AVB: The Bang Bang One

[hustlertwo]

Spoiler

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Waiting on you to determine if you're following or not.

[Eshkigal]

With a smile and a shrug, Maevith follows. Best case scenario, he gets an excuse to steal some life, worst case a slap in the face for flaunting his wealth. Doesn't matter too much either way.

[hustlertwo]

Out behind the alley, she greets you with a smile and flip of the skirt.

Spoiler

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Spot and listen check.

[Eshkigal]

Maevith just shakes his head a bit.
"If I were trying to get under your skirt, I'd flirt more. Goliaths aren't exactly made at a size that makes humans comfortable, y'see. Besides, what kind of bard pays for it?"
(1d20-2)[18] spot
(1d20-2)[8] listen

[hustlertwo]

Before she can respond, your keen eyes spot a flicker of movement reflected in her eyes, and you narrowly avoid a human male attempting to sneak up behind you with a dagger, whose blade gleams a sickly purple. When you look back, you see your pretty 'waitress' has taken off her barette and is revealed to be a plump and warty sort of dwarf.

"Give us a kiss, love. And die."

Spoiler

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Roll initiative.

[Eshkigal]

(1d20)[10] (pretty sure there's no bonus or penalty.)
"Funny, and here I was just thinking about finding a dwarven whore or two. Is your mother available, by any chance, or did she die of fright looking at you when you came out of her?"

[hustlertwo]

Inits:

(1d20-1)[3]
(1d20+2)[4]

[hustlertwo]

Spoiler

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You go first. Use the MM section of the PMA map for reference.

[Eshkigal]

Maevith feels the good old battle rage begin as he grabs his hammer's haft.
"Of course, the hammer's not just for show, or a warning either."
With a growing grin, he pulls it off his back, spinning around to face his first assailant in this new city.
(Using rage, unsheathing hammer, going to try and break the human's face in)
(1d20+11)[15]
(3d6+7)[23]

[hustlertwo]

He dances away, surprisingly spry for a big man.

"It'll be for show, all right. After we sell it to some rich noble to put in his armory and make enough to start a new life together."

He makes doe eyes at his stout, portly dwarven mistress. And then slashes at you with the blade.

(1d20+7)[22] (1d4+3)[6]

The dwarf blows him a kiss and then seems to become a bit fuzzy around the edges, definitely a bit harder to see.

[hustlertwo]

As the dagger hits home, you feel a poison attempting to course through your veins...

Spoiler

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Fort save, DC 14 or 1d4 temporary Strength damage.

[Eshkigal]

"And you haven't just gone and found adventurers to ambush outside of some gods forsaken dungeon...why?"
He barely notices the prick through the blood frenzy.
(1d20+8)[13]fortitude save
(1d20+11)[20] attack
(3d6+7)[18]
(HP: 42/38 due to rage and level, AC 15, fort 8)

[hustlertwo]

(1d4)[3] Strength damage.

His grin fades quickly as your hammer smashes into his side, almost sending him sprawling. He coughs, drops the blade and draws out a heavy mace instead, gripping it tightly in both hands.

"The stuff's not working well, love. Too much fight in this one. Try to quiet him down if you can."

He strikes you as he speaks.

(1d20+7)[23] (1d8+4)[7]

The dwarf woman squeals, and rushes toward you, flinging a dizzying array of colors and sensations into your tender brain.

Spoiler

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Will save DC 14 or stunned for one round.

Although the din from inside the tavern is formidable, you feel you can almost hear the sounds of people walking along the streets nearby.

[Eshkigal]

(1d20+4)[9]-will, pretty sure rage boosts that.
If Maevith can act, he takes another swing at the roguish fellow.
(1d20+9)[18]
(3d6+6)[14]
Looks like his brain gets assaulted instead, pity.

[hustlertwo]

Your hammer drops from your hands as you stand slack-jawed and drooling. The man cackles and slashes you once more, while his warty paramour dashes over and latches the weapon, struggling mightily even to lift it past her knees due to its immense weight.

Attack: (1d20+7)[10] (1d8+4)[7]

Despite your brain-dead moment, his blade glances off your armor.

[Eshkigal]

As his head clears, Maevith growls.
"Here, let me help you with that."
He grabs his hammer, and tries to slam it into the dwarven wizard's face.
(1d20+9)[16]
(3d6+6)[18]

[Eshkigal]

As requested: (1d5)[3]

[hustlertwo]

The hammer catches her in the shoulder and almost knocks her off her feet; at least a couple of bones were broken from that impact, and she squalls as she retreats back out of reach. Her boytoy stifles a sob, and grips his mace with renewed vigor for a powerful blow.

(1d20+7)[9] (1d8+4)[9]

[Eshkigal]

Maevith steps to a side and wheels around with the hammer, aiming to finish this man soon. His rage would end soon...
(1d20+9)[23]
(3d6+6)[17]

[hustlertwo]

The human drops, and just as the dwaf prepares to cast a fiery spell to bring you down...she coughs a sudden, violent dry cough, and keels over as well.

Spoiler

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Spot check.

[Eshkigal]

Spot check (1d20-2)[0]

[hustlertwo]

You are unable to figure out where the strange spell came from that just aided you; the night yields only shadows too dense to see through.

[Eshkigal]

His rage ebbs, the adrenaline leaving. No! Not now, not so soon! The fun may just be beginning! He pants slightly for a second and glances around at the alley again.
"Come out, fellow! I cannot tell if you bode well or ill for me, but if you are to try and fell me, I would at least enjoy a name to weave into my songs."

[hustlertwo]

Go here for the response to your request.

[hustlertwo]

After your newfound friend performs his strange ritual and leaves the cryptic notes, you divvy up the goods and walk off in disguise. There are a variety of other, more vanilla inns you can visit of varying prices, though not all of them have vacancies and a couple advertise proudly that they are for humans only, or otherwise exclude certain races. You can also try to find out if there are more permanent lodgings available with a little digging; though land is at a premium in Aldhaven, and can only be owned by citizens, they often rent out rooms or small houses to outsiders. Even down-on-their-luck lesser noble houses have been known to do so, though the cost of even the lowliest broom closet in the secure, swank Nobles' Quarter is significant.

[Eshkigal]

Well, the slums would be the easiest place to get...permanent lodgings. Find some people not well connected, clear them out, and build the place up with what money is left. Simple enough, right?
Still disguised, Maevith heads towards the slums, taking moments in alleys to change his appearance a bit to look bigger, stronger, bulkier. After all, these are slums. Wouldn't do to get mugged again, after all.

[hustlertwo]

As you leave the city proper and pass through the docks you sense tension in the air; the sun is setting and people are hurriedly slamming shut doors and boarding up windows. However, you pass through before true night falls, and reach the relative safety of the Slums. Several taverns and brothels near the edge of the Slums are already hopping with activity in anticipation of a long night ahead, and through the streets drunks, beggars, and peasants mill about, with the occasional red-garbed individual walking past keeping the peace. You notice a lot of non-humans around, especially goblinoids. Of those, some of the stronger ones seem to share a facial tattoo, inked in blue of some arcane symbol. Through it all, no one pays you much mind, and so far your purse has remained untouched.

[Eshkigal]

As he goes, he tries to pick up some information about the local politics, who's just a bum, who's not, stuff like that, mostly through easedropping.
(1d20+3)[13]-gather information

[hustlertwo]

Local politics in the Slums are fairly simple: the Khan and his Blue Hand Clan of goblinoids are the predominant power. There are occasionally incursions from the skulks or ratlings that live below, but no other organized group has much of a presence in the area. One of the Khan's lieutenants runs both the Extracity Watch, a newly formed guard group bringing a somewhat skewed sense of justice to the formerly lawless region, and the Arena, a gambling mecca warded against permanent death and thus allowing for all sorts of organized bloodshed. He's said to be...not quite right in the head. Generally, residents of the Slums fall into just a few categories: climbers who want to get out and into the city proper, simple folk who just want to get through day by day with their families, and people who want to rob and/or kill the other two groups to further their own ends.

[Eshkigal]

Hm, the new Watch sounds interesting, a good way to blend while finding prey no one would miss, at least. However, there's competition for more lives to take. Can't have that...Besides, their lives always were more satisfying. So with a little more of the bar experience, he listens for gossip on things like disappearances, recent murders of note, the like.
(1d20+3)[18]