Back in the Stink

Log Info

• Title: Back in the Stink
• Emitter: Solar Flare
• Characters: Delilah, Donna, Ashes, Elyanna, Merek
• Place: Mahuikaa's Cottage; Alexandrian Court house
• Time: Thursday, October 21, 2021, 7:15 PM
• Summary: The Valethor gang and Merek confer in Mahuikaa's cottage regarding their return to Alexandria. Their preferred option is to go directly to jail, do not pass Go, do not collect 200 gold. Magistrate Ironshield is known to be a reasonable judge who understands adventurers and magic. Merek scrys him, and sees him in his office. Ashes uses a message spell to talk to him, and believes it successful even though he shows no signs of reacting. Merek casts his spell, the group, including Poppy, vanish and reappear... in the street. The courthouse is protected by magic that's simply not available to regular mages. Norrington also, apparently has a solid gold four leaf clover in the same place he keeps his stick, and immediately happens upon them. The guards leap to arrest the group, which Merek insists are already arrested and being delivered to a magistrate, as Norrington looks for a way to interfere with a legal process when he could be off saving Bethany's sister and her unborn child. Priorities.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  Appearing  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Donna        5'4"     106 Lb     Human             Female    A black-haired human girl in black robes.
Delilah      5'4"     106 Lb     Human             Female    A golden haired human girl in white robes.
Merek        5'10"    215 Lb     Human             Male      A black-haired, dusky male with golden eyes.
Ashes        5'11"    177 Lb     Hobgoblin         Female    A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face
Elyanna      5'11"    153 Lb     Half-Orc          Female    A grim, Arvek-blooded woman in raven feathers. 
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  NPCs of Note  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Mahuikaa                         Sith'Makar        Female    An elderly Sith'makar, the Sister's foster mom.
Norrington                       Human             Male      A horse's ass masquerading as a Knight.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  As the GM =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Delilah      5'4"     106 Lb     Human             Female    A golden haired human girl in white robes.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

In the Mahuikaa household, the air has, once again, become rather tense. Mahuikaa herself is in her kitchen, doing what she always does when she's worried and doesn't want to show her adopted children her frame of mind; baking. There will be a veritable feast of pastries later, and if she's feeling charitable she may even share them with the mercenaries outside who are still replanting flowers.

Delilah, meanwhile, is pacing in front of the fireplace, and wringing her hands. Going back was always a necessary part of the plan, of course, but now that the moment is upon them, leaping back into the dragon's jaws -- or back in front of the chopping block, as the case may be -- has brought a far more palpable air of worry about the sorceress, even though she's putting on as brave a face as she can manage.

"So..." Delilah pauses, biting her bottom lip. "So we're teleporting straight in to see Ironshield, then? Can we do that?"

Merek takes the time to adjust the collar on his protective shirt. He nods a little bit to Delilah, "I'm not sure. There are a lot of factors at play," he admits, looking at everyone. "Either way, we will do what we can. I'll be ready when you all come up with the plan, I know what the place looks like inside. For the time being, I am going to scry Ironbeard."

He walks up to begin doing that. Eventually, "Alright, found him. He's alone in his office, what's the plan?"

"Maybe?" Donna says, turning Veren's journal over in her hands. "Guessin' there's still wards around the courthouse..." Trailing off, she watches Merek set up his scrying, and make contact. "Hey... Anyone know if we can get a message to him through that?"

Ashes is seated at the table. She has finished most of her re-birthday cupcakes, although she has a chunk of the cake and frosting left which she has on a plate in front of her.

Chippen, her very loyal familiar and giant house scorpion, is getting his share. He will whisper chocolately spells in her ear later when she is slipping.

Minnie, her mouse, is also up for air and has a large crumble to work on. She sits, whiskers twitching as she high speed nibbles at a small piece in her tiny claws.

Carbuncle, the white lizard has been located. Ashes left him in Mahuikaa's safe keeping before they went beyond, and then while she was off at the mollusc's manse. It may be time to bring him back under her wing, or armpit as it may be, if they are returning. Hopefully he has enjoyed his time and learned something non-necromantic from the twin's mother. Ashes is trying to be a good influence.

The skull-faced hobgoblin glances at Elyanna, "I was thinking of getting a snake. Would that be too much?"

Oh, that wasn't the question or answer everyone was interested in. "I have some disguise spells, and one I could contact him through a scry."

For her part, Elyanna, has taken the time to spruce things up.

The house using one of her eldritch diddies, what notes she took scouring the book for Veren's sins, annotating page and verse.

Her equipment, blades sharpened, whips oiled, armour and clothing as pristine as she can manage.

Hair, and the other details.....

Walking into one's fate, seems prudent to look presentable doing it.

"I think you should have as many friends as you want," Delilah replies to Ashes. "So yes, you should definitely get a snake." The sorceress plops into a seat, since it doesn't seem like the group will be leaving in the next five seconds. "I tried sending a message to Donna from inside the courtroom to the outside of it, once," she adds, "And it didn't work. Got totally scrambled, I'm not sure Donna even heard me trying to send it. But maybe someone more skilled than me might have more luck."

And then, in from outside arrives Poppy; the recently-resurrected woman has gotten her hands on some much better clothes, thanks to newfound generosity from Lerethil. "Are we going? I've never teleported before!" she exclaims, looking like she's right about to go to the circus. "Is it fun?"

"It's kinda weird," Donna says, a faint smile tugging at her lips at the breathless entry of Poppy. "Right now we're tryin' to figure out a way to end up someplace safe, where we won't be surrounded by big shouty guys ready to stab us. An' D, pretty sure as you was just tryin' to send it straight, not through a scryer. From what I'm understandin', that matters."

"Ash? If you can an' you want, definitely ain't no reason not to."

"It's usually not. It upsets the stomach" Ashes says in monotone. She has just fed the pets that live in her clothes. This shall be enjoyable.

"Some spells are more reliable than others. Merek's, usually."

The ashen Arvec nods to Donna, "thanks. If I find one. I will."

"I have some disguise spells. Look like other people. Like a ghost. Isn't it the spooky season? We could wear masks." Pretend to be normal people pretending to be monsters, instead of monsters.

Merek looks then to Poppy and will lift up a brow, while he chuckles a bit, then he looks to everyone. "Messaging would work if you have anyone skilled enough, I can prepare it and do it, Ashlee you can send it, tell them that I captured you all and had you send the message to confirm." He then smiles with a little grin, "I will lend you a little power if you need to assure it succeeds. Remember this, even if we win this case, Norrington won't be the kind of person to let that go."

GAME: Ashes casts Message. Caster Level: 11 DC: 14
GAME: Ashes rolls 1d100: (50): 50

"I can power my own spells." Ashlee says. That sounds a little rude, she adds, "Thanks Merek. Whenever you're ready."

She picks up her little holy symbol from the table and shakes it, 'tink', "Feiu of the Tears, let me whisper in their ears."

"Yes." the red woman says to her friend, "But where would you keep it?"

The Keeper turns then to Donna and Poppy, nodding, "We will not let you come to harm." she offers as assurance before her attentions turns to the conversation about magic. Her own spellwork is known to them, by now, and largely of little use at discretion.

"In my pants." Ashlee says, glancing towards Elyanna. It was meant to be a reply ony to her, but it ends up being the 'ahoy ahoy' of the scrying to Ironshield. The mourner is leaning over the silver bowl.

The magistrate is in his office. Right now. It looks like he has three mince pies sitting on his desk, beside his paperwork.

He has a LOT of paperwork."

He's busy.

There's a big warhammer and a shield mounted on the wall behind him. The ashen Arvec goes ahead with the message proper.

"Magistrate Ironsides. This is Mourner Ashlee Ciaradh, with the Valethor sisters and the noble Elyanna. Merek has captured us and is going to teleport to your quarters to put us in your custody."

Their doom is stated simply, with no inflections, no urgency. "He will contact you to confirm. Teleport incoming."

Donna draws in a long, deep breath, rising from her chair to poke her head into the kitchen. "Hey, Ma," she says, a note of half-forced cheerfulness in her voice. "We're headin' out, an' we'll get you a message when we can. Wish us luck, yeah? Cos.. really rather we have good news t'give ya."

There's a short pause, and a clearing of the throat. "We love ya, Mom. Don't worry too much, okay?"

The important things out of the way, she rejoins the group, one hand on Delilah's shoulder.

If there is anyone in the world who can affect a poker-face, it would be Ironshield.

The Magistrate sits where he is, focused on his paperwork; as the message is sent, the indication that he got the message is... entirely absent, there isn't one. He just continues writing, periodically dipping his quill pen into the ink pot.

"Yeah, Mom, we love you!" Delilah follows suit, leaning into the kitchen. "We'll be okay. We've got the best friends in the world backing us up."

"Oh, I know you'll be fine." Mahuikaa looks up from her baking to look over her shoulder. "You'll have everything sorted in a few days, I'm sure. Just be as brave and good as I've always known you to be, and you'll conquer all."

When Donna's hand rests on her shoulder, the golden sorceress mirrors the gesture, as they rejoin the group. "Well," asks Delilah, taking Poppy's hand with her free one, "We ready, then? Who's got the book? Probably shouldn't be me carrying that."

"Thanks mom." Ashlee says, giving a small wave to the baking Sith'Makar. Hopefully they'll get a to-go sack. She places both her hands on the table. Her friends scurry aboard, up her sleeves, becoming lumps that move under her clothing. Minnie and Carbuncle vanish somewhere in her chest, Chippen re-appears at her shirt collar, climbs through her hair and settles in as a headband. "I'll visit you one way or another."

She holds a hand out for Poppy to take, then extends one towards Elyanna. It's not strictly necessary for a teleport. She wants to though. "Merek can hand him the book. Anyone else he might expect explosive runes or a sepia snake sigil."

"Good point," Donna says, handing the book to Merek. "It's evidence, after all. Ready when y'all are." Elyanna steps over to join Ashes at her bowl, curious, and looks down to see if she can catch a peek of whatever Ashes is trying to talk to.

A sigh and she turns on the sound of Donna's benediction, "Be well, Madam Mahuikaa. Thank you, for everything."

She scoops up the book, and her notes, holding them out to Merek with one hand as she accepts Ashes's hand with the other.

Elyanna steps over to join Ashes at her bowl, curious, and looks down to see if she can catch a peek of whatever Ashes is trying to talk to.

A sigh and she turns on the sound of Donna's benediction, "Be well, Madam Mahuikaa. Thank you, for everything."

She accepts Ashes's hand with one hand and reaches out to the Seer with the other.

GAME: Merek casts Teleport/A2. Caster Level: 14 DC: 23
GAME: Merek rolls 1d100: (17): 17
<OOC> Merek says, "Almost 80 within range of target cutoff."
<OOC> Merek says, "Active Scrying means Familiar location."
GAME: Merek rolls will: (19)+19: 38

Merek looks to everyone then takes the book. He places that on his belt, nodding to the party. He raises his hands, creates a circle, then focuses on the magic. They all are enveloped in a little blue light, then teleport to the destination through the ether.

Teleporting is a fairly instant sort of thing; you cast the spell, and rocket through the fabric of the universe to get where you're going. Unfortunately, when the 'where you're going' part of the equation turns out to be shielded, that raises serious complications.

Complications that, it seems, Merek is well enough equipped to deal with; at least as best as anyone can. When the sheer wall of force protecting the courthouse is encountered, he finds himself with only a split second to react, to keep everyone from being flung into the Lower Markets, all the way to Charn, or clear out of the world, any of which might be bad for various reasons.

As it is, Ironshield's office is rather off limits, and the universe has declared that to be non-negotiable.

The street in front of the courthouse, however, is another matter, which is where the party now find themselves, surrounded by various passers by and a number of guards, all of whom look quite astonished.

"It's too bad those mages didn't have something that good." The Mourner says, appearing suddenly in the street. She feels her passengers lurch and squeezes the hands she holds a little tighter before releasing them. She slips a hand into her satchel, takes out a small clove cigarillo and lights it.

She takes a deep inhale, exhales hard. "Feiu of the Tears, how will letting them capture us go?" She stares at the smoke.

It hardly ever has answers. It's more visual entertainment while the winds of life blow as they will. She stares at the guards, "Get on with it. Take us to Magistrate Ironshield."

Merek looks about the place, and will nod a bit while he takes the time to look to all the guards. The man must think about what he will say. "I am Merek. I am honorbound by oath and geas to deliver these people directly to Magistrate Ironshield. I would like if you will contact him." Will the guards be able to contest anything involving the geas of the court. That's something that might make them think. Then he nods to everyone while he waits. Well, expert skill in magic protected all of them, the magic people in it would know, those that aren't, he didn't want to tell them they could end up in another continent probably.

"....Shit," Donna breathes, and laces her hands atop her head, offering absolutely zero resistance or threat. Which, given her resting stone face, takes no small amount of work, but she puts the effort in. Allowing Merek to handle the bulk of the talking seems like the smart move.

Fortunately for Elyanna, her ancestry has a certain obsfuscative effect on her complexion.

It also helps that the locals have never met her.

Her friends may note she isn't naturally that shade of orange, but the guards probably don't.

She swallows back her stomach, then, seemingly nonplussed remarks drily, "We are expected."

"I uhh, think we're slightly off target," Delilah whispers. She looks around at the guards, and mirrors Donna's stance, putting her hands up on top of her head. Perhaps purely out of habit, she moves to stand with Donna between her and most of the guards.

"That was amazing," breathes Poppy, oblivious to everything except for the fact that she just teleported. She's looking around goggle-eyed at the buildings.

Around the group, those who are just passing by clear out, and the guards present move in to fill the space. Weapons are drawn, and crossbows are raised; a few instructions are barked out that manage to conflict, like "Get on the ground!" and "Stand with your hands up!", leading the guards to look back and forth, trying to work out who's in charge. One, standing near the doors, turns to run into the courthouse; and about the same moment a different door opens, and out walks...

Norrington.

The Knight Captain strolls down the steps, drawing his greatsword and resting it on one shoulder. "Well well well," he crows. "Well. The *Valethor Twins* and their accomplices." He comes to the bottom of the steps, and the guards more or less settle into just holding their weapons and waiting for instructions.

"Just one question," Norrington continues. "Do you come here often? It's just, last time I saw you, at least one of you was supposed to be getting her head chopped off, and last I checked that order hasn't been rescinded."

Ashlee stares as the guards swarm around. A thought unbidden pops into her head, 'maggots'. It may be their over-reaction, it may be her experience with Ectra. Her concern for their problems and priorities is zero. She ignores the commands since they can't even regiment themselves as much as goblins, and smokes her clove cigarillo, watches the smoke.

Then the whole rotten carcass that all the maggots come from rolls out, and speaks. Something smarmy, no doubt. She stares. She feels all the resentment at Nan Mochtrath rising up.

Another bully. Another obstruction. Another shining turd standing in the way and forcing her to crawl through a sewer chasing justice. Ashes is on the verge of glaring curses, and just holding back.

Elyanna is still mostly shrouded under the black feathers of her cloak, though her silhouette may suggest she hasn't reached for any of her weapons as the Guards ready theirs, reasonably enough. Fugitives, and all.

The sound of anything but screams seeping out of the sewer under his nose prompts the Keeper to turn slightly ti glance the Captain's way, and she murmurs, "If my career was carried by coincidence like this Zazlesplat's clearly is, I'd have an ogress's ass." <golin-talk>

Merek will begin to walk forward and along to Norrington while he takes the time to stand in front of him, staring down every one of the guards. That tranquil rage of his seems to be within and it's clear that he's become much more powerful from when Norrington saw him before. "Norrington. You are in violation of multiple laws that I have read, according to my Geas, I am authorized to uphold the law by taking you in as well if you keep me from upholding my Geas. Now you have to ask a question, do you really want someone the entire court put under Geas to be forced to act against the guards to fulfill his duty? You are keeping them away from custody."

He then adjusts that collar while he takes the time to consider, "Threats of family are in a special subsection of the law, and your performance would put you against justice. If any guard here would like to lift a hand to a man who took the time to assist in saving your entire known WORLD. Who could take every single one of you on, for the chance to take in a man serving the law. You are welcome, though. If you are into upholding the law and all value your job. Including you Norrington, I would suggest that you bring me to or deliver Ironshield before me. The choice is yours."

"*Captain,*" Donna forces out, squeezing her eyes shut. "We ain't here to evade the law. We got evidence you didn't, an' it ought to be considered. But more importantly? Bethany's sister, Captain. The one with the kid. Just... put some people on her an' make sure she's all right? If what we found is true, she's in *danger.* From her husband. Please."

The hope is, that 'The one with the kid' will be enough to at least sway him that far.

"We want to appeal the decision. An' *I* organized the break, an' *I* ain't slippin' out of that. If I gotta do time for that, that's fine. But it was me at the heart of it, not them."