Sapphire:Sessions:20150228
Chalker has decided to buy the building and land where the portal was located. That building and the two on either side are owned by Talisman Group, headed by Kristina Odom and Will "Jewel" Blankenship. Taking another look through the building, he learns that the building's first floor was previously a craftsman's shop, the second floor housed several families, and the third floor was probably occupied by the shop owner's family. The explosion that collapsed the third floor happened eight years ago. There are indications that the third floor may have had shrines to some of the "evil" First Chosen. The building to the right is vacant; the other building shelters a transient population of 50-60 "squatters."
While Rory is away at the Merchants Guild, Trace is studying at the Mage Guild library, and Shawna is visiting friends in the Elven District, Chalker pays a call on Kristina Odom, who lives among the upscale manors of the merchants' quarter. As he passes through a gated fence, Chalker feels that he has been magically scanned. On the second knock, the front door is answered by a butler. Chalker: "I am interested in some property Miss Odom owns in town. I am Ambassador Chalker Jackson." Chalker checks the butler's Aura; he has high Magery, very strong will, and is religious but not devout. The butler says, "I'm sure she will accept your call. She is in the middle of something else." When the butler closes the door behind them, there is a click and a whir.
The butler leaves Chalker in a richly furnished room. Chalker does't bother looking for the spyholes he knows must be there. A book titled Coppersmith Apprentice Manual catches his eye because its title, stamped on its spine, is written in Venettian. Chalker, having an interest in metalwork, picks up the book and starts to read.
Several minutes later, Kristina Otto sweeps into the room. She presents a gorgeous appearance with dark blonde hair and brown eyes. Glancing at the book in Chalker's hand, she says, "I am surprised that you read Venettian. I have to admit I do not." Chalker explains the purpose of his visit. "We tried to get that building repaired, but the workers we hired claimed there were ghosts there."
Chalker offers 6g for all three buildings; Kristina replies that the land alone should fetch 50g, and the yearly royal taxes amount to 5g per year. She would have to consult with the "executive council" before making any sort of deal. Chalker then offers 15g and says he will do some further research and obtain independent appraisals. He asks her about the scanner at her front gate; after a momentary pause, she replies that it reads a person's intent. Chalker finds that she is shielded against his Aura sight. They engage in some small talk (Chalker learns that Kristina has lived in this house for ten years) before Chalker takes his leave.
Chalker has a late lunch at the Boar's Head, then has the warhorse saddled and rides into Old Town. He approaches the block of three buildings he's interested in buying. A boy named Andy, who says he knows Rory, offers to watch his horse, and Chalker gives him a copper piece.
Chalker walks into the building, and all its occupants scurry away except for a man, Ed, and a woman, Allie, who appear to be in their 40s. Chalker: "I want a tour of this place. A copper up front, and a copper when we finish." Allie used to be a seamstress until she "messed up things for the wrong people;" "I could get better," she concludes hopefully. Ed does odd jobs -- repairs, fetch and carry, cleaning -- but can't afford a place to stay. Allie says that "forty-five to fifty-five" people usually live here. This used to be an office building. Ed repaired the stairs.
Chalker: "You two are now my contacts. I want to employ the people who live here to help fix these buildings up. ... We killed what was over there." Ed admits that his real name is Jesse; Allie's proper name is Alexandra.
Chalker finds Shawna back at the Boar's Head. As they are chatting, a young man approaches them. He is of average height and slightly stocky build and appears to be in his mid-20s; he has blue eyes and collar-length brown hair. He is dressed in workman's clothes, but on his belt are a pair of fighting sticks. His aura reveals that he has magery potential and a talent for ritual magic; he is truthful, pacifistic, has taken a major vow of some kind, and has been strongly blessed by Jax, god of twilight.
He introduces himself as Cliff Tran of Deerhome Meadow (which, Chalker recalls from his meeting with Kristina Otto, is where Jewel lives). "Baron Browning is doing things that will hurt the people of the town." Cliff is in Sapphire "helping a local merchant, Keith Boyd." He asks how Chalker and Shawna are affiliated with Jax's parents, and Chalker gives a very abbreviated summary of his dealings with Phor and Charesoon (Mother of Night). Cliff: "Divinations are obscured or blocked around the Baron's home, not by demons or by Mother's children." He is afraid to talk to the Baron, and has a strong intuition that talking to the Count would be wrong. His divinations have directed him to seek out the help of Shawna and of "the messenger of Mensep." Cliff had performed a divination for Keith Boyd which showed Boyd in chains, his family sprawled about him, the town in flames, and the Baron standing over the bodies of a band of raiders (clad in nondescript leathers) from the hills. Two other men, unknown to Cliff, stand on either side of the Baron.
Chalker goes to the bar and asks Bajeeter about Deerhome Meadows. Bajeeter has heard of the place, thinks it's part of Duke Ellington's territory, and mentions that Jewel has dined at the Boar's Head. "He dressed like a rich merchant but walked like a fighter, had that hungry look in his eyes." He was with another merchant whose name might have been Keith. Chalker lays five coppers on the bar, and Bajeeter makes them vanish.
Jim, Rory's "lazy-on," brings a note to Shawna. Rory will be staying the night with Elaine Barlow's foster family.
After Shawna and Chalker talk things over, Chalker tells Cliff "we'll leave in an hour," which would be around 7pm. In a low voice Chalker adds, "If we've misjudged you and this is a trick to harm her, I'm not going to kill you, but I will cut your arms off. I don't care about 'balance,' I care about my friends."
Late at night, the three arrive at the Antler Inn in Deerhome Meadow [which is not "Deerhome Valley" just yet] and take three rooms for the night. Deerhome Meadow has a population of about 500 people; the town is walled, but the gates stand open. Chalker tells Cliff that he will want to visit Jewel before seeing the Baron.
After an early breakfast, the three call upon Will "Jewel" Blankenship. His butler declares that "the merchant" is meeting with his staff. The study into which they are shown has no Venettian books, but there is a book written in Elven (by a philosopher Shawna met some 850 years ago who vanished a century later; he wrote about the importance of the elves coexisting with humans and helping to mold the Calventine Empire), a scroll in the dwarven language, and a book in goblin.
Jewel enters, dressed in fine merchant's clothes. Chalker: "I spoke with one of your partners, Kristina, and I know you are part of the Talisman Group. I want to talk about a property in Old Town." Jewel's eyes narrow. "Why did you come here? I was going to meet with Kristina and the others. Your offer is very low." Chalker: "It would seem you'd want to get rid of it, but you hang onto it." Jewel: "Others want to hold onto it. I am, shall we say, ambivalent [lying]." Chalker: "I came to talk to the Baron." Jewel tenses noticeably. Jewel: "How did you find out that Boyd was a member of the group? Most members keep their affiliation private." (Keith Boyd is a member of the executive council that Kristina mentioned.)
Jewel claims he was the third son of a count and received military training that way [lying]. "I wasn't cut out for killing. My brothers sired many children, and I realized I would inherit nothing, so I bid my father adieu. I became a merchant and got involved during the goblin wars."
Jewel: "If you raise your offer to 20 gold, I will support you. Chalker: "Tell them I've raised my offer to 17."
As they leave, Shawna hears Jewel racing for his back door; soon they see Jewel and his butler sprinting for the stables, and a pigeon flying away. Shawna sends her falcon after the pigeon to retrieve it unharmed, and the three race off to Boyd's house.
A maid answers the door. "Was he expecting you?" Shawna, pointedly: "Are you screening his visitors?" Cliff gets the maid's attention and says, "Now." Hurriedly she shows them to a study and rushes away.
Shawna scans the note the pigeon was carrying: "Gather the force, K's house, kill the elf and those with her."
Keith Boyd enters the study, his young son at his side. He directs his question to Cliff: "Who did you bring with you?" Chalker introduces himself; Shawna glances at Cliff, who replies to Boyd, "And this is Shawna, an interested party." Boyd acknowledges that he is a member of the Talisman Group. Turning to the boy he says, "Randy, go find your mother and sister. I might be leaving early."
Boyd claims that he and Kristina have been wanting to sell that block of buildings for years, but have always been outvoted, three to two. "Blankenship is always 'on the fence' until the last moment. Yours is the best offer we've had, but in my opinion it's too low." He says, "That property is a money sink. We can neither improve it nor sell it. We have other properties that are much more profitable." Chalker: "Take my offer of 17g and go hide." Boyd: "There must be something there that dangerous people want."
Shawna had sent her falcon to look for Jewel and his butler. Six men on horseback had departed Jewel's manor, all armed with longswords and one with a crossbow. The butler had gathered spell components into his belt pouches. She warns, "They're heading for the Baron's. Let's go. We can cut them off before they get there."
As they approach the other group some 200 yards away from the Baron's manor, Chalker locks onto one of their swords and yanks it out of its scabbard; the man yells to his fellows, "We're already in range! We got to turn and face now!" Chalker snatches a second man's sword and strikes him with it, but then some other force rips it out of his telekinetic grip.
Chalker grabs a third sword. Shawna's lightning bolt strikes the mage, unhorsing him and dropping him to one knee. Chalker swings at the mage, who manages to dodge. Jewel draws his blade, yells "Charge!" and he and one of his men gallop forward.
Shawna throws a fireball that barely misses Jewel and explodes to the right of the mage. Chalker's sword strikes Jewel's companion in the chest; gasping in pain, the man turns his horse and flees. Seeing this, another of Jewel's men also leaves quickly. The mage forms a stone in his hand and flings it at Shawna, but misses.
Shawna charges Jewel but he parries her sword. Chalker strikes a knife-wielding man (one of those whose swords Chalker had tossed away). The mage's horse bolts as the mage throws another stone at Shawna, missing again.
Shawna swings hard at the mage who tries to dive out of the way, but she slashes him severely and he collapses. Chalker's warhorse tramples the mage's prone body.
Meanwhile, five more men had ridden toward them from the Baron's manor. Chalker grabs and throws the sword of the leader of this second group. Shawna wheels her horse around to face Jewel. Chalker grabs and throws another man's sword; the man tries to grab it, but only unbalances himself.
Jewel's remaining henchman, bleeding, rides away. Shawna leaps from her mount, grabs Jewel with her left hand and jabs at him with the sword in her right; he parries but his feet come out of his stirrups and Shawna ends up on his lap, face to face. Three more men decide they've seen enough and run away. Chalker and Cliff charge toward the remaining two Baron's men.
Shawna tries to strike Jewel across the eyes, but he parries. Chalker grabs one man's sword and throws it; both of the remaining Baron's men veer off and race away.
Chalker and Cliff hightail it to the Baron's manor. Shawna casts Daze on Jewel, who can then offer no resistance as she levitates the two of them off of the horse. Her eyes flash fire. She cleanly executes Jewel, wipes the blood off of her mithril blade, and mounts her horse.
The Baron is standing outside on a raised porch as Chalker reins in his warhorse.
Baron: "Who the hell are you?" Chalker: "Why'd you send your men to attack us?" Baron: "I gave no such orders." Chalker: "They're wearing your colors." It seems clear, however, that the Baron was not involved in the attack.
Chalker explains that Cliff Tran had sent for help from himself and Shawna. Cliff points at a man named Dwight who standing off to one side; "You should restrain that one." Dwight appears to be one of the Baron's counselors.
The Baron invites Chalker, Shawna, and Cliff inside for brunch. Chalker: "I'm glad I don't have to kill you."
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