”You really know how to sweet talk a lady, guv,” Baern observed, leaning on the handle of his wrench. ”Real officer material.”

“Vera ain’t wrong though. He is interesting. Boss ain’t the only one who smelled something off in Owl’s End.”

The name Amara wasn't exactly familiar to Frack, but once he heard Procz's summary, he wished he hadn't. This whole day had been confusing. First there were constables shooting at him... not to mention at Procz! Then they somehow ended up falling in with a crew of criminals, which could gain them no favor from Tyr - surely He was not going to like this one bit. In spite of this, Procz seemed willing to play along with these new acquaintances. Frack didn't like it, but he trusted his kobold friend's judgement in such matters, so he played along as well. Tyr forgive your humble servant. I know these folks aren't exactly following the Path, but Rom taught me that sometimes justice isn't straightforward. I'm not sure if this is one of those times, but Constable Procz seems to think so and I'm going to trust him.

21:58, Today: Frack rolled 14 using 2d20, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 2,14.  History. Advantage due to knowledge of lower slopes. Just missed it.

As Constable Procz talked, Veracity let out a sigh and shook her head slowly.  He does care about justice, but perhaps a little too much so.

When the kobold finished she turned toward him and said in a sweet tone, her usual breezy jocularity replaced by an edge of warning, "Constable.  Allow me to remind you that you stand in the Ghost's house, whose hospitality I've beseeched on your behalf, in your time of need.  Perhaps you'd like to try again, bearing in mind a guest's courtesy."  Veracity stared meaningfully at the kobold, silently imploring him to take a hint.

---

Persuasion toward Amara to let Procz live long enough for a do-over ;P

• 22:17, Today: Veracity rolled 16 using 1d20+7.  Persuasion.

Vera gets to treat rolls less than 10 on Persuasion as a 10, so the result is 17

"Apologies. Like I said. Not today." Procz shrugged. "Today, I'm not here. I haven't seen anything or anyone. Besides, I have a proposition. Shall we talk inside?"

Vera's face remained impassive, but something shifted in her demeanor as Procz recited her record. She seemed... it could best be described as haunted.

"I suppose we'd better." Amara's voice was surprisingly icy for a fire genasi.

The interior of the hovel was more comfortable than it appeared from outside. There was no furnishing to speak of, but the air was cool and clear, a welcome respite from the stink of the Lower Slopes, which in addition to its own refuge suffered from the sulfuric stench that wafted over from the Caldera. None of the noise from the street filtered in either.

Ilga began talking immediately. "It's true. I built a dragon. But that's nothing. I had the entire factory-"

"We've already got a tinkerer," Amara interrupted.

"Not one as good as me!"

"That's not my call to make," the genasi said, though her tone made clear what the call would be if it were hers. "What about the rest of you? A constable's useful enough." She looked to Kreo and Frack. "What can the two of you offer in exchange for your shelter here?"

"I am only useful as long as you are useful." said Procz. "And I can imagine how we could be very useful to each other." He was going to let Frack and Kreo answer for themselves, but was ready to back up both with endorsements of their magnificent prowess and character.

"I am in need of humanoid resources. People with information, insight and ability." Procz paused and gave Zúm a pat. "As long as I'm in pursuit of serious criminal elements, I can overlook minor infractions. Besides, I'm on a quest of great importance and potential value."

Vecaal's snout twitched a few times as they stepped inside the Ghost's meeting hovel and then he took a deep, satisfying breath.  He never got used to the taste of clean air and reveled in it every chance he got.  When Ilga started talking immediately the dragonborn rolled his golden eyes and casually leaned a shoulder against the wall, looking like a dingy smudge of brassy charcoal more than anything else.  His eyes followed the conversation closely though, judging Amara's response to the 'guests' they'd brought along.

Unfortunately, the little constable was even less polished than the tinkerer.  Vecaal could only imagine the fires stoking within Amara's belly with this lack of deference, and when those fires let go?  He had seen Amara truly angry once before, and was not eager for a second helping.  Those episodes had a way of spilling over on the bystanders, like Vera, Baern and himself.

[We need to be careful not to get caught in the crossfire,] he mentally cautioned his two crewmates.

"You're a cocksure little one, I'll give you that," Vecaal rumbled about Procz, though his eyes moved to Amara.  Maybe he could distract her with more news, and let the fires simmer down some.  "We also found a few interesting things in the office.  Things that line up with the tinkerer's claims about the factory."

Frack straightened himself and cleared his throat.
"Frack the Faithful at your service. And while I haven't the strength of a dragonborn or the intellect of the good constable here, as a Shield of Crimson Dale, I do offer the hammer of Tyr, god of justice. While small in size, my friend Rom once said I have a heart of a giant. I offer my heart and my shield."

Though Kreo did not recognize the so called Ghost on sight, the demeanour told him all he needed to know. Criminals. Not the ally of the working man, but not the enemy either. As likely to stand on whichever side gave profit. And Baz Cinderhorn was paying this one it seemed, for now.

"Kreovliam."

Kreo gave a bow and in the same motion doffed his coat, revealing the armoured jack beneath and the clothing 'neath that before folding the garment over his shoulder.

"This 'horny one' happens to be one union organizer under Crock's workers, just so you're informed. I've no intention on seeing you arrested on this or any other day myself. When the day comes for all of us to make our accounting with what we've done for the worker, I trust we'll all have done what we thought was right. I hope at least."

He eyed Ilga with that last remark.

As they were led inside he unbuckled his gun belt and looped it with his coat, setting both down once the group found a place to settle and taking out his flute and dagger, setting both before him as he laid down his shield and began removing his armour

"I trust we are in fact guests of your esteemed friend then, Vera? With all that entails before a feyfolk such as myself?"

At the Ghost's question of his usefulness Kreo smiled

"I can offer of course the same offer I make to all, but it's not what I can give you but what you can have with your brothers and sisters in the united workers of the caldera. But your question, you want . . . materials? Service? I'm here protecting people who need protecting, and so long as you don't ask me to compromise my beliefs, I'll keep my sermons short. I give my gifts freely, they come from a higher cause than me in the service of the worker. But some healing magics, the ability to shape water and dance flames and light wizard's lights . . . I'll be honest, you likely employ bards and mages for such things so I don't know what you could need uniquely from me . . . "

He touched his finger to the dagger blade which lit up with an orange glow, deepening to a red that simply smoldered smokeless, heatless, withdrawing his finger.

"I'll help, but I'll not be intimidated into doing your bidding. I'll as soon turn, walk out, and give my word on the worker that you won't see trouble from me knowing where your place is. So long as Frack and Procz are safe, and Vera's crew, I don't need to burden you with caring for me. So my question would be, what can I do to help you and yours? I've some mystical energy left I can make use of still, it'd be a shame to waste."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:53, Wed 19 July 2023.

Frack turned slowly to the fire genasi, his eyebrows raised so high on his forehead they disappeared under the rim of his helmet. With this stupified look frozen on his face, the goblin Shield waited to see how this clash of wills would play out.

The genasi watched with interest as Kero casually removed a firearm from his person. She seemed to consider him in a new light.

"As you say, we employ wizards of our own. Our interest lies in the greatest magic of all: friendship. Two working together can accomplish so much more than two working alone, do you not agree? We value our friends in the unions, and in the constabulary as well," she added with a glance toward Procz.

"Boss'll be hear soon enough to get a full debrief, but this sort of haggling is beneath him, so you'll hear it from me, now. Someday, and that day may never come, we will call upon you to do a service, not for The Spark, but for the Slopes. Until then, accept this hospitality as an act of gratitude for your inadvertent assistance with our recent mission."

I'm going to post again in a moment as Baz, but you can all take a long rest.

Baz Cinderhorn was young, perhaps surprisingly so for those who did not know him. Even his demeanor was young, his eyes alive with curiosity and his posture open as if he had nothing to hide and nothing to fear. The latter, at least, seemed true enough while Amara was by his side.

His vivacity was all the more striking considering the sunken cheeks and pockmarks which testified to deprivation in his early life, and the stub of a right arm which he surely had the wealth to supplement with a prosthetic, had he wished to do so.

"Welcome, friends, new and old!" he sang as he swept into the room, flanked by a muscular leonin and an aarakocra who somehow looked even more dangerous. A thick tangle of brown chest hair tumbled out from vee-shaped neckline of his shirt. An intricate mechanical device on the wrist of his good arm ticked loudly at regular intervals. "Thank you for your excellent work. I look forward to hearing a full report."

Veracity struggled to resist rolling her eyes at Procz continuing to throw all of his twenty-five pounds of weight around, telling them he needed their services in exchange for overlooking infractions.  When Procz finished up, Vera chimed in, "About this proposal...  We'd need to know what you want from us, and what you're offering.  Is it about that Luminescent Athenaeum?  A secret library of metallic dragon artifacts?  Can't speak for my superiors, but that piques my interest."


Veracity gave a nod and an easy smile, and confirmed, "You are our guests, and you're under protection while under this roof, and for as long as Ghost likes having you."  It didn't appear that the Ghost liked anybody or anything, so this statement might not be terribly comforting.  Kreo was somewhat cagey in his description of what he had to offer, although Frack was a heroic little ray of sunshine.  Amara went on to give quite reasonable terms for the safehouse's protection, even going so far as to express gratitude for the non-Spark trio's assistance, and Veracity gave the guests a wink.

Then the boss arrived with all his jubilance contrasted by the grimness of his bodyguards.  Vera opened her arms and declared, "The man himself!  Prince of the Slopes, friend to the common folk, and revolutionary of ethical business!  Lovely to see you, Boss, and have we got a story for you.  First, however, allow me to introduce three fine chaps who got mixed up with we scoundrels."  The tiefling introduced the three guests with typical showy fashion, making no lie about their credentials and the reasons they'd given for being at Owl's End, but nonetheless presenting them as quite the dashing virtuosos.

"Now heed my tale, for there are many intriguing developments with far-reaching implications."  Veracity set forth into the tale of their adventure at Owl's End with all the gusto of a stage performance.  She narrated and acted out the events with dramatic flair, building tension and foreshadowing, giving each player their moments in the spotlight, and acting out key moments enhanced by illusory special effects.  Woven throughout the story was the piecing together of a bigger picture... J.P.'s investment in machine workers and silencing the living workers who would be replaced.  The emergence of willful machine sentience occupying an entire factory capable of self-replication.  The Descendants viewing this mechanical mind as a threat to their ambition to restore draconic rule.

Veracity ensured that Ilga's central role in the the grand narrative would not be lost on the Spark's leadership.  She was a person of great interest to powerful players, and thus would be of interest to them.

As the tale drew near its conclusion, Veracity introduced the pair of dragon-riding Descendants by becoming them.  With a sweeping gesture Veracity was gone and replaced with the yuan-ti arcanist who had bombarded them with dangerous magics.  "Hurry up, Crajeon!" she hissed in a pitch-perfect impression of the Descendant's voice, "We've got company."  After ensuring that all present had gotten a good look, Vera transformed into the hulking blue firbolg who rumbled in reply just as they'd all heard him earlier, "Moving just as quickly as I can, Syntus."  She acted out the final moments of securing Ilga's release from former comrades, their survival of roaring artificial dragonfire, followed a number of timely rescues.  Veracity transformed back into herself and conjured a vivid illusory image of the antagonists mounting the great, shining brass dragon and swooping off in a narrow escape.  The illusory clockwork dragon continued to wheel overhead as Veracity concluded, "With the foes fled, this bold band took their leave of Owl's End before the Steel Resolve could regroup, escaping in secret to this very place, at this very moment."

Veracity took the deep, flourishing bow of stage performer and concluded, "That is our tale, though I'm sure that friends new and old will present their own perspectives."

---

Nat 20 Performance check for storytelling :D

• 13:26, Today: Veracity rolled 25 using 1d20+5.  Performance.

"I will do my best to help when the time comes then. But in the now, asking again, I am curios if anyone in this place needs some healing? Offered in the spirit of cooperation, of course."

When Baz arrived Kreo listened to his words and Veracity's, dubious about the tiefling's claims of Baz's alliance to the common folk as Amara had said it best, criminals were friend to the constabulary as often as they were the working man. The two could not be reconciled with words.

Stepping forward Kreo extended a hand to Baz

"Kreovliam of the union of Crock's workers. I understand you're the newest organization poaching union members away from ours. I would be interested in finding out what it would take to bring the disparate power groups together, rather than apart, in terms of workers' negotiating power. When the time comes to sit down and discuss, I hope the assistance I've rendered today will mean you're open to the possibility. But for now, it is a pleasure to meet you and thank you for your hospitality."

Frack exhaled in relief as the tension between Kreo and the genasi reached a civil outcome. His eyebrows returned from under the rim of his helmet and his attention rotated to Vera just in time to catch her wink, which caused his green cheeks to blush once again.

He bowed with an almost comical flourish when introduced to Baz, confidence bolstered by Vera's generous account of his actions. Then as the tiefling recapped their adventure at Owl's End, he stood transfixed, as if hearing the story for the first time and not even sure of its outcome.

As a child, he once snuck into the theater to hear a famous raconteur depict The Rise and Fall of Skakatoa, a performance repaid with a standing ovation of over fifteen minutes from a crowd known for throwing rotten vegetables more than applause. Vera was no less able than that famous teller of tales, and Frack found himself blushing again.

Vecaal smirked a little when Veracity went into her performance, thinking that a simple telling might be more efficient.  But who was he to take away her opportunity to have some fun?  Besides, she was usually entertaining, and this time proved to be no different.  The dragonborn began to forget himself as he fell under her spell and into the story all over again.

He was so invested that when Syntus suddenly appeared before them Vecaal actually snarled out loud, before catching himself in embarrassment.  He edged backward, away from surprised and amused gazes, and glowered through the rest of the recounting.

Baz Cinderhorn was a ball of energy, his mind bouncing from one topic to the next as quickly as his body did from place to place. It was rare he allowed himself to finish a thought uninterrupted, let alone anyone else. Yet Veracity held him transfixed, providing fresh color and characters to captivate his attention whenever it began to flag. He clapped once, striking his good hand against his leg abruptly and forcefully as she finished, as if nothing could be considered complete until he had declared it so.

"Excellent! Excellent. Very good. Very exciting." His enthusiasm shifted from Vera to Ilga. "And you're the one who built it all, eh? First the Descendants, then JP Cognelius? Well, onwards and upwards! Perhaps you will fail further with us."

The half-orc beamed back at him, accepting the job he'd so casually offered.


"Anything you can do for this?" Baz held forth the stump of his right arm, then laughed. "Kidding, of course. Wouldn't want it back if I could have it. Reminds me how I got here. I wonder what else I may have to give up, to get wherever I'm going?" he mused, sounding more curious than cynical.


"Yes! Yes, indeed. Tremendous synergies. Tell me, what do you all need? What's the next phase of your plan? How can I help you get there?"


"It sparks mine as well. I've heard all the rumors, of course," Baz added quickly.

"Not just rumors," Ilga interjected just as quickly. "The Descendants take them very seriously, anyway. They didn't tell me, of course, but I think they've got a pretty good idea where to go looking for it. For all I know, they've started already. We're, uh... not exactly on speaking terms anymore."

Procz was astonished by Veracity's retelling of his story, although his own role had been modest. He had a few notes regarding details that did not come out entirely accurate, but ultimately kept them to himself in order not to interrupt the performance. He watched Bazzle "Baz" Cinderhorn while they spoke, taking in the figure who had made such an impact on the area. While his operations still clearly weren't entirely legit, he knew they had the respect of the common folk. After seeing him in-person, Procz still leaned in the direction that this was the better option, if alliances had to be made.

"I take them very seriously too." said Procz, finally speaking up. "The rumors regarding The Luminescent Athenaeum, that is." His clothes were burned, stained and torn, but the kobold constable stood straight, carrying his uniform proudly. "For good reasons, my sources are inclined to believe these stories. And I have great faith in them in turn, albeit without hard evidence." He made another hemming sound, not to express doubt, but to keep himself from going into another coughing fit.

Baern watched Vera's theatrics unfold with his arms folded across his chest. Much like Vecaal he found himself scowling at the 'effigy' of Syntus, and when Vera adopted the persona of Crajeon he couldn't help but mutter "I could've had him. Bloody dragon."

Veracity was pleased with how this small audience received her improvised performance.  Not an easy crowd, by and large, although they all had varying reasons to be interested in the plot.  She'd known Baz would be easy to entertain, especially considering that the tale touched upon interesting opportunities, but the most receptive audience member was undoubtedly Sir Frack.  She made sure to play up how he'd heroically rescued Ilya and Procz despite his own wounds, and turned the adorably guileless goblin a clandestine smirk.  She was also quite pleased by the reactions spurred from Baern and Vecaal when she impersonated the two key antagonists.  They weren't the only ones vexed by Syntus and Krajeon's escape.


When Baz gave this open-ended offer of support that included their guests, Veracity cocked a questioning eyebrow toward Amara.  After a pause to let others speak, Veracity chimed in, "I, for one, feel like we didn't get nearly enough time with those Descendant chaps, and I wouldn't mind learning some more from them.  Any advice on that, miss Ilya?  You know where they're headquartered, and where they keep the dragon?"  She then added, "Secondly, I'd like to take the temperature of any heat on us after today's incident, and make that go away."

Veracity then brought up another matter, "The way J.P. compelled his workers to not speak on the business in Owl's End concerns me.  That's a high-end enchantment with wide-ranging applications.  I wouldn't mind knowing how he did it so we can work around it when needed.  Something broke the spell while we were there, so it definitely has limitations."

Vecaal finally perked up a little at Veracity's last comment, though there was a sheepish look on his face.  "That, ah, might have been me.  There was a crystal ball filled with smoke in the control room.  I tried to remove it from the panel but it was stuck pretty good.  So I tried harder and then it broke."  He didn't look happy admitting he'd slipped up in his theft of the item, but that had seemed to change the behaviour of the factory equipment and the few workers.  Maybe directly or maybe happenstance, but worth mentioning.

"I'm guessing it was an important part of the whole factory mind-worker muted thing.  But maybe Ilga knows more about that?"

"The next step in the plan, I'm afraid, is the first step. Crock's workers, my own union, are not all onboard with an alliance. And sympathetic elements in J.P.'s organization and your own, similarly I've made few inroads. I'd hate to draw you into a fight you weren't prepared for. First would be to establish a group separate from the three that draws people from each. That is the ideal at least, to draw others under a large roof by showing others are already there."

Kreo sighed

"So I suppose . . . I am asking you to make the first trust. If I can gather the people and bring you proof I have them, will Cinderhorn's Crew work with us to unite the workers and the lower wards?"

Ilya frowned at Vera's question. "I know where the dragon is, sure. Where it was, anyway. But look, it's not the easiest thing in the world to build a new, dragon-sized stable, now is it? Especially without my help." The half-orc winked.

"The Descendants are headquartered on an island out in the caldera lake. Ummm... navigation isn't exactly my strong suit. But look, if you can find the island, I can get us inside."

OOC update: In the downtime that followed this conversation, Vera believes she has located the island as well as a skiff that could take you all out there.


"Yep. We all got bound to that orb when we started working at Owl's End. Any spell that was cast on it affected all of us. Thanks, by the way, for breaking it. Nasty bit of business, that."

"Absolutely. Very exciting stuff. And I'll go you one better: I've got jobs for all the workers you liberated today. You can tell them I'll match what JP was paying them, no blood ritual necessary. How's that sound?"

He had already turned his attention to the device on his wrist, making clear that last question was rhetorical. He already knew it sounded good. Owl's End had paid twice what the workers could make any other factory, which was how JP enticed them into submitting to such draconian measures.

"I'll check in in a week or so. See that you lot don't bring the constables down on us in the meantime, hmmm?" the gnome called over his shoulder to Amara, Veracity, Vecaal, and Baern as he departed.

Kreo wrinkled his nose and tried not to let on what he was thinking when Baz made his offer, graciously doing a half bow when it was clear their time with this illustrious leader was up.

---

Spoiler for anyone with Passive Insight 12+: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Kreo doesn't trust that offer. Double pay rates aside, this seems to unnerve Kreo, rather than assure him

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