The Windspell Adventurers' Guild - Forum RP

[Steve]

A Windspell Guild decision—possibly inadvertently—sends Caed Wynter-Rose to seek guidance from the Temple of the Vigilant. He is accompanied by Castyl and Mim, who are quite curious as to why Caed has chosen this Temple for...interpretation.

For, any that would have contact with the Temple, or the High Watcher therein, or even be keen to any rumors of such, could learn that the Windspells entered the Temple with a handful of Prayers, seeking something....

Then, they left, no longer in possession of a handful of Prayers, but possibly in possession of something else—and not just the frowns and looks of general confusion or dismay, on their faces....

---

Later, the Windspells held congress near to their namesake, at the Blade & Stars. Many in the Inn, especially Hesper the Innkeeper, made vocal comments as to whether the one called Caed Wynter-Rose had had too much to drink...as he kept trying to talk to a coin that at some moments, seemed to have a life of its own....[/i]

[Steve]

...the scroll contains the following written text:

Twas myself, Castyl, Elspeth and Mim that were within the Blade & Stars when a stranger spoke from the general crowd, he be a sailor by appearance, salty in character and some sheets to the wind already, and calling himself Five Fathom...which to at least my ears seemed a most unusual name.

We all had been speaking of the next action to take with the number of prayers related to the Twins—of which we have already resolved...if that could be such a description—when this Fathom spoke to Castyl, who had been having trouble with that Coin we had acquired though Lorri's Legacy treasure. If I remember, his first words to Castyl, and us, while pointing at that Coin, were:

"Hey there friend...well well ol Five Fathoms seen it's like afore...and if you have a mind, I'll take that one off you for ol times sake..heres to Whitey!"

Speaking further, with this Fathom, was...a challenge, to be sure. The drink and our own confusion about all that was spoken, did not make the conversation take ease.

But I will make summary of what Five Fathoms spoke of, so that we all, us Windspells, may keep our ears upon the Wind, and eyes steady and Vigilant.

• Five Fathom was a sailor
• Fathom spoke of the Jade Eight coin with "...I only seen it's like once afore and Ol Whitey had that one. Part of a mighty Pirate treasure, Whitey swears one such coin..."
• Fathom spoke of this "Whitey" having long sailed on, however: "...wrote a map didnt he? Aye I did and I said it was wrote...not drawn. Color of money was his one and only ...master pie..piece. It's all in the words..the colors he wrote about colors...but they...colors were the map. The route. Smart eh?"
• Fathom spoke of the book having exchanged hands a few times: "...got taken by thieves. I hear the thieves got taken by Hellriders or their kin, and gone vanished. One o your lot likely got it. You Knights o the Thorn, Sir Rodney Oity toity whatever..." Fathom spoke of us there, as we were also "knights," but perhaps he was confused by the armor and weapons we had with us.
• When I managed to ask him the name of this book, Fathom's answer was: "...I will not reveal it ...The colour of Money will remain a secret *finger to mouth *shssh* Lucky for you I happened here...Gold is the prize, but the book is the Colour of Money, thats the name...shh...don't tell em others..."
• Five Fathoms then returned to address that Coin, in our possession: "...Someone is callin the coins. Arr callin the coins, the luck is rollin on.... Put the whole lot agether and who knows what...The Seven Sons of Tymora all as in one place...that ad be a thing.... Nightmares will come on soon enough you would be best givin it ere. Better still find the one doin the callin..."

As you can read, though I may have missed something said or heard, small threads seem to attach each riddle, that came from the mouth of Five Fathoms.

I have drawn a number of conclusions myself, since this meeting with the Five Fathoms, and, since the time Mim and I visited the Shelf of the Many Books. There, we found reference to the Seven Sons, and identified that Coin we now possess, to the Jade Eight:

As well, the book titled the Seven Sons gave us this tale, furthering the mystery (here Caed has transcribed some passages from the book):

One conclusion that I have drawn from all this, is we Windspells must be diligent and make effort to locate any other coins belonging to the set of the Seven Sons. If we are not able, at least, we should make good to contact the Temple of Tymora and offer this coin in return to reward.

However...a very strange occurrence happened to myself, Castyl and Mim at a later meeting. After dealing with the Prayers of the Twins—such that I will explain in a later letter—we sat within the Blade & Stars as usual, near the fireplace. It was during this moment of reflection that the Jade Eight, of its own will, jumped from my pocket and rolled to a position upon a piece of paper that lay near the fireplace itself. This parchment was, in actuality, a hastily drawn map of the Sword Coast, and it would seem that the Jade Eight exactly landed atop the marker for the place called the Friendly Arm Inn.

After all we have seen, so far, I am of full belief that the Jade Eight is wanting to go to this Inn. Though I have the faintest of ideas why and for what, I see little wrong in humoring the theory.

---

For it is also along our path and next action—now I extend this already long letter to inform you of the result of consultation and interpretation of the Prayers of the Twins. It was myself, Castyl and Mim that visited the Temple of the Vigilant, and spoke with the High Watcher Martin Valdore, and his two companions: Lomyril and Edarion.

Collecting from us the Prayers, the High Watcher gave to us these interpretations: "I sense this ..there is a faith wide warning here of change on the Coast...Dreams have bene quite varied and fanciful our thinking is thta reflects, the individual blessed with insight, there faith and perhaps their setting at the time. However I have spotted something ...some similarities in the description whether person or item of a twin."

It was then that Lomyril stated: "I may be more specific...I was lucky enough to recently be on an exchange visit to the Temple of Lathander and ther eheard a tlae of one of there paladins. well a Paladin there of Beregost some 350 years ago or more was held as an example he was captured and to save his friends he stepped forward to defens them giving them time to run. Well that was all he ever achieved, and was heard of no more Pietr the White they called him for his bravery I asusmed. But these descriptions well i'd say he may be one of the two twins referred...if indeed a person at all. Yes I think one is Pietr, or maybe whatever he was using but one way or the other yes."

It was a great interest, these words spoken by Lomyril. However, the High Watcher then spoke further, taking much wind from our sails: "It may be something for all the Coast to concern itself with, others likely have too. *shrugs* Things are written for different audiences, much is in the eye of the beholder."

So as you can read for yourself, and hopefully do deduce what I have myself, that this Piety the White, a Twin or wielder of such an item, is also the paladin in the tale of the Seven Sons. Thus...a three-hundred and fifty year old mystery is slowly unraveling...to us, and possibly others. Which is why Castyl, Mim and myself have decided that to travel to Beregost ourselves, and make contact with the Lathanderites, and speak more about the history we have discovered, and...what possibly to do with it.

As well, my Windspell fellows...there is more. But I not only harbor a slight fear of laying more upon your minds, but...to myself, even place the thoughts I have to paper. The information I hint at is based in factual findings, and objects in my possession.

The journey south we embark shortly upon, is long...and while on it, I shall make time to speak to each of you, of what am holding back.

And so, that is where we Windspells are headed, in the next days. Any that wish to take travel with us, shall do good to leave word with Hesper the Innkeeper.

C. Wynter-Rose

[Vermilion]

Elspeth sits in the Blade & Stars reading Caed's note with an odd expression on her face. Seemingly to nobody in particular, she speaks out loud.
"Much as there are countless people I'd rather visit than a cabal of starched-shirt dawn-priests, an adventure far to the south may lead to further profitable leads and a chance to uncover some more valuable mysteries to solve. I suppose I'd best go along to keep our fellows on the right track, lest they end up singing hymns or worse."

She gets up to find one of the others, taking the rest of her bottle of firewine with her.

///assuming I didn't miss this one!

Edit: typos!

[Steve]

Subject: DM Rumours of the Sword Coast

It has been suggested that you may wish to put up elsewhere than the Friendly Arms Inn following a spate of bad luck in the place, including water failures, food poisoning, missing guests, small kitchen fires, and rancid lizard eggs. Bentley declared Gremlins begone blaming adventurers for it all before offering free drinks. Alas the free drinks went tumbling down the stairs as guest as barkeep collided.

Caed Wynter-Rose calls together the few Windspells that came to the Friendly Arm Inn in company. It would seem their luck has fluctuated from the rewarding to the...unaccommodating. In the courtyard of the Friendly Arm, he suggests that they take again to the Tradeway, and continue southward, towards their recently decided destination: Beregost.

As they collect their belongings and purchase whatever provisions still seem untainted by the flood of mis-luck now holding strong over the Inn, Caed shares—and somewhat openly amidst the hustle and bustle of the place—a small connection of the dots of the Treasure Map mystery presented to them in many ways...or so he thinks.

Caed presents to them the first page of the recently acquired "treasure map." That which he easily speaks of aloud as the Colour of Money tale:

It is only the first page that is easily visible among them.

Then, Caed speaks aloud of the other book in the Windspells possession: The Great Black. He points out the first page...:

Caed speaks directly to the Windspells, but his voice is spoken aloud: "The colors are the keys, the directions to the treasure! The Great Black writes on and on about the Silver...do you know anything about this place? Where shall we go to possibly find the knowledge either known or written, about the Silver?"

Caed pauses for a moment, while he looks over a few more pages in the Colour of Money tome. "And there are plenty more of colors after that! I think we are going to need to take to sea soon enough...but first, the colors must be put into order!"

He furrows his brow, then looks up at his fellow adventurers, with a needy expression.

[Vermilion]

Elspeth is in poor temper, given that all the wine in her possession had changed to vinegar and something had cut embarrassing holes out of all her better dresses. To make matters worse, she simply could not get her hair to look even passable.

Considering the riddle of the colours, she applies her usual talent of saying many words without providing much context.

"A rainbow, such as it is a girdle of colours overlaid and overlapping, provides a potential ordering of some colours, but neither black nor silver feature in those bands that cross the sky. Perhaps we need refresh ourselves on the colours of the schools of magic, for I forget which is which. It was some time since I heard them discussed, and truth be told I was only half-listening, for there was a cat struggling with a pigeon outside and such things are always thrilling. How the struggle to survive is allegorical for our very own lives, though if truth be told I feel less the cat than its prey some days. Of course, there are other colours to consider as well. Silver could be treasure, but superseded by gold, though the coin we found is a mystery aside from that. Perhaps we should compile what we know? I volunteer my talents of the mind, as I am sure I am the best for that matter."

She pulls a notebook from her satchel, only to find ink has been poured on every page, and swears volubly.

[Steve]

Caed abruptly responds to Elspeth, in a millisecond after she finishes speaking—it is almost sharp, this response, but then again...it is Caed:

"The Silver is an island, or islands, Elspeth. It does say it right here...." Caed then shows her another page in the book titled The Great Black, in order to prove his point. "Colors and metals...they are the powers behind the Great Wyrms, whom themselves are born of magic. But we simply need to find he or she that knows where this Silver Isle or Islands, lies. And from that point, I do believe we shall travel in the direction of great treasure."

Caed now pauses, something else on his mind. He responds: "But yet...if we are dealing with dragons here, we had best prepare ourselves. We must look into Time itself, to envision outcomes that may befall us. Then, we can proceed to arm ourselves with the weapons of defense, to protect us on this journey."

[Vermilion]

Elspeth' face darkens for a moment before she smiles, almost a little too sweetly, and says "Would you let me look over those books again, dearest Caed? Just in case there's something that was previously missed?"

[Steve]

Elspeth' face darkens for a moment before she smiles, almost a little too sweetly, and says "Would you let me look over those books again, dearest Caed? Just in case there's something that was previously missed?"

"But of course...the Windspells share all that we have learned, among us...do we not?"

Caed's response, could just as easily be interpreted as a rhetorical question, as not....

But then he provides an outlined view of both books, to Elspeth, as well to Castyl and Mim...if they are so interested.

Any other persons in the courtyard of the Friendly Arm would see this sharing of interests among them, but be challenged to see the full pages of the books...without distracting the Windspells, in some manner.

[Vermilion]

With Caed absent, this account is drawn from Elspeth's own journal. Events described may differ in part, or totally, to reality.

Marooned for days amidst the worst dregs of sellswords and dungeon-divers at the Friendly Arm in, I sequestered myself in my room as much as was possible, managing to translate the introductory chapters of the book. While what I have learned is in its infancy, I have every belief it will be glorious.

Descending for dinner one evening, I found Castyl and Mim in urgent discussions. Caed had not been seen in a while, and the mishaps befalling guests at the Inn had continued unabated. With unrivalled wisdom and benevolence I humbly volunteered to guide those poor fools until their awkward swordmage rose from his books.

Deeming it unnecessary to draw further misfortune by using the services of any of the local hireling thugs, the Windspell Company took the Trade Way south. The Sword Coast is well-named indeed, for we encountered and vanquished wayward fauna and goblins alike. Mim, for all the quirks of her kind, found a spot where two of her compatriots had lost a key or somesuch. The Windspells were obviously able to return the misplaced item despite the clumsiness of my associates, who most often found themselves caught by shrapnel from the perishing goblins' crude alchemical devices. Nonetheless, I did not have to haul anyone's carcass back from the ruins, which was a blessing (as I'd likely have left them there! Ha!)

There was no treasure to speak of, so it was good that the trek to Beregost was short after that. As Caed still hoards all the riddle materials like an adorably charmless dragon whelp, I opted to use the gold I'd coerced from those two stupid half-lings to purchase the best room at the Risen Phoenix Inn and wait for his arrival. In the meantime, let us see what other secrets this tome will give up...

The next few pages are deeply stained, because someone has knocked over a glass of Fire-Wine onto them.

[OXHawkXO]

Excerpts from the journal of Castyl Devillars

After learning that Caed will be delayed and a rather long debate with Mim and Elspeth. The three of us decided to head south to Beregost.

*A note is left for Caed.*

Meet you in Beregost.

Castyl

[Steve]

Time seemed to be standing still, and that made Caed restless. The Windspells were to depart the Friendly Arm in the following morning, but his mind kept him awake, attempting to calculate the connections between threads, jumbled together in a great ball of unsewn chaos fabric.

Though late in the evening, Caed choose to walk the Inn and further contemplate in the cool night air. The action, rewarding to his lungs, did not relieve him of this growing sense of time off-rhythm. Then, it would happen, that Caed began to feel...no more. It was becoming hard to think, as well, his bodily motions seemed to be coming to a complete halt....

The next thing Caed became aware of was the brightness of light. It was blinding, that is, until his eyes adjusted. It was day, now, gloriously so. He stood in the same place as his last memory, but it was immediately apparent to him that the time was different. Caed inhaled, and shook his limbs. He no longer felt physically hindered, as in those last moments of memory. And his thoughts, now again, felt sharp.

But what has just happened? He began now to experience a feeling of having traveled, but he had not traveled anywhere at all...or so it seemed.

Looking to the sky to feebly determine the time of day, Caed hurried to the interior of the Inn, to his friends. It would be that they had taken to the road, a note, left for him confirming such.

Caed wasted little time gathering his things—all were still to be found secured within the Inn, thankfully.

He took to the Tradeway south, with haste. He gauged the road, alone, would be trecherous, and he would not risk failing to rejoin the Windspells in Beregost. Speaking ancient words from memory, Caed felt a shroud of invisibility descent over his person. As he walked southward, he kept distance from any rumbles of movement, hoping to himself that his bath taken at the Friendly Arm would lessen the adventurers odor, and prevent the beasts that rely less on sight, from obstructing his path.

[Vermilion]

Meanwhile, in Beregost, Elspeth had not returned to the Risen Phoenix after setting out to explore. Only missing for just over a day, it was as yet unlikely anyone would pay serious concern to her absence.

[Steve]

In Beregost....

The Windspells could be seen sitting outside the Rising Phoenix, debating their next action.

Without subtlety or quiet voice, they discussed the Two Coins they now possess, and how that in itself is a driving force in their choices...if their choices are truly being freely made.

One member of the Windspells could be easily heard deriding the Temple of Lathander, for not having given them any help in regard to a certain Pietr the White.

Though their next destination was left undecided, it was agreed to leave Beregost by the following afternoon...unless something were to "happen" for them, beforehand.

[OXHawkXO]

I agree with Mim, we should go inside and continue our discussion over a hot meal and maybe a stiff drink to wash it down with. Maybe Elspeth will show up. I am getting a bit concerned. The sun went down hours ago and still no sign of her.

*After sitting down at a table near the bar, Castyl would order his meal then look to Caed and begin to peppering him with questions.*

Let me get this straight, we now have 2 of the seven coins we seek. Both just seemed to find us and not the other way around?

And you think the first one we found lead us to the Friendly Arms Inn when it fell from your hand and landed on the crudely drawn map near the fire at the Blade and Stars Inn?

[Vermilion]

Elspeth has still not been seen back in Beregost or elsewhere.

One adventurer at the Friendly Arm, however, may have been overheard complaining into his cups about a "stuck-up Waterdhavian harlot" who was heading towards the Wood of Sharp Teeth a few days ago.

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