Book 1: Chapter 1 - A Game Afoot in Stormreach

[Wayloss]

Shard follows Fletcher out having nothing more to keep him here with an assignment available. I will gather my equipment after our breifing, we may need to adjust our equipment."

[Trogdor]

Sixth Floor of the Grey Tower

This level contains some of the offices and planning areas for the Grey Company.

1. Spiral stairway
2. Reference library
3. Office – Spiritual advisor / Medic (currently empty)
4. Shared work room
5. Office – Lt. Imric Forester, Commander's Adjutant
6. Planning room
7. Work room
8. Secure storage

A short time later, the group reconvenes in the planning room on the sixth floor of the Grey Tower. The room is 30 feet by 20 feet on its longest sides, and has a large table surrounded by chairs in the center, with some bookshelves and cabinets against the walls. On the curved wall of the room, several large maps hang, one of Stormreach, another of Xen'drik, and a third of Khorvaire. Val takes a seat at the table and invites the others to sit down as well. As they settle in, Imric comes out of a door next to the planning room. The nameplate next to the door says "LT. IMRIC FORESTER, COMMANDER'S ADJUTANT," identifying it as his office. He also takes a seat, just as the colonel is beginning his briefing.

"I've called you here becuse I've recently had trouble with one of my informants here in Stormreach, a human woman by the name of Natalya Vancaskerkin. She's originally from Karnath, and she recently approached the Grey Company with an offer to serve as a street informant. She runs with the criminal element of the city -- I'm not entirely sure with which group. One of her requirements for serving as an informant was that I ask few questions. Well, a week ago, Natalya sent me a cryptic hint that her gang was on the verge of uncovering an item that would be of great interest to the Grey Company. Since her methods of uncovering something often involves an armed robbery or breaking into somebody's personal chambers, we thought it prudent not to press for further details and instead wait to see what it would produce. Suffice it to say, she hinted strongly that is pertained to ancient Xen'drik, and promised to meet with me to discuss this find three days ago."

"She never kept that promise -- instead, she seems to have simply vanished. Initially, I assumed that the acquisition of this item was simply taking longer than expected, but now I'm hearing rumors that the Bilge Rats are looking for her as well. For those of you new to Stormreach, the Bilge Rats are a local gang that tends to be found around the waterfront."

"It's entirely possible that Natalya decided that Stormreach was simply too hot for her and has absconded with the item she's discovered. And this is where your team enters the picture. I want you to find out what it was that Natalya and her criminal friends found. In fact, I'm frankly more interested in that than in what happened to Natalya herself, since evidence suggests that she's turned her back on the Company." He looks carefully around the room, gauging people's reactions.

"For now, I'd like to keep all of this quiet- if you can find out what happened to Natalya without letting a lot of people know she was also working for us as an informant, that would be preferable -- that's a big part of why I'm coming to you, as new members of the Grey Company, with this task. You don't yet have a reputation in Stormreach, and as such the lowlifes and criminals you are likely to encounter may be more likely to talk."

"So go out there and look for Natalya. Find out what happened to her and to this item she and her gang discovered. If you can secure the item, all the better -- bring it back to the Grey Tower and you'll receive a 500 gold piece payment. If you can bring Natalya back alive for me to speak to, it'll be double that!"

"Now I'll be gone for the rest of the day, I'm afraid. Captain Orien and I are escorting some VIPs to Sharn for the day's festivities. In my absence, you can report to Lt. Forester. He has full authority to deal with any issues that come up. I expect to be back late tonight or early tomorrow morning. You have full use of Company facilities for this investigation, subject to Lt. Forester's discretion. Now are there any questions?"

[mackaber]

The shifter listens intently as the colonel D'Orien explains the mission.

"Are there any indications whether Natalya is actually alive? Also what can you tell us about her? Do you have any more precise visual description? What type of cover identities could we use? Perhaps those she attempted to steal from?"

[Trogdor]

Val nods at the questions and replies as best he can. "I have no definitive indication that she's alive. But I also have no indication that she's dead. There's also the fact that others are looking for her. That tells me that at least some other people in Stormreach think she's alive. As well, I've no indication that anyone has found the artifact she supposedly recovered. So for the moment, let's assume she's alive. It's possible, of course, that she's been abducted by someone who doesn't know the value of what she has. There have been rumors of Lhazaarite Slavers prowling the streets of late. She might well have trusted the wrong person and been abducted by slavers." He glances at Fletcher. "You might check with your friends at the Iron Watch. They might have seen something."

"As for what I can tell you about her," he shakes his head, "very little, I'm afraid. She approached me through a middleman named Zograthy in the Styes. I'm not entirely certain of her background. or where precisely she lives in Stormreach. I wish I had more for you, but I'm afraid I don't."

Then he adds, "yes, a description. Of course. She has long brown hair with a bit of a curl, Strong Karrnathi features, ..." The artificer pauses and takes a sheet of paper and a pencil from the table. "I can do you one better." He takes the pencil and starts drawing a quick sketch. "There you go," he says after a few quiet minutes of drawing. "I did it from memory. But then, my memory is pretty good." He hands the shifter a sketch of Natalya.

OOC

Take ten on a Craft(drawing) check (=21)

[mackaber]

The shifter takes the sketch and studies it intently.

"So do you have any preferred cover identities we should use in our inquiries?" Werz mumbles offhandedly as he looks at the rather nice sketch.

[Trogdor]

"No," Val replies. "I leave the details up to you."

[flelm]

Gred nods at Val's speech, and pays close attention to Werz's questions and the answers, but shows no signs of participating himself. The dwarf has very little experience in the streets, and is content to let someone else take the lead.

[Trogdor]

"So," Val says. "Are there any other questions?" He looks particularly at the two warforged, who haven't said anything yet.

[Eilandor]

Fletcher shakes his head, "No questions."

Addressing everyone in general, "Unless there is anything else, once everyone is ready we should take our leave. Perhaps a good place to start is joining me for a trip to the Iron Watch to see if they have any information that may prove useful."

[mackaber]

"Good!" Werz says with a grim mine. Wondering how this odd ragtag group will remain inconspicious in the streets of Stormreach...

"Let's be off then shall we?"