@Jorzan: Hidden by the shadows gathered from the thin metal pole on the roof that supports a weathervane and is the only thing casting a shadow up there, you let fly your arrow. It strikes home with a satisfying thud and you see the white tengu crash to the ground. As soon as he falls, there is a scream from nearby and a small group of people run over to him. Obviously you can see them, but they are too far away for you to make out anything specific that they are saying; there's just a general ruckus. Two of them crouch down over the tengu, completely blocking him from your sight. Within moments four men, all well-armed and burly, appear on the scene, clearly members of Grez's city guard. They look frantically around.
Almost immediately, two of them point at your position on the roof of the inn. One of the men is very dangerous-looking, and moves with the grace and speed of a highly evolved predator. They take off running in your direction, the other two behind them. One of them begins blowing a horn. In general, quite an outcry has gone up. Shouts begin to become clearly audible; "The inn! Assassin on the roof of the inn! Catch him!"
Karthan smiles at the Tengu. It's not pleasant.
"No, not yet...it's definitely not time for that"
Bluff to make him think I know what he's actually worried about doing, so that it'll pop into his surface thoughts.
"And it's good that they don't know the threat she represents to dragons...it'll be a lovely surprise."
"S~!&! Jorzan grunts under his breath as soon as the men turn and point in his direction. Not hesitating for a moment the shadowdancer turns and runs at top speed in the other direction, running down the wall and taking a daring flying leap onto the next building. Then, using the most difficult, and convoluted route he can find, using his slippers of spider climb to allow him to move on surfaces others would never be able to, the cagey rogue moves to a place where he is still high off the ground, likely hanging upside down or on the side of a wall, has an excellent view of all around, yet can still be hidden in deep shadow. His bow, disguise and other gear stowed in his haversack, the waits, senses on high alert, for his pursuers to pass by or to make sure they don't sneak up on them.
Acrobatics:
Stealth:
Perception:
Dragons, and mysteries. I wonder what Karthan is gleaning from him that I'm not, all this double talk is making my head spin, Tanel thinks to himself as Karthan presses his questions on the Tengu.
I hope Jorzan is okay, wherever the hells he got off to.
At the camp: The tengu's eyes go wide for a moment, then narrow at Karthan.
"Fine. Yes. They'll find out. I'm s-sure they already know." The tengu is trying to bluff, but not really fooling anybody. "So, what are you going to do with me, then? With us?" He nods his head to indicate his unconscious companion.
@Jorzan: You dodge from one rooftop down to a lower one, and from there to a stable that appears to have fallen into disrepair. Leaping into the hay loft you barely fight back the urge to sneeze as years-old hay and mildew fill the air. Spinning into a corner, you gather shadows about yourself and remain still and hidden.
Activity continues outside for a short while, then seems to settle. Peeking out the hay door, now long-since destroyed and left permanently open to the elements, you see that the city guard has been mustered and is on high alert, telling you that you will have to be very stealthy getting to the docks. The good news they appear to have lost your trail completely, and are just on general alert.
Now you have just to get to the docks, and hope that the others heard your whistle...
"That is the question, isn't it?" Kelne said, "You don't strike me as the types to honour your parole. Given the large number of people who want us dead, I really ought to slit your throats and reduce that number by two." He allowed the threat to sink in for a moment, "However. You've provided us with information, and killing cooperative prisoners is a bad habit to get into."
"So, you get to live. But if any of us ever see you again, there will be no parley. No attempt to extract information. There will be only swift and certain death for your past crimes and your actions here today. Does anybody have anything to add?"
The tengu is silent now. His companion starts to groan, obviously regaining consciousness. Suddenly you all hear a great uproar from the town, sounds like dozens and dozens of people shouting. A few great blasts are sounded on some kind of battle horn. Looking down at the gates, you see the city guard has been mobilized, the towers are now manned, and the gates are shut.
There is still no sign of Jorzan.
Cassandra gasps. She goes over to Karthan and tugs on his finely-sewn shirt hem. "Dragon Man, can you save Shadow Man? He's in trouble! They don't want to let him out of the city! Someone has to tell them, has to make them believe he's a good guy!" She looks helplessly around at all of you, then goes over to the Monster and hugs his huge, furry leg.
Quietly breathes a sigh of relief at not having to kill a prisoner.
'No chance of waiting for the others on the street now, I'll have to get to the docks.' the rogue thinks to himself 'And for that I'll need a disguise and a distraction.' pondering, he looks around the hay filled barn, then suddenly smiles.
Moving with purpose now yet still remaining quiet, Jorzan first begins to gather as much hay as he can into the center of the barn. Then, once enough of it is piled high enough to suit his purposes, he begins to stuff some hay into his clothing, creating a huge belly and making his arms and legs much thicker, all without hampering his movement. Next he gathers what dust and dirt he can, smudging it in his hair and over his face and clothes, trying to age himself.
Almost done his disguise, he takes one last look around to make sure the fire will burn well, and cause much smoke, but not be so much out of control such as to be impossible to put out. He also checks on the surrounding buildings to make sure they are not too much of a fire risk.
Then, satisfied and almost done, he lights a torch and tosses it onto the pile of hay. Once sure the fire is going well, he adopts the posture of an old man, moves out of the building, and in a high, wavering old man voice screams out "Fire! Fire! In the old barn! Fire!"
Stopping only long enough to ensure at least a few have heard his cry he slips into the shadows and make his circuitous way towards the docks and his ship out of this town.
Perception:
Survival(for checking danger of fire):
Disguise:
Stealth:
Stealth:
Stealth:
Stealth:
@DM Downrightamazed
The monster pats Cassandra gently on the head, covering her in a shaggy paw.
"Magic girl... *hrumph* friend. Help shadow man!"
The boy smiles wide and nods along with the monster, eager to help his new friends.
@Jorzan: There is a general outcry and a number of citizens rush forward to help put out the fire. A druid conjures a rainstorm as clerics toss huge amounts of water on the thing. Some citizen who is dressed rather fancily starts accosting a second, similarly caparisoned resident. "I told you that damn thing was nothing but a fire hazard! You're lucky we had warning from that old man or we all would have had much more trouble!" Their argument fades from hearing as you make your way through the streets stealthily and carefully, slipping like a shadow from doorway to doorway, alley to alley.
"Right. On to other matters. Let's go," Kelne said, abandoning the prisoners and mounting his horse. He intended to sort out the finer details of a disguise when he was out of sight. No sense letting the tengu know he needed one if they didn't already.
@Jorzan:
You carefully pick your way down to the wharf and find a solid hiding place not far from the dock where you'll be departing, one that gives a solid view of the halfling owner as he directs roustabouts loading supplies, and of a good bit of beach. Now if the others would just get here...
People leaving the camp:
@DRA:
@The Rest of the Gang:
@DRA:
@The Rest of the Gang:
Sure in his skills, Jorzan the reaches the docks without anyone being the wiser. Seeing his friends have not arrived yet, he seeks a safe and hidden place to wait for them. Again using his slippers to get himself to the most inaccessible to others and hidden place he can find, the shadowdancer waits for his allies to arrive. Knowing he still has enemies in the town, he keeps his weapon handy and a close eye out for the injured tengu, their huge companion or anyone else who may look like trouble.
Sir Justahl thinks.
"Do you think they would stop a Paladin of Izmir in full panoply, accompanied by his footmen?"
Sir Justahl calls forth Nouhves, who comes galloping up out of the gate to Celestia. He begins pulling out the formal tabard and pennent and arranging his appearance as formal as possible.
Observing Sir Justahl's noble mount and his fine regalia, the boy mixes pigments from mud and camp fire ash, and begins hand painting crude markings over the monster's thick fur, the serious, determined look on his face belying the crudity and silliness of his paintings.
"It's certainly worth a try," Kelne said, "Less likely to see us turned away at the gate than anything I can think of. Less likely to see inconvenient questions as well. Incidentally, I'll be going by the name Senn while we're in town. Cassandra can be Miren." Nothing would give the game away faster than people having to think to come up with an alias for them on the spot.
"Which reminds me. Do you have a name kid?" he asked the latest addition to their little band. Calling him 'kid' or 'you there' wasn't going to work forever.
Karthan will attempt to extract whatever it is that the Tengu is worried about the timing of from his brain, and will then leave the disposal of the prisoners to others, though he will blindfold both of them, before handing them to Kelne.
He'll case Message and whisper to the others, "I suspect that someone's caused a problem back in town. Tanel, I'll need that vest back when you get a chance. Cassandra, please ride on my shoulders."
When the Tengu are not available to observe, he uses the vest to make himself look like he's in Warbanian full plate, with Cassandra inside the illusion.
Through the Message spell, "When does our boat leave?"
Also through the Message spell, "I've been very vague about Cassandra's secret effect on Dragons. There is, to the best of my knowledge, know such effect. But if we can cause them to be cautious about letting her be aware of dragons, that hinders their options in pursuing us..."
With the two tengu blindfolded, stripped of gear, and tied to trees, you all head down the hill a bit after preparing. The trip across the short plane to the city gate passes without event, but as you approach the gate, it is clear the guards are getting ready for you; they pull a few extra soldiers out from inside, and the archers watch stonily from their towers. Grez approaches with close to a dozen men in tow, stopping you about 80' from the gate. He smiles up at Sir Justahl, but is clearly quite wary.
"G'day sir. If you don't mind me asking, just what the hell is all this? You've got a kid, a Warbanian, some scuzzball, and...hey, don't I know you?" The guard captain is now looking quizzically at Tanel. "Weren't you here earlier in the day? You know the rogue you had with you has stirred up some trouble; unless there's some kind of doppleganger 'round here, he's shot some tengu in the middle of the street, in broad daylight. Where'd he go? He with you? We need to bring him in to the Sheriff's office for questioning if he is."
Grez looks around again, and suddenly his eyes widen and he draws his sword. "F**~ me! It's that Kelne we're supposed to be looking out for! Well what a day this is turning out to be! Grab him, men!"
Eight of the city guard step towards the barely-disguised Kelne, one is getting some rope ready. Grezz smiles at Justahl. "Bringing him in, I see. Fine work, captain, fine work. I dunno how you Izmir fellas do it, but I sure am glad you're around to help with stuff like this."
With the two tengu blindfolded, stripped of gear, and tied to trees, you all head down the hill a bit after preparing. The trip across the short plane to the city gate passes without event, but as you approach the gate, it is clear the guards are getting ready for you; they pull a few extra soldiers out from inside, and the archers watch stonily from their towers. Grez approaches with close to a dozen men in tow, stopping you about 80' from the gate. He smiles up at Sir Justahl, but is clearly quite wary.
"G'day sir. If you don't mind me asking, just what the hell is all this? You've got a kid, a Warbanian, some scuzzball, and...hey, don't I know you?" The guard captain is now looking quizzically at Tanel. "Weren't you here earlier in the day? You know the rogue you had with you has stirred up some trouble; unless there's some kind of doppleganger 'round here, he's shot some tengu in the middle of the street, in broad daylight. Where'd he go? He with you? We need to bring him in to the Sheriff's office for questioning if he is."
Grez looks around again, and suddenly his eyes widen and he draws his sword. "F~+* me! It's that Kelne we're supposed to be looking out for! Well what a day this is turning out to be! Grab him, men!"
Eight of the city guard step towards the barely-disguised Kelne, one is getting some rope ready. Grezz smiles at Justahl. "Bringing him in, I see. Fine work, captain, fine work. I dunno how you Izmir fellas do it, but I sure am glad you're around to help with stuff like this."
With the two tengu blindfolded, stripped of gear, and tied to trees, you all head down the hill a bit after preparing. The trip across the short plane to the city gate passes without event, but as you approach the gate, it is clear the guards are getting ready for you; they pull a few extra soldiers out from inside, and the archers watch stonily from their towers. Grez approaches with close to a dozen men in tow, stopping you about 80' from the gate. He smiles up at Sir Justahl, but is clearly quite wary.
"G'day sir. If you don't mind me asking, just what the hell is all this? You've got a kid, a Warbanian, some scuzzball, and...hey, don't I know you?" The guard captain is now looking quizzically at Tanel. "Weren't you here earlier in the day? You know the rogue you had with you has stirred up some trouble; unless there's some kind of doppleganger 'round here, he's shot some tengu in the middle of the street, in broad daylight. Where'd he go? He with you? We need to bring him in to the Sheriff's office for questioning if he is."
Grez looks around again, and suddenly his eyes widen and he draws his sword. "F#@& me! It's that Kelne we're supposed to be looking out for! Well what a day this is turning out to be! Grab him, men!"
Eight of the city guard step towards the barely-disguised Kelne, one is getting some rope ready. Grezz smiles at Justahl. "Bringing him in, I see. Fine work, captain, fine work. I dunno how you Izmir fellas do it, but I sure am glad you're around to help with stuff like this."
With the two tengu blindfolded, stripped of gear, and tied to trees, you all head down the hill a bit after preparing. The trip across the short plane to the city gate passes without event, but as you approach the gate, it is clear the guards are getting ready for you; they pull a few extra soldiers out from inside, and the archers watch stonily from their towers. Grez approaches with close to a dozen men in tow, stopping you about 80' from the gate. He smiles up at Sir Justahl, but is clearly quite wary.
"G'day sir. If you don't mind me asking, just what the hell is all this? You've got a kid, a Warbanian, some scuzzball, and...hey, don't I know you?" The guard captain is now looking quizzically at Tanel. "Weren't you here earlier in the day? You know the rogue you had with you has stirred up some trouble; unless there's some kind of doppleganger 'round here, he's shot some tengu in the middle of the street, in broad daylight. Where'd he go? He with you? We need to bring him in to the Sheriff's office for questioning if he is."
Grez looks around again, and suddenly his eyes widen and he draws his sword. "F@+% me! It's that Kelne we're supposed to be looking out for! Well what a day this is turning out to be! Grab him, men!"
Eight of the city guard step towards the barely-disguised Kelne, one is getting some rope ready. Grezz smiles at Justahl. "Bringing him in, I see. Fine work, captain, fine work. I dunno how you Izmir fellas do it, but I sure am glad you're around to help with stuff like this."
With the two tengu blindfolded, stripped of gear, and tied to trees, you all head down the hill a bit after preparing. The trip across the short plane to the city gate passes without event, but as you approach the gate, it is clear the guards are getting ready for you; they pull a few extra soldiers out from inside, and the archers watch stonily from their towers. Grez approaches with close to a dozen men in tow, stopping you about 80' from the gate. He smiles up at Sir Justahl, but is clearly quite wary.
"G'day sir. If you don't mind me asking, just what the hell is all this? You've got a kid, a Warbanian, some scuzzball, and...hey, don't I know you?" The guard captain is now looking quizzically at Tanel. "Weren't you here earlier in the day? You know the rogue you had with you has stirred up some trouble; unless there's some kind of doppleganger 'round here, he's shot some tengu in the middle of the street, in broad daylight. Where'd he go? He with you? We need to bring him in to the Sheriff's office for questioning if he is."
Grez looks around again, and suddenly his eyes widen and he draws his sword. "F!%@ me! It's that Kelne we're supposed to be looking out for! Well what a day this is turning out to be! Grab him, men!"
Eight of the city guard step towards the barely-disguised Kelne, one is getting some rope ready. Grezz smiles at Justahl. "Bringing him in, I see. Fine work, captain, fine work. I dunno how you Izmir fellas do it, but I sure am glad you're around to help with stuff like this."
With the two tengu blindfolded, stripped of gear, and tied to trees, you all head down the hill a bit after preparing. The trip across the short plane to the city gate passes without event, but as you approach the gate, it is clear the guards are getting ready for you; they pull a few extra soldiers out from inside, and the archers watch stonily from their towers. Grez approaches with close to a dozen men in tow, stopping you about 80' from the gate. He smiles up at Sir Justahl, but is clearly quite wary.
"G'day sir. If you don't mind me asking, just what the hell is all this? You've got a kid, a Warbanian, some scuzzball, and...hey, don't I know you?" The guard captain is now looking quizzically at Tanel. "Weren't you here earlier in the day? You know the rogue you had with you has stirred up some trouble; unless there's some kind of doppleganger 'round here, he's shot some tengu in the middle of the street, in broad daylight. Where'd he go? He with you? We need to bring him in to the Sheriff's office for questioning if he is."
Grez looks around again, and suddenly his eyes widen and he draws his sword. "F+@! me! It's that Kelne we're supposed to be looking out for! Well what a day this is turning out to be! Grab him, men!"
Eight of the city guard step towards the barely-disguised Kelne, one is getting some rope ready. Grezz smiles at Justahl. "Bringing him in, I see. Fine work, captain, fine work. I dunno how you Izmir fellas do it, but I sure am glad you're around to help with stuff like this."
@Jorzan: From your perch under a stilted building, you are able to watch as an unusually large and attentive group of city guardsmen begin gathering at the wharf; far larger than what was stationed there all day, and you'd wager far larger than is really needed.
"I'd really rather you didn't do that," Kelne said mildly. In light of his plainly terrible disguise, he probably should have come up with a different approach, but he'd play the cards he'd been dealt, "I have given my parole to Sir Justahl so that I might confront my accuser and clear my good name. Being flung in jail was no part of that bargain."
He certainly sounded indignant enough, as well he might be. After all, the scum of the earth put a bounty on his head in order to get to Cassandra. He intended to exact retribution for that, among other things. He doubted very much that the guards would listen to a word of it. At least not coming from him. Justahl was another matter.
Kelne certainly had no intention of fighting them, and kept his hands well away from his weapons. Better to be flung in jail than to wind up in a fight with innocent men. Even if they won, they'd have to fight their way through town to get to the ship, which wouldn't take them aboard anyway. No, diplomacy was the order of the day here.
As the guards approach, the monster puffs out his chest and begins letting out a low growl, shifting uncomfortably in the dirt.
The boy, wide eyed, shakes his head furiously and tries pushing the monster back, leaving tracks in the dirt as his feet pump without effect.
Sir Justahl rises in his saddle and fixes Grez with a steely look.
"Gentlemen. I greet you in the name of the Paladins of Izmir."
He gives a crisp salute.
"Now, I have no idea what you are talking about, but this man is in MY custody and I am on a mission that cannot wait. I'm afraid you are going to have to apply to General Croft in the Inspector General's office in Izmir for your legal charges."
His grip tightens on his lance, his eyes narrow.
"Because. If this is somehow unacceptable to you, and you attempt to use force on me and my footmen, Izmir will have to... revisit the arrangement between our two political authorities. I wonder how, pleased, your superiors would be to have to deal with that."
Diplomacy:
At The Gate: Grez backs away, and signals for his men to stop. "Oh no, Captain! Nothing like that! We sure don't want to cause any trouble. We's jus' got these wanted posters, here, is all, and this fella you got is on there. He's one of 'em. Baron Ormir, it says, is looking for him and a little girl, big reward." The guard captain looks at The Feral Boy, who is still pushing back on The Monster to keep the outsider from tearing into the men. "Say, uh, Captain Justahl, that kid there, he wouldn't happen to be a little girl under all that dirt and stuff, would he? I mean, I've seen stranger things."
Grez sort of shakes his head. "I'm more than willing to work with you, there, Captain, but I, ah, I don't suppose I could convince you to let us hang on to this Kelne, here? Maybe split the reward a bit? We've got a good holding cell where he can cool down until the Wolfguard come to get him. It's an awful lot of money, and since you're about to try to enter my city with a wanted criminal and some kind of big monster in tow, I could certainly ease your passage on through town if you could ease some of that money into our coffers, if you get my drift. We can maybe scratch each others' backs, here."
The boy tilts his helmet back and scowls at the guard's rudeness, then points at ground and grunts, at which point the monster quickly lays down in the dirt, his jaw resting on his folded arms.
"Perhaps it would help your argument if you told us why Ormir's offering a ridiculous amount of money for myself and this girl," Kelne suggested acerbically, "Because I don't think paladins are influenced by attempted bribes. Especially if he could just turn me in himself for the full reward." Kelne gave his statement a few moments to sink in, openly angry now. Here, if it were needed, was evidence that money would all too often trump any consideration of justice.
"Frankly, if we have the time, I wouldn't mind facing the wolfguard within a truth spell. We could see whose allegations stick in their throat. Are there any in town now?" Kelne was quite sincere, but had no intention of waiting around for them to turn up and missing the boat. If the guards could produce a wolfguard in short order, well and good. If not, let somebody else say that, alas, their mission was too important to be delayed.
Sir Justahl's face turns a little purplish as he snarls;
"And are the same people who passed out those wanted posters the same ones who told you that a Paladin of Izmir is FOR SALE?"
Intimidate:
Karthan, kitted out like a Warbanian in siege armor, simply looms
Aid Another: Justahl's Intimidate
"whoa, Whoa, WHOA! Heheheh. For sale? Who's saying that? I'm certainly not saying that. No, sir. Would never even mean to...to hint at such a thing. Certainly not about the Men of Izmir. Goes extra for you guys. And, ah, I don't think there's any reason to get the Wolfguard down here. I mean, since Izmir is to the west and you fellas are all heading north, well, I assume that's where you're taking Kelne, here, anyway, right?!" Grez gives Justahl a wry look. A shadow crosses his face and he seems to decide something. He gives his men a curt shake of his head and waves them off, keeping a sidelong eye on Justahl and the disguised Karthan as he does so. "Open the gates. It's okay. I'll walk 'em through."
Grez's men eye you all like you're something on the menu, but stay their hands and keep their distance. The archers in the towers keep their bows fixed on your party. As you walk through the village, Grez talks, more to Justahl than anyone else, really. Periodically the big guard captain will wave off other guards or ersatz gendarmes as you walk. Everyone stares at you, but mostly everyone stares at the Feral Boy and the Monster. Children look with naked curiosity at the boy and a mixture of that same curiosity and base terror at The Monster. ACK IT'S A MONSTER! but he's with that boy...could he be...i've imagined things like that...i wonder if...
Eventually, after a walk that feels like it took forever but really couldn't have been more than a half-hour or so, the whole lot of you are back at the shore, which is now swarming with guards. They all look intensely at you, of course, but are just as quickly waved aside by Grez.
None of you has seen Jorzan.
Will save vs Karthan's Hat of Disguise:
Perception:
Easily able to realize which members of his party are missing and knowing well his half-orc's friend fondness for his vest of disguise, the perceptive rogue is able to piece the Warbanian's illusion. Once he has sight of Cassandra and can see that she is unharmed, a huge knot of fear and worry uncoils within him. Immediately though his attention is attracted to the seemingly new members of the group as he wonders to himself 'Who the hell is that kid? And What the Hell is that Thing he's tagging along??'
Putting aside such matters for the moment though and knowing there is little to no chance he could get through the throng of guards to the boat unseen, Jorzan thinks for a moment and comes up with a plan.
Although waiting until dark would have been ideal, Jorzan decides to use the distraction of his allies arriving to his advantage. Using his immense skill and supernatural talent he begins to make his way to the boat. But, he does not move there directly. In fact, he actually moves away from the boat, going far enough to make chance of his being seen almost impossible. He then quietly enters the water and begins to swim from boat to boat, using their large size and heavy shadows to hide himself further. Finally, when one boat away from his target, he climbs up out of the water, his slippers allowing his to hang on the side of the vessel and waits for sunset (or if the boat starts leaving early). He then dives under the water and swims over to his target ship. Then, arising at the bow, his uses his magic slippers again to climb up onto the side. Then, first making sure no other passengers or crew are nearby, he moves up far enough so he can peak over, and looks for Tanel or the closest of his allies to be on board.
Next, calling on one of his magic items, he causes a small item of Tanel's to lift free of his person and begin lightly tapping on the man's elbow. Once he has the Oracle's attention, he beings slowly bringing the coin back towards his hiding place until the farmer is within whispering distance where he says "Tanel, it's Jorzan. I am alright and aboard, obviously. But the guards are looking for me so I'll stay hidden until we far enough away from shore. Let the others know."
Stealth:
Swim:
Stealth:
Slight of hand (to do the tapping without anyone else noticing?):