A few more bits of information...Yes, Ironbriar, an elf, is over 100 years old and one of the founding members of the Brothers of Seven. In fact, enough digging on Li's part eventually reveals that he is the owner of the Seven's sawmill. It is the last mercantile holding he has retained since taking office as a city Justice, and is his chief source of income.
Sasha mused and looked to Xer. "Well, Ironbriar vist? Things just aren't adding up."
"How do you feel about a quick side trip to the monastery first?" Xer asked." I might leave a donation with a note. I know it does not pay it all back, but it is a start. After we visit the monastery we can pay a little surprise visit to Ironbar and see what he knows. Bring him to justice if that is required."
Sasha smirked. "Bring the Justice to justice, eh?" She stood up and buckled on her new rapier. "Okay, lets go then. Hey uh, where does one go find a Justice anyway?"
Xer stopped mid stride. "Hmm, no idea. Lets ask the monks."
"But nicely this time right?"
Xer did her best to make her grin demurr and not mischievious. "Sure, nicely."
***
Li Kao sprinted, then jogged, then braced himself on a wall and spent some time panting, the jogged some more, and finally collapsed at the bar of the Starred Buck. Unable to make more than a wheezing sound, he made the universal sign to the bartender for a fortifying beverage, and when that had worked its magic, he looked around for his companions.
Who were not in sight.
Praying to Irori for perseverance, Li beckoned over the bartender a second time. " My good man, have any of my colleages been through here recently; did they leave any messages by chance?"
"Mmm," muttered the man. The scruffy guy with the dog and the tall shoanti woman haven't been back since this morning. Them two fiesty girls left about an hour ago, talkning about delivering justice, or finding justice, or something. Didn't leave any messages though.
Li Kao didn't know what to do next. Should he wait here at the inn for one of his friends to return? He was sure the Red Gull had to be stopped. He knew which peer it was leaving from - he could go there himself now. Malvick and Yola had left to scope out Ironbriar's sawmill. Mabye he should go there and try find them.
Li Kao ran his head over his scalp and ordered another drink.
***
Malvick and Yola watch the sawmill discreetly for most of the day. From the mid change shift change, they guess there are about a dozen men working there at any given time. Just as the day grows long and the two are thinking about returning to the inn to rendevous with their friends, a tall dark haired elf steps out the front of the building and strides down the street in the direction of Underbridge.
"Ironbriar," Malvick whispered. From his years in the city Malvick knew that Justice Ironbriar had a stern reputation, running his ward with a ruthless efficiency, that even the hellknights would respect. Malvick had difficulty believing Li and Xer's claim that Ironbriar might be mixed up in all of this somehow - the man was a paragon of law within Magnimar, and had been for decades.
"Well Yola, looks like we have three choices: One: Keep watching the mill. I don't think we can learn much more from out here in the street though. It might be time to peek inside - especially now that the boss is not at home. Two: Follow Ironbriar. I'm not sure I buy that he's involved with all this, but we can't ignore the fact that it was his sawmill that Aldern was coming to to make his blackmail payments. We won't know one way or the other if we don't watch him. Three: Go back to the inn and discuss this with the others."
***
Seperated and with multiple leads to follow; what's a party to do?
Li: During the day you spent 100gp and purchased 2 spells for your spell book: Touch of Gracelessness and Create Pit. You can find their full descriptions at the bottom of your character sheet. If there are any others you would like to buy, let me know. Cost is 20 gp and 2 hours for a 1st lvl spell, and 80gp and 3 hours for a 2nd lvl.
Sasha: Do you want to sell your old rapier? You can get 160gp for it quickly in the market.
Xer: Your new belt could fetch between 5000-10,000 gp. You currently have 2,638gp. How much are you planning to donate to the monastary?
13 comments:
OOC: I am planning to pay 2,000gp. After all as a Monk I don't need to spend a tong of cash and 638 GP is a ton of cash for the most part.
Skipping down the walk way hand in hand with Sasha. Leaning in occasionally to talk about the sexy backside of someone passing.
Playfully pinching Sasha bottom I whisper in her ear. "You know dear it has been a very very long time you sure you arn't in the mood for some fun when we are done for the night?"
"I still can't believe Ironbriar has anything to do with this, but there's too much going on to deny the consequence. I think our best bet is me and Ariva tail Ironbriar through the city to see where he is headed tonight. No offence, but that breast plate you wear may give us away. I'm used to sneaking through the city unnoticed. After such a long day can you head back to the inn and see where everyone else is, Yola? If you don't hear from me by tonight I'm dead or in too deep."
ooc: If he and Ariva are seperated from everyone else Malvick will prepare animal messenger as one of his spells.
Yola looks at Malvick "that's fine that you want to tail Ironbriar, we will wait for you at the inn, try not to get caught."
Yola heads back to find Li Kao and reports her findings to him about the sawmill and where Malvick is headed.
Mich
OCC: Sasha will sell her old Rapier at the market.
"Let's swing by the Market first. I need to exchange my old rapier for some cold hard cash."
As Sasha and Xer continue down the street Sasha smirks listening to Xer's critique of some of the cuter behinds that catch her fancy.
"Why are you dropping off a donation with the monks again? There has to be a least expensive way of getting introduced."
Sasha watches a pair of children run by laughing and giggling. She smiles to herself wondering if she and Xer ever had it 'that' good.
"Ironbar, wow, you really have excellent taste in enemies." Sasha rubbed the hilt of her new rapier and felt the same kind of assurance she felt from the old.
"He's got a reputation Xer. If we bring him to anything we might have better luck just stabbing in the back and calling it a night."
Sasha licked her lower lip. "It would give us times for other fun filled intrigues if we did. But if you really want justice if he did something we're going to need Yola, Malverick and Li Kao and possible a large army."
Sasha holds Xer in her arms tenderly for a moment and brushes a strand of hair from her face.
"I like knowing who I play with. If Ironbar is close to his reputation and he's in league with the seven this may be a very high stakes game."
Li Kao gets the tavern keep to refill his wine gourd and hurries out of the inn (with or without Yola) and towards the docks. He must stow away aboard the Red Gull before it departs if he can. If he's already missed it's departure he'll try and dig up as much information as he can from the "wharf rats" ie., where was it headed, when did it leave, etc.
(He will try and learn his two new spells when the first bit of downtime presents itself).
Okay.. lets assume Yola makes it back to the inn before Li Kao leaves
Yola, Li Kao is very agitated and insists that the two of you leave immediately to intercept a boat that is leaving port today. He says the boat contains a cargo that Aldern harvested from the manor for the brothers of seven, and the captain of the boat is Sasha's estranged brother.
What's your response?
Sasha and Xer arrive at the monastary. Their reaction is initially pretty hostile, but Xers "donation" softens them up. Brother Po does not appear during this exchange, and you suspect he may have kept Xer's midnight visit to himself. Senior brother Ameo also does not make an appearence, but one of his aids tells you that he can usually be found at his garrison at the other end of town, or his saw mill down on Kyver's Inlet, about a half hour away.
Where to next?
Malvick, you follow Ironbriar back to his garrison house. he disappears inside for ten minutes or so then exits again dressed in run down clothes and a coarse travellers cloak and hood. He talks with two city guards for a few momments then heads off towards Underbridge, hood pulled up over his head.
Follow?
ooc: I'm assuming from the above that Ironbriar is traveling alone towards Underbridge? How big is the garrison? Is there a way for Malvick to go around the building to totally avoid the guards? If not he will walk by them as far from them as the roadway will allow. Malvick also remains cautious while following Ironbriar as he has Ariva with him and he heard something about 'elves having eyes in the back of their heads' cutting this Urban Ranger's advantage in half.
Malvick sees the wardrobe change and makes sure to note any distinct markings or colours of the cloak and hood. To make sure there are no 'wardrobe' changes Malvick also makes sure to notice the boots Ironbriar is also wearing. Also, in the past he was never above hiring some group of street thugs or thieves/performers to act as cover or a distraction if things get hairy.
Yola follows Li Kao out to the wharfs, towards the boat the Red Gull.
" what exactly are we looking for, Li, what are biological samples"
Li Kao shrugs his shoulders and gestures Yola to be quiet - " can you not walk quieter Yola, I thought the Shoanti pride themselves on their stalking ."
Yola looks at Li Kao hard, " listen I'm going as quiet as I can, but I'm wearing armour, monk, you are not" and also we are at the wharf not the mountains, it's harder to conceal oneself in this place of ill smelling fish, than the caves of the mountains."
Mich
After paying my respects to the temple and selling Sasha's blade I Lean into Sasha as we are leaving the temple my lips almost against her ear. "I think we should check in at the Inn again. After all if this guy is that big of a bad ass we might need the backup. We may be hot, but that does not always help in a fight. Hmm and if nobody is there we might take a little break." Moving away from Sasha I go skipping away with a wild laugh and a smile on my lips. "Hurry up slow poke."
Sasha cracks and smile and pockets the money.
"Sloe poke,eh? Don't you dare make me crack the whip."
Sasha follows Xer enjoying the feel of her new blade. When we meet with the others what exactly are you planning on telling them? Iron Bar is suppose to be ancient. If he's in league with these Seven and Alderan ...."
Sasha stops for a moment as she makes a connection and then looks down at her new rapier. "An Alderian blade ... oh snot."
With that Sasha starts running after Xer and passes her heading towards the tavern.
"I think this situation may be a lot worse than we thought!"
"What do you mean worse than we thought?"
Post a Comment