Deophaun's Savage Tide IC

[Lightning Fast]

Naith

Happy with the information on Vanthus the one eyed elf settles down with a bottle of rum and a haunch of jungle lizard as she waits for Jack to return. Seeing him enter the dubious bar she raises the bottle and nods to the empty spare glass.

"Aye Jack. How did it go? I didn't have squat on Vark but got a lead on Vanthus down the shore front at a fishing shop.how did you go? Thinking Vark is a bastard who we can gut for platinum so do him first as Miss Lavinia will pay uswell finding her brother. "

"What a coincidence!" Jack replies, "All I got about Vanthus was that everyone thinks he's staying at Vanderboren Manor as of about a week ago; before then, he'd be seen here and there, but nothing extraordinary or specific. But Vark? He's been doing some shady deals at the Painted Vixen, a seedy brothel in the Merchant District."

[DrK]

Naith

Naith downs the rum and nods to to the door. "Come on Jack, let's away to the Vixen and rescue Taen's bag"

[bcool999]

Soren

After eating with the others, Soren accompanies Taen on his shopping venture.

[Lightning Fast]

Naith

Naith downs the rum and nods to to the door. "Come on Jack, let's away to the Vixen and rescue Taen's bag"

"Indeed," Jack agrees. "Maybe after we visit the prostitutes, we can catch Vark," he jokes.

[Deophaun]

Niath and Jack arrive at the Painted Vixen to follow up on any information regarding Vark. One thing Niath recognizes almost immediately is that Jack was not telling the truth at all: seedy does not describe the Vixen, especially after braving Shadowshore's offers.

Its entry is not shy at all about its nature--natural for a business attempting to sell itself to new visitors to the city--with several "greeters" outside to attract lonely passerbys with bulging coin purses. But the interior is more refined, decorated with small statues of nudes several of which hold glass orbs that provide fire-less light. The top foot or so of the walls is covered in a long bas relief of polished oak that continues the artistic theme. Divided into multiple segments, each section is marked with a number and shows two or more figures in erotic poses.

Shortly after Naith enters, she's sized up by an older woman who you assume is the Vixen's madam. "Sorry honey," she says. "If it's work you want, I hear maybe Kylie's clientele is more into cyclopes."

After the opening pleasantries are over, you get around to asking about Vark. Without any prying at all, the madam hands you a key and points to the stairs. "Top floor. Second door on the right."

Spoiler: Jack

Show

The motion doesn't strike you as entirely natural; almost like a reflex more than a conscious act.

At any further pressing, she just repeats her directions. "Top floor. Second door on the right. How many times do I have to say it?"

You are allowed to ascend the stairs without any escort. The top of the building is arranged in a star pattern with six doors. Counting two clockwise, you insert the key and open the door...

...to a covered balcony high, high above a strange shoreline devoid of all buildings or sounds of what should constitute the city below.

As you are about to step back from the sudden change in scenery, the sound of clattering porcelain rings up the stairs. You turn to see a young half-elven girl holding a tray with a tea set. "It's okay. It happens to lots of people their first time," she smiles. "All the rooms up here are like that. Well, not like that, but like that. Number four is a clearing--in the Eldeen Reaches, I think--on the clearest moonlit night. Siberys is so close I can just reach up and touch it. I sometimes like to sneak in and pretend I'm far away. When it's not occupied, of course!"

Remembering herself, she continues. "Go on in, before the tea gets cold."

Following her instruction, you step onto the balcony. There is a low table with two cushions on either side that you eventually settle on. The girl gently lays the tray on the table and kneels between you. The set consists of two cups, a tea pot, a bowl, and a covered serving tray.

"I am Sylina and I will be attending to you today," she says, bowing to each of you before she fills your cups with a pleasantly aromatic brew. "I understand you are looking for someone. Please," Sylina motions to the serving tray while still holding the tea pot. Lifting up the cover, you see a cut blue gem, it's value unknown to either of you. "Accept that as your answer, for the alternative..."

Sylina places her left hand over the bowl and, before you can stop her, begins to pour the scalding hot water over it. She gives a blood curdling scream as the water flows, but makes no move to pull her hand back, even resisting any attempt to pry the tea pot away. When it ends, her left hand is red and horribly blistered. Sylina continues to scream and cry from the searing pain.

[Lightning Fast]

“I assure you, beautiful, you’re the only person I’m-- WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Jack jumps back as he watches the boiling water pour over the poor girl’s hand, her screams causing him to shiver. He wrenches the teapot away as soon as he's able to prevent Sylina from harming herself further. He turns to Naith, simply and utterly baffled and confused as to what to do next. Panicking, he turns back to Sylina, then to Naith, then back to Sylina again. “Why are you--?! How did you know we--?!” Jack holds his tongue, taking in a deep breath to calm himself down. “I don’t know what they do to the girls here, and that’s none of our business. But if you do know why we’re here, not that I know how you know why we're here...” An idea pops up in his head, almost spontaneously. It’s a bit of a stretch, but perhaps he’s onto something: “... Then you might know what the bastard did to Mera.”

Jack lets out a sigh, placing his hands on his lap and looking down at his knees as he shakes his head. I was gonna have a tumble when we were done, but not until I can tell if the whores are fully... lucid. Nice place, though.

[DrK]

Niath

The pirate follows Jack into the Vixen looking about with interest. At the mention of "Cyclops" it's only Jack's restraining hand on her arm that stops her lashing out and knocking the whore's teeth out. Heading upstairs she looks around in the surprise at the sudden change in scene, a muttered "Bit upmarket for Vark? Like a man with platinum in his pocket eh?"

---

As the escort enters Niath looks her up and down appraisingly. Even more interesting is the large blue hem before she steps back - "Crazy, what in the name of the host is wrong with you."

She watches the burnt hand before kicking over the tea pot shattering it on the floor. "Ate, that'll sting love. Is that a threat then lady. Take the gem or get burnt?" Looking at Jack she looks around again more carefully before looking at the girl. "Where be Vark. We have a score to settle."

[Deophaun]

Sylia's screams settle down while placed under interrogation by Jack and Niath; although short bursts of nonsense between rapid, shallow breaths are her primary answers. Neither can get her to focus for long on their questions while she shivers on the floor.

Spoiler: Niath

Show

Heal check=17

At some point, you have seen this reaction to an injury before. It frequently ends with the person's death.

"What is going on here!" The commotion has obviously attracted attention as the Vixen's madam stands in the doorway, flanked by two warforged holding truncheons.

****Elsewhere****

While stopping by a nearby tavern to wet his whistle (due to the Vanderboren Manor still suffering a drought of alcohol), one of you notice the keeper glance at you and then give a nod to someone. Before you can make a hasty retreat, a half-elf with unkempt black hair in a ragged suit of leather armor approaches you nervously, a pair of dirty hands clasped at his front. "You work for that Vanderboren woman, yes?" he asks in little more than a whisper. "I hear she's had people looking for a fellow named Vanthus. I might be able to help, if the price is right."

[Lightning Fast]

Jack, raising his hands at the entry of the warforged with all-too-familiar beating-sticks, raises his hands to show he isn't holding any weapons, then slowly stands, hoping the authorities don't recognize him. Unlikely, since he almost always goes about his business in disguise, and changelings don't often have any particularly defining features. Best to reveal just enough information to get out of here unscathed: Jack didn't trust the authorities to return what was rightfully owed to them after they caught Vark. Putting on a tone of panic (well, it was more actual panic), he tried to make his and Niath's case: "We were just having a chat about possibly paying with this gem, and Sylla, she poured some tea on her hand, and..." Jack looks down at the panicking half-elf, "Oh gods, I think she's going into shock! Is there a cleric on the premises?!" The segue was an attempt to distract the madam (though mostly the guards) from their own being seemingly at fault, but Jack was genuinely concerned for the half-elven woman's well-being.

Bluff: (1d20+8)[12]

[Arkrite]

Taen Kobak

Taen considers the man carefully, lifting his mug with his right hand he takes a quick drink to buy himself a second to think.

He leans back and sets his mug on the table, "And what's the right price?"

He was looking to haggle, and he was going to let the other man make the first move. He didn't mind paying for info, and even upping the amount if the guy was right, but he wasn't rich and he trusted grubby half-elf as far as he could throw him.

[Cardea]

Flockfeather continues to grab and swallow his drink, doing his best to keep the noise of his beak to a minimum. He follows up Taen's question up with his own. "Do we make you nervous, or is someone else making you nervous?"

[DrK]

Jack, raising his hands at the entry of the warforged with all-too-familiar beating-sticks, raises his hands to show he isn't holding any weapons, then slowly stands, hoping the authorities don't recognize him. Unlikely, since he almost always goes about his business in disguise, and changelings don't often have any particularly defining features. Best to reveal just enough information to get out of here unscathed: Jack didn't trust the authorities to return what was rightfully owed to them after they caught Vark. Putting on a tone of panic (well, it was more actual panic), he tried to make his and Niath's case: "We were just having a chat about possibly paying with this gem, and Sylla, she poured some tea on her hand, and..." Jack looks down at the panicking half-elf, "Oh gods, I think she's going into shock! Is there a cleric on the premises?!" The segue was an attempt to distract the madam (though mostly the guards) from their own being seemingly at fault, but Jack was genuinely concerned for the half-elven woman's well-being.

Bluff: (1d20-1)[8]

Niath looks at the madam as she walks in with the pair of heavy looking warforged. "Like my friend here said. She spilled the tea on her hand. Careless like. We were up for information not play today." Looking at the girl she shrugs a little. "You told us Vark was up here. Where is he eh?". She doesn't draw weapons or act provocatively but is clearly on edge.

Spoiler: Aid another

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Aid another (1d20-1)[8]

[Deophaun]

“Top floor. Second door on the right,” the madam says when Niath asks about Vark.

When Jack mentions a gem, the madam puts her hand out. “I don’t know what happened here, but I know healing costs. Give me that gem if you don’t want me calling the guard on you. Then get out. If you ever darken my establishment again...” She lets the sentence trail off, leaving the consequences to your imagination.

The madam motions to one of the warforged, who moves forward and past the two of you. It picks the shivering Sylina up and carries her out of the room.

*****Meanwhile, at the Tavern*****

“Nervous? Oh, yes, very. Dangerous business trading in secrets. There are all sorts that don’t want Shefton spilling the beans. Which is why I am sure you will make it worth my while. One hundred gold is a bargain for the risk I’m taking, yes?”

[bcool999]

Soren

After a day of browsing the markets with Taen, and picking up a couple of potions just in case, Soren decides to treat his favorite cleric to a pint or two in gratitude of his earlier prayers. So it was rather curious that a Khoravar, seemingly down on his luck, would suddenly approach them with news on Vanthus.

"Why don't we sit and order drinks first? I haven't had many chances to drink or sit today after all." Soren says before leading the others and the bedraggled Khoravar to a private table,
"I could be convinced to part with such a sum, but before you tell me where you believe Vanthus is tell me, one Khoravar to another, how did you come by this information?"

Spoiler: Sense Motive:

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(1d20+4)[6]

[Deophaun]

"My old man was a smuggler, he was. Used some old hidden tunnels to aid his deliveries, tunnels that were forgotten to most everyone. Except me. My old man told me. I heard Vanthus was a man of means who could use such a place. He promised to pay me well for what I had. As you can see," Shefton opens his arms to show off his shoddy clothing, "only one of us lived up to their side of the bargain.

"Now I hear Vanthus's rich sister is looking for him. 'She can pay me what Vanthus promised,' I think to myself. So, here I am."

[DrK]

Niath

The elf looks at the madam, confused but shrugs and accepts the out. "Hey. Leave the gem, let the girl be healed. We just walked into the wrong room. Gods know who she was expecting but its a nasty business eh?" She nods towards the direction that the madam had pointed and mutters under her breath to Jack. "If this is how the wealthy entertain themselves then its a strange thing eh? Come on, lets head into the right room."

[Lightning Fast]

Jack nods to the frustrated madam. "Apologies. We didn't mean to cause problems, just trying to catch a dangerous criminal." Somewhat chagrin to just let the gem go, Jack exits following Niath. "Something's not quite right with these girls... I think it could be magical..." he whispers to her as quietly as he can, "We just went into the second door on the right, though, just like the madam told us... didn't we?" The changeling scratches his chin. "I don't like this place one bit, Niath. Call it a hunch, but I think there's something very sinister going on here."

[Arkrite]

Taen Kobak


"So basically Vanthus left you high and dry, and you're looking to get some back pay with your pay back?" Taen says, taking a drink from his mug as he examined the man, trying to judge his motives.

"Fair enough, you lead us to where he is and if we find him I'll give you twenty five on the spot, with the rest when we take him to see his long lost sister."

Sense Motive (1d20+8)[20]

[Deophaun]

Taen notices the light of greed spark up in Shefton's eyes when Flockfeather remarks on the grimy fellow's nervousness.

"Fifty now," Shefton says. "Fifty when I take you to where Vanthus is. What happens after is your business, not mine. Unless you wish to sweeten the deal."

[Arkrite]

Taen Kobak

"Fifty gold?" Taen laughs as he sips his ale, almost spitting some on the table.

"So, I'm supposed to give a filthy stranger off the street fifty gold on faith that he might lead us to some guy we're looking for?" Taen shakes his head, "Even if I was rich enough to be rolling in that much money, I'd have be a fool throw away money on a man who says the name of the man everybody knows we're looking for."

"Five now. The other twenty when you lead us to him," He sets the mug down, "The rest after we get him back."

[Lightning Fast]

Jack exits the brothel and heads back to rendevouz with the rest of the group, Niath in tow.

"You know, I can't help but feel as though I'm missing something I'd be real good at." He mutters to himself, taking on the face of a bulky half-orc. "Let's get back to Taen. See if he's gotten up to anything interesting."

(OOC: Buying a Sap for 1 GP. Might get some clothes later, since I've got a plan in mind for finding Vanthus.)

[bcool999]

Soren

Holding his hands up in an attempt to placate his healer friend, Soren says, "Taen, don't you think your words are too harsh on the man? He has just run into a bit of ill fortune recently and is attempting to turn his luck around. Who better to help him navigate fickle fate than you, a devotee of Olladra, and I, a man recently indebted to the lady of luck?" Turning to Shefton, Soren continues saying, "Here's what I propose, you set up a place to meet when you have made preparations to lead us to Vanthus, we will go gather up our mates for the task of bringing Vanthus home. Once we reconvene, I will pay you your fifty gold, and after confirming Vanthus's appearance with our own eyes, I will provide the remaining fifty gold, and, as a bonus, a letter of introduction to some relatives I know working for House Lyrander. Play your cards right and you will have a pouchful of coin to get cleaned up, carouse a touch, and when you start to notice the coin running low, a chance at gainful employment."

[Deophaun]

“See, this fine man understands the value of my information and what I risk in bringing it,” he says, raising a mug of cheap grog to Soren. “Meet me at the southern most dock in Shadowshore on the morrow and I will take you to Vanthus.”

After Soren pays Shefton the fifty coins promised, the half-elf drains whatever’s left in his mug and departs.

The next day you meet him at the appointed dock just after sun rise. He has what to some eyes—including, apparently, Shefton’s--might be mistaken for a boat. To the sailors among you, it’s more a collection of splintered wood and rotting timbers. How it hasn’t taken water and gone to the depths of the bay only the Nine know. Nevertheless, Shefton beckons you on and boards with confidence along with a disquieting amount of complaining from the planks. Somehow, you screw your courage and follow suit.

Shefton pilots the craft, as it were, to a nearby rock in the bay called Parrot Island. The majority of its coastline is surrounded in cliffs thirty feet tall, save for a narrow beach on the eastern end. There, you disembark as the dirty half-elf leads you along a path through what is best described as a small but dense jungle until you reach a small clearing. There is some indication of recent activity with wooden supports and a rope. Shefton points your attention to a large stone in the ground. “There. Underneath are Vanthus’s tunnels.” He bends down and tries to lift it, and with some assistance from you moves it aside, revealing a dark shaft that descends into the island.

“I’ve held my part of the bargain,” he says. “I’ll take the rest of my coin now.”

[DrK]

Niath

The half elf looks at the boat with a snort but in deference to the work her friends did in securing the ride she manages to hold her tongue and endure the leaking and wet ride out to the small island. Looking around she nods at the small island "Looks well used here to me eh?
A popular smuggling hole is this?" Looking down the hole she looks at the others "anyone think to bring some rope? Hold here as well, I'll look about. best to not be disturbed here eh?"

Spoiler: Perception

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(1d20+5)[23]

[Lightning Fast]

Jack is almost late to show up to the designated meeting spot. And when he does, he is in a rather intricate disguise: his padded leather armour has been fit around what appears to be a simple dress, and his face resembles a comely young woman. The changed face is not unusual for him, but the greater ensemble indicates something unique about this particular plan.

Only all debts have been settled (Jack pays them if nobody else is willing) and Shefton has left does he begin to shift his face and figure to their final form. By the time he is finished re-contorting himself, he is the spitting image of Lavinia Vanderboren. "I figured that Ol' Van would go easy on his sister, hmm?" the impostor says, still fooling about with the pitch of his voice to get it perfect as he takes out his sap, "It should go without saying that we should avoid bloodshed if possible."

"Sadly, I didn't bring a rope with me. I try to travel light."

[Arkrite]

Taen Kobak

Taen looks at the half-elf demanding payment, then leans over to Soren and whispers with a grin, "Two gold says he's taking us on a wild goose chase, and runs off with your money."

Taen gave Jack another funny look, really not sure how to handle the fact that his scoundrel friend was now hidden behind the facade of an attractive upright young lady.

The only reasonable solution involved a lot of drinking.

"I've got some rope in my bag," He offers as he pulls his backpack off his back.

After retrieving the rope and tying it off he pulled his backpack back on and looked at the others, "I might as well go first. I've got the most armor on."

And, he thought to himself, that way I can't crush anybody if I slip.

[bcool999]

Soren

"Sheldon, Sheldon, Sheldon," Soren says shaking his head, "The agreement I made with you was 50 gold before you take us to Vanthus, which I have paid, and 50 gold 'when I have confirmed Vanthus' appearance with my own eyes'. As likely that it may be that Vanthus is in fact hiding in these tunnels, it does not fulfill the agreement we came to last night. So to get the rest of your gold I am afraid you'll have to come along and join us spelunking."

[Deophaun]

“That’s perfectly good rope, right there,” Shefton says, pointing to the coil tied to the supports. “Used it myself. But I can’t say I blame you. Tough to know who to trust these days.”

“I ain’t getting involved with you and Vanthus. The missus has given me my payment. Now, I be assuming you won’t be swimming back to shore,” he says, sizing up Taen’s armor. “So I’ll wait up here for your return.”

[DrK]

Niath

The one-eyed elf stares at the vagrant. "You cause any trouble I'll be sticking you hard with a knife eh?" He glances across at the man heading down the hole. "I'll follow you down. Anyone got some light as I'm reckoning it'll be dark down there." She looks down the hole ad begins to follow shimmying down the hole. At the bottom she pulls out a large chunk of gel and drops it into a strange holder and pours in some water. The cube of gel suddenly flaring into light as the hearthfire gel glows a shimmering blue.

[Deophaun]

You lower yourselves down, one by one, into the darkness. The pit descends 30’. Niath’s lantern illuminates the slick, brick-lined walls and the small square chamber at the bottom. A tunnel snakes off to the west, cutting north after maybe a dozen feet.

Niath, being the untrustworthy sort, doesn’t take her eyes off of Shefton who stands watch at the top of the shaft. When Jack is halfway down, Niath spots the shifty half-elf draw a blade and move towards the rope. She shouts a warning in time for Jack to look up and see the danger. Before Shefton can complete his treachery, Jack drops the rest of the way and lands safely on his/her own two feet.

At that point, you see Shefton freeze suddenly. You swear you see his face go pale and he turns his head as if to look at someone behind him. His body slumps, and falls into the shaft, plummeting the thirty feet and landing with a sickening crunch before you. Shefton is clearly dead, but you suspect it wasn’t the fall, but the clear stab wound in his side that did him in.

The falling rope calls your attention back to the top of the shaft. A familiar looking face has taken Shefton’s position, peering down at you. It takes a while for you to place it, as you’ve never seen the man in person. But, he bears a striking resemblance to the painting Lavinia stood in front of when you first met her.

“My dear, beloved sister, always bringing in strays,” the man says. “And what a pathetic pack this is. Best to off the whole lot before they bring in the mange and I have to burn the place just to get rid of the fleas.”