Baldwin the Merciful's - CoT Campaign
Game Master baldwin the merciful

Tweaker goes to Tiny and asks him to let the clients he thinks might be interested in the show know about it and that there is an Everchanging Lady in the show that might mean there is more than just blood and guts shown.

Just make sure that it is done in a way that the group I am working with doesn't easily find out. Figure a little suggestion Andrea will show more skin isn't a bad thing. The need to make sure it has a packed house is important.

Duncan grumbles through the stupid rehearsals. Getting tired of Playing with stage props and not knowing what he is really going to be fighting.

Yer all missing the point. Who gives a crap about the damn drama. Ye gotta LIVE throughtje acts. Been practicing with Ermolos in me own time. Loving Applause from the crowd'll do no good if ye die.

Andrea does some more shopping for items she thinks will help them survive and writes a few scrolls.

The director just made afew circles with his finger when decribing the 'torture' segemtn. So it might have somehting to do with wheel, I do not know.

Andrea says the next while out of earshot of Areal and his new friend.

Wouldn't it just be better if we wait until the Mayor has left his mansion, use magic to turn ourselves invisible and get in by luring out a guard or servent? Find the vault then or wait in the Mayor's room and jump on him when he comes home? We can get insideoff him and even pull him along if there are any specific traps, he won't want to trigger them if he is captive.

Andrea also borrows Fiosa's CLW wand, feeling like such a horrible goblin-giver.

Tweaker you find out that Millech the Hump, who si a hunched over hamn is quite knowledgeable in illusion. ""Eh, lots of illusion...sensory modifications... but plenty of live swinging things...axes, traps things of that nature. He looks around a bit worried, "My concern is the damn priest is keeping me out of the loop! Scary but I'll try to help out if I can. Just protect yourself and heal up 'tween acts."

---
The day before the big performance each adventurer receives an ornate invitation to the Cornucopia to be held two days after the performance at the Lord-Mayor's house, often referred to as Aberian's Folly by the locals. The request insists that the actors all come dressed in full costume of the play.

---
The morning of the play everyone is asked to arrive at the Limehouse by 9:00 am for custom and make-up, We'll march on over around 3:00pm for the 4:00m curtain call.

Lucrezia will buy a cold iron heavy mace, just in case they face anything that needs bashing or takes more damage from cold iron. She's pretty nervous in the weeks leading up to the play. A bit of stage fright combined with the unknown nature of what exactly they will face.

If no else tries to get friendly with the others then I will. They might have some information that we would not get without spending some time with them.

During the rehearsals, Orsin will try to get Calseinica alone. They performed together once before so hopefully it won't be too hard. He'll even try seducing her if that seems more what she's interested in.

"The flute you brought to my dressing room was lovely," he tells her once they have some privacy between rehearsals. "As were the flowers."

Andrea gets into her costume with the others. So what are we going to do if and when things start going wrong? If someone gets into massive trouble we need to pull them out and screw the bloodthirsiness of the crowd. We need to stick together that is for sure, perhaps Tweaker and Lucrezia can sneak around backstage.

Tweaker will ask Duncan where he could get a masterwork cold iron cestus and will buy one before the play starts if possible.

Calseinca will say, "I never went to that performance and it I didn't give you a flute or flowers. I was in a small tea house production a the time. She is friendly towards you.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

Orsin's anger flares to rage for a moment and he has half a mind to strangle the life from her against the praesidium.

Instead he clenches his twitching fingers in a fist and steps away. He turns for the stage before pausing a moment, not looking at her before muttering, "It's good seeing you again. Let's try not to die out there."

Serious question: Are the actors allowed to kill other actors onstage in these kinds of plays or would that be going to far off-book? Orsin doesn't have the stomach to question Thelsing right now. Killing him would a combination headache-and-time-saver.

Andrea will try to get to know Thelsing better while practicing for the play. She will flirt and act adoring, focusing on stroking his ego and
tossing barbs at Orsin(while makign sure to make clear to Orsin that she is just trying to pump Thelsing for info)

[b[ I must say that the role of Judge is just perfect for a man or your talent and stature[/b] *flutters eyes* With Orsin's shabby behavior I am most relieved that the director's keen eye saw how your talents would be put to better use. Please tell em more about your roleand how you be passing 'judgement' *girlish twitter, make sure he sees cleavage.*

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16 (Boosted earlier with Eagle's Splender)

Oh what the hell, guess I could try to make an effort to talk to the director. He reminds me a lot of the first mate on my old ship. I really hated that guy, shoulda punched him in the face before I left.

Lucrezia will try to see if the director is willing to engage in any kinda small talk with his actors. Ask him if he's ever directed this play before, ask if he has any advice for a first time actor, that sorta thing.

Duncan holds up his own armored Fists.
Should a mentioned this earlier. Grumm's ye sneak! Got Alchemical Silver and Cold Iron
git yeself there before the story starts.

I was thinking because of the leather that would have to go somewhere else. I am not a weapon maker so don't know these things for getting quality. You seem to know weapons very well.

He will ask Grumm about getting a cold iron cestus of exceptional quality. Masterwork Cestus Cold Iron is 310g

No reason he shouldn't have one. Keep in mind lad, we be in Devil ruled Westcrown. More likely t'be fighting devils.

Orsin she seems pretty straight forward and honest. She doesn't think her part has any "real"danger in it and that is what Delour as told her over and over. She has been told by the other actors that the allure of harm is all an illusion to keep this a popular play.

Delour is the chorus so she is not in any harms way.

Killing other actors...this is suppose to be a violent play, so unfortunate injuries or worse can happen.

Thesling agrees with Andrea that Orsin has no talent. He jibes at Orsin all the time. When you flirt with him he blatantly cops a feel and suggests that "you go back to his dressing room, besides that'll give you some confidence on stage." he says."

Changed mind, can Lucrezia get a cold iron Heavy Flail instead? It just looks neater. :)

Orsin realizes the day before the performance that he's turning into someone he doesn't recognize.

He was moments away from strangling a woman to death who had every only shown him kindness. He looks at his face in the dressing room mirrors. It's sunken and haggard. He's probably forgotten to eat. He has second thoughts about whether or not he should blindly assume it was one of the mayor's plays that killed Gregorio.

Orsin, with only a day left before the big show, asks everyone involved in the production if the mayor has put on any of these plays before and more specifically if a singer from Kintargo named Gregorio had died in any of them.

Gather Information: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Andrea looks him up and down. Oh well, I have certainly screwed worse things. Andrea flutters and blushes and follows him.

A wee bit later...

Zzzz..snork...Umph...Zzzzzz

Andrea looks down in disgust. Even the ghoul was appreciative enough to thank me afterwards.

Andrea leaves the underperforming and under endowed actor and shuffles through his papers, looking for anything of note. Perhaps pertaining
to Orsin's troubles.

perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Andrea then heads back out to finish up rehearsels

Lucrezia you will be able to find one for sale.

One thing the group does note is Gruum is running out of weapons and armor to buy. His business is picking up significantly and everything is moving quickly off the racks. He has Brian, Ermolos turning out gear and he has two of the orphans doing the shop labor of stoking fire, cleaning and getting coal and whatnot. However, simply there is not enough of them to keep up with he demand.

It's a slow process using the actual craft rules to create the MW quality items. I've hand waved this so far, but for him to produce weapons that are always available for the party, it's going to be hit and miss. This is a huge city though, so most everything can eventually be found.

Grumm is not a problem Guys. Andrea can cast MASTERWORK Transformation on any weapons or armor. Buy a Mundane item, say Lucretia's Flail and give Andrea the extra 300gp needed to cast the spell. Also, why IS everyone caught up on Cold Iron? That's for Fey/Demons, we are in DEVIL ruled West crown. Alchemical Silver or Mithral is for Devils/Lycans.

ooohh...Change of weapon material then.

edit:

ooohh...Change of weapon material then.

No problem.

Andrea hrumps back to the group. I did get a bit of imformation out of Thelisg, he did say something about having a huge surprise for Lazarod and his lover on stage, I don't know what that means but I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to sabotage us.

Normally I would see about getting alittle me-time for satisfaction but I am goign to go into this pissed. Getting pissed will let me concentrate on surviving and payback.

Lucrezia walks back the group about the same time as Andrea, with a very disgusted look upon her face. "Well, the only info I gotta outa that fat bastard of a director was that someone named Lord Ecarrdian, and his sister spared no expense for the show, that he is nervous 'cause the damn cleric won't tell him anything about the creature for the show and that Madame Delour really hates Nymmis. Please tell me that at least some of that info is useful 'cause you really don't want the details on what I did to get it."

Has anyone talked to the other lady? Does she know anything?

Orsin spit-takes on the cup of water he's been drinking

"Did you saying someone named 'Eccardian' is funding this? That was the name that Red Knife was thinking before we released him!" Orsin hisses to the others.

He rushes forward and grabs Lucrezia by the arm with surprising force, "And you're sure the director said that this 'Lord Ecarrdian' is the one financing this play? Was that what he said? Was it?!"

Orsin, calm down. You seem to be getting a little crazy. Is something wrong? Tweaker does not advance as suspects Lucrezia could handle the matter better than he could.

I will look for silver over cold iron but I am not expecting too many devils at this level. When get the money then will look at getting adamantine short sword but that is really expensive.

Wish clerics Tap Inner Beauty lasted longer. I would say we get a wand of that for the show. I couldn't find anything that would really help us for the play.

After Lucrezia resists the urge to punch him for grabbing her, she answers Orsin. "Yeah, he said Lord Ecarrdian and his sister were funding it. By the way, you can let go of my arm now. I've already let myself be manhandled once today.

Wait, were those the nobles who would send that hunting devil out if we didn't release the bandit? Andrea is very displeased. If they didn't agree to call it off, we are screwed.

Andrea does produce some gear she had brought from the stash at the safehosue for people to pick over.

Crowbar
50' Rope
10' Pole
3 Sunrods
2 Holy Water
Caltrops.

These might all be of use. If there are monsters, we might slow them down with caltrops.

I also have a number of scrolls and potions that can of use, we will need to potentially use everything we have to get through this.

Click on my profile and look through my gear, I have lots of potions and scrolls. While Orsin is probably the only one who can use a scroll, if I go down he could use them. I also have a CLW wand with 11 charges that can be used by anyone who knows UMD or divine spells

Orsin recoils slowly as he realizes what he's doing.

"Sorry...sorry..."

"I, uh, I'm fine," he says to Tweaker. "I'm going to see if Delour knows anything else that might help." He wipes the sweat off his face and into his hair, slicking it back as he approaches the diva.

"Goddess of the stage! You are looking more radiant than ever." He leans in close to her bejeweled ear and whispers, "Between you and me, I was crushed when I discovered that I had to sing opposite that Nymmis girl instead of you in The Winter of White Roses. She has neither a shred of your talent nor your majesty."

Bluff: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

If the baronetess is amenable to Orsin's compliments he asks her about the show. He asks her if she knows anything about this mysterious Lord Ecarrdian or his sister, their history with the theatre, and also about the critic who trashed Orsin in the papers.

I don't know Orsin very well but he does seem a little haggard and worn out. Is he losing it or have a vendetta against someone? He normally seems so carefree from what little I have been around him. Or is it working on the play and he looks for perfection? Tweaker looks puzzled by Orsin's behavior. He is the one who we will be following I thought since he knows more about how to please the crowd.

Well he really doesn't like that Thesing actor, and he is rather upset because when we captured one of the Red Knive bandits we found out he was a bastard son on a noble family who was slumming with bandits. He could still count on his family to avenge him though.

Duncan takes in the news, and cannot hide his look of disappointment in Lucrezia. Andrea he expected that sort of thing from. The sailor, however, had not displayed such behaviour previously and honestly, he hated the way women would debase themselves before such scum. He understood why, but he didn't like it.

These are all points that need markin. But firstly we gotta be about survivin this thing.

Lucrezia feels her cheeks flush a bit when she notices Duncun's look of disappointment. Not because she cared about what he, or anyone really, thought of her. Instead it was because it reminded her that she wasn't proud of what she did either. Well, given Orsin's reaction, at least I managed to learn something that seems important to someone. I'd rather have punched the fat bastard in the face 'til he gave me some information, but that just wasn't an option here.

A need to vent her inner turmoil is likely why she snaps at Duncan. "We're doing whatever we need to for this blasted mission. That's why we've even agreed to take part in this gods be damned play which is even more of an atrocity than what just happened in the office."

Tweaker is just sort of silenced. The need to do what is necessary seems like the right thing if not hurting anyone that doesn't deserve it. He just stays out of everyone's way and prepares for the play. It seems his reluctance at being in spotlight seemed bad at the time but the play seems to be putting the group on edge. He was just worried about being known but it is now about surviving the play.

He talks to Millech some more and tries to find out if there is anything that would be a good idea. He is interested in the stage manager's abilities and how he learned to be so good. Seems like there could be benefits to knowing some of this for traps.

Orsin your advancement on the diva is well received. She coos and purrs at your compliments. "she is such a little tramp isn't she, thinks her bright smile and happy demeanor will make everyone swoon...little b#*&#." He fingers stroking the side of Orsin's face as he leans in to whisper in her ear.

I know why ye did it, girl. I jus wish ye didn't have te. It's a cruel world where getting information comes down to that. Know that ye have lost no honor in me eyes.

Orsin suppresses a shudder that would make the gods fall from the heavens with its quake. "A jewel befitting a jewel then," Orsin says as he presses his lips to her chubby paw, I mean hand.

I'm wearing 50 gp in courtier's jewelry to go with my usual attire. Any chance she'd like a simple platinum ring with a square-cut ruby?

So who do we have left to talk to? Orsin is chatting up Delour, who is Nymmis?

Seems Thesing is going to be out to get us and the only one who is somewhat helpful is the stagehand.

I also think Tweaker might be in excellent position to aid us if he is going to be the clown. Since as mentained, there will be traps, he can roam the area and keep an eye out for them instead of being bogged down with lines. Jamming a trap with his tools could be disguised as juggling or pratfalls.

She lead you to her dressing room, "Simple but elegant." She comments as she closes the door behind you.

Oh lord. Parhaps Orsin will be suffering from the effects of 'Crushing Despair'

So. I am to be the paladin I take it. I have this feeling that I will be the target of something that takes jabs at paladins somehow. perhaps combat related. So what will people be doing with their roles and how can we keep ourselves from being killed?

Andrea grabs the script so she can have some kind of warning about what will happen in her role.

Orsin feels more than a little disgusted by his behavior, but the value of the information he collected far outweighs whatever misgivings he may have about his actions. He gives silent, half-hearted high fives to Lucrezia and Andrea, signaling his admission to their club of martyrs. He relays the information he obtained to the others.

"Delour paid the cleric to put Nymmis in harm's way. Maybe not enough to kill the girl, but enough to leave her permanently scarred. She also said that there are likely to be 'plenty of Hellknights to keep us safe' tomorrow."