Curious... Ola did not remember anyone mentioning a favor that Black Fist were owning to the group... And could not help it but to raise a brow a bit at Lord Sage not answering Sylyra's question but pretending to misunderstand it.
She turned and left the room to get to the BF barrack/prison at Stojanow Gate.
OOC: Whoops, I'll redact that, the Lord Sage didn't say that bit about the Black Fist and a favor. That was your DM not realizing that you had that discussion by yourselves at The Laughing Goblin. The Lord Sage (as far as you know) is not spying on your private discussions 😅
A quaint walk through Scholar's Square and the packed evening streets of Phlan later, and the massive walls of Valjevo Castle tower above you. The massive iron-bound doors of Stojanow Gate are spread wide open as they have been for over one hundred years. From the top of the wall, bodies hang from thick rope, twisting slowly in the breeze while ravens peck away at the tastier morsels they offer.
A long stretch of people are lined up at a desk where a bored-looking guard thumbs through an enormous ledger.
Hex cringes at the sight of the line. "Oh gods. Please tell me we don't have to line up." She walks up to one of the people in the line and pats them on the shoulder. "Hi, sorry to bother. Was just wondering, what are you guys lining up for?"
"Depends who is on duty. Some do love to fill forms." Ola looked around to see if there is any familiar face or if she can remember that particular guard.
"Bailing out my brother," a woman in line answers Hex. "Gonna take 'til morning, most like." A man in line nearby yawns at the reminder.
Ola has not seen the guard sitting at the table in front of the line. A human man in his thirties, he is quite visibly happier than the frustrated folks he is dealing with in the line.
It was not promising - both unfamiliarity and the enjoyment of the "clerk" from bureaucratic routine - but waiting was always an option and Ola decided to try group's luck anyway. She walked to the guard and when there was a pause in his scribing attract his attention with "Hello, officer. I am Ola do Mari, you might have heard about our group of freelancer, we helped Black Fist before. We are here on behalf of Lord Sage. He mentioned you still keep one of the thief - Tibeem - here. We would like to talk to the criminal and see if we can get anything from him about the current whereabouts of his accomplice. Would it be possible?"
Sylyra leads the group through the streets, seeming to not notice or not care about his proximity to Uragum. Once they reach the castle and the line, he expresses with his posture the same sentiment Hex verbalizes. As the females begin asking those nearest, Sylyra looks for someone — anyone — else who looks important who might give them access to the prisoner without having to wait in line.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ola Persuasion: 6
"Knight Lieutenant Cron Bolver," the guard says without looking up from his ledger. "I am sure your request is much more important than the twenty people in front of you, but I'm afraid said line exists for a reason." He looks up briefly to gaze at the party, then concludes, "Imagine everyone here, at the same time, rushing to the table in the manner that you have. Why, I'd never get anything done, would I?"
The lieutenant grins wryly and calls out "Next!" to the line. A mousy human man timidly steps forward and states, "I'm here for Bergor Shon, sir. He's a good man, I swear on it...whatever he did, he's not fitting to swing. I'm willing to pay his fine." Lieutenant Bolver flips through the ledger and replies, "Ah, looks like a rather minor offense - this time, anyway. Five gold in damages, doubled for his freedom."
Hex groans loudly at the guard's response to Ola and walks dejectedly behind her. "By the time we get to see the prisoner, the other one will be a thousand years away."
"Do you have other ideas how to find him?" It was a genuine question, nothing else, Ola was never known for her sarcastic (or any other type) sense of humor. "May be asking their neighbors? Or check the place where they lived? Though, we do not know where it is."
OOC: It would probably be about a 20-30 minute trip, but at this late hour the offices are likely to be closed.
An hour passes in total as the line winds down. Only a few others enter the line behind you over that time. As you near Lieutenant Bolver, you hear much of the same from those ahead of you - mostly petitioning for loved ones to be freed.
Finally, you reach the front of the line. Bolver peers up from his ledger and yawns. "Thank you for your civility...now that you've waited like everyone else, what brings you here?" he asks.
Hex lets out a sigh at Ola's question. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. Guess we'll just have to wait around."
During the hour of waiting, Hex constantly fidgets arounds. Half way through, she even leaves to get a snack for herself and anyone else if they want one. When they finally reach the front of the line, she lets Ola take the lead.
OOC: Ready to advance once someone has addressed the Knight Lieutenant. I imagine him just tapping his fingers impatiently while the dialogue is determined.
Sylyra rolls his eyes impatiently at the others' hesitancy to address the secretary. He steps forward, pushing the hood of his cloak into a pool at the back of his neck. Adopting a very gracious face, he gives a small head nod of courtesy. "Good evening. My associates and I request permission to question the prisoner Tibeem. We have been tasked with finding his missing accomplice by the Lord Sage. We know your time is precious, so we will be swift, but we would appreciate the chance to gather as much information we might so that we may once again aid Phlan's great protectors, the Black Fist, by apprehending this threat."
That was quite the speech from Sylyra, considering the person he addressed. Ola glanced toward the elf but immediately turned her attention back to the guard.
Hex nodded a goodbye to the Lord Sage and followed the group out. "To the Black Fist now?"
Curious... Ola did not remember anyone mentioning a favor that Black Fist were owning to the group... And could not help it but to raise a brow a bit at Lord Sage not answering Sylyra's question but pretending to misunderstand it.
She turned and left the room to get to the BF barrack/prison at Stojanow Gate.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
OOC: Whoops, I'll redact that, the Lord Sage didn't say that bit about the Black Fist and a favor. That was your DM not realizing that you had that discussion by yourselves at The Laughing Goblin. The Lord Sage (as far as you know) is not spying on your private discussions 😅
A quaint walk through Scholar's Square and the packed evening streets of Phlan later, and the massive walls of Valjevo Castle tower above you. The massive iron-bound doors of Stojanow Gate are spread wide open as they have been for over one hundred years. From the top of the wall, bodies hang from thick rope, twisting slowly in the breeze while ravens peck away at the tastier morsels they offer.
A long stretch of people are lined up at a desk where a bored-looking guard thumbs through an enormous ledger.
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
Hex cringes at the sight of the line. "Oh gods. Please tell me we don't have to line up." She walks up to one of the people in the line and pats them on the shoulder. "Hi, sorry to bother. Was just wondering, what are you guys lining up for?"
"Depends who is on duty. Some do love to fill forms." Ola looked around to see if there is any familiar face or if she can remember that particular guard.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
"Bailing out my brother," a woman in line answers Hex. "Gonna take 'til morning, most like." A man in line nearby yawns at the reminder.
Ola has not seen the guard sitting at the table in front of the line. A human man in his thirties, he is quite visibly happier than the frustrated folks he is dealing with in the line.
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
It was not promising - both unfamiliarity and the enjoyment of the "clerk" from bureaucratic routine - but waiting was always an option and Ola decided to try group's luck anyway. She walked to the guard and when there was a pause in his scribing attract his attention with "Hello, officer. I am Ola do Mari, you might have heard about our group of freelancer, we helped Black Fist before. We are here on behalf of Lord Sage. He mentioned you still keep one of the thief - Tibeem - here. We would like to talk to the criminal and see if we can get anything from him about the current whereabouts of his accomplice. Would it be possible?"
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Sylyra leads the group through the streets, seeming to not notice or not care about his proximity to Uragum. Once they reach the castle and the line, he expresses with his posture the same sentiment Hex verbalizes. As the females begin asking those nearest, Sylyra looks for someone — anyone — else who looks important who might give them access to the prisoner without having to wait in line.
"I see, thank you." Hex bids farewell to the woman and follows behind Ola as she makes her way to the guard.
Ola Persuasion: 6
"Knight Lieutenant Cron Bolver," the guard says without looking up from his ledger. "I am sure your request is much more important than the twenty people in front of you, but I'm afraid said line exists for a reason." He looks up briefly to gaze at the party, then concludes, "Imagine everyone here, at the same time, rushing to the table in the manner that you have. Why, I'd never get anything done, would I?"
The lieutenant grins wryly and calls out "Next!" to the line. A mousy human man timidly steps forward and states, "I'm here for Bergor Shon, sir. He's a good man, I swear on it...whatever he did, he's not fitting to swing. I'm willing to pay his fine." Lieutenant Bolver flips through the ledger and replies, "Ah, looks like a rather minor offense - this time, anyway. Five gold in damages, doubled for his freedom."
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
Ola shrugged - Black Fist seemed not to remember any favors - and returned to the end of the queue.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
DM, how long would it take on foot to get to the Black Fist outpost near the Sokol Keep administrative offices? How long on horseback?
Hex groans loudly at the guard's response to Ola and walks dejectedly behind her. "By the time we get to see the prisoner, the other one will be a thousand years away."
"Do you have other ideas how to find him?" It was a genuine question, nothing else, Ola was never known for her sarcastic (or any other type) sense of humor. "May be asking their neighbors? Or check the place where they lived? Though, we do not know where it is."
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
OOC: It would probably be about a 20-30 minute trip, but at this late hour the offices are likely to be closed.
An hour passes in total as the line winds down. Only a few others enter the line behind you over that time. As you near Lieutenant Bolver, you hear much of the same from those ahead of you - mostly petitioning for loved ones to be freed.
Finally, you reach the front of the line. Bolver peers up from his ledger and yawns. "Thank you for your civility...now that you've waited like everyone else, what brings you here?" he asks.
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
Hex lets out a sigh at Ola's question. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. Guess we'll just have to wait around."
During the hour of waiting, Hex constantly fidgets arounds. Half way through, she even leaves to get a snack for herself and anyone else if they want one. When they finally reach the front of the line, she lets Ola take the lead.
OOC: Ready to advance once someone has addressed the Knight Lieutenant. I imagine him just tapping his fingers impatiently while the dialogue is determined.
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
OOC: Sylyra had something to tell. If not, Ola repeated explanation why are they here.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Sylyra rolls his eyes impatiently at the others' hesitancy to address the secretary. He steps forward, pushing the hood of his cloak into a pool at the back of his neck. Adopting a very gracious face, he gives a small head nod of courtesy. "Good evening. My associates and I request permission to question the prisoner Tibeem. We have been tasked with finding his missing accomplice by the Lord Sage. We know your time is precious, so we will be swift, but we would appreciate the chance to gather as much information we might so that we may once again aid Phlan's great protectors, the Black Fist, by apprehending this threat."
That was quite the speech from Sylyra, considering the person he addressed. Ola glanced toward the elf but immediately turned her attention back to the guard.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice