IP: Hell's Vengeance (DnD5e)

[Dayaz]

Durmas scowls as he thinks of Tileavia.

"I know Tileavia. She has always seemed to be one of those who honestly disdain the current Cheliax. It might be easier to just logically counter her points in the sermon, see if we can fluster her. Once flustered, we might be able to trick her into making a ... let's say, foolish choice. If we can trick the crowd into thinking that she means to attack us, it's should be a relatively simple matter to either take her into custody or 'accident' her. With that, it should be a rather simple matter to use it as anti-Reclamation propaganda." He smirks, leaning back into his chair. "If the citizens think of the Reclamation as a bunch of murder happy fools, the threat of them joining should be minuscule."

[Spore]

Eximius Tilernos Human Order Cleric AC: 18 HP: 20/20 PP: 15 PIv: 11 PIs: 15 Conditions: - Concentration: - I hope you know her well then. Eximius adds in. Iomedae preaches restraint as much as they preach violence against what they deem is evil. If she loves her country, she may contradict her own logic. Now let's go. There is only so much we can do in theory.

[Zero Prime]

Tacitus Servius Rex AC: 14 | HP's: 18 of 18 Passive Perception: 14 | Passive Insight: 16 | Passive Investigation: 12 Concentration: None. Condition: None. Tacitus nodded agreement, "Then we go, I will slip into the town from the opposite direction so I am not seen with you, giving me the opportunity to case the Church and see what there is to see." At which point Tacitus left, the rapier and the armband bundled out of sight, using a reversible cloak, he concealed himself as a commoner, and approached the square from a different vector so as not to be associated with the Signifier and his other allies.

[Pyrophilios]

Leaving the Ash House for the town, you find that already a few people have gathered on the church yard.

Spoiler: Sermon at the church

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A casual investigation of the area reveals the following notable features:

C1:
Longacre’s Church of Iomedae, surrounded by a wrought iron fence, sits just to the north of one of the town’s squares called, appropriately enough, the church square. The square contains a well, available for use by anyone in town, and a tall wooden post for posting notices and announcements. Shops and businesses surround the plaza, and a wide thoroughfare runs north and south through the square. A conspicuous white-clothed table stands in front of the church, apparently in readiness for the sermon, though the table is currently bare.

A few small groups of elderly locals and laborers from nearby businesses have gathered in the square, mostly around the well or along the fence surrounding the churchyard, muttering about what they’ve heard or imagined about Allamar’s announcement.

C2:
One of the buildings across the square from the church used to be the Three Bands Cooper. The cooper went out of business about a year ago. The shop is dark, boarded up, and empty, but there’s a rickety staircase in the adjacent alley that leads to the building’s second floor. A locked door bars the way into an empty second-story apartment, where a window provides an unobstructed view of the church square and temple beyond.

C3:
The alley between Buckman’s Hardware and the Graceful Goose Haberdasher is wide and clean, but it remains in shadow for most of the day. A perfect hiding spot.

C4:
One block east of the church square, Seward Street is largely empty, but a distracted workman has left his donkey and a delivery cart loaded with four heavy casks of wood tar here.

Spoiler: DC 12 Nature check

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Wood tar is particularly flammable and hard to estinguish. It produces lots of thick, choking smoke and is all in all a real nuisance to get rid off again due to its stickyness.

Also, three of the sheriffs deputies have taken positon at the x-marked positions, keeping a keen eye on what is going on in the yard.

[Zero Prime]

Tacitus Servius Rex AC: 14 | HP's: 18 of 18 Passive Perception: 14 | Passive Insight: 16 | Passive Investigation: 12 Concentration: None. Condition: None. Tacitus disguised as a commoner, walked towards the church, passing by the Deputy, "Morning ser," he nodded his head, his broad brimmed traveller's hat concealing his face. He continued on towards the church, as he approached the threshold to the church, he removed his hat and held it to his chest, reverently. "Inheritor be praised," he intoned, as though the words had special meaning to him. He then continued to the interior of the Church trying to mingle with any crowds present and listened for any gossip or rumors about the coming sermon.

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler: Church Map

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The churchyard is largely empty, enclosed within a wrought-iron fence. A graveyard huddles east of the church, mostly filled with several dozen stark white grave markers. These headstones are designed to look like swords thrust into the earth, each bearing a name and span of dates to commemorate the life of particularly dutiful or devout member of the church.

Longacre’s Church of Iomedae presides over a fenced yard with an orderly garden and a small cemetery. The church itself stands atop a 6-foot-tall, fortresslike foundation of stone, which lifts it over the churchyard and the plaza beyond. Eleven stained-glass windows decorate the church’s narthex and sanctuary, each abstractly depicting one of the Acts of Iomedae . Whitewashed wooden stairs climb to a small porch and the church’s only entrance. Two balconies extend from the church’s face, with narrow glass doors leading from each into the sanctuary.

Inside, the space is airy and open with a number of folksy crafts decorating the walls — mostly carved or woven pieces featuring the holy symbol of Iomedae. The chamber’s most impressive features are its stained-glass windows, the largest of which depicts a giant, golden figure bearing the sunburst and sword symbol of Iomedae floating skyward while small, blue figures below exalt her. A small door leads north to the priestess’s office (area H3) while another pair of doors leads into the sanctuary (area H5).

The church is rather empty at the moment, but a low murmured conversation can be heard but not understood, coming from the room behind the altar (H4)

[Awful]

The mushroom-infested druid had introduced herself to the party with a small curtsey, bobbing her head humbly as she leaned on a gnarled staff for support. She was both thin and short, indeed almost gaunt, but made taller by the festoon of fungus growing from her body. Her skin was deathly pale, her eyes heavily bagged, but they swivelled from person to person with a careful gaze. Her hair is cut in a pixie cut, similarly white, banded by a bold red crest of fungal plate like a headband.
"Greetings," she said. Her voice was a hoarse whisper, as if she had a rough throat. "I am Amanita Morchella. May we work well together."



----

"The wood tar," she said in the alley to the others. "A thick kkkl-" she paused to shove a hand infront of her mouth and cough heavily, a small cloud of spores billowing her hand. "-cloud of smoke would inhibit a speech quite well."

[Spore]

Eximius Tilernos Human Order Cleric AC: 18 HP: 20/20 PP: 15 PIv: 11 PIs: 15 Conditions: - Concentration: - Eximius looked in open disgust at the newcomer. Razelago really was not picky with his agents, now was he. But someone that could survive such a, well, condition was probably at least physically reliable. The bearded man narrowed his eyes, checking the street behind him again. I am not sure open resistance is advisable. But if these things are flammable, the flames could just happen to hit the church, now could they?

[Dayaz]

Durmas nodded after a few moments of consideration. "I think burning those barrels could work alongside my original plan to just agitate her and her followers by refuting their 'facts' with truth."

[Zero Prime]

Tacitus Servius Rex AC: 14 | HP's: 18 of 18 Passive Perception: 14 | Passive Insight: 16 | Passive Investigation: 12 Concentration: None. Condition: None. Tacitus moves slowly towards the Altar, drawing a few silver from his belt pouch, unobserved, he moved as quietly as possible, sure of his deception and the planned offering of alms to the donation box. However his intent was to approach the door, so he could more clearly discern what the discussion was in regards to.

Spoiler: Out of Character Actions

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OOC: Stealth check to approach the door, (1d20+5)[11], and a Perception check to eavesdrop on the conversation, (1d20+4)[15]. We'll see how this plays out.

[Pyrophilios]

Tacitus can hear two youthful voices:
"... come on just one more time. I want to try on the mask too."
"No, mom is getting ready for the sermon and then we'll have to bring it out in the box. And I'm not getting yelled at because you've bent these stupid silver feathers."
"Oh come on, that's not a mask, it's a helmet. Even if it's silver, it's supposed to be robust. We have to watch the bloody thing the whole afternoon anyway - I say we have a little fun with it now or never."
"Looks like it's never then."
"Spoilsport."

[Zero Prime]

Tacitus Servius Rex AC: 14 | HP's: 18 of 18 Passive Perception: 14 | Passive Insight: 16 | Passive Investigation: 12 Concentration: None. Condition: None. Tacitus burst quickly through the door, "Quickly children, the mask!" He hissed in a whispered voice, "The Sword Knight has enemies who wish to steal the relic from her possession, enemies of the Inheritor!" With a subtle gesture of his hand, still concealed by his clothing, he enacted a phantasam of sounds from the exterior of the church. The sound of neighing horses, hooves, and the sound of ringed mail against leather. He snapped his head towards the sound, "Fex's men, here? Now?! Make haste lads, give me the mask, I will elude them, hide while you can!"

Spoiler: Out of Character Actions

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OOC: Minor Illusion to create the sound of approaching, armed men. Deception to try to convince the children to turn over the mask; I will roll 2d20 in the event that the Minor Illusion gives me advantage, if that isn't the case, we'll take the first roll. (2d20)[13][7](20)+6=19. Heh, didn't matter, rolled the 13 first and it was the highest, let's see what happens.

[Pyrophilios]

The two boys - both about 15 or 16 look around in utter confusion as Tacitus bursts into the room. The Iomedan upbringing takes over in the first second, and the taller of the two hands over the mask almost automatically, before the other can say: "Who are you? We are not supposed to let anyone take the mask..."

Tacitus can see that his initial shock and awe has worked for the moment, but that the two boys aren't stupid (at least not stupider than a boy of that age in general is) and that they are quickly getting back their wits.

[Zero Prime]

Tacitus Servius Rex AC: 14 | HP's: 18 of 18 Passive Perception: 14 | Passive Insight: 16 | Passive Investigation: 12 Concentration: None. Condition: None. Tacitus smiled, it was a cruel thing, and even it quickly faded as his face returned to a cold facade, "Clever boys," as if by magic a blade appeared at the tallest youth's throat. "I do not wish to spill the blood of children this day." A sigh, the edge of the blade applied pressure to the boy's throat, "but I will if I hear a sound from either of you." He took the box from the boy's hand, and backed out of the office, holding the point of the dagger towards the child's position. "Shhhh ...."

Spoiler: Out of Character Action

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OOC: Taking the box, threatening the kids, and then backing out of the office, once out of the Office, I will use Minor Illusion to make the box look like a book or bible and make for the exit quickly, but quick enough to attract attention.

[Pyrophilios]

The bluff works: Shocked by the suddeness of everything happening, Tacitus makes it out of the church before the two boys can rally themselves to call out for help.

Spoiler

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A stealth test for Tacitus to disappear among the crowd without being spotted by the sheriff and her deputies.

[Zero Prime]

Tacitus Servius Rex AC: 14 | HP's: 18 of 18 Passive Perception: 14 | Passive Insight: 16 | Passive Investigation: 12 Concentration: None. Condition: None. Once he exited the Church, he moved towards the throng of the crowd, trying to stay away from the Sheriff and her Deputies. He kept a cautious eye on them, planning on using his magics to create another image of himself moving in the opposite direction if they picked him out of the crowd and began moving his way. Keeping with the crowd but moving towards the east, specifically the alley between Buckman's and the Haberdasher.

Spoiler: Out of Character Actions

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OOC: Rolling Stealth check to lose the Sheriff & her Deputies in the crowd, (1d20+5)[18], and if they notice me I will use Minor Illusion to create another person in the crowd who looks like me to at least split the number of tails on me. His ultimate goal to get into the alley, speak with the Signifier, ditch his disguise, put on the armband and rapier, then check the box & mask.

[Pyrophilios]

All had happened so fast, that Tacitus had no trouble getting into the dark alley without being spotted.
Opening the box revealed an ornate helmet, that was more like a mask of an angelic figure.

Spoiler: Helmet

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