THEChanger's Curse of the Crimson Throne: Edge of Anarchy

[Inspectre]

Gavin's stomach twists as Dirkust - was that still him? - launches into a demonstration of his new power, but it didn't seem to have any hostile intent behind it.
Nor did Dirkust start ranting about darkness and death the way Giggles had done - so Gavin stood his ground and assumed they weren't about to be in a fight for their lives.
The sudden tug on his rapier nearly tore the weapon out of his hands, and Gavin was forced to take a step forward to keep hold of it.
Which was probably a good thing given the pile of random odds and edds that collected at Dirkust's feet - a rapier might have flown at him a bit *too* well.
After Dirkust somehow dispels his new guise - which was a surprise in and of itself - Gavin sheaths his rapier with a sigh of relief.

"Glad you're alright Dirkust. Sounds like you were lucky though, that something . . . or someone . . . intervened."

Like many Varisians, Gavin worshiped Desna, but he had never made a focused study of the Goddess. He knew she had a thing for dreams, and butterflies, and that she was a kinder god compared to say, Asmodeus. But that was about all he knew, so while some of Dirkust's story sounded like Desna had saved him from Giggles' fate, he wasn't sure.

"It may have been Desna - or rather, one of Her servants that came to your aid. Or something else entirely, but Lamm seems to be playing around with powers far beyond anything I've heard of."

Gavin shakes his head - now the gods were getting involved in this? Well, it was the natural progression with fairy tales he supposed, going from a simple tale of revenge to kings and revolutions.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Dirkust's cheeks flushed a rosy red, and he avoided eye contact with Carla. I don't know how to make it much clearer. The place was pure blackness, the thing looked like a blue-shaded dragon. After the wind blew it away, I was on a white, shining road in a starry sky and the raven was on my shoulder and talked to me. He shrugged, unsure what else to add.

I'm not sure who or what protected me. He held out his hand the and the raven appeared in a whirl of shadow, perched on his hand. All I know is what she said to me. “The dark can be a place of evil, it is true. Daggers and chains and hidden, perverted things. But the dark also brings comfort, brings peace, allows for sleep and dreams. The dark within you grows now, young Dirkust. Only you can choose which yours will be. A place of peace, or a place of evil.”
I decided on peace. He smiled. It was genuine smile, one of peaceful serenity in contrast to the hectic and troubling events of the past couple of hours.

Finally he turned to Ardino. Yes? Why wouldn't I be able to? Dirkust's eyes widened, realizing Ardino was injured. Dirkust quickly latched onto Ardino's mind, adding him to his collective. He breathed a sigh of relief when his intuit sense informed him his injuries were minor at best. What did this? Dirkust had started lifting Ardino's shirt to look at the wound, not asking for permission first. This looks bad, possibly infec- Dirkust's mouth hung open, a look of surprise and concern plastered on his face. Ardino, you put one of the vials in your pocket didn't you? Because... Dirkust moved, showing everyone else the slowly festering wound. Ardino's clothes were stained the same black as the vial. Dirkust fished through Ardino's pocket, pulling out a shard of glass. I... think the potion got absorbed through the wound.

[digiman619]

Ardino fidgeted as the young healer lifted his shirt. Yeah, I got hurt a bit, but I'm was fine, there wasn't any need for- His train of thought suddenly derailed as Dirkust told him the vial he'd put in his pocket a few hours ago had seeped into his wound. Fear coursed through him as he learns of his accidental poisoning.

"I need a-" He looked around the room until he found a small mirror on the mantle. He then grabbed it to get a look at the wound, grimacing when he saw the way it looked. His breath quickened a bit as he calmed returned the mirror. As he did his best to bring his breathing under control. "Heal it as much as you can. I think I need to meditate and deal with this." He paused for a moment before adding "I don't know how this will affect me. Does anyone have any rope? I think you should restrain me just in case."

[DaedalusMkV]

Avrin is about to answer Carla's questions when Dirkust simply decides to down a vial of the Shudder, putting the conversation to a definite halt. Avrin jumps back out of his chair, leaving it to clatter to the floor, as lines of darkness begin to radiate from Dirkust's neck and black smoke billows from his mouth, drawing a dull, grey-bladed knife in a flash with a look of alarm in his eyes as he takes a few steps backwards. He seems to relax somewhat as the chains dissipate, but remains in a tense crouch after the changes to the meek healer.

When Dirkust seems to settle down and removes the mask, Avrin relaxes considerably and returns the knife to its sheathe on his thigh, one hand reaching into his pocket to rub gently at the holy symbol nestled there as he begins to call upon the judgement of his patron, muttering slightly under his breath. Finally, near the end of Dirkust's speech, he quickly casts a divinatory spell to read the currents of magic lingering on the other man, before finally seeming to relax as the raven-costume is dispelled. He walks over to where his chair tumbled to the ground, returns it to its place, then takes a deep drink of water and sighs. "Well, there doesn't seem to be any lingering magic controlling you, simply whatever it is you summon to create that... Outfit. And it looks like whatever change took place has left your mind intact, at least for the moment. Seems like you came out ahead."

When the conversation turns to the possibility of a divine connection his eyes widen slightly in interest, and he smiles slightly as Dirkust relays the words of the entity he communed with following his experience with the Shudder. Yes, that was rather clear indeed. Quietly, he picks up one of the remaining black vials from the table and contemplates it for a moment, then speaks quietly. "Never turn down an advantage. I understand what I need to do..." He swallows for a moment, mouthing a silent prayer, then pops the lid off it and downs the contents in a single motion, ignoring the developing situation with Ardino and Dirkust.

[THEChanger]

As Ardino asks for rope, you all see his skin go pale, and he passes, falling to the ground. As he does, Avrin drinks a vial of the mysterious black liquid, and both of them begin transforming. Water starts seeping from Ardino, forming a solid black sphere around him and filling the air with the smell of salt. Wind sweeps Avrin into the air, causing the tapestries to flutter and the pages of the ledger to flip wildly. The black lines snake up their bodies, starting to form the chains around their necks.

And, once again, the chains break. A shockwave blasts forth from each of them.

Ardino now is dressed in matte blue armor - a breastplate, greaves, and gauntlets shaped to look like a crab's shell, with teal chain links under that look like fish's scales. His face has a domino mask, and a bandanna is wrapped around his hair, both of which are the same cobalt blue as his armor. The water has collapsed into a pool around him, and he is slowly coming to wakefulness. The scar that normally bisects his face is missing, and when he opens his eyes, they are the color of sparkling blue ocean water.

Avrin's clothing has changed very little. If anything, it is more nondescript now, save perhaps that there is no color to it. Cloth is white, and leather is black. He now wears a white mask shaped like a jackal's head, and a black cloak with a hood. His eyes are now solid orbs the gray of storm clouds.

Neither has the black lines associated with Giggles' transformation.

[Corlindale]

Mordin listens intently as Dirkust explains what happened. He sounds normal... he sounds better than before. Stronger, more confident.

Could this happen to him as well? He is about to ask further questions when everything starts moving very fast. Ardino starts shaking as he realizes what happened to his potion, while Avrin straight up drinks another one with little hesitation. Mordin watches carefully as they transform, though he does not really expect any danger. True enough, it seems both of them have similarly managed to shake off any signs of dark control, though it seems that very different things happened to them.

I already had a feeling the vials could be connected to Sarenrae in some way. Maybe...maybe she was the female voice Dirkust heard? It seems impossible to escape her these days. A gateway to the divine.. might be for the best. If she judges me unworthy, I will probably die, but that might be for the best. If not...if there’s still some hope... this could show me the path.

Mordin hesitates only briefly, waiting to see make sure that there aren’t any sudden horrible twists in Avrin’s and Ardino’s transformation. Then, with heavy, deliberate steps, he walks to the container with the remaining vials.

“I...think this is the right thing to do. I have been...confused about many things recently. I’ve done terrible things... more terrible than I’ve told you about. I feel...I feel this could be the path to redemption. Jasper...he told me the same thing. No reason to delay the inevitable, I... I will face my judgment now.”

He raises the vial to his mouth - quickly, as if trying to overtake his own doubts - and swallows its contents.

[digiman619]

Ardino gasped as he returned from his vision. He too was being drawn in deep, a draconic voice promising to use him to advance its own unknowable goals, only for an animal totem of some kind intercede for him (though instead of a raven, he got a crab made of water and storm clouds. Visions can be weird). As he regains his wits, he sees his hands armored in strange gauntlets. Indeed, he was wearing totally different armor than before, though it didn't seem to slow him down. He quickly turned back to the mirror he had a few seconds ago and looked at his new appearance.

While the armor was neat and the mask was cool, it was what he didn't see that intrigued him. His scar, the one Lamm had given him that fateful night, was gone. He touched the now-smooth skin of his face, a laugh escaping his lips. "Ha, this is-"

That's as far as he got because the voice was clearly not his own. A deeper voice than his, though surprisingly lacking the gravel that a lower register usually carried. "Whoa. Is... Is this my voice in this thing? Wierd. But interesting. Very, very interesting." Upon further study, it was also a bit slower than his usual cadence. Not enough to be annoying, but just enough that he noticed. He turned back to the mirror in his hand and the reflection of his unblemished face. He pulled back the mask and for a split second, he could see his face again, unscarred and whole.

It only lasted a split second, as the armor and mask literally melted away, leaving only the face he usually saw in the mirror, large scar across his eye and all. He sighed, accepting that the disguise was as transient as the tides. He then turned to look at the rest of the party. "Well, that could have been-" His statement was interrupted as he saw Avrin's transformation and Mordin downing the contents of a vial. "Are you ****** kidding me?!?"

[The_Shaman]

Carla

The half-elf mulls Dirkust's answer. The black void and all the stuff she saw on him could point to something planar being used in it, though she still thinks that it could be hallucination. On the other hand, hallucinations could be influenced by something, so mixing shiver and planar essence... This isinteresting, and she really wants to bounce some ideas off the quirky gnome. If it is reasonably safe, it could be worth trying.

Pondering the implications, she almost misses the moment when two more of the group decide to try it out on their own asses. Bastards be crazy. "And I thought I was reckless. You two feeling okay?" Both of them look different, although neither the lines nor the "presence" from Giggles' case are there. So far, so good, but she cannot shake her concern. This is shiver, for crying out loud, mixed with whatever strange stuff Lamm or his pet alchemist have wrought, and these guys were downing it like Caydenite holy water.

Then she watches Mordin join in on the "fun". She just shakes her head - he had seemed less of a risktaker so far, but apparently he wants to get in on the action.

The look she gives Ardino for his last comment all but screams "That´s my line." without uttering a word, then sighs. "Just out of curiosity," she says with a tinge of bitterness in her voice "does someone happen to have any antivenom or whatever else one needs to use in case of shiver poisoning?"

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Knowledge: Planes or Arcana for trying to interpret the imagery in Dirkust´s vision: (1d20+4)[5], same stats for both skills

[Inspectre]

Gavin can only shake his head as several others join Dirkust in trying out the Shudder.
Somehow, it seems that the group as a whole has Fate watching out for them, as none of the magical transformations seem to go wrong in the way that Giggles did.
Gavin wasn't sure if that was really so reassuring though - it was one thing if the stuff was predictably bad - but it seemed as if its exact effects varied pretty wildly.
Before any more Shudder use could occur, Gavin moved over to the box and removed the last three vials.

"I don't know how fortunate we are that no one has ended up like Giggles yet. But it seems like perhaps we do have some sort of destiny together given something seems to be intervening to prevent what happened to Giggles. And the fact that we got together on this night to kill Lamm and found these vials instead, on the very night his plans went into motion, speaks of a certain good fortune as well. If we're still going to interfere in his plans and whoever is backing him - whether it be Queen Ileosa, Ambassador Andaisin, or both, having these magical disguises might also help keep us out of harm's way."

Gavin tucked one of the vials into his belt, and then walked over to offer one of the two remaining to Carla.

"I'm still not sure that means that the rest of us taking this stuff is a good idea. But there were enough vials for us to each have one, so splitting them up evenly as with the rest of the treasure seems like the right idea. So here you go - it's up to you whatever you decide to do with it. But if you are going to drink it, I think you should drink it here with everyone present, where in the event anything does go wrong the rest of us can keep you from harming yourself or anyone else."

Gavin offers the last vial out to Lady Selancourte.

[THEChanger]

Mordin becomes wreathed in flames as his vial takes affect, and heat flows from his form in waves. The flames obscure his form, so none of you can actually see what is occurring within the inferno. But, similar to the others, there is a shockwave, and the swirling flames dissipate.

Mordin's armor, before a dull gray, has become a brilliant white. Red lines swirl across the armor, which glow slightly, as though they were molten metal. His helm has transformed as well, taking on the shape of a noble bird with a fiery red plume of feathers. Behind him floats the shimmering suggestion of wings made from flame.

Mordin's armor, however, obscures his skin, and so whether or not his skin bears the same lines that Giggles had cannot be seen.

[digiman619]

Ardino takes one step forwards in case sudden action was needed. Mordin's full-body armor blocked all of his skin, so if he had the geometric lines Giggles had, it was impossible to tell. "So Mordin,", Flair asked uncertainly "Are you still you?"

[DaedalusMkV]

Avrin holds up one hand, flexing his fingers and noting the odd tone of his new clothing. He exerts the slightest force of will and faint streamers of electricity begin to arc between his fingers, the air around him stirring slightly in response, then drops the hand and begins speaking. His voice is... Different. He seems to speak in an odd, indescribable accent, somehow familiar while also completely different from any other you've heard. It certainly sounds very little like any of the voices Avrin has adopted until this point. "Hah, I was right. Interesting... As you can see, I'm quite all right. Wonder who the dragon was, though? Connected to Lamm's mysterious artefact, maybe?" He shrugs, the effect rendered somewhat unnerving by the nearly all-concealing jackal mask that peeks out from under his hood, particularly in combination with the strange voice. With a brief chuckle he reaches one hand to his face and, with a flourish, removes the mask. The entire thing seems to dissipate into smoke, or possibly mist, and with a faint crackle of static electricity the cloak does the same. A few moments later he is exactly as he was before downing the flask, save the brief hint of a satisfied smile.

When Mordin takes another of the vials he watches quietly, focusing intently, and nods knowingly once the transformation is complete. "Looks like you get to be the white knight in truth, Sir Mordin." He smiles again. "One after another, it looks like someone's looking out for us. I, for one, look forward to rubbing Lamm's nose in how we turned his big weapon against him. Though, after what I saw... Well, I'm thinking maybe Lamm's the one being used after all." He shrugs again, seemingly entirely at ease. "Once everyone who wants a taste of power is finished, I'd say we've got some unfinished business with Yargin over there. Then, it's time to make some plans."

[Corlindale]

Mordin turns his head towards Avrin, fire and light radiating from his body in waves. His half-mask only covers the top of his face, and a look of determination is clearly evident.

"White knight?"

His voice rings out, louder and clearer than before.

"I am many things. I am Mordin Saendar...thief, thug and murderer. This will always be true. The flames cannot burn away the past. I know that. This will always be part of who I am. However..."

Everything in the room starts shaking slightly. You see the flames of the lanterns and candles flicker as their light is drawn towards Mordin, even the street lamps visible outside the room seem affected. In one burst, all the lights are extinguished and the flames drawn towards Mordin's armored form, making him shine even more brightly. The room becomes significantly warmer.

"...the future is different. It can be forged anew, tempered by the darker flames of the past. I see this now. I understand."

In a final burst of light, it looks like Mordin is melting and exploding at the same time. Suddenly, everything is dark and silent again.

Your hear the sounds of someone tinkering with something, as Mordin relights one of the candles. His face is back to its normal, unpleasant form, although the look of determination remains.

"Ah...sorry about the lights."

[aberratio ictus]

Lady Selancourte

Shocked by Dirkust's imprudence and recklessness, Lady Selancourte had backed away in the door's direction, and as the others ascertained that he, indeed, was still himself, she relaxed slightly - only to tense up again when, one after the other, most of the others... made the foolish decision to follow suit.

Vestis' eyes went wide and she stood with her back to the door, but somehow, everybody managed to keep their wits together. More than that, apparently they were protected by... some divine presence?

"वस्तुओं अपनी जादुई रहस्य का पता चलता है." she whispered, looking at both the last three vials and her changed companions. It was... revelatory. A highly experimental form of the gate spell. There was no way Lamm had stumbled upon that blindly. He had to have been taught by someone.

Delicately, maybe even a bit hesitantly, Vestis took the last vial from Gavin's hands, then put it away safely.
For a moment, she glanced at Gavin and Carla with a look as if to say "so you two are the sensible ones?"

She sighed. "I still doubt parts of that story." she began. "But even supposing it is true that Lady Andaisan orchestrated King Eodred's death for her friend; I would agree with Avrin, in that case, she is at least not backing Lamm any more. Neither is the Queen. In fact, they most certainly want him dead as much as we do." She paused for a moment, looking from Avrin to Gavin. Well, there was still the possibility of a very outlandish plan, but... why resort to something like that, if there were other ways? "Thus, she is none of our concern. Which I am quite happy about, as she is not a woman you would want to cross."

[digiman619]

Ardino nodded at Lady Vestis' words. "While I don't know if I'd say she's 'of no concern', she's clearly something to put on the back burner for now. How do you want to handle him?" He gestures over at Yagrin, who was just starting to stir.

[Inspectre]

As Gavin handed over the vial to Vestis, he considered her thoughtfully.
She hadn't run out the door at Avrin's threat or warning or whatever it was, nor had she fled when everyone started downing the contents of the vials, which was something Gavin would have done if he hadn't felt obligated to stop anyone gone mad from the Shudder to adding to the carnage outside.
Still, things were about to get very messy with Lamm's new status as a revolutionary, and it would be best to be sure.

"Milady . . . could we speak privately outside for a few moments?"

Gavin said quietly, trying to put on his most neutral expression - difficult given he still got the occasional twinge from his cold, tired, water-logged muscles.
His mind eventually figured out that perhaps his request might be misunderstood, and so hastily added, again just barely above a whisper.

"I think it best to discuss your continued safety in the future before things continue any further."

[The_Shaman]

Carla

The half-elf reacts with some surprise at the flask Gaving gives her. Didn't I take one already, she thinks, but accepts it anyway. If this thing is what they say, it might be good to have a spare. The idea that fate is involved with all this strikes her as a bit too easy an explanation, and yet she cannot help but wonder. Yeah, I just want to have superpowers, be able to shoot lightning from my hands, dance with all the boys and take the cutest half a dozen to bed, like in the pulp books. Sure sounds good, but it doesn't meant it's going to happen. She sighs, takes out a rag from her backpack and wraps the flask in it, stowing it carefully.

The thing is, we don't quite know what happened to Giggles. Maybe it didn't work for her. Maybe it works different for half-orcs. Maybe it just looked different. It would be nice if we would all get magical powers at no cost at all, but I'd rather have someone look at it. If it looks okay, I might try it out after that, and hope it doesn't turn me into a gibbering wreck with eyes shooting out of my ass. Or that it doesn't do that to any of you in the meantime, she smirked with a wink. No worries, I will make sure you are around to take a look either way.

Mordin's showy transformation cuts her train of thought, and she watches it with alarm and awe in equal measure. So far it would almost look safe, but she can't shake the felling that there is something about that change that is more than just some planar power and fancy decorations. The thing is... if it is power, and if it is something they can use against Lamm - would she mind taking the risk? She knows the answer to that question already.

Still, it would not hurt to fix the odds before charging blindly. "Well, someone is likely behing Lamm. I'm not sure who, but the less assumptions we make, the less chance of it blowing in our faces. Is that Lady Andaisan guaranteed to still be friends with the queen?"

[aberratio ictus]

Lady Selancourte

She considered Gavin curiously, then nodded slightly. "Very well." His whispered words let her suspect she wasn't going to like what he had to say, but she still went outside with him.

"There are no guarantees like that." she told Carla while leaving. "Still, I find it highly unlikely something changed in their relationship."

[DaedalusMkV]

Avrin nods in response to Lady Selencourte's comments. "You're certainly correct. Even if whoever is leading the conspiracy had no intention of killing Lamm, now that he's gone off on his own and launched his little revolution they certainly can't afford to let him keep breathing. Too much risk he lets something slip, or worse, succeeds and leaves them with nothing." He shrugs slightly. "Anyways, as long as nobody lets slip what we know, it should not be an issue. In the mean-time, we should all keep tight-lipped about all of this."

In response to Carla, he laughs briefly. "No cost? Oh, no, there's a cost. There's always a cost. It was a good deal for me, at least, but that doesn't mean it's the right call for you. If I'm right, it will either do to you what it did to Giggles or what it did for us. There shouldn't be a third option. But I can respect you wanting a second opinion."

Finally, he replies to Ardino. "Honestly? I figure we get a couple of people standing behind me, looking all scary. I tell him the rest of you guys want to eviscerate him for working for Lamm, but I've convinced you to let him live if he tells us everything he knows. He's a slimy weasel who just got abandoned by his boss, he should roll over pretty quick. If not, we can always start cracking fingers or fitting some shackles around his ankles and heading for the river, but... Well, torture's ugly business. You can't rely on anything a man says as soon as you get involved in it."

[Inspectre]

On his way out the door Gavin turns his head to glance at Avrin.

"If Yargin doesn't want to talk, tell him that when we hit Lamm's next base of operations, we'll spread word he told us where to find it. And then we'll set him loose, all patched up.
He may or may not be afraid of us, but I'm quite sure he's afraid of what Lamm will do to traitors. See if he knows anything about Lamm's stash of trinkets - maybe he knows who he stole some of them from,
anything he knows about Lamm's Shudder operation, that tiefling Lamm sold the kid to, and any other friends or places Lamm might be connected to."

Gavin opens the front door to find the rain waiting for him. He sighs and gives the sky a sardonic smile before stepping out into the street, leaving the meager protection of the front stoop for Vestis alone.

"Thank you for agreeing to speak privately, milady. I plan to address the group on this same topic shortly, but due to your station I wanted to speak to you first."

Gavin pauses a moment to ponder his choice of words, and then with a sigh just decides to plow ahead like he usually does.

"Milady, the situation has changed from when we first met here earlier tonight. We are no longer hunting an old man for revenge, we are trying to stop a revolutionary. One who has the money, the plan, and with what's in these vials, quite possibly the power to bring this city to its knees. All he still needs is an army, and from the sound of things if he doesn't have that already he will soon.
Most of the people who got whipped up into a riot tonight, they'll wake up tomorrow with a hangover, swear they'll never do that again, and go back to their lives. But some of them will have gotten a taste for the violence, or think they'll benefit from Lamm's revolution, or maybe they're the sort who just wants to watch this city burn. The point is that those people will follow him, and all Lamm needs now is time to forge them into a proper army - maybe he loses maybe he wins, but either way Korvosa is going to lose a lot more than just a king in the coming days if he's not stopped now."

Gavin points at the home behind Vestis.

"I believe that it was more than coincidence that brought us all together tonight. We're all people who want to see Lamm dead, and we managed to get our hands on his ledger and whatever in the Hells is in these vials. And while it was reckless, four out of the four people who took that stuff didn't end up like Giggles - I have to believe that means something. And that something is that we, together, might be the only ones who can stop Lamm."

Gavin had a feeling that he was starting to lose Vestis's attention with all of this preamble, so he decided to cut to the heart of the matter now. He just hoped Lady Selancourte would actually listen.

"But if we're going to stop Lamm, this group is going to have to do some unpleasant things. We're going to have to take some serious risks. And before we get to that point I want to make sure you actually *want* to be exposed to that. I don't know your reasons for coming here tonight without an entourage or sending a servant in your stead - and I don't need to know. But you don't have to do this if you don't want to - you can go back home and forget about this night. Korvosa needs you and the rest of the nobility to hold it together - now more than ever. We could really use your connections and knowledge - Lamm's backer is still out there, even if he has gone off script. But if you're a part of this you may have to kill someone will your own to hands. You may be seriously injured, killed, or worse -
Lamm will just kill us to be rid of us, but if he realizes who you are he'll probably try to make an example out of you if he can get his hands on you. I can't guarantee your safety from any of that going forward.
And if you're in, you're in until the end - I'm not sure events will allow otherwise once this starts going. But if you don't want that, you can go home. I will still help you find Acele. And you can leave Lamm to us. If that's what you want."

[aberratio ictus]

Lady Selancourte

As Gavin spoke, slowly, a little smile appeared on Vestis' face. It was the smile one would bear if one saw a three-legged puppy dog chasing its own tail, knowing it will fall.
"I appreciate your concern. I really do." she finally said, almost warmly.

"Let us head back inside."

[The_Shaman]

Carla

Carla's smirk softens somewhat into a wry smile. "It's good that you know that, Avrin. It may be a good deal, sure, and I am quite tempted. I'd not rush it right now unless I had a good reason to, though. So, that being done for now, Yargin... I would normally expect him to sing us all his boss' secrets, but I have seen some strange things tonight, and Lamm being hailed as a revolutionary was not the least. In case he does talk, though, then what?"

[Inspectre]

Gavin returned Vestis's smile with his own, relieved one. But as she turned to go, he held up his hand.

"If you are determined to continue, then I do have one strong recommendation to make for your safety - well, two actually."

Gavin chooses his next words carefully, as he strongly suspects despite his good luck so far, Milady probably wasn't going to like what he was going to say next.

"You are a member of the nobility, and a celebrity of some renown owing to your performances in the opera. While I doubt most members of Lamm's army will be able to recognize you on sight, they may recognize your name. Certainly if I keep referring to you as Milady I will be drawing attention to your status. While you are deserving of such respect, it will draw unnecessary attention to you in the places where we will be going in search of Lamm. Therefore, I need to be able to call you something else when we are in such places, and you will need to pretend to be . . . less . . . than your normal station."

Gavin sought for a way to sell this idea, and quickly latched onto what he thought she would understand - it was his best shot anyway.

"Think of it like a role in the opera. The other performers do not reference you as Milady unless your character is of noble birth. In this case, for your safety, you will need to play the role of someone who is . . . most definitely . . . not of noble birth."

Gods dammit, and that had been going relatively well until that last part. Pressing onward, Gavin stumbled his way to his conclusion.

"And so . . . what should I call you . . . in those situations? Would Vestis be acceptable?"

Gavin waits for Vestis's reply, but then holds a hand up with an embarrassed smile.

"Oh yes, the second thing. Milady, if I'm not mistaken . . . that armor you're wearing . . . is that . . . is that the armor you were wearing on stage during your performance of The Gardener of Macini?"

Gavin tries very, very hard to keep the exasperation out of his voice as he continues - this foolishly brave noblewoman was going to get herself killed on Gavin's watch at this rate.

"Mila - Vestis - my second concern is that in future confrontations with Lamm's men, you may come under direct attack. And while your armor is fine in appearance, it is built for the stage and not the battlefield. I am concerned therefore that it will not hold up under repeated blows from a blade, or gods forbid, a crossbow bolt. I know a decent armorer - he used to repair armor used by the guard - who sometimes has suits of armor available for sale. In the morning, I think it would be prudent that we go to his shop and get you outfitted with one of those suits, before, er . . . concerned citizens flood the shop with orders for their own protective gear. In nothing else, at least a proper chain shirt such as I am wearing would be prudent, I think. You could use the proceeds from your share of the money we found to buy it, so that we can continue to be discrete. If necessary, perhaps I could contribute some of my share as well to ensuring you have adequate protection going forward."

Gavin secretly hoped that in the dim light Vestis couldn't see the actual condition of Gavin's chain shirt. While still perfectly serviceable, it like its wearer were not longer shining exemplars of protection. Perhaps while Vestis was looking around, Gavin could get his own armor looked at, assuming they had actually found a sufficient amount of coin for such things. Best keep things moving along before she got a good look.

"Anyway, I've said my peace. Let us rejoin the others and see what Yargin has to say for himself."

Gavin follows Vestis back inside once she's ready, glad to be back out of the cold rain again. He runs a hand through his hair to brush off what water he can at the doorway, and scrapes the fresh grime off of his boots before stepping further inside.

"So, what did we miss?"

He asks the room in general.

[The_Shaman]

Carla

She nods towards the bundled shape that was Yargin. "Not much, I was just saying we should get to him, if everyone who tried that thing was,hmm, feeling normal."

[THEChanger]

The assembled seven hear a groan, as Yargin finishes stirring, and blinks twice. He looks around the room, and then begins to try and struggle against his bonds, before making eye contact with Mordin.

"Who. What. Where. No. I. Mordin? What's going on here? Who are these people? Where are we? Untie me man! Now is no time for jokes!"

[DaedalusMkV]

Avrin walks over to the now-conscious captive, affecting a neutral expression, and crouches down slightly to bring himself closer to face-to-face with Lamm's former second-in-command. He speaks quietly, in a tone neither hostile or sympathetic. "Hello, Yargin. Nice to see you're with us again. See, my friends here, they wanted to kill you. Said that you were a monster and you deserved to be put down." He smiles slightly. "But it doesn't have to go that way. Me, I think you're a reasonable man. I said, he must know something about Lamm. Where he ran off to, where his other hideouts are, where he can be found. And considering Lamm left his best man to die without a second thought, used you as a distraction while he fled the scene, you've obviously got no reason to be loyal to him." Avrin holds out a hand a bit in front of him in a conciliatory gesture. "Everyone's agreed. If you cooperate with us and tell us anything that might be helpful, nothing bad has to happen to you. Otherwise..." He frowns.

"Well, otherwise I've got to let them do what they want. Neither of us wants that."

Spoiler: OOC

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Diplomacy check to convince Yargin to cooperate: (1d20+9)[19]
Bluff check, because Avrin lied about at least one and possibly several things in his statement, including the fact that he really doesn't consider any promises made to Yargin binding right now: (1d20+9)[21]

[Corlindale]

As Avrin finishes his speech, Mordin add a few words in response to Yagrin:

"I don't work for Lamm anymore. If you have any wisdom left, you'll make the same decision. This is not the first time he's abandoned his allies in a heartbeat to save his own, pathetic skin. He does not deserve your loyalty, he gave you none. Now, tell us where that rat's current hiding place is."

Spoiler: OOC

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Trying Diplomacy to aid Avrin: (1d20+4)[6]

[Inspectre]

Seeing the tactic that Avrin was taking, Gavin decided to take the opposite tact. Good guard, bad guard - pretty standard interrogation tactic, although in this case hopefully Yargin was smart enough to realize that there was no arbiters, no courts involved here. There was no limit to how far they could take to carry out their threats here.

"Or . . . you can refuse to help us, play dumb, try to lie to us about what Lamm's up to. That'll make the rest of tonight rather unpleasant for you, but that's just the short term. It's the long term that you should be worried about. Because whether we get anything useful out of you or not, if you piss us off, we're not going to kill you Yargin. Oh, we'll beat the hell out of you - again - if we have to,
but afterwards we'll patch you up good as new. And then we'll turn you loose and find our information some other way. But Yargin, if we have to do that, when we do find out what we want to know, we're going to spread the word that *you* told us. That Lamm's old pal Yargin sold him out. And without a scratch on you, what's he going to believe? What do you think Lamm will do to you? Whaddya think, will he make it quick for his old friend Yargin, or slow and painful for the man he believes sold him out? There's only one way you avoid that Yargin - you tell us everything. Everything we want to know, right here,
right now."

Spoiler: Intimidate

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Technically this is intended as a helping roll to Avrin's diplomacy as it's meant to showcase that Yargin *really* doesn't want Door #2.
Whether it's Intimidate, Bluff, or Diplomacy though, doesn't really matter - Gavin's bonus is the same for all three.

(1d20+7)[25]

[aberratio ictus]

Lady Selancourte

It took all of her well-trained composure and not a small amount of willpower not to viciously roll her eyes at that.
He obviously thought her dense, and she hated that. Now, it wasn't an uncommon occurance in any stratum of society to simply assume a woman's density, especially amongst men who were dense themselves. Usually, she went with a poignant statement that went right over their head - which she greatly enjoyed - and made her escape. Any time spent with those people was lost time.
With Gavin though, well, as long as Lamm wasn't dead and Acele wasn't back with her, she was stuck with him.

"'Vestis' is neither a name that is common around these parts nor a name that is commonly found outside of the nobility. I'll tell you what to call me once the time arrives. Until then, we'll stay with proper forms of adress, if you please, Mr. Dimir. We are not yet in such places." Her tone was fairly distant, and her smile had all but dissappeared.
"Also, I'd rather not wear anything cumbersome like a chain shirt. The breastplate is perfectly serviceable, fairly authentic and offers about as much protection as a real navy officer's armour. It is also quite easily hidden, if that is your concern."

"Now, is that all or are there any other dangers looming that I'm not aware of?"

They headed back inside. As far as Vestis could tell, Avrin had the situation well under control, so she decided to play the role of "the lady in the back". She calmly walked across the room, took Lamm's ledger and took a seat in the back of the room, starting to decipher Lamm's entries.

The "lady in the back" could prove quite discomforting if done for an extended period of time, but it was likely Yagrin was too much preoccupied by those directly interrogating him to really notice. In any case, she was more interested in the ledger's contents, for the moment.

[The_Shaman]

Carla


As it happened, Carla had little difficulty fulfilling the role of the bad guard. The guys were being a bit too wordy, however. This wasn't some passion play. "Oh, for gods' sake. Pussyfoot some more, why don't you?" she shakes her head, face constricted like she just ate a rotten lemon. "Feeling groggy, Yargin?" she said and whipped around, slapping his face hard. "Remember me now? This isn't a joke, and you're in deep ****. Way I see it, you owe me and everyone else here a great debt of pain - far as I'm concerned, you're dead meat waiting to happen. You either point us towards Lamm, or we take it out on you, and I get involved real personal. Lamm might be a right cruel bastard, but I'm here, and for guys like you, I can get inventive."

Spoiler

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intimidate: (1d20+8)[19]