Hell's Rebels [IC]

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Lynera gazes thoughtfully at her silver raven figurine as she listens to everyone else's acceptance speeches. "Yeah. I guess someone has to do it, right? I can't just sit around and wait for the adults to work it out anymore." She pockets the expensive magic item. She's a member of the group it belongs to, now. "Alright! Let's free Kintargo!"

[Hazuki]

Laria blinks and leans back at Lynera's declaration. "Well, that was more of what I was expecting from one of Rexus' companions," she says with a smile.

"I told you I'd find good allies, didn't I?" Rexus asks, looking up from the documents.

"That you did." Laria nods. "Allow me to share a little something with you, and yes, it unfortunately is going to involve..." She leans in. "Another secret organization! Apparently systematic oppression of all but one race and class makes for a lot of angry people and clandestine behavior. I am a member of the Bellflower Network; we specialize in freeing slaves, especially halfling slaves. from their would-be masters. There isn't as much of it here in Kintargo - my job is helping the ones who get this far to get out of Cheliax entirely, sometimes after my associates have guided them here, sometimes if they've found their way here and need someone to find them before their old masters do."

"As such, I take it upon myself to know what's going on, and know my neighbors, clandestinely speaking, like the Sacred Order of Archivists, and now the Silver Ravens." Laria gestures over the group on the other side of her desk."I'd love to help you, and I will, but...Thrune has burned through most of my information network." Laria takes a snack from those she brought up and quickly chews through it. "So most of what I can offer is space. There's a hideout, some secret tunnels, under this coffeehouse, the Wasp Nest, that I use to smuggle fugitives, colleagues, and occasionally stolen goods. You're welcome to it, and the bunkroom here in the Coffeehouse."

Rexus holds a hand to his heart. "Laria, you're too kind! I'm tou-" The man is cut off by a raised finger.

"But you will have to do something for me," Laria says with a wink. "You see, the Wasp Nest is occupied. I let an old smuggler friend of mine, name of Nan, in recently, to check on the Varisian textiles I've been storing for him. But he hasn't emerged in a few days, and I've been hearing...unusual noises. I haven't had time to check on him with Thrune dismantling my networks, running the Coffeehouse, and so on. If you can make sure Nan is safe, the space is yours to do with what you will."

[AHalfOrc]

"Oh, damn, no time to waste then! Noises sounds bad, I hate noises! Let's divvy up this stuff quick and get to it." Fortuna stands, gulping down her coffee and pocketing one of the raven figurines, "Will Kyra and Nyda have room to fight down there? Halfling hideout sounds cramped and they're... big."

[Hazuki]

"It's a series of basements from before the street level was raised," Laria explains. "More than enough room for everyone."

[Shadowflick]

Nyda's eye twitches at the mention of the Belflowers. That name..sounds a bit familiar to her but she can put her finger on where she's heard it before. She shakes her head and listens to what their newest task might be. "RIght, seems simple enough. I'll sharpen my blades just in case we find there's another pack of rats down there though. Besides, it sounds like we might have found another safe house. Three in a day, I think that's some good work on our part."

[The Kool]

The noblewoman sits in peaceful meditation, eyes mostly closed, ears taking in the sounds of conversation around her. Quietly enough that it may have easily been missed in the commotion, she speaks her own proclamation. She speaks more to herself and her goddess than to those around her, but she does speak aloud. "I have nowhere left to go. I have nothing left to do to avoid this fate. This... calling? I cannot leave, not while the people of the city still struggle. I cannot abandon them. Iomedae grant me strength, Milani grant me fervor. I will not abandon these people in their time of need. I will not abandon these people to this tyrant. I will not abandon my people to burn. This I swear."

As she finishes her passionate (yet quiet) speech, her eyes open once more. With purpose, she relaxes the tension that had built up in her body, her hand falling open once more to reveal the blackened rose petal that she's been carrying this past week. "I will go. I see no need to delay, are there any objections to checking on this Nan fellow immediately?"

[PersonMan]

"No objections," Kyra says after a pause. "This exchange shall be fruitful."

Then, as soon as someone else makes a motion to, she stands, ready to get going, pausing only to finish a pastry she'd picked off the tray.

[Hazuki]

"I'll stay here, if you don't mind. I can't wait to find out what secrets these pages hold!" Rexus says with a grin.

"Come along, then. I'll show you the way." Laria gets up from her desk and leads the group out of her office, then into the room next door. A trapdoor leads to the basement, which is illuminated by a glowing stone like the coffeehouse above. The dry cellar contains numerous crates of cooking ingredients, sacks of coffee beans, and other supplies needed to maintain a thriving business. Laria steps up to the Northwest wall, hooks her fingers around a particular part of the shelf there, and pulls it open to reveal a dark corridor beyond. "This is where I leave you. Be careful around the middle - there's a reservoir and you don't want to take a tumble, trust me." The sound of her climbing back up the narrow stairs can be heard as they enter the Wasp Nest proper.

Uly's glove lights up, revealing the room beyond. It is a long, damp hallway that stretches far to the South and opens to the southeast into a large reservoir of calm, dark water. A wooden pier extends twenty feet into the water, while another twenty feet out rises the top half of a statue of a beautiful elven woman. A foul smell, like that of rotting meat, comes from somewhere near the pier. TWo holes have been knocked into the West walls, creating a kind of makeshift stairs to another set of rooms, while to the South sits a set of proper stairs. The ceiling is roughly ten foot tall, with extinguished torch sconces lining the walls.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Exploring time! Roll20 has been updated to new map.

[Shadowflick]

Nyda follows as everyone goes down the tunnel. As they pass by the coffee beans, Nyda decides to try and pick one up and pop it into her mouth..only for some immediate regret at the flavor. She doesn't spit it out..she just slowly swallows.

Nyda winces from the smell as she descends into the secret space at the end of the tunnel "And here I thought we would at least be free of stench. That was too much to ask for. Should we start calling for him?"

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Lynera sniffs the air and groans noncommittally. "Ugh... if that's what I think it is, then calling won't do any good."

She draws her sword again, just in case, and approaches the pier to inspect the underside for stuck corpses or other anomalies.

Spoiler: Perception again?

Show

(1d20+8)[27]

[Hazuki]

Lynera finds the rotting corpse of a man floating in the still water, his limp body partially folded against one of the stands. He matches the description Laria gave on the way down to the basement, with the addition of a set of long scratch marks across his back, gouging deep into his flesh, as well as several bruises. She also notices that despite the assorted bloodstains and water damage on his clothes, his leather boots seem completely undamaged, and that there isn't any blood near the pier other than that which is stuck in his clothes.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

"Alright, I guess we've found him," says Lynera. Having been warned about falling in the reservoir, she pauses to think up a way to pull him out without going wading. "Hey, Kyra, you have that polearm, right? Can you come help us fish him out?"

[AHalfOrc]

Squinting at the sudden 'aroma', Fortuna looks around the chamber and immediately takes an interest in the statue. After spending a moment trying to freshen the air around the pier with prestidigitation, she stands at the edge to get a good look, "Hey, at least this stinky den comes with a nice statue. That puts it a step above the last one. Wonder who it is..."

Spoiler: Knowledge check

Show

Knowledge on statue: (1d20)[3] +3 for all except Arcana (+7), and Local (+8)

[Hazuki]

Fortuna thinks that the statue is...real pretty.

[Shadowflick]

Nyda frowns when the news of Nan's fate is shared "Well..Damn. Thats not great. Either way, it would be a good idea to look around for what killed the guy. Want to make sure this place is clear before we make it into a potential safehouse"

[PersonMan]

Kyra grimaces at the smell, though it's hidden by her helmet, so she appears more stoic as she comes forwards with a nod at Lynera's request. Using the bec de corbin, she tries to pull the corpse out onto the floor, keeping distance to avoid dirtying anything more than what's necessary.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

At the merest suggestion of an attacking beast, Lynera looks up and scans the ceiling for spiders. It's a habit.

"Based on these claw marks..." she rolls up her sleeve and checks the shape of her own injury from earlier. "Maybe it's more of those grimples, or the melty devil-lemur things? I don't know how widespread they are in the undercity."

[Hazuki]

The claw marks on the body, which is safely retrieved, don't seem to match Lynera's.

[Shadowflick]

Nyda takes a glance over to the direction of the corpse "Yea, those claws look a bit bigger than a rats. Might be something else...something bigger"

[AHalfOrc]

Fortuna turns to face the group, and the corpse of Nan. Intently focusing her gaze on anything other than the body she says, "Oh, dead guy! Maybe we should get off this pier. Y'know what, aye, I'm going to go. And check... somewhere else."

Taking a deep breath as she hops around the body, eyes on the ceiling and trying to keep a straight face, Fortuna squeezes through her companions and heads for the hopefully less stomach-turning south stairs.

[Hazuki]

Fortuna heads to the Southern stairs and sees a wide open room. Stacks of unopened crates - some draped in moldering tarps - fill most of the space, creating a maze. Two tables sit at the center, scattered with playing cards and a smoking, unlit lantern. Around the table are four crow-like humanoids with broad beaks, taloned fingers, and coats of black feathers. They immediately spot Fortuna, their black eyes narrowing on her as the ones who didn't notice her are alerted by the others leaping up from their chairs, their feathers ruffling and their gazes fixed.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Combat hasn't started.

[AHalfOrc]

Stopping dead in her tracks, Fortuna darts her eyes between those of each of the strangers in turn. "Bird people! Doing secret stuff!" She hisses under her breath. With a smile that she hopes looks confident enough to mask her shock, she says, a little louder than necessary, "Oh, mornin'! Or afternoon. We weren't expecting to find anyone else down here. I'm Fortuna, you may have read my work, probably not, who are yous?"

[Shadowflick]

Nyda glances toward Fortuna's direction. People are here already then? Still, now weapons have been drawn just yet...so Nyda decides the best course of action might be to stay quiet. She keeps to the wall, and slowly tries o move closer to Fortuna

Spoiler: Rolls....

Show

(1d20+6)[12]

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

"'Bird people?' Come on, we were just talking about Strix."

Of course, that was the same conversation where Lynera herself said nobody speaks it, so maybe she shouldn't be the one to talk. Also they might actually be Kenku or something. She suspends her examination of the body, takes cover at the corner of the stairwell, and peers around to see.

She notices their talons.

Spoiler

Show

Stealth because she's on needlessly-sneaky autopilot: (1d20+13)[23]
Perception: (1d20+8)[15]

The first two questions she wants to answer with active perception:
- Are those the kinds of talons that killed the guy?
- Are there living things inside the crates?

[Hazuki]

One of the birdfolk steps forward, her talons clicking softly against the floor as she does so. Just as she's about to speak, another pipes up.

"I-I see you! In the shadows!" One of them behind her points out right at Lynera, right at Nyda. "Get out of the shadows! Out!"

The woman at the front lets out a noise not far from a growl. "What are you doing here? Why are you sneaking around? Tell me!" she snaps, one hand drifting closer to the kukri attached to her belt.

Spoiler: Lynera

Show

Lynera notices nothing out of the ordinary, but the talons of these birdfolk don't seem big enough to do the damage that Nan suffered.

[Shadowflick]

Nyda sighs, ans steps out of the shadows, her hands up "Hey now, Hey now. No need to start reaching for your blades. We were just down here investigating his area. We came, and saw that there was a dead guy over there..wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?"

Spoiler: Diplomacy!

Show

(1d10+9)[19]

[The Kool]

Arodea spares a glance for the commotion to the south, but as it doesn't seem to be a fight, she spares a moment for the deceased first. Approaching the corpse, she lowers herself to one knee and straightens his body, closing his eyes and placing his arms at rest. "I am no priest, but I have seen their rites many times. May you rest at peace in your afterlife." She takes a few more moments to softly speak a funeral prayer over his body.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Having been thoroughly called out on her nonsense, Lynera steps the rest of the way around the corner to make herself visible, leans against the wall and keeps her mouth shut as she watches the conversation.

[PersonMan]

Seeing Lynera slip away quietly, Kyra decides to stay put for the moment, reasoning that spoiling her ally's stealth with the sound of her armor would be pointless, and the arrival of someone fully armored and armed could spoil potential negotiations. So instead she stands by as Arodea speaks, standing straight in a fashion directly inspired by the memory of honor guards standing beside the fresh graves of important individuals, the only role she can find for herself in this impromptu funeral rite.

[Hazuki]

The woman who'd stepped forward pauses for a moment, glances back at her companions, then Nyda and the group. "We may know...something," she says, softer than before. "Tell us first what you are, why you're investigating."