"Who are you?"
"The guards are coming" Cimri says clearly nervous about how this developed.
Jerax tries to keep his cool, but can easily see this going wrong. I hope you this guy buys it, by the way it looks now, there is no way to salvage this caper.
My mistress is getting angry. What happens next is on your shoulders. We come seeking business on behalf of the church and you attack us. It's as simple as that. It's not too late to resolve this situation. Can we go inside and talk? The church wishes to purchase leather goods and is wanting it from you.
Louislik is confused and distraught and tries to reason why the gate would be open. "Aw dammit, I bet old Shaul and Pippa left it open, dammit. I apologize, they are of advanced age and do that some times. You understand we have to keep dogs on the property to ward off intrusion. Very well, I can let you inside and we can talk business."
He invites you all inside the tannery, as he walks back in he shouts "Dammit Shaul and Pippa you left the gate open." An older couple unloading dung off a cart look at each other and shrug.
You walk through the work yard. It spans about 50' to the enclosed workhouse, and another 50' across. Cart furrows and disturbing stains mar this muddy yard.
Around the perimeter, murky water pools in rows of
sunken tubs. Unspeakable muck encrusts each vat and half submerged
skins float within. From these scabby concoctions
drifts a sinus-assaulting reek—a dizzying miasma of rotten
eggs, lime, and far worse.
The doors close behind you just as a few guards patrol past. You hear Cimri give a sigh. "I do not know where you are going with this, but it's all up to you from here on out." Cimri says with a biting tone.
"Samson, go secure that gate while we talk business in the office." A worker pops up from behind a vat to go secure the gate outside.
"So this is my tannery. Priestess why don't we go inside to my office we can talk there. Your body guards can wait outside the door. I can leave the door open if you wish, but the office is small and will not accommodate all of you." Lousilik says with a welcoming gesture.
The tall tiefling stood outside the tannery door, guarding it, looking out into the courtyard. Looking at the vats, Jerax thought, Hmm. Those disgusting vats might be a good place to hide something valuable from prying eyes. Eyeing the vats, Jerax splits his attention between the vats and what is being said inside.
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Izrail seems visibly disturbed by the idea of letting Ileosa enter alone... but he risks blowing their cover if he acts now, so he stands close to the door, weapon in hand and prepared to hack his way inside if necessary.
He whispers to Jerax "I don't like this, hellboy. Be prepared for combat... what are you eyeing so much?" as he looks over the vats too.
"I'm always ready for combat, Highbritches", whispered Jerax. Nodding toward the vats, the tiefling continues, "I was thinking if I wanted to hide some tax revenue, no one would think to check some disgusting vats for gold."
So Louislik is it? What can you tell us of your tannery?
Ileosa followed after Louislik as he led the group through the tannery to the office. She allowed Kirk to join them in the office and made sure the door remained open. "I am sorry about the dog by the way, wonderful creatures they are." She said calmly to Louislik.
Hmmm, maybe Izrail and I should get a few dogs for the manor.
"And I don't care what you think of my slave, you will answer all his questions because they are my questions." She informed him.
"If that is your wish my lady. I must say it is highly irregular that the church would send someone so late at night to negotiate hides with a slave, so please understand my apprehension. Very well, you and your slave my come into my office. The rest are free to hang out side the door"
Several antique tanning tools and a pair of patterned leather
tapestries decorate the walls of this small, rustic office. A
well-gnawed pig’s foot lies in the corner. The office is 20'x25'.
The fumes of this place are starting to get to you. You see Cimri put a handkerchief over her face.
Jerax looks out into the grounds, looking for anyone else around.
Alicia looks at the buildings, looking for the best way to ignite them, if things fall apart. And also for anything of interest.
"Yes well I do have other duties, which took longer than expected." She said as she looked over the leather tapestries. "Do you still do these? It is very nice and I'd be willing to purchase some for more personal reasons." She smiled as she pointed to one of the tapestries. "How much does one of these go for? Do you personalize them as well? Say a family tree?" She asked.
Proudly Jabal tells Ileosa about his tapestries. "Oh, these are very precious. They are easily worth 200gold a piece. I can do them in about a week if I have the materials on hand, I will have to import some of these leathers though so if you ordered one tonight I could have it ready in about two weeks. "
Jerax and Alicia stay alert, but the fumes are becoming increasingly a burden. Cimri sits down "This is too much. We weren't supposed to do it like this, its taking too long." She mumbles.
"You are right, we need to move faster." Meridian is going to try to get a closer look at the cart if she can do so without arousing any suspicions.
Kirk looks at Cimri with a quizzical look on his face and begins to sniff the air.
Weird, I don't smell nothing. Oh I know, Jerax ate something weird for dinner.
Izrail turns to Jerax and whispers "We shouldn't be here for so long, its dangerous. If they haven't gotten anything in 2 minutes, we are going in there and making him sing. You agree?"
Jerax thinks about.I'm surrounded by friends, lovers, and friends of lovers. What's another week in the stockcade, really?
Jerax looks to Izrail and whispers, "You didn't know what was going to happen. Disavow me."
The tiefling then takes a sap from out of his belt pouch, barges into the small office, and attempts to attack Louislik, yelling something in Infernal.
Margaletta isn't sure, but has an idea as to what Jerax might be trying here. "Calm DOWN!" she shouts. Drawing her Ranseur, she runs at the tiefling (presumably after battle has started), missing wildly and swinging at the walls and nearest few tapestries for six seconds in an attempt to poke out hidden alcoves or safes.
Kirk watches Jerax swing for the fences.
Well, so much for strategic negotiations!
Kirk pulls his Halfling Sling Stagg and uses the blunt in to smash Jabal upside his cranium.
Ileosa sighed as she crossed her arms. "Just couldn't let me finish could you?" She sighed. "I'd suggest listening to them. Things may get ugly if you don't." She looked at Kirk as she let her arms fall. "Should things turn ill, put him to sleep." She ordered.
Cimri says "Dammit, this is all screwed up now. I am out of here. Remember keep your mouths shut if you get caught and my master will take care of it. " Cimri dashes through the dog door on the side of the building leading back to the dog run where you encountered the first dog.
Kirk 17-Hits Jabal with a solid hit to the head
Jabal15- Throws a thunderstone down hard. Jabal seems unaffected by the sound and screams for the guards.
Ileosa 14
Izrail 11 Intimidates Jabal and he is noticeably shaken
Dog 9- The poor puppy seems deafened by the thunderstone. He attacks Jerax for striking at his master so suddenly. but misses
Workers 7- The old couple unloading dong scream and make their way out of the compound screaming for the guards. The two other workers tending to the vats step out and confront the team holding tools standing in a defensive position unsure what to do.
Sister Margaletta 5 Margaletta clumsily uncovers a lock box that stumbles to the ground.
"Guyyyyys," Margaletta growls, "Stop this right now. There's contraband behind the tapestries!"
As the thunderstone goes off Kirk looks at Ileosa.
Have things gone ill now?
He then takes another swing with the blunt inn of his Halfling Sling Staff.
And smashes an item hanging on the wall nearby.
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"I'm sorry darling, but the air was so noxious that staying there would have poisoned us to death." he turns to the scared tanner when he hears Margaletta and yells "Now you spit it out, you traitorous bastard! Or I will judge you for evading taxes and conniving with rebels, and death is the only punishment for those crimes!"
Alicia looks wildly around as the peaceful scene erupts into action.
she stays where she is, casting a shield spell.
Ileosa did not hear anything her slave or husband said, for her ears where ringing loudly even though her hands where firmly placed over them.
Kirk 17 Takes another swing, but misses
Jabal 15 Jabal tries to run for it. Ileosa, Izrail, Jerax, and Sister Margaletta can make Attacks of Opportunity.
Ileosa
Izrail
Dog
Workers7
Sister Margaletta 5+
Alicia 5
Jerax strikes at the dog attacking him.
Jabal is no more than a bloody mess on the floor after Izrail and the others get to him.
The workers that stayed now drop their weapons and beg for mercy.
"Yeah, umm..." Margaletta calls out to the servants, frowning, "Don't touch the clergy, I guess? You all know that, right? Stay quiet while we look for the rest of the contraband."
Meridian's eyes go wide as her friends all seem to lose their minds. Maybe it was something in the fumes. She seems torn on what to do. On one hand she feels like she should stay and support her friends, but on the other, they seem to have neutralized the threat. For now she fades back into the shadows.
Um, Izrail, you can stop now. He's dead. Er, weren't we going to question him?
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Izrail stops bashing the tanner and mutters "I... I didn't want to outright kill him... but the fumes, the stone... I thought Ileosa was harmed and I overreacted. But he was a traitor to House Thrune, a friend of Iomedae." he tells that part full of spite and turns to the workers, trying to calm himself "He deserved it. And you will suffer his same fate if you don't start speaking. The only punishment for traitors is death, but if you tell us where are the taxes you will be spared his fate. If you don't show us we will find anyway. And it will be worse for you." as he cleans his blade on the corpse's clothes.
Kirk stands with his master and pulls his knife.
I'll do it Master. Let me kill them.
Jerax continues to knock the dog out.
Jerax sees his lover slink out of the scene, and nods to her. Yeah, seeing how this caper concluded, I don't blame her. What a woman!
Margaletta ignores the pointless bickering and keeps searching the room.
Ileosa stumbles over to Izrail. One hand rested on his shoulder while the other pointed to her ear, then shook her head. She tried her best to convey the fact she couldn't hear anything being said.
Margaletta ignores the pointless bickering and keeps searching the room.
[dice=Perception (slower search than before)]1d20+7
"I don't know about taxes, please don't kill me! I just stir the urine and fats! Jabal spends most of his time in the office its probably there!" The workers seem sincerely terrified.
Jerax knocks the pup out. You can hear the elderly couple outside still calling for the guards.