Sapphire:Sessions:20170729

General Burns and the merchant Felicia Strada are to help Chalker coordinate the transfer of the rest of the Idrians from the Lone Mountain to Dolyena. In order to conceal the gate's usage from Rinaldo Canana, Branamin hires a Mage Guild member to cast Scryfool on the gate.

Ahn-Lee goes looking for Delta Blue (aka MollyPollyDoodle). He is told that when the Thieves Guild splintered into rival factions, Delta Blue took over one faction, another is led by someone named Kevin Sable, and a third by Slimy Sam.

Navar Ironwood spends his day in the university library, reading about the Venettian and Xanthypian empires that destroyed each other centuries ago. Rapt in his studies though he may be, he cannot but notice the grey-haired man hovering around him. Navar explains to the man, Tass Alon, that he is looking for clues to where his parents have gone; they disappeared twelve years ago, when Navar was sixteen. They had hinted at a "significant important find." Navar talks about his Venettian studies, and mentions that he is staying at an inn called the Prancing Pony.

Toward suppertime, Navar overhears a group of people talking about the excellent food at the Lazy Lamb, and he feels inspired to try it. The waitress welcomes him to experience their "good food and prophecy... er, I mean, conversation!" She seems very flustered at her slip of the tongue. Navar orders the house special, remarking to another patron, "You can't go wrong by ordering the house special!" The other patron seems taken aback at being addressed so familiarly by a stranger, so Navar adds with a slight bow, "Navar Ironwood, at your service!" "What service?" "Why, adventure! Long-lost lore! I'd heard this city was the place to find stuff. Clues to be found!" When Navar offers to buy him ale, Ahn-Lee unbends somewhat and sits with Navar as he expounds on Venettian artifacts and such.

Shawna, who has been away in the countryside working with her falcon, Berenel, begins to sense "spiritual disturbances" via her goddess Delsa. She feels the need to head into the city, to a particular tavern called the Lazy Lamb.

Ahn-Lee and Navar suddenly notice a Wizard Eye in the corner. They don't know how long it's been there, and they didn't notice anyone casting it, but they both feel that it's watching them. After a brief discussion, Ahn-Lee suddenly hurls a dagger which strikes the Eye in its exact center. As other patrons turn to stare, he nonchalantly retrieves his weapon.

Shawna strolls up to their table, acknowledges Navar with a glance, and tells Ahn-Lee that the Eye had been cast within the past hour or two by a fairly skilled mage who had probably been paid to do so. Navar recalls that as he was walking between the library and this tavern, he thought he'd seen someone duck furtively into an alley. Also, there was that grey-haired man hovering near him at the library. "The merchant city lusts after things of lore," Navar declares.

While Chalker dreams of Sapphire harbor, specifically the repair docks, something tries to grab him and he startles into wakefulness. Thaumatology tells him that someone had attempted to cast Seeker on him. He writes in his journey book that someone had cast a "speeker sell" on him.

While Shawna walks Navar to the Prancing Pony Inn, Ahn-Lee follows a person of average height, clad in dark clothing, down a trashy alley toward the docks, and into the Anchors Aweigh Inn. A few moments later Ahn-Lee observes a lamp being lit on the second floor, and waits until it goes out again. He easily climbs the side of the building, raises the latch on the shutters, and lets himself into the room. After insuring the room's inhabitant cannot raise an alarm, Ahn-Lee questions him. The man identifies himself as Wayne Bell, a merchant from Lavinia, sailing on the ship Near Stars under Chief Merchant Julie Rose. He admits to having cast the Wizard Eye; he is interested in the ironwood 'sword' Navar carries. Ahn-Lee uses one of his needles to put Bell to sleep.

Well before dawn Ahn-Lee goes to the Prancing Pony and lets himself into Navar's room. Navar is asleep, hugging his sword. "Navar, wake up!"

Ahn-Lee takes Navar to meet Chalker, Branamin, and Shawna. Chalker sizes Navar up as a +4 mage, strong willed, but having a memory gap due to some trauma from his youth. Navar says that his mother was a mage, his father a rogue, and they both had a keen interest in archaeology.

Ahn-Lee describes Near Stars as "a ship full of mages." Chief Merchant Julie Rose, he has learned, is a very tall woman with waist-length red hair who bears a staff. She is currently staying at the Silver Swan, an expensive hotel located near the palace. She is always accompanied by combat mage Sylvia Quiz and the ship's captain Ford Dawson (reputed to be a former pirate).