The last time we met Gorrister, he got a job from the Mercykillers: to find a dangerous criminal. The complication was that Forken Tallan is a member of the Doomguards, possibly shielded by the factol. Given this fact, the Armory is the most likely place to find someone who knows where the elusive murderer is hiding.
Scene 2
We need to check if the scene goes as planned (3). It's lower than CR 4, so it's altered. But how? We'll find out soon enough.
I didn't like the Lady's Ward. The streets were too broad and empty, making me feel exposed and vulnerable. The sight of sprawling mansions with gardens and monumental buildings was annoying, considering my tiny office in the Guildhall Ward and an even smaller kip in the Lower Ward. And Hardheads were everywhere, with their coppery armors and mean looks. A leader of one patrol gave me an unfriendly glance, but the presence of the Armory discouraged them from messing with me. No doubt they would later find some Indeps to torment in compensation.
I went as Gorrister, the same persona I used to take the job. I was a slender man of medium height, with olive skin and long, curly hair. My goatee was a few stray hairs short of being immaculately trimmed because looking too perfect seemed suspicious. I wore a red doublet with frills, blue culottes, and an enormous hat with several colorful feathers. I looked like an addle-coved fop from the Upper Ward who unsuccessfully tries to look more prosperous than he is.
The Armory loomed over the surrounding buildings: an ominous structure with an open-top, billowing heat and light from the forges below. It had few windows, its walls covered in black razorvine. Above the only entrance, a giant symbol of the Doomguards loomed—an auroch skull.
If Tallan hid there, even an army of Mercykillers wouldn't get him out. But was Pentar really barmy enough to let him?
This beckons an explanation of our faction's politics. Every Doomguard believes in one fundamental tenet: entropy always wins. As time passes, everything ends: people die, plants wither, buildings crumble, relationships fall apart, cities depopulate. The Multiverse will come to an end one day, and there's nothing anyone can do about it.
What Sinkers are divided about is what to do with this information. Some believe that entropy comes along too fast and try to protect things they care about against the ravage of time. Others think this is hubris: no one can bend universal destruction to its will, so it should be watched and learned from. However, the barmiest, most loud group wants to speed it up. They're the stereotypical Doomguards who cause trouble and don't balk at vandalism, arson, assault, or even murder.
It used to be that they were a loud minority, and the factol was nearly always a Watcher or Preserver. Unfortunately, Pentar is a staunch Destroyer, favoring those who share her extreme views. She's young (too young, some would say) and intense, quick to anger, and full of enthusiasm. Her detractors are afraid that our faction will be among the things she'll bring to ruin.
Fortunately, the person I was about to meet wasn't one of Pentar's fanatics. Alys was a pretty pleasant person, one of the fellow Watchers. Her forte was engineering and siege works, but she was also proficient with an axe. The latter was why I could easily find her: every Hive, she frequented the Armory courtyard to instruct Sinkers how to fight; later, she spent the evening drinking bub.
Time to find out how is our scene different from what we expected.
Does Alys refuse to show up (Very Unlikely)? No. (65 vs. 5/25/86)
Is she upset about something? No. (84 vs. 10/50/91)
Is she scared? No (79 vs. 10/50/91)
Is someone else with her (Likely)? No (84 vs. 15/75/96)
Damn it, game, you're not giving me enough to figure anything out. Is Gorrister under observation (Likely)? Exceptional no (98 vs. 15/75/96). Not only Doomguards don't keep watch on him, they actually find him pretty trustworthy.
Do they have a job for him (Very Likely)? Yes (72 vs. 15/75/96)
Is it about Forken Tallan (Near sure thing)? Yes. (23 vs. 18/90/99). There we go.
I found her in Auroch's Head, a dive near the very edge of the Lower Ward. She was seated on the back, sipping cider from a metal cup. As I approached her, her eyes brightened.
Again, we need to figure out Alys's behavior. Her Identity is a factotum, a person dedicated to working for her faction and spreading its ideas. I have no idea about her Personality, but Description Roll turned "Loosely Mundane," which I interpret as casual. I do the same about Activity and get "Pursue Intellect,"—which probably means quick-witted. The Theme, of course, is giving Gorrister a task. Her casual Personality will likely provide a -2 to the roll.
The Starting Disposition roll modified with the descriptors gives me 4, which means Passive. I roll for action and get "NPC continues (+2)", which in this case just means a theme action, but bumps the Disposition to Moderate.
"Oh, it's you." She passed me a pewter bowl of raisins. "Perfect, it saves me a trip to the Guildhall. You really should have set up your kip closer to the Armory."
"Perhaps, but these prices in the Lady's Ward are outrageous. Were you looking for me?" I asked.
"I did," she took a sip of cider and continued. "In fact, I have a job for you. Does the name of Forken Tallan ring a bell?"
Just to be sure, let's establish one thing: do the Doomguards want to protect Tallan (Near Sure Thing)? Exceptional No (97 vs. 10/50/91). They want to kill him. This throws my expectations out of the window.
I did, but I didn't want to appear too knowledgeable. I scratched my temple in mock wistfulness, mussing my hair a little.
"I may have heard something. He was nearly scragged by the Harmonium, right?"
"Yes." Alys beckoned to the tavern keeper. "Some cider for this blood. You do like cider, right?"
I nodded. I did like cider.
"So," she continued after a fat tiefling with hairy ears brought a pitcher of clear liquid. "The rest of his crew was sentenced to the leafless tree several days ago. It's only him that's left at this point."
"And what's the job?"
"Pentar wants him gone."
That was weird wording, but I already knew what to expect.
"She wants me to get him out of the Cage?" I asked.
"Lady's tits, why would she?" Alys's casual swear brought a few worried looks from nearby patrons. "He's barmy and an embarrassment to the faction."
I raised my brows. Apparently, Markos gave me a piece of cake, but I wondered what could have made Pentar turn the stag on Tallan. Did he know too much? Did he anger her somehow? Or maybe it was really some attempt of cleaning the faction?
Well, what is it? Does Pentar want to silence Tallan (Somewhat Likely)? Yes (19 vs. 13/75/96). Well, faction politics is never pleasant.
"Since when does Pentar care about that?" I asked, stuffing my mouth with raisins. I never refused something I was given for free.
"I don't know." Alys shrugged. "Do you want to ask her yourself?"
I didn't.
"What do you expect me to do about him?" I asked after finally managing to swallow the sticky fruits.
Does she only want him found (Likely)? Yes (28 vs. 16/75/96)
"Just find him." The factotum glanced at the empty bowl, disappointed. "When did you manage to eat all of those? Never mind, find him, and someone else will take care of the rest."
"How much? I am getting paid for that, right?" I asked, calculating if Alys would buy me another pitcher if I downed this one fast enough. Seemed unlikely.
Do the Doomguards pay more than the Mercykillers? No (66 vs. 10/50/91)
"One hundred jinxes sounds fine?"
"Are you kidding?" I didn't even have to feign indignation. "You want me to endanger my agents for one hundred?"
"What do you think is a fair price then?" She didn't seem too happy.
"Three hundred. And at least one hundred if he gives you the laugh. I'm not looking for him in Plague-Mort, or wherever she decides to go."
Is she convinced (Social Skills: Above Average vs. High difficulty)? Exceptional Yes (1 vs. 9/45/90), she accepts without negotiating it down.
She opened her mouth to argue, thought about it for a moment, then shrugged.
"Fine. I hoped you'll give a better price to your own faction but have it your way."
"Look, if it was only about me, I'd do it for one hundred," I lied. "But my agents don't come cheap. Especially when it comes to dangerous bashers such as this Tallan."
It's worth establishing at this moment if Alys even supports Pentar? No (54 vs. 10/51/91). She's probably a fellow Watcher.
"I understand, but your purse isn't the only thing that could benefit from this job," the factotum slowly sipped her drink. "A lot of Sinkers want to clean the house. This is our chance to be seen as something more than a faction of murderers and troublemakers."
I wondered why she was saying it so loudly in an establishment mainly frequented by Sinkers; some of them must have been fond for Pentar.
"Does Pentar even care?" I asked quietly.
"Nothing goes forever," Alys apparently realized that she was too loud because she started to whisper. "The entropy will take care of Pentar one day."
"If you say so." Maybe she didn't bother about making enemies, but I did. "Look, I'd like to find him, but do you have any idea which places he used to frequent?"
Does Alys even know that? I find it very unlikely because she wouldn't have to hire Gorrister to find him if she did. But the dice say "Yes" (8 vs. 5/25/86). I ask where and the Action Roll gives me "Attract Fame." Some establishment where famous people gather? What could it be?
"There's a tavern in the Hive. Something with a burning deader in its name. Flaming Cadaver? It does bring a lot of bashers, some of them pretty famous, and if there's one thing this sod liked, it was mingling with famous warriors."
I knew the establishment which she mentioned. The Smoldering Corpse Bar came from its very tasteful main attraction: an eternally burning corpse. Apparently, some local spellslingers decided to punish an arsonist by not only burning him but making him burn forever. I was never curious enough to visit this place, but it was pretty well-known.
Well, there's a first time for everything, I guess.
That ends the scene. Time for maintenance.
There should be no surprises with CR lowered even further this time, but one can never be sure. We'll see.
No comments:
Post a Comment