"You are an expert at correcting ignorance, Master Sal'van'Tieltha." Connor says, handing over the gold to the wingless elf. He spent a few minutes familiarizing himself on some of the titles he wished to peruse later in the bookstore, then Alister and Connor took their leave of the owner.
"Don't worry, Alister." the young humavian told his friend, as they walked back to their room, "As soon as we get this 'job' done, I'll get a school primer for you. Every man should know how to read and write, and pass on the learning to others." He would store the new book in his backpack, for safekeeping.
-----------------------
The humavian man at the corner table is middle aged, with gray streaked red hair and blood red wings. He looks up, and his weathered face breaks into a grin. "Thanks Mina." He also looks Reaghar up and down like a piece of meat, and waves a hand at the chair across from him. "So, you're Teelie's latest huh? She asked us to find you a job. What can you do, and what will you do?"
Reaghar takes a seat in the chair indicated. "Just got out of the facility for brawling so I am looking for a job. I'm quick, alright at manual labor but I'm pretty smart. I'd rather get a job as a guard than kicking boxes. I like to think so anyway. Met a few guys during my brief stay at the facility that could use work too, if you have some. I ain't too picky since not too many folks are keen on hirin' me. Got no particular ties so travel is no problem."
When time has passed enough for Selvan to have his mind return to it's utter sharpness and the vaguely threatening woman disappears Selvan says the first real phrase he has said since meeting the half elf.
"Do you understand the fundamental difference between us? Why you are merely looked down upon while I'm utterly reviled by those of my own clan?"
Selvan makes a point to at some juncture of their journey to change clothes either stolen or borrowed. Guards tend to notice things like prison outfits covered in blood.
With that Sam walked a slight distance away, grumbling about the bloody birds had to be the best at everything, even misery.
Sam stretches and sighs as he and Selvan make their way to the Council Enclave. He seems perversely cheerful for a man likely to die in any number of horrible ways.
"Today is a good day," he said with a smile before the opening door revealed the woman.
The man looks at Reaghar, then laughs. "Sure, why not. Get your two friends together. We can always use more guards, especially on the night shift." He waves at the girl. "Tell Gray that he can expect 3 new guards, put them to work on the night shift. Warehouse 12."
The girl nods, and heads off out of the tavern. Turning back to Reaghar, the pirate smiles. "Be at the warehouse off of Dock 287, at Midnight. It's on the south end of the docks, about a quarter mile north of the southern edge." He tells him. A small bag lands on the table with a clink, tossed there by one of the Pirate's men. "30 gold pieces, 10 for each of you."
"Thanks for the opportunity. It means a lot to me and the boys."
Reaghar will take the pouch and walk to the warehouse by dock 287, to make sure he sees the correct building with the correct number and devises an easy-to-remember way to get there so his trip at night doesn't see him lost. He will then head back by the inn that his group is holed up in. If he doesn't see the group there, he will poke around town hoping to see them. If it gets to be late afternoon, Reaghar will return to the inn and leave instructions with the innkeeper to wake him at sundown.
Connor will, if not prompted to go back to the central square, spend the day reading his new book and waiting for Reaghar to return.
Y'know guys, I'm getting paranoid that we might be getting set up. This isn't the straightforward plotline that the Mintakia people have had. Unless there's a major shipment of illegal contraband that shows up on our first night, all three of us new guards could be getting 'tested' by the Reville Clan to see if we are on the up-and-up.
I'm just saying, be prepared for anything, and be prepared to be bored if this warehouse job is to 'test' us.
When Reaghar does get back, Connor will go over the details of warehouse off of Dock 287, Clan Reville docks, and this "Gray" person. After talking with Alister and Reaghar, Connor will take a long nap to be ready for the night shift.
Alys opens the door just wide enough for herself to fit through, which is not very considering her slim frame. Standing between door and frame she musters the two newcomers with wide eyed curiosity.
"You look...", she stops herself takes a step back to let them step inside and straightens her dress;
"Come on in, welcome to the Assassin's Guild Community Outreach programme. I'm Al- uhm 'Purple Lotus'.", she proclaims cheerfully but with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
Although her social skills lack the necessary elegance, her look creates the impression of a courtier, perhaps a slightly eccentric one, as wears her usual fine, wide-skirted, short-sleeved knee length dress in dark red and a white Haramaki across her mid section. Her arms and legs are covered by black elbow length gloves and black leggings as well as elegant but sturdy and practical looking black long boots. A blue silk scarf matching the hue of her blue-monarch like tailed butterfly wings is wrapped around her neck. Her carefully groomed long golden blonde hair is tied in a high pony tail with two flowing bangs framing her blue eyed, slight face.
Selvan looks up into the clear blue morning as he continues. "All I had from the moment I was born were mountains to climb. Heights to aspire to. While you aren't expected to do more than die violently, I was expected to lead armies, to bring glory to nation and clan and aspire to an immortality brought on only by great deeds. Can you imagine being hurled from the mountain when you struggle to top the smallest hill? How can you understand the pride in feeling the sun itself in your grasp? You ignore the insults because they're all you've ever known. Every insult you give me is reverberated through the voices of a dozen different men and women whose only words left for me are filled with loathing. Keep that in mind Sammark. Each time you casually drop your little comments."
Things move along quietly for a long awkward moment before he adds. "And I acknowledge you tried to save my life. Thank you."
Selvan rolls his eyes. "I'm not sure what's worse. That we've been sent to an assassins guild or that this is how they actually introduce themselves at the door." Then with a smile and bow that borders on the insincere he says. "Good afternoon, This is Sammark, and I am Selvan at your service."
"For the sake of me not quietly killing you in your sleep, you had better drop this line of reasoning. By the loveless gods, that blow to the head must have knocked something loose. Never make any assumptions about me," he growls then turns smartly and walks away. For the rest of the day, Sam outright ignores Selvan and finds other places to be whenever he tries to say anything.
He gives the lady a smile but does not bow to her as he moves past the others and into the room.
"The Assassin's Guild, as in a singular entity. I'm sure they aren't the sorts to tolerate competition. You don't look much like a murderous nutter," Sam says off-handedly and already begins poking around in the room.
After both men stepped inside Alys jerks the door closed and turns around to them with a relieved sigh.
"Neither of you are long term members I presume? I didn't know what I was in for with you two, only that I was to expect two prison escapees. The name- the actual name is Alys, forget about that Lotus nonsense, I don't like being here one bit more than either of you."
She hesitates a moment, thinking what to say next;
"Come this way, I believe I have some things that belong to the two of you.";
With that Alys leads Sammark and Selvan to the hidden storage room, presses the according knots on the wall, to open the secret door and presents them the two backpacks that have been stored there.
"Well, we were not informed that we would be taking part in any assassins guild let alone that it had a community outreach program. One would think if it outreached anything it would be the point of a dagger. Still I guess I should be thankful for the civilised welcome. It has been a less than pleasant false imprisonment."
Selvan, half expecting the damn thing to explode as its handed to him, opens the pack away from him before looking inside...
"Neither did I until about a week ago. Apparently the assassin's guild has taken up the habit of 'recruiting' new members from among people they can hold some leverage over. People who, if they tried anything funny could at any point be turned in- or killed for profit. Basically, if you can fight and there is a bounty on your head, you're a potential candidate.", Alys looks at Selvan then Sammark, "And it seems the three of us are the first to have this honor..." her cheerful mannerisms have turned into a completely matter of fact tone at this point.
Even after the discussion, Connor wrote out a note saying "Clan Reville - Dock 287 - Warehouse 12". He took Hero out of his silver wire necklace, placing the garnet on top of the folded note, tying the note to the psicrystal. To the casual observer, the semiprecious gemstone would look like nothing more than a paperweight.
Connor loaded up his backpack, and joined Reaghar and Alister on their way to the warehouse.
The trio make their way to the docks in the dark of the night. There are 3 waiting Reville clan hirelings waiting, and they look relieved that they are relieved. As soon as the trio are there, they are gone.
The docks are thick walled (2 feet thick) buildings made of a combination of bamboo, sand, and clay. They are designed to protect the contents from storms, both normal and magical. Given the thickness of the walls, they also stop detection spells, special senses, and most forms of scrying. About 2/3rds of the dockside warehouses are built to this standard. The rest are carved into the stone bedrock of the abuting mountain about 200 feet behind the warehouse the trio is guarding.
"Well, three of us. One should be posted at the door at all times. One should patrol the outside. The other should patrol the inside. It'll be less dull if we rotate what patrol we do."
"Hah, leverage," Sam says, opening his pack as well. He roots through it shamelessly, likely on the hunt for any potential rations of beer, ale, or liquor to be had.
"So what's the rundown, flower?" He asked mildly, "I assume you know more about this debacle than we do."
"Sounds good to me. Now, then. Who goes where first, and when do we switch off?" the large man asked, hefting his hammer over his shoulder and looking around.
"One-hour rotations will keep us from falling asleep." Connor said, yawning into a fist. He took two small whistles out of a belt pouch on his belt, and handed one each to Alister and Reaghar. "I did come prepared. Use this if you see anything strange, and we'll come running." Connor directed.
"As for shifts, well, I want to use detect psionics on the stuff in here, just in case. So I'll be inside first." the young man insisted. "I'm going to make a counter-clockwise, spiral sweep." he added.
There's no magical/psionic auras in the warehouse, other than the walls themselves, which have a faint psionic aura (common practice to include rituals to interfere with psionic snooping.
It is an 8 hour shift.
At 4 AM, a couple of hours before dawn, something happens.
Outside
1 -> Alistair
2 -> Connor
3 -> Reaghar
So Alistair is outside.
Door
1 -> Connor
2 -> Reaghar
So Reaghar is on Door Duty, leaving Connor inside.
Wall
1 = South
2 = East
3 = West
4 = North
So, Alistair is walking along the back wall.
Alistair and Reaghar get perception rolls, the better the rolls, the sooner they have warning.
Stealth = 9, so, 23-9 = 14, -1 per 10 ft, 140ft. So Alistair see's them as soon as they step around the corners of the warehouses to sneak forward.
Reaghar won't notice them until the ones in front break stealth, or until they are 13-9= 4, -1 per 10 ft, or 40ft from him.
Alistair notices a couple of shadows moving along the edges of the adjacent warehouses, both sneaking up. Reaghar has not made his perception check, so he has no knowledge of anyone sneaking up.
Initiatives :
This is a surprise round. Alistair is the only one with an action in the surprise round, since he made his perception. On the bright side, because he made his perception check so high, he noticed them quiet a ways out and started combat early.
Alistair, the two guys you can see appear to be wearing close fitting armor and carrying clubs.
The entire docks is dimly lit due to psionic crystals scattered around it. Anyone with low-light can see fine. Anyone without low light has a 20% miss chance. Anyone with Darkvision see's fine within range of their darkvision.
Alistair will act, then the enemy, then a new init will be made.
Alister chuckles a little bit to himself, seeing these guys. He blows his whistle, dropping it from his mouth to say, rather loudly, "Looks like some fellas dropped by to see how we were doing, lads. Look alive, so's they see we're not slackin' about!", hefting his hammer up onto his shoulder.
Dropping the backpack, manifesting Inertial Armor (+4 to AC) Connor felt the psychokinetic force wrap around him, like static electricity on a wintry day.
Free action: Hero, I just heard one of the other guys say something is going on. Not to make you start moving to the 'dead drop', I'm just saying if you don't hear from me in a few minutes, well, you know what to do. Connor sent to his psicrystal back at the inn.
Picking up crossbow & bolts, going to front door location from inside the warehouse.
Alys sits down on the nearby desk, cross legged: "I was hoping you would. All I know is, we are now official assassin's guild employees and we are supposed to be hunting down smugglers who have been bringing magic items into the capital. I have tried to scout the docks, where this is supposed to happen, but... there's just too much going on all day and night to just spot the one crate that says 'magical contraband' on it."
She leans back, reaches behind a desk to open a drawer and produce two small, psychically charged crystals, as if she had suddenly forgotten the previous conversation, she asks with the cheerful tone having returned to her voice: "Say, can either of you tell me what these do?"
How is a 16 greater than an 18 alistair?
crystales are dorjes of natural healing, 2 uses in first, 1 in second, each heals 3 hp
With Alister blowing the whistle, the four quit trying to be sneaky, they race forward with clubs drawn. Reaghar now see's the two on the front side.
Connor inside doesn't hear the whistle this round.
Round 2
Two of the attackers are out of range, but Alister is charged by a half-elf with a club. Reaghar is charged by a half-orc with a club.
Reaghar is missed by his attacker, but the half-elf attacking Alister connects with his club.
The other two double move up as far as they can.
As Selvan starts to carefully go through adn sort out his belongings casually walking over he takes a moment to identify them as much for the mental exercise as anything.
Know psionics for first
know psionics for second
After either failing or successfully identifying and telling the girl what she found he comments.
"Contraband and smugglers seems more the province of city watch than hired killers. Unless there's a belief the watch has been bribed? No, you do not have to answer, I deeply suspect we are on a need to know basis. And as far as they're concerned we do. Not know. Besides I don't doubt we'll find out anyway."
Sitting back down to his belongings he continues. "So three wanted criminals traveling to the docks We'll need a cover story if we're going to wander around the seedier parts of the docks. Perhaps safe passage to the surface? That is likely as any. Particularly with our wingless companion here."
Alister shakes his head. "Lad, you should've hit harder than that," he says, growling, and swinging the massive maul around, trying to connect with the half-elf who bludgeoned him.
"Predictable" Reaghar sneers, sliding out of the half-orc's reach.
The pattern in the enemy's rudimentary attempt to close into a flank was an easy one to calculate. Reaghar stepped back, and planned his movements to best dodge anticipated incoming attacks.
Reaghar shoots a black ray of supernatural energy at the half-orc who attacked him. The energy coated the half-orc in a dark field before changing to a field of razors, tearing it apart in its attempts to escape.
vs touch AC
@Reaghar
You can only move 5 ft to do a 5 ft adjust, and avoid attacks of opportunity. If you do so, that is the only movement you can make per turn.
So either you move 5ft diagonally up&Left, or you can move 10 ft, but you provoke an attack of opportunity.
"Might be a sound enough plan," Sam said, "I ain't much for subterfuge, so you two better do most of the talking."
Alys turns her attention from Sammark to Selvan with an embarrassed smile: "I hope you're good with words, because I wasn't exactly picked for my silver tongue.", then she brightens up again, "however we aren't likely to be questioned while wandering the docks. The place is so crowded, even if there are guards running around questioning everyone they see, we would not likely be harassed. So the biggest challenge will be to find what we are looking for."
After either failing or successfully identifying and telling the girl what she found he comments.
Check the spoiler up thread.
Alister brings the maul down and caves in the man's skull, blood and brains spilling out over the ground. He goes down like a sack of meat.
Reghar meanwhile, blows a chunk out of his target, and the target collapses gurgling blood from the hole in his chest.
Connor Initiative : 12 (throws up inertial armor)
Not putting pressure on, I'm fine with you guys RPing as long as you want at the Guild house. Just reminding you to let me know when you're all ready to advance the plot forward.
Reaghar takes a 5' step and stands prepared to shoot the next one as it predictably rounds the corner.
ranged touch attack (readied action):
Selvan's face grimaces. "I'm afraid my training taught much about using others and their own skills as a means to turn a fight but my own training was put more towards small squad combat and tactics. So unless we get into mortal combat with a group of armed thugs my knowledge will be of little help." Selvan sighs as he lifts the hefty familiar weight of the Bec De Corbin in his hands. "I'm afraid we may have to avoid any direct talks and make better use of our eyes and ears then our words. The cover story will have to be a last resort. Speaking of which." As Selvan finishes the last sentence he concentrates for a brief second adn you feel a slight tickling behind the ear and an odd awareness of the other two people in the room as if you know what they may doe before they do it but it's vague like colors at the edge of vision. "Welcome to the swarm."
Alister turns to the other one, hammer swinging round in a wide arc, threatening to connect with the man's head against the back wall of the warehouse. "You and yer boy f*#%ed up tonight, didn't ya!" he yells as the maul swings in its wide, potentially deadly arc.
"You in my head, birdy?" His eyes narrowing, "Drop it until needed. The last person I let in into my head was the court-appointed telepath. Now then, Let's see what gear we've got and do a bit of shopping."
Selvan shrugs as the feeling suddenly drops from Sammark. "Technically you're in mine. Suit yourself. But do not expect me to try and coordinate you in the midst of combat. It is not a process that works well with bullets flying overhead. In any case let's see these docks."
Connor paused, crossbow in one hand, closing his eyes and breathing deep, even breaths of air into his lungs. He gathered the power within himself and held it, collecting it and squeezing it down to a single point. Connor held that point just behind his eyes, so he could focus through the point of energy and out into the world as needed. Energy types flashed through his head, and he chose a spark, the lightning of the storm. Connor then opened his eyes again, alert and ready.
Now ready to cast Astral Construct, which will be verbose and descriptive. Back up 5 feet per turn if necessary.
In case the enemy closes too fast, switch to the spiked gauntlet.
"Hasn't anyone taught you that poking around in other people's minds without their permission is really impolite?", Alys chastises Selvan with a fake motherly tone: "Let's reserve it for when we need it, but it's good to know you have such a useful ability.", she hops off the table and claps her hands together "I'm ready to go!"
As the three stand up to go try to figure out what to do next, there's a knock at the door.
When the door is opened, a teenage humavian with blue-black wings and blonde hair is revealed. Alys's little 'Hello and welcome to the Assassin's Guild Community Outreach program' greeting makes the boy's jaw drop, and then he puts his hand on his face. "You know that's an inside joke right? And we're not supposed to tell anyone we're part of the guild? Right? I mean, it's like, dangerous to tell people you're part of the guild, right?" He asks, after pushing his way in and closing the door. He looks at the three older people, and sighs. "Wow, I really ticked Lady Mortician off if she put me here." He sighs. "Have any of you even killed anyone for hire, or are you just murderers?"
"Ok, anyway, I'm 'Squeaker' until I earn a better name killing someone. You can call me Calleus in public, but it's not real. Lady Mortician said I was to be your assistant for now, and give you any information I could about the local smuggling and such. I used to be part of the Thieve's Guild, but I was too bloody minded for them, so they kicked me out." He puffs up with pride. "But I still have a few friends, and I know a good bit about them. So, we're looking for magic stuff right? Well, the Resolute Lady, she's the Theive's Guild High Boss, she don't allow no magic item trucking, so this is all independents. Now, I asked around, but my friends were all confused too. They said there was way too many magic items around, but they couldn't find out about anyone smuggling. There are smugglers who smuggle magic of course, but most of them would stop when a warning went out from the Thieves Guild, but there's been nothing and 3 warnings sent out." He shrugs. "That's all I know so far, if you guys can come up with some stuff for me to ask around about, I can. Or I can go ask around in the Guild if it's higher than what my contacts could know."
He seems to be sincere in his speech, and not hiding anything.
He did lie about his membership in the thieves guild, or about why he left it, one or the other.
While he's talking, 'Squeaker' is surreptitiously ogling Alys.
The man charging Alister see's what happens to his buddy. And then turns and races away at his highest speed, vanishing into the night as he runs away to fight another day.
The man charging Reaghar see's what happens to his partner. He growls, and moves into the warehouse, blood in his eye. He attacks Reaghar with his club, having just edged him out on reaction speed. However, he misses Reaghar.
Reaghar adjusts 5 ft, and fires again, but his attack misses this time, smashing harmlessly into the door of the warehouse.
Connor summons up his Astral Construct.
Initiative Connor -> 13
One hand holding the crossbow, the other the box of bolts, Connor concentrated. A small glob of silvery-transparent material appeared in mid-air behind the unknown man with the club. It coalesced, growing into a small mannikin of a creature shorter than a Halvavian, its' right hand and arm ridiculously larger than its left.
The astral construct swung at the man.
This wingless human-like creature is made from a silvery-transparent material. It stands shorter than a Halvavian, its' right hand and arm ridiculously larger than its left.
N Small construct
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception -
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +5 natural, +1 size)
HP 15 (1d10+10)
Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +0; Immune construct traits
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee slam +4 melee (1d4+3)(+3 melee, 1d6+5 damage with Power Attack [Ex] and Improved Slam Attack (Ex))
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 15, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 10
BAB +1, CMB +2; CMD 14
Feats -
Skills -
SPECIAL ABILITIES (Two menu options from Menu A; Advanced Constructs Menu A is also available)
Improved Slam Attack (Ex)
Power Attack (Ex)
Fire the light crossbow, reload.
Astral Construct:
Connor backs up 5 feet.
Fire the light crossbow, reload.
Astral Construct:
Connor backs up 5 feet.
Fire the light crossbow, reload.
Astral Construct disappears.
Connor backs up 5 feet.
"Murderer. Killed three, four if the fool on the boat bit it. Maimed two more," Sam said nonchalantly. He was not bragging but offering up credentials since that seemed to be the topic of discussion.
"How're the local smugglers organized? Anyone known for working outside the Guild?" Sam asked. If the smuggling was happening despite the efforts of the Thieves' Guild, then the first step would be to figure out who was moving them into the area. If they could find an in to that operation, then they could also start finding their way up the food chain and take a stab at whoever was responsible.