Thank you!
It looks like I added the 5E stat block, lol.
The half elf will approach the table pointed out.
Are you Mender? The half orc Gorum, suggested that I find out. he says pointing out the half orc with the embarrassing dance.
Shae dances with a grace befitting an elf who’s spent her life training in graceful combat, and she uses it to her advantage, flirting and asking subtlety about the party, who it’s for, and why.
It can’t hurt to be well informed of tonight’s happenings. I wonder if Gorum has any leads yet.
Anyone she deems shady enough to be dealing with one such as Jorrus, she uses her charms on, to find out if he’s even in the club tonight.
When Giuseppe asks about her mark, she switches from her current partner, a shapely human woman, and starts dancing provocatively with him to keep her cover.
I forgot you weren’t there when I told Gorum. His names Jorrus, a half elf thief from Baldur’s Gate. This is supposed to be one of his favorite hang outs.
She spins and whirls away, this time dancing with an older gentleman, possibly half elf, or human, and disappears back into the dancing crowd.
When Shae spins off, Giuseppe looks dumbfounded, Wait... We are not here to relax?
Giuseppe storms off to the bar, calling to the halflings in their home tongue, Oy brudders! 3 shots fer a friend o' the blessed folk, aye?
The young fighter flicks a gold coin over the heads of the customers bunched around the bar, right to the halfling that has a free hand.
Giuseppe takes his three shots back to the table, noticing Mender still sitting there. There seems to be some internal struggle for a moment, then he takes one and places it before the warlock, Bottoms up, friend. If I have got to go to work, I am kicking these like a mule!
The swordsman kicks them back one after the other! Eyes closed, he sways a little. Then, with a breath, he looks around... Jorrus, where would you be?
Io continues to also find out more about the party, the art, and what lies in the tantalizing VIP section and how to see it firsthand. If his current dance partner is entertaining or better still, has good info, he'll stick with her. Else he'll be changing out partners.
Of course Io will help himself to an unattended pocket or two.
Storing his gear safely, Gilbert heads to the gambling tables. Looking for a good game, he keeps his hand on his money pouch as he approaches a table playing a familiar dice game.
Greetings, may I join you? What is the buy-in at this table?"
"I am called that, yes." says Mender with a light, almost peaceful lilt to his voice that was incongruent with the tone of his speech, like an annoyed person speaking Common with an accent, if that accept was the emotion of peace.
"How can I help you?"
Gorum enters to the dance floor and breaks it down.
As Gorum gets up with the get down in his sick-nasty freestyle, gasps of shock and confusion erupt in a small radius around the paladin. "Orc attack!" someone shouts before getting slapped on the back of the head and called a fool. You grunt and weave before their faces, and while most snobbily refuse to make eye-contact...the mystery dancer's hidden agenda is quite served, and the target of Sha's hunt is confirmed to not be located anywhere on the dance floor.
Anyone she deems shady enough to be dealing with one such as Jorrus, she uses her charms on, to find out if he’s even in the club tonight.
Sha notices a suspicious gnome near the short tables. What makes him stand out is his strange (somewhat obvious) disguise. A false nose, wax lips and multi-colored wig reminiscent of Mirabar dwarves...he keeps one hand anchored in a pocket as you converse "Heh, sure...I'll give you one for free, since you can obviously spot a pro. Now I don't know if he was from Baldur's Gate, but he mentioned outsmarting some of the Flaming Fist near Beregost...as far as I know Flaming Fist dont patrol far from the Gate. Half-elf, yep. Walked right upstairs to the private balcony...think he had a buy in mind. Or a heist."
The swordsman kicks them back one after the other! Eyes closed, he sways a little. Then, with a breath, he looks around... Jorrus, where would you be?
Suddenly inspiration hits the Athkatlan as if it were obvious the entire time. That pile of cloaks near the entrance...he must be hiding under there! Very clever, but not clever enough for Giuseppe di Firenze. And that little gnome with his wooden tokens...a damn accomplish...accommp *hic*...complice.
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Of course Io will help himself to an unattended pocket or two.
Io passes a giant tortle girl who looks sad and alone...and her shell has a solid gold adornment ring ripe for the plucking. At the last second he slips on a peanut shell goosing her awful on the thigh, and she turns and smiles as if it were the best thing to ever happen. Introducing herself as Hildelfa, its obviously the most attention the young tortle has ever had in her life...and it takes quite a sweet tongue to escape without completely crushing her fragile self.
The rogue at last evades, and sets his eyes on something more to his taste: a pair of dapper boys in offwhite seersucker, unbuttoned down to the abs with clean, glistening chests. They have dark green corduroy trousers with open-toed loose beige sandals, and wear a pair of solid platinum bracers. Stepping near, they smell of honeycomb mixed with vanilla and boymusk. More importantly, they are just arrived from the private balcony above.
You overhear one "Well, the latest Andrik did not disappoint, eh Conner? How filling...I feel so alive. Oh, I know, how about a smoke?"
The other responds "Pipe? Have you lost it? Now Clancy, I thought you'd have given up that nasty habit..."
They notice you "Oh, well hello. You're...new."
Greetings, may I join you? What is the buy-in at this table?
The hobgoblin sets down his (human) bone dice and grunts out "Always 3. No more no less. Gold, ye nancy. Ye get one double or nuthin...and if you got nuthin...Bjorkasil over there takes it from yer arse." he thumbs over to a half-ogre looking thing eating meat acquired from god knows where.
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Giuseppe creeps past the gnome and tries to elbow drop the pile of cloaks!
I got you now, Jorrush!!!
Picking up the dice, Gilbert places his 3gp on the table and with a twist of the wrist sets the 'bones' dancing down the table.
Dice roll
"Well it looks like Bjorkasil will have to find another date tonight!"
I elbow drop the pile of cloaks!
Your tipsy sashay dips your body like a reed in the wind, by dumb luck just as the poor coat checker is looking the other way. A path to the offensive pile of cloaks is all yours (and its not getting away this time!). You put your whole body into it since, after all, it had not drawn its weapon and etiquette still meant something even in combat...
*dink*
Your funny bone slams against something hard and metallic...a little gold coin rolls out. But sorry to say it can't buy its way out of this one! A followup uppercut shows the cloaks who's the real boss...
*clink*
You hit another loose pocket and another gold flips out on the floor. Then you flip out. The melee begins in earnest as you tumble and roll in a chaotic battle, cloaks and furs flying...in the end you are about 10 gp richer, but no sign of Jorrus.
As you rise and turn (victorious), the little gnome is standing there watching, mouth agape holding his sack of wood totems. "S...sir...what...are...you...doing?" his left eyebrow seems to be twitching uncontrollably.
"Well it looks like Bjorkasil will have to find another date tonight!"
Cheers around the table erupt, with some back-slapping by the supportive addicts. The hobgoblin snarls, shoving his bone dice into his mouth hole and crunching them up to meal with a few sick *pops* and *slathers*. The drow female delights "Ha, so much for your winning streak, eh Skeksish? What was that about 'fortune favors the honorable'?" The loser just sits there chewing his bones, fuming.
Then a halfling in the best tuxedo and worst fake smile you've ever seen slides up, offering a drink along with "Heya, killer. Tymora's with you tonight, eh? How'd you like to graduate to the big boy table upstairs, mm? We need a 6th. Some 'o Gos' artwork is in the pot. What'dya say? What'dya say? That sword's enough to get you credit to play...or somethin' else maybe?" he looks over your outfit, every pocket and pouch, with x-ray vision as his eyebrows dance on his head.
Dripping with sweat from his dancing, Gorum moves closer to the entrance hoping for a stray breeze to blow in when he sees Giuseppe in his current state. ”Hey bud, what are ya doin in there?” Gorum sends the gnome a look that says “I’ll take care of this don’t worry.” but probably come off more as “Don’t get in my way!”
As he leads the inebriated fighter out of the closet, Gorum chastises him for digging through other people’s things. Guiding Giuseppe back to the table, ”Ahh, I see you two have met.” talking to Mender and Quen. ”Can you keep an eye on him? He just attacked the coat closet.”
After that, Gorum will try to hook up wit Sha’ to see if she has had any luck.
Turning a discerning eye at the gnome, I am after a thief named Jorrush-hic! I thought he was hiding under this pile... but maybe he's learned a new disguise... hic!
When Gorum comes to get him, the young inebriated warrior keeps looking over his shoulder at the gnome...
At the table, Giuseppe deftly separates the coins into a couple of piles of 5, Well, not a total wash... hic.
My understanding, from the half orc, is that we might have much in common to discuss. he replies.
Noticing the half-elf for the first time, Giuseppe straightens up, Oh, I didn't-hic see you there... I am Giuseppe di Firenze, shcion of House Firenze in Athkatla, I am please-d to meet you.
The young fighter looks concerned for a moment, I think I need to get some food in my belly.
The half elf looks at the new arrival, at least to him. Greetings Giuseppe de Firenze, I am Quen Pah, servant of the goddess Mishakel. I would suggest that perhaps more food and less booze would help alleviate your current condition he says with a smile.
Per-haps, the young swordsman sits down, Food sounds nice... It's just that, I thought tonight was going to be a fun night, but my companions, well, they are set upon working. I cannot take them anywhere...
Patting Mender on the shoulder, and willfully ignoring the glare that he is sure is coming his way, Giuseppe smiles, Mender, here, is the most fun-loving of all of us! He is great at jokes too! Mender, tell di man a joke!
The di Firenze scion attempts to flag down a serving girl with one of the new coins he had just discovered, 'Allo, beautiful! Some food, please!
Why yes, I am new. And interesting. Connor and Clancy is it?
The half elf quickly positions himself in such a way as to help the inebriated one Come my friend, sit down and I will make sure that you have food. we don't need you getting your fancy clothes dirty or stained
Persuasion
Looking at the serving girl the cleric asks for a sandwich or something with bread, to help soak up the booze
Persuasion
Gorum, earlier, just before noticing Giu in the closet, you approached the entrance to get some fresh air. From this side, you noticed something peculiar about the door...it was heavily fortifiable, more like a military barracks than a dance hall. A pair of great oak 4x4 stand ready to bar the portal in the event of trouble...
I am Giuseppe di Firenze, shcion of House Firenze in Athkatla
Marim, the legendary bard who had taken a break at an adjacent table, perks up after hearing the (supposed) identity of his neighbor. He shrugs off a few waif-like hotbodies, raising his drink "Ho there, a Firenze on Moonsea! How fares the great City of Coin? Spin me a tale before my next set, won't you?"
At the mention of food, the waitress looks bored "Way too late for that. There might be something upstairs for their party, but its not for you. Wait, I think someone left a sack of peanuts over there...all yours." she points to the large tortle girl next to an empty table. She is slowly sneak-eating the peanuts thinking no one is watching.
Why yes, I am new. And interesting. Connor and Clancy is it?
Connor seems to be the more grounded of the pair, Clancy is intoxicated...not drunk, but more hyper and alive. His pupils are dilated to the point of almost being all black. Connor slips a loose arm around his companion "Heard of us? My brother and I run the Devil's Fire in Melvaunt across the 'Sea. I thought we knew all the young dilettantes worth knowing around here. Are you an art lover, or just a lover?" he added, winking cheesily and suggestively.
Giuseppe looks crestfallen, This night is terrible... Not what I had hoped at all...
He perks up at Marim's interest, though, and begins spinning tales, Let me tell you about my great uncle Batrolo di Firenze, it is said that he was so smart that he could walk into any Dragonchess game, take either side and win in three moves or less! One time...
Giuseppe seems to have an indeterminate number of tales about prominent members of his family...
Shae heads off to find Gorum after she hears of Jorrus being upstairs. When she finally finds him, he’s leaving the table of the rest of their companions, plus a couple of others.
Gorum, I got a lead! He’s on the second floor!
She looks over at Giuseppe and frowns.
Again? Are you sober enough to help?
She takes a drink off the table and sips, spitting the alcohol back into glass when no one is looking. It’s evident she’s an expert at fitting in at places like this.
I’ll wait to head up until everyone is ready. Who’re our new friends?
"Very well, let us go and speak to your Half-Orcish lord." says MEnder, standing. He then looks into the crowd, sighs, and says "apologies, I need just a moment." and then walks into the crowd, towards a newly arrived young couple. He pulls the young woman aside and speaks to her for a moment. At first, she appears really upset, raising her voice, before the fight sags out of her as Mender continues to speak. After another moment, she turns around and leaves the bar, the hapless young man standing nearby confused.
When he attempts to follow her, Mender speaks to the young man, who after a moment of Mender speaking quietly to him, appears depressed as well. The young man then goes up to the bar and orders a drink while Mender returns to Quen and says "Very well, let us proceed. Get up Giuseppe. You smell of horse manure and cheap swill." Mender then makes a loud sniffing sound before adding "I believe you have soiled yourself as well."
Giuseppe perks up, Duties calls, my good bard. I must take my leave, if you'll excuse mi.
Then to Shae, Of course, let us go!
As Gorum looks to his mobilizing friends, he glances over to Quen ”Feel free to join us if you wish. We are setting to good work. Besides, Mender seems to have taken a liking to you. Trust me, I can tell.”
was heavily fortifiable, more like a military barracks than a dance hall. A pair of great oak 4x4 stand ready to bar the portal in the event of trouble...
For a moment, Gorum wonders what they are protecting us from, or is it more than it seems. He then turns to follow Sha upstairs.
As everyone gets ready to head upstairs, Shae briefs them on what she learned.
He's supposedly on a private balcony. I'll head there, and see if I can spot him. He's never seen me, so I don't have to worry about him running. Everyone else, kick back and have some fun. If he somehow gets away, then you'll come in handy. It's better if we're all blending in anyway.
She closes her eyes for a second, and her cloak becomes extremely ornate, fitting in with the rest of the noble garb. She pulls it closer around her, covering her simple outfit.
I'm sure there's plenty of fun here. I have half a mind to capture him, stow him in a closet somewhere, and find something interesting to get into...
Giuseppe smirks, There is a closet over there with a pile of cloaks...
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Shae shoots him a flirty look over her shoulder as she heads toward the stairs.
Why on earth would I want more than one cloak? This one does just fine!
She winks at him, and sashays her way away.
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Gorum sides Giuseppe ”She didn’t see you bravely try to take down our target in the coat check. That’s probably best for everyone if we’re being honest. I wish I hadn’t seen it.”
....Are you an art lover, or just a lover?
Yes. Io widens his eyes, grinning as he coyly replies to Connor. Inclining his head to spacey Clancy, and then glancing upstairs, he asks What's going on upstairs? Something interesting?
Io at least has an idea that his friends are on the move, not sure if he can hear anything over the crowd.
"Oh no, no, no...you misunderstand my good man..." he holds up a hand and rubs his fingers and thumbs together "I want the juicy dish, the high-life scandals. That's the true heartbeat of a city, isn't it? Take here for example, Zor Faltyn Gos...by appearances a dread Blade of Mulmaster serving the Black Hand. But his wife was tongue deep in Urdun Brizik not one hour past. Oh yes, Urdun happens to be married as well...poor Kata. But you didn't hear it from me." he revels in the audacity of it "Surely such things are not foreign to Athkatla?"
The balcony is like a large second story box overlooking the dance floor. There is one set of stairs on the far side, and you pass Ionnis conversing with a pair of fine looking gentlemen on the way. No one stops you from going up...
The scene up top is quite a bit more refined than downstairs, but it is just as noisy and crowded. On average the dress is finer up here, stocked almost purely with nobles it would seem.
A set of beautiful paintings adorns one wall, for sale or auction apparently. A couple who must be Faltyn and Tiega Gos chat up an eager crowd near a very peculiar looking canvas.
There is also a very serious gambling table in a corner ()
Finding a particular face in the crowd might be difficult...
"Oh yes, you won't be dissapointed. Faltyn's nephew is Andrik Gos, one of the most prestigious and insane painters of Faerun. They are displaying his newest work and auctioning some others...but the Andrik piece is the star of the show." he looks over to his companion, who is glancing around quickly at everything as if its all new and amazing "Er...I believe it has had a most peculiar effect on my 'bodyguard' here...certain new thoughts seem to be occuring to him." he giggles. "...you shouldn't miss it."
Looking over at the halfling, Gil frowns.
"Sounds like a great idea...lead the way, little man!"
Gilbert follows the halfling up to the 'high stakes' table.
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Oh, Giuseppe looks crestfallen, You want stuff like, Lady Esperanza's affair with di stable boy. Is okay, I understand. How about dis? I help you by giving you some dirt on di other houses and you help to increase the renown of my house? Eh? I know some juicy details about Padre Alberto and di consul secretary...
There's no such thing as bad information....
Upon not seeing her target yet, Shae begins to mingle, eventually making her way to the main event, and listens in on Faltyn and Tiega go on to the crowd. She keeps her eyes open for Jorrus, however.
She pays attention to what's going on with the nobles and the crowd, however, trying to see what the deal is with all the nobles tonight.
(Shae actually hasn't interacted with the actual plot yet, so here's that)
(I FEEL LIKE IM WASTING ALL MY GOOD ROLLS)
The central feature of the private balcony is the Andrik painting-a masterful rendering of Tiega Gos wearing a formal scarlet gown. A white fur drapes her shoulders, clasped at her neck by a gold brooch. In the scene, she stands beside an immense fire that could be a large fireplace or even the edges of a bonfire and the painter has captured the light of that fire in the details of her figure, from the reflections in her eyes to the gleam on the metal of her brooch.
Meanwhile, Sha surveys the high society scene, and for split second locks eyes with Jorrus, his target. He seems to mouth the word 'impossible'. But unfortunately just then, all hell breaks lose.
Anyone else upstairs might have seen it happen: Tiega was smiling as she took in the beauty of the Andrik painting. Kata, the co-owner of the Wave and Wink and wife to Urdun, stepped forward with another tall glass of liquor potent enough to be smelled even from a distance.
Without warning, she threw the drink in Zora Tiega Gos's face. A few stray drops splashed on a nearby oil lamp and caught. A heartbeat later, brilliant flames blossomed across whatever the spirits have touched—including Zora Tiega Gos!
"AAIIIIGHH!!!" Her screams filled the air, mingling with the wretched smell of burning flesh and hair. You will never forget that scream or the way the flesh melted off her face. The other guests panic and scramble away from the flames while Kata stares—transfixed by the flames dancing over the burning woman and the painting behind her.
"So beautiful. So very beautiful..." she is saying—her voice barely more than a whisper.
The rest of the crowd seems less interested in aesthetics and more interested in pragmatism shouting "Help!" or "Run for your f$$@ing lives!" before stampeding.
As the flames began to consume the woman, Mender moved forward, unfastening his cloak as he went, then pulling it over his head to reveal that his 'backpack' was actually a set of mangled angelic wings, the right wing was especially savaged. He flung his cloak over the burning woman as he pointed at someone in the crowd "You, bring water now!"
Gorum had made it to the balcony following Shae but had only began to work the crowd when the scene unfolded. He found himself between the mob of guests and the fire with little he could do to stop it.
Rushing forward as the first screams of panic began to emanate, the large Paladin managed to push his way ten feet or so before crashing into the wave of fleeing guests. Due to his size, he managed to stand his ground and even keep moving but his speed was hampered greatly and by the time he made it through, Mender had already managed to get to the flaming victim so he decided to address a different problem.
Risking burns himself, Sir Gorum rips the painting down into a pile and tries to smother it with his own cloak. ”WATER!! HERE!!
He tries to make it upstairs, as much to check on his friends as to help put out the fire. It's not easy.
Called to action by the scream, Giuseppe rushes to the stair! Seeing the blazing form tackled to the ground by Mender, the young fighter tries to avoid the stampede of bystanders as the funnel down the staircase, turning sideways to slide up the flow like a salmon swimming upstream.
By the time he arrives at the top, the woman is wrapped in Mender's cloak, Io is putting out the painting, and Giu notices Kata standing there staring into the flames. What happened? Lady, are you... okay?
Giuseppe approaches Kata, seeing the look of admiration over her handiwork, What is going on?
Mender, you manage to smother the flames but Tiega's skin is dropping right off like wet rags. Tiega seems to have died, or at least fallen unconscious... You command a noble party goer who was dumbfounded enough to still be standing around, and watch as she runs into the fleeing crowd. Dishearteningly, you notice them trampling each other to death as they go...maimed and dead remaining on the floor as the main crowd exits.
Gorum, stomping on the slippery hot oil paint is a touch and go kind of process...as soon as you lift your foot here the flame returns there. Perhaps a bigger problem is the entire Wave and Wink is also very rapidly catching fire.
Ionnis manages to hop up above the crowd and balance on the hand rail leading up, while the massive mindless human swarm blows past. He sees the same terrible scene of death and flames...the chaos of fear and the consumption of fire.
Giu, Kata seems absolutely transfixed by the flames. Nothing seems to wake her from her reverie, mumbling about the beauty of fire. Tears stream down her face as she refuses to even blink...so enraptured. She will likely die if she continues to just stand there.
Giuseppe assesses the situation and calls to his friends, We've got to get out of dis building! She will go up in flames! People are trampling each other to di deaths!
Pointing to Kata, he says, Save di living! Maybe we can learn something from her!
The young swordsman slides back down the bannister, using the elevation to find another set of doors to batter open and provide another exit, lessening the occurrence of trampling...
Mender channels his divine light into Tiega's body.
He will then move to one of the dying and channel healing into the target.
Seeing that the woman is not well, the cleric of Mishakel will move up and see what is the cause of the issue
medicine
Io dodges out of the way of Giuseppe coming down and follows him, realizing this severity of the fire. You see him concentrate, wiggle his fingers, and try what you think is a spell, but nothing happens. Not missing a beat... Io shouts out instructions to people to exit more quickly and orderly, hopefully allowing some of the trampled a chance to get up. If they're not dead already, yeesh.