The City of Glass, The Dancing Mermaid 8:50 AM, Day 4 of the War of the Facets
Thalivan treated you all to a lavish breakfast before sending you off. The fare at the Mermaid was delicious, and Thalivan, being an arcane, spared little expense in taking care of his employees. After all, a well-treated employee performed better, and Thalivan could always cut the cord if he felt his workers were unsatisfactory. The repast consisted mostly of seafood, some you recognized and others you didn't. There was some familiar dry-land food, too. Some bacon, eggs, rolls and cheese accompanied the exotic local fare.
Over breakfast, the arcane explained the task. Business as usual, your tall, blue-skinned employer spared little time in giving you the assignment. You were to travel to a city called Aremshah on the Plane of Air, a popular trading hub noted for its portals to several planes, including a large caravan portal to Sigil. Once there, you were to go to the Glowing Gem after dinner. A water genasi named Ghadir spent his evenings at the Gem, which catered primarily to genasi of all types. If anyone knew the locations of Salt portals in the City of Glass, it'd be him. And if he was reluctant to talk, Thalivan said to use his name, and possibly a little garnish, and Ghadir would be glad to help. He gave you every assurance that he would talk to the local guard, as well as research the origin of the symbol. And so, armed with directions, information, and a person to find, you set off for the Glowing Gem on the Plane of Air.
Aremshah, The Glowing Gem 9:30 PM, Day 4 of the War of the Facets
You arrived at the city of Aremshah in the morning and had the entire day to spend doing whatever you needed or wanted to do. The city was a mangificent metropolis with beautiful spires of glass and crystal. In one section of the city, the Temple of Akadi dominated the skyline. Its glassy, transparent curves and magnificent airy shapes reached up into the endless blue sky above. The Palace of the Caliph towered over another section of the city, its slender towers and minarets gleaming like a series of stars and gems in the sky. It was a majestic sight, a testament to the wealth and prestige of the Caliph. Interestingly, the current Caliph, As'ad, was no djinn at all, but the air genasi son of a djinn and a mortal woman. As'ad held a reputation as a powerful druid, however, and a prominent master of elemental energy, and had gained the respect of his people despite not being a full-blood djinn.
Chances were that you'd never get the opportunity to see As'ad, though. Your travels were to take you away from the palace and the surrounding neighborhoods and toward the seedier areas of town. So, later that evening after spending time wandering the city and doing a bit of shopping and sightseeing, you all regrouped and made your way to the Glowing Gem.
Though not properly in the slums, the Glowing Gem sat close to the less-prestigious areas of Aremshah. The Gem saw its fair share of unsavory types as well as a number of more upstanding citizens. Most of the patrons were indeed genasi of all different shapes and colors. The interior was decorated with colorful glass lanterns hanging from the ceiling, all stained to resemble glowing gemstones that gave the bar its name. Entrance seemed to be either at a premium or with a modest cover charge, judging by the people that stopped to talk to the bouncers at the front door. Three fire genasi did most of the talking, but one creature stood off to the side, looking a little out of place...
Welcome to Phase II! This one will be a bit short. At any rate, you have a most of a full day to do whatever you might want to do. Shopping, wandering, etc. If you buy things, let me know what you pick up. Aremshah is a trade hub, so you can find just about anything you need to get. Check the OOC for your XP awards, among other things.
"Well," Seigi says, looking into the Gem past the bouncers, "this is certainly a cut and a half above some of the haunts I have come to be familiar with. What a meritorious change of lifestyle, to be certain ..."
The older gentleman straightens his lapels, checks his cuffs, and approaches the bouncers with a cheerful smile on his face. "Good day to you, sirs!" he says, all congeniality and charm - insofar as he possesses those qualities - and makes a series of flourishing hand gestures. "Might we beg entry into this fine establishment?"