AVB - Ishmael Mk II

[Monodominant]

"Good night... " he says unsure if he did the right thing or not.

Ishmael finally sleeps.

Though he is not hidden in a locked cupboard he actually feels protected knowing there are many other skulks around protecting him.

A traitorous thought jumps up telling him that the skulks are not necessarily his friends and allies but he quenches it quickly.

If everything goes well and he wakes up he goes to see the Shadow Spider.

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Sheet is ready but for 1 new spell and hit points... so here goes:

(10d6)[5][4][5][1][1][1][6][2][3][4](32) taking the first non 1.

Also I spend my 8th level ability increase on CHARISMA... I now have... 8 so only -1 penalty rather than -2... I guess its not the "power"option to go for but I may end up getting Leadership for the Skulks sooner or later...

[planswalker]

In his dreams, the flaming beast is back. it walks up to you and says, "You have served me well. May I serve you now?" Before you can answer, you wake up.

The Chief agrees to meet you. "So, Ishmael, good to see you. I have been meaning to speak with you."

[Monodominant]

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One more backer? Hmmm.... and if I recall flaming beast was NOT Edistris... so somehow my killing Jacks has also benefitted this thing? Interesting... and worrying at the same time.

Ishmael inclines his head.

"Good morning sire. I was told I should see you. I do not know if your grand-daughter has relayed my ideas about our future. They off course are subject to your approval and how you see the future of our clan but I wanted to run them through you anyway..." he says and pauses.

"Also one more mid level Jack has been taken care of and even worse they believe he has betrayed them creating even more uncertainty in their ranks. And as you are probably aware I have made arrangements so that we receive extra fodder during the attack..." he says and looks at the man to see what he thinks and what he has planned for him.

[planswalker]

"She informed me that you had them, but told me quote: 'Sir Handy can likely explain it better than I'. It seems she's taken a liking to you. Be careful not to fall in her web. She's my granddaughter, but even I am wary of her."

"Good work on that. Good work indeed."

[Monodominant]

"Ah yes... she mentioned that nickname.... its my fault for telling her one of the Black Robes had called me Hand of the Spider which I wanted to ask you about..." he says carefully.

"As for your grand-daughter yes... she is a very interesting individual. A dance about avoiding to give offence while not falling in the Web you mentioned..." he says with a smile.

"In any case Sire. What I was thinking included two diffrent ideas. The first is rather simple. You had in the part negotiated an agreement with the Guard. When the balance of power shifts and the Jacks are removed from the picture then the Guard may decide they have the manpower to focus on us now that a major player is out..." he paused for a moment.

"Off course in theory we will have taken care of the Jacks and have more power... but this wont happen over night. We will need to methodically cleanse the remaining Jacks and their networks... we will need to also build our own. This takes time and during that time we will be hard pressed and we will be weakened due to the fight..." he says seriously.

"So my suggestion is that before-hand we agree with the Guard to extend the area our influence while we give them a part of the city as a no-crime zone. Perhaps we even leave the docks entirely so they can go to their superiors or to the nobles and claim it as a victory! This would help shield our advancement and improved place... we can off course also arrange this with the Kobolds, the Korps and other major players but that is up to you to decide, I care for us and not them..."

He looked at the man to see how he reacted to this.

"The other option is a bolder suggestion. The creation of a united Guild that monitors and patrols the city. No criminal activity can be done without approval and membership in the guild. Kobolds, skulks, Korps and whoever else wants to work a particular racket has to pay a membership fee or risk persecution from the combined might. This goes further, the Nobles and the Guard know they will never stop crime. We offer to help them, in order for them to turn a blind eye or not interfere in our core business. We help them by keeping quotas of crime in the city and not straying over those and by delivering to them those that break the law and are outside the guild..." he said knowing this was an ambitious plans but should it work it would be an amazing improvement for all.

[planswalker]

"We will not give up our territory, but the idea of a unified guild of crime... I like it. A sort of larger extension of what I myself have done. If you can broker such an agreement, I will back you up with the full might of my clan."

[Monodominant]

"First thing first... we have the Jacks to deal with. There is too much bad blood between us and them to facilitate this I think. Lets take care of them and then I will try to make the deal go through as each underground organisation is building up and the Guard realises what will happen if they dont agree to deal with us..." he says and bows his head accepting the councel of the man.

"So, you also needed me for something? You had a special mission for me or...?"

[planswalker]

"Yes. I have heard that you found a pair of hired thugs. That's great. I want you to lead a cadre of skulks and kobolds on a special raid through one of the safehouses we found. We think the Nightman will be there, and I want to make sure he comes out of this alive. Take yourself and your hirelings and lead that raid."

[Monodominant]

Ishmael rises an eyebrow.

"The Nightman? I am pleased with the trust you put in me Sire but are you sure he is within my power level?" he asks before he can stop himself.

"You want him to -survive- this raid? Could I ask why we should let him live if we find him and we can take him? Is it some kind of ruse or trick? Wont revealing that we are working with the Kobolds be a warning to them?" he asks many questions coming to his mind now...

[planswalker]

"You by yourself? Of course not. He'd have you bound to his will faster than you could breathe. With a couple of pawns in front to distract him while you deliver a death strike? Absolutely. I have reason to believe that he's a doppleganger wizard."

"We want him to live because ritually sacrificing him over a period of three days should he prove to be a doppleganger will allow us to call forth a powerful spirit to empower someone, and if you are the one to capture him, it would likely to be you so blessed."

[Monodominant]

Ishmael is unsure if he wants to be possessed by a spirit but he says nothing for now considering how he will have to find an explanation for his asking for something else instead.

"Very well sire. I shall do as you ask or die trying. Is there anything you could give me on a temporary basis to protect my mental acquity from that creature. I have gone to some length to improve my mental defences but against a doppleganger wizard I fear they will be grossly insufficient..." he says seriously.

"And what more do we know about the location and when is the attack going to happen?"

[Lokio]

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Trip #1 touch (1d20+8)[12]
Trip #1 (1d20+16)[25]
If success then (1d20+8)[10] to attack vs prone ac
If hit then dmg (2d6+8)[15]

Trip #2 touch (1d20+8)[27]
Trip #2 (1d20+16)[32]
If success then (1d20+8)[11] to attack vs prone ac
If hit then dmg (2d6+8)[16]

If trip 1 succeeds then just attack.

And what a sad, grevious accident. I suspect I'm now dead.

[Monodominant]

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Trip #1 touch [roll0]
Trip #1 [roll1]
If success then [roll2] to attack vs prone ac
If hit then dmg [roll3]

Trip #2 touch [roll4]
Trip #2 [roll5]
If success then [roll6] to attack vs prone ac
If hit then dmg [roll7]

If trip 1 succeeds then just attack.

And what a sad, grevious accident. I suspect I'm now dead.

Dude... unless you are in this scene somehow I dont know what to say.... remember the whole... DO NOT READ OTHER PEOPLES THREADS?

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Lets move on Plans :)

Lokio please edit -> delete your post cause otherwise you will keep seeing the updates when me and plans post in my thread...

[Monodominant]

The momentary vision of Perry gone he focuses back on the Chief shaking his head and waiting for an answer.

[planswalker]

Ishmael is unsure if he wants to be possessed by a spirit but he says nothing for now considering how he will have to find an explanation for his asking for something else instead.

"Very well sire. I shall do as you ask or die trying. Is there anything you could give me on a temporary basis to protect my mental acquity from that creature. I have gone to some length to improve my mental defences but against a doppleganger wizard I fear they will be grossly insufficient..." he says seriously.

"And what more do we know about the location and when is the attack going to happen?"

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could have sworn I responded to this. sorry.

"No, don't die trying. Let them die trying and live to see another day. I need a smart living agent more than a brave dead one. I don't personally still have such, but I'm sure such can be found for you before the raid."

"If you don't mind, you're about to go deep under cover. Let's leave the sensitive information until right before the attack. Don't want you to accidentally leak it out to any dopplegangers who might read your mind."

[Monodominant]

"Very well sire. At least you can tell me if the attack is today? My plans for today included discussing with my mercenaries and infiltrating the Daymans hideout... if in one day we can do both... well that would be splendid" he says and grins.

"In any case. If that is also sensitive you can send a runner for me. I will be watching a duel at noon in the Plaza and then I shall meet my mercs two hours later to brief them about other issues... I guess I can tell them I will try them out first in a smaller raid..." he said and smiled.

[planswalker]

"No your attack is for three days from now when we raid Auntie's."

[Monodominant]

Ishmael nods realising what the man meant.

"Ah okay! You meant that this job will be my duty for when we attack! Okay, that makes things more clear, I thought it would be a pre-emptive strike to weaken their leadership from before hand" he says relieved.

"In any case Shadow Spider, I accept. I will do my best to make you proud and to show you your trust in me is appropriately placed." he says and bows his head.

If Ishmael is dismissed he departs and visits Hagan's store in his usual Hagan's client appearance and gets the items from Gorvich identified. He then proceeds to the plaza to watch the duel between the Goliath and the City Watchman.

He takes note of the abilities the creature has and figures out that he will be a target he needs to deal with from a great distance...

He also notices the relationship between the Hobgoblin with the silent companion and the Goliath and wonders if he can recruit those two as well.

If possible (see spoiler) he follows the three men when they leave to discuss privately.

When that is done he considers following them to the Slums but decides against it. He will have to inquire about that later. He instead finishes a couple of errands he has by purchasing some items and then approaches the area where he is supposed to meet his mercenaries an hour before the meeting.

He approaches hidden and moving silently and he first checks the nearby area once again spotting where he can escape from and where he can go if things go bad. He also checks that there is a manhole near by where he can enter if things are not well and he also ensures that there is noone watching the area. After one our of searching he uses the hat to make himself appear as a 25 year old human with a well trimmed beard and a scar above his eye. He is dressed in fine adventurer's clothing and still carries the longsword from yesterday. The figure is in generally more key and is a typical Aldhaven speciment. He also uses his mundane kit to improve it.

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* will post about the items in Hagans thread.

** during the duel I observe while hidden

(1d20+30)[46]

*** About following those 2. They simply went to his hotel room. I assume that its nothing super fancy that Ishmael cant follow into and he enters when they enter, leaves when they leave. I doubt they have any chance to beat my scores but here goes anyway:

(1d20+30)[47]
(1d20+24)[32]

[planswalker]

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damn I should have never given Lokio my IM info. he's constantly bugging me to update his plot.

No one notices you lurking about, and you find that the area you selected has two alleyways you could dash into to make an escape, as well as a sewer entrance nearby.

Temporal issues dictate that atm, you will have to wait for others to catch up to you in the time stream.

[Monodominant]

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No worries about the temporal dis-association. It gives me time to get the other player involved and join this meeting. If you can send a pm to Silvanus so he doesnt think we forgot about him and will we do a seperate thread for this?

Also about the IMing situation...

...

tell me about it ;)

Just be strict with them! I saw that they almost muscled you out of DMing the thread by posting without order etc. Lay down the law! You tell whose turn it is etc! No double-posting etc.

[planswalker]

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if I forget about this thread, please be sure to nudge me.

[Monodominant]

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Haha sure dont worry about it...

Just tell me if we will make yet another team-up for Ishmaels chosen (call it Ishmaels Inglorious Bastards :) ) .

Also, make sure you tell Rizban what cool magical stuff mister Gorvitch had! I am waiting on him...

[Monodominant]

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Any news? Did the PvP help after all? Anything I must do nw>

[planswalker]

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Silvanus is awaiting you at the meeting point.

[Monodominant]

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oh! I post at his thread do I?

Thought we would do some teamup... perhaps we should if other people also show up?

I will post there now to get things moving along but think about it.

Also... can you suggest any magical items to go for?

I have something among the lines of 16k in Hagans store credit and another 4k to spend.

Currently my "empty" slots are a ring, bracers, gloves and necklase... you know what -bling- I actually have so could you suggest how to proceed?

I was thinking bracers of murder but this I doubt Hagan will make... so a bit unsure of what to get...

[planswalker]

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ring of invisibility for 20k?

[Monodominant]

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Yea I am very close to that... continuous invisibility is cool...

Problem is most things that can beat high hiding level are ALSO doing it to invisibility...

So hide is ruined by faerie fire and glitterdust...

Invisitibility is ruined by faeries fire, glitterdust AND see invisibility/true seeing...

Hmmm....

[planswalker]

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the benefit to the ring is you'd always have total concealment, in essence giving you HiPS.

[Monodominant]

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You are right I guess... and its useful to have in any case...

Invisible, hidden, silent skulk... I like the sound of that...

[planswalker]

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plus, invisibility gives a +20 bonus on hide checks while moving, a +30 if you hold still.