Chapter 2: Rites of Passage

[Jeff]

The Aerenal elves don't appear to have come out into the concourse. It's possible they were boarding a rail instead of leaving one.

"Sir," the gnome Fherina says, honing in on Grafth (but clearly trying to get the attention of anyone else in the group). She produces a pen seemingly from nowhere and poises it above her book. She lowers her voice, as though interested in an answer but wanting to keep it quiet as well. "Would you be willing to describe your experience aboard the noon-departing rail two days ago?"

[Joe]

Streko's ears perk up. He studiously keeps staring at the message board, then grabs one of the messages, turns to Kal and, as if inquiring about the wording of the message, speaks to him in halfling and in a low voice: "She knows he was aboard the rail two days ago! HOW?"

[Lara]

The stranger looks around for anyone else who might provide an interesting people-watching experience. In his patrol of the station, he also looks for vendors, with particular interest towards finding a small snack as well as anyone who might be selling trinkets that might pass as artifacts or artifacts that might pass as trinkets.

[Darren]

Smiling broadly at the gnome, Kalarian places a hand on her shoulder and gently begins to lead her away from the group. "They're not very interesting," he says, looking back over his shoulder to give the group a signal that says I'll take care of this. "I, on the other hand, am definitely worth writing about."

[Jeff]

The gnome seems a bit surprised at first, then she goes along, as the other two follow. "What is your name, Lord d'Deneith?" she says, scratching something down. "Can you tell me what happened?"

[Darren]

"What happened was that I couldn't get a seat in first class where I belong! Can you believe that? ME? Pfff...." Kalarian leads the gnome further away from the rest of his companions.

[Jeff]

Fherina's smile disappears. There is some suspicion in her eyes. "Were you...or were you not on board the steerage coach when the explosion occurred? Please, sir, what is your name?"

[Darren]

"Exploded? Dear girl, no! If I were on a cart when it exploded, would I be standing here now? What complete silliness! Besides, do *I* look like I would ride in a steerage cart?" Throughout all of this, Kalarian has been leading the gnome further and further away from his companions. By now, the crowd should be sufficiently between them that they have lost sight of each other.

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I don't know if Tangat was with me or had gone off to look at something else, but Kalarian is also silently giving him a command to stay with the others, lest he be recognized as the Deneith heir with the wolf dog.

[Jeremy]

Goran steps forward and looks at the gnomes carefully. He waits just long enough until there's an uncomfortable silence. Then he speaks in a soothing voice, like a salesperson.

"Well, the service was exquisite, and I thought the pastries were delightful. Truth be told, we slept through most of the ride, it was so light and expertly run."

He grins at the "reporter" in a way that could only be described as disturbing, and cocks his head a little.

"And the lack of exploding Rail cars was an especially nice touch!"

"I find that in all forms of transit, any vehicle with an option not to burst into flames and careen off the track taking dozens of lives in the ensuing carnage is always best, if slightly pricier. I mean, it's worth it, right?"

He puts his finger to his chin, looking away...

"I'm trying to think if there's anything else..." he looks to the others.

"Anyone else? Comments on the Rail? Anyone?"

---

Umm, the second I posted my reply there seems to be about five hundred posts between it and what I was replying to. I know I refreshed it first...hmm.

[Jeff]

Jeremy: Presumably Goran has followed Kal in leading the gnome reporter away...

Fherina diligently takes notes based on Kal's and Goran's words, but her expression is disappointed. "I see, I see. Thank you very much, sir. Is there anything else you would like to add, Lord d'Deneith? Master ranger?" Her eyes scan both men's clothing and gear, and she jots down a few notes. The two gnomes behind her are trying to see the rest of Kal's party through the crowd but having a hard time of it.

The traveler feels he's gotten a good feel of the people moving in and out of the concourse, but notes nothing amiss aside from the presence of the Chronicle gnomes. The food vendors offer a variety of quick buy-and-go items: mostly baked goods.

At this time, Taymra returns...she has no lead shielding in hand, but her expression is not disappointed. She approaches Grafth, looking in the direction of where Kal and Goran have led the gnomes away. "I've had some success. We have a choice. But if we're all accounted for, I can take us somewhere a little more private where we can talk. Do we know where Pellorien is? What's going on with Kalarian?"

[Josh]

Grafth frowns at Taymra's words, "And give whoever's after us a chance to track us further? That defeats the purpose of wanting to shield it in the first place..."

He looks around at the others, and says, "I suppose, though, no one wants to keep waiting here for someone else to return with what we actually need. I'm ready to move when everyone else is. I know Pellorien was here earlier, but I couldn't tell you where she is at the moment."

[Jeff]

"I've put my request in, and offered payment. We can wait for that...which can take I don't know how long. Or...there's a wizard we can go to directly who can probably help us out more quickly."

She looks annoyed. "You can't just cough up a lead box sized for a small book in a matter of minutes. Perhaps House Cannith could provide something more quickly, but I know how you don't trust the dragonmarked."

"When Kal's done...doing whatever he's doing, I'm thinking, we hail a skycoach. Just us, in the air, yet moving, while we talk about what we want to do next. And we'll already be on the means of getting there fast. No good?"

[Josh]

"That will do," the shifter says, "I also have some sensitive information that I'd like to talk to everyone about- the more secluded we are, the better."

[Jeff]

"Sensitive information? Well, information is good. And unless our enemies are already here, can fly, turn invisible, or scry...I think we'll have our privacy." Taymra shrugs. "Of course, if our enemies can, it doesn't matter where we are."

[Lara]

The stranger buys a meat pie and munches on it while meandering through the station, generally heading toward the message boards.

[Jeff]

Will "the stranger" be joining the group again if Taymra leads everyone out (following the gnome scene)? I just need to know at what point everyone is fully together again.

[Joe]

Streko and Tangat are still together, it would seem. Streko reaches into his backpack, grabs a slice of bread and feeds it to his friendly companion.

To Taymra: "Sky coach is an excellent idea. And going directly to a wizard who might help us quickly is also smart. Grafth, my friend, I look forward to hearing your news once we are safely tucked aboard. In the meantime, I am ready when you are. However, Lord Kalarian is having to diffuse a situation in which three gnome chroniclers have discovered our presence here. They KNOW about the group being on the exploding lightning rail and that, at the very least, Kal and Goran were on it. I think we need to leave as soon as possible...before more people who know of us discover that we are here!"

[Lara]

admin said:

Will "the stranger" be joining the group again if Taymra leads everyone out (following the gnome scene)? I just need to know at what point everyone is fully together again.

Approaching the message boards, the stranger observes the group for a moment before approaching.

"Ho, Taymra. What's the plan?"

[Jeff]

Taymra is taken aback by the stranger's request. She stares for a moment, perplexed. "Is that...?" She glances at Grafth. "The...plan is: we can get what I was looking for sooner or later. Sooner means we go ourselves and persuade a wizard my father was once affiliated with—a bit eccentric, but he might be able to help us hide the...thing. I can have my house acquire it for me, but that means waiting a bit longer. So I say we leave the enclave, hail a skycoach—there are a few in the city—and talk about our next move."

"Sound like a plan?"

[Josh]

At Taymra's look, Grafth merely nods an affirmation of her guess. "I'm with Streko- I think going to the wizard seems most appropriate."

To the stranger, Grafth asks, "Seen anything interesting in your travels?"

[Darren]

"As a matter of fact, there is something else I'd like to add," Kalarian says, taking on a tone of outrage. "I think it's shameful the way these Orien people treat an heir of House Deneith! The second-rate food, the lousy accomodations...why, no one even offered to help me with my baggage! These Orien thugs ought to be ashamed of themselves, and you can print that! It's simply unforgivable..." Kalarian continues on as he begins to walk away from the gnomes, as though he has forgotten they are there. When he has lost them within the crowd, he heads back towards the rest of the group, a small grin on his face.

As he arrives with the rest of them, Kal looks over at the stranger. "Hi, Pel. Find anything?"

[Jeff]

The gnome reports stare after Kal, but they let him go without complaint. Fherina leads them off, frowning.

Taymra gives Kal a smile. "I only caught the last of that, but it sounds like we've nothing to fear."

"Shall we go?"

[Jeff]

When everyone has gathered again, Taymra leads you out from the concourse, through a series of large halls with more bustling travelers, and out onto the wide steps of the Orien enclave.

The circular city of Passage sprawls out before you, enclosed by low but sturdy walls. It's smaller than Fairhaven, with fewer spires and no central palace, but it's impressive nonetheless. As you look at the massive building behind you, you realize that the House Orien compound takes up nearly a third of the city itself. Clearly Orien owns this town! Kal understands that Passage is to House Orien as Karrlakton is to House Deneith.

In most places, the lightning rail station is situated at the edge of the city or even outside city walls. In Passage, several lines of conductor stones pass clear through the city—many bridges and tunnels allow street traffic to circumvent the lines.

There area few vessels gliding through the sky. Taymra has led you to a small adjoining station through which Orien coaches, couriers, and messengers can be acquired. She displays her indentification papers to clerk—though he eyes her dragonmark more than her papers—and soon a skycoach floats low to the ground. Ordinarily, House Lyrandar and House Orien are intense rivals—Lyrandar dominates air and water travel, while Orien dominates ground travel—but they seem to be cooperating well enough here.

The skycoach resembles a small but ornate boat, with a small roof over the stern to shield passengers from any inclement weather. (As it is, the day is quite nice, with blue sky and puffy clouds.) At the helm is a half-elf in House Lyrandar livery.

Taymra ushers you aboard. There's a handful of places to sit, or you can also stand. Some of you have never been on a flying vessel before, and the sudden sensation of lifting off the ground as the buildings below recede is at first unsettling. But the pilot is calm, bored even, and soon you feel secure enough. The ground falls away and your view of Passage becomes downright panoramic.

Taymra sits down at the rear of the skycoach. Tangat presses against Kal and whines a bit, unhappy with the elevation. Dhaz sits on the floor of the vessel, clutching the seat nervously. The Orien heir speaks loudly enough to be heard against the gentle breeze but quietly enough so that the pilot can't hear.

"I've paid for us to be in the air for a while. Let's talk, then we can decide where to go first. Grafth, you said you have something new?"

[Josh]

"Yes, I do." Grafth thinks for a moment, and then begins to speak.

"I was headed to Passage on a courier job for a man named Drosin Entarro, a retired paladin of the Silver Flame. While I don't typically consort with those of the Order, it is a result of no prejudice of mine. I take work from those who show me respect.

"The item was to be delivered to a locker in the Passage station, where the remainder of my fee would await. It was obvious the materials were sensitive in nature, or perhaps merely valuable. Many of the courier jobs I take are based on a belief that one man with a good reputation is more trustworthy than House Orien." He looks apologetically to Taymra.

"And indeed, the money was waiting for me upon delivery. However, there was more.

"A note, addressed to me by an anonymous hand, alerted me to the fact that Drosin's son, Arrun, was killed on his way to meet this unknown man. The note makes mention of... well, let me read it." Pulling out the folded vellum sheet, he gives voice to the words:

'Only yesterday, on the 2nd of Rhaan, Drosin’s own son, Arrun Entarro, was killed on his way to meet me. I am certain it was no accident, and that the event was somehow orchestrated by our mutual enemy. I understand many other innocents were slain in the attack. That’s nearly two dozen more lives he has destroyed. When will it end?

'Perhaps it won’t. The enemy intends to sow unimaginable chaos in this time tenuous peace. But the peace is far too young to weather such an event as he intends. War would come again. Indeed, that is very likely the enemy’s intent. If we do not stop him, it will begin in Fairhaven. That much we are certain, for his pride demands it. I have been working to locate the enemy’s lair or those of any of his associates. Arrun may have had a lead on one, but it died with him.'

The shifter pauses, then reaches into his pack and withdraws a small pouch. He presents a single opalescent stone, gold veins glittering from an unseen light. A dragonshard.

"The note asks me to seek out a man names Ralsor, who works at the Lyrander docking tower, and show him this. I was told he could give me more information."

Grafth allows for the information to sink in. "Drosin had no idea I would be taking the rail- in fact, if curiosity hadn't gotten the better of me, I wouldn't have. However, It's very possible that the man who wrote this note was referring to the rail attack- and that the paladin that gave his life that day may very well have been Arrun himself!

"This could mean that the rail attack and the attempted murder of Gurend may have been unrelated- or at least, not directly related. And it also means that this note could very well be referring to Malov as the 'mutual enemy'... though I don't want to read too much into this."

The shifter hands the stone to Streko, and looks at the others, "I am not well versed in the ways of magic, but even I can tell that this shard is infused with something powerful. Perhaps those of you with more attuned senses can take a look?"

[Joe]

Streko examines the shard reverently. He will then hand it to Pellorian, Kal or Taymra...perhaps between the four of them, they can learn something more.
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Appropriate knowledge checks please.

[Jeff]

Streko sets the dragonshard passing around to those in the group with knowledge of arcana.

Even Goran and Grafth, though not studied in the ways of such materials, know that dragonshards are naturally occuring in the world: Eberron dragonshards can be found in the looser earth in various deposits across the world. Khyber dragonshards can be found only deep below the surface, mired in rock. Siberys dragonshards rain down from the Ring of Siberys* in seemingly random—and in some cases, specific—locations.

Kal, Pellorien, and Streko know that Eberron dragonshards can be attuned to magic in a more broad sense, most commonly found in everyday magical devices like everbright lanterns and various wands. Khyber dragonshards are used principally for elemental binding, used to create certain elemental weapons, a Lyrandar airship, or a House Orien lightning rail coach. Finally, Siberys dragonshards have the strongest ties to the dragonmarks themselves, often used to bolster the power of heirs of any dragonmarked house.

Kal and Pellorien suspect that the dragonshard given to Grafth is a Siberys dragonshard, so it would useful only to those who possess dragonmarks. Though it has a store of potential magic, by itself a dragonshard can do nothing. More often than not, it serves as a focus or catalyst for a magic device.
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Knowledge (arcana) checks = Kal (15), Pellorien (16), Streko (8).

*The Ring of Siberys is the ring of glittering shards (resembling the ring of Saturn, perhaps narrower) that encircles the world, which can be seen across the sky on some nights.

[Darren]

Holding the dragonshard before his eyes, Kalarian says, "We may be able to use this, but I do not wish to take something that does not belong to us. However, should the need arise before it can be delivered, we may find use for it." Reluctantly, he hands the shard off to the next person.

Kalarian sits back comfortably, stroking Tangat behind the ears to reassure his companion of the safety of the airship. "I think we should meet with this man. It may provide us with information, and it may be the only lead we have in Passage right now. I think that first we should meet with Taymra's wizard friend and see if we can't secure the book. No sense leading our enemies to our potential allies. We should also make a stop at the Deneith enclave. Before we left Fairhaven, I sent word to Lady Korvine about Malov and told her she could contact me here. I would like to see if she has sent word. Once we have the book secured and any information that may have followed us from Fairhaven, I suggest we meet with this mystery contact of Grafth's."

[Joe]

Streko nods. "Sounds like a good plan!"

[Jeremy]

Goran nods, looking out over the town below from the airship. The others are not sure if he's been listening very attentively or not. But to Streko's question he responds promptly.

"Well, unless anyone wants to take this chance to spit on people while we're up here...? Anyone? Might not get this chance again!? Okay then, let's get that book secured. Post haste."

He looks at Tamyra.

"How can I help?"

[Jeff]

"All right, good." Taymra smiles, then holds up one hand to shield the sun from her eyes and she shifts in her seat and scans the cityscape below. At lat, she looks points to a cluster of towers that rise up from a castlelike complex. The centermost rises probably fifteen stories above the streets of the city—five stories higher than the towers around it—capped with a red conical roof and what appears to be an oversized trident clawing the sky from the tip.

"There, that's his tower, in the middle. I haven't been there in...well, a few years now. His name is Phorem...he used to work for House Orien, he's part of the extended family (so that makes him some sort of distanct second or third cousin of mine) but he's been doing his own work for the last few years. Was once a good friend of my father's. So...I'm hoping to use that connection to get what we need from him."

Taymra looks back at everyone. "We can trust him...if you trust me." She flicks her eyes at Kal. "And maybe he can help answer any other questions about magic—perhaps even that book of yours." She gives a half smile at the traveler she is assuming is Pellorien. "But Phorem is an old wizard, set in his ways, and more than a little eccentric. So...please, be patient. He should be more helpful than not...if he remembers me."

"Then...if we can get some help or answers, we could go to the Lyrandar docking tower?" She looks to Grafth with a smile.