Dramatis Personae
Beltin (Aasimar Dirge Bard/Cleric 12).
"Jake" aka Alex, the actual character name but I refuse to go back and edit the old entries (Human Wizard/Rogue 12).
Zai (Human Tetori Monk/Lore Warden Fighter 12). MISSING PLAYER, PLAYED BY GLORY.
Glory, aka the Righteous Fury of Heaven (Aasimar Synthesist Summoner/Bloodrager 12).
Politics & Prostitutes, Session 20.2 - 12/13/14
Day 49, night
Straight up gangster
Glory and Jake meet back up with Beltin and Jake leads them into a seedier section of the city, but not before magically disguising himself to look both wealthier and less threatening.
He has a plan. A very poorly conceived plan. He is going to find a street gang and "recruit" them as cannon fodder for the inevitable assault against the Tower of Weeping Sores... really the only reason he brought the party along for this is his own (not exactly misplaced) paranoia that his enemies with at will Greater Teleport may come for him if he is alone and vulnerable. It's probably for the best.
Now to find the proper gang he needs to look like an easy mark, but that is a bit difficult with an angel (no matter how not threatening he looks) at his side but hey, maybe that will keep the amateur robbers away so he can try to "recruit" some people with actual skill. Or stupidity. Either works.
The walk through the bad side of town continues and the party notices two men following them who are trying very hard to not seem like they are following them. They are doing a pretty good job actually. And then from an ally in front of the party steps out three more, these three considerably less subtle about their intentions, especially as they are armed with clubs.
The two men from behind step up and the party is surrounded. Jake immediately picks out the man who looks like he is most in charge and demands to be taken to his leader. The thugs seem unconvinced and laugh, getting ready for violence, but Glory speaks and they cannot withstand the Heavenly speaker's 40ish diplomacy check. The thug in charge smirks and says okay, they can meet the top man.
The five surround the party and march them further into the slums. Their destination is a half burned down warehouse with a stylized, flaming eye painted on the wall nearby. Gang graffiti. The party saw the same mark on some walls where they were "mugged." A sentry steps out of the shadows at the sight of the approaching group but gets waved aside by the head thug.
The party is led through the warehouse and then down a concealed staircase. They find themselves in a dingy subterranean bar, clearly the HQ for this gang. A man stands behind the bar pouring himself a drink while a few others play cards at a table. Another man is playing a honky-tonk piano. The music stops and everyone looks up as the party is forced inside.
The music resumes and the men pretend to get back to what they are doing, but each is clearly alert and watchful now. The head thug knocks on a door and the party is led into an office. A massive man adorned with tattoos of a flaming eye sits behind a desk that is mostly covered by various bags of coins and a scale. A slender man with a black hood pulled up (clearly trying to look like a menacing professional) leans against the wall nearby.
The tattooed man, the gang leader, sizes the party up as the thug spokesperson explains what happened. The leader turns to Jake and asks what he wants with the Burning Eye.
Jake says he has a business proposition. He will pay for the gangs' services for help with a little B&E job he has planned, but that's all he can say. Just get his men, all of them, ready to go for tomorrow. Jake's tone leaves no room for debate and the gang leader is not impressed.
He starts on about the price and what exactly the job is, and who the hell are you anyway, but Jake isn't interested in hearing that. All he wants is obedience. So he Dominates him. The gang leader fails. He is suddenly quite compliant and agrees that he will have his men ready for tomorrow morning. The hooded man, the second in command, starts arguing with the gang leader about this, but you can't argue with mind control.
The gang members hear some of what is going on and they don't like where this is going. Something isn't right. Fortunately for Jake's plan, they are more afraid of their leader then the unknown job they just got signed up for. If only they knew where exactly they were going they would reevaluate that fear...
The two are still arguing as the party leaves the gang HQ and then teleport back to the Camp.
As they arrive back in the Camp, Glory says he needs to speak with the Usurer, but Beltin tells him that it would be impolite to go knocking on his door in the middle of the night. Get him tomorrow. The party rests; Jake of course continues to have horrible dreams.
Day 50
Heavenly discourse with the Usurer
The next morning Glory heads over to the smithy and sees perhaps two dozen armed mercenaries standing around outside the place; though Glory wouldn't know it, this is a rather larger number than the Usurer normally has guarding his money changing station.
Glory summons forth his eidolon and stands before them dressed in the full strength of Heaven's might. He tells them he wishes to speak to the one they call "The Usurer." The guards tense up and heads go to weapons, but none actually make hostile moves. To their credit, none look like they are about to bolt either. Professional killers here.
The sounds of work inside does not cease, but the Usurer steps out to greet the embodiment of Heaven's Righteous Fury and he wears a look of disdain. He tells Glory to cease trying to intimidate him with the eidolon. It's disrespectful. If Glory wishes to speak, says the Usurer, then dismiss the show of force and follow. The Usurer starts walking around the back of the smithy toward his living area. Glory dismisses the eidolon and follows.
Inside the Usurer's abode, Glory is shown a seat and the the Usurer sits down across from him. He stares at Glory, waiting for him to begin speaking. It's his meeting after all.
Glory explains he is here on behalf of the Crusade and wishes to repair diplomatic strains that have occurred between them and the Usurer. The Usurer seems unimpressed but continues to listen. Glory lays out what he wants: A better gold/bit exchange rate for the crusade and let the crusaders help police the town along side the sheriff.
The Usurer explains his side of things. The crusade used to have a better exchange rate (5 gold to 1 bit; standard exchange is 3:1), but they refused the offer and insulted him. Instead of doing business with him, they set up their own encampment to the east, but it failed, destroyed by the horrors of the Desolation.
So then they came back to him and wanted the same deal he had offered before, but they had down all they could to spite him before, so why should he give them the same deal as before? No. They disrespected him and his authority. That meant punitive measures were required, hence the current 7:1 crusade exchange rate. The crusade getting gouged that badly is its own doing, explains the Usurer.
As far as letting the crusade help police the town, they are doing that already with their "vigilante justice," says the Usurer. Also incredibly disrespectful of the town's "legitimate" authority. And now Glory wants him to cave and make their acts of unchecked aggression and anarchy legitimate? The irony of his own argument is not lost on the Usurer, but it is on Glory who doesn't quite know all their is to know about the man.
The Usurer also explains another source of diplomatic tensions. According to the crusade and Bard's Gate, great swaths of area in the wilds north of the city belong to the city, including parts of the Desolation. Including the Camp. Therefore they are the legitimate authority here.
The Usurer and many others disagree with that assessment as though Bard's Gate claimed the area hundreds of years ago, they never did anything for it. They never provided services, aid, or protection for the Camp. They never helped the Camp. Who the hell are they to come in and act like they own the place now when they had no hand in the building of it?
So squatters rights, thinks Glory, but he can see both sides of the argument and he tells the Usurer that both sides make valid points. Really Glory finds himself feeling more sympathetic to the Usurer's side of the argument, but decides not to declare his support to the man's side at the moment.
The debate continues and Glory realizes the Usurer is putting up a token fight, but is going to cave, at least somewhat. The Usurer offers this: A 5:1 exchange rate and he will deputize certain crusade members, but they will only be able to enforce certain laws of the Usurer's choosing. Glory is unsure of the second part of that, seeing how the stipulation could just make the crusade technically empowered but actually powerless, but they make a tentative agreement.
Out of game, the Usurer knows his position is growing unstable; he probably can't win in an open fight against the crusaders in town now. At least not yet. The only thing to do is cede ground to placate them for now.
It is decided that a proper meeting between the crusade and the Usurer will need to take place to hammer out the finer details and perhaps Glory can act as mediator. Glory agrees and says he will speak with Tyrian, the (unnamed until now!) crusade commander and a time and place can be set. The Usurer says that would be lovely and shows him the door.
Kidnapping for fun and profit
Beltin begins work on Stone Shaping up some extra barracks for the "new recruits" and Jake teleports back to the Burning Eye HQ. He finds 12 men including the dominated leader and second in command. The second looks mutinous and the men look like they are definitely having second thoughts. Too late now though. The second starts demanding more info as Jake arrives, he tells him its too late for that. Teleport away!
Jake makes the few trips necessary to grab the dozen kidnappees. The members of the Burning Eye look dazed as they stare around at their new surroundings. Welcome to the Desolation! They are unhappy about this. Extremely. They've heard horror stories about this place and they want none of it.
Jake explains that if they don't want the job now they can go. Bard's Gate is only like a thousand miles to the south, a thousand miles filled with nothing but wild lands and dangerous beasts. They better get going if they are going, and he waves them off. They all decide to stay. The dominated leader just stands there serenely.
The gang members are handed off to Yohan mostly just to keep them busy and they are told that tomorrow they will be heading off for the job. Once it's done, Jake will take them right back to Bard's Gate. Promise. Note: It's a lie.
Shh, it's a secret
Glory heads over to speak with Tyrian and he explains the proposed deal. Tyrian is impressed by Glory's work and tells him that he will set up the meeting, but it won't be for several days, maybe up to a week. He needs time for the backup plan to be prepared in case things don't work out.
What backup plan, asks Glory. Tyrian gives him a hard look and says that what he tells him now must remain secret. Glory must tell no one, not even the party... thinking of Jake and Beltin, especially not the party. A squad of the church's elite special forces have secretly been brought up north. They are currently carrying out reconnaissance in Tsar itself, but he will want them here for the meeting with the Usurer.
Glory understands where this is going. The crusade was planning on assassinating the Usurer, but now may not have to. Glory does not like that murder would even be considered by the church and expresses that sentiment, but Tyrian explains that it was always an option, but to be a last resort. If it came to open hostilities, killing the Usurer would prevent the need for a slaughter; his mercenaries and supporters would not carry on the fight without him.
Really, it would save lives. Plus, they must never forget why they are here. Justice must prevail. The Desolation must be cleansed. The Usurer and his petty claims cannot be allowed to hinder that mission.
Glory's sense of disquiet deepens, but he continues on. The party had decided that it may be worthwhile to seek the crusade's aid in taking the Tower of Weeping Sores; really Jake just wants more bodies to go in first and die to soften the defenders, not that Glory would know that.
Now, against his better judgement as he now knows the extremes the commander is willing to go, Glory brings up the party's plans to again assault the Tower of Weeping Sores. Tyrian says that they can prepare a detachment of veteran crusaders to help take the tower, but it would take some time. They can be there in five days.
Once cleansed, the tower and fortress would be a great tactical asset in taking the fight to the city itself, continues Tyrian. It seems the commander thinks the tower will become crusader property... that's not exactly what Glory meant and Jake and Beltin certainly won't like it (Jake at least will have plans for the place), but Glory does not try to argue the point. He doesn't like where this is going.
In the mean time, the commander continues, they can try to get word to the special forces group in Tsar to see if they could support the party's assault, but that is iffy. Magical communication methods are problematic within the city. If that group renders aid it won't be openly though, says Tyrian, due to them officially not being there and all.
Glory departs and heads back to the Greed Elemental base. Once there it doesn't take him long to swear the party to secrecy and then tell them everything Tyrian told him. The party is also not pleased by this turn of events. They decide not to wait for the crusade to act as cannon fodder after all.
Tomorrow they will go and settle unfinished business with General Mirak and his fiendish advisers.
The corruption of Glory
With their plans decided, Glory again heads off to get some food at the Sip of Blood, but as he heads over he sees beggars and invites them to join him for a meal. He leads his flock of miscreants to the tavern and orders some of the finest foods for them all. Floyd looks delighted as he takes their orders and asks if the group could use some of the establishments "special services."
The beggars, selfish and ungrateful bastards all, guilt Glory into agreeing and footing the bill. Though he doesn't know what Floyd means by "special services," they do. Glory asks how much it will cost and Floyd does a quick calculation. Should be about 4,600 bits he says. Glory hands it over. Glory has now spent all his money on hookers, opium, and booze for a group of beggars!
Completely oblivious and unsure about what is happening, Glory spends his night drinking heavily, smoking opium, and banging hookers. Fort save? Failed. Don't worry it's not an STD. Glory is now an opium addict!
Day 51
Glory wakes up the next morning feeling completely horrible and not really remembering what had happened. Naked girls and naked beggars lay on cushions around him. Heavens, his head hurts. Some of that smoke from the night before was lovely, he remembers. Maybe some of that would ease his pain.
By this time the rest of the party has gotten up and are ready to head into the Desolation. It will be them plus the kidnapped gangsters; Jake isn't bringing any of his own men for this. As Glory does not show up at the designated time, eventually Beltin goes to track him down and finds him in the tavern as Glory is deciding on whether or not to take a hit from an opium pipe.
It is a pathetic sight and Beltin realizes (though Glory does not) that the angel is now an addict. Guess the anti-drug PSAs were right; one hit and you're hooked. Sighing, Beltin casts Cure Disease and Lesser Restoration on Glory to get him in shape to go. He suggests that the angel not do whatever he did again and Glory thinks Beltin may be offering sound advice.
The two of them head back and meet Jake and the dozen kidnapped and now looking distinctly unhappy gangsters. Time for a forced march into certain death!... At least for 12 people here.
To be continued...
