"Fifty gold, and I'll talk to you." Assuming the Tengu agrees he talks as he flips the cards. Lekki wins as he comes up with twenty and Cookie goes over the number.
He laughs. "Here's what I've heard. “The Duchess’s thugs were in town for two days before they put out a 50,000 gp bounty on the janni they were after. Made a big stink of bringing them the janni-woman alive, too. Bad time to be a janni living in the city, if you ask me. This town likes to keep its secrets, but with a price like that, people were dragging any janni they could get their hands on. Bounty was barely out a few hours before word got around that someone claimed it."
"Since I really like you all, Saw some of those crackling elemental bullies fly out of here in an awful hurry. I’d wager that their bounty got called in, though I didn’t see them taking any prisoners. Somebody at the docks might know who claimed the bounty. I didn't hear."
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Dark thoughts cross the barbarian's mind. Didn't we START at the docks? I hate this place! He stands with arms folded over his chest, waiting for the ground to release him. Even when he eventually starts falling toward their destination, his arms stay crossed, refusing to allow his foul mood to be lightened.
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As Osten plummets toward the dock, he becomes more and more incensed at the entire situation he has found himself in. Me and a certain venture-captain are going to have a few brief words about this. I cannot believe they sent me here without any warning or training. HOW DARE THEY?!?! Maybe those Aspis thugs have it a little better. No, I hate those knuckle-headed snakes too much. But I swear, as sure as the sun rises and rain falls, someone will pay for this!
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Leyten concentrates on the air around him and wills himself into the void.
Unsuccessful at first, he tries again. "Be the feather, be the feather..." he mutters, trying to keep his frustration from rising.
Success! His satisfaction quickly fades as he realizes that he'll have to concentrate on stopping!
"AHHH, not a feather! Not a feather! Land!" He brings his arms close to his chest and focuses on the docks.
He lands near Osten and Laafdahni ... although "flops" might be more descriptive. "Hag's teeth, that's awkward."
Osten plummets through the air followed by Leyton. They barely stop before tumbling away from the dock.
A wiry old sylph with a slight hunch to her back gives a snort as the outsiders almost miss their landing. Her exposed skin, including a bald head, is covered in faded, swirling blue tattoos.
Hey there. Don't have your air legs yet eh?" She makes a living loading and unloading the many airships passing through Port Eclipse. Remind me of the time I spent weeks adrift in the great expanse after my ship was smashed in a storm that appeared out of thin air. The storm took her crew over two months to break free from. I miss those I lost terribly." She moves boxes back and forth as she tells the story.
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How fortunate to meet someone willing to talk to outsiders right away! Laafdahni immediately seizes upon this chance to continue the conversation. "Oh, my. That sounds awful! You certainly must be quite a survivor! We have been sent to find someone who we fear has been lost as well, though...by different means. Do you recall a ruckus not long ago regarding a 50,000gp reward for finding a janni woman?"
She looks you up and down, and moves closer to Laafdhani to whisper, “I heard the Coldfire King, an efreeti overlord, claimed the bounty not too long after it went up. Can’t say I’m surprised. Everyone knows half the ice his operation moves in and out of Port Eclipse has people stuck inside. That tavern his thugs operate, the Sleet Saloon, is probably the closest thing Port Eclipse has to a prison. I hate to see one of yours in his hands.”
The Pathfinders follow the given directions to the Sleet Saloon.
The Sleet Saloon is a rundown steel building, resting along the outer fringes of a jutting stone stalagmite. A series of wooden docks extends along the sides of the Sleet Saloon, acting as scaffolding to access the building’s sides. The building is bafflingly tall, with a 30-foot-high ceiling. A primary entrance rests on a polished portion of the adjoining stalagmite, while side entrances are accessible from the north and south scaffolding. The main entrance is a heavy steel door with a single viewing porthole, that is kept shut during most hours of the day—an oddity for a building that openly declares itself as a bar.
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Osten's eyes rise, and rise and rise until they finally settle on the top of the structure. Damn! He shakes his head a bit, "This place just screams 'Go Away!' If the outside's any indication, pretty sure all the bad guys are gonna be able to fly. Anyone got a plan, or are we just bustin' in there? We ain't got any negotiating power, and we sure can't afford to buy her freedom."
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"You're right," says Leyten. "We have no idea where Jamila is being kept inside, how much resistance we'll face, or really anything about this place. We need a plan."
He examines the exterior thoughtfully. "We need to do reconnaissance. That is, one or more of us goes inside to see what the layout is like, and someone stays outside to monitor comings and goings. It's boring and time consuming and - for those going inside - possibly dangerous, but if we go in blindly, we're as likely to end up on ice as Jamila."
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The foreboding facade of the Sleet Saloon gives Laafdahni pause. Are we allowed to go in? Most taverns try to look at least somewhat welcoming... She volunteers: "Hmm... Splitting up our party makes us more vulnerable. It is not my preferred course of action, but if everyone else thinks it our best option, I can stay outside and observe if anyone enters. Perhaps there is a code word to gain entry..." Her voice trails off as she her mind wanders to the imposing steel door. Or maybe they'll just let us come in? It may not even be locked. We could just try. She doesn't speak these thoughts, as she is certain the more experienced members of her party would disagree. She likes their respect and doesn't want to lose it by seeming naive.
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Reading everyone's lips carefully, as to not misunderstand them, Lekki adds his bit of wisdom. "Remember, Leyten, this is the den of an efreeti overlord. I'm not sure they'd be friendly either way. If they have Jamila, we may already be too late."
Lekki will place his Gift of Will onto Osten. "Here, friend. Maybe this will come in handy." --
He suggests the following cource of action. "I don't think we should wait. Let's use one of the side entrances - say the south one, and stealth in. Maybe luck is on our side, for once. Maybe the entrance will be less guarded, and we will have a chance to see inside. What do you say team? The longer we wait, the less time we give Jamila."
He makes his way, wherever his party decides to go, but does so stealthily.
Lekki arrives at the side door and discovers it's made of steel and locked.
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Looking discouraged from going any further, he turns back to the party whom to his surprise are all on his tail. "I don't suppose one of you brought a lock pick this time? Osten, could you try using those large muscles of yours?" He smiles at the large barbarian as if reading his mind, "Now I know what you're probably thinking, and no, Tengu don't taste like chicken. We don't burn, we char. I've dealt with Efreeti before, aweful bunch."
If, (and maybe when) the party is unsuccessful at breaking in this way, he will sigh deaply and muse, "Maybe we should just take the front door? Say, ask for some time with the great Overlord and ask for something in exchange for Jamila. He may be an efreet, but no one can be as bad as Grandmaster Torch himself." He holds his arm as if tending to a burn.
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"What a dark turn that conversation took!" says Leyten with a crooked smile. "No one is eating any one of us - not today, at least." He gives Lekki a reassuring pat on the shoulder as they move to the front door. "You meant well, even if you were a little exuberant. We'll get inside, one way or another."
The door is not unlocked but the viewing porthole slides open after a short wait. "What do you want?" a gruff voice asks in Auran after a creature gives you a long look through the porthole. You can feel a cold wind coming out of the opening in the door.
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Lekki stands around awkwardly at the front of the group, not hearing any sounds come through since he cannot read the lips of the person through the porthole. He turns back to the group and whispers. "You guys realise I'm deaf right? I can't hear him if can't see his lips. Osten, help an old bird out."
Everyone watches Lekki scramble up, using all his strength to lift his heavy head up so he can look through the porthole. In Auran he begins. He takes a breath, as he realises he has to dangle himself off the ground to be able to have this discussion. This time, in common so the rest of the group can understand, "We are mercenaries, and we have business with the Coldfire King. His recent rampage through this place, he's left quite the trail. He would be a fool not to hear us out. Would you be a dear and let us in for a little chit-chat?"
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Laafdahni, standing closer than Osten, realizes Lekki's plight, and does her insufficient best to help prop him up until the much stronger human takes over.
She almost knocks the Tengu down in the process, and barely manages to stay upright. I can only imagine how this looks from the other side of the door.
Amazingly the creature grunts, and you hear the door lock disengage. The door opens and you are greeted with an Ice Mephit. "Cold Fire King ain't here, but you can talk to Bitterbite. Come in."
He waves the group inside. It's freezing inside. The building is filled with ice. You won't be affected right away, but if you linger for a long time it will start to affect you.