Krant strides out, a bottle of wine in his hand.
"You took a while to get going, but it picked up at the end." He hands Grob the bottle. "You're excused transcription duties for tonight - well done." He pats you on the shoulder before walking away.
After Krant had left the yard, Rythan carefully sat up, rubbing his jaw. "Remind me never to get you REALLY angry with me," he said to Grob, then glanced at Rain. "Or you, for that matter. Good trick with that whip." He helped up Rumha and Heledar, and even dragged Evlar in to recover.
Rain slips free from Grob's grip as soon as Krant declares the victor. Casting a rueful eye at Grob, she slips over and kneels down beside Heladar, gently shaking him awake along side Rythanus. She offers him a wry grin in response to his compliment, then assists him in attending to the others.
She shakes her head admiringly at Grob once everyone is tended to.
Grum sits up gingerly, trying to hide his smile behind a grimace of 'pain'. "Nicely done everyone. Quite the display of... prowess."
Heledar stands up, shaking the grogginess away as best as he can - It seems the "ruse" was successful - he smiles behind the mask while rubbing his bruised chin and neck.
"Thank you" - he offers to Talarin, taking care not to reveal that he knows her name.
Still groggy from the fray, the Oracle takws a little longer again with his transcriptions, but he is still able to finish them within a decent timeframe.
"You took a while to get going, but it picked up at the end." He hands Grob the bottle. "You're excused transcription duties for tonight - well done." He pats you on the shoulder before walking away.
Grob takes the bottle and bows, "Thank you, teacher."
Once the guy is gone, he mutters "Fight your own fights next time, you sadistic piece of dung."
After Krant had left the yard, Rythan carefully sat up, rubbing his jaw. "Remind me never to get you REALLY angry with me," he said to Grob, then glanced at Rain. "Or you, for that matter. Good trick with that whip." He helped up Rumha and Heledar, and even dragged Evlar in to recover.
"heh. Sorry, I guess I don't like it when folks hit Grum." The half orc apologizes. Nodding an additional apology to Heledar.
He also moves closer to Talarin, "You okay? I Mean, you were amazing, I couldn't hold onto anything it seemed when you were around, but I apologize for grabbing you like that, my mother told me never to hit a girl so... well, I'm sorry it was the only thing I could think of."
Even half orcs can blush from embarrassment it seems.
Grum sits up gingerly, trying to hide his smile behind a grimace of 'pain'. "Nicely done everyone. Quite the display of... prowess."
"Thanks. Too bad none of us got to hit the target we wanted to."
When Evlar wakes, he pats the half elf on the shoulder, and says, "Hey, you okay buddy? Here. I'm not big on wine anyway." He offers it. Poor guy has his reasons for being here, but I bet he didn't like being beaten up anymore than anyone else did. He could use a friend, but I'm not sure how much we can trust him with the truth yet.
...........
Grobradon is grateful to have the night off from the stupid transcription duties. Instead, he tries to get on Evlar's good side, helping him out a bit if need be though he warns him, "I really stink at the transcription, but if you want me to get you some papers, or something I got an hour I can donate to you before I catch up on some lost sleep.." a chuckle.
Rain chuckles at Grob's concern, and responds with a light hearted jest, "I'm fine, ya big lub. And yeah, I learned how to handle myself. Still, tough to do with a giant ox lumbering right at you."
She shakes her head again and adds, "Though if you're not going to bathe, I'd prefer you just hit in me the face next time, if it's all the same to you." She mimes pinching her nose and waves her other hand in front of the mask before turning away with a laugh and heading back to her cell-like quarters.
"Heh."
Grum claps Grob on the shoulder, "I couldn't bring myself to participate in that farce. What do you think woulda happened if we just jumped that dung heap instead of fighting each other?"
"We woulda blown the mission when he called the guards I bet." Grob says quietly to him, but adds "Not that it wasn't tempting."
Grum nods his head slightly, but doesn't look convinced his 'plan' wouldn't have been the better route. "I suppose you are right." he says, his disappointment clear.
"Look on the bright side, eventually we'll get a crack at that smug masked face of his. Then the contest will be who can hit him harder. I like that one a lot more."
Chuckles low in his throat, the sound somewhere between mirth and a bestial growl. "That's a thought that'll keep me happy while doing these useless tasks they've given us. The sooner we're done with it, the better.
"And I'll be betting on which of you busts that bag of guts into the floor first," Rythan grinned.
Rumha rubs his sore head, little worse for wear. "That was... illuminating."
You spend the final two hours of the day copying holy texts by candlelight. Between you the task is manageable and you are able to finish the task in time.
The following morning, Egarthis, along with a trio of priests, gathers you together (including Evlar) and informs you that you will be assisting in today’s sermon to the masses.
The streets around the temple are filled with merchants, shoppers, and other folk. Egarthis instructs you to move through the crowd and extol the virtues of Razmir. ”Feel free to use your talents to gain the attention of the crowd in any way possible so that your fellow priests can look for potential followers.“
Egarthis stands atop a small crate to speak to the masses, drawing a large crowd around him. While this is going on, the priests instruct you to work around the edges to keep people interested.
Before leaving, Rain requests a simple flute from Egarthis. Once in the streets, she plays a vibrant tune to help draw the initial crowd.
As the crowd gathers, she shifts the tune to a gentle accompanyment heard under and behind Egarthis' sermon. Moving through the onlookers, she at one point intentionally drifts past Grob and surreptiously kicks him in the shin, not missing a beat and maintaining her soft tune.
Rythan thought of using a few magic tricks and telling people they were the power of Razmir manifest... but he really didn't want to lie in favor of a scummy god like that. Instead he wandered through the crowd, trying to remember what they had been taught about the Living God, and repeating those lessons to any onlookers who seemed even vaguely interested. From time to time he drifted close to the other priests to hear what they were preaching, and jog his memory of the hogwash.
The mask he wore was a constant irritation, but he soldiered on despite it, trying to sound enthusiastic about his preaching.
Grobradron is glad he's wearing a mask, because he's embarrassed to be making a fool of himself in a crowd this big. Back home, I'd be asking these guys about disturbing the peace and telling them to keep it down.
Trying to get attention, he begins to lift random heavy objects, if anyone asks why, "Behold, Razmir's teachings ...as strong as I am, I am but a bug to his boot as are we all. Yet he can share his strength with us. Listen to the priest speaking and learn more."
As the crowd gathers, she shifts the tune to a gentle accompanyment heard under and behind Egarthis' sermon. Moving through the onlookers, she at one point intentionally drifts past Grob and surreptiously kicks him in the shin, not missing a beat and maintaining her soft tune.
Grobradon blinks behind his mask, but tries not to comment on his now aching shin. What? What I'd do today?
Grum takes an instant dislike to the days planned activity, and promoting this God of theirs just irks him to no end. He notes what the others are up to, smiling at Grob's feats of strength. Looking around he notes a scalable wall, and turns to the crowd. His voice an unenthusiastic deadpan, "Razmir is above them all. Follow him and he will lift you above the petty things of the world." and proceeds to climb the wall.
Those miserable stronts have turned us into a circus!
Rumha works the crowd subtly, sniffing out the people showing slight interest and then engaging them with reasoned questions and supplying Razmiran-friendly answers.
As you keep people interested you are aware that the clerics are using your actions as a distraction to pick people's pockets.
Rythan had been expecting some sort of nastiness from the priests, but their boldness in fleecing people right in front of their new recruits still amazed him.
Keeping up his uninspired preaching, he drifted towards each of the others in the party, taking a moment when the priests weren't looking to draw his friends' attention to what was really going on.
Fuming inwardly at being forced to participate in this farce, he began to seriously consider using his magic after all. Patience, he counseled himself.
He wondered if he could draw the crowd's attention to the pickpockets without the lot of them being lynched... and said as much to Rain in an undertone when he passed her. "Or maybe we should just stop being so distracting?"
Rain, for her part, can't stand idly by, let alone play accomplice to these miserable theives. She slips in behind one of the masked Razmirans and, once he's lifted a money pouch, tries to lift it right back and secretly return it to the original owner.
Evlar seems to be participating in a half-hearted manner. He was certainly embarrassed to be first to go down in the brawl yesterday but warmed a little when given the wine.
Now he seems distracted - and certainly oblivious to the pick-pocketing.
Grobradon doesn't see a damn thing but Rythan nudges by and draws his attention to something going wrong. Huh? Are they? If he realizes pockets are being picked, well, it's a good thing he has a mask or the former watch member of Kasen would be showing his outrage.
He sets whatever he's lifting down LOUDLY behind anyone (Besides Talaran) he sees picking a pocket, as if he's done with the object.
Well, at the very least they shouldn't gain a convert out of their activities. Rythan finally gave in and used some minor magic to try and draw Evlar's attention to the pickpocketing going on. Metal flashed in the sunlight, litter swirled about the pickpocketer's feet, and finally Rythan tied one of the pickpocketer's shoelaces together from a distance... all while droning on about the glory of Razmir.
Grum, from his elevated position, notices the dispicable practice going on below him. He starts shouting and pointing at the folks in the close vicinity of each crime, calling out loudly to get their attention.
Rain continues to fume inwardly at the counterfeit priests in their midst, wishing she could be more overt in her opposition. She contents herself with trying to thwart them more subtely, for the time being at least. Still, behind her mask she smirks at Grum's antics.
Your efforts are rewarded and soon the clerics give up on their attempts to pick the pockets of the assembled crowd. You have also managed to avoid detection from Egarthis, although you sense that Grum's efforts earned a glare or two (albeit from behind a mask that affords you no view of the wearer's actual facial movement).
After lunch, Krant assigns you (and Evlar) a new task.
"A local baker, Welton Grompus, is late paying his agreed tithe to the temple. As a result, I'd like you to enter the bakery and retrieve the missing money at all costs."
The bakery, called the Harvest Hearth, is located just three blocks away from the temple and its oven supplies fresh bread and rolls to most of the inns and taverns in the area.
Krant escorts you to the temple, and informs you he'll wait outside,
turning away any new customers until the place is empty.
He owes 100 gp in missing payments and in addition to the money, I'd like you to wreck the place to teach Welton a lesson. A promise in the name of the Living God should not be taken lightly."
Grobradon grits his teeth under his mask I used to arrest thugs that tried things like what they're asking us to do
"Evlar, I need you to go around to the outside of the back and make sure there's no backdoor or window they can escape from ... Stay on guard on that side of the building."
Rythan grimaced in disgust, for once glad he was wearing a mask. Like Grob, he'd been on the right side of the law, and playing thug didn't suit him at all. He glanced at the others, hoping they felt the same, though he hadn't known them long.
He went inside and took a look around, primarily for any windows Krant might use to watch them through. The delicious smell of the bakery made his stomach growl. Much better fare than the temple's.
Feeling quite pleased with himself that the pickpockets antics were twarted, Grum begins to look to the next task with an eye on how he can thwart it as well... without blowing their cover completely. He had no intention of beating up this baker, unless he turned out to be an evil baker, but as he'd never heard of an evil baker before he wasn't too worried. Completely the mission without causing some damage seemed like a tall order indeed. May as well get in there and see what can be done. the half orc thinks to himself.
Once Elvar has agreed and moved away to the back of the building, Grum walks inside. "Is Mr Welton around?" he asks casually.
Rain nods at the big half orc, "A good thought. Let's go, brother." Rain then walks around to the rear of the building with Evlar to 'stand guard'.
Heledar's visage is stern look under his mask - Thigs are starting to get out of hand - are we to destroy a man's livelihood simply because he refuses to give in to extorsion..?
"What service is he paying for Master Krant?" - he questions naturally.
Grobradon grits his teeth under his mask I used to arrest thugs that tried things like what they're asking us to do
"Evlar, I need you to go around to the outside of the back and make sure there's no backdoor or window they can escape from ... Stay on guard on that side of the building."
You've noticed that Evlar has been very quiet since the pick-pocketing but he's not confided in any of you.
He jumps at the chance to stay outside of the shop and scurries around the back.
Rythan grimaced in disgust, for once glad he was wearing a mask. Like Grob, he'd been on the right side of the law, and playing thug didn't suit him at all. He glanced at the others, hoping they felt the same, though he hadn't known them long.
He went inside and took a look around, primarily for any windows Krant might use to watch them through. The delicious smell of the bakery made his stomach growl. Much better fare than the temple's.
There is glass but the fact that it's frosted means it lets in light but keeps prying eyes out. You are reasonably sure Krant can't see what you're up to.
Heledar's visage is stern look under his mask - Thigs are starting to get out of hand - are we to destroy a man's livelihood simply because he refuses to give in to extorsion..?
"What service is he paying for Master Krant?" - he questions naturally.
"No service - it is the other way around. He is serving the living god through his benevolence."
Once Elvar has agreed and moved away to the back of the building, Grum walks inside. "Is Mr Welton around?" he asks casually.
A rotund man with a moustache greets you as you enter. "Why that's me!"
He quickly gathers up a basket of fresh bread and offers it to you. "Listen, I can get the payment to you by next week. I just need time."