Sapphire:Sessions:20171202

The 12th of each month is a "holy day" and Chalker performs his observances. He notes that attendance at all temples is higher than normal, though he can't tell why.

Frost Time 13: Early in the morning Ahn-Lee goes to Azzhik's alchemy shop. A petite female merchant is the only other patron; she picks up an energy potion. Azzhik assures Ahn-Lee that the sleep gas potion is "almost there." Ahn-Lee places an advance order for five of them.

Ahn-Lee looks up his sometime mentor Kalid, who agrees to do some "tandem work."

Chalker has Jeeves pack up the leftovers from the previous night's feast, then he, Relinda, and Sybonne take the food to an orphanage. Sybonne reminds Chalker that in a few more days she will be ready to attempt divination on the black sword. Chalker: "Don't worry, Relinda should be able to revive you." Chalker eats lunch at the Boar's Head.

Shawna writes: I have left Sapphire. I have other work to accomplish. Good luck.

Ahn-Lee and Kalid take in 2g for their day's efforts. Ahn-Lee asks Kalid to recommend a breaking-and-entering expert. The job he has in mind is very dangerous. Kalid almost volunteers himself, but decides it's too risky.

Rory informs Chalker his ship will sail on the 20th, and mentions that a woman has applied for the position of navigator. Chalker notes that he is looking to buy another ship which is registered out of Lavinia. "Send the False Premise down the Lavinian coast. I need intel about the 'temperature' of the country."

Frost Time 14: Kimtri brings Ahn-Lee to a hidden room piled with books. "These are all the open contracts. You have two hours to read through them all. Here's a potion to help you remember what you read. Remember, you have responsibilities to the guild." Ahn-Lee: "This is what I get for giving you a gift." Kimtri: "Please pass on my apologies for what occurred."

Frost Time 15: Ahn-Lee meets Kalid for dinner at a dockside restaurant. Kalid: "I got a name for you -- Cameron Clemens, one of the best B&E men in the city. Decent fighter, nimble, excellent lockpick, keeps his mouth shut." Ahn-Lee will meet him on the 16th, and intends to offer a 50/50 split if Clemens will also train him. He gives Kalid their day's take as a finder's fee.

Frost Time 16: In a warded room, Sybonne directs Chalker to stand in a specially-protected corner, then pulls the black sword out of a black velvet bag and lays it on a table. Meticulously she performs the vocalizations and gestures of her divination spell. Her whole body stiffens, her nose starts to bleed, then she staggers and goes to one knee. Shaking her head to clear it, she looks wildly around at Chalker. "It's cursed, in a way." The sword feeds upon intelligent life and transfers the energy to its wielder. The sword itself is not sentient, "but perhaps it's working toward sentience." While the sword has existed for several millenia, it has not been used in hundreds of years. Sybonne describes the appearance of the last man who wielded the sword.

Sybonne: "I also see part of the future... the next person to wield it will use it on you, Chalker. Young male, just out of his teens. ... There are dozens of possible futures. But in none of them did any of your companions use it. I didn't recognize any of the users. ... The sword turns its user into an 'eater of life' -- eventually they must use it in order to live. ... The sword is unbreakable; that's been tried many times."

Chalker asks Relinda if the curse can be broken. "There's always a way," she shrugs. Chalker chides her for her lack of concern. He has Sybonne store the sword in the Mages Guild.

Later that afternoon, Chalker visits Tron Ironsinger, the master swordsmith, who is just finishing up a new weapons. The muscular dwarf greets Chalker heartily. Chalker: "I have a cursed black sword, a soul-sucker. Addictive. Breaking the curse is beyond the expertise of my mages. Can you break the sword?" Ironsinger: "If it can be made, it can be broken!" Chalker picks up various pieces of hardware, including an improved Dink-Dink.

That evening, in the back room of a seedy tavern, Ahn-Lee meets with Cameron Clemens. "Have you ever broken into a prison?" "Can't say that I have. Which prison?" "The prison." "What makes this worthwhile?" "There's plenty in it -- hundreds of gold. I need to get into a certain prison cell, and a storage area. There's only one piece I require; the rest is yours." Clemens all but says "it's impossible", but wants a week before he gives his answer.

The Imperials will not sell Chalker the ship he wants, as they intend to use it for espionage. They think they can "turn" the merchant to their side.

Frost Time 17 thru 20: Unspecified.

Frost Time 21: Chalker visits the Imperial Prison and requests a visit with Cinnamon Brandy LeHigh. The guards subject him to a thorough search, then allow him five minutes. Her attitude still projects self-confidence. Chalker: "You have many ways to get out. What are you waiting for?" (He also knows that the tiny diamond is unaccounted for.) Her trial date is ten days away (Dark Days 1).

Frost Time 22: Cameron Clemens says to Ahn-Lee, "There are rumors from people I trust that someone recently broke into the prison several times, so the security has been stepped up, including sniffer dogs." Ahn-Lee: "Can it be done?" Clemens: "It's an interesting challenge." Ahn-Lee wants the job to be done by just the two of them. Clemens: "Our chance of success is only about 40%. ... Are you willing to kill guards?" Ahn-Lee: "I prefer not to. I have ways to incapacitate them." Clemens expresses relief at this. Clemens: "Can you change our appearance?" Ahn-Lee: "I can find something." Clemens: "It will take two weeks of planning, which would bring it up to the 4th." Ahn-Lee: "There's a suit made from spider silk that I figure is stored in the prison. I want it for myself." Clemens: "I want 2g for 'living expenses' for the next two weeks."

Ahn-Lee gives Branamin the rundown. "I think someone's going to break out of prison." Branamin suggests Watchdog spells and some kind of magical tag. Ahn-Lee helps himself to a couple of glasses of Branamin's excellent wine.

Ahn-Lee scouts the prison for possible escape routes and the most likely place for him to wait and observe.

Chalker writes: I'm about to take a trip to the Troubled Lands to see if Rinaldo Canana will come talk to me. Ahn-Lee: When are you leaving and coming back? Chalker: Leaving in the morning; be gone two or three days max. I've never been to the Troubled Lands. Ahn-Lee: What are the chances of gold? Chalker: Good! Ahn-Lee: I'll meet you at the Boar's Head.

Ahn-Lee confides to Chalker, "I'm afraid CBL will try to escape. I'd like to show her that I'm better than she is. She taints her craft. I'd prefer to prevent further encounters with her." Chalker argues that Ahn-Lee won't be able to break out even if he can break in. "Come to the Troubled Lands with me." Ahn-Lee: "Is this the guy that flies around on a griffin and shoots fireballs? I'll get my crossbow!"

Ahn-Lee picks up his five vials of sleep gas and one vial of magic resistance potion, and asks Azzhik to make more of the latter.

Frost Time 23: Rory and Trace have prepped the gate to the Troubled Lands. The gate is located in an underground bedroom, and Trace has shaped an exit which comes up in open farmland near a small village with a clearinghouse. Trace mentions that he embedded chunks of iron in the earthen plug so that Chalker can use his TK to raise and lower it easily. Chalker wants the gate left open for a time to see if that will lure Rinaldo to them. Under the bed Chalker finds a small ivory figurine of a beautiful woman, which he puts in his backpack.

It is 8:00am in Sapphire, and just after sunrise here. Chalker and Ahn-Lee hoof it to the little village, where people are beginning their day. They eat a hearty breakfast in a small tavern. This village has no horses for sale, but they're told that Farmer Johnson will shortly be driving his ox-drawn wagon to Chapel, the next town over, which is eight miles away. Chalker pays him 2c for transportation. Along the way, Chalker points out a cluster of ruined building visible left of the road and tells Ahn-Lee to remember their location.

There's "a little bit" of tension in Chapel (population ~900). Johnson doesn't care to linger; he drops them off, transacts his business, and heads back home. Just before they walk into a tavern, they observe a six-person "adventuring party" riding away northward. Chalker asks the barkeep, who says dismissively, "They're young, wasting their time looking for wealth. Wouldn't know what to do with it." As for the political climate, "The current duke is an asshole, and stupid, so we'll probably be taken over soon." Chalker agrees, "Stupid assholes don't stay in power long." Barkeep: "Any army on the road?" Chalker: "We must have missed them." Barkeep: "Yeah, the orc problems are farther west." Chalker: "Orcs only do two things -- fight and breed."

Chalker and Ahn-Lee visit the marketplace (Chalker reasoning that if anyone around here did find anything interesting, they would try to sell it). There they find a young man, a mage with mid-level potential (according to Chalker's Aura Sight), arguing with a farmer. Chalker asks the mage about the ruins. "They're nothing but a bunch of old stones and crap." He says there's nothing of interest beneath them, though he admits he hasn't seen for himself. He complains that his daily earnings are 5c "but I should be getting two silvers for what I do for these farmers." Telling the mage "I can't see magic items," Chalker offers to pay him to explore the ruins with them. "Three coppers now, and two more when we return."

From "Donald the Fair" at the livery, Chalker buys three horses and tack. Riding out of Chapel, Ahn-Lee and Chalker see three men scouting the village.

The ruins are several hundred years old. The mage, whose name is Troylen (Chalker calls him "T") points out where the cellars are. Ahn-Lee remarks, "This looks like the sort of place Jax would hang out." Looking through the stone, Chalker finds that one cellar in the middle of the ruins has a tunnel leading downward beyond the range of his Penetrating Vision. Troylen uses earth magic to clear away stones and dirt, then claims he must rest. (Chalker quips, "Are you related to Branamin?")

Chalker hands Ahn-Lee a lighted torch. Ahn-Lee descends into the musty cellar. Sitting cross-legged in the shadows is a man... Jax. "What are you doing here?" "You called. You said my name with intent." "I can't help it if you eavesdrop. That's creepy." "It's an interesting place. You have the Messenger with you. He's got one more, you know." "Ever broken into a prison?" "I'm trying to break someone out of one. Want to help? There are gems, and it would piss off Mother." Jax stands up. "I'll tell Father you said 'hi'." He steps into the shadows and is gone.

Lying in the dust where Jax had sat is a leather pouch. Ahn-Lee prods it open with a stick and sees a rectangular piece of metal in it. He calls Chalker down to have a look. Chalker identifies it as a clip of bullets which, coincidentally, would fit Ahn-Lee's gun. Ahn-Lee takes the clip. Chalker: "Why would that be down here?" Ahn-Lee: "No idea."

Chalker looks through the door. The piece of string that would have triggered a trap when the door swung open has rotted away. They call Troylen down. Troylen: "Ten feet down the tunnel is a ward hiding the tunnel beyond." He begins babbling nervously about imaginary dangers. Chalker: "You're the magic against the magic. We're the steel against the steel." He hands Troylen a torch and motions him forward. Intoning arcane words and performing mystic gestures, Troylen casts Dispel Magic and seems surprised when it actually works.