Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives: Urupa Edition

11th Veltom 1517

The road had curved away from the Aras Sea and now descends towards the cape where the city of Urupa nestles. A cliff rises to the left. A tributary of the Coil River meanders its way back and flows to the right so it can empty into the sea. The cliffs, now fifteen hundred feet above, blocks sight of the giant pillar of fire until one last turn brings it, and the city walls, into view.

Situated in a natural harbor, Urupa is surrounded by a 20-30 foot wall on the south and 100 feet tall on the north and east sides. Urupa seems to grow out of the tall cliff. Large watchtowers, standing fifty feet above the wall's height, rise up to overlook the area. At the wall's base sits a massive dock, ships and boats coming and going. Crew bustle about and cargo is carried through the wall.

The Old Theran Road runs to the left of the dock and passes under the wall. An airship appears over the cliff and descends to the city docks, its sails furled and oars out rowing furiously against the air. Further out to the right, blasting from the end of the cape, is the flaming pillar.

Deep out in the Aras Sea, storm clouds darken the sky and lightning strikes. A few ships race ahead of it for the safety of the harbor.

"Welcome to Urupa, Rolling Stones!" Fhin says, his arms held out wide. "I see you lookin' at the fir over there. That's Tovar's Pyre. Some elementalist Named Tovar refused to pay a fire elemental he summoned. Some people say he's still alive in there. Been there long as anyone can remember. Serves as a good beacon to ships at sea, though."

Delmuth begins to regale the Rolling Stones of the various sights in Urupa, and of the nine sections: the dwarves of Biharj, whose homes are dug into the cliff; the trolls of Otosk, who also live in cliff homes, but maintain the airship construction yards; Nehem and its giant building owned by the Obsidiman trader Omeyras; the marketplace in the t'skrang sector of P'sheshtis; the orks of Ironclaw and their famous livestock market where Boris might get his crystal beast trained; Liandrill and Zenice, where the elves and humans live with their craft shops and, of course, the School of Adepts, which "may not be the best, but I hear it's coming back"; the Visitor's Quarter with the inns and taverns and embassies, where the Theran embassy is humorously run down; and the central square where the three temples to the Passions reside as well as the Temple Garden and its amazing Blue Rose. And, of course, the huge Aulcroft Amphitheater.

As the group slowly covers the final yards, Annabelle scoots her horse closer to Theo and Ibil. Sean Shamshara comes closer to talk with her, as well, when an arrow strikes her in the left shoulder. All at once, Annabelle drives her horse to a gallop as Delmuth yells for everyone to make a break for the city. Another arrow strikes deep into Annabelle's right shoulder, though she stays mounted. Valteri Tomser looks around, noticing that the arrows are coming from above, and sees a Troll archer situated a couple hundred yards above on the side of the cliff. He or she knows they have been spotted and begins to climb away.

Once the caravan reaches the guards, Delmuth informs them of the situation. The guards usher the caravan inside and others climb on horses and gallop up the road. Sean, Valteri, Vyktor Wyvernjack, Boris Hillmens, and W'ranan also gallop back the way they came. When they reach the spot on the cliff below where the troll was, Valteri lets the guards know. A group, rigged up for climbing, begin the ascent, another ride up the road, and a lone guard remains at the base to guard the climbers' horses.

Realizing that they have neither the skills nor the equipment to attempt such an ascent, and Valteri knowing he would likely not last long against the troll alone, the group return to Urupa. They are ushered in with minimal fuss and searching to find the caravan waiting for them, though Annabelle is being tended to behind a closed curtain. She throws the curtain aside and strides out, bandaged shoulders and all.

The noise on this side of the wall is nearly deafening. The guards keep the area immediately beyond the gate relatively clear, but the press of people moving about past that is daunting. The smell of animals hangs in the air.

Sean's wounds are also treated, then the group moves further into the city. Just as they reach the edge of the crowd, Delmuth gathers them all around. Annabelle takes the moment to address the group. "Well, I thank you all for your assistance in getting me here. Delmuth, you may forgo my wage. I believe I caused as much trouble as I would have averted. W'ranan, if we could speak a moment?" The t'skrang and human walk a little distance to talk privately. "If you know how to get word to Eric, I would appreciate it if you let him know I arrived intact. Use those words exactly: 'arrived intact'." Soon after, she walks off towards the Visitor's Quarters with her earth goat in tow.

"Ha! Always happy for free help," Delmuth says as he turns to face the Rolling Stones, "I believe I owe you all, however." At that, he counts out the promised wages, 82 silver to everyone except W'ranan, who gets only 30 for his time with the group. "I'll be departing in four days. I'll look you up then and see about the trip back." He and his wagons and horses trundle off with his guards. The married couple also make their goodbyes and depart, heading deeper into the city.

The group discuss what to do. They find it odd that Annabelle went off on her own, especially considering she had just suffered an ambush. And leaving with a cryptic message only added to their wonder. W'ranan also pointed out that he had a contact in the city he needed to visit, his Air Sailor trainer Eric Jan'dell had left a message for him to talk with Jansen Farreacher. They decide to set out to meet him.

But as soon as they enter the crowd, a young ork woman approaches. Dressed in hides, she stands out among the generally cosmopolitan and fine attire of most in the crowd. The large black bird with red legs riding her shoulder and small black cat, two-feet from nose to rump, stalking around her legs do nothing to help her fit in. She immediately walks up to the crystal goat, ignoring even Boris, against whom the goat presses at the woman's approach. She practically 'squees' at the goat, whose eyes roll at the presence of the predatory cat. "Where did you find such a wonderful creature?" She doesn't bother to look at anyone when she says this. She reaches into a pocket and offers something to the goat, who instantly warms up to her and scarfs the treat down.

"Oh, hi, I'm Mila, nice to meet you!" she introduces herself. She explains that she's a beastmaster and would love to have the crystal goat. However Boris is unwilling to part with him, so Mila, sad, recommends they go see Clef Rancidtongue of the Ironclaws to help train him. "Okay, bye!" She scoots up next to the goat and says, "Bye, little goaty-kins!" and then walks off. Sean mutters, "Cities, full of weirdos."

The group head to the wharfs and try to find Dockmaster Farreacher. They find a grizzled, old sailor sitting on some crates and smoking a pipe. "Well, my memory ain't so good anymore." W'ranan tosses the man a silver piece, who then points behind the troupe to a tower with a sign showing a docked ship, "Right there, in that tower." The group heads inside.

Lines of various namegivers stretch from the various counters in the front room. Guards stand and watch from the walls as more people get in the relatively quickly moving lines. The person at the front of any given line pays their docking fees and leaves to be readily replaced by the next person who quickly hands over their fees. W'ranan joins a queue and is pretty soon face-to-face with a old dwarf woman. He requests to speak with Jansen, so the woman calls over a guard, sends him into another room, and asks W'ranan to wait by the wall. He rejoins the Rolling Stones, and not long after the guard returns and beckons them to follow.

They all head upstairs, except for Boris who had stayed outside with his goat, to meet this Jansen. Let into a cozy room covered with various air sailing paraphernalia and maps and other miscellany, they see a dwarf with a long grey beard teaching to his knees, tied into three braids. His shirt is made of rough cloth dyed a green-blue, pants gray, and a brown boot. His right leg ends at the knee, the rest replaced by an iron peg. "Aye, what'd'ya need?"

W'ranan introduces himself, and the old air sailor happily shares some words with his friend's young protege. Jansen informs him that Eric has already left on the Lady's Gale headed for Travar. W'ranan, in turn, asks Jansen to send along Annabelle's message to Eric, that she 'arrived intact'. Jansen offers his training services to W'ranan, invites them all to come back again whenever they need to, and suggests a few places they may want to eat or stay at in the Visitor's Quarter.

He personally likes the Captain's Roost, and often goes there after work for a drink, but seeing how it was a rowdy dive he does not recommend it to the group. The Bored Chair, on the other hand, is quite entertaining, and the Passion's Respite overlooks the Temples in Central Urupa.

Naturally the Rolling Stones head just inside the quarter to the Captain's Roost.

With dirt and grime covering the tables and clientele both, the group, once again sans Boris, are greeted with dangerous stares when they push through the saloon doors. Heading up to the bar, the bartender gives them a questioning look as he cleans a mug with a dirty rag. Spitting in the mug to help work out a truly nasty smudge, he walks over to the four. Fairly confused as to why these adventurers would be here, he answers their question of a room for the night with, "Well, yeah. We got a room, upstairs. Only a few others sleepin' up there." At only a single copper piece a night, everyone quickly realized that this, perhaps, was not the place for them. Valteri darts out the doorway while the others slink out behind, Sean deftly hiding between W'ranan and Vyktor.

Light shines out the windows at the Bored Chair as music, clapping, singing, and a generally joyous raucous good time flowed out too. The inside is warm, with a lively entertainment happening on a stage against one wall. Tables, most importantly CLEAN tables, are arrayed in a semi-circle around the stage leaving a large gap directly in front where a lone, unadorned chair rests. A man sits there struggling to ward off any sort of smile as the blue-white haired elf merrily plays a tune. Quickly after the Rolling Stones enter the man starts to laugh, throws his hands in the air, and heads off to his friends, all to the chorus of rowdy cheers in the crowd.

The bartender, using a clean towel to clean mugs, tells the group that the inn is owned by the retired 6th Circle Troubadour Belroon the Festive. Anyone can attempt to sit in the Bored Chair while entertainment is happening. Should they remain suitably bored for an hour, they win 10 silver pieces. However, if they can last the entire night, from the moment the entertainment begins to the moment it ends, typically eleven or more hours later, a special thread item prize is theirs. Naturally no one has succeeded. Should anyone fall asleep in the chair, their effort is forfeit. Of course, betting runs rampant throughout the whole affair.

The group happily get rooms for the night, and W'ranan and Sean sit down and discuss travel times. A fairly long but doable trip by caravan to Travar, and only a day and a half or so by air ship. Directly traveling to Kaer Ungada would only take a couple days at most. Sean searches for the Kaer Ungada Map of Barsaive, given to him by his cousin, Elder Meshra, only to find it and the jeweled scroll case are missing.

W'ranan pointed out that such a map could be used to look for their kaer, and that many Namegivers find old maps and try to plunder old kaers. However, considering their kaer is still inhabited, it is likely that any adventurers finding it will instead only get to negotiate with them in an attempt to get something for helping them rejoin greater Barsaive. So, yes, it has sentimental value, but its loss is not likely too great a problem.

Valteri comments to Sean, "Reasonable assumption it was stolen. I don't think you lost it, though you are clumsy and useless." Sean, plainly ignoring the dig, pointed out that they needed to find Annabelle. She was not necessarily untrustworthy, but it was odd that she was shot at then walked off. Valteri conjectured that it could have been stolen days ago by the man who visited in the night and then was hanged. Vyktor chimes in that they need to at least ask the caravan if they cannot get to Annabelle.

Sean asks that they attempt to pick up the trail in the morning, as he is still wounded. The rest, being as healthy as can be, prod him to action. If it truly is important they find it, then it is important they find it now. They head back to the main entrance. Still busy, though not nearly so as it was during the day, the group set about trying to find Annabelle's trail. The darkness, the cobblestones, and the constant traffic all conspire to make it nearly impossible. However, Sean, ever keen-eyed, spots a heel print that matches Annabelle's boot. He immediately calls up his Scout magic and begins to Track her.

Footprints, glowing blue in his eyesight, stretch into the distance. The Rolling Stones follow them away from the entrance and into the Visitor's Quarters. The trail leads to a low building, ornately decorated. The glowing footsteps entered but did not leave. Never veering from her path, Annabelle had gone directly to the Embassy of Throal.

Legend Point Awards:

• See Annabelle safely to Urupa: 100
• Meet with Jansen Farreacher: 300
• Deliver Annabelle's message: 100
• Track Annabelle despite the heavy traffic and stones and pretty much it being impossible: 500
• Total: 1000