Edge of Anarchy

[Yimzin]

You have all been wronged. The party responsible has not been brought to justice and continues to enjoy a life of freedom and petty crime. This man is Gaedren Lamm. You are not alone.

Throughout the mundane tasks of your day you find something out of place; a harrow card from the well known fortune telling deck.

Calandrel finds The Wanderer wedged into the scabbard of his blade,

While Iaur-Turil finds The Hidden Truth tucked into his spellbook.

After Janick is done praying The Paladin rests upon the altar.

When Jessop goes to clean his thieves' tools he finds The Cricket among them.

The Midwife is found by Janus next to his Pharasman holy symbol.

Tucked into Vaulkhar's scale mail is The Survivor.

Upon the back of each of these cards is left by a message, a message from someone who shares your hate;

"I know what Gaedren has done to you. He has wronged me as well. I know where he dwells, yet cannot strike at him. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street at sunset. Others like you will be there. Gaedren must face his fate, and justice must be done."

Later that day, at sunset, the scene is set. Those who arrive at the house first find a simple yet cozy home. It is filled with a fragrant haze of flowers and strong spice emanating from several sticks incense in wall-mounted burners. The smoke itself seems to give the room a dream-like feel. The walls are draped with brocaded tapestries, one showing a black-skulled beast juggling men's hearts, another showing a pair of angels dancing atop a snow-blasted mountain. A third tapestry on the wall depicts a tall hooded figure shrouded in mist, a flaming sword held in a skeletal hand. Several bright and colourful rugs line the floor, yet the only furnishing is a stout table with several sturdy tall backed chairs. A note also rests upon the table, weighed down by a stone.

"Thank you for coming. I had to step out for a bit, but shall return shortly. Please, have a seat while you wait. The basket under the table contains bread and drink for you."

There is indeed a basket under the table, with stale but hearty bread and wine that is not that good, but tasty enough.

(Introduce yourselves at your leisure, arriving at the house.)

[nick]

Vaulkhar waited outside the door several long minutes. He had knocked, but got no response, and was uneasy about entering the home uninvited. Such acts were frowned upon by the spirits, and it was unwise to ignore their wishes. However, while disregarding the customs of the spirits might bring ill-fortune, standing too long outside on the street certainly would. He could already feel unwanted attention. The note had been an invitation in a way, he reasoned, and entered the house.

No one else had arrived yet, and a heavy silence hung over the house. Snatching the note from the table, he read it quickly before replacing it under the rock. Leaving the food unexamined, he found a corner of the room to lean against and kept an eye on the door. This seemed suspiciously like a set-up, but he would wait for these others before rendering judgement.

[Ferahgo]

Calandrel Everwhisp awoke in his room at the Elven embassy at dawn, as he usually did. He stretched his six foot, three inch frame, and then proceeded to get dressed. He decided to forgo leaving his hair down, and tied his long dark hair into a proper ponytail. He dawned his armor, and was reaching for his sheathed scimitar when he noticed something sticking out of the scabbard.

Upon finding the harrow card in his scabbard and reading the message it contained, he immediately sought out the old librarian, Iaur-Turil, to tell him the news. After their near disastrous run in with the law several months ago, the pair had stayed in touch, sharing any information about Lamm that they came across.

Upon discovering that Iaur too had received a harrow card bearing the same message, they decided to arrive together, as two elven minds were better than one...or any human mind at all for that matter.

After knocking, and receiving no answer, he made the decision to enter, hand on the hilt of his sword. He looked around the simple room, noting the man leaning in the corner.

"Is this your home?" Calandrel asked.

[nick]

Vaulkhar stared for a long moment as the stranger kept a hand on his sword before slowly shaking his head. He held up the card he had found.

"No. I was invited here, as were you. I am Vaulkhar."

[Hephestus]

The Morning had begun to a dull whisper upon the wind, Janus's head had still filled with questions, rolling off his cot to begin his prayer is where he would admit his day had turned odd. The Harrow card of The Midwife was defiantly an odd thing considering he had heard no one enter his room, being a light-sleeper he was surprised to find it there.
Reading the back of the card he pondered it for a few moments before cleansing it form his mind, he prayed to the Lady Of Graves and prepared his day for the few funerals he was attending.

He found his duties to the church completed many hours later as the sun began to set, fishing the card from within his armor he frowned, following the directions and smiled humorlessly, after all it was only a few weeks ago he had been near this very street shaking down thugs to find the name of the dealer Gaedren Laam.

Upon arriving at the small home his eyes picked apart the details rapidly, noting nothing of significance he eyed the door. Tugging slightly at the braids upon his black beard he grunted, his short stature normally a target for pickpockets had chosen to avoid him with the obvious holy symbol of Pharasma, it seemed none like insulting the guiders of souls.

"No time like the present Janus" he muttered in dwarven, the 4'2 dwarf marched towards the home Scale mail clanking as he moved, drawing his gauntlet across the door before rapping on it once, turning the handle with the other hand he moved inside. Staring at the back of the tall man with his hand on his hilt staring at another just catching the last of the words.

'..invited here, as were you. I am Vaulkhar.'

"Out the way man, less you be cutting Mr.Vaulkhar in twain, i be looking to get inside" the dwarven's thick accent cut through the air.

[Ferahgo]

"Ah, the Harrow card," Calandrel replied, removing his own from his pocket, "my friend and I also received one as well."

He moved away from the door, and walked over to the table. He quickly read the note that was there, then sat at the table. He did not partake in any of the food or drink, but opened his spell book and began to read.

[joviality]

It had been years since Gaedren framed his father, but Jessop was still as incensed as ever whenever he heard or read the man's name. Jessop had been piecing together bits of information about the crime lord for the past few years; ever since he had left his parent's house to strike out on his own he had looked for clues that might bring Lamm to justice.

Unfortunately, Lamm always seemed to make the critical piece of information difficult to track down in order to catch him in the act. It had been months since Jessop had made a break in the case, and he was beginning to lose hope in ever bringing the damnable man to justice. In the intervening time, Jessop passed the days by making his wages as a private investigator - ferreting out unfaithful spouses, small-time embezzlers, and the occasional contract with the city guard. While rewarding, it didn't have that personal impetus that the Lamm case did for Jessop.

All that changed this morning when he found the harrow card slid into one of the pockets of his "liberator's kit", as he liked to call it. (Admittedly he wasn't very good at using them, but he gave it his best.) The card had on it an image of a cricket in mid-leap, moving quickly through the air. Jessop always thought himself an observant person, and finding something new in his kit troubled him somewhat. Who would be able to slip such a thing into his belongings?

Such concerns were heavily outweighed by the implications of that which was written on the back of the card. Someone was mobilizing an effort to stop Gaedren Lamm for good. That was a thought he could get behind.

Jessop spent the day thinking over who might have sent him the card, as well as going over his notes on the Lamm case. He knew bits and pieces of information, but in reality, Jessop actually knew very little about the crime lord. He was looking forward to meeting someone who knew more.

As sunset drew near, Jessop made his way down toward the indicated house, being careful to see if anyone was following him. One can never be too careful, especially with a man like Gaedren on the loose. (Perception check to notice anyone tailing him; see end).

<< Perception: [dice=20]+7 >>

After a while, he reached the vicinity of 3 Lancet street and found a place where he could watch the door of the residence in relative concealment (stealth check to hide and watch the front door).

<< Stealth: [dice=20]+13 >>

What he saw intrigued him. After about 10 minutes, a bear of a man walked up to the front door and knocked, standing awkwardly in the street for a moment and then letting himself in. A few minutes later, two elves came to the door and knocked as well. Also receiving no answer, they went into the building as well. They too were shortly followed by a dwarf wearing a Pharasman holy symbol. A motley crew indeed, but none of them looked like a terribly bad sort.

Seeing no one else coming down the street, Jessop takes the opportunity to enter the building himself. Being a halfling, he opens the front door only a bit before he in able to squeeze in.

As he walks in, he looks around at the other people in the room, getting a closer look at them and nodding and smiling as any of them make eye contact. Seeing the note on the table, he reads it and places it back after a moment. After reading the note, he looks around once more at the others and hops up onto the lowest seat he can find, smiling widely.

"So, which card did the rest of you get?" he asks. "Mine's the Cricket. Fast little bugger. Oh, and my name's Jessop. Pleased to meetcha."

Jessop then offers his hand to shake... but it's only about 3' in the air.[rand=54938061395660041324839671142399384497080580331397966475244611502]

[Veritas]

It wasn't much that had caused Iaur-Turil to fall afoul of Gaedren Lamm. Perhaps he had crossed the man on the street, or had slowed down his passage by walking slowly on his staff, as is his want. Perhaps he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

What was fact was that five months ago, a young dwarf had died under mysterious circumstances - no, murder - at the Academy, and the murder weapons had shown up tucked under the bunks of two elves at the Academy. It took much doing, but both Calendrel and Iaur had proven themselves innocent, but their reputations had been, admittedly, sullied.

Imagine the delight of the old elf when he found someone suggesting that Lamm's day may be close to come. Though oft teased back in Kyonin for his inflexibility and his uncharacteristic love of rules, Iaur still has that basic elven need in his blood, the one that causes more than one of the fairer folk to flirt with Calistria on a hot day's night, the desire to revenge his wrongs.

When Calandrel approached 3 Lancet Street, the old man paused for a moment outside, looking up to the sky for a second, inhaling the city-stained air, before leaning on his stave with both hands, stepping forward into the house some moments after he did, just before a little halfling popped in after him. How quaint.

The elf is only slightly hunched with age, a long braid of white hair tied back where it hangs past his shoulders, twisted around his waist and tucked into his belt. He wears grey robes that sweep down to his feet, and a worn black leather belt at his waist. Dangling from the belt are a small collection of pouches and bags on his left side, while at his right is the hilt of a longsword. He holds his staff with both hands, but primarily his left, and in the crook of it is nestled a thick, leather-bound tome easily recognizable as a spellbook.

Indeed, as he enters the house, his eyes are flickering down to the pages open as he reviews the arcane knowledge before him.

Rather than moving over to the table, Iaur simply watches the halfling bob about, onto the chair. His eyes drift along, to look at the dwarf, and the human. Well. He reaches out with the staff, and prods Calandrel with it, speaking in Elvish that still maintains a more elabourate flair.

"Young fellow, do tell these people our names. Are any of them the ones that invited us here? Have any of them explained why they tucked those profane cards into our things?"

[Ferahgo]

"Yes of course Iaur," Calandrel replies in Elven, "and I'm fairly certain these folk are in the same situation we are."

He then turns to the halfling, shaking its hand. "I am Calandrel, and this is Iaur," he replies in common, gesturing to the aged elf beside him, "I recieved The Wanderer card."

He looks to the dwarf, "And what is your name, master dwarf?"

[skat]

Janick found it hard to take his eyes away from the card sitting atop the Dawnflower's alter. Did somebody put it there while I was in prayer. Or was it left there beforehand, and I just missed it? One thing was certain, this card was meant for him and no one else. He knew the name Gaedren and knew it well.

As the sun began to dip Jarick snatched the card off the alter and after donning his armor, his feet found themselves leading him to the address on the back of the card. There was a good chance that the one who sent his this card had some sort of alternate motive than his own, but there was certainly no harm in meeting with him, and perhaps others that could bring justice to those wronged by this vile scum.

By the time he reached the address, the sun was no where in sight. With a quick glance around, Janick opened the front door to politely announced his arrival.

"Forgive me for my tardiness. My name is..." his eyes quickly darted from the men gathered to the designs on the tapestry. "Janick..."

<< Knowledge Religion: [dice=20]+5 >>[rand=2037365776486694890441605006344625387469662819058588413645979017]

[nick]

Heaving the massive Earthbreaker hammer up over his shoulders, Vaulkhar slowly made his way across the room. He paused a moment to grin mirthlessly at the halfling, crouching down to shake his offered hand, before continuing on to face the latest arrival.

"Janick, my friend. None of this sits well with me. You were looking at these wall hangings, what can you tell me?"

<<Knowledge Religion [dice=20]+6>>
<<Knowledge Nobility [dice=20]+6>>

"I believe the symbols have something to do with the imagery of the harrow."

Edit: Based on knowledge checks[rand=81061488108252268838082282394264468794623741862547427071440985503]

[skat]

"I can't tell you what they mean, only that they probably have something in common with these.... devil-cards" Janick will then throw his card, 'The Paladin' down on the table.
"Has our host been gracious enough to make his presence known?" Janick will ask, scanning the group gathered around the room. He recognized a few of the faces, but no names were jumping out at him though, other than Vaulkhar's. "If any of you could enlighten me as to why we have gathered here on this fine eve, that would be most good."

[Veritas]

The old elf watches the other arrival for a moment, and then he shifted, to lean forward on his staff a little more, and he clears his throat, speaking up in common, this time. "Nay, we haven't seen the host of this fine party, not of yet, good sirrah. Though there was yonder note which I have not yet read. Perchance our host will be along soon."

He pauses for a second, before continuing, shuffling over towards the table to read the note. "Aye, as I thought. He will be along soon. Or perhaps this is subterfuge, meant to get us together? If mine note was the same as yours, it suggested a certain affair with Gaedrin Lamm. My thought is that Lamm could be gathering us together, to clean up...what is it? A loose end?"

[nick]

"Ha! I would welcome the chance to confront Lamm openly, but I doubt he would send even his lackeys against us this directly. A knife in the dark, maybe. A debilitating poison, more likely. He would want to separate us, kill us off one by one, not bring us together. This feels wrong for a set up, but it does not feel right either."

Vaulkhar walked to the center table and laid his harrow card down next to Janick's.

"If we have to fight though I want to know that I can rely on each of you. I can vouch for Janick, he even managed to arrest me once. What about you, elves? Can you fight, elder? Jessop? Dwarf?"

[joviality]

"Aye, you can rely on me and my bow and rapier."

Jessop's demeanor has changed from being friendly to much more focused.

"You can also count on my skills. I've been tracking Lamm for years, ever since he framed my father."

At this point Jessop looks away, avoiding eye contact.