|
Foreseeing great opportunity to defend, or replace, the Blood Mistress, our conspiratorial hero communes first with the Mysterious Ng before He Who Walks in Blood.
"Mysterious Ng! That I will never know nor understand your motives and movements, trust now that you may be unable to predict mine. A great upheavel plagues the ranks of the Red Mantis, the organization I have all these years infiltrated, seeking to place myself at the center of their Great Libray of Profane Lore. Today, I pray that my Commitment to Wander be blessed by your Invisible Gauntlet. There is No Knowledge that is not Power!"
"He Who Walks in Blood! That the Deity of War should fall by your Sabre is a Testament to the Fear that All should feel for you. I, your Humble Servant, come now to the Defense of the Greatest Organization that carries out your Divine Will. Know that those who seek to Sow Seeds of Discord will come to a Bloody Reckoning. May our Conduct continue with the Integrity only those in the Highest Profession can Embody!"
In the morning, new insights come with his understanding of magic, as walking the thinnest path between Gods has taught him that the truest expression of magic must be flexible!
Divine Assassin Magic
The following spells prepared into Slots:
Vernai in Training
Cantrips (□□) @ Figment, Shield
Rank One (□□) @ Sure Strike x2
Rank Two (□□) @ Sure Strike x2
Rank Three (□□) @ Sure Strike x2
Rank Four (□) @ Translocate
Rank Five (□) @ Darkvision (daily)
Cloistered Divine Magic
The following spells prepared into a Collection:
The Gauntlet (2 blasting spells)
Cantrips @ Divine Lance, Void Warp
Rank Four (□) @ Divine Wrath [4+]
Rank Five (□) @ Divine Immolation [5+]
Mysterious Mercy (5 healing spells)
Rank Two (□□□□) @ Cleanse Affliction [2/3/4], Clear Mind [2/4/6/8], Sound Body [2/4/8], Sure Footing [2/4/6/8]
Rank Seven (□) @ Regenerate [7/9]
Divine Font (□□□□□□) @ Heal
Strange Insight (2 knowledge spells)
Cantrips (□□□□□) @ Detect Magic, Know the Way, Read Aura
Rank Two (□) @ See the Unseen [2/5]
Rank Three (□) @ Organsight [3+]
Cursed Fortune (5 hexing spells)
Rank One (□□) @ Command [1/5], Malediction
Rank Three (□) @ Vampiric Feast [3+]
Rank Six (□) @ Dominate [6+]
Rank Seven (□) @ Tempest of Shades
Obscured Travel (2 stealth spells)
Rank One (□) @ Vanishing Tracks [1/2/4]
Rank Two (□) @ Invisibility [2/4]
= Collection of 16 Spells
Sien activates the invisibility rune on his armor and slips in to the city.
Or maybe he doesn't. NOBODY KNOWS.
After observing the people entering for a bit, Ann hides behind a bush to change into regular-looking clothes and attempts to hide in the crowd as it meanders into the city.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
You split and try to enter with the wave of people, You agree beforehand where will you meat
Sien passes through without any complicaitons, the number of merchants, mercenarioes and others people of doubtful professions are always plenty to get in. You learn along the way that normal people tend ot pay tax to enter and to leave, and the level of the tax varies depending if someone is living in the city or not. It cna be anything form 1 silver piece, 1 gold or 100 gold.
Ketsu follows through another gate, and her attempt is closer to being spotted, but she also is able to pass without much trace.
Ann Does better and gets in... however Moonlight, well, Moonlight tries to sneak behind the cart he is pushed by it to a wall and gets spotted
"You! Trying to sneak into the city? Who are you and what are you doing here"
You see a group of 3 guards now looking at you, and you definitely bring attention to yourself.
|
|
◆◆) Figment
Hammid draws on his Vernai training to create the sounds of something approaching them from the rear, but...
There are four armed guards at the gate, and plenty of bystanders and watchers. You suspect that breaking in could be done, but that it catch a lot of attention.
The guard seeing what is happening grabs the sword.
"You are trying to sneak in without paying!" he yells and all guards are looking at you holding their arms
"Leave and don't come back! You have no entrance to the city!"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Per the previous agreement, Ann is waiting within sight of the rendezvous point. What's taking them so long? She itches to go find out, but feels that the chances of passing each other like ships in the night are not in her favor. And so she waits.
Sien finds and inn nearby the gate and finds a restroom, the stench is unbearable but he soldiers through. Sounds from the next cabin would work nicely to cover Sien's casting incantation, what would you do for a fellow assassin. He is able to cast a spell breathing when he thinks he would pass out ...
Sien seens and hears guard catching moonlight
"Leave and don't come back! You have no entrance to the city!"
Sien watches Moonlight cast a spell, and then he drops the kids off at the pool before reporting that Moonlight is probably making another pass through the same gate.
Since Sien wouldn't have known Moonlight's roll, he would have attempted to create a distraction. Using his charlatan's gloves, Sien picks up a piece of meat from a local vendor and drops it between two dogs for them to fight over.
Moonlight vanishes like darkness at dawn slips through the gate, without a sound. He goes down the streets making sure to time the end of the spell when no one can see him, to not just pop up randomly.
Later on you meet at the designated spot.
And now you face a decision, you know that your guild is searching for you, which means that a lot of contacts that you may had could not be trust worthy. You should stay in the city without leaving traces as you expect that someone may be checking inns and taverns.
[ooc] Do you go with disguises? Sleeping on the street alleys/ stealing food? Looking for abandoned building? How will you start asking around who could be involved to start follow the trail to understand who would be responsibile?
Every action can result in you gaining visibility points sending assassins after you... dam dam dam [/oor]
Ann suggests: "I think we should sleep in separate locations, and not necessarily at the same time. The less our schedules align, the harder it will be to pin us down."
She takes a few moments to ponder how to infiltrate a place where their faces are well known by most of the people.
"Just as long so you don't expect me to sleep in an alley, I'm sure I can find myself some appropriate accomodations." notes Ketsu-kiba.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
In contrast to Ann, Sien suggests that they find a place big enough to house everyone.
"If we're in the same place, we can keep watch. If we're apart, any attack might be devastating. They could pick us off one by one."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Hmm. Fair point. Moonlight?" Ann turns to the enigmatic man, awaiting his input.
"They'll be looking for four of us, so it's best not to travel or be seen together. We need to find out if they have a password to verify who's on which side. I can eavesdrop in plainclothes so no one expects me to know it. Anyone else?"
Ketsu-kiba nods "I'm worried something will give me away, but should be able to keep my flair to myself."
Sien will find another outhouse by a guard tower to play Brawl Stars while pooping cast clairvoyance and spy on a new password. He'll also stick to the rooftops, so he could walk near someone but not obviously near them.
Ann and Sien moves to spy on the password
Ann trails some of the assassins wandering around the time, questioning different people. She stays far and waits for them to find another red mantis members to hear the passcode.
Sien at that time travels across the rooftops, he is perfectly aware that such behavior would cause suspicion, but he stays low and walks silently. He casts a spell to listen in on another group of red mantis, and you hear that the calling is:
Fate whispers to the warrior, 'You cannot withstand the storm.'
And the answer:
The warrior whispers back, 'I am the storm'
You believe that neither of you were spotted, however you are unsure how long the password will be there, as in normal cicrumstances it would be changed every 5 days.
Gather information: Diplomacy (or for some Society), to gather information about who may know anything related to the contract, or anything else out of the ordinary, what higher profile people are involved in looking for you? etc
Day 1 actions
Sien: listening for password (1/2 successes)
Ann: listening for password (1/2 successes)
Moonlight
Ketsu
Visibility Points: 1
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Ketsu-kiba will spend some time looking for a fancy but not as well maintained place as it should be. Hopefully somebody who was once wealthy but is perhaps a little short on funds and eventually offer them a business opportunity.
"Ahh my friend, I have a business opportunity. I have some friends who have become obsessed with Clastria's pleasures of the flesh and are hoping for somewhere swanky to celebrate. I'm sure it's just a fad that will pass but they have entrusted me with a hefty sum. While their pleasures would only last an evening, it would take us several days to set up and clean up and restore afterwards. I'm hoping we can come to a rental agreement with enough funds for you to take a nice vacation for a week, lets say 10 days to be extra safe and enjoy any restorations we have completed when you return. And of course we will be discreet about our activities, and trust you will be as well. Tell your friends you've finally lined up the proper restoration and will vacation while you do so, or however you would like your story to go."
|
|
While Ketsu-kiba sets up a location in town, Hammid searches the wilderness for a place to set up the Explorer's Yurt.
Ketsu-kiba will spend some time looking for a fancy but not as well maintained place as it should be. Hopefully somebody who was once wealthy but is perhaps a little short on funds and eventually offer them a business opportunity.
"Ahh my friend, I have a business opportunity. I have some friends who have become obsessed with Clastria's pleasures of the flesh and are hoping for somewhere swanky to celebrate. I'm sure it's just a fad that will pass but they have entrusted me with a hefty sum. While their pleasures would only last an evening, it would take us several days to set up and clean up and restore afterwards. I'm hoping we can come to a rental agreement with enough funds for you to take a nice vacation for a week, lets say 10 days to be extra safe and enjoy any restorations we have completed when you return. And of course we will be discreet about our activities, and trust you will be as well. Tell your friends you've finally lined up the proper restoration and will vacation while you do so, or however you would like your story to go."
"Wow, how interesting proposal, and how odd, as it happens to me for the second time this year. My neighbors said some good things about them, apparently the sounds that came out of there was something that none of them have ever tried! " the owner seems eager to go for that bargain,
While Ketsu-kiba sets up a location in town, Hammid searches the wilderness for a place to set up the Explorer's Yurt.
When Ketsu-kiba shares the ruse she told their "landlord", Ann gives a single puff of a dry chuckle. "Good. No one will be suspicious of any odd noises. But we'd better not have to act the part." Ann spends her spare time training; she has no time or respect for hedonistic idle pursuits.
It occurs to her that she ought to pick up a disguise kit so she can move about the city more easily.
Hammid finds a suitable place without much issues. Ann is able to buy disguise kit without much hustle. Being prepared and able to sleep comfortably you rest for the night
So far it seems that your presence have not disturbed anyone, when the following day you heard about some dragon showing up few hundred miles south.
Ketsu-kiba will spend some time leaving false rumors about them. Bits and bobs about a singular figure that plausibly looks like one of us in disguise desperately looking to buy something outrageous.
Ex: "This Tian man, with a high voice and an ugly mustache was trying to buy ten whole pallets of Oranges. Oranges, what in Golarion would they need with that many oranges? I think I saw them headed to the docks next, I guess you'd need a boat to haul them all off."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Having always presented herself as decidedly butch, Ann forces down a grimace as she dons a dress. She's had to dress like a lady for more than one job, and it never feels right. Pants are so much more practical. And wigs are itchy. And the bodice makes it hard to move, she grouses to herself. Recalling a particularly irritating incident from a couple of years ago, she grumbles: "If anyone flirts with me I'll split this dress and punch his face so hard it'll turn inside out!"
Once she's all gussied up to look like a typical member of the wealthy merchant class (with padding to disguise her muscles as "plump"), she bustles out (she hates bustling) to gather gossip. Of particular interest is information about which Vernai are searching for her and her party.
|
|
Hammid taps his Underground Network, who, over his legendary career, owe him a few favors, and won't snitch, even for a hefty ransom!
Sien could ask around, but he prefers to sneak around and try to Read Lips for information.
Ketsu spends the day spreading rumors and false leads. He seems to be successful at it, as few hours later you saw some patrols heading to the docks.
Ann mingles with the merchants and begin to listen for gossips, and there are a lot. None about Vernai unfortunately but she does hear one of the Sisters from Hospice of Serenity is gathering information about any spotting of you. However which sister is it is unclear...
Sien follows a group of assassins and is able to read something about 'Nasha the Gnasher'. And he recalls that Nasha is a broker of information, and could know more.
Moonlight is the most successful one, he learns that Dockmaster Torvald
Kemp is keeping an eye on anyone trying to sneak into the town, and is particularly interested in anyone looking as you.
Intending to follow up on the lead she discovered, Ann changes her disguise entirely before making her way to the Hospice of Serenity. She wishes she could get word to the others first, but the less they're seen together the better, and she doesn't trust any of the urchins or runners in the city.
Ann recalls that As one would expect in a rough-and-tumble port where violence is a frequent solution, Ilizmagorti has great need for healers and caretakers. The Hospice of Serenity presents a facade of caregiving and solace, and its members are quickly recognizable by virtue of their white and gold robes. In truth, the caregivers of this supposedly merciful operation are yet another cover for the Red Mantis, who maintain this abbey in the city slums as a front designed to keep watch over the downtrodden.
When Moonlight heads to the docks he spots first the usual...
Ilizmagorti’s waterfront is a constantly bustling scene, with dockworkers loading or unloading cargo quickly in hopes of avoiding fines for lingering too long. Merchants and hucksters push their wares, pickpockets look for easy marks, and travelers of all sorts come and go. He thinks to spot dockmaster from the distance, and he sees a middle-aged human man carrying leather-bound ledger that he keeps in a waterproof case on his hip, and he’s often seen jotting notes in its pages about suspicious activities he observes.