Orhan 4 Day 22 TE 6065

Gireg Jan manages to find someone who has 5 ranks of Gethren that the party can study.

The party decides that perhaps it's time to be circumspect and get a cover story before heading to the Kingdom of the Desert Jewel. The decide to cover as traders, and ask Arisia if they can study her to get some trade skill. Perhaps travelling jewel merchants searching for unique jewels.

There's some discussion as to how much of the rest of the country they are going to steal while they recover the staff of the sun. Haeraan proposes taking all the loot in the country in Oathar's honor.

Haeraan has some dreams:

• Where is the golden staff of the sun? He's in a broad canyon. There are work crews everywhere digging holes in the ground. On one side is an obelisk being excavated with a sundisk inscribed on the top.
• Is the Alliance looking for it in particular? Are they generally looking in the tombs for stuff? How close are they to the Golden Staff of the Sun?There are overseers keeping the workers working. Off to the side is a building with a model of a city. Several dyar standing around talking. One has a long staff. Holes on the ground. The Dyar are trying to figure out which hole goes in the staff. They have a scroll with a drawing of a headpiece on it.

The party tries to find a former disgruntled girlfriend in Nepal to get them on the right path...

Orhan 4 Day 23 TE 6065

Kyrik researches power foci. They are tidepools in the flows of essence. Most are temporary. They alter the behavior of essence within them. In the fel lands, one takes the form of an ancient altar in a steep ravine. Within the ravine, anyone who enters may suddenly contradict their most vehement opinion. Power regen is 10x and casters get bonus mana just for being there. The chance of spell failure is likewise increased. Failed spells almost always end up being the opposite of the effect intended. Another one, is the site of an ancient battle, where a king fought the unlife. A weird wailing pervades the region. All spell casters receive bonuses to all attack spells and get more power points. However, they usually spend most of these fending off the horrible legions of undead that travel the region.

There are at least two greater and six lesser foci in the fel lands.

Haeraan buys a couple hundred gold worth of silks.

This night they get another note from Gireg Jan. The lore master agent sent there, Harrison Jones, is going by the cover name of Sala. He's apparently infiltrated into the canyon of the kings somewhere. Probably a worker or something.

Kyrik spends 24 hours getting permanent ranks in the language for 50 gold.

People discuss taking the skyship. If they do, they have to take care of it. If they don't it's hard to get there. Perhaps they should just blind teleport down there.

Perhaps bring the sky ship and the party wives, and have them do the trade mission, while the party slips away to do their mission.

Orhan 4 Day 27 TE 6065

They get an actual captain to sail Oathar's skyship down to Kaitaine. It's a captain that Alynna knows. She stays in the captain's quarters most of the voyage. They kidnap Oathar's office manager from Kaitaine too. Then, they head off to K'Thyra. Aiming for the city at the mouth of the river delta.

Orhan 4 Day 29 TE 6065

They start approaching land... Alynna notices something in the air approaching off the port bow. Yup, that's some sort of skyship approaching. Alynna suggests it's sky pirates, and the crew panics.

Haeraan sees that it's a weird skyship-like thing flying the Alliance flag. Yup, that's an Alliance skyship. It's a bigger blockier ship.

It pulls up and our ship heaves to. Sailors and warriors board our ship. Plus an official looking Dyar shows up. The party disguises itself.

The captain gets interrogated. The origin and purpose of the ship is Blue Mermaid out of Kaitaine on a trading expedition. Imre's name is Vori Kadathien, a trader looking to trade in the Alliance. He'll need permits. Since he doesn't have any, there's an inspection of the ship. Yup, there's a lot of silk here...

Imre fills out the forms with his Administration roll. The declared value is a couple thousand gold. A 1% duty fee, and a 25 gold license fee is 60 gold.

One of the average sailors starts looking around strangely. Oathar suddenly feels like he's been seen. He goes around a corner and vanishes. He searches but doesn't find anything.

The inspection ship sails off.

Orhan 4 Day 31 TE 6065

They arrive at the city. A huge crowd comes out to see the flying ship. The dockmaster says to pay a gold a day docking fee. He sees the traders permit, and contact the cargo master if you need warehouse space, all laws are posted, be on your way.

The city is divided into four quarters. The palace is a big pyramid. There are a number of canals going from the docks in towards the city. The posted laws are pretty straightforward. They include no sacriglige. Tomb robbing, or conspiracy thereto, is a capital offense. Recently, was written in, "All laws of the Alliance also apply."

The aprty looks for a good inn. The Inn of the seventh ray. 3 coppers a room lodging. 6 coppers for a suite. 4 coppers a person for meals. 6 for extravagant. The party throws some bronze and are feasted.

Haeraan and Kyrik head to the caravansari to see about the deep desert markets. they get some good contacts for the silk markets and investigate where the other traders come from with what wares. They find that these people worship a bunch of unknown gods. Neptha goddess of marriage and fertility, etc. Haeraan thinks that Hora, the sun god is indeed an incarnation of Phaon. Oathar finds out that Shashahn is Neela's incarnation here. Haeraan also finds figs and dates and cactus fruits never seen before. Haeraan makes some trading rolls and thinks he could get 500 gold for his several hundred gold of silk. He's told that all settlements run up and down the river. (The valley of the kings is on the south bank of the river upstream.

Imre also looks for a tour guide. Sheema, the grandaughter of Umat the Wise can probably show them around. His house is quite close to the great observatory. It turns out she's 10 years old. She checks with her grandfather and then demands a bronze piece for her tour guiding. She starts with the great observatory. The hall of the physicians. The royal palace, home of the great king. Barracks of the royal legions. Slave quarters and slave markets. You can get into slavery by being a debtor. A university, and academy of magic arts. Temples. Public baths. Theatres. Tomb of Horutet, the great king's father.

People acquire native outfits for two bronze. With a fancy set for three bronze. Alynna finally remembers to hit the jewelry stores to see if there's a lot of good bargains. The bronze and silver cheapo jewelry is maode of bronze and silver, as does the gold jewelry. There's clearly a tall thin pyramid of people really rich above the vast poverty. Alynna notices palace of the high king robbing is not a capital crome. Just so long as you don't kill him until after you are done robbing so it is neither tomb robbing nor sacriledge. There is a small clock store!!! Well, a guy selling two clocks. He wants 500 gold for a clock! He talks him down to 400 gold. Imre buys a clock.

Imre goes to the adminisrative hall to make sure there are no anti-magic laws. Then Imre and Alynna go to the magic college. They bribe their way in with a couple of silver and are directed to the last door on the left. Down there are administrative offices where visiting researchers may visit. They register as researchers and fill out forms. Evil magician/mentalists/channelers are not allowed. Sorcerers are frowned upon, Necromancers and Warlocks are right out. They are charged 5 gold each to access the library. They feign sticker shock.

They search out some more information on power nexi. There's the field of gates. A field filled with gates opening and closing at random intervals and locations. The gates are attracted to people. There's also barrier mountain. It's a flat area surrounded by essense barriers. An area of bazzare weather is another one.

Kyrik finds someone who tells him of the House of Veils. He resolves to head there after the theatre. (He spends four gold for food, wine, and twenty-four hours and three ladies worth of "entertainment". Wow.) He does pick up seven ranks of Gethren this way though. One of his ladies recites from memory a poem which turns out to be a dirty limerick in Terran.

Then they all go to dinner. Exotic treats.

Then they go to the high theatre. It costs a bronze, but the operatic theatre is worth it. It'd probably be mor eenjoyable if they had more ranks of the language though.

Oathar leaves them presents on their bed. Hand tents of darkness. And Haeraan's room upgrade. It's quite a mystery since it seems to be channeling based, and it's an essence spell list.

Orhan 4 Day 32 TE 6065

The next morning they gets a note with directions to the inventors place. Yup, he's a typical crazy old man. They buy a hottub from him.

Haeraan finds himself aimlessly walking when he says, "Oathar, send me a sign!" Oathar shows up and chides him for forgetting to cast dreams. He also point out some exotic musical instruments for Haeraan to buy. Then he tells Haeraan to ask tonight for a dream where they can talk freely.