Society doesn't seem to be difficult from a distance, right? [5e] [Intrigue campaign]

[ImSAMazing]

Today the House of Kain has announced to be going to hire new Housemembers. Those who are candidates have received a letter, where and when the selection is going to happen.



Dear <char_name>,

You have been selected as a candidate to join the House of Kain. First of all, dont bother to read further if you are either not interested OR aren't able to work in a team of four. If you dont bother to read further, please turn this paper around and look at the words at the bottom. (DISCLAIMER: We are not responsible of this action)


Now with that aside, mr. Kain has selected you personally. You have already been screened and seem to be a good candidate. 11 others have been selected too. All of you will be doing 8 challenges, with the one who loses the challenge kicked out of the selection. 4 will be left, whom all will join the House of Kain.

For your work, if you are one of the 4, you will ofcourse get good payment. Do note that sometimes the work is quick and dirty, sometimes hard and clean. You will NOT be meeting mr. Kain until you are one of the 4, when you will be invited to a ball.

If we find out you leak information about this to any-one, we know where to find you.

Regards,

The House of Kain



This morning a body has been found in the sewers, who has been identified to be Eric Carlson, a male Aasimar. Eric Carlson was known to be one of the people that have been selected to get a chance to join the House of Kain. Eric is also a good friend of this Newspaper's owner. Rest in peace Eric.



It seems to be that Kain has (indirect) selected 4 new members of the House. What they will do is not known, just like their identities. Be sure to expect a change in the current plans of the House of Kain: Houses don't hire new members for no reason.



Another body has been found in the sewers, this time Riokal Rhogar, a Dragonborn. It took a while to identify him, because his face was being eaten by a snake while he was found. Riokal was known to be part of the House of Kain, and was a good friend to Riviola, the daughter of the owner of this Newspaper. Rest in peace Riokal.



After 8 hard challenges, all 4 of you have been invited to join the House of Kain, which all of you have accepted. As a first meeting with Kain himself, you guys have been invited to his own ship at the docks, for a ball.

Walking together in your most beautiful outfit, you enter the ship. 2 guards stand before the entrance of the ship, seeming to be ready for a fight if it breaks out. As you enter the ship, you are leaded to a seat next to each other, close to Kain. Next to you a bold Aasimar sits. He asks Jasmine: Are you one of the new members of the House? Hmmm. You sure must be. What do you expect from Kain? What do you think he looks like?


Eventhough the ship seemed small from a distance, the inside is really big. And beautiful. There is jewelry everywhere, rich people talking, and a beautiful lamp at the top of the ship's inside. The ship's inside is around 50' width by 60' long, and around 40' high. There is food on a big table, with around 50 chairs around it. At the end of the table, Kain's chair sits. Waiters walk around and bring around drinks and food, and everybody is having a great time.

[Fishybugs]

Roland enters the room, looking around at each other person as he approaches his position. His face is smiling, but his thoughts race as he tries to take in everything going on in the room. It felt strange being in public without his armor, but he was entering a new phase of his life now, and he had to make himself fit in.

[Mordae]

Levin Dessenore strides aboard the ship confidently. The salt air and slight sway remind him of an earlier part of his life, years at sea he'd just as soon forget. Well, he tells himself, the learning wasn't all bad. The rocking and rolling, I could leave. His finest clothes scarcely match the opulence of the house master's palatial yacht, but he kept them in meticulously clean and neat condition. Appearances were everything when you were in the business of buying and selling; no one would take seriously a high price from a vagabond, even one with the House of Kain's name attached.

After taking his seat, Levin is careful not to touch any of the place setting. Etiquette demanded the master of the hall eat and drink first, and a good impression was an essential part of continued employment in any capacity. He turns to regard the Aasimar with a steady, blue-eyed gaze, taking note of the fellow's faintly celestial features and looking for an angle to join the conversation. The woman next to him, apparently a newly minted house-mate, deserves a chance to respond if only for etiquette's sake. Levin silently hopes she is as skilled as the testing suggests.

[ImSAMazing]

Next to Levin sits a small creature. It seems to be a Pixie! It says: Beautiful weather today, don't you think? And are you one of those new guys? I hope you are excited for the stuff you will need on some of your missions. I am Jorik, one of the headcrafters of this House. Armor, weapons, vehicles, I can make or have made most of them, if you ever need anything, just ask. This counts for you since you are in this house AND you are keeping the ettiquette, unlike some other people here, looking at a fat dwarf eating bread already.

[RainbowLantern]

Carl, though relieved to have passed the challenges woke the morning of his future with tears in his eyes. "My poor son..." he thought to himself. Now he hadn't known he had a son a week ago and still had no idea who had mothered his child but it was plain as day from the paper. "Eric Carlson... If only I had been there to protect you." As Carl washed, he realized at some point he would have to tell his brother, the big lovable Harl. They were half brothers and both convinced they were half elves but in actuality, Harl is a Half-Orc. Telling Harl would be a task for another time though sadly.

"today we have a bigger mission!" Carl grabs the paper in which he read about his son's death for it is all he has of his son. He would investigate and avenge his son's death. Once he was ready to go for the day, he bore his usual happy go lucky smile. He greets everyone he sees with a smile and a wave. If close enough, perhaps a handshake. If a beautiful maiden then a bow and maybe kissing he back of her hand.

Once aboard the ship, he attempts his best regal display. He enters, bows to everyone. He sits at the table in his designated seat and looks around at all the lovely people. He shall not eat for the maidens have yet to begun and you know what they say, Maidens first.

[AvatarVecna]

He asks Jasmine: Are you one of the new members of the House? Hmmm. You sure must be. What do you expect from Kain? What do you think he looks like?

Jasmine smiled demurely. "Why, a proper job interview, of course. While I'm sure Kain has some idea of my capabilities, I'm sure he'd want a more...in-depth test to see if I was appropriately capable for the tasks ahead."

[Mordae]

Turning his attention from Jasmine's conversation, Levin offers a grateful nod to his tiny interlocutor. "Well met, fair mistress. I am Levin Dessenore, and I have little doubt that I will come to rely upon your talents someday! A house must stand together, each doing his part; up to this point mine has been but to transact procured goods--perhaps some of these materials are part of your splendid creations. But I am ready to do whatever the master requires." His eyes dart from corner to corner of the room, ostensibly to take in the sights but mainly to be certain that he knows instantly when the crown of the Kain house arrives, feeling certain that even if he and the others do not recognize the man right off, the reaction of the well-to-do crowd will serve as sufficient warning. "I must admit that my breath is quite taken away by the opulence presented here. In the master's merchant fleet, treasures are acquired and stored for safety, not put on display for all to gawk and gander."

[ImSAMazing]

After 15 more minutes of chitchat, Kain finally appears. But with style. In the roof of the inside of the ship, a trapdoor opens. An elf jumps down, grabs the chandelier, swings with it 2 times, jumps down from the chandelier, makes two salto's in the air and lands on his chair. Right before he reached the chair, he slowed down and he safely lands on his chair. As the crowd yells in awe, he stands up and speaks:
Ladies & Gentlemen, welcome to this feast! Today is an important day for me. And for you. For everyone here! Today we are welcoming 4 new members of our House. They will be doing heavy work for us, and we will thank them for that. Tonight they will receive their first mission, after this feast!
He sits down, and grabs his glass of what seems to be rum. He puts it in the air, and says: Let the feast begin!
He drinks from his glass, and the feast has officially begun.

Kain seems to be an Half-Elf, with a perfect face. He has short hair, two rapiers on his belt, and flexible cloathing. He also wears a green cape, with the sign of the House of Kain carved into it: a bottle of rum with an oakleaf in the bottle.


Before we go to the scene where Kain gives you guys your first mission, please post how your characters respond to this scene, and what they do during the feast!

[Mordae]

Immensely impressed by the acrobatic display, Levin is among the first to break into applause as Kain lands gracefully. He had expected the master of the house to be a great showman, given the reputation ascribed to him by his captains on the high seas, and the scion of the Dessenore line was not disappointed. "Someday I shall have to learn that maneuver," he comments to Jorik, a sly grin upon his youthful features. "I bet I could command twice the price for my goods. Are those rapiers of your make, by chance? Splendid-looking weapons in any case, the blades of a true gentleman." Rogue-gentleman, of course... Levin reserves commenting on the shady underside of the house business to his own mind.

Levin makes sure to keep the etiquette of such a feast, waiting until Kain begins dining before eating anything himself, keeping his glass charged with rum for any toasts offered by the hosts or guests, and generally spending more time listening rather than talking. If the opportunity arises before Kain calls the new quartet for their mission, Levin will mingle with the other guests, introducing himself politely and endeavoring to learn about their parts of the family business--all with an eye toward how he could be of service in order to win future favor.

[Fishybugs]

Roland is quiet, but smiles and makes small talk with anyone who would approach him. Roland had a continual itch in the spot between his shoulderblades from imagining a dagger being plunged into it. Gods, but I miss my armor, he thinks to himself at least a dozen times prior to Kain making his elaborate entrance. A momentary grimace is the only thing which gives away the fact Roland disapproves of the excessive showmanship before a smile fixes on his face.

Roland leans over to whomever is seated next to him and silently asks, "What kind of 'heavy work' do you think he has in store for us?"

[ImSAMazing]

A halfling answers: Honestly, I don't know. But, it surely has something to do with dangerous stuff. How dangerous and what exactly am I unable to tell you, yet. Oops shouldn't have said that. See you later he says before walking away from the table.

The Aasimar says: He is one of your commanders. But he is a bit shy, don't worry about him. Just enjoy the dinner!



Everybody ready to skip forward yet or do you guys want to do something else during the dinner?

[ImSAMazing]

Immensely impressed by the acrobatic display, Levin is among the first to break into applause as Kain lands gracefully. He had expected the master of the house to be a great showman, given the reputation ascribed to him by his captains on the high seas, and the scion of the Dessenore line was not disappointed. "Someday I shall have to learn that maneuver," he comments to Jorik, a sly grin upon his youthful features. "I bet I could command twice the price for my goods. Are those rapiers of your make, by chance? Splendid-looking weapons in any case, the blades of a true gentleman." Rogue-gentleman, of course... Levin reserves commenting on the shady underside of the house business to his own mind.

Levin makes sure to keep the etiquette of such a feast, waiting until Kain begins dining before eating anything himself, keeping his glass charged with rum for any toasts offered by the hosts or guests, and generally spending more time listening rather than talking. If the opportunity arises before Kain calls the new quartet for their mission, Levin will mingle with the other guests, introducing himself politely and endeavoring to learn about their parts of the family business--all with an eye toward how he could be of service in order to win future favor.

The Pixie responds: I wish I had made the rapiers all by myself. I made the start of the rapiers, and did some of the base enchantments. But the other enchantments were done by an , he takes a moment of silence, and continues whispering: a Lich. He did the other enchantments, which must be very powerful, since the Lich's spellcasting seems to be out of the roof.. His face turned into a grin, but fastly changes into a big smile: Luckily his rapiers are in Kain's hands, since he has saved our lifes many times from enemy 'pirates'. But we have talked enough, let's feast!

[ImSAMazing]

A couple of drinks and a couple of hours later, you are asked by a waiter to follow him. As you follow him, he leads you to the personal room of Kain. It is like you expected it to look like, except bigger and more beautiful. Gold everywhere. Same for jewelry. Same for magic items. At the entrance of the room two what seem to be dark-shadowy creatures stand. They let you pass, and Kain himself sits in this room. Except not the Kain you saw jumping down from the ceiling. This Kain has a serious look on his face, his left hand on his favourite rapier. As you enter the room, he shows you your seats. 4 beautiful chairs are standing on the ground, and as you sit on them you feel yourself better than ever.

Kain waits a second, and then speaks: Welcome young fellows. Welcome to the house of Kain, or as I like to call it the House of Action. . He waits for a second, looking at the looks of your face, and then continues with a different tone: I hope you had a great time at the feast. Now we are talking business though, so I want every single one of you to focus. We got a problem. One of our members is going to betray us, and he is at a meeting now with our enemy, the House of Uyuin. I want you guys to bust him and kill him. But watch out: there must be guards. As a reward for this small mission, , while saying the word small he closely watches your face, you will each get an appropiate award. In case you accept the mission ofcourse. Do you?

[Mordae]

Levin takes his chair as directed, his eyes honing in on the master. The tidbits he had learned earlier had made him sufficiently cautious that he did not stare around the room to gawk at Kain's treasures, to see if he might find one that had passed through his own hands on the high seas. He listens to the short briefing with the gears in his mind already turning. "Naturally, I'm here to serve you, sir. This betrayer--and, forgive my presumption, sir, but I expect he has a name and description that we will get later--do we know why he is turning to Uyuin? Bribery, blackmail or the like?"

[ImSAMazing]

Levin takes his chair as directed, his eyes honing in on the master. The tidbits he had learned earlier had made him sufficiently cautious that he did not stare around the room to gawk at Kain's treasures, to see if he might find one that had passed through his own hands on the high seas. He listens to the short briefing with the gears in his mind already turning. "Naturally, I'm here to serve you, sir. This betrayer--and, forgive my presumption, sir, but I expect he has a name and description that we will get later--do we know why he is turning to Uyuin? Bribery, blackmail or the like?"

Kain looks you straight in the eye, seemingly piercing through your whole soul. It feels weird. He answers:
I don't know why he has turned to Uyuin, but it is probably because he learned something about me. About us. Something dangerous. Do you want me to tell you about it? . He once again seems to be piercing right through your soul. it feels really weird. In a split second you re-experience all your memories. And then the feeling is gone, and Kain looks to his rapier, seemingly waiting for your answer.

[Fishybugs]

Roland sits and contemplates. He knew there were shady sides to the houses, but did not expect murder to be the very first thing they asked for. Could he kill someone in cold blood? He's never had to in the past. If someone were blackmailing or threatening someone, there were laws for that, right?

"I would be happy to look into the dealings of this man for you, milord." There. Hopefully that was noncommittal enough...agree to the task without agreeing to kill anyone up front.

[ImSAMazing]

Kain now aims his eyes at Roland. Once again he seems to pierce through Roland his soul, and Roland also re-experiences all his memories for a split second. He takes a pause, and speaks: Thanks for agreeing to do you job. Now, I know your past. You have never murdered someone before. But see it as a commitment: do you want him to leak secrets about me? About us? About you? I know about your dead friend. And he knows too. Do you want Uyuin to find about the fact that, , Kain now walks to you, and whispers in your ear: That you ruïned his life by stealing his girlfriend? And you know as good as I do that once he realised you took her, he commited suicide. Do you want everyone to find out? I certainly wouldn't if I was you.. Kain now seats again, and says: Any further questions before I tell the details about this job?

[Mordae]

"It would seem, sir, that such curiosities are quite costly in your house. And what I do not know cannot be extracted from me by any means--so unless the details have some bearing on this particular fellow's imminent demise, I believe it would be in your best interests, and mine, not to tell me." The normally smooth-talking Levin is reduced to more direct words than he usually prefers, but if actual duplicity was dealt with harshly, it seems to him to be wiser to avoid any hint of levity that might smack of double-talk.

[ImSAMazing]

Kain smiles, and says: Great answer. To be honest, I wouldn't have told you if you wanted the information. But you seem wise and have a strong will, so I believe I can trust you, and your new friends, with the information. The information is as following: 'These weapons I wear were once enchanted by a powerful Lich, called Vadania Liadon. The Lich was so powerful that it could forge these weapons, after my weaponsmith already made them. Nobody may know this fact however, because they will find out that my weapons have a simple weakness: when the lich dies, the magic goes away... That is what the traitor knows, and that is what you need to stop him from telling.

[Mordae]

Levin nods. "Fair enough. We'll take him down, sir." He looks over to Jasmine, Roland, and Carl with an appraising eye. "What of his contact within Uyuin? Should we assume he has learned the secret, and... dispatch... him as well?"

[Fishybugs]

Roland sits and listens to the conversation, thoughts now racing. There was something about Kain...something preternatural. Something he couldn't put his finger on, and he loved a good mystery.

[ImSAMazing]

Kain smiles for the first time in the conversation and speaks to Levin: If you can kill him, descretely ofcourse, then go ahead. You will be our hero and the path to rulership of this magnificent town will be clear. Here, takes this: . Kain stands up again, and speaks to one of his shadow-like guards. The Shadowy creature hands Levin a small tube. He speaks: Use this to dispose of any glues or locks.

[Mordae]

Levin tucks the tube into the inside pocket of his velvet over-coat. "It shall be as you say, milord." He purses his lips and, looking at the others, ventures another question. "I understand your time is precious, sir, and your role as host to this gathering is important as well. Of whom should we inquire regarding the more mundane details of this mission--most especially, the accursed fellow's name and appearance, and the location of this thrice-damned meeting?"