Council of Thieves IC

[Mari01]

The sun rises on a warm spring day in the fallen capital of Westcrown, once the center of Chelaxian civilization, its golden façade now crumbling under lethargy and disrepair. Who dares stand against the Thrice Damned House of Thrune? Shadowbeasts stalk the streets at night preying on those seeking redemption for this once great empire. Will the light break through the darkness of these diabolic times? A revolution is brewing.

Each of you receive a letter from a message carrier who looks to be 10-12 years old. The boy is practically gone as the letter reaches your hand.

Asterion
There are friends among you who would like to see Westcrown free of the devils' grip. Come to Vizio's Tavern at sundown for dinner. - Janiven
Vorr
There are friends among you who would like to see Westcrown free of the devils' grip. Come to Vizio's Tavern at sundown for dinner. - Janiven
Zal Dret
You are not alone in your concerns for the people of Westcrown. Meet me at Vizio's Tavern in Rego Scripa this afternoon for dinner. -Janiven
Seraphina
Sorry I had to pull a disappearing act on you. The Hellknights were getting a little too close. Fear not, I haven't left you entirely. I'd like you to meet a friend of mine named Janiven. She's hosting a dinner at Vizio's Tavern. - A. S.
Bogart
Hey. I need you to do me a favor. I had to send this letter since we can't talk about it in person. Too suspicious. I owe a lady by the name of Janiven a debt, and I want you to go in my place. I can guarantee you won't forget. She's having a dinner at Vizio's Tavern.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Asterion asks around about the tavern in question, wondering who could be asking after him specifically.

[Togath]

Bogart heads to the tavern in question, as he was heading there anyway

[Mari01]

Diplomacy or Knowledge(local) check.

[Roguenewb]

Zal Dret

Zal has no quick answer to this problem. I wonder who sent this. I hope it's not someone even less powerful than I am at the moment. Zal thinks, with a depressed cast.

Zal finds one of the other tenets of the run-down tenement he's been forced too lately. "Excuse me, you there! Do you know this bar, this Vizio's Tavern? Or at least how I can get to the Rego Scripa?" Zal asks, imploringly.

[Togath]

[roll0] for diplomacy to find the tavern
can i also roll for knowledge local?

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Diplomacy check: [roll0]

[slugboy_73]

Vorr is excited! Finally something where he can really do something in this place! He looks around to see if he can locate Asterion, his only real friend in town. In the time that Asterion was showing Vorr around town, Vorr seemed to feel that Asterion felt the same way about cleaning this place up just like Vorr did.

When he finds him he quietly shows him the note, Look at this Asterion! It looks like someone wants to....OH! Did I hear you mention Vizio's Tavern?? Did you get a letter too!!

Vorr then helps gather information about the tavern

Diplomacy roll [roll0]

[Mari01]

DC 10
Vizio’s was a place where merchant guards went to relax, gripe about their employers, and look for more work. Several months ago, however, the Vizio patriarch passed away, and the surviving family moved out of Westcrown to go live with kin in distant Corentyn.

DC 15
The place has new owners reputed to be a half-elf man and a human woman—although they seem to be taking their time getting the tavern off the ground and open for business.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Vorr finds Asterion being spat on by a commoner woman he'd just about the tavern. He wipes off his face patiently as Vorr asks the lady and her attitude seems to take a complete reversal and she politely informs him about it.

"Blessings of Iomedae be upon you, Vorr. It is good to see you again. Yes, it appears we received the same letter."

[slugboy_73]

Vorr thanks the lady for her help and turns to Asterion, "Shall we go ahead and head that way, maybe check the place out before we go inside?

Vorr is clearly anxious and ready to get this meeting going, but he is doing is best to be patient. He does not want to fall into some kind of trap.

[Feather Sigil]

"Miss Cieluce?"

Celeste, as usual, was the first to awaken. A cursory look showed her the filth-skinned boy wasn't hiding anything and had no pockets. Unless he was the sort of thief who ate his spoils, they had nothing to worry about.

Lethargy gripped her aching limbs as she rose and rubbed her eyes. It was ever a curious sensation for her: her mind was fully active while her body struggled to catch up. Slowly her hand moved to just below her neck, fingertips brushing the familiar embossed picture on the metal disc.

"Who...who are you?"

The boy's response came in the form of a letter in his hand. "For you." He took off the very moment her hand touched it.

"Wait, stop!"

But the boy was already gone. She couldn't even hear his footsteps. Celeste stared at the letter, keeping herself relaxed; her body began to stir as another mind awoke within it, weakly grasping at cognizance. Her eyes shut and let herself be pushed out of her body, sliding back into a nothingness of sense without control. The body fell back, returning to the sleeping position the other mind expected now that it assumed control. Her breathing slowing down, Celeste stared into the darkness of sleep, murky and foggy with the after-images of whatever light she saw this morning.


~(CoT)~

Seraphina woke to the dull pain sleeping on a wooden floor tended to bring. Sitting up, she glanced about the dim and dusty room, not completely recognizing it. She almost--the thought was there--called for Antonio and Claudia, or her m--

"Good morning, Sera."

The feeling of her lips moving of their own accord, speaking in an uncharacteristic tone, was all the reality check Sera needed. That really happened; she was really here. What she expected to be was simply memories. Instead of a luxuriously designed white and pink bedroom, she now started her mornings in an attic made of cobwebs that smelled of rotting wood and bat droppings, and the only reason she was this attic's sole occupant was the good silver she'd paid the two strongest-looking men in the lower floors to sleep at the bottom of the stairs leading up here. It was repulsive, undignified, beneath her.

"A child visited you just now--"

Her hand shot to her pendant.

"We'd be chasing him if he robbed you. He merely delivered a letter."

Looking down, Sera saw the roll of parchment in her lap, tied with a simple string. She quickly unraveled it and read.

"A.S....Athena?" Her eyes raised at this. The last time she saw Athena, two weeks ago when she'd checked out a copy of Planar Boundaries and Decadimensional Theory, Hellknights arrived unexpectedly. Sera had assumed the worst, and guilty visions of Athena on a torture rack lingered in her thoughts. She didn't deserve to suffer for helping Sera with her treasonous project. But now...

"She's alive."

"Or the Hellknights are luring you into a trap."

"But it's her handwriting, I recognize it."

"Then she's alive and the Hellknights are luring you into a trap. She's never mentioned this Janiven before."

"Maybe it is a trap, but what else am I going to do, really? And don't say 'leave'!" The first two days after her father's execution, that had been a major point of contention for them. Celeste, putting their safety first, urged her to simply leave Cheliax any way she could and start over somewhere else. Sera couldn't bring herself to do that, for she had plenty of unfinished business in Westcrown.

"Let her come to you. She and Janiven clearly have ways of finding you. If they want to meet you so badly, make sure it's on your terms."

Seraphina shook her head. After everything that happened recently, the thought of seeing a familiar and friendly face was a dream come true. "Sorry, Celeste, but I won't be that paranoid. I need to know what happened to her, and what this is all about. The sooner, the better."

"You would say that. And if it's a trap?"

Sera shrugged as she got up and grabbed her backpack. "I'll make sure to take the seat closest to the door."


~(CoT)~

A little bit of asking around told Sera everything she wanted to know about Vizio's Tavern and then some, so she set off for Rego Scripa, the white hood of her cape as deep over her head as she could manage. Even in a ruined, near-hopeless city like Westcrown, the people had not abandoned all sense of decency--or maybe it was just her; people were usually entranced in her presence. The tavern sounded like the place where people of action met. People of action were usually called "adventurers" elsewhere, so the story went, but here they almost always ended up dottari or dead.

What concerned her and Celeste was that the tavern was slow to get its business off the ground. Westcrown was far from a city conducive to behaviour like that; small businesses, who rarely dealt with nobles, scrambled and competed fiercely to get what they could from the increasingly poor commoners. Celeste wanted to stake out the tavern once they got there, but Sera argued her to simply examining the area before going in. She wouldn't be able to help herself once she was there, if there was any chance Athena was still alive and not a tool of the Hellknights.

OOC
I'm assuming those Diplomacy/Knowledge Local checks were for everyone.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Vorr thanks the lady for her help and turns to Asterion, "Shall we go ahead and head that way, maybe check the place out before we go inside?

Vorr is clearly anxious and ready to get this meeting going, but he is doing is best to be patient. He does not want to fall into some kind of trap.

"If you feel we must. It's always a good idea to have tactics in mind should things go bad, and the environment of a battle is always the first thing to consider in tactics."

[Mari01]

As you approach the tavern, you'll easily be able to recognize the young lad who delivered you letter sweeping outside. Upon noticing you, he'll smile, wave you over, and open the door for you.

Glad to see you could make it! Jani's inside getting everything ready.

He'll lean in a little bit to whisper, Sorry about that shady stuff earlier. Can't be too careful.

[Roguenewb]

"Ah, it's no worry, son. Is Jani the one who sent me the letter?" Zal considers for a second, before stepping confidently inside.

[Mari01]

That's right! I don't know why she wanted you specifically though. I just do what she says.

[Togath]

"So...who are you, and how did you know where I was", says Bogart calmly as he draws his longsword and holds the messenger against the wall.
"if you don't start yapping I might have to teach you a lesson in the proper way to respond when a "kind" fellow asks you something, got it, lad?"

rolling [roll0] for an intimidate check if I need one.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

"Stand down!" Asterion barks, drawing his own sword.

[Mari01]

Hey woah woah easy mister! I don't know nothing I swear! Janiven was the one who told me who you were.

[slugboy_73]

Put the sword down sir, says Vorr, his hand on the hilt of his own sword. The boy was just a messenger. No need to threaten him like that.

[Togath]

"Aye, I suppose so, I'm just a bit nervous about my location becoming known"

[Mari01]

A knock on the door will grab all of your attention. A young woman with dark brown hair looks at all of you, stopping only to wag her finger and nod disapprovingly Bogart.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Asterion sheathes his sword.

"You must be Janiven."

[slugboy_73]

Vorr takes his hand off his sword and heads up into the taven. He bows before the lady, "Vorr Godson, at your service maam. May we come in?"

[Mari01]

Let me know if her speaking color is alright. I try to keep NPC's speaking all in one color.

The woman will open the door with one of her shoulders. You'll see that she's cleaning an ale mug.

There's no need to be so rough. Its hard enough keeping customers, let alone good help. And yea I'm Janiven. If you're here for the dinner feel free to stay, but we aren't ready just yet.

She glances over your shoulders and then asks, Did anyone else come with you?

[Togath]

"So how did you know where to find us, missus J?, I endeavor to keep my self..out of the way, if you get what I mean?"

[Mari01]

Everyone these days is trying to stay "out of the way" with all the changes in Westcrown. If you want a better answer than that, then I advise you to wait for dinner sir.

You can clearly get the feeling she is giving you the run around.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

"I understand."

[Togath]

"let me be straight with ya, miss, my clan aint exactly the most..heroic..of organizations, and I can't let this city's guards, or the hellknights, find out, so if there some loose ends trailin' threads, I gotta patch it up. Listen 'ere, though, I won't have to hurt anyone in this tavern, as long as you can assure me I'm not walking into an ambush of diabolic thugs or a group of those knight folks"

[Mari01]

You've got nothing to worry about here. Money is money, so while I can't turn away those who support Cheliax and the Hellknights, we can make their stay as unpleasant as possible.

[Togath]

"ah, someone trustworthy, so, what did you wish to contact me, and these fellows about, miss Jan?"

[Feather Sigil]

She wouldn't be able to help herself once she was there, if there was any chance Athena was still alive and not a tool of the Hellknights.

That didn't stop Sera from joining a parade of Shelyn followers heading through the Parego Spera.

Was that really necessary?

Who cares? It was fun!

"It's a dinner. Obviously it will be held later in the day; I had the time."

Most Wistcrani tended to keep to their own affairs, and with good reason. This wasn't a city in which one wanted to get involved with things, when there was a chance one would end up stabbed in an alley by a robber or devoured in one's sleep by a shadow beast. Most simply wanted to get by, day after day: lips pursed, gaze straight ahead, head held high but with resignation.

Nobles, however, never cared about any of that. When you had more money than you ever had any intention of spending, most of life's worries seemed like meaningless nuisances. Why not leap to the middle of a crowd of dancers? Who would oppose you, and why? You didn't have to scrape and struggle to make ends meet, and your bodyguards would take care of any potential attackers. Though Sera now had only a few platinum and gold pieces to her name, and no bodyguards to speak of, she found that old disregard hadn't yet left her--she joined the parade without a second thought.

And it was a wonderful time. The numerous stampeding drums and the excited steps of the dancers brought a sweeping, chaotic beat to which flutes trilled rapid streams of jubilant notes. She was right there in the heart of it, her black hair, blue robes and white cape flying with her movements as her theatre mask (http://www.charmingitaly.com/wp-content/uploads/carnevale-venezia4.jpg) shone brilliantly in the sun.

The bulk of the parade eventually moved in Rego Pena's direction so Sera stayed closer to its rear, dancing with those who could not keep up the whole way. As the music faded into the distance, she even found herself performing a brief monologue before finally returning to her original journey, a single silver piece she hadn't even asked for in hand.

Soon enough, she found herself before the door to the tavern, looking around. The area was normal enough, for Westcrown: squalor and dilapidation abounded. The tavern was far from flawless, but it was still nicer than the building she currently stayed in.

Be ready to leave at the first sign of--

"Thank you, Celeste. I remember.

Her mask still on and her hood up, Seraphina entered the tavern.

"unpleasant as possible."

"ah, someone trustworthy, so, what did you wish to contact me, and these fellows about, miss Jan?"

"I wish to know the same."

Stepping forward, Seraphina drew herself up to her full height as she looked around. Six others were scattered about the room, none of them familiar--none of them Athena. One, a small boy, looked rather familiar.

That's the messenger from earlier.

But where is Athena?

"Sirs, madam, good day. You are Janiven, I presume? I was not aware that there would be other patrons at this dinner. What is the nature of this event?"

OOC

Seeing as dinners are usually held in the afternoon, here's what Sera was up to from dawn to her arrival at Vizio's Tavern. She spent the morning with a parade and earned a single silver piece for her monologue.

Seraphina

Desdemona

Celeste

[Mari01]

My my you all seem to have questions. This is simply a dinner among friends. In dire times like these, its good to people that think similarly and can be depended on.

Janiven will turn and whistle while nodding her head at the door.

Alright everyone! The group that reserved the tavern for their friend's birthday is here. You'll have to clear out now, but we'll be open again same time tomorrow!!

Pointing at Asterion, she exclaims, Thanks for celebrating at Vizio's!

As the patrons file out, Asterion will be showered with "Happy Birthdays". And elderly man will approach and hand you a mug. No one ever dies wishing they worked more often. He smiles and shuffles through the doorway.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

My my you all seem to have questions. This is simply a dinner among friends. In dire times like these, its good to people that think similarly and can be depended on.

Janiven will turn and whistle while nodding her head at the door.

Alright everyone! The group that reserved the tavern for their friend's birthday is here. You'll have to clear out now, but we'll be open again same time tomorrow!!

Pointing at Asterion, she exclaims, Thanks for celebrating at Vizio's!

As the patrons file out, Asterion will be showered with "Happy Birthdays". And elderly man will approach and hand you a mug. No one ever dies wishing they worked more often. He smiles and shuffles through the doorway.

Asterion blinks in surprise.

"Did they not see my horns? That tends to be the first thing people notice."

[Togath]

"Now that this place has cleared out, what did you contact us 'ere for?"
"From all of these measures, I take it, it aint exactly the sorta thing you would want anyone beyon' us to find out?"
"With that, might I ask who you people are?, I don't believe I've encountered anyone of you before that incident at the entrance earlier"
"My name's Gartob"

[Mari01]

Like I said, we won't take kindly to traditional Cheliaxians. And I can finally answer your questions of "why are you here". And that is quite simply to eat a dinner among friends. Each of us has been wronged in some way by the government. In times like these, its good to be able to know who you can call an ally.

Janiven moves to lock the door behind you all, glancing outside the windows down the street. If you watch, you'll see her give a nod to the message boy who also departs. She motions to a table that has been prepped with a table cloth, glasses and tableware.

[Feather Sigil]

Beneath her mask, Seraphina and her two disembodied friends raised an eyebrow at once. An awkward near-silence loomed within the crowded tavern hall, somehow becoming even more palpable as people left the building. Even over the hushed murmurs of the departing populace she could still very faintly hear the beautiful music of the parade.

Sera looked at the bronze horned man whose birthday it apparently was, immediately noting by his garb that he was a priest of Iomedeae.

Boy, what in the Hells are you wearing?!

He had to be a tiefling, which made him a notable oddity: she had never seen a tiefling in any prominent social position before. Most of them were just riffraff at best, occasionally--but rarely--clerks at stores. Many more were criminals, having no choice but to be. Among the nobility, tieflings were always a subject of great scandal and great gossip; children were thrown out onto the street with their mothers at birth if they were found bearing even the most minute signs of infernal blood.

"Well, a parade to Shelyn passed near here earlier...or maybe they're all just a little drunk." She chuckled somewhat nervously.

At last, the tavern was emptied and their patron locked the door, directing them to a prepared table. Sera immediately felt herself tense up--it was mostly Celeste.

It will be h--

Harder to escape, I know. Please calm down.

Taking a deep breath, for her own sake and Celeste's, she made her way to the chair nearest the door, cringing at the sight of it. The wood had a sickly off-colour look beneath its peeling brown paint. She brushed off the seat with her sleeve before sitting down, concealing her family's signet ring beneath her sleeve.

Don't use your full name!

"Mr. Gartob? A pleasure to meet each of you, I'm sure. I am Lady Seraphina. You needn't use the title if you wish not to; Sera will do. Miss Janiven, literally every person in Cheliax has been wronged by the government; that makes this gathering no different from the more lively one you had a minute ago. From what Mr. Gartob inquired as I arrived, it seems you have business with the five of us, specifically. What do we have in common, other than we can mark House Thrune and their lackeys as our enemies?"

[slugboy_73]

Vorr takes a seat at the table and await's Janiven's answer to Seraphina's question.

When he has a chance he introduces himself to them, "Vorr Godson, Crusader of Iomedae."

[Togath]

"A pleasure to meet you Vorr, and Sera."

(to Asterion)
"So, how did you end up in this position?" "I haven't seen many knights of our kind before"

[Mari01]

Janiven glances outside once more before standing and clearing her throat.


“Again, thank you for agreeing to meet with me here. I have chosen each of you for a singular reason—everyone here, myself included, has suffered, whether we realize it or not. I have lived in Westcrown my whole life, and although I love this city, I must admit, as must you, that despite our peace and prosperity, we continue to suffer. Fear should not be an expected part of life, and yet each night brings fear to our doorsteps.

Yes, Westcrown has been safe from war and famine for nearly seventy years, and yes, our businesses has prospered—but this safety and prosperity has been bought in the coinage of fear and prayers to Hell. Other lands live free from tyranny. Other cities do not fear the night. Other governments do not cede the streets to monsters of the infernal shadows. Westcrown was once such a place, and she wants to be such a place again. Westcrown is not only her buildings and canals and docks and history—she is also her people. Westcrown is our friends and neighbors, our mothers and fathers, our siblings and cousins, our sons and daughters!

With but a small group of supporters and dedicated brothers and sisters, we can earn the trust and admiration of those people. A Westcrown free of these shadowy beasts that stalk our streets is one step closer to a Westcrown free of the devil that is the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune!

[slugboy_73]

Vorr raises his glass and says, "Here, Here!!" He has to keep himself from shouting is as not to raise to much commotion that may attract attention from outside.