[LPF] Distant Relations

[GlassEye]

Elenka ticks off names on her fingers.

"Tarkan. Garthia. And this unknown high priestess. Banditry in the guise of religion is one thing but torture is a whole other thing entirely. The sooner we're done with this the better I'll feel but best not to rush too much. I would hate to blow our cover before we got enough for Inar."

__________​

The next morning Elenka will do her best to be up early enough to have armor on and be ready to go before Tarkan comes for them. She'll also try to befriend Thon a little giving him a wan smile and not really having to fake being nervous about what is to come.

"Don't know what this errand is going to bring but I'm not the best fighter. Best if we stick together, yes?"



[sblock=Actions/OOC]
Move --
Standard --[/sblock][sblock=MiniStats][size=+1]Elenka[/size] Human Summoner 3
Initiative: +2 Perception: +5

AC: 15 (12 touch; 13 flat-footed)
HP: 23 Current: 23
CMB: +3 CMD: 15 Fort: +1 Ref: +3 Will: +5

In Hand:
Spells:
1st level: 4/4 remaining.
Special: Summon Monster 2 6/6

[size=+1]Drevezh'Korol[/size] Eidolon
Initiative: +1 Perception: +0; Darkvision 60 ft.

AC: 15 (11 touch; 14 flat-footed)
HP: 29 Current: 28
CMB: +7 CMD: 18 Fort: +4 Ref: +2 Will: +3

In Hand:
Conditions: In the Other World[/sblock]

 

[jkason]

GM: [MENTION=100541]toasterferret[/MENTION], you still with us?

Thon seems a bit confused by the sudden comraderie, but nods his consent to Elenka's proposal as everyone prepares for Tarkan's imminent arrival.

Said arrival, as with all things Tarkan, is loud and angry.

"Okay, since you weren't stupid enough to hide yer casting, you can have these back for the day," the large priest says, throwing back the spell component pouches. He also produces a bag which clinks loudly. "Can't imagine you need all this for a halfling, but you can have your drinks back, too." Indeed, the bag contains the potions and alchemists' fire you brought with you, as well as the healing wand.

Your trainer leads you back to the storage room, where the rest of your mundane equipment can be found, then up through the armory. As you gather your weaponry, a herald arrives in the doorway. The black-robed figure leans casually in the entryway, surveying the group, then clears his throat and points.

"I need this one for special training today," comes the deep voice. Garthia.

"Me?" It's not until he speaks that you're all sure the masked acolyte Garthia pointed to was Thon and not another of your party members. Garthia nods.

"I've got this lot for the Dimplecotton job," Tarkan growls.

"I saw your trainees in the courtyard yesterday, Tarkan," Garthia returns, his tone light. "They're all quite capable. Do you really think you need five?" Garthia raises his hand before Tarkan can do much more than grunt. "Tell you what: take two more vetted acolytes and leave me this one. It's more than fair, yes?"

There is a tense moment when no one speaks. Then, finally, Tarkan grabs Thon by the arm and swings him across the room to Garthia. The priest stomps off, saying "Rest of you get your bloody gear and meet me in the courtyard." He's barely out of sight before you hear him shouting, "You and you! My personal detail. Now!" There is a scuffling of feet as whomever he's chosen quickly moves to obey.

Garthia merely leans on the entry. Thon waits nervously near him, glancing back and forth between party and herald. Finally, Garthia breaks falling silence, turning to leave as he calls "Come, boy. The Living God has special need of you."

 

[Qik]

Quioan says little as the group is led to gather their equipment; with Tarkan's short temper having been well established, he's decided on a policy of relative silence around the man. Plus, if I keep quiet, he's less likely to notice how much I loathe him.

Despite this attempt to prevent any outward display of emotions, Quioan can't help but give a slight raise of his eyebrows as Garthia makes a point of singling out and requesting Thon. What would he would with Thon? Why Thon? As the half-elf is tossed over to the large priest, Quioan does his best to drop the subject, issuing a mental shrug. Guess we'll find out soon enough.

He also is glad to see such palpable conflict and friction between these two prominent members of the The Living God's cult. Any such division can only be good for furthering their own purposes there. Although how, exactly, remains to be seen.

Glad to have his equipment back, but also feeling a bit uneasy about the prospect of being placed in a situation where he would have to reveal his full capabilities with it to his enemies - let alone using said abilities to further their cause - Quioan shoulders his quiver, gives an experimental pull on his bow string, and is then prepared to be off. He catches the eyes of the others and smiles slightly, as if to so, Here we go, wherever that is.

OOC: Is Quioan actually going to have access to spells, given that he hasn't had time to prepare them?

 

[jkason]

OOC: Is Quioan actually going to have access to spells, given that he hasn't had time to prepare them?

GM: Quioan can't change spells at the moment, since he just got his book back, but since you explicitly said he would keep to cantrips the previous day unless pushed, he has all the spells he prepared prior to the drugging that began your initiation into the cult.

 

[Qik]

OOC: Nice!

 

[deisenhut]

Yoshiki Akita (Human Monk 4)

Yoshiki does he best to give the half-elf a warm smile in the morning as everyone is getting ready, but overall keeps to himself.

One the confratation with Garthia occurs, one thought immediately comes to his head. With Garthia, Tarkan, and the Thon all out of the room, Yo leans in to the others and shares his thought in a very low voice, almost a whisper. "I think he noticed yesterday that Thon is not part of us. He's going to bribe him to be a spy. Watch yourself when he returns."

Yo does a quick inventory of his gear before slinging the backpack over his shoulders and straightening out his robes. Speaking a little louder this time, "I wonder what Dimplecotton is? Probably need to ask who is Dimplecotton. I hope these new two won't get in our way."


[sblock=Ministats]Initiative: +4
AC: 19 Touch 19 Flatfooted 14
HP: 28/28
CMB: +8 CMD: 23 Fort: +4 Reflex: +8 Will: +7 (+2 vs. Enchantment)
Defensive Abilities: Evasion, Deflect Arrows
Speed: 40 ft

Conditions in Effect: None
Elemental Fist: 4/4 remaining
Ki Pool: 5/5 remaining
Additional Gear: 1 CLW Potion
[/sblock]

 

[Qik]

"I think he noticed yesterday that Thon is not part of us. He's going to bribe him to be a spy. Watch yourself when he returns."

Quioan's eyebrows arch at this. "Makes sense, but if you're right, we're soon going to be very short on privacy."

 

[GlassEye]

Elenka stands there uncertainly with thoughts of torture in mind as Thon is 'requested' for special duty.

"Dimplecotton? What a coincidence! Yoshiki, you remember. Our first job together was tracking that shipment of velvet for Tilsit Dimplecotton of the Venzan Opera House. And he did say 'halfling'. I wonder if there is a connection; besides, the name, that is.

I hope Thon is ok and that there is no torture involved. Getting paranoid, I guess."

She laughs mirthlessly. The stress of this job or the lack of support from her long-time friend Drevezh'korol or something seems to be putting her on edge.



[sblock=Actions/OOC]
Move --
Standard --[/sblock][sblock=MiniStats][size=+1]Elenka[/size] Human Summoner 3
Initiative: +2 Perception: +5

AC: 15 (12 touch; 13 flat-footed)
HP: 23 Current: 23
CMB: +3 CMD: 15 Fort: +1 Ref: +3 Will: +5

In Hand:
Spells:
1st level: 4/4 remaining.
Special: Summon Monster 2 6/6

[size=+1]Drevezh'Korol[/size] Eidolon
Initiative: +1 Perception: +0; Darkvision 60 ft.

AC: 15 (11 touch; 14 flat-footed)
HP: 29 Current: 28
CMB: +7 CMD: 18 Fort: +4 Ref: +2 Will: +3

In Hand:
Conditions: In the Other World[/sblock]

 

[deisenhut]

Yoshiki Akita (Human Monk 4)

A smile forms on Yoshiki's face, the first in a long time, as Elenka describes their previous job. "Yes, yes of course. Dimplecotton. I thought the name sounded familiar. I wonder what fix he's gotten himself into this time. But I would think that we'd be too far away from Venza to run into him..." His voice trails off as he appears to be lost in thought, the smile gone again.

[sblock=Ministats]Initiative: +4
AC: 19 Touch 19 Flatfooted 14
HP: 28/28
CMB: +8 CMD: 23 Fort: +4 Reflex: +8 Will: +7 (+2 vs. Enchantment)
Defensive Abilities: Evasion, Deflect Arrows
Speed: 40 ft

Conditions in Effect: None
Elemental Fist: 4/4 remaining
Ki Pool: 5/5 remaining
Additional Gear: 1 CLW Potion
[/sblock]

 

[jkason]

Thon, seeing the others unwilling to risk any confrontation, moves off after Garthia, leaving the party alone for a brief moment.

Your reverie is short-lived, however, as Tarkan's bellowing voice makes it clear he's in no mood to wait on anyone. He waits in the courtyard, flanked by two acolytes. As soon as he sees your quartet hustling into sight, he waves his hand impatiently. The acolyte on duty opens the doors to the outside world, and Tarkan stomps off, everyone forced to a brisk pace to keep up.

Three short blocks later, you reach a small building. The placard hanging over the door reads "Autumn's Crescent." If the wonderful smells are any indication, it's a bakery. Tarkan doesn't wait for you to enjoy the smells, however, moving inside to wait, arms crossed.

A plump halfling is in the middle of passing off a basket of bread to a young human woman. At the sight of over half a dozen cultists, however, the smiles fade from all. The woman quickly drops a few copper coins in the halfling's hands, then shuffles out the door, head down.

Once she's gone, Tarkan nods. The two unknown acolytes quickly shutter the windows as the halfling tries to smile genially. Those of you who previously made the acquaintence of Tilsit Dimplecotton can tell this very well-fed and slightly sweaty halfling isn't him, though the dimplomatic smile certainly evokes him. It's patently obvious, however, that this man is both frightened and apalled by the presence of Owbej's own in his establishment.

"My, what a surprise," he says. "Now, I could have sworn we had an appointment next Monday, but here it is Thrusday and you've graced me with your presence early, and me without a thing to offer."

You're all briefly disoriented, as your meeting at the feast hall was on a Thursday. If today is also Thursday, it seems you were under the influence of the cult's drugs longer than you may have thought. Inar will be waiting to meet you not in two days, but tonight.

There's neither time nor opportunity to discuss this, however, as Tarkan lets out a vicious laugh.

"You're already late and you know it, Gratis," Tarkan says. Then he turns to the four of you.

"Me and my booby prizes from Garthia will keep folk out," he says. The acolytes quickly hustle out the door as Tarkan continues, "This one owes Owbej 100 gold for our protection. He's late. You're going to get what The Living God's owed, whatever it takes." He steps to the doorway, then turns back. "While you're at it, trash the place. Owbej is a harsh god for those who steal from the faithful, right? Gotta teach folk a lesson."

With that, the priest slams the door shut. You can see his shadow outside the door, but for now it's the four of you and the fat halfling, who once again tries another--this time quivering--smile.

"Now, I understand how important it is to pay on time, but you see I just don't have the money. Tangled up in supplies and such, you understand? But next week. Next week, I told them I'd have it!"