Six From Gate Pass - A War of the Burning Sky Campaign (3.5)

[digimattic]

Arnir stands pensively for a moment, as if lost in thought before walking smoothly to the keg and carefully pouring a mug of ale. He takes a sip, and his face noticeably sours before he regains his composure. Walking to a stool, he unfastens and removes his cloak, revealing the longsword underneath, and his plain, yet very new looking clothes. He slings his bow over his shoulder like a bandolier and perches upon the stool, taking another mouthful of ale.

"I'm curious as well. I'm not sure what Diogenes told you of me, but I can assure you no more than half of it is correct. Further, what a disciple of Istishia has to do with both this 'resistance' I have heard about, and this motley crew has my interest piqued."

After taking another sip, he speaks again "As for who I am, I am called Arnir Bowflight, and while I am curious about this so-called mission, I am primarily interested in leaving this slush-filled backwater as quickly as possible. The food and weather here are simply ghastly."

 

[Bannock]

Bannock snorts indignantly.

Hrmph! So unfortunate it isn't to your liking, princess. You can count on me to do what I can to expedite you to your departure!

 

[digimattic]

Arnir sneers with contempt

"My my...'Expedite'..'departure'. I'm surprised a ditch digger such as yourself can even recollect, let alone pronounce such words. Still, at least you've acknowledged I'm higher class than you, even if you've confused gender. I suppose I shouldn't really be too surprised. There's only so much that can be expected from one so base, especially in a cesspool such as this."

 

[Gregor]

"Pleased to meet you Arnir, and I too thank you for coming tonight. Truth be told, I know nothing of you, nor did I even dream to hope that someone from Gabal's would be able to assist on this errand. However," as she turns to regard both Bannock and Arnir simultaneously, "lets simmer down a bit shall we? We have a long road ahead of us, and we'll need to work together to get through the mission."

Torrent rises and walks over to the table, removes a large roll of parchment from her pack and places it next to the lamp. She then refills her beer and calls you all to attention. After pausing to listen to the chiming bells, she speaks:

"Well, that’s one year gone. I guess it’s time to get down to business.

“The city’s in trouble. The Ragesian army is marching on us, and will be here by tomorrow. Before then, we have a mission.

“I used to study at a magic academy to the south, called Lyceum. They’re good people. So when word reached them about Ragesia’s ‘Scourge,’ they sent out messages calling for anyone fleeing Ragesia to come to them. They want to stand against the Ragesians, and the resistance wants their help. We just need to get a message to them.

“Normally we would have sent something by teleporting courier, but something strange is going on with planar magic. The last courier who teleported into Gate Pass, rumor is that he showed up burnt to a crisp. Not that I have that sort of magic anyway, but if we’re going to talk to Lyceum, we’re going to have to go overland. And that’s a problem, because the city’s walls are sealed.

“Ever since their emperor died, the Ragesians have been trying to show that they’re not weak, and they’re marching an army in our direction, since the mountain pass we’re in is apparently ‘strategically valuable.’ Either way, a few idiots on the city council want to negotiate with the Ragesians, and rumor is they’re going to invite a group of inquisitors into the city to look for ‘magic-users who are hostile to the empire.’ They’ve sealed the gates of the city so no one can get out, to make sure they look like they’re cooperating, and only military personnel can get in or out. We’re going to have to get out of the city, and I’m open to suggestions on how. Once we’re out, I can get us safely to Lyceum, but before we get ahead of ourselves, we have a mission tonight.

“The short version is that we’ve got to meet a contact — a gnome named Rivereye Badgerface — in about an hour at a guarded depository about a half-mile from here. He’s carrying a case of vital military intelligence which he stole from the Ragesian palace, and the heads of the resistance think that it needs to reach Lyceum. We’ve got to get that case, get out of the city, and get far away from here before the idiot city council lets the Ragesian inquisitors in. Once that happens, the odds of us escaping are —“ she finishes off her mug of beer in one long guzzle “— slim.

“I know I’d love to stay here and fight against the Ragesians, but I’m no soldier, and this mission might be more important. Worst case, you get away from the Ragesians and we can part ways a few days down the road. Best case, you can come with me to Lyceum, and we come back with an army of our own to drive off the Ragesians. But we’ve got to act fast either way."

Torrent then walks over to the sheet-covered tables and chairs at the back of the room and stirs up some dust as she slides a large, and clearly heavy, wooden chest out from underneath. She kicks the chest open with her feet and you can see that inside sit 6 torches, cold weather outfits, bedrolls, blankets and 4 tents. Additionally, there are thirty days worth of trail rations and 6 filled water skins.

"Now, as we discuss plans for tonight, make sure you get what you need from in here. I'm not sure when you're going to have an opportunity to shop again for a while. Oh and be sure to pick up that parchment I left on the table, its a map of Gate Pass. So, who has the first bright idea?"

Map of Gate Pass

 

[The Bashar]

Hrimr walks over to the chest and grabs 4 days worth of trail rations and some of the winter clothing, specifically a large fur hat. Hrmir then looks over to Torrent and inquires:

"Do we know how many guards are protecting the depository? Where specifically are we supposed to meet the Gnome?"

He then walks over to the table, puts a pensive face on, and pours over the map. After a few minutes he looks to Alric:

"Alric, you said you freelanced for the guards. Any idea on what their numbers numbers might be here and here"

Hrimr jabs at the down two Southern gates that lay to the immediate East of the pub.

 

[fromage67]

Lars follows Hrimr to the supply chest and grabs some trail rations, a bedroll, a blanket and a torch. He interrupts his work and turns back to the table.

"Torrent says only military personnel can exit the city. One option we would have is to disguise ourselves as military personel. I can pull off a convincing officer, believe me. We could bluff our way out that way. Maybe we should come up with another primary or secondary plan, though."

"What about this gnome fellow at the depository? Do we just walk up to him and ask him to turn over the case? Will he want to come with us?"

 

[Bannock]

Bannock rolled his eyes during Arnir's rambling, having been acquainted with elves whose mouths tended to outpace their capabilities. He spent an uncharacteristic moment trying to judge whether this one would be able to sustain a counter argument in the form of a headbutt to the nose. He didn't want the poor fellow to actually die. Torrent's interruption postponed the decision.

OOC: Intentional switch of tenses now.

Bannock snaps his glaive back up off the bar and gathers his share of equipment from the chest.

"So, whose side are the guards on? Actually, who cares? Let's just walk over there and get this case. Any guard who would try to stop us is a traitor to Gate Pass anyway!"

He turns and walks over to Arnir, stopping very close, and taps the Elf's longsword with the torch he picked up.

"You know, you look a little uncomfortable in that outfit, highness. I hope you can swing that sword better than you can wear it."

Bannock walks back over to the bar where he had dropped a pack, and gathers the gear into it.

OOC: Just a minor request of folks: Try to avoid the very dark text colours as they're quite hard to read against the forum's default background.

 

[digimattic]

"While I have little doubt in your abilities, Lars, I cannot help but think Kirio, Hrimr and I would have slightly more trouble passing as officers in this city. I cannot help but think that a combination of guile and force would serve us best- perhaps you, Alric and Bannock could dress as guards while we non-humans pose as 'persons of interest'? There has been no shortage of people marched about by the guards, after all."

Arnir then looks into Bannock's and says with a coy smile

"You know, you're quite right. I'm not accustomed to carrying so many provisions. Would you be so kind as to carry my bedroll, blanket and some rations for me? That would be most appreciated.

The smile then falls from his face and his voice drops so that only Bannock can easily hear him

And for the future, it's not my sword you should be concerned with."

 

[Adjuntive]

Alric walks up to the chest and procures a tent, 2 torches, and another waterskin. The rest he seems to have already.

He rolls his eyes at Arnir and Bannock's petty arguing, hoping that it doesn't translate to a lack of cooperation and endangers this mission.

OOC: DM, would I know anyone working a gate or a watchtower who might allow us outside the city for a bribe or a favour? Also, would I know a place where we might find uniforms to pose as guards? Perhaps Herreman?

"Who would this Badgerface be? A Ragesian double-agent who is passing the resistance information, a resistance member or a middle man?" Alric lowers his tone slightly, "How will we find him and how will he recognize us? and will he want something in return for this case?"

 

[Gregor]

Alric, your time serving with the City Guard is sufficient to answer Hrimr's question. You know that A typical northern or southern gate (not the East or West main gates which are currently staffed to face a military siege) is guarded by forty soldiers and a pair of gatekeepers both night and day. At any given time, sixteen of these guards are directly in charge of the gate while the rest patrol the walls.

***************

"You've all raised some good questions, and I'll see what I can do about answering them," says Torrent as she approaches the map.

"First, lets talk about your questions regarding the depository tower, Hrimr. Its located in the next district to the East." She pauses to point at the relevant spot on the map. "Maybe some of you have noticed it before, its a roughly eighty foot stone tower in a guarded compound. Anyway, we should be able to get there fairly quickly and our entrance and exit won't be an issue. I have an account and a storage locker at the depository so its a simple matter of signing us in."

"As for Badgerface, he was a spy from Lyceum, acting as a servant in the imperial palace for some of the higher ups in the ranks of the Ragesian Inquisitors. He'll be expecting contact from the Resistance as he's been told to wait for us at the tower. However, he'll be waiting to meet with his usual contact, a man named Peppin Tallman who seved with us here in the Gate Pass Resistance. Here is the issue we have to deal with: Peppin is dead, assassinated about a week ago by unknown assailants. Through divine magic we were able to speak with his spirit and learned of his scheduled meeting with Rivereye tonight. So, I am a touch concerned that someone else might be on to this case of intelligence."

Torrent takes a breath and wets her mouth with a long draught of beer before continuing. "I want to be clear that securing this intelligence is job number one, so I would like to head out and begin handling that as soon as possible. However, I do have my two coppers to add on your discussion regarding the acquisition of guard uniforms."

"I agree, especially with Lars and Arnir's approach to the situation, that sneaking out may be a possibility. I also agree that Captain Herreman might be able to provide some assistance in that department. However, the Captain will need some form of documentation to support his decision should our ruse be discovered. Given that only city politicians can produce such documentation, we'll need help from someone in that sphere of influence. Do any of you know of any City Council members that might be sympathetic to our cause?"