Malvoisin's Curse of the Crimson Throne, Chapter 1: Edge of Anarchy (IC)

[stonegod]

The horns on Coldan's head turns to the noble. "This is not of concern of the Order. They will not be suffered to interfere with such trivial matters. As for the Guard... they will have more pressing matters than the inconveniencing of one man." Facing forward, away from the Varsian women on either side, his filtered voice booms out, "I am pledged to see Lamm pays and suffers no one else his misdeeds. By the Iron Contract, let it be so."

 

[Malvoisin]

Edlin's eyes drop slightly as she mentions the death of her son. Thinking for a few moments, he finally speaks again. "Vengeance. Retribution. Justice. Any of these can motivate a wronged person," he starts, pausing for the words to sink in. Unconsciously, Edlin has drawn forth his two ivory die and even now rolls them across his fingers and palm distractedly. "But you are asking us to step outside the law and all that comes with it."

Zellara responds to Edlin, "Indeed, it would be so. But does not the opportunity justify the risk? Would not the greater good be served by taking matters into your own hands? But still, if you would do so, go to the Guard. See if they might help you where they would not help me."

The woman smiles and gestures to the more exuberant of Edlin's companions...Gadeann, Orman, and Coldan in turn. "But if you choose to do this, I daresay you may visit the guard post alone."

 

[Legildur]

The man called Edlin swirls the wine in his glass before placing the glass back onto the table. He takes a deep inward breath as he obviously thinks about the conundrum. "Lamm deserves what he will get. But what protections or aid can you provide us for our mission?" he asks, with his tone obviously indicating that he is willing to try his hand in this venture.

 

[EvolutionKB]

Quintel...Karastro Quintel

Karastro waits until the moment is right, then he stands and speaks directly to Zellara, slowly turning his head to emcompass the rest of the group. "I too know of your troubles, of catching Lamm deliberately outside the law. I too have failed to capture him within the laws of the city. The laws of the city are not the only laws however. There are other laws, worldly laws, laws of man, laws of elves, laws of orcs. They all say the same thing. Those who unjustly wrong others must face punishment for their misdeeds. The laws of the world stand above the laws of this city. Some things here are in need of change, so I too am one willing to step outside the laws of this city, to bring this man to justice."

[sblock=Mal]So by what we've learned so far, does Lamm operate "underground" per say..having a secret hideout? I take it he doesn't live in the public eye, with business fronting his criminal activities? Edit: I am working another 16 hour shift today, so I won't be posting again until tomorrow morning.[/sblock]

 

[Malvoisin]

The man called Edlin swirls the wine in his glass before placing the glass back onto the table. He takes a deep inward breath as he obviously thinks about the conundrum. "Lamm deserves what he will get. But what protections or aid can you provide us for our mission?" he asks, with his tone obviously indicating that he is willing to try his hand in this venture.

"Protection?" Zellara smiles. "With the array of talents and force of arms represented here? I think you will have all the protection you may need."

"As for aid, have I not already provided you with Lamm's location? But, in addition to this," she gestures to the nine cards on the table. "I will perform a Harrow reading before you depart, to guide you on your way. Free of charge, of course."

 

[Malvoisin]

[sblock=Evo]Lamm indeed hides behind the scenes, in secret hideouts. In addition, he tends to change locations periodically, which makes him the more difficult to pin down.

The adventure goes into a little more detail about this, how Lamm chooses locations whose owners have died without an heir, allowing him to take advantage of the slow-moving bureaucracy to stay there for free for up to a year or two. But, that would be beyond the scope of IC knowledge.[/sblock]

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Girri sucks spit from between her teeth and stands.

Profession (fortune teller) +6

Before the bargaining goes further, Girri interjects. "You're in want of hired help and seek Lamm's capture or death yet propose to pay your chosen hired crew with a Harrowing? I'm wanting Lamm to answer for his wrongdoing as much as the lot of you here, true, but even I know we're in want of coin or the bestowal of a future favor as payment." Girri crosses her arms. "Barter fair, else don't barter at all. Fifty gold each or a boon, given on completion. Plus the Right of Plunder. And a Harrowing for those who want one."

 

[Malvoisin]

Girri sucks spit from between her teeth and stands.

Profession (fortune teller) +6

Before the bargaining goes further, Girri interjects. "You're in want of hired help and seek Lamm's capture or death yet propose to pay your chosen hired crew with a Harrowing? I'm wanting Lamm to answer for his wrongdoing as much as the lot of you here, true, but even I know we're in want of coin or the bestowal of a future favor as payment." Girri crosses her arms. "Barter fair, else don't barter at all. Fifty gold each or a boon, given on completion. Plus the Right of Plunder. And a Harrowing for those who want one."

Zellara laughs sharply at Girri's outburst. "Pretty peacock, were your years in the service of the Crone Mother for naught? You, most of all, should know the true value of a Harrow reading. One would have thought the chance to redeem the ill fortunes of the past to be sufficient for you, with the Harrowing an added kindness. But it is not so?"

Zellara spreads her hands incredulously, looking around her humble dwelling. "Fifty gold each? I am but a poor fortune-teller, it may as well be fifty thousand you ask for! Surely Lamm has amassed coin and baubles that his urchins have stolen. You may take your pick of his ill-gotten gain, I have no need of it."

Zellara's countenance abruptly turns sorrowful, for a brief moment. "But if you truly require the promise of a boon before you will seek out Lamm, you shall have it. Return here when your business is concluded, and ask your favor. I will do what I may, but I think it may be both more and less than you expect."

The fortune teller turns her attention once more to the cards on the table. "So then. Your Harrowing before you depart? I trust that herein lies a future which gathers you all in its tangled skein..."

[sblock=Girri]Girri has seen Mother Crone do many Harrowings over the years, so she is well acquainted with the procedure. The Harrow deck contains 54 cards, 9 in each of six suits. The suits each correspond with one of the primary ability scores, as follows: Keys (DEX), Shields (CON), Books (INT), Hammers (STR), Stars (WIS), and Crowns (CHA). The nine cards in each suit further correspond with each of the nine basic alignments. The Peacock, for example, is the True Neutral card from the suit of Keys.

The Harrowing is performed by laying out nine cards in a grid. The leftmost column represents the past, the middle column the present, and the right column the future. Reading from the top to bottom, the cards represent something good, something uncertain, and something bad.

Furthermore, Girri knows that sometimes fake fortunes are told, just to bilk some coins from unsuspecting marks. But, she also knows that many times the deep and powerful magic of the Varisian tradition can have genuine predictive value. Her instincts tell her that Zellara knows what she's doing with her deck, and that this reading is not a trick.[/sblock]

 

[stonegod]

Coldan nods at the offered telling, still looking straight forward. A memory of a summer's day on the outside hills, some wine, and another deck filters up to his mind a moment... before he shutters it away with a slam of his fist. As the others look to him, the mailed knight says nothing, refusing to acknowledge the outburst.

 

[Rhun]

Gaedran looks hard at Girri, but then nods at Zellara's response. "I would not turn down the offer of hard coin. Gods know that I could use it. But Lamm should have plenty, and I plan on taking my fair share once he feels the sweet kiss of my axe."