Heroica RPG - Quest #40: The Strivvian Job

[Scubacarrot]

OoC: Spread this belief* So many people on this site speak English so well it's hard to remember it's not their first language. I'm lost in the language I studied. Sorry to be nit-picky, just telling you so you know for the future!

Pfff, says the guy that keeps misspelling all my made up names.

[Waterbrick Down]

"I'm all for justice bein' served an' all to those who deserve it, but yer influence was spread to little to late to the surroundin' counrty and peoples, High priest. I cannot fer the moment take the name of yer god upon me, but if this be yer temple than I will respectfully take my leave and offer my pardon fer intrudin' upon it." Skrall takes his stance by the ladder and makes ready to climb up it.

Edited November 12, 2012 by Waterbrick Down

[Sandy]

Ellaria listens to the words of the ghost , but cannot help feeling repulsed about the thought of accepting another god besides Sylvania.

"I am truly sorry, my companions, but in my heart and soul there is only room for my goddess. This Pseudos sounds like a benevolent force, but becoming His champion would feel like betraying Sylvania to me. I personally cannot accept the High Priests offer, but perhaps it suffices that only one of us will. We were insolent by intruding this once sacred place so abruptly, but I believe we came here for a reason. To ignore that would not be wise, methinks..."

[Scubacarrot]

"While I have an eternity, you don't. I suggest you decide, if you want to receive His blessings."

[Waterbrick Down]

"If any of ya are goin' to join his majesty, I suggest ya make it quick so we can get to reportin' back to Purple." Skrall stood at the top of the ladder having decided not to bear Pseudo's name.

[Zepher]

"Nyx, dear, what do you have to say? And Sir Trout?"

[CMP]

"I ain't followin' your god."

[Zepher]

OoC: I think that we can move along. I can't see either of them siding with Pseudos, and if they'd like to they can declare it later on if need be... unless its about to significantly effect game play.

[Scubacarrot]

"Hmmm Very well then. Lawrence Boomingham, you shall be the Champion of Pseudos, I will gift you with his fervor. Wherever you go, you will free innocents from cruelty, you will oppose the chains of oppresion, and you will guard from evil. You will do this, and when asked, you will tell that you are the Herald of Pseudos, and that Pseudos will once again be great."

The ghost utters some unintelligible words, and Boomingham feels his power go up by 4 from Pseudos' Blessing. The dead high priest continues to speak.

"This place is now just a fraction of what it once was, but this room is inherently connected to Pseudos' will. As His influence grows stronger, this room will show this. In time, people will travel here and rebuild the Temple. For now, you and your companions may use this place as a base of operations. You will not be disturbed at night."

With that, the ghost vanishes, and the party notices a slight chance in the black statue that is left standing. The party hears sounds coming from above, they instinctly reach for their weapons, but it is Roman, one of Purple's colleagues, that comes down.

"Huh, weird place, you still up? The sun is just coming up. Anyway, Purple and Zoe reported to me, they tracked the lead to the Blacksmith's District, a particular establishment called the Grey Tower. They found boxes marked as coming from Eubric, and they didn't come from the Armoury. They were delivered to this place. They are now trying to find out where the boxes came from. I should join them."

Does the party want to ask Roman something? The sun is getting up, so they do not have the oppertunity to rest today.

[CMP]

Atramor yawns, realizing just how long the battle and Boomingham's 'conversion' had taken. McCafferey flaps to his shoulder at once upon Roman's arrival, looking distracted as she usually had the past few days.

"Right, that's all well and good....I s'pose we'll head there next, then go to the slave market as we'd intended yesterday, aye?"

[Scubacarrot]

The town guard shrugged, and said:

"It's up to you, you lead the investigation. But yes, my suggestion would be to go there and to the slave market as you said earlier, I don't care about the order of those two."

[Zepher]

Boomingham grins and rolls his shoulders back. "My new god has already done more for me than Ennoc!" he calls out into the darkness. Fishing around in his satchel, he produces his Dress Uniform, and drapes it over his shoulders, under his cape.

Boomingham then turns to his party "Everyday I get closer," he tells them. His easy grin has returned to his face. "I say we head off to the slave market first, just as soon as you're all ready. Just give a holler that you're good to go, and then... onward and upwards, my friends. Onwards and upwards."

[Waterbrick Down]

With the ghost gone, Skrall slipped off the hood storing it away and replaced the dabloon in his pocket. "Let's get movin'."

[Pandora]

"Well, he was nice" says Nyx, referring to the ghost

"So he said all that stuff about Pseudos, who seems like an ok kinda god to me, and it's never a bad thing to have a god on your side, and I was just thinking about saying 'yes', when I wondered about the mark, and if it's like a tattoo, because I'm not a huge fan of tattoos, and .... well to cut a long story short my mind wandered off to thinking about shoes. Sorry. So if he comes back, I'd like to say yes, and not just because Larry looks stronger, but because I probably would have said yes anyway."

Nyx looks sheepishly at her team-mates

"Uhm, so if he's not coming back, I'm ready to get going and I'm sure Rufindel is too."

[Zepher]

"Well, here's hoping you join me in my blessing, but I think it's time that we move out. I want to see this city and what it holds. I've got a god to serve now, and I will be his eyes and ears." Boomingham spits into the empty air. "This god promised my deeds would bring fame. Let us add another title to my name. I say let's get off to the slave market. All ready? Good." Boomingham rubs his forehead and blinks rapidly. "A night without sleep is killer. Feel like there's a pressure in my head."

[Scubacarrot]

The party arrives at the Slave's market. They follow the instructions they got from the dockmaster. It's still early, so they don't meet that many people along the way, but by the time they got to their destination, more people were up, and the city was buzzing with activity. The party is at a large square, they see multiple set-ups like the one before them, but this seems to be the only one where there are people. Behind them are carts with cages on them, presumably for moving the slaves.

The party sees a familiar face, Zoe greets the Heroes, it's the first thing the Heroes hear from her, her voice is soft, but also serious:

"Hey. It's about to start."

[Sandy]

Ellaria gasps in horror.

"Oh no, those poor people... Is there nothing we can do but watch?"

She notices the cage filled with slaves next to the stage.

"Could we sneak to that cage and talk to those slaves over there? Do you think it's possible, Zoe?"

[Scubacarrot]

"Purple send me here to make sure you don't do anything rash. You won't be able to make it to the caged slaves unnoticed. There is the crowd that will see you, and there is one Strivvian guard and one of the slaver's bruisers guarding it..."

"...There's a good chance the Elf with the crossbow will spot you. And I'd watch out for him, that kind of crossbow can take a limb right off..."

"...And there's two more bruisers and another guard near the stage..."

"In short, the only way to save these slaves - because that's what you are thinking of - is a flatout attack. It's a stupid idea, you'd be fighting at least seven people, and it's very possible some of the crowd will stand and fight too, some of them wield weapons and armour. Not to mention whatever the outcome, we'd be wanted for the rest of our lives in this city, making the chances of ever finding our missing men, very, very slim. Don't do it. I'm not saying I won't help, a stupid order is still an order, but think before you act."

[Zepher]

OoC: I love the stone and wood work on the building! Awesome technique.

Boomingham growls his customary growl. "Alright, so attack is out of the question. What does that leave us to work with? We need to figure out if these are men of the Watch, else we're wasting out time." Boomingham glances at Ellaria. "Not that I think saving slaves would be a waste of time, but we don't seem able to do it... unless... well, I can't think of a way of saving them without being wanted, and we can't be. I can't imagine Psuedo's going to be a fan of this as my first act under his watch." Boomingham screws his eyes shut. "Alright, spit ball, anyone got any ideas?"

[Waterbrick Down]

Skrall glances at the Orc in chains, but quickly diverts his eyes before sighing, "A few ideas; we could try actually biddin' on one of those slaves we think is part of the Town Watch. Or more effectively, we send one of us in there as a slave to be handed over, then once they've gotten the intel from inside the pen, one of the rest of us buys 'em back. If we want to go a bit more on the violent side, we have Nyx here start a fireworks display and while everyone's runnin' fer their lives from a mage on the loose, we sneak some of those slaves out. If we're thinkin' more long term, perhaps one of us could end up workin' as a bruiser and work the angle from the inside."

[CMP]

Atramor crosses his arms as he observes the spectacle - or, the sale, rather.

"No flat-out attack, huh? If I could sneak a bomb underneath that scaffolding, it'd be a hell of a distraction."

[Zepher]

Boomingham chews on his cheek. "I'm no supporter of the slave trade... but for the mission, we simply can't have any of us marked." He glances at Nyx. "Doesn't matter how strong the person is, I'll not have any of my team hunted. And I don't know how much these slaves go for. I... I'd like to buy all of them, but that doesn't seem possible either. My funds simply won't allow it. Perhaps we could listen for a short while, see how much people bid? Are we really not allowed to talk to the slaves in the pen? Seems like a silly rule to me. Zoe, what exactly do you expect us to do here? You guys brought us to a ancient temple last night, how about you repay us by tossing out some ideas. I say, worse comes to worse, we toss a smoke bomb into the crowd, and then one of us with one of those high power bombs... what are they called again, tosses one of those at the Archer and tower. Hopefully that will come toppling down, and in the distraction we can make off with the slaves. If something goes wrong... you blame it on me, attack me, and turn me over to the authorities. That should be an in for you, and will at least clear your names."

[Sandy]

"Well, there are slaves in Eubric, as well, but they don't sell them out in the open like this. I don't know if that makes it any more acceptable, though. It's no use trying to free these poor people, unfortunately. We would only botch up our mission. And there will always be new slaves, for as long as there's a market for them. We could wind up as slaves ourselves, if things go awry. I for one would just like to know if anyone has seen the missing guards in these circles. If we can't ask the slaves, maybe we can ask the guards? Pose as customers, maybe, as disgusting as the thought is..."

Ellaria doesn't bear to even look at the faces of the people standing on the stage without feeling guilty of her own freedom.

[Zepher]

"The slaves of Eubric are a different matter. They are the spoils of war. They are serving a punishment. This is different."

"Regardless, yes, we need to find out information. As soon as we hear if Purple has any insight, I'll move your plan ahead. You and I will pose as customers, and ask where the slaves are from. The rest of you should see if you can ask anything of the crowd."

[CMP]

Atramor chuckles dryly at Boomingham's comment.

"That was well over two centuries ago, ya' know. Doubt any orcs there were in the war at all."

Before the paladin can respond, the witch slips off, ending up nearby the man in pink by the slave cages.

"Hey, mate. Interestin' auction, aye...?"