The Scouring Of Gate Pass

[Duke of URL]

Your instructions are simple: Meet up with a Cleric named Torrent and find a way to get her out of Gate Pass, along with information vital to the Resistance's plans. You are to meet her at the Poison Apple Pub just before midnight on the eve of the New Year. Enter through the alley door.

(( Those of you who are natives or long-time residents of Gate Pass are aware that the Poison Apple Pub has been closed down since its owner was arrested. ))

The people of the city know an army is on the way, so the streets are fairly deserted and normal festivities muted, letting you travel unmarked and unmolested. The pub is in a poorer district about a mile from the western city wall, filled with slush-covered cobblestone streets and dark, snow-filled alleyways. The evening is dark and claustrophobic, the multistory buildings of the city looming in the night, no lights in most windows.

The pub is a two-story building attached by a rooftop bridge to a neighboring house. The door and windows are boarded up, and the curtains drawn. A notice has been posted on its door:

“Trehan Finner, owner of the Poison Apple Pub, has been taken into temporary custody under the protection of the city guard, until such time that he can be questioned by representatives of the Ragesian Empire, and found innocent of hostile collusion. The Poison Apple Pub is hereby closed until further notice.”

[harmonictempest]

Norven Arroway, human wizard

Ye gods, this is exciting.. Above average height with bright green eyes and black hair, Norven gratefully buttons up his recently purchased thick wool coat against the bitter night air as he approaches the tavern, humming tunelessly to himself. Too bad there's no way to get on that roof - the best way would be to come in through the door they least expect, but I'd probably make a fool of myself trying to climb up to that footbridge. Ah well, dramatic entrances through the front door work fine as-- Seeing the notice posted on the door and quickly recognizing it, Norven casually turns away and continues walking down the street. Right...we were supposed to use the alley, weren't we. After circling back around another block until he's convinced he's shaken off any pursuers in true adventuring fashion, Norven cautiously approaches the alley door, knocking quietly before easing it open.

[Duke of URL]

The door does not budge, but shortly after you knock, the door opens a crack and you can see a female face peeking out, checking that the coast is clear, and then beckoning you inside.

(( More details as additional folks show up ))

[Moofin Bard]

Leiah Wolfsbane, Half Elf Druid

A young half elf looks around while walking up to the condemned pub. She sees the sign on the front door and knows what it says without looking at it. That poor guy... She makes a waving motion with her hand and a small fox comes out of the shadows to her. The alley entrance. It should be in the alley. They walk carefully around to the side where they see the other door. Leiah tries to push open the door without knocking. It's not like anyone's there who doesn't know we're coming.

[The Bushranger]

Andromeda Russkij, (mostly) Human Bard

A fairly tall, slender figure slips through the night in the direction of the Poison Apple Pub. It pauses outside the door and reads the note, the moonlight revealing it to be a young female human...although with dusky skin and striking white hair, completely out of place for her age.

She shakes her head, her icy blue eyes sad as she turns to head for the alleyway.
It's a sad thing that people will do these kind of things to other people, for no better reason than because they can...
When she reaches the alley, she spots someone else attempting to open the door.
Good evening.

[Moofin Bard]

Leiah Wolfsbane

With her hand on the door, Leiah is disturbed by someone talking to her. She and the fox turn around to look at the same time. Leiah takes in the features of the other woman. Strange. That color hair and skin is not usually seen on humans... She shakes her head of the thought and smiles.

"Good evening. I'm assuming you are also here for the delivery mission?"

[Weezer]

Zosimus, Human Warblade

Zosimus, a tall human with brown hair and eyes who is dressed in a serviceable surcoat with the emblem of the city emblazoned on it, approaches the door spying the two people outside of it. Move along inside, there is a reason we are meeting in a closed pub he says in an admonitory tone before entering the pub himself.

[The Bushranger]

Andromeda

Leiah gets a smile in reply, but a faint one, the kind of smile that indicates the person smiling doesn't allow their emotions to show freely.
Indeed I am. Andromeda Russkij, and you would be?
At this point the warblade makes his brusque way past, which merits the raise of an eyebrow.
I suppose he does have a point...

[Duke of URL]

When the warblade tries to open the door, he finds it is locked.

[The Bushranger]

Rommie

A hint of amusment crosses Andromeda's face as the door fails to open.
Allow me, if you please good sir?
She steps forwards and knocks on the door, gently yet firmly.

[Duke of URL]

The door opens and a whispered voice invites you inside.

Your host is a human female, as tall and strong as the typical warrior. She is a distinctive looking woman with tanned skin and short white hair. Under a dark winter coat she wears a breastplate decorated with blue wave-like etchings, and a holy symbol to a sea god is tied to her wrist with a leather cord. Her demeanor is smooth but forceful, like an ocean wave.

She gestures casually to a table where she has set up a lamp, a map, several mugs, and a small keg of beer. “The name's Torrent. Thanks for coming,” she says. “Have a drink. Just because we’re about to go to war doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the new year.”

The darkened pub is mostly empty now, its many tables and chairs pushed to one wall and covered with sheets. A single table sits in the middle of the room, with enough chairs for all of you. A small oil lamp and a keg sit on top of it, along with several mugs. At the back corner of the common room beside the bar, a staircase leads upstairs. The windows and door facing onto the street are closed, and you know they have been boarded up from the outside. On the wall behind the bar hangs a bronze bust of the former emperor of Ragesia, Drakus Coaltongue, a regal, aged half-orc with a scar cutting diagonally across his face. You and Torrent are the only people in the room.

Torrent sits down with a mug of beer, seeming content for the moment for everyone to make small talk before getting down to business.

The Map:

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[Moofin Bard]

Leiah

Leiah nods her head at the warblade. He is right. It is not safe to dally around like this. She then turns back to the bard, Andromeda.

"I am Leiah Wolfsbane."

She ducks past the doorway and into the pub. The fox follows close behind her. This place looks different without people in it... she notes. She sits down in a chair and the fox curls up beside her. She takes a glass and fills it with beer from the keg. The woman was right. Grave circumstances shouldn't stop them from celebrating.

[The Bushranger]

Rommie

It is a pleasure to meet you all.
Andromeda introduces herself to the others present, then accepts the offer of a drink.
Afterwards she quietly sips it while she studies the map.

[harmonictempest]

Norven

Spinning the chair around in an intentionally overt way, Norven sits down with the chair facing the wrong way, resting his arms on the back of the chair (which is between him and the table) as he raises his glass. To a New Year, and may it bring success and fortune to you all. After sipping a bit from the glass, he adds So, what brings you all to the Resistance? My motives are obvious, as a mage myself, but what of you?

[The Bushranger]

Rommie

An eyebrow is slightly raised at the wizard's antics.
I suppose my motivations are much the same as yours, sir. Considering that I found myself here when this...crusade was launched, I have no intention of finding myself prematurely dead.

[Moofin Bard]

Leiah

Leiah debated whether or not telling them the truth would be wise. The fox felt her stress and licked her hand. She decided against it. "I suppose my circumstances are the same as yours. Except I was born here. You see, I too am a magic user."

[Weezer]

Zosimus

After knocking and entering the pub, Zosimus takes a beer and seats himself at the table. The names Zosimus, I'm here primarily because I've been ordered here by the city guard. He says as he takes a drink. So are we all here or do we have to wait for any more?

[Duke of URL]

Torrent turns an amused eye to Zosimus. "To business so soon? I would recommend that you learn to enjoy life more, when you have the rare chance to. Ah, well," she continues. "To business."

(( Anyone who rolls a 20 or better on a Listen check hears that bells are ringing in the distance, celebrating the arrival of the new year. ))

Torrent grimaces and straightens in her chair, saying, “That’s one year gone.

“The city’s in trouble. The Ragesian army is marching on us, and will be here by tomorrow. Before then, we have a mission.

“I used to study at a magic academy to the south, called Lyceum. They’re good people. So when word reached them about Ragesia’s ‘Scourge,’ they sent out messages calling for anyone fleeing Ragesia to come to them. They want to stand against the Ragesians, and the resistance wants their help. We just need to get a message to them.

“Normally we would have sent something by teleporting courier, but something strange is going on with planar magic. The last courier who teleported into Gate Pass, rumor is that he showed up burnt to a crisp. Not that I have that sort of magic anyway, but if we’re going to talk to Lyceum, we’re going to have to go overland. And that’s a problem, because the city’s walls are sealed.

“Ever since their emperor died, the Ragesians have been trying to show that they’re not weak, and they’re marching an army in our direction, since the mountain pass we’re in is apparently ‘strategically valuable.’ Either way, a few idiots on the city council want to negotiate with the Ragesians, and rumor is they’re going to invite a group of inquisitors into the city to look for ‘magic-users who are hostile to the empire.’ They’ve sealed the gates of the city so no one can get out, to make sure they look like they’re cooperating, and only military personnel can get in or out.

“We’re going to have to get out of the city, and I’m open to suggestions on how. Once we’re out, I can get us safely to Lyceum, but before we get ahead of ourselves, we have a mission tonight.

“The short version is that we’ve got to meet a contact — a gnome named Rivereye Badgerface — in about an hour at a guarded depository about a half-mile from here." She indicates the spot on the map marked "B". "He’s carrying a case of vital military intelligence which he stole from the Ragesian palace, and the heads of the resistance think that it needs to reach Lyceum. We’ve got to get that case, get out of the city, and get far away from here before the idiot city council lets the Ragesian inquisitors in. Once that happens, the odds of us escaping are —" she finishes off her mug of beer in one long guzzle “— slim.

“I know I’d love to stay here and fight against the Ragesians, but I’m no soldier, and this mission might be more important. Worst case, you get away from the Ragesians and we can part ways a few days down the road. Best case, you can come with me to Lyceum, and we come back with an army of our own to drive off the Ragesians. But we’ve got to act fast either way. Are you ready for this?”

[harmonictempest]

Norven

The young human studies the map, forgetting to strike a pose as he becomes absorbed in the problem at hand. Well, the logic there is simple. The only way to get out of the city is either through a gate or not. To get through a gate, either we have to be military folk or we have to make the gate unguarded.

[Duke of URL]

(( Everyone make Knowledge(Local) checks... just use a straight INT check if you haven't trained that skill. ))

[harmonictempest]

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Listen - (1d20+3)[6]
Know local - (1d20+3)[14](untrained)

[Moofin Bard]

Leiah

Leiah ponders this for a moment. She is at least grateful that they don't have to fight anything for a good while. She studies the map. What if we were to create a diversion?

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Listen: (1d20+5)[19]
Knowledge: (1d20+2)[22]

((Edit: Sweet! Natural twenty.))

[Duke of URL]

@Leiah

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Your thought about a diversion made you think of the magicians at Gabal's school of war (and magic) [map location "C"]. They'd clearly be sympathetic to your cause and might be able to help you sneak out of the city in some way shape or form.

Norven's comment about being "military" made you think of city councilman Erdan Menash, who is a bit of an oddball known to be sympathetic to adventurers in general. He may be able to provide some way to get around the lockdown. His estate is located at map position "E".

@Norven

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As you speak, you recall city councilman Erdan Menash, who is a bit of an oddball known to be sympathetic to adventurers in general. He may be able to provide some way to get around the lockdown. His estate is located at map position "E".

[harmonictempest]

Norven

Norven frowns, considering. I don't know much about soldiers, but I think it'd have to be damn good to get all of them away from their post. Of the three options, not using the gate seems like the most feasible - I'd rather not try to disguise and bluff my way past anyone. My uh, my lying could use a little work. We might try Councilman Menash, assuming we have time. He's enough of an eccentric to defy the lockdown ordinance if he's in the right mood.

[The Bushranger]

Rommie

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Listen: (1d20+4)[13]
Knowledge (local): (1d20+2)[3]

Andromeda listens to Torrent's tale, then nods.
I am ready and willing to help in any way that I can...

((Sorry for not making a longer post, but am kinda rushed right now.))

[Moofin Bard]

Leiah

Leiah thinks for a moment. That could work but I have another idea. The students at Gabal's school of war and magic are probably very sympathetic to our cause. They might be able to help us sneak out. She points to the letter C on the map.

[Duke of URL]

At both Norven's and Leiah's suggestions, Torrent nods approvingly, but offers no additional advice herself.

[harmonictempest]

Norven

Hmm, also a good idea. Well, we may have time to split up and visit both, but barring that, we'll have to figure out which is the better option. My gut says the school of mages is more likely to be able to help us, but with a number of them there, there's also more likely to be some unhelpful ones with enough power to try and stop us. The councilman may be only one, but if he's unhelpful that would be in our favor, as he'd be able to do little against us even if he becomes hostile. He looks around, hoping for other opinions.

[The Bushranger]

Rommie

Andromeda considers Norven's words.
Well, I would suggest in that case that it might be best to seek out the councilman first. Then approaching the mages depending on how much help he is able to provide.

[Duke of URL]

Torrent continues to let the others discuss plans, only interjecting at one point, "don't forget we still need to meet my contact at the repository before we go anywhere."