Our adventurers make their way home after retrieving the infamous Dwarven stonemason Fissok Sherstryk, only to arrive back at Darromar to get involved in a deeper royal situation...
The riding back from the Spires of Mir to the capital city was fast going. It took all the party's efforts with their horses to keep up with Fissok atop Old Betsy. Hard charging they were, through every bit of environment making the pair seemingly unstoppable. Thankfully for the party, Fissok knew there was no way in the hells they'd be able to keep up with him, so there was a respite late in the night after a full first day of riding for all of them and their mounts. This was the perfect time for Fissok to share his drunken tales over ale and firelight. Some tales that blew their minds. Some that made them cry. Some that made them laugh til they were dying for breath. Overall, a pleasant eve was had by everybody, and ended with the creatures of the night arguing over who snored the loudest. The Dwarf or his boar.
Upon waking the next morning, Maiya when she went to go to put her new tricorne hat on her head, noticed that something had placed a bunch of twigs and sticks and grasses and leaves in the upper bowl of the hat in a pattern resembling a bird's nest. And resting upon the dead center of the makeshift nest is an egg. Upon discovering this, Maiya immediately as if by instinct, refashioned the upper portion of her hat to better and more safely accommodate this egg. When she held the egg momentarily in her hands ever so gently, she felt warmth emanating from it which instilled something in her she could not yet quite define. "Maybe over time," she thought as she carefully placed the hat upon her head and prepared to head out with the others.
A random egg laid upon a random pirate hat
As the gates of the city come into view from afar, all the riders notice there is a formation of people outside the entrance. When they ride ever closer to see detail, they see they are members of the Darromar Guard upon their steeds. And not just the regular company, but a squad of the elite Royal Guard. Upon recognition of this, Fissok looks back to his fellow travelers and yells out that its time to make haste, as there can be only one reason the Royal Guard would be stationed at the city's entrance. As they all galloped at breakneck speeds through the final distance home, they are slowed and halted about 50 yards from the city gates by command of the squad's leader Lt. Dexlo, who they met previously at the castle. He walks over towards Fissok and stops about 20 feet away. Also four of his men, slowly and nonchalantly made a surround formation to the boar and Dwarf. This sly act doesn't fool the Dwarf. "You know how this can turn out Dex, your men keep moving like that" Fissok said as Old Betsy began snorting, and lowering her head. "Im fully aware old friend," Dexlo proudly replied. Perhaps even a bit 'snobbish'. "Times have changed since youve been gone. So now I get to be the one to say to you, you know how this goes. Dismount slowly, and follow our lead." You see as Fissok draws a deep, surrendering breath, and looked over to the party. "Well," he began. "Thanks for the little road trip. I best be getting on now." As he said this last sentence, he slowly leaned in & spoke into Old Betsy's ears, too quiet for anyone to hear. The boar was already hoof stomping, snorting and growling most of the time posted here, but she fell silent suddenly and calmed herself. The Dwarf dismounted his great beast and stood in place for a moment. Old Betsy slowly turned, glaring at each and every Royal Guard present and then began trotting back in the direction they all came, until she thundered into a full gallop forward, where she disappeared into the horizon.
When the party looked back at Fissok, the four Guards who were surrounding him earlier, now were continuing to do so, evermore bravely than before. Their varied and deadly polearm weapons at the ready, inching ever closer to the Dwarf's throat. As they did this, they guided him into one of their horse-drawn carts and joined him, under guard. With a single hail from Lt. Dexlo, the cart moved inwards through the city gates. Just before he was out of view, Fissok yelled out to the party with a hint of disappointment, "Welcome home, ey?" Dexlo then turned to the party members and simply stated with just a hint of that returning snobbish-ness, "report to the castle grounds tomorrow at Noon. Present your badges and you will be given entry to your appointed audience with the Royal Pair. And please, don't be late!". He then mounted his horse and he and his company took off back into the city.
Now that the party was home, it was time to handle some business. The first thing was for Inka to bring the horses back to the stables for upkeep and stabling for the night. She met the stableman and arranged for full services for the night into the next day. Upon advice from her fellow adventurers, she pulled her horse, Sir Clops A Lot, aside and gave him the password they would use if they had to make a fast getaway from the city. If the horse ever heard the password, something along the lines of a hooty "coorl coorl, coorl coorl," he would know to gather his equine buddies and meet at the city gates, ready to run like the winds.
The Horses 5. Led by the gracious Sir Clops A Lot (center)
Next up was Sendak the Goliath. He had some things he wanted to do. One of which was a bit uncomfortable, but still something he felt the need for. He had to find his old friend from the streets, Arvan One Eye. This man took Sendak under his wings in a way when Sendak arrived in the city. Arvan had been on many more docks than Sendak, and knew the streets better than any old Goliath who came up in the world as an urchin like himself. Sendak made his way into the Docks District. It was bustling as ever even at this time of day. Trade in and out. Ships being repaired. Smaller ships being built to keep the flow of the city going until its main fleet can be re-assembled. It takes him some time to make his way around the docks area to find the ship where his man Arvan One-Eye should be. Soon enough he arrived at The Belkanor, the old salvage ship Arvan was known to work on. And there he is on the deck, sat down with a couple other individuals, drinking and talking. As Sendak approached the gangway, a large tanned arm crossed his chest, impeding his progress. Sendak looks to see it's attached to a large burly man smiling at him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa there good Sir. You must be new here. Heh, you dont just walk on up onto ships without permission now, do ya? I mean this is the capital…" as he was finishing that sentence, Arvan One-Eye yelled out, "Oy, Barfo ya big bastard. The lad is with me, let em on will ya!" Borfo, his pride clearly dinged, looked at Sendak with those dark and honest eyes and simply said "just doing my job of the day man." A sentiment the Golaith knew fully well as a fellow who took any job afforded to him. Borfo then sort of puffs his chest and crosses his arms and said in a comical bougie voice, "Go ahead sir, enjoy your evening" & then he went and continued his patrol of the dock like he was assigned to do.
Arvan always happy to see Sendak, stumbled a bit, standing up with a boozy chuckle laced with his rising years. His clothing has improved as of late the Goliath noticed. And also that he has a new eye patch. Smoke from his cigar dancing over it. "Well if it isn't the muir. How you been pal?" he asks a bit drunkenly as he slaps Sendak on the back with one hand, and shoves a mug of ale into his friend's hand with the other. They both have a good conversation going over the details of all of Sendak's recent adventures. It certainly brings a shine to the old timer's eyes. Undoubtedly bringing up the memories of his younger days doing possibly the same. Then the topic at hand arrives. Sendak explains to Arvan how he is in need of Thieves' Tools. Arvan questions the Goliath about this out of both care and curiosity. As he is no stranger to the tools of the trade with his own upbringing, he decides giving Sendak access to them would be the proper thing to do. He steps away for a moment into his quarters and rummages through an old chest, and produces a black bandana, giving it to Sendak. "Take this to Dorbory St and look for the logo matching the one on the bandana." Sendak saw embroidered on it was a dagger with an eye mask strewn across the blade. "When you're asked for it, present it. It will give you passage to who you need to speak to. The one they call, 'The Door.'
Arvan One Eye. This is a man who's seen some things.
Sendak accepted the bandana graciously knowing the favor that was just done for him. He also fought the urge to wear the bandana, finding it safer to keep it in his pocket. What he didn't know was that Maiya, no stranger to these parts and types of folks of the city, was nearby paying close attention. She approached him, knowing full well the situation, and kindly offered to go with Sendak to wherever this bandana would take them on Dorbory St. As dusk was falling, they made their way through the district until they came upon Dorbory St. Which in reality was more of an abandoned alleyway between actual streets. There was no one around. It was quiet. Maiya made her way down the street until she came upon an arrangement of crates stacked on the side of a building. She saw the logo stamped on the inner side of one of the crates, and too saw there was a barely there path through the crates that seemed to go beyond the wall of the building. As she was making her way through this slightly puzzling arrangement, she realized Sendak was not with her. Immediately figuring the oafish one lost his way somehow, she activated her Dancing Lights and aimed them back towards the main intersection in the district where they turned off at. And there was Sendak. Stopped and looking around quizzically as if he had no idea what he was looking for. Upon seeing the familiar beacons of light of his Druid friend, he followed them until he met up with her in the small but efficient crate maze. Once they followed the crates along that had the stamp matching the bandana, it suddenly ended...at a door. Maiya gave it a pirate's knock, and a small horizontal slab slid open, behind it a pair of glaring yellow eyes. "Password," a racked voice simply beckoned. Sendak presented the embroidered bandana as an answer. The eyes looked over both the Goliath and the Elf. "Only you!" it demanded as it looked at Sendak, but glared a moment at Maiya. Sendak understood now, and assured his friend he would be OK and to wait for him out here. Tucking his Darromar Guard badge deep in the folds of his outfit, he awaited the door to open.
The horizontal eyehole slid closed and the door opened, presenting entrance to nothing but darkness ahead. Sendak walked through the doorway, it closing shut behind him, enveloping him in total darkness. A moment later, a torchlight appeared about 20 feet ahead. And it illuminated below it two things. A long thick wooden table, and a cloaked figure, it's human-appearing face barely showing enough to identify them as a possible human. Sendak was face to face now with 'The Door'. The eerie silence was deafening to the Goliath as he watched The Door place a rolled up cloth on the table, and then slowly unfurl it. Within it contained the most exquisite and shiny small file, set of lock picks, small mirror mounted on a metal handle, set of narrow-bladed scissors, and a pair of pliers. Thieves' Tools. And not the rusted always-breaking kind he once had his hands on in the past. This was a top-shelf level of quality presented to him. Without voice spoken, The Door re-rolled the kit up, and slid it forward for Sendak to take. As Sendak reached down and put his hands on the kit, he momentarily met eyes with The Door. Instantly he felt not only the literal, but also the moral weight these tools & their use came with. The feeling that when you decide to use the tools of a thief, a thief you become. Sendak carefully took the kit, placing it deep down in his pack. As he looked back to thank The Door, the mysterious tool provider was just silently slinking his way backwards, disappearing silently into the dark beyond. Sendak didn't need another hint as he turned and made his way back to, and out the door. Maiya relieved to see her friend unharmed, comforted him a moment and they made their way back to meet their friends in town. If they had taken a moment and looked back to where they came from, they would have seen that the wooden door that gave the Goliath access to The Darromar Thieves' Guild, was no longer there as it was just moments ago.
Some say this is 'The Door', reputed leader of the Darromar Thieves' Guild
Onto Alystn and Pip who needed to purchase some potions. Simple enough an idea they thought as they made their way into the Commerce District and over to Oranthan's Curiosities, the local shop best known for it's potions. The pair browsed the shop's wares for a moment until they were approached by a human lady working the counter. Pip requested some healing potions of which he gladly paid for. Alystn then asked for something that would maybe give him a leg up on the competition so to speak, as he poked at the damage in his armor from the Owlbear's claw attacks. The lady, who suddenly took on a beaming yet wry smile, looked back and forth to ensure the shop was otherwise empty of customers, and told the pair she'd be right back. Minutes later she returned with a simple vial rack containing small vials of potions, glistening a bright yellow in color. "Please, go ahead and try one on the house." she requested in a friendly manner. Alystn obliged and popped the cork off a vial and downed the rather bland tasting liquid. Oh wow. Did he want to go for a walk right now! And a really fast walk at that! After encouraging Pip to take one as well, instantly he felt the same! They should get going! and NOW! They hastily gave thanks to the lady and made their way out of the shop and into the city night, speeding on their two feet to meet their friends back at the Taphouse. The lady took the vial rack back to the shop's interior, that wry smile on her face. "Hmmm, no real loss of profit there," she thought internally. "They'll be back for more..."
Back at Axel Fellroy's Taphouse, there was Maiya, Sendak, & Inka sitting at a table when suddenly the doors of the tavern burst open and speeding in came Alystn and Pip. Over the next few hours of food and drink, the party finally felt a bit settled down(as well as the Half and Dark Elf who were now coming down from their shared rush) after their recent adventure. They even had a good chat with their old friend, Winky. He as always was serving up all the revelers within the Taphouse, as well as the party with dabs of info to whet their intellectual whistles when he was asked about Fissok Sherstryk. Soon the comfortable environment struck Maiya of an item from her own to-do list. "Hey guys, my Capt, the Lady Svedra would love to meet you all. How about we take a little field trip down to her ship and make introductions. We'll get drinks out of it!". Her suggested request sat well with the party, so they finished up and headed out as a group to the Docks District. On the way again, even though it was later at night and not many were out at this hour, eyes still followed them as they went along. Admired, respected, and examined they were by those observing them. That hero label thing still not entirely setting in it seemed. Eventually they made their way over the docks and to the still being repaired Leviathan pirate ship. It bobbing in the night current slapping against the docks. They made their way onto the deck where Capt. Svedra was enjoying the night air with some of her fellow shipmates. She invited the group into her personal quarters where they all sat and shared drink and talk of recent events. Soon the conversation was taken over by the lady Captain. She one by one, eye to eye, simply asked of the band of adventurers here what their purpose was with her personal navigator. Each party member returned their answers in kind. She was now involved in royal duties with them in service of the city and it's people since the attack. Lady Capt. Svedra seethed when any mention of the Royals was used, as expected of a pirate they supposed. Still, she seemed accepting of their answers, as well as Maiya's assurance that she was still in service to her Lady Captain as always. It would be some time before The Leviathan would be ready to sail, so this momentary job acceptance by her Navigator and her friends seemed OK for the time being. And also that Maita was still presenting Capt. Svedra with treasures found along her journey. Such as one of the rubies from the statue found below in Undermar.
Then the Lady Capt focused her attention to Pip. Capt. Svedra brought her boot up on the table, and from it withdrew a simple looking but very shiny dagger. She flipped it up in the air, catching it by the blade(because what pirate captain wouldn't catch a blade by it's blade) then presented it pommel first to Pip for the taking. Pip upon reaching for the blade, saw there was a small stone inlaid into the dagger's pommel. And that stone, whether it was the gloomy interior of the Captain's quarters, or the booze of the night fudging his vision, exactly matched the tone of his very own skin! Run through with both bewilderment and amazement at the same time, Pip graciously accepted the dagger with gratitude and slid it into his pack. "What was with that?" he thought. Another thing to ponder among all his studies he promised himself. Soon enough it was time for even a pirate's night to end as the party left The Leviathan behind and headed back for a well-deserved night's sleep. They had an appointment tomorrow they were not to be late for.
The adventurers arrived at the castle grounds shortly before noon under Lt. Dexlo's instructions. With badges presented, the Royal Guard allowed them entry to Castle Tethyr. They are then escorted to the Royal Queue. Once again there is a crowd of individuals scattered about, waiting their turn to air their grievances or parry favor with the kingdom. Within moments, Lt. Dexlo appears and guided them in to the Royal Chambers. And there upon their royal seats sits the Royal Pair. As well as Timo Tunahzee on the Queen's side, and Fissok Sherstryk on the King's. Fissok is dressed in an exquisite joining of fine clothing and armor. Even his hair and beard have been fashioned. Timo is dressed in a fashionable yet professional suit of brown and white. Garb of a politician some might say. As the party members all provide their respects, The Queen Tanisa Farsfoot-Eurestel stands and begins to speak. The King remains seated, keeping his eyes glued to all in front of him with an indescribable look upon his eyes.
The nation's Lady began. "We want to thank you all for your efforts as of late. Your dedication to our great city and its people in rescuing the Tunahzee family even when that wasnt your assigned task. You went above and beyond. And now today, for helping return an old ally of the kingdom, the Dwarf Fissok Sherstryk." As she says this, Fissok turns his head away from the crowd a bit and looks out a window at the far end of the room. His arms are crossed of his chest and he holds his head straight. The King looks at him as well, and sighs a quiet but pleasant sigh.
The Queen then continued after giving her husband a glance, ending with him nodding back at her positively.
"And with that known, we believe it in our best interests to bring you five into a most delicate matter affecting your kingdom, specifically this very house," as she waves her hands at the surrounding environment. "The Royal Daughter, your Princess of Tethyr, Meylara, has gone missing. We confirmed this with young Timo here when we discovered recently that he is a witness. A witness who claims he saw our daughter being escorted by a group of unidentified individuals veiled in cloaks of silver & black, into the ruins of old Castle Tethyr the night before the attack. When he tried to report this to others in the following days, he started receiving veiled threats and issues of silence. And then, as we know now, he was then targeted specifically by the one people are calling 'The Bounty Hunter'.
"Now Meylara, as rebellious as she can be at times, and curt of her Royal Duties, we know now was not just what we call "out again". She has expectedly of a maturing young lady, had her moments where she will take off out of young adult frustrations and disappear for hours or a nightfall at a time. Usually rather quickly, found in one of the city district's reveling with locals. Other times of course, she smartly knowing her place and the life afforded to her, she returns on her own. This time though, she has not returned nor been seen since the night before the attack as reported to us by Timo," the Queen grazing her eyes over the lad. "We have had our agents from all over hunting out far and wide for her, all without progress. Even her brother Prince Feltor is out there, broken away from his Royal Duties afar, to aid in the search for his sister. His last message received just a few days ago from the old capital city of Zazesspur on the coast is that he has had no sight nor word of her yet. So all we have to go on is this report from the aspiring Tunahzee boy." Timo standing next to The Queen is visibly uncomfortable being placed in such a position currently. He has had a hell of a past few weeks. The Queen resumed, now to her point of conversation. "So now you five brave adventurers, we humbly request that you make your way to the ruins of old Castle Tethyr in the west and seek out our daughter, or any clue as to where she may be, if not in those old ruins. Of course our need to have our daughter back home is most paramount. Particularly now as there have been received confirmed reports of another attack by the great wyrm to the north of here in the Amnian resort city of Esmeltaran. The unfortunate details match that of the ones of the events that happened here." Her demeanor sours a bit as she begins the description provided to her. "A cackling witch of a woman high above the city's lines, speaking to her plans and then disappearing in an instant, only to be replaced by the onslaught of a great wyrm and its breath of steam and lightning. And to be frank, of course the balanced relationship between our great nation and those of our neighbors, must be maintained at all times. As you can imagine the despair that comes with notions of war when doubts of allegiances and agreements are enflamed to the point of no return."
Suddenly, King Eurestel rises from his chair, and addresses his frustrations with a simple statement drowning in all those feelings of a pained Father. "You all have my personal gratitude for bringing Fissok back here. After some discussion and agreements, he will be taking on his own task in helping to find my daughter as he has contacts and ways of doing things you do not. For you I require you to do the same for my daughter and your kingdom. You will have the full backing of the kingdom at your disposal. No cost too great, no need too folly. It's been seven tendays now since I last saw my daughter. Locate her, and safely return her by any means necessary. And lastly, not a word of this goes beyond these walls." he said most sternly, eyes darkened to each of you. "We have been struggling to maintain our Royal secrecy as not to worry the populace of ordeals we can handle internally. Memory of words may yet expire, but ideas of rumors never do. You can speak with our wizard Odyeus in his tower here at the castle after dawn tomorrow, and he will provide transportation for you to the old castle. It is far in distance & lost to time. Rest yourselves til then. Tomorrow wake vigilant. And find my little girl," he says with a slight resignation but demanding tone. And with that he dismisses the party, returning to his throne as the mood in the castle today is sour, and there will be no more inquiries. Lt Dexlo then leads the group out of the Royal Chamber.
The next morning the party make their way back to the castle. En route, the group decides that 'yes, we will endure this task while on our mighty steeds. As the King said, no need to folly'. So with a slight detour to the Darromar Stables, the party stride through the city streets atop their horses and soon arrive at Castle Tethyr, and are escorted to Odyeus' tower in the upper northwest section of the castle. The old Wizard greets them as required, then takes them to a back room where there is a sunken platform of stone, it covered in strange glyphs and runes. Arching stones jut out from the perimeter, nearly meeting each other at five points high above the center of the platform, like the frame of a dead stone spider. He instructs each of them to stand...but then realizes they for whatever reasons require to be saddled to their horses. So instead he has them park equally distant of each other inside this circle, and close their eyes. As they do, the old wizard said "I hope you skipped breakfast," when suddenly they all feel a pressure unlike they've ever felt before. It's as if the world and reality itself around them is contracting. Then there is an intense crackling sound in their heads followed by brightening light. The horses begin to whinny and buck as it is most uncomfortable for them what is happening to them. In a moment these sensations pass, as they all can start to feel again. They feel wind on their faces as they nervously open their eyes. They are outdoors in the morning air, grassy marshlands at their feet, & the sun behind them rising slowly. There are morning birds singing their songs. They now stand in the Purple Marches, a western coastal region of Tethyr, 220 miles from home. And approx one half-mile ahead of them to the west, looms the ruins of old Castle Tethyr. At the height of Tethyr's great kingdoms of old, this grand castle covered near 5 acres of land. It's walls rose 45 feet high. The moat that once surrounded it is long dried, becoming part of the marshes the land now is known for. The remaining facades of the castle, broken, crumbled, and pitted with history, are lightly covered in alive and desiccated vinery. It is a very un-inviting looking place, yet they are here to enter it. If there is even a sliver of chance of finding the Princess here, their goal is to take that chance. If not, there is nothing further here except beyond, the Purple Cliffs that kiss the sea itself.
The ruins of old Castle Tethyr. A once hallowed & great house of Faerunian history. Now just an empty shell of it's former glory.
The party released their horses to graze on the sweet grasses of the marshes about one hundred yards away. They all, except for Alystn, also stepped out of the way as the mode of transportation now known to them as teleportation, took it's toll on Sendak as he instantly vomited his breakfast directly on the Half-Elf. Beyond the humorous grossness of the moment, one of the last ones they may have for a while, Maiya induced a moment of her druidcraft to lightly shower the Half-Elf in a light rainfall to help wash him off. Graciously clean once again, he met the eyes of his fellow adventurers as they looked upon the great ruin before them, and slowly made their way to what appeared to be the entrance...
FIN
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