Session 0.5: Come Together

High City of Thraben

The first thing that strikes visitors to Thraben is the imposing, fortified walls that encircle the city. Made of ancient stone and reinforced with magic, they stretch up towards the sky like jagged teeth, their battlements lined with soldiers on constant watch for supernatural threats.
As you enter the city through one of the towering gates, you pass through districts that cater to every imaginable taste and need, from the opulent mansions of the city's wealthy elite to the cramped hovels of its poorest inhabitants. The air is thick with the scent of incense and the distant sound of chanting, as the Avacynian Church holds sway over every aspect of daily life.
As you make your way deeper into the city, you find yourself in a bustling market square, filled with vendors selling all manner of goods. The streets are narrow and winding, lined with tall, narrow buildings that lean precariously towards each other, their roofs overlapping like the scales of a dragon.
Finally, as you reach the eastern edge of the city, you come face to face with the Church of Avacyn Cathedral itself. Rising up from the mesa like a beacon of light, its spires gleaming in the sun, the Cathedral is a testament to the power and majesty of the Church. Inside, the faithful gather to worship, their voices echoing off the towering vaulted ceilings, while outside, the waterfall roars endlessly in the background, a reminder of the power of nature that the Church seeks to protect against.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NICK
Kal is a  High City of Thraben native who left to study the arts of necromancy. 
Kal had thought that there was a group of individuals who could help him improve and propel him to a position he wanted but after some time realized that he was actually in the wrong company. Terrible people give necromancers get a bad rep an there are a lot of bad stereotypes out there. Kal wants to change that image!
Kal left that group in a huff. He had been waiting for an opportunity and for safe passage into High City of Thraben. "i know necromancers. I can help you." Kal makes a deal with the Order of Avacyn with the goal of working together in order to create a way for Necromancy to be accepted.
Kal does make quite the entrance when he walks in with his quarterstaff that has a floating skull on it.  It definitely draws people eyes towards him along with those who get close enough to notice that Kal has no pupils in his blank eyes.
He has his letter from the Guardian of Thraben, Rushein Dan.
He arrives 2 days before the drive in hopes of starting his work with the Order of Avacyn.
At the gates of the Order of Avacyn Headquarters, Kal is stopped by a guard questioning his visit's purpose.
Kal panics but hands the letter.
The guard brings Kal to another door.
Knocks once. No answer.
Knocks again, No answer.
The Guardian of Thraben is out.
The guard brings Kal to the office of the Guardian's second in command, the gruff Inquisitor Eliza .
Eliza states that the Guardian is too busy to deal with extra things right now and that Kal should come back at the Order Recruitment Drive drive so that Rushein Dan can see his capabilities there. 
Offers Kal lodging in the barracks until then. Kal would prefer something else. Inquisitor Eliza is very bothered and offers up her name for a room at the The Silver Sword Inn.
Kal sneaks to The Silver Sword Inn. Kronk Style.   (natural one basically.)
Scares some kids, steps on some toys. but makes it to the Inn. Kal takes in surrounding. 
the innkeeper calls out to Kal when he enters that she will be right with him but there are a couple people ahead of him. Kal notices that the city is much for crowded than it was when he left. This recruitment drive is really bringing people from all over Innistrad. 
Kal gets access to his room at the end of the hallway upstairs and believes that two winks are all that is needed to convince someone of something. 
"are we gonna have a problem?" (the innkeeper gets a little uncomfortable with the staff but is easily dissuaded) 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ALYX
Grisela  is coming from Shadowgrange through Wollebank in Stensia 
5'8- 5'6 all dressed in black. ruby in left palm. long shiny beautiful hair. hazel -green eyes.
gold rim around eyes that is so bright.
She arrives a couple days early and swings by the Library on her way to find suitable lodgings.
She tries to tell the librarian that she has a permanent housing arrangement at a local inn and makes up the name ("Rusty Crab"?) in order to get a library card.
The librarian is not convinced and gives her a temporary library card which will allow her access to 4 books at at time.
The librarian lets her know that Damelts Magic University and the Order of Avacyn libraries are also in the area and would have access to a variety of other topics if she is interested. 
The librarian herself would go to the Order Recruitment Drive Drive just to get access to the Order library but does not wish to fight. 
Grisela runs off with her new card and walks through the High City of Thraben until she easily spots the Noble District.
Heading to the White Spear Inn, she is stopped by a guard.
Grisela convinces him that she is in fact meant to be here and can afford a room at this inn quite easily. 
Grisela tips the guard. New best buddy: Alden. 30s.
Grisela enters the White Spear Inn and gets immediate services and recognition from the innkeeper.
She gets a room for 1g and tips the Innkeeper.
As she heads upstairs to her new room, the innkeeper states that should she need anything, to just let the front desk know anytime as it is staffed 24/7 for patrons and always willing to serve.
Grisela mentions a need for a replacement toothbrush.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BEN
Tsevorel (ZEH-vor-el), (Zehv) for short
Blue skin, Amber eyes. Dressed for the road.
Reads as more Elf or Tiefling but neither. "forest boy."- Alyx
Tsev is following a path moving out of Kessig, specifically the Ulvenwald Forest.
His eyes rolls back in his eye and a message projects to a sharpened tooth laying on a toadstool miles away.
"Meet me in Thraben. This could be the start of something interesting."
Tsev moves out of the comfort of Ulvenwald Forest.
Tsev was raised by his Baba and spent his childhood foraging for her, ranging all over the forest. He liked to party with Satyrs and the Vistani.
He also liked to play in Gavony and would fly under the radar of "Nanny" Siona. (she sometimes turned a blind eye.)
Tsev felt like he outgrew the forest and after getting a taste of Gavony, he wanted to experience the world in order to come back and protect Kessig better with new idea than what his very 'defined' upbringing would show.
He heard about the Order Recruitment Drive. Had a farewell tour of Kessig, saying goodbye to everyone, including another friend he started to talk to recently.
He isn't 100% sure about this friend yet.

Tsev makes it to the High City of Thraben the night before the Order Recruitment Drive in order to try and slips in.
Looking around for cracks in the IMMENSE Outer Wall but surprisingly this wall seems to be very well taken care of.
Along one edge of the way, Tsev finds a dead chained vampire who is now just a burned husk on the Bloodless Wall. This shakes him more than just finding a decomposing corpse on the forest floor would. 
Tsev walks by and finds some ivy to climb. The combination of being in a weird city with weird people and the vampire leaves him a little off. 
At the top of the wall, he takes a moment to take in the view.
Tsev wanders dazed for a bit until his feet bring him to a Keellin Park in the city by the Working District.
He climbs into a tree branch and tucks in. As he wraps his cloak around himself, the weave realigns itself to match the leaves.
Being here is a strange feeling, Tsev can feel the population around. Will not be getting any sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Morning of the Order Recruitment Drive at the Amphitheatre. 10am start time. 
As the sun continued to rise over the High City of Thraben, dozens of young men and women gathered at the gates of the Amphitheatre. They were here for the recruitment drive for the Order of Avacyn, the most revered and respected order of knights in all the land.
Grisela goes really early. Is dressed and looking all put together.
Immediately signs in with the Order members. Joins the line to go through testing.
Kal is going early as well.  Has his letter ready! Trying to be careful and figure out who to talk to. "I was asked to come here" (two winks). signs in to get through testing. 
Tsev is there 'late'. Gets out of his tree and walks over at 10.
On his way out, a mom and her child see him "Mooooom! Can I sleep in a tree too?" The mother is uncomfortable and steers her child away as Tsev mentions that they should try it.  "no, don't look".
Tsev goes in a line to sign up.  doesn't talk to anyone, doesn't even sign up but just goes straight into into the line.
The High City of Thraben definitely has a different look. It's mostly humans/humanoid and there is a lack of diversity.
The Order Recruitment Drive has brought in a variety of people from everywhere. Lots of stares from the city folk who are filling into the Amphitheatre excited for the 'show'.
The arena was a sprawling complex of stone and wood, built into the very heart of the city. It was here that the trials would take place, under the watchful eye of the Guardian of Thraben himself, Rushein Dan and his second in command Inquisitor Eliza.
As the recruits entered the arena, they were greeted by the sound of trumpets and drums. The grandstands were filled with people, cheering and shouting encouragement to those who had come to prove themselves worthy of joining the Order.
The Guardian of Thraben stood at the front of the Amphitheatre, looking upon the proceedings with a stern but fair gaze. He was a towering figure, with broad shoulders and a stern expression. He was dressed in full armor, his sword and shield at the ready.
Rushein Dan welcomes the potential recruits to the city.
He has high hopes that many will pass the testing trails and earn their place in the Order of Avacyn. They are in need of impressive members who can help protect the world. 
Successful candidates will recieve access to a variety of resources: teachers, classes, libraries, pay, etc..
For the upcoming testing trails, recruits will be grouped together so that the Order can see their skills and judge their abilities.
Let the testing begin!