The locals' fear of the Red Jills seemed to be so much that manners were being cast aside. Lubella left payment for her meal on the table, before leaving the inn. As they walked back to the river, she said, "That was a bit disappointing after our earlier success. We're no further ahead towards countering the rogue gang."
Lubella wondered why there were so many dottari on the bridge that evening. It seemed like an odd response to the mission at the salt works, especially considering the non-existent body count. She kept her eyes and ears open as she crossed the bridge.
The lack of results at the tavern was disappointing, but the locals' reaction strengthened his conviction that this matter needed to be taken care of, and quickly.
The Spiders...? Hm.
The reaction to their raid was not unexpected, but it was a hindrance. Talvek tries to look like an entirely upstanding citizen as he covertly observes his surroundings.
None of the four of you notice anything out of the ordinary while crossing the bridge. As you take one of your usual side paths after the bridge to avoid the checkpoints, Talvek thinks he noticed someone following your group, but then lost them in the shadows.
Just as he was about to say something, the entire alley goes dark.
His first impulse is to reach out and grab his friends, so that they do not become separated, pulling them down as he crouches low and seeks cover.
"Shhh. Be quiet and stay low. I think we were being followed and this is now an ambush."
With his thumb, he flips open the flap of a belt pocket, extracting the vial there and downing its contents.
As Talvek tries to keep the party together in the sudden darkness, you hear a voice call out from ahead while Talvek pulls a potion from his belt pocket and readies to drink it.
You four have been asking alot of questions. Too many questions some would say.
Fortunately, we are here to teach you a lesson about what happens to people who don't know how to mind their own business. FIRE!
You hear the click of a pair of crossbows firing into your darkness.
On Talvek for
On Arcos for
But the crossbows both misfire.
BLASTED JUNK!!! as the bows are thrown down in disgust.
=== Round 1 ===
14+ Arcos(dark), Lubella(dark), Aldren(dark), Talvek(potion?)
14- Red(), Orange(), Pink(), Purple()
Lubella drew her scimitar and cast a light spell on the blade. "Glorious Dawnflower, let the light of truth banish the darkness!"
"Well, that's just rude. No foreplay and already the sheet's pulled over my head. I can't see a thing."
Aldren takes a quick step into cover against one set of their attackers while casting Murderous Command on one in the opposite direction . He then follows-up with calling for an image of himself, making it appear as if there are two of him.
Aldren moves at half-speed into a position of cover, drawing his heavy mace as he does so, then casts light on the weapon.
Copycat is a trickery domain ability I can use as a move action. I'd forgotten it was a move action so hadn't used it until now.
Arcos pulls out his bow, readying to take a shot at an enemy if one becomes visible.
Lubella cast light, but it is not powerful enough to counter the magical darkness and she, Aldren and Arcos still cannot see their hands before their faces.
Arcos pulls out his bow and readies to shoot, but has no target at this point.
Aldren moves slowly despite the darkness, drawing his mace and casts light on his weapon as well. This provides no immediate remedy to the darkness blinding the group.
Lubella said anxiously, "I still can't see a thing! Can anyone tell the extent of the darkness?". She didn't want to address Talvek by name and give away his identity.
Talvek stands with his potion in hand, which may not provide as much aid now. He sees his allies stumbling in the dark as foes press forward on both sides...
Cursing, Talvek puts the vial back in its pocket as he directs the others in whispers. "Arcos, Lubella, if you move to your left and a little behind you can find some cover. There are two ahead us and two behind. Behind us is the shortest way out of the darkness."
He takes out his own bow and dives for cover next to Aldren as he nocks an arrow.
As Talvek calls out to the others in the dark, the pairs of cloaked figures advance into the darkness. Closing in on the party with blades drawn, two strike with their blades.
You should have kept your noses out of our business.
On Arcos for
The Blue Warlock is nearly skewered by the precise strike
And you need to stop yappin'!
On Talvek for
A small scratch on Talvek, while the other two miss due to cover of the alley buildings.
On Lubella for
On Aldren for
=== Round 2 ===
14+ Arcos(dark,-10), Lubella(dark), Aldren(dark), Talvek(bow, -2)
14- Red(), Orange(), Pink(), Purple()
Lubella struck back at her assailant, telling him, "Your gang is getting real well known; your behavior attracts attention!"
Talvek feels caught on the back foot, scrambling to react to what their assailants were doing. First he had been too slow with the potion, now he had drawn his bow expecting them to continue to attack from a distance, but now they had closed in with blades! Cursing again, he drops his bow and draws his rapier, targeting the thug who had hurt Arcos.
"We ain't garn ter stand aside while ya 'urt innocent people." Talvek growls, falling into the Nursery accent with ease.
Aldren's armor deflects the hammer blow of the ruffian's shortsword but the shock of it resonates. If they make it through my armor, I won't survive more than a couple of those. I can't see, but they can...
He calls forth an illusory duplicate of himself, hoping to confound his attackers, then swings his mace wildly in what he believes is their direction. "Really, this is a dreadful misunderstanding, but if you insist."
Lubella swings wildly, but slams her blade into the corner wall rather than at the foe she suspects adjacent to her.
Talvek drops his bow, pulls his rapier and pierces the shoulder of the cloaked figure who struck Arcos.
His blade is fast but not quite enough to finish off the villain, just missing his exposed neck.
Uhhhhhg! Curse you! he cries as Talvek draws blood.
The now duplicated Aldren likewise twirls his morning star but fails to hit any target.
Arcos, feeling the blood from his wound, decides to try to cast defensively to help protect from the two flanking him.
casting shield.
Lubella swung at the gang member next to her. "Is this really what you want to be doing for a living?", she asked him or her.
Red On Arcos for
Pink On Talvek for
Arco's shield protects him from being skewered.
Purple On Lubella for
On Aldren for
=real=1
Aldren is the only one violently slashed by a sword this time around. But his image supposedly remains intact.
=== Round 3 ===
Lubella(dark),14+ Arcos(dark,shd, -10), Aldren(dark,-8), Talvek(-2)
14- Red(-8), Orange(), Pink(-7), Purple()
Lubella counter strikes at her opponent and this time makes a solid connection.
This was really a bad position to be in, his companions blind and the thugs surrounding them. Gritting his teeth, Talvek parries the attack headed his way.
He then continues his assault on his initial target, hoping to give Arcos some space to maneuver. Feinting low and lunging high, he grits his teeth as he attempts in earnest to skewer the man. This was not the saltworks, and deadly force was in the cards as far as he was concerned.
Talvek, sensing it is up to him to protect his allies, parries one of the blades and his riposte takes down the assailant with a perfect stab to the throat. The body drops lifeless to the ground.
His return stroke is almost as perfect, but not quite, but still draws a line of blood in the dark and takes down the other flanking poor Arcos.
=== Round 3 (cont)===
14+ Lubella(dark), Talvek(-2), Arcos(dark,shd, -10), Aldren(dark,-8)
14- Red(prone, bleeding), Orange(), Pink(dead), Purple()
Arcos yells out at one of the assailants, "I'm glad I can't see anything in this accursed darkness, better than having to stare at your ugly mug!"
With the initial bad luck with crossbows and now the dropping of the two of their fellows within seconds, the two remaining apparently are wondering if they should rethink their future.
Aldren waits (delays) to hear any response before reacting.
Ok, that does it. I am out of here. followed by Blast this, I ain't getting paid enough to get killed.
Both of the remaining cloaked figures rapidly withdraw away from the party, leaving their comrades prone and worse on the alley ground in the strange darkness.
It may be true, 'there is no honor among thieves'
=== Round 4===
14+ Lubella(dark), Talvek(-2), Arcos(dark,shd, -10), Aldren(dark,-8)
14- Red(prone, bleeding), Orange(), Pink(dead), Purple()
Lubella asked, "Are they gone? " She felt around her for fallen enemies.
"Is this one alive? I want to question them to find out where they have their headquarters."
Talvek didn't want to let them get away, but chasing after them with weapons drawn was likely to get the attention of the dottari. He trusts that the message has been clear - their group wasn't easy prey. Of course, this only meant that the next time their foes will be better prepared and come at them with greater strength. and speaking of, how had they managed to darken the alley like that?
"Here, this one is still breathing, if barely." He guides Lubella's questing hands towards the thug currently bleeding out on the ground.
Aldren shakes off his befuddlement from the sudden attack and departure. As the darkness lifts, he looks about to see evidence of Talvek's handiwork about them. Flicking his hand to send a fan of blood onto the wall, then realizing its his own blood, the half-elf says, "Handsome and deadly. Always a nice combination. I..." He pauses, bracing himself against the wall from the blood loss, then says, "Let's not do this again, hmm? And don't waste your spell, Lubella. If you insist on healing him for questioning, I may as well heal all of us."
"Ah... that's better." Wounds begin to close and heal, and Aldren takes to drawing with his own blood on the deceased one's forehead. The end result is something vaguely resembling a three sharp objects radiating out from a central point, not entirely unlike the holy symbol of his faith.
The two are left to flee while their remaining fallen ally is bound and everyone healed.
Eventually the darkness dissipates and the scene unfolds for those without the gift of darkvision. You have a pair of red-cloaked tieflings...a couple of loners Talvek may recognize from the Nursery, but does not know their names. They did not fit the model and were thought to have left Kintargo.
The body will soon attract attention, even in this narrow alley. Each had the red cloak, short sword, light crossbow, 5 bolts and studded leather armor but not much else.
Lubella looked around to see if anyone had observed them.
She consulted with the team (in a low voice so the captive couldn't overhear), "We'd better hide the body; after dark, we can come back and take it to the river. Can someone please take our new 'friend' around the corner while I conceal the corpse?"
She dragged the body behind some crates and hid it the best she could.
Lubella does not see anyone within 40' of the group and no windows or open doors are on this particular alley. People can be spotted on the more busy avenues.
The small halfling woman struggles but is able to drag the body behind some crates near a building to hide it. She begins working on covering it up, realizing it will take awhile.
The other captive tiefling just stares anxiously as he sees his buddy dragged and covered in garbage.
Talvek guides the live tiefling around the corner to allow Lubella to hide the body. His angry expression leaves no doubt that, should their prisoner be uncooperative, the full weight of Talvek's wrath will be visited upon him.
"Ya dun messed up, son. Either way ya turn, you're done for. We take ya ter the chuffin' dottari, you're brahn bread. We turn ya ter the good people of the 'ursery, they ain't gonna be chuffed either. But if ya work wif us instead and 'elp us brin' the jills dahn, there's still a chance for ya ter be moseyin' outta this."
I am working for the Red Jills. You should know, you've done made enemies all us Jills and Scarplume. You messed up real good and should let me go.
With Talvek's tough glare, he caves.
Guess, it don't matter now. If you want to apologize like, our Red Jills keep a hideout on the eastern slopes of Temple Hill. You know where the Humbright House is or was? It was once that small orphanage and shrine to that pest of a god, Aroden.
He smiles.
But I am sure if you go there, Scarplume...she will accept your apology or yer heads.
After Lubella finished hiding the body, she rejoined the rest of the party. After consulting with Talvek for a moment, she said to the Red Jills gang member, "You're lucky to be alive, my friend. You could have died in that alley this evening, but now you have a new chance at life — use it well!
"I'm not sure if you want my advice, but my suggestion would be to lie low for a few days. Scarplume has made enemies, and it's often the foot-soldiers that pay for the mistakes of the generals.
"Long-term, why not give up gang life and settle down? You don't see many old gang members around, do you? You either get out while you can, or one day you end up as the guest of honor at your own funeral."
While the others talk, Aldren casually kneels down next to the defeated gang member and pulls out his bottle of rum. He takes a swig, then offers it to the tiefling. "Was that you who cut me, or someone else? It was a good one. Life flashed before my eyes. Not the kind of sensory experience I tend to prefer, but... I respect a good job. Want a drink?"
Whatever the answer, he continues, "Why is Scarplume making trouble for the people? All we wanted to do was meet, exchange pleasantries, maybe even help one another out. And yet, now we're enemies? I don't get it."
The tiefling takes the offer of the rum, but does not seem overly impressed with Lubella's plea.
We are enemies since you were asking questions you should not be. We don't want people in our business. Especially not people who might get the Dottari involved. We like our setup and wants to keep it that way.
Eyes glaze over with a big smile towards Aldren
Hi pal! Where were we? The Red Jills are a loosely organized band of thieves led by a mysterious figure whom few of our gang can admit to having met. In fact, they say she is one of them winged creatures. I don't really know. But her name is Scarplume and she runs the Jills tight as a drum.
The Red Jills gang member didn't seem moved by her words, so Lubella waited to see how Aldren would make out. When she saw that his charm spell seemed to have worked, she discreetly cast a message spell so she could offer suggestions without being overheard.
"Nicely done, Aldren!", she whispered to the half-elf. "It sounds like he might not be able to tell us much about Scarplume, but maybe you could manipulate him into giving away something useful about their headquarters?"
Aldren returns the suddenly friendly demeanor with a lazy smile of his own. 'Pal.' You're not his type. Keep it platonic and friendly.
"Hey, bud. Sorry about that earlier misunderstanding. No hard feelings, yeah? Let's say we want to go apologize to Scarplume or even join up... I know we done ruffled some feathers, so is there a secret way in that if we take folks aren't as likely to cut our necks? And if we have to bring a payment to smooth things over, how many Jills are that we'd have to pay off?"
Well, I wish I knew of a secret way into the lair. Flying would make it much easier. he pauses, thinking.
The first floors of both the church and orphanage buildings have been gutted but good. Nobody in there.
A rickety ladder on the ground floor of the church leads to a trap door in the ceiling to Scarplume. Don't waste time looking cuz the orphanage’s stairs collapsed years ago they said.
Lubella whispered, "That's good to know! Maybe we can catch Scarplume napping!"
So the day is pushing towards late afternoon as the party decides what to do with the thug and his friendly discourse to Aldren on Scarplume and the Jills.
Lubella felt they shouldn't hang around here too long; it was time to get back to the Wasp's Nest. She whispered to Aldren, "Perhaps it's time to send your new friend on his way. I think it's best to encourage him not to look for the body of the other Red Jill."
Aldren tries to send his new friend back.
Oh please, I want to go with you. I never knew anyone who would listen to me. I am sure I could get you a job in the Jills. What did you say your name was again?
I will put in a good word for you. Where do you live? Can I see your home? Is it close by?
Lubella whispered to Aldren, "I don't think we want your puppy following us home."
Aldren smiles at the gang member and doesn't immediately respond to Lubella's suggestion that he be sent on his way. He mulls something over for several seconds, glancing at Lubella, then back at the gang member. "I tell you what, my friend... I have another engagement at the moment. We were on our way when we ran into you. But let your friends know we don't have to be enemies, okay? And we'll see you again soon."
If the gang member is still tied up, Aldren will untie him.
The gang member smiles fondly at Aldren as he unties him.
Oh, I will definitely be putting in a good word for...you.
As he tries to shake Aldren's hand before departing, Lubella can detect a sneer when he looks towards her or Talvek.
Winding through the alleys and back into the main avenues near Longroads, you reach the coffee shop without further incident.
Laria greets you as her early evening customers are just starting to arrive.
Welcome friends! Please come share the story or two of your day over a cup of coffee. She winks at you when none of the other patrons are watching or nearby.
"That was some great work, Aldren, we got a lot of info from your 'friend' there" Talvek says as soon as they are rid of the charmed thug.
"You have such a way with people!" the tiefling continues, smiling with admiration.
As they return to the coffeehouse, Talvek waits for a private moment before updating Laria on their latest misadventures. "Well, our ruin-delving expedition went alright, I suppose, we recovered some items from there. But when we started inquiring about some local disturbances, we were met with violence. But it's alright, we have some solid leads on this gang now, so we can start planning on how to deal with them."
Once they are all gathered in the Wasp's Nest, bellies full of coffee and food, he starts laying their metaphorical cards on the table. "Alright, so what we know so far." He counts the facts off on his fingers. "One, the Red Jill hideout is in Humbright House, on the eastern side of Temple Hill. Two, their leader is a mysterious figure called Scarplume, possibly a winged creature. Three, the Jills maintain a presence on the upper floors of the orphanage and the church, as the ground floors have been gutted out. Four, there's a ladder from the upper floor of the church to where Scarplume dwells." he looks to the others, four fingers held up. "Am I missing anything? Any thoughts on how to approach this? I'm thinking sneak in through the orphanage and try to take them unawares."
The half-elf grins -- half in pleasure and half in mischief -- at Talvek's praise. "Thanks, Talvek. It's a living." He chuckles a little at his own joke, but says nothing else on the topic while in the street.
Later that night, he eschews the coffee, opting instead for water over dinner following by sips of absinthe afterward. "As was plain during our foray at the salt works, climbing isn't much a forte of mine. Which means the ladder, at least for me, which is likely guarded." He takes another sip of the spirit, thinking. "This Scarplume clearly has decided we're enemies, but I'm not convinced we couldn't sway some members of the gang to our side. Having folks unafraid of violence on our side -- and familiar with skirting the law -- could be to our advantage. But... we probably need to deal with Scarplume first and if he, or she, is in the church, I think that's where we try to go and see if we can't clip this little bird's wings afore pushing him out the window."
Lubella wondered what abilities the Red Jill leader Scarplume might have. She tried to remember what she had heard about winged humanoids.
Once they got back to the Long Roads Coffeehouse, she updated Laria on the day's adventures, from the exploration of the Silver Star ruins to the ambush in the alley on the way home. "I hid the body of the dead Red Jill in the alley. We should probably go back tonight and dispose of it in the river. Too many dead bodies in the streets is likely to result in increased vigilance by the dottari, and we don't want that."
As they discussed their plans over dinner, she said, "I think we need to get something to overcome whatever magical darkness they were using. I think it's possible to buy something with a permanent light spell cast on it, which might do the trick.
"The next question is when to mount our operation. Given that at least some of the gang member can see in the dark, I'm not sure that a night attack make sense."
Lubella is able to ask a couple questions, and Rexus between studies, chimes in to confirm what you already gleaned from Aldren's friend.
The Red Jills you say? Aye, that is a dangerous bunch.
They supposedly keep a hideout somewhere on the eastern slopes of Temple Hill. But they do not trust outsiders any more than they trust the Thune or his minions.
They say they have a special hatred for humans.
Rexus returns to his studies, muttering something about being close to another breakthrough.
Laria seems more interested in the ruins of the Silver Star and the note from Julessa about the flowers.
What do you suppose this means? The Rose of Kintargo. So it seems you are starting to make a name for yourselves in the City.
With both good and bad elements at the same time.
She sits for a bit, rubbing her chin, which she does when she is thinking hard.
The evening passes uneventfully, with no special activities from the Wasps Nest. The teams seem to be resuming their activities, but have nothing to report on status just yet.
The morning comes with overcast skies and a soaking rain.
Lubella discussed how to get rid of the body they'd left in the alley.
"I'm thinking we could dump the body in the river near the Thrashing Badger. I'll scout out the area just before it gets dark, and check that the body hasn't been discovered. Then, we'll meet up a few blocks away and retrieve the body after it's dark. I"ll cast a message spell and go first, so I can warn you guys of any problems.
"Does that sound reasonable?"