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

[Dr Simon]

Back at the Citadel, Marshal Kroft appears wearing robes over her nightgown.

"Why?" she asks Verik, who remains stone-faced, staring ahead. Kroft pinches the bridge of her nose. "Very well. Find them somewhere in the cells. We'll sort this out later."

As the guards lead the deserters away, Kroft gestures for you all to sit down, and then sets herself down in an easy chair. A servant brings a stemaing pot of Vurdan coffee and offers it around.

"Thank you for bringing them all back alive," says Kroft. "What have you got to report? Can you add anything to Verik's silence?"

[SBLOCK=OOC]
You each get an extra 200 xp for bringing Verik in alive, plus payment of 1000gp between you.
[/SBLOCK]

 

[Ambrus]

The night's activities seem to have finally taken their toll on the halfling tyke. The tiny crown agent's eyelids droop as he lolls about Marshal Kroft's office at an hour far past his usual bedtime. The guttersnipe had shown some initial excitement when payment was offered to the trio but, having put the coins into his liripoop for safekeeping, he seems more interest in nodding off than reporting to their superior. Clambering up into Edmond's backpack to curl up, Dj'hân only offers a cryptic response to Marshal Kroft's question: "They have animals..." *Yawn* "We have to go back and take care of them..."

 

[Oni]

It would have been regretful to do otherwise. I do not believe them to be bad men.

Lynn paused carefully sipping her coffee as she collected her thoughts on the evening.

We observed the butcher shop during the day, they were indeed distributing meat to the poor. Strange that, it hardly seems the actions of criminals and ne'er-do-wells. But I digress, we were able to sneak into the shop and take them by surprise after dark. They surrendered readily enough, except for Parn I think it was and Verik of course. I feel I should mention that the others helped subdue Parn and I hope that you will take that into consideration.

Verik put up quite a bit more resistance. He seemed quite fervent in his belief that he could more good there, than here. You are dealing with a man who firmly believes he is doing the right thing. To be honest his actions to seem to be basically well intentioned, and the work he is doing is good work.

This however is where things become interesting. One would need considerable connections to obtain the kind of supplies of meat they've been going through in these times. It seems that Verik was induced, I might even go so far as to say manipulated, into pursuing the course of action he did by a woman we know only as "M" at this point. He would not tell me more than that, he is quite taken with her it would seem.

Lynn paused again at this point, weighing something in her mind before speaking again.

As I said before I think the work Verik was doing was good work. Consider what the ramifications may be if you take that away from the people, it will most likely spark more unrest. What if Verik's silent partner wanted deserters specifically so that the operation would be shut down? Perhaps that is reaching, however this "M" seems to have some motivation we have not yet detected. I would encourage you to think about letting Verik continue his work in some fashion, perhaps with the Queen's stamp of approval. Turn Verik's social mindedness and the goodwill he has already generated to your advantage, to help maintain the peace of the city.

 

[Dr Simon]

Kroft takes a sip of coffee. She looks over at Dj'hân.

"I'll have my people set up a bunk for your boy," she says. "And they can set up space for you two tonight as well. Now, on what you said.

"I'm not surprised about Parns, his discipline record takes up a whole book to itself. But you might be right about continuing the work. Perhaps we could offer Verik the chance of a discharge, and I'm sure there are plenty of citizens who would welcome the work rather than staffing the place with deserters. And perhaps it will help smoke out this mysterious M."

Kroft takes another sip.

"You're a magician. Do you think Verik's under some kind of... magical compulsion?"

 

[Ambrus]

Out of sight, Dj'hân rummages around inside Edmond's leather backpack for a few moments before finally settling into his usual spot. Soon enough the soft sound of the halfling boy's steady breathing can be heard issuing from inside the pack; apparently Dj'hân has fallen fast asleep. "Zzzz..."

 

[Oni]

Lynn carefully considered the question, sipping at her coffee as she turned it over in her mind.

He is lovestruck, I think. Whether by natural or unnatural means I am afraid I do not know. I am not familiar enough with his personality to say whether or not his actions are unusual. I only spoke to him, and did not probe deeper through other means. If he has come under enchantment though, it may yet be detectable.

 

[Dr Simon]

Moving on...

A quick scan in the jail cells shows that neither Verik, nor any of his companions, are under magical effects. Cressida closes the investigation for the night, ready to continue later.

The next morning Edmond, Lynn and Dj'hân return to All The Worlds Meat. Kroft decides against sending guard reinforcements with you on the basis that the any guard involvement in the place is now tainted and best avoided.

You find two cows remaining in the stockyard out back. The two large boars in the inner pens are mean and ornery, banging on the gate to their pen as you approach. Nobody arrives with anymore stock, but as morning business hours begin, the usual crowd gathers for their hand-outs of free meat. Lynn and Edmond have little choice but to open the butchery, or face a near riot from the hungry citizens. Luckily, today there is a plentiful supply of beef cuts helpfully produced by Parns last night, but these quickly run out.

Meanwhile, a careful search of the building by Dj'hân reveals some buried sacks in the pen next door to the boars. Inside is a stash of gold sails and silver shields, jewelry and gemstones. He also performs a more throrough search of the butchery floor, which he was unable to do the previous night. In the back corner there is a rusting iron grate, stained with blood and hanging with dried up strings of meat. This drops down a 10 ft. shaft to a pool below and Dj'hân thinks he can see something moving down there, something black and shiny.

As the last few disgruntled customers leave, annoyed at having been left out, one man has been hanging at the back of the crowd. Well-dressed but with nothing to distinguish him from any high-ranking servant of some noble, the dark-haired man saunters over to the counter.

"Well," he says casually. "Looks like a change of management. You'll need help if you want to keep this place running."

[SBLOCK=OOC]
The stash discovered by Dj'hân consists of 450 gp, 740 sp and another 800 gp worth of assorted jewelry and gemstones.
[/SBLOCK]

 

[Ambrus]

OOC: We've also a fair amount sausage available for distribution.

While his companions work in the front to distribute the meat, Dj'hân will busy himself by feeding the livestock in the stockyard and pens, careful to not get too close to the mammoth and unpredictable animals.

Upon noticing movement in the pit at the rear of the butchery floor, the curious urchin tosses down a leftover bit of gristle or hoof to watch what'll happen. When he catches sight of the creature's pincers and slick black hide, the urchin heads over to his companions in the shop to inform them of the discovery. "I think there's a big ol' reefclaw caught in the bottom of a midden pit back there." He says the latter while jerking a thumb over his shoulder to indicate the butchering room.

Later, upon discovering the sizable stash of loot, Dj'hân stuffs as many coins and jewels as he can into his liripoop and, carrying the cap in both arms, dashes into the shop area as fast as his tiny legs will carry him. Once there, the grinning urchin tugs vigorously on the hem of Lynn's skirt to get her attention. Although so small as to be out of sight to anyone standing on the other side of the counter, both Edmond and Lynn can clearly see that the halfling boy is almost full to bursting with giddiness as he jumps up and down excitedly. The gleaming and glittering treasure in Dj'hân's cap sparkles nearly as much as the guttersnipe's big blue eyes. "LookwhatIfound! Andthere'sevenmoreinback. Comesee!!!"

[sblock=Doc]OOC: At some point during the day when Zalara is ready (i.e. the Harrow deck has its daily charges replenished) Dj'hân will sit down in the office upstairs and will perform a simple harrowing to identify the properties of the silver dagger, arrows and potion.[/sblock]

 

[Dr Simon]

[SBLOCK=Ambrus]
When Dj'hân throws some left-overs down the grating, something grabs it is a pair of fierce-looking pincers. He reckons it mght be a reefclaw....

The Harrowing for the items brings up the following cards:

For the potion, the Cyclone, reversed. Renewal after a blustery trial.
For the arrows, the Cricket. Speed and quick passage.
For the dagger, the Rakshasa. This is normally to do with dominance and enslavement, but Dj'hân gets the impression that this isn't the right card for the dagger.

Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds, Arrows +1, dagger unidentified.
[/SBLOCK]

 

[Neurotic]

Edmond goes through handing out of meat mechanicaly, leaving Lynn to the front counter once the meat run out. He will chop any other left overs with more strenth then skill, but won't kill the animals. Deathwail is always near and as the man approaches he focuses on the discussion while looking like he's chopping the meat.

OOC: sorry, Oni, you're on again.

As diminutive halfling shows his find Edmond opens his backpack motioning for Dj'ahn to empty the content of his cap inside. Washing his hands he follows him in the back and then helps him haul out new loot.

Once out of hearing range:
"Good work, little one. Now we can keep urchins fed and clotched another month. Dj'ahn, do you think you could follow that man in fancy clotches without being seen through the city? Or should I call Kester to do it?"