Completed Play-by-Post: In Search of the Sorcerer

[nikolokolus]

 

[Grimgravy]

OOC

Ok guys, chime in. Where do we want to sleep? What price range? We'll need to set a watch regardless of where we stay due to our prisoner. Plus we need a plan going forward.

Suggested plan

1) Turn our prisoner over to the town guard. No one is coming up with questions that are getting a response and he's a huge liability.
2) Do any shopping we need / See this Petrakos person
3) Get into the docks ward
3A) See Father Ininos. He seems to know something that's going on.
3B) See about getting into Koren Ghul's tower. Mayhaps phat loot / information.

Comments and suggestions please!

 

[nikolokolus]

OOC

Sorry if I didn't make it clear from the map, you are standing at the south end of the Bazaar, which is very near the "Common Gate" at the bottom edge of the map

 

[ERYFKRAD]

OOC

We could always use our prisoner as bait to find out how the disappearances in the city are happening.
What is the price range of the Ransom, anyway?
Sort that out, then maybe see Petrakos first.

 

[nikolokolus]

OOC

We could always use our prisoner as bait to find out how the disappearances in the city are happening.
What is the price range of the Ransom, anyway?
Sort that out, then maybe see Petrakos first.

Answer

Are you asking me about how to price a ransom? But first I guess I have to ask, I'm not sure what ransom you're talking about? You have a prisoner in Erasmos, but who'd want him and how much they'd be willing to pay for his release are unknown at this time.

To recap here is brief synopsis (because God knows I can barely keep 24 pages of RPG wankery straight in my head)
Zaral gave you a pouch with 100 gold in it to deliver the news about Zelkor to Petrakos who is a factor with the Kyros' Corsairs Trading Company. He implied that the guards in Odessos might be pliable with bribes, but who knows? Whatever it costs you to get in to lowtown and down to the wharfs, he figured he gave you enough to cover a bribe and still have something left over for your trouble. Secondly, Father Inniros lives in Lowtown (which is east and 300 feet below Hightown) accessed via the great staircase where all of those watchmen were standing around and playing dice when you entered the city. Lastly, Hyginos informs you that Koren Ghul's tower (where all of the fire and explosions and hoopla happened six months ago) it is also somewhere in Lowtown.

Beyond that the world is your oyster - you can go wherever you like and do whatever you like and I have enough stuff prepared that I feel pretty comfortable reacting to whatever happens.

Cheers, and good luck.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

OOC

No boss, I was talking of the Ransom tavern. That is the name right? Optimus Prime's Ransom?
And yeah, see, I am pretty set on using Erasmos as bait to lure the body snatchers. Unless someone has a better plan.

 

[nikolokolus]

Answer

Hahah! Yes, Optimate's Ransom . . . Jesus! I need some coffee or something.

You walk across the plaza and find two burly guards standing outside the thick oak doors of the Inn. When you ask how much for a drink they shrug and say, "Depends on how drunk you want to get Kurgan. Judging from your size and the fire water you people usually drink, I'm guessing an evening at the Optimate might set you back 5-10 gold . . . assuming you're not here to gamble."

 

[Grimgravy]

OOC

The guard to let us in said something about a bounty. I'm guessing that would only apply if someone put on bounty on the guy? The town guard wont pay for him as a hindrance to trade what with the whole offing the ferry owner? If not, I'd support ERYFKRAD'S plan.

 

[nikolokolus]

OOC

The guard to let us in said something about a bounty. I'm guessing that would only apply if someone put on bounty on the guy? The town guard wont pay for him as a hindrance to trade what with the whole offing the ferry owner? If not, I'd support ERYFKRAD'S plan.

Spoiler

Frankly, the guard-captain's tone sounded more like a question. Maybe he was probing, trying to get a feel for what kind of people he was letting inside? A bound prisoner - and a big hulking one at that - might have given the impression that you were bringing him for some private reward, since it is unlikely that the city guard is going to take much of an interest in things that happen outside its walls. Marcán and Ker (because of the proximity of Kaer Eanyn, where they grew up) at least have a vague understanding that the city's reach doesn't really extend much beyond its walls in terms of law and order. Frontier justice for crimes is the norm and unless you are fucking up the trade routes or harassing caravans they aren't going to take much of an interest in what happens outside.

 

[nikolokolus]

As Borric comes back across the plaza from the Optimate's Ransom, he hears something like a stone clatter heavily against the cobbles off to his right (west). You look over and for a brief moment you see a shadowy figure dangling and twisting in mid-air against the interior city wall - that divides the bazaar from whatever district lies west of it.

It's impossible to make out any other details in the dim ambient light cast from the braziers in the plaza as they barely reach that far and the shadows of the buildings and homes make it even more difficult to be sure of what you think you saw. As you stand there pondering, seconds later you hear a loud thud and a grunt come from the alley. Your small troupe appears to be the only people who saw or heard anything. You are currently about 100 yards from the gatehouse.

 

[Grimgravy]

OOC

Ok. Got it. Dreams of turning him in for reward dashed.

"Hmm. Let's check that out." Rhenmyr moves to investigate the thump.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"We may need some light first. Druid, would you care to oblige?"

 

[nikolokolus]

OOC

Ok. Got it. Dreams of turning him in for reward dashed.

Spoiler

Well, Maybe he's worth something to somebody, but whom that might be and where you might find them are unknown at this point.

 

[nikolokolus]

Rhenmyr moves up and peers into the alley. It's quite dark, but your eyes are well adjusted to the low light and you see part of the outline of a figure that is trying (and failing miserably) to hide in the shadows. You can clearly make out a leg that is lifted a little off the ground but currently it is too dark to make out any other details.

 

[Helly]

Ker looks at the visible leg, sigh, and casts Fairie Fire as quietly as possible.

 

[nikolokolus]

Ker points his finger, intones the sacred words of his spell and a tracery of otherworldly green flames envelops the figure in the shadows. Not a second later the illumined form let's out a panicky, feminine cry and drops to the ground rolling around and frantically patting itself (you all have a free action because of the person's distracted state).

 

[Grimgravy]

Rhenmyr moves toward the figure in faerie fire, spear and shield ready. He checks the wall above and surrounding shadows for others. Then he points his spear at the figure. "Try not to panic. We'll not harm you if you mean us no harm."

 

[Helly]

Ker follows Rhenmyr, staying a bit behind him "You're not burning. Yet. Stay still or next time it's real flames."

 

[nikolokolus]

Rhenmyr moves toward the figure in faerie fire, spear and shield ready. He checks the wall above and surrounding shadows for others. Then he points his spear at the figure. "Try not to panic. We'll not harm you if you mean us no harm."

As you get closer the person rolls over on to their back and raises their arms protectively in front of them. In the faint and flickering light from the spell you note a black lacquered mask covers their face and they are clad in tight-fitting black leathers, "D-don't hurt me, please." they plead in a hoarse half-whisper. "T-take the sack, it's yours, just let me live."

 

[Siveon]

Marcán sighs. "Great, now we look like the bad guy." Marcán jokes as he moves past the two. He puts his hands up to try and show he isn't a threat, but he still leaves his blade in open view.

"Sorry for that, but the past few hours have left us a little jumpy. If you don't mind me asking, who are you, why are you stalking the shadows..." he raises a questioning eyebrow, "so poorly?" He glances at the sack and picks it up, opening it, "Oh, and what's with this? Rob someone?"

 

[nikolokolus]

The thief scrabbles backward about ten feet on on their palms, crab-walking before standing with some difficulty and clearly favoring one leg. Behind them you can see a rope dangling from the wall, affixed to some crenel above about 20 feet up. Marcán open up the heavy sack and peers inside. You see what looks to be a jumble of silverware, candlesticks, pewter goblets and a largish silver pitcher. The thief speaks in a prepubescent, high-pitched voice that is strained with pain and probably a little bit of fear, "Look sirs, I thought you was the watch . . . ummmm . . . How about we make a deal? Let's say we keep this between you and me and you keep half of what's in that sack? As for who am, let's just say ''Dead Meat if I go home empty-handed."

 

[Siveon]

Marcán shakes his head. "Thanks, but no thanks." he hands the entire bag to the thief.

"If I'm making deals it's going to be with something actually valuable. Here's hoping you don't die, eh?" he turns to the rest. "So... we done here? I don't exactly have time to deal with petty theft."

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"Dead-meat if you go home empty-handed? How so?"

 

[nikolokolus]

"Petty theft!? PETTY THEFT?!!? Look here you - you - uhhhh - 'sheep herder!' I'll have you know this was no petty theft, this took a lot of planning and cost me a lot of the money at the alchemist and no small amount of bribing servants to pull off!" The now clearly feminine voice scoffs. "You think it's easy breaking into a Curate's house and making off wi- . . . oh shit." The thief cuts off her tirade mid-sentence, her eyes fixed firmly past you down the alleyway. You turn to see two guards armed with spears peering around the corner with severe scowls on their faces. "What in hells is going on over here?!" One of them barks.

 

[nikolokolus]

(FYI, The thief didn't get a chance to answer Borric's question before the guards interrupted.)