The Winds of Oblivion

[AlphaLuke]

The Captain shakes his head and dismisses the group, concernedly reviewing the maps and charts laid out before him. He looks deep in thought.

Alessia gives the Captain a crisp salute before slinking out of the room to follow Zeph and Marce wherever they want to go.

[DeathbyFlossing]

”So, where to now?”Marcellano asks, trying to distract himself from the Name that had just been spoken.

Nyarlothotep.

Just his thoughts brushing against that name is enough to dredge things from his consciousness that he’s tried hard to suppress.

[Pent]

"the Keel and Kestrel," Zeph says simply.

[AlphaLuke]

Alessia nods and leads the way.

The way back to the Keel and Kestrel is uneventful. Mid-morning is a time of business in Almas and people bustle to and fro with Alessia drawing fewer, but not zero, stares from the passers by.

Eventually, the group finds the Keel and Kestrel. Inside, just as before, the tables are dark wood and the floor is strewn with clean sawdust. A long bar is mostly empty this morning, with the majority of its patrons off doing business for the day. The barman, an older mustachioed half-elf, offers the three newcomers a seat at the bar while he polishes pewter tankards. "What can I do for you, masters and mistress? I trust your friend made it home alright last night?"

[DeathbyFlossing]

”Just fine, got a headache worse than a rational Galtan, though,” Marcellano quips, as he and the bartender share a chuckle at Galt’s guillotine obsession.
Marcellano then heads over to the bounty board, to see if Archie’s bounty is mentioned.

[AlphaLuke]

There are a small number of pamphlets and flyers tacked to a stout column near the end of the bar, but no bounty for Archie is posted.

Spoiler

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Please don't write reactions for the NPCs. He happened to find your joke inoffensive this time, but you don't know. Also, please ask if there are things like a bounty board, rather than just saying there is one.

[Pent]

Zeph frowns, "Then where..." he thinks aloud, soft enough only Marce and Alessia can hear.

Spoiler: Unsolicited knowledge local

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(is there a knowledge crime?) (1d20+8)[27]

[DeathbyFlossing]

Spoiler: What knowledge skills would be appropriate to roll?

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Also, I thought the presence of a bounty board has been established during the conversation back on the App. Totally agree that I shouldn’t have assumed his response, I was just trying to figure out a way to convey the context of the joke. I admittedly phrased it badly, and for all I knew this guy was a Galtan expat who didn’t think it was a laughing matter.

[AlphaLuke]

Zeph thinks for a moment, then turns and asks the Barman. "So, has anyone come in looking for our friend? We heard that someone has been asking about him."

Spoiler

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Knw Local was the right move.

The barman finishes polishing his tankard and leans in conspiratorially. "Well, you didn't hear it from me, but a couple real big blokes came in about an hour after 'e left. Started asking about a birdfolk. Told 'em about your friend an' how 'e cheated a couple Qadiran fish outta their darts game. They were right ungrateful, you ask me. Barely paid me for the pints they drank. . ."

The barman lets the last sentence hang expectantly in the air as his palm lies conspicuously open on the bartop.

"Not sure I remember exactly where they went or what they looked like through. Memory's not what it used to be . . ."

[DeathbyFlossing]

”Memory problems? A pity, that. I’ve heard sleeping with ten gold under your pillow can help with that. Here you go, friend.” Marcellano hands ten gold to the Bartender. Now, are you sure you don’t remember anything else? Anything would be helpful.”

Spoiler

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Bluff (1d20+6)[24], Diplomacy (1d20)[20], whichever is more appropriate.

[Pent]

"Never read that study...I'll have to do more research. Last I heard Ginko Biloba was the best memory supplement."

[AlphaLuke]

The barman very casually sweeps the coins off the bar and into a jingling pocket of his apron.

The a barest smile, he returns to polishing his tankard. "Aye, you know, now that you mention it, I do remember where I've seen those boys before. Harlon Masterson, right nasty fella from downside street. He's been the bouncer over at Howls for going on a year now. Killed some folk, I heard, but the guard was given witnesses that it was self defense. Dunno who'd go against Harlon in their right mind, but that's the story."

"The second was Paeter Willoughby. Known him since he was a boy. Mother used to work as a barmaid on Thursdays. Always way good as a lad, but when he started to fill in, he just never stopped. Young man must be seven feet tall and half as wide across now. Still, he seemed different last night. Rougher."

Without being asked, the barman pours three pints of light ale for the two men and Alessia, sliding them across the bar almost unconsciously. "Howl's is a dangerous place, lad. The drink and pleasurable company's not worth the risk, you ask me. If'n you mean to make trouble with Freyr, don't say I didn't warn you. As for your friend, I'd advise him to take the first ship elsewhere."

[DeathbyFlossing]

”Thanks for the advice friend, have another three gold for your troubles.” Marcellano says with a nod. Turning to Zephyr and the others, he says, “So, who’s hungry? I know a place that does the best Ustalavan barbeque south of the Lake Encarthan.”

Spoiler

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Bluff check to pass message “let’s talk outside” (simple message): Bluff (1d20+6)[7]

[AlphaLuke]

By mentioning both Lake Encarthan and slow cooked meats in the same message, Marce has inadvertently given Alessia the Order's signal that the barman is a hostage in need of immediate assistance from a hostile aberration.

Thankfully, Alessia has more than half her share of common sense and just raises a feline eyebrow quizzically.

[DeathbyFlossing]

Realizing his (rather embarrassing) error, Marcellano tries again. Making a deliberately thoughtful face, he corrects himself. ”No, No, we don’t have time, I’ve got a meeting with the quartermaster to get to. Shall we return to the ship?” he says, nodding meaningfully at the door.

Spoiler

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Bluff (1d20+6)[23] to convey message “let’s regroup outside”, also I’m barely bothering with subtext so maybe I could get a bonus or reduced DC or something?

[Pent]

Zeph steps up from the barstool. He neatly places a tiny tower of 5 gold pieces on the counter.

"Do you mind helping me with an experiment? I'm curious if gold can help someone forget things, as well as help remember them. Here's your participation bonus."

He nods the barman a polite nod, and makes toward the door.

[AlphaLuke]

The barman taps the side of his nose in understanding before vanishing the coins.

Zeph, Marce, and Alessia all head out.

[DeathbyFlossing]

Motioning the team away from the bar’s entrance, Marcellano quietly whispers ”Okay, we now know who posted the bounty. Let’s head back to the ship and plan our next move away from prying eyes and ears.”

[Pent]

"Agreed. But for the record, it really bothers me that those two weren't on our friends' list."

[DeathbyFlossing]

Marce smiles as they start to walk back towards the App. ”They weren’t, no - but their employer was. You recall the barman mentioned one of them worked as a bouncer for a particular establishment, then specifically warned us that the place was a rough joint? Think of the name - don’t say it aloud - and then check the owner’s name against the suspect list. You’ll find it.”

[AlphaLuke]

The three make their way back to the Apparition to discuss their plans away from prying ears.

[DeathbyFlossing]

Spoiler

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Luke, I would have sworn your post on Archie’s suspects said that Freyr Blackmaw was the owner of Howl’s, but rereading it, I’m not finding it. Was I misremembering, or did you edit the post, or what?

[DeathbyFlossing]

Marcellano leans against the App’s bulkhead, grinning. ”So, you know how the one guy was said to be a bouncer at a place called Howl’s? Howl’s is owned by one Freyr Blackmaw, whom our feathery friend said had it in for him after he - Archie that is - stole some of the monsters he used for his pit fights. Odds are he’s the one we’re after.” Marcellano straightens up, his grin replaced by a stern expression. “I don’t think I need to tell you that a guy who runs monster pit fights is going to have a lot of monsters to throw at somebody who pisses him off. Moreover, since some of the scariest monsters are the aberrant ones, we should not discount the possibility that he has had dealings with the enemy. Even if he is only a pawn who thinks he’s ‘just’ buying really scary monsters from really creepy people, that might be enough contact to corrupt him, particularly if the enemy is trying to cultivate him as an asset in the city - and just because that wasn’t the case the last few times you ran into him, doesn’t mean it isn’t the case now. The Black Pharoah is drawing nigh, and that means the enemy will be cultivating contacts anywhere and everywhere they can in order to thwart or delay those who oppose the Outside - such as the order.”

Spoiler

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Just in case it seems I’m being a little too liberal with lore or setting here, this is just Marce’s personal opinion - and he’s rather biased about how far- reaching the enemy’s grasp is.

[AlphaLuke]

Marce and Zeph actually see Alessia squirm uncomfortably. "It's a possibility. But do not be so quick to assume that all our foes are interconnected. I assure you that Archie is perfectly capable of garnbering completely vanilla ire. So, now that we know the where, we need to figure out the what. What do we do about it? I think kicking down Freyr's door is out of the question. It's likely that he has superior manpower and resources. That spell you were researching, Zephyr. That is one half of the plan, yes? What happens when we actually get into Howl's?"

[DeathbyFlossing]

Marcellano purses his lips, then hesitantly raises his hand. ”Um, I realize the answer is probably the obvious one, but for the sake of my continuing... education... I feel I should ask nonetheless. I realize that that simply bombing Howl’s to rubble is out of the question barring absolute worst case scenario, but for clarity, we have already ruled out sending a covert demo team to collapse the building while this Blackmaw character is inside, and then scarper during the chaos? Because that seems like the obvious solution to me,, but I know how bad my judgement is on these things.”

Jimothy Prickles leaps from where he was sitting on a nearby table and clambers up Marce’s face. Again.
”Marcellano. Do not suggest demolishing an occupied building again, unless you are absolutely sure that every single person in it is an active adversary. And not, say, a random peasant who had the bad luck to be patronizing a bar whose owner is giving us difficulties.”

[Pent]

"I have an idea. Might be one of my bad ones. But... anyway, um, do we have the details of the bounty? Alive or dead? proof? what does someone need to bring to collect? who to bring it to?"

Spoiler

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thanks for your patience while I clear out other items in my to-do list from my life

Spoiler: here's my idea

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I want to fake-collect on the bounty. Can we magic-clone Archie's hand, ear, or tongue and turn that in as proof of death?

[DeathbyFlossing]

Marcellano immediately grasps where Zephyr is going with his question, and his eyes light up. ”Ah, you intend to deceive the enemy into believing Mr. Archelos is already deceased, thereby claiming the benefits of betraying him without losing a valuable ally! That’s...” Marcellano’s expression quickly shifts through a number of emotions to quickly to identify, while Jimothy glares at him - no, not glares. Carefully studies. Finally Marcellano’s expression twists into one of outrage as he bellows MR. LEORNAN! That’s the kind of awful reasoning I’d use! Now I know it’s a terrible idea! Honestly, I though you were better than that!”

Spoiler: Marce is truly clueless

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I look forward to seeing the sparks fly from Marce’s little outburst, and portraying Marce when he realized how off base he was about Zeph’s reasoning. He really does have a lot to learn about good.

[Pent]

Zeph is a little agahst.

Flustered, he stammers out "a lie in the service of life is GOOD!"

He mutters a lot of other sentences, abandoning them in favor of other, possibly better arguments, but decides his best thesis statement is the one he already said.

[DeathbyFlossing]

Marcellano is interrupted on his tirade by a sharp retort from Jimothy. ”MARCE! Mr. Leornan’s motivations are notwhat you think they are.” Marcellano abruptly deflates at hearing that, and he sighs as he picks up Jimothy. ”Aw hells, Jim, I screwed up again didn’t I?”

”No, Marce, you did not. Your reaction to what you thought Mr. Leornan’s reasoning was was entirely appropriate, and I’m proud of you for reacting that way. It shows you’re making real progress.” Marcellano is... touched. Looking down at his little councilor with a look of wonder on his face, he asks, ”P...Progress? Really”?

Jimothy chuckles. ”Yes Marce, really. However, as appropriate as your reaction to what you assumed Mr. Leornan’s motive’s where, you were mistaken in that assumption. I strongly doubt the thought of gain really crossed his mind, and I know he never considered betrayal. If the thought crossed his mind, it was only in the sense that it was a possibility that a crew member might try to turn him in - but Mr Leornan would never have done so. His suggestion was merely to deceive the enemy into believing that the target of their ire is dead. Nothing more.” ”Oh. Marce says rather sheepishly, then translates what Jimothy said to the others.

Spoiler: Jimothy’s statement

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Not to put words in Zeph’s mouth, Pent; Jim is just stating his opinion on the matter.”

[Pent]

Zeph pauses as he replays the conversation in his head. "Oh oh my goodness. No I would never turn in our own crew! But if we can deceive the bounty owners into thinking they won, then everyone wins and no bodily harm befell anyone. But, I think this may be near impossible to achieve as even basic spells would reveal a deception. I'm afraid we have no choice but to go the tavern in disguise and collect more intelligence. Alessia, any thoughts?"