VI. b. Paying Off the Monkey

General Summary

Morrsday, Midsky 9

After nine days underground discovering and then exploring not only the Labyrinth of Yis'tilah'ste, but the ancient, mysteriously abandoned city of legand, Yis'tilahl'ste itself. However, you were disillusioned from the majesty of the place as you found it infested by the Black Hand, a secret society that was only supposed to be only rumors and smoke.

Unable to locate the dryads in the dead of night, you made your pursuit towards Gravenholm, with Tort leading the way. Nearly exhausted when you reached The Gateway, you found the closest in you could in the Southern Parish, The Hobb-Knobbler. It is small and sparce but surprisingly clean - not a louse or a mouse to be seen during your stay.

The next morning, after inhaling a breakfast of hard cheese, cold sausage, bread, and lukewarm coffee, you decided to hire two cart to take you thru the city. Putting your trust and a bit of gold into your cart drivers, you asked them to take you to where ever would be the best places to sell your recently procured ancient items; Max even weighed down their purses further to be expedient about your business. They first took you to the Silver Thread, where, after some convincing, you were able to offload your rolls of ancient silk and some minor jewelry items.

When asked who you were, you gave her the moniker "The Crimson Sleep", though you're not associated with the Adventurer's Guild.

Next, your rickshaw drivers took you to The Page's Nook, where you each offloaded some ancient books that brought you a heafty sum. You promised the librarian, Anya, that you would return with more books for her, and that you would only sell them to her.

With a powerful need to know about a number of items in your possession, you asked your drivers to take you to the Temple of Arelion, the goddess of magic, art, and beauty. Ash cleverly disguised herself as an intermediate priestess and picked out a less experienced priestess as her prey, She convinced this priestess that you were of importance and needed to get your many items identified immediately.

Seemingly surprised to be tasked with such a large group, she led you back to a chamber made from beautiful stone that gleamed opalescent colors from every angle - and entire room carved from a block of rare moonstone. She welcomed you to the stone benches carved around the room and asked for an unidentified item to be placed on the alter. Max decided to go first and offered the mummified hand. The woman was hesitant, proclaiming it as something vile and evil, but with Max's intimidating size, overpowering demeanor, she made the attempt anyways, much to her potential end.

The woman began screaming an unholy scream and blood began to flow from her eyes and ears. A high priestess came running in and demanded answers. She swore at you for asking for something so vile to be identified here, before dismissing you and ushering the girl off.

After scheming your way into another chamber, this one made of beautiful verdant stone with ivy and vines etched into every crevasse. At last, you were able to get the remainder of your items identified, although Max waited until all the other items had been identified to attempt to have his mummified hand clinging to a key identified again. It took an hour and a lot of power for the priestess to identify it as the Hand a Shurazan, something that was only rumored to exist - a legend of legends.

As soon as the priestess ushered away to get someone of higher rank and more knowledge on how to destroy such an evil item, you took off, fearful that this potentially world-shattering item that isn't supposed to exist could fall into the wrong hands.

Instead, you turned your attention towards paying off the monkey on your backs and searched for Behram. You were dismayed to learn from the staff at the Copper Cauldron that Behram was expected to be away for a few months. Undeterred, you used Dreamhawk's status as a noble to enter the East Parish, where you suspected he lived.

Once inside, you were able to get directions from a guard, who was surprised you had an appointment with Behram, since he was out of town. However, you persevered as Ash led the way, charming the guard into escorting you inside Behram's home to deposit a fist-sized ruby, valued at 500 gold; you asked the guard to relay the message that there was more where that came from and Behram should find you when he gets back. With your scheming over, you quickly left the East Parish.

Last, but not least, you arrived in the slums of North Parish, at Boran's behest. There, he sold his ancient wine to the bartender, whom he had learned was a fence for ill-gotten goods. Day complete and coin purses jingling, you took your rest at the Drunken Spaniard there in the North Parish.

In the morning, after breakfast, Ash tracked down a courier to send money home before you hired the same rickshaw drivers from the day before, who had stayed at the same inn. And you have them take you all the way back down to the Gateway, taking several hours.

It was nearing mid-day as you entered the Kingswood again, once more trying to summon the dryad. You returned to the second spot you stopped for a short rest - the same place the dryad had attacked you at. And this time, when you pull out the seed to summon them, it is only a few moments before they appear, hostile and ready to fight. However, Dreamhawk was able to persuade the dryads not to attack and offered that you would willingly give the seed back, as you had promised. The dryads seemed to have disappeared shortly after taking off with the Everliving Seed, so you followed their trail to a fairy circle, which Dreamhawk and Ash knew would take you to the Faewild.

Instead, you returned to town and hired a wizard you found , Magnus the Magnificent. You requested a scrying on Behram Talverson, even providing Magnus with your coin purses from him. However, Magnus gave you the news that you that Behram Talverson did not exist.

Uncerain of what lies ahead, what will you do? Where will you go next? Who can say.