Nights of Steel and Fire (D&D)

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Could it be possible that we are meant to think this was an attack by nightmasks, in order to either draw us away from the real threat, or put pressure on the nightmasks to make competing with them easier?" Astinius said, in a tone which made it more a statement than a question

[Cynical Cat]

"You would know better than I," Dulchas responded. "Just that a full out attack so near to the Abbey is a lot more risk than they seem to like. They seem to prefer a stacked deck, from what I can tell. Can't blaime them for the latter."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Hmm... we will have to be very observant. You are right, this move is far too aggressive and brazen for them... and they were, poison aside, woefully under-equipped for dealing with us."

[Cynical Cat]

"Really?" said Dulchas. "There's blood all over your clothes and everyone was torn up pretty good. They seemed to have chosen the right tools for the job, just not managed to complete it."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Perhaps I am reading to far into things, I am prone to it, and to a bit of arrogance, but that is part and parcel of being an archmage" the wizard said half-jokingly, knowing his own weaknesses yet them being weaknesses despite it.

"But I cant help but note that aside from poisoned daggers, they fell.. almost too easily. Had I not been cautious and dimension-doored out of harms way and then immobilized them, I could have felled them all with one spell...Normally, people who try to assassinate us our better protected than that. Perhaps they were relying on taking us out with poison and their initial well-placed knife strikes, but against a Paladin who's god protects him from such things? To say nothing of Makamar and myself, AND a dragon to boot. They were either very arrogant, moreso than your average archmage, or we were being tested. As if, unlike the nightmasks, they do not know what our abilities are, and simply are very good at finding us. But of course, I could be letting my imagination run wild again. It happens."

[Cynical Cat]

Dulchas shrugged. "An arch-mage can fell many opponents with one spell. He can also be felled with a single knife thrust. All of you were wounded by enemies who used a poison potent enough to affect a dragon. They were good enough at stealth and disguise to close and knife you. "

[Comrade Tortoise]

Dulchas shrugged. "An arch-mage can fell many opponents with one spell. He can also be felled with a single knife thrust. All of you were wounded by enemies who used a poison potent enough to affect a dragon. They were good enough at stealth and disguise to close and knife you. "

"This is true. WHich is why we ought be... prudent. And carefully observe our surroundings. If these arent the usual nightmasks, it could work to our advantage or disadvantage, depending on how we play it. If they are nightmasks... "

[Cynical Cat]

"If I were you," said Dulchas, "I would check their possessions and compare them against what you would expect a Nightmask to have."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Indeed. Which is why I grabbed what I could before we left he said, producing the daggers, poisoned and enchanted, as well as their purses and small iron keys

"They also had light mail shirts"

[Cynical Cat]

Dulchas nodded. "Good gear if you're dressing like ordinary folk. Get close and knife them. Cloth strips muffle the mail. Easy to close in a city."

[Rogue 9]

"Yes, it is," said Gaheris. "But that's very good kit for your run of the mill Night Mask street operative. I wish we'd managed to get one alive, but that kind of went out the window," he said with a glance towards Astinius.

[Cynical Cat]

"Did they fight like run of the mill Nightmask operatives?" asked Dulchas.

[Rogue 9]

"More or less, but it's how skulkers and assassins anywhere in Faerun fight," he replied. "They surrounded us on the street pretending to be normal people going about their business, and then struck without warning. It's how the Night Masks do it, how the Shadow Thieves do it, how the Harpers do it, hells, it's how I do it given the opportunity," he continued, watching for a reaction to the last part.

[Cynical Cat]

"That's not what I meant," said Dulchas. "That there gear and tactics were suited for street fighting is something we have already agreed upon. How well did they fight?"

[Rogue 9]

"Far better than the average Night Mask recruit," Gaheris allowed. "Could have been an assassin cell, or maybe there really is something else going on. Without anyone to ask questions of, though, we can't know. Unless, of course, we can acquire one of the bodies for a priest to pry the information out of, but we had enough to carry and I'd be surprised if someone hasn't cleaned up or at least picked over the scene by now. Unless the Watch was bribed to stay far away, a patrol will probably have come along."

[Cynical Cat]

"Perhaps, but if the scene was close and your assault recent, it would be difficult to move a large number of bodies quickly. And there are other ways to find clues."

[Rogue 9]

Gaheris shrugged. "We could go back. It's only been a few minutes."

[Cynical Cat]

"Then I suggest we do. And that their personal effects be closely examined."

[Rogue 9]

"Right, then." Gaheris turned about and moved towards the gate. He paused as he passed the guards. "Has Brother Tanthius returned yet? I know it wasn't that long ago that he left, but I thought I'd ask."

[Cynical Cat]

"Not yet sir," the gate guard replied.

[Rogue 9]

"Very well. We will be back shortly." Gaheris left the gate and tried to stick to the shadows as he moved towards the scene of the battle.

[Cynical Cat]

Dulchas did not attempt stealth, walking in the middle of the street. A cluster of watchmen were attending the bodies. "Hail," cried Dulchas.

"This is Watch business," one replied, a scared man somewhere in his mid thirties.

"These men attacked members of our church," said Dulchas. "We're quite intrested in solving the murders and not inexperienced in investigation. May we examine the bodies?"

"Go ahead," the scarrd man said. "Though they've already been picked clean."

[Rogue 9]

Gaheris walked up to the body of the man who had attacked him, his arm nearly severed from the paladin's final strike. "They had skill, I'll give them that," he said, tracing a finger over the half-closed cut on his forearm. He then began to methodically search through the man's clothing, looking for anything that might give a clue as to his identity.

[8+12=20 on Search.]

[Cynical Cat]

The most notable characteristic was the absence of identifying characteristic marks. No tattoos, no good luck charms, no talismans or holy symbols. Even scars were minor and hard to notice, diminished by age, magic, or both. Only the quality of their weapons and armour stood out.

[Rogue 9]

"Nothing. These people valued their secrets," said Gaheris as he finished his fruitless search. "I suppose we'll have to see if the power of Tyr can make dead men tell their tales after all." He stood and turned to the sergeant leading the Watch patrol. "Sir, we need to see if our priests' magic can tell us what searching them cannot. I require possession of at least one of the bodies."