PrP: 3:10 to Selentia
February 11, 2013
The job sounded simple enough, an unassuming note about a caravan escort posted on the Guild of Explorer's board. But as soon as you arrived, it was all city watch and secrecy, hustled into the back room of one of the city Watch posts. There, you talked with Sargeant Elmore. It seemed the caravan guard position was in fact a prisoner escort. Catching the half-elf murderer Wade Halsted, he was set to be hanged in Alexandria. But it turns out that under orders of someone, Wade poisoned an entire contingent of merchants and nobles in Selentia and stabbed the host to death with a fork after he survived the poison during a dinner party.
The families had money and influence to spare and so Wade is going to be tried for those murders. But so does whoever hired him to do the murders. Wade had an attempt on his life in jail and Sargeant Elmore is eager to see this trouble handed off to the Selentians. So under the strictest of secrecy, you were hired to take Wade to the Air Station in Yuma's Pass, 5 days north of Alexandria to put him on the 3:10 to Selentia.
You left upon the dawn of the next day, Wade shackled and inside a tarp-covered, mule-drawn cart with a build in cage for the prisoner. The key and reins handed off, Elmore washed his hands of that matter, and you set off. Two days of cold rain drizzling down looks to continue into a third, and around a camp fire, you discuss your plans for the coming days...
Chloe flops at a log to prop up against. "SO escorting a murderer back to the Air Station and have him tried for his crimes. I don't know why some tall people have to be such downers. Killing people is a joke no one laughs at. Now a pie to the face. That's a good one." She says while cooking a piece of meat she brought along with her.....and it seems big enough for everyone to take a piece.....
Elessa sits around the fire, cold and with a heavy cloak about her, muttering to herself. Damn cold, why does it have to be so... cold? As the discussion for plans comes up, she looks at the map. "I don't know the area very well, but I'm thinking of going for the main road, at least my opinion. Usually better to stick to the main roads unless you're asking for trouble."
"Well, aren't you special," Brigit says towards the guy they have tied up. "Eh. If he wasn't there, there'd be another one. I like the main road idea, too." She digs in her pocket then. The khazad-aul wears a set of hand-me-down armor, the sort seen among fresh-off-the-boat adventurers in Alexandria.
"I don't think he was trying to be funny," Remethaer blinks at Chloe from where he's hunched forward with arms wrapped about his middle. The hood of his duffle coat is up and his scarf pulled a bit away from his nose and mouth-- so it doesn't sound like he's talking through a wall when he does. "Far cry between a bit of cheek and poisoning a whole lot of Selen...tites? Selentians? People from Selentia."
"More traffic means more honest folk, hopefully. We just have to keep a good eye out for trouble mixed in." Remethaer offers a lopsided grin, "My vote's for the main road, 'swell."
Wade grins at Brigit through the bars of his cage, "I like to think so. Don't suppose I could come warm up next to that fire?" He asks, grubby fingers wrapped around the criss-cross mesh, shackled hands making him look like a supplicant in prayer.
"No." Chloe says to Wade as he asks to warm himself by the fire. "Yeah, that was a bad joke." She says softly to Reme as she relaxes. "I can go with the main road as an idea myself. We'll just have to keep our eyes open to other stuff." She says as she munches on her meat.
Brigit jobs a finger up her nose, and flicks a booger at him. Then she looks down at her nails, "Well, heck. Ain't these the prettiest things. What do you know, I all forgot my manicure. Tell you what. Let me work on that a bit, and I'll flick you a /special/ booger." She wipes her hand on her trouser leg. "Bet it'll sparkle, too. ...thank you for bringing the pie," to the Luckbringer. "With all this rain..."
Elessa doesn't say really anything at Brigit for her boogers and such and just wraps her cloak around her tighter, hood up to keep the rain off of her head, and her scarves. She glances over at Wade with a slight glare. "I say if we have to suffer taking this fool to Selentia, then he suffers worse."
Chloe says, "I'll Order us pie when we get there. I'm sure you won't mind." She says softly as she looks at Brigit. "If you had flicked that at him....and hit.." She then starts to giggle."
"I think that's the intent-- short drop and a quick stop." Remethaer tells Elessa, his smile fading. "And then he has the scales and the Gray Lady to answer to," he glances over at Wade, shaking his head. "Not our place to make him suffer any bloody more or less than he has to. I'm no magistrate and I'm certainly not Vardama."
Wade wrinkles his nose at Birgit and her mucus flinging, but then looks to Elessa, grinning widely, "Ain't nobody got to suffer anything, if you fine folks are willing to make a deal. I was on my way to pick up my share of a score when the Alexandrians knicked me. You let me go, and I'll tell you all about it. Maybe rough yourselves up a bit to make it look good, make up whatever valiant story you want to take back to your bosses. Everybody wins!" Judging by the tone of his voice, even he knows it's a long shot.
"Leave it," Remethaer adds for Wade, turning back to face the fire with another shake of his head.
Chloe says, "Sorry Snotrag. But you can keep your pleas for mercy to the magistrate." She then chuckles at her own joke."
Elessa looks over at Wade as he makes his plea by giving them some of his latest bounty. But she remains silent on the matter, not saying anything, but keeps an eye on Wade regardless.
Brigit grins at Chloe in response, and then pulls out what she'd been digging around for--a warmly wrapped spring roll, held tightly in wax paper. Well, given the rain... "Let a murderer go? What, you want another booger, Slime-ball?" The khazad focuses on unwrapping the roll, single roll that it is. And then she stands up (not that khazad have too far to stand). "I'll take first watch. ...and you. Any more words..." and she points to her noise. "I feel a slime-ball comin on."
<OOC> Kade says, "
1) Who has the key to cage/shackles?
2) Do you stop at the coaching inn for the evening the next day or sleep outdoors?
3) What's the general watch order when it comes time to bed down
4) Are you traveling with him covered with the tarp or out on display?
5) How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?"
<OOC> Birgit says, "Okay. ...well. Barring anything come up, this is what we came up with: 1. Chloe, 2. Sure, 3. Elessa, Chloe, Birgit, Remethaer 4. We try to disguise him, but keep him where we can see him at all times, 5. 42. ...and please, anyone speak up if you need to. ^^;"
<OOC> Kade says, "Alright. Birgit, make me a perception check. :D"
GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+12: (12)+12: 24 GAME: Birgit rolls perception: (12)+3: 15
The next night is uneventful, if a bit warmer and trail rations replaced with watery ale and a turnip stew with stale bread. But it beats being out in the cold, even if you do have to watch over a mass murderer like a hawk. But he does behave, oddly enough. His silverware is accounted for after dinner and aside from a stop over to the chamber pot in the corner, Wade is out like a light.
In any case, the next day is cold, but the rain stops thankfully enough. And finally, the next day you arrive at Yuma's Pass, a mid-sized village nestled amongst the hills. It's notable for it's exquisite Khazad-made bridge that spans the Westover river, and the coal mines that supply the air ships that stop for refueling, and little more.
As you approach the aforementioned bridge on the way to drop Wade off at the Air Station, the clock tower at the nearby temple of Reos strikes 3. The bridge is lightly populated, but one sight does catch your eyes. The town drunk, staggering down the granite span with a bottle in his hand. His awkward gait is amusing, but when the bottle in his hand crashes to the ground and white mist billows out of it, it would appear that the battle is joined...
Elessa relaxes as it seems they are finally almost done with this rather boring task. But then, the boring tasks always go to the lower staff. She wasn't thinking much on the people and the drunkard, until the mist came up. Stopping in her tracks, she looks around quickly and pulls out her shortsword, waiting to see what might be coming out of that mist.
"Looks like your friends are here, Booger. Let's go give them a nice, warm welcome," Birgit says tightly as she reaches for the hitch. She kicks it free and then steps forward and draws her axe as she does. She looks a little white around the eyes, breathing a little too quick. Seasoned troops this ain't.
At the sound of the breaking bottle, and the billowing smoke, Chloe reacts instantly with her hand to her coyote head necklace. "Tarien, I ask for your favor to get these travelers through this battle, and to have them hold fast against fear......" The necklace flashes and everyone with her feels a little braver.....
Remethaer sighs as he rolls off the caravan, narrowing his eyes and sliding the longrifle off the sock on his back. He traces a finger along the magicite loader and grunts a quick, "Hunter's step."
GAME: You roll initiative for Malus: Roll: 17 + Bonus: +3 = Total: 20 GAME: You roll initiative for Wade: Roll: 17 + Bonus: +4 = Total: 21 GAME: Remethaer rolls initiative: Roll: 10 + Bonus: 6 = Total: 16 GAME: Birgit rolls initiative: Roll: 9 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 11 GAME: Chloe rolls initiative: Roll: 12 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 14 GAME: Elessa rolls initiative: Roll: 19 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 23
Current Initiative Order ====
23 Elessa
21 Wade
20 Malus
14 Remethaer
14 Chloe
11 Birgit
==================
GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+11: (16)+11: 27
Wade stands up, bumping his head against the cage as he cranes his head to take a look at the mist. "MALUS! IS THAT YOU!? I DIDN'T TELL THOSE PIGS ANYTHING. JUST GET ME TO THE BOSS AND I'LL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING!" And then he drops down on the bench he was sitting on, straining to reach for his boot. When he does, he produces a long rusty nail, snatched from somewhere and hidden away. With deft hands, he jams it into the lock of his shackles and begins wiggling it. From the sounds of the clicks, he seems to be making good progress.
GAME: Kade rolls 1d100: (76): 76 GAME: Elessa rolls ranged+1: (7)+5+1: 13 GAME: Elessa's inititave total changed to '20'.
Elessa curses herself as she should have pulled out the bow before, but just drops the sword and gets the bow out now and shoots at the figure that appears from the mist. "He's trying to break out of his cuffs," she calls to the others as she hears that clicking and knows what it means. She releases the arrow but curses as it flies past the figure.
Malus, the now named wizard, emerges from the Mist, his disguise spell dropped to reveal a thin pale looking wizard in dark robes. He flinches when the arrow whizzes past his ear and narrows his eyes, raising curled fingers to the air as he calls forth a spell. Shadows form above you all in the late afternoon sun as tens of thousands of pebbles, rocks, clods of dirt, and gravel rain down on you all. The horse bolts in a panic, struggling to make headway through the accumulating stone and dirt as blood runs down it's mane. Not even Wade is spared, interrupted by the falling earth, screaming out, "MALUS, YOU SORRY BASTARD!" Turning to look at the party, he shouts, "He's a conjurer! He does his hits with proxies and demons he calls up!"
GAME: Kade rolls 2d6: (7): 7 GAME: Kade damaged Elessa for 7 points. 7 remaining. GAME: Kade damaged Chloe for 7 points. 18 remaining. GAME: Kade damaged Remethaer for 7 points. 19 remaining. GAME: Kade damaged Birgit for 7 points. 16 remaining.
GAME: Kade rolls 1d100: (70): 70 GAME: Remethaer rolls 1d20+4+3+2+1: (1)+4+3+2+1: 11
Remethaer manages to navigate across the rocks, picking good footspace before putting his weight down. He makes his way around the wagon to line up a shot on the wizard but the magicite loader flickers and sparks, the barrel coughing a flare and brackish smoke.
CHloe gets nailed by the incoming debris and grunts softly. She then claps her hands together and a blue pulse of healing light heals the wounds of all of her allies. Wade will notice she's NOT being nice to him.
GAME: Kade damaged Chloe for -10 points. 25 remaining. GAME: Kade damaged Elessa for -10 points. 14 remaining. GAME: Kade damaged Remethaer for -10 points. 26 remaining. GAME: Kade damaged Birgit for -10 points. 23 remaining.
"Booger, you just gave the world HIS NAME..." the khazad points out, and jogs forward. It's rough going between the rubble, the cracks in the stonework. Slow and steady gets her closer, though, with the metal armor slapping against her legs.
GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+11: (2)+11: 13
Wade, bruised and bleeding from the stones that rained down onto him through the mesh of the cage tries to continue his attempts to free himself. "YOU KNOW YOU DON'T GET PAID IF HE KILLS ME, RIGHT?!" He bellows as he works, apparently with less success now that the stress is on him.
GAME: Kade rolls 1d100: (2): 2 GAME: Elessa rolls ranged+1: (11)+5+1: 17
Elessa cringes at all the rocks falling on them and moves carefully forward to get closer and try to get out of the cloud of falling rocks. Taking an opportunity when she is closer, she takes a shot at Malus. Though she curses at herself once more as where she thought he was, he actually wasn't. She's pretty sure, because she didn't hear the familiar sound of 'ow' coming from the mist.
GAME: Birgit rolls spellcraft: (14)+4: 18
Another arrow whizzing dangerously close to his flesh, the wizard Malus retreats back into the depths of the mist with a long backward step. From within the mist itself, an occasional flash of brown light illuminates the cloud while the Eldritch intonations ring out into the battlefield.
GAME: Kade rolls 1d100: (54): 54 GAME: Remethaer rolls 1d20+4+3+2+1-2: (11)+4+3+2+1+-2: 19 GAME: Remethaer rolls 1d12+1+2-2: (4)+1+2+-2: 5 GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+9: (9)+9: 18
Remethaer shakes his head at the misfiring magicite loader, deciding to risk it as the wizard retreats into the mist. He traces his thumb along the loader once more and pulls the trigger. Something's off-- and Remethaer has his eyebrows singed for his efforts-- but the bullet flies properly and strikes something meaty.
Chloe sighs as she sees the jerk duck into the mist. "Well fudge." She says putting a hald on Birgit. "Tarien, strengthen this warrior so she may tell tales later."
GAME: Chloe casts Bull's Strength
GAME: Kade rolls 1d100: (43): 43
"Callin your friends, then?" Birgit drops her axe to her belt and grasps the bow. She pulls back, and fires--but the arrow, aside from the familiar twang! as it leaves the weapon, flies silently away. "He's getting backup!" she yells to the rest. "Wade, you get out of that cage, they'll just get you easier! Remember who he wants!"
GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+11: (4)+11: 15
Wade struggles with the lock still, but takes time to call back, "I'll take my chances, thanks!"
Elessa is tired of all these rocks and just drops her bow right where she is. Quickly moving over all the rocks, watching her step, she draws out a dagger and attempts to get in closer. Maybe she can get a better shot at the person closer, right up in front of them.
GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+15: (15)+15: 30 (VIPER FAMILIAR STEALTH ROLL) GAME: Chloe rolls perception: (7)+5: 12 GAME: Elessa rolls perception: (3)+5: 8 GAME: Birgit rolls perception: (1)+3: 4 GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+9: (2)+9: 11 GAME: Remethaer rolls Perception+2: (6)+9+2: 17
GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+10: (8)+10: 18 GAME: Kade rolls 1d6+6: (2)+6: 8 GAME: Kade damaged Elessa for 8 points. 6 remaining.
There is a brief pause in the intonations. And that's when in a flash of brown light, a vaguely humanoid creature of earth and stone appears just outside the mist. It skates effortlessly through the earth littered on the bridge and drives a spikey granite fist across Elessa's head, inflicting a grevious blow. And then the incantations start once more.
GAME: Brolin rolls 1d4+2: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Remethaer rolls 1d20+4+3+1-2: (3)+4+3+1+-2: 9 GAME: Remethaer rolls 1d12+1+1-2: (1)+1+1+-2: 1
The rifle doesn't appreciate whatever is going on with the magicite loader-- but Remethaer risks it. He continues to move forward through the debris and attempts to put a hole in the pesky earthen creature. The bullet flies wide, grazing the elemental to kick off a bit of gravel.
GAME: Chloe rolls 2d6: (6): 6 GAME: Kade damaged Elessa for -6 points. 12 remaining.
Seeing Elessa get hit, Chloe runs forward and claps her hands together again. The pulse of blue energy gets Elessa barely, but heals some of her wounds.
GAME: Birgit rolls 1d20+3: (11)+3: 14
GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+11: (12)+11: 23
Wade continues his frantic attempts to use the rusty nail to pick the lock. He seems to be making some progress, so long as he's not interrupted this time...
GAME: Birgit rolls 1d20+3: (11)+3: 14
GAME: Elessa rolls acrobatics: (13)+9: 22
Elessa stumbles under the blow from the elemental, glaring at it as she shakes her head clear. Oh no it wasn't going to get away with that. Dagger firmly in her grasp, she lunches forward in order to attack it with a shout. However, her blade 'dinks' off of it and does nothing. Using her momentum, she tumbles over the elemental and actually gets out of all the stones on the ground and nearly the other side of the creature.
GAME: Elessa rolls will: (20)+1: 21
GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+9: (5)+9: 14 GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+7: (3)+7: 10
Malus steps forward out of the mist. Or rather 5 of him do, another spell hot on his lips. He shoves 5 crooked hands out towards Elessa and 5 blasts of color wash over her, but leave her unfazed. The earth elemental lurches to a new target and swings wild, connecting with nothing but air. And Wade shouts from the cage, "SNAKE! GODDAMN SNAKE IN HERE!" He says, the clink and clank of his lockpicking still going strong.
GAME: Kade rolls 1d5: (5): 5 GAME: Remethaer rolls 1d20+4+3+1+2: (3)+4+3+1+2: 13 GAME: Remethaer rolls 1d6+1+2: (5)+1+2: 8
Remethaer continues his approach up the bridge, trying to pick the wizard out of the mist-- and then the cur is kind enough to step out and face the music. One hand comes away from the twitchy rifle and dives into a pocket. Out comes a vial, his thumb popping the cork so it sparks to smoking life before hurling it across the span. In a flash, the wizard is alight with jellied fire.
Chloe, seeing an opening, trots her way up to Birgit and puts a hand on her back. "Coyote's luck be with you...."
GAME: Birgit rolls 1d20+8-1: (16)+8+-1: 23 GAME: Birgit rolls 1d10+10: (8)+10: 18
"Hey!" the khazad barks and with Tarien's light glittering on the edge of her axe, the blade cuts deep--rendering the creature to rubble. It's a good hit, and as she straightens, she swears she can hear laughter...from somewhere. Just over the horizon.
The thump of chain and shackle against the floorboards of the cart waft through the air. "A LITTLE HELP WOULD BE NICE!" Wade shrieks.
GAME: Elessa rolls melee+1: (3)+3+1: 7 GAME: Brolin rolls 1d5: (1): 1
Elessa steps forward with all the figments and attempts to stab at Malus himself. However, she guesses wrong and gets one of the figments, making it disappear. "Damn it," she mutters to herself and tries to figure out which one is the real one and kill him.
GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+9: (8)+9: 17 GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+7: (14)+7: 21 GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+3: (10)+3: 13
GAME: Remethaer rolls 1d6: (4): 4 GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+9: (5)+9: 14
GAME: Kade rolls 1d4: (1): 1 GAME: Kade rolls 1d100: (95): 95
Remethaer continues to press, getting closer to the obscured wizard as he traces the loader and hipfires the rifle. Contact is made but the illusory copy vanishes in a puff.
Grinning at Birgit's success, Chloe makes her way forward and does the same thing. "What do you say to a dwarf when you want them to hit someone really really hard? Tell them he has your gold."
GAME: Kade rolls 1d3: (1): 1
Birgit says, "Booger! You know we've got a priestess, right?" Birgit elbows underneath the wizard's guard--and strikes the figment, instead. It shatters, turning into mist. She bites her cheek again, and shoots a quick look towards Elessa, to see where the other woman is--gives her a nod."
"Get the fuck away from me, you stupid snake!" Wade cries out, throwing the chain down and using the nail to start working on the lock outside. "I should have married that noblewoman when I had the chance." He laments.
GAME: Elessa rolls 1d100: (76): 76 GAME: Kade rolls 1d2: (1): 1
GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+7: (13)+7: 20
GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+8: (11)+8: 19
GAME: Kade rolls 1d4+3: (3)+3: 6
GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+7: (3)+7: 10
GAME: Kade rolls 1d20+3: (17)+3: 20
Malus, the last of his figmentary twins dissipated under the rogue's blade, facing both knife and axe, finishes the last few words of his spell, causing a malevolent looking cloud to appear, which glides through the air and slams a gust through the bars into Wade's shoulder, while the snake takes another bite at the criminal's legs, "ARGH!" He cries out, the nail dropping from his hands. His last major offensive expended, the wizard ducks and dives off the bridge, landing with a loud splash.
GAME: Remethaer rolls 1d20+4+3+1+1-2: (5)+4+3+1+1+-2: 12
Remethaer shakes his head as the wizard departs, not so bloodthirsty that he forgets the job. Turning back, he moves towards the wagon, breaths coming in seaming puffs from under his hood. He takes aim with the malfunctioning weapon but is unable to hit the swirling cloud of air.
Wincing at the mage's belly flop, Chloe shakes her head and trots her way over towards Reme, and gives him a pat on the back. He may hear laughter for a second...
GAME: Birgit rolls 1d20+9: (10)+9: 19 GAME: Birgit rolls 1d10+10: (7)+10: 17
The laughter and glitter fades from the axe's blade even as the finger-waggler makes a leap for it. "Da--" Birgit barely gets the word out before the prisoner starts yelling. Instead of completing the sentence, she sucks in her breath and goes running, braid flopping behind her, across the bridge. She grabs the cart's edge, leaping atop just in time to land the axe into the elemental's gullet. "Here's some Coyote love, you ass!"
Wade ducks while simultaneously trying to shoo the viper away, wondering what he did to take him down this path.oO(Maybe it was all those murders. Nah.)
GAME: Elessa rolls melee+1+2: (12)+3+1+2: 18 GAME: Elessa rolls daggersneak: aliased to 1d4+2+1d6: (4)+2+(1): 7 GAME: Elessa rolls swim: (2)+7: 9 GAME: Elessa rolls 1d6: (6): 6 GAME: Kade damaged Elessa for 6 points. 6 remaining.
Elessa moves, thinking at she can finally get a shot on this wizard. But then he's gone and into the water. Taking a heartbeat to listen for him and take aim, with dagger in hand, "I'm going for him!" and she is over the edge. The water is a little farther than she expected, but she is satisfied by feeling him beneath her, the dagger sinking in and then something else snap. Though she feels the harsh sting from the fall and works to keep afloat.
GAME: Kade has cleared initiatives.
"Reme? Can you make sure Wade doesn't go anywhere? Mistress Dwarf, can you make sure Elessa makes it to shore?" Chloe says before skipping over towards Elessa's position to help get her out of the water, and heal her. Seems she knows her priorities.....
The viper, sensing the broken bond of familiarity, decides to find something better than to do than play ill suited assassin for a now-dead wizard. Slithering through the mesh bars, it drops down onto the stone bridge and slithers off through the railing into the water, the sole survivor of this botched assassination attempt. Wade kicks at the door and presses his face up to mesh, "HEY, POISONED. NEED SOME HELP! NO MONEY FOR DEAD ASSASSINS!" He taunts, making what comes next no real surprise.
Remethaer slows in his running, turning to look this way and that as the melee comes to an end. The rifle calms but a thin trail of smoke continues to smolder from the magicite loader at the end of the stock. He sighs and shakes his head, adjusting his hood and taking a moment to make sure everyone is OK.
GAME: Elessa rolls swim: (14)+7: 21
"--Elessa!" Birgit yells as her comrade jumps off the bridge. She looks from the bridge to the murderer to back again, and then turns and clocks Wade one in the face, knocking him out. The khazad gives him a hard look, then nods to Chloe, and takes off after Elessa. "Got it!"
Chloe starts to trot over towards Elessa and.....shrugs as Birgit runs to help her. She then turns her attention back to Wade and.....starts to paint on his face. She gives him a really silly looking mustache, a idiotic looking soul patch, an eyepatch, and then writes on his forehead 'Tarien wuz heer.' Chloe completes the painting with a coyote with it's leg lifted.
With the prisoner subdued and the attackers retreated, returned to their own plane forcibly, or floating face down drifting down the river (at least until the rogue fishes his corpse out), you manage to get the captured assassin treated and put into the hands of the Selentian guard. Not a bad day's work and you watch the airship sail off into the horizon. Goodbye, Wade Halsted, hello payment (and whatever you happen to dig out of the wizards pockets).
THE END
(CLOSE UP ON SNAKE STOWED AWAY ON THE AIRSHIP)
OR IS IT?
DUN DUN DUN