The Masque of Dreams

[Tequila Sunrise]

Bashir greets the blacksmith with a nod. "It's our pleasure sir, my name is Bashir.". He collects the bodies in a pile and says "We have to bury their corpses, we can't leave them here. And we can throw the one that's alive in the hole with them, unless he starts talking."

"We was just looking for pretties..." the goblin whines, "...boss said we could look for pretties after we gave a jar to the pale skins...that's all we was doing! I promise not to come back if you let me go...please let me go! Me not like holes..."

[Reverent-One]

"What jar? And who were the pale skins you gave it too?"

[Jalor]

Hieronymus exits the temple, calmly walking up to the scene.

"I think the matter of a 'boss' is relevant as well. Who sent you?"

[Tequila Sunrise]

"What jar? And who were the pale skins you gave it too?"

"I think the matter of a 'boss' is relevant as well. Who sent you?"

"Pale skins inside of big house..." the goblin points toward Vestang Manor, "I dunno what was in jar...boss Lady of Zargon only said to give jar to pale skins..." (Anyone with Training in History and/or Religion can make a check to recognize Zargon...)

[Gnarg]

Bashir looks at the smithy. He asks "Do you have any idea what that jar is he is talking about?".

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Diplmacy (1d20+1)[16](17)

[Jalor]

"Hmm... Zargon? The name sounds familiar."

Hieronymus thinks for a moment.

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(1d20+9)[28] Religion

[Tequila Sunrise]

Bashir looks at the smithy. He asks "Do you have any idea what that jar is he is talking about?".

The blacksmith is obviously perplexed. "Goblins like trickery...maybe they brought a jar of alchemist's fire to cause a diversion...but I don't see any fires." Looking around you don't see any fires either, or any disturbance at all for that matter.

"Hmm... Zargon? The name sounds familiar."

Zargon is the name of a minor demon-deity known for his taste for demi/human sacrifices.

[Reverent-One]

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My own religion roll
(1d20+11)[30]
EDIT: Strike that, I don't know why I thought I had a +11 to the roll, it's only a +6. So 25.

Thinking for a moment, Rhadrok asks the goblin, "Where is the boss lady now? Or where did you meet her?"

[Tequila Sunrise]

Rhadrok remembers the same info that Hieronymous remembers about Zargon.

Thinking for a moment, Rhadrok asks the goblin, "Where is the boss lady now? Or where did you meet her?"

The goblin points and says "At home under desert sands."

[Reverent-One]

OOC:

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Just making sure I understand things right, the next day is the gala, yes? And at what point in the day does the gala start?

[Tequila Sunrise]

OOC:

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Just making sure I understand things right, the next day is the gala, yes? And at what point in the day does the gala start?

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That's correct. The gala officially starts at sundown.

[Reverent-One]

Rhadrok addresses the others,"Zargon" He says, spitting the name out,"is a demon. One that enjoys the sacrifices of living, sentient beings. From what this goblin has said, the head preistess of a cult of Zargon out in the desert sent them to deliver a jar to some people within the manor. They must have decided to raid this shop as a bonus. If this goblin can lead me to them, I plan on going to find the cult and show them Bahamut's wrath. You have all shown yourselves to be very competent fighters, if any of you wish to help end these scum, you are welcome to join me." Turning to the goblin once more, he asks, "Well? Can you take me to the desert home?"

[ColdSepp]

Kriv

Kriv nods. "Agreed. I am in as well, even if I have to go alone. Which I don't."

[Tequila Sunrise]

Rhadrok addresses the others,"Zargon" He says, spitting the name out,"is a demon. One that enjoys the sacrifices of living, sentient beings. From what this goblin has said, the head preistess of a cult of Zargon out in the desert sent them to deliver a jar to some people within the manor. They must have decided to raid this shop as a bonus. If this goblin can lead me to them, I plan on going to find the cult and show them Bahamut's wrath. You have all shown yourselves to be very competent fighters, if any of you wish to help end these scum, you are welcome to join me." Turning to the goblin once more, he asks, "Well? Can you take me to the desert home?"

The goblin's eyes bulge out of his skull. "No, no, me not know where boss lady is! Let me go, I not know anything, please!"

[Gnarg]

Bashir also nods in agreement and says "I agree, there is obviously something foul going on in this town, and we need more than one to stop it. Lets work together to get to the bottom of this. Maybe it has something to do with the festival, but we'll found out tomorrow.". He looks at the goblin and shows him his dagger, covered with blood. He snarls at him"If you don't know where your boss is, you will better get to know this dagger!".

If the goblin doesnt comply, he suggests to the other adventurers to execute him, explaining "I normally don't condone execution, but in this case, letting him go has too many risk for him to return to his master. We don't know what evil can come of that."

[Tequila Sunrise]

Bashir also nods in agreement and says "I agree, there is obviously something foul going on in this town, and we need more than one to stop it. Lets work together to get to the bottom of this. Maybe it has something to do with the festival, but we'll found out tomorrow.". He looks at the goblin and shows him his dagger, covered with blood. He snarls at him"If you don't know where your boss is, you will better get to know this dagger!".

The goblin is now visibly terrified, squirming against the knots that bind him. "Please...Zargon always hungry...boss lady feeds him naughty goblins...please let me go and I promise not to go home to boss lady!" The goblin is now crying. "Don't make me get eaten..."

[corax]

Change arrived at the city. it was literally bursting at the seams. Or so it seemed at the gate. Just listening though he was able to get the gist. He made sure that the hood was pulled forward as he paced through he crowd and into the city.

A few questions sent the mage off to the only inn that just might have something like a bit of floor-space. Arriving there he worked his way through the crowd carefully. And setting a stack of 3 silver on the counter. Asking for a sleeping space and a meal. Actually asking , once the tender got to him, for a standard meal and one small bowl of he stew as well. Taking these and his chit for the outbuilding. Not that he expected the space to have just himself.

Getting to a bench he settled down on it. And the psudodragon slid down and stated to much his portion while the mage ate. Leaning over and moving carefully so as not to show his “costume’ yet. He also pulled out the battered fiddle case. Setting that beside him as he ate. There were a few looks at the case. But more perhaps to the psudodragon that was munching its meal.

A big fellow worked his way over to stand beside the mage not that there was anything on him now that would shot to all that Change was a mage.

“hey! We dant ‘low animals in here”

Change's cowl rose a bit. Tilting as if he was looking to the big man that stood beside “well then” his voice gravely and low almost a caw “then I shall leave as soon as the coin is returned to me. He stood slowly. The feathery cloak on his back twitching. Holding out an arm for the mini-drake. Though the psudodragon passed to lick the bowl clean that Change had been dealing from before clambering up with a pleased chirp. The mini-drake starting over at the lage human , as well as looking around over the crowd.

the mage started toward the bar. beak clamped shut tight. so as not to grumble about the treatment. working his way through the crowd . holding the case in one gloved hand tightly. watches. waiting at the bar for the tender to get to him as he works the crowd. rough voice coming from deep in the cowl. “i apparently wont need the room. i am sorry to bother you. may i have my coin back for it?” holding out the room chit.

taking the two coins he wiggled through the crowd and out ot the street. making his way off towards a thin alley that wasn’t blocked with humanity. there he opened the case. tuning up carefully.

Chorus:
Fire in the head...I'm a flame in motion
Fire in the head...I'm a sword that's sharp
Fire in the head...I'm a drop in the ocean
A shield in battle and a string in a harp.
Fire in the head...I'm an eagle soaring
Fire in the head...I'm a spoken word
Fire in the head...I'm a torrent pouring
A grain of wheat and a cauldron stirred.
Fire in the head!

(my voice softer under the twang of the fiddle. my currently booted feet pacing back and forth at the mouth of the alley)

Wee Jack's rhymes are sly and hinting
Wrapped in bull skin banging a drum
Wee Jack's looking, one-eyed squinting
Hoppin' on one leg, sucking his thumb
The black sow's chasin' me round the oak tree
Humming a tune that I must learn
The black sow's call to feast awoke me
But oh her cauldron spits and burns

(chorus)

Mad May shakes her bells to ringing
Rides through the door and disappears
Mad May's laughing, asking, singing
Does anyone have ears that hear?
The raven sat in a creek and pondered
Why the alder tree is strong
The raven's head flew off wnd wandered
Singing stories and telling songs

(chorus)

(finishing with the break and restart. before the final. then bowing to the small group that stayed to listen. a few coppers being tossed to the case and around it when i finish)
bending to collect the coins. sliding them in a pouch as....

(song from Emerald Rose. “Fire in the Head”)

[Tequila Sunrise]

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When morning comes, Kriv, Rhadrok, Bashir and Hieronymous witness that scene ^. (Unless otherwise occupied, at your discretion.) Until then, let's finish our interrogation scene...

[Reverent-One]

"Tell you what goblin, you lead us to the entrance of 'home', then we let you go, so you can't be fed to Zargon, and you run off and never return home again." Rhadok rests his hand on his hammer, "Or we could just kill you now, unless you have some other use to us...?"

[Jalor]

"Indeed. If you wish to of no further use to us, then it is your death."

Hieronymus raises his orb, conjuring swirling energy around it.

(OOC: Readying a Ray of Frost if he tries to escape.)

[Tequila Sunrise]

"No kill! No kill, Kidger help nice humanses! Yes, Kidger knows the way. When we leave? It three days to home, so just give word and Kidger lead the way!"

[Reverent-One]

"We'll need to at least gather our gear first. When do you all think we should leave?"

[Jalor]

"I would keep the goblin here and wait until the gala ends. I have my suspicions about the gala, and I would prefer to be here should anything happen."

[Reverent-One]

"While I'd hate to wait, I must agree." Rhadrok sighs, "The Gala is the reason I was sent here, I would be derelict in my duty if I missed it. We must be sure to keep this one secure in the meantime then."

[Gnarg]

Bashir nods in agreement. "We need to tie him up then. I stay at the inn so that is not a good place to keep him. Maybe we can put him in the temple? Or does any of you have a better place to tie him up?".

[Tequila Sunrise]

"You could hand the furball over to the Lady's guards...but they tend to be lax in their duties even without a gala going on." Says the black smith.

Father Menos belatedly steps out of his temple. "Eh, what's going on? Why is my door open?" He asks. After you explain the situation to him he says "Well I could watch the miscreant until you leave. I was planning to only make a brief appearance at the gala anyway."

The black smith looks at the Father dubiously and says "If you don't want to trouble the Father's old bones, I could watch him. I do have plenty of chains."

[Jalor]

"I suppose we could leave it with the blacksmith. He does, after all, have spare chains."

[Reverent-One]

"Thank you Father, but leaving him with the blacksmith seems to be the most practical alternative." Bowing to Father Menos, turning to the blacksmith, he says "Thank you for the offer, and my apologies, good sir, as I do not know your name."

[ColdSepp]

"Kriv"

Kriv stands a little apart during the interrogation, not feeling it is quiet proper to treat a prisoner as such, but he chimes in. "I agree we should stay during the gala, and head out afterwards... but are we sure we want to leave the goblin with a civilian?"

[Reverent-One]

"With the goblin chained up, he should be safe."