("ghostwritten" by Jacob, my thanks to him for his great help! 100 xp per level is awarded to a character of his choice for his assistance in compiling and embellishing these items)
Over the last 2 weeks pranks have been pulled, parties have been had, and the Immortal Klakons have once again moved to rest. During the first week, of pranks and shenanigans, several spooky surprises and shocking pranks occurred. Among them, three circulate amongst the taverns especially well, as they were perpetrated by several of the oft-gossiped adventurers who have been making their way in and about the Tel of late.
--Avin--
Our first story comes from Adolin ibn Dalinar, scion of House al Khalid. Having received an invitation from Avin, who had previously worked to woo him, to visit one of the smaller taverns, the Fancy Discovery, in Cothon.
As Adolin tells it, he accepted the invitation fully expecting a prank, because who sends invitations during the weeks of the Immortal Dead without planning something. Though, you wouldn’t know it from his reaction. He planned his route to the tavern ahead of time, taking busy, well lit streets. Unfortunately as he neared a cart of produce was upturned by another prank gone-wrong, forcing him to turn down a darkened alley. During that walk he mentions bravely fending off several Klakon ghosts, and definitely not being unnerved by them at all. Finally, just as he is confident he’s made it to the tavern in the clear 4 KzinTi Heroes burst from the darkness demanding all of his belongings!
The shock of it causing Adolin to turn white as a spirit! Being a talented dualist he naturally began reaching for his side sword, as Avin revealed herself, dismissing the illusion and doffing her excellent KzinTi disguise. And with the tension of the shock Adolin burst out laughing! Inviting Avin inside for some much needed drinks. Though he later explains, after visibly calming himself, that of course the reaction was practiced and entirely intentional.
(If results should be rolled, I rolled him a 13, assuming “high quality mask and costume means paying enough for a +3 - The stars stilled (stars aligned, but for stars that move normally) for your prank! The preparation, timing, and execution were perfect. So perfect that your target invites you to roll on the carousing table, but because it is with a friend it is at plus 4.)
--Durham--
Having heard from the perspective of a Great House, next we’ll hear how the Barbarians prank themselves! Eschewing more traditional jumps from around a corner, this story is relayed by the patrons of the Kantor Kabljauhof.
As a tavern, loud partying and celebration isn’t unusual. Especially with frequent adventurers coming through with their coins and treasures. So it wasn’t a strange thing for Durham to purchase a table. Though someone considering the invitations may have realized something was afoot, for Durham invited a rather unusual bunch: Vituria (V), a dancer in the Kantor; Gadhar, a rather serious hireling of the Lamp Lighters; and mother (Umm) Munqidh.
The group gets together at a table in the Kantor, set off slightly from the rest of the floor, though not so much as to be noticeable to anyone partaking of the nights activities. As the drinks begin to flow and everyone is enjoying themselves Durham proposes a toast! While the toast itself shall remain between the friends, the standard clinking of tankards, and explosive results there-in were the talk of the entire tavern for the rest of the night! For, Durham had prepared these drinks especially, and even coordinated with the tavern to set the table off enough so that the other patrons wouldn’t be bothered by the prank.
Then, as the tankards collided, and the liquid within splashed out and mixed the substance expanded quickly into a frothy, foamy, mess. Shocking the guests into spilling more of their tankards, and causing even more foamy eruptions! While the mess was quite spectacular, and Durham was sure to have to spend some significant time cleaning, V offered to help clean up, and even to buy Durham a drink or two during the celebrations the following week.
(Result: 9 - Drinks are on me! It didn’t go exactly as planned, but everything turned out alright. Your target invites you to carouse, and offers to pay for the first round (no cost).)
--Sesel--
While most are in a state of celebration, life does go on. So our next story comes from the Poor Brothers, contracted by the Survivors to carry a fallen comrade up the mourners way to be entombed.
As the sun begins to sink below the horizon the Poor Brothers joined Sesel, fully clad in his plate armor in memory of his fallen friend Gan, as they carried his covered body up and out of the gate of the mourners. The rest is told by Agon Raffa, a captain amongst the Poor Brothers who was in attendance for the ceremony.
Agon explains that the walk up is slow, and often quiet. Though he had expected some conversation of Sesel, being the “Voice of the Survivors”, but he was unusually quiet. That is, until they began to reach the first copse of trees along the path of mourners. A copse the Poor Brothers have passed hundreds of times, and for which they give little consideration, as it is close enough to town that any bandits would be foolish to lay in wait here.
As they rounded the bend an ethereal spector, a soft blue glow bouncing off the silvery panoply and lit faintly in red by the setting sun, rose up from the darkness of the trees! At the same time the smells of death and decay wafted about on the breeze. It was Itra the Swift! Come to claim the soul of Gan for himself in fire and flame! And not a moment later the sheet covering poor Gan was alight with fire.
The soul of Itra calling out to the Gan, the body raised up upon the cart wreathed in flame, and stepped down to meet with Itra, raising his arms to be taken. At which point the Survivors could no longer hold their amusement, Sesel dropping down and revealing himself as the spector, Gan removing the cloth and helm of armor revealing a head soaking went from water. Torkol walked over from the bush, and Raoden doffed Sesel’s helm. The whole group had a good laugh, drinking of the small barrel of wine Sesel and Torkol had carted out earlier in the evening.
This story relayed by Agon and Sesel, having met back up the following week for drinks and celebrations. The two continuing to exchange stories of Adventure, of mourning, heroes, monster, and excitement the whole night through!
(Results: Prank: 9 Carouse: 12)
Adding here for a late-comer to the party.
ReplyDeleteWith his Tsoggu (drowned-one) mask and knowledge of the Quay, Marwan prowled the streets one evening seeking out victims to surprise. Over the course of his pranking he began to notice someone what seemed to be someone following his pranks. After a few more street corners he setup to try and surprise whomever it was on his tracks.
Leaping out from the darkness he surprised his prey, a bald, tanned woman in her mid-20s wearing a rough looking cloak over some ragged cloths. The woman jumped out of the way in shock, and then began laughing. Explaining that she was but a simple beggar, and that his pranks had shaken loose not a few coin from his victims. Certainly she did not expect to be pranked herself, but enjoying the surprise none-the-less, she invites Marwan out to drinks, spending coins from her recent collections.
Over drinks he learns that the woman is named Sahla. She is a beggar in Cothon, and boasts a strong knowledge of the people of Cothon. Claiming that while she may not have any fanciful books, if you have a question she knows someone who can answer it. Additionally, at some point during the revelries she reaches up her left arm and for a brief moment Marwan sees an intricate looking tattoo of a strange flying snake creature.
In example of her knowledge Sahla takes Marwan to a fighting pit where he continues his celebrations on-until morning. The drinks offered here were weaker than others, because this particular fighting pit prefers more upstanding, honorable, fights, and as a result he wakes up feeling more refreshed, and even remembers some of the moves he saw during the fight, granting him a +1 to his ability to strike his opponents during his next adventure.