Selvin listened carefully. His thoughts started going off in very different directions as he heard the words and thought back to the letters they had found. Things were very complicated. He restrained himself from shaking his head. He wasn't looking forward to being what amounted to cleanup crew for other peoples' mistakes but that seemed to be where they were heading with these jobs.

"I s'pose I'm in."


OOC: What happened to the psuedodragon btw?

Croft nods at the chest. "I understand about renummeration. As you'll see. There's two quad there. Bring me Trinia alive and you'll get another one just like it."

Fifteen hundred gold in coins is a fairly decent wage.

Croft nods. "This Trinia's supposed to be living in an upper floor flat in the Midlands. The mob activity is pretty thick around there. But my men have been keeping them under control. Just. If I send in a squad to find her and arrest her, we'll have a riot. Here's the address." She slides a slip of paper across the table. "Quick. Clean. Quiet. Any questions?"

To be clear: You just got paid 1500 gold for Verik. She's offering you nother 1500 for Trinia. Malder is holed up at All World's Meat. It wasn't a good idea for him to accompany you to Guard HQ after all. He is a deserter. And he needed the rest. He did just get run through. You can of course approach him for extra muscle.

Mejinko has been following your group since you left Eel's End. He did not accomapny you inside the Guard's Citadel. He will be making an appearance again soon.

Toke shook his head and eagerly grabbed his money. He pointed at his new hat and ring and regarded the party. "Perhaps we should get this stuff checked out first? Maybe sell off any excess weight we may have accumulated?" Before he left, he did have one final question for Croft. "After we're all said and done here, is all the reward we're getting monetary? I mean, don't get me wrong, the money's nice, but a nice cush job is even better."

"Thank you, that's 375 gp each for each job, if we succeed."

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Tarrov picked up the paper as Kroft slid it across the table.  He briefly looked at the address, then back at the Marshal as he placed the note in his bandolier.  "I think we are on the same page.  Get in, get the girl, get out, and get her back here for trial."

The bard paused, drumming his fingers on the table.  "I have just one concern, Marshal.  I hope you don't mind my saying that, from the recent history you have described, it seems as if someone does not want this poor girl's story getting out.  Or at least that she is being set up to take the fall for whomever might be truly responsible for the king's untimely death."  He coughed delicately.  "I would hate to return her to your custody only to have her die there under mysterious circumstances.  I trust you've taken steps to ensure that will not occur?"

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This message was last edited by the player at 16:11, Fri 18 Apr 2014.

Croft raises an eyebrow at Toke's question. "If you find one, lemme know. I'm afraid there's not going to be any cush jobs for some small amount of time to come..."

She frowns at Tarrov. "If you're asking will Trinia have an 'accident' while in my care...not if I can help it. She's like any other suspect. She gets her day in court. Even if I have to sit in front of her cell with a battle axe and take on all comers." She leans forward. "Let's get something straight. I. Enforce. The Law. And the Law says she gets her day in court. That tell you what ya need to know?"

Vaddis rises from his seat, puts his pack on and adjusts it, and nods his head to Croft, indicating he is ready to go.

Anyone else go anything for Kroft? And did you want to get the items identified on the way to Midlands?

Selvin gave a shrug of his shoulders. "I guess that's good enough for me." He looked at Tarrov to see if he had any concerns with that. It wasn't perfect, but at least if the woman was telling the truth it was the best they were likely to get. Aside from guarding Trinia themselves, that is.

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"It does.  And I'll accept your word on that, Marshal."  Tarrov nodded as the woman forcefully defended her commitment to the rule of law.  He shot a glance to Selvin and gave him a slight shrug, as if to say this is what we have to work with, I guess.  "We'll get started immediately.  Hopefully we'll have the girl safely in your custody soon."  He gestured to the door.  "May I"

He rose from the table, received the Marshal's formal dismissal, and followed the others out of the room, thinking back on whatever he might have heard about Marshal Kroft and her reputation.

OOC:

15:19, Today: Tarrov Garrick rolled 16 using 1d20+7. Knowledge (Local) re: Marshal Kroft.

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Toke left a bit disheartened. Being a well paid gopher was nice, really nice, but eventually there's going to come a time in which everything to do has been done, and that leaves poor old Toke without a job. He burned his bridges when he left for revenge and its not like he was making any more connections playing boyscout and killin' off competition.

Still a job was a job. It looked like the rest seemed a-okay with the current setup, and they seemed like decent folk so far. No need to rock the boat yet, specially when the waters just calmed down a bit. After all, this was a simple pick up/drop off, what's the worse that could happen?

Vaddis fell in line and followed the others out without a word at the moment.

Tarrov thinks over the matter while you all walk to the nearest purveyor of wonders.

The purveyor is a wise man, learned in the wonders of world of shadows. The sign on his shop says so.

He studies the ring. "Ah. This is a simple alteration magic. See the mark of the always sworling feather here? Just under the dragonfly's chin? It is useful if you take a tumble. Say off the side of a building. What? We live in Korvosa. People are always falling off buildings here. Wear this. You'll land fine. "

He pshaws the dust. "It just makes that which is invisible visible. I have a crate of this stuff."

He blinks at the hat. "Ah. Now this...this is a bit more interesting. I've seen a few like it before. But this is by far the best like it I've seen. See that stitching? You don't see stitching like that anymore. The magic here is a glamour. It will make you appear as other than you are. And it's much more powerful I think than most others of a like make. I know several actors who would kill for such a treasure. "

Ring of feather fall. Two doses dust of appearance. Masterwork hat of disguise. Double the effect and duration on the hat. You're welcome.

You stroll towards the Midlands, gnoshing on apples and roasted snake on a stick you bought from a street vendor. As you walk, the number of people on the street increases. By the time you come down the lane to the heart of the Midlands, it is like you are waltzing into a festival. It doesn't seem to be a festive type of festival though. There's no street performers. And everyone looks surly, drunk, and nasty. Croft was correct. The mood of the mob in these parts is pretty ragged.

There are people screaming at each other and you pass at least one brutal gang fight. One side said Trinia was a whore. The other side called her a gold digging trollop. No wonder they came to blows.

The address you have is a tall tenement building that sags to one side. Trinia's apartment is on the top floor. As you peer upwards, you see the usual suspension of rope bridges and clothes lines that marks the rooftop as part of the Shingles. The city above the city where the poorest and most desperate live beside chokers and imps under the glory of the open sky.

An old woman with a face that could halt a machete fight is sweeping the steps of the building's entry. She stops and swings the broom upwards, so she catches the haft of the broom in both hands. She scowls at you and says, "You don' live 'ere. Whaddya want?"

Vaddis prominently displays his holy symbol for the woman to see, while concealing it from the crowd. "We come on a mission of mercy mother, may we tend to the flock inside please? With your permission and aid of course," he says in a kind, flattering, and sincere way.

10:35, Today: Vaddis Sonaden rolled 12 using 1d20+8. Diplomacy. Sadly, the dice gods are against me. Tarrov?

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"Indeed, ma'am," said Tarrov, who was barely able to keep from grinning and rolling his eyes at Vaddis, "the church has sent us in mediate and perhaps resolve this terrible affair.  I am confident that we will be able to help both you and your tenants from experiencing the . . . more unfortunate effects of this angry crowd's fulmination."

The bard went on, sporting a serious mien.  "The church would prefer not to have a riot here; too many people would get hurt, yourself and your tenants foremost among them.  We would like to see what we can do about," Tarrov paused, "removing the cause of this crowd's unrest to a safer location."  He put his hands out, palms up, in a gesture of supplication.  "Helping people like this is what we do, and we're very good at it.  Please let us in before this," he jerked his head back towards the crowd, "gets any uglier than it already is."

OOC:

16:03, Today: Tarrov Garrick rolled 30 using 1d20+12. Bluff Check.

I've got your back, Vaddis.  ;)

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This message was last edited by the player at 23:09, Tue 22 Apr 2014.

The haggard crone smiles at Tarrov. "Well...you are a pretty man..." She scratches a wart on her chin. "You go. Jus' tell anyone that I put up a fight. I gotta reputation ta maintain ya know."

You walk inside. The building is no nonsense. A small foyer woth a few apartments off it. A stairwell leading to the upper floors. A man is walking down the stairs, carrying a box. He stops when he sees you and smiles after a moment. A very large, nervous looking grin. "WELL HELLO ARMED STRANGERS," he bellows for no particular reason. "HOW NICE TO SEE YOU HERE. WE LOVE ARMED STRANGERS AN' ALL."

Several children huddled at the landing of the second floor scamper up the stairs to the third.

Toke didn't quite care for the loud man. He gave the man a penetrating gaze hoping to find out if he was trying to warn their target. He then remembered who he was traveling with and was at a mental impasse. How did they treat would-be rats? Of course back in the gang the only good rat was a dead rat, but he had a feeling that his current associates felt differently. Perhaps he would just inform the group and precede to stay out of its way. This whole operation was Tarrov's and Vaddis' idea in the first place, he was just happy he was getting a full cut. They seemed to have a tenacious drive that reminded Toke of his academical life. Before he became Toke.

02:32, Today: Toke rolled 18 using 1d20. Sense Motive.

"WE ARE NOT STRANGERS, WE ARE FRIENDS COME TO HELP AN UNFORTUNATE TO ESCAPE THE MOB." Vaddis yells in response to let the girl know they meant her no harm. "Now please step aside, we mean her no harm, or would you rather the mod get her? You know it is only a matter of time until they get the nerve up to come for her."

Selvin let out a sigh when the man yelled up to warn Trinia. He jumped and winced simultaneously when Vaddis yelled back. He doubted that was going to help. He glanced at Tarrov. "We should likely cover exits at this point, yes? Or do we trust that she will instead by hidden by others upstairs and we must convince them?"

"If she just hides I'm sure we can find her, but if she goes for the rooftops, there is no 'covering the exits', she will be gone and at the mercy of whoever finds her." Vaddis replies. Vaddis then looks back at the man on the steps, "We really mean no harm. We are her only chance to survive this mess." Vaddis then looks at Tarrov in earnest!

09:36, Today: Vaddis Sonaden rolled 9 using 1d20+8. Diplomacy. The dice fecking HATE ME!!!!

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“Thank you, my dear lady.”  Tarrov smiled appreciatively.  “The gods bless you and yours.”  He winked.  “And we will be happy to maintain your reputation.  The legend of your fearsome resistance will become known far and wide, should we have anything to say about it.”  He paused.  “And we will!”

Tarrov raised a despairing eyebrow at the loud man, sighing in disappointment, then nodded along with Vaddis’ explanation of their intent.  “We really are here for her benefit, my good fellow, so you’re doing her no favors if your high-volume greeting was an encouragement for her to run for the exits.”  He tried not to grind his teeth in frustration.

He looked back as Selvin suggested covering the exits.  “Normally I’d agree, Selvin, but did you see the rope bridges and such leading to and from this building?  I don’t think there’s any way we can cover all of those, even if we were quick enough to get there before she did, which I doubt we are.  Especially given her superior knowledge of this building.  No, if she wants to get away, she probably will at least get out of the building, which I unfortunately don’t think will be very healthy for her.”

Since everyone was raising their voice, Tarrov decided he might as well get in on the act.  “Trinia!”  He spoke in his deep, sonorous, comforting performer’s baritone.  “We are here to rescue you!  We are your best and possibly only avenue of escape from this place.  The mob outside will not remain at bay forever, and taking chances outside on your own will be risky at best.  We can protect you.  Please, come out and let us do that.”

OOC:

23:48, Today: Tarrov Garrick rolled 31 using 1d20+12. Bluff Check.

Hopefully you can pick me up next time I’m rolling poorly, Vaddis.  :)

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The old crone pokes her head in the doorway as Tarrov and Vaddis try to reason with the man. You all notice her giving him the hairy eyeball. He certainly notices it.

He sighs and shifts the box so it's under one arm. "Trinia's on tha third floor. She usually lays down a little spell when she goes out. Case anyone comes inta her room. She'll probably climb out her window, scoot over the ledge and shimmy up tha drainpipe to tha roof. That's what she said she'd do if anyone came. She'd disappear inta tha Shingles." He points at a door on the second floor landing. "That's my room. Tha west window actually leads out to tha fire escape. You can take that up to tha roof. If ya hurry, you should catch her there."

He seems sincere. Or at least too afraid of the crone to lie.

If you're going, I'll need an init roll please. Not for combat, but so I can track who's moving first in each round. Thanks.

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Tarrov slapped the man on the shoulder.  "You made the right choice.  Trinia will benefit.  Thank you, sir."  He looked back at the crone and winked.  "And thank YOU, ma'am," he said, touching his forehead and giving her a slight bow and a sincere smile.

Then, with no further ado, he headed for the man's door, out the window, and up to see if he could rescue Trinia before the girl got herself into any more trouble.

OOC:

01:59, Today: Tarrov Garrick rolled 15 using 1d20+1. Initiative.

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07:39, Today: Vaddis Sonaden rolled 17 using 1d20. Initiative.

Selvin always felt a little off when he didn't have his ally with him, but he couldn't have it with him all the time. And this was one of those times where he hadn't. He nodded his thanks to the man as they headed towards where he had indicated.

08:20, Today: Selvin Larst rolled 17 using 1d20+1. Initiative.