The Chelon Rose

Act 1: the Exile

On Adventuring: Part the First

Exile! | nght 1 - Drakes Attack | nght 2 - Raven Saves All | nght 3 -

<--intro TWhat price will you ask for undertaking this job?

What preparations did you make to ensure you are able to question Favian before the guards get him?

[Flash Back] the second meeting of the Chalon Rose Inc. mercenary company: A gray haired, well-spoken dandy emerges seemlessly from the shadows near the alter of St Ristfan's abandoned temple and does us a deal. Based on the information about Fabian and our plan to question him he offers us 150GP ea immediately for expenses, 50GP at our next meeting and 400GP when we deliver the prince. Finally putting together the clues of the Baying Wolf's Head signet ring and his confident stature I recognise him to be Toberin, vizier to the lord Earl Manong, known enemy of King Voulon and agitator for peace with Belondale.

[Fast Forward] Having determined only that a group of hardcore thieves/assasins called the Taipans are helping Fabian into the city we decide to play it by ear on the night with Pip going into the theatre the night before to spy out the ground. When the commotion starts we are ready for anything...well almost...we are woefully underprepared for the old "exploding book prop" trick and lose much facial hair when Fabians prop book does just that. Recovering quickly we race onto the stage and escape through the back doors with an unconscious Fabian. Fighting through unknown enemies and some kings' guards we doubled back through the gardens to the theatres front where, after a brief poison dagger ambush and encouter with a half wit hunch back we start a stampede among the aristo's horses and escape into the forest for our rendezvous.

But Fabian is dead and well beyond our means to save :(

All is not lost as we return to a city in shock, hunted and with bad new haircuts. What follows is many days of following strangers, night time break-ins and impersonating beggars. During this time we identify the cast of the fateful play and theatre workers, discover mysterious smells under beds, see old naked ladies and make 8 coppers begging without a permit. Also there is revealed to be a large space below the theatre witha wizards tomb containing the ingredients of a fire spell such as was used to kill Fabian, but who or what used this lair is not revealed.

Finally a breakthrough when Hal and Tarric are invited by an old man to get some vital info - and are instead ambushed by a group of assasins who subdue us (after a valiant fight) and take us to a bell foundry. Threatening to embalm us in motlen bell stuff we still refuse to reveal the nature of our work and are left for dead. Only by a Feat of Strength (tm) is Hal able to free Tarric and escape with our lives.

Knowing that the unknown forces arrayed against us mount with every minute we are forced to confront the most central characters in this twisted plot, those living at the Theatre. Interviews with the owner, Cathraine, the other actors, sorey, lilian and timian reveals an incestuous world of over emotive mystery and at its' heart, the mysterious Malane, best friend to ex-Fabian and possible ally of the Taipans.

Catching up with Malane proved to be a simple matter of running faster than he. After his initial suspicions were asuaged by our revelation of the rotting corpse of his best friend we were able to persuade him that the most noble course of action was to show us the play we sought and save a noble Noble in one fell swoop. Taking us to the partially sunken old Theatre of the Seasons he did so. Emerging into the morning light with a copy of "The Exile" we thought on our changing fortunes and the dangers that would confront us on the way to the RipperDark! (Since it the play claimed that the prince was exiled, 14 years hence, to Wyvern Island, Green Sea, RipperDark, Erden).

Our employer(s):

Our Allies?

, our man in the swamp

Master Bunter and his Dwarves

Fabian's friends?

Our Enemies

The King Voulon

his assasin Dagon

The Drakes - exassasins

Baron Milston

Taipans

created: 14 February 1998 | Last Updated: July 12, 2001

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