Apparicio had hung back in the tree-line, as the others had intimated. Noting the hostility of the archer, and pondering his own monstrous appearance, he opted to dismiss Der Schrecken. After all, none of these hicks had taken at all kindly to that noble beast. Without that monstrous presence, he collapsed. The night’s poor sleep had caught up with him once more, and perhaps there was some brief residue from the various poisonings Der Schrecken had experienced?
He staggers down to where Puku and makes some wan greetings. “Good afternoon, my good fellows, and well met,” he offers hand-shakes to Adlin and Melthorpe as he continues, ”I am Apparicio, and I apologise for my delay in arriving. I am not at my best, and the travails of our journey briefly proved too much for me.”
Der Schrecken stalked over to the snoring Puku, and gently shook him with one claw. His deep, gurgling voice muttered, ”It is time to wake, friend.” This was not welcome news.
Once the half-orc had returned to his normal good-natured alertness, Der Schrecken desultorily spread out Apparicio’s bedroll, and put his blanket next to it. That little popinjay will be needing these. The monster then spread himself out there.
Sleep did not come quickly, but when it did Der Schrecken’s figure shuddered, almost as if having a seizure, and then shrunk back to the clothed form of Apparicio, who instinctively groped for his blanket and rolled himself up in it, muttering vaguely about his mother.
The eidolon leaves when Apparicio falls asleep or goes unconscious.
Apparicio slept heavily, with thin whistling snores. It had been a long time since he had fused with Der Schrecken; he had almost forgotten the power it represented, and the sensation of ripping enemies apart. He muttered words and grew large; his teeth ground as dreamed of ripping those grindillochs apart with his teeth, now massive and sharp.
Der Schrecken has the “Bite” evolution, giving a bite attack to go with his claws. He now knows the spell “Enlarge Person”.
(Of course, all Puku heard was Apparicio grinding his teeth, as if in anxiety.)
Somewhere, the jaundiced face of Ragnor appeared, floating out of the smoke like it used to when Apparicio was on the nod. Ragnor was rambling about what his eidolon had taught him of the planes. ”So you can see that all the planes are connected, and the problem is not sulphur but fluoride. Our brains are being rotted by it so we cannot see the truth of the shape-changing lizards...”
Apparicio could see now that Ragnor had been sliding between truths and half-truths, incapable of seeing the difference between his opium-fueled fantasies and the visions sent to him by Der Schrecken. Indeed, Apparicio now shared those visions, and could see fragments of those worlds. He could hear Der Schrecken’s voice explaining things.
Apparicio gets Knowledge (planes) +1
Among the beings he saw were familiar animals--even that same sea eagle that had wreaked so much carnage, now stronger. There were wolves, giant spiders, and sea creatures like squid and even hideous octopuses. He could call them to his hand, and they would go where he pointed. He took pleasure in sending the nasty octopuses to the mouths of the wolves, who ripped them to pieces. He laughed, muttering ”Damned octopuses!”
His summoning ability is Summon Monster II, now, and he has the ‘Augmented Summoning’ feat.
(Puku simply heard him mutter ”octopuses”. Perhaps he was having a nightmare?)
Sitting up abruptly in his troubled sleep, Apparicio hoicked a prodigious ball of spittle out of his mouth; a brief look would have revealed that on hitting the ground it sizzled, leaving a black mark. But Puku was the only one awake, and he had no interest in investigating the effects of Apparico’s new cantrip “Acid Splash”. Apparicio rolled back into his blanket and slept soundly, silently.
Travelling over the sea from Absalom in long conversations with sailors and fellow travellers, and then in Andersport and more lately in conversation with Captain Parsonsnot Saltpepper, Apparicio has learned much of the natural world and how to live in it. It had scarcely seemed real in the big smoke, but now that things were dismally real, what had been abstract came into clear focus.
Knowledge (nature) 1; Survival 1. He also gets Perception 1 and UMD 1.
The documents were a bunch of descriptive documents concerning his job and the company, etc. Nothing valuable; just clues to his already surely publicised secret role.
Apparicio thinks beetr of pursuing more business about town. He frankly sees only two immediate paths for his investigation--going to Starks or going to the island, and he is reasonably set on the latter. He was thinking of doing something else, but it all seems a bit vague and a deeper investigation over here would take more time.
At some point he has to fill Orto in, but he figures he can do that at sea. After all, Orto looks pretty comfortable.
Apparicio will head back to the Captain's Repose with the others. On seeing the ruckus inside he is immediately concerned for his possessions, such as they are. He mutters a prayer to Abadar and approaches the Redcap.
"My good man," he says to the Redcap, "I am sure that such refurbishments as you are undertaking are all for the good, and not matters of my concern. I had lodgings here and wish to continue my custom. In the meantime, I have need of documents among my personal affects. Would you be so good as to let me through to my room?"
I suppose that's a diplomacy roll (+9 with Guidance).
“How much is it worth for me to play along with this line of beluga-sh!t you're selling?"
Apparicio gulps and mutters a little blessing to himself: ”By Abadar’s golden fists I hope this day gets better quickly.”
doggziller:
If it’s possible, he’ll use this to cast ‘Guidance’ on himself. I assume he cannot conceal this. This will be for a pending Diplomacy check or equivalent. If it’s going to cause some ruckus, he’ll not do this.
He turns to Orto and speaks in quiet tones: ”To be honest, it’s not worth that much. The truth will come out soon enough in a small town like this, and I’m just here to do a job. This is one way to do the job, but there are others. If it gets too expensive for me I’ll just go to Mr Starks direct. That might be a better plan anyways.
”But while I’m being honest, I’m new in town and would rather have you on my side than working against me. I’m sure we can come to some arrangement...”
doggziller:
That’s the truth, as best I understand it.
As you directed, Apparicio is intimidated. Apparicio is not too bound up in his secret identity, which is likely to be blown one way or another pretty soon anyways. I imagine his chief concern is that he is planning on sailing to an island, where Orto and others may put him in danger.
So what he would be attempting to do would be a Diplomacy roll, attempting to bribe Orto to shift his attitude from sceptical and pissed off to something a little more amicable. I lack the player knowledge to know what to offer.
Diplomacy is 8, Guidance gives +1 if it applies. I imagine there’s other situational modifiers—a failed bluff for one, and perhaps the bribe for another. I assume you roll; I shouldn’t know his attitude without a sense motive. My Sense Motive is 1, so I’ll probably have to take him at his word.
At whatever point Apparicio is free from the previous ramble, he will turn back to his fellow travellers.
"Let us go then, yous and I, to the Otyugh's Fancy." Apparicio turns to Puku. "Your belly has made it clear that you need some 'kai'--that is what you call it, right?--while I need something to quell yesterday's clams before some other lunatic decides there's some stain on my fate, and leaves another stain on my shirt."
He brushes an imaginary mark and gestures in the direction of the Otyugh's Fancy.
"Fire-wizard? No. I should be so lucky. Although it does seem I have some talent with the birds." Apparicio summons an eagle to his hand. "It's a handy talent, but scarcely fire-wizardry." Apparicio beams at his eagle, mightily proud of this talent.
"As to what I have heard of the isle, it is a long and sad tale that I'd rather not bore you with. Not least because, I'm sure, the more I tell it, the more I think you'll think me a big-city fool, a dupe who has fallen for tales of ancient remedies and such-like..."
At this point Apparicio descends into a rambling, insubstantial monologue, during which he tells a of various people that have told him of a treatment for a mysterious ailment that some loved one has.
doggziller:
The purpose of this is to persuade people that he is gullible, and embarrassed that he is chasing some vague hearsay. He's less concerned that people believe the details of his story than that they believe he is embarrassed about being gullible. This is not far from the truth... bluff:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12 This includes the -1 curse--Apparicio has 4 bluff.
At whatever point he thinks he is about to lose his audience, Apparicio comes to the point. "...at any rate, how much will it cost to travel to the island?"
"Eee! A lusty young man, laid low by the dark stain on his Fate! Come with Granny for a reading... IF THOU DURST!!!! A ha ha ha ha!"
The dishevelled old fortune-teller rubs her hands together eagerly, nodding her head, making the bells in her hair chime.
Apparicio turns to her politely--perhaps even patronisingly--and reassures her: "My dear woman you are mistaken--there is no dark stain on my fate. No. Simply a case of inclement clams followed by a little much of the sauce. I am not the lusty young man you are looking for. Down the docks you will find sailors; superstitious folk such as those are more likely to find your charms alluring..."
Then Apparicio turns from the mad dwarf to the matter at hand.
Quote:
"What's this one's interest, tho...? Be you in league?" he whispers, leaning in to Puku with a twitch of the nose at the lawyer.
"I am not in league with these two, though I have found their company most amenable up until now. My interest, rather, is in the island. I have heard rumours of it and seek to confirm if they are true."
Given my being out of commission for a while, the momentum of the encounter, and Murray's enthusiasm, I'm okay with the mysterious fit staying. Kat could in fact have found both cards. For the sake of convenience, I'll assume that Apparicio was relatively lucid through most of the episode.
Apparicio will try to figure out what happened--why he had some strange fit. [Know Planes 5, Heal 1, for those who are curious.] If he can't come up with any useful answers, he'll vaguely assume that some combination of the booze, yesterday's food poisoning, and the necromantic goings on of the previous evening caught up with him in strange ways.
Kat said wrote:
"Hey! This guy's some big-shot lawyer from Absalom!" She rolls her eyes dramatically. "How useful would a lawyer have been when we were arguing with those lame paladins"
She flicks the card disdainfully at the still twitching body.
"Big-shot lawyer? Perhaps. The card was convenient to carry in Absalom. These things can get you places." He pauses, plainly a little shaken by his episode, but acting to brush it off. "Here, however, being a big-shot lawyer does not seem much use. The mayor is a law unto himself. And I've learnt before that the servants of Iomadae are often best left be; I'm not sure any amount of lawyering would have saved the other fellow from the likes of them. And we came through as good as could be hoped. I had my eye on them, and was ready to intercede if I thought it might help."
Apparicio takes back his cards from Kat, and files them without comment. "In other matters, I heard that you folk were journeying to the Yellow Isle. I'd be interested in seeing the island myself. Perhaps I might join you. I might be able to help you find your man over there, and the company will make the trip more interesting. The pair of you are certainly not short of entertainment value."
Somewhat forced, but in keeping with events and character.
doggziller:
I'm assuming that Apparicio sees merit in going to the island to investigate his case. There's plainly a little bluffing going on, and I don't expect that Apparicio will get away with it.
A rheumy-eyed Redcap who is either half-dwarven or simply malformed strides over and kicks at your stool.
"C'mon p!ss-britches, rattle yer dags!"
”Thank you, my good man, for the timely reminder of this morning's appointment,” says Apparicio between mouthfuls of delicious soup, ”I look forward to seeing the traditions of justice that obtain here in Andersport.” He mops up the last of the soup with a bit of bread. ”I look forward to receiving appropriate recognition for my part in quelling the perils of last night.”
At this, Apparicio rises to his feet and joins the rest of the group, trading pleasantries as he goes.
kat wrote:
Kat looks like she has just come off the mother of all benders: she peers nervously out from under the hood of her tattered cloak with red-rimmed eyes.
”So good to see you so much more yourself on this fine morning! I would not be surprised if the travails of last night are still taking their toll—you have my sympathies.”
"Out!" he says, and jerks a thumb over his shoulder.
“By all means, esteemed sir, but it looks as though the party’s over.” As he returns to the deck Apparicio looks around and shakes his head. “It was quite something when it was in full swing, I can tell you!”
Quote:
“For now, consider yourselves under curfew, you're none of you to leave the premises."
”Fine by me. I’ll just go back to bed—” begins Apparicio, but it is plain that Corzo has no time for that nonsense.
Spoiler:
Quote:
The touch of the Redcap who frisks you is decidedly lascivious! He grins at you, showing stinking brown teeth, as he cops a free one.
Apparicio has had worse, and is keen not start another fuss, but just can’t let things pass.
”Careful big boy,” mutters Apparicio to the Redcap, “If you get too excited something might pop.”
Apparicio turns to the others and notes, "It seems we are to be incarcerated together. I'm sure there are worse gaols."
