Xing falls back to the room’s entrance and heals her allies, while Sabelina advances to spear the hag's entrails with her rapier.
The crone is seriously wounded but not out of this fight yet.
~ RND 3, cont. ~
Order
Cookie, Hag, Sable, Yash, Xing (Misfortune rnd 3) , Bob (Misfortune rnd 3), Senna
Bolds are up!
Bob slides behind the hag to set a flank for Yash. If I can’t hit her, maybe he can. Despite the ill-luck that has plagued him, the guardsman's blade strikes true, carving a deep rent in the hag's back. Her howl of pain is music to your ears.
In the wake of Bob's strike, the misfortune affecting Xing and Bob vanishes.
Yash could feel his life force slipping away. The blood running from his wounds was making him light-headed. Even though his fury raged within, he could hear the voices of the spirits calling him. He was so close, his time was nearing. He could see his grandfather, with his ghostly hand outstretched, beckoning him onward. Yash began to reach for the apparition's hand, felt the darkness creeping in, and then he heard his name echoing in the small chamber. The call to "finish her" rang though his mind over and over, drowning out the call of the spirits, and so he hefted his axe again and roared.
Yash’s axe drops… and ends the hag’s machinations by neatly splitting her skull. Her body drops heavily onto the stone lid in a rapidly spreading pool of the black bile that was her blood. Dead.
After a moment of silence, Xing settles down into a crouch, tentatively touching her bleeding shoulder and neck.
"I have heard of creatures that can regenerate their health after seeming to be destroyed. Does anyone know if this hag has any such ability? I do not think Threshold would appreciate if we didn't fully complete the job. It might be worth removing her head just to be sure."
She looks over at Yash and Bob. "How are you two?" She gives a toothful grin, "She wasn't too gentle, was she?"
Bob leans against the sarcophagus and winces as he presses a cloth to the sizeable bite on the back of his neck. "I wasn't told that she could heal, but why risk it." He neatly slices off her head and kicks it to Xing in the doorway. "If you'll take an old guard's advice here... I'll stay here and keep an eye on things. Some of you folks carry that head outside and let the teams know you've killed her. In no time, there'll be healers and a disposal team here. Killing townsfolk - and eating anyone, I suspect - carries a 'death without the possibility of resurrection' sentence. Her body will likely get dropped into the second level of the sewer... unless the Council wants to make a statement. Either way, nothing comes back from what comes next."
She looks over at Yash and Bob. "How are you two?" She gives a toothful grin, "She wasn't too gentle, was she?"
Bob smiles, "I think you two caught of the worst of it. I just got a hickey from her."
Xing grins back at Bob ... until the head rolls to a stop by her clawed feet. She pauses to regard it, looking down at the disgusting filth seeping from the gore where its neck met its body.
"Do you suppose all of these creatures are evil ... preying on whatever they can kill? Or is there a group of good hags out there somewhere? Making the world around them a slightly better place for their presence?"
She considers a moment longer before shrugging. Then grabs it by its hair and standing up with a wince. "Whoever wants the glory, come now. I'm telling the Watch."
"Do you suppose all of these creatures are evil ... preying on whatever they can kill? Or is there a group of good hags out there somewhere? Making the world around them a slightly better place for their presence?"
Senna shoulders her bow, considering. "If you heed the stories all hags are evil, one way or another... But it's a big multiverse and I have to think there is a hag out there trying to do right. Hells, I just met that gnoll last night who seemed a fine fellow and is an adjunct member of the Pathfinders."
A quick detect magic view and visual search reveals that the hag is carrying a purse with 110 GP and a wand, that almost makes you wince with the aura (Strong) it gives off.
Xing (and whoever chooses to accompany her) looking beat to hell and carrying the hag's head, wearily climbs the stairs and exits the house. Based on her apparent wounds, the spotters call out to other guardsmen.
Bob wasn't wrong. While most of the guards continue their assignments until the search is officially called off, Xing and the others are quickly swarmed by healers, a 'body' team, one of the odd bloodhounds, and a necromancer to confirm this is the hag. Low-level command staff arrive a short time later.
Once healed, Xing and the others are greeted with pats on the shoulder, respectful nods from members of the watch, infrequent smiles, and even a few quietly expressed, "Good work."
It's another hour before you are all released - fully healed and debriefed on the battle - and the curious crystal wall around the city sinks beneath the earth, as if it had never been. Life begins to return to normal in Threshold, though the guard are more present and - once word spreads - your group is treated with a level of deference by the locals.
It is Noon. Having nothing on your docket at the moment, you head to the Slattern to eat, rest, recoup, and sit on the dock enjoying the breeze and view of the Inner Sea now that the wall is gone.
Sabelina has another option, of course. News of the day's events have passed the red door. On her return to the Slattern, Donal and Violetta are waiting (and seem quite willing) to give 'Sable' a proper heroes' greeting OR she can spend the noon hour with the team.
Sabelina lets go a long sighing exhalation, relieved that the search is over.
"Very well done everyone. That thing was much nastier than I expected."
Sabelina goes with Xing. Since she had been partly responsible for convincing the couple to leave their home, she wants to make sure they know they made the right choice.
At lunch, Senna wipes the wand free of hag's blood and examines it closely. After a minute, she concludes, "This is an Abjuration wand... but I can't say what it does specifically. I bet this is what she used to foil the Watch's scryers."
Xing sits at the edge of the dock, her long legs dangling over the water as she watches the sun's reflections dance across the waves. She idly rubs the spot on her neck where — only a few hours ago — the hag had savaged her with those teeth. As she sits and relaxes, she looks over at the wand the team had recovered from the hag.
"Abjuration is protective magic, no?" She shrugs, "Not that I know any more than that. Maybe we should ask Odelai. She seems the type to know a bit about supernatural effects."
Mama sits nearby Xing with her legs crossed and her skirts flowing over her knees. Lady is playing catch and release along the docks with the local gulls. They are not amused.
She nods. Odelai could divine it, I'm certain. But could I see it, my dear?
Mama turns the wand over in her hands for a moment. She knows next to nothing about the runes and tell-tale signs of wands, but she looks it over anyway.
I should probably learn about how magic works at some point... she mutters as she hands it back. I mostly just know the woods and fields.
After getting cleaned up and having lunch, Sabelina sequesters herself away in her room. She's far behind on documenting what has happened recently in her journal, lots of great material. Through the afternoon she writes down everything as precisely and thoroughly as possible from memory.
"Abjuration is protective magic, no?" She shrugs, "Not that I know any more than that. Maybe we should ask Odelai. She seems the type to know a bit about supernatural effects."
"If Odelai can't, I'm sure she knows people who can. And, yes, Abjuration is generally protective magic." Senna looks down the dock. "What the fv<k is this?"
Up the dock, strolls Uller Nine-Toes, clearly heading in your direction. You'd call his look sheepish, but determined. He holds up his hands in a placating gesture as he gets into earshot range. "Hold it. Hold it. I come to apologize. Will you hear me out?"
Senna ignores Uller for the moment, focusing on the wand again. "Ya know, I think there might be another way to skin this cat." She fumbles with some gestures and phrases before a glow around her eyes indicates she's figured out a new spell. She regards the wand closely then aims it at Uller, just to watch him flinch.
To her team, she says, "It casts Nondetection with great proficiency but it is running low on power . I'm no expert, but I bet we can get a fair amount of coins for it."
That's a neat trick! Mama swoons as Senna shows off her new ability. She leaves Uller to stew for a moment before turning her head to him. She doesn't stand. Yes, Former Watch Deputy Uller Nine-Toes? Her tone is that of a grandmother who's not hurt, just disappointed.
Xing watches Mama Cookie and Senna explore the wand, giving the archer a warm smile when she figures it out. "You all continually surprise me. Nice work!"
After ignoring Uller for an appropriate amount of time, she pulls her feet up into a cross-legged position and turns to face him directly.
"I will hear your apology ... and whatever else you have to say." Her look and tone are dead flat, "But do not waste our time."
Uller sighs at the clearly hostile audience. He keeps his hands raised. ”I screwed the goat. OK? I didn’t scope out the sewer before sending you in. I was lazy and careless. A’right? I’m sorry. I was stupid and you folks got a tit caught in the wringer… and that is entirely on me. I’m sorry. BUT I did not do any of that on purpose… I’m a self-serving prick, right? Guilty as charged. You don’t need to trust me… but you can trust that I am always looking out for my own best interests. I take care of me… I don’t see any of you denying that. So, what happened in the sewer… getting’ you hurt would gain me nothin’ and lose me A LOT. I know this town. You matter here. If any of you got killed or crippled down there, the Council would land on me, hard. Odelai or someone like her would twist every truth out of me and then drop my ass down that hole to the lower sewer. They wouldn’t even give me a quick death first. I’d be down the well and they’d watch me die horribly. So, there is NO profit for me in getting you hurt. Absolutely none.”
”Yes, I’m lazy, and a greedy bastard, and I got you into a bad situation… but I wasn’t trying to get you hurt on purpose. So, I’m sorry.”
Mama's eyes weigh every word with the wisdom of a lady who's had a few kids and raised a fair few more. Her ears parse out admission and guilt and... truth. She takes a deep breath in the end.
This was an important moment. She could feel it. This would define much about who they each individually (and they as a group) would be seen as for some time to come. First impressions and all that. This town may be large, but it's not THAT large. The rumor mill would have their reaction out to everyone and anyone interested by nightfall, doubly so with their recent dramatic take-down of the Hag.
Mama stands and brushes her skirts into order. She fixes the man with a withering, hurt look, then softens it into a small, reassuring smile. Oh Uller. Thankyou. I takes character to tell the truth like you just did. Even if most of you is, as you so aptly put it, rotten, there is some light and good in you. Otherwise you wouldn't be here. So, for my part. I forgive you.
She pauses for a moment, then, before he can speak, continues with her own raised hand. BUT... I cannot trust you, young man. Not yet. That must be earned anew. I, for one, hope the chance to prove yourself comes sooner rather than later.
Xing watches levelly ... passively. "Maybe it is character. Or practical survivalism. Either way," she gives a small tip of her head at Uller as she finishes, "I have heard far worse apologies."
After a brief pause in which she watches the local unblinkingly, she continues, "I appreciate your words. We will see about forgiveness, as well as trust. Was there something else you wished to say?"
Yash stood up quickly as the man spoke, his eye fixed on Uller. His hands instinctively flexed as he listened, his eyes judging the man's sincerity. Once the man had concluded his apology, Yash approached the man and placed a hand on his shoulder with a nod.
"Not again" he said, with a coldness in his voice.
Xing and Yash detect no lie or any hint of evasion in what Uller is saying. It seems he is giving you the unvarnished truth.
Given the team's responses, particularly Yash's ominous "Not again", Uller isn't sure if his next statement is gonna fly, fall flat, or he can expect Yash's meaty fist in his face.
"Well, since you asked, I've got this other job that could use doin'... I mentioned it before the whole sewer fiasco. I said it might take a bit of force and maybe require 'negotiating' with unsavory types. Any of that ringin' a bell with you?"
"With us leavin' soon, I gotta get this done. I'll give you everythin' I know, even the parts I'd rather not say... and it pays pretty well. Wanna hear about it?"
"AND, and, to show I'm serious here, I'll hock that magical glowstick for you - free of charge - if you don't want to keep it. I'll get you as close to top price as I can. It's valuable."
Mama's eyes narrow. Given what she just said, she can't very well hear the man out at least. She gestures for him to go on.
Lady returns from the docks unsuccessful in catching any gulls (thought she wasn't really trying) to a most serious scene. She catches enough to know what's going on and hurries over to Yash to provide some interpretation for the Ork. This Uller guy tended to talk in circles and the last thing they need is for their strong man to misunderstand the offer.
Nine-Toes pulls up a chair and lays the matter out in hushed tones.
"We, Threshold, does a lot of trade in goods we need and goods we can sell at other stops. That's how the city runs. But there's only so much traffic we can bear so there's a... a hierarchy decided by the Council and enforced more or less by the Merchant's Guild. When push comes to shove on in-coming goods 'need' trumps 'want'. So, luxury goods are low on the priority list. Makes sense, right? Well, some citizens still want their luxuries and don't want to wait for them... That's where some of us entrepreneurs come in. We bring in luxury items along with regular goods. It isn't illegal, more of a gray area. But the Council doesn't really care as long as we aren't using city resources to do it and the 'needs' are still being met."
"About a week ago, I had a ship that was supposed to make a delivery of 'needs' and a couple 'wants'. It didn't show. I’ve known the Captain for years. He’s a hothead, and a daredevil, and a smuggler but a pretty honest one, far as that goes. But, he isn’t above trying to squeeze me for extra coin if he thinks he’s got an edge. So, I figured maybe he got to snooping and found the ‘want’ hidden among the ‘needs’ and decided to miss his delivery, sweat me for a few days, then renegotiate our deal.”
”But it’s been a week with no word. And last night a little birdy told me a boat that looked to be flying the right colors was stuck on a sandbar a day north of here. Maybe they just got stuck, maybe it’s the wrong boat and my goods are gone, or maybe that bastard intended to renegotiate and got hisself stuck in the meantime. Any way it gets sliced, we’ve got seven days til transit. I need to know if that’s the right boat and if so, I need my cargo.”
He stops, giving you a chance to digest the matter and ask questions.
Xing listens along, as still as a stone except for the occasional blink of her golden-brown eyes.
”What is this merchant’s name, and what is his ship?” She pauses, a scowl scrunching her forehead as she leans back to rest her weight on her arms. ”I don’t typically like working with smugglers. But it sounds like he’s carrying some of Threshold’s ‘needs’ in his ship?”
She pauses to get his affirmation before continuing. ”My goal is to create a positive reputation here in Threshold. That being the case, will we create problems for ourselves — mostly with Threshold’s leaders or this Merchant’s Guild — if we are seen to help him out?”
She looks over at the group as they consider, ”I have agreed to begin my bartending training tomorrow with Sali. I will not go against my word with her. I could begin as early as the end of my shift, if the rest of you want to go find this smuggler. Or, if you’d prefer to leave earlier, I can try to catch up.” She smirks, ”I can move quickly when I need to, and I could likely track you if necessary.”
Mama nods in agreement with Xing's concerns. Will going to help this shipment arrive associate us with smugglers? Like Xing said, how will this effect our reputation? Are the Needs ... Needed... enough to justify a trip out there? And if they are, why isn't the Guild helping?
”What is this merchant’s name, and what is his ship?” She pauses, a scowl scrunching her forehead as she leans back to rest her weight on her arms. ”I don’t typically like working with smugglers. But it sounds like he’s carrying some of Threshold’s ‘needs’ in his ship?”
”It’s more of a big boat than a proper ship. She’s called the Gambler’s Widow and her Captain is Tyr Jax. Curly hair, flamboyant clothes, and an eye-patch. They are carrying needed supplies… but not critical ones. No one is gonna starve in Threshold without’em. Our bit of the ship’s cargo are barrels of rum, liquor, and wine. There are also some cases of more expensive wines, several bolts of rich cloth – more of a want than a need there – along with a couple barrels of preserved exotic fruits and a few barrels of salted fish.”
She pauses to get his affirmation before continuing. ”My goal is to create a positive reputation here in Threshold. That being the case, will we create problems for ourselves — mostly with Threshold’s leaders or this Merchant’s Guild — if we are seen to help him out?”
Despite being the subject of, not a participant in, this part of the conversation, Uller pipes in. ”Some of that booze is slated for the Slattern and Crossroads. I think they’d be grateful if you recovered their goods. Ask Salli about it. That said, the Council and the Guild will have no problem with you retrieving goods that are going into the community. The only bad blood you might see is from some of my competitors. You are gaining a reputation here and they’d prefer you work with them rather than me. You can likely expect offers from them.”
"Half" was all that the half-orc muttered.
Senna looks at the half-orc curiously. "Połowa czego?"
Mama nods in agreement with Xing's concerns. "Are the Needs ... Needed... enough to justify a trip out there? And if they are, why isn't the Guild helping?
"The Guild has no reason to want us entrepreneurs to be successful. They think we bite into their bottom line. We're a flea bite, but they hate losing even that much blood. With the transit bell having rung, they are busy recallin' all their agents right now. Even if they were willin' to help me, they'd look at the small amount of goods, weigh it against the potential risks, and tell me not to let the door hit me in the ass on my way out. And rich merchants are rarely willing to get in a scrap to collect cargo, particularly someone else's."
"I think the only reasonable interpretation of Yash's verbosity is that we should get half of Uller's profit for our efforts." She grins over at Yash, "Then again, maybe he meant that he was offering me half of his cut?" She shrugs, "It's hard to tell."
She looks back up at Uller, "I'll ask Sali, but I see no reason to disbelieve you. Yash does bring up a good point, though. What are you offering us for this effort? And why should we take your offer over any others that come in?"
Yash nodded with a grunt as Xing spoke.
He turned and look at Senna. "Robimy to, podejmujemy ryzyko. Nic nie robi. Dostaniemy połowę, albo on nic."
"We do this, we take risk. He do nothing. We get half, or he get nothing."
"I think the only reasonable interpretation of Yash's verbosity is that we should get half of Uller's profit for our efforts." She grins over at Yash, "Then again, maybe he meant that he was offering me half of his cut?" She shrugs, "It's hard to tell."
Uller looks momentarily alarmed, then mutters, ”Sure as Hell, I hope that isn’t what he meant by ‘half’. I’m not made of gold.”
She looks back up at Uller, "I'll ask Sali, but I see no reason to disbelieve you. Yash does bring up a good point, though. What are you offering us for this effort? And why should we take your offer over any others that come in?"
”This is free enterprise. If you get offers from my competitors, and the deal seems square, go take it! But, so far, my competition see you folks as upright citizen material. They don’t see you cutting deals with people like me. Maybe one of them will make a pass at you, maybe not. But if you retrieve my cargo, they’ll know you have some wiggle room on the types of work you do. That could open doors for you.”
”My offer is this. I give you a cart and oxen. You run it up to the boat. If it’s the Widow, you grab my cargo and return it. You get 1500 Gold and I’ll let the gray market know you are open to offers. If it’s not the Widow, you get 500 Gold – just for a brisk ride in the country.”
Senna listens carefully to the half-orc then bursts out laughing. "Daaaamn, that is mercenary of you, Yash! Do you want his left nut or his right one?"
Yash's lipped curled into a snarl.
"Both."
Uller's legs close unconsciously. "HEY! HEY! Easy now! This is friendly chat."
Xing gives a low chuckle, "Do we have evidence that he's got a full pair?"
She holds up a placating hand. "I joke. This IS us being friendly. Otherwise you'd already be skewered, fired, and cut in two." She hikes a thumb towards Mama Cookie, "And you do not even want to know what she is capable with her frying pan. Go ask that hag, if you are curious."
She looks to the group again, "Unless there is a competing offer, I am inclined to agree to his terms." Then back to Uller, "And I will inform you should we be approached with another offer. Can you have your cart waiting at the Slattern at the end of my shift tomorrow? We will head out as soon as it makes sense after that, assuming everyone here is okay with this proposal."
"And you do not even want to know what she is capable with her frying pan. Go ask that hag, if you are curious."
Mama chuckles at that and the good-natured ribbing / threatening a man with grievous bodily harm. She hadn't even needed the frying pan yet and already she was building a legend.
I'm ok with it. As for not being perfectly straight and above-board with the business world, well, nobody has ever accused me of being overly strict about the rules, except when kids are involved. The little ones need their structure, after all.OH, and let him keep the balls. I don't have time to pickle them at the moment and I'd hate to see them go to waste.
"I joke. This IS us being friendly. Otherwise you'd already be skewered, fired, and cut in two." She hikes a thumb towards Mama Cookie, "And you do not even want to know what she is capable with her frying pan. Go ask that hag, if you are curious."
Senna grumps, "I haven't torched anyone since the sewer... miserable flame-proof hag. That's also part of our price! I want a hag that can burn." Her smile sorta indicates she is joking.
She hadn't even needed the frying pan yet and already she was building a legend.
Xing cuts her eyes over at Senna, her features sobering. "Let us not ... what's the phrase? ... borrow trouble? We seem to have enough already."
Uller's laugh is uncomfortable, to say the least. "Alright. Sounds like we got the makings of a deal here. Do you need the other lady, Sabelina, to agree? She seemed a little put out at the last deal."
"There's one more piece you need to know. The bolts of fabric are a want not a need... but not the only one. The real treasure is some sort of art object. I've got a collector here that already bought it from some guy in Absolom. And the collector is not someone I want to disappoint. The thing is a golden mask that looks like a medusa's face, you know with the snake-hair? It's not magical or anything, just 'art'. Anyhow, that piece is buried in one of the barrels of salted fish. The company name on the barrel is Honest to Cod. I need that mask most of all."
Xing looks back over at Nine-Toes. "She will speak for herself, but as it seems to be a matter of urgency, I will go see if she is willing to talk to you. One other request, when you drop off the cart at the Slattern, have a manifest of the items you were having delivered to you, so we can be thorough."
"And if you can't get it all for whatever reason, the priorities should be: mask, wine cases, barrels of booze, fabric, barrels of fruit, then fish."
He pulls a rumpled piece of paper from his pocket and smooths it before sliding it across the table.
12 Cases of Wine (House Margeaux)
2 Barrels Wine (Clevon Cellars)
4 Barrels Rum (just say RUM or XXX on them)
8 Bolts of Cloth (canvas wrapped)
2 Barrels of Fruit (Lost Farms)
3 Barrels of Fish (1 from White Fisheries & 2 from Honest to Cod)
Xing takes the paper, looking it over. "Seems pretty straight-forward."
Sabelina changes into a lounging robe and orders a pot of tea. After a few hours she has everything written down in her journal. Then, with ink-stained fingers, she decides to catch a quick nap on the couch before figuring out what to do about dinner.