"He is a bit reluctant but I believe he will come around, Saint Cuthbert willing." She stands and offers her chair to the massive dragonborn. "Sit, I will leave you two to talk. Though, know that the Church will provide aid as it is able. we have healing potions we'll sell at a discount to you as well as provide other magics should you need them."

The priestess retrieves a vial from her vestment. "Here ... let us call this a sign of good faith," and set it on the table. It's a potion vial containing a reddish liquid which seem to pulse and has the symbol of Saint Cuthbert on the exterior. Marcus has seen these before and recognize it as a healing potion of some type, the liquid is a darker red than those he'd seen in the militia. Raszire recognizes it at a rather potent potion, thouh not the most potent the dragonborn has seen.


OOC: Its a Greater healing potion and heals 4d4+4 .

"Um.  Right."  Dumbstruck for a moment, Marcus glances between the dragonborn, the priestess, and the potion, all while trying to decide whether to stand up or not.  He finally decides to do so, careful not to knock over his chair.  "Marcus," he says, nodding to the priest in greeting.  "Bournstride.  And if your church is willing to lend aid in this inquiry," he says, turning back toward the priestess, "then I would request the assistance of that acolyte of yours.  Ruphus.  If there are any witnesses to the crime, they're going to be among the children of the orphanage.  Your man seems to feel he has a knack for providing them comfort.  He might be able to coax some vital information out of them.  And we should head there straight away, before those thugs from the Last Laugh get a chance to destroy whatever evidence they were trying to hide."

Taken slightly aback by the request the priestess ponders it for a moment before replying, "If you insist I might allow that, but I feel that Raszire is a more experienced soul than poor Ruphus as he as come all the way from Zir."

Raszire rubs his chin thoughtfully for a moment, "I appreciate your confidence in me priestess, but Mr Bournstride is most likely correct. If the children are familiar with Ruphus then they may talk to him more easily than they would to us. We are both strangers, and most children usually feel ill at ease when among strangers. Not to mention that we both are rather large and intimidating, especially to children. I will see to Ruphus's protection as best I can and with Fenwyn's blessing will make sure he returns to you safely."

"No one at the orphanage has met Ruphus. He was going today to speak with them and  start our official investigation into matters when ..." her voice trails off. She ponders a moment or two then continues "I can send him along or compose a note telling Headmistress Tashykk that you two are the church's agents in this matter."

"Ah, I see. Then under those circumstances I fear that Ruphus will be of little help."

Raszire turns to where he can face both Marcus and Jenya "Unless of course Mr Bournstride thinks that he would be of help, he has spent some time with Ruphus, I have only briefly meet the young man."

"I do," Marcus says curtly, attempting to suppress his irritation.  Nine hells, is this fellow here to help, or not?  "Ruphus strikes me as personable, approachable.  These are children who have had harsh and lonely lives, and just now have had their friends abducted from their very rooms.  If they're going to open up, it's to someone they're comfortable with.  I don't feel I've the presence or personality for coaxing the truth out of traumatized children.  And I doubt they'd react well to you."  He glances at the dragonborn.  "No offense."

He turns back to the priestess.  "This request isn't born of reluctance, priestess Urikas," Marcus says, his confidence growing for some reason.   "When approaching a contest, one should always commit the most appropriate forces.  If your man can better help us gather clues, then he should come along.  He can return here to attend to his duties once he's assisted us by interviewing the children."

"Very well, I'll see if Ruphus is ready to leave with you and be back shortly." with that the priestess exits the room leaving you two along.

Marcus spends a pregnant moment considering the cacophony of emotions he's experiencing: acceptance, that he's been manipulated -- expertly, he begrudgingly admits to himself -- into taking on this task; smug satisfaction, that he's managed to get one up on the priestess in at least one matter; and hopefulness, insofar as that he may genuinely be able to do something to help those in need.  He finds the combination of feelings a tad overwhelming.  So, he does what he was trained to do in such situations: he stuffs the whole wad of them deep down inside, and focuses on the here and now.

"Right," he says, as he turns to the dragonborn priest.  "Sorry if I was a bit short there.  And it's just Marcus.  Or Bournstride.  Never been one for titles.  Not anymore, anyway."

"Very well priestess." Raszire nods to the priestess as she leaves the room.

After the priestess leaves the room Raszire looks at Marcus, "I sense that I may have offended you or in some other way caused you frustration. If I have it was not my intention, please forgive me. The  customs here are quiet different from my homeland and will take some getting use to."

"Forget it," Marcus says.  "Here, have you seen this yet?"  He offers to Raszire the note that Jenya had handed him, the one containing the riddle.  "The priestess said that this was a message from their god, delivered through something called a Star of Justice.  Perhaps you can make better sense of it than I can."

PM

[Private to Raszire Toumash: The star of justice is a relic mace of the church of St Cuthbert.]

Raszire takes the note and reads it, "I have heard of the Star of Justice. It is said that it is a relic, a mace that was wielded by St. Cuthbert. If the legends are true."

"As for this riddle it makes little sense to me. I have yet to encounter a divine message that is direct and to the point. I sometimes wonder if it is some unspoken universal law that divine beings are not allowed to give mortals a simple straight forward answer, or perhaps they do but the mortal mind is not quite capable of grasping the answer directly and translates it into something cryptic and confusing ......." Raszire stops mid sentence and looks back at the note.

"Sorry, I was rambling again. As I said it has little real meaning now. Hopefully as we investigate the orphanage it will become clear."

"Well, the first line seems clear enough," Marcus says, as he turns toward the table.  "The locks are the key.  The locks are at the orphanage, so that's where we'll head.  As soon as they produce Ruphus, that is."  Reaching out, he carefully picks up the vial left behind by the priestess.  "A powerful potion.  Hopefully we won't need it.  But if we run into some more of those boys from the Last Laugh, every little bit helps."

After a few minutes, the young acolyte enters. He has a few visible facial bruises that look to be several days old as though the magical healing he did recieved couldn't QUITE removed all of the effects of the beating he had taken. His stands with his hands folded like a military man at rest.  "Master Bournstride, I'm told you requested my aid in talking with the children of the orphanage. O course I'm more than happy to help you in anyway I can."

He looks from Marcus then up to Raszire, "I see you've met our visitor." The youth nods to the dragonborn, "I'm glad we have perhaps deciphered what our saints have brought us together for."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:45, Mon 18 July 2016.

"I wouldn't go that far," Marcus says, carefully picking up the potion vial from the table.  "And it's just Bournstride.  Or Marcus."  Turning to Raszire, Marcus offers him the vial.  "You should likely hold onto this.  Just in case."

He turns back to Ruphus.  "You mentioned earlier that you were on your way to the Lantern Orphanage to comfort the children," Marcus says.  "We need you to do just that.  If any of the children witnessed anything, we need to know about it.  See what you can find out.  In the meantime, we'll be taking a look around and talking to the staff.  And on the way, maybe you can tell us what the church knows about the Last Laugh.  They're clearly involved, and something tells me we're likely to run into some more of their boys today."

"The Last Laugh, they're a thieves guild here in Titan's Gate - some say one of the largest.  They mostly operate in secret but if they do have to do something more openly it is in black and white grease paint which twists their features into a grim smile.  I thought the two thugs were initially simply trying to rob me rather than intimidate me.  Honestly I can't think of why they'd have issue with a priest going to an orphanage."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:49, Mon 18 July 2016.

"I assume they're involved in the kidnappings," Marcus says.  "They probably figured you were investigating, and were trying to scare you off.  Instead, they let us onto them.  Either they're in charge, or they're working for whoever is.  Either way, if they don't want us going to the orphanage, then that's where we need to be."

Absently checking his equipment, he moves for the doorway.  "Let's keep an eye out, without making it too obvious," Marcus says.  "If they're as big an operation as you say, then they'll have men watching the church now, ready to follow us.  We should stay in public areas to avoid getting jumped.  And we should take an indirect route, in case they've set up an ambush.  Think you can manage that for us?"

Raszire gingerly takes the vial from Marcus and wraps it in a piece of clothe before placing it inside a box in his backpack. He then shoulders his pack, checks his gear and follows Marcus toward the door.

mood music

The three of you head out into the street where morning life in the city is in full swing. Despite the drizzling there are various venders set up on street corners selling meat on sticks, hot beverages, breads, and so on. Ruphus stops at a just such a vender who fills up a flagon for the priest. "Either of you wish for a beverage? Ejiro here had the best chaoua in Titan's Gate. Gets his roast from Zir, or so he says."

The vender smiles, Ejiro is an older man - late 40s you'd guess - with thinning hair and well tanned skin. From his size and how he watches the street, both of you would guess he was a brawler when he was younger and probably could hold his own in a fight even now. "Come come now yung priest don't give oray all me secrets... else I might put the stop givin' yer the church discount."



OOC: chaoua is coffee
This message was last edited by the player at 17:03, Mon 18 July 2016.

Well, Marcus thinks to himself with a roll of his eyes, so much for avoiding Ruphus' usual stopovers.

"I'm fine," Marcus says, with a polite but curt nod to the vendor.  Attempting to appear casual and unconcerned, Marcus turns, trying to search the crowd, as well as the nearby rooftops, for anyone suspicious or watchful.

"Keep us moving please, Ruphus."

Ruphus frowns. "Sorry," he says sheepishly before moving onward. He takes the occasional sip from his flagon while greeting folks in the street who seem to know him - the young priest is apparently popular with the locals.

OOC: Give me a perception roll folks!

13:35, Today: Raszire Toumash rolled 13 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 10.  Perception.

14:14, Today: Marcus Bournstride rolled 5 using 1d20+4.  Perception.

Neither of you notice anything uncommon on the street, Ruphus seems to be oblivious to most of the goings on of the street sipping his drink and nodding to folks occasionally. It takes no time for you all to make it to the Orphanage. Ruphus does appear to know his way around the streets. There are two individuals in front of the Orphanage talking to someone inside.

[Private to Marcus Bournstride: you recognize the parir as folks you saw at the tavern before.]

[Private to Raszire Toumash: Now that you've been here you have come up with a dozen or so alternate routes between here and the church. ]

OOC: Moving you to
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