"Hey, Kipp... now that we have some money, if you want to buy that wand of enlarge person, I'll make sure to use it on you!" says Andreas.
"You know, I'd buy it, but if I am always gonna use it on him..."
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"Wasn't really thinking about it. Bigger isn't always better, but it does assist my smashing." Kip pauses and thinks for a moment as he looks at the wand "Well it's not fully charged, so it's at least not expensive. It will also allow you the ability to prepare something else instead. It would likely be useful for some time at least and with what's left on it we should get through it before it becomes unnecessary."
"Agreed."
"Oh, Sir Thames, is there any chance that you would be able to get your hands on some oil of silence? We were thinking that Lady Vulpina here might want some for her guns!"
Vulpina raises her eyebrows.
"What a wonderful idea-- very thoughtful!" she grins.
Andreas just shrugs as he looks over to his brother, raising an eyebrow.
"Apparently we need to do all the thinking here."
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Alex smiles at Sir Thames as she steps towards the door.
"Well Sir Thames, I guess I'm finally going to be a customer and we can trade in goods and coin instead of information, once we return this brooch that is. If everyone has completed their transactions shall we go return it before things get any worse out there?"
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Transactions complete, the group begins to make its way out of this section of the city, whether to purchase food supply or turn in the brooch. It doesn't take long for some interesting sights of Korvosa to start poking up during the trek.
The relatively "calm" sections that still have some semblance of order are now infested with all kinds of end-of-the-world doomsayers. Some speak of gods that will deliver justice upon the wicked existence of mortals to their final destination in fate.
"Beware, all ye who dares walk in the day unbelieving and unfearing, for Rovagug will stir from its eternal prison, and the death of Eodred II is the catalyst that will bring forth the ruin!"
"Sarenrae and Iomedae have abandoned us all, for our wicked ways have finally forced them to turn their gaze!"
"The eye of Groetus has turned from the Boneyard to look upon Korvosa!"
One wild haired and sick looking lunatic fixes his gaze on Kip. "You have appeared to me before, in a dream, demon with wild fur! You will near death during a time of great sickness and peril in Korvosa's darkest hour! This event will usher in a new age of writhing doom!"
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Kip unfazed by any of this, replies to the madman's kind words "That's nice. Then again we get closer to our unavoidable erasure from existence." Kip puts his had on the crazy's shoulder "Live for the day, and embrace the madness. Maybe you'll go so mad people will think your sane." Kip then continues on his way like nothing happened.
Vulpina raises her eyebrow as seven different people holler about how their deity's presence or absence is the cause of the ongoing disarray.
"My, how swiftly they assume that deities would have but the tiniest interest in the affairs of royalty," she chuckles. "Kingdoms rise and fall and not one has caused the end of the world yet!"
”There are always apocalypse preachers whenever the slightest trouble happens. ‘I stubbed my toe! The end of the world is near! The Rough Beast is escaping his tomb!’ ”
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Kip finds that placing his hand on the lunatic is met with a disgusting and crusty kind of touch. Kip shakes off his hand, but failed at social distancing. Kip hopes this doesn't come back to bite him later.
With no further interruptions, getting over to the local guard house doesn't take too much time. It is relatively empty, save for a corporal who is up to his neck in paperwork. He looks like a relatively simple man with a shaved head and spectacles in the Korvosan colors. If you saw him outside the office here, you would not have figured him as a guard. The overworked guard looks up at you briefly before he sticks his face back into another pile of papers and just pushes a sheet forward.
"All claims of vandalism, theft, assault, or other criminal activities can be submitted here and we will have an investigation into it as soon as we can."
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At first the guard looks frustrated as he reaches over and grabs the brooch. He looks at it with a disgruntled face at first, "Well, let's take- oh." It dawns on him just what it is he is holding. "The queen's brooch? This was reported stolen six.." His voice trails off, as he then straightens up in his chair and looks you all over.
"Well, I have no reason to suspect you are the culprits behind this, for if you were then it was very foolish to turn yourselves in. Odds are you either acquired it from the culprit or someone he hocked it off to." His face gets a bit more cheerful as his mood shifts. "My apologies, Corporal Kayson, at your service." He pulls out some papers from the bottom drawer of the desk he is working on. He begins to scribble on them furiously. "Twelve-hundred gold pieces, as per the reward. May I get your names please for legal?"
"I am the Lady Vulpina Korada," says she, slightly too quickly. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Corporal."
"If it is all the same to you, we would like to turn it in en audience with the Queen."
"Andreas Isidore, at your service." says Andreas with a nod of his head. "I am sure you'll be hearing more of myself, and my brother, Giacomo.
"You are correct in that we are not the culprits, else why would we attempt to return it. However, we did dispose of the foul miscreant who had soiled it with his filthy hands. Gaedren Lamm is no more, his ring of criminals and exploiters of street orphans now waits his turn in the Boneyard, may his wait be tiresome and long.
"Any bounty out for him as well?"
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The corporal looks at Vulpina and Kipp dubiously. "I don't believe that may be a possibility right now. Problem is, with all the turmoil going on, getting audience with her royal majesty Queen Ileosa in a time of extreme chaos and turmoil would not be probable."
Then to Andreas, "Some substantial evidence would be required for any kind of bounty." To which Andreas remembers the Moldy Ledger he spent a lot of time deciphering and making a decoder for.
Another guard bursts into the room. "The imps and drakes are at it again!" Kayson rolls his eyes and lets out an exasperated sigh. "This is the third time this year!" He tries to hurry the business of this up. "If you have any evidence for us to go off of, then we can arrange a bounty. I'm sorry for the haste, but there is little time to do anything for long right now." He quickly gets to work filling out the bounty paperwork for the brooch to get payments settled.
"Imps and drakes?" asks Vulpina, leaning in. "If we were to assist with such a problem, surely that would free up some time sooner than later?" she offers.
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"I am Sylvan Alexandra Loiselle. Understandable I'm sure the chaos out there prevents you from giving anything your attention for long periods of time, just too many things happening. And now issues with imps & drakes, sounds like you have your hands full. Perhaps you could subcontract some tasks to capable adventures..."
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"Normally, hiring mercenaries is not protocol... But neither is anything else today, is it? If we proceed with this route, I want to make clear that you would receive payment for intercepting creatures of legitimate threat and issue to the health and safety of the citizens. I cannot and will not be paying you for trying to uphold the law. You are not marshals, just extra assistance."
He looks over the moldy ledger, accepting it gingerly, and then the key code. Taking quick looks between the two of them, he realizes something of interest. "Why, this has links to on-going cases. With this, we can patch up a lot of crime in this city." He thanks you all profusely for your work. "Alright, normally this would fetch a bounty of evidence of misconduct, but with the code we can step it to arrest as well." He fills out another sheet of paper. The penmanship on Kayson is perhaps the most incredible thing about this rather ordinary man. After he fills out both sheets, he rushes into the back office with them real quick. It takes a few moments for him to return.
"Alright, I got what bounties I could get the legal side to push. For the brooch, one-thousand and two-hundred. For the code and ledger, we were able to pull forth five-hundred on short notice. I have also notified my superiors that you wish to seek audience with her Majesty Queen Ileosa, though I cannot make any promise on that."
A student at the Acadamae is required to undertake several dangerous steps in order to graduate, one of which is the summoning of an imp. Many students opt to take imps as familiars, but just as many fail and let those imps get loose. As a result, imps are a constant problem in Korvosa. Nests of them lurk in the eaves of the city’s Shingles, often attempting to ally with or manipulate city gangs.
Fortunately, the indigenous house drake population, tiny dragons evolved from the pseudodragons who dwelled in the region before Korvosa was founded and adapted readily to the city’s advent, are quite adept at keeping Korvosa’s imp population under control. Two or three times per year, the imps and house drakes take to flight in the skies above Korvosa to engage in mass battles.
"It shall have to do, for now," says Vulpina; she has made her insistence, and shall have to live with the compromise. Troubled times, and all.
"Well, then, where are we to go and who are we to speak to regarding these nuisances?" she asks.
”Imps are a bit of a plague on Korvosa, as Acadamae students have a habit of losing control of them when they are trying to summoning them. They have been a burden on the house drakes in the city, and have earned the little dragons’ hatred. Not that I blame the drakes. ” explains Andreas.
”The drakes have adapted, and grown, and are the main reason that the city is overwhelmed with hell monkeys. If we knew where a house drake aerie was, they would likely be able to point us to some imps. ”
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Andreas's knowledge of the house drakes knows that they would most likely take places in the city that they can have higher perches on, allowing them to watch as much as possible and feel in some semblance of power.
Giacomo knowledge of imps is that they have a tendency to attack targets who look to be wealthy, whether or not they have security doesn't make as much of a difference in the situation.
The clerk soldier starts rolling his wrist to pop it a few times. He seems hesitant to write up any more paperwork.
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The party heads out into the streets, looking for the threat of imps that would be tormenting any citizens. It doesn't take long to find them though, because shortly into the walk the party finds themselves under attack! Imps gathering on the rooftops nearby perch and ready to strike!
Light Condition: Normal
Active Buffs: None
Active Penalties: None
Kipp, Devotee to Azathoth(-0,Fine)
Sylvan Alexandra Loiselle(-0,Fine)
Red Imp(-0,Fine)
One Imp (Gray)(-0,Fine)
Lady Vulpina Korada(-0,Fine)
Giacomo Isidore(-0,Fine)
Andreas Isidore(-0,Fine)
Two Imp (Black)(-0,Fine)
Blue Imp(-0,Fine)
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Light Condition: Normal
Active Buffs: Bless
Active Penalties: None
Kipp, Devotee to Azathoth(-0,Fine)
Sylvan Alexandra Loiselle(-0,Fine)
Red Imp(-0,Fine)
One Imp (Gray)(-0,Fine)
Lady Vulpina Korada(-0,Fine)
Giacomo Isidore(-0,Fine)
Andreas Isidore(-0,Fine)
Two Imp (Black)(-0,Fine)
Blue Imp(-0,Fine)
The two imps from the opposing roofs look over the angry Kitsune and Oracle, and then they get to work with their magic.
Suggestion.
It has been a long day. Time to call it and go home.
A Celestial Eagle appears directly above a perched imp and attacks it.
Vulpina retrieves her new musket from her back. "Well, then. In lieu of a more fitted bullet..."
She immediately starts reloading.
Andreas nods at his brother's statement.
Unsure of the effect being cast on the two, he instead pulls out his wand of magic missile, and uses it against the blue imp (unless it has fallen, in which case red).
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Light Condition: Normal
Active Buffs: Bless
Active Penalties: None
Kipp, Devotee to Azathoth(-0,Fine)
Sylvan Alexandra Loiselle(-0,Fine)
Red Imp(-0,Fine)
One Imp (Gray)(-0,Fine)
Lady Vulpina Korada(-0,Fine)
Giacomo Isidore(-0,Fine)
Andreas Isidore(-0,Fine)
Two Imp (Black)(-0,Fine)
Blue Imp(-5,Fine)
The blue imp finds its situation unfavorable, a larger flapping bird in its face and the magic missiles blasting against it. He shifts backwards, and then casts a spell before vanishing.
Invisibility.
Two Imp decides to try its own spell, which has been identified as Suggestion from the first two, against the gun wielding pretty lady.
Bed time sounds excellent. Perhaps going home for a nap would be best.
The sound of some kind of small hissing with distinct pitches can be heard coming closer.
"More! There is more! Kill them!"
"Rip off their wings!"
"That one is sneaking away!"
"We have partnered with the weak minded. I think we need to make these suggestions less plausible."
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Light Condition: Normal
Active Buffs: Bless
Active Penalties: None
Kipp, Devotee to Azathoth(-0,Fine)
Sylvan Alexandra Loiselle(-0,Fine)
Red Imp(-0,Fine)
One Imp (Gray)(-0,Fine)
Lady Vulpina Korada(-0,Fine)
House Drakes (Yellow)(-0,Fine)
Giacomo Isidore(-0,Fine)
House Drakes (Green)(-0,Fine)
Andreas Isidore(-0,Fine)
Two Imp (Black)(-0,Fine)
Blue Imp(-5,Fine)
Andreas - 2
Kip - 3
Vulpina - 3
Giacomo - 2
"Dexterity Rerolls: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to reroll an initiative check, Reflex save, attack roll modified by Dexterity, or Dexterity-based check. The PC must abide by the new result (although if he has additional Harrow Points, he can use them for additional rerolls).
Dodge Bonus: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to gain a +1 dodge bonus to his Armor Class for one encounter. He can spend up to 3 Harrow Points per encounter to increase his Armor Class in this manner.
Speed Increase: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to increase his base speed by 10 feet for one encounter."
The red and gray imp now make their moves against the lightest armored targets, the brothers Isidore. They swoop in and begin to make an attack.
As the imps attack the brothers, from all around the buildings comes some very small drakes. They pounce on the imp, launching a vicious assault against the devils. Even the imp that turned invisible is being attacked by a drake, unfooled by its magic.
The eyes of this purple-scaled dragon glint with a mischievous intelligence and the sting of its tail has a silvery sheen.
CG Tiny Dragon
Fiendish wings and a whipping scorpion-like tail lash behind this diminutive, red-skinned nuisance.
LE Tiny outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful)
”Honestly, I am quite inclined to agree. I believe we will be walking the same way, Mister Kip?”
The Eagle, unable to see its previous target, flies at the next Imp and attacks
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Imps can be a dangerous type, with their suggestion and invisibility magic. Defensively, only good or silver is efficient at piercing their melee defenses. They are immune to fire and poison, resistant to acid and cold, but they lack the special defenses against shock magic.
House dragons are the natural enemy of imps in Korvosa. They have silver as part of their natural anatomy in their claws. They constantly see the invisible, andalso can cure the lightest of wounds up to three times per day.