Session 7 - Scene 4 (of 5)
After they finish their drinks, everyone leaves to go get ready for the dinner. Krolec makes sure to leave enough time to stop by the Moonsong Temple and meditate to Corellon. Everyone eventually meets up at the gate, and are escorted in to the dining hall.
After they are announced, Lord Markelhay welcomes them and introduces them to his other guests. In attendance are famous local historian Paul Cranewing, local artist Honoria Mellnor, and visiting lord, Lord True Value. Several of the group members notice Al and Lord Value exchange glances, but no one quite figures out the significance. Neither does anyone notice the resemblance between the two men.
Lord Markelhay also picks up on Zena’s absence and Mitka’s appearance. While Krolec explains that Mitka has joined them, Markelhay looks suspicious and appears to give a look to his guards that suggests he wants Mitka looked after carefully.
As they sit down, the group makes conversation with the other guests. Paul Cranewing quizzes Krolec about the group’s expedition into the sewers. Cranewing mentions his long-standing desire to completely explore and map out the sewers. Alas, the sewers are far too big and dangerous for that to ever be feasible.
Cranewing goes on to talk about legends of a tunnel system that exists deep below the sewers. A place called “The Devil’s Attic”. According to the historical fragments of notes Cranewing has been able to assemble, the tunnels were commissioned by Lord Astor, a prominent city figure a couple of hundred years ago. Paul has not been able to find out where the tunnels went, but they were designed to be a private way to move from one lord’s location to another. Furthermore, they were said to contain a lavish sitting room full of fine furnishings and other treasures, though Rhogar questions what condition they would be in now. Cranewing asks Krolec to let him know if the group should ever happen to discover the tunnels, as no one who has gone looking for them has ever returned.
The other local guest, Honoria Mellnor, is currently at the keep to paint a portrait of Lord Markelhay. She is still putting the finishing touches on it, but it should be ready in a couple of days. Honoria goes on to mention her desire to recreate the lost portrait of the Relcoff Family, an aristocratic family who died off many years ago. Their portrait was lost during the sieges of the Orc Wars.
However, she knows that the Relcoff Family Plaza in the old cemetery inside the Tombwoods is said to contain statues of all of the family members. She hopes to hire someone (for 50 gold) to go into the cemetery and get her a sketch of the statues. But, so far she has not found anyone willing to go into the area, as it is considered haunted and rumored to contain the undead.
Merend and Krolec both get the same idea – they should probably just go in and clear out the Tombwoods completely. The idea of having a haven for the undead in the middle of the city is untenable to them. Plus, who knows what treasures might be found there.
Of all the guests, Lord Value is the least talkative. Krolec eventually gets him to open up a little. Lord Value explains that he is from the Asandar region, east of the Dawnforge Mountains. His region borders a large wasteland known as the Sind Desert. Recently, his area has come under attack by a nomadic group of barbarians known as the Slave Lords, who have been raiding his outlying towns, and capturing the townfolk to use as slaves.
Lord Value had come to Nentir to seek assistance, but this region is busy with its own problems. Krolec laments the groups’ inability to assist him at this time, but does keep it in mind for the future. All the while through the discussion, Al grumbles implied insults about Lord Value to himself, though some others, particularly Merend, do take notice.
When the dinner is over, the other guests begin to leave as Lord Markelhay invites Krolec and his group into the back parlor to discuss the job he has for them over drinks. However, Al stuns everyone by making a point to call out to Lord Value and say, “so long, dad!” as he spits a curse at him. Lord Value heads off in a huff without acknowledging Al, while everyone else is trying to comprehend what happened. Putting two and two together, they decide that Al’s last name, Trueism, means he is the illegitimate son of Lord True Value.
Lord Markelhay isn’t thrilled with the obvious insult, but elects to shuffle everyone off to the parlor and simply ignore the incident. After the servants hand out pipes and glasses of brandy to everyone, Lord Markelhay begins discussing the problem of Kobald Hall and the effect on the city’s finances.
Lord Markelhay is a little hesitant, once again mentioning how groups of adventurers in the past have been hired but failed to return. Al handles the negotiations, and is able to use this information to talk Markelhay up from 200 gold to 300 gold for their reward (along with whatever they find at the keep).
Al tries getting something else out of Markelhay, such as any “spare” magic items they might have, but Markelhay explains the only magic item he recalls ever being in the castle was a magical sword named Moonbane that was passed down through generations. Lord Markelhay points out if they were to coincidentally discover Moonbane in Kobald Hall (a prospect he finds unlikely) then it would be in their best interests to return it to him. In the end, he agrees to the group’s request for a “favor to be named later” as part of their reward.
They also discuss a timeline. Since it isn’t urgent that the kobalds be eliminated immediately, the group decides to tackle heading into the Tombwoods first, since its right in town.