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

[Envisioner]

Relgar fiddles with his instruments while he waits for the group to settle on a course of action. He amuses himself by taking eye-measurements and constructing perspective studies in his head, the spellcaster's mental equivalent of a blade bravo sharpening his knives in his spare time.

 

[Scotley]

Breva shakes hands all around and says little as he tries to associate names with so many new faces. "A pleasure to meet you..."

He spares a pat for Mutt and says to Tuck. "Oh Tim had things well in hand, but since I was there I thought I might as well pitch in."

 

[Knightfall]

Falen Enters Bluffside:

Falen Aust Thale:
"Bluffside awaits," Falen speaks to himself, feeling the chin of the Khemitian captain on his head. Strangely, he was easily taken with her. Feeling a warmth well up within him, he would have enjoyed a "roll in the hammock" with her. But she was right. Captain Reeth was indeed doing him a favor. He needed to about business until it was done. Looking straight ahead at the other vessel, he speaks to her, "If Tyche shines favorable, you and I shall share an ale when this business is done, Captain. I could learn much about your fore and aft, stern and bow." He pats the railing on the ship, as he invokes his double-entendre. "An exciting and adventurous vessel to be sure." He reaches down to take his haversack and puts it over his left shoulder, turning to face Mer-en-sekar. He dons his wide-brimmed hat, looking down where she can't she his face, magically changing his face to her own Bixby, his body shifting to his features, only Falen's normal height. "Farewell, Captain, until the next time." He turns away from her and moves quickly down the gangplank, not leaving her much room to see the shift in his features, but imitating Cobblegood's gait. He turns to wave, allowing his creature features to jut out from the disguise, and waves to her. "Thank you again!"

Mer-en-sekar waves back with one eye on her First Mate to make sure he's not smirking.

He moves silently through the docks toward the Vulture, guarding even his illusory facial features under his hat. The wide-brim of the hat protects his face from onlookers. Illusions are useful, but if one picks the wrong illusion, it generates a whole unintended set of problems. Bixby was well-known and generally well-regarded by everyone. It's what made him an excellent smuggler. Falen wasn't a smuggler today. He was a messenger. A tall halfling messenger. Bixby's face was prettier than his anyway.

He reached the Vulture and walked on to the gangplank, speaking to the man on watch in a normal, casual voice, "Ohoy. Captain Reeth? Permission to come aboard?"

Falen can see the crew of the Vulture working relentlessly to get the small cog ready for the short trip across the bay to the Cavern Harbor. Captain Reeth comes into view at the top of the gangplank. He peers down at Falen with a serious stare. The birdman is decked out like a privateer but Falen knows he more sailor than pirate. Instead of a parrot on his shoulder, a small lizard perches atop the kenku's hat. "Well, don't just stand there! Git your ass aboard and we'll git going. While your passage is free my time is not."

Falen is soon on board and the cog is on its way to the harbor in Bluffside's Undercity. Falen can see that the Vulture is carrying a full load of cargo on its decks in addition to whatever is in its hold. The bay waters are calm and the little ship glides into the Cavern Harbor without incident. The docks of the harbor are buzzing with sailors, merchants, hawkers, waifs, and officials making sure no one is bringing in illegal goods or foreign adamantine.

Falen barely has any time to chat with the captain or his crew before the kenku puts him off. "I have work to do so git!"

The unseen seer is soon wading through the throng to the massive lifts that will take him from the Undercity up to the New City district of Bluffside. The lifts are run by water wheels and steam power and the one descending to him makes an awful racket. The lift arrives and the metal grate opens and dozens of workers pour out to begin what is likely the night shift, as dusk is soon approaching. Those heading home up in New City push on to the lift and Falen is carried on to it. The smell of people cogs his nose. Falen is thankful once he reaches the top and the workers exit the lift. He is one of the last to leave the lift.

The Bluffside Regulars stop him as he does. "I don't recognize you. Are you new to the city?" The guard sergeant asks Falen. His tone is very serious. "New City is under Martial Law, I need you to provide your credentials or your worker's badge."

 

[Knightfall]

Gardens of Old City:

Tuck is relieved to see the others, intact, although at the same time he is cautious about the newcomer.

"We were followed, and attacked in New City," the kobold says plainly. "They said all of us would be attacked; what happened? Are Lady Emilliene, Lady Pomander and commander Oakfist alright?"

"Lady Émilienne was attacked too," Custodio replies. "They underestimated her abilities though and she fought them off with the help of the Sectarian Guard. She didn't go into great detail but they boasted to her that we'd all be dead soon.. He shakes his head. "She didn't mention anything about Lady Pomander or the commander being attacked. I can't see how Waldo could get to them easily, especially on of The Five."

Studying Vinccenzo closely as if looking for signs, the urban ranger continues, "Three assassins from the Brelish Thieves' Guild, based in The Crossed Candles in Old City, followed us until we confronted them in the Silverbow Inn. One is now dead, one in custody and the third has fled. She has a thing for Akos, so she'll be back for an attempt at mating. Their guildmaster Kelik, also known as Barclay Winton, is apparently good friends with the renegade and has offered help to remove us from stopping him."

"The Crossed Candles! Full of thieves. I can barely believe that to be true. Barclay Winton is well respected among the nobles. Yes, he hasn't been in the city very long, but the people really like him." His tone becomes more serious. "It makes sense though. That shop is quite close to the Gardens. If Barclay is in league with Phelix, the Lord Commander must know about this immediately."

"Jam was helpful," he answers Custodio, "but he could not provide the Legend Lore magic. He pointed us to three others for that: Finus Lomusin, Harvess Mortin, or Master Hassenforth. Jam himself figured the monster is a troll or shambling plant creature, not a mythical being of the end times."

"I think I should let the rest of you handle the creature. If I have time, I'll catch up."

Akos turns to Custodio. "Maybe you should let us deal with the monster and go to The Elite with this information.
If we want to catch the guild, we should try to organize the raid immediately. When Teresa returns they will move and hide."

"Raiding that shop could cause blow back from the nobles. If we can't find evidence of the guild there, the Lord Commander could be demoted and i can forget about being an Elite again." He shakes his head. "But if it gets us closer to Phelix, it's worth the risk. I go see him right now."

Custodio rushes out of the Gardens and into the streets of Old City. Akos and Tuck can see that he is heading straight for the Palace.

 

[Envisioner]

Relgar mentally facepalms at Custodio's use of Phelix's actual name, and shares a glance with whoever said "waldo" a moment ago, as if to say "I apologize for my associate's flagrant disregard for your caution". Actually saying any of that would of course never occur to the autistic wizard.

 

[Knightfall]

Mutt circles Tim several times waiting for the big man to sratch his forehead but the big dog soon becomes distracted by a nearby bed of flowers that he is soon digging in. While none of the tenders are nearby to chastise Mutt's brother, several young ladies sitting together on a patch of grass take notice and start giggling at the dog's behavior. Mutt relieves himself in flowerbed and then moves onto the grass to inspect the giggling.

Then, the big dog's ears perk up and he barks at the ladies and then at Tuck. He runs back to his pack mate and circles his three times before rushing off into another part of the Garden complex despite Tuck's attempts to get him to calm down.

OOC: Mutt disappears into another part of the Garden. Even without seeing him the PCs can still hear him barking. He doesn't seem angry but excited. Do the PCs follow?

 

[Scotley]

"Your dog is rather odd. Does he always act like that or is he on to something?" Breva asks curiously.

 

[JustinCase]

"Mutt is my fierce guard dog," Tuck says defensively, but at the same time he worriedly rushes after the dog.

"What is it, boy? What did you find?"

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Tim will follow, because he trusts Mutt's nose and instincts.

 

[Knightfall]

Western Gardens:

"Your dog is rather odd. Does he always act like that or is he on to something?" Breva asks curiously.

"Mutt is my fierce guard dog," Tuck says defensively, but at the same time he worriedly rushes after the dog.

"What is it, boy? What did you find?"

Tim will follow, because he trusts Mutt's nose and instincts.

One by one the gathered group of heroes rushes behind Tuck and Tim to see what big dog is tracking. With Tuck in the lead, they find themselves in a quieter part of the cultivated section of the Gardens where several tenders are working to trim the foliage and Sylemis stands in the center of a a gazebo singing to the plants in his native tongue. Tuck find Mutt sitting quietly in front of the dragori druid listening to the dragon-kin's voice. The dog is enthralled by the low-pitch music. The notes are deep and melodious. Mutt barely glances at Tuck when the kobold and the other arrive at the gazebo.

The other gardener, Huverel, watches over his mentor with joy. It seems the dragori is still feeling better. Two others sit in the gazebo as well. The first you know. The grizzled old arcanus, Detch, from the guard tower where you met Kaleb and heard his story. The other is a female guard, likely and Elite.

Once Sylemis finishes his song, he greets you warmly. "You have returned and just in time." The druid walks over to Tuck and scratches Mutt under the chin with his walking stick. "Two of the guards from the tower have gone missing."

"I don't know if they are in trouble, but both vanished shortly after you all left the tower," Detch explains. "It's not like them to leave their posts." He looks at Tuck and Big Tim. "Nathaniel you met, I believe. He's from a very wealthy family here in Old City, the Acerons. I don't think you met Geoffrey Suggitt while you were at the tower, but he was on duty. His family's reputation is a bit tarnished."

"That is an understatement," the other guard says."

"This is Elvira Thalmann. She runs the watch for the other tower in the Eastern Gardens."

"One of my underlings has gone missing as well," she says. "His name is Titan Razeart. It seems like he disappeared around the same time as the other two. If this creature is killing tower guards and Elites, it needs to be found and stopped. If I had a stronger force of guards, I'd go in there myself and deal with it, but most under my watch are youngsters. The bulk of the Elites have been placed here in the Western Gardens and I don't have the authority to order them away from their posts."

"Neither do I," Detch adds.

"But they respect you more."

"It's still not my place to countermand the Lord Commander."

Elvira throws her hands up in disgust.

"Calm yourselves," Sylemis says. "Tuck and his friends are here now. They can handle it and it looks like they've added some new allies to their numbers, although I don't see Custodio. Did he get called back into the Elite?" The dragori asks Tuck.