[D&D 3.5, E6] Don Miguel's Special Men [IC]

[esorscher]

Porto Maritimo, Iberia: Most visitors to Porto Maritimo come by boat. Arriving at the docks, one is immediately overtaken by the seemingly impenetrable wall of white brick buildings, reaching ever skyward. Bustling with activity, Porto Maritimo is home to all sorts of trades, and all sorts of people. Iberia's few non-human citizens make their living here, plying their exotic arts for coin in the city's South Quarter. Merchants and tradesmen are closest to the docks, in the city's East Quarter. The North Quarter has long been filled with squatters and thieves, despite police attempts to regulate. The West Quarter is a hodgepodge of everything else one can think of--specialty shops and department stores dot the crowded streets, constantly vying for too-little space. In the center is the Grand Assembly, where the politicians from outlying estates travel to each morning to conduct the business of running the Iberian Empire. Towering well over every building in the city (indeed, a city ordinance prevents the building of buildings even close to the height of the Grand Assembly), this seat of power can be seen from any point in the city.

Don Miguel's estate in the North Quarter is by far the most spectacular, though by no means the largest. A modest mansion on hundred acres, set a few miles from Porto Maritimo, Don Miguel's estate has some of the most exotic treasures ever seen, brought at great expense from the far corners of the world. However, without the Don's permission, it is nearly impossible to gain entry. Guards, traps, and a handful of other secret security measures protect the Don, his family, and his entourage.
- A Guide to Who's Who of Porto Maritimo

Don Miguel sits behind an intricately carved oak desk, crafted in one piece by elven hands centuries ago, before the Cleansing. Your father stands behind him, watching you without emotion. This is not the first time you have been in his study. You think back to the previous night, when Don Miguel and your father inducted you into the ranks of the Special Men, when you swore a vow of fealty and service, and when you drank a cup of your own blood to seal the pact. There was a strange magic in the room then, you are almost sure of it, as you feel its conspicuous absence now.

Although you have known of your counterpart for nearly your entire life, this is your first look at him. There is little time for introductions, as Don Miguel speaks. "By the year's end, your father will have retired from my service, and you will have assumed his mantle. You must be ready. Throughout the coming year, you will be assigned tasks to ensure that when the time comes, you can replace your father seamlessly."

"Your first task is simple. One of my ships will arrive at the dock at midnight tonight. My men will be ready to unload the cargo, but you must be present to ensure that we have no interference, lawful or otherwise. Do you understand?"

[Do we need an OOC thread? Questions can be PM'd to me, or posted here in brackets like this. Up to you guys, I'll make one if you want.]

Gabriel (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=209113)
Tiago (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=209078)

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago is a handsome youth of no more than nineteen years old. He looks more like a playboy than a warrior, and it's hard to gauge just how good (if at all), he is with that sword hanging at his hip. He listens carefully to the Don, then bows with respect.

It is understood, Señor. Do your men know of our presence? Is there a contact we should introduce ourselves to?

[amanamana]

Gabriel is a broad shouldered young man, with straight dark grey hair. He bears a constant smirk, since the first time you saw him. He wears a well suited chain shirt under his mantle and, besides the set of swords hanging from his belt, you can see he carries a well crafted composite longbow in his right hand.

He bows to the Don, his hair falling before his face, while he casts a look at his new associate, measuring him.

"A simple task, my lord, you'll see it done."


[Damn... since the first pbp I've been part of, all my characters use the same speech colour. That blue you just took... :smallannoyed:]

[esorscher]

Don Miguel almost laughs at Tiago's first question. "Of course, they know you are coming. Your father has been in my employ for eighteen years, did you think this was anything other than business as usual?" But he passes over the matter to answer the second. "Philip is in charge of the operation; he'll recognize you."

"Before you go, I have this for you" he says, reaching into a drawer in his desk and pulling out a finely crafted box. He opens it, revealing two golden chains with pendants in the shape of Don Miguel's crest. "Wear these at all times; they prove your authority is second only to my own."

[If you want to scout out the docks, or do anything else in the roughly 12 hours before midnight, feel free to do so.]

[amanamana]

"Thank you, Señor." - Gabriel reaches for the box and takes his pendant, handing the other to Tiago. -"Glad to finally meet you, partner." - The sentence is uttered with a little sarcasm.

After leaving Don Miguel's presence, he stares at Tiago for a while and then says - "I'll make a survey of the area. Any suggestions or contributions?"

Gather Information when checking the area [roll0]

[Lin Bayaseda]

Sense Motive [roll0]
Whether he notices the shade of sarcasm or not, Tiago's manners are impeccable. Thanks you, and likewise, he smiles as he accepts the pendant.

Tiago joins Gabriel on his way to the docks. Once there, he pays attention to the environment, the surrounding buildings, what are they used for, and who are they owned by. He also wonders why Don Miguel would worry about legal interference. He leafs through his copy of the Guide to Who's Who of Porto Maritimo to find out about the local law enforcement forces and why would they worry Don Miguel.

Knowledge: Local [roll1], and Gather Information [roll2], as Assist Other to Gabriel

[esorscher]

The docks are, like the rest of the city, largely comprised of white brick buildings, built to affect an orderly, even facade. Most of the businesses here are shipping companies, from large fleets like Tiger Imports to the struggling one-ship boutiques that open and close every six months or so, as playboys and second-born nobles squander away their fortunes on impossible colonial pipedreams. There are clouds on the horizon, but otherwise it is a pleasant day. A gentle sea breeze wafts the scent of salt and fish your way as you pass a trawler tied up at the docks. Next to it, a crew of four unload a medium-sized ship, the Tidal Princess, of crates stamped with the Imperial seal--furs from the colonial possession of Gaunche. There are a fair share of children on the docks, some running and playing as children are wont to do, but the majority working in some form or another, as criers, errand-boys, flower girls, and a few thieves. You notice a young child in a beaten brown derby hat deftly pick the purse of a merchant's wife as she cautions her daughter against the dangers of men from the docks.

Gabriel's usual contacts know of nothing particular happening on the docks tonight--at least, nothing they are willing to share. As you walk along the docks, you hear bits and pieces of conversations. A mother and son exiting Walter's Emporium are in heated debate over a fancy yo-yo. Three dockworkers discuss cutbacks, one thankful for his employment and one in fear of its transience, each trying to persuade the vacillating third. Outside an establishment called the Kilted Gent, two men in berets discuss a controversial new book published in the faraway province of Surowick that challenges the existing religious notion of the afterlife, based on the existence of resurrection magic.

Tiago finds little in his book to clarify the Don's concern. Unsurprisingly, the Don has enough power to keep his reputation untarnished, at least in this publication. However, an old flame of his, in an effort to spark jealousy, lets slip that her boyfriend is the dangerous sort, an element which, as she describes in much too explicit terms, only adds to their love life. After some questioning, you manage to find out that someone hired half a dozen thugs for a job tonight on the docks, but once she realizes you care about the information, and not her, she shuts up, leaving you in the dark as to the job's specifics.

[If that Sense Motive was against the Don, he is telling the truth.]

[Lin Bayaseda]

[[Sense Motive was to realize Gabriel's sarcasm]]

If Gabriel is still about the docks, Tiago meets up with him to compare notes.

There's still time till midnight, we could pursue the 'half-dozen thugs' lead further.

[[OOC sorry about taking blue, but it's also the color I always take when available. Irresistible force, immovable object, etc.]]

[amanamana]

"Good work, partner. I haven't had much luck in the hearsay department on my own. Let's look for those guys. I assure you, given enough information, I can find anyone in this town." - Gabriel looks around, assessing the place.

[ GM, you'll have to give me a DC for the Urban Tracking (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#urbanTracking) ]

Gather Information roll for the Urban Tracking [roll0]

[esorscher]

You ask around the docks, making it apparent that you are looking for morally flexible people looking for healthy pay for a night's work. Most of the dockworkers ignore the offer, some old hands wary of jeopardizing their employment and their ability to feed their family, some young ones preferring to spend their night drinking and chasing after women. One threatens to report you to the dock authority, but you convince him not to.

Eventually, you find a young man, maybe 19 years old, with sandy blond hair and big ears. He laughs, "Another one, eh? When?"

[amanamana]

"Well, it depends, amigo, if you have another job for tonight, our hours are flexible and, as the task is not that hard, we can make it work for both of us. When is this other job of yours?"

"My friend and I would be very grateful if you could also suggest some friends that would take the job. You know it's not that easy to find some good hands around this place."

Bluff [roll0]



[EDIT: Ouch! That was baaaad...]

[Lin Bayaseda]

What my friend means, we don't want to hold you up for that other job of yours. Because, y'know, we don't want to cross you-know-who, Tiago says with a knowing wink. Our job is a small one, half hour at the most. Can you take it, say, at midnight? If not, we're flexible.

[[and by the way, when we talk to that man, I hope our Don-pendants are firmly inside our shirts....]]

Fingers crossed: Bluff [roll0] <-- edit: please shoot me now.

[esorscher]

[roll0]

He looks you over carefully, not sure if you're telling the truth. "How much does it pay?"

[They must have been, otherwise he'd have to be really stupid.]

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago holds a pouch with 25 gp in it. He shakes it slightly, letting the man listen to the sweet clinking of coins for a while; then, he takes out one coin and tosses it to the man.

You seem ok, so I'll trust you with an advance. Can you get a couple of reliable friends, and meet us by the Kilted Gent at about ... when did you say you're free?

[esorscher]

The man claps his hands around the gold coin, and when he opens them, he can't help but contain his excitement and wonder. A day's work, as an advance. Any lingering doubts are replaced by greed. "I'm off work at 4. I'll be at the Kilt around 5." He sees his foreman walking toward the three of you. "You better get going, or I'll catch hell. What's your name?"

[Lin Bayaseda]

No, no, not 5. We need you much later, at around midnight.

[esorscher]

He taps his chin thoughtfully. "That's not going to work. How about tomorrow night?" The foreman seems to have gotten involved in the conversation you overheard earlier about cutbacks.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Oh, right, you're busy with that other thing. As I said, we don't want to step on no toes. Sooo... maybe 5 is going to work after all, what do your think, Marco?, he asks, turning to Gabriel.

[amanamana]

"That may work... yeah... so... you have buddies that would help us, don't you? How many can you arrange? If there is enough, you would save us some time looking for more."

Bluff (come on, you stupid online dice!!!) [roll0]

[EDIT: Finally!]

[esorscher]

"How many do you need?" he asks, convinced and eager. "I've got two friends who'd be glad to help."

[amanamana]

"Well... just two? We would need a little more than that. It would be nice to have a more homogeneous group, instead of a bunch of strangers. Are you sure there aren't more people you could talk into this?"

[esorscher]

The youth shook his head, sorry to disappoint you. The foreman wrapped up his conversation and had resumed his path toward you. "C'mon, man, don't get me fired." he turns his sandy-haired head away from you, back to his work.

[Lin Bayaseda]

After the big-eared man is back to his work, Tiago whispers to Gabriel, I don't think this is the one we were looking for. If we stand him up on the appointment, I'm sure he'll find the gold coin to be a sufficient consolation. Any other ideas?

[amanamana]

[OOC: With such a high Urban Tracking roll, I would have found that group, no matter how well they were hidden (according to the rules), if the rumour about their existence was true. Of course, usually it takes more rolls, but the GM didn't asked me to roll more. That is what leads my character to say the next thing.]

"Well, all the evidence leads to this guy. Maybe the rumour you heard didn't concerned our business, but this is one of the guys involved in your rumour." - He looks around - "Maybe he just isn't friends with the others, or maybe that dozen guys are involved in another smuggling operation." - Gabriel smiles - "Or maybe we are over-analyzing this and they are the right people."

[esorscher]

[Maybe you should roll another Gather Information check. You guessed right.]

[Lin Bayaseda]

Very well then, but if we are to deal with half-dozen men, we're gonna need a bigger spell. [[ha! always wanted to say that!]]

If there's a downtime in tracking between now and midnight, Tiago will dart into any nearby magic store to buy a Sleep scroll. He has several other 1st level scrolls to trade for it, and may throw in a few GP if pressed.

If necessary, Knowledge:Local for nearby magic stores [roll0]

[amanamana]

"Let's keep looking." - Says Gabriel, with a stern face.

Gather Information [roll0]

EDIT: [Come on! This thing is cursed! Warn me when I'll be able to retry.]

[esorscher]

As you make your way through the docks, you don't get any convincing leads. You do find several magic shops, but none are interested in trading. "25 gold," each shopkeeper says in turn. "if you can find a better price, take it."

[You can roll again, but be more specific in your search.]

[Lin Bayaseda]

Those shopkeepers must be mindreaders, since they're all asking for exactly 1 gp more than I have. Rather than do more research, I ask Gabriel for a loan. Of 1 gp.

[esorscher]

[It's SRD price, but really not important at this point. As you may have guessed, sienna is the default color for NPCs, and particular NPCs use different color speech.]

Recognizing your need, an older shopkeeper takes pity on you. "There was a time I was an adventurer, son. Just promise me I'll get your business in the future." His shop, Taylor Scrolls and Wands, has a wide variety of scrolls, wands, and other low-level magic items, all at competitive price. He takes 20 gold, and hands you the scroll.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Thank you very much, senor! I am in your debt.

[[as are the lucky schmucks whom we now can put to sleep instead of beating them to death]]

[esorscher]

"Call me Taylor," he says with a smile. "And I'll remember that."

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago bows and leaves the store. Teaming up with Gabriel again, he tries to help as much as possible with his questioning.

Gather Information [roll0] vs. DC 10; Gablriel gets +2 if I make it

[amanamana]

Gabriel meets again with Tiago and, knowing of his struggle to buy the scroll, says - "If it's in interest of our missions, I can lend you some money next time."

With this, they go back to the area next to the harbour. There, he looks for the taverns where the sailors and thugs can be found drinking and having meals before their jobs. - "Someone here must know of something. The guys we are looking for are the kind of people that, knowing there will be some money going in, already start spending with liquor and whores."

With an attentive eye, an easy smile and a disposition to pay for some drinks, Gabriel leads Tiago through a variety of taverns and inns.

Gather Information +9 (+2 from aid another) [roll0]

[esorscher]

You overhear a lot of gossip in every tavern you enter, but it's easy to sift through the mundane to the pertinent. In the fourth tavern you enter, the Maiden's Folly, you observe one man bragging to two eager listeners. "The first round is on me, brothers," the man with red hair and freckles atop a robust muscular torso, says. You estimate his height at 5'11", and he is well the baby of the group, the rest roughly half a foot taller. All three of the men have red hair, but can be easily differentiated between by their shirts--one wears striped, one plain, and one plaid. The one in plaid continues, "I found us a job tonight." He flags down the waitress, and orders three mugs of ale.

[amanamana]

Gabriel, upon hearing this, smiles and nudges Tiago, whispering from a safe distance - "Ha... told you. I bet you a gold piece those are the guys we are looking for."

[Lin Bayaseda]

Sorry for doubting you, and yes, it's obvious now as 2+2=4, or should I say, 3+3=6. But we need to find out if their job is related to our well-being. Let's try and get closer.

[[DM: is there a free table next to those 3 men?]]

[esorscher]

The bar is pretty packed, but there's a table close by, maybe 15' away from the brother in stripes.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago takes a seat at the table and motions to Gabriel to do the same.

The man mentioned "first round", so they're unlikely to leave for a while. We have time, he thinks. He orders a simple drink, and for a couple of minutes, tries to evesdrop on the three brothers.

Unfortunately, no bonus on Listen... [roll0]

[amanamana]

Gabriel sits next to Tiago, with a tankard of beer in front of him, also paying attention on the men's conversation. After a couple of minutes, if nothing interesting comes up, he whispers to his partner - "We can always make up a flimsy excuse to buy them some beers and socialize. If anything, they would be drunker and less of a threat if the need to fight them arise."

Listen [roll0]
Sense Motive [roll1]

[esorscher]

You are able to make out their conversation, but just barely. You aren't sure about all of what they are saying.

"So what's the job, Juan?" the one in stripes says, after the waitress has brought their ales over. She soon brings yours as well.

The one in plaid, Juan, answers, "Some feller wants us to help him unload... off duty." The other two nod. This is clearly familiar territory for them, and they understand the euphemism.

"What's he paying?" asks the one in the plain shirt.

"5 gold apiece," Juan answers. "More if there's trouble."

The one in the plain shirt laughs, cracking his knuckles. "I like the sound of that."

The main in stripes puts a hand on his brother's arm. "Easy, Fernando. Think about Isabella." This settles the plain-shirted man down, and he drinks to cover the embarrassment. The rest of their conversation drifts to the mundane, family matters and dock gossip.

[amanamana]

While watching the conversation and hearing some names, Gabriel searches his memory for anything related to those guys.

Knowledge (Local) +7 [roll0]

[esorscher]

They are pretty generic names, and these seem to be pretty generic folk. Their conversation doesn't lead to anything more about the job. Around 4:00 in the afternoon, they stand to leave. "We'll be back tonight, Marla," the Juan in plaid says to the waitress. "1:30, I expect." She smiles, and wishes them well.

[Lin Bayaseda]

As they turn to leave, Tiago calls to them.

Senors, would you kindly help me and my friend resolve an argument? We seem to have argued ourselves to an impasse, pardon my French. Could you serve as referees in our disagreement?

[[There are a few small coins on the table, and Tiago plays with them and makes sure they see them]]

[esorscher]

They walk over to you, a little inebriated.

[Lin Bayaseda]

You seem like you're familiar with the movers and shakers of this town. We've been discussing Don Miguel, you know, the don who lives in that huge estate in the North Quarter?

Anyway, I'm saying he owns this town, and nothing escapes his eye, especially people who try to meddle in his business unlawfully. While my friend here says his best years are behind him, and he's not that scary. What would you gentlemen say?

[esorscher]

It's the plain-shirted one who speak first this time, Fernando. "Everyone knows Don Miguel, friend." he says, starting off laughing. "But not everyone pays him tribute. Even in his best years, he wasn't all-powerful like you've described."

Then Juan adds, "Still, he's a person you don't want to cross, not lightly."

If these brothers are planning to rob Don Miguel, they may not know it.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago sighs.

Well, not the answer I was hoping for, seems like I lost the argument. Still, would you join us for a drink, on us? Arbitration fee, if you will.

[esorscher]

They shake there heads, and leave the bar, expressing a prior commitment.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago waits for about 2 minutes after they leave, then bends over as if to pick up a small object from under the table, shouts Hey! You dropped ... at no one in particular.

He then runs to the door, and stands outside the door of the bar for a minute, looking right and left, as if trying to spot the three brothers. He then sighs and returns to the bar.

He approaches the waitress. Excuse me, senorita, the three men we just talked to - they dropped something. Seems like a pouch of gold, they mentioned to us something about a job, maybe they lost their advance, I feel bad about it, they seem such hardworking men. Do you know where I can find them and return what's rightly theirs? One was named Juan, I believe...

Bluff or Diplomacy, whichever applies, [roll0] (bluff+8, diplomacy+10)
edit: woot, that was some quality acting!

[esorscher]

She looks at you with a bright smile, pearly white teeth set against dark olive skin. "Juan? He lives down the street," she says. "In the tenement next to the Kilted Gent."

She chuckles. "Good thing he was banned from there, else we might be out of business. Heavy customer, that one. Of course, Julio can keep him in line." She gestures to the giant of a man--and the expression is no hyperbole--standing by the door of the Maiden's Folly.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Let's strike the proverbial iron while it's hot... Do all three live together? They seem alike, are they brothers?

[esorscher]

"Indeed, the whole de Anza family lives in that tenement. There's those three, and then four more just like them. Their wives, their children. Then there's Senor Miguel, the father of the seven sons, and his wife, Senora Rosa. Why do you ask?" she seems curious, not prying.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Just making sure that if I miss one of them, I can give it to someone of the family. Thank you, senorita. Your help is appreciated.

Tiago returns to the table and whispers to Gabriel, my mother always wanted me to be in the theater business, you know.

Also, does the name de Anza register either in my memory or my little book?
Knowledge: Local [roll0]

[esorscher]

de Anza is a common name, like Smith or Johnson in anglicized society. Your guide mentions three well-known de Anzas, one a famous merchant, one a wizard of some acclaim, and one an explorer. None of them sound like the family described by the waitress.

[amanamana]

Gabriel smiles to Tiago as he returns to the table - "Good job, chico. So what now? Do we go after them or their family?"

[Lin Bayaseda]

Seems like we have all six. But we still don't know who hired them, and who are they stealing from. Actually ... Gabriel, do you know if there are any boats other than ours being unloaded at midnight? If not, then at least we have the answer to the second question.

Then, we could go explore the tenement. And we have a 5-o-clock appointment at the Kilted Gent, which is right next door.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Also, if Gabriel needs to use Gather Information any time soon, preemptive assist [roll0] vs DC 10

[esorscher]

No Gather Information check necessary for this info:

The docks are open from 2 AM to 10 PM. Unloading at midnight is strange.

[amanamana]

"Well, cargo moving at midnight is not quite common. We could try to search for another operation at the same time, but that's probably not the best use of our time. I could bet they are after our ship."

"We could try to follow them. By their conversation, it was clear that not all of them know enough about the job. It is likely that someone in charge will talk to them before going in action."

Trying to rememeber of someplace to buy poison: Knowledge (Local) +7 [roll0]

[esorscher]

You have a few underworld contacts that can supply you with poisons. It depends what you want, but you should be able to find whatever you're looking for. The readiness with which it is available is dependent on the poison (and the DC to craft).

[Lin Bayaseda]

OOC what time is it now?
Gabriel, do you want to keep our appointment at the Kilted Gent and see what we can get out of those three, or do you have another avenue to explore?

[esorscher]

It's just past 4 PM.

[amanamana]

"I'm not sure attending that appointment would be fruitful, as they are probably the ones we were looking for. Unless we decide to eliminate them now, there is not much we would get from meeting them again."

"Maybe following those three we just met could take us to someone in charge. If it doesn't, we could try to take this out of one of the attackers, after dealing with the others, when the time comes. For that, I was thinking of some knock-out poison... and I know just the guy to provide us some."

"Of course, some other cheaper way might exist. Maybe some magic or a guarantee of making a dying man stable. Unfortunately, I know much more about killing than healing. If you could provide some expertise on that matter, we could save the poison for the one responsible for all this trouble."

[Lin Bayaseda]

Hey, I didn't buy that Sleep scroll for nothing. If we can confront three of them away from prying eyes, say in an alley, I can make good use of it.

Or... Tiago strokes his chin thoughtfully, If we can isolate one of them, I can make his my bestest friend for a while. That could work too.

OOC
What's the general stance on spellcasting in public? If a person starts waving his hands and mumbling incantations, say, on the street, would everyone accept it as something normal or would a 'burn the witch' mob form? (assuming spell has no clear visible effect)

[esorscher]

It depends where you are. You might draw the attention of the guards, and if citizens are concerned, they will. As long as it's a subtle spell, not like, Color Spray, or Burning Hands, you should be fine.

[amanamana]

"Ok, then. We can use poison later, to get their boss. I can use it on an arrow from a good distance." - He holds his composite longbow with great satisfaction - "This baby here can hit a man from a great distance."

"So... do we go after those guys?"

[Lin Bayaseda]

Your call.

[amanamana]

"If there is not a better idea, then." - He stands and drops a few coins to pay for the drinks they had.

"Shall we?" - Walking past the door, Gabriel starts asking around for the men that just left, saying he was in possession of a small bag they dropped at the floor of the tavern. - "My friend already talked to the waitress, but we think it would be better to find them soon."


[OOC: Maybe Tiago could roll for Aid Another again, just in case, so we lower the risks of delaying it more. If Lin does it, just add the bonus to my check.

Also, tell me how much for the drinks, so I can spend it on my sheet]

Urban Tracking (Gather Information +9) [roll0]

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago mingles and provides general support for Gabriel's questioning by nodding thoughtfully and smiling.
[roll0] vs. dc 10 <--- but not smiling nicely enough

[esorscher]

"What day is it?" one asks his friend. The other mumbles something. "The whole family's at dinner, or they're about to be. It's Pelor's day, you know. The de Anzas are the religious sort, what with Father de Anza being Father de Anza," he laughs. As none of the men in your book were priests, he is probably not of very high renown. Still, from the sound of it, he is the kind of man who demands a big family dinner on religious occasions, and his sons are the sort to comply.

[amanamana]

"Well, thank you, sir." - Gabriel smiles at the man. - "Would you give us some directions to their house?"


[OOC: Again, if Tiago succeeds at helping, +2 to this next roll.]

Urban Tracking (Gather Information +9) [roll0]

[esorscher]

He gives you directions. It's not far, just a few blocks from where you currently are. You find it easily.

The tenement building is five stories tall. From the windows and architecture, you'd guess maybe 40 apartments. There are a few children playing outside the building, passing a ball back and forth.

[esorscher]

After a few moments, a man in gleaming white armor steps halfway out of the tenement. He has shoulder-length blonde hair, and his rugged jaw is lined with a curtain of stubble. "Come inside, children. Wash up for dinner." As they scamper past him inside, he looks around, stopping on you. His eyes seem to search into your soul. Then he turns, whipping his red cloak embroidered with a brilliant sun around as if to shield the children, and shuts the door to the tenement.

[Lin Bayaseda]

What the heck?! Was that a Paladin? And did he just Detect Evil us?

Spellcraft [roll0]

I hope Gabriel doesn't register on the Evildar. In fact, I hope I don't register on the Evildar. No, I can't. Mother always said I was a good boy, if a bit mischevious.

[esorscher]

Tiago
Yep. Neither of you registered as evil.

[amanamana]

"Maybe it's best to get the hell out of here..."

"Let's go check our part of the operation. It's not wise to just watch the probable enemy and forget about our side."


[OOC: I'll probably not post this thursday. I'll visit my mother out of town to celebrate her birthday. It will also be a holiday here, so I'll be away from the computer.]

[esorscher]

The city clock chimes half past four.

[Thanks for the heads up]

[Lin Bayaseda]

Good idea. Now that we know the enemy, let's see who's on our side.

[esorscher]

You head back to the docks, and start looking around for Don Miguel's ship. A middle-aged man, balding, with a wart on the side of his neck, comes over to you. "Ah, you're the Don's new aides. Come, let me show you the ship." His voice is soft and sibilant.

He brings you down the docks, to where the Don's ship is waiting, tied up. The three of you go onboard. He brings you down to the cargo hold, which is nearly full with boxes stamped with the Don's seal. "Furs, from Gaunche." Philip explains. "But the Don doesn't have a charter to trade furs from Gaunche. Silly bureaucrats. You can either license it, or outlaw it, but one way or another, the Don will get it."

He leads you back to the topside of the ship. "Well, the rest of the crew won't get here till midnight, so we've got about seven hours." The clock in the distance reads five minutes to 5. "What did you have in mind?"

[Lin Bayaseda]

Is the crew reliable? Anyone we can count on in case things get messy?

[esorscher]

"The crew will be busy unloading the ship. You are our only protection."

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago turns to Gabriel, Just us, I see. We could try to meet with the trio at the Kilted Gent and put some fear into them, or talk to the Paladin; I'm sure he'll be surprised at what his sons are doing in their spare time.

OOC
Since amanamana is away for a while, can we please not advance the game time until he's back?

Tiago also takes a look at the ship and the dock, especially looking for
- Lighting features - how well is the area expected to be lit at night
- Boxes, barrels, and other things to take cover behind
- Does the ship have a bridge or a turret, where several crossbowmen can be placed (or, in the likely event actual crossbowmen will be unavailable, a Silent Image of such :smallsmile:).

[esorscher]

OOC
That's fine. I'll just give you the results of your looking around.

There are Everburning Torches every 60', giving shadow illumination to the whole dock at night, and bright illumination nearer to them.
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac13/esorscher/dock.png


There are boxes and barrels.

The ship does have a turret, and a bridge, and crossbowmen could be placed along the ships topside as well.

[amanamana]

"Well, well..." - Gabriel looks around the area with Tiago. - "As we'll be the only defenders, we need to check all the ways into this place. We don't want to be taken by surprise."

He stops for a while and observes Tiago moving - "Say... do you happen to be of the sneaking type? We could always wait for them hidden, if you're not a very loud guy."

After that, he walks back to the ship and asks Philip - "So, Felipe, don't you, by any chance, hired some of the Anza boys to do the unloading job, did you?"

[esorscher]

Philip shakes his head. "I try to steer clear of the de Anza. That whole family is unpredictable. They get it from their mother, I suppose. With the father, it's all order and Pelor, but their mother..." he laughs, and his eyes gain a wistful quality as he walks down memory lane. "She's a wild one."

[Lin Bayaseda]

Gabriel, the man's trip down the memory lane can wait. Do we or do we not want to meet with the first three men at the Kilted Gent and put some fear into them, we need to decide now.

As for the Paladin's sons, I just realized something. If we go directly to the Papa and tell him what his sons are up to - but even if he does stop them, he'll realize unloading at midnight must be illegal, so if he's as lawful as all the Paladins I know, he'll report us to the authorities, and we'll be in even more trouble.

Tiago, sneaky? Not particularly, no. Generally agile, yes, but no specific training in stealth; and the chain shirt doesn't help. In other words, no ranks in Hide/MS, and Dex bonus is offset by armor penalty

[amanamana]

"Of course it's a bad idea, chico. We would be better to avoid the crazy dad at all costs. I asked Felipe just to be sure we were not making a stupid mistake."

Gabriel takes Tiago away from Philip.

"About the lot at the Kilted Gent, I don't think scaring them is a good idea. The way I see it, this would just give'em information about us. We go there and kill them or we don't go there at all."

"It's the Anzas that worry me." - He says, earnestly. - "If those boys come here and give us trouble, we will have to kick their asses, probably killing them. And then we will have the crazy old paladin and his followers at our throats. Maybe even bringing the church of Pelor directly against our Don. I'm sure they are not their biggest fans already."

"We have to keep those stupid Anzas away and, if we can't, at least keep them alive. Maybe we could ambush them before they get here. You could try that sleeping spell and I could try to beat them unconscious or knock them out with poison. Then we tie them up and hide them somewhere, until this is over. But we must remain incognito."

[esorscher]

[If you are going to kill the men at the Kilted Gent, decide quickly (i.e., next two posts (each). Talking is a free action, but not indefinitely. If you decide not to, continue planning your de Anza solution and don't worry about running out of time. :smile:]

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago sighed. Getting to the meeting just to kill those three... the prospect brought shivers down his spine. No, he'd much rather try out the Sleep spell.

Ok, let's look for a good place to ambush the de Anza's.

[amanamana]

"Ok, but we need to know where they are and where they will be. Let's check if those guys are still under daddy's wings and we go from there. Let's just be careful and avoid being seen by the paladin."

"Anything we need to check here before you go? Let's just take a last look before we leave."

Gabriel searches for a good hiding spot where he could rain arrows over anyone trying to get to the cargo. After that, he joins Tiago.

"Let me buy a blackjack or two, to avoid killing the bastards. Let's rush to a store."

[esorscher]

You are able to find a good hiding spot for later and saps at a reasonable price (SRD). You carefully stake out the de Anza tenement. Eventually, the door opens, and the three sons from earlier exit. They are heading in the direction of the Maiden's Folly. "Let's duck down this alleyway," one says. "I have a surprise." The brothers head suspiciously between two tall stone buildings and out of your sight.

Pick your position.

http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac13/esorscher/docks.png

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago is on the deck, sorting out his scrolls and trying to figure out which one to use.

[esorscher]

[The stakeout takes place after you have done that. "You" refers to both of you.]

[Lin Bayaseda]

[[ok, but pending on Gabriel having a better idea, Tiago would still like to be on the boat. Btw, where is the cargo unloaded to? Onto carts, into a local warehouse? ]]

[esorscher]

[Yeah. So you want Gabriel to take on the de Anza's alone? I thought you were going to ambush them now, before midnight.]

[Lin Bayaseda]

[[I'm sorry, I thought we lost them and had no better choice than go back to the boat and wait for them.]]

[esorscher]

[Nah, dinner took a while. You were able to track them, and they conveniently went down a shady alley.]

[Lin Bayaseda]

In that case, Tiago hides behind one of the 10' boxes, near the middle of the area, where there's at least some illumination (as much as he'd like to stay in the dark, being able to read the scroll takes priority).

If necessary, Hide [roll0]

[esorscher]

[Okay... time-wise, when do you want that action to occur? Because as I said, right now, if you are stalking the de Anzas with intent of incapacitating them before the night, they have just ducked down an alleyway and are not near the docks. That map is for the docks.]

[amanamana]

Gabriel will whisper to Tiago while they are setting this up. - "OK, [I]chico, here is the deal. You try your thing with the scroll, as soon as they walk by where I'll be hiding. I'll be waiting to take them from behind, if they don't fall to your spell. As soon as you cast this thing, you come running to aid me, even if they all fall. We need to take them out of the streets as fast as possible. Be careful not to kill them. I'll be hitting them with this saps. The most important thing is to avoid anyone from running away." - He looks at Tiago with a very serious expression - "Are we clear on that?"

Hide +6 (+7, -1ACP) [roll0]

[Lin Bayaseda]

Clear. Don't want anyone running back to tell on us to daddy-Paladin, Tiago agrees as he covers his face and gets the scroll ready.

Ready action to cast Sleep as soon as they walk by Gabriel's hiding place.

[esorscher]

"Let's duck down this alleyway," one says. "I have a surprise." The brothers head suspiciously between two tall stone buildings and out of your sight.

So you don't want to ambush them down this alleyway? Just making sure I'm clear on what you guys are doing. If I get this right, you have seen them gone down the alleyway, and are now hiding in the street, waiting for them to come out into the street, so you can attack them and move them out of the street.

[Lin Bayaseda]

I am completely lost. You posted a picture of something that looks like the dock (complete with a boat) and told us to pick our location. I assumed we lost them on the way and are ambushing them at the dock.

If that is not the case, let's look into the alley and see what gives. Hide as before, spot [roll0]

[amanamana]

{It's an alleyway, isn't it? Is it a blind one or a regular one?

If it's a blind one, we can position ourselves at the entrance, waiting for them to start walking out and getting into distance to cast the spell and charge, thus working the plan we had. If they're too busy and absorbed in whatever they are doing, we could sneak up to the aforementioned distance and do the same.

If it isn't a blind one, but a regular, we can check if they are crossing it or just sneaking there to get out on the same side. Either way, we'll position ourselves at the end they will use and work the same plan.}

[esorscher]

Sorry, that's my fault. I was responding to the request for a hiding spot and moving forward into the ambush. That map is for later, just for you to look at for now and think about where to put your characters. It is a blind alley.

Tiago and Gabriel stand at the entrance to the alleyway. The alley is dark, but you estimate it is 20' wide by 50' long (I don't think we'll need a map for this). Down at the end of the alley, you see a flash of a small flame, then a small red-orange glow. The smell of smoke wafts down toward you. The red glow moves a few inches to the right, glows, then moves a few inches to the left, and glows again. You hear coughing. The glow illuminates their faces--it is the three de Anza brothers.

[amanamana]

{LOL... I guess they are busy and absorbed.}

Gabriel whispers to Tiago - "Do you think we'll need the spell? We can probably take them without it. They seem... well... busy." - An ironic smile crosses his face. - "It's your call, as you know about the spell and your own fighting ability." - He looks at them again - "Either way, this is the best shot we'll have."

Independently of Tiago's answer, both will have to take positions for the attack.

{At least, due to their current activity, even if we fail to sneak, we'll probably still have the surprise round.}

Move Silently +6 (+7, -1 ACP) [roll0]

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago shakes his head at the suggestion of violence. Let's do this quietly. Hush little baby don't you cry, mother's gonna sing you a lullaby.
He hums as he casts the spell.
Sleep, range 110', 10' radius burst, affects a total of 4HD. Will save negates.

[esorscher]

(Well you don't fail to sneak, but people who are actively breaking the law are usually pretty paranoid.)

[roll0]

Unmodified Will Saves:
1: [roll1]
2: [roll2]
3: [roll3]


Only Juan makes his save. As soon as his brothers fall unconscious, he laughs. "This is some strong stuff," he says. Then he realizes what is going on. Dropping the lit cigarette, he draws his blade, and prepares to attack.

----ROUND 1----YOUR TURN----

[Lin Bayaseda]

It worked. Not perfectly, but worked. Heart pounding, remembering not to get into Gabriel's line of fire, Tiago advances into the alley and raises his javelin. Your brothers aren't dead, but you will be, if you don't surrender.

Move action: 30' forward (20' away from him), while drawing my javelin. Keeping to the side of the alley.
Standard action: ready a javelin throw, triggered Juan doing anything other than surrender. Attack [roll0], damage [roll1]

[Lin Bayaseda]

damage is [roll0], not 1d8+2

[amanamana]

{Well, he may have noticed Tiago casting the spell, but I was successfully hidden waiting to charge anyone left standing. So... you know, I still will act before him.}

Gabriel comes out from his hidden spot, one blackjack in it hand, and rushes to the man left standing.

Charge +7 [roll0]
Damage 1d6+3(Str)+2(Favored enemy: humans)+1d6(SA) [roll1] nonlethal damage.

Critical on a 27 Roll to confirm [roll2]
damage + [roll3] nonlethal damage.

If I fail to down him, Initiative:
Initiative +3 [roll4]

[Lin Bayaseda]

ignore this

[esorscher]

Not.

The blackjack sends Juan reeling, but he's not out for the count just yet. His eyes widen as he stumbles forward, but he recovers, swinging his blade at Gabriel. The javelin sails by, missing narrowly.

Longsword v. Gabriel: [roll0], [roll1]
----YOUR TURN----

[Lin Bayaseda]

Seeing his friend hurt made Tiago's heart beat even faster than it was before. Stupid thug, why doesn't he surrender. Doesn't he understand we don't want to kill him? Hoping not to slip on the blood, Tiago approached Juan, drawing his sword. No more Senor Nice Guy.


It it's possible to flank him without provoking AoO, I do so, otherwise I just charge. Either way I get +2 to attack, but with change I have -2 AC, and with flank I give Gabriel +2 as well

[roll0], damage [roll1]

[esorscher]

Since he's 50' away (approx.), you have to charge to reach him.

He dodges your attack, giggling.

[amanamana]

Gabriel bites his lower lip when the blade spills a lot of his blood.

Sidestepping, to try flanking with Tiago, he attacks the thug with both saps. -"You'll pay for that!"

Main attack +3 (if not flanking) [roll0] (+2, if flanking)
Damage: [roll1] (+ [roll2] , if flanking)

Critical on a 23 (25) To confirm [roll3]
Extra damage [roll4]

Off-hand attack +3 (if not flanking) [roll5] (+2, if flanking)
Damage: [roll6] (+ [roll7] , if flanking)

Critical on a 23 (25) To confirm [roll8]
Extra damage [roll9]

[esorscher]

Gabriel is successful, knocking the stubborn man unconscious. When he wakes up several hours from now, he'll have one colossal headache. His sword and clatters to the ground. You see the other two are similarly equipped--one with a heavy mace instead of a longsword.

Loot (if you so choose):
Longsword, Masterwork x2
Heavy Mace, Masterwork
Chain Shirt x3

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago steps back as Juan falls on the ground, beaten unconscious by Gabriel.

I'm afraid I wasn't much help once it came to blows. Here, let me at least help you out. Tiago fishes another scroll from his pack.

Cure Light Wounds for [roll0]

The spell will wear off in a minute, we have to quickly ... he pauses, checking his backpack, and his face pales. How could he be so stupid!? They were walking past stores the whole day, and he didn't bother to buy any. Do you have any rope, Gabriel?

[amanamana]

Gabriel checks the gash left on his flank by Juan's sword and sighs. - "Well, the sleeping spell may have worked just fine, but this healing one... not strong enough."

When Tiago says he has no ropes, Gabriel browses through his backpack and stops, with an angry expression. - "Goddamit! One hundred feet of silken rope... and I left it at home!" - He looks at the men on the floor - "Too bad for them..." - He closes his backpack and puts it aside. Wielding both blackjacks again, he proceeds to beat the crap out of the men on the floor, assuring they won't be up before dawn.

When the show is over, he turns to Tiago with a bland look on his face - "Do you want any weapons? I'll take at least one longsword." - He looks around - "We will have to dump them somewhere... let's search for a place."

OOC: If Tiago doesn't want any weapon, Gabriel will take both swords and suggest they sell the heavy mace.

About the damage Gabriel will inflict on the Anzas. They are all helpless and subjected to SA damage. With two attacks per round, it's enough to make them remain unconscious, instead of waking up. Gabriel will attack them 3 or 4 times each, dealing enough to keep them off for long hours.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Pardon me while I throw up here in the corner. Tiago averts his eyes from this blatant display of violence. Having gathered his bearing just a bit, he approaches Gabriel for another bout of healing.

fingers crossed [roll0]

Let's look for a crate or a dumpster.

OOC you can take the swords, let's sell everything else.

[esorscher]

You find a dumpster, and are able to hide the unconscious bodies well enough. They won't be waking up for a while. You are able to sell the rest of the loot to the kind merchant who sold you the scroll at a discount; he gives you half what the items are worth.

[sorry about the delay--is there anything you want to do before we get to the main battle at the docks?]

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago is ready to go.

[amanamana]

After dumping the Anzas, Gabriel turns to Tiago, while taking off the improvised mask - "So, just in case, are you still capable of performing healings? I don't intend on getting gutted by another sword, but we never know..."

Gabriel will check if any of the weapons have a sign or symbol engraved. If not, he will keep both longswords and then sell his own regular longsword. If the merchant is interested, he may offer to trade one of the masterwork longswords for a masterwork shortsword.

[Lin Bayaseda]

I have a few more scrolls left, if the need arises. Hopefully the men will hesitate seeing there's only three of them instead of six...

[esorscher]

The merchant accepts your offer, handing over a shortsword in exchange for the longsword. You head back to the docks, and take up positions. The docks close around 9, and three hours later two men come up to the boat, lead by Philip. They start loading crates onto dollies and transporting them down the docks to a warehouse. Everything is going just swimmingly. After the first load, they had back into the ship to load up the dollies again.

Three men start walking down the dock toward you. You spot them from a good distance away. Leading them is the youth you met earlier, who you told to meet you outside the Kilted Gent at 5. They are armed--the one on his left side has a greatsword, another has a flail, and the man you talked to earlier is holding a heavy cudgel.

----ROUND 1----YOUR TURN----
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac13/esorscher/docks2.png

[Lin Bayaseda]

Tiago, crouched behind the railing, reads a few words from a scroll. Suddenly, an array of crossbowmen stand up silently on the ship's turret, taking aim at the three men.

I make it look like they were crouching and stood up, not like they suddenly POOF-ed into existance. I can cover six 10-foot cubes (an area of 20'x30'), that's a lot of crossbowmen. I think 5 or 6 are enough.

He then stands up to take a good look at the intruders. Since there was enough light where I was to read the scroll, I assume there's also enough light for them to see me.

Lost your way, gentlemen? The taverns are that way.

His speech is a bit tense, due to the need to concentrate on the illusion.

[amanamana]

OOC:
OK. Two things:

1 - We are too far away from each other. We are only two and this is not strategic positioning. I wouldn't be that far from Tiago, specially because I'm not a tank. But, as the fight already started, I can roll with it, just to avoid taking more time. But this will be a lot harder that way.

2 - That's a simple but awesome battle map! Kudos to you. :)

Gabriel waits for the men's approach in his hidden spot. If they do not respond to Tiago's threat and keep coming, he will break from his position, bow in hand, and shoot at one of them.

Ready action: Attack with the longbow if the men disregard Tiago's threat and advance even one more square.

Surprise round:
Longbow +6 [roll0] vs flatfooted AC of the leader.
Damage: [roll1]

Critical on a (26)
Confirming: [roll2]
Extra damage: [roll3]

Initiative: [roll4]

[Lin Bayaseda]

OOC
If Gabriel would've told me he wants to start the battle close to each other, I would've helped him drag one of the boxes toward the ship. Can we please assume there's a box near the ship?

[esorscher]

OOC:
No, you may not. The time for positioning was days ago when I asked for it. Next time, make sure you are ready when I ask you if you are ready :wink: The enemy is still 50'+ away from you, you can move back.

The arrow is apparently deflected by an unseen force (Spellcraft 23 to identify). They continue moving forward, drawing their weapons menacingly. Tiago's threat goes unheeded--whatever motivates them, it is more frightening than the sight of the crossbowmen.

----ROUND 2----YOUR TURN----
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac13/esorscher/docks3.png

[Lin Bayaseda]

Spellcraft [roll0]
If fails, Bardic Knowledge to the rescue [roll1]

Initiative [roll2]

[esorscher]

No need to roll initiative.

Your bardic knowledge tells you nothing of the spell, as it applies to: "local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places." However, you remember many stories of mages who use magic to boost their defense.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Well, given it's our turn, I think it's smart for the two of us to converge just outside charge range.

Tiago moves forward until he's about 80' from the men, (if it takes more than one move action, the illusion disappears) and calls out to Gabriel to form a line. I know a good spell, but it has a fairly short range.

[amanamana]

Gabriel shouts, with an angry voice - "Get your ass back to that ship, Chico! You were in the best tactical position available. Don't screw that up!"

Gabriel runs back to the ship, covering all the distance needed to be at the other side of the small bridge linking the boat to the docks. He stands close to where Tiago was, leaving space for only one person to pass at a time between his new position and where his associate was.

Run action (x4). He will stop 2 squares below Tiago's old position in the Y axis.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Ok, ok, I'm back...

[esorscher]

The thugs continue moving forward.

----ROUND 3----YOUR TURN----
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac13/esorscher/docks4.png

[amanamana]

Gabriel shoots again, now aiming at the man with the greatsword. After shooting, he drops his longbow at his feet and draws his new longsword and the light hammer.

"Keep your weapons ready. If they come here, we have to block them on this little bridge. If they walk between us, we need to carve them like roasted turkey!"

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Critical on a 26
Confirming [roll2]
Extra damage: [roll3]

[Lin Bayaseda]

Since it seems from the pace of the three advancing enemies they won't arrive at the bridge immediately, Tiago finds time for ... some cheerful music. At the time when it'd be least expected, he pulls out his mandoline and plays a short, but invigorating tune.

Inspire Courage, +1 to allies' attack and damage for 5 rounds

[amanamana]

{So... just checking if the game is really over.}

[esorscher]

Yeah. Sorry. I suck. I got way too involved in way to much stuff, and I am going to have to put this on hold for approximately one month while I sort some things out.

I do want to pick this up, right where we left off, so don't lose your sheets.