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She turns back to you, adopting a loose fighting stance but not reaching for any weapon. "So, it was you who wanted to talk to me. Tell me quickly what it is, I am not anybody's lapdog to be summoned."
Caladeran watch as Selena motioned for them to join her. Blinking at the distance, he snorted. I'll not break my neck leaping across rooftops like a human street rat ... He did watch with amusement as Phaedrus stood and followed the psion's lead, jumping forward to join her ... just in time for the procession to round the corner and spot the two.
Shaking his head, he watched as the guards moved towards the house Selena and Phaedrus were perched upon. Damn the luck, but they should know better than to be sitting out in the open ... especially when Mal just gave the Archa clear reason to fear assassin's!
__________________ 4-day weekend with no wi-fi. Posting will be via cellphone - sporadic and short. Back on Tuesday!
DM: "Why do you have so many characters?"
Me: "Because I never embraced the strategic value of running away."
Aquarius looks up sharply and closes the book he was reading.
"Miss Maria, I was implying that you were a conspirator. Thank you for confirming my suspicions.
Incidentally, send my applause to the person that came up with the idea of using the scuvvies. It was a masterstroke.
Aquarius gets up and wanders to one of the shelves, and picks out a random, but related to magic, book and starts flicking through it.
"Miss Maria, I am a vagrant drifter; I have no ties to home, country or king. All I am loyal to is a pouch of gold. If it wasn't for the fact that I haven’t decided which direction to travel, I would already be gone. So pray, tell. What possible reason would I have to talk to you?
Meanwhile, at the other train wreck of poor communication, Selena tells Fade: "I'm going to go explain to the procession, you could probably go back to the roof if you wished to avoid dealing with official attention."
Selena waves to the guards below the roof, then places her hands obviously on her head and runs down the side of the building to the ground.
Once there, she is going to tell the guards she urgently needs to speak to a caster.
Spoiler
Besides being on the lookout for an invisible sniper going to a new roost, they should really check out the auras left when the stranger tried to hold me, and then conjurationed away, to try and identify the caster before they fade.
As for my identity, I'm just a citizen who wants to prevent the chaos of an assasination, loosely affiliated with a guild which is still to my knowledge loyal to the establishment, and I would prefer to be named no more precisely than that.
When you say running down the building without the use of your hands, how are you doing this? Do you still have spell on?
Also, the Thieves Guild isn't strictly legal, so I'd avoid mentioning that.
Once you reach the street, you are surrounded by soldiers (5) and after your calming assurances, the old man who was standing next to the Archa approaches you
[Spot Check for all]
He nods at your suggestion to examine the auras and waves to another man, wearing a blue cloak, who heads up onto the roof.
"Well it seems you have done the city a service this day, obviously, you won't mind being accompanied by these men and going to the Castello? Purely for your own protection, obviously." [Sense Motive]
Another Blue-Cloak comes over and stands with the soldiers in a protective box around you.
Soldiers are still climbing onto the roof to get to Phaedrus.
Running on walls is one of my psionic feats. I think there is a skill trick that does the same thing somewhere, but I can do it nonstop as long as I start and end each turn safely. (And as long as I remain psionically focused, which takes a minute or two in the morning, and is currently only lost if I get knocked out or spend it to take 15 on a concentration check. Many psionic feats require either staying focused, or spending your focus.
As for the theives guild, good to know, I thought it was an official organization. (Read too much Pratchett).
"I don't have any more information to give you, and was looking forward to seeing the rest of the parade. That fellow seemed uninterested in me beyond wishing to keep me from spoiling his surprise, so I do not feel I need protection.
While the service I did was for the peace of the city, an account I receive interest from regularly, the rest of my day would be a new service someone would need to cover."
Spoiler
Oops, forgot my rolls. Go ahead and roll them for me secretly - Spot +4 (crystaleena is still with Mal, my little walky talky keeping her informed), and Sense motive +2.
2nd OOC edit:
Spoiler
In fact, please feel free to make all spot, listen and sense motive tests for me "off the table" and just mention the effective results (if appropriate). Such as "He seems trustworthy." or "The empty valley beckons you to frolic carefree amongst the tall, pointy and innocently reflective bushes."
And yes I was getting a Pratchett vibe when I read that.
Spot: You notice the man moving his hands in a distinctly magical way before he leaves the Archa.
The man nods at your words, but forestalls your protestations, saying: "Ah, my dear, you never know, your information may be very helpful to the city. Please." He gestures for you to go with the men.
Selena will be helpful and accommodating (and assume she'll have the favor returned) as long as she is treated well and not placed in any small or dingy rooms for longer than a couple minutes.
If left alone, mistreated, or enclosed, she'll probably decide to go for a walk.
Well, I guess I should be a bit presentable, Phaedrus ponders as he see the guards enter the house. Making sure the guards at street level can't see him very clearly, he reaches into his pockets and dons his eye patch. Then taking the coded sheet out of the bag, he wads it up and replaces the stopper of one his ink bottles with it Gotta remember to buy some more.... Rubbing his "bad" leg and his lower back, he grimaces in pain. Remember old boy, he muses you're too old for adventuring these days...damned memories, as he relaxes the tension in his gut, letting it look just a little flabby, one of the less flattering part of getting himself in character.
By the time the guards get rooftop, there is a not quite middle aged man, but one decidedly past his prime, sitting on the roof, muttering to himself about not getting caught up in the glory days.
Phaedrus: The guards arrive on the top of the building, looking slightly baffled. "You're coming with us, mister," a man who you presume is their captain states. "Lucian will want a word with you as well."
If you go with them peacefully they take you out onto street level where the blue robed old man is waiting. Selena will be nearby, but they won't let you get within 5ft of each other.
Limping as he follow them, Phaedrus asks, "The girl, she is okay, right? I heard her yell, then I saw that guy disappear..." he fades off, shaking his head.
When they get street level, he checks to make sure Selena is okay, and then follows where the guards take him.
Spoiler
Sensing motive on anything that I can, want to see how neutral these guards are, want to know what is up with the guy in the cloak (does he seem like a caster, I know OOC, but it is useful to know IC). I think this qualifies as the hunch option, but I don't really know.
Rooftop guards: (1d20+5)[11]
Guards by Selena: (1d20+5)[18]
Man in Blue: (1d20+5)[18]
Also, as it is may be pertinent, does this start a new encounter (the previous with the roof toppers, new one with the guard) or is the same one (this is all bleeding together and the guards are the next section of the same encounter) this will let me keep track of my inspiration points (really, there is only one that has been used, but I only have 4)
Caladeran watched the events unfold as should have been expected, with Selena and Phaedrus being taken into custody. Damn these impetuous younglings ... Glancing around, Caladeran looked for the others, pointing towards the events occuring down below.
Selena had found someone on the roof, that much was certain. Her presence, especially given Mal's attempt to alert the Archa to a possible assassination attempt, had made her the prime suspect, however. That being said, the duskblade could either try and free his two comrades, or watch for the figure that was previously there ... if ever there were a time to attack, now would be it.
Knowing any attempt to free the others might worsen the condition, and seeing they themselves weren't quite fighting their custody, Cal concentrated on the roof, scanning for movement. If their invisible friend decided to take advantage of the distraction, being caught in the act might be the very thing to expedite Sel and Fade's freedom.
Spoiler
Can use Detect Magic to find auras ... Feel free to roll for me, but KS (Arcana) is +6.
__________________ 4-day weekend with no wi-fi. Posting will be via cellphone - sporadic and short. Back on Tuesday!
DM: "Why do you have so many characters?"
Me: "Because I never embraced the strategic value of running away."
Phaedrus: They treat you well as they take you down, and the blue robed man makes the same stern suggestion to go to the Castello, and you know it is not meant as a request.
Calderan: You detect strong auras surrounding the Archa, most notably Conjuration, Abjuration and Divination, with weak auras of illusion and enchantment.
Phaedrus & Selena:
You are swiftly marched ahead of the procession, with two blue cloaked men and ten guards. A small force, but they seemed determined.
When/if you arrive at the Castello, you are taken within the walls of the Archa's palace, and separated. You are both taken to nicely furnished sitting rooms that are about 20 ft squared, Selena's being predominantly green and Phaedrus's being reddish, with plentiful amounts of gilding.
You are left alone for ten minutes.
Malaina: After your attempt to slow the procession you made quick progress through the streets. You could still here a little commotion from behind you, but they weren't even close to catching you and were cumbersome compared to your agility.
you made your way to the first location, an inn named the Savant's Repose, and on entering found it to be reasonably nice but austere, as though the patrons were not ones too focussed on comfort. The barman is an older man, grubby and careworn, but brings the owner out after a short time (though he first took a bit of convincing that you weren't a child and this wasn't some stupid joke).
The owner was of a similar age, and whose clothes, although of good quality, were smudged and stained by various liquids and powders. He looks harassed, as though he didn't want to be disturbed. He takes the note and opens it in front of you, but after a few seconds chucks you a gold coin and disappears into the back rooms.
On your way out you see a man in a sword and armour sneak [Aquarius] around the side of the building, but he reappears shortly afterwards and heads off. As you stand in the street a young woman approaches you, a decidedly frantic expression on her face, she walks up to you, but when she looks into your face is suddenly startled and panicking, turns and runs inside a building on the other side of the street (an undertakers, Marley and Spools).
Via Crystalena, you are aware of where the others are and begin to head back to the bar they are gathered in to catch up and explain the days already bizarre events, but when you are close you here Selena's voice faintly, not through the crystal but with your ears. As you rush there you are updated by the crystal on the events, and arrive as the procession is starting again and the other two have already been whisked away.
Last edited by al'Lan Mandrag : 04-25-2012 at 05:02 AM.
Staying just at the perimeter of Crystalena's connection with Lena to know which building they are being held in. "quick as a cat we'll get rid of these letters and return" I ask Crystalena to rely through the walls to Selena, then Mal is off at a quick pace to the remaining locations. Crystalena includes in her message that Malaina thought it quite absurd that the group went to watch the procession from a roof top knowing that the reason it stopped was one of my arrows.
"I never claimed you were. You made that assumption. Now, let me make a few of my own. Let me know if I get any of this right.
You are part of a coup, long, drawn out and with only the appearance of organisation, all wrapped up in over secrecy. After all, you came to an isolated location without any clue as to whom you were meeting.
You work for someone already quite powerful, but for whom the Archa is a problem, even with such a tenuous grip. So that could only be a noble, official, or otherwise, who has the wealth to pull this off. A few enquiries and I could find out who has the wealth and motive to pull this off. For the sake of argument, I will refer to this person as, "The Noble".
The Noble is also no friend of the thieves guild. Given that he had no qualms about using the scuvvies. Or, he, or someone close to him, has promised the scuvvies that they will be free from the confines of the guild, which prompted their involvement in today's attempt.
The other people were, like yourself, simply hired thugs. Albeit, you are higher in the hierarchy. You claimed, quite spiritedly, after all, you "Ain't no squealer". You two cohorts made no move to defend you after you blurted that out, indicating that their loyalties lie with The Noble and not with you, at least not personally.
So, those are my assumptions. Let's hear your adamant dismissal of them all."
Selena brings crystalena and Mal up to speed on that their current involvement is the result of their entirely unrelated SECOND attempt at keeping troublemakers away from the Archa, not the arrowy first one.
Selena: Is offered a drink after she bangs on the door for it, but you discover the door is locked, and when they open it to give you water you can see men in armour and a tell-tale blue cloak.
It is difficult to tell the time in the room, since it is lit by oil lamps and there are no windows or timepieces, but you would estimate nearly an hour passed before the door opened again and the blue robed old man entered, with another grizzled old veteran, still wearing ceremonial armour, and recognizable as one of the men from the procession.
They calmly sit before you, assessing, until after a short time, the blue robed man clears his throat and says: "I am Stanley Vorn, and this is captain general Reddik. I'd like you to explain what happened on the roof top, so that we can get a few things sorted it out."
He seems quite relaxed, fatherly almost.
Aquarius: She grits her teeth at your manner, before snapping a retort. "I don't have time for your foolishness. Don't try and play games with me."
I assume they have this same chat separately with Fade, everything I say here is basically the whole truth without anything left out.
Main question:
Spoiler
"As your men saw, I have a rare gift for roofwalking, which I enjoy using a great deal. While I was waiting for the procession on the balcony of the Rising Sun, an acquaintance spotted a shadowy figure on the next roof over. As the roofs over there are sort of my neighborhood, I went to greet the new neighbor."
"Sadly, the person, who was all sort of blurred, really did not want to talk when I called out in a friendly manner. They ran off, and cast a holding spell on me... not that it worked. Then they went invisible."
"The way they were acting shady was making me nervous, and when I searched for magical signatures I could see that they were still lurking around just a couple houses further down. They had a LOT of magic on them and they seemed to be waiting for the archa. I tried to wave over my acquaintances, to make sure nothing went down, but the procession was getting closer and the auras suddenly started moving again."
"I needed to warn your team quickly, but I didn't want to alarm the crowd or have my warning drowned out. I figured altering the noise of your float would be heard easily by all your people, but something seemed to interact with my spell and amplify it beyond what I expected. As I warned you, I felt a surge of calling magic from the stranger, probably calling himself away. And that's where you all came in."
If asked about her motivation for getting involved:
Spoiler
"I grew up here, but I was working in River City until last year's troubles after the death of Don Duc."
Selena has a momentary waking nightmare of being back trapped on the burning roof of the old guildhouse, burning Cheedle's men alive and trying to stay away from any more crossbow bolts... she shakes herself back to the present.
"I never want to see the like again, and certainly not here. I took a small merchant group to the Grey Market last month and River City is still a mess."
If asked about Fade:
Spoiler
"He's someone I've spent time with before. I've known him for a long time, although not much more than by name until recently. Guess he was the only one willing to jump across from the balcony to help."
Yes after you have finished chatting they will have the same conversation with Phaedrus.
Stanley nods, "She speaks the truth Reddik. She is not so skilled as to hide anything from me. Though it seems you have done well, and a service to the city if all balances. We will question the other now, but I would give you a warning, Miss Fisher, don't put yourself in such a dangerous position again. There are many men who thought that killing you straight off would be the safest thing for the Archa. There has been unrest in the city of late, and it is not safe to make yourself a target."
The men rise, with Reddik nodding at his words and they leave you alone again in the room, pending the outcome of Phaedrus's meeting.
*
Spoiler
If you didn't plan on giving them your name, or an alias, then omit this.
Phaedrus:It is difficult to tell the time in the room, since it is lit by oil lamps and there are no windows or timepieces, but you would estimate nearly an hour passed before the door opened again and the blue robed old man entered, with another grizzled old veteran, still wearing ceremonial armour, and recognizable as one of the men from the procession.
They calmly sit before you, assessing, until after a short time, the blue robed man clears his throat and says: "I am Stanley Vorn, and this man is our esteemed Captain General Reddik. I'd like you to clarify what happened on the roof top, so that we can get a few things sorted it out. We have already spoken with Miss Fisher, and you may be assured she is unharmed."
He seems quite relaxed, fatherly almost.
Last edited by al'Lan Mandrag : 04-24-2012 at 02:57 PM.
Only Fade knows my full story and name, I prefer to go by Seal or Fish (if I have to give a "full name" I give Ceil Fisher usually, as it is my homage to my actual name Selena Fortuna (4 tuna).
I'm uncomfortable using my family name, both out of fear it will reflect badly on them, and that they may hear of me and seek me out.
Well, that went well. Maybe I should go look for the others, and relay my theories. But, Miss Mara and her thugs may be waiting outside for me. Better wait for a while. Since I'm here, I might as well have a look around for a few spells or some such.
Aquarius decides to take his time looking through the shelves, searching for any books about arcane or divine magic.
Spoiler
I'm going to take 20 on the check, for a grand total of 22.
In the intermediate time, from being put in the room to when Vorn comes in, Phaedrus is reading a book he pulls out of his bag. As Vorn enters he looks up, dogears the page, and stows it in his satchel.
In response to Vorn: "I am glad to hear she's ok, I was really worried. I used to be an adventurer, until I took an arrow to the knee. In my travels I saw a lot of magic, and when I saw whoever it was attack her and then disappear, I sort of slipped back into my old habits. I heard her shout and I jumped to the next roof, to help," at this Phaedrus pauses and chuckles a bit, "It was a really dumb idea, but I'm sure you know how it is to think you are younger than you are. Anyway, I'm glad she is okay." Looking up and leaning forward more in his seat, Phaedrus continues, "Y'know, I'm sorry, I tend to ramble a bit...what exactly are you looking to know?"
Spoiler
I tried not to say the joke, I really did, but it was too perfect. Anywho, I need to make a bluff check for relaying my story ((1d20+9)[21] - 1IP used, cunning knowledge for bluff).
Aquarius: You don't find any more books than you found before. Unfortunately as this is a generally public library it is unlikely that any valuable tomes have survived long.
Phaedrus:
Stanley nods to you. "Yes, what he says is true. We are done here Captain General, there is no more to be learnt."
Heturns back to you as he is leaving and adds, "You're free to go now, but I warn you to be careful and aoid any mroe of these 'adventures' in the near future."
Selena:
About ten minutes after being left by the pair, the bluecloak at your door sticks his head in and says gruffly: "You're free to go, miss Fisher."
Phaedrus & Selena:
A guard then guides you to the exit, through various courtyards and corridors until you are reunited near the main gates to the Castello, and they walk you outside together.
Selena: You quickly discover that the Archa and the main part of the procession have already returned to the Castello (possibly due to the multiple assassination attempts), but there are celebrations being held throughout the city.
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Re: 3.5 Political Adventure [IC]
