D&D 3.5 - Planescape 2011 - Prologue : Crossed Paths

[JohnBoy]

A old grey building, Mortar and bricks looking as worn as many in Sigil, towers above the streets of the lower ward. It's shadows cast apon the road hiding many who do not wish to be found, or who lurk.. waiting to strike. The alley to the east hides another figure.

"Hrmm.. Bastards.." He mutters to himself.

Why didn't they come? What could have possibly stopped them? Were they found and killed?.
He wipes his brow under his hooded cloak and glances around the street. Nothing unusual is seen. People going about their everyday jobs, people bumping into others and slyly lifting they jink from their pockets without the victim even realising. Seems like every other day in Sigil. Having looked around and seeling a little safer that there's no unusual characters around he removes a pipe from his pocket and fills it with small green leaves. He strikes a match against the side of the building and lights the pipe, puffing on it a few times to get it going then steps out into the street, walking off towards the Golden Gate Inn, where he last saw the Gith, Drow and that annoying Human male. He grins to himself as he walks, thinking about the snotty language used by the Human but his thoughts quickly turn to a name, the one person he was really looking for. Ruby.

Who was she? Just another name really but a name from a reliable source. It could take days, even weeks to find her .. But find her was what he was going to do no matter what.

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OOC

Ok... Can you guys decide on what your pc's are likely to be doing for up to 1 week after this event above, and your meeting? Usual things apply. Buy stuff if you want but if you want / need anything specific then mail me please.
Usual prices for CW potions etc.

[Tromador]

A feast of indulgences later and his inner Sensate satisfied, Tza'rok has returned to his kip at the Society of Gentleman Explorers to tell the tale of recent experiences to a very worried Emra, who leaves to consider his own role amongst the many pawns in Jaan's scheme. Finance committee meetings are a pleasantly humdrum activity after all that's happened.

Reunited with his spell book, Tza finds that the arcane words and gestures somehow will not go into his head. His mind simply rejects the attempts to study and memorise the magic as though they are incompatible. Conversely, his mental powers are increasing. Perhaps in coming to *know* himself better, he has also unlocked something inside, walking through a door, leaving magic behind and finding his own inner abilities. This gives Tza even more to ponder over the next days of self examination and introspection.

His thoughts only briefly turn to the threatening presence of the dwarf. With the peace treaty signed, there is no longer an issue and the dwarf can betray him to Tyan all he wants, with no reward.

Rather instead, his outward thoughts turn to Elvanshalee, whom he wishes would see reason and Velenur, the friend he left behind.

----

Tza isn't doing much of anything this week, frankly.

[^^Truth]

Ruby tucks Elvanshalee away in the basement apartment beneath the Styx Oarsman and informs her to be ready unless a specific knocking pattern is heard before the door is opened. After informing her that she'll report back in a couple of days time, suggests for her to not leave the apartment for the time being, regardless of the promised two week waiting period.

Ruby then leaves, gathers some supplies. Clothing, a cage of live rats and plenty of bub and returns that to the safehouse, with basic instructions of not letting the rats out of the cage to run about. She then buggers off from there and passes word through her network upon several matters of immediate interest to her.

The first being location of an Amulet of Non-Detection or Amulet of Proof against Scrying. Either for sale or of someone that may have either or both, but maybe unwilling to sell. In the mean time however, she does look into the purchase price of either potions or scrolls of non-detection.

The second piece of business is asking around for either scrying devices or powerful cutters that have a reputation of being discreet that can provide scrying and detection services.

The last being for her contracts to dig up as much information about a devil known as Sintri and any and all information available on the mercenary outfit known as The Guided, with the proviso that they don't dig too deeply and ignore any possible sources that seem to be getting dangerous.

After putting these feelers out. She then proceeds to spend a tiny bit of time with Sir Orison, to inform him that everyones going low for a bit, but it's all great and see if he needs any immediate help with anything and then crane around with Tza'rok making sure he's not going barmy again and have a couple of days break from it all with some decent company, Orison invited along to any events that she judges won't offend his strict moralistic code.

Not relaxing too much, she continues to mix between the trio and her other established friends, trying to arrange a meeting with several highups within Sigils organised crime outfits. She then pops down to the Cypher headquarters, the Gymnasium, to tell them she's out and promptly leaves before they can say much, then has her contacts put out the dark that Ruby has left the Cyphers and is perhaps open to offers from other factions, incase any wish to bribe her loyalty. Obviously from them it's supposed to be hush-hush information. Obviously the information does not indicate she is looking for bribes or that she even wants the factions to know she's left the cyphers.

Whilst then out with her contacts, she puts the feelers on the dwarf would-be-assassin that she caught using her name at the Golden Gate Inn, to see what her information assets can dig up on it all.

She then spends a day or two to herself, relaxing with bath oils and grease, working on plucking about with her Modron Puzzle Code, whilst working on something else that if successful, may prove infinitely useful to herself.

After that, near the end of the week, after some twinking around with her new mechanical toys, she ventures out and dips around her various contacts and sources, to see if they've brought back any information for her.

[illumination]

For the first few days at least Elvanshalee takes full advantage of Ruby's help, although she gambles that the guided will be true to their word and that she has had least a few days grace. She clears out her room at the guild visits the foundry, informing the faction that she is in some strife and will perhaps need some help in the coming days.

Glad that the pressing issue of the acquisition of a magic item to prevent scrying and detection is in Ruby's hands, she turns her thoughts to making her wealth portable, selling unnecessary items where required and building up a her small scroll collection. Gaining some means of changing her appearance is the second top priority before anything else is bought.

Five days is about all she leaves it before turning her thoughts to a survival strategy. She thanks Ruby for her help (assuming at least the amulet is acquired) and tells her she is safer not knowing what her next moves will be. All she says is that she's convinced there is more to all this and that she intends to find out the full dark of it. Paranoid perhaps, drinking more than she used to and troubled by flashbacks she disappears from the scene in Sigil as well prepared as she can be for the coming trials.

Uiguan. (Drow City)

Elvanshalee enters the city incognito, and through a sending contacts her evil brother. She offers him information and a temporary alliance against 'The Guided', informing him to his assumed satisfaction that she both doesn't believe their lies (partly true) and that these deadly planars consider them both unfinished business. A trap, with herself as the bait is her suggestion, with the intention of beginning hostilities with a few casualties on their side. Their mage is the priority target in her opinion when they come to kill her in the night and she thinks they must do all they can to make sure he doesn't leave their prime world alive. A prisoner would also be helpful.

At the back of her mind is the thought that maybe she will have to kill her brother in the end too, but she is still interested to hear what his side of this bizarre story is in any case. As an exchange for sanctuary she will assist in efforts save his soul and acquire the magic artefact.

As a side project, she begins to send out a few feelers with regard to purchasing a certain scrawny male slave, recently the property of House Daevon'lyr, which may or may not be still standing given its recent public embarrassment and the escape of an avowed heretic.

----

Yeah, a lot going on there I know, but this was always gonna be the most complex one. It leaves plenty of doors open for DM's to pick up any of the above and gives Elvan and Velenur at least some potential to return at some point.

[JohnBoy]

Ruby

Since the events of the meeting you have been a very busy girl. First on your agenda was making sure Elvanshalee was safe and secure. Giving her a roof above her head and making sure she has sufficent food and drink to keep her going for a while atleast, you leave her to read the many books within the basement apartment or however else she wishes to entertain herself.
Your shopping expeditions have not gone as great as you have hoped for. You did however find an Amulet of Proof against Scrying although you had to remove it from some poor souls arm after he refused to listen to reason and sell it to you. More an act of self defense after the idiot attacked you when you were only trying to be nice about it and buy it from him. You return to the basement apartment and pass the Amulet to Elvanshalee for her use, make sure she is ok and leave her to her own devices again. It's a good job you got it too as Potions of non detection are a rarety at the moment in Sigil so finding them, never mind getting a price is a hard task indeed. Infact it proves to be too hard a task and you give up for now after a few days of trying although you do spread the word that you're looking to aquire a few as you never know when they could be useful.
Your circle of contacts, although wide, turn up pretty much empty handed with information on the Guided but a few pieces come back about Sintri. Nothing really important as such, more just that despite being a devil, she's increadibly trustworthy in her word. Fleasing cutters is not her style. You do however, Get some information back on the Dwarf who was looking for you. It seems He had issue with Tyan and some other cutter called Rorg. The reasons are not known to you but the dwarf has been hunting for those two names for some time now. His presence in Sigil is well known.
Is Tyan hiding from him?
It seems the Dwarf has also been looking for information on You, as one of your contacts was actually appraoched by him and asked if he knew you. Of course they replied "no" but it's another matter if he was believed or not.
You spend a bit of time with Sir Orison, showing him around and trying not to offend his Code at the same time, which in Sigil is a hard thing to do. He seems to take to the town a bit more but there's many thing around that cause him a great deal of concern.
Your time spent with Tza'rok is short but sweet. You talk about many thing, Things you both don't understand just yet but the discussions are fruitful and you leave with a feeling of relief that he hasn't sent himself mad.. just yet.
At the end of the week one of your sources comes back to you with more information on the Dwarf. Seems he's been spotted hanging around the lower ward more and more with each passing day. He meets and talks to the same cutter each day around noon then they both go their seperate ways. You consider approaching this other cutter for information on the Dwarf although you will then run the risk of exposing who you are to him. At the moment, until more information is gathered on him this could be dangerous.

Tza'rok

You spend a great deal of free time laying on your bed, trying to figure out the answer to all the questions in your mind. This time is more valuable than you realise, however welcomed distractions with Ruby visiting and your work with the Society leave you little free time to ponder apon it. Hardly venturing outside your room at all has Ruby worried that you're going to send yourself crazy but this is not the case, infact it seems you're becoming more yourself than you have been as of late.
Velenur plays on your mind a little, with a sense of Guilt beginning to build, although the scrawny little cutter did it to himself for not torching the Drow when he had the chance. You remember him bitching and moaning until the end, just like he always does and it makes you smile. Your memories of him being good you decide to make a memory stone in his name and display it in your room for you to look at anytime you feel down and need cheering up. You even aquired some Cigs and smoked one or two of them in your room before chucking the rest of them away, having to remind yourself that Velenur was the smoker, not you. You only had the odd one when times were stressful.
Elvanshalee is a worry for obvious reason. You don't want to lose another trusted friend to stupidness but despite how much you have begged of her, she's decided for now to refuse to sign the contract. Ruby tells you that she has her well hidden for the moment but for how long, is another story all together.

((Not much going on with Tza atm, sorry dude


Elvanshalee

((Ok.. i'm not touching this one tbh. It's not going to be required as such as Elvanshalee is being written out for a while anyway. It's open for any future DM's to take the idea and move with it for their sessions.

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