"Changed? Nah, boss, nothing's changed. You say we're agents of the Archbaron, all I have to say is, 'Give me a second to get my sash.'"
Wolfgang is surprised to realize that he's grinning.
Why not? I wanted to be part of a gang, and now I'm part of the toughest gang in town!
"About these civil positions that need filling. I hear Longacre may be looking for a new Sheriff pretty soon. Does the Archbaron have anyone in mind?"
The tiefling peers thoughtfully at the figure behind the screen.
An "agent of the Archbaron," huh? I can live with that. But I still want to know who this Razelago really is. Why does the Archbaron's chief agent lives in this collapsing ruin, hiding in the shadows? If we meet with the Archbaron, will we meet him directly or will he be hidden behind a screen, too?
|
Nomed is almost in shock and awe at the turn of events. The group of miscreants is now in direct cahoots with THE Archbaron! And better yet, enforcing his rule of law. For someone like Nomed who worships the strict, subjagative structure of the Nine Hells this was most welcoming indeed. A wide avian grin is spread far across Nomeds warped visage..
Spreading the Archbaron's decrees AND firing that nasty bad sheriff... what a glorious glorious day for this one..
The tengu is barely done finishing his thought as his claws already proceed to adorn the sash once more. His claws trembling with excitement ..
"Razelgo many many thanks for this opportunity. This merry band of ours shall perform most spectacularly! For the Archbaron!" Nomed finishes with a quick bow to the shadow behind the silhouette, before waiting for the group to finish getting ready. He sneaks a sideways glance at Cimri to see how the news of her aunts unemployment is sitting..
He waits a second or two after studying Cimri before speaking once more...
"I vote Wolfgang as sheriff! And I his deputy! After all it was under the soon to be former sheriffs watch that this one was almost shot killed!" Nomed finishes with a wink to his companions, the sight of it almost adding to the humor tenfold coming from such an imposing figure
Razelago laughs thinly from behind his screen. "I will be sure to let the archbaron know of your recommendations, Nomed," he says at last. "If there is nothing else I can clarify for you, I look forward to hearing this afternoon of your success."
"Right," Cimri says as the miscreants descend the stairs, "that's four notices to post and one to deliver. If we leave the jail for last, that gives us the notice post next to the church, the castle gate on the west side of town, and the Last Stand Tavern where we met before the tannery assignment. You all figure out where we're heading first - I'll find us some nails and a hammer." She grabs a piece of leftover bread and a slice of cheese before heading into the more-ruined parts of the house.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Sicaria turns to her compatriots.
”If we all take some notices and split up we’ll be able to get this done fairly quickly.”
Wolfgang raises a thick eyebrow. "Are you volunteering to hang the notice at the Inheritor's church by yourself? I saw the way you looked at them when we were there the other day, maybe you want to have some fun bringing the good news to all those battle-scarred crusaders? I'm sure they'll take the news calmly. Just in case they don't, though, let's stick together. I don't think it would look good for one of the Archbaron's agents to be found beaten to death in an alley. Anyway, I don't think we'll get paid more just for getting it done faster."
|
|
Nomed caws in agreement to Wolfgang' suggestion..
A fine sheriff he will make indeed..
He listens as Cimri lists off all the locations to the group, he then looks over at the assembled miscreants and asks..
"Well, that means the castle gate wall, or the tavern tavern first. This one has no concerns which, the castle maybe perhaps?"
He finishes by unceremoniously plopping a carcass of some small sort he had been preparing for breakfast into his mouth, and, swallowing it in one gulp looks back at the group expectatenly
Cimri returns, a handful of rusty nails in her hand and a hammer of dubious quality held triumphantly over her head. "Found 'em!" she says with a grin as she sits down and grabs another piece of bread. "Had to do a bit of digging, and you probably don't want to go back behind the staircase now. So, where to first?"
”Well, let’s just start with wherever’s closest and work our way to the other places from there.”
"Sounds good," Eradessa agrees with a grin as she pins on her giant sash, wrapping it around an extra time or two so it fits. "Ready!" She gives a curtsy to the shadow-man, then skips out the building.
Wolfgang awkwardly arranges his sash, tying it in place so it hangs like a bandolier across his chest. He slings his pack over one shoulder, checks his sword, bow, and assorted small, easily concealed weapons.
"Yeah, let's get going. This announcement isn't going to make us any friends, so if the Archbaron's got other agents spreading the word, I'd rather get our posters up before the new rules get spread around too far."
He follows Eradessa out the door, clapping Nomed on the shoulder. "I do like the way you think, big guy. Guy like me" -- the tiefling's tail whips around in a circle behind him -- "isn't likely to get made sheriff of anyplace, even a little town like this. Not saying I wouldn't like the job, of course -- I can think of a few changes I'd make if I had that kind of position. It's fun to imagine, isn't it?"
"Closest, huh? That would be the gate then."
-------------------------------------------------------
Longacre’s western gate looks almost as if some great giant picked up the stone gate from a rugged frontier fort and dropped it across the road leading into town. A set of weathered wooden doors stand open in the fortified stone. A voice calls down from atop the gate: "Hail, travele - oh, it's you again." An older woman stands atop the gate underneath a rigged-up awning, waving at the miscreants below. "What brings you to Longacre today?"
Wolfgang's mouth dries up. "Well, we've got these notices..." He gestures vaguely at his sash, then licks his lips and tries again.
Remember, you're an agent of Archbaron Fex, or at least, you're supposed to be. So act like it!
"We have orders to post this proclamation from the Archbaron!" The tiefling's voice breaks a little on the word "Archbaron," but it could have been worse. He glares at the guard with what he hopes is an authoritative scowl, then returns his gaze to the passage through the gate, looking for an appropriate place to nail the notice.
"Hey up there, pal! We're here on official business on behalf of the Archbaron! Pretty nifty, huh?" Eradessa gives the gate-guard a dimpled grin and a curtsy. "I'll read it for you, since you're all the way up there."
While Wolfgang hangs the notice, Eradessa calls up to the gate-guard, "All Citizens of and Visitors to the Town of Longacre! By Order of His Lordship Darellus Fex, Archbaron of Longacre, and in accordance with the wishes of... yada yada yada.... Ah! Here we go! The following decrees are now in effect: Longacre’s western gate, known as the Castle Gate, is closed until further notice. All travel into and out of Longacre must employ the north or south gates and be officially sanctioned. Only the archbaron’s agents, sanctioned local businesses, or those displaying a writ of passage bearing the seal of House Fex, will be granted passage. All others must obtain a writ from the Longacre notary or do business elsewhere."
"Big news, hey? Also, there's a bunch more stuff. The Archbaron's really cracking down on troublemakers!"
Sicaria keeps her mouth shut while the others talk for the group.
"Closed until... May that feckless, cowardly worm's hair fall off!" Her face turning redder with every word, the woman continues, "We've kept this town safe and this gate open - expect for nights and holidays - for all the eighteen years Dent and I have minded it! Does that spineless magpie even have the decency to thank us? No! He sends bullies and lackeys to do his dirty work for him! Well, no cow-pile baron or his trumped-up dung-berries are going to make us close this gate!"
"Bo, what's going on out there?" An older man steps out of the house nearby, holding a hand over his eyes and gazing at the woman and the miscreants with a puzzled look.
"The sop-nosed vermin say we need to close the gate!" Bo yells from atop the stone edifice. "A decree from that egg-sucking noble slime. Can you believe it?"
"Close... but, why?" Dent sputters, his face darkening.
"Well, don't shoot the messenger..." Sicaria grumbles under her breath.
"Sop-nosed vermin? You can't..." Wolfgang sputters, then glances sideways at Cimri. He grins, showing too many teeth, and glares back up at the guards.
"Cow-pile baron? Egg-sucking noble slime? Is that what you said? How about you come down here, Bo, so we can make sure to get your full name right for our report?"
"Wow, you're a peach!" Eradessa remarks. "You're welcome to be mad, dearie, but there's no need to name call. Do I look like a bully? A dung-berry? Vermin? Sop-nosed?" Eradessa cocks her head to the side, then smiles widely. "I come to you today with smiles, but I assure you, I can do far worse. But, lucky you, we're only hear to post a decree." Eradessa gestures for Wolfgang to finish hanging the notice. "Listen, or don't. But, if you choose not to, you've no one to blame but yourself when the Baron sends someone for your head."
"Honestly? I hope you defy him. You've hurt my feelings. And I'd like to see your head beneath my heel." With a dimpled grin, Eradessa gives the guards a curtsy, though it's obviously a mocking gesture. "I'd say 'choose wisely,' darling, but I doubt you've got the capacity."
Eradessa spins on her heel, and begins to strut away, raising a hand to the guard in farewell. "Ta-ta!"
Cimri mutters out the side of her mouth, "Um, Eradessa, we still have to close the thing..."
"What? Why?" Eradessa asks Cimri. "I thought we just had to post the notice. Why would posting a notice imply I need to force a bunch of whiny babies to close a gate?"
Eradessa rolls her eyes and sighs deeply. "Fine."
With a spin she points up at the gate guards. "Quit being whiny babies and do your jobs! It's incredibly unprofessional, and you're giving guards all throughout Longacre a BAD reputation! Now, shut that gate! Lock it up tight! And wait for further orders, officers!"
Sicaria sighs as she watches the cutesy little gnome try (and likely fail) at being threatening.
”Hold this.”
The woman shoved her share of the notices into Cimri’s hands and cracks her neck and looks up toward Bo, her scarred face contorted in anger.
”You’d better watch your mouth! That ‘noble slime’ is the Archbaron you’re talking about—a man with no qualms against sacking you and hiring someone else to take your place here! So unless you want the next group to come here to be the ones kicking you to the streets then you’d better do as we say and shut the damn gate!”
|
|
Nomed was nearly a moment or two away from simply running up and ripping Bo's face off of her skull before the group chimes in with some well timed tirades. Stepping out from the background he approaches the guard standing at his full impressive height, and echoes the assassin's exact sentiments with no words.. just pure body language
Insolent f!%&ing whelp! If not for Razelago and his reputation I would have killed maimed you before those words ever left your damn damned mouth!
Nearly busting at the seems of his armor and breathing abnormally heavily, its apparent to anyone looking that the large tengu is seconds from snapping.. the audacity of defying AND insulting the Archbaron too much for him to handle.
"I know you hate reading, but the notice does say that the gate will be shut until further notice," Cimri replies, rolling her eyes right back at the gnome. "And I'm not losing my pay because you didn't feel like breaking a sweat."
"Nomed, you're not about to throw up, are you?" she asks the tengu, half-worried half-teasing. "At least do it behind those bushes over there."
"Hah! That noodle-armed coward sends more cowards to deliver his spineless decrees, he's gonna need-"
"Bo."
The woman's tirade is cut short as she stares incredulously at Dent - who is not taking his eyes off the red-haired woman behind Wolfgang and Eradessa. "Maybe we should do as they say," he continues slowly.
"Dent! How can you-"
"Please."
Scowling darkly, Bo turns around and stomps out of sight. A few seconds later, she emerges from the gatehouse with a heavy crossbow slung across her back. "Fine." Dent joins her and they slowly push the massive wooden gates shut with a loud clunk.
As Cimri walks up to the gate, Bo glares at her. The two gatekeepers flinch with each strike as the rogue hammers a nail through the decree and into the gate. For her part, Cimri pauses occasionally in her hammering to make the sounds irregular, grinning at Sicaria every time the gatekeepers preemptively twitch.
"Right, there's one done." Dusting her hands, Cimri points further into town. "Last Stand Tavern is next. Who knows - maybe we'll find Vigo inside again." She winks at Eradessa and laughs uproariously.
---------------------------------------------------
Colorful wooden shields and weathered antlers hang upon the deck girdling this rustic public house. Overhead, a sign carved with crenellations bears the name “The Last Stand Tavern” - the letters “L” and “T” formed with painted green-fletched arrows. Cimri passes the hammer and a nail to Sicaria. "Here, your turn."
The human shrugs as she silently takes the hammer and nails from Cimri and proceed to hang up the decrees.
|
|
Nomed scopes out the surroundings of the Last Tavern as Sicaria proceeds to hang the decree. He is looking for anyone suspicious, or who maybe watching them with a little too much interest. In particular hes curious if the sheriff's lackey is still out there somewhere, lurking about. What a surprise he's in for soon!
Seconds after Sicaria taps the nail into the well-polished porch column, the tavern door bursts open. "Wot 'n tarnation ya think yer doin'!?" a large man cries, brandishing a wooden spoon at the woman. Tucked under his arm is a large pot, its contents steaming in the chill morning air.
"Now see 'ere - ya can't just..." The man's voice trails off as he reads through the decree. The further he gets, the redder his face becomes - and the whiter the knuckles on the hand clutching the spoon. "A curfew!" he bellows finally. "How'm I supposed t' keep a tavern afloat wif nobody to sell to? Twelve ain't barely enough t' fill the bar, let alone the whole pub!" He shakes the spoon at the window, where several faces peer out curiously at the commotion. "You take that there decree right back t' the archbaron - it's needin' some revisions. Or y'all can wipe yer asses with it an' throw it in the midden where it belongs!"
Sicaria glares at the large man and holds the mallet in her hands mere inches from his face.
”How about I stick this up your ass and see if I can make it come out the other end?! Or would you rather have one of the baron’s men do that to you instead—oh wait, that’d be me!”
Eradessa nods from behind Sicaria, points at the man, and pantomimes Sicaria's threat with a very rude gesture. Then she nods at the man again and gives him a dimpled grin like a psycho.
"A better question is how you can run this bar when you're DEAD." In a sing-song voice she adds, "Consequences!"
Wolfgang grins, showing the barkeep rows of teeth - yellow and uneven, but sharp and seemingly too many. Moving slowly, his tail curls under his cloak and draws his dagger. The tiefling plucks it from his tail's uncertain grip and immediately begins using it to trim - or sharpen - his thick, claw-like fingernails.
Maybe it will go better if I keep my mouth shut this time.
A bead of sweat rolls down the tiefling's perpetually feverish brow and into his eye. Wolfgang winces from the sting, and his knife slips, cutting deeply into his finger.
"S@!%!!!"
"Be a shame if something worse than a nail to the porch happened to that tavern of yours, Bolgart," Cimri adds.
The man roars something incoherant in response, grabbing the pot in both hands and dumping it over Sicaria's head! The spicy chili inside burns the woman's nose and mouth as it pours down from the iron pot she now wears like a helmet.
"Go on - get yer asses back t' the midden heap where ya crawled from!" he bellows, shoving Sicaria (still wearing the pot) off the porch towards Eradessa and Wolfgang. Cheers and whistles can be heard from inside the bar as more faces press up against the windows.
Sicaria pulls the cooking pot off of her head, breathing heavily as she wipes chili off of her face with the crimson side of her cloak. She slowly picks herself up off of the ground and turns to glare at the large man, her hair flittering like an open flame. Her voice is soft, but still clear and loud enough for her to be heard.
”I’m gonna give you one chance to apologize, a%@@##@, before you really piss me off.”
The human keeps her hands at her sides, shaking in anger as she uses every last ounce of willpower to keep herself from tackling this man to the ground!
Wolfgang's grin widens. "You're going to regret that, Bolgart."
He takes a step toward the barkeep, glances at the dagger already in his hand, and throws it hard at Bolgart.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Eradessa opens her mouth in a scream, but nothing comes out. Bolgart, however, feels an ear-splitting scream rattle around inside his head.
Eradessa waggles her finger at the man. "Tsk tsk tsk. We kindly bring you a message, so you assault a woman? Bad form, Bolgart. Want me to pour a pot of hot chilli on you?" She smiles. "Or worse?"
"Beg for forgiveness. Now. And shut this s***hole. Or we'll force you. I'm done with your whining. The Baron says you do something, you do it. Your b****ing will get you in jail or dead. Your choice."
It's clear Eradessa will happily kill this man without remorse. In fact, it looks like she'd enjoy it.
|
|
Nomed stares incredulously as Bolgart dumps the hot chili over Sicarias head. His own anger now equally as hot and boiling over, the large tengu steps out from the shadows, and with a wild dash attempts to tackle Bolgart to the ground..
Cimri throws her own dagger at Bolgart, then looks behind the barkeep with concern. "Um, folks..."
The barkeep, apparently used to having things thrown at him, dodges the pair of daggers. He sees Nomed approaching and puts out a foot...
...and the tengu crashes to the ground. As Sicaria pulls the pot off her head and stands back up, her speech is rudely interrupted by a bottle from the doorway. Eradessa's is similarly punctuated by pauses to dodge a tankard, then a plate, as over a dozen patrons rush through the doors to stand behind Bolgart. Some hold more bottles, some broken pieces of what look to have been chairs, and some with nothing but their bare knuckles. What all of them do share are expressions indicating how eager they are for a brawl.
"Now scram!" Bolgart's voice carries over the commotion.
Eradessa shoots a rainbow of colours into Bolgart and the patrons faces.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Wolfgang's grin widens as Eradessa casts her spell. He draws his rapier, then pulls a small piece of cured leather out of his pouch and rubs it between his fingers, calling out in a language that did not evolve for human tongues. Inky blackness rises from his shadow to cover his feet, then quickly crawls up his legs to his torso and arms before finally engulfing his head. The darkness fades as quickly as it appeared, leaving him looking slightly faded but otherwise unchanged.
"Looks to me as though we have an illegal gathering of more than twelve people in a public place."
|
|
Nomed unceremoniously picks himself up off the ground, his body steadily shaking. After getting tripped by Bolgart the tengu's sash slipped off of his forehead, and already he can tell the third, demonic eye is anxious to open again and endow him with its tainted power..
He goes to pick up the cloth and reattach it but stops at the last second..
F*@+ that. They have this coming...
"This one believes you are right new sheriff of Longacre, these crimes they commit... must be paid paid for with there lives!"
The tengu let's the third eye open once again, he slowly turns back to Bolgart and the crowd, his breathing hard and labored. His third red eye is fully open and exposed, its bloodshot glare stares at all who are looking as the tengu unmasks his fury. His muscles swell with infernal corruption, and drool froths from his jagged beak...
Nomed let's out a guttural, high pitched screech as the red haze takes over his consciousness and erupts forth.
”I guess that’s how we’re doing this, then.”
Sicaria smirks as she draws out her two daggers and advances on Bolgart!
Eradessa can't get close enough to catch Bolgart in her spell, but she blasts most of the angry rabble with a cone of flashing colors. Apparently too angry (or too drunk) to notice, the crowd roars and sweeps towards the miscreants!
Cimri gets a bottle to the shoulders as Sicaria and Nomed are walloped by broken chairs. What the crowd lacks in skill, they make up for in sheer numbers as they pelt Wolfgang with plates and cups that shatter on his shadowy armor and bruise the flesh beneath. Eradessa, meanwhile, is the subject of rough hands and leering grins as men and women who are clearly not in the same league as her shower her with "affections".
Bolgart leaves Sicaria to the crowd as he backs away, then strides down the tavern porch and easily hops over the railing to stand behind Eradessa. He catches the gnome's eye and taps his wooden spoon against his arm, his expression somewhere between a frown and a grin. "Go on - get outta here!" he bellows again, pointing with the spoon at the muddy street.
Round 3! Bold may act!
Cimri (-3 Nonlethal)
Eradessa (-4 Nonlethal)
Nomed (-3 Nonlethal)
Sicaria (-2, -4 Nonlethal)
Wolfgang (-2 Nonlethal)
Bolgart (-2)
Crowd
”Sh*t!”
Sicaria curses as she receives a black eye from the group of drunks.
Can’t take much more of that!
The woman moves out in a desperate attempt to find some respite.
Sicaria drops her silver dagger and heals herself using her magic.
"What? No - hey - stop that! Back off, you idiots! We're the Archbaron's agents! Oh, for ..."
Wolfgang takes an elbow to the side from one of the brawling tavern patrons, while another steps on his tail.
"Enough playing!"
The tiefling lashes out with his rapier against the nearest member of the mob.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Eradessa takes a quick step out of the crowd, grins like a psycho at the bartender, then casts a spell at him! She opens her mouth in a silent scream...
And miraculously keeps her focus! Her psychic scream echoes in Bolgart's head!
As her spell completes, golden sparkles of light radiate from Eradessa's wounds, healing them.
Sicaria tries to flee, but a bar patron with shifty eyes spots her and moves to stop her with a fierce uppercut that brings the priest to the ground. "Aiy, we got 'ne!" her vanquisher crows, raising her drinking flagon high before jumping back into the fray. Wolfgang finds his rapier snarled on the unwashed mass pushing against him, but Nomed's talons elicit cries of pain and fear from the crowd.
"You'll 'ave t' try harder 'n that, little lady," Bolgart says as he taps Eradessa hard on the head with a large meaty fist...
...that leaves the gnome reeling. The rabble continue to flail at the miscreants, breaking a glass over Nomed's head and bruising Wolfgang with a thrown rock.
Round 4! Bold may act!
Cimri (-3 Nonlethal)
Eradessa (-8 Nonlethal)
Nomed (-5 Nonlethal)
Sicaria (Unconscious, -2, -8 Nonlethal, Stable)
Wolfgang (-4 Nonlethal)
Bolgart (-5)
Crowd (-13)