Shackled City Core+1

[Grimtina]

(All relevant maps will be here (http://www.krath.org/arania/Shackled%20City/) for easy reference, later ones will be linked separetely too)

Part 1 - Life's Bazaar

It is widely known that Cauldron has had a lot of problems with kidnappings. People from all standings and every age are being abducted and are never seen again. That's the reason you are out there just after nightfall on this rainy autumn day. Jenya Urikas, a cleric of St. Cuthbert, has hired several capable folks to help with patrol on the streets, as the guards aren't numerous enough to be everywhere.

Steady drizzle falls from the ash-grey sky. The crowded, rain slicked buildings seem especially bleak and frightful this evening, hunched together beneath the tireless rain. A few lights burn in their eyes, but mostly their shutters have been closed for the night. The scent of chimney smoke fills the air, and you hear the din of water trundling from the rooftops, splashing into dark alleys, and turning street gutters into rivulets. Moving out of Lantern Street and turning left into Ash Avenue, you greet another party of guard assistants, who are heading on north.

With you is a junior member of the guard, just so you have some sort of official credibility. In your case, it is the most unliely candidate ever. A large yellowish kobold gal by the name of Jazzifa, wearing a special tailored guard outfit and a long spear, is accompanying you. She doesn't talk much, but from what you have been told, she came to be in the guard after rescuing 3 of its members on patrol outside city borders. Unlike most others, she doesn't seem to be botthered by the weather at all.

[DracoDei]

Francis Sheep-Neck walks along stoically, "So... anyone figured out if they are just going after the most tactically vulnerable persons, without regard for the unfortunate truth that nabbing a man who is wealthy provokes more of a response than taking a beggar? And was there blood at the sites of the vanishings? I'm a bit behind on the fine details."

[Grimtina]

Jazzifa hisses. "From what's me cans tell," she starts in her broken common which is slowly improving, "it's be most peoples not missed when gone. Beggars yes, but's mostlies peoples taken froms their homes at night. And now thems stole 4 younglings... childrens... froms the home for those without family. And now peoples all upset. We needs to catch thems qucklish."

[Regissoma]

Miles looks around while two people in his patrol converse on the matter they are trying to prevent. He says nothing due to his anger however. He is far too angry to try and make unneccessary pleasantries due to these kidnappings and missing reports. For goodness sake 4 missing children and all the other homeless, how many good people who were already experiencing the misfortunate fate they were given to have to go through this. No, this seemed evil, an evil ways higher than any evil he could tolerate and evil enough to make Miles do nearly anything to rid from this world.

[DracoDei]

"Ah, 'ones that they think won't be missed'. It seems they are going to be proven wrong in that assumption. Remind me to go find a tree if we find the kids alive... and maybe KEEP me from finding one if we find them in too poor of condition to be climbing trees. Fair trials usually make a good deterrent after all."

[Grimtina]

The kobold nods. "Some peoples need to be made deads so other peoples can live in peace," she declares a, to her, simple fact.

You turn left into Low Scroll Street, slowing in pace while walking uphill. A dog, belonging to one of the inns, sniffs in your direction and wags her tail. You are as well known as the guards to most of the guard animals by now.

You've almost reached Lava Avenue when a sudden, plaintive cry for help splits the evening air. It seems to come from somewhere behind you.

[Regissoma]

Miles turns as he hears the scream. Fist at the ready.

Where did that come from!?

[DracoDei]

Francis bolts towards the cry. Normally such behavior might get a demerit for leaving his fellows behind (if the rest of the squad doesn't/can't keep up), but in his case, this is actually at least an accepted, if perhaps not entirely approved tactic since he is very able to weather simple ambushes until help arrives, and he is the one best able to buy time for a victim until others arrive.

I suppose I COULD accelerate the more heavily armored sorts (if any) instead, but this is the more interesting option.

Basically I'm trying to throw whatever defense I can on the victim if any. AC boost, Shield Other, or maybe just Will-save boost to rally spirits if that is all I can do. Shoot, even a Fort save boost might allow a victim held hostage to have a ghost of a chance of surviving a coup de grace with a dagger.

Who should be in charge of my character when I can't post?

[Grimtina]

You follow the noises to the mouth of a mist-shrouded alley, wherein you see three figures assaulting a fourth, who lies face down on the wet cobblestones. One of the attackers lifts the victim by the hood of his cloak and thrusts him against a wall as another growls "Stay away from the orphanage, you got that ?"

[Regissoma]

Miles steps up into the alley to get a closer look at the group of 4.

We are a group of dispatched patrolling guardsmen. What seems to be the problem here?

[Grimtina]

Their heads all turn and they stare at you, but who they are is hard torecognize, but they are all male. Their faces are painted to resemble black and white harlequin face. "Stay way, this nun of yer buzness," one of them mumbles.

[DracoDei]

((Posting from GenCon, may or may not be repeated))

Francis approaches a little, spear held loosely, in a non-threatening way. He makes some gestures, repeating them periodically.
Getting within 30' of the guy being beat up. Using Gift of Shielding (I take half his damage for him, up to a maximum of 30/2=15) as a standard action on the beat-up guy, and also maximum strength Gift or Resistance as a swift actionto boost... Eh, let's go with Will Saves for the moment. Everyone within 10' of me (except myself) gets +3, everyone further out gets +1 out to 30'. But my own base save bonuses are reduced to 0.

I'm going to repeat the castings every round until further notice. If they seem to be trying to hold him hostage or be otherwise working up the nerve to kill him, I'm going to keep Gift of Shielding but swap the save bonus to Fortitude saves.

[Grimtina]

Two of the thugs continue to hit on the stranger on the ground, the third one growls, trying to threaten your patrol, but once the two others realize their victim suddenly seems to not mind their attacks, they decide their job here is done. Slowly, all 3 of them back away. Their victim, a young man in the robes of a cleric of St. Cuthbert, scrambles to get up and limps towards you.

[Regissoma]

Miles looks at the group that is leaving making a mental note of whatever he could remember about their features and voices. Then he looks at the man limping towards his group thinking in his head. Were does men evildoers, or did this man in front of me do something to deserve this? Regardless Miles will slowly approach the man seeing if he needs help before turning towards the others.

Do you guys have any idea who that group of men were?

[Grimtina]

"Well done - but the cleric lives because we wish it is so, not because of your misplaced bravado." The female voice comes from somewhere above. Looking up,you can now see a thin figure looking down one of the lower roofs, her face also a mask of black and white. Then she points a finger directly at the young priest. "Take these words back to your temple, priest. The children are lost and no longer St. Cuthbert's concern."

[DracoDei]

Francis gives his reply without words allowing some cords and three lead weights to do the talking for him. He then casts again.
Move Action (and perhaps a 5' step): Move action to draw a set of bolas (one weapon) if necessary. If not, I'll use it to draw closer to my target if possible. Within the previous constraints I'll get as close to the cleric who was being mugged.

Standard action: Trip attempt on nearest harliquin-faced person (could be one of the ones fleeing, could be the one on the roof).
Touch To-Hit [roll0] (-2 for each 10' past the first... I think I recently made a feat that makes this sort of thing likely to be more than a token effort, but this character certainly isn't taking it.)
Strength Check [roll1]

Swift Action: Gift of Protection = Give away my +3 Deflection bonus to the cleric for 1 round assuming he is within 10' of me. If not, I'll do the will-save boosting thing again.

[Grimtina]

The slowest of the thugs, too busy with trying not to bump into the retreating others, suddenly feels his legs caught in something. With a panicked cry, he crashes to the ground, batting at his legs as if he expects spomething alive to be there.

The figure on the roof quickly and silently vanishes, after a hearty course. The remaining two thugs on the ground hesitate, not sure in the dark as to what had happened to their friend.

[DracoDei]

"Get him! He may know something!"

To the cleric himself he says "Do you need me to heal you, or can you take care of that yourself? I'm slower than molasses in January compared to a cleric, but better than nothing if you are out, have plans for your casting, or aren't initiated. Or do we need to get to that orphanage fast now that I've demonstrated we don't think much of their threats?"

[Grimtina]

"I.. can take care of myself, thank you," the cleric responds. "I just came from the orphanage where the children disappeared, and they seem to not want my order to investigate."

[DracoDei]

"Right, secure this guy first, then orphanage maybe."

Francis moves towards the tripped man quickly, ready to cause a painful but likely not fatal injury to him if he tries to get past his spear to his compatriots.

[Regissoma]

Miles follows ready to strike at any moment.

I agree. I say we secure this man and bring him to the other guards before going to the orphange though.

[Grimtina]

The downed thug makes one more attempt at getting away, but he is still tangled up and fails to get out of it.

The kobold, meanwhile, has scrambled up onto the roof to catch the mystery woman, but now she comes back down shaking her head ruefully. "Quick as cat, that one," she says.

[DracoDei]

Francis continues to help with the capture process as best he can.

[Grimtina]

Within a few seconds, the captured man stops struggling, instead throwing glares at everyone. Somehow, he seems familiar but with all that paint on his face it is hard to tell.

[Regissoma]

Miles looks at the man try to struggle before giving in. Thinking to himself, he questions why this man seems familiar, but that was for another time. What matters the most was those who got away.

[Grimtina]

"Wash this one, you thinks?" Jazzifa asks. "Hiding face so one can see it not working anymore when we caught you."

[DracoDei]

"Well, I've got some soap with me, as always. Don't know how far my waterskin will give me, but if you think it is that important I one of us could have a go at it, if some others hold him still so he can't try anything stupid. Its kinda hard to interrogate someone after you've knocked out their teeth for having a go at your fingers with them. They'd lisp most awfully. Oh, and we'd have to decide how careful we'd want to be about the eyes. Strong lye soap like this can do really nasty things to eyes if allowed to linger. The tears flow, but they wouldn't be nearly enough if a viscous bit of the mixture gets through the lids... so maybe we should scrub extra hard about the eyes when we get their if he hasn't helped us out by then. Your choices of course, I look forward with equal joy to the idea of progress in this case, or to the chance to test out some of my more shaky skills as a healer on someone who I'd feel no guilt if I have myself a bit of a... learning experience with."

Taking 10 on Aid Another for Intimidate, as allowed by my class feature "Helpful".

[Grimtina]

"Yes, soapy soap can do baaad things." The kobold purposefully overdoes her accent as she takes soap and water, making to clean the man's face off.

"Stop, stop," he shouts. "I can wash myself later. Please, I just needed the money!"

Jazzifa looks at Francis with what could pass as a ondering expression. "He says he like be dirty. Do think we can leave paint on if he tells things?"

[Pawbarian]

A large, lightly armored bugbear limps around the corner just then, slightly out of breath. He carries an unconscious man over his shoulder, his load showing a black and white painted face. "Missing a thug or two?" he asks in an amused voice. "Heard the calls for help, but was too late to get here. Not too late to have one of them run into a spell of mine. The other is in the next alley, he surrendered when I got his friend, but I was out of rope so now had to carry this one."

The bugbear's leg seems to have been hurt slightly, making it seem like victory wasn't quite as easy.

Stone of First spell

[Alihandros]

"It seems the woman slipped away from me as well, I had been tracking her for a moment, had laid a trap for her, but the kobold startled her into going the opposite way. But it seems you may need some help."

[Pawbarian]

"A woman? Over the roof maybe? That's who shot at me." The bugbear lies down the captive and shows a crossbow bolt still stuck in his leg. "I would not have noticed her if not for her attack."

[Alihandros]

"Ah, so it was you she was shooting at, I was figuring she would try to take out her co-conspirators when she found that you folks had the upper hand with them and quite possibly captured a couple of them."

With that Callidus will try to see what he can know about them based on their painted faces, or what they were trying to do, and why they would assault a priest in the open like that.


Knowledge Local:[roll0]
Knowledge History:[roll1]
Gather Information:[roll2]
Cunning Insight used on all 3.

[DracoDei]

"Well, we could always use another hand my good bugbear. We have an orphanage to check on if that gives you some idea. Regardless, let me see about that injury. I'm a trained physician and have some divine abilities as well."

Francis moves to remove the bolt and treat the injury unless the bugbear objects.

Heal check to remove bolt with as little pain or additional injury as possible [roll0]
Expending Touch of the Grace-Gift until he tells me to stop or he is at full HP. Each hitpoint is a full-round action.

[Regissoma]

Miles looks around at the new figures show up.

Well we will get done what needs to be done. If this man will answer our questions then I see no need to do anything else with him outside of handing him to the right people. Though a man who doesn't like washing.

Miles shakes his head with a slightly disgusted look.

[Pawbarian]

"Thanks," the bugbear nods. "I'm Taran, and just happened by on my way to my inn. I was on alert already because of all the disappearances, but it doesn't look like those here wanted to abduct the priest."

[Grimtina]

"Still wants to see whats under this," the kobold growls, and throws the reminder of her water bottle contents into the face of the caught thug. With a few swift moves of an old rug she probably uses to clean boots normally, she cleans off most of the paint. "Hey," she exclaims. "I know this here one, he be member of morning shift city guard!"

"Don't stare at me," he hisses. "I needeed the money."

Taran, now fully healed, can walk normal again. Callidus recognized the harlequin face paint as that of The Last Laugh, a local thieve's guild, although the execution of the make up is done very sloppily.

[Pawbarian]

"Needed the money? Needed the money!" Taran stares at the guard-turned-thug with an expression of disbelief, then he leans to the wall of a house and starts laughing. "You got a good secure job, are of a species which gets easily employed without having to deal with racial tensions most of the time and you botch it all because you did, what, gamble your pay away?"

[Alihandros]

"Now does the thieves guild know you are trying to frame them for assaulting a priest of St. Cuthbert? Or are you working for them? And who was that lady that shot at the Bugbear here?"

[DracoDei]

"What he said." says Francis, hooking a thumb at Callidus, and taking a few moments to look around in case the roof-runner decides to come back.

[Grimtina]

"N..no idea who she was," the man stutters, as the whole impact on what they have done dawns on him. "She just paid us 10 gold to waylay the priest. Said we should put on this mask and beat him up a little, just os he would not go back to the orphanage. I don't know why, I just really needed the money!"

[Alihandros]

"Hmmm, ok then if you would answer honestly if you know the answer to these following questions. First why would you assault a priest in the city you are a guard for? Just for money I don't believe it you would risk your well being and your job over a small payday like this? Second, where were you going to meet the lady that assaulted our friend here afterwards or was the payments made in good faith and she was just going to take you all out afterwards? Final question, who were your other co-conspirators in this scheme, other fellow guards or just some hooligans off the street?"


To try and get him to talk, or talk easily, and most defiantly honestly
Diplomacy:[roll0]
Intimidate:[roll1]
Sense Motive:[roll2]
Surge used on all 3

[Pawbarian]

Taran cleans the face off of his other captive, to see if the kobold knows that one, too.

[Pawbarian]

I think you posted this in the wrong forum

[Grimtina]

"Yeah," the kobold nods. "This one be from guard, too, same division." She squints. "Did you all do something get you in debt together?"

The bound guard-turned-criminal sighs. "I don't know her name but she bought us out from our gambling debts, yes. We could have never paid it back and would likely have been asked to do a lot worse things by those we owned. Just one little job, was what she said, just make this guy there," and he points to the priest, " not go back to the temple again and have his people leave it alone for a while. I have no idea why, really. I didn't ask. Thought it must be something personal."

"Personal?" the young priest gasps. "I don't think so!"

[Alihandros]

"Does this favor have anything to do with the kidnappings that have been occurring as of late?"


Trying to get them friendly
Diplomacy:[roll0]

[DracoDei]

"If they wanted a clear shot at the orphanage* then they have lost their chance unless they go NOW. As such I suggest we send one or two to alert others while the rest of us proceed to the orphanage immediately." says Francis.
You did mean the orphanage they didn't want the priest going back to, right?

[Pawbarian]

"The priest just came from there, if they wanted to do something now, they could have done without intimidating him," the bugbear says. "I suppose they are planning for the future."

[DracoDei]

"Well, if we are sure that we haven't just changed their plans... what do you think?" says Francis, directing the last part to the priest.

[Grimtina]

"I think maybe they have some smuggling operation of sorts, and the kidnappings got them worried," the priest speculates. "Or maybe they stash their loot there somewhere. Who knows? But if they wanted to be unsuspicious tonight, it seems to indeed make sense not to bother me on my way home at all."

[Alihandros]

"Maybe it would be best if we went and checked out the orphanage tonight, if that is ok with your/our squad leader."

[Pawbarian]

"Sounds good to me, but we should probably first get this young man home and ask his temple if they have any clue," the bugbear says, pointing to the priest.

[DracoDei]

"I agree that they weren't trying to make trouble at the orphanage tonight... at least not until we interrupted them, and thus maybe moved up their timing. If the rest of you really think we should go to the temple first, I'll go along with you. I can hold off a few guys, but even if the orphanage only has one door and I am standing inside it, they could simply have half their number make their own entrance on the other side... or burn the place down if it would suit their objectives."