Another Month Passes...

Olarune 1 - Olarune 28, YK 999

The Watch, with help from House Cannith, has begun producing portable books of sketches and information about known members of the gangs, which ranking officers of the Watch carry with them. Anyone in these books can be arrested on sight under the provisions of this initiative. The Boromars are politically protected from being in these books, and the Tyrants are protected by virtue of their multiple identities, but the Daask are hit hard by this new directive. Especially when, halfway through Olarune, the City Council hires 70% of the Blademarks in the city to assist the Watch in dealing with gang war related matters.

The Day of Mourning passes on 20 Olarune. The Day of Mourning often causes some tension and anger amongst the Cyran exiles in Breland, and with tensions amped up by the gang war, this year a riot erupts. Angry Cyrans flood the streets, demanding a kingdom of their own, and the riot is put down by The Watch and the Red Cloak Battalion. There is much outrage in the papers over what some see as an abuse of power, and some fiery rhetoric from King Boranel in the Sharn Inquisitive leads many to speculate that this might be the tipping point in pushing Breland into a war with Droamm in order to cool off the tension from the gang war.

By the time Olarune 15 has come, all of the Wolves are back in Sharn and have about two weeks to do whatever they'd like, either individually or as a group.

As Olarune starts to wind down, the Wolves decide to make arrangements for travel to Elaydren's wedding. Brand had been keeping an eye out for opportunities, and discovers that an Aundarian merchant named Tyman Karch has booked passage on the Five Nations Express on the first of Therendor, and has paid for extra security. A little research determines that Karch always pays for extra security, and has in fact had a half-dozen House Deneith bodyguards throughough his three week stay in Sharn, but he seems to just be showing off his money and maybe a little bit paranoid, as there aren't any records of anything happening to him beyond the standard robbery attempts that bedevil most merchants.

It was easy for Brand to land the Wolves the gig as security for Tyman. The pay is free passage and luxury accomodations both ways. The train leaves at mid-day on 1 Therendor, and will arrive in Fairhaven late at night on 4 Therendor, which will give you a day to spend in Aundair before the wedding, to be held on 6 Therendor.

Now the only question is, what wedding gift will the Wolves get for Elaydren and Hetris d'Cannith? Keeping in mind, of course, that she knows you're wealthy adventurers.

BRAND
On Olarune 5, Brand finishes his apprenticeship to Dahlia d'Orien and officially becomes a Blade of Orien. As a graduation present of sorts, Dahlia and her father pull some strings to get Brand a teleport into Stormreach, with a return trip scheduled for Olarune 15, so that he can take some time to visit with his contacts in Orien. Brand is pleased that he is met not only by Yanesh Hite, but by Tworock, who has once again escaped captivity by the giants. Brand gives him the invitation to Elaydren's wedding, but Tworock declines, saying only that "I'm needed here."

On the way to visit Hackrazet, Tworock fills Brand in on what has happened. Drow assassins broke into the Native's camp and attempted to kill his father. They were unfortunate enough to attack after Tworock returned, and he joined the rest of his father's forces in killing the would-be assassins. When they were killed, they reverted to human form, and it was clear that this was not a drow assassination attempt. Tworock isn't sure who it was, but he knows it won't be the last attempt, and he won't leave Xen'drik until he's discovered who it was and taken care of them.

The visit with Hackrazet goes exceptionally well. Hackrazet is pleased with the price negotiated, and Brand has come equipped with contracts that will see Orien operatives placed before the end of the month. Hackrazet even gives Brand a month of Eternal Rations ("good for someone who travels for a living," he says with a wink) as a thank you for hooking the whole deal up.

LYSANDER
After the performances in Fairhaven, Lysander has a meeting with Viceroy Dulaen Elorrenthi d'Phiarlan, Lord Seneschal of Aundair and Master of the Demesne of Memory. This is the discipline that encompasses the written word, including prose, poetry and propaganda, and Viceroy Dulaen spends the better part of the day exchanging stories and showing you books, letters and other history of House Phiarlan. He presents him with a rare edition of The Travels of Chiarlan The Younger, a book written by your mentor *before* he was known as The Heretic, during the early days of the Last War, as a wedding gift. It contains historical insights, old stories and other tidbits that increase Lysander's bardic knowledge as well as his understanding of his mentor.

On the afternoon of 28 Zarantyr, they take a 15-hour journey on the lightning rail to Passage, the seat of House Orien. He gives three performances on the 1 Olarune to a variety of crowds. The most interesting one is when Lysander meets dignitaries from House Orien, including Aeromus d'Orien, the man who framed Brand's father.

On 2 Olarune, Lysander and Arenydee take the lightning rail from Passage, back through Fairhaven and across the border of Thrane. Two days later, on 4 Olarune, they arrive very early in the morning. Lysander gives a performance in their open air amphitheatre, which is attended by many and picketed by some of the more fanatical members of The Silver Flame in town because of your "heretical" training. After the performance, you meet with Viceroy Idal Tialaen d'Phiarlan, master of the Demesne of Shape, which operates in Thaliost. Arenydee has several friends amongst this Demesne. That night, they leave aboard an airship for a morning arrival on 5 Olarune in Flamekeep.

There, Lysander is treated to a luncheon with Viceroy Kels Tialaen d'Phiarlan, Demesne of Music and many of the influential members of House Phiarlan in Thrane. He provides a private performance of the first part of the Cycle of the Wolf, which is personally critiqued by Viceroy Kels and his most trusted acolytes. That night, he performs for many of the high society of Thrane's capital, and in the morning he gives a small, private performance for members of the Church of the Silver Flame.

On the morning of 6 Olarune, Lysander and Arenydee travel to Sigilstar, the "crossroads of Thrane." There they experience a more open-minded and artistic community than in most of Thrane, as well as some of the best tea you've ever sampled. There's also a wealth of alchemy and magical talent at work in the town. Lysander performs two shows, an afternoon and an evening show, in two different medium-sized but elegant theatres.

7 Olarune is a relatively relaxed day, with travel beginning at mid-day and ending only 6 hours later in Aruldusk, a rustic town where Lysander performs a small evening show in a local tavern. The next day, on 8 Olarune, they once again cross the border via lightning rail back into Breland, stopping at the city of Vathirond late at night.

Two performances in Vathirond on 9 Olarune, then returns to the cities he visited during the early days of his tour, this time performing the Cycle of the Wolf. First he travels to Sterngate, where there's a performance on 10 Olarune. Then a long (over a day) journey to Starilaskur, arriving early in the morning on 12 Olarune and performing three performances until 13 Olarune, when the lightning rail provides another day-long trip to the city of Wroat. The royalty once again turns out for your performance, and then it's a morning journey back to Sharn on 14 Olarune for a return engagement at Kavarrah Concert Hall.

After that, you've got about two weeks to do whatever you wish in Sharn.

PEL
Pel has to balance his time between his new congregation, where he sometimes helps Chance with the ceremonies, and his role in the Tyrants, which becomes increasingly dangerous and even bloody as the gang war heats up. Another member of the council, another ally of Cord, is assassinated by the Daask, and once again, an ally of your father takes his place. Your father comes to visit you personally after the assassination and tells you that with the shift in power, he believes he'll be able to officially bring you onto the council within the next couple of months. He also tells you that he has formalized a relationship with the Boromars, and that they are strategizing as to how to end the war with the Daask in the next couple of months. The details are still very sketchy, but he tells you that your role is to get even closer to Sava Kharisa, to offer to help her and in fact become her assistant in the public eye if possible.

This isn't terribly difficult, as Sava clearly finds the half-elf persona you've presented with very charming, and has invited you to all of her gallery showings, sought your advice in dealing with the gang war and generally come to lean on you for advice and support. You also think there's some romantic interest there, although she's too dedicated to her work for that to go anywhere fast.

Pel also communes with the Traveler. He'll have answers when I have the questions.