IC: The Awakening, Nara Earth Campaign 4e

[firstclassmail]

Gorn's eyes glaze over as the rat on his head digs it's tail into his ear. He goes stiff.

Gorn is now dominated, he failed a saving throw.

[Kylie]

Kylie wants the rat thing to be dead. She shoots the deadly blast from her hands.



hit vs reflex
[roll0]
eldritch blast
[roll1]
warlocks curse
[roll2]

[musicnerd1023]

DIE RATS DIE!!!


Standard Action: Melee Basic Attack

Attack:[roll0] vs AC of rats on B10
Damage:[roll1]

If they die I will move to B9, if not I'm staying where I am.

[Sanguin]

Hawthorn, seeing Vorg laying on his back smiling up at the wererat with a strange twinkle in his eye, tells him to "Stand up ya lazy fart".

He then takes aim at the rat king once more, shooting shards of ice from his bow..

Attack 1
[roll]1d20+11[/roll
[roll0]

Attack 1
[roll]1d20+11[/roll
[roll1]

Quarry damage, applies if either arrow hits
[roll]1d6[/roll

also if either of my attacks hit.. the +1 to all of my defenses is extend to the end of my next turn vs the rat king.
AC = 22, Fort = 17, Ref = 21, Will = 18


if I can stop someone from dieing I will use my disrupting strike shot. :)

[Grizama]

Xevar, stands up shifting over one square.. using his super paladin skills he encourages Gorn to pull the rat tail from his ear.. he then haunches his shoulders and breaks wind.. using his second wind..

Move action:
stand up, since the square is occupied he can shift one square

Standard Action:
uses second wind.
+2 to all defense
+15 HP

Minor action
he then uses Divine mettle on gorn
This allows gorn to make a saving throw with a +2 bonus immediately.. does not count as the one at the end of his turn.

[Andorien]

One invisible gnome rushes forward to and thrusts an immense blast of power at this monstrosity, in attempt to ruin this foul beast's defenses.

Move action: L9 -> J9
Standard action: Mind Thrust (Augment 2) (0 of 4 PP remaining)
Target: Rat King
Attack: [roll0] vs Will
Damage: [roll1]
Effect: Target takes a penalty to all defenses equal to my Cha modifier (+3) until the end of my next turn.

The other invisible gnome runs forward and strikes a dissonant chord on her lute, which prompts Xevar to take an easy swing. She finishes with a flourish directed at Xevar to further bolster his stamina.

Move action: M9 -> I9
Standard Action: Blunder (Encounter power)
Target: Rat King
Attack: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]
Effect: Slide the target 2 squares west. During the slide, Xevar can make a basic attack against the target as a free action with a +2 power bonus to the attack roll.

Minor Action: Majestic Word (0 of 2 uses remaining)
Target: Xevar
Effect: Xevar can spend a healing surge and regain addition hit points equal to my Cha modifier (+4). (DM please do this in the tracker) I also slide him 1 square, so I'm moving him to H9.




Xevar's Attack: [roll4] vs AC
Xevar's Damage: [roll5]

[Andorien]

Lili thrusts so hard it turns the Rat King into a Rat Queen. She takes the time to gloat and intimidate the remaining wereratsYou are the king of slime and filth! All shall marvel at my power!

Crit damage: [roll0]
Intimidate the wererats cause why the hell not: [roll1]

[firstclassmail]

Kylie hits the rat king with an eldrich blast, arcane mysteries wrapping themselves around the mass.

Kylie hits for 15

Cornua brings down his axe on the rat swarm in front of him, killing off some of the vermin.

Cornua hit for 18 damage.

Hawthorn unleashes two arrows, one missing his quarry, but the other landing inside the rat king swarm.

Hawthorn hits for 17

Xevar reaches out and plucks the rat off Gorn's head, and Gorn feels his limbs return under his control. However, the rat crawling around Xevar firmly grasps his head and weasles his tail into his ear. Xevar's body goes limp.

Xevar, you are now dominated. (sorry)

Lili, angered at the harm done to her companions takes a balanced stance. Her orb begins to float in front of her figure as she concentrates all her willpower against the rat king. A wind gusts around her before swiftly flying towards the rat king. As if some great force hit the mass of rats and wererats, the figures fly up out of everyone's vision, screaming and squealing. A giant thud can be heard somewhere above you, and the squealing stops. Then all about the party, dead rats and wererats begin raining from above, into the waters below, and are swept away.

Lili kills the rat king! The exact damage needed!

The remaining rat swarms flee into the water, like a furry wave. The last wererat, still fighting Vorrg, lets out a scream of anguish. He charges towards Vorrg. They struggle for a bit, blades flashing, before the wererat grabs Vorrg and pulls him off the ledge. You see Vorrg struggle a couple seconds, the wererat latched onto his back, before letting out a gurgled scream and being swept away into the pipes.

Vorrg has left the party.

All that can be heard is the heavy breathing of the adventurers, exhausted from the fight.

[Sanguin]

Shock spreading across his face Hawthorn watches helplessly as Vorg the friendly shifter is washed from view.. a small voice whispers in the back of his mind, "Being a shifter must be tough.. two dead in a matter of minutes."

"Poor Vorg, I wonder if he ever forgave me for shooting him in the back?" Hawthorn says as he starts the chore of searching the remaining wererats and rat king for loots.. "You know, Vorg could have at least left us all his toys and treats..".



Perception Check for search
[roll0]

Knowledge nature check on the rat king to see if i can figure out where it might have stashed all its loots
[roll1]

Dungeoneering check to see if i can tell where the rat king came from
[roll2]

[Andorien]

Lili is eager to leave this filth ridden sewer, and joins Hawthorn in his search with Ella in tow.

Vorrg seems hardy, but I'm not. We should get out of here. Quickly.

Perception: [roll0]

[musicnerd1023]

Cornua sees Vorrg get dragged under and does the only thing that a good leader could at that point. . .

He dives right in after him!!! I'm coming man-dog-man!

Jump Check:[roll0] (Athletics)
Swim Check:[roll1](Athletics)

[firstclassmail]

The group watches in horror as Cornua, true to his fellow party member, jumps in to save Vorrg. With a mighty breath, Cornua dives under the water, and you can see his figure being pulled to the same pipe that Vorrg was sucked into. Cornua does not appear to be able to have control over where he is going, and the tumultuous current carries him away.

Gorn watches in horror and screams a warning, "Fools! Do not jump in the water, the current is far too strong!"

As you dive in the water you feel an immense pull towards a pipe at the southern end of the room. You struggle to keep your head above the water, arms paddling feebly against the strong current. Completely immersed, you enter the pipe and can barely make out Vorrgs form being swept in front of you. Water and sewage are all about you. You see Vorrg struggling in front of you, and then thrashing. He reaches out to some unknown point before his body goes limp and eyes blank. As you are shot down the pipe length, your lungs begin to beg for air. Your diaphragm convulses as it is searching for something that is not there. Unable to hold your breath any longer, your body forces your mouth open, and you inhale the grime into your lungs. Your head begins to lighten, your limbs begin to fail, and then there is only darkness.

Gorn goes over to Valerna's body, or what remains of it, and rips the necklace from her. "Far too many have fallen today. The Empire will pay!"

The group searches the remaining corpses, the majority of which had fallen into the water, but find nothing worth value. In the distance, the ladder can be seen, leading upwards into further darkness.

You feel a breeze coming from the top of the ladder, possibly an exit out of the sewers.

[Sanguin]

with a slow shake of his head hawthorn heads towards the ladder..

"some fresh air would be good."

[Andorien]

"That Cornua was too brave for his own good.
I agree, elf. Let's get out of here. We need to get our bearings before we can figure out what to do next."

Lili heads toward the ladder and begins to climb.

Acrobatics check in case I can't take 10 on the jump. Using "Borrow Training" Encounter Power to assist with jump. 1d20+2+5

[firstclassmail]

The remaining adventurers climb the ladder at the far side of the room, each looking back to the spot where Cornua and Vorrg were swept away. Some have tears in their eyes, other sheer determination. As they climb through the darkness they see a stone roof with a wooden hatch overhead. Hawthorn carefully opens the hatch and looks to what is above. There is a long corridor, with grates in the ceiling to the world above. Excited to see sunlight again, the group moves into the corridor.

A surprised look comes on Gorn's face and he beckons the group to follow,"I know where we are I think!"

After several hours, and trudging through undesirable liquids, the group climbs a ladder and up another hatch, leading to a dank basement. Several humans cry out in horror as they see Gorn. A woman, with tribal tattoos similar to Gorn runs up to him, tears in her eyes, "where are the others, our children," she says.

"Dead," Gorn says simply, "Take care of this group, they are Fina's spies and saboteurs. They are the ones we have been looking for."

With that, Gorn heads up the stairs in the corner of the massive basement.

The woman holds back more tears and walks up to Lili, "My name is Hanna. I am Gorn's third-wife. Down here with us is Carl, Stonya, Utgard, Beoden, and Billa."

As she says this, Hanna points to several humans who look similar to her. All with some form of tribal tattoos, and all armed to the teeth, albeit well disguised under cloaks and padded clothing.

"These other two were sent by Arch Bishop Balvroth," Hanna motions towards a draconian figure and a hulking goliath sitting at a small table in the corner.

"Please sit, and eat supper with us, we have just prepared it," Hanna points to a large rectangular table filled with a massive amount of foods. Carl, Stonya, Utgard, Beoden and Billa are already sitting at the table, indulging in meats and cheeses.

[Andorien]

Lili instantly befriends Hanna, eager to finally have a proper meal. "Your children died bravely. We did what we could, but those foul imperials... I propose a toast to our fallen clansmen and comrades. May my dear sister write an epic ballad of their deeds."

Diplomacy to raise their spirits. [roll0]

Lili produces a bottle of liquor pilfered from the shifter's tavern, and begins to pour for the party. She stops at the massive new faces, agasp at their size. "My, you're a tall one! And who might you be?"

[Sanguin]

Still feeling the loss of his friends hawthorn helps himself and settles down to start nibbling on some cheese and a random carrot or two. Listening to lilli trying to make cheer he just can't help feeling even slightly more depressed.. Curious what the two new faces might say he pauses his munching and listens..

[NightMayer]

Matrim sits at the table to join the meal. He takes the liquor offered by Lili with thanks. He eyes the bedraggled faces of the newcomers and responds to Lili's inquiry. "Hail friends. My deepest condolences for the loss of your friends. You must have suffered through many hardships on the journey here. My name is Matrim - I was raised in a small village in the forest nearby, and learned my way around the use of a spear hunting for game. The Empire destroyed my village though so now I use my spear for hire in battle. Please, tell me about your group."

[Kylie]

Smelling the food, Kylie's mouth begins to water as she sits down at the table. Meat! Finally, some real food. She sits down next to the big guy who introduced himself as Matrim. She definitely didn't want to get on his bad side. "Hello, friend. The names Kylie." She looks over to the resistance and wonders what in the world she's doing here. She just ran into them and started attacking people. She puts her face in her hands and takes a deep breath wondering what to do next. Kylie looks to her new found comrads and smiles. Lili is chatting away like all the lives were sacrificed for the greater good and thus not in vain. Upon making the rash decision to stay, she decides to take in her surroundings with a dreamy smile.

[musicnerd1023]

Azorhai quietly walks up to the group, moving like a shadow that's not even there, and sits down next to warlock.
[roll0]
So if I startled you, force of habit for one in my line of work. You seem to be a bit overwhelmed. Let me reassure you that helping these people is a very noble venture. Though I may be a mercenary hired and you might think I don't care about anything more than my payment, I only fight for those with a cause I can believe in. Just between us, I'd fight the empire for free, but I'll never turn away a payment of any kind. By the way I'm called Azor-hai, what's your name?
[roll1]

[firstclassmail]

The Denari raise their wooden goblets, now filled with liquor, and raise a cheer for their fallen comrades.

Turning to Lili, Hanna thanks her profusely,"Gorn, myself, and his other wives have had thirteen children altogether, an ill omen indeed. Ten have been slain in this conflict thus-far, and Gorn's father as well. We had feared the worst for our tribe, total annihilation at the hands of the Empire, like the other two river tribes, until the Arch-Bishop contacted us. Now, aided by Fina, we have stood a much better chance, although, lately things have not been faring well. But the dead are best left forgotten, as they died valiantly and bravely rather than in some sick-bed at an old age."

Carl, a brawny youth, raises his goblet to Hanna's words, "here, here!"

Lili's Diplomacy check succeeds, and the Denari tribe grows warmer to their new found companions.

[Sanguin]

It seems odd that you choose to forget those that fought and died so that others might live. What do you use as reference for your people's morals what keeps your people focused and proud? What about your people's history? If you choose to forget those that were brave what happens to those that were cowards or traitors?

Two people died today that I knew, I'm not sure they should be forgotten. I think we need to remember the past, the good and the bad.. That's the world we live in.. For the most part it sucks, find what good there is in it and keep it.. Share it.. Don't loose it on purpose..

Matrim, we use to be a merry band of misfits.. Now I think we are just a rock being pushed down a hill aimed at who knows what.. right now I wouldn't mind learning abit more myself..

What do we know about the empire? And is there anyway we can convince them that they have a wererat problem?

[Andorien]

We seem to have solved the wererat problem for now. With little to show for it.

[Kylie]

Kylie spits a little wine from her goblet. Creep! She thought to herself. Make sure to watch out in any situations that involve bathing or undressing.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Hanna's speech. She loved Hawthorn's response. The dead should not be forgotten. No wonder they were doing so badly in their efforts. Their people were being sent out for slaughter. They needed a serious game plan if they planned on succeeding. Her head was spinning. She didn't know the next step forward.
Hopeful, she looked across the table. "Hawthorn, lead us. Tell us what to do next."
These people need a leader. We need a leader. And that my newfound friend, was a leaders speech if I ever heard one.
She dived back in to the wine and cheese with a new hunger.

[Kylie]

She turned back to the mercenary who had slithered into the seat next to hers, remembering he had asked her a question. "The names Kylie. Honestly, I'm still trying to find out why I'm here. I guess my reasons aren't logical - like getting paid. I just have a feeling that this is where I need to be."

[Sanguin]

Ummm.. No.. But I would like to hear what we know about the empire and its operations here. As you know the lizard people were attacked so not sure how much help they will be.. If we are to be the muck in their plans we need information..

[Kylie]

Fine. You don't have to man up. Fine by me! But it would be nice if someone would tell us what the heck is going on. I don't like being in the dark when people are dying. We need a plan of action!

[Andorien]

I agree with Kylie, we need a plan. We can't just barge into the emperor's castle. Does he even live in a castle? We need information.
I propose that we split up and hit the streets. Go to local taverns and learn what we can. We can meet back here in one hour.

[Sanguin]

That sounds clever enough but I was hoping she or perhaps Gorn could fill us in first?

[NightMayer]

"I am also eager to visit the taverns, but the short guy has a good point. Hanna, Gorn - do either of you have any information about any weaknesses in the empire that may aid us?"

[musicnerd1023]

Yes Hanna, though the Arch Bishop sent us here he wasn't too forth-coming with the details of our mission in case we were captured in route. I'm ready for anything, but all information is good information at this point.

[firstclassmail]

Hanna, taken aback by Hawthorn's ignorance of their customs, looks slightly offended.

"Well, I suppose we don't have to agree to work together, although I am not pleased we lost some of our people, or your companions," she says abruptly,"we may not mourn openly, but that does not make us without commpasion."

"As for why you are here, Arch Bishop Balvroth instructed us that you are being paid, and quite handsomely, to disrupt the Empire's efforts with us, cause general chaos in the capital, and assassinate the Emporer....if possible. You may have once been a merry band of misfits, but now you are knee deep in Fina and the Empire's new war. Lucky for you, the capital has been put into martial law, and no one can leave or enter without approval."

Hanna takes an apple from the center of the table and takes a bite, then grabs a scroll nearby. She unfolds it, revealing a map of the Capital. The map is crudely drawn, with hardly any detail. Only major landmarks are shown, and it is clear the Tribe has not been able to make headway with important locations.

I emailed you guys the map.

"We are holed up here, in the western area of the slums in Peloria, the Empire's capital. Essentially, all the extremely poor humans and non-humans live here. The capital is divided into three tiers. The higher tier you manage to get to, the larger your standing. The soldier's presence is sparse in the poorer areas, and non-humans can move about freely. When you get to the other tiers, non-human movement can be odd, or outright uncommon."

Utgard, a sly looking tribesman speaks up, "Most of our efforts thus far has been restricted to the slums, and Oldtown to the east. Currently, access to any tier is closed due to the war. Rumors are abound in Oldtown and the slums about strife among the nobles, the triumvirate, and the Emperor. However, in general the population in the lowest tier cares not about the war, just trying to make it day to day. In every tier is a variety of services, churches, and locations. Quality of wares and buildings is dependent on where you are."

Hanna hands the map to Hawthorn with a nod.

Stonya, a stout woman says,"We haven't been able to make much headway in regards to leads...but not for lack of trying."

Hanna glares at Stonya and looks around for Gorn before saying reluctantly,"We are too proud a people for this type of work. Lurking in the shadows has never been the Denari's strength. I would suggest trying to make contacts here, and possibly find a way to contact Fina. We may be able to seek their aid. Right now, we have not heard back from the castle after the attack. Seeking information from citizens and finding allies should be paramount. "

Hanna points at the group of Denari at the table with you,"Carl, Stonya, Utgard, Beoden, and Billa have been assigned to do what you ask. They are the only manpower from the Denari currently assigned to you."

The fire glows against the basement stones.

Congratulations! You now have 5 minions to boss around. They are not invincible! They are each good at different things, asking them their specialties will reveal their strengths. You may send them out on missions, and depending on the mission, this may take multiple days. We will consider this day 0. You may ask more questions of the Denari before heading to bed, or you can simply ask to rest. The Empire is now aware of your presence, but are unaware of your exact location, and unaware of who you are. Moving about does risk guards seeing or finding you, in the slums the risk is low, but as you progress through the city, this risk will increase. Talking to untrustworthy characters or insulting denizens will risk you being caught. The Denari, dependent on their strengths might get caught. Based on your race, you might have a greater risk at getting caught depending on where in the city you are at. Feel free to ask lots of questions! The Denari do have resources at their disposal to help you, but nothing extremely fancy. Exploring the city will reveal things on your map, however, important and obvious landmarks are already marked. You can split up if you like, stay together, just know that this will also affect things while in the city. Since the city is under martial law, any travel after dark will be a greater risk.

[musicnerd1023]

I have a few questions about the city then,


What are the walls like? How tall? Could someone skilled climb them quickly?
Where is the Savory Shifter in the City?
Is there anywhere that dragonborn, like myself or the paladin wouldn't be found out of place?
Does anyone have more knowledge of the sewers and where they lead, Gorn perhaps?
I'm assuming the closer we get to the palace the better trained and more experienced the guards will be. Is there anywhere else in the city that is particularly well guarded? A bank, armory, or some other building?
Where might an assassin such as myself find dealers in poisons or their ingredients?
I'm also interested in what is outside the city walls? Is it just open fields leading up to the walls, or is it more difficult terrain than that? Cliffs, a moat, a river, forested areas.
Where are we at right now in relation to the city?
Lastly, how are the people in the slums? Could we "rile them up" if we needed to?

[Kylie]

Kylie looked to the five sitting at the table who were apparently completely at their disposal. "So what are your specialities?" She turned to Lili. "Once someone devises a plan on how to get past the guards we should go to the magic guild thingy. I am at least half human, so I can pass myself off as a human easily enough. Maybe you could possibly dress as a child. I'm getting ahead of myself, but I at least wanted to get some sort of structure of a plan together." Her eyes grew heavy after such a large meal. She looked over to Hanna. I hate to be rude, but I'm exhausted. You would mind if I got some shut eye?"

[Sanguin]

Staring at the map with a blank look for a moment he digs into his pack and pulls out a few clean sheets of parchment and starts scribing two more maps and trying to take notes on them as the questions are answered.. In his haste he gets a smear of ink on his nose...

Looking up with a yawn, he asks "do you supose palor people would remove a curse?" While tugging at his beard.. Besides that I wouldn't mind taking an easy day watching the gates.. To see what's coming in and coming out.. Maybe we can figure out what the empire has planned that way.. Listen in on solder talk and figure out when they change shifts..

there are a few odds and ends I'd like to pick up too..

Mhm.. Do you guys have any doughnuts or coffee?

[Andorien]

Responding to Kylie, "I feel pretty confident in my ability to fool people. With my training I could easily pass a child if we traveled together. Let us head there first thing in the morning. Maybe find something that could help disguise everyone else. Hawthorn, I'm sure you can find someone to remove that beard. If not, you can always ask Xevar to just cut it off!" Lili bids goodnight to the Denari and goes to bed.

[NightMayer]

"What are these doughnuts of which you speak? They sound intriguing. I will go to one of the local taverns tomorrow to see if I can discover more information. Perhaps if there is a bard or entertainer in the group, I can accompany them as they perform. While posing as their bodyguard, perhaps I can eavesdrop on some gossip. Yawning, Matrim heads to bed, hoping there is a bed large enough for him here.

[firstclassmail]

Hanna turns to Azorhai and attempts to answer his questions, "The city has stood for a very long time, the walls grow larger the farther into the city you get. The northwest of the city, where the palace is, drops off into a ravine. I suppose some people have tried to climb them before, but with not much success. The guards patrol them rather heavily as well."

"The Savory Shifter is in the south west part of the slums, we are in the northwest near the wall to the common tier."

"There are dragonborn here in the slums, you would rarely see any anywhere else. Before the war, the Empire would see dragonborn traders from Fina. Some put down roots here, to the dismay of the Emporer. They had it rather rough during the last war."

"Sometimes we use the sewers to move around quickly. As you can tell, they can be rather dangerous. Sadly, since the sewers were built by the Empire, they know them far better than we do. It is likely most routes are blocked or guarded by either people or magic."

"The slums have a large guard presence, but it is considered an undesirable post, so most of the guards are ill-experienced or incompetent. The Empire's bank is in the Noble District and heavily guarded. Armories can be found throughout the second tier in Oldtown and the Commons, depending on the stash would determine guard presence. The slavers quarter is heavily guarded, as it is a major trade boost for the city. Many slaves live here in the slums."

"I suppose that poisons could be found in variety of places, as the noble houses here are quite fond of them. There is a supposed witch's shop in the slums that you could visit. She might be able to have some poisons. There is also an assassin's guild in the city called the Mark, although I wouldn't know how to contact them."

"Outside the western part of the walls is a small stretch of plains after a ravine before you hit the docks of Thurdin, the Empires main port town. It houses a vast majority of the naval forces. Across the Empire Bay is another port city within the Empire called Thimbil. To the east is a vast plain until you reach one of the great rivers of the Empire. The plain contains various farmlands, towns and villages. All conscripted at this point to provide at least one son or daughter to the Empire's forces. Training of these forces is done outside the Capital in a city called Nineveh. The farther North you get, you will hit the western part of the Usan Mountains. Past those is the great desert kingdom of Sumnithine. They trade heavily with the Empire."

Update maps are in the share excel.

"Currently we are here, in the northwest section of the slums," Hanna says as she points it out on the map.

Hanna chuckles a bit at this last question from Azorhai, "They have been so downtrodden of late, it would take some inspiration, but the Empire always fears the slums falling into chaos."

The six Denari answer Kylie's questions;

Carl, a handsome youth, tells Kylie that no one can match his prowess with a sword, at least within the Denari. He is wearing heavy chainmail, and a sword at his belt.

Stonya, a stout looking woman, reveals that she is the best shieldmaiden in her tribe, to which Hanna rolls her eyes. She has a large shield and spear.

Utgard, a sly middle-aged man with missing teeth describes how he can swipe any item from anyone, and then hands Kylie back some gold coins with a wink. He is wearing leather armor and a dagger.

Beoden, is another young man, who is seemingly blind, however he assures you he can see more than most in the room as magical lights dance around his head. He is wearing only cotton clothing and appears to have a wand of sorts at his hip.

Finally, Billa speaks up, a comely young lady. She is wearing black leathers with a shortsword and dagger. She tells you the notches in her dagger's hilt is for every empire lackey she has murdered.

It doesn't take high insight to tell that although they seem capable enough, the Denari before you over exaggerate their skills a bit.

Hanna smiles at Kylie, "of course my dear, there are rooms upstairs with bunkbeds, feel free to sleep in any of the empty ones you find."

Hanna is confused at Hawthorne's questions,"I'm not sure what you mean by doughnuts and coffee, but the Cathedral of Pelor has been closed for months now. The priests are not letting anyone in, so citizens are flocking towards other gods with various churches in the city."

With that Hanna stands, as well as the rest of the Denari. "I believe it is time for bed, do not fear, we have guards stationed, so you can rest well. In the morning we can finalize your plans for the day."

As the group heads upstairs, they find various bunk beds in rooms. Denari guards can be seen about the large house, and the sounds of the slums can be heard from outside. For the first time in a few days, you sleep well.

....

Light cracks through your windows as you hear people moving about outside, the sounds of the city evident as the morning has come.

[Andorien]

Lili, seeing as she is first to rouse, shakes everyone else from their deep slumber, eager for breakfast. "I need more magically things, let's get moving! I want to get there before the good stuff is taken." Lili begins prepping a disguise to look like Kylie's daughter.

Disguise checks fall under bluff, but I am not supposed to know the result. DM roll a hidden 1d20+10.

[musicnerd1023]

Upon waking up Azor talks to the rest of the group:

Since it seems I can't just climb up the outside walls and assassinate the emperor the easy way I guess I should plan for the long haul. I need to find some poisons to use and maybe go see if I can find some long lost friends. Let me know if any of you find an herbalist or the like while you are out and about.

Utgard my good man, would you mind taking me to see this so-called witch? Maybe she has some of what I seek and we might be able to learn some more about the guards while we're at it.

I want to meet the witch for poisons obviously and any useful info she might have. The "long lost friends" would be the assassin's guild. I'm assuming that I might be able to find them since I did make that a part of my backstory. Also wanting to listen/watch any of the guards to learn if they have any favorite foods/drinks or places they frequently go to to eat or relax.(long term plan) I'll put stuff like this in spoilers so it's easy for you to find. Should help clarify what I'm aiming for while being sneaky and such.

[Sanguin]

Stretching, Hawthorn glares at the short one that is busy jumping around screaming about magic..

I think I am going to track down a temple of Meloria and see what I can learn there while hopefully getting rid of this blue beard.. Say, don't you know the rituals to enchant items? I remember seeing wizards and such doing back home? If you don't maybe someone here does? It might be more affordable? Specially if you are just strengthening an item vs creating something all new? I wouldnt mind updating the enchantment on my bow and armor if you do..or if you find someone that knows how let me know? Maybe I should tag along..

mhm.. are you sure you dont have any doughnuts? They are kind of a pastry that will blow your mind, especially with some hot steamy coffee.. if you don't have coffee i think you can make a fair imitation with some chicory root?

[NightMayer]

Matrim reluctantly rouses himself from sleep as Lili awakens everyone. Hearing Hawthorne describe coffee he grimaces in disgust.

Sounds vile - I think I would rather drink one of Azor's poisons.

I think I may scout out Oldtown near the gate to the second tier. It sounds rather charming and maybe I can learn more about the Emperor's forces in the area.

[firstclassmail]

Hanna walks in to your room with the Denari assigned to you. They are dressed for tasks. A young servant girl passes around several loafs of bread and cheese for some breakfast.

Lili is busy disguising herself, to which Utgard says,"Tis a good disguise. I doubt the guard scum in these areas would be able to see past it."

Answering Azor Utgard says,"Yes, the witch is in a hut near the north section of the slums, just east of here, I can take you there."

Beoden speaks up in regards to Lili's question, "There is a low-end enchanter shop in Oldtown. I can take you there if you wish."

Stonya walks up to Hawthorn and describes a small shrine to Melora in a section of the slums where elves live to the south east of the headquarters. "I can go with you, if you like," she adds.

Billa volunteers to travel with Matrim to the gates in Oldtown to try and gather information about the guards.

As everyone finishes eating their breakfast, Hanna passes out some rations enough for one day. "Was there anything you wanted Carl to do? He has not been assigned a task for the day. Other than that, good luck. If you don't return in a couple days, we will assume the worst."

Anyone who didn't respond to what they wanted to do, I'll just assign you to some group when you all leave the headquarters.

[Sanguin]

Shocked at the lack of taste of some people.. coffee bad? Absurd..

Turning to Stonya, Hawthorn gives her his best smile.. Shall we be off? While it keeps the chin warm its terribly itchy.. and i think the blue is spreading!! That or I might be a bit paranoid. We will meet up with you guys at the enchanters establishment.. if not there then back here tonight.

With that Hawthorn bounds out, map in hand to remove the most vile curse ever bestowed on an elf..

[Andorien]

Responding to Beoden, "A 'low-end' enchanter shop? Very well, you can take us there. But I still want to try sneaking into the middle ring and visiting the mage's guild. You ready, 'Mom'?"

[NightMayer]

Turning to Billa, Matrim says, "I would welcome your company. Come let us be off. It is time to roll the dice!" Matrim heads off in the direction of Oldtown.

[musicnerd1023]

Well Utgard, let's get a move on. We've got a witch to find. And keep an eye out for any pockets with contents in need of liberating. . . always good to make the day profitable.

Azor and Utgard set out to find the witch, ever watchful for anyone with more gold than sense.

[firstclassmail]

Having said goodbye to your companions, you and Stonya leave the headquarters of the Denari. There are no guards outside the building, and as you step out of the door you look behind you. The building is quite nondescript and blends in with its surroundings. You seem to be on some sort of side road deep in the slums. Around you the poverty of the area is evident; some homeless denizens begging, shoe-less children running around, and broken-down houses and shops. You do note that Mudhaven was much worst off than the poor souls here. Stonya motions for you to follow him.

As you continue on your way you pass a man loudly yelling at a donkey pulling a cart. Whip-in hand, the man continues to beat the mule ruthlessly trying to get the beast to move. It is clearly evident that the cart is far too heavy for the animal. A crowd is drawing around, some children screaming at the man to leave the donkey alone. The donkey brays loudly as the man continues to beat it. Stonya shakes her head and looks to you for direction.

Having said goodbye to your companions, you, Beoden, and the others leave the headquarters of the Denari. There are no guards outside the building, and as you step out of the door you look behind you. The building is quite nondescript and blends in with its surroundings. You seem to be on some sort of side road deep in the slums. Around you the poverty of the area is evident; some homeless denizens begging, shoe-less children running around, and broken-down houses and shops. You do note that Mudhaven was much worst off than the poor souls here. Beoden motions for you to follow her.

As you continue on your way you pass a bar. All of a sudden a large dwarf is thrown out of one of the windows and into the street, cursing loudly. A couple figures run out of the bar, one loudly yells,"That's what ye get for messing with the Street Snakes!" The people move back inside, but the dwarven man is still on the ground struggling to get up. The passerby's seem to ignore him. Beoden looks at you for direction.

Having said goodbye to your companions, you and Billa leave the headquarters of the Denari. Xevar comes rushing out stopping both of you, "I will go with you," he declares. There are no guards outside the building, and as you step out of the door you look behind you. The building is quite nondescript and blends in with its surroundings. You seem to be on some sort of side road deep in the slums. Around you the poverty of the area is evident; some homeless denizens begging, shoe-less children running around, and broken-down houses and shops. You do note it is not the poorest area you have seen in your life, the denizens of the Capital are fairly better off than in some rural areas of the Empire. Billa motions for you to follow her.

As you continue on your way to the gates you pass a tavern. There is a painter outside shouting and trying to sell his wares. He beckons for you to come over and take a look. The passerbys mostly ignore him. Billa looks at you for orders on what to do.


Having said goodbye to your companions, you and Utgard leave the headquarters of the Denari. There are no guards outside the building, and as you step out of the door you look behind you. The building is quite nondescript and blends in with its surroundings. You seem to be on some sort of side road deep in the slums. Around you the poverty of the area is evident; some homeless denizens begging, shoe-less children running around, and broken-down houses and shops. You do note it is not the poorest area you have seen in your life, the denizens of the Capital are fairly better off than in some rural areas of the Empire. Utgard motions for you to follow him.

As you continue on your way to the witches' hut, you pass some sort of religious festival. Icons of the Spring Goddess adorn the walls on this street and her priests and priestesses wear crowns of flowers. There seems to be some drink and dancing, and several people are clearly drunk. Children are running around a pole with fabric twisting around. Utgard grins and turns to you, "looks like some easy picking, want to strengthen our coffers?"

Congrats! No one rolled a guard encounter.

[NightMayer]

"Well Xevar and Billa, shall we slake our thirst at the tavern? Also, let's see if we can learn anything from this painter." Approaching the painter, Matrim says, "Hail good man, what news have you. Let's see what you have here."

[Andorien]

"Let's go help out that dwarf and find out what all the commotion is about. Beoden, have you heard of these 'Street Snakes?'"

[musicnerd1023]

I like the way you think Utgard, but let's go find the witch first. Those people will still be just as drunk when we come back this way, if not more so. And who knows, we might find someone even more enticing along the way.

[Kylie]

Kylie stepped back to see how the talk between the little gnomes and the dwarf went. She hoped that by keeping her distance she could tell if there was any danger near.

[Andorien]

Speaking to the dwarf, trying to maintain my disguise and making a measly attempt at first aid: Are you ok Mr. dwarf?
Heal: [roll0]

[firstclassmail]

As you approach the painter, he shrieks out in surprise and glee. It is clear that most of the passerby's ignore is begs for business. Dressed in rags, his paintings are framed with spare wood and thrown out metals. Although he doesn't look very old for a human, his smile reveals only a few teeth. "My friend, my friend, come look at my glorious paintings!"

As you get closer, you realize the paintings are actually quite horrible, and you imagine a child might have done better. You hear Billa sigh audibly as she comes up behind you and whispers in your ear,"Matrim, lets keep moving, clearly this man is a simpleton."

No one on else on the street seems to pay you any mind, save for some children that were playing nearby. They have stopped their game of chase to watch the encounter.

OOC: It is now around 10:00am in the day. It took you about an hour of walking and talking to reach your current location. There doesn't seem to be any visible commotion around your character or surroundings.

Answering Lili, Beoden says aloud, "aye, local gangs is all. There are several in the slums. The Sand Snakes have little renown among them, and are seen as more of a bother than anything else."

As you approach the dwarf you hear him cursing under his breath, a drunken tone with hiccups interrupting every other word. Lili helps him up and he smiles in elation as you bandage some of his wounds.

"It seems -HICCUP- as if my -HICCUP- luck -HICCUP- has changed, oh my days, my days! I'm much -HICCUP- better now that -HICCUP- you fine lassies have appeared," murmurs the dwarf to your group. His eyes grow wide in awe, "[COLOR="#FF8C00"]is that one blind there? -HICCUP-"

The dwarf approaches Beoden and tries to poke the tribesman in the leg, only to have Beoden dodge the harmless jab. The dwarf chuckles, "Thirdup is the -HICCUP- name, drinking -HICCUUUPPP- is my game." Thirdup bows as low as a drunken dwarf can in greeting."

OOC: It is now around 10:00am. Walking and talking lasted about an hour. There seems to be no local disturbances that your group can sense.

Utgard's shoulders sag considerably as you dash his hopes at easy gold; he obeys your suggestion. You continue your trek south and east through the streets of the slums, the festival's noises deadening to the normalcy of a typical city pathway. It appears to be a normal day, and the denizens of Peloria are going about their business. After quite sometime, Utgard motions for you to stop. He points down a nearby alleyway. As you look, you can tell that the witches hut is at the end of the alley. Hides of various animals are spread across the whole width of the small space, a whole in the top of the makeshift tent spewing some kind of green smoke. There appears to be no one else in the alley, but a sign near the tent offers several wares and potions of a brewing nature.

Utgard murmurs, "well this it it. Usually there are some witches apprentices lounging about, but I don't see any. Keep your eyes open for trouble."

OOC: It is now around 1 pm as you spent most of the morning and afternoon travelling. Since you did not stop at the festival, you were able to reach your destination before the day's end. Side note...your character has an 11 in both passive perception and passive insight according to the excel sheet?! Is that correct?

[Andorien]

A pleasure to meet you Mr. Thirdup. I abhor gangs, might I ask what you did to get gracefully escorted out of their establishment?
Turning to Beoden, Do you know where their hideout is? If not, why don't you follow them back when they leave? We can probably find our way from here.

[NightMayer]

Matrim surveys the painters work with pity in his eyes. "My, I've never seen paintings quite like this before. Best of luck to you with your artwork"Turning to Billa and Xevar, Matrim says, "Come, it appears there isn't much activity around here - shall we see what is going on inside the tavern?"

[Sanguin]

Hawthorn, seeing the man beating the poor animal arches his eyebrow at Sonya and asks her if she is familar with the fellow or what he might be pulling along in such a ruthless manor?



Perception Check to see if I can see what the fellow is hauling and for gaurds
[roll0]

Insight Check to see if I can tell what the general mood is of the crowd
[roll1]

[musicnerd1023]

Streetwise:1d20+6: to see if I'm not dumb enough to believe a shop like this is totally unguarded

Well if no one is here I guess I can take a look around and see if they have what I need. Azor says this loudly to Utgard and kind of winks at him to let him know he's talking overly loud on purpose.

(even with my craptastic perception and insight my streetwise should let me know that a shop is NEVER completely unguarded if it's too low then I just walk in and say Anybody home?)

Don't know what I'll do to pay them for what I need though, wouldn't want to leave money just lying about in the open.

Bluff:1d20+6 to see if they believe what I'm saying and don't know I'm just messing with whoever might be listening

Perception:1d20+1 to see if there's anything lying about that I would need/want (looking for poisons mostly, but anything interesting would spark my interest)

Had to redo the post to put it in spoilers, I'm outta practice.

[firstclassmail]

The dwarf puffs up with all of his drunken might and says angrily, "I was -HICCUP- merely sitting down -HICCUP- enjoying meself, and ere -HICCUP- comes those demed Sand -HICCUP- Snakes saying I was sitting -HICCUP- at their table. -HICCUP- It's hogwash it is!"

A couple denizens have stopped to watch the spectacle, as Mr. Thirdup is becoming quite loud.

Beoden chuckles a bit,"I suppose I could try to find it when they come out of the tavern, but following people really isn't a forte of mine." Beoden then points to the cloth covering his eyes. "If you would like me to try, I would be more than willing to."

OOC: You've attracted the attention of a few denizens, but no guards seem to have heard or are in the area as far as you can tell.

The man appears a bit saddened you cut off the conversation before buying anything, but goes back to shouting at passerby's pushing his paintings. You enter the tavern called the Twisty Turnip and see some gnome bartenders and waiters serving customers. The establishment seems bustling, and cheap cheeses and ale are being sold. A couple of wildlings stare at you as you enter, but you do not determine they are any threat, merely curious to see such large, and obvious adventurers enter the establishment. The gnome barkeep nods at you, inviting you to some empty seats at the bar.

OOC: You've attracted the attention of a few denizens, but no guards seem to be in the area as far as you can tell.

Sonya shakes her head at you, "never seen the man in my life, no idea why he is harming the poor creature so."

The crowd seems displeased that the man is harming the animal, when it clearly cannot carry the load in the wagon. You are confused why the wagon would be so heavy with the cabbages in the back that you can see. You turn your head away from the spectacle, but a glint shines from beneath one of the vegetables, bringing your gaze back to the cart. Some kind of metallic substance is underneath the cabbages. Looking around, you can see or hear no guards.

OOC: Damn your perception skills :P.

No one answers your cries, but you realize something is wrong. No one should leave their shop unattended, let alone unguarded, especially in a city like this. You don't see anything out of the ordinary besides the lack of people in the alley.

Utgard nods at you, indicating he understands, he whispers, "I can't see anything, I think we will have to get closer." Utgard urges you forward, and draws his two knives.

OOC: No denizens seem to notice either you or Utgard. You see no guards or hear any disturbances in the area.

[musicnerd1023]

I draw my flail and my scourge. Utgard, shall we see if the proprietor is about someplace?

I walk into the shop, trying to keep my eyes and ears peeled for any sign of a trap.

Perception:[roll0]
Insight:[roll1]

[Sanguin]

Winking at Sonya, Hawthorn tells her to, "Ask the gentleman if he needs some help getting his wagon moving.. appeal to the man's heart, tell him you can bear to see the poor animal suffer".

Walking behind Sonya as she approaches the teamster Hawthorn takes a closer look into the wagon to see what might be inside.

Stealth Check to not be noticed:
[roll0]

Perception Check
[roll1]

[NightMayer]

Matrim approaches the bar, "Hail barkeep - a tankard of ale!" Leaning in close, Matrim continues in a low voice, "My companions and I were hoping to sell some wares in the Noble District, but this blasted war has made it so hard to get around. Do you know of any 'shortcuts' we can use to move about the city?"

[Kylie]

"Lili, let's get outta here. We're starting to get an audience." Kylie tugged at her tiny arm. She hoped the dwarf would understand. "Magic." Kylie whispered to Lili.
Kylie turned to their guide. "Any clue who the dwarf is? Could he be of any use to us?"

[firstclassmail]

You open the wooden door to the makeshift building slowly. Directly inside are what appear to be two dead shifters, one male, one female. Both are wearing furs and lying still, face down on the ground. The small, circular room is dominated by a fire in the middle, with a cauldron bubbling steadily, steam rising and hitting the animal skin roof. On the walls are poorly built wooden shelves, with various jars filled with organs and potions, eyes of several different creatures staring at you as they float in solution. Directly across from you is a figure slumped in a chair made completely of animal bones, looking straight at the ground.

Utgard whispers to you, "That's her, that's the witch in the chair."

OOC: You notice nothing else besides the obvious described above.

Stonya nods at you, and pushes through the crowd with her large frame. Several denizens of varying races split aside for the tribeswoman, many eyeing the shield and spear she carries. As she approaches the man she asks gruffly, "do you need any help here with this beast?"

The man begins to tell her to mind her own business, in a manner not at all pleasant. As he does so, you dart through the crowd and lift a couple cabbages in the back of the cart. You notice several pieces of armor and weapons, many of which appear to be worn and old. The crowd seems to become disinterested; you are quickly loosing your hiding place as the crowd begins to disperse.

OOC: The crowd is beginning to disperse as they loose interest in the spectacle.

The bar-gnome hands you an ale as quick as can be. He shakes his head slightly, thinking on your question.

"I suppose there are some horses you could rent. Typically they will push a crowd to either side with their size. Got to watch out for guards though, wouldn't want to trample any of them by accident. Not many places in the slums to rent horses though. Folk around here are too poor for any kind of magical transport. You could always try the sewers, much quicker, but the deeper you get the more vile the creatures become, so I hear. The upper levels are filled with brigands and gangs of all kinds."

The gnome's face lights up as he thinks of another idea, "You could always hire some of those brigands to push the crowds aside faster. They could escort you to your destination faster than walking by yourself. You would be sure to draw some attention though. Several of the gangs in the area might work for the coin, but hiring one may bring the ire of the other."

OOC: The bar seems to keep the same level of noise and joviality as before.

Beoden shrugs innocently, "no idea who the poor sod is. I believe he said his name is Thirdup, but beyond that, I am unsure."

The dwarf staggers one more time and yells drunkly into the bar, "if the Sand Snakes weren't such curmudgeons, they would have at least let me finish me ale!"

You hear the noise in the bar deaden, and a crowd begins to appear around the dwarf and yourselves.

[Andorien]

It's much too early in the day for a tavern brawl. Let's get out of here!

[Sanguin]

Hawthorn picks up a cabbage and tries to feed it to the poor little animal pulling the cart, he looks up at the teamster once the crowd breaks up.. I think we are going to need more muscle to move this boat of metallic cabbages. Maybe if you and Sonya help him get it started out of this muck we can get it rolling again?

Knowledge Nature to see if i can help/encourage the little guy get his feet under him with some help from the brutes.. (sonya and grumpy)
[roll0]

perception check to see if anyone is watching whats going on
[roll1]

[musicnerd1023]

Customers of yours? If they are... er... were, then I'm not so sure I want purchase any of your wares afterall. But then again if they were poisoned, could be some good stuff.

Well, woman? Do you have anything that might help out someone looking for a little bit of liquid equalizer?

[NightMayer]

Matrim downs his ale and pays the barkeep for the tab plus a few extra coins for his trouble. He surveys the tavern to see if he spots anyone or anything out of the ordinary.

Perception check
[roll0]

[firstclassmail]

Beoden, after hearing your decision moves quickly and pushes his way through the crowd, they disperse to let the blind man through. As you get farther away, you hear a brawl break out in front of the tavern, and several cries of pain. You get a couple blocks away and a company of Empire soldiers run by you. You assume they are on their way to break up the fight. The area you are in now is much more quiet. Beoden mentions that your destination is about 5 more hours away.

OOC: It is now about midday. You see no guards save the ones that ran by you on their way to the bar.

The barman gives you an appreciative nod. You see several bands of ruffians who you might be able to hire to push crowds away. None of which look remotely discrete. Another thing you notice is that many of them look to be apart of several distinct gangs, all with different colors and symbols.

OOC: Remove the money you just paid from your inventory. :)

Stonya gets behind the cart and give it a considerable push. You pet the mule, and it calms down considerably. As it feels Stonya pushing, the mule doubles it's efforts to pull the cart. The man gets next to Stonya and pushes as hard as he can, and you notice the cart move forward a couple of inches out of the mud. What is left of the crowd cheers in triumph, and then disperses completely. As the cart continues moving, albeit at a slow pace, the man warms up to you and says, "sorry for the rudeness earlier, demmed animals can't do anything right. Don't know what you mean by metal, no metal here."

He picks up a cabbage and tosses it to Stonya and you, "here, for your trouble." He then turns to leave.

OOC: Your insight tells you the man is not being truthful. Combined with the fact you most definitely saw armor and weapons underneath the cabbage.

The woman's head tilts back violently and she brandishes a crescent shaped knife. She lunges at you, mouth frothing. A voice clearly not belonging to an old woman comes from her mouth, "you are not who we were expecting," the voice hisses.

OOC: Roll for initiative!

[NightMayer]

Matrim turns to Billa and says to her, "Say Billa, it looks like there are quite a few gangs hanging out here. What can you tell me about the background of the various factions in the city, and the different colors and symbols? Do you know if any of the gangs are connected enough to help us infiltrate deeper into the city?"

[musicnerd1023]

Initiative: [roll0]

[Sanguin]

Hawthorn slows down a step and walks next to Stonya, he whispers to her, "That wagon is full of weapons and armor, the way he has it covered seems to indicate he doesnt want the gaurds to know its there, so he is either selling it or delivering it to some group that could use it. It seems to me that we could either use that ourselves or maybe recruit an ally if they too have problems with the rulers? Would we rather have allies or arms?

[Andorien]

5 hours?? I guess we'd better plan on spending the night on the other side of town.