Michael Santo |
Michael shakes his head and smiles
" "Hans" its good to see you again.this is my good friend and business associate Gunther. I am here as requested but I seek your council in urget matters concerning the mortal realm between the doge and my friend here." Michael turns to gunther " although it may not seem like it we are safe here and can speak freely." michael turns back to Hans "Will you please hear me out"
Michael Santo |
Micheal looks at Gunther understand standing that he has not caught out just yet. Michael motions his hand in Hans direction
"Surely you do remember my employee "Hans"? The one we have all been running around about and his sister Anya."
Michael watches for Gunther to come to realization of who hans is or rather what happened to him
"Gunther you will want to listen up, I have been paid a LARGE sum of money that to transport some people to Gunthers establishment. It was to be done without anyones knowledge not even Gunthers. There are several ways this could go down. This could be a surprise birthday party that I dont know about or it could be some sort of sting set up by a very powerful man, and therefore since I am aware I too could be in peril. The person behind this is a member of the Doge"
Michael turns to Gunther"Do you have an enemies that I should know about? anyone that would like to see you or your establishment taken down"
Michael appeals to "Hans" "Gunther here has been a valued partner and good friend I would like to aid him as best I can and the men I had paid to aid me in my transportation of this people it would be nice if they were persuaded to forget this encounter happened. As I have said before I would be a loyal subject but these business asset could be very beneficial to our cause"
Michael Santo |
Micheal looks at Gunther understand standing that he has not caught out just yet. Michael motions his hand in Hans direction
"Surely you do remember my employee "Hans"? The one we have all been running around about and his sister Anya."
Michael watches for Gunther to come to realization of who hans is or rather what happened to him
"Gunther you will want to listen up, I have been paid a LARGE sum of money that to transport some people to Gunthers establishment. It was to be done without anyones knowledge not even Gunthers. There are several ways this could go down. This could be a surprise birthday party that I dont know about or it could be some sort of sting set up by a very powerful man, and therefore since I am aware I too could be in peril. The person behind this is a member of the Doge"
Michael turns to Gunther"Do you have an enemies that I should know about? anyone that would like to see you or your establishment taken down"
Michael appeals to "Hans" "Gunther here has been a valued partner and good friend I would like to aid him as best I can and the men I had paid to aid me in my transportation of this people it would be nice if they were persuaded to forget this encounter happened. As I have said before I would be a loyal subject but these business assets could be very beneficial to your cause"
Thesing |
"No, I do not have any enemies... none to my knowledge. 'Greetings' has some local competition, but none so that if someone wished to do me bodily harm they would have done so already."
Still looking a bit perplexed, Gunther continues
"And you still have not truly answered my question, my friend. I sense that there is something more to all of this that you are not telling me."
Storyteller Shadow |
Alessandro Khadaji
It is likely that you have a makeshift grappling hook and rope to allow you to scale buildings quickly based upon your character concept. If you wish to, you can use your gear to latch on to the edge of the ship and pull yourself up. Make a Dexterity + Athletics check DC 7. If you get less than 3 successes you will be able to get to the ship but you will end up with your feet in the water.
Storyteller Shadow |
Storyteller Shadow |
Michael Santo & Gunther Thesing
Hans looks at you Michael, "So early into our relationship and already you beg me for aid? Perhaps I shall grant it but first as your long time associate has requested I too would like to understand better what exactly you have gotten yourself into. After all if this endeavor is against my interests it is unlikely, despite my desire to work with you, that I will aid you in this particular project".
Anya stares at you Michael in anticipation of what you will say next. The look in her eye is far away and glassy.
Michael Santo |
Michael crosses his arms looking at his audience. And coughs up a name.
"Michele Querini paid me to deliver people to your inn. Thats all I was hired to do. But the shroud of secrets that surround it has me unedved. My contact that I sent to you never returned, the handsome sum for this secret to be kept. If this is something huge I figured you two should know for both business and personal reasons. If I refused to take the order you think I would be allowed to walk away anyway knowing what is planned. This is one powerful man in the city and bodies have been missing and found in odd places. Michael gesturing at "hans" while looking at Gunther. " I am no good to either of you if I am removed from the equation. Both our business would suffer and that would be a great asset for everyones endeavor." Michael turns to gunther I couldnt speak of this outside because i didnt believe we weree safe until we reached here." michael addrsses fihadi "I am sorry to cause you trouble I was just consulting your council for advise and if you could help with the minor details of persuading those underlings to forget this encounter"
Storyteller Shadow |
You turn to the ones that attempted to escape as they are closest to you and you realize that they too are sitting quite comfortably as well with a glazed look in their eyes. You suspect that someone has used more "magic" on them.
Turning quickly to your right you see that Santo's gondola men are all lined up with their backs against the wall. Most of them have the same shocked look that you likely have witnessing the humane treatment of these people who were just brought in as no better than smuggled goods! Santo's right hand man is talking with a figure whose back is to you. The man is quite tall with a pale shaved head, even looking at him from behind there is something in the way he holds himself that tells you he is in charge here. Santo's man who generally wears an arrogant sneer the same way you wear your nobility looks quite humbled as he listens to what the man has to say.
Barmaids walk around the room serving food and drink to the slaves. They too appear to have a glazed look in their eyes.
Across the room is another strange sight. Seated at the bar is a very tall beautiful man, his features somewhat feminine. It hurts to behold him he is so beautiful, in fact it is hard to even make out his features and just the mere sight of him brings tears to your eyes. Next to him is an attractive woman whose beauty pales in comparison to his. Flanking them on either side are bare chested men, well muscled, with long flowing blonde hair. They survey the room with a look of near paranoia despite the sea of calm around them.
What did you do?
Storyteller Shadow |
Alessandro Khadaji
I did not expect there to be zero successes! Do you want to spend a Willpower point to avoid ending up in the water?
Storyteller Shadow |
Michael Santo & Gunther Thesing
Hans chuckles, "Are these people being delivered of their own free will? I take it that this Querini did not tell you who his employer was then? No need for apologies my friend, you have made the wise choice coming to me for my council. I may help you yet but first let us see what your friend has to say perhaps this is something that simply slipped his mind". Hans turns to you Gunther to gauge your reaction.
Thesing |
Michael Santo & Gunther Thesing
"People being transported to my inn on their own volition is one thing, but to be 'shipped as cargo' is by far yet another thing altogether."
A look of disgust washes over Gunther's face
"I am at a loss for words."
Gunther folds his burly arms across his barrel-chest, shakes his head and sighs heavily
"What is done, is done. The question is, how do we go forward from here?"
Storyteller Shadow |
Alessandro Khadaji
You manage to pull your feet up at the last moment to prevent a loud splash as you grapple onto teh side of the ship. However, your feet are soaked as you begin to climb up the side of the ship. Using available notches in the ship as well as some ropes which hang from the side of the deck you are able to reach the top.
Peering over the side you have excellent visibility. The crew sits perfectly still around a large opening. Hanging over the hole is a pully system. The men are all armed simply staring down into the hold. They say nothing to one another. It is quite strange, most sailors you have met are a raucous bunch. This is eerie.
You neither see nor hear anything else on the ship as it sits at dock creaking and swaying from the gentle waves coming in from the sea.
What do you do?
Storyteller Shadow |
Michael Santo & Guntehr Thesing
"You see your friend is quite reasonable when it comes to matters of business, now answer my questions and I will let you know what business I will or will not do".
Storyteller Shadow |
Alessandro Khadaji
Your best escape route is to leap off backwards into the water. It will make noise but it would be tough to catch you.
You take a position as comfortable as you can get taking pressure off of your arms and letting your legs stay tied to teh side of the ship using the ropes already available. With your clothing and the dark night it would be hard for someone to spot you unless they shined a torch towards your side of the ship and even then you are still well positioned.
As you continue to observe the men it is clear they are not normal. They stand motionless simply looking below and they do not speak at all. Do you continue to observe, this is very strange.
Storyteller Shadow |
"Go and quickly, you have many more deliveries to perform this night. Failure will not be tolerated".
The man turns at your approach and you are rooted to the floor. His eyes are horribly, unfathomably soulless and cruel. His gaze sees you and just as quickly passes over you, within a fraction of a second he has noticed you and judged you unworthy of being in his presence, you can feel it and it strikes you with the force of a charging horseman because deep down you know it to be true. He speaks to you despite the fact that he has totally disregarded your existence, the feeling is qute offputting.
His face is pale and his head is totally bald. He is neitehr attractive nor unattractive. The man seems like he could pass by in a crowd based upon looks though the way he carries himself is imposing.
"Who are you then and why are you here? Answer me quickly or you will be dealt with more quickly".
Storyteller Shadow |
Michael Santo & Gunther Thesing
"I see. I shall make investigations of my own then. Meet me at this place in four hours time and I will tell you whether I will help you or not. You may do whatever you wish in the meantime. Hurry now, the night stands still for no one".
Storyteller Shadow |
Michael Santo & Gunther Thesing
Just to clarify "meet me at this place"means Greetings Inn.
Hans heads out the door leaving you both standing in the kitchen with Anya smiling at you, "Are either of you hungry? Shall I fix something?"
Storyteller Shadow |
As you sit there, a cloud seems to form in the room. The cloud swirls together, it seems to be made of dust. The pattern i mesmerizing and you have clearly exhausted yourself far too much over the past few days as you are now hallucinating.
Then the dust cloud takes the shape of a man. The shape turns to you a look of surprise in its eyes, it is your contact. He chuckles, "You were not supposed to see that", and he begins to move towards you.
What do you do?
Storyteller Shadow |
Lorenzo Cappelli
You sit in your study and reflect upon the events of the day. You had expected the evening to come to quite a different end. Sighing in annoyance you read the same portion of the book you have been attempting to read for the past hour.
Your reading is interrupted by a knock at the door. Whether annoyed or relieved by this new circumstance you are not sure. The insistent knock comes again. What do you do?
Storyteller Shadow |
Storyteller Shadow |
Alessandro Khadaji
Still the men on the ship do not move and no sound is heard. This is moving beyond strange and into macabre. No man should be able to stand so still for so long much less several. Still no sound is heard, it is almost as if the fog has even kept the curious away for this dock should be busy with men unloading cargo from such a large ship.
As your eyes become used to the darkness you begin to look at other sections of the ship. Flying off the mast is a black flag. This is no merchant ship but the ship of pirates!
Storyteller Shadow |
Andrew the Hardy
Finally the gondola glides into the dock in front of the Way of King's Inn. Federico and Donnach are in jolly moods and do not seem to have noticed your melancholy disposition.
They head inside to share celebratory drinks based upon the success of the meeting with the Giovanni.
What do you do?
Michael Santo |
Michael nods his head smiling, yes I would enjoy a nice home cooked meal please... turning to face Gunther
"looks like we have a few hours to figure this out. Eh" Michael stroll s through the house and finds himself a seat.
"Has anything strange develop lately at your inn. New clients, disappearances of regulars? michael appears to be in deep thought
Thesing |
Michael Santo & Gunther Thesing
"Yes, thank you Anya. I think a nice home-cooked meal would be a wonderful idea... and perhaps a tall glass of ale if that is not too much trouble. It might be just the thing I need to relax my nerves."
Gunther turns to Michael
"To answer your question, I have had some new clientele as of late, but no disappearances... at least none to my knowledge."
Michael Santo |
"How much do you know of Michael Querini? I've worked for him throughout the years but our relationship has always been one sided. if it came down to the most powerful men in the city and you my friend then hey we battle them full force." michael slams his fits onto the table he is sitting adjacent to "I will not have these pompous bastard stepping on us any longer. We will rendezvous with "hans" then we take action but we need to keep the element of surprise. Anything you wish to do in the mean time?"
Thesing |
"How much do you know of Michael Querini? I've worked for him throughout the years but our relationship has always been one sided. if it came down to the most powerful men in the city and you my friend then hey we battle them full force." michael slams his fits onto the table he is sitting adjacent to "I will not have these pompous bastard stepping on us any longer. We will rendezvous with "hans" then we take action but we need to keep the element of surprise. Anything you wish to do in the mean time?"
"I know nothing about Querini, but I have to ask... why would I be confronting the most powerful men of the city? Do they have some sort of vendetta towards me? What threat could I possibly pose?"
Gunther's eyes narrow a bit as he contemplates his current situation
"What have you gotten us into, Michael?... and who are those people whose fate you sealed by 'shipping' them to my inn? For what purpose? Where did they come from?"
Gunther's temper begins to flare as he continues pondering the topic
"I think you have some further explaining to do before I go any further or I take other measures to correct this matter on my own, my friend."
Storyteller Shadow |
Andrew the Hardy
"Indeed Signore, there is a Church right across the plaza. The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. It is still open now though if the Pope's edict is declared its doors will close I fear".
Storyteller Shadow |
Radek says nothing on the return trip though he seems to be getting paler by the minute as the fog again rolls in thickly masking your progress through the Venetian canals. Hold for a moment there.
Storyteller Shadow |
You are seated on the bed with your weapon bared in your hands. Your contact is next to the door placing the trap back into place. He turns to you, "No need to bare steel at me woman. I have come to see your progress. I presume you have made progress finally".
For a moment you pause. How is he able to disarm this trap with you in the room. Did you doze off? You remember seeing him as a demon a threat. It must have been a dream but quite a frightening dream...
You have been made to "forget" what you saw. As far as you know it is just a crazy dream. You were suspicious of him before now doubly so but you do not perceive him as a Mogui! What do you do now?