Tests and Trials

[thinkslogically]

"Nah, they're not. I mentioned the Rusty Dagger and the guy was scared. He isn't part of whatever's going on over there. He figured out I wasn't part of it either pretty quick, and that's what gave them the balls to start fighting. So I dunno what this Rusty Dagger thing is, but they weren't anything to do with the kidnapping I bet."

[Dlover]

"Isn't that clear? It's a crime ring. They control who does what, to keep the guard for crushing them all... Still, should we not meet with the other two first, just in case? We know where Jaq's father will be, so that will be where we meet them."

[Arch Lich Burns]

"'ell, Ah came 'ere ta get some supplies, Ah'll probably 'ave ta wait unt'l ev'rythin' is back up n runnin'. "sides tha Ah have no plans in town."

[thinkslogically]

Ves sighs.

"Yeah, maybe. Probably. Dunno about that guard shit though. You might be right, or you might not. That elf we met... Jack? He knows them. I dunno if that's a good thing or not, but maybe we want to scope them out first without him. Or not. Ah fuck, I don't know.

This has been one massive waste of time from start to end tonight, so you decide. No more talking to guards about kidnappings though. That's only asking for trouble. And forget the elves too.

Tomorrow I'm going to take Jolly up on his offer I think. Bloody hate being stuck inside walls like this..."

[NotStickFigures]

"Well, I am going to check on my father and my home, and make sure everything is good there after all this chaos. After that, I don't really know. This water problem and how it was handled has made me think about a few things."

[Rodgeir]

The Councilor nods slowly and says to Jaq,

"I would have you sign a document attesting to what you have seen and explained to me tonight regarding the alchemist and his intentions and relations with the Prefect. I will send someone to retrieve the alchemist's contract with the Prefect as well. I would ask you to remain in town but I have no authority to keep you here and imprisoning you both after your service to me would be...distasteful. I may call on you again once things have calmed."

To Joe,

"I may be able to assist you in getting supplies."

He flicks a hand at a soldier and they disappear inside.

"Please follow me."

He turns and heads back to the door of his home.

[Arch Lich Burns]

Joe follows the councilor, quietly looking around.

[NotStickFigures]

"Counciler," Jaq asks, "Can you have someone direct Joe to my home when you are finished talking to him please?" Jaq will provide the address or directions.

[Rodgeir]

((Sorry, the invite was to both Jaq and Joe))

[NotStickFigures]

Ok. Jaq will follow inside.

[Rodgeir]

Joe and Jaq follow into a well appointed sitting room. Ornate small tables and chairs fill the center of the room and book shelves line two of the walls. There are paintings on the other walls depicting the conquest of Lins. The Councilor gestures for you to sit as ruffled looking servants appear bearing trays of fruits, goblets and pitchers. Two soldiers from the yard follow and stand on either side of the door.

"Please have a sit. You will forgive me for not sitting, at my age I find it more comfortable to stand." He takes a goblet and a servant pours him a drink of what appears to be orange juice. The servants offer drinks and food to Joe and Jaq.

Shortly, the soldier sent in returns with a parchment and inks from a servants door. Moving over to Jaq they place them on a small table beside Jaq's chair. Leaning in the soldier quietly says,

"For your statement."

The councilor stands looking at Joe and Jaq sipping his drink, drumming his fingers lightly on the back of a chair beside him.

"I expect my granddaughter will be back shortly to present you with a token of her thanks. What supplies did you need halfling?"

((Perception from both Joe and Jaq))

[Dlover]

"Hrrm, perhaps you are right. Let us head for that tavern, then."

[NotStickFigures]

Perception: 1D20+2 = [9]+2 = 11


Jaq will accept a drink of orange juice.
He will sit and will slowly and with good penmanship write a statement.

He will explain the same things he has just told the Councilor. He will not mention the Rusty Dagger, or the name he used that was fake. He will also not say he got the key from someone within the Prefect's walls. He will say he got the map and key from the Thief's Guild. Which is true.
He will explain he met up with members of the thief's guild while he was one of the few awake, as were they. He will also give the explanation they gave him about how many of them don't drink water, only ale and such, as to why they were not affected. He will write down about how he was told the Prefect is out of the city. He will also give all the truthful information he knows about the alchemist.

In short, The only things he omits/changes is any info about the thief's guild that would give away information about their location or their inside man. Although he does not feel beholden to the guild, he does think they did well for the city and are a good balance against the government.

[thinkslogically]

Ves nods and heads towards the Rusty Dagger, mostly just happy to be moving and doing something.

[Arch Lich Burns]

Joe accepts the orange juice, sipping it slowly. "Ah was plannin' on shoppin' fer some oil, food, wat'r, some rope. Ah might look around n see if anybody has some ink o scrolls when ev'rythin' has calm'd down."

Joe's handwritting is a bit more extravagant than needed. She writes down about the choas she came i to the city, eventually going to the prefects for answers and how the guards seem uncaring about the situation and threatened her. She writes that someone gave Jaq a package which had a key. She writes about going into the dungeon, mentioning there were a couple others with them, but respecting thier wishes as to not be written about she does not go to futher details. She writes about the vortex and the meeting with the alchemist and what his reaction was when she told him. She details what the alchemist said what the potion is meant to do. She tells of his assistant dumping the left over potions into the well. She also writes that the alchemist fled after one of her companions dumped the antidote into the well.

She goes into detail how it became foggy and how she came across the thiefs trying to steal the grandchild of the concilour. She writes that unfortunally the one that had her fled into a warehouse and they had to fight more bandits to make sure they didn't try to ransom her off. She writes that she and Jaq stayed in the shop until the elf child and her guards woke up, the other two companions went and look for others to help. She writes that she did omit details of these two because they did not wish to be identified.

(Stuff omitted: how exacly they got the key, how they got past the guards, decriptions of other two companions)

Per: 1D20 = [13] = 13

[Rodgeir]

Lurn and Ves begin moving westward again towards where Jaq described the Rusty Dagger being.

((Are you going to ask for directions as you get closer? Also perception please))
----
Once Jaq has completed his statement the Councilor walks over and signed under Jaq's name before moving a piece of parchment and paper to be beside Joe. Once she is done he does not sign under it.

Once all that is completed he gives both documents to a soldier who leaves the room through the servant's entrance. At this point both Joe and Jaq notice that all of the servants in the room are armed. Some better concealing it than others.

((More in a bit))

[Arch Lich Burns]

Joe lets out a long sigh when she notices the counclir passing up her statement. "Ah see. Ye ain't goin' ta sign mine. Ah thought ye might 'ave been diff'rent." She looks over the servants sadly, knowing that they are likely here to apprehend her.

[thinkslogically]

((wasn't planning to ask about it unless we bump into more rooftop stalkers. We had Jaq's directions and it's not exactly above board from what we know...))

Perception: 1D20+3 = [18]+3 = 21

[Rodgeir]

The Councilor returns to his spot by the chair and gestures at a servant, "See what we can spare for the halfling lady here." The servant bobs his head and moves out of the room passing Denalius on the way in and one of her servants carrying a tray.

The Councilor regards Joe and says slowly, again like explaining to a child,

"You are not a citizen nor are you a resident of Stenrek my signature attests only that. I am sorry you feel slighted." Turning he looks at his granddaughter and then at the tray. Scanning it he leans in and whispers something to her. Joe hears her somewhat heated response but doesn't understand the Elvish. This goes on for a few moments before the Councilor sighs and steps back.

Denalius moves forward and says primly,

"Per my grandfather's recommendation I will allow you a choice of your reward. You may select a single item to share-"

The Councilor clears his throat.

"Fine. You may both pick something."

The Councilor adds,

"And an additional item dear."

Denalius huffs but waves the servant with the tray forward to be laid on the table between Jaq and Joe.
A tray with rings of different colors, made from different materials and with wildly varying designs is placed before them. A few small pendants are also mixed in.

The items (in no particular order):

And ivory pendant with odd glyphs
A thick dark gray ring with a swirling pattern.
A silver ring with a small, sparkling blue gem placed in a thin groove.
A copper pendant with an engraved open palm holding a gray star opal.
An red enameled ring. It has no visible engravings.
A golden pendant engraved with a tree.
A rusted looking bronze ring with twisting engravings.
A very thin steel ring.
A silver pendant with an engraved mountain and four tiny gems that glimmer a faint green.
A black stone ring with a few Dwarven runes etched into it. (Clan, Guidance, Safety)
Platinum wire ring holding a pearl.
A glass ring with a vein of blue running in its middle and right tiny black dots on it.
A silver pendant polished to a mirror like finish.
A jade pendant, completely unadorned
A clunky gold ring with large emeralds surrounded by diamonds

((Pick 3, one per Jaq and Joe plus an extra, feel free to ask about the jewelry too.))
----
Lurn and Ves make their way through town and, despite the fog, Ves is able to find the correct streets. They come around a corner see a pair of very rough, gentlemen standing outside the open frame of building where a door should have been. The entrance only covered by a colorful cloth. Someone with an eye for detail has painted image of an exceedingly phallic looking orange red dagger next to a quite suggestive painted sheath.

[thinkslogically]

To Lurn: "Classy. Guess we found it."

Ves approaches the guards.

"Nance told me to come."

[Rodgeir]

As Ves walks towards the Dagger she notices that people, now awake here, are giving it a wide berth.

((Also I should have noted before that this area is clearly in the slums and the buildings are all pretty run down.))

One of the guards is quite large and very much a half orc. Half orcs are not generally welcome in any town of the Duchy. The half orc looks down on Ves then slightly up at Lurn. "Uh...who're you? Nance?"

The more slender Man on the otherside of the door ignores both Lurn and Ves and seems to be scraping something off his boot with a long, narrow blade.

((Perception/insight/persuasion depending on what you want to do.))

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq looks at the tray, taking in all the items.
When he looks at the black stone ring with the Dwarven runes, he points to it and asks, "Do you know what these runes mean? Are these rings and items all Magical?"

[Rodgeir]

Denalius shrugs and says in Elvish,

"Maybe? Honestly I never put any of them on. They are hideous. That black block of a ring I got from the Dwarven ambassador or trade leader or some such. It probably says something about caves and rocks."

The Councilor looks displeased behind her but says nothing.

[Arch Lich Burns]

Joe looks slightly embarrased. "Oh Ah see. Sorry." Joe gets a closer look and inspects the jewelry. "Would ye mind if Ah cast det'ct magic? I susp'ct they ain't, but Ah want ta make sure."

(I didn't think he explained that it was for citizens only)

[Rodgeir]

((He didn't, but assumes you know the laws of the land you're in.))

Denalius gives another shrug. In common,

"Sir. Goh a-heed."

Behind Joe a guard moves to stand just behind her chair, the guard's hand on her sword. Denalius repeats firmly, mostly at the guard, in Elvish,

"I said she could."

The Councilor gives a small nod. The guard doesn't move but releases her grip on the hilt of her blade.