| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| StarBog |
Posted - 07 Jul 2009 : 11:45:46
(this is some support material I've written for my current FR campaign, in which the players have taken a side-trip to Sigil to search for a missing person of some renown. my players didn't take the bait and enter the Throbbing Trident, although the straight-laced cleric of Grumbar did take a peek inside and still, a week later, scrubbing his brain out from what he did see)
The first in a series of selected excerpts from an unpublished manuscript found in the belongings of the notorious Volothamp Geddarm, 1374 D.R. Scattered through the text are annotations made in a different hand, in red ink, bearing a sigil that appears to be that of the Sage of Shadowdale
"Of all the races in Sigil that raises the hackles in the goodly Traveller's mind, it has to be the Tanar'ri and the Baatezu, or demons and devils to Torillians such as you and me. To see such abominations walking down the street openly and without fear nor hindrance is a shock that often sends the inexperienced planeswalker into fits. Of course, your esteemed correspondent never so much as batted an eyelid when he first came across such creatures (but of course! E.), after all the motto of the experienced traveler is 'When in Waterdeep, do as the Waterdhavians do..."
"So it was only natural that I attempt to find out what, apart from enslaving mortal souls and fighting in the Blood War, really makes these creatures tick. The sacrifices that your noble correspondent has to go through in the name of research are considerable, but I am glad to say that it was worth it in the end. For like any mortal (speak for yourself! E.), two things really make the blood of one of these creatures tick: power and sex."
"Your correspondent was fortunate to make the acquaintance of a minor demon during his time in Sigil (Indeed, how fortunate. You were lucky to escape with your soul, Volo. E.). An unfortunate individual called Haermmorastrix, he had been exiled to Sigil years before through a sequence of unfortunate and unkindly events (and you believed him? E.) and over some delightfully well-spiced drinks he filled me in on what creatures such as himself get up to in the City of Doors."
"Haermmorastrix spends most of his time at a brothel catering exclusively for demons in the Lower Hive Ward that rejoices in the fine name of the Throbbing Trident. He assured me that it was perfectly fine for someone such as myself to visit and take notes. But not for the first time, discretion prevailed ( *chortle* E.) and I persuaded him instead to detail me some of the practices that demons get up to when, as the Tethyrians so splendidly call it, in flagrante delicto. I shall spare my nervous readers the details (Your prose alone would be enough to turn even the most steel-hearted to a nervous quivering wreck. E.) but suffice to say that the practices that prevail in the brothel would not be for the faint-hearted to say the least. Any mortal traveler wishing to sample the delights of the Throbbing Trident should take many precautions, to say the least. Not least of which is making sure your will is up to date (at last, some sensible advice and one I thoroughly agree with. Of course, those possessed with a tad more sense than Volo might simply want to steer a wide berth away from such delightful places. E.)."
|
| 2 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| StarBog |
Posted - 09 Jul 2009 : 14:19:34
(another entry. this is where my players have based themselves for now. of course, things in the Inn are not quite as they seem. After the next session, which is tonight, I should have a few more places to write-up)
"The weary traveler often finds great solace in comforts from home and nowhere in Sigil is this emphasized more than the Cackled Hen Tavern on Bloody Noose Street in the Upper Hive Ward. The Cackled Hen is a home from home for visitors and refugees from Toril, and is owned and run by Syndara Ravenhair, a retired half-elven adventureress originally from Shadowdale (Yes, I remember the lass. A bit headstrong, but her heart was always in the right place. E.). The Hen is a thriving business, and offers a wide range of services for anyone from Toril, no matter what cause or deity they serve. The tavern is a neutral meeting place and this neutrality is enforced by Ravenhair's business partner and head of security, the Mindflayer Qihogg. Unlike the rest of his species, Qihogg claims not to find any great solace in brain-eating instead preferring to find his nutrition in other less-harmful ways (And you believed him? E.)."
"The Cackled Hen Tavern looks much bigger from the inside than it does from the outside. The main tap room is a relaxed and vibrant place, with many booths for privacy and a wide selection of drinks and snacks available, served by friendly and attentive bar staff. The house specialty is an ever-changing selection of fiery stews and curries, with fresh ingredients imported weekly from Calimshan. How exactly these ingredients are important, Ravenhair was reluctant to say. (I'm not surprised. E.). I extensively sampled these meals for your benefit, dear reader (What a burden that must have been? E.) and found that the house special ale, a delightful light golden brew with delicate garlic and hops flavours, is the best accompaniment. All this for under a gold piece too!"
"If you wish to make the Cackled Hen Tavern your base of operations in Sigil, it also boasts a wide range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets, from a shared room that costs only a few coppers per night per bunk right up to the Neverwinter Suite, a delightful and luxuriously furnished self-contained series of rooms that offers a wonderful accommodation experience complete with luxurious steam bath courtesy of a tiny and deliberately created rift to the Elemental Plane of Fire. The reader should be warned however, that the most luxurious rooms are highly in demand, with repeat visitors often booking them months or years in advance..." |
| StarBog |
Posted - 08 Jul 2009 : 10:31:20
"...other notable temples and places of worship in the Lower Hive include the strangely named Temple of Infinite Possibilities, to which your intrepid correspondent was granted exclusive access. To the mind of the inexperienced planewalker trying to expand his boundaries outside the familiar that we know and love on Toril, the principle of worshipping an abstract concept may seem strange at first, but Sigil is a gateway to the entire multiverse and not every sentient being thinks as we on Toril do (Indeed. It is one of the attractions of the Multiverse that not everyone is as self-absorbed as our "intrepid correspondent" here. E.)"
"I was shown around the Temple by a halfling rejoicing in the name of Felax Hantorax. Hantorax was a most accommodating host (how much did you pay him then? E.) and explained to me the history of the establishment. Originally set up by the Xaosites, the Temple is now dedicated to delving into the mysteries of the multiverse though the concept of mathematics and probability. The temple itself is divided into three floors. The ground floor is known as the "enlightentorium" where the resident mages of the Temple (known as "Probatorialists") can, for a small fee, enlighten the discerning visitor as to their future fates and probabilities (The multiverse is a strange and wonderful place, but seeking knowledge of what is to come the easiest and quickest way to a closed mind. E.). Naturally I have negotiated a special deal for my readers (Naturally. How much is your cut? E.) if they wish to partake of the temples services."
"The middle floor of the temple is called the "probabilitorium" and is a magical place where the calculations are actually carried out. Probatorialists from many worlds, of many races, stride back and forth wrapped in arcane torrents and streams, penetrating the inner and outer reaches of the multiverse. They are aided in this immense task by drinking a strange cocktail that opens their mind to, as Felax explained to me rather poetically, "the heartbeat of the Planes". Of course, I was privileged to try a sip (Only a sip? E. ) and words cannot explain the wonders I saw and felt (Somehow, I suspect you're going to try. E.). Initially, the elixir did not have any effect on me, but after a short period of time I felt connected to the very Planes, as if I was a part of them. The most amazing feeling of... (That's enough. Readers really wanting to read a detailed description of one of Volo's acid trips would do well to read any of his other travelogues. E.")"
"After I had calmed down and stopped trying to fly, Felax showed me the top floor of the temple. This floor is normally out of bounds to the public and to paying customers, and contains the living quarters of the Probatorialists, along with kitchens, libraries and all the other accoutrements that are necessary for a productive life. The central lounge, where Probatorialists relax after hours and engage in intense and vigorous debates over the meaning of life and the multiverse, contains the most amazing collection of artifacts from the far regions of our existence. Dragon's Tears, Whispers of a Demon and the Laugh of a Dead God are many of the amazing objects that Probatorialists use to inspire and enlighten themselves."
"Two doors down from the Temple of Infinite Possibilities, in the direction of the Lady's Ward, is the prime example of..."
|
|
|
