Basher sits back and sets his mug down. "So what do you plan to do about it?"
Dakkar eyed the suspicious-looking Basher, silently considering how long it would take to eviscerate him and run off with the corpse.
Not trusting himself to talk in this situation, he then considered the other people in the small room, trying to figure out if any of them looked dangerous, or like they were invested with Basher and paying attention to the conversation.
The two ratfolk are watching intently. They certainly seem tense to him.
”It is my intent to cook up a plan and take from Sarlu that which he has robbed me of. We had an arrangement with him, for transport off this rock, and he welched on the deal.”
"And you're wanting my help to come up with a plan?"
Basher makes a noise you're pretty sure is rude.
"Do you even have an outline of this plan, or are you expecting me to come up with it?"
”Well, I have maybe twelve percent of a plan. Hardly much more than a concept really. It involves violence, and taking what is owed to us by force.”
Basher makes that noise again.
"Have an army? Or at least a really big bomb? Or maybe you have more money than it looks like and you plan to just hire half the mercenaries in town? Mr. Sarlu lives in a fortress, in case you haven't noticed."
Iskender nods, "yes, this we know, we have been inside. We don't have an army, we don't have a really big bomb. Look, we came to you, because we don't have those things. We need help getting our revenge, but we also thought you might be the guy who also wants such revenge, and would be willing to assist."
Dakkar looks back and forth between Iskender and Basher. This didn't look like it was going anywhere. He snorted in agitation, but otherwise kept quiet, though his tail began to flick back and forth in an irritated fashion.
Idly, he started mentally preparing himself for plan B; brutal rampage.
Basher laughs. "Get out of here! Come back when you have a plan and maybe we can talk."
Iskender places his hand on Dakkar, "what do you say buddy? How much can we tell him?" Without waiting for a response from Dakkar, Islender's face brightens, "you betcha, all the way! Ok Basher, final offer before we take this elsewhere and split the vengeance and the take with another of Sarlu's rivals, and perhaps one that is your rival too." He waits a moment before continuing, "you get your hands on a bomb, something that can incapacitate the entrance to Sarlu's fortress from the inside, and Dakkar and I will deliver the package, blow the thing, and hold the inside while your forces run the breach and get inside. We know we can get inside, we just don't have access to the forces, or the explosives to make the plan work. All we want is access to the portal to get off this rock, you can take whatever loot, or vengeance, you want once we're inside."
Basher yips at you. "You want to get to the Red Gate? So now you're two kinds of suicidal. Look, I don't know what you think I have, but I don't have any bombs or 'forces' to fight that kind of battle. I'm just getting in, getting all the money I can out of that worm, and then getting as far away from this rock as possible before any more assassins show up. You want my help with your plan, you come back with something more solid--a bomb, an army, whatever--and maybe we can talk."
Iskender shrugs, ”Well Dakkar, we tried, I guess it’s time...”
Dakkar looked irritatedly at Iskender. "I thought you were supposed to be GOOD at this talking thing."
Dakkar's muscles tensed as he prepared to lunge.
"I guess we'll just go with the other plan, then. "
With supernatural speed, Dakkar suddenly leaped, rage in his eyes, launching himself over the table and behind Basher, before snapping at him with his teeth.
In spite of his paranoia, Basher is caught completely off-guard by Dakkar's speed, and the dragon-like... thing sinks tears chunks of flesh off with his two bites. Swearing, Basher fumbles about for a bit before managing to draw a hidden dagger, snapping back at Dakkar with his teeth as he does.
Kit smiles, That's our cue boys and girls! Let's head inside!
He then rushes in with all due speed!
I believe Iskender will drop glitterdust on the two ratfolk and miss everyone else, if I’m reading the map right.
DC 15 Will saves
The bouncers move to break up the fight starting in the private room, but those of the party who were waiting outside intercept them, giving Dakkar all the time he needs to kill Basher, at which point his ratfolk minions flee. The dragon-man picks up the body and forces his way out of the bar, the rest of you following behind. The bouncers put up a show of following but soon turn back, leaving you to look over the body.
Unfortunately he doesn't seem to have anything that could be Mr. Sarlu's missing treasure. What he does have is a +1 dagger, two potions of cure light wounds, a potion of cure moderate wounds, and a suit of +1 studded leather armor. Searching desperately for any sign of what you seek, you find an ornate key in a hidden pocket.
With little to go on, Iskender goes and starts making some discrete inquiries. Fortunately he finds a locksmith who (for a small fee) identifies the key as of a type on only a few buildings in town. After several tries you find the one it opens, a run-down house in a dirty corner of the city. Within you immediate notice a large aquarium on wheel, in which a strange wormlike creature lazes about while numerous little tadpoles swim about it.
"Can this strangeness possibly be the item that Sarlu wants?"
All of this for...THAT! Kit says equally puzzled.
"I know!"
Kit can tell... that it is *not* a normal creature.
You do recall seeing an empty aquarium of similar make back in Mr. Sarlu's room.
I ain't never seen a creature like that before. But I guess that is what our...um..employer wants. Do you think he eats it or mates with it? Kit says with a chuckle.
"I half wonder if it is his offspring in fact."
"...Eh, I don't feel like speculating. Transporting it is going to be a pain, though."
Examining the aquarium, you notice that the legs holding it up end in wheels.
Should we find a tarp for it? Probably not a good idea to wheel it through town, but then again, I don't think any one in this town would care!
Iskender pulls a blanket from his backpack, "I have this, at least."
Iskender starts wrapping the aquarium with his blanket.
Having completed the wrapping of the aquarium, Iskender suggests, "Shall we?"
Dakkar shrugs. "May as well."
Iskender tests the weight of the wheeled aquarium before suggesting, ”I think Kit or Dakkar will need to push this thing.”
I'll push and Dakkar will walk menacingly next to me to keep nosy onlookers at bay!
"I will strum a plucky tune to set the people at ease, and make them think we are nothing special to look at it."
You get a few strange looks on the way back to Mr. Sarlu's, but... this is far from the oddest thing that's happened on these streets. And of course, the first rule of a city like this is you don't stick your nose in someone else's business. No one so much as asks what you're doing before you get back.
The door opens before you can so much as knock, and Oulek ushers you into Mr. Sarlu's room. Once again you don't see anyone, but you hear a voice speak in your minds.
So you return successful. I fail to see how your method was preferable to mine, but no matter. Show me my treasure, that I may see it is unharmed.
Dakkar shrugged. "Eh, I knew I was going to end up mauling that guy sooner or later."
Iskender whisks the blanket off of the aquarium with a flourish.