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"Then I guess we'll wait. No reason to cause a scene, at least not until we've got him alone." Pelleas takes his place in line, arms crossed over his chest. "Once this is dealt with, we'll go about rooting around for the heretics and traitors that might've taken root in the town."
Pelleas looks at the collection of people from town waiting for the man's services, and frowns. "I... we ought to wait for them to finish. I don't want to, but throwing them out is exactly the kind of thing that will stir rebellion in the town amongst otherwise loyal citizens. We can't have that, not now." He looks at the line again, then sighs deeply. "We could wait, or take care of something else." The scowl on his face suggests Pelleas is loathe to leave without sticking it to the bureaucrat, but he doesn't say anything more.
Sorry. I thought I posted here. I've been having some issues with joint pain, so my posting has been a little intermittent. Sometimes posting is a little too difficult for me to do, but I'm good. I'll get a post up now.
"He's an obnoxious bureaucrat, is who he is. His office is in town. I'd like to give him a visit. We can keep Razelago in the loop, but getting this information from Wenbrade will be worth it, I think. Also, I don't pretend that I won't be happy to make that smug idiot squirm."
"Yes, no reason to get Razelago in a fuss. Of course, being able to directly have the Archbaron's ear is important. We don't always have the time to wait for messages to be sent and audiences to be made. Sometimes, it will be better to have a direct line." Pelleas grins, his head turning toward the office of Wenbrade. "Now, let's go show that incorrigible buffoon a visit he won't soon forget. We'll teach him to be such a snide bastard..."
Just checking in. I know Shadow is pretty busy, just wanted to make sure he wasn't also waiting for something from us.
"That reminds me, though. There is some... infuriating bureaucrat who, I'm positive, knows how to get the direct attention of the Archbaron for matters such as this. I suspect he wants me to play politics with him, if he wants anything, but he won't tell me what he knows. Of course, a few of us together could likely convince him to give up that information." Pelleas shrugs, then sighs. He frowns when Cimri mentions Kels. "Maybe not the time for it, but I figured I would mention it." "As for Kels, sympathizers can be... broken. We can't be too heavy-handed, but allowing this insurrection to spread through the common people will cause issues, I'm sure. Perhaps capturing the local priest and making an example of her as well? We crush their spirit, we crush this little rebellion. Ideally we could do something about the leaders of the movement, but they don't seem to be arriving in Longacre any time soon."
"We'll need to deal with this swiftly, then. No doubt the local priests are involved somehow, but some of those amongst the townsfolk likely are as well. I wouldn't be surprised if that bard Kels has his fingers in the pie too. We'll need to speak with the Archbaron and then round them up for questioning."
"Why actually, that'd be just delightful. If you want to take care of any business you need first, you can find us at the sheriff's quarters. Feel free to drop in once you've taken care of things."
"I should have some pen and paper with me..." Pelleas looks into his bag, before pulling out ink and a quill along with some parchment. He walks up against the wall and scribbles in surprisingly elegant writing. "The holder of this writ, a hobgoblin mercenary from Isger, has been given preliminary leave to travel to and from Longacre as he pleases. This permission is so granted by the agents of the ArchBaron of Longacre, and gives the holder these written permissions until such a time that they are explicitly removed by the ArchBaron or one of his agents." He finishes the writ with a flick of the wrist, then signs his own name at the bottom of the parchment. "Pelleas... Markov." He hands the writ to the hobgoblin, a smile on his face. "That ought to take care of your problems."
A heads up for all my games; I'm going to be camping from Monday to Wednesday, so I won't be able to post. I should have Internet on my phone, but posting from my phone is a real chore (even ignoring the logout issue I still have on mobile) so I will be silent for a few days. I may keep up if I can get Paizo to reliably work on my phone, but if not I'll catch up when I get back.
"I have a feeling that the only way I can rouse them is if I try to placate them... and now that I've said that, even that's in question. Still, let's go fetch him a writ. Perhaps it'll show the citizens that cooperation with the law nets positive consequences."
"We can't just let him pass, it'll stir up the citizens... again. However, I suppose we could just go get him a writ of passage. It'd mean you'd have to wake a few moments more, but it'll solve the problem swimmingly I think."
"What's your business here, goblin?" Pelleas crosses his arms, annoyed with the creature's impudence. "Swearing at us certainly won't endear me to you, and if you want to get through the gate then I suggest you change your tone. Immediately." He raises an eyebrow, then sighs. "We can obtain a writ of passage for you, should we deem it necessary or beneficial that you come into Longacre. Plead your case."
Pelleas raises an eyebrow when the man gives his first bit of information, then nods. "That is... interesting. The sheriff didn't seem fool enough to cause trouble, but her deputies certainly weren't the brightest I've ever encountered. Having them wandering about in the background can't bode well for our ventures here in Longacre." Pelleas pulls six polished gold coins from a pouch on his belt and sets them on the table across from the man. "Assuming that isn't the total depth of your interesting knowledge, I have a feeling this will be a profitable arrangement for both of us."
"Does that extra gold cap at the ten gold you offered before? If your information is as valuable as you say, that could end up costing us quite a pretty copper in the long run. Or, was that the plan?"
"If you're so certain we'll agree, then what is it? Might as well tell us." Pelleas gives him a cautious look when he notes the man's size, but he doesn't show it much. "It's not like we can agree before we know the offer."
"I'm not much for sneaking around, but having a few of us in case of an ambush might be a good idea. Is anyone else perhaps better suited than I am to hanging around in case of foul play?"
When Sandy hit NJ, I was actually up looking at a college in Vermont. While the storm obviously curved away and hit New Jersey like a freight train, while I was up there the storm was expected to hit us directly. We turned on CNN at the hotel to see the mayor of our little old beach town on national news, saying how people were preparing for the storm. Now, when we left the storm hadn't been expected to hit us, so we hadn't boarded anything up. We basically sped 20 MPH over the speed limit the entire way home, trying to get in touch with my older brother who had the flu who was home with the dogs. Even with just a glancing blow the city was shut down to non-residents (out of fear of looting). The entire southern half of the island was underwater for about a week, although the northern half just had some flooding. I'm hoping it's just a bad storm as well. Until we get closer to Monday we won't really know for certain, but it's looking hopeful. The other danger is that if it tracks close enough it could also cause tornadoes. What kind of storm makes tornadoes?
For the moment, I'm still here. It's still very unclear what exactly the storm's path up the coast will be, and for the moment there isn't an evacuation order in place for my area. If the storm continues completely over land, it may not be so terrible when it hits us since it'll lose a lot of steam. If it sticks close to the coast and keeps gaining power from the warm water in the Atlantic though, that could be... rough. I was out stocking up on emergency supplies today just in case. If there's an evacuation order, I'll probably get it on Saturday or Sunday. If not, I'll be staying here to weather what we get hit with. They're pretty good about calling for evacuations, so if they don't it should be safe to stay. At any rate, it is very likely that if the storm hits at all my power will be out for a bit. The island's power system is held together with chewing gum and some half-assed prayer, so I won't be surprised if it goes out. However, assuming that's the worst that happens I'll either put up a notification of such with my phone or get Loup or Kamen to let people know.
"Playing the game is for those who have the skill to win, or those too stupid to realize they don't. I'm neither, but it seems you must be the latter." Pelleas turns and leaves, his arms folded across his chest. ----- "I met with an infuriating bureaucrat, if that tells you anything." Pelleas plops himself into a chair with his tail lazily sitting on the ground between his legs. "He knows how to gain the ear of the Archbaron, I know it. But I don't... schmooze? Can't and won't, for that matter. I'm sure I could break his spirit, given the time, but some aid from the rest of you would make it a quicker endeavor. What a nasty little man. It's as if he doesn't understand it's only a matter of time before he tells us what we want to know."
Hey guys, this is a blanket notice going out to all of my games here on the boards. While I am thankfully outside the path of Hurricane Harvey, current projections for Hurricane Irma are sending it barreling up the coast of Florida to sweep much of the eastern coast of the United States. As I live directly on the ocean, I'm already gearing up for a potential evacuation at the moment. While hopefully all I get is a lot of rainfall, it's likely that by the time Irma hits Maryland it will still be at least a Category 3 storm, if not worse. I will have my laptop and such in the case of an evacuation, but I likely won't be able to post with any real schedule or frequency. Moreover, given that I live more or less directly on the ocean, it's more likely than not that if I'm forced to evacuate there will not be a home for me to come back to after the storm passes. The island is not built to withstand that kind of storm, and the last time something anywhere near that deadly swept through, it made an inlet where there used to be a road. My point being, if I'm hit by the hurricane it's very likely I will be off the boards for a long while, or at least my posting will be sparse and intermittent. I'm sure I'm not the only one following the storm on the news, but I'll do my best to keep everyone updated on my status. It's likely the storm, if it hits me at all, will make landfall here early next week. If you see on the news that the storm has hit Maryland and you don't hear from me, that's probably why. I just wanted to put this message up now as I'm prone to losing power during storms and I didn't want to leave anyone hanging. Thanks for understanding,
Hey, Loup asked me to let you know that his laptop died, so he MAY be off the boards for a bit. He doesn't have the money to fix the laptop right now but hopefully he'll be able to find something else to use until he can get it fixed. He's hoping he won't be off for long, but he may be.
Pelleas sniffs slightly as the man speaks to him, gently resting one hand on the man's desk. "You likely think you're smart, don't you? You think you've gained some small measure of power by trying to act as the Archbaron's gatekeeper. Is that it, then? I know that you know of a way to gain the Archbaron's ear, or else you wouldn't be such an intermediary. Do you take me for a fool, then, that you don't tell me?" Pelleas's tails twitches around in the air behind him, a sour look on his face. He plants the other hand on the man's desk and stares at him. "If you don't take me for a fool, then you know that I'll figure it out. I will not be made a pawn in the idiotic game you think you're playing. You'll tell me now, you'll tell me after I leverage my father's political power against your poor sodding self, or you'll tell me after I come back here with the rest of my fellows and force you to." Pelleas stares him down for a few more seconds, his needle-like teeth peeking out from behind his lips. "Good day to you, sir. Let me know if you'd like to end this battle of wits before it begins."
You probably won't have a chance to answer this before you get back, but would my Chelish Noble trait apply if Intimidate is now linked to Intelligence rather than Charisma due to the Bruising Intellect trait? If so, would this guy count as the aristocracy at all?
"You'll need to speak with the Archbaron for that, though I doubt he'll find such a thing objectionable."
Is there anything else in particular we want to work on? I assume looking for traces of the Angel Knight to glean more information, right? We could potentially meet with the Archbaron to see if he knows anything of her. Alternatively, we work on cementing our control over the populace. Pelleas is likely a good choice to serve as muscle as he's clearly of noble birth, and it's unlikely anyone would challenge him (especially with the Archbaron's favor as well), and anyone who does would likely be ostracized to keep in our good graces. I still maintain perhaps Kels should be recruited as an information gatherer, as I believe he's firmly afraid enough of us to not cause a problem.
"I can't say I would have, given the circumstances." Once there's a moment of silence in the air, Pelleas pipes up again. "As to finding out more of our Angel Knight... well, perhaps the townsfolk may know something of the tales surrounding her? Or, perhaps Kels might be willing to assist us in exchange for further, shall we say, benevolence toward him? I believe the display will have the townsfolk both respect and fear us in equal measure, so getting information they might have shouldn't be too difficult."
"I agree, although I'm not so certain it will stick with Caggan. He is a proud fool, and he will, I imagine, continue to work against us. He may not be so bold as he was before, but he'll be a thorn in our side." Pelleas tail swishes around in the air behind him, but not so erratic as when the alchemist's mind was under the influence of his own concoctions the day before. "If possible, finding someone to keep an eye on him would be key. If not, we will merely need to be wary. I would rather not have to kill him, if we can help it."
"Sounds fitting to me. We'll keep the bard through tomorrow, let Caggan bear his punishment first. I don't know what you have planned, but I assume it could be made public if we wanted? The display will serve to keep fear in the hearts of those who might cross us. By contrast, releasing the bard without harming him will show everyone we will be merciful if you cooperate."
"I suggest we keep him here for now, just in case. Not so long that he becomes a pariah, but long enough he realizes that any further activity will make his future... unpleasant. I think we could pass on his flogging" Pelleas's tail flicks again as it wraps up around the back of the chair. "However, I think Caggan deserves more than just a stint in the stocks. He's opposed us more than once and he's assaulted one of our number. He needs to be punished for his insolence."
"If only I had that luxury. Thankfully, I haven't had much in the way of parties since I came out here. Perhaps it'll stay that way." As the others muse on the woman named Visserene, he just shrugs. "I'll second the notion of gutting her, though."
"My, aren't you... enthusiastic." Pelleas frowns when she mentions her house, and he looks up toward the ceiling as he ponders. "Mourngrym, Mourngrym... now, where have I heard that name before? Say, would you have happened to have been a guest at a party perhaps five odd years ago that was cut short due to an unexpected explosion? Or, perhaps another member of your family? My, was that party awful. So glad I ended it early." Pelleas just grins at her. "I am Pelleas, of House Markov. Nice to meet you, assuming I haven't before. You never really know whom you've passed at some dreadful function."
Pelleas, still under the effects of his mutagen, crouches in the chair rather than sits. His long prehensile tail swishes back and forth off one of the arm rests, although he raises his eyebrows in shock when Cole takes off his helmet. "Well now, I wasn't expecting that!" He lets out a short laugh. "It seems Kels was inspired by some knight he met out in the country, right? Her name was Lencia Visserene, if I recall. Does anyone know of her?" He pauses for a second, stroking his beard with one clawed hand. "Do I know of her?"
"Yes, let's get them back to the cells. Sounds like an... ooh, an excellent idea." Pelleas grins as he pulls Kels back again with one clawed hand. "No running from a cell, is there? You'll be stuck, like a bear in a trap. What fun." The unusually jovial tiefling lets out a startling hiss at the bard, hoping to scare him. Either way, Pelleas laughs like a fool, before proceeding to forcefully drag the bard out of the tavern. "Remember this. This is what happens to the people who don't obey the Archbaron." He flashes his teeth prominently in the direction of the patrons, hoping his shark-like grin might cow them into submission. "You don't want to end up like these two, do you?" His showmanship done, Pelleas throws open the front door and marches out with his catch. He immediately makes his way to the prison cells, apparently eager to lock up their new captive.
"Ooh, fingers. I suppose you'd need those to play your instruments, wouldn't you Kels? I have a feeling they'd be quite important." Pelleas just grins and licks his teeth, dragging him along behind Alic and the others. "If you end up cutting any off, could I keep them? I'm sure I could find a use with some experiments..."
"Dark Angel, eh?" Pelleas's mad grin twists into a look of confusion as he wracks his brain. "Never heard of such a thing." He pulls Kels again, hopefully enough to make him stumble. "Lucky for you, we're looking to learn some more about this 'Angel Knight'. Maybe..." he gives Kels a bloodthirsty look. "Perhaps you could help interrogate him. He could use some persuading. Maybe be some flaying at some point, I really can't say."
"An excellent plan." Pelleas stalks forward and grips Kels by the front of his shirt and drags the bard back toward Castiel. As almost an afterthought, he looks up at the winged figure. "Who are you? You look... familiar. Unfortunately I don't think you can flay this one. Not yet, anyway."
I'm having enough trouble grasping the 2E rules, though I'm having fun so far. Still, I think picking up another game in a system I've never really used is probably not the best idea I'll ever have. For this game though, is it alright with you if I change a couple things with Pelleas? I'm realizing more and more than I think I ought to find a way to give him the Bruising Intellect trait, because he seems like he ought to be able to be scary. He can't lie or negotiate to save his life, but his mutagens literally turn him into a monster. EDIT: Also, apparently Pelleas has absolutely no gear? It must have gotten eaten forever ago and I didn't notice... Does anyone remember how much gold we ought to have right now? I'll just buy starting equipment and tack that on, but I'm kind of baffled I don't have any of it written down.
Pelleas just grins and stares Kels down as the spell fails to even make his eye twitch. His hands now sporting dagger-length talons from the mutagenic powers of his concoctions, Pelleas stalks closer to Kels as his tail flicks around erratically. "I've honestly forgotten if I need to find you alive or not," he says, splaying his claws. He cackles violently when he gets next to the bard, his pupils wildly dilated as if drugged. "I suppose Corven would have remembered, but..." Pelleas lets his gaze drift down to the sleeping man nearby. "You could surrender, I suppose. Or you can try and survive until someone else shows up to let me know what I'm supposed to do with you. I'll give you until I count to three."
"You take care of the bartender! We'll head around back!" Pelleas starts running behind the back of the bar as he pulls a vial of red liquid from his coat pocket. He downs the vial and shifts from running to loping ahead on all fours, barreling down the alleyway toward where he presumes both Kels and Corven are.
Waiting on Alicarus to respond to me, at the moment. I know he's busy with stuff and also had the board outages to deal with, though.
That's true, I was with Castiel when we were walking.
As I'm following your recruitment thread (obviously) I've been watching some of them trickle in as well.
"Is that... Alicarus?" Pelleas adjusts his sash across his chest, moving farther through the crowd. "Alic? Alicarus? What're you doing outside, do you have Kels? Where's Corven?"
Pelleas is heading to the tavern as well.
Hello everyone, I'm back! My finals are done, so I'm here again.
Hey all, this upcoming week is my final week of classes for my senior year of college, so posting may be a little sparse (or non-existant, really) until Saturday or so. I will do my best to keep posting and I will at the very least be reading what happens, so I'll be caught up, but I may not be too active. If I find free time (unlikely) I will post in when I can. Otherwise, expect to not see me unless I'm lucky.
"Yes, in fact we are!" Pelleas sets her written list of requests down on the table, crossing his arms across his chest after he adjusts his sash. "We've been named special agents of Archbaron Fex, and as such have been given the authority to make decisions on your exemption requests. You will be able to move freely about after curfew in regard to medical emergencies, and I will leave it up to your discretion as to whether a patient's condition is serious enough to deserve an exemption for extended family to visit them in groups larger than the writ allows. In such cases, please attach such approval to the door of the home with a signature attached, if you would please."
This seems correct to me, yeah.
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