Forum    Search    FAQ

Board index » RPG Forums » Freestyle RPG




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 149 posts ] 
 
Author Message
 Post Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 1:53 am 
Gatekeeper of Niftiness
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 12:16 am
Posts: 9081
Location: Praise be to the sticky elastic bands of the Healing Gauze
"I'd like that back, please," Felix continues. He holds out his hand. He flicks a wary eye at the blind man and the snake oil salesmen to gauge their reactions to the situation. Thieves and charlatans are sometimes known to travel in packs, and the blind man well could have been in on the whole deal. Still, he keeps a level attitude and talks to the boy calmly and politely, doing his best to talk the boy down. "If it's food you require I'm sure I can give you some of my leftover rations. You must be awfully hungry?"

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 6:50 am 
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Wed May 15, 2002 12:00 am
Posts: 11381
As Nathan moves to the one side of the boy to cut off his escape, Sir Ulath moves to the other side. The boy's eyes flicker briefly from Nathan to Sir Ulath, and he smiles, nervously.

"Sure, guv. I guess you'll be wanting the rest back, too? I gotta say, I ain't never seen folk like you 'afore. And half the stuff in your pockets?" He pulls one of Felix's decorative always-broadcasting radios out of his pocket and hands it back. "I mean, I don't even know what this thing is. Or this. Or that. This one I at least recognise." He continues, handing back not only Felix's stuff, but also Nathan's, Arkady's, and even Sir Ulath's.

"I don't take food from strangers, guv. Some o' the nobles 'ave started puttin' rat poison in it an' handing it out free. 'Keepin' down the rats', they say

Sir Ulath: Resolve: +3 Roll: +0 Total: +3
Arkady: Empathy: +4 Roll: -2 Total: +2
Nathan: Resolve: +3 Roll: -1 Total: +2
Felix: Empathy: +2 Roll: +1 Total: +3

Accomplice: Deceit: +2 Roll: +0 Total: +2


"Charity?" wheedles the blind beggar, thrusting his hat in front of Felix. "Charity?" On a closer look, that bandage around his eyes doesn't look all that thick - a man could probably see right through it, if he were, perhaps, not as blind as he's pretending to be. And the beggar does seem to be positioning himself so as to force a gap between Felix and Nathan, giving the boy a chance to run for it...

This minor altercation has not yet caught the eyes of the snake-oil salesmen. They appear - so far - to be entirely uninvolved. (In fact, they're currently calling on a man in the audience - a fellow hobbling along on a crutch - to come up on stage and try their Mostly Medicinal Mix. As long as no-one starts making a scene, the salesmen will probably keep the attention of the crowd).

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 11:47 am 
Gatekeeper of Niftiness
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 12:16 am
Posts: 9081
Location: Praise be to the sticky elastic bands of the Healing Gauze
"Jeez, you're good at that," Felix crosses his arms and nods. "I can also understand you not taking food if it it is indeed true that something like that is happening."

Felix sighs

"I've got business elsewhere and I'm in a hurry, so I'm not going to bother with this," Felix makes a wide gesture indicating this whole situation. He does, however, hand one of the small radios to the kid. "If you still want it, I've got several and they're intended to be gifts anyway."

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 7:51 am 
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Wed May 15, 2002 12:00 am
Posts: 11381
"What is it, guv?" asks the boy, peering at the radio. "I can get a better price if I knows what it's for."

The 'blind' beggar seems to be willing to let this play out for the moment.

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 9:32 pm 
Gatekeeper of Niftiness
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 12:16 am
Posts: 9081
Location: Praise be to the sticky elastic bands of the Healing Gauze
"Put it on a desk or something, use it as decoration," Felix replies. "It won't do much for you beyond that."

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 11:56 pm 
Moderator of DOOM!
Moderator of DOOM!
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Thu May 30, 2002 12:00 am
Posts: 15851
Location: Yes.
A little bit impressed that this little thief knows what a pocket is, Arkady comments: "Or you can wait to see if we do anything interesting. If we do, you can sell it as a souvenir. If not, that joker over there (indicates the snake oil salesman) can sell it as a mysterious thingy with all sorts of mystic powers. Or you can use it to impress girls who like a bit of flash."

Arkady is sizing up the folks in this little drama.

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 4:18 am 
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Wed May 15, 2002 12:00 am
Posts: 11381
"...sure, guv." The radio vanishes - presumably up the boy's sleeve - and he backs away another cautious half-step, presumably preparing to run if this turns ugly. His eyes flicker over to Arkady when he offers his suggestions as to what to do with the radio, and the boy almost laughs. "Those jokers?" he asks. (In the background, the man with the crutch has taken a swig of the Mostly Medicinal Mix, which has apparently made him able to not only throw away his crutch, but also to miraculously do a lively and apparently well-practiced tap-dance with the two salesmen). "They ain't gonna be selling anything in this town, not after today."

Arkady: Empathy: +4 Roll: -1 Total: +3
Pickpocket: Rapport: +3 Roll: +3 Total: +6


Arkady's pretty sure that the blind beggar isn't blind, and is in fact the boy's accomplice, providing a distraction for him to work with. The man is thin and scrawny, and the blindfold that he's wearing will make it at least hard for him to see clearly - he seems to be tensed to run, presumably as soon as the boy makes it out safe, as opposed to prepared to fight. (And no wonder - it would be suicidal to fight. Sir Ulath is at lest twice as large as the beggar, and a trained knight to boot - and that's before even counting in the other three of you). He is leaning heavily on a staff, which might in a pinch make a reasonable weapon, but won't stand for a moment against Sir Ulath's axe.

The snake-oil salesmen (there's two of them - presumably Mark and Marque - not counting the accomplice with the crutch) seem completely uninvolved, concentrating on moving their merchandise to the crowd. If they have noticed you they certainly haven't paid you any attention; their sights are clearly set on the crowd's money pouches, and they would likely prefer if the crowd's attention was on them, and not on you. They're currently doing a song-and-dance number with their "miraculously" healed accomplice.

The boy himself is... surprisingly hard to read. He's being personable and friendly, smiling, but how much of that is because he's surrounded by four men twice his height who are actively cutting off his escape? How much of his "loveable, cheeky rogue" personality is an act, and how much is real?

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 5:55 am 
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:57 pm
Posts: 4102
Location: Currently on expedition.
"Hmm"

Nate raises one eyebrow.

"So they're cutting in on someone's turf then? Or rather acting without the propper permits? Tell me, is the city underworld run by a single syndicate, or are there multiple competing gangs?"

Nate eyeballs the "blind" beggar.

"Cool it. If we were going to call the guard we would have done it by now. Same with roughing you up. As far as anyone is concerned, we're all just having a polite conversation. Nothing wrong with that, now is there?"

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 12:55 pm 
Gatekeeper of Niftiness
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 12:16 am
Posts: 9081
Location: Praise be to the sticky elastic bands of the Healing Gauze
"I don't think there's much point in trying to get answers out of the kid and the beggar right now," Felix says. "We'll have plenty of time to explore the city and learn what we need to know after we're done with pressing matters."

Felix turns to the kid and the beggar.

"If you want we could meet later and you could explain the local underworld to us as thanks for not taking issue with the attempted theft?"

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 2:19 pm 
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Wed May 15, 2002 12:00 am
Posts: 11381
The boy's eyes narrow in a calculating manner. "That's a pretty valuable bit of information you're wanting," he says. "What's in it for me?"

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 10:47 pm 
Gatekeeper of Niftiness
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 12:16 am
Posts: 9081
Location: Praise be to the sticky elastic bands of the Healing Gauze
"Other than the promise of future business opportunities down the line, not much," Felix replies jovially. "If that doesn't float your boat then I'll seek you out once we've had the chance to make a little coin to trade for said information."

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 4:11 am 
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Wed May 15, 2002 12:00 am
Posts: 11381
The boy shrugs. "Sure, guv. See you round." He turns about and strolls away, nonchalantly whistling.

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 5:09 am 
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:57 pm
Posts: 4102
Location: Currently on expedition.
Nate watches the boy leave.

"Remind me to keep my money in my socks and a dead rat in my pocket, will you?"

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 11:26 am 
Gatekeeper of Niftiness
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 12:16 am
Posts: 9081
Location: Praise be to the sticky elastic bands of the Healing Gauze
"Was thinking of tying the thinnest, non visible wire I can find to the pins of my flashbangs in case they get stolen. A little electric loop inside every other pocket so anyone trying gets a small electric shock," Felix mulls the idea over. "I'll need to insulate my pants."

Felkx turns toward the palace and heads in that direction unless someone has a better idea.

Top 
   
 Post Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 5:27 pm 
User avatar
Offline
Joined: Wed May 15, 2002 12:00 am
Posts: 11381
"There you are!"

It seems that the Baron Harparin has been waiting, rather impatiently, and without his retinue, for the group at the Palace gate.

"Whatever took you so long? You really shouldn't keep Royalty waiting. Come along now, no time to waste!"

--------------

Aside from a brief chat with the palace guards, who ask the party to hand over any weapons they might be carrying (interestingly enough, Sir Ulath still keeps his axe, politely citing laws that appear to mean that a Church Knight may not be forcibly separated from his weapon even in the presence of Royalty) there are no further delays on their way to meet with Royalty.

This does not happen in the throne room, but rather in a meeting hall. There's a long wooden table, and a lot of chairs. There is a conspicuous lack of actual thrones. Only one of the chairs is occupied, by a stooping, weak-chinned young boy who appears to be struggling to hold up the weight of a fairly plain crown. Behind him, on the left, stands a tall, thin man, dressed entirely in black, without much in the way of ornamentation. On the right stands an obese man in expensive robes, jewelled rings on his fingers and gold chains about his neck.

"Gentlemen," says the Man in Black. "We believe you have a request to make of the Crown?"

Top 
   
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
 
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 149 posts ] 

Board index » RPG Forums » Freestyle RPG


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

 
 

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: