The Dark Truth - IC [Full]

[RaynieTaco]

Pre-session: Through land, sea, air- a letter makes its way to your hands with a familiar seal wax closing off its contents.​

Sherwood
Dorian- Contacting the wood elf was not too difficult. Her dedication to her God and her sheer determination granted her a rare sight. A Corellon temple's infancy as it is built in the woods outside the Okoroy Mountain range. The small village in which it was to be erected was mostly made of half-elves and their kinsman but most had not heard the words passed down from the Elven Protector. The newly appointed priest of the temple, who had great faith, found the eleven Cleric during her prayers. His brow was furrowed with worried and in his slender fingers, he clutched an off-white envelope of thick parchment and a long wooden box. The symbol in the thick, purplish wax was that of the half-moon. Giving the acolyte some privacy, the priest left for his own prayers. Dorian, now alone, opened the letter address to her in very familiar handwriting. The elegant script's writer was confirmed as her eyes took in the name of her dear friend and priest mentor Dendarian scrawled at the bottom. The letter read as followed:

Dearest Dorian,

Has it already been five years since you accepted the visions of Corellon and set out on your Godly mission? It feels like a lifetime since I last have seen those agile hands work the miracles of the Protector and all its glory. I hope you are doing well. The wind has brought in the tales of your journey eastward and the great success you have had spreading the Word. Corellon is surely as proud of you as I am. The reason for my letter does not stop at my admiration for your good deeds to the East. As you may know, war tension has been on the rise from the gnome king himself and the dark elves to the North. A person such as yourself expresses your faith would be wise to be more tactful on whom hears the message you speak. You have a keen mind and I am sure you are aware of the dangers that present itself during this strifeful time. I hope you bring this keen mind to your next assignment, dear Dorian.

I have had word from a city to the East known as Ko'el. It is well known amongst the leadership here due to the founder being a follower of Corellon and a high elf with quite a lot of sway of his people. Caeldrim has been a great beneficiary of the faith as well as a friend to our people here in Woodhelvan. It has come to our attention that our brother in faith may be in some sort of danger as well as the city of Ko'el itself. Depravity has been allowed to run rampant in ostentatious displays all over the city and one of Caeldrim's closest advisors has requested the help of this temple to uncover the evil and stop it from consuming more people of the city. The temple there is much bigger than the temples you may have encountered on your way through the world but sadly those teachings have been corrupted and the Words manipulated to benefit the evils of the city. I need you to report to Tatyan Hashprone- a bronze Dragonborn who is seated on the parliament there. She has requested assistance and beseeches the temple to root out the evils in any way. Please, maintain your mission to spread the faith in any way you can but also assist Ko'el back to the light. Also, the temple is a blemish on Corellon and needs your guidance to get it back on track. From my own investigation, it will not be an easy feat. The priests there are very secretive and expels all who argue with their teachings. Please be careful and do not allow them to harm you and catch onto your true intentions. I need to know exactly what is happening and why they have turned away from their teaching.

Report to Tatyan in a fortnight to hear more from her. She has assembled a few others to help in the journey and they will be depending on your skills and mind to achieve this goal together. You are in my prayers every day. Please be safe and use the item I was able to acquire to help you on this mission. I am not sure the next time we will speak in person but please try to not send any letters for the time being. The war front has made a letter exchange potentially hazardous. We will find a way to speak again soon.

With love,
Dendarian

In the box is a long wand and a tiny card with the same handwriting you know explaining the properties.

Wand of Magic Detection: This wand has 3 charges. While holding it, you can expend 1 charge as an action to cast the detect magic spell from it. The wand regains 1d3 expended charges at dawn​

 

[RaynieTaco]

Psychie
Riku- The monk gave a whole new meaning to meditating on the mountaintops by climbing one of the highest peaks of the Okoroy mountains to regain some clarity over recent events. Her father was on her trail and reality slammed into her in full force. Having to send her away was one of the hardest things that Iroh would have done in his lifetime. But her safety was far more important than the bond of teacher and a student being severed, possibly temporarily. Still, he could only give her one last parting gift. And envelope in his scrawl was placed in her bags as she left as well as a velvet pouch the color of the forest-rich greens. The letter follows as such:

Riku,

You have blossomed into a worthy monk but there is much you still must learn. Do not get lazy. That spoiled girl was a bad look for you. I have watched you grown into a strong woman- one who would not cry in adversity. During these turbulent times, I offer up a chance to help law prevail in a place that is lost. This will keep you far from the monastery and the trail your father is surely following. The monks have obtained a mission to help a troubling city in need of guidance. It isn't our place as monks to offer a hand in such a manner, so the burden will fall to your shoulders if you so choose. You are, after all, a free woman. But if you do not do it, I will haunt you with such intensity- it will remind you of those days of you bothering me to let you into the monastery. I will count on you to make the right choice.

The town is due East of the Okoroy Mountains, past the Shrewmere woods. Ko'el is a big city- one you may never see the likes of in your lifetime. Go to the biggest building and find a bronze Dragonborn name Tatyan Hashprone. She will give you more details in regards to your mission. This is the last thing I can give you as your master but do not pout, young woman. I have eyes all over Cyrenic and I will be keeping a close watch on your progress. Wear the gift I stashed away in your bag and think of your life here.

Iroh.

In the pouch, a jade color string of beads pours out into her palm. It looks long enough to wear on your wrist or ankle. Upon wearing it, you gain a special ability.

Iroh's Prayer Beads: 1 charge that replenishes after a long rest. It contains the spell "Cure wounds" at the lowest level (for now) that you can use at no cost.​

 

[Sherwood]

When the priest of this village told Dorian that there was a message from Dendarian, the young priestess smiles with genuine happiness. It has been a long time since she has received any word from her dear mentor and friend, getting any was a surprise. I hope that nothing has gone wrong back home, she thinks to herself as she carefully opens the letter. Once, twice, three times her eyes take in every word on the page before she lowers the letter to look in the box at the wand. Carefully picking up the wand, she smiles once more. Dendarian is such a kind soul to provide me with such a wondrous gift. May Corellon bless your every step, you dear, sweet man. Now, it is time for me to prepare myself for another journey, this time into the heart of what I have been called upon to stop. Truly, this is why I was sent forth from Woodhelven. A sudden chill goes up her spine as she sits on her simple chair. I certainly hope that I am up to this task. May Corellon guide me as I place my faith in Him.

Dorian kneels down in front of the small window to pray, and soon finds herself feeling calm and serene once more. Rising up, she goes to find the priest that is the head of this burgeoning temple to tell him that she needs to prepare to set forth in the morning, and to thank him for his kindness as a host. "Father, it has been a pleasure spending time here in your sanctuary, and I would love to stay longer, but unfortunately, my path leads me on in another direction. At first light, I must be on my way if I am to make it to Ko'el in time to make my meeting with Tatyan. Thank you for your hospitality and fellowship, and I look forward to coming this way again to see the progress you will surely make, leading our people to the Light."

With the needs of courtesy taken care of, she returns to the small room that she has been staying in during her time here to pack her few belongings. Outside, a bird chirps out its happy song, and her heart swells in expectation of the road ahead, despite its many obvious challenges.

 

[Psychie]

Riku shakes her long braid out of her face as she sits under the shade of a tree to read the letter, taking a sip from her water skin as she does so. <snort> That Iroh! Always such a pain in the ass! Even when I'm not there to have him riding my backside, he's riding my backside, telling me not to get lazy! The thought of that brings a smile to her face, even as she feels regret from leaving her home of the past ten years. The thought of her father's goons being on her heel makes Riku look back the way she came, just to make sure that there is no sign of pursuit.

She shakes her head again, making her braid whip back and forth, then places her water skin back in her backpack, along with the letter. The prayer beads will go around her ankle with gratitude. It is a dangerous world out there, especially for a girl traveling alone. I'm sure that the beads will make themselves useful time and time again. Now, enough woolgathering, girl. Time to move along.

Shouldering her pack and spear once more, Riku sets off at a brisk pace, one guaranteed to put many miles behind her before nightfall. As she walks, she wonders if there is anyplace for her to sleep up ahead besides a simple cot or the hard ground, and if so, how much it will cost her to secure such a night's rest. Its not like she is awash in gold right now.

 

[RaynieTaco]

BracedJupiter72
Betha: It has been weeks since Betha and Tatyan had a lesson in the arcane. Was she simply avoiding the young wizard or was there more to this cold shoulder that meets the eye? Their first contact after these long, quiet days was not what the girl expected. A messager clad in the uniform workers who work in the Parliament square knocked on the door of the stable turned dormitory near the beautiful tall building Tatyan worked at. The full black outfit was marked with 2 diamonds on the collar, signifying the rank of the worker being on the low side. In his hand was a bag with a letter attached. He offered his hand up for a tip- Betha can decide if she will give him one.

Once the bag was moved inside the small dorm room, the young wizard opened the letter with her name written in fancy script. The familiar writing of Tatyan and her unique scent of firewood and fresh moss filled her nose. The letter reads:

Dear Betha,

I am sorry our last meeting did not go according to plan and since then our communication has been thin. A lot has happened and I needed time to gather my thoughts of your apprenticeship under me. Your heart is hardened and your vision clouded by vengeance and fear. I cannot be of good conscience in allowing you to continue down this path of darkness and despair. You have been very stubborn when it comes to these teachings and I have let this go on for far too long. With that being said, you have still managed to impress me every day with your resourcefulness despite the loss you keep with a heavy heart. This may be a mistake, but I am entrusting you with a mission most important to this great city founded by Caeldrim. This is your last chance to impress me with your ability to grow from these misfortunes rather than allowing them to cloud your judgment. If you care to continue our lessons, you will take this to heart and see with your own eyes what darkness can do to one's soul.

This darkness has befallen the city of Ko'el in the most heinous way. As you know with your experience with the Ivory Bloods that the crime here has gone unpunished long enough. I am employing your services as well as those who also received a letter of assistance to get to the bottom of the cause of this increase of evil. Please meet me in the office tomorrow at midday to get more information. If you pick to ignore this, I will not think less of you. However, I will no longer be your teacher or a friend. In return, I give you a chance to continue being my student, a chance to see the evil that took your family away get justice served, and money to start your life as a free wizard. Attached is a gift of my sentiment for you. I know this letter may seem harsh but I do care for you, my dear Betha. And I only wish for you to achieve greatness where I cannot.

Yours,
Tatyan Hashprone

The bag once open reveals a large, floppy hat with expensive-looking lace and beads adorning it. Another note that simply reads- I know you like hats, I hope this will do. With love, T.

Hat of Wizardry: You can use this hat as a spell focus to keep your hands free of a focus. You can also attempt to cast a cantrip you don't know. The cantrip must be on the wizard spell list and you must make a DC 10 Intelligence check (Arcana). If the check succeeds, you cast the spell no problem. If the check fails, so does the spell and the action used is wasted. You can do this twice per long rest.​

 

[BracedJupiter72]

Betha looks up at the man then closes the door then sits on a stool nearby. she opens the letter and reads it once, then twice, then three times her smile slightly increasing. She opens the bad and sees the hat. Tatyan knows me so well. She thinks to herself. She reads the letter once more to gather more details about the expedition she's about to endure.

she grabs her pack, and the few items thats she has and stuffs them in carelessly. Can't wait to get out of tis hellhole, I wonder who else is going to be there...it can't be just me on this mission, and if there are others I hope they don't judge be because of my wealth. That thought makes her stop packing. I don't care what they think of me, this is going to be good for me. I'm going to get me money, hopefully enough to move out of this godforsaken town. She chuckles to herself and continues, throwing the pack over her shoulder when done.

She grabs her dagger and slides it in one of the loops on her backpack, as well as a quarterstaff she stole from a couple of children who left it behind near the stable. She puts the hat on and tips the brim over her face and she starts walking to the office, in her excited rush to live she had forgotten that it had said to go there the next day.

 

[RaynieTaco]

Ilikepie
Ashe: Every day it gets tougher and tougher to make a living. The money simple jobs get you just isn't enough to get by these days. Conditions of daily life have begun to dwindle to bleakness and the crime around Ashe is at an ultimate high. The little meeting place between old friends from those years of being orphans on the streets was most clearly of people. She sat alone consumed in her own thoughts on her next big break. Cassni entered the place with a parcel in one hand and a letter in the other. Her dirty fingers left marks on the high-quality paper but her intention was on the parcel. She shook the thing back in forth expecting the jingle of coins. To her disappointment, nothing made a sound. She had a confused look on her face as she walked closer to her friend Ashe. "Oui, Ashe. This is for you. Some rich-looking girl was looking for you. She gave me three gold pieces to deliver it to ya." She grinned as the gold coin appeared in her hand. She flipped it and caught it midair before it disappeared in her cloak once again. "Her loss. But I earned my pay. Now tell me- you got a secret admirer or sumthing?" She handed over the items but stuck around to see the goodies. The letter read as followed:

Dear Ashe,

My name is Tatyan Hashprone from the metropolis Ko'el. You are not familiar with me but I am with you. I had a woman in my employment for a short time by the name of Luscinia. She told me tales of young orphans turned skilled adults under her watchful eye. She told me tales of you, my dear, and your skills in fighting and stealth. This letter is to offer you some employment from myself, not connected with the parliament. This will be a contract based job that once complete could offer you a large lump of platinum if you play your cards right. You will not be alone in this adventure- there are other women I have requested to aid on this mission as well. Luscinia will not be one of them, I am afraid.

Please make your way to my office in the parliament building in the city of Ko'el within the fortnight if you want to take the job. I also sent you an item that will surely help in your travels- it was something your friend often sighed over. I think she will be happy that it ended up in your hands. Please take this job and help me and in return, I will help you as much as I can. We can discuss payment or favor once you have made your way to my office.

See you soon,
Tatyan Hashprone.

Unwrapping the tan paper from the parcel that weighs heavy in her hand, Ashe reveals a black and red cape of fine silk and smelling distinctly of brimstone.

Cape of Mountebank: While wearing it, you can use it to cast the Dimension Door spell as an action. This property of the cape can't be used again until the next dawn. When you disappear, you leave behind a cloud of smoke, and you appear in a similar cloud of smoke at your destination. The smoke lightly obscures the space you left and the space you appear in, and it dissipates at the end of your next turn. A light or stronger wind disperses the smoke.​

 

[RaynieTaco]

Felix

Odette: In the rolling hills and lush greenery of the Maiden Gardens tucked away in the well-guarded areas of Ko'el, a noble family was housing a unique character in their home. Odette has kept the family happy with her storytelling for the last few days and even a young boy has claimed her as his love. The boy being only seven had impeccable tastes at the very least. It was before another get together about fire for another story when a knock sounded on the door. It was just getting to be dusk and that was not a very appropriate time for visitors in this neighborhood. The father opened the door and spoke to a parliament messager with four diamonds on his lapel- a status that was not easily ignored. 4 diamonds often represented those who worked closely with Caeldrim himself. Their conversation was soft-spoken and quick. Soon, the father had returned to the family room with an envelope and parcel in his hand. He seemed overly happy as he handed the packages to Odette. "It appears you have gained favor with Caeldrim himself! He has powerful mages in his employ and I am positive he could return you to your home fully human once more! Please, take this to your room to read. The messager said to give you some privacy, maybe it is a love letter?" This caused the boy to frown in dismay. He had no chance against the will of the high elf who founded this city.

She moved to her spacious room that she was borrowing for however long she could manage. She pulled open the envelope to read the contents quickly.

Dear beloved Odette,

My heart truly belongs to you. Your sweet face and your delicate frame have bewitched me body and soul. I would love to make you my beautiful...

She watched the words melt away with some sort of magic enchantment.

Dear Swan Princess,

There was once a girl born of the sand in the land of dreams. Her heart was brought forth by the purest love of a mother and the will of the gods. She was cursed with beauty beyond compare but remained locked away in a palace made of sweat and blood. She was so desperate for kinship, love, and wealth beyond her wildest dreams. Oh, stubborn vein swan could not see what gift she had right there in the arms of her most beloved companion and mother. Not until the broken heart finally stopped beating on that cold day- alone and unsure of where her little swan flew off too. That was the day the little swan grew dark wings and descended into the darkness. She got by with vicious lies and storytelling of her own make-believe misfortunes and sorrow. And boy, did the masses eat it from the palm of her hand. Did she care about her mother's fate? Did she care to think of what happened to the swan's most trusted companion?

Did you like my story, my sweet Odette? I do remember how you loved to hear the most fanciful tales growing up. You have become such a wonderful young lady- you have surpassed my wishes for you. But now, you must return the favor of your mother's love. A war is brewing and the nobles will be the first to crumble and die. You are far too important to fall to the wayside- a sad, lonely swan who surrounds herself with lies. You are destined for much more, my dear princess. You don't know who I am but you will in good time. There is a woman who sits on a parliament seat in the city you are currently located. Her name is Tatyan Hashprone and she is assembling a group of haphazard heroes to help the city and their problems. You are to join their ranks and work beside them in their attempts to get to the bottom of things. All the while, you will fill out any information you find in the journal I left you in this package. You will not be bringing harm to anyone- simply telling stories as you often do already.

Now, why would you do this for me? Someone you do not know and someone with mysterious intentions. For one, my dear, I hope we will become good friends in the coming months. But if that is not enough for you, I will explain. I am someone who has information on your father and can show you the power you possess as well as your lineage. But even more, I am sure you would love to see your mother. I know you believe her to be with the dead but I must inform you that she is very much alive. If you do not believe me, I present you with the proof you need in the package. I know you are very much aware of her unique stitchings as a seamstress. I may seem seedy and unreliable but I am not lying to you girl. This means far too much to me for it to be a lie. There are evil afoot in that city and you will help rid it.

You have already been invited to this meeting under the facade that you are a diplomat noblewoman. The mouthpiece of the group, so to speak. If you do not show up at the meeting tomorrow, your life will change for the worse. You will never know the fate of your mother and you will be lost to the darkness forever. I will keep in touch and continue giving gifts and guidance as you fill-up the journal with your activities. Odette, with or without you, things in this world will change for the worse. Please, let me protect you.

With the greatest love and care,
V

In the package is a pair of lacy, white gloves clearly sewn together with expert hands. She recognized the pattern immediately as her mother's. A leather-bound journal of expensive-looking taste and writing tools. There is also a stone there the shape of a cat's head with emerald eyes.

Luck stone: While this stone is on your person, you gain a +1 bonus to your ability checks and saving throws. Also, once every long rest you can reroll one of their dice rolls as long as the GM has not disclosed if your roll passed or failed. This is attuned to you- if you give it to someone else- they will need to attune to the stone.​

 

[Ilikepie]

Ashe looked at Cassni who was dirty as always, that girl was never good at staying clean the entire time Ashe has known her. What would some rich woman want with me? "No secret admirers that I'm aware of and I'm still single. I haven't been having much luck with the random women I tried flirting with at the taverns." As Ashe reads the letter her cat familiar Dust jumps into her lap and looks at the paper with her. Ashe flinched a little in her seat when she saw Luscinia's name in the letter and causing Dust to jump out of her lap.

This job is the big break I'm looking for and it's unlikely I'll run into her, but it's still surprising that she would recommend me for something like this after what happened. She puts on the cape and smiles. "It seems I've been given a big job that's going to be keeping me busy for awhile, but at least I'm going to be working with an all female group. Hopefully one of them is a cutie that would be interested in a woman like me. It was nice seeing you again Cassni, try to keep out of too much trouble."

She stands up and casts prestidigitation on herself a few times to clean her clothing since she some possibly beautiful women that she wants to make a good first impression on. She begins on her way to the location on the letter with Dust walking behind her. After a short amount of walking Dust meows at her. Ashe pauses in her steps and looks at the cat. "Yes I know this job seems a bit shady, but I need the work and I know you'll be there help me when I get myself into trouble". With that she continues on her way with the cat still following behind.

 

[Felix]

"Oh, how wonderful!" She exclaimed delighted as she took the letter from her lord. "When I get turned back, you might have a chance to marry a real princess." She winked to the little boy, who blushed. "Now, if you would excuse me, I will follow lord Caeldrim's advice and read it on my own." As she walked out of the room towards her private chambers, her smile and jolly behavior completely vanished. The fools! She hoped that she could keep this up a while longer, as they treated her quite nicely.

As she opened the letter she rolled her eyes. Yet another admi- She looked in confusion as the words changed. At first the story intrigued her, but that changed as it dawned on her that it was about her and her mother. Who had the audacity to talk down to her like that? Was it blackmail? She shivered and her eyes scanned the room to make sure no one was watching her, be it the family or this sinister figure who pretended to care about her. Her mind was already making up several monsters and evil beings from the shadows in the room. She continued reading which only made her more emotional and agitated. So it was black mail, forcing her to be someones spy. She could pretend to be a diplomat, no problem, but what was in it for her? Her mother couldn't be alive could it? And she always assumed her father was some poor beggar who had gotten her mother pregnant and left, why else would her mother make up all those stories about him. As she finished the letter, she was still not sure whether she would be going. The promise of gifts and information was tempting, but she knew like no one else how lies could easily manipulate people into doing your bidding.

Her heart skipped a beat as she opened the package and found the gloves. She felt a lump in her throat coming up. These were definitely of her mother's making. She started crying. All these feelings she had bottled up for years were all welling up at once. She laid down on the bed and wept, clutching the gloves in her hand.

After a while she managed to get a grip of herself. She wiped her face dry with the gloves and to her surprise she felt something hard press against her cheeks. It fell out of the gloves and into her hand. She held it up to the light and saw it shimmer. The gemstone was beautiful. She wasn't sure if it came from her mom or from the creepy admirer, but she would hold onto it for now. It was also clear to her now that she owed it to herself to at least seek out this adventuring group, so she could unveil some of the secrets she had been promised. She collected herself and put on a smile before she walked back to the library.

The lord stood up as soon as he saw her. "My lady, you look like you've cried a lot, if you don't mind me saying so." he said with a concerned voice. "Was the letter troubling?" He reached out with a handkerchief, which Odette politely refused.

"No, on the contrary, my lord. They were tears of joy. The wizard believes he can cure me! I can finally become normal again!"

"That's wonderful news! We are so happy for you."

"Sadly though, he did request me to come as soon as possible, so I will have to leave you and your son first thing in the morning."

The man could not hide his own sadness. Odette gave herself a pat on the back for how well she had charmed him. Too bad she had to leave them. "Oh ... Right. I will tell the stable boy to have a chariot ready at your disposal."

"Oh, you are too kind, sir." She gagged inside.

"No, no, it's the least we can do. And tonight we'll have a feast to celebrate."

Odette forced a blush. "I better go and put on my best dress then."

She walked out of the study. There would be a lot to think about tonight.

 

[RaynieTaco]

welian

Dalith: This was going to be a hard one. With a flick of her wrist, Tatyan pulled a fine copper wire from her bad and held it with intent. She has not spoken to Dalith in quite some time and she wasn't sure how the brute would take to her message now. She was mighty upset at the woman for just leaving like it was nothing but she understood that perhaps Dalith wasn't the... brightest bulb. With her image firmly in her mind, she began her sending spell in hopes it may reach the dummy.

"Dalith, It is Tatyan. I need your help more than ever. Please come back to me. Respond if you understand. It is of grave importance."

The word limit was at max. She hoped she would hear her voice come through... Since she has no idea where the Dragonborn was- this sending would have to do. All extra things she could give her would have to wait for her arrival at the parliament building.

 

[welian]

Dalith –

The statuesque dragonborn grunted and rolled over in her sleep. Her hovel was a crevice in a short cliff, straw and furs spread across the dirt, and kept warm by her own body heat.

It is Tatyan –

Noooo no no no. Bad dream. Absolutely not.

I need your help –

A likely story! What is it, Tatyan? A spider? One of those flying roaches? Actually, for a flying roach, she might consider coming back to help, those bugs were nasty.

More than ever-

No.

Please come back to me.

As per the previous response, NO!

Dalith grabbed a spare fur and pulled it over her head, blocking out all but the sound of her own pulse. Still, the voice continued.

Respond if you understand. It is of grave importance.

Grave importance? GRAVE?

“Do you know what’s grave, Tatyan?” Dalith hissed the name as she crawled backwards out of her hovel, struggling momentarily with her broad figure versus the narrow cave opening. “Interrupting my nap with your bad dreams! That’s grave! I don’t give a shit what you need!”

The barbarian squinted up at the sky, as though she could determine the direction of Tatyan’s voice from insider her head. Spoiler alert: she could not.

In retaliation, Dalith solemnly flipped off the sky, a long clawed talon extending proudly toward the heavens. It summed up approximately what she thought of organized society, to be honest.

Mostly, it summed up how she felt about people waking her up in the middle of her afternoon nap.

“TRY HARDER, TATI!!” she screamed at the sky. “IT’S BEEN TWENTY FUCKING YEARS. I’M OVER YOU. DO YOU HEAR ME? TWENTY. GODS. DAMNED. YEARS. LOOK AT ME! LOOOOOOK AT ME! I WON!" She roared at the sky, a stream of fire catching the nearby branches, and causing some leaves to smolder.

Stupid dreams. Stupid Tatyan. Stupid nap.

Dalith angrily kicked the dirt, breaking apart burnt blades of grass that absolutely definitely were not her fault last night. Grave importance, her ass. It was just a dream. Dreams weren’t real. Tatyan didn’t need her. No one needed her. No one ever needed Dalith, she was just a burden.

Shoulders slumped, the dragonborn knelt down and began packing her belongings. Even if dreams weren’t real, she missed Tatyan. She missed Ko’el. And as much as she hated herself for missing Ko’el, she’d hate herself more if Tatyan needed her, and she wasn’t there.

“Fuck off Dream-Tati,” Dalith grumbled. “At least Real-Tati would have brought those little tea cookies with honey…”

In front of her laid the long trip back home. Behind her, a public service announcement.

 

[RaynieTaco]

Opening scene. A sappy moment before we officially start- thank you all so much for sticking it out with me. I am an oddball but you all not only truly brought this world alive but also embraced it fully. Because of that- I would like everyone to please start off with an inspiration die for their journey. If you don't remember what that is- please refer to the OOC chat. Thank you again. Your pre-session posts were amazing and fueled me to keep going. Now. Let us begin.
​

Ko'el had not yet felt the cold fear of dread from blossoming war breaking out to the west. A different sort of tension presented itself in the hearts of the citizens of this fine Metropolis. Crimes have come to be expected in places like the Moors of the city but rampant violence has escalated to even the Gardens. Fearful people have taken more precautions and never travel alone. Others take advantage of the fear in the worse ways. Despite this, the city was in full swing even at the early break of dawn. The white, cobblestone seemed pristine under the morning sun rays and the loud sounds of chattering and horse gallops seemed to echo off them. The Parliament building was just as breath-taking as some may remember or some may have heard. The sleek white walls were adorned with gold inlays and caps. Bright blues wrapped in gold outlines stood out against the extravagant building. With the mountain view behind it, it simply was a sight to see. Fountains of sparkling water were placed in the middle of the square and one in front of the building itself. The homes and shops were at a distance away from the heavily guarded place but still maintained this air of wealth from simply being near it. The Corellon temple could be seen in the distance, tucked away in the Maiden Gardens. It has also an expansive piece of architecture even from this distance. ​

​

Upon entering the square, you all notice that the smell was distinctly different from that of the first half of the city. The smell of horse and body odor was whist away by some magical force and in its place was the scent of lilac and lavender. It didn't take long for the guards to be suspicious of you all in equal folds. Sherwood Dorian was clocked by the guards due to her clear lack of knowledge of the city- since she had never been there before. They were not aggressive with you in the least bit seeing as you were an elf and had the symbol of Corellon on your person. They eagerly escorted you to where you needed to go. Similarly, Psychie Riku stood out for a similar reason. Monks were very uncommon in this area and were not a permanent commodity. They regarded you with a little coldness but after a little prying, they also escorted you to where you needed to be. BracedJupiter72 Betha was familiar to the guards however, Tatyan normally did your lessons in your dorm rather than inside the square. They didn't take much to convince them to let you pass but they eyed you very warily and one guard followed you closely in case you had itchy fingers. Ilikepie Ashe was a hard sell to the guards. They did not trust you despite your clean clothing and friendly exterior. They eyed your weapons and attempted to have you remove them before you entered. With the letter in hand, the guards could do little but escort you- but they were grumpy. Felix For Odette, things went a little strangely. At first, the guards mistook you for a different person entirely and tried to return you to the Gardens. But once you insisted you were there to see Tatyan Hashprone, a wave of mystical understanding met their eyes. "Oh! Diplomat Odette, I apologized." They escorted you with a little pep to their steps- eager to please. Andddd lastly. welian - The moment Dalith entered the city, she was stared at openly like a museum display. Tall, buff, and strikingly similar looking to Tatyan herself- but it was hard to believe that the high mage would wear such... exposing furs. The guards were also very confused. So confused they didn't offer to show you the way at all. Instead, they gawked and nudged their other guard friends who also stared. They simply thought it was a test and they weren't going to fight it. At least you knew your way around.​

​

Once you entered the office space of Tatyan, you are all finally in the same room as each other. You all are greeted by a pair of warm, cognac-colored eyes. Tatyan was an older bronze Dragonborn with a more slender look. She was clad in a long, silken dress purple in color with a leather corset. Over that, a robe as yellow as fresh hay that simmered with its own magical properties. She wore thick bangles of silver bracelets and shiny rings on her fingers. Her hair, that looked more like dreads, had matching silver bands throughout it. She stood as you all entered and gave you all a stern look over. Her eyes didn't give much away. At last, she spoke up with her eyes lingering on Dalith. "You all made it. I am glad. Please, come sit down," The office itself was almost as large as a home itself. The walls were covered in tall bookshelves filled with arcane literature, historical works, and even some military tactics. She leads you to a part of the room with a large conference table made of thick, rich oak. On the table, itself was a large map of the continent and a few books written in another language. She gestured for you all to sit at the chairs provided before taking her own. "Before we begin, it is of the upmost importance that I have your absolute discretion. Nothing that is said in this room can leave."
​

 

[Sherwood]

Dorian wishes that she had some time to clean herself up a bit before being ushered into the presence of this Dragonborn woman, but it is what it is, and there is nothing that can be done about it now. Offering up a bow to Tatyan, Dorian smiles up at her, then she takes a seat and primly folds her hands in her lap, and as she does, she takes in the odd assortment of beings that have been assembled here with her.

Returning her attention back to Tatyan, Dorian says, "M'lady, you have my oath that nothing said here in my presence will ever be spoken of by me outside of this room." Glancing over at the various other women here, she hopes that the others would also make the same promise so that they would all be told the details of what has caused Tatyan to ask them all together.

 

[Felix]

Odette was eyeing the other ladies around the table. She was wondering what their reasons were for being here? Were they also pressured into this? Was the mysterious V around this table? She had trouble doing an in-depth analysis though, as she had to expend a lot of her concentration to keep her image up. She wanted to be respected and trusted by these woman, so she had dropped the helpless-damsel-in-distress act. She had braided her hair and draped it over her head like a laurel crown, stern, yet soft. She featured some pieces of her studded leather on top of her dress, to show that she meant business. Part of the reason her attention was so divided was because she had to keep up a minor illusion of her left arm where she had bound her wing to her body. Both hands wore her mothers lace gloves, so they would look consistent and to show V that she had understood the message, in case they were present. Looking at the other woman she could tell that she wasn't the toughest in the room by far. Maybe she was even the most soft. She might have to shift the persona she had come up on her way here a little.

With all that stuff going on in her head, she had not noticed the first woman speaking up after a question. Damn it, Odette had wanted to be the one showing initiative and control over the conversation. She already knew she wasn't going to keep it secret, the diary weighed heavily against her hip, but what was one more empty promise? "Of course, such sensitive matters always require confidentiality from all those involved." She looked around the room, making sure to make eye contact with each of the women. "You can count on our secrecy, right?"

 

[Psychie]

Riku nods, shifting in her seat slightly. "Of course, M'lady. I will offer up my silence to you."

 

[welian]

Dalith was not amused. Actually, that was a lie. Dalith was incredibly amused. None of the guards were bold enough to question her, and it was a breeze to simply walk back home as though she’d never left. Although that breeze might have been from the skimpy furs letting the wind caress under her tail.

But she did her best to maintain a serious, even dour expression on her face – even as the tip of her tail swished lightly across the floor in gleeful anticipation.

“Well, Tatyan, it’s not like words can grow legs and run away, now is it? Or that something you’ve been working on?” Dalith wiggled her claws in a scornful pantomime of casting a spell. Her face softened, though. Even she dared not embarrass Tati in front of strange visitors. That much respect was due. And for her… For her, Dalith would sign a contract in blood. The city loved contracts, as much as it loved breaking oaths.

 

[Psychie]

Riku does her best to cover her mouth to hide the smile she's trying to contain without calling attention to herself. No sense in aggravating their host now, is there? But the comments being made by the Dragonborn sitting next to them are quite funny to her.

 

[Sherwood]

There is obviously some history between these two. I wonder what is going on? Dorian silently eyes the two Dragonborn with a raised eyebrow.

 

[Ilikepie]

Dust jumps into Ashe's lap when Ashe sits down. Ashe glances around at the other women in the room and finds them all to be very attractive. The elf's age is hard to determine due to the aging process of elves, the human women seem to be around her age, and she is unsure about how dragonborn age having not encountered many of them before. Hmm the other dragonborn woman seems to know the client well, it's likely she was hired to keep an eye on the rest of us. She notices the blonde woman make eye contact with her and gives her a flirt wink.

"Of course, that is standard operating procedure in my line of work". Giving away information about a client that get you killed or make you untrustworthy preventing you from ever getting another job.

 

[RaynieTaco]

Tatyan listen to the response with the utmost attention. Her eyes seemingly tried to peel the true intentions from your bodies on the spot. Her eyes narrow on Dalith every so slightly but they avert quickly. After a moment, she gathered herself with a nervous inhale and shaky exhale.

"I called you all here to beg you to help me. To help the people of Ko'el. Crime is not a new occurrence in this city. Even when the increasing amount of it began to happen, I was ignorant to the full extent of the problem. It wasn't until the petty crimes began to take a heinous turn and robberies turned to murder did it dawn on me more was afoot. These weren't just murders of our wealthier citizens... It was so much more."

Unable to sit still, the Dragonborn jumped up from her seat and began pacing the room with obvious anxious energy surrounding her. The once collected mage was now nothing more than a frightened woman chewing on her nails for comfort. She continued.

"Dark rituals and evil magic clung to the recently deceased. Ancient arcane arts that have been deemed irrefutably illegal in the confines of this city and most of the continent itself. I started investigating deeper into these crimes whenever one would happen and almost every time, a sinister feeling was always attached. I gathered as much information as I could and began to see other little things start changing. Corellon teachings began to change to support these acts on the people who were not of the faith. One priest of the temple was executed for murdering an orc family in the streets. The tension between economic classes and race became fathomable. As an integrated city, this is our worst fear. Civil unrest turns to a civil war on the cusp of a nationwide war happening to the west."

Putting her head in her hand, she finished the statement softly into her hand. "This cannot be a coincidence." She squared her shoulders and for a brief moment, she looked taller and broader like Dalith by your side. "This brings me to why I have asked you all to come. During my investigation, I felt like a hit a dead end but it did lead me down a path to suspect one of my constituents on the parliament board. And because of this, an attempt on my own life has been made."

Her eyes refused to look at the other Dragonborn as she continued. "I was with one of my students when an assassin caught me unaware. The message was clear when he stabbed the poison into my body. If it wasn't for my student's quick thinking, I am afraid I wouldn't be here before you. The person was not apprehended but I was able to see he was in a uniform belonging to the many Co're Guards that are supposed to protect us. I have given off the air that I am too frightened to continue my search and even hired my set of bodyguards in you all. It is a flimsy cover but I should be more than okay in the protection here in this building."

With a weary sigh, she took a seat once again and addressed you all bluntly. "I don't expect you all to do this for free. I will pay you each 10 platinum pieces now and 50 when the job is done. Furthermore, I offer you all the benefits of being employed by the parliament of the city- which gives you free rein of any place you may need to go to investigate. You will also get goods discounted here- but I am not sure by how much seeing as I don't often shop for goods. Free room and board at the nicest inn we have in the Maiden Gardens will also be included. Not only will I owe you a favor- a heavy debt I am willing to pay as long as it is attainable by me, but also I will make sure to give you anything I may come across to help you on your journey.

Please do not refuse me. I... I am afraid of facing such an evil force alone. But I won't stand by and watch my family... My friends be destroyed as part of a cog in someone's grand scheme. Caeldrim has worked for too long and hard to let things end the way they are. What do you say - Are you in?"

 

[Felix]

"So ... instead of risking your own family and friends, you request us to take on that great risk? Seems like a big price for us." Odette said in a scornful voice. In her head she was was weighing all the pro's and cons of the mission. The pay was more than she could make in a year, which meant that she might not have to leech on others for a while. The discounts and residence were okay, but nothing she couldn't get using her charms. The real benefit would be to get closer to the council and political network of the city. imagine what she could do if she pulled the right strings. Seeing the desperation in the dragonborn's eyes she might be able to haggle more out of this situation. First she would have to stress the difficulty and risk of the mission. "But fine, let's entertain the possibility that we take on your job offer. Seeing how I was requested for my diplomatic skills I am guessing my highest priority would be to get close to this council member. Can you tell us more about them?"

 

[RaynieTaco]

Tatyan's eyes blazed with an ignited anger at the slight woman's accusation. "How dare you," she spat in full fury. "I risked my life and almost paid the price in full." Her eyes darted to Dalith, the pain was clear in her eyes. The conflict that tore her before she sent the message to the Dragonborn had done its toll. She jumped up from her seat once again in a display of the rage and sorrow she kept inside. But the fates had other plans.

She jumped up and her knee banged loudly on the oaken table. With a curse, she sat back down in pain and slapped the top of the table. After a moment, she regained her composure and the temper was all but gone. She eyes the white-haired woman closely and something felt... off.

Natural 1 (took the lowest) - She blinked and turned her eyes away almost confused at why she was looking at her in the first place.

 

[welian]

Dalith crossed her legs and gazed intensely at Tatyan, her hand over her mouth as she was deep in concentration. After several long seconds, she spoke again, having paid little mind thus far to the other women in the room.

“May I have your dress, Tati?”

 

[BracedJupiter72]

Betha chuckles softly at Tatyan banging her knee.

She shifts her eyes over to Dalith. and looks at her confused. "Why do you want her dress? thats pretty odd"