AvB - Ishmael

[planswalker]

He sees no invisible pursuers following him.

Spoiler

Show

well, selling the item for half price can be done right here with no rp required. Just say you sell it for half price to Ezekiel.

[Monodominant]

Spoiler

Show

Okay! I will do that then, it was an adamantine mace... it would be usefull to have but I like the tools I will be getting more :) Skills save lives!

I will post on city streets that I give him the money for the items and wait until he has them ready (which should be today in our game line).

Ishmael passes by the plaza in front of the Sad Flint to pick up the items he had ordered. He thanks the merchant there and also spends some time in local shops replenishing some alchemical supplies he had expended. Fully prepared, rested and ready he makes his way towards his dark employers house near the docks wall.

A couple of times he darts in and out of alleys hiding and moving quietly to confuse anyone following and finally arrives there and knocks on the back door.

[planswalker]

You are admitted wordlessly. You are taken to your employer, who says, "I take it you know something?"

[Monodominant]

Ishmael takes a short bow. He is unsure if the man before him is dangerous and as usual he is worried about what could happen. He nods and smiles.

"I know alot sir. My investigation has come with substantial risk to my life but I have managed to get the information you wanted. Silencing informants does not come easy to me" he said throwing it out there to allude that he had done so but not actually lie about it. "In any case I had to dig deep. I discovered that there is an interesting web around it. There is a noble that owns the land but he is irrelevant in truth. Then comes the merchant who had it built but he is also unimportant. After that comes the official landlord of the premises but yet again another puppet. The true master of the Flint who is aware of what goes on and controls the Sad Flint for the past years is none other than the enigmatic Edistris Edistras." he said carefully.

For all he knew the person in front of him was Edistris Edistras.

[planswalker]

He smiles. "Indeed, that is good to hear. Now then, what had I promised you? Let's double that."

[Monodominant]

Ishmael looked doubtful for a moment before speaking.

"We had agreed on 20 times my initial payment for the other contract. That was 850 gold so a total of 17000 of which I received a 10% downpayment. But I am unsure if this extra money is simply a bonus for a job well done, efficiently, cleanly and with no other witnesses... or you require something additional" he said puzzled and careful about agreeing to anything new.

[planswalker]

"Well, you do have confirmation of the man and know how to find him, right? The name alone is meaningless and useless."

[Monodominant]

"I actually do not yet have that. But that is beyond what we had agreed for the initial offer or contract, the fact that the name is meaningless is not really my issue. You had asked me to find who is the owner of the Flint. I found that and even more beyond it by finding the real person behind it and not just a figurehead. I can give you what info I have on him as well but finding him or anything more is beyond the scope of the current contract. To be even more precise you asked me to find what I can on the owner. What I can is a very relative term and believe me going that deep was already incredibly difficult and part of it was combined skill and luck" he said pragmatically a shadow passing on his features.

"If you wish we can close this venture and discuss if you need something additional. I would rather finish each part and then see if for the extra amount you suggest you need me to do something more..."

[planswalker]

"A person is not a name. You have found a name, not a person. You will find the person who has that name. You have not fulfilled your contract yet."

[Monodominant]

Spoiler

Show

On an OOC note this was what he asked of me by the way... underline mine.

Spoiler

Show

actually, I'm the only one who knows what they are. He had to wait for me before posting.

"Indeed, it appears that there is a lot more to the Flint than I first believed. If you can infiltrate the place and find for me who runs it, I will pay you twenty times what the last job paid. In coin, not bank notes. Get me everything you can on him. As for the business I hired for originally, another rival of my opponent beat me to the punch. Do not worry about that business."

Now if it is him trying to change the agreement thats another thing

Ishmael frowned.

"I do not doubt your memory sir but you remember things wrong. You asked me very clearly and plainly to infiltrate the Sad Flint and learn who is behind it. You also asked me to get everything on him. Barring a location I have done so." he said and froze for a moment.

"Actually, now that I think about it I do have a location. This Edistris moves alot and does not really have a standard location but today he would be in the third floor of the Sad Flint." he said considering that indeed it had been a good question.

"But once again I repeat that you asked me to find out who was the real owner and info on him, which I have and will share depending on how this issue is resolved. Finding him and to keep tracking her is another matter entirely and one I did not agree. It is diffrent to get information on him and another matter entirely to follow and track the man who runs an establishment that is involved in most assassinations in the city."

[planswalker]

"Very well. If you had been less forgetful and had remembered that location from the beginning, you would have been paid. As it is, you're a trifle surly today, and seem to think it is you that dictates the terms of the agreement. You are wrong. I do."

He motions for one of his lackeys to bring you a slip of paper.

"This bank note is good for the amount owed. Cash it in at any bank should you not have an account of your own."

[Monodominant]

Ishmael nodded graciously and inclined his head.

"I apologise if I was abrupt. Not everyone is as forthcoming an employer as you and it pays to be careful. If you wish I can continue investigating this man and should I find more information I can return to you. As this is not something certain though lets just keep it as an option and not a contract..." he said not wishing to burn the bridge or make the man realise he no longer wished to work for him.

If nothing further was said or needed he indeed leaves and hides in a nearby alley. He melds with the shadows and observes the house about fifteen minutes before finally deciding to leave. He heads towards the city and cashes the check to a bank asking for the highest denomination bank notes but not at the back under which he has an account. He then proceeds to leave the bank, hide again and again ensure he is not followed by randomly stopping for five minutes or less or more and then eventually reaching the bank in which he does have an account and depositing the money.

Spoiler

Show

Some hide rolls for the shake of it

hide near employers house: (1d20+27)[35]
hide after first bank (1d20+27)[38]
hide after deposit (1d20+27)[32]

Also was the check for the 17000 or for the 34000 after all?

[planswalker]

"For the next job, I'd like you to discover how he manages to keep the Flint running. And, since apparently you're a lawyer when it comes to this sort of thing, now vague 'because he can' type answers. If you cannot get me specifics, I won't pay."

He dismisses you after that.

When you try to cash the bank note, you discover that it was for 34,000 silver.

You are given 340 platinum pieces when you cash it with a local bank.

Spoiler

Show

3,400 gold.

[Monodominant]

Spoiler

Show

The bastard! So he cheater me essentially or did I get some loophole wrong? he said he would be pay 20 times the amount of the first job! Now one could argue 850 is what he paid hence the 17000 can be 17000 beans, 17000 bees or 17000 copper but still... 850 -gp was the payment...

Ishmael grumbles and mumbles as the guy at the bank gives him the money. After asking if there has been some mistake and probably receiving a negative answer he considers returning to claim his real reward.

An idea to set fire to the building also crosses his mind but in the end the fact that this man is digging up on Edistras is something that makes him too dangerous to toy with right now. Perhaps Edistris will also share this idea and have him eliminate this threat along with the other assassin.

Ishmael walks around the city for a while considering his next move. He must spend some time finding Edistris but some things must be done first so he visits the house of his permanent employer to see if the Duchess has anything for him.

[planswalker]

Indeed she does. There's a local banker who has taken in with a local gang, called the Jacks, and she needs you to either free him from their influence in such a way as to make him an ally or remove him from the picture. He's trying to block her access to her bank account on grounds of this not ossibly being the same person to whom it was entrusted. More likely because he no longer has the funds for it, having to use them to pay off the Jacks. THe nae is Erik von Darkmoor.

[Monodominant]

Spoiler

Show

Nice! I wanted to have a look at the Jacks anyway due to the involvement of Edistris with them. That works nicely...

Ishmael nods and gladly assures his employer that it will be done. His mind races remembering the Jacks were one of the gangs whose members had caused issues to the other prospective client.

He leaves the Countess's house and takes to the streets once again losing himself in the shadows and wandering around for some time to ensure he is not followed.

He then returns, for the first time in four days, to his actual rented house and pays his rent if the time has come for it. Once there he combines some of the outfits and creates a new disguise spending some time on it and using the hat to perfect it. That done he smiles to himself and sets out for a mission that should be straightforward, or at least more so than others.

He leaves the building following his usual routine by hiding and move quietly, ensuring he is not followed and then heading towards the darker corners of the city and spending some hours trying to find information. Before he does so he consults his small notebook while touching the pendant he has recently had created. After he has recalled everything he knows or has heard he puts on his other necklase and starts collecting information. After he finishes gathering info on his first target he changes his appearance using the hat and removing a piece of clothing by giving it to a beggar.He also makes sure that every now and then he hides and observes in case someone has learned he is asking around and tries to follow him in an effort to spy on the spier.

Spoiler

Show

using the local knowledge tool I had Hagan make from me

1) Jacks - Knowledge Local (1d20+14)[34]
2) Erik von Darkmoor - Knowledge local (1d20+14)[34]

then using the gather info tool that Hagan also made for me.

1) Erik von Darkmoor - Gather Info (1d20+12)[13]
time it takes: (1d4+1)[5]

2) Jacks - Gather Info (1d20+12)[26]
time it takes (1d4+1)[4]

During the Gather info for the Jacks a couple of hides

(1d20+29)[30]
(1d20+29)[42]


If any other rolls are needed tell me and I will go ahead and roll em :D

EDIT: OH MY! two natural 20s on the Local Knowledge!!!! and then a 1 on gather info for the damn banker but an okay roll for the jacks!!!

[planswalker]

The Jacks: if Aldhaven has a thieves' guild, the Jacks would be it. They are the largest, most organized gang of thugs, criminals, and cutthroats in the city. By day, the Dayman oversees their activities. At night, the Nightman does. They both report to the Honest Man, a figure so enshrouded in secrecy that it's said not even the Day- and Night- man know who he is.

It's said that the best way to get started with the Jacks is to talk to the beggars and whores. They serve as informants for them.

Erik Von Darkmoor: A local blacksmith turned banker who has gotten involved in things a little over his head recently.

[Monodominant]

Spoiler

Show

Talk about alot of info on the hidden organisation and no info on the obvious :D

Ishmael passes by the central plaza completing his dealings with Hagan for now and then heads to where Erik's bank is. For now he simply scans the whole area, walking the side streets and familiarising himself with the district the the roads around it.

He does so as hidden from view as possible and in a relaxed manner taking his time. He also tries to check if there are more beggars and whores around than usual or if he can find any patterns in the movements of people around the bank that would indicate it is being watched.

[planswalker]

There are a lot of beggars around the bank. Of course, there almost always are beggars around the banks.

Spoiler

Show

did you want his wife's maiden name or something?

[Monodominant]

Spoiler

Show

Aha! So he is married! That was a sweet gather info right there!

Also, do I have a generic description of how he looks at least?

After finishing his sweep around the area he focuses more on the bank. He walks around it identifying possible entries and exits and also focuses on the beggars trying to remember their features for future investigation if it proves necessary.

Then Ishmael relaxes in the shadows taking out a ration from his pack and starts muching on it quietly. He observes the bank, the people who exit it and waits to see his target in order to follow him. He does so with all secresy and care not wanting to be seen following a banker home.

Spoiler

Show

hide: (1d20+29)[41]
MS: (1d20+22)[40]

[Monodominant]

Spoiler

Show

By the way I made all relevant updates to the sheet with the stuff Hagan made for me and removed the additional gold etc in case you need to check something over.

[planswalker]

Spoiler

Show

Tall, powerful smith's build, broad shoulders, dark hair and eyes.

The clientele of this particular bank seems to be mostly upper middle class folks.

[Monodominant]

Ishmael observes the crowd. It does make sense that the Countess would then be a client until she reclaims her full title and power seeing the clientele of this particular bank.

He simply waits to see the man take his leave when the bank closes if not earlier.

[planswalker]

The bank closes precisely at 5 o'clock. No one that matches the description of Erik von Darkmoor exits the building.

You remember from your information gathering that he always mans his shop while open.

[Monodominant]

Slightly alarmed and generally worried, as is his demeanor Ishmael considers his options. He goes around the building once checking it out and then returns to the vantage point he had found overlooking the entrance considering that perhaps the staff stay a bit longer after closing time to finish up any paperwork and the like.

He also keeps an eye to the movement of the beggars to see if any of them have moved and/or returned during the hours he has been observing.

Spoiler

Show

Any other doors on the ground floor? Also is there a second floor to the building that could indicate a living space apart from the bank?

[planswalker]

Three of the beggars stayed around after everyone left the bank.

The bank itself is a one-story building with only one entrance. All the better for preventing thieves.

[Monodominant]

Spoiler

Show

Do cashiers and staff also leave and lock?

Sorry if I am pushing it, just want to make sure IC.

Ishmael focuses his attention on the three beggars and tries to see if anyone else is looking at them or if they seem to be actually begging or simply standing there keeping watch.

[planswalker]

Spoiler

Show

indeed so.

I get being cautious. Doing otherwise could end up killing you.

seeing as no one else is around, they cannot possibly be begging.

[Monodominant]

Ishmael frowns realising the beggars are not really begging. He does a circle of the area once more to see if he spots any heavy muscle and then changing his appearance and clothing to look a bit more distinguished with the magic of the hat he approaches the bank.

When he is a few meters away he curses loudly as he sees it is closed and looks to the sky as if trying to estimate what time it is. He then approaches the beggar closest to the door.

"You there! Yes you! Has everyone gone? Did I miss closing time? I had an appointment but the damn barber took his sweet time!" he says with a haughty tone.

"Did everyone leave already?" he says as he looks at the door.

[planswalker]

"Yep. They did." He says.

you're pretty sure he's lying.