Welcome to Kintargo……
Located north of the Devil's Perch region in the northwestern part of Cheliax. Kintargo is a large city with nearly 12,000 people. The newly appointed lord-mayor Barzillai Thrune has seized Kintargo making the atmosphere very intense. Numerous protests have erupted only to be disbanded by the local guard until today….
The current date is Lamashan 16, 4715 AR (Oathday)
Even with the cobblestones of Argent Avenue and the foliage of Aria Park still wet from the morning’s light rain, dozens of Kintargans have gathered along the facade of the opera house to protest the city’s new lord-mayor, Paracount Barzillai Thrune. The city’s new leader was appointed by Her Infernal Majestrix, Queen Abrogail II, in the wake of the previous lord-mayor’s sudden flight from the city— an event that still has local rumormongers whispering furiously. In a scant seven days, Paracount Thrune has instituted martial law, a curfew, and seven outlandish and polarizing proclamations. These actions and more have called many of Kintargo’s dissatisfied citizens here on this overcast morn. There’s been no sign yet of Barzillai Thrune himself, and the opera house’s doors remain tightly closed—as they have since the man chose the landmark as his new home—but judging by the growing sound of the protesters, he surely can’t ignore the scene on the streets below much longer.
Please introduce your characters and why you are at Aria Park where protesters have gathered.
“Ah, my adoring little chickadees. I am sorry to say I have not yet adapted to your quaint, country ways, being accustomed as I am to the sophistication and learning of Egorian. Nonetheless, know I have heard your concerns, and that I appreciate your valued feedback, and I know we shall eventually find a mutual understanding in the fullness of time. I take pride in updating Kintargo’s quaint, outdated laws to the modern standards the city deserves, and strengthening its ties with the empire in these cruel times, but obviously I have approached my duties too aggressively. “You say you chafe at the presence of nonnatives in positions of power? That authorities not of this city have no place as its leaders? That you will not be yoked by intruders? Your lord-mayor hears you. And so it is with a heavy heart that I issue this proclamation, in response to your demands: all ships’ captains are hereafter barred from leaving their vessels and setting foot on Kintargo docks or streets, under pain of... let’s say... squassation!”
Please disregard the last paragraph. I had it all type out on my tablet and accidentally copy and pasted the whole thing.
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Issi doesn't find being up at the crack of dawn difficult, she and Alsaman do that automatically. What is difficult is the crush, the crowd, the overwhelming smells... all that time in the wilderness has made her senses sharper and the reek of pomade and perfume, the hasp rasps of fabric and metal are difficult, almost painful for her to bear. Reaching out to Alsaman, who stayed back at the house, helps - he can send her calm thoughts but Issi finds herself reaching compulsively for her weapons.
An ebb in the crowd leaves the two women in a temporary space admist the crush, allowing Issi to breathe a sigh of relief and turn to her younger sister. "Remind me Amber, why exactly did we have to come out here in the rain?"
Eliona wakes up after her restless night sleep, constantly tossing and turning for the seventh restive night in a row. She has found herself exhausted yet unable to sleep as she just can't shake the dreams she has been having stopping her from wanting to sleep at all. They have all been pleasant dreams of spending time with Eric, but always turn to Eric leaving for good in a haze of negativity.
When she finally decides to rise, she drags herself over to her mirror and starts dressing and primping ready for the day. 'At least today has a purpose, I just hope those rumours are true about the protest today otherwise I'd rather not witness the speech.'
After getting ready early, she has a small breakfast with her brother, up early ready for his day's work and finds Issi ready to head out. "Issi!"Eliona exclaims. "You cannot possibly be seen wearing that....beige .... cloak and those boots! At least you could have put up your hair! She shakes her head and sighs but acquiesces to Issi's assurances.
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Eliona looks a lot happier in the crowd than her older sister, but feels a little on edge nonetheless, especially as she hadn't told her sister why she insisted they come just yet. Looking over her shoulder,
she checks that no one in ear short is listening. "I've heard some....rumours... that there may be a little peaceful protest today and wanted to come along out of interest.."
She flashes open her long red cloak and shows Issi a glimpse of her leather armor and winks.
"Just in case!
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"And you told me off for wearing practical clothes!" Issi gasps dramatically, pressing one hand to her forehead as though she is about to faint. Inside she's pleased that her sister isn't as naive as she was once. I guess she really has grown up while I was away. The thought leaves her remarkably melancholy.
She withdraws into her hood as the crowd swirls in again, falling into place half a pace behind her sister, her hands shooting out whenever someone gets too close for comfort.
As Aria Park continues to fill with people, many conversations are taking place and it seems more confusion and disorganization is filling the area.
During the next three rounds you may take one of the following actions:
Listen for Rumors:Perception or Diplomacy Check
Pilfer: Sleight of Hand Check along with a Bluff Check
Rabble Rouse: Diplomacy or Perform Check to better organize the crowd.
Silence Undesirable Elements: Bluff or Intimidate Check
Watch the Crowd: Perception or Sense Motive Check
NOTE: Each of these takes up an hour of time.
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"What should we do Amber?" Issi asks out of the corner of her mouth. She can easily see that there's a lot going on in the crowd - different groups shouting and chanting all sorts of slogans, but she doesn't know what to do about it. The heaving mass of people pushing close together is making her nervous, nearly sick and she know's she's only a short distance from pulling out her sword and forcing people just to have room to breathe!
Eliona looks at her sister's clear discomfort and is taken aback, she was never this bad before she left home!
"I honestly didn't think that far ahead, just thought we would come and watch. How about you just watch what is going on from the side, I am going to go and listen out and see if I can catch anything that will tell us what to expect."
Amber round 1:
Amber walks around and tries to pick up conversation with other she may loosely recognise. If she cannot find anyone she recognises, she strikes up small talk with others about the situation.
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Issi round 1: Issi pushes her way through the crowd, probably harder than strictly necessary, but she doesn't apuse until she reaches the edge of the crowd and can look back from a relatively unimpared position.
Allowing her eyes to relax she scans the crowd passively, allowing her hunting instincts to take control and pick out anything unusual.
As Amber walks through the crowd she overhears a woman talking to a group of protesters. She stops to hear what she is saying.
Issi makes her way through the crowd as well looking for anything unusual, but with so many protesters she doesn’t notice anything. She does however overhear some gossip.
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Issi steels herself and wades back into the crowd, chasing down her sister from the brief glimpses she gets through the crowd. By the time she gets back to Amber she's feeling mildly claustrophobic, but not as bad as before.
"Lots of talk about the Rusty Dragon - I used to love that place, but it sounds like its gone downhill. Nothing useful though. Are you having any better luck?" she asks, reaching out to brutally pinch a hand reaching for Amber's backside or coin purse - she isn't sure which. The perpetrator eels off into the crowd before she can get a decent look, sadly...
"It sounds like the dottari are cracking down." Amber responds, her tone tinged with worry at the news. "If they're here and this turns violent it could get nasty very fast. We'd better try and do something about that." She looks around, trying to observe the flow of the crowd.
"Over there Issi - you see the ones making a fuss? Go and split them up. I'm going to try and get the more peaceful ones together!"
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Issi nods and heads for the boisterous group whose main aim seems to be to make as much noise and bother as possible. She heads straight for the ringleader and taps him on the shoulder, when he turns she smiles sweetly. "Would you tell me your name sir? When I record who was responsible for causing a riot in front of the new Lord Mayor I'd like to give the right name." Her smile shows just a few more teeth than strictly necessary as Issi channels her memories of the first time she saw Alsaman truly hungry...
Amber manages to organize a small group of protesters, getting them together in one area of the street rather than being scattered among the crowd. Lift the curfew. We’re not slaves! can be heard coming from your organized band.
Issi uses her charisma against a man dedicated to the Chelish loyalist group, making him feel a bit uneasy about his place in the crowd. He tries to flee away from her fearing for his life.
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Seeing how effective her gambit was, Issi does her best to capitalise on it, questioning as many of the rowdy crowd members as she can in overly innocent tones, and dropping phrases like, "Oh thank you so much, the Watch Captains hate it when the arrest paperwork gets filled out wrong." and "The Lord Mayor appreciates your co-operation. It might even get you a lighter sentence!"
Amber, aiming to stay as positive and peaceful as possible tries to start the chant:
"Heal Kintargo!"
Catching her sister's unusual antics, Amber heads back over to her sister so they can watch the speech together, especially as she is starting to get a little worried about the outcome of this day.
Issi tries to intimidate more of the growing crowd, but is told by some dottari soldiers to be quiet before he arrests her for disorderly conduct.
Amber manages to coerce another group of protesters to follow suit chanting We want our city back
You both have been in Aria Park for 3 hours gathering information, Intimidating groups of city folk and rallying the crowd to make it more of an organized protest.
A few moments later you hear bells ringing from the Cathedral of Asmodeus. It lets out 3 peels and stops. The eerie sound sends chills down your spine just knowing where it came from. The sound of hell's bells is what the locals have come to call it.
As soon as the bells stop ringing a window swings open and the curtains are swept aside. The lord mayor Barzillai Thrune, an imposing, middle aged man with short, dark hair, wearing red, orange, black clothing and an ornate breastplate emblazoned with the pentagram of Asmodeus and the cross of Cheliax, steps onto the small balcony of the opera house. With a diabolical mace cradled in his hands he clears his throat and with a condescending sneer, addresses the crowd.
Ah, my adoring little chickadees. I am sorry to say I have not yet adapted to your quaint, country ways, being accustomed as I am to the sophistication and learning of Egorian. Nonetheless, know I have heard your concerns, and that I appreciate your valued feedback, and I know we shall eventually find a mutual understanding in the fullness of time. I take pride in updating Kintargo’s quaint, outdated laws to the modern standards the city deserves, and
strengthening its ties with the empire in these cruel times, but obviously I have approached my duties too aggressively. “You say you chafe at the presence of nonnatives in positions of power? That authorities not of this city have no place as its leaders? That you will not be yoked by intruders? Your lord-mayor hears you. And so it is with a heavy heart that I issue this proclamation, in response to your demands: all ships’ captains are hereafter barred from leaving their vessels and setting foot on Kintargo docks or streets, under pain of... let’s say... squassation!
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Issi is still out of touch, despite Amber's recent efforts to bring her up to speed, but even she can tell that what the new Lord Mayor just suggested was not something any sane citizen of Kintargo would actually want. This city lives on trade! It's as though he wants this to turn into a riot.
Issi can feel Alsaman, far away in the Green's, responding to her worry and she freezes for a moment as the pieces slot into place. He does want to provoke the crowd! Which means... sh$t!" Issi starts shoving her way through the crowd towards her sister, paying no attention to the people she barges.
"Amber, we have to go! Thrune has set us up!"
Amber starts when Issi hisses in her ear, but her political instincts are whispering that her sister has the right of it. There's no way that this is a real policy - it's too radical, nonsense even. He must want some sort of reaction, violence maybe to justify another crack-down! Letting her sister lead her away Amber huddles into her cloak, hoping that her efforts to organise the crowd might just keep this from turning into an all out riot.
Someone in the crowd throws a handful of manure at Barzillai. Though the putrid projectile misses Barzillai’s noble personage, the lord-mayor nonetheless flinches and spills wine across his ornate clothing. With his wardrobe and dignity endangered, the lord-mayor’s demeanor shifts from amused to bellicose. He shrieks, “Enough of this! Nox, run them off, arrest them, or kill them. I don’t care which!”before retreating into the opera house and slamming the windows.
The crowd becomes enraged by the outright threat from the new lord-mayor and people begin throwing rotten fruit and vegetables at the guards and the opera house building.
You see 4 men wearing red and black clothing, chain shirt armor, wielding heavy maces and steel shields. They head toward you in a threatening manner. a woman in the crowd screams as a dagger is thrown and strikes one of the guards standing by the door. She pulls the dagger from her neck and then disappears into the opera house.
You each may take a free action before the actual fighting begins.
"Just don't run off from me Issi, we will lose each other easily!"
Eliona draws her rapier and stands side by side with her sister keeping her eyes peeled for an opening to escape.
Amber
Issi
city folk
All four Chelish Citizen's Group thugs move toward you yelling threats, "You're going to die today ladies!" The one closet to Issi swings his heavy mace and Issi easily avoids the strike. The other nearest Amber tries his luck with his mace and misses
Amber steps back from the man, smiling sweetly as she does so. "Please kind sir! Stop those men who are trying to hurt us!"
Issi's attack penetrates the thug's armor and leaves a good size gash from his stomach to his chest. He hollers out in pain, AAAAAHHHH!! Amber casts a spell and easily manipulates the thug into doing as she commands. He turns around and attacks his ally and lands a hit to the thug's shoulder and neck area. The one nearest to Issi swings his mace with all the strength he can muster but the pain from his wound causes him to miss completely. The closest thug to your charmed companion yells at him WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? and swings his large mace at him the confusion causes him to miss. The last thug squeezes through the crowd and also takes a swing at his once ally his confusion seams to cause his to miss as well.
The protesters start to scatter when their lives are threatened and the fight involving the Chelish Citizen's Group and a couple half-elven women breaks out.
Well I guess I shouldn’t try replying so late. I just realized I rolled d6 for attacks. We’ll let it ride this round because it works with the flow of what happened to the charmed thug. Watch out next round though. :)
You both should be able to see all the map updates. I changed the settings to allow anyone with the link to see them.
Amber follows her sisters instructions and flees, leaving her charmed guard to cover their escape as she tries to hide in the crowds.
Amber turns and begins to run away from the thug and the thug takes a swing with his . Amber is hit square in the back . Issi follows Amber and easily catches up. Your charmed ally attacks his closest opponent for . The thug drops to the ground as another hit to the neck area incapacitates him. The thug that hit Amber tries to run after her and your charmed friend swings at him as he goes by , but misses. The final thug tries to end his comrade’s madness . His mace connects with the man’s shoulder . The city folk continue to clear the area.
"We need to get home!" Amber calls to her sister. "Follow me!" Relying on her knowledge of the local area Amber heads south as quickly as she can, hoping Issi will follow and they can lose their pursuers in the hustle of Vespam's Artisans.
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Issi, trusting in her sister's greater knowledge of the city, follows without question - sheathing her sword as she goes and gathering her cloak more closely around her. The air swirls comfortingly around her, brushing gently against her hot cheeks as she runs away from the scene of the battle - which she fears is about to turn into a massacre.
You both make it home almost unscathed. Amber's back is severely bruised from where the thug got her with his mace. you both can rest easily knowing that you are safe.
Ensuring that their parents do not see them, Amber bundles Issi into Amber's room and slumps back onto her bed.
"Oh gods Issi, I'm such an idiot! Why did I ever suggest going there, what if one of the guards recognised who we are!?
She gets up, picking up a hair brush from her vanity table and starts brushing her hair, as if trying to find anything to do with her hands to keep busy.
"That man, its just not right what he is doing. We're clearly not the only ones who feel this way, but we definitely shouldn't have got so involved so physically." She sighs deeply and keeps brushing each strand much more than it needs.
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Issi takes a deep breath and the breeze in the room stills as she breathes out. Stepping across the room she plucks the brush from her sister's hands and begins brushing her hair in long, smooth strokes.
"You weren't to know Amber. How could anyone know something like that would happen? This new Lord-Mayor seems intent on provoking the people - almost as though he wanted an excuse for a massacre. Kintargo wasn't like this when I left for Vyre... what's happened to get someone like that in charge?"
She brushes quietly for a while, only the slight chill from under the bedroom door betraying her unease. "What can we do Amber? You're the one who's good at plans and so on - this isn't my kind of thing. Max got the looks, I got the brawn and you, little sister," She ghosts fingers down her sister's sides. "got the brains!"
You stay inside the rest of the day to recover from the battle you had in front of the opera house. Today is a new day what would you like to do?
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"Do you want to go out today?" Issi asks her sister over breakfast, after Max and Father have departed for the company offices. "We could take a swing through the Greens - see if we spot anyone interesting." Her smile is gentle rather than teasing, she knows Eliona misses Eric and maybe seeing him, even from afar would be good for her little sister.
Her first instinct is to decline, but Amber can't turn down her sister after not seeing her for so long. Dressing suitably, without any hint of the more 'adventurous' clothing she sported yesterday Amber prepares to go out and tries to supress a sigh as her sister completely fails to do the same.
"Come on Issi. I know they do things differently in Vyre but please? For my sake?" The ten minutes extra waiting is worth it, and the Merissial daughters walk through the Greens like any other noble ladies. By the time they approach the Tanessen manor Amber is begining to feel butterflies and turns to her sister for distraction.
"So what really happened in Vyre Issi? Father just said he'd sent you to learn some of the business, but why did you leave so suddenly? It didn't make sense and mother was so worried..."