2/20/2010
Players: Kathi, JC, Chris
Characters: DM & Salaisee, Elendil & Jolley, Billi
[Game Time: 29th of Tarsakh, 1373 D.R]
Short review of current living area: The Locke House - Oldtown (we moved)
Our next adventure will take us nearly 500 miles through Sundabar to Ascore, where we will then head north to following a map Billi has. The haflling inherited the map from his father and believes it may be the map that his father, mother and uncle set out to follow on their last adventure from which they never returned.
Muireall delivers Salaisee to our new house and there is much joy. We spend the afternoon catching up and then Salaisee heads to her temple to report in.
Elendil heads to the Blacklar stable to see Sander and Billi accompanies him. We meet up with the two Argent Legionnaires we met in the Nether Mountains, Netheleg and Kenna, a human cleric who had cast restoration on Cyrus, and a female drow fighter. We invite them to dinner at seven bells at the Dragonfly Cave.
We meet up at the Dragonfly Cave for dinner to discover a full house. Arondar and Bethalon are playing chess and Lady Hightower waves in our direction as we arrive. Jolley and Alicia have brought Joranaldo who is being fussed over by Billi's grandparents, and Elendil sees Netheleg and Kenna at a table near the back wall around the side of the small stage. Salaisee is not present and does not arrive during dinner, something that puts a severe damper on Billi and Elendil's mood.
In fact, when she doesn't show up all Billi and Elendil decide on a late visit to the Dawn Dancer hall to investigate. A receptionist blanches when we mention Salaisee and she goes to fetch someone, a higher level cleric named Buthek, who says Salaisee is still being debriefed. There's something about the way he says it that makes the hackles rise on the back of Elendil's neck rise but the man gives no other information and the two friends depart quite unsatisfied announcing that they will be back first thing in the morning.
Billi is adamant that something isn't right (a point of view that gets no arguement from Elendil) and wants to investigate the central parapet of the Dawn Dancer Hall. Elendil agrees knowing there is little he can do to aid in the type of "investigating" that Billi has in mind, so the two agree to split up and meet back at the house as soon as possible. Elendil goes to Salaisee's apartment to leave her a note and then heads home to await Billi's report.
After Elendil leaves, Billi climbs up the side of the building, enters the central chamber, and begins working his way stealthily down until he finds Salaisee in a cell. He releases her and finds she's been beaten but is able to walk. They escape through the back kitchen door and make it quietly and as quickly as possible back to the house. Billi makes a late evening meal and Salaisee eats with gusto. Elendil helps her upstairs and sits with her until he is sure she sleeps peacefully.
The next morning Billi comes to wake Elendil only to find him in already in communion. Wisely he decides to skip his meditating friend and instead goes back to the kitchen to fetch a hot full-laden breakfast tray for Salaisee who emerges from her room just in time to find Billi about to knock.
After breakfast, with a bit of humor and more than a bit of anger in their hearts, Billi and Elendil return to the Dawn Dancer Hall as promised to inquire after Salaisee. Finding no one in attendance the two make a loud enough announcement of their presence to finally gather the attention of a sleepy child who informs us that no one IS available until ten bells, and that no one WILL BE available until ten bells, and why don't we just come back then because everyone KNOWS that no one IS EVER available until ten bells.
We head to the marketplace where Elendil allows himself to be loaded down with stuff and then head back to the house. As soon as we return Billi remembers a half dozen other things he forgot and back to the market square he goes while Salaisee and Elendil put stuff away. Elendil finds himself longing to hold his newly returned friend, to comfort her in her loss of church, but he withholds his thoughts and the two put groceries away talking quietly about what will come next.
When Billi returns we finish putting the rest of the food away and then Billi and Elendil return to Dawn Dancer Hall to inquire after Salaisee. Buthek tells them this time that she has been excommunicated and left. Elendil demands to know when and where but Buthek again offers no other information.
We return home for lunch to find Salaisee sitting quietly upstairs on the bed. "I'm homeless again aren't I?" She asks her friends. "There can be only one thing they would've told you."
Elendil nods quietly but before he can say anything Billi has jumped up on the bed to address Salaisee eye to eye. "Now you listen to me!" He says in as much of a stern but comforting voice as he can muster. "You'll never be homeless as long as I've got a home! Isn't that right Elendil? You'll stay right here with us and there will be no arguing." Billi pauses and a crestfallen look passes across his features at a thought. "Well... I mean unless you don't want to."
Salaisee smiles and takes Billi by the shoulders pulling him close for an embrace. "Oh Billi, your heart really is as big as your appetite isn't it." She asks retorically holding the halfling close. "I... I don't know." She looks up at Elendil who smiles and nods.
"Billi speaks for us both." Elendil says quietly. "You are as welcome in our home as you are in our hearts." Their eyes lock momentarily and Elendil is again struck hard by how much he really missed her these past months, how angry he was (and still is) at the Sunnites when Billi brought her home from the temple after her rescue, and how much he envies his friend the embrace. Finally he looks away and takes a deep breath.
"Good! Now that that's settled let us go and see about new quarters for Sander. There's a place just across the clearing, on the other side of Calybrid's called the Silver Horse Stables I want to check out."
The three friends go to the Silver Horse Stables and Elendil decides that due to the proximity to home, quality of the establishment, and recommendation of many of the Silver Knights, that he will pay the increased boarding costs and move Sander here from the Blacklar stables near the gate. The attendant says that they do currently have space but that the owner is not here at the moment to handle specific questions or initial payment arrangements. She should be back shortly if he wishes to return and setup a formal arrangement for Sander so the group helds to Blacklar to fetch him.
On the way we pass a group of Sunnites who cover their faces with fans when they see Salaisee. It takes nearly all of Elendil's self control to remain quiet. After picking up Sander, we head back to the Silver Horse and Elendil is told that the owner has indeed arrived. The owner is a human female named Dubhesa (pronounced Du'esa) and she assures him that the 30 GP per month fee is for full stabling services including room, board, good feed and exercise. Elendil pays for several months in advance (through the end of Flamerule) guaranteeing Sander a spot when they return from adventuring and meets Rilladan, the young moon elf who is assigned personally to care for Sander.
Elendil watches Rilladan lead Sander away and walks a short distance behind to see the stall he will occupy. It only takes a few minutes to tell that the lad has a way with horses and that Sander has no problem with him.
From the Silver Horse we to the Shining Scroll in the Boneyard neighborhood where a diminutive human female is the proprietor. Xara Tantlor is apparently one of the up and coming mages of Silverymoon who known as much for her love of adventuring as she is for the quality of goods at her shop. Billi buys several Potions of Flying and commissions several others of Water Breathing which wont be ready until the 4th of Mirtul.
We decide on the Sword in the Skull for dinner where Billi gets a chance to give Salaisee an abbreviated version of our adventures in defeating Arzhul and the Clerics of Bane. Elendil adds a detail or two as he feels necessary but generally allows Billi to tell (and slightly embelish) the story in his own dramatic style. After dinner we head back home for the evening. Elendil stokes the fires and sits with his companions sharing a small bottle of after dinner wine before retiring for the evening.
End of session.
Next sessions: 3/20, 4/10 and 5/1
Next session begins on the morning of Greengrass.