Angati woke when the first rays of the dawn sun broke into her small room from the slanted window above her head. Her room was in the attic of the shrine of Lirr, which meant that it got hot fast and always encouraged her to get up and get started. As she quickly washed, dressed and combed her grey hair, she considered her day with a sigh. As a member of the noble classes she would never be expected to clean or do menial work, but that didn't mean that her life was exciting. As a volunteer in the small shrine dedicated to the goddess of prose, poetry, literacy, and art, she would spend the day in the library cataloguing books, or organising supplies for the painting lessons, or just making small talk with the other elderly noble ladies who had nothing else to do.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:30, Wed 14 Jan 2015.

'Damn this back' was the first thing that escaped Angati's lips as she tried to get up. It took another try, and even that one wasn't without a humph... 'I have to remember to get up on my side... rolling' but it was sort of hard to remember... she hadn't had a full lifetime of getting old to build these habits into her daily motions. The pain would dissappear as the day wore on, but for the time being it was a pain in the ass.

She looked around, and the warmth of the day was good in her bones. Also... everything seemed in order in her bedroom. It seemed that her sister had been sufficiently pacified the night before...  She washed up and put her clothes on. As usual her slippers had been moved during the night. She just sighed and smiled... this time, Anansi had placed them on the sill of the window. At least she hadnt thrown then away.

She put them on, and had a spare breakfast. She didn't talk much with the other women, it was not that they were not cordial, it was just that they didn't talk at breakfast... no one could ever give her any reason for it, but each person had breakfast with a book (not one of the expensive ones of course) and took care to enjoy that time for their own.

Afterwards she moved on to the library, there, sister Agnes was already waiting for her, with a pile of books that some noble had returned... they needed to go through the bookkeeping and then checking and mending before putting them back on the shelves.

Angati put out her hand to reach for the book on the top of the pile and it suddenly jerked off the table and fell on the ground. Sister Agnes looked up and gave Angati a stern look, then returned to rebinding an expensive text. The oracle signed, and took a step forward to reach for the book. It quickly slid along the ground and stopped just out of her reach. When she took another step the book jumped up, slammed into Angati's kneecap and then flew back a little more out of reach.

"Shhhh!" said Agnes, looking up from her work again and peering at the oracle over the top of her glasses. With a shaking of her head, the sister went back to stitching.

Stifling a curse under her breath, Angati turned away from the first book, returned to the pile and reached for the book now on top. The pile of books exploded in ten different directions sending texts flying around the room, slamming into bookshelves and walls.

"QUIET!" screamed Sister Agnes, taking her glasses off and flinging them onto the table in front of her. "QUIET! QUIET! QUIET! Why do you have to destroy almost every morning with your insufferable horseplay?!"

<response?>

The door to the library was flung open and Brother Karthach strode into the room. The bookish dwarf was leader of the shrine - or at least as close to a leader as they had. They were not a clerical order so there was no strict hierarchy, but he had been there the longest and was well loved by the other followers of Liir and respected by the nobility who visited and provided the funds to keep the temple going. The small dwarf held something in the palm of his hand with a small blue cloth over it. He walked up to Agnati, held out his hand and removed the cloth with a flourish - he held a small cake.

"Happy name day Agnati! Oh, I know you said you didn't want to celebrate them anymore, but I just couldn't resist." He caught the grumpy look that Sister Agnes was giving the oracle, but just smiled back. "Don't worry Agnes! I know my own rules, no eating in the library! I will take the name day girl out to eat this and in any case..." He looked at Agnati, "I want to tell her the surprise I have for her in private!" He grinned like maniac.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:43, Wed 11 Feb 2015.

Angati pursed her lips as the first book started moving. Without saying a word, she bent down to try to pick it.  As her sister started playing further with the book and even hitting her knee with it she whispered "Anansiiiii, please... stop it... what is wrong ?".

Then all the books moved with Sister Agnes predictable reaction. Angati's voice was soft and mellifluous, she had a way of charging her words with feeling through intonation that made for a good part of her charm "Excuse me Agnes... this arthritis is killing me" she knew there was no point explaining, and at best it would cause her a problem, so instead she went through her list of older-woman-excuses as she liked to call it, and went for the Arthritis as a plausible cause. She knew that nothing would appease Sister Agnes more, than feeling younger.

Karthach entrance was more than welcome, although as soon as he mentioned her name day, her smiled fell from her lips, and she unconsciously brought her hand to her face, as if checking if there were new wrinkles .She couldn't find any with that quick gesture, but she made a mental note to check as soon as she had a minute in front of a mirror... for sure her breasts would have sagged a bit more, or the veins in her neck would be more prominent... but Karthach was speaking and she was barely listening.

"Ohh... of course, I'd be delighted" she said trying to leave the books as organised as possible before leaving... then as she advanced with the dwarf and almost as an after thought she said "Thank you, its very kind of you".

"Not at all my dear!" said the dwarf and guided her out into the central garden. This early in the day the grounds were empty except for the beautiful marble statues and peacocks that lived there. Karthach sat down on a while marble bench and passed the small cake onto her when she sat next to him.

"Don't let Agnes get you down," he said. "She likes a quiet life and nothing more..." He pauses. "How is the cake?"

</Yellow<Yellow>>"So Agnati, I have an idea. You know how I have to run errands around the city at times? I want you to come and help out, you deserve more than to spend every day trapped in these walls, and we wouldn't have to tell your father about it." The dwarf puts his hands up. "Nothing exciting of course! For example, this afternoon I have to attend a bridal dress blessing." He chuckles. "Have you ever heard of anything more ridiculous? But we'll have to go to the merchant's quarter for it so it will be an interesting distraction and I'm sure we will find time to look in some of the book shops there before we come back. What do you say?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:46, Wed 11 Feb 2015.

Map to help Agnatic get her bearings in the noble district

Angati tried to get some reactionary hair that refused to stay in her ponytail behind her ear. It felt cranky in her fingers and she winced a bit, was she going to start loosing it ?. She looked right at the dwarf's eyes, "I am not sure I can let go such an opportunity for getting out of here... only..." she felt a bit embarrassed saying this, so she dropped her voice even more "I'd rather skip the book shops".

She quickly started talking again so as to let that go unnoticed... she was working at the shrine, but she wasn't really a bookish person herself... and quite frankly a place like a bookstore, with her sister around and on a bad humour, it wasn't something she would look forward to. "I'd love to go though... I mean, can I go just as I am or does one need to dress differently for one of those dress blessings ?". She knew she sounded childish... but that's what she was anyway, even if people thought differently.... surprisingly enough few people noticed the inconsistencies. 'Adults were for the most part quite childish when it came down to it'

Karthach chuckled. "Alright then, we'll go through the harbour and watch the street entertainers instead. I hear there are some impressive Alphatian stilt walkers down that are worth seeing."

The old dwarf gets up and stretches. "I suppose I should be getting back to work. Meet me by the front gates at noon - no, you don't need to be wearing anything special but I on the other hand...", he grimaces. "Will have to be wearing my ceremonial toga and carrying the 'ceremonial stick of knowledge'. Please try not to laugh when you see me..."

OCC: Sorry, but I am going to fast forward a little here and make some assumptions about what Angati is going.

Angati finished her cake and brushed the crumbs off her clothes. She returned to the library and sister Agnes, but it didn't seem so bad now that she knew there would be an exciting outing in a few hours. Also, Anansi seemed to have calmed down. Whatever had been bothering her had passed or maybe she was resting - did ghosts need to rest? Angati was ready by the front gates at ten minutes before noon and saw Karthach arrive. The dwarf really did look funny dressed in a white toga that reached to the floor despite being draped over him twice, and the brightly coloured 'ceremonial stick of knowledge' also seemed oversized for him.

"I know, I know," said Karthach with slightly less than his usual cheer. "Togas are really made to be worn by tall people. If I'd known that the representative of the order had to wear this, I would've become a priest of Kord instead! So, are you ready to go?"

Angati had taken some time to refresh herself and even though she had not changed clothes, she felt more adequate with an extra combing of her hair. The morning had passed surprisingly quickly and she had finished organising the books, so Agnes had even said a brief "Thanks" as she left.

"You look fine" said Angati clearly colouring the truth "I guess that is what people are expecting right ?" she said giving Kartarch another look all over. "So... what am I to do ?, I really have never even seen a wedding. I guess the bride will be beautiful... hmmm do you know if they know me or my family enough to know who I am ?."

OOC: Sorry, long post incoming...


Karthach chuckled. “Oh no. We don’t get to go to the actual wedding, that will be held later in the day at the groom’s mansion in the champion district, we aren’t invited to that. We just need to go and shake the magic stick here,” he says, waving the big multi-coloured ceremonial stick of knowledge. “That should hopefully impart beauty and harmony on the union, or something like that. But it is a good excuse to get out of the shrine and walk around the city, and anyway, the bride’s family were important patrons of us in the past, maybe I can encourage them to become so again.”

The unusual pair headed out from the shrine and walked through the High Market done to the noble district docks. The noon day heat was brutal, but it became more comfortable when they sat on a gondola and set out on the water.


“Well, the groom is Soren Toregson, the youngest son of the champion district Toregsons. They are the second family of their district, and his father is Urik Toregson, who is rather a legend in the arena, or so I hear. Have you ever met any of them?”

“The bride is Amarilde Vanderboren, of the Vanderborens in the merchant district - they used to be an important family but have been less prominent recently. I think she has a cousin called Lavinia who is about your age,” the old dwarf pauses and looks sad. “Well, your real age. But she went to the Thenalar academy if I remember correctly, while you were at the magic academy.”

Karthach continued chatting until they arrived at the merchant district harbour market [Private to Angati: feel free to ask extra questions] and made their way onwards by foot. There was a big crowd gathered in the market to watch the various performers there despite the heat and humidity. Agnati couldn’t see much because of all the crush of people, but did manage to catch sight of the silt-walkers that Karthach had mentioned. They looked very impressive dressed in their green and gold costumes as they danced and leapt through the crowd.

They walked further through the district until they came to the western edge – this was clearly the bad part of the merchant district with the shops looking run down and much fewer people on the street. Even the Telvanta Academy, the city’s prestigious dance school, looked a lot more shabby than she imagined it would when they walked past it. OOC: See map in next post

The surroundings didn’t seem to phase Karthach. “Now let me see. We are looking to Bronson’s Bridal Boutique. Best place in the city, I hear, and much cheaper than what those scoundrels in the noble district charge. Yes, here it is.” They had stopped in front of a small two story building with the shop on the ground floor. A large ‘closed’ sign was hanging on the front door. The dwarf screwed up his face.

“That can’t be right. We are a few minutes early, but he should still be open. Bronson! Open up you fool!” Karthach banged on the door a couple of times. There was a loud crashing noise from the upper floor inside the house, and one of the upstairs windows was suddenly thrown open.

“Help me!” screamed a petite man as he hung out the window. “I’m being robbed… Again!...” With a cry, the man was pulled back from the window violently, and the window was slammed shut.

“Oh dear, oh dear me,” stammered Karthach. “What should we do?” The old dwarf looked around the street but no-one was around. “Perhaps we should go and find the district watch?”

Agnati is suddenly aware that she didn’t bring any weapons with her and is wearing no better armour than her street clothes. But it seems clear that if they go and get help, whoever is in the shop will be finished with the crime by the time they get back.

Map of the western end of the merchant district

Angati went along right by Karthach's side, mostly enjoying the sights and the people. While she had traversed the streets often, few times had it been walking them freely... it was always inside a small carriage hidden behind a curtain so that people would not see her. Those had been the instructions from her father... but now that she was on her own, and she could be hardly traced to her origins, she had a bit more freedom, although she had tasted very little of it.

And so it was that she was savouring the smells and feels of the street, silent and walking besides Karthach, just asking small questions about what was that building or that other, and where was it best to buy a dress that would not be too expensive but that would still befit a person in her position.

She did not recall having met any of the people that the dwarf mentioned, but that was probably normal, she did however remember the family name and having heard quite a bit from her father, and even from her sister... some silly talk about bulging muscles and sweaty shaven torsos... regarding Soren's older brother or something of the sorts.

All in all, the walk had made for one of the best times she had enjoyed in the last few months.

That was... until they got to the house... hearing the screams suddenly sent a chill through out her spine, and glimpses of the future passed quickly through her minds eye. She could picture the man shouting as he was pushed  and fell on a table, his neck broken.... that was but mere seconds away... and only if they left....

"Quick lets get in through this window... quick help me out" she said as she broke one of the cristals with a stone and tried to reach inside to enter.... she had to rush.. she really had to rush, the man was about to push, a distraction had to be created.

Karthach hesitated, obviously a man more used to sitting down and reading all day rather than breaking into a house to save a life, but the sound of the cobblestone smashing the window brought him to his senses.

"Yes, yes, this is the only way," he said as he moved to help her. Together the got all of the glass out of the window and were able to reach around and remove the bar from the double doors. Before they opened them Karthach grabbed her arm. "One second," he said and then muttered a few magical words. Agnati saw a glimmering shield appear around her. Then the old dwarf focused on the stick he had been carried from the shrine, and it started to glow. He passed it to her. "I think you can make more use of this than me. I think it is big enough to do some damage at least. I will use my little vegetable peeler here." Karthach produces a dagger from beneath his robes. "Let's go before the magic runs out or I loose my nerve!"

Stick of Knowledge
Club 1d6

Shield of Faith
This spell creates a shimmering, magical field around the target that averts and deflects attacks. The spell grants the subject a +2 deflection bonus to AC.

Magic Weapon (on the Stick of Knowledge)
Magic weapon gives a weapon a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls.

The two of them pushed the doors opened and stared into the inside of the shop. The interior was a mess with cloth and garments thrown all over the floor and display cases shattered. As they watched, a dishevelled looking man with several fine silks draped over his shoulder ran down the stairs from the first floor, taking the steps two at a time. He came to an abrupt halt as he saw them. "Errr... The prem-me-seez are closed for the day," he said, paused, and then added. "Yeah, isn't they." There is the sound of a loud splash from upstairs.


Bronson's Bridal Boutique - Level 1 of the dungeon
Ka = Karthach
A = Agnati
Red 1 = Shop Assistant


The man in the shop - just your average bridal dress tailor
This message was last edited by the player at 20:21, Tue 20 Jan 2015.

"Thank you" she muttered to Karthach as she went in first through the window. It was quite a generous thing that he would think of protecting her before protecting himself, and she made a mental note to embrace and thank him if they made it out of this.

Angati ran towards the stairs, she did not want to think about it much... her own physical prowess was hampered by her curse, all those lessons she had received as a child, had gone to waste along with her physique. Still... she hoped some of what had been taught to her still remained.

She did not dare hesitate, the future had changed but not for the best... the same face she had seen loose its life as he hit the table, appeared now white, with its lips blue and his hair wet... worst of it, was the depressing certainty that she could not explain. She gritted her teeth as she prepared to smash the robber 'No', she corrected herself, 'the murderers'.

Her swing however, went a bit wide, the crates with chemicals getting in her way, she did not manage to connect with the man in front of her.

OOC: 08:41, Today: Angati rolled 6,8 using 1d20+2,1d6+2. Attack with club.

20:26, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 12 using 1d20+2. Thug 1 initiative.
20:25, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 7 using 1d20+1. Aganti initiative.
20:26, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 4 using 1d20. Karthach initiative.

Initiative order is Thug, Aganti then Karthach

The thug is able to act first, no doubt suspecting that his waver thin ruse would not be successful. With a curse the man kicks over the nearest vat of chemicals - a big tub full of blue dye - and it spills across the floor.



The thug is AC 12/12/10 so she misses, even with the magic enchantment.

Angati is surprised how incredibly slippery the floor is because of the dye. After her swing she has to pedal her feet frantically to try and keep her footing.

Make a DC 10 acrobatics check or fall flat on your back! You will need to do this at the end of any round you take an action while in the area of effect of the dye.


Karthach is not far behind and strikes out at the thug with his dagger with surprising effectiveness - he catches the rough looking man on his arm, drawing a strong stream of blood. The dwarf also struggles to maintain his footing, but just manages to do so.

20:34, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 14 using 1d20+2. Attack roll for Karthach.
20:35, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 4 using 1d4+2. Karthach damage.
20:39, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 11 using 1d20. Karthach acrobatics check.

"Frak you! You little midget," the man screams out, followed by a scream directed upstairs. "Get your frakken ass down her Marek!" But there is no reply from the first floor.

Updated battle map.

Round Two - please post the result of your acrobatics check before continuing into this round.

The thug directs his attention to Karthach, since he seems the most dangerous, and lashes out widely with his dagger in a way that displays he is no great swordsman.

20:47, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 3 using 1d20+2. Thug attacks Karthah.
Natural one, check if this is a fumble. Karthach is AC 10/10/10 at the moment since he had no armour and no dex bonus.

20:47, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 7 using 1d20+2. Confirm fumble!
:D

The thug accidently puts one of his feet just inside the big puddle of blue dye and it slides out from under him, landing the man flat on his back!
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:07, Wed 21 Jan 2015.

Angati managed to keep her footing somehow, and she even managed to drop the club with some force on the thug's head. However, as a result of this last movement, she fell to the floor falling quite unladylike on her but. "Damn it's going to be too late!!!" she said, tears almost in her eyes for her own incompetence.

09:44, Today: Angati rolled 6,8 using 1d20+2,1d6+2. Acrobatics, Round 2.
08:51, Today: Angati rolled 18,4 using 1d20+2,1d6+2.
08:51, Today: Angati rolled 12 using 1d20+1. Acrobatics, Equilibrium.

Hit for 4 Dmg

Karthach stashes his dagger back in his toga and then jumps on the prone thug. The man tries to lash out, but the stocky dwarf is far too heavy for him to have any chance of connecting. With a surprising twist of his arm, Karthach is able to flip the man onto his stomach and pin him to the floor. The thief is bleeding profusely from his forehead where Aganti's blow caught him earlier.

20:14, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 0 using 1d20-3. Thug attack of opp while prone.
20:15, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 12 using 1d20+3. Karthach grapple.

The thug's CMD is 12 so that is enough. He has 2 hp remaining and wisely decides you and Karthach are too dangerous.

"I give up! I give up!" screams the man as he opens his hand and drops his dagger to the floor.

"Get upstairs!" yells Karthach as he begins binding the man with one of the pieces of fine silk the thief had been carrying over his shoulder. "Find Bronson!"

"Sure" she said without adding anything else.

Angati stood up as best she could getting a hold of a barrel, and giving a quick glance at Karthach to check that he was in complete control of the situation before she started running upstairs with the club in hand.

She did not worry much about an ambush, the image of the white decolored and lank face of Bronson still held to her retina and refused to go. So climbing the steps by twos she tried to guess where the bathtub might be.

Agnati shot up the stairs and was greeted by an horrific sight. Beyond a small office, there was an open door into a bedroom. Inside this was a rough looking man holding someone's head down into a full bathtub! The figure with his head stuck underwater is still struggling, but it is clear her will not be able to break free.

The thug sees Agnati come up the stairs and curses at her. "Get the frak out of here old lady, or else!"


The situation upstairs


Thug #2 - he smells even worse than thug #1

Initiative - I'll roll for Agnati twice this time, sorry I forgot in the other combat.


20:22, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 15 using 1d20+1. Aganti Initiative roll #1.
20:22, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 8 using 1d20+1. Aganti Initiative roll #2.
20:23, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 10 using 1d20+2. Thug #2 initiative.

Combat order is Agnati, thug #2, then Bronson if he gets a chance. What do you want to do?

'Maybe... just maybe.... there is still time' thought Angati as she advanced just enough to get only the murderer, and not Bronson, in the cone of fear that she conjured. Speaking the words in an unearthly tone that seemed to come  out of several voices at the same time, she released the energies towards the thief.

OOC:Remember the misfortune if need be please.

Will do!

Will Save DC = 10 + the spell’s level + the oracle’s Charisma modifier = 10 + 2 + 3 = 15

Thug #2 Will bonus = -1

19:52, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 0 using 1d20-1. Thug 2 will save versus fear.

Woah. He is very very afraid.

The look on the man's face quickly changes from contempt to fear and then something even beyond that. The thug releases his grip on the man in the bathtub and then scans the room for an escape route. His eyes catch on the closest window and he darts past the bathtub and jumps out the window!

19:56, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 16 using 1d20+2. DC10 check for thug 2 jumping out of window.

He is able to somehow land on his feet, although he still suffers terrible cuts from the glass. The man runs off down the street screaming at the top of his lungs.

Meanwhile, the man in the bathtub has jerked his head out of the water and collapsed on the floor, gasping for breath. He lies there, coughing up water.

Opps, except the rules state the fear spells creates a cone that affects EACH creature in the area of effect. I'd better roll for our NPC as well.

20:21, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 16 using 1d20. Fear roll for Bronson (1).

Hmm, he is just shaken, so I think my post for him is fine. I was all ready to use misfortune on him if he failed as well! How many times a day can you use that revelation?
 

quote:

she advanced just enough to get only the murderer, and not Bronson, in the cone of fear that she conjured

I had stated that she positioned herself so as not to include the guy... anyway, it is no matter.

As for misfortune, there is no limit to the number of times that it can be used, the limit is that its only once per person per day:

Misfortune (Ex): At 1st level, as an immediate action, you can force a creature within 30 feet to reroll any one d20 roll that it has just made before the results of the roll are revealed. The creature must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse than the original roll. Once a creature has suffered from your misfortune, it cannot be the target of this revelation again for 1 day.

Fair enough, then he is just wet and distraught. Actions? You have to go and comfort this guy :)


Edit: actually, you couldn't have excluded Bronson without taking an attack of opportunity, because of the positioning of the door...
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:25, Sun 25 Jan 2015.

Angati watched as the thief ran and jumped through the window, in a somewhat detached from reality way... she just couldn't believe that the man she had come to rescue was still alive... the images of his death lank face superimposed on the now coughing and battered proprietor of the shop.

She advanced towards him, kneeling next to him and checking on his overall health. She made him lie on one side so that the water he might have swallowed would easily exit his body. First things first she shouted "All clear here Khartach... everything fine over there ? the man left through the window... and Bronson's still alive".

Then turning for the man, that was now sitting and coughing she asked, "How are you... how are you feeling ?... any hurts ? I can probably help you with them if you let me".

OOC: Angati would case a CLW if on Bronson if he is hurt.

The man gasped as he coughed up water and struggled for breath. "Please! I told you, I don't have anymore gold! I am just a tailor!"

The dark haired man looked up and saw Agnati for the first time. "Hold on, you're not with them are you?!"


Bronson Bartokomous - he isn't smiling right now though...

Nah, he is ok. Just tell him to toughen up.

The dwarf reaches the top of the stairs and run to Agnati's side as fast as he can in his toga. "Agnati, did you see off the other one? Well done!"

Bronson recoils at the sight of the stocky dwarf barrelling into his room.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:45, Wed 11 Feb 2015.

Angati couldn't help but giggle, it was the nervousness she had accumulated making their exit all of the sudden as the danger had disappeared. She was still a girl, and her imagination was wild, that this man could picture her with those two thugs, put her in the gigs somehow...

She managed to shake his head, but that was about all she could do for a while, she knew this was not a proper response and that she might look mad to them but that just made her laugh harder, by the time she could talk again she had to dry some tears from her eyes. Trying to regain some composure, she picked up a white cloth that looked cheap and handed it to Bronson.

"No, I am sorry for that... we are not with them, this is  Brother Karthach, he is the leader of our shrine, the Shrine of Liir, we were here for the blessing of the dress... and it was lucky for you we were. Try to stand up a bit now it doesnt look like you have any big injury... it seems like you knew those men though ? have they been here before ?"

Bronson accepts the cloth and Agnati's help to stagger over to his bed. The small man dries himself as best he can with his shaking hands.



"Shrine of Liir? Oh, the blessing! My goodness, everything is ruined!" The man collapses on the bed with a dramatic faint.

"No, I had never seen those men before in my life. When I said I was being robbed again, I meant that this was the second time I have been robbed today, and the first guy that came TOOK MISS VANDERBOREN'S WEDDING DRESS! She will be so disappointed! That villain left, and I closed the shop to try and regain my composure and figure out what to do. Then about half an hour later those two turned up and starting robbing me all over again."

The man rolls over onto his stomach, buries his head in his pillow and starts sobbing uncontrollably.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:53, Tue 27 Jan 2015.

"We have one of the thugs who did this to you tied up downstairs," says the stocky dwarf in a comforting tone. He steps forward and puts his hand on Bronson's shoulder.

"We could go down and kick the frak out of him if that would make you feel better?" Bronson's wails just intensify at the suggestion, and Karthach answers Angati's stern look with a shrug.

"It was just a suggestion!" he says defensively.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:44, Wed 11 Feb 2015.

Angati observed the whole exchange, a frown slowly building on her brow, "Well I know naught about these things... but it strikes me as quite weird that they would come to rob a wedding dress...".

She paused a bit looking around to see what had been broken or if she could get a clue out of the mess in the shop "So... did the first robber take anything else ?, and these guys... were they looking for that same dress also ?".

She paused again trying to collect her thoughts "Do you have any idea why they might want to take that dress or why these would come here now ?... I think we need to talk to the man below now, and any information you give us will help us gain more from whatever he says.... it might save your reputation".

She almost felt bad about that last comment, but she had risked her life to save his, and the man did not look like he had steel nerves so reminding him of what was at stake might help him think clearly.

"*sob* yes, this was the first time I have ever been robbed - I mean, everyone knows that tailors don't have much gold on them. And he wanted a specific dress! He said I had to give him Miss Vanderboren's dress!"

"*sob* the first one also took all the gold I had, little that it was. I tried to explain it to the two who came later. No, those two weren't after anything in particular, they just wanted gold and to take anything they thought looked nice." Bronson manages to sit up on the bed, although tears are still streaming down his face.

"My reputation?! *sob* I'm RUINED!" Bronson collapses back into the bed and holds the pillow over his head while he cries hysterically.

"No, I don't know why he would want to take her dress! I'm ruined!" He doesn't seem to have heard the suggestion about interviewing the man downstairs...
This message was last edited by the player at 19:54, Tue 27 Jan 2015.

Angati sighed softly, "We will see what can be done" she said, though she did not feel much conviction in her own words, it was going to be quite hard to find the money lost, and the dress... probably the family would not want it now that the wedding would be ruined... or done with a different dress.

She sighed again and turned to Khartach "What family would profit the most from taking that dress or ruining the wedding ?. The groom's family ? or some other that would not want that wedding to happen ?.... it looks as if someone hired a freelance robber to take the dress, and whoever it was also profited the chance to take the money... these others... well my guess is that they are not conected and its just a coincidence... but we need to find out..  lets put all the pressure on the guy downstairs and see if he can tell us his best guess on the other robber..."

Let's pretend that she said that last bit out loud.

"He took the dress in its box - it is still undamaged, at least when I last saw it being taken out of the shop - if I can find it then maybe things can still be saved!"

This message was last updated by the player at 18:38, Wed 28 Jan 2015.

The old dwarf rubbed at the stubble starting to form on his chin. "I don't know. The Vanderborens are not on the dawn council, so they are not one of the leading families in the city and they tend to stay out of politics... and Amarilde isn't even in the main branch... Anyway, who would want to mess with a wedding? It seems so small minded."

He shakes his head at the suggestion that the groom's family might be invovled. "I know the Toregson family very well - I grew up in the Champion district you know. They would never do such a thing, and anyway, Soren Toregson is the youngest son. No one cares what he does... Yes, let's go visit our friend downstairs and see what he knows."

The dwarf goes over and almost picks Bronson up from the bed. "OK Bronson, you need to come as well but be prepared..." the dwarf looks at this formally white toga which is now half blue thanks to the spilled dye. "...it is a pretty big mess down there!"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:44, Wed 11 Feb 2015.

Bronson gasps as he reaches the bottom of the stairs and sees the damage to his shop, especially the blue dye spread across the stone floor and expensive fabrics thrown around. He looks at the thug tied up at his feet and shakes his head. "Why?!" he says simply .

Karthach goes over to the thug and rolls the man onto his back with a well placed boot. The man is hardly able to move a muscle, so tightly has the dwarf bound him. "Trussed up like a little piggie ready to go to market!" he says proudly. This is certainly a side to him that Agnati hadn't seen in the shrine!

Now that she can take an unhurried look at him, Agnati can see that the man has the rough clothes - barely more than rags - and the look of one who spends most of his time on the street. The man certainly has the smell to prove it as well.

The thug arcs his back to look in the direction of the staircase. "MAREK! WHERE ARE YOU MAN!" he screams at the top of his lungs.


This message was last edited by the GM at 18:56, Wed 28 Jan 2015.

Angati watched the scene develop, she had not had much contact, if any at all, with people like the thug... that is, people living in the streets and without much to bring to their mouths, but it just was not the time to sympathise.

When the man started to shout, Angati simply straightened her dress, hoping that the small trembling of her fingers due to the adrenaline now leaving her body would go unnoticed, and, as if she couldn't care less for the man she said in the coldest voice she could muster, just a bit over a whisper without even looking at the man on the floor"You see... Marek did not give me credit when I said what would happen to him if he did not talk...."

She paused for a minute, "He did not talk... and now.... he is no longer with us". At this point she pointedly looked at the man as she started to rummage in her pockets as if looking for something "Now... I have something in my pockets... Ahhhh ! there" she said brightly with a wide smile touching her lips as she picked up a pinch of a weird spell component from a pouch, a small piece of some leaf.

"Now, in this other pocket" she started rummaging in the other pouch... "I have this other piece here" she picked a little pice of a mushroom, "which is an antidote... there is two problems with it, you see, the poison is really cheap, but this little piece of mushroom, is really expensive, and it does not always work... so, I would rather not give you the poison, as then I am always caught up in the indecision of giving out the antidote... after all, it does not always work... and its so darn expensive... ".

She paused there, with a dreamy look in her eyes as if thinking about something else, "So... anyway, will you talk now, or should I feed you this little leave ?. We will have a couple of minutes worth of chatting before it does its work, and I am sure you will talk then, but I'd rather avoid the expenditure... I am stringy that way you know ? I hate using my money for something that might not work after all..."

"So" she said making a happy little joyful clap, "Shall we start talking ? Start by telling me all about you and Darek, and then why you came here today... then move on to telling me whatever you know about this other guy that came just before you did and took the wedding dress" she did not wait for the man's response as she started powdering the leave in the palm of her hand.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:47, Thu 29 Jan 2015.

Realising that his calls for help were not going to be answered, the man fell silent. "I ain't gunna say nothin 'bout nothing," he said surely, staring straight up and refusing to make eye contact. "So you just be a good little lady and call the district watch."

The thug's gaze was drawn to the leaf in the oracle's hand, and he swallowed hard. He had heard Marek scream all right.

"Now, just hold on!" said the thug.

"What?! No, wait! I ain't done nothing that's worth that!"

"Wait! I'll tell ya, Missus! My name is Flegon and me and Marek was just having a bit of fun, like. We was hanging 'round Shadowshore and then we sees Soller comin past with a big smile on his face, so we ask him what he's doing, right? And he says that he just robbed some guy in the merchant district and he was a real push over."

"Hey!" said Bronson, but no-one paid any attention.

"So we all has a good laugh about it, and Soller tells us where he's done it. We thought we might as well come and finish the job, since we have nothin else to do. So here we are. I don't know anything about no wedding dress, I promise!"

Angati exhaled slowly "ahhhhh", she said softly looking almost disappointed "You might even make it out of here alive... much unlike what you wanted to say to Bronson here.... So... only thing now, will be one little detail".

She paused a bit "... where can we find this Soller ?... it would be unfair that he gets on with all the money while you have to endure through all this... its pointless right? after all, he got it all easy and even bragged 'bout it to you"

A look of fear appears on Flegon's face and he shakes his head emphatically. "I ain't telling you anything about Soller! He would kill me, where I stand. He is a hard man is Soller Vark, he killed a pirate once and has the scar to prove it, 'n all. If I tell you something 'bout him than I ain't ever gunna be going back to Shadowshore again!"

"I see you worry about the future... that is good... let's reduce that future to two minutes and see how much more focused you can get..." she said bending down and really pulverising what was left of the leaf in her hands "Have you considered that it will be us going after this Soller before he even finds out ?... ahh but never mind... thats far too far in the future, now you need to concentrate in the immediate future.... Look closely look...." she said placing her open hand right under the nose of the man so that he would look at it.

"Now, you'd think I'd make you eat this right ?... awful pains in the stomach, bulging veins in the neck, harsh vomit and pufff off you go"... she closed her hand from under the nose of the man.

"Well, thats not it... truth is, all I needed to do, is done.... did you notice that faint bay odour ?..." she smiled... "Yeps that was it...  no more is needed. It is quite a sweet death, don't you worry, I like that about my drugs, your friend screamed, but it was the fear that took him when he noticed his life leaving him in his final moments... it was a terrific scream but really unnecessary, and utterly tasteless... I take great pains into making this unpainful, and screaming like so is really bad manners".

She paused for a second "Oops I am talking too much, really I shouldn't do this, time runs against you now, and the antidote takes some time to work and we need to know all about Soller... now... where did I put it ? ... at my age, these things take forever to find..."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:41, Sat 31 Jan 2015.

"No! NO! By the goddess I swear, I don't know where he is! Somewhere in Shadowshore, Marek and me don't hang out with him, we don't know where he lives! Please!"

OOC: We need to take a little pause here while the other character catch up - I'll merge them in over the next week. See you in the 'Barge End' thread in a couple of days!

"Hmmmm...." said Angati slowly "I believe you... here, have this" she said handing the man a little bit of an sour root, cutting it small as if it was costing her dearly "put this under your tongue and keep it there for as long as you can... don't talk or move and keep as still as you can so that the antidote makes its effect".

OOC: Ok. No problem.

OOC: Not that it makes any difference to the storyline, but...

Flegon stares at Agnati with wide-eyed terror and keeps his tongue firmly clamped down over the little piece of root as if his life depends on it. He stays that way all through questioning by the district watch and his sleepless night in the jail cell, only finally gaining rest the next morning when the root has finally dissolved.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:19, Tue 03 Feb 2015.

OOC: I know I just felt it'd be good to relinquish to the naughty side of the 16 year old girl she is :-).