"Maybe I should buy a green shirt next time I have some spare coin."
"I've always liked you in green, matches your eye," Ten Foot agrees.
The guard looks at the foaming tankard and smiles.
"Very neighborly of you."
He takes the proferred mug and drains it expertly. He hands the tankard back to Ten and wipes his mouth with one large hand.
"You a priest of Two Rabbit?"
Egan frowns slightly at the purchase and use of a wild creature for the convenience of humans, but keeps his silence. At least Jolessa will take care of the beast and not tire of it and turn it loose on the streets. Most of these have no idea how to survive in the wild now anyway. Still its captivity bothers him as does any captured wild beast.
He decides to keep silent and let those more comfortable with civilization handle the entrance to this spooky place. For some reason the "captured" humans here don't bother him as much as the captured dino-pets. In the wild those who don't fit in usually don't survive.
Joleesa stops for a minute as the man moves past the group. She waves the others on and quickly makes a purchase.
When she returns to the group, a small flying lizard with a glowing tail is perched on her shoulder.
"Cute. I used to know a sailor who had one of those. It hated me. You'd be surprised how sharp those things' teeth are."
Tobias edges away slightly from the lizard.
The green-feathered flyer on Joleesa's shoulder flaps its wings and hisses at Tobias, its long forked tongue lashing back and forth.
DM/Iz
If he doesn't see them, he'll quietly say to Izkrael, "I don't see the three anymore. You?"
Does Sanvoros recognize the man at the gate at all? Would the poor state of the Order's symbol on his breastplate indicate anything (i.e. kicked out, retired, etc.)?
"You a priest of Two Rabbit?"
"Ah brother, that I am, his hand guides me, usually in the direction of the bar or a bloodied nose," he smiles broadly.
"It has its perks," he offers the tankard again while saying a short prayer, it is once more full to the top, "another?"
DM/Iz
** spoiler omitted **Does Sanvoros recognize the man at the gate at all? Would the poor state of the Order's symbol on his breastplate indicate anything (i.e. kicked out, retired, etc.)?
"You a priest of Two Rabbit?""Ah brother, that I am, his hand guides me, usually in the direction of the bar or a bloodied nose," he smiles broadly.
"It has its perks," he offers the tankard again while saying a short prayer, it is once more full to the top, "another?"
The large man shakes his head regretfully
"Thanks but no. I don't want the Sisters thinking I am a sot."
The man looks at Seven Eagle.
"Who was the inmate you wanted to see?"
San/Iz:
Seven Eagle looks to the painting he found and reads the man's name aloud, "He is an artist is name is Lovthian Howe, it would be very apreciated if this could be accomodated soon" Seven Eagle again looks around nervously
"He is an artist, his name is Lovthian Howe.
Izkrael greets the guard with a common salutation amongst those of the order.
"May the Serpent's wings shelter you, and may your blades be his fangs. Myself and Sanvoros here serve the Order also. If it is alright with you, we will stay down here with you. We need to discuss some things with you. You as well Ten-Foot, it's pretty important. The rest of you should head on up though."
The guard returns Iz's salutation
"May His shadow fall upon you in times of need." He intones, making the infinity symbol on his chest as he speaks.
He turns to the nervous Seven Eagle.
"Lovethian Howe? Must be a quiet feller, haven't had to deal with him. Go ahead in and talk to Sister Three Diamond. She'll be in the foyer at this time of day. She'll get you to this Howe."
The guard unlocks the gate and allows the party in. He turns to Iz, San and Ten.
"If you want to stay out here, be my guest. Awful hot out here though, an' my little guard shack only fits me, an' that not to well."
The guard laughs and grabs his leather flask. He takes a long pull from it, and the smell of fresh sugarcane juice comes from the battered skin.
"You as well Ten-Foot, it's pretty important. The rest of you should head on up though."
"Aye Brother," Ten Foot nods his agreement, happy to have an excuse not to enter the sanatorium, "what's on your mind?
He offers the tankard around, once more filled with cool clear water.
He watches as the others head towards the building, "I wonder how many of them they will try and lock up?" he grins.
Sanvoros turns to Ten and says, "We've been followed here. By at least three roughs. When we got to the gate, they ducked into a shop, but they're back there (don't look!)"
"How did you want to handle this, Iz?"
"It is best to nip these things in the bud, let's go and smash there faces in!" is Ten's idea, "before they realise we might be onto a good thing and hire some more muscle of their own." He grins and hefts his great-axe.
"It is best to nip these things in the bud, let's go and smash there faces in!" is Ten's idea, "before they realise we might be onto a good thing and hire some more muscle of their own." He grins and hefts his great-axe.
"Ordinarily, I might agree with you. Except that wouldn't allow us to question them, to find out why they're following us.
"As Izkrael suggested, the three of us can proceed to the door of the building, walk in, then watch outside. The guard here can let them in, then when they are halfway, we come out and the guard comes up from the rear, trapping them. Shall we try this?"
"Sounds like a good plan, unless they don't come in, they might just wait for us to leave and follow us again."
"If they do come through the gates give me a few moments to call on my patron to boost our prowess."
(OOC:What does the inside of the gates look like? Is there somewhere near the gates where a person or two could hide from someone walking up to the gates, and for a bit as they came through them? Other hiding places?)
(Ten: me too earlier, didn't catch it in time to fix it :( )
"Sounds like a good plan, unless they don't come in, they might just wait for us to leave and follow us again."
"If they do come through the gates give me a few moments to call on my patron to boost our prowess."
"Hmm..."
Vilya looks Ten up and down, the gears turning in her mind.
"You sure you don't want me to take them out instead?"
The gate guard is looking a little alarmed by the tone of the conversation.
"Umm no offense folks, but I can't be having you hang around here plotting ambushes and fighting this gang war thing out. I'm going to have to ask you all to either wait outside or go inside to talk to the Sisters."
The gate guard is looking a little alarmed by the tone of the conversation.
"Umm no offense folks, but I can't be having you hang around here plotting ambushes and fighting this gang war thing out. I'm going to have to ask you all to either wait outside or go inside to talk to the Sisters."
"You have a problem with this?"
Vilya puts on her best *innocent* face.
"You have a problem with this?"
Vilya puts on her best *innocent* face.
"Well, you only threatened to kill several people that may or may not be following us. Why, I can't see a thing he could have a problem with."
Tobias begins striding towards the entrance to the sanitarium.
"So, are any of you going to come with me into this den of madness?"
"So, are any of you going to come with me into this den of madness?"
"Yeah, lets go. We can deal with that when it arises. For now lets just get this information and get out of here, this place gives me the creeps."
She follows Tobias inside and turns at the door to make sure the others are following, calling out to Izkreal and Sanvoros, "if you two want to stay out here and keep a watch that's fine but no killing on the Sanatarium Grounds unless you are provoked please."
Tobias starts to walk up the moss-grown flagstoned path to the Broken House's front door. Joleesa follows him. The guard looks at the others.
"If you are worried about these folks I can try and keep them out, but this is a public building. I don't want any trouble."
The large man fidgets and rubs his neck, close to the copper dinosaur pommel.
"Sir, I do not wish any trouble either. At the same time though, I intend to make sure that these three mean no trouble for my companions and myself." Izkrael reassures the guard. "I merely want to question them, but from a advantageous position. If it seems a fight is to break out, we will take it off of the premesis as quickly as possible, although I intend to do everything I can to keep it from coming to a fight. I do not like to turn my blades upon men."
"I'll stay here JoJo," Ten calls after her, turning to the guard he adds, "Aye brother, life is not cheep, I have no urge to kill these men, but a good natured fist fight is another matter, we will take it off the grounds if it comes to that."
Ten tries to grin reassuringly, but it looks more like a growl.
Diplomacy check. (1d20+5=6)
The gate guard relaxes a bit, taking his hand away from his neck.
"Like I said before, I don't want any trouble. You want to talk to these folks, that's fine. My job is to keep the inmates in, not referee a brawl. You need to talk with these folks about anything not to do with the sanitarium I suggest you do it outside the gates. You can wait inside to see if they come up here, but you talk to them outside when they walk up."
The guard crosses his massive tatooed arms and looks over the remaining party members impassively. He starts at Ten's fierce grin and frowns.
"No brawling on the sanitarium's property or you'll be sipping your ale through a bamboo shoot fellah." He says warningly, hand creeping back up to his neck.
Sanvoros remains impassive. He knows he doesn't have a way with words, so let's Izkrael do the talking. However, he does take Iz and Ten aside for a moment and says, "I saw the shop they ducked into. Maybe we just dispense with the subterfuge, and go right to them? When we're done 'talking', we can meet up with the others. We know who they're going to see, so it's a simple matter to find them."
Ten nods and grins, it is obvious he agrees with the idea of going and talking to them.
Egan pays no attention to the discussion about the men following them. Obviously if they are that easy to spot, they pose no real threat. He turns to enter the Sanitarium, eager to get this part of the party's plans over with and go on to the real adventure in the Jungle.
Ten nods and grins, it is obvious he agrees with the idea of going and talking to them.
Ten nods and grins, it is obvious he agrees with the idea of going and talking to them.
"Sooo... Where should I hide in case things end up in a bad way?"
|
Alright then. Let's go to the shop, see what our tails have to say."Izkrael says to Sanvoros and Ten-Foot. Turning to Vilya, he continues. "If you want, stay outside the shop, around the corner, and if things go badly, we will bring them outside for you. Though let me reiterate my earlier statement, we do not wish to fight, and we will not kill them if at all possible. Dead men cannot answer questions."
"Sorry to have concerned you, Brother. Continue with your noble service in Quetzacouatl's honor." he tells the guard at the gatehouse.
Alright then. Let's go to the shop, see what our tails have to say."Izkrael says to Sanvoros and Ten-Foot. Turning to Vilya, he continues. "If you want, stay outside the shop, around the corner, and if things go badly, we will bring them outside for you. Though let me reiterate my earlier statement, we do not wish to fight, and we will not kill them if at all possible. Dead men cannot answer questions."
Vilya nods, grinning.
Alright then. Let's go to the shop, see what our tails have to say."Izkrael says to Sanvoros and Ten-Foot. Turning to Vilya, he continues. "If you want, stay outside the shop, around the corner, and if things go badly, we will bring them outside for you. Though let me reiterate my earlier statement, we do not wish to fight, and we will not kill them if at all possible. Dead men cannot answer questions."
"Sorry to have concerned you, Brother. Continue with your noble service in Quetzacouatl's honor." he tells the guard at the gatehouse.
Ten replaces the leather hood on his great axe to show his agreement.
"Very well. Let's go." Sanvoros turns to the guard, "My apologies as well, brother. We will be back shortly."
"So, looks like us four are the only ones going in. Well, let's go meet Seven's mysterious madman."
Tobias then knocks on the door to the sanitarium.
"So, looks like us three are the only ones going in.
"I agree. Ten can handle himself well in a fight and I'm sure the other two are adept as well being members of the Order."
Joleesa turns to Seven Eagle. Maybe we," she points between Tobias and herself, "should do the talking. You can offer information if we ask you OK."
"You may" Seven Eagle supresses the urge to laugh. The people around Seven notice he is walking alot more taller and his stutter and scared act are gone, almost as if he had planned to play the role of weakling in need as to recruit some "Heroes" Suddenly, his demeanor is quite confident.
The gate guard relaxes a bit and allows the four going to the tavern nearby to exit. He swings the iron gate shut again.
"Take care of yourselves," He says.
The other half of the party advances up the walkway to the large crumbling manse. As they approach the main door a female priestess in a golden silkstalk robe embroidered with a beautiful couatl down the side appears. Her hair is restrained with a functional sun hat, the broad brim decorated with infinity symbols. She has a plain but honest face, with the high cheeks, straight black hair and bronze skin of a Zapatec. Her brown eyes turn to the four party members as she walks towards them.
"Greetings. Can I be of assistance?"
Meanwhile
The four that head to find their persuers walk along the muddy street towards the disreputable wineshop with the inventive name of The Port O'Call. The tavern is in a grimy building that has seen better years, and there are several unidentifiable stains along its sides that speak of a long time between cleanings. The entry is in shadow from the fierce sunlight, but a smell of sour wine and ale issues forth from it like a drunkard's breath.
"This place is a dive, but the beer is good," Ten comments as he gestures at the opening, "after you," he says quietly, trying to act as if these four have just decided to go for a beer to kill time while waiting for the others.
Inside, he waits a short while for his eyes to adjust and heads to the bar, waiting for his companions to point out our quarry. "Let's buy them a round of drinks," he suggests.
The darkened barroom is done up in bleached mahogany wood with various nautical items on the wall, all looking very grime encrusted. The smell of stale drink intensifies, along with an undernote of vomitus and excrement. Puddles of unidentifiable liquids star the floor at random intervals.
A splintery bar is helmed by a frowsy older lady, her clothing suitable for a woman half her age. Her greying dirty-blonde hair spills over her exposed freckled shoulders, framing her overly madeup face. Her yellowed bloodshot eyes track the companions as they enter, hands busy wiping a clay mug with a soiled rag.
The three bravos that had followed you all sit by the tavern's one window. The talk softly amongst themselves, absorbed in their conversation. One casts an eye towards the entering group, very casually, then returns his gaze to his comrades.
The rest of the bar is occupied by a few early-morning sots, a gaggle of berry heads giggling in the corner, and a peg-legged sailor at the bar with a flying jewel lizard on his shoulder smoking from a foul old scrimshaw pipe. The sailor's lizard chirps as the newcomers enter.
Ten Foot strides across the bar and greets the bar keep with a grin he orders a large pitcher of ale and 3 mugs to be sent over to the three roughnecks sitting near the table.
Before Ten orders them drinks, Sanvoros simply states, "Why beat around the bush? Let's just walk up and ask why they were following us. I'm not one for screwing around."
"I just think it will throw them off guard, that is all," replies Ten.
"Greetings. Can I be of assistance?"
"Yes, actually. We are here to speak to an artist being treated here. His name is Lovthian Howe. May we please speak with him?"