Tarrar's ref save
damage
Tarrar loses his footing with a push from the crowd and joins Chitleen at the bottom of the conjured pit just before the pit closes disgorging its victims at teh foot of the stairs. Surak's burst of healing energy confuses the crowd for a moment and he is able to vault the bannister onto the stairs.
Outside, Daeron sees a squad of Dawn Vigil on their way to the incident at the Breakstride and in the opposite direction, Kipp walks up with a couple of the porters. "Well, I see you managed to-" He stop noticing the hubub inside. "What in the Seven Heavens and Nine Hells is going on here?!"
Shaking off the hit from the fall and the throttling he continues to recieve from the crowd, the barbarian thank his tough hide for taking some thesteam out of both. "Oof! Grrrrr! ENOUGH!" Grabbing the senseless elf once again, the dwarf decides itmight be best to avoid any more arcane tricks Looking for the quickest exit he barrels for as hard as possible.
Daeron continues to stay outside, keeping a wary eye on the proceedings inside. He digs inside his pocket in quiet anticipation, inadvertently touching the furred warm ball inside. Needing an extra pair of eyes, Daeron gently scoops up the ball and tosses it in the air before gingerly shaking off the dried off guano into his spell pouch..
Tarrar quickly hauls the unconcscious elf upstairs to find Surak fuming and ready to start kicking in doors. Meanwhile out front, Daeron releases his familiar into the air for some quick reconnaissance. The bat swoops around the large structure a few times and then Daeron senses some excitement from Ghemma.
On the ground there is also some excitement as Kipp starts fuming at the 'uppity elf' that's ignoring his question. The Dawn Vigil finally arrive and charge into the Breakstride to enforce some law and order.
Tarrar rushes a random door only to bounce off the stout wood construction.
Meanwhile, Shirish arrives on the heals of the Dawn Vigil and joins Kipp in asking Daeron what is going on. The elf doesn't answer and appears distracted as he focuses on his familiar.
Suddenly he turns and runs around to the back of the inn just as a second story window opens and a red robed figure leaps out. The man doesn't plummet, however, but quickly flies toward the river as his robes flap in the breeze.
Daeron gestures the newcomers Kip and Shirish hurriedly as he continues pointing at the red robed figure. He takes a deep breath before bellowing out in his most authoritative voice
Bluff:
Mentally persuading Ghemma to keep tabs at the fleeing figure, Daeron bustles his way past the crowd in effort to keep him in his sights.
Chitleen's sharp ears catch the sound of shutters banging open from a neighboring room and perhaps Daeron's voice shouting in the distance. He is certain that the red robed wizard is escaping beyond this door.
Surak decides to take to the street thinking that the wizard will try and run. He heads back down the stairs where he finds the Dawn Vigil has calmed the mob at least until one of their dwarf attackers shows up. The crowd erupts again in accusations and curses at the dwarf who isn't doing so well convincing the guards of his innocence.
Behind the inn, Daeron rushes toward the river and keeps an eye on the flying wizard who is swiftly outdistancing him. Even Ghemma is falling behind as the wizard turns and follows the river downstream away from the city.
Ah, we were outclassed and outwitted at the same time! grumbles Daeron to himself. Calling his familiar to his side, Ghemma settles on his palm before wrapping itself with its wings and promptly Daeron plops the fur ball into a loose pocket within his robes.
He walks back to the Breakstride and carefully approaches the angry crowd, pretending as he was just entering the scene, as he looks for Kip and Shirish.
Looking at the angry mob as they accost the dwarves, he mutters,
Dwarven diplomacy at its finest. Now, sheathing your arms would be a good start in cooling things down.
Chitleen seeks entry into the room that the red robed one departed from to check if it was his own, or just a room that he barged into. Once that is done he speaks to the dwarves "Excuse me a few moments... I do not think it wise for me to return downstairs considering what was provoked by my actions..." and he will return to his room.
Disguise roll (if needed): hopefully with a few bonuses from face covering and different clothing.
The leader of the Dawn Vigil, a paladin by his blue and yellow dress, quiets the crowd again. "What is this? What has happened here?" he demands.
A plump guest points his finger at Surak, "It was them! Foul ghuls disguised as dwarves and tall thin men of unsavory appearance. They conjured a dead man for their unholy feast and then attacked us. There were five: two short, two tall, and one dressed in red!"
Daeron and Kipp make their entrance at this in auspicious time and the man shreiks, "There are more!"
Upstairs Tarrar rushes the door Chitleen points out. Smashing it in with a loud sound. Chitleen peers in to see the window open and papers and other item scattered as if the occupant fled quickly.
"Dwarven... diplomacy?" Shirish rumbles at Daeron, her expression clearly incredulous. A skilled and sensible, but not particularly bright woman, Shirish catches that she should stow her arms to bring an end to hostilities, but she keeps her shield readily accessible.
She considers the robed man. "How long can he fly?" she asks Daeron. "A single man away from the city could not survive long on his own without comrades. We scarcely survived the jungle as five."
Alas, the arcane mysteries of flight are beyond me at my current state. It would take me much more knowledge and experience to unlock its secrets. Perhaps you could ask my desert dwelling kin regarding the matter and fathom how could a heady scent lift one high into the heavens.
Daeron puts on a face of bewilderment for the benefit of the crowd, seeing that they are made. Then he makes a face of anger as the plump man accuses him of being a ghul.
How dare you accuse me of such heinousness. The Dawn Vigil would look into my very essence and see that not a shred of vileness sojourns within.
Putting up a show of rage, Daeron approaches the plump man and accusingly points at him.
Were you too not involved? I saw you chanting just before the corpse materialized before us.
Bluff:
The man blusters back at Daeron, "ME?! I am but a simple merchant well known to many here, Ghareeb! You however, have the unsavory appearance of a wizard and northern infidel!"
The paladin interposes at this point, "Calm yourselves." He gazes around and declares, "No one here has an aura of true evil although spells may conceal this."
Another guard interrupts, "Sir, I believe this body is the Vizier Labiiq!"
The paladin quickly wallks over to inspect the body. He looks sternly over the crowd and calls to the innkeep, "Memsahib Finch, it is most important that I have a list of all who are currently staying here as well as a search of all the rooms. I will leave some of the Vigil to assist you and I will be taking the foreigners with me for questioning."
He turns to the adventurers, "If you are truly innocent, you won't mind a little divinatory magic?"
The plump guest helpfully points out, "There was another tall skinny freak and a dwarf that ran upstairs after the other wizard that looked Osiriani. You might want to grab them as well."
Erilene Finch looks distressed, "These folk have ben staying here quite some time and never gave me any trouble. I can't believe they would be involved in murder, but I'll help in any way I can."
Kipp fumes, "Torag's Gilded Balls! We aren't even in town an hour and you lot are already in trouble! I sure hope this doesn't delay our expedition!"
Tarrar and Chitleen are gathered up along with a couple other late risers who are all led downstairs. The body is covered with a cloth and the Dawn Vigil asks you to submit to a search and instructs you to leave your weapons and armor in Erilene's care.
Do whatever is necessary, as I will give the Law its chance to prove my non-involvement in this matter. Be careful not to harm my pet though.
Daeron quips as he submits himself to the body search.
Having no weapons readily concealable, Daeron cooperates with the Dawn Vigil officer, reassuring himself that his spells are safely committed to memory should he need them.
He glares at the plump merchant as he is stripped down, annoyed with his meddling.
Shirish blusters a bit at the question about divination magics, exceedingly uncomfortable with something of which she is wholly ignorant. When asked, she hands over her arms and armor, and submits to the search. She is more concerned about a murderer being allowed to go free than her personal freedoms, so little used to liberty.
"I swear upon my devotion to the five-winged that I had no part in whatever evil has occurred. I will assist in your investigation in any way possible."
Surak surrenders his weapons and breastplate, leaving only his holy symbol of Ragathiel to protect him. As a devotee of the god of vengeance, he feels most uncomfortable without his bastard sword.
Chitleen sets his jaw and takes umbrage to the Dawn Vigil's draconian approach "No, I will not walk unarmed out of this inn regardless of whether it is into the sands or into the Lambent Citadel. I will keep my talwar by my side... unless you walk with us naked of your own steel." eye contact made with the paladin of the vigil, and a hard set edge to his eyes showing that he talks with forceful truth.
Continuing "And I do not consent to be searched here in the common room like a drunk vagrant. If you wish to see what possessions I have, we will retire above where it can be done in private."
The faaris frowns at the elf, "I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation. An important official has been murdered and you are the only persons of interest we have. If you are innocent then the truth will be revealed in Sarenrae's holy light and you have nothing to fear. You have my word as a paladin of the Everlight that under my care you will come to no harm."
Chitleen continues with his belligerence "Your word is nothing to me. You ask for absolute submission without even giving cause. You would see me disarmed and stripped of all protection before dragging me off to be interrogated... and why? - because I was here. You could have asked us to accompany you willingly, you could have asked us of what we knew and talked to us here... but no, instead you assume us the criminal and impose autocracy upon us."
Chitleen places his hands before him wrists together "So you have a choice... either place me in chains and drag me through the streets, or accompany me upstairs and treat me with the respect that a common citizen deserves" settling a challenging gaze upon the paladin of the vigil.
Chitleen gives a slight nod of acceptance, and follows the paladin into the privacy of the kitchen.
Once there he retrieves the signet ring of the dead man from where it was concealed beneath his headscarf and accosts the paladin with a torrent of verbiage "This is from the dead one, I took it before any others could in the confusion." then retrieves the papers from his satchel "And these papers were within the room of a red robed gent that we chased from the scene. If you had followed me aloft I could have shown you this room in person. The red robed figure fled through the sky, but left behind a slight scent of dog as he departed." before holding his hands to his side palms forward for inspection.
Chitleen and his guards return to the common room and despite Kipp's protestations, the group of elves, dwarves and a half-orc are escorted into town and up the hill to the Bastion District for questioning.
It takes all the morning and into the afternoon before several zone of truth spells and a speak with dead clear you of wrong doing. You aren’t released immediately, but held in a windowless room for some time before the paladin, you learn his name is Jahaam, enters.
”I am sorry to keep you waiting. You have been cleared to leave. Unfortunately, we have learned little as to the identity of the true culprit. The dead vizier proved an ineffectual witness to his own death. He believes he died in his sleep. He can only tell us he went to bed late last night after an exhausting day of meetings and writing reports until late in the night. He fell into a deep sleep and dreamt he was pursued by a demonic hound that chased him across the city and through the wall until it fell upon him in a dreamlike version of the Breakstride. He never woke up and doesn’t seem to believe he is actually dead. His guards heard nothing. No door was opened and his room undisturbed except for the missing vizier.”
He nods to Chitleen, ”As for the red robed man, if he has escaped to the desert, who knows if we shall ever find him? The papers you gave us were written in Abyssal. They were merely notes, but pointed to dark practices and Rovagug worship. This is most troubling. We fear that perhaps the death of the vizier may have been an attempt on the life of the Sharif. Without knowing the threat may be exactly, we are helpless to defend him.”
A deep frown settles on Shirish's face as the paladin explains the circumstances of the officer's murder. Magic she assumes, and cups her large hands together in her lap and stares at them. Her axe and shield can do nothing to combat such insurmountable foes, and given her failure in the jungle, she feels unwilling to try. Kurgess favored physical challenge, not breaking one's spirit against unseen forces.
"I am uncertain how I can help," she admits in a soft voice. "Magic is beyond my understanding."
Daeron clenches his hands watching his kin leave.
Pardon my colleague here, he is upset to have left a fine meal while being cooperative to your interrogation as well as kept starved while awaiting your verdict.
Observing the paladin he adds.
It would seem you are at a predicament. Keen you are in discovering the culprit responsible for the vizier's death, you cannot spare enough men to thoroughly investigate the matter, without jeopardizing the sharif's safety.
Daeron continues his verbal peeling of the matter without pause.
I believe we would be excellent candidates to deputize in resolving this matter, but alas my current dwarven employers would take it unfavorably if we would expand our energies towards your cause.
Daeron looks with a sly smile as he adds.
Unless there is something provisioned in your laws that would make your cause a higher priority, we would be compelled to honor our current contract. I am sure you would more time to consult your book of laws, for I am in no hurry.
The paladin rubs his eyes wearily and replies to Daeron, "Your assessment is correct. The Dawn Vigil is stretched to its limits providing for the safety of all the pilgrims that are attending the Festival of Burning Blades. We have no one to spare for an investigation even if we had any information to go on. I am afraid you are the only ones who had a good look at this red sorcerer."
"I believe the threat will remain outside the city walls although I do not know how they were able to spirit the vizier out. I believe our only hope is if you are able to inquire among the people outside the River Gate to find out if anyone has seen the suspect around. We may get lucky if we work quickly before the trail cools. I will speak to your current employer and you will be compensated for your efforts. What do you say?"
Jahaam agrees to speak with Kipp as soon as he is able and you are allowed to return to the Breakstride. Chitleen has just arrived ahead of you and Kipp is fuming when you arrive.
"Tarnations! Can't leave you adventurers alone for a minute without something crazy happening. Shall we get back to business if there aren't any more corpses or what not to be falling out of thin air?!"
You are pleased to find he has brought the promised noqual and adamantine gear.
Ah, all that waiting seems worth it with this beauty in my hands.
Daeron handles the finely made adamantine dagger whilst storing the gear recently acquired.
Glancing at Chitleen, Daeron considers his words before saying,
An opportunity has risen for us to make some side income and see how our new dwarven comrades integrate with the group before our decent.
He chooses his words carefully,
The authorities of this town, however inconsiderate they could be at times, have offered us to deputize us in aiding to apprehend the ones responsible for the vizier's murder. For one, I would see advantage, mainly in coin and privilege. My gold would stretch further if purchases are made whilst being an officer of the law.
He pauses, hands folded within his robes.
Shirish gathers her new gear, considers hefting the weight of each item and stops and listens to her slim magical companion.
"We could also spar," she answers his suggestion about testing their new companions and looks to the dwarven priest hopefully.
"I would like to see how the shining ones train," she rumbles, flexing the impressive muscles in her dominant arm.