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ROLEPLAYING DIARY
Vele of the fourteenth year
Vele the first
Our heroes are heading to Herat, a dwarven city, where they hope to sell some mithril coins.
The party are travelling north along the Old Dwarven Road, along with two merchants and four other travellers.
Vele the second
The travelers arrive at Delaram, and lodge for the night at the White Horse Inn.
Vele the third through the fifth
More travel along the Old Dwarven Road. Das, the part-dwarf, is a good tale-teller, and keeps them entertained around the campfire at night.
Vele the sixth
This night are visted by Tartug, the bandit leader, but they only realise this in the morning when they find a note from him wishing them all a safe journey.
Vele the seventh through the ninth
Uneventful travel.
Vele the tenth
They arrive in the town of Shindand.
Vele the eleventh
They continue on their way
Vele the twelfth
Pass through Adraskan
Vele the thirteenth through fourteenth
Uneventful journey
Vele the fifteenth
The symbol of Herat city, representing the keys to the two gates of this walled dwarved metropolis.
The Dragon's Claw store specialises in items made out of unusual ingredients, such as demon hides, beholder eyes, or dragon's claws.
Books are scare in the Borderlands, and so rather expensive. The Guild of Knowledge is a very cheap way to gain access to information and ideas, and our heroes quickly recognise this.
They arrive at Herat, at last. The city has two large gates, and is walled, but most of the buildings are made in the multi-storey dwarven design, where only the top storey is above ground. The dwarven merchants say it may take some time to find a buyer for the eight mithril coins, but for a small commission they will hunt for a good deal. They are even generous enough to put our heroes up in a fine Inn with human sized rooms at their own coast.
To pass the time our heroes go shopping. First stop on the shopping spree is the fabled Dragon's Claw weapon and armour shop. They make friends with owner, a surly dwarf named Zhagu. Khalid buys a +6 non-magical longsword, made from a dwarven steel. However, all the other items are out of their price range.
After shopping they go to the Guild of Knowledge, a large library that seems largely unorganised. However, a quick search reveals many potentially useful tomes, so several of the party buy a full membership, which gains them a wax seal, and unlimited access.
Vele the sixteenth
More shopping. They visit Paper Leaves, a bookseller, but fail to find anything they can use or afford. Then they revisit the Dragon's Claw, and show enough knowledge of creatures, their parts, and skill in preserving them to get a collection contract from the owner. he gives them a list of sought after creature bits, and how much he will pay for them. Then it's back to Guild of Knowledge to study for all but Colin.
Vele the seventeenth
Back to guild for a full day's study. Colin gets bored, and goes wandering in the city. His large human frame literally dwarfing the locals.
Vele the eighteenth
More study in the Guild of Knowledge for all but Colin.
Vele nineteenth through the twenty-first
Aside from the White Order, the city also boasts the Black Order, made up of elite dwarven troops; The Flying Corp, which is a small group of Hippogriff-riding dwarves; The Castellan Guard, who guard the gates of the city; and the City Guard, who patrol the streets. Only the White Order accepts non-dwarves, and they mainly patrol the merchant quarter.
While the others read in the Guild, Colin wanders around and chances upon the White Order, a city guard unit made entirely with non-dwarven recruits.
Vele the twenty-second
Same as before, but with some coaching on dwarven diplomacy from Kothen, one of the dwarven merchants they traveled with. The merchants have found a potential buyer. The king of Herat is interested in the coins, and they are trying to arrange an audience with the court officials.
Vele the twenty-third
Shylock finishes learning a skill in the written dwarven language.
Vele the twenty-fourth
They continue their studies, while Colin practices axe-play with the White Order.
Vele the twenty-fifth
This was the lesser of the three levels of deal the dwarves were prepared to make. They get some of the second tier offer some months later for services to the Herat crown.
They get a fifteen minute audience with the King, and showing a lack of knowledge about how the dwarves do things they take the first deal they are offered by the officials. The deal is that they are given 100gp (about a sixth of the price they were hoping for), are made Knights of the kingdom and members of the White Order with the right to bear arms in the streets of heart. They also get limited access to the Royal Palace: the Royal Library, Palace Gardens, and outer courtyard, six dwarven made helms made to fit, and six dwarven war ponies. They have to give most of the gold coins to their agents, the dwarven merchants, but still seem pleased with the deal.
Vele the twenty-sixth
Hand-axe skill learning completed by Co-lin
Vele the twenty-seventh through thirtieth
Training continues.