Kulan: Knightfall's Crisis in Bluffside Game [IC]

[Neurotic]

As the final preparation before going into the hall, he calls upon the luck of the fey to empower few of his companions. While he worries about having to fight Tim, he is more worried about the guards that could be subverted. And Breva is a paladin, he should be protected by the grace of the Purifier.

Thus, Custodio, Vincenco and Akos enter the hall with Tyche's touch.

Spoiler: Tyche's touch

Lasts for 24 hours or until discharged.

Gives +4 to the first saving throw, +3 to the second etc...no choice in the matter. If someone tries to charm, poison or otherwise influence one of us, he gets a surprise.

----

Akos bows slightly in general direction of the nobles as he enters the room and follows the usher toward his seat.
He sits as soon as it is offered, slowly, relaxed. He adjusts his robes and waits for the nobles to join them.

He smiles and nods as the nobles sit, by all appearances as if he's giving them approval or even permission to sit. The only exception is the lady of the house for whom he gets up and bows before sitting back.

"It seems we operate under some assumptions, milady, that may not be completely accurate. Whatever you may have heard of our exploits, things are worse than you think. We have a degree of independence of The Five, but flouting their laws would collide with paladins code, with Sir Tymbecs code of honor, with Sectarian and Elite guards...we can make a deal to get your wayward son out of the town since he was too afraid to come forward and admit he made a mistake. Thus, he gave us what he knew and we delivered him safely to his home. And we reported our findings and where we are going.

The Renegade...you may consider it a passing threat or even an opportunity to advance your own goals. But his goals, if realized, will render all scheming null and void since he works with demons and otherworldly beings incompatible with our forms of life. He had no problem throwing even his trusted henchmen into captivity once we defeated his demon. He also has no trouble keeping a slave and life power of other creatures for his own purposes. Nothing he promises is dependable since his goal is to return to power to his own city. And he will sack whomever he thinks he has to in that way.

I can openly say I don't agree with some of the laws, those limiting personal freedoms most of all. But working with that creature to temporarily gain power that may cost the one making deals all of his assets or even his soul...it is not worth it.

On the other hand, you, nobles already have power. Have influence. Have the riches."
Akos motions to the mansion around them
"When is it enough? You built this over generations. Is it worth throwing it all away?"

Loremaster raises his hands to prevent objections
"I know, I know, you, wiser and more experienced heads wouldn't do such a thing and recognize that he is a threat not only to The Five, but to your own power. But young hotheads, who think they have it hard if they cannot gamble and drink yearly pay of a craftsman in one wild night...they are a threat. I will presume much now in giving a small advice to you, lady, but you really should punish the boy. Not risk his life, obviously in some border dispute...but punish him so he feels it. He put your entire house at risk with his stupidity and cowardice."
As the speech progresses, Akos is getting progressively worse in describing the young heir and takes an opportunity to smile at him as his self-satisfied smile drops.
"The wise people here, your elders, boy, recognize that having the power and keeping the power are two separate things. And to keep it you have to use it wisely, not squander it."
Akos folds his hands in front of him and opens negotiations, giving the nobles hopefully exactly what they want to hear.
"Now that I garnered both good and ill will with my advice; when I've told you parts of what we discovered and told you where we stand...what do you need from us? And what do we gain from that?"

 

[Knightfall]

Akos bows slightly in general direction of the nobles as he enters the room and follows the usher toward his seat.
He sits as soon as it is offered, slowly, relaxed. He adjusts his robes and waits for the nobles to join them.

He smiles and nods as the nobles sit, by all appearances as if he's giving them approval or even permission to sit. The only exception is the lady of the house for whom he gets up and bows before sitting back.

One of the noblemen sits next to Lord Jadon and the young man seems intimidated by him, so he quits fidgeting. Jadon obviously knows him and the man bows respectfully to Lady Talitha and waits for her to be seated as Akos does. Next to him sit the half-elven woman and her lord. Across from them, Lady Heather and her father sit together next to Lord Nathaniel. Lady Heather sits closest to the young nobleman and she flirts with him, casually. Her father is more serious and he looks like he is ready to spring to life at a moments notice. The mysterious dwarf sits next to him.

Spoiler: For Neurotic Only

I'm assuming that Akos takes one of the seats closest to Lady Talitha since he will be the main speaker for the party.

Akos - Knowledge (nobility and royalty) check:
1D20+8 = [15]+8 = 23
- The result is 25 for Lady Heather and her father.

Akos isn't familiar with most of the guests. He is certain, however, that the androgynous dwarf noble is from the city of Orra. He can tell by their attire. The nobleman and his half-elf lady are a complete mystery to him. The other human man is obviously a noble from somewhere to the north but the Loremaster doesn't know from exactly where.

He is aware of Lady Heather Devereux and her father, however. They are from the Thalassocracy of Coeurdî, which controls half of the Isole di Rysenet. (The other half is controlled by the Kingdom of Almadon.) Lady Heather is the fiancée of the Prince of Coeurdî, Octave Deniaud! Her father, a hard man named Lord Vespasien Devereux, is likely her official escort and protector while she is visiting Bluffside. He is the Lord Marshal of the Gardes Rouges and his rank is second only to the High Commander of that Royal Guard.

For her to be in Bluffside without a huge entourage is very odd. Of course, Coeurdîan nobles are known for being eccentric and sometimes outlandish.

OOC: Breva - Knowledge (nobility and royalty) check: 1D20+2 = [15]+2 = 17 @Scotley, roll isn't high enough for Breva to know who the nobles are or where they come from. - I'm putting Breva right next to the man named Lord Toren. (See below for my intro to Lord Toren.) Big Tim - Knowledge (nobility and royalty) check: 1D20+3 = [20]+3 = 23 @Tellerian Hawke: Okay, so the natural 20 becomes a 30, so the total for Tim is 33; 35 for Lady Heather and her father. You can read the spoiler I added for Neurotic, and I'm going to post more details about the various nobles in the OOC thread.

"Weapons aplenty," Tuck mutters back to his companions, briefly glancing at the cutlery and various plates on the table before them. He shrugs, settling into his chair but not quite finding the right way to sit on the decorative but uncomfortable seat.

Realizing this is not his world, the kobold easily falls back into his racial routine of appearing to be the least important creature in the room. As long as he manages to gain less attention than the others, he will survive.

Then he looks at Akos and the characteristic reptilian smile appears on his face. Tuck's faith in the Loremaster's words is well-earned, and the urban ranger feels himself relax. Akos can handle this.

Tuck watches as Akos manages to capture all eyes in the room. The Loremaster is in fine form. Yet, one set of eyes can't help but notice the kobold urban ranger. The half-elven woman watches him keenly but without any signs of malice. She whispers to her lord and he glances towards Tuck for a moment and nods. Then, he goes back to listening to Akos.

The woman continues to keep one eye on Tuck and even gives him a wry smile.

"It seems we operate under some assumptions, milady, that may not be completely accurate. Whatever you may have heard of our exploits, things are worse than you think. We have a degree of independence of The Five, but flouting their laws would collide with paladins code, with Sir Tymbecs code of honor, with Sectarian and Elite guards...we can make a deal to get your wayward son out of the town since he was too afraid to come forward and admit he made a mistake. Thus, he gave us what he knew and we delivered him safely to his home. And we reported our findings and where we are going.

The Renegade...you may consider it a passing threat or even an opportunity to advance your own goals. But his goals, if realized, will render all scheming null and void since he works with demons and otherworldly beings incompatible with our forms of life. He had no problem throwing even his trusted henchmen into captivity once we defeated his demon. He also has no trouble keeping a slave and life power of other creatures for his own purposes. Nothing he promises is dependable since his goal is to return to power to his own city. And he will sack whomever he thinks he has to in that way.

Lady Talitha listens to Akos intently. She glances towards Lord Nathaniel with both disapproval and genuine affection. When the Loremaster begins speaking of Phelix Del Cannitha, she becomes engrossed in what Akos is saying. She is visible shocked when Akos mentions 'demons and otherwordly beings' and gives her son a chastising look.

He looks at her wide-eyed and shakes his head silently as if to say, 'I didn't know'.

"Your words trouble me greatly," she says. She looks to the nobleman and his half-elf paramour. "Lord Toren, my friend, Saltmarsh is closer to Khasan. Have your people had any problems with the Brelish? Have you heard of this Renegades family?"

He nods. "Indeed, I have heard of the Del Cannithas of Khasan. But I'd never heard of this Phelix person until we arrived in Bluffside a week ago. It seems your people are in a dire situation. I wish I could promise you help from Saltmarsh, but we must answer to our peers in Orra." He glances towards the dwarf. "What say you, Suzerain Kayden?"

The dwarf looks at the nobleman and then at Akos. "Let us wait to see what else this man has to say. I will think upon it," they say in a lilting voice.

Instead, Tuck looks around the massive room. Now that he knows there are secret passages, long unused though they may have appeared, he wonders if any of them run parallel to this chamber. Perhaps he can spot little peep holes in the usual places?

OOC: I think that is a Search check, but perhaps it's Spot. I'll roll both: Search: 1D20+17 = [18]+17 = 35 Spot: 1D20+7 = [19]+7 = 26

OOC: It would be a Spot check in the current situation. A Search check would require Tuck to actively move through the room.

While Akos keeps the nobles enthralled, Tuck studies the room as best as he can from the far side of the table. He doesn't see any obvious signs of a peep hole, although there are four very large painted portraits hanging on the walls. two on one side of the room and two on the other. He knows one of them could easily have peep holes built into the eyes. The portraits are hanging at just the right height for human observers, but if there are peep holes built into a portrait's eyes, he doesn't notice them.

He does note that two other nobles also have discreetly hidden weapons. One of the human men has a dagger sheath built into his boot while the woman known as Lady Heather has a pair of long, steel hairpins holding her hair in place. They are longer than any normal hairpin and are obviously designed as a defensive weapon.

If the others also have weapons, Tuck cannot see them. He senses that the half-elven woman would never go into any situation unarmed. She has the look of a sleek cat who could pounce on anyone who threatens her lord.

I can openly say I don't agree with some of the laws, those limiting personal freedoms most of all. But working with that creature to temporarily gain power that may cost the one making deals all of his assets or even his soul...it is not worth it.

On the other hand, you, nobles already have power. Have influence. Have the riches."
Akos motions to the mansion around them
"When is it enough? You built this over generations. Is it worth throwing it all away?"

"It seems this renegade of yours is quite the villain," the intimidating man, next to Lord Jadon, says. He looks at Akos with a hint of respect but there is also caution in his gaze. "You may be right about too much excess but the noble caste is important both here and in my homeland." He looks at Lady Talitha as if she were his beloved sister. "Milady would never throw away her life or the lives of her children."

"Loremaster Akos, may I introduce Lord Cristoval Dey de Caulon of Tarminan," Lady Talitha says. "He is a dear old friend to both me and my husband."

The man nods to Akos.

Loremaster raises his hands to prevent objections
"I know, I know, you, wiser and more experienced heads wouldn't do such a thing and recognize that he is a threat not only to The Five, but to your own power. But young hotheads, who think they have it hard if they cannot gamble and drink yearly pay of a craftsman in one wild night...they are a threat. I will presume much now in giving a small advice to you, lady, but you really should punish the boy. Not risk his life, obviously in some border dispute...but punish him so he feels it. He put your entire house at risk with his stupidity and cowardice."

Lady Talitha seems annoyed to be chastised in her own house, but she doesn't overreact. Instead, she looks to Lord Cristoval, hoping he will react for her.

He shakes his head and glares at Lord Nathaniel. "Loremaster Akos is right, milady. You must punish him this time. Such behavior cannot be tolerated. If he was my son, I'd send him to Edanfort so that he can learn discipline fighting against Rezothix Clans. A few years of that will toughen him up and teach him to respect the laws of the land."

Lady Talitha listens solemnly to her old friend, but just as she looks like she might begin to cry, she bursts out laughing and pats her son's hand. "It's a good thing he's not your father." She says to her son. She shakes her head and points at Lord Cristoval. "I will not throw his life away or punish him beyond what is reasonable." She looks back to Akos. "I know you are having a tough time dealing with this renegade, but I will not destroy my son's future as the next Lord Aceron just because he took a few bribes from the wrong people."

Silence fills the room for several minutes.

"I am Suzerain Kayden Greatmane of Orra," the dwarf sitting next to Akos finally says. "I think we can all agree that this Del Cannitha person is bad for business and for the people we rely on for our continued wealth. Trade withers under the constant threat from this renegade. He must be brought down for the good of all." They look towards Lady Talitha. "While it is not my place to suggest a suitable punishment for your son, I do think you should do more than slap him on the wrist. Perhaps a few months of forced sobriety at Rockgrave Keep. The monks will toughen him up, but he won't face any real danger under their watchful eyes."

"Gods! I'd rather fight with the mountain rangers!" Nathaniel says, aghast.

The nobles all laugh, except Lady Talitha. She doesn't like the direction of the conversation. She clears her throat and the room grows quiet again. Only Lady Heather has trouble controlling her mirth but a quick look from her father makes her look down at her lap.

As the speech progresses, Akos is getting progressively worse in describing the young heir and takes an opportunity to smile at him as his self-satisfied smile drops.
"The wise people here, your elders, boy, recognize that having the power and keeping the power are two separate things. And to keep it you have to use it wisely, not squander it."

"I have already admitted to you that it was a mistake to get in with Phelix and his allies. No amount of money was worth the risk to my life. I see that now. But, I'm not the first guard to take the occasional bribe. I just took it from the wrong person."

"If this was Saltmarsh, your actions could have you swinging from the gallows, Lord Nathaniel. Be grateful that these heroes took pity on you and that your mother has enough wealth to pay back the The Five for your crimes." Lord Aerkin looks to Akos and then Sir Breva next to him. "That is likely what the Acerons will have to face as a family. Much of their coffers will be forfeit to The Five, and he will lose his place among the Bluffside Regulars."

"You should have him exiled to a remote island and force him to survive on his own," Lord Heather's father finally speaks up.

"Father!" Lady Heather snaps. "You should not say such a thing. He is just a young man who went astray. I'm sure Lady Talitha will admonish him appropriately."

Akos folds his hands in front of him and opens negotiations, giving the nobles hopefully exactly what they want to hear.
"Now that I garnered both good and ill will with my advice; when I've told you parts of what we discovered and told you where we stand...what do you need from us? And what do we gain from that?"

"What I need is assurances that my son won't hang!" Lady Talitha says abruptly and loudly. She sighs. "You have brought him to me, and I thank you for that kindness, and I know he will face some sort of discipline from my husband. I will have to discuss it with him and hope he sees reason."

"Mother..." Nathaniel finally seems worried.

"I will discuss it with your father!" she snaps. "Now tell them what you told me about the corruption in the ranks."

Nathaniel sighs and sits back in his chair. He looks towards the Exemplars and goes into a long litany of the corruptions among the guards of Bluffside. He accuses the Regulars of being completely corrupt and almost all of them being in Phelix's pocket or taking bribes from his agents or from others outside of Bluffside. The way he makes it sound is that you cannot trust any of the Regulars.

"There are many of them that have sworn their allegiance to the Rising Swords," he says. "Others follow the orders of ostracized commanders who gained too much power in Bluffside."

"Erwan Patenaude?" Custodio asks.

"I don't know that name, but anything is possible."

The young guards details the corruption among the Elites next. He is less specific about them but he notes that it isn't the rank and file who are corrupt but the those above them. "This is all specific to Old City, of course. I've never been stationed in New City or the Temple District."

"What about the Sectarians?" Vinny asks.

"I admit that I don't know anything about them, but power corrupts and your order has a lot of power in the Wizard District."

Falen considers asking again about The Dusk, but he is unsure of the motives of the nobles at the table, so he stays silent. There is something familiar about the half-elven woman but it is only a feeling.

"Surely you're not accusing all of the Elite captains and commanders of being corrupt," Custodio replies. "I can't believe that for one moment."

"Old Oakfirst, no," Nathaniel replies. "He so honest, it's painful to watch. But there are others like Angelina Merkatz, Christean Launceleyn, and Gregor Leventhorpe. And you already known about Lowenan Wearne."

OOC: Christean Launceleyn is the Elite Captain of Riftwatch who ordered for the Iron Gate to be opened without permission. None of the PCs have met the Elite Captains known as Angelina Merkatz or Gregor Leventhorpe, but Knowledge (local) could be useful. I'm taking a break. I'll write up the details for Big Tim's Nat20 Knowledge skill check result later today. Much later.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Tim surprises everyone when he begins to speak; he has been silent for the large majority of the conversation: "In my homeland, I am both a noble, and a knight, but I am no lord by any means, and have little wealth of my own. In my family, I am the 'black sheep,' the bastard son borne of the union between my mother, and an Ogre war chief. My 'father' claims to love me, but in the end, he is merely being polite, for he knows that he owes me a debt of gratitude for helping my mother to escape, and for returning her to her proper home, safely. Despite being my mother's oldest offspring, I hold the lowest rank, seeing as how both of my twin half-brothers have a legitimate and proper father. Both of them shall inherit a portion of my father's estates and wealth, and both of them are already Baronets by title, at the tender age of 7 years old. Perhaps they've turned 8 by now? No matter. I will inherit nothing, and my title, as knight and as lieutenant junior grade, were purchased for me by my father, to save face, and to ensure that the family line does not become tainted by the existence of a commoner within its ranks. Despite my bravery and success on the battlefield, and open devotion to king and kingdom, there are many whom have mocked me behind my back, calling me things like 'the charming savage,' or 'the lovely mongrel,' or 'the half-breed pretender.' I have had to fight, tooth and nail, for every ounce of respect that I have ever received, and although my commanders showered me with flags, pennants, and praise, I have always had to deal with soldiers in my unit who looked at me with silent disgust, through the corner of their eyes.

My point is, Lord Nathaniel, that you have been freely given a status that I can never even aspire to, and what have you done with it? Squandered it like a fool. Your actions are those of a foolish, untrained boy. Your mother coddles you too much, I think. The only way you can ever atone for your misdeeds is to grow up, and become a man. Take responsibility for your own actions, instead of hiding behind your mother's coin purse. But that will never happen until YOU are brave enough to cut the apron strings, and stand on your own two feet. Your future actions as a penitent man are the only means by which you can truly atone. You must stand up, and bring honor to your family, instead of having your family buy honor for you. Bought honor is a glass shield. Earned honor is a bulwark."

 

[JustinCase]

Tuck tries to absorb all the information Nathaniel is spilling about corrupt individuals, but he can't focus. His mind keeps going back to that half-elf woman, the one who seemed to recognize him and whose gaze he can still feel burning on his scales.

He feels as if he should know her. Or perhaps recognize her cat-like demeanor as befitting, say, a burglar or a fellow urban ranger. But his mind is coming up empty.

Gods, he thinks to himself, is it magic she is playing on him, distracting his mind from what's important on this quest? Could she be a sorceress or priestess, creating mist in his mind to keep from discovering her identity? It doesn't feel like magic, but then, it wouldn't, would it?

Is it perhaps an attraction to her that makes him lose focus? The kobold tries to search his emotions, but even that seems difficult.

Fortunately he is torn away from his musings by Big Tim, revealing a lot about his family and origins. Tuck realizes he never truly asked about the man's history, and despite growing up without any of the priviliges of nobility, even bastard nobility, the kobold feels a new understanding to the knight's convictions.

When Tim is finished, Tuck looks at Nathaniel, curious about the young man's response.

OOC: Knowledge (local) to see if Tuck knows of the Elite Captains mentioned: 1D20+9 = [3]+9 = 12 I assume that's a fail.

 

[Neurotic]

Akos listens to everything and tries to gain additional knowledge from references mentioned here. Just as Tuck, he tries to recall anything about the captains maybe mentioned by Lowenan or others involved with them. But also, he draws from the well of history, reading about nobles, cities and other political things may shed some light into the interpersonal power levels here.

neurotic: D20 + 11#akoslocalknowledge → 16(5 + 11)#Akos local knowledge
neurotic: D20 + 13#akoshistory → 27(14 + 13)#Akos history
neurotic: D20 + 9#akossensemotive → 13(4 + 9)#Akos Sense motive
OOC: my work policy was just updated and coyotecode is blocked now, I'm using rolz for the moment. If you have anything better, let me know

 

[Knightfall]

Tuck tries to absorb all the information Nathaniel is spilling about corrupt individuals, but he can't focus. His mind keeps going back to that half-elf woman, the one who seemed to recognize him and whose gaze he can still feel burning on his scales.

He feels as if he should know her. Or perhaps recognize her cat-like demeanor as befitting, say, a burglar or a fellow urban ranger. But his mind is coming up empty.

Gods, he thinks to himself, is it magic she is playing on him, distracting his mind from what's important on this quest? Could she be a sorceress or priestess, creating mist in his mind to keep from discovering her identity? It doesn't feel like magic, but then, it wouldn't, would it?

Is it perhaps an attraction to her that makes him lose focus? The kobold tries to search his emotions, but even that seems difficult.

OOC: Knowledge (local) to see if Tuck knows of the Elite Captains mentioned: 1D20+9 = [3]+9 = 12 I assume that's a fail.

Even with the half-elven woman's distracting gaze, Tuck easily remembers Captain Gregor Leventhorpe. The orcish man is considered the backbone of the Elites who patrol the Undercity, especially in the Cavern Harbor and the Warehouse District. While his bloodline is considered to be tainted by abyssal ancestry, he is considered to be extremely honest by the citizens of the Undercity.

Tuck has never had dealings with the orc man personally, so he can't be sure if Captain Leventhorpe is as goodhearted as the people believe. For Nathaniel to lump Gregor in with other corrupt Elites seems to go against everything the urban ranger kobold has heard about the man.

Tuck has never heard of Angelina Merkatz, and he only knows of Christean Launceleyn through her actions in opening the Iron Gate. If they are are all as corrupt as Lowenan Wearne, they all could be in Phelix's pocket.

OOC: Captain Leventhorpe is a tanarukk.

Tim surprises everyone when he begins to speak; he has been silent for the large majority of the conversation: "In my homeland, I am both a noble, and a knight, but I am no lord by any means, and have little wealth of my own. In my family, I am the 'black sheep,' the bastard son borne of the union between my mother, and an Ogre war chief. My 'father' claims to love me, but in the end, he is merely being polite, for he knows that he owes me a debt of gratitude for helping my mother to escape, and for returning her to her proper home, safely. Despite being my mother's oldest offspring, I hold the lowest rank, seeing as how both of my twin half-brothers have a legitimate and proper father. Both of them shall inherit a portion of my father's estates and wealth, and both of them are already Baronets by title, at the tender age of 7 years old. Perhaps they've turned 8 by now? No matter. I will inherit nothing, and my title, as knight and as lieutenant junior grade, were purchased for me by my father, to save face, and to ensure that the family line does not become tainted by the existence of a commoner within its ranks. Despite my bravery and success on the battlefield, and open devotion to king and kingdom, there are many whom have mocked me behind my back, calling me things like 'the charming savage,' or 'the lovely mongrel,' or 'the half-breed pretender.' I have had to fight, tooth and nail, for every ounce of respect that I have ever received, and although my commanders showered me with flags, pennants, and praise, I have always had to deal with soldiers in my unit who looked at me with silent disgust, through the corner of their eyes.

Fortunately Tuck is torn away from his musings by Big Tim, revealing a lot about his family and origins. Tuck realizes he never truly asked about the man's history, and despite growing up without any of the privilege of nobility, even bastard nobility, the kobold feels a new understanding to the knight's convictions.

Tim senses that most of the nobles are paying attention as he speaks, although his isn't sure how some of them are reacting to his words. Lady Heather, in particular, seems enthralled by his speech and the look on her face shifts from playful to heartfelt. Her father's gaze is unmoving like the tall mountains surrounding Tim's homeland of Vrocia and just as cold.

Sir Breva listens to Tim's story with great interest. Fighting alongside the knight has been rewarding for him and his own convictions. He looks towards the nobles to see how they react. Lady Talitha listens to Tim intently, as does the lord named Cristoval Dey de Caulon. He seems to be a thoughtful man. Lady Heather watches Tim, but Breva senses she's more interested in his physique than his words. Her father, however, is listening to Tim's words very carefully.

The young paladin enhances his senses with his ability to detect evil in the room. He is quickly taken aback by the evil aura emanating from one of Lady Talitha's guests. The evil nature of Lady Heather's father radiates beyond that of Lord Nathaniel, and it nearly keeps the young paladin from sensing the other evil auras in the room. Lesser auras hang over both Lady Heather and Lord Nathaniel's younger brother. Sir Breva doesn't detect any other evil auras in the room. The young paladin keeps an eye on the old warior and grips the knife next to his plate tightly.

Lady Heather's father keeps his focus on Tim. He seems unaware of his daughter's desires for the large knight.

OOC: @Tellerian Hawke and I decided that this speech is going to be a Diplomacy check. This was his roll: Diplomacy: 1D20+1 = [9]+1 = 10 He gains a +2 bonus for Reputation and another +2 bonus for having some renown. Originally, I hadn't planned on giving him the +5 bonus for dealing with NPCs that are part of his profession and/or social circle, but after thinking about it, I think it would apply to the 'warrior nobles' at the table. so, that will be a total of 19 for those nobles and 14 for the other NPCs. @Scotley, The evil aura of Lady Heather's father is considered moderate. Lady Heather's is considered faint, as is Lord Jadon's (the same as with his brother).

My point is, Lord Nathaniel, that you have been freely given a status that I can never even aspire to, and what have you done with it? Squandered it like a fool. Your actions are those of a foolish, untrained boy. Your mother coddles you too much, I think. The only way you can ever atone for your misdeeds is to grow up, and become a man. Take responsibility for your own actions, instead of hiding behind your mother's coin purse. But that will never happen until YOU are brave enough to cut the apron strings, and stand on your own two feet. Your future actions as a penitent man are the only means by which you can truly atone. You must stand up, and bring honor to your family, instead of having your family buy honor for you. Bought honor is a glass shield. Earned honor is a bulwark."

Lady Talitha frowns as Tim begins to berate her son for his failings, but Lord Cristoval nods in assent with the half-ogre knight's words. The man keeps his eyes on Lady Talitha. His gaze seems to keep her from overreacting

"Well said, Sir Tim," Lord Toren raises his cup in salute to Tim. He seems highly impressed by the knight's speech. "You are a credit to your kin, even if they don't appreciate you."

When Tim is finished, Tuck looks at Nathaniel, curious about the young man's response.

Lord Nathaniel sits back in his chair. He seems surprised by Tim's words. It is doubtful that anyone has ever spoken to him in such a manner in front of his family. Yes, his superiors have probably given him a dressing-down on more than one occasion, but for Tim and Akos to admonish him so in front of his mother... that must be a new experience for him. But, instead of pouting, Nathaniel seems lost in thought, unsure of how to respond.

Could the knight's speech, and Akos' previous rebukes, finally got into the man's head.

Nathaniel sits in silence, looking down at his plate. Lord Jadon is almost giddy after listening to Tim tear into his older brother. Lady Talitha stares at her son, worried. She reaches out for his hand again, but he pulls back from her touch. She is shocked and turns and glares at Tim.

"Do not be anger at Sir Tim, milady," Lord Cristoval says. "The knight speaks the truth. Your son must redeem himself. He must not hide here away from Bluffside. He must go back and face the punishment of his superiors, no matter what that might be."

"I agree," Lady Heather says. She doesn't take her eyes off of Tim as she speaks. "Sir Tymbeck speaks as one who knows hardship and understands duty and honor. The boy must face punishment for his misdeeds. If he is isn't willing to face monks or fight alongside the mountain rangers, he must go back to Bluffside and face justice and help root out corruption."

"I still say he should be left on a barren island to rot," her father adds. His gaze shifts from Tim to Lady Talitha. "But it seems I am outvoted."

"I- I will go back," Nathaniel says hesitantly. "I will take whatever punishment the Tribunal sets out for me."

"No!" Lady Talithia exclaims. "I will not lose you!"

"Milady, do not overreact," Lord Cristoval insists. "I know Bluffside's laws. It is unlikely that your son will be imprisoned in the dungeon or sent to the citadel on Sordadon. He will probably only face ostracization from the city and your family will have to pay significant fines. But, if he wants to keep his place among the Regulars, he will have to do more than be a guard in Old City. Reassignment to work the Undercity or maybe out on Sordadon for a short time."

"That would toughen him up," the half-elven woman finally speaks up.

"Yes, see if you can get him six months working out on that flotilla port," Lord Toren. "It would be nearly as tough as fighting alongside the rangers but less dangerous overall."

"I worked out there for several months," Custodio adds. "It will keep him on his toes, and he'll either learn to respect the rule of law or wash out of the Regulars."

"It will be up to the Tribunal," Vinny notes. "If he is truly willing to go back and face judgement."

Custodio looks at Lady Talitha. "Even if he changes his mind, your family will have to pay significant fines for his actions. The Five might consider his dealings with the renegade to be treason. While it is very unlikely they will execute him, Lord Cristoval is right. He will probably be ostracized from Bluffside and will have to not only leave the city, but also the valley. He won't be able to stay here."

The Elite motions to Akos. "And as the Loremaster said, we sent a report to Lord Commander Oakfirst about your son's actions and that we were escorting him here... to keep him safe. The renegade might come for him. That man has many followers and deadly magical powers. It is better that Lord Nathaniel stay here, for now, until he called to the Tribunal. And, he will be. Bluffside's laws are clear and he must face justice, but first, he must live to face that justice."

Lord Nathaniel seems resigned to his fate while his mother looks as if she is going to start crying at any moment.

Akos listens to everything and tries to gain additional knowledge from references mentioned here. Just as Tuck, he tries to recall anything about the captains maybe mentioned by Lowenan or others involved with them. But also, he draws from the well of history, reading about nobles, cities and other political things may shed some light into the interpersonal power levels here.

Akos is a bit surprised by Nathaniel's willingness to go back to Bluffside and face punishment. The young man doesn't seem to be lying about that or what he knows about the corruption in the ranks of the Regulars and Elites of Bluffside's guards. Akos has heard of both Captain Gregor Leventhorpe and Commander Angelina Merkatz.

"Captain Gregor" is well known in both Old City and the Undercity and respected by many among the poorest people. Despite his demonic heritage, he has a reputation for being honest and law-abiding. Of course, Akos hasn't met the man personally, but everything he's heard about Captain Leventhorpe has been good. The man is not usually judged by his bloodline. Still, he has few friends among the dwarves of the Undercity, and he is not of noble birth. Akos knows nothing about the history of the captain's parents or if he has other family in Bluffside.

The Loremaster knows less about Commander Merkatz. He knows she has some connections to Old City but prefers to work on on Sordadon. She is a half-sea elf, after all. While the lineage of her human family is considered noble, her family doesn't have the ears of The Five like the entrenched noble families of Old City. Still, the Merkatz Family has a long history in the city. Her human father used to serve in Bluffside's Navy before being forced (due to an injury) to retire to teach at the Naval Academy in Sordadon's Sea District.

Captain Christean Launceleyn is known as the Second Captain of Riftwatch. This makes her the second-in-command of the Elites stationed at Riftwatch. (The First Captain is a secretive man only known as The Esteemed; he is believed to be either a dwarf or of another race from the Underearth.) Captain Launceleyn had been seen as a rising star among the Elites of Old City (but her actions at the Iron Gate may change that) and her mercantile family is well thought of in Bluffside. The Launceleyn Family has been in Bluffside for over two-hundred years and often gets involved with the politics of Old City and the Mining District.

Akos is fairly certain that none of the Exemplars told Nathaniel about Lowenan Wearne being in league with Phelix or that they have him in custody. So, how does he know about that? Does he know more than what he has said? Did someone else in the room already know and tell him?

OOC: my work policy was just updated and coyotecode is blocked now, I'm using rolz for the moment. If you have anything better, let me know
neurotic: D20 + 11#akoslocalknowledge → 16(5 + 11)#Akos local knowledge
neurotic: D20 + 13#akoshistory → 27(14 + 13)#Akos history
neurotic: D20 + 9#akossensemotive → 13(4 + 9)#Akos Sense motive

OOC: Whatever you can use is fine with me.

 

[JustinCase]

Tuck feels so ill at ease with all this talk of punishment and who-knows-who, he quickly focuses his attention on his plate. Nibbling on a few things, unsure of what they are, the kobold eventually settles on drinking his wine.

Trying but failing to ignore the half-elven woman, he wills himself to focus on the bouquet of the fine wine; finer than he has ever had, perhaps.

He should be careful not to drink too much, Tuck realizes as he motions a servant for a refill.

 

[Knightfall]

Restart Begins Here!

---

The evening at Aceron Manor becomes more subdued as the evening progresses. With Nathaniel surprising choice to go back to Bluffside and face justice for his crimes, the mood becomes somber. His mother, Lady Talithia, remains upset for several hours but she doesn't overreact to his decision to face the Tribunal. Still, Custodio insists that he remain outside the city, for now, to hopefully stay out of Phelix's reach.

The other guests turn to sharing stories about their homelands and highborn gossip. The food is good and company is tolerable. Eventually the lady of the house excuses herself and heads to bed. Lord Jadon slinks out of the room soon after her to return to his studies.

Lord Vespasien and his daughter depart the room, loudly and with pomp, once their host has been gone for exactly one hour. The suzerain of Orra, Kayden Greatmane, explains to you is a tradition of the Lord Marshal's homeland, Coeurdî. "He is all about tradition. It's annoying."

Suzerain Kayden and Lord Cristoval sit up with you for several more hours before taking their leave. The suzerain must leave that night and travel back to the Orra on business. Lord Cristoval retires to a room in the manor. The Lord, and his lady, of Saltmarsh* continues to chat with the group for several hours more before Mistress Sasha forces him to stop drinking and retire for the night.

Lord Nathaniel spend most of the evening writing down all he can remember about his dealings with those, he believes, are in league with Phelix. By the time he is finished, there are over 20 pages written on parchment detailing who are taking bribes, other corruption he has seen, and random scribbling that seem more like speculation. He hands the pages to Loremaster Akos. "That's everything I know. Make of it what you will."

He heads off to sleep shortly before you all retire for the evening. It is much too late to be heading back to Bluffside. The dead of the night is not a good time to try to ride on a wilderness road. It is best to head back in the light of day.

Back to Bluffside
The morning air is crisp and clear and Miles Drake and Sobla have the carriage ready to go by dawn. The butler of the manor, Evered Cobbe, sees you off. You can sense he is glad that you are leaving. The ride back is at a much more casual pace. No need to rush and tire the horses, or Tim, who still can't fit in the carriage. You all discuss the information that Nathaniel has provided. While most of it is information you already knew or found out the previous night, there are some details that are new to you.

Nathaniel believes that one of The Five is in league with the local thieves guild, but he isn't sure which one. He isn't sure if that person is also in league with Phelix. He believes that most of the commanders of the Regulars are corrupt or, at least, shady. He doesn't note the same amount of corruption among the Elites.

'They are usually more loyal to The Five', he writes. 'At least, when it comes to coin and prestige'.

Custodio disputes several of the young lord's musings as "Hogwash."

Once Bluffside's walled districts come into view, the morning has grown cold and you can see a sea storm on the horizon heading for the cliffs of Bluffside.

"I must go report to Sir Sivon and tell him what we've learned," Sir Breva says. "I will meet you back in Old City."

Miles stops the carriage outside the gates of the Temple District, and Custodio hands the young paladin his own report for the leader of the Church of the Purifier. The rest of the trip back to the South Gate of Old City is uneventful, but you do note an increased presence of patrols on the roads in between Bluffside's six districts and the across the Rift into the Ruins of Sem La Vah.

Getting through the gate takes some time, but you don't face a barrage of questions. Most of the Regulars and Elites have heard of the Exemplars, and it seems that your fame continues to spread. Even though most of you ride in the carriage, Big Tim and Tuck garner a lot of eyes watching as you pass through the Green Gateway back into Stormgrove Manor's ward.

Miles parks the carriage outside the manor and you disembark to find young Florrie Whiteshadow waiting for you. "It's about time you got back! Both Gerey and Sylemis disappeared while exploring that damned Jade Thicket! I sent in several..." she glances at Miles with some suspicion. "Volunteers, and they couldn't find any trace of them. There are remains of an old well, but it is a crumbling mess and covered in old boards."

"I guess a fresh set of clothes and a hot meal will have to wait," Custodio says. "We need to find them. Hopefully Waldo doesn't have them."

 

[JustinCase]

Tuck is relieved to be back in the city. His city.

Somehow the world beyond the city walls seems alien and inhospitable, despite the very real dangers he knows lurk in Bluffside; the city is what he knows, the good and the bad. It's as if he feels everything; the people in their houses, the stones in the streets, the animals and plants flourishing between the cracks, the cellars and tunnels beneath it all...

He sighs, promising himself not to leave Bluffside again except in the most dire of situations.

So when Florrie encounters them and begins talking about trouble, despite his worries about Sylemis and the others, the kobold urban ranger is happy to be on a mission again.

"Seems like your suspicions about that well are correct," he says to Akos, his reptilian face smiling although few would recognize it.

"Can you take us to that place?"

 

[Neurotic]

Loremaster enjoyed the interaction with the nobles, but he enjoys the city more than rustic charm of noble manors.
Hearing about the loss of Master Sylemis, his initial reaction was to go there, but his mind quickly turns over several other options.

"He knew it was possibly dangerous. And we cannot assume he is in danger, that thicket and the well is connected to the Fey realm. He may be perfectly safe and carousing on the other side. If that was a priority for the group, we would have gone ourselves. Can we risk going even for one such as Sylemis if that means leaving other...difficulties...unaddressed?"