Roo appears absolutely stunned as Reed says his imaginary friends are the spirits of the people they'd killed in the dungeon of the dead three. He stops, looking gobsmacked at the Halfling, cookie crumbs falling out of his beak as he stares.
"Wait." Roo says as he stops kicking around in the cookie mess. "Wait. Are you saying that you featherless abominations have souls? What?"
As they approach the house, Roo looks determined, his focus as sharp as honed steel.
"Amrik, if you want to survive this, and your mother to survive this, you'll tell us how many people are typically in there and what defenses they have in place. I want to know everything. If we stumble onto something you didn't mention, I start taking parts, starting with an eye."
"I don't know about souls, but these ones have definitely left something behind."
As they make their way to the Upper City, Reed tries to answer Virro's question.
"Well so far, the pirate captain, Dead-Eye, has been the chattiest," Reed says. "But there have been a few from the dungeon that have come by to say hi too; Kazzira, Nebra, and Vaaz. But they're a bit quieter. There are a few other fleeting figures the pass by in the background but they're shy."
Reed's eyes grow big at the sight of all the wealth around them in the Upper City. His mind races with possibilities.
"I don't know what happened down there. Maybe it was the skeletons. But I seem to have acquired a connection with the dead."
Reed laughs when Virro asks what the ghosts say should be done with Amrik.
"They give terrible advice. I suppose if they were smarter they wouldn't all be dead," Reed says. "So far one of them can give me a bit of help in whatever they were good at in life. Dead-Eye does have decent insight into what people are really saying. Must be from dealing with his crew for so long."
Reed pauses for a moment.
"You're welcome," he says to the air. "But you're still not getting the hat back."
He turns and looks at the manor in front of them then over at Corlith. He raises an eyebrow when Corlith emphasizes parley. Then shrugs, not sure he understands.
Amrik eyes the rooster warily, but answers, "Why, there are guards that patrol between the gate and house of course, and then we have a handful of staff within, not many are needed though, we don't have any kids or any other nuisances that live in the manor." He says kids with distain dripping from his voice.
You all move around the corner a bit to get a better view, and see what you're up against...
Corlith tuts and shakes his head, “I expect when you loan money you focus a little more on the details. Do you loan a handful of coin, or an exact amount? Why don’t you cut the vagueness and answer Roo’s questions properly. How many guards exactly? How many staff exactly? How many fiends are likely to be in residence?”.
Now that they were all on his turf, Amrik's snide countenance was returning. "Of course I pay attention to the money I'm loaning out, especially the interest I charge as it is returned to me. As for how many guards? I really do not know, never paid attention. As for the staff, let's see here. There is Blar the cook, Fendrick the butler, Sarvinder our groundskeeper, and the new maid... oh what's her name. Hmm, seems to have escaped me at the moment."
He stares at Corlith, "Sure. Let's go in for a chat, mother will be so happy to see that I am missing one of my digits."
Reya looks around as the others talk, taking in all huge change between the Upper and Lower Cities. "Well, I bet this area isn't crawling with rats." she looks to Amrik, "So would Thavius be here?" Amrik just shrugs.
Just before the group breach the gate, Archie activates her masque charm.
Her visage turns from that of a hulking suit of armour into a young round faced Fire genasi, clad in cracked leather tool smocks, her bright orange skin glows and in some spots brighter still, with flaming swirls that creep like natural tattoos up her arms and across her neck, her hair is long and defies gravity a little as it whips up resembling threads of fire. She looks like a normal fire genasi, albeit a larger version of their usual size. "Well this is me, not much of a disguise when I'm just looking like I normally do, but it feels... good." Able to express actual emotion on her face she gives the group an embarrassed smile.
"It's good to finally be able to see you as you really are, even if it is just an illusion for now", Corlith replies to Archie. "Hopefully it won't be long until we see you like that for real".
As Amrik starts making snide comments, and Roo suggests Virro take his other thumb, Corlith let's out a loud sigh.
"I am not sure you really get what is happening here, Amrik. You and your family, including your mother, have been consorting with devils and cults with the aim of destabilising the city. You have done this through initiating a series of city wide murders, and that is just what we know about, I suspect there is more. I couldn't care less if your mummy is upset about your boo boo. And I don't care if Virro here balances things up by taking your other thumb right now", he says seriously. "You should be thankful of the fact we are giving any in your family a chance to speak at all, rather than simply killing you all on sight, which we are quite at liberty to do under the terms of our deputisation".
Virro steps in front of Amrik, saying “I do think he has forgotten the situation here. Well, the pouch is still hungry.” He looks at Corlith and Roo, like he is trying to impress them, attempts a joke with a strange laugh. “Hey, who has zero thumbs and will listen better. This guy!” With that he rapidly pulls out his dagger, grabs the left hand of Amrik, feels the base of his thumb at the carpometacarpal joint and puts the dagger there, slicing off his left thumb, putting it into his pouch and sealing the top of it.
Dagger : 17 to hit, for 5 points of damage.
Then he says casually to the group in a matter of fact manner, like he is discussing where to store the leftovers after a dinner meal, “You know, we could stuff his body behind a bush and just go in there. Why do we need him?”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Reya smiles warmly at Archie, "Well it is nice to see who is behind the armor. Good to meet you, Archie."
Amrik rolls his eyes as Corlith launches into his speech, "Like you would really do that. Here. In the Upper City. Come now.." as Amrik's attention is drawn to Corlith and is ready to admonish him for thinking they would actually harm him out in the streets of the Upper City, Virro swiftly pulls back Amrik's cloak and deftly removes the other thumb.
Unfortunately, that was just enough. Amrik stops talking in mid-sentence, his rolling eyes roll back into his head and he slumps to the ground.
Reya steps back a bit in shock, looking from Virro to Roo, "Well, what do we do now? We better hide the body before anyone walks by." She starts looking frantically around, hoping no one is at the moment, and to her relief, you are all alone.
“Just pick him up, we’ll just say he had too much to drink and we are bringing him home”, Corlith says quickly, also looking around to check if anyone had seen. “I do believe our remit as Flaming Fist deputies covers this, as he is obviously involved with the cult and likely controls their actions. I would rather not have to explain that out on the street in full view of his Manor House though”.
With that, he quickly summons his spectral hand and positions it at the nape of Amrik’s neck so he can manipulate his head without it being seen.
Reed finds himself too busy looking at the manor, trying to determine where he'd sneak in and which room was likely to have the most valuable stashed away inside, to notice what's going on with Amrik. When he finally does, his eyes go wide.
"Did you just kill him by cutting his thumb off?" Reed asks.
When he grasps that the plan appears to be to pretend Amrik is still alive to get access to the manor, he scrunches up his small face a little.
"That is bold," Reed says. "But is that going to fool even the most incompetent guard? In full daylight?"
Reed looks around a little.
"What if you pretend to be friends bringing him home drunk once it gets dark?" Reed suggests.
Wilfred, while failing to hold back his laughter, quickly puts his arm around Amirk and starts to support him like he's drunk. "The help usually use the north gate and head into the manor by the galley. At least that's what this guy said. We should probably go that wait, say that's what he told us to do so as not to upset his mother."
While the others decide if they're really going to try and pass Amrik off as alive, Reed moves along the outer wall of the manor, looking for any easy spots to climb over, preferably next to large trees, or near a tree on the inside, somewhere that would offer some cover that he could watch the house more closely.
While he does, he waves at the air near his head.
"Go calm down first. I'm not going to talk to you when you're shouting," Reed says. After a moment he continues. "They were just thumbs."
He then goes back to focusing on finding a perch to see inside the manor.
Reya watches as Wilfred picks up Amrik off the ground and Virro slips around to the other side to help support him. Tucking Corlith's mage hand under the fur on Amrik's cloak, Reya smirks, "So I guess this is one way to get the answers we need. Your Flaming Fists duties covers this? Man, now I really don't feel bad about wounding one of their soldiers. Drunk is what we're going for right?" She pulls out a flask, unscrews the top and splashes a strong smelling whiskey at the body of Amrik.
Satisfied that they could make this work, Roo and Archie lead the group around the house towards the North Gate, with Wilfred and Virro supporting Amrik and Corlith and Reya at the rear. Reed hangs back a bit, checking out the wall. As you approach Vanthampur Villa, you see it is a stately stone edifice with a detached stable house. Both buildings have sloped rooftops covered with red clay tiles. A 12-foot high stone wall encloses the villa and features three wooden gates. The main entrance and coach gate to the south and a postern gate to the north.
The tall, wooden gate is unlocked, and as you push it open, you are immediately greeted by three guards. They grip their spears tight, ready to use them, when they see Amrik behind Roo and Archie. Glaring, one of them asks, "What are you doing here, why do you have one of the masters of the house? Why did you use this gate? Answer now."
Corlith looks passed the others, moving a little forward to address the guards.
"I don't tend to question orders, and this one is in no state to tell you what he told us right now. Can't you see he's dead on his feet? Too much time spent at the Low Lantern", he says to them forthrightly. "Now let us passed before his mother sees him in this condition, or she is going to be mad as all hell, if you get my meaning".
With that he manipulates the spectral hand to have Amrik roll his head about slightly.
The guard stares at the tiefling for a moment, considering his words. Rubbing his chin as he looks from Amrik to his other companions and back to the group, he finally sighs and says, "Well, hurry on with it then, yes she will be." And the three guards watch you all closely and as you look at the back of the house, there is one door and it is located just off the back veranda.
Archie scratches her illusory chin as corlith speaks to the guards, she then hurries in and dutifully leads the others to the door near the veranda, she tries the door opening it if unlocked and peeking in to check that the coast is clear.
Virro reaches out and taps Corlith on the shoulder prior to approaching the guards, giving him guidance. (To Amrik) “C’mon old man, you had one too many, didn’t you!” Virro almost chuckles to himself as they get by the guards and get inside, saying softly to himself, “Who has no thumbs and drank too much… this guy!” *creepy giggle* Once inside he looks around and listens for any movement, trying to get his bearings.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
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Roo appears absolutely stunned as Reed says his imaginary friends are the spirits of the people they'd killed in the dungeon of the dead three. He stops, looking gobsmacked at the Halfling, cookie crumbs falling out of his beak as he stares.
"Wait." Roo says as he stops kicking around in the cookie mess. "Wait. Are you saying that you featherless abominations have souls? What?"
As they approach the house, Roo looks determined, his focus as sharp as honed steel.
"Amrik, if you want to survive this, and your mother to survive this, you'll tell us how many people are typically in there and what defenses they have in place. I want to know everything. If we stumble onto something you didn't mention, I start taking parts, starting with an eye."
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Reed smiles at Roo.
"I don't know about souls, but these ones have definitely left something behind."
As they make their way to the Upper City, Reed tries to answer Virro's question.
"Well so far, the pirate captain, Dead-Eye, has been the chattiest," Reed says. "But there have been a few from the dungeon that have come by to say hi too; Kazzira, Nebra, and Vaaz. But they're a bit quieter. There are a few other fleeting figures the pass by in the background but they're shy."
Reed's eyes grow big at the sight of all the wealth around them in the Upper City. His mind races with possibilities.
"I don't know what happened down there. Maybe it was the skeletons. But I seem to have acquired a connection with the dead."
Reed laughs when Virro asks what the ghosts say should be done with Amrik.
"They give terrible advice. I suppose if they were smarter they wouldn't all be dead," Reed says. "So far one of them can give me a bit of help in whatever they were good at in life. Dead-Eye does have decent insight into what people are really saying. Must be from dealing with his crew for so long."
Reed pauses for a moment.
"You're welcome," he says to the air. "But you're still not getting the hat back."
He turns and looks at the manor in front of them then over at Corlith. He raises an eyebrow when Corlith emphasizes parley. Then shrugs, not sure he understands.
Corlith sees Reed raise an eyebrow, “It’s a pirate thing…never mind”.
”Hey Wilfred, Roo. Why don’t you both take these amulets. I think you’ll get most use out of them”.
Amrik eyes the rooster warily, but answers, "Why, there are guards that patrol between the gate and house of course, and then we have a handful of staff within, not many are needed though, we don't have any kids or any other nuisances that live in the manor." He says kids with distain dripping from his voice.
You all move around the corner a bit to get a better view, and see what you're up against...
Corlith tuts and shakes his head, “I expect when you loan money you focus a little more on the details. Do you loan a handful of coin, or an exact amount? Why don’t you cut the vagueness and answer Roo’s questions properly. How many guards exactly? How many staff exactly? How many fiends are likely to be in residence?”.
”After that, you can take us in for a chat”.
Now that they were all on his turf, Amrik's snide countenance was returning. "Of course I pay attention to the money I'm loaning out, especially the interest I charge as it is returned to me. As for how many guards? I really do not know, never paid attention. As for the staff, let's see here. There is Blar the cook, Fendrick the butler, Sarvinder our groundskeeper, and the new maid... oh what's her name. Hmm, seems to have escaped me at the moment."
He stares at Corlith, "Sure. Let's go in for a chat, mother will be so happy to see that I am missing one of my digits."
Reya looks around as the others talk, taking in all huge change between the Upper and Lower Cities. "Well, I bet this area isn't crawling with rats." she looks to Amrik, "So would Thavius be here?" Amrik just shrugs.
Roo takes the amulet and continues to stare at Amrik.
"Virro," the Rooster says with the emotionless tone of an automaton. "Amrik forgot who we are. Take his other thumb."
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Just before the group breach the gate, Archie activates her masque charm.
Her visage turns from that of a hulking suit of armour into a young round faced Fire genasi, clad in cracked leather tool smocks, her bright orange skin glows and in some spots brighter still, with flaming swirls that creep like natural tattoos up her arms and across her neck, her hair is long and defies gravity a little as it whips up resembling threads of fire. She looks like a normal fire genasi, albeit a larger version of their usual size. "Well this is me, not much of a disguise when I'm just looking like I normally do, but it feels... good." Able to express actual emotion on her face she gives the group an embarrassed smile.
"It's good to finally be able to see you as you really are, even if it is just an illusion for now", Corlith replies to Archie. "Hopefully it won't be long until we see you like that for real".
As Amrik starts making snide comments, and Roo suggests Virro take his other thumb, Corlith let's out a loud sigh.
"I am not sure you really get what is happening here, Amrik. You and your family, including your mother, have been consorting with devils and cults with the aim of destabilising the city. You have done this through initiating a series of city wide murders, and that is just what we know about, I suspect there is more. I couldn't care less if your mummy is upset about your boo boo. And I don't care if Virro here balances things up by taking your other thumb right now", he says seriously. "You should be thankful of the fact we are giving any in your family a chance to speak at all, rather than simply killing you all on sight, which we are quite at liberty to do under the terms of our deputisation".
Virro steps in front of Amrik, saying “I do think he has forgotten the situation here. Well, the pouch is still hungry.” He looks at Corlith and Roo, like he is trying to impress them, attempts a joke with a strange laugh. “Hey, who has zero thumbs and will listen better. This guy!” With that he rapidly pulls out his dagger, grabs the left hand of Amrik, feels the base of his thumb at the carpometacarpal joint and puts the dagger there, slicing off his left thumb, putting it into his pouch and sealing the top of it.
Dagger : 17 to hit, for 5 points of damage.
Then he says casually to the group in a matter of fact manner, like he is discussing where to store the leftovers after a dinner meal, “You know, we could stuff his body behind a bush and just go in there. Why do we need him?”
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Reya smiles warmly at Archie, "Well it is nice to see who is behind the armor. Good to meet you, Archie."
Amrik rolls his eyes as Corlith launches into his speech, "Like you would really do that. Here. In the Upper City. Come now.." as Amrik's attention is drawn to Corlith and is ready to admonish him for thinking they would actually harm him out in the streets of the Upper City, Virro swiftly pulls back Amrik's cloak and deftly removes the other thumb.
Unfortunately, that was just enough. Amrik stops talking in mid-sentence, his rolling eyes roll back into his head and he slumps to the ground.
Reya steps back a bit in shock, looking from Virro to Roo, "Well, what do we do now? We better hide the body before anyone walks by." She starts looking frantically around, hoping no one is at the moment, and to her relief, you are all alone.
“Just pick him up, we’ll just say he had too much to drink and we are bringing him home”, Corlith says quickly, also looking around to check if anyone had seen. “I do believe our remit as Flaming Fist deputies covers this, as he is obviously involved with the cult and likely controls their actions. I would rather not have to explain that out on the street in full view of his Manor House though”.
With that, he quickly summons his spectral hand and positions it at the nape of Amrik’s neck so he can manipulate his head without it being seen.
Reed finds himself too busy looking at the manor, trying to determine where he'd sneak in and which room was likely to have the most valuable stashed away inside, to notice what's going on with Amrik. When he finally does, his eyes go wide.
"Did you just kill him by cutting his thumb off?" Reed asks.
When he grasps that the plan appears to be to pretend Amrik is still alive to get access to the manor, he scrunches up his small face a little.
"That is bold," Reed says. "But is that going to fool even the most incompetent guard? In full daylight?"
Reed looks around a little.
"What if you pretend to be friends bringing him home drunk once it gets dark?" Reed suggests.
Wilfred gladly accepts the amulet.
Wilfred, while failing to hold back his laughter, quickly puts his arm around Amirk and starts to support him like he's drunk. "The help usually use the north gate and head into the manor by the galley. At least that's what this guy said. We should probably go that wait, say that's what he told us to do so as not to upset his mother."
While the others decide if they're really going to try and pass Amrik off as alive, Reed moves along the outer wall of the manor, looking for any easy spots to climb over, preferably next to large trees, or near a tree on the inside, somewhere that would offer some cover that he could watch the house more closely.
While he does, he waves at the air near his head.
"Go calm down first. I'm not going to talk to you when you're shouting," Reed says. After a moment he continues. "They were just thumbs."
He then goes back to focusing on finding a perch to see inside the manor.
Reya watches as Wilfred picks up Amrik off the ground and Virro slips around to the other side to help support him. Tucking Corlith's mage hand under the fur on Amrik's cloak, Reya smirks, "So I guess this is one way to get the answers we need. Your Flaming Fists duties covers this? Man, now I really don't feel bad about wounding one of their soldiers. Drunk is what we're going for right?" She pulls out a flask, unscrews the top and splashes a strong smelling whiskey at the body of Amrik.
Satisfied that they could make this work, Roo and Archie lead the group around the house towards the North Gate, with Wilfred and Virro supporting Amrik and Corlith and Reya at the rear. Reed hangs back a bit, checking out the wall. As you approach Vanthampur Villa, you see it is a stately stone edifice with a detached stable house. Both buildings have sloped rooftops covered with red clay tiles. A 12-foot high stone wall encloses the villa and features three wooden gates. The main entrance and coach gate to the south and a postern gate to the north.
The tall, wooden gate is unlocked, and as you push it open, you are immediately greeted by three guards. They grip their spears tight, ready to use them, when they see Amrik behind Roo and Archie. Glaring, one of them asks, "What are you doing here, why do you have one of the masters of the house? Why did you use this gate? Answer now."
Corlith looks passed the others, moving a little forward to address the guards.
"I don't tend to question orders, and this one is in no state to tell you what he told us right now. Can't you see he's dead on his feet? Too much time spent at the Low Lantern", he says to them forthrightly. "Now let us passed before his mother sees him in this condition, or she is going to be mad as all hell, if you get my meaning".
With that he manipulates the spectral hand to have Amrik roll his head about slightly.
The guard stares at the tiefling for a moment, considering his words. Rubbing his chin as he looks from Amrik to his other companions and back to the group, he finally sighs and says, "Well, hurry on with it then, yes she will be." And the three guards watch you all closely and as you look at the back of the house, there is one door and it is located just off the back veranda.
Archie scratches her illusory chin as corlith speaks to the guards, she then hurries in and dutifully leads the others to the door near the veranda, she tries the door opening it if unlocked and peeking in to check that the coast is clear.
(Before)
Virro reaches out and taps Corlith on the shoulder prior to approaching the guards, giving him guidance. (To Amrik) “C’mon old man, you had one too many, didn’t you!” Virro almost chuckles to himself as they get by the guards and get inside, saying softly to himself, “Who has no thumbs and drank too much… this guy!” *creepy giggle* Once inside he looks around and listens for any movement, trying to get his bearings.
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.