[Game Thread] Crossroads

[Battlechaser]

Like I would give my new sword up? Bareris grinned wickedly at the steward. "So if we defeat the gobbo's, we get the cash." Looking at the doppelganger, he said "Why a trial? he is guilty. I could spare you the cost and time by gutting shifty right here."

[JustDave]

I like your style half-orc. If you don't think he can be of use with the goblins, he said they are waiting on his signal, then by all means, I am prepared to issue summary judgement right here.

The doppelganger squeals for mercy, No No No! I can help.

[Statutory Plum]

A little alarmed at the speech going on of summary execution Ysuran spoke to the doppelganger You can help? how can you help us "duke?" Ysuran asked kneely infront of the bound prisoner and moving in close enough as to where they were mere inches apart.

[Battlechaser]

Slowly Bareris inched out his dagger, savouring the fear building up in the captured doppelganger. "You have not told us all. What are you holding back?" He pointed with the dagger at the prisoners belly as if to demonstrate. "You see, amateurs might cut you from your throat to your genitals." Bareris

Dice Intimidate:

1d20+12

(19)+12

Total = 31

looked the doppelganger straight in the eyes. "They're doing it wrong. The purpetrator just bleeds out too quickly. What you really have to do is make your cut from here." Bareris pressed the dagger in the doppelgangers' belly lateral to the umbilicus, just hard enough to breach the skin. "And then you slice slowly to the other side, making a horizontal incision." He chuckled "When people are trying to keep their intestines from slipping out, then they spill the interesting stuff."

[Valeur]

Azura grimaces at the half-orcs cruel words, but knows that the doppelganger deserved this treatment and worse, for all the innocent lives that had been lost. She looks to the wretched creature, a mixture of pity and disgust on her face, but keeps her silence. Better to let the cruel be cruel - there'll be time for a gentler touch on another occasion.

[epelj1]

Jaya stares at the Captain with a blank face, contemplating. Shrugging her shoulders, she takes off her pack, emptying handfuls of platinum onto the ground. The money makes no difference to her, but if the man wants to look at her like that, he can do it while picking things up off the ground.

Watching the half-orc's theatrics, Jaya quickly grabs his hand as he presses his dagger against the doppelganger, "No! No suffering." Guiding his hand, she places the tip of the dagger over the doppelganger's heart, "If he must die, do it quickly."

[Alexader]

"How bout we be finding out where he was supposed to meet the goblins, before spilling his stomach eh?" Moradin suggestion as he pondered the moral consequences of what was happening in front of him. He had fully expected the move by the captain to name himself steward, which is something everyone would recognize as a farce.

OOC Sorry for the delay, having trouble getting in post for most of my games lately.

[JustDave]

Braden and Lothar load up the coins into a large sack with angry glances at Jaya, then escort Tedd and Alana back to the Green Dragon. Brad Weston and his two privates leave as well.

The doppelganger shows some relief on his face. Those goblins are under orders to never leave their cave unless we tell them... can't be too careful if somebody visits the eh, Duke. But they are goblins and are stupid, so sometimes they venture out. If they do and see that new room they will become suspicious. So please, lets hurry. In the wine cellar, under the study is a broken wall leading to a cave. That's where the goblins are. I can call out for the leaders to come out and meet me. I can help you.

[Battlechaser]

"Just to get one thing clear." Bareris said, "Turn on us and I promise I will hunt you down. No matter under which stone you'll hide. I will find you and then I will start to cut you up in tiny pieces."

[Moridain]

Carroway is obviously unhappy about the idea of killing the Doppleganger, but he doesn't interfere since no actual cutting is being done yet. He is no less unhappy when the tactic works, shaking his head but not commenting further.

"Are there any other exits to their cave? I would like to have militia guards stationed near them for when they attempt to flee. If they surrender capture them, but if they attack then... shoot them down. They should be disordered enough to be easy targets."

He raises an eyebrow to the guard, curious if he will object.

[Alexader]

"Aye, well take care of the beast and these will be picking off any that manage to get past us. As for the new room, I see no reason for us not to close it off once more." Moradin spoke aloud before heading back into the manor and doing just that. Before he did close it off though, he went and raided the shelves of the potions that had been ignored.

[JustDave]

The doppelganger, in near shock from fear, leads you back to the study. Answering Carroway, now with a developing studder, Uh, uh, there is a c-c-ave behind the cellar. It leads back underground and there are a few exits outside town. The goblins speak of a thing in the c-c-cave behind where they stay that they feed the dead to. They have it barric-c-caded. They said when they first c-c-c-ame through, it killed several of them, but they have an agreement now.

You go back to the treasure room and all is quite. Moradin scoops up all the potions and while searching those shelves, finds a key behind a bucket. It fits the locks on the chests. Jaya rolls her eyes at the discovery.

The doppelganger then shows you the door in the NE corner of the study with a winding stone staircase going down.

[Valeur]

Azura frowns at the doppelganger's words. "A thing in the cave that they feed?" she mumbles, fear in her voice. Goblins are one thing, but that particular bit of information is clearly troubling to the young woman. "We should proceed with care," Azura states, and positions herself at the rear of the procession, waiting for someone else to go down the winding staircase.

[Battlechaser]

"One more thing, shifty!" Bareris said, "Why did the new steward not object to having you killed? Was he in on the scam?" The inquisitor

Dice Sense motive:

1d20+9

(7)+9

Total = 16

waited for an answer.

------

"A big thing in the cave, he?" Bareris grinned. "I'll go first in. This baby is dying to be used." He unsheaths the falchion and swings it around, nearly cutting one of the doppelganger ears off. "Oops. I missed."

[JustDave]

The doppelganger looks at Bareris with surprise. Weston???? He's an idiot. He had no idea. Even when he visited, he never asked what happened to the staff. He seems genuine in his answer.

-------

OOC: To avoid confusion, as explained by the doppelganger, the stairs lead to a wine cellar which lead to a cave with goblins which lead to another cave with the "thing". The "things" cave is barricaded by the goblins.