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20:19, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

[IC]  Portents and Omens.

Posted by StorytellerFor group 0
Storyteller
GM, 19 posts
Weaver of Tales
Wed 23 Jan 2019
at 04:04
  • msg #1

[IC]  Portents and Omens

The Pearl Fort market square is bustling with activity, even at this hour of the morning.  A blue sky with warm sun and just a scattering of clouds promises a fine and clear day.  The natives of the town are getting their shopping done before the visitors rise from their beds or berths or bunks.  Most sailors in town stay aboard their ships for the free lodging, but mercenaries or caravan guards for the merchants are often found lodged in the so-called "Sailors' Barracks", a former warehouse now outfitted with rows of stacked bunks, along with a bathhouse.  It's far cheaper for a merchant to pay for a space there for their employees than most rooms at the Pearl's Rest Inn (the only place in town that regularly has overnight guests), and less flea-ridden than buying a spot on the floor after closing at one of the taverns.

The half-stone-half-timber Pearl's Rest Inn is the finest the town has to offer in terms of food, drink, and nightly music, but other taverns like the Pig and Potion, Cracked Hull, Wicked Coin, Drunken Salt, and the Kraken's Deep offer either rowdier clientele, gambling, amorous company, less refined music, or sometimes an incurious staff and privacy, depending on the place.

The market square has stalls set up between various storefronts so people can display their wares: produce, bread, eggs, fish, oysters, pearls, candles, oil, salt, spices, leather goods, jewelry of many makes, supplies for pack animals, a small beast market, furs, clothing, weaving, one stall even sells paper, ink, and small books for those who wish to write letters, or keep accounts or a journal.

Amongst the crowd are a few natives to Pearl Fort, Amber and Aria, and several relative newcomers.  The black-braided half-orc has been lurking around the town for days, while the older man in robes and the young blond man with the sturdy build seem to be here for a different purpose they haven't divulged to any of the town gossips.

All those are in the crowd this morning when they all witness a most curious sight: a cloud appears above the stall of a single weaver, deluging her with an abrupt cloudburst out of a calm sky.  But what is most curious is that the weaver doesn't get a drop on her, as if the water dares not touch her uninvited...
Amber Elamaine
Fighter, 5 posts
Two-Weapon Warrior
The Kindhearted Mercenary
Wed 23 Jan 2019
at 06:41
  • msg #2

[IC]  Portents and Omens

Amber arrived in Pearl Fort just before dawn broke. She hasn’t been in this settlement since she was hired to capture a group of cattle thieves less than a year ago. The homey air of the area didn’t seem to change over the years, although the same cannot be said for Amber. For she is not here for sightseeing, she is here for a mission. And as she walks among the crowd, she is reminded of this fact when a cloud suddenly appears a few steps beside her. A spellcaster? Is it something related to this heir?

Amber approached the stall directly beneath the cloud, covering herself with her cloak. “Hi, there! Might you be in trouble?” she shouted toward the the girl in the middle of the downpour. Holding her sword tight behind her, she might not seem as cordial as she intends. But safety always comes first, they say.
Davor Spiritwalker
Half-Orc Oracle, 13 posts
Barbarian Mystic
Wed 23 Jan 2019
at 22:25
  • msg #3

[IC]  Portents and Omens

Since the weaver woman set up her stall in the morning, Davor had been sitting in the shadow of an alley across the square watching her. He had been perched on an old crate that barely supported his weight with his green eyes fixed on her stall a few hundred feet from his hiding place. Earlier in the morning he had prepared himself by infusing his armor with some essence of the spirits such that in the darkness it now seemed to cast a light of its own. He didn't know why, exactly, he was watching this one particular weaver, but the whispers had led him to that course of action.

Davor casts Magic Vestment (3rd level) first thing in the morning on his armor.

When the clear skies opened up above the woman, Davor stirred. He got to his feet and began to make his way into the square proper at an oblique angle to the woman without taking his eyes off her. When another woman approached the weaver with a sword clutched behind her back, Davor adjusted and began to push directly through the crowd towards them. As he neared, he reached up with one hand to grasp one of the bones in his hair, made a distinct gesture in the air before him with his other hand, and spoke a single guttural word aloud.

Davor casts Detect Evil (1st level).
Aria
Soulknife, 10 posts
Thought and Action
An entwined perfection
Wed 23 Jan 2019
at 23:34
  • msg #4

[IC]  Portents and Omens

The first light of dawn found Aria strolling casually through the awakening city of Pearl Fort. As usual, she had broken her fast with her parents in the small, cramped kitchen of her childhood home. Her mother's cooking had remained excellent as had her father's penchant for nosiness. It had only taken the red-haired woman six times of politely telling him that her current business was best kept discreet before he finally took the hint. Still, she would not have traded her mornings for anything and the fact that she would soon be bereft of such familial luxury made Aria sad.

To say that the sudden downpour caught Aria by surprise would have been an understatement. The fact that the sky was a brilliant azure and the sun a golden halo casting warmth amid a scant scattering of clouds made the odd weather a curiosity that even the normally stoic woman could not ignore. The fact that the target of the offending cloud appeared to be immune to such watery hijinks gave the red-haired woman pause. Aria knew little about magic, but this situation literally shouted to the heavens of its involvement.

Abandoning her casual stroll, Aria walked purposefully toward the weaver's stall. She noticed both the swordswoman and the half-orc's interest and her own was even further piqued.

"I don't suppose you're doing that," Aria asked the weaver as she stood just outside the deluge's radius.
Helena
Heir, 5 posts
Thu 24 Jan 2019
at 03:27
  • msg #5

[IC]  Portents and Omens

The day had started just normal enough. The weaver was most likely not old enough to be considered a woman, she was fairly young to be on her own. Yet she managed to scrape enough to survive by herself. She did her best to keep a nice and well-kept look within her means, as good image led to customers spending more money. Her long wavy black hair was tied by two ribbons to keep it out of the way.

She had been working since early morning, awaiting for people to buy some of her wares or to commission some work. It had been a slow day, perhaps she wouldn't be able to afford a decent lodging that day. She kept her focus into her craft and just sighed when she heard the sound of water raining. Frowning, she motioned to pack for the day when it suddenly dawned on her that not a single raindrop touched her. She turned up and then back to her arms and body trying to make sense of the confusing situation.

Then she heard a question about her doing something by a woman to her right, she was just trying to process what was happening when she got questioned by an imposing and threatening cloaked figure in front of her. "Just what is happening?" she said completely confused and spooked.
Jerec
Wizard, 4 posts
Thu 24 Jan 2019
at 21:28
  • msg #6

[IC]  Portents and Omens

Rising before the crack of dawn as was his norm, Jerec had studied his spellbook until the sun broke then freshened up and left his room in the Pearl's Rest, making sure to take his things in his travel-bag strapped across his chest and resting against his hip underneath his faded grey cloak. Even with daybreak it was too early for the kitchen staff and he wasn't able to get a bite to eat, but he had heard the market would be open and bustling, with vendors selling food.

The mage had arrived in Pearl Fort just a day earlier, with only vague information about a lucrative job. There was a demand for a man of his talents, as there always was with wizard's of at least a modicum amount of talent, power and skill. Jasper had told him he would send word of his arrival ahead and the job would find him rather then Jerec having to seek the employer out himself, for secrecy was apparently paramount in this particular job.

As he walked among the stalls of the marketplace Jerec's eye wandered over the many stalls while his mind wondered not for the first time over the past few years if Jasper's age had finally caught up with his mind. Perhaps it had not been a good idea to travel with such vague information after all...

Suddenly his attention was taken by a cloudburst over only a singular stall, though the occupant, a young woman, was not drenched in the slightest. Though the even might surprise many, to one trained in the arts arcane it was not so astonishing. Avoiding the effects of the weather was a simple magic, often used by the mercenary-mage himself on his many travels. However in this instant the girl seemed taken by surprise, which meant she had not cast the spell. Which in turn meant the cloud appearing only over her had not been conjured by her also, unless she was a very good actress and sought to draw in a crowd to her stall

Stroking his beard Jerec walked closer to the stall and the girl, noting others in the area doing the same, and one of them, a cloaked woman pointedly asked the girl right out if she was responsible for the limited deluge.

Keeping a short distance away he watched curiously to see where this might lead.
Aria
Soulknife, 12 posts
Thought and Action
An entwined perfection
Fri 25 Jan 2019
at 13:27
  • msg #7

[IC]  Portents and Omens

"Well it is raining around you, and only you mind, but you are not getting a single drop on you," the red-haired woman said matter-of-factly. "Most would find such an occurrence odd, to say the least. I, however, find it very intriguing. My name is Aria, what is yours?"
Amber Elamaine
Fighter, 7 posts
Two-Weapon Warrior
The Kindhearted Mercenary
Fri 25 Jan 2019
at 14:12
  • msg #8

[IC]  Portents and Omens

Amber was certainly curious of what is going on with the girl. But of all the people who came to the scene, Amber was most fixated on the charging half-orc. She drew her weapon and held it in front of her torso just in case. Now seeing that another woman had already engaged with the confused girl, Amber turned her body toward Davor. She crouched in a stance, staring at his movements and ready to strike if absolutely necessary.

“Don’t make me use this weapon on you, now. Who are you?” she exclaimed to the half-orc, still staying in place.
Davor Spiritwalker
Half-Orc Oracle, 15 posts
Barbarian Mystic
Fri 25 Jan 2019
at 17:40
  • msg #9

[IC]  Portents and Omens

Despite pushing his way through the crowd in rather dramatic fashion, Davor had not drawn the rather imposing sword on his back even when the suspicious woman rounded on him and threatened him with her own weapon. Reassured by the lack of sensation from his spell, he grinned at the warrior but also kept an eye on the second woman, this one with red hair, who was now speaking to the weaver. In mocking imitation of formality, the large half-orc bowed to the woman brandishing her sword. "It's good to meet someone who knows how to greet others properly. Everyone else in this town is too polite to draw their weapon just at the sight of me. My clan called me Spiritwalker, but you can call me Davor. Who are you?" The sarcasm is apparent in his tone.

Rising from the bow, he cast an eye over the situation. "I don't need the spirits to tell me that this is strange." He gestured at the sudden downpour and then the clear sky. "It has all the markings of an omen and a rather obvious one at that. Why are you important?" This last statement was addressed to the weaver over the shoulder of the sword wielding woman.
Helena
Heir, 7 posts
Sat 26 Jan 2019
at 04:06
  • msg #10

[IC]  Portents and Omens

The weaver couldn't take it anymore, the whole situation was beyond absurd. Suddenly everybody was interested in her somehow. And two very scary imposing and threatening people seemed like they were about to start fighting? There was only one way to solve this, flee!

The girl left everything and began running as fast as she could, leaving all questions unanswered.
Jerec
Wizard, 5 posts
Sun 27 Jan 2019
at 17:36
  • msg #11

[IC]  Portents and Omens

The situation had escalated alarmingly. One of the women had drawn a two-handed blade and was confronting another newcomer, a half-orc with it. Unsurprisingly, the girl they had all been looking at dropped everything and ran off!

"Bloody hell!" Jerec muttered into his beard, and grasping his staff moved forward to intervene before the situation escalated into a bloody affair. Moving closer to the sword wielding woman and the half-orc he remarked, "Look now lady, this fellow doesn't mean any harm. He's not even drawn a weapon, it appears he was just curious about the sudden downpour like we all are. Lets just sheathe that blade now before someone gets hurt."

He smiled at the end of his statement, trying to look like a friendly uncle solving a dispute between two favorite nephews. Glancing at the retreating form of the weaver he added, "Oh and someone should stop and talk to her, she seemed quite confused and frightened, likely thinks this is all her fault."
Urle
Human Cavalier, 5 posts
Order of the Lion
Mon 28 Jan 2019
at 14:33
  • msg #12

[IC]  Portents and Omens

Urle had been off in the distance, just having left a public house after finishing a drink. He maintained a watchful eye on the curious happenings as he unhitched his horse Demetria from the post.

Whatever had happened had caused her to start running away, and as much as fixing some local squabble wasn't the reason he was here, it was good enough reason to start. He got up on his horse and gently rode after the woman, giving plenty of space to  try and be nonthreatening.

"Excuse me young lady"
as he caught up to her "I promise that I mean you no harm. You seem to be in some distress. Can I help you out somehow? At least give you a ride to wherever you were planning on running to?"
Amber Elamaine
Fighter, 8 posts
Two-Weapon Warrior
The Kindhearted Mercenary
Tue 29 Jan 2019
at 02:50
  • msg #13

[IC]  Portents and Omens

Amber considered the wizard’s insistence for a moment. After some thought, she put her head down and sighed silently. She sheathed her sword, although it was clear that it was done with some reluctance. “Maybe I’ve been out in the wilds for too long and I forgot my city manners,” she shrugged. However, it was clear that she was still suspicious of everyone. Her client strongly warned that this was going to be a perilous task, and that she should only rely on her instincts. He was adamant that Amber must not put her trust in anyone, even those who seem the most worthy of it. This particular morning, she was inclined to believe him. After all, what had happened left her with an uncomfortable sign that some change is about to happen—something she can barely handle. Deep down, although she should be more adaptive, a sense of wariness crept up to her. I’m not all that brave and mighty as I thought, I guess.

“My name is Amber. Nice to meet you too.” Amber responded to Davor’s sarcastic tone with her own, albeit a less apparent one. She was about to continue talking when Helena abruptly ran away from the scene. “We can finish our quarrel later. Now, I need to make things right,” she said, focusing her attention away from the half-orc and on the frightened girl. She pushed her way through the crowd to catch up to her. Amber was a bit guilty since she was probably the one who made her run away. She glanced at the cavalier who was riding after the girl but kept her focus on Helena.

When she was in shouting distance, Amber called out to her. “What happened with me and the orc wasn’t your fault, miss. Please come back to your stall. I promise we’ll be a lot nicer this time.” Amber definitely had some questions she wanted to ask, which is why she needed to calm Helena down first. Hopefully, she thought, this wouldn’t create more of a scene it already had. But that kind of thinking was probably too optimistic at this point.
Davor Spiritwalker
Half-Orc Oracle, 17 posts
Barbarian Mystic
Tue 29 Jan 2019
at 23:40
  • msg #14

[IC]  Portents and Omens

Davor didn't have a chance to respond before the warrior was off and chasing after the fleeing weaver so, instead he turned to the bearded man who had intervened. He gives the man a far more polite nod of the head. "I appreciate your intervention. That may well be closest I've come to being stabbed since I came here." The half-orc seemed utterly unconcerned about the fleeing girl. He was confident, after all, that he would be guided back into her path if necessary.

As he took in the man's appearance, there is enough of the implication of magic to cause Davor to ask the question. "Do you know anything about the cloud? The spirits tell me it is important, but that's about it."
Aria
Soulknife, 14 posts
Thought and Action
An entwined perfection
Wed 30 Jan 2019
at 00:19
  • msg #15

[IC]  Portents and Omens

Aria calmly watched the chaotic scene unfold around her. Her employer's words echoed loudly within the vault of her mind as she digested the revealed portent. They had said that this personage's identity would be revealed by a sign from the gods themselves. If rain falling from a clear sky upon one individual, who then miraculously defied the laws of nature to remain dry, wasn't a sign, then the red-haired woman did not know what was. The fact that several other people, including a man on horseback, were taking interest in the girl gave Aria cause for concern. If this girl was the heir, then many would be looking for her, some for good and some for ill.

With an inward sigh Aria took off toward Helena, her stride swift and sure. She thought about forming her mind blade in case the mounted man was a threat, but decided against it. Instead, she decided to call out and see if the absconding woman would listen to reason.

"Please miss, I mean you no harm. In fact, if you are who I think you are, I mean you the exact opposite."
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