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[KittenMaster]

<Ironic that I am calling Bards in the Famicom version of FF3 useless in a thread about weakest RPG characters. FF4's Edward is mentioned frequently as well.>

Fhiess gives an approving nod.

 

[ThLunarian]

((If Keranos is there, he will signify to Sagishi to take the deal))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((That makes a party majority in case Nezumi is feeling democratic.))

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((Ludwig's off with the cart, but he functionally agreed to it when he agreed to go off with the rest of the glurg))

 

[Nezumi]

When he has the approval of the others Sagishi flashes a bright smile at dwarf before him and extends his hand. "We have a deal."

Once hands have been shaken, Sagishi motions over the maid.

"Me and my associates will have to deliberate on which Chamber we would like your information on. Have a drink in the meantime. It's on me."

He stands up and nods to the others to follow him to a place where they can't be overhead. He will turn to Keranos first.

"Can you reach Ludwig with that mind talking thing you do? We need him here."

After that he turns to Fhiess.

"I think it is better if we play it straight for now. As much as I like the idea of screwing with them in every way possible, we don't know how good their information is and at the moment I fear we shouldn't piss them off more than we probably already have.

"So, how did everyone else's day go so far? Any more chambers we can scratch of the list for now? Ludwig already got Yarl in the bag for us."

 

[ThLunarian]

((No time for a proper post, but Farni sounds good to me))

 

[KittenMaster]

Once Fhiess is able to discuss the outcome in secret, he nods. "I figured as much. We may have to tell Ludwig the change in plans, though."

"I believe me and Ludwig were going to head to the chamber of Narn sometime, but maybe we should wait until the deal falls through and we can get the agreed information from the Kin?"

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

As the others chime in, Thosar sums up what he can see.
"Keranos has won over chamber Ance, so with Mafun on board house Pandam is in hand.

Targus has proven a stickier situation. We've made little headway with Farni but leverage from Mafun could help quite a bit there. Ossc are a bit fanatic for that, but if we forge a paper supporting the vote from their council it could work.

With Ludwig getting Yarl involved on a bet, we could simply buy votes from Narn to maximize our chances in case we lose Targus or Pandam. This could end up a bit overkill but better that than failure.

All in all, I recommend getting leverage on Farni as well."

 

[ThLunarian]

Keranos produces the flyers plundered from Ossc's waste receptacles and shows them to Fhiess and Sagishi. "In order to have any hope of swaying Ossc, we would need to forge paperwork similar to this, which instructs their lawmakers to pass the bill, and create at least one hundred copies of it to distribute among the chamber. Perhaps the contact provided by Mafun can assist? Unless one of you has an alternative idea."

 

[KittenMaster]

Fhiess takes the flyer and looks.. out to make sure a bird won't steal it from him. Once he acknowledges that he is inside an inn, that is underground where no birds can even be, he takes a look at it, "Ah, well.. I am an artist, but.. I never forged a document before. It would be my first time trying if I do and I'm not sure I would even have the time to accurately and so carefully recreate the fine details of the handwriting over a hundred sheets."

Concerning the representative from Mafun, Fhiess says, "We've already have to promise the entire stash of Glurg just to agree on the vote and investigating the other chambers. Maybe they have a member among them that would be willing to agree on their own terms.."

A swift, well crafted line forms in his head. Swift perfection and attention to accuracy and detail form on the paper as he recalls the map for him. He retrieves the map and unfolds it again to look at the address for the person named 'Yanice', "There might be somebody that could help."

 

[ThLunarian]

((Question I thought I'd never have to ask in a DnD game: has the Printing Press been invented in this setting yet?))

 

[Mike M]

((Question I thought I'd never have to ask in a DnD game: has the Printing Press been invented in this setting yet?))

((Yes, and it's especially prevalent in Hammerfall. The Gadfly and the fliers from the advisory committee were printed.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<I feel dumb now>

 

[Song of Fire]

((

That makes a party majority in case Nezumi is feeling democratic.

Just wait until Galen hears about this. He will... something.

Question I thought I'd never have to ask in a DnD game: has the Printing Press been invented in this setting yet?

Follow-up question: Can Ludwig invent it?

Yes, and it's especially prevalent in Hammerfall. The Gadfly and the fliers from the advisory committee were printed.

Never mind my question.

You're going to have to start making rolls to sway her opinion one way or the other at this point.

At this point, certainly. It seems Galen is jumping off his simple information-gathering task.))


"No?" Galen raises an eyebrow. "As I see it, that could have the potential to bring more to your cause.

"In my experience, those who are taken in when they have nowhere else, who are accepted as one of a group's own, tend to see themselves as truly being a part of that group. They want to see those who took them in succeed, and they want to avoid harm coming to them. It engenders a sense of loyalty.

"Those who are more fully integrated as citizens of Forgerun, so it would seem, would have more stake in the success of Forgerun's affairs."


((Persuasion:

Spoiler

[1]=1

Somebody get Val.))

 

[ThLunarian]

"That shouldn't be a problem," Keranos says to Fhiess. "All we need is one good copy, and I'll bet that Oliff at least has access to a printing press, if there's not one right there in his office. Why don't you accompany me back to Oliff's office after lunch, and we'll get to work in properly productive environs?"

 

[Mike M]

((Persuasion:

Spoiler

[1]=1

Somebody get Val.))

1d100 = 92
((My dice rolling app fucking hates you guys, Christ.))

Blitha looks absolutely bewildered by Galen's pitch. Perhaps she's a freshman minister, because her grasp on policy and the politics of it seems tenuous at best. Still, perhaps that makes her easier to sway. If Galen continues pressing--

The pair are interrupted by a halfling bearing a clipboard who knocks on the door on his way in as more of a formality than a request for entry. "Hey Blitha, whip count," he says, looking at his tallies. "Where are you leaning on the Drow citizenship measure?"

"Uh--"

"Party line is a 'no.'"

"Ah--"

"I'll put you down as a 'no,'" he says, making a check mark on his tally board. "The party appreciates your loyalty."

Looking up for the first time, he sees Galen standing before Blitha's desk. He glances back and forth between the ranger and Blitha's agitated state. "Hey!" he says, gesturing with his piece of chalk. "Is this clown giving you trouble?"

"Um--"

The halfling sticks his head out the door and shouts, "Security! We got a guy harassing one of our people over here!"

In short order, Galen finds himself escorted off the premises by a pair of armed guards, the fuming halfling only a pace behind. At the foyer, he snatches the badge off Galen's cloak and looks at it. "Oliff's muscle, eh?" he says, showing the badge to the guards. "No one wearing one of these gets past the front door until I say so, understand?" After the guards acknowledge the order, he tosses the medal at Galen's feet. "Get the hells out of here."

((The Chamber Farni is now off limits. If any of you want to do anything further with them, you'll have to get to them some other way.))

 

[Nezumi]

((Well that sucks but maybe the information provided by Chamber Mafun might help us to turn Farni around still.
Also, was Keranos able to call over Ludwig, or does someone have to run and get him?))

 

[Song of Fire]

((Galen is officially the most efficient trouble maker in the party. That has to count for something, right?

At this rate, we'll never be allowed near Forgerun again...

My dice rolling app hates you guys

"Dice rolling apps hate these guys for rolling this one weird number!"

In other news, Galen should probably go seek help inform Oliff of what he has done. Maybe he'll see Ludwig on the way, maybe not, but there's no real reason for him to go to the inn unless someone directs him there.

If he does make it to Oliff's office, he will explain that some guy came around to do whip counts, declared the minister's vote to be along the party line, and threw him out as some harassing clown, thereby closing the chamber to anyone entering on Oliff's behalf. Galen will later get to explain this to the party...

If nothing else happens at Oliff's office, Galen needs to follow up by finding Thosar and Sagishi.))

 

[ThLunarian]

((I forgot to address the Ludwig thing; I have to be able to see someone within 30 feet of me or my consciousness in order to telepathize with them. And my range on leaving my body is only 100 feet. So I can't really contact people long distance))

 

[Nezumi]

((OK, we need to send someone to get Ludwig then. I think maybe Keranos, because unless I understand his powers completely wrong he is able to cover a lot more ground than the rest of us.))

 

[ThLunarian]

Keranos departs his physical body and goes outside, then 100 feet in the air, and looks around to try and find Ludwig. If he spots him, he'll try and get close enough to ask him to return to the inn; if he can't, then he will return to his body and run to retrieve Ludwig.

 

[Mike M]

((For the sake of expediency, let's say Oliff had nothing further for Galen and Keranos is able to find a giraffe in a city of dwarves without too much difficulty. Is Galen going to wander looking for Keranos and Thosar?))

 

[KittenMaster]

"Oh, if there is a press that can make a copy even out of a crumpled paper, then would I even be needed? I am hoping to meet up with Ludwig to visit another chamber."

 

[Nezumi]

((So can we just assume that Ludwig is there so that we can finish up the deal. Depending on what the info is on Farni, Sagishi might try to take another crack at them, otherwise he only has Rios lined up I believe. Peaseblossom will follow the dwarfs with the Glurg, right, no further scenes needed?))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((We can safely ignore Rios at this point, since we have a majority of house Pandam secured.))

 

[Nezumi]

((Oh, right. In that case Sagishi doesn't really have anything to do. Maybe he can check out the dude that provides Mafun with information and see if he can get something on the traditionalist. Not that we need them if Fhiess and Ludwig manage to haul in Narn.))

 

[ThLunarian]

"Oh, if there is a press that can make a copy even out of a crumpled paper, then would I even be needed? I am hoping to meet up with Ludwig to visit another chamber."

"Well... We still need a convincing forgery to start with, which seems a job for an artist. But if you want to first approach Narn with Ludwig, I can see to securing a printer in the mean time. I'm off to Oliff's; meet me there after you conclude business in Narn?"

((Keranos will go to Oliff's to meet up with Billis, unless anyone else needs him))

 

[KittenMaster]

Fhiess rubs his chin, "Oh, I see. You want to have the forgery copied? Perhaps I can bring the flyer to a person I think might be able to help and meet up with Ludwig afterward."

 

[Mike M]

((We can safely ignore Rios at this point, since we have a majority of house Pandam secured.))

((Man, that was my favorite task, too.))

 

[Nezumi]

((Man, that was my favorite task, too.))

((Now I'm curious enough to send Sagishi anyway. I was thinking to try and use the Gadfly to screw with Mafun later, but I need the see what Peaseblossom learns first.

So, did we just assume Ludwig has brought the rest of the Glurg, so that the deal can be ended and we get the info on Farni?))

 

[Mike M]

((Let's just go with the Kin took possession of half the Glurg when Ludwig brought it back with Peaseblossom going along for the ride, and they'll be back with dirt on Farni if that's what the group wants to get.

For reference, you've got one chamber in Ell (Chamber of Yarl), presumably one chamber in Targus (Chamber of Lunus, depending on how Barrow's efforts pan out), and in Pandam you've got two (Ance and Mafun). So you need at least one more in either Ell or Targus, two in Targus if you want to hedge on the possibility that Barrow might fail))

 

[Nezumi]

((I think dirt on Farni was pretty much agreed on, yes.))

 

[Mike M]

At the appointed time and place, Leifford's bagman arrives with a wagon and a few burly individuals to divide the Glurg and load it into their own crate. Once the man is satisfied, he produces a leather folio from a satchel and passes it off. It's filled with documents, primarily ledger pages from the looks of it.

"Probably too much to presume any of you are particularly skilled in forensic accounting," he muses. "You are holding incontrovertible proof that the Majority Leader of Farni is the dirtiest man in the Gottermang, Taskil is a tame little pup at the feet of the Chamber of Narn. Narn covers their tracks well, all the funds come from accounting errors and irregularities. Too small to take note of on their own, but taken in aggregate, Taskil is paid like a Forge Lord to deliver Farni's vote to his paymasters. They route the money through a series of phony alias and fronts, but it all ends in Taskil's account in the end. It's quite sophisticated, really, but our people are more so. Not a good look for a chamber that tries to position itself as above being bought."

With a flick of his wrist, he produces a slip of card paper. Printed on one side of it a symbol of a skull over a crossed pair of shovels. On the other is a time and address. "The associate I spoke of earlier will meet you at this time and place. You either speak to him there, or you don't speak to him at all. Your choice."

With all accounts settled, the Kin take their bounty and leave. Unbeknownst to them, Peaseblossom has spirited herself away in the hay lining the bottom of the wagon as per Sagishi's instructions.

((The time of the meeting is in an hour from the current time if you choose to meet the person the bagman referred you to.))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

Once the bagmen leave, Thosar's eyes light up. "This is perfect. Why bother with the puppet now that we know the puppeteer. We could go to Narn and have them order Taskil around for us."

 

[Nezumi]

Sagishi nods then looks at the card in his hand. "I should probably go to that meeting. Maybe I can get us some leverage on Narn as well to make things even easier. Or maybe something for Ossc in case the flyer thing doesn't work out?"

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

"Both are good options. Remember that our war chest remains largely unspent at this point so we've got plenty to spend on Narn's votes or purchasing dirt." He ponders a bit. "Yes, meeting is a pretty good idea, I think we should make copies of the evidence against Taskil when we go to Narn so we have no need to worry about them being confiscated."

 

[Nezumi]

((OK, since there isn't anything useful besides the meeting I guess I'll skip the clock ahead one hour, for Sagishi at least. If someone wants to join him feel free to do so, he'll probably appreciate it. I'm assuming the place isn't hard to find.))

As the time of the meeting with the shady informant comes closer Sagishi checks the card and makes his way to the indicated place.

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((Thosar will come along, Sagishi gets a Guidance for whatever skill checks he needs.))

 

[KittenMaster]

Upon the quick response of the Kin's investigative work and news of Narn's apparent reputation, or worrying lack of, of their money fraud and redirection, Fhiess decides, "I may have to wait on seeing what I can do about having a copy of this flyer made. It seems I am needed at Narn right away. Is Ludwig still out in town?"

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((Seems safe to assume Ludwig makes it back easily given the last few posts. Will go accordingly so we can hit Narn.))

Ludwig is not gone for long before Keranos seeks him out and brings him back to the inn. Once he's returned to the others, he asks "So how're things looking? With me getting Yarl and now this, that's at least a chamber in two different houses down."

 

[KittenMaster]

"Ludwig, look at this." He holds up one of the incriminating documents about Tasksil, "It looks like what I thought would be a chamber I could entice with sponsorship, is.. to put it loosely, a sponsor in of themselves."

He tries to think, "You are a banker, correct? We might have to start with the banks involved with the exchange of Taskil's money before we can start speaking with the chamber itself."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"Ooh. I'm not a banker, but monetary policy gets me going. It sounds like if we get Narn, we might also end up getting Farni. And with Yarl already sold on my betting scheme, Narn should be easier to convince to join. It'll be easy money for them. Farni would give us a chamber in Targus, which makes two if Barrow comes through. Add in that we just got Mafun, and we've almost got enough to sell it as an unlosable bet outright. Anything I'm missing?"

((Ludwig has not yet been in the same place with others when Keranos announced he got Ance. And meta gaming is bad, mmkay?))

 

[ThLunarian]

"I secured Ance hours ago, after singlehandedly saving them from a malevolent mind-controlling crystal. Be forewarned that there are forces actively working against us, but for the time being we are well positioned.

"I must leave here and get to work on hijacking Ossc's vote. There is a bit of deception involved here, and the timing will be tricky. Good luck with Narn."

His demeanor is somewhat cool toward Ludwig, but there was no reason to hold anything back. He leaves to go to Oliff's office. When he gets there, he looks for a means of copying flyers, and also for Billis.

 

[Song of Fire]

((

For the sake of expediency, let's say Oliff had nothing further for Galen and Keranos is able to find a giraffe in a city of dwarves without too much difficulty. Is Galen going to wander looking for Keranos and Thosar?

I think it is likely Galen's path would bring him to meet with Keranos, who would be able to tell him where Thosar and Sagishi are. Should that be the case, I figure he would find himself at The Lovely Buttoncup, or whatever that weird place was Thurtwin took them too.

But Keranos may be able to get Galen to come along with him if he wants. He will just have to let Galen know Sagishi and Thosar are not at immediate risk of angering Farni.

Ludwig has not yet been in the same place with others when Keranos announced he got Ance. And meta gaming is bad, mmkay?

For the sake of expediency, one could say this whole post is metagaming. This is a bad post, and I should be most ashamed. I'm glad I finally got that off my chest.))

 

[KittenMaster]

"Ah, regardless, I still assume that you have some understanding on what goes on with banking, would that be correct?" He says to Ludwig. "If we can find out more about the chamber majority's payment tampering we might be able to find a way to prevent that from being used against us."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"Yeah, that's more fair. I'm not exactly an expert on derivatives, trusts, pools, and other clever accounting Pliny's they use, but I try to know some because it's interesting stuff some governments obsess over restricting. And yeah, the more we know going in, the more likely we can make them get on board with us, so no harm in seeing what info Sagishi gets from this accountant guy, eh?"

With Keranos, he remains a creature influenced by the mood of those around him and replies "That is good news then. A chamber is won outright, and Narn's approval would make two, passing the bill. We have our unlosable bet, it sounds like. That conspiracy is cause for concern though, so let us know if you find any more about that."

 

[KittenMaster]

"No reason we can't visit the banks while Sagishi visits the informant, right? If we need to wait on Sagishi either way."

 

[Mike M]

Sagishi and Thosar's journey to the appointed meeting place takes them into the literal underbelly of Hammerfall; The lower he descends, the less vibrant his surroundings. The alchemical lamps seem to have gone well beyond the point they should have been replaced, putting out only a fraction of the light that would have otherwise been expected. The traffic becomes increasingly less animated and sparse, the doorways more shabby.

Eventually he finds he can go no further. Filling the divide between one side of the chasm and the other is a river, its water black in the dim lighting. The surface seems placid, but every so often a piece of detritus floating on the surface sweeps by to demonstrate there is a powerful current lurking beneath the tranquility.

On the far side of the river, they spy another gate, similar to the one obstructing the entrance to the city. This one is smaller, but still towers above the small contingent of guards who never seem to step beyond the safety of the light of their lanterns. It's an imposing piece of black metal, to be certain.

The address turns out not to be a building, but a small plaza. At the center is a decrepit fountain, its basin filled with the rubble of its former statuary rather than water. It appears to be some sort of market, as there are a series of carts and push wagons displaying a variety of goods for purchase. The crowd is thin, but remains a fairly constant density as individuals leave and arrive, haggling in hushed voices as though fearing to be overheard. The surface dwellers catch a few stray glances, but those eyes quickly revert to staring at the stone floor. Minding one's business has been honed to an artform in this place.

At the designated hour, no one approaches or appears to be waiting to be approached in turn. Just as they are about to think that perhaps the Kin have played them, the door to a building with boarded-up windows they are standing in front of opens, an unspoken invitation into the darkness beyond.

((Meanwhile, sounds like everyone else is resolving to hit up the banking district to try and get Narn to buy Farni's vote in your favor?))

 

[Nezumi]

((Thosar ist also with Sagishi I think.))

Sagishi looks at Thosar then to the open door. "Shall we then?"

Before he enters he checks his surroundings one more time. This place was just a bit too ideal for a possible ambush.

Perception: 1D20+2 = [19]+2 = 21

((Coyote really loves me lately. Though I can't help but feel that it just wants to give me a false sense of security and crush me with a critical failure when it is most unpleasant. Thinking of some of my plans for Sagishi's immediate future that is a bit frighting...))

 

[Mike M]

((Checking the area outside the building, or looking through the doorway before entering?))