CH. 13: Consequences

[djhyland]

"I'm well, thank you, how are you?" Arulia tells Gobax. Without waiting for a reply, she hurries on. "It's just, uh, we're going to be busy today, and I'm anxious to get started."

[BishGada]

Tulbas returns the mirror to Selowen, "It's the forth apprentice. Let's approach her." He peeks through the door and call, "Hi! Don't be alerted, it's us. The other apprentices." He says, ready to hide behind the wall if she fires anything at him. "Are you hurt? We have seen blood stains near your room."

[spyguy1503]

"Works for me." Ne-Chanz says, readying his weapons, privately thinking about what he would have done. He decides that he would have offed the girl like he was supposed to.

[JadedDM]

Haahqae (Steel Tankard Inn, Common room)
Jaymes shrugs, finishes off his drink, pays the barkeeper and steps out with him, pulling his cloak tighter around his shoulders. "Help them out how?" he asks. "And the Masked Dragon? Your friends must be quite wealthy to stay somewhere so nice."

Kendra Synclair (2527 Market Street, Greylock's Gorgeous Gems)
"That might be the best strategy," Sadron agrees. "Just keep on your toes. If another attack does come, I would guess the speech is where it is most likely to happen. You'll be holding still with all eyes on you--a great distraction."

Tulbas Erogund (Tower of Wayreth, Unknown Floor on AT 15)
The woman gives out a squeak when Tulbas speaks and she nearly drops the amulet she just picked up, fumbles around for it, and just in time manages to save it before it hits the ground. "Oh, it's just you," she says in relief. She quickly sticks the amulet in her sack. "What, me? Oh, that. No, I'm fine. It's nothing serious." She lifts the hem of her robes, revealing a nasty looking wound that has been hastily bandaged up on her leg.

Gobax and Arulia (High Hand Inn, Common room)
Green Tears shakes her head. "No, the mages do not work for the occupation, merely register with them. The occupation knows every spell they can cast, every magical item they possess. This way, if someone summons a monster in the streets or sets fire to a building with magic, they know exactly who the suspects are. This should prevent mages from attacking the town, or at least limit it further."

Ne-Chanz and Shima (Central Haven Sewers)
The two return to the area with the chest and where Shima was nearly run down by a pack of rats. The sound of rushing water can be heard from the sludge river.

[TristenC]

I didn't mean they'd work for the occupation, but having them registered gives the occupation a measure of control over them, don't you think? And the occupation can allow their own magic users to act with impunity while restricting others... Besides, only the soldiers were attacked, not the people nor any structure in town. he finishes quietly. It was truly a harrowing thought. The goblin finishes and pays (food and room) and joins Arulia in preparing to go.

[HorizonsDream]

"That was kind of the point of this whole thing," Kendra says. She sounds slightly nervous about that fact. "It is a shame that you won't be there to help me out, but you can't exactly leave."

[djhyland]

Once she and Gobax are out of earshot of the plainswoman or other likely eavesdroppers, Arulia bends down a bit closer towards Gobax's ear and speaks quietly. "Shima found me last night," she explains. "I don't know what he was thinking...he first professed his love for me, then told me that he had been hired to murder my sister! Needless to say, I did not ask him to join us today." A number of conflicting emotions--anger, embarrassment, and fear among them--fight across her face, and tears glisten at the corner of her eyes. "I'm sorry, Gobax. I know that we need help, but I can't work with him. And I don't know what to do about any of it all, either!"

[TristenC]

Grubnick takes another look at the young half-elf girl. He had been so focused on the task he hadn't considered how young she must still be... For all that he didn't know her age and he knew goblins lived short lives compared to other races... she suddenly seemed far younger than he. Hey... he says comfortingly, patting and rubbing her back in a soothing but respectful manner. Don't worry about him, we'll figure out how to handle the girls without his help. That's not important right now. Are you ok? he takes the cleanest shirt scrap/cloth from his pouch for her to dry her eyes. I don't know what to think about the 'love' thing... seems odd and out of nowhere. But if he is trying to hurt you or your sister I will help you. I know we don't really owe each other anything... we only worked that one job together and half of that went sideways, this kind of thing isn't right. Did he say who hired him to attack your sister? Has she been warned?

[Chris1234]

Shima eyeballs the bridge to try and estimate whether it might take Ne-Chanz's weight comfortably and then moves quietly round the corner to where he almost got consumed by a rodent the week before.

If the room is unoccupied, he moves up to the far door and listens at it and then searches for traps, attempting to disarm any found.
Finally the dwarf tries the door - is it locked? (If yes, he tries to unlock it, otherwise, after checking that Ne-Chanz appears ready, opening it and stepping back as the door opens.)

[Haahque]

Despite his occasional lack of perceiving danger, Haahqae at least has enough sense to know that outright accusing soldiers in a public place full of Red Army guards was probably not the wisest idea he could think of, so instead he keeps the details of the event vague as they walk.

“You might think so, but they’re actually quite poor right now. They’ve been sharing a room to save costs, and their room was broken into last week. Everything they had of value was stolen, as was Ismene, who happened to be there at the time. I would rather like to track down the thieves, but I can understand if that’s far too much to ask of you. The least we can do is visit with Myriam and offer her some support through this hard time.”

(Haahqae heads towards the Masked Dragon to visit with Myriam.)

[djhyland]

Arulia takes the cloth that Gobax offers and dabs at her eyes with it. She blinks hard against any more tears that threaten to come, trying to control her emotions. "I'm...I'm okay. I'm so scared, but I..." She wipes at her eyes again. "Things have been so hard since the Dragon Queen's army came to town. I've worried that we'd have enough to eat, that we can afford to keep our home, and that we'll get sent away. I've worried about my father since they took him prisoner, even though Kendra assures me that he's well. But I've never worried about my family's lives being in danger! I feel...so helpless, and it terrifies me!"

Arulia chokes back a sob, and gathers herself again. "I told Cassilda to be careful, and to never let herself be alone. I'd have told her to never leave the house, but she's apprenticed to Una the weaponsmith, and she's the only one making any sort of money in the family. That's why it's so important to take back the steel that Yvette and Xyleena stole: with it, I can pay for our food and our house, and Cassilda won't have to go to work!" She wipes at her eyes again. "Shima told me that the Church of the Dragon Queen hired him, but not why. He promised me that he wouldn't kill her, but if they hired him, they'll just hire someone else or do it themselves, won't they?"

As if her rushed and jumbled explanations have left her exhausted now that they're done pouring out of her, Arulia slumps. Awkwardly offering Gobax his cloth back to him, she apologizes. "I'm so sorry, Gobax, you didn't need to hear all of that. By the Old Gods, you must think me a fool! It's just...just...so hard to know who I can trust. We really don't owe each other anything, but you've always been kind to me, and if you're willing to help me after nothing more than that job, then I do trust you. Thank you."

[BishGada]

"Was it caused in the attack? Did you fell? Did you see anyone on the way here? Do you know where the battle takes place?" Tulbas asks then looks at her sack, "Did you find anything that might help survive the battle?" and he joins her search for useful items while saying, "I'm Tulbas. And you are?" and then he looks to Selowen to see if she cares to introduce herself.
======================================================
(OOC: Tulbas didn't use the words looting to keep the talk friendly)

[TristenC]

He nods along, listening to the young woman pour her heart out. He makes sure they have privacy enough for the kind of talk going on, leading her to an unoccupied corner and making sure no draconian's are anywhere near. When she continues on about the army and her father's arrest, he feels a tug at his heart, Perhaps here is another I might share the glimmer of hope with... He had heard of Gregeddin's arrest, and that he was representing the trade guild* Arulia running the smithy certainly matched with that... You are right... if the church hired him and he fails they will send others... When she begins to apologize he freezes, something she said stopping his mind cold so that he hardly hears the rest... ...by the old gods... Watching her closely, he tries to recall her last remarks about trust... The... he has to swallow to make his throat work properly again, The old God's are real. he says in an authoritative whisper. They have agents in the city, and they work against the Dragon Queen even now... they... the goblin takes a ragged breath, Sirrion's fire! Why was it so hard to trust anyone? His god demanded action and he sat like a lump half the time and puttered around hunting thieves. Well he wouldn't get far without a place to stay and his coin would run out soon, but with the absence of his mentor he had to make some progress on his own. He wasn't so chaotic in his methds as Delarn, or in fact Sirrion himself, but he had to do something. Shutting down his doubt he looked again to the distressed girl. Here was a prime example of the pain the dragon queen caused. Here he had a chance to help. Even now, we seek to help the people and reduce her influence. He peered deep into her young eyes, letting his own hide nothing from her; stripped to his soul. Silently praying that this fragile young woman wouldn't cry out the single word that could land him in ths greatest trouble in his short life.


[Ooc: * I think]

[spyguy1503]

Ne-Chanz follows along, assuming the bridge holds well.

[JadedDM]

Haahqae (Masked Dragon Inn, Common room)
"Wait, that is why you want me to visit your friends? I'm not sure I'd be of any use in something like that," Jaymes says. "If you need a giant slain, that's one thing. I've no experience in jail breaks, though."

The two head to the Masked Dragon where Miriam stays and where Ismene used to. The common room is fairly empty of people right now, although Miriam is having breakfast alone. A minstrel--Vincent, the one Haahqae terrorized earlier--is playing a somber tune for the patrons while they eat. A gaggle of baaz sit in the corner, drinking and carousing.

Kendra Synclair (2527 Market Street, Greylock's Gorgeous Gems)
"Exactly. But I'll be rooting for you here, as that's the only thing I can do," Sadron says. He reaches across the table and places his hand on her own in a comforting gesture.

Tulbas Erogund (Tower of Wayreth, Unknown Floor on AT 15)
"Jinali," the half-elven woman says in way of greeting. "Nice to meet you. My injury was when I was in my room. Some jerk let out a fireball right in the middle of the hallway. Seemed a bit too much to me, but I guess when you spend centuries oppressing people, they go a little nuts when the revolution finally comes. Battle seems to be taking place all over the place. But this floor seems quiet, at least for now."

"What do you mean, 'revolution?'" asks Selowen. "Do you know what's happening here?"

"For hundreds of years, the Conclave have sat in this tower, dictating who can use magic and who can't," Jinali explains. "But magic should be free, not regulated and restricted. That's why our numbers have lowered, why so many people don't trust mages. Not to mention the barbaric and archaic tradition of forcing young people to endure a deadly Test, many of whom die in the process. And if you refuse? You either aren't allowed to use magic or you're branded a 'renegade.' Well, now every mage is a renegade. Or they will be soon. Then magic will belong to the people again, instead of just the elite."

Jinali pulls a book off a shelf and pages through it. Evidently not finding it useful, she tosses it on to the ground instead of adding it to her sack. "My master and some others decided enough was enough. We waited until the Night of the Eye, when our power was strongest, so we could make our move. Now we'll all be free to pursue and study magic how we see fit, not what a bunch of crusty old folks dictate."

Gobax and Arulia (Alley, Merchant District)
The two find an alley to slip into and talk without fear of being overheard by patrols or checkpoints.

Ne-Chanz and Shima (Central Haven Sewers)
Shima figures as long as Ne-Chanz takes it slowly and is careful, and crosses by himself, he should be able to make it across the bridge when the time comes.

Instead, the two head south and enter the room where Shima stumbled upon the rats. It is currently empty. Shima moves up to the door in this room and places his ear up to it for several moments. He hears nothing on the other side. He then searches it for traps, but can't find any. He does spot a padlock on the door, though. Pulling out his tools, he attempts to pick it...but it is too difficult for him. He just can't seem to get it open.

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Shima detects noise at the door [TN 45%] (1d100): 7, pass. He hears nothing on the other side.
Shima searches the door for traps [TN 20%] (1d100): 88, fail. He finds none.
Shima attempts to pick the lock [TN 50%] (1d100): 60, fail.