The drow laughs, wincing at a cracked rib as he does so. "I knew you would ask that. This is very reasonable questions to ask. We are drow. That is all the organization we need to be. Dvarik takes the jobs, usually through the guild...we have our own guild...in Alciondria. No idea who hired us. Their coin was good. And there was a lot of it. They paid us 4 ten-day in advance!"
Tock continues, "Thank you, this is helpful. Coming back to your mission - you were supposed to leave the mother and girl alive. Just free to do as they please or take them somewhere?"
He thinks for a moment, "How were you to report success of the mission? Was it you had to tell someone or show some kind of proof? Or just take the mother and girl somewhere as proof? Just thinking out loud here among friends - if we were to let you go and ask you to lie about your failure here, what and to whom would you need to tell to convince them that we are no longer a problem?"
Tock continues, "Thank you, this is helpful. Coming back to your mission - you were supposed to leave the mother and girl alive. Just free to do as they please or take them somewhere?"
"We are not transport service. Girl and mother go where they like."
He thinks for a moment, "How were you to report success of the mission? Was it you had to tell someone or show some kind of proof? Or just take the mother and girl somewhere as proof? Just thinking out loud here among friends - if we were to let you go and ask you to lie about your failure here, what and to whom would you need to tell to convince them that we are no longer a problem?"
He shrugs. "We report to assassin's guild to get paid. Prove with tongues, usually. And usually people find out if we succeeded. Never failed yet."
Tock digests the information and looks at the others.
"This is both good and bad news I guess. If it's an assassins guild that is obliged to complete the task then that's good to know. They sent out a large team, but hopefully just one team. And they'll be waiting to hear about the failure before sending out anyone else. So we have some time before anyone else should be on our tails. We didn't find any communication devices from any of them, did we?"
"What's bad of course is that we're heavily hunted and they'll know to send an overwhelming force next time."
He turns back to the assassin, "In your opinion, what's the best way to delay anyone else coming after us?"
He turns back to the assassin, "In your opinion, what's the best way to delay anyone else coming after us?"
"Probably no others," he says with a shrug. "Would be infighting if everyone had same contract. And this contract was...unusual. A lot of waiting for you to arrive. Don't know how to delay another team but I wouldn't expect any coming."
Tock smiles and Dog and asks instead, "Is there anything we can do for you though? Anything you would like to know or do? I've been asking a lot of questions, it's your turn now. Others might like to talk to you as well though. It's such a rare occasion we meet such a friendly drow."
It is a restless night as many are still on edge after the attack but no other threats arise that night. There is some fraught discussion about what to do with the bodies but they ultimately decide to drag them out into the vineyards by the Long Road and leave them be. The blood spilled in the hallway goes unremarked in the morning and, after a rather pricy breakfast, depart along the Long Road again.
A mile into their journey, few words have been spoken. They come upon 6 black riding horses tied to a crop of trees. Some are laying down, others are casually munching the grass around them as they patiently await their riders who will never return. The pony and 5 of the horses join the mules behind the carriage and one of the assassin's horses takes a role carrying Martin.
Days pass and the party spends each night in an inn of some comfort. This is very much a blessing as snow begins to blanket the land. The Long Road becomes harder to travel for a few days until the snow stops and other travelers before them pave a path that makes the going easier.
By the end of the 14th day since they left Alciondria, the party is still not yet in Pallaxus. On the morning of the 15th day, however, they find themselves riding into a little hamlet, cottages still covered in snow with lazy tendrils of smoke rising into the sky.
An old halfling smoking a long pipe steps out of a cottage and gives a lazy wave. "Welcome to Pallaxus," he says between draws on his pipe. "Which way can I direct you?"
(Welcome, finally, to level 9! I will tally the inn costs tomorrow.)
(serves me right for not checking in this weekend. i wanted to ask him if we could collect the bounty with his friend's tongues lol. oh well level 9 here we are!)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Gash- Lvl14 Goblin Wizard - The High Court of the Aasimar Queen
Dog would have gone back and forth on trying to decide if they should have disguised themselves, but judging by our previous track records, it wouldn't have gone smoothly...
"We're looking for an inn to stable our horses and stay a night or two, can you point us to a decent one? And can I ask you what's the news in Pallaxus?"
(Once Dog is out of hearing from the halfling, he will suggest to the group that they lay low for a day to get a sense of the place and see who might already be expecting them, and let them come to the group. Also, how has Nev been?)
Tock is silently observing once again. The people, conversation, anything funny going on, people lying to us, etc. (his passive perception and insight are PRETTY DAMN GOOD NOW!)
(serves me right for not checking in this weekend. i wanted to ask him if we could collect the bounty with his friend's tongues lol. oh well level 9 here we are!)
I had anticipated this...drow tongues look unique...
Dog would have gone back and forth on trying to decide if they should have disguised themselves, but judging by our previous track records, it wouldn't have gone smoothly...
When they start talking about disguises -- "I am going to try this one as me, Dog, if thats okay? I want to be confident and comfortable in my own skin."
"Hello!" Gash waves, "I expected this town to be more extravagant. We are here to see King Haddian. He is expecting us. Oh also, I dont know if this is something you have here, but a magic shop? or some sort of armory that might have magically enhanced items?"
Tock takes a couple of deep breaths and continues, "So what organization are you part of and how were you hired? Who hired you?"
The drow laughs, wincing at a cracked rib as he does so. "I knew you would ask that. This is very reasonable questions to ask. We are drow. That is all the organization we need to be. Dvarik takes the jobs, usually through the guild...we have our own guild...in Alciondria. No idea who hired us. Their coin was good. And there was a lot of it. They paid us 4 ten-day in advance!"
Tock continues, "Thank you, this is helpful. Coming back to your mission - you were supposed to leave the mother and girl alive. Just free to do as they please or take them somewhere?"
He thinks for a moment, "How were you to report success of the mission? Was it you had to tell someone or show some kind of proof? Or just take the mother and girl somewhere as proof? Just thinking out loud here among friends - if we were to let you go and ask you to lie about your failure here, what and to whom would you need to tell to convince them that we are no longer a problem?"
"We are not transport service. Girl and mother go where they like."
He shrugs. "We report to assassin's guild to get paid. Prove with tongues, usually. And usually people find out if we succeeded. Never failed yet."
Tock digests the information and looks at the others.
"This is both good and bad news I guess. If it's an assassins guild that is obliged to complete the task then that's good to know. They sent out a large team, but hopefully just one team. And they'll be waiting to hear about the failure before sending out anyone else. So we have some time before anyone else should be on our tails. We didn't find any communication devices from any of them, did we?"
"What's bad of course is that we're heavily hunted and they'll know to send an overwhelming force next time."
He turns back to the assassin, "In your opinion, what's the best way to delay anyone else coming after us?"
"Probably no others," he says with a shrug. "Would be infighting if everyone had same contract. And this contract was...unusual. A lot of waiting for you to arrive. Don't know how to delay another team but I wouldn't expect any coming."
Dog suggests to Tock to ask how in the world they noticed we arrived in town, since we were so subtle and stealthy.
LOL! legitimately chuckled.
Tock smiles and Dog and asks instead, "Is there anything we can do for you though? Anything you would like to know or do? I've been asking a lot of questions, it's your turn now. Others might like to talk to you as well though. It's such a rare occasion we meet such a friendly drow."
"Nothing friendly about me," the drow says placidly. "Can I have a drink, though?"
Tock says, "Right. Dog, can you give the man a drink? I need to take a leak."
He heads out the door, takes a deep breath, loads his crossbow and turns quietly around (stealth check: 25). He aims at the heart:
Attack: 24 Damage: 25
The bolt pierces straight through the assassin's heart and he falls to the ground, dead.
It is a restless night as many are still on edge after the attack but no other threats arise that night. There is some fraught discussion about what to do with the bodies but they ultimately decide to drag them out into the vineyards by the Long Road and leave them be. The blood spilled in the hallway goes unremarked in the morning and, after a rather pricy breakfast, depart along the Long Road again.
A mile into their journey, few words have been spoken. They come upon 6 black riding horses tied to a crop of trees. Some are laying down, others are casually munching the grass around them as they patiently await their riders who will never return. The pony and 5 of the horses join the mules behind the carriage and one of the assassin's horses takes a role carrying Martin.
Days pass and the party spends each night in an inn of some comfort. This is very much a blessing as snow begins to blanket the land. The Long Road becomes harder to travel for a few days until the snow stops and other travelers before them pave a path that makes the going easier.
By the end of the 14th day since they left Alciondria, the party is still not yet in Pallaxus. On the morning of the 15th day, however, they find themselves riding into a little hamlet, cottages still covered in snow with lazy tendrils of smoke rising into the sky.
An old halfling smoking a long pipe steps out of a cottage and gives a lazy wave. "Welcome to Pallaxus," he says between draws on his pipe. "Which way can I direct you?"
(Welcome, finally, to level 9! I will tally the inn costs tomorrow.)
(serves me right for not checking in this weekend. i wanted to ask him if we could collect the bounty with his friend's tongues lol. oh well level 9 here we are!)
Gash - Lvl14 Goblin Wizard - The High Court of the Aasimar Queen
(Nice! Should we level up right now?)
Dog would have gone back and forth on trying to decide if they should have disguised themselves, but judging by our previous track records, it wouldn't have gone smoothly...
"We're looking for an inn to stable our horses and stay a night or two, can you point us to a decent one? And can I ask you what's the news in Pallaxus?"
(Once Dog is out of hearing from the halfling, he will suggest to the group that they lay low for a day to get a sense of the place and see who might already be expecting them, and let them come to the group. Also, how has Nev been?)
Tock is silently observing once again. The people, conversation, anything funny going on, people lying to us, etc. (his passive perception and insight are PRETTY DAMN GOOD NOW!)
I had anticipated this...drow tongues look unique...
Yup! And they could be in disguise. Fine by me.
When they start talking about disguises -- "I am going to try this one as me, Dog, if thats okay? I want to be confident and comfortable in my own skin."
"Hello!" Gash waves, "I expected this town to be more extravagant. We are here to see King Haddian. He is expecting us. Oh also, I dont know if this is something you have here, but a magic shop? or some sort of armory that might have magically enhanced items?"
Gash - Lvl14 Goblin Wizard - The High Court of the Aasimar Queen
Dog defers to Gash, and would still love to look at spell scrolls...