Dr. Si's Curse of the Crimson Throne - Beta Group

[Dr Simon]

The sounds of rioting come and go, as waves of unrest shift through the city. Those not out on the streets are shuttered behind closed doors or peering out of upper storey windows enjoying the 'show'.

You arrive at a wider area at an intersection of streets. In the centre of the not-quite-yard is an ornate fountain, but the upper half of the statue of Saint Alika has been broken off, evidently by the falling trajectory of the crumpled hippogriff that lies in a bloody heap nearby. Its former rider, thrown by the impact, lies on the ground near the fountain. Some urchins look up from stealing his boots and scatter in panic. The man seems to be just about alive, but unconscious.

Noise and voices suddenly enter the fountain-yard. A well dressed man is chased down by burly men in simple leather tunics. None of this little drama seem to have noticed your group.

The gentleman is grabbed by his fine clothing and hauled to one side by the workers.

"Queen's man," sneers one of them. "Not much of a man. Filthy preening dandy, don't give a toss about folks what work. My brother had both his legs broken by a loose barrel. Want to find out what it feels like, Queen's fop?"

He hefts a pick handle meaningfully.

"Please, there's been some mistake, I've never done anything to you," babbles the 'dandy'.

 

[Oni]

Lynn glanced at the scene playing out on the street furtively from the corner of her eye. She wondered whether she should risk intervening, the aristocracy forever caught up in the rules were not entirely blameless in all this. She should know, she had been part of that world. She hesitated a moment before her conscience got the better of her. Standing up and shouting she pointed down an avenue that it would be difficult for the thugs to look down.

Hey! You better get out of here, the guard's coming this way bashing heads.

Edward floated overhead echoing her words.

Guards! Guards!

[sblock=ooc]
Bluffing, hope it works.

+13
[/sblock]

 

[Ambrus]

Dj'hân stops short when he sees the thugs harassing the nobleman. His initial instinct is to shy away from street violence, especially when it doesn't involve anyone he knows personally. The urchin glances around confusedly for a moment, looking for a good means to flee the intersection when he notices the damaged fountain and the massive heap of bloodied fur and feathers that is the hippogriff; the sight of which elicits a gasp of shock from the boy.

And then, from behind him, a breathtakingly beautiful half-elven maid steps up next to Dj'hân and calls out a warning to the two thugs. She proves to be the catalyst in the boy's jumbled memories. Her name is Lynn, and I was leading her here after having seen a hippogriff crash down into... The urchin glances quickly at the nearby street markings. ...Harborview Boulevvard... Looking back the way they'd come, the young halfling spots the injured half-orc and human warrior bringing up the rear. ...With Mr Giant and Ed... Edward? No Edmond. And we came here looking for... The guttersnipe ducks around the fountain and his eyes fall upon the injured griffon-rider lying on the cobblestones. ...in search of the hippogriff's rider.

The urchin leaves the altercation with the thugs and dandy to his companions as he rushes over to the prone rider. Holding his breath Dj'hân presses his tiny hands to the rider's thick neck as he checks for a pulse.

OOC: Attempting to discern the rider's condition and to stabilize him if necessary. Is it abundantly clear that the hippogriff is as lifeless as the broken statue?

 

[Neurotic]

Edmond Deathwish

Edmond rushes to the aid of the rider. His healing skills are limited, but he will offer what he can. For the moment he ignores the thugs, until he is sure the rider will be alright.

 

[Dr Simon]

The thugs look at Lynn, then glance down the alley where she points. With a shrug, they leave.

"Watch yourself, solly slop," says the leader as a parting insult to the dandy.

Their erstwhile victim looks about him, flustered. He fumbles with his belt and presses a purse of coins into Lynn's hand.

"Thank you," he says, breathlessly. "I... It's... Thanks you." With that, he dashes off in the opposite direction to the thugs.

Meanwhile, Dj'hân manages to stabilise the fallen Sable Company rider, somehow. It is quite clear that the broken mess of the hippogriff is beyond the help of all but a high level cleric.

[SBLOCK=OOC]
Lynn Bluff check 13+13 =26
Dj'hân Heal (untrained) check 15+0 =15

The purse contain 5 platinum crowns.

A "solly" is a Korvosan term of abuse, meaning one who would form a union or guild. "Solly slop" mean rubbish or excrement.
[/sblock]

 

[Ambrus]

Dj'hân holds his tiny hands on the soldier's neck for a few moments before offering his companions a wide grin. "He's alive! I can feel a weak pulse, but it's steady. And he still has his boots too! I think we got here just in time. So, what do we do with him? Take him back to the fishery?"

[Sblock=OOC]Is the hippogriff carcass outfitted with anything; tack, saddle, saddle bags or barding? I imagine a Sable Company military saddle to be a fairly elaborate affair worth a fair bit of money. It'd be a shame to leave it to be scavenged during the riot. I'm sure the soldier would probably like to have it once he recovers.[/sblock]

 

[Neurotic]

Edmond Deathwish

What I would like most is to take him to the temple. But you know the streets better then I do. Do you think you could take us there safely? Or maybe it's safest to weather this uprising in the fishery with Lamm and this rider warm and dry until such time we can get them out. What do rest of you think?

We should probably take his equipment too, if anything is left.

Edmond looks over riders mount looking for anything that might identify the beast and takes off any equipment still left on the beast. He looks deep in thought, glancing every so often toward The Temple.

[sblock=Question for DM]
Edmond feels he should hurry to the temple to be at prelate Julius' side. He was dismissed for the time being, but these are extraordinary circumstances. Can he (using his Knowledge(local) - with focus on sewers) get to the temple unobserved (or mostly so)?

He thinks it over trying to find a route by which all of them and with two unconcious men could get to the temple.
[/sblock]

 

[Valthosian]

Thorson sighs, I can carry him, but are the rest of you sure that this won't look like we're kidnapping him?

 

[Neurotic]

Edmond Deathwish

I was thinking of carrying him, but you are right. I'm in better shape for eventual fighting on the way. I'll help you carry him as long as there is no trouble apparent.

As for kidnapping, who's to say we're not helping? Or bringing him to healing?

 

[Dr Simon]

[SBLOCK=Edmond]

Knowledge (local) 19+6 =25

You know that the sewers (and 'Vaults') would not be a safe way to travel. As well as the otyughs used for waste disposal, there are rumours of were-rat gangs, giant centipedes and strange creatures known only as 'derro' who are rumoured to abduct people from time to time for wierd experiments.

One way would be via The Shingles, although you wouldn't get past Pillar Wall that way, but it would keep you above street level. Otherwise you reckon you might be able to get to the Temple mostly via back alleys, but you couldn't be certain to avoid encounters.
[/SBLOCK]

[SBLOCK=Sable Company Equipment]
The hippogriff still has tack and saddle (treat the whole lot as "military saddle, exotic"). The rider has a shortbow (broken in the fall), a quiver of arrows (about half of which are still usable), a longsword and studded leather armour (sable black, of course). There are the shattered remains of some potion bottles in a belt pouch. All of his equipment seems to be of excellent quality, but its origins could easily be identified.
[/SBLOCK]