Tuck thinks about the answers, and summarizes for his own clarity.
"So it's possible both have gone off to meet someone if Geoffrey's sister has been kidnapped, and we could ask his family. We can also talk to their commanders, or their colleagues who saw them last, although I doubt they'll tell us more than what they've said to you."
The kobold studies his dog to see if it has found a scent.
Mutt sniffs the tabard and then walks around the room before heading to the door of the tower. He turns an barks at Tuck. The big dog has Nathaniel's scent.Breva watches the dog curiously waiting to see if he has something.
JustinCase said:
OOC: I understand the answers, although I'm not sure how to follow them up in finding the missing guards. Does my successful check mean I have a sense of where to go?
And does Mutt have a scent to track?
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New City:
"Well, well, you are a fancy talker, aren't you," the sergeant replies with a oily grin. "Wine you say? Well, you'd need a license to carry around a bottle like that, I think. You need to hand it over, and I want to see in that pack of yours too. I think your up to no good and if you don't have a badge or a license, it is the Dungeon for you!"
"Sir... don't...," a younger guard stammers.
"Shut up!" He glares at the other guard.
"Now, if you want to pay the fine up front, you need not find yourself lost in the bowels of the Dungeon. It can get very scary down there at night." He looks at the sun, which is nearly set. "You don't want to be down there at night. Rats and worse prowl its depths. So, be a good trader and give up that wine and pay the fine and I'll let you go with a warning."
Falen: Sense Motive > 1d20+7=27 Nat 20! So the roll is considered a 37!
Falen can tell that this guard is up to no good. He's likely corrupt beyond all hope. He's likely fishing for a bribe or dislikes people in general. It might be best for Falen to slip him some coin (no less than 5 gold) and pray the bastard doesn't take his pack too. Bribing him a lot will likely put Falen's 'disguise' on the man's radar as being an easy mark. The other guards around him are just as bad, although one of them, the one who spoke out, looks uncomfortable.
The guard is scraggly and looks like he's just climbed out of bed. He would be a disgrace in any city of note. There is a look of avarice and ill intent in his eyes. He might be easily intimidated by bravado (you get a +2 circumstance bonus to the roll). Falen could call his bluff but being too diplomatic might make the man angrier. You should consider him Unfriendly and the others Indifferent. Note that Falen is sure these guards are true guards and not fakes.
And you can use any dice roller you are comfortable. Simply post a link to the roll.
The guard sergeant takes the gem greedily and inspects it with glee. Falen can see that he doesn't find it lacking in any way. Once he's pocketed the gem, he give Falen an angry look. "Your little speech might have saved your pride but be careful you don't push me to far. I will take the gem as your payment and let you go, little man, but I know your face and we will continue this chat at another time." He looks around at the streets. "Someplace less public. And then we'll see if you have any bravado."Falen: He slips an agate gem from a pouch inside his belt. Moving uncomfortably closer to the guard, and gazing dead at him, eyes ablaze with intent. He leaves his free hand against his chest within reach of his hidden magical knife. He speaks calmly and directly to the Guard Sergeant, clearing his throat and changing his demeanor to a man not to be trifled with, "Here is the toll you seek. I have business here, and I am expected. I have chosen to humor you in front of your men. But don't kid yourself. Your next action should be to take the agate from my hand. It's a handsome reward for the day. Do yourself a favor, take it and say "move along. I assure you, that's the best decision you will make all day."
Unseen seers typically loathe provoking drama. It rarely serves anyone's interest. However, if provoked, Falen had and would again leave bodies in his midst. Turning over his belongings, particularly the letter he carried, wasn't an option. It would become an open fight, and the first to drop would be this disgrace in front of him.
Intimidate = 8+1 (skill) + 2 (circumstance per DM) = 11; COre COliseum Battle Map
Falen makes his way to Old City:
The guard sergeant takes the gem greedily and inspects it with glee. Falen can see that he doesn't find it lacking in any way. Once he's pocketed the gem, he give Falen an angry look. "Your little speech might have saved your pride but be careful you don't push me to far. I will take the gem as your payment and let you go, little man, but I know your face and we will continue this chat at another time." He looks around at the streets. "Someplace less public. And then we'll see if you have any bravado."
"Sir, we need to go," one of the other surly guards say. "They'll be along any minute now. We need to get back."
"Yeah, yeah," he moans. "That new commander is a horrible stickler." The sergeant doesn't give Falen another glance as he and the others walk away.
The youngest of the guards pauses for a moment. "I'm sorry for what Sergeant Vonner said and did. He's a brute and a bully,' he whispers to Falen. "Here, it's not much but it's all I can give you for that gem." He hands Falen six silvers. "If you want to make a report against him, go to the main barracks in the Military District and speak to-"
"Ducas! Get your ass moving!" Sergeant Vonner yells. "Make money on your own time, whelp!"
The Regular sighs and rushes to catch up to his patrol.
Falen finds himself alone for a moment, before another one of the lifts grinds to a halt and spills out more workers heading home for the evening. The sun has gone down and the lamplighters are out. Falen is forced to follow the throng for a block before splitting off to head to the district's gate that will lead him to the other 'pie' known as Old City. The guards there are polite and warn him that there was an attack on the road. "Be careful and get to Old City as quickly as you can. They'll be closing the gates soon."
Falen is forced to rush the entire way, but he makes it just in time. The guards are less friendly but do not 'accost' him in any way. The give him another warning. "I suggest you find an inn and get inside as soon as possible. There is a killer on the loose on the streets," a female guard warns him.
"Damn, fog, just what we don't need tonight," Another guard curses.
Indeed a light mist has billowed in from the sea. Falen is ushered through the gate into the foggy streets of Bluffside's oldest district. He pats the letter in his pocket and heads towards the Ticinum embassy. His instructions say that he'll have a place to sleep for the night after he delivers the letter. It takes some time to find his way there through the mist. Falen is completely chilled by the time he arrives, as two different guard patrols stop him and warn him to get inside for the night.
The embassy is a large three-story building with two banners of the Empire of Ticinum flanking the door, barely visible in the fog. Guards in the uniforms of the empire greet him at the gate. They refuse him entry at first until he explains why he is there.
"I see," one of them says. "He looks at his compatriot uneasily. "You best get inside and talk to Lord Sisenna. He can take you to the ambassador."
"Not that it matters now," the other guard says.
"We're not to talk about it in the open, Kaeso!"
The two guards usher Falen into the embassy and close the large double doors behind him. The unseen seer is bathed in warmth and light. A young scribe sits behind a desk in the embassy's large anteroom. He is embroiled in a mountain of paperwork and doesn't look up until the doors slam shut. He looks at Falen quizzically.
"Can I help you?"
XP for dealing with the Guard Sergeant > 1,200
The guards wave back but the fog soon swallows them up. The mist is growing thicker and soon it will hard to see anything more than a dozen feet away.Breva trots along in the dog's wake with the others finding this a novel experience. Breva acknowledges the guards' request with a nod, "Will do, give a shout if we can be of help to you."
Tuck finds few people on the street, although the adventurers' presence does bring out a few onlookers. It takes some time to get anyone to talk to him and Akos. The Loremaster's words help sway a few young lads heading home from a hard days work at a nearby shop. As they stop to talk, Mutt takes notice of them and tries to get them to pet him. One of them looks at Tuck with his eyes wide.Akos finally gets interested as things start moving forward. He is not a creature of patience and investigating and looking for clues and such...not his thing. But this chase, slow as it is, and the chance to interact with people gets him involved again.
He nods amiably at the guards, speaks openly and enthusiastically with whoever is outside (including the guards) and in general distracts people Tuck questions with nice chatter so they are less likely to hold back because kobold asks the questions.
"The Acerons," Kojo says. He looks at the manor house. "That's their family home here in Bluffside, but Lord Aceron is rarely uses it. They have an estate about dozen miles outside the city. If you're looking for any of them, you'll probably find them out there."Scotley said:As their quest leads them to the dark manor he asks, "Does anyone know who lives here?"
As Falen's eyes adjust to the brighter surroundings, he notes that the young scribe appears much older than he first thought. And there is something odd about his appearance. It's not the large cap he wears or his puffy clothes. The man looks like he hasn't shaved in days. His hands are hairy too and his facial features seem exaggerated.His old mentor, Max, had sent him to get the missive for an man named Lord Cassianus Avitus, the current ambassador of Ticin to Bluffside. Why he had to go all the way to Tânger by ship to physically pick up the letter is a mystery. Magic would have been considerably faster. Max hadn't told him the reason why had to be this way, but he'd paid Falen well for the trip, up front. Max never parted with gold easily.
Falen:
Falen closes Ducas' palm gently upon the silver coins with his own hand, " No sir. I appreciate your integrity, and should we meet again, it shall not go un-noticed. I assure you, I do not confuse kindness for weakness. Be well. " Falen takes care to quickly memorize Ducas' face and Vonner's. Should Vonner get his wish, and he and Falen meet again, it will be the young Ducas' face he sees at the end. Falen proceeds to the Old City. As he walks toward his goal, he takes care to note his surroundings and listening for languages of which he is familiar. He slowly changes his features under his hat of disguise as he moves along, taking care to not alarm anyone, but acquiring a shorter and very much younger version of Max, his old mentor, albeit with darker, slightly unkept hair and 'five-o'clock shadow'. Under his hat, in the twilight of sundown, he would expect nobody to really notice.
Upon his arrival and being addressed by the scribe, he studies the fellow carefully before answering diplomatically in High Ticin, " Yes indeed, Master Scribe. My name is Falen; I come bearing a message for Lord Cassianus from Lord Max, Earl of Ravenhill. The message is both under Seal and time is of import. I am to remain, pending a response and at his disposal, at the embassy for such time as Lord Cassianus deems appropriate. "
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In the Ticinum Delagacy:
As Falen's eyes adjust to the brighter surroundings, he notes that the young scribe appears much older than he first thought. And there is something odd about his appearance. It's not the large cap he wears or his puffy clothes. The man looks like he hasn't shaved in days. His hands are hairy too and his facial features seem exaggerated.
The man nods once before looking down to finish scribbling on the document in front of him. He taps dust on the parchment and then blows off the excess. He drips melted wax onto it and stamps a seal onto before placing it to the side. Once he's done, he looks back up at Falen.
"I am Vel Faunus Amphion, but you may simply address me as Scriba Amphion. Your timing is terrible," he says leaning back in his chair. "Lord Cassianus Dovius Avitus is permanently unavailable, but I should probably let Lord Sisenna Romnius Casca explain the situation to you. He has taken charge of the situation until a successor can be named by the Emperor."
The scribe stands and stretches. He is very short but still taller than a halfling. He steps out from behind the desk and walks to a door to Falen's right. He opens it and motions for Falen to follow. "I will take you to him."
As the two walk down a long hallway to an expansive office, Falen notes that the scribe has an unusual gait. Just before entering the open double doorway, the scribe speaks, "When you speak to the praefectus, please address him either using his full name preceded by lord or simply as Praefectus Casca."
Entering the room, Falan notes a tall man in full military uniform standing in front of roaring fireplace, his back to the doorway. His uniform is blazoned in red and silver with a stylized eagle in black on his cloak. Scriba Amphion introduces the unseen sear.
"Lord Sisenna Romnius Casca, may I present," he glances at Falen. "Falen, a servant of Lord Max of Ravenhill. He has brought a letter for Legatus Avitus."
The praefectus sighs and turns around. The man is chiseled with a well-trimmed beard. "I was expecting a message from the Emperor not one of Legatus Avitus's friends." He offers Falen a place to sit on a chair by the fire. "If you had arrived sooner, the legatus could have seen your missive before he was killed."
He sits in a chair across from the one he offers Falen. He clasps his hands together and shakes his head. "He has been murdered. We're not sure by who but it seems to be related to the legatus's dealing here in Bluffside." He motions to a table behind him under a large window. "There are documents that show he has been forced to deal with a group of mercenaries known as the Rising Swords. They are quite infamous around Bluffside and the Aarzen Valley to the east. It seems the legatus was being blackmailed by someone, unnamed. This person was forcing him to smuggle in members of the Swords, as well as another group that the legatus referred to as Arreptitii. We don't know their origins, but I suspect it isn't good."
He sighs again and looks at the fire. "You might as well give the letter to Scriba Amphion."
OOC: Falen can sense that there is something wrong but nothing wrong in the scribe's motives. He is a man simply doing his job. He senses that the praefectus's motives are sincere.
Falen may have heard of the Rising Swords; the group is quite infamous. It would be a Knowledge (local) roll [DC 18]. Falen knows that Arreptitii means 'the Fanatics' in Ticin. It's very unlikely he knows of their origins [DC 28].