Dalos, the largest city in Argos is by far the cleanest, quietest and most stifling city in Midgard. As the Knights of the Temple of Forseti march the streets in their white padded armor and silver pointed helms, law is held in the highest regard. Criminal activity, normal for a port city is hidden away, underground, always fearful of the wrath of the high council and the laws which govern this fair land, full of riches and plenty. Freedom is considered one of the highest laws yet one may not loiter or pander without license. To do so and one were to be caught the punishment is severe. Walking the streets is safe except for the Knights who demand papers and credentials to all except the most noble who are recognized and let pass.
To be a citizen of Dalos one must have the gold to back it up. Without finances one must be beholden to a citizen or destined to fill one of the cities less noteworthy positions, be it solider or chimney sweep.
Disembarking
from the heavily loaded vessel you are silently hustled past the
dock watch hidden inside a large crate. All of this was paid
in advance to the captain who promised you safe passage into the
city. Once there you were on your own. As the crate is opened
you find yourself in a large store house with much activity, people
scurrying all over. In one dark corner stands a man in a black
cloak with hood pulled down over his face. He holds a black rod
in one hand. Your eyes meet and he motions you to come over.
"You are Yahn Shawman, no? You are looking for your
brother? Come with me." He leads you out a side door and
you find yourself in the streets of Dalos brightly lit from a
myriad of lights which line the streets on tall poles. "I
have papers, if we are stopped you are to defer to me understand?
The
pale man with green eyes stood in the shadows as a procession
of Knights of the City Guard marched by in close formation. From
deeper in the shadows comes a voice soft and delicate yet demanding,
"Get your arse over here or else you'll be in the dungeon
come morning." Gazing into the woman's eyes you have the
feeling that she usually gets what she wants. "You summoned
me here." The woman opens a door but no light falls into
the street, "Come we have much to discuss." As you pass
inside and the door is closed a light flickers as a candle is
lit. In one corner sits a stranger, horrible crooked nose siting
on a face not much better. "I have some information for you,
but there is a price. Are you interested?"
Glant considers the strangers
words, and then nods his head in assent "yes, I would be
most interested in what you have to say. what is the price you
are asking?"
Crooked nose nods to you, "One
of the popular houses here in the city has had difficulty in controlling
their young Baron to be." He chuckles then adds, "Seems
he's into all sorts of shady dealings and his father wants to
teach him a lesson. Sort of show him what life might be like
on the underside, if you get my meaning. All you have to do is
tag along and give an outsiders view of the city. Be a shoulder
he can lean on when things get dicey." A flint is struck
and he lights a pipe, "All you have to do is go along with
our little side show. When the kid is properly rubbed raw we
throw him back at his daddy all grown up with a big payoff for
the trouble. You get information on your sister, her name is
Chastity correct?
Glant responds "that sounds simple enough, i
agree, and yes Chastity is her name."
Crooked nose and the woman take you
through town avoiding any patrols and you finally come to a large
illegal gambling hall being run in the hollows of a merchant building.
You are introduced to the young Baron as "Trimble".
"Good to meet you Mr. Trimble", says the soused looking
Baron. "My name is Peter and this is my friend Rebecca",
he indicates a Blonde woman in a red disheveled dress leaning
on him. Peter is sitting at the black jack table and the dealer
gives him two cards the first one is face up and shows a face
card. Peter indicates he is happy with his hand and the dealer
shows his hand, 2,8,5,2 for a 17! Peter flips his other card showing
another face card and a winning hand. "See there, you are
bringing me luck", he says to you. " Would you like
to join me in a game?" How much you want to gamble?
Yahn Shawman
At first I am displeased with the arrangement to
enter the city. I misunderstood "safe passage" as something
that was legal. However it is all soon forgot at the mention of
my brother. I follow along in silence only nodding my head when
asked if I understood about the papers.
The black hooded man takes you through
town avoiding any patrols and you finally come to a large illegal
gambling hall being run in the hollows of a merchant building.
You are introduced to a young Baron as "Kahn". "Good
to meet you Mr. Kahn", says the soused looking Baron. "My
name is Peter and this is my friend Rebecca", he indicates
a Blonde woman in a red disheveled dress leaning on him. The
black hooded man nods at you indicating the young Baron and moves
away quickly disappearing in the thick crowds. Also with the Baron
is a stranger, horrible crooked nose siting on a face not much
better. A beautiful young woman with black hair and brown eyes
and a pale young man introduced as Trimble.
Glant
A man is introduced to your group by
a man with a black cloak covering his features in a large hood
who quickly turns and departs. This new stranger is named "Kahn".
His boots are black as well as his billowy breaches. He wears
no shirt but he has a midnight blue vest that he wears to keep
the sun off his back on his long journeys. His hair is most unusual
the only hair that he has is a thick pony tail that begins high
up on the back of his head and it runs down almost a foot below
his shoulders. The rest of his head is shaved bald. The little
hair he has is held together in three places with thin straps
of leather. He has the eastern almond shaped eyes but they are
set a little more into his head that normal. As for his gear,
the bamboo case is strapped diagonally to his back and he carries
the sack with one hand. In the sack he has cut holes so that he
might slide his hunting spears into it.
Trimble(Glant) responds "It is nice to
meet you Peter" and then bowing "and you Rebecca."
"As far as a game is concerned, why not, I will join you
in a game. I don't have much, but let's say 3 gold?" if
the bet is acceptable, "may I sit?", if so Trimble then
takes a seat at the table
Both the Baron and Trimble bust and
the house is happy.
Glant plays the game for awhile winning
slightly(up 5 gp). The young Baron loses terribly and appears
quite upset, "This is outrageous, these thieves are fixing
the game!" Several large bouncers approach the table in summons
to the loud outcry. "Do you have a problem, Lord", states
one of the large bouncers. "Yes I do, this man is cheating
me out of my money!" Grabbing the Baron the large bouncer
starts to pull him towards the door, "Now we can't have that
in here sir."
Trimble looks at Kahn,
taking in the unusual hairstyle, "Greetings friend Kahn,
nice to meet you," looking back at Peter" is it ok if
Kahn joins us?" if the Baron agrees Trimble turns back to
Kahn "care to join us in a game?" Glant(Trimble)scoops
up his winnings, nods to the dealer, and Kahn,
"thanks for the game ", and stands to follow the Baron
and the Bouncer.
Yahn is quite confused
about what is going on. "What game?" He asks
slow and calmly.
Glant, looking at the
new arrival, Kahn "nice to meet you Kahn, it
appears my companion is leaving and may be in trouble, so i guess
i will
go see if he needs any help, care to come along?"
As you both follow the bouncer towards
the door both crooked nose and the strange woman follow at a discreet
distance. When they reach the door the bouncer gives the young
Baron a fist in the stomach and throws him out the door.
Glant merely looks at
the bouncer, defenses at the ready in case the
bouncer tries to make trouble with him, and proceeds out the door.
Addressing the Baron "you know it really does not pay to
insult the host
of an establishment.is that it for this evening or do you have
something
else in mind?" mumbling to himself "what kind of agreement
have i gotten myself into."
Kahn looks back and forth
between the Baron and Glant not knowing
whether or not he should go or stay and talk with the Baron.
As the bouncer throws the Baron into
the gutter a man with a crooked nose and a woman rush by to cover
one end of the alley.
Kahn helps the Baron to
his feet and gives him an inquiring look but
says nothing.
The Baron looks to Kahn, "What's your name?
These people are so rude, don't they know I'm from a major house.
Just wait until my father hears about this.
From down the alley, "Know time for worry",
says the strange woman with the long black hair and blue eyes.
As you glance at her appearance you note the sword hanging down
partly concealed by the long black cloak. She approaches the
Baron reaching out and supporting him with her hand, "So
you think you got it bad, eh? You know nothing", reaching
out her other hand she touches the nearby man known as Trimble.
Saying something in arcane you feel a tingle…and you see
a lake before you with sparkling water and a raft with several
people frantically pulling at the water trying to get away from
the shore. You hear many angry
shouts in a strange dialect and many bi-pedal creatures with long
pink snouts and brown colored skin. Several are rushing you with
spears ready to launch. They are about 200 feet from you. Momentarily
stunned and dumbfounded you see the black haired woman draw her
sword and dagger and rush the mob, C'mon boys time for some fun.
Glant comes out of his
stupor and surveys his enemies. If possible he
will draw his longbow and begin firing arrows at the enemy, unless
the
woman gets in the way, and when they get close enough or he runs
out of
arrows he will draw his longsword with his right hand and his
short
sword with his left and charge the enemy. If the woman is in the
way too much to use the bow, Glant will just charge the enemies
with his swords in hand as described above.
Deciding that these are not bad people "Kahn"
decides to join the
battle. He walks toward the rushing creatures allowing them to
waste
there energy close the distance.
The company of pink snouts rush at
the woman and the first within range are swept aside like ants.
Blood, weapons and appendages fly in all directions. Several
pink snouts rush past this grisly scene towards the others. Glant
launches several arrows felling one and damaging several others.
Two pink snouts attack Kahn simultaneously and regret the decision
as one is felled on a single punch and the other beaten to within
an inch of it's life. After several more seconds pass a light
and sound flare up from the vicinity of the woman and a dozen
more snout noses burst into flames and run screaming in all directions.
This last event breaks the heart of the snout nose attack and
they retreat quickly away leaving their fallen comrades behind.
Kahn sustains a few minor cuts and bruises, while Glant and the
woman appear unharmed. What do you do now?
"Kahn" turns to the nearest "good-guy"
and asks, "What was that all
about?"
Glant tries to recover
what he can of his arrows, and then moves to the
woman "what were those things? and where are we?"
The woman sheaths the long sword and dagger but not before you notice the rune encrusted blades glimmer in crisp sunshine. The woman turns toward you a smile lights her face, "I had a spy who informed me of these developments." She looks to the trees and you see a bat wing it's way to her shoulder. As it lands it morphs into a devilish looking figure with a tail. It looks at you, eyes burning red a grimace upon its face. "You may call me Shar. I am looking after the group you see rafting their way over in that lake. This is horned lake and the shear cliff you see above us houses a witch who is hoarding the EYES of ODIN! Those pitiful creatures are Orcs", Shar looks around at the slaughtered creatures defiantly. The woman named Shar looks you both in the eye, "I wish you to join with these others in their quest to release the EYES. Do you agree?"
Kahn nodes in agreement and asks, "What do you
know of my presence hear in this city?"
Shar gives Yahn I long look.
"Assuredly, you search for your long lost brother. He
will play a major part in the coming struggle. Your paths will
cross if you live long enough."
Glant considers Shar's
idea and responds "i don't know about Kahn here,
but it sounds like a challenging idea, i agree" Glant then
turns to Kahn
"will you be coming?" Upon hearing Shar and Kahn, Glant
addresses Shar "and what do you know
of my presence in the city?"
Shar gives Glant a shy smile, "Perhaps
you were looking for love, no? Or, the foes that murdered your
family!"
Shar turns to those in the water, "Mind
if we join you in your magnificent quest?"
-The party joins-