Iko recalls some reports he's heard, that the general going rate for a retrieval delve like this is five thousand gold per operative, plus the option to keep anything found within.
You're sure that this is likely what the Falcons offered.
"As you say, Lady Alara. There is no guarantee a snake that's bitten once will bite again...but why risk it, when there's a better, more reliable option right before you? You strike me as a fine judge of character. Tell me, who do you feel you can trust more, with your family's heritage?"
"As I said, make me a counter offer, and I will consider both your consul and proposal. However, I will not just blindly trust the words of not just a stranger, but also a rival delve team. Such would be foolish." She replies, and its obvious that while Iko's words have made her pause and reevaluate the Sun Falcons, she's canny enough to realize it could be a ploy.
Iko smiles. "Of course. We've been known to be offered 6000 gold each for a retrieval delve like this, by those who know our work well. That said, you and we are just getting to know each other, yes? We're prepared to offer you a rate of 4500 gold each--plus the standard option to keep discoveries of value not specifically requested in the contract by the employer--with an understanding that if you're especially pleased with the good fortune of choosing us, you might choose to spread the word about our skill and reliability in an area where we aren't yet well known.
"I suspect you'll agree that's a very fair offer, and--while nothing in life is risk-free--why accept work from a known group of vipers, when you have another fair option?
"Are we agreed?"
The only entrance to Mutalib’s vault is in the center of the mesa’s northern wall, beneath a stone portico that keeps storms and wind from battering the door directly. Three stout stone pillars support the portico.
A clockwork guardian patrols this area, which wears a turban and robes that appear to be of a silvery white cloth, but they are actually constructed of a fine metal mesh designed to repel sand from the soldier’s delicate internal mechanisms.
It easily spots the team and waves them away, adopting a fighting stance.
Dymer follows Nephre at a leisurely pace, keeping 50 feet or so behind her and stepping only where she has stepped to avoid triggering anything that she might have missed. As they near the entrance to the vault and see the clockwork guard, Dymer takes an appraising look over the thing, carefully keeping enough distance to avoid triggering an actual attack response, compared to the "ready" stance it currently shows.
Nephre grins widely as she spots the guardian. She looks back to the rest of the group and cracks her knuckles. "Are you ready to start?" she asks.
"Oh my, yes."
Lehkazeran flips his tail side to side with impatience and a grin.
Nephre narrows her eyes, and slowly some of her tattoos begin to light up--symbols of strength and speed glowing in sequence as she readies herself for battle.
Dymer relays what he can glean about the Clockwork Soldier to the rest of the team, with special emphasis on potential extra enhancements that he can't quite make out. "As its base form is vulnerable to electricity, I'd suggest we start with that. Avoid physical attacks unless you have adamantium weapons or similar. It does appear that there are additional enchantments upon it that I can't identify from here though, so we'll still need to keep our wits about us, just in case. Were it me, I'd have rigged it with a failsafe or warning system of some sort."
Dymer, seeing his companions' eagerness for battle, follows a short distance behind figuring that they are better suited to confront an unknown foe directly and survive.
Alara is quiet for a few moments, considering Iko's offer. It was better than the Sun Falcon's, but they were a known group of delvers. However, the story about them gave her pause. It was quite the conundrum.
Just as she's about to answer, the leader of Sun Falcons strides over to them, his face a thundercloud. "Lady Alara, what's the meaning of leaving us cooling our heels? You were about to give us our down payment so we could get started, before these brigands showed up." He is clearly none too pleased at Iko and his team.
The severely scarred man sits quietly, flipping an empty vial between his fingers. He does however have a bemused smile on his face.
Her preparations done, Nephre focuses a moment, another tattoo glowing. Suddenly she appears behind the construct and aims a savage kick at the back of its left knee, aiming to bend its joint out of shape and thereby wreck its ability to balance properly.
Iko lets Lady Alara respond to the Falcon, but Iko gives him a sympathetic smile.
In his most patient, reasonable voice, he says, "Lady Alara is making what might be the most important decision of her life. If the Falcons are true professionals, surely you understand Lady Alara wanting to take her time and make the best choice for her family and their legacy?"
Alara's stares flatly at the Sun Falcon "Jebbrith, I do not take kindly to your tone of voice, nor will I tolerate such disrespect. Due to your rude outburst, coupled with what I was just told, I will be hiring Xanoff's X-Cavators and *not* the Sun Falcons. I am sorry, but their deal and their manners were much more to my liking." She retorts with a stinging rebuke that impresses Iko.
Jebbrith looks as if he's about to reply, but instead storms off angrily to speak to the rest of his team.
Scrivener will focus his attention to the man that stormed off and try to overhear what he says to his team.
Iko Ilue gives Lady Alara a sympathetic smile. "Would that everyone in the world of business knew how to conduct themselves as professionals, eh? But alas, that is not the world we live in.
"That said, I assure you you've made an excellent choice. Now, let us begin! If you have the downpayment handy, all we need to know is what you know of the tomb and your specific requests for the job, and then we'll get down to business."
As he talks, he continues to update his colleagues telepathically. ::Lady Alara has seen the wisdom of our offer. We have the contract!::
Rattlebones nods. ::Good. Think these jabronis will give us any trouble?::
Scrivener will focus his attention to the man that stormed off and try to overhear what he says to his team.
"Those bastards stole our score! The wealth rumored to be housed within that tomb is said to be enough to fund a small nation. We were supposed to be filthy rich! Well, I say we show those 'excavators' why the Sun Falcons are not to be messed with!"
The rest of the group readily agrees, and it's obvious to Scrivener that they're likely going to attack his team. Though if they will do so now, or later is unclear.
With a mighty flap, Lehkazeran jumps forward, propelling himself forward on his wings until he lands opposite of Nephre. Channeling his deep and dark desires, mostly involving ripping this automaton to pieces and how he wished it were actual flesh, Lehkazeran's teeth stay to give off a subtle green glow, further accentuating the acid dropping from his mouth.
"Die, you pest!" ha hissed, before lashing out with a wicked bite.
(The 1 is acid, balance is B/P/S)
Scrivener, still standing stock-still as is his usual, mentally communicates solely with willing party members , ::They will, in fact, attempt to give us trouble. Even now, they plan to attack at some future juncture. I propose we get their quickly, which I can effect via teleportation, and then lie in ambush.::
Craven continues flipping a test tube between his fingers.
::So...metal man, it would be best to fight them well outside of town. Bash doesn't take kindly to people hurting me and he...well...he doesn't care much about what's around him when he's angry...::
::Oh, and he's always angry.::
::I concur. Collateral damage should be minimized due to adverse effect on our relations here.::
Unfortunately for the members of 'Xanoff's X-Cavators', the Sun Falcons have decided that there is no time like the present to deal with those who stole their job.
The six Falcons draw their weapons and otherwise begin to prepare for the upcoming fight.
::Crap! I'll try to hold off Bash as long as possible, but we have to take this outside.::
::Advice for how to deal with him if he does come? In a way that's not too rough on you?::
"Lady Alara, looks like the Falcons are showing their true colors. I trust we can handle them but you'd best get to safety."
You all get a sense of amusement. ::Dont worry about roughness. If Bash shows up just make sure not to get his attention or be the closest to him. He eventually tries himself out...or I get control again. Though the latter is rare. If he comes, just focus on getting the Mutalibs away.::
As Lehkazeran springs forward to attack, the sentry turns its baleful gaze upon all those foolish enough to intrude upon it's domain.
Lehkazeran flaps forward as planned, but finds himself without the zeal he'd had just a moment ago.
Chieftain
Contract Killer
Lucky Mage
Fire Cleric
Swift Brawler
Demon Hunter
Dymer is caught out by the guardian's gaze attack, not expecting anything it did to affect such a large radius all at once and Dymer retreats, as much as the gaze's effect would allow him to do so.
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Accepting this psychic duel was risky, but Koro had wanted to blow off some steam after his rest time was rudely interrupted by a group of assassins.
It wasn't often that Koro Jigen got the opportunity to rest, instead staying up for weeks on end with the power of potions and tinctures designed to cure ailments such as fatigue and exhaustion.And now his only rest period was broken by some upitty assassain who tried to Instigate a Psychic Duel with him.
In most cases, Koro would have resisted the attempt and beat him up physically, but this being the last assassin he could detect, he decided to have some fun with it. Besides, his body was capable of sleepwalking when he was mentally unavailable. No harm letting it run on autopilot for a while, he thought.
As the mindscape created for their psychic duel began to slowly fade back into the real world, Koro woke up and witnessed the scene in front of him. His team had found the entrance to the tomb, and were greeted with but the first of it's guardians.
"Just another long day, I guess." Koro grunted, before racing to help his team.
Koro will spend his turn moving to and applying a Panacea to any member of his team who can also cure nasuea, but failed their save. His primary role is that of Guardian. His secondary role is Archmage unless otherwise stated.
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Koro Jigen will also spend a swift action to use Defender's Oath on the enemy guardian, giving it a -3 penalty to attack rolls and the save DCs of all abilities that don't target him.
He will also expend his martial focus to issue a further Challenge as a free action via Swift Guardian. This also inflicts a further -4 penalty on attack rolls and (most) save DCs on abilities that don't target Koro.
The creature gains a +2 on attack rolls vs Koro as a result of this second challenge.
Nephre laughs, an edge of mania in her voice.
"Are you going to let me have all the fun myself?" she asks the others mockingly as they come to a stop, then aims a savage kick at the middle of the construct's back.
Swiftly she brings her foot down and pivots, sweeping at the construct's feet.
Then, as it hits the ground, she stomps on its face.