Okay. Now where was that dump that we passed? If we just follow the scent of vomit and stale beer we should arrive right at the place.
Assuming we find the bar, Rubin steps in the front door and gazes around the place.
The outside is an anomaly of how it could still be standing. The smell of rotting by wood, vomit, and body odor is an assault of your senses. A man is passed out on a barstool as Rubin pokes his head in. As they see him and than Kraull, they don't even give you two a second look. You all head in, and see a gruff middle-aged man tending bar.
What can I get you?!
Chef checks out the passed out man to see if he resembles the one they want.
Greetings, my good man. My compatriots and I are just stepping in to wet our whistle at your delightful establishment. I'll take a pint of Old Absalom's Elderberry Cream Ale. What's that you say? Sold out? Whatever is on draft will be fine, then. Keep the change, I insist. Say, friend, we were supposed to meet with a local earlier this evening and he never showed up. Have you seen a red-haired man around lately, big tattoo on his shoulder, could be alone or with a group?
The drunk guy is not the guy you are looking for Chef. He is just a drunk guy.
Big buy, shoulder tattoo with hair. Hmm, yeah saw the guy about a week ago. Talking bout leaving town, but didn't say which way he was headed. That will be 5 gold for the beer and the info boy
Kraull takes a glance around the place with an unimpressed expression, "You got bouncers in this place? You should throw old sleepy head out."
Chef sighsWell maybe we should just head back home.
Rubin hands over the 5 gold. Many thanks, sir.
To Chef and Kraull: It could be that he skipped town with the money. I think we've followed this lead as far as we can go. Back to Lily then? If we tell her what we've heard, she should know who is telling the truth.
Works for me. Chef will head out with the others.
You sleep off your eventful night and the next day send word to Lily that you request an audience. A few hours later you are once again inside her nice shop in the back room.
So, I see you didn't get caught. If the message was delivered, he has not paid me yet?!
He says he did pay, someone with dirty red hair and a shoulder blade tattoo. We checked around but the only lead we got was he planned on leaving town.
"Yeah, the guy who owes you money was pretty stubborn about having paid the red haired dude despite my threat to break his face, so I'm pretty sure he's telling the truth about it." Kraull adds to Chef's explanation.
Having nothing to add, Rubin rocks on his heels and waits for Lily to either thank them for a job well done, or excoriate them for being utterly useless.
You see Lily's expression sour and turn to anger. She places her hand over her eyes in a frustrated look...lucky for you three she focuses her anger on the source.
I should know better than to take an urchin in off the streets! So, James thinks he can screw me over...
Her thought trails off as her anger seethes inside her. After a brief moment, she looks to the three of you.
Hm, seems are not as useless as you first appeared. You will get what I promised you, but I have another job for you. Find James, and I can give you an idea where he maybe headed. Track him, capture him ALIVE and return him to me so I can deal with him personally. You each get 500 for this job you just completed, with another 1000 each upon James' return.
She motions to one of her seamstresses who comes back with a small bag fir each of you. 50 platinum is in each bag.
If you need something let me know, I know people in various professions. James, is likely headed south, he mentioned a old hideout somewhere south. If you need a guide I can provide one, but he will not work for free. Leave when you are ready, and be prepared for James to have friends.
Some horses would be good. I think we have a mule. Some rope and lockpicks, manacles for James.
Kraull's eyes get larger as he greedy looks into the bag and ties it to his belt, "You betcha, we'll find the guy. Uh, you got anymore information about this hideout? I'd hate to pay for guide when we can probably find it ourselves. Oh, and all that stuff Chef said, including a grappling hook. You got access to knock out poison too?"
I'll pick up some supplies from the general store. Once we encounter the alleged miscreant, I should be able to put him to sleep, but as Kraull says, a back-up plan or two might be good, knock-out gas, paralysis scroll, what have you. I for one, vote to bring along the guide. No use wandering around blindly in the forest when there's someone who can lead us straight there. I'll pay him myself if you guys are feeling stingy.
I will pony up
"I'll chip in too, I guess. Assuming he's not expensive, then I'm out." Kraull reluctantly agrees.
I can provide what you have asked for. I will call upon Leroy, he has worked with me on a few occasions.
A minute later, a man walks in, dressed in studded leather armor and a bastard sword on his back. His eyes are cold and calculated, he speaks little but it comes across powerfully.
15 gold..per day. Payment upon finding James' location. I..do..not..fail
Chief gets thief tools, manacles and rope. Deal. He says to their guide.
"Eh, how long should this take? Five gold each is gonna get real expensive if we go longer than a week." Kraull says with snort.
"I guess we gotta buy more horses too."
I can afford a horse.
If you don't hold me back, it should take about 4 days presuming no James didn't cover his tracks too much. We can go when you are done shopping. I will be waiting here, as he takes a seat.
Any poisons will take a day to procure and yes I have access to less lethal options, Lily says in response to the inquiries.
"Unless Rubin really wants to get some poison, I say we just leave today to cut down on the money we have to pay James." Kraull says bluntly.
We should skip the poisons as well. Chef also gets a sap for smacking their target.
Agreed. I'm well-rested and with every wasted hour this fellow could be getting farther away. Let's be on our way. I hope there are three horses for sale in this town. Rubin brown-noses Lily with his overt display of hastiness. Before leaving town, he runs around supplying himself with a horse, rope, miscellaneous pots and pans, bread, cheese, trail rations, and four jugs of ale.
Rubin is able to find 3 horses for standard prices. It will be double if you are adventuring with them as few have returned after leaving town for too long.
You gather the supplies you want or need and head out of town, going south. Two days pass, and Leroy keeps an eye out for potential hazards or threats. Part way through the day he spots another set of tracks in the soft earth he stops and kneels down to investigate them. Afterwards he looks at you,
I cannot tell you if it is James or not, but I would suspect the traffic in this direction would be..
He stops as he hears something coming from the sky. Four large mosquitoes come buzzing towards you with furious frenzy.
Initiative:
Chef
Rubin
Kraull
Enemy
Guide
The large mosquitos fly towards you while Leroy grabs an axe and readied to throw it.
Stats with Dex Mutagen
AC 23/15/120
Dex 20 Cha 8
+2 ranged bab
Resources
Bombs 4/4
Chef drinks his mutagen and gets out his sling and spins a bullet, firing once one gets into range
Kraull draws his his sling as well, loads it with a bullet, then attempts to throw it as the closest mosquito. It's been awhile since he's used a sling though, and the bullet travels in the opposite direction. "Ugh, not cool."
Great, it's been a while since I got to sing.
They're looking for a dinner with four courses,
But we're no meal, and neither are the horses.
Come on then and hope you don't get hurt,
You'll wish you had skipped straight to dessert.
As it looks like the oversized insects will be upon them before he can use his crossbow, Rubin fumbles for his shortsword. (Attack nearest bug next round).
Rubin starts to sing as Chef and Kraull both pick off one of the overgrown mosquitos. The guide stands there, waiting for you to finish the job.
One bug flies in and tries to bite Kraull in his big meaty neck. The other tries for Chef. Chef takes a needle like proboscis to the neck and it stings. Chef watches the proboscis clang off his armor.
Kraull drops his sling and switches to his falchion. He then takes a swipe at the giant mosquito on his neck.
Chef drops his sling and draws his dagger and stabs
Rubin slices at the big bug on Chef's neck, being careful to avoid hitting the neck of either Chef or Cluck. The blade whizzes just underneath Chef's ear.
Kraull easily squishes the bug that bit him. Chef and Rubin combine forces to take out the final mosquito. The guide looks to you afterwards,
Lets be in our way. We are losing daylight
The guide continues on down the way, heading towards the marshes. A day later you reach the outer edge of the marsh, the acidic smell is nasty to say the least.
Kraull frowns at the stench, "Okay, Leroy, how do we find this guy?"
Leroy looks at Kraull and shrugs.
Beats me
Leroy starts to look around for any signs of human life, but doesn't see anything of note. The marshland seems to hide whatever footprints may have existed.
Chef looks around as well
Chef looks around and thinks he sees something, but it was just a random animal track.
"If you can't help us find the guy, then what are we paying you for that we can't get with a map?" Kraull asks with a snort as he looks around.
Leroy raises an eyebrow at Kraull's comment, than turns around to survey the land once more.
James and I aren't the best of friends so I can only guess where his hideout is. Maybe if you stopped b!*&#ing like little girls and work together as a team maybe you could find something out
He takes a swig from his canteen and looks around, If James is close, he probably knows he has company since you like to argue
I don't like to argue. Chef argues.
Well what is the furthest that his hideout could be from this spot? All we have to do is walk in larger and larger circles until we run into it. If we spread out, say 10 yards between each of us, we'll cover the territory quicker. Or maybe we could set up an ambush, use one of us as bait to draw them out--Not It!!
Maybe if we just look in a random direction.
Rubin starts to look around and notices some more prints in the marsh. Upon closer examination, he realized the footprints are fake, man made. Even though man made, they wee very well made fakes. He points it out and follows them. After a few hundred feet they stop, and 10 feet under the muck there is a trap door. There is only one problem that remains...how to open the door without it caving in due to the marsh muck?
Leroy looks at what you found, and a smile crosses his face. So, looks like you found him and I will be taking my 60 gold now?
Sure, give us a hand with the trapdoor please.