Sapphire:Sessions:20180811
Chalker picks the lock on the door of the second-floor room at The Hawks where Ahn-Lee had fought the night before. Inside Chalker and Ahn-Lee recoil from the smell of sulfur and burnt wood, though there is no evidence of fire and no fumes. Chalker asks Ahn-Lee, "If there had been a demon in here, you'd have known it, right?" Alastor has no reaction, explaining that he is anosmic. Ahn-Lee and Chalker determine that the smell is coming from four palm-sized drawstring bags, one in each corner of the single room. On each bag is embroidered or woven a different pattern of crisscrossing lines, which seem to shift about; Chalker recognizes them as an obscure symbol used by adherents of Assaraah in uncivilized parts of the world. Other than the bags, the room has been magically cleaned. Ahn-Lee starts to feel dizzy, but walking into the fresh air in the hallway for a few moments relieves the dizziness. Alastor opens one of the bags and finds seeds and leaves from a variety of rare plants, most of which are poisonous or have other physical effects, but nothing to explain the sulfurous smell. He starts to feel dizzy, but when he closes the bag he soon feels better. To Chalker Alastor says, "Good call. Let's examine these someplace with better preparation."
In the hallway on their way out, Ahn-Lee spots near the ceiling a tiny irregularity which, as he watches, resolves into a thumbnail-sized spider which begins to creep away. Ahn-Lee fast-draws a knife and throws it, killing the spider. He points out the spider to the others, then pulls the dagger out and thrusts the impaled spider toward Alastor's face. Alastor identifies it as a very rare spider created by dark elves at least a thousand years ago. He thinks there's a merchant in Sapphire with whom Jules does business who might have such an arachnid in his collection. He seals the dead spider in a specimen jar.
Chalker writes to Shawna in his journey book, then heads for Temple Row. Ahn-Lee and Alastor go to Jules' Apothecary. Alastor shows Jules three of the bags and the dead spider. Jules says the poison produced by the spider is deadly to all races, though less so to elves. Jules names Christopher Norsick, a wealthy merchant, as the "collector of spiders and vermin." "Be diplomatic," Jules warns Alastor; "He's one of our best customers."
When Shawna arrives, Ahn-Lee asks, "You know a lot about spiders, right?" Upon examining the spider, she says that there was a spell on it, a combination of Raise IQ and Soul Rider, cast by an old and powerful female mage who serves one of the First Chosen. The mage is warded but is located somewhere in Sapphire.
Chalker skips up the steps of the Temple of Asseraah. Within, incense burns and several priests kneel at the altar. Chalker performs his observance, and one of the priests stands up, staring at Chalker with a hard smile. Chalker: "I wish to speak with Father." Priest: "He is always present. Chaos is all around us." "I call BS... Let's walk." "Is this an essential part of your ritual?" "It helps me think, and it makes me a moving target." The priest sets off in the opposite direction. Chalker raises his voice: "I was exposed to a magical bag with your symbols upon it." He pulls out the bag and the symbols rearrange themselves. "Are the creators of these things doing your will?" The priest turns and starts walking at Chalker's side and says, "This one is devoted." "Is it expressing your intentions?" "Chaos is expressed and darkness is encouraged." "I'm getting better at darkness." "Yes, you are trying." Chalker says boldly, "Father, you shouldn't take that tone with me. Of your children, am I not the most chaotic?" "Hurt will be expressed."
Chalker hands the bag to the priest, who begins praying in an archaic language: "Lord of Darkness and the chaotic universe, return this to where it will most do your will..." Chalker snatches the bag away. The priest turns toward him, shocked that Chalker understood what he was saying. The priest completes his prayer silently. Chalker hands the bag back. They argue theology for some time, then Chalker performs his concluding observance and departs. Outdoors, he writes in his Journey Book: Asseraah is involved up to his neck.. He takes a carriage to Jules Apothecary.
Ahn-Lee has tracked his quarry to a back room of an eastside dive called Keen Rogue; he can hear a male and female voice conversing. Shawna arrives and Ahn-Lee picks the lock, then finds there's also a bar across the inside of the door. Shawna casts Silence and Ahn-Lee slides the bar aside with a knife blade. They sneak down a short hallway to a closed room. Ahn-Lee hands Shawna one of his sleep needles, arms himself with two needles, and bursts through the door. Inside is a male goblin sitting with his feet propped up on a table, and a middle-aged woman. Ahn-Lee lunges at the goblin, whose eyes widen in recognition; the goblin manages to kick himself away from the table, turn a back flip, and land on his feet, spreading his arms and calling "Whoa - whoa - whoa!" Ahn-Lee sticks him with a needle; the goblin glances at Shawna, then drops. Shawna has needled the woman. Ahn-Lee leads the way to an empty building he knows of, three blocks away.
Alastor calls to Danny (a Copper Kid who has taken to hanging around him) and says, "Want to make some coin?" He gives Danny a silver piece to watch Jules Apothecary. Alastor then tells Jules "I want the back room for a few hours." This room is a laboratory of sorts, equipped for dealing with possibly noxious substances. Alastor begins by carefully extracting the poison sac from the dead spider.
Chalker arrives at the apothecary, introduces himself, and hands Jules some money to give him passage to the laboratory. "Sometimes the elven warrior and I partner.... I need my own personal herbalist." Entering the lab, Chalker assures Alastor that in case anything goes awry, "I'll pull you out; that's my job."
Alastor finds that each of the bags weighs exactly the same. From the contents he identifies thirteen different plants and seeds, none of which smell like sulfur. Chalker has him turn an empty bag inside-out; Alastor feels a slight tickle at the back of his neck as he does so, which passes quickly. Chalker observes aloud that the symbols had tried to move from the outside of the bag to the now-exposed inside. Alastor places the everted bag inside another bag. Alastor moves toward a shelf of books and Chalker interrupts him, saying, "We don't have that kind of time." He has Alastor put the contents of another bag into a 'neutral' bag, and as he watches Chalker sees the symbols shift (but they do not jump to the neutral bag). At no time does Chalker smell sulfur. Chalker: "I asked Asseraah about the Apothecary Conspiracy; he said they're aware of it."
Shawna puts up a magical Ward. She searches the sleeping woman, finding several daggers and a garrote. Ahn-Lee (using what he calls the Chalker Method) slaps the goblin awake with a cheery, "Hey there!" The goblin, Forick, says the name of the woman he was with is Loris Din; Ahn-Lee replies, "May she rest in peace." Forick admits he's being well-paid by Pandemonium Guild via Tate Patel. He mentions an elf named Laas Grart. The goblin had been waiting to be told their next meeting place, which should be "not far from the Keen Rogue." A 'specialist' had been brought in "from the isles" to "support the operation." "I'm a well-paid contractor. I'm only 'fanatic' about my own survival. All I know is they're going after something very valuable. They're very paranoid and have hired a lot of heavy hitters." He lists off several taverns and inns in Sapphire, including Bold Warrior, Cup 'n' Stein, Bull & Imp, Hawk Inn, Cheap Book, and Keen Rogue. He names several Pandemonium members working in Sapphire: Tate Patel, Taren Gibbs, Aaron Traymon, Logan Miles; another male goblin, Cal Lindross; an elven female, Perdrina; another female elf whose name he doesn't know, describing her as "stunningly beautiful" and wearing forest-green leather. Ahn-Lee acknowledges the goblin's information, then says, "Well, Forick -- sorry" before cutting his throat.
Ahn-Lee had given his Journey Book to Alastor, and asks Shawna how he can obtain another. Shawna explains that they were given by Jax. Ahn-Lee calls out Jax's name three or four times, and when Jax appears Ahn-Lee asks for another Journey Book, which Jax immediately hands him. Shawna warns Jax to "get your mother's filthy claws out of this city... the showdown is coming."
Chalker goes to Christopher Norsick's mansion, and tells the butler who answers the door, "I'm here to see the spider man -- I mean, Chris. I am Chalker Jackson, Envoy from Dolyena." The butler shows him in. Chalker, slightly annoyed by the discourtesy, has to ask for refreshment while he waits.
Ten minutes later Norwick appears. Chalker asks him about his trade; Norwick says he's in the import business. Yes, he does collect spiders, but his collection is private and not for sale, though he sometimes trades specimens with the other spider collectors in Sapphire. He recognizes the dead spider Chalker shows him, adding that its breed is extremely deadly, as its venom can kill most humanoids in four or five seconds (except elves, who might last as much as a day). He did have an elven guest in the past week, Descott Helron, an elegant female, a trade guild representative from the Peninsular Kingdoms. He mentions that Descott Helron is also the name of a warden ranger from the elf/orc border of the Troubled Lands who was presumed dead 600 years ago.
Chalker: "I have to get this question out of the way. Are you a member of Pandemonium Dagger Guild?" Norwick: "I have dealt with them. They are bad for business." Chalker; "I've taken everything I can from them.... Now I don't have to worry about you collecting the 1000g bounty on my head."
Norwick leads Chalker to the chamber containing his spider collection. He points out the cage where nine of the spiders are crawling about. After observing them for a few moments, Chalker points out that they are moving in a repeating pattern and ignoring their food. His Penetrating Vision indicates that the spiders are illusory. Norwick pokes at one with a sharp stick and they all vanish. Cursing, Norwick whirls around to the cage where the breeding female is kept, and that spider is gone, too. He points to a small rock with a coppery sheen and symbols drawn upon it; "That wasn't there before. It's probably the focus for the illusion." Chalker: "Ten spiders stolen, so there are nine more. Look out, Alastor!"
Chalker reads Norwick's Aura and tells him "You have a spell on you." Norwick hadn't been aware of it; "I won't give you any more information because it might trigger the spell. I'll have it removed and notify my steward." Norwick shows Chalker out, then rushes off to the Mage Guild.
Chalker says aloud, "I'm hungry. I'm headed to the Boar's Head."
Ahn-Lee is following a chain of Pandemonium contacts, starting with a sentry at the Bull & Imp. He spends the next several hours working from one link to the next.
Chalker checks for spiders and other bugs, then asks around as to whether an elf has been there recently (besides Shawna). "Not today," the barmaid replies, "but three or four days ago, a woman came in, ordered first wine and then a Bajeeter Special, then left." Bajeeter, who is the observant sort, adds "She tossed that Bajeeter Special back in one swallow. She acted perpetually wary. Definitely a powerful mage. She walked the house before she left." Chalker assures himself that there are no spells on Bajeeter.
Jules knocks on the laboratory door to check on Alastor. "Are you going to work for the Envoy?" "I'm just contracting. I assure you, I appreciate my employment here."
On his way to the Boar's Head, Alastor hears movement behind him and the sound of a weapon being drawn. He spins around and with his left hand throws a knife into the muggers face, and with the knife in his right stabs him in the vitals. He takes the mugger's purse (containing 2s 3c) and his weighted sap, and walks into the Boar's Head smiling. Chalker sees that Alastor's Aura is "slightly different"; Shawna reckons he'd been "tagged" by the female elf, Descott Helron. She casts Remove Magic, adding prayers to Delsa and Cor.
Alastor talks eagerly about walking through the shady parts of town so he can "take out the scourges of the alleyways." Chalker and Shawna point out that this is not a good idea. Chalker: "If something kills you, I'm going to kill it. I'm not happy when I have to replace people." Alastor: "So... I will not get mugged to make profit."
Shawna goes to tell Lady Thire about the reappearance of 'Descott Helron.'
Chalker visits the Temple of Yasseph. He performs his observance, then walks three times around the sanctuary. An elven priestess approaches and he takes her hand. "My Lady of Light, I may be deceived or confused. I've talked to the Mother of Night and Father Chaos. I think I'm deceived, and Pandemonium Guild doesn't worship either one. Someone pointed me in their direction, but I feel off-base. Are they the instigators? The main factor pays no allegiance to either." The priestess replies, "They are careful to pay respect to all First Chosen, but they do favor certain ones." "I'm not being misled?" "The workings of my sisters and brethren are layered, but does it matter as long as you deal properly?" "What if I'm looking left instead of right?... Have you ever been to 7-Eleven?" "Next question." "Have you heard of the Apothecary Conspiracy?" "Yes. The pursuit will benefit the world in general and the Empire in particular." "You're working from a script. Jax said the same thing. ... Thank you, Lady of Light." "May Delsa continue to walk with you."
11:30pm: Ahn-Lee writes, Everyone ready to have fun? Come to the Brilliant Light Inn. See you soon!
Ahn-Lee has spotted the other goblin he'd seen last night. He spots a couple of lookouts, including a roof sentry and a street beggar. He climbs up to the roof and pokes the sentry. "Any spells on you?" "Yes, but not that I know of." Ahn-Lee cuts his throat and takes his purse ("Finder's fee"). He crosses to a point on the roof just above the beggar and shoots him with a poisoned bolt. Then he waits at the rendezvous point.
Shawna, in the form of a falcon, is the first to arrive. While they wait, she tells Ahn-Lee about the magic 'tag' on him and dispels it.
Chalker and Alastor arrive. Alastor gives Ahn-Lee one vial of spider venom. Ahn-Lee describes their marks. Shawna identifies the room that's warded. Someone makes a jest about setting a fire and smoking their target out of the warded room. Alastor, a strange expression in his eyes, begins talking about how marvelous it would be to burn down the entire inn with their targets trapped inside. (Shawna, in an aside to Chalker: "Did you read 'pyromania' in his aura?" "No...")