IC The Thirteenth Moon: Night of the Blood Moon

(Dorius is apparently completely out of his depth in this situation, so he'll leave the negotiations to the two cops...)

Berrent, Human Rogue

Berrent watches Dorius and Brad leave for the nearest Watch station. "Okay, guys, we need to watch these doors. I'll get up by the door with the window in the second floor. Someone needs to get the front door on the first floor and the one on the other side on the second floor. Try to act casual until the Watch gets here. Unless the cultists come out. Then yell for help and try to keep them from leaving, I guess."

The dwarf crosses his arms and glowers as Brad elucidates his request. Eventually he begins to nod as he sees the logic of Brad's thinking. "You make a good case, son," he says gruffly. "I'd be obliged to offer you a temporary waiver of jurisdiction provided you can take care of the matter in the next 24 hours. But I can't spare a single man to assist you this night. Too many zany cultists and anarchists taking to the street like the Prophecy has doomed Eberron to annihilation. I've already had more reports of looting and homicide tonight than I can handle.

"Oh, and if you're looking for compensation, you won't find any here. You'll have to put in for overtime with your own garrison Commander. I'm just not authorized to give you that."

The dwarf steps out and quickly orders his clerk to write up a warrant for the investigation of Tain Tower and a Letter of Dispensation authorizing Brad and his associates (who are referred to in the Letter as Conscript Deputies). The gnome clerk quickly prepares the warrant and Letter with a magical pen as the dwarf dictates the terms. The clerk and the Night Officer then seal the two documents in turn before handing them over.

"One last thing," the Night Officer says to you as you head out the door. "Don't get yourself killed. The last thing I need right now is more cross-garrison paperwork. That's an order."

Brad and Dorius gather the documents and head back to meet with the rest of their party. With the knowledge of the chaos that is going on at the Warden Towers garrison, the two notice things that they might not have considered before (see Spot and Listen, below), but they are on a mission and cannot be deterred. The journey back to the University District is much quicker, as you find the way a bit more familiar. It takes only 13 minutes. Thus, in less than an hour, Dorius and Brad are back at Tain Tower to meet the party, who have taken up a more stealthy observation point across the street so as not to stand out.[sblock=The Warrant and Letter of Dispensation]The Warrant issued grants Brad and his Conscript Deputies (each of whom is mentioned specifically by name) authorization to search the premises of Tain Tower without limitation, but does not authorize unnecessary damages. In the event that offending parties offer resistance, the law officers are not allowed to initiate hostilities, but are granted permission to use equitable force in response. They may also pursue and detain any suspects with reasonable cause. In other words, you can't use lethal force unless it is first used against you, and you aren't allowed to just tear stuff up.

The Letter of Dispensation grants Brad the authority to act outside his jurisdiction as an Officer of the Sharn Watch limited to the Menthis Plateau ward (which is a pretty large area) until midnight on the 1st of Zarantyr, just under 24 hours from now.

The documents are pretty loosely written with only a few exceptions. If you are concerned about any actions your characters might take, feel free to ask me. But for all practical purposes, you now have the law on your side. All you need to do now is decide how you will approach the tower. Remember that you have the double doors on the east side of the bottom floor and a door on both the west and east sides of the second floor. The window where the psicrystal spied the cloaked individuals was over the alleyway on the south side of the tower on the third floor. The man with the books was behind the west door on the second floor. (Hopefully that matches up with what I said earlier.)[/sblock][sblock=Brad and Dorius Spot DC 10]You spy a group of hooligans breaking into a small shop and hauling out furniture along the way.[sblock=Spot DC 15]You notice a group of shadowy figures in an alleyway with daggers drawn facing off against another group of shadowy figures on the other side of the alleyway. They appear to be at a stand-off.[sblock=Spot DC 20]You can faintly make out the shadow on a back wall several stories above which appears to be jabbing or hacking at someone or something. It is not clear what it going on until you see a spatter of liquid hit the wall, most likely blood.[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock][sblock=Brad and Dorius Listen DC 10]Sharn is not as quiet as it was when midnight struck about an hour ago. You are now hearing more than the occasional scream. You are hearing indiscriminate shouting, cries, and hollers every minute or so.[sblock=Listen DC 15]You hear a woman's plaintive cry for help above the din, but cannot determine its exact location.[sblock=Listen DC 20]You make out someone crying "The Seekers take vengeance tonight!"[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock]

When they arrive back at Tain Tower, Dorius takes it upon himself to address the group: "All hell has broken loose in the city, and it looks like we've been deputised!"

Dorius then begins to hand out the Warrants, and when he gets to Vigil, fixetruct with a serious look and says "Also, I have it on good authority that the felons within the Tower are engaged in highly, I repeat, highly blasphemous activities."

OOC (DM's eyes only)
[sblock]
Dorius is lying to Vigil in an attempt to get him fired up, hoping to inspire the paladin to some behaviour worthy of a news story. Should I roll a Bluff check? [/sblock]

[sblock=Dorius/FloatingDisc only]I rolled your Bluff (16) against Vigil's Sense Motive (9). So I won't say anything. Of course, if he looks at the evidence closely he might figure out there is only circumstantial evidence to support your presupposition.[/sblock]

"Your perception of Divine Right is flawed. There is only one sentence that is due the followers of Vol. If the interlopers find value in life, they will surrender. Given that they have turned from the Light..."

Tightening his grip on his mace, he grimly adds, "Vigil expects otherwise."

Vigil stands ready, confident that it will take more than a door to prevent his deliverance of Argent justice.