"Thanks for the info," Seraphine says, addressing Hawthorne before turning to the rest of the group. "What are we thinking? Hunting tonight, and question witnesses tomorrow? We may not know much about this creature, whatever it is, but in my experience, most monsters burn the same."
"That's because you don't know that many monsters," Ethan says, unable to resist the urge to lecture. "Aside from already mentioned shapeshifter, it could be an ooze, a shadow, a spectre, a fiend... or a magic practitioner, that's also true. Some of them are killed harder than others, and we can't even know yet who's responsible yet. Is it a person or a group of people? What kind of monster are they using? Do they have only one? The list of questions goes on and on."
Ethan took a breath and continued.
"I think it's best to collect as my information as we can before we co hunting anything. We can just as easily question people at night as we can during the day. Surgeon should be used to late night calls, for one. The temple should also be opened."
"Well, the surgeon is the closest of the two so we can start there, and then move on to the temple of Leira." Atonement looks around at his team, "If everyone is done examining the body and the area we can go pay that surgeon a visit."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Yeah, in a second. I have an idea."
Ethan walks over to the deceased and leans down, trying to examine it closer.
I'd like to roll for Arcana. This is an ability to recall lore about magic, other plains, spells and magical creatures. If so, successful check would let me determine if not the kind of thing that caused death, but maybe his type? Or it may depend on how high my roll is? Anyways...
Sure, so to identify the type of assailant that killed the victim, you can make any knowledge check that you think is relevant. Depending on which check you make, you may be more or less successful. For instance, if you choose to make an Arcana check and the perpetrator is non-magical, it will be much harder to connect the dots than if you made a Nature knowledge check. In this case and in future instances, the difficulty of the check will be based on the clues and other knowledge that you have attained so far.
So you don't have to rewrite your post, but essentially, Ethan is trying to determine if he can recall a creature that can fit in small spaces, has something to do with victim's shadows disappearing, and has sharp, dangerous claws.
You examine the body, attempting to put together everything that the group has gathered so far. Your rack your brain, sifting through a number of different creatures and potential matches, a few of which you mentioned just a moment ago. You were hoping that by examining the wounds more closely, you might find the one piece of evidence that would cause everything to come into focus - a bit of ooze, a shred of residual magic, or another clue as to the victim's identity, but unfortunately, it wasn't there, not yet anyway.
You eventually concede that you don't have quite enough information to make a solid conclusion just yet, but you have struck off a few of the options earlier. There is no way this was an ooze - the crime scene is far too clean, and an ooze would have left behind some sort of residue.
Fiends are equally unlikely - they often leave a certain, inhuman stench behind, a mixture of sulfur and burnt flesh that is absent from this particular scene.
You sigh, a bit disappointed, but you're certain that with a bit more evidence, you'll be able to identify whatever did this with absolute certainty.
"Well, I don't think it's an ooze," Ethan concluded. "Nor is it a fiend, as far as I can tell, but it still leaves us with a few options. I'd like to collect a bit more information before narrowing it down further. So, if anyone's good, let's head to the surgeon."
Shit, I was counting on that check ;) Well, it's something, anyway.
Chaenath attempts to identify the claw marks as well, but nothing about them seems familiar. If she takes away anything, it is that whatever made these marks is not a part of the natural world.
Satisfied with the crime scene and ready to move forward to speak with the Lower Ward Surgeon, you all give Hawthorne the signal and begin to leave the alleyway. Hawthorn barks a few orders to his subordinates, who hustle off into the backstreets, likely to find a cart of some kind to move the body, or else to bring more reinforcement. Hawthorne looks on, aloof as always, and offers you all a lazy salute as you finally leave the street by the Cat Scratch Inn.
It's now firmly nighttime, past midnight, and the backstreets have lost what little charm they once had. Alleyways are black pits of danger, and the shoddy homes on either side of you are shut tight, many have windows that have been nailed shut. Occasionally, you hear yelling or the sounds of revelry that cut through the night air.
You don't make it long into these dark streets before you find your way blocked by a group of humans. Atonement and Mirim, you recognize three of them - they are the 3 dark eyed youth from before, that escaped into the alleyways. It seems they have brought 3 more of their friends. The 6 of them stand opposed to you, some faces covered, some not, and their leader - the boy who Mirim frightened with a snake illusion, stands at the front. You notice they are all holding improvised weapons - metal pipes, large pieces of wood, and the like. They all have a worn, thin sort of appearance, just like their leader.
"Told ya not ta walk through 'ere again, goat-boy." The leader sneers, gesturing to his allies. "Now we're gonna teach you an' your goat-****in' friends a lesson."
Individually, they don't look very intimidating, you all decide, but now they are in a larger group..
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"You dare challenge us?" Ethan hisses, eyes wide with rage, a flicker of fire running between his fingers. "You will live regret it. But I can promise, you will not live very long."
Intimidation check:12
Ethan will try to scare them into fleeing, If the combat starts regardless and the latter check is not applicable, I guess I should roll for initiative?
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Atonement looks back and signals to the others to hold back as his silver eye light up and a toothy grin appears on his face. He turns back to face the six people blocking their path and takes a few steps forward. "Ah, if it isn't the Three Snaketeers from before. I see you have brought some friends and that your insults haven't improved. Do you know how many times I have heard the phrase 'goat-boy' thrown at me; it has almost become like a fourth name at this point. Look we may have gotten off on the wrong start before, and I do apologize about the snake but I was in a rush to meet up with my friends here. You see, we are in the middle of hunting down whomever is causing these brutal murders that have been happening recently; I'm sure you all wouldn't like to be their next victim or someone you all care for at their next victim. So why don't we do this, you all let us pass unharmed to finish our investigation and in return the next time we run into you six I will buy you all a decent meal and drink." Atonement says with is most pleasant and friendly persona.
Persuasion: 25
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
Fantastic check on the Persuasion, and great job on picking up on the details that were important there!
Initially, when Ethan brazenly challenges the group, they look ready to kill, but as Atonement steps forward, they hesitate for a moment.
Atonement draws a few chuckles from one or two of the youths near the back of the group with his 'snaketeers' comment, drawing a glare from their leader, and when you mention that you're investigating the recent murders, you hear a distinct murmuring among the small gathering.
"Turk, that means they must be from the Order, man." One particularly bulky man says from the back, nudging the leader on his back. 'Turk's' eyes widen a bit, but his grip around the metal pipe he is holding doesn't loosen. You can see the others look to one another nervously and shift their weight. They seem to reevaluate your group in that moment, and the bulky-looking one in the back and one more of the youths drop their weapons, holding their hands up to show they are unarmed, and back away.
"Sorry, Turk, but I got family to think about." He apologizes as he and his comrade slip away into the darkness.
Turk curses under his breath, looking to the others that stayed. They all look scared, but their bodies are thin, and they share a look of determination. Turk looks torn, looking down to his weapon and his knuckles, white from gripping the metal.
He looks back up at you with a certain steely resolve, perhaps more than you expected from a common street thug.
"Give us the money now then, goat - uh, stranger, I mean."He corrects himself."For the food you mentioned. 50 silver, for the lot of us. Then we'll, uh, let you pass without hurtin' ya."
Turk doesn't seem confident, but he holds your gaze steadily and waits for your response.
Atonement flashes a smile at the remaining group holding Turk's gaze unflinching, "I like your grit, Turk is it? I'm Atonement and I'll tell you what I'm going to do for you. I will give you the fifty silver for you and your friends to get a good meal and I will add another six gold on top of that; one for each of you that was here to use as you please. All I ask in return is to think about joining the Order. I believe that with the grit and determination that you and your friends are showing, you all will do well for yourselves in there." Atonement takes a few more steps forward beckoning Turk to meet him in the middle of the two groups showing that he holds no weapons and counts out the eleven gold into one hand. He holds his hand out with the gold and says with sincerity, "Even if you and your friends decide not to join the Order, I wish you all the best of luck in your lives."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
"Are you ******* mental?" Ethan said furiously. "Or have your horns grown inside and addled you brain? Do you have any idea what you've done? Let me break it down: you've just rewarded them for the behavior that should be punished. They're scum that prey on the defenseless, Order has enough of those as it is. You don't want to kill them - fine, even though I disagree, but we should've fed them a fire bolt and gave them to the guard."
Ethan stops to catch his breath and then presses on.
"Let me tell you what will happen next. They will happily drink the night away, thanking their gods for your generosity, imagine themselves big and scary enough to frighten the Order itself. And tomorrow, they will come back, mug and probably kill someone who can't stand up for themselves, because guess what, you just assured them that what they do is right way to profit. Plus, years of crime do not wash away by a single gesture of a sentimental fool. Or, just as likely, they will meet someone who's less worried about getting their hands dirty and their lives will end shortly after. Here's hoping."
Ethan will be including this episode in his next report to the Order, trying to make sure that muggers, if some of them decide to join in, are rejected and preferably arrested.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Seraphine cocks her head in Turks direction, "Listen, honey... you may want to lose the attitude and take the money graciously. After all, it's a good deal, and, unlike him, some of us are apt to just burn you where you stand."As she says this, Seraphine casts create bonfire right in front of the young man, and as he watches, a dragon forms out of the flames, flapping it's wings in defiance. "And trust me... we do have the power." Her demonstration completed, she drops concentration and the 5' tall flames disappear just as quickly as they appeared.
Atonement whispers under his breath in Infernal (casting Thaumaturgy) before drawing himself up to his full height and turning to walk towards Ethan, his eyes now looking like that of white fire, dimming any flames in the area, and says with his voice three times as loud as normal, "Yes, I fully well know what I have done. I also know that we could have fought them off, and what would have happened if we accidentally or purposefully killed them. How would that make ourselves and the Order look. We are here to keep and maintain the peace, not to wield our power and authority like tyrants! I want to at least try and help those who are have a hard life, giving them something to start with and letting them know that there are other options for them. If you want to go around and burn down the entire ward destroying peoples lives, do that on your own time; not while we are working! You Humans and every other race of beings don't care for or about us Tieflings and how the world views us. I know what we did in the past, but I aim to change our future and try to atone for our sins. I joined the Order to make that a possibility, not to enforce the stereotype that we have been given." Atonement turns ending the effects of his spell and storms off in the direction of the surgeon, still dropping the coins off in Turk's hand as he passes by him and giving him the most friendly smile he can muster; not bothering or caring to see if he is followed by the others.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
Turk and his group of young street rats are stunned for a moment at Atonement's words, and the ensuing inter-party conflict that followed, so much so that the are barely fazed by Seraphine's display, except to flinch away from the sudden flames and stare terrified at their source.
Turk takes the money offered, and divides it up equally, and most of his crew scatter as soon as they grab their share, dashing off into side alleys to escape any potential retribution from the party. Turk lingers for a moment more, staring at the back of Atonement, and looking down at the sum of coin in his hands, and back at the group to his back. It's unlikely that the lad has ever held this much wealth in his hands in his entire life, and you see several conflicting emotions flash across his face as he struggles to think of a response to what just occurred.
Hearing the rest of the party and their outrage, however, hastens his decision, and he shakes his head, pocketing the money and darting off into one of the nearby side streets. He leaves without another word, and now the party finds themselves alone in the backstreet, with Atonement storming off towards the Surgeon.
"Thanks for the info," Seraphine says, addressing Hawthorne before turning to the rest of the group. "What are we thinking? Hunting tonight, and question witnesses tomorrow? We may not know much about this creature, whatever it is, but in my experience, most monsters burn the same."
"That's because you don't know that many monsters," Ethan says, unable to resist the urge to lecture. "Aside from already mentioned shapeshifter, it could be an ooze, a shadow, a spectre, a fiend... or a magic practitioner, that's also true. Some of them are killed harder than others, and we can't even know yet who's responsible yet. Is it a person or a group of people? What kind of monster are they using? Do they have only one? The list of questions goes on and on."
Ethan took a breath and continued.
"I think it's best to collect as my information as we can before we co hunting anything. We can just as easily question people at night as we can during the day. Surgeon should be used to late night calls, for one. The temple should also be opened."
DM Price of Misfortune (finished)
Mirim listens to her team and turns to Atonement for their next course of action "Where are we going next Tony?"
"Well, the surgeon is the closest of the two so we can start there, and then move on to the temple of Leira." Atonement looks around at his team, "If everyone is done examining the body and the area we can go pay that surgeon a visit."
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
"Yeah, in a second. I have an idea."
Ethan walks over to the deceased and leans down, trying to examine it closer.
DM Price of Misfortune (finished)
You examine the body, attempting to put together everything that the group has gathered so far. Your rack your brain, sifting through a number of different creatures and potential matches, a few of which you mentioned just a moment ago. You were hoping that by examining the wounds more closely, you might find the one piece of evidence that would cause everything to come into focus - a bit of ooze, a shred of residual magic, or another clue as to the victim's identity, but unfortunately, it wasn't there, not yet anyway.
You eventually concede that you don't have quite enough information to make a solid conclusion just yet, but you have struck off a few of the options earlier. There is no way this was an ooze - the crime scene is far too clean, and an ooze would have left behind some sort of residue.
Fiends are equally unlikely - they often leave a certain, inhuman stench behind, a mixture of sulfur and burnt flesh that is absent from this particular scene.
You sigh, a bit disappointed, but you're certain that with a bit more evidence, you'll be able to identify whatever did this with absolute certainty.
"Well, I don't think it's an ooze," Ethan concluded. "Nor is it a fiend, as far as I can tell, but it still leaves us with a few options. I'd like to collect a bit more information before narrowing it down further. So, if anyone's good, let's head to the surgeon."
Shit, I was counting on that check ;) Well, it's something, anyway.
DM Price of Misfortune (finished)
"To the surgeon it is," Seraphine agrees dejectedly, her torch's flame dimming and sputtering to match her disappointment.
"There will be more than enough time to hunt," Chaenath winks at Seraphine. "Fine by me."
She takes one more look at the marks, trying to determine what type of claws left them, their size, and if she's ever seen similar ones in the wild.
Nature: 19
Xanni Leafhelm - Halfling Cleric (Life domain) in Helm's Inquisition
Chaenath Miahana - Elf Warlock (Archfey pact) in Order of Dawn
[All]
Chaenath attempts to identify the claw marks as well, but nothing about them seems familiar. If she takes away anything, it is that whatever made these marks is not a part of the natural world.
Satisfied with the crime scene and ready to move forward to speak with the Lower Ward Surgeon, you all give Hawthorne the signal and begin to leave the alleyway. Hawthorn barks a few orders to his subordinates, who hustle off into the backstreets, likely to find a cart of some kind to move the body, or else to bring more reinforcement. Hawthorne looks on, aloof as always, and offers you all a lazy salute as you finally leave the street by the Cat Scratch Inn.
It's now firmly nighttime, past midnight, and the backstreets have lost what little charm they once had. Alleyways are black pits of danger, and the shoddy homes on either side of you are shut tight, many have windows that have been nailed shut. Occasionally, you hear yelling or the sounds of revelry that cut through the night air.
You don't make it long into these dark streets before you find your way blocked by a group of humans. Atonement and Mirim, you recognize three of them - they are the 3 dark eyed youth from before, that escaped into the alleyways. It seems they have brought 3 more of their friends. The 6 of them stand opposed to you, some faces covered, some not, and their leader - the boy who Mirim frightened with a snake illusion, stands at the front. You notice they are all holding improvised weapons - metal pipes, large pieces of wood, and the like. They all have a worn, thin sort of appearance, just like their leader.
"Told ya not ta walk through 'ere again, goat-boy." The leader sneers, gesturing to his allies. "Now we're gonna teach you an' your goat-****in' friends a lesson."
Individually, they don't look very intimidating, you all decide, but now they are in a larger group..
"You dare challenge us?" Ethan hisses, eyes wide with rage, a flicker of fire running between his fingers. "You will live regret it. But I can promise, you will not live very long."
DM Price of Misfortune (finished)
Atonement looks back and signals to the others to hold back as his silver eye light up and a toothy grin appears on his face. He turns back to face the six people blocking their path and takes a few steps forward. "Ah, if it isn't the Three Snaketeers from before. I see you have brought some friends and that your insults haven't improved. Do you know how many times I have heard the phrase 'goat-boy' thrown at me; it has almost become like a fourth name at this point. Look we may have gotten off on the wrong start before, and I do apologize about the snake but I was in a rush to meet up with my friends here. You see, we are in the middle of hunting down whomever is causing these brutal murders that have been happening recently; I'm sure you all wouldn't like to be their next victim or someone you all care for at their next victim. So why don't we do this, you all let us pass unharmed to finish our investigation and in return the next time we run into you six I will buy you all a decent meal and drink." Atonement says with is most pleasant and friendly persona.
Persuasion: 25
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
Initially, when Ethan brazenly challenges the group, they look ready to kill, but as Atonement steps forward, they hesitate for a moment.
Atonement draws a few chuckles from one or two of the youths near the back of the group with his 'snaketeers' comment, drawing a glare from their leader, and when you mention that you're investigating the recent murders, you hear a distinct murmuring among the small gathering.
"Turk, that means they must be from the Order, man." One particularly bulky man says from the back, nudging the leader on his back. 'Turk's' eyes widen a bit, but his grip around the metal pipe he is holding doesn't loosen. You can see the others look to one another nervously and shift their weight. They seem to reevaluate your group in that moment, and the bulky-looking one in the back and one more of the youths drop their weapons, holding their hands up to show they are unarmed, and back away.
"Sorry, Turk, but I got family to think about." He apologizes as he and his comrade slip away into the darkness.
Turk curses under his breath, looking to the others that stayed. They all look scared, but their bodies are thin, and they share a look of determination. Turk looks torn, looking down to his weapon and his knuckles, white from gripping the metal.
He looks back up at you with a certain steely resolve, perhaps more than you expected from a common street thug.
"Give us the money now then, goat - uh, stranger, I mean." He corrects himself. "For the food you mentioned. 50 silver, for the lot of us. Then we'll, uh, let you pass without hurtin' ya."
Turk doesn't seem confident, but he holds your gaze steadily and waits for your response.
"Over my dead body," Ethan whispers, careful that only his comrades would hear. "Better yet - over theirs. I ******* hate bullies."
DM Price of Misfortune (finished)
Atonement flashes a smile at the remaining group holding Turk's gaze unflinching, "I like your grit, Turk is it? I'm Atonement and I'll tell you what I'm going to do for you. I will give you the fifty silver for you and your friends to get a good meal and I will add another six gold on top of that; one for each of you that was here to use as you please. All I ask in return is to think about joining the Order. I believe that with the grit and determination that you and your friends are showing, you all will do well for yourselves in there." Atonement takes a few more steps forward beckoning Turk to meet him in the middle of the two groups showing that he holds no weapons and counts out the eleven gold into one hand. He holds his hand out with the gold and says with sincerity, "Even if you and your friends decide not to join the Order, I wish you all the best of luck in your lives."
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
"Are you ******* mental?" Ethan said furiously. "Or have your horns grown inside and addled you brain? Do you have any idea what you've done? Let me break it down: you've just rewarded them for the behavior that should be punished. They're scum that prey on the defenseless, Order has enough of those as it is. You don't want to kill them - fine, even though I disagree, but we should've fed them a fire bolt and gave them to the guard."
Ethan stops to catch his breath and then presses on.
"Let me tell you what will happen next. They will happily drink the night away, thanking their gods for your generosity, imagine themselves big and scary enough to frighten the Order itself. And tomorrow, they will come back, mug and probably kill someone who can't stand up for themselves, because guess what, you just assured them that what they do is right way to profit. Plus, years of crime do not wash away by a single gesture of a sentimental fool. Or, just as likely, they will meet someone who's less worried about getting their hands dirty and their lives will end shortly after. Here's hoping."
DM Price of Misfortune (finished)
Seraphine cocks her head in Turks direction, "Listen, honey... you may want to lose the attitude and take the money graciously. After all, it's a good deal, and, unlike him, some of us are apt to just burn you where you stand." As she says this, Seraphine casts create bonfire right in front of the young man, and as he watches, a dragon forms out of the flames, flapping it's wings in defiance. "And trust me... we do have the power." Her demonstration completed, she drops concentration and the 5' tall flames disappear just as quickly as they appeared.
Intimidation: 19
Atonement whispers under his breath in Infernal (casting Thaumaturgy) before drawing himself up to his full height and turning to walk towards Ethan, his eyes now looking like that of white fire, dimming any flames in the area, and says with his voice three times as loud as normal, "Yes, I fully well know what I have done. I also know that we could have fought them off, and what would have happened if we accidentally or purposefully killed them. How would that make ourselves and the Order look. We are here to keep and maintain the peace, not to wield our power and authority like tyrants! I want to at least try and help those who are have a hard life, giving them something to start with and letting them know that there are other options for them. If you want to go around and burn down the entire ward destroying peoples lives, do that on your own time; not while we are working! You Humans and every other race of beings don't care for or about us Tieflings and how the world views us. I know what we did in the past, but I aim to change our future and try to atone for our sins. I joined the Order to make that a possibility, not to enforce the stereotype that we have been given." Atonement turns ending the effects of his spell and storms off in the direction of the surgeon, still dropping the coins off in Turk's hand as he passes by him and giving him the most friendly smile he can muster; not bothering or caring to see if he is followed by the others.
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
Mirim shrinks into the shadows, scared that her party would lash out and hurt someone "Maybe we could calm down a little..." She says weakly
[All]
Turk and his group of young street rats are stunned for a moment at Atonement's words, and the ensuing inter-party conflict that followed, so much so that the are barely fazed by Seraphine's display, except to flinch away from the sudden flames and stare terrified at their source.
Turk takes the money offered, and divides it up equally, and most of his crew scatter as soon as they grab their share, dashing off into side alleys to escape any potential retribution from the party. Turk lingers for a moment more, staring at the back of Atonement, and looking down at the sum of coin in his hands, and back at the group to his back. It's unlikely that the lad has ever held this much wealth in his hands in his entire life, and you see several conflicting emotions flash across his face as he struggles to think of a response to what just occurred.
Hearing the rest of the party and their outrage, however, hastens his decision, and he shakes his head, pocketing the money and darting off into one of the nearby side streets. He leaves without another word, and now the party finds themselves alone in the backstreet, with Atonement storming off towards the Surgeon.