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Reign of Fear: A NeoGAF DnD 5e Play by Post Campaign

"It is no wonder the girl had wanted to become an architect if this is where she lives. These buildings are a marvel of construction," Fhiess comments. "It makes me wonder if eventually the entire mountain will become a set of buildings."

Once he reaches the door, he says to himself, "Well, here goes nothing..." Then knocks on the door.
 
((RE: Spell Selection:
I just realized Spike Growth is concentration and, therefore, doesn't play quite so well with Hunter's Mark.

Also, unless something changes, I don't expect Galen to take any summoning spells. He's not that kind of Ranger.

Is Galen with Keranos and Thosar?))
 
Ludwig nods in agreement. "It's not stone, but it's quality craftsmanship nonetheless." He backs up a bit as Fheiss knocks so he doesn't block him, and so gen hopefully reduces the odds of another swooning episode.
 

Mike M

Nick N
Team Rios:
With a pointed look at Keranos, Svift brushes the thunder god's hand off his shoulder. Standing to his feet, he says, "Let's retire to my office, shall we?"

His office, as it happens, is the very first one down the hall from the foyer. It's not as large as the offices of the Majority and Minority leaders that have previously been witnessed; Svift seems to like to keep himself humble and modest by operating out of a standard suite.

"I'm not sure what you think you know," he says, shutting the door behind him, "and I'm not talking about the Gadfly. You bear the badge of Oliff's merry party, and he only knows about it because it benefits my plans that he does--but there's only one currency I trade in, and that is favors. By that metric, I am the richest man in the Gottermang. Oh, the favors I am owed!"

He takes his seat behind his desk and leans back with his hands behind his head. "I don't need your dirt," he announces. "I think if you were to do a little digging, you'd find that Forgerun's libel laws are nearly non-existent. If I wish to create a scandal, I could cut one to order from whole cloth, and it would serve just as well as if it were the truth. There's so much skullduggery and falsification of evidence in this town as it is, who would even notice?"

His glasses have a wicked gleam as he grins at the trio. "I'm willing to vote for Oliff's little pet issue," he says. "But it will cost him. I require his ironclad assurances that when I so choose to as to cash in my chips, he will vote as I dictate for any issue of my choosing. An even swap, as it were. Are you in a position to make such assurances on his behalf?"

#

Team Peaseblossom:
The sound of Fhiess's knocking can be heard resonating in the space behind the doors. It seems to go on for a very long time, indicating that perhaps the domicile is very large indeed. Just when they think that no one is going to respond to their summons, the door is opened by a neatly-groomed dwarf in a butler's livery. Ludwig elicits nothing more than a single raised eyebrow, a testament of his cultured bearing.

"May I help you?" he asks.
 
((I went back to look through a few pages of posts, but I couldn't find where this was spelled out. Is Oliff a member of one of the chambers? I thought he was part of a lobbying association or something))
 

Mike M

Nick N
((I went back to look through a few pages of posts, but I couldn't find where this was spelled out. Is Oliff a member of one of the chambers? I thought he was part of a lobbying association or something))

((Oliff is the Majority Leader of Lunus. You're right, I don't think I ever actually said that.))
 

Mike M

Nick N
At the mention of Yanice's name, the butler's eyebrow raises fractionally higher still, but he stands side to allow Fhiess and Sagishi entry into the foyer. After a brief hesitation, he gestures Ludwig to the nearest window, which he subsequently opens.

The interior of the house is palatial, especially by the standards of what they've thus far encountered in the low-slung, space conscious style of dwarven construction. The entire affair, with its swooping flights of stairs and balustrades on the upper level look to have been carved in situ; the whole place is one enormous singular sculpture with different styles of finish applied to the granite surfaces to lend contrast from one another.

"Whom shall I inform Mistress Leifford is calling upon her?" The butler asks as he shuts the door behind them with all the weight of the gates of Hammerfall.
 
Somehow the foyer of the mansion seems quite familiar, yet off.. Fhiess recognizes the interior as much like a museum or castle interior, but the air feels completely different deep into the underground. He answers, "Ah, well. We had met her at the chamber she works at, we never formally exchanged names except for a note given to me. Tell her it is the elf she gave her sketch to."
 

Mike M

Nick N
"At once, master... elf," the butler says as he disappears into the depths of the manor, leaving the Endowed in the foyer.

((You guys have time for one action if you want to get one in before the scene continues.))

((Team Rios, does Thosar or Galen have any objection to Keranos making such a promise to the Svift?))
 
((Sorry I took so long, but as a matter of fact...))


Galen looks from Keranos to Svift and back to Keranos before scrunching his eyebrows a bit and mumbling -though trying to ensure Thosar can understand- in the tongue of the fey,
"It doesn't seem right, as though the favors owed may allow him to bring about any terrible scheme he desires. We've no idea what he may cash in on, and that in itself is unsettling."

But then he crosses his arms and smirks, raising a brow.
"Perhaps the issue is that we are the ones who collect favors, but he is asking one of us?"
 
Fhiess smiles, "I did not expect to be welcomed so easily. Even Ludwig has a window to use." He hrms momentarily, "I wonder why that is? Maybe news got out that I have one of the red rings?"
 
Thosar replies, in similar fashion and gesticulating slightly.
"Indeed. We could agree to his terms but we can't guarantee Oliff will back us. We could signal Rios once we have confirmed it."
((Message spell to Keranos))
"Take the deal, but indicate we'll need to confirm with Oliff. We'll signal him in the Rios chambers."
 
Keranos glares at his teammates for a few seconds before again facing Svift. "I apologize for my associates' rudeness. I don't know what they were saying either. I assume that, since they have not yet raised any objections, we are all in agreement that these terms are acceptable. And yes, to answer your question, I am absolutely authorized to speak on Oliff's behalf on this matter."

He telepathically says to Galen and Thosar: We'd look weak if we said we have to clear it with Oliff first, and time is short. If Oliff really does have a strong objection to this, we can deal with it later.
 
((Ludwig could detect evil to see if any creatures that could be Peaceblossom ping, but not sure if anyone has a better action they want to take instead.))

"It's either that, or she just likes you! We may have just found the group's ladykiller, maybe you can whoo the next woman with a bit of spirit in her and save us the vote seeking," Ludwig says jokingly.
 

Nezumi

Member
((Either that or whoever has the highest perception does a check to see if there is anything out of the ordinary, pretty sure that's not Sagishi, so I'm out.))
 
Fhiess' face turns red, and he lifts a hand closer as if almost wanting to cover it, "Uh, well.. Do you really think so? I mean, I'm just an artist, and I'm not very good at being a dashing hero. It's not like I'm some young ranger that even a princess would fall for instantly on first sight."

<Fhiess has +6 to Perception, can possibly get more via a spell. If somebody can match +6 then he could both bardic inspiration and cast a spell to help and we can aid another.

EDIT: Those might be more than one action though>
 

Mike M

Nick N
Team Rios:
A look of annoyance flickers across Svift's face before his easy smile reasserts itself as Galen and Thosar conduct themselves in a language beyond his own understanding. At Keranos's assurance that the three have the authority to speak on Oliff's behalf, he is unable to keep a genuine look of surprise from his face. "Just like that, eh? My, had I known that you would bite at that so easily, I would have asked for more. But very well then, a deal is a deal. I will open deliberation on the bill at 10 bells."

A dark seriousness consumes his face. "And to reiterate, a deal is a deal. I am treating with you as representatives of Oliff in good faith, but if I deliver this vote for him and he reneges on this bargain, I will ruin him. The Gadfly will whip the electorate into such a frenzy against him that even his pet Drow constituents will turn him out into the street."

And just like the shadow of a cloud passing across the sun, his cheerful disposition returns. "But it's been a pleasure doing business with you!"

#

Team Peaseblossom
((Perception wouldn't have netted you anything not already revealed anyway.))

The butler leaves Sagishi and Fhiess standing in the lobby with Ludwig poking in from the nearest window. Several minutes pass t's entirely possible, even likely, that it would take some time to find Yanice in a home this spacious. As the three fall into discussion regarding Fhiess's abilities as a lady's man, a voice thunders from the stairs, echoing on hard surfaces and vaulted ceilings above so as to sound even louder.

"Well now, isn't this bold!" True King Leifford says, as he slowly and deliberately descends the main stairway before them. He's wearing a deep purple dressing gown that looks like it would have cost a fortune even if it were made for a normal dwarf's proportions, there's no telling what he spent on it. There's also no question that its expense didn't even register with him.

His voice lowers as he shares a cold smile. "Though I must warn you, there is a fine line between boldness and disruption. And The Kin values nothing so much as consistency and stability in our operations. We have little tolerance for disruption."

At the foot of the stairs, he stops and crosses his thickly muscled arms. "I'd ask after what business you have with my daughter, but I think we both know the answer to that question."
 
At this moment, Fhiess begins to struggle with his bewilderment. Many questions race in his mind as to what he should do or say to avoid excess trouble.

Wisdom roll
Rolling 1d20 + 3
( 8 ) + 3 = 11

<I've got nothing. I have sat here for 10 minutes and can't think of what to have Fhiess say.>
 
((NO METAGAMING))
))
((Hey now, Thosar isn't acting on any of this. Besides, ooc crosstalk happens all the time. ;) ))

As the trio leave to return to Lunus chambers, Thosar gives glance to Keranos. "You get to explain to Oliff what he's been obliged to do. I just wanted to make this a backup option."
 
Keranos hand-waves Thosar's concerns. "If Oliff disagrees, then there's still time to go back on the deal before the vote. He can disavow us as his spokespersons, and so long as the vote hasn't gone through, no harm done. We still have, what, an hour remaining? I'm sure it's fine."

With that said, Keranos quickens his pace, so that they can inform Oliff of this development as soon as possible.

((I don't want to fast forward too far, but my intention is to go straight to Oliff and explain what just happened))
 
((Ludwig missed all the earlier stuff with the kin that Fheiss and Sagishi were there for, so he's not going to butt in unless he gets addressed or Fheiss really looks like he needs a rescue. Also, probably too late to say he did detect evil before the true king came out, but if not, I'll say he did a scan.))
 
((Ludwig missed all the earlier stuff with the kin that Fheiss and Sagishi were there for,
<IIRC Fhiess did do a summary soon after coming back to the office to meet with Ludwig to go to Narn, he just never mentioned that he himself had a ring.>
 

Nezumi

Member
The sudden arrival of Leifford comes as a very unpleasant surprise for Sagishi. His mind starts racing and he he is still in the process of constructing a chain of excuses when Fhiess of all people speaks up first.

It takes all the will power that he has not to moan audibly as the elf brings forth his excuse. Sagishi wonders if it had been a bad idea to try and convince Fhiess of the advantages of lying as the boy might as well be the lousiest liar in all of Telmur. As a matter of fact Sagishi had once met a fishmonger that had insisted that his fishes had been freshly caught that morning even when Sagishi pointed out the greenish taint of the meat. The fishmonger had been more convincing than Fhiess was right now.

Before he can keep talking and make matters even worse Sagishi steps in. He starts with letting out a long and slightly exaggerated sigh of annoyance before patting Fhiess on the shoulder in a firm but friendly matter.

"Fhiess, this is getting ridiculous. We worked on this remember?"

Before the elf gets a chance to open his mouth, Sagishi turns Leifford and inclines his head in a respectful greeting before smiling jovially.

"You have to excuse my friend. His parents used to lock him in a room with a psychotic kobold when he didn't behave as a boy. I mean, he is s brilliant guy most of the time but as soon as someone talks a bit too sternly with him... poof goes the spine. And the brain too, sadly. He'll snap out of it momentarily. I'm sure of it.

"Now, to answer your question. We are here because your lovely daughter invited us. You see, the other day when we sought you out, it was only through the help of your daughter that we were able to meet you at all. You could say, that without her help that lovely deal we struck wouldn't have happened. During that meeting Fhiess and your daughter had the chance to talk a little bit and she showed great interest in his work for Hogan's enterprise. The liaison of art and crime seemed to have a certain appeal to her and she was eager to learn more, but alas, our time was limited, as we had a most urgent matter to discuss with you of course, so we came here today to continue our talk here.

Deception: 1D20+6 = [19]+6 = 25

((Tick..tick..tick..tick..tick...))
 

Nezumi

Member
((Ok, this is getting ridiculous... It occurred to me that maybe Leifford might actually call his daughter and ask if what Sagishi had just said was true and wanted him to try and signal her to play along with the situation. I figured that would be a persuasion check and well...))

Persuasion:1D20+3 = [19]+3 = 22
 
After the speech Sagishi makes, Fhiess whispers softly concerning the Kobold incident, "My parents aren't abusive like that! Being hurt by the kobold was my fault.."

He clears his throat and says to the True King, "I admit I get flustered easily, but I truly did not expect our visit would disrupt Kin activity."
 

Nezumi

Member
At Fhiess' correction Sagishi only answers with a blank smile and in his mind adds 'exaggerating just for the hell of it' to the list of concepts he had to explain to the elf.
 

Mike M

Nick N
((Ok, this is getting ridiculous... It occurred to me that maybe Leifford might actually call his daughter and ask if what Sagishi had just said was true and wanted him to try and signal her to play along with the situation. I figured that would be a persuasion check and well...))

((Which is, of course, exactly what he's going to do.))

Leifford steps toward Sagishi and manages to loom over the silver-tongued thief despite being a dwarf. "And your friend here thought it would be appropriate to show up at my door, unannounced, first thing in the morning, with you and..." he gestures vaguely to Ludwig, "whatever that one is supposed to be? To discuss bleeding art?"

Standing up straight, he turns to the stairway and hollers, "Masterson!"

The butler appears momentarily at the head of the stairs. "Yes, your grace?"

"Fetch Yanice."

"At once, my liege."

Leifford rides out the uncomfortable, awkward silence as Masterson goes in search of Yanice with his arms crossed across his chest and a smug smirk on his face.

"Yes, father?" Yanice says when she makes her entrance. At the sight of Fhiess and his friends, she stops short and nearly stumbles down the stairway.

"Ah, Yanice, my sweet," Leifford says, his voice dripping with honey. "These fine gentlemen have come knocking on our door with the most fantastic of tales! They claim that you were so enamored with this elven boy's talents that you invited him to come over for a visit to discuss your mutual love of art! He must have been too excited to wait, because here he stands, in my home, at a positively indecent hour to hold audience with you. Have you ever heard something so fantastical?"

Yanice's eyes shift from her father to Sagishi frantically gesturing behind his back. "Of--of course he's hear at this hour!" she says, finding her mettle in mid-sentence. "I invited him!"

Leifford's false smile disappears as his arms fall to his sides, dumbfounded. "What?"

"Well, when else was I supposed to entertain him?" Yanice says as she begins to descend the stairs. "You're the one who insisted that I serve as a parliamentary aide in that musty old Chamber! And for being little more than an organ of the government that does your bidding, they do keep me awfully busy. Especially with the vote today! Even if the vote is rigged in your favor, they still have to follow procedure--and oh, all that dreadful paperwork!"

Leifford's bulwark of confidence in his command of the situation is clearly wavering as Yanice stands on tippy-toes to plant a good morning kiss on her father's bearded cheek. "But really, now," he says to her in hushed tones, "an elf?"

Yanice reels back in outrage and plants her fists firmly on her hips. "And what of it?" she asks. "We are supposedly of descent from Old King Hector, does not the blood of stone giants flow through our veins?"

"There is no supposition about it," Leifford snarls, but he nearly instantly remembers himself and adopts a more gentle tone. "I will leave you to your... friends. But be quick about it, you'll be expected at Mafun in less than two hours."

With that, he exits through one of the multitude of doors in the grand room as Yanice balls the fabric of her nightgown in her hands to lift the hem as she rushes toward Fhiess and Sagishi, her eyes wild. "What the bloody blue hells are you doing here?" she hisses.

((That's a good set of rolls you got there.))
 
Fhiess scratches the side of his cheek until Yanice is finally able to ask what they're doing there. He explains, "To be honest I have always been curious about the address you gave us; something had happened that provided an excuse to come." He gestures to Sagishi and the J'Raffa's head through the window, "I have with me another bodyguard, his name is Ludwig.. I suppose we haven't introduced ourselves last time either, this is Sagishi and my name is Fhiess."

Feeling embarrassed about what he's about to say, he tries to explain, "I don't think my friends will allow me to mince words much longer, so this will sound very silly.. I think we lost a fairy within a shipment we are delivering. We were hoping to find and rescue her, with help finding the cargo."
 

Nezumi

Member
((Sagishi has nothing to add to Fhiess' answer at the moment. I'll be busy writing the story for the writing challenge for the next twelve hours or so, so Sagishi will just stand back and watch the situation for a while.))
 
Given the level of wealth on display in this residence, Yanice and her father must be high quality individuals indeed. Attempting to show all due respect to the rich, Ludwig gets as close as he to a bow while having his neck put through a window. "It is just as my friend here says. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, and apologies for the intrusion. I would shake your hand, but, well, my hooves are currently outside the residence. An unusual request for sure, but it does my heart great joy to see him get to the point. Sagishi and I have been trying to help him with his Dhura'gar tendencies for some time now."
 

Mike M

Nick N
Yanice steps forward and swats at Fhiess's chest with her hand in agitation. "I intended you to write, not show up on my doorstep!" she says in hushed anger. "Now what is this about shipments of fairies? What have you gotten yourself tangled up in?"
 
Fhiess recoil and almost chokes when his chest is hit. His heart might have literally been broken and in need of repair. He explains the best his hoarse voice can, "I'm sorry! It's just that there isn't much time and we figured you might be able to help us."

"We were selling some barrels for a friend of your father's but our fairy friend- a fairy friend of Skullcrusher's, might've went with the shipment. We need to know where we can find a warehouse or storage area so we can rescue her."

<I just realized that Fhiess is basically George McFly, and everybody is trying to save him from his own lack of confidence.>
 

Mike M

Nick N
Yanice's mouth turns into a frown. "I wouldn't know anything about any of that," she says. "The Kin keeps its information compartmentalized, I'm in the dark on everything they do that doesn't involve Chamber Mafun, and even then they don't always go through me. I doubt even Father knows where they're keeping her, just that she's in their possession."
 
((Oof, preempted by a few minutes. Time to edit!))

Ludwig looks on at Fheiss's heavy reaction to the chest swat from his window vantage point and more or less reacts as such:
QEyAsB8.gif


Attempting to help bring an end to the conversation with some shred of dignity left for the poor elf, Ludwig says "If it would simplify things madam, I should be able to detect this fairy if we get close to her. A general location or hunch would do if specifics aren't possible."
 

Mike M

Nick N
Yanis shakes her head and looks genuinely pained. "I don't know anything specific. They've got everything from bolt holes to entire warehouses all throughout the city, I wouldn't even know where to begin looking. I'm sorry."
 
He hrms, having recovered form his brief pain, and nods, "I see.." He starts to suspect that Avrice may have taken over the shipping operation. He asks another question following his line of thought, "Do you at least know where they might take a shipment that would be exported out of the city?"
 
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