The Clagoff Finale

Once evening begins to set in, the adventurers head to the location of the Mermaid tavern and the Fang and Claw arena next door, accompanying Lord Dandy's bailiffs.

OOC: One raiding group will be covering the entrance of the tavern, one will be covering the rear entrance, and one will be entering the supposedly shut-down arena. Which group will the PCs be with?

What's the area look like? Is there any easy access for someone sneaky and shadowy? Through the roof, perhaps? Being able to shadow-jump through a crack should help....

Rolzup wrote:

What's the area look like? Is there any easy access for someone sneaky and shadowy? Through the roof, perhaps? Being able to shadow-jump through a crack should help....

The primary entrance to the place where the fights are being held is apparently through the Mermaid tavern, which has underground access to the arena below the shut-down Fang and Claw arena. People are entering the tavern as you watch, so Vox could enter there too and then try to sneak into the arena. Alternatively, he could go into the shut-down arena (which one group of raiders will, anyway) and look for a way to reach the underground arena below. The first choice would probably involving some bluffing and/or diplomacy. The latter would be easier done with sneakiness. Your call.

Sneaky seems to be the best way to go. He'll go in first, if there's no argument, to make sure that the place is, in fact, deserted. Before he does, he'll take a minute (and no more) to cast Dead Animal Friendship.

(24 on Religion)

This gives him an animated, if somewhat ragged looking, rat to do his bidding for the next 8 hours. If the area is safe, he'll send the rat out to let the others know...by doing a little soft-shoe, or something. It can go 100 feet from him before it needs to return.

(24 on Stealth)

This done, he pockets the rat and attempts to sneak his way into the place....

Rolzup wrote:

Sneaky seems to be the best way to go. He'll go in first, if there's no argument, to make sure that the place is, in fact, deserted. Before he does, he'll take a minute (and no more) to cast Dead Animal Friendship.

(24 on Religion)

This gives him an animated, if somewhat ragged looking, rat to do his bidding for the next 8 hours. If the area is safe, he'll send the rat out to let the others know...by doing a little soft-shoe, or something. It can go 100 feet from him before it needs to return.

(24 on Stealth)

This done, he pockets the rat and attempts to sneak his way into the place....

Vox does, in fact, find the place to be deserted. Everything is shut down or boarded up. Even the arena floor is covered with large tarpaulins held down by rocks.

But after a little checking, he finds a little light coming from behind what should be a locked door. After checking, Vox finds that while it is locked, the hinges have been tampered with. Carefully easing it open a little, he finds that there is a corridor beyond, which ends in stairs 30 ft away. At the top of the stairs is a man, his back towards Vox's position. He has an activated sunrod in his belt (evidently the source of the light Vox noted) and seems to be listening to something down the stairs.


OOC: Since Vox is going in this way, let's just go with the other PCs going into there (after him) too.

Vox produces the Rod from one of the pockets of his greatcloak and uses it to sketch in intricate design in the air before levelling it at the figure with the sunrod.

He then moves swiftly and soundlessly down the corridor to stand behind the man, sword drawn and ready to strike.

(Stealth: 19 If he seems to have heard Vox's approach, an attack will be forthcoming.)

Rolzup wrote:

Vox produces the Rod from one of the pockets of his greatcloak and uses it to sketch in intricate design in the air before levelling it at the figure with the sunrod.

He then moves swiftly and soundlessly down the corridor to stand behind the man, sword drawn and ready to strike.

(Stealth: 19 If he seems to have heard Vox's approach, an attack will be forthcoming.)

The man doesn't seem to have heard Vox and remains focused on the stairs. When Vox moves up behind him, he can see that the stairs lead down some fifteen feet to a closed door. There is the murmur of multiple voices from beyond it.

Rolzup wrote:

OOC: Ideally, Vox would like to kill this fellow as quickly, efficiently, and quietly as possible. And then interrogate him a bit. Yes, in that order.

Quote :

Would you want to handle that as an attack, a Skill Challenge, or something other?

Let's just go with an attack. Or two, since you can attack with surprise, roll initiative and roll an attack again.

"You're going to...another place," Vox whispers in the man's ear, before using his rapier to cut the poor fellow's throat. Even as he slashes, he spins the man around to face away from the door. Then, with the man still off balance, and bleeding rather profusely, he rams his blade into the man's back and uses the force of the blow to propel him further still from his post.

OOC: Using Invisible Castle, as it's easier with this many rolls.

Initiative: 19

First Attack: Bait and Switch. 18 vs. Will, 31 damage, switch places with target.

Second Attack: Positioning Strike. 29 vs. Will, 11 points of damage, and slide him 10' down the passageway.

If he's not actually dead, how's about burning an Action Point to have effectively silenced him with that first attack, with the lack of functioning vocal cords and all. Won't bother the corpse when we get around to speaking to him....

Rolzup wrote:

"You're going to...another place," Vox whispers in the man's ear, before using his rapier to cut the poor fellow's throat. Even as he slashes, he spins the man around to face away from the door. Then, with the man still off balance, and bleeding rather profusely, he rams his blade into the man's back and uses the force of the blow to propel him further still from his post.

The unfortunate man staggers backwards, grabbing at the gash in his throat and attempting to scream - or rather gurgle - in pain. But before he can make any sound, Vox's rapier drives through back and into his lungs. Already dying and choking on his own blood, the guard drops, twitching faintly.

OOC: He survived the first attack, but not the second.

Did Vox already send his animated rat corpse to tell the others that it's safe in the building? And is he going to bring them in here?

The remainder of the War Pig Mercenary Company is waiting at the rally point just inside the building, waiting for the signal from their point man.

OOC: I guess it would be inappropriate for Lizzy to use his "Death to the pigs!" war cry.

overeddie wrote:

OOC: I guess it would be inappropriate for Lizzy to use his "Death to the pigs!" war cry.

Just add 'running-dog capitalist' or 'rich' and he'll be fine..

Mallus wrote:

The remainder of the War Pig Mercenary Company is waiting at the rally point just inside the building, waiting for the signal from their point man.

Point Rat, surely. For it is the Monsignor (Vox's name for his new friend) that appears, performs a neat backflip, and runs back into the building.

This was, apparently, the pre-arranged signal.

(And the rat would have been dispatched as soon as Vox knew the coast was entirely clear; that includes the guard.)

Vox has cleared a small area, found a corpse, and drawn a chalk circle around it. He waves vaguely at the others as they enter, and continues making arcane preparations (in several senses of the word) with a collection of ashes, small bones, and several drops of his own blood.

Rolzup wrote:

Point Rat, surely. For it is the Monsignor (Vox's name for his new friend) that appears, performs a neat backflip, and runs back into the building.

This was, apparently, the pre-arranged signal.

(And the rat would have been dispatched as soon as Vox knew the coast was entirely clear; that includes the guard.)

Vox has cleared a small area, found a corpse, and drawn a chalk circle around it. He waves vaguely at the others as they enter, and continues making arcane preparations (in several senses of the word) with a collection of ashes, small bones, and several drops of his own blood.

The two bailiffs who are accompanying the group of adventurers give Vox strange looks but don't ask questions. They move to the stairs and go a couple of steps down them before stopping. One says, "We'll watch the door while you ... um, finish whatever you're doing."


OOC: Go ahead and make any rolls you need to, Vox.

Vox finishes his preparations, lights a pair of candles -- one at the corpse's head, the other at its feet -- and mutters something while tracing an intricate pattern in the air with his left hand. The smoke from the candles pools in the air above the body, before sinking down in a spiral pattern and seeping into his nose.

The eyes pop open.

Vox leans back and dusts his hands off.

"We have three questions," he informs the room quietly. "Any suggestions?"

OOC: Nice! That's an even 30.

"Where's Clagoff?" wheezes Yatagan as he trundles into view, his armor making new and unpleasant noises since he last had it 'upgraded' by one of Selwyn Mauberly's fabricators.

"How many capitalist pigs are there?" Lizzy blurts out. Looking around at the pig-regalia of his comrades he corrects himself. "I mean dogs." Then he remembers Heyoka, "Err, rats. Yeah. How many capitalist rats are there scurrying around down there?"

overeddie wrote:

"Err, rats..."

"Bastards?" suggests Yatagan, recovering enough of his breath to manage a stage-wheeze.

Turning to Vox he adds, "Ask how many exits there are, and where. Don't bother asking their numbers. We'll count them when they're dead".

The Monsignor levels a glare at Lizzy with its one remaining eye while Vox absently pats it on the head.

"Capitalist worms?" he suggests. "But never mind that for now."

"Where is Clagoff?" He asks the corpse as he nods to Yatigan. "And where are the exits from the room that you were watching over?"

His third question will depend on the answers to the first two...

Rolzup wrote:

"Where is Clagoff?" He asks the corpse as he nods to Yatigan. "And where are the exits from the room that you were watching over?"

"I meant how many exits the arena had" blurts out Yatagan, sounding slightly anxious, as if unsure of the proper etiquette to employ during acts of magical sacrilege.

Rolzup wrote:

The Monsignor levels a glare at Lizzy with its one remaining eye while Vox absently pats it on the head.

Lizzy kicks at a pebble with his toe.

Mallus wrote:

Rolzup wrote:

"Where is Clagoff?" He asks the corpse as he nods to Yatigan. "And where are the exits from the room that you were watching over?"

"I meant how many exits the arena had" blurts out Yatagan, sounding slightly anxious, as if unsure of the proper etiquette to employ during acts of magical sacrilege.

Vox smoothly corrects himself, hoping that the dead fellow would not be a pedant.

OOC: Is this the official raid or are we the pre-raid raid?