A Party Of Elegant People
Summary
Adventure: A Party Of Elegant People
GM: Ian Wood
Season: Winter 803 WK
Night: Someday
Level: Level
- Party
- Someone - played by Somebody (Party Leader)
- Someone - played by Somebody (Scribe)
- Someone - played by Somebody (Mil Sci)
- Someone - played by Somebody
- Someone - played by Somebody
- Someone - played by Somebody
- Someone - played by Somebody
- Time on adventure
- tbc 826 WK to tbc 826 WK
- Employer
- someone rich
- Mission
- Hired to do a job
- Original Scribe Notes
- Media:Snwi0302.zip
Scribe Notes
Employer’s spiel (from the Guild meeting) We are in Civil War. The Kingee's older brother is leading a group of malcontent nobles seeking greater autonomy for their lands. The Kingee is marshalling all 'is loyal vassals. As such, an 'erald has been sent to all provinces demanding his vassals marshal against his brother. But from one province, there is no reply. This is terrible, as the province is very rich and includes some of the greatest k-nits of the Realm. On 'earing zis, the Kingee, 'e flew into a Rahge, and, fearing the province supports 'is brother, has declared the province to be in open Rebellion and Requires all loyal peoples to strike down the in'abitantes. And so I came 'ere. Two things 'appenèd at about the same time. The taxes from the province disappeared (these are kept separately due to the purity of the coin). And the Princess, the Kingee's sister, oow is about to be presented, 'er debutante ball-gown has vanished. I require a party of elegant people to visit the province to find out their true sentiments and, if possible, return the ball-gown. Unfortunately, all our monies are going to the civil war with the brother, so you can only be paid from the taxes of this rebellious province. So it would be good if you bring some of that back too. The party . . . dans le déguisement • M’seur le Baron Châteauneuf [Silverfoam]: 6’ tall, lean, but with excessively wide shoulders (the effect of obvious padding & cloak epaulets). Fulsome pleated blue velvet, mid-thigh length, mutton sleeves, tightly cinctured with a silver & sapphire belt. The cloak is light silk, pleated, bearing the heraldic device in blue & dull-silver, with extremely wide elaborate silver epaulets, and a narrow trim of grey fur at the bottom. The only visible weapon is a large staff. • LeGoque [GoK] the Baron’s Standard-bearer. A lean but robust military personage in sensible footware. A strong warrior who lets his mighty chin do the thinking for both of them. The slightly sinister smile on the lips is a result of innate arrogance rather than malevolence but, overall, someone who will always hit hard & fast rather than risk “over-thinking” a situation. • The standard is Gyronny countervair countercharged. • M’seur Tinkles [Drum]: a young Dragonewt, with jewelled collar. • MaDame [Arwen], a lady of good breeding and unspecified relationship to the Baron {NB address her publicly as Ma Dame (two separate words), a particularly ambiguous form of address}. Coolly attractive in a Belle dame sans merci fashion. Big where it counts but also, somewhat alarmingly, across the shoulders. Wears a wimple, veil, & travelling cape [all the better to help the illusion to hide her armour]. • Grant de Greatfield [Darien], The lady’s Standard-bearer. 5'10" tall, of somewhat solid build. Practical travelling clothes of high quality, including jacket and cloak of Azure with a golden strawberry leaf clasp. Close examination will show the cloak to be heavier than the weather requires. Boots have 12' silver rods (with gold endcaps) fitted to the outside. Jewelled estoc is slung from a weapon-belt studded with semi-precious stones. The standard is Azure, a strawberry leaf gold within 3 oak-leaves argent; a bordure compony sable, gules, gold. [NB: examination shows the bordure to be an augmentation added several years ago to a much older standard]. • de Monet [Gerald], the lady’s factotum/comptroller of the privy purse. A little overweight as befits a trusted comptroller, dressed in rich but subtle brocades. Mature, but moves with a grace & ease that hints at a highly competent military past totally subsumed but quite unforgotten. • Boy, a page [Jhiselle]: A small russet-headed downless youth, unnervingly attractive, with large but light ears of a shape that suggests they may have been cropped from something a little more fey. Quite unselfconscious, with a sense of restrained impishness. [NB: included on “her” bedroll is an old oriental standard (magical), unlikely to be recognised as the Shoji ducal regalia that it is]. Journal 1/7/803 WK: Party met employer. His plane had no known elves, but Elvish is spoken across the Continent, and in Courts, as the ancient language of Learning, Law, & Diplomacy. There are several Kingdoms and countries in the Continent, but our employer Enguerond (pronounced Ah?geròhnd), Sire du Krésee, is from The Kingdom where LaLange is the national language & Alusian Common is unknown. Ah?geròhnd, will transport us to & from the Plane, but requires 2 full days notice to arrange the portal. He is simply a gentleman (but one with extensive land holdings). Aceh (pronounced Ah-?hé) is the province rebelling against King Celui. It has a coast, but is not safely accessible that way; so we will be travelling cross-country. The local church has saints, and resembles ours – except for all that anti-magic purging and excessive slaughter that plagues Alusia. Mages are natural in Aceh, although evil or antisocial ones will be put down. Black is worn only “by peasants, thieves, and spies.” The nobles are all landed; and nobility is attained by marrying a suitable heiress, by royal grace (for doing something truly amazing for the king), or by buying a magistracy. The Law is enforced by the nobles, and town guards etc will be in the livery of the controlling lord. (For example a Count should be capable of fielding a regiment for 40 days). True-silver, gold, and [real] silver are currency, with many styles of coin; gems are also readily negotiable. There is an extensive credit system, with legal bills & debts duly notarised in the market towns and the information sent to the various banking institutions. Note that these documents bear the names of the parties concerned and are contractual documents. 4/07/03 WK. We arrived at the appointed site, about 10 in the morning and rode through the portal (a Barn-door), emerging on the target plane. It was a pleasant day in well-kept farmlands, with a town was visible in the mid-distance. A retinue of Ah?geròhnd’s men-at-arms turned up on schedule [Barry, argent & azure], and escorted us into the town of Fairtree. Before entering Fairtree, we were required to register. M.leB give a full Elvish name with patronymic & title (presumably his own). The astute clerk realises that Her Ladyship is not to be named. We were conducted to the lord’s castle, assigned a suite or two, and provided with a cold collation; His Lordship was not in residence at the time. The Castle has a large courtyard with a wide cloistered colonnade. We were on the 1st floor: a drawing room with shuttered windows opening onto the colonnade, with a parlour leading to 2 pairs of bedrooms (inside & outside). For conspiring there is a “closet”, a private room off the Primary bedrooms. G. reassured the staff that the Dragonewt “hasn’t eaten anyone in practically ages” and will be fed at the table. The party indulged in some brief plotting, scrying the town to get its layout, and left to browse local market — that being the obvious thing to do for our cover characters. No weapons are allowed in town (except a long sword for Nobles, naturally). The browsing turned into having tea with Matilda, the wife of Master William the Glass- worker (we noted the excellent glass table under the tea-set!). Typically, in this town and presumably the Kingdom, the women run the business while the men get on with the craftwork — Matilda, from a Noble background, merely being a more exceptional example. Her father was a magistrate who declined to become a Baron. Fairtree in general has excellent quality work: something to do with the 2-week-long fairs it holds (summer & winter). Matilda introduces us to Visconti the banker. We would discuss finance at dinner, which will be held at a different hotel – to avoid the social impolitics of giving the banker a reason to call at the lords castle. Feeding Mr Tinkles provided street theatre for locals, who had no qualms about magic-casting. Wee checked out other local produce, including musical instruments. Arwen eyed up the local fashion, ordering a dress for the Countess of Fairtree’s post-partum party. At dinner [in the other hôtel] there are several nobles —normally 1 per table, but G. has arranged everything beforehand. Arrange finances & get more info. Dreamerton is the first significant town inside Aceh. It has exceptional wares, doesn’t trade anything less than master- quality; but has not exported much in past few years —indeed it relies on trade not commerce when it comes to magical items. Famous for its plums & oranges; trained birds (gyrfalcons, nightingales, lorikeets) — generally Rk9 beastmaster trained. Background from Visconti: Aceh was in open rebellion with the Kingdom; therefore Kingdom nobles were required to take military action (hence our employment opportunity), & its inhabitants were no longer citizens of the empire. The Border is very clear. We were to follow the road by the river [see attached map, which was provided]. Shortly before Dreamerton there is a long bridge with a fort at either end, very defensible. Visconti, who speaks excellent Elvish, used to travel as a tax-collector three times a year to collect the taxes at Dreamerton: “Dreamerton represents the destruction of reality through Misperception.” Beyond Dreamerton are the plain homelands — very flat. The people of Aceh have more angular features, are generally taller, and speak excellent Elvish, … “Hmm!” went the various party-members. The Acheans have a very different moral system from the Kingdom. 5/07/03 WK: we travelled down the flag-stoned (!) highway, which has regular milestones, woods and hedgerows; plenty of birds were about. The highway leads up a broad valley (wide enough to have the occasional hill inside the valley). We were catching up with a wagon train as it was about to reach a hamlet. Suddenly we were attacked by bandits (possibly locals?). The Wagon made a getaway as we subdued the lawless element, the only serious damage being lost spell fatigue & GoK, who attempted to fall off his horse in such a way as to injure his armed opponent. He failed. In our very limited Lalangue we slowly & clearly instructed the villagers to keep the bad people restrained & explained that we would send soldiers from the next town (Bordertown, half a day away) to haul the brigands off to execution & justice. We ignored their whispers & dialectal comments amongst themselves, which, hypothetically, were one fluent in Lalangue, would perhaps suggest that we had somehow assaulted a unit of un-uniformed Kings’ guard and that our chief suspect was a minor officer. Fortunately we clearly spoke poor LaLange. Nonetheless, purely independently, we decided to pick up the pace — particularly since the wagon, which was last seen heading over a rise in the road, had since disappeared and may have been the prime target. We reached Bordertown, gained admittance of course, and advised them to sent some men to interrogate the bandits. We obtained rooms, while some of the party scout around outside. Given that we saw a large armed force in the vicinity and that we may later decide to relocate to a private camp in the woods rather than impose on the [limited?] hospitality of the townsfolk. The Away team, while putting up illusionary terrain [Gerald: “we are attempting subterfuge”], encountered a surprisingly generic elf who warned them that to leave town before dark to avoid being overtaken by the army. A little bird [Jhiselle to be pedantic] warned the others, who depart the inn “for an afternoon ride before the Gates close.” The party re-united & were included in the Elves’ magic ritual of travelling quickly — which explained how the wagon disappeared so quickly. The generic wagoneers were, in fact, these elves, and there were 8 of them!! We were now somewhat aligned with the Comte de Wolf. A night, day, & night appeared to pass very quickly. 7/07/03 WK: the “next day” (as we perceive it) we were past the border. We encountered the first fort with its wide gate and answer the questions of the factotums. After passing through the gate, the road became an elevated causeway, supported about 50 feet above the valley floor. Looking down one might perceive idyllic vistas of goblin peasants toiling in the fields. Dreamerton [Dr?mm’rt’n] is built on an out-thrusting rock. The town is tree-like in design. Carts go at the ground level, but there are cantilevered walkways at upper levels: very clean, totally paved, no servants, no riff-raff. Wonder how to disguise the party. The local servants are all goblins. [GoK: “I figure it would be good not to take out my sword and kill all the goblins.” Gerald: GoK — you thought!” Jhiselle: “And he was right!!”]. The Inn is a convoluted chain of passages, stairs, and chambers: one staircase seems to have been made just so that guests can sweep down it in a dramatic entrance. The military scientist escalated. Frequently. One could amuse oneself for months swanning up & down these exquisite flights — provided that the are sufficient servants & changing rooms (there probably are!) to transform one’s attire before the next dramatic, elegant escalation. Our rooms were more than adequately baroque — mostly porphyry-like red marble or veined white marble, the veins on slabs were expertly fused to give an impression of a continuous polished tunnel. Gilt was applied directly to the rock. The main room was heated by 5 braziers; with an amiable balcony and discrete servant’s access to most rooms. At the Inn we also had a closer look at the Enchanted Cart: in effect it is a Wagon of Holding, with the contents always appearing innocuous. We visited the Market, a large enclosed courtyard: most shops opening onto the yard, but some off the 1st floor balcony/promenade; with offices on the 2nd floor. We discover one can’t buy a goat at the market — the basic unit is the herd. Background: Our latest employer, Comte de Wolf, explains How Things Are. Aceh doesn’t pay taxes, the Nation gave Largesse to The Kingdom who had proved useful in taming the continent — well someone had to do it, and there was no necessity for the Elves to get their fingernails dirty. We will receive the Missing Dress in return for travelling across the Province of Aceh, beyond the Centreland, to meet a specific small enclave of goblins and deliver a note to them. The place whither we shall wend, Peak Downs, no longer has Elves residing there. The surrounding region is very flat & arid (except just after the rains). It will take 2-3 weeks to reach the place. Although there are fast travel-magics over the earth, to fly will very dangerous — involving, amongst other things, a “magical Coriolus force” [SF: “If it’s anything like the play it could get very bloody indeed … or was that Coriolanus?”]. 8/07/03 WK& ff: We took 3 weeks rations; each day stopping at a town populated only by people. The only servants there were elves: no humans; and the goblins are in villages around the town, from which they work the surrounding land. Illusions were very prevalent. We were consistently going up hill, the trees getting taller. Finally, on 15/07/03 WK: we crossed over the ridge. Beyond the lip was a flat plateau with desiccated grass clumps — we saw in distance that travelling raises dust clouds. In the very far distance are further hills or mountains. There were sporadic “islands” some 6 to 8 feet high with trees. The “road” was merely a more worn, less grassy, area of the plane stretching in the direction of the distant mountains. That night, as we sheltered behind an island about 150 yards off the road, we were awoken by a military troop of goblins (some 120) running, keeping up a chant. There were no recognisable officers, since there was no-one on horseback, but NCO-types were running with the men. 18/07/03 WK: About 10 in the morning, we stopped at a farmstead by its own Oxbow (a kidney- or sickle-shaped canal leading nowhere in particular). As well as discovering that Goblin females are more vicious than the males, we eventually struck an agreement with the Gaffer (a wiccan) who has settled in the are with his daughter, grand-children & apology of a son-in-law. For his wiccan Restoratives, we traded Waters of healing (which SF, for once, had plenty of). We also excavated a second oxbow for him in exchange for a special Forget-Me Amulet (which Arwen now has). On the way to the next farm (the Smiths), the road detoured around a broad chasm in the plateau, perhaps 5 miles long, rich with semi-magical plants. There was a river & a waterfall — the waterway eventually disappearing underground. The valley contained ruins that, in their prime, could have been a town for about 8,000. The Smiths arrived 3 years ago from “elsewhere,” having been “invited to move” by their previous bosses who had some sort of arrangement with the Acehans. The elves left this vicinity in the Smith’s first year here (Smiths plane of Origin = “Weedle”). We set up camp on the other side of the Smith’s Oxbow. The mana on the plain was particularly sluggish, but a later divination of some mages suggests that objective and subjective time were not in sync — and hadn’t been for about a [subjective] week.
