Dr. Si's Curse of the Crimson Throne - Escape From Old Korvosa

Mhairi bowed after listening to the "Emperor" make his pronouncement, not having thought to wear a skirt that would make a curtsey appropriate. "Great Heroes might be overstating it, but we played a leading hand. I was lucky enough to drop in at the end after all the hard work was done and get just as much credit as these hard working guys." Mhairi indicated the other three and smiled broadly - she genuinely did think her part in the whole affair had been overplayed.

She held the package held under her arm forward. "Please, accept our gift as an olive branch," she says, passing it to a court flunky to bring to the "Emperor". Mhairi glanced quickly at the others, trying to judge the situation while trying hard not to stare at the spider-thing. They hadn't exactly discussed what to do or who would say what beforehand... C'mon girl, you're slipping! What sort of half-arsed job are you trying to pull off here?! Go hard, or go home.

"I think I speak for the others here. We humbly request the services of your resident artist, Salvatore. We would like to commisison him, so as to create some artwork for display around the Old Town. Things are looking a bit grim on the streets, and people could use something to cheer them up."

Pilts gestures to the spider thing which steps forwards and takes the box from Mhairi, stepping back behind the throne.

As for Pilts himself, he lets out a wheezing laugh that turns into a cough.

"Thank you for your tribute," he says when he has recovered. "Evidently you know little about dear Salvatore's work if you think it will calm the populace. Scare them stupid more like. But maybe that's a good idea." He totters forwards. "My artist is a very dear guest, but you need to earn the right to talk to hm with more than pretty words and baubles." He claps his hands together. "A game of Blood Pig!" he announces, and the courtiers and thugs give a rousing cheer. Pilts leans over the railing. "If you can beat the Shinglesnipes in a game of blood pig, you get to talk to my artist." he says with a leer.

Mhairi giggled, the sound coming out slightly nervously. "Ummm, OK. I'll plead ignorance of the game and the Shinglesnipes. Any help?"

Pilts laughs his wheezy laugh.

"That's no problem," he says. "I'm sure you'll pick it up soon enough. Prepare for Blood Pig!" he announces to the crowd, and there is general cheering. The Emperor makes a sweeping gesture towards the middle of the audience area. "If you'd care to take your places?"

Courtiers and thugs move to the rooftops overlooking the square, which becomes an arena. Ropes are pulled, raising a small cage at each end and opening pits in each corner. One of the courtiers pokes at the pits, provoking snarls from something within each one. Eight of the Emperor's henchmen gather near the centre of the arena on one side, and a nervous courtier gestures to the group that they should arrange themselves opposite.

"The aim of the game," says Pilts, "is to get the pig into your pit, over there," he points to the pit on the far side of his team. "No spellcasting, no weapons. Anything else is fair game. First to five pigs wins."

OOC: map to follow. Apoligies for the slowness, October is a busy month,

Edmond looks around estimating his enemies then judges the pigs and distance to the pit.

"Mhairi, ask if no magic, or no spellcasting. Or we get to choose which without you asking? We have magic items and I can use some magic without casting." he whispers in celestial.

OOC: don't forget the coordinates, Dr Simon. [MENTION=93196]Axel[/MENTION], I hope Mhairi understands celestial

Mhairi slaps Edmond on the butt and whispers "As travel we, develop. Permissible cheating if entertainment provide us say I," in Celestial, not quite having the language and sentence structure down pat, before giving him a kiss on the cheek. Hopefully that will fool them enough. And why, for all the reasons under the sun, did I wear good and new clothes here? Shoud've known better.

Looking across at their opponents, Mhairi considers her options. I reckon I'm more useful as distraction and diversion than swineherding. I wouldn't even know where to start with a pig...

ooc: Translation! Lets make it up as we go along - cheating is probably fine if it puts on a good show.

The ifrit eyes the pit with a mix of distaste and stoic determination. "I shall impress upon these good swine that they would be best to cooperate with us." No one is quite sure what he means however, as up until this point Ignatius has not demonstrated any sort of predilection for animal taming.

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Manachan Character Sheet

[MENTION=24380]Neurotic[/MENTION], [MENTION=1231]Kaodi[/MENTION], [MENTION=29558]Mowgli[/MENTION], [MENTION=93196]Axel[/MENTION]

I'm getting back on top of things, ready to rumble with the Shinglesnipes...

[sblock=Hiatus Recap]
Although Blood Veil has ended with the destruction of the Urgathoan cult, the troubles of Korvosa have not, and Old Korvosa especially. Quarantined from the rest of the city by the Grey Maidens, Old Korvosa switfly fell into the anarchy of a full-blown war between underworld gangs. Emerging victorious on the ruins of the Cerulean Brotherhood, the Sczarni and Eel's End is the Emperor of Old Korvosa, formerly theatre owner Pilts Swastel.

The party have been contacted by Marshal Kroft and tasked with finding Vencarlo Orisini. Shortly before he disappeared the swordmaster implied to the Marshal that he knew something about the night the King died. Investigating Orisini's house suggested that someone was maintaining the illusion that it was occupied, but the house was watched by an urchin known as "Boil" who turned out to be working for Devargo Bavarsi, ex-Spider King and boss of Eel's End, now fallen on hard times. Devargo offered information - the last person to see Orisini was an artist known as Salvator Scream. Scream is now a "guest" of the Emperor, working as a scenery artist for the Emperor's elaborate grand guignol spectacles.

Using Mhairi's contacts, the group have gained an audience with the Emperor in his "palace" in the Shingles of Old Dock, accompanied by a vengeful Devargo. Here, they managed to impress the Emperor, to a point. He has offered a meeting with Scream if they win a game of Blood Pig against his team, the Shinglesnipes.
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Devargo's only reply to Edmond is a sly grin, not entirely comforting. He flexes his hands in readiness as the Shinglesnipes square off across the arena.

There is a clacking of machinery behind the party, and a pig emerges from a trap door into a cage behind them.

"Begin!" shouts the Emperor.

[sblock=OOC]
Initiative order:

Mhairi
Manachan
Edmond
Shinglesnipes #1, #5, #8
Ignatius
Rest of Shinglesnipes
Devargo

Grabbing a pig is a standard action that provokes an AoO. Automatic from the cage, touch attack vs AC 15 otherwise. Other rules will become apparent as we go. Your team has to get the pig in the pit in the top left corner (at A1).


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