Pathfinder 1E Crowns of Ice - A Tale of Blood and Betrayal - Arvid's Song

Archon Basileus · May 21, 2017

[We’ll keep the hidden strike as is, since he can’t see you for the most part. All the rest applies as usual. Intimidate works just fine under these circumstances. The amount of extra points you’ve got are enough to frighten them immediately! No need for sense motive under such circumstances. Boy got cocky, boy pushed his luck, lol. ]

Garmmörk listens to the youngest as he quickly checks Ulms key in the cell lock and it opens easily.

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The boy gathers himself to answer, swallowing nervously. “The… the southerner is a known healer back at the alleys. That’s how Fritjof calls him sometimes… The healer. Many come after him… He… I guess he’s not liked by everyone… we… we bring him around whenever we can… Since he helped us cure the lambs… And we try to protect him, mostly. Once we were back at his place. We were asleep, but Fritjof managed to see someone sneaking inside… Trying to stab the southerner to death. He woke us up and we managed to… kick him out.” – he falls silent. Clearly they did more than ‘kick out’ the potential assassin.

Garmmork shoves the boy back and retreats back to cell entrance. "Speak!"

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Fritjof seems staggered by the attack. The ‘bite’ livens him up, but the beast puts him in shock as it delivers the terrible news. For a few seconds, the older brother considers his options, teary eyes and a pale face, until his gaping mouth begins to speak.

“The lawgiver hates the healer… The… The southerner, as most people know him. He says the southerner brings… attracts wanderers and thieves around… He says the man’s bad company. He scolded us for keeping him company… Even threatened us last time.” – he lowers his eyes, looks at the bite. ”How do you call out for justice when the law itself speaks against you? He wanted us for challenging his authority. Now he has our hides, as well as an excuse to harass the southerner and his girl.” He falls silent for a moment, trying to hide his fear and his frustration. “The lawgiver accuses us, dishonors our name, forces our silence even during moots, protects his friends, hires a blade to kill our friends… And what do we get out of this? We get a night in prison and a quick death if we’re lucky! We don’t even know what we did! They called us murderers, but we didn’t even fight, let alone kill someone!” – a mix of desperation,, frustration and fear overtakes Fritjof, the older brother, the keeper. “Might as well become a monster. I’m already hunted as such… Why not go all the way?” – he mumbles to himself.

@Neurotic @Queenie @Fenris @tglassy

Neurotic · May 22, 2017

OOC:

Now for the carrot

"Relax, you reacted strongly and endanger your brothers by doing so. If you behave, I'll get you out. Do you have anywhere to go? Do you trust The Healer to hide you?" the beast suddenly sounds much more human than mere seconds ago.

"We'll talk about this Lawgiver and why he wants you or the healer later. Unlock all your cells, but remain inside until I come for you."
The figure goes through the door pulling them behind, but not closing them fully. He needs the boys to hear what happens.

As he comes near the top of the stairs he moves on the wall again, trained muscles and dragon claws on his gauntlets plus some inner magic, a talent he didn't even know he had until Ulm pulled it out of him keeping him firmly on the surface. As he comes directly above the guards he waits for perfect moment. Once the guard furthest from the door stretches over the table to throw a card or collect, Arvid lands with both legs on his back slamming him down. The moment of impact offers him moment of stable ground and his hands lash out on both sides, his weapons hilts slamming on top of the heads of the guards.

Pushing the guard (he landed on) back Garmmork launches forward rolling right under the arm of a surprised guard in front of him ending right behind him posed to strike as this one turns. As the guard starts the turn, the blow lands on the back of his head.

In whole of three heartbeats, three guards were down and the fourth was just getting up from being slammed and pushed. And the way out was blocked by terrible apparition that dropped from nowhere.

A growl comes from the black figure, bestial features opening and surprisingly, understandable words come out.
"Silence! Call out and you will not end with only a bruise. Don't grab for the weapon. Take me down to the cells."

OOC:

This must be fairly loud event, you might consider perception rolls for those outside (depending on how far they are). Also, I don't expect to be able to pull this often - if at all - in real game

But it is fun to be able to do it even for introductions

[sblock=Actions]
Several moves: Stealth: 1D20+10 = [14]+10 = 24
Acrobatics: 1D20+9 = [16]+9 = 25
Standard: Left; damage; Right; damage: 1D20+7-4 = [15]+7-4 = 18
1D4+3+2D8 = [3]+3+[7, 5] = 18
1D20+7-4 = [13]+5-4 = 14
1D4+3+2D8 = [1]+3+[4, 8] = 16
- non-lethal, vs flat-footed AC
Move: roll forward through the guard closest to the door Acrobatics for Close and Personal: 1D20+9 = [17]+9 = 26

OA: OA on guards turn; damage: 1D20+9-4 = [19]+9-4 = 24
1D4+3+2D8 = [2]+3+[5, 5] = 15
- potential crit, not really important

A bit too many actions - maybe some combination of readied, surprise and normal round?

[/sblock]

Neurotic · May 24, 2017

Arvid confers with the boys and realising they are all well and fit moves them across rooftops, fitting ropes as needed for them to move across. They get down onto the street level and hurry though the night to an ally near Ulms house.

"Wait here. I'll get you a shelter. If you're caught again, you're on your own."

He grabs the wall and climbs up a sheer back wall as a lizard would. In minutes, he tells old retainer what he needs and is directed to an abandoned house. Taking the boys and securing them inside, he moves off, removing the ropes or simply moving end points to redirect any searches, he checks if the alarm has been raised before heading toward healers house.

He needs to hurry, following two people at the same time is impossible even for him - ideally, the two would meet at some point and reveal some sinister plot...but for the moment, he needs once again the services of his teacher. The man, well into his sixties by now is no longer able to move across the rooftops with ease of the young, but on the other hand, old man on the street in the night, insomnia, dementia, whatever, Ulms skills at disguise only got better by age.

"Please follow the Lawgiver, kenna, I will see if healer is up. The idea is to find something that would prove the kids guilty or innocent, ideally in a way that clearly implicates someone else. We can deliver the proof to Arvid, he will be at the sentencing."
He shakes his head for a moment, naming his alter-ego always brings moment of internal struggle.

After that, he speeds off toward Lavenders Alley to check on the healer while Ulm walks calmly into raising tumult around Lawgivers house.

Archon Basileus · May 25, 2017

GARMMÖRK

As Garmmörk walks by the side of the river, he sees the entrance to Lavender’s Alley, a hundred steps in front of him and opening to the right of the course. A set of two-story houses form, back to back, the tight entrance to the alley. Over the river, as mentioned by the boys, a precarious room looms over the waters, placed over two thick trunks that serve as columns. The alley goes on for nearly two hundred tortuous yards, getting darker and filthier along the way. Garmmörk already sees a set of three beggars around the back door that supposedly opens to the healer’s house. Through the windows, the beast realizes that the house is entirely lit, and movement can be discerned in the improvised room.

[MENTION=24380]Neurotic[/MENTION] [MENTION=8058]Queenie[/MENTION] [MENTION=2820]Fenris[/MENTION] [MENTION=6855204]tglassy[/MENTION]

Neurotic · May 25, 2017

Garmmörk looks around for suitable climbing spot that wouldn't be well watched and comes to conclusion that will be the river. Slick columns are probably a nightmare to climb, but for him, acceptable risk. He takes care with climbing both for secure grip and to remain unseen and manages to get just under a window. Listening, peeking through the cracks and in one instance daring a quick look into the room, he tries to find out what is so important that the whole house is awake.

In the meantime Ulm, now in the form of an old drunk sleeps across Lawgivers estate watching the tumult as the roof guard awoke and got others out of the cells or awakened them from unconciousness.

Archon Basileus · May 26, 2017

The wood moans as the beast climbs its slippery surface. Garmmörk manages to keep his body underneath the window through sheer force, finding ways to glance inside as the boards slightly bend under his weight. The many fissures on both floor and walls allow a vantage point from which he can observe the traffic within the room. The strong lights are obliterated by a heavy coat of smoke, a mixture of southern perfumes and sweet herbs. Several censers, big and small, make sure the room is constantly fed with the thick fog. On the side a bed can be seen. There, a young lady, naked and languid, moans and whispers as a half-robed man wanders around, talking and chanting. Occasionally, he goes to her, delivering a lover’s caresses and humming his chants close to her face.

“Are they ready?” – she asks as if overtaken by sleep.

“They are…” – he answers, smiling.

“Should we go?” – she says.

“I… No. We wait…”

“What if someone… someone comes?”

“They’ll protect us. We have a full house tonight. At ease, child, at ease, yes?” – he pets her, covering her nudity as he kisses her. He walks away, his robe opened in the front. The strong scents blur Garmmörk’s vision, leaving a strange aftertaste over his tongue, despite his efforts to avoid the cloud that flees from the room in ethereal threads.

With dragged steps, the man leaves the room through a door, probably towards the rest of the house. His voice swirls around, calling out in strange words, strange phrases. The girl stays behind, mumbling to herself as if she was about to enter a dream.

@Neurotic @Queenie @Fenris @tglassy

Neurotic · May 26, 2017

"Perfect. Now if only I knew if this is some healing ritual or something more sinister." the beast think to itself as he tries to recognize anything that would mean one or the other. And comes out blank.

Garmmörk slips further into the alley as he follows the man. If he finds the cult or obvious trappings of human sacrifice, he will rescue the girl. Even if she's an initiate and willing, she's also a witness.
"Hmmm, why am I even following him? Is revenge on the cult more important than saving those boys and this lass? If I grab her and swim away...but what if she's trying to get well? Impossible, too many weird things - she's drugged, nighttime...no!"

He returns to the unstable shack, checks that the girl slipped into sleep and gets into the room.
He finds something soft to cover her eyes "It is time" he whispers as he lifts her off the bed. She mumbles and snuggles closer, moments before the beast launches itself and the girl into the river. Sudden shock of cold water awakens the girl, but water muffles her scream as the cold steals her breath away for several critical moments before the river takes them away.

"Stupid, dangerous, reckless, idiotic, dimwitted, unnecessary, foolhardy, risky, stupid...I already thought that...if she's he cult" thinks Garmmörk as he keeps the girl underwater her reflexes still sluggish from the drug. He allows them on the surface bare 20 hearbeats later, but she's already gasping hard. He holds her in water and starts pulling toward the shore.

"It is alright, girl, you're safe now." he tries to keep her head turned away. "I know someone who can protect you."

[sblock=Rolls]
Use Magic Device: 1D20+9 = [1]+9 = 10
Disable Device (open window) 1D20+10 = [10]+10 = 20;
silently: 1D20+10 = [18]+10 = 28

Swimming: 1D20+5 = [18]+5 = 23
[/sblock]

OOC:

[MENTION=6855545]Archon Basileus[/MENTION], feel free to use Garmmörk in the description or to move the action along. Such as obvious cult tattoos and symbology

Stopping here because I don't know if she's the victim or willing accomplice. Either way, she goes to a hideout to be persuaded or intimidated as needed to witness against the healer and to free the boys if they were under some kind of spell. Garmmörk will not look for full out fighting, that is not his style - this is fairly small community and he cannot trigger full-out search and direct fighting one-to-many is not really his forte. As soon as the girl is safe (if she's a cultist she will be bound and gagged) he returns to Lavender Alley to try and get some additional proof or to kill some cultists alone in the dark. He does not bring her to the boys, they could free her out of misplaced good intentions. She goes to Ulms cellar.

Archon Basileus · May 30, 2017

"It is alright, girl, you're safe now." he tries to keep her head turned away. "I know someone who can protect you."

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Garmmörk’s concerns proved well-founded as he inquired the girl. At first, he considered she might be part of the cult, especially after observing her relationship with the healer. Nonetheless, as his body slowed down, he listened to her dragged explanations. According to her, she became his companion for gratitude, after he had healed her from a terminal illness. His only desire, it seems, was to have a child to call his own, or that’s what he told her. Having nowhere else to go, she remained with him, accompanying his daily activities and somehow turning into his companion. She confesses never fully understanding his activities, taking them for common healing practices.

As Garmmörk asks about the cult brand, she confirms having seen it before, although not on the healer.

“This one time… I was helping clean one of the men that sought help… He tried to poison the healer… with a needle… But he was able to restrain the man… You know how things happen in the backstreets… The healer would have delivered him to the Jarl… The other patients… were not so kind. They said… He might have friends close to the Jarl.” – she pauses for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts – “He had one such mark… upon his hip.”

The healer became weary and fearful ever since, she said. After a brief investigation, she discovered that the attacker was, in fact, under employment of the lawgiver, the one acclaimed after the death of Björn the Golden. Apparently, the young ‘patient’ spent months inside the lawgiver’s estates, possibly being trained. At least, that’s what the servants said, when paid to give the chant. Worse, it’s said that the man was constantly submitted to treatments with odd concoctions and perfumes, becoming more and more detached and obedient as time passed. No one said a thing, though. The lawgiver had dealt with shady types before, and people that crossed him were known to end up dead – one way or another.

Something tells Garmmörk the lawgiver might be using his privileges to kill his enemies, or maybe even enemies of the cult. The thought appears as a distant memory, Garmmörk’s head aching for no apparent reason.

[MENTION=24380]Neurotic[/MENTION] [MENTION=8058]Queenie[/MENTION] [MENTION=2820]Fenris[/MENTION] [MENTION=6855204]tglassy[/MENTION]

Neurotic · May 31, 2017

OOC:

I'll post something tomorrow, too tired now.
Soo, the healer is actually a good guy? Not cultist. Lucky for him. Now to implicate the Lawgiver somehow...thinking cap on again.
'night

Neurotic · Jun 1, 2017

"Sooo...you want to return to the healer? I'll trust you in this, but he and I need to talk."

Garmmörk hurries back - "I knew I should have waited...now I lost more time on this than if I listened."

Grabbing the girl before they get into the line of sight of the alley
"Bring him on the back window - I will not harm him as I didn't harm you, I want to bring down The Lawgiver. Go! Run!"

The beastly shape melts into shadows and using his unusual talent to climb sheer walls goes from behind and over the wall until once again he reaches the window of the room, this time from the above.
People there are only now realizing something is wrong and calm fairly quickly at whatever the girl told them. Garmmörk remains vigilant on the roof above the window so that no one comes from behind him.

Thus, he almost missed when the girl peeked around and healer following her seconds behind.
"Where are you, man in the dark?" the healer asks, confident, but not arrogant.
"I am above you, you may not want to see me or to know me. But in this we're allies."
"I want to know who am I dealing with! Show yourself."
"As you wish." comes more a growl than a voice

The healer must have been prepared by the girl for he barely flinched when he saw the shaggy head.
"And here I thought you are a legend. I can cure that, you know. There are ways..."
"I don't have much time before everything gets hidden and full search for the boys start. Talk!" the head disappears back onto the roof.