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

[Scotley]

Breva readies his weapon and reaches out with this divine senses trying to detect the evil thing in the fog.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Tim readies both sword and shield, as he taunts the evil thing in the fog, "Please, oh master of stealth, come, teach us about fear; where numbers give us the edge, the fog is the equalizer, is it not? Don't pass up such a grand opportunity for the sake of cowardice. Please, I want to know. What is there to fear in the darkness? Show me."

Spoiler: Die Rolls

Big Tim Listen Check: 1D20+1 = [18]+1 = 19

Big Tim Spot Check: 1D20+1 = [4]+1 = 5

Big Tim tries to listen very closely for any sounds of movement in the fog; he is also scanning his environs visually, although the fog proves to be a significant hindrance.

 

[Neurotic]

Akos looks around and frowns. He was good at reading people, but this is not people. And he cannot see him/her/it. But his strength is in his head. The knowledge, the detailed memory of facts and books, and bits and pieces all connecting to a greater whole.

"I know where the boy is." he tells others
"Begone, foul thing!"
The pulse of energy, golden-green, shortly brightens the fog. He ignores the effects, starting for what he thinks the stable in question might be.

OOC: Akos is getting crazy with knowledge rolls (except for trolls)

Spoiler: Actions

Sense Motive; Knowledge (local); Knowledge (Religion): 1D20+8 = [8]+8 = 16
1D20+11 = [19]+11 = 30
1D20+16 = [20]+16 = 36

Turn check; Turn damage: 1D20+5 = [13]+5 = 18
2D6+6 = [1, 2]+6 = 9

 

[Knightfall]

Ticinum Delagacy:

Falen:
Remaining silent through Praefectus Casca's description of events, he studies the Lord's facial characteristics. Yes, this one would make quite a lovely face to add to his repertoire. Falen's eyebrows raise upon knowledge of Avitus' demise. He had heard of the Rising Swords, and frankly, it's not particularly surprising that Avitus would find himself, by accident or on purpose, at their bidding. They had a tendency to be...persuasive. Something is obviously amiss. Thinking quickly, he addresses Casca, "Praefectus Casca, thank you for informing me of these matters. It occurs to me that I should inquire as to the manner, and perhaps some detail, of Legatus Avitus' demise. I can not presume your scribe to correspond with his personal acquaintance. I was unaware of their relationship. I beg of you to provide more detail if possible; Lord Max will certainly want to know. And candidly, the Lord of Ravenhill is known to be three things: a spendthrift, having a loyalty to his friends and retainers, and driven to some excess upon acquiring bad news. Would you or Scribe Amphion be willing to share with me something I might provide him to temper his...intemperance? "

Regardless of Lord Casca's response, Falen will defer to Scribe Amphion as the Praefectus instructs. He will study closely Scrive Amphion's facial expressions.

"Legatus Avitus was stabbed through the back. He was found slumped over here at his desk," the praefectus motions to the desk once again. "The wound was likely made by a long, serrated dagger. Whoever did this managed to find his way into the embassy without any of the guards noticing or setting off any of the building's magical defenses, which have always been adequate before."

"Legatus Avitus had requested the Emperor send a Magus to inspect the embassy to see if more protections were needed," Scriba Amphion adds. "I helped him write the letter himself and had it sent off just last month. The Emperor hasn't replied yet."

"Assuming he got it," Casca says.

"I told the courier to come back here and inform Legatus Avitus, personally, once it was delivered. He returned here from Ticinum a week and a half later and ensured the legatus it had been hand delivered."

Praefectus Casca turns back to Falen. "Regardless, the assassin, and I do believe the killer was a hired assassin, got in, killed the legatus, and got out without being seen by anyone. If you feel you must give the letter to a family member instead of Scriba Amphion, you might have to take to to Ticinum. I don't believe the legatus had any family here."

"There is one," the scribes notes. "Lady Oppia Nazaria. She is a distant cousin of his and lives the Temple District. They had a chilly relationship."

"Very well," Praefectus Casca says. "You may deliver it to her, if your prefer. Or Scriba Amphion can take it and see that it is delivered to legatus's widow in Ticinum."

In closing, Falen suddenly snaps to, as if recalling something odd, " Praefectus Casca, is it in the habit of Bluffside's elite guardsmen or their regulars to "shake down" newcomers to Bluffside? I don't mean ordinary taking advantage; I mean overt threats for those without credentials to the city? I ran into a guard Sargeant, a 'Vonner' fellow, upon my reaching the city, intercepted me for a few minutes, demanding a toll. I complied as my mission was more important than my pride. However, as these Rising Swords or Arreptitii appear to be less than quiet about their business now, I wonder if this Vonner fellow or his ilk would be susceptible to their graces and charms? It has been my observation as a courier that external meddling nearly always relies on internal discontent or corruption."

Falen intends this latter query to simultaneously document his encounter with Vonner, if for no other reason than to cast suspicion on his sort of asshattery, but also to tease out more information from Lord Casca and Scribe Amphion about Bluffside and this situation.

Spoiler: Knowledge Local Roll (Success!)

1d20+9=18

Praefectus Casca sits back in his chair. "The guards in this city are in a state of chaos right now. New City is a mess. Old City isn't much better. Rumor is that the Regulars are spread thin and fraying under the strain. I've never heard of this 'Vonner' fellow you speak of, but he sounds like a typical corrupt Regular and Bluffside has plenty of those even though The Five would have you think their guards are all shining examples of goodness and grace. Bah! No city this size is free from corruption."

"Which is why the guards that protect this embassy are brought in from Ticinum," the scribe adds. "Not every embassy in the city uses their own guards or can afford too."

"That is how mercenaries like the Rising Swords worm their way into cities. I doubt there are any of them are working in Bluffside as guards. You can always see them coming. They rarely hide their allegiance during a fight, but they will skulk around the fringes of society looking for work. I would suspect them of the Legatus Avitus's death if he wasn't completely under their thumb. Whoever these Arreptitii are, they could have killed him or their master. The documents on his desk are vague and covered in blood."

He pauses. "Vonner could be in their pocket. Or he could just be a monster of a man. You could go to the Bluffside Barracks here in Old City and report him or go to the Tribunal and issue a formal request for justice."

"That will take longer and the Regulars won't like that you went outside their power structure," the scribe adds.

"Yes, yes. At the very least, find a man named Lord Commander Reginald Oakfirst. He is the supreme commander of the Regulars and the Bluffside Elite. I can vouch that he is a good man and doesn't tolerate corruption. Best to look for him at the Tribunal."

 

[JustinCase]

OOC: I'm back!

Tuck narrows his eyes as the voice of a man - or is it not a man at all? - comes from the fog. Unless the killer has some magical way of seeing, there is no way he could see them when they cannot see him; obviously, magics are at work. And that means the killer is likely not even there, physically.

For good measure, the kobold quickly fires a bolt from his small handheld crossbow into the general area of where the voice resounds, not expecting it to hit anything.

OOC: Attacking a general area, so feel free to substract whatever numbers from the roll: attack: 1D20+12 = [9]+12 = 21 (minus whatever) damage: 1D3+1 = [2]+1 = 3

 

[Knightfall]

Breva readies his weapon and reaches out with this divine senses trying to detect the evil thing in the fog.

Breva manages to detect an evil presence in the fog and that whatever it is could be deadly to him and his new allies. The foe tries to scamper away and Breva can tell that who or whatever it is isn't trying to be overtly stealthy.

Spoiler: Detect Evil

I'm assuming that Breva starting detecting evil from the moment the killer started speaking. He is able to discern one evil aura in the area and that it is a moderate aura. In the first round of combat, he can discern the direction of the aura but since he doesn't have line of sight (since he didn't make a successful Spot check), he cannot pinpoint the killers exact location. Your listen check was successful, however.

Tim readies both sword and shield, as he taunts the evil thing in the fog, "Please, oh master of stealth, come, teach us about fear; where numbers give us the edge, the fog is the equalizer, is it not? Don't pass up such a grand opportunity for the sake of cowardice. Please, I want to know. What is there to fear in the darkness? Show me."

Tim's bravado is met only with laughing that slowly becomes more distant as the killer moves away.

Spoiler: Die Rolls

Big Tim Listen Check: 1D20+1 = [18]+1 = 19+4=23
Big Tim Spot Check: 1D20+1 = [4]+1 = 5-4=1

Big Tim tries to listen very closely for any sounds of movement in the fog; he is also scanning his environs visually, although the fog proves to be a significant hindrance.

Even with the light from the streetlamps, Tim is unable to see the killer in the fog. It isn't hard for him to hear the foe fleeing away in the opposite direction of the two boys that the Tim and the others spoke to moments before. The footfalls of a single foe are clear on the cobblestones.

Akos looks around and frowns. He was good at reading people, but this is not people. And he cannot see him/her/it. But his strength is in his head. The knowledge, the detailed memory of facts and books, and bits and pieces all connecting to a greater whole.

"I know where the boy is." he tells others
"Begone, foul thing!"
The pulse of energy, golden-green, shortly brightens the fog. He ignores the effects, starting for what he thinks the stable in question might be.

Akos knos he has two options and likely only moments to pick the right one. While the Blossom's stables are close by, the Mill of Hooves is looked after by youngsters. Young Joseph could be lying near death among the horses of that converted windmill, and it is closer to the nearest gate leading out of the district.

He heads for the repurposed mill and hopes he get there in time.

OOC: # of Rounds: # of rounds: 1D4-1 = [3]-1 = 2

OOC: Akos is getting crazy with knowledge rolls (except for trolls)

Spoiler: Actions

Sense Motive; Knowledge (local); Knowledge (Religion): 1D20+8 = [8]+8 = 16
1D20+11 = [19]+11 = 30
1D20+16 = [20]+16 = 36 (equivalent to 46 on Nat 20)

Turn check; Turn damage: 1D20+5 = [13]+5 = 18
2D6+6 = [1, 2]+6 = 9

Spoiler: Skill check results

Sense Motive: Akos has no sense that the creature is trying to bluff the PCs and if their is a magical enchantment in play, he cannot sense it.
Knowledge (local): Akos knows that the nearest public stable is attached to an old inn known as The Heavenly Blossom. Its patrons are always nobles and wealthy merchants. Its stables are attended to by an old widower (and soldier) named Marcus Woulfe who never had any children or lets youngsters anywhere near his stables. The inn's owner is an old elf named Tarathiel Xilven who rents primarily to 'unattached' nobles. (It is the closer of the two stables.)

The other nearby stable is a private edifice (called the Mill of Hooves) that serves three different merchant families known as the Alards, Higates, and Stavertons. The old converted windmill and outbuilding is tended to by several young children that are the servants of the three families. The oldest of these children is a 15-year-old boy named Joseph Dale who looks after the horses during the evening. He is the favored servant (and some whisper illegitimate son) of Lord Fulchard Higate. He often sleeps in the stables at night.
Knowledge (religion): Akos is pretty sure he isn't dealing with some sort of undead creature, especially since there is no reaction to his turning attempt vs. the foe. The killer could be an worshiper of some sort of obscure death deity or a archfiend but he can't be certain. If the foe does worship a local deity the most obvious choices are the Frozen One or the Sufferer.

The second deity is the better choice of the two since the Sufferer is also known as the Hidden God, Lurker, and Dark Savior. There is no known temple to the Sufferer in Bluffside, although there are tons of rumors that place such a temple in the Undercity or out on the floating city of Sordadon. If this killer is devoted to the Frozen One, he might have been cast out of the Winged Death temple located in the Temple District. The clerics of that temple are known to have hardened inquisitors among their ranks. The Frozen One is also known as Lord of Ice, Ice Demon, Icy Death, and Mimawr (a deceased ancient deity that the Frozen One subsumed into its faith).

Tuck narrows his eyes as the voice of a man - or is it not a man at all? - comes from the fog. Unless the killer has some magical way of seeing, there is no way he could see them when they cannot see him; obviously, magics are at work. And that means the killer is likely not even there, physically.

For good measure, the kobold quickly fires a bolt from his small handheld crossbow into the general area of where the voice resounds, not expecting it to hit anything.

OOC: Attacking a general area, so feel free to substract whatever numbers from the roll: attack: 1D20+12 = [9]+12 = 21 (minus whatever) damage: 1D3+1 = [2]+1 = 3

OOC: Both your Spot and Listen check were successful, so no miss chance!

Tuck's ears manage to take into account the echoing of the voice against the nearby buildings. The sound is muted by the fog but his keen ears guide his aim. Then Akos' turning light brightens the fog and Tuck clearly sees the outline of a humanoid form in the mist, as it parts for just a moment. His fired bolt finds its mark against the foe before it disappears back into the fog.

The creature hissed in anger as it rushes away. "You should not hurt me or I will paint you," the voice rasps in anger. Then Tuck hears a female voice in the misty darkness.

"Gods, no, get away from me! Someone help, help please!" Then the voice screams.

 

[Neurotic]

Flapping of priest sandals recedes in the distance as he runs toward the Mill of Hooves.

OOC: full double move

 

[JustinCase]

"Doppelganger!" Tuck calls out as he thinks he recognizes the whispering killer in the fog, and the kobold wastes no time in readying another crossbow bolt.

"Get him quickly!" he calls out to the others, afraid the shapeshifting creature will be impossible to find if it gets away.

 

[Neurotic]

"Doppelganger!" Tuck calls out as he thinks he recognizes the whispering killer in the fog, and the kobold wastes no time in readying another crossbow bolt.
"Get him quickly!"

OOC: Run after it, don't load ranged weapons! And you have a dog! And...And...huff puff I don't have combat ready spells, but faerie fire could help. If I wasn't running away. Chicken fey

 

[JustinCase]

OOC: I would, but I figured I'd have to wait for my turn in initiative. This was just filler to alert the others on their turn.