Adventure: Love Bites

[H.M.Gimlord]

[sblock=Cov]Not sure what objection you have to a drunk elf in a graveyard. I've got a good reason for her to go there. As for being drunk, I would find it hard to sober her up in such a short amount of time. Right now, she's in the hanged man, and she's definitely 3 sheets to the wind if you know what I mean . Plus, I think the process of sobering up would be quite entertaining IC.

As for graceful, I don't see this introduction going gracefully, but I think that might be a good thing. Mikara is feisty, Hacker is irreverent, Woe is horny, Tristan is self-righteous and Atreus is moody. This is an RP dream!

[sblock=Cov only!]Here's my idea. Mikara doesn't like the church of Lauto. She's angry that she was just a pawn in a scheme for the church to collect a large sum of money from a group of stupid lawyers at her expense. She grows tired of hanging out at the Hanged Man and decides to vent her frustration by desecrating some graves. As she wanders through the graveyard, she attempts to kick over small headstones and cause as much damage as an elf can do. She stumbles across the grave of one of her victims during her last adventure with Dextyr. Recognizing the name, because of a note she pulled from his body after the fight, she feels sorry for him. She starts crying uncontrollably, but not a helpless sort of crying. It's an angry sort of crying. This is what the party hears, alerting them to her presence.[/sblock]That's just my idea. I've got no pride resting on it, so if you've got one, share it with me, and I'll play along. [/sblock]

 

[Lord Sessadore]

[sblock=OOC]Don't forget that Kathalia is vacant.

Actually, I find it amusing that (assuming you're all ok with Tristan joining too) half the party would be composed of elves. Woe and Atreus' reactions to that should be pretty entertaining as well [/sblock]

 

[covaithe]

Hacker borrows the papers from Woe and reads. "Hey, looks like you two guys have a bounty on your heads."

"What? Let me see that!" Karse walks over to Hacker and peers over his shoulder. He studies the pictures for a moment, then straightens with a frown. "I see. Well, this will complicate things. My movements will be even more limited. Still, I think this does not materially change the plan."

"Atreus D'torian, I would speak with you concerning your condition, but this is not the time or place. Would you be willing to come with us? We travel to the home of the wizard, Doddoddod."

[sblock=ooc]Regarding drunken stumbling through graveyards: nothing wrong with it, except that it makes it more difficult to implement my Clever Plan (tm) to get you guys into the adventure. Which relies on you guys being at least somewhat close to the tavern.

Off to go do something about that, now...
[/sblock]

 

[KenHood]

Karse walks over to Hacker and peers over his shoulder.

Hacker looks back and winces. "Aw, *****! Could you not do that? Your ***** package is the same height as my head. It's ***** disturbing."

 

[nerdytenor]

Kathalia watches Atreus, apparently more curious than alarmed. "Ooh, that thing with your eyes - do it again! Do it again!"

The elf regains a semblance of composure when the vampire speaks again. "We're going to see Doddoddod?" she exclaims, her composure gone again.

"THE Doddoddod?" she adds, as if there might be more than one.

 

[Dunamin]

Without further explanation he drops the tabloids which float over to Woe's feet.

" I am... dead. Its like he said... "

...

" So this is what I have done... I have made an deal with Lauto, to return to the world of the living. I have become a Revenant and a servant of death. Make no mistake Woe, I am Atreus D'torian and I have come back to finish what I have started, no matter the cost"

Woe listens to Atreus’ story, notices how the sneak isn’t actually breathing anymore, and skims through the Screamer. Consequently, he promptly empties the last traces of Red Label coconut rum he was packing.

“Eh, my condolences, I guess. I know how it’s like to wake up and feel more dead than roadkill hit by the weight of Doddoddod’s carriage, but a breakfast drink usually fixes that (aka Bacon Moonshine, a little-known Chinua family recipe). You might wanna’ give it a shot, regardless.”

“Oh, and don’t count on us finishing what was started anytime soon, Doctor Death.” Woe taps the Screamer article about the dead cultists at Atreus, well knowing that Karse likely is unaware of the full ramifications.

“That’s literally a story for another time. Palin-Drone here has another job for us, one that should actually pay off. He can tell you more, because he’s pretty damn good at that. And speaking of deals, you couldn’t fix a return-to-the-lands-of-the-living trip for Tander, while you’re at it?”

The warrior paces back and forth, mulling things over.

“So that makes three of my comrades bumped off within the last… say, 36 hours?”

Woe casts an uneasy look at Kathalia and Hacker.

“Don’t feel alarmed, fellas, but I’m running on some seriously jinxed mojo here.”

The elf regains a semblance of composure when the vampire speaks again. "We're going to see Doddoddod?" she exclaims, her composure gone again.

"THE Doddoddod?" she adds, as if there might be more than one.

“Trust me, Kath, it’s not a pretty sight. You won’t be able to miss him, though, considering how he takes up just about half the horizon.”

 

[Dunamin]

Hacker borrows the papers from Woe and reads. "Hey, looks like you two guys have a bounty on your heads."

“That would be the three of us.” Woe nods towards Karse.

“Turns out it’s in your interest to have our names cleared. It’ll be much easier for you to pose as the apprentice that secretly puppeteers Doddoddod behind the scenes, if all of Daunton isn’t tuned to witch-hunt mode – especially since Palindrome is responsible for most of these charges.”

 

[Atriden]

"Atreus D'torian, I would speak with you concerning your condition, but this is not the time or place. Would you be willing to come with us? We travel to the home of the wizard, Doddoddod."

" You have yet to tell me who you are and what you are, since you are clearly not Palindrome " Atreus fastens the deady axe on his back with one of his belts "What need do you have of the almighty wizard Doddoddod ?" he says sarcastically.

" I will accompany you and listen to what you have to say stranger. After all, I got nothing to lose but before we leave, this might be useful " Atreus grabs his backpack and pulls forth some cloths " I have some extra clothing, which you can use to disguise yourselves with. And one more thing, I wouldn't recommend going in through Doddoddod's front door. The wizards tower is most likely guarded or watched. Perhaps we can enter by other means, perhaps through the sewers? "

“Oh, and don’t count on us finishing what was started anytime soon, Doctor Death.” Woe taps the Screamer article about the dead cultists at Atreus, well knowing that Karse likely is unaware of the full ramifications.

He turns to glance at Woe " Very funny Woe... but yes, it seems that our previous task has become somewhat difficult to accomplish. We must plan our next move carefully "

Kathalia watches Atreus, apparently more curious than alarmed. "Ooh, that thing with your eyes - do it again! Do it again!"

Atreus gives her an indifferent look and decides to say nothing.

 

[covaithe]

[sblock=Tristan and Mikara]

The messenger leads you quickly through the late afternoon streets, leading eventually to a side door of the Mayor's office. It's not a servant's entrance, quite, but it's clearly designed to be unobtrusive. Inside, you are shown to a small room with several comfortable chairs and no windows, and left on your own. After perhaps fifteen minutes, the single door opens again, and a black-vested servant wheels in a chair, in which sits Gunter Brunt, mayor of Daunton.

"Thank you, Simmons," the mayor says. Simmons gives a practiced bow and backs out of the room, closing the door silently behind him.

"Please excuse me for not standing," Brunt says. His voice is gruff and confident, not loud, but giving the sense that he could easily make himself heard across a crowded market square, or a battlefield if need be.

[sblock=Streetwise DC 5]It's fairly common knowledge that Brunt has some nameless incurable illness that he contracted in his younger days, which periodically leaves him unable to stand.[/sblock]

"I'm sorry to take you away from your... festivities, and for keeping you waiting. I'll get straight to the point," he continues. He reaches into a leather pocket at the side of his wheeled chair and withdraws two battered issues of the Screamer, handing them to you. Two articles are marked, one a warrant for the arrest of the murderers of Arnest Glasston, and the other a gory recounting of the execution of one of them, Atreus D'torian. "You've probably seen these. They've been plastered all over the damn city today. And of course, you'll be familiar with the bounty placed on your own heads recently.

"Daunton's founding families and their circle of rich and privileged have always had a difficult relationship with the city's government. Some of them still hold a grudge that their ancestors didn't set up a proper aristocracy when they founded the city. They exercise far more than their share of influence in the Politica, and when they don't get things their way, they take matters into their own hands." He gestures at the papers.

"When the Five were around, it wouldn't have mattered so much. They were unshakeably popular, and the glitterati wouldn't have dared take them on. But they're gone. And it's only a matter of time before another threat comes, something that will wipe us all out or enslave us or turn our entrails to blood, if we can't find someone strong enough to stand up to it in time. Which is why it's becoming such a problem that these fools with more money than brains are taking out bounties on adventurers.

"We need adventurers. As many of them as we can get, and as highly trained. Frankly, we need them more than we need another set of drunken, mincing courtiers with no skills but a deep purse. But I can't just call them off or tell them to back down. It wouldn't pay to set myself against them. They're too popular just now, and with Ambassador Glasston's little circus at the docks still fresh in everyone's mind... Well.

"I said I'd get straight to the point, though, didn't I? I'd like you two to try and track down those adventurers that the Glasston brat had his little tiff with. Find out what their story is. I'm sure there's plenty that Glasston isn't telling in the papers. Keep them alive, if you can, until all this blows over. If possible, see if there's any way they can be rehabilitated. You know, get them to do something heroic in public, or rescue a maiden from a dragon or something. And, if possible, try to keep them from making any more messes.

"Finally, I'm asking you to do all this for two reasons. First and foremost because I want the next person to take out a contract on adventurers in my city to think twice about it. And second, to maybe take the damn founding families and their ilk down a peg or two. So if you see any opportunities for that, or come across any information that I might find useful, that would be a nice bonus.

"You'll be suitably compensated, of course, but I'm afraid I can't be linked publicly to your actions. You understand, of course. If you need to contact me, send me a message through Jessa, the elf girl who brought you here tonight. You can find her at the Courier's Rest, when she's not on assignment.

"Do we have a deal?" He reaches into the pocket of his chair again and pulls out an impressively bulging coin purse.

[sblock=ooc]Nice simple, uncomplicated little task for you there. [/sblock]

[/sblock]

 

[KenHood]

"BOOOORING!" shouts Hacker.

"Whoops! Did I say that out loud, because I was going to think that quietly to myself? Must be a side-effect of vampire mind-control. I hear that Tourette's Syndrome can occur when you get soul-tendril zapped too hard."

Bluff: 1d20+10=27

Hacker starts to twitch, then spins towards the vampire and screams at the top of his lungs, spraying a froth of spittle...

****** *****-****** *****-wipe of a vam-*****-piric son of a ****** whore!​

Hacker stumbles and shakes his head. "Wow. Just wow. I feel... I feel a little woozy. I think maybe you should lay off the soul-tendril, mind-control stuff, boss."

Anybody else want to scream profanity at the vampire?