0. Prelude

[Das]

Marshal just listened quietly a half smile on his face listening to the lies.

[ybn1197]

Athriel found it difficult to contain himself at the ease of which Petra lied to the man, but for the sake of the mission, he was able to do so.

[dmw71]

"I ain't gonna talk ya out of it," the man says. He scratches some wild whiskers growing on his chin. "One night. Two nights. A week. Whatever. As long as you have the coin, I'll save the room for ya. Now... a group like yours looks like it could afford a gold piece a night, plus any damages. If you're looking for a full week, I could discount that a bit if you pay in advance."

[tooleychris]

Petra smiles warmly and places a hand on Athriels shoulder. "My friend here holds my ladys rent and should be happy to afford a couple days at the least?"

[dmw71]

Let's assume payment is made for a day or two. What then?

[Das]

Once in the room Marshal spoke again. "I say we learn everything our friend here knows than give him his favorite drink to enjoy here in the room...perhaps lock him in. Some of us go purchase a boat in case we need it and someone stay nearby to keep an eye. I was thinking I could use my excellent dancing skills to peddle on the streets for some coin while also keeping an eye out. Hiding in plain sight." He wasn't giving orders like you might expect a nobleman to do, he seemed to be just tossing out ideas and seeing how the group reacted.

[dmw71]

He wasn't giving orders like you might expect a nobleman to do, he seemed to be just tossing out ideas and seeing how the group reacted.

And the reactions are....

What's the group's plan?

[tooleychris]

The witch bites her lower lip thinking. She removes Shelly from her pack and begins stroking the rabbits back.
"A boat seems like a logical next step. These body snatchers didn't pick the Pelican for its cheery atmosphere. But this has been on my mind...what if we are able to follow this boat and it leads to a ship, Where they presumably load their...cargo. And IF we are able to follow that ship to some port and IF from there we find a stronghold Where the slaves are kept...what then? I am no great warrior. My power is in words and I doubt pirates will be swayed by a honey covered tongue. I'm more like to be ravaged and sold as slave myself. What if the ships next port is several days by sea? I am also no sailor, but doubt we could secure a vessel and provisions for a great journey..."

[Alethan]

Ty wrinkles his brow in thought, "We're just assuming they'll use a boat, right? But we really have no facts to support that idea. They could just be hitting these areas because of the high number of vagrants and homeless. Nothing to say we can't just try and watch them, to see what exactly happens, and then try and do something that involves more action at a later date."

[ybn1197]

Athriel

"While it is all assumption and speculation, I do agree with Marshal. We should procure the use of a small rowboat. It couldn't hurt and certainly will be off benefit if the slavers are moving by sea. Given this location, it would make the most sense. It would be much easier to move an unwilling body by water than by land."

[Alethan]

Ty shrugs, "Fine with me. Like Petra says, though, I'm fairly useless without solid ground under my feet. But I'm sure we'll figure out a way to adapt. Let's get a boat."

[Das]

Marshal nods. "There is nothing saying we need to rush into blood and guts. Lets say they do have a ship, well once we see it...we can find it. I know we all want to do the job, get this woman out and save whatever slaves we can. But we can't save anyone if we end up in chains or dead ourselves. But if we know their ship, if they have one, than we got it. We can track them, and attack them in port or later when they least expect it. We don't know anything but what we've been told, and that could always be less than accurate. So we have to put a foot out there to find out more information. So if they remain on land than we trail them if they go by sea we can row along after them from a distance...I have darkvision and it'll be night. Hopefully they are comfortable and complacent in their vile undertakings."


Just want to say I enjoy that half our group is on the fringes of the law and the others seem a bit more lawful. Also the subtle back and forth between PCs is amusing.

[dmw71]

If the group is interested in pursuing the purchase of a potential boat, Marshal suspects that, further north, near the docks, would be the most likely place in which to do so.



Is everyone going along for the potential boat purchase? Is anyone staying behind in the room? What about Harold? Before continuing, I will need to know what each character will be doing.

[tooleychris]

The good witch will stay with Harry and keep an eye on the Pelican while interrogating him...nicely...about how he knows what he knows.

Diplomacy pls

[ybn1197]

Athriel will go with the group purchasing the boat.

[Alethan]

Ty will stay with Harold and Petra.

[Das]

Marshal tilted his head at the two remaining behind and nodded to Athriel. "Shall we?" He grinned a bit. "I know a good place to purchase a boat and some coin. Any suggestions on what we will name her?" He asked as they exited the room and descended the stairs and out the door.

[dmw71]

Athriel and Marshal

Marshal leads Athriel east, towards the docks. The trip only takes a handful of minutes, but, aside from the random flyers posted about an upcoming auction for "abandoned" ships, there isn't an obvious place or person to engage about actually purchasing a boat.

After an hour or so of subtly continuing their search, they happen upon a dockhand who, after he finishes scraping some brambles off the side of a larger ship, takes a seat on the side of a pier and begins drinking. The pair approach him, and after the dockhand turns out to be friendly, they share with him their objective. "You ain't gonna get five people in a rowboat!" he laughs. "Maybe a jolly-boat," he says, "but you ain't gonna find one of them for sale unless you's a ship captain." He looks at the pair, shifting his gaze from Marshal to Athriel, and back again. "You ain't a captain, is you?" he asks, then burst into laughter. Turning serious, the dockhand leads the pair down the third pier from where they met and points to a tied off rowboat. "That there," he says, pointing at the dinghy, "is probably the best you're gonna do. It ain't fer sale, but I know the owner and could probably convince him to part wit' it... for the right price." he says, elbowing Athriel playfully in the ribs, but powerfully enough to cause his ribs to sting.

"Me thinks a hundred gold could pry away from the owner." he says.

The small boat, into which four people might be able to squeeze, looks well-maintained and in excellent shape.

Petra and Ty, with Harold

After Das and Athriel set off to secure a boat, Petra and Ty remain back in the room with Harold. Petra quickly regrets her decision to attempt to "nicely" interrogate Harold, as the drunk refuses to shut up... offering up very little of use. Harold knows nothing about the slavers, or if they even exist, but shares that he merely overheard some guards talking about some rumor they heard. Curious in their discussion, he followed them briefly, hoping to hear more. The guard's discussion transitioned into a "what if..." exchange, where the guards went back-and-forth explaining how they would perform abductions if they were a slaver, and one of them mentioned how he would the Puffy Pelican as a base of operations. The joking between the guards only went on for a couple minutes before they all ended in uproarious laughter.

After sharing all he knows about the slavers, he spends the next couple hours while Das and Athriel are out, blathering on about every random topic that comes to his mind:

• Animals have charged with crimes and sentenced to death after a trial,
• Some turtles can breathe through their anus,
• It is possible to lead a cow upstairs but not downstairs,
• An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain,
• How he almost died one time after eating hallucinogenic bread,
• And so on...

The assault on their ears turns the babysitting job into a painful assignment for Petra and Ty

.

[dmw71]

This is just a note, more as a reminder for myself, but also to alert you guys as well. It is getting confusing with the two separate groups posting within the same thread. I should have created separate threads for each group, sorry!

Once I have the time, I will create the separate threads and move the posts accordingly.

Feel free to continue to post replies, if you have any, and I'll just move everything at the same time, probably later tonight.

[tooleychris]

could you please post here once you've made the change so I'm notified?