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Startup 13: Escalation and Resolution

  Erastus 24, Night

  The world froze as Pepper finished speaking, giving me all the time I needed to see exactly how much danger we were in. Her team was tense, ready for a fight, and spttered with as much paint as my own. Most of the Kestrel’s crew were human, and they’d destroyed their night vision by giving the bck bearded man a torch. Even Pepper, who seemed to be able to see us somewhat, was squinting into the darkness.

  Squinting or not, the silver ptter embedded in the wall a few inches from Syl’s head bore testament that we were in danger. I gnced around my team, and decided to see how far I could push my ability to speak as a free action.

  “I think we’d be best off negotiating from a pce of power.” I said, careful not to talk to Melku or Pepper, lest my words be interpreted as a diplomacy check. “We get somewhere defensible and have a chat through a closed door. Melku’s supply closet seems best. Cog, lead us there. Sima, carry Melku. I’ll do what I can to make deys.”

  My team silently nodded, just slightly out of sync with time. I answered Pepper’s demand with a plume of darkness, enveloping the hallway between us in pitch bck, and ran with my people.

  “I’m afraid that would be counterproductive.” I called back. “We’ve really hit it off and I’d hate to cut our meeting short.”

  If Captain Bck answered me, I didn’t hear it. I gnced at the bored grindylow slung over Sosima’s shoulder. He was digging in one nostril with his pinky.

  “Any chance you could activate the house’s defenses?” I asked, letting Autopilot guide my feet. “Who knows what they might want from you.”

  “Honestly I prefer to stay out of this kind of conflict.” Melku said cheerfully. “I don’t usually get more than one kidnapping or extortion attempt in the same night, but when I do, it generally works out best if I let the chips fall as they may unless I think I might be in immediate danger.”

  A loud crash sounded behind us at the intersection, and Melku squeaked. I gnced back, and saw “Mad Dog” Caruthers bouncing off of the intersection wall, spinning in midair, and facing us. He floated a few inches above the ground, and a dozen knives and swords orbited around his body. There wasn’t a hint of recognition or hesitation as he thrust out one faintly glowing arm, snatching at the air to form a fist.

  https://postimg.cc/bdnCPx9Z

  Sosima stumbled, nearly dropping Melku. She wrapped both arms around the grindylow, as if holding him against a strong wind.

  “Mad Dog.” Cog said. “Telekinetic, trained in Garundi style magic.”

  Garundi Magic is focused more on a few spells, used in a more flexible manner. Telekinesis usually requires line of sight to the target. (Knowledge arcana 6+4=10)

  If we can restrict his vision, he might not have a very good pn B. As an old man specialized in magic use, he shouldn’t be hard to take if we can force him into melee. If we can get him as a hostage…

  “Fighting retreat, make him pay for it.” I ordered. “Sandara, fog. Sosima, get Melku to safety.”

  Syl yanked a throwing dagger from her hip sheath and whipped it at Caruthers. I felt mingled hope and worry as I saw “open vein” scroll across my log, since that was Syl’s strongest attack. If Pepper didn’t have a healer, Syl could easily kill a man with bleed damage in less than a minute. I needn’t have worried. The dagger simply stopped in midair a few feet away from the old man, then floated into orbit alongside his own weapons.

  Syl’s attack has been deflected by “Mad Dog” Caruthers’ Quick Reactions talent.

  Cog’s throwing dagger wasn’t deflected quite so dramatically. Caruthers managed to roll his body to the side so it gnced off his upper arm instead of lodging into his shoulder.

  I followed up the projectiles with a bst of frigid air. I did not wish to kill the man, so I was more delicate with my strike. I thrust a hand forward, and sent a frozen wind to bring him low.

  I was used to my frost bst taking the form of a ribbon of condensed vapor the thickness of my finger, which struck the target and fsh froze a golf ball sized chunk of flesh. Effective and deadly, at least on anything without cold resistance. The nonlethal setting I’d earned by teaming up with Varossa was much wider, nearly as thick as my torso, and nearly invisible. It enveloped Caruthers, dimming his aura and forcing him to stagger back for a moment.

  Frost Bst (Damage Controlled) 16+5=21 Hit!

  4+6+2+4=16 nonlethal cold damage.

  I wasn’t able to see the old man’s reaction, as Sandara flicked out her Jolly Roger to cast. Sandara’s obscuring mist spell was far faster than anything I could manage with Besmara’s blessing, and cut down visibility to about ten feet. We could barely make out the flickering blue light of Caruthers’s magic through the thick yer of clouds.

  Alright, bloodied his nose and we are all still unharmed. Rush him, or keep moving cautiously to find a defensible spot? Damn it, I should have summoned something. I didn’t want to make the team too big when we were sneaking, but I was expecting a fight. Stupid. Stupid.

  “Keep moving, guard the rear.” I whispered, my voice carrying through the fog. “If we see anyone else, hit them hard but remember this is a robbery. We don’t want corpses.”

  “Wait, you’re robbing me?” Melku asked, offended. “I thought it was extortion. Do I need to renegotiate my terms?”

  “Quiet.” Syl hissed at him. “Later, if ever.”

  Pepper’s team stayed back, which didn’t reassure me as much as it might have. I didn’t expect a fight, so I hadn’t picked Cog’s brain much about Pepper’s crew. It was pusible that silence meant Pepper had shrugged, decided my team was too hard a target, and started stealing picture frames and magical nick nacks for a quick buck. I could even hear crashing and warcries from the floor beneath us, no doubt from portraits that hadn’t heard Melku’s orders. It was almost as likely that the blue haired chick had opened a portal into Melku’s storage cubby, and when we entered that room we’d find an ambush. Magic made things weird and unpredictable, and I didn’t actually know much about what was possible without time to interrogate Autopilot.

  We reached the nding in Melku’s stairwell, only a short sprint away from Melku’s retively defensible b, before we heard a light female voice behind us, right at the top of the stairs.

  “Alright, we ready?” She asked, “Cool.”

  The mist swirling around us abruptly thinned out, sucked away up the stairs and into a small sphere floating above the blue haired elf’s palm. She tossed it over her shoulder, where it spshed like a water balloon. In front of the elf, Pepper stood with her arms crossed, fnked to either side by Caulky and the bck haired man. The guy had his hair tied back into a ponytail, and was armed with a sword and handaxe. I didn’t see Caruthers.

  “Mister M’Dair, I presume?” Pepper Called down. “I offer pary, I suggest you accept.”

  As she spoke, three men stepped out of the shadows at the base of the stairs, though I could still hear fighting in the distance. Caruthers, Plugg, and a man I hadn’t seen in months. We were still theoretically in combat, so I had time to look him over when my turn came up.

  Jakes Magpie was a tall, thin, athletic man with long hair the color of milk chocote. I’d saved his life from Plugg back on the Wormwood, as had Sandara a few days ter. He looked up the stairs with a hard frown, arms crossed. I didn’t know exactly how strong he was, but my HUD had implied he was at least level 3. Those three were a pretty solid wall, strong enough to keep my team on the stairs while their allies hit us from the high ground.

  Pary it is, then.

  “Oh! Captain Bck, and Caulky Tarroon? Fancy meeting you here!” I said, filling my voice with cheer. “I am in the middle of something, actually, but I’d be happy to pencil you in for drinks tomorrow. In the evening. A captain’s work is never done.”

  As I spoke, I focused the mental energies of my Rakshasa heritage upon Pepper. I peered into her thoughts, and winced slightly at the intensity of her emotions. Her inner voice practically shouted in my ear.

  Shit. Shit. Do not let Caulky know about this guy. I’ll lose so much progress if she gets the wrong impression. Hopefully he takes the hint; I like the guy, but if he screws up recruitment for me I’ll wring his neck.

  “I am happy to see that my reputation precedes me.” Pepper said. “I really must insist, though, Captain M’Dair. I am here on a mission of mercy.”

  Behind her, the blue haired girl rolled her eyes. I noted her fingers twitching slightly, like she was conducting. Sandara tapped me on the small of the back, then shifted her weight towards the stairs down.

  “You weren’t invited.” I pointed out. “You don’t have any more legitimacy here than I do. This gentleman is having a very rough night; I just need him to do a little pro-bono work and then I’ll let him go.”

  “Actually you’ve both been fairly civil.” Melku chimed in. “I usually have a few bruises by this point.”

  Sosima hushed him. In the distance, the sounds of battle crept ever closer.

  While we continued our chat, I focused my eyes, allowing me to see the auras of magic in the world. Sandara’s hint made far more sense once I did; the three men at the foot of the stairs were shrouded in an aura of illusion. They were either disguised, or purely illusory. (Cast Detect Magic)

  “There is a plot afoot to kill Melku by a new artificer intending to enter the market here.” Pepper expined. “I am here to take him to a safe location and secure his possessions.”

  “By robbing him,” the elf girl crified. “She just wants to feel good about it.”

  Pepper’s skirts jerked around her legs, her tail shing in anger. She shot a gre at her ally.

  “Oh, Winsome. You’ve been making so much progress learning tact.” She said lightly. “Though yes, we do intend to take a small token payment for our protection.”

  “How generous.” Syl noted in a monotone. “Kindness overflowing.”

  I walked down the stairs casually, waving at my team to follow. I continued speaking as I did.

  “Ah, well, thank you for the tip.” I said, “As I recall, you’re shipping out tomorrow. My crew can handle the job of protecting Melku for a few days. We can even eliminate the threat, I imagine. Actually, it seems quite a lot more practical to address the issue directly.” (Diplomacy 5+7=12 fail)

  “Come along, we can finish this conversation while Melku works. I’d prefer not to wait for your real reinforcements, and would prefer if negotiations didn’t break down.” (Shadow Boxing: Intimidate 16+16=32)

  Please work the way I think this works. I don’t want to undercut a good roll.

  I walked directly through the illusory and immobile Plugg, whose form fuzzed and rippled like mist as I disturbed the air. My team followed cautiously into a hallway poputed by dozens of ninjas, which Melku ordered to stand down. They shrugged and reentered a 7 foot tall ndscape in single file, nestling themselves into a nature scene.

  What the fuck is that painting? Where’s Waldo but with ninjas?

  Cog and Syl walked backwards, keeping an eye on our assaints. For my part, I let Autopilot strut alongside Sosima while staring at my combat log. The log sometimes pyed tricks on me, hiding rolls for example, but other times it was my first indication that anything was wrong. I needed my eyes forward, so my log was the best I could do.

  “Melku. Is there somewhere where we could sit and have a polite chat?” I asked him in a low voice. “I don’t think taking you to the b to start working is a very good idea right now. Even better if it’s a small spot where I can justify keeping some of her people out.”

  “Uh… tea room? Second door on the right.” Melku said, "I don't use it much but sometimes the maids like to fritter their time away there.”

  ??????????

  The tea room was cozy, with a half dozen small armchairs arrayed around a coffee table. The walls were papered with floral print, and a heatless eternal fme crackled merrily in the hearth. The one portrait in the room was of a single woman cleaning undry in a rge wooden vat. She looked up when we entered, then returned to her static work at a nod from Melku.

  After some tense negotiations, Pepper agreed to a meeting behind closed doors, with each of us allowed one companion. I brought along Syl, and Pepper brought Winsome. Pepper allowed me to bring Sosima as well, since she was carrying Melku. In all likelihood she hoped to seduce Sosima to her own side. (Sense Motive 2+2=4)

  Sure. Definitely that, and not that she just doesn’t mind being outnumbered. I still don’t really know how she fights, and I’m made of tissue.

  She throws ptes.

  I really doubt that’s her whole pybook.

  Pepper’s eyes lit up when she saw a rune-scribed kettle in the corner, and immediately started making tea. Apparently some things are convenient enough to transcend realities.

  “I wasn’t expecting to see you again for quite some time, Emrys.” Pepper said, “You’ve put me in an awkward position.”

  “Have I?” I asked. “You seem to have interrupted my job, actually. I honestly thought you would have left by now.”

  “Wait a second. This is the guy from the temple?” Winsome accused, a huge smile forming on her face, “Pepper. You slut. You started sleeping with people like… yesterday and it’s already making jobs more complicated.”

  “I have not slept with this man.” Pepper said, flushing.

  “Not quite.” Sosima said quietly, amused.

  “We had several engaging conversations and I’d prefer things did not come to blows,” Pepper continued, “but that is not the point right now.”

  “Alright.” Syl said. “Then leave. We aren’t going to kill Melku: he’s safe tonight. If that’s even close to being your real reason to be here, then it’s addressed.”

  “Yes, but I can’t back down completely.” Pepper said, shaking her head. “I have new recruits here with me, since I was hoping to get them a bit more experienced. Caulky and Ricarlo would both see me in a very different light if we left empty handed on their first job, especially on your account. No offense intended, of course.”

  “None taken.” I said. “I know the game, at least somewhat, and Caulky isn’t a big fan of mine. That said, I’m over the same barrel. I am here for a reason, and I’m not compromising on it.”

  “You offered to stay on as security.” Melku chimed in from Sosima’s shoulder. “I’ll offer you twenty thousand for a week, if you can take out the other guy.”

  I frowned for a moment, scratching my chin and looking at Pepper appraisingly. She grew tense.

  “Ten thousand up front and ten thousand when we get the mark?” I asked, looking at Melku with a smile. “I don’t work for free.” (Diplomacy 12+6=18)

  “Sure, fine.” Melku said. “Better than getting robbed, or carried away so someone else can rob me. That’s just bad business.”

  “Alrighty,” I said, cpping my hands. “Pepper, you can take 10,000 gold worth of loot on your way out if you tell me everything you know about the plot to kill Melku. I’d suggest mostly nonmagical, so it looks more impressive. You can cim it’s all cursed, or won’t work outside of this house. I’m sure your wizard can figure out some justification. I get what I want, you get what you want, and Melku here doesn’t lose more than he’s comfortable with. Deal?”

  I smiled at Pepper. She smiled back, and I heard a faint rumble from her chest.

  “Yes, Mister M’Dair.” She agreed. “Would you mind if I staged a bit of theater at your expense, however?”

  ??????????

  Sandara leaned against the wall, wishing she’d brought a comb. Her hair was going to be hell to detangle, what with all this paint, and if she had a comb she could start washing out the paint before it dried. Her nails weren’t terribly long compared to some soft merchant girl, but they also weren’t cws. Not every girl was as lucky as Pepper, that lucky Amurrun bitch, with fingernails tough enough to tear flesh without damage. Running fingers through hair that she was dousing repeatedly with conjured water would py merry hell on human fingernails. All the worse, because she needed to do something to occupy herself.

  Sandara wasn’t too worried about a fight breaking out, but she’d had enough excitement to sate her for the evening. She contented herself with people-watching.

  If anyone was going to escate, it would be Caulky. Hand on the hilt of her sword, eyes boring into Sandara, pouty lips pulled into a tight line. Probably focused on Sandara because of Emrys; Cog was a better fighter in a two versus two matchup. Either that, or someone drilled enough tactics into Caulky’s head for her to want to drop the healer first.

  Scourge was more rexed, though in a very Chelish sort of way. Feet square, wrists crossed, hands ft on his stomach, standing straight. It was a pose the Chels cooked up to make their soldiers look as silly as possible while waiting, and one he’d assumed after stowing his torch in a sconce. Even so, the guy looked more comfortable than he had on the Wormwood, with his eyes left unfocused to take in the whole hallway. He’d trimmed his beard, and tied his hair back into a tail. His coat and boots were worn, but in good repair for second hand. Whatever he was calling himself now, Scourge wouldn’t have trouble finding company for an evening, if he could avoid being an ass for an hour or two.

  Sandara heard Jakes before she saw him, since he was breathing heavily. He was looking healthy, other than a few unpleasant scrapes. Mostly superficial; it seemed that Jakes hadn’t forgotten how to preserve his own skin. His long hair was pstered to his neck with paint, mostly in shades of red and brown. The tall, wheezing, paint spttered man looked out of pce next to the brightly glowing elder.

  Somehow, possibly due to the magic he wrapped around himself, Caruthers had managed to stay clean this whole time. The old man was trying harder than Scourge to look threatening, what with floating a few inches above the ground. Sandara suspected it may be a deliberate boast, aimed at those who knew more about magic. He was dispying impressive stamina, maintaining a spell like that.

  She released a pulse of positive energy, healing the newcomers. The fighting was supposed to be over, and Emrys had that look when he went into the tea room. The one where he knows more than he’s told anyone. Usually that meant he had a pn, and it seemed like today's new pn didn’t involve much fighting. Better to make a good impression and calm things down.

  “Magpie, ya jackass.” She called, “how have ye been?”

  “Quinn?” He asked, squinting against the bright torchlight. “Besmara’s tits, girl, what are you doing here?”

  “We’re at war.” Sandara answered glibly. “You missed the whole thing. Peace talks in the tea room right now. I’m guessing you were supposed to fnk us?”

  “Yeah,” he agreed. “I suppose you’re here with Emrys?”

  “Yup.” Sandara confirmed, “Care to jump ship?”

  “I’ve been paid up for the next three months.” Jakes answered with a shrug. “If Pepper maroons Plugg somewhere in that time, I’ll stay with her. If she doesn’t, I’m still getting paid to ze around Goatshead looking for promising rumors and interesting recruits. Seems like a good deal to me.”

  “Stop fraternizing with the enemy!” Caulky snapped at Jakes.

  “I will when you do, kid.” Jakes said, an edge creeping into his voice.

  “Quiet. Both of ye.” Caruthers grumbled, “yer in the field, facing down a potential fight. Don’t ye go fighting yer own crew.”

  “All conflicts can wait until you’re in port.” Sandara supplied, citing the Pirate Code.

  “Just so.” The old man said with a nod. “So, Master Ricarlo, did the Captain actually intend to negotiate, or was she waiting for the d and I to arrive?”

  “She didn’t give me the signal for an ambush.” Scourge answered. “I think she’s sincere.”

  “Good. I don’t much care to be frozen stiff again.” Caruthers said, leaning against a wall. “It’s bad for me joints.”

  An earth shattering shriek echoed from within the tea room, halting all conversation. Only a few seconds ter, Captain Bck kicked the door open, rushing out into the hallway.

  “He had a painting of a balor hidden in there!” She shouted, her eyes wild. “Stop by the workshop, but we need to get out of here. Now! Go, go, go!”

  Despite her words, and her face, Sandara doubted the story. For one thing, one of the dukes of the Abyss would be unlikely to pose for a painting, and if they did it, it would be unfathomably expensive to reproduce a creature like that. Maybe something with the powers of a Dretch that just looked like a balor, but not a balor. For another, Captain Bck’s skirts were not shaped the way they would be if her tail were stiff with fright. Even her ears were upright and alert, rather than ft against her scalp. (Successful sense motive check.)

  Thank you little helper, whoever you are. Divine inspiration? Nah. Doesn’t feel right for that. Besmara wouldn’t try to be this subtle.

  Emrys and Sosima came out next, properly terrified, and echoed Captain Bck’s sentiment. Winsome bolted out, visibly covered in burns. Of course, as an illusionist, such things were suspect.

  “Run and hide, little worms!” A booming voice echoed from the tea room. “I will find you, and rend flesh from your bones!”

  “Flee!” Melku’s far squeakier voice, “flee invaders, never to return!”

  Caulky stared through the door, chewing her lip.

  “Where’s Syl?” She asked, worried.

  Winsome sighed, flicked a wrist behind her back, and the sound of shattering gss echoed through the hallway. (Successful Perception check)

  “She made her own exit.” Pepper said. “Which means there is nothing else distracting it now.”

  She lifted a table onehanded and smmed it down across the doorway, barring the door somewhat. Emrys waved his hand, running down the hallway in the opposite direction from Captain Bck. The officers followed, but he stopped about ten feet down the next hall.

  “Alright, I think that went pretty well.” He said cheerfully. “Give Pepper’s team a few minutes to clear out, and we can head back.”

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