The four of you have known each other for some time now. Vin and Mendax met at the temple of Lathander, Mendax has been helping Vin to gain a deeper connection to her celestial heritage and she in turn has been assisting Mendax in his healings. One such healing was that of Con Danry who they found on death’s door after a run in with enforcers working for Graddik Fellwrought, a rising star in the seamy underworld of Baldur’s Gate. After having his life saved, Con felt indebted to the two of them, his gratitude turned to admiration and loyalty as the three of them grew closer. Kestrel joined the group when he came looking for Mendax’s brother who had been a friend of his before he fled the city. Seeing the best parts of his absent friend in his brother, Kes developed a bond with Mendax and his friendship with the others quickly followed suit.
The actions of Graddik and his crew have been affecting your corner of the city more and more of late. Things came to a head when Howell, the boyfriend of Kes’ friend Racheal, showed up bloody and beaten telling you that Rachel had been taken hostage by Graddik until Howell’s gambling debt was paid. Having no way to come up with the money to clear the debt, the four of you decided to sleep on it and decide what to do in the morning. That night Mendax dreamt that Lathander came to him. The god explained that Graddik was a blight that would grow to become a threat to all of Faerun unless he was stopped. He went on to explain that the boss would be injured and that Mendax would have an opportunity to sabotage his surgery and thereby remove the threat with the help of his friends. In the morning he relayed his dream to the rest of you explaining the plan to put an end to Graddik once and for all that Lathander had given him. You would all have your part to play: Kes would steal the herbs necessary for the subtle poison from the academy of magic where he was a student, Con would waylay Lors, Graddik’s man, to keep him from the surgery, and Mendax and Vin would perform the operation. That night, as the four of you sat after completing your tasks, Graddik was brought into Mendax’s home, roaring in pain with a crossbow bolt in his gut.
Graddik is a burly man, his shaved head covered in scars from his younger days when he did his own enforcing. His dropping mustaches are being rhythmically blown out as he tries to bring himself under control. Mendax, get this bolt outta me and we’ll consider your debt cleared. Your brother needn’t fear any longer. He groans but stands on his own and pushes his enforcers away. Bolt the door you idiots. He looks at the rest of you These ones alright? They on the level?
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Mendax turns around surprised to see Graddik being carried into his small apartment/office on the temple grounds by his men, a bolt sticking out of his gut. Mendax quickly gets up from his seat, grabs one of the candles from his table, and heads towards his office door and opens it and says to Graddik's men, "quickly now." Upon entering his office/exam room Mendax quickly lights the lamps with his candle. He points to the wooden pallet that acts his exam table and says, "lay him on there," as he maneuvers mirrors around his around the office so the flames from the lamps illuminate the pallet table even more. Mendax then stands over Graddik and examines the wound, "what did you get yourself into now, Graddik? And before I do anything I better have your word this makes us even."
Con also stands, holding back for the moment, and takes a look at Mendax's enforcers, sizing up their strength, how well armed they are, and how worried they look. Give the healer space to do his job,he growls, but makes no movement yet.
Graddik grimaces in pain and grunts our his words between clenched teeth. Got myself into? What does it look like, short arse? Some sneaky bastard put bolt in my guts and vanished before these two idiots could get a hold of him. Mendax, you see that the wound is indeed serious and would be deadly if untreated for much longer. The bolt has pierced his intestines and will require not just surgery but magical aid as well. If you’re choosing to do so, please describe how you administer the poison Kes gathered the ingredients for.
Con, you remember Lars. He was there when Graddik’s men beat you within an inch of your life. He only ordered them to stop because he deemed you unworthy of the trouble a murder would cause. Graddik cries out again as Mendax probes the wound, he grabs one of his men by the front of his shirt. Halfin, go to the Broken Flagon, get Lars. I have orders for him. He pushes the man towards the door Off with you! Con, you know the Broken Flagon, it’s a dive bar not far from the temple. Having spent a good amount of time in the area you’re pretty confident you could slip out the back and beat Halfin there.
Mendax tries to hold back a smile as he watches Graddik sweating and squirming in pain. He then walks over to his shelf full of ointments, salves, and tonics and takes the herbal poison that Kestrel developed. He takes some of the poison and a piece of bandage and coats one side of the bandage with the poison. Mendax then turns back towards Graddik and then looks up at his men and says, "get a good hold of him while I remove the bolt." He then looks back at Graddik and says, "this is gonna hurt more coming out then it did going in,"and points at the bolt sticking out of Graddik's stomach. Mendax closes his eyes, takes both his hands, cups them over the wound and the bolt, and whispers words to himself that generate a blue ripple of light that starts from his shoulders and rolls down his arms towards his hands then onto Graddik's wound ((Spare the Dying)) in order to make sure the wound won't become infected. After a few seconds, he opens his eyes back up and stares right into Graddik's eyes and without flinching quickly pulls out the bolt. Graddik's eyes bulge as his body tries to lift itself from the wooden pallet in pain, but is held down by his own men. Mendax drops the bolt in a pan in a ping and then puts his hands back over the now bleeding wound, closes his eyes once again, and starts praying over the wound ((Spare the Dying & Cure Wounds)). As he feels the bleeding stop Mendax removes his hands from the wound and then takes the bandage soaked in poison and starts wrapping it around Graddik and his wound. "Don't remove this. It'll make sure you don't an infection and that the wound heals faster,"he says as he rolls the bandage on Graddik. "Now, what's this about me being even now?"
As everyone's attention is focused on the dying bastard Graddik, Con heads out the back door and immediately breaks into a dash to get ahead of Halfin.
Based on what he's seen, who is the better fighter, Lars or Halfin? Does Con stand a chance in one-on-one combat with either of them? As Graddik gave the order, Con looked carefully at Halfin, wondering how loyal he was and how happy to be taking orders in this way: Insight10.
As he runs, he mutters to himself; Dammit, Mendax will probably grumble if I kill any of them, Vin too. Maybe I can knock him out and tie him up or something. His limited options race through his mind as he runs.
Graddik groans, half in pain, half in relief as the bandage is pressed over his wound. His eyes flutter as he looks up at Mendax and he falls back on the operating table, completely exhausted. Aye, we're square now, but let's just say you're on retainer now. Me or one of my boys needs healing and you come running if you wanna keep in my good graces, you follow me, shortarse?
Con, you think back as you run out the back door. If you had to guess, you'd say Halfin, like most of Graddik's men, follows orders out of fear rather any kind of admiration or loyalty, but that's generally enough to keep his men in line. Halfin wasn't there when Lars and the others jumped you, but you're relatively sure you could take him one on one. You move quickly down an alley and look back to see Halfin walking towards you, he hasn't noticed you and you're still a ways away from the Broken Flagon. How would you like to proceed?
Kes, your thoughts go to Racheal and your anger at the man who has taken her must have shown on your face for a moment as Graddik's focus on you and cease their fluttering. You mad dogging me, boy? You think just cause i just had a bolt pulled outta my guts I won't come over there and wipe that stupid look off your face? Or do I have it wrong, do you fancy me? Let me rest up a bit, pretty boy, and I'll show you a right good time.
It's been a big day for you and you think back to earlier when you procured the herbs and tinctures for the poison. Cut to the Academy of Magic. Torbin, the potion master is toiling in his laboratory and turns to see you as you enter. Kes, my boy, you've no lesson with me today, what brings you here?
You mad dogging me, boy? You think just cause i just had a bolt pulled outta my guts I won't come over there and wipe that stupid look off your face? Or do I have it wrong, do you fancy me? Let me rest up a bit, pretty boy, and I'll show you a right good time.
"What? Mad dogging? I don't even know what that is. But, if you've hurt Rachael in any way, I'll make sure you won't be showing anyone a right good time for a long while."
Kestrell walks over picks up the crossbow bolt that Mendax removed and puts it in his pocket.
Torbin, the potion master is toiling in his laboratory and turns to see you as you enter. Kes, my boy, you've no lesson with me today, what brings you here?
"Hello Master Torbin, I'm working on a new spell and I need a few herbs and things for it." Kestrell gives Torbin a list of the things Mendax required.
Graddik looks at Kes with interest, it’s clear he’s fighting to stay awake. Racheal? The knife ear we picked up? What’s she to you? She got more than one beau? You got balls, boy, no mistake. I like that, reminds me of me, heh, but I may well kill you the next time I see you, pup, so don’t yap too much. His eyes flutter closed again and he lays back on the table. Wake me when Lars gets here.
In the lab. Tolbin takes the list in his hand and holds it at arms length. Let’s see here, Elffinger, Noctum, His voice trails off and he finishes reading the list silently. His hand drops to his side and he looks the young bard in the eye. Kestrell, these ingredients... they could make a powerful and subtle poison... tell me true, what do you need them for?
Kestrell gulps, "I'm sorry, Master Torbin. They aren't really for a new spell. Its for Rachael, you remember her? She was a student here recently. She's been kidnapped because of her boyfriends gambling debts. I'm real worried about her. My buddy Mendax, he's a cleric, and he knows who kidnapped her. Apparently it's a real bad guy. Mendax thinks that the guy will come to him for some sort of healing, and he wants these herbs and things to perpare in case the opportunity arises to save Rachael."
In the laboratory Torbin considers Kes’ words carefully. Rachael, yes, I remember her of course. A promising student, talented if a bit flighty. Her boyfriend you say? Gambling? Kidnapped and held ransom? Torbin trails off again in thought. Kestrell please give me a persuasion check.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Con stands in the middle of the street, waiting for Halfin to bump into him. If he tries to swerve to avoid him, Con will move and put himself directly in his path.
When Halfin comes up close, Con will look at him, with a cruel smile on his face: Hey, Halfin. Where ya goin'?
(Are there any onlookers in the alley? Perception14)
In the laboratory Torbin considers Kes’ words carefully. Rachael, yes, I remember her of course. A promising student, talented if a bit flighty. Her boyfriend you say? Gambling? Kidnapped and held ransom? Torbin trails off again in thought. Kestrell please give me a persuasion check.
"Right! Yes, he's a real piece of work, I don't know what she sees in him."
Mendax listens as Kestrel and Graddik exchange words with one another. He shakes his head as he washes his hands in the bowl of crimson tinted water. "Kestrel, leave the man be. You've done enough already," he says and with that last part Mendax eyes Kestrel as if he's trying to tell him that the job is done, the poison will get.
Mendax then turns to Graddik and makes sure he doesn't try to get up anymore from the wooden pallet until his men come and get him. He looks down at Graddik, noticing his pale sweaty post-surgery face and says, "I'll keep working on those poor boys who you send to do your dirty work. But don't ever call me shortarse again. I'm in no debt to you no more."Mendax then finishes wiping his wet hands and walks towards his window and looks out to see if he can spot Con.
Graddik is a burly man, his shaved head covered in scars from his younger days when he did his own enforcing. His dropping mustaches are being rhythmically blown out as he tries to bring himself under control. Mendax, get this bolt outta me and we’ll consider your debt cleared. Your brother needn’t fear any longer. He groans but stands on his own and pushes his enforcers away. Bolt the door you idiots. He looks at the rest of you These ones alright? They on the level?
Mendax turns around surprised to see Graddik being carried into his small apartment/office on the temple grounds by his men, a bolt sticking out of his gut. Mendax quickly gets up from his seat, grabs one of the candles from his table, and heads towards his office door and opens it and says to Graddik's men, "quickly now." Upon entering his office/exam room Mendax quickly lights the lamps with his candle. He points to the wooden pallet that acts his exam table and says, "lay him on there," as he maneuvers mirrors around his around the office so the flames from the lamps illuminate the pallet table even more. Mendax then stands over Graddik and examines the wound, "what did you get yourself into now, Graddik? And before I do anything I better have your word this makes us even."
Medicine Check: 16
Con also stands, holding back for the moment, and takes a look at Mendax's enforcers, sizing up their strength, how well armed they are, and how worried they look. Give the healer space to do his job, he growls, but makes no movement yet.
(Is one of the enforcers Lars?)
Graddik grimaces in pain and grunts our his words between clenched teeth. Got myself into? What does it look like, short arse? Some sneaky bastard put bolt in my guts and vanished before these two idiots could get a hold of him. Mendax, you see that the wound is indeed serious and would be deadly if untreated for much longer. The bolt has pierced his intestines and will require not just surgery but magical aid as well. If you’re choosing to do so, please describe how you administer the poison Kes gathered the ingredients for.
Con, you remember Lars. He was there when Graddik’s men beat you within an inch of your life. He only ordered them to stop because he deemed you unworthy of the trouble a murder would cause. Graddik cries out again as Mendax probes the wound, he grabs one of his men by the front of his shirt. Halfin, go to the Broken Flagon, get Lars. I have orders for him. He pushes the man towards the door Off with you! Con, you know the Broken Flagon, it’s a dive bar not far from the temple. Having spent a good amount of time in the area you’re pretty confident you could slip out the back and beat Halfin there.
Mendax tries to hold back a smile as he watches Graddik sweating and squirming in pain. He then walks over to his shelf full of ointments, salves, and tonics and takes the herbal poison that Kestrel developed. He takes some of the poison and a piece of bandage and coats one side of the bandage with the poison. Mendax then turns back towards Graddik and then looks up at his men and says, "get a good hold of him while I remove the bolt." He then looks back at Graddik and says, "this is gonna hurt more coming out then it did going in," and points at the bolt sticking out of Graddik's stomach. Mendax closes his eyes, takes both his hands, cups them over the wound and the bolt, and whispers words to himself that generate a blue ripple of light that starts from his shoulders and rolls down his arms towards his hands then onto Graddik's wound ((Spare the Dying)) in order to make sure the wound won't become infected. After a few seconds, he opens his eyes back up and stares right into Graddik's eyes and without flinching quickly pulls out the bolt. Graddik's eyes bulge as his body tries to lift itself from the wooden pallet in pain, but is held down by his own men. Mendax drops the bolt in a pan in a ping and then puts his hands back over the now bleeding wound, closes his eyes once again, and starts praying over the wound ((Spare the Dying & Cure Wounds)). As he feels the bleeding stop Mendax removes his hands from the wound and then takes the bandage soaked in poison and starts wrapping it around Graddik and his wound. "Don't remove this. It'll make sure you don't an infection and that the wound heals faster," he says as he rolls the bandage on Graddik. "Now, what's this about me being even now?"
As everyone's attention is focused on the dying bastard Graddik, Con heads out the back door and immediately breaks into a dash to get ahead of Halfin.
Based on what he's seen, who is the better fighter, Lars or Halfin? Does Con stand a chance in one-on-one combat with either of them? As Graddik gave the order, Con looked carefully at Halfin, wondering how loyal he was and how happy to be taking orders in this way: Insight 10.
As he runs, he mutters to himself; Dammit, Mendax will probably grumble if I kill any of them, Vin too. Maybe I can knock him out and tie him up or something. His limited options race through his mind as he runs.
Kestrell stands quietly in the corner, watching all of this, and trying to keep his anger at the person who has kidnapped Rachael in check.
Graddik groans, half in pain, half in relief as the bandage is pressed over his wound. His eyes flutter as he looks up at Mendax and he falls back on the operating table, completely exhausted. Aye, we're square now, but let's just say you're on retainer now. Me or one of my boys needs healing and you come running if you wanna keep in my good graces, you follow me, shortarse?
Con, you think back as you run out the back door. If you had to guess, you'd say Halfin, like most of Graddik's men, follows orders out of fear rather any kind of admiration or loyalty, but that's generally enough to keep his men in line. Halfin wasn't there when Lars and the others jumped you, but you're relatively sure you could take him one on one. You move quickly down an alley and look back to see Halfin walking towards you, he hasn't noticed you and you're still a ways away from the Broken Flagon. How would you like to proceed?
Kes, your thoughts go to Racheal and your anger at the man who has taken her must have shown on your face for a moment as Graddik's focus on you and cease their fluttering. You mad dogging me, boy? You think just cause i just had a bolt pulled outta my guts I won't come over there and wipe that stupid look off your face? Or do I have it wrong, do you fancy me? Let me rest up a bit, pretty boy, and I'll show you a right good time.
It's been a big day for you and you think back to earlier when you procured the herbs and tinctures for the poison. Cut to the Academy of Magic. Torbin, the potion master is toiling in his laboratory and turns to see you as you enter. Kes, my boy, you've no lesson with me today, what brings you here?
"What? Mad dogging? I don't even know what that is. But, if you've hurt Rachael in any way, I'll make sure you won't be showing anyone a right good time for a long while."
Kestrell walks over picks up the crossbow bolt that Mendax removed and puts it in his pocket.
"Hello Master Torbin, I'm working on a new spell and I need a few herbs and things for it." Kestrell gives Torbin a list of the things Mendax required.
Graddik looks at Kes with interest, it’s clear he’s fighting to stay awake. Racheal? The knife ear we picked up? What’s she to you? She got more than one beau? You got balls, boy, no mistake. I like that, reminds me of me, heh, but I may well kill you the next time I see you, pup, so don’t yap too much. His eyes flutter closed again and he lays back on the table. Wake me when Lars gets here.
In the lab. Tolbin takes the list in his hand and holds it at arms length. Let’s see here, Elffinger, Noctum, His voice trails off and he finishes reading the list silently. His hand drops to his side and he looks the young bard in the eye. Kestrell, these ingredients... they could make a powerful and subtle poison... tell me true, what do you need them for?
a
Kestrell gulps, "I'm sorry, Master Torbin. They aren't really for a new spell. Its for Rachael, you remember her? She was a student here recently. She's been kidnapped because of her boyfriends gambling debts. I'm real worried about her. My buddy Mendax, he's a cleric, and he knows who kidnapped her. Apparently it's a real bad guy. Mendax thinks that the guy will come to him for some sort of healing, and he wants these herbs and things to perpare in case the opportunity arises to save Rachael."
In the laboratory Torbin considers Kes’ words carefully. Rachael, yes, I remember her of course. A promising student, talented if a bit flighty. Her boyfriend you say? Gambling? Kidnapped and held ransom? Torbin trails off again in thought. Kestrell please give me a persuasion check.
Con stands in the middle of the street, waiting for Halfin to bump into him. If he tries to swerve to avoid him, Con will move and put himself directly in his path.
When Halfin comes up close, Con will look at him, with a cruel smile on his face: Hey, Halfin. Where ya goin'?
(Are there any onlookers in the alley? Perception 14)
(Woo! First of many!)
"Right! Yes, he's a real piece of work, I don't know what she sees in him."
Persuasion: 7
Mendax listens as Kestrel and Graddik exchange words with one another. He shakes his head as he washes his hands in the bowl of crimson tinted water. "Kestrel, leave the man be. You've done enough already," he says and with that last part Mendax eyes Kestrel as if he's trying to tell him that the job is done, the poison will get.
Mendax then turns to Graddik and makes sure he doesn't try to get up anymore from the wooden pallet until his men come and get him. He looks down at Graddik, noticing his pale sweaty post-surgery face and says, "I'll keep working on those poor boys who you send to do your dirty work. But don't ever call me shortarse again. I'm in no debt to you no more." Mendax then finishes wiping his wet hands and walks towards his window and looks out to see if he can spot Con.
(Lol! Let the good times roll!)
Con the street seems pretty empty, but you can’t be sure...
Halfin stops short, a puzzled look on his face. What? Who the hells... weren’t you just at the temple? What do you want?