You're brought to a high, open room with cloth screens swaying lazily in the warm salty breeze. The scent of sweet milk fills the air. Njano is behind a screen laying in a large bath. You manage to catch a glimpse and see that the bath is filled with milk. She is attended by eight slaves, that offer you dates and figs as you talk. Two slaves waft large fans in Njano's direction. Her guards stand at the ready, with Kisetz staring angrily in your direction.
She explains, "The name Biting Lash might mean something to me if I just wasn't so distracted. You see, my beloved friend Dahab, has been kidnapped. I haven't the slightest idea who may have done this horrible act, they even sent me his ear, if you can believe it. The message they sent threatened that the rest of him would soon follow, unless I were to meet with these extortionists. Would you perhaps be able to help me?"
"Yes... but my sort of helping is not very subtle.
And I think subtlety might be needed, if we don't want the kidnappers to kill your friend.
We don't know where they are based, or who they are.
What can you tell us?"
"Is he being held for ransom, or are they trying to draw you into some kind of duel or confrontation?" Ci Ci asks.
Mara recited another prayer before the meeting, a repeat of the one she used at the Laughing Fleshfair. She wanted to be ready in case anything went wrong.
When they were ushered into their audience, she ignored Kisetz' hostile gaze. She wasn't surprised that Njano asked for a favor in exchange for an introduction to Biting Lash — that was to be expected. She replied to the 'princess', "I think we can help you. As my friend says, we will need details about what exactly is involved."
Pocky hates slavery… which makes it hard not to hate a slaver. Which makes it hard to care about what happens to her friend. Suppose slaves kidnapped him? Or freedom fighters!
The mission. Open your mind. A man did lose his ear.
“His ear? It’s a cowardly tactic, and they’re pitiless. And they’re not asking for money… they’re asking for you.
“And you say you haven’t a guess who might be behind this? Someone holding a grudge? A competitor? An ex-lover who can’t get over himself?”
Pocky wonders if her words will jog a memory, or reveal that the princess might be holding back.
She laughs her hyena laugh but you don't get the sense that its out of amusement, "You are plausibly deniable and that's subtle enough for me. And your halfling has the right of it, they want me. And no I have no clue who it might be."
She taps her claws against the hard surface of the bath and says, "Bertold, give them the note and the ear."
She goes on to explain while you examine it, "My friend Dahab furnished me with information about the many people who seek my downfall. He had contacts around and about Okeno, in particular the Black Circus where he knew a beast tamer called Rahmir, and he frequented the domed temple of Gozreh where he knew a builder called Azeem. One of them might have an idea of who the kidnappers are."
Theophilus enjoys the figs, the fans, and the foolhardy errand that the Princess demands of them for information. He expected it.
He examines the note.
Madame Princess prior to allowing us to chase our tails; would you allow for a bit more...incentive. I have an itch that I can't quite reach...
The White Rabbit is seen pulling a backscratcher from the pack. Theo waves it away.
Blushing, the Mad Hatter clarifies
Not literally; only meaning perhaps if we can investigate Dahab's residence?
Mara examined the note, then asked Njano, "Princess, am I correct in assuming you don't wish to go to this meeting yet? What can you tell us about the Shipwreck"
Yooour halfling? Pocky looks at her halfling, but minds her manners as she says a few words to him.
She is obviously deceptive and withholding information. She has no care for you other than what use she can get out of you.
Not literally; only meaning perhaps if we can investigate Dahab's residence?
She says rather flatly, "You may not. Not to worry, that was the first place we looked since it was rather easily accessible. Suffice to say his residence is a dead end."
Mara examined the note, then asked Njano, "Princess, am I correct in assuming you don't wish to go to this meeting yet? What can you tell us about the Shipwreck"
"Correct. I will not stop you from attending the meeting but I would suggest some sort of illusion to disguise one of your number as me. The Shipwreck is a number of ships that were lashed together to form a plaza and housing for some residents, but there have been some tremors that left the whole mess unsafe. Needless to say a number of criminal organizations have taken to using it."
The halfling raises an eyebrow at Pocky's words but remains silent. Pocky definitely hears a growl from Njano, but she doesn't respond directly.
Theophilus claps.
I do enjoy spontaneously planned outings! Perhaps, I shall wear my gambling attire, since it seems we are gambling.
The White Rabbit begins putting on chaps.
Allegra nods to Njano. "We will return." Then she'll look to the group to leave.
Once they're outside, she'll say "Before we get to the shipwreck, I will need to procure a method of breathing and leaving the water."
"I don't have the art of transforming my appearance, either magically or with costuming, but I volunteer to be Njano for the meeting, if one of you can disguise me. I think I can fake my way through the situation enough to make any escalations be our decision, not theirs," Ci Ci says to the group.
Mara told Njano, "I do know of a prayer that would allow me to look exactly like you for ten hours, but it would change your appearance to that of an unremarkable female gnoll for that time. It's up to you whether that's something you would be comfortable with."
Pocky doesn’t really care if she offended the slaver, but in the interest in not blowing the mission, she says, “On the topic of disguises, I’m wondering how I might be perceived. Are all of my race slaves in this land? While I am not one, if I’m traveling with someone pretending she is you, should I expect to be perceived as a slave?
“And would I be more believable in your entourage as a gnome or…”
Pocky whispers a barely-audible command word mid-sentence. She seems a little taller, a little younger. Her habit stretches to accommodate her new face, and new height, as a full-grown halfling is considerably shorter than…
“…a human child?”
Dervak looks a bit confused.
"What exactly is our plan?
Do we wish to investigate the other locations?
Or simply have someone pose as Njano, go to the Shipwreck at dawn, and have the rest of us hiding or invisible to ambush the kidnapper?
Are we planning to be underwater?"
Mara replied to Dervak's question, "Personally I'd like to start by talking to Rahmir, the beast-tamer at the Black Circus, and Azeem the builder at the temple of Gozreh."
"Yes, let's follow up on both."
Theophilus will shop for scrolls for the White Rabbit to eat as they meander through the city.
Mara told Njano, "I do know of a prayer that would allow me to look exactly like you for ten hours, but it would change your appearance to that of an unremarkable female gnoll for that time. It's up to you whether that's something you would be comfortable with."
She says to Mara and ignores Pocky's antics, "I'd hate to look unremarkable. I believe our business here is concluded, please return when you have something for your efforts."
As you move about Okeno to your destination you notice that someone is following you. Kisetz and the halfling with the monkey familiar stay between 120ft and 360ft of you depending on your surroundings.
Pocky asks, “Is he trying to be seen?”
She looks back at the halfling slave, trying to get a read on him...
...and looks around to see if anyone else, such as the human guard, is also following, though she suspects not.
Theophilus--and the White Rabbit--are seen enjoying the walk through the city. They dash into various market stalls to purchase varying objects d'art, regional culinary delights, magical scrolls, and even a new coffee mug and T-shirt with their face caricatures on them.
Oh, we want to go to the Circus! S'pose they have flavorful cotton candy?
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Pocky senses that they are trying to stay hidden.
Unfortunately for Theo the cotton candy machine lies dormant as there is no show currently, but there are a wide variety of flavors available: tomato soup, roast beef and baked potato, and blueberry pie and ice cream. You surprisingly are not confronted when you enter the grounds and begin asking questions, a young acrobat that introduces himself as Dick, points you to an underground menagerie, "He's tending the mastodons right now."
Pocky holds her stare at the halfling, her expression the same as Mother Superior’s disapproving look—the one Pocky knows well from the time she fell off the balance beam while practicing sliding sidekicks, for example. It is a humorless look, which to Pocky, stung more than laughing ridicule would have.
She hopes the ass-monkey halfling feels just as stupid, but I’m no Mother Superior, bless her strict, frigid heart.
Mara followed the acrobat's directions to the menagerie and looked for the mastodons, and hopefully Rahmir.
A bit of disappointment showing on hid face, Theophilus nods solemnly at acrobat; even without his usual interest would allow.
The White Rabbit seems to be giggling; blue stickiness seen on his paws.
Dervak follows.
Mastodons. Hmm.
His father came from the Realm of the Mammoth Lords, and Dervak spent some time among the Kellid tribe after Mulgar's passing. He is not unfamiliar with the creatures.
Once inside the tent, Pocky dons the guise of a child. “Thank you, Mr. Dick,” she says in a tone that seems naturally-childlike for someone who spent her entire childhood as a slave and her teens and twenties training under nuns.
Which is to say, she speaks politely, but her guided face lacks a child’s wonderment. The White Rabbit might be a more believable child than the reserved nun.
"Mastadons. That's interesting. I wonder if they're real, or just elephants covered in yak fur," Ci Ci muses, following along with the others.
"They had best be real mastodons."
Allegra looks at Pocky appraisingly and crouches down to whisper to her. "You're not very convincing, dear. Let me see if I can help."
Leaning in closer, she whispers into Pocky's ear and points over at the food stalls.
“Well, I don’t know about that,” Pocky replies. “When Sister Jojo worked the spit, the whole convent feasted on the delectable. We had to double our basics next workout to maintain desired fitness levels, oh but it was worth it. As for soup…”
Pocky stops to think. If she was sipping milk, there’s a chance it would come out her nose. Thankfully, a burst of snickers subsides without incident.
“Oh, that is rather humorous. I almost laughed so hard I’d have broken a vow. Ah, but it is an age-appropriately funny thing to say, given my appearance. Are you suggesting I tell it to the vendor at the food stall?” Pocky is about to point, which is impolite, but then she considers that she was always polite as a child. Playing a part must have some truth to it, she decides. She does find Allegra’s joke refreshingly amusing. The joke practically delivers itself, she tries convincing herself.
She appears to have more to say (unless she’s attempting to act, making a kid-with-something-else-to-say-face), but as she has just asked Allegra a question, she gives the Paladin an opportunity to respond.
"I'm suggesting that if you're trying to impersonate a child, amused snorts will play better than your typical discipline and stoicism, much as I admire those traits."
“Excellent advice. I shall picture a mastodon peeing soup, as per your wordplay. That should result in additional snickers.” Pocky looks in the direction of a mastodon. “Well, that ruined soup for me.”
As you enter the menagerie you see a number of magical creatures, a cockatrice, owlbear, a rust monster contained in an ironwood cage; in addition to the more mundane creatures. As you wander through, the animals seem unusually on edge, pacing back and forth, hiding in corners, trying to bite or tear through their cages.
Eventually you find a man with caked makeup of a clown crusted on his face. He is nearly 7ft tall but thin. He is currently cleaning a mastodon's cage, a cramped quarter for such a large creature with barely enough room to even lay down. It begins to stamp its feet as you approach.
Rahmir, presumably, tries to calm the huge animal but it isn't paying any attention to him. It crashes into the cage door bending it shut and trapping the man in with the creature as it's thrashing about.
Theophilus seems to be enjoying the insane conversation about soup.
The White Rabbit is wearing a chef's hat....
With the sudden violence being perpetrated by the
Mastodon found!
the Witch gives it the Evil Eye!
“Oh, animals do not like me,” Pocky warns. “I should, uh… not be in here.”
Pocky exits the room!
…and if need be, she’ll burn 3 ki to pass through a wall.
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Mara hurriedly recited a prayer to calm the animals down.
Mara's spell soothes the itinerant animal and it just rests its head against the side of the cage. The other animals seem to calm down too after Pocky has left. "Get me out of here?" the man asks rather evenly with little emotion in his voice.
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Pocky sighs in relief as the enraged thwomping ceases.
She does not move, for fear of endangering the tall clown.
“Poor guy must have souped his drawers,” she says softly.
"Well, that was almost exciting," Ci Ci says, following the others from the the menagerie.
Allegra will tromp over to the mastadon pen and puts a hand on the door to the pen. She asks the man, "You are Rahmir? We have a few questions, if you'd be so kind as to answer."
Mara continued to concentrate, until she was convinced that the mastodon had calmed down, and that Pocky was keeping her distance. Maintaining her concentration she approached the mastodon cage and introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Mara. It's safe to come out now. Are you hurt?"
She gave Allegra a look moved to open the door. saying evenly "Let's get him out of there before the spell runs out, shall we?"
"What got the animals so aggravated? Does that normally happen?
Good work, Mara, solving the problem so quickly."
Theophilus cackles the entire time.
The sad clown moonlighting as an animal trainer tries to open the cage door but it doesn't budge. After a hard pull from Allegra the door wrenches open and he says, "Thanks. You're gonna have to speak up, I can barely hear you."
He looks unharmed, it seems Mara saved him before the mastodon could do any real damage.
Mara examined the beast tamer, trying to understand why he might be so hard of hearing.
"I actually came hear looking for you," she said in a loader than normal voice. "A fellow named Dahab has gome missing. I understand he is a friend of yours. I was wondering if you have any idea of what might have happened to him?"