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Enna For a moment, Enna freezes. Slowly, gingerly, she wipes Dharvek's flecks of bloody spittle and mucus off her chest. Looking down at the beaten thug, her eye is drawn to his ornately carved bow lying beside him. As she inspects the weapon, a low whistle escapes her lips. "This is a nice piece. Not every day you see sylvanwood in the city." She kicks it up into her hands. "You know, it just doesn't feel right sending a piece of my people's heritage off to the evidence locker, to be sealed away forever...but I'll get over it," she grins cruelly. Stooping low, she hisses, "Didn't your mother ever tell you? Say it, don't spray it." Slinging the bow over her shoulder, she strides towards where Anodyne and Jerac are conducting their ritual. Skirting around them carefully, she steps into the blasted shop. She unpacks her inquisitive's kit, hoping to determine more about the bomb from the aftermath of the blast, but mostly aiming for any clues as to the identity of the people who were at the scene--the victims, the bomber, any witnesses who survived and fled. Perception: 1d20+19 20 oh just what the actual gently caress
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Nov 20, 2013 02:14
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Malakhad While dealing with the captain, Malakhad noticed out of the corner of his eye... Perception: 2#1d20+14 34 31 
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Nov 20, 2013 04:54
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Embedded in the rubble of the building, there's a glint of metal, investigating better it's a dismembered warforged forearm.
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Nov 20, 2013 05:20
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Jerac Finishing the arcane ritual with Anodyne Jerac stood up from his position within the ritual's circle with his eyes glowing faintly red. He could see his allies and all the features of the present, but next to them were the ghosts of the past, figures that occupied this spaces hours ago before the explosion changed everything. The inside of the store was still intact and the shopkeeper was interacting with the customers normally until...
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Nov 20, 2013 19:51
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The scene around Anodyne and Jerac slows to a crawl before it stops for a few precious moments. Then time starts flowing backwards, the fight between them and the looters plays backwards like a macabre Pilarnan ballet. The looters rifling through the rubble. Watch officers moonwalking through the crime scene looking for evidence. Bodies being shipped in and unwrapped. Then a great explosion of light and sound engulfs the pair. When their eyes clear again, it's earlier that day, people are milling about performing whatever scandalous deeds would bring them to Firelight, the wall is still in place, and the elves inside are decidedly not dead. Then a warforged walks up and stands next to the building. It's fidgeting a bit in place, fingers twitching occasionally and head tilting from time to time, but it does not move. Individuals occasionally run into it on accident and look at it oddly, since, you know, it's a Warforged standing in the red light district, but it does not move from the spot. Then the man wearing a Cannith signet ring walks by, a human woman on his arm, he sees the warforged and approaches him while his companion hangs back. "Twelve? Twelve is that you? Where have you been? You haven't been at your post in months. The forgemaster said that you ran away?" The Warforged turns to look at him, if he recognizes the human all it's doing is making him more twitchy. He opens his mouth and says something in a language that you don't understand. The conversation continues in this way, the Cannith man attempting to get some kind of response from the Warforged, and him responding in short, curt replies in a language that not even the human seems to understand. Finally, Twelve snaps into action, grabs the man, and screams what seems to be a full sentence. Enna can pick up at least one word in elvish, "Prophecy". Then the Warforged begins to smoke and glow from the inside. The ritual mercifully shows you no more.
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Nov 20, 2013 21:53
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Anodyne "So. Our perp has the ability to make 'Forged go nuts and explode. Swell." Anodyne stands up. "Seems like our best move now would be to get out to the forge where this 'Twelve' worked, and try to trace his movements. Unless one of you was able to understand any of that gibberish he spouted." Even if we don't know the words, would we be able to record their phonetics with any kind of accuracy?
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Nov 20, 2013 22:06
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Jerac Witnessing the explosion, even if it was ethereal, jarred Jerac out of his trance and his eyes returned to normal. He sees that Malakhad is already examining the remains of the Warforged. "Agreed Anodyne, we can begin to track the Warforged back from House Cannith. We best start there to discover what post 'Twelve' had and when he went missing. If we can find where Twelve went to, we might be able to find out what charged him up enough to explode like that." Upon hearing that one of the words was Elvish, the gears of Jerac's mind begin turning again. "Do we think that the other language he was speaking might be another fey language? Odd that since the fey tend to not enjoy the company of the Warforged, finding them to be an affront against nature, no offense Anodyne. Being vaguely primordial I get the same reaction sometimes."
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Nov 20, 2013 22:16
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Enna "I've got a suspect," she announces suddenly. "But you're not gonna like it." She goes over the facts in her head again. Runaway warforged, gone for months, suddenly returns as a suicide bomber, spouting something about a prophecy--perhaps the Prophecy--in what very well might be a number of languages combined. Only place in Khorvaire a warforged can enter in search of a hiding place and leave as a radical is the Mournland. And who would Twelve have met there? "The Lord of Blades," she says flatly. "Seems to me he's managed to establish a cell in the city, probably indirectly. Which would explain the recent bombings, and implies we could be seeing more if we don't root 'em out. It's just a theory at this point, so I wouldn't exactly go running off to the Mournland with an arrest warrant, but we should keep an eye out for anything that suggests or refutes a Blades angle."
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Nov 20, 2013 22:50
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Ghorma "SWATs first job and we are already on the trail of the Lord of Blades, how bout that. Might be leaping a little to fast there private eye." Ghorma snorted and shook his head. After what that ritual showed, no wonder they were called in in such a rush. "What was it the Commander said? Scion was 'partaking' in the local culture down here? Kid must have enjoyed the culture down here a lot. Whoever set the warforged to blow knew that the Scion would be around here at that time. They must have had tails on him for at least a few weeks to follow him and make sure he was coming here regularly enough to use it as an ambush point. Someone in the House might have seen strangers lurking around, worth asking some servants of the Scion since we need to go ask about 'twelve' anyways."
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Nov 20, 2013 23:21
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Anodyne "Personally, my money's on 'sentient tear in the fabric of reality.' Better go back to HQ and requisition some extra irons." "Look, we've got no clues at all for our man's identity or motives, so guessing is pointless. Right now I don't even think Cannith was a specific target. Did you forget about all the other bombings already? Not that I blame you, with the way our illustrious leaders were talking like they didn't even goddamn matter."
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Nov 20, 2013 23:48
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Yeah, Intelligence checks with aid-another to work through the wording as a group, unless you've got some eidetic memory ritual or something. The Aide from the book just rolls his eyes and sighs. "If we had the time and budget to just do that at every single crime scene things would be a lot simpler. You don't have to worry about at least one of your mysteries. Dude who died was one Loreth Kennlen d'Cannith, if you want his father is waiting at the Cannith Tower to talk to you."
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Nov 21, 2013 01:25
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Malakhad "It's troubling that someone was apparently able to get hold of a Warforged that was known to the scion and convert them into a suicide bomber, but we don't have enough evidence yet to lay the blame at anyone's feet. Let's collect the remains of the arm and see if it can provide any clues about exactly what was done to this '12'. And we should examine the other crime scenes to see if exploding Warforged were used there as well. We don't know for certain that the M.O. was the same in each case, especially since only this one seems to have involved a VIP." "Maybe some of us should go meet with d'Cannith while the rest case the other scenes to see if anything important can still be found. Hopefully the other sites haven't become too contaminated yet." Thundarr fucked around with this message at 01:35 on Nov 21, 2013 |
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Nov 21, 2013 01:32
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Anodyne "And Commander Ir'Talan will probably pop an embolism if we keep Cannith waiting. Oh well. He might know something about Twelve, at least. We ought to try and get Twelve's last words down on paper as best we can, though." Skill checks! NOOOOOOOO  Intelligence: 1d20+11 19 e: OH GOD NEVER SPLIT THE PARTY
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Nov 21, 2013 01:40
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Jerac Remaining quiet for a few moments, Jerac listened carefully as his companions traded ideas as to the next course of action. He appreciated the input of others, because he understood that a single point of view could ultimately be flawed. After hearing everything he needed, Jerac came to a decision. "There's a terrorist at large here, and with him hijacking Warforged I fear dividing the party may be too risky at this point. Instead let us proceed to house Cannith with what we know..." Sighing heavily, Jerac felt he needed to express something else. "We'll be dealing with minor lords and ladies. We'll need to be a shade more diplomatic if we ever want to work in the town again." Jerac finished as he began to exit the scene the crime, hoping his comrades would follow him to house Cannith. I hope you don't mind if I take up a slight leadership role here. I've played/run a lot of PBP games, and things tend to slow down because neither the players nor the GM know who's waiting on who.
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Nov 21, 2013 15:57
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Finding Cannith tower is not hard. There is only one giant Glowing-Iron-Minotaur-Tower-with-Jacob's ladders-on-the-outside in Sharn, and Cannith like it that way. Cannith South is very much the mercantile branch of Cannith and they're very big on branding. The guard halts you at the entrance, even when you flash your badge he refuses to let you in, the House holdings are sovereign territory as much as any embassy is, but once he hears your business he lets you through, directing you to a large room on the first floor. Room after room of applied artifice surround you, either magewrights and artificers working on magic items, or displayed finished products ready for sale. Deep below you occasionally hear the woosh of the large bellows that are running the massive forges that produce the metal needed for raw materials. Eventually they find the room they're looking for, a high vaulted meeting room with a single elderly man sitting at a bench near the table, running a cannith signet ring through his fingers. He barely acknowledges you as you approach, "I can hear you there in the shadows, are you the ones who wish to bring peace to my boy?"
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Nov 21, 2013 17:39
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Jerac Bowing his head slightly in respect of the elder's position in House Cannith and in empathy for his loss, Jerac address the man softly. "Sir, my name is Jerac and I'm here on behalf of the Sharn Watch. I'd like to apologize for the loss of your son. We will do our best to discover what happened to him..." Jerac paused to weigh his next words carefully. "It is to our understanding that you use Warforged units as part of your patrols, which is natural for House Cannith. Have you been experiencing any issues with your Warforged patrol units disappearing?"
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Nov 21, 2013 18:21
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He peers at the Genasi, confusion on his face. "We've had a few desert....well, we've had a few that have quit without notice over the years. They aren't our property anymore so that's their right, but nothing I would call an Issue. What does this have to do with my son?"
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Nov 21, 2013 18:36
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Jerac Ignoring the man's question for a moment, for fear it would derail the conversation, Jerac attempted to dig a little deeper with his inquiry. "We're looking for a specific Warforged unit that goes by the name 'Twelve'. Does that one sound familiar to you sir and if so do you have any idea where that unit went?"
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Nov 21, 2013 20:07
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The confusion on the mans face turns to incredulity. "Twelve? He was our family's personal Warforged before the treaty of Thronehold set him free. I think he works in one of the Cannith holdings down in the Cogs. But Loreth adored him and I think that Twelve reciprocated in at least some part! Do you think he might have some idea who did this? How did you even know about him?"
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Nov 21, 2013 20:18
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Ghorma "According to our information Twelve ran away from his job months ago. Your son met him down in the Cogs yesterday. It seems that Twelve was either carrying the bomb that went off, or he had been rigged to blow by someone." The reaction to this news was not bound to be pretty. The Scions name though, Loreth it seemed. Ghorma had spent most of his time down in The Cogs, perhaps he had heard the name before, or at least people talking about him. Streetwise: 1d20+16 22 To see if I know anything about Loreth and his hanging about in The Cogs. E:vvvv Whoooops, Boy did I misread that. Ovo fucked around with this message at 21:33 on Nov 21, 2013 |
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Nov 21, 2013 20:45
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Firelight isn't in the cogs, it's in Lower Menthis. The cogs are the caves underneath the Towers proper and the Depths where the industrial work is done. As far as Loreth, if he was down in the Cogs on a regular basis, he didn't make any waves, but the Cannith forges down there did employ Warforged Guards, because of their location in the Cogs, and the fact that Warforged could work rotating shifts without much problem. Ghorma's blunt reponse seems to have touched a nerve, he stands up rapidly knocking the bench he was sitting on backwards with a loud clatter. If that didn't get the guards attention his screaming surely will. "What!? That's absurd! Twelve was like family! And he wouldn't just run off from his job, that is not like him at all!"
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Nov 21, 2013 21:16
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Jerac The swordmage winced at Ghorma's directness, hoping to skirt the subject a little more in order to get some answers from the house elder. "Sir, please calm down. We're simply looking into Twelve's disappearance as we believe it may be related to your sons death. The more we can learn on what happened to Twelve, the closer we will get to finding you the answers you deserve." Jerac throws a glance back to the doors hoping the guards don't barge in and disturb their conversation. "Now sir, is there someone in the Cogs that you know of that had direct interaction with Twelve in his new position, someone we can talk to?"
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Nov 21, 2013 21:46
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Anodyne "It's what our scrying has shown, I'm afraid. Twelve was very clearly...not himself, at the time of the incident. Current indications are that some months ago he left his post, or possibly was taken, and...twisted, somehow, into the thing that took Loreth's life." "You mentioned that Twelve was once a family servant. Did he have quarters in this building? Personal effects? If I may, I'd like to examine them while we're here." While he spoke, Anodyne privately pondered how a 'Forged could be turned into a living bomb. It hadn't looked like Twelve was carrying any explosives. A catastrophic breach of the motive core could throw up sparks or current, but...perhaps a coating of some kind of combustible oil, lit off by Khyber evocation conduit? If anyone in Sharn would know, it'd be the Canniths, but Anodyne suspected that pressing a bereaved father for insights into the method of his son's murder would be somewhat less than tactful. Arcana: 1d20+16 36 And naturally I crit when I'm not even sure the skill is relevant. Hwurmp fucked around with this message at 22:24 on Nov 21, 2013 |
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Nov 21, 2013 22:20
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He continues glaring but turns to face Jerac. "I haven't talked to him since he left. You want to find out something about Twelve, you go and ask his boss," he turns to face Ghorma, "So then, do you have any questions about my Son? Or are you leaving."
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Nov 21, 2013 22:38
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Jerac Seeing the conversation had already turned bad, Jerac decided to go for broke. "Sir, yes, I have a few questions regarding your son. Do you know if anyone has a motive to harm kill him and do you know why your son was in the Firelight district?"
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Nov 21, 2013 23:02
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Malakhad Malakhad attempted to steer the conversation back to the victim. "Did your son have any enemies or rivals who might have hated enough to stoop to assassination? If not, have there been any recent threats against members of House Cannith that seemed out of the ordinary?" Beaten, but it takes me a while to type up a response by phone so I didn't see Korlac's reply. Thundarr fucked around with this message at 23:15 on Nov 21, 2013 |
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Nov 21, 2013 23:11
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His face twitches at Korlac's question. "Why do you think he was in Firelight? I may not approve of it but he's unfortunately old enough that my opinion doesn't matter anymore. And no! Even if he screwed up he's still a member of house Cannith, that's supposed to protect us. We're not worth killing. Do I look like the baron? I don't even make enough money to... to..." It's around this time that the guards arrive, "What's going on here? We heard yelling." His father wipes his eyes dry, "I think you should go down to the Cogs if you have any more questions, we're done here."
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Nov 21, 2013 23:41
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Jerac The arcane defender studied the old man closely through his emotional outburst, hoping to discern whether the father was holding back any information... Insight: 1d20+8 23
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Nov 21, 2013 23:47
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His belief that this is all a mistake or a random accident seems genuine. He has no idea why anyone would want his son dead.
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Nov 21, 2013 23:53
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Jerac Looking at the guards with a grimace Jerac decided not to push his luck anymore. While he didn't like being dismissed so haphazardly, the Swordmage knew now wasn't the time to push his luck with House Cannith. "Thank you for your time, we'll be in touch." Jerac said before he turned around and marched out of the room, not giving the guards a chance to escort him out.
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Nov 22, 2013 01:04
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Ghorma "You have my sympathy as well sir. We shall find this bomber." Turning from the old man Ghorma follows Jerac out of the room. It had been rather tactless of him to bring up the bomb like that. Best to play nice as he leaves in case the old man complains to Cazal.
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Nov 22, 2013 01:25
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 The Cogs are not a pleasant place for anyone to work, let alone live. Ventilation is substandard and the spells that generate breathable air sometimes have trouble keeping up. Workers covered in soot and sweat mill past you as you push through them, and occasionally Enna has to stop a sloppy pickpocket from making off with one of your purses. The Two Warforged guards flanking the area of the Cogs set aside for Cannith work hold out their arms to halt your progress with a single curt phrase. "Cannith only."
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Nov 22, 2013 04:14
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Jerac Giving the Warforged a stern look Jerac pulled out his identification papers, hoping the guard units wouldn't slow them down too much. "We're here on Sharn Watch business investigating the death of Loreth. We need to talk to your boss...now." Jerac demanded with an air of authority, allowing his latent lightning to spark around his body for a simple show of power.
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Nov 22, 2013 04:23
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One of the guards snatches his papers and looks them over, then snorts. Which is somewhat impressive considering he doesn't actually have nostrils. Or lungs. "Not without the proper papers. He's on Cannith soil. What do you need to talk to the boss about anyway?"
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Nov 22, 2013 04:37
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Malakhad "We are here at the behest of Lord Cannith to investigate the death of his son. We believe that a former employee of your boss is involved. If you have any love for House Cannith and wish to see justice done, show us to your boss so we can go about our business." Diplomacy: 1d20+10 14 Don't think that's going to work. Who wants to try the stick? 
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Nov 22, 2013 08:17
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Anodyne Sometimes, Anodyne envied the organics' ability to roll their eyes, or sigh. Or fart, but that was both irrelevant to the task at hand, and a secret he would take to his grave. He turned to the others outside the Cannith tower. "So. How do we think that all went? Waste of time, or big waste of time?" I'll use an Augment Energy on Enna's Sacrificial Short Sword before we head down into the Cogs. After you roll an attack with the sword, you can use a free action to add +4 to the attack roll. It's good once, and otherwise lasts until our next extended rest.
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Nov 22, 2013 12:55
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It's well within your passive perception (they aren't really trying to hide it). But they don't trust you, the Watch rarely comes down to the Cogs and five well armed watchmen at once is sketchy at best. They don't want to let you in because they're afraid of losing their jobs or worse. They're also somewhat aware of Ghorma and the fact that he used to run some of the gangs down here, and are making no effort to not glare at him. Do remember though that Twelve was supposed to be a guardsman at this forge.
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Nov 22, 2013 16:40
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Jerac Eying the situation carefully, Jerac steps hoping to resolving the conflict before there is any. "Perhaps we don't need to talk to your foreman, you might have the relevant information we're looking for. Do you know a Warforged unit by the name of 'Twelve?'"
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Nov 22, 2013 16:45
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One of the Guards interrupts his rousing game of Glare at the Dragonborn to look at Jerac. "Yes, I know of him,used to have this watch, stopped showing up a while ago. Boss doesn't know what happened to him."
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Nov 22, 2013 16:50
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Jerac Getting annoyed at the run around, Jerac attempted to be more direct. "If the boss doesn't know then who does? I need to talk to the last person to see Twelve who might know where he went or who he was with." Jerac demanded.
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Nov 22, 2013 16:58
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