The first Savage Tide has already touched the mortal world, yet none who live today recall this terrible time of red ruin. It swept over an ancient city, transforming beggar and noble, merchant and thief, resident and visitor, one and all into feral, ravenous fiends. What took the ancients hundreds of years to build came crumbling down in a matter of days. When the final ripples of the tide faded, only ruins remained.
Now, after a thousand years, the hidden architect of the Savage Tide gazes upon new targets. This time, the doom will not be limited to one hapless city. This time, all of civilization is perched on the shore, blissfully ignorant of what the tide is about to bring in.
Lavinia, Avner, Daerith, and Tolin break off from the others and head deeper into town. Halfway down the main street, Barnaby approaches and informs Avner that dinner has been arranged at the Crown. The nobleman hesitates, but after a dark look from Lavinia, he informs his servant that there will actually be four for dinner. He sends Barnaby ahead to adjust the arrangements, telling him to have them provide something a bit less 'intimate' for the meal.
After a leisurely stroll down the main thoroughfare, the four arrive at the Crown. It's a fine three-story inn with a nicely appointed restaurant taking up about half of the bottom level. Clearly it offers the nicest accommodations in town, and probably some of the best meals. Barnaby awaits you at the door. "Everything is prepared, sir," he says, and holds the door for everyone. Once inside, the staff take care of the group. And once they've learned the protocol, they settle Lavinia and Avner in to a small private room with a table and four chairs, along with a sideboard on which some wine is chilling. Daerith and Tolin are ushered not to a bar, but to a comfortable lounge with overstuffed leather chairs and a fireplace against the occasionally chill evening. There they have their drink orders taken and are left in private to enjoy their wait for dinner to be ready.
Will Daerith be staying the night at the Crown? They have rooms. They range from 5-15 gp/night (most rooms are 5, 8, or 10 gp/night; Avner took the 20 gp/night suite; there is one suite left at 15 gp/night). All are very nice, as you'd imagine. Food is covered by Avner. Drinks while you wait will cost 5 gp (unless you want to get extravagant). They also will be very good.
Last edited by Trogdor on Fri Jun 10, 2011 10:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Daerith stays where Lavina is staying, if she's staying at the Crown, Daerith stays there too. Daerith will go for a 8gp Room, and 5gp on drinks is plenty, he doesn't want to get drunk not with Avener and Tolin both trolling for HIS Lady.
I have not updated my sheet yet.
Daerith strolls along the streets taking in the view of the place as he makes his way to The Crowd. On arriving he nods to Lavina, "See you in a bit." With Tolin near he finds himself in the louge with an order for red wine, a decent vintage, placed. Flopping down in one of the stuffed chairs Daerith throws one leg over the arm of the chair and reclines back comfortably. "This is nice huh? After so long on the ship its good to get to shore." He doesn't start any real conversation until the wine arrives and then sipping his glass he get's right into it. "So Tolin, how goes things on the Blue Nixie? Security safe and sound, no troubles or inappropriate situations between the crew?"
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
Dearith is able to arrange for a room before heading to the lounge. There he finds that Barnaby has arranged for Avner to have the king's suite on the top floor. Lavinia has also sent word that she'd like one of the nicer sets of rooms on the same level. Daerith's room is actually a set of two rooms: a comfortable sleeping chamber with an attached sitting room. Neither are overly large, but both are well furnished. It's just the sort of thing he had in Sasserine before his money started to run out. Tolin, for his part, takes a single room, also on the second floor.
Once comfortably ensconced in the lounge, Daerith orders a glass of wine, while Tolin orders a glass of whiskey. Both are brought very quickly, and the two have a chance to talk while Avner and Lavinia discuss finances. Daerith opens with an innocuous question about security on the Blue Nixie.
"Nothing serious," the handsome ranger replies. "One minor fight and a handful of personality conflicts. Not anything that comes close to what you had to deal with. I'm glad we have that behind us. Rowyn Kelani could have caused a lot more trouble if you hadn't caught her when you did." There seems to be at least a bit of respect in his voice about how the matter was handled.
"We have a solid team of good men among the Wyverns, strong, smart, and skilled in all manner of tactics. I agree had she been able to roam free any longer it could have spelled real trouble." Daerith sips his wine with generous mouthfuls and looks about the room at the various nautical decorations hung on the walls. "Been out to see much? I have to admit this is my first long voyage, certainly the first outside of Sasserine region. Have the Ravens done much deep sea sailing?" He tries to get to know this man, one leader to another.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
"Not any deep sea sailing," Tolin replies, sipping at his whiskey. "We've had a few trips up and down the coast. But nothing out of sight of land. The Ravens that came before us went to Farshore with Lavinia's parents. But that was before my time. We go back a long time. The Jade Ravens were founded by Lavinia's grandfather in his younger days. He retired when he got married and his wife gave birth to Lavinia's father. But he thought it would be useful to have a group like the Jade Ravens around to help the family out. So he recruited someone to replace him. Since then, Each member has always found a replacement when they retired."
"Sounds like a good plan, the Vanderborens are a good group of people, not counting Vanthus. Then again he wasn't always as he is, a shame really. It has put alot of undue stress on Lavina. She's a good woman, she doesn't need that sort of trouble. She deserves a good strong stable sort of man. Someone who understands her troubles and the life of a noble, something with a good reptuations and educations. And not someone like Avner." He glances out the door but keep one eye on Tolin to try and judge his reaction to the statements.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
"She certainly doesn't need an ass like Avner," Tolin agrees. "That's for sure. Not that there's any danger of anything happening there. She has no interest in him; she's made that clear over the last week - at least to those of us who have her confidence on the Blue Nixie. In fact, she specifically asked me to help keep him from doing anything stupid where she was concerned." A scowl briefly crosses his face. "It's not likely; for all that he's a fop, he's not dumb. But it pays to be careful."
The ranger takes another sip of his drink. "Lavinia has to be careful right now. She has a lot on her plate. She can't afford to get distracted by an aristocratic dandy looking to seduce a noble lady."
Daerith's Sense Motive: 9
(Sorry that this is a skill Daerith has no bonus in. But it really is the skill for reading someone's reaction.)
Roll vs Tolin's Cha check: 18
It's clear to Daerith that Tolin agrees with him completely. Tolin's true feelings are less obvious. Daerith knows to look for signs of interest on Tolin's part, but he finds none. He doesn't see signs of disinterest, however. Clearly Tolin knows how to play his cards close to his chest.
"Yes, Avner is an ass, it has been my unfortunately pleasure to have him on the Wyvern with me. He hasn't been as much of a bother yet as I expected him to be. Perhaps his father has talked some sense into him before we left. I made sure to pay him a lengthy visist before we set out." Daerith's eyes narrow when he mention having Lavina's condience on the Nixie, that doesn't sit with with him. "Lucky for us Avner is the only aristoratic dandy on this voyage, eh? Lavina won't be getting distracted by someone of that caliber." Daerith sips down his wine, "Living in the Vanderboren Estate with Lavina the last few weeks has truely opened up my eyes to what she needs and doesn't need." He flops his legs back over the arm of the chair and plants both boots soundly on the floor. "Let me be a bit blunt here, perhaps its the wine, perhaps its the situation. I expect everyone on the Nixie to be minding their manners around Lavina, you included Tolin. As the leader of the Raven's you need to keep your head straight, and can't afford any distractions yourself. Lavina doesn't need her attention split three ways, does that make sense?" He is leaning forward, hand on a knee, eyes narrowed slightly, the insinutaion lingering there in the air.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
"I can appreciate straight talk," Tolin replies. "And I agree with you. Lavinia doesn't need distractions right now. She doesn't need anything taking her eye off the prize - making Farshore a success. She certainly doesn't need Avner. But she doesn't need you mooning over her like a lovesick calf either. The Jade Ravens and the Sea Wyverns are here to help Lavinia through this difficult expedition. We're not here to distract her, no matter what our personal desires are." The ranger looks Daerith straight in the eye. "In a very short time she's lost her parents, her brother, and almost her fortune. She's vulnerable; and I don't think you should be capitalizing on that vulnerability. She needs space right now to figure out what she wants and what she needs. I don't expect Avner to understand this. But I hope you do. We need to give her space and let her focus on Farshore. Once that's secure, then she can spare some thought to matters of the heart."
"Alright Tolin, let's put it all out there. I have true feelings for Lavina, I've known her a long time and this is no lovesick mooning. She has lost just about everything and she needs someone she can turn to and count on and trust and confide in. I'm not about to have her go through this alone. I'm not capitalizing on any vulernability, I'm doing what any compassionate person might. I don't know what might happen between the pair of us, but that's between her and me. Its honorable that you want to protect her, that is your job after all, its what she's paying you foe, but her and I have a bond that is growing beyond that. So I suggest you keep your distance is all, let her have this comfort and let us see where this goes naturally. I don't want to be your enemy, Lavina doesn't need that, but I also won't sit by and let what her and I have fade because you don't like it." He stands up now and sets his wine glass down.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
