Sapphire:Sessions:20150425

It's just after midnight on Change Time 28. Yasser, heading back to his shanty near the docks, says "See you at the Boar's Head in the morning." Chalker: "I'll buy you breakfast."

After a good night's sleep, Ahn-Lee goes to the central marketplace to find Jax, who owes him money. "Good job," Jax says, handing over some gold. Ahn-Lee: "You didn't tell me the target was 'enhanced.'" Jax: "I put you in a position to make a lot of gold." "I didn't know you were into altruism." "Absence makes the heart fonder -- but tell Chalker that doesn't apply."

Jax asserts that the point was to show Ahn-Lee that his skills can be used in a different way. "You killed a killer... This shows that you have options, that you can change the direction of your life."

Ahn-Lee presses Jax for more gold because he had been injured in the fight. Jax requests to read Ahn-Lee's mind to learn the details of what took place at the Green Lantern; after some hesitation, Ahn-Lee consents. A few moments later, Jax murmurs, "Someone amplified his natural abilities -- but it wasn't one of the Chosen. That's supposed to be under the radar... Something's going on. When you find out, let me know... Things involving the Chosen are intricate -- I need to keep a low profile." Ahn-Lee: "You need my help, then?" Jax: "No." Ahn-Lee will follow up on the question of who augmented Hunter. Jax adds, "This will bring you gold and fame."

Jax buys breakfast from one of the food vendors for both of them. Ahn-Lee falls into step as Jax walks away from the marketplace and turns up Temple Row, walking in the exact center of the road. Ahn-Lee: "How do you do that?" Jax: "I'm a Chosen, I choose not to be seen.... Your choices may be more important than mine.... I'm going to my disciple's abode -- he's keeping company with a priestess of Phor.... What do you want to hear from me?" Ahn-Lee: "What makes me so important?" Jax: "You've been considering a change -- your thoughts have come to the attention of many. I put you in a path to become an agent of change. You're not religious, but your subconscious thoughts and prayers have come to my attention." Ahn-Lee: "If a First Chosen shows up and starts talking, should I be surprised?" Jax: "Ask Chalker."

Ahn-Lee stops. Jax waves and keeps walking, suddenly fading away. Ahn-Lee says to himself, "That was weird. I'll go talk to Chalker."

Shawna, Chalker, and Yasser chat over breakfast. Jimmy had mentioned a eight-year-old avatar; since Jimmy is an information broker, Shawna guesses the avatar is Mensep, and Chalker concurs.

Chalker asks Yasser about the distinctive ring he wears. "Found it in the Troubled Lands, in a cave that looks like a mouth with sharp teeth. Couldn't point to it on a map, but I'd know it if I saw it. It's quite a ways inland, among some valleys, ravines, and cliffs. We were brawling through a cafe full of orcs and goblins. One of the orcs I killed had the ring on him. It was in a dark blue bag with white stitching -- the only thing in that bag. Right away I put the ring on, five years or so ago, and it hasn't left my hand since. The bag? This half-elf that was in the group, name of Renault, kept it." Shawna knows of Renault, who is a fighter/mage who favors the area around the Sapphire Sea. His human mother, who had lived near Sapphire, died about thirty years ago.

Ahn-Lee arrives and briefly describes his early-morning encounter with Jax. Chalker explains that Jax is the son of Phor and the Mother of Night. "He tries to make us believe he keeps the balance between them, working behind the scenes."

Shawna leaves and heads for the elven section of the city. Chalker takes Yasser and Ahn-Lee to Old Town to see the gate. As they cross into Old Town, the high-level thieves immediately pick up on Chalker, who is visibly armed. The stalker known as Molly is talking to a street vendor; Chalker waves and she responds with a nod.

In front of the building, Allie is talking earnestly with several people. She informs Chalker that he will have ownership of the building by tonight; Rory had been by earlier and given her money to hire workers to start cleaning out and fixing up the place. Chalker says, "I have plans for this place." Allie starts to speak to Yasser, who cuts her off with "I may be a dwarf, but I'm not a builder." As the three head into the building, Allie calls out "May Roo be with you!"

Chalker steps over a sleeping wino and leads the way inside, raising his special lantern to illuminate the old building's dim interior. In a large underground room stands the gate, its slots filled with green goo. Yasser recalls finding a similar gate in a cavern. Renault had suggested they haul the gate out; they'd sold it in the riverport city of Lariken to a merchant named Abernathy and made a whole lot of money.

Yasser: "What's the use of a gate, anyway?" Chalker: "To travel quickly. You need keys to use the gates." Ahn-Lee and Yasser think gates are more trouble than they're worth.

Chalker asks Yasser how this gate could have gotten into this underground room. Yasser: "Looks to me like it was taken apart, brought down here piecemeal, and reassembled."

Chalker briefly describes how he, Shawna, Rory, and Trace had found this gate, which was being set up to summon demons. Yasser: "I will fight any man, but not a demon." Chalker: "Don't be a sissy."

They explore several more rooms; there are some items that could be sold (Yasser estimates a few hundred gold pieces' worth), but nothing particularly interesting. The underground passages, which extend at least three or four city blocks, have probably been abandoned for a few hundred years.

Near lunchtime they return to the Boar's Head. Chalker: "The bard's killing isn't for a few days. We can meet up that day and discuss how profitable it is to save him. Ahn-Lee, between now and then, go into the Green Lantern while the bards are playing and establish a baseline. I'll fund your expedition."

Chalker gives Yasser a gold piece for his appraisal inside the building. "How generous," says Yasser sarcastically, pointing out that Chalker had given him a fee of only "one-third of one percent" of the value of the goods.

Shawna learns the results of the dark elf interrogations. The two had come from an enclave located west of the Saracene coast. Their enclave had been hidden for over a thousand years. They had been sent the elders of the Niti clan to seek like-minded elves; they have the ability to know a dark elf when they see one. There is another dark elf sanctuary 300 miles north of Ordin. Asseraah is behind their philosophy, but their auras are closer to Aaoo.

Change Time 30: Ahn-Lee attends an Assassin's Guild meeting.

Feast Time 1: Trace teaches Shawna the spell he created that pulls gems through a gate. He gives her a copy of the runes from the wand he'd found; there are five sets of runes, including a full set of the language that drives his runic spells as well as a demonic set.

Trace gives Chalker what looks like a toy wagon, and teaches him the control words to turn it into a full-size wagon (three different sizes: one-horse, two-horse, four-horse) and back again (cargo will shrink along with it, but it won't hold living things when shrunk).

Trace explains that he's decided to stay in Sapphire, at least for a time. Chalker: "Look in your journey book occasionally -- in case I need help." "That reminds me..." says Trace, who hands Chalker three more journey books; "These showed up on my bed." Chalker: "I could tell you'd found a home here. You and Rory have found what you're looking for." Chalker offers some advice: "Contract with the royal mages -- they really need help -- but don't get into Sapphire politics until you know more about it."

Ahn-Lee had spoken at his Guild meeting about this 'Hunter' and learned that a thief had tried his luck and Hunter had broken his arm. Hunter is armed with a longsword, two knives, and two fighting sticks, but he broke the thief's arm with his bare hands. The Assassins Guild will look into it. Chalker: "You have made a real impression on Jax."

Chalker hands out journey books to Ahn-Lee, Yasser, and Shawna.

Ahn-Lee hires a courtesan and scouts out the Green Lantern. Among other things, he finds a spy hole on the second floor, and a latched door with a silk rope that allows quick descent to the first floor.