Something Foul

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  • @pjbear yes, this is acceptable. Please post what you are doing before the adventure and what quest line you are persuing.
  • edited May 2019
    Sagaz @korandangels

    The dazed eyed and foul smelling criminals are overturning carts in a market square and taking any coin or thing of value they can find. They let out smatterings of slurred, unintelligible speech and seem to have little physical coordination, stumbling and falling into things. They show little fear of the law mages, relentless attacking them in their stinking, bumbling state. When you witness the head law mage impaled on a broken cart, you feel you must intervene. Uttering your prayers, white light builds around you as the clouds open and a heavenly being descends. It senses the guilty and begins to dispense punishment, incapacitating them with holy light. Most are subdued, but at least one is dead and another escapes into the sewer, crawling into the grate. When the law mages have cleared the scene and collected the criminals, only the stunned townsfolk remain, including a woman who weeps over a slain criminal. (add 2 xp)

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    Lakin @asubtleghost

    The clerk leads the dwarf down a short hallway to an elaborate door. "It must be quite important to have an invitation like that. I bid you well." The clerk knocks on the door then opens it, "Lord Mayor, Sir Grimblebarb is here, at your invitation." The Lord Mayor stands, looking a bit confused, but nods. "Very well. Thank you. Have a seat." The clerk steps out and the mayor looks you over, trying to place who you are. "Please forgive my awkwardness. I do not remember your name or why I have called you here. Do you have any idea what business we may have?" (add 2 xp)

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    Mestro @Derain2

    The guard pockets the medallion and nods, as if such things are common to him. The gates open in to the maze like streets of the plaza. Mestro slides through the crowd easily towards the tax bureau. The office is not very full and Mestro finds himself at the desk of the Tax Collector within minutes. He looks up from his work, staring at you for a moment before saying, "How can I help you?" His eyes have a faraway look and you sense magic about him. (add 2 xp)

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  • edited May 2019
    Tugging at his silverfox mustache, Lakin jumped on an elaborate teak chair, his feet barely touching the ground. He eyed the mayor's office, taking in every detail.

    "Well, I'm very easy to forget, lord mayor, so I forgive you. I understand you are a very busy man. Especially in these, ah, troubled times." The dwarf looked into the mayor's eyes, who had taken seat himself behind his desk. His tense face and unfocus eyes betrayed more than a night of lost sleep. He sighed and slumped into the chair's back.

    "Damn right you are. This whole city complains about the quality of its own hygiene, and complains even further when I make plans to improve it. The commoners at first, and now the nobilty has started issuing lawsuits against me and my administration ! All would have been over and done with if not for the... unfortunate events that have been striking Festrin lately. The workers refuse to get back to finishing the sewer system, arguing about safety issues: there have been dissapearances, especially after dark."

    "I'm told there are criminals about too, raving madmen jumping out of sewer grates to attack the good folk," Lakin added in.

    "You are a well informed dwarf, master Grimblebarb. Mysterious incidents indeed."

    "Aye. That's why I'm here. Mysterious incidents are my cup of tea. I understand that you are reluctant to send investigators. Should they find the, ah, wrong things down there, their reports could make the whole situation another level of sour entirely." The dwarf smiled knowingly. The mayor frowned. Lakin's smile increased.

    "But you see, mayor Bennet. That's where I come in. I'm not the bragging bounty hunter sort. Silence in all is my creed, so to speak. Whatever I find, I keep only to myself and my close collaborators." He spread his hands wide. "And right now, I would very much like to work with you."

    Bennet fiddled with his stopwatch for a few seconds before serving himself a cup of crimson wine.

    "Quite tempting indeed, master dwarf. I can't think of a professional in Festrin that would want to go down there, as you say, and keep it all for himself. But are you one ?" he enquired.

    Lakin lifted a bushy eyebrow. "Do you remember the case of count Elmsworth, revealed to be a vampire ? The capture of the Singing Swallow, the elusive bandit ringleader ? Or the return of the lost scepter of the Vorodin dynasty ?"

    The mayor stopped mid-sip. He put his cup down slowly. "You mean... that was you ?"

    "It was me."

    "But... there were no names behind these feats. Only a charcoal drawing of a ..."

    Lakin pulled back his right sleeve to reveal a black tatoo depicting a snarling basilisk, coiling around the blade of a serrated dagger. Bennet's eyes widened.

    "For a dwarf like me, names are the worst enemy. Besides, as you can see, you don't need them to be famous. But fame can't buy you mead or bread; hence, I offer my discreet professionalism to the city of Festrin."

    The mayor thought for a few seconds, peering at the bottom of his cup, as Lakin pulled his sleeve back down.

    "I believe, master Grimblebarb, or whatever your name is, that now is the time when we start arguing about a price."
  • "I'm sorry, but I really need to use the priv. I'll pay you afterwards."
  • edited May 2019
    (UNKNOWN)
  • edited May 2019
    Character:
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    Xp:
    2.
  • edited May 2019
    Theyul @bowler218

    The constable chuckles, moving his weapon aside, "Be my guest." The door to the priv seems to be securely locked.
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    Lakin @Asubtleghost

    The mayor seems uninterested in talk of payments, "The clerk pays all my privateers five gold a day plus up to an extra two gold a day for expenses. Take this, it will identify you as a associate of the Mayor's office. The Inn of the Smiling Maid will give you a good rate." He hands you a finely crafted brooch. "The first order of business is to find out who ordered the priv tax. I have not seen any documentation come across my desk about it."

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    (You can use this one time to cast a spell of one CMC greater than your CMC, It still retains its mundane ability to identify you as the mayor's associate after use.)

    @korandangels You can post your next activities after the last scene.
  • I pull out my knife and an arrow and try pick the lock
  • edited May 2019
    Something fishy was going on with the Tax Collector. He might be magically dominated, or any number of other things could be happening. Either way, Mestro liked to go into each situation knowing as much as possible.

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  • edited May 2019
    Announcements:

    Since no one has joined forces yet, we will keep these games solo unless anyone wants to team up. The only problem this poses is that you run the risk of seeing spoilers if you read other adventure threads. I will minimize this by posting everyone's adventure individually, that way you can just show up when it alerts you and just read your update. Eventually I would like this game to move to a more open world format, but until then, this is a single adventure and all of you will be doing it with only slight variation.

    Combat:
    1. You may cast one spell before combat.
    2. Damage is dealt simultaneously unless a combatant has first strike.
    3. You heal automatically after battles, but can use spells or items to heal during combat.
    4. If you die, you have some choices: You may continue as some type of undead (which may be initially under an NPC's control), you can make a new PC, or you can wake up nearby with some XP and item loss.
  • Theyul @Bowler218

    The constable seems irritated, scowling and swinging his spear in your direction, "I guess you don't get the message, so I am going to have to hammer it int your head. Pay up or scram." He lunges at you with his spear.

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    Combat!
  • Mestro @Derain2

    You cast your spell, opening your senses to magical energy in the area. The Tax Collector has the faint stink of abyssal magic. Craning you head to get a better look, you can see some kind of wicked looking brand on the skin of his neck. It glows with devlish magic.

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  • edited May 2019
    A lesser domination effect. Still too powerful for Mestro to dispel, but whoever was behind this probably had to instruct the Tax Collector verbally and in person. To find puppetmast, all you have to do is follow the strings.

    Mestro made up an irrelevant excuse for coming here, and left. One quick disguise later he returned, determined to follow the Tax Collector throughout the day.

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  • I stab him with my arrow and dagger.
  • Sagaz leaves the scene of the crimes and enters the nearest shrine. After a few hours of prayer, he leaves and tries to find some government officer in order to try and get some organised help to stop the raids.
  • edited May 2019
    As he walked down the main street from the mayor's office towards the Bureau Plaza, Lakin thought about the situation. It was perplexing. Who would set up a tax without notifying the mayor ? And such a peculiar one, too. Someone was up to something at the Tax Office, and the collected money was most certainly not going where it should. The dwarf laughed out loud, drawing the curious looks of bystanders. Being concerned about tax money going the right way was unusual for him. If there was really some illegal action under everything, he'd probably praise the mind behind it, and ask for a cut for his silence. A large cut. And escape before some thugs got his skin, on the order of some vengeful kingpin. That was his usual concern. He looked above his shoulder. Nothing out of the ordinary. He shook his head. People would call him paranoid. But paranoid was better than dead.

    The Plaza gate loomed ahead, a large structure of alabaster stonework. Lakin confidently moved towards the guardsmen flanking the way in. At his approach, one of the armored guards called out to him.

    "What business do you have at the plaza, dwarf ?"

    "The mayor's business." He fished the mayor's brooch from one of his front pocket, holding it high for the guard to see. The man nodded.

    "Very well. You may go in. Good day, ser."

    Tipping an imaginary hat, Lakin entered the bustling plaza. The Tax Office was dead ahead; he marched towards it, weaving around the hasty citizens going on their business and rarely acknowledging the rogue's small stature. Lakin sighed. Humans were always eager to gain time, but ultimately, they weren't very efficient. A dwarf's approach was a calmer, more deliberate one, each plan's result being the expected one.

    Except when it came to digging too deep. Then bad things usually happened.

    Lakin pushed the office's doors open, and looked around for someone to interrogate.
  • Lakin @asubtleghost

    After naviagitng the bustling plaza, Lakin makes his way to the Tax Collector's office. The place is not very full and Lakin finds himself at the desk of the Tax Collector within minutes. He looks up from his work, staring at you for a moment before saying, "How can I help you?" His eyes have a faraway look and you sense magic about him.

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  • Theyul @bowler218

    The constable tries to surprise you with a quick blow from his spear, but you are ready with your own blade, easily parrying the spear and countering with your own strike to a vulnerable spot between the foe's light armor. The force of the blow knocks him into the priv, the impact busting the aging lock open. (2 xp)

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  • What's in the priv? Is there something weird (ie: a monster down below the toilet) that immediately grabs my attention?
  • Mestro @derain2

    The tax collector is quite a busy man. He wanders the city checking in on his underlings as well as his own business interests. He seems to have a hand in nearly everything, from inns to brothels. He seems to play out some coin to grease certain palms, but overall it is him that seems to collect the most money, for the city and himself. In the late afternoon he makes his way to the constabulary. It is more guarded than any other places he has visited, you can only get close enough to hear that he wants to see the Lord SHeriff and is admitted right away.

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  • edited May 2019
    Sagaz @korandangels

    This city has a tight bureaucracy, but your connections to the church may help you enlist some support. You know of a few places you might try: the local constabulary, the city militia and order of law mages. They are all found in different parts of the city. The constables are known to be a bit shady, but have the best resources of the town. The militia has the most might, but is often wary to lend aide outside of larger conflicts. The law mages have ties to the church, but are few in number, especially after today's attacks.
  • Theyul @bowler218

    Upon an initial quick look, nothing seems out of the ordinary, just your average city toilet, complete with familiar smell. Though, you could create a card representing a more detailed search or even some kind of spell to try to know more.
  • edited May 2019
    A peculiar tingle ran down Lakin's spine. The feeling of magic was faint, but the years had hones the rogue's senses. Somrthing was off. He cleared his throat.

    "This is an unscheduled inspection. By order of mayor Bennet himself, I am to check on the privy tax coffers. The lord mayor worries about the rate of the incomes : he wishes to know how much was accumulated, so that the work on the sewers can hasten." He produced the brooch again to confirm his statement.

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    The tax collectored blinked. Twice. Lakin opened his mouth to repeat himself, but the man answered.

    "Uhm... This isn't on my schedule."

    "That... is the point of an unscheduled inspection, isn't it ?"

    The man fixed a point above Lakin's head for a second. "Yes... yes it is indeed. I beg your pardon, mister... ?"

    "Grimblebarb."

    The man scribbled a few words down, then stood up and walked to a heavy steel door flanked by armed guardsmen.

    "Open the door, he asked. Tax inspection."

    The guard looked at each other, then the left one shrugged and pulled out a set of keys from his belt. Opening the door, he motioned Lakin in.

    "I will accompany you from here, ser inspector. Please follow me."

    The rogue entered the dimly lit tax vault with the guard. Before them, a stairway led downwards. The door closed behind them, and Lakin heard the heavy locks click.

    "For security reasons, ser inspector, said the guard, answering Lakin's silent question. The city is not exactly peaceful right now, as you surely know."

    "I know, I know." Lakin was more concerned about his own security right now. He rubbed the pommels of his daggers under his cloak with the balls of his thumbs. Here he was again, with a locked door at his back and the unknown up front.

  • Sagaz climes over a toppled cart and onto a ceiling route that a reformed thief had shown him.
    He drops down and walks into the constabulary. Knowing that the constable is quite unscrupulous, he prepares some truth magic to help persuade the constable.
  • Lakin @asubtleghost

    The tax vault is filled to the brim with the city's resources, mostly in the form of gold, but there are other treasures as well, including objects d'art and magic items. The tax collector is calm, but seems a little perturbed. "I hope that you will see that everything is in order." He doesn't seem to be wrong. Everything is ordered neatly and well documented. You do detect a foul odor in the air, not unlike flatulence or a priv.

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  • Sagaz @korandangels

    The constabulary is a bustle of activity, between the boisterous sheriffs and the criminals being hauled in and put into the cramped jail. You have b=visited the constabulary a few times before, but don't ever remember it smelling so bad, almost like an open sewer. As you head towards the Sheriff's office, you are stopped by a constable, "What can we do for you?" He blocks your entrance with a spear.

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  • @pstmdrn It is most entertaining. The plot is intriguing. I hope the player characters will meet up soon.

    ...

    Lakin tries to determine the origin of the smell by rummaging through the piles of money and by opening coffers at random. He tries to look professional as he does that, doing his best to resist the urge to stuff his pockets with gold.
  • edited May 2019
    @asubtleghost It it seems to playing out solo atm, but you are all close to chapter 2, so I may have you all get there on your own and then start that chapter as a group.

    Lakin
    After a couple of minutes of searching, your rogue experience discovers what you are sure is a secret door. It is hidden behind a tapestry and blends in with the stone work amazingly well. The foul odor is carried on the rank air flowing from behind the door. (2 XP)

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