Grint Mavric |
"Uhm why yes, we were with more. Though we're not adventurers per se... What did your man mean by 'you were expected'? Has the tale of thefts already spread so quickly? We've not been at this for that long."
GM Chyro |
Father Landorra smiles.
"Ah yes, this is a thriving and busy city after all, things go around even with the size of the city. That...and there are ways to get information, though that is a double edged sword sometimes. If you have any questions feel free to ask, meanwhile you can wait for your friends to arrive, if you have been going over the addresses of us founding families they'd come here eventually."
Malena Omoroi |
"Do you have any idea who is behind this or what they are after?" Malena asks. She holds up the earring they found on one of the thieves. "Does this symbol mean anything to you?"
GM Chyro |
Father Markus takes the chip Malena shows him.
"Can't say that i do. A compass would suggest travels wouldn't it, but there's so many of that type coming and going. I haven't seen this emblem before. However, i have heard a ship named The Golden Compass is docked, though that could be a coincidence."
Beatrice responds on it;
"That boat had purchased several barrels of wine today. Polite fellow, shaven in his early thirties i think, a young man seemingly followed around by a parrot. Not constantly, there was a cat stalking the bird."
Grint Mavric |
"I guess we have seen the parrot before. I know I've seen that cat before, he was stalking a parrot earlier at the docks as well."
Grint thinks for a moment as he is puzzled by what the thieves might want to take from Father Markus's home.
"So hopefully you won't be robbed or anything, but that still leaves us with the questions about what they want and what for. The earlier thieves we stopped at the Kromm brothers either died or took some sort of pill or poison to evade questioning. Evidentily these men are organised and prepared."
Lyssa Kail |
She walks up to Sabel and shrugs. "I the law would allow it, I'd suggest setting fire to the darn ship during the night. It'd solve a lot of problems."
Sabel Ea'tari |
Sabel seems to be thinking about what to do next, and asks Lyssa.
"Sounds like a plan, but not a very good one. Shall we head to the next address then? Or shall we meet up with the others?"
GM Chyro |
Lyssa & Sabel, what will you do? Following Sabel's suggestion leads you to the others.
Markus looks at you as he leans back in his chair.
"I doubt it. Were they heavily armed? There's the casual thief who's armed with whatever fast weapon he can get, on the other hand there's thieves who are professionals and are armed with nasty things.
You said you've stopped them before, have you spoken to the guard captain yet?"
Grint Mavric |
"Well their armour wasn't that good, their weapons were a few daggers and a shortbow, nothing too fancy actually."
Grint looks at Father Markus with an interested look, which quickly fades.
"We've spoken with the guards, but not the captain yet. we came here first to warn you of possible danger. It seemed more stressing and important than having a long chat with the captain."
Lyssa Kail |
"Let's go to the next address on the list." Lyssa checks the list to see where they haven't been yet.
@GM: If there's still a name on the list where no one's been, we'll go there. Otherwise, let's meet up with the others.
GM Chyro |
Lyssa, the other 3 are at the 4th address at the Landorras, you can go there if you want to share info. The 5th and final was the guard station at the plaza.
GM Chyro |
As you wish, i think Sabel won't mind.
Lyssa and Sabel find their way to the Landrorras' place and as they are about to ring the servant opens.
"Greetings, you have been expected, your friends are already here. This way."
By now the daughter and son have also joined in the living room and all five of you are seated. Markus welcomes the two of you the same hospitable way, then proceeds with his conversation towards Grint.
"While we appreciate your concern and warning, i think we can fend off common thieves. We are pretty good fencers and have done well in duels. My wife is actually a teacher in fencing. I would however in this light ask of you to deliver an invitation to the other families and guard captain Tarson for a meeting tomorrow evening. I'm sure the guard captain can dispatch some guards to deliver these letters to the others. You five are invited as well."
Sabel Ea'tari |
I was just posting, then I saw your post, about us going there.
"That is very good to hear."
Sabel turns to Grint, Malena and Elsa.
"You've been here quite a while, everything alright?"
Grint Mavric |
Grint looks up at Sabel and Lyssa.
"We're fine. We did have some trouble at the Kromm brothers' shop, several armed thieves came in and we fended them off."
"We imagined you two were already done with the first adress and perhaps the third, so we went here."
Grint turns to Markus Landrorra.
"I'm sure we can deliver any invitations, we were heading for the guard captain anyways after your house."
GM Chyro |
Mistype in family name :). Landorra, not Landrorra.
"Thank you for the offer, whichever way is fine with us."
GM Chyro |
So i'm taking here you are set to head out.
On Grint's suggestion the group heads out to the guardstation at the plaza. When they get there it is late in the afternoon. (Approx 17:00) Two guards cross their halbards, but when they get a closer look they remove the barrier.
"A messenger from the Landorras has delivered the message you'd be coming. Head in and take the corridor to the left from the central hall."
The guardstation seems a very professional running business. Torches light the sections where there are no windows.
Taking the left corridor you end up at a modestly sized round room which is the office of guard captain Tarson, quite a broad shouldered man in his forties. He notices you and stands up.
"Ah, the group i've heard about, you're a topic of talk in some parts of Kharum now. Taking down small groups of thieves on several occasions. So tell me, what brings you here? Landorra's messenger just said to expect some special guests with your description."
Malena Omoroi |
"Yes," Malena says. "We don't know what it's all about. However, they seem to be targeting some of the more prominent families of this town-- the founding families. And, the thieves seem to have this symbol associated with them."
She shows the guards the earring with the compass taken off of one of the thieves
"There may be some connection with the ship The Golden Compass, but we're not completely sure about that."
Lyssa Kail |
"Have you been able to extrude any information from the thieves that were brought in earlier today? We helped capture some of them, and I think we should share the information."
A devious grin appears on Lyssa's face. "If I may, I know of some very effective interrogation methods."
GM Chyro |
Aside from the chip, surely you've found something else on the thieves at the Kromms.
The talk
Tarson takes the chip handed to him by Malena and flips it around between the fingers.
"These sort of chips, varying with inscriptions, are sometimes used as a bargaining tool or proof of employment. They are custom made and handed out to those they hire, showing these is practically a pass to get paid.
Let's assume these thieves indeed work work with a ship at our docks, the docksmaster has details on the finer details, you have already talked to him?"
He turns his eye to Lyssa.
"There's 9 of the lot in the cells now. The four latest arrivals appearently consumed something and went KO. When they woke up the had gone utterly insane, not a useful word coming from them. One of the earlier from the Kromm incident as well. We searched the other 5 and they hadn't taken anything yet."
From the interrogation thusfar
They all claim to be approached by an unshaven man in fancy clothes and hired. They thieves are small pockets of conartists, opportunitists and petty thieves. A parrot flew by one of the windows as they were brought in, they seemed to get very nervous hearing it. Because of the short timespan and busy schedule they haven't had the time to ask 2 of the last 3 for information.[/i]
"Normally this is strictly against procedure, but in this light you'll be permitted to head for the cells, escorted of course by my 2nd in command. Ask your questions, but don't kill them or needlesly injure them. As you seemed to have done to a running boy. Usually we'd bring you in for assault after something like that. Unless your friends have more questions, take the route back to the hall and head into the right corridor."
The 2nd in command shows up and gestures you to follow him.
Lyssa Kail |
"Sure, sure," Lyssa replies, a devious grin on her face as she follows the second in command.
"Good day, dear captives." The grin on her face widens when Lyssa sees the thieves in their cells. "Which haven't been questions yet, mister guard? Ah, those..."
Lyssa enters the cell of on of the thieves that hasn't been questioned yet, places her backpack on the floor, and retrieves her waterskin from it. "Let me drink some," she says, and takes a few gulps. Lyssa then places her waterskin on the floor, and retrieves a big piece of soap from her backpack.
She breaks a chunk the size of an egg off of the piece of soap, and pours some water over it. Lyssa then approaches one of the thieves, grabs his hair, and pushes him against the wall. "We'll start with the soft treatment. I'm pretty sure you know what I want to hear, because it has to do with why you're here. I'll stop as soon as you're willing to speak. If you're not cooperative, the treatment with become less... clean?"
Lyssa forces the soap in the thief's mouth. She grabs his chin and forces his mouth to close. "See this a way to clean you of your sins. By the way, swallowing this much soap is a bad idea. You won't die, but your body will have some trouble with it. Object, and I'll force it down together with some of your teeth."
Intimidate: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (20) - 1 = 19
GM Chyro |
The 2nd in command gestures the jailor on duty to open the cell door and the previous scene unfolds.
The one thief Lyssa has her hands on starts to leak bubbly saliva and tries to grab her arms to release him but the stay in the cell hasn't done his condition very good. He nervously proceeds to repeatingly tap for her to release him.
In the cell next to him another thief speaks up.
"Woman, can't you see he's willing to talk?"
The jailor and the 2nd in command seem to enjoy the scene though.
Anybody wish to do some...interrogating...on one of the other sane prisoners?
Sabel Ea'tari |
Sabel moves into one of the other cells and starts her interrogation. She moves behind the prisoner and grabs her dagger. She puts it against his neck, moving it along to create a tiny cut.
"Start talking. Now."
Will take 20 on bluff for a total of 29.
GM Chyro |
You're not bluffing anything right now, just demanding him to talk.
There are several cells on this floor, the sane ones have their own and all the insane ones have been devided into the last two.
The guy in the next cell calls out though.
"Guard! Needless mutilation here! She's slicing the guy's throat!"
The two on the other hand don't move an inch, but they do give you a look to remind you of the rule against needless violence, lest you want to be in a cell yourself. The guy however gives some information previously not mentioned.
"As we told the guards, we are hired thieves. The festival was a good opportunity to get some decent coin. If we were successful in getting the needed item we had to deliver it to a drop-off point. It was somewhere west of the commons."
Sense Motive 14
The guy seems to be genuine about a drop-off point.
Though his tone would suggest he doesn't quite know the exact location.
Hint
Information can be found in different ways....found items, talking, 'connections'.....
Grint Mavric |
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Grint stands at the sidelines and shakes his head as Sabel and Lyssa take questioning to a strange point.
"We do want them to be able to speak and not froth up soap bubbles right Lyssa?" He walks up to the man which Sabel threatened with her knife.
"Now that you're talking, how's about telling us what's on this note?" He beckons Elsa to come forward.
"You still have that note Elsa? Then let him read it and tell us what it means."
The note that read: Upon completion 'WH5-D'
GM Chyro |
The guy looks back at Grint.
"Beats me, just one guy in my group carried such a note. He's one of the crazies now, not a sane word coming from the guy anymore. Look man, i don't know what happened to them, but i don't feel safe anymore."
He from somewhere takes out something resembling a candy out of his pocket.
"We all got one of these and were told if we'd eat them we'd sleep and remember nothing about the one who hired us. Just look at them, some friggin way to forget wouldn't you say?"
The crazies look like they'd be from an asylum, rocking back and forth, talking to thin air, continuously looking over the shoulder.
Sense Motive 12
Without a doubt this man is genuinely nervous about his safety.
Sense Motive 14
The man seems to be honost about his claims concerning the knowledge of the note. Perhaps somebody you've met could shed some light on the matter.
Knowledge Local 14
Rumor has it there is an unknown information dealer called The Broker within Kharum's shady circles.
Knowledge Local 16
Rumor has it there is an unknown information dealer called The Broker within Kharum's shady circles. Seemingly a neutral party, he gains and sells information on anything.
Knowledge Local
Rumor has it there is an unknown information dealer called The Broker within Kharum's shady circles. Seemingly a neutral party, he gains and sells information on anything. Some suspect or even claim he/she can be contacted by influential people or they would possibly a know-how.
Malena Omoroi |
Malena takes the "candy" from the man that Sabel and Grint are questioning. She regards him as they question him.
Take 10 on Sense Motive for a result of 16; take 10 on Knowledge (Local) for a result of 17.
Recalling a poem about arcane energies infusing everyday objects, she attunes her mind to the candy and scans it to see if it is radiating any magic.
Casting Detect Magic, to see if there are any magical auras. If there are, see if she can determine the school of magic: Bardic Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
"Have you eaten one of these yourself?" she asks the man. "If not, where is the drop-off point? Or, if you don't know, who knew?"
GM Chyro |
The last Kn. Local was 18, seems i forgot to put that there.
Malena
No magic comes off the "candy", maybe something has been mixed while making the candy.
Nothing comes off any off the prisoners either.
The guy looks at Malena in disbelief.
"I've just told you already, the guy who knew and had the note is a crazy nutjob now. And no i haven't eaten it, if i had i wouldn't be able to give it to you now would i? I am no way going to eat it, didn't you look at what i was pointing at?"
Cue the previous description of the people who ate the "candy".
Malena Omoroi |
Malena narrows her eyes and continues to question the prisoner. "The person who gave you this job-- what did he look like? Or is your crazy colleague the only one who knows that as well?"
Stepping back and talking quietly to the companions she's fallen in with, she says, "We might want to take this candy to an alchemist to see if they can tell us anything about it. If all else fails... I've heard of a shady information dealer known as the Broker that we might want to try to get in touch with. He might be able to give us a lead."
Grint Mavric |
Grint nods as Malena tells them about the information dealer.
"That sounds like the best thing we could do. If we can't find an alchemist, perhaps this Broker can also help us with those 'candies'. Perhaps he knows who would use something like that."
GM Chyro |
There certainly is an alchemist shop at the specialist quarter.
As for the how and who on the Broker, ask your new aquaintences or a new 18 Kn. Local check.
"Lady, i can only guess this much.
The 2 friends i was with were hired by this unshaven guy in fancy clothes. A 4th whom i guess was hired prior to us was given a note which held the drop-off point. Maybe to avoid easy interrogation just 1 was told the meaning of its content."
Something can be heard from the ventilation that runs through the ceiling.
"Awk...*whistle*..."
The sane captives seem a tad more nervous.
Grint Mavric |
Grint looks at the men almost quivering at the sound of the bird.
"If that is the same parrot again, I bet that cat is not far off as well. Though that parrot does turn up too much around the crime scenes in my opinion. Tell me whose parrot is that?"
GM Chyro |
"That bird was around when the guy approached us for the job. It gave off this...vibe, you know? As if it was carefully observing you. The guy didn't even have to command the bird. Indeed, this young cat stalked the cat, the guy seemed to think of the cat as a mere inconvenience, but the parrot seemed especially weary of it, it almost got grabbed too one time."
Lyssa Kail |
Lyssa releases the thief's jaw and starts searching his pockets for a candy. If she finds one she holds it up in front of him. "You'd better tell me something the others haven't told yet, or I may consider forcing a candy down your throat. You want to spend the rest of your time in an asylum?"
"Gals," Lyssa addresses her comrades, ignoring Grint's gender, "if that parrots is related to the guy we're after... I wonder whose cat it is that's after the parrot. Multiple people may after the parrot guy. Allies, or more enemies?"
GM Chyro |
The soap-mouthed thief doesn't have one on him, after a rough-handed examination neither do the last 2 sane guys.
The prospect of the result they hadn't imagined has put enough fright into them, but they don't seem to know more than what the talkative guy just spilled out.
Lyssa Kail |
"You're not saying much, are you?" Lyssa forces the thief's mouth closed again, pushes him against the wall once more, and moves her face close to his ear.
"I ought to do worse to you, but I guess you're lucky to be locked up in here," Lyssa whispers in the thief's ear, then throws him on his side and stands up.
"Whatever... let's go. Guards, I'd like to discuss something away from these fellows."
Once they leave the cells Lyssa will mention the ship the party investigated, "I'm pretty sure it's the source of this mayhem. Will you sends some of your guards with us, to investigate the ship's interior legally?"
GM Chyro |
The 2nd in command looks at you with a neutral face with his arms crossed.
"Hang on there young miss, only if there is solid evidence can and WILL we take action. What are you basing this on miss?
An unshaven well dressed ruffian could as easily come from outside the city as via sea or even "within" the city.
The parrot you've mentioned, as much as a link to the crimes it sounds, it has to be connected to something solid for us to barge in onto a ship.
We are also spread thinner on duty than normal with the festival, the docks have their own modest forces too if you want any reinforcement, but they uphold pretty much the same policy. Evidence before using force."
Jadwiga Elsa Harcatha |
The Jadwiga doesn't think its prudent to anger the guards. So. We must secure evidence?
GM Chyro |
The way Elsa talks to guards gets a much more smooth response.
"Indeed miss, it's common law to have proof of someone having committed the crime or being involved, before making the arrest. Otherwise we can accuse and invade every citizen's shop based on a mere dispute.
If in any way you can provide us good proof relating to the ship you mentioned, then we can legally board the vessel, by force if need be.
There are always guards on duty, should you wish to report anything.
Is there anything else you wish to know concerning the prisoners before we close the cells again?"
Lyssa Kail |
"If there's a suspicion of criminal activity, isn't it the duty of the guards to research possible leads?" Lyssa scowls at the second in command, "Don't you have people who do your research?"
Spineless wimps... Defenders of a law they're not defending... They should act when laws are broken, not stand around and be useless!
Lyssa picks up her belongings and leaves the cell, "And no, I'm done here."
GM Chyro |
The 2nd in command narrows his eyes at the tone Lyssa puts up.
"I was right now not talking to you. As i said we are spread too thin too assault any ship, you are not a guard, so i can't expect you to know the most simple rules we have to follow here."
He returns to his composed mannerism, politely adressing Elsa.
"The festival is due 1 more day, after which we can spare more men.
Contrary to what your hotheaded friend sprouts, we did send two undercover guards to gather information. They have yet to report in though, but they are careful individuals."
He hands Elsa a small note in an envelope.
"Show this to either of them, it proves you are allowed to know what they might have found out. It could speed up the process. You can recognize them by the necklace shaped like a sword."
At Grint's mention of the Broker he quickly adds:
"Be careful, that person has eyes and ears everywhere. Should you be daring enough, rumors say either the influential or often frequented might know of ways....not that they ever shared it with us if they did."
Malena Omoroi |
Malena says to the others, "To find this Broker, perhaps we should talk to some of the influential. We spoke with several of them earlier today.... I would suggest going back to the Kromm Brothers; we helped them defeat some of the thieves attacking their house earlier. Any other ideas?"
Jadwiga Elsa Harcatha |
The Jadwiga nods imperiously at the guard Indeed, we shall do just this. Grint, please take this. she offers the note to Grint.
Else isn't the dirty job doing kinda girl, she'd rather just have her Grinty poo do all the heavy lifting.
Grint Mavric |
Grint raises an eyebrow as Elsa gives him the note, but doesn't make any comment and keeps the note with him.
"The Kromm brothers sounds like a fine idea Malena. If they are one of the founding families, they must be influential. Else the Landorra's also look the part of being influential."
Dooh, Grint has become the plaything of all the women in this group, at least Elsa asks me nicely to do something in contrast to Lyssa and Sabel.
Sabel Ea'tari |
Sabel stands with the others and listens for a while.
"That might be a good idea Malena, we need to find this person. Lyssa do you agree?"
She waits for the others to respond, if everyone agrees then she will start walking.
GM Chyro |
Dooh, Grint has become the plaything of all the women in this group, at least Elsa asks me nicely to do something in contrast to Lyssa and Sabel.
Royal etiquette and manners it seems.
Unless Lyssa objects you'll head for the Kromm brothers, so i'm going to wait a bit on her before forwarding to the next part.Lyssa Kail |
Bunch of ignorant dumb $&#%$! Trying to make a fool out of me, I'll ha...
"...huh what?" Lyssa, her internal rant interrupted, turns to Sabel in confusion, "Oh, yes, let's go."
As she passes the second in command Lyssa glares at him from the corner of her eye. "Hmpf!"