Cassandre had been silent, observing the merchants, pondering, listening to Kam and Jack, and eventually she said:
  “I may not look fierce but I could be your bodyguard… and my word holds some sway. I am actually interested in getting a well paid job, so why not? Especially if you can say that what you’re doing would be considered a good service to the community! I for one hate pirates, always have, but maybe more so since they tried to take advantage of my friend and me in a chapel… long story.”
“Anyways, I’m ready to hear more. Jack, Kam, I understand you’re hesitant. If it’s worth your while, I’ll get you in on it. If I can’t say more about it later in because of the gem, well I’ll just subcontract you for it and you’ll have to take it at face value!”
 “Maybe go check on the newlyweds actually… they left in an awful hurry earlier.” she grinned and looked at the merchants.

She grabbed the necklace and said slowly and measuredly.
  “I’m very interested in your business in town and your mission, I’d love to know more about it and potentially help you, if it is as you say something that most would consider good and if pirates are against you even more so! I have no intentions of working against you in the future, and I am currently free of employment.”

Once Jack and Kam were out of earshot, she asked:
  “So what is it then?”

---

Best of only one of us is “sworn in”, and better if we can get some information from them! Cassandre can get creative if she needs to break an oath :)

Breya senses tingling...

It's just Bellinha coming up behind you though.

No.  Wait.  You saw something.  A pebble suddenly fall down the embankment.

If it was the now invisible twosome, they are heading in the direction of Orus Coombs house.

---

The merchants regard each other, then one of them turns back to you Cassandre.  "Alright.  I'll tell you this much.

"We are in the employ of one of the noble houses.  There's some...let's say they are a type of smuggler.  These smugglers have been moving some very troublesome merchandise.  We've been investigating these smugglers for this noble house.

"Now...we're setting up an operation to kind of take down these smugglers.  So we need someone to watch our back while we go about this."

Cassandre was quick slip into conspiracy tone in her speech. She lowered her pitch, and whispered back:
  "I typically have no love for the noble houses, but I could consider helping them if the pay is right and if the cause is... well... not necessarily just, but at least aligns with my philosophy."

 "I may need to know a bit more before I can commit myself; and a few swords I can speak for."

 "Which House, What Smugglers, What Cargo?"

 "If you can't say the three, then at least two of these things I need to know; and the third one is not optional."

 "If our needs align, I'll even throw in a discount to your protection cost," she winked.

Jack moves out of earshot and starts moving quickly but more definitely stealthily in the same direction as Bellinha and Breya, trying to ensure that he could cover them should any ambush emerge.

Breya moved as swiftly as she could.  She needed to learn how those damn monks hauled ass so fast.

Map!  Now with flavor!




Jack and Bell, I am just going to assume you guys can see Breya.  You cannot see the two guys she is chasing of course since they are invisible.  Which you don't know. But I think we can say you both know Big Brey well enough to know she has her Clobberin'-Time face on.  Which, forgive me if I am assuming things Breya, I assume Breya probably does.

Skeeter:  you should know where you are. If not, let me know and I will catch you up.

Breya:  if you are trying to be stealthy, will ask for a stealth roll.  If you are abandoning all forms of stealth, then need to know that instead.  The position of the two guys is an approximate.  You aren't really sure where they are at the moment, but you would guess they are over there.

You can all take an action though we are not, yet, in combat.  So no need to roll init.\

Questions from you lot?

---

The merchant leans forward Cassandre, eyeing you and Kamatar carefully.

"Well.  It's a bit too early to be telling you everything.  I need some certainty that what I tell you stays between us, just in case you say no.

"But I will tell you this..."

He glances around, then leans closer still.  His voice gets softer than a conspiracy.  You know.  One of those really good conspiracies.  The juicy ones that involve debauched nobles and heirs everyone thought was dead returning to reclaim their birthrights.

"...we're gonna screw over some slavers.  But good."

Focusing in on the squeaking board, Skeeter rushes in, praying that the gods of luck are on his side as he grapples out for the handholds that should be there to ascend his quarry, or at the very least draw his attention. But the gods of luck abandon the rakish halfling at the last second, his hand just brushing a piece of cloth (maybe?) as he reaches out to grasp.

I'm trying to climb this fool, but I'm essentially climbing blind (-4 to relevant skill checks, 50% miss chance (High Favors Me))
Climb vs his CMD using Derring Do: 17 (absolute garbage roll, 3 on the 20, 1 on my DD dice)
Miss Chance: 48% (SO CLOSE)

Bellinha moved cautiously, alert for any sign of danger.  She saw Breya in the distance but nothing else, so with no other indication of which direction to go in, Bell moved towards Breya.

Breya, of course, used Breya stealth.  That meant heading straight toward where she thought they were going as directly as possible.  Breya stealth!

Cassandre likewise leaned forward, glancing left and right to ensure privacy and prevent eavesdropping, probably making more of a conspicuous show of it than she needed to.

She softly whistled in appreciation and replied in kind:
“That is the sort of plan I can get on board with.”

 “How do I know you’re telling me the truth and you’re not just planning on robbing slavers and selling their merchandise? which would make you no better than the ones you’re stealing from…

The merchant leans a bit closer himself Cassandre.  He may have had smelt for breakfast.

"Well.  If you guys are standing behind us...and you got the swords...and we double crossed ya...wouldn't you just kick our asses?

"Nothing builds trust like knowing who's pointing the blade at who's throat."

---

BREYA STEALTH!!!!!

Bellinha and Jack, you both see several things happen at the same time.


First, that Prissy looking guy suddenly winks back into view.  He is waving his hands and

PEWPEWPEWPEW

Four glow-y, orb-y things shoot out and smackalize the bodacious Breya!  four magic missles Breya.  25 pts damage

Second, Skeeter suddenly appears at the doorstep of Orus' house.  He seems to be...running up the blank air?..but he falls backwards.

Third, the warrior who told Breya off earlier is suddenly standing where Skeeter had been trying to climb That actually was pretty close Skeets.  But yeah.  No climby climby this time.

The mouthy warrior has a wand in his hand. He suddenly points it at...

...the front door of Orus Coombs house.  Skeeter, you hear Mr. Mouthy say

"It's the New Zoo Revue!"

WHOOOOOOOSHHHHH BOOOOOOMMMMM

A ginormous fireball shoots out of said wand, through the front door and into the house.  And it blows up!  It blows up real good!

Lastly, almost anticlimactically, the last warrior suddenly appears right next to you Breya.  And he buries a mace right into your tenderest of bits.  And another 12 pts damage Breya

Lastly, back in the common room of Grats Packets, everyone can hear a Orus-shattering WHOOOOOOOSHHHHH BOOOOOOMMMMM

Including you guys Kamatar and Cassandre


This message was last updated by the GM at 03:49, Fri 10 May.

Jack stops. Jack loads his crossbow.  Jack aims at Prissy and Jack Fires

Move action.  Load cross bow and aim
Combat action, fire
20:22, Today: Jack Ketch rolled 21 using 1d20+7.  Shoot Prissy. – 21
20:22, Today: Jack Ketch rolled 3 using 1d8.  Damage if any. – 3

As heat and fire rush out through the open door, Skeeter flinches back. "You MADMAN!" he shouts, leaping into action now that he can see his foe. Clambering up the foe was one thing, an act as natural to Skeeter as breathing, but he was angry at this man for committing an act of blatant arson against a family that had only been kind to him since his arrival, and his attack slipped and didn't make any contact, even using his most favorite knife.

Initiative: 15
Climb vs CMD: 26
Attack: 11 (1)

Conditions:
Skeeter is Flat Footed (AC 18)
Mouthy is -2 to hit Skeeter

Given my amazing hp rolls lately that nearly destroys me lol

Breya cursed a mighty storm.

So, who's closest?  >=D

"Breya!" Bellinha shouted in slight panic, seeing Breya first getting hit by the magical projectiles and then having some suddenly visible guy smash her in the side.  In the distance, she saw and heard a loud burst of fire at the Coombs residence.  Her eyes went wider.  "No!" she screamed.


Bellinha cursed as she ran towards Breya, closing the distance as much as she could before.  "...nononono..." Bell repeated, feeling a dread wash over her all of a sudden.  She pointed a pair of fingers at the prissy one who had cast the spell and shouted "Leave her Alone!  Te Rei Wela!" A  beam of searing energy shot out towards the caster.


OOC:
Casting Scorching Ray
Bellinha Grunnel rolled 19 to hit for 12 damage

Breya, I'd say W2 is closer to you.

AC 21 CMD 22.  Basically, this guy:

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/besti...-half-elf-warrior-9/

I am going to delay responding to give Breya, Kam, and Cass a chance to post actions. Will respond tomorrowish

Thanks

Reading it carefully, he did hit me with a mace implying he was quite close.  I was tired, what can I say. 

Angry Breya was Angry.

"I fucking knew it!  I'm going to shove that mace up your arse!  Head first!"

Breya growled the words and fired back with an uppercut.  She was outclassed and outnumbered and going down but she was going to try to make it hurt.

09:35, Today: Breya rolled 17 using 1d20+12.  Power Attack. – 17

Whiff!  lol also I am screwed, even without the ambush this guy could beat me with one hand tied behind his back.

The warrior proves to be a bit too slippery Breya.  He dances out of reach and turns around for another assault.

Prissy meanwhile takes a double snoot of crossbow bolt and sizzling ray.  He makes a sound like a gopher being throttled and stumbles back, trying to put out the fire that his robe has become.

Skeeter, at the moment, your new friend seems busy trying to get the wand turned around to lob another fireball into the house.

Okay.  Thanks Breya.

I am going on Init 13.  You guys may post actions/rolls/etc.

Bellinha, I think at your movement rate, you will be there by now.

Jack, since you stopped to fire a crossbow, if you resume moving, you can be to Prissy and Mace Guy/Breya after this next round of posts.

Skeeter...shine on you crazy diamond.

Go Team You Guys

Jack fires another bolt at Prissy then he places the bow on the ground and sprints toward Mace guy and Breya, seeking to get the guy from behind.  As he runs, he draws his crowbar.

18:29, Today: Jack Ketch rolled 19 using 1d20+7.  Crossbow shot at Prissy. – 19
18:30, Today: Jack Ketch rolled 8 using 1d8.  Damage crossbow. – 8

12:36, Today: Breya rolled 11 using 1d20+1.  Can I beat 13? – 11

whomp whomp

"I think you need to learn a lesson!" Skeeter says, reaching into his Handy Haversack to obtain The Secret All Thieves Should Know by its spine, whipping it out of the suffocating astral pocket to slap it over the mouthy ruffian's face, hoping that the creature will reflexively open its maw for a gasp of fresh air and get a mouthful of ruffian face as a treat. But the damn thing just would not cooperate, and flopped loose at the wrong moment.

"Dammit, Bitey, I'm trying to be your friend!" he yells at the Mimic Book as it decides its own path.

Dirty Trick: Blind: 11

Conditions:
Skeeter is Flat Footed (AC 18)
Mouthy is -2 to hit Skeeter

Kamatar came back to the table where Cassandre sat, pausing only long enough to say, “I'm going to see if anyone needs help.” He looked to the other two, “She's to be protected until I or our allies return. Or you will have, trouble!”, he said with a warning growl while brandishing his bow. Leaving the inn at a full run, he headed towards where his senses told him the explosion had likely happened.

OOC:
Kamatar Yu Pan rolled 17 using 1d20+15.  Perception.
BTW, his base normal movement speed is 50' (his run speed is 200')

Cassandre was pondering over what response to give to the merchants. Then the muscular archer ran over to the table and all but threatened her new friends.
« He’s very considerate. And protective. » she simply said.

« I get that what you’re saying… but it would be nice to have some guarantee. I’ve been told… and it may just be hearsay… that some merchants are in town who are actually dealing in slaves, on behalf of a lich no less… »

«  That could not be you now could it? »

The crowd in the common room starts to follow Kamatar out of the door.

Meanwhile the two merchants exchange a glance between them, then regard you Cassandre with undisguised suspicion.

One of them finally says, "Okay.  So not sure what you've heard.  But...yes and no.

"Look," He glances around.  Lori and a drunk halfling are the only ones still in the room with you.  The halfling is laying under a table.  Lori is standing at the front door, looking out.

The other guy sighs.  Then leans closer.  "Okay.  So here's the deal.  Or what I can tell you upfront.

"Yes.  There is a slave ring.  And they are working with a certain lich.  We are acting as go betweens for them currently.  We don't run the slaves, but we handle all their logistics.

"But it's all a front.  We're in the employ of certain parties that want to remain nameless.  Or at least, I can't tell you their names without their say so.  Anyway, we are gathering intel to try to take down the slavers networks.  I mean all the slavers networks.  The whole thing, up and own the Red Tide Coast.

"This particular gang, The Flashy Bottom Clan, are one of the more brutal ones.  They're trying to edge out a couple of the other big players.  We help them do so.  Then take them down, thereby ending the whole network.  We also get notes about what slaves go where and our employers work on retrieving them to freedom.

"Get it?"

---

Macey seems surprised for some reason by the upper cut Breya.  So much so that he misses his swing rather badly.  Not so badly that you get an easy shot on him.  But it was pretty bad.

Prissy takes another crossbow bolt.  He fumbles out...what looks like a perfume bottle.  He seems intent on spraying some perfume on himself.

Maybe he's afraid his odor offends?

He's starting to spritz...

Meanwhile, Wand Guy dodes sidesways and lifts the wand up a second time.

"It's the New Zoo Revue!"

WHOOOOOOOSHHHHH BOOOOOOMMMMM

He tosses the wand into the burning wreckage and sneers at you Skeeter.

"Sorry to keep ya waiting.  Now I can kick your ass into the dirt half-pint."

Kam:  with your move score, you can assume you are within bow shot of Prissy or Mace guy in your next post.  Getting within range of Wand guy will be post after next.

Skeets...you and Mouthy against Wand.

Bell...feel free to post two actions if you wish.  You are within combat range of Prissy and Macey now.

Jack...you will be arriving at either Prissy or Macey with your next action.

Breya...It's not over until the body positive soprano warbles!

Go Team You Guys!

Jack doesn't wait to reach Prissy.  Once he's ten feet away, he throws the crowbar, aiming for the hand with the spritzer.  Then he arrives, ready to grapple him.  At that point it's on... ish.

11:36, Today: Jack Ketch rolled 27 using 1d20+7.  Throw da crow - bar. – 27
11:37, Today: Jack Ketch rolled 22 using 1d20+7.  Confirm critical. – 22
11:37, Today: Jack Ketch rolled 4 using 1d6.  Damage (double this for critical). – 4
So 8 points of damage to the hand that holds the spritzer?