AVB - Ishmael Mk II

[Monodominant]

Ishmael considers this.

"Yes but just make sure that its really and truly destroyed... especially the head. I cant stress this enough sir... Any remains and the whole operation can be undone. That is why I would insist I take care of it... but the final call is yours..." he says doubting the mans abilities to do a good job on this one issue.

Looking back at the body he searches it and relieves it of any valuables and items of magical value.

"So, last chance to have me help with the disposal. As I said if you want to do it yourself you are welcome to it but if you do a shody job I will NOT be pleased..." he says seriously.

"Oh and Mr. Darkmoor. I hope that you appreciate what I have done for you, as I said last time I do not need praise or rewards but lets say that you should make sure that your business practice improves. One of my employers will approach you soon, I hope you will not play games with other peoples money now that this is settled..."

[planswalker]

"I only meant until you could pick it up. Please, have it as soon as you feel you can."

He gulps at the threat implied. "Of course I will. Should I be on the lookout for someone specific?"

On the corpse, you find a ring, a cloak, boots, and a weapon, along with chainmail armor. He has no gold that you can find.

[Monodominant]

Ishmael isnt as much threatening as warning.

"Blue blood runs in the veins of many of my masters. I cant reveal more than that Mr. Darkmoor. I shall leave you know and return at night. Leave the window to your office unlocked but not open" he says as he looks around about where they can hide the body itself.

"Lets put the body in that closet here. I shall also give you something to ensure it doesnt start smelling" he says and if the man agrees he gives him a scentbreaker to use after a couple of hours.

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Dont really know how long it takes for a body to start smelling...

Pleased with himself he inclines his head to Darkmoor and smiles.

"It really was a pleasure to work with you Sir. I do hope everything works out for you and should you ever need my services for issues of your own leave a message with a street urchin named Donahue though be aware I check my... messages very sporadically... He has mousy hair, slightly better rags than the others of his ilk and hangs out in the Plaza near the Sad Flint."

If everything is arranged he departs and after exchanging a couple of disguises and usual anti-being followed techniques he adopts the Orange Headed youth identity and heads for the Drowned Mermaid to see if anyone answered his ad and also to reward himself with a good meal and a strong beer.

[planswalker]

What can best be described as a walking tree is awaiting you.

[planswalker]

What can best be described as a walking tree is awaiting you.

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if you won't mind taking it to silvanus' thread, it will reduce delay in getting the two of you coordinated.

[Monodominant]

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Sure no problem!

[Monodominant]

Ishmael the orange headed one leaves the inn after his discussion with the Tree-Warforged.

He tries not to think on what just happened focusing on finally putting a bottom line in what had taken almost too long.

His steps lead him to numerous side alleys and backstreets as he tries to evade pursuit from whoever might be following him. He uses the best of his abilities to hide, change forms for more than an hour before he finds himself heading towards the house of the Duchess. Once there he does a couple of circles around the house to see if everything seems in order before finally taking his "retainer assassin" profile and knocking on the back door.

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hide (1d20+29)[41]
ms (1d20+23)[28]

[planswalker]

He is allowed in swiftly.

[Monodominant]

He enters and heads to wherever he usually meets the Duchess.

"I have a report for her Ladyship" he informs the steward.

[planswalker]

"She will see you now."

You are escorted to her study, where she receives you. "I take it that commotion I heard about yesterday was related to your job?"

[Monodominant]

He raises an eyebrow.

"Commotion my lady?" he says curiously.

"I try to make sure that the realities of my art do not become known... any commotion cannot be tracked back to me or to you and that is my priority..." he says seriously.

[planswalker]

"Oh, indeed not, but when a man flees out a gate on horseback and thugs fire at him, it captures the imagination. Especially when the word is that he killed a banker and stripped the place bare. Is von Darkmoor dead?"?

[Monodominant]

Ishmael smiles.

"Ah yes, the Jack that betrayed his friends and run away with enough money to make a new life... well as you said my lady. It was a thug and what thugs do are none of our concern..." he said slyly.

"The good sir Darkmoor was perfectly fine in his health up until a couple of hours ago when I left his office... he was shaken up as the dastardly Jack threatened to kill him and forced him to pay him large amounts but other than that he was grateful for my involvement. He is not aware of whom I was representing but I believe I have for now made him understand that customers of his bank should not be toyed with lest he receives a visit from an Angel. I elected for now to give him a chance by removing the issue for which he was forced to dip into client funds..."

If pressed for further details Ishmael tells her the detailed story of how and why he did what he did.

[planswalker]

She presses for the further details, and says, "Very good. Very good. You've done everything I could hope for and more. Do I see the gleam of an idea in your eyes?"

[Monodominant]

Ishmael nods.

"We have an opportunity to gain some more fame for you in the city. I have heard from various sourcea, that soon the Jacks, who are one of the major gangs in the city, will be attacked with the purpose of being eradicated. To give you an idea of what the Jacks represent the Watch has various of their member on a wanted list. Two of the major leaders, the Dayman and Nightman going for more than 20k gold each if brought in alive..."he says and pauses.

"Would you be interested in associating your name as funding one of the groups that took them down? Darker elements also seek to destroy the Jacks but I doubt they will openly want to admit it leaving us to claim the glory..."

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I assume thats what you meant by idea?

[planswalker]

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indeed

"That sounds promising. Do you have a suggestion for pricing? If we claim the bounties for my house, we can afford to pay the hirelings whatever's reasonable."

[Monodominant]

Ishmael considers telling her or not and decides he might as well.

"Well, its catching them alive that will be the problem. Many of the... groups that are going to make this attack possible are very... very against the Jacks. One of the groups are my darker sinister cousins, the Dock skulks and another includes the Kobolds of Old Town. In the short term this means a shift in the power structure but as all the diffrent smaller gangs will fight for scraps I doubt that in the long term much will change..." he says considering what he knows so far.

"What I would suggest is that under your patronage I approach individuals who may be interested and offer them a part of the reward for delivering alive Jacks to us. They may choose to keep one item of value from each Jack and will also receive 25% of every bounty... or something to that effect..."

[planswalker]

"That sounds reasonable. I shall have the seneschal draw you up a letter of marque. I am a duchess, after all. Time to start acting like one."

[Monodominant]

Ishmael smiles. He would have a paper giving him authority to roam the city and perhaps even enter the Noble's Quarter in pursuit of his... duty... though he did not really plan to do that yet the idea itself that he would have so quickly reached that point was more than pleasing.

He inclined his head deeply and smiled.

"I shall use it wisely m'lady. Though the details are not set in stone yet I shall endeavour to keep you updated and I will not fail you..." he says confidently.

"By the way... are you familiar with either the Baron or the Baroness Lienda?" he says guiltily. "I might have involuntarily caused some issue to the Baron though I am even more certain that it cant be traced to me..."

[planswalker]

"Lienda? I knew a Michael Lienda back before the incident. The Baron is probably his son... or maybe grandson."

[Monodominant]

"Well in order to infiltrate the Jacks I have taken something from him... I will return it off course and have already made arrangements for it which cost me dearly but that is not such a big deal..." he says considering the 3k gold he wasted for this fool...

"He was planning something strange that had to do with an anniversary gift to his wife, their moving to the Noble's Quarter and somehow making a name for himself and it involved spell casting so it wouldn't be just cause he gave her an expensive and rare necklase..." he says still unsure about what he had stumbled upon when he stole that...

[planswalker]

"Shall I perhaps be able to reimburse you for it and you give the item to me to return? I shall truthfully tell him that my agent recovered it and gave it to me to return to him. Should help both our reputations. In my first life, I didn't play politics, and it cost me my husband and my sanity. I've learned my lesson."

[Monodominant]

"That would work for me... but for one detail. I have not used it for its function yet. Tomorrow evening I plan to go to the Jacks and use it to join them... I have had it enchanted so that I can call it in my hands as long as its not actively worn..." he says calmly.

"It was the cost of the enchantment that set me back the 3000 gold not the ... taking it. That I have to admit was not incredibly difficult though I guess if I had been discovered in the Baron's bedroom we would not be having this conversation right now..." he says and he explains her how he gained entry and what had happened exactly.

"I did try to get him to see the bigger picture... unfortunately I believe hanging my offer does not qualify as being a visionary..." he says on one hand slightly ashamed on the other pleased and proud the Duchess seems to be impressed with his skills.

[planswalker]

"That was an expense that is now taken in the line of your work for me. I shall recompense you half."

[Monodominant]

He inclines his head dutifully.

"I thank you for your generosity" he replies.

"May I ask how will we be handling missions when not simply having my services retained?" he inquires.

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Yea so I dont think we had mentioned this... she has a retainer on me for these 10gp a day when I am... idling ;)

But when I do a job does she pay me something? Also does she cover expenses like disguise kits, clothes, scenbreakers and the like? I think we had said we talked about it but I cant remember if we had detailed it since I had not yet done any full jobs for her....

Also is letter of marque this : Letter of Marque ?

How does it work in a city like Aldhaven? Would it be like that Warrant the Pelor guys had?

[planswalker]

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an Aldhaven adaptation of that where you basically have an all-purpose warrant, placing you under a nole's protection. However, should they withdraw it when you are charged with a crime, you can be held responsible for all crimes committed for the duration of the marque. If however, it should simply not be renewed, then your actions for that period are the sole responsibility of the granter of the letter of marque. Only a marquis or higher can grant them, and in essence what it is is the noble putting their reputation up to back you, granting you a measure of protection.

"We shall discuss what payment is appropriate for each job and I will pay you that amont for it. Sound reasonable? I do believe that I promised you a reward for the banker issue."

[Monodominant]

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Cool! This is exactly what I could have envisioned for Ishmael... a mix of clan loyalty missions (Skulks) and 1-2 powerful patrons (The Duchess and Edistris) to suit his Royal assassin needs...

The idea being that he will one day become the leader of the skulks and at te same time the hand of the rulers of Aldhaven both obvious and not ;)

Also spent 20 minutes trying to find where and how the banker mission was given.

Its here: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showp...&postcount=885

unfortunately for me... no reward is quoted... :(

Ishmael considers it for just a moment but his principles win over.

"Actually m'Lady no you had not promised me anything so I can not hold you to such a promise. I would gladly accept one off course but I had not really been offered a reward for ensuring the banker complies nor had I asked for one. As an extention of your will this never came up" he says with honesty.

[planswalker]

"Hm... that is not acceptable. Despite the great loyalty to me that you have thus far expressed, those allies of yours who are well fed and content are many times harder to incite betrayal in than ones who are poor and hungry. Shall we say 500 gold for a job well done?"

[Monodominant]

Ishmael nods and smiles.

"It would my Lady. As for the allies we may find... well we shall see how it goes. I can be hopeful that the prospect of doing this will attract some noble souls and some greedy souls." he inclines his head and awaits until he is dismissed and given the money and letter of marque.

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So she gives me expenses + 500 for the banker + 1500 for giving her the necklase after I use it with the Jacks?

Any xp hidding in that money for what I have been up to just to close this "adventure"?

Also you had asked me to remind you to award me 250 xp for finding advancing the Baron storyline!

And at least now I am reducing my loose ends eh? One Jack mission down, 3 more to go :D :D :D

[planswalker]

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hm... (3d%)[86] x 100 xp. :P

He is dismissed and given all he has been promised.