Long Live The Duchess! IC

[Private-Prinny]

Welcome to Najetria! Long Live The Duchess!

The watchman greets you with a blank stare as you pass through the city gates, almost robotic in his cheerfulness. Besides the party, a small crowd enters the city, seemingly excited and afraid at the same time.

Among the buildings, you see various pictures posted, all with the same message. "Long Live The Duchess!" On one of the posters, you can make out a brown-eyed woman in an ornate green dress, with gold trimming that seemed to sparkle even on paper. Her flowing brown hair drapes past her shoulders and halfway down her back, and she wears a golden tiara inset with a single large, ovular ruby.

In the middle of the city, amidst the modest houses of the citizens, is a palace carved from flawless white stone, with towers ascending as if to challenge the sky at every corner. Stained glass windows run along the sides, and a large oak door sits at the front. The stairs leading up to the door were no less opulent, carved from the same stone and lined with guards. Along the sides run two banisters in the form of great serpents, fluctuating up and down as the stairs rise, tails at the bottom, heads at the top.

The houses around the palace are of varying shape and size. Some are bigger than others, some made of wood, some made of stone, some with thatched roofs, some with tiled. The houses closest to the palace seem to be made of the material that was deemed unfit for the palace itself. All of the mainstays of any city are present. An inn, general stores, various shops, churches, and various other places of business dot the city, mixed in with the places of residence.

"Enjoy your stay!" the watchman shouts after you. Where do you go first?

[Lix Lorn]

Emily wasn't completely sure why she'd come here, but she decided to look like she knew what she was doing. Walking as if with a purpose, she headed for an inn, for somewhere to stay.

[mrcarter11]

I journey into the city sticking to the alleys. Checking for followers and for guards seeing just how controlled this city is.

[King Tius]

First things first, got to find a place to sleep. Dagnet will cruise through the quieter parts of the city, looking for a smaller, out of the way inn.

[goken04]

Oracle will stick with Dagnet, figuring he has the right idea in trying to find a place to sleep.

[Slayed_Prophet]

Soural believes that he shouldn't be officially reported as a citizen of the city.
I attempt to enter the city by anyway I may know that is secret and safe.

[Private-Prinny]

After a quick sweep of the surrounding area, you come across 3 inns.

The first inn, The Boar's Tusk, is fairly run down, with vines growing along the walls, the scent of ale drifting out on the tail of the sound of folk songs.

The second inn, The Duchess's Crown, is ritzy, with pieces of the palace stone interspersed within the walls. Looking in through the window, you can see wineracks lining the walls, with the wait staff handing out bottles to the patrons.

The third inn is a box in an alley. If you can beat the housecats living in it, it's yours.

@Slayed_Prophet
You notice that the city gates are fairly well fortified, with watchtowers posted every 100 meters or so. With the exception of climbing a wall, the only way into the city is through the gates.

OOC: Slayed_Prophet only, make a Perception check.

[Lix Lorn]

Emily distrusted the Duchess' crown-somewhere fancy like that was likely watched. Instead, she headed into the Boar's Tusk

[mrcarter11]

Aims head around the city, and decides to make his stay in the Boar's Tusk. Noting the feeling that he is always being watched.

[goken04]

Oracle, too, is hoping to stay away from attracting attention and so decides on The Boar's Tusk.

[Slayed_Prophet]

rolling perception:
[roll0]

[Private-Prinny]

Slayed_ProphetAs you look around, you notice that all of the guards have one thing in common. They are all smiling ear to ear.

As you walk into The Boar's Tusk, you see that most of the common room is filled with people who have just entered the city. On the stage, a bard is giving his performance. In his hand is a flute, pure white, with a ringing tone that soothes the ears. The room falls into a hush, and no one moves except the grinning waitresses.

After his melody is finished, he glances up at Emily, and gets down from the stage.

He stands at about the average height of the bar patrons, but his presence seems to fill the room. A short cut of crimson hair tops his head, but his eyes are a deep silver. His cloak looks like he pieced it together from tatters, built with reds and blues, greens and yellows, with every color of the rainbow and some in between.

I've traveled the world, but it's been ages since such a lovely lady has caught my eye. I do hope you enjoyed my performance. My name is Edward. Edward Altaren. Might I ask you yours?

[Lix Lorn]

Emily was rather suspicious, but decided it was safe enough to tell her name. She smiled back, blushing slightly at his compliments.
"My name is Emily." she said quietly. "And your performance was lovely."

[Slayed_Prophet]

Soural gasps, and on a last attempt to pass undetected, he dissguises and with a hard effort, he put's up the unussual, but common, wide smile and greats the guard with cheerfullnes,
Long Live The Duchess!
and walks on

[Private-Prinny]

Emily was rather suspicious, but decided it was safe enough to tell her name. She smiled back, blushing slightly at his compliments.
"My name is Emily." she said quietly. "And your performance was lovely."

Thank you kindly. It's always nice to hear that I'm appreciated. I just came to the city, along with all of these folks, and this tavern seemed lacking in entertainment. Are you from around here? The citizens look... different, somehow.


Soural gasps, and on a last attempt to pass undetected, he disguises and with a hard effort, he put's up the unusual, but common, wide smile and greats the guard with cheerfulness,
Long Live The Duchess!
and walks on.

One of the guards turns. Long Live The Duchess!

OoC: Now that you are in the city, where would you like to go?

[Slayed_Prophet]

normaly The best place to hide is where men are, so I head on to the first inn.
(AKA The Boar's Tusk)

[King Tius]

Dagnet ignores the bard and heads straight for the bar. He orders himself a big pint of ale and finds a comfortable seat to rest his bones. Surveying the room as he takes hearty gulps of beer, he looks at the crowd of newly gathered citizens to see if anyone other than the bard stands out.

[Private-Prinny]

Now that the bard himself is offstage, the crowd has gone back to their own individual conversations. Some are laughing, some crying, some angry, and the waitresses float from table to table as if nothing has changed. All-in-all, it seems a fairly standard crowd for a tavern.

[mrcarter11]

I decide to go ahead and get a room here at the inn.

[Lix Lorn]

Thank you kindly. It's always nice to hear that I'm appreciated. I just came to the city, along with all of these folks, and this tavern seemed lacking in entertainment. Are you from around here? The citizens look... different, somehow.
"Oh, it's a... lovely place." she said, staring intently into his eyes, trying to communicate the truth.
Uh. Like the opposite of a bluff check. How does that work?

[goken04]

Oracle watches the conversation between Emily and the bard with interest. At Emily's comment, he interjects.
"So, Edward... I'm quite the collector of stories myself. Could you tell us a story, please? I would enjoy it so."

[Private-Prinny]

"Oh, it's a... lovely place." she said, staring intently into his eyes, trying to communicate the truth.
Uh. Like the opposite of a bluff check. How does that work?

Conveying a simple secret message is a DC 15 Bluff check. Failure by 5 or more communicates incorrect information.

Oracle watches the conversation between Emily and the bard with interest. At Emily's comment, he interjects.

"So, Edward... I'm quite the collector of stories myself. Could you tell us a story, please? I would enjoy it so."

Ah, but of course. I've told many stories in my time. Would you like to hear of Fadeus of the Silver Dragons? Or perhaps The Seekers of the Andorian Ruby? My personal favorite is The Epic of Angelus, who resisted the temptations of evil time and time again to become one of the most renowned paragons of righteousness.

[goken04]

"I believe I'd like to hear the Epic of Angelus. If it is your favorite, after all."

[Slayed_Prophet]

ooc:
question:
Am I hearing this?

[Lix Lorn]

[roll0]
Emily listened to the two talk.
"I'd love to hear anything you'd like to do." she said brightly.

[Private-Prinny]

*ahem* The lich's tomb was dark and musty, the most foul den of evil that the paladin had ever seen...

As Edward begins to speak, the tavern crowd seems to vanish before your mental image, the story coming alive with every sentence. About 1 hour later, the tale draws to a close.

...And looking back to his love, her deep blue eyes filled with sadness, he bowed his head and said "I don't deserve you. As long as there is evil, a good man must stand against it. It is an endless war with no reward, but it is mine to fight, and I cannot take you with me." And with that, hand on his sword hilt, he walked away. Some say Angelus ascended to the ranks of the Celestials, while some think he died a noble death, but all variations have one thing in common. He was a hero.

I'm sorry I had to give you the short version, but the usual story is too long to start at the moment.

He turns back to Emily, unsure of the message she's trying to convey. If you need me later, the tavern owner has been kind enough to give me a room in back for the night. Simply knock four times, and I'll know it's you.

With that he smiles and wanders out of the common room.

[Lix Lorn]

She nodded.
"I'll be there."

[goken04]

At the end of the tale, Oracle's eyes are a tad watery. "Thank you very much. That was a lovely story. Well, I believe I'll retire for the evening." Oracle heads to the bar to try to procure a room for the night.

[Private-Prinny]

The cost of a room is negligible, a few copper pieces at most. The single rooms are fairly standard, about 20x20 with a single bed in the corner. On the other end of the room is a simple desk with a mirror attached.

*ahem* Later that evening...

OoC: If you want to get anything done before the in-game morning, now's the time to do it.

[Slayed_Prophet]

question:
does Soural knows of the existance of the bard, or/and it's occupation?

[Private-Prinny]

question:
does Soural knows of the existance of the bard, or/and it's occupation?

He was sitting in the common room telling a story for about an hour, was playing music beforehand, and is dressed in motley colors with a tattered cloak. He's fairly noticeable.

[Slayed_Prophet]

could I follow him to his home?

[Private-Prinny]

could I follow him to his home?


If you need me later, the tavern owner has been kind enough to give me a room in back for the night.

Please don't skim the dialogue, since it's really the only place I can add the little details. If you have any more questions, please take it to the OoC thread.

[Slayed_Prophet]

Ok Soural knocks in the bard's room

[Private-Prinny]

Ok Soural knocks in the bard's room

Make either a Strength check to knock the door down, or a Perception check to hear his conversation with Emily.

I'm confused as to whether you want to knock on the door, or knock it down.

[Slayed_Prophet]

I want to knock on the door

[Slayed_Prophet]

well, i shall guess nobody is home, ill just chenk in a room and sleep