DrK Crimson Throne IC

[DrK]

As the man retreats there is an audible twang from their elven friend and a sickening crunch as his knee shatters spinning him to the ground, arrow jutting from his leg. Droppping the cleaver he cradles the leg, weeping and shouting. "Aye, bastards, you have me... dinnae kill me. We didn't do nowt wrong.." he bellows as Cassian approaches kicking the cleaver clear of his hands as he is clearly no longer a threat.

Up stairs Cassian and Ciraneoth can hear crashing about...

[farothel]

"I think we can leave these low lives for now," Ciraneoth said, "they're not really going anywhere anyway. Upstairs is where it is. So, how does it look like upstairs?"
The last question was directed to the two bandits still downstairs. It would be easier to go up if they knew what it looked like.

[wilphe]

Winifred proceeds past into the shop front, hoping to find at least one spot in this establishment that is not covered in blood.

If the shopfront is open she'll close it and cast about for anything of interest - like the days takings or a ledger or meat that suspiciously resembles long-pig

Spoiler: OOC

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(1d100)[47] Perception

v 41

[rax]

"Answer the elf, and quickly. What and who is upstairs besides your commander?" Cassian says holding his sword at the thug's throat.

[Haval]

Andrei listens to the noise upstairs, 'Are they putting up a barricade? What are the chances that anyone upstairs might try nipping out through a window rather then staying to deal with us?'

[DrK]

Wiinfred runs into the shop front where a pair of three large tables are laid out with dirty metallic trays covered in a few scraps of meat (the rest having been sold). A solid looking chest lies in the corner with a solid looking lock and each table has a pair of scales atop it where they can measure the weights of the meat that is left. THe front of the shop seems quiet now, a few hungry and grimy looking cityfol of the lowest classes hunched in the cool air outside looking throu the open doorway, but clearly they had seen the weapons drawn and fled the shop

At the base of the stairs Cassian and the others pauses looking up stairs. The man at Cassian's feet grimacing as he clutches his bloodied leg. "Nowt up there but Verik's room and the one me and the others shared." even as he speaks there is a swish and bang that sounds like a shuttered windown being opened

[wilphe]

Out the way please, busy lady coming through.

Winifred heads through the door and heads left, assuming for the moment that someone trying to get out will head out onto the roof rather than drop down into the alley on the right

Spoiler: OOC

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(1d100)[80] Perception 41+20 Acute Hearing

[rax]

"Ciraneoth! Go with Winifred and cover the outside! I'll go up the stairs and see if I can prevent Verrik from leaving the building. Andrei, your help would be appreciated!" Cassian says to his companions before racing up the stairs.

[farothel]

Ciraneoth nodded and after quickly switching back to his bow, he moved outside, trying to remember where the windows were and looking out for someone climbing down. If he could stand at the outside with his bow ready when he tried to climb down with his bad leg, things might be resolved without further bloodshed.

[Haval]

"Ciraneoth! Go with Winifred and cover the outside! I'll go up the stairs and see if I can prevent Verrik from leaving the building. Andrei, your help would be appreciated!" Cassian says to his companions before racing up the stairs.

Andrei thought whether he could be useful depended on how violent Verik was willing to be here but he'll follow Cassian upstairs anyway.

[DrK]

Cassian, Bart and Andrei race upstairs as Winifred and Cienreoth dart outside and round to the left side of the shop where they see the wooden shutters thrown open and a body in the window looking down....

Inside Cassian is first upstairs, the top of the stairs opening into a break room of sorts. A rough table with cards and coppers strewn across it amidst the remains of a cooked rack of ribs and several flagons of cheap ale. along one side of the room are 3 low and cheap cots with filthy blankets and discarded clothes dropped atop them. The cheap looking door beyond leads into a crude office where a large desk stands in the opposite side of the room covered in papers, although one is pinned to the table by an ornate silver dagger with a large red gen mounted in the hilt and a large bedroll atop a wooden frame fills the wall to your right. By the window on the other side Verik pauses, a sling bag on his back, bow in hand and leg sheeted in blood from the brutal arrow shot from your elven companion.

He pauses, dropping the bow and drawing his sword from his waist, glancing down he catches sight of Cieranoth and Winifred outside and looks at Cassian, Bart and Andrei, "Come to do Kroft's bidding like good dogs have you? Doing the work of the good Queen, btch that she is. When did you think money would be more important than feeding the citizens." the sword glitters in his hand, and he handles it well, but is clearly still in pain

[wilphe]

Winifred will take what shot she can get acutely aware that the party is split and that someone is still up and fighting

Spoiler: OOC

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(1d100)[14] 41 - whatever

(1d10)[1] +3

[Haval]

" When did you think money would be more important than feeding the citizens."

'And feeding them what exactly?' Andrei asks, wandering whether he was going to admit it.

[rax]

"Oh, so you deserted your post to open a charity? That's not what your compatriots were saying. Now, lay down your arms and give yourself up before you bleed to death," Cassian answers coolly, but makes no immediate attempt to attack the wounded deserter.

[farothel]

Ciraneoth keeps an eye out on both the window, just in case the guy tries to escape and on the street, in case there are reinforcements coming.

[DrK]

There is a crack of a bow and and arrow flies through the window drawing a thin line of blood across Verik’s arm and he jerks back from the window out of sight of Winifred and Cerianoth. He looks with a rueful glance at Cassian “No way out then,” then pauses to look at Andrei more closely, “Are you blind man? We manage to run the butchery with what little we can afford, I have a patron that helps with cash we make no money from this hovel, I couldn’t beat seeing the betrayals by the Queen and her flunkies “

As he speaks his eyes glance to the desk and the dagger pinning the papers in place “What now? You have me trapped, I can prove the queens corruption to you or we can fight as you try and take me in for a shame trial”

[rax]

"Listen to yourself, man! We know that you and your men have been proclaiming your loyalty to the Queen while badmouthing the Guard - a transparent ploy to get more men to desert. Any yet here you stand, proclaiming yourself a champion of the people against the very same Queen?" Cassian retorts.

"We also know that you and your men have been hiring out as legbreakers for local criminals and we know you've been disposing of the bodies right here in the butchery. Do your customers know they're eating people? No sir, you are a shameless liar and your words mean nothing to us, but this is your lucky day. The Field Marshal prefers that we take you in alive. Come with us peacefully and perhaps you'll get a chance to convince her not to hang you on the spot!" he proclaims.

[wilphe]

Winifred leaves the street and heads back inside, making sure none of the locals get the idea to make off with the chest.

If fighting is over she'll head upstairs and see what documents are to be found

[farothel]

Ciraneoth will stay outside to prevent any escape and to talk to locals should they show any interest in the proceedings.

[Haval]

To Verik incredulously, 'You claim times are hard enough that people have to resort to cannibalism? I take it that doesn't include you personally. How much are you making from this arrangement?'

[DrK]

At mention of the meat and the cannibalism Verik shakes his head... "No, we have been selling cows and pigs, you idiots. Look in the yard downstairs. We bring them in, my patron gives us funds for that. We have nothing to do with the gangs of scum around here." He pauses, "What do you mean loyalty to the Queen? She has brought the City down to its knees, brought tax and hardship on the people and corrupted the guards! You are agents of Kroft and the traitors."

He throws his spear down wearily, sitting on the window sill and holds out his hands. "Arrest me if you will, but I refuse to accept your claims of butchery, depravity and criminality." He glances at the desk as Winfred arrives and scowls as she grabs at the papers. Most of the papers seem to be around the supply of meats and the like however one of them bears a strange heraldic crest that Cassian recognises as that of the relatively new House Arkonas. Standing in the room Andrei feels almost an itch and can see swirls of eldritch energy flowing around the ornate dagger on the desk.

--------------

Outside on the street Cieranoth watches warily as the crowds for the most part flee the scene, running from the heavily armed folk fighting. A few linger nearby and a couple of sullen looking woman clutching tattered (and empty) baskets look at the elf with barely concealed hostility. "Why you hassling Verik and his boys eh? No-one esle been feeding us, merchants are basterads and charge too much, at least these lads helping us feed our families."

[farothel]

"That's because a lot of his sausages and stuff are actually the remains of his 'business' rivals," Ciraneoth said, "and that's a felony everywhere I'm aware of."

[wilphe]

Winifred will gather up everything, but read the one with the heraldic crest now.

You have a key for that chest downstairs or am I going to have to break things?

[Haval]

He didn't sound like he was lying, but how the hell would you proove something like that one way or the other. Andrei will take refuge by trying to work out what was going on with that dagger.

Spoiler

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Magical Sense to take a closer look at the dagger
vs. Wp 51 (+10 Aetheric Attunement)
(1d100)[10]

[rax]

"Then you may plead your case with the Field Marshal," Cassian responds to Verik's protestations of innocence. He looks around the room for anything he can use to tie up the deserter.

OOC: If there's no rope, perhaps Verik has a belt Cassian could use to tie his hands. As soon as Verik's secure, Cassian will call out to Ciraneoth through the window, urging him to come inside and secure the other two prisoners.

[farothel]

Ciraneoth nods to acknowledge, goes inside and using some rope that's bound to be present in a butchery (if only for the animals) he binds the other prisoner's hands and feet together. The feet so they can still walk but not run.

[DrK]

The crowd outside look horrified at the elf's words as he described that not all of the meat is strictly animal in nature whilst inside Winifred and Cassian gather some ropes (well animal leashes) to bind the two injured guards and Verik. Verik still watching you all with a disgusted look, "I know what justice to expect from the Field Marshall, A short sharp drop is all I will receive for not supporting that snake of a Queen." He nods to his sullen compatriots as they are assembled in the hall downstairs. Verik still loudly proclaiming no murders or wrongful meat is there.... something that Cassian picks up on that both of his men look shufty from despite Verik's loud protestations of innocence.

Upstairs in the office Andrei approaches the knife that seems to gather the winds of magic around it. As he attunes himself to it he feels a surge of ulghu as the winds of illusion are torn free from it, the blade shifting into a long sinuous looking demonic snake! The creature hisses at him, giving him only seconds to respond to it before it pounces at him fangs bared!



OOC

Apprporiate Arcane or Forbidden Lore ay help ID it
Assume Cassian, Cieranoth and Winifred are at least 2 moves away downstairs in the hallway
Andrie can act before the demonic looks snake the dagger has turned into

[wilphe]

Spoiler: OOC

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Well Winifired was gathering up papers and asking Verik if there was a key to the chest.

Not handling prisoners

If she was handling prisoners she'd point out there is a cart outside they can take

[rax]

Cassian helps bundle the prisoners into the abattoir, where he has them sit down against the south wall.

"It'll be a chore getting these three to the Citadel with two of them wounded like that," he says to Ciraneoth, pointing his sword at the leg and groin wounds suffered by Verik and the other thug. "There was a cart outside, wasn't there? We can use that to move them. Before we go, however, we need to search all three of them and their dead companions for anything of value or import - weapons, money, information and such. I trust Miss Winifred and Andrei are searching the premises for more of the same. One of us should also search the room back there and the yards for any other evidence that might interest the Field Marshal," he continues, nodding towards the outside and jerking his thumb towards the room at the easternmost end of the abattoir.

"Would you care to do the honours, or shall I?"

[farothel]

"I'll bind their wounds," Ciraneoth offered, "that should make sure that they arrive alive. You can search, if you want. Unless you're better at it then putting a field dressing on."

Spoiler: OOC rolls

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As I'm not sure how long I have before we are informed of the situation above and if nobody is better (or even has) the heal skill: heal roll (1d100)[46] vs 49