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Tarrov sighed.  Really?  Imps?  This had been a long day already, and it wasn't even half over.  He grabbed his whip and got ready to help out wherever it was needed.

20:27, Today: Tarrov Garrick rolled 6 using 1d20+1. Initiative.

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I'm sensing weariness. But don't worry. Help is on the way. Sorta...

As a brightly plumed eagle materalizes on Selvin's  fist, and the rest of you draw together, a bolt of eldritch energy zooms over your heads and into the imp pulling on the woman's hair. One of the wizards lowers his hand and frowns. "Damn imps are worse 'n roaches."

You overhear the other wizard say as he shrugs, "Don' worry. Tha dragons'll be along soon enough."

You loose the thread of the conversation as one of the imps lands and lunges forward straight at Toke. The lanky alchemist steps to his left and the imp sails past straight into one of the swords of the Watchmen. Soomn the imps are surging forward towards the wizards, almost forgetting you entirely.

But not all of them are so focused. You see two imps run by, a small boy slung between them like a felled boar. They trot towards the corner, seeking to escape with their snack.

"Stop those two with the child before they kill him!" Vaddis yells with concern in his voice, while holding tightly to his sister's hand.

Toke shrugged, giving Vaddis a helpless glance. He had only just recently acquired a melee weapon and his only ranged weapon would damage the girl in the process. "Guess I'm hanging back then...." he said quietly, trying to hide the relief from his voice.


OOC: Sorry, trying to ham up the whole selfish coward thing, but he's not exactly in the best position at the moment.

Toke holds his action until further notice.

I'm assuming no takers on the Imps. OK. Let's move things along.

The press of the crowd behind you forces your party forward. You all move further into the square, regrouping near a statue of some founding father or similar luminary of Korvosa's long dead past glory.

As you look back, an Imp starts screaming. A small winged lizard, no bigger than Skirk's forearm has fastened it's claws into the fiend's back. Above, a phalanx of similar small dragons flies down from the sky and begins to engage the demons. Or is it devils. Whichever.

Marisha stares in wonder at the faerie dragons who have swooped in. With wide eyes, she looks up at Vaddis. "Can I have one as a pet? I promise ta walk 'im every day!"

The faerie dragons are long time residents of the city. They are useful in that they hunt the imps, keeping their population under control. But they are notoriously not interested in becoming pets.

The wizards move the guards on quickly. You catch your breath by the statue. Around you the City echoes still with shouts and sounds of vandalism and looting.

"Oy! Oy!" After a moment you all determine the shout is being directed at your group.

A Watch officer comes sauntering down the mainstreet. His gait is woobly. His uniform is covered in what you hope is mud. His cheeks are covered in a thick stubble and even from a distance you can tell his eyes are bloodshot. He waves at you and then holds up a pointer finger, indicating he needs a minute. He lifts a wine bottle to his mouth and guzzles the contents down in three, deep draughts. He tosses the bottle aside and winces as it smashes on the cobblestones. He looks back at you, peers, and then recollects he had hailed you. "Oy! You ain't looters are ya?"

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Tarrov looked slightly outraged.  "Looters!?!  Why, no sir!  I am Tarrov Garrick, journeyman member of the performer's guild and prized student to the lamentably late Mikael Burwich!  Perhaps you've seen my show at the Bard’s End?!?"  Tarrov nonchalantly waved his hand at his companions.  "And this is my entourage."  He glared at the watchman.  "So no, looters we are definitely not."

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"No we are not looters. Mr Garrick is correct. Is there a safe place left in the city for decent folk? Somewhere I can keep my sister safe until the current events pass so that I can take her home to our mother."

OOC: Sorry, have had a busy last few days or I would have had the eagle attack the imps.

Selvin saw that the wizards and faerie dragons seemed to have things well in hand, so kept the eagle with them until it disappeared a few minutes later. When the watchman called them out, he shook his head slightly and smiled. He chimed in as well, "We're jus' escortin' this man and her sister."

The Watch Officer raises an eyebrow. "Bard's End? Isn' that that theater where them dancers take off their clothes..." He wipes his mouth and then looks down at his palm. He wipes his palm on his tunic. "Not my thing. My thing's looters. Looters. Lootin' looters. Lootlootlootloot looters." He smacks his lips. "Looters."

If there was any doubt left in your mind as to his state of sobriety, as he steps closer, you can whiff the fine perfume of Basilisk's Kiss. A fine little bottle you can buy two for a copper.

He peers at Tarrov, then at Skirk. He continues down the line, gazing at each of you in turn until he crouchs down so he can look at Marisha. "Aren't you a tad young ta be lootin'?"

Marisha looks up at Vaddis. "He smells like Grandpa."

Glad the th i wish threat was under control, Skirk gives a sigh of relief.

Upon realizing the watchman was accusing them of looting, Skirk bristled.
Looters? he asks indignantly
Does it look like we are looting anything? By the gods, we were comeing to help with the impish menace and this is he thanks we get?

Vaddis straightens out his surcoat to promptly display the symbol of Iomedae to the guard, letting him know he is a paladin.

"Yes Marisha, it seems this guard is drunk on duty, your name, rank, and who is your superior officer?! You will be broken for your dereliction of duty! Possibly hanged for desertion!"

Selvin winced as Vaddis kicked into overdrive on the guard. He had hoped Vaddis might let this pass, but apparently he was destined to be disappointed. "Oh boy."

"Attention guard! You're an embarrassment to your uniform man! The only way I think you could possibly make amends would be for you to escort us to the Temple of Iomedae, and while there, you were to get on your knees and beg The Inheritor for redemption to save your soul!"

10:44, Today: Vaddis Sonaden rolled 19 using 1d20+2. Intimidate.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:45, Mon 28 Oct 2013.

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Tarrov looked thoughtful; no small task in the commotion.  "Gentlemen, this guardsman is clearly inebriated, which is affecting his ability to perform his duty.  Further," Tarrov gave the guardsman a meaningful look, "if he was caught out here in this state, in an emergency, by someone important, he would almost certainly lose his position, if not be imprisoned outright."

Tarrov looked around at his companions.  "I think such a guardsman might owe us a favor if we were to haul him to the nearest guard outpost and allow him to sleep off the effects of his over-exuberant alcohol consumption."  He gestured down the various streets.  "There is a guard outpost every four blocks or so.  Let's assist this debilitated guardsman to one of them.  They will clean him up for us, and the guard will owe us."  He raised an eyebrow.  "Probably not a bad thing, given how events have progressed to this point."

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"Imps?" The Watch Officer blinks at Skirk. "You can see 'em too? Oh thank whatever's holy. I thought I was hallud...hellouc...heluzing...seein' stuff that wasn't there."

He stares blearily at Vaddis. "Second Lieutenant Grau Sometin' or other. Reportin' for duty!" He clicks his heels together and salutes with one hand. Or tries to. One heel trips the other heel and he stumbles. His thumb gouges into his eye and he blnks furiously. "Ow." He glances around. "Them imps is sneaky bastards..."

Not counting the direction you came from, there are three exits onto the square. North will take you towards the shore. West will swing you towards the Castle. Southwest angles towards Zellara's home and Vaddis' mother's house.

"Sergeant, we need to take the Southwest route from the square. Please accompany us so that you can stop looting down that way."

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Tarrov nodded at Vaddis.  "Southwest it is; let's get Marisha home as soon as we can."

He gently laid a hand on the guardsman's elbow and began to steer him in the correct direction.  "Come on, Lieutenant, you're in no condition to be out here and you could get in a lot of trouble if someone finds you like this.  Come with us and we'll get you to the nearest guardhouse southwest of here; there should be one in a few blocks.  They'll help get you back on your feet and keep you out of trouble."

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This message was last edited by the player at 05:48, Wed 30 Oct 2013.

Selvin tried to hold in the chuckle he felt coming on at the guardsman's silly behavior. He turned away and rolled his eyes at Toke at it all. He shook his head but shrugged. They had gone through all the trouble to 'rescue' the girl, they might as well see her home.

Skirk would never understand some humans....

He shrugs, moving with the others to see Vaddis' brood member home

"Saldado!" The hulking officer of the Watch Post almost coughs forth the name like a curse. Grau stares at his feet. "We need every man out on tha streets in this mess. And look at you. Ya sot. No wonder Orisini kicked ya out on yer ass..."

Grau flinches a little but says nothing. The officer spits on the ground. "Well. Get your ass back in tha barracks. Ya got until third bell ta sleep ot off. Go!" The officer watches Grau stumble away and looks back at your group. "It's appreciated," he says. "Grau owes ya one. I'll make sure he remembers. And we owe ya one. Now's a bad time for some fool ta be erodin' public faith in tha Watch-"

"THA QUEEN'S A SLAG!"

The Officer sighs. "Case in point," he mumbles.

Behind you, two Watchmen are dragging a citizen towards the cells. The perp is an older man. Dirty and disheveled, the old man is covered in bruises and small cuts. He twitches in the Watchmen's arms and stares at the ceiling with wide eyes, as if reading something written there. A thick glob of foam sprays from his lips as he continues his rant. "SHE WAN'S US DEAD! SHE WANTS US BURNED DOWN TO THA GROUND! SHE'LL BE THA DEATH A'US! SHE'LL BE DEATH A' US ALL!"

The officer shakes his head. "I'll have ta beg your pardon. Things ta do."

I'm going to move us along

The City seems to twist and writhe as you walk the rest of the way to Vaddis'  mother's home. You pass by no less than three scenes of looting, two gang brawls, and man running naked through the streets holding a peacock by the neck. An old woman wails, cluching the body of her son, killed during some random brawl. By the time you draw near the house, things seem to be quieting down some. Marisha stirs in her brother's arms as you walk over the threshold.

Momma Vaddis is, to say the least, relieved. She clutches her daughter to her breast and kisses all of you on the forehead. Even   Skirk, who takes it good naturedly. She will not hear of not feeding you, and soon you are all seated in whatever chair she can find, eatting freshly made biscuts and warm sausage soup. If nothing else, Momma Vaddis  can cook.

She makes you all some kind of bedding. The ache of the day makes even a blanket on the floor seem inviting. You awake to the smell of fresh bread baking, refreshed Healed, spells ready, etc.

Skirk tears off a piece of cheese from the wheel Momma provided and pops it into his mouth. "So only the matter of this brooch to resolve then?"

Toke nodded solemnly. The other day he had been unnaturally quiet and out of sight. The presence of the guard often had a quieting effect on those of his ignominious profession. "Out of sight, out of mind." He had always said, and even a drunken guard could have heard of Toke and his dealings.

"If we choose to return it anyway..." He said, sloppily gorging himself on the hearty meal. He swallowed loudly and pointed at the rat with a piece of bread."I'm sure there's a market for something as shiny as that. Plus, it may get us closer to you know who."

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Tarrov raised an eyebrow at Toke as he slathered the hot, fresh-baked bread with butter.  "Surely we should take it back to the palace?  I can think of worst things than having the Queen owe us a favor."  He took a bite of the bread and sighed happily.  It was delicious.

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This message was last edited by the player at 05:19, Thu 31 Oct 2013.

"Ummm, this is good momma, very good! I missed home cooking!" he looks at the others then, "A favor from the queen, will she give us a favor, or lock us up so she can forget us? I don't trust her. As for selling it, that would be unsafe for sure if word got back to her and she decided to blame us for stealing it in the first place. Taking it to the palace is the right thing to do, let's just do it safely. Was a reward ever posted for it's return?"

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Tarrov jerked his head toward the door.  "Did you see what was happening out there?  I think the Queen needs all the allies she can get right about now.  I don't see her tossing us in the dungeons for returning one of her valued keepsakes."  He started buttering another slice of bread.  "In fact, this may be an opportunity for us to get in on the ground floor of her reign, as it were.  She needs friends in her time of need.  If we prove to be such friends, who knows what influence it might gain us once she consolidates her power?"

The bard raised his eyebrows at the group and took a bite of the newly-buttered bread.  "This is absolutely sinful, Mrs. S," the bard said, his mouth shamefully full.  "Thanks again for hosting us."

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Toke mused over the conversation. On one hand, he, like Vaddis, did not trust the crown at all. On the other hand, the crown did seem to be struggling at the moment and the thought of gaining potential political power was tantalizing. He licked his fingers before letting out a sour belch. Without bothering to excuse himself, he wiped his mouth on a sleeve before speaking. "Shall we put it to a vote then?" He asked, his seedy eyes surveying his associates.