Chapter 1: A Peaceable Kingdom

[Lara]

Pellorien pays the vendor and thanks him for the apples.

Pulling one from the bag, she offers it to Oss. "What do you know about House Orien? Why would they be here?"

She takes a bite of an apple as she scans the area, trying to figure out where they might move in order to get a better glimpse of what's going on at the Ferenthoron place.

"My, this is an excellent piece of fruit!" Juice dribbles down her chin. "I may have to pick up some more of these."
_____________________________
Spot check=17

[Jeff]

What's Pellorien looking at? What's she able to see from the road? Is there another street or an alley they can move down in order to check out things more closely? Can she see anything in the far distance that might serve as a location they were trying to find in case someone stops them because they appear to be "lingering"?

The Ferenthoron residence lies in a residential subdistrict of the Sovereign Ward, between two intersections. There are no alleys within close proximity, as both sides of the street are essentially rows of tall townhouses. The street itself is approximately 20 ft. in width, with a 5 ft. sidewalk on both sides.

The only major landmark within view, aside from the Queen's palace, is several blocks away: the abandoned temple of the Silver Flame which, although fallen into disrepair, is still rather impressive.

[Darren]

"I'm not looking for you to kill anyone. I do need you to do some guard work for a few hours, though. Will ten crowns secure your services?"

[Jeff]

Kal & Grafth

"Guard work?" The warforged looks around. "That sounds like mercenary work to me. Do you think fighting is the only thing we're good for?"

Nevertheless, it sounds like he's considering it.

"Thirty crowns up front—that's not much, for a dragonmarked like you—unless you'd like to draw up a contract first, and then pay only half in advance. I've been cheated before. Tell me more about what you have in mind. Tell me, are you expecting trouble?"

[Darren]

Kalarian smiles. "No, I believe you are just as valuable in this particular task as anybody else. You simply happen to be sitting here right now. My work pays much better than complaining to passersby on the street."

Kal seems to consider the warforged's offer. "You drive a hard bargain, my friend, but unless you can provide me with some demonstration of why you are worth 30 crowns, I am afraid I will only offer you 20. 10 now and 10 when my business is concluded. I could secure the services of a Gray Blade for less than half of that." He pauses to let the warforged think.

"I am not expecting trouble, but I wish to be alerted ahead of time if trouble expects to find me. I only require your services from now until around 8 or 9 bells this evening. Twenty crowns is good pay for 5 hours of work."

[Jeff]

The warforged sits down on his stool. "I'm thinking that if you wanted to hire a man from your own house, you'd have done so already. I'm thinking you're trying to avoid that specifically. Twenty-five crowns will do the trick, I think. Up front. I have no where else to be right now until my friend concludes his business here in the inn. That gives me the rest of the afternoon and evening to find something else to do. So don't worry about paying me up front. I'm not going anywhere."

[Darren]

"Agreed," Kalarian says, beginning to remove the coins from his pouch. "The work will require you to be inside of the inn, however. Please, follow me. Grafth, I need you, as well."

Still removing the coins from his pouch, but not giving them to the warforged, Kalarian moves past him and into the lobby of the building.

[Jeff]

Kal, Grafth, & the nameless warforged

"Innnteresting." The warforged follows behind slowly, as if unsure how Kal will get permission for his entrance.

When the clerk at the desk sees the construct, he shakes his head. "I'm sorry, the warforged is not allowed in the establishment at the present time." The clerk gestures at the warforged. "Please remain outside, sir, or I will be forced to summon the watch."

[Darren]

Kalarian takes on his most imperious tone, giving the clerk a withering glance that clearly implies he is speaking above his station. He folds his arms casually, ensuring that the dragonmark is visible. "The warforged is in my employ, and I require him to be here. Or, perhaps, are you implying that Kalarian d'Deneith is also not welcome in your establishment?"

[Joe]

The man at the front desk looks down at the halfling. "I believe the private rooms can be reserved. I will look into it, sir. The price will be ten galifars for the smallest room, or thirty for the largest. Is this to include dinner?"

"We require the largest room and dinner would be most excellent, good sir. Lord Kalarian will be more than happy to pay for both room and meal, if you will put it on his tab."

When the clerk at the desk sees the construct, he shakes his head. "I'm sorry, the warforged is not allowed in the establishment at the present time." The clerk gestures at the warforged. "Please remain outside, sir, or I will be forced to summon the watch."

Streko clears his throat and gets the clerk's attention.

"Good, sir. I am sure that the watch is terribly busy at this time, what with the horrible accident of the Lightning Rail and the numerous friends and family who are demanding answer. Please, allow the warforged a place in the inn and perhaps you and I can come to an understanding regarding such. I can assure you, he will remain out of the way and cause no harm."

"The warforged is in my employ, and I require him to be here. Or, perhaps, are you implying that Kalarian d'Deneith is also not welcome in your establishment?"

Streko turns quickly to Kal and winks. "My Lord, if you will allow me..."

He turns back to the clerk and smiles his warmest smile.
_____________________________

Diplomacy time...let's check out these new rules, shall we?

[Darren]

Speaking quiety and in Halfling, Kalarian addresses Streko, "Master Streko, the small room will be sufficient, and I do not believe dinner is necessary. If it will aid in your negotiations, however, feel free to order it. Please, continue..."

Kalarian continues to glare at the clerk while Streko speaks.

[Joe]

"Master Streko, the small room will be sufficient, and I do not believe dinner is necessary. If it will aid in your negotiations, however, feel free to order it. Please, continue..."

Streko turns back to Kal and nods, then returns his attention back to the clerk. "The small room, good sir. However, as I initially asked for the larger room, I will personally pay the difference to you, should you see fit to allow us to keep our good warforged employee with us here. And, please, a good dinner for us all would be greatly appreciated."

_____________________________

working that diplomacy...(question - per the new rules you posted, is diplomacy still carrying a charisma modifier or does it have a wisdom modifier now?)

[Josh]

Grafth follows Kalarian and the warforged back into the inn. He hears the halfling mention a dinner of some sort and becomes more interested.

He chooses to stand toward the back of the group, allowing the more diplomatic pair deal with their plan. He waits with interest to hear what the dragonmarked has in store for the evening... as well as what the kitchen will be serving!

[Jeff]

Kal, Streko, Grafth & the Nameless Warforged

Tangat watches the exchange with interest, sitting between both Kal and Streko. The clerk looks between Deneith heir and halfling. He swallows, then addresses Streko first. "I will ensure the smaller of the two rooms is reserved for your party. How many persons will require seating?"

He looks to Kal. "It is not a question of being unwelcome, Lord d'Deneith. It is—"

"Merely a matter of bad timing."

A lilting, educated voice comes from the nearby stairs, and a diminutive figure steps into view. She is a gnome in stately Aundairian well-to-do fashion, but her voice carries a slight Zilargo accent. She walks toward the desk, looking down only slightly on Streko and looking up at Kal and the clerk. She gives Grafth and the warforged a slight scowl. Her height does nothing to diminish the confidence in her voice.

"I have secured this inn as my temporary residence and have already purchased several special requests—one of which is the removal of any and all warforged in the establishment. As there was only one at the time, it seemed a trite request indeed. I do not have to explain my reasons to the likes of you, Lord d'Deneith."

The warforged inches toward the front door. "Told you," he mutters to Grafth as he inches past him.

The gnome woman continues. "The question you are faced with, good clerk, is whether I am unwelcome. Are my funds insufficient to see my requests observed?"

"Of...of course not, Professor." The clerk looks visibly rattled by the gnome. To Kal, he says, "I can accomodate you on all things, my lord, but I cannot allow the warforged to remain. I will be forced to summon the watch if it does not cooperate."

"Fine," the warforged calls out, opening the door. "Don't want any trouble here."

The gnome gives Kal a wide smile of perfect white teeth.

Grafth notes that no further mention has been made of dinner.

______________________________

Streko's Diplomacy check = 4
Kal's Diplomacy check = 13

Joe, Diplomacy always uses a Charisma modifier. The Wisdom you're seeing referenced is only used by the "target" of your Diplomacy check; PCs will never be the target, however, as NPCs cannot use skills like Diplomacy or Intimidate against you. A PC is intimidated or has his attitude modified by an NPC only if the player decides it's appropriate.

[Ed]

Oss smiles and nods at Pel as though she had said something amusing and then points her to one of the nearby streets while squinting as though trying to read addresses and street signs.

"Orien runs the rails. They likely found Fenwolt's name on the manifest and are seeking him to find what he knows about the accident," Oss says softly to Pel.

[Josh]

Grafth scowls, and wonders why people who try to look pretty often end up being the ugliest of the lot.

He mumbles something of the same sentiment.

[Darren]

"Dear lady," Kal says, offering a bow to the gnome, "I assure you that you have nothing to fear from this warforged. It's not as though he is going to explode..."

Kalarian looks very closely at the gnome's reactions to these words.

______________
Sense Motive and whatever else you've got...

[Lara]

edgentry said:

Oss smiles and nods at Pel as though she had said something amusing and then points her to one of the nearby streets while squinting as though trying to read addresses and street signs.

"Orien runs the rails. They likely found Fenwolt's name on the manifest and are seeking him to find what he knows about the accident," Oss says softly to Pel.

Pellorien shakes her head and points in the direction they had come. "It doesn't seem prudent to try to meet Fenwolt's brother with them there. Even to me!" she says with a laugh. "I guess we should head back to the inn, although I really don't feel like sitting around and waiting."

[Jeff]

Kal:

"I assure you that you have nothing to fear from this warforged. It's not as though he is going to explode..."

The gnome raises an eyebrow.

Next to Grafth, the warforged says, "You folk are creeping me out." He heads out the door.

"I do not fear the warforged. They are filthy machines, nothing more, and I do not wish to be around them." The gnome waves her small hand dismissively at the conversation as a whoel, then looks at the clerk. "Fetch me a coach. I will be returning sometime this evening."

The clerk rings a bell, which promptly calls in a valet, who heads out into the street to hail down a coach. Then the clerk looks to Streko. "The room will be available to you at the sixth bell, sir."
______________________________

Kal, nor Streko, can gauge anything from the gnome's reaction.

[Joe]

"I have secured this inn as my temporary residence and have already purchased several special requests—one of which is the removal of any and all warforged in the establishment.

Watching the events unfold, Streko bows to the gnome professor and scrambles over to Kal. He whispers, in halfling..."Perhaps the warforged can keep watch, somewhere ON the establishment, or NEAR it, as, perhaps, outside the window of a small private room?"

He turns back and looks at the professor intently, keeping a perfect smile stretched across his lips.

Streko looks over to Grafth. "Perhaps, my good friend, you might order us our dinner."

Back to Kal, Streko shrugs. "How many of us are there in our fair group?"

[Darren]

Once the gnome has left in her carriage, Kalarian turns his attention back to the clerk. "Listen to me," he says, his tone implying that there is no room for argument. "The gnome is no longer here. My employee WILL be coming inside. He will be here until 8th or 9th bell, at which time he can return outside, if that would please the little one that you fear so much. Unless you wish to take this up with myself and Lady Korvine d'Deneith, I believe we have an arrangement, yes?"

Kalarian nods at Streko, indicating that he should offer the clerk some money to seal the arrangement.

[Joe]

..."Perhaps the warforged can keep watch, somewhere ON the establishment, or NEAR it, as, perhaps, outside the window of a small private room?"

Kalarian turns his attention back to the clerk. "Listen to me," he says, his tone implying that there is no room for argument. "The gnome is no longer here. My employee WILL be coming inside. He will be here until 8th or 9th bell, at which time he can return outside, if that would please the little one that you fear so much. Unless you wish to take this up with myself and Lady Korvine d'Deneith, I believe we have an arrangement, yes?"

Streko frowns and shrugs again.

"Or perhaps, not."

Kalarian nods at Streko, indicating that he should offer the clerk some money to seal the arrangement.

Streko sighs and steps back over to the clerk. He leans close, so that only he and the clerk may hear the conversation.

"My dear sir, please forgive Lord d'Deneith. He comes across as quite insistant and gruff, but it has been a horrible couple of days, what with the accident and all the commotion surrounding it. However, it is within my power to assist you and I shall surely do so. As a good friend of mine once told me, 'that which you do not know, cannot possibly injure you.' That HAUGHTY gnome will be gone until well after our short meeting and dinner, so I assure you, as best I can, that she will be the cause of no discomfort to you. And, if you cannot, in your heart, see fit to assist my friends, who are all simply weary travellers, out of pure kindness, then perhaps, by the will of the Sovereign Host and Olladra herself, you might see fit to accomodate our brief needs through, some coin?"

Streko removes two galifars from his coin purse. He slides them over to the clerk. "One each for my well-meaning d'Deneith Lord and the abusive, yet lovely, gnome professor. Will this suffice to allow us our ONE special need?"

_____________________________

I am SO assuming that the clerk of this inn doesn't make so much money on his earnings that I've insulted him with a mere two galifar stipend. As a farm-boy, Streko believes he's handing over quite the sum...

[Jeff]

The gnome professor departs.

The clerk looks at Kal impassively. "Your warforged has already gone. There is nothing I can do for you in this regard, lord. If you wish, I will send word for the proprietor, Lady Dyrra d'Deneith. But it will take some time for her to respond, I am certain."

The clerk whispers something to the valet. Grafth is too far to hear, and Kal only catches the word "watch." Streko's sharp ears hear almost the whole thing: "Summon...watch detail....in case there is trouble here....ask...to stay nearby, though there is not as yet an emergency."

The valet exits the front door, and he is quickly replaced by another. The inn's staff seems to be filling in again.
________________________________

Kal's Listen check = 17
Streko's Listen check = 23

[Jeff]

The clerk looks extremely uncomfortable at Streko's monetary offer. "I'm sorry," is all he says, not making eye contact.

"Are you still wanting the private room?"

[Joe]

Streko shakes his head sadly, retrieves his two galifars before the clerk can take them and steps back over to Kal. Streko gestures for Grafth to approach them as well.

Speaking in halfling, Streko addresses Kal...

"Our nervous clerk has just sent a valet to summon the Watch to stand guard nearby, in case there should be an emergency. What, may I ask, did you have in mind for the warforged? My earlier suggestion might be worthwhile to consider, my Lord, if you wish to continue employing the warforged. However, it would seem that the gnome professor exerts more influence over this inn than your name or your threats. Please, consider covert action rather than overt action, if you get my meaning."

To Grafth, Streko repeats himself quietly, in common tongue, unless Grafth understands halfling speak, in which case, he awaits their course of action.

In common tongue and regular voice, he asks Kal, "I suggest we take the room and the dinner and leave the warforged OUTSIDE. What say you, my Lord?"

[Josh]

"The halfling's suggestion is wise," Grafth says to Kalarian. "Let's take the room, and then you can clue the rest of us in as to what we're doing and why. Let's talk... perhaps with whoever still remains here. Shall we rouse those upstairs?

[Jeff]

The private room reserved for Kal and his party (they needn't pay for it yet) won't be available until the 6th bell. It is only shortly after the 3rd now. However, they can certainly hold a "party meeting" in their own adjacent rooms on the third floor.

________________________________

Shall I assume that Pellorien and Oss are returning to the Soldier's Rest Inn?

[Joe]

Streko smiles warmly at the shifter and nods.

"Perhaps it would be best for you to make the room and dinner arrangements, Lord Kal to rouse your friends upstairs and I can keep and eye and an ear out for any new information. If you wish, I can see if the warforged would be willing to guard outside the private room and keep watch for any threats not already here. Olladra, praise her, often helps those who first help themselves. A little caution might be in order, all things considered."

[Darren]

Kalarian looks at Grafth and Streko, deciding just how angry he is. He leans over to look at the clerk. "Very well. But rest assured that you have not heard the last of this. This slight will not pass without response."

Returning his attention to Grafth and Streko, he says, "I will attend to a few more things before I return. If you would see to the room..."

Going outside, Kalarian speaks with the warforged. "I apologize for," glaring at the door, he continues, "them. Perhaps you could still be of use to me, though. I'll return shortly."

Going back across the street, Kalarian looks to see if Eng is still at the gate. If he is not, Kalarian will ask about his whereabouts. If he is, Kalarian will address him with a friendly greeting.

[Josh]

"I think I'll hold off for a while until bothering the staff again... give them... and him," he says, nodding at where Kal was a moment earlier, "a chance to settle down. But yes, when the time comes, and the rest of our group hopefully arrives, I'll check in and see about the meal. Come along," says the shifter, as he heads up to the rooms.

Grafth will check in on Cutter and Goran, wake them, and bring them up to speed on the situation (the warforged, the private room, and the possibility of Watch arriving).