Palaveen takes the blows hard. His wild eyes scream madness as he swings at Dario yet again, failing to strike the deft dodges of the Archaeologist. Vethamer begins stirring (last round of unconsciousness).
Party HP:
Stanley 9/12
Colgrim: 14/24-6 Palaveen 8/24.
Dario 7/15
Byron: -3/15, Stable
Iolana: -11/15 stable
Leeka -4/18, Stable.[/ooc]
Dice Rolls:
Super Secret GM Stuff:
Dead: Skeleton Wolf 1 AND 2, Tiefling 3.
Ostengo: 0/15, -6 Sudual (Stanley) Unconcsious.
Vethamer: 4/15 AC 15 Sleeping 0 rounds remain.
Dravano: -11/24, mostly subdual, stable.
Palaveen: 14/33-4 from Dario-4 from Colgrim 2/33. AC normal: 18, AC current 16, 4 rounds remain.
Come on. Just shut the blazes up. Colgrim swings his axe for hopefully the last time.
Colgrim's blow lands true on the tiefling, who, despite his roar and fury, dropps to the ground unceremoniously, bleeding from a gash in his leg that Colgrim opened up. Leaving a very sedate Ostengo desperately trying, and failing, to pretend to be unconscious.
When 'stirred,' he raises his hands, dropping his dagger and pleads for mercy. "You see what they do to our kind on the streets! Laugh, beat us, and kick mud in our faces! All of that's legal, but for us to lift one finger in defense?! We are tried and executed! We are expelled from our noble homes! I ask for mercy! I, and my brother" He looks down to Vethamer, "Will leave Westcrown in Exile. We will never trouble you again, and we will advise other tieflings do the same if ever in Westcrown! We cannot go to the slave pits, we'll be killed!"
PC HP:
Party Noncombatants: Iolana, Byron, Leeka
Stanley 9/12
Colgrim: 14/24-6 Palaveen 8/24.
Dario 7/15
Byron: -3/15, Stable
Iolana: -11/15 stable
Leeka -4/18, Stable.
Super Secret GM Stuff:
Noncombatants: Tiefling 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Dravano
Dead: Skeleton Wolf 1 AND 2, Tiefling 3.
Ostengo: 0/15, blubbering.
Vethamer: -2/15, 6 Subdual (Stanley), stable
Dravano: -11/24, mostly subdual, stable.
Palaveen: -1/33, AC normal: 18, AC current 16, 4 rounds remain.
Colgrim spits at Pavleen. Pfah! We tried that before, do the talky so there wouldn't be a massacre but now look at this! This is what we get for talking with murderers, rapists and thieves.
Dario sags as the fight ends. He looks down at the bleeding bodies. "Why couldn't you have just talked with us in good faith?! We want the same, freedom for the people of Westcrown!"
He moves quickly to examine Iolana, Leeka, and Byron. He sighs. "I think they're ok, but I'm a professor, not a healer."
Stanley barely listens to the whining of the injured tiefling, focusing his attentions first on tending the injured as if he's running a field hospital. He first makes a cursory examination of their friends, as Vesnik returns to his shoulder. "We have much to do, and so little time. Colgrim, Dario, I have need of your strong arms. I must tend the injured. I need you to bind our enemies. I do not want them getting foolish ideas in their heads if and when they come to. While you are doing so, could you check them for any forms of healing, be it potion, scroll, or wand?"
With that said, he casts his gaze across the room and the injured, requesting Pharasma to guide his vision to that which bears a magic aura.
As he looks about, he replies to Ostengo, "Do you think your kind are the only ones downtrodden by a corrupt government? None of the people have the freedom to fight back. It is not just limited to those of fiendish blood. If you would look past your own selfish needs long enough, you could see that there is a whole city trying to get out from under the heel just as you are. Making yourself an enemy of the people does nothing for combating that. You and your group were under some misguided premise, likely introduced by this self-absorbed Palaveen, that you have a right to step on others because the city has stepped on you. We came here with the goal of stopping the harm you are doing the innocent, some by removing your threat permanently and others in trying to refocus your energies on the true enemy here. So, as the only one here with the voice to make that decision, which one is best for your people? Do you remain our enemy, or become our ally against a shared enemy?"
Colgrim grumbles and starts searching bodies for anything resembling bottles of pieces of paper while stripping them of weapons and then tying them up.
Ostengo replies to the inquiries of both Dario and Stanley. He's not lying, he knows he's dead and will likely be dead, so has nothing to lose by telling you everything he knows.
"Not allies, that's for certain. Definitely not enemies. While the Lords of the Nine are frightening eternal, you are terrifying mortal fiends yourselves. We merely wish not to be put into the slave pits."
Ostengo looks to the group frowning and obviously in pain.
"Palaveen was the one who brought us together. Now we disperse. Once the other Bastards find Palaveen missing or, if the Dottari over there has his way, dead, they'll go into hiding again. You'll find many of the things taken, and even a few, legitimately found, things here in this tunnel ruins. If you plan on overthrowing the Mayor, all I can speak for is wishing you luck. They've been in power too long. Debauchery is out there. Hells, there's rumors of murder-plays coming back into vogue. Don't tell me that helping you would bring back civilization. That's already lost. All we want is to be left alone and we will forever leave you alone."
Thinking again, as he hears Colgrim's and Dario's grumbling and likely growling from Colgrim at least.
"If your goal was to take down the Bastards of Erebus, you've succeeded. Palaveen was the 'mastermind.' He had some other goal too, probably someone outside the ruins helping him, but we weren't ever privvy to that information. Maybe a Dottari interrogation would bring that out of him, but I cannot speak to much else. If you let us be free, myself, Vethamer, and Dravano, we shall never trouble you again. I'll even identify the items I am aware of their properties."
Loot on the bodies, including items detecting as magic (Stanley)
Palaveen's Breastplate (+1 Breastplate)
Palaveen's Morningstar (+1 Breastplate)
Wand (Cure Light Wounds 21 charges),
Potion (Disguise Self)
Unholy symbol
Treasure chest Key
Potions: six viscous blue potions of Cure Light Wounds
Two sets of Masterwork Studded Leather Armor
One Tanglefoot Bag
Two Masterwork Daggers
Studded Leather Armor x 7
Light Mace x 4
Rapier x3
Masterwork Shortsword x2
Light Crossbow x8, 153 bolts
Masterwork Breastplate
640 gp 75 sp 390 cp
There are some notes in the next room, along with a large treasure chest. It includes a list of things stolen by the Bastards, including those which were stolen from local bakers, candlestick makers, and other items as well. Most of the items on the list are there, with some of the more notable items listed in the spoiler below. One should note that the weaponry, shields, and magic items were taken from various weapons shops that the party is aware were looted, burned to the ground, and no family or heirs exist. The other items' owners can be found.
Lots of small gemstones, including a few pearls
Many pieces of jewelry, some of which likely belongs to some poorer merchant families as heirlooms, given the list above.
Jeweled Shortsword (150 GP)
A pair of lightweight, woodedn shields. They are heavy shields but are much lighter than expected.
Masterwork Shortsword
Masterwork Rapier
Magic Dwarven Waraxe
Two magical right-handed gloves.
Small magical Cauldron
Three different magic rings (Ring of Protection +1, Sustenance and Jumping)
Two magic rods (one immovable, one Lesser metamagic: Silent)
Four scrolls of Cure Light Wounds
Three scrolls One Invisibility, one Cure Moderate Wounds, one Inflict Moderate Wounds
One scroll of Fireball.
Masterwork scroll case (room for twenty scrolls)
Dusty Rose Prism Ioun stone
Pipes of Sounding
Cloak of Elvenkind
60pp 500 GP 750 sp and 1000 cp
There are also notes in this including a request for more animated wolf skeletons. The writer of this half-finished letter notes that "the Council" has not provided them with the necessary things to remain active and they are vulnerable to attack.
Another letter reads as follows:
PC HP:
Stanley 9/12
Colgrim: 8/24.
Dario 7/15
Byron: -3/15, Stable
Iolana: -11/15 stable
Leeka -4/18, Stable.
Super Secret GM Stuff:
Ostengo: 0/15, blubbering.
Vethamer: -2/15, 6 Subdual (Stanley), stable
Dravano: -11/24, mostly subdual, stable.
Palaveen: -1/33, AC normal: 18, AC current 16, 4 rounds remain
Well let us get some of these magical healing potions down the throats of our friends. If Stanley and Dario are willing, the small fry can vanish into the shadows but Palaveen here stays as far as I am concerned.
The potion works on Byron, but he remains unconscious.
Leeka comes round slowly. Looking up at Colgrim, she blinks and says, "If this is the after-life, you're the funniest-looking slip angel. Did we actually win?"
Still alive, barely. Byron and Iolana are still out and the rest of the Bastards are either dead or senseless.
COlgrim dumps another CLW potion down Byron's throat
Byron coughs, coming round slowly. Glancing around, he notes with relief that all of the tieflings are incapacitated, but raises an eyebrow at Colgrim's words.
"So an officer of the law is okay with known bandits, arsonists, and murderers going free, simply because their boss has been caught? Nice to know that's how the legal system works around here..."
As they gather their own, and restrain the enemy, Stanley answers the tiefling. "I cannot speak for the others, but I know that I am at peace with letting you go under promise of self-exile. If we find you have returned, or have resumed your wicked ways toward innocent citizens, then I have no control over what levels my colleagues will go to seek justice. I imagine it would be even more severe, considering the potential guilt of letting you go. It is up to them to decide whether they want to take this course of action, or an even darker one."
He shakes his head as he brings the wand over to Iolana, using it on her as he speaks, "Palaveen, however will not be granted this reprieve. Even I cannot, in good conscience, allow him to continue actively working against the good people." Seeing that she still has not risen, he decides to use another charge.
Byron shrugs.
"The Dawnflower encourages the wicked to seek redemption, if they are truly contrite. They do, however, only get *one* chance..."
He then turns to the barely conscious Tiefling, and states, clearly and simply, without a trace of menace, exactly how things are going to go down:
"Leave, if you wish; but never come back to this city. If I hear any rumors to the effect that you have relapsed into old habits, I will kill you."
Ostengo looks to Stanley, Byron, Colgrim, and Leeka. "I will take my brother and Dravano FAR away from here. You won't hear from us again. I will need to heal, along with my brother, but you will all be long gone by then and then we shall leave you in peace. He thinks for a moment as he looks over Palaveen's unconscious form. "Palaveen truly was a bastard. You can have him. If you were planning on saying you caught the gang, I'd recommend bringing a body or two with him, as he would be guarded." He says matter-of-factly.
Magic Item Identifications:
Magic Dwarven Waraxe is a +1 Dwarven Waraxe
Two magical right-handed gloves are both assisting Gloves (APG)
Small magical Cauldron is a Cauldron of Brewing (APG)
Stanley shakes his head in disagreement, "No. We will not be long gone as you recover. I will heal you, now, and you will leave, now. You will be under our guard until you exit the premises, with your lives and your promise to never cross our path again. Break the latter, and the former is forfeit." He indicates Byron, as the man had already stated what would happen if they went back on their word.
After a few moments Vethamer wakes up, Ostengo is better as well. Ostengo explains that he has parlayed with the party, and, when Dravano wakes up, they will explain it to him as well.
Vethamer chimes in: "While I agree we should leave you, things as bad or worse than the shadowbeasts roam the ruins at night like this. Lock us in one of the cages in Palaveen's quarters, and throw us the key as you leave! We can provide our route through the sewers to get you across the wall relatively safely, if you spare us this way!"
The bound duo beg of the party.
PC HP (sorry I didn't put this above):
Stanley 9/12
Colgrim: 8/24.
Dario 7/15
Byron: 5/15
Iolana: 12/15
Leeka 5/18
Super Secret GM Stuff:
Noncombatants: Tiefling 4, 7, 8 Dravano
Ostengo: 6/15,
Vethamer: 7/15
Dravano: -2/24 stable.
Palaveen: -1/33
Byron coughs, coming round slowly. Glancing around, he notes with relief that all of the tieflings are incapacitated, but raises an eyebrow at Colgrim's words.
"So an officer of the law is okay with known bandits, arsonists, and murderers going free, simply because their boss has been caught? Nice to know that's how the legal system works around here..."
Yea be right, I can arrest them with all these vigilantes if ya really want to make a case for it, and I'll be turning my badge in just to make sure things are even.
"We need to get out of here ourselves. Leave them, but without shoes, shirts, or any equipment. If they're so afraid of the shadowbeasts, they can sit here in the sewers with the rats feaating on them. I for one, want to be back above ground"
Leeka has no opinion to offer concerning the tieflings, as she still marvels over the notion that they are still alive.
Iolana comes to slowly, her body stiff and spiky with pain as she's pulled back from the brink of death. Blinking her eyes open, she looks around and slowly sits up, groaning in pain.
"What...happened?" she murmurs, gazing around slowly. "I remember engaging their leader, trying to get back to Colgrim, and then...nothing..." As she sees the wounds on Leeka and Byron (and the rest of the party, for that matter), she colors. Starting to stand, she drops to her knees, only partly from exhaustion.
"I have failed you, my friends," she says huskily, trying not to cry. "My foolishness and rage...blinded me to the danger we were in. I clearly put all of you in danger. I...have no excuse for my actions. I throw myself on your mercy." Despite her best efforts, a few hot tears escape to roll down her cheeks. "Leeka...everyone. I'm so sorry."
"Nonsense, my dear. We all learn from our experiences. This was quite a battle of forces. Palaveen was more than any of us could handle alone. Trust me, my dear, you will do your god proud and we will celebrate tonight, not feel sorry for ourselves." Dario dusts off his jacket. "Now, let us leave these few and retire to more suitable surroundings. We will being Palaveen to question him."
Let us get back tot he chapel. It is defensible and we can keep light lights going to keep the Shadows away.
The group gets back up to the chapel, finding the seven bodies, of which three are alive, but very unconscious. The party binds them and sets them at the bottom of the stairs, with but only pants and a shirt for modesty's sake. The party uses one of the tables to bar the stairs, and then bars the front door of the chapel with the other table.
The party is in the relative safety of the chapel, with the lights low, and the party exhausted, it could be reasonably safe in the darkness. Then again, the ruins are dangerous, and shadowbeasts are afoot somewhere in Westcrown at this hour.
PC HP:
Stanley 9/12
Colgrim: 8/24.
Dario 7/15
Byron: 5/15
Iolana: 12/15
Leeka 5/18
Colgrim secures all the doors to outside, the watchtower and the stairs. Shadowbeasts aren't supposed to come in buildings, just patrol outside but let us keep watch anyway.
Colgrim will take first watch, he suggests double watches.
"I can take a middle watch," Leeka offers, sinking wearily to the floor.
"I'll take first watch."
Stanley purses his lips, looking reluctant to speak... for once. "I really hate to be a bother about this, but I will need a full nights rest to be at my best. Pharasma will not grace me as her vessel unless I do. I will need at least a solid eight hours of sleep, and even then I will need to spend time communing with Vesnik as her conduit in the morning."
"Well then - if this is going to be a problem long term, why don't you take that ring that allows you to get the benefits of eight hours sleep in two?"
Iolana sighs heavily, scrubbing at her eyes, but still follows the others to the chapel. As they set up camp, she looks around, eyeing the coins found with the tieflings. As the others divvy up the time, she chips in, "I'm more than happy to take the last watch, since no one else has mentioned it yet. I would...like to spend tomorrow morning in prayer in any case."
As they deposit their own gear and their spoils, Iolana hoists Palaveen's morningstar, eyeing it thoughtfully. "This could be turned to a better purpose..." she murmurs.
Stanley looks at each of the others in turn, "Am I the only one that has this need? I do not want to take from those that need more than I, but will do so if you all believe it is to our advantage that I use this item."
"Take it Stanley. I need rest to prepare my mind for spells too, but if for some reason I can't, I have other things to fall back on." He taps the hilt of his sword.
"Just don't be shy about waking me up if something comes knocking. I don't want to open my eyes to a shadowbeast. Not my idea of a good morning."
With the party settling down for the evening, the silence of the ruins sets in, with a scream or two throughout the night, but the group finds that, in the morning, the rough barricades haven't been touched, nor have there been any other surprises.
(you recover HP normally from rest).
The morning is overcast and the skies drizzle rain onto the streets. The ruins look like a dreary, grey mess, with the unkempt streets turning to muddy messes. Those few Rundottari that wander by don't even pay the old temple of Erastil any heed, just walking on their path through the ruins.
Colgrim scratches his head.We best get back to the temple with our package. Colgrim points at the senseless Pavleen. Then we can figure out what to do with him. I can escort everyone back and then have to touch base back with the Dottari.
Iolana, having spent her watch in quiet communion with the Everbloom, is still withdrawn, but seems steeled and more at peace than she was before. First, to the immediate... She nods at Colgrim's suggestion.
"I agree. Let us return to the temple of the fallen god, and converse with our compatriots there." Hefting Palaveen's morningstar and a darkwood shield, she sets out with the others.
"Right. Tie him up and cover him with a cloak. Maybe we can get a wagon or horse even to carry him. Byron, make sure he stay knocked out. We don't want him coming to and screaming his head off in the middle of the street."
Palaveen wakes up about the time as Colgrim and Iolana's conversation about the Temple of Aroden.
"Thieves! Betrayers! Liars of the highest order! That's what you 'Free Citizens' are all about! He sneers. What, are you going to turn me over to your fellow Dottari for questioning, Dwarf? And what shall I say about your companions? Followers of a Banned Faith in Cheliax? Nine Hells, I have more power over you than you over me. One look at me, a faithful Asmodean priest, and not only will you be thrown out of the Dottari, you'll be hunted like the dogs you are.
He looks to Iolana and Colgrim with arrogance, even bound he believes he is going to be vilivied.
PC HP:
Stanley 12/12
Colgrim: 11/24.
Dario 10/15
Byron: 8/15
Iolana: 15/15
Leeka 8/18
Super Secret GM Stuff:
Palaveen 3/33
Leeka casually backhands him across the mouth, knocking him back out ( ), then says, "He does have a point. Perhaps we should take the opportunity to plant incriminating evidence on him first, if we intend to hand him in to the authorities. A tattoo of Cayden Cailean's holy symbol on his chest, perhaps?"
Byron shrugs.
"Or we just kill him, and leave his body on display in a public place - as the leader of those thugs, I am sure that he will be recognised for whom, and what, he is."
Works for me, Byron. I say we do one better and burn his body to ashes. He did hear us talking about the temple so we can't risk it unless we got some way to magic him into submission.
Leeka's strike knocks the Tiefling senseless, giving the Tiefling a bloodied lip and bloody nose, but not doing any lasting damage. He slumps back down, unconscious. He certainly looks less arrogant when unconscious.
PC HP:
Colgrim: 11/24.
Dario 10/15
Byron: 8/15
Iolana: 15/15
Leeka 8/18
Super Secret GM Stuff
Palaveen -4/33, 6 of which is Subdual
Also a reminder of how quickly Nonlethal damage heals:
You heal nonlethal damage at the rate of 1 hit point per hour per character level. When a spell or ability cures hit point damage, it also removes an equal amount of nonlethal damage.
Stanley scowls at the suggestions of the others, "I don't know that we should be concerned with the best way to mutilate in order to send a message. All the same, I do not feel that we can simply turn him over to the very authorities that may be affiliated with local corruption." He gives Colgrim a look as if to say, no offense.
"We need to question him, first and foremost, and only based off what we have gathered can we truly look to decisions of how to deal with him. A note to him indicates that there was another, driving his actions, to a degree. Is seems someone let their dog loose, and it wasn't ready to heel when commanded. We need to find out where this originated. It may a disadvantage to have the 'proper' authorities deal with him. All the same, I have the ability to magically charm him and even a spell that can introduce thoughts to him that makes him think they were his own. We could make him think that the 'Free Citizens' was his idea to create a fake name to throw the Dottari off his trail, and that it was the very Dottari that brought him down."
He shrugs, "But for right now, we need to make sure he stays quiet until we can get back to our current base. I say we give him a solid whack or two, to ensure he's going to stay quiet, and if anyone asks, he had too much to drink and we are bringing him home."
Knowledge: Local DC 25 (Colgrim +5 Circustance bonus to this roll)
Spellcraft: DC 23 IF someone makes the above and reveals it.
"If we want to execute him, then fine, but mutilation is...I won't do that. I've studied a lot of cultures, a lot of history. We do not rebuild Aroden's legacy by mutilating a prisoner." He sighs. "I do know the Dottari may kill a prisoner from time to time, though usually the low-level scum. Some rumors even tell of Asmodean priests using the dead to hunt down rebels. If we do like Colgrim says, and burn the body they can't do that."