Hal quickly finds cover, dashing back toward the stinking vats.
Guillaume maintains his position, waiting for them to get closer.
Aurelius also moves into position to amsbush, mirroring Guilleames moves.
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While the rest of you are content to position yourselves better, Cimri has other ideas...she dashes from the shadows and strikes hard with her sap against the elderly male...
...connecting solidly to the man's temple even surprising Cimri a little. The man falls down to the ground not even able to get a sound out, before collapsing!
Round 1 Status:
Aurelius 10/10 hp
Fellzir 10/10 hp
Guillaume 14/14 hp
Hallidan 11/11 hp
Octavonius 6/6 hp
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Cimri ?/? hp
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Man - -7 NL/? hp: Unconscious.
Woman - ?/? hp
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Current Effects:
Aurelius: Deafened
Fellzir: Deafened
Hallidan: Deafened
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Fellzir is not going to do anything more than load the crossbow, unless the old woman looks like more of a threat than the man apparently was.
Aurelius charges the other civilian, striking with his Sap.
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Aurelius follows up Cimri here with a sap blow of his own, easily knocking out the other woman!
Cimri wipes the blood off her sap and glances down at the unconscious forms. "Looks like Shaul and Pippa picked the wrong time to return right?" smirking mirthlessly. "Let them sleep it off they should be fine in the morning." She turns to face you all her eyes approving, especially at Aurelius. "Good job. Let's get out of here and meet back at the Ash House."
Octavonius peeks his head out the door of the building he was hiding in. He surveys the scene with a sniff. "Wrong time, wrong place indeed."
He whistles for his familiar, though the raven chooses to land around the recently fallen duo and pick around for any small valuables. Octavonius hobbles over to the creature, waving an arm and muttering curses. "Leave it, you infernal bird!" Once Ohd reluctantly returns to his shoulder the wizard gives Cimri a stiff nod. "Too right. I believe we've stirred up enough trouble for one day."
Aurelius gets that Cimri approves, points at his ears, shakes his head, and moves towards the door holding it gallantly open for Cimri to walk through.
After you my Lady
He gives her a mocking but friendly gentlemens bow.
Seeing the threat quickly abated, Hal leaves his hiding place to rejoin the others. Gods, this ringing in my ears is frustrating. Can't hear a thrice-damned thing. If Cimri had given any instructions on how to handle the women with the cart, it had passed him unnoticed. Well, job done's a job done, I guess.
Fellzir points to the building we didn't search and makes the questioning face/gesture.
If everyone leaves, he will follow, absently poking at his ears.
Guillaume makes a sour face as Aurelius flirts with Cimri, but pauses and glances among the others when Fellzir indicates the other building.
Guillaume shrugs "You'd know better than I what matters here. What's left of the night's better spent elsewhere." he says, with a wink and a smile, the first he's shown all night.
Fellzir shrugs and follows silently. (At least he thinks it's silently.)
Aurelius follows Cimris lead, clearly believing that her company is a far more welcome prospect then spending any additional time in the tannery.
I still cannot hear friends, but once I can do so again I shall invoke my patrons power to heal our wounds. Does anyone have prestigitation to ge rid of the smell? I only have mending.
Aurelius looks at Felizir, correctly assumes he is also deafened, and writes "prestigitation?" in the mud after catching his attention. Assuming he nods, he will then wipe the written thing away.
Still futilely trying to unplug his ears, Hallidan leaves the tannery with the others.
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Unwilling to press your luck further you decide to quickly exit the crime scene leaving any possible loot behind. Leaving the tannery behind you make your way back towards Longacre. It is a pleasant evening to stroll along the country road here, despite the weight of the lockbox that weighs down the souls carrying it. No one else is about at this late hour and you skirt your way outside the town walls heading north following Cimri who is well familiar with the path. The Ash House still stands just outside the town to the northwest. You have heard the dilapidated structure is a dangerous site most Longacre citizens avoid, fortunately for you.
As you arrive at your destination you can see what remains of this manor looks like it could collapse at any moment. Bearing the scars of a decades-old fire, the house is blackened and sags under the weight of its collapsed third floor. Shattered windows pose no barrier to the riot of ivy scaling each gable and invading every cavity. Bent pillars and a cracked granite porch lead to a warped door bearing a rusty doorknocker shaped like a boar’s head.
Cimri glances behind her to make sure none of you have been followed before turning her attention, not to the front door, but to one of the broken windows next to the door climbing through it with practiced ease. Once all of you have climbed through the window (helping the old wizard Octavonius through as well), Cimri does not waste time here heading up the stairs to the second floor and through one of the doors into what looks like an office.
Toppled bookshelves, a table, and some chairs half-covered in ivy suggest this room was once a library. The ashes and pulp of burned, waterlogged books lay heaped amid fallen furniture, creating a large nest of sorts against one wall. A set of folding paper screens divides the room. A lantern flickers on the opposite side, projecting the silhouette of a desk and high-backed chair upon the thin paper.
Also your attention is drawn to an earless, panther-like feline creature dozing in the nest of book pulp. The creature lifts its head up with suspicion as you enter.
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Aurelius walks boldly next to Cimri.
Now isnt that an ugly bugger He thinks as he beholds the creature.
Probably a charming example of the local staff.
Este acesta prieten sau dușman?
Infernal (Romanian): What is this one, friend or foe?
He asks Cimri in court infernal.
At the back of the group, Octavonius simply waits semi-patiently. He nervously flicks his eyes left and right and, with Ohd's assistance, tries to keep his ears peeled.
Fellzir grabs a seat and just waits.
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As you note the feline creature look up it apparently decides you are not a threat and soon settles back into its nest. Octavonius sees no one else around here while Fellzir acts as if he owns the place. Aurelius' words cause Cimri to give him a brief look of confusion, before your attention is caught by the light behind the paper screen slowly intensifiing, casting the stark silhouette of a bald figure seated at a desk upon the divider. After a moment of slow shuffling, a high-pitched voice, sounding as though it could belong to someone either very young or very old, wheezes from behind the screen, “Cimri. Is it done?”
Cimri gives Aurelius a look before turning her attention to the odd voice, "Yes Razelago," she replies as she hefts the lockbox and sets it on the table on her side of the screen. "The plan went without a hitch. We snuck into the tannery without causing a fuss and handled the guard dogs easily, not to mention Jabril, who picked a bad night to work late. Aurelius and Guillaume handled them...quickly." Though there is a smirk on her face, there is an admirable tone in her voice too. As she continues recounting your adventure the mysterious man occasionally nods during the retelling, but doesn’t speak again until the story is complete.
“Excellent. You’ve done well, Cimri, and your associates sound like individuals of rare potential. You’ll all find your payment waiting in the parlor below, along with a gift for each of you. Go, enjoy, celebrate. You deserve a reward for your impressive work. We’ll talk more in the near future." Cimri nods in thanks and turns to leave here motioning slightly to Aurelius to join her.
"Glad you appreciate a job done quick. So what'd that loser do to you, anyway?"
With nothing lurking behind them as far as the old wizard can tell, Octavonius cautiously steps into the room to take in the scene and the words. He waits for Hallidan's question to be answered before asking a few of his own.
"I'm also curious as to how you found out about the lot of us and why we were chosen for this particular mission. What little I know of my companions would suggest we are not all easily tracked down."
Fellzir flinches imperceptibly at Hal's question, but nods at O's question.
Guillaume waits silently, content to hear the others answered first. Gift, huh? Interesting.
If the gift is an inflatable Succubus doll again, someone is going to die. May well be me.
Aurelius remembers his "parting gift" given to him as the nature of his bloodline became known.
This should be better though.
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Razelago responds to Hallidan here, "In response to your question Jabral Louslik hasn’t been paying his fair share of taxes. Beyond that, he is also very opinionated. He’d oppose the cooperation I’d like to see among Longacre’s people. I’d prefer that his influence be weakened—and no one trusts a poor man.” The tone shifts slightly here as Razelago continues, "Ahhh you misunderstand me. This is the first time I have laid my eyes upon you, though Cimri has vouched for your talents...justifiably so I would say. Now I know the hour is late for you and you wish partake of the friuts of your labors do you not? I thought so! Now I shall bid you farewell...though I do believe we shall meet again soon." The bright light behind the screen soon fades away and the feline creature perks its head up at you once again...
Octavonius continues to act jittery and twitchy, but bows his head in response to the answers given. He turns to head downstairs with a muttered "Ready to rest these old bones, at any rate."
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Cimri leads you down to the ground floor and into the parlor room where you can see pieces of battered furniture lie here amid the choking scent of dust and ashes. Beneath a mantle crowded with empty whiskey bottles, the fireplace shows evidence of recent use. A plain wooden chest sits on a table in this room along with several finely made weapons, including a bastard sword, a light crossbow, and a shortsword. A bardiche leans against the far wall.
Cimri strides to the chest and opens it, pulling out several large bags jingling with coins. She tosses the bags to each of you while taking a larger bag for herself, along with a finely made dagger.
The sight of this wealth momentarily distracts you from the mouthwatering smell which finally catches your attention as you also see a veritable feast laid out before you: eight bottles of a fine Wiscrani barbera wine, several loaves of fresh bread, garlic-flavored butter, and a variety of smoked fish and boar’s meat.
Cimri's eyes light up like a devil's hellfire eyes as she reaches for one of the bottles of wine, popping it open and taking a long swig, "Hey! This is great! Come on in and celebrate with me a while! We certainly deserve all this don't we? After we eat our fill I'll challenge each of you to a game of drunken bulls-eye!" Her gaze lingers on Aurelius as she finishes her sentence.
Friends, you all know where the extra loot is. I pledge upon my power and Lord Malacoda's ire that I have no intention of defrauding you of your part of the earnings from fencing it later. Aurelius intones to the group.
Having competed his "business before pleasure routine".
Certainly mylady As Aurelius joinks the masterwork bastard sword,
holds it in both hands, and presents it to Cimri in a fake ceremony before saying:
Does the Lady wish to name the sword with which she has girded he totally chivralous and incredibly pure knight? As long as you dont call it "Furious overcompensation", or something cringe like "widows wail" he shudders at the cringe, most names are fine. He adds with a chuckle. His eyes genuinely smile.
My last good sword got called "backscratcher" by my dear little sister, well, half sister, but neither of us knew this back then. Kind of funny storry behind that one, but well...
He pauses
How about you though, what made you into such a dashing Rouge?
Fellzir reaches for the crossbow, but looks over his shoulder to see if anyone gets upset.
Hal's eyes widen happily as he tests the weight of the pouch in his hand. So much gold! He quickly stashes the pouch and picks up the shortsword. The metal gleams in a way he isn't use to up close-- this is a weapon for lords and knights, not gutter rats. I ain't just some nobody with a rusty knife no more, he thinks proudly. I'm a proper sellsword now. He straps the finely-made shortsword to his belt.
Octavonius nods to Fellzir as he tucks his own bag of gold away in his robes, ignoring the furious prodding of his familiar as he does so. His own crossbow was mostly for show, better to let the younger, more skilled of his companions use such things.
Taking a casual glance around the spread of everything, Octavonius mutters in a dark voice and throws out a hand across the room.
About the backscratcher thing you see Aurelius speaks
"Heroically rescues hostages from fake Asmodean sorceresses, who actually also sacrifice to demons" was something that looks really good on your Curriculum vitae if you are an up and coming young noble, so...
He pauses,
Little noble numbnuts, meaning me, gets voluntold into assisting a bunch of Hellknights into aiding them in a raid, while the hellknights, led by a full blown Erinye, also get voluntold into accepting my assistance, because having a rookie like my tagging along with them was totally their preference yesyes.
Aurelius chuckles
So, as soon as we enter, the Erinye says "you and you, guard the entrance as well as our noble numbsnuts, the rest proceed along with me, comments? Aurelius speaks with a surprisingly pleseant to hear female voice as he mimicks the Erinyes speech patterns.
I was thinking, "So I wont get in the f+~$ing way, and apparently she is got going to tie me to a pillar or something lest I get adventorous noble ideas"
He pauses
And then I hear the Erinye in my head saying "*Chuckles*, I was considering that, but I will probably need the rope elsewhere, just stay where you f!*!ing are and dont do anything stupid"
He stops for effect.
So, about 6 minutes later, 6 minutes mostly filled with listening to screams and sounds of battle, someone comes, 2 people actually, a sorceress whose outfit would probably be too tacky to work in an Alysushinyrran brothel, and a teenager she was using as a hostage, with a knife at the teenagers throat. He phantomimes that.
You can imagine what happened next, "I HAVE A HOSTAGE LET ME PASS OR SHE BITES IT" "NOPE, LOSING ONE HOSTAGE IS A WORTHWHILE TRADE TO KILL YOU" at this point she figures I am the weakest target and cast some type of charm spell at me. He grins.
So I do something really stupid and pretend that it worked when it actually didnt, and spout some gibberish about me clearly knowing that she is an undercover agent, as I move over to her side.
She like grins and is like "HAHA 2 HOSTAGES NOW" and I run her through with my sword from behind. So, the hostage like, embraces and hugs me, and I feel the most heroic I ever felt in my life. Only for her to break the hug, and start stabbing the hell out of the dead sorceress, with my own cold iron knife, which she just happened to steal from my while hugging me.
Her name was Amala, and I think she got transfered into a relatively decent orphanage, you know, one of those that normally cater to the dependents of Chelaxian military personel. I did remark to the thankfully amused rather then pissed Erinye that I thought the girl had potential. He finishes the tale.
Guillaume tests the weight and balance of the bardiche. Excellent. This is a fine piece of work. He glances toward Cimri if, perhaps, not the finest in the room. He saunters over to her, snags a bottle, and takes a long swig himself. "This is good. Nice to have benefactors that appreciate you, for a change." Hereaches in and hacks off a chunk of boar for himself with one of his throwing axes, before glancing to Cimri to see if she'd like some.
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Ocatvonius detects no magical auras on the weapons, yet is is clear they are indeed well-mde and could hold enchantments with the right amount of gold and time expended.
None of the rest of you feel the need to return to Longacre here so the early dawn hours are spent enjoying the fine foods and wine, with Cimri partaking of the wine most enthusiastically. As the drinks flow she is more than receptive to the handsome tieflings charms, and while Cimri is no knockout beauty she does have a certain charm about her. Taking the newly acquired sword she motions for Aurelius to take a knee here, "I know nothing about these knightly rituals here but you know how to handle this blade here so...I shall call it, 'Cimri's Flame'!"
She happily accepts the meats proffered by Guillaume here and eagerly engages him in the drunken bullseye game (although she does not allow him to use her dagger). Eventually she does try to get Aurelius alone here pulling him to another area of the house...
It greatly pleases me how much we are alike, I got cast
He pauses
From the brain to the b&%~~%+@ so to speak, lets have an enjoyable litte climbing trip upwards and outwards on our dead foes and victims!
He smiles
Lets work hard, but party harder! A dance perhaps?
During the dance:
If you want to go for it, sure, I am fairly open about the little fact that well, I am a quarter-Demon, Succubus to be specific, I shall strive to not dissappoint you.
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It seems the party is just beginning before the effects of your late night escapades catch up with you and you all find yourselves falling asleep before too long. You all look forward to resting up here, (some more than others) but sadly your rest is all too brief...
It is just before the noon hour when Cimri, looking surprisingly chipper despite the libations inhibed, rouses all of you from your slumbers. "Razelago wants all of us to see him...now." You all present yourselves as best you can before making your way back to the office where Razelago met you before. All is as it was before, including the feline creature (but doesn't pay you as much mind this time as before), however there is a small, black lacquered box sitting on the table before the paper screens.
Once you are all assembled Razelago speaks, “With the number of veterans who live in town, it’s not surprising that there’s a church of Iomedae in Longacre. But there might not be one much longer if Tileavia Allamar, its priestess, does what she has in mind.” Razelago’s silhouette clasps shadowy hands. “There’s growing unrest in the empire, and not just in Pezzack and along the Hellcoast. Many of Iomedae’s faithful have begun speaking more boldly of the monarchy’s vices and the rights of citizens. They seem to believe this is Andoran and that the people have only to reach out to seize power. But they are wrong. This is Cheliax, not Andoran, and we know where true power lies." Razelago's voice rises with a note of passion at the end of the words. “Fifth Sword Knight Allamar is gathering all who will listen for a sermon in front of her church this afternoon — only two short hours from now. I don’t know what she has in mind, but I suspect some revolutionary claptrap that can only sow the seeds of confusion and frustration among Longacre’s citizens. That is contrary to my wishes. So I’d like you to attend the rally. In the box are sashes marked with the insignia of Archbaron Fex. Wear them, remind people that the lord of this town is not without supporters, and see what transpires. Afterward, Cimri will report back to me. In return, you will all receive double what you did last night.”
Cimri nods eagerly and quickly retrieves the box. "Yes Razelago, we will find out just how deep this goes, you have my word."
Lord Razelago If I may ask some question of tactical and operational nature?
Aurelius speaks diplomatically
Your preferences, as I currently assess them, are to subjugate rather then destroy Iomedean adherents, while dealing more harshly with their leadership? Exactly what level of violence are we authorized to utilize, should persuasion, lies or intimidation fail?
Hal snorts. "There's a church of Iomedae around? I'd have thought it would have suffocated by now. That's the one that's all about justice and not thieving and all, ain't it? Not a lot of patience for that kinda talk, not round here."
He pulls out one of the sashes. "So we're there to pick a fight with the too-righteous crowd. I like it. How many she got in that church of hers, anyhow?"
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(Earlier) Fellzir notes the second MW crossbow that had slid half under the table. He holds up the first one, waves his hand over it, says several fake incantations leading to doubling over as if in pain, then arises with two crossbows! He ceremoniously presents it to Octavonius and then goes to check out the wine.
(Later) He shrugs and puts on the sash, thinking, "We are going to be rich very quickly at this rate."
Octavonius glances at the sashes then up at the shadowy figure. "And might we know what your ultimate wish is? Depending on how this rally plays out how do you envision things proceed from there?"
"Aye. I help where I can." He gives Ohd one of the new gold coins, wondering to himself what he'll spend it on.
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"It would be...wiser to err on the side of caution here." Razelago replies to Aurelius and Octavonius here, "I have heard rumors of this so-called 'Glorious Reclamation' but I wish to hear what Allamar has to say first. The Church Of Iomedae may be a dying church but many still follow those outdated ideals."
"Glorious reclamation?" Auerlius muses
Had a run in with these pompous pricks, its hilarious to prank them by reminding them who actually killed "Goatface Dogtitsson", and that it can be reasonably argued that the last mendevian crusade was succesfull because it was used by the "big boned bat b~@%#" as her overeager cats paw.
After the closure of the wordlwound, Kellid mercenaries, as well as their somewhat humorous terms for Demonlords, have proliferated throughout Golarion, selling their hardened warfighter to the highest bidder.
"Goatface Dogtitsson", occassionally adressed also as "Goatface Son of Dogtits, Demon Lord of real estate fraud, motherf~@@ing and intellectual property theft" is their term of Baphomet, while "Big boned Bat B~+#&" refers to Nocticula, with "Queen Stab Stab" also referring to her.
A mercenary himself, Aurelius likely picked it up from them.
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Sensing your audience with Razelago is coming to a close and knowing time is short, you all return to the parlor where Cimri opens the small box and withdraws a broad, crimson sash emblazoned with the symbol of Cheliax and the arms of House Fex — a pair of fighting stags with bloody antlers. There is one sash for each of you, plus Cimri, who quickly dons the sash. "We should head to the square now, and scope things out before the speech."
Heading out to the church square you make it in plenty of time to see the area is being prepared for the speech. Longacre’s Church of Iomedae, surrounded by a wrought-iron fence, sits just to the north of one of the town’s squares called, appropriately enough, the church square. The square contains a well, available for use by anyone in town, and a tall wooden post for posting notices and announcements. Shops and businesses surround the plaza, and a wide thoroughfare runs north and south through the square. A conspicuous white-clothed table stands in front of the church, apparently in readiness for the sermon, though the table is currently bare. A few small groups of elderly locals and laborers from nearby businesses have gathered in the square, mostly around the well or along the fence surrounding the churchyard, muttering to each other.
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I am the law haha Aurelius thinks as he puts the sash on.
There is an advantadge to not all of us being obviously enforcers, but I and Guilleume in my opinion should be open. Can anyone check surrounding areas inconspciously
Aurelius looks at each of the assembled, clearly as if committing them to memory, and writes something in his diary.
"I agree with that assessment, might look a bit strange that this old man was considered an enforcer. I will keep the sash on my person but will only don it if deemed necessary." Octavonius says this as he takes his sash and tucks it into one of the many pockets of his robe. "I have been out of the public eye for a few decades now so I can do my part and peruse the shops. My familiar might be better served surveying the churchyard."
"Shops! Shinies!" Ohd squawks after putting down the gold coin Fellzir gave him.
"Silence, you blasted bird! You do what you are told and I will get you a shiny from the shops."