Esperon steps in, glaring at the man. "You're in no position to make threats. All you did right now was prevent me from breaking your fingers to get the same information. But..." He stands back and nods. "If I were in your shoes, I'd want the truth out, too. We're going to check out the numenera you talked about."

He turns to his friends and says in a low town, "I think we should tell the mayor. What do you guys think?"

Hurley puts a hand on Esperon's shoulder. He looks back at the prisoner and then shifts his gaze meaningfully back to the pot. When no smoke comes forth for several long seconds, he breaks his silence with the gravity of a holy man. "Perhaps that is so. The pot says no more."

With a tremendous solemnity, he replaces the ceramic pot in his pouch. "I say we go talk to the mayor."

It's not common for Kaelan to let others do the convincing for him... but considering the colossal failure that was his last conversation with this man, it seemed fitting to let someone else do the convincing. However, as the others ask, he shakes his head slightly, "Not the Mayor... that would require waiting until the morning, since she's made it clear she's not going to continue being available for us tonight, and in that time we may lose our chances to save him. We should leave word begging for a temporary stay of his execution with his jailers, but make haste then to seek out Yrgan."

Turning on his heel, he goes back to the door, seeking out the guards, to make an impassioned plea: "Good sirs, I know you're doing as you were told, and that the mayor has made up her mind. Please, on the morrow, I beg of you to speak to her on our behalf. We have a lead from the prisoner. While I suspect your fears are correct, there is a chance there is some truth to the villain's claims... I ask not that you let him free, for he may truly be a danger to all, but ask her to give him a temporary stay of execution. Fifty-six hours, two days, for us to follow up on this lead, before all of us have innocent blood on our hands."

Brekkur, the bigger of the two guards, does not deign to lift his eyes from his game to answer Kaelan.

"Any stay of execution can only be authorized by the mayor," he says almost by rote. "If you'd like to speak to the mayor you can come back in the morning. She usually arrives here two hours after sunrise."

After a beat, Brekkur at last raises his head to look at Kaelan. One corner of his mouth is raised when he says with a hint of derision:

"Good luck."

He then turns his attention back to the game with the implication that the conversation is officially closed.

Esperon clears his throat, standing over the men. "Hey, just checking--when is he due to be executed?"

The other man, Mern, looks up to answer. "They'll be hanging him at midday." His reply sounds rather matter-of-fact, but his eyes are showing a bit of excitement. He glances over at his partner, though his partner's demeanor does not seem to mirror his own. Mern then goes back to studying the stones of the game.

"I'm sure it'll be a good show!" he offers with a mock salute. "Let's get to Yrgan's." He is on the scent of something - he knows not what. But he pushes ahead and draws the small group along to the tavern.

If no one stops him, Hurley will press on until he stands before Yrgan.

Realizing the guards will offer nothing more than their indifference, your party leaves the metal building, returning to Yrgan's public house.

You find the entrance to his place is still unlocked, even though it's well into the night. Yrgan is behind the bar, cleaning up and putting steins away, apparently preparing to close for the night. It appears you've arrived just in time to catch him.

As you fling open the door and make your way in, he looks up, quite startled, and bears his teeth. "You again!" he growls. You see him stretch his arm along the counter and slap his hand down on what looks to be a plunger of some sort.

- GM Intrusion -

Hurley Kosson  - something appears to have launched from the bar and is headed your direction.
If you accept the intrusion, add 1 XP to your pool and give one XP to another player.
If you choose to decline the intrusion, subtract 1 XP from your pool.

"This coulda' been a reasonable conversation!" he yells when Yrgad goes from the plunger. Hurley dashes ahead, going straight for the man behind the bar. He'll hop the counter if he has to in order to lay hands on the troublesome barkeep.

I'll take the XP and give one to Eli for all of his creativity and input so far.

Just kidding. I'll give the point to Esperon. ;)

Once Yrgan slaps the plunger a panel drops open on the face of the bar to reveal a nozzle roughly the diameter of a man's fist. A sphere of liquid that resembles water ejects from the nozzle and flies straight into Hurley's chest.

After slapping the plunger Yrgan dashes from one end of the bar to the other. He appears to be deliberately trying to reach something behind the bar before you can get to him.

OOC: Hurley - make a Speed defense roll DT 4 to prevent the numenera shot from taking effect.
You all gain initiative and take actions before Yrgan, in any order you prefer.
Hurley, with your naturanl 20 initiative roll, describe the major effect you earned.

Hurley plunges ahead with a belated thought that running straight at the man who just hit the plunger isn't all that smart. Too late he twists, but the fluid strikes him. (speed defense 9)

His determined charge lets him hop to a chair that he uses to assist his leap through the air. He leaps boldly towards the man hoping to pounce on top of him. The chair, unfortunately is not as stable as he hoped and it wobbles, making for an awkward takeoff. (Jump 2, DT-3)


20:26, Today: Hurley Kosson rolled 2 using 1d20.  Jump Trained, asset (nat 20), asset (running) DT-3.
20:23, Today: Hurley Kosson rolled 9 using 1d20.  Speed defence DT 4.

Major effect is gaining an asset for my jump task (a chair). The poor roll could still succeed if the DT was 3 or less (-1 for chair asset, -1 running asset, -1 Trained).

Slipping just inside the door, Kaelan sees the man running. Not wishing to actively wound him, he pulls out his sisk, throwing at short range, hoping to have it fly in front of the man, cutting his run short without wounding him.

"STOP!" He shouts.

Hurley's twisting motion allows him to get most of the way out of the trajectory of the ball of liquid, but not before it splashes against his arm.

As he launches himself off the chair to intercept Yrgan, he reaches his hand down toward the bar as a means of help him vault over it. To his surprise, he finds his arm merely splashes down on the bar as it feels as if it is completely comprised of water up to and just past his shoulder. Although his side drops against the top of the bar, he manages to land just behind Yrgan on the other side.


The sisk does fly in front of the man, striking the back wall two meters before him. The sight of this coupled with the large man landing behind him causes him to stop in his tracks.

You notice just beyond where the sisk struck there is a trap door in the floor that Yrgan was clearly planning to make his escape through.

"You already got your man," Yrgan spits. "What do you want from me?"

Esperon is a lumbering, craggy-faced presence behind the bartender now. "You tell me. You just attacked Hurley here. Why?" His arms are folded and his face is that of a man who is not at all amused...

"Gah!!" is all Hurley can manage to say. He gestures about wildly with his arm - the now-watery limb moving flailing about. He quickly stops the movement as he fears what might happen if he splashes.

His face has no mercy in it as he crowds closer to Yrgad. With his one good arm, he reaches back and pulls the axe from its sling on his back. He lets the weapons thud down on the bar to emphasize Esperon's question.

Moving slowly compared to the other, Kaelan tries to position himself between the man and the trap door, grinning once again as he moves to pill his sisk out of the wall. "We came to talk, actually... as we frankly are more interested in what's happening than the short-sighted demands of justice this town is working toward. We tried to get him out, but failed, and so now are on the clock to try to determine what is actually happening here before an innocent man gets put to death. So you tell us... " He points to Esperon, indicating his question.

Yrgan's mouth simply opens and closes repeatedly, no words emitting, an occasional squeak escaping. Beads of sweat begin to descend from his massively receded hairline, rolling down to slough off his thick protruding eyebrows.

Finally, stammering words leave the man's lips. Even though his fear is evident in his speech, it is still filled with vitriol and aggravation. "I thought when you first came in you were set on robbing me. The way you came barging in here. Then I seen it was you's guys that were in here earlier. I wouldn't have attacked you if I'd a knew it was you."

Yrgan finally takes a deep breath and settles his nerves a bit, though still shaky. "Everybody's got it out for Mardrough. He's my friend. I know he ain't done nothin' wrong. That's alls I know. Now let me get t' closin' up my place. I don't know what y' think I can do for you. If you want to help Mardrough you should be talkin' t' the mayor instead of wasting your time with me."

Kaelan doesn't even try to turn on the charm now, hoping instead blunt honesty and sincerity will win them out, now, "Your friend will die at midday tomorrow. That is his current fate, unless you're more honest with us. We know he found a device. We know he gave it to you for safekeeping. And we believe it is connected to the disappearances he's being accused of. We need to know where it is, and where it came from... if we're to have a chance to clear his name."

A pause, "Also, how permanent is the damage to my friend's arm here?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:55, Thu 12 Oct 2017.

Yrgan glances at Hurley's arm and shrugs. "That? Should be back to normal anytime now."

He chews on his lip, seeming to deliberate what he wants to do based on the information you just gave him. He takes a moment to study each of you, then you can see his shoulders fall with a sense of resignation.

"It sounds like you must have gotten Mardrough to talk to you. I don't know how you did, but..." He shakes his head. "Mebbe I don't wanna know...

"Alright... I'll show you what he asked me to hold onto for him. Under one condition: You promise me you'll find a way to free Mardrough, or at least keep them from killin' 'im. You gotta promise, cuz he ain't done nothin' wrong. Promise me that an' I'll show you the thing he had me hold for 'im." With this he gazes at each of you, making sure you see the earnest in his eyes. "I know you are men of honor an' I know you're good for your word. I can tell."

Hurley steps forward with a gesture of acceptance. Unfortunately, doing so brings his water-arm into his vision. He scowls with anger and reconsiders the touchy-feely approach. Using the other arm, he raises a finger to emphasize his point.

"All I can say is we will try. The mayor seems to want him planted real bad."

Esperon nods, his eyes serious and his massive arms still folded. "Agreed. You're going to help us figure out a way to get him out of this mess, but first things first: show us this thing." He nods his craggy-faced head slowly.

Kaelan nods as well, "Absolutely, that is our intent. None of us have control of fate or the future, mind, but we intend to do our best to convince the Mayor to give him a temporary stay of execution until we can finish our investigation. As well, we promise to leave your name out of our mouths when we do so."

Hurley just nods and stifles a bout of anxiety when his water-hand strokes his own chin. It's going to wear off.... It's gotta wear off....

Yrgan looks from one man to the other, taking in each of their statements. With a heavy sigh he drops his shoulders then nods in resignation.

"It's down there." He points to the trap door through which he nearly made his escape. "I buried it in the drit down there. Don't 'member exactly where. But it's down there."

After a brief exchange you decide that it would be best if Kaelan went down below to find the device while Esperon and Hurley (whose arm is beginning to return to normal already) stand guard over Yrgan until the device is recovered.

Kaelan hops down into the space below, which is only high enough to negotiate on one's knees. The space is not unlike any other crawlspace, numerous bits of junk and detritus are strewn about, much of it half buried in the drit. Kaelan spends the next 20 minutes shoveling through drit until he comes upon a copper colored puck shaped item nearly half a meter in diameter as well as a couple other cyphers buried along side it. While the bottom of the coppery item is perfectly flat the top is slightly convex. There are strange symbols embedded into the side that emit a strange radiation of sorts. Kaelan recognizes that this item has the capacity to power something else as he is familiar with the sensation of latent static energy.

He lifts himself up from the crawlspace and displays his bounty to Yrgan. Yrgan nod and confirms, "Yep, that's the thing he brought back with him. So you think that'll help save him? It better. I'm trusting you guys.

OOC: You can decide if you want to take the two cyphers Kaelan uncovered in the crawlspace. You can assume these were also given to Yrgan for him to hide as well.
At this juncture, Hurley's arm has returned to normal with no trace of the watery transformation remaining.

Esperon looks down to Kaelan. "So...do you think you can identify what that thing does quickly? If not, we need to talk about how we're going to convince the mayor to give Yrgan's buddy a couple of days' reprieve."