso that he can speak without his voice carrying to the group in the alley. Just after Khessa speaks, but before the humanoids in the alley can respond, he says quietly: "Careful. Probably more Inheritors, like at the South Gate."
With that reminder / warning, Xanrym steps back from Khessa and starts to shift casually toward the corner of the alley so that he can hide if things here escalate.
(OOC: @drumdigby - How wide is the alley? How far away are the Drow and the other humanoids? I'd like to get a better sense of the scene in case it comes to a fight.)
Khessa happily pats Bruthwol on the shoulder, asking if his journey went well, if he had any difficulties, how he's coping... She's generally happy to see someone friendly again—though she's a little surprised by how easily he's managed to prevail over the other merchants. 'Does he have powerful friends, perhaps?' she thinks. 'Well, if so, so much the better!'
After the pleasantries are over, the blonde arcane warrior smiles and thanks him for the handkerchiefs and then buys a new coil of rope and some caltrops from him. "I hope we can meet again!" she says "Until then... I wish you good business, my friend!"
The tall adventuress is ready to head to the docks to get to the Isle!
Avery looks for something to use as a mask or viel to protect him from the spores
Xanrym buys a couple of coils of rope, which he stashes in Khessa's bag when he can do so without attracting attention. He also buys a signal whistle for each member of The Company. After following the Inheritors and their Blueknight the previous night, it had occurred to him that The Company may need a way to signal each other if they get separated in the city.
(OOC: @all - add a signal whistle to your inventory if you don't already have one.)
As he pays for his rope, Xanrym says, "Thank you. And thank you for the advice yesterday! We ran into a little trouble at the Southern Gate, but we were able to make it to the Dripstone Inn and make contact with the...um...person you suggested. I also had an interesting conversation at the inn with a dwarf named Regrak. I just thought I'd mention it: I'm not sure how many dwarves are in Pedestal and how close-knit your clans are." He knows that it's not a natural way to bring it up, but he just wanted to work Regrak's name into the conversation to see whether Bruthwol reacts at all.
Insight: 9
Oh, and after paying for his things, Xanrym is done at the market and ready to head toward the docks.
Theldrin gladly accepts one of the handkerchiefs after looking it over and deciding that it would fit nicely as a face covering. He thanks Bruthwol and then browses casually around the nearby vendors, but keeping close to the rest of the group, and is ready to head to the docks.
Avery will go with the group to the docks when they do
Bruthwol starts at the mention of Regrak, "What business do you have with the Assassin's Guild? Surely you haven't made that many enemies in the city? Or is it to do with the person you're looking for?"
Xanrym replies in polite surprise, "Oh! Well, we have no business with Regrak yet. Just making our own contacts with the local residents of Pedestal. Now that you mention it, he did say something about a Guild. I wondered whether he meant whatever guild you're a member of, Bruthwol."
That's not strictly true since Xanrym definitely knew that Regrak was a member of the Assassin's Guild, so rolling Deception: 17 (Silver Tongue feature).
Xanrym is trying to be a bit vague about what he knows about Regrak and whether The Company contacted the Assassin's Guild on purpose. Like in Orlane, until The Company learns a lot more about the people in this city, he's not inclined to fully trust anyone outside The Company itself. He's just trying to use this conversation about Regrak to figure out where Bruthwol "fits" among the Pedestal factions.
Bruthwol shakes his head, "Well be careful who you speak to friend. Best you keep your head out of all the politics of the city if you don't want to attract the wrong attention. That's what old Bruthwol does." You get the feeling he's being honest about that.
So off to the docks now?
Syllen is ready to go to the docks.
Xanrym is also ready.
So you head back over the other side of the city, you see more of the same as you go: strange humanoids and people of Pedestal, probably somewhat familiar to you now. However, you have to pass within sight of Noble's Bluff and start to see a lot more drow around. At one point, you see down an alleyway, a group of varied dangerous looking humanoids accosting a group of unarmed drow. The situation seems to be getting somewhat dangerous, as the humanoid gang start pushing a couple of the drow around.
Do you get involved in this or carry on with your mission to the docks?
Khessa smiles at the sight of the hated drow who, for once, find themselves in the role of oppressed rather than oppressors! She can't help but pause for a moment to savor the scene. She even entertains the thought of joining their tormentors.
The drow... Those evil, cursed elves who mercilessly razed Twardens, her hamlet, exterminating the population and ignoring the survivors! How many people have suffered because of them?! Khessa has certainly suffered greatly! And her family... her family is still suffering!
Without even realizing it, the blonde arcane warrior has already taken a few steps toward the group, fists clenched.
Then... Then something bothers her. Every time she imagined revenge, she killed drow, yes... sometimes even ruthlessly and painfully... but they were drow she imagined having faced in battle or caught red-handed committing their usual atrocities. These... it pains her to admit it, but these drow, for now, aren't displaying a blatantly evil behavior. Maybe they're evil. Probably they're evil! And yet... she's not sure — and seeing them like this, bullied by others, makes her see them uncomfortably similar to the peasants of Twardens bullied by the drow slavers...
But they've certainly done something. That's why they're about to be punished. They must be guily. The tall adventuress then asks the other group: "What did these drow bastards do this time? Were they trying to enslave people? Did you catch them killing or torturing someone?"
From Khessa's expression, it should be clear that, despite these questions, asked almost purely out of concern, she isn't at all kindly disposed toward the drow...
Avery, seeing the situation, suggests "We need to focus on the job, we might not want to get sucked into a gang dispute even with humans down here. Its also an alley, not a suitable place to fight."
The Company of the Grey Chain has generally intervened to help whenever they could, but the rivalry between the factions in Pedestal isn't clear to Xanrym. It seems more like a power struggle over resources and control, and there's no clear moral reason to support one group over another. From Khessa's stories, Xanrym isn't inclined to support the Drow. He cannot imagine that the Assassin's Guild is the strongest force for "good" in the city. And the Inheritors already tried to kill the party for just mentioning Es Sarch.
As far as Xanrym is concerned, he would just like to avoid conflict with all three factions. He had been hoping to keep them uncertain about The Company's allegiances and purpose in Pedestal. If they're lucky, The Company will find the lost king's bones and the other artifacts and get out of Pedestal before they get drawn into this conflict among these warring factions.
As Khessa pauses and then calls out to the group down the alley, Xanrym shoots a worried glance at Avery and Theldrin and says, "Well, we're in it now."
The Drow aren't the only danger in Pedestal, as The Company has already learned. After seeing the Kuo-Toa who threw lightning at the South Gate and then the Blueknight's strange victory outside the Dripstone Inn, Xanrym is wary of confronting a group without learning their capabilities first. Xanrym moves close enough behind Khessa so that he can speak without his voice carrying to the group in the alley. Just after Khessa speaks, but before the humanoids in the alley can respond, he says quietly: "Careful. Probably more Inheritors, like at the South Gate."
With that reminder / warning, Xanrym steps back from Khessa and starts to shift casually toward the corner of the alley so that he can hide if things here escalate.
(OOC: @drumdigby - How wide is the alley? How far away are the Drow and the other humanoids? I'd like to get a better sense of the scene in case it comes to a fight.)