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  1. - Top - End - #91
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Daemon

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Atavian scowls throughout the entire truce. The grimace worsens when the derro and cytillipede finally make their escape. His three eagles flap idly about the room when Rhev enters. Still scowling, Atavian replies first, "what happened? It was a draw, I suppose. This macrabre carpet is the charred remains of the Ironworks Hammers. Well, might as well look for some more clues..." The halfling looks around for any documents, ledgers, or clues about Lamm's operations or anything else of note.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Perception: (1d20)[6]

  2. - Top - End - #92
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "A draw? No, no, you've got it all wrong. It was a victory" Aliani shouted, after checking briefly to make sure Gavin knew where he was, and balefully eyeing his charred and blood soaked clothing. "A magnificent victory, perhaps not as complete as you might have liked, but a victory nonetheless. We're all still alive, for one, unlike these poor sods. That counts for quite a lot. Don't ever forget that."

    He poked his head around the corner of the stairs, looking quite a lot the worse for wear. "And there's evidence, of a sort. Those gentlemen on the stairs were quite dead before we got here, likely killed by the, er, blue things, whatever they were. But I think you'll find, sir Rhev, that there's one laying behind the counter that looked like he took a simple knock on the head. Might be able to bring him around and have a chat with him. So there's that. And we saw ample evidence of a Shudder den, though as it happens the stuff turns out to be quite volatile and flammable, so it's a bit of a mess down here at the moment..."

    "Were you aware that there were people with ten foot long fire breathing centipedes as pets involved in this, this, whatever it is?" he asked as he stared up at Rhev, his tone turning severe. "Because that would have been a nice thing to mention. We might have been better prepared. I hadn't realized we were to be your sacrificial lambs. If they hadn't fought as brilliantly as they did, it would have been a lot worse."

  3. - Top - End - #93
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Daemon

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Atavian gives an impassive flat glare at Aliani during his rant. Once he finishes, the halfling pedantically informs him, "the blue guys were all derro. From what I've heard, the best of them are mad as hatters raised in a sanitarium. The centipede was actually a cytillipede - although infused with shudder somehow... I... don't think the dragon's breath comes standard on them."

  4. - Top - End - #94
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "Derro! Yes, yes, that's the... I knew I'd heard that name before. Strange, I pictured them shorter somehow. And yes, you're quite right... ten foot tall Cytillipede. With fire breathing that doesn't come standard. I stand corrected. You had no idea about those, right?" He sounded completely sincere.

  5. - Top - End - #95
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Dalen folds his arms as he backs up against the wall, the sting of defeat not helped in the slightest by Aliani's warped re-contextualization of the outcome. The feeling of powerlessness nagged at him, like an imp riding on his back tugging at his hair. A small bird flits over Rhev's head and lands on its master's shoulders, and the two silently set about searching over the room, looking for any undamaged equipment that was missed in Vreeg's hasty retreat.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Dalen and Rhetoric will take 20 on perception to search the room.

    Rhetoric has +12 perception, so on a take 20 will get a result of +32

    Dalen will cast Detect Magic as part of his search; he has +5 perception, for a result of +25 on a take 20

  6. - Top - End - #96
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    PirateGuy

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Jakkin spits out a wad of bloody phlegm, grimacing at the sight.

    "Well, we sure as the nine planes of hell weren’t expecting that," he observes, perhaps a bit of an understatement. Scorched, bloody, battered, and in pain, he nonetheless seems undiminished.

    "Any scrap with a giant, mutated, fire-breathing monster you can walk away from is a win in my books, ‘specially if the bugger comes at you outta nowhere like that." With that, he philosophically shrugs off the lack of decisive finish to that battle; the next time they go up against these punks, they’ll know what to expect and be ready for it.

    Plus, not a total loss.

    "And look! We just made sure that how much of that Shudder ßhise won’t ever see the streets? Or more ever be made here? I’m satisfied," the Halfling declares, baring his teeth in a bloody grin.

    He stays in the basement, not so much to search for anything himself but rather to keep the light source for those who do, and to exert his efforts in making sure the incidental fires don’t spread to become a threat to the city.

  7. - Top - End - #97
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    PiccadillyPi's Avatar

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    Oct 2017

    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    And stay out!

    Silas couldn't muster the courage to say it, but he waggled his sabre at Vreeg and his pet as they disappeared into the dirt before sheathing the blade. It was a quiet consolation for their stalwart efforts. As he gathered his thrown weapons, the tiefling spit a slew of curses under his breath. A layman might've been concerned he was casting a spell just by the colour of the words he used.

    As Rhev called down and the others conversed, Silas patted the dirt from his vestments. He considered the last words Vreeg spoke to Gavin, his eyes lingering on the derring-do bastard. Not that they knew each other, but Silas was ever the more curious of the three new faces added to memory. Averting his gaze as it became obvious, Silas changed his focus to the scorched threads of his clothes. There were hardly any and nigh imperceptible thanks to his quick actions. However, he still needed to remove them. Focusing his energy, his placed his hands on the fabrics. To any knowledgeable onlooker it appeared that Silas was casting a spell to mend his frayed textiles. His voice became whispered and breathy. Auran words came out in the form of a quiet hum. However, he stopped after only a few moments. No aura of magic had appeared around him in that time.

    Why is it not working? Ah, never mind. There are people to heal.

    Shaking his head, the tiefling walked over to Aliani while entering the conversation's foyer.

    "What's this now? Derro? Of all things to exist, they are certainly an oddity of mal-intent. Now stand still, dear..."

    Silas hovered over the actor as his fingers wriggled with magical energy. A celestial hymn was softly sang to Aliani as if he were a child being tucked into bed - albeit quickly. Pressing his hands onto Aliani's back, the performer felt a brief reprieve from his pain, but then... nothing. No wounds healed, no pain fully receded. Silas' efforts were no better than a mother's kiss.

    The tiefling stepped back wearing a face of concern. His hands held in front of him, he clenched them as if to squeeze magic from his palms. It was only then that he remembered... he never had magic. Well, not beyond his abilities as a rakshasa-spawn. Not one to embarrass himself further, he decided to ignore the last few seconds of his life - to treat them as if they never happened. He hoped everyone was too busy digging around to notice.

    "Never mind that. Here, we wouldn't want you to develop any scars, would we?"

    Grabbing a potion from his bandolier, Silas handed it to Aliani to mend his less grievous wounds.

    "I suppose we should consider a wand, aye gents? Rhev darlingt, is that in the budget? A few less bodies for the morgue, eh?"

    The dandy gave a quick scan of the basement noting the charred remains strewn about. He whispered a jest to those in the basement that might hear him.

    "More or less, who's to say?"

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    P-P-Piccadilly Pineapple here with the latest Silas news! Hold that dial because I've got a breaking story I know you'll want to hear! Just moments ago, Silas Rata'da, infamous slut about town, just tried casting magic! This temporary lapse was slated as a blow to the head by a GIANT FLAMING CENTIPEDE - I've just been told it's a cytillipede - and I've been informed it never happened. Well, he's still inside the building, but as we all know: the only magic Silas has is in his ****. . . . What? Cancelled?! What do you mean I can't say ****?! It's my show! Get-MMFF!

    *sounds of struggle fade into an echo*

    Hello. We apologize for the technical difficulties. And now: the weather.

    **** - previous character sheet.
    ~ Piccadilly Pineapple

  8. - Top - End - #98
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    The playwright leaned back into the hands. Magic or not, he was sore as hell, and any port in a storm right? He was pretty sure he heard his spine audibly 'clack' into a different (probably better?) position, and his involuntary grimace -- followed by a sigh -- confirmed it.

    "No, Silas, you keep that for yourself. I'll be fine, so long as we don't run into any trouble on the way home. You'll need that for some time when I'm not around anymore. But thank you."

  9. - Top - End - #99
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    PiccadillyPi's Avatar

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Silas tucked the vial back into his belt.

    "'Anymore'? Well, don't think you've time to retire just yet. It'd break at least a few hearts, not including my own."

    It was at this point that Silas tested the penetrability of the door nearby - mostly by way of the push/pull method that only a few (million) could boast to have mastered.

    "Gents, I do believe the door is stuck."
    ~ Piccadilly Pineapple

  10. - Top - End - #100
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Inspectre's Avatar

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "Yes, because I totally expected Lamm to be allied with a band of creatures that don't exist, and a fire breathing . . . Cy . . . Cytill . . . what did you say it was again?"

    Rhev remarked in a distracted tone, looking around the destroyed basement with an intense frown on his face. Finally the detective sighs.

    "Oh, Kroft isn't going to like this. I don't doubt that it was a hard-fought battle given the state of the room here, but managing to preserve more evidence than a scattering of ashes would have been helpful for the follow-up investigation. And in convicting the unconscious gentleman upstairs, although since I found this under the counter upstairs getting him a nice new home in Longacre shouldn't be any problem."

    Rhev produces a small wooden case from his jacket, flicking it open with his thumb to reveal several vials of Shiver nestled into the padded interior . . . along with a pair of by-now familiar orange vials of Shudder. The detective looks around at the destroyed basement for a moment longer and then shrugs.

    "Well, nothing for it now. I'm glad to have brought you all along rather than a squad of city guardsmen - no doubt they would have been slaughtered to the man by what was lurking down here, much like these fellows decorating the stairs. This is the sort of thing that the Hellknights are supposed to be here to deal with, but since in her infinite wisdom the queen sent them all away, we will simply have to make do without them. I'll have a unit of guardsmen come here to do some cleaning up after I've got our unconscious friend upstairs and the one outside back to Citadel Volyshenek for questioning. Maybe one of them will know something more that we can act on. Even if they don't, we have certainly struck a serious blow against Lamm's Shudder operation today, and I still have a few other leads from his ledger that I can pull on. I'm sure Kroft will want a full accounting of today's events from you as well. You can either come back with me and explain what happened now, or wait for her summons in a day or two after I make my own report. I'm sure she will be unhappy about the lab being totally destroyed, but then Kroft is always unhappy about something - pay her no mind. As Mr. Rose mentioned, survival is a victory in-and-of itself. But if Lamm has minions that are capable of something like this, then his threat to the city might be more credible than I first thought . . . derro, eh? Who would have thought."

    Rhev mutters to himself as he turns and ascends back out of the basement, apparently satisfied that all of you are alright and there is nothing further to find downstairs. Given the near-total destruction of the basement and the ashes and scorched bones are all that remain of the derro, that assessment is probably the correct one. Short of diving down into the hole in the floor after Vreeg, who almost certainly is far away from here by now, there was nothing else to see here. But that image of the skewered, bleeding eye that the derro leader carried away with him lingers in your minds, refusing to be banished. Whatever that thing was, it had been important enough for Vreeg to risk his life to keep possession of, and now he and it were still at-large somewhere beneath the city. This was far from over, but for now it seemed the only thing you could do was rest and recover your strength for the next challenge. It wouldn't be long before arriving, as when Dalen returns back to his shop later that day he finds not one, but two messages waiting for him.

    One is a calling card featuring the silhouette of a spider wearing a crown on one side, and the other side blank save for a brief note.

    The King of Spiders would like to meet at your earliest convenience to discuss a joint business venture in lamm-skewers. Please present this card to the safety advisors at Eel's End for an audience.

    The other is a scrap of paper that looks like it was torn from a larger sheet, which Greg confirms was torn from the shop's ledger book by a woman who looked suspiciously like Sabrina Merrin in a hood, who hastily scrawled the note before running out of the shop. That note simply read.

    We need to talk. Palace. NOW.

    (OOC: So! We're now in a tiny bit of downtime which should last basically the rest of the day. Everyone is free to do whatever they wish if they have personal matters to attend to, and the next three bits of plot hook are essentially listed below. The party can all go together to investigate these plot hooks, or you can split up into smaller groups to tackle them all at once.)

    • Go report to Kroft about what happened at the Shudder Lab
    • Go talk to the King of Spiders about a potential business opportunity
    • Go see what Sabrina wants
    I didn't actually intend to kill EVERYONE. It just sort of happened.

    Threads I'm currently DMing:


    Threads I have successfully completed:

  11. - Top - End - #101
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    PiccadillyPi's Avatar

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    Oct 2017

    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "Who indeed!"

    Silas clumsily stepped over the scorched remains and fresh bodies as he made his way up the stairs to Rhev.

    "It'd be best if I - or we - briefed Ms. Kroft on the situation with haste. We wouldn't want her to wait on us unnecessarily, aye?"

    The dandy tiger sought a mirror to check his features. As he twirled one set of whiskers, he inquired to the party on how he looked.

    "Darlings, am I not too presentable? Ne'er a scratch thanks to you lot. Perhaps an injury or two might help convince our dear field marshal the gravity of our combat. Jakkin, you wouldn't fancy a go at my cheek, aye? Nothing deadly mind you. I would like keep use of my jaw for supper."

    He winked at Rhev knowing full-well that the guardsman might be confused by this request.

    "That derro had me running up and down, dear. Frightful magician, he was. No time for bluff chested injuries like our Jakkin or Aliani - and that thing Atavian ordered about... whatever it was."

    Silas shrugged at Atavian with tightened lips and raised brow as he was unsure of what name to give the summoner's familiar.
    ~ Piccadilly Pineapple

  12. - Top - End - #102
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Daemon

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Atavian ignores the antics from both Silas and Aliani that are tangential to his own goals. "Tallox is his name. I'll join you to go speak with Kroft. Come along my fine feathered friends," he motions for the three eagles to follow after him. On his way up the stairs he mutters to himself, "Gods, Tallox is going to be pissed... he hates getting decapitated."

  13. - Top - End - #103
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    PirateGuy

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Still showing the signs of a fairly thorough beating, Jakkin grins wryly up at Silas.

    "Don't think I won't scale your fuzzy arse for the privilege of popping you one in the kisser," he replies dryly. Those...Derrro had been frustratingly tough opponents, shrugging off blows that should have broken bones or crushed flesh – and not much bigger than he was, those bastards! His injuries ached, the burns fitfully feeling as if the flames still licked at them, but he knows that the matter would be taken care of soon enough.

    It's good to have friends and allies of exceptional means.

  14. - Top - End - #104
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    PiccadillyPi's Avatar

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Silas purred at Jakkin.

    "Ooo-hoo-hoo, you won't sweet talk your way into a discount. I do know of a viscount that might - Ah, no, he died years ago. Right. Lovely wife. Both very... eccentric."

    He continued to mumble on about the deceased viscount's wife as he tried to recall the last time he'd seen her while perhaps pouting at the thought of another lost client. For a while longer he circled the room as if cursing the sky.

    "Must be sixty-and-some by now. Gods, she dropped me. I've been kicked! Well, she only joined in the one time."
    ~ Piccadilly Pineapple

  15. - Top - End - #105
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    As the others chat, Dalen opens his notebook and makes a quick but detailed sketch of the eye from memory. Upon finishing he turns to address Rhev, "I would be happy to provide a full report to Ms Kroft of what transpired here. With that said, we did not come away completely empty-handed," he flips around his notebook, "We all caught a glimpse of this magical focus, and from the way the Derro leader treated it I suspect it's something he needs as part of this ongoing operation,"

    Dalen slams shut the book and stows it safely, "I believe you're likely familiar with the old diviner's adage: if I've seen it before, I can find it again,"

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Dalen will be interested in learning the Locate Object spell at the next opportunity. 560 ft radius and 4 minute duration can sweep a lot of area. It's always possible Vreeg invests in a lead-lined box, or just lives in a really deep hole, but it's worth a shot to track him down. Resist Energy would also be useful, but Aliani can cast that so not a high priority. Next time we fight, Protection from Evil is in the prebuff list.

    As an aside, Dalen would have prioritized Sabrina's summon if he'd known about it, but he won't until he returns home after reporting to Kroft.

  16. - Top - End - #106
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Gavin lunged forward as the effect of the illusion ended, almost catapulting himself into the pit. Shaking his head in frustration, he knelt at the edge as the others discussed next options. The armiger knocked a piece of rubble into the pit, trying to get a gauge of how long the fall would be.

    Spoiler: OoC
    Show
    Gavin really, really hates the idea of Vreeg getting away, for a few reasons. He's not going to go blindly jump into a pit, but if it might be reasonable he will likely float the idea to the rest of the group.

    Of course, his Perception checks are abominable, so...

    Perception - [roll0]
    Last edited by THEChanger; 2020-06-02 at 07:07 PM.
    ATTENTION ANYONE WHO I'M PLAYING WITH:
    No news is good news.

  17. - Top - End - #107
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Aliani gripped Gavin by the shoulder as he stared off into the abyss, whispering a single word. "Patience. Patience."

    Waiting until Rhev had left the room before unleashing one last wave of positive energy, he addressed the group. "I know, you wanted them utterly vanquished. It feels like a failure that we did not leave them all in smoldering ash. But we really did win. We know more of them than we did yesterday, and of the forces in alignment against us. We knew nothing of creatures from the underground assisting Lamm in his machinations. They always knew that there were forces against them here in Korvosa. We have now seen this Eye, and know a thing or two of its power. They know nothing of our artifacts, for we have none to offer. We will be better prepared next time. They were as prepared as they could ever be, laying in wait for us in a battleground of their own choosing, and they could not vanquish us. Take cheer in that: this was their best, all that they had, with all the advantages, and they could not beat us, not working together as we did. They retreated, not us. Their people are dead, not a one of us, and barely a scratch left save for some clothes, and if that's a bother you can leave them with me as I know an excellent tailor. 'City may burn and city may rot', but we shall survive, for that was all that they've got."

    "So when you go to sleep tonight, you can do so knowing you did make a difference. If any of you are lacking a proper place to sleep, my door is always open."

    "But yes, let's go and deal with Kroft, much as I'd like to give it a miss. Nothing like a good second-guessing after being sent to your near-death."

    "And Gavin: I hope I speak for us all when I say this: we welcome you, and your skill, with open arms. We welcome you, your sword and your spirit, for you. But I will ask that you please not invoke the name of your organization when we are acting in these matters. I have not signed up for membership, nor have I the desire to do so; furthermore, I have a reputation to keep, and I would rather not have it tarnished in such a manner. If this bothers you, I am more than willing to discuss matters further over a beverage of your choice."

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    And one final post-Rhev channel, for 7 more healing, which should provide everyone to full health save for Gavin's being down 3 HP. Sleep it off bub.

  18. - Top - End - #108
    Troll in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    While the group conversed and debated the merits of going back with Rhev to report to Field Marshall Kroft, Gavin examined the hole that Vreeg's pet entered and exited (along with Vreeg himself) by. The drop down to the bottom of the tunnel would not be a particular problem - the sides of the hole sloped down at a reasonable angle to a depth of about ten feet. With a bit of caution over the loose earth forming the sides of the shaft down potentially breaking away at the wrong moment, it would be a relatively simple affair to climb down.

    From the bottom of the hole, the tunnel led off to the north, and just within range of the dim illumination provided by the few patches of bio-luminescent fungus remaining and Jakkin's ioun torch, Gavin can see the actual problem - the tunnel has been collapsed. Not a complete collapse, but enough of a 5' long section or so that excavating it back out would require time and the proper tools without risking a more thorough collapse of the tunnel. Additionally, given the twisting nature of Korvosa's underground, the tunnel probably only went another 30' beyond the collapse or so to some sewer passage or ancient tunnel, which would connect to five more in an ever expanding maze that would make Vreeg all but impossible to pursue without the proper magical aid. Much like Gaedren Lamm, the slippery derro was beyond Gavin's reach no matter how galling the thought was.

    With minimal evidence to collect from the basement save perhaps a few scattered and scorched fragments, the group and Rhev return to the surface streets of Korvosa, collect the surviving two thugs that serve Gaedren and Devargo respectively, and return to Citadel Volyshenek.

    ************************************************** ******

    The group returns to find the city guard headquarters an odd juxtaposition between deserted and a hive of activity. True, there are fewer guards here than were present at any other time save the night of the riots, but those few guardsmen who are visible are quite visibly busy, as no less than three prison wagons sit waiting in the courtyard of the citadel. Likewise, three lines of shackled prisoners are being directed one-by-one into their armored interiors by the guardsmen. A few of the faces in the prisoner lines are recognizable by the group as former city guardsmen themselves – Malder among them.

    At the back of one of the lines is the heavily muscled form of Kynndor Thok, who is in quiet conversation with Nadine Engel. Sergeant Grau Saldado who seems to be directing this operation drifts over to join them, and after saying something to Nadine gently urges her back away from the massive Shaonti as it becomes the end of each line’s turn to begin entering the wagons. Nadine steps away, and then turns and steps back in for a moment, standing up on her tiptoes to kiss Kynndor’s forehead. Kynndor then shuffles forward and disappears into one of the wagons while Grau and Nadine begin to move away before noticing your arrival and turn to meet your group.

    “Looks like Kroft is finally making good on her promise to clean up the Guard.”

    Rhev observes, earning a dry chuckle and shrug from Grau.

    “Well, it’s a bit less corrupt at least after today. The Field Marshall finally gave the order to round up all the guardsmen we know of who had connections to Gaedren Lamm, and fired the other half of the guard who would have if he had just asked them!”

    The sergeant flashes a smile, but it quickly falters as he gets closer and sees the overall condition of the group’s clothes.

    “What happened to all of you?”

    “Let’s just say that Gaedren Lamm has more than just a few corrupt guardsmen for friends out there. Tell you more over a drink tonight at the Bailer’s Retreat?”

    Grau is about to reply to Rhev’s offer when his eyes drift over to Silas and the guardsman immediately pursues his lips, and then shakes his head.

    “Afraid not. I’ve got, ahhh . . . paperwork! Yeah, paperwork up to my neck over here after today, so . . . raincheck?”

    Rhev shrugs an affirmative and starts moving on towards the Field Marshall’s office, but stops with a sigh as Grau holds up a hand, looking at Aliani.

    “Hey, uh, Mr. Rose – while you’re here, do you have a minute to talk? I’ve found out some more information about our, uh, mutual interest that you might find interesting.”

    “I need a minute of your time as well, Aliani.”

    Nadine says quietly, wiping lightly at her eyes.

    Grau’s eyes then drift over the rest of the group’s faces, and when they reach Gavin’s the sergeant freezes, squinting intently for a moment before breaking into a wide grin.

    “Gavin? Gavin Dimir!? Is that you buddy!? C’mere!”

    Gavin immediately finds himself under assault from the sergeant, who attempts to wrap the hellknight armiger up in a crushing bear hug, complete with a pummeling on the back with his left hand (Gavin can decide how successful Grau is in accomplishing this.)

    “Ahaha, where ya been, partner!? I heard a crazy rumor that you went and joined the Hellknights!”

    “Ser Dimir is currently on loan from them, as a matter of fact.”

    Rhev remarks off-handedly, and Grau’s brain clearly overloads as he simply looks Gavin up and down, clearly struggling to rectify Gavin’s choice of colors in favor of however he once knew the man. Of course, Rhev’s appellation of “Ser” in this case is in error since Gavin is still only an armiger, a knight-in-training, but it also seems to help Grau’s brain turn over the information as the sergeant dumbly nods and smiles at his old friend.

    “That’s . . . uh . . . that’s great, Gavin. Real, um . . . happy . . . for you.”

    His patience apparently at an end, Rhev starts walking towards the Field Marshall’s office within the citadel proper. As he goes, the detective calls over his shoulder, “Feel free to catch up after you’re done here, Mr. Rose, Ser Dimir. Let’s not keep the Field Marshall waiting any longer.”

    (OOC: Aliani is welcome to stay and talk with Grau & Nadine and join the Kroft conversation afterward, or put off the conversation with them and join the others in talking to Kroft immediately. Gavin likewise, assuming that he doesn’t just sock Grau in the jaw and keep on walking.)

    ****************************

    As the group ascends the final set of stairs to the Field Marshall’s office, they catch the tail end of a loud conversation being held within.

    “ – if you decide to reconsider.”

    “That won’t be necessary. Recent experiences have only made it crystal clear how my contributions are valued here. My resignation is final. Now if you excuse me, I have an appointment at Arkona Manor in an hour. Good bye, Field Marshall.”

    The door to Kroft’s office swings open a moment later, and Verik Vancasterkin, now clad in a simple tunic and breeches rather than his lieutenant’s uniform, steps out, nods wordlessly to all of you, and pushes his way through the group before descending the stairs. In her office, Kroft watches her former lieutenant go with a befuddled expression. She opens her mouth as if to say something to the departing lieutenant, closes it, opens it again, and then finally sighs and drops a piece of paper onto her desk where it is undoubtedly lost immediately amidst the sea of other papers covering every square inch of her desk. The Field Marshall looks blankly at your group with bloodshot eyes for a moment, and then motions you inside the office.

    “So, how did the raid go, detect – *yyyaaaaaaaawwwwnn*. Oh, pardon me. I’m afraid that the cleric of Abadar is running an hour late for our daily appointment. I believe that I have some coffee around here . . . somewhere. Please continue.”

    While Kroft carefully sifted through piles of paperwork in a vain search for her coffee (assuming that stained cup next to the small messy cot in the back of the office was what she was looking for, she would be searching the desk for that coffee for a good long while), Rhev cleared his throat and shrugged.

    “Well, Lamm’s Shudder operation is closed down . . . for the moment at least. And we have several individuals in custody that I will be questioning for information on Lamm’s other businesses within the hour.”

    Kroft stopped her search for the absent coffee and straightened up in her chair as she affixes Rhev with a bloodshot stare.

    “Rhev, what do you mean “for the moment”? Was there something you found there that suggests Lamm’s Shudder operation is larger than expected?”

    The detective gives the Field Marshall an unconvincing smile and shrugs.

    “Well, we believe that some members of Lamm’s Shudder operation eluded us, and –“

    “What!?”

    Kroft growls, punching her desk to punctuate the next statement.

    “Damnit, Rhev! I told you if we had sent a squad of hand-picked guardsmen along, we could have set up a perimeter, and –“

    “I doubt it would have helped, given they escaped us via an underground tunnel that was created by the giant Cytillipede pet of the ringleader.”

    “WHAT!?”

    At this point Rhev shrugs and turns to gesture at all of you.

    “Well, I did not witness this creature personally, so my description of events is likely to be rather sketchy. Perhaps our plucky band of mercenaries would like to cover the order of events.”
    I didn't actually intend to kill EVERYONE. It just sort of happened.

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  19. - Top - End - #109
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Daemon

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Atavian feels no small measure of sympathy for the exhausted Kroft. He could half-remember her as she was - competent, clever, poised - in a different... life. She is still those things; she has just beaten by the wight of fatigue daily. While his relationship with her here - in this life - has been positive, it has not been overwhelmingly so as it had been in that branch. Moreover, many of his current allies viewed the woman with a measure of disdain, an opinion he could hardly even fathom. Since his once allies were not around at all, nurturing this relationship, arguably his most positive from that branch, was a priority for the halfling.

    "Field Marshall, at the entry, we encountered the Ironworks Hammers - a gang who had been hired by Bravosi to damage Lamm's operations," as Atavian talks he walks over to where he spied her coffee mug. "We saw no reason to intervene, initially. The Hammers were obliterated in moments. We then entered the basement down a staircase carpeted with with their corpses," he hands her the mug without comment and returns to standing in front of her desk.

    "In the basement, we found what was certainly a drug lab. In addition to one of the Hammers being..." his facial expression and hand motions bely his frustration as he grapples for the right word, "infused with shudder, en-shuddered, turned into one of those magical lunatics. This was done by four derro. Derro are blue humanoids - about as tall as I am - native to the darklands and very sensitive to sunlight. The lore says they are for the most part insane, but have moments of ingenuity. They reportedly capture and experiment on surface dwellers. The leader of this particular group, Vreeg, had in his possession an eye that had been skewered that... well it was obviously magical and very creepy. We killed the three derro that were with him, and the enshuddered abomination. It was not long before his shudder-infused Cytillipede appeared.

    "This thing was like an enormous centipede, over 10 feet long, with a heavily armored carapace. I had read about these creatures once before, but this one seemed different - while my lore may be inaccurate, I suspect the variance was due to the shudder flowing through its system. It was capable of breathing fire, and radiated a tremendous heat. The battle was close, and victory was far from certain. We offered this Vreeg and his pet an opportunity to flee, and they took it. Had the deal not been struck, I suspect few if any of us would have survived the encounter. The lab was destroyed though, and their numbers thinned. A victory, if not total,"
    in the last bit he takes his inspiration from his earlier conversation with Aliani. Although thinking back on the strange exchange, he can't help but wonder if the man might have some derro ancestry.

  20. - Top - End - #110
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Sep 2010

    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Outside

    Gavin's whole body stiffened as Grau went in for a hug, and the Armiger stiff armed his former partner to keep from committing to the embrace. "Not Ser, not yet." Gavin mumbled, eyes downcast, as competing memories played for him. One world where Gavin dragged Grau back from the brink of alcoholism, where the two worked closely together, Grau serving as the liaison with the Guard for the strange group of people Gavin had found, Gavin serving as the blade of the Guard where they could not go. A world where the Guard hadn't abandoned him quite as thoroughly as this one, where Kroft was kind, firm, but stretched far, far too thin, with enemies besetting her on all sides. Another world, this world, where Gavin languished in Longacre, alone, for a year before seeing anyone. Grau had been the man to free him in both worlds, but in this world, Grau hadn't been able to stay. Gavin was once more abandoned, this time to the streets of Korvosa.

    Dragging himself back to the present, Gavin stood to attention, meeting Grau's eyes. "Yes, Sergeant Saldado, I've found my place with the Order of the Nail. A place I think I can do some good." The armiger offered the sergeant a hand. "Thank you, for everything you did. When things have calmed down, I would very much like if we could catch up. It's been too long."

    Inside

    For Gavin, moving through the Citadel was a study in looking nowhere in particular. Not looking down the empty halls, where he had once patrolled. Not meeting the eyes of Verik Vancasterkin, the prick, and biting down the urge to trip the man on his way down the stairs. And certainly not looking anywhere near Cressida Kroft, exhausted, distracted, confused Cressida Kroft. It was bad enough that he had to be here at all. Better for the others to do the talking.
    ATTENTION ANYONE WHO I'M PLAYING WITH:
    No news is good news.

  21. - Top - End - #111
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Aliani looked at the ex-guardsmen and current criminals being sent off with a small, satisfied grin and a "hmmph" of pleasant surprise. "Any of you gents lose a knife in my house perchance? Look me up when you're out, I'll give it back to you" he shouted in the general direction of Malder.

    The sight of Nadine put and end to his smile and temporary moment of happiness... and then Grau wanted a piece of him too. He gave a nod to the group and said "Why, uh, why don't you all go ahead and deal with that other business in there... I need a few minutes. At least. Tell her I said sorry about blowing up the room and if she doesn't like it she can come with us next time."

    He led Nadine and Grau away from the group, to wherever an at least mostly private conversation could be had. Looking mostly at Nadine, trying to judge if she looked well and why the hell she was here in the first place, he said "So... who wants to go first?"

  22. - Top - End - #112
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    PiccadillyPi's Avatar

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Silas clicked his tongue as he winked to the sergeant. He trusted Grau wouldn't disappoint his family again. Well, mostly. The tiger-stripe lemon of a father knew too well the eternal maze of addiction.

    Once inside Silas was taken aback. Not by one thing or two. The whole room was in disarray. It looked worse than his wildest romp - although it only smelled half as bad. He spent only a few seconds on the room before realigning his focus to the mess at the desk. Not just the paperwork, organized by chaos, but the field marshal herself. Knotty hair that hadn't been properly kept in a week. eyesbags so black one might have assumed they were holes into the void were it not for the red suns lighting them from above. He squinted against the vision of her in an attempt to see the stench she exuded likely having not bathed properly for the past week. Her pale skin looked gaunt and starved from a workaholic's. In many ways she looked like a victim of a coffee from the desert lands that the courtesan had tried once. Very expensive mediocre coffee. Silas eyed her mug as Atavian handed it to her. Beyond the physical, Kroft had a strained aura about her.

    Silas had vague memories of a time when he avoided sleep, and he was an absolute disaster. Kroft had the benefit of restorations, but the magic being used could only put it off for so long. While everyone relayed information to the field marshal, Silas pondered what could be done to help the bull-headed woman. His time in the shackles led his thoughts. There was a drug he took on a regular basis there. Usually it was combined with a slurry of other narcotics, but he felt confident he could make it work alone as long as he had the cooperation of Kroft. His other option was the tea he kept on his person, but to trick her would only prove to antagonize himself to the entire city guard.

    "Excuse me, I need a word with Rhev. It's rather urgent. Shall we? Excellent summary, Atavian! Good meeting, aye? Aye, indeed!"

    Silas didn't wait for a reply as he hustled the guard out of the room to an isolated corner of the building.

    "I need you to delay our dear Kroft's daily dose of restoration. Her health is in decline and she is bound to make a terrible mess - people could bloody die - if she continues as she has been. You saw her! She couldn't even find her bleeding coffee!"

    Silas adjusted his whiskers while flicking his outward agitation away with his tail.

    "Sorry for my outburst, dear, but as you well understand it has been a week. she needs to sleep. You and everyone in this building knows she would not take to such a request without addendum. Therefore I will need you to gather support among the men to encourage her to rest her eyes for one hour - only one - after I return with a alchemical solution: midnight milk."

    The former addict allowed Rhev to react. He did not break eye contact with the guard. His bluff chest and windowed eyes capitulated his intent to Rhev. Silas was concerned for the woman. He had a great respect for her even if they were at odds some of the time. She was hard working beyond anyone he'd ever met. She reminded him of his wife in a way. Her bullish behaviour. There was however a different motivation between the two. He imagined it was much like an "X" wherein perhaps each woman's soul touched the other.

    He spoke again to calm Rhev. His plan was revealed. What else could he do but continue.

    "I assure you it is safe. Well, mostly safe. As long as I am there, she will be unharmed! I promise I would not encourage this as a regular technique. I have enough knowledge of it to administer properly. To describe the effect... it hastens the sleeping process eight-fold. The effect is lessened with each dose, but I will only be giving her one. As long as we have the cleric on hand, we can minimize any chance of addiction. Thankfully, she's a stronger person than most. Now, I will be visiting an old friend in... perhaps it would be best you did not know the details. So long as we can convince Field Marshal Kroft to take a single dose she will be more herself in only an hour. The guard can last an hour without her, no? Again I say she will not survive another week if this keeps up. We must convince her. Do you trust me?"

    Silas did not want to dally, so he attempted to wrap up their conversation quickly - assuming he was not arrested for conspiracy.

    He began to leave only to turn around and add another request.

    "Ah! Some fresh clothes and linens would be good! Your nose was present in her office, yes?"

    The tiefling hastily made his way out the building, waving cheerily to anyone he needed to, letting them know he was just heading out for a quick errand while mumbling something akin to 'in the name of her majesty Queen Ileosa, I dub thee Ser Silas Rata'da, idiot lord of poor ideas'.
    ~ Piccadilly Pineapple

  23. - Top - End - #113
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "Well, you did see the gaping hole the creature made in the floor," Dalen remarks to Rhev as he describes the Cytillipede, "it's very clear that Lamm has deeper connections than we first suspected, and while I am as disappointed as you that we could not apprehend the ringleader it is fortunate that we were able to ascertain the true extent of this problem without losing any men,"

    Spoiler: OOC
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    Diplomacy check to smooth over the reaction to our failure: (1d20+19)[32]

  24. - Top - End - #114
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    PirateGuy

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Jakkin had another of those strange, dischotic moments; while on one had he knew for a fact that Sergeant Grau had never been other than polite in dealing with him, he also had undeniable memories of the man's laughter and relentless short jokes – 'All in good fun, little man!' – that flew in the face of that. It was the oddest feeling, and it left him subdued and struggling with the concept as they eventually made their way inside to report to the Marshall.

    Who, truth be told, was looking even worse than the last time they had seen her, if that could be believed. The story of the altercation came out, between official investigators and his own companions – his own contribution merely needed to be his torn and bloodied presence, really – but everyone did seem to tiptoe around the dire bear in the room.

    "Begging your pardon, Marshall, not wantin' to stray from the topic here but honestly," he shrugged, spreading his hands. "You're distracting as hell."

    The Halfling followed up on this decidedly blunt statement.

    "I know ya think you can keep going at this pace, and if you have the support of the clergy you just might be right. Foolish and not thinking clearly, which is pretty damn apparent…but right." Shaking his head, he hopped up on a chair so he could drive a finger into her desktop for emphasis.

    "What you're doin' is flat stupid," he says diplomatically. "Sure, you can keep going and going and use a blessing of the gods to keep going, but you're not going to be thinkin' straight as if you'd just gotten a damned night's sleep," he points out. "Think of what y'd do if you saw one of yer men driving himself like this – you'd order his arse to bed and come back when he's not dead on his feet! An' if yer not careful, that's what yer going to get with this example yer settin'," he exhorts, his common accent thickening in his intensity.

    "Your people see you pushin' yerself like this, and some soldier is gonna feel like she has to do the same, since yer doin' it. And she ain't gonna be able to pay a cleric to make it all go away, so she'll just be exhausted and making mistakes," he tells her mercilessly. "An' worse; by never taking a bleedin' moment off for yerself, you send a message that you can't trust any of them to handle things while ya do something as necessary as sleep. I'm surprised no one's got their britches in a twist and stormed off." He paused a beat, then smirked.

    "Oh. Right." He bared his teeth in a smile, then hopped back down from the chair and gestured for the debrief to continue. He's said his piece; if she can't respond to simple, diplomatic language, that can't be helped.



    Spoiler: OOC
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    Diplomacy to point out that she can't keep going like this without everything falling apart: 28

  25. - Top - End - #115
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Inspectre's Avatar

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Stelio Kontos

    As the three prison wagons, now fully loaded, start to pull away for the trip down to the Longacre Building – and the colorfully named Death’s Head Vault that lies beneath it and serves as Korvosa’s primary long-term prison – you, Grau, and Nadine walk over to a shaded corner of the courtyard. At your offer the two exchange an uncertain glance, and as Nadine starts to take a step back Grau motions her forward again with the flash of a smile.

    “Please, ladies first!”

    That seems to be all the encouragement the ballerina needs, as she nods at Grau and then turns to face you with a sorrowful smile.

    “I just wanted you to know that Beautrice is well on her way to making a full recovery . . . although her face . . . it’s not looking like that will heal any time soon. I also wanted to thank you – I don’t know what you said to Kynndor, but apparently it convinced him to turn himself in. He’s already agreed to testify to the guard against the Dusters . . . and against Marlessa, his new lover and the Dusters’ true leader . . . and the one who . . . hurt Beautrice. Sergeant Grau is confident that with all of the information Kynndor has already provided, the guard will be able to locate and arrest all of the Dusters’ membership over the next few days. So you don’t need to worry about us anymore – once Marlessa and all the Dusters are locked up with Kynndor, we won’t be in any more danger. Although I suppose I will need to find some work again soon – prices are still up and now that we will be staying in the city, we’ll have to find another flat to rent. Maybe in another couple weeks, when all of this madness is just a bad memory, we can get together again for some . . . coffee? Or I guess tea, in your case.”

    Leaning forward – and down a bit, given the statuesque ballerina was nearly a head taller than you – Nadine gives you a quick peck of a kiss on the cheek, and then gives you a genuine smile as she pulls back.

    “Until then, Mr. Rose. And thank you again . . . for everything.”

    And with that the ballerina glides off, exiting the citadel’s courtyard and gradually disappearing into the crowd churning about on the street outside Citadel Volyshenek. Grau also watches the ballerina depart, and then turns back to you with a bemused smirk.

    “Well, looks like your luck with the ladies is still holding up, Mr. Rose! Although I suppose this is just another day in the life of a famous playwright!”

    The sergeant seems to realize he may be stepping over a familiarity line here, and quickly recovers with only a hint of a stammer as he bites some other comment back.

    “Uh, anyway – so I discovered a new wrinkle in the Ms. Silverlight case. The Field Marshall has had us pouring over everything the Guard has on Gaedren Lamm – even old case files from thirty years ago! Uh . . . the records from back then are pretty spotty, especially in regards to Lamm, but I did find an old arrest report for him that had been misfiled. Turns out the Guard had launched a joint raid with the at-the-time brand new Order of the Nail and picked Lamm up along with several other dissidents. There’s not a lot of other details in the file – quite a bit was missing – but there’s enough there to suggest this was a raid on a full-blown terrorist cell! Guess Lamm’s back to his old tricks, eh?”

    Grau takes a moment to beam at his own little joke, or perhaps in pride at his next bit of sleuthing that he reveals a moment later.

    “So, that’s not much to go on, but I figure if there’s paperwork of Gaedren’s arrest at the Guard, maybe there’s records from his sentencing at Longacre, right? I have a friend in the clerk’s office there, and while it cost me a cask of some dwarven swill he likes, it actually paid off. Same deal as here – misfiled paperwork all over the place – somebody really didn’t want this put together later, eh? But get this – the paperwork over at Longacre was almost complete, after my friend spent the better part of a day tracking down all the pieces scattered about the records office! And the listed charge for Gaedren Lamm and company was treason, of which he and all the others were found guilty, sentence of death by slow torture. I’m sure you’re wondering what the bloody hells Lamm’s doing still walking around in the land of the living then, but get this – included in the paperwork was a full pardon and commutation of the sentence, signed by the Infernal Queen, Queen Domina herself! Makes sense now why this was all scattered to the Hells and gone - this would be quite the pretty scandal for the crown if Domina wasn’t dead for nearly as long and her son Eodred hadn’t just passed away as well. The arrest and sentencing report were pretty sparse on the names of Lamm’s associates – guess he was the ringleader even back then – but Queen Domina’s pardon listed every name in full. There’s several names on this list that I’ll have to check out further, but one of the other names . . . Mr. Rose . . . one of the other names was Rose Silverlight. Now, I don’t know what that all means yet, but it *does* establish a connection between Ms. Silverlight and Gaedren Lamm. Maybe he did have her killed after all, or someone else did to silence her about all this! Now, I haven’t tracked down Ms. Silverlight’s whereabouts in the intervening years yet, but my guess is that she left the city for a number of years shortly after being pardoned and released, only to return a short time prior to her murder five years ago. The timing of it all certainly seems curious to me . . . any ideas about who else I could talk to about this, other than the other people on that pardon? Do you know anyone else she was close with that might know about this incident or this terrorist cell she and Gaedren Lamm were involved together in? I’m kinda hitting a brick wall again after all this and . . . Mr. Rose? Mr. Rose . . . can you hear me right now?”

    (OOC: Assuming Aliani doesn’t need more then ten minutes or so to recover from his revelation, and doesn’t have any more than passing commentary back to Nadine/Grau, he can move up to Kroft’s office and show up at the tail end of her reply at the end of the “Everyone Else” section below. You can choose the exact place in Kroft’s response if you’d like.)

    PiccadillyPi

    Rhev studiously follows you out into the corridor outside Kroft’s office, and when it becomes clear that a quiet and private place is required, he beckons you to follow him. He leads you down into an isolated room on the ground floor of the citadel that looks suspiciously like an interrogation room, although it is much plainer, spartan, and more vanilla than you imagine the Order of the Nail has in their own Citadel Vraid outside the city’s borders. Nonetheless, Rhev at least seems confident in the room’s ability to keep your conversation confidentially, and so you begin pitching your idea with all the care of coaxing your most recalcitrant client into compliance. Rhev listens impassively to the beginning of your pitch, nodding along at points but otherwise keeping his face neutral and unreadable to you. When the subject of midnight milk is brought up the detective’s eyes flicker, but he again nods.

    “I am . . . aware of such drugs. Also, that they are considered controlled substances, and therefore illegal without an apothecary’s signed approval or the appropriate vice tax paid out. I therefore find it unlikely that you will be able to convince our straight-laced Field Marshall to bend enough to make this one concession to physical realities – I suspect she would rather break. Which I agree that we cannot allow - at least at this juncture. Leave the distraction of Kroft’s pet cleric to me, while you fetch the appropriate . . . accoutrements. I’m not sure how many of the men I will be able to approach on this topic, as it’s going to be rather . . . delicate . . . but I’m sure we all would appreciate the good Field Marshall taking a nap, to say nothing of a bath, sometime this month. Once my part in this plan is finished, I will await your return just inside of the citadel gates. We can discuss the particulars of convincing Kroft to actually partake then.”

    Your conspiracy compact with Rhev sealed with a farewell handshake, you hurry out of the citadel to locate your old source for such supplies within Korvosa. It’s not especially far away, but as it is located above the city streets in the ever-shifting maze of catwalks and tightropes connecting roofs in Midpoint known as the Shingles, it does take you the better part of an hour to navigate your way to his rooftop shop. Only for your journey to end in disappointment, as you discover only the half-burnt out ruin of a rooftop apartment, with a note carved into the flame-scorched door frame that the business could still be found, only now within the confines of Eel’s End. Eel’s End – Devargo Bravarsi’s territory. Was this destruction a move by the crime kingpin at consolidating all of the city’s crime as part of his squabble with Lamm? Or had your own friend been simply yet another unfortunate victim of the riots’ blind fury, and now had to seek shelter at the one place his business would not be treated with scorn and the harassment of vice taxmen? Unfortunately, both of those answers – with your promised midnight milk – lay within Eel’s End. The only question now was whether you were going to turn back to Citadel Volyshenek and admit defeat for today, or press on alone into the Spider’s parlor?

    Everyone Else

    Prior to the meeting with Kroft, Grau briefly frowns in disappointment at Gavin’s polite refusal to embrace, but forces a smile back onto his face as he takes the armiger’s hand into his own and gives Gavin’s arm a quick pump up and down.

    “Sure, pal! That sounds great.”

    ************************

    Inside Kroft’s office, the field marshall gives Atavian a quick glance and nod of gratitude as he retrieves her cup of half-dried sludge that was evidentially coffee. She takes a quick sip of it, wincing a bit as the taste manages to eventually be processed by her dulled taste buds – but then, perhaps that is how she manages to down the foul remnants at the bottom of the cup at all. She manages a studious, composed expression as she listens to the beginning of Atavian’s report, but as she takes a second hesitant sip of coffee-sludge the summoner reaches his description of Lamm’s newest allies. And *that* revelation leads to Kroft spewing black droplets all over her paperwork desk-covering as she stares at Atavian as if he had just demonstrated the ability to have Tallox’s head sprout from his shoulder.

    “I-impossible! Derro in Korvosa are a myth! If they weren’t just some Shiver-addict’s fantasy, then why haven’t they been reported . . .”

    Kroft’s mind finally manages to catch up with her outburst of disbelief, and apparently the order given was “shut up”, as the Field Marshall simply purses her lips, biting back any further denial as she nods at Atavian.

    “My apologies. Please continue Atavian.”

    Kroft listens quietly to the rest of Atavian’s descriptions of Vreeg, Vreeg’s pet, and Vreeg’s strange skewered eyeball, and the derros’ obvious connection to Gaedren Lamm. Although the Field Marshall was ostensibly a politician by necessity if nothing else, either she didn’t have a good poker face or exhaustion had sapped that capability as well. Kroft’s facial expression flickers from disbelief, to dismay, and finally to despair as Atavian outlines the full strength of Lamm’s allies. When Atavian is finished with his report, Field Marshall Kroft is quiet for a long time, clearly working through all the implications as fast as her mind could sluggishly sort through them. It takes Dalen’s comment on the group’s accomplishment of surviving such a confrontation to stir Kroft out of her reverie.

    “Yes . . . I had thought Lamm was merely organizing the city’s criminal and corrupt elements, but it appears he is gathering the city’s supernatural elements as well. The Guard is not well trained or equipped enough to deal with such threats, which is why we typically turn to the Sable Marines, the Order of the Nail, or adventurers such as yourselves to handle threats to the city beyond the criminal element and occasional otyugh. But with the Order of the Nail largely unavailable now, and with adventurers such as yourselves barely capable of surviving a confrontation with these . . . derro and cyttil . . . . centipede-things, I am not sure what can be done to stop Lamm. Nonetheless, I am glad that all of you and Detective Rhev were able to escape unharmed . . . Detective Rhev?”

    Kroft looks around the room for Rhev, who had stepped out with Silas a few moments before. She even seems to be considering looking under her desk for Rhev before she stops herself, drains the last dregs from her cup, and sets it aside apparently dismissing the detective’s presence here as some sort of hallucination. The detective goes even further from her mind as she finally notices the earlier coffee splatter across all of her paperwork, and is pre-occupied for several seconds trying desperately – and futilely, given the time elapsed – to blot out the stains on her select pieces of paperwork . . . with other pieces of paperwork. It takes Jakkin finally speaking up about her conduct to get Kroft’s attention back on the group again – and it does not take very long at all for her full attention to be focused on the halfling during his diatribe.

    A look of mounting self-righteous anger builds on Kroft’s face during the first half of Jakkin’s argument, and she seems ready to burst in with a rebuttal at several moments – likely starting with a “how dare you” – but can’t quite seem to string the words together fast enough to interrupt him. Then the topic changes to setting an example for those under her command and what a dangerous example she was setting, and Kroft’s anger abruptly winks out, replaced with self-conscious guilt. Again, Kroft turns her attention back to her desk and busies herself with shuffling papers around quietly for a long few moments, but when she speaks up again it is barely above a whisper.

    “I . . . had not considered that possibility.”

    Kroft admits, pausing to awkwardly shuffle several papers about her desk again with no particular design save to seemingly keep her hands busy.

    “I wanted to set an example, yes. I am the Field Marshall of Korvosa. When I took command of this office after the disgrace that Field Marshall Jeggare had made of it, I swore that I would set a different example for the Guard and for the city of what the Guard could be. That I would be better, and work harder, than any Field Marshall of Korvosa since Field Marshall Korvosa himself. I . . . sacrificed too much, made too many compromises –“ Here Kroft’s eyes briefly flick up to Gavin’s face before returning to her desk, “- to allow anything else. I am willing to give up everything, including my own life, for this city and while I had hoped to inspire that same dedication in every member of the Guard under my command I never expected anyone to do something that I was not willing to do myself.”

    A quiet, bitter laugh slips out of Kroft’s lips as she finally stops shuffling papers about and looks up at the group, meeting each person’s gaze with a bloodshot stare devoid of hope.

    “That was the naïve dream of a little girl. The Guard is broken beyond repair, and I suspect if Lamm’s mythical abominations don’t kill us all, then once the Council of Nobles is finally done with its game of selecting this city’s new monarch and seneschal, they will get around to asking for my resignation. And once I am gone, the Council will seek out a more conservative, “dependable” candidate to ensure that my “embarrassment” of the office is never repeated again – and that the Guard can quietly slide back down into the muck of corruption so “business as usual” can resume.”

    Kroft sweeps her hands out across her desk to encompass the entirety of the paper covering it.

    “All this paperwork? This is *all* from today, when I had a sizable portion of the Guard arrested for corruption, connected somehow specifically to Lamm’s web of corruption, which I only finally had enough proper evidence for thanks to the ledger you recovered – thank you again for that. Oh yes, and the other half of the paperwork is from the other sizable portion of the Guard that I am dismissing from service today under various suspicions of corruption that I cannot yet prove, but have sufficient evidence for suspension in light of Lamm’s tendrils slithering ever deeper into this organization. Combine the casualties from the riots with today, and the Guard is now at less than half the strength it had two weeks ago! But that strength was only an illusion anyway, since apparently the majority of the Guard are too busy lining their own pockets or resigning in conscientious protest to be inspired by the example of their Field Marshall.”

    Still chugging along on her own exhaustion-fueled rant, Kroft now focuses her eyes solely on Jakkin.

    “And damn you Jakkin for holding up those few rare souls who do look to me as an example despite all that. I am so godsdamn tired right now, and the only two things keeping me going right now are my desire to be able to still look at myself in the mirror after all this is done and say that I gave everything I had for Korvosa, and that somewhere, maybe, there were still a few members of the Korvosan Guard who I could inspire. And you just took that away from me because you’re right. Instead of inspiring them to give Korvosa the best of themselves I am probably inspiring them to push until they make a mistake that gets either themselves or others killed.”

    Kroft drops her gaze away and lowers her head onto her hands, now propped up on the desk by her elbows. She keeps her head like that, slowly grinding the heels of each hand into her eyes as she quietly admits defeat, all bitterness and anger now finally vented away, leaving only exhaustion and despair.

    “But you’re also right about one other thing, Jakkin – I don’t trust anyone else to do this job, and certainly not after everything that has happened over the past several weeks. So there’s just me here to do the job, and until my Watch is over I can’t stop to sleep, or eat, or – gods yes please – bathe, because the time I take to do those things is all time that I can’t spend on being the Field Marshall of Korvosa. And Korvosa needs its Field Marshall right now more than ever for whatever little good I can actually do.”

    And then just barely audible, Kroft concludes her rebuttal with a final question.

    “And how can I look myself in the mirror if I allow myself to stop, and something else happens while I’m relaxing?”

    Spoiler: Gavin & Jakkin
    Show


    (Extra psychology information on Kroft from narrowly exceeding her Bluff score with your Sense Motive)

    Throughout her exhausted rant, most of Kroft’s emotions are plainly visible on her face, and she certainly seems to be speaking plainly about her beliefs and motivations. She certainly seems to believe in what she is saying, and is adamantly in favor of cleansing Korvosa of corruption and enforcing the rule of law, and of holding herself up as an exemplar of what a city guard should be.

    In fact, she seems to have a fanatical desire to live up to those ideals, although neither of you are able to determine why she clings to that ideal with such determination. There’s some context there that you are missing, although you do also suspect that Kroft believes she has not lived up to her ideal, and that’s only pushing her harder.

    As an additional aspect to that, there’s her last sentence, whispered almost like a mantra to herself. “Something else happens while I’m relaxing” – in the context of the conversation that sounds like an admission of recent failure, but as far as you know the night of the riots Kroft was out in the thick of it all night as the start of her no-sleep-ever marathon. “Something else” implies that there was a previous, initial event that happened while Kroft had her guard down, but like the rest of whatever is driving Kroft you don’t really have the context to determine whatever that is, merely that there *is* something there, and her guilt over it has turned her into a workaholic.

    I didn't actually intend to kill EVERYONE. It just sort of happened.

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  26. - Top - End - #116
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "I would never have picked pride as your sin, Field Marshall."

    Gavin still couldn't bring himself to look at Kroft. But listening as she rambled on, proclaiming that only she was qualified to do this job, that only she could save the city. It was all too easy to see how she had left him to the dogs, how she could have abandoned-

    Gavin gritted his teeth, as another flood of visions shot through his mind. Blessedly, this one was shorter. Another world, another Field Marshall. One who still could stand upright, could still think, who showed him that she had tried, that she had done her best to keep him safe in Longacre. Gavin couldn't know if it was true here, or if it had been true at all. But, what was it Aliani had said? That hate was a terrible thing to carry?

    “Protect the dreamers, the would-be heroes. You are one yourself, still.”


    Maybe there was something to that, if Gavin's hate distracted him like this. Kroft was still the lynchpin of the Guard, and for better or worse, they needed to help her.

    "What if something happened while you relaxed? What if something happened now, Field Marshall? What if Gaedren Lamm launched an attack on the palace this very moment? What is your plan? What would the Guard's response be? Can you even lift your damn sword?" Gavin strode to the Field Marshall's desk and slammed his hand down on one of the stacks of paper work. "I don't care what happened that makes you think you need to martyr yourself, but that is not what Korvosa needs right now. Korvosa needs a Field Marshall that can actually think, that can actually stand on her own two feet without calling one of the bankers to magic away the problem for another couple hours! You are in derelict of your duty, Cressida!"

    Gavin bit his lip. That's what was on his official sentencing. Dereliction of duty. They hadn't been able to pin the kidnapping of that girl on him, in the end, so they charged him with dereliction of duty. Saying he had allowed it to happen, that by inaction he was to blame.

    "You've cut away the rot. Now you only have the strongest left. The ones who can actually pick up your slack. Sargent Soldado is competent, trustworthy, and intelligent. You can lean on him for the ten hours it would take to put yourself back in fighting shape. You're already working with this group of mercenaries. They've shown themselves to be capable of putting out fires."

    Gavin's mind went to another memory, this time one of the few he knew happened in this world, to him. Maralictor Vulso, after pulling him off one of the bridges to Old Korvosa, and the words that put Gavin on the path he currently walked. They fell from Gavin's lips, almost without thinking.

    "You said you would give your life for Korvosa, but what you really meant was that you would give your death. Throwing yourself at the work until you make a fatal mistake. Can you actually give your life? Can you commit to living, to taking care of yourself and making sure what you give your city is the best version of yourself you can be? Giving your death is so much easier.

    Can you give your life, Field Marshall?"
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  27. - Top - End - #117
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    PiccadillyPi's Avatar

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "Pooh."

    Silas stared at the note on the door in the same way one might look at a piece of food they'd just dropped in the mud. He'd just wasted an hour of his search. That meant more time in which the field marshal would be awake. Annoyed, he nearly took the note down from the door. It'd mean confusion for returning patrons. Unfortunately, it would also mean that there might also be more customers for Lamm rather than any other dealer in town. Instead, he lightly kicked the door frame before turning back to face what he presumed would be a terrible day. Eel's end was, after all, the Spider's territory.

    As he began his descent of the shingles, he was privy to a view that reached across the whole of Korvosa. Certainly a sight to behold. Each building that stuck out invoked memories of a past life. One where he did what he had to to survive. As he neared the end of his break from shopping, Silas viewed the spire of one of the many shrines of South Shore.

    "Ah! I am truly the idiot lord of bad ideas!'

    Genevieve LaBelle. A dear friend of his frequented the shrines of South Shore, and a few others across the city, as a Calistrian courtesan. She was the one that helped him get through the worst of his remission. She herself had access to a slurry of alchemical liquids and powders, but hardly ever used such things. Typically, those were reserved for more rigorous clergy. In many ways she acted as a mentor to Silas, not only as a courtesan, but as a kind soul in a time when he needed one. Her being Calistrian, they had no secrets behind the curtains. It was an odd friendship between them.

    With a name in mind, Silas' plan changed from doom to groom. He'd have to stop by his house to grab a brush and perhaps doff his violent appearance. He took whatever shortcuts he could as he made his descent from the rooftops. Climbing down was always easier than the reverse, especially with his new boots. Time being what it was, Silas started into a run the second he touched the street level. As he ran, he debated on whether a horse-drawn carriage would be faster than simply hustling through to South Shore.
    ~ Piccadilly Pineapple

  28. - Top - End - #118
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "They lurk in the shadows beneath the city, and what few sightings may have been reported were likely dismissed as a shiver addict's fantasy. The only reason that our report has even reached your desk is because we're associates in your direct employ. I understand your incredulity, and frankly I was fully expecting to not be taken seriously," Dalen responds to Kroft's remarks about the Derro.

    He waits for the discussion of Kroft's health to finish before speaking, "Ms Kroft, it would seem to me that even with the aid of restorative divine magic your efficacy is waning. I fully understand that the guard is stretched for resources, and truthfully I have a great deal of confidence in your ability to juggle this precarious situation, but I hope you would not allow your personal zeal to compromise your professional judgement. You are the most valuable asset of the guard, and I fear that you are spreading yourself out too thinly. Ultimately the most competent must delegate to those less able than themselves so that they may redouble their efforts where the impact will be most substantial,"

  29. - Top - End - #119
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    "Nadine..." Aliani sighed, clenching his jaw at the mention of Beautrice's scarred face. There was probably no use in trying to change their mind, seeing as they'd already run off once. "You should leave, you really should leave. It's probably going to get worse for a while, and even if they do manage to round up those Dusters people, it's ... they're not the only ones burning things and killing around here."

    "But it's your life. If you need any money, I've come into some, or a place to stay -- you can have the upstairs if you want it -- you know you can come to me no questions asked, right? If any of the others are having trouble... I've fallen out of touch lately and I haven't been as attentive as I should be... you send them to me, all right? Please?"

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Grau's comment about a day in the life brought back a withering glare as Aliani thumbed at his scorched clothing and watched Nadine walk off, probably never to be seen again. "Yes, well, it's not all it's cracked up to be, apparently."

    He listened to the sergeants tale; there was some more than interesting information in there, to be sure, but just the sort that it wouldn't do to have investigated further.

    "Forgive me, Sergeant Saldado, but I think your efforts are headed in exactly the wrong direction. It's certainly interesting enough that the two knew each other some years ago, but what I think should interest you is what the hell happened this time, in what should be a cut and dried murder case. The treason is... well, if I had to guess I'd say someone trumped something up to intimidate them and run them out of town. Most crimes are easy enough: someone got stabbed, or punched in the face, or money went missing. There's actual harm. Treason is, well, it's usually basically a thought crime isn't it? And monarchs aren't in the habit of pardoning people who are actually threats against them, after all, specious charges or not, else they wouldn't stay monarchs for long.

    "So someone runs a questionable charge up the flagpole, this group get convicted, but actually executing them would draw too much attention, so she 'pardons' them of their 'crime' and makes them leave town. That'd be my best guess, if you're asking me. History is replete with such cases, in Korvosa and elsewhere, as I'm sure you are aware."
    Aliani was fairly sure the sergeant wasn't aware, and perhaps he himself was imagining it a bit, but it seemed good at the time, and certainly there were all manner of at least semi-historical stage works alluding to the topic that could be fallen back on...

    "Frankly, it seems a little bit like victim blaming to say 'aha but they knew each other', to wonder what she did to deserve bleeding out on the street. Why does the 'why' matter, other than your personal edification? The interesting part is the lengths to which someone in the Guard and elsewhere has gone to cover it all up, but that's easily enough explained by 'Lamm probably paid them off to hide the trail, or intimidated them into doing so' -- both now and in the past. He does that, you know. You've at least read the letters I turned in on the subject, I assume, unless those got 'misfiled' as well."

    "Your big worry ought to be this, besides the really obvious bits: are those people still in positions of power? Do you think you can really trust what you're being told?"

  30. - Top - End - #120
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    PirateGuy

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    Default Re: The Crimson Echo IC - Season Two

    Jakkin grunted his approval; he'd said his piece, it had struck true, and his companions had run with it -- it didn't all have to come from him. But seeing this woman driving herself into distress and exhaustion, trying her best to do a potentially impossible job?

    That was just...wrong.

    He didn't have anything further to add with regards to their cellar encounter than had already been said, so he stood on the balls of his bare feet and let the others have their say.

    He was patient.

    Lamm would eventually be in his hands. One of these days.

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