Round 7
Alexandria stands her ground next to Nima. Aukan walks forward casually allowing Davod the chance to follow the fools. He looks over the railing at the mass of bodies.
Round 7
Though Qita is blinded by Vivi’s spell, it matters not—sight is of no use locating his invisible quarry. The cat simply continues to sniff out the intruder, pinpointing his location in a corner of the room while Tiesa relays this information to everyone else.
The thief is less inclined to die a heroic death going after the assassins. "Everyone alright?"
He yells out, "Should we capture a few of the toughs to see what they know?"
Davod blinks at the goliath, sighs, then attempts to tumble and climb down the wall without doing too much damage.
Seeing the enemies escape and still heavily wounded Salim takes a second to breath;
The dark marks around his eyes and the veins fades away as he lets out a sigh.
“We’ll that was interesting, and painful. We should regroup with the others.”
- Hp 6/28
- minus 1 2nd level slot, 2 first level slots
- minus 2 phrenic points
-minus 3 round of alter ego
Following Qita the cat your target moves towards the door and finds something in the way. Then he backs up into the room, each of you wait for Qita to get into position and swing at the figure standing before the window.
Vivi swings and misses but Grim has a chance to hit the target,
At his suggesstion or at least words he watches Davod go over the handrail and climb down. He quickly follows a bit astounded at the action rather than a response. He jumps straight off the walkway over the hand rail. He lands on his feet and doesn't grimace. Ready to swing should the toughs stand, he quickly states, "Stand up and lose your head."
Alright, who is hurt? I got some healings. And for the self delivered loot, they better get talkative.
Vivi announce as while doing some detect magic on the enemies.
Seriously, as someone with some experience in such issues, this doesnt even rate a 3 out of 10, nor is it in the top 6 of assasination events involving me. Pretty sure they are not Nocticulans, or the Red Mantis, both would have been far more competent, and they arent attractive enough for the former, wrong tools for the latter too, the Lady in Shadows has exacting standards concerning physical appearance, and the red mantis has a strong preference for using the weaponry so favored by Achacheckek
She uses diplomacy and leading statements, which are however not wrong, to coax a reaction out of the bandits, or make them think they are in for way over their heads.
Grim shouts "There!" before the naked glowing dwarf brings his earth-breaker down on the target.
for a possible bludgeoning damage.
The toughs drop their weapons and try to separate from each other. None of them standing up.
The invisible figure dodges Grim's earth-breaker. Who then tries to slip by the invisible wall.
The cat keeps up with the invisible prey.
The suli stand behind the invaders as Aukan separates them. Though his sickles are in his hands, Devod tries to defuse the tense situation.
"So? Anyone hear any good jokes lately?"
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The toughs look from Davod to Aukan a bit confused and not sure if Davod wants a joke at this time... Though one of the quirky boys states, "What do you call a caster reincarnated as a canine? A labracadabrador! Oh I heard another good one recently too. If we were fighting an undead centaur, would we be beating a dead horse?"
Jyn smirks, but tries to remain unresponsive; the jokes were actually quite funny.
"I can take the erstwhile bard here up into the sky for a moment ... just to see if his sense of humour is afraid of heights."
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Sense of humor? Vivi chuckles
I approve. It can indeed bridge even some interplanar divides.
So,
What do apostrophes and demonic behavior have in common?
She pauses
They're both signs of possession.
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Davod laughs uproariously at both the invader's and Varara's joke. The thief points his sickle at the joke-telling invader.
"I like him, Aukan. If you have to kill them, kill him last please", the suli smiled.
Jyn smirks, but tries to remain unresponsive; the jokes were actually quite funny.
"I can take the erstwhile bard here up into the sky for a moment ... just to see if his sense of humour is afraid of heights."
The tough who made the jokes quickly states in worry, "What?! No!!!"
He casually states as he gestures to the group, "Oh stop scaring them boys, they have already learned that they are out classed, out powered, and soon to find out out numbered. Come on you lot stand up we will take you around to the front door. Leave your weapons on the ground, Davod if you would be so kind."
The toughs move slowly at Aukan's prod and follow him to the front doors. They enter in as the goliath stares at them from the side of the door.
Keying on the cat, Grim attacks the invisible guy's square.
for a possible bludgeoning damage.
Tiesa shouts out to the invisible ninja. “Stop! Make yourself visible and surrender now. This is your last chance. There’s a force field at the end of the hall that will instantly kill you if you try to pass through.”
He casually states as he gestures to the group, "Oh stop scaring them boys, they have already learned that they are out classed, out powered, and soon to find out out numbered. Come on you lot stand up we will take you around to the front door. Leave your weapons on the ground, Davod if you would be so kind."
The suli smiles and nods, "Of course, Aukan." Not only does Davod remove all weaponry on the invaders, but he also finds all coin, gems, and anything else of value and removes it from their person, placing them with their weapons.
"You know. We should go out for a drink sometime. You are a noble soul to be able to look into the face of danger and tell it a joke. But I assume that is a characteristic well regarded among assassins. Still, I hope to see you again, and may Desna grant you good dreams."
Seriously, even the effing-big-boned-bat-b#+#+ treats surrendering of other people mooks nicely, thats how she makes them her mooks.
A not particular polite way to refer to Nocticula, Lady in Shadows. She supposedly dislikes being called big boned.
Varvara mostly waves them off.
Whoever spills the mostest and quickest beans about who ordered you to try this gets to keep or regain his weaponry, if he is smart and approaches us later, to spill the beanz without his peers knowing.
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The dwarf follows the cat and swings again...
for a possible
bludgeoning damage.
---
One of the toughs spouts, "It was the Black Hand, we were just suppose to aid the rogues if needed."
Lying through his teeth! Also hoping that you will take any answer, he wriggles his nose being upstood by the other tough next to him.
Another one of them yells, "He's lying it was the Serrated Knives. We were just suppose to be the diversion for them."
Same as the one above, lying! They don't know anything.
The comedian lets off with a bit of laughter, "What did the wanted poster for the escaped halfling Divination Wizard say? Small medium at large. Oh... um... I was just pulled from the street, minored in illusion. See this isn't even a sword." He moves his hand forward and the blade just vanishes into the table.
So, an eunuch, a victim of forced lobotomy and a very very overweight person walk into a bar. The barkeep says "Oh, hi Koschtschie, long day?"
Varavara uses a joke to figure out which of these toughs has a knowledge planes of about 15, which she would know if they laugh.
After closing the gate on the intruders, Davod walks back to the goliath.
"I don't believe anyone knew who hired them, Aukan. Sorry."
The thief walks back over to the weapons and valuables and starts to appraise them.
A bit disheartened, he states, "Oh okay, so suggestions of what to do with them? We could just keep them as fodder for any other groups that think attacking us is a good idea. We pay them well enough they will fight for us. More eyes are always better."
Tiesa follows the slippery ninja—or rather her familiar, who is pinpointing the ninja’s location—into the next room and, after waiting for Grimoin to join her inside, slams the door shut behind her.
“You’re trapped. There’s nowhere to run; nowhere to hide. This room has a safety feature that kills any enemy inside with an active spell. You have three seconds to make yourself visible and surrender before I activate it. Three … two … one …”
Oh f@$@, I forgot about that! I better get out right now or it hits me too!
Varvara adds to Tiesas bluff
As Tiesa says two, the figure appears. He begins to drop his most obvious weapons, the sickles, a javelin, and a short sword. Face still covered he opens his palms to Tiesa.
After the now visible ninja surrenders, Tiesa nods and speaks to Grimoin. “Tie him up securely, but don’t hurt him. He’s our guest now.” She keeps her tone flat and neutral, so it’s hard to tell if she’s being sarcastic or not. While the prisoner’s hands are tied, she clenches a copper piece in her fist and incants a spell.
After the ninja is secured, the half-orc begins her interrogation, while simultaneously concentrating on the man’s mind. “Who sent you? What was your mission? How many others are there?”
He says his words likely truthfully enough that it isn't lying, "My boss. Not your lives or your blood, which I am better trained to take. A magical map, that was our mission. Well it depends who you mean by others, there are millions of humans."
Tiesa smiles a crooked smile at the ninja’s response, then glances over at her companions. “Take off his mask.”
While the mask is being removed, she chats with the man in a casual, almost friendly way. “It pays ta cooperate, ya know. Literally.” The half-orc bares her tusks and winks. “Think ‘bout how much yer boss is paying ya … whatever it is, we’ll triple it. Think ‘bout all that gold …”
“All ya gotta do is answer our questions truthfully and completely. Just tell us ev'rything. Now—what’s the name of yer boss? How many people did he hire to take this map? What else did he tell ya?”
As the mask it taken off you see his scaly half elven face has a purple hue to the rough skin.
He chuckles and truthfully responds, "9,000 gold coins... I doubt you have that kind of money. Plus I would need to leave Katapesh and find a life somewhere else."
She gracefully walks into the room with the tied up assassin and pulls a cloth from one of her satchels. She spreads it onto the wall and opens into a treasury. "Why yes we do have that paltry amount, but there are other things worth more than money."
Looking at the piles of lit up gold, gems, and other treasures he gulps before saying any more. He stammers a bit but then states, "A Proxy for Pactmaster Vex, hired my team of four assassins for this job. It was suppose to be a simple snatch and grab. I hired a bit more muscle to help, wasted coins... He told me that you would be formidable. But the magics and strength of your group might not find an equal in Katapesh... Your humble servant requests punishment for this transgression, then I swear to abide by your rule." He is speaking mostly to Tiesa.
Tiesa concentrates on both the assassin’s words and thoughts, then nods. “Thanks for yer cooperation. I’m inclined to accept, but I’ll need to discuss the terms of yer punishment and service wit’ the others first. In the meantime, pardon me for taking a few precautions—I’m sure you understand.”
Turning to her companions, she says “Search him for any hidden weapons or magic items. Then get Azaris and Nima in here to stand guard. Gather everyone else so we can talk things over in another room.”
When they can safely discuss the situation away from the captured assassins, Tiesa frowns. “This ain’t good. The Pactmasters ain’t no pushover. What d’y’all know ‘bout Vex? And what do we do wit’ the prisoners? I don’t nec’ssarily trust thugs who are easily bought. And I’m not sure how much use they’ll be—they didn’t do a great job for Vex now, did they? Best thing they can do is provide information, but they’ve already done that.”
He nods but suggests, "I think it would be best if I keep them company."
The assassin nods his head to Tiesa.
Tiesa's companions pat down the assassin and take off everything but his under garments. Grim likely goes to get some clothes for himself.
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With folded arms, Davod looks down at the captured assassin. "Well, I suppose I've slept long enough tonight. Aukan, I'm going to look over the parimeter once more then head to the kitchens."
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Out of earshot
So, here are a couple of bluffs we can pull: She pauses
First, we overshoot. I can throw around the name of a certain Lady whom me, Aukan and Grimoin have recently met. These guys wont know, but I am betting their masters do. Plus point: Next assassins will come loaded for Demons. Minus point: If they like, ask her and she randomly tells them the truth they may come with a demon. Unlikely, more likely is that she gets interested, and thats a wild card we probably dont want. Adding random chaos is good if you are the weaker side, but I think we are stronger then the packmasters, so involving the chaos that that lady typically brings wont be in our favor.
She pauses
I think the better plan is that we fake being decoys. Real map is on someone who is both inauspcious, usually invisible and not here. None of these buggers likely speak Abyssal, if we can figure out if any of them speaks unusual languages, we can let drop the information that we are decoys, and fed this back to their masters. Much safer, easier to pull off, and doesnt involve her.
She is almost beaming as she comes up with a perhaps workable plan.
Tiesa, you got an idea of what languages the bugger speaks?
She asks
Salim listens though takes a seat still somewhat wounded from the fighting. He adds his thoughts after as well.
I do not think we are stronger than the pact masters. They did not wish death but rather to take. This may simply escalate things, trying to put information out there may be a good idea. I also think the fact we stayed in such a villa may have made ourselves targets…. Maybe blending in will be better?”
Tiesa gives Vivi a quizzical look that is generally reserved for drunken madmen. “Not sure how name droppin’ll do much of anything, ‘specially if ya don’t bother telling us the name. And sending assassins strong ‘nough ta kill demons ain’t usually a positive.” She shakes her head. “I can read his thoughts, but that don’t tell me nothin’ ‘bout what languages he speaks.”
The half-orc nods at Salim’s assessment of the pactmasters. “Decoys and blending in make more sense—prob’ly won’t be too hard ta let slip that the map’s with someone else, though we’ll need someone more specific than ‘someone’—but ya ain’t answ’ring the question ‘bout the prisoners. Ya trust ‘em ta serve us or not? And either way, what do we do with them?”
After she analyzes Salim she asks, "Still hurt?" She then calls upon the flame to cure your wounds.
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Standing there, Grim realizes he's buck naked, turns cherry red and flees back to his bedroom to dress properly.
She shrugs and states, "I don't do espinoge or spy work, I leave that to Sasha. Should I go get her?"
Salim eyes the prisoner for a moment, “We could hold onto him for the time being. Authorities as well could be of use….” as he looks at the prisoner though you can see him thinking and killing over his thoughts.
Having dressed properly, Grim emerged again.
"Have any of them confessed their reason for this assault?" He asked the others.
"When you're done, we should turn them over to the proper authorities. I know some people in the Duskwalker Agents; I used to work for them." He stated, a peculiar look of reluctance crossing his face.