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For the next week, much the same.
For two hours a day, Mario will act as a Barker, entreating people to come inside for a good time...
Bluff check (DC15):
For another two hours a day, Mario will entertain the crowd with flashy acrobatic stage swordplay (perhaps with a couple of guys to act as foils).
Acrobatics (DC15):
And at night
When you go to talk to her later, you find her in the tiny dormitory space Saul has given her to work in. She's reading a leatherbound book and making some notes in the margins, murmuring to herself. When you enter, she looks up, her expression one of mingled worry and relief at your arrival. "Okay, please, sit down," she says, indicating the cot across from her. "I've been thinking, and I think I've come up with a way we might get some more answers about the Blot. It won't be easy, but it might work. I don't dare try it on my own, however."
She licks her lips, then turns the book she's holding toward you. It's a tome on demonology, and it's open to a picture of a tiny, bat-winged humanoid rather like the imp Saul has contained in the cage downstairs. "This is a quasit," she says, "a minor demon sometimes used as a familiar by wizards of... flexible moral standards. Disgusting things, really, but they have a peculiar ability to learn secrets that are otherwise known only to potent priests and powerful outsiders." She studies the image for a moment, then looks up at you. "I have a thought to try using a planar binding spell from a scroll to call one up and force it to use its information gathering abilities on our behalf. It can learn the answers to any six yes or no questions we put to it, and properly persuaded, I think we could make it be honest with us - they have a reputation for cowardice. I'm not the type who might pull that off, however; I think I would need you to do so."
She bites her lip, studying the picture again, then meets your eyes. "What do you think?"
** spoiler omitted **
DM:
Tsadok thinks a moment. This is all quite the shock for him to hear. Taking a deep breath he begins to speak again:
"Worse, What happens if the spell goes awry? We mustn't get too far ahead of ourselves with this, lest the demon control one of us, if it is even capable of that. If this is beyond our ability to control, then I would strongly recommend against this. I can provide intimidation, yes, but why do that when a goodly being would serve without such... persuasions, and much less scrutiny under anyone's watchful eyes. Worse yet, how does one intimidate a demon?"
As the week progresses, Daelin will make her way outside to be a barker, trying to draw people in with her charm. When not outside, Daelin will entertain the crowd with minor tricks as she makes her way through the crowd.
For the next week Lyre for the most part keeps doing her job as Barker (quite pleased she gets a chance to shout at people without getting into bother)
Bluff
In her spare time (if nothing comes up) she spends tending to the big snake who she affectionately calls Bitey
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As Mario, I will scout the docks area during the day to get the layout and spot hiding places and escape routes. Befor midnight as the Masked Man, he will find a hiding spot with oversight of the dock where the ship will come in and see what happens...
It is early on Wealday, before the casino opens (and before Bojask has staggered out of bed from his previous night's debauch), when Lyre finds herself feeding the remains of a large dog, slain the night before in the arena, to Bitey. The massive snake looks disdainfully at the carcass, but is still weak from its wounds and seems to realize it has little choice. The huge, hinged jaws gape wide and smoothly, if not altogether quickly, engulf the dead dog's body.
The ship is long, over 100 feet, with a broad beam and three full masts, though all the sails luff in the windless night air. From his position, the Masked Man can count what seems like two decks in the hull plus the cargo hold itself, and he can see both a forecastle and a broad poop deck as well.
Perception
During his youth, Saul apparently made a habit of moving from one criminal gang to another, selling his old group out in order to earn himself a few perks under a new boss. For awhile, he got away with it, though he made a lot of enemies in the process, but things apparently went badly wrong when Saul's son, Orik, got involved with a prostitute named Lavender Lil and a local alchemist named Falk wound up dead. Falk was found floating in the river and Orik was spotted in the vicinity; when Orik almost immediately skipped town, things looked pretty bad for him, but the weight of the consequences fell on his father, because Falk was Clegg Zincher's brother.
Saul tried to skip town as well, but Clegg cashed in a favor with the Overlord to have the gendarmes surround Saul's house; before they could take him into custody, however, they realized the house was on fire. The gendarmes managed to put out the fire, but not before it apparently killed Saul's wife Bertrida. Saul himself was found in an alley a few blocks away, have slipped out in the confusion, but an inquest afterward revealed that Saul had in fact murdered Bertrida himself and set the fire in hopes of faking his own death. The Overlord initially ordered Saul's execution, but Zincher intervened and argued for "mercy" (it was, of course, nothing of the kind) and so the final punishment was a fine heavy enough to leave Saul almost penniless and the loss of his left hand.
In the wake of these events, Saul has slowly rebuilt his fortunes to the point where he was able to buy and refurbish the Gold Goblin, but there is little doubt in anyone's mind that most, if not all, of the various crimelords in the city are watching him and waiting for the right moment to strike, but none moreso than Clegg Zincher.
The woman sharing her information with Tippello - a halfling dressed in clothes that make her look more like a human child - kind of shakes her head, ordering herself another drink and offering him one as well, before saying, "To be honest, I don't think I'd come within a mile of that place if I could help it. Too much chance someone's going to get hurt."
DM:
Initative
Lyre lobs a blue bolt at one of the rats
Magic missile
she then moves positioning herself so that any rats that rush her run within biting distance of bitey whilst leaving herself safely out of range
Sense Motive check
edit: hmm, kinda low, ahh well I plan on improving it next level. By the way, what xp progression are we using?
To halfling: Well hopefully he's turned over a new leaf. Regardless, I plan on keeping an eye on him in case he hasn't. Perhaps some of mine and my friends good influence will rub off on him since we're business partners now.
DM:
"If this goes awry, then we take care of the problem quickly, and, given the origin of the creature, in its favorite brutal ecstasy."
Unfortunately for Daelin's plans to pick up a second job, someone (circumstances suggest it's Saul himself) has been actively spreading the news of Saul's new set of troubleshooters and enforcers, and her name is among those mentioned. A few of the people she talks to even recognize her as such, typically with a certain amount of withdrawal afterward.
The rat's attack catches nothing but air, however, leaving Lyre with its teeth right in her face.
The woman nods, and Tippy downs his drink with her. "You'll need to watch him with both eyes," she says, giggling slightly, "and maybe a third one if you can find a way to grow it."
Fortitude save
DM:
DM:
Daelin approaches Saul in and asks for a minute to talk in private. "Sir, are you wanting to do any jobs or acquire anything under anonymity? I am quite capable of behind the scenes action. I will only keep a small portion of wealth for myself and contribute the rest to the Goblin's earnings."
With his new weapon in hand, Tsadok joins Sam after the casino closes the following night, beneath a waning crescent moon. The city can be extremely dangerous at night near the docks, but the half-orc's tusks and alert stance seem to dissuade any local footpads from trying their luck.
Finding an appropriate place to work turns out to be little problem - inside a large, echoing warhouse, big enough that even Tsadok's darkvision has trouble penetrating the furthest corners, Samaritha speads out her tools on the ground and begins making preparations. She starts with an incantation for herself, leaving her covered in a shimmering, almost-invisible protective energy, as well as one for Tsadok's new kama, so that it glows brightly in the darkness. After drawing a large circle on the ground with a piece of chalk, she pulls a scroll carefully from her pack and begins to read it, chanting harsh arcane syllables over and over. "Arddrt qasmst nomfomh! Arddrt qasmst nomfomh!"
Slowly, a tiny wisp of smoke begins to appear within the circle, a wisp that congeals and twists until it appears to be a tiny winged human, its skin a rich fire red and a long coiling tail lashing behind it. Its batlike wings immediately flare, and it rushes toward the circle, teeth bared, before slamming unexpected into what seems like thin air. "Hssssst!" it snarls, shouting in some vile tongue, while it beats the hardened air with its tiny fists. Ignoring the creature for a moment, Sam immediate steps over to Tsadok and lays a hand on him, chanting, "Rmathr qrtdpm," under her breath, and suddenly Tsadok finds himself growing upward, towering over both demon and half-elf like a giant.
** spoiler omitted **
Lyre jumps back from the second Rat and lobs a magic missile at the big rat
"Speak common, demon. We've got work for you to do. You're bound here and can be killed like any other being. So, listen to the offer, and agree. I've no use for a demon who won't do what it's told."
Tsadok crosses his now mighty tree trunk sized arms, insuring that his kama is in his hand ready to be used at a moment's notice.
"Sam, please describe to our... resident fiend what he needs to do to live."
Intimidate:
With a little more room to move, Lyre launches another bolt of mystic energy, but this one seems to be a glancing blow. Though the rat squals in pain, it keeps coming. Again, the beast's massive, oversized teeth snap at her:
The tiny figure leans back from the suddenly towering half-orc, squeaking, "Killed? Called? No! Nonononono! Have too much, need to much, doing too much...!" Its features twist in fury and fear, but it stops trying to beat against the circle and it cowers in the center of the circle. "What wizard want? Scox good servant, Scox helps good masters..."
Sam kneels to stare the demon in the eye. "We want information, Scox, and we know you can provide it. Six questions, yes? We're going to ask you all six, and you're going to give us answers. And if you don't..." She gestures to Tsadok, still standing next to her and glaring down at the quasit. "I'll let him at you."
The demon quakes, but immediately squeaks, "Yes! Scox have answers! Just ask, just ask!"
DM:
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Stealth:
Rapier Attack:
Rapier Damage: (nonlethal)
Rapier Attack:
Rapier Damage: (nonlethal)
"Kneel, knaves; for you face.... The Masked Man!"
Lyre her back against a wall decides to take the risk and shoots a Further magic missile at the rat
The drink was apparently stronger than it looked - a few minuts after downing it, Tippello experiences a wave of dizziness, but it quickly passes. The woman leans toward him, studying him intently, before asking, "Are you all right?" At Tippy's nod, she sits back up, chewing her lip. After a brief pause, though, she seems to come to a decision. "Listen," she says, "I don't know what a Desnan's oaths are like, but I know how Calistria feels about this, so what the hell. I was wondering if you'd like to come upstairs with me. I work here, so I've got a room. No charge, either; I'd just like a man who'll look at me like a woman for once and not like his neighbor's youngest daughter." Beyond her juvenile clothing, she is actually quite attractive, even without much makeup and her hair in a pair of pigtails.
Tippy looks thoughtful for a moment as he looks intently at the other halfling.
The Masked Man has no difficulty reaching the main deck unseen - the shadows wrap around him as though they were a part of him and he of them. Nevertheless, the darkness conceals his target as much as it does him, and his rapier - held back by his desire to spare his foe's life - misses his opponent cleanly, catching clothes and hair rather than flesh.
Alerted by the tug of the rapier point on his jacket, the sailor turns, spying the Masked Man, and lets out a shout. He pulls a short sword from his belt and strikes back at his attacker, either unaware or uncaring of the Masked Man's reputation. The strike is strong but lacks finesse, and the Masked Man easily knocks it aside with his own weapon.
As Lyre begins her chanting, the rat dives in again, teeth snapping, and this time they find her.
Concentration check
Fortitude save
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"Ahem! I said, Kneel, knaves; for you face.... The Masked Man!
Intimidate:
"Of course, you have heard of me! Right?"
Mario again attacks (defensively, AC21)--
Rapier attack:
Nonlethal rapier damage:
Mario will retreat down the gangplank, drawing the guards after him.
DM:
"Geez thanks for he help" Lyre says over to Bitey as she looks over to make sure the rats aren't to badly injured "Why did you two have to go and make me do that for?" She mutters at them