As Eben and Astraden talk about a treaty for the lizardfolk, she closes her eyes and takes another sip of her wine.
She thinks... how, exactly, could they bring about such a thing?
It occurs to both Carina and Eben that while Goschild could work, the man they already intend to talk to, Eligos, lives in one of the more affluent districts and might also have an inkling.
"Oh, hey," says Eben, as though a sudden, convenient, and rather obvious notion had occurred to him. "We can just bring it up when we call on Eligos. He's in a posh part of town, so he probably has political connections, and he's friends with Allustan, so he'd be inclined to help us out."
"Sounds like as good a plan as any", Tanith says before filling his glass again. "You met him before?"
Astraden nods. "I'd better get to my prayers. See you all tomorrow," she says, smiling to Cuetzpalli.
Carina drinks down the rest of her wine. "Yeah, Eligos sounds like the guy to speak to about this." She says with a yawn.
"Nah, I just know the type that live in the Garden District. I mean, if he falls through we can fall back on something else, but two birds are better than one or... whatever the saying is." He swigs his wine again.
Tanith continues to chug the expensive wine in a way that shows it little appreciation.
Cuetzpalli stays up drinking with the other boys, telling them about his day with Astraden, and revealing that he has a crush on her. He asks for advice from Eben and Tanith on how to handle girls. Growing up a slave, then slave gladiator, then religious freak isn't very good for your game with the ladies apparently.
Carina wanders off to bed after finishing her drink, oblivious to the guy talk.
The next morning, the adventurers awaken bright and early (or possibly groggy and late and in pain, if any of them spent the last night drinking more than was wise).
On the way to the Garden District where Eligos resides, the heroes find the road blocked.
The intersection ahead is packed with a throng of people, straining their necks and cheering as a pair of jugglers, preceded by a large metal cage, makes its way down the cross street. The parade continues to roll past, displaying the talents of numerous street performers and various caged beasts. One large and extravagant cage on a horse-drawn wagon actually consists of two cages. The inner cage is made of iron bars, with panes of glass mounted outside the bars on all four sides. Within is a threeheaded monstrosity with the heads of a goat, a lion, and a brilliant blue dragon. As the parade trundles along, the beast roars over and over as its dragon head blasts the iron cage with bolts of electricity that play along the metal bars.
After a breakfast of toast, eggs, and fiddlehead salad, Astraden dresses in her mithral mail and straps the new gold-tinted shield to her back.
- 0-level (4) Create water, detect magic, guidance, stabilize
- 1st-level (3+1+D) Detect law, disguise self, protection from law, shield of faith, --
- 2nd-level (3+1+D) Bull's strength, invisibility, make whole, spiritual weapon, --
- 3rd-level (2+1+1) Magic circle against law, prayer, remove disease, --
"HOLY S+#*! What is that thing?" Farrukh exclaims.
Eben wakes up claiming a small hangover, but only of the slightly fuzzy in the head sort. Clearly it doesn't diminish his appetite; in addition to breakfast at the Crooked House he buys a number of assorted fruit-glazed tarts and pastries next door at Murdo's to share with the group.
Eben sniffs at the jugglers. "Well, of course I respect fellow professionals and all, but their style is a little off. Needs a little more flourish..." Still, he's clearly enjoying the parade. The monster-in-a-cage definitely gets his attention. "Wow, I wonder how you get a permit for that? Free City zoning laws are weird."
Carina awakens happy and refreshed. After getting dressed in her traveler's garb, she gets the rest of her gear together and heads out to meet up with the rest of the team.
While munching on a pastry (thoughtfully provided by Eben), she looks over the large caged creature. What was it?
Tanith's hangover doesn't do anything to keep him from his morning workout/prayers. He sits with Carina to enjoy Eben's pastries even if he is a bit disappointed by the lack of protein.
"It's impressive, I'll say that much", the big Kordite offers while he and his friends watch the parade. "I wonder how they get it inside the cage? Magic?"
Astraden cranes her neck back and waves at the others. "What is that thing in the cage?" she asks one of her fellow spectators.
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Cuetzpalli watches the parade with an almost child-like wonder, until he sees the three-headed beast anyway. "Dear gods! I hope it doesn't get free! Why do I feel like it's going to get free?"
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"Aw, c'mon, Cuetz..." Eben says around a mouthful of spiced peach tart, "I'm sure these guys are experts in the science of transporting large, three headed, lightning breathing monsters through crowds of thousands of vulnerable people. It would be completely negligent of them, otherwise!" He cocks his head to the side, staring at the monster for a short length of time. "No idea what it is, though..." he finally says, resignedly.
Peach tart!? Cuetzpalli yanks one of Eben's tarts. "I guess you're right. You know more about this city stuff than me anyway. I'm probably just being a worry-wort," Cuetz replies before stuffing the stolen tart in his mouth, whole. He spends the next thirty seconds or so attempting to masticate it. Spiny glares up at the rain of pastry crumbs falling down on him, from where he's curled up at the olman's feet.
"Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't kow stuff for once. Makes me feel better about myself." Farrukh says as he sidles up next to Eben and also surreptitiously snatches one of his tarts.
"Mmf. Veez are goof."
Yeah, we should steal the rest.
"Hey Eben, do you know those scarred, nasty looking guys over there giving you the mean mug?" Cuetzpalli asks earnestly (he hopes).
He waits for Eben to look, and attempts to surreptitiously snatch the rest of his tarts when he does.
Eben's eyebrows furrow at Cuetzpalli's sudden alarm, but he turns his head anyway out of pure caution. "Which guys? I don't see 'em..."
"Hey! What..." his attention is drawn back to the Olman as the bag of tarts is pulled out of his hands (none too stealthily). "Yeah, Cuetz.. you do realize I bought those to share, right?" He says with an amused roll of the eyes. "You coulda just asked for more."
Farrukh's face droops.
"Take all the fun out of it, why don't you?"
Carina absentmindedly munches on another pastry as she keeps observing the three-headed caged creature.
Cuetzpalli grins sheepishly. "Just trying to have a little prank. I guess you're too sharp for me," the barbarian says. He hands the bag back. "So, why is there a parade again?"
That's probably a dumb question. But hey, if the shoe fits..
"I think it's because the Champion's Games are coming to town." Carina glances over at the Olman and his pet dinosaur. "I heard something about it the other day..."
"Yeah. Apparently the participants are pretty tough this year, and play for keeps. The Norebo temple is holding some weird betting thing for it where you put in your bet and then they randomly pick a fighter for you to be rooting for. But I wasn't sure if we were going to be mixed up in the Games themselves or not, so I stayed out of it. Sounded fun though."
"Oooh, I wonder if the dragon-goat-lion thing is part of the games? You know, like it fights teams as a tiebreaker or something?"
"...Well now I REALLY want in."
Carina awakens happy and refreshed. After getting dressed in her traveler's garb, she gets the rest of her gear together and heads out to meet up with the rest of the team.
While munching on a pastry (thoughtfully provided by Eben), she looks over the large caged creature. What was it?
Farrukh, without thinking, homes in on and cold cocks the man.
"Oi! That's not yours!"
Eben grabs for the man's hand.
And since he's the one being targeted, he REALLY puts his all into the grab.
"Congratulations, you're every bit as bad a pickpocket as a hulking Olman," he snarls. "What is this, amateur day at the parade?"
Astraden looks back, wondering where the rest of the group is, then spots the man Eben's nabbed. "Hey!" she yells, shoving her way back to the scene.
Cuetzpalli watches the scene with the would-be pickpocket unfold. His friends seem to have it in hand for now, so he just moves close and readies himself to assist them.
Carina wheels around, just now noticing the commotion that's going on behind her and Tanith.
Oh. A pickpocket?
The thought gives the undine a chill. She pats her pouches and holsters to make sure everything is in place. Everyone else had things under control.
Farrukh hits the man in the face as Eben grabs his arm. The would-be thief takes a moment to register he's been spotted, then starts struggling frantically. "Aragen, the pie's hot!" he shouts.
The crowd starts to split around the group as people realize what's going on. A few move to get better views, though, looking interested—including the majority of the performers.
Another man runs out of the crowd, drawing a bag. "Sald, duck!"
He pitches the bag at Eben.
Eben's ring nearly protects him, but not quite, as a sticky mass of tan goo splatters all over him.
The other thief struggles to get free, but Eben's grip is like iron.
An entangled creature takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity and can move only at half speed.
A creature trying to scrape goo off itself, or another creature assisting, does not need to make an attack roll; hitting the goo is automatic, after which the creature that hit makes a damage roll to see how much of the goo was scraped off. Once free, the creature can move (including flying) at half speed. If the entangled creature attempts to cast a spell, it must make concentration check with a DC of 15 + the spell's level or be unable to cast the spell. The goo becomes brittle and fragile after 2d4 rounds, cracking apart and losing its effectiveness. An application of universal solvent to a stuck creature dissolves the alchemical goo immediately.
Eben rolls his eyes in annoyance at getting tanglefoot goo all over him, but doesn't relinquish his grip.
"Pie's burned, Sald. Drop the plums you pulled and you can have the crust."
Stiffly moving within his sticky bonds, Eben spins the cutpurse around to place him within reach of Tanith's hamfists.
"Tanith, I believe this is your specialty..."
Putting things together quickly, Tanith moves to join his friends. He grabs the pickpocket.
"You sure Eben? You might look good with a black eye", the big man says with a smirk.
Eben rolls his eyes in annoyance at getting tanglefoot goo all over him, but doesn't relinquish his grip.
"Pie's burned, Sald. Drop the plums you pulled and you can have the crust."
...
The thief cocks his head, momentarily confused by Eben's thieves' cant. "Huh?"
Astraden draws her shield and best dagger, smiling faintly. Eyes fixed on the man in Tanith's hold, she asks, "Cuetzpalli, would you grab that other one? I think they have underestimated us."
"Hey, Astraden, no need to escalate. Nobody's used a weapon yet, no harm no foul."
"Right?" he addresses this to the would-be thief.
The thief cocks his head, momentarily confused by Eben's thieves' cant. "Huh?"
Eben sighs. "This is why I don't like organzied crime. The lingo never stops changing." He speaks, slowly, distinctly, and ennunciates each word. "Drop. Our. Stuff. We. Not. Call. Guards. That clear enough?"
"That would be for the best, all things considered." Carina finally speaks up, one hand still on her pistol. "See, I imagine the guards won't be nearly as understanding as Tanith--with him, odds are you'll walk away with a broken nose, but you'll still walk away. I'm not entirely sure that the guards will be as lenient."
"I'll stab you and feed you to him if you don't listen to them," Cuetzpalli says nonchalantly, pointing to Spiny with one hand, while hefting his trident with the the other. Spiny opens his mouth and hisses, saliva dripping from his rows of razor-sharp fangs.