Airship B-38: All Quiet on Darguun Front (IC V1)

[ArmorArmadillo]

Kleris raises an eyebrow, "I think Curra has her own ideas on that front. Once Neru's dropped the kids off on the ship, he can carry the gnoll up."
"By the way," Kleris continues, "getting the kids to New Cyre is important, but we should try to get to a Brelish outpost at some point. Something about this attack seems just...wrong. It's too organized to be mere banditry, but if its any kind of organized attack it seems wrong that they'd attack a defenseless farm."
"Anyway, the sooner we let the brass know the better."

[Morituri]

The children are carried up to the Airship with no incident, and after several moments Neru returns to the scene, ready for his next task.

[ArmorArmadillo]

"Thank you Neru, now, let's get that gnoll up as well." Kleris leads Neru to the gnoll and helps lay his unconcious body over Neru's back, fastening him with several straps. "Alright everyone, I'll see you back on the ship." Kleris hops onto Neru next to the Gnoll, checks that the prisoner is secure, and directs his mount toward the ship.

[Asmodeus]

Fibin

Fibin just follows along, heading back to the ship.

[Morituri]

Helmsman Bostwick stands at the edge of the railing, helping each of you over as you climb aboard and throwing quick salutes as you dust yourselves off and stand ready for the next moment. "The kids are in our meeting room; I put some food and mats in there, they'll be fine. That thing," he says, glancing bitterly at the beaten Gnoll, "can get thrown in a cell. Shackles are in the supply closet."

When the Gnoll is unceremoniously dumped in one of the lower cells, the Helmsman shows the party into his rear navigation room, unrolling a heavy map over a table and sticking a lithe finger on a point about halfway between Sterngate and New Cyre [pg 143, Eberron Campaign Setting]. "Where do you want to go?"

[Admiral Squish]

Curra follows silently behind the group as they toss the gnoll in the holding cells, giving a quick glare to the unconscious figure before following the rest of them to the navigation room. When the helmsman asked their destination, she spoke up. "New Cyre is our first destinination, surely. We can't have children running about loose on the ship, they'll be at too great a risk and they'd be constantly underfoot. If we were aboard a full warship, we might be able to put off their departure a while, but we're not." She said simply, crossing her arms over her chest.

[ArmorArmadillo]

"I think you're right, Curra, but once we drop them off we should move on to an outpost as soon as possible."

[Asmodeus]

Fibin

Fibin nods in agreement. "New Cyre sounds best to me."

[Morituri]

Seeing the general consensus, the Helmsman nods and rolls up his map, saluting with a snap and saying confidently, "Very good Sirs. We should be at the city in three hours at top speed; I shall inform you when we are near." Turning precisely, he marches out of the door and to the head of the vessel, checking his navigational guides and making small corrections before grasping two dragonshards and sending the vessel on a fast straight line toward the horizon.

[Let me know if you want to fast-forward to the City or if you want to 'Interview' the Gnoll/talk with the kids or eachother/etc, and if you want to fast-forward if you do any preparations in the meantime. There is an infirmary for those wounded with several CLW Infinite wands and enough space for basically anything you may want.]

[Admiral Squish]

OOC: I just need a quick CLW, then I want to go have a 'chat' with the gnoll. I'd prefer to RP it, but if everyone else just wants to fast forward, I can make some rolls and call it done.

[Asmodeus]

Fibin

Fibin says "I'll wait for you to get yourself cleaned up, then I'll join you for the 'interview'."

[Admiral Squish]

Curra nods at the gnome, and heads down to the infirmary. Getting a quick heal to cover her relatively minor wound from the axe, then wiping the remainder of the blood from her armor.

((Assume you have a button or something for those of us without UMD.
Healed: (1d8)[7](7)))

"Fibin, if you could grab a wand or two and bring them with us, we'll be able to keep our friend awake for more of our 'interview'." Curra smirked as she headed down to the prison, unhooking a short length of her chain, gripping it just behind the dagger-head for better control.

[ArmorArmadillo]

Kleris looks down for a second, a bit shaken, but throws up his head with a brief rush of confidence, "I'll accompany you Curra. I'd like to....observe."

[Admiral Squish]

"If you insist." Curra shrugged as they headed down to the brig. Outside the door, Curra paused and turned to the tag-alongs. "Remember this: The man in there is guilty of orchestrating the murder of innocent farmers, probably even taking part in it. Once we are inside, you two cannot show pity or remorse for him, lest you spoil the effect. Leave the room if you must, but the less pity is shown, the less he thinks his chance for rescue, and the faster we get the information we need. Understood?" She asked.

[Asmodeus]

Fibin

Fibin says "Maybe we can play Good Inquisitive, Bad Inquisitive." and gives a soft chuckle before he turns serious. He turn his visage stern and readies himself to go in.

"Ready when you are, Curra. I'll follow your lead."

[ArmorArmadillo]

Kleris looks forward solemnly"I understand what you're going to do Curra. Frankly, I don't approve, but I'm not going to stop you." He shrugs. "That said, I'm not going to simply hide in a different room and pretend I can deny involvement. If something goes on in this ship, I'd like to know what it is."

[Admiral Squish]

Curra's face becomes an expressionless mask as she turns to the door of the brig and opens it loudly, striding in like she owned the place, dragging the blunt end of her chain's daggerlike head across the bars of the gnoll's cage to make a disconcerting grating noise as she crosses to the cell door. "Good morning. I assume you remember me well enough, vermin, so I won't need to make introductions." She began cooly as she went for the lock.

[Asmodeus]

Fibin

Fibin will enter behind Curra, and walk over to a nearby table. He'll make sure the gnoll can see what he's doing as he starts to pull out various tools from his haversack, devices which he hopes will conjure the image of torture, even though he secretly hopes they won't need to be put to such a purpose. Pliers, hammer, lock-picking utensils, and the like.

[Morituri]

[Don't know where Squidman is; we can give him some time yet.]

The interior of the Daggerswift is well lit though criss-crossed with shadows; the open windows and grates leave pillars of almost tangible light in your wake as you climb down the steep stairs and open the hatch to the rear cells. You can smell the Gnoll before you ever see him, an overpowering yet familiar scent of wet fur mixed with sweat and locked in a room for hours. He catches sight of you the same moment you catch sight of him, and the air fills with a low growl and the small sounds of chains clinking against one another.

The Gnoll is most definitely awake in his cell now. The shackles bind his arms tightly behind his back and hobble his steps, and he stays in his half laying position against the floor as you all approach the cells and begin to toggle the lock. His voice is an airy hiss, saying coolly, "Light Meat. Dark Meat. It is good to be me, is it not, to have such food come to me?"

[Admiral Squish]

"I think you may find you've bit off more than you can chew." She replied, finishing the lock and striding in. A fluid motion slid a hand behind her back, and the masterwork dagger from the human's belt darted out, thudding into the wooden floor an inch from the Gnoll's nose. "Recognize it? We took it off your friend after we killed him. Good quality, nice workmanship. Weapons like this don't come cheap. Who was paying you two?" She asked as she pulled it out from the notch.

[ArmorArmadillo]

Kleris walks inside and leans against a wall. He folds his arms and stares intently at the Gnoll.

[Morituri]

Flinching back as the dagger hits the wood, the Gnoll tries at first to unsuccessfully focus on the blade, then turns a confused look at Curra after hearing her question. After a few seconds of uncertainty, a sudden look of realization crosses the Gnoll's eyes and he barks out in laughter. "You think we partners with a pinkie? No no. I not know who paying him, but I know it was him who was paying me. I work for him and his people, not with, never with pinkie food."

[Admiral Squish]

"So, he's paying you. Bad news for you. See, I was looking to get information from you. But if you're just a paid mook, then I don't have much of a reason to keep asking questions instead of simply skinning you and getting a new rug. Of course, if you did know something useful, we might be able to come to some sort of agreement." Curra added, twirling the masterwork knife delicately between her fingers, her face completely serious.

[Morituri]

Parting his lips and sneering through pointed fangs, the Gnoll hisses, "Come close to me with that knife and I will bite the fingers from the hand holding it. The pinkie never gave his name, none of them. Our Elder spoke with theirs and made a deal for us to come to these lands and do the fighting what was needed. They do not say why, they do not say much, these pinkies."

The Gnoll rolls to his knees and props himself up into more of a sitting position, never moving quickly or threateningly and keeping his dark eyes on the group the entire time. Now somewhat upright, he leans his back against the rear cell bars and tilts his head. "What kind of information do you be looking for? The pinkies no say much, but that no mean I no know things I not supposed to. I tell things to you pinkies about they pinkies, you let me go free, yes?"

[Remember to roll Bluff/Sense Motive/Intimidate/Diplomacy/etc as appropriate.]

[Admiral Squish]

Curra scowled. This one had spirit. Never a good thing when trying to terrify him. She considered throwing the dagger into his thigh to knock his attitude down a peg, but decided she'd let him talk for now. She walked slowly back and forth in front of him, still fluttering the dagger around in her hand. "That's not how this game works, pooch. You answer our questions like a good little prisoner, and maybe we'll let you go with all your limbs intact. You try to lie to us, I get a new rug. We clear on this concept?" She asked, in a way that wasn't really a question. "Your first question." She continued, not bothering to wait for an answer. "Why did your boss kill the farmers?" She asked, suddenly, turning to face him, glaring slightly.

Intimidate: (1d20+11)[11](22)
Bluff: (1d20+9)[16](25)
and since my next action will depend on it, sense motive on his reply: (1d20)[1](1)

OOC: How would you handle intentionally limiting the damage of an attack? Aiming for nonvitals, or just nicking him with the dagger to help make my point? Also, is there some sort of circumstance bonus for having nearly killed him earlier in the day, a well as being currently armed?

[Morituri]

[No worries; you're getting a fair couple of +2 Circumstantials on the Intimidation checks . As for damaging him with weapons, the kind of treatment you're describing sound pretty Subdual to me, unless you're wanting to go full-on Book of Vile Darkness.]

The Gnoll shrinks back at Curra's words, hugging tighter against the bars and trying to avoid the Drow's eyes. Curra naturally believes this is due to her having lit the creature's inner passions somehow [Gods bless Nat 1s], though the rest of you realize that it's merely scared s***less at the moment and is likely to start being more helpful should anyone have any questions for him. Staring at a knot in the floor, he hisses, "My boss kill the farmers because his boss tell him to. Because he following orders. Why those orders? I no know." Glancing back up at the party, "You find pinkie map? You see other farms draw on it? We told to go to them after, kill and burn just like first. Noone say why to any of the packs get sent out."

[Admiral Squish]

Oh, god. He's a masochist. She thought , straightening up slightly, trying not to show her disgust through her cool mask of disinterest. Or he's got a thing for powerful women. Maybe both. Ew. I guess stabbing him isn't an option. Creepy bugger. But through her revulsion, she caught something, possibly of importance. "Packs?" She asked. "More than one of you was sent out. Where are the others? Where were they headed?" She asked, fighting to keep the urgency sneaking into her voice, a sinking feeling in her gut. More than one. They could be raiding the other towns as they spoke... She turned away, not letting him see the look of concern that flitted across her features before they hardened once more. "I suggest you speak quickly. My patience is growing thin." She finished, and the dagger darted faster in her grip, giving the impression of impatience, or perhaps eagerness to go to work.

Intimidate: (1d20+11)[11](22)
Bluff: (1d20+9)[7](16)
Sense motive: (1d20)[15](15)
[On a side note, I am now quite disturbed. Thank you SO much for that image.]

[Morituri]

Visibly gulping at the sight of the rapidly moving blade, the Gnoll slowly shakes his head, hissing, "The little bosses had the maps. They not show us, they not speak to us." Glancing at Curra's darkening face, the Gnoll could tell this wasn't enough, so after considering for a moment he continued, "There not many packs, and only small one. This side of mountains, only one pack big as mine with muscle, and they guarding camp. Others just horses and riders, good to see, not good to fight."

[Admiral Squish]

The blade seemed to calm down, as relief washed over her behind her masked face. "You're obviously not the only one in your pack. What are the rest of your packmates doing? Are they out raiding as you were?" She continued the line of questioning, pressing for more.

Intimidate: (1d20+11)[14](25)
Bluff: (1d20+9)[1](10)
Sense Motive: (1d20)[6](6)

[Asmodeus]

Fibin

Havning not heard of any map from his companions, Fibin suspects the gnoll is lying about it. "Curra, did you find such a map when you searched the body?

(turning to the gnoll) What about the Ogres? We are a long way from Droaam. Did you bring them along or did the pinkie?"