Session 7: Where is Mr A'lar? Report
General Summary
Most had very little sleep the night before, but were none the worse for ware at the second early meeting time in as many days. Ismaril arrived and gave her report from the interrogation, marking 3 potential safe houses on a map of the Rats Market. Under closer inspection of the card she also discovered invisible ink, which soon showed itself under a bit of heat from a nearby candle. The Basilisks ask for a prisoner exchange, at noon, at a park in the western section of the Rats Market. With several hours to spare, the group decided to investigate one of the safe houses marked by the prisoner, while sending A'lars feathers to investigate the other. Choosing the closest to the scene of the Incident, the party attempted to move about the Rats Market unnoticed. Finding a bakery at the location of the safe house, they would circle the block looking for suspicious activity. On their second pass Ismaril would detect the bakers nervousness at their second approach and this time enter his shop looking for something for breakfast. He would quickly offer a nearby cafe for better selection as he was just a purveyor or daily bread. Taking note of her sudden mental absence, while Ismaril was speaking telepathically with others, "Miss?" snapping out of it, Ismaril would smile and take him up on his suggestion of the cafe. Grabbing a light breakfast the group decided to gain access to the bakery via the alley, the most stealthy going to break in thru the back freight access, the more direct members of the group to arrive 10 minutes or so later and press their investigative authority.
Indalell made short work of the lock, opening the two freight doors and revealing a set of steps leading down into a cellar. The cellar had a thin layer of white flour all over it, as Ismaril and Ayrien followed him down, Ayriens foot would press down to a step giving a loud creaking sound which filled the air. Ismaril frowned as she quietly closed the freight doors. A quick investigation showed a region of the cellar which did not have the signs of the usual foot traffic and disturbed flower, it was far too clean. It did not take long to find the hidden door in this region which opened to a ladder further down into a tunnel much like at the Black Ink shop. At about this time Adalaon and Longwei arrived out front and insisted the Baker allow them into his cellar to look for criminals. Ayrien and Idalell attempted to hide, Ismaril however just smiled sweetly and waited. The baker made protest to the intrusion and breaking and entering to his shop, to little avail. As the question grew more intense from the dread, the baker began to stumble over his lies. Growing impatient with the deception, Ismaril reached out and touched the mans arm, visions of horrors and nightmares flooded his mind, crying out he fell to the ground and scrambled pressing himself to a shelf trying to cower and hide against the solid surface. Adalons magic flared to compel him to tell the truth, as he did however grease filled the region of the baker, congealing with the flour making a sticky goo all around him. Wishing the horrors to stop the baker confessed that they had brought something down here in the night but he didn't know what. Moving ahead he lead the party into the safe house, a few chairs and tables in the sparse room, with an exit to the sewers and a smaller adjacent room. In the adjacent room Indalell found evidence that someone had been water tortured some time in the night. With little else to go on, Adalon and Ayrien took the baker to the guard post for further questioning, Longwei moved to secure the Black Ink shop as a rally point before the exchange, and Indalell and Ismaril went to collect the prisoner.
Arriving at the Starlight Embassy, Indalell was taken to the prisoner, while Ismaril observed. Moving around behind her to ensure he was out of line of sight for her psionic powers, he would spend 10-15 minutes getting a feel for the prisoner as well as probing her surface thoughts. Indalell now satisfied would take the shape of her, moving around her with a cunning grin "Come Captain Ismaril, time to exchange the prisoner." Celdraeth who had been quite cocky to this point, lost the color from her face and could not hide the fact that this turn of events was most distressing. Putting Indalell in shackles, that could be easily escaped from, Ismaril would take 3 of her guard and make for the Black Ink. Longwei arriving first would find the other tattooist and the usual thugs present, Brick and his lackey. Acting casual for a few minutes, Longwei would eventually move over to Brick and in a low menacing voice "I think its time for you both to leave." The two Thieves guild members would size up the towering half dragon monk, and without a word would leave, heading north moving with purpose. Ayrien and Adalon would arrive next, Ayrien taking note that a group of ne'er do wells were keeping a close eye on them. Milling about outside the shop as they waited, Ismaril and her entourage would arrive, Adalon would frown "Where is Indalell?" "Im right here" Celdraeth would respond with a wink. The group would depart for the park as planned.
Moving thru open air park, it was lunch time, many of the local folks were resting in the area, enjoying lunch in the war spring air, and they looked quite out of place. A gnome nearby working a card table would call over "Friend, come try your luck!" The group would look between each other hesitant, "Find the King of Diamonds to win!" the gnome would call again. With a slight frown Adalon would approach, "The King of Diamonds you say?" "Yes friend" the gnome would exclaim, turning over the three cards. An Ace of Diamonds with a Cockatrice on it and a Jack of Clubs with a basilisk, and then the king of diamonds. Moving the cards round and round, Adalon would try and follow the King of Diamonds, "A few silver and then you may try to find the King!" Adalon would toss the Gnome husstler a few coin and point to the left card. "Oh sorry friend, Cockatrice to the left of you...and it looks like basilisk to the right" as he turned over the right card. "And it seems you have left the Queen of hearts between them...." frowning Adalon ask "And where did the King of Diamonds go?" The gnome would smile "Around this corner and hidden in my sleeve it would seem." With that the gnome would snatch up his cards and begin to leave. "Now hang on where is our" the gnome would interrupt "Friend, the card was around the corner and tucked safely away....leave the queen of hearts and be on your way" and with that the Gnome would scurry off. Adalon would seem confused as he returned to the group, Longwei would frown "It seems obvious hes stashed around the corner somewhere but I don't know if I like just leaving her." Ayrien would speak up "Ill go scout," moving ahead, a few blocks down the road she would find a house with a king of diamonds card tucked into the door, heading back to collect they others, Indalell would encourage them to go. As they departed, many in the park began to move, shuffling up alongside 'Celdraeth' and moving her the opposite way of the party. Coronis, the squire Neias companion would keep watch above as this happened.
As they all arrived at the door, a surge of magic and an audible click of the lock would be heard, as the door swung open, faint humming would be heard as A'lar was bound to a chair and gagged. They would move over quickly to free him, "Hm well I am somewhat surprised you traded for me, I expected something more violent. Adalon would move back to try and follow the escape of Celdraeth but they had too much a head start as they had descended into another builder. They would get A'lar back to the first steps, Ismaril sending her guard back to the Embassy. A'lar would relay the story of his captivity, being water boarded briefly until just offering to tell them anything they wanted to know. He confessed to seemingly turning to their cause, somewhat agreeing in principle if not in action. And that he might wish to pursue a path with the rebels where greater vassal independence is secured but does not require genocide of dragon kind. Indalell in his disguise would be brought from a safe house, which they were quickly dismantling and thru a teleportation stone to meet the Basilisk. Exchanging some pleasantries as the conversation grew more specific the Basilisk began to grow skeptical. Making an excuse to leave, the Basilisk set off to find someone, this was Indalells cue to leave. Finding the bathrooms, a well furnished room with a rough dug latrine line thru the rock to the sewers proper, he sighed and changed shape to a small creature. Wedging his way down the dug tunnel of filth and falling into the sewer proper he made his escape to the surface and found the first inn available for a bath before returning to the first steps.
At the Embassy, the real Celdraeth had spent the last hour working to loosen her ropes, with success. Breathing deeply and steeling herself for the task ahead she began to scream and call for help. As the door guard stepped in her eyes flashed deep violet and the memory of her immediate presence was lost to the guards mind. Now undetected she slipped by him and moved to the entrance, carefully peering around the corner she would see the Ambassador at a table writing, her eyes flared again he would jolt slightly but also be unaware of her presence. Moving swiftly she quietly opened the door and slipped into the hall leading to the main doors. Calling on the last of her psionic power in her tired state she flung open the doors and pushed her will onto the two guards their. Turning at the sudden action of the door opening, they stood staring, confused, seeing nothing before them. Celdraeth holding her breath quickly strode between them and made her way out of the embassy complex. At almost the same moment, Ismarils guards arrived in the main courtyard, she would duck around a pillar, waiting for them to pass and hurried to be gone from this place.
Back at the first steps, the debate around raiding Basilisk headquarters, as Indalell had its approximate location was in full swing. The discussion was interrupted however by the arrival of Caelith, Ismarils mood immediately grew grim and concerned, At first no words were exchanged as they spoke telepathically, the group a bit confused at first, till A'lar said "Oh right, they dont talk much." The Silence broken "Shes gone!" by Ismarils exclamation. Standing immediately she departed with her guard to investigate how this was even possible. The rest of the group decided with the ruse up, the Basilisk would unlikely be there, unless this base was highly secured, and they would investigate after a days rest and following some other leads.
