The Dragon Empire IC, Part III

[brandnewb]

Olivin nods, "Be carefull Cap'n. I'll stay with Mr. B-... the carriage." Olivin looks with concern at the carriage. "We Proll'y shouldn't leave it alone. You give a shot if ya need me. Ill come quick."

Olivin walks to the side of the carriage and pats it, in a quite voice he says"D'on you worry mate. We got ya."

[RandomWombat]

As the carriage pulls into the alley, Olivin settles in to watch over the captives. The cultist looks down at the floor, while the Puppetmaster looks up at Olivin. He tries to spit out his cloth gag. Will Olivin stop him?

Spoiler: Edmund

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Edmund doesn't detect any major attention on him. One of the elves greets him, "Welcome to the Cat's Bottle. We've some private rooms available, upstairs or downstairs. How large a room will you need?"

Spoiler: Passive Sense Motive

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Edmund catches on that 'upstairs or downstairs' is some sort of code.

[brandnewb]

When Olivin sees the puppet master begin attempting to spit out his gage and Olivin stands up quickly. He pulls the Cat-o-nine tales out of his belt, and grins. He does not whip the puppet master, he takes a glance at the other cultist to make sure the man is not going to jump him. Once satisfied he instead kicks the puppet master in the gut.

Unarmed Strike. (1d20+10)[18]
Damage (1d3+5)[6]

"Careful now matey. The Cap'n is not here to keep me tame." He grabs the puppet masters head and tightens the gag as strongly as he can. Then once he is satisfied he thrusts the puppet masters forehead into the wall of the carriage.

"The Cap'n told me not ta whip you senseless. Please give me a reason."

He turns to the cultist. "Yu'r master here thinks he be brave, with 'is smug smile."Olivin lifts up the corner of his shirt to reveal a tangle of scars clearly from extreme beatings. Some from whips, and some from other implements. "I were a orc slave fer years, I seen em all types. They start smug. I were smug. But it's just takes time. Everyone breaks, I broke."
He sways the cat-o-nine tales back and forth in front of the cultist. "Maybe you know where they took 'im."

Edit: Forgot Olivin's poor english in part of it. I am bad for that.

[H. Von Studley]

Spoiler: OOC

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Awesome post B.

I'm guessing the passive SM wasn't enough to tell me which option is the one I want, but I think Ed will just pick one and try his luck. Before I do, are there any stairs going up or down that are visible? Could Ed tell if the tavern had multiple storeys from outside?

[brandnewb]

Spoiler: OOC

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Awesome post B.

I'm guessing the passive SM wasn't enough to tell me which option is the one I want, but I think Ed will just pick one and try his luck. Before I do, are there any stairs going up or down that are visible? Could Ed tell if the tavern had multiple storeys from outside?

Spoiler: ooc

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Thanks. I often just post quickly. But I had the time.

[RandomWombat]

"I'm..." the cultist looks at the Puppetmaster. He is not as heavily bound as the master, with rope manacles on his hands and feet. He thinks better of saying anything and remains quiet. In turn, the Puppetmaster glares at Olivin out of the corner of his eye. He is clearly unable to speak.

Alerted by the noise, Huemes opens the carriage door from outside. "What is it? Did the prisoners try something?"

Spoiler: Edmund

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There are a few doors into back rooms. One is probably the kitchen, as it is behind the bar counter. There are two others. The building was two stories from the outside.

[H. Von Studley]

Edmund catches himself as he senses something more to the question. His mind races, considering the right response.

Upstairs or downstairs? Some kind of hidden meaning there. Might be checking if I'm a normal patron or if I need privacy for something illegal. No obvious stairs going down. Strange to put guest rooms in a basement. Normal customer would pick upstairs every time.

Fifty-fifty shot. Downstairs it is.

Edmund looks the elf in the eye meaningfully. "Downstairs. Big enough for eight or so, if you have it."

[RandomWombat]

Spoiler: Edmund

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"We've got one open right now. Would you like any food or drink brought to your room?" the elf reaches below the counter and takes out a key. A tag marked '3' is attached to the ring. He doesn't place it on the counter just yet.

[H. Von Studley]

"No, thank you. We're not to be disturbed. By anyone. My associates will be making their way in through the back. They have rather sensitive cargo and I wouldn't want to disturb your patrons. Though if you have someone who might be able to discreetly deliver a message, that would be helpful."

Ed takes out his coin purse, allowing the bartender to catch a glint of gold inside.

"Can I count on your discretion?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Can Ed get a sense of whether this guy is actually catching his drift, or am I just being weird and overly cryptic here?

[brandnewb]

Olivin looks at Huemes, "Aye, and it's 'bout to get ugly in here. One of these bastards is gunna talk. Just keep watch outside. Ya kin stick yer head in 'n see if I'm alright occasionally." He grabs the puppetmaster bodily and hulls him onto his feet and turns him to face the wall. Then with a quick and solid thrust he smashes the mans face against the wall.

(1d20+10)[25]
(1d3+5)[7]

As soon as he is done he lets the puppet master go so that he falls face first into the corner of the carriage. "Fella over there was 'bout to talk. But tough guy convinced him not too. Now tough guy can sit with his nose in the corner." He gives the puppet master a jab with his toe.

He turns to the cultist. "Do I 'ave make you face the corner?" He extends his cat of nine tales and runs the knotted ends of the tails along the puppet masters back. He never takes his eyes off the cultist. "I don' doubt he is scary when he is free. But there be other scary folks here now. And he aint goin' free."

[RandomWombat]

The Puppetmaster falls to the floor of the carriage, knocked unconscious by the last blow to the head. Huemes doesn't seem terribly concerned. He turns away and shuts the carriage door once more, leaving Olivin alone with the prisoners.

"I didn't want to say anything in front of him," the captive cultist speaks now, nodding at the Puppetmaster on the floor, "But that Claudia woman was right. I'm not strong enough to be anything but a pawn in his organization, and I have no intention of returning to them."

Spoiler: Edmund

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"My son would be happy to deliver your message," the elf speaks in a low voice and looks pointedly over at the other elf, who comes over when he catches his father's signal. Not brothers after all. "I'll have him let them in the back and send them to you. If that's everything, your total comes to fifteen gold pieces."

[H. Von Studley]

Edmund nods, satisfied. He takes two small piles of coins from the purse and slides them across the bar. "I wouldn't want to put you out. Let's make it an even 20 pieces."

Stepping away, he takes a scrap of parchment and scrawls a quick note to River.

River,
Circumstances have changed and we've been forced to hole up elsewhere. The elf who delivers this note will lead you back to us. Bring Claudia, but no one else. Just tell the elf what you offered to the altar in the metal dimension, right before the sentinels showed up.
Be safe,
Edmund

He folds the parchment and takes a candle from the table in front of him. He pours the wax over the fold and uses his iron holy symbol to make a crude seal. He blows on the wax to cool it, then walks back over to the younger elf.

"Do you know the temple of Calistria on the docks? Take this there and give it to a young man named River. He's tough-looking but unarmoured, with a long blonde plait running down his back. Give him this note and tell him it's from Edmund. Once he's read it he'll give you a password: 'ioun torch', or words to that effect. Once he does, bring him and his companion back here.

"Do you have any questions?"

[RandomWombat]

Spoiler: Edmund

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"Nah, I got it. I'll let your friends in and then run this out," the younger elf nods. "Be back in a bit, dad." With that he leaves through one of the unidentified doors deeper into the building.

The elven father accepts the gold and hands Edmund the key, "Your generosity is appreciated. Through the door my son went through and just to the right are the stairs down. You'll find three rooms, the door you want is marked to match your key. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to let me know."

[H. Von Studley]

Edmund thanks the bartender, takes the key and heads down for the room. As he makes his way down the stairs he glances around warily, one hand instinctively creeping to rest on the warhammer on his belt. He was all too aware of what could happen to a newcomer in a tavern like this, especially one flashing gold around the place. But it had been necessary to prove that he meant business.

He makes his way to the room and lets himself inside.

[brandnewb]

The Puppetmaster falls to the floor of the carriage, knocked unconscious by the last blow to the head. Huemes doesn't seem terribly concerned. He turns away and shuts the carriage door once more, leaving Olivin alone with the prisoners.

"I didn't want to say anything in front of him," the captive cultist speaks now, nodding at the Puppetmaster on the floor, "But that Claudia woman was right. I'm not strong enough to be anything but a pawn in his organization, and I have no intention of returning to them."

Spoiler: Edmund

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"My son would be happy to deliver your message," the elf speaks in a low voice and looks pointedly over at the other elf, who comes over when he catches his father's signal. Not brothers after all. "I'll have him let them in the back and send them to you. If that's everything, your total comes to fifteen gold pieces."

Olivin nods, "Sounds like you be a smart man. We represent da navy and they was unwise enough to abduct our man. Now they've killed a guard too. Da days o' happily livin' in the shadows is over. The authorities are gunna come down on em like a tone o' bricks." Olivin nods toward the door and adds, "But you've seen me Captain. He be a good man. You do help us I'm sure he'll do what'er he can to help ye."

Olivin smiles, much more friendly then a moment ago. "What do ya know?"

[RandomWombat]

The cultist just opens his mouth to speak when there is a knock on the carriage door. Huemes opens it a crack and speaks through it to Olivin, "We've got company, guy. A friend. Edmund got us a room and we're going in now. Bring the prisoners."

Spoiler: Edmund

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The door leads into a small hallway. To the right is an open doorway, through which is a corner and a stairway leads down to the left. Further down the main floor hallway are two doors on either side, and at the end is another door through which the bartender's son is exiting.

Down the stairs is a basement hallway with three doors, one right across the hall from the stairs and the other two at the ends. To the right he finds the door marked '3' and unlocks it. Inside is a stone room of moderate size, which is furnished like a prison cell. There is a wooden bench, shackles against the back wall, and a (thankfully empty) latrine hole. Despite its nature, the room is immaculately clean; naturally, the previous users would not have wanted evidence left behind. It seems this place provides off-the-books dungeons-for-hire.

Spoiler: River

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Meanwhile, River is hidden in an alley near the temple of Calistria. He hears footsteps behind him and sees Claudia approaching. "Nice work back there, chief. Any of them guards spot you?" She gestures for him to follow, and turns the other way, where she came from. "Let's go in back. It looks like the others musta been held up, they're not here yet. If we're gonna go looking we can't go around covered in blood like a couple of butchers."

[Aeryk]

Meanwhile, River is hidden in an alley near the temple of Calistria. He hears footsteps behind him and sees Claudia approaching. "Nice work back there, chief. Any of them guards spot you?" She gestures for him to follow, and turns the other way, where she came from. "Let's go in back. It looks like the others musta been held up, they're not here yet. If we're gonna go looking we can't go around covered in blood like a couple of butchers."

"I don't think so." River replies, then follows Claudia.

[brandnewb]

Olivin looks to the door and nods, "Could you lead our friend here? Ill bring tough guy." he turns back to the cultist with a grin, "Lets go somewhere more comfortable shall we?" He moves over to the unconscious puppet master and hauls the man over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Fer some reason I don't be thinkin' it'll be comfortable fer him. But you cooperate, it should go a'light"

As Olivin carries the puppet master over his shoulder and through the door he miss-steps slightly. The puppetmaster's head hits the wall of the carriage very hard. "Oops, clumsy me." Olivin says to the cultist and continues to carry the puppet-master out. However no-one watching could have mistaken that for an accident.

(1d20+6)[13]
(1d3+5)[7]

Spoiler: ooc

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Gave myself a -4 on that attack roll because I am sure that using the puppetmasters head as a club to hit the carriage is probably an improvised weapon.

[H. Von Studley]

Edmund smiles grimly. Clearly 'downstairs' had been the right choice. He takes a quick walk around the room, scanning for listening or spying devices, then waits at the door for the others to arrive.

[RandomWombat]

Olivin hits the puppetmaster's head on the top of the carriage doorway, and he bleeds a little from the point of impact.

A minute later he arrives 'downstairs' and enters the room where Edmund waits. Olivin has a wounded and unconscious Puppetmaster over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, while the repentant cultist is being led by Huemes using his rope manacles. The elven son makes himself scarce, giving them privacy and himself plausible deniability.

Spoiler: River

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River is led inside into the boudoir, the same way he and the crew entered to meet with Claudia previously. The dwarven bouncer is still there, and a wash basin, washcloths, and spare change of clothes has already been set out for each of them. Each set of clothes is common street garb.

"You squeamish? We got other rooms you can use if you care."

[Archemist]

Olivin hits the puppetmaster's head on the top of the carriage doorway, and he bleeds a little from the point of impact.

Azrin thinks, "Yep, and now they've all left. Thanks for remembering me, guys." He's not too sure, though, whether to be happy or sad that they're all gone - at least they aren't tormenting him for the moment.

[H. Von Studley]

Edmund eyes the unconscious Puppetmaster then looks over at Olivin. "He give you some kind of trouble?"

He turns back to the group. "A messenger will fetch the others. While we wait though, I'm curious to hear what this one has to say."

He turns towards the conscious cultist. "Your boss isn't going to hear you now, and no one's coming to save you. Tell me where the captives are and you might just get out of this in one piece."

[RandomWombat]

"I don't know for sure where the ritual site is, but the prisoners were taken to a dwarven brewery outside the city," the former cultist answers, betraying his former comrades without hesitation.

[H. Von Studley]

Edmund nods encouragingly. "Good. Tell me more about the brewery. How many people are guarding the prisoners? How long will they wait before they go ahead with the ritual?"

He gestures to the Puppetmaster. "And was he telling me the truth?"

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm finding this more convincing, but I'll try a sense motive check to be sure.

(1d20+7)[19]

[Aeryk]

River is led inside into the boudoir, the same way he and the crew entered to meet with Claudia previously. The dwarven bouncer is still there, and a wash basin, washcloths, and spare change of clothes has already been set out for each of them. Each set of clothes is common street garb.

"You squeamish? We got other rooms you can use if you care."

"Have Captain Edmund or the others returned yet?" River asks of the bouncer. Once he has an answer he proceeds to the clothes.

"No. Thank you," River replies to Claudia. An upbringing of communal living has removed most sense of bodily shame, and he strips naked quickly and efficiently. He washes himself up, then his dirty clothes. He wrings out his monk garb and places it into his pack, then gets dressed in the street clothes.

"We have to find the Captain as soon as possible."

[RandomWombat]

Spoiler: Edmund&Olivin

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"I've been inside the brewery, but I don't know how many are just workers and how many are ours' - er, theirs'. The owner is an Asmodean, I know that much. The good news is that he's the one who is supposed to do the ritual," the man points at his former leader. "He is an Invoker, high ranking non-clergy members of the order who deal directly with devils. The bad news is that the book containing the ritual details is still with the others. If they think he's dead they might try to use the directions and go ahead without him, which would likely result in a random devil being summoned against its will, and it would not be happy."

"I don't know much about the Calistrians, but he doesn't really lie. Misdirection, wordplay, half-truths, yes. Not bold faced lies. The order finds them unsubtle and distasteful."

Spoiler: River

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It seems to be a trait the two of them share, as Claudia undresses and quickly cleans the blood splatter from her armor first. She does everything quickly, but thoroughly. She puts her armor back on first, then clothes herself overtop of it, keeping it hidden. River, of course, has all the weapons and armor he needs already built in. He's been given a red shirt and overalls, while she has a baggy blouse and pantaloons that expertly hide her armor and weapons underneath without looking suspicious.

When questioned, the dwarven bouncer grunts and shakes his head in the negative.

"If they ain't come here, there's a couple of places they'd have gone to get out of a trouble spot. I didn't see a carriage outside your ship, so I'm guessing Huemes took them to the Cat's Bottle. Owner's a friend, he can be trusted," ready to go, Claudia opens up the door to the side alley and exits, automatically expecting River to follow behind her. She steps out into the open, looking around at the port. There is still no sign of any carriage out here.

As Claudia is about to lead the way, a young(-looking) elf approaches them and wordlessly hands River an envelope. Claudia looks at the elf in recognition and the two exchange a nod. She leans against the wall and waits for River to read his missive.

Spoiler: Azrin

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It's been a few minutes now, and a group of four people wander into the back alley behind the Cat's Bottle, with a swagger in their step. The man in the lead is a raven-haired human in a raggedy baby blue shirt that was once a dress shirt, but has long since been saturated in dirt and grime. To his right is an elderly dwarf in an eyepatch. His grey hair is balding at the top, but long and stringy around the edges, and his bangs hang down in front of his eyepatch. His beard curls down in sideburns that meet up beneath his chin, with no hint of a mustache or goatee. The dwarf is carrying a strange blunderbuss that looks custom-made. Strangely, the man is not carrying any black powder. Behind the first two are a gangly ginger human with a shaved head, and a chubby half-elf with a green mullet.

"Lookee here, me boyos, we gota noble lovely left his carriage sitting unattended."

"Dun' think tha's a noble, Lars. Naval feller he be, seen him round the docks being' fancy-like with them sea swine."

"Righto, righto, a privileged boy he must be alla same."

"Bring in the refugees they do, don'tcha know G'anther? Worthy as be, they are, for stealin'. Refugees got free ticket for meals 'n warmth, and we be out here cobblin' together for ol' Baldo and his gang, wherefore we got no free food from them Blue Knights? Says I!"

"I hear ye, dafty, clam the running tongue of yer. What say we take the bugger for a joy-ride?"

"Speaking my language you are, Gunth, dear boyo. Chase her up and down the way. Lead them guards back here we do, and make some trouble for these lot. Rob, you have the masks?"

"Ya, right 'ere, boss," the half-elf reaches into a satchel and pulls out four black cloth masks. The four street thugs pull them on, and are instantly glamored in matching skintight black suits, though the poor quality of the illusion lets Azrin tell it as such without even trying. Lars and Gunter climb into the carriage. The chubby half-elf begins finger painting glowing pictures of obscene things on the sides of the carriage, using his bare hands; meanwhile the lanky man climbs into the driver's seat.

It seems Azrin is being car jacked.

[brandnewb]

Olivin brings the man into the room and drops him unceremoniously onto the floor. "Aye, our friend was going to talk. But tough guy stopped him. So I stopped tough guy. I had better head back to the carriage Cap'n. Needed to help carry him in, bu' you don' need me in here." Olivin turns around and begins walking back out to where the carriage is, but he walks causally in no big hurry. So as not to draw attention.

[H. Von Studley]

Edmund nods to Olivin and turns back to the cultist. "Okay, and do you know if they're expecting him tonight? At what point will they decide he's dead and go ahead with the ritual anyway?"

Spoiler: OOC

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While I'm pretty annoyed with these morons stealing Azrin, that's awesome work on the descriptions RW. Very cool.

[Archemist]

Spoiler: OOC

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While I'm pretty annoyed with these morons stealing Azrin, that's awesome work on the descriptions RW. Very cool.

Spoiler: Azrin

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Azrin absentmindedly and dejectedly wonders if, when this transformation is finally reversed, the lewd drawings will end up marked on his body. "Likely I'll need a Curse-Removal spell for that, too, I imagine."

[RandomWombat]

Spoiler: Edmund

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"It's supposed to happen at midnight; it's a new moon tonight, which is ideal for the ritual. They won't wait long, or they risk angering the devil they plan on summoning by being late."

"We still don't know exactly where in the building the ritual site is," Huemes points out, "Claudia can get that information out of the Puppetmaster. We need her."

Spoiler: Olivin

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Olivin exits the building just in time to see an empty alley and hear hooting and hollering as wagon wheels roll away on the cobblestone streets, and the crash of glass.

Spoiler: Azrin

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Azrin identifies the spell as Arcane Mark.

His work done, the chubby one climbs into the carriage with the others and they rumble out of the alley, the magical horses obeying their driver without question. The dwarf with his gun kicks open the door once they're out in the street and the men inside start whooping and hollering. The dwarf squeezes the trigger as they fly by, shattering the window of somebody's home when it launches a tiny metal cannonball. The gun rebounds from the recoil of the shot on spring-like shocks that absorb the force and keep it from knocking the dwarf over. "Whoaaah! Heehee!"

"Nice shootin'! That'd teach 'em to pay on time! Yeehaw!" the driver calls back.

Broken glass rains down on the street in a cacophony as people scatter to get out of the way of the runaway carriage. Down the road are a trio of city guards, who are currently turning to regard the scene in shocked disbelief.

"What in the blazing f***?!" one of the guards shouts.