Metropolis (The Heart of the City) - Chapter Three

[Festy_Dog]

Ba'aktar frowned, this didn't make sense to him. The large man had a big group of friends to back him up, but none of them were armed and he was talking pretty chummy-like to Ghost. Why bring unarmed friends if he was just going to talk? All the more reason for Ba'aktar to stay on edge. He glanced over to Jackal and Ru, expecting the more streetwise fellows to have a better grip of an ambiguous situation like this, and hoping to get a clue from how they were reacting.

 

[Phoenix]

Taran examines Zimmerman carefully, while interposing himself between Zimmerman and Stephanie. He looks over to Ghost and motion slightly with his head towards Zimmerman.

[sblock=Pheonix]Wow, she's small if she's looking up to me . Hoping to indicate to Ghost that Stephanie is indicating Zimmerman. I'll let you determine if he gets an Sblock telling him what I ment from that[/sblock]

Taran and Ghost
[sblock]Taran Bluff Check (DC 15) +15 - Success
Ghost Sense Motive Check (DC 20) +7 - Failure
Zimmerman Sense Motive Check (DC 20) +20 - Success
Ghost Sense Motive Check (DC 20) +24 - Success

Taran gestures to Ghost, motioning to the fact that Stephanie is far from enthused to be in Zimmerman's presence. Looking at Ghost, Zimmerman's eyes betray a sense of want, need, lust...
[/sblock]

 

[D20Dazza]

Ghost returns Zimmerman's handshake warmly, suppresing the feeling of unease that passes over him as he touches the greasy man "So Zimmerman, it is good to see you, a fine party you throw. I'm afraid we need to renegotiate our deal. It has come to my attention that Stephanie may be the key to everyone having a good time at the party. And I know you want everyone to have a good time don't you? So what exactly is a good time worth old man?" Ghost asks with an amiable smile and a flick of the finger to Ba'Aktar, trying to indicate that the half orc should shield the girl.

 

[jkason]

Ba'aktar frowned, this didn't make sense to him. The large man had a big group of friends to back him up, but none of them were armed and he was talking pretty chummy-like to Ghost. Why bring unarmed friends if he was just going to talk? All the more reason for Ba'aktar to stay on edge. He glanced over to Jackal and Ru, expecting the more streetwise fellows to have a better grip of an ambiguous situation like this, and hoping to get a clue from how they were reacting.

Ru did his best to have a studied calm, but the look from Ba'aktar lead Ru to point his chin in Ghost's direction. Best to follow the elf for now, he thought, given the man had experience with this company. Still, Ru cracked his own knuckles, though he reached for no weapon, ready to rely on his hands and feet in the case a fight broke out.

 

[Phoenix]

Ghost returns Zimmerman's handshake warmly, suppresing the feeling of unease that passes over him as he touches the greasy man "So Zimmerman, it is good to see you, a fine party you throw. I'm afraid we need to renegotiate our deal. It has come to my attention that Stephanie may be the key to everyone having a good time at the party. And I know you want everyone to have a good time don't you? So what exactly is a good time worth old man?" Ghost asks with an amiable smile and a flick of the finger to Ba'Aktar, trying to indicate that the half orc should shield the girl.

[sblock]Ghost Diplomacy check (DC hidden) +16 - Success
Ghost Sense Motive check (DC 20) +23 - Success
Jovik Knowledge (local) check (DC 20/25) +26 - Complete Success
Taran Spot check (DC hidden) +12 - Failure
Ru Spot check (DC hidden) +15 - Success
Ba'aktar Spot check (DC hidden) +18 - Success
Jovik Spot check (DC hidden) +13 - Failure
Jovik Appraise check (DC 15/20) +20 - Complete Success[/sblock]

Zimmerman opened his mouth in a wide greasy smile, his large form giggling as he laughed heartedly. "Fine then Ghost, you drive a hard bargain. I promised you a hundred royals, I'll pay you a thousand, each! I miss my dear daughter so much, money should not be an obstacle to our love!"

Ghost:
[sblock]There was something about the smile, his laugh, it was fake and Ghost knew it. But that wasn't just it, there was something sinister in the way that his body seemed to yern to get Stephanie back. Ghost knew that there was more to it, and probably suspected a lot more than what he told the others. Five thousand royals, enough for them all to live in luxury, maybe not for a lifetime, but for several years at least.[/sblock]

Ru and Ba'aktar:
[sblock]A thousand gold royals each! That would be enough to, well, do almost anything you want! Zimmerman's offer seemed to have almost entranced the entire group, but there was something about him... Through the crowd people were moving into position, party goers all of them, but holding themselves as if waiting for trouble. The funny thing was, all of Zimmerman's guards and suspicious party goers were watching the group, they didn't see what else was coming.

The dwarves crawled over the walls with bloody hands, as if they made their own holes by punching their fingers into the stone. They were quiet though, the first few had fallen next to the guards and dropped them with long curved knives. It would not be long before the sound of them feasting on them would draw the attention of the children nearby though...[/sblock]

Jovik:
[sblock]A thousand golden royals? If we lived to spend it. Jovik stared at the man in a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. The gemstones set into his rings and necklaces were valuable indeed, probably sellable for...ooo...in total? Three thousand golden royals, minimum. Jovik's eyes drifted across the stones and their settings, curiously re-evaluating his estimation as he got a better look, easily more.

There was something about the rings that made them hard to sell though, there were inscriptions on them, always made them more identifiable. Plus the gems looked a little cloudy, as if they were signature gems, designed by...wait...

Jovik's eyes stared at the clouds within the stones as they churned unnaturally. Within them he could almost see...people?[/sblock]

 

[jkason]

Ru left thoughts of riches behind as he cursed under his breath. Did he have a homing spell on him that the dwarves kept finding him? And what was it with children that seemed to have such a knack for handily winding up near whatever the closest danger was?

"Gentlemen," Ru says with false calm, pointing toward the Killi-Kelli-Hek as they crest the wall. "I think we'll perhaps have to delay further negotiations briefly, as there are some very unwelcome guests trying to crash the party and modify the menu."

Giving Ba'aktar a raised eyebrow and adding "And you thought the party would be boring," Ru rushes through the crowd toward the invading dwarves, trying to put himself between them and the children if at all possible.

 

[D20Dazza]

Ghost hurriedly looks up to where the invading dwarf's are clambering over the walls before dropping back to protect Stephanie. Turning to Taran he says "We must protect Steph, come on fall back with her, Zimmerman will take the opportunity to strike" as he drags the halfling and the girl back away from the battle and Zimmerman he draws his mace from within the folds of his cloak.