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Kalem Tries to trip his oppoenent, but the dottari remains standing for now.His follow up punch hits nothing but air as the armored opponent side steps the attack.
Femi fires off a number of magical bolts of energy. Kalem's opponent once again stand firm, feet on the ground, but the other dottari is not so lucky and she goes falling to the ground with a crash.
Brask takes the opportunity to take a chunk out of the fallen soldier, hit cutlass comes back with a streak of red blood as the dottari screams in pain.
Myradil follows up with his previous attack on red, and watched the man fall to the ground as he pulls the spear tip out of his limp body.
Green Takes a step closer to Femi, but keeps his attacks focused on Kalem, but the tiefling proves harder to hit than he seems.
Blue side steps Elias, not willing to end up flanked, but misses with his follow up attack.
"Help me!" Shouts Pink from the ground as she uses her shield arm to cover as much of her body as possible.
Purple eyes Myradil as his red companion breathes raggedly on the ground, but follows orders and moves in on Brask.
Elias
Kalem
Femi
Brask
Myradil
Patrol
-Green 3 dmg Baned
-Pink - Prone Baned 9 dmg Full defense
Emboldened by his previous success Myradil tightens his grip on his spear as he moves around into a flanking position on purple, finally answering Eliastraza's question.
"Plenty of hunts in the woods, mostly small game, but the occasional poaching goblins, it's helpful to keep away from their nasty teeth."
Hoping to drive the opposition into a full retreat, Elias casts Cause Fear at the opponent he has crossed blades with, hoping his armor will keep any opportunistic attacks from his flesh. He strums at his harp to disguise the nature of the spell.
Kalem presses on with his attack, and goes for the trip smackdown.
Round: 2
Weapon Equipped = Staff
Crossbow Bolts = 10/10
Conditions = None
Melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +0 Damage: +0
Ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +1 Damage: +0
toppling spell: base 6 (Caster Level 2 + 4 Int)
Arcane Reservoir (su): 2/5 (+1 DC or caster level as free action)
Spells (Caster Level 2, Concentration +6)
Special: (7/7) Force Missile*
Zero (14) (3/3) Dancing Lights
Zero (14): (4) Acid Splash, Daze, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Spark
First (15): (2/4) Infernal Healing, Mage Armor, Magic Missile (w/Topple Feat)*
* +1 Caster Level, +1 damage
Femi is going to devote a little more energy to the fight. He attacks the still standing Dottari and one of the Chellish Thugs with Magic Missile with Toppling Spell boosting it with his Arcane Reservoir to caster level four.
Brask snarls at the up and comer but instead lunges down to dip his cutlass past pink's defenses.
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Elias attempt to frighten the thug in front of him with a spell, but the man shrugs off the attempt with a snear, clearly unfazed.
Kalem manages to sweep the feet out from under the dottari he's been trading blows with, but misses with his follow up attack.
Femi fires more missiles, knocking blue to the ground and hitting green who grunts from the blow.
Brask tries his own attempt at cause fear as he knocks pinks shield aside and drives his cutlass deep into her chest, killing her instantly.
Myradil follows the half-orcs example and drives the tip of his spear straight through purple, killing him just as quick.
"We Yield! We Yield!" Shouts green from where he lays at Kalem's feet. Blue hears the dottari panic and holds one hand up, palm out, but maintains his hold on his weapon.
Elias
Kalem
Femi
Brask
Myradil
Patrol
-Green 6 dmg Baned prone
-Pink - dead
-Blue 2 dmg prone
-Purple - dead
-Red - dead
The point of Elias' blade lowers fractionally as he speaks to Blue."Do you, militia man? You yielded to the madman in the opera house readily enough, becoming his lapdogs, grinding the citizenry beneath your heel. It does not surprise me that you would yield to another who could do the same to you. Fine then. A choice. Come peacefully into our custody, or we cut you down here and now and let others wonder what happened in this place. Personally, I'm inclined toward's the latter. Less risk to us. Better for the city that you no longer blemish it."
There is a cold fury in his eyes, and Elias is not certain he wants the fools to accept clemency.
Femi wonders just where we're going to keep these prisoners, and how are we going to care for them. Perhaps they'll chose death? he wonders...
Femi delays, seeing if they're serious about giving up.
Assuming violence is not immediately forthcoming, he adds,
"What brought you here anyway? Was this just random chance that you're hassling us law-abiding citizens?"
Kalem says nothing, but he holds firm. If any of the opponents pursues a violent path, he will strike.
Myradil's hands shake as he awaits a resolution to the sudden parley.
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"We were responding to reports that a few commoner were scavanging the Victocora remains!" Says the dottari on the ground, pleaing for his life.
"The nobles didn't want riff-raff mulling about. Their words! Not mine."
Blue on the other hand narrows his eyes, though takes no aggressive action.
"You think you're going to take us in as prisoners? Who the hell are you?" He raises and eyebrow in confusion. "I've never met a bunch of thugs that take prisoners. What's going on here?" His tone is surprisingly demanding given his position and the number of his friends dead on the ground.
"We were hired." Kalem admits, with a dishonest twist.
"We received an anonymous job to scout out this area for the location of our employer's second home, a little place away from the Mrs. It was supposed to be a simple job, until SOMEONE decided to make it harder! "
"As for custody, I think our friend here means to report you to higher authority. I wonder how your bosses will act when they find out you're acting like common thugs?"
Elias stares at Blue, trying to place his face.
"Thugs? You attacked us in the street, trying to make your money back from a bad bet with your blade, I'd wager. I'd win this bet too. Because we're not the thugs here. You are, you who attack innocent civilians to retrieve some petty coin. Robbery, I think is the term. Tell me, thug, what is the penalty for robbery under Barzillai's rule?"
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Elias you don't recognize any of Chelish Citizen men or the dottari as particularly notable.
"Attacked you in the street? We gave you the option of a peaceful surrender and you're mage over their lied to us about what you were doing. You are aware of the dottari's job as enforcers of the law right?" Green asks incredulous, he seems to be recovering from his earlier fright as the conversation continues.
"Robbery, especially from a noble house is a lengthy sentence of jail time. You haven't just commited robbery though, you've just killed two citizens and a member of the dottari. You'd better watch your backs, because it won't be long before you hang!"
With that green attempts to lash out at the feet of the nearest Raven, blue tries to follow, but they're easily overwhelmed with the full might of the Raven's standing over them. What you do with them, I'll leave up to you, but make sure you inform me one way or the other, especially if you're taking prisoners.
Brask puts his cutlass through the nearest of the two now that theyre fighting us again.
Brask looks up at the others and tilts his head. "What?" he asks. "If they report back our plans are ruined. I dont like it but it needs to be done."
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Myradil freezes up and makes no moves to stop Brask, still over his head a bit.
Femi assists, in any way he can, with Brask's endeavors.
We need to be disguised for this work in the future. he thinks to himself. Time to do some shopping.
"Let's get to some cover, we need to talk about this I think."
Femi waits until the group is back at the coffee shop, in the Wasps Nest, or some other less public location.
"I think we should get disguises. Nothing complicated, something simple. Just something that'll keep us from killing everyone we meet, you know? I have some skill, and can help us with the basics. It might not stand up under scrutiny, but it should be OK for the most part and at a distance."
He thinks a moment, "Or do we want masks? We could do masks, but then we look guilty as all hell and won't talk our way out of much. Not that we did this time either..." he shakes his head sadly at his failure, looking quite morose...
"I think we're on the right track with wands...Perhaps one for disguising ourselves since we have scenerary covered. Drat! We could have used that!"
Kalem didn't feel so great. It was partially his blunder of the events at the bar that caused them to be found out so quickly, and he hadn't the stomach to step forward and do what needed to be done as Brask had.
Back at the base, Kalem asks for something strong to drink as he mulls over his motivations. His imprisoned mother, his people, himself...
"I can do voices, and everybody says I've got quiet steps which I might be able to share the techniques on but complex disguises may be too much."
Elias shakes his head, "I am not so sure disguise magic would have been of any great use, nor that we should have used it. No divine blessing or arcane magic I know of can change the appearance for any great length of time. My own functions for just twenty minutes. Not enough time to even cross town, much less attend a chore and return. Additionally, we want to be seen fighting back against Barzillai's cretinous minions. We decided this would be an open battle for the opinions of the masses. Without clear faces to rally behind, that will not happen."
"If we want to prepare for such an encounter in the future, it should be with plausible excuses and a deft tongue. Also worth noting, we should probably investigate one more of our potential locations today. The Militia will be out in greater force when news of their slaughtered companions reaches them. Best get as much business done as possible before that happens."
Femi looks unsure, "You're very wise Elias, and you make several good points. I just worry that we'll be snatched up too soon, and find ourselves rotting in prison - or worse."
"But you're right, we did decided on open battle. I guess I just grow a little queasy. I shall do better. Yes, let us quickly examine things today, and take the next couple days off to let things quiet down. Onward!"
Femi is ready to examine the next location, and quickly, before the dottari make their next move.
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The trip to the Silver Star is uneventful. You even pass a few dottari without incident. Either what happened in the Greens had not been revealed yet, or your descriptions weren't given to anyone for investigation.
The Star itself doesn't look like much more than the Victocora Estate did, but as you move closer you catch sight of what looks to be a single lockbox within the rubble. Moving closer unfortunately causes a small collapse, () and Brask finds himself falling a little deeper into the ruins of the shop.
Thankfully the fall drops him next to the lockbox, which has been mostly destroyed by the fire and is easily ruined. Any of the documents within are destroyed, except for a number of magical items.
Brask can be pulled from the rubble without much effort, and thankfully nothing further collapses. The remaining location to the Thrashing Badger brings the group to the docks, and a charred rotting poles of wood that jut up from the water where the old bar fell into the sea after it was set aflame.
Elias gazes down into the churning dockside tide, waves smashing against splintered beams. "Can any of you swim well? I cannot, and it will require no small talent to navigate that safely."
Myradil muses, half aloud "I think what was done needed to be done, I merely hope to have the stomach if I'm needed for such a deed."
--
Myradil looks down through the broken floor and shakes his head "Lakes and streams. Into the dark sea is a bit beyond me though. I can't imagine there's anything of value down there... Actually I take that back. I can't imagine there's likely anything of value down there but if things in that box survived all the damage up here..."
"Hang on.."
Determined to prove he could be helpful rather than just bring them trouble, Kalem undoes his boots before diving into the water.
"Good find Brask. Way to use your body."
Femi does his best to identify the magics.
He holds up the potions of Cure Light Wounds. "We have another already, so everyone take one please. This way we've each got a little healing of our own, just in case." He tries to give the scrolls to Elias. "I think you're the only one who can use these. Do you mind carrying them and using them as appropriate?"
"That just leaves these." he holds up the three potions of Lesser Restoration. "Who wants to carry one?" he asks.
Later, at the waterfront...
"Well I'm not a horrible swimmer, but I'm not good either." he watches from the dock as Kalem investigates. He worries, a little, that Kalem will be pulled under and he won't be able to help. So he watches carefully.
Myradil nervously thinks back to basic swim safety.
Reach... throw... go and flips his spear upside down, ready to reach it out to Kalem, just in case.
Elias keeps an eye on the streets within line of sight of the docks, hoping to spot trouble before it creeps up on the party for once. He is not optimistic.
Brask, in an astounding display of agility for someone so heavily clad, manages to land pretty safely, all things considered.
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Kalem dives beneath the docks and see's the remains of the THrashing Badger. Most of it burned before it fell into the sea, but not all of it, and there are a few sections of the building that look to be intact. Searching with what little time he has, Kalem doesn't find much, but he does retrieve a patch of clothing with a strange symbol on it.
Kalem emerges, spitting out a mouthful of water.
"This mean anything?" he asks as he pulls himself back onto the dock, showing the others the cloth.
"Oh, good find Kalem, good find indeed. This is the symbol of the Sacred Order or Archivists, the same order Rexus' parents were members of. I wonder if this was a hideout of theirs? If it was, we should examine it carefully for clues."
He looks at the group, "Not a lot of swimmers here though. Maybe we can spring for a Potion of Water Breathing or something at some point. We should come back then and search this place thoroughly."
Myradil's eyes light up as he nods, "Interesting, I'd be quite interested in any info we could find down there. A scroll might let us all go down."
Brask looks nervious.
"I uh... Dont swim well in my armor." he reminds the group. "I'd rather stay up here."
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Femi thinks about a new tattoo. Nothing permanent, this would be another henna tattoo, lasting only a little while before eventually fading from the skin. He decides he wants to do something with his left ankle, and spends the next few days on conception, then implementation.
He's extremely pleased with the results of the pattern - the best he's ever done! The weave moves with his skin in a way he hadn't anticipated, and he's sorry he didn't ink it permanently. But then he likes that aspect of tattooing with henna. The beauty comes, and goes - along with the mistakes. A never ending canvas...
Brask will inevitably notice the new tattoo and ask about it.
"So those are temporary, huh?" he asks.
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"I think we're done with the three locations, so the only think I can think of is our original mark..."
Brask will inevitably notice the new tattoo and ask about it.
"So those are temporary, huh?" he asks.
"Yeap. They last about two weeks - the temporary ones. I want to add another permanent tattoo, but I'm not really sure what I want. So I doodle, and hope that something will inspire me."
"This last one is very good. Uncommonly good for me. Might give it a permanent inking if it grows on me a little more."
"I think we're done with the three locations, so the only think I can think of is our original mark..."
"Yeah, I certainly don't want to forget that one. Especially not after you trounced her so. But with the dottari after us maybe, I don't want to add those Chellish thugs to the list. Not quite yet."
He thinks a moment, "Or am I being too conservative again? I dunno... I'm still worried about the invisible bastard hiding in our lair too. At least I assume it's invisible. I can't see it anyway!" he exclaims laughing to try and ease his annoyance.
Brask will inevitably notice the new tattoo and ask about it.
"So those are temporary, huh?" he asks.
"Yeap. They last about two weeks - the temporary ones. I want to add another permanent tattoo, but I'm not really sure what I want. So I doodle, and hope that something will inspire me."
"This last one is very good. Uncommonly good for me. Might give it a permanent inking if it grows on me a little more."
Brask nods, thinking. It takes a while, but he scratches his ear while he asks. "So... do you think you could do some kind of temporary face tattoo for me? Like, to make me more intimidating? Might be useful when we go into battle"
Myrandil asks "Tell me about this other location?"
Brask nods, thinking. It takes a while, but he scratches his ear while he asks. "So... do you think you could do some kind of temporary face tattoo for me? Like, to make me more intimidating? Might be useful when we go into battle"
Femi shakes his head, ”Gee I dunno Brask. Maybe let’s try one on some less visible part of you to start huh? I’m still not very good at this, oh you should see some of the stuff I’ve seen! Let’s talk about what sort of design you might like…” Femi is happy to do a tattoo for you - wherever. He does his best to match the skill and even handedness he achieved with his last attempt.
Ahhh, lucky! :)
Myrandil asks "Tell me about this other location?"
”Ahh, it’s not a place it’s a person. Albia Levii. The woman you saw Kalem here trounce in the bar. She’s actually the head of the Chellish Citizens Group - a band of roving thugs really, doing Thrune’s will. Recently, it is said, she’s come into some money - presumably from Thrune - to finance their thuggery.”
”Well, we had the thought that we might just take that payroll off her and trounce her and a few of her thugs at the same time. A mugging with a purpose. We take from Thrune, and apply it to our own revolution!”
Myradil shakes his head in disgust "People like that... collaborators... or worse. The power of the purse is massive, something we'll need."
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The Raven's lay low for the rest of the week. Probably for the best, as word about a number of dead Dottari and Chelish Citizen members in the Greens gets out quickly. You start to see an increase in patrols, and by the time the next week has arrived, it's hard to move anywhere in the city without seeing dottari every where you look.
Thankfully, the Raven's lesser known members did significant work on their assignments.
Shortly after the battle in the Greens, Harley's son David makes an appearance at the coffeehouse, making a show of apologies that Laria's cook was overcharged at his last appointment. He leaves a small sack of gold coins as he leaves with another apology.
Pavus and his performers stop in one afternoon, and stay for a few hours, playing for Laria's patrons. Using the music as cover, the flamboyant half-orc provides the Ravens with everything he knows. Albia not only lost some pull with the dottari after her loss in the pub the other night, but it seems Clenchjaw, recovered from his nightly exhaustion, has resumed his nightly vigil against political talks in his bar, and has effectively silenced Thrunish support on the docks. Unfortunately it's a two way street and the Raven's get no good word in either. He also provides you with the location of Albia's residence, a small house in Red Roof in a fairly regular neighborhood. Nothing special. "Let us know if you want us to perform anything in particular!" He says before he leaves, to let you know his company is ready for whatever is next.
Finally, as the weekend nears, Laria comes downstairs with a broad smile. Placing her hands on her hips, she looks over the Guardians of Kintargo and introduces the man who she invited into the Wasp's Nest.
"I told you I'f find you a rabble rouser worth his salt."
It takes a moment for each of you to recognize the man behind her, considering just two weeks ago he was a malnourished beaten man mining in the Salt Works. When Forvian Crow extends his arm in greeting to the group, it doesn't shake, or waver with weakness, and his grip is as strong as Brask's. "I hear you boys are lookin' for someone that can make trouble. I'm your man, and my Black Feathers are all chomping at the bit to give Thrune back the lashing he gave us."
Kalem can't be certain he trusts the man completely, but he does know enough that if the man is hiding something, he'd be clever enough to hide it from himself, but probably not Elias or Femi.
Kalem gives his approval for officership.
As for the business of the week.
"We need to keep supporters to our cause, and for that we need money. A big haul is fine, but we should start planning for the long term if we can."
He leans back in his chair where the group is planning.
Perhaps some investment in merchants should be considered."
It takes a moment for each of you to recognize the man behind her, considering just two weeks ago he was a malnourished beaten man mining in the Salt Works. When Forvian Crow extends his arm in greeting to the group, it doesn't shake, or waver with weakness, and his grip is as strong as Brask's. "I hear you boys are lookin' for someone that can make trouble. I'm your man, and my Black Feathers are all chomping at the bit to give Thrune back the lashing he gave us."
"Well met indeed, but you look shades more hale than you did when we last met. The trip is long; we shall shorten the road together! Welcome to the Silver Ravens."
"We need to keep supporters to our cause, and for that we need money. A big haul is fine, but we should start planning for the long term if we can."
He leans back in his chair where the group is planning.
Perhaps some investment in merchants should be considered."
"Good call - and I think, as we grow, it will be easier to get donations, and gather funds on the streets through our various teams and supporters. But even then it may not be enough." he wonders.
"What we need is a wealthy benefactor." he smiles at the thought.
Elias nods, "This concept is sound Kalem. We will need their backing before we approach sympathetic nobility if we wish to seem serious about our goals. Strong investment in key merchants should give us the leverage we need to enforce the proper stances on them for our path forward. We should spend some time identifying appropriate targets. Not Thrunnish lackeys, but still powerful tastemakers among the other merchants, and skilled enough at their trade that our investment will not simply wither away on the vine. The theft we are planning will provide seed money for the investments."
Myradil buries himself in sheets of paper trying to map out the increased patrols to help best avoid them.
If there is downtime as orders are being handed out and plans being formed, Kalem spars with some of the supporters, teaching simple self-defence techniques to those who are interested. Movement and focus, two key elements to surviving any brawl. Stationary targets were very easy to hit, and as long as you knew where your opponent was aiming for, you had a much better chance of blocking or dodging.
If there is a larger span of time, Kalem write to the Devil's Nursery, asking for their progress and seeing if there are any new problems.