Sapphire:Sessions:20170715
In Dolyena, all the PDG agents in Bistol are in custody except for Dante Daniels.
Chalker describes the Virtual Keep (in Pitern near Silene) to Shawna.
In Sapphire, Branamin rages, "Somebody is impersonating my rings at the Boar's Head and stealing my income!"
"Molly", dressed as minor nobility, flashes a smile over at Ahn-Lee as she seats herself at another table. Louder than necessary, pitching her voice so that Ahn-Lee can hear her easily, she tells another person at her table, "I can't help you. You're asking around about dangerous people..." Ahn-Lee realizes someone had tried to hire her to find out about Chalker's group.
Kimtri meets Ahn-Lee at the Boar's Head and tells him that somebody named Toll Ebb has been throwing a lot of money around to gather information about Chalker and his associates. Ahn-Lee replies, "They'll find Chalker eventually -- and regret it!"
Molly says to Branamin, who has altered his appearance, "This was going to be my mark for tonight." She leaves him a gold piece on the table, walks over to the bar and says something to Bajeeter, and leaves.
Branamin addresses the man. "We have to do something about you copying my rings." The man replies, "Okay, what's your name?" Suddenly he experiences a death vision and flees from the tavern.
The waitress refers to "Molly" as "Delta Blue."
Branamin writes in his journey book, I think I stopped him. Ahn-Lee: Why was he scared of me? Branamin: I was very convincing.
Bajeeter approaches and tells them that a man named Sol Dayvers has been asking about Chalker and his companions for the past several days. "He was questioning someone and went all glassy-eyed... Got anything going on?"
Ahn-Lee writes: Chalker, people looking for you. Wait or kill? Chalker: Capture. Ahn-Lee: I only gave you two choices.
Ahn-Lee tells Branamin he can come along. Branamin senses that magic has been done in a certain alley. He casts Seek Earth for the particular combination of gemstones the man was wearing... and gets a bad headache. "I think he has wards."
On the 20th, Chalker is involved as negotiations begin regarding the acceptance of the Idrians into Dolyena. Shawna walks around the city, attracting quite a lot of attention. She meets a family from a rural area, delighting them by playing with the children and buying them all treats from marketplace stalls. She notices a man, dressed as a merchant, watching her intently the entire time, and she casts a magical tag on him. Later, the tag enables her to locate him in the Greater Bicarn embassy.
By 4:00pm the agreements have been worked out. He writes in the journey book for Shawna to meet him at the palace. He requests a meeting with the Bicarn ambassador for himself, Seman, Relinda, and Shawna.
A very soft whisper tells Branamin, who is looking for his voice, to check a certain book.
Ahn-Lee tracks down a lead who exclaims, "Oh my gawd, you're one of --" and then starts babbling information to Ahn-Lee while trying to get away. Ahn-Lee gives him a silver with the advice, "Next time ask at the Boar's Head or the Dolyenan Envoy's residence so I don't have to walk all over the city!"
Ahn-Lee goes to "the best of the lowbrow bars" at the wharf. He describes the man he's looking for to the barkeep, who eventually lets on that the man has been using this very bar as a base; "Been here ever' night for the last week and a half.... You good with those knives?" Ahn-Lee: "Want to find out?" The barkeep clears a table for Ahn-Lee.
At the Bicarn embassy, Chalker and his entourage are shown into a formal meeting room. Awaiting them are Ambassador Edward Sorenson and his three main advisors, including Dante Daniels. Chalker introduces Relinda as "my new court mage, from a long way away." Sorenson's aura reveals he is devoted to Mensep and Gauder, observant to all the First Chosen, greedy; he is strong-willed by nature, but Chalker can tell that something has been weakening his willpower over quite some time. Daniels' aura has the 'organized chaos' markers like Tam's; very strong will, magery but undisciplined, has been in the presence of demons; a magic stone is hidden in his clothing.
Chalker: "Even though we aren't on the best of terms with Bicarn, we have recently rounded up several individuals from Pandemonium Dagger Guild, and one of your staff has been implicated." Sorenson: "I have always believed PDG was a myth." Shawna observes Daniels casting a Suggestion spell on Sorenson. Chalker: "Someone has been casting spells on you; you resisted, and that's why you have a headache." Daniels admits he had been contacted by PDG. Chalker to Daniels: "Call your man who was following her." Daniels summons a man named Karl. Meanwhile, a guard cuts the stone out of Daniels' shirt and hands it to Shawna.
Sol Dayvers comes to Ahn-Lee's table. Branamin appears, disguised as Chalker, and Dayvers goes white. He claims his boss/employer is named Kinte Slay. Branamin: "Could you take us to him if you had to?" Dayvers: "Yes, he is captain of the Crystal Shard." Along the way, Branamin changes his hands to tiger paws (hidden by his Chalker illusion).
They confront the captain in his cabin. The captain immediately reaches for his sword. Branamin: "No need for that..." Dayvers drops limply to the floor.
The captain grasps the hilt and draw his sword over his shoulder. From the floor, Dayvers throws lightning at Ahn-Lee, who dodges. Branamin casts Ignite Fire on the sword hilt, saying, "Again, not needed." Ahn-Lee cloaks Dayvers, blinding and entangling him.
Ahn-Lee then fast-draws a sleep needle and stabs the captain. As the captain collapses, Ahn-Lee reprimands Dayvers, "Why'd you throw lightning, you idiot?" "Only chance we had," mutters Dayvers. "Idiot," Ahn-Lee repeats, sticking him with another needle.
Ahn-Lee (to Branamin as 'Chalker'): "Back to your place, or do we keep the ship?" Branamin, shapeshifting into the captain: "I'm sure Chalker wants this ship, right?" Ahn-Lee: "They did try to kill us." He writes in the journey book, Chalker, want a ship? Chalker: Yes, where's the ex-captain? Ahn-Lee: Taking a nap. Chalker: Take them to my house. Ahn-Lee: They tried to kill us on sight. When they wake up, I'll have some questions for them.
Ahn-Lee to Branamin: "You should tell the crew some captain stuff." So Branamin makes Ahn-Lee look like the captain, suggesting, "Give them some money and tell them to go get drunk." Ahn-Lee, after a brief search: "Oh, look, I found some money." He puts the first mate in charge. Branamin creates an invisible servant to pick up Dayvers and the captain and carry them away.
During a logistics discussion, Shawna strongly suggests to Chalker that the gate at the "flue" be transported to the Lone Mountain.
Ahn-Lee slaps the captain awake. "It's rude to try to kill us." Captain: "The Guild pays well. ... I'm the owner-captain." Ahn-Lee: "Not anymore." Captain: "They don't tell us much. It's PDG. I have an amulet. I'm an associate member. My ship is registered out of Lesmallin." Branamin: "Your ship?" Ahn-Lee: "Wow, Chalker, you're really yourself today!" Branamin: "I try." Captain: "The man who gives us our instructions is at Far Sight Mercantile near the Lesmallin docs."
The captain and Daniels are moved to separate rooms in Chalker's house and secured by Jeeves. Branamin returns to his place to study spells.
Shawna is in a dreamscape centered on the stones. The Archmage is there in the guise of Shawna's mortal enemy. He tries to cast black lightning on her, which turns to harmless sparkles. Shawna sends word to an elven enclave to show no mercy to the Archmage or PDG.
Chalker has restless dreams and wakes up frustrated. A voice says to him, "Don't let yourself be distracted. Stay on point."
Chalker, Shawna, and Relinda ride to the gate and arrive at Chalker's house in Sapphire at 8:00pm.
Branamin casts Seeker on his ring, and learns that it's in Sapphire. He thinks, "I'll find you soon." "Yeah, this is boring."
Chalker addresses Second Mate Slay: "I'm offering you your life." Slay: "Protection against the guild?" Slay has a written contract with PDG, and had picked up Dante Daniels in Wicera.
Chalker asks Sol Dayvers, "Do you know who hired you?" "Originally, the house master Dan Zest Trovolian." This mage has strong will, midrange magery, is chaotic and worships Asseraah, has been directly involved in demon summoning. He is from Lesmallin. He had been paid extra for this task by Elbert Draco in Wicera.
Chalker: "What is your value to me?" Dayvers: "Skilled mage, knowledge of the guild, double agent?" He had created the rings because he wanted to "smoke out" Branamin. "Toll Ebb" is one of his aliases. "Darkness provides comfort." Chalker: "Father never talks to me like that." Relinda puts Dayvers to sleep.
Chalker calls for a vote, as a result of which Branamin puts a Sunbolt into the base of Dayvers' neck.
Shawna gives four poison needles to Ahn-Lee. "This is formula used by PDG. I strongly suggest you get these analyzed by someone you trust, find out exactly what the poison does, and develop an antidote."
Shawna takes the three stones and the shards of the fourth to the temple of Yasseph to be warded.
Chalker has the recurrent feeling of a "missed task."
On the 22nd, a contract is drawn up and ownership of Crystal Shard is transferred to Chalker; he rechristens it False Premise. Chalker pays a departure bonus to the crew.
The gate is removed by Branamin and Trace, and Chalker escorts it as it is transported to the Lone Mountain and installed within.
Ahn-Lee takes the needles to his poison guy and pays 1g 5s to have it analyzed by the end of the day. He learns that it is lethal and causes an agonizing death in 30-60 seconds. His poison guy has already come up with an antidote. Ahn-Lee has him make up 10 doses of poison and 80 doses of the antidote.
Branamin casts the Vigil spell he has been studying on himself, but it doesn't quite work.
On the 28th, Branamin shops for a 10-point powerstone. Shawna visits Lady Thire to catch up on news. Chalker sets up Relinda in Sapphire, gets her registered with the Mage Guild, introduces her to Sybonne.
Kimtri asks to meet Ahn-Lee at an expensive tavern. He tells her, "That was a great tip on Toll Ebb. He was killed in a humane way." Kimtri replies, "He would have taken out a contract on one of y'all." Kimtri overtly demonstrates romantic interest in Ahn-Lee, which makes him suspicious.
As Ahn-Lee leaves the tavern, he sees Molly/Delta Blue looking at him; she tips an imaginary hat and walks off. Ahn-Lee follows. She says, "You're good at what you do." Ahn-Lee: "Why should you help me?" Delta Blue: "You've thinned out the competition. Khalid says you're good." She describes his group as "Protector; Diplomat; Mage; Remover." Ahn-Lee: "We're primarily defensive, believe it or not."
It occurs to Chalker that Rinaldo Canana might know when the gate is opened. He tells Shawna about him. He is one of the ruling mage circle in Moedia; he is 80 years old; uses an enhanced griffin for transport; belongs to a circle of 12 mages; active mostly in the Troubled Lands.