"Halt in the name of the law!! Stay where you stand please!" Vaddis quickly moves toward the pair.

Selvin moved in from the back to make sure she couldn't escape, assuming there is a back entrance.

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"Wait, friends."  Tarrov put a hand on Vaddis' arm.  "For we're all friends here, aren't we?"  The silver-haired bard flashed his most winning smile at the maid, waving a hand through the air and muttering briefly.  "I'm sure we've met before, haven't we?  Surely I could not forget a beauty such as yourself."  His face took on a look of concern.  "Are you okay, milady?  What brings you out at such an odd hour?"


OOC:  Tarrov casts Charm Person on woman

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Hmmm. Interesting.

The clerk and maid look up, a little shocked as you all come over. Neither flinches nor breaks off in a run however.

The maid holds a hand to her throat and mutters, "My word...". She blinks and stammers. "Me? Why my Lady sent me to fetch her purchase iz all. She said she needs it quite quick." She bites her lip. "Did I do somethin' wrong officers?"

There's no doubt about it as you all draw near. She has the odor from the apartment behind the shop. Selvin, it's a match to a T.

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"We're just concerned," said Tarrov, sincerity dripping from his voice.  "Several people have been waylaid and have had their purchases stolen after leaving Ehert's shop--we suspect because people are desperate for what they have.  We simply want to make sure you make it back to your lady unmolested.  Would you allow us to accompany you back to your mistress?  I doubt such brigands would dare to attack you in our company."

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This message was last edited by the player at 04:47, Fri 10 Oct 2014.

"Mercy," she says, almost pulling her bonnet down over her ears. "Why bless you! Things in Korvosa have become awful, ain't they?"

She accepts the package from the clerk and tucks it under one arm. "Oh my. I'm almost terrified to step foot outside in the mornings. And my Lady was so frantic! She came by before sun was up, poundin' on my door and askin' me to fetch this." As you step outside she huddles a bit closer to Tarrov and Vaddis as she eyes Izzick and Selvin/Etc

"They're with you, right? Sorry gentlemen. This just has me all scared..."

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"Oh, it's quite all right," said Tarrov, waving a hand towards Izzick and Selvin, "they look menacing, but they're good men both.  And these days it pays to have a little menace on your side, am I right?"  He raised an eyebrow, then offered an arm to the woman.  "Let me escort you, milady.  Now, where exactly is it that we are going?  And why don't you tell me about your lady as we walk?  She sounds fascinating, and she's certainly lucky to have you for an assistant!"

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Vaddis just smiles and goes along, glad that Tarrov was back with them.

Selvin had to hide his smile as Tarrov worked his magic...literally! He looked around as if looking for people ready to ambush the lady. He followed along behind the group, watching for any threats.

"Oh but you do go on," she laughs though is obviously pleased by the compliment. She takes the offered arm. "My Lady's a fine woman. Quite beautiful. Shrewd too. Though maybe...well. Sometimes a bit too clever for her own good." She sighs a bit too dramatically. "I worry o'er her at times though. She...well. She is young at heart. An' will take to mixing with rough company. I wonder if she ain't gone an' gotten herself in o'er her head." She licks her lips nervously. "She...uh...seemed a might distressed when she showed up this morn. I...think there was some blood spilt. Not that it was her fault." She looks up into Tarrov's beautiful blue eyes. "I'm sure she meant no one harm."

Selvin and Vaddis, you notice someone following you. It could be he's going the same way. But as the maid takes you off the main road and through some of the less cleaner paths in the dorection of North Point, the odds of someone jut happening to be going in the same direction diminish.

He is young. Perhaps twelve or thirteen summers. Human. He wears tattered clothes nd no shoes. But what makes him distinctive is the eyepatch. And his feet look brown. As if covered in mud.

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"I'm sure she didn't."  Tarrov patted the woman's arm comfortingly.  "That's distressing to hear, though.  About this rough company, I mean."  He shot a glance over to Vaddis.  "Any idea who they might be?  What do you know about them?  There's a chance we might be able to extricate her from whatever problem she's gotten herself into."

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"We are being followed Tarrov, by what appears to be a child, though it could be a halfling."

Selvin nodded in agreement to Vaddis' words as he prowled along wrapped up in his ally. "I see 'em too. Do we wanna let 'em catch up, or lose 'em, or just' keep goin?"

The maid grimaces. She looks straight ahead. It is as of she wants to say, "Damnit!" but can't bring herself to do it. Instead she offers, "Oh I hope it's not one of Mr. Girrigz's fellas. They are a nasty bunch." She shakes her head. "My Lady can be quite the fool sometimes when it comes ta men." She frowns. "Quite the fool," she mutters.

The boy has been joined. A larger fellow walking along the other side of the street. The area you are in is much more run down. You are coming into some of the worst tha Korvosa has to offer. The buildings around are sparsely populated. Those that do are here because they have no further to fall. Turning to whoring or selling rugs is a step up for these people. You're coming to the area known as Racker's Alley. No one goes to Racker's unless they are looking to end things.

The Maid huddles closer. "We're almost there..."

"Should we call them out," Izzick says in a hushed whisper to his companions. Before, certainly, they could have been mistaken, but now it was almost certain that they were being followed and by more than one. Then again, in the part of town they were in, it was just as likely to be dangerous to stop as to go on. "And are we certain we're going the right way?"

I'm going to try and use Sense Motive to see if the maid actually seems to be under the spell or lying if that's possible?

23:31, Today: Izzick rolled 8 using 1d20+1. Sense Motive.

Well, nevermind that then

The maid shoots Izzick an angry glance. "Of course I'm sure. "

The trouble here is her voice sounds odd. Her accent slips. She coughs. "Sorry. I mean yes. I'm just...this is all so much stress..."

Vaddis alerts to the slip-up!

08:29, Today: Vaddis Sonaden rolled 25 using 1d20+5. Sense Motive.

Selvin frowned. This seemed very too...odd and convenient. The maid knew who might be following them. He had doubts that this was a maid to the woman they were after. He was still pretty suspicious it was the woman they were after disguised. He wanted to turn and fight those coming up behind them before the trap closed in front of them as well. But he had no proof, just suspicions.

"Is it time yet t'take care o'the ones followin' us? Or are we waitin' 'til she takes us where ever the best spot for them is at?"

08:10, Today: Selvin Larst rolled 7 using 1d20. Sense Motive on maid, yeah right.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:12, Fri 17 Oct 2014.

Vaddis grabs the woman's arm and guides her gently but firmly to a wall where he puts his back to it and tells her, "now please explain, 'maid.' you're caught out."

The maid looks up at Vaddis, then at the rest of you and blinks rapidly several times. She licks her lips. "Okay look," she says in a completely different, more urbane sort of voice. "I'm jus' doing a favor for a friend. That's all. Lemme go." She tries shaking off the paladin's meaty hook. "She just asked me to pick up a wand and meet her out her. I..." She sighs and adjusts her dress and shawl with her free hand. "I saw the kid back at the store. He's one of Girrigz's little flunkies. Me and Vendra used to party with 'em. But Girrigz got all hung up on her. That's all. You guys came along and I thought you'd make a nice escort. All I want to do is drop off the wand, pick up my coin, and get the hell out of here. " She smiles at Tarrov. "Maybe party with you. Huh Blue Eyes?"

Let's move things along...

As the maid goves you yet another story, you can see two more fellows lurking at the edges of your border. That's four total, including the kid.

"Send them away and take us to Vendra."

Selvin got down on all fours and let out a growling howl at the men advancing and yelled out to them. "If ya don't run away now, I'm gonna rip ya t'shreds an' gobble down what's left. I'M HUNGRY!!!"

08:07, Today: Selvin Larst rolled 22 using 1d20+3. Intimidation?

The maid shakes her head at Vaddis. "Sorry Baby. They aren't coming to help me. They're comin' to fetch me." She sighs. "Why don't guys ever take tha hint..."

A couple of the goons back up after Selvin's display. The largest one snickers. "You call that an animal?" He crouches as well. As he does, something happens. Grey fur begins to sprout through his skin. His nose and jaw elongate to a sharp muzzle with whiskers and large pointy incisors. A thick tail sprouts out from his backside. The others are begining to follow suit.

The maid waves a hand. "Oh yeah. They're all wererats..."