Saronis watches in amazement at the developments.
"Let's keep the door open just in case." He states and follows you into the inn. Moving a chair to keep the door propped open.
The windows are all black. Though the rest of the inn is here. Just how you had left it back in your town. Though to the inn's credit there was more food in the pantry and several logs to be split in the back courtyard. The courtyard seemed to have a wooden roof, which was different than before and there was no door out.
"So how do you want to test this out? I will go into our room. You shut the door and then open it? Unless you think we could ask the house?" He asks wondering what might work.
With breakfast served and everyone having a bowl or two of the mush the land lady waves to your group, "Thank you for coming, if you need to stay for a few more days that would be fine. I will serve lunch about noon and dinner at dusk. If you would like something specific let me know and I will see what I can do. If nothing else I have some laundry and will be doing it behind the inn." With that she would listen to any requests and then go to her room. Soon come out with a basket with soiled clothes and linens.
"We could try asking." Maqan said with a shrug. "After all it never hurt anyone."
Then she looked around at the inn, "You don't happen to have a users manual do you?" She asked politely.
"Thank you, for everything." Maqan told the woman with a smile. "If you need any help let me know, I'd gladly help as thanks."
The key can be used by any ancestor and open any door to reveal the inn. If you stay in the inn 2 nights it will reset and exiting the door will put you in Sanctuary, your hometown.
"Okay we want to get as much information as possible. Stay in groups of at least 3. Jacob, you stay with Maqan, Scram, and I. Urdrsk take a trio with you and Amris take the others. We will meet back here at noon. Unless we want to approach it a different way?" he says putting on the airs of being a leader but is open to suggestions.
"Àlrìght Sàrònìs," Urdrsk agreed hestitantly. "Ì'vè nèvèr bèèn wìth sò màny pèòplè Ì dòn't knòw. Kát, yòu'rè à bèttèr tàlkèr thàn Ì àm. Màybè yòù càn táké thé léád ìn tàlkìng t pèòplè?"
Scram the Prowling Crusader finishes her breakfast and is raring to find the bad people and smash them in between the legs!
It seems that her companions are of like mind and are already grouping themselves.
Without Sardonis as their appointed leader, Scam turns to him and screeches out a question.
"Who we go find to beat?"
"You are more than welcome to come with us, I was just trying to keep our group sizes down." He offers in response to Urdrsk. "Yes the goal is to find out as much as we can today and then act on it tomorrow or when the timing seems best. As we are a motley gang that could possibly take on one gang at a time but once we attack we might have more heat than we can handle."
Looking at Scram making sure she can read his lips he replies, "We are just looking today, no fighting today unless it is absolutely neccessary." A bit wary of how quickly she will act rather than wait and watch. Then he wonders if it would be best to have Urdrsk with them, as Scram is the most unknown of the group.
"Òkày, Sàrònìs. Léád ón." The dwarf and his companions form a larger group.
As the groups are formed you realized there is easily enough people to make three groups even with Urdrsk and the guide, Jacob, to be with your group.
Saronis, Maqan, Urdrsk, Kat, Jacob, and Scram.
Amris, Kreig, and Droam.
Peter, Andrei, Yesenia, and Nahomi.
Whichever groups you decide to gather information in, soon you find yourself on a very busy street. Lots of foot traffic passes and most of them collar or chained slaves.
The person with the highest diplomacy modifier is the main speaker for the group. The others may make separate checks, if they get 10 or higher give a +2 to the main person. Also they can gain one contact as well, the player gets to choose what kind of contact it is within reason.
Scram has difficulty in talking to the people coupled with her disability in the crowd makes it all the more harder to get anything done. Factor in her normal appearance with the lizard skull and her general speech or screeches, it doesn't take long for the rest to pull her back and bid her to stay silent............
Maqan asks around but can only get a small bit of information.
He tries to help but fails. He stays to the back with Scram...
Jacob does what he can to help the group.
Kat is in her fearie form and buzzing around Urdrsk happily.
Amris, Kreig, and Droam.
As they come into the inn as it begins to turn dark, they tell about not much help in this town. But in the last hour they found an old blacksmith that would be willing to make weapons for the group, we just need to bring the metals. Also a woman who would be willing to weaken our targets for a small 10 gp fee each time to use her 'potions'.
Peter, Andrei, Yesenia, and Nahomi.
They get back to the inn before the other three. They were much more successful in finding allies, 6 contacts to be precise.
The other four Peter, Andrei, Yesenia, and Nahomi all got fake Joker Tattoos. With the given information you could enter the secret entrance to the Saw's headquarters, though Sawbill spends most of his time in his mansion. At least what he calls a mansion. It is a townhouse with a tall stone fence around it with all sorts of dogs protecting it.
You easily agree that the Saws and Sawbill need to go. Many of the other gangs might show up, collect their stuff and leave knowing that the town is under new management.
"So do we want to act on this information or take another day to gather more? I think that needs to be decided first. If we want to act on what we have, we should make sure everyone has necessary equipment." He offers to the group taking the initiative to focus the discussion.
He did pay for weapons for any of the NPCs, out of his own pocket before leaving the mining colony. Though more equipment might be necessary or brought up for ingenius planning.
"If we spend another day collecting information on when the other gangs will return that should show us a good timeline of when we need to act. We don't want to be taking care of one gang and then another one showing up. Unless we want to try to get the gangs to fight each other?" Peter offers thinking on the possibilities.
Jacob quickly speaks up, "Any fighting between the gangs always hurts more slaves and common people than the gangs themselves. So please don't try that option."
"I agree we should get at least fake ones, but I don't believe we should choose one of the already formed ones. Anyone who knows anything about them could smell if we don't lie well... So let us come up with our own... I like the name, The Dragon's Fire. The tattoo could be that of a dragon's skull engulfed by fire?" She asked the group.
Urdrsk shakes his head at himself. "Ì càn't bèlìèvè Ì'm gònnà sày thìs; bùt Ì lìké thát plán: Bèìng béhóldén tò ónly ùs, nòt sòmè stùpiì gáng léádér!"
Scram looks up as the rest discuss on being the new bad guys.
She frowns as she hears the way they intend to go about their tasks.
Should she beat them all as well? It'll be tough but she can't let them all be bad guys............
Why we no go and beat on Bad guy who stays alone with dogs? Beat him and his gang. The rest will go away." Scrams screeches out slightly angrily.
Maqan motioned for Scrams to keep her voice down before she explained. "No, no. We want them to think we're a gang like they are so that we can pick them off at our own pace. There are just far more of them than us. And while the slaves are willing to fight, they aren't warriors. I don't want them to die if we can handle this ourselves."
He nods to Maqan, "I like it. Maqan you have the best ideas."
After Maqan tries to explain it to Scram he tries in his direct manner, "We will gut each gang one at a time, first we should know numbers and begin to widdle them away. We will need to hide the bodies. And see how fast we can do it. Perhaps organizing with some of our new contacts. So Peter and his group will focus on seeing what the contacts could possibly do. Amris, Doam, and Kreig, I want you to go about town and be merry picking up habits and movements of any Saws you see. Meanwhile we will see what the Saws run around here."
"We could easily cover the Joker sign. It is not a permanent tattoo, more like a really nice drawing. We just didn't want to get shabked, chained up as a slave or cut for not having any. Should we introduce you to our artist we found?" Peter relays blurring out the information.
Nahomi offers making sure Scram can see her face as she offers, "Scram and I likely are the sneakiest of the group. We will take the secret passage and gather information and if the possibility strikes maybe take the head off the snake. Unlikely but given the chance."
Yesenia steps back just listening and she is slowly growing more and more pale. When asked she verbally explodes, "Do you even hear yourselves?! These are the Saws, the most sadistic cult gang in the area. The Saws are lunatics, psychos, even if you are collared or belong to another gang they torture you mentally and touch if not more. You dont know what you are walking into!" With that she bolts.
Jacob falls trying to grab her. She quickly moves to the back of the inn and opens the door.
Saronis
Maqan
Urdrsk
Scram
Amris
other NPCs
Nahomi the monk
Yesenia the wizard
He acts before she can move getting between her and the door, as she runs by he grapples her.
Round 1
He pins her to the ground letting his weight take them both to the ground.
Surprise Round/Round 1.
"Stop." Her voice deepens as suddenly Scram seems to grow imposing. Her speech seems different too.
"Trust us to stop them. They're evil being that should be put down. Good dragons will not standby and let such trample over all of you. Instead we shall end this evil and give you all new hope."
Maqan smiled as she saw a few of her friends jump into action. She moved next to Scram and nodded to Yesenia as Scram explained. "I promise we have a fair idea of what we're dealing with. We're just being smart over fast. Which is some times how you have to take things."
"What is wrong?" Maqan softly implored as her fingers ever so gently ran over the muscles of his upper arm. "You seem to be holding yourself back, is it because you wish for a quiet night or...?
With such words from Scram and Maqan she calms down before Saronis has to get physical with her.
He stood there menacingly and luckily it didn't come down to him putting his foot down.
Back to the planning meeting he nodded, "Scram are you up for some recon?" With a likely confirmation from her, he looks at the others and asks, "Should our group back them up, just in case they need help? If so what should they do should they get found out within the mansion?"
"We do need to find someone to make our tattoos as well..." Maqan pointed out. "Any ideas?"
Scram nods at Saronis in response. She was agreeable to scouting ahead.
She scowls at Maqan and points to he own lizard skull though one can see what seems to be fading Sliver scales over her neck. As one watches, it rapidly fades away with Scram being none the wiser and seemingly back to her old self.
Peter pointed out again at Maqan's inquiry, with calm words, "We will gladly take you to the tattoo artist we found. They seem very interested in helping, in any way they could."
Scram swiftly and draws out her own tattoo on her arm.
That of a lizard Skull.
"Dragonhead!" she names her new tattoo proudly.
"Tattoo artist first and then to do some spying? We will see you later today either at noon or dinner time."
With that said the groups seperate and go about their business. The rest of his group go ahead as Peter walks with your group to the artist.
As you are walking along one of your contacts you made yesterday walk up. With a smile and a wink, she offers to sell you some apples. Should you buy one or not for a copper you realize a paper was slipped into your hand through the interactions. Walking away it says, 'Sawers are upset with the failure of the Slavering Slavers, only a few returned and empty handed, punishment is being mete out in the red square at noon.'
Maqan gladly handed over the copper for the apples and read then note before telling the others. "Looks like those who attacked are back." Maqan pointed out as she folded the note up and hid it in her clothes. She took a bite of the apple crewing slowly as she thought. "They are slavers... and they did attack our home, but do the deserve to be tortured?" She asked the group.
"I think we have time to get our tattoos before noon comes. Then we can go look at the spectacle. We might be able to push the Slavering Slavers into having a fight with the Sawers. You never know what opportunities might arise from conflict!" He points out as he then nods to Peter to lead on.
"Thèy'rè slávérs; mèn wìthòùt pìty. F#<k thém!" Urdrsk states, crossing his arms.
Once Saronis talks about using the event to our advantage, "Fìne, èlf. Wè'll sèè whàt hàppèns."
"We can see if that works." Maqan nodded with a smile. "Lets get our tattoos, then we'll start a fight." She added before she took another bite of the apple.
Peter leads the group to a tattoo artist shop with lots of designs etched into the plaster and many more drawings posted as well. Within Peter closes the door behind the group and makes the introductions. "Hey Bailey, these are the fine folk I was talking with you yesterday about. They saved our hides, literally. They were hoping to put some muscle into the town and make a statement with their presence. If you know what I mean." Peter's voice takes on an accent too and as Bailey begins to talk you recognize he used her own accent.
"Ah goood! I can always use strong customers!. What can I do you for? Temporary or permanent? A lot of us stay here and would like some permanents to leave. If you get my drift." Bailey responds civilly.
"Pérmánént", Urdrsk states as he sits down first in the chair. "Ì hàvè thè ròàr, Ì mìght às wèll hàvè thè tàt."
Maqan nodded in a thankful manner before she answered. "I wouldn't mind permanent. Something to remember this group." She answered with a smile as she looked at her friends. "And, I believe we can help with the last part."
"Oh and where is the best places to get a new change of clothes?" Maqan asked.
Scram holds up their proposed 'tattoo' or rather her proposed tattoo....
"Dragonshead." she screeches.
He nods in agreement, stating with vigor, "Aye, though I am not sure where might be a good spot for it." With a hand from Maqan likely he gets off his armor and taking off his chains chainshirt and shirt reveals his already very tattooed skin.
Bailey asks as she draws out a skeletal dragon skull and a few other drafts first before starting the process. With magic she is able to draw over the first drawing and tattoo to your skin. "Will do did you want a red flame around it? Any glamor or glowing to go with it?"
The process is much faster and less painful, but there is still pain in the process. The basic dragon skull is 4 gold. Red flames around it another 4 gold. Making the flames emit light as a candle 25 gold. A glamor effect 25 gold.
Urdrsk sits in the chair and thinks quickly. " Ì'm ìnclìnèd tò gèt thè còlòr ánd glàmóur. Nèvèr hàd à mágìcìál táttóó bèfòrè, Ì've nèvèr hàd à tàttóó bèfòrè." Looking to the fairy, the dwarf asks, "Kát, whàt dò yòù thìnk?"
"Nor have I." Maqan said with a small smile on her lips. "I agree to the glamor and color, and you know what, give me the glow as well!" She put down the fifty eight gold for it and she got it placed upon the left side of her neck.
"Mainly I just want to get changed into something that looks a little more threatening than... well my clothes as they are."
Scram looks upon Bailey in awe and devotion as she watches him work his craft.
She is more then happy with the Basic Dragon skull tattoo. She has it placed on her calves with some joy.
She turns into her humanoid form and stands next to the dwarf nodding. Then she says with warmth, "It will be nice to have kinship with others again! I will get the same. Saronis do I have enough gold for the same?" As Urdrsk gets his tattoo she happily holds his hand through the pain. She would get hers the same place as Urdrsk.
The dwarf and the fairy both get the flaming colorful dragon skull on right bicep, and Urdrsk pays for both tattoos. -58 gold.