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Everett was more than a little put out by the disrespect show to the altars and he murmured, "That's not right." Cassynder nods somberly at Everett and Nita's assessment of the desecration. He takes up the whistle after Nita's done inspecting it, turning it over in his hands for a moment or two, before turning to Everett and handing it to him. "I feel you'd use this best. And the Muse of Muses would rather see it used than left to tarnish here." When they've explored deeper and encounter the ghost, his eyes widen and he makes the Sign of the Sword. He listens to Nita's question about rites and shakes his head. "My training as a child was in thievery and my training at the monastery was mostly martial, as the Inheritor prefers action to ceremony. Everett?" he asks, turning his head towards him. "She shares your faith, so I believe you'd stand the best chance of communicating with her."
"...That's handy," Cassynder comments. "Don't like the feel of this air. It's like it's in...stasis. Uncomfortable as the hot Wiscrani day or the cold mountain air is, at least it can change." He casts his eyes about, looking for any signs of a change in the air or any signs of movement.
Not really sensing anything, he tries to take a closer look around.
"Playing a villain...or an antagonist..." Cassynder repeats, raising an eyebrow. "And what of those tieflings who aspire to be more than that, whether on-stage or in real life?" He tries to maintain a neutral expression. The naivete on display rankled him, but he could tell from Calseinica's tone she was talking from a position of unexamined privilege.
"No sense in wasting time, then," Cassynder replies with a nod.
"Pardon me for asking, Miss...?" he says, not quite remembering if he'd heard Calseinica's name. "But how will performing on a stage allay suspicion of us as dissidents? I'm not even sure any playhouses in the city would allow a tiefling as obvious as me on-stage."
"He's gotten worse, then," Cassynder says, his brow furrowing as he follows Quirri. "He was always Palaveen's eager yes-man, but we all used to be equals in the group as kids. Organizing things into a hierarchy and giving Nikrus some power in it seems to have brought out the worst in him. Losing my composure and striking first may have been shameful but...I'm not sorry I broke his jaw. If he's smart, he'll run, or we'll break much more."
Cassynder steps up to join Everett in the search.
"So..." Cassynder says, turning to Quirri, noting Janiven didn't give him a yea or nay on asking questions. "You said you wanted out of Palaveen's new operation...Is that these 'Bastards' the others are talking about? That why Janiven got in touch with you, because they're in bed with the Rackknights and she wanted someone on her side with eyes on him?"
"Hmm," Cassynder replies. "It sounds like this Arael and me will get along just fine."
Janiven Keyes peaks into the long building for a moment before taking a cautious step forward and answering Cassynder's remark, "Don't be mislead, this 'trick'," she points to the enchanted Rod that opened the Portal, "really is just a trick for emergencies. It only works once every 101 hours and can only open the Portal to the point of entry. In other words, in four days we can use it to go back to the exact spot in the secret tunnel under Vizio's Tavern -- even if there's a patrol of HellKnights waiting for us." Cassynder shrugs. "Even so, that's some expensive magic to use to save a few nobodies like us. I've known people who'd kill to have that kind of magic on-hand for less noble purposes."
A pair of thorny horns poke out the side of the entrance, followed by a scalp full of black hair, a bronze-skinned forehead and finally a pair of eyes, peering out into the gloom of the plane and eerily glowing, as if backlit by flames. "They turned back," Cassynder comments quietly, before withdrawing back into the building. "If these are the kind of tricks you can pull off, Janiven, we may just have a fighting chance after all. I've got some questions, if you feel it's a good time to talk. Otherwise I'm fine with holding them until we're out of the dark and somewhere safer."
On that note, Cassynder will dip into Cleric next level (so he can take the feats that let him use a Longsword as a monk weapon) and then switch back to Monk until he qualifies for the Evangelist prestige class.
First off, thank you SO much for taking this on, Ray! Cassynder: Just give me a brief rundown of your interpretation of Lawful Good of Iomedae, for a Monk, especially for use in an urban campaign of Cheliax -- so I don't accidentally step on your toes and so that I can adjust what I may need to adjust accordingly. Pretty Please. Cassynder may not be a paladin like Everett, but he uses Iomedae's paladin code as a guide, especially that last one about temperance. He knows that he walks a fine line in infernal Cheliax, and has to pick his battles carefully, using ironically devilish cunning to work around some of the code's more aggressive edicts. His fighting style, melekatha, specifically works kind of like aikido, in that it's about redirecting an opponent's aggressiveness back at them, though as he's still only 1st level at this point, he's still got some aggression issues to work through (see his intro where he lost his composure at Nikrus' taunts and broke the poor ganster's jaw with a single punch), but as the plot reveals itself and he realizes how deep he's in, he'll have to continue to temper his anger and master the way of melekatha. Surrendering enemies are to be treated with honor, but if an enemy dares him to kill them, he will somberly honor that request. Some enemies, evils, are too dangerous to allow to persist and must be smote, but where and how that smiting takes place must be approached with care. And it is important to recognize what evils are symptoms and what the root cause is, and go for the root cause. That's why, even though he had a moment of weakness and attacked Nikrus, he let Nikrus go even though he's probably gonna warn Palaveen. Palaveen is the true evil that must be cut down, Nikrus was just a toadie. As corny as it sounds, one of the biggest inspirations for Cassynder was Batman. Make of that what you will.
Also, in Quirri's first post, she seems like a prostitute working under Nikrus. (And in turn under Palaveen.) Are Quirri and Nikrus NPCs that Cassynder is really interested in? I don't think DragonCat was roleplaying Quirri as a sex worker, just a gangster lady using flirty language to get a guy's attention. As far as I'm aware, she and Nikrus are relatively equal in Palaveen's gang, it's just that Quirri wants out while Nikrus enjoys a small bit of favor because he's a butt-kisser. Unless Nikrus shows up later and Palaveen hasn't just had him killed for embarrassing the gang like that, I doubt we'll see him again. As for Quirri, I'm not sure: she seems to believe in Janiven's cause, and I know part of Council of Thieves' plot is building that organization, so she may stick around in the background provided nothing horrible happens to her, but I wouldn't go so far as to say Cassynder regards her as anything but an old friend. I hadn't planned on a romantic subplot with her, if that's what you're asking. Is there any information that you and DM-Dragon Cat shared via PM that you'd like me to know? Nope. Cassynder doesn't really have much in the way of secrets to keep, and after confronting Palaveen, he's meant to kind of pick up the thread of the AP's generalized plot and try to figure out how he fits into Westcrown now that his personal grudges are settled. Are you expecting Cassander's far-away monastery to be reintroduced in some fashion in the future? Or anything else? No, Cassynder is the only member of his Order in Westcrown. While he may be able to develop contacts among Westcrown's local Iomedaeans, he's still very new in town, so that kind of network would have to develop as the AP progresses. Should he encounter any members of the Sisters of the Golden Erinyes, he'll want to confront them in an honorable duel to prove the melekatha style superior to their hamatulatsu style, since his Order specifically developed melekatha as a counter to it. One distant goal he has is to establish a branch of his Order in Westcrown, so while I don't expect any of his brothers/sisters to come down from the mountains and trek halfway across the Empire to help him, he is interested in finding people in Westcrown who'd be receptive to Iomedae's teachings and melekatha's physical training to take under his wing as disciples. One big thing to note is that Cassynder was created specifically to be a foil to the many tiefling antagonists in Council of Thieves. Cassynder will wanna argue with other tieflings (besides Whisper, since she's his ally and from what I've seen of her she's shaping up to be the Han Solo kind of character who starts out self-interested and cynical and eventually becomes a hero in spite of themselves) about the paths they've taken in life "You gave in to your inner darkness, *I* chose to defy it!" and whether or not there actually IS an inner darkness in tieflings or whether it's being sh!t on by the world for being born the way they are, that kind of thing.
Cassynder looks about as they emerge and takes in the strange view. "I may not have learned much about the Planes at the monastery, but there's only one place this could be: the Netherworld," he says matter-of-factly. He looks at Janiven, his expression a mix of curiosity and respect. "I underestimated you; you clearly have worked long and hard on your goals if you're able to pull tricks like this in service to them."
Random question, did we actually introduce ourselves to each other? I just want to know if I should ask for some of the other characters' names or if I can just dive in and start addressing the rest of the group by name. I know Cassynder told everyone HIS name before Janiven invited us all up here...
Cassynder scoffs a bit. "Brutal, yes. Effective? Don't make me laugh! None of that tromping around in scary-looking armor and beating the people bloody has ever lessened crime. The only way it can be done is to solve the problems that make the crime happen; the poverty, the inequality, the fear and hatred of those who are different. Problems Westcrown's powers-that-be and House Thrune above them don't WANT to solve."
Cassynder frowns a bit at the way Whisper phrased her rebuttal, but...she had a point...Her description of tyrants using people and disposing of them reminded him of how Palaveen had used him and Quirri...Then he notes how that little speech had tired her out and the frown becomes more concerned. "Are you alright?"
Cassynder's crisp, clean robes and the prominent holy symbol of Iomedae worn around his neck mark him as a holy-man of some sort.
Cassynder's brow furrows a bit at Janiven's words. The Westcrown she spoke so fondly of was one he'd never experienced. He wondered if there was a place in the Westcrown she envisioned for people like him.
"I'd...be lying if I said that wasn't inspiring. I returned to Westcrown because I wanted to fight back against the darkness that had shadowed my life for so long...but I don't look on the city with the same sense of nostalgia the rest of you probably do. I grew up squatting in an abandoned apartment, in a Rego that has all-but-been abandoned itself. I had to steal and beg just to survive, just because of what I am. I want to bring Iomedae's justice down on the rot that's sunk its roots so deep here...but I wonder if there's anything left here besides that anymore..."
"Curiosity." "A similar story to mine. I'd just returned to the city after completing my training in the Upper Reach. Quirri approached me, presumably to invite me here, but we were interrupted by another "old friend" from the gang, Nikrus. He tried to start something and I...well...I broke his jaw. Guessing he ran straight to Palaveen after that, so now Palaveen not only knows that I'm still alive but that I'm back in Westcrown."
Cassynder's eyebrow rises at Whisper's statement, and he nods. "That...is not surprising. Palaveen's always been an opportunist who'll back anyone that can help him fulfill his ambitions to crown himself King of the Trash-Heap. That's probably why his gang's been able to run rackets outside Rego Cader."
Everett allows Whisper to pour him a drink, he takes a sip saying, "To your good health!" before sitting down. He looks around the table at all the faces and he said with a grin, "Can't say I've ever seen a less likely group! Yet I wonder if we have something in common... Out of curiosity how did you all come to be here tonight?" Cassynder sips his tea. "Quirri invited me. As you might have guessed from our earlier conversation, we're no friends of Palaveen. Not anymore at least. I haven't been friends with him for more than ten years...after he betrayed me."
Cassynder rises and follows the rest of the group. It seemed this Janiven had been building a network and must have offered Quirri the out she'd been seeking. He hadn't expected to stumble upon allies so soon upon returning to Westcrown, but it was a welcome surprise. "I have not taken any specific vows regarding alcohol, but I abstain from intoxicants as a general rule, just so you know," he says. "I presume there's alternatives?"
It's not hard for Whisper to sense the newcomer's intent. His body language is cautious, but curious. And he carries himself with a deliberateness that suggests he knows the full measure of his own strength and continually strives to control it.
"All too well," Cassynder replies with a nod. He turns back to Quirri. "It's alright, we can trust them. Come on over!" Then he turns back to those assembled at the table. "Cassynder is my name. Child of the Upper Reach and disciple of the melekatha style, but born and bred in Westcrown and cautiously happy to be home."
Cassynder raises an eyebrow at Whisper's outburst. He doesn't comment on her appearance, for good or for ill. "We made sure we were not followed, if that's what you're worried about."
Cassynder shakes his head. "I've only just returned to Westcrown, so unless I distracted him to get pickpocketed as a kid, I don't think so. Quirri, would you know him?"
When the two beautiful young ladies join the group without so much as a word, Cassynder's eyebrow rises again. "This is getting to be a rather crowded table."
"It is a cute dog," Cassynder replies with a nod. He stands and sidles towards the group, suddenly stopping when he hears a familiar name come from them. Palaveen. That others were speaking of him could bode well...or ill...only one way to find out. The group, in turn, sees a strong, stern-looking tiefling man with an impressive rack of spiked horns crowning his forehead, garbed in crisp, clean robes, approach their table. "I heard the name of an old friend from your group...an old friend no longer. What is your concern with Palaveen?"
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