(10) Aramis’ Caravanserai

[OGRE MAGE]

A thin tanned skin woman behind the bar addresses Kain's request for hired hands.

"If it's a simple porter you seek, they could be hired right here from us."

She looks down her pointed nose and sharp features, starring the cleric up and down.

"If it's mercenaries you seek, we do not hire them out here. You can either ask around the bar patrons for assistance, or head over to the Bazaar in the center of town. The afternoon is getting late now, but there should still be a few folks around there selling themselves or hiring out their skills."

I will let the players who are still posting decide if they would like to go along or not. If not, solo missions, though far more dangerous, are always allowed.

[Grognardsw]

That evening...

Thud.

Grunt.

"Ohhh yes."

THUD.

GRUNT.

"MORE!"

Biblo tried to ignore the banging on the wall from the rutting going on next door. The Caravanserai had thin walls.

Biblo opened his journal of cut Ixian parchment, latch-locked, for recording observations, philosophies and revelations. Inside were entries on astrological lore he had been studying for his visit to the Astrologers Tower. He looked forward to the morrow and what he may learn there.

His eyes lingered on the sigils, his fingers caressed the pages, his nose drank in the musty scent of parchment as Biblo's mind rutted with the book...

"According to Zelminster, the concept of having astrological images on sigils is exclusive to the West. Orando Magnus Gallus proposed the creation of a type of talisman whose power rested completely in natural causes, excluding illicit forms of necromantic magic. This ‘natural magic’ included the use of sigils with astrological images that would contain the astral power of the planes.

Principles of sympathy and antipathy governed the preparation of astrological sigils made of metal. The Sun was astrologically and alchemically associated with gold, so a gold sigil would be struck with a picture of the Sun (usually when it was at its strongest influence, during the vernal equinox) or an astrological sign ruled by the Sun, so the wearer was protected from the malignant influence of the heavens.

Several of Sulle's sigils were designed to work by sympathetic principles. Sigils 1–4 and 6–8 were sigils of the Sun in astrological house of Zeo. The obverse of sigils 2, 4 and 6 also displays the sign of the ‘heart of the lion’ cor leonis, which is Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation of Tal, as well one of the brightest stars in the night sky. The cabalistic symbol for Regulus is engraved on the obverse of sigils 1, 2 and 7.

The sigils’ astral power could be further enhanced by incorporating scriptural quotations and the names of Ixian prophets. Inscribed on sigils 1, 2, 4 and 6 is the common apotropaic formula “Vincit Leo de tribu Iuda, radix Gyarn” from Epiphany 5: 5. Similarly, some of Sulle's sigils were inscribed with words from the Revelations of Metz: “Verbum caro factum est”, causing demons to flee before the power of ‘the Word made Flesh’.

Inscribing the names of angels on sigils was also thought to be efficacious, a tradition begun in the thirteenth century by the increasing influence of cabalistic texts such as the Sefer Yezirah and the Sefer Razi'el. The texts claimed that the ‘secret names of the Gods and the angels provided the means by which the powers were called down into the sublunar levels of the cosmos’, and hence used an intricate and often bewildering angelology in ritualistic magic. In sigils 1 and 7, ‘Verchiel’ is inscribed. Verchiel was invoked as the angel of the month of Kron, ruler of the sign of Tal, and grants powers of the intellect, language, learning and mathematics.

Several of Sulle's sigils also bear geometrical characters of triangles, circles and lines, which he realized represented the ‘intelligences and demons’ of the planets based on numerical associations made with the heavenly bodies derived from the rules of cabala. There is also a magic square or grid of numbers engraved on sigil 10, devoted to the planet Moldook. For early modern philosophers, mathematics and magic were intimately connected. From his doctrine that the elements of the body were mingled in geometrical proportions, and that the soul’s elements combined numerically, Mordenkainen determined that the derived geometrical and numerical figures had peculiar corporeal and spiritual powers…"

At which point, Biblo nodded off to sleep. He snored and occasionally drooled.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

He graciously smiles and thanks the sharp woman for her assistance. "Ah, the Bazaar. That sounds exciting! Who knows what sort of stories and adventures one could find there? Thank you, I'll be sure to put in a good word for Aramis' Caravanserai wherever I go."

Kain takes his leave and heads towards the Bazaar.

[OGRE MAGE]

I will assume by the prior posts that Maxon and Biblo are fine with staying in for the night while the others explore.

In the down time before morning, I might suggest you take the time to read over the clues, rumors, and background each of you already received.

Once I get Kain and Ceana (I will NPC for Hedge until his return) at the Bazaar underway, I will come back to our tired sleepers.

[OGRE MAGE]

Kain can now take his action out to the streets and beyond here in the Bazaar thread: https://www.unseenservant.us/forum/view ... 40#p625840

[Grognardsw]

...At which point, Biblo nodded off to sleep. He snored and occasionally drooled.

And dreamt of a strange city of books...



He wandered into a three-story folio and experienced a wondrous vision...

He oggled the supple tanned leather bindings, caressed the gilded edges, brushed the embossed titles with his lips.

"Out of my way woman - I must have the books!"

Biblo was torn from his dream by the screech of a cock outside, while his own was already quite awake.

[OGRE MAGE]

Common Sleeping Room
After Midnight, Dark, Pungent

As Maxon, Khalid, and Biblo sleep in stationary beds for the first time in nearly a week, they drift off dreaming about clean clothes, clean women, and…..books?

Snoring away into the cacophony of all the others sleeping in the room, the self proclaimed Biblioshaman is certain he hears humping and thumping on the walls from eager lovers in the next room, but then remembers where he is. This is no common brothel, but one of the finest inns in all of Xambaala.

Once the noise persists, he ignores his woken member and forces his eyes open from his dream state. It is then he learns the real reason behind the thumping noises, as he spots the shadowy figures of two very thick men across the dimly lit room. One of the men is dragging a body away from the bed where Khalid was sleeping, while the other is about to grab Maxon out of his lower bunk. They appear to be headed towards the open door leading into the empty hall beyond.

His eyes darting around through the almost nonexistent light in the room, Biblo is pretty sure that he is the only one awake and seeing this abduction at the moment.

Actions!

Can I get a Test of Constitution roll [d6] from Maxon and Khalid to see if they are able to snap out of it enough to react this round.

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[Urson]

Maxon
TOS 3:6 [1d6]=6

[Grognardsw]

“That one of the finest inns in all of Xambaala would have intruders breaking into your room!” thought Biblo as he spied Khalid’s body getting dragged. “Is he dead?!”

Hoping to surprise the interlopers, Biblo silently focused and turned over the mystic words in his head to bring forth ░T░h░e░ ░V░o░i░c░e░. It’s commanding influence had the power to force a man to follow its instruction.

Addressing the man dragging Khalid, the libriomancer said “Sleep!” Biblo’s ░V░o░i░c░e░ was an unnatural deep timbre as its sonic sorcery bent willpower…

At 6 HP, this could be a quick end for our Biblo, but feigning sleep doesn’t seem wise either. So casting Command.

[OGRE MAGE]

Easily Avoided
Common Sleeping Room
After Midnight, Dark, Pungent

Biblo wonders how easy it would be for the pair of bed robbers to simply kill him if he gets involved. Fortunately for his companions, he decides to do something other than pretending to sleep. While he prepares his spell, he still doesn't notice anyone else in the other beds stirring at all. (Technically, it's not "your" room. It's a common room.)

The dark hulking figure pulls the unmoving form of Khalid towards the open door while the other continues wrestling the unconscious Maxon from his bunk. Biblo calls out from the darkness for the lead figure to "sleep", causing him to drop Khalid to the floor with a thud before joining him there as well. As the figure snores away, the Moorish Pyromancer begins to stir himself now, slowly coming back to his senses.

The second figure pulls Maxon from his lower bunk, but stops cold when he hears the book shaman call out from the other side of the room. His square head jerks in that direction momentarily before he quickly drops Maxon to the floor again, now headed towards his friend and the doorway beyond. Maxon groans and tries to figure out what is happening to him. (give me another Test of Con to act, this time at a -1)

Actions?

[Urson]

Maxon
TOS 3:6 [1d6]=1-1

[OGRE MAGE]

Maxon
TOS 3:6 [1d6]=1-1

I guess that would be a critical success?

Would you like to make an action?

[Urson]

Maxon

That's what I get for not reading the rules closely enough. I thought it was a super-critical fail.

Jainkoak madarikatu zaitu! Maxon swears as he gets his hands free. He speaks, but his words are somehow the sounds of a bonfire burning ( Burning Hands). Small jets of flame play over the man who was dragging Maxon from his bunk.

[OGRE MAGE]

Hmmmmmm......

Your last roll was a 6, and that was a failure, so I thought you must have had it figured out.

3:6 would indicate that you need to roll a 1, 2, or 3 on a d6.

[Urson]

It's funny how you think i pay attention to the numbers.

[Grognardsw]

If we're in a new round, Biblo may take another full action depending on thug's reaction to the burning hands, but for the moment:

"THIEVES, KILLERS, RAPISTS! HELP!" hollered Biblo at the top of his lungs. "DREAM DISTURBERS!"

[OGRE MAGE]

Bad Memory
Common Sleeping Room
After Midnight, Dark, Pungent

Biblo starts shouting at the top of his lungs, the racket he makes finally rousing a few other nearby roommates from their deep slumber. Some of them instinctively draw stashed swords or daggers, jumping to their feet somewhat disoriented in the darkness.

The hulking bed robber reaches his sleeping accomplice near the door as Khalid and Maxon gather their magical senses. The Pyromancer summons a small, glowing ball of flame to appear in the palm of his hand, finally shedding some light into this dark room.

In the doorway, he spots a large, half naked, dusky-skinned figure slapping another man laying on the floor before grabbing him by the arm and dragging him into the empty barroom beyond.

To avoid starting the room on fire, Maxon steps into the open doorway to get closer to the fleeing duo before releasing a magical fan of hot flames at their backs. They grunt in pain as the flames seer their unprotected flesh, sending them running towards the open door behind the nearby bar all the faster.

Actions?

[Urson]

Maxon
Maxon grabs a hand-sized stone and throws it at the attacker on the left.
[1d20]=14+1

If needed

Dex 13 TOS 3:6 [1d6]=4

[Grognardsw]

Biblo Phyle yawned. Since nothing was stolen, he was reluctant to give chase. The manager would hear about this tomorrow!

“Are you okay?” Biblo asked the two Moors. “Was anything stolen? Or did they wish to steal you for slavery?”

The libriomancer went back to bed, using his backpack as a pillow, and hoped to recapture the delightful dream that was rudely interrupted.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bad Memory
Common Sleeping Room
After Midnight, Dark, Pungent

Biblo has seen enough of this disturbance of the sleep, crawling back into his musty bunk unconcerned while the others give chase. A few of the unknown folks in the busy common room follow suit, shaking the strange disturbance off to get themselves more rest. A few others seem more disoriented than one just roused from slumber, but they shrug off the effect as simply too much strong wine.

Khalid and Maxon watch the pair of husky perpetrators rush through the open doorway into what must be a kitchen by the smell of things. The Pyromancer rushes to the doorway while the Warlock looks around for a rock to throw. (sorry, no rocks laying around on the tavern floor) Khalid sees the pair rush through another doorway that leads outside, the magical flame in his hand still lighting his way through the dark building. He gets a little better view of this odd pair of grey skinned, loinclothed ruffians, but still has no idea what is actually going on here.

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As the pair are about to pursue into the next room, along with 2 other armed warrior types that were also awakened and have joined the chase, the sleepy voice of what must be a night guard rings out in common from the dark barroom behind them.

"STOP WHERE YOU ARE! What's going on here? The kitchen is off limits to common patrons! What is the meaning of all this?"

Actions?