Gil’s eyebrows rise at Ferez’ remark. ”Well, introductions are in order. And that sounds like a tale worth telling. And precisely how much is this Joord expecting to receive tonight in exchange for Trinkis?”
"Ferez. Wanna follow these turds and see if we can figure out where they are keeping Trinkis?"
Ezreal quietly confers with Gil and Marrius, "That is a damned good question. Can you possibly make this good with the charter? Because if not, this port is burned as safe haven regardless. We can get Trinkis back if it comes to that. I have a suspicion these guys will tell us exactly how and help us do it if Gil asks them nicely enough. But I have a suspicion you never intended to lose your ship or its pilot before you ever heard from us. Am I right and how was that supposed to work?"
Marrius gives Ezreal sideways look. "The Eagle needs a refit, and those aren't cheap. She hasn't had one since we left the Fleet, and she's a bit worse for wear, especially after some of the abuse she's suffered since then. So I tried to raise the money we needed at a game." He sighs. "It seemed a good idea at the time.
"Joord runs the gambling in town with an iron grip. Some of it is legit, but the big money stuff? Not so much. Got an intro, and laid down the only collateral I had."
"The ship," chips in the gnome helpfully.
"Yeah, Sal, the ship. And at first things went well. I guess I got a little carried away. And then things went badly."
"And now we owe forty thousand galifars or we have to give them the ship," says Ferez.
"Of course, Joord isn't stupid. He knew that we could simply slip away, so he took Trinkis as a guarantee. Trinkis agreed - sort of - but it's not like we had much choice.
"Joord holds his games in a den in Badside, which is as nice a place as it sounds," says Ferez. "We know where Trinkis is, but getting him out isn't easy. Traps, guards, and it's a maze inside."
"So to answer your question, no, your charter isn't enough to get Trinkis out," says Marrius wearily. "That was mostly for the benefit of the junior crew members, so they don't get despondent. And no, I'm not planning on giving up my ship or a member of my crew.
"It's possible that Joord can be reasoned with, or we can cut some sort of deal. If not... Well, maybe it's good you guys turned up when you did, because we could use the reinforcements if we are mounting a rescue."
"Aye, I'm in favour of breaking some heads," growls Barkhad. Valentis glowers like a volcano behind him.
"Maybe it won't come to that," says Salvorazo, "Perhaps a show of force, especially with our new crew members here, will push him to the negotiating table."
"And if not?" asks Ferez.
"Then we kill them!" snarls Valentis.
"Sounds like a plan to me," says Barkhad.
Haladon chuckles at the turn of events. “Clever, Captain,” he says. “Too clever. Bargaining for a ship without a pilot. It’s no wonder your price was so high.”
Haladon sighs. “We need your pilot back. Hopefully, we can accomplish this without violence. If not…” For a brief moment a sickly violet glow flashes from the joints of the left side of Haladon’s armor before dispelling.
Ferez nods towards Haladon and whispers to Gil, "He seems really cheerful all of a sudden."
"So who are your new friends," asks Salvorazo as the rest of the adventurers troop out of the tent, "And what happened to Lightbringer, Father Xativa and Runzyl?"
“Forgive me, I’ve been amiss in introductions,” Haladon ruefully answers. “The tanned gentleman is Mintash and his present companion, the one with the darker skin, is Vaisyrhrath. Both are kalashtar who have joined us in our quest. The warforged is Pierce, a disciple of the Silver Flame and a companion of Lightbringer. Lastly, the dwarf is Kazadar Soranath, a speaker of the Sovereign Host but we’ll not hold that against him.”
“As for our missing companions, Runzyl, sadly left us unexpectedly to commune with a spirit talker. We await the day he returns for his blade is greatly needed. Lightbringer has found his calling and proselytizes amongst a community of warforged deep in the Mournlands. As for our namesake band, Father Rodergo was on his way to Flamekeep when last we saw him to petition assistance from the church to help the warforged under Lightbringer’s protection.”
“I send my prayers that Father Rodergo is successful in his endeavor.”
With his introduction Mintash gives a deep bow. "At your service Captain. If it will get us underway sooner I would be more than happy to assist in getting your pilot back."
Ferez nods towards Haladon and whispers to Gil, "He seems really cheerful all of a sudden."
Ezreal grunts in affirmation and adds, "He is not the Rolund you remember, down to the name. It is a long story, but the short of it is his name is Haladon and it turns out he is a Flamer- previously under a curse and false identity."
Pierce nods to the crew and gets right to business.
"Have you an idea Captain of the forces that this gambler has at his disposal should negotiations breakdown?"
"He has some enforcers for face work, thugs like the sort you saw, and a few mercenaries for defence, mostly lizardfolk," says Salvorazo. "There's always rumours swirling about he has contacts in some darker places - Dragon Below, that sort of thing - but it may just suit him to have a reputation for stealing souls as well as money-pouches."
"Huh," grunts Marrius, "If it's my soul he wants, we could do a swap for the cash."
"As those of us in the tent have not been seen perhaps some reconnaissance of the location is in order. Once we have done that, we can lurk within as patrons awaiting the arrival of the rest of you. Then if negotiations turn into combat, at least there will be some element of surprise with us aiding you".
Marrius nods, stroking his chin. "Yeah, that could work."
”Ok, before we get too far into the planning, some of us are unfamiliar with the area. What’s the scoop on the city below - what sort of law enforcement, who must we avoid? Also, Vaisyrhath, can you include our friends in a mindlink? If not, I can approximate it with magic.”
Vaisyrharath is quiet as the situation unfolds, seeming a little nonplussed.
HE nods to Gil's question.
"I can link them to me. Who should I include?," he asks, turning from Gil to the captain.
Gil explains, ”His type of magic makes it possible for us to talk mentally to him. He can pass messages on to the rest of the team. My thought is that this ability would be a strong ace in the hole during this evening’s activity. We can speak without being overheard - and the listener need not be in the building at the time.”
"How long do we have until your meeting? I would like to know a little more about Joord, his means and reputation. Q'barra is generally an unknown to me, but we do have an intelligence officer here. She could get a fairly comprehensive picture of the man and his operations if we have time."
Pierce nods to the crew and gets right to business.
"Have you an idea Captain of the forces that this gambler has at his disposal should negotiations breakdown?"
"Waddya mean 'if'?", Janosz grins. He seems very open to resolving the dispute in the messiest possible way. "No jumped-up gangster gets to grab my buddies and walk away."
Ferez snorts with laughter at Janosz and Valentis relaxes slightly. Marrius shrugs at Ezreal's question.
"We haven't been here all that long ourselves, so we don't have comprehensive information. Joord's well-connected locally - he trades his debts for favours, knows uncomfortable secrets, fixes grubby deals that the great and good don't want publicised, that sort of thing. He's doubtless got his fingers in the Riedran shards-for-food trade as well, which is big business here. But he's hardly loved by the establishment, and a lot of criminal activity comes back to him as well - drugs, prostitutes, protection rackets. But he keeps a lid on things so they don't get out of hand, polices his own people, and so the authorities prefer to leave him alone."
"Riedran shards-for-food trade? They are here, too?"
"What? Yeah, the Riedrans are big investors here. They built that thing over there."
Marrius points to the north. There, rising above fields, is an Inspired monolith.
"Coming here may have been more fortuitous than we thought. Hopefully while getting your crewmemeber back we can disrupt the Riedrans plans for the area as well." Mintash seems much more eager to go after the pilot than before. Almost matching Janosz's enthusiasm.
"Where and when is the exchange supposed to happen? That place will be trapped, scouted and ambushed to hell. We should aim to preempt that. Do we have any way to know where Trinkis is held?"
"I assume that your pilot left possessions here on the ship, no? IF you could describe him, and I were able to use some object of his, I might be able to see him by remote viewing- though this may not give us a definitive location. I might even be able to speak to him and hear his reply, if I can establish contact."
"We're supposed to meet up at his gambling hall. Where they are holding him, though - who knows?"
At Vaisyrharath's suggestion Marrius says, "Yeah, his stuff is in his cabin. What do you need?" At Vaisyrharath's suggestion Marrius gets Trinkis' favorite hat and hands it to him so he can carry out his viewing.
"The process takes an hour. DO you wish to wait, or start towards your negotiation, and I will contact you as soon as I know I have found him?"
"Begin your manifesting and stay in touch with the mind link. We could use the extra intel on Trinkis's condition. Some of us can stay behind as to watch over you. I've heard of some of your talents can move to other places with but a thought. Can you also do this? If so you could show up in a pinch. In the mean time we should begin making our way to this gambling hall."
"Am I more useful as a negotiator or as an unknown ally?"
"Hidden ally. These negotiations won't be decided by the finer points of oratory."
"I'll remain behind with Vaisyrharath. Once he has the location, we'll determine how best to proceed."
"OK," says Marrius, "We'd better get ready. Barkhad, Ferez, Sal, you're with me. Valentis, you stay behind and help guard the ship."
"I want to come too," says Valentis stubbornly.
"I need you here to guard the ship," says Marrius patiently, "And I don't want you losing your temper again. I want to give negotiation a chance before it turns into a bloodbath." Valentis sullenly agrees.
"Right, it's about half-an-hour to get there. I want to see if we can just agree with Joord before we try a more confrontational approach - it would be good if we could come back here at some stage. If you manage to locate Trinkis, let us know - we should know by then if we have a deal or if we'll have to spring him ourselves. Does that work?"
"Sounds like a fine plan. Does anyone know if Joord surrounds himself with suspected spellcasters?"
Already settling in to begin his meditation, Vaisyrharath nods his agreement, then closes his eyes and lays his hands on the gnome's hat.
Trinkis will get a DC 20 will save, with a +1 on the roll (+5 for only secondhand knowledge, -4 for having a possession.) That will have an additional +5 bonus if he is on another plane. That's at the end of an hour, of course...
Taking the power points for the scry and additional mindlinks now.
"There's a few, though they are there mostly to stop people using magic to influence the games. Or to stop people detecting that Joord is using magic to influence the games."
“Pierce, we’ll need your help with us in case we need to charge in to support them.”
Haladon frowns at the magic surveillance. Be careful in using magic, he mentally relays to the group’s spellcasters. Especially you, Gil. I suspect they may have ways to magically pierce your disguises.
"There's a few, though they are there mostly to stop people using magic to influence the games. Or to stop people detecting that Joord is using magic to influence the games."
"Ok. Has anyone ever seen him blow stuff up, fly or just disappear?"
"No," says Marrius.
"Hmmm," says Sal, "Most of you have already been seen by Joord's henchmen so you will recognised when you come. So I think that subterfuge for the away team is probably more likely to raise suspicion.
"The exception to that would be Gil as she can change shape. I've got a scroll that can disguise the magical aura of her armour, although if it looks like armour I doubt anyone would be too suspicious even if they detect it. Her issue would be getting in in the first place. It's normally invitation only. However, I imagine you can bluff your way in if your story is good enough, and the doormen are not exactly paragons of rectitude either should bribery become necessary."
"Are we just going to stand around here talking all day?" demands Valentis.
"Indeed not. Let's go get your pilot. Any more delay will only give them more time to prepare now that they know you have more allies."