"Ichon is a thug!" protests Senzer. "I've told you what she's done to my son - a child! Gold drives her, but she knows she won't last long in Bloodcove if she shows weakness. Especially to a group of outsiders - it won't take a genius for them to guess who you are - my affiliations are known. Finish her - for good!"
"Ichon has the antidote - she has been sending me heavily diluted samples - enough to keep the boy alive, but not to cure him. If I had a pure sample, I'm sure I could synthesize enough to cure him. But she isn't going to give it up willingly- it is how she keeps her hold over me."
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Borax rolls his eyes at Senzer, "Yes, we heard that part the first time. I'm pointing out that if we kill Ichon, the antidote my die with her, assuming she does not carry ti on her person. We might have more success negotiating with her when we have her at a disadvantage financially. In addition, if she is motivated by greed, Ichon could be manipulated to benefit the Society. If we kill Ichon, someone will undoubtedly take her place and the Society will be back to square one. And Ichon's replacement may even attempt continue where she left off with this new drug. That would place you and your son right back where you started."
Borax pauses and strokes his clean shaven chin...
"In any event, we need to find out where she is keeping the antidote before we move against her. It seems we must travel to her Pit." Borax turns to the henchman,
"You say that what Ichon will do to you is far worse than anything we can imagine?" Borax offers an unsettling grin, "Then I'm sure you would rather not come with us back to the Pit. We'd hate for Ichon to take you from us. Why don't you tell us how a group such as ours might gain access to the Pit without being discovered?"
"Could go in the back" says the man. "Not too many guards, but the pit's basically one big room with a few offices at the side, a privy at the back and a room for the girls and their clients to use. Anything Ichon wants to keep private she'll keep in the safe in her office."
Senzer interrupts. "I served the Society well for many years. I am a capable alchemist, and can brew a cure for my son if I have a pure sample to work from. I am not without status in Bloodcove - I do a good trade in treatments for disease, minor drugs, and contraceptive potions for the girls in the brothels. But I cannot work, and I cannot serve the Society with Ichon holding this over my head. I need that sample, and I need her gone. Then I can get back to business."
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"And we can do that, sir, one way or another." Jazmine tells the man before turning to her companions. "We need more information. Lets see what can be found at this "Pit" and go from there. Meanwhile, should we keep this man prisoner to ensure his truth and keep him from raising the alarm? Or what should we do with him. I am not adverse to just sticking him with a knife, but on the other hand, blood should not necessarily just be spilt if there are other options."
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Borax lowers his spectacles a smidge to look down at the captive. Raising his eyes he meets Jazmine's inquiry, "Kill him? No, keep him here until we are done with our affairs. The Society is well served by having its adversaries know that we will show mercy. This discourages them from fighting to the death. Indeed, if we are forced to dispatch Ichon, this ruffian may remain and then be indebted to the Socity."
Both dead thugs, as well as the survivor, has some pocket change, and a stylized bracelet made of some red, semi-precious stone. The survivor freely volunteers that this marks the wearer as someone in Ichon's employ.
The afternoon sun is low in the sky as the group arrives at the waterfront where the Sanguine Pit is located. The establishment is converted from a decaying warehouse on a sagging pier. There is no sign outside, but the roaring and cheering of a sizable crowd can be heard from inside. The main entrance faces south across the river, while a small boardwalk runs behind the buiding, to where you've been told there is a back entrance.
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Kitoro will cast heightened awareness on herself before they approach.
"Back entrance?"
"I can play the trollop and get by easily enough. With the three bracelets, that leaves two of us that need an excuse to get by whatever they have that passes for guards back there if we want to slip in that way. Make that three," she says as she gestures towards Giggles.
"Giggles is going to be a tough one, come to think of it."
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Borax puts on one of the bracelets, "Yes, Kitoro can be my trollop. Giggles will be my combatant and Jazmine the handler. We shall lie."
Borax will take off his leather armor and cast Mage Armor on himself. Borax will also purchase a sleeve of many garments and change his attire to be more fitting of the establishment.
When the group is ready, Borax will invoke his Jade Wayfinder out of sight and then convince the back door guards that Giggles is here to fight and the group are with him.
1) Ichon was thinking maybe a rival outfit would try to disrupt her good thing, or that Senzer would try to run.
2) A few guards, but the patrons may have their own. Everyone is terrified of Ichon's bodyguard - a huge amazon of a woman who never leaves Ichon's side.
3) Ichon won't show weakness. To show weakness in Bloodcove is to invite death.
OK, I need everyone to make two checks. The first is either Disguise or Stealth, to determine how much attention you gather moving around town. You may not take 10. Borax has a -4 penalty because he has been buying relatively expensive magical items.
The second is a disguise check to see how well your Toughs and Trollops disguises go over.
Getting into the Sanguine Pit is actually surprisingly easy. The main concern of the bouncers is that guests should have coin with them to pay their bills - they don't pay too much attention to faces.
The clamour of cheers and shouted bets drowns out any intelligible sounds in this large, crowded bar. A massive aquarium, fifteen feet on a side, dominates the room as a dog-sized lobster creature and a dark green, man-sized fish with fanged jaws circle one another, occasionally trading blows.
Heady, pungent smoke fills the air, and the floor is slick with spilled drinks and seawater.
Near the central tank stands a well-dressed and well-rounded woman with raven hair. Towering over her, at seven feet tall, stands her idealized, amazonian reflection. Both women bear a curious glowing rune on their foreheads. The bookies clearly defer to the smaller woman, and everyone keeps their distance from her glamorous bodyguard.
The Kitsune racial bonus to disguise is specifically to pass as human, rather than to pass as any particular human, but I'm not too fussed.
Borax takes in the scene..
[Dice=K. Arcana (T10)]10+10+1d6
The two combatants appear to be a reefclaw (the lobster creature) and a swamp barracuda (the fish) - both are totally focussed on the other.
The glowing runes on the two women indicate that they are a summoner and her eidolon - but which is which?
As the group enters, no-one seems to pay them particular attention. They are approached by one of the serving staff, a pretty halfling girl.
"Can I get you a table, gentlefolk?" She enquires. "And drinks - or something stronger? We have pesh, dullweed, opium and shiver tonight - the shiver is particularly strong"
The halfling giggles. "The Mistress provides the monsters. Unless you piss her off - then you might find yourself the star attraction!"
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Borax offers the hostess a wry smile, "I try not to mix business with pleasure, but perhaps I might make an exception in your case."
Borax eyes the situations carefully, specifically looking to see how the eidolon and its summoner are armed and armored. Borax then examines the area for exits and secret entrances.
When the drinks are served, Borax will make sure that he has a chance to examine them for taint.
"Yes, that's Bellu, the Mistress's bodyguard - she never leaves her side."
Both women wear a chain shirt beneath their cloaks. While Bellu is unarmed, Ichon carries a morningstar at her belt, although it looks very ornate and may just be for show.
Your best guess is that Bellu is a fantastic projection of everything that Ichon isn't and would like to be - tall, svelte, and an imposing physical presence.
Yes, takings from both betting and the bar seem to be cashed up behind the bar, and then taken through a side door into a smaller room.