A D&D Homebrew quest with various homebrewed mechanics in a living and evolving world.
Malfeir Quest
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Chapter 1: Character Creation
Every person in the world is born, and every person in the world will, at some point, die. These are the rules of life laid down by the Raven Queen, she who watches over the Great Cycle, and guards our souls as they live and die and live again.
You are no different.
You are a new soul, split off from an older, more experienced soul only four cycles ago, and you are about to be born again.
The world would be familiar to you, were it not for the time you'd spent in the sea of souls, letting your memories be washed clean. But it's not, and there is an eagerness to you; a desire to go out into the world and live and grow and experience all that life and mortality has to offer you.
You will be born as
[] A Tiefling (Please specify skin and hair color, if not standard)
[] A Gnome
[] A Human
[] A Dragonborn (Please specify color)
[] A Half Orc
[] A Tabaxi
[] Some combination of the above (Please specify)
[] Write in
You will be born to
[] Nobles (Rich. You will never have to worry about money, and will have a monthly stipend to cover expenses and frivolities. Decreased haggling ability. Decreased affinity to common folk.)
[] Merchants (Wealthy. You will almost never have to worry about money, and will have a small weekly allowance that will cover some frivolities. Normal expenses are covered. Increased haggling ability. Decreased affinity to Nobles.)
[] Working Folk (Well off. You rarely have to worry about money, and can afford one or two frivolities every few months. Most normal expenses are covered, though things can sometimes be a bit tight. Decreased affinity to Street Folk. Increased affinity to Guilds. Increased affinity to Guards.)
[] Peasants (Poor. You worry about money regularly. Frivolities are wishful thinking, and you are often behind on your normal expenses. Still, you are fed regularly, and clothed, and housed. Decreased affinity to Nobles. Increased affinity to haggling. Increased affinity to utility skills [Mending, scavenging, etc.])
[] Street Folk (Destitute. You have no money but what you can steal or find. Food is hard to come by, and you regularly go to sleep hungry. Decreased affinity to everyone but other street folk. Increased affinity to haggling. Increased affinity to sleight of hand. Increased affinity to street smarts.)
You will be born
[] Male
[] Female
[] Neither
Your name will be
[] Sam
[] Tucker
[] Annalise
[] Fray
[] Silver
[] Silk
[] Cricket
[] Write In
The story will pick up when you are
[] 5 (You will rarely be able to venture out on your own, unless the Street Folk status is chosen. Higher affinity to learn new skills and abilities.)
[] 12 (Greater freedom comes with greater responsibilities. You will often have lessons, unless Street Folk is chosen. Lessons will prevent as many actions from being taken per day. High affinity for learning new skills and abilities.)
[] 17 (Nearly an adult now, you are free to make your own decisions about how you spend your time. You may pick up odd jobs to gain additional money, but if Noble was chosen, you will be expected to spend time entertaining/interacting with others of similar status.)
[] 25 (As an adult you may spend your time as you see fit. Your affinity for learning new skills and abilities is no longer that of a child.)
You are no different.
You are a new soul, split off from an older, more experienced soul only four cycles ago, and you are about to be born again.
The world would be familiar to you, were it not for the time you'd spent in the sea of souls, letting your memories be washed clean. But it's not, and there is an eagerness to you; a desire to go out into the world and live and grow and experience all that life and mortality has to offer you.
You will be born as
[] A Tiefling (Please specify skin and hair color, if not standard)
[] A Gnome
[] A Human
[] A Dragonborn (Please specify color)
[] A Half Orc
[] A Tabaxi
[] Some combination of the above (Please specify)
[] Write in
You will be born to
[] Nobles (Rich. You will never have to worry about money, and will have a monthly stipend to cover expenses and frivolities. Decreased haggling ability. Decreased affinity to common folk.)
[] Merchants (Wealthy. You will almost never have to worry about money, and will have a small weekly allowance that will cover some frivolities. Normal expenses are covered. Increased haggling ability. Decreased affinity to Nobles.)
[] Working Folk (Well off. You rarely have to worry about money, and can afford one or two frivolities every few months. Most normal expenses are covered, though things can sometimes be a bit tight. Decreased affinity to Street Folk. Increased affinity to Guilds. Increased affinity to Guards.)
[] Peasants (Poor. You worry about money regularly. Frivolities are wishful thinking, and you are often behind on your normal expenses. Still, you are fed regularly, and clothed, and housed. Decreased affinity to Nobles. Increased affinity to haggling. Increased affinity to utility skills [Mending, scavenging, etc.])
[] Street Folk (Destitute. You have no money but what you can steal or find. Food is hard to come by, and you regularly go to sleep hungry. Decreased affinity to everyone but other street folk. Increased affinity to haggling. Increased affinity to sleight of hand. Increased affinity to street smarts.)
You will be born
[] Male
[] Female
[] Neither
Your name will be
[] Sam
[] Tucker
[] Annalise
[] Fray
[] Silver
[] Silk
[] Cricket
[] Write In
The story will pick up when you are
[] 5 (You will rarely be able to venture out on your own, unless the Street Folk status is chosen. Higher affinity to learn new skills and abilities.)
[] 12 (Greater freedom comes with greater responsibilities. You will often have lessons, unless Street Folk is chosen. Lessons will prevent as many actions from being taken per day. High affinity for learning new skills and abilities.)
[] 17 (Nearly an adult now, you are free to make your own decisions about how you spend your time. You may pick up odd jobs to gain additional money, but if Noble was chosen, you will be expected to spend time entertaining/interacting with others of similar status.)
[] 25 (As an adult you may spend your time as you see fit. Your affinity for learning new skills and abilities is no longer that of a child.)
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Learning Curve and Casting Points
The continent of Malfeir is a high magic setting that was originally in the same world as Faerun, but has, over the years, grown and changed into it's own homebrew setting that has very little in common with Faerun proper.
With that in mind, there are two things players should be aware of right off the bat.
The Learning Curve, and Casting Points.
The Learning Curve system is very simple. Each character has four available 'slots' in which they can 'put' skills, abilities, or spells to learn them. All four may be filled with non-magical abilities or skills, but only two may be taken by spells at any given time.
Thus, if our character wished to learn [Hide in Plain Sight], and improve their [Pickpocketing] skill, while also learning [Glitterdust] and [Dancing Lights] they could.
However, they could not learn [Glitterdust], [Dancing Lights], [Minor Illusion], and improve their [Pickpocketing] skill.
The Learning Curve system (LC), is based off of percentile rolls.
When the character comes up with an idea of something they want to learn or improve on, they make a percentile roll to see how well grounded that idea is in reality. That roll is the base roll that all other rolls will improve on.
Each subsequent hour of practice grants an additional percentile roll on that particular LC. If the roll falls under the current base roll, then the attempt succeeds and the base roll improves by 5%. If the roll falls over the current base roll, then the attempt fails and the base roll improves by 1% Once the LC reaches 100%, then the skill, ability, or spell is fully learned.
Each skill or ability LC may be done three times, from 0% to 100%. The first round will teach it. The second will grant proficiency, and the third will grant advantage.
The Casting Point System, or CP.
Casting Points are an alternative for spell slots that acts more like a mana pool, allowing one to cast any spell in ones repository as long as one has the CP available to do so. Spells cost their level in CP to cast, unless they are currently being learned through the LC system. Then they cost twice as much, or if the character is attempting to cast during a fight, four times as much.
The cantrip [Prestidigitation] is completely free, and all other cantrips cost 1 CP.
Casting Points are determined by adding the modifiers for INT, WIS, and CHA together, then multiplying by three.
Casting Points increase with each level, and with each additional spell learned through the Learning Curve, or created through it.
And there you have it. The two most important aspects of the world.
With that in mind, there are two things players should be aware of right off the bat.
The Learning Curve, and Casting Points.
The Learning Curve system is very simple. Each character has four available 'slots' in which they can 'put' skills, abilities, or spells to learn them. All four may be filled with non-magical abilities or skills, but only two may be taken by spells at any given time.
Thus, if our character wished to learn [Hide in Plain Sight], and improve their [Pickpocketing] skill, while also learning [Glitterdust] and [Dancing Lights] they could.
However, they could not learn [Glitterdust], [Dancing Lights], [Minor Illusion], and improve their [Pickpocketing] skill.
The Learning Curve system (LC), is based off of percentile rolls.
When the character comes up with an idea of something they want to learn or improve on, they make a percentile roll to see how well grounded that idea is in reality. That roll is the base roll that all other rolls will improve on.
Each subsequent hour of practice grants an additional percentile roll on that particular LC. If the roll falls under the current base roll, then the attempt succeeds and the base roll improves by 5%. If the roll falls over the current base roll, then the attempt fails and the base roll improves by 1% Once the LC reaches 100%, then the skill, ability, or spell is fully learned.
Each skill or ability LC may be done three times, from 0% to 100%. The first round will teach it. The second will grant proficiency, and the third will grant advantage.
The Casting Point System, or CP.
Casting Points are an alternative for spell slots that acts more like a mana pool, allowing one to cast any spell in ones repository as long as one has the CP available to do so. Spells cost their level in CP to cast, unless they are currently being learned through the LC system. Then they cost twice as much, or if the character is attempting to cast during a fight, four times as much.
The cantrip [Prestidigitation] is completely free, and all other cantrips cost 1 CP.
Casting Points are determined by adding the modifiers for INT, WIS, and CHA together, then multiplying by three.
Casting Points increase with each level, and with each additional spell learned through the Learning Curve, or created through it.
And there you have it. The two most important aspects of the world.
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[X] A Human
[X] Nobles (Rich. You will never have to worry about money, and will have a monthly stipend to cover expenses and frivolities. Decreased haggling ability. Decreased affinity to common folk.)
[X] Male
[X] Silver
[X] 17 (Nearly an adult now, you are free to make your own decisions about how you spend your time. You may pick up odd jobs to gain additional money, but if Noble was chosen, you will be expected to spend time entertaining/interacting with others of similar status.)
[X] Nobles (Rich. You will never have to worry about money, and will have a monthly stipend to cover expenses and frivolities. Decreased haggling ability. Decreased affinity to common folk.)
[X] Male
[X] Silver
[X] 17 (Nearly an adult now, you are free to make your own decisions about how you spend your time. You may pick up odd jobs to gain additional money, but if Noble was chosen, you will be expected to spend time entertaining/interacting with others of similar status.)
[X] Some combination of the above (Please specify)
-[X]Dragonborn
-[X]Tiefling
[X] Nobles (Rich. You will never have to worry about money, and will have a monthly stipend to cover expenses and frivolities. Decreased haggling ability. Decreased affinity to common folk.)
[X] Male
[X] Write-In
-[X]Onyx
[X] 17 (Nearly an adult now, you are free to make your own decisions about how you spend your time. You may pick up odd jobs to gain additional money, but if Noble was chosen, you will be expected to spend time entertaining/interacting with others of similar status.)
-[X]Dragonborn
-[X]Tiefling
[X] Nobles (Rich. You will never have to worry about money, and will have a monthly stipend to cover expenses and frivolities. Decreased haggling ability. Decreased affinity to common folk.)
[X] Male
[X] Write-In
-[X]Onyx
[X] 17 (Nearly an adult now, you are free to make your own decisions about how you spend your time. You may pick up odd jobs to gain additional money, but if Noble was chosen, you will be expected to spend time entertaining/interacting with others of similar status.)
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- Location
- Earth
[X] Some combination of the above (Please specify)
-[X]Dragonborn
-[X]Tiefling
[X] Nobles (Rich. You will never have to worry about money, and will have a monthly stipend to cover expenses and frivolities. Decreased haggling ability. Decreased affinity to common folk.)
[X] Male
[X] Silver
[X] 5 (You will rarely be able to venture out on your own, unless the Street Folk status is chosen. Higher affinity to learn new skills and abilities.)
-[X]Dragonborn
-[X]Tiefling
[X] Nobles (Rich. You will never have to worry about money, and will have a monthly stipend to cover expenses and frivolities. Decreased haggling ability. Decreased affinity to common folk.)
[X] Male
[X] Silver
[X] 5 (You will rarely be able to venture out on your own, unless the Street Folk status is chosen. Higher affinity to learn new skills and abilities.)
[X] A Tabaxi
[X] Working Folk (Well off. You rarely have to worry about money, and can afford one or two frivolities every few months. Most normal expenses are covered, though things can sometimes be a bit tight. Decreased affinity to Street Folk. Increased affinity to Guilds. Increased affinity to Guards.)
[X] Male
[X] Coal
[X] 5 (You will rarely be able to venture out on your own, unless the Street Folk status is chosen. Higher affinity to learn new skills and abilities.)
[X] Working Folk (Well off. You rarely have to worry about money, and can afford one or two frivolities every few months. Most normal expenses are covered, though things can sometimes be a bit tight. Decreased affinity to Street Folk. Increased affinity to Guilds. Increased affinity to Guards.)
[X] Male
[X] Coal
[X] 5 (You will rarely be able to venture out on your own, unless the Street Folk status is chosen. Higher affinity to learn new skills and abilities.)
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Chapter 2: It Begins.
Chapter 2
The City at the Center of the Sea of Sand has no name.
Or rather, it has no name that those who live there, who call the desert their home, will admit to, to outsiders.
To the people who live there, who keep its history on their tongues and in their hearts, the City is Tekali, the Gem that Glitters in the Sea of Sand.
To you, it is home. The only home you have ever known, and the only home you have ever wished to know. Still, as you stare out the window and out over the sandstone buildings that make up the city, you can't help but wonder what else there might be out there.
"Silver? Are you paying attention?"
You startle slightly, turning your attention back to the tiefling woman across the table from you.
She's quietly pretty, in the way that middle aged women often are, with black hair streaked with silver threads, and her already dark grey skin turned darker by the sun. Her green eyes are fixed on your face and narrowed with irritation.
"Yes, Mother. I'm listening."
"Good." She nods crisply, and taps the sheet of papyrus in front of you, drawing your attention back down to it. "The delegation from Silsharn will be here tomorrow, and I want you to be prepared to sing the Asmala the day after."
You wince.
"Mother, the Asmala? Really? They're elves! They're Silsharn elves! They won't care!"
"But the king does." She retorts sharply, "and we're to treat them as honored guests, regardless of how they act. Which means you, my son, are going to sing the Asmala at the gala that's being held in their honor."
"But why couldn't it be something simpler?" You demand, half desperately, "Why not the Velkay? Or the Perspari? This is supposed to be a new alliance, right? Wouldn't the Perspari be more appropriate?"
Your mother pauses, her face going thoughtful.
"The Perspari might work…" she murmurs, "Well wishes for a prosperous union between our two nations…"
She thinks for another moment, then nods sharply. "I'll take it up with the planners and the diplomats. We'll see what they think. It's likely they've already discarded that possibility for one reason or another, but it won't hurt anything to ask, and if it's to your preference… well. We shall see."
She stands abruptly, and begins to gather the sheaves of papyrus. "In the meantime, I suppose you're free to do as you like. Just make sure you're back here at a reasonable hour, all right? I won't have you yawning when our guests arrive tomorrow."
A reasonable hour usually means before the evening meal, and, given that you've just had breakfast not long ago, your complaining seems to have actually gotten you a decent amount of time to kill.
Gods know that once the elves get here, you likely won't have a minute to yourself.
You have two actions available before the evening meal.
[] Look up more information about Silsharn and elves. (Bonus to diplomacy with the elves that will be arriving tomorrow, begins LC for INT point. 1 action.)
[] Practice the Asmala, and, just in case, the Perspari. (Bonus to performance at the Gala, begins LC for CHA point. Improved relationship with Mother. 1 action.)
[] Head out into town looking for something to do. (Write in. This option also includes the ability to skip the evening meal in favor of doing something else. Skipping the evening meal will decrease your relationship with your mother but adds a third action.)
[] Do something else. (Write in. This option includes the ability to skip the evening meal. Skipping the evening meal will decrease your relationship with your mother but adds a third action.)
[X] Some combination of the above (Please specify)
-[X]Dragonborn No color specified, QM's choice- 'White'
-[X]Tiefling No color specified, QM's choice- skin 'grey', hair 'black'
[X] Nobles
[X] Male
[X] Silver
[X] 17 tiebreaker roll 1 to 10 = 5, 11 to 20 = 17 == roll:15
Ability Scores begin at 10 for average, non-adventurers. Due to your upbringing as a noble, and the lessons and teachings you have absorbed, you have been granted points to both CHA and INT. Due to your race, you have been granted points to both CHA and CON
Current Ability Scores
STR- 10
DEX- 10
CON-12
INT- 12
WIS- 10
CHA- 14
Current CP- 9
-[X]Dragonborn No color specified, QM's choice- 'White'
-[X]Tiefling No color specified, QM's choice- skin 'grey', hair 'black'
[X] Nobles
[X] Male
[X] Silver
[X] 17 tiebreaker roll 1 to 10 = 5, 11 to 20 = 17 == roll:15
Ability Scores begin at 10 for average, non-adventurers. Due to your upbringing as a noble, and the lessons and teachings you have absorbed, you have been granted points to both CHA and INT. Due to your race, you have been granted points to both CHA and CON
Current Ability Scores
STR- 10
DEX- 10
CON-12
INT- 12
WIS- 10
CHA- 14
Current CP- 9
The City at the Center of the Sea of Sand has no name.
Or rather, it has no name that those who live there, who call the desert their home, will admit to, to outsiders.
To the people who live there, who keep its history on their tongues and in their hearts, the City is Tekali, the Gem that Glitters in the Sea of Sand.
To you, it is home. The only home you have ever known, and the only home you have ever wished to know. Still, as you stare out the window and out over the sandstone buildings that make up the city, you can't help but wonder what else there might be out there.
"Silver? Are you paying attention?"
You startle slightly, turning your attention back to the tiefling woman across the table from you.
She's quietly pretty, in the way that middle aged women often are, with black hair streaked with silver threads, and her already dark grey skin turned darker by the sun. Her green eyes are fixed on your face and narrowed with irritation.
"Yes, Mother. I'm listening."
"Good." She nods crisply, and taps the sheet of papyrus in front of you, drawing your attention back down to it. "The delegation from Silsharn will be here tomorrow, and I want you to be prepared to sing the Asmala the day after."
You wince.
"Mother, the Asmala? Really? They're elves! They're Silsharn elves! They won't care!"
"But the king does." She retorts sharply, "and we're to treat them as honored guests, regardless of how they act. Which means you, my son, are going to sing the Asmala at the gala that's being held in their honor."
"But why couldn't it be something simpler?" You demand, half desperately, "Why not the Velkay? Or the Perspari? This is supposed to be a new alliance, right? Wouldn't the Perspari be more appropriate?"
Your mother pauses, her face going thoughtful.
"The Perspari might work…" she murmurs, "Well wishes for a prosperous union between our two nations…"
She thinks for another moment, then nods sharply. "I'll take it up with the planners and the diplomats. We'll see what they think. It's likely they've already discarded that possibility for one reason or another, but it won't hurt anything to ask, and if it's to your preference… well. We shall see."
She stands abruptly, and begins to gather the sheaves of papyrus. "In the meantime, I suppose you're free to do as you like. Just make sure you're back here at a reasonable hour, all right? I won't have you yawning when our guests arrive tomorrow."
A reasonable hour usually means before the evening meal, and, given that you've just had breakfast not long ago, your complaining seems to have actually gotten you a decent amount of time to kill.
Gods know that once the elves get here, you likely won't have a minute to yourself.
You have two actions available before the evening meal.
[] Look up more information about Silsharn and elves. (Bonus to diplomacy with the elves that will be arriving tomorrow, begins LC for INT point. 1 action.)
[] Practice the Asmala, and, just in case, the Perspari. (Bonus to performance at the Gala, begins LC for CHA point. Improved relationship with Mother. 1 action.)
[] Head out into town looking for something to do. (Write in. This option also includes the ability to skip the evening meal in favor of doing something else. Skipping the evening meal will decrease your relationship with your mother but adds a third action.)
[] Do something else. (Write in. This option includes the ability to skip the evening meal. Skipping the evening meal will decrease your relationship with your mother but adds a third action.)
[X] Look up more information about Silsharn and elves. (Bonus to diplomacy with the elves that will be arriving tomorrow, begins LC for INT point. 1 action.)
[X] Practice the Asmala, and, just in case, the Perspari. (Bonus to performance at the Gala, begins LC for CHA point. Improved relationship with Mother. 1 action.)
[X] Practice the Asmala, and, just in case, the Perspari. (Bonus to performance at the Gala, begins LC for CHA point. Improved relationship with Mother. 1 action.)
- Location
- Earth
[X] Look up more information about Silsharn and elves. (Bonus to diplomacy with the elves that will be arriving tomorrow, begins LC for INT point. 1 action.)
[X] Practice the Asmala, and, just in case, the Perspari. (Bonus to performance at the Gala, begins LC for CHA point. Improved relationship with Mother. 1 action.)
[X] Practice the Asmala, and, just in case, the Perspari. (Bonus to performance at the Gala, begins LC for CHA point. Improved relationship with Mother. 1 action.)
Chapter 3: Silsharn and Singing
Chapter 3
[X] Look up more information about Silsharn and elves. (Bonus to diplomacy with the elves that will be arriving tomorrow, begins LC for INT point. 1 action.)
[X] Practice the Asmala, and, just in case, the Perspari. (Bonus to performance at the Gala, begins LC for CHA point. Improved relationship with Mother. 1 action.)
It doesn't take long for you to decide that, with the elves arriving tomorrow, your best bet for keeping the peace in the house (and keeping your mother off your back) would be to make sure you know as much about Silsharn customs as possible. You'd heard horror stories about the elves from that country, passed around by other members of the nobility in whispers and titters of scandalized glee, but you didn't have much more knowledge than that.
It was time to change that, and so you headed toward the library.
Your father had amassed a considerable collection of books before he'd left, and he'd left them all here, with your mother, when he'd disappeared.
Are there books on Silsharn in particular in the library? Roll: 48% chance. Roll Odd/Even. Odd=no, Even=Yes. Result: Even
Looking under 'Elves' doesn't net you any information, nor does searching the section on trade, or history. It isn't until you go looking in the geography section that you find a couple of books on Silsharn in particular; both slim volumes, each seemingly written at least half a century ago.
Positively modern, by elven standards.
The library's table is next to a wide window that's covered with thin linen drapes, and cooling runes etched around the window ensures that there's a small, cool breeze that circulates the air near the table.
You settle into the seat at the table with a sigh, your tail slipping through the gap left for it as you open the first book and begin to read.
The book is fairly dry, and for the most part it seems to be about the country itself.
Silsharn is a pretty isolationist country, preferring to be left to their own devices for the most part. However, according to the book there's been subtle expansion of their borders for the last several hundred years, slowly enough that most of the shorter lived races haven't noticed. In fact, the author declares, he himself wouldn't have noticed, save for the fact that his own personal map of the area had belonged to his great-grandmother, and he'd chanced a glance at a much more modern map and seen subtle differences.
It's interesting, but not really the kind of information you need to keep you from creating a diplomatic incident.
The second book is, somehow, almost less helpful. The author seems to have taken a sabbatical in Silsharn and come out of it considerably worse off.
According to him, the elves are not only highly isolationist, but they tend toward the xenophobic with particular hatred for half-breeds of any kind. In the author's experience, most of the elves he had interacted with had taken any excuse to claim slight, and many of the various village or city guards he had interacted with had been overly invested in making sure he knew that eyes were on him at all times.
It had left him shaken, paranoid, and, in his own words, 'far too eager to get out of the blighted hellscape known as the bayous of Silsharn.'
You read through lunch, absentmindedly nibbling at the flatbread and grilled goat meat that one of the maids had brought for you when it became apparent that you weren't going to make an appearance in the dining room. When you finally close the cover of the second book, it's with a troubled frown.
Nothing you do is going to prevent an incident if the elves want to make one. Or at least, that seems to be the takeaway message.
Granted, it's one man's experience, in one book, but it lines up all too well with the gossip you've heard over the years. It seems the best you're going to be able to do is be as polite as possible and ignore any rudeness or hostility that might come your way.
Sighing, you scratch absently at where dark grey scales meet paler grey skin along your jawline, leaning back in your chair to stare at the elaborately painted night sky on the ceiling.
Regardless of your desires at the moment, your duty was to assist your mother in caring for and entertaining the guests of the king. That meant doing everything in your power to assure their safety and happiness for the duration of their stay. The rules of hospitality would demand certain behavior from them, but if they decided to break the rules…
Would you be able to get away with retaliation?
A thoughtful hum escapes you, then you sigh, and shrug, and stand up, stretching hugely.
The maids would take care of the books, and the remains of your meal. For now, you have some songs to practice.
The Asmala and the Perspari.
Two of the ancient songs of your people. The people of the desert.
Part of the oral histories, and songs that had been sung since time immemorial.
Part of you railed at the idea of having to sing in front of the elven delegation, but the Asmala is a traditional greeting, a welcoming song that hopes for peaceful interaction and joyous accord between groups, and as a noble, it's your job to do the welcoming.
Still, it's a relatively complex song, and the Perspari, in contrast, is much simpler.
Even if it is, technically, a wedding song.
But what is an alliance between nations but a wedding, of sorts? And honestly, the wishes for a peaceful and prosperous future are much more appropriate for the elves than the desire for interpersonal exchange that the Asmala proposes.
A thought occurs to you, and you pause halfway through the ballroom doors, wincing. You may have accidentally played yourself, here. If the planners like the idea of including the Perspari enough, they might not get rid of the Asmala and instead just have you sing both.
If that's the case, then that's all the more reason to practice both songs, and your footsteps echo through the room as you cross the tiled floor to stand in the acoustic sweet spot.
Years of performing the Children's Songs at small soirees and in larger groups had long since gotten rid of any concept of stage fright, but you still spend a moment just breathing in the cool, dry air of the ballroom. Gazing around and imagining it filled with people before you take a deep breath, open your mouth, and sing.
Performance roll: 14+2=16
Your voice has always been relatively deep for your size; baritone, rather than the tenor that your slight frame would imply, but it's still light, and it still carries the notes of the songs into every corner of the room, to the point where you can almost hear the backup musicians playing along with the traditional songs.
You spend more time on the Asmala than the Perspari, going over rough patches here and there, or places where you fumble with key changes, until you think you've got it as down as you're going to get it, and your voice is starting to go hoarse.
Soft applause breaks through the last note of your last rehearsal, and when you snap your mouth shut and turn to look at the door, it's to see your mother standing there, looking very pleased.
"That was well done, Silver." she praises, her voice carrying easily to you, "But come to supper now, you've been practicing for hours."
Supper is filled with idle chit-chat, and it turns out that she had been able to get in to see the planners today, and while they hadn't been willing to substitute the Asmala for the Perspari, they were willing to let you sing both, if you wanted.
"Actually," your mother says, sounding quite pleased, "I think they were rather taken with the idea, myself. It was a good idea, my dear."
You duck your head slightly, smiling at the praise as you eat your way through your plateful of food.
You're honestly looking forward to
[] Getting a good night's sleep. Being well rested for the delegation's arrival is important!
[] Sneaking out. You could really use a drink, and the wine here just doesn't have quite the kick you're looking for. (Possibility of oversleeping/being late to greet the delegation/being hungover.)
[] Sneaking out. The desert at night is great for stargazing, and you haven't met with your friends in a while.
[] something else. (Write in.)
About the music. You plan to
[] Only sing the Asmala.
[] Sing both. (Will require practice tomorrow.)
[] Sing neither. (Decreased affinity to mother and everyone else)
[X] Look up more information about Silsharn and elves. (Bonus to diplomacy with the elves that will be arriving tomorrow, begins LC for INT point. 1 action.)
[X] Practice the Asmala, and, just in case, the Perspari. (Bonus to performance at the Gala, begins LC for CHA point. Improved relationship with Mother. 1 action.)
LC for INT point, initial roll: 76%
LC for CHA point, initial roll: 81%
Current Ability Scores
STR- 10
DEX- 10
CON-12
INT- 12
WIS- 10
CHA- 14
Current CP- 9
LC for CHA point, initial roll: 81%
Current Ability Scores
STR- 10
DEX- 10
CON-12
INT- 12
WIS- 10
CHA- 14
Current CP- 9
It doesn't take long for you to decide that, with the elves arriving tomorrow, your best bet for keeping the peace in the house (and keeping your mother off your back) would be to make sure you know as much about Silsharn customs as possible. You'd heard horror stories about the elves from that country, passed around by other members of the nobility in whispers and titters of scandalized glee, but you didn't have much more knowledge than that.
It was time to change that, and so you headed toward the library.
Your father had amassed a considerable collection of books before he'd left, and he'd left them all here, with your mother, when he'd disappeared.
Are there books on Silsharn in particular in the library? Roll: 48% chance. Roll Odd/Even. Odd=no, Even=Yes. Result: Even
Looking under 'Elves' doesn't net you any information, nor does searching the section on trade, or history. It isn't until you go looking in the geography section that you find a couple of books on Silsharn in particular; both slim volumes, each seemingly written at least half a century ago.
Positively modern, by elven standards.
The library's table is next to a wide window that's covered with thin linen drapes, and cooling runes etched around the window ensures that there's a small, cool breeze that circulates the air near the table.
You settle into the seat at the table with a sigh, your tail slipping through the gap left for it as you open the first book and begin to read.
The book is fairly dry, and for the most part it seems to be about the country itself.
Silsharn is a pretty isolationist country, preferring to be left to their own devices for the most part. However, according to the book there's been subtle expansion of their borders for the last several hundred years, slowly enough that most of the shorter lived races haven't noticed. In fact, the author declares, he himself wouldn't have noticed, save for the fact that his own personal map of the area had belonged to his great-grandmother, and he'd chanced a glance at a much more modern map and seen subtle differences.
It's interesting, but not really the kind of information you need to keep you from creating a diplomatic incident.
The second book is, somehow, almost less helpful. The author seems to have taken a sabbatical in Silsharn and come out of it considerably worse off.
According to him, the elves are not only highly isolationist, but they tend toward the xenophobic with particular hatred for half-breeds of any kind. In the author's experience, most of the elves he had interacted with had taken any excuse to claim slight, and many of the various village or city guards he had interacted with had been overly invested in making sure he knew that eyes were on him at all times.
It had left him shaken, paranoid, and, in his own words, 'far too eager to get out of the blighted hellscape known as the bayous of Silsharn.'
You read through lunch, absentmindedly nibbling at the flatbread and grilled goat meat that one of the maids had brought for you when it became apparent that you weren't going to make an appearance in the dining room. When you finally close the cover of the second book, it's with a troubled frown.
Nothing you do is going to prevent an incident if the elves want to make one. Or at least, that seems to be the takeaway message.
Granted, it's one man's experience, in one book, but it lines up all too well with the gossip you've heard over the years. It seems the best you're going to be able to do is be as polite as possible and ignore any rudeness or hostility that might come your way.
Sighing, you scratch absently at where dark grey scales meet paler grey skin along your jawline, leaning back in your chair to stare at the elaborately painted night sky on the ceiling.
Regardless of your desires at the moment, your duty was to assist your mother in caring for and entertaining the guests of the king. That meant doing everything in your power to assure their safety and happiness for the duration of their stay. The rules of hospitality would demand certain behavior from them, but if they decided to break the rules…
Would you be able to get away with retaliation?
A thoughtful hum escapes you, then you sigh, and shrug, and stand up, stretching hugely.
The maids would take care of the books, and the remains of your meal. For now, you have some songs to practice.
The Asmala and the Perspari.
Two of the ancient songs of your people. The people of the desert.
Part of the oral histories, and songs that had been sung since time immemorial.
Part of you railed at the idea of having to sing in front of the elven delegation, but the Asmala is a traditional greeting, a welcoming song that hopes for peaceful interaction and joyous accord between groups, and as a noble, it's your job to do the welcoming.
Still, it's a relatively complex song, and the Perspari, in contrast, is much simpler.
Even if it is, technically, a wedding song.
But what is an alliance between nations but a wedding, of sorts? And honestly, the wishes for a peaceful and prosperous future are much more appropriate for the elves than the desire for interpersonal exchange that the Asmala proposes.
A thought occurs to you, and you pause halfway through the ballroom doors, wincing. You may have accidentally played yourself, here. If the planners like the idea of including the Perspari enough, they might not get rid of the Asmala and instead just have you sing both.
If that's the case, then that's all the more reason to practice both songs, and your footsteps echo through the room as you cross the tiled floor to stand in the acoustic sweet spot.
Years of performing the Children's Songs at small soirees and in larger groups had long since gotten rid of any concept of stage fright, but you still spend a moment just breathing in the cool, dry air of the ballroom. Gazing around and imagining it filled with people before you take a deep breath, open your mouth, and sing.
Performance roll: 14+2=16
Your voice has always been relatively deep for your size; baritone, rather than the tenor that your slight frame would imply, but it's still light, and it still carries the notes of the songs into every corner of the room, to the point where you can almost hear the backup musicians playing along with the traditional songs.
You spend more time on the Asmala than the Perspari, going over rough patches here and there, or places where you fumble with key changes, until you think you've got it as down as you're going to get it, and your voice is starting to go hoarse.
Soft applause breaks through the last note of your last rehearsal, and when you snap your mouth shut and turn to look at the door, it's to see your mother standing there, looking very pleased.
"That was well done, Silver." she praises, her voice carrying easily to you, "But come to supper now, you've been practicing for hours."
Supper is filled with idle chit-chat, and it turns out that she had been able to get in to see the planners today, and while they hadn't been willing to substitute the Asmala for the Perspari, they were willing to let you sing both, if you wanted.
"Actually," your mother says, sounding quite pleased, "I think they were rather taken with the idea, myself. It was a good idea, my dear."
You duck your head slightly, smiling at the praise as you eat your way through your plateful of food.
You're honestly looking forward to
[] Getting a good night's sleep. Being well rested for the delegation's arrival is important!
[] Sneaking out. You could really use a drink, and the wine here just doesn't have quite the kick you're looking for. (Possibility of oversleeping/being late to greet the delegation/being hungover.)
[] Sneaking out. The desert at night is great for stargazing, and you haven't met with your friends in a while.
[] something else. (Write in.)
About the music. You plan to
[] Only sing the Asmala.
[] Sing both. (Will require practice tomorrow.)
[] Sing neither. (Decreased affinity to mother and everyone else)
Last edited:
[X] Sneaking out. The desert at night is great for stargazing, and you haven't met with your friends in a while.
[X] Sing both. (Will require practice tomorrow.)
[X] Sing both. (Will require practice tomorrow.)
Last edited:
- Location
- Bologna
[X] Sneaking out. The desert at night is great for stargazing, and you haven't met with your friends in a while.
[X] Sing both. (Will require practice tomorrow.)
Oooo, looking forward to this quest. It's well written and intriguing, looks like there's at least a little bit of original and thought-out worldbuilding already done. Compliments to the QM!
[X] Sing both. (Will require practice tomorrow.)
Oooo, looking forward to this quest. It's well written and intriguing, looks like there's at least a little bit of original and thought-out worldbuilding already done. Compliments to the QM!
Chapter 4: Tiana
[X] Sneaking out. The desert at night is great for stargazing, and you haven't met with your friends in a while.
[X] Sing both. (Will require practice tomorrow.)
Sneaking out of the house is as easy as waiting for your mother to retire to her suite for the night and simply… walking out, cloak in one arm. She won't check on you now that you're old enough to mostly take care of yourself.
She trusts you to make good decisions, and, for the most part, you do.
The night air is cold against your skin, and it prickles slightly beneath the thin clothes you're wearing; more designed to shed heat than hold it. You swing the cloak around your shoulders midstep, nodding absently at a passing guard as you pass beneath one of the crystal lamps that helps to illuminate the nighttime streets.
The streets here on the richer side of the city wind, swaying back and forth like the sand snakes that curl through the dunes, and you traverse them easily. Your steps are nearly silent in the soft sandals that you wear, and only the regular sounds of night disturb the quiet; owls in the distance, and yipping of coyotes, and the scream of a rabbit or a fox.
It makes it all the easier to slip into Tiana's compound, your tail swaying with quiet glee as you circle the house to her window.
Unfortunately, the window is lit, so you can't scare her awake, but her head comes up at the first light tap against the glass, her ears perking up and swiveling toward you before her golden eyes follow.
The broad, beaming smile that grows into place is worth missing that chance, though, and she hurries over to the window and opens it.
"Silver!" Her voice is hushed, but her delight is no less clear, "Where've you been? It's been months!"
You wince slightly, and smile sheepishly, "Mother's been going mad over the elven delegation coming up from Silsharn. We're supposed to be housing them until the signing, and she wants everything perfect."
Tiana grimaces sympathetically. "Let me guess, you're being run ragged trying to make sure that the quarters are just so and making sure there's nothing in any obvious place that might be offensive?"
"Yeah." you nod, then sigh. "Though from what I've read, it sounds like they'll take offense regardless, so honestly it's just a massive waste of time."
"At least you've got time now?" She offers quietly, leaning on the sill, "Or was this just a visit to inform me of the fact that you're going to be missing Opal's birthday?"
This time the wince is bigger, nearly a cringe. Opal is Tiana's younger sister, and at eight years old, the girl practically idolizes you. There's nothing she wouldn't do for you, and you missing her birthday would absolutely break her heart, but it falls squarely in the middle of the time period that the delegation is supposed to be staying in your home, and you're not sure that you'd be able to get away for it.
"Oh no…" She sighs, her ears flattening slightly, "You are, aren't you… Sil, she's gonna—"
"It's not." You interrupt, "I swear, I didn't come to say I wouldn't make it. I'd send her a proper apology note if I had to skip, I promise. No, I just wanted to hang out for a while. Head up to the cliffs and watch the stars for a while. Maybe see if Clicker wants to come out too, and bring some of his dad's Arstoskan spirits?"
Tiana's nose wrinkles. "I still don't see what you guys see in that stuff. It tastes like dead grass."
"It tastes like an exotic winter fruit," You retort softly, arching one eyebrow and leaning against the wall idly, "Your palate is just too unrefined to taste it. Maybe if you ate more than meat…"
"Do these look like the teeth of a plant eater?" She demands, opening her mouth and pointing at her very obvious canines.
You recoil backwards, doing your best to hide a grin while waving your hand in front of your face, "I don't know about looks, but they smell like someone who needs to br—ack!"
You don't even get to finish your sentence before the cheetah tabaxi is out her window and wrestling you to the ground, growling threats into your ears.
"You pain in the ass! I brush my teeth just fine! Maybe you just need a closer sniff, huh? I think your nose is broken! C'mere! C'mere!"
She keeps trying to force her face closer to yours, and you do your best to wiggle away, laughing wildly all the while.
Dexterity check. Roll: 14+0
It takes a while, but eventually you get away, grinning widely and doing your best to smother your laughter behind your hands as Tiana lays on the ground, mock scowling up at you.
"Jerk."
"Ass." You shoot back affectionately, and she sighs, letting the scowl fall away into a soft smile as she rolls to her feet.
"So we're heading up to the cliffs then? Or getting Clicker first?"
"Clicker first." You confirm, and adjust your cloak, brushing sand and dirt off of it until a little voice from the window makes you freeze.
"Can I come?"
Tiana's ears go flat, and her tail drops as she turns to see Opal, tired eyed but awake, standing there and watching the two of you hopefully.
[] Bring her with you. The cliffs aren't that far outside of town, and it should be safe enough.
[] Send her back to bed. The cliffs at night aren't any place for a little kid, and honestly those Arstoskan spirits are sounding better by the minute.
[] Call off the trip to the cliffs. It's too big a risk that she'll follow if you tell her no, and Tiana will be able to get her back to bed.
[] Send her back to bed, but bribe her to stay here. (Write in what you would bribe her with.)
[] Let Tiana handle this and go get Clicker yourself. Tiana will meet you at the cliffs when she's done, hopefully.
[] Something Else. (Write In.)
[X] Sing both. (Will require practice tomorrow.)
LC for INT point, initial roll: 76%
LC for CHA point, initial roll: 81%
Current Ability Scores
STR- 10
DEX- 10
CON-12
INT- 12
WIS- 10
CHA- 14
Current CP- 9
LC for CHA point, initial roll: 81%
Current Ability Scores
STR- 10
DEX- 10
CON-12
INT- 12
WIS- 10
CHA- 14
Current CP- 9
Sneaking out of the house is as easy as waiting for your mother to retire to her suite for the night and simply… walking out, cloak in one arm. She won't check on you now that you're old enough to mostly take care of yourself.
She trusts you to make good decisions, and, for the most part, you do.
The night air is cold against your skin, and it prickles slightly beneath the thin clothes you're wearing; more designed to shed heat than hold it. You swing the cloak around your shoulders midstep, nodding absently at a passing guard as you pass beneath one of the crystal lamps that helps to illuminate the nighttime streets.
The streets here on the richer side of the city wind, swaying back and forth like the sand snakes that curl through the dunes, and you traverse them easily. Your steps are nearly silent in the soft sandals that you wear, and only the regular sounds of night disturb the quiet; owls in the distance, and yipping of coyotes, and the scream of a rabbit or a fox.
It makes it all the easier to slip into Tiana's compound, your tail swaying with quiet glee as you circle the house to her window.
Unfortunately, the window is lit, so you can't scare her awake, but her head comes up at the first light tap against the glass, her ears perking up and swiveling toward you before her golden eyes follow.
The broad, beaming smile that grows into place is worth missing that chance, though, and she hurries over to the window and opens it.
"Silver!" Her voice is hushed, but her delight is no less clear, "Where've you been? It's been months!"
You wince slightly, and smile sheepishly, "Mother's been going mad over the elven delegation coming up from Silsharn. We're supposed to be housing them until the signing, and she wants everything perfect."
Tiana grimaces sympathetically. "Let me guess, you're being run ragged trying to make sure that the quarters are just so and making sure there's nothing in any obvious place that might be offensive?"
"Yeah." you nod, then sigh. "Though from what I've read, it sounds like they'll take offense regardless, so honestly it's just a massive waste of time."
"At least you've got time now?" She offers quietly, leaning on the sill, "Or was this just a visit to inform me of the fact that you're going to be missing Opal's birthday?"
This time the wince is bigger, nearly a cringe. Opal is Tiana's younger sister, and at eight years old, the girl practically idolizes you. There's nothing she wouldn't do for you, and you missing her birthday would absolutely break her heart, but it falls squarely in the middle of the time period that the delegation is supposed to be staying in your home, and you're not sure that you'd be able to get away for it.
"Oh no…" She sighs, her ears flattening slightly, "You are, aren't you… Sil, she's gonna—"
"It's not." You interrupt, "I swear, I didn't come to say I wouldn't make it. I'd send her a proper apology note if I had to skip, I promise. No, I just wanted to hang out for a while. Head up to the cliffs and watch the stars for a while. Maybe see if Clicker wants to come out too, and bring some of his dad's Arstoskan spirits?"
Tiana's nose wrinkles. "I still don't see what you guys see in that stuff. It tastes like dead grass."
"It tastes like an exotic winter fruit," You retort softly, arching one eyebrow and leaning against the wall idly, "Your palate is just too unrefined to taste it. Maybe if you ate more than meat…"
"Do these look like the teeth of a plant eater?" She demands, opening her mouth and pointing at her very obvious canines.
You recoil backwards, doing your best to hide a grin while waving your hand in front of your face, "I don't know about looks, but they smell like someone who needs to br—ack!"
You don't even get to finish your sentence before the cheetah tabaxi is out her window and wrestling you to the ground, growling threats into your ears.
"You pain in the ass! I brush my teeth just fine! Maybe you just need a closer sniff, huh? I think your nose is broken! C'mere! C'mere!"
She keeps trying to force her face closer to yours, and you do your best to wiggle away, laughing wildly all the while.
Dexterity check. Roll: 14+0
It takes a while, but eventually you get away, grinning widely and doing your best to smother your laughter behind your hands as Tiana lays on the ground, mock scowling up at you.
"Jerk."
"Ass." You shoot back affectionately, and she sighs, letting the scowl fall away into a soft smile as she rolls to her feet.
"So we're heading up to the cliffs then? Or getting Clicker first?"
"Clicker first." You confirm, and adjust your cloak, brushing sand and dirt off of it until a little voice from the window makes you freeze.
"Can I come?"
Tiana's ears go flat, and her tail drops as she turns to see Opal, tired eyed but awake, standing there and watching the two of you hopefully.
[] Bring her with you. The cliffs aren't that far outside of town, and it should be safe enough.
[] Send her back to bed. The cliffs at night aren't any place for a little kid, and honestly those Arstoskan spirits are sounding better by the minute.
[] Call off the trip to the cliffs. It's too big a risk that she'll follow if you tell her no, and Tiana will be able to get her back to bed.
[] Send her back to bed, but bribe her to stay here. (Write in what you would bribe her with.)
[] Let Tiana handle this and go get Clicker yourself. Tiana will meet you at the cliffs when she's done, hopefully.
[] Something Else. (Write In.)
ChildishChimera
A umbran summon
- Location
- New York
[X] Bring her with you. The cliffs aren't that far outside of town, and it should be safe enough.
- Location
- Bologna
[X] Bring her with you. The cliffs aren't that far outside of town, and it should be safe enough.
Aaaaaa, let's do something foolish so plot can happen!
Aaaaaa, let's do something foolish so plot can happen!
Chapter 5: Stories and Stars
Tiebreaker Roll, odd/even. Even= Bring her, Odd= Leave her. Roll: Even.
[X] Bring her with you. The cliffs aren't that far outside of town, and it should be safe enough.
You glance sideways at Tiana, then make the mistake of looking at Opal's big, hopeful eyes, and your resolve crumbles.
"Sure, you can come, but you'll have to be really quiet while we get Clicker."
Opal lights up, "I will! I'll be super quiet, I promise!"
"Then go get dressed, and don't forget your cloak."
She nods eagerly, then turns tail and scampers out of Tiana's room and out of sight.
Tiana barely waits until the tip of her sister's tail has whipped around the door frame before her hand is on your shoulder, spinning you around to look at her.
"Sil, what the hell? We're heading out to the cliffs! We can't bring her with us! My mom will kill us!"
"It'll be fine." You say soothingly, hands raised to try to placate her. "She'll be with the three of us. We won't let anything happen to her!"
"Screw anything happening to her," Tiana growls softly, glancing back in through her window, "I'm more worried about what happens to us if she blabs!"
"So we tell her if she can't keep her mouth shut she can't come with us again." You say, entirely reasonably, and Tiana sighs heavily, reaching up to run her clawed fingertips through the slightly longer fur at the top of her head.
"Fine." She says shortly, "But you're not drinking around her. You and Clicker get stupid when you drink that Frostwine stuff."
You barely stifle your wince as Opal comes running back into the room, her clothes askew, her sandals flapping, and her cloak barely clasped in place.
Tiana helps her over the windowsill and down onto the ground, then sets about straightening her clothing, grumbling all the while. The grumbling doesn't stop as she slips back inside to grab her own cloak, nor does it stop as the three of you set out through the quiet streets.
Clicker's family is what some of the other nobles refer to as 'new money'; his dad is the captain of the city guard, and his mom is a lady knight in service to the king. Both of them work for a living, and a lot of nobles see that as demeaning for some reason. Still, his mom is properly titled and everything, so there's nothing they can do about it save not inviting them to some of the stuffier galas that Clicker and his parents aren't really interested in anyway. All of that means, of course, that they live near the edge of what could be considered the noble district, and their house isn't quite as large as some others.
Which isn't to say that Tiana doesn't need a bit of a boost to get up on the roof next to Clicker's window.
"Tiana?" Clicker's voice is groggy when he finally opens up to her incessant tapping. "What're you doing here?"
"We're going out to the cliffs," she explains quietly, "wanna come?"
It takes a few moments for his brain to warm up enough to start working, but he does enthusiastically want to come out to the cliffs, and soon enough the four of you are slipping through the northern gates under the watchfully indulgent gaze of the gate guard.
She clears her throat roughly, just once, catching Clicker's attention and beckoning him over to talk quietly for a few moments.
Roll Perception: 3+0
Clicker nods once, twice, then rejoins you, Tiana, and Opal, a troubled look on his scaled face.
"What's wrong?" Opal asks, looking up at him with her tail twitching slightly.
"There was a fight up at the cliffs yesterday." He says softly, "A group of raiders scouting out the city. The guards think they got 'em all, but the usual spot is pretty messed up, she said."
Opal's eyes go wide, and her ears flatten slightly as her tail falls still. "Does… that mean we have to go home?"
Wisdom Roll: 9+0
"Nah," you say, pasting a smile on your face. "You heard Clicker. The guard said they got 'em all, so we'll be fine."
Tiana glances at you, then up at the cliffs, her tail twitching uneasily, but when Opal turns her eyes on her, she nods. "Yeah, it should be fine. We don't have to go to the usual spot, if it's all messed up. There's some other good places to watch for shooting stars."
Clicker nods as well, and he seems a little more reassured now that you and Tiana have both deemed it probably fine.
"The guard'll probably let my dad know where we are if we aren't back by shift change," he cautions, "So yeah, as long as we're back by then, we should be fine."
"When's that again?" You glance up at the full moon, trying to gauge what time it is.
"About moonset, tonight." Clicker replies easily, and steps past you to start heading up the path toward the cliffs. "So we'd better get a move on."
The path up to the cliffs is a small goat track that the herders use to get the herds from the safety of the city up to the scrub plains that overshadow the city for grazing, and 'the normal place' is a set of massive rocks that take some climbing to get up on top of, but that provide a spectacular view of not only the sky, but the city below.
But that's not where Clicker is leading you, and, with a glance at Opal, you understand why. The guard had said the usual spot was messed up, and that could mean anything from minor scorch marks that might wash away with the next rain (infrequent as those are), to bodies still lying around, waiting for the scavengers to make off with them. You don't think the latter option is too likely; the temples likely wouldn't stand for it, if nothing else, but just in case it's better to avoid the place until you can be sure.
"Do you think the elves will bring any kids?"
The suddenness of the question makes you blink then glance down at Opal, who's looking up at you earnestly.
"Um…" you flounder a bit. "Probably not? This is supposed to be a diplomatic envoy. I don't think they'd have brought any kids."
"Awww…" she droops, "I was hoping I'd get a chance to play with elves."
"Aren't the Lightgales elves?" you ask, naming another noble family that have twin children around Opal's age.
Tiana snorts, and Opal scowls, pouting at the ground. "Eli and Armin are jerks. They pull on my tail and make fun of my spots and I can't even hit them 'cause then Momma gets mad! At me!"
"You broke Armin's nose, last time." Tiana says mildly, and Opal sulks harder.
"He deserved it."
"He did," she agrees, "but Mom had to pay for the healer. You need to learn to keep your revenge to things that aren't permanent."
"Broken noses aren't permanent." Opal argues, and Clicker snickers from the front of the group.
"She's got a point."
"If it's enough to make Mom pay for a healer, then it's permanent enough." Tiana rolls her eyes.
Perception Roll: 10+0
Opal huffs grumpily, but doesn't protest further as the four of you round a small group of boulders at the top of the path and come out into a field of scrub surrounded by stars, the light of the moon illuminating everything in silver.
"Over here," Clicker waves the three of you over toward a series of flat rocks near the edge of the cliffs, climbing up onto one and settling back against the sandstone with a contented sigh.
Tiana clambers up next to him then reaches down and grabs Opal's wrist, easily helping her sister up as you scramble up the stone to join your friends.
Laying back is like looking into a sea of stars, with only the light of the moon to dim them in any way shape or form. For a while, the four of you stay silent, watching the occasional shooting star and enjoying the way the cool air sweeps across you.
Something you think might be a bat flutters across the moon, and Opal oh's appreciatively as Clicker starts pointing out the constellations to her in a quiet voice, telling her the stories that go with them, passed down through your people for generations.
Sometimes you join in, correcting Clicker on this aspect or that, or teasing Opal by making up something outrageous that makes her giggle and whine at you for teasing her.
Tiana even gets into it, murmuring purring stories of the plains folk to the three of you, telling tales of the trickster gods and how they stole fire from the other gods and gave it to the plains people to share throughout the land.
But too soon, the moon begins to set, and Clicker helps Opal down off the rocks, and Tiana rolls off neatly, and you follow, and the four of you start heading back toward the goat trail.
Perception Roll: 17
Reflex Save: 15
Something moves, just out of the corner of your eye. A humanoid figure, crouched low and heading toward Opal, and you don't even think, you just react; grabbing her shoulder and wrenching her out of the way.
But the figure doesn't pause, barely changes angle, and instead tackles Clicker to the ground.
Opal shrieks, and Tiana snarls as Clicker yelps, flailing wildly before falling perfectly, carefully still.
And the figure resolves itself into a lizardfolk, bigger and wider and taller than Clicker's sand-skink-like form.
A lizardfolk holding a knife pressed to Clicker's throat.
"Easy." He hisses, yellow eyes darting between you and Tiana. "Easy kids. Just help me out and your friend won't get hurt, all right?"
"Let him go!" Opal shouts, and his eyes dart down to her then back up to you and Tiana, obviously pegging the two of you as the greater threats.
"Pipe down, brat, or your friend'll be breathing through a hole in his neck."
The threat isn't angry. It isn't blustering.
It's delivered calmly. Factually.
The sky is blue. The sun is yellow.
If you don't listen to this man, he will kill Clicker.
"You." His eyes flick to you, pinning you in place for a moment. "You're going to go back into town and get me a horse and a seven-day worth of food and water. You're going to bring it back here, and you aren't going to breathe a word about me to anyone, understand? Your friends'll stay here with me."
You hesitate.
[] Listen to the lizardfolk and do what he says.
[] Attack! You have your belt knife on you, and surely you could get his eyes before he could hurt Clicker.
[] Go into town, get the horse and the rations, but let the gate guard know what's happening.
[] Try to negotiate (Write in a general idea of how you'd like to bargain)
[] Something Else (Write In)
[X] Bring her with you. The cliffs aren't that far outside of town, and it should be safe enough.
LC for INT point, initial roll: 76%
LC for CHA point, initial roll: 81%
Current Ability Scores
STR- 10
DEX- 10
CON-12
INT- 12
WIS- 10
CHA- 14
Current CP- 9
LC for CHA point, initial roll: 81%
Current Ability Scores
STR- 10
DEX- 10
CON-12
INT- 12
WIS- 10
CHA- 14
Current CP- 9
You glance sideways at Tiana, then make the mistake of looking at Opal's big, hopeful eyes, and your resolve crumbles.
"Sure, you can come, but you'll have to be really quiet while we get Clicker."
Opal lights up, "I will! I'll be super quiet, I promise!"
"Then go get dressed, and don't forget your cloak."
She nods eagerly, then turns tail and scampers out of Tiana's room and out of sight.
Tiana barely waits until the tip of her sister's tail has whipped around the door frame before her hand is on your shoulder, spinning you around to look at her.
"Sil, what the hell? We're heading out to the cliffs! We can't bring her with us! My mom will kill us!"
"It'll be fine." You say soothingly, hands raised to try to placate her. "She'll be with the three of us. We won't let anything happen to her!"
"Screw anything happening to her," Tiana growls softly, glancing back in through her window, "I'm more worried about what happens to us if she blabs!"
"So we tell her if she can't keep her mouth shut she can't come with us again." You say, entirely reasonably, and Tiana sighs heavily, reaching up to run her clawed fingertips through the slightly longer fur at the top of her head.
"Fine." She says shortly, "But you're not drinking around her. You and Clicker get stupid when you drink that Frostwine stuff."
You barely stifle your wince as Opal comes running back into the room, her clothes askew, her sandals flapping, and her cloak barely clasped in place.
Tiana helps her over the windowsill and down onto the ground, then sets about straightening her clothing, grumbling all the while. The grumbling doesn't stop as she slips back inside to grab her own cloak, nor does it stop as the three of you set out through the quiet streets.
Clicker's family is what some of the other nobles refer to as 'new money'; his dad is the captain of the city guard, and his mom is a lady knight in service to the king. Both of them work for a living, and a lot of nobles see that as demeaning for some reason. Still, his mom is properly titled and everything, so there's nothing they can do about it save not inviting them to some of the stuffier galas that Clicker and his parents aren't really interested in anyway. All of that means, of course, that they live near the edge of what could be considered the noble district, and their house isn't quite as large as some others.
Which isn't to say that Tiana doesn't need a bit of a boost to get up on the roof next to Clicker's window.
"Tiana?" Clicker's voice is groggy when he finally opens up to her incessant tapping. "What're you doing here?"
"We're going out to the cliffs," she explains quietly, "wanna come?"
It takes a few moments for his brain to warm up enough to start working, but he does enthusiastically want to come out to the cliffs, and soon enough the four of you are slipping through the northern gates under the watchfully indulgent gaze of the gate guard.
She clears her throat roughly, just once, catching Clicker's attention and beckoning him over to talk quietly for a few moments.
Roll Perception: 3+0
Clicker nods once, twice, then rejoins you, Tiana, and Opal, a troubled look on his scaled face.
"What's wrong?" Opal asks, looking up at him with her tail twitching slightly.
"There was a fight up at the cliffs yesterday." He says softly, "A group of raiders scouting out the city. The guards think they got 'em all, but the usual spot is pretty messed up, she said."
Opal's eyes go wide, and her ears flatten slightly as her tail falls still. "Does… that mean we have to go home?"
Wisdom Roll: 9+0
"Nah," you say, pasting a smile on your face. "You heard Clicker. The guard said they got 'em all, so we'll be fine."
Tiana glances at you, then up at the cliffs, her tail twitching uneasily, but when Opal turns her eyes on her, she nods. "Yeah, it should be fine. We don't have to go to the usual spot, if it's all messed up. There's some other good places to watch for shooting stars."
Clicker nods as well, and he seems a little more reassured now that you and Tiana have both deemed it probably fine.
"The guard'll probably let my dad know where we are if we aren't back by shift change," he cautions, "So yeah, as long as we're back by then, we should be fine."
"When's that again?" You glance up at the full moon, trying to gauge what time it is.
"About moonset, tonight." Clicker replies easily, and steps past you to start heading up the path toward the cliffs. "So we'd better get a move on."
The path up to the cliffs is a small goat track that the herders use to get the herds from the safety of the city up to the scrub plains that overshadow the city for grazing, and 'the normal place' is a set of massive rocks that take some climbing to get up on top of, but that provide a spectacular view of not only the sky, but the city below.
But that's not where Clicker is leading you, and, with a glance at Opal, you understand why. The guard had said the usual spot was messed up, and that could mean anything from minor scorch marks that might wash away with the next rain (infrequent as those are), to bodies still lying around, waiting for the scavengers to make off with them. You don't think the latter option is too likely; the temples likely wouldn't stand for it, if nothing else, but just in case it's better to avoid the place until you can be sure.
"Do you think the elves will bring any kids?"
The suddenness of the question makes you blink then glance down at Opal, who's looking up at you earnestly.
"Um…" you flounder a bit. "Probably not? This is supposed to be a diplomatic envoy. I don't think they'd have brought any kids."
"Awww…" she droops, "I was hoping I'd get a chance to play with elves."
"Aren't the Lightgales elves?" you ask, naming another noble family that have twin children around Opal's age.
Tiana snorts, and Opal scowls, pouting at the ground. "Eli and Armin are jerks. They pull on my tail and make fun of my spots and I can't even hit them 'cause then Momma gets mad! At me!"
"You broke Armin's nose, last time." Tiana says mildly, and Opal sulks harder.
"He deserved it."
"He did," she agrees, "but Mom had to pay for the healer. You need to learn to keep your revenge to things that aren't permanent."
"Broken noses aren't permanent." Opal argues, and Clicker snickers from the front of the group.
"She's got a point."
"If it's enough to make Mom pay for a healer, then it's permanent enough." Tiana rolls her eyes.
Perception Roll: 10+0
Opal huffs grumpily, but doesn't protest further as the four of you round a small group of boulders at the top of the path and come out into a field of scrub surrounded by stars, the light of the moon illuminating everything in silver.
"Over here," Clicker waves the three of you over toward a series of flat rocks near the edge of the cliffs, climbing up onto one and settling back against the sandstone with a contented sigh.
Tiana clambers up next to him then reaches down and grabs Opal's wrist, easily helping her sister up as you scramble up the stone to join your friends.
Laying back is like looking into a sea of stars, with only the light of the moon to dim them in any way shape or form. For a while, the four of you stay silent, watching the occasional shooting star and enjoying the way the cool air sweeps across you.
Something you think might be a bat flutters across the moon, and Opal oh's appreciatively as Clicker starts pointing out the constellations to her in a quiet voice, telling her the stories that go with them, passed down through your people for generations.
Sometimes you join in, correcting Clicker on this aspect or that, or teasing Opal by making up something outrageous that makes her giggle and whine at you for teasing her.
Tiana even gets into it, murmuring purring stories of the plains folk to the three of you, telling tales of the trickster gods and how they stole fire from the other gods and gave it to the plains people to share throughout the land.
But too soon, the moon begins to set, and Clicker helps Opal down off the rocks, and Tiana rolls off neatly, and you follow, and the four of you start heading back toward the goat trail.
Perception Roll: 17
Reflex Save: 15
Something moves, just out of the corner of your eye. A humanoid figure, crouched low and heading toward Opal, and you don't even think, you just react; grabbing her shoulder and wrenching her out of the way.
But the figure doesn't pause, barely changes angle, and instead tackles Clicker to the ground.
Opal shrieks, and Tiana snarls as Clicker yelps, flailing wildly before falling perfectly, carefully still.
And the figure resolves itself into a lizardfolk, bigger and wider and taller than Clicker's sand-skink-like form.
A lizardfolk holding a knife pressed to Clicker's throat.
"Easy." He hisses, yellow eyes darting between you and Tiana. "Easy kids. Just help me out and your friend won't get hurt, all right?"
"Let him go!" Opal shouts, and his eyes dart down to her then back up to you and Tiana, obviously pegging the two of you as the greater threats.
"Pipe down, brat, or your friend'll be breathing through a hole in his neck."
The threat isn't angry. It isn't blustering.
It's delivered calmly. Factually.
The sky is blue. The sun is yellow.
If you don't listen to this man, he will kill Clicker.
"You." His eyes flick to you, pinning you in place for a moment. "You're going to go back into town and get me a horse and a seven-day worth of food and water. You're going to bring it back here, and you aren't going to breathe a word about me to anyone, understand? Your friends'll stay here with me."
You hesitate.
[] Listen to the lizardfolk and do what he says.
[] Attack! You have your belt knife on you, and surely you could get his eyes before he could hurt Clicker.
[] Go into town, get the horse and the rations, but let the gate guard know what's happening.
[] Try to negotiate (Write in a general idea of how you'd like to bargain)
[] Something Else (Write In)
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