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All are back in Reso, and Gruff has an appointment in Fort
Denwarf. Specularum is the best place to get to anywhere from, so the
party see about getting there. It is easy enough to find a ship heading
there, and 10 of Sequoia's fast running out platinum pieces are handed
over for the fare. The boat is leaving the next day, and Rodion heads up
the wizard's guild, just to tell them that he's heading off. As it
happens, one of their number is in Specularum (or was heading there) and
they need an item sent down to him. Rodion is given a rod to give to a man
named Dorri in Specularum. The next day, the ship departs. Everyone but
Gruff (who has travelled on ships quite a few times) is in bits. Rodion is
fine after about a week, Proziac is okay, but Bree really has a bad time
of it. When the two-week voyage is over, Bree is about 10 pounds lighter,
and physically wrecked. Marcus and Sequoia generally stick to themselves
during the journey, and as the ship pulls in to Specularum, they head off
to the Green Dragon Inn, to meet the party later. The others are given one
piece of advice as they alight: leave the docks. About ten minutes later,
enough people have gathered enough bearings to leave the docks. The party
have just passed through a large citygate when a street urchin runs up to
them. Two cityguards stand behind him. "That's 'im, guv'nah" indicates the
urchin, pointing at Proziac. The guards step up and one of them places a
hand on Proziac's shoulder. Rodion tries to talk to them, but all they'll
indicate is that Proziac is being arrested, and being taken to the
nightwatch guild station in the River Quarter. A pair of manacles are
clapped on Proziac and he is led off by the two guards. A fine
introduction to the largest city in the world. Figuring to leave Proziac
for a while before going to see what's going on, the three others look for
an Inn. The Wizard's Hat Inn happens to be just up the road to the left,
and the party enter. The barman is an attractive woman by the name of
Dwaven Mae, and the group purchase a few drinks. She is quite friendly,
and answers the party's questions. The wizard's guild is in the High
Quarter (but they're just a bunch of toffs). The nightwatch guildstation
is part of the citygate the party just passed through. Rodion
speculatively enquires after a man named Dorri, and as it happens, he left
his name, and intends stopping back later that day.
Gruff and Rodion head down to the guardhouse to talk to
Proziac. The guard at the door is not very helpful, and needs to be paid
2gp to overcome the administration involved in opening a door for
them. Proziac is sitting in a cell, and blurts out the story. He is
accused of three murders, having occurred the past three nights. A judge
has been to see him, pronounced sentence, and he is to be hung at sunset
(an hour or so off). Unless someone wants to pay 1000gp to offset his debt
to the city (nobody important was killed) he will hang. Rodion takes 2gp
off Gruff and runs off to the docks. Hopefully the ship's captain will be
able to confirm that Proziac couldn't have done any of the murders. When
he gets there all he can find is a sailor, who is helpful enough, and does
remember the party. The sailor reckons it would be impossible to find the
captain by sunset (he's off in the Toffy Sailor Nobs' Inn, or somesuch, in
the High Quarter). Rodion gives him a gold piece to come with him and at
least tell the cityguards that Proziac was on a ship the past two
weeks. They get back just as the sun is setting. The guard doesn't care
what the sailor has to say, the judge has already passed sentence. The
small goal is now open, and a couple of commoners have wandered in to
witness the hanging. Proziac is standing on a stool in the cell with a
rope around his neck. The guard reads out the list of charges "..the
murder of three citizens of the city of Specularum.. ..and unless someone
sees fit to compensate the city to the amount of 1000gp..". "I'll pay
it" comes a voice from the crowd. A well dressed man steps forward. The
commoners grumble when it becomes clear that there isn't going to be a
hanging. The man says he is Proziac's uncle, and hands over the
money. Proziac is cut down and returned his possessions. The man says he
has set Proziac up with a room with his friends in the Wizard's Hat Inn,
says he will see him later, and walks off into the crowd. Gruff had run
off to fetch Bree, and the four meet up heading back to the Inn. Bree asks
what happened, and Proziac says that his uncle saved him. Rodion points
out that he and Proziac are from Gendolrin, somewhere across an ocean, and
that Proziac doesn't have an uncle in Specularum. Proziac doesn't
care. The group of four return to the Inn. Marcus and Sequoia are still to
be met in the Green Dragon, but rooms are already paid for in the Wizard's
Hat, and Rodion still has to see if Dorri turns up. Discussion continues
in the Inn. Magic and stuff is mentioned, and Proziac recollects, somewhat
vaguely, that some sort of truth spell was cast upon him by the judge, but
that he admitted to committing the murders, though not really in control
of what he was saying. With respect to the need to travel to Fort. Denwarf
with the letter, the party reckon there must be a good few dwarves in a
city like this, and maybe the letter of recommendation will be good
here. Later in the evening, a man enters the bar. He asks something of the
barmaid, and is just about to turn away when she points him to the party's
table. It is Dorri, and Rodion hands over the rod. Dorri gives him 10gp
for his trouble.
The next morning, the party head to the Green Dragon. It is a
busier place than the Wizard's Hat, and after the purchase of a couple of
drinks, the barman is helpful enough. Sequoia and Marcus did stay there
the previous night, but left in the morning. The barman reckons that they
intended to return though. There are a couple of dwarves drinking at one
of the tables, and Gruff goes over to see if he can find out if the letter
is any good in Specularum. He and Rodion head over. Gruff brings a couple
of dwarven ales. The dwarves are undwarvenly friendly, and ask to see the
letter. They say that the letter is no good anywhere other than
Fort. Denwarf, as it is addressed to an individual. They are impressed,
however, by the news of the hammer the party found. The dwarves buy a
couple of proper drinks, and start talking about 'interesting' dwarven
stuff. The dwarves are happy to do the talking and buy the drinks, and
most of the afternoon and evening is spent drinking with them. Bree comes
over to join the conversation and Proziac goes off about the city. The
dwarves impart (when they're not busy discussing the merits of warhammer
over battleaxe) that the best bet for the party would be to pay to join a
dwarven caravan heading for Fort. Denwarf. Later that evening, the others
stumble back to the Wizard's Hat to meet Proziac. He has found out some
stuff while about town, but it waits 'till morning.
In the morning, Proziac says he found a mercenary's guild, and
that they have advertisements on noticeboards for caravan guards. A 'group
of six strong men' the party are not. After some debate, the party wander
off to look at the notices at the mercenaries guild. The 'receptionist'
doesn't seem to think much of the party's chances with any of the jobs,
and nor do the party. Everyone heads down to the low market to see about a
caravan heading north. Humans simply aren't going direct to Fort
Denwarf. The dwarves want 25gp per person for the journey, and don't care
that the party did find the hammer of Duathal. There aren't 100gp in the
party, and the idea that jobs will have to be acquired is beginning to
surface. The party return to the noticeboards outside the mercenary's
guild. Gruff is informed of a notice requiring 'bouncer for lively tavern'
and approaches the man doing the hiring. The man eyes (and noses) Gruff
sceptically. He asks Gruff to close his eyes. Gruff does. He belts Gruff
across the head with a cudgel. Gruff is easily able to take it. Gruff has
all the qualifications, and is told to clean up and turn up at the River
Rat Inn this evening; to earn the princely sum of 1gp per month. The party
head up to the Garden Gate, the entrance to the High Quarter. The party
are stopped and told Gruff isn't getting in. To the others it will cost
2sp each. A man in burnished platemail walks up to the gate, nods to one
of the guards, and walks by without paying. Proziac scurries off by
himself again. When he returns he tells the party some of what he's been
up to. He has received two notes from his 'uncle' in the past two
days. The first telling him to recover a blue poisonous elixir from a
herbalist's shop in the Artisan's quarter. The second, that if a woman
named 'Adenette' dies, so will he. Proziac found the shop, and six blue
potions fitting the bill, described as minor healing potions, were on
sale. They cost 1gp each. Upon returning to the shop, one had been sold,
and Proziac is concerned that someone has purchased the poisoned elixir
that will kill this Adenette. He convinces the party to spend 5gp on the
purchase of the remaining 5 elixirs. The party return to the Green Dragon,
and pay for rooms. It is still not clear what Proziac is meant to do with
the 5 potions, or to do about the one that was already purchased. Gruff
remembers his appointment at the River Rat, and after getting a bucket of
water and washing some of the excrement from his body, he and Rodion walk
there. Gruff is late, and the position has already been filled. Gruff and
Rodion return. It is late, and the party retire to bed.
In the morning, everyone but Proziac wakes up. His throat having been slit
during the night made the task especially difficult. Gruff has a look at
him, but there's nothing he can do for someone who has been bleeding from
a cut throat for most of the night. The party inform the innkeeper of the
mishap. He isn't overly concerned, and doesn't figure the city guard will
be either. For one platinum piece he offers to dispose of the corpse. Bree
pays, and after taking Proziac's valuables, the party head downstairs to
see what the lunch special is like.
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