by Luka Petrov
He nodded, and replied, “Let’s keep following these merchants until we can figure out where the cloister is.”
I nodded in agreement. We dismounted our horses and led them within the city walls. The walked quietly as we blended in with the crowd. We followed the flow of people down into the open-air market.
Most of the crowd that we followed brought their wares to sell to the city folk with high mark-ups. As we passed by a stall owner who sold exquisite porcelain statues, I said to him, “Good day, sir.”
“Good day, young man. Can I help you find something? A gift for your mother or for a special girl?”
“Oh no, not today,” I responded. “I was more concerned with the ships in the harbor. I was hoping you knew something about them.”
“I’m not sure if I’ll know the answer, but I’ll try,” answered the stall owner.
“Very well. My question is, why the ships haven’t also surrounded the city on the land?”
“I really don’t know,” started the stall owner. “I’m figuring they are waiting for reinforcements before landing.”
“Oh, I see,” I answered, not fully understanding what he meant.
“It doesn’t really matter too much. Without the fishing boats in the sea, our surrounding farms don’t produce enough food to keep the city fed. By the Demon Lord not allowing our fishing boats out to fish, he is starving out our city. If any of the boats leave the harbor, they are pummeled with cannons and sorcerers summon waves to sink the boats. Three were sunk just today.”
“Thank you for your time, sir. That seems like things will only get worse,” I replied back. I turned to my friends and said, “Let’s get out of here.”
We worked our way up from the open-air market up to the residential side of Arne. As we passed by woman and her daughter walking by, I asked, “Ma’am, sorry to bother you.”
“Yes, young man? Are you lost?” The woman asked.
“Well, yes I am. I am looking for a magical cloister of some sort. My uncle was injured, and I believe he might be recovering there,” I explained.
“Of course. Arne is known to have one of the most powerful magic cloisters in the land. It is called Songs of the Fallen. It’s right around the corner,” answered the woman.
“Thank you, ma’am,” I said to the woman before turning to my friends. “You heard her, come on, this way,” I said while I motioned.
We turned the corner and were immediately confronted with a large building that backed up to the harbor a ways from the open-air market. Guards lined the retaining wall of the cloister, each one paced five feet from the next. “Wow! This place is heavily guarded,” muttered Cecily.
Each guard held a silver shield, ready for an attack at any moment. These guards were here to defend.
We approached the cloister. Instantly, guardsmen confronted us. We did not even have a chance to get anywhere close to the entrance. “Where go you?” barked the guardsmen.
“We would like to enter the cloister,” I stated. “I believe my uncle is here, healing.”
“The entrance to the cloister is closed to the public. I’m sorry, you cannot see if your uncle is here,” answered the guardsman.
Discouragement filled my body, and I was trying to figure out how to sneak into the cloister with all of the guards who lined the boarder. As I was about to leave, the guardsman shouted, “We will open tomorrow.”
“That’s wonderful!” I answered. “We will need somewhere to stay the night; do you know of an inn? I’m going to need a cheap one,” I added.
“The cheapest one I know of, it’s cheap, but in a bad area,” the guardsman answered.
“Well, at the moment, saving our coin is more important than being in a nice part of town,” I relented, not really certain if that was the right decision, but it was the best decision I could come up with.
“It’s by the docks, if you keep heading south, at the edge of the harbor the docks. It’s the roughest area in the city, but it is cheap,” answered the guardsmen.
“Thank you,” I shouted as I herded Cecily, Yves, and Walter in the direction that he suggested.
We walked a few kilometers southward toward the edge of the harbor where the docks were. As we passed people who lived in the streets, begging for our spare change, we finally made it to the inn.
Entering the lobby, the volume of people shouting and drinking at the adjacent tavern was deafening. Sailors drank their stouts, cat calling at the working women, who did not leave much to the imagination.
We passed by the adjoining tavern and to the registration desk. There, I walked to the desk and said the clerk, “We would like two rooms.”
“I’m sorry, we only have one room available,” replied the clerk.
I looked at Yves, Cecily, and Walter, “We’ll take it!”
Chapter Seven
“The room is not that bad, considering it was the last one they had,” relented Yves. I was not certain what she was referring to, the room was horrendous. However, I could not dwell on our creature comforts at the moment, I had to focus on the task at hand, which was to find a way to get into the cloister and rescue Hamon and get him back to Draererth as soon as possible.
“Yves! We simply do not have time to spend on our accommodations, please!” I shouted.
“Oh, all right. I was only trying to make small talk, but I will stop,” replied Yves.
“Sorry, I did not mean to bite your head off,” I responded back. “All right, let’s figure out our options.”
“Well, our options are to wait until the cloister opens tomorrow,” answered Walter.
That’s a big if,” I shot back. “I don’t trust it. Why was it closed today? Will it for sure be open tomorrow? I don’t believe it. Something is definitely up at that cloister.”
“What do you suggest?” Cecily asked.
I gave it some thought, but only one thing was coming to mind. “I think we need to hire a thief to help us break into the cloister and rescue Hamon,” I proposed.
“A thief!” Walter shouted.
“A thief?” Yves asked, appearing not certain if I were joking or being serious.
“What are we going to do with a thief?” Cecily asked. She hesitated a little and continued, “You know, I’m warming up to the idea. It’s so crazy, it might just work. Where do we find one?” One thing I appreciated about Cecily was her chaotic nature that made her like these off the wall ideas.
“Well, you know the tavern that connects to the lobby?” I asked.
“Yes,” answered Cecily.
“I think we should start there,” I suggested.
Yves interjected, “You think thieves are just waiting in the tavern to be hired?”
“Well, no,” I answered, realizing her point.
“I think they would be somewhere near the harbor, where the roughest part of the city is,” noted Yves.
“I still think we should start at the tavern right here in our hotel. If we find that they are hanging out by the harbor, we will work our way down there,” I responded. “Is everyone ready?”
“Yes, we are ready whenever you are,” answered Walter.
“Well, then let’s go!”
Down at the tavern there was a rowdy crowd that were constantly singing sea chantries and speaking and laughing with thunderous volume.
“Let’s get a table out of the way from everything,” suggested Yves. “I’d hate for anyone to overhear us.”
We made our way to one of the dark corners of the tavern, away from the rambunctious sailors and scantily clad broads. Thinking back to my prior life, this were things that I had only read about, now I was seeing them in their stereotypical glory.
As soon as we sat down, I asked, “Anyone fancy a drink?”
“Certainly,” responded Walter.
“Absolutely,” answered Yves.
“I’ll pass this round,” said Cecily.
“Are you sure?” I turned to Cecily and asked. “My treat.”
“Yes, I’m
sure. But thanks. I’m thinking at least one of us needs to keep their wits about them here.”
“As you wish,” I retorted as I made my way to the bar, silver in hand.
I stood at the bar for what seemed like twenty minutes. “Excuse me!” I shouted at the bartender. “Excuse me!”
My pleas fell on deaf ears as the bartender continued to help other patrons, some who arrived after I did. I stood, trying to make myself appear taller so the bartender would see me, however, my attempts were futile.
Dejected, I returned to my table of friends. “Where are the drinks?” Walter asked.
“The bartender kept passing me by. He served everyone else, but me,” I whined.
“Let me handle this” barked Yves, taking the silver coins form my hand. “I want you to come with me, so you can witness how it’s done.”
“Oh, all right,” I answered, reluctantly following her.
Back at the bar, I watched the bartender diligently help all of the patrons who were around us. The chubby human hand a hard time getting to either end of the bar but was more agile than I first had thought. “See, what’d I tell you. We are not wanted here,” I whispered to Yves. A rogue and sailor were on either side of us and appeared to be concerned with are conversation, more than what was comfortable.
A few moments passed and the bartender came over to Yves, “What can I get for you little lady?” He asked. “Sorry for the wait, your drink is on me lassi.”
“Why, thank you,” Yves replied. “I would like three stouts.”
“Right away, I’ll only charge you for two since you patiently waited,” replied the bartender.
“See, that’s how it’s done,” sassed Yves as she handed me my and Walter’s stout. “Head back to the table and give Walter his beer. I’m going to see if I can handle our other task.”
I nodded and carried the two steins over to the table where Walter and Cecily waited. I peered over my shoulder to keep an eye on Yves, although she seemed like she could handle herself. I noticed the bartender speaking very close to her, their heads nearly touching and Yves nodding. I certainly hoped she was getting the information that we needed to hire a thief.
I sat down next to Cecily while I handed Walter his stout. “Cheers my friend,” I said as I clanked Walter’s stein next to mine.
“Cheers!” Walter replied, holding his stein and taking a sip.
Moments later, Yves returned, her stout half drank. “Did you find out anything?” I asked.
“I sure did!” Yves shouted, so her voice could be heard over the rowdy crowd. She plopped herself down, the stout obviously getting to her.
“Well?” I asked.
“The bartender told me that we must go to a certain tavern called the Grounded Dragon and order a Smoking Winterberry Tonic,” explained Yves.
“And then what?” Walter asked.
“After that, I’m not sure,” replied Yves.
“Do we find the thieves then?” I asked, wanting to get to the bottom of this elaborate procedure.
Yves shrugged, her shoulders nearly touching her ears and raising her open palms.
“We don’t have much of a choice, but to try it,” barked Cecily.
“All right let’s chance it. Hope it does not end badly,” I concluded. The three of us pounded our stouts, emptying the steins and setting them on the table and headed out of the inn.
We made our way down the street walking along the harbor. “So, Yves, did you get directions to the Grounded Dragon,” I asked after I followed her staggering around for a about a half of a kilometer.
“Oh shoot!” Yves shouted. “I was so excited to get all of the information that I did, that I forgot to ask how to get to the tavern.”
“Oh no!” I replied.
“Hold on!” Walter shouted. He walked over to two sailors who were drinking out by the docks. A few minutes later he returned.
“Sorry. They didn’t know what I was talking about,” he started. “They’ve never heard of the Grounded Dragon.”
Cecily found a family of four walking their children out by the pier. She spoke to them for a few minutes and returned where the three of us stood. “They did not know either,” she stated, appearing to be disappointed.
We continued down the meandering path next to the docks. I was certain we were lost and could not even find our way back to the inn, let alone find the Grounded Dragon. We passed by a man cloaked in a black cape and hood.
Yves said, “Wait here,” as she approached the towering man.
A minute later she came back, “We are almost there. It is four doors down, and it doesn’t have a sign. We’ll need to knock three times, and someone will let us in,” explained Yves.
“Fabulous!” I shouted.
We counted four doors and approached a metal door of a wood wall building. “What in the world,” I muttered as we approached the mysterious structure. From the outside it looked modest, yet beautiful and intimate. Not what I was expecting to see in this neck of the woods, err this part of the seedy harbor. Hardwood planks and thick, hardwood logs made up most of the building's outer structure. It was tough to see through the large, curtained windows, but the inviting music from within could be felt from the outside.
Cecily knocked three times, and the door gave way. I was surprised that all of this worked, shocked in fact. The rough neighborhood deceived my expectations as we entered the tavern. This tavern was pristine, clean and luxurious. It appeared to be a secret old-boys club, with fine white linen table clothes, which were pressed, not displaying a crease. It was as enchanting inside as it is on the outside. Squared, stone beams supported the upper floor and the chandeliers attached to them. The walls were littered with all sorts of memorabilia, though whether they're collected or donated is uncertain.
As we entered the tavern through the heavy, metallic door, we were welcomed by the overall happiness and a feeling of comfort. The bartender was a little preoccupied, but still managed to welcome us with a wink.
The tavern itself was packed. The noblemen, those who held a fief, land, or office seemed to be the primary clientele here, which was an indication of great food and service. Several long tables were occupied by separate groups of people, all enjoying themselves, but they kept to themselves. The other, smaller tables were also occupied by people who seemed to be enjoying themselves a lot, perhaps too much, if such a thing was possible. Even most of the stools at the bar were occupied, though nobody seemed to mind more company.
The bartender wore a crisp uniform with black trousers and a white shirt. “This is not what I was expecting,” I said to my three friends as we sat down on the brocade upholstered bar stools with backs to them. Unlike the last tavern, at this one, everyone conducted themselves with the upmost decorum. There were a few men, who appeared to be feudal lords, sat and drank their stiff drinks and gave us once over when we entered.
The bartender came over to the four of us and asked, “What can I get for you guys?”
Yves answered, “I would like a Smoking Winterberry Tonic,” she said with confidence.
The bartender asked, “Are you sure you want that drink? It might be too strong for you.”
“I’m sure. I would like it anyway,” she answered.
The bartender shrugged and replied, “If you say so.” He came closer to her and spoke with a soft voice, “It is downstairs in the cellar. You are free to go down there and get it.”
“Where are the stairs?” Walter asked.
“They’re right by the lavatories. Make certain you do not disrupt any of our patrons on your way over. I would hate to lose any more customers,” replied the bartender.
The four of us looked each looked at ourselves and nodded before we got up from the barstools that we sat at and made our way to the stairs that led us to the basement. On our way, we passed by several of the aristocratic patrons as they sat and sipped their after-dinner drinks of Amaro and Fernet. “This place seems very uppity,” whispered Yves into my ear.
; I nodded and chuckled as we passed by men wearing woolen tunics with elaborate precious metal brooches that fastened their cloaks that draped over them. It seemed as though all of high society in Arne came here to schmooze with each other.
We found the stairwell behind a wooden door near the lavatory. Walter opened it and we made our way down the dark stairs. The stairs were carved of stone and we made our way down into the depths of the darkness.
Right away, we were met with four burley men. “We’ve been waiting for you,” one starkly said. “Seems like you deserve this!”
The man took out his mace and stuck me right in between the eyes.
The thug had advantage on an attack roll against an opponent. Thug struck Edward with a mace. +4 on the hit within 5 ft reach. Edward took 1d6 + 2 bludgeoning damage -8 HP.
T
hug
AC: 11 Leather Armor
HP: 32 (5d8 + 10)
STR: 15 (+2)
DEX: 11 (+0)
CON: 14 (+2)
INT: 10 (+0)
WIS: 11 (+0)
CHA: 10 (+0)
Skills: Intimidation +2
Senses: Passive Perception 10
Language: Common
Challenge: 1/2 XP
The thug used multitrack to strike with the mace once again. Thug struck Cecily with a mace. +4 on the hit within 5 ft reach. Cecily took 1d6 + 2 bludgeoning damage. (-7 HP)
Instantly after Cecily and I were both bludgeoned, Yves sprang into action and shouted, “Clipeum!” The bluish-transparent shield transpired around us, providing a protective barrier.
Another thug loaded his crossbow and aimed it directly at Walter. Walter flinched as he watched the arrow barrel towards him, but I could tell he trusted the shield as he did not flinch much. “Great move, Yves,” commended Walter.
