[Game Thread] Chapter One: Blessed Reunion of Souls

[PsionicRanger]

Each of you has some time as you make your way to Lower Tavick's Landing in High Walls. Sharn truly is a majestic, towering city--the floating towers a testament to arcane might and the imaginations of men to construct it. There is no wonder that people are led here to adventure and to go from here to the likes of Xendrick. Truly amazing...at least those might have been your thoughts before you got here...

The ground road leads to this place, actually. Where you got off in Terminus--that section of the city, well, it was a bit cleaner...a bit nicer, but this is just sad. Here in High Walls, it is obvious that the need is great. You walk by and the hands of beggars brush up against you ankles. Finally, though, you see a sign with a large gray greatsword on it. This must be the place. Obviously, this bar has had its share of fights, you can tell by looking at some of the furniture, obviously broken before, and others of it looks as if it could be easily broken--quite possibly, this is not by accident. Perhaps the owner just refuses to invest in something that will be replaced in a week.

Sitting near the door, you see a rusty, mangled looking piece of autonomon, and then realize that what you're actually looking at is a Warforged. You've seen them before, sure, but this one is in a bad way. He doesn't seem to be paying you any mind as you walk in. On the far wall, that's partly partitioned, you see a familiar face sitting down. It is mid day and the facilities are just barely starting to see people...you pass by on your way, he rises to greet you, extends a hand...it's Barret!

[MorganLockbreaker]

Kelvin shakes Barrett's hand.Am I the first to arrive? I'll admit, I left home a bit hastily but I thought some of the others lived closer to Sharn. No matter. How goes "the farm" Old Friend? I'll order a drink as we sit down to wait.

[Jai]

Never one for a subtle entrance, Dawn is nearly bouncing on her toes as she enters the bar. She distractedly tries to calm her pixie-cut ginger hair a bit, as she wide baby blues dance around the room. When they finally land on Barret and Kelvin, she rushes across the room and nearly tackles Kelvin in his chair with a hug around the middle, then proceeds to do the same to Barret. Grinning larger than should be humanly possible, she greets the two. Kelvin, Barret! Sorry, I'm late, the naming ceremony took longer than I thought. She waves a hand at the shiny hilts of what appear to be brand new swords. Looks like I'm finally catching up with you guys, age-wise, huh? You look well, how've you been? What've you been up to? She attempts, to sit down in one of the chairs, but fidgets terribly and stands up, walks around, tries again. Sorry, 27 hours on the Rail. I really have gotten better about sitting still.

[Aosaw]

"You've gained weight," said a voice behind her.

He looked old today. His hair was almost fully grey, his face was wracked with scars and age lines, and he stooped considerably. Where twenty-five years ago he might have slung his sword across his shoulders, today he leaned heavily on its pommel, occasionally using the blade's length to help him walk.

Yet there was no mistaking Roc. While his skin was wrinkled, it was also tinted in the color of his private totem; and his fingers each ended in sharpened claws. Even the irises of his eyes had turned redder over the years. "Hello, Dawn," he said roughly.

The years had not been kind to him. And in the presence of Dawn, his mood was sullen, and he quickly quieted himself.

[Jai]

Dawn almost darts forward for another hug, but stops herself short. Her eyes search his face for a moment, not quite sure what she's looking for. She gives a rueful smile, pats her bit of paunch and says, Yeah, well. Three kids. Her smile looking a bit more genuine, she nudges a chair toward him with her toe. Looks like I'm not going to be the only redhead for long. Although, she tugs on one of her greying locks, I'm not sure I'll be a ginger for much longer.

[Huhart]

Phineus joins the group and gives Dawn a hearty swat on the ass. "Bigger target than I remember, girl, " He giggles, "Not that I have room to talk." he adds, patting his own overgrown gut. Without a pause, he continues, "Kelvin, I see you haven't managed to blow yourself up yet. And Roc, they let you wander about without a leash these days!"

With some effort, he manages to perch on one of the rickety bar stools. "Where's Andreal? And Kai, she's probably disguised as this chair," He laughs. Turning to Barret, the gnome goes on, "Why'd you pick Sharn, of all places, to meet? I had to get a damn permit to get my gorilla through the gates! And when I told them who I was, do you know what the gate guard said? 'Who?' They've never heard of me! Can you believe it? I'll have to talk to Filtswaddler. He's been slacking!"

Receiving a dark look from Barret, he quickly adds, "Don't worry. I told them I was going on a pilgramage to Greenheart." Phin stops for half a moment to think, "We're not going that way, are we?"

Looking around the place, he carries on, "Nice place, by the way. I'm sure the beer tastes like moose piss." With that said, he seems to have finally wound down for the moment.

[MorganLockbreaker]

Kelvin says to Phineas, Considering how far down we are among the towers, I wouldn't be surprised that the water they cut the ale with really has some piss in it. And from what I can gather, the city watch has been almost completely replaced in the refugee sector since the war ended. These new guards probably don't know anything past the last couple of years. By the way Barrett, why are we in the refugee sector? Anybody with two coins to rub together sticks out like a sore thumb down here.

[Acheron]

***Cole Genisis***

It might have been a halfling who stepped off the lightning rail, but it was the form of Cole that slipped into the bar. His features the exact same as they were when he had originally joined the group. His waist length blond hair was pulled back into it’s usual low queue. His usual dark brown and blue ensemble seemed different only because of the new addition of silver colored inter-locking swirls around the wrists and neck.

Cole moved slowly and silently up to her previous adventuring group, he slid up carefully behind Phineus. ”You know someone who can disguise them self as a chair.” She said in Sylvan, ”Facinating.”

He bowed slightly to Kelvin and Roc, to Barret a deeper bow was due, but for Dawn, the rogue swept her hand and kissed it more than plainly.

”So now that we’re all here,” he said with a smile as he took the final seat, ”And since no one is disguised as my chair; why exactly have we been summoned?”

[Aosaw]

"I've been wondering that myself," said Roc, sitting down uneasily beside Dawn. "I had more or less resigned myself to the thought that I'd never see or hear from any of you again. Then I get your letter..." He shook his head. "Something's gone wrong, mates. Way wrong, for Barrett to trust me again."

[PsionicRanger]

As you all gather, Barrett smiles. I'm sure we'll talk about loyalties and such later. Today, however, Barrett pulls out a pocket watch and looks at it. He chuckles slightly and pulls out a pair of spectacles and reads the time. From now, 'til they kick us out of here, I say we drink and talk. I know we've all kept a finger on the pulse of our friends and our belongings...

Barrett calls the wench over and has her bring wine, food, and the rest of you bring the memories and the stories. Laughter, tears, and memories fill your section of the bar for a couple of hours--of course, by your friends, the hours seem like minutes. Then, Barrett turns to Kelvin, Now, why did we meet here in this low section of the city? We stick out? This may be true, but As you all know, I've got a place in my heart for old Cyre. And being here, as nice as it is, brings some of that back for me--Just as having the rest of you back does. But tomorrow starts work, and I should fill you in on what I know while there's some semblance of sobriety here. At the mention of the word sobriety, Barrett takes a long drink from his glass and pours it full again. Small talk of the farm and life in general can wait. I'm anxious to hear about Dawn and her kids, and Phineus and his... Barrett indicates the large simian sitting next to the gnome, and he smiles.

For now though, for now, we speak of Tainted Joy...a name that means something to each of us as much as those in the group do. You see, they were going after it. You know, in our footsteps--after the big one...the one that got away. Logan, the kid in charge, well, I saw way too much of myself in him and I should have seen this coming a mile away. I should have known he'd eventually try to go after what we lost. But going against the Emerald Claw, well, one of them's easy to take down, but even Roc would be hard pressed to take down 20 on his own. They were in Karrnath doing some adventuring work for some good people there, and after that was done, I can't help but think that they went down and tried to fish for that big Khyber Shard that was taken from us.

With that, you remember that shard, even though each of you only held it for a moment before it was taken from your grasp. It was about 4 feet long, 3 feet high with veins of dark crystal flowing through it. These shards are said to be mundane, but no one had a chance exactly to detect anything before the Emerald Claw took it from your reach. About two weeks ago, I head into Wroat to pay an old friend of mine to scry for Logan and the rest of them, but he literally came back with nothing so that means they're either in a place where divination is impossible or he lets his voice trail off takes another drink and continues, But why would we meet in Sharn? Two reasons, first is that this isn't where the Emerald Claw is, and the second, Tainted Joy got the lead for their job in Karrnath here. They met with a Bugbear mercenary, and he tipped them off to it. This Bugbear's name is Yot, and he's one tough cookie as far as I can tell...I thought we could go talk to him and his crew, find out the circumstances surrounding Tainted Joy leaving, and then come up with the best plan from there. I've still got a few coins left for the trip, and I'm a little anxious to try my sword arm again. Before we drink any more, thoughts?

[MorganLockbreaker]

This Yot, do we know anything about who he has worked for in the past? I have nothing against the Cyran refugees, but before that Dreadful Day and The War's end this section of the city was basically a holding pin for suspected spies and those not loyal to Breland. Yot could very well fit into one of those categories.

The Host help him if we find out he baited them into a trap, Kelvin thought.

[PsionicRanger]

Sneering at Kelvin, Barrett answers, The war's over, little man. Not saying that your point has no merit, but there's not many places in the world that do the mutton just right...and I don't know, for me, it's nice to see some grizzled warforged as well. As far as Yot is concerned, He's pretty freelance. But I do know he's worked for House Deneith in the past as well.

[Acheron]

***Cole Genisis***

"Even so, we don't know him all too well; and what be it that he worked for House Deneith," Cole said, "that doesn't remove all doubts of his loyalty. As you all know, I have no particular love of the Dragon marked Houses, but all mercenaries do hold to one code or another. Even so he must be tested before we can agree to work with him, even if he does have ties to Tainted Joy."

[Jai]

Having spent most of the time perched on the chair, leaning against the next person in a companionable sort of way, Dawn was almost reluctant to turn to the real topic at hand. Her face screws up in a look of annoyed contemplation. I'm not sure if I should kick Teretha's butt for getting my blades in trouble, or my blades' for getting her in trouble.

With a sigh, she says, Regardless of where his loyalties were, loyalties can be turned. Self-conscious of what she had said, she quickly adds, And if this merc had a hand in hurting Teretha, I'm gonna have to give the new guys a whirl. She pats the hilts of her new blades meaningfully.

[PsionicRanger]

Hearing everyone's doubts about Yot, Barrett goes on, He'll need to be questioned for sure. That's why we're here, after all. In the morning, I'm going to arrange travel to Karrnath. The rest of you are welcome to give Yot a visit;, see what you can find out. Remember to keep quiet about us getting back together though, if the Emerald Claw suspects something, they'll be coming for us. Best to not raise any alarm just yet. We need to stay out of their reach and bite them first.