[IC] Vampire's Soul

[Soulshattered]

Outside, dusk had dipped the world into shadow and a chill had come upon the air that caused all but the determined or the desperate to seek shelter beside a fire. It is for such a reason it is that four strangers were forced to share a table in a crowded inn. The table in question was a small round thing pushed into the corner of the room, near enough to the fire for a little warmth and far enough from the door to avoid any draft. While there were many people packed in the room, these four strangers were able to have a quiet conversation and nurse their drinks quite comfortably.

Feel free to converse in character, when everyone is ready I'll push the story forwards.

[samduke]

Jerin will take a seat with his back to the wall where he can watch the goings on of the people in the tavern
and when the barkeep or waitress comes round he will order the following

Yes I would like a Mug of Ale 4 cp, Loaf of Bread 2 cp, a chunk of Meat 3 sp and if available a Berry Tart, pastry made with a mix of wild berries 4cp ( total 4 sp )

and while waiting on food as the others sit he introduces himself I am called Jerin welcome to my table (picture a typical movie style cowboy) Jerin is wearing a broad hat, leather jacket, linen shirt and attached to the shirt is a small 5 pointed star with etched writing on it, wool breeches, held up by a leather belt with a plain buckle and a belt pouch, & riding boots, at his side a nice crossbow and a backpack

[Kish]

A beautiful young elven woman smiles warmly around the table and says, "I'm Lia." She turns to address the waiter. "I'll have wine, and--you have mutton stew? Very good."

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

"Oh you own the place do you ?" Goran asks. "Thanks all the same. My name is Goran. Nice to meet you." The heavy Warforged pulls up a chair with a loud scraping noise.
He nodded toward Lia and Jerin.


He waves off the waiter "I'll need some time to decide..."

[Kish]

Lia raises an eyebrow, but doesn't say anything about warforged not eating, figuring that might be rude. She looks curiously at the two who have not yet spoken.

[Soulshattered]

It is some time before the food and drinks are brought around, but that is to be expected with a busy night like tonight. A fourth man, an older looking half-elf, joins you at the table.

[OMG PONIES]

"Is this seat taken?" the half-elf asks, his quiet voice barely rising above the din of the tavern. When given permission, he sits and joins the group quietly. "Just a mug of water for me, thanks," he says to the server with a sad smile. The man closes his eyes and massages his temples as if trying to nurse away a headache. It looks like he hasn't slept for a few days, and his pale blue eyes are absent, as if his thoughts are elsewhere. "I'm Caedmon," he says to the group with a slight wave. "Caedmon d'Medani."

[samduke]

as the half-elf sits; Why yes it is taken now my good fellow, here have some bread and meat, Jerin will offer the half-elf some of his food.

[Soulshattered]

You spend a good while chatting over your meals, a few times waving over the waitress to fill up your mugs with fresh ale. As the hour draws later, many of the inn's regular patrons return to their homes and leave a less claustrophobic atmosphere.

A bustle at the door draws many curious looks from the other patrons as a young boy in a messenger's uniform stumbles over his feet coming through the door. He looks about in a hurry, glancing around his eyes settle upon Caedmon and he hurries over to the table and fishes through his satchel for a slightly crumpled envelope.

Within are two sheets of paper, one has four platinum pieces attached via a smattering of red wax.
The second sheet has a few sentences written in a small and practiced script.


These coins have many friends who would like to meet you.
Come to the northeast stairs of the Myriad tower, upper city at noon tomorrow.
Bring travelling gear and those you trust.
Also bring your sense of urgency and knack for discretion.
Give this parchment to the guard near the stairs, and he will let you ascend.
The note is signed with a letter 'V' and a stylized lantern


The messenger stands there awkwardly waiting for something.

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

"Oh whatcha got there? An invite to the Summer festival ball? What ever will you wear?" Goran asks with a smirk.

[samduke]

Come here boy lets have a look at you, no need to be in such a hurry, that letter must be fairly important what ever it is, to be delivered at an hour such as this.

[Kish]

"Hm." Lia reads over the letter, and then looks up at the messenger. "Is the person who sent this expecting a reply?" she asks.

[Soulshattered]

Come here boy lets have a look at you, no need to be in such a hurry, that letter must be fairly important what ever it is, to be delivered at an hour such as this.

The messenger nervously steps closer to the halfling. Dunno about the letter, me master just got it about a few hours ago. Took me a while to find him.

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

"I think he is standing around looking for a tip" Goran whisperers a little too loud. He shifts uncomfortably. Goran stares at Caedmon expectantly as if to compel him. Goran found fleshlings so confusing with their social expectations and traditions.

[samduke]

Why the lad is all but skin and bone from the looks of it, so my good man share with us what it is that has the lad out at this hour.

Jerin will offer the boy some of his food.

[OMG PONIES]

Caedmon reads over the note silently a few times, ignoring the chatter floating around his head. It was clear that this group had come from all walks of life, but that the member of House Medani was the only true investigator. Everyone else had turned their attention to the messenger, all but ignoring the message. The half-elf pours over the cryptic letter once more, wondering to himself who "V" was and if the image carried any connection to the Dark Lanterns or some other group. From the penmanship, Caedmon was willing to wager the writer had been a woman--the confined, carefully crafted curves of the lettering was usually a dead giveaway.

[roll0] regarding the sender of this letter


"Hm." Lia reads over the letter, and then looks up at the messenger. "Is the person who sent this expecting a reply?" she asks.

"No. They're just expecting us to show up," Caedmon rasps. He still wasn't sure if they were being summoned for a proper job or a criminal enterprise in disguise, but it seemed like he might need to figure that out once they arrived.


"I think he is standing around looking for a tip" Goran whisperers a little too loud. He shifts uncomfortably. Goran stares at Caedmon expectantly as if to compel him. Goran found fleshlings so confusing with their social expectations and traditions.

Caedmon takes one of the platinum pieces from the first page and turns it in his fingers. "Would you like this?" he asks the young messenger. "It can be yours if you can answer some questions. What do you say?" He continues to turn the coin in his fingers, allowing it to glint in the fading light and catch the young boy's eye.

[roll1]

[Kish]

Lia frowns at Caedmon and returns to looking expectantly at the messenger.

[Soulshattered]

The letter does seem like it's written by a female, but as to the writer you aren't sure. The secrecy implies someone who works as an inteligencer (spymaster or some-such) the stylized lantern also suggest such.

The messenger boy is unsure about the offer of the platinum piece. I'm just a messenger, I don't really think I'll know the answers you're after. It seems he thinks you're after more than just a few answers.

[samduke]

looking at the lad then towards Caedmon, Well sir it seems the lad does not want or need that, pointing to the coin, and whom ever they are, if they are expecting us to show up, I am presuming then sir that you are asking us at this table to go with you.. pauses looks at the boy, he seems an honest man so I guess I will go with him. with that he finishes his meal steps off his chair puts his pack back on and grabs his crossbow. looks back to Caedmon, well then lets not keep the lad waiting any longer shall we.

[OMG PONIES]

Lia frowns at Caedmon and returns to looking expectantly at the messenger.

"What?" Caedmon asks innocently, but with apology & sadness in his eyes. "Says right in the letter: 'Come to the northeast stairs of the Myriad tower'. That's our reply."


I'm just a messenger, I don't really think I'll know the answers you're after.

"That's all right, son," Caedmon says with a smile. Somehow, even when the half-elf smiles his eyes seem like they're frowning. It's almost as if his mind is constantly weighed down with information he finds it more helpful to cage in than to share with the world. Even in this case, it seems as though the letter has started gears turning in his head.


Well sir it seems the lad does not want or need that, pointing to the coin, and whom ever they are, if they are expecting us to show up, I am presuming then sir that you are asking us at this table to go with you.. pauses looks at the boy, he seems an honest man so I guess I will go with him. with that he finishes his meal steps off his chair puts his pack back on and grabs his crossbow. looks back to Caedmon, well then lets not keep the lad waiting any longer shall we.

"The missive says to bring those I trust. My problem is that I don't trust anyone. But finding three people in the same tavern that introduce themselves by their actual names is about as close to honesty as one's bound to find in Sharn. No need to rush, though. She's not expecting us until noon tomorrow. Might as well let this boy go home and get a good night's sleep," Caedmon says with a smirk. "Jerin, was it?" Caedmon asks, "there's a difference between wanting something and needing it." With that, the aging half-elf presses the platinum coin into the messenger boy's palm. He covers over the coin with his other hand and whispers to the boy as he clasps his hand: "No more late night jobs for spies and criminals, aye? This should take care of you for a while. Have you got parents or siblings to care for?"

[roll0] for the boy's response

[Soulshattered]

The boy's eyes go wide when Caedmon gives him the coin. It it likely more money than he had ever seen in his life. Thanks sir. I do have a sister I look after. He quickly pockets the coin in some hidden pocket of his ragged cloak. Though I don't know what you mean about spies and crooks; I just work for House Orien...

Most people don't have more than a few silvers at most at a time.
He is entirely truthful.

[OMG PONIES]

Caedmon smiles and nods at the boy's words. "Of course. Good, see to her."

[Soulshattered]

With that the boy rushes off, and leaves you all to finish what remains of you dinners. The evening draws late as you become more familiar with each other over a few more mugs of ale. It is decided that you will gather in the room come the morning before setting out to meet your potential employer. The plan is to set off a few hours before you're due and perhaps peruse the market on the way there. Caedmon is familiar with where the tower is and shall guide the way, and when the time comes you've all readied your gear and there is a sense of anticipation in the group.

One question hangs in the air; Are we all ready? But what do you need to be ready for?

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Goran

"Anyone need to stop before we go ?" Goran asks no one in particular. Fleshlings were always needing to buy something or a take a break it seemed.

"I trust you all slept well - though I didn't sleep a wink" he joked.

[samduke]

No I do not think so Goran, though I think that bed they gave me was a bit on the soft side.
as Jerin is straping on his pack, checking his weapons.

[Kish]

"I'm ready to go," Risa says. "Better too soft than too hard, right?"

[samduke]

and a good morning to you also Risa, as for getting things I think I might see if any of the shops has a warsling just for good measure.