LOST TRAILS 5: Sembia

[ewancummins]

ALAIN


A gang of drunken revelers lingers near your hiding place for a little while, singing off-key songs about bountiful harvests and pretty farmers' daughters. Shutters rattle. A light flares in the house window above and behind them . The woman staring down from the window frame shrills at the noisy choir, telling them to be off. They don't budge. One raises an ale mug to toast the goodwife. But when she hurls the contents of a chamber-pot just shy of the loudest singer, the whole set staggers away, still singing.


The men seem not to have noticed you.

The woman shuts her window. Out goes the candlelight, and at the same time clouds cross the moon, deepening the gloom in the waterfront street.

The last notes of the drunks' tune fades, leaving the soft sound of the bay water, the patter of mice in the pipes nearby, and the murmur of night wind over the rooftops.

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

THE JEWEL-BUYER

''Zhentish money... Yes, I can arrange that. It will have to be tomorrow morning, not this evening, but I can arrange it. Not all gold. Silver, copper, yes, variety."
The gnome sniffs the jewels again before replacing them in the coffer and closing the lid. He slides the container to Klokulf.
''Old boots, you say? Easy. I will get those for you, no extra charge."

"Excellent," Klokulf grins. He returns the coffer to his pocket. "Since you got to examine what I am selling, I hope you don't mind if I evaluate the payment goods before the sale is final."

[ewancummins]

THE JEWEL-BUYER

''Zhentish money... Yes, I can arrange that. It will have to be tomorrow morning, not this evening, but I can arrange it. Not all gold. Silver, copper, yes, variety."
The gnome sniffs the jewels again before replacing them in the coffer and closing the lid. He slides the container to Klokulf.
''Old boots, you say? Easy. I will get those for you, no extra charge."

"Excellent," Klokulf grins. He returns the coffer to his pocket. "Since you got to examine what I am selling, I hope you don't mind if I evaluate the payment goods before the sale is final."

''Of course. Come to the Grisamber public house on Fisher's Row, at highsun. Look for one of my people in a green striped coat."

[Adam]

RENDEZVOUS AT THE RUINED LIGHTHOUSE

THE ISLE OF CATS

Katrin steps forward as the figure greets them.

"Good day to you. My name is Melissa, and we are seeking to avoid travelling to a place of mists. We were told in town that those to be found in this place had no direct knowledge of such things, but that their words could be trusted and relied on. Perhaps we could speak?

''No.''

A chuckle, a long pause, then,

''I do not know how to send you back. And I would not help you return for a reward, not even the Orb of Savras.''

"May I enquire as to why?" Bennedict says, clearly frustrated. "Surely there can be no harm simply in sending us home?"

[ewancummins]

RENDEZVOUS AT THE RUINED LIGHTHOUSE

THE ISLE OF CATS

Katrin steps forward as the figure greets them.

"Good day to you. My name is Melissa, and we are seeking to avoid travelling to a place of mists. We were told in town that those to be found in this place had no direct knowledge of such things, but that their words could be trusted and relied on. Perhaps we could speak?

''No.''

A chuckle, a long pause, then,

''I do not know how to send you back. And I would not help you return for a reward, not even the Orb of Savras.''

"May I enquire as to why?" Bennedict says, clearly frustrated. "Surely there can be no harm simply in sending us home?"

''I am sorry, but it seems that your party of adventurers is quite useless to the Mistwalkers. I suggest you return to your inn and prepare for a joyous High-harvestide feast, and certainly give no thought to affairs in Phlan or what might be hidden there.''

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

THE JEWEL-BUYER

''Zhentish money... Yes, I can arrange that. It will have to be tomorrow morning, not this evening, but I can arrange it. Not all gold. Silver, copper, yes, variety."
The gnome sniffs the jewels again before replacing them in the coffer and closing the lid. He slides the container to Klokulf.
''Old boots, you say? Easy. I will get those for you, no extra charge."

"Excellent," Klokulf grins. He returns the coffer to his pocket. "Since you got to examine what I am selling, I hope you don't mind if I evaluate the payment goods before the sale is final."

''Of course. Come to the Grisamber public house on Fisher's Row, at highsun. Look for one of my people in a green striped coat."

"Very well then." Klokulf reaches out to shake on the arrangement. "It has been a pleasure doing business with you."

[Adam]

Bennedict looks at the others to see if any of this makes sense to them.

[ewancummins]

THE RUINED LIGHTHOUSE

Bennedict looks at the others to see if any of this makes sense to them.

Raen's expression in the moonlight suggests more of perplexed musings than of sage-like comprehension.

[alhoon]

Bennedict looks at the others to see if any of this makes sense to them.

"Remember, they say the opposite from what they mean Bennedict." Raen smiles. "Or so I seem to recall. But I remember precious little of this Savras but I have heard the name somewhere. Well, the good person here was clear on what the price is: The orb of Savras. Whether we're willing to pay it, I think it should be decided after we learn more about it.

But... our friend just name-dropped a place called Phlan and a festival and that they need us. So, we know where to start."

[ewancummins]

MEETING THE THE RUINED LIGHTHOUSE


The Mistwalker chuckles.

''We won't contact you again if you leave the city.''

And then the figure dissolves into pink-gray fog and dust-motes dancing in the moonlight.
The vaporous cultist flies up the open space of the tower ruin like so much smoke going up a chimney and promptly vanishes.

[kintire]

Katrin nods.

"Everything said in that conversation was a lie. You have to pay respect to the powers people follow if you want them to help you, and the goddess of deception likes deceit. but of course, just because we were doing that does not make what was said true, even if you correct for the games we were playing. Still, perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere...."

[Adam]

Bennedict mutters under his breath to Raen. "I didn't think they meant it this literally."

"If you were to speak with us again, where would you prefer?"

[ewancummins]

Bennedict mutters under his breath to Raen. "I didn't think they meant it this literally."

"If you were to speak with us again, where would you prefer?"

Benn thinks he hears words on the wind, but if he does, it is too faint to understand.

The figure has vanished.

[alhoon]

"He said he won't contact us again when we leave the city. Which could mean, they would contact us again when we leave the city or they will contact us again if we don't leave the city and wait in our inn. They apparently know our inn from what I gathered from this ... way of communication.
However I think this nice fellow wants us to go to a place called Phlan around that festival. Or be back by the time of that festival. No idea."

[Adam]

Bennedict sighs, drumming his fingers in irritation on the stock of his crossbow, before pivoting and heading back to the boat.