Interlude 3: Operation Rescue

[drpete]

Date: Skullmont 24, 4:00
Season: Early Fall
Weather: Cool and Clear
Moon phase: Third Quarter
Location: Outskirts of Adamas

The time spent tending Solaine's injuries passes quickly, and the group finds itself busy with various logistical issues in preparation for a trip to Adamas. The usually gregarious Ranulf is beside himself with worry, and Galen has his hands full with bandages and prayers.

Once she is ready to move, the group heads off down the road to Adamas. Travelling slowly, at Solaine's pace, the group spends a day skirting the southern edge of the Wintertops, then another day travelling south to the river.

The land near the mountains is lightly occupied, but the group passes small thorps and holds every few miles, and it is not difficult to find places to stay. As they approach the river, the land alternates between farmland and settlements, and the area seems well patrolled.

After a third day of travel, southwest along the river, the walls of Adamas comes into view. The area around the walls is densely populated with shacks and businesses set up near the city's protection, but you know most of the action occurs behind the city walls.

[kalstone]

Solaine tries to repay Torgyr for the healing she received, and seems surprised to find the offer refused. She stares at the ground in front of her and mumbles a slightly confused thank you.

She looks up at the walls of Adams and pulls her cloak down over her face. Quietly she mutters, half to Torgyr and half to herself, "I can't let them recognize me. I'm coming back the way they all said I would: with my tail between my legs like a beaten dog." She turns away, caught in a fit of coughing or sobbing, or both.

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr lays a hand on her shoulder. "You'd do the same for me, if you had to. I know you would. We don't do right by our friends only to hold it over their heads afterwards."

He looks around at the city walls, and at her reaction.

"Don't think of it that way. You aren't coming back, and you aren't beaten. You're simply passing through, and your story is far from over. Take heart."

"Alright, everyone. Let's get ourselves some place warm to stay, a pint of ale down us, and then we can attend to the business at hand. I know a few folks here. Some will be helpful, others...less so."

[drpete]

Entering the gate, your stuff is searched. You are told you must pay a tax to bring in the gems and the masks, and this will give you chits which will allow you to sell them. Them taxes come out to 25 gp: 10 for the gems, and 15 for the masks.

Inside the gate, there's a square, and you see a few public houses around it. These cater to transients, and would people might hang out there in armor with weapons. These are the Adamant Arms (stodgy but respectable) and the Jade Flower (more lively, but also pretty safe for the tourists).

Places you might consider going to look for lodging include the Dwarven neighborhood around Jeweler's Square, the fairly respectable area around the Temple of Tyche, the bars around the military garrison and Mavors Field, or the Mogda slums near the docks.

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr will pay the taxes, making a note to be reimbursed later.

"I'm partial to the Dwarven neighbourhood, got a few friends there, plus it'll be easy to sell the gems there. Where do the rest of you want to go?"

He looks at the Jade Flower then back at Ranulf. "Let's try not to get into too much trouble, right?"

[kalstone]

"That sounds good to me. I don't want to run into anyone around Mavors field."

[barkman]

"If you can recommend the hospitality, it would be nice to stay there, but if people don't want to spend any money, i know of some good places to stay out of the rain, if needed." Randolpho looks bashfully at Solaine, "but i doubt living outside would be good for you in your condition."

[Dogma]

"I'm fine with anywhere,"replies Ranulf, "as long as there is plenty of ale and even more women."

[kalstone]

Solaine adds, "I know of a good place we could stay. Ranulf would really like it, but I don't know if Galen would approve."

[drpete]

Torgyr's place, with the dwarves, would be almost all male... dwarves, ya know...

[Zorroroaster]

Ha!

[drpete]

The group makes their way out of the gate area down winding streets to a cobblestone square, around which a number of dwarves live. Along the way, Solaine is sure that at least one beggar recognizes her. Torgyr knows the residents of the little dwarf neighborhood to be mostly refugees from Ghaz Droonan, a mighty dwarf Hold that was decimated by plague. Most are craftsmen or warriors, but there are other specialties here, as well.

On one corner, there is a rooming house there that Torgyr knows well. Its sign outside has a green salamander poking up out of a beer stein. Inside, there are a bunch of dwarves. Ranulf has never seen a bar with fewer women before. Torgyr recognizes some old friends at the bar, and sees the owner having a conversation over by the stairs up to the private rooms.

[kalstone]

Solaine has never seen so many dwarves together in one place. She tries to hang back, let Torgyr take the lead and look unobtrusive, mostly unsuccessfully.

[barkman]

Randolpho, having the manners of the street rat he is, leans into Ranulf and whispers in his ear "I hope we're only here for a ....short stay, and no on tries to tell us... tall tales"

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr moves towards the action, patting a few shoulders and nodding hello to faces he recognizes as he goes. He makes his way towards the proprietor, and arranges a room for the party. He'll ask for them to have their meal brought to the room, in case Solaine wishes to remain as inconspicuous as possible, given the circumstances.

[drpete]

You rent a large bunkhouse room upstairs with room for the entire group. It's maybe a bit cramped but not bad for your group, who have been together now for a while. You get settled, and have dinner brought up to your room. You hear the sound of dwarven music and conversation downstairs, but don't seem to feel very social tonight.

The room has windows out onto the main square, where you can see a marble fountain/well with a few unsavory looking men smoking and drinking. The occasional laughs from their conversation drift up to your room. As it gets dark, looking outside you can see smaller, shadowy figures moving about. These are goblins, who move around the city freely at night. For the most part, you know that they are doing things like removing "night soil" and other garbage, but you know that many of them are involved in other, less reputable, business.

Generally, for safety's sake, when moving around the city, people often hire "linkboys" to carry torches and take them from place to place. These boys are also known to the dangerous powers in the city, so hiring one provides safe passage through the night city.

The next day, Steel goes off to find a buyer for the gems, and Galen goes off to the Temple of Tyche to do his duties there, and begin the process of finding out about getting healing for Solaine. What would the rest of you like to do? (Or should we just skip through this?)

[Lamech]

Steel will grumble about how trusting the dwarf with valuables sets bad precedent, but he will try to get the best deal possible and the money returned before something goes missing.

[drpete]

Alright, so you settle in to quietly sell the jewels. Steel realizes it'll take a while to move them.

Everyone please pay for another week... 7 gp each, and pay 3.5 each for Emm and Audi.

As time goes by, Solaine definitely notices that *someone* is watching the dwarven rooming house on a fairly regular basis, and she notices (out of the corner of her eye) that beggars seem to be tracking her when she moves around the city. No one approaches her, though.

While out shopping the jewels around, Steel gets an offer from another dwarf machinist, Tingol, to open up a workshop in Adamas. This would require some starting capital, and a commitment to stay in Adamas for a while.

Out and about in Adamas, Torgyr moves down a quiet alleyway. He passes a door, from which he hears chanting. As he passes the door by, he sees several men, dressed in black robes, in the midst of some kind of ... ceremony. There was definitely a sheep or lamb or something like that being sacrificed, and he thinks he saw a giant spider in the room. After only a moment's look inside, a face peeks out of the door, notices Torgyr, and the door is slammed.

Ranulf is out having a "quiet" evening, when a brawl breaks out. He is rounded up in the confusion. His name and information is taken, and he is told by a lawyer that he must return in a few days to act as a witness against a man for starting the brawl. Ranulf has no idea what caused the trouble, but he is offered 200 gold by the lawyer as a "reward" for testifying against the man (in favor of a guilty verdict).

[kalstone]

Something strange is definitely going on here, Solaine thinks. She decides to head to the place she grew up to see if anyone has any answers.

7 gp marked off.

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr returns and tells the others of his strange experience.

"Seems this city has taken a dark turn recently. It's downright inhospitable out there!"

"I'm not sure I want to be messing with cultists - but it gave me the howlers for sure. The hairs on my back of my neck are still standing up. Also all down my back. And on my legs. Well, you get the idea."

When hearing of the others' experiences, he shakes his head.

"Solaine, I don't want you getting in any more trouble than you need. If you want someone to accompany you, say the word. And Ranulf, that's a bad deal no matter what way you look at it. 200 gold? A payoff, and a big one. Makes me wonder what for? I tell you, the sooner we sell the jewels and quit this cesspool, the better. Hell, Dwimmermount is feeling positively homey right about now!"

7 deducted for me, 3.5 for the ladies.