The Raven takes some time to research the structure of the dottari so he may better play his role. Like a bird, he must be impressive, but not so magnificent as to invite hunters... He already has designs for the character he will play, but the fine details will depend on what the Fushi sisters find of the devil-worshipers stationed at the prison.
"So!" The Raven declares, clapping his hands. One of his spiked gauntlets has been replaces by a fine mithral one, gleaming silver in the flickering light of the Nest. "Pending the Fushi sisters information, we have most everything we need. A carriage to carry four prisoners will be easy to acquire, along with four horses plus one for Nyxra. I am not a carpenter, but it should not be difficult to slap some fake iron bars on the windows and locks on the door. Two of us can drive the coach and two will ride horses. As for you." The Raven inclines his head towards Nyxra. "It might be better for you to hang back and out of sight to make sure no one follows us once we leave with the prisoners. Our insurance carrier would probably object to all of us walking in to the lion's den at the same time, anyways. If a fight should break out, it would be nice to have one of our own on the outside of the structure so we cannot all be trapped by a simple closed door."
"An Asmodean priestess would indeed be appropriate. Lady Eagle shall be my aide-de-camp and, ahh... No offence, dear Eagle, but it would be better if you tried not to speak. Your skills are numerous and impressive, but a good liar you are not. Lemma will be our bailiff. I - Zorander Dread! - have come to Kintargo at the personal request of Her Royal Majesty Queen Abrogail II to transport the traitorous Hellknights to Egorian so that she might make an example of them." Is the name over the top? Or not impressive enough? "As we will have all the appropriate documents, the transaction should be quick and painless. We take the prisoners out of the city, lady Falcon will meet up with us on the way to the temple once she has ascertained we have not been followed." The masked man looks around the room. His face may be hidden, but his voice does not hide his excitement. "Any objections?"
What do you want us to do for Dottari disguises? Buy them? Steal them? Just useth a disguise check? If procuring some decent uniforms will give us a bonus to our disguise checks I think that would be worth pursuing.
Doth we know what ranks there are amongst the Dottari and what their organizational structure is like? The Raven will (ideally) impersonate someone who outranks any dottari who will be near/in the prison, but not like a Colonel or some serious big shot who's rank proceeds them, know what I mean
Found this, seems useful.
"I'm going with Velcara Black for my alias," Jessibel says before announcing that she possesses a disguise kit. Sauntering over to the Raven, she flicks out a finger, plinking the tip of the beak of her mentor's mask.
"You're not planning on wearing that thing, are you? I'm not sure a member of the dottari--even a captain--is allowed to wear a mask on duty. So...want to unmask and show us who you really are? I'm going to find out eventually anyhow!" The bard flashes a smile, part sweet, part wicked....
"A helm wouldn't be out of character, though." Rexus notes, voice amused. "But we'll have to wait in any case... do we know who is in charge or might look into your disguises? The better we can tailor this plan to them, the better it will go."
Lemma is inclined to wait for news from the Fuschi sisters before saying anything about The Raven's plan. However she does have one question.
"'Dread'? Isn't that absurdly on the nose? Sort of like a librarian named Shush Introvert?"
Mostly she lets her mind wonder, feeling confident The Raven will eagerly tell them all about his plan at least two more times before they're ready to use it.
One thing pops into her head, probably due to the earlier conversation about the Grey Spiders.
"Want to hear the wildest conspiracy theory I've ever heard? Aroden didn't die. He got sick of his shtick long before he was gone, spent that time setting up the perfect exit for himself. Norgorber wasn't actually raised to godhood by the Starstone. Norgorber is Aroden."
Lemma chuckles.
"I like it so much I've decided to believe it."
Aisling gives a soft laught as Lemma spouts her idea. "I think you jsut comited heresy against three difrent religions there!" She gives Raven a nod of approval. "That is a sound plan, there are things that can go wrong but I think we can adapt. I'm happy to let you do the talking." She makes a pained expression. "Just as long as I don't ahve to wear one of Asmodus symbols."
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"How do the historical dates of those two events--Norgorber's rise to divinity and the supposed death of Aroden--line up?" Jessibel asks, semi-thinking aloud to herself. She doesn't move from the Raven's side, however, just in case the mysterious man chooses to unmask presently. Giving Aisling an imperious glare, the disguised teen fingers the Asmodean holy symbol she wears on a chain around her neck and growls, "I've got that role covered, sniveling Iomedaen rebel!" Uneasy using such a tone with Aisling, even in jest, Jessibel chirps a quick, "Just kidding! And practicing!"
Rexus chuckles. "No, I've heard that Norgorber is actually four halflings in a billowing robe. One of them is also Thamir Gixx, but none of the four are certain which one." He scratches his chin. "I'm not sure how necessary it will be to go in with Asmodean disguises. If there are any there, you may want not to do so, while if there are only dottari, it'd be a good idea."
The Ravens adjourn for the day, before heading over to gather their own rumors at the Tooth and Nail. There, they find that it is somewhat empty at this hour of the day, with only a few regulars sitting and smoking or drinking.
A woman and two human men sit at one table, chatting in a rather carefree manner with one another. The two men look to be brothers - both blond, large, and clearly of Ulfen descent, while the woman is young, frail-looking, and black-haired. She wears an eyepatch over one eye.
A half-elf woman stands nearbywith a tiefling of indeterminable gender and another human man. They're playing darts at the moment, tossing them into a target shaped like an infernal face hanging on the wall. The half-elf has an almost albino complexion, as the reclusive elves of the Uskwood in Nidal are reputed to have.
A trio of halflings and two humans play dice in a nearby corner, while Setrona and her aide, Insome Filas, work to set out meals for a few hungry folks who look like they're travelers.
Jessibel looks around and decides that the eyepatch woman and her two friends are least likely to object to an intrusion into their space. "Hi! My name's Marla!" she says, loud enough that her friends can her what name she's using with this alias. "I'm hoping to become a famous actress once the opera house is open for business again. 'Til then I'm just taking bit parts in plays in smaller venues. Would you mind if I joined you? Next round's on me!"
Giving Aisling an imperious glare, the disguised teen fingers the Asmodean holy symbol she wears on a chain around her neck and growls, "I've got that role covered, sniveling Iomedaen rebel!" Uneasy using such a tone with Aisling, even in jest, Jessibel chirps a quick, "Just kidding! And practicing!"
Asiling looks a bit guilty at Jessi's unease. Am I really that stern?
Doing her best to play along with her game, she overacts and gives a fierce rebel-looking scowl. "That's Lady Rebel to you, because that's what I am! I'm a nonstop rebel! A rebel without a pause!"
At the Tooth and Nail, she buys a few drinks for the others but stays in the background as mucb as she can. She understands the importance of cover stories but she isn't really comfrotable with them, they're too much like lying.
The eye-patched woman smiles at Jessibel. "Good morning, Marla! I'm Luculla, Luculla Gens. Nice to meet you. These two are Sigurd and Aud, I own Sweet Tooth - it's the confectioner's shop next door."
"Her candied blackberry tarts are divine!" Aud grins, before looking curiously at "Marla." "I used to act over at the Opera myself. Good to meet you. My reticent brother," he nudges Sigurd, "used to work as one of the dottari, back before the Lord-Mayor-"
"Aud." Sigurd says, a note of warning in his voice.
"Ah, but what matters of that? What brings you here, Marla?" Aud continues, barely missing a beat.
Nyxra shrugs and approaches the group playing dice in the corner.
"Hey, got room for one more?"
"Lunch, mostly," Jessi/Marla answers with a grin. She takes a moment to commiserate with Sigurd, pointing out that much of Jarvis End's entertainment community is currently upset with the new lord-mayor before seemingly shrugging it off: "His rules, his people...I guess."
Jessi chats a bit randomly as a plan forms in her head. Once she feels she's established some semblance of rapport with Luculla and the brothers, she begins to probe for the information she seeks.
"Actually, I'm looking for some helpful information. An associate of mine--Alden, a gifted if unsubtle satirist--vanished in this neighborhood recently. He's sort of confrontational and was last seen spouting some anti-government limericks in front of the Holding House down the road. I was hoping someone here might know something that might help me: if Alden was indeed arrested; would he be held at the Holding House or one of the tower stations; if there's someone there I could talk to--or bribe--to get him out...that sort of stuff."
Turning to Luculla, Marla's face brightens. "If you're in here often, maybe you'd know if any of the Holding House's staff frequents this place. I'd show my appreciation by buying a dozen of those candied blackberry tarts Aud mentioned...."
Lemma enters but stays back from the conversation, looking around the place while listening on what the proprietor and her friends say.
The half-elven woman looks at Nyxra. "Sure, we had need of one more, anyways." She says bluntly, waving her welcome. The tiefling looks warily at her, before looking down at the dice again, and the human nods a greeting.
"Name's Verin." The half-elf says. "What're you looking to bet?" It seems she's assuming that Nyxra knows how to play already, or doesn't care enough to explain the rules.
At Jessi's table, Aud nods. "Aye, so it seems. Unfortunate, really." He listens to her explanation thoughtfully, scratching his scruffily bearded chin. "Sorry to hear your friend's disappeared... but I've heard some nasty things're going on in the Holding House. I think the Church's brought in some sort of fiend to do interrogations on the prisoners there."
Luculla's eye widens. "Really? That's... horrible." She looks away, shaking her head. "I wonder why they've bothered..."
"It's not the dottari in charge there." Sigurd says. "The Church is in control."
Aud looks at his brother. "Huh. Makes sense that they're using fiends, then, I guess."
Jessi acts crestfallen when Aud mentions the presence of some sort of interrogation fiend at the Holding House; actually, she's quite frightened by the revelation. She speaks with the trio for a few more minutes before making good on her promise and ordering a dozen candied blackberry tarts from Luculla for the road.
Lemma continues to wait with a casual air, leaving the shop when the others do. She says nothing while inside.
Luculla smiles, rising. "If you want, we can head over now. I don't have any on me at the moment, but the shop's just next door..."