Session 34
New Meetings with Old Friends
Delbellis and Cynic hurried away from the palace, urging the other two to do the same before the guards would spot them holding the documents they had just snagged.
For a moment, they wondered where they would be going next, but Cerrule quickly remembered they still needed to receive their gold from the Adventurer's Guild.
About halfway there, Aragir stopped them and expressed his worry that the guild may be used as a trap now that it was taken over by the Obsidian Fist. To make sure that it was safe, the Four Feathers decided they would try to gather some information first.
Cynic preferred to go elsewhere and was sent to check out the new residence they had been given by the Queen, while the rest of the group went to the library in search of Eldgran Wiscard. Upon questioning however, they found that the dwarf had traveled to Abador for the time being and would not be back for a week.
To Aragir’s discomfort, the people at the library stared at him as he passed the halls separate from the group, though he could not discern why.
Next, they would reconvene at the Wizard’s Guild, where they would meet up with Vaeri to discuss the potential threat at the Adventurer’s Guild. While looking for her, Cynic spoke with a working wizard and asked him about some of Vaeri’s tastes and preferences. Delbellis started snooping around and accidentally upset some other wizards by knocking over their documents.
Once they entered Vaeri’s office, they were introduced to Elashor Kaelar, the elven man they had managed to save from Myrneas. Though it was obvious that he was still learning the modern language, he was still able to thank them and tell a little about himself. He told them he used to be a scribe who made children’s books in his time. For this he worked at 'Maenas Enda', the 'Crafter's District'.
When Aragir spoke to the Elashor in Sylvan and reminded him that they would do their best to help him and his people, the man recounted that the old kingdom of Zennicrest was in turmoil as the ‘mad king’ was on his way.
Vaeri then told the group that she had contacted the Sylvan Realm, as she thought it best for him to re-enter society in Esuna.
When the group asked about the Adventurer’s Guild, all Vaeri knew was that it had a new leader, and that it seemed to had made new connections. Though she assured them that it was unlikely that the guild would do them any harm, given their reputation in Brassdorf.
Before the group would leave, Aragir requested a moment with Vaeri alone. He then told her he needed specific information from the hidden section of the Scarlet Academy, and that he could use her help in obtaining it. Vaeri agreed to help him where she was able, but reiterated that this could have dire consequences for not only his membership, and that she could not afford to stand by his side if he got caught.
In the meantime, Cynic tried to chat up with a tiefling woman named Usa, though it did not go as smoothly as he had hoped. Still, the woman, who revealed that she came from the Conquest Chamber in Avalon, seemed amused enough to not judge him for it, and rather chose to tease him.
Delbellis could not help but explore again, and stumbled upon a room meant for alchemy where shelves were used to catalogue various plants and flowers amidst alchemical and botanical books. Not quite knowing where to start to understand it all, she nonetheless was able to discern a small recipe for a healing ointment which, of course, she memorized.
With Vaeri’s reassurance, the group felt confident enough to enter the Adventurer’s Guild. Once there, they found that its new leader —revealed to be Gareth Hedral— awaited them.
The group knew that Gareth was involved with the Wardens (as was the Obsidian Fist) and did not trust him. They refused to enter his office as he attempted to speak with them and hand them their coin.
He explained that some changes were made to their quest system, given that the quest board was now replaced with directed, rank-appropriate assignments. Yet he assured them that the guild was still the same in its essence, and told them he hoped they would remain with the guild.
Hesitantly, the group seemed to agree, though under the guise of pressing matters from the Queen herself they managed to avoid being tied to a new assignment right away.
Once they had received their gold, they continued to the Heart of Quartz. Cerrule asked for defensive magic items, and was presented with a vial of oil that could make one temporarily shift to another plane, among other things. This however did not satisfy her.
While Aragir remained inside to handle his own business, Cynic, Delbellis and Cerrule went outside, where they met Brook, an adventurer whom they had seen angrily walking away from Gareth’s office earlier. She was accompanied by her allies, Lennart, Kenny and Kardragh. The two groups shared their frustration over being used by the guild to handle suspiciously specific matters, and not having the freedom to follow their own path.
The three Four Feather members pitched the idea that they could make a guild of their own, and that they were gauging if there was enough interest from other adventurer’s. Brook and her allies told them they would gladly join when that time arrived. For now, they would promise to relay quests to each other instead.
When the Four Feathers were back together again, it was time to explore their new home…