A Song of Dragons... and Dungeons. (IC Thread)

[Human Error]

The gnome looked at him blankly, then seemed to look around and out the door, as if checking if anybody was looking,
Then beckoned the party to lean forward, whispering to them,
"You didn't hear it from me, but they are from the Zhentarim, you don't really talk about them around here though, they work quite a bit in this ward."
The gnome then stood up and pointed toward the door,
"It is at this point, that I would like you to leave, have a nice day."​

 

[Neo Alice]

Cassandra Arkane

Location: Old Xoblob Shop

Interactions: Ale ( Togy ), Garath ( Sherwood ), Gnome, Elle, Durand ( Human Error )

Mentions: -

The plot thickens… who are these Zetharim the gnome is talking about? She would have to find out later since he was inviting them to leave. She gave him a smile and signaled the others to follow her. ”Thank you my good man, you’ve been very helpful.” She walks towards the door, she snaps her fingers and chants ”Drakkan Pearlgrasp” in order to cast Mage Hand. Floating next to the door an spectral and scaly white hand, resembling that of a white dragon, appeared and motioned to open the door for the princess.

The spectral hand would keep the door open for the others and vanish afterwards, while Cassandra looks a Elle and Durand to bring them up to speed. ”Well, it was a good thing we decided to stop.” Of course she had imposed it but she would pretend it was a group decision rather than her own. ”We’ve got some useful information, now we can proceed to the tavern.”

”Oh! We also got some cool stuff! Look! Look!” She pulled out the trinkets she bought from the gnome to show them to Durand. ”I don’t know why they are here but they seem to be quite familiar don’t you think?” She looks back at the store for a moment and then back a Durand. ”We should come back, you know, when we aren’t solving mysteries and all that.” She stores the items back in her pockets, excited to have them.

Code by Neo Alice ©

 

[Human Error]

When Cassandra exited the shop, Ella and Durand seemed to be in the middle of a conversation out by the edge of the docks, a conversation that had ended when Cassandra left the shop, both of them turning and walking to meet her halfway, listening to what she had to say before Ella nodded and spoke up,
"Well, That's one thing off my mind, I had an inkling that the Zhents were behind this, considering the tavern they stayed at is run by the Zhentarim."

Durand was mildly amused by how excited the Princess was about the trinkets that she had bought, he looked them over and raised a confused eyebrow,
"My lady? I understand the card and the blood, as they both seem rather important to our house, but... I don't see the reason for the coal, I fear you may have been tricked."
Durand leaned in to get a better look at her eyes, trying to see if they were glossed over, as his training taught him how to see some signs of magical influence.​

 

[Neo Alice]

Cassandra Arkane

Location: Outside Old Xoblob Shop

Interactions: Ale ( Togy ), Garath ( Sherwood ), Elle, Durand ( Human Error )

Mentions: -

Cassandra looks at Elle while she talks and nods. ”The Gnome hurried us off after mentioning them… and he was a little scared too, are they that big of a deal around here?” Then she heard Durand’s comment, thinking for a moment before replying and then he approached her a bit too close, making her cheeks turn red. Nervously she turns around while taking the coal out once again. ”Hahaha, don’t be ridiculous. Don’t judge a book by its cover.” She turns towards him once again, after feeling her face cool off, of course.

The princess gently rubs the coal in his clothes, which normally would leave a black stain but instead nothing happened. ”See? I don’t know exactly why… but I can see it as it really is, unlike everyone else.” She puts it back in her pocked, chest filled with pride. ”It is also important for our house, I know that much…. I’m not sure why.” This many objects related to her and her family were a bit disturbing actually, thankfully she knew Volo had nothing to do with it as he had no ulterior motive for summoning her here. However, that gave her no reassurance, after all it’s too soon to dismiss the possibility of someone powerful enough to orchestrate this entire situation. Maybe she was being paranoid but is it that farfetched at this point? Secret organizations with secret tattoos, kidnapping and doing who knows what else.

”That reminds me something, does someone knows what the tattoo of the gnome head means? The human that had the confrontation with that half-orc in the Yawning Portal had the same thing, I doubt is a coincidence.”

Code by Neo Alice ©

 

[Togy]

In the vain attempt of being remotely useful, Ale searched his mind for any memory of the tattoo.

 

[Sherwood]

With a shake of his head, Garath says, "It does not sound familiar to me at all. I am sorry that I am not more help."

 

[Human Error]

(History Check for Ale, At disadvantage cause I had you roll earlier = 23, 4.)
What's a Tattoo?

"The tattoo with all the eyes? That's The Xanathar Guild."
Ella spoke up, pointing at the shop,
"Was just tellin' Durand about Xanathar, cause the plush beholder in the window reminded me of it."
She continued on, waving her hands through the air as she spoke,
"The Xanathar Guild is not an official guild of Waterdeep, but they are hard set on becoming one. Beast-like races, like the Kenku, or like our minotaur friend here, are some faces you will probably see among their ranks. A bad crew to be around, if you ask me, But."
Ella paused for a moment before looking around, talking in a hushed tone,
"If we are up against the Zhentarim, we can be sure that the Xanathar Guild is NOT helping them. While they both tend to stick to the dirtier side of the law, The two factions hate each other with a passion."​

 

[Sherwood]

Garath shrugs. "Well, one way or another, we will find this man, or proof of his passing. I have no desire to get involved in the turf wars between rival guilds of criminals. We should be on our way."