Immersive Ink

danhem wrote:
"That is kind of you Guntram," Ulric says. "Perhaps Victor can stand with you; you two make a rather formidable pair. We can give Albert some more coin to secure a room for the day to hold the bulk of our coin. But finding a money changer would be a wise idea once we have obtained all of the equipment we need. No need paying exchange fees when we have items to purchase."

Ulric absently feeds the hungry grub in the wooden box as he finishes breakfast. He collects all of the gold (18), some silver (30), and copper coins (20) from his share of the loot to take with him for the day. He then collects his equipment and prepares to leave for the library once everyone else was ready. When he sees Albert he asks the innkeeper to fill his waterskin and to prepare a meal to carry with him.

doctorx wrote:
Josiane watches Ulric feed his strange pet with some trepidation. What exactly is that? She's very fond of animals, but prefers kittens as a rule...

She decides she may be better not knowing and leaves the forbidding sorcerer to his task...

rleduc wrote:
"To be sure, Friend Ulric, I am grateful for the support of the group and hope to make myself useful. I'm not used to idleness. I hope to repay your generosity from the fruits of my own adventures soon!". Guntrum replies.

mushgnome wrote:
Highbough will keep an eye out for the money-changer on his walk to the Library. There must be one near the Concourse. He and his spear are available for loot-transporting duty at the mutually-agreed opportunity.

He'll purchase pen, ink, paper, his daily Library fee, and an apple for lunch, and pay for everything with copper coins. [img]images/smiley/wink.png[/img]

Once he has introduced Josiane to the library's custodian, he will pursue his private research among the stacks.

waysoftheearth wrote:
Very good.

Guntram arranges with Albert to keep one of the large rooms for the day, and he, Victor and Koch determine a guard roster between them so that two of them are with the coin at all time, while the third gets to stretch his legs about town for half an hour or so at a time.

waysoftheearth wrote:
The rest of the company set off across town.

The sun is shining through large gaps in the patchy cloud, and though the ground is wet from overnight rain, it is a very pleasant spring morning.

Business seems a-bustle in the busy little town; the vegetable market seems particularly busy as the company pass by the market square. Apparently a train of caravans is preparing to depart for the interior this day, and they are stocking up on basic supplies.

Beyond the busy market square Gustave, Desmond/Mondes, Wibert and Dorgan verge to their right, and start up hill toward the Temple of Thuul, while Ulric, Highbough, Josiane, Olaf and Dieter continue straight along Main Street toward the concourse...

waysoftheearth wrote:
The Traders' Concourse

Ulric, Highbough, Josiane, Olaf and Dieter are here. Quite a formidable little band.

As they get further from the market square, the company note that the buildings are getting finer, if not larger. At the gate end of town, where stands The Plough and Furrow, the buildings are all timber, but here they are made of blue-grey blocks of stone instead. These are the older, taller and dourer structures of Ket, where the wealthier class of citizens live and do business. They have wrought iron gates and fittings, and shiny brass bells and door knobs.

The party passes the homes and businesses of well to do merchants, a theater, a locksmith's, and a glove maker's, and at last Highbough spots a money changer, called The Crumenal, where a weather faded sign out front depicts two hands exchanging coins.

It is a narrow stone building, grey and green with verdigris. Two step lead up to the plain, but stout and well varnished wooden door bound by shiny brass.

Dieter has been here before, several weeks ago in the company of Caine (since deceased), and recalls that the place is run by a Snork...

The Concourse itself is a block or two further along the street.

What now?

waysoftheearth wrote:
The Temple of Thuul

Gustave, Desmond/Mondes, Wibert and Dorgan and Pelenwin are here.

As the company approach the temple they hear the sound of a choir of voices echoing out of its great open doors. It is not unpleasant on the ear, although perhaps slightly melancholy.

They see that Pelenwin is strolling thoughtfully in the grounds outside the temple as they arrive. He cannot help but notice the unusually large hood over Desmond's head, nor that Gustave and Desmond do not seem well.

Dorgan the Dwarf is apparently a new friend of the company whom Pelenwin does not yet know.

What now?

doctorx wrote:
Josiane's eyes light up as they pass the theatre. One of her delights on the road while squiring her foster-father was their occasional encounters with travelling players. She looks eagerly to see who or what may be playing here at present.

Then the uncomfortable thought of the walking dead and a possible vampire looms large in her mind once more. "Perhaps the delights of the stage will have to wait", she thinks with a sigh...

tonneau wrote:
"Pelenwin!", booms Gustave, his jovial voice reverberating around the otherwise silent temple cloisters, "good to see you old man, I trust the err...deep thinking..meditation! yes - its (cough) going well?"

He strides across the stones to shake the his old comrades hand but is overcome by a hacking fit halfway and doubles over coughing uncontrollably for several minutes.

When he lifts his face again it is visible whitened.

"...Actually, old man", he continues in a more subdued tone, "we seek aid and wonder if you might point us in the right direction."

He glances back at his companions, "I and young Desmond here - that's the one with the huge head - seem to have rather unserendipitously imbibed upon some mal-air in some dungeon or other - and its left us feeling rather...unwell."

"I wonder if one of suitable healing arts can be (cough) found within?", he finishes with a hopeful grin.