CH. 8: Proving Worth

[BishGada]

Before tracking down the women Tulbas warns the others, "If we see guards of the Army, don't mention the Belzorites. If they ask about our injuries, well, make an excuse. For example say the refugees tried to robe us and managed to take us by surprise then fled when we fought back."

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(OOC: Hmm... The Master warehouse is far? Tulbas has mentioned it when they were under ground.)

[JadedDM]

"But there haven't been any refugees since the army arrived," Pen points out to Tulbas. "Remember? They were all rounded up and put in those wagon cages and hauled off somewhere to the south." The population dropped by 10,000 shortly after the occupation as homelessness is a crime now and anyone caught sleeping in the streets or squatting in a house without paying is arrested and taken. Even the tent town outside the city was removed.

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(OOC: The warehouse the cult of the master used is to the northeast, not too far from where Kynaston/Darga used to live.)

[TristenC]

[OOC: Gee, too bad Grubnick doesn't know anything about that abandoned house nearby... *cough*nudges someone who would*cough*]

Speaking quietly to the others again, It seems pretty obvious they went this way from the steel... bribery and all that. I doubt these goblins would have questioned them closely with such motivation. If we hurry we may find another checkpoint in such a state. If there isn't a pile of coins ahead, then perhaps they found a place nearby to lay low. What do you think?

[BishGada]

"Sure. Let's move on quickly, that's seems the hottest trail right now. If we miss them we can backtrack and search the abandoned warehouse or other abandoned buildings nearby."

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(OOC: I thought they dealt with the refugees outside the walls. All the camps we saw when going after the giant. Not the thousands in the walls.
TristenC, which house do you refer to? Grubnick must have heard Tulbas talking about The Master warehouse. If you refer to Kynaston place then it is something else. If that's for tracking purposes I don't think the women would know about it either. If it's for someplace to sleep then you are right. I haven't thought of it.
)

[djhyland]

Arulia leans towards the goblin so that her voice doesn't carry too far. "I think you have the right idea," she says. "But we shouldn't rely on the steel too much. Not all the guards may be as foolish as those to show off their newfound wealth, especially if they think that their superiors are likely to take their own cut of the bribe."

[TristenC]

[OOC: Bish, I was referring to Darga's house... the one Jaded mentioned and literally the last posted sentence before mine...]

Fair enough, he replies quietly, but there seems little more we can learn from these... unless we can get them to tell us where they headed by convincing them we work for the church... those passes might help...

[Jaded, am I correct in thinking there are psths from this checkpoint? North and East? Also, if we don't want Belzor to escape tonight I think we should alert the church... With his followers dead he likely has little reason to stay knowing his hideout is exposed...]

[Haahque]

"Yep, pretty sure we shouldn't rely on any knowledge from a goblin who's willing to take a bribe. Now if I got those girls pegged correctly, they're not going to want to pass through too many checkpoints with that money. They care too much about money to let more of it slip away from them through bribes then they can possibly prevent."

[JadedDM]

"I suppose we just need to pick a direction then," Gregeddin adds. "Unless someone here thinks they can match or even beat the bribe with one of their own."

To the south, a loud bell can be heard ringing, signaling that curfew has officially begun.

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It is now Last Watch (8 PM).

(OOC: No, the army rounded up all of the refugees except the ones who had enough coin to stay, that's why the city's population dropped from 15k to 5k. That's also why there are so many abandoned buildings now, why the inns have way more space and why nobody has seen any homeless people in awhile.

My mentioning of Darga's house wasn't meant as a hint, just a point of reference. Anyway, you are correct Tristen. They are at a crossroads. They can backtrack west the way they came, head south toward the Old Fort, head north toward the docks or head east toward Darga's former place.)

[djhyland]

Arulia shakes her head at Greggedin's suggestion. "I don't have the money to bribe them. I suppose we could see if the guards at the next checkpoint are enjoying a bribe as well, but otherwise one direction is as good as another."

[TristenC]

Gregeddin, 'Gobax' says quietly, can't you use your charm to explain that you are working for the church? Tell them that you are on official business tonight, which you are, and the girls are involved and trying to elude you. I doubt they'd willingly get in the church's way...

[Ooc: ah, Up on the map is South... that threw me a bit until I looked just now]

[JadedDM]

Gregeddin steps forward. "Listen, you should know that we are agents of the church. So I think it's in your own best interest to tell us where these women--enemies of said church--went or else you'll have to face the consequences. Unless you'd rather us report you to the High Priestess," he says with a touch of menace.

There's a tense silence as the goblins all share a look. But the moment is ruined when they all burst out in laughter.

"Oooooh, better do what he says, sergeant," says one between guffaws. "Or you'll have to 'face the consequences!'"

After the laughter dies down, the sergeant offers the party a rude gesture. "Pike off. We don't report to the High Priestess. Tell the church whatever you want. Nothing they can do about it. We get our orders from the army, nowhere else."

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(OOC: Yeah, the map is really annoying in that they made it upside down for reasons I cannot begin to fathom. So up is south, down is north, and so forth.)

[TristenC]

It seems to be going ok at first, until the bard goes on about consequences. Grubnick just shakes his head. Humans, he mutters so the other goblins can hear.

What prettyboy here is trying to say, He takes out a steel piece for each guard and a second for the sergeant, sliding and clicking them in their stack out of reach of the goblins, is that we're in a hurry and help would be appreciated. We know they came bleeding this way, all we need is a little bird to point left, he moves the coin-filled hand to one option, or right... he indicates the other way.

[Assuming there are only 2 paths 'forward', not intending to backtrack.]

[Haahque]

"Yup, better listen to these louts. I wouldn't want to split the reward for finding those dangerous criminals anyways. The church can be generous sometimes." Haahqae declares, and starts guessing which way is good.

"Now if they were trying to flee the city, they might have gone towards the docks, but if they're just trying to lay low, they probably wouldn't want to be near an active place that has lots of passer by's that can see them."

[BishGada]

While the goblin schmoozes the guards, Tulbas asks the Minotaur quietly if he and his friend can still track the blood stains.

[chese780]

(OOC: I really want to try and Wheels and Legman to find more signs, but I'll let this play out. They can talk and I'll look.)

*Felran just kind of, looks around again.*