Cap'n Voodoo's Freebooter PBP

Game Master voodoo chili

"I believe we should at least wait on the captain before signing. I'm sure he'll sign as he is an honorable man".

The seated twin looks confused. "One of them was a captain?"

The standing twin shrugs. "Must have been the prettier one."

"Would you be so kind as to bring him up then, Lixy?" asks the seated one.

"We'd be happy to, Lixy," replies the standing one and leaves.

Seated Lixy opens the box revealing a pen set and screws the top off the scroll case to remove a sheet of parchment. Noticing Corliss' full drink, she shrugs. "You've nothing to fear so long as you are honest in our business dealings."

She rolls out the parchment and after loading a quill with ink gestures so that is hovers above the parchment. "So that we're clear, this contract is to ensure that your two crew mates that sought to cheat my establishment, and all the gear of your two officers that participated in breaking and entering my office, will be released to you once you give to me the item that I seek, does that sound agreeable?"

Dingus looks to Corliss for approval as he's the one taking time to review the document. He does squint knowingly at one of the Lixys'.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18 Sense Motive

Dingus wonders if there were actually two Lixys? He thought so, but there is only one now, the one sitting across from him so he focuses on her as she talks to Corliss. He doesn't sense that she is lying. She does seem to be properly portraying her annoyance at the intrusions, but willing to forget about it if the crew gets her what she wants.

Seeing that Corliss and Dingus aren't going to do much other than stare at her, Lixy sighs, grabs Corliss' drink and downs it. Fortunately, Lixy shows up leading a guard with an unconscious Jim draped over his shoulder. Jim has nothing but the clothes on his back and the manacles that bind his hands. The guard drops Jim into a chair at the table.

"Go ahead and give him the antidote so we can wrap this up quickly," seated Lixy orders.

Other Lixy pulls out a vial, fits a cone on the end and tilting Jim's head back, inserts it up his nose and gives it a twist. She barely removes it before the first mate's eyes pop open and he nearly dislocates his shoulder sneezing with his arms manacled behind the chair.

"You the Captain?" Lixy asks as Jim blinks back into awareness.

Jim shakes his head to clear it once the initial shock has worn off. "...Cap'n? Nahenniemor, I, ah...Fuurrrstmate. Yeah, I'd li--" His voice dies away as he realizes the situation. "No, I'm First Mate."

"Welcome back to the land o' the livin'," Corliss tells Jim. "We're told you, Kaul, and mebbe some more o' the crew tried to rob this here establishment. How much o' that be true? We've been offered a deal for 'em to drop any charges iff'n we does somethin' that's in their interests."

Corliss goes on to detail the offer before asking for Jim's opinion on the matter.

"Well, First Mate," the woman scowls at Dingus and then turns back to Jim. "to bring you up to the moment: You and your mate Kaul are guilty of breaking and entering and owe me for the chaos and damage caused by your attack. You two are being held along with the other two of your crew who sought to cheat this establishment. Under Riddleport custom, I am free to seek restitution as I see fit. Seeing as you don't have the ability to pay for all this, I would typically try to make back the money by selling tickets to arena bloodsport that you would individually participate in, but I have an alternative that I'm still willing to offer though my patience has grown thin."

"The alternative is that you all infiltrate a rival's organization here in Riddleport and intercept a delivery that he is expecting. It will only take a few days and once I receive said delivery, I will release all persons of your crew and restore to you your equipment and personal effects," she finishes and looks expectantly at Jim.

"An' they expects us to fill out an actual contract on the matter," Corliss chimes in. "Figured you might wanna have a li'l peek at that before we agree to anythin'. Plus, ye've likely got the best penmanship amongst our crew...."

Jim nods. "Infiltrate, intercept, and get back to you, check. Sounds like a plan." He glances around at the other Freebooters, thinking. "So, how quiet does this have to be? Best if none the wiser, or no skin off your back if we leave the place burning in our wake?"

Lixy smiles, "Finally someone who can make a decision. Good. Do not underestimate Clegg Zincher. He may have passed his zenith, but he is still a powerful crime lord. I do not want this traced back to me which is why I am sending you all rather than one of my capos. The less attention that you draw, the greater your chance of success. Clegg is well resourced and you will not be able to overpower his guards anyway. If you are captured, I cannot help you. So only burn things if it is necessary for your escape."

"As has been suggested by your shipmates, I am keeping a fair bit of collateral and will require a contract to make sure we have a complete understanding."

"Clegg is restructuring his organization after his return from the Devil's Elbow so you shouldn't have any trouble getting hired as guards or crafters. Clegg has a full staff working on traps and your most likely obstacles are traps protecting the officers’ notes and guards interfering
with your surveillance. My advice is to either blend into the background or make a positive impression; overseers are more likely to scrutinize a nuisance than someone they enjoy."

"Any other questions?"

Feck, this is not going to go well. "How big is this item we're retrieving for you?"

"How big is this item we're retrieving for you?"

"Easily transportable: A vial of a glowing elixir is all."

"So," she she gestures to the parchment lying on the table. "This contract is to ensure that your two crew mates and your gear along with that of your partner Kauly, will be released to you once you give to me the item that I seek and that I will seek no further redress, does that sound agreeable?"

Anyone?

”I’m good… but where I Kauly “.

"The terms are fine. Not that I'm in a position to bargain, but before I sign anything I'd like to be sure that your paper there agrees with what you're telling us."

"I will bring Kauly up as soon as we have a signed contract." The woman waves a hand and the pen automatically scribes out the contract. "I certainly don't expect you to sign anything that you have not inspected. I will tell you that there is magic contained within the contract. It is merely divination magic that notifies me that you are working to fulfill the terms and whether you have broken the contract. Feel free to inspect it."

Jim and Corliss inspect the contract which clearly states that it is a contract between the first party identified as Lixy Parmenter and the second party which names Jim, Corliss, and Dingus. The second party will focus from the next morning to turn over the Aqua Vitae elixir into the first party's possession and not seek to harm her or reveal her name or identity to anyone. On her part, she will immediately return all gear being held and the two crew members held on charges of cheating her establishment alive and unharmed. There is an aura of divination magic on the contract.

Jim exchanges glances with Corliss and Dingus. "How about Kaul?"

"What about him signing? He's going to be out a while and I'm not wasting antidote on him. From all I've heard and seen, he's the least reasonable one so I'll release him under your oversight. I'm comfortable with three of the four signing and having you all deal with him."

Feck. She's got us over a barrel. "All right, deal."

The pen floats over to Jim and then Dingus and Corliss to sign.

Dingus signs.

"This better be righteous".

Assuming that the woman's explanation seems to match up with the details of the contract's magical aura, Corliss signs it...omitting the last "S" of his first name. "Which o' you two goes by the name o' Lixy Parmenter?" he asks the currently-present twin. "Seems like there's the real possibility o' some premeditated shenanigans on yer part." Then the priest shrugs and adds, "Then again, somethin' like that'd give us a good reason to void this contract on the spot...iff'n ye goes back on anything ye've said. 'Twould be best if both parties honor the bargain we struck an' find a peacable solution."

FWIW, Corliss is being honest with his assessment in the final sentence.

The two women exchange a smile. "Fair enough," the standing one says, taking the pen and making her mark, the other follows, blowing on the ink and rolling it up. "Well, I'll go get your companion." She says as she pockets the contract and leaves.

Other Lixy takes her seat. "Clegg runs the Stevedores Union on the docks so just show up there tomorrow asking about work for experienced guards and crafters. You'll get where you need to be. His operations are centered at the Arena. We hear final training is this week and the shipment is set for Moonday in four days so you have three days to figure how to intercept it."

Lixy returns in a little while with several large guards carrying Kaul. The big oaf is still unconscious and stripped of all but his claw and clothes. The guards dump him in a chair while the Lixys stand together to take their leave.

Hurzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Dreaming of sweet and most bloody revenge :)

Jim looks at the pen, then over his shoulder at his still-manacled hands. "Not sure my writing's any good like this."

DOH! got ahead of myself : )

[Edit:] The Lixys exchange a look and the standing one unlocks Jim's manacles as the pen floats over to Jim and then Dingus and Corliss to sign.

Jim- you are unshackled to sign before Kaul is brought up.

Jim signs the papers. "Say, I figure my rapier's staying here for insurance. How about my kukri? Looks a mite odd not to be carrying in this town."

Bluff check not to be too casual about the rapier: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

So, the Lixy Consortium might get the feeling that Jim's keeping secrets about the rapier.

"It would look odd not to be carrying any weapons when you apply for a guard job. I'd recommend something serviceable, but not too fancy. I'm sure you have something on your ship that would serve." With that, the Lixys depart and the half-dozen guards remaining to keep watch don't offer to help you carry Kaul, but do escort you to the door.

Outside, Corliss tells Jim about his trickery in omitting an S from his signature. "Maybe it's nothin', but iff'n the contract's magic were s'pposed to warn if the signees were up to mischief, shouldn't Parmenter have caught on?"

Dingus signs with a sigh, then he catches the unmoving Kaul dragged in.

"No! Kaul!!! What have you done to him. You've killed him"!

Dingus rolls up his sleeves and begins to cast a spell (Forked Tongue) that his shipmates are familiar with and looks to Jim and Corliss for coordinating their attack.

"We shall revenge him"!

"Hold up, mate...he's looked worse after hitting the bloodgrog. Corliss, check him."

Corliss gives Kaul a quick medical once-over. His initial diagnosis is some sort of poisoning.

But I'll defer to the Cap'n as to just how much info about Kaul's condition he can discern with that roll.

Corliss Blackboots Heal Check: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25

Kaul is breathing regularly though blue and purple bruises are still forming on his face and upper body, giving his gray hide a mottled look. A large red welt on the back of his neck looks like it was a particularly nasty sting that laid him low. He appears to be in the same state as Jim was when he was brought up, but without the antidote, Corliss assesses that Kaul will take several hours to shake off the poisoned sting that has knocked him out.

Dingus looks both relieved that Kaul is still breathing, and disappointed that he doesn't get to lightning bolt the two Lixys'.

He just growls and shows his distended fangs... as does Richard.

who is gonna haul Kaul?

I will.

Dingus will cast levitate on Kaul to assist Corliss in his moving the lump of orc blooded flesh... at least for a while.

Corliss struggles a bit to carry his beefy mate through the casino until Dingus waves a hand and the battered thug floats like a balloon. Corliss grabs a hanging arm to easily pull Kaul, now hovering horizontally four feet above the ground, along behind him. The sight does attract some gawker as the crew makes their way quickly back to the ship which isn't far. They make it up the gangway before Kaul is dumped onto the deck.

The captain grimaces as she asks, "OK, what happened now?"

"Fecking crew tried to cheat the Golden Goblin and ran afoul of their enforcers. Kaul and I were going to have words with the management, but they thought we were robbing them." He shakes his head. "In hindsight, having Kaul try to break down the office door was a mistake. Anyway, they took it amiss, turned out their guards. I tried to keep from killing anyone--still thought we could salvage things, but the feckers poisoned me. Not sure what happened to Kaul, though. If we fetch back some bit of loot from some other local crimelord, they'll return our gear and the cheaters to boot."

"Poisoned?! You haven't even been back a watch," Belinna manages to look both concerned and annoyed. "Sounds like we'll be in port a little longer. I guess I'm not surprised Ed and Grund got into trouble. They've been egging eachother on lately. Anything we can do to help?"

"The use of a plain masterwork rapier and boarding axe. They've got our good ones, and though by the Queen's favor I might be able to call mine to my hand, I don't want to chance it not working. Besides, it's not the least recognizable of blades, and the way the Golden Goblin folks are talking our best bet is to get ourselves hired on as guards.

"Unfortunately, Dingus and Kaul are...unique, let's say. So I'm thinking that Corliss and I will do the infiltration end of things, and we'll keep Ding and Kaul in reserve--perhaps once we're hired we can help the two of them sneak in while cloaked by Dingus' magic." He shrugs. "All I know is that from the way they talked of this Clegg Zincher fellow I'd prefer not to cross swords with him if we don't have to."

"Ye can borrow me blade, Jimmer," Corliss offers, extending his rapier's hilt toward the Taldan. "Ye're a might bit better swordsman than me, an' it might better serve the crew in the hands o' a true fencer."

Hearing the captain's words, Corliss gives a curt nod. "Well, in some ways it be good to hear that our mates got themselves into trouble on their own; I weren't sure iff'n their charges might've been trumped-up like Jim an' Kaul's 'attempted robbery.' I don't like this business, but the more truth thar be in the facts o' the case, the better I feel about possibly comin' out o' this mess little worse than when we went inta it."

Belinna says, "We've got blades and axes aplenty, Jim, though I wouldn't call masterwork except my own family heirloom. Is Kaul going to be OK?"

Rafe has been worriedly examining the beat-up Bosun. "Master Kaul is suffering from blue whinnis poisoning. I know the signs well. My father used to give me diluted doses during the fullmoon before I could control my lycanthropy. He will come out of it in a couple hours though he could use some healing of his wounds, Corliss."

"I don't want to work with poisons. That's how my father ended up in the coils of the Aspis Consortium, but I can work on making an antitoxin if that might be of use in the future, Jim."

"That'd be much appreciated, Rafe. I have a feeling we might need such a thing 'fore we leave Riddleport for good. Something to bear in mind--we'll like as not have to stop here on the way back home, so best we do nothing to spoil our welcome on the return trip."

"So what would you have Kaul and I do? Stay on the ship until we hear from you... and how would you contact us? I'm afraid we might stir up more trouble if we wait in town... not on purpose of course".

"That depends on whether we can get out for a bit after we're recruited. Pity we don't have magic for talking at a distance, hey?"

Still here - just waiting for Kaul to become coherently belligerent

"That depends on whether we can get out for a bit after we're recruited. Pity we don't have magic for talking at a distance, hey?"

Fairweather pipes up, "A captain I worked for once had a scroll that everything you wrote on it was shown on a distant scroll and vice versey. He used to keep in touch with his wife that way. I could keep a lookout for some of those if you like."

Not sure if Jim recalls that I gave you a set of Synchronized Scrolls a while back, but not sure if Dingus is "guy in the chair" material. The Lixies mentioned two areas of employment: mercenaries and crafters. Anyone with magic or skills might get hired as a crafter.

Belinna shrugs, "Sounds useful. Corliss, how about you make Kaul comfortable below. He looks awful."

"Aye-aye, Cap'n!" Corliss chirps before having a couple swabs carry Kaul below.

Corliss Blackboots Heal Check (Treat Poison): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

After the poison has taken effect, there's little Corliss can do about it. He does see that even if Kaul wasn't poisoned, he'd have been beaten to unconsciousness. A bit of healing energy will make sure Kaul feels far less pain once he shakes off the poison in a couple hours.

Corliss- Kaul is at 0 hp. That's what I was trying to point out.

Kaul does indeed awake somewhat dizzy and falls out of the hammock likely knocking himself out again if Corliss doesn't help him out.