The Ballad of Bloodmarch Hill

Game Master Joana

Marikel examines the maps and nods silently to Alicia, before following her further in. While his focus is forwards, he keeps an eye on those around him. He swords remains aloft shining light down around them... and maybe ready for a quick swing if needed.

Alicia wends her way along the narrow path cleared among the junk, headed in its circuitous way toward the space under the stairs. As they reach the candelabra in the corner, once again there is a flash of light and movement in the darkness. With the stronger light sources this time, however, they quickly realize that they are seeing their own reflection from across the room in a large, tarnished mirror that has lost half its silvering.

The path dead-ends beneath the staircase in a nest of mismatched cushions and old blankets and quilts near the base of the standing mirror.

Alicia scowls as she realizes that she was seeing her own reflection in the darkness earlier. She starts rummaging through the 'nest' in the corner, looking for anything left behind--or any secret doors in the area.

Is Othdan with us?

Othdan is waiting at the top of the stairs.

By the holy light of Marikel's longsword, Alicia paws through the loose bedding. The whole thing has the damp, musty funk one would expect of cloth stored in a basement indefinitely, but there's something else: a musky scent of fresh body odor. Someone has been lying there recently, an impression that is reinforced when Alicia finds something small and sharp among the blankets: a single earring that looks like it was made from a twisted black nail.

Ali wrinkles her noise. "Someone's been here. That smell is awful," she says, picking up the earring and holding it up for closer inspection in the light of Marikel's sword.

Perception? Knowledge (local)?

Squinting as the group moved into the room, Kaleb remained at the top of the stairs as a rearguard and paced restlessly in the cramped space, a frown etched on his face. At one point the restless Halfling bumped into Othdan, muttering an apology as he continued to pace; a little more carefully now and respectful of the man's personal space.

Marikel squints at the earring and a humourless smile spreads across his features.
"Miss Urnsul will be pleased that we found her other earring."
He frowns again.
"If she's been sleeping with Daktani down here instead of upstairs in her own room, that implies Daktani isn't welcome upstairs. There may be another way out down here... unless she's cheating on Daktani. Which she did imply. Keep looking."

Alicia grunts in reply and continues searching the area around the 'nest'. Slowly, she expands her search to encompass the remainder of the basement.

Perception (take 20): 20+4 = 24

Despite her best efforts, slipping around stacks of junk and even getting Marikel's help in moving some of them to allow her access to the walls and floor, Ali can't find any hidden doors or tunnels. If anyone has left the basement, it would seem they did so by means of the stairs.

It's difficult to determine whether any particular items out of the miscellany in the basement may have been left behind by a clandestine guest. There is certainly nothing in the way of gear, weaponry, or personal items which appear related to Daktani's recent unsavory activities, apart from the maps at the foot of the stairs.

Alicia growls in frustration and hands the earring to Marikel. "Well, I think this is a dead end."

Marikel scowls, mutters a quick prayer and looks about for anything with the taint of poison. (Detect Poison)
"Vhailor. Is there anything magical down here?"
Hardly waiting for an answer, Marikel begins to climb the stairs. "Any other ideas? Should we follow Miss Urnsul?"

Kaleb eventually moved to join in as Alicia searched in detail, seeming to focus his attention on the junk itself rather than any secret door. Something seemed to catch his eye and he rifled near the blankets.

"Hmm... Is this some kind of local gang symbol, perhaps? A clue as to her new lover's identify?" he asked, holding aloft a wooden, coin sized token with a howling dog crudely etched onto it.

"Vhailor. Is there anything magical down here?"

The gnome obligingly incants the cantrip and takes a look around before shaking his head in the negative.

Kaleb eventually moved to join in as Alicia searched in detail, seeming to focus his attention on the junk itself rather than any secret door. Something seemed to catch his eye and he rifled near the blankets.

"Hmm... Is this some kind of local gang symbol, perhaps? A clue as to her new lover's identify?" he asked, holding aloft a wooden, coin sized token with a howling dog crudely etched onto it.

"What?" Othdan replies indignantly. "No. It's mine. I mean, I wasn't...." He blushes and stammers as he realizes the implications of his words. "I must have dropped it. When I was down here alone sometime." He marches down the stairs and holds out his hand for the return of his token.

"Alone?"
Marikle stands before Othdan and gestures towards the earring Alicia found.
"Is this how your clientele are paying to stay here? Or is Miss Urnsul one of a lucky few? Either way, we're after Daktani. Tell us where he is and there'll be no need for us to concern ourselves with your tawdry affairs."

Kaleb fixed the priest with a steely glare, keeping a tight grip on the token.

"It just happened to be down here, by the blankets? Othdan, you are clearly holding something back. Your either involved, or someone is trying very hard to make it look like you are; first the patrons tell me you are helping to harbor a fugitive then this? Come clean, help us make sure no one else gets hurt."

Hoping I can use my last Bluff roll to keep this going but can roll another if needed (or roll on my behalf). Diplomacy is the same modifier if deemed more appropriate.

Ali follows after the party as the group ascends the stairs. She remains silent, slipping around behind Othdan and glances down the hallway, scowl still evident on her face. If he was in the basement and snuck past me.... she thinks darkly.

"I didn't...! I haven't...!" Meriman protests. "Very well. Daktani spent last night here, in the basement. If he spent part of it with a woman, I don't see that that's anyone's business; certainly not mine. When you went upstairs, I let him out the front door, and I don't expect him back, not now that he's being persecuted in his own place of lodging. I didn't come down the stairs ... but perhaps the token fell from my pocket from the top." He sets his chin defiantly.

"I think you'll find it did fall out of your pocket, actually..." Kaleb muttered, tossing the token at the man before immediately starting for the stairs.

Pursuing Daktani, gang?

Alicia starts seeing red when Othdan reveals his complicity. There is the slither of leather on leather as she draws her hopeknife and whirls, attempting to bludgeon him in the back of the head with the pommel. "You slimy, toad-licking--!"

Alicia draws her hopeknife in anger.

Surprise round: Alicia draws weapon
Round 1 init: Kaleb, Marikel, Alicia, Othdan, Vhailor

Alicia, you don't have Quickdraw, so you can only arm yourself in the surprise round and can't attack until your init in round 1. Kaleb and Marikel have a chance to intervene before your attack occurs.

Reacting swiftly to Alicia's bared steel, Kaleb drew his rapier as he quick-stepped towards her, his eyes focused. His blade darted out with swift speed towards Alicia's hopeknife, seeking to disarm her. Despite the Halfling's obvious agility, it was obvious that he was far from a master at this particular maneuver and Alicia found herself with an opening as he began the subtle twist of his blade to send her knife to the floor.

Disarm CMB: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Move + draw weapon simultaneously, standard action to disarm (this provokes an AOO from Alicia if she wishes to use it).

Kaleb doesn't know Alicia is only planning to bludgeon the man or he would probably not try and act so decisively here!

Much as it'd be kind of funny to start an AoO chain by trying to Trip Kaleb, I think Ali is tunnel-visioned and probably didn't even notice Kaleb until her hopeknife was clattering to the floor.

Alicia's fingers are left clutching only air as the halfling's quick intervention knocks her weapon out of her hands.

Round 1 init: Kaleb, Marikel, Alicia, Othdan, Vhailor

Is Ali okay with dropping out of combat rounds? Or is she going to press it?

In my mind, she's got her dagger raised over her head and descending toward Othdan before Kaleb disarms her. So she'll just club him with her fist on the downswing. >.>

"Enough," Marikel scowls, lowering his blade to an attack position.
(Ready to attack Othdon if he draws a weapon or attacks)
"Miss Alicia- check the entrance for Daktani. See if he's left a trail."
Marikel turns his attention back to Othdon.
"And you. Perhaps, Brother, you were unaware you were aiding a murderer to escape. If so, you can atone by helping us now. Which tunnel has he run to or is there somewhere else? Or were you an accomplice to murder as well?"

Unarmed attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
1d2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Alicia is surprised to feel the bottom of her fist connect with Othdan's head instead of the pommel of her dagger. "Wh--?!" she says, blinking and looking around for her weapon.

"Ow!" Meriman is surprised by the rap of Alicia's knuckles against the back of his neck. "I don't know what tunnel you're speaking of," he tries to respond to Marikel with dignity. "Daktani has many friends who try to shield him from the ongoing persecution he suffers at the hands of the Patrol Captain. I didn't ask where he was going and would have advised him not to tell me had he offered to. It's well-known that Captain Grath bears a personal grudge against him and casts the blame on him whenever anything goes wrong."

He lowers his voice to address Marikel individually. "I understand your faith requires you to respect authority, but I would urge you to examine your conscience when following authority blindly leads to attacking citizens in their own homes."

Glowering at Kaleb, Alicia retrieves her hopeknife from the ground and returns it to its sheath.

"Even after being revealed as a conspirator, he still tries to convince us he's innocent," Ali mutters.

Vhailor stands by watching proceedings with a curiosity and interest, viewing the raised dagger, disarmament and neck punch without alarum. Considering the maps, he reaches up on tip-toes to see if he can lift them from their frames in order to take with - rather than leave behind.

Vhailor finds it a simple enough matter to remove the maps from the frames they are hanging in, though he has to climb up a few stairs and lean precariously to reach the clips at the top. He rolls them up for handier carrying.

Marikel barks, "Alicia! The entrance. Now. Before someone else gets there and we lose any trail. He can't have got far."

He lowers his voice to address Marikel individually. "I understand your faith requires you to respect authority, but I would urge you to examine your conscience when following authority blindly leads to attacking citizens in their own homes."

Marikel is not mollified by Othdan.

Somewhat surprisingly, given the scowl Marikel receives from the blond delinquent, Alicia does as she's told. She turns on her heel and dashes down the hallway toward the front entrance.

Alicia heads back to the entryway.

"Not being part of the town gossip, I was unaware of the captain's grudge. Daktani's name was given to me by a troll that admitted to murder on Daktani's behalf and tried to kill us. Perhaps you think the captain is working with it?" Marikel scowls.

"I, uh ... I hadn't...," Meriman stammers, having no answer to Marikel's revelation.

Marikel glances after the lithe form of the retreating Alicia, but refocuses on Othdan.
"No, you hadn't. Now, these trolls travel in pairs. If you still believe Daktani to be innocent or manipulated he could be running to his death. And if he isn't innocent, you've helped a murderer escape. Which direction did he go? Who else apart from Miss Urnsal may help him? We're in a bit of a rush."

He shakes his head. "I ... I honestly don't know where he might have gone. He has ... friends, half-orcs ... I don't know their names. I don't know him that well, except to offer him hospitality. I don't ask many questions of those who seek shelter here."

At the front door, Alicia finds no notable signs of Daktani's passing, and the tidy front walk has been too well-swept to show footprints. However, the Inner Quarter has a gate on both sides where it enters the Upper Quarter or exits into the Lower Quarter, and each gate should have at least one bored Patrolman manning it who should have noticed anyone traveling through it.

Glowering at Kaleb, Alicia retrieves her hopeknife from the ground and returns it to its sheath.

"Even after being revealed as a conspirator, he still tries to convince us he's innocent," Ali mutters.

With an apologetic grimace at the young lady, Kaleb nodded his agreement.

"My apologies, Alicia. He is but a fool, who made fools of us... But not a true accomplice worthy of bloodshed."

Kaleb moved off with Alicia while Marikel began his reprimands.

"I wasn't going to stab him!" Alicia grouses to Kaleb as she dashes down the hall. "Just give him a lump..." Coming to the entrance, she pauses and looks outside. Spotting the gates in the distance, she runs off toward the gate to the Lower Quarter and calls to Kaleb, "Stay there! I'm going to check if anyone spotted him."

The response to Ali's inquiries about a half-orc recently leaving the Howling Hound and coming through the gate is maddeningly slow, but after a few moments of head-scratching and sifting of thoughts, the Patrolman allows that, while Alicia must understand that all kinds of people use the road all the time and it isn't his job to keep track of who goes through when, he thinks he recalls a male half-orc passing through the gate toward the Lower Quarter within the past ten minutes ... except he wasn't alone but had a female half-orc with him.

A stream of very unladylike curses flows from Alicia's lips as she hears the news. She rushes back to the flophouse, dashes upstairs and kicks in Urnsul's door. (Assuming that she is missing:) More cursing follows and she yells to Marikel as she comes crashing down the stairs, "He went down toward the Lower Quarter, and Urnsul is with him!"

Urnsul's room is indeed empty, as is the wardrobe where Kaleb previously saw her armor and weaponry.

Vhailor looks to Marikel for an indication of whether they set off in pursuit.

With a glare at Othdan, Marikel races off after the others.
"They can't go far. They're not packed for a long trip."

As Marikel runs towards the gates he calls to Alicia ahead of him.
"Thanks Alicia. Any clues where they might be heading?"

Alicia runs alongside Marikel. "If they make it out the front gates, I'd say the only place they have to stop is the old church," she says. "They may have supplies there for a longer trip, too."

"If they run, they draw attention. If they don't, we catch up," Marikel asserts between breaths.
"I hope..."

Marikel and Alicia jog down the road toward the Hopespring, Kaleb and Vhailor in tow.

You two humans keeping pace with the two Small party members or getting ahead of them? Are you going to head straight to the town gates or stop anywhere in the Lower Quarter first?

Predicting the longshanks potential for frustration, Vhailor implores "Go on ahead... I'll catch up as I can."

Kaleb will run to the inn and get on his riding dog, making up the time with its superior speed.