3.5 Political Adventure [IC]

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Aquarius finishes decoding the message, and now has both a copy of the cypher written out, and this strange short message.

Enclosed is the letter. They know.

Their plant is in the castle. We have until tomorrow evening, then it may be too late.

P.F.

You each have your duties; see it is done.

[Sgt. Cookie]

Aquarius walks back to the others. "I've decoded the message. Have a look. He passes it to anybody who wants a look. "For these vague instructions, Thevya had Ben killed? A child dead, for having a vague knowledge of encrypted gibberish? I think I hate this woman more than I did before."

[sdream]

"Likely it is some other foolish message she killed him over, as it is unlikely she taught him her cipher."

"Those seeking power without fortifications and money rely too heavily on treachery and violence."

"Thanks for teaching us that cool cipher, Jaret, I hope you don't make the mistake of crossing us again. I'm going to ask the priests to take care of you now, I'm sure they'll be much nicer than me if you refrain from stabbing their friends."

Sel returns to Brother John.

"I believe we knocked all the fight out of another of Theyva's blades. He's in the next room all helpless and nekkid. Would you like to look after him, or should we take him outside and turn him loose on our way out?"

[al'Lan Mandrag]

As Seal is talking to the priests, she hears a cry from Jaret: "They're going to kill the Archa, or whoever she is. I was there to stop their assassin. Thevya's got someone on the inside: but the others know now."

[Sgt. Cookie]

"Then tell me who "P.F." is. Do you side with him, or someone else?"

Sense motive:
(1d20+9)[15]

[al'Lan Mandrag]

"It's Fervon. He's part of the guild, pretty high up. Must be he's cottoned on, at least in part. Thevya wanted us to know what he was planning so we could counter it. She wants whatever is happening on the streets and in the castle."

[Sgt. Cookie]

"Is Fervon someone who is plotting to kill the Archa or not?"

[al'Lan Mandrag]

"I don't know. I doubt it. The Guild shouldn't want to kill her, but Thevya's out on limb, who knows what the others are doing." Jaret seems pretty panicked now that he's told you all he knows.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Brother John considers your words carefully, but shakes his head: "What would we do? Kill him in the temple? You best take him and do with him as you wish; then at least we can't tell Thevya anything if she comes back."

[sdream]

Sel returns to the others and Jaret.

"Did he have anything specific we could pass on anonymously? I'd rather not have to dodge the archa's own defenders to provide complimentary protection again."

[Starbin]

Caladeran simply watched and listened. It would be interesting if the others suddenly decided that they should get involved. Apparently when he asked the question, heading out of town after an item that Thevya had clued them in to was more important.

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Sorry for the delay - getting back into it ... still here!

[al'Lan Mandrag]

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The answer that Aquarius will provide is no. He was meant to sneak in and take out whoever P.F sent.

[Sgt. Cookie]

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Ta, Al.

"Sadly not. He was sent to stop whomever was going to kill the Archa."

[sdream]

"My point was that unless he has specific knowledge about the assassin, the archa's own guards can do that job just as well, and better if they are not chasing him."

"If she has not arranged for competent protection by now, protecting her ourselves would just be delaying the inevitable."

Sel grabs Jaret's chin.

"If I give you back your knife, do you think you can manage to keep it out of the Archa, my friends, and these priests? You won't like what happens if I have to take it away from you again."

[Mephit]

Jaret jerks his head away and tries to lean away from this woman, who is clearly mentally deranged in his eyes. "Y-yes. Uh, yup. Definitely." Pause. "No stabbing," he adds. It's not entirely clear if he's talking about himself or Selena.
He glances around at the remains of his clothes that were cut apart, then looks back at the woman. "If it's all the same, I could do with some clothes first."

[Starbin]

Caladeran glanced back at the door. "Ask the priests for a robe."

[sdream]

"Strangely, I don't carry spare clothes for assassins who cause trouble after they are already tied up. Maybe the priests can help you out there."

Sel begins untying him.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Brother john sheepishly hands Cal a robe to give to Jaret, but retreats soon after aware of the tension in the air.

[Starbin]

Giving Brother John a long look, Caladeran finally reached out to take the robe. Turning to the assassin, he tossed it at the man. "Apparently I'm now your tailor."

As he waited for the man to dress, he looked to Aquarius and Selena. "Now what?"

[sdream]

"After we escort our new friend here out of the temple, and he runs off to contemplate why he's serving a treacherous child killer like Theyva, we can discuss our next steps."

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I'd like a reason to hang out with Jaret, but "Rumors of assasins" is not being a valid excuse for random citizens like us to invade the archa's palace without invitation (especially having been told to stay away from her business just yesterday).

'Lan, did you have any ideas?

Mephet, would you like to try and work a relationship with the murdered boy into your backstory? Remember, your character is at -4 to lie to Aquarius and I for the next 4 hours due to some psionic mindbending in your interrogation.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Just as Brother John is ducking back out of sight, he paused, and then returned.

"It seems, wait, I must check." he then advances on Jaret and circles him twice, his fingers making strange signs in the air and chattering all the time.

After about a minute of this he stops and turns to the team: "This man was under an enchantment, a compulsion if you will. It seems to be failing, perhaps as a result of your, ah, actions, perhaps because he has been fighting it subconsciously. But it is the type often used by Guild sorcerers, very basic. i would hazard it was Thevya's work, to make him more malleable."

[Mephit]

Jaret scowls as he's handed the priest's robe that, because of his smaller-than-average posture, will almost certainly be too large for him. It's clearly not the assassin's preferred attire.

He shrugs in response to Sel's remark. "Pretty much, I'm familiar with Thevya's policy regarding knowledgeable but useless tools." He starts brushing some dirt off his overflowing robes, then adds : "I suppose I am her policy." I'd best clear out of town for a long while.
"Treason I wouldn't know about, but I can't say I remember any children. And I'd know,'' Jaret concludes in an aloof tone.

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Disregarding above post as agreed to in OOC.

[sdream]

"For some reason she decided to use another amoral fool to kill poor little Ben the runner boy. I don't know how she's managed to stay alive this long if she feels she can dispose of everyone SHE no longer has a use for... I've never met someone without ANY friends to avenge them."

"As for treason, she may or may not have her country in mind, but to kill your own men is treachery enough to make me certain I no longer wish to be your man."

[Sgt. Cookie]

"There are times when having no one is the safer option, no one who cares for you means that you care for no one. No leverage to use against you. But I digress."

Aquarius turns to Jaret.

"I don't know about you, but I tend to go after child killers as a matter of principle. There is also the fact that Thevya is likely to hunt down and kill you. In light of these two very strong reasons, do you think you might lend us your aid?"

Don't think I trust you, though. I'm not in the habit of trusting people who try to kill me, but like my Father always told me "If there's use to be made, then make use". So if you do decide to help us, don't mind the half drawn sword. At least until I know that we can work together."

[sdream]

Sel responds to the sword mage's digression as if it were a longstanding discussion between them, and they were llanguidly arguing philosophy at the bar:

"Friends and Family are definitely the doors and windows through which foreign troubles sneak into the building of your life... but it is precisely those 'weaknesses' that makes a life into a mansion, rather than a prison."

She returns her attention to the now robed Jaret.

"The streets are unsafe for solitary travellers, I would think twice about running around alone, especially running back to your murderous faction."

[Mephit]

Jaret frowns at the mention of Ben, but for some reason does not push the subject any further.

"Well, turning on one's employer would be highly unprofessional. And I am a professional." he muses. "But...neither is going after the little ones. Yes, maybe we should see this through. For now."
He flashes a grin at Aquarius.
"I'd still rather be behind your half-drawn swords than in front of drawn ones."

Jaret accepts the knives from Sel and starts meticulously concealing them across his body, strapping the most ornate one in a sheath to his forearm. While he does so, he looks around the room at those present. "I can guess what you were doing here, but who are you people, anyway?"

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I just realized they should probably get slightly acquainted.

I'll take 10 for the Sleight of Hand checks (so 21) to conceal the daggers while he talks.

[Starbin]

At Aquarius' comments, Caladeran let out a breath of exasperation. He looked at Selena with a look that said, "Are you f(*king kidding me?" Of course, in elvish, it would have been much more eloquent.

Shaking his head, he muttered, "First the woman, now this killer ..."

When the assassin asked who they were, he barked out a harsh laugh. "Are you such a blunt object that you do not even know your targets? Or were you simply told to kill whoever opened the door?"

[redzimmer]

Ivor the Sly walked into the temple of Olidammara and immediately saw all was not too normal.

Approaching Brother John, sometimes friend, often times alibi, he asks what has befallen the temple, and also the whereabouts of his traveling and drinking companion Aquarius.

Hearing only of the attempted attack by an assassin and not bothering to pay much attention to anything else, he draws his scimitar and barges into the chamber where interrogation is taking place.

He casts prestidigitation to make his sword hum and faintly glow to add to the aura of menace.

"Death to the enemy of my associates!"

He pauses.

"Which of you is this? Face me and die!"

And with that, he continues to brandish his scimitar in a menacing manner.

[sdream]

Sel prepared herself to unleash icy doom on the crazy stranger if he came any closer to her...

"Is this another of Theyva's minions?"

She asked Jaret with a raised eyebrow.

[Sgt. Cookie]

Aquarius simply laughed. No, this is a friend of mine. Ivor, exiled prince of the exotic east. Or so he claims. Ivor, my friend. How have you been?

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OOC: Apparently, "DimGraxy" is an acceptable colour...