Angati followed the rest slowly out of the meeting while trying to search her mind for any information that might help them towards information. First regarding the city... where was it most likely that they Vanthus could be  or that they may find information about his whereabouts and... did she know anyone in Nobility that was most likely to be involved with these Lotus Dragons, or who might give her information or clues as to where to go ?.

"Guys, there is also this asshole of a detective... hmm this Victor... maybe for some money he can give us a clue or point us in the right direction"

OOC:

07:57, Today: Angati rolled 11 using 1d20+8. Knowledge Nobility.
07:57, Today: Angati rolled 19 using 1d20+2. Knowledge local.

Angati wracks her brain for a contact in the nobility that might be able to help, but just can't think of anyone. Well, there is Amarilde Vanderboren of course... but that is the only person that comes to mind.

In terms of local knowledge... the old ladies who volunteered at the shrine of Liir were usually up to date on gossip and maybe Vanthus was notorious enough to appear on their radar. Of course there is no telling how much is true and how much is just malicious rubbish.

Victor Saint-Demain was another possibility, although surely going to that self-aggrandizing show off would be a final option.

OOC: OK, I'll wait until all the players have said how and where they are going to look for clues before I reveal the results. I still need input from Kassius and Celene.

Leaving the mansion, Celene stated her intentions to the rest. "If you are going to sift through the more illicit parts of city life, I'll try more out in the open, and less criminal parts. I'll start by heading to Azure, where Vark had his little show, supposedly on behalf of Vanthus. Maybe people around the docks or in the harbour taverns have seen him. Of course, anyone wanting to come along are welcome?" If no-one else are inclined, she heads off alone into the city.

Diplomacy to gather information (DC at GM discretion):
13:00, Today: Celene rolled 12 using 1d20+8. Diplo - gather information.


Another line of thought had occured to Celene regarding Vanthus though. A line that sent shivers down her spine, as it was memories she did not wish to awaken ever again. But it could not be denied access to her mind.

When she had briefly encountered him in the past, he'd been in cahoot with a priest of Kord, if her dreams were to be trusted. Were there a temple of Kord in the city, and if not, were they under cover? She seemed to remember they'd been banned from the city, but she may be wrong. If need be, she'd return to the temple of Wee Jas, to learn more.

13:01, Today: Celene rolled 19 using 1d20+5. Know religion - Kordians in the city.

This message was last edited by the player at 11:04, Tue 04 Aug 2015.

"I'll try checking out the gossiping forces of the city... I am sure if anything moves they have a sniff on it... of course, at times, they get a sniff even if things don't move... but well... it's a starting point".

OOC
12:25, Today: Angati rolled 19 using 1d20+9. Diplomacy to gather information.

Lavinia shrugs. "I am sorry Logan but I never met any of his new 'friends'. He didn't bring any of them back to the house so I can't help you at all."



"Oh, my goodness, I don't think he would've been in Shadowshore, I'm sure he never got involved in anything THAT bad," says the noblewoman before realizing who she was talking to.

"Oh, not that there aren't some very nice people in Shadowshore. I mean, at least I guess so..." she let's her voice tail off as it appears that she doesn't know more than one person from that part of the city.



Logan heads into Shadowshore to investigate what can be discovered able this disreputable nobleman in his old haunts. Alohan tags along, mopping around behind the rogue as he goes through this whole 'poor little rich boy' phase.

Logan begins to realize just how successful the Lotus Dragons have been over the last couple of months as he learns that guild after guild of thieves have been wiped out by these guys. Sure - after Sasserine regained its freedom 10 years ago there was a power vacuum that created a host of little thieves guilds sprinkled over the city, so some attrition was to be expected, but it looks like the Lotus Dragons are close to becoming the ONLY organized crime group in Sasserine. Even so, Logan can find precious little hard information on them and nothing first hand - if any of his contacts are members they aren't admitting it - but a lot of people tell him over a beverage about the strength and brutality of the Lotus Dragons and their crazy initiation test which requires candidates to wrestle a green dragon in a sewer or variations on this.

Eventually the pair stumble across a lead in 'The Velvet Hatch' - Shadowshore's notorious brothel. Apparently Vanthus has been hanging out with a Shadowshore dwarf with a long history of violent crime called Penkus - Logan had a few run-ins with this dwarf when he was younger and had learnt to stay away from him. Apparently Penkus and Vanthus were seen going into 'It Still Floats!', a rather miserable second hand boat yard located at the eastern side of Barge End.

They also run into somebody else in the Velvet Hatch.

“Oh, ehh. Hello Sire!” says Remmi as he bumps into both of them in the common room of the brothel. “I was just… ehh… trying to find you some replacement socks,” he says, rather uncertainly.

OOC. I'm going to say that Kassius heads out with Celene to the Azure district since this is a pretty tough place, only a little better than Shadowshore, so she needs some backup.

Oh, but Azure wasn't where Vark was... he started in the merchant district by robbing the shop then moved back to Barge End in Shadowshore. I am going to say that you go to the merchant district instead, as I think that is what you mean.

Celene and Kasius head to the merchant's district and starting from the little dressmaker's shop, work their way around this area of town seeing if they can get any information...

...they are unsuccessful. Nobody hear admits to seeing or hearing anything about Vanthus or even Soller Vark.



The worship of Kord, the god of Athletics, Sports, Storms, Brawling, Strength, and Courage, was an extremely common religion in Sasserine with almost everyone in the Champion district being a member of the faithful (no religion check required). There was a huge temple to him in the Champion district (no religion check required!). Yes, there had been tensions between the churchs of Wee Jas and Kord in the past, but relations were at least cordial now, although there was a fundimental difference between the two faiths - Kord was a disoraganised by goog god (CG) while Wee Jas but the law above all (LN).

Angati heads for the everflowing well of gossip that is the shrine of Lirr in the noble district, the spot where elderly ladies with far too much time on their hands came to waste some of it. Since Angati could blend in with them seemlessly she was able to learn a lot... just not much of it useful.

Old Biddy #1: That Vanthus Vanderboren is a bad boy!
Old Biddy #2: He is very close to his cousin, far too close I hear!
Old Biddy #3: I hear he is shacked up with some 'artist' (she uses air quotes when saying artist) in the Azure district.
Old Biddy #4: What is her name? She is one of the Santos bunch, right? They aren't much better than pirates.
Old Biddy #5: I hear he has got a lot of women pregnant!
Old Biddy #6: There was something funny with his sister... Years ago now, but I remember!
Old Biddy #7: He's a bad one alright!

Kassius had said little during the discussion of how to find Lavinia's brother. Kassius was skilled in tracking, but more of the droppings and footprint type, and less the asking people type of tracking. So he agreeably follows Celene around the Azure district as some obvious muscle.

As he walks, he gets an idea himself. "You know, if these Lotus Dragons really do have a dragon in town, there's got to be some sign of it. A creature that big, it needs lots of food, and will have lots of waste to be cleared away. I wonder if we could find those fellows that way?"

Alohan looked at Remmi puzzled, unsure if the 'socks' he sought -in a brothel no less- were a euphemism for something else. "Nonsense hoaloha. We not be wearing socks," he announce, looking down at his own feet and back to his loyal friend. "You be looking to bury ya eel in a different type of sock, dis no secret." The crown prince waved away Remmi's overly false, poor feigned offended reaction. Alohan stole a glance at Logan, switching to his native tongue.

[Language unknown: "Ha ounbleome reswerand. Io unpo erlial nd i te essateoer ourch venenceau. Fi u heroneati I hosta it ev u waslo. U beany our nith ous k ndeoulect tra te ce K in sion oswe Ac n thuro llee p at ica."] Alohan switched back to include Logan. "We be lookin' for two people -Vandus Vanderboren and de dwarf Penkus. I be doubtin' Vandus be frequenting this establishment but de dwarf Penkus be a regular customer. Find what ya can for me Remmi," he demanded.

Celene looks at Kassius, realising that he's just about said more in these sentences than he's said during their entire previous acquaintance. He doesn't speak much, but when he does, it's obviously worth listening to. "Kassius, that's... a good idea! It doesn't make it easy, but it's a lead. Of course, there is that 'if'. Boasting of a green dragon is much easier than actually keeping one. I guess."

Celene stowed away her ponderings on Kord and Vanthus, switching to Kassius' idea - but just for the moment, it was not forgotten. "But where to start? Lots of waste spells 'sewers' to me. Do you know anything about the sewage system beneath the system?"

OOC: (if there is such a system here?)

I dunno much about sewers or cities, but they do seem a likely place to hide a dragon. Also maybe we should ask at the gates if anyone's been bringing in suspicious amounts of raw meat?"

Angati chitchatted her way out of the old crones, to try to get some time to think on her own before taking her next step.

She did not know much about artists and all, but maybe she knew someone that would, that Diamond Back fellow, he/she might know something about who Vanthus might be hanging with... after all, the entertainment world was not that big and everyone knew of everyone...

With her mind set, she set off to try to find Diamond back and speak with him for a while...

OOC: Let me know or roll yourself any rolls needed please. When the day is over I'd go to the tavern to meet with Logan. Else, if there is still time left, Angati would pay a visit to her sister to let her know how things were... maybe she'd be happy to see her affliction seemed to have slowed down a bit...

"Oh, yes, thank you sire!" says the man in their native tongue.



"Well, I could use a few contacts here to feel things out," he says without any hint of double meaning.

OOC: What level does Angati get 'Cure STD' at? Between Alohan and his cohort that spell is going to be required very soon.


Remmi disappears deeper into the building to ask around and comes back a few minutes later. As it turns out, Penkus was well known and quite feared in the establishment - he had a fearsome temper, espiecially after he had been drinking. He was a regular visitor normally, coming by every couple of days, but hadn't visited in over a week. Remmi couldn't get any other information, and didn't find out anything more about Vanthus.

That just leaves the lead with the 'It Still Floats!' boat yard in Barge End.

OOC: Nope, Sasserine has no sewer system other than its streets, and the canals and waterways that these empty into. At least the frequent rain washes the worst of the waste away every night.

The city is like Venice in that it is built on sandy islands in a lagoon, although the islands that Sasserine stretchs across do have a little higher elevation than Venice - some of them are 10-20 feet above the sea level - but the urban myth of there being a green dragon in tunnels beneath the city is very difficult to support since:

1) There are no sewers beneath the city nor other large natural chambers. Any dungeon would have to be cut out of the sand, and then the rock beneath the sand.

2) Dragons are big and even if a small dungeon complex could be created, it would never be large enough to house a dragon! The water table is high and it would be hard to dig anything other than a small basement like Aubrek did.

As for checking at the gates if lots of raw meat has been brought into the city, almost everything that is brought into the city comes by boat and thanks to Keltar's mismanagement almost none of that is checked - as the recent shipment of exotic animals on the Blue Nixie showed.

No knowledge checks required to figure all this out, it is common knowledge and can be seen just by looking around the place.

Sorry, but I think it is going to be difficult to track down the green dragon - if it even exists.

OOC: Heh. Diamondback is actually an androgynous woman, not a dude. I think you made that mistake at the wedding as well, which is pretty funny :D You learnt from Diamondback that she normally performs with her team in the merchant district so you can head over there and try and find her if you like. I need a gather information (diplomacy) DC10 check for that thanks.

Angati headed for the merchant district trying to find Diamond Back, and see if she knew anything about this woman hanging out with Vanthus.

OOC I didnt recall if it was an androginous woman or a feminate man or if it was never clear what she was... Anyway... a woman it is :)

08:57, Today: Angati rolled 17 using 1d20+9. DC Diplomacy Check gather Info.

Angati doesn't have to wander far into the merchant district to find the bizare street performer as she is up on stilts with the rest of her team in the middle of the main market. Diamondback takes a few minutes away from juggling flaming torches and daggers to come down and talk to the oracle. Her make-up today is just as severe as the last time Angati saw her - but this time there are a series of black diamonds carefully drawn on top of the white foundation making her face look a bit like a chessboard on an angle.

"Greetings Madam Lidu. Your window remains closed thus far? I am so glad!"

OOC. Just to remind you, Diamondback kept going on about life being a bird trapped in a room and all it takes is one thoughtless person to open a window and then a life is ended - or some such rubbish.

The exotic Alphatian woman listens as Angati describes Vanthus and asks if Diamondback knows him. After pausing for some time, the performer shakes her head.

"I am sorry great lady, but I have never met him. I have not been in the city long and when you walk on silts all day you do not gain the acquaintance of many people. I will let you know if I cross paths with this brooding and disreputable character. Until then. Guard your exits Madam Lidu!”

This message was last edited by the player at 08:16, Wed 05 Aug 2015.

Logan eyes Alohan's...valet?  Guard?  I wonder what he actually does, other than visit prostitutes?  The man can certainly take care of himself in a fight, but he orders Remmi around.  Finally, the rogue gives a small shrug.  Eh, none of my business."

"Well, off to Barge End, I suppose.  We'll see if we can catch sight of Vanthus or Penkus there.  'It Still Floats...I wonder.  First Vanthus had the Vanderboren ship out in the channel, getting ready to sail.  Now he's at another boat yard.  I wonder if he wants to escape and where, exactly he wants to go?  And what his plan is.  It can't be very far if he's looking to buy a ship from that dump.  Most of the things they sell there will likely only be 'boats' for as long as it takes to sail a few hundred feet down the channel."

OOC: Just want to point out that Vanthus (and Vark) had set the Blue Nixie up to smuggle illegal animals out of the city - there was no evidence he was going to sail with her and 'escape' - but it is an interesting theory.

Logan's estimation of the sailing vessels that are available in the ship yard 'It Still Floats!' proves to be dismally accurate. Alohan's sailor's eye is horrified at the condition of boat after boat as they walk down the short wharf to where a flimsy hut poking out over the water serves as a primate office - it looks like the building might have originally been an outhouse before be repurposed for commerce. Alohan feels that Logan's comment 'they can't be going far if they're looking to buy a ship from that dump' was spot on. He doesn't see anything he would personally want to untether from the wharf while he was sitting in it.

On a rough wooden bench outside the hut sits an old and worn looking dwarf, smoking a pipe the emits a terrible reak. "Aye... I'm Panchi the dwarf and I own this place. Are you two lads here to build a vessel? No, I suppose not. Frakken jerks. I'm going out of business this month for sure. I don't know why I bother..." the dwarf continues in this vein and shows no sign of stopping.

Kassius continues where he left off, muttering, "Eh, even if we tried nobody in the frakking city likely knows if food is being sent in suspicious quantities, thanks to that decaying louse Keltar Islaran's idea of "security." Kassius continues, spitting off to the side.

"Maybe searching for dragon spoor won't work. Do you have any ideas besides continuing to wander around accosting random merchants?"

Celene recognized the sarcasm in Kassius' comment, but really couldn't be bothered taking offense. She was feeling hot and tired after searching aimlessly around.

"We can't easily hook up with the others, scattered as we are. The second best thing would be to check up on Amarilde, to see if Vanthus has made any more absurd intrusions in her life, or otherwise left a clue to his whereabouts. She might also have an idea to his preferred waterholes and such. Agreed?"

OOC: on the way (around or back) Celene would like to shop some scrolls (spend that money burning in her pocket). Is that ok, and should I write it, or just assume it done?
This message was last edited by the player at 21:22, Wed 05 Aug 2015.

Alohan shook his head the poor shape these 'boats' were in. His people were excellent sailors -seafaerers by birth. It is said the best Nuari sailors are able to guide their boats without the use of tools, able to sail hundreds of miles in open water with just their skill and the lights of night. His Uncle -one the more infamous Nuari sailors- educated Alohan on some of his techniques. "When you let yourself free, you can feel the ocean," he would say over coconut liquor. "You can feel it deep inside of you." Sure enough, his uncle would sail completely naked, sitting in the middle of his outrigger canoe with his testicles dangling below deck, 'feeling' the swells of the ocean. Alohan was admittedly never the sailor his uncle was but it was something he wanted master.

And now that he had forsaken the female genitalia Alohan needed a hobby.

"Greetings Panci. I be looking ta buy a boat," he said, matter-of-factly, ignoring the dwarf's gruff, dismissive attitude. "With dis boat, I be needin' some information. Since we be in a position to help each oder -me wit de monies, and you wit de boat- I be believin' this shall be a fruitful exchange." Alohan looked back at the wharf, motioning to the boats. " Lead me to ya best piece of woodwork and tell me wat ya be knowin' of a customer named Vandus."

---

Boat: I want to buy the best boat this place has
Source: http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/frie...ology_of_Oceania.pdf
This message was last edited by the player at 23:22, Wed 05 Aug 2015.

Kassius merely grunts, signifying his acceptance of Celene's plan. It seemed as good an idea as any other, and the hunter was worried about Amarilde. She seemed quite naive, but genuine and good. Kassius would hate to see those traits be abused.