Sapphire:Sessions:20190112
Alastor, Chalker, Shawna, Cal, elven rangers Tara and Solant, and ranger wardens Solbandin and Maize make their way to Wicera. They catch up with Sonya and Dinah's combined group shortly before arriving in Wicera the evening of Dark Days 17. Scout had earlier attached himself to Sonya and Dinah's group.
Shawna introduces Dinah and Sonya to the elven elder Sa'tire Belandrie. She debriefs him about the 'anomaly' and shows him the 13 pieces of the artifact. He informs her that "something with a reptilian feeling" is preventing the merfolk from entering Colvin harbor, though ships are seen to pass freely.
Shawna tells Chalker about the developing plans to destroy slavery and the slave trade in Malprin. She intends a rapid strike to eliminate the royal leadership and the slave merchants.
Chalker, Shawna, Alastor, and Cal return to Sapphire. Chalker writes to Ahn-Lee to meet him at Envoy Manor, where he tells him about the Malprin invasion and all the concentrated wealth to be had.
Shawna explains, "This is not an invasion, it's a coup d'état." Troops and ships are being gathered in Wicera and Saxony.
The group will visit Colvin through the hidden Venettian gate, and each person will use their unique talents to gather intelligence and generate ideas ahead of the attack.
Shawna's personal mission is to liberate the dragon spirit that is imprisoned in Colvin. She has been given to understand that she will need to place the thirteen pieces of the artifact at thirteen "anchor points".
Ahn-Lee gives Jeeves a message to be delivered to Tron Ironsinger in case he's not back by the 23rd.
Alastor borrows some "high-class merchant" clothes from Chalker.
The group emerges in Colvin under the cover of night. Alastor locates an herb shop called Happy Leaf. He introduces himself as an alchemist who would like to open a shop, so would need herbal supplies. The herbalist would welcome a new market for his wares, though he adds "We've lost a lot of shipments... we need new connections" at least in part because many countries no longer engage in trade with Malprin. Alastor locates three apothecary shops in Colvin.
Ahn-Lee checks out the night scene. He observes a thief communicating with a bartender. He tries to pick the thief's pocket; the man puts his hand over his money pouch, turns to Ahn-Lee, and says, "Professional courtesy, please." Ahn-Lee buys him a drink and engages him in conversation. The thief says, "Not many visitors pass through Colvin... pressure from the northern countries... The 'big boys' might free their slaves but keep them working." Ahn-Lee: "Who's got the power to free them?" Thief: "King Kolton rules the roost... The palace is well-protected by Protectors and royal guards... Technically, he owns most of the 'good stuff'... He's a stubborn SOB, looking instead for new markets..." Ahn-Lee: "Doesn't sound like a long-term solution for me."
Ahn-Lee wanders near the palace. The obvious guards seem attentive but there's something "off" about them. He figures there are a couple of them he could easily sneak up on. He doesn't spot any unguarded entry points.
Chalker expresses great curiosity about the dragon spirit. Shawna shows him an "anchor point"; it looks like a memorial with a small shrine to Gauder. Chalker sees no aura. There is resistance to his penetrating vision, but he sees blue-black scales inside the memorial itself. Chalker urges placing all the artifact pieces in the anchor points tonight. Shawna tries to place the first piece, but it resists fitting in, and she gets a bad feeling. "The powers that be are telling me that this is not the right time." They move away from the memorial, and five minutes later two heavily-armored horsemen gallop up. Their features are blurred. "Protectors," murmurs Shawna disdainfully.
Twelve ships are in the harbor: five small merchant/slave trader ships at the pier, three Malprin warships, two ships from somewhere to the south, and two large merchant-type ships -- the latter with no lights showing, no visible crew, no sails rigged, anchored about 90 feet out. Chalker is immediately intrigued by the dark ships. His metal sense tells him neither ship has an armory.
Ahn-Lee realizes he's picked up a shadow, and Alastor spots at least three people. He notices signals being exchanged, then a man staggers to the door of a nearby bar and opens it in front of Ahn-Lee, loudly inviting them inside. In the same loud, slurred voice, the man repeatedly blurts out that Ahn-Lee owes him money "since I opened the door for you." Ahn-Lee sits at the bar and says a code word to the bartender, who serves up a beer and mutters, "Take your drink to that booth in the corner. He'll be with you shortly."
The "drunk" man staggers up, now insisting Ahn-Lee owes him a drink, and slumps into the booth across from Ahn-Lee. In a lower voice he says, "Call me Rolf Vernay. Who's the mark? The fancy one that came in after?" Ahn-Lee: "How high of a 'mark' would you go after? What's the going rate? How soon?" Rolf: "That would be 'midrange'. I could do him tomorrow night for one gold. Five silvers now."
Rolf takes his beer, lurches over and sits right next to Alastor. "You owe me a beer." Alastor: "You were checking me out. Why?" "Tell your buddy, thank Delsa I didn't kill him -- he'll make a good client." Rolf leaves, no longer playing drunk.
Alastor lip-reads a conversation at another table. "Bringing up slaves from the south that know how to fight." Alastor and Ahn-Lee leave the bar separately.
After several moments, Shawna says to Chalker, "The dragon spirit permeates the entire city, very faintly. It is blocking the harbor and summoning the protectors."
An unseen spy takes note of each of the four from Sapphire and slips away unnoticed.
Around 10pm Ahn-Lee slips inside a window. The bored guards are easy to avoid. Twenty slaves are being held here. Ahn-Lee quickly figures out the marking system; these slaves are fighters. He stealths up to a corner cell where a man lies prone on a hard cot. He asks, "You're not cold in there?" "No," the man answers without opening his eyes. "I've been here four days, five hours, and ten minutes. Brought here from north Malprin, Don's Cove. But originally I'm from south of Shalaret on the island." "I'm surprised you let yourself get caught." "It was a surprise." "What if the cell doors were unlocked and you had a weapon?" "I'd look for my owner and find out who to fight." The man claims he's 'incapable' of escaping. "Name's Chun. I'm a very good fighter. My specialty is the throwing disc... If we meet again, I hope by the First Chosen we're on the same side."
The group gets back together. Ahn-Lee relates finding the warrior slaves. "If we could free them and put weapons in their hands..." He describes the building in which they are held. As well, "I located an assassin and put a hit on a merchant."
Alastor, Ahn-Lee, and Chalker return to Sapphire. Shawna goes to Wicera and informs Belandrie of their findings.
Ahn-Lee checks on Kimtri. She has been healed and released from the Temple of Zeph. While they go for a stroll and chat, he asks her, "Ever thought about killing a king? I'm putting together a team of ten or so to assassinate the King of Malprin." Kimtri avers that in ten years, "once things are settled," the Calventine Empire would "crush" Malprin anyway, but adding, "I'm in."
Chalker visits the Mage Guild to obtain a disguise ring, but their stock is all rented out.
Reluctantly, Chalker goes to the Temple of Mensep. Right away a smiling priest approaches and says, "It's an honor and a privilege to welcome you." Another priest, less cheerful, says, "Good morning. It's really early." Chalker: "I'm wondering about dragons. I think they have scales. I think I have come in contact with a dragon spirit. I can see pieces of it. I need a way to release its soul, but I need a way to communicate with it." Priest, in Mensep's voice: "I'm sure you'll figure it out. You still have a message to deliver. I'll try to keep Asseraah from killing you, as that would release you to Dar's realm." Mensep avers that there are no dragons alive. At Chalker's request Mensep speaks a sentence in the language of the dragons. The amulet translates the sentence with a two-second lag.
Chalker goes to Branamin and has him cast an Illusion Shell on him.
The next morning after breakfast, the three gather at the gate and Trace opens the portal to Colvin. Alastor, who has brought along a wagonload of trade goods (packed into Tiny Wagon), rents a storehouse near the docks, then goes around to five different herbalists and sells herbs to them, then sells goods to a number of merchants. He is very well received, and the merchants even overpay him, citing the high quality of his wares and the fact that he is "the only game in town" for certain items.
Using his diplomatic and research skills, Chalker obtains the names of the slave merchants from the auction houses.
Ahn-Lee spends about five hours watching his targeted merchant, then follows his hired assassin to watch him at work. He barely spots the assassin, who has altered his appearance. The assassin follows the merchant from his home and intercepts him before he reaches his evening destination (and spends his money), so that the killing will look like an ordinary mugging turned fatal. Ahn-Lee admires the assassin's technique, thinking "He's better than I thought." The assassin's killing stroke is expertly done. As the assassin rifles through the victim's belongings, taking a pouch and two rings, Ahn-Lee stealths up and says, "Not bad." The assassin starts; "What the hell?" "I think I owe you five silver. I didn't expect to find this kind of skill in Malprin. I'll meet you at the tavern in thirty minutes." Searching the victim himself, Ahn-Lee finds a hidden pouch sewn into the coat lining; it contains 3g 3s.
Ahn-Lee takes a seat in the booth with the assassin, who gives the name Durwin Tye. DT: "Not many people can sneak up on me." Ahn-Lee: "Now we can move on to the next step -- how well do you know this area? What's the biggest mark you've taken?" DT names a minor royal. Ahn-Lee: "What do you think of the slave trade? I'm putting together a team to end it." DT admits there are only three members of his assassin's guild, and he is the only one presently in Colvin. DT asks, "Are you paying a retainer?" Ahn-Lee pulls out the merchant's pouch, saying, "You should search your marks better." Ahn-Lee then gives him another assignment, a target named Burr Lissiter, to be killed within the next three days (today is the 20th). (On the 23rd, Ahn-Lee learns that Lissiter had "died in his sleep" the night of the 22nd.)
By the 22nd, Chalker has learned all the slave trade houses. He has identified the biggest merchant who isn't in the slave trade, Quin Hinks, who deals mainly in foreign goods and specialty foods (and has purchased some from Alastor). Chalker visits the office, introduces himself as "Rice Kellogg from Carlsbad," and asks for Hinks in order to show him an artifact. While waiting, Chalker waves at the hidden guard who is peering at him through a peephole, startling the guard.
Quin Hinks is a distinguished-looking male in his 40s with gray hair, blue-green eyes, and a thin scar from one ear to the corner of his mouth. Chalker checks his Aura: Magery 1, natural psi-based mind block (+5), very strong will, morally neither black nor white. Among the First Chosen he favors Cor and Mensep. Hinks shows Chalker a number of the artifacts he has for sale. Chalker judges that they're all marked up by 200%. Hinks admits he is "feeling the effects of embargo" but that he does not deal in the slave trade because it's not as profitable as it once was, and "it doesn't feel right" to him. He himself owns no slaves; he does have two freedmen who work for him (for pay). Hinks claims his father was never a slave trader, either, and his grandfather "got out of the business."
Chalker: "I like you. I think we can do business. I'll come back in a few days with an offer. I had to meet you first. ... By the way, would you happen to have a flesh golem?" Hinks: "No, that might be prohibited." Chalker: "So, slaves are okay but flesh golems are not? ... I need a flesh golem, or a fresh dead body."
Chalker asks for a copy of the Malprin legal code. Hinks will hire a mage to replicate his own copy and sell it to Chalker at cost.
Another 500 fighters have been committed to the cause. Troops are being shuttled to Saxony to get ready for the assault.