Session 32: Kneecaps Serve a Form of Justice Report

General Summary

29th Misuthar 836PD   Jakuki releases his grip on Urseco's belt, which de-escalates the situation. The dwarf suggests he takes a seat, to which he drops his weapon and takes a seat with his hands in front of him. He calmly and jokingly asks if the gold is still on offer. As Jakuki and Ongar move to head down the stairs, Urseco warns them that it's a bad idea and alludes to the fact that the "boss" awaits them down there - a far scarier force to be reckoned with than any of them up here. Theia presses him for details and confirms that it's Arinoth that would be found, but otherwise pales at the thought of seeing or facing him. When it's suggested that perhaps he would help in a fight against him for the right amount of gold, he instead requests permission to make himself scarce. He's clearly terrified of Arinoth, but won't elaborate much beyond this.   Deg is secured (poorly) to his chair and interrogated once he awakes, while the other half-dozen remaining occupants of the public house awkwardly sit by or huddle behind the bar. Theia works on binding various wounds as Deg explains his role in their organisation, plus how Arinoth came in and rather violently dispatched the previous "power" in Berleben. As a third party and no direct competition, he meekly accepted a frontman role in this new order and used it to work as a fence and contact. He's likewise clearly terrified of Arinoth and struggles to describe his "true" form with any aplomb, besides being extremely large - nine odd feet tall and widely built - and that he heals from wounds exceptionally quickly.   Roderick pulls him, attached to his chair, and hands him a flagon of ale. He tells him it's his last ever drink and to savour it. This sparks Theia to protest at this imminent summary execution, and Ceonwulf to physically step around and interpose himself between them with his shield. Theia loudly argues that this would not be justice but murder, that Deg should be brought in front of the law to see "proper" justice meted out instead. Roderick scoffs at this, calling it naïve and short-sighted, pointing out how unlikely it would be that the man would ever see any real punishment for his crimes. Upon 2K, Gwen and Ongar adding their voice against his, however, Roderick looks to his nearest comrades and asks for clarity on what they deem justice, as well as assurances that this man would be hauled to local law enforcement. After receiving promises to that effect, he forces his blade through the seated man's knee, crippling him. This shocks the others; Ceonwulf pushes Roderick away from the seated Deg, who screams in pain until he's in a stupor, while Theia makes sure he's not going to bleed out from this new injury. Gwen then rebinds him to the chair, though it's unlikely he is going anywhere in his current state.   The team let the remaining people in the bar go, then head carefully for the stairs. Finding a cramped warren of closed doors below, Gwen scouts ahead until Theia offers to cast a zone of silence to mask their approach. They move from door to door tentatively exploring, until a series of bedrooms are found with various occupants in them. Gwen avoids being spotted by the first room occupied by a reader on their bed, but the second door checked bumps straight into the back of a figure just inside the door.