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

[Tellerian Hawke]

Tim scoffs, jokingly, "Ok, you've twisted my arm. I will go first. I am broad-chested, but even I can fit in a 8-foot diameter hole. I'd estimate my girth, frontage-wise, as no more than five feet across. Maybe 7 feet, depending on what position I'm holding Rizvan in."

Tim grabs the rope, tests its strength with two, sharp pulls, and then lowers himself down into the unknown...

 

[Knightfall]

Breva reaches into his pack and pulls out a coil of rope. "Perhaps this will make the decent easier?" He sets about securing one end of the rope to something sturdy enough to hold even Tim's weight. "Who would like to go first?"

"I don't think you should take them," Roland motions to the prisoners. "Down there." He looks at Vinccenzo. "How sure are you that these other cells are secure?"

"This is the only passageway I found," the Sectarian Guard says with a shrug. "If there are other hidden passages leading out of here, I'm not likely to find them even if I search again."

"Let me take a look," Tuck offers. The kobold urban ranger goes through the guard post in great detail. He finds some old dry rations stashed away in a hidden compartment in one of the wardrobes where extra uniforms are kept, as well as a couple of copper coins loose on the floor. He goes through the cells twice just to make sure that there aren't any other passageways and finds nothing. "I can honestly say those two other cells are secure."

"That's good enough for me," Herleva says. She opens the first cell and ushers Mambru and Narzissa inside. "But, I don't want to lock him up here," she says while staring at Solomon. "He needs to go to the barracks. Roland and I will take him there. We can handle just him."

"One of us should stay here and watch them," Roland insists. "I'll take him to the barracks. It won't take long, and I'll send backup from Riftwatch."

"I'll be fine. I can handle those two and an unconscious doppelganger."

"Actually, we should take the doppelganger with us," Vinccenzo suggests. "I don't want to let him out of our sight."

OOC: Tuck - Search Check: 1D20+15 = [11]+15 = 26

Akos frowns at the initiative.
"Why do we want to go down there? Are there tracks indicating someone recently went? I mean, it is a secret passage, not the main entrance."

"There are some strange footprints outside, but I don't know if they came into here or if they went somewhere else," Vinccenzo replies.

"Mutt and I can try to track them," Tuck says with a toothy grin. "Show me what you found."

Akos watches as Tuck and the Sectarian Guard go out near the shallow puddle where the footprints are and the kobold looks for any signs as where the suspicious prints went. Tuck goes over the area numerous times while Mutt stands guard near the puddle. He growls at any curious citizens passing through the unguarded gate. The locals seem to think Tuck and the others are the guards on duty, but when the urban ranger questions them about whether or not they've 'noticed any guards not where they should be', they become concerned that there is a crisis brewing.

"I haven't seen anything odd, at all," one elderly woman says. "I've been at the Sublime Bazaar. Oh dear! What has happened?"

Mutt comes right up to the old noblewoman and sits down in front of her in hope of getting some attention.

"Careful, he's fierce," Tuck says to her.

"Easy now, matron," Vinccenzo tries to sooth her worries while patting Mutt on the head. "It's nothing for you to worry about."

"Oh dear, oh dear," she says again. She seems to be on the verge of tears.

Tuck simply shrugs and follows a few of the footprints towards the guard post. Near the entrance, he stops. He retraces the prints and they seem to go in another direction. He shakes his head in frustration. "It's no good. I just can't tell where they went. It seems like they rushed back into the guard post, but these markings seem to say they ran off north. I can ask around, but it will take time."

More citizens are soon streaming through the open gate. The locals who had been hiding from the battle are now back out on the streets. Tuck and Vinccenzo try in vain to keep people from trampling over the prints but soon there are just too many people coming and gonig from the two wards.

"Damn! Too many feet!" Tuck says in frustration.

Roland comes out of the post to make sure that the citizens flow back a forth through the gate in a somewhat organized fashion. He is soon shouting for people going north to stay on the right and those going south to stay on the left. He stops a foreign merchant without any documentation and tells him that he needs to go to the Tribunal to get a writ to sell goods in Old City.

Tuck and Vinccenzo retreat into the guard post with the old matron in tow. She is completely beside herself with worry that guards are deserting the city or being killed in the night or that the fog whisked them away to another world...

Vinccenzo tries in vain to calm her down.

OOC: Tuck - Urban Tracking (Gather Information Check): 1D20+15 = [10]+15 = 25

Spoiler: DM Only

Required Gather Information checks: 2D4+2 = [1, 1]+2 = 4
Initial DC is 27.

Tim scoffs, jokingly, "Ok, you've twisted my arm. I will go first. I am broad-chested, but even I can fit in a 8-foot diameter hole. I'd estimate my girth, frontage-wise, as no more than five feet across. Maybe 7 feet, depending on what position I'm holding Rizvan in."

Tim grabs the rope, tests its strength with two, sharp pulls, and then lowers himself down into the unknown...

Just before Tim descends into the hole, Tuck comes up to him. "I don't think they went that way, but I can't say for certain." He looks back at the wailing woman. "But it's safer that dealing with that," he says in a low tone. The kobold urban ranger helps secure the rope with Breva as Tim disappears underground.

"What about the doppel-?" Vinccenzo begins to ask.

"Go! We'll stuff him in a wardrobe if we have to... he's quite harmless tied up, gagged, and unconscious," Herleva insists. She's also put Solomon into the other cell, as soon there are a barrage of concerns and requests from the local citizens to the 'guards on duty'. She begins to tend to the old matron by offering her some tea.

Once Tim is down, Tuck grabs the rope and easily climbs down into the darkness. Mutt doesn't wait to be lowered. He pokes his head into the opening and barks. He half falls, half jumps down to his pack mate. The big dog lands awkwardly on top of Tuck!

"Oof!"

Breva is soon climbing down the rope leaving Akos and Vinccenzo as the last to descend. The Sectarian Guard looks at the rope and then at Akos. "After... you?"

OOC: Mutt - Jump check: 1D20+11 = [2]+11 = 13 | No damage to Mutt but Tuck takes 1D6 = [1] = 1 nonlethal damage.

 

[Knightfall]

Falen Arrives at the Gate of Scales:
Falen passes through several inner gates until he comes to an area with a large building in the center of the ward. It apepars to be some sort of theater or gladiatorial arena, but he feels its probably the former. The lone guard at what he learned is called Little Arch informed Falen that it would be quickest to go through the Overgrown Gateway, then through the Gate of Scales, then through the Iron Gate to get to Regulars Ward.

"If you need to see Lord Commander Oakfirst," the guard had said. "You really should go to the barracks first and make a formal request. He's likely at the Tribunal in the Sublime Ward but I wouldn't bother him there unless its urgent."

Falen leaves the large 'theater' behind and by the time he reaches the Gate of Scales, the number of people on the streets has almost tripled. He hears rumors that 'murderer on the loose has been caught' and 'a new group of heroes fought a band of invaders' and 'there are doppelgangers on the loose in Old City'. The throng half pushes, and half pulls him into a line being ushered through the gate by a single guard. The man seems to be on duty by himself, which seems odd.

As Falen nears the guard, the man singles him out. "You there! Are you a visitor to Bluffside? What's your business in Old City?"

A young nobleman tries to get the guard's attention. He calls the guard Mr. Roland and starts going into a long speech about local etiquette and lost wages. The guard rolls his eyes and tries not to smirk. He seems overworked and a bit bedraggled. He looks back towards Falen and smiles. "Never mind, just report in to the Palace if you have an official business with The Five. If you need a merchant's license, go to-"

The nobleman steps in front of Mr. Roland and begins to berate the man. "You will not ignore me!"

"I was not ignoring you, my lord," he guard replies. "I was just giving some advice to this visitor to our fine city."

"He can wait!" The nobleman looks at Falen with disdain.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

"What about the doppel-?" Vinccenzo begins to ask.

"Go! We'll stuff him in a wardrobe if we have to... he's quite harmless tied up, gagged, and unconscious," Herleva insists.

Tim pauses at the edge, before actually beginning his descent.

Tim says, "No, you CAN'T handle him. Even bound and gagged he can still work his magicks. Vinccenzo, you're with me. Where is the nearest actual prison? I don't mean the one or two courtesy cells in every guard post. I mean the actual main facility. You and I will take Mani there with haste, and see to it that he's properly imprisoned. The rest of you, secure the area, and await our return! We shan't be but a few minutes."

Spoiler: Tim's inward thoughts

~She sure did seem anxious to get a hold of Mani and shoo us away. Something doesn't sit right about her. I'll need to watch her more closely from here on out.~

OOC: If Vinccenzo agrees, Tim will sling Mani over his shoulder, and tell Vinccenzo to set a running pace, and that he will keep up with him. They will both then high-tail it to the prison.

 

[Knightfall]

Tim pauses at the edge, before actually beginning his descent.

Tim says, "No, you CAN'T handle him. Even bound and gagged he can still work his magicks. Vinccenzo, you're with me. Where is the nearest actual prison? I don't mean the one or two courtesy cells in every guard post. I mean the actual main facility. You and I will take Mani there with haste, and see to it that he's properly imprisoned. The rest of you, secure the area, and await our return! We shan't be but a few minutes."

Spoiler: Tim's inward thoughts

~She sure did seem anxious to get a hold of Mani and shoo us away. Something doesn't sit right about her. I'll need to watch her more closely from here on out.~

OOC: If Vinccenzo agrees, Tim will sling Mani over his shoulder, and tell Vinccenzo to set a running pace, and that he will keep up with him. They will both then high-tail it to the prison.

"I'm with you," Vinccenzo agrees. "Let's go!"

The two of them quickly exit the guard post. Tim's sudden appearance on the street causes many of the stodgier citizens to step back or gasp in astonishment. It seems some people will never quite get used to Tim's presence in Bluffside. Others, however, gasp with excitement and the passing crowds begin murmuring "it's him!" and "one of the heroes is on guard duty" and "what is that he's carrying?"

It is impossible for Falen not to notice the big knight and the doppelganger he is carrying slung over his shoulder. It isn't something that a person sees every day, in any city. He watches as the big man and his companion -- a local guard by the looks of it, although his uniform isn't like that of the Regulars he's met -- take off towards the north.

Tim and Vinccenzo are soon leaving the others and the crowds around the Gate of Scales behind. The citizens thin out once the duo reach the intersection where the northwestern wall of the Hollingsworth Estate meets the southeastern walls of the Pomander Estate. Both estates are heavily guarded and the guards watching over the deceased Lord Mayor's home react strongly to Tim's rushing through the street between the estate and the Southeast Tower of the Palace of Bluffside. While they aren't quick enough to stop him and Vinccenzo, they rush after the duo as they pass through the tight corridor between the two sets of walls.

Vinccenzo shouts out to them his and Tim's names and motions for them to follow. The guards do that anyway, not taking the Sectarian Guard's word as the truth. Once the duo reaches the tall fortified building known as Riftwatch, the trailing guards are lagging behind. Just beyond the enhanced guard post is the inner gate known as Iron Gate. The massive gateway is quite impressive and lives up to its name. The gate's huge wooden gate is reinforced with iron bands and is lifted by a complex system of weights and counterweights that hangs over the the high wall of Old City Rift.

"Halt!" A guard yells at Tim and Vinccenzo as they rush towards her and the other Elites stationed just outside of Riftwatch in front of Iron Gate. "You must stop and show me your credentials if you wish to pass through the Iron Gate!"

"We have a prisoner to be taken to the barracks," Vinccenzo says. "This doppelganger is the Old City Killer. We caught him last night in the fog. He needs to be secured quickly, as another crisis is looming. While transporting him through the district, we were set upon by members of the Rising Swords. We defeated them with the help of Sergeant Herleva and her fine patrol of Regulars, although, sadly, one of the guards who had been helping us escort the prisoner was killed."

"That's... a lot of information," the guard, obviously an important figure among the Elites, holds up her hand to signal to her Elites to stand down. A few had drawn their blades or trained their crossbows on Tim. She walks forward and looks at the doppelganger slumped over Tim's shoulder. "So, the rumors circulating on the streets are true. There is a doppelganger." She looks at Vinccenzo. "Your with the Sectarians, correct? How did you get involved in this capture?"

"That would take a long time to explain," Vinccenzo replies. "We really don't have that kind of time. There is more trouble at the Gate of-"

"Stop! You there with the dead body!" The estate guards finally catch up with Tim and Vinccenzo. "What is the meaning of this death and whoy have you disturbed the peace of our great Lord Mayor's final repose."

"Calm yourself, Captain Emenheiser," the female Elite says. "These are the heroes that caught the Old City Killer."

"That's just a rumor... wait, what is that!?" The older guard exclaims. He is winded. The man is obviously out of shape.

"A doppelganger, obviously."

"I- I can hardly believe it," Captain Emenheisier says with his mouth agape. "Wait! Why is it still alive?"

"We managed to capture him and thought Lord Commander Oakfirst or The Five would want to question the prisoner since it has information on the renegade sorcerer and the man's plans," Vinccenzo replies to the captain.

"The Lord Commander is at the Tribunal right now," the female guard says. "You can leave it here at Riftwatch. While I can open the gate so you can pass through to the Barracks Ward, it will take time. It isn't a simple process, as Iron Gate rarely is opened except for special ceremonies. Still, it's probably best to lock that thing in the Prison Tower. Our cells are quite full right now. There was a lot of mischief last night. The fog emboldened several thieves and other scoundrels. I've got at least four members of the Sabres locked up right now."

"Pfft! Just kill it and be done with the matter. Clerics can question the corpse." Captain Emenheisier motions to his men to take the doppelganger.

"I am Lady Christean Launceleyn, Second Captain of the Riftwatch," the female Elite moves to position herself in between Tim and Captain Emenheisier and his men. "The Lord Mayor's Honor Guard has no jurisdiction here at Riftwatch or on the streets of Old City. You are not a Palace Guard anymore Emenheisier. You lost that position years ago and why the Lord Mayor took you on is enigmatic. Perhaps he felt sorry for you, eh? And now he's been murdered on your watch."

"I- I wasn't on duty that night! That was Lord Commander Beaurepaire's failing and he's lost his sash and tabard for it. I will take his place."

"Doubtful."

"By the gods, so much posturing," Vinccenzo says. He shakes his head. "We don't have time for this... just get us through to the other side. We have to get back to the Gate of Scales as quickly as possible."

"Why? What else has happened?"

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Tim replies, "Guards are missing from their posts, either because of foul play, or because of bribery and/or betrayal, we don't know which. And we discovered a secret passage beneath the guard tower, which might explain how Whats-His-Face's men are able to travel without being seen. Need we say more?"

 

[Neurotic]

Akos is still not happy with the prospect of going down into the tunnels. With unknown rat-people in the underground, thieves guild that surely goes through the tunnels occasionally and now potentially foul sorcerers minions...and all of them knowing the underground better than the heroes...he really doesn't like it.

With Tim rushing out, he shakes his head. His skills could help unlock the doors that would otherwise remain closed...but he has no intention of rushing through the city yet again. He instead takes time to calm the irrate nobleman and motions to the man the guard singled out for help.

"Hello, stranger, maybe I can help with the instructions while our good guard is busy. What are you looking for?" As an afterthought he adds
"And do you have the papers to move through the city unhindered? We are in special situation, as you may have heard."


@Aust Thale a man in silvery armor that retreats into his long robes even as he speaks is motioning to Falen to approach

 

[Aust Thale]

Akos is still not happy with the prospect of going down into the tunnels. With unknown rat-people in the underground, thieves guild that surely goes through the tunnels occasionally and now potentially foul sorcerers minions...and all of them knowing the underground better than the heroes...he really doesn't like it.

With Tim rushing out, he shakes his head. His skills could help unlock the doors that would otherwise remain closed...but he has no intention of rushing through the city yet again. He instead takes time to calm the irrate nobleman and motions to the man the guard singled out for help.

"Hello, stranger, maybe I can help with the instructions while our good guard is busy. What are you looking for?" As an afterthought he adds
"And do you have the papers to move through the city unhindered? We are in special situation, as you may have heard."


@Aust Thale a man in silvery armor that retreats into his long robes even as he speaks is motioning to Falen to approach

Falen:
Mildly amused by the young nobleman accosting Roland the Guard, he does not respond to either, but responds to the fellow in the flowing robes engaging him in more civil conversation. He realizes that he did not leave the Consulate with such papers and permissions. He was unfocused on it, as he was more concerned about the page trying to shadow him and what it would take to ditch the young lad. Not wise. He had not changed his visage on this stroll through the city. Perhaps he should have. He would endeavor to not be a cloudy in his judgment in this place in the future. It was most unwise.

"I must have forgotten mine. I was endeavoring to reach Commander Oakfirst. Might you be able to assist me in that regard? It's rather important. I find myself perplexed with this city's inhabitants and their...anxiety."

Falen is more interested in directions at the moment. Or a map. That would do nicely.

 

[Neurotic]

"Commander Oakfirst? High aim for a stranger. Unfortunately, we will not see him before we're summoned. Could be soon, but I have no way of ensuring it. I believe he can be found at The Tribunal...but without some form of papers or escort I doubt he would see you.

I am Loremaster Akos here with the special group of Sectarian, Elite and Regular guard. Maybe if you introduce yourself and state your business we can sort something out, hmmm?"

 

[Knightfall]

TIM & VINCCENZO AT THE IRON GATE:

Tim replies, "Guards are missing from their posts, either because of foul play, or because of bribery and/or betrayal, we don't know which. And we discovered a secret passage beneath the guard tower, which might explain how Whats-His-Face's men are able to travel without being seen. Need we say more?"

Captain Launceleyn listens intently while Captain Emenheisier seems stunned in silence. His men sheath their weapons and urge him to let the Elites of Riftwatch to handle the situation.

"Missing guards from the Gate of Scales... if I'm understanding you right," she muses. "That is quite concerning indeed." She motions to another Elite. "Soldier, go tell Lieutenant Covington that I have a job for him. He's to put together a detachment and go reinforce the Gate of Scales. There are Regulars there who need support. Make sure Castellana goes with him. He's going to need her keen senses and magical abilities."

"Yes ma'am," the Elite reacts with a salute. It seems the Elites of Riftwatch are no nonsense guardians of Old City.

"Now, let's get that gate open," she adds. "OPEN THE IRON GATE!"

Her voice resounds high into the air. The force of her shout goes beyond that of normal vibrato. There is magical enhancement in her voice. It pitches high in the air for all to hear. Tim would not be surprised if Oakfirst himself heard her word all the way at the Tribunal.

"There's no turning back now," she says in her normal voice.

A flurry of activity on the inner walls above Riftwatch and the Iron Gate can be seen and heard by the half-ogre knight and the Sectarian Guard. The men and woman working to get the gate open are like ants crawling along the framework of the closed gate. Tim hears what sounds like gears in a huge mechanical monster beginning to move. The only sound that he's heard similar to it, on this world, are the great steam-powered lifts of the Undercity that allow citizens to move up and down from there to the streets of New City. The sound is also eerily similar to the Great Ironworks Clock of the Imperial City of Kluanburgh in the Ailaithan Empire (on his home world), which he heard once while part of a Vrocian diplomatic mission.

"I've heard the story of this gate, but I've never seen it operate," Vinccenzo notes to Tim.

From the Old City Rift rises what looks like a massive animated statue... or at least it's arms, torso, and head. It looks like a giant made of ceramics, iron, and wood. It reaches out towards the gate and undoes a latch on the top of the gate's tower. The guards on duty seem to working to steady lines of taught rope and portions of the wall that appear to be weaker than the rest of the edifice. The giant construct grabs a handle and lifts it up into the air. The process is noisy and crumbles a very small section of the upper wall but the process isn't truly destructive. It does kick up dust into the air. The Elites helping to work the complex mechanism cheer in triumph as the construct pulls the gate to itself and merges it to its torso. Then it disappears back down into the rift.

"Steam gnomes," Captain Launceleyn says after the noise dies down. "They're never subtle about the thing they build."

"Yes, but it works, and I must say it is impressive to behold," Vinccenzo replies.

Tim notes that the parts of the walls that crumbled weren't weight bearing but the process seems... excessive. The Riftwatch Elites work quickly to clean up the area and check the integrity of the, now, open gateway. They move to shore up any major cracks or fallen stonework. Tim notes that several of the Elites are dwarves and gnomes. Tim also understands why there are no other buildings near Riftwatch except for the sturdy walls protecting the gateway and rift, as well as Pomander Estate.

"Let's get your prisoner to the barracks," Captain Launceleyn says as she heads towards the open gateway. "Try not to let the gawking citizens on the other side of gate rattle you."

Vinccenzo follows the Elite captain through the fading haze of the aftermath of the Iron Gate's open. Tim can't help but follow. Once on the other side, it is as Captain Launceleyn says. The people of the Barracks Ward have gathered around on the other side of the Iron Gate. There are nobles, shopkeepers, and peasants mixed alongside Regulars and Elites.

Standing closer to the impressive gate is an imposing elder dwarf with stern look of his face. His arms are crossed and he looks one step below irate. He glares daggers at Captain Launceleyn who doesn't wither under his eyes.

"It was required," she says plainly.

"You better hope so or I'm going to personally call for your banishment from the city," the dwarf replies. "Iron Gate is never to be opened unless The Five all agree. You know that!"

"That's not even possible right now," she says. "There are only four of them and-"

"That is not the point!"

"Commander Mildenhall, the morning rumors that the Old City Killer was caught and is a doppelganger are true!" She motions for Tim to step forward. "And there is more. The Gate of Scales was left unguarded this morning while the killer's captors were transporting the prisoner through the city's streets. The guards that were supposed to be on duty there have vanished. I'm sending Lieutenant Akia Covington and Miss Castellana to investigate."

"And, we were set upon by members of the Rising Swords," Vinccenzo adds. "They admitted who they were as they attacked us while trying to take the doppelganger. The Renegade is responsible for all this trouble."

The old dwarf bows his head and muses internal for nearly a minute. "Del Cannitha," he finally says. "That bastard again. First the fires and explosion in New City and now this..." He sighs and shakes his head before raising his eyes towards Big Tim. "I assume you haven't captured him yet, Sir Valencia? Yes, I know who you are. You're quickly becoming a local celebutante here in Old City... whether you wish it or not. Regardless, Lord Commander Oakfirst has told me and the other commanders of your group and your mission to bring the Renegade to justice."