Faerun awaits...

Keth shakes his head and snorts at the wobbly hand of the rogue. "That's reassuring." The half orc kept his weapons out, but let them hang at his side as he scanned to the room, starting with the body then moving outward to the edges. Taking in all the details he could given the odd set of lighting the group had. "A gold dragon says he's dead." The team leader is able to make out that the long object appears to be a ladder, and moves towards that end of the room, confident in his guess about the body.

Istar you reach out and poke the body it feels cool to the touch, even through the clothes. Not an unnatural cold, just like it was absent any body heat. There is no reaction from the form before you and it feels like poking a limp soft log. You check the neck of the humanoid, sweeping the hair aside to gain access to the neck, revealing the slender fey features of a male elf, but his life gone from his body.

Rihaly you stand ready to leap into action, but so far that is not the case.
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Keth Perception Roll [body] (1d20)+11: 10+11 Total:21

Keth Perception Roll [room] (1d20)+11: 5+11 Total:16
 
Rihaly sags, strangely disappointed that they aren't in immediate peril. Not that she's overly fond of people threatening her life, but she'd somehow worked herself up to being half-convinced that there was something here. A trap, some magic, something! There is still a featherlight touch on the nape of her neck that tells her there is a threat here, and she remains cautious as she moves up to crouch beside Istar and quickly goes over the body and its pockets for any clues, signs of cause of death (and valuables). "No bet," she replies uneasily.

Leaving the body, she reclaims her bag and pads slowly in Keth's wake as she tries to reconstruct the death. Like it or not, the elf is dead. How? If that's a ladder up there, does that mean he fell from somewhere? If she can't see the roof near the ladder, Rihaly tosses her torch up, up, up and scans for anything previously unseen.

Perception (Body): Roll(1d20)+11: 5,+11 Total:16
Perception (Roof area): Roll(1d20)+11: 17,+11 Total:28
 
Istar ignored the Half-Orc's rather uncouth comment , though were she not intending to create a friendlier dynamic between them she would've reprimanded him. Instead , she focused on the unfortunately deceased male Elf , subtly growing more distressed as she attempted to rouse him. 'H-he looks a little like Father..' Tears gently rolled down her cheeks at the thought , though she swiftly wiped them away with her jacketed sleeve.

The Paladin turned back to her Team Leader and her One True Love , still knelt before her fallen kin , sorrow apparent in her ivory features. "He deserves proper rights. A subterranean tomb's no place for an Elf's corpse to reside for eternity , it's not our way. We don't have crypts - I have told you that , Rihaly , haven't I? I know we may not have time for full rights now , Keth , but.. I can't leave him like this. Please , at least allow me to take his body into the Forest - it wouldn't take but a few moments and it'd be a far better resting place for him."
 
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"Huh. Guess that means I win."

Rihaly finds a small coin pouch with 10 silver pieces and two gold dragons in it, along with a bronze ring crafted in the shape of oak sprig. Aside from some blue leather armor, a long sword and dagger, the only own of interest is a broken fine gold chain with missing pendant, it's holder also broken. The cause of death seems to be.... Fright? Fear? There are no visible wounds, only the frozen mask of terror on his face.

As to the roof it is only about three halflings (ten feet) high, but there is no sign of a place to hook the ladder or for it to have fallen from. In your scrutiny of the ceiling you feel a grip on your shoulder.

"Careful padfoot." Keth stops you from stepping into a sizable hole in the floor, about as wide as you are tall (three feet). "I'm thinking he pulled the ladder up." The breeze feels stronger standing over the hole. Looking around you can see a wooden door to the left (west) about two strides (ten feet) away and to the right about three strides (15 feet) to the right (east) you see a double set of doors, and directly across the hole (North) is a third wooden door about three strides away as well.

The half orc rolled his eyes at the pitiful plea to properly bury the elf. "Longears your family might not have underground crypts, but plenty of other fairy folk do. If we have time, and aren't running for our lives at the end of this we'll see about burial." His voice was gruff with not subtle hints of irritation.
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Touch attack Roll [grab the halfling] (1d20)+9: 10,+9 Total:19

Segue Segue If you want to contest this roll it is vs Rihaly's CMD. Also if she's really on edge an attack of opportunity is an option, if she didn't realize it's Keth.
 
As you step through you find yourself standing in a dark space, momentarily disoriented, your eyes first find two figures directly across (east) from you, about two strides(ten feet) away. One is very short, almost child sized, reminding you of your cousin, similar hair color. The other much taller, and broader, more like the Sergeant of the Guard who gave you many bruises during your training.

They seem to be standing over a hole in the floor, talking about... A ladder? Then the broad one is gruffly talking to a third person you hadn't seen, who is kneeling over a body?! Your mind reels for a moment longer, then it clicks into gear.

Longears is a term you've heard before referring to elves, and it wasn't a nice reference. Looking back to the pair, you now recognize as a half-orc and the smaller one as a halfling, the torch light flickering from the halfling.
 
Thaddeus approaches slowly with his left hand lightly resting on the hilt of his sword. "Uh, hello! I'm honestly not quite sure where I am. So...hello!"
 
Istar looked back at her Team Leader , just about to renew her pleas to give the Elf’s corpse proper rights , when she heard a new voice. She sharply turned to look at him , and quickly deciding he wasn’t any sort of threat she warmly smiled and walked over to him. As always she was quite cordial and friendly , though she seemed very subtly nervous due to the corpse so near to her. Still , both her hands stayed away from the pommel of her beloved Sword , hoping to send a clear signal that she wasn’t a threat to him in any conceivable way - provided her always-genuine brand of eager friendliness didn’t already achieve that goal. “Hello , I’m Istar Valerys , I’m a Paladin of Corellon Larethian! I swear upon all my honor my comrades and I don’t mean to cause you any harm - I’d strive to avoid bloodshed altogether , no matter who I find myself facing. Life should always be preserved , don’t you agree?” She let the question hang in the air for perhaps a too-breif moment before excitably continuing , though given her highly cordial and friendly demeanor it could be safely assumed she wouldn’t take offense if he had an opposing viewpoint. “It’s so wonderful to meet you , sir! May I ask what your name is? Would I be mistaken in assuming you are a Knight , or some other form of noble warrior like myself? You hold your position quite honorably , I must say! You’re a testament to the valor of honor-bound warriors everywhere!” She very nearly started to introduce her Team Leader , her Beloved , and her Guild , but after a moment of thought she decided against it. ‘He certainly looks to be a memnber of our team - he arrived similar to how Rihaly and I did , stepping through some extra-dimensional door into a different land altogether , and he’a certainly not hostile - but with how my skills with perception have been leaving something to be desired as of late , I’d rather avoid taking such a high risk based only on my own assumptions. I’m sure he’ll tell us if he’s a member of our guild , won’t he? Wouldn’t Keth recognize him?’ “And if it’s not too intrusive , may I also ask how you arrived here? I don’t believe you live here , at least. My comrades and I arrived on foot , hiking through a portion of the surrounding forest.”
 
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Thaddeus blinks a couple of times and pauses for a moment, letting the torrent of information rush over him. After processing what he's been told, he drops his left hand from his sword and extends his right. "Greetings! My name is Prince Thaddeus Percival Armbrister the Fourth, Fifth Earl of Dalington, and Second Viscount of Sternshire. I am the second eldest son of my father, the king, and have been trained since a young age to defend his kingdom, honor, and those who need protection. While I am certainly not afraid to fight when the need arises, I prefer to use my intelligence and powers of persuasion whenever possible - better for everyone that way." Thaddeus pauses for a moment, the look on his face saying that he's seeing if he answered all questions. "Oh! And I came here through a dimension door. I found it attached to a lantern at the end of a small dungeon, after a...stressful encounter with a very surly piece of furniture. It's a pleasure to meet you Istar!"
 
Istar quickly took the offered hand , giving it a firm - yet still very friendly - shake. His many royal titles caught her quite off guard , which prompted her to execute a somewhat sloppy , rather masculine bow. ‘He’s Royalty? I’ve never met a member of a Royal House before.. I haven’t offended him have I? He doesn’t seem offended , at least.. Though I might’ve embarrassed myself by being so caught off guard. But how was I to expect to meet Royalty in the middle of some long-abandoned Temple?’ A very subtle redness colored her features as she rose , though she was no less friendly and eager in her manner. She did indeed put thought to what forms of address would be appropriate , what his lineage may have been , and what lands he hailed from , but her surprise and the fast-paced conversation - along with her lack of experience with true nobility , asides from Knights or Paladins like herself - combined to make sure she couldn’t think of such things in time.

The young Paladin’s smile broadened as he continued , proving to be quite agreeable - and reinforce her ideas of his guild-membership , as well. “It’s so wonderful to meet you , Prince Thaddeus Percival Armbrister the Fourth , Fifth Earl of Dalington , and Second Viscount of Sternshire! How would you like me to address you , Your Grace? I personally prefer the use of my first name - thank you for addressing me in that manner - but I’d prefer to ask instead of making a fool of myself by assuming things. I’m overjoyed to hear that you share my beliefs - it’s so wonderful to meet another who wishes to preserve life! Thank you so much for answering my questions , Your Grace , that’s so kind of you!” She paused for a moment , hastily bowing again in the same masculine way as before. “You aren’t a member of Nameless Intent , are you?” The Elf gently tapped the ornate brooch affixed to her collar and draped over her shining coat of mail , bearing the symbol of her guild - both her comrades bore a matching brooch. ‘Their symbol was on the letter , wasn’t it? Wouldn’t He recognize it if he had recently joined them?’

———————————
Knowledge(Nobility):Roll(1d20)+7:17+7 Total:24
 
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Through the dizzying flurry of titles your mind finally latches onto the proper way to address the second son of a king, the Earl of anything as well as a viscount, the voice of your elven teacher ringing clear in your memory: My Lord.

Thaddeus aside from the warm and friendly greeting from the enthusiastic elf maid, you notice the half orc is glowering at you and in his right hand a strange looking set of tubes attached to a grip of some sort. It doesn't look like any wand you are familiar with but you get the distinct impression it's not a good idea to have it pointed at you in any case. 'I thought we were supposed to get another, but that was supposed to be before we left the city.' His eyes watching you closely waiting to see how you responded to the paladin.
It seemed like he was using her as some sort of gauge or measure.
'They didn't say who, so let's see how this goes.'
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Thaddeus roll a Sense Motive check vs Keth bluff to hide a wince at Istar mentioning Nameless Intent:
Bluff Roll (1d20)+6: 7+6 Total:13

Keth Intimidate Roll vs Thad (1d20)+13: 11+13 Total: 24 (if Keth is successful Thad you are reminded of your first few times in training by the Sergeant at Arms, equal parts afraid and respectful of the authority.)

Keth Sense Motive Roll (1d20)+2: 14+2 Total:16
 
Thaddeus smiles broadly as the elf rattles off his royal titles - something he hasn't heard in a long time. "She's a Paladin? I haven't met many of them, but I've never known one to be so...excitable. Seems nice enough, though." Thaddeus waits for Istar to finish, enjoying every moment of it, before her question gets his attention, and he starts to rummage through his pack. "Ah, yes! I do believe I have a..."

Thaddeus sees the half orc wince slightly, but decides to keep that information to himself. "I have no idea who he is, but he seems to have little patience, mean business, and be in charge. And that thing he's holding. It's like no magical item I've ever seen, but I have no desire to see what it does, and he seems like he'd have no problem showing exactly what it does." "I...um...well, I suppose it's not important. Hello over there." Thaddeus replaces his pack, offers a brief, forced smile, then quickly glances at the body and takes a breath before speaking quickly and carefully. "He's not...or wasn't one of us, I mean, with you, was he?"

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Sense Motive check
Roll(1d20)+1:
19,+1
Total:20

Intimidation successful by Keth
 
Istar’s already broad smile and cheerful demeanor only brightened all the more as she saw her new ay seemed to enjoy her company. ‘I’d love to be friends with him! I never expected to meet Royalty working with a group like Nameless Intent.. asides from Rihaly being the Queen of my heart , of course. Oh , I hope she likes him too.. he seems to be very kind! I’m sure he’d be nice to her , as well.’ She failed to hide the shadow of a blush from coloring her features as she finally thought of his correct title , slightly perturbed she used an incorrect honorific in her haste. The eager young Paladin followed the Prince’s gaze - though instead of looking towards her Team Leader , her emerald eyes glowing as she beheld her Fire-Touched Beloved. She gave the beautiful Halfling a radiant , eager , and extremely loving smile of a sort only lovers could master. Hopefully the Rogue would understand that the new arrival was no threat to them , and that she saw him as a wonderful new ally.

The Elf seemed a bit confused by Thaddeus’ sudden change in demeanor , almost as if he were afraid of something. “Are you alright , My Lord? I’m sorry if I upset you by using an improper honorific , I.. er , I get too eager sometimes , forgive me My Lord.” Glancing towards the body , she continued in a slightly somber , nervous tone. “The body was already that way when we arrived , unfortunately. I’d still like to give him proper rights , but I don’t believe I’ll be granted leave to do so.” She stopped to consider the question on Keth’s identity , her mouth opening for a moment before she abruptly closed it , turned to her Team Leader , and mouthed an apology , before turning her attention back to the new team member. “He’s our Team Leader. I’ll let him introduce himself to you when he wishes - it’s only polite to him , My Lord - but I must warn you , he is somewhat.. er , he’s not the friendliest. He , the Halfling , and I all part of an adventuring team as part of the guild Nameless Intent. You didn’t happen to recently exit your Trials , did you?” Istar was careful not to say too much , both wanting to avoid overwhelming the neophyte guild member with an over-amount of information and arousing Keth’s ire. ‘He’ll probably be upset with me enough already , between this and the trouble I had with the door.’
 
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Thaddeus grins (in a slightly forced way) at Istar. "No need to apologize for the honorific. You showed deference and respect. I appreciate that."

Thaddeus glances quickly back and forth between Istar and the half orc. "I certainly have the letter from Nameless Intent, and it's important that Istar trust me if we're going to have to rely on each other. But...the leader...didn't appreciate the name being used. I think it's best to simply ignore that issue for the moment." The prince's gaze settles on Istar for a moment and he smiles kindly. "I did just exit a trial of some sort, through a dimension door. I must say, I certainly prefer being here to where I was. Certainly better company."

Thaddeus moves gently around Istar. "Hopefully that will sate her curiosity for now, at least until I can figure out what's going on. The Sergeant at Arms always stood on protocol and respect. Let's hope that works here." He moves slowly towards the body and the unnamed half orc, looking down at the former. "A damned shame, though I do take some comfort in the fact that he's not among the party." He looks up at the half orc respectfully, and offers a crisp half nod. "Pleasure to meet you, team leader."
 
Keth looked between the members of his group. His stern gaze not changing, though he did shake his head slowly letting out a sigh. 'At least he's not pretentious, and had some form of training.' The half orc slid the dagger back into its sheath.

Looking the prince in the eye he spoke one word. "Keth." Returning the nod, but slower, like a superior acknowledging a subordinate. "Just Keth." Looking to the dead elf he shrugged. "Not a shame. He's dead we're not, and we've got a job to do. But I need to see the letter and what you told to retrieve in your trial."
 
Thaddeus continues to look at the half orc, but without staring him directly in the eyes, so as to not appear to be challenging him. Upon hearing Keth's name and seeing the dagger slide back into its sheath, the prince let out a small sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness. I suspect I've had more training than him, but he's also probably been in a fair few fights. And any sort of altercation would be a bad start to this relationship."

Thaddeus takes half a beat to gather his thoughts. "Pleasure to meet you, Keth." He begins rummaging through his pack. "I believe it's...aha, here it is. The letter and...two trophies!" Thaddeus extends his hands, holding the rolled up letter and the two golden figurines.
 
Istar was quite visibly relieved to hear that the Prince wasn’t offended by her improper titles , as always desiring to be friends with the possible new member of their team. She returned the kind smile , all the happier to hear that he considered her to be good company. Her Royal new ally still had yet to truly answer her questions , but despite that she chose to stand beside her One True Love and merely observe the conversation. ‘Besides , Keth knows more than I do about our Guild. If Prince Thaddeus truly is a new member of our Team , he would be much better served speaking with Keth about it than he would speaking to me.. and he has to be a member of our Guild , doesn’t he?’

The young Paladin seemed very happy to see her Team Leader put away his dagger , though she couldn’t hide a cringe at his rather clear disregard of the unfortunately deceased Elf. However she was still extremely happy to hear that Thaddeus was , indeed , a new team member of hers , just as she had suspected. With her emerald green eyes alit and a typically eager smile gracing her features she bent down to whisper in her Beloved’s ear , gently placing her hand on the Fire-touched beauty’s shoulder. “What do you think of him , my Queen? I’ve never met true , blood-royalty before , but he seems very kind.. doesn’t he? He doesn’t seem to dislike us just for being of lesser pedigree.. that’s wonderful , don’t you think? I think he’s going to make a wonderful addition to our Team! And I’m sure he’ll be just as kind to you as he is to me - if not kinder still! It’s impossible for anyone to dislike someone as wonderful as you are , Rihaly!”
 
There is an awkward feeling as the group tries to introduce themselves. Keth all but growling at the newcomer royalty, Istar smiling and bubbly speaking to him and with her chosen love, Thaddeus smiling a bit nervously remembering his training sergeant gave him the same look, Rihaly nodding slowly and moving to greet the prince properly.


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Click the flash to continue.
Bramtic Bramtic HK Fifty HK Fifty Segue Segue
 
Istar quirked her head just slightly , confused by her Team Leader’s remark and at a loss for what other sorts of ships her Guild could’ve had access to. However , due to the angle of her head she noticed a crack in the masonry which seemed to reveal azure sky , as if she were atop one of the towering trees of her homelands. For the moment this bewildered her even further , and as they walked along to their destination she wore a perplexed expression upon her pale features as she tried to come up with an explanation. She was so occupied with the strange sight that she even failed to register the Half-Orc’s apparent distaste for the Prince’s noble station , merely moving along after the others - it was good her path wasn’t impeded.

It wasn’t until the gust of air gently caressed her cheek that the young Paladin came to a revelation. Her loud , eager words easily drowned out Keth’s sarcastic warnings. “The reason I feel as if I’m in a tree is because this is a sky city! We have to be hundreds of feet up , as high as even the tallest tree back home , higher still! It’s so incredible! I know it must sound implausible for the moment , but I’m sure this ladder must extend all the way down to the surface , and when we look up we’ll see a city suspended among the clouds! A Cloud City! Isn’t that so incredible? It’s the most amazing structure I’ve ever set foot on! This is the most wonderful adventure I’ve ever been on! Come on , this is going to be so amazing!” Without bothering to do much as look down the narrow shaft she sprang onto the ladder and hastily began climbing down , sure she’d be climbing down for quite some time , especially since she was among the clouds themselves.

Unfortunately , once the eager young Elf had only descended a mere handful of feet she found herself deposited on a frighteningly unsteady platform mere feet from the city. Taking a tentative step away from the ladder the platform swayed beneath her , causing her hands to shoot out for the nearest rope and tightly cling to it. Once she felt steady enough she slowly released her grip and stepped back towards the center , her left hand tightly gripping the hilt of Celebcarca - the sword sheathed at her left side. Her right splayed out , shaked itself back into a relaxed position , and splayed again , thus starting the cycle anew. In this faishon she nervously awaited her other teammates - along with some way to get down to solid ground.
 
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A voice suddenly cuts from the shadows.

"Oi there, Fang. I was sent to join your party. Heard you needed someone with my, ah, particular skill set."

The petite outline of a halfling wearing a very bulky coat forms on the edge of what you can see. You can't make out the features of this person, but you can tell their arms are crossed.
 
Keth's words only served to confuse Thaddeus and sour his mood even further. For someone of a lower station, his angrily stomping ahead might be called a temper tantrum. He grumbled wordlessly to himself as he followed Keth's gesture towards the grate, with the new halfling's words barely getting through as background noise. "Hmph...what did he say? I suppose that's where we're going. Probably some other test."

The Prince climbed down to the platform before the sight before him registered in his brain. "What in the names of the gods is this?!" he shouted, while holding firmly onto the ladder. He clambered up quickly, and somewhat ungainly. His gaze quickly settled on Keth, a mix of shock, confusion, and a tiny bit of fear showing on his face. "OK, Keth, you're right, there are multiple kinds of ships. Including one that, apparently, soars through the skies. From cities in the skies." Cowed, and looking at his feet, Thaddeus mumbled "I'm impressed. And...I apologize..."
 
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The half orc smirked and shook his head as the longears was eagerly the first one into the unknown. 'Will not have to worry about traps.' Her was turning his gaze towards the human prince when he heard a familiar voice.

"Great! Shorty is here now." Mumbling to himself as Thaddeus climbed down the ladder, but loud enough he was certain the halfling would hear him. Turning towards Peri now as Thaddeus disappeared from view. "Alright half-pint keep your sticky fingers where I can see them." His voice still carried same the gruff and abrasive tone the elf and human had become accustomed to, but seemed subtly more friendly. His right hand moved subtly to rest on a lump under his coat at about waist level.

The half orc tried to suppress a light hearted snort at hearing the prince's exclamation and sudden reappearance. With a nod of understanding Keth motioned to the halfling. "Glad to see your a step above most of your race. She doesn't like the dumb ones." Looking to Peri he shook his head.
 
After a few tense moments - interrupted by the Prince clambering down and startling her with an exclamation , before clambering up just as fast - Istar calmed herself enough to contemplate her environment and what transportation would be available to her. The platform she stood on was connected to another , and several more after that , as if they formed a network. “It must be a dock for Airships! I’m going to ride an Airship! This is so incredible!” Almost as if it was waiting for her revelation , an Airship flew past her , though if it docked it didn’t dock near her. Looking further she noticed several more docked yards from her current position. While she would much rather be on the more stable ships she didn’t want to board the wrong ship and be forced to walk the wavering platforms more than she had to , and so she awaited the remainder of her teammates with an eager energy about her - although she still retained a nervous edge.
 
Thaddeus paused to catch his breath, and looked at Keth as his leader spoke. For the first time, he realized the half-orc was speaking to someone else, and his gaze shifted to the halfling. He immediately stood upright and, trying to project an air of confidence and class, strode over. "Prince Thaddeus Percival Armbrister the Fourth, Fifth Earl of Dalington, and Second Viscount of Sternshire." He smartly and crisply extended his hand. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
 
Peri stepped out of the shadow of the pillar she'd been leaning against, and eyed the proffered hand with a raised eyebrow. "Who in your family didn't like you to give you a name like that? Did they make you write it all out in school, or do you just go by 'Yer Grace' like most of them?" Her expression remained neutral but there was just a hint of a smile behind her eyes. Finally she reached out and returned the handshake, once, then stepped around to peer down the ladder that everyone seemed to be staring at. "So what are we waiting for? This platform isn't exactly the most exciting place to be. And I'm hoping to catch up with a friend before too long."
 
Keth smirked and have a snort hearing the halfling's response to the formal prince. If the prince thought the half orc was irreverent, he was in for a shock.

Peri as you look down you see what you have seen many times before: The sturdy wooden platform which connects to other platforms via a series of walkways, all of which leads to berths. All of this is suspended high above the land far below. The cold wind is rather strong, and you know it could push you around if the gusts are strong enough.

"I was waiting for the new kids to climb down to the Gangway then head to the ship." He said stepping onto the ladder, and descending until he was eye level with the halfling. "Another one? For a shadow stalker you have lots of friends." He gave a wink before suddenly disappearing from view, sliding down the ladder to land with a thud on the walkway.

Istar, as Keth lands on the platform you feel a very slight shudder from his weight impacting the wood.
 
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