3.5e Batman Campaign (2.0)

[Feathersnow]

After catching up her borrowed time, Kate continues to wrestle with the armed man!

Spoiler: Fight!

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Grapple (1d20+17)[29]
Damage (1d6+5)[8]

[Molan]

The remaining upright Thug continued to run towards the alley leading back out into the main street, and the crowds beyond, though he hadn't quite reached the turn.

Spoiler: OOC

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It's Barbara's turn.

[JbeJ275]

"Stay down." Barbara shouts at the man below her before running after the fleeing man. A knife shoots out at him as she rus.

Spoiler: OOC

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Taking the the run full round action to catch up with the man but the knife still shoots out for free.

Knife: (1d20+11)[26] for (1d6+2)[6]

[Molan]

"Stay down." Barbara shouts at the man below her before running after the fleeing man. A knife shoots out at him as she rus.

Spoiler: OOC

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Taking the the run full round action to catch up with the man but the knife still shoots out for free.

Knife: [roll0] for [roll1]

The thug stumbled. He was clearly slowed now by his extensive injuries, but wasn't quite yet on the ground.

Spoiler: OOC

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Damien's turn. Bring it home!

[MrAbdiel]

He couldn't aim a shuriken while he was engaged in such a desperate chase. If he slowed down for even the moment he required, the goon would be out of range of an effective throw, making him likely to limp out into the street and relative safety. Thus, he did all he could do: with a snap of flash powder, the kid vanished from view - though the running man could hear the puffing, angry breath just over his shoulder... coming from empty space.

Spoiler: OOC Actions:

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Full round action to run, to keep up and get adjacent with him again. Swift action to burn a Ki point and go invisible. When the thug inevitably runs, he'll trigger an opportunity attack... which is as follows.

VsFlatfoot - (1d20+12)[32], for (1d6-2)[1] minimum 1, and (3d6)[8] sudden strike damage.

[Molan]

As the man ran past Damien, the boy"s invisible blade lashed out, cutting him and tripping him up. He tumbled into the dirt, immobile.

Spoiler: OOC

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Okay.

Informant is still docile on the ground. Dark Market Longsword is pinned under Kate. The other two are bleeding out on the ground.

[MrAbdiel]

Fading back into view and shaking out his gauntleted fist, Damien puffs, catches his breath for a second, then wishes he'd brought some kind of healer's kit. He drops to attempt first aid on the guy, glancing once up at Oracle and giving a utilitarian thumbs up.

Spoiler: OOC Actions, Not Really:

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Just 'table communication'; Damien will try to stabilize this one in following turns if Oracle is going back to the others - or he's happy to head back to soccerball kick the head of the guy who slashed him.

[Molan]

Fading back into view and shaking out his gauntleted fist, Damien puffs, catches his breath for a second, then wishes he'd brought some kind of healer's kit. He drops to attempt first aid on the guy, glancing once up at Oracle and giving a utilitarian thumbs up.

Spoiler: OOC Actions, Not Really:

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Just 'table communication'; Damien will try to stabilize this one in following turns if Oracle is going back to the others - or he's happy to head back to soccerball kick the head of the guy who slashed him.

Damien did what he could to try to help the man he'd felled. He'd been taught some basics about how to treat his own injuries.

When he rolled the man over, though, he coughed up blood, and Damien quickly realized it was about to die. He quickly dove into a slapdash effort to keep him alive, hastily bandaging wounds and performing CPR to get him breathing, before eventually inserting a makeshift tracheostomy to clear some of the pressure from his lungs.

The bloody effort was shoddy, but it worked. The man slipped into unconsciousness but his ragged breaths kept coming.

Back where Oracle and Kate were, the second thug continued to bleed into the ground.

[JbeJ275]

Oracle moved over to that bleeding form, now murmuring complaints over serious failings in the syllabus of the mage guild.

Spoiler: Rolls to stabilise. DC15

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(1d20)[18]
(1d20)[14]
(1d20)[10]
(1d20)[20]
(1d20)[19]
(1d20)[4]
(1d20)[1]

[Molan]

While Damien worked to save his victim's life, Oracle bent over the other thug and did the same, her cloud of knives whirling above her, ignoring the man on the ground. Her task was a bit easier than Damien's, though most men were in terrible shape. Eventually, she was able to stop the bleeding and get him stabilized.

Only two thugs remained conscious; the one under Kate and the informant, who stayed on his knees, hand over his head in obsequience.

[MrAbdiel]

Spoiler: OOC:

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Since we're out of combat time now...

Damien stands up over the body of his fallen victim-patient, looking at the battered, badly injured man. He'd think twice before considering getting involved in -...

Come to think of it, he had no idea why they were fighting this fight. He'd just jumped in to help Oracle. He ran back to the main cluster, and began adding his fists to the beatdown on the poor schmuck Kate had pinned. Once he's out like a light from subdual blows, and the danger is passed, he runs back again to the fallen runner, confiscates his magical weapon, and begins rifling through his belongings for other things to confiscate. Perhaps even clues.

[JbeJ275]

Oracle turned back to the informant she'd perforated at the very beginning of this fight, her knives slowing in their rotation and all turning to point towards the now awoken man.

"So, do you want to go through that again, one way this time of course? Or do you want to tell me where you get the messages for those lovely coded notes you've been so generously handing out?

[Feathersnow]

Didn't anyone ever tell you its not nice to attack kids or get beaten up by unarmed women? I wear my nice dress to go shopping, I don't have a lot of civilian clothes, you know...

She looks to the others...

What was this all about, anyway?

[Molan]

The informant held up his hands, reinforcing his surrender.

"Alright, alright! Please, just take it down a notch, okay!? I just pass the information along, I didn't want to hurt anyone!"

It was a pretty unbelievable defense, not least of we which because of the weapons the informant had carried on him before he'd been felled, but also because Barbara could still read his thoughts, and knew he was ready to say anything to avoid being stabbed to death. He wasn't a good man; he'd hurt people. But he was also a coward, desperate to survive. And that could be enough.

Oracle made it clear how little she thought of his protests and excuses, and he continued to stammer.

"Twelve Gods, I'll tell you whatever you want, okay!? The Nigmas have money in most of Gotham's major crime gangs, and the gangs have informant's all the way down to the gutters. They see everything, they watch everyone. I just bring back the whispers and rumors I pick up and I pass along money to keep the information flowing. I send the information back to the Nigma's though one of the whores at the Temple of Lastai. I get the riddle notes from someone else."

Barbara didn't need to do much additional convincing, but she pressed one of the hovering knives to his throat anyway.

" It's an elf, okay! The archmage's apprentice, Lorath. He gives me a coded note, I gather the whispers, I pass em back through the temple. That's ALL!"

But Oracle continued to press, demanding to know about Verena.

"They moved her. They were holding her at a village near the old carnival grounds, but she's gone now. They saw you coming miles away. I don't know where they put her, but I guarantee you she's still on the island. The Nigmas know their strength, they wouldn't bring her back to the city. I was supposed to get these guys to find you and pass the information back tonight. Lorath was expecting me to show up and pick up my new instructions before daybreak."

He looked up at the sky. It was dark, but it was incredibly late -- really, very early in the morning.

"He's gonna notice if I don't show up for my handoff. You're out of time -- that girl's not going to last long once the Bankers know the jig is up."

Spoiler: Barbara only, Detect Thoughts

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The informant was telling the truth. He seemed certain that Verena's life would soon be forfeit if he failed to collect his next instructional letter.

He also seemed certain the party was screwed -- even if they could decide the letter, how would they know what it meant without his context knowledge? Even decoded the letter would rely on internal knowledge of their skullduggery.

Barbara could see flashes of images of the contacts the informant described. The "drop", the Lastai courtesan from the Temple; she appeared in his head naked, her form curved around some pillows in a darkened room, a huge snaking green "?" Painted on her body running from her navel to her collarbone.

"Lorath", the apprentice. A long tunic. Ling, dark hair, narrow face. Dismissive, pensive expression. A huge book he used for his studies, easy for stuffing in sealed letters and moving them around unnoticed.

If Barbara met either of them, she'd recognize them.

[MrAbdiel]

Damien loots the spoils of justice while Oracle goes about her explications. He’s particularly careful to scabbard and pack away the magic swords in his haversack; but he’ll take any money, written material, or other things that look valuable, dangerous, useful or magical.

[Molan]

Damien loots the spoils of justice while Oracle goes about her explications. He’s particularly careful to scabbard and pack away the magic swords in his haversack; but he’ll take any money, written material, or other things that look valuable, dangerous, useful or magical.

Spoiler: Damien Only ;-)

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The thugs were all wearing either leather or stuffed leather armor. They had between them two unidentified short swords, an unidentified longsword, an unidentified knife, 300 SP, 40 GP and 800 CP. You also find a fistful of previous gemstones, six total, but without appraising you don't know how much they might be worth.

Two of the thugs carried telltale Thieves Guild skull keys, and the guy Kate tackled had a playing card with a black spade on the middle you recognize as the calling card of the Dark Market.

The informant had an old riddled letter, which he'd decoded, at least implying that the instructions he claimed he'd been given were legit. The letter is written in green ink with a lot of strangely shaped letters, some of which are written in elven script. Black ink in poor handwriting in the margins shows the informant work deciding the instructions.

You also find:
- Two Thieves Kits
- a Forger's Tools
- a purse full of jewelry market with identifiable family sigils from lower ranking Gotham Noble Houses -- they're all clearly stolen
- enough Devilweed to kill a horse
- three unidentified bottles of poison
- most disturbingly, a scrawled piece of parchment showing the following script:

"Three women
- one of them's a crossbreed, maybe part demon
- possibly nobles
- one's a mage

We're checking the temple of St. Cuthbert in Midtown. The half-blood is easy to track. Just make sure they don't show up on SCI.

Someone's looking into the Waynes"

[JbeJ275]

Barara focuses as she draws infomation out through the captive's mind, almost losing focus at the sudden emergence of a naked woman but soon finding her track again.

"Hells, this is an issue. We're gonna need to find this Lorath guy and ask him a few key questions too then. Chase this up the chain as fast as we can. I'm sure our new friend here can make the neccesary introductions, I'll try and find our other friend then and we can discuss our options. Still, even if this guy Lorath guy knows nothing they've moved her from a known position recently. And enough men to protect a hostage like that don't move too quietly, we can still try and follow that path even if this coward's advice doesn't pan out. For he'll be our guide, I can keep him honest for that long."

[Molan]

Spoiler: Quote

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Barara focuses as she draws infomation out through the captive's mind, almost losing focus at the sudden emergence of a naked woman but soon finding her track again.

"Hells, this is an issue. We're gonna need to find this Lorath guy and ask him a few key questions too then. Chase this up the chain as fast as we can. I'm sure our new friend here can make the neccesary introductions, I'll try and find our other friend then and we can discuss our options. Still, even if this guy Lorath guy knows nothing they've moved her from a known position recently. And enough men to protect a hostage like that don't move too quietly, we can still try and follow that path even if this coward's advice doesn't pan out. For he'll be our guide, I can keep him honest for that long."

The informant protests, shaking his head.

"Come on lady, I've told you everything I know! You can't take me with you, if people see us together I'm toast! I could be killed -- worse, I won't get work anymore! I gave you what you want just let me go!"

[JoyWonderLove]

Spoiler: Stephanie’s adventures in fey land, volume 1

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Even in the more mundane dress of hair straight combed, a yellow blouse and green overcoat to match the chosen pants, the rogue quietly admired that Robyn’s own willingness to argue the point when she had been told not enough to make the gamble. That the apprentice saw past her disguise suggested a diviner or enchanter, at first guess. She studied the elf closely as he threw down his tome, and kept her hands buried in her overcoat in a showing of near indifference as he approached her fey touched friend. Deciding not to ram the sai into his throat immediately, it was obvious he would never have approached if the apprentice intended to spit arcane syllables at them. She revealed her hands at that point, holding them palms up in an effort to invite peace.

“Friends, please, this is entirely my fault.” Stephanie interjected, in her best accented Sylvan, the language somewhere between the buzzing of bees, the whispering of wind between willows, a dew drop dampening petals. It was a rare treat to speak. “The courtier put herself out when I mentioned a deal worthy the attention of an archmage. Especially an archmage, actually.” An appreciative glance was all she offered Robyn before continuing onwards.

“But what worthy apprentice wouldn’t defend his mentor’s right to rest, after a challenging day of learning and growth? An’alda is lucky to teach you, as am I to meet you. You would be the perfect judge to whether the matter is worthy her true attention. After all, I’d feel foolish to attract the loving attention of Lastai’s faithful, and then go before the Archmage herself, only to realize she has no interest in any offer. You might well be my handsome saviour.”

Stephanie smiled. “Tell me, is the Codex Celestialis something worth rousing your master over?”

Spoiler: rolls

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Spot: (1d20+8)[26]
Diplomacy: (1d20+20)[28]
Sense Motive: (1d20+8)[20]

[Molan]

The younger elf's eyes visibly widened. She had grabbed his interest pretty much immediately.

"What do you know about the Codex Sanctus Celestialis? Have you seen it, has it been discovered? Are you telling me the Temple of Lastai's got it? What would the courtiers of the rapturist want with the Codex?"

He was still a bit pushy and rude, but it was clear that Spoiler had captured his interest. His demeanor had completely changed from being defensive and dismissive to being perhaps overly eager and pushy. He very much wanted to know what she had to say.

Spoiler: Roll Results

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Sense Motive: You have a strong hunch that the apprentices' early defensiveness was deliberately trying to hide something. You can't tell what it was that he was trying to obfuscate, but there was too many idiosyncrasies not to notice, and he's not nearly as good of a liar as he thinks he is.

Spot: On the ground you happen to notice that the corner of an envelope appears to be sticking out of the pages of the heavy Tome that he dropped.

Diplomacy: Stephanie's easy charms appear to have done it again. You're not sure how for a lowborn human might have gotten trying to talk to a snooty elf like this on his home turf, but your own Fay nature helps lower his guard, your excellent Sylvan accent accentuated your pitch, and dropping mention of a powerful legendary Tome appears to have sealed the deal.

[JbeJ275]

The informant protests, shaking his head.

"Come on lady, I've told you everything I know! You can't take me with you, if people see us together I'm toast! I could be killed -- worse, I won't get work anymore! I gave you what you want just let me go!"

"You know I'd be a lot more sympathetic if you didn't admit to trying to kill my family not two minutes ago. That said, you do raise a point if the informants are as dense on the ground as you say it does no-one any good to let them know more. Directions to the fellow then will have to do I suppose."

With that she turned to the others and asked "Any more questions for our guest? We don't want to miss his check in do we? I'm sure it'll be rather interesting to listen to."

Also with an unstated command she sent Juluis out to search for Spoiler.

[JoyWonderLove]

Spoiler: Stephanie’s adventures in fey land, volume 2

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The envelope poked out of the thick tome on the floor indifferently, and it could as easily have been a message to a paramour or a draft letter on an essay she would pay not to read. Stephanie knew she needed another pair of hands on it before reacting unnecessarily.

“See, Robyn? It took a bit of persuasion, bookkeeping, and letter dropping, but it’s all coming together. Thank you for propping this one up.” Stephanie grinned at her best friend innocuously, before considering the apprentice once more. It would be best to wring the conversation out a little while his attention was on her. “But what do I, personally, know about the Codex itself, friend? Less than yourself, I’m sure! What little I do know, however, many do not. Not only has, what was its full name? The Codex Sanctus Celestialis? Yes, not only has it been rediscovered, I might know not only precisely who has it currently, but perhaps even exactly what price they’ve staked on who might be eligible to sit in the same room when such an exquisite text is finally reopened.”

The woman crooked a finger at the elf, and she leaned in conspiratorially. “Now, you certainly didn’t hear this from me, but An’alda is on a very short list of those being considered.” By necessity; there were only a tiny handful in all Gotham that could read the arcane angel book at all, but the elf didn’t need to be reminded of that. “Which makes it a little unbecoming if we didn’t invite along a certain apprentice, should she agree to the grand honour, wouldn’t you say?”

Stephanie hesitated only after letting the bait dangle a second longer, and her eyes dimmed like a shaded faerie lamp as some unpleasant realization dawned on her. She leaned back with a frown and looked at the darkened interior plainly. “But if I little know her apprentices’ good name, let alone if it would be worth interrupting one trance to discuss…”

Spoiler: Complex message to Robyn

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Elf’s book, keeping letter. Can you nab? Swap with prop?

Spoiler: Take 10 Bluff, SoH.

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With the arguing over, time to take 10.

Automatic success for a complex message to Robyn. Also an auto success Take 10 Sleight of Hand, 20, if she can’t do it herself for some reason. But I’d much rather she do it while I chat with Mr Apprentice Elf, and it adds a +2 automatically if she has to SoH for some reason.

[MrAbdiel]

"Any more questions for our guest? We don't want to miss his check in do we? I'm sure it'll be rather interesting to listen to."

"I think we're done. Unless he knows anything about who runs the gambling tent." He offers this opportunity for personal enrichment to their prisoner even as he is turning his pockets out, scooping up his valuables - confiscating his sword, and offering it, scabbard, belt and all, to the otherwise unarmed (well, sort of) Kate. "...Because if you had access to that information, it might make the difference between life and death. My preference is to put you in the same hole as the others."

He takes a moment to hold up three vials to the light, one at a time, before spiriting them away. Then, glancing at a folded note, he offers that to Kate, as well.

Spoiler: OOC Actions:

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Bluffing about how casually they are planning to murder them, to compel maybe some info about the tent, if he knows: (1d20+9)[14]. The 'good' longsword sword goes to Kate, if we're heading into a confrontation where she might need more than a flensing cuddle.

Craft: Poison to attempt to identify the poisons at a glance. (1d20+5)[21].

The note given to Kate:

"Three women
- one of them's a crossbreed, maybe part demon
- possibly nobles
- one's a mage

We're checking the temple of St. Cuthbert in Midtown. The half-blood is easy to track. Just make sure they don't show up on SCI.

Someone's looking into the Waynes"

[Feathersnow]

I see... well, that simplifies things. We can't kill this one now. He needs to send a message:

Tell your masters hiring you was the worst mistake of their short, miserable lives. Then tell them the Cathedral of Saint Cuthbert is under their protection. They don't want to know what happens if I have to protect it, but my father will tell them in loving detail after i send them to hell.

[Molan]

The informant continues to stammer, holding his hands up in protest.

"You...you don't understand. I'm not with those three, I'm not a guilder and I'm not with the market. I'm freelance. I don't know what Zucco or Falcone are up to!"

Damien pressed him further.

"The gambling tent dummy. Talk!"

"That tent only showed up a couple of days ago. Almost all of the elves avoid it, except for a few who inexplicably took jobs there running the tables. It's kind of caused a bit of a minor scandal, the rest of the villagers think it's taboo to visit. I heard the Archmage was going to boot them out but she was busy dealing with the Nigmas until tonight."

"What do you mean? I saw at least two elves running the place; one was guarding the door and the other was tending bar. They were in charge, I'm sure of it. Them and their big ogre friend."

The informant shook his head emphatically.

"No one from the town even knows those two. They say they're not even from South Channel Island, or the Elf Houses. They don't let any of their own kind patronize the place, just the tourists from the city."

That seemed to pencil -- Damien had seen at least six elves in the tent but none of them were gambling.

"They were talking about some kind of censure or punishment or something for the elves who took jobs there. I don't know anything more about it, I swear."

He turned back to Kate, feeling his smoldering gaze on her.

"And no one's mentioned St. Cuthbert's to me at all. If you've got problems it's with someone else in the city. The Nigmas were only interested in whether or not you'd chase down the girl."

Spoiler: Barbara: Detect Thoughts

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The Informant seems petrified of Kate, though less scared of Damien. It's hard to say exactly why, but Damien's threats don't carry as much wait with him so much as the net effect of the three of them interrogating him has him worried. He thinks that you're going to kill him when the interrogation is over and is trying to find a way to talk himself out of it.

But, he is telling the truth about the Temple of St. Cuthbert's -- he wasn't told anything about it, and doesn't know why his compatriots or their bosses would be interested in it.

The informant looks at Barbara.

"Lathan works at the Archmage's shop. It's on the other side of town, southeast of here. You can't miss it -- just walk past the big open air bar tent in the middle, and around the commune houses and it's on the other forest edge. Weird looking elf house, partial tent on one side. He's always there whenever his boss isn't trancing, and like I said, she'll be up all night."

Spoiler: Damien -- Craft: Poison

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The three vials include one dose of black lotus extract, and two vials of "Oil of Taggit". The Taggit oil itself is alarming; it came from one of the Thieves, but is known in some circles for being a good way to render fellow tavern-goers helpless if they don't notice it sliding into their drinks.

Spoiler: Spoiler

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The elf eagerly lapped up Stephanie's story.

"Who has the book!? And who knows about it besides yourself? This is a major discovery. Listen..."

He looked back at the tent, a worried, sideways look on his face.

"The archmage...she just can't be disturbed right now. But my name is Lathan, and I can be of plenty of service. An'alda won't go anywhere near that artifact, but there are a lot of powerful people in Gotham who'd be very interested to hear this information, if you follow my drift. Let's make this your and my little secret, and I'm sure we can work something out between us that will be mutually...beneficial."

He'd leaned in close to Stephanie as he spoke, his voice low. While he did so, Robyn had gingerly stepped around behind him and picked up his tome. She slapped it's hard leatherbound cover, startling him enough to turn him around.

"I'm sorry sage one. I didn't mean to sound insulting when we met. I was just surprised and flustered her eminence wasn't going to be able to speak to us tonight. I never should have questioned you."

She pushed the book back towards him.

"Can we be friends? I'd love to beg your forgiveness."

Lathan sucked in his breath and snatched the book back, as quickly as he could. He looked over it for a moment before pressing it to his chest.

"Yes, good good. Fine."

He turned back to Stephanie.

"Anyway, about my proposition...do we have a deal?"

From just over Lathan's shoulder, a flicker of motion caught Stephanie's eye. She tried to pinpoint it, but Robyn had returned to her side, taking her arm and leaning into her affectionately. As she did so, Stephanie could feel her hand behind each of their backs, placing something in her belt pouch.

She smiled at Lathan. Behind him, she found what had caught her eye -- a familiar, happy looking bat, bouncing back and forth through the air, it's semi-audible squeaks tickling her ears.

Spoiler: OOC

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Uhm...yea. I think that's everything. Your move!

[MrAbdiel]

"Thanks for the advice. Here some advice for you in return: try to wake up before someone steals your shoes."

And then wham, the faux-stached child dropped an elbow onto the prisoner's face, pushing him back over into the warm arms of unconciousness.

It's only then that he stops to lean forward and hiss, touching gingerly at the voltaicly cauterized slash down his chest, wincing.

Spoiler: Listen, DC: 13

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"Stupid... Stupid. Careless." He mutters, presumably to himself.

He produces a needle, pre-threated with coarse string, and makes a rapid, rough few stitches to hold his mangled tunic together. "We ought to move."

[JoyWonderLove]

Spoiler: Stephanie’s adventures in fey land, volume 3: it’s a crowd

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Stephanie pecked the singer on the forehead when something was slipt into the back of her belt. A little bat distractingly doing loop-de-loops to nab insects buzzing by far behind Lathan also appeared a tad familiar, and that told her it was time to clip the conversation.

“Seems the apprentice has become the master,” Stephanie winked.
“Sounds great, Lathan. You’re the most qualified to say if a certain fey soul can’t miss her beauty rest for even one evening, and she certainly doesn’t qualify if not.” A single distasteful glance was given the abode, as though the Codex intermediary might not ever waste her time her again. It was hard to discern if he knifed her and still needed to clean up the crime scene, or if An’alda was sleeping behind a hundred wards, but she wasn’t keen on investigating it without Oracle leading the way.

“I’ll have to pass this on to my patron, but you find me people of quality that want in, and I’ll make sure there’s an extra seat at the table when it does happen. Now, you were obviously busy before we interrupted. How long until you might know who’s interested? Where might I find you to touch base?”

Stephanie leaned forward a little to offer her hand after the details were taken, before happily watching the elf away. When he was beyond all reasonable earshot, she said .

“You...are gonna fit in so perfectly with my friends. Speaking of.” An inelegant point of her chin was made. “See Squeakers putting on air escapades over there? That’s my friend’s pet. It’s one thing when an apprentice is picking out a local celebrity up close, but it’s a little different when bats are able to pick me out in town, at range. ” She shook her head, even as she nudged them forward to follow their aerial guide. “Promise you’ll help me with my disguises when this is over?

[Molan]

== THE RIDDLE ==



Robyn winked at Stephanie.

"Sure love," she whispered. "Don't get mad at the bat. He seems magical -- such a friendly little fellow!"

Lathan, meanwhile, nodded eagerly in anticipation.

"You won't regret this. I need to go meet a colleague of mine, but meet me back at the Temple of Lastai in two days. I can't tell you more until I have instructions, but their are some very powerful high lords in this city -- some very powerful magi -- who would love to see that Codex. But first, you must tell me: where is it? Who has it? I must know if I'm to tell my...no...our benefactors about this transaction."

Stephanie shook her head and sucked on her teeth disapprovingly.

"Ah ah ah. You show me yours, I'll show you mine."

Lathan looked irritated, but his impatience and eagerness got the better of him.

"Fine! Fair enough. The Temple of Lastai, two days. You tell me who has the Codex, I'll share with you the reward for finding it, and who's paying. Maybe we'll get a qualified archmage to have a look at it."

Stephanie winked at him, doing an admirable job to look excited.

"Can't wait."

With that, Lathan hurried off, wheeling around the corner of another house and out of sight. Stephanie quickly wheeled around, putting her back to where he'd gone.

"Put your arm around me, but watch in case he comes back."

Robyn complied wordlessly, and Stephanie pulled out the envelope Robyn had slipped her. She turned it over, and, as Estanna's Hearth was warm, there was a green wax seal, stamped with the sigil of House Nigma.

"Well I'll be damned..." she barely got out, until Julius landed on her shoulder, chirping excitedly.

"Damn there you are!" a small, highborne and slightly annoying voice called out. Robyn and Stephanie looked up and saw a familiar sight -- Damien, Oracle and Kate all walking towards them. "Who's the damsel?"

Julius chirped happily and flew back to Barbara, his mission complete.

The party was reunited, at least for now.

Spoiler: OOC

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Have at it! No turn order at this time.

[JoyWonderLove]

“Could our little friend keep an eye out, to ensure Lathan doesn’t circle back to us?” Stephanie, her look changed to more casual greens and yellows and straightened hair since they last saw her, glanced to Oracle to confirm it wasn’t overstepping boundaries. She had disentangled a little from Robyn when it was clear company had come to them.

“Anyway, allow me the introductions. Robyn, this is Scion. He’s braver at his age than most adults, has a handle on those little ninja star things, and steps more lightly than any rogue I’ve met in the Narrows. Beside him is Oracle. She probably has some kind of precognition going on, because she always knows something important about the situation, or else has a spell to resolve it. She single-handedly saved me from the possession I mentioned earlier. Finally, our madam in the sundress is Kate Kane, heiress to her House, with a talent for combat that’s rare as adamantine, and makes her thrice as tough. They’re all here to help Verena.”

Stephanie grinned. “Everyone, this is my local contact, Robyn. Courtier of Lastai, close confidante, and the best singer this side of the Gotham.” She reached behind her back as an afterthought, a touch theatric. “Oh, and she also got us this.”

The letter bearing the green question mark of House Nigma was displayed to the other three, before handing it over to the one that procured it. “Robyn, would you do the honours?”

[JbeJ275]

"Don't exaggerte Spoiler. None of my magic is precognitive yet. It'll be at least two years, three months, six days and fourteen hours before I manage any serious precognition." Replies Oracle, with a rare smile at her own joke.

I'd love to hear the news, though we've got positive IDs of our own on some Nigma contacts here as well.

With that barabar looked carefully at this 'Courtier of Lastai' it was unlikely in the extreme, but it would be foolish to not ensure she didn't match with the informants memories of his Lastai contact.