Session 34
General Summary
Started at Sixth Scents.
Marti went to scout out Guildhall in spider form with Locate Objects searching for the scourge silver.
She explores;
Ground floor lounge
Banquet Hall
Bar
Drawing Room
Reception
Ballroom
Private Room
Access corridor
Kitchens
“I can’t in good conscience do it Gyslae. This whole situation reeks of impropriety. The imperium wouldn’t stand for it, my wife and I would be out of business within the month.”
“Don’t be so dramatic Bernard. I’m not asking --”
“What you’re asking is tantamount to smuggling. No. We have no interest in it. I…we… won’t –” Gyslae puts a hand on the man’s arm.
“Bernard. With the greatest of respect, you are not here because you have any choice in the matter.” -- The younger man flashes a smirk at that comment -- “You are here because you need my money. Because you can barely keep your ships afloat, let alone your business. Access to my money, has conditions. One of those conditions is that when I tell you to jump, you jump. When I tell you to sing, you sing. And when I tell you your ship will take my cargo where I want…” Bernard winces as Gyslae’s fingers dig into his arm. “You’re a weak man Bernard. A weak man who makes poor decisions and expects others to tidy up their messes. I have been kind to you, I have kept your secrets and your vices from your lovely wife, and now you think to throw my favour back in my face? No. You will take my cargo. You will bring my men to where they need to be. And you will aid them in whatever they ask of you. Do this and perhaps you will come out the other side with something approaching dignity. Though knowing you, you’ll fuck even that up.”
The speech seems to hit Bernard like a sack of bricks. “I…my…Natasha…she won’t accept this; I don’t know what I can tell her. She has as much control over the Storm’s Rest as I do –”
“She will fall in line or I will break her as I have broken you Mr Alroy. Make that clear to her. If she leaves you, so be it, so long as the ship stays with you, she can pick the carcass of your business clean for all I care.” Gyslae releases the man’s arm and he quickly retracts it to his torso. “Go. Your wife is drinking herself into a stupor in the bar. Get the hell out and don’t come back until you’ve done what I’ve asked. I’ll know if you disappoint me, Bernard. My eyes are everywhere and my whispers reach the highest of places.” Bernard practically leaps from the chair and hurries out of the door, squeezing past the guard posted there.
“Pleasant man” the younger man says, still smirking.
“A pleasant fool. If he tries that again, I’ll see to it that he can never do business in the Free Cities or the Imperium ever again. I’m needed upstairs William. Feel free to make use of the facilities whilst you’re here, but do try to wipe that sneer from your face. You look like a dolt.” The guard by the doorway escorts Roderick Gyslae to the entrance of the Guarded Stairway, and then returns downstairs to a regular patrol once Gyslae is through the door.
“The Lady Isolde in Caer Ciafran has sent multiple requests for additional supplies for the front, Gaelin. Atkyn continues to rebuff us, we have heard it is your words that bend his ear more than any of late. As such we can only assume that it is your wishes that these goods do not reach our men. Might I inquire as to why exactly you think it prudent that the men and women defending our borders and our allies should be so abandoned?”
Farrow smiles, and motions for a nearby servant to refill his glass “The capital has asked so much of us lately, I’m sure the Prince-Maer is simply making sure the cities stocks are not totally depleted before winter comes.”
“Your city’s stocks seem plenty full, sir. Treason is not a word that is bandied about lightly –”
“Isolde must know that in times of crises, appearances are not always as they seem. We cannot allow enemy spies to believe the largest port in the Draketail League is already on her last few barrels of grain, no? This opulence…it disguises our supply problems. I would be careful about levelling such accusations against the men of means here. You might suddenly find that supplies are even harder to find.”
The conversation goes on for a while, both men dancing around direct accusations.
Eventually Bhaskir gets up and leaves. He mentions going to try to see Clyf Atkyn later that day and that he would be around for a little longer if Farrow changed his mind.
They then move to do a full circle of the house, meeting up with Matthias, a servant of Lucan Bhaskir. He is working as a coach driver after the former coach driver was killed trying to find his family from Brakspring. He lets the party know that Lord Bhaskir is here on some business with Lord Gaelin Farrow. They then head back to Sixth Scents and wait for Marti to return.
Marti makes her way out of the guildhall, meeting back up with the rest of the party who head out to The Eagle's Nest to reconvene and discuss what they have found out. The party have two leads they would like to chase.
From there, the party split up, some go to the harbourmaster to find out more info about the Storm's Rest ship. Marti, Felix and Ella lie about being interested in becoming sailors which the Harbourmaster is very happy about as many of the able bodied sailors have been conscripted into the war effort. The ship belongs to the Alroy Shipping Company but it's not in port yet. It's due back in a few days. The harbourmaster warns against working for the Alroys (they're nice but have had a string of bad luck, having lost two other ships recently) and recommends instead signing on for someone more stable such as the Athasian-Draketail Trading Company run by Lord Farrow. He has a ship due in soon, the Sea Queen. The party thank him for the information and say they will be back in a few days when hopefully there is more work available."
Wisk and Lorelei head to The Misty Mill to speak with Bhaskir. They do so in disguise after shaking whatever was tailing them in a crowded marketplace. They arrive at the hotel and meet with Bhaskir who takes them up to his private chambers so they are out of earshot of any potential spies. They discuss Bhaskir getting the party invited to the Guildhall the next day, he says he can do it if he hires them on as guards. He also mentions Farrow has a house in the Caerton district called Madoc Manor.
Lorelei and Wisk return to the rest of the party to discuss next moves.
Marti went to scout out Guildhall in spider form with Locate Objects searching for the scourge silver.
She explores;
Bar
A cozy bar area with wood panel and silk upholstery furniture. A woman with straight dark hair and light brown skin sits in one of the armchairs, nervously clutching a glass of wine. One of the bar staff says she’s sure that Master Alroy will be fine and that Lord Gyslae simply doesn’t like dealing with too many people at once. The woman snaps at the staff to shut up and stay out of her business. She necks the rest of her glass, apologies for snapping and asks for another.Drawing Room
The drawing room’s door is slightly ajar allowing light harp music and raised voices to escape. Inside is a cosy space with a grand fireplace. Three men are in the centre of the room, all dressed impeccably, the two older men are in the middle of a heated discussion whilst a third, younger man looks on into the fire, seemingly bored.“I can’t in good conscience do it Gyslae. This whole situation reeks of impropriety. The imperium wouldn’t stand for it, my wife and I would be out of business within the month.”
“Don’t be so dramatic Bernard. I’m not asking --”
“What you’re asking is tantamount to smuggling. No. We have no interest in it. I…we… won’t –” Gyslae puts a hand on the man’s arm.
“Bernard. With the greatest of respect, you are not here because you have any choice in the matter.” -- The younger man flashes a smirk at that comment -- “You are here because you need my money. Because you can barely keep your ships afloat, let alone your business. Access to my money, has conditions. One of those conditions is that when I tell you to jump, you jump. When I tell you to sing, you sing. And when I tell you your ship will take my cargo where I want…” Bernard winces as Gyslae’s fingers dig into his arm. “You’re a weak man Bernard. A weak man who makes poor decisions and expects others to tidy up their messes. I have been kind to you, I have kept your secrets and your vices from your lovely wife, and now you think to throw my favour back in my face? No. You will take my cargo. You will bring my men to where they need to be. And you will aid them in whatever they ask of you. Do this and perhaps you will come out the other side with something approaching dignity. Though knowing you, you’ll fuck even that up.”
The speech seems to hit Bernard like a sack of bricks. “I…my…Natasha…she won’t accept this; I don’t know what I can tell her. She has as much control over the Storm’s Rest as I do –”
“She will fall in line or I will break her as I have broken you Mr Alroy. Make that clear to her. If she leaves you, so be it, so long as the ship stays with you, she can pick the carcass of your business clean for all I care.” Gyslae releases the man’s arm and he quickly retracts it to his torso. “Go. Your wife is drinking herself into a stupor in the bar. Get the hell out and don’t come back until you’ve done what I’ve asked. I’ll know if you disappoint me, Bernard. My eyes are everywhere and my whispers reach the highest of places.” Bernard practically leaps from the chair and hurries out of the door, squeezing past the guard posted there.
“Pleasant man” the younger man says, still smirking.
“A pleasant fool. If he tries that again, I’ll see to it that he can never do business in the Free Cities or the Imperium ever again. I’m needed upstairs William. Feel free to make use of the facilities whilst you’re here, but do try to wipe that sneer from your face. You look like a dolt.” The guard by the doorway escorts Roderick Gyslae to the entrance of the Guarded Stairway, and then returns downstairs to a regular patrol once Gyslae is through the door.
Reception
An elaborate front desk is manned by a slim human woman. She has long dark hair, soft features and appears to be in her early thirties. The gentle sound of piano music drifts in from behind the curtain on the left.Private Room
An intimate private room, its entrances covered with velvet curtains. Lord Gaelin Farrow and Lord Lucan Bhaskir are speaking over wine. An exceptionally large man in golden armour and red robes stands watch nearby.“The Lady Isolde in Caer Ciafran has sent multiple requests for additional supplies for the front, Gaelin. Atkyn continues to rebuff us, we have heard it is your words that bend his ear more than any of late. As such we can only assume that it is your wishes that these goods do not reach our men. Might I inquire as to why exactly you think it prudent that the men and women defending our borders and our allies should be so abandoned?”
Farrow smiles, and motions for a nearby servant to refill his glass “The capital has asked so much of us lately, I’m sure the Prince-Maer is simply making sure the cities stocks are not totally depleted before winter comes.”
“Your city’s stocks seem plenty full, sir. Treason is not a word that is bandied about lightly –”
“Isolde must know that in times of crises, appearances are not always as they seem. We cannot allow enemy spies to believe the largest port in the Draketail League is already on her last few barrels of grain, no? This opulence…it disguises our supply problems. I would be careful about levelling such accusations against the men of means here. You might suddenly find that supplies are even harder to find.”
The conversation goes on for a while, both men dancing around direct accusations.
Eventually Bhaskir gets up and leaves. He mentions going to try to see Clyf Atkyn later that day and that he would be around for a little longer if Farrow changed his mind.
Outside
Meanwhile the rest of the party continue to explore the surrounding area. They first enter Xyryzhkac’s Head (pron. Zair-iz-kak) and purchase Helm of Comprehending Languages, Masquerade Tattoo and a Spell Scroll (Blindness/Deafness) from Iusta Crackhammer, the dwarven proprietor.They then move to do a full circle of the house, meeting up with Matthias, a servant of Lucan Bhaskir. He is working as a coach driver after the former coach driver was killed trying to find his family from Brakspring. He lets the party know that Lord Bhaskir is here on some business with Lord Gaelin Farrow. They then head back to Sixth Scents and wait for Marti to return.
Marti makes her way out of the guildhall, meeting back up with the rest of the party who head out to The Eagle's Nest to reconvene and discuss what they have found out. The party have two leads they would like to chase.
- Meet up with Lucan Bhaskir at The Misty Mill
- Find out more information about the Storm's Rest ship.
From there, the party split up, some go to the harbourmaster to find out more info about the Storm's Rest ship. Marti, Felix and Ella lie about being interested in becoming sailors which the Harbourmaster is very happy about as many of the able bodied sailors have been conscripted into the war effort. The ship belongs to the Alroy Shipping Company but it's not in port yet. It's due back in a few days. The harbourmaster warns against working for the Alroys (they're nice but have had a string of bad luck, having lost two other ships recently) and recommends instead signing on for someone more stable such as the Athasian-Draketail Trading Company run by Lord Farrow. He has a ship due in soon, the Sea Queen. The party thank him for the information and say they will be back in a few days when hopefully there is more work available."
Wisk and Lorelei head to The Misty Mill to speak with Bhaskir. They do so in disguise after shaking whatever was tailing them in a crowded marketplace. They arrive at the hotel and meet with Bhaskir who takes them up to his private chambers so they are out of earshot of any potential spies. They discuss Bhaskir getting the party invited to the Guildhall the next day, he says he can do it if he hires them on as guards. He also mentions Farrow has a house in the Caerton district called Madoc Manor.
Lorelei and Wisk return to the rest of the party to discuss next moves.
Report Date
06 Nov 2022
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