The Da'mall - Kalo Empire

[TwoCents]

Malachi folded his arms and stared at the elf. Enunciating carefully, he said, slowly, "You tell us how much it pays or you stop wasting my time. You tell us who you are and why you want him dead or you pay extra. You prove you have the cash before we start. You want ruthless and vicious cut-throats, you gotta pay. Heroes is down the road. Look for the pretty boys. Maybe they take promises and dreams; I work for gold."

Meanwhile, Malachi studied the elf, trying to figure out if he was telling the truth or merely testing them for some strange reason of his own. He looked over the rest of the patrons to see if anyone seemed to be watching or talking about them.

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Sense Motive - (1d20+3)[23]
Spot - (1d20+8)[11]
Listen - (1d20+8)[21]

[Highwarlord]

Ghost
The assassin looks at Malachi and smiles slightly. "You needn't worry about prying ears - our employer has taken care of that with his handy little trick. While your request for the exact amount of our payment is to be lauded, your demands to know more of our employer are unfounded. He will tell us when he is ready - and for the why, he has told us enough."
He looks back to Ankouras with the same slight grin. "Perhaps you may be willing to give us a piece of our commission in advance . . . if only to assuage the little man's fears."

[TwoCents]

Malachi Daergal, Whisper Gnome

"Mebbe he told you enough. He ain't told me enough. An' for the record, I am not a little man, <hu-man>," he said, adding a less than polite epithet for humans. "I sure do hope you're more careful in who you kill than in how you talk," said the gnome, glaring at Ghost.

Malachi looked out of the fog of the spell, recognizing it for what it was. "So you're a mage, is ya? Good to know. Yah, ain't nobody can hear us now, but the spell ain't particularly subtle. He done told everybody in the bar that we got something to hide. I want to know if anybody seems particularly interested in that fact. You know, gathering intelligence, figuring out threats, deciding whose throat to cut." He smiled at Ghost, showing his little gnomish teeth.

He turned back to the elf. "How come an elf what can cast a spell that powerful needs us to do his dirty work. I ask again, who's the contractor?"

ooc:

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If you wanted characters willing to do contract killing without any build up, that might have been a good thing to put in the advertisement. Malachi is going to need a bit of convincing

[Annalia]

Carrea Tiff

"I'm with Malachi 'ere. I ain't workin' without some solid proof. Might be in need o' money, but it ain't pressin' 'nough for me ta risk me life for some vague pr'mise o' gold." Carrea said. "Proof that ye 'ave tha' money and that ye won't be double-crossin' us would be welcomed."

[Zjackrum]

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Sense Motive - (Hunch) - You get the feeling Ankouras Groth is as good as his word. He seems bland and uncaring, as though dealing with common thugs is beneath him, though he seems honest.
Spot - The people around the bar seem to be deliberately avoiding the little corner booth, although you can see them occasionally stealing glances in your direction; a fearful look in their eyes.
Listen - Whatever spell is shielding your view and conversation makes hearing outside impossible.

Ankouras blinks slowly, turning his gaze upon the group.
"You will find the patrons of the bar rather trustworthy. Stare all you like, they know when to keep their eyes on their plates. I am known here."
He produces a pouch from his belt, placing 5 platinum pieces on the table. He slides one towards each of you in turn with a single finger. The royal personage of Emperor Jarakata Kalo stares back at you from the currency.
"Think very carefully before you accept his Highness' coin, my friends, and know there is much, much more to come in the future.
"I can offer more specifics on the situation, but if you wish to waste more of my time..."

[Highwarlord]

Ghost
Ghost's smile disappears at the gnome's wise words, though it returns as the platinum is placed on the table.
Ghost puts away his blade to play with the coin instead, spinning the platinum between his fingers as he waits for the rest of the group to make their decision. "Coins are as good as their metal."

[xPANCAKEx]

Keysurr

the catfolk casually pockets the coin

Not often that i've seen anyone trade in platinum... but coin is coin. If you're assuring more of this to come, I'm in

leaning back into his chair to await the response of the rest of the group - to see who he will be working besides

[Annalia]

Carrea Tiff

The half-elf let out a resigned sigh and pocketed the platinum coin. There was no money without risk, after all, and after the loss of her team she would need new partners. She didn't trust most of them, but at least she'd been with Malachi for while. She hoped the gnome would still his worries and accept the job.

[Bandededed]

Feng took the coin gingerly. He'd heard of platinum, rarely, and seen one once, years ago. It was very pretty.

He took great care in placing it on his person, hidden from view. The idea of killing the man became slightly more palatable, now that he knew he was working for the ruler. They were probably just, like his chieftain -.

"My questions still stand," he said. "I like your coin well enough, but if I'm dead, I won't have much of anything,"

[TwoCents]

Malachi's hand snaked out towards the coin when he saw it fall, but stopped at the elf's warning. "I am thinkin about it. Are you saying we'd be working for people what work for him?," he asked, pointing a thumb at the portrait of the Emperor, "or are you just trying to impress me with platinum. 'Cause you've impressed me, but I'm still waiting to find out who 'we' is."

[Zjackrum]

Ankouras Groth grows solemn.
"All right, if you're forcing me to play my hand, you're promising yourselves to the cause. Once I reveal who 'we' is, you're either in, or you're dead. There's no walking away."

OOC Thread is up: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5808147 for your bookmarking pleasure.

[Highwarlord]

Ghost sighs. "I have heard that threat before, and have no desire to limit myself once again. I shall work under your employ and with the others, if they choose to follow your assignment, but feel no desire to know secrets that do not concern me." If the elf informs the others of his secrets, Ghost will stand up and move out of the aura of his spell to prevent himself from hearing the real conspiracy.

[Annalia]

Carrea

"Look, I ain't ready to place me life on the line to assassinate some unknown dwarf, especially when it implies th'prince 'ere." Carrea stated, looking particularly irritated at the established law. "So if ya want me in, it'll 'ave to be with a enlightened decisions where I know what's at stake o' not at all. Military ain't my type, 'specially when the orders come from much higher up. That's when th'people care th'less about what happens to ye."

[xPANCAKEx]

Keysurr

The catfolk lets out a long sigh "im with the pale skinned one here - i've heard enough. If you can garentee more coin, i have no desire to hear any more of your plot, especially if it may harm my health.

If they need to know i'll wait outside with him"

ooc

Spoiler

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keysurr will wait outside the sphere with ghost if the rest of the party needs to know

[Zjackrum]

A wry grin crosses Ankouras Groth's face.
"You're working for Emperor Jarakata Kalo." He states, making sure everyone hears him loud and clear. "All official and military-like. Your enemies are the so-called Morienn Resistance - a rag-tag group of ruffians and soldiers who remained behind when the city fell to the Kalo Empire a few months ago. You work and report to me, and only me, savvy?"
He stares about, daring any and all to meet his gaze and say otherwise.
"And 'His Royal and Exalted Majesty' pays in platinum, friends."

[Highwarlord]

Ghost sighs at the elf's instance that he hear this "nonessential" information.
"Very well then. We dispatch of those enemies you could not slay during the war, and we in turn receive far more than soldier's pay. Simply provide us with maps and other essential information that we may get started."

[Annalia]

Carrea Tiff

Carrea sighed heavily, closing her eyes. Official guards had only recently killed her entire group and she didn't exactly feel ready to trust them. Still, the military had access to far more information - and magic items - than she did. Her eyes went to the gnome as she spoke: "All my apologies, 'friend', but I ain't tyin' me hands with the military. I work for meself. I can do tha' job, though, and more if I deem it right. Meself would just happen to coincide with th'prince this time."

[Bandededed]

Feng huffs at Groth. "I figured it out when you pulled your stunt with the coins face. I asked my questions, and their answers shouldn't involve a work-or-die note. Now, how long are you going to ignore me, 'friend'?"

He pulls himself up, unslouching just a little so they can see how tall he might be outside. He sounds a little angry, but he refrains from sounding threatening. For now.

[TwoCents]

Malachi waited for Feng to receive answers to his questions and then spoke up himself. "Military-like? I don't think so. First you get uppity about me making sure I think about what I'm doin', then you get uppity about tellin' me what I'm doin', and then you think I'm enlistin' in your army?" Malachi snorted. "I may work for you, but I ain't in no army. You want me to 'report' to you, and only you, I can do that. You wanna pay me platinum to do your dirty work, I suppose I can spend it."

[Zjackrum]

Ankouras nods, as though expecting such reactions from the news.
"Very well, I don't expect you to show loyalty to the cause... Frankly I'd be surprised if you did. A pity really, but of course understandable in our line of work. You'll understand of course, if I don't... 'belly up' your payments until I see the work is completed.
"Now as to your specific questions, I can provide a basic layout of the house, but my information on the actual dwarves will be an estimate, at best. I can tell you they have two powerful personal retainers to Hammerfist, a high-ranking wizard and her husband, a rather powerful warrior. There's no need for much else, though I'm sure the civilians will put up a fight at first, they should be easily dealt with. Sufficient?"

[Highwarlord]

Ghost nods. "Once I see the house, I can begin planning our scouting mission. Once complete, we shall establish the actual kill-plan and put it into motion."
He looks around the table. "Unless we have more little issues that need to be resolved."

[xPANCAKEx]

Keysurr

Stoking his chin, the catfolk sits up to say "not sure what use i could be to you on planning, pale one... but i tell me where we're going, and i assure you that no one will get in our way if my blade and I have anything to say about it"

[Bandededed]

Feng relaxes, slumping slightly lower than even before. "I see. This shouldn't be too exacting, then,"

He thinks for a moment, then says to Ankouras, "What sort of time-frame did you have in mind for the mission?" realizing that he had been slightly vague, he added, "Before what day did you wish the target dead,"

[TwoCents]

Malachi picked up the coin and spun it to test its worth. He tucked it away and shrugged at the group. "I dunno how to make a whatayacallit 'kill plan'. Knock yer socks off."

[Highwarlord]

"Very well then. Once we have the layout, we shall all make a little trip over to scout out the residence. Then I will determine our plan, as the rest of you seem to be content to leave such formulations to me."
He looks to Ankouras and says "Now that it seems that the rest of us have seen reason, perhaps you can provide us with those final little details so that we may get started?"

[Annalia]

Carrea

"How are ye t'make th'plan alone if ye have no idea what each o' us can do?" she asked in a matter-of-fact tone, before suggesting: "How 'bout ye make a basic an' general approach plan and we add t'it dependin' on what we think we could personally ameliorate?"

[Highwarlord]

"Oh, but of course! I would never draft a plan that didn't consider the relative strengths of those with whom I am employed. I believe our little scouting run will be a perfect time to discover those little traits that could make our partnership successful." Ghost smiles genuinely at Carrea as he explains.
"As you and the gnome seem to have history, I'm sure you will be able to complement each other well once we're out and about."

[Annalia]

Carrea

The half-elf glanced more or less dubiously at Malachi before smiling back at Ghost "Aye, we've got some past history, but I ain't for knowin' all o' his secrets - and I'm sure he's got quite a couple. That's how it's best, if ye ask me."

[Zjackrum]

Ankouras seems to relax at your willingness.

"The timeline is pretty open, though of course, the sooner the better. Hammerfist only recently began dealings with the Morienn resistance. As I said, the only safe time to strike would be in the evenings at his residence - he does travel to and from the palace, but an attack there would look too suspicious, and an attack on the streets would be too open.

"There are a few different methods to get into the upper district, as I said. I can have the guards alerted to your presence and look the other way if you want to just stroll in, though if the Morienn have spies in the army, then they'd know you were on the move. There's a passage through the sewers, and there is also an open spot on the wall, if you are climbing-inclined."
Ankouras pulls a map from his pocket, though hand-drawn and rather rough.

"The house is here," he says, circling an otherwise normal looking square on the map. "There is a problem that you need to know - the house was built by dwarves, for dwarves. The ceilings are only 5 feet tall, so anyone else is going to have trouble fighting and moving in side. As well..." He glances at Feng, "I don't see how you will be able to even move once inside, friend."

"Once you do gain access to the house though, I have the blueprints here."
He pulls another, more professional design from his clothes and places it on the table.
Blueprints

"Questions?"

[xPANCAKEx]

Keysurr

"is his house in a compound - fighting in the open would be preferable for all of us except our short companion-in-skullduggery here pointing a thumb towards the gnome if we can get them outside -then we could all bring our full might to bare... especially the big fellow over here... is there any other ways into the house?