Tasha's eyes glare at the weapons on the walls with the face of someone who's knowledgeable, but not particularly interested about the subject. Lucerne Hammers - I'm pretty sure we'll not really need those until we're fighting armoured cavalry. Or really, really big fish. Waving at the tengu with a friendly smile, she nods at Ederion.
"Very much so. We're... uh. Very incident-prone.", she nods, before taking off a large rectangular shield of shining steel from the wall, and twirling it around with a studious expression. That one's nice. Though it kind of screams 'I'm the knight is shining armour! Arrest me!', she ponders, before putting it down gently and grabbing a more matte one. "I'd love to take a glance at actual dragon plate armour... But I'm pretty sure it's kind of outside of my budget. And I have an great set of armour even if it dates from, like, the Everwar. I just... misplaced it.", she winces. Way to show how responsible you are with equipment, Tasha.
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Newt says as he helps Aster limp around "Past your prime? That don't look like the truth. I tell ya you look like a summer chicken. Only thing I notice is your eyes. They got that wisdom in 'em that the greenhorns lack."
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Despite Tasha's awkward attempts at conversation, Chuko is won over by Ederion's politeness. It seems that he deals with gruff mercenaries too often, and this occasion for civility impresses him.
"Go right ahead, sir. Do you see the frost trail in the air as you move it? That's pure witch magic! Sent down from the icy lands of Irrisen itself. Have your adventures taken you so far north?"
Weapons:
- All simple and martial weapons (not masterwork, no special materials, price is 15% off)
- Bastard Sword, 30gp
- Lead-lined Morningstar, 10gp
- Mwk Composite Shortbow (+0), 329gp
- Mwk Heavy Crank Crossbow with 10 adamantium pitons, 1105gp
- Mwk Light Crossbow, 285gp
- Mwk Net, Snag, 280gp
- Mwk Sword Cane, 293gp
- +1 Frost Lucerne Hammer, 7068gp
Armour:
- Any armour that costs less than 200gp, is not masterwork, made with special qualities, or made from a special material (15% off)
- Scale Mail with a Locked Gauntlet, 50gp
- Mwk Studded Leather Armour, 149gp
- Banded Mail, 223gp
- Mwk Agile Breastplate, 468gp
- Agile Half Plate, 510gp
- Eel Hide Leather Armour, 1029gp
- Mwk Blue Dragonhide Full Plate, 2805gp
Shields:
- Any shield that costs less than 200gp, is not masterwork, made with special qualities, or made from a special material (15% off)
- Darkwood Light Shield, 45gp
- Mwk Tower Shield, 153gp
- Mwk Blue Dragonhide Heavy Shield with Spikes, 373gp
- Mithral Heavy Shield, 867gp
Aster chuckles appreciatively, "Thank you, master Newt. I must say you are a delightfully eloquent merchant. I do believe any magical purchases we might have will first be pointed at your doorstep. Now to business-"
Appraising the shields with a surprisingly knowledgeable eye, Tasha feels the edge of the Blue Dragonhide shield. Good. Feels cold even in this weather... and it's so blue!, she purses her lips, as a bitter smile crosses her face. Yet mine is better.
Choosing instead to grab a solid steel shield with a dull red laquer and a vicious spike, she feels it in her hand. "It's pretty good.", she says, before visible confusion reddens her cheeks. 'Pretty good?' What a damn compliment. Everyone loves it when they're called 'pretty good' at their profession. "I mean. It's a really good shield. Is what I meant to say. To the craftsman.", she barrages the words afterwards, pointing a felling shield buffet at the empty air between her and the door. "And I think we'll take the maces? Just the arming ones would do, I think.", she looks at Ederion, the look of a bull in a china shop ignoring the tengu.
"I could make good use of many of these scrolls," says Rexandi. "We'd have to keep them from getting wet, of course, but I agree that they could be a nice addition to our supplies." She points out a few of the scrolls and nods in agreement at Aster's selections.
"Go right ahead, sir. Do you see the frost trail in the air as you move it? That's pure witch magic! Sent down from the icy lands of Irrisen itself. Have your adventures taken you so far north?"
Regrettably not" - Ederion smiles, appreciating the weapon, its intricate design and magical effects- "Though you can rest assured it WILL happen" - he adds with a wink, returning the hammer to Chuko - "We will take the list my companion here has presented" - the elf continues, but pauses when he sees Tasha returning the blue shield for a mundane one.
"Why not the blue one?"
"Also... If we are going fishing... Maybe take the net?" - he chuckles.
Both groups return after a slight delay. Aster was hit on by a creepy man who may or may not have been intoxicated. Ederion ran into an old friend and made small talk for a little while. When everyone returns, there's still plenty of time in the day to carry forth a mission.
Enjoy! Next week I am out of town, with the inlaws, so I will do my ever loving best to be ONLINE every second of the day :)
After gathering together and exchanging coin and gear, the force travels over to Old Kintargo to finish their excursion of the Lucky Bones. As they make their way through Villegre, two Hellknights from the Order of the Rack approach while on patrol. Their eyes glow icy blue out of their full, sleek helmets. Their black armour is designed with rippling muscles, and is embellished with a glowing red drop of blood surrounded by six red pegs inside an iron wheel. While one keeps his hand on his longsword hilt, the other says in a harsh, deep voice "Stop, mercenaries. By the decree of the Order of the Rack, under the support of House Thrune, we will search you for illegal goods and question you for misbehaviour. What are your names and what is your business?"
The Order of the Rack is the most loathed order by the people. Supported by House Thrune, but not controlled by, the Order of the Rack endeavours to burn art and destroy technology that does not support their harsh, traditional ideals. Legally, the Order of the Rack is not able to kill or imprison those who possess or create such things, but they can arrest on behalf of the Dottari or simply confiscate and destroy the items if they see fit. The most dangerous items are those that inspire rebellions and shifts in public opinion.
All Hellknights gain special abilities after they succeed at a deadly test. They are extremely hard to intimidate, and are fierce fighters. While most Hellknights are melee fighters, some are spellcasters, referred to as Signifiers. All Hellknights have the ability to detect Chaos alignments, just like a Paladin does to detect evil.
Currently the Order of the Rack in Kintargo is at odds with the local Dottori. Firearms may be powerful, but they are considered an abomination to the Rack. Thrune is working as a mediator to keep these two groups in check.
Bazzle looks around whispering, "Pretty sure bomb chemicals might be contraband if they know what they do." He works to be near the back of the group hopefully blocked by the larger companions.
Most Hellknights have a limited ability to detect lies. This ability is quite limited in duration, but can affect multiple targets. There is no way to resist the detection without the use of protective magic.
Tasha glances at the shield, then back at the elf, as seemingly ancient Cyclopean incantations leave her mouth. "Wha...? No, ther- You? P-f-r-t?" The incantations are matched by strange and confused hand gestures, as Tasha's face reddens slightly. Choosing to resolve the situation by sitting on her hands and taking a deep breath, she nods. "I'd like that. That'd be nice. It's nice.", she nods a moment later, before seemingly focusing all her attention at keeping her mouth shut.
Ah, s$!$. It's Those Who Hate All Joy. Tasha immediately perks up as the Hellknights approach them, before squaring back at the leader, almost matching the fearlessness in his eyes. If there ever was a good timee to have my journal stolen, it's now. Although, I'm quite sure sarcasm is a little bit above their idea of puritanical conversation.
Nodding confidently at the rest of the party, Tasha steps forwards. Well, if they can really detect how much people hold themselves up to a code..., she bites her lips, before putting the expression of a woman who's all too glad to have been asked a question. "Uh. Hi!", Tasha greets, before glancing at the others. "My name's Julia," Technically correct,, she raises her open palm, the other still grabbing the shield, before her mouth open into a blistering barrage of unrequested truths. "and I'm a caravan guard, though I don't really have a caravan to guard right now, so I suppose I'm a... freelancer of a sort, and I was actually going out to get a new shield, since I lost my old one and, actually, did you know that there was a set of armour entirely made out of dragonskin at the War Cage, I've never been there before, I was surprised really pleasantly...", she blurts out in a single breath, before breathing in deeply, clearly letting the Hellknights interrupt her. You take your chance now, buckethead, since I haven't even started on what I thought about that full plate.
The Hellknight who's been speaking interrupts her. "Good. Now remove your pack and turn out your pockets for a search. Do you carry anything on you that you would expect me to confiscate?"
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"Julia" Aster shuffles forward, resting her hand on the other woman's arm. "Stop. It's obvious that they are not recognizing the codes." she gives the knights a look of disappointment. "Have you ignored all the missives your commanders have handled down?! DragonSkin! War Cage! Ugh!" she snaps out each word. At their blank looks, she shakes her head and whispers "Not all our lord's forces are in the open. Some of us have to rub shoulders with the..." she stops shaking her head again. "But that doesn't matter, does it? You haven't listened, are going to Do Your Job, and f+$+ it up for all of us. Demotions if we're lucky. Who knows what if we're not. War Cage! Do you understand!?!"
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Bazzle shifts a bit and was prepping to stash what he might think is contraband in a passing cart. He turns suddenly at Aster's cover story. "Oh boy." He straightens up putting on his most serious business face. He moves closer to Aster. "Mistress if I may be so bold, these lads might be not aware of our team after all compartmentalization am I right." He looks up with a sort of sympathetic understanding of how frustrating huge bureaucracies can be. He smiles, "Either way you stopped us have had a chance to check us out and no need to drag all our superiors in to put inter-department fires out. Nothing but demotions and even more crap job posts down that lane."
"Crap... I'm done with that" - Ederion grumbles - "I'm not getting back to the routine stuff. No way..."
The Hellknight who's been speaking turns to his companion and says "Sir Venator, are they telling the truth? It's so far-fetched, but I think there might be an inquisitor branch that could be undercover."
The other Hellknight replies "Sir Nolus, there is no inquisitor branch in Kintargo. My divination tells me that the Gnome lies. As for the others, I do not know for certain, but I believe this to be a well-constructed lie."
Hellknight Nolus says "Very well, I'll use mine as well. Julia, turn out your pockets. Gnome, what is your name and business? We can see your lies like ripples in a pond."
"The gnome does not lie bureaucracies do favor compartmentalization. Now you called us mercenaries that's just false mercs get paid. I haven't been paid in awhile." He begins emptying his pockets. "I am a performer, Bazzle. Family name is Gnackle. The old girl here is my elder, mistress is simply polite. Its how I was raised. Again I tell no lies you aren't aware of us." He shrugs, "Isn't that why you pulled us aside and are giving us the business?" He continues to lay out his things. "I do card tricks." He shows his deck of cards pulls one out flips it over his fingers and puts it back. He points to his daggers and makes, "I juggle to but I would hate for your all knowing friend there to mistake my antics for aggressive actions."
He waits with eyerolling patience as they search his stuff. When they get to his thieves tools he, "street performer, you know escape manacles and the like." When they get to his bomb supplies he "That makes fireworks, flash pots, a little razzle in the dazzle."
By the time Bazzle finishes emptying his bag and pockets, both sets of glowing eyes have finished (though they would have time to examine Tasha as well). They take keen interest in a few of his items, most notably his bomb supplies, his two sets of Thieves' Tools, and the unholy symbol of Norgorber. They believe his explanation of being a street performer, and seem to fail to identify the unholy symbol. For that, they take Bazzle's bomb supplies. Sir Venator throws the flasks at a nearby wall, shattering them, while Sir Nolus burns or drains the remaining chemicals. "Alchemy is banned, for our safety and yours." They say.
"Next up, the Mistress." Says Sir Nolus.
Shrugging, Tasha empties her pockets. "I mean, if you insist!", she chirps out, before rustling through her trousers. A plethora of small change and a piece of crumpled and waterlogged paper, resembling more a lump of sawdust. The assembly is finished with a single piece of candy, wrapped in a waxed paper, and covered with an unappetising cover of lint. "You can have that, though. I think right now that's 'Sea Salt and Caramel'. I'm not sure that works, but maybe you can give it a go?" She shrugs, before pointing at her boots, just as Bazzle's vials are thrown towards the wall.
"Hold that there.", she pouts, grabbing the rim of her shield. "I can recite all eight of Lord-Mayor Thrune's proclaimations by heart, and none of them concerns alchemy. Has there been a new one?", she asks, with the obvious appearance of a citizen with enough time to know the rules, and enough naivette to believe that that would help her.
"Nine Proclamations." Replies Sir Nolus. "By Order of Lord-Mayor Barzillai Thrune, the congress of Hellknights known as the Order of the Torrent is from this day forward stripped of its charter. All of its holdings and possessions are confiscated, its privileges and entitlements revoked, and its members declared outlaws. Steadfast citizens are commanded to turn over those members who have slipped the net of justice."
Sir Venator says "Alchemy is banned by the Order of the Rack, as are firearms, and clockworks. It is not a proclamation by Lord-Mayor Barzillai Thrune." He ignores the Sea Salt and Caramel. "You're clear. Three more to go."
"See even the laws are compartmentalized. Beuracracies." Bazzle turns to the side sarcastically mumbling, "the gnome lies."
"I don't care what you think are lies or not. Get this over with quick and let us get back to it." Aster says with annoyance.
For the scrolls she'll say "If you can't read them, it means you are cleared to."
For the potions, she'll say "Medicine is not alchemy." she'll gesture to her leg. "Observant people like yourselves see how I walk. The pain is... tolerable with those."
"Bah! Screw this and screw you" - Ederion chuckles - "I knew I shouldn't have joined these losers..."
"And just because you entitled yourselves as 'authority' doesn't mean everyone will roll over for idiots such as you. I will definitely not" - he adds with a low bow, before dashing off, tumbling over carts, and dodging people along the crowded street.
"Catch me if you can!"
"Oh, that's nice to hear. I'll remember that one, too.", replies Tasha a moment later, before shoving her pockets' contents back into her pockets. With the taunting face of a provedly-law abiding citizen, she puts her free hand on her waist. "So you're bravely taking on the extra effort to fight the pirates, sea monsters and smugglers?", she asks, her voice raising in both pitch and volume, rhetoricism dripping from every word, as her eyes stare right at Sir Venator. Honestly, I've no idea what's the plan, so making them pissed off enough to not think straight's bound to work. Or at least get me arrested...
As Ederion starts running, she sighs, glancing at the Hellknights with an expression of satisfaction on her face. "If you're as good at hunting down enemies of Kintargo as you are at detecting lies, Kintargans can breathe a breath of relief.", she quips sarcastically.
The Hellknights watch Aster as she pulls out all her items. They say "There is nothing wrong with arcane scrolls and potions. Right, you're clear."
As Ederion taunts them and flees, the two Hellknights hesitate for a moment and look to each other, then the rest of the group. They decide to nod to each other and give chase! Ederion nimbly leaps over a nearby cart and keeps running, while both Hellknights take an alternative approach by yelling at the crowd to make way. Both Hellknights fail to get the crowd to budge, and Venator gets splashed with some sort of acid by one of the unknown faces in the crowd. Venator bores through the crowd without a care for who gets in the way, while Nolus takes more time and care to get through.
No
Non-lethal
Leader: Ederion
Chasers: Two Hellknights (both originally at point-blank range)
Location: Crowded Villegre District
Weather: Favourable (+1 to endurance)
Obstacle: Yes, cart (acrobatics) or crowd (acrobatics/intimidation)
Ederion: +12 movement score, 7 endurance
Hellknights: +12 movement score, 8 endurance
Ederion races across an open road, turns to the right and scampers up a nearby wall with access to the rooftops. Venator follows right behind and practically leaps up the wall to pursue. Nolus decides that he's too far away to give direct chase, and opts to follow on the ground instead. Both knights give their absolute all to follow Ederion, and from the looks of it, they're well trained at dealing with the pains of physical exertion. Both start catching up to Ederion, with Nolus moving exceptionally quickly.
Suddenly Ederion notices that the houses ahead of him have a gap. He will have to jump over them (Acrobatics DC15) in order to keep going!
Yes
Ederion raises an eyebrow at the metal 'tanks' pursuing him as if they were wearing no weight at all - "Fun" - he speaks to himself, jumping over the gap without a second thought.
Round 3
Ederion stumbles a bit before leaping over the gap, but his elven reflexes keep him upright and landing safely. He hears the massive weight of the armoured knight behind him. Clomp Clomp Clomp... silence... WHAM! HE MADE THE JUMP!! Venator throws himself over the edge with reckless abandon and makes it to the other side. Nolus grabs a nearby wall from below and just barely manages to scamper up to reach Ederion. However, both of these incredible feats take their toll on the knights. They start falling behind Ederion, with Nolus getting really far behind.
No obstacles present themselves. It's just a straight dash.
No
"Please don't let him die" Aster whispers a small prayer while placing her hand on where her holy symbol resting under her clothes. Then ushers the rest of the group away from the check point in case the hellknights come back and wants to take out their frustrations on the rest of them.