The Antigrol Tide (IC)

[unleashed]

Colmarr Blackrock, Male Gnome Bard

Mag kneels at the gnome's side, his face an odd mix of fascination and concern. "Colmarr, what just happened? You seemed, well, paralyzed for a moment there. I was afraid you'd been poisoned somehow. I'm good with locks, not as good with traps, I'm afraid."

Colmarr stands and looks at Magyar, a big smile on his face. “No need to worry on that count, Magyar. I think I was just taken inside the box... in mind, if not in body... and I think... well... I think there’s some kind of sentience there. It was... well... I didn’t get to talk to it... but it knew my name... though I didn’t feel threatened at all... quite the opposite in fact...” Looking down at the box, Colmarr kneels once again before trying to open it a little further and peek inside, his inquisitive nature not satisfied with just a hint of what’s within.

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

Grondar

Grondar and the ladies enter the alley to the right of the house and follow it back to where it intersects another alley.

"There's the gate there," says Karen, pointing to the left where a small gate is inset into the back of the wall. Marcia takes a key from Trudy. She unlocks the gate with a faint click, but when she attempts to push it open it only rattles a bit. Marcia swears under her breath.

"Barred from the other side. Where's the trust?"

"Grondar, can you think of a way to open it?"

Behind them in the alley from which they just came, Grondar hears a cat yowl and a soft curse in a male voice. He glances back and catches a dark shadow ducking in to a doorway in the wall of the neighboring house. Karen jumps at the sound, and Marcia peers back the way they came.

"What was that?"

Three options
Grondar says and grins
It is a talking cat,
A bum,
Or a burglar.
Stay here and be quite …
With that Grondar departs from the ladies and goes to the shadowy figure, on his way his pulls out his sap and says with low toned intimidating voice.
Reveal yourself or endanger with hard beatings.

 

[mps42]

"Denther." Naomi tries the name out. "I don't have any family. Well, I mean, I don't have any real family, like a real mother or father or brothers or sisters. Some of the kids at the orphanage do, but not me."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Naomi. I know what it's like to lose your family."

 

[jkason]

Magyar Rhineholdt, human rogue

Colmarr stands and looks at Magyar, a big smile on his face. “No need to worry on that count, Magyar. I think I was just taken inside the box... in mind, if not in body... and I think... well... I think there’s some kind of sentience there. It was... well... I didn’t get to talk to it... but it knew my name... though I didn’t feel threatened at all... quite the opposite in fact...” Turning back towards the desk, Colmarr tries to open the box a little further and peek inside, his inquisitive nature not satisfied with just a hint of what’s within.

More than a little unsettled by a box with a mind all its own. Mag stays near the chest, watching Colmarr at the desk from a slight distance.

 

[Jdvn1]

Colmarr stands and looks at Magyar, a big smile on his face. “No need to worry on that count, Magyar. I think I was just taken inside the box... in mind, if not in body... and I think... well... I think there’s some kind of sentience there. It was... well... I didn’t get to talk to it... but it knew my name... though I didn’t feel threatened at all... quite the opposite in fact...” Turning back towards the desk, Colmarr tries to open the box a little further and peek inside, his inquisitive nature not satisfied with just a hint of what’s within.

Malachi, previously shuffling through papers and reading, stops to watch the scene unfolding in front of him. "... Some sentient in the box? ... And it talked?" He stares intently, waiting for the creature to emerge.

 

[Mallak]

Three options
Grondar says and grins
It is a talking cat,
A bum,
Or a burglar.
Stay here and be quite …
With that Grondar departs from the ladies and goes to the shadowy figure, on his way his pulls out his sap and says with low toned intimidating voice.
Reveal yourself or endanger with hard beatings.

The shadowy figure steps out from the doorway and straightens up. Grondar recognizes him as the guard who was talking to Karen earlier.

"Well, well, what have we here? It looks like I came along just in time, Karen, Marcia. Trudy. This thug was sneaking up on you from behind, no doubt intent on robbing you, or worse. These are dangerous, crazy times, Ladies. Whole families are being murdered in their beds. You really shouldn't wander down dark alleys without adequate protection. Nor should you become so drunk, Trudy. It makes you an eaiser target for lowlife scum like him." His voice holds a sneer, and he smiles nastily as he begins to walk toward Grondar. "You might want to put that away, Thug," he says, nodding at the sap. "I'd hate to have to add resisting arrest to your growing list of crimes." His hands hang loosely by his sides, his longsword still resting in its sheath, and he walks with confidence.

"Do what he says, Grondar." Karen's voice is low and tight with fear or concern. "Rolf is an expert swordsman."

"Yes, Grondar, do what the pretty lady says."

Back on the ship...

"I'm sorry to hear that, Naomi. I know what it's like to lose your family."

"How could I lose something I never had? What is having a family like?"

In the cabin...
Colmarr opens the box and peaks inside. At first, there appears to be nothing there, only blackness. He cracks the lid a little more, and finally his eyes adjust to the void within the box that seems to eat the light. A flat black disk, about the size of Colmarr's hand, slightly raised around the edge, rests within the box in a fitted space. A cloth of some kind, black as velvet, smooth as satin, cushions the disk where it lays. It is growing dark out, and it is very difficult to see inside the cabin.

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

Grondar

You have nothing against me watchman, this are dangerous times indeed so it's good to have a weapon to protect me against wandering scum bags as you say.
As for the ladies back there …
He says and tucks his sap into his belt.
It's good that I'm here, shadowy figures can lurk every where, like behind the doorway you popped out just a second ago, and I'm her boy friend, but you probably forgot she told you about that when we saw you earlier, well SH*T happens.
He turns to Trudy
Tell him that I'm with you and I'm not the big bad wolf he is so anxious to catch.

Diplomacy ?

 

[Mallak]

"Grondar is helping us home, Rolf. We're fine, but thank you for your concern." Karen seems frightened, and Marcia has faded into the shadows near the garden door. Trudy is leaning against the wall, head back, eyes closed, one arm hanging loose and the other across her abdomen. She almost seems to be asleep.

Rolf gives Grondar a sour, seemingly disappointed look when he shows no signs of resistance.

"All right, you've seen them home. Now go back to where you belong, Thug." Rolf adopts an arrogant stance, legs spread wide, thumbs tucked into his belt, staring Grondar down.

 

[unleashed]

Colmarr Blackrock, Male Gnome Bard

Noticing the room starting to darken as the sun goes down, Colmarr uses his innate ability to call light, bringing four glowing balls which look like will-o’-wisps into being... one in each corner of the room. Saying as he does so, “Let’s finish here quickly or light a lantern, as my lights will only last a minute or so. Malachi, have you found the paperwork regarding the cargo yet?” he asks, as he reaches in to touch the disk, hoping the feelings he had after his mental contact with it weren’t some form of deceit.

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

Grondar

Turning to Karen Grondar smiles and says.
Well, it seems I'm not welcome in those parts of town, you know where to find me muffin lady, and good luck with Trudy and tell me what happened when I'll see you again.
He winks, turns on heel and makes his way to the main road, not before taking a good look at the watchman. Who knows maybe they'll meet again sometime, without the ladies to see what a thug can do to a cheeky puny watchman named Rolf.

Exiting the alley, Grondar stretch and groans to himself and makes the long way back to the docks, disappointed by the lack of luck, he knows it was supposed to be a scoring night until that Rolf guy popped out and screw everything.