Chapter 4 - The High and the low

[Chris1234]

The fellow point to a wooden bloackhouse; maybe a dozen shuttered windows are visible. "There. Say 'Old Jack says you can have a long bunk'."

"The 'Ordnung'? Nope, never heard it it. Sounds like a horse's name. But 'tree-killers'? I'd say that means goblinkin. You kow: goblins, orcs, that sort of critter." He smiles and shrugs. "Be seeing you later then." Jack turns back to his work. There's always work on a farm.

What next?

[Jessi+]

Amaranth intends to go get fancy dressed and head to the opera, after that we'll do whatever Lena wants to do and then at night time we'll go back to the farm.

[Chris1234]

There are no issues getting back to Waterdeep and a flash of Lean's family token get them priority access through the gate. This isn't asch a big thing; they only overtake a horse drawn cart and a pair of hand-cartiers.

Lena suggests that there's time for a few hours' rest before the opera. Soemthing they might be glad of later.

***
Eating a few delicacies accompanied by rather bold wine, the pair then dress in their fineries and taken by coach to the Lightsinger Theater in Sea Ward and thence escorted to their seats.
Amaranth can't actually see much through a rotund human lady with masses of curled hair. The singing though is impressive, if only by its volume and quality of endlessness. e rotund lady expounds loudly to her female compnion that the 'simply magnificent opera tells the true and tragic tale of Tiamat's Fall and how she was defeated at the Well of Dragons. The whole thing, of course, is sung in differing giantish dialects, and aren't they simply wonderful...'

Some while later the intermission rescues those ot enjoying various flavours of wailing giantish. Lena and Amaranth make their way to the dark door leading to Private Box C.
Pushing on Lena leads Amaranth into Box C to be greeted by an aged man of wide girth, laughing eyes and stupendous hat. He says, "I am Mirt".

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Mirt converses with Lena and Amaranth and describes the values* and work of the Harpers and confirms your inductance as 'Those Who Harp'. "Is there anything you wish to ask of me?"

What next?

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*You may now act on player general knowldege about the Harpers organisation. If it's at all vague, shout out and I'll post some links.

[Jessi+]

Amaranth smiles as she takes it all in. The opera! She was excited to be in a fancy place with fancy clothes and fancy people.

When Mirt was done with the introductions Amaranth replied, "Yes. There are a few things that I'm curious about! I've run into so many different things since I left home..." She strokes one of her braids, absentmindedly. "I suppose my first question would be about the area... the innkeeper who pointed you out to me said your group could help me. I was attacked by goblins just before reaching his inn, and I found these," she pulls out the one remaining goblin coin she had saved for the occasion. "I also ... um ... heard rumors about tree killers and something called 'Ordnung'. One of the farmers around here thinks the tree killers would be goblins and orcs and stuff? I am wondering if you have any further information."

Amaranth realized she was babbling and closed her mouth sheepishly.

[Chris1234]

"Yes, that's the way of things in The Realms. Things often like to be not what you expect," answers Mirt, taking the silver coin.

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It disappears and then runs, flipping end to end, across the backs of the fingers of that hand and then flipping across their front. With a theatrical wave of his hand in the air the coin vanishes again. It seems to reappear in his other hand, also dancing a circuit around his fingers. It stops as he peers at it, both side, sniffs at it, and then offers it back. "This is from the Black Network.That's the other name for The Zhentarim; originate from Zhentil Keep far off to the northeast. Slavers, murderers, worshippers of foul gods, all masquerading as benevolent traders. The winged serpant is one of their symbols." He pauses and holds up a dragon, a gold coin, worth ten times as much as the other. "Or would you rather have this one?"

"Treekillers? Yes, that's something I havn't heard in a long time." he says something that sounds like an angry harp. "That's a word meaning the same thing, but has overtones of defending one's well-being, soul, home and legacy. Wild elven. They are as rare to sylvan elves as the latter are to sun and moon elves together." He looks wistful for a moment, as if thinking of a more refined age. "While it can extend to any that would wantonly raise an axe to woodlands, its core use, of origins buried in the racial predjudices of kingdoms long gone, is for orckin, habitual despoilers of the ancient forests."

"Anyway, with respect to helping you, that of couse is something to look forward to. If ever you need to speak with me directly, you're welcome to visit my manor in the Sea Ward." Mirt givesa card to Lena and another to Amaranth. They seem to be identical, just an address in Sea Ward.

"I'd appecriate it if you would take care of something though. It's the Dungsweepers' Guild. They're worried they're going to get caught in the crossfire of a gang war. We've promised them protection, but there's been a sudden... gap in our scheduling. We need you to fill it in. Meet up with Morton Till at the Muleskull Tavern on Ship Street at six bells tomorrow morning and he'll fill you in on the details." It's suddenly quiet as Mirt waits.


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Please add to your char sheet that you have an invitiation to visit Mirt (Sea Ward) if need arises.

[Chris1234]

Lena looks at Amaranth and nods imperceptibly, indicating that she's happy to help with the job provided that Amaranth wants to. She says, "Please, give us a moment."
Then Lena draws Amaranth close and whispers, "One of us can always go see this Morton and see what's invloved. If it doesn't work out we can get back to him. What do you think?"

[Jessi+]

Amaranth is entranced, this man was unlike any other she had met. She smiled, laughed and nodded at all the appropriate times, taking her coin back (not the bigger one) and the card he handed her. She looks at Lena and Mert, thinking. "We have a night-time obligation, we have a few to finish it in, but the longer we wait the greater risk it becomes... and I have the sense that your job" she looks at Mert, "might be the beginning of something larger?" She strokes her chin.

-----

Time check?

[Chris1234]

It's between 8 and 9 bells. So leaving now, the brave adventurers could get out into the farmlands before the city gates close at sundown and back to Jack's place an hour or so before midnight (twelve bells).

[Chris1234]

Mirt looks back impassively, much as to say, 'Perhaps; we'll see.'

Lena takes hold of things, "Fine. We'll talk to him." Mirt nods, satisfied.

As if on cue a low, two-tone chiming sounds. Lena says, "Interval is nearly over. Time to go."

[Jessi+]

Amaranth will smile and nod and wave goodbye to Mirt, then follow Lena out of the building. (Or back to their seats if they're actually watching the show, I forget). She'll duck in somewhere and change her clothes before they start travelling again - don't wanna get her fancy clothes all dusty from the roads and stuff on the way to the farms.

*****
When was the last time she slept? That's what I'm concerned about just now, don't want her picking up some exhaustion points while she's doing all this.
The intent is to get to the farm before midnight, hold watch there just in case the thing actually shows up, talk to the guy inside the city at six in the morning (Can we get in early enough for that? Will the gates be open?) and then probably do whatever it is that Lena hired her for while tackling the Harper job.

[Chris1234]

Lena says, "Just as well we got a few hour' rest this afternoon!" and leads Amaranth back to the noble villa where the pair change into travelling clothes and pick up some packed food. They swiftly reach the East Gate but before they can leave the city a short girl with ginger hair, raggedy but clean, steps out and says, "It's you! Our Smiling Lady** blessed me with a dream that I should meet you here, now, and travel with you. I'm Harmony, acolyte of Our Smiling Lady. Will you allow this?" The human girl, no more than sixteen years, halfway in height between Lena and Amaranth, wears a leather-threaded gold coin around her neck. "Black Bess*** will take you, elsewise."

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*food for two days (each)
**Tymora, Goddess of Good Fortune
***Beshaba, Goddess of Misfortune

[Jessi+]

Amaranth smiles up at the girl, excited to meet someone new. "Wow, I'm making lots of friends here today! You say you had a dream about me?" Amaranth puts her hands on her hips, "I had no idea the gods were watching this business... what a wonderful thing to be a part of!"

[Chris1234]

"Both of you," answers Harmony in her always-happy sounding voice. "It was like I was rushing to get to East Gate but run fast as I could I didn't seem to be moving much. You know, dreams! Anyway, if I don't make it, that is, meet you both, the the gates are closed and everything goes dark and I'm falling and there's lots of screaming and I get the faintest glimpse, shadows really, of some really tall people, like as tall as the city walls, trying to stomp on me. Unless I've shrunk. Then I wake up all cold and perspiring.." She shivers and clutches her pendant. It's a cool but not cold evening.

Tymora's symbold.png (49.1 KiB) Viewed 3216 times

"And when I sometimes get back to sleep, well, I seem to make it. That is, to meet you, we say, pretty much what we said. Which is weiird. And I just know that we're going to be alright; we just have to mend the Ordning. Whatever that is. Well, here I am. Where are we going?"

The guards are just shutting the city gates as the three of you hurry through.

***
On the way to the farms Harmoney chortles about the twinkling of the stars and the frowning of the gate guard and that she's part of Rosebloom. A short while out she pauses, "Just a moment, please," and delves into her scuffed backpack. Pulling out some leather, which she wriggles into, the girl then exclaims, "Ah! There they are!" She offers some bread and cheese around.

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Just in case [1d12]=12

[Jessi+]

Amaranth is taken with this new companion, they can easily slip into an excited conversation about minor topics and ramble around until someone tells them to stop. Amaranth does raise an eyebrow at the mention of the Ordning and will ask about it, if there's any information in there at all or if it was just a word spoken to her unexplained in her dream.

Amaranth has always felt a connection with Avorleen, but it's not often someone with a close tie to their faith who is as upbeat and cheerful as this girl is. Amaranth feels like they have kindred spirits, but will be hesitant to say anything too soon... this teenage human may not understand where the little halfling was coming from.

[Chris1234]

There's a grassy smell in the air from the previous light rain but the seasonal breeze has sent the clouds scurrying inland. The stars are quite bright tonight.

With Amaranth and Harmony chirping together about this and that, Lena following just behind, the time and distance pass quickly.
As the trio reach the sign post pointing back to Waterdeep, north to Stoutfellow Farm and spouth to Snobeedle Orchard & Meadery, there a howling noise from not so far away.. followed by a scratchy-voiced cuss word.

Several small humanoids with spindly arms accompanied by a shaggy wolf emerge from the long grasses. They are about sixty feet away.

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The spindly-armed folks are brandishing wicked looking blades but no missile weapons are immediately apparent.

Please roll for initiative