Six From Gate Pass - Chapter 3: Shelter From The Storm

[The Bashar]

Hrimr shrugs his shoulders. He tucks the letter into his pack.

"I don't have any idea. Though I would imagine the mark is Arnir. You're right, lets get this back to the house. There doesn't appear to be anything else of interest.

How many Embassies are there in town anyways?"

Hrimr starts to make his way back to the party's home. He does stop to ask people on the streets about the Embassies in town.

 

[Gregor]

Hrimr, you're not sure if its your sodden hides, your unkempt beard, the caked blood on your boots, or what, but nobody seems interested in answering your questions. After an hour, you learn nothing and head home with Lars.

The rest of the party is there when you arrive in the late afternoon. It is perhaps an hour or two before sunset.

 

[Gregor]

GM: Since everyone is now back at the house, here is the current status and next steps for the party: Alric has accepted a quest with the Order of the Aquiline Cross and needs help from the party. Kirio and Bannock did not learn much in the refugee camps regarding Merrywinter and Kubla. The most they came away with was an understanding that a half-orc named Kubla and two others were hired by someone. Bannock shouted a challenge in Orcish which he hopes will lure Kubla to Scholar's Respite, the inn where Kirio plays each evening (if anything takes place, it would be two days from now). Hrimr and Lars discovered some mysterious orders or instructions at the scene of the attempted assassination attempt on Arnir. The letter spoke of leaving word at an embassy and then returning to a lair. On the way back to the house, Hrimr was unable to find out where the embassies were in the city. Lars ventured into the Thieves Guild in search of information. He has a decision to make before the sun goes down in the next few hours. Off you go!

 

[The Bashar]

Hrimr pulls the letter from his pack and presents it to Kirio and Arnir. He gives them some time to read it.

"Looks like we need to find out which embassy they are referring to. I tried asking around but people seemed reluctant to answer. Kirio, you may have more luck."

Hrimr then looks down at his appearance and thinks maybe he should get the dried blood of his armour.

 

[fromage67]

Lars says, "Unfortunately, there is another complication. Father Dusk, the Priest of Mask at the Thieve's Guild made me an offer that I don't know if I will survive if I refuse. When I asked his help to locate Merrywinter, he accepted on condition that I accept an assassination contract under Geas. I really don't want to accept. He threatened me with a gruesome end if I didn't return to visit him at dusk. Do any of you know if the Geas disappears if the person who cast it is killed?"

 

[Adjuntive]

Lars says, "Unfortunately, there is another complication. Father Dusk, the Priest of Mask at the Thieve's Guild made me an offer that I don't know if I will survive if I refuse. When I asked his help to locate Merrywinter, he accepted on condition that I accept an assassination contract under Geas. I really don't want to accept. He threatened me with a gruesome end if I didn't return to visit him at dusk. Do any of you know if the Geas disappears if the person who cast it is killed?"

Alric regards Lars quizzically for a moment, "I don't understand your reluctance in this offer. You'd have the five of us to help you with the contract as surely as we would all be bound to this "Geas". Who is the person he wants dead? Seems like it would work to our ends, which makes me want to consider it. Or do you have some reason to believe he would not release you from the Geas once the contract is fulfilled?"

 

[funkmamagoat]

Kirio stares at Lars a little boggled by his revelation... "Oh COMMON!!! What in the nine hells is happening here. We had a sweet gig, a house, funds, work of a sort, and a place for me to play. Now we have to find these assassins, who know where we live, what you look like, and now thanks to tall dark and stupid over there that I'm involved and where I play. If that wasn't enough, now we are being forced to carry out an assassination for a priest of mask... grrrrrreat! Because you know, mask is known for trustworthiness and forthright honesty, so a Geas by one of his priest isn't likely to be anything more than it seems... And YOU Alric, what in the nine hells did you commit us to? Is it YOU that's going to convince no less than eight religious groups to get along? Going to convince them of the error of their ways were you, or did you perhaps think I would sweet talk them into a big giant religious orgy???"

Kirio forces himself to calm down, counting down from 10 in Elven he continues in a calmer voice. "alright, well I know little of geas, but I am certainly not submitting to one. A geas is a powerful spell that requires the recipient to undertake a specific course of action. Failure to do so, while under the influence of the spell, can result in any number of negative effects whose impact on the subject are limited only by the imagination of the spell caster; I'm sure a priest of Mask can think of a few things to inflict upon you Lars if you fail in his assigned task, the least of which is probably death. Seems to me if we are going to bother, we might as well eliminate the person/persons who hired merrywinter in the first place. That's Caladan of House Galavir, long may he take banes cock in the ass after his death, but killing him may be difficult, although we could convince him it is not in his interest. Arnir, we ran into Thalan outside the city when we first arrived. Do you think he could be of assistance? I'll do a bit of asking around about embassies, but it's likely a temporary one set up by the shahalesti blockade. From the letter it sounds like merrywinter is an apprentice in the local assassin's guild, and they seem to worship Cyric, Lord of the Three Crowns is one of his names. For those of you not versed in the pantheon, I'm looking at you here Alric because it seems now we have two more gods to worry about, he is also known as Prince of Lies, the Dark Sun, the Black Sun, and the Mad God. He deals with wonderful things like murder, lies, deception, illusion, strife, intrigue. In days gone by, Cyric and Mask worked together to kill the god Bhaal, who was then known as the Lord of Murder. Since the end of Bhaal, both Cyric and Mask have warred for control over various aspects of that God's portfolio - most notably murder and assassination. So now you all know why this lovely priest of Mask wants to mess them up. IF we mess up that organization, likely satisfying the priest, maybe it will be harder to hire an assassin to kill Arnir's bitchy ass, but let me tell you, the prospect of attacking an assassin's guilds is... how do I put this... about as enticing as being forced to sexually pleasure an army of the undead." with that Kirio leaves in a bit of a huff to go see what he can find out about this mysterious embassy...

OOC: Kirio taking 20 on Kowledge check religion for Lord of Three Crowns, total 27

 

[Gregor]

[sblock="for Kirio"]Kirio, the Lord of the Three Crowns is one of the names for the god Cyric. Also known as Prince of Lies, the Dark Sun, the Black Sun, and the Mad God, Cyric is an evil god whose portfolio includes murder, lies, deception, illusion, strife, intrigue. In days gone by, Cyric and Mask worked together to kill the god Bhaal, who was then known as the Lord of Murder. Since the end of Bhaal, both Cyric and Mask have warred for control over various aspects of that God's portfolio - most notably murder and assassination.

As for a Geas, it is a powerful arcane or divine spell that requires the recipient to undertake a specific course of action. Failure to do so, while under the influence of the spell, can result in any number of negative effects whose impact on the subject are limited only by the imagination of the spell caster. The Geas is meant to ensure compliance by the recipient of the spell.[/sblock]

Kirio, you spend a number of hours wandering the streets, inns and taverns in search of information on where the various embassies are located. You learn that there are embassies for the Kingdom of Dassen, Sindaire and Ostalin in some of the larger homes in the more wealthy area of the North Harbour. There is also a newly established embassy to the Shining Lands of Shahalesti. The Elves have commandeered a fine inn, called the Crimson Galleon as their embassy. The inn overlooks the North Harbour on the high points near the Lyceum.

As you're wrapping up your quest for information at a tavern and you turn to head back into the now drizzly evening, you feel a slight tug on your cape. Turning around you find a halfling standing behind you. His cowl is pulled up and a brown travel cloak hangs from his shoulders. Studded leather armor covers the rest of his body. A bandoleer of daggers runs from shoulder to hip and a slender rapier hangs from his belt. His hair is long, blonde and greasy and his green eyes stare up at you. He speaks:

"Ain't you that fellow Queerio er sumfin? Ya, Smeed know all about you!" he pauses to laugh. "Smeed 'eard you been askin' round about sum fings. You n' sum big fella. Ya, Smeed know all about him too! Maybe Smeed knows sumfin. Maybe indeed."

 

[funkmamagoat]

Kirio sighs as he looks down at the "little person"

			Oh for f@#$'s sake, now a gods forsaken halfling... whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy are the gods taking giant craps on me today...

He forces a smile on his face and addresses the halfling "Hello... smeed, think you knows sumfin do you? Al right, I'll bite, what is it that you think you... knows? I'll buy you a drink if you want to talk about it???

 

[The Bashar]

Hrimr sighs as Kirio finishes his rant. He finds it strange that he actually agrees with what Kirio is saying.

"I, for one, will not be doing dirty work for a priest of Mask. The fact he wants to magically compel you to do his bidding is indication enough that something foul is afoot."

Hrimr leaves the room and heads to his own. Now is a good time as any to clean himself up a bit. He casts create water into a bucket and makes a fire to heat it. He washes his beard and tries to get the blood stains out of his armour.