The Kingdoms of Terror posted:

You follow the man through a curtained archway to a high-vaulted chamber that reeks with the pungent smell of preservatives and dead bodies. Several carcasses of exotic animals hang from hooks in the ceiling, and dissected heads destined for trophy plaques are laid on the large workbenches.

The man opens an ornate rosewood chest and produces a silver tray on which stands a ruby glass decanter and two crystal goblets. He fills the goblets with wine and offers one to you, saying that the wine will help you forget the unpleasant smell of the workshop.

achtungnight posted:

share with him a drink

The Kingdoms of Terror posted:

The wine smells delicious—the taxidermist must hold you in very high esteem, for wine as good as this is expensive and rare.

The taxidermist points to a vat in the corner of the room that contains a noxious blue fluid, which is obviously the source of the unpleasant smell.

‘My special preservative,’ he says proudly. ‘It has taken me many years to perfect the formula, but my experiments are now complete. All I require is a specimen worthy of the immortality it can provide.’

The man’s voice is beginning to sound faint and distant, as if he were falling away from you into a deep, dark pit. Your eyelids feel heavy, and you are having difficulty in concentrating on what he says. Suddenly, you realize that you have been drugged; the wine contained a powerful draught of gallowbrush, although you did not detect it at the time. You fight to remain awake, but it is a battle you cannot win, for the enemy is in your very blood. The taxidermist has at last found a specimen worthy of his special preservative—the last of the Kai Lords of Sommerlund.

Your quest and your life end here.

The Kingdoms of Terror posted:

You arrive at a tavern, but one that looks more like a huge banqueting hall than a city alehouse. The Inn of the Crossed Swords is the largest and noisiest tavern you have ever seen. A constant flow of soldiers pour in and out of its cathedral-like doors, and the adjoining stable is large enough to house the horses of an entire army.



You stable your horse and enter the tavern just in time to witness a spectacular event. The middle of the hall has been cleared to allow a horse and rider to gallop the full length of the building, and bets are being laid on the rider’s skill at skewering fruit on the point of his lance. It reminds you of part of the training taught to Kai Lords in preparation for battle, but unlike the Kai horse trials, there is more than just skill and the honour of the rider at stake here. In a line along the length of the hall kneel ten soldiers from the same regiment as the rider—men accused of cowardice in battle. The fruits the rider must skewer are resting on their heads. If he makes the slightest mistake the men will lose their lives and, more importantly to the mercenaries, all the money the regiment has wagered on the skill of the rider.

Mister Perky posted:

IIRC there is a magnakai discipline check that can save our life in the Taxidermist's shop, but it's definitely not on our current short list and you still take heavy damage that might kill you off anyway. It's more than you deserve after 4 or 5 "are you SURE?" choices like that.

achtungnight posted:

Let’s get a drink again. Hey bartender!

The Kingdoms of Terror posted:

Patiently you wait for one of the overworked tavern girls to notice you, but before you can raise your hand and attract her attention, you are suddenly aware of the sharp point of a dagger being pressed against your spine.

‘Your purse or your life,’ whispers the swarthy-faced mercenary who has appeared at your side. ‘Make your mind up quickly or my friend may be a little careless with his knife.’

You silence the robber’s whispered threats, slamming your clenched fist into his throat and at the same time grabbing hold of his tunic with your other hand. He tries to scream but his larynx has been crushed by your blow. He gurgles pitifully as you twist him around to shield yourself as his accomplice lunges with his dagger. It sinks deeply into the robber’s heart, and as he slumps to his knees, you draw your own weapon and attack his startled killer. Due to the surprise of your attack, you may add 2 to your COMBAT SKILL for the first round of combat.

Backstabber: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 22

The Kingdoms of Terror posted:

Your speedy dispatch of the robbers has earned you 5 Gold Crowns, which you find in the pockets of the dead men, and the respectful glances of several mercenary captains. One in particular is so impressed by your fighting prowess that he approaches you and offers to buy you a drink. You sense that it is a honest gesture of friendship without any hidden threat and gratefully accept his offer.

Healing: +1 EP (30/32).

The captain is an imposing man, tall, muscular, with a strong-jawed face, unmarked by battle or disease. His blond hair is cropped close to his head, and likewise, his beard and moustache are trimmed close to his tanned skin. You are invited to join his company, and as you drink your ale, you listen to their proud talk of war, of victories, of loot, and wages—but never of defeat.

The captain and his men have grown tired of the war in the north. Prince Janveal of Helin is close to ruin, having sold all he owns to pay for a war against Baron Maghao of Karkaste that he cannot hope to win. The prince’s troops are demoralized and his mercenaries desert him at the first opportunity. You learn that the captain is recruiting men for a campaign in the south. The war between Salony and Slovia has reached boiling point, and there is much gold to be had in the service of the Salonese Prince Ewevin while he besieges the city of Tekaro.



‘You have the mien of a skilful warrior,’ says the captain, his steel-blue eyes cold and unblinking. ‘Why not join my company? I have need of fighters, and I pay with gold, not promises. We leave for Tekaro at dawn—will you ride with us?’

Politely you refuse the captain’s offer, saying that you have come to Varetta on other business.

‘What business is there for a warrior other than war?’ retorts the captain, to the raucous delight of his men. You finish your ale and bid the captain and his company goodnight.

‘If you change your mind, join us at Soren. We sail the river from there in two days’ time.’

Healing: +1 EP (31/32).

Your thoughts return to your quest and to Cyrilus’ dying words. The man he was taking you to meet lives in Brass Street, but in a city the size of Varetta it could take you days to find the right street. You decide to try to find out where it is from someone in the tavern and look around the massive hall in search of a likely source of information.

Healing: +1 EP (32/32).

achtungnight posted:

Dangerous tavern. Once again- Hey Bartender!

The Kingdoms of Terror posted:

You find the tavern-keeper breaking up a fight between two drunken soldiers. His solution to their argument is short and sweet: grabbing the two men by their necks, he slams their heads together with such force that the crack echoes above the deafening clamour of the hall.

‘Brass Street?’ he replies, his face lined in thought, ‘yes, I know it well. Here, I’ll show you.’ The big man produces a greasy piece of paper from his pocket on which he scrawls the directions to Brass Street. You see that it is located on the far side of the city, close to the west wall. You accept the paper and the tavern-keeper accepts your thanks before returning to the crowd to sort out another scuffle in his own inimitable way.

You walk to the bar and arrange a room for the night. There are many rooms, each of a different standard and price. A blackboard suspended from the ceiling shows the tariffs:

• DORMITORY—2 Gold Crowns a night
  
• SINGLE ROOM (second class)—3 Gold Crowns a night
  
• SINGLE ROOM (with hot bath)—5 Gold Crowns a night

You may choose to stay in any of the above rooms, but remember to erase the relevant number of Gold Crowns from your Action Chart before turning to your chosen number.

Mikl posted:

Flaunting our money is an invitation for someone to try and rob us. A standard single room is enough.

WhiskeyWhiskers posted:

Mikl posted:

Flaunting our money is an invitation for someone to try and rob us. A standard single room is enough.

Leraika posted:

We're rich, might as well spend like it

The Kingdoms of Terror posted:

The room is a disappointment. For five Gold Crowns you were expecting some degree of luxury, but the small and shabby accommodation you find leaves much to be desired. Steam rising from an open-topped barrel in a corner of the room clouds the air. At first you think it must be some form of heating, until you discover it is full of soapy water and realize that this is, in fact, your hot bath. The meagre luxuries of Varetta do not come cheaply.

You bathe before settling down to a good night’s rest, but in the middle of the night you are woken by a bright light. A shooting star of sun-like brilliance arcs over the city, shedding a rainbow of colour across your drab room. You watch as the star slowly fades and then settle down to sleep once more. It seems as if you have only just closed your eyes when the loud and loathsome clang of the tavern bell fills your ears.



‘All awake, all awake! A new day dawns, my fine brave lads!’ As the voice of the tavern-keeper echoes through the inn, you gather your equipment and collect your horse from the stable. The night’s rest restores 3 ENDURANCE points. Make the necessary adjustment to your Action Chart before setting off on your search for Brass Street.

As you ride west along a wide avenue of weathered red stone, you take in the early morning sights of this magnificent city. Window shutters slam open as the Varettians awake to a new day and smells of breakfast and freshly ground jala waft from shop doorways.



At the centre of the city, you cross a square paved with crystal slabs and pass beneath an archway of polished green stone. Stately halls and public buildings give way to dust-worn shops and a park full of glistening flowers with huge leaves of red, gold, and pink. Beyond the park, a street paved with white gravel leads to a fortified tower, the tallest in the city. It is the Tower of the King and it marks the entrance to Brass Street.

Turning into Brass Street, the sound of bubbling water and quiet chanting drifts towards you on the still air. Old men in brown robes, their heads covered by hoods, glide silently across the white gravelled path. You ride under an archway and enter the enclosed courtyard of a grand building, a hall of learning. Suddenly, a tingle runs the length of your spine as you sense you are close to your goal.

At the door to the hall, there is a sign that indicates the location of three chambers: the observatory, the library, and the temple.

Comstar posted:

Did we miss a clue? Library I guess.

The Kingdoms of Terror posted:

At the end of a cool grey marble corridor, you find yourself at the library door. The brown-robed men you saw earlier when you entered the courtyard have all vanished; the hall is now deserted and as quiet as the grave.

The library, too, is empty, save for the thousands of books that line the stone shelves. On the far side of the room there is another door—the only other exit from the library.

Previously posted:

EVERY MORNING I WAKE UP AND OPEN PALM SLAM A TOME ONTO THE LECTERN. IT'S THE BOOK OF THE MAGNAKAI AND RIGHT THEN AND THERE I START DOING THE MOVES ALONGSIDE WITH THE MAIN CHARACTER, SUN EAGLE. I DO EVERY MOVE AND I DO EVERY MOVE HARD