The Ring Seekers gather to discuss events*

[Vyris]

A group of people gather around a large wicker table set on the corner of a large, paved pavillion in Pranzis near the temple of Rofirein. The odd mix of folks elicites a few curious looks from the idle passerby, and thier low, hushed tone garners them some suspicious glances from the more cautious patrons of the outdoor cafe.




//This thread is for posting ONLY about events transpiring in the quest series I am running on Saturdays this month (September) and possibly into next month (October). Posts should remain IC at all times. Those invited to participate in this conversation are....

Sago - Jennara - Tha'Azeil - Weston - Ichitan - Wie - Garnet
- People who have missed more than one session are asked to limit participation -

If I missed anyone who has been participating I plead sleepyness.

[Falreign]

*sets his bear helmet on the table and yelps about, trying to pull his excitement down at the start of each sentence to not draw too much attention*

*stands up on the chair to get a good look across the table* Was many happenings, I still haves golden key of Farley *presents the key then places it back into his backpack* and remembers to know of four rings. One from naked man in Point Harbor. One from ox master. One from temple of good drow and one from temple of bloated dead peoples and squid monster. We is must figure out way to stop tentacle demons *sits back in his chair with a hurumph*

[Gulnyr]

*motions with her hand to get attention, then takes a deep breath, hesitates, and whispers*

Let's start at the beginning and talk our way through events so far.

In Lannisport, we listened to an aged Human man tell us about his missing granddaughter. He said she had run off with a bard who had been in the local tavern. Noran? Is that what he called the bard? *shrugs* When we asked the innkeeper about the bard, he said the bard flirted with the local girls and played with a ring a lot. He also said several local girls were not in the tavern as they usually would have been at that time. I think we heard the bard may have left for Karthy, and we also heard a rumor about a missing wagon in Stone.

Rather than journey through the swamp to Karthy, we went south to Stone and asked about the wagon. The farmer's daughter told us the wagon had been stolen from her family during the night. I can't remember the exact details of the conversation, but afterward we felt that the wagon had been stolen by the bard, and that there may have been more than one of the girls with him. The farmer's daughter also told us a rumor about the cat people beyond the Belgaer Hills, though it seemed unimportant at the time. We agreed to take her harvest of hops to Point Harbor since the wagon was stolen. Was there any other reason we went there? I can't remember.

When we arrived in Point Harbor, we found a Human man sitting naked in the street. He told us a man matching the description of the bard had shared a room with him and had stolen all his things, including a special ring that could charm people. We promised to get his ring back, and the hops was taken to the docks. Then we left for Karthy. There were a few brief sightings of the cat people on the way, but nothing came of it.

In the Wolfswood, we asked a Ranger if he had seen the bard or the girls, or a wagon. He had seen them all. He told us there were four or five girls in the wagon with a man, and that they were behaving as if very drunk *frowns*. He also showed us a bag of garbage that had been thrown from the wagon as it passed through the forest. The bag contained many empty wine bottles with Xeenite markings *frowns more*, and there were also a wig and a make-up kit much like actors use. The wig matched the hair description of the bard. The Ranger pointed us in the direction that the wagon went.

Farther along that path, we came to the broken bridge and found the wagon abandoned. The bears probably saw them *shrugs*, and that single giant on the far side of the chasm remembered a man. The giant said a man and a single girl entertained him and his family with music. They were so entertained that his mother and brother danced right off the cliff. *closes her eyes and shakes her head as if it were just too odd to consider*

We left there to go to Karthy, where we made a stop at the temple of Xeen. *frowns* Did we only go to the temple because of the wine bottles? Was there another reason? I can't remember. I don't know what happened inside the temple, but if it has nothing directly to do with our current situation, please don't share it. *narrows her eyes*

Is there any detail anyone can add up to this point? Anything could be important. *looks to the others*

[Andrios]

*Tha'Azail leans in to listen to Jennara speak, nodding along with her and when she pauses to ask for input he clears his throat lightly and begins to speak*

That is more or less how I remember it, with a few details to add. I believe we had heard that the bard had come from Pt. Harbor and we were trying to decide which city to visit, there or Karthy. The young lady's dilemma with the grain helped us to decide to start with Pt. Harbor.
While in Pt. Harbor we did run into the gentlman meditating in the square. He was quick to explain the reason for his nudity and I am happy to say we clothed him and provided him coin to procure something more suitable to his tastes. He did have few things to say about his ring, other than it had been stolen. He said it had sentimental value over and above its magical properties, though I can not remember who gave it to him. He also said that contrary to what we thought, the ring did not provide the wearer with the ability to charm others. If memory serves me correctly, he said that the ring amplified the natural....talents....attributes of the wearer, or something like that.
We did go to Xeen's temple because of the bottles we found. We hoped that the bard had been noticed there. Because of both the cat people and the make-up we found, someone asked the xeenites about any recent masked balls. This line of questioning confirmed that someone fitting the bard's discription had been seen accompanied by at least one lady during or shortly after a masked ball. They were especially remembered because they were seen shortly before the temple's sacred font was stolen. Appearantly it was ripped right out of the wall.
Shortly thereafter we discovered the body of the captain, and began following that trail.
I would like to briefly recount the rings that we know of, in case I have missed something.
The first ring we know of belonged to the naked man. It helped amplify inherint....qualities for lack of a better word.
The second ring belongs to the dwarf in charge of oxen, I believe he was near Castle Raxwell. His ring helped to improve his eyesight.
The third ring belonged to the healer of Azatta, *frowns* unfortunately we do not know what her ring did. *sighs*
The fourth ring we know of belonged to the healer of Aragen, *shakes his head* again, we do not know what this ring did. *takes a steadying breath*
I propose that the last two rings also aid or amplify some quality of the wearer like the two rings whose use we do know.
That leaves 4 rings to be found...
I would like to mention something about the young ladies. Our quarry seems interested in comely young women. The priestess of Azatta that had a slight blemish was slain *grimaces*, not captured. I do not know how important this is, but believe it may be worth discussion.
*looks around the table*
Are there more details to add? *looks slightly at Weston* What should our next move be?
*leans back a little, awaiting a response*

[vgn]

*Sago bustles in stepping quickly and after asking for a quick re-cap, adds...*

Sorry I'm late here and that I wasn't able to meet everyone in Saudiria. I'm glad to hear you tracked them further to Tibum. I'll be sure to meet you in Tibum for further investigations.

Points of interest:

The Bard was said to have come from Karthy not Point Harbor. The only reason we went to Point Harbor was to check on who stole the wagon from the Halfling in Stone. But it is a good thing we did as we found that man you mentioned and found out about his ring.

Further, you mentioned the third ring belonging to the healer of Azatta and a fourth of the healer of Aragen. Excellent to find out you found another ring, even it was missing in Tibum. It seems to me though that might be the fifth ring. If you recall, both women in the temple of Azatta appeared to have rings and in fact Jennara almost managed to get one of them.

Finally, we should all remember that we have an odd golden key that we found on that dead sailor in Karthy. That may come in handy should we ever find a lock.

[Gulnyr]

*nods to Sago's request for a recap, and takes a deep breath before whispering*

At the docks in Saudiria, Captain Kayle told us he had heard rumors of dead captains. Not only had he heard of Captain Farley, but he told us there was a rumor of Captain Scoots being dead as well, dragged from the waters of the bay. But Captain Kayle had seen Scoots and his ship two days out of Saudiria.

He said they were hoisting a very heavy load from the water, and it took the entire crew to heave on the rope. He mentioned they sounded like growling, angry cats as they pulled. *frowns slightly* And he said they stopped completely when Captain Kayle's ship came within signalling distance. I've travelled enough to know it is very unusual for an entire ship's crew to stop working for anything, especially something as simple as a passing ship sharing news.

We sailed with Captain Kayle to Tibum. He pointed out Captain Farley's ship berthed just across the pier. When we left his ship and noticed the townsfolk, they all seemed strange. They were behaving... *sighs and shrugs*... odd. We decided to check Captain Farley's ship and gather some news.

*points to Weston and Tha'Azail* They went to find city officials. *points to Wei-zu and Ichitan* They went to a tavern. *points to Garnet and herself* We spoke to those at the dock. The first man I spoke to seemed confused and told me he was too new to know one ship from another, but pointed me to the dockmaster. Speaking to the dockmaster about Captain Farley's ship made him angry, but only for a moment. He claimed there was a quarantine on the ship, something about a contaminated cargo, but there were no guards when we arrived. There were guards afterward, though.

The others can tell you better what they learned, but no one in town seemed themselves, and they were no help to us.

When we gathered together again, the others *points around the table* decided to sneak aboard the ship. *pauses* It didn't work. *nods slightly* But he *points to Ichitan* was taken prisoner, and carried away to the temple of Aragen. The rest of us followed behind, watching.

We approached the temple after the door had shut, and the smell was awful. *wrinkles her nose* The smell of rot and decay. It was too much for some. I listened at the window, but it was completely silent inside. The door was locked, but Weston's fairy opened it. We snuck in, and the smell got worse, as did the stomachs of a few.

It was very dark. Only two stubby candles were still lit. But it was easy to see the two bodies rotting away on the floor. The healer and his assistant. *frowns* I saw the guard in the shadows near the bindstone, standing still. *points to Weston* He listened at the doors and found the room *points to Ichitan* he was held in. Before we could act, the front door opened and a mind flayer entered. *frowns* The guard went crazy and attacked the monster, then seemed to come to his senses. We got him *points to Ichitan* out of the room, then the guard led us very quickly out of town.

He told us the cat people and the mind flayers were allied. *shrugs* The cat people are looking for eight magic rings and a magic spear. I'm not sure what the mind flayers are supposed to get, unless the rings are a payment for the spear. *shrugs* The guard had a vision of a Dwarf whose head was on fire, and his belly was cut so he bled feiry blood onto a magic ring, which was then placed on the finger of a statue of a kneeling man with his head and hands on fire.

We were shown a hidden route back to the docks, where we hurried aboard Captain Kayle's ship and sailed back to Lorindar. We don't know where Captain Scoots's ship is, or what it hauled from the sea. Others can fill in details I have missed.

[Zen]

*Garnet knocks on the table to get everyones attention, then leans forward and speaks*

OI ave noit saeid mauch az oi cannoat add n-ee tin. Et soands lioke ye aull ave et riought et leest ta me.


*Garnet slides back in his chair and listens*