Kurstin smiles and confers with the other two students. "I think the answer is 'Teamwork!' Unless you have a different idea?" Unless they can think of anything better, he will then announce this answer to the chest. "Teamwork - it makes the dream work!"
A smile crept across the Chest's magical face before it replied. "Indeed it does! And do not forget it!" A loud "ding" suddenly filled the space, catching the three students temporarily off guard. Looking back down, they noticed that the chest had seemingly reverted to a mundane object, it's top open to reveal the contents inside. Neatly placed on three separate pillows were three golden rings; each etched with a different rune. On the bottom of the hill, another portal spiraled into existence, immediately followed by a familiar booming voice. "Those are for you for a job well done! When you're ready, use the portal to return to campus. We have much to discuss!"...
Kurstin confers with the other students, then picks up the Ring of Water Walking. He slips it on his finger and grins, saying "This would have come in handy a month ago! Well, good luck, guys. See you around the grounds!" With that, he heads to the portal, GHOST hovering along behind him.
"Oh, yeah. Silas definitely owes me. You heard that?" Danse called back to the injured man. "Anyways - I guess it doesn't hurt to ask the rest of the crew. They might be busy and I honestly don't really know where they are - but Moroza has a good eye, and she can deliver messages quickly." Danse's smile wavered. "When she wants to."
Danse proceeds to tear off the most serviceable page in a notebook taken off a noble who threw their diary in a dumpster one day. For all of Danse's show, peeking a little closer reveals a man of near destitution.
Danse quickly scribbled three identical notes, each addressed to the companions who shared the pleasure of eliminating Gaedren from the city's underbelly for good. The paper is torn and certainly crumpled - and scrawled in whatever collection of inks Danse scavenged from the abandoned inkwells of the upper ward's libraries is Danse's invitation. Although the lettering makes a passable attempt at elegant calligraphy, much like Danse's style, his hand is clearly untrained - giving the letter an air of gaudiness which doesn't match the overall condition of the parchment.
"Greetings - this is Danse, at your service. I have located where Yargin plans to escape the punishment of the city - I plan to rob him of the chance of escaping justice, and while I am at it, of his life. Should you care to join me in this excursion, meet Fargrim and I along the Old Docks on the first day of the Games.
And - if anyone else lay their eyes upon this letter, I strongly advise you close them now. Moroza has a way with eyeballs.
Yours truly, -Danse." Once the letter is written, Danse awaited for Moroza's arrival - and, with or without a medic in tow, Danse immediately tosses the irate owl back into the air to deliver the letters to the three with intentions of returning if she cannot find them in a reasonable amount of time.
"OK, we'll see if anyone is able to come. I'll be at the Bull and Bear in the meantime. Stop by if you'd like a meal on the house. Do me a favor, Danse. In your travels around the city, keep an ear out for someone named Black Jack. He's some sort of vigilante boogyman. I ran across him recently while trying to find Yargin. He got the drop on me but let me go and told me that you were on the right track. I don't know who he is but he seems to know a lot about us. I also don't trust anyone who acts they they are an altruist. You ever hear of him?"
Kurstin is trying to relax after the examination and before the Magic Festival. As he sits outside enjoying a mug of cool ale and a small apple tart, an owl swoops in and lands in the bench next to him. It lifts a leg and places it's claw lightly on Kurstin's leg, revealing a couple of paper rolls tied to its leg. Intrigued, the artificer sets his treat down and unties one of the scrolls. As if expecting a payment of some sort, the owl grabs a big apple slice out of the tart and gobbles it down, then a piece of the crust and some filling too!
Kurstin just shakes his head and smiles at the greedy owl. "Go ahead - you deserve it. But the ale is mine!" he reads the note, frowns, and thinks for a moment. He reaches into his pouch and pulls out a small piece or black material, hard and round. He inscribes a set of runes on one side, then speaks to the disk.
"I regret that I cannot aid you in finding Yargrim. Irma found more Lambs living in a warehouse, and they are desperate to find food and survive. Before they do something "more drastic" than steal some food, I must help them tomorrow during the Festival." (Magical Tinkering to imbue the disk with a short voice recording!)
Kurstin ties the disk back to the owl's leg, gently rubs its feathered back, and then urges it to return to its master.
Danse calmly nodded in response to the mention of Blackjack. As a performer on the streets, word tends to spread quickly - and, as one who weaves stories for a trade, Danse has learned to take advantage of hearing tales, adding his own twist, and spinning a more grand version of the tale to the masses the next day. "I've heard of Blackjack! He is my primary candidate to any question in a similar line of 'if you could share a beer with one person, who would it be'?" Danse grinned, folding his tattooed arms behind his neck and making his way from the claustrophobic room, hoping his insolent owl actually managed to pester a doctor enough to drag themselves over. "Self-proclaimed vigilantes are primarily named for show. The real ones don't want their names being known, though if I can be perfectly honest, I'm not one to forgo an opportunity to spread my name. If I find anything, I'll let you know - probably through my owl. I'll meet you at the place when it's time, yeah?"
The day prior to the 13th, Kaisaras would speak with a few of the commanding officers that would be staying behind with Marcus, handing them some instructions to help deal with his brother's usual lazy nature. He also offered them some tasks to offer to him that would keep him busy if he proved to want to try his hand at helping the family. It wasn't that he didn't trust his brother...it's just that he did expect his brother to know what to do with little to no experience.
Come next morning, the Guard, Arcadia and Kaisras all set out to their designated posts for the game, leaving just before dawn so they could get there before people began filing up. Kaisaras knew that his father would be coming by later, but he wanted to make sure that the first day of the games would go well. Still, despite it being so early in the day, Kaisaras couldn't help but smile a little. Call it childish, but he enjoyed the feeling of his upgraded blade at his side as it almost seemed to hum with arcane energy. The gold-on-black sheath hadn't been changed, but a quick and small pull of his newly minted silver hilt would reveal an almost platinum blade, that in the dark of the night prior to dawn, shed a soft moonlight of its own around Kaisaras. The light lasted only a moment as he closed the blade, but it was enough to maintain the small smile he had developed. A glance to his sister as they walked and he would speak up, "This is your mission, I'm just supervising. That said, if you want me to act in any way, feel free to ask....that aside, how's my little sister's love life?~" He chuckled a little as he attempted to tease his sister, wishing to keep the tension light before they actually had to get serious for work.
Once the team had arrived at their assigned block, Kaisaras would have the group gather up and try to get Arcadia to say a few words, giving some himself. Looking at the men and women of the Brigade, he spoke clearly, "Now this is different from the usual work we do, but it's no less important. These are still our people, our neighbors, our families, those we swore to protect. They all had a hard month, so this is their chance to unwind. We do our jobs well, and everyone goes home happy! But that doesn't mean we can't be happy as well!~ Enjoy yourselves, but stick with your partner, never go anywhere alone, and stay vigilant." He'd then let Arcadia hand out specific teams and assignments, hopefully keeping true to the point of not letting anyone be assigned alone.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(3) separate d100s - 95 : 27 : 16
(1) d20 Luck check - 2(Didn't know if there were modifiers...)
Kurstin listened carefully to his professors to make sure he fully understood what was expected of him the next day at the Games. He also stole a few glances around to see who the other students were who had also passed this test - he saw Keith, the priest adept who should have been a bard; Nicci, a cute tiefling with a wicked sense of humor; an elf druid with an unpronounceable name and tattoos of ivy and roses; and Emmett and Clark, human brothers from out by Willow Pond. And, of course, there was Ambrose - a rich, entitled, and exceptionally evil royal twit and Kurstin's life-long rival...the only other man he had ever seriously considered cutting up into little bite-sized chunks and tossing into the harbor. But Kurstin bit his tongue and ignored his nasal voice and obscene jokes.
That night, the young artificer barely slept - excitement and adrenaline coursing through his veins. He finally gave up on falling back to sleep, got up, and went to polishing and tweaking GHOST in anticipation of the Games.
Fargrim will spend most of his time working at the Boar and Bear. After work, he would go to some of his old contacts looking for anything he could purchase that could give him an edge in the coming altercation with Yargin. He would ask for anything that may upgrade his armor or his hammer magically. He was also looking for any healing potions.
The return trip starts as it ended, by passing through the gates and rejoining the road. The feel of his new armor on his shoulders was a comfort as he turned his back on his home and once more headed towards whatever awaited him in the Capital.
The first several days passed in a comfortable rhythm of walking, talking, and taking his turn walking point in front of the wagons. Nothing - and no one - seemed eager to harry their passage or slow their progress. Even the packs of wolves kept a respectful distance at night, the occasional howl more a friendly reminder that the caravan wasn't the only thing that wandered these hills.
Communicating with Fargrim via his owl companion, Danse suggested the two meet on the opposite block to the locale mentioned by Silas (after, of course, Danse convinced Moroza to circle the area in search of guard-like thugs). Danse's own experience with Gaedren left a burning hunch in Danse's mind telling him Yargin certainly set precautions to preserve his own miserable life.
In preparation for the actual event, Danse continued to roam the streets in his usual daily fashion; setting up performance, song, and daring displays of swordsmanship which certainly broke all safety codes wherever he went. In particular, the upcoming street-performer-turned-spellsword took interest in the vendors attracted by the games. Magical attractions brought interesting goods and scrolls like honey did flies, and - beyond the obvious interest of purchasing something or other useful to his own goals - they also brought opportunities for an audience the size of which Danse would loathe to pass up on.
(Most magic items in this game - outside of healing potions - are not readily available for purchase and tend to only be made as requested. For uncommon magic items, the cost to have one made would typically range from 500-750gp (which can be negotiated down a bit with a good roll). For magic potions, thanks to Kaisaras' work earlier, those are currently being sold at a "discounted rate" of 75gp each. If you want to buy anything, just let me know)
Danse& Fargrim:
(Sunday, 13th of Pharast)
At the chosen date and at the chosen time, on a bright and sunny Sunday morning, Danse and Fargrim met at the agreed upon location near the edge of the Old Dock in Old Korvosa. Waiting for them, bandaged up but alive, was Silas. "The boat is right down there..." Leading the two Harrowers a short distance away towards the shoreline, the group came to the end of an alleyway to find an old, small and nondescript ship docked next to one of rickety piers. A couple of sailors were moving about, bringing various boxes of cargo onto the ship via a gangplank.
"That's the ship Yargin's gonna take. He's paid the captain to let him and three men sneak out of the city as ship hands. Don't know if he's on board yet but the ship is expected to leave within the hour."
Let me know what you'd like to do. It's early morning on the dock and while there are small handfuls of people moving about - with (2) in particular moving on/ around the ship in question, it's pretty quiet around there for the most part.
"This is your mission, I'm just supervising. That said, if you want me to act in any way, feel free to ask....that aside, how's my little sister's love life?~" He chuckled a little as he attempted to tease his sister, wishing to keep the tension light before they actually had to get serious for work.
(Action #1)
Arcadia barked a laugh before responding. "When I find anyone worth my time you'll be the first to know brother. And why do you ask? Need some sisterly advice to woo the 'lovely' Miss Farima." She paused to give Kaisaras a wicked smirk. "It's truly shocking how terrible you both are this. It's really not that difficult. Even Marcus has aptitude for it and he has almost no talent at all!"
(Action #2)
Arcadia gave Kaisaras a curt nod before adding, "We all know what we need to do. Be smart, play nice and lets remind everyone exactly why the Brigade is known the world over!" The men and women bolstered by their leaders words, left for their assigned posts throughout the Amphitheater with renewed focus. "You're with me today down near the stage." Arcadia added to Kaisaras. "Don't want you doing anything stupid." While her tone was still mostly light, there was a more focused look on her face than she normally wore.
Stationed down below, Kaisaras watched as the mixed crowd of rich and poor alike began to fill the tiered seating of the amphitheater; a hum of excitement filling the air. Around the time when the stadium was about half full, Arcadia and Kaisaras saw the familiar form of the High Marshal approaching with a couple of the Guard at her side. "Everything seems to be going well so far though competitors and the Queen should be arriving shortly. We'll need to stay on our toes from here on out."...
Give me a perception check with your post.
Kurstin:
(Sunday, 13th of Pharast)
(Action #1)
Right before dawn, Kurstin grabbed everything he needed and left his house towards Theumanexus. He didn't bother to check on Irma before she left; he knew she was with the other Lambs tonight in preparation for their mini heist that would be taking place later today. When he arrived at the front of campus, he found the other students, dressed in their Theumanexus robes and chatting to each other excitedly. Not too long after arriving, Headmaster Ellis Toryr IV stepped out of the central building on campus flanked by a few of the teaching faculty, each dressed in magnificent-looking robes that twinkled with magical light. "Splendid, you've all arrived! We'd best be off! We don't want to keep your adoring fans waiting!" And with a skip in his step, he descended the few steps down to the street and made his way South and West towards Kendall Amphitheater where the Games were to be held.
(Action #2)
As the small group crossed the bridge connecting East Shore from the rest of the city and made their way towards the Games, Kurstin began to hear the sounds of a massing crowd up ahead in the distance. Not long after that, they spotted the first group of people making their way over themselves. It wasn't long until they they were in the middle of a rather raucous crowd who quickly recognized the robed students as competitors from Korvosa and cheered (or heckled) them as they passed. A few blocks away from Kendal Amphitheater, the silhouette of the famous structure visible in the near distance, Headmaster Toryr brought the group to a halt. "It would be good if you gave the crowd a quick display of your abilities! Having the crowd on your side could make all the difference!"
Ambrose was the first to step out with a smug "Watch this" look smeared across his face. With a snap of his fingers, the image of magical bird wreathed in fire appeared out of thin air and circled around him a few times before bursting into a small firework above his head. A hit with the crowd, they whooped and cheered their approval at the young sorcerer's abilities as Ambrose simultaneously gave Kurstin a smug "Beat That" stare...
Assuming you'd like to show off your abilities to the crowd as well, please give me a 1d20+INT roll to your description.
DM Rolls:
Ambrose Showoff check: 18
Radgar:
(Thursday, 10th of Pharast)
Feeling a strange sensation, Radgar opened his eyes to find himself standing within a large stone hallway lined with a series of arched windows on his left side. A quick glance out one of the windows revealed a long stone bridge lined with intimidating gargoyle statues a few stories below crossing what appeared to be a pond or lake of some kind. A deep mist further ahead hid whatever may have laid beyond. Turning his attention back to the hallway, Radgar quickly realized that it was much odder than he had first realized. On the left, in-between each of the arched windows was a beautiful blue banner with the symbol of an unknown group or figure. On the ground was a lush carpet of matching blue fringed with gold. On the opposite side of the wall, similar banners were mounted; in their case though, each banner was either falling apart, smeared with an unknown substance or both. The scant remains of a carpet lined the floor on this side; similar stains smeared throughout. Up ahead were three doors, two on the righthand side and one at the very end of the hall. In the same direction, a soft clinking noise could be heard...
Let me know what you would like to do...
Also make another Wisdom Save for me as well please...
Kurstin had learned a few things from his fellow Harrower, Danse, about showmanship and winning a crowd's favor. He did not have the flashy weapons display or even the tattoos of Danse, but he knew that the right sights and sounds would draw a crowd's attention. So over the past couple days he had created two minor items with his magical tinkering for just this opportunity. The first was a tiny stone set inside a series of reflective glass squares set at various angles on GHOST. When he activated it, the stone emitted bright light in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet, reflected around the flying homunculus in multiple little beams (think of a disco ball!). The other idea he had was to inscribe a wooden reed and copper tube with a series of runes and symbols that would emit a series of musical notes in a repeating pattern to play theme music for Kurstin as he moved down the avenue.
Kurstin smiled back at Ambrose and bit back his first instinctual response, instead turning to the crowd and calling out, "Gentlemen and women, thank you for supporting us today. I assure you this will be a day to remember! Your own sons and daughters will represent you today - and your support will boost us onwards to glory!"
Action#1: Kaisaras rolls his eyes and turns his head, both to admonish his sister and hide a light blush at the idea she was suggesting. He chided her with a smile though, knowing she meant well, "I was simply making small talk, Arcadia. And stop with that, you'll start rumors...Alena and I are just friends, we've all known each other since childhood, she's practically like my second sister." He made a motion of pondering his own words before shaking his head, "Actually I take that back, she's definitely more of a sister than you are~"
Action#2: Putting on their work faces, Kaisaras similarly gave Arcadia a serious nod as he turned his attention towards the walls for a moment before patting her on the back, "I'll be fine, but let's make sure to stay presentable, gods know the brigade isn't hurting for better PR, but a little boost never hurts."
As the hours passed, Kaisaras offered polite smiles and greetings to those around as they looked for their seats, offering light advice or assistance as needed by those in need of it. He kept to his post and stuck with Arcadia until they both spotted the High Marshal. Exchanging a few words of confirmation with their ally in this joint exercise, Kai marks a mental note of appreciation as he reaffirms his focus on looking for trouble or danger.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Wisdom save 18
Radgar stood for a moment, drinking in his surroundings, blinking his eyes a bit before carefully reaching out to touch one of the unsullied banners on the wall. Satisfied that whatever he was experiencing was real enough for his purposes, he begins striding ahead towards the doorway at the end of the hall, drawn by the scratching noises. Muttering under his breath he asks for Gond's help in whatever awaits him (Guidance)
Action#1: Kaisaras rolls his eyes and turns his head, both to admonish his sister and hide a light blush at the idea she was suggesting. He chided her with a smile though, knowing she meant well, "I was simply making small talk, Arcadia. And stop with that, you'll start rumors...Alena and I are just friends, we've all known each other since childhood, she's practically like my second sister." He made a motion of pondering his own words before shaking his head, "Actually I take that back, she's definitely more of a sister than you are~"
Arcadia snorted in derision to Kai's claim. "Rightttt... Just a sister-friend. Whatever you say Brother." She then began to laugh loudly to herself at some secret joke she deigned not to share.
Feel free to add anything here if you'd like
(Action #2)
The early morning went by smoothly without any notable hitches. The High Marshal came and went, and the Ironwards received regular updates of "All-Clear" from their troops within the stadium. Kaisaras later watched as his father arrived in the V.I.P. section of the Amphitheater with other notable House members as well as dignitaries from other nations. As he took his seat, Kaisaras momentarily locked eyes with the man, receiving a nod of approval before moving on to deal with the figures around him.
When the Stadium was roughly 75% full, Kaisaras noticed something odd. As he lazily scanned the crowd and watched another group of people pass in front of him, he realized that he had seen one of the faces before - twice in fact over the last half hour or so. Nondescript, and dressed in baggy clothing of muted colors, he wouldn't have thought anything of it if it wasn't for the fact that they weren't just similar in appearance, they were identical...
Your "Spidey-Senses" are tingling... Let me know what you'd like to do....
The one you just saw is about 50ft away and climbing up the steps toward the stadium seating.
You've lost track of where the other two have gone (though you can make an investigation check to search the crowd if you'd like to try and find them).
Kurstin:
Action #1
The crowd responded more than favorably to Kurstin's magical display and greeted him with a reception that matched - if not slightly exceeded - the one they had given to Ambrose only moments before. They were particularly enraptured by GHOST and "oohed" and "ahhed" as he bobbed around colorfully around them. Kurstin vaguely heard a mumble come from Ambrose's direction, but it was quickly drowned out by the cheering crowd.
The other students quickly followed suit, showing off their own magical displays and abilities, and by the end, the crowd was chanting the college's name as they marched towards Kendal Amphitheater. "Well done everyone, well done! It seems you've all made some new fans!" Headmaster Toryr exclaimed with a gleam in his eye. "Now let us make this last little trek over to the Amphitheater and get our final preperations underway!" With a another skip in his step, Toryr hustled ahead towards the Games and whatever excitement awaited Kaisaras and the rest of the students...
Feel free to add anything here if you'd like.
Action #2
Arriving at Kendal Amphitheater, the students of Theumanexus were quickly shepherded below the arena to Kendal's famous Vault where the staging for the day's events would be taking place. Finding a surprisingly large space filled with various support arches and pillars, Kurstin found the space rather jammed packed with the other student competitors who had already arrived, standing underneath banners indicating their Magical College. In robes of pure black fringed with white where the students of the Egorian Academy of the Magical Arts from the country of Chelix, the original colonists of Varisia and Korvosa. In robes of gold fringed with white, were the students of the Arcanamirium in Absalom, the most prestigious academy in the most prestigious city in the world. Many and more institutions were present as well - more than a few of which he had never heard of before - each unique in their dress, manner, choice of student and focus of study. Last but not least, huddled in the center of the space, with an air of importance that would that make Ambrose's meager by comparison, were the students of the Acadamae, wearing robes of dark blue fringed with orange.
Brought to their assigned area next to a group of elves in green under the banner of the Tower of Fate from the Kyonin Woods and mages in all white under the banner of Alabaster Academy in Absalom, a ringing sound spread through the space, quieting the students. Up above, the dull roar of the milling crowd could be heard, growing ever so slightly as more folks arrived. On a raised platform at one end of the vault, two men in ornate robes stood to address the crowd. One was Headmaster Toryr as giddy as ever and practically bouncing up and down on his slippered feet. The other was a gaunt and elderly bearded man in dark blue robes: the Headmaster of the Acadamae and the head of one of the Six Great Houses of Korvosa: Lord Toff Ornelos. "Greetings everyone and welcome to the Chelixian Magical Games! We, as the host city this year, are thrilled to have you as our honored guest. I'm sure these games will be something we will all never forget!" A quick murmur of excitement spread throughout the Vault before a magically enhanced cough from Lord Ornelos quickly ended it. With a slight look of annoyance on his face - the root of which was hard to determine - he then spoke to the gathered crowd. "Yes. Yes. It should be a grand few days indeed. Now, as you all well know, these games are both an individual and team event with abundant opportunities for fame and glory to be had if you are but willing to take it. The first event will begin shortly, before it begins though, you all will need to be sorted into your proper event..." As he finished speaking, a box appeared above each grouping of students, slowly floating down until it hovered lazily at waist level; a small hole was cut out of the top of each box. After no one moved for a moment, Headmaster Toryr added, "Don't be shy, nothing will bite you in there. Probably..."
Can you roll me a 1d6 please. This will decide which event you'll be in.
Action #3
"Splendid everyone. We'll be getting the show on the road so to speak soon enough. So relax, and most importantly, have fun!" In a puff of smoke, both Headmasters vanished, leaving the students alone and antsy for their trials to begin...
You have a bit of time before your event is up. Time for anything you may want to do last minute. You can also mingle if you'd like!
Radgar:
As Radgar made his way towards the end of the hall and past the two side doors, he glanced back once and noticed that the area where he had once stood moments before was now shrouded in a similar mist to what he had seen outside. He was unsure what would happen if he attempted to walk through it. At the door at the far end of the hall, he found it unlocked, though stuck. With a bit of force and effort, he managed to push the door open enough to squeeze himself through - hammer in all - to find himself in a large and empty room. Cavernous, there was little in this space besides a skylight which shined a soft light onto a throne-like chair. And in this chair, sat a figure in a remarkable set of full plate armor of muted gold, head down and taping their armored foot lightly on the ground. Somehow more remarkable than the armor though, was what was laid across the figure's leg: a bar of light that shined brighter than anything Radgar had ever seen before...
Let me know what you would like to do...
Also make another Wisdom Save for me as well please...
Kurstin smiles and confers with the other two students. "I think the answer is 'Teamwork!' Unless you have a different idea?" Unless they can think of anything better, he will then announce this answer to the chest. "Teamwork - it makes the dream work!"
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Kurstin:
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Kurstin confers with the other students, then picks up the Ring of Water Walking. He slips it on his finger and grins, saying "This would have come in handy a month ago! Well, good luck, guys. See you around the grounds!" With that, he heads to the portal, GHOST hovering along behind him.
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
"Oh, yeah. Silas definitely owes me. You heard that?" Danse called back to the injured man. "Anyways - I guess it doesn't hurt to ask the rest of the crew. They might be busy and I honestly don't really know where they are - but Moroza has a good eye, and she can deliver messages quickly." Danse's smile wavered. "When she wants to."
Danse proceeds to tear off the most serviceable page in a notebook taken off a noble who threw their diary in a dumpster one day. For all of Danse's show, peeking a little closer reveals a man of near destitution.
Danse quickly scribbled three identical notes, each addressed to the companions who shared the pleasure of eliminating Gaedren from the city's underbelly for good. The paper is torn and certainly crumpled - and scrawled in whatever collection of inks Danse scavenged from the abandoned inkwells of the upper ward's libraries is Danse's invitation. Although the lettering makes a passable attempt at elegant calligraphy, much like Danse's style, his hand is clearly untrained - giving the letter an air of gaudiness which doesn't match the overall condition of the parchment.
"Greetings - this is Danse, at your service. I have located where Yargin plans to escape the punishment of the city - I plan to rob him of the chance of escaping justice, and while I am at it, of his life. Should you care to join me in this excursion, meet Fargrim and I along the Old Docks on the first day of the Games.
And - if anyone else lay their eyes upon this letter, I strongly advise you close them now. Moroza has a way with eyeballs.
Yours truly,
-Danse."
Once the letter is written, Danse awaited for Moroza's arrival - and, with or without a medic in tow, Danse immediately tosses the irate owl back into the air to deliver the letters to the three with intentions of returning if she cannot find them in a reasonable amount of time.
"OK, we'll see if anyone is able to come. I'll be at the Bull and Bear in the meantime. Stop by if you'd like a meal on the house. Do me a favor, Danse. In your travels around the city, keep an ear out for someone named Black Jack. He's some sort of vigilante boogyman. I ran across him recently while trying to find Yargin. He got the drop on me but let me go and told me that you were on the right track. I don't know who he is but he seems to know a lot about us. I also don't trust anyone who acts they they are an altruist. You ever hear of him?"
Kurstin is trying to relax after the examination and before the Magic Festival. As he sits outside enjoying a mug of cool ale and a small apple tart, an owl swoops in and lands in the bench next to him. It lifts a leg and places it's claw lightly on Kurstin's leg, revealing a couple of paper rolls tied to its leg. Intrigued, the artificer sets his treat down and unties one of the scrolls. As if expecting a payment of some sort, the owl grabs a big apple slice out of the tart and gobbles it down, then a piece of the crust and some filling too!
Kurstin just shakes his head and smiles at the greedy owl. "Go ahead - you deserve it. But the ale is mine!" he reads the note, frowns, and thinks for a moment. He reaches into his pouch and pulls out a small piece or black material, hard and round. He inscribes a set of runes on one side, then speaks to the disk.
"I regret that I cannot aid you in finding Yargrim. Irma found more Lambs living in a warehouse, and they are desperate to find food and survive. Before they do something "more drastic" than steal some food, I must help them tomorrow during the Festival." (Magical Tinkering to imbue the disk with a short voice recording!)
Kurstin ties the disk back to the owl's leg, gently rubs its feathered back, and then urges it to return to its master.
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Danse calmly nodded in response to the mention of Blackjack. As a performer on the streets, word tends to spread quickly - and, as one who weaves stories for a trade, Danse has learned to take advantage of hearing tales, adding his own twist, and spinning a more grand version of the tale to the masses the next day. "I've heard of Blackjack! He is my primary candidate to any question in a similar line of 'if you could share a beer with one person, who would it be'?" Danse grinned, folding his tattooed arms behind his neck and making his way from the claustrophobic room, hoping his insolent owl actually managed to pester a doctor enough to drag themselves over. "Self-proclaimed vigilantes are primarily named for show. The real ones don't want their names being known, though if I can be perfectly honest, I'm not one to forgo an opportunity to spread my name. If I find anything, I'll let you know - probably through my owl. I'll meet you at the place when it's time, yeah?"
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Chapter 66: Meetings, Reunions & Skirmishes
Reference Docs & Info
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Week #4:
The day prior to the 13th, Kaisaras would speak with a few of the commanding officers that would be staying behind with Marcus, handing them some instructions to help deal with his brother's usual lazy nature. He also offered them some tasks to offer to him that would keep him busy if he proved to want to try his hand at helping the family. It wasn't that he didn't trust his brother...it's just that he did expect his brother to know what to do with little to no experience.
Come next morning, the Guard, Arcadia and Kaisras all set out to their designated posts for the game, leaving just before dawn so they could get there before people began filing up. Kaisaras knew that his father would be coming by later, but he wanted to make sure that the first day of the games would go well. Still, despite it being so early in the day, Kaisaras couldn't help but smile a little. Call it childish, but he enjoyed the feeling of his upgraded blade at his side as it almost seemed to hum with arcane energy. The gold-on-black sheath hadn't been changed, but a quick and small pull of his newly minted silver hilt would reveal an almost platinum blade, that in the dark of the night prior to dawn, shed a soft moonlight of its own around Kaisaras. The light lasted only a moment as he closed the blade, but it was enough to maintain the small smile he had developed. A glance to his sister as they walked and he would speak up, "This is your mission, I'm just supervising. That said, if you want me to act in any way, feel free to ask....that aside, how's my little sister's love life?~" He chuckled a little as he attempted to tease his sister, wishing to keep the tension light before they actually had to get serious for work.
Once the team had arrived at their assigned block, Kaisaras would have the group gather up and try to get Arcadia to say a few words, giving some himself. Looking at the men and women of the Brigade, he spoke clearly, "Now this is different from the usual work we do, but it's no less important. These are still our people, our neighbors, our families, those we swore to protect. They all had a hard month, so this is their chance to unwind. We do our jobs well, and everyone goes home happy! But that doesn't mean we can't be happy as well!~ Enjoy yourselves, but stick with your partner, never go anywhere alone, and stay vigilant." He'd then let Arcadia hand out specific teams and assignments, hopefully keeping true to the point of not letting anyone be assigned alone.
Kurstin listened carefully to his professors to make sure he fully understood what was expected of him the next day at the Games. He also stole a few glances around to see who the other students were who had also passed this test - he saw Keith, the priest adept who should have been a bard; Nicci, a cute tiefling with a wicked sense of humor; an elf druid with an unpronounceable name and tattoos of ivy and roses; and Emmett and Clark, human brothers from out by Willow Pond. And, of course, there was Ambrose - a rich, entitled, and exceptionally evil royal twit and Kurstin's life-long rival...the only other man he had ever seriously considered cutting up into little bite-sized chunks and tossing into the harbor. But Kurstin bit his tongue and ignored his nasal voice and obscene jokes.
That night, the young artificer barely slept - excitement and adrenaline coursing through his veins. He finally gave up on falling back to sleep, got up, and went to polishing and tweaking GHOST in anticipation of the Games.
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Fargrim will spend most of his time working at the Boar and Bear. After work, he would go to some of his old contacts looking for anything he could purchase that could give him an edge in the coming altercation with Yargin. He would ask for anything that may upgrade his armor or his hammer magically. He was also looking for any healing potions.
The return trip starts as it ended, by passing through the gates and rejoining the road. The feel of his new armor on his shoulders was a comfort as he turned his back on his home and once more headed towards whatever awaited him in the Capital.
The first several days passed in a comfortable rhythm of walking, talking, and taking his turn walking point in front of the wagons. Nothing - and no one - seemed eager to harry their passage or slow their progress. Even the packs of wolves kept a respectful distance at night, the occasional howl more a friendly reminder that the caravan wasn't the only thing that wandered these hills.
10, 16, 14
85
Wis 10
Communicating with Fargrim via his owl companion, Danse suggested the two meet on the opposite block to the locale mentioned by Silas (after, of course, Danse convinced Moroza to circle the area in search of guard-like thugs). Danse's own experience with Gaedren left a burning hunch in Danse's mind telling him Yargin certainly set precautions to preserve his own miserable life.
In preparation for the actual event, Danse continued to roam the streets in his usual daily fashion; setting up performance, song, and daring displays of swordsmanship which certainly broke all safety codes wherever he went. In particular, the upcoming street-performer-turned-spellsword took interest in the vendors attracted by the games. Magical attractions brought interesting goods and scrolls like honey did flies, and - beyond the obvious interest of purchasing something or other useful to his own goals - they also brought opportunities for an audience the size of which Danse would loathe to pass up on.
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Danse:
Fargrim:
Danse & Fargrim:
"That's the ship Yargin's gonna take. He's paid the captain to let him and three men sneak out of the city as ship hands. Don't know if he's on board yet but the ship is expected to leave within the hour."
Let me know what you'd like to do. It's early morning on the dock and while there are small handfuls of people moving about - with (2) in particular moving on/ around the ship in question, it's pretty quiet around there for the most part.
Kaisaras:
(Action #2)
Kurstin:
Right before dawn, Kurstin grabbed everything he needed and left his house towards Theumanexus. He didn't bother to check on Irma before she left; he knew she was with the other Lambs tonight in preparation for their mini heist that would be taking place later today. When he arrived at the front of campus, he found the other students, dressed in their Theumanexus robes and chatting to each other excitedly. Not too long after arriving, Headmaster Ellis Toryr IV stepped out of the central building on campus flanked by a few of the teaching faculty, each dressed in magnificent-looking robes that twinkled with magical light. "Splendid, you've all arrived! We'd best be off! We don't want to keep your adoring fans waiting!" And with a skip in his step, he descended the few steps down to the street and made his way South and West towards Kendall Amphitheater where the Games were to be held.
As the small group crossed the bridge connecting East Shore from the rest of the city and made their way towards the Games, Kurstin began to hear the sounds of a massing crowd up ahead in the distance. Not long after that, they spotted the first group of people making their way over themselves. It wasn't long until they they were in the middle of a rather raucous crowd who quickly recognized the robed students as competitors from Korvosa and cheered (or heckled) them as they passed. A few blocks away from Kendal Amphitheater, the silhouette of the famous structure visible in the near distance, Headmaster Toryr brought the group to a halt. "It would be good if you gave the crowd a quick display of your abilities! Having the crowd on your side could make all the difference!"
Ambrose was the first to step out with a smug "Watch this" look smeared across his face. With a snap of his fingers, the image of magical bird wreathed in fire appeared out of thin air and circled around him a few times before bursting into a small firework above his head. A hit with the crowd, they whooped and cheered their approval at the young sorcerer's abilities as Ambrose simultaneously gave Kurstin a smug "Beat That" stare...
DM Rolls:
Radgar:
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Fargrim will want to buy 2 healing potions for 150gp.
To Danse: "Whatdya want to do? I can try to talk to the captain. Or we can try to look to see if he's already on the boat can go in swinging."
Roll: 21 .
Kurstin had learned a few things from his fellow Harrower, Danse, about showmanship and winning a crowd's favor. He did not have the flashy weapons display or even the tattoos of Danse, but he knew that the right sights and sounds would draw a crowd's attention. So over the past couple days he had created two minor items with his magical tinkering for just this opportunity. The first was a tiny stone set inside a series of reflective glass squares set at various angles on GHOST. When he activated it, the stone emitted bright light in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet, reflected around the flying homunculus in multiple little beams (think of a disco ball!). The other idea he had was to inscribe a wooden reed and copper tube with a series of runes and symbols that would emit a series of musical notes in a repeating pattern to play theme music for Kurstin as he moved down the avenue.
Kurstin smiled back at Ambrose and bit back his first instinctual response, instead turning to the crowd and calling out, "Gentlemen and women, thank you for supporting us today. I assure you this will be a day to remember! Your own sons and daughters will represent you today - and your support will boost us onwards to glory!"
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Action#1:
Kaisaras rolls his eyes and turns his head, both to admonish his sister and hide a light blush at the idea she was suggesting. He chided her with a smile though, knowing she meant well, "I was simply making small talk, Arcadia. And stop with that, you'll start rumors...Alena and I are just friends, we've all known each other since childhood, she's practically like my second sister." He made a motion of pondering his own words before shaking his head, "Actually I take that back, she's definitely more of a sister than you are~"
Action#2:
Putting on their work faces, Kaisaras similarly gave Arcadia a serious nod as he turned his attention towards the walls for a moment before patting her on the back, "I'll be fine, but let's make sure to stay presentable, gods know the brigade isn't hurting for better PR, but a little boost never hurts."
As the hours passed, Kaisaras offered polite smiles and greetings to those around as they looked for their seats, offering light advice or assistance as needed by those in need of it. He kept to his post and stuck with Arcadia until they both spotted the High Marshal. Exchanging a few words of confirmation with their ally in this joint exercise, Kai marks a mental note of appreciation as he reaffirms his focus on looking for trouble or danger.
Perception: 20
Wisdom save 18
Radgar stood for a moment, drinking in his surroundings, blinking his eyes a bit before carefully reaching out to touch one of the unsullied banners on the wall. Satisfied that whatever he was experiencing was real enough for his purposes, he begins striding ahead towards the doorway at the end of the hall, drawn by the scratching noises. Muttering under his breath he asks for Gond's help in whatever awaits him (Guidance)
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Danse:
Fargrim:
Danse & Fargrim:
Kaisaras:
Arcadia snorted in derision to Kai's claim. "Rightttt... Just a sister-friend. Whatever you say Brother." She then began to laugh loudly to herself at some secret joke she deigned not to share.
(Action #2)
When the Stadium was roughly 75% full, Kaisaras noticed something odd. As he lazily scanned the crowd and watched another group of people pass in front of him, he realized that he had seen one of the faces before - twice in fact over the last half hour or so. Nondescript, and dressed in baggy clothing of muted colors, he wouldn't have thought anything of it if it wasn't for the fact that they weren't just similar in appearance, they were identical...
Kurstin:
The other students quickly followed suit, showing off their own magical displays and abilities, and by the end, the crowd was chanting the college's name as they marched towards Kendal Amphitheater. "Well done everyone, well done! It seems you've all made some new fans!" Headmaster Toryr exclaimed with a gleam in his eye. "Now let us make this last little trek over to the Amphitheater and get our final preperations underway!" With a another skip in his step, Toryr hustled ahead towards the Games and whatever excitement awaited Kaisaras and the rest of the students...
Brought to their assigned area next to a group of elves in green under the banner of the Tower of Fate from the Kyonin Woods and mages in all white under the banner of Alabaster Academy in Absalom, a ringing sound spread through the space, quieting the students. Up above, the dull roar of the milling crowd could be heard, growing ever so slightly as more folks arrived. On a raised platform at one end of the vault, two men in ornate robes stood to address the crowd. One was Headmaster Toryr as giddy as ever and practically bouncing up and down on his slippered feet. The other was a gaunt and elderly bearded man in dark blue robes: the Headmaster of the Acadamae and the head of one of the Six Great Houses of Korvosa: Lord Toff Ornelos. "Greetings everyone and welcome to the Chelixian Magical Games! We, as the host city this year, are thrilled to have you as our honored guest. I'm sure these games will be something we will all never forget!" A quick murmur of excitement spread throughout the Vault before a magically enhanced cough from Lord Ornelos quickly ended it. With a slight look of annoyance on his face - the root of which was hard to determine - he then spoke to the gathered crowd. "Yes. Yes. It should be a grand few days indeed. Now, as you all well know, these games are both an individual and team event with abundant opportunities for fame and glory to be had if you are but willing to take it. The first event will begin shortly, before it begins though, you all will need to be sorted into your proper event..." As he finished speaking, a box appeared above each grouping of students, slowly floating down until it hovered lazily at waist level; a small hole was cut out of the top of each box. After no one moved for a moment, Headmaster Toryr added, "Don't be shy, nothing will bite you in there. Probably..."
Radgar:
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM