Kassius wakes early on his day off - he has an important errand to run which if completed successfully will get his business going with a flying start. He heads over to the harbourmaster's house in the Azure district and begs an audience with Keltar Islaran. The hunter adds that he was one of the party that freed the Blue Nixie the day before and returned the ship to its rightful owner, hoping that this will increase his chances of getting a meeting with the elusive guild master. Sure enough, this seems to work.

"Ah-ha young fella! I recognise you. You were part of the gang that took down that Soller Vark!" Keltar pauses to cough... and brings up a nasty looking chunk of phlegm into a well-used handkerchief.

"A terrible business. Anyway, what can I do you for?"

Kassius grimaces, doing his best to conceal his disgust at the harbormaster's revolting illness. The half-orc is only moderately successful in the attempt, but hopefully manages to avoid offending the man.

"Eh, yeah I wanted to talk about those animals." Kassius begins hesitantly. "I was wonderin what happened with the critters. I was hoping I could acquire them. To raise them outside of the city, all legal-like and all of course." He continues in a rush, not wanting to worry the man.

Keltar folds his arms across his chest. "Huh! Who put you up to this? Was it her? Well you go tell that little upstart that the stevedores control the harbour and that is never going to change. Anyway, you're too late little half-orc," he says, poking at Kassius with a grimy finger. "I managed to get the cargo out and delivered, sure, a few hours behind schedule, but I still got paid. Go tell your frakken Lotus Lady that I will not be broken like all the other pussies in town."

"Frank, Otus!" he calls out and two huge men appear in the hallway to stand either side of him. "Please show our woodsman friend here the door."

OOC: Oh dear! Looks like you are going to have to collect your critters the old fashioned way! Unless you want to try something?

Kassius steps back, surprised at the man's tone and at his words. Who was paying him for the "cargo" and why? This was getting interesting. As for the accusation, Kassius responds with belligerence. "I don't work for any crazy lotus people, lady or otherwise. I was just asking about making a legal deal. I guess you're not interested in my gold. Apparently someone else has already bought you!" He says with a disgusted snarl.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:18, Tue 04 Aug 2015.

Keltar shakes his fist at Kassius. "I haven't been bought by anybody you stupid orc, that's the whole point! Boys, show this piece of frak out!"

At the order his mean draw saps from their belts and leap at the hunter.

OOC: Well done on not backing down! You are in the foyer of the habourmaster's house and Kibeti is parked right outside the door about 20 feet away. Because you don't have LOS to him (in fact, Keltar and his men haven't even seen the cat yet) you need an animal handling check DC10 do bring him into the fight. Keep in mind that killing the harbourmaster or one of his men in the hallway of his house in broud daylight is going to limit Kassius future life expectancy - but you are allowed to defend yourself.

Roll for initative.


09:11, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 20 using 1d20. Thug 1 initiative.
09:11, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 17 using 1d20. Thug 2 initiative.
9:11, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 18 using 1d20-1. Keltar Intiative.

"Woah there, I'm not here to fight!" Kassius says defensively. "I'm leaving, I'm leaving you frakkers." He curses, backing off slowly, keeping a wary eye on the two thugs.

---

Kassius
07:17, Today: Kassius rolled 12 using 1d20+5. initiative.
Move Action: Leave the house
Standard Action: Total Defense
Free/Swift Action: Talk

---

HP: 16/16  AC 18 (22), Saves+4/+8/+3
Spells Slots: 1st: 3/3

---

Kibeti

---

HP: 19/19 AC 15, Saves+4/+7/+3
Current Animal Focus: Tiger (+2 dex)

Kassius is surprised by the way the situation escalates so quickly in physical combat, but is able to fend off the blows from the saps using his forearms that that he is able to back out of the hallway without taking damage.

For his part, Keltar just stands where he is and crackles as his men set about Kassius with their clubs. "Show him how we frakken persuade people in the stevedores," he laughs, apparently enjoying the show.

The men don't pursue Kassius beyond the threshold of the front door, and sent him out into the street with some final kicks and curses. Then the door is slammed closed leaving Kassius standing out in the street with a feel bruises on his arms, and Kibeti looking at him with a confused look on his face. He seems to be saying, "why didn't you ask for help?". Or it might just be "when will you give me lunch?"

OOC: Well that didn't go so well, but don't worry, I have a feeling that Lady Karma will catch up with Mister Islaran one day...

Plan B: You'll have to go out and collect enough animals to get started. Maybe you could pay Penny to help?
This message was last edited by the player at 19:26, Wed 05 Aug 2015.

Kassius looks over at Kibeti, and shakes his head ruefully. He had approached the harbormaster poorly, he realized that now. He hadn't expected to be accused of being in league with the Lotus Dragons, and had responded poorly. At least it hadn't come to blows. That would have been completely useless.

He was still curious about who Islaran had sold the animals to. As far as he knew, they were illegal contraband belonging to this Vark fellow. Why would the harbormaster have known about and honored any contract involving them?

Curious, Kassius decided to walk over to where he had last seen the port authority wagon hurry the animals off. Perhaps he could find some evidence of where it had gone, or at least what direction. If that didn't work, perhaps a few silver would loosen the tongues of any urchins or locals who had been in the neighborhood.

I suppose asking Penny could work, but let's follow this lead up some more.

Kassius heads back to pier five in the merchant district and stares in the direction the wagon headed off in - east - which is towards the Azure district. He then starts the slow proceed of trying to gather clues about where the wagon went after it left his view.

OOC: This won't be easy, a lot of wagons go all over the place in Sasserine. I need a DC 15 gather information (diplomacy check) and if you fail by more than five then some people notice that you are asking questions.

Oh, unless you can think of another way to track it?

Fingers crossed:
11:24, Today: Kassius rolled 9 using 1d20-1. Gather Info.
Nope!

Kassius has never been particularly skilled at subtlety or inter-personal relations. This becomes quickly obvious as he goes up to random people on the street and bluntly asks them where the wagon with the animals went. This goes about as poorly as could be expected, and Kassius gets more strange looks than useful information.

Sighing, he heads back over to the Azure district. He wanders around, looking for any sign of where the animals had gone, although most likely they had been shipped somewhere. Still, perhaps Kibeti would smell something, and deign to indicate that to his master. Kassius kept his own eyes out, looking for any suspicious droppings or the like.

The long walk gave him time to reflect on how bad he was with dealing with people.  Animals were much easier. Maybe he would have had more luck if he had asked his new companions? Associates? Friends even? to help with the questioning. It was worthy of further thought.

11:36, Today: Kassius rolled 25 using 1d20+8. general perception.

Kassius gets to the Azure district and wanders the streets, looking for any clue about where the shipment of animal may have been taken - but it is useless, there are countless warehouses and wagons and too much territory to cover even with Kibeti backing him up. Disappointed, he retraces his steps back to the merchant district and finds his self back at pier five and the Blue Nixie.

He is busy scanning the water for inspiration, and therefore doesn't spot the puddle of gunk congealing in the morning sun about halfway up the pier - he steps in it and one of his boots gets splashed with the foul smelling stuff. Ugh! That smells terrible... and familiar. The hunter takes a knee and dips his thumb and forefinger in the liquid, then rubs it between his fingers and sniffs. Yes! It smelt like that nasty bug that had almost ripped Alohan in half. Kassius had put an arrow nice and deep into its carapace, so a good amount of that pus looking bug juice had sprayed out onto the deck, and he'd helped clean it up later - the actual corpse of the beast had gone into the wagon with the other illegal animals.

Perhaps... could Kibeti pick up the scent? If the bug blood was here on the wharf that meant that it was dripping through the floorboards of the wagon onto the street. It had been a night and one rain cycle since then, but most of the puddles of the last night's rain were still in the process of being evaporated, so if they acted quick there was a chance!

OOC: OK, can Kibeti track? What skill is that even? This will be a tracking of epic proportions if it works, so high roll (16+) needed.

Kassius looks at Kibeti, trying to convince him to follow the scent. Kibeti looks up in response, as if very seriously considering the offer. Seeing that he is close, Kassius urges harder, ignoring the no doubt strange looks everybody nearby are giving the half-orc cajoling the large albino cat. Finally, Kibeti shrugs, and turns away. Kassius sighs, giving up the attempt for now.

Instead, he activates some of his own natural power, infusing himself with the aspect of a hunting beast. Using his enhanced smell and his own keen eyes, Kassius moves around, searching for further evidence of the location of the bleeding bug.



21:24, Today: Kassius rolled 24 using 1d20+7. handle animal, push.
Just short.
Swift action, activate animal focus (wolf) gaining 10 ft of scent for up to 2 minutes.
21:28, Today: Kassius rolled 19 using 1d20+9. Kassius survival (tracking).
Maybe, depending on DC?
If not, I can try again, although it does take up time:

quote:

"A Survival check made to find tracks is at least a full-round action, and it may take even longer."

Infuriatingly, Kassius gets the feeling that it isn't that Kibeti doesn't UNDERSTAND what Kassius wants him to do, it is just that Kibeti doesn't WANT to do it. The giant cat gives Kassius a revolted look as the hunter tries to force the animal's nose toward the pile of gunk that is the Rhagodessa guts. The cat shirks back and growls, with a look like "you have got to be kidding me" settled on his face.

OOC: Yeah, you really need to teach that cat how to track.

Deciding that if you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself, the hunter focuses and draws the raw animal power of a wolf into his body. Then he gets down on all fours and sniffs at the putrid innards very closely. Kibeti meows and looks up to the sky - is he rolling his eyes?

Kassius screws his eyes tightly closed, and tries to isolate and memorize the odor - the flavor and texture of it fill his mouth - acidic, chemical, slimy. He moves at a stoop down the docks, sniffing at the air. Yes! There it is again! He leaps to another board in the pier and shoves his face up against the wood - a-ha! Another congealed drip. He ignores the strange looks the dock workers give him and heads off into the street, with Kibeti following next to him on the leash.

It is an incredibly difficult mission, and Kassius has to zig-zag backwards and forwards to find the scent. He is helped a bit that he already has a fair idea of where the wagon was going - and sure enough, a couple of hours later he arrives at the bridge over into the Azure district.

And that is also the point where it starts raining.

With a groan of dismay, Kassius realizes that he had been oblivious to the weather and now one of the frequent equatorial showers that visit Sasserine was gently raining down on the city, and wiping away any chance he had to continue the tracking.

OOC: Sorry, but you needed 20 (hard surface) + 1 (time) + 1 (1 hour of rain overnight) = 22. I just added the unexpected rain in there for a bit of colour. Let's call it quits now on the tracking. Sorry, I know that in a film or book the hero would find a way to succeed, but this secret is just going to require a little more time to unlock.

"Well Frak!" Kassius curses, as the rain obliterates any last chance of finding where those animals went. Even if he knew where to look, they'd likely been shipped out of the city now. Without knowing, there was no chance. Disappointed, Kassius and Kibeti head home, a frustrating and unsuccessful day wasted.