Volk waves to Strigala and Lilica as they survey the scene. He seemed to be the only one who decided to be a public figure this day and found that the oddest situation to boot. He knew from previous experience Strigala would make a much better attraction or.. really any of the others. Maybe he would try to do some small trick.. to impress the people. This was what a gambling hall was for.. right? He had no one to speak back.. because he forgot Ternock was there.
Volk tried to make it suitable. This was only a test and so far his night had gone.. relatively fine. When it was time to introduce himself to a new batch of prospective gamblers he threw the deck into the air attempting to grab each one before the viewers had time to see them, using his void gates. Volk then brought them all into his hand to shuffle before taking each set of cards and having them appear face down on the table to each gambler through the gates once more.. there remained a bit of purple mist however.. which then showered them in crystals shards that burst into harmless mist on touch.
Kertria cleans her blade, saddened that she had to use it that night. But hopefully the message had come across by now of their mutual strength. After making a quick round, Kertria approaches Saul as he pours a glass of wine.
"Saul? May I have a moment? See, I'm sort of needing access to magical learning and research papers for a small job on the side. I understand that there is an order of mages here in town. Is there any way you could possibly pass word along or something to grant me access? I'm afraid I don't even know where to start."
As she talks, she turns, eyeing the crowd to see if any other hooligans start something.
Saul responds to Kertria, "The Cyphermages are who you're thinking of. They're a secretive bunch, if you have the talent they might take you as an apprentice. I'll put a word in and see what they come back to me with."
Smiling, she reaches across the counter and gives the man a hug. "I appreciate it, Saul!" Turning, she begins walking the floor, eyeing any possible troublemakers.
After a brutal session of whipping and awkward gimp staring, Nicar Rhodes says that Zlincher has been trying to ruin the Gold Goblin ever since Saul obtained it.
He set up the heist, and the ambush in the streets and planned for an attack later tonight.
After that though he doesn't know much of anything else.
After Lilica has finished with him, Strigala and Kertria attempt to calm down Nicar and coax any other information out of him.
He swears that he has said all he knows and begs not to be put back out on the streets as he is a dead man if that happens, and asks for the party's protection.
Kertria looks at Saul worryingly. "Please, Saul, don't let the beasts get him. We can probably make some sort of use out of him alive, yes?"
Though she wasn't one for torture, it had proven... Somewhat effective.
But, shouldering it for now, she looks at Lilica and Volk. "What sort of costume was that that you were wearing, Volk?"
Volk is.. confused. He had simply did what he was told to do because he wanted to help. The suit he had put on wasn't uncomfortable, but he felt wind in places he did not normally feel.
He looks to Kertria after a moment to think upon it and then answers " I'm not sure, it was clothes used to assist Miss Lilica, so I assume something grand and something to do with Calistria. I was told to stare hard at the man in my normal way.. I'm good at watching... Very good. "
"Indeed you are, Volk. But it's sort of... Well, let's see if Saul needs anything else. If not, I need to talk to him anyway..."
Volk nods rapidly " Sort of....? *shrugs* Make sure not to forget to mention that to him... There is an attack coming soon, we should get prepared to counterstrike it. "
You see Saul sitting on a bench as Bojask drags out Rhodes into the center of the pit.
"Here's the deal Rhodes. You work for me now, that's how this is gonna be." says Saul.
"I'm trying to avoid death here Saul not go rushing back to it! Let me go, let me get out of town, and I promise I'll owe you one if you ever need to move anything out of the city. You want a runner killed? I'll go get them, I'll go to Magnimar, I'll go to Absolom, I don't care. We'll be even." says Rhodes.
"I'm not in the business of killing people anymore Rhodes..But Bojask is." says Saul nodding to Bojask.
Bojask reaches up to his back and pulls out his curved blade and tosses it into the sand point first, and then looks Rhodes in the eyes and says, "Pick it up."
Rhodes eyes immediately go wide, "No, no, no, please Saul, not the Butcher."
"Pick up the sword, Rhodes." Bojask says more insistently, showing his empty hands to Rhodes.
"Alright! Saul please! Alright! Whatever you say, don't make me fight that monster!" pleads Rhodes.
Bojask looks to Saul, before Saul nods and Bojask picks Rhodes up and cuts his bonds.
"We'll find you a room tomorrow, for now you'll be spending the night with Bojask." finishes Saul.
Rhodes immediately begins to plead again, "No Saul! Please! I ---"
Saul raises his hand, "No, I mean it Rhodes. Really."
The following morning more applicants line up outside the Gold Goblin seeking employment.
Laurer spends most of the morning in interviews, and as such doesn't cook breakfast; however Saul has most of a cooking crew hired on by now and they provide breakfast out at the bar.
After breakfast Saul gathers up the party and addresses them, "Another day, another task for my favorite biters."
"A shipment of fine wine I placed a few weeks ago has finally come into port, I want you all to get down there and secure it and make sure Zlincher doesn't try anything like he has been."
"The ports belong to Croat and he'll know whatever is coming in to dock, if he tells Zlincher that fine wine is coming in, he's taking it if he can."
"Laurer picked up another military man, a Dwarf, goes by Gramlag, take him along with you. Might be useful to have around."
Ternock is as always hiding in the rafters above, when Saul gets the party together. Ternock will make his way to the meeting place and take a spot on Volks shoulder. After hearing the mention of "fine wine" Ternock smiles a toothy smile.
After Saul has finished speaking, Ternock will inquire.
So is the fine wine for personal use... Or is their a chance that we may have a taste? I do have a interest in the finer side of things.
Shade gives saul a salute of sorts (basically two fingers to her temple) and says no problem, boss. Wine coming up
The aforementioned dwarf at that time makes his entrance and the group can clearly see military man was a good term for the dwarf. apparently having been informed of the nature of the mission he came ready for any trouble armour donned and weapons in easy reach, he possessed a dwarven waraxe as one would expect as well as a warhammer for when blunt force was needed, a bow and quiver was strapped to his back as well as a backpack filled with various supplies, but the strikingly odd thing about this dwarf is that in his hands he carries a pair of spiked heavy shields instead of a standard weapon as one would expect.
Gramlag approaches the people who had just finished their breakfast and gives a brief bow before introducing himself "Greetings folks, me name be Gramlag as i heard my name mentioned, Ive been in town looking for work and I understand some muscle could be of use today. Im ready and willin to go, just after i get the pleasure of an introduction from those who I will be joinin. Its always good to know who you may be bashing heads in with, names are so much better than "hey you, watch out!"" he said with a brief chuckle afterwords, he looks to his new companions and with a smile has his ears open.
Volk is surprised but maybe it is something he would simply not be aware of. Did dragons always change eyecolor? They wee magical beasts, this one in particular had the ability to speak in our minds no less. So perhaps he was not one of qualification to question it.
When Ternock landed on his shoulder Volk was somewhat weighed down, but he wouldn't let the creature know, it was rude and Volk saw it as a kind gesture.. at least he thought it was. As Saul relayed his order for today as his new 'Biter's' Volk looked to Shade and mimicked her stance, saying the same phrase.. but in Halfling. He had picked up quick on the language from their talks it seemed.
This eventually came down to the Dwarf which, was not like Laurer at all so he intrigued the gaunt man. Rough and Ready are what first came to mind. Many other possible intricate introductions came to Volk's mind on how to respond but what fell out of his lips were, " I'm Volk, your Short... and spiky.. Gramlag "
Strigala went to bed immediately after turning the guy over to Saul. She didn't feel well with herself, and didn't want to stick around and know more. The next day, a bit of bad sleeping caused by rather dark dreams (aided by the spirits that haunt her adding sounds outside of dreams) and the half-bottle of "sleep medication" she took from the bar to help forget what had happened makes her look more than a little hung over. She's quietly sipping on a drink after breakfast, contemplating what Saul has said, when the dwarf walks in.
For about two minutes, she stares at Gramlag, almost convinced she fell asleep again and that she was having a really realistic dream. And then her eyes widen in completely surprise as she realizes that he's real. She then sets her drink down on her left side and extends a hand.
"Welcome!" she announces, only to wince as her own enthusiasm does not agree with the pounding in her head. "Um, welcome. I'm Strigala. I hope you heard good things about us. And not some of the nastier rumors that are probably flying right now. You know how people make things up and gossip."
Unless that rumor is that we torture people. That one's entirely true. Maybe I should have joined the Dawndaisies after all...
Her eyes then turn to Saul. "If we catch him in the act, is it okay if we stuff him in a crate and ship him to Cheliax?"
She then picks up her drink from her right side and begins to sip on it.
After the party introduces themselves they head out from the Gold Goblin over to Porthaven, Croat's side of town.
Most people on the street steer clear of the group as the go and they reach the docks with little incident.
Upon arrival though, you can already see that a group of people have gathered around the newly arrived ship and are unloading the crates of wine, they appear to be lead by a gaunt old warrior, you'd not be surprised to learn this was Gabsen's father their appearance and demeanor is so similar.
Volk looks at the Wine, then the men, then the Boat.. then the Wine and men. " They are stealing our shipment. Shouldn't we stop that? Also is that Gabsen's father? "
He surveys the scene, there being men with armor and shields unlike the Heist or previous attacks. Surely this was due to Saul's enemies. There was even one with a bow, he knew that him and the older man might be the threats of the group. Range is king.
" Drop those, they are for Saul not you! "
The Void's flames danced upon his back and hands
As soon as Volk announces the group as belonging to Saul the Archer turns and pulls a shot at him. But Volk intercepts it with his wall.
When the archer fires a rift opens up in space and creates a purple translucent sheet of viscous energy that eats the arrow, swirls in upon itself and disappears.
Volk looks to the group " I will try and handle the defense of our group as best I can.. I think we should advance though. " Dark flames dance once more upon his hands as he advances and takes a stance against the raiders.
The Archer pulls two shots on Volk in retaliation.
The first shot while true is absorbed by Volk's strange wall.
But the second finds its mark in Volk's thigh.
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Strigala sighs as soon as she sees the archer firing after Volk's announcement. Nothing ever goes smooth...
She begins to move up, hands already moving and mouth already muttering as she calls upon the power she learned from studying the ghosts. As she chants, she can feel the power moving through her and how the spirits haunting her begin to swirl and move in anticipation. As soon as the spell completes, the spirits charge towards the nearest thug, manifesting as those screaming spheres of darkness with those monstrous red glowing eyes and gnashing teeth, gazing at the man in utter hunger.
"You seriously are messing around with hauntings?" she announces to the thugs in disgust. "Seriously? No one told you?"
And the mind games have begun!
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Objects take half damage from ranged weapons (unless the weapon is a siege engine or something similar). Divide the damage dealt by 2 before applying the object's hardness.
Lilica had ensured that she made up for a late delivery of service for Nicar. Of course, he probably didn't wholly realize that she was merely intensifying her normal paid experience, but his loss there. The activity lead to a peaceful night's sleep, quite possibly the most comfortable Lilica had in some time.
The next morning would see Lilica coming out for the morning meeting in a lazy, half-asleep way. In all honesty, it was like watching a cat walking around a home. What would be noticeable for everyone involved was that she was half-dressed as well, and apparently not bothered by this. She would listen to Saul while he gave them another duty, nodding her agreement as she ate. She didn't pay Gramalag much mind, doing nothing more than mumbling her name when the Dwarf asked for it.
The somewhat lazy attitude would continue until they reached the docks, and saw the men stealing the wine. Her eyes would light up with glee, much like they did whenever violence seemed imminent. She quickly spoke a prayer to the Midnight Lord in the elven tongue, relishing the feeling as a holy fervor gripped her soul. Then she would pull out her chain, moving in front of Volk as she did so.
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Seeing some men looking throught the wine on the ship put gramlag on edge so when the archer amoung them opened fire on volk gramlag jumped to order. "hardly employed one day and people seem to be attacking us, gunna be one of those jobs it seems..." Gramlag muttered to himself
in a louder tone "lets crack some heads folks seems we have work to do" As gramlag says this he moves up to the front lines to protect his new companions unable to reach an opponent due to his shorter legs he gets to the front and readys himself to swing his shield at any foe that approces "stick behind me, ill see to it that more of their blood end up on the ground than ours!"
The old guard shouts out to those around them.
"Hit them where it hurts boys, team up and take em down."
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Welcome Lil'Beard, my name is Ternock The little dragon gleefully says and puffs up his chest. I hope you are good at fighting because I got this feeling theres gonna be some flowing red liquid later.
Later, before the party reaches the docks. Ternock will take flight for a better vantage point. Still within range to speak telepathically to the others. As the party notices the theiving. Ternock will breath deep and let loose a bursting roar on the group of four in the back.
Sound Burst: Fort Save DC13
Seeing the men stealing the shipment, Kertria quickly pulls her blade free. "If you know what is good for you, and you care for your lives, drop that shipment now!"
The old guard calls out to his men.
"Ein, Baurter, and Collins take down the flying rat before he busts up our wine."
Stepping forwards to the end of the dock the three draw Javelins and let loose against Ternock.
Ternock is hit multiple times by the Spears but is able to push through and keep conscious.
The other three step up and surround Gramlag against the piers edge.
Two fail to hit their mark as Gramlag deflect them with his shield, but the one from behind strikes true.
using my readied attack on the first guy that would have come in range
readied attack roll
damage roll
i think if they move to surround i would also get an attack of opp so rolling that for in case
attack of opp
damage
Volk sees that his plan is mitigating losses and adjusts himself to allow access to the scope of the fight and gain the ability to prevent damage. He readies another shield to block the next enemie's attack against himself or an ally, while allowing Kertria and Lilica after the men.
Shade steps away and casts mage armor
Strigala cursed as Ternock is shot at and looked at the guards around the dwarf, this time calling upon the very same magic, her eyes glowing with an evil power and the very air around her taking on an air of darkness as she calls upon the spirits once more, this time aimed at a thug to the right..
Then, in Draconic, she promptly calls out, "Ternock, get behind something! Fly, you fool!"
Then, she looks to the archer, grinning and calling out in Taldane.
"Nice bow, child! But too afraid of people who can block your arrows to aim at us? Just because your mother is your sister doesn't mean you have to be such of a coward!"
Yep. Real smart. Draw the attention of bow guy by implying his family tree is recursive. Ternock, if you die, I am skinning your corpse and turning you into a pair of shoes and then going on a mud stomping spree.
Gramlag finds himself assailed my many foes on all sides now, no fear in his heart though he presses on and fight back against the foes around him
gramlag swings his shields hard hoping to put one of these guys down but these men seem to know what they are doing and gramlag fails land a single blow and takes a few steps away from his foes as to ensure he isnt surrounded
edit
The Old Guard runs up to the piers edge, drawing a javelin as he does so and lets it fly against Ternock.
The javelin catches Ternock under the wing and he plummets into the ocean unconscious.
Was at work, sorry. Checking map now!
Growling now at how they had not listened, Kertria takes a step forward, Swinging her sword down at the fool before her.
But in her anger, she misses. Calm yourself, Kertria, lest your anger over takes you! Anger leads to dark paths...