THe gameplay thread...
The woman sits down and sizes you up, then smiles, "You might do. " she says mysteriously. Leaning back, she continues "I've got a job, pays in coin and in influence with the local baron" she says, then leans in , "Most of the locals aren't too fond of the Thrice Damned Throne, so the pickin's a bit thin for what I've got in store."
She crosses her arms, "You interested?"
Having divined that a local lass name Cimri was looking for a crew, you sought her out, finally meeting up with her at the back of the Last Stand Tavern. "Yeah, I'm looking for a crew..." she nods to acknowledge Dexter, "There's a man who's thumbed his nose at the local ruler...not paying taxes, that sorf of thing. We're to get it from him. " she says. Then she looks expectantly for questions.
Cimri scowls at Mazin, looking with dismay at your bloody hand "Ok...ok, quit cutting yerself. Yeah, I've got a job on the go. Gotta go collect some 'taxes' from a local. If yer interested, meet me at the south road fork and I'll fill you and the others in on the particulars."
You've known Cimri for most of your life, even enjoying a short-lived romance with her when you were both in your teens. You saw her chatting with some newcomers to town, and weren't too suprised when she slid in next to you at the bar in the Last Stand, "Hey, Ara....you free these days? I need some muscle for a job...I've already got most of a crew together, but they're new. I'd like to have someone I knew along."
She studied herself in the grimy mirror behind the bar, waiting for your response.
Masin didn't wait long before meeting Cimri once again, as she slid into the booth he was sitting in.
Lowly, so that no one else could hear, "You still interested in a job? "
Cimri smirks at Masin's discomfort, then leans in, uncomfortably so, "Seems a local businessman hasn't been paying his taxes. We're to go get it from him. " she whispers, then continues, "We do this right, my boss says we'll be in good with the local lord"
She sits back, "What do you think?"
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Masin raises one of his eyebrows as he takes in the information. Clearly he is intrigued. He replies "That does seem interesting. But taxes are collected by the lord himself. Is your boss the local lord?" Even though he has problem with people withholding taxes, he doesn't like being kept in the dark about who he is working for.
Masin takes a sip from his soup as he waits for her reply and to give himself some time to think.
Cimri rolls her eyes, "I don't know of any lord who does his own tax collecting! HA!" she laughs, "Naw, my boss is Razelago...he's loaded and in tight with the lord. He's yer ticket to making out good with the Lord...plus there'll be 100 gold in yer pocket for yer troubles."
She reaches out and grabs a piece of Masin's bread, popping it into her mouth , watching him, waiting for his answer.
Cimri smirks and leans in, "There's a local, a businessman, who's late with his taxes. The job is to go to his business , just outside of town, and grab everything shiny. Pretty simple. You'll get 100 gold in yer pocket, and the fine regard of the local noble, or at least his man...my boss. After that , who knows...."
She leans back, gives a wave to someone she knows walking by, then looks back at Jarithe, eyebrow arched in question...
Mazer cleans his recently cut hands. "Sorry about that. I should realize that not everyone here appreciates the Prince of Pain. I'll be more discreet about it in the future."
Mazer nods at Cimri and decides to meet her at the south fork. "When? Now? Let me just grab my things and I'll be there."
Mazer smiles, ready to collect 'taxes' from some poor man.
The soldier stopped and looked at her with a smile. With his helmet off, he was somewhat handsome - friendly and polite, with a sharp tongue and with eyes as smoothly fast as one's could be.
Cimri was quite familiar, but they both knew things were all in the past nowadays. Yet, they kept a cordial relationships, and some of the jobs she'd bring were actually profitable and fun.
I could definitely use the coins. - he finally said, still concerned to not harm his stand with the hellknights - Of course, depending on their weight, and how bloodied they'd be. You know I like the walk the line.
"Indeed, some might not appreciate such open devotion to The Prince of Pain. " she observes.
Then she nods, "No, the night after next. Two bells after midnight. There will be others, so don't be surprised when they show up too!"
Then with a smirk, she departs.
Cirmi smiles around a cheek full of bread, "Excellent. The night after next, meet me and the others....yes, there are others, at the fork in the road south of town. Get there at two bells after midnight. Agreed?" she explains, then asks.
Without really waiting for an answer, she grabs another piece of bread for the road and leaves.
Cimri nods, then leans in , "At two bell past midnight, the night after next, meet me at the fork in the road south of town. There will be others, so don't be surprised." she says. Then with a direct look to make sure you understood, stands and leaves.
Cimri nods, "I know. This is a grab and go...but I can't guarantee there won't be blood. It's 100 gold and the good graces of someone with good connections with the local nobility. It's been good for me , and it can be good for you too, Ama. "
She turns back to her face in the mirror, "As I said, I've got some others interested. If you are too, meet us at two bells past , the night after next at the fork in the south road, on the way to Louslik's"
Then she turns to you, placing a hand on your arm, "These others, I'm sure I could handle them, if need be. It'd just be a comfort having someone there to have my back, just in case. "
She seems quite pained to have to admit that to you.
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Masin thinks hard on what Cimri said. So much that he doesn't even realize she's gone. Why would a tax collecting job be done in the middle of the night? This sounds suspicious. Still, he needs the money. Coming to think of it, Cimri never really told him how much he would be paid. But, now, he has already agreed, and would hate to break his word.
"Others? Sure. I will be there. Should I bring anything?"
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Well, butchers have to bleed pigs for good sausages, right? - said the antipaladin, interested in the coins, but a lot more interested in the connections with local nobility - I don't suppose you'd tell me who these connections or nobles are?
He spoke mostly rhetorically, not truly expecting details on that matter.
I will be there. Anything you could tell me about these other interested folks?
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For the rest of the day, Masin spends the time preparing. He stretches and makes sure all the material for his extracts are ready and on him. He cleans his daggers and tests his crossbow.
For dinner, he only eats a salad with chicken and crouton. He makes sure he watered his violet. It never grows any flowers, but the leaves are very much alive and green.
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Cimri shrugs, "You've seen them around town, I'm sure. That pale , weird Dwarf, and the other two often have drinks together here. I've got my eye on another newcomer, a mage, with expensive tastes." she says.
She takes a sip of her drink, "They all need the money....and the connections , of course." she smirks at Aramant, "If we do this job right, more will follow, you'll see who yer working for soon enough"
She then gulps the drink back and stands up. Adjusting her belt she says softly, "See you at the fork..."
Lussinus was leaving his chambers and found a woman leaning against the nearby wall, from the look of her, waiting for him.
"You've expensive tastes..." she observed drily, then smiles, "No one's made Milly cry for a while, so can I assume you wouldn't shirk from visiting some pain on an unloyal citizen?"
She straightens from the wall, and introduces herself, "I'm Cimri Baelish, and I've putting a team together to do just that...Interested?" she asks, arms akimbo.
Cimre's eye widen and her eyebrows shoot up, and she whispers dramatically "Not...THE Egorian Academy! ". She then smirks, "Look, I just want someone who knows magic as part of my crew, just in case. You'll get 100 gold in your pocket and the kind regard of someone with higher connections. If that's of interest to you..." she trails off, gazing at Luccinus through a shock of her hair that had fallen down across her face.
The tiefling smiles, thoughtful.
I will see you there, Cimri. - he completes, drinking the last sip and leaving her company.
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Cimri's face pales a bit, and her hand instinctively lands on the hilt of her dagger. Blinking, she tosses her head, getting the hair out of her face as she involuntarily takes a step back.
"Yeah, you'll do..." she says, a bit of the earlier bravado missing. "We'll meet up at the fork in the road south of town, two days hence, 2 bells after midnight. "
Then with a nod, she visibly steels herself and turns on her heel, making a rapid exit.
A couple of days past since Cimri recruited her 'gang', each of them making the way to the south of town where the road forks. Some have met
before, all have seen each of the others around town.
Each of you arrive early....The town of Longacre sits just outside the fringes of the Whisperwood. A few lights shine in the streets and windows, and the occasional snippet of conversation or laughter issues from open doors, but here on the outskirts of town, the night is quiet and dark. Sparse clouds scud across the sky, momentarily obscuring the dim light from the moon overhead. Across a scrubby field, barely distinguishable under the starry sky, a darkened, fortlike compound hunches in the distance....Ol' Louslik's Tannery, tonight's target.
Cimri hasn't arrived yet, so the opportunity to conduct some reconnaisance is presented...Choose one activity if desired...
Scaling the 10 ft wooden pallisade around the tannery reveals hat the work yard beyond is largely empty. There are lanterns lit, both at the gate and outside the office. A large dog dozes near the office’s door. The place smells terrible.
Sneaking up and find a hole in the pallisade around the tannery reveals hat the work yard beyond is largely empty. There are lanterns lit, both at the gate and outside the office. A large dog dozes near the office’s door. The place smells terrible.
A small night crew works at the tannery. The tannery’s owner, Jabral Louslik, handles the operation’s accounting well into the evening. Additionally, Shaul and Pippa Umbre—the town’s elderly gong farmers—come and go throughout the night, bringing loads of dung to use in softening leather.
The gate that opens into the tannery’s work yard features a simple mechanism, designed to swing open to admit delivery carts. Constructed for convenience, not defense, a lock can be bypassed to open the gate with the pull of a lever. It won’t necessarily be quiet, though.
A portion of the palisade surrounding the tannery has been damaged by repeated impacts from inexpertly steered work carts. This has opened a narrow gap in the palisade near the beamhouse that is out of the way, and could be squeezed through with a bit of effort.
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Masin gets to the spot and is not disappointed that Cimri is not there yet. He thinks I suppose, this is expected...
He starts recalling what he knows about the tannery.
He has managed to gather some information on the tannery over the last few days since Cimri mentioned what the target was. He turns to the others with whom he must work for the moment and says "There are probably people in the tannery. The owner Louslik himself usually stays late doing accounting work. It's funny that he would be owing his taxes, being so careful with his accounting... Anyway, there are two elderly farmers that usually work in the night, bringing dung in, which they use for the tanning. I'm going to try opening the gate."
Without opening the gate, he comes back, saying "The gate is easy to open, just a lever, but it's going to be loud."
Aramant arrives earlier. It's hard for someone covered in chainmail to properly hide, so the tiefling quickly assesses the surroundings, then moves to squeeze in a small gap in the palisade near the beamhouse to do some... Recon. He doesn't speak with anyone, just moving as fast as he possibly can.
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Masin doesn't appreciate how the man speaks harshly of their contractor. He tries easing things down and says "If we're going to work together, we'll at least know we won't get a knife in our backs. We can start with names. I'm Masin Yambuter, a student of the alchemical arts."
He is a very tidy man, despite the nightly activities. Other than daggers and a crossbow, he doesn't have any weapons, but he does have a few pouches and vials with strange liquids in them. His beard is perfectly trimmed and it isn't very apparent why he wears spectacles, as he just puts them away, probably to keep them safe, and it doesn't seem to affect his seeing capacity.
Mazer stands back and watches the other discuss tactics. He nods at Aramant as the tiefling points out a small gap in the palisade.
"Mazer. Mazer Afin.". He quietly speaks more than a whisper, not trusting the others thus far. Mazer sticks out like a sore thumb with his skin whiter than snow, eyes redder than blood, and scars all over his body.
He wipes his brow with his wrist as sweat beads on his forehead. "There." Mazer points out the small gap that Aramant slipped through, making sure the others know where to go.
A slow, muted clapping of a pair of hands interrupts any further conversation. Cimri, a sardonic twist to her mouth, comes from behind a nearby tree, "Good. Glad to see some of you take the job seriously enough to check the target for yourself." she says, looking pointedly at Luccinus.
She motions everyone to gather under the dark envelop of the tree, pointing towards the dim structure of the tannery "That’s it—Louslik Tannery. Here’s the job: We break in, sack Ol’ Louslik’s office, take whatever’s shiny, and get out before the sheriff shows up. If we get separated, meet back at the Ash House by dawn,"
Dull moonlight glints across her dagger as she flicks it in emphasis. “If you get pinched, remember: you’re mute. Keep your mouth shut, and I’ll handle things. I got assurances that we won’t take any blame if things go south. But get chatty and I’ll let you rot.” A beat passes and her usual crooked smirk appears. “If you don’t screw things up, we’ll all be drinking on Razelago’s coin come dawn. Let’s do this.”
She looks at each of you for confirmation of your willingness to continue and that right now is the time for any further questions.
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While I will definitely stay silent if apprehended I'm hoping there is SOME sort of legal justification or underpinning for this, no matter how flimsy?... though I suppose IF he were unpatriotic, THAT would sort of cover it under the Queens decree, he says, a credit to his religious upbringing and years of legalistic wrangling imparted by his education.
As to the dog? If I were to summon a skunk-like entity to spray it with musk? Yes it would make some noise but would like run as far as it could. I'm no expert with animals I am afraid .
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Masin looks sideways at Cimri. He says "You told me this person owed his taxes. Why do we need to be wary of the sheriff if all we're doing is collecting taxes and putting him in his place? By the way, I don't think the tannery is empty."
He doesn't really mind punishing someone who has been harming the rightful Lord of the land, but he does not really like the feeling that Cimri is toying with him.
Cirmi sighs, closing her eyes for a moment, "Legal...yer kidding me right? This man owes taxes to the frikkin' Thrice Damned Throne! That's gotta be legal enough for ya! " she exclaims, then turns to Masin, "The Sheriff is a goodie-goodie, doesn't quite see eye-to-eye with how the lords that be conduct their business. This is how the lords that be conduct their business! " she says, jabbing the point of her dagger towards the tannery.
You realize/remember that Cimri shares a last name with the local Sherriff.
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Masin thinks It's a family feud, then... It's also an easier get-out-of-jail situation she has. Or maybe harder?. He tells her "Very well, then. It would make sense that the sheriff wouldn't want to collect the taxes himself, wouldn't it, now?"
The alchemist asks for a minute. During this time he takes out a few vials and mixes some liquids, adds a powder and then stores the smelly concoction he made. He takes another liquid and drinks it all. His body grows slender and his movement becomes visibly more fluid. However, his skin grows thicker.
He says "As we'll be about to enter, let me know, as I'll drink some other concoctions."
Mazer interlaces his fingers and cracks them. "Let's get down to business.". He's used to doing questionable activities without any further instructions or moral qualms.
The druid stretches while patiently waits for the others to get ready. He'll knick his arm with one of his fingernails, enough to draw a glob of blood. He savors the slight tingle of pain as he closes his eyes and says a silent prayer to the Midnight Lord.
When everyone is ready, Mazer opens his eyes, wipes the glob of blood off, and nods. "Let's do this."
Before Aramant can sneak in or answer Mazer, he hears Cimri, and turns back to her. He keeps turning his head around, alternating between Cimri and the men talking to her.
Besides the... Dog... Being mentioned, I don't quite understand why this isn't a single man's job. - finally Aramant breaks the silence - Why do we need so many bodies for it?
Numbers aren't always an advantage... Especially when it's still sounding as if we could try to go the stealthy route, without being noticed. - says the tiefling, approaching and looking Luccinus upside down - Do you revel in violence, spellbinder?
Cimri draws herself up to her full 5'4'', looking Aramant square in the eye "And not a single woman's job? " she says with a smirk, then looks at the others "Let's just say this is an audition for bigger and better things. " nodding at Luccinus' observation.
The she say, "Yes...skunk the dog so it's no longer a threat to reveal us. Looks like you found a different way in than the main gate....we'll go in that way. Let's go."
Cimri leads everyone in a wide path around to the back of the beam house near where the small hole in the wall was found.
Turning to Luccinus, "Let's try your skunk idea...see if you can lure the dog out here and away from the tannery; or at the very least out here so we can kill it. " she says quietly , looking at each of her gang , "Once the dog is out of the way, we go to the office. Now if he gives us no choice, we kill him, but our client just wants his money not necessarily his life. Understand?" she asks, then waves at Luccinus to do his thing.