So you're taking a day and a half to heal up Rowena and prepare for your next foray? You staying holed up? Making plans? ANy personal interaction?
The bounty hunter spends a moment watching the interchange between Istas and the border guard. Varlis listens to the group and nods at various points, to show he has heard corroborating evidence that they speak the truth. Then he sets about looking at the map of Kortos to provide any illumination.
"We need to scout out this isle leader's turf. What was his name again? My guess is that Scream and Orsini may be there. Salvatore Scream was a friend of Neolopolis Kalendis, an artist who has been taken. My lead to his Nibs.
"There'll be no danger, old friend," Emerion assures Morosino. "Istas knows her work well. Kenan ran afoul of assassins in Vencarlo's house, though there is no sign of my Master. If not for him I'd probably be dead myself, too. This is Sheriff Varlis Larwood, an agent of Endrin's who normally operates outside the city. Varlis, Morosino and his daughter Rowena are old friends of mine."
Turning to the Sheriff:
"Salvatore Scream? Well he may not be with us, but perhaps his dwelling might provide clues. Have you been there?" Emerion queries thoughtfully. "And you are right, we should scout out the old quarter and these thugs that run the streets. I think perhaps they should know things will not always be their own way."
"Indeed!" Istas calls out from the next room, "By Pharasma's will, we shall visit the fate they've earned upon them."
"Oh we will certainly have to deal with Mr Swastel..we can't allow every tinpot dictator to set himself up as a ruler whenever he feels like it."
"Which also makes me wonder what our old 'friends' from the non exisitant Thieves Guild are up to in this anarchy"
"Yes I have been to Scream' place but the Mantis ambushed me there. There were no clues that I found - he had not lived there for a while."
Perception all round, bitte.
Varlis eats some hard tack as he cleans his bow one more time. Lovingly.
Heather
Emerion
Heather sits upright. "I think someone's at the back door trying to get in."
The sorceress bounds to her feet as she speaks
"I wish we had brought Majenko." she whispers "he could have been a very effective watchdog in this situation"
"Be still," Emerion whispers. "Speak normally. Talk."
Stealth:
Motioning everyone to make ready, Emerion silently draws his rapier and stalks silently to the back door. Holding his body to one side of the door he slowly turns the key in the lock and then suddenly jerks the door open, to reveal....
"So anyway I said to her..Darling..that hat might be all the rage in Taldor just now but here it is distinctly passe. Poor girl must have wanted to disappear into the floor."
Heather goes into her silly noblewoman act.
Bluff
Varlis slinks back against the wall and draws an arrow before aiming in silence and stillness at the back door. One eye narrows and the man calms his breathing, spending a moment to count slowly back down from ten as Emerion approaches the door.
As Heather begins to talk out loud, he mentally decides against pretending to laugh. Not my talent.
"Be still," Emerion whispers. "Speak normally. Talk."
Stealth: 1d20+12
Motioning everyone to make ready, Emerion silently draws his rapier and stalks silently to the back door. Holding his body to one side of the door he slowly turns the key in the lock and then suddenly jerks the door open, to reveal....
Small, thin, dark .... elven and female. She's clad in barbed black leather and a chain festooned in jagged bits and hooks wraps her neck and arms.
"Hi! I'm Laori! I hope we'll be very good friends."
TT
Laori has a huge mane of black hair.
... When you checked Scream's place you were ambushed by two Red Mantis Assassins. You put one down, but were badly wounded and barely made it out. Inexplicably the second assassin didn't pursue. Since then you've been playing a cat and mouse game with them and with a mysterious small woman in tight black leathers with very large hair. ...
I guess I should clarify that a bit. She doesn't seem to be working with the RMA, but rather working around them.
Varlis lessens the tension on his bowstring a notch, and keeps an eye on the "cat woman".
"This one has been skirting round those Mantis, just like me. She may know about Scream's whereabouts."
"Really? That either makes you very naive, or very dishonest," Emerion remarks. "Either way, by all means enter if you have knowledge of Salvatore Scream's whereabouts and are willing to share it."
Something about the womans attire stikes a chord with Heather
Know.Religion
She gives Istas a knowing look and waits for the Cleric to be her usual diplomatic self.
Laori steps into the apartment and looks around. Her smile brightens when she sees varlis. "Well fancy meeting you here! You do get around. And you're always with the best people."
She looks back at Emerion. "I do know where Salvatore is! And I'll be happy to tell you. You've just got to promise that I get to talk to him."
"Why?" asks Varlis.
"Because his art intrigues me so." Laori's cheeks dimple as her smile broadens. "He really is quite talented."
Laori kind of curtsies and takes another step into the room. "What a quiet bunch! Sooo? Why are you all looking for young Salvatore?"
"I think our friend here would best answer that," Emerion looks askance at Varlis.
"My my..what an interesting development.." Heather muses.."Well they do say Necessity makes for strange bedfellows..but perhaps you could tell us exactly why you decided to call before we divulge any information"
Varlis shakes his head, "you take us to him and you can admire that talent as much as you want. Where is he held? As for why I want him that is something important to Korvosa and he holds information needed by me. Laori, joking aside I promise you can talk to him too but not alone and not until he has answered my questions."
"My my..what an interesting development.." Heather muses.."Well they do say Necessity makes for strange bedfellows..but perhaps you could tell us exactly why you decided to call before we divulge any information"
Laori tips her head toward Varlis. "He and I have been looking for Scream and dancing around the Mantis. I don't think I can reach Scream alone, and have decided that with the three of you and him, I might be able secure him."
Varlis shakes his head, "you take us to him and you can admire that talent as much as you want. Where is he held? As for why I want him that is something important to Korvosa and he holds information needed by me. Laori, joking aside I promise you can talk to him too but not alone and not until he has answered my questions."
"It's more than admiration. His work may hold religious significance. I have some things to ask him that I would rather ask alone, but I can wait until your questions are answered. All I ask is that you leave him in good condition to provide me answers. Do we have a bargain?"
Varlis looks at the others, trying to be impassive but not entirely able to hide his part agreement with the bargain. After all, they may be better able to tell if the woman is going to be trouble.
"A fair enough deal," Emerion nods thoughtfully. "I'm happy to agree to that if my companions are. I take it you have some clues as to his whereabouts?"
"As I said, sometimes help comes from the most unexpected sources..very well I agree to an alliance for now and give you my word that I shall take no personal action against this Artist..now what do you bring to the table?"
"Well I know where he is! His old employer Pilts Swastel has appointed him Court Artiste, but Pilts isn't happy with Salvatore's latest work. The poor boy is practically a prisoner, slaving away to create something that Pilts will like. Alone I don't have the clout to get in to see him, but with you four I'm sure we can do it."
"Well we'd already decided to take down Pilts Swastel, so I think we are on the right course of action. We'll take care of business here, and then give Mr. Swastel something to think about. Indeed, a little scouting might not go amiss."
Varlis nods to Emerion and Heather pointedly.
"So your skills, Laori?"
"Great! Grab your gear and let's go!"
The elf is obviously eager to start right now.
"So your skills, Laori?"
But Varlis' comment slows her down. She looks at the sheriff and puffs out her chest. "I can handle myself in a fight. I'm the reason that second Mantis didn't get you at Scream's place."
Then she kind of hunches down and half turns her face to exclude Istas from the next comment, "And I can provide some blessings from the great and powerful Midnight Lord." Discretion in expression is not her strong suit however and Istas can easily hear her.
She's loud, brash, and her vocabulary is not strong. As elves go, she is quite different from your friend Keliwyn.
"I'm not sure the Midnight Lord gives the kind of blessings we'd prefer," Emerion says frankly to Laori. "But we'll take your assistance. Varlis, let's do some scouting. Heather, will you remain with Istas or join us?"
As he talks Emerion shrugs off his coat and takes the black cloak from his bag and slings it around his shoulders.
Laori would much prefer to join the scouting party than stay cooped up in Morino's.
Having made a bargain, she's quite free with her information. Pilt's has established court in a warehouse abutting his old theater in everyone's favorite city district, Old Dock. (You remember Old Dock and 'knivesies".) Apparently his theater was just not large enough for a ruler of his grandiosity.
Plan's?
Emerion quickly sketches the layout of the Dockside district.
"Now, Docksides a rough place, so we'll need to go quietly no matter what. I doubt we'll get through tonight without some altercation, so let's make it count - it's bad enough round there that a few more deaths won't rattle anyone. Swastel's old theatre is here, just off St Alika Street," Emerion marks an X. "I imagine that his people will watch the junction with Fort Korvosa Boulevard well, in case there is any incursion from the bridge. So our best bet may be to go via Seigebreak Circle, past the Sticky Mermaid," Emerion marks it as well. "From there we can take the route south toward his lair. Hopefully, we can use the Shingles to make a close approach and see the lie of the land from there. If we run into any of Swastel's people, we make it short and sweet. Everyone happy?"
Laori is quite happy. She says cheerily, His people are every where and a lot of them are native to the Shingles. We're probably going to run into them no matter how careful we are. We'd best gird our loins."
"That's what I assumed - or that anyone not with him is going to keep a low profile. Let's see how sneaky we can be."
Varlis nods at Emerion's plan. He checks his arrows one last time. "I could shadow you, so could Laori? Just thirty foot or so but enough to provide some added safety. Its what we do. But if a fight is a surety then perhaps its better if we stick together. Working in a team is not my speciality. It hasn't been for many years."
Heather goes along to make sure the boys don't get into trouble..she still has some decent offensive power left.
"We'll stick fairly close together, but not so close that we stand out, and try and stay as quiet as we can," Emerion suggests. "If we get the chance to put the wind up Swastel, or end his little game, then we'll take it."
Let's say you've got a couple hours of daylight left. Istas can stay or go as Neil wills. Let's get you on the road.
Marching order and spacing?
So through the Shingles or on the streets?