शांति
स्थिरता
मौन
Mohktar has remains silent for the duration. The divots in the sword trouble him as they swirl in his mind among the myriad of dead back in the warehouse. What sort of monster...? He looks back at the sword. What sort of weapon?
The reemergence of Deepa and this mysterious note brings him back to the present. "Lankesh. We continue to him."
He looks at Shiko and the others. "This is either an attempt to share information...or a trap."
What sort of man?
Giving the street child an apologetic smile, "Aphasōsa kī bāta hai ki hama dīpā yāda nahīṁ kara rahē haiṁ. Hō sakatā hai ki hama āpakō ēka aura samaya ēka dē sakatē haiṁ."
Deepa looks disappointed, it's not every day one such as her gets to travel in a fancy carriage. Still she'd made a promise to Mistress Tari and meant to keep it, "Kyā maiṁ mālakina tarī batā dēnā cāhi'ē?"
.."That we'll come by as soon as we can.", Lilly says with a confident smile and arms crossed.
Deepa nods and scampers off to deliver your message, she's soon swallowed up by the crowd. You then pick your way across the busy street to Lankesh's townhouse. Considering some of the more showy homes and businesses in the area, Lankesh's townhouse a fairly modest three story stone affair with a slate roof. The style is perhaps a little austere, but this is not uncommon. The one concession to fancy are the carved roof edgings which complete with miniature carved elephants, monkeys, and wide eyed demons. Such ornamentation is in Niswan.
The front door is unremarkable, made of wood and painted black as is the style in the street. There is a large brass knocker below a silvery plaque with the inscription 'Lankesh Esq. Fine teas and Silks.' Standing there on the street is somewhat tricky due to the large numbers of passers by who softly curse at you for getting in the way.
Examining the building, both Pratavh and Hirati hear something from inside. Looking to his compatriots he says, "I hear footsteps, sounds like someone is inside there right now."
♤
♢
♧
"Then they will hopefully answer the door, yes?" Mohktar responds. He awaits to the side of the door to provide room for passerby.
Looking at Hirati, "Go around and look for a back door. If you find one, hide and watch it. Alert me if anyone flees through it when we knock but don't follow them. If they don't, come back around here and come in with us."
You knock on the door and from within you hear a deep male voice call out, "Enter, the door is unlocked."
You open the well oiled door which soundlessly opens to reveal a long corridor with plain albeit expensive wallpaper and a tasteful carpet. Standing just inside is a well-built Vudrani male with a beaklike nose, thick eyebrows, and a shaven head. He sports fashionable clothes and is clean shaven, with a traditional henna head tattoo to celebrate the season. He looks you up and down snootily and with slightly bored drawl he tells you, "Āpa mujhē kō'ī dilacaspī nahīṁ bēca rahē haiṁ jō kucha bhī" before folding his arms.
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Sales. No sir we're not here trying to sell a thing. But I think you know that already. We're here to talk to you about the disappearances and murders that have been happening in this city. Might we have a moment of your time. And before you you refuse outright understand we are here at the Thakur's request.
Which language did you speak that in?
Shiko eyes the man's hands...
Lankesh's eyebrows furrow briefly as he replies, incredulously "Āpa yahām̐ hai ṭhākurō anurōdha para? Mai sabasē adhika sambhāvanā nahī hai... Isa bīmāra majāka kē kucha prakāra hai ki lagatā hai?! Mai vyasta hūm̐ dēkhō, mai kisī kī hatyā kē bārē mē kucha bhī patā nahī hai."
He then stares at Alwyn hard, as if willing the bard to apologise.
His reaction of surprise and indignation seems mighty authentic... Make a sense motive check.
Shiko watches the rude man warily
Lilly, like Shiko, watches the man's reactions carefully.
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Alwyn politely shows Lankesh the writ of authority to follow the investigation.
"Riṭa hama hama phiṭa dēkha kē rūpa mēṁ jān̄ca follw karanē kē li'ē mahala kē adhikāra hai patā calatā hai, jaisā ki hama saba śahara sara kē ūpara hō rahī haiṁ ki hatyā kī jān̄ca kara rahē haiṁ. Hama āpakē daravājē para dastaka dī aura hama maiṁ kucha bēcanē kē bārē mēṁ apanē khēla kō khēlanē kē li'ē phiṭa nahīṁ dēkhā thā aura usa kē li'ē māphī nahīṁ hōgā, mēṁ āmantrita kiyā. Mērā samaya aura apanē samaya maiṁ sōcanā cāhi'ē ki adhika sē adhika mūlya kē haiṁ. Āpa pichalē kucha mahīnōṁ mēṁ ka'ī bāra paināpana hamārē li'ē āpa māsṭara Barathol paṛā hai talavāra kā utpādana kara sakatā hai?"
With Alwyn obviously having the situation under control, Pratavh observes, and keeps tabs on Hirati's emotions in case someone tries to go out the back while everyone talks.
Lankesh blinks slightly and seems confused before replying, "Ōha tuma mērē naukara, Hendrick kī talavāra sē matalaba hai. Unhōnnē kahā ki bahuta kō'ī sandēha nahīṁ hai ki hamārē asthira śrī Mekhar parēśāna jō yaha ilāja kiyā. Maiṁ kucha hī dinōṁ mēṁ usē vāpasa um'mīda, hālāṅki maiṁ Hendrick sahī aba śahara sē bāhara hai ḍara laga rahā hai. Talavāra aba hai jahāṁ maiṁ maiṁ sujhāva thā, hālāṅki vaha isē dūra phēṅka aura befits apanē svabhāva kē rūpa mēṁ majabūta hōtī hai kucha pānē kē li'ē, āpakō nahīṁ batā sakatā. Vāstava mēṁ vē baṛē aura bālōṁ vālē haiṁ, bhalē hī kīṛē swatting kē li'ē ēka talavāra upayōga nahīṁ karanā cāhi'ē"
♤
♢
♧
》
》
Unable to understand the conversation, Mohktar simply observes the man's demeanor and posture. He also begins looking about the receiving area of the home from where he stands for any clues.
Hmmm, the way his eye unfocused...whatever he is saying he had to search for something in his memory...or perhaps withhold something...
Mohktar steps over to Alwyn's side and leans in to whisper, "He is not being entirely forthright."
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Replying to Mohktar quietly..."He says the sword belongs to his manservant, who convienently is out of town right now. But I agree he's holding something back"
"Master Lankesh, we'd like access to your manservant's quarters. You are welcome to join us for the search of them. We won't be long but the search cannot wait a couple more days for his return. By the way sir, where has he gotten off to. Surely if he is involved with the murders you would not want to be caught covering up for him. It would be the end of you, business wise and quite possibly your head depending on the captain if the guards mood of the day. Which way to his room sir? We've no desire to take up any more of your time than is necessary."
Lankesh's eyes seem to bore into you for a moment before he relents. He gestures you to follow, and tells you with a sigh, "Tumhēṁ acchī taraha sē jōra dētē haiṁ. Mujhē kā pālana karēṁ, apanē kvārṭara aṭārī mēṁ haiṁ."
"No need to hide your anger, who wouldn't be frustrated over a servant potentially being a culprit. You'd want to get to the bottom of it wouldn't you?"
Lilly gives a very casual look.
शांति
स्थिरता
मौन
》 (oiy...)
Mohktar is distracted by the Lankesh's manner, the way he moves and the way he...
...exaggerated and embellished his letters, it is something only a very dextrous man with extraordinarily long fingers could accomplish...
As Lankesh's back is to the group, Mohktar's hand goes unerringly to the pocket where Pratavh had put away the mysterious letter. He glances once to Pratavh, then to the pocket where the letter resides, then to the man leading them deeper into the house. "Author..." he mouths to him.
Mohktar slips into the calm of the Still Waters, readying his body for what could come. He is tens to Lilly admonish the man adds, "...indeed, such anger may be better served by writing a letter. Perhaps a threatening warning to those who recommended his services to you?"
Sensing the tension in the room Shiko attempts to hide stealthily once the man turns his back
As if eager to get this over with, Lankesh ascends the stairs several steps at a time. Suddenly he turns and the room is filled with a thunderous report and the smell of ozone as lightnings fly from his outstretched fingers! His whole visage shimmers revealing a hideous batlike face atom a powerfully built frame with backward-bending fingers which leaves little doubt as to Lankesh's fiendish nature.
-> no
->yes
-> no
-> no
-> no
Surprise Round
-> Mohktar is too quick and evades the bolt
-> 10 damage.
Alywn may act in the surprise round.
Time for a beatdown!
Initiative rolls:
Combat order:
Alwyn & Mohktar
Pratavh
Lankesh
Shikyomaru
Lilly
Alwyn, Mohktar & Pratavh are up!
Having seen the rakshasa send a lightning bolt at his compatriots, Pratavh quickly casts a spell and then moves to touch each of his allies.
DR 15/good and piercing; SR 25
Melee +1 kukri +16/+11 (1d4+4/15–20), claw +10 (1d4+1), bite +10 (1d6+1)
Special Attacks detect thoughts
Spells Known (CL 7th)
Alwyn & Mohktar are up!
As he touches his allies, Pratavh tells them, "It resists damage unless it is both good aligned and piercing and is resistant to spells."
शांति
स्थिरता
मौन
Mohktar nods understanding and suddenly alters his attack, adopting the sinuous movements of a cobra. His hands flatten and dance to and fro like the hooded head of the infamous snake. When the monk leaps forward, his body arches and coils then springs outward.
》 (piercing) 1
》
》 (piercing) 2
》
》 (piercing) 3
》
》¤ ¤ ¤ (meh)
》¤ ¤ ¤
》 (piercing) 4
》
Lankesh proves to be freakishly agile and everywhere Mohktar is, Lankesh isn't. Although one of Alwyn's shots forces Lankesh to duck and Mohktar sneaks past Lankesh's guard to land what should have been a solid blow but the fiend just laughs derisively before pulling out a wicked looking Kukri knife and almost lazily he scores Mohktar on the chest!
Miss
Hit no crit
Miss
Miss
Alwyn & Mohktar
Pratavh
Lankesh
Shikyomaru <----- WE ARE HERE
Lilly
Having no good options and since Mohktar is taking the only available space on the stairs...Shiko shouts Mohktar, a withdrawal might be necessary!
Lilly we're waiting for you.
Morningstar no in hand, Lilly creates a glowing aura on it.
Its glow is similar to the positive energy seen with a cure spell.
"Let's get the show on the road."
Lilly's Morningstar glows with a faint bluish radiance. Lankesh recoils slightly and snarls his defiance!
Alwyn & Mohktar <----- WE ARE HERE
Pratavh
Lankesh
Shikyomaru
Lilly
शांति
स्थिरता
मौन
Mohktar grits his teeth as he and the vile Lankesh trade blows. Over his shoulder he hears Shiko's warning and knows it to be true. Pride is not part of my soul...
The monk continues the sinuous movements of the Snake Style and focuses his energies into a single attack meant to put his opponent off guard for at least a moment...
》 (Fort DC 16)
》
Connecting with his punch, Mohktar disengages with the fiend and back flips to the floor below
》
Mohktar smacks the creature square on the nose. By all rights this should have left it reeling, but Lankesh utters throaty growl of displeasure and tries to claw at the space where Mohktar just vanished from and merely catches air.
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mirror image 4 of 4 left
Keeping his performance going, Alwyn changes the song subtly, and as he does so each of the groups members begin to feel this battle isn't as hopeless as the first round looked.
standard action cast Good Hope - Each affected creature gains a +2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. duration: 1min/lev 8mins
bardic performance round 2 of 23 (inspire courage)
everyone has +4 attack & damage total and +2 to most other rolls, with +3 for saves against fear and charm effects...
Take heart! No foe is without their own weakness, we just have to use it against him"