Hell's Rebels AP - Down with Thrune!

Game Master GM Red

Morvena watches the tengu go about their card games for a few moments, a thoughtful expression on her face.

Hmm. Safety is all well and good but being largely confined indoors for extended periods surely cannot be good for long-term morale. Perhaps it might be a good idea to find them other avenues of entertainment? I will have to ask Pava later - she has always been good with such things...

"Huh? Oh yes, the gator," she finally responds, snapping out of her reverie. "Have any of you seen it?"

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Padraig spies the exact location of the gator beneath the water, just next to the statue. It remains still enough that it would appear lifeless had it not been from the eerie yellow glow its strange eyes evoke when it subtly adjusts them.

___
One PC has the drop on the gator if they want to attack it to begin combat.

Pádraig Henry belts out a Sellen River swamp blues tune, loads his sling with a cold iron bullet and fires away, knowing it's a long shot but hoping to draw out the gator.

♫Alley-gator, with those hypnotic big green eyes
Alley-gator, she'll make you 'fraid 'em
She'll chew you up it ain't no lie, yeah yeah yeah♫
ZZ Top, Alley-Gator

Inspire Courage: Allies receive a +1 morale bonus on saves vs charm & fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack & weapon damage rolls.

Attack, Inspire Courage: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 71d3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Issil draws her dagger and shield, and waits on Victor.

Geoffrey knows the chances of wounding the gator were slim while the gator remained submerged, so he draws his trusted blade and assumes a readied combat stance.

Move: Draw Bastard Sword.
Ready Attack against Gator when it enters melee. Bastard Sword, Inspire: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 = 8; Slashing damage: 1d10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 2 + 1 = 10

The gator thrashes about in anger and darts forward as Padraig's bullet slings through the water and past it.

"Oy, they're fightin' the gator!" Jay calls, the tengu family rushing to watch the fight from the corridor.

The gator raises its scaled maw above the water to get a better look at its aggressors.

Stormwater Shrine
-- Bold is up --
Pádraig, Geoffrey, Issil
Albino Gator
Morvena, Victor

___
The water here is 3 feet deep and relatively clear. I don't think Geoffrey can ready outside of combat, but I'll assume he meant that readying for this round. :)

Pádraig Henry continues inspiring his companions, loads another cold iron bullet and slings it at the gator. "The water's a bit deep for a halfling, I'm afraid."

Inspire Courage: Allies receive a +1 morale bonus on saves vs charm & fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack & weapon damage rolls.

Attack, Inspire Courage: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 131d3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

"Oh sure, let the humans do the hard work." Issil jokes before closing in. She inhales deeply and breathes flame upon the gator.

Casting Burning Hands on the gator. Reflex Save DC 14 for half.

Fire Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6

Reflex save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

With the gator's head exposed above water, Pádraig slams its nose with a cold iron bullet and Issil turns its scales from bright white to greyish brown as she unleashes a jet of flames from within.

The gator thrashes through the water and reaches up to grab Issil in its jaw by her ankle.
Bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 221d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Grab?: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

Her leg is bloodied, but Issil pulls it out in time to avoid being grabbed.

Korva gasps from the hall as she watches on. "Yikes, that gator is still hungry? You'd figure that half-tengu, half-monster would've satisfied it... Good for nothing Chough!"

Stormwater Shrine
-- Bold is up --
Pádraig, Geoffrey, Issil (-5)
Albino Gator (-8)
Morvena, Victor

"Gator, No biting!" Issil takes a half step back and heaves more flame. "Plenty more where this came from, gator!"

Hehehehehe...FIRE! Burning Hands needs a Reflex Save DC 14 to halve the damage.

Fire Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5

Pádraig Henry keeps singing, drops his sling and draws his rapier as he moves up behind Issil. He plants a healing hand on her backside.
Cure Light Wounds spell: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Inspire Courage: Allies receive a +1 morale bonus on saves vs charm & fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack & weapon damage rolls.

Geoffrey sprints out onto the dock next to Issil, franctically waving her to back away. "Let me handle this!" He then swings his blade in a wide arc to help shield the impetuous woman from further harm.

Move: move to position on map.
Standard: Maintain Readied Action. Bastard Sword, Inspire: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 1 = 10; Slashing damage: 1d10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 1 = 4
If Issil is attacked then Geoffrey will use his Bodyguard feat to assist her defense.
Bastard Sword, AoO: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7 failed, one AoO used.

"Tch...using such magic requires one to get too close for my liking," Morvena comments, stepping up next to the water and flinging a small dart of acid at the angry gator!

Acid Dart (Ranged Touch; Into Melee, IC): 1d20 + 3 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 - 4 = 6
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Acid Orb + Inspire, Melee, Touch: 1d20 + 4 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 + 1 - 4 = 151d3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Victor shuffles up next to Morvena after she throws a blast of dripping acid at the croc. He watches her hand motions and vocab words carefully, following up with his own version of a similar spell... slinging a glob of acid at the croc, but with better aim. "This spell slinging stuff ain't so hard! I could get used to this!"

"Tch...using such magic requires one to get too close for my liking," Morvena comments, stepping up next to the water and flinging a small dart of acid at the angry gator!

"In my professions, you'd be amazed how often this happens." Issil quips back as she spits the last gout of flame at the gator.

Geoffrey sprints out onto the dock next to Issil, franctically waving her to back away. "Let me handle this!" He then swings his blade in a wide arc to help shield the impetuous woman from further harm.

"Hurry up Geoffrey, or you'll miss all the fun." Issil does a pivot in place, clearly enjoying herself more than she should, considering a man-eating gator almost tore her leg off. "Besides, I'm not gonna let you die alone. We stand together. Equality and all that junk, right?" She winks and readies her dagger.

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
The gator dunks his head underwater to avoid a portion of flames sourced from Issil, but as he raises it up out of the water again, Victor splashes him with some acid!

The angry scaled beast hops up onto the dock, dodging Geoffrey's readied strike, and retaliating by attempting to bite the arm holding his blade.
Bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 251d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Crit?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Grab: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Geoffrey's hand goes numb as the gator digs its fangs deep into his flesh, blood pulsing from the wound to the beat of his heart.

Stormwater Shrine
-- Bold is up --
Pádraig, Geoffrey (-8, grappled), Issil
Albino Gator (-13, grappling)
Morvena, Victor

___
Bad gator!

DM is rolling hot...and I am not. Not a good sign...

"AAHHHHH!" Geoffrey yells out in pain as he attempts to wrench his arm away from the gator.

Combat maneuver check, escape Grapple: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 4 + 1 = 14

Victor's eyes go wide and he gets nervous seeing Geoffrey's arm in the long, sharp snout of the gator I don't want to see him with one arm, like Nan with one leg!

Victor hops up on the dock and tries to help pull the man backwards and out of the lizard's mouth. CMB Assist, DC10: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20 "I'm coming, don't get yourself eaten man!" +2 bonus on your CMB I think!

Having healed Issil and unable to reach the alligator, Pádraig Henry heals Geoffrey, singing notes of inspiration all the while.
Cure Light Wounds spell: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Inspire Courage: Allies receive a +1 morale bonus on saves vs charm & fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack & weapon damage rolls.

"Tsk tsk, this gator..." Issil sinks her dagger underneath the gator's scales. "Hold it still, Geoff. I'll make a good gator skin purse!"

Dagger, Inspire Courage, Combat Expertise: 1d20 + 3 + 1 - 0 ⇒ (14) + 3 + 1 - 0 = 18
Damage: 1d4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 1 = 4

AC is 18 this round.

Morvena's eyes widen with surprise and possibly even a hint of worry as the gator surges out of the water and snaps down tightly on Geoffrey's arm. "Unhand him, you oversized lizard!" she cries as she conjures a thick layer of grease onto Geoffrey's armor.
_______

Casting Grease on Geoffrey to help with that grapple!

A puddle of thick, slick goo emerges from Geoffrey's bicep and flows down his arm and into the gator's mouth. Victor pulls back on Geoffrey's shoulders while Geoffrey twists his arm and slips it out of the gator's mouth, escaping the grapple!

Issil swoops ahead and stabs it under the soft, fleshy underside of its jaw.

Who gets a chomp? Geoffrey 1, Issil 2: 1d2 ⇒ 2
Bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 251d8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 Seriously?
Confirm: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 231d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Grab: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Issil endures a brutal bite, and finds half of her leg stuck deep in the gator's mouth.

"Damn it, yer gunna get yerselves killed!" Jay calls.

"Shut it, Jay. We're on the same team here. Look at how resourceful that stern-looking woman is with her spells. Come on, kill the gator!" Korva excitedly adds.

"Yeah! Kill the gator! Kill the gator!" Maggie chants.

Stormwater Shrine
-- Bold is up --
Pádraig, Geoffrey (-2), Issil (-16, grappled)
Albino Gator (-17, grappling)
Morvena, Victor

_____
Bad, bad gator. Also, that's the first time I've seen a Grease spell used in that way. Pretty cool.

Yeah the Grease spell is one of the most useful spells out there! I have even seen it used to disarm the BBEG in one of my old campaigns, he he. As for this fight, all I can say is...glad we waited until 2nd level to tackle this one!

"Hang in there Issil!" Geoffrey exclaims frantically as he reaches for his sword again, trying to stab into its side, but his blow is wide.

Attack the Gator. Bastard Sword, Inspire: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 = 8; Slashing damage: 1d10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 = 6

Pádraig Henry does what he can to keep Issil alive, adding a note of urgency to his inspiring tune.
Cure Light Wounds spell: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Inspire Courage: Allies receive a +1 morale bonus on saves vs charm & fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack & weapon damage rolls.

"The water's only three feet deep near the edge. Some of you longshanks might want to consider getting your toes wet. I'm out of healing spells and I can't reach the gator from here!" says the 3-ft tall halfling. "Grappling and flanked, the gator might be an easier target."

Roger winces as the Halfling's words hit him square in the face In the water? With that thing? Uggghhhh. He jumps down off the dock and wades out into the water, pulling his sap as he goes.

Once he's in reach he slaps out with it Sap(nonlethal) + Inspire: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 1 = 151d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 "I'm trying here!"

Brutal indeed... glad we waited for level 2. Good news! Since I used Combat Expertise, my CMD is actually 15, not 14.

Issil plays with the gator for a bit, trying to lead it away from her allies. The way the light off the pool reflects off of the gator's skin, the way it makes her family ring shine, it's beautiful, isn't it? A little grimy right now but it is pretty. Maybe the only thing Issil agreed with her mother was the value of gems, necklaces and anything you could wear. She nods to no one in particular. I need more of this.

By now Issil quickly comes back to reality as the alligator bites right into her thigh and drags her to her knees. It's clutching tightly, and Issil knows she doesn't have much time left.

Backing up, she desperately tries to heal herself.
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

"I'll help you flank in a second, Vic. Maybe we're fighting Asmodeous in gator form."

"Damn...! Try and hold on, I'll summon assistance!" Morvena calls as the rest of the group frantically works to keep Issil among the living.
_______

Initiate Summon Monster I!

Retcon: Issil is not grappled due to Combat Expertise.

Issil backs off, tending to her wounds with Pádraig, while Victor does the complete opposite and hops into the fray, slapping the gator with his sap. Morvena focuses her arcane energy, the silhouette of her monster companion beginning to form in the room.

The gator lashes out at Geoffrey again.
Bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 71d8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Then turns and tries to slap him across the gut with its tail
Tail Slap: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (9) + 0 = 91d12 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

.. And finds that its severe injuries ruin its combat skill. It misses both times!

Stormwater Shrine
-- Bold is up --
Pádraig, Geoffrey (-2), Issil
Albino Gator (-17, 3 NL)
Morvena + Monster, Victor

Spellcraft vs Morvena, DC16: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9 "Summoning in some help?" Victor looks around then slaps at the croc again with his sap.

Sap + Inspire: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 4 + 1 = 221d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Victor whacks the gator on the snout, and its eyes roll back in its head. It slips off the edge of the dock and plunges into the water, splashing everyone nearby and thoroughly soaking Victor.

Out of combat. Gator is at -17 with 8 NL, unconscious but stable.

"Yeah, I knew they could do it!" Maggie exclaims, hopping into the air.

"I think we could really get somewhere with these guys. Say, if you folks need any help with your little organization here, just say the word. We know a thing or two about peddling wares and earning a coin or two," Korva adds, a coy grin on her face.

The party gains a unique team, the Fushi Family. The four tengus function as a specialized team giving you access to the Earn Gold and Gather Information rebellion actions effective immediately. This unique team does not count against your team maximum. I'll get this on our little tracker.

Issil prepares to slit the gator's throat with her dagger. "I gotta get a bigger weapon. But no one likes a... dancer..." eye roll with a big sword, ya know? Not customer friendly."[/b]

She pauses. "By the way, how do we turn this into a handbag?" She looks expectantly to Geoffrey.

Victor grimaces a bit as the water rolls over him "Well, it'll take that over losing a leg... since I'm soaked I'll check out this statue!" He stuffs his sap into his belt and takes a couple quick breathes before swimming down to check out the statue and its compartment.

Take 20 searching the thing, hopefully no evil traps cause me to drown. 25 Perception.

Geoffrey shudders briefly, closing his eyes in relief, as he watches Victor handle the beast with a surprising ease. Sheathing his sword he turns to face Issil, rolling his eyes in reply to her question.

"I have not the slightest idea on how to skin one of these beasts! Now if you want a handbag that will be the object of scorn...then by all means I will attempt to...do my BEST!"

At least this gives me an excuse to pick up a rank in Profession (Tanner) next level :P

Victor pops open the underwater compartment and finds that it's thoroughly flooded and filled with fragments of tattered scrolls. There is, however, an intact holy symbol and a whip.

Those PCs who wish to can make one check to appraise the holy symbol

What will you do with the gator?

K Religion: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15 "Ahh Calistria, surprise surprise." Says Victor as he states the obvious. "Gimme a minute and I'll see just how pricey this thing is, all depends on how pure that gold is I expect."

He lifts up the soggy remains of some scrolls and sighs "Too bad on these, could have been something really helpful or valuable." He climbs up out of the water and shakes his head of whispy hair a bit and looks at his soggy clothes too.

"We should open that beast up and check his gut for that other boot, and who knows what else. As far as a purse.. I can butcher it but I don't know anything about actually tanning hides." He pulls out one of the dagger's Laria gave them and gives a little shrug.

I took prof: butcher for my cover story this level, convenient I guess right? Take 10 for a 15. I can also get a good appraisal, especially with a bit of help, take 10 for an 18... any aids?

Sheathing his sword he turns to face Issil, rolling his eyes in reply to her question.

"I have not the slightest idea on how to skin one of these beasts! Now if you want a handbag that will be the object of scorn...then by all means I will attempt to...do my BEST!"

"Pfft. But you said you could- hmm. Do My Best...that could be a song. Be My Guest has a better ring to it, though." She shrugs and slits the gator's throat.

Crit Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5
Coup de Grace. DC 15 or die. The damage may be enough to kill it outright.

Once that's done, she drags the gator to shore and works on gutting the gator. Well, she stops when Victor mentions he is a butcher by trade. "Mm, gator meat..."

Gut the gator and find the rest of those boots.

"What, is Calistria into whips or something?" She pauses. "That would explain a LOT, honestly. Some of my customers... hmm." She grins. "Man those guys went far. Anyway."

Issil uses guidance to help her identify stuff.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 1 = 9

Appraise: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 1 = 13
But she draws a complete blank. "Wow. I got nothing. It looks really shiny, though."

Pádraig Henry takes a look at the holy symbol of Calistria, trying to help Victor estimate its value.
Aid Appraise, Helpful trait: 1d20 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 4 = 19
He studies the whip. It's enchanted, but I'm unable to determine its properties."
Detect Magic and Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
"With Victor's expert field dressing of the gator, I'll bet we could get a fair price for the hide. Let's ask Rex, Laria, or our new merchant contact. Maybe they know a buyer?"

Pádraig Henry takes a look at the holy symbol of Calistria, trying to help Victor estimate its value.

[dice=Aid Appraise, Helpful trait]d20+5+4
He studies the whip. It's enchanted, but I'm unable to determine its properties."
[dice=Detect Magic and Spellcraft]d20+5
"With Victor's expert field dressing of the gator, I'll bet we could get a fair price for the hide. Let's ask Rex, Laria, or our new merchant contact. Maybe they know a buyer?"

The helpful trait doesn't help you make the DC10 aid check, but if you are successful in the check it gives the beneficiary +4 instead of +2.

"You're right Padraig, that IS some fine casting work on that holy symbol, screw 75g, we should hold out for 100g!"

Once the grizzly work of butchering and appraising is finished, Victor stands up, soaked, bloodied, and sweaty. "I'm gonna take a quick bath in that pool then it sure would be kind of you all with your magic to clean and dry me off ok?" He strips down to his skivies and heads in for a thorough washup, dragging his bloodied clothes in after him.

Is this water salt or fresh? Does it look like it goes out of the basement navigably or?

Issil pummels the gator to death, then drags it to dry ground while Victor begins professionally gutting it. Three of the four tengu are thoroughly disgusted by the act, but the fourth, the strong and silent Treep, stands watch with his arms folded across his chest.

With enough time, Victor digs out the remaining Daredevil Boot from its innards, and manages to properly skin the gator, too.

____________
It's fresh water. I can and will adlib sewer exploration if that's your intent, but there isn't a whole lot to be found beyond the pool.

Issil casts Create Water as necessary to help Victor clean himself. She then matches the boots. "Nice. Now we have the matching set!"

Once that's over, she walks up to the tengus and shrugs. "Hey, dead gator. You hungry? Maybe we should talk about getting you guys outside."

After cleaning up the gator, Issil chats with the Tengus, wondering how they're doing and how much fun they're going to have.

Once that's done, Issil sits down and decides to chat a bit with Morvena Sarini. "Hey, Morvena. What's up? Why did you leave the cushy manor? Tell me your story and I'll tell you mine!" She grins.

Seeing Victor about to swim down the river he hastily hurries over to dissuade the impetuous man. "I don't think that is a good idea. No telling if any other gators are swimming down here." He then motions to the tengu to listen to him. "I need at least one of you to keep an eye out for any other water creatures that may swim up here."

While the thought of eating raw gator did not appeal to him he does stroke his groomed mustache in thought, "This would make a good source of meat if we can cure it. Maybe Laria can help us cure the meat. Padraig, I'll help carry the meat while you go find her."

Once he has returned he decides to check up on Morvena, only to see the woman talking intently with Issil. This should be interesting...

"Sure thing Jeff, just taking a quick look. At some point we should really see where it goes, we don't want people wandering in here, or it could be an emergency exit and all." Victor wades back and hops out, looking Morvena and Padraig's way for a little drying action before he gets dressed.

"Pretty decent boots, someone's going to put those to use right?" As Geoffrey mentions curing the meat with Laria he just shakes his head. "I'm a butcher remember? Curing meat is something butchers do... I just need salt and spices... lots of that kinda stuff in the room over there.. I bet I can make a pretty nice coffee brine..."

"I've heard of a Sczarni recipe for alligator etouffée. 'Sauté onions, garlic and celery, bell pepper optional, in some butter until soft. Add tomatoes and simmer for twenty minutes in a covered iron pot. Add the alligator meat and cook over a low heat until tender for about one hour. If the gravy thickens too much while cooking or at the end, add water. Add the onion tops and parsley in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Serve over rice, especially yummy with jasmine scented rice, a fresh tomato and lettuce salad and a thick slice of French bread for mopping your plate clean.' Never had it, but it sounds delicious."

Before he heads upstairs, Pádraig Henry shakes hands with the Fushi family of Tengus. "Welcome to the Silver Ravens, friends. You're a fine team. We should all meet to discuss your particular strengths. We could sure use your help 'fund-raising' and information-gathering."

The halfling heads through the secret door and back upstairs.

When he can speak privately with Laria Longroad, he broaches the subject that's intrigued him since they met. "Laria, I'd be interested in learning more about the Bellflower Network. Possibly joining, if they'd have me. I'd like to do more to help our kind find their way to freedom from oppression."

Then Pádraig Henry remembers why he'd come upstairs in the first place. "Oh. We also have a fresh alligator hide, and we're hoping we can sell it to raise operating capital. Any suggestions, Laria? What about that merchant, Newt, we met today?"

With a small sigh of disappointment, Morvena ceases her conjuring and the hazy outline of whatever she'd been summoning fades from view. As the others pore over the holy symbol, she turns her attention to the whip...

Spellcraft (DC 18): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

...but doesn't have any better luck than Padraig or Issil. "Hmph. Clearly I need to do more studying since nearly every enchantment we've encountered to date has left me mystified," she huffs.

As Victor strips down and hops into the fountain to take a bath, she blushes and quickly directs her attention elsewhere. "That is disgusting and lewd to boot! I hope you do not expect any of the rest of us to bathe in that thing - if so, you will be sorely disappointed!"

With this many of us staying down here we will need some sort of proper bathing facilities and some means of disposing of...waste. I wonder if one of the Fushi family might know something of engineering?

By the time Issil plops herself down to have a chat, Morvena actually finds herself briefly thankful for the distraction...and then immediately regrets it when the woman begins to pry.

"Ah...well, I suppose it is a...story similar to many who have decided to turn their backs on House Thrune and their dogs," she replies slowly. "Simply put, I...I lost someone dear to me, sacrificed on the altar of ambition. After that, I...I could not view my family in the same manner that I once did," she continues, looking about distractedly, her eyes lingering for a few moments on the statue of Calistria.

Bluff: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 3

"Huh. I never thought of it that way before." Issil seems mostly confused by Morvena's story. "I guess lots of nobles have died to zeal and ambition. I guess you saw the 'big picture' and decided to leave, huh?"

"I'm not gonna lie. I liked the gold. I liked the silver. I love the jewelry." Issil shows off her family ring and the brooch around her neck. "I'm proud of this shiny stuff. But look at me. A..." she gives Morvena a look. "Dancer. It's nice though. I get to go wherever I want. I can hang out with whomever I want. And I do whatever I want. My family never liked it. Ever."

She shakes her head. "And I've heard plenty of rumors that House Tanessen worships the wrong people. Grandma told me she's seen demons, or devils or something bargaining with family members. Seemingly casual. No, that's not for me. Not my life. The last thing I want to be is some devil's sacrifice, you know? I'm no one's plaything. And I... don't want to force anyone to be a plaything, either."

Issil looks up from her jewelry to see Morvena looking at the statue. "Huh? I hope I'm not boring you too much. I know I'm not as well dressed as you, but you are kind of like a sister to me. I promise not to judge, alright?" Issil stands up and turns to leave.

Laria finds a second to steal away a private conversation with Pádraig. "The Network would be glad to have you, but perhaps our focus should be on pooling all of our resources for now. Us Silver Ravens need all the help we can get if we are to adequately raise a worthy rebellion against Thrune. As for the skin... We may raise suspicion bringing a gutted gator through the Coffeehouse. There's a back exit just next to my office, but then carrying it through town?" She pauses in thought for a moment. "Maybe Victor can pose as a traveling merchant," she laughs. "Either way, that Newt would love a length of gator's skin. Why, I can just hear his shrill voice now. 'Ooh yes, what a lovely specimen!'" She pantomimes a gag reflex.

While Padraig steals off to talk with Laria, Victor finishes washing up and sets about mixing up a nice coffee flavored brine for the gator meat "Big animal like this was probably old, meat is gonna be a bit tough.. this brine should help tenderize it a bit and add in a nice coffee flavor... hrm I wonder if we could get the coffee house upstairs to run a special on it if it comes out good.. maybe make a few bucks to 'reinvest' if you know what I mean?"

He starts rummaging through the business supplies looking for a clean, water tight barrel, lots of salt and coffee and assorted spices. At one point he'll poke his head up and request any left over coffee and pastries to help with the task (coffee for the brine and pastries for himself.. shhh) "If you've got a delivery cart or what have you we can haul this 'skin' out of here..."

Ya I was curious on rolls for the rebellion, I need to reread those rules for it. I would like to get out and about into town some to gather some info on new and old rumors and see if I can't get the low down on where Newt's true loyalties lie.

"Hmm? Oh no, you are not boring me," Morvena replies with a bit of a start, tearing her gaze away from the statue and back to Issil. "And, ah...I would not worry too much about dress at this point. We are all in the same position now, are we not?"

She pauses and a tiny smile flickers across her face. "And I must admit, it is refreshing, in a way, to be beholden to no one but myself...and to the rest of our little band, of course."

"I know, it's really nice. If it weren't for this new curfew I would take you to some places..." Issil raises her eyebrows suggestively. "One step at a time, right? You and Pava are always welcome with me." Issil smiles at the small bird, then heads off to talk to the tengu, maybe join them in a few more card games.