Ser Armithia doesn't seem to get it either....
Azarra in her fake-banker face smiles widely.
Ha ha. Yes, indeed. We have several "little problems" that it might be profitable to discuss. I look forward to it. In any case, yes, we'll make the arrangements and be ready to present the funds this evening after your successful win.
Ser Armithia stands stoically watching for anyone taking particularly strong interest in them.
Ishta has locate object prepared. It will be difficult to find the egg since she's never seen it, but she could easily locate something the mercenary was wearing. Or something Ser Armithia was wearing.
"Excellent!" replied Lofferen, "Till this evening then."
He wandered off to speak with other bankers who thronged around him trying to reserve the remainder of the share options.
The nasty little goblin in a suit came back in smoking a fat cigar, he gave everyone a knowing grin as he clambered onto the makeshift stage and addressed the throng, "Greed be praised! I was impressed with your hunger for the deal, the warms the cold pit of my heart. Well folks we have one last investment opportunity tonight, Garwin the mage. Its not often he comes cap in hand in search of filthy lucre, time for a killing I'm sure!"
With that he bounded off the stage and an old and frankly rather scary looking orc hobbled in puffing fowl smelling smoke from what appeared to be a human skull pipe. From within the skull a demonic green light flickered. Garwain's once deep green skin was greyed and wrinkled with age but his eyes where still cunning and there was an aura of menace around him and few could hold his gaze.
His voice was still firm and deeper than you expected, like gravel. He explained, "Its a tale as old as time. My body slaves displeased me so I had them flayed, poached and served upon a platter. I desire new ones, there's a promising group, half elves. I have more than enough coin, but alas the bulk is locked up in investments which will take me six months to release..."
One of the bankers from the back spoke up, "Going to be expensive if you buy all of lot 3, why not just take the pretty ones? The guide price suggested 25,000. We can offer you 20% interest for six months and 10% if you require a smaller loan."
Garwin's smile was perfectly horrible, "There is a bulk discount for the lot, several of them are old and I have my own uses for those. Twenty percent is a fair offer, anyone care to advance another?"
This was met by shaking heads, the general consensus being that this was a good deal.
Azarra noticed that one of the bankers mentioned a "guide price" ... she looks around to see if there a printed guide that they can look at.
Feeling the power such an experienced spellcaster bears, Ishta doesn't dare moving, speaking of act other thing that might call his attention, in case he had any means of piercing through their veil. She knows some powerful Wizards back in Thay who have permanent incantations cast on them.
Crossing her fingers, she hopes Azarra can hesitate. After all, if they manage to open the doors, they'll have their chance to free the slaves in the upcoming mayhem.
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Six adolescent and young adult females, good breeding stock, comely, wide hips: Guide price 275g each
Elderly couple - trained domestics, multiple languages spoken: Guide price 150g each
Group package strongly preferred: Guide price 2500g
She talks to the group in a whisper
Okay, so off to the auction. Who wants to stay with Lofferen, and who wants to do the bidding?
If the bidding for the orb goes over 60,000, then we give the money to Lofferen and take the orb after he wins it. I'll draw up a quick contract that says we have to inspect it as part of our investment or something.
She gets paper and ink out to do just that before they go into the auction, including all the terms of buying the shares as stated previously, plus the requirement to have an independent assessor inspect the item to make sure it is authentic.
We have to win the slaves in lot 8, so we bid as high as we need to.
Before we go into the auction, let's see if we can catch when the bankers are going back. If they have to raise the gate for them to return, we might have a built in way to do the second part of our task.
Ishta expresses her wish to go where her companions think she's most needed, but has a problem deciding where that might be.
Ser Amithia turns toward the auction chamber. He then turns to Ishta.
I would be most honored if you accompanied me in the Auction Room.
The banker then speaks via the Message/whisper/secret way that we are doing now.
Ishta's abilities may become useful inside. Why not just allow both parties to win their respective auctions. Then we just take them all!
Azarra whispers back.
Because it is too much of a risk. What if someone teleports away with the item or the slaves? What if the guard is alerted that we're thieves and we have to fight the entire crowd? What if someone dies in a fight over this stuff? If there is a way to get them without that risk, then it is better.
How many slaves? I can create a distraction; Ishta can teleport them away, once you clear a path to a anchorless area? Then we concentrate on the orb; which would be auctioned afterwards, I am guessing. The most lucrative prize last.
There are 12 slaves. We can't do all of that in the middle of an auction... can't get them free to teleport if we don't win them, and can't clear a path for them if they aren't free and can't run. If you create a distraction you will lose your cover as a banker, and Ishta can't teleport 12 people anyway.
"I'm flattered, See Armithia" Ishta says, "but remember this place is protected against teleporting." Then she puts her best smile. "So, we're trying to do what, exactly? Win both bids?"
Ser Armithia nods.
Ok. I think that we should stay together. I shall follow your leads.
Lost in the many-layered aspects of their scheme, Kardas follows Azarra's lead and focuses on the outside world rather than allocating brainpower into further sketching out their plot.
Whoever happens to glance their way is met by a pair of angry Raumathar eyes. To the outsider, it is clear to see that this banker does not agree with the decision his companions have made.
After completing the document, Azarra takes Zane and they slip out to change disguises and come back with new faces, and looking very, very rich, and they head to the auction.
Azarra casts message before they go in, pointing at the members of the team so they can communicate freely while they are inside.
Azarra shares with the group that the bankers are planning on a big, scary party after the auction, and then leaving about an hour before dawn.
Ser Armithia doesn't actually notice, hear, smell anything out of the ordinary; but, he smoozes the hell out of all present!
As the watchers of dawn hold a whispered discussion the event starts to wind down with various groups of bankers filtering away. Many are headed to witness the auction although others are apparently heading to a bordello.
The guards start to give those remaining meaningful looks.
Azarra casts message, pointing at the members of the team so they can communicate freely while they are inside the auction.
Then she takes Zane and they slip out to change disguises and come back with new faces. Looking very, very rich, they head to the auction.
Ser Armithia joins the first crowd into the auction.
Ishta follows Ser and keeps having discrete looks at everyone, trying to find a sign of who's Azarra in disguise. "If things go nasty, I don't want to fireball her accidentally."
Using message, Azarra whispers and tells Ishta what she and Zane look like now.
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Using message, Azarra whispers and tells Ishta what she and Zane look like now.
Ser Armithia looks at Ishta.
We're the muscle.
He winks.
Dressed to the nines as very wealthy investors, the watchers of dawn saunter towards the great big marquee tent as if they owned the place. The inhuman inhabitants of the castle ward mostly ignore you but the closer you get the more glances you get, perhaps sizing you up although whether as a rivals or dinner you couldn't be sure.
A closer look at the tent reveals it's actually a great big Sembian circus tent, presumably stolen. There's some considerable security with dozens of menacing orcs in suits along with a few ogres as well.
There seems to be two queues roped off, a longer one with a mix of ordinary looking monsters (orcs mostly with the odd troll) who are perhaps here to spectate. There's also a much shorter queue round the side with well dressed orcs and one or two of the bankers you recognize earlier. The security detail dealing with this queue seem efficient.
Ishta notices they don't have an invitation, but she hopes that sticking to Lofferen and stating they're there to fulfill the contract will suffice. If anything, she's sure some coin and a good intimidation could help.
Azarra sees the situation and thinks over all of the rumors they've heard and the people they've heard mentioned, trying to think of the most powerful person who is the least likely to be here in person (or who is perhaps here in disguise), so she can come up with a good bluff.
She also hangs back just a bit, looking around with Zane to see who else is around them that might already have an invitation, in case she can't think of anything and they need a back up option to either slip in with someone else, or nab an invitation from someone who isn't paying attention.
Ser Armithia walks confidently with Lofferen's group. The orc banker makes eye contact with all those he passes. A smirk usually planted on his brutish, beautiful face.
Hard to tell from a distance but based on the small size of the purses, Azarra guesses the bribes are in the 50 - 100g range.
Anatoli from the Iron Fist mercenary corps is unlikely to enter but would likely be on the list.
You think you've seen Arumon the Bold a Deathscream tribe Orc, who is auctioning a favour. This would be risky...
For bankers, Radagast and entourage from the Twisted Coin Pirakos is a good bet. He was planning to go but it seems he's visiting the bordello...
Ser Armithia and Azarra disguised as orcs in sharp suits follow Lofferen as he saunters towards the VIP entrance. Grinning to you he says, "Lets get us a seat at the table. No worries if somebody's already there, they won't be for long!"
Several important looking people where waiting for the massive ogre and orcish bouncers to let them through. Loffern simply pushed in front and glared at the ogre. One of the well dressed orcs objected saying, "Oi!" but the bloodcurdling glare Loffern gave made them shrink back.
Turning to the ogre bouncer Loffren sneered, "What are you looking at? Get out of the way shorty!" Looking a bit shaky the ogre replied, "Sorry sir!" and waved you all past.
Inside the tent was a large arena with seating around the edges which was filling up. In the middle are two great trestle tables, one long table with a rich blue leather top was where the bidding would take place - this was semi full. At right angles was another table heaped with items under cloth. Dotted around where great barrels of ale and the same exotic tiefling serving wenches from earlier. At the far end was a cage inside which where miserable looking half elves. Milling around where a mix of security, bankers and dangerous looking folk.
Lofferen laughed as he took this in, "We're early, good half hour before it starts plenty of time for people watching. Lets take out seats and some drinks, don't worry there'll be something proper to drink not just that swill in the barrels..."
Azarra, Zane, and Kardas detour, ducking back into the alley, and Zane comes back looking exactly like Anatoli from the Iron Fist.
They get in the short line, and whoever looks like Anatoli tries to bully their way in as Lofferen did, but if that even starts to go wrong, Azarra smooths it over by passing over a small purse with 100 gold in it.
Assuming that works, Malen holds a place at the bidding table for them, while Azarra makes a beeline for the cage, looking to see if her parents are among the half-elves (but of course pretending to look them over to see if they are worth buying).
One she finds out if they are there, she will wander back over to check out the loot table, assuming that it is uncovered when the other group asks to see it.
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"There are a lot of curiosities here. I'll have a look while we're waiting." With all her naturality, as if she didn't care for anything but her, Ishta stands up and wanders randomly around, with her face changing from surprise to disdain.
Ser Armithia--wordlessly--shadows Ishta. He is not looking at the table; or its contents.
Azarra (and I assume) Kardas perform a little subterfuge with the wily Rashmiri disguised as the dower mercenary. All he had to do was keep quiet and avoid voicing his distaste of the whole affair. Azarra posed as his personal secretary and while the orcish and ogre bouncers where surprised to see Anatoli, they didn't complain when the purse was handed over and the pair where ushered in without any fuss.
Ignoring all else Azarra's heart was in her throat as she made a beeline to the cage at the back. Trying not to gasp took an effort of supreme will, for they had all been horribly mistreated. Looking semi-emaciated they where shackled with their arms behind their backs in crude wooden board / handcuffs which where very tight. The crude splintered edges of the arm holes where dark with traces dried blood. Their feet where similarly manacled and the the thick wooden boards where chained together with thick iron links. Most of them sported cuts and bruises, apparently their former master had them all soundly beaten for some real or imagined slight.
Azarra didn't recognise them at first, the elderly couple staring at the floor, with bruised eyes and broken teeth looked small and pathetic. But then as one of the younger girls stared crying the woman got up painfully and hugged her and shushed her as he softly sung a lullaby. Azarra suddenly found her eyes welling up with blood roaring in her ears as she was hit by a huge jolt of adrenaline. Without a doubt this was her mother, who had sung her the very same song to her when she'd scraped a knee as a child.
Her thoughts where rudely interrupted by the same nasty little goblin from earlier in the suit, this time sporting a monocle and cigar. In orkish he leant in uncomfortably close and asked, "Something wrong? Did one of them insult you? They're not mine but since we are auctioning them, we can always have them whipped if you like..."
Ishta noted a sword being demonstrated, it was hard not to notice really. It was a rather elegant looking two hander, with a slender yard and a half blade and an engraved hilt and hard carved to look like a dragon. The blade was a dark metal claimed to be adamantium and it had six softly glowing elven runes carved along its length. A burly goblin was using it to slice through other, lesser swords, which where laid across a trestle for the purpose. He'd raise the elven blade high before smashing it down which smote the ordinary swords in two along with a flurry of sparks to general applause from onlookers.
Disdaining of all the ostentation, Ser Armithia's eyes focused on the people and the monsters (although in truth the division between the two was far from distinct). He clocked a smartly dressed orc and her bodyguard (armed with one of Kardas's swords) examining the half elven slaves and her conversation with the goblin. He also noted a chained group of four rather burly and rather surly looking dwarves who where being lead at spear point towards the cage by a retinue of half a dozen heavily armed orcs.
Behind he felt Lofferen's eyes boring into his back, and out of the corner of his eye he spotted a minotaur with oiled skin strutting around and showing off with feats of strength (lifting orcs with one hand - that sort of thing).
In a different part of the tent where was a huge orc in war paint who was juggling sharpened swords (falcatas if Ser was any judge) and unerringly flinging them a hands with deep into the bullseye of a target boss. Behind this he noted the heavy security guarding a small velvet cloth covered table that was brought in with something vaguely spherical beneath.
One thing was clear was the security was paying a lot of attention to some of the other players, Lofferen for one but eyes where on several others. There was a half orc drummer who was making a nuisance of himself as he pranced around like a fool, yet Ser had the conviction he was no fool. The other person attracting attention was a female orc with flame red hair who seemed to be minding her own business, sipping sparkling wine not far from Lofferen at the main table.
Ser Armithia doesn't even blink while standing within arms reach of Ishta. The orc banker notes the various bidders, biddees, and big badasses!
To the goblin Azarra says in orkish
No need. In fact, please don't. We intend to own this group and I prefer that they not be more damaged than they already are. I will be in charge of their well-being and usefulness, and they serve better when they are physically intact. If they require healing when we buy them, that effectively just raises the price of acquisition. I'm disappointed that they don't look well tended. Animals bear burdens better and more patiently when they are not abused.
She walks away from the cages with her "bodyguard," caught between elation at the prospect of rescuing her parents and anger at the way they have been treated, trying to stay calm so that she can do what must be done and not risk everything by getting angry and lashing out. Coming back, she catches some of the show with the adamantium sword, wishing they had enough money for that as well, but of course other things were much more important... although, if it happened to be recovered in the battle later, that could be a very nice prospect. She caught herself grinning at the prospect, and reminded herself to stay calm. This wasn't about revenge, and she needed to keep her head.
Ishta wanders a bit around the place, witnessing artifacts, slammed and all kinds of freaks. Without the constant reminder of where she is and what she's doing here, she might be enjoying the magical wonders...
Before she left the goblin gave Azarra a nasty smile. He took a long pull on his greasy cigar, holding the smoke in he considered its smouldering tip before exhaling a smoke ring. He called after her, "You want the lot? Excellent, may the favour of Bane be with you! Originally there were only seven, but the old pair and three others from the Boss's household where surplus to requirement. Twelve is enough to run a decent sized holding I should think."
He then departs stating that he needs to prepare for the auction that will begin in ten minutes or so.