Chapter 5: Blood and Fire

[Joe]

The women listen to Streko's description and immediately set to work arranging the wounded for transport. More Watchmen seem to be headed this way to help. "Thank you, my lord," one of them says. "We will tend to them." Having heard Lamara's words, she says to Streko, "If we have more need of your account, can we call on you at the Jorasco Citadel?"

"But, of course." He flashes the ring, as requested by Lady Lamara.

"Or you might ask your Prince to send word that I am needed. I am, as always, at his disposal."

He smiles at the two women. "And yours as well. Thank you for keeping them safe and tending to their most serious injuries. I am certain they will be most appreciative of your efforts."

Streko bows and takes his leave of the healers, stepping over to Kalarian's side and offering his quiet support.

[Ken]

Dec 17, 2009 20:01:52 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Lamara groans. She dismisses Kal with a gesture. "Belarin, perhaps you have the common sense to prove your allegiance to Prince Aurad with your ring?"

"Happy to oblige," says Belarin. He quickly sweeps his right arm (the one with the ring) upward. Silver-blue light streams behind his arm's path and reforms into the shape of the royal crest of Aundair.

He speaks in a firm yet pleasant voice to the Watchmen. "As you can see, we are here on business of the Court. I ask that you not hinder us in our investigation. Attend to the wounded, please, and take whatever statements you wish from the witnesses. We'll be happy to answer questions later. I suggest that the prisoner there, the half-orc, be imprisoned and kept safe ... as soon as our ally there is done questioning him. He is also acting on behalf of the Court."

[Jeff]

The moment the Fairhold crest takes shape in the afterimage of the ring's light, the transformation that comes over the Watch is dramatic and immediate. They seem to stand taller, and they fan out around the area as if they'd been commanded.

"Understood," the lead Watchman says to Belarin.

Those among you with arcane training are surprised to see such seemingly simple magic have such a response. It seems like the display of light and imagery would be easily replicated by a magewright or hedge wizard, but evidently not. This is Aundair, the forerunner nation of arcane magic. No doubt the designers of these rings have accounted for counterfeiting somehow.

"We will take care of this," the Watchman says, indicating the frozen changeling remains. "The other," he adds, gesturing at the half-orc, "is all yours. Leave him with us, or take him with you, as you wish."

Lamara glances at Kal. "I'm not sure why the prince bothered giving you one."

[Darren]

Kal takes Belarin and Lamara by the shoulder and moves them a little away from the Watchmen where they will not be overheard. "Because, Lady Inquisitive, I am trying not to announce to the world that our association is with the Prince. If we draw attention to ourselves and away from that...." Kal sighs and presses briefly against his eyes. "Forget it. Clearly the plan is now changing. So, now what we do is make ourselves well known, and make our association with the Prince quite plain. When word gets out that the book has gone 'missing', we make our desperate search for it very apparent. This will hopefully help to sell the story to anyone watching."

[Jeff]

The half-orc purposefully looks away from Condign as the discussion continues. Until...

"The other...is all yours. Leave him with us, or take him with you, as you wish."

The thug's face falls. Lamara turns and says to Condign, "Take him with us, and away from public view. We can pull out of him whatever we want. Condign, will take charge of him?"

She turns back to Kal. "I'm not saying to announce your agency to the city. I'm saying use some common sense. If all you do is wag your tongue and flail around your hands when crossbows are pointed at you, you're not going to last very long. Mark of Sentinel or not."

[Darren]

Dec 18, 2009 22:59:40 GMT -4 Jeff said:

She turns back to Kal. "I'm not saying to announce your agency to the city. I'm saying use some common sense. If all you do is wag your tongue and flail around your hands when crossbows are pointed at you, you're not going to last very long. Mark of Sentinel or not."

"No, my lady, you quite mistake me. I mean to say that I LIKE the idea you have put into my head. We SHOULD make ourselves known. Calling attention to ourselves will only help the illusion we wish to create. This is an excellent plan." Kal's tone leaves some doubt as to whether he is satisfied with himself or whether he is giving the credit to Lamara.

[Jeff's backup]

Lamara:

Condign, will take charge of him?"

Condign sighs and stands up. He looks over to the Inquisitive and says: "Of course, my lady."

Condign moves behind the half-orc, grasps his shoulders, and heaves the heavy creature to his feet. He double checks the half-orc's hands, making sure they are still securely bound. Giving a brief nod of satisfaction, Condign spins the half-orc around and addresses him: "Well, it seems I now have a job. Is that not ironic?" He takes the creature by the arm and starts walking him toward the group. "I will make every effort to keep you alive, unless you try to attack us or escape." The tiefling gives him a conspiratorial smile. "What then, you may wonder? Then I will let you die"

[Ken]

Belarin & Grafth

"This may be considered further evidence of my insanity, but I do agree with Kalarian," says Belarin. "We've been leery of too much publicity, and that nearly played into Malov's hands with these changelings. Let's flip over the game board and change the rules. I don't know what that means, just yet, but give me a hour to ponder some trickery..."

"That may be fine for you," says Grafth, joining the conversation, "but some of us prefer stealth. How do expect us to corner Malov when our presence is announced well in advance?"

"Yes, I know, I know," says Belarin, somewhat impatiently. "In any event, it can wait. Let's deal with the half-orc and move on. Hmm, for once I wish that gnome chronicler Fherina was here... she might have insights on how to use publicity to our advantage."

[Darren]

"Funny you should mention that," Kal says. He then proceeds to recount the circular that he saw for The Chronicle on his way to the meeting.

"As for maintaining stealth," he continues when finished, "remember that Charis is not with us, and so can still be used to carry out those tasks we wish to be kept....quiet."

[Jeff]

The half-orc looks pointedly, and miserably, away from Condign. His mace still lies on the ground nearby, and he glances mournfully at it.

Lamara addresses Kal and Condign. "Where did you wish to go next? Wherever it is, we simply bring our captive. But I recommend somewhere private." She points her blade at him, and the half-orc eyes it. "You—where do you report?"

He hesitates. Then he says quietly, "The docks."

[Jeff's backup]

Condign hears the half-orc's answer, then looks at the others. "I do not know where these docks are, so for now I will follow you and make sure our new friend stays safe. However, I would suggest caution. It could be a trap -- a place he was told to take us to were he captured alive. Also, if it is the real meeting place, and we arrive with him bound and obviously our prisoner, I suspect his employers will simply vanish and we will learn nothing. Someone needs to stay hidden with him, yet still communicate to us what he sees and where to go."

[Ken]

Grafth says, "If we're to go to the docks and find his employers, we need to do so quickly. Word of this attack -- in such a public place -- will spread quickly, along with its failure, and once it does, those responsible will scurry into the sewers. As for the half-orc, yes, I'll stay with him once we get there." He looks coldly at the prisoner. "If I find that he's lying, I'll get a bow and fire warning arrows toward you, attached with various of his body parts."

Belarin says to Lamara, "How, um, judicious can the Watch guards be when necessary, my lady? If the Sovereign Host Hospice is possibly threatened, as we suspect, can we ask for it to be guarded without raising an alarm among its residents? At least until we're ready to go there ourselves and raise an alarm, that is."

[Darren]

"My thoughts, exactly," Kal says, turning from his assessment of the courtyard. "If we head to the docks now, it will delay us from our investigation of the Sovereign Host hospice, and our need to see what House Deneith has learned." He considers the half-orc. "Still, this is currently our best lead, and I suggest we follow it. Let's not tarry too long, however. We do still need to meet back up with Charis and see what she has discovered." With a slight bow to Lamara, Kal says, "If you would lead the way?"

Before following, Kal once again turns to face the bystanders. When he speaks, his voice is once again unnaturally loud. "People of Fairhaven, we must move on. No further thanks are necessary. It has been the pleasure of Lord Kalarian d'Deneith and his companions to serve you." With a flourish, Kal raises his hand into the air and a small gout of flame shoots up from it, streaked through with crackling electricity. Kal bows elaborately, then turns and follows Lamara.

_____________________
I'm maybe embellishing the display of power a bit, but I was trying to be dramatic.

[Jeff's backup]

Grafth:

"If we're to go to the docks and find his employers, we need to do so quickly. Word of this attack -- in such a public place -- will spread quickly, along with its failure, and once it does, those responsible will scurry into the sewers."

Kalarian:

"Still, this is currently our best lead, and I suggest we follow it. Let's not tarry too long, however."

Condign looks at his companions: "Agreed. We need to proceed now if we are to arrive before whoever set this up learns of its failure." He looks over at the half-orc. "I would very much like to find out who is behind this."

[Joe]

Streko shakes his head, grining all the while. "Marvelous display, Kal," he whispers to his friend.

He then faces the crowd himself and shouts out, "May Olladra's good graces smile on you all!"

Wih an elaborate sweep of his robes, he turns and follows his friends toward the docks.

[Jeff]

Seeing the prisoner firmly under Condign's grasp, and both Kal and Streko practically walking away already, Lamara gestures to Belarin for him to follow her. She approaches the lead Watchman, who stands watch over the immediate vicinity, keeping sight on all the others.

"Sargent," Lamara says. "We would ask a favor of you, or of your fellows. Do you know of the hospice that was burned?"

"I do, Lady," the Watch.

Lamara nods, then looks to Belarin to speak his request.

[Ken]

Belarin raises an eyebrow and tries hard not to smile.

He says to the guard, "We have reason to believe that the hospice may be targeted again or that those responsible for the fires may be near that location. Select a team to go to there and keep watch -- but use discretion, please. We don't want to scare the criminals away if they do return. Thank you."

Once he's sure that his instructions are understood, he turns around and faces his companions. He whispers, "Oh, I enjoyed that."

[Jeff]

Belarin:

Select a team to go to there and keep watch -- but use discretion, please. We don't want to scare the criminals away if they do return. Thank you."

"I'll look into that," the Watchman sergeant says, clearly not thrilled with the idea, as Belarin turns away.

Lamara shrugs as she walks with Belarin. "The hospice was under construction even when the fire started, so there's even less there to guard, I imagine. The fire spread to adjoining buildings. I'm not really sure what we'll yield from that place."

The half-orc's hands are still bound by Kal's rope, though you're not sure how tightly, given the speed with which Kal had tied it. Nevertheles, the thug looks beaten.

"You," Lamara says to the half-orc, keeping pace with Condign, who prods their prisoner along. "I know the docks well, probably better than you do. Make any turns I don't like, or fail to warn us about them first, and my blade in your spine is the last thing you'll ever feel."

She walks fairly casually, but her dagger is pressed lightly against the small of the half-orc's back. The prisoner grunts his response. As you move out of the University grounds and in the direction of the docks, you do catch the notice of plenty passers-by.

"Listen," Lamara says, addressing the rest of you. "If this slime's one of Kreelo's men, he's on the lowest rung. Expendable, and always the first ones you meet. The changelings, of course, would have been more valuable to us. They were probably higher up the ladder, because of Malov's interest in you. But we'll have to work with what we have. Now, there'll be contingencies in place even for alley rats like this one. The Dark Daggers have never been successfully routed by the Watch or any of Prince Aurad's agents, and Kreelo himself has never been apprehended. He's that good. So we can't expect to find him or Malov with this dim-wit alone. But any progress is better than none."

"Eyes out," she adds after a few more moments. "There's probably some unfriendly eyes on us somewhere."

[Jeff's backup]

Condign uses his free hand to check the bindings which secure the half-orc's hands. With an amused look at his friend Kal, he pauses and pulls firmly on the ends of the rope. Satisfied that the binding will now hold, he continues walking his prisoner toward the docks.

"I hope you are not too uncomfortable," he says to the half-orc. "That would be such a pity."

[Ken]

Grafth simply nods after Lamara cautions them. He shares a look with Kal, then the shifter slows his pace and allows the rest of the group to move about 40 feet in front of him. He looks at the windows of the buildings as the main group passes by them.

Belarin responds softly to Lamara as they walk, "I'm not expecting a major development at the hospice, either, but Malov's riddle is sufficiently vexing to make me concerned. Or paranoid. And paranoid people only need to be right once to feel justified."

[Jeff]

The half-orc says nothing in response to Condign.

Lamara walks beside them both, leading the way toward the docks of Fairhaven. They lie due east, beyond a district of large houses, mansions, and businesses that likely have something to do with the shipping trade, especially given its location beside the docks.

You see only one central access point to the city's docks, one of the broad thoroughfares which fan out from Fairhold, at the heart of the city, like spokes around a wheel. In fact, once you're on the wide, busy street, you have a perfect view of both the balance and the gates that lead into the docks.

"The docks are part of the Whiteroof Ward," Lamara says, seeing your uninformed looks. "Named for obvious reasons. It's a mixed up part of the city. As prosperous and mercantile as you can imagine, and also just as dirty wherever there's a pool of shadow.

"The Dark Daggers, however, operate in all wards and districts. They're known for protection rackets more than anything else, and they generally are content to feed off the lower and middle classes. They rarely go after the wealthy, the privileged, or the resourceful, so those with real power hardly acknowledge their existence. They're just so much street folklore. And this is why a partnership with Malov—who is clearly targeting much more than Kreelo normally would—is troubling. They do what they do with intimidation, blackmail, and occasionally murder."

Just as those lads words leave the inquisitive's lips, the pale gray slate roofs of the dock district come into view beyond the high wall. Lamara gives Condign a look. "Watch him tight," she reminds him. "He'll have friends in there."

[Jeff's backup]

Lamara gives Condign a look. "Watch him tight," she reminds him. "He'll have friends in there."

"Yes, my lady," the tiefling answers, "but I do not believe they will be happy to see him. I would not be surprised if they decided he has outlived his usefulness. Literally."

To the half-orc, he adds: "I have promised to try and keep you alive, and I intend to keep that promise." Condign hefts his shield. "If anything happens, try to keep yourself behind this. But make no mistake: if you try to escape, it will be a race to see who can kill you first. Us." He gestures to the docks. "Or them."

-------------------------
OOC: Um, Jeff, could Condign please use a healing surge? I forgot to do that earlier and I have this feeling something bad's gonna happen. ;D

[Joe]

Streko takes in a deep breath and mutters. "The air smells of rotting fish today. An ill omen if ever there was one."

The Halfling stays close to Kalarian. "I dislike bodies of water larger than a pond for wading in. Perhaps it is my Talenta heritage? Although, come to think of it, I've always hated fish. The taste of it, the smell. How can anyone not of the sea eat something that smells so repulsive, aside from the issue of sustenance and or survival?"

Throughout his meidtation on the evils of fish, Streko glances around, taking in his surroundings as best he can, aware that when something does happen, it will no doubt come quickly.

[Darren]

Kal strolls along, looking at the buildings as though admiring the architecture. He does not speak, and to all outward appearances, he appears to be enjoying a leisurely walk.

Those looking closely, however, would notice small sparks dancing between his fingertips and arcing across the metal of his sharrash where his hand grips it tightly.

_________________
Not sure if a Perception of Streetwise check is in order to assess any impending threats?

[Jeff]

The half-orc nods sedately at Condign's words, but offers none of his own.

Streko:

"The air smells of rotting fish today. An ill omen if ever there was one."

"It always does, Lord Streko," Lamara says with a laugh, seeming to try and lighten the tension.

As you pass through the gates into the Whiteroof Ward, you see a district bustling with the activities of river trade—especially with Fairhaven as the central hub of commerce in northern Aundair, with the Aundair River reaching Scions Sound in the east and the many towns in between. Life goes on here, and people from all walks of life come and go.

Travelers recently arrived by ship stroll past you, their eyes mostly drawn to Condign (with some mutterings and whispers to one another) and to the battered half-orc, who looks like he's being forcibly escorted. A pair of guards step forward to question you, but Lamara approaches them first, displays her identification papers, and they glide back to their posts.

There seems to be a larger population of half-elves in this district than in any other. Most look like ruddier versions of their kin, dressed in light, flowing garments and all of them adorned with mostly inexpensive jewelry. The expressions on their faces and the bravado in their strides suggest a certain disregard for the majesty of Fairhaven itself. Almost as if what goes on in the city proper beyond the Whiteroof Ward doesn't concern them overmuch. Though they are half-human and half-elven, these folk are locally just called 'river elves.' You've each heard the term before in passing, but now that you see

Lamara says, "It's said that when dealing with the river elves, you'll get the best deal of your life, or you'll be swindled for all you've got. Nothing in between. At their best, they're excellent guides, and at their worst they're the best smugglers this side of Khorvaire."

____________________________

Condign has spent his healing surge. And both Streko and Kal shall have their Perception checks when needed, don't you worry.

[Ken]

Belarin replies, "They sound like people I would like. Not that my current company isn't delightful, of course. They simply sound like opportunists who know a good deal -- or easy mark -- when they spot it." He continues to walk near Lamara, exchanging pleasantries, yet he maintains a watchful eye.

Grafth maintains a steady pace behind the others, carefully observing the reactions of those whom his companions pass.

__________________
Grafth will also be making Perception checks as appropriate.

[Jeff's backup]

As they draw nearer to the docks, Condign says to the half-orc: "We have a better chance of keeping you alive if we know what to expect here. An ambush would go very poorly for you. Now, who exactly were you going to meet? Was it one of Kreelo's men? Do you know what he looks like? I mean, you had to know something of this person to be able to find him. And where specifically were you to meet him?"

[Ken]

Belarin turns around and gives their prisoner a withering look. "You should answer his questions now," he says to the half-orc. "You felt me slashing at your mind before. That was just my opening strike. If there's an ambush, you may live ... but you'll need to be spoonfed for the rest of what will be a hellish life."

[Jeff]

"No ambush," the half-orc replies after Belarin's warning, eyes down. "I'm s'possed to check in, tell 'em you've been done. They...you know, expect me to win."

Lamara shakes her head, eyes on the passers-by who give your party a glance. "Out here on the street may not be the place to question him. We could bring him somewhere first, before we bring him to where he's supposed to report."

Grafth, trailing behind a ways, sees nothing suspicious, but he too can see the attention a red-skinned, horned tiefling and prisoner-looking half-orc is getting. Wherever you intend to go, or be led, it seems likely news can reach first.

[Darren]

"There's no avoiding attention," Kal says in a low voice, "and I think we've made our decision to embrace it. This half-orc is just a low-level nothing, and we're not likely to get more information out of him. There's no reason to expect a trap since he was just headed for a meeting, so I say we go to the meeting, instead. Let's make our presence known, and let them know we're not such an easy target. If we're going to draw attention, let's go all-out with it."