Bejis looks exasperated at going back to past issues. "What happened to the boy was unfortunate, but was it better if we didn't act? Our efforts kept him alive. And we also hindered the nobility in their hunt and slaughter of slaves."
"Right now, however, we need to focus on the future, our future. We need to create contingency plans for the Asmodean Knot. We are going to need to go into some unknown situations, and come back out as if we never did it and be socially presentable."
"The only reason we survived the play was that we had a healing wand and time to use it. The enlarging spell was useful, but can it be used in a tight hallway? What if we run into more Darkness spells, or poison, or complex magical traps? What happens if we are spotted?"
"I plan on buying a better Greatsword, but I can't afford a magical one. I should have about 1000 gold I can put towards increases our magical affects."
Asmodia inhales and nods. "I am willing to partially cover the costs of my enchantments in the future for you and Bloodless," she admits, "but I am also saving toward a suit of armor that will not inhibit my mobility. There are very few things worse than a healer who cannot keep up with her party."
As I mentioned before, I can craft a number of magical items, amulets, necklaces, boots, cloaks and the like. I can also infuse my wand with magic which I have done. Currently it functions as a Wand of Enlarge Person so that I can increase Bloodless and Bejis when necessary. Each time I use it, it will only last about a minute, but at a cost of less than 400 gold crowns, I can use Enlarge Person 50 times. While I do not yet know the spells, I believe that I should be able to figure out how to make belts and headbands which will increase the users strength, agility, intellect and other attributes. These are not cheap and you all should probably acquire armor first, but once we have a little more resources, a little more muscle will be beneficial fighting fiends from the pits of hell.
And Asmodia, while it is not cheap, I have seen armor made by the elves that is made from very light weight mithral. If you could find some of that, it would provide you with good protection and you should be able to wear it under your clothes so that it will not even be apparent that you are wearing it until someone strikes you and feels metal armor, not soft flesh, meet their blow.
If you do not have the resources for the armor at present, I can craft scrolls that create an invisible shield of armor around you. For about 13 crowns, I can make a scroll of mage armor that will last an hour, which should be more than enough time to get us through most encounters. While not perfect, the mage armor provides about the same protection as a chain shirt in my estimation. For two to four times this price, I can make the scroll so that the armor lasts as long as four hours.
"Presuming the League has an armorer and weaponsmith with discretion, I'll look to upgrade my own equipment with the eventual intent of getting them enchanted, though that will be some time. Once that and some incidental expenses are covered, I expect to have some extra coin that I can loan out."
Ah - I missed that while you do not have to have the Item Creation Feat to add powers to a bonded item, you still have to meet the level requirements for the Feat (Craft Wand requires Level 5) - will have to wait until next level then. I am CL4, but need level 5 for Craft Wands.
In that case nix the Wand. I would like to make the Cloak and a scroll of Enlarge Person(CL1). I have never figured out whether you can craft 1 or 4 scrolls in a day. They only take 2 hours each if under 250gp, but the rules limit you to 1 item per day. If I can make more than 1, please let me know.
So, here is my items then
Craft Cloak +1 - Spellcraft: <-- vs DC10
Scribe Scroll - Spellcraft: <-- vs DC6
While my CL is below the CL of the cloak, I meet all the crafting requirements which is CL 3x the bonus on the cloak.
As all of you tralve to the border of the cities dead sector where the tavern is located you gather all sorts of admirer's hanger's-on, suitors, and hopeful women in your wake. Some dissipate as you near the ruins and more walk away as you go into the Hellmaw Tavern.
You almost immediately regret it as you do so as Bloodless hisses with a sharp intake of breath at the sight of the crowd. Who in turn stare at you with a collective gaze of lion prides everywhere. This is a tiefling tavern. A quick inquiry with the bartender illicits a grunt from the ram horned and portly creature as he passes you a note.
To my friends.
Deepest apologies but circumstances have forced me to move to another tavern. Please meet me at the Hanging Lemure tavern as soon as possible.
Ailyn
As you turn to leave the bartender grunts and holds his arm out. "The mercenary woman said you'd pay me for holding the note."
You go to the next tavern losing more of your admirers as you get taken through a tour of the nastiest bars in Westcrown, including to one that seems to cater entirely to devils. Each one with an apology, a note, and a promise of an explanation. By the time you board a barge to high pier most people go away by sheer force of the bad neighborhoods you seem to be walking through.
You eventually enter a tavern that smells as bad as it looks. You only thank the gods that the thunderclouds and heavy rain that has been soaking you for the past couple of days manages to drown out the horrific smell of dead and rotting fish from adding to the delightful cocktail of tar and body odor. Walking inside is a scene you've seen many times this day. If you had switched out the devils in an earlier tavern for the pirates, slavers, brigands, and other ne'er-do-wells in this tavern (known as the River Lady) the overall moral quality of the place would no doubt rise.
Sitting in a not too shady corner is the pathfinder sitting comfortably with an open bottle of wine, a silver goblet and is appearing to enjoy a a book. A dagger with drying blood on it suggests that her time here has not been uneventful but the way the crowd is very much pretending that she does not exists indicates that whoever the blood belongs to was hurt badly enough to cut through the haze of alcohol and appeal to more sensible survival instincts. She smiles and stands up hugging you like old friends.
"Thank you! Thank you for coming! Once I heard the news I had to see you all right away and congratulate you!"
As she hugs all of you you hear a whisper in your ear.
[i]"We're old friends meeting at a tavern for some privacy and conversation. Our business must be done via message. I'm being followed and with the crowd following you I could not afford to make thigns more difficult as it is. So I'm sorry."[/b]
Then in normal conversational tones. "Please sit! Sit! Bartender! Another bottle please!" She says lifting and shaking the bottle.
Sense Motive:
I look at the tiefling barkeep, from head to toe(hoof) and then back to his head.
You are still alive, considering who we are and who she is, I think that is more payment than you could have possibly hoped for.
I then turn and leave ignoring any other comments that he might have had.
______________
Hearing her mention Message, I recast the spell twice so that it includes all of us as well as her.
Yes, I hear that this place has some fine vintage Chelaxian white.
Then while I wait for the wine, I quietly whisper:
Whisper: Yes, it was amazing the low class streets that some of those well wishers followed us through. Now then, what can we do for you?
Asmodia tosses the nearest barmaid a few silver. "For the beatin' she'll likely take later, for not servin' this wench timely," she nods to Aerieth, and speaks in the language of the devils
"You, my friend, are a very poor liar."
As they walk to the next tavern, Asmodia opines, "I cannot tell if it was a very poor joke on her part, or if she is just inept, sending us there..." There is an expression of distaste on Asmodia's face.
Asmodia nearly goggles at the liberal use of arcane magic in a public place from the Pathfinder and her companion. She contemplates turning the wine to ale, but does not. She can wait till the bottle is empty.
Bejis looks puzzeled at the womens' reactions, and simply walks out without saying a word.
--------
As Aerieth complements the wine, Bejis tentivaly sniffs the air. "I thought vintage meant quality..." Bejis looks dubiously at the bottle.
Aerieth looks over at Bejis and shrugs:
Whisper: More than likely this is more closely related to rat urine than actual wine, but appearances are appearances.
She then pretends to take a drink of the wine while poring most onto the already sticky floor.
Sleight of Hand:
Sense Motive
Bloodless continues trying to control himself, somewhat a wolf being dragged through a pen of sheep and trying to stay calm.
The conversation with the barkeep seems to bring him sharply into focus...
"I like the way you cheat and lie, perhaps it will give me a reason to drag you in to the Hellknights sometime for a hefty bounty, I can only hope it sooner rather than later, and I really hope you struggle come the day. Next time you thrust your arm towards me I will assume you wish for me to keep it." Bloodless pratically spits.
***
"Yes nice to be at this establishment, we went to this dive earlier on a recommendation, and I think the person needs a sound beating for sending me to such a place" Bloodless adds as though in jest.
Bluff - Because he's not joking.
Bloodless scratches the head of the still slightly feral looking black wolf, which seems to have a calming effect on him.
"So what is it you have in mind?""
LeVash doesn't seem bothered by the tiefling bar, and his body language distances him from Aerith's, Asmodia's and Bloodless' remarks.
I'm not a tiefling, but I play one in the theatre...it may be that will give me leverage with this group if I need information or aid
Hmp...maybe they're right, and he's lying...still, seemed honest enough.
LeVash flips the bartender a Crown (not a sail), "Either way, you did us a service, that deserves consideration." He nods to the room on the way out the door.
As they travel towards the second bar, it seems like LeVash is about to say something, but looks at the crowd still following them and decides to stay quiet.
At the second bar, LeVash thinks to himself "I smell a rat," but decides to see it through, though he is somewhat irritated by the time they finally meet the pathfinder.
When she sends her message, however, all traces of irritation disappear, and he happily sits down and babbles away about irrelevancies while carrying on the whispered conversation.
Whisper:"We're here, in any case, so let's talk"
Ailyn shrugs off the wine comments. "A cantrip here, a cantrip there. Rat swill turns into a pure clean Taldan vintage."
With that she pours herself another glass.
"Oh that reminds me I've brought you all a present."
She slides you the book she was reading. It is open to a page showing a rather detailed blueprint.
"Ladies and gentleman I present to you the mayoral mansion colloquially known as Abarian's folly."
Aloud: You know these guys don't do much reading.
I look down at the book and the blueprints seeing whether there is anything that catches my eye.
Knowledge(engineering):
Whisper: Very interesting. And much better than the rat swill.
Bloodless samples the 'fine vintage', but leaves the conversation to the others.
"Fascinating, might we borrow it?"
Whisper: "So, point out the Knot, if you would..."
"It's yours. Though I suppose you will have to find a way to share it amongst yourselves I was only able to get a single copy."
"Not a clue where the knot is old boy. It's as I told you, it's an extradminesional space it won't show up on any blue print. This is to help you get your bearings while you search. My suggestion to you however is to be sociable and enjoy the party before it disintegrates into whatever nobles do after they've consumed too much alcohol. Gossip, I hear, is as addictive to them as power and fine drink."
Bejis flashes a warm smile, "I'm sure we will all manage to take a turn reading it."
Bejis brings the wine to his lips, but only takes a small tentative sip.
Bejis whispers, "Any rumors we can stir up to set loose at the party?"
Bejis will take note of the people the room, looking for anyone seeming to pay undue attention to the party, family faces, and also to remember faces in case he sees them later.
"Is there sex in the text? Even implied?" Asmodia inquires. "I tend to bore very easily," Asmodia jests.
Asmodia cranes her neck so that it snaps, and fools with her former uniform, dragging the bodice down to make a more prominent display of her breasts.
whispered: "There may already be a rumor that there was a priest of Cayden in the show. Thesing is old news. Perhaps I could be having Delour's love child?" Asmodia plumps up her breasts with her hands and giggles at the thought.
LeVash stretches a bit, cracking his neck, before looking curiously about at the room.
Whisper: "We can use the party as an opportunity to introduce rumors about the League itself. But I think that's a discussion for later. Do you have any further information for us, madame?"
"Nothing graphic enough for your tastes I'm afraid." She shrugs.
"Whatever you do along those lines is your business. Just be careful. The only other piece of information I can give is the rumor that's been around since the place was built: their may be a pit fiend chained in the basement that powers all the magical enhancements of the mansion including the Asmodean Knot. It's doubtful that the ppit fiend will be located near the vault but be wary nonetheless. I may fall out of contact for a while. Something ro someoen is watching me and I don't know who. Can't be hellknights or they'd have tried to arrest me already."
No humor on this b*tch at all Asmodia nearly harumphs. Her eyes scan the crowd for a potential victim, as it were. Hygiene was not exceptionally high on the list of priorities for career drunks. She specifically looked for any who were dipping their heads low, but found only groupies. Would that she prepared a summon spell to have a dog that would not eat people unless directed to run beside her for a few rounds...
Asmodia hisses when the woman mentions so casually that there may be a fiend chained in the basement of the mansion, then upsets her chair rising so quickly from her statement about being observed. In a room full of commoners, any one of them could be an anchor for magical sensors. Indeed, any one of the groupies could be as well!
whispered "Not paranoid enough with f*cking perverts snipping at my feet, costing me my f*cking job. Thank you ever so much lady, for your contribution to my well being."
"I need ta take a piss," Asmodia grumbled as stepped away. "Keep my place on that page, if I squint my eyes real hard, all the letters spell 't*ts'."
Aerieth continues to study the book, but looks up as Asmodia stalks away.
You can almost see the confusion, and pity on Aerieth's face as she watches the cleric.
I will never understand that one. Every other word is either a swear at society or an attempt to gain pity. I thought that she said her god held heroism, courage and passion in high esteem. However, I have seen none of those. Perhaps I misunderstood her. I think that she must actually be a Calistrian adherent, the goddess of trickery, lust and revenge. She clearly fits the second and seems somehow have directed the third at society as a whole. As far as the first goes, well, I suppose she has tricked us into believing Cayden has taken on alcoholics and prostitutes as his followers. I will have to speak with the others about her.
LeVash stands, "A pleasure, as always, madame. Don't be such a stranger"
Whisper:"Ailyn, I know you can reach the League if you need us. Next time, just name us a place, and let us deal with any tails. Thank you for the information."
Whisper:"Asmodia, I'm in motion, I suggest you join me...safety in numbers. I'll see all of you back...where we meet."
"Right. Reckon we have enjoyed the board of fare in this fine establishment long enough. Come on Ripper, time for us to get going" Bloodless beckons his companion.
whispered "Bloodless, could you mark if any in particular in the rabble follow our exit, please?" Asmodia inquires, slowing her movement somewhat.
whispered "And Aerieth of the comfort with spellcasting in public, can you detect for magical sensors?"
Bloodless nods, as though to the dog, but his eyes acknowledge Asmodia.
Nodding at Asmodia, I cast Detect Magic and scan the area.
If I do not detect anything, I will follow the others out sticking to the shadows while keeping an eye out for tails.
Stealth:
Perception:
The group of you leave the tavern leaving the pathfinder to her own devices. If anyone follows you then you fail to notice them.
When everyone gets back to the temple, LeVash turns to the others, "I have a question..."
"It is my understanding that the long term goal is to inspire the oppressed masses of the city, to convince them that they are better than they have been led to believe...am I incorrect?"
"I believe that is what I have been saying from the very beginning, why do you ask?"
I have never been the most inspiring speaker. However, or popularity is at a very high level. Anything we say and do will be heard and scrutinized by the populace and the followers of the devil. The question is how can we use this to the advantage off our cause without becoming targets of the enemy?
"There is inspiration and coercion," Asmodia sighs. "A charismatic leader can convince them that they are capable of ruling themselves, and cause them to rise up against the regime. And they will fight," she says, her eyes appearing unfocused, as though she does not see any in the room. "Then that same leader can convince them that he is the savior they have prayed for, and will lead them to utopia. And then another rises, claims the same, and the people fight and slaughter each other in the streets.
"And then the dogs tear at whoever has fallen," she seems to conclude and looks sharply to Bloodless's new companion.
She remains staring at the creature, as she has since Bloodless introduced it to their group. "I have seen first hand what becomes of an oppressed people who gain freedom too quickly. They say Isarn was a beautiful city once, but you would not recognize murals without the bloodstains on them, or the college for what it was before they installed the guillotine to terrorize us all."
Asmodia pulls her tankard and creates honey mead into the vessel, and brings it to her lips. "I had a proposal prepared for Arael, but he does not appear to desire my input on anything. Whether or not that is me specifically being an agent of chaos, I haven't the foggiest. He pissed me off and it wasn't my best day," she admits.
LeVash starts pacing back and forth, "I do not wish to upset our...truce, so I am reluctant to bring this up, but I think I must."
"Given what I've just heard...why is it that when we are directed to a tavern catering to the most oppressed group of people in the city, people reviled simply for their birth rather than their actions, people who have have every need of the uplift and redemption I've been told we need to bring to the city...that they are immediately greeted by hostility and threats, even though they have performed no noticeable wrong in our presence?"
"I understood slaying The Bastards of Erebus, they were criminal scum who made their own bed. But I don't understand this."
"Did we?" Asmodia inquires over the brim of her cup. "I tipped the wench when we did not order anything."
"We cannot speak directly of the League, as we don't want to be strongly associated with it."
"The oppressed people in the city need to survive somehow. If there isn't a clean way, then there is only the dirty way. Change comes in steps. But you are right, LeVash, we must not trample on those less fortuanate than us."
"I understood slaying The Bastards of Erebus, they were criminal scum who made their own bed. But I don't understand this."
"Let us not be hypocrites here LeVash, you were party to happily killing Hellknights, including a prisoner in cold blood. I don't recall you rising to her defence, I don't recall you trying to find a way to spare her the blade, and what was her crime? Seeking employment with a group who happen to fall on the wrong side of our crusade? So people that you don't like are enemies to be killed or executed without a second thought, but anyone you feel sorry for is not to be disturbed... I see"
"I don't hate them completely, I feel some sorrow for their lot in life, infected with the taint of the Devils, Demons, and other dark things from the edges, from the deepest horrors of mankind. I am sure there are a few who struggle every single day to keep that Evil flowing theough their veins in check, and then there's all too many that go the way of the Bastards and revel in their ancestry, the ones that give in to their inner nature and lie, cheat, steal, and worse without a second thought. If you feel as though you must rise to defend that Barman who tried lying to us to rob us of our coin then I suspect you need to sit yourself back down and have a good hard think about it - for on one hand you suggest people are being threatened for doing nothing, then take umbrage when they are caught out trying to steal. If you were blind to that then it is no fault of mine, and a good warning to you to take more noticein future"
"I'm touched by your sentimentality, but they aren't your friends, they simply see you as a potential source of income, either to leech from your largesse, or to sell you to the Hellkights for a reward one day"
"So I assume this is the end of your lectures, lest there's a body out there you would see returned from the dead, and then I'm all ears."