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"Well I know Clegg has a ship leaving headed somewhere and stopping in Korvosa. Do you think this might be where the potion is? If so should we try to get it before it leaves here... or do you think it may be picked up in Korvosa".
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"More likely this be the vessel what brought the potion to Riddleport, considerin' its name--the Orchid, Corliss chimes in. "Seems like the plan was for it to depart with lotsa fanfare...most likely to draw eyes away from where the potion's bein' moved."
Kaul's scarred brow furrows and he scowls as the noggin cogs turn;
"Hur. Ol' Kuala 'ad quite the adventure... Rusty 'Ook, then Boss Croat... then shook down a clerk named Otuk that work's in Lixy's place fir info..."
The brute nods to himself, then the space when Lopper would normally offer council, before continuing;
"Reckon there's more at play 'ere. This witch crime lord name o' Madame Pamodae is backin' Lixy who has stolen Lopper. Reckon she's a shape shifter or some such (Lixy not Lopps)... Anyways could be we're being set up as patsies. They get this potion, we get the blame. Not sure where - maybe Clegg's tenement or the Bones Gate? Anyways, Clegg comes after us. We die or kill 'im, Lixy witch keeps Lopper... Madam Dappergoner takes o'er. All makes sense..."
He grimaces;
"I say we hit this Madame. Kill 'em all. Then the Goblin kill 'em all. Then get Lopps an' kill anyone else who gets in our way.
"Who's this witch you're speaking of, Kaul? This place is uncharted waters, and I'm a mite unsure where the shoals are. Best we take a few soundings 'fore we go in, hey? Besides, keep in mind that supposedly the contract magic will let them know if I stop working to get them their magic vial. That's what I'm doing now by getting into position, but seems to me that the only way out for me is to do what they ask. As soon as they have the vial in hand, though...." He grins.
Dingus simply nods at everyone's observations, then in a moment of self-preservation remembers what happened.
"Well. They saw me, and I disappeared so it might pay for me to find somewhere to hole up and stay out of sight till we decide to act. Besides I found a new trinket that I need to consider".
Dingus finds that the golden bracelet is very detailed and lifelike with ruby eyes that glitter even in the dimmest light. It is formed to curl tightly around the wrist regardless of the size of the wrist and bears a magical aura. Further, study reveals that the aura is transmutive, but Dingus can't quite figure out what specific enhancement or power it bears.
Kaul rubs his noggin hoping some more knowledge will pour forth...
"Hur... Madame Pamodae... She's one o' the Crime Bosses 'ere. Has it in fir Clegg. She runs the strumpets, workin' boys an' brassers. Think someone told me she's a Priestess o' Calistria an all."
The brute emits a hacksaw chuckle;
"Sounds like a job fir ye Jimmer..."
The brute's scarred brow furrows;
"Regardless o' the plan, gettin' Lopps back is the main thing fir me. Bloodier way the better..."
"Feck. We'll have to watch ourselves with one of Calistria's own in the mix. Remember the wasps on that island near Kepre Dua? Where I had the chat with Qualmaga's whale?" Despite the concern in his voice, there's a twinkle in the Taldan's eye as he recalls some other aspects of that particular adventure.
The day of the event arrives cold and clear. The crew meet in the galley for a hearty breakfast of creamy gravy scooped up with spongy bread and find that Dingus has slithered off again. Jim prepares to follow up on his undercover position as one of Zincher's mercenaries who are meeting at the Bone Gate. With Corliss undecided on the best course, Kaul is left to decide whether to follow up on Jim's lead or just start directly attacking popular Riddleport establishments.
Seeing his shipmates don't share his same appetite for blood and revenge as he does, Kaul begrudgingy settles into the mechanisations of their plan.
"Alright lads. Ol' Kauly will tow the line... Reckons anythin' this crew 'as taught me is that those that cross us, gets theirs... 'ventually."
His beady eyes light up and he flashes a mako grin;
"So. What's yer plan an' how can Kauly 'elp?"
Kaul and Corliss wander away from the docks without a plan until they near the Golden Goblin and Kaul stops to glare at it from a little ways down the street. Corliss isn't sure if this alone is enough to break his contract, but he is fairly certain that his participation in any direct aggression toward the establishment would lead to some unhappy repercussions for him despite his weak attempt to fudge his signature on the magical contract.
The Besmaran priest heads in Kaul's direction, hailing him with a silent wave. When the three crewmates are gathered, he asks the others, "What's the plan now? Go to Clencher's tenement, wait for them to try to move the elixir, and make our move when Jim does?"
"I'll be up a mite late studying street maps, so I have some chance of knowing where things are when it hits the fan, hey?"
Kaul nods his no-neck;
"Hur. Reckons so Blackboots. Let Jimmer work 'is magic an' be there to make the move..."
The thug's scarred brow furrows;
"Lessen ye want Ol' Kauly to remove the Lixy's from the board? Can't be beholdin' to someone when they's dead I say."
Dingus is staying out of sight... but does his best to keep an eye on his shipmates wherever they go. He just doesn't want to be singled out by those who might recognize him.
Jim heads out by himself to meet at the gate around noon as he was instructed. Jaravo, Svetesky and the other two mercenaries, Straid and Crixus, are nearby. Jaravo tells Svetesky and Crixus to follow in about an hour and then leads Jim and Straid through the gate and out of town with a nod to the guards at the gate.
After a stop to glower at the the Golden Goblin, Corliss and Kaul head over to Zincher's tenement to find things a bit busier than usual for the midday hour. A couple wagons are being loaded and there is a number of arena veterans with the guards protecting the wagons, generally looking surly.
Kaul nods his no-neck;
"Hur. Reckons so Blackboots. Let Jimmer work 'is magic an' be there to make the move..."
The thug's scarred brow furrows;
"Lessen ye want Ol' Kauly to remove the Lixy's from the board? Can't be beholdin' to someone when they's dead I say."
"Come at the queen, you'd best not miss. Recall what one of 'em did to you with magic--it's true that an axe 'tween the shoulderblades will cramp any magicker's style, but there's at least two of them. Besides, I don't think they'll interfere with the heist in case it goes sideways. We're their expendables, hey? "
Kaul nods in reluctant agreement to Jim's wisdom, then plods along - ever mindful of his missing axe... his beady eyes flicking upon their surroundings with a baleful stare.
Kaul squints at the cluster of activity in front of the Zincher's tenement and doesn't see Jim among the guards so he figures that this is the distraction and the delivery is elsewhere. Then he notices a pair of guards amble away from the group in what seems to Kaul an performatively casual manner. They head for the Bone Gate and pass through which seems a bit odd if the delivery was supposed to be in town.
Kaul nods towards the guards with a mako grin;
"Hur. Them two are up to summ'it."
Corliss leaves Kaul at the Golden Goblin as he means to keep a close eye on Jim. He reaches the eastern edge of the city near Zincher's tenement just in time to see Jim exit through the Bone Gate with a pair of gladiator looking follows. He's about to follow when Kaul grabs his arm.
Kaul nods towards the guards with a mako grin;
"Hur. Them two are up to summ'it."
Corliss sees another pair of suspicious gladiator-types look around before also exiting out the gate.
Kaul clocks the other pair of shifty types and mugs a grin;
"Hur. Best we keep up... If thing's go south Jimmer'll need 'elp with the bodies..."
Once through the Bone Gate, Kaul and Corliss find a steep trail leading up over the eastern ridge. The trail is rutted by the wheels of carts that appear to travel the pass with regularity. Although the pass is somewhat narrow and exposed, the two mercenaries ahead appear to be arguing and never bother looking back.
It is not too far to the crest and beyond, the trail continues east, but mercenaries head south on a narrower track around a hovel and burn pit about 100 yards away and down into the marshlands along the coast just east of the ridge. The rotting hulks of many shipwrecks support the mounds of vegetation that dot the brackish water.
As Corliss and Kaul ponder their next moves, they notice a granny with a basket on her head coming up the road behind them.
Kaul nudges Corliss with a scowl;
"Hur. Old fishwife... or a 'ag. Iffin' its an 'ag then we's in trouble."
At Kaul's prompting, Corliss takes a closer look at the approaching figure.
"There's somethin' vaguely familiar 'bout that lady, but I can't quite put me finger on it...."
"My! Aren't you to lovely, young, strapping lads. Bet you'd really help an old lady cross the street".
Disguise
Kaul squints at the old crone momentarily, then stifles a hacksaw chuckle...
"Hur...Hur...Hur... DIng ye've outdone yerself with this get-up..."
The brute bosun however plays along, gesturing to the wizened biddy to take his claw for support;
"Hur..... Accourse ye can get some 'elp Granny. Let Ol' Kauly an' Blackboots guide ye tae yer destination..."
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"Garn! 'Twas the basic, unspiffy set o' clothes what fooled me!" Corliss exclaims. "We'd love to help ye 'cross the street, Grandma, but we're leavin' the city limits. Don't suppose ye can turn us all invisible, eh?"
Dingus doesn't seem interested in dropping his grandmotherly charade and Kaul seems happy to play along. The main road continues eastward though the pair mercenaries that the crew was following have now disappeared down the steep trail and into a march of sickly looking trees and rotting ships. Nearby, at the top of a cliff is a hut near a smoldering trash pile that is providing the stink and smog that lingers near the pass.
Kaul thinks that the hut might provide a good stake out location to watch for when Zincher's gang passes back by on their way to the tenement.
"Hmmm.... How about we compromise a bit, Dingus?" Corliss asks while rubbing the bump on his noggin. "Mayhap I helps ol' Granny along while we makes Kaul invisible. Then, iff'n we're spotted an' them lugs come for us, Kaulie can take 'em by surprise."
Kaul mugs a grin;
"Hur. Like the cut o' yer jib mate. Can slap 'em or split 'em dependin' if we's worried 'bout chummin' the water."
He stands still awaiting Dingus' magicks...
"Right Ding. Make me in-visi-bul."
Sigh! You guys aren't going to give up on this whole invisibility thing are you? Perhaps you should learn the spell yourselves. Dingus casts invisibility on Kaul.
"Better run along now. You've got somewhere between 6 and 10 minutes before the glamor wears off".
Corliss grins and offers Granny Dingus an arm. "My my! Ye sure gets cranky when ye don't eat yer prunes! Let's keep up with this mad masquerade so we'll be close enough to help Jimmer if things go south!"
For anyone looking, two figures- Granny and her guide- shuffle down a steep trail away from the road and toward the coastal marsh. The trail levels out after some time and then disappears into the marsh, first appearing as broken reeds and then knee-deep water interrupted by floating algae and the rotting remains of ships and driftwood lodged in the mud. The pair of mercs have wandered off out of view.
Corliss tries his best to find the track Jim and the thugs took into the swamp. He casts guidance on himself, trusting in Besmara's presence to succeed should his mortal eyes fail him in this instance.
Kaul disappears from view then takes up the trail after Jim and the thugs. When they too disappear he mutters to the disguised Corliss and Dingus;
"Hur! Maybes they've gone invisible too... sneaky feckers!"
He sniffs the air, attempting to track by nose not eye;
Corliss can see some breaks in the algae creating an intermittent trail of dark water among the green scum. The spots lead deeper into the marshland and around the jagged timbers of a crumbling hull. Kaul sniffs and mostly smells rotting vegetation, but a drifting vapor of sweat and oiled metal and leather lead him on. Weird pits in the water's surface mark Kaul's presence as he wades forward.
Granny Dingus steps closer to Corliss...
"So now what do we do? Do we find somewhere to hide till something happens? I can turn into a big old nasty gator... or turn you and Kaul into the same if the caca hits the windmill".
At the thoughts of a gator Dingus begins to nervously look around and sends Richard up a nearby tree to keep a lookout.
Richard's Perception Check