OMG Ebon Destroyers (Inactive)

Game Master Reckless

after Roonfizzle looks about and Calista gets her answer

To everyone: "I think we've learned everything we can from the lady, we should move quickly to avenge the merchant's death"

The only thing other than what has already been discovered that Roonie found was a slash in one of the floorboards under the blood pool, which might have been made by a longblade of some kind.

"Vitusa was fairly successful, but all her needs were met here. I don't know of any other property she owns. She lived above the shop."

Nothing is found (outside of the party) with detect magic.

"Alright, I think we've done and seen all we can here. We've got some other sites to look into. If you see anything strange, out of place, or suspicious in anyway, please don't hesitate to inform us. I'll send a man later to inform you how to contact us."

Raziya turns to the others with curious look. "Shall we depart?"

She writes down a small note and passes it to the girl. Its the name and address of the guard captain.

"Thank you, and I think it would be best you not mention to anyone that we came here and talked to you just yet. If how ever anyone asks after us, please let us know, by getting word to this man."

Then she walks out the shop, standing outside she closses her eyes a moment, opens them then starts to walk to the area of the warehouse.

::"This way, Rahdeem its looks like ..GM description here see if you can spot it from height. Roonfizzle check to see where not followed from the shop. The rest of us will try and get this place found."::

::Very well, I'll stay in the sky then and get a better look, but finding one single warehouse from the many in the city might prove harder than you think, friends::

After sending a quick response to Calista's request through the mindlink, Rahdeem jets upward, gaining a significant amount of altidude, and does his best to take in the big-picture layout of the city.

Checking for any commercial districts that might contain more warehouses than the others, as oppossed to residential areas, etc.

::Sounds like a plan. I'll keep my eyes peeled for anything that seems important::

Roonie will specifically look for the following: The warehouse as described. Anyone paying attention to the group. Activity by the Thieves guild he accidentally bumped into the other day. Anyone just suspicious or interesting.

Stealth: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (20) + 19 = 39
Perc: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

Roonfizzle slips out the door like a wisp of smoke, and trails the group in the direction Calistra leads them, looking for more trouble along their path, leaving no trace of his passage along the way. The only way the group knows he's near is his occasional mental comment.

Raziya follows Calista out the door, looking up and down the street for signs of any prying eyes.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

"What time should we be back at the house to meet the Advisor?" she asked Calista with a glance up to the sky, trying to gauge the approximate time of day.

The in character way of asking what time it is and how much time we have left in the day!

You make your way across the city, using aerial and ground reconnaissance to keep an eye out for anyone following or observing you. Of the former, you see none, but there are plenty of the latter; yours is an unusual group, and plenty of people look at you in curiosity before going about their every day business.

It takes about a half hour to travel across the city and find the abandoned warehouse, leaving you about half an hour to explore it before making the journey back across the city to the safehouse for your meeting.

The ware house is abandoned, but not unused: inside, in the warehouse's cesspit, you find discarded remains of various victims, no pieces big enough to be identifiable, save for the severed head of a woman, one ear adorned with a matching earring to the one Calista found.

A thorough search by Roonie also discovers a discarded, bent, muck-covered falchion made in Vudrani style, its maker's mark stamped under its hilt.

The search leaves you with about twenty minutes before you have to cross the city for your meeting.

In order to make up for time lost due to my lack of posts over this last week, I made some assumptions regarding searches and watches both on the way over and at the cesspit/warehouse.

Cool GM

Once they found the building she waited whole the sneak exports gave it the once over. When the all clear is given she enters and looks around.
She is shown what has been found and nods.

::"I just don't have time to do a full feel of this location now. we have about twenty minutes to get back to our meeting. Tomorrow maybe, we really need to get back fast if we want to make that meeting. Rahdeem will you be fine going on ahead with the key, in case he is there early and to inform him we may be late."::

She hands Rahdeem the key to the house.

She will do the above after you have done your PC search guys.

Yander grimaces in disappointment at not finding any of the murderers present in the warehouse. His mood darkening as they proceed to the group's disappointment.

Junebug follows along, disconcerted at her master's dark mood.

::An excellent plan. I'll see you there::

Taking the keys from Calista, Rahdeem rises up off the ground and speeds towards the house.

However upon returning, Rahdeem recalls the thoroughness with which Roonie trapped the house, and instead decides to wait outside the front door, and keep an eye out for the Lord.

Hey! I decided NOT to trap the place ... And if I DID trap anything, it'd just be Roonie's room doors/windows. I decided to be party friendly. :-/ However, anyone assuming Roonie DID trap the place, wouldn't be completely off base... Also, Back from being out of town for the holidays.

whoops, guess I misremembered, my mistake. Sorry. I'll still wait outside.

No big deal, I DID have a long mental conversation before deciding if I was or wasn't going to, but erred on the side of party friendly. Now I just hope I don't regret it down the line. So if you miss-remembered, you may simply have missed the part of the argument where I decided on not trapping everything ;)

I missed it completely, so I'll be the one setting off your traps in the future. Luckily I have plenty of hit points.

Raziya merely peeked at the inside of the warehouse, not entirely willing to do a good sweep of such an unkempt place. It was disgusting, to say the least and she certainly did not regret the short amount of time they were allowed before they departed back for their own lodgings.

"The severed head was not so bad," Grandpa laughed at the back of her mind. True enough, Raziya was not uncomfortable around dead bodies, whole or not, but she certainly had a certain standard for acceptable housekeeping.

"We should bring the items that belong to possible victims with us. Perhaps there's a clue to their identities hidden among them. Figuring out who exactly they are targeting might help us find them. Maybe even uncover bits of their strategies and plans."

"Calista, can you do that mind vision thing on any of these items from the warehouse to see more about what happened here?"

Lord Pandisar arrives, cloaked and wearing a disguise. He moves quickly and quietly to knock on the door of the house.

Now back at the house she lets the mind link expire.

"Yes, I will, once Lord Pandisar has departed, I need time to focus and concentrate Sir Royce."

Then as there was a door she headed over to it and peeking out checked who was there before opening it and letting Lord Pandisar in.

Power Empathy is running

"My lord, its good to see you once more, and thank you for this fine mance. We have news and a discoverer you may find interesting, please come, join us in the front room."

She closed the door looking once to see if anyone was paying attention to what was going on at the house from in side.

Perception 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30

I assume we have the head of the merchant wrapped up in a sack or something so we can return it to her family.

hold on, I think we're a little confused. You guys were still at the warehouse, i thought? I was going to move to meet the Lord...

arr I can see the confustion, GM said we had the head and I posted where heading back. Ok how about we drop my post we can use that later, just have the time and whos knocking some other person. Reset places, we're at the warehouse just setting off back. Rehdeem your at the house alone , dos that work for everyone?

Yes, it is Rahdeem who sees the lord a-knockin'

Yander makes sure the merchant's head is carefully wrapped in a blanket and placed into a sack for safe transport.

As the Lord knocks on the door to the manor, Rahdeem floats towards him and drops to the ground, landing deftly and silently on his feet a few yards away from Pansidar. With a thought, he dismisses his Chameleon power, and as his skin and equipment pop back in to full view, he coughs politely, begging for acknowledgement as he pulls the key from his pouch and walks towards the door.

"Greetings, Sir" he says, careful to avoid acknowledging the man by his title when he's clearly gone to lengths to avoid being recognized.

"The others are on their way, let's wait for them inside, shall we? Rahdeem opens the door, and gestures inside.

Before following the man indoors, Rahdeem gives a good wide look to see if anyone happens to be watching too intently...

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29

Yander leads the group back across the city to meet up with their appointment at the safehouse.

Junebug clomps along beside the party, snorting at the strange, spicy smells of the city.

"We should hurry if we don't want to keep our visitor waiting." Yander says to his fellows.

Roonie trails the group back to the safe-house, ensuring their safety and watching still for the overly curious.

Stealth: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (9) + 19 = 28
Perc: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22

Lord Pandisar enters, shedding his cloak after entering the building. "Inside, yes, indeed."

He smiles politely. "Curiosity overwhelms, but I shall abide."

************

As the others make the return trip, Roonie sees a familiar-looking young girl (Hali) spot Yander and head towards the group. She is carrying a folded piece of paper and moving excitedly once she sees him.

Following Yander as he makes brisk work of the city throng, Entering the house she is happy to see Rahdeem safe, she greets his lordship with a nod. Then placing a small cystal like device on a shelf in the room they will meet him in. She then go's to the kitchen to make a hot tea for everyone, and cakes she had picked up on the way back. She lets the others explain to Lord Pandisar what they found so far. Before coming back in with a try with every think on.
Places it in front of everyone and lets them take take as they like.

Siting down with just a tea she waits to see how the conversion will go.

Yander stops when he sees Hali approach. He shifts the back he carries with the poor merchant's blanket-wrapped, severed head to his left hand and holds it slightly behind him, shielding it from the young girl's view.

He bends down so that he is closer in height to the girl. "Hali", he says sternly, "I told you before that this business is too dangerous for you to be mixed up in. Why aren't you at home?"

Junebug stomps her left foreleg once, indicating that she also thinks the human foal should be safely in her home.

"Sir Yander, a mun give me a silver to give this to yew." she holds out a note, a smile plastered on her face.

Yander straightens up from talking to Hali and crushes the note in his hand.

"Gods be damned girl, this is just what I didn't want to happen. Come along and follow me." he says to the girl.

He leads Hali and Junebug back to the house.

Upon first seeing the girl approach.

"Your young lass is making a bee-line for you Sir Yander. From your left.

___

AFTER Yander shares the contents of the note...

"Well, I think I know what I'll be doing for the rest of the day. Securing our residence. The good part? It's already got a built in bolt hole, and a fair amount of things to work with. The bad? That's a big building, with lots of interconnections. Lessee... With what I have on my person, we have enough to make a couple entrances more than a little uncomfortable, and eliminate surprises on three, maybe 4 more. To truly secure it, I'd want at least a couple months for heavy construction..."

Upon arrival within the front area of the Safe House, Roonie holds in one tiny hand a small ball of twine, a pair of fish hooks, and a tiny needle, for any that can actually see his arrival. He gives a brief nod, and then vanishes deep into the building, to check for any recent visitors or surprises.

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25
Perc: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29

Adjusted my Init mod, just noted that we get +2 from Mythic. For GM/Party reference: My plan atm, is to drop up to 3 Alarms (Mental, excluding ONLY the party), on entrances. (12 hours each, would require 3 Mythic points for Wild Arcana) I'm considering layering Nodes of Blasting on perhaps two entrances as well, most likely on lengths of string about a foot off the ground within the actual building itself to avoid accidental discharge. (Node of Blasting is a L2, permanent, admissible ward spell, that does damage if touched. I'm also considering using Loci Sentry (6 hours, can only currently use once/day, within Occultist, Abjuration Powers), with the party Excluded, and maybe Hali on the main or most likely secondary entrance. Even though we've gotten both notice, AND a threat, I expect we still have 24 hours before we are actually attacked, to give us time to leave town.

Willing to take feedback from the party on the Nodes, and/or more lethal traps. I'm married to a Lawyer IRL, so "Spring Loaded Shotguns are not Approved Home Defense Devices" is a thing, but I'm half tempted to Arcane Mark the doors ala "This building is protected by “Many Arm’s” Death Trap Defense Company" ... which means I'd need to include at least something lethal to maintain his reputation as a craftsman. I mean, I could spend 100 gp on spikes, bell nets, bear traps, alchemists fire and other assortments, the usual, and obviously bring them into the house as a deterrent, but given we don't have a map of the house, I'm guessing that I shouldn't devote time to drawing up an actual shopping list. Craft rolls below should you desire it, uses 1 MP, along with up to 3 for Alarms, all marked on my consumables

Craft Trap, Fortune, Assured Skill: 1d20 + 17 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 17 + 5 + 2 = 26
Craft Trap, Fortune, Assured Skill: 1d20 + 17 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 17 + 5 + 2 = 33

While Roon does strange things with wire, knives, and tiny little bombs about the house, Yander takes Hali and Junebug into the stables.

He pulls the saddle off Junebug and gives Hali a currycomb.

"Please see to Junebug's mane and tail while I attend to business in the house. Do a good job and I'll reward you with a coin and dinner when I return." he tells the little girl.

To Junebug he says "Watch her, danger about."

handle animal - Guard: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Then he enters the house to join the conversation with our visitor.

"So we have now we are all here we can get started. We have news and a find. Sir Royce if your please, the head."

She then takes out a small map she has made show the locations they have been to.

"We searched the a crime scene a few day or two old. There I we picked up the trail to the a where house here. In which we found the poor killed woman's head. Alass we had to come back here, and so have not done a full inspection of the where house. So what news do you have for us."

Hali nods solemnly, seemingly frightened by Yander's earnest worry.

That settled, you join the Lord in his manor and show him the merchant's head, tongue burned out by acid of some kind. He does little to hide his disgust at her treatment. "Savage sons of a ...." he clears his throat "Your pardons. Please, share with me your conquests and concerns."

Retro action.
Spotting the girl turn up, When they are all close she re-powers up her mind link with them all.

::"Why is the child here again?"::

"The woman was very outspoken critic about the death cult. So became a target, but there my be more to this then just that. We need to know who owns the warehouse in which we found the head. Also a City map, and a list of all suspected Cult killings and there locations as I said before. There may be a patten in this. Then a meeting with the city guard commander tonight if possible could you get word to him to come here. Lastly. We will be sending Lady Hawary back with you as added security. Someone got access to the 1st family she will be looking how."

Not being used to this phenomenon of mind-speech, Sir Yander looks like is both concentrating and staring off into the distance as he replies.

"The child is a two-fold warning: first, that they know where we are and that this house isn't particularly safe and second, that they will continue to use threats against the innocent to prevent interference."

"What would be very interesting to know would be if they decided to threaten the girl after I expressed concern for her in the Prince's palace. I think we have to assume that there are spies within his guards that passed on that information."

Yander bows his head to the foreign lord as a sign of respect and says: "Lord Pandisar, we are strangers here and do not know your customs well, but in my lands it would be most distressing to a family to have to say goodbye to a loved one when the body was missing its head. Could you or one of your people return her head to the family? It will be cold comfort in the face of such loss, but it seems the very least that we can do."

"I will gladly see this arranged, and you have my thanks for your consideration in the matter. The map is easily furnished, Lady Calista, as I believe you will find several in the library. The rest will take time, but I believe I can arrange for Captain Kanezak to meet with you. Would you prefer he come here, or should I arrange for you to meet him at a secondary location?"

good idea what to do with Raziya, btw.

"O second thoughts, I think we will visit him tomorrow. It's been a long day, we could all do with sum rest."

She looks at Lord Pandisar feeling around his mind, seeing what her empathy picks up. Is he who he says he is? is he hiding anything.

::"Well I was hoping they would take longer to realize we where on to them. But this may be to our advantage, they my seek to attack us tonight if so we will make this house a trap for them and see what we can Catch."::

Could be that the kid is a plant, that's half the reason I left Junebug to watch over her. A suspicious broad like Calista might want to talk to her to see if she's a midget, cultist superspy in disguise

I've been taking her at face value so far because she approached me to be an interpreter before I was contacted about the job.

Rahdeem interjects, addressing Lord Pansidar.
"I think Calista is right, my Lord. We should visit the captain somewhere else. I'd like to see us keep this location as little-known as possible, given the situation. That advantage may not be possible forever, but I'd like to make use of it while we can."

Gesturing to Roonie, he continues,
"Though if and when we are found out, I'd like to think that Master Garnackle's efforts will not go unnoticed."

"I myself would prefer to pick my enemies off from a distance. Perhaps I shall familiarize myself with the roof of this building."

::"Rahdeem whats your thinking, you have and idea?"::

She smiles at Lord Pandisar

"As you can see we want to keep a low profile. When you pay for professionals they tend to work fast and hard. So a meeting with the Guard commander tomorrow, also and this comes down to your own funds. Once we have the body complete, if you could find us a priest so we could have a conversation with the deceased. I thing there are spells for that. Now could I ask do you have any more information for us"

::"Yander once his Lordship has gone I want to interview the girl, don't let her leave if you could."::

::Nothing particularly sinister Calista, just that I'd like a good vantage point, since we're expecting 'guests' at some point. Sometimes thing look more clear from above, and in my experience, it's better to strike first when visited by guests such as we expect::

Replying over the mindlink, Rahdeem is quiet at first, then offers,

"Let me get a few maps then, and you can mark them for us with the captain's address, my Lord."

With that, Rahdeem flits off into the other room and starts rummaging around for a map of the locality.

After a short while, he returns, map in hand.

To himself: Flying men .... this is a land of strange wonders

To Calista: "Don't push too hard on calling up the lady's spirit through magic means. Many people feel their dead relations should be left in peace"

Sir Royce
::"I under stand your worry Sir Royce, but If it lets us catch the killers before another family crys for their dead, then I think we can place feeling to one side for a short time, don't you"::

"Lord Pandisar we have nothing more to report and have thing to get one with tonight, please I am sorry to ask you to depart but could you make your way home. If you have no guard Sir Royce will talk to pack. I must inform you that this safe house has been comprised we have had a threat delivered to us here. While we believe we can take ourselves safe, our worry is not for you. If you have been observed coming here you life may be in danger along with ours."::

The threat was delivered to you on the way to the safehouse, although it is possible that you were followed after that or that the girl is a security risk for the house. Either way, we can say that Calista assumes the safehouse is compromised.

Lord Pandisar nods. "I will take care, and with the lady with me I believe I will make it safely back to the palace." He marks the guard captain's home on your map, as well as his offices. "The letters of writ I provided will give you sufficient authority with the captain, so I will not send advanced word of your arrival to lessen the chances of said word leaking to the cult."

With that, he bids you good night.

The night passes without intrusion, so you may make whatever fortifications you need.

Are you going to approach the Captain at his home early in the morning or later at his offices? Any specific things you want to do in the night or morning hours?

After Lord Pandisar leaves:

"Calista, perhaps you should speak with Hali to see if you can learn anything about who passed her the message she delivered to me."

To everyone:

"I think we have to assume that we were followed here. Even if we weren't, I can't say that I've seen many houses with flying men hovering over them, so we probably aren't hard to find."

"I doubt that the cult will attack us here. Such folk are usually cowardly and attack from surprise on ground of their own choosing."

::"Yander is my mind link working? because I just said that, once his Lordship has gone I want to interview the girl, and don't let her leave, did you hear that? humm..."::

Now worried Sir Royce was now blocking her she says.

"I always find it prudent to take into account all possibility's. As for how they found us, well.."

She checks the girls is not close.

"Lets be clear on this Sir Royce, by the looks of it they did not follow us, they followed you!. This girl shows up at our privet meetings with his Lordship, not once now, but twice. I dislike coincidences because they tend not to be ones. So tell us how did you meet her? under what circumstances, and don't say she is following his lordship. She got to him and use V you, so how?"

::"Reckless do you think we here followed, Rahdeem do you think you where spotted? My bet is the Girl is our tag. Royce if you can hear this best talk fast."::

"Forgive the difference in culture, but I think it more polite to speak out loud where I am certain everyone can hear."

"The girl approached me on the street and offered to act as an interpreter the day before I was contacted by the palace, and before I had heard anything of the problems the city is experiencing."

"I would admit that it is possible that I had been identified by the palace as a possible asset at that time. A spy in the palace could have passed that information to the cult, who then could have sent the girl as a possible agent to intercept me."

"I think it more likely however that the girl approaching me was a coincidence, but that she was seen with me and that now the cult is trying to use her as leverage."

"Either way I think the evidence points to there being a spy within the royal palace who knew in advance that we were to be approached and offered a role in settling the city's problems."