Chapter 6: The Limitless Rise

[Brian]

Condign enters the shop, slipping his large body past the others to stand near Kalarian. One hand rests on the hilt of his longsword, while the other holds his shield. The burnished metal bracers he wears on his wrists seem to flicker with flames; then again, it may have been a trick of the light. Gold-colored eyes fix on the elf. The tieflings slides his right foot back a half-step so that most of his body is angled behind his shield. Warriors would instantly recognize a standard protective stance.

---------------------------

Hi, Mike!

[Mike]

Feb 22, 2010 1:26:56 GMT -4 Jeff said:

In turn, the elf easily recognizes the Octogram on the warforged's chest, symbol of the Sovereign Host—a curious thing, to be sure. It's well known that most warforged pay little heed to talk of gods and souls, choosing a more grounded existence; agnostic at best.

What also stands out to him is the unusual amulet that the male halfling wears openly around his neck: Polished black obsidian with an arrangement of pure white dots. He seems to remember that it is some sort of tile-shaped game piece to an ancient mode of recreation. Moreover, the elf remembers that such symbols may refer to Olladra, the Sovereign goddess of fortune.

The elf gives a friendly nod to both the halfling and the warforged as they enter the establishment. "Warriors of faith," he says to them both, "I salute you. Best of fortunes to you in the journeys and the battles ahead of you ... although you, good halfling, may not need further blessings of fortune from an elf." He smiles.

(A)nd....a heavily armored, red-skinned humanoid with large horns and a long tail. He's seen very few in Sharn so far: tieflings, descended from devil-bargaining humans long before humans ever came to Khorvaire. Not an everyday sight, but clearly a companion of the others.

The elf looks wryly at the tiefling. "A fellow stranger to Sharn, I presume," he says to the tiefling. The elf bows his head slightly, as if in deference to him. "May you find what you seek here, then."

The elf looks once more at a box of trinkets near the door, rummaging through its contents as if looking for something in particular. Once the whole party of adventurers has entered Shining Detritus, though, he heads for the door, a hard, determined look upon his face.

---------------------------

Hi, guys! Good to be here!

[Ken]

Belarin maintains a casual air as he walks alongside one shelf of oddities. He continues to concentrate on arcane energies in the shop, allowing his attention to wander only to note the fairly pleasant greeting spoken by the otherwise-intimidating elf, as well as to mentally swat aside mocking jeers about the elf spoken by the fey voices in his own consciousness.

The elf will see a young human male, in his early 20s and handsome (by woeful human standards, of course). He has unkempt black hair that reaches almost to his shoulders and he's dressed in a fine suit of black, grey, and green clothing, with a cloak of a slightly darker green with multihued trim. To the elf's experienced eyes, the clothing doesn't seem to be the creation of a simple human tailor. The ornate hilt of a dagger is visible at his beltline. The man's face frowns slightly as though he's in the middle of an unpleasant conversation.

__________________________
Since the Arcana check takes a minute, Belarin will keep concentrating until there are results.

[Jeff]

Beyond the presence of magic among his companions, Belarin detects a few more. Some very minor auras resonate among the curios that fill the shop's aisles, so faint as to suggest novelties, not items of power.

The Aereni elf, however, clearly carries trappings of magical note. The greatsword sheathed at his back is potent, and there a couple of auras on his person that Belarin can't see but he can feel. A pair of linen bracers suggest the presence of magic, but the simple, yet elegant amulet he wears around his neck seems the strongest.

[Dave W.]

Feb 22, 2010 10:49:53 GMT -4 Mike said:

The elf gives a friendly nod to both the halfling and the warforged as they enter the establishment. "Warriors of faith," he says to them both, "I salute you. Best of fortunes to you in the journeys and the battles ahead of you ... although you, good halfling, may not need further blessings of fortune from an elf." He smiles.

Adamant bows to the elf, "Master elf, I for one will be grateful for any well-intentioned blessings and offer the good-will of the Host to you." The warforged's voice is deep and unexpectedly warm; almost musical. "I have not met many elves and none quite as singular as you appear. I do not intend to be rude and should enjoy discussing faiths with you, but we can not tarry. We are not here to shop, we have a mission here." He leans in and adds quietly, "There may be a ghost about."

[Mike]

Feb 22, 2010 17:43:59 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

He leans in and adds quietly, "There may be a ghost about."

"That's what Gerus tells me," replies the elf. "But be it ghost, or some other foul creature, you need not be troubled much longer. I'll rid Sharn of the wretched thing, regardless of whatever it may be." A grin briefly crosses the elf's lips, but it is one utterly devoid of humor.

The elf shakes his head, and sighs. "Forgive me," he says to the warforged. "I forget my manners at times. I am Syrdan Sar Dathiel, a servant of the Undying Court. Perhaps we can discuss matters of a theological nature at a later time, after I dispatch this 'ghost' to its proper place with the dead. That is, of course, if you and your unusual brothers-in-arms are staying in Sharn ... ?"

[Jeff]

As Belarin assesses the elf, he also realizes that until now, he hasn't turned his senses on Adamant, and Varna, yet they are close enough now.

Adamant himself radiates an elusive aura, faint not for lack of vitality but merely because it is a residual presence. Warforged are given life with the harnessing of considerable magic, creation forges somehow trigged by the Mark of Making. But now that his body is animate, his mind made his own, the magic is merely an echo. The longsword he wears on his belt is by far his most potent possession, though his adamantine plating, the gem installed in his chest, and the rune-covered disk he wears all resonate magic.

Something hidden in Varna's pocket reveals an aura, along with a stronger arcane radiance from the dagger she carries at her belt.

[Darren]

A sly grin finds its way to Kal's face. "Well, my friend, you can relax, then. We are here now and we will handle this supposed ghost. Thank you for your concern, but we are more than capable."

[Joe]

Streko bows to the elf. His thick black hair falls unruly across his forhead and he shakes it back as he rises back up. The action makes him appear almost childlike, but anyone with decent eyes can tell that Streko is in full adulthood.

"We have experience dealing with the foulness of the Undead. I, for one, share your sentiments, good elf. My name is Streko and, as you surmised, I am a devout follower of Olladra, the Goddess of Fortune. As you may also have surmised by the appearnace of our group, we are on a mission to assist in the location and power of this apparition and its immediate removal from this realm of existence."

[Dave W.]

Adressing the elf, "Master Syrdan, I am called Adamant. I am a simple Vassal of Dol Arrah. We were asked to investigate Shopkeeper Gerus' troubles. It is my duty to see to it that these people suffer as little harm as possible."

[Ken]

Belarin seems lost in thought and his eyes wander as the others talk. His gaze lingers for a moment on Varna's midsection, but it's unclear whether he's daydreaming or has just suddenly realized that Varna is wearing form-fitting leather clothing. He looks up suddenly and says to Syrdan, "Oh, hello. Belarin Malizia. Acquirer of cursed objects. Thought for sure I'd find another one in here... A pleasure to make your acquaintance. If there is undead activity, I for one would not turn away your participation, if that's your intent. Zombie dust makes me sneeze."

[Darren]

Kalarian glances in Belarin's direction and does a double-take as he notices the other man staring at Varna. The look turns into a glare until Belarin finally looks away. Kal visibly smooths his features and his cheeks color again as he hopes that the halfling did not notice.

[Brian]

"And I am called Condign," the tiefling says with a brief bow to the elf . "I have recently traveled from the Demon Wastes to the Five Nations. After a brief period of incarceration -- a misunderstanding, I assure you -- I met my companions . You may wish to consider our offer of assistance. From my limited experiences here, nothing is ever as easy as it seems."

[Jeff]

"The Tavvens sent you?" The gruff voice is followed by a dwarf, who's made his way to the front of his shop, where everyone seems to have crowded themselves. "Yes, and I do need help, now that we're come to it. Very kind of them to find someone for me."

Gerus looks like an absent-minded professor who's down on his luck, if a bit worse for wear. His red and gray-streaked beard is fairly short, his face is lined but not unfriendly, obviously not as dour as some dwarves. A pair of thick-lensed spectacles perches on his nose.

The dwarf squints through his lenses, taking in your appearances. "My, the Tavvens have made some interesting friends." He tries to wink to show that he means no offense, but his eyelid doesn't quite close right with the spectacles pressed so close to his eye. Then he looks to Syrdan. "Did the Tavvens send you to me, as well?" He looks a bit puzzled.

[Darren]

"The Tavvens are like family," Kal says, taking a few steps towards the dwarf. "For some of us, they ARE family," he says with a smile and a look towards Streko and Varna. "If you are a friend of theirs, you are a friend of ours. So please, tell us how we can be of assistance to you."

Looking at the sagely dwarf, Kalarian is reminded of something he was told during his encounter with the fey. Without moving, he begins to peer around the shop, trying to spot any coins that might look out of place. It seems crazy, even to him, but the actions seem almost involuntary.

[Mike]

"You may wish to consider our offer of assistance. From my limited experiences here, nothing is ever as easy as it seems."

"Very true," says Syrdan. "It seems we may have common purposes, at least at the moment. We all seek to rid the North Market of whatever menace plagues it."

"I know better than to turn down the offer of friendly blades. You have the strength in numbers - I think I may be joining you, if you'll have my company, rather than you joining me. But as long as we work towards the same goal, that's fine with me."

"Condign, Streko, Adamant, Belarin ..." Syrdan makes a slight but formal bow to them. "It is my honor to make your acquaintance."

Then (Gerus) looks to Syrdan. "Did the Tavvens send you to me, as well?" He looks a bit puzzled.

"I'm afraid not, Gerus," Syrdan says to Gerus. "Providence brought me here, not the good Tavvens. Or perhaps it was even prophecy, depending on what you believe."

"But I believe that providence may have brought us all here, now that I think about it." His gloved fingers drum thoughtfully against the wooden mask at his belt.

[Darren]

Feb 23, 2010 10:53:16 GMT -4 Mike said:

"Condign, Streko, Adamant, Belarin ..." Syrdan makes a slight but formal bow to them. "It is my honor to make your acquaintance."

Kal clears his throat, but makes no other comment.

[Jeff]

Kal doesn't see anything immediately, but there's plenty of small boxes on the shelves filled with smaller trinkets that could be sorted through.

Kal:

"If you are a friend of theirs, you are a friend of ours. So please, tell us how we can be of assistance to you."

"I don't right know, Lord d'Deneith," the dwarf says, straightening now everyone can see him. He tries in vain to smooth away the wrinkles in his waistcoat. "That is, I don't know where to begin. Something's been seen out there." He points a thumb out the front door. "Some sort of man or creature, they say. But whatever it is, it's enough to frighten away the casual customers. Most of the Market's not too bothered, but no one comes down this corner anymore. Been a week and more."

He looks at Syrdan. "This polite fellow has offered to look around out there; I directed him toward the closest entrance to the City." He grows silent, then clarifies. "...of the Dead. Normally it's no problem, but if this creature came from there....guess that's the source." He looks between Syrdan and Kal. "I can't offer you much. I told Master Syrdan here that I'd give him one pick from my shop free of charge. I'd offer the rest of you the same...I think that's all I can afford."

He eyes Adamant. "Have a few old parts...came from first generation 'forged. Useless and rusted, but maybe you'd find them interesting?"

[Darren]

"We didn't come for reward, good Gerus, but because we were requested to do so by friends." Something still nags at Kal's mind, and he moves closer to the dwarf, lowering his voice so only the dwarf can hear and placing his back to his companions in the room. "Still, perhaps you can be of assistance to me, in return? Know you anything of dragons, or draconic prophecy?"

[Ken]

Feb 23, 2010 14:34:53 GMT -4 Jeff said:

"Some sort of man or creature, they say. But whatever it is, it's enough to frighten away the casual customers. Most of the Market's not too bothered, but no one comes down this corner anymore. Been a week and more."
...
"I can't offer you much. I told Master Syrdan here that I'd give him one pick from my shop free of charge. I'd offer the rest of you the same...I think that's all I can afford."

Kal said:

"We didn't come for reward, good Gerus, but because we were requested to do so by friends."

"Of course, that's right, Gerus," says Belarin, "but I wouldn't be so rude as to disdain your gratitude. Thank you. Now, regarding the creature... so, you haven't seen it yourself? It sounds as though it's a spirit of some kind. Has it ever said anything or does it just..." He opens his eyes wide, fans his fingers on either side of his head, and lunges forward. "... do THAT to customers?"

[Jeff]

Kal:

Still, perhaps you can be of assistance to me, in return? Know you anything of dragons, or draconic prophecy?"

"Me? Oh, Sovereigns no." Gerus pauses. "But you know...I've an old colleague I could refer you to. A professor of Morgrave University. I don't know if the old Draconic Prophecy is her primary field of study, but she did give a few lectures on the subject. If you help me with my business problem, I'd be happy to recommend you to her."

Belarin:

"It sounds as though it's a spirit of some kind. Has it ever said anything or does it just..." He opens his eyes wide, fans his fingers on either side of his head, and lunges forward. "... do THAT to customers?"

Gerus blinks. "Not that I...uh, know of, young man. It's never come into my shop. It's just that, lots of people around here have heard about the disappearances. It's enough to keep them away. I couldn't tell you if it's a spirit or not, but that's what they're saying."

"Psst, Streko," Varna says softly, and trying to get the attention of those nearest to her. The halfling still stands outside the shop, but has been listening through the door as you've spoken. When Streko turns to look at her, she points a finger back behind her, concealing the motion.

Across the intersection, Syrdan, Streko, and Adamant, who stand closest to the door now, see a figure standing beneath an awning. A man, human, seems to be watching the rest of you.

"Someone's interested in us," Varna whispers. "Looks skittish, though."

[Dave W.]

Feb 23, 2010 14:34:53 GMT -4 Jeff said:

[Gerus] looks between Syrdan and Kal. "I can't offer you much. I told Master Syrdan here that I'd give him one pick from my shop free of charge. I'd offer the rest of you the same...I think that's all I can afford."

He eyes Adamant. "Have a few old parts...came from first general 'forged. Useless and rusted, but maybe you'd find them interesting?"

"I would be quite interested in seeing these parts, but I must agree with my Lord Kalarian, we are here in service of our friends. I would think us poor servants to bankrupt you."

Belarin's unexpected ghost imitation catches Adamant by surprise and the warforged takes a quick step backwards in the crowded shop.

Feb 23, 2010 19:12:52 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Gerus blinks. "Not that I...uh, know of, young man. It's never come into my shop. It's just that, lots of people around here have heard about the disappearances. It's enough to keep them away. I couldn't tell you if it's a spirit or not, but that's what they're saying."

Adamant turns and examines Belarin, perhaps wondering if he's likely to do that again. He shakes his head a little and turns to the shopkeeper, "So no one has actually seen a spirit or even evidence of one? People are deducing the source of the disappearances simply because of the nearness to this graveyard?"

Varna's pssting catches Adamant's attention.

"Someone's interested in us," Varna whispers. "Looks skittish, though."

"Do you think someone should speak to him? Perhaps he is a witness."
----------------------------
Ken, you a strange man.

[Brian]

Belarin:

"Has it ever said anything or does it just..." He opens his eyes wide, fans his fingers on either side of his head, and lunges forward. "... do THAT to customers?"

Condign gives Belarin a sharp elbow to the ribs. He turns to the dwarf and says: "Please excuse my eccentric friend. However, I believe discussions of compensation are premature, my lord Gerus. First, we must complete the task set before us. Do you know if this creature appears at any particular time? Maybe mostly at night?"

[Jeff]

"Night and day, I've heard," Gerus replies.

__________________________

A typo above, which I've corrected. S'posed to be:

"Have a few old parts...came from first generation 'forged. Useless and rusted, but maybe you'd find them interesting?"

[Joe]

Feb 23, 2010 19:12:52 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Kal:

"Psst, Streko," Varna says softly, and trying to get the attention of those nearest to her. The halfling still stands outside the shop, but has been listening through the door as you've spoken. When Streko turns to look at her, she points a finger back behind her, concealing the motion.

Across the intersection, Syrdan, Streko, and Adamant, who stand closest to the door now, see a figure standing beneath an awning. A man, human, seems to be watching the rest of you.

"Someone's interested in us," Varna whispers. "Looks skittish, though."

"Varna, I am not good at stealth and approaching skittish people, nor am I good at catching people bigger than me if they choose to run. How would you suggest we handle this?"

[Jeff]

"Well..." Varna looks at the rest of you. "We can run him down, easy enough, Strecko. But if you want to avoid him running, why don't one of your silver-tongued friends handle it, instead?"

[Ken]

Feb 23, 2010 20:47:54 GMT -4 Brian said:

Condign gives Belarin a sharp elbow to the ribs.

Belarin winces slightly. "You should have used that attack on the Khyber cube," he mutters. "You would have saved us a lot of time and pain."

He says to Gerus. "Hmm, so no pattern to its appearances, and no actual attacks, just that it seems intent on frightening people away. Odd. Well, perhaps if it's a restless spirit, we can determine what's troubling it before we destroy it."

[Darren]

"Well..." Varna looks at the rest of you. "We can run him down, easy enough, Strecko. But if you want to avoid him running, why don't one of your silver-tongued friends handle it, instead?"

"Yes, I would apprecia...." Kal cuts off as he hears Varna's voice from outside the doorway. "Excuse me a moment," he says to the dwarf.

Turning, Kal strides confidently to the doorway. "I heard I might be of service," he says with a grin to Varna. "What's the situation?"

[Jeff]

When Kal moves to the doorway, he sees Varna facing him, pointing through herself to the street behind, where a man lurks in the shadow of a building, watching. "A witness, or an accomplice...or someone who's just nosey?"

But with Kal's appearance facing him, the man across the way suddenly turns, failing to be nonchalant, and starts to walk away.

[Brian]

Condign notices Kalarian move to the front of the store and talk with Varna. He sees the female halfling point to something outside the building. Frowning slightly -- a truly frightening sight indeed -- he turns to Belarin. "My lord Belarin, I believe something is going on over there." Condign gestures with a nod of his head and then walks to the front of the store.