>>6184605

Five days.

It had taken five days to reach Strahnbrad.

After the kobolds had found you, you had been zig-zagging through the woods and avoiding making any noise or tracks at all. Which was really easy for Bill Rover and Pai, but for the rest of you three not so much.

Once ogres walked just a couple yards past you and the second time kobolds nearly had you, but you managed to escape. When you finally spotted the first farmstead that was occupied, you could sigh in relief, you were alive. Dirty and muddy, but alive. Though after Pai had suggested that you shouldn't just find a nearby road and walk to Strahnbrad, you had trekked one more day through the woods, avoiding the few inhabited houses and farms you saw. It was supposedly better this way, Syndicate patrols could get jumpy if they spotted you.

Now just a short distance away from Strahnbrad as night arrived, inside one of the abandoned farms, you Eligius, scribe to the Prince, spymaster and a warlock in his service, found your compatriots oddly silent. Which wasn't that unusual after what had happened the first time the kobolds had found you. After revealing to them that you in fact were a warlock, you had nailed one with a Shadow Bolt and second you froze in place with Fear. After that, no one really spoke to each other unless it was strictly needed. Everyone just kept staring at each other and observing.

A small fire had been made in the hearth to provide light and for you to have your first warm meal since leaving Dawnholme. As much as no one said it, everyone felt like they deserved the meal. Mixing the porridge in an old metal pot you had found, you added remaining bits of the dried meat and dry bread your group had in the mix. A horrible mix really, but no one would complain as everyone were quite hungry.

"How do we get inside?" You carefully asked, breaking the silence.

"Through the front gate." Pai replied back. She had been staring at you constantly, but hadn't said a word.

"Really? I would think it is being guarded." You said.

"Wanz, tell him." Pai ordered the second warlock of the group.

"Strahnbrad has four ways in. The sewers, climbing the wall, front and back gates." Otto Wanz, the former Syndicate warlock replied and scratched his poorly shaved head. "First two are instantly out, Strahnbrad is not that big of a place and outsiders are quickly spotted. So we go through the front gate."

"You have been there before?" You asked.

"Couple times, but I don't think anyone recognises me. The masks and hoods you know." Wanz replied to you and took the porridge mixing duty from you.

1/2

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>>6184606

"What about you?" You asked Pai.

"What about me?" She asked and sounded rather bored.

"Have you been there before?" You said. "And you know… outside of our knight, you are probably the most recognisable of all of us."

"I concur with Mr. Scribe." Sir Cyrus said, his Stormwind accent quite apparent as he spoke.

Pai the Assassin was beautiful, really beautiful by any standards. While she wasn't that tall, all that missing height had gone into other rather important strategic places. Not forgetting her sultry voice, you were rather sure that if she had wanted something, she could get it through her alluring ways. That was how she had controlled her previous group of assassins and underlings.

"Oh you, the two of you behave~" Pai replied and smiled faintly as she crossed her arms underneath her breasts, propping them up a bit. "I won't be a problem, I have never visited the town. Just passed it a couple of times."

"Thank the Holy Light for that…" You muttered back. "So the front gate? What's our cover story then?"

Couple ideas were put out, none perfect, but maybe they could work. Sir Cyrus was rather self-aware and suggested that you were on a mission in Stormwind and just returned. You had the idea of using the block of Dream Dust drug to get in, as a story you had recovered it from one of the unraided stashes after the manufacturing operation was interrupted. Pai just suggested going in, if they ask just tell them that you work for Lord Creedy and normal secrecy over missions apply. Wanz somewhat concurred, but said to keep the Dream Dust close if the guards need to be bribed, they are criminals after all. Bill Rover had no ideas, none he was willing to share at least.

So, how would you get in? Should you really overthink this at all and just trust Pai? Just walk in or what?


>Returning from Stormwind, that would explain Sir Cyrus and you not being up to date with recent events.
>Securing a block of Dream Dust from a stash. It made quite news when the authorities raided the drug ring.
>Just walk in, if someone asks, you are working for Lord Creedy and you don't need to answer what you are doing here.
>Other, write in

QM: Let us start with an Eligius segment. We are actually nearly a week in the future compared to Alric.

>>6184607
>Just walk in, if someone asks, you are returning from Stormwind. If they keep asking, you are working for Lord Creedy and you don't need to answer what you are doing here.
My only gripe with this is that, should we get to the last step, Creedy could be informed and we would immediatly be busted but hopefully it doesn't get to that.

>>6184607
I brought this up before but Eligius does have the Robe of Obfuscation. Could put that on Cyrus and they wouldn't notice him as long as he doesn't start cutting people down.

>>6184687
That's a good idea, we should do that. I still stand by what I voted for but now, by putting the cloak on Cyrus, our odds of just passing by are increased.

>>6184607
Hold on onto dream dust and act like the group are people that got roped into the Syndicate recently, either use it as proof that the authorities got them busted and that "fucking prince" had everyone killed and then use Pai's charms to share it with the people inside later and make it easier for the infiltration to occur. Morale has got to be low and I'm pretty sure quite a few lower ranking syndicate members would enjoy something to lighten the mood. Will also make the infiltration easier when half the guards are drugged out of their minds.

>>6184742
Lemme get my thoughts in order, how I see things going.

Presuming we get past the guard hopefully without spending our bribe dust or making a big scene, without getting sent to a high security time mid manager type to see what we were up to for a general report, we get to go in. We see if we can secure lodgings or if Wanz knows a warlock safehouse as our little base of operations. We try the watering holes for info spotting people that could lead us to Creedy, follow and squeeze them for info, repeat. Cyrus promises he can get rid of the bodies (read feeds them to the Strahnbrad Crocolisk Dragonspawn). We find which old Keep that Creedy is in. Then we sneak out the sewer entrance so people don't see us leave raising questions, and fight the real Strahnbrad sewer Crocolisk lol. Keep scouting and infiltration.


Just to consider the flipside they should be gathering warriors to try retaking Gallow's Corner from the Ogres, and camp follower manpower to repair the defenses. Mercs or 'militia' if they were desperate (or planning to kill any that don't die or get recruited), they might try to send Cyrus and our little group to the staging grounds.

Its an opportunity as there should be orders and reports going back and forth to officers and Creedy which lets us follow the messengers. Wouldn't want to kill anyone and start a panic or search, but papers would probably be in some tents and chests for info. A nice map with Creedy's keep on it.

Desertion to leave those grounds once we get the info would be a bit rough, It could be hidden in the town or outside it, though I could see them having a desertion problem given their nature. Bribing an officer to let us slide should do it I'd wager, might take Pai a bit of stealing or gambling to get enough bribe for all of us.


I wonder if we could trick the commander of their military readying to retake Gallows Corner into receiving an order to begin. Would we benefit from their attack on the Ogres? It weakens the ogres, possibly the Corner changes hands again, and it weakens the Syndicate paying in blood to attack.

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The questions from the previous thread.

>>6184572

The gnoll mage would have been very surprised at first, but then tried to counter Alric's magic either by extinguishing the flames with its frost or just outright counterspelling Alric's efforts. Just nuking the gnoll would have worked, hard to counterspell if you are fully on fire, but that would have been a bit flashy and a lot of people would have noticed it.

Now how it just looked like was that Alric managed to counter the frost thanks to his shield and armour, with the Cinder Sword playing a major role in it. A lot of "Thank the Light I am not that gnoll" going on.

There's no one like the Royal Foot Guard around, maybe closest are the knights, they are pretty strong.

There will be whole boatload of experience going around after the campaign is done and finished. The progress for the mages will be slower as magic is kinda hard.

Posting in new Alterac Swiss thread

>>6184607
>>6184687
>>6184979
Support these.

>>6184687
>>6184607
Support
Only Sir Cyrus would really make people question they're presence.

"Sir Cyrus, does my robe fit on you?" You asked the knight and took off the Robe of Obfuscation.

"I thought that thing looked familiar…" Pai mused aloud.

Sir Cyrus took the robe and threw it on his shoulders, but then the trouble started. The addition of the normal round pauldrons and the dome of his cuirass that made the already large man even larger, meant that it couldn't be properly wrapped around him.

"Mr. Scribe, if I flex I fear I might rip this thing apart." He lamented. "What does this robe do?"

"Would have kept you hidden, but looks like we just have to deal with this. Tomorrow, just don't speak unless ordered." You said to him and took the robe back.

Well shit, that would have made getting into Strahnbrad an easy task, but looks like the odds are stacked against your favour. Of course things can't be easy.

"Porridge is ready." Wanz said.

"Let's just eat and sleep through the night." You replied.

You were all rather tired, warm food and a night's rest is exactly what you need. Even if the food is simple porridge with bits and you are going to sleep on the floor.

While it was clear that the farm has been used recently by someone else to take a break, whoever had searched the house before had taken half of the furniture with them. So sleeping on the floor it was.

…

It was the next morning.

Having washed your face in the water taken from the well, Wanz had gone through everything you should worry about. Wear your leather armour, keep the orange bandana up and hood on your head. Don't stare at people and don't attract unwanted attention. The Syndicate is made from criminals and other lowlifes, so try to think like them and everything should be fine.

Last night you hadn't immediately fallen asleep and as you had shifted to find a more comfortable position to sleep in, you had noticed Pai staring at you again. And now as you walked towards Strahnbrad, she seemed to deliberately take a spot behind you. What was she thinking?

Wanz told you as you kept walking that Strahnbrad was the largest town in Eastern Alterac, it had low walls and plenty of housing within said walls. But while it had survived the Second War, half of the town was abandoned and only the most stubborn or Syndicate affiliated were living here. And while officially the town was under the control of Lordaeron, taxes still were kept paid to Capital City, in reality the town was under Lord Creedy's demesne.

Couple odd farms dotted the landscape and you saw some farmers toiling out in the fields. Outwardly they seemed just like any other farmer you had seen, these ones were just located here, stubbornly tending their crops.

"There's the gate, bandanas up." Wanz said and allowed you to take a lead.

1/4

>>6185067

He had been right, the walls are low and won't stop a determined attacker or a raider. A lone tower next to the gate had seen better days and you spotted several soldiers mulling around the gate big enough to let a horse cart in. None of them had their bandanas up, but around their throats or wrapped around an arm or kept as a handkerchief on their belts. The guards looked just like any other lowly city guard, bits and pieces of armours and polearms to lean to. They became more attentive when the five of you approached them.

"Halt, don't remember seeing you lot leave through this gate." One of the guards said to you as the rest of them stretched their legs.

"That would be correct." You said back and shrugged, the bandana muffled your voice a bit as you spoke.

"In that case, get the boss here!" He shouted to someone in the back. "Wait here."

Four of the guards kept watching you, one of them spat on the ground while the rest seemed to now stretch their arms. The men looked rough, a bit lean for being professional soldiers. Probably rabble told to stand guard and bully those who come to the town. It didn't take long for four more guards to come out from what you expected to be the guardhouse and join the rest. One of them actually wore a full set of plate mail and could be mistaken for a footman.

"So what do we have here?" He asked with a gravelly voice. "Let's get this over with, who are you and where do you come from?"

You had gone through a plausible sounding story during the morning and now you just had to stick with it and keep things short and believable.

"We came from the south, followed Kings's Road, sneaked past the ogres and got here. We have been on the move for the past two weeks and really could use a place to rest." You told them.

"How did you get past the Princeling?" The boss of the guards asked you and seemed rather curious.

"You don't know?" You asked and continued immediately after feigning a surprise. "The Princeling is on a warpath, took his army to Durnholde. The whole Hillsbrad is talking about some campaign there against gnolls. Good riddance I say, but the pass is practically unguarded."

Which was the truth, Dawnholme was basically unguarded.

"Then it took us five days to get here through the woods." You finished.

The guard looked at you suspiciously.

"What were you doing in Hillsbrad?" He asked.

"You know how we work." You said back. "We have our own jobs."

"And it's my job to ask the questions, now speak." He said and lifted his sword up on his shoulder.

You felt someone take hold of your hand from behind and immediately realised who it was. Pai wrapped her fingers with you and hugged your arm from behind, pressing it between her breasts.

"Don't mind my husband, he is just very careful about his work… and very secretive, ain't that right, Hon?" Pai said and slightly leaned on your side. "We have been walking for days and my feet are tired, can't you just let us in?"

2/4

>>6185069

You hadn't planned this, this wasn't part of anything you had talked about. No cover story was about you and Pai being a couple or anything. Why! This just made you properly annoyed.

The guard boss looked at you, seeing the annoyance in your eyes and Pai clinging to your side.

"Alright, you can go in." The guard boss said and sighed. "If you need a room, The Sloppy Hole should have them available."

You gave him a polite nod and started walking, but just as you were going to pass him, he placed his sword in front of you.

"My superiors will want to talk with you and your crew, don't leave the town before that happens." He instructed you. "Understand?"

"We understand." You replied and smiled underneath the bandana.

The guard sheathed his sword and stepped back to allow you to enter Strahnbrad.

Well, that could have gone quite badly, but looks like you were in. Just Pai hadn't stopped holding your hand which did make you quite uncomfortable.

To Sloppy Hole whatever it is then.

…

Wanz knew the place and guided you there. It was a tavern, an actual tavern with three floors. The only tavern reserved for visitors and other low-ranked members of the Syndicate. Apparently The Prancing Peacock existed, but that was for the high-ranking members and their entourages. You wouldn't apparently even get in.

"Rooms for me and my group." You asked the bartender who was cleaning a glass.

The quite fat bartender looked at the five of you for a couple seconds before putting the glass away.

"Bad luck, men have been streaming here in the past weeks. Our rooms are full, two remain and there’s five of you." The bartender said back.

"Do we at least fit in?" You asked.

"Some of you have to sleep on the floor then." He replied.

"We will take them." You said back.

"Then follow me." Bartender replied.

He was right. The tavern was full of men lounging on the benches or eating and drinking. It was still morning and most of them were already a couple beers deep. While most of them didn't look like soldiers, they weren't no farmers either. Not all of them even had bandanas or other insignia.

The bartender led the five of you one floor up the stairs and to the end of the hallway. The last two opposing rooms were apparently free.

"There." He said and opened both doors, giving two keys to you. "Sort yourself out."

You looked in as the fat man left and found the rooms small, but serviceable. Small cabinet, table with a chair, window to outside for some fresh air and a single bed. Both rooms were quite similar.

3/4

>>6185070

Pai who hadn't stopped holding your hand while inside the tavern looked at you curiously. Oh no, was she expecting to share a room with you? Her new husband? Oh no, that won't work, definitely not. No no.

"Me and Edward will take this room." She said and smiled behind her bandana. You had agreed on fake names and Edward was close enough to Eligius for it to be easy for everyone to remember.

You looked at her and then at Wanz, Cyrus and Bill. Wanz just shrugged.

"Right, Hon?" Pai asked you and gripped your hand a bit more strongly.


>Share the room with your "wife". Guess that is now part of your cover story.
>Decline politely, Pai can share the room with someone else instead.
>Nope, you are going to have them stay here while you find a way to get a room in The Prancing Peacock.
>Other, write in

QM: Room arrangements. Sir Cyrus didn't seem to attract that much attention this time.

>>6184999
Many thanks my Medivh.

Will we get a chance to see Madam Martin's magic from the view of Malevus? I was rather curious to see her Naturalist magic in healing and in combat.

Ya know if a warlock, who can use his surroundings as one big battery, learned Mana Shield that would be pretty spooky. If they could keep that and Demon Skin up even better.

>>6185071
>Share the room with your "wife". Guess that is now part of your cover story.

Perfect Pai went with the married couple routine, I thought she might. People are a lot less suspicious of a husband and wife. Smooth.

>Cloak too small for Cyrus
lol okay. Maybe if he takes off the pauldrons and the cuirass but that defeats the point of having a knight.

>>6185071
>Share the room with your "wife". Guess that is now part of your cover story.
She won't do shit, she's probably terrified of how close they came to exposing them. It also sells a very believable impression of a small gang with a dumb guy that's being strung along by a clever woman. What we need now is a believable cover story and for stories of everyone to add up. And there's no use trying to pretend that the obvious guy from Stormwind is an Alteraci,just say that Cyrus is a deserting soldier. Maybe even feed them some intel because he deserted since his commander had been disgraced by "the princeling" and he would not obey some whelp's commands. Mixing a kernel of the truth into this will make it a much easier sell, especially when they will talk to actual people in the know.

>>6185071
>Share the room with your "wife". Guess that is now part of your cover story.
Im confident she's gonna start playing games again so let us not have a repeat of last time, where anons voted to let Pai put Eligius in a hold for no good reason.

>>6185076
She will do shit, just not shit that compromises the mission. I also don't she was terrified as I believe it would take more than that to put her in such a state.

Also are you talking about Garithos or the Alliance garrison commander? Because Eligius wasn't there for the former. The deserter cover story is good though.

>>6185080
I'm unsure if I recalled the timeline correctly, it will probably be for Medivh to determine if Eligius knows that Alric had literally and figuratively kicked Garithos' ass. But the deserter cover is still the best one for him.
>tfw just yesterday I completed his quest and got my bootleg truestrike shoulders

>>6185076
I don't think Pai is the type to act out of panic, she knows its a good cover and that by not telling Eligius he would have real annoyance in his eyes for his 'wife' interjecting herself into the situation. Shes been staring at Eligius for a while now, I think she knows whats coming. Make their cover more believable, that and several bones to pick with Eligius. Her whole MO with her subordinates and targets.

As for Cyrus, I don't know if I would draw any kind of connection to that area. A stormwind knight and deserting soldier of the RD under Garithos is someone they would have met like a few weeks ago at most, and they bring that guy into a Syndicate town barely knowing him?

Also yeah I don't know if the timeline when it happens and time it would take to reach Eligius before they start leaving would line up.

I think a quiet mercenary would be fine. The Syndicate are pretty paranoid about trusting their own, so he'd rather trust what he can buy.

>>6185082
A mercenary is a good idea, but there's a small hurdle there, mercs usually follow the money and run from lost causes, there's little reason for a merc to sneak through snow, ogres, forests to do who knows what. Any sane mercenary after having seen the losses they took would have turned tail and run. Unless of course they are paying him with a drug he's addicted to.

>>6185086
The dream dust addicted mercenary knight, yeah I like that. I'm sure our dragonspawn actor will appreciate developing some small ticks to convey his addiction, his great loss that turned him towards the devil's ash. Only in the dream can he see his long lost wife. lol.

I'd imagine they have the cash to keep what they really want, but its hard to say how badly they are hurting for cash. I'm sure they've got quite a few operations going, but the guards at the front gate were rather skinny and unprofessional looking. Might just be the aftermath of losing Gallow's Corner and Alric. But they do have enough cash to outfit their assassins with magic crafts.

>>6185071
>Share the room with your "wife". Guess that is now part of your cover story.
time to kill

>>6184999
That reminds me of another idea.

The Bloodstone requires blood for its power, BUT does that have to be our blood or could it be from something we stab and kill? Put that Bloodstone in the hilt or crossguard of the Cindersword and let it drink deep from our enemies. Use that power to make the Cindersword even stronger, and for our own spells when applicable.

Real Stormbringer hours.

"Fine…" You muttered. This was going to be awful. "It's about two hours till midday, let's rest a moment and meet up outside. We need to buy supplies and hear the news of the land."

How you said it made it clear what you meant. To go gather intel and to see if you could find anything useful.

"Mr. Scribe, I will stay in the room, better that way." Sir Cyrus said. "Besides, my armour requires thorough cleaning."

"Good idea, now take a short rest everyone." You told them and stepped into the room you and Pai were supposed to be sharing.

She let go of your hand as she made her way to the single bed and casually jumped it.

"Finally a real bed…" She mumbled and stretched her back and arms on it like a cat as you closed and locked the door.

Immediately you went to work without saying a word. Lady Nalice had instructed to always search the rooms you were staying in for anything out of place. Loose boards, peeping holes in the walls or ceilings. Pai watched as you checked the cabinet, looked behind it and peered underneath the bed even.

"Find anything?" She mockingly asked you.

"No, and that is good." As you took out a black noise device and placed it on the table. It had cost you quite a lot, a nice portion of the black budget given to you by the Prince, but it was worth it if you wanted some actual privacy.

As you turned to look at Pai, she had already taken off her boots and socks. Wriggling her toes and shedding the cloak and thick jacket the Prince had given to her to protect her from the cold and frost up in the mountains, Pai seemed very relieved to just wear her shirt that did very little to muffle her body shapes.

"Not going to wear this till next winter." She said, when she realised you looking at her, she gave back a sly smile. "So, Honey… will we be sharing the bed later this evening?"

You just looked at her non-plussed and sighed. She had tried this before and you had brushed her off back then as well, outside of that one time she had gotten quite close, too close to you. The mere memory made you feel discomfort.

"Don't even try." You replied and took the chair to sit down.

"Bahh…" Pai's mood plummeted as you didn't want to play along. "And the boring milquetoast scribe is back. I was hoping that it would have been the warlock I was sharing the room with, way more interesting that way."

1/2

>>6185227

Yeah she won't get what she wishes for. Pai sighed and fell on her back in the bed with her hands behind her head. She stared at the ceiling and spoke.

"So are we going to repeat the dungeon cell again? You taking a seat, while I stare at the ceiling?" She asked without looking at you.

"It is your choice." You replied to her. "Do you want to repeat it?"

"Fine…" She said. "Ask me your questions, but keep them to a few. I can't promise how long I want to humour you."

You hadn't gotten a chance to really talk with her in private since her return to that hunting cabin. Now you have a chance to ask her something that could be interesting or useful. But maybe you shouldn't, you aren't in the dungeon anymore. This is a special mission given to you by the Prince and you weren't here to interview and question Pai as a scribe. You were here to save the Princess, not to dig into Pai's past, maybe it is not the time to be the milquetoast scribe who just asks questions?

You had thought about it. Was trust between you and her even needed as long as the mission existed? You are a spymaster and she is now your tool as much as she might not realise it. How would you really treat her?


Choose none or as many you think Pai might humour you:
>Surprise her by not asking any questions. This is not the time nor place for it.
>Instead ask about why the "married couple" play? You would have gotten into the town without it.
>Ask about the Frostwolves? How are they? How many of them did she see? Whom did she meet?
>Have her tell you about her background, she is an Alteraci right?
>What does she know about Lord Creedy, how does she think we will find him?
>You are a warlock, are you interesting to her now? Remind her to not try anything.
>Probe her about the mission in Durnholde, was the Prince really her target? Why would Lord Creedy want him dead?
>Other, write in.

How to treat Pai?
>Write in

QM: Time to ask questions, or is it?

>>6185233
>Instead ask about why the "married couple" play? You would have gotten into the town without it.
>Surprise her by not asking any more questions. This is not the time nor place for it.
This isn't an interrogation anymore.

How to treat Pai?
>Aloof
The focus is on the mission now.

>>6185233
>Surprise her by not asking any questions. This is not the time nor place for it.

>Other, write in.
She wants the warlock she'll get it. We're here for a life or death mission I'm not going to ask you any shallow questions Pai, but make a standing offer. A pact. You become mine. My champion in the dark. My (little) shadow. You'll always have what you need. if that's dark work, a way to disappear, or us in a bed if that's what you really need to seal it. No shallow games and tests.

How to treat Pai?
>Write in
Firm but gentle. Serious. As though she needs an interesting life or she would die of boredom.

>>6185233
>Surprise her by not asking any more questions. This is not the time nor place for it.

>Write in
Nonchalantly

>>6185261
I hope you don't mean to use that paragraph as dialogue. It comes across as extremely cringe.

>>6185233
>What does she know about Lord Creedy, how does she think we will find him?
Mission-appropriate.

>>6185233
>Ask about the Frostwolves? How are they? How many of them did she see? Whom did she meet?
>What does she know about Lord Creedy, how does she think we will find him?

>>6185233
>Have her tell you about her background, she is an Alteraci right?
>What does she know about Lord Creedy, how does she think we will find him?

>>6185233
Forgot to respond to this:
>How to treat Pai?
She's as untrustworthy as a cracked sword, so Eligius can only hope to point her in the right direction and hope she does more harm to others than to him before she self-destructs.
In this case, keeping her on-mission as much as possible, with as few distractions and deviations as possible. So in this case, he'll sleep on any chair in the room. If she's getting changed then he'll exit the room and respect privacy - back to milquetoast.

This is not the place or the time for a thorough interrogation or questioning. You are on a mission and things unrelated are secondary to you right now. Sure learning more about her or the orcs would be really useful in the long run, but it is better to keep her an arm's length away.

Besides, you have a feeling that she will want to poke and prod you, just be nonchalant and distance yourself from her as much as you can.

"I don't have much to ask you." You said and shrugged. That got Pai to give you a curious look.

"Not much? You spent the whole spring trying to get me to talk?" She asked. "You just said that it is my choice if I want to talk to you and now you don't wanna?"

"I would like to, but they are not relevant to our mission." You said back to her and looked at her. "Just how do you think we will find Lord Creedy?"

"Just thinking about the mission?" Pai mused. "Fine… have it your way."

She pushed herself back up and sat on the bed. Fixing her hair slightly, she looked at you and started to speak.

"We know he is hiding in one of the keeps yadda yadda, but that also means he needs a steady flow of supplies and goods. Following one delivery will bring us to him." Pai told you.

"What if all the keeps are occupied?" You asked.

"We need a clue, something only he and his closest men receive. Mail, special drinks, food or people. There should be a middleman in all of this, or a woman." Pai said and crossed her arms underneath her breasts again. You didn't let that distract you.

"Then we need to do some investigation." You said to her and continued. "First lay of the land and then…"

"We talk with the superior of that guard." Pai interrupted you and said. You had exactly the same idea.

"But we have to keep things low, as normal as possible." You continued.

"Great, let's do it then." Pai replied and started to put her socks back on.

She seemed practically cooperative. Maybe getting her to do things is good for her… and keeps her from prodding you, at least not too much.

"Where are you thinking of going? We are supposed to rest here till midday and wait for the others to do the same." You said to her and switched your tone. "After all we are supposed to be weary travellers."

"Right…" She said and slumped back in the bed.

You had a feeling that you would be staying in Strahnbrad for a while. Lord Creedy was smart, he wouldn't leave too obvious tracks, right?

…

A bit after midday the four of you stood outside The Sloppy Hole and annoyingly Pai had continued playing the part of your wife by taking your hand. It was somewhat discomforting by how she clinged by your side.

1/2

>>6185570

It was also the first time Wanz had seen her without her jacket and he couldn't avoid giving her a couple glances. Pai must have noticed too as she had hugged your arm particularly hard right afterwards, giving you a particularly good idea of her…

"Alright, we need supplies. Two of us should go see if any could be procured from the merchant stalls and the other two should go around the town and look into the stores." You said to them to distract yourself and continued. "Walter and Bill, do you prefer either of them?"

"No." Was the short and gruff answer from Bill. Wanz had chosen Walter as his name and Bill was just Bill.

"Hon, you should decide." Pai said to you and gripped your hand.


>Buy the supplies and see what the merchants at the stalls have to say. Local market usually gives a good idea of what sort of people live around here.
>Visit the stores and see the town. How is Strahnbrad doing under the Syndicate control? What are the normal folk doing about?

>1d10
>Best of three, taking the second roll

QM: Simple decision and a roll to go with it. Let's do both at the same time to speed things up a bit.

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>6185571
>Buy the supplies and see what the merchants at the stalls have to say. Local market usually gives a good idea of what sort of people live around here.

Might as well start with the supplies. Fancy food that smells of spices, imported drinks. If he has to get Alteraci Brandi. A middleman in better clothes. A woman in good perfume. Mail from Capital City or thereabouts as being from Alric's brother.

I do wonder if theres a considerable blackmarket for warlock goods and reagents. Things coming out of Dalaran's Underbelly. But that might not lead to Creedy unless he thought having a pet warlock in his keep is a good idea.

I wonder if Cyrus is actually just taking care of his armor, or does he shift into dragonspawn form occasionally to stretch. Among things to do while alone would be reporting to Nalice if he had the means. Does he know magic that allows him to shapeshift, but looking at his stats that can't be. So does Nalice use the magic and then he is literally stuck in human form until she undoes it lol.

>>6185571
>Visit the stores and see the town. How is Strahnbrad doing under the Syndicate control? What are the normal folk doing about?
take a look around

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>6185571

>Buy the supplies and see what the merchants at the stalls have to say. Local market usually gives a good idea of what sort of people live around here.

Available Mercenaries:
-Farsteel Steppe Clan, 20 Regular Steppe Cavalry, 6 Wealth, Upkeep 2 Supply Per Season
-Stonemason Mercenaries, 30 Regular Bandit Rogues, Drudgemoor, Morgan, Surena Caledon. 3 Wealth, Upkeep 2 Wealth Per Season

Next build phase we should really buy both these guys. Thats 20 light cavalry for the same upkeep as 5. 30 Rogue Bandits for the upkeep of 20, plus 3 Officers one of which is a mage/warlock. That'll be 9 wealth, can spend 5 on another Windmill to cover the Steppe Cavalry supply upkeep. Leaves 1 Wealth left over before we can pick up the Harvest Season farm Wealth. I forget if we can pick that up at the start of Fall or we have to wait?

20 Light Cav and 30 Rogue Bandits should be great for scouting all the new land we have. If we get the Harvest wealth in good amount I'd probably want the last Windmill we can make in our current territory, and a Scout Tower for Strahnbrad Hills.

Unless Wiklish finishes his miniaturized speed regulator, then I think some kind of defensive invention that will help with all our new land. We have so much forested and rough hilly terrain and a variety of enemies. Gnolls, kobolds, ogres, orcs, oh my. Plus Syndicate.

Hopefully he wouldn't make goblin land mines especially after Alric stepped on a figurative one. With oil and enough material maybe he could make a Zeppelin for scouting our lands from above, I'm sure that will really piss off some of our enemies lol. Some kind of Telescope for the Scout Towers. Signal flare rockets. Clockworks?

Or would it be more like defensive siege constructions and equipment, stuff we could use in town. A very early fire extinguisher for when the town or supplies get set on fire. Better ways to mass produce armor and shields? Making our Scout Towers better in some way.

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>6185571
Visit the stores and see the town. How is Strahnbrad doing under the Syndicate control? What are the normal folk doing about?

>>6185595
>I do wonder if theres a considerable blackmarket for warlock goods and reagents
The syndicate does recruit them still, so there must be something. Or a way for them to get their ingredients and materials.
Probably his armor, or he is taking a nap. Both work out just fine for keep the group cover.

also just read on stats
>Alicia Perenolde likes to play with her small wooden toy horse
thankfully Bill is here, this crack team wouldn't have anyone experienced with kids otherwise.

>>6185646
50 more soldiers is definitely something to think about. I wouldn't mind keep growing the war machine, and we don't have light cav. At the same time i would like to make more supply and wealth, and that ....... kinda makes me look at Strabhand really hard. Its not a village like Stonedon, or a few huts like Shoredon. And it sounds like it finds itself in a unsure political position.

I was thinking about making Rocket Troops for Wiklish, having them trained and then see about testing them on a battle next campaign.

>>6185661
As long as the steppe cavalry don't disappear I'd be fine with pure supply investment. I suppose they might stick around since the Dark Irons are here to stay. The Stonemasons too. Its a very good deal and if they join the town like Beckston's mercs eventually that would be nice. I do badly want those Rocket Troops, they sound so handy.


Hmm Strahnbrad proper is rather odd as a town. Lordaeron refrained from claiming Alterac but they have taken Strahnbrad which was definitely an Alterac town, and that sliver of land along the Silverpine Lake? Its so heavily in the pocket of Creedy, but still pays taxes to Capital City. Then apparently theres several actual Keeps that Creedy and the Syndicate use nearby.

Its vital for their operations in actually reclaiming Alterac territory like Gallow's Corner, and for operations on our neighbors. With spying on Alric. Presumably a key town for whatever is going on in the Hinterlands to get materials for a trading outpost to the gnolls, orcs, etc. we know its Creedy territory. Maybe plantations for growing and refining dream dust then bringing it back to Strahnbrad.

Politically, economically, and militarily it seems to be vital to Syndicate efforts. Anyone that actually tries to take it or usurp Creedy will probably have quite a time of it. In taking it and in holding it.

Then we hopefully rescue Alicia which starts a power struggle for Creedy's position? Syndicate Civil War? If Creedy dies a power vacuum accomplishing much the same. Strahnbrad could be in a Reign of Chaos.

If it fails to defend itself it could get targeted by ogres and kobolds, Blackrock orcs. Stop paying taxes to Capital City and they send investigators or an army.

We wouldn't be in that great of a position to push and take it either even if it did fall to pieces. Retaking Gallows Corner is a no-go until the Edict is out of the way or working in our favor with an Alliance Army. Going through without taking Gallows Corner sounds quite sticky. Going around by the Darrowmere is blocked by the river trolls and their dam.

If it becomes such a big mess they can't ignore it I suppose we could probably get involved one way or another. An RD lead force would go take it back, or if we join maybe settle things down and let us have it?

We have 2-2 tie, I will write in a couple hours, could I have a tiebreaker before that? Also good pondering, Strahnbrad and its status will become more apparent as the adventure continues.

>>6185661

Bill Rover, the gruffy old man, so good with kids that his wife left him and took his sons with him.

One thing this team is definitely not good with are kids!

>>6185672
>Visit the stores and see the town. How is Strahnbrad doing under the Syndicate control? What are the normal folk doing about?
It's harder to get information out of people when you're not giving them money so the more social pair should do this harder job.

>Bill Rover, the gruffy old man, so good with kids that his wife left him and took his sons with him.
His sons respect him so clearly he did something right.

>>6185672
Damn
I forgot about that. Lmao Eligius did not think of this detail

>>6185672
Maybe she has a nanny governess we can bring that tragically dies in front of her.

>>6185667
True, i wouldn't want to lose the opportunity of recruiting them either. I think I am going for also get both and have 50 more soldiers in the end. Which is a nice boost. Even if making more money and supply would be nice. Maybe we will find some nice loot from the gnolls camps, or at least we can sell their steel and iron.

It might be because its not in the mountains proper, or maybe Lordaeron wanted a piece.

Yeah is an hard maybe getting it. Very difficult with the edict and without having
Gallow's Corner first. If we rejoin it depends, we have a lot of enemies would they let us in? Maybe we could use that favor with Garithos for start something like a political group for have Alterac renter the Alliance or have the Edict retired.

Then again a lot of our people dont like the Alliance

Or we could have Garithos give us some good old cash with that favor. There is still the risk of him getting hit sooner or later by Thrall

>>6185738
>Maybe we could use that favor with Garithos for start something like a political group

I would say the Darrowmere League is about as close to that as we can ever manage.

Joint trade and security with any neighbors who join, and protecting that is inherently political. Acting together to send the letters to Capital City about how no one wanted Garithos as Military Governor of Southshore, then it actually worked and that council of merchants took control instead. For that kind of political action, acting against retarded but powerful nobles making moves in OUR region, to be hand in hand with the Darrowmere League is the image we need. Get as many people in as we possibly can.

Our people don't seem to mind trading with our neighbors, who are all alliance, or being allied with Tarren Mill which is owned by Big Alliance nobles the Barovs. Can't get much more Alliance than the most powerful noble family that isn't just Royalty. Or being more deeply allied to Blackmoore, an Alliance military Lord, which I think is fairly well known or assumed to our common citizen at this point with how much we've gone to his aid. Militarily and politically when Alric went to Capital City after Thrall escaped.

Even with these connections I haven't seen any complaints. I'm sure after talking with any of Dawnholme's citizens they realize Alric wants to rebuild Alterac, and that is only possible by playing politics with the Alliance. We can only have a solid place in by banding together with our neighbors, convincing them to join the Darrowmere League which can push for its own interests better than Alric can alone. Like retaking Alterac and having a plan that makes lots of money and security for its members by doing so.

At least thats how I see it. Probably want to ask Blackmoore to join the League even if we know hes going to get hit later. We make use of adding that power to our League so we can convince Hillsbrad to join, and work on Southshore and Strahnbrad if it somehow survives with any kind of political entity leading it. Plus whatever we can ask from Kael, Jandice, and Jaina. Calia too for that matter.

"Let's go see the stores." You said. "You go stock up our own supplies and get whatever else we might need. If we have to bail, I want us to be ready. And keep your ears open."

Bill just nodded and mumbled something behind his beard and the bandana.

"Then Hon, we will go see if we can find anything fancy." Pai said back to you.

She seemed practically enthusiastic about this. You just hoped she wouldn't try anything.

…

>10
>3


And hope is the first step on a road to disappointment.

You and Pai had been walking through the town of Strahnbrad for a while looking and studying everything that was around you. And you had gotten a pretty solid idea of the town.

The houses all looked old, minimal or no repairs. Some were abandoned, some clearly had squatters in them while some were half-collapsed or already being dismantled for parts by labourers. Something definitely was going on in the town based on the amount of workers here. But all in all Strahnbrad was half abandoned, maybe even less than that were living here. In the center of the town there were stores, some locals trying to make a living serving whatever needs the Syndicate had. The more well off clearly were the ones providing military equipment or clothing for the fighters, meanwhile the civilian ones less so.

And through this walk Pai continued to act like your wife. Pulling you to different directions to come check out things, or stopping you to tell something meaningless, yet fitting for her role. You felt like you started to repeat yourself in your mind, but her having this much fun started to annoy you. Especially as she had to keep holding your hand and you really didn't like it at all, it was discomfortable. But there was a silver lining to this husband and wife play, Pai got an opportunity to look around and be on watch. And so did you.

"Edward, you should get a sword. Your dagger is so lacking~" Pai said to you while the two of you stood in front of a weapons store. She leaned closer and pressed herself against you before whispering. "We are being followed."

"I noticed him too, three sets of houses away." You whispered back and gently pushed her off you and replied boringly. "But we don't have coin for that, good swords are expensive."

A man in Syndicate clothing, but no bandana had been following and trailing you for a while. Strahnbrad clearly was under Syndicate control, but not that many did wear any recognisable insignia or the orange bandanas. That way the man actually blended in better than you did with your bandanas covering your faces.

1/2

>>6185793

"I have a plan for what we should do next." Pai said to you and you understood what she meant. "That store, I would like to go to that store."

She pointed at a small clothing store that seemingly sold normal clothes for both men and women. Going in and continuing this act could be a good idea, maybe you could even talk with the store owner? At minimum whoever trailing you shouldn't be able to follow you in, the store wasn't that big.

Or you could actually deal with whoever is following you.


>Go with Pai's plan. Get into the store and use that to avoid your follower. Talk with the owner.
>Continue the walk and see what else you could learn from Strahnbrad. Completely no sell your new follower, he is probably a normal precaution.
>Actually deal with the man following you. You do wear the Robe of Obfuscation on your shoulders, ambushing him would be very easy.
>Other, write in.

QM: Random event was being followed and if you were to spot him.

>>6185794
>>Go with Pai's plan. Get into the store and use that to avoid your follower. Talk with the owner.

>>6185794
>>Go with Pai's plan. Get into the store and use that to avoid your follower. Talk with the owner.

>>6185794
>Go with Pai's plan. Get into the store and use that to avoid your follower. Talk with the owner.
Play it cool

>Especially as she had to keep holding your hand and you really didn't like it at all, it was discomfortable.
Why? Play into it Eligius. Your discomfort is a weakness.

>>6185794
>Go with Pai's plan. Get into the store and use that to avoid your follower. Talk with the owner.

tempted to deal with him, but after the fact what we do with it. could extract some fresh info if nothing else.

>>6185794
>>Go with Pai's plan. Get into the store and use that to avoid your follower. Talk with the owner.

Pai's plan sounds good. Ambushing this guy in the middle of the day would be quite an escalation, and immediately after starting to follow them lol. Just asking for more attention.

How much would a guy tasked with this stuff be likely to know. His orders and immediate superior. Some of his fellows. Some locals who are contacts for stuff. Some other people he was tasked to follow and where they went. General Syndicate info. Perhaps not worth it.

Even if we did ambush him and squeeze him what then. If hes particularly alarmed by our questions or that this happened in the first place he would probably have to die. Or would he rather keep his mouth shut instead of letting his superior know he fucked up. Rather risky.

If we did ambush such a man, I suppose let him think hes lost us. He checks some hidey holes he knows like nearby abandoned homes, which would be about as good as we can get to ambush him. A regular ambush to let Pai overpower him, or Fear to make him pliable. Then either dump the body there stripped of everything, maybe deface it to be less recognizable, or be creative.

As a Warlock he has his powers. Could any of them be used for body disposal? Could Void magic consume an entire body? Corruption as some kind of super fast decay though I imagine that would stink, but perhaps the right amount would make it seem like the body had been there for a long time without being discovered.

What if he drew Fel from the body until all the flesh and blood was gone leaving a desiccated body of skin and bones or would even that turn to dust. He'd have to vent the Fel unless he wants to risk holding onto it for some time.

Leave it there, hope it doesnt get discovered, come back at night to dump it in the sewer hoping it gets partially eaten or bloated beyond recognition.