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It was not long before Kerr and Liseth made their appearance at the Rusty Dragon, and the reunited group was able to let some of the cares afflicting them slough away in the presence of good company, good food, and good drink.  In the midst of the meal, none other than Ser Jasper Korvaski appeared, informing the party that he had booked passage for them aboard the trading ship Sunfish, currently berthed at Sandpoint Harbor and scheduled to sail for Magnimar with the morning tide.

Kerr, for his part, was relieved to hear that they would be traveling by ship to the south, rather than trekking down the notoriously bandit-infested Lost Coast Road.

That evening, Kellan wrote a heartfelt letter to Shayliss, telling her of their plans, that he missed her, and that he looked forward to seeing the redhead upon his return.  Kerr returned to the Sandpoint Cathedral to inform Ser Klerris of their impending journey.   The paladin encouraged him to visit the Temple of Iomedae in the Naos district, and gave his young charge a sealed letter to deliver to Chaplain Tira Ronnova, the prelate.  Ser Klerris cautioned Kerr to remain true to himself, for temptations and distractions abounded in Magnimar.

Brodert Quink made an appearance later that evening outside Cato’s room, the old sage clutching a bundle of papers, journals, and scrolls to his chest.  He requested that Cato deliver the gathered materials to Heidmarch Manor.  Lord and Lady Heidmarch, Brodert informed his erstwhile assistant, were both notable members of the Pathfinder Society and two of his few patrons when he had worked at the Founder’s Archive in Magnimar.  He believed that the Heidmarches would be able to help him with the publishing of his findings from the catacombs below Sandpoint and ensure that the acclaim for them are not stolen by other ambitious academics in the city.

Brodert also encouraged Cato to visit the Lady of Blessed Waters, a monument in Seerspring Park, and to see the Aquaretum nearby.  He went on to praise the plain, homespun Dead Eye Lodge immediately adjacent to the park.

Pisca was eventually left chatting with Ameiko, only to be surprised by the appearance of a blushing Vesnutt Parooh, who nervously inquired about her impending departure.  The mapmaker revealed that he wished to present a “parting gift” to Pisca in the hopes of encouraging her return.  This gift turned out to be a rather artistic map of Varisia, depicting many of the legendary beasts reputed to lair in the wilds of the land. Though the map was not particularly detailed, it did show all of the major Varisian caravan routes, including distances. The gnome shyly confessed that this way Pisca “will always be able to find her way back to Sandpoint.”

Early the next morning, the group made their way to Sandpoint Harbor, boarding the waiting Sunfish, which they found to be captained by Sir Appeldine Gentry, a formal but friendly former Andoran naval officer. The overnight voyage was uneventful, if pleasant.  A school of dolphins escorted the ship a short way down the coast before the noonday sun became too searing.  That night, the shipmates watched a towering thunderstorm as it made its way across the outer gulf.  From such a great distance, the intense lighting and thunder were inspiring rather than intimidating, but not a few prayers of thanks were uttered for their current clear sailing.

The ship sailed into Magnimar in early afternoon the next day, easing past the towering columns of the Irespan, and navigating slowly past the red barges marking tumbled stones from the ancient bridge resting in the shallow port.  Cato explained that the stones from the Irespan were valued in the construction of golems, but that early excavation on the bridge itself released evil, man-sized spiders from chambers hidden within the span, putting an immediate end to the practice.

Now aspiring golem-makers used only already-fallen stones.

Then the Sunfish docked, and the Saviors disembarked in the city of Magnimar.  The first thing they saw were the masses of people teeming over the ships and along the piers.  Countless wagons crossed the road, taking goods and even livestock to and from the ships.  The clamor of the place was so loud it was difficult to differentiate one noise from another, and the yelling of sailors and longshoreman struggling to make themselves heard only added to the din.  Ship’s bells clanged loudly to signal their crews or stevedores, and armored members of what looked to be the City Guard strolled down the main dockside avenue in watchful pairs.  Urchins stood watchfully or darted through the streets, intent on missions of their own.

The dock was absolutely bustling.  The place was so alive; there was always something different going on and there was always something different to draw one’s attention away from looking at the thing that you were currently looking at, and then another thing, and then another, world of fantastical sights without end.

And somewhere out there, beyond the milling dock folk or even among them, waited the Brotherhood.

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This message was last edited by the GM at 16:34, Tue 22 Aug 2017.

Cato stared at the crowds of people as the Sunfish pulled into the dock.  It had been a long, long time since he had been in this city, and even though he had come to think of Sandpoint as home, both despite of and because of all he had faced while he was there, he still missed the bustling city life.  The steady drum of commerce, the thrum of excitement, of art, culture, and learning.  Which reminded Cato of the things he had been unable to do in Sandpoint.  He looked to the others.

"Well, we're here in Magnimar.  There are some minor preparations to accomplish and some items we would all like to track down.  I suppose we should do that before we move on to investigating the Foxglove townhouse?"

"I have a letter of introduction," explained the gnome without explaining much of anything at all.  This she said from behind the legs of Lysa's boyfriend as she peered around him, back in the direction of the ship.  Her sharp violet eyes scanned the wharf, but saw no signs.  No dorsal fins cut the timber planks.  No hungry maw of jagged teeth made its way through the seething forest of legs with lashes of its powerful tail.

"I think we're safe," Pisca sighed with obvious relief.  "We made it all this way without encountering any gnome-eating sharks."  She straightened from her wary crouch and took one last look about herself for good measure.  "I was worried."

"I have a letter of introduction," she repeated.  "To a halfling.  One Arwick Tosscobble."  A smile broke out on her face and she seemed very largely her old self again, the voyage through gnome-eating shark infested waters now in the mists of the forgotten past.  "He can get us things.  Or so I'm told."

Kellan stepped off the boarding plank of the Sunfish with a look of mild shock upon his bucolic features. He had never really been outside of Sandpoint, and that much was clear as he seemed to struggle to take in the sheer size and chaos of the big city, stepping onto the docks cautiously and just seeming to take it all in.

Not only did he seem out of place, he looked it, his corn fed musculature, healthy glow and earnest smile all standing at odds with the vast majority of hustling city dwellers.

Seeming a little self-conscious in his Sandpoint tabbard, he nodded in agreement with Cato.  "Yeah...I should probably buy some things too. I wonder how much they charge here?" He voiced allowed as he fell into step, looking for signs and heading towards anything resembling a marketplace.

---

---

Kerr through his travel pack over one shoulder and put his other arm around Liseth.  “Well, we have a lot to do.  Should we set up somewhere first?  Find a base of operations?”  He ran his fingers through his hair, then grinned.  “But isn’t this great?”  He waved his arm around the docks, then pointed at one of the larger buildings in the distance.  “Incredible that people can build things like this.  It’s so . . . big!”

The sea of people surged around the group as they stood on the dock, taking in the sights and discussing what to do.  With their baggage and indecision, they certainly looked the part of visitors.  Suddenly Kellan felt a tug on his tunic.

“Mister?”  The guardsman looked down to see a young boy, maybe 11, staring up at him.  The kid looked every inch the urchin, with mismatched, torn clothing in various shades of brown and a face that probably hadn’t been clean in months.

“Hey mister!”  The boy smiled, putting his hands on his hips.  His voice somehow seemed to pierce the surrounding din, although he wasn’t yelling.  “Do ya and yar friends needa guide?  I ken all o’ Mag, can keep ya from th’ bad parts and show ya the good ‘uns.”  He saw Kerr’s hesitance.  “And I’m no wit’ no thievin’ crew neither.  I’m Mac,” he jerked his thumbs toward himself.  “That’s me!”  His grin was infectious.  “And erryone kens Mac won’t steer ya wrong.  I can show ya the good inns what won’t cheat ya, an’ take ya ta th’ upright traders.”

He held out his hand.  “Whaddya think?  Five silvers a day!”

---

---

While Sandpoint was not big enough to have problems like homeless children, Kellan had always heard stories. It was one thing to hear that these kinds of things happened, but another to see it in person.

He raised an eyebrow in a playful kind of way. "Well that depends Mac, how do we know that you're not just going to run off with our coin mm?" He asked in turn. "Suppose we ask one of the guards around here at the docks? What'd you think they'd say?"

Hoping for a sense motive attempt

---

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"Scoot wit' yar silver?"  Mac looked outraged.  "Ain't ne'er done nothin' like that, an' ne'er will!  Ask th' shinies if ya want."  He puffed out his chest.  "They'll tell ya Mac's th' top guide in Mag, true factual.  I got a upright rep; erryone kens it.  Na gonna trash it fer a few coin."  He pointed down the street where a pair of Magnimar Guard watched a group of dockhands secure a large cargo ship.  "Go ask 'em."

OOC:  Kellan, you don't sense that he's lying to you.

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This message was last edited by the player at 22:00, Mon 28 Aug 2017.

"Just checking, just checking" Kellan replied with a chuckle as he got a measure of the boy. "Do you know a...what was it again Pisca? an Arsenick...Toss...cobble?" he looked back to the wee entrepreneur "We were told to meet her apparently...a halfling we're told"

"Arwick ... "  The gnome corrected through strains of distraction.  She seemed very interested in their would-be guide, eying him with great scrutiny.  "Tosscobble ... " she continued.  "And I'm pretty sure he's a he," she also added, indicating that she must have been paying at least some attention to what Kellan was saying.

"You ... are a human," Pisca then said, dragging the encounter along a different tangent.  She pushed her examination further then, walking a circle about the creature to get the benefit of all angles.  "How did you manage to stay Right-sized?"

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“Do I ken Arwick?”  Mac looked back and forth between the adults to see if they might be putting him on.  “Course I do.  He’s shopped up at th’ Bazaar.”  The urchin peered up at Kellan.  “An’ yeah, he’s a halfie.”

Mac suddenly noticed Pisca prowling around him as if he were some sort of very curious zoo exhibit.  The gnome seemed to put him slightly off his game, and after a couple of seconds of awkward silence—well, as silent as things got given the din at the docks—the young man apparently decided to just ignore her.

“Ya reck me ta take ya to Arwick direct?”  Mac focused his attention on Kellan.  “Or ya fave an inn for the startin’, then th’ Bazaar?  Can set ya up bothways.”  He held out his hand again, grinning.  “Just five silvers.”

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This message was last edited by the player at 17:56, Tue 29 Aug 2017.

Cato watched the interaction between the orphan, Kellan and Pisca with amusement.  The wizard had forgotten what dire poverty looked like.  In some ways, Sandpoint really was an idyllic rural paradise...minus the goblins, zombies, and ageless evil outsiders conspiring to kill the place.  Here in Magnimar, the crushing despair of human poverty could be on full display...and easy to adapt or ignore.

Despite knowing the city relatively well, Cato decided their hiring of a guide could help provide a flimsy excuse for cover.  Perhaps the Hellknights wouldn't think of him needing the help of a guide like this.

"Yes, a decent inn, then the Bazaar.  I'd also like to see Heidmarch Manor, if you please."

"You know ... "  Pisca dropped her question, seeming to forget it entirely.  With a step and a step and a step she executed a tight but lazy circle, taking in a three hundred and sixty degree view of the docks around them.  " ... we don't have boats in Kaer Maga, but this reminds me of the place where the Storval Stairs reaches the top of the Rise," said the gnome in a musing to herself sort of voice.  "Lots of people.  Showing up in the city after a long voyage.  Some new to Kaer Maga."

"How about two silver," she then countered, very much out of the blue.  Her tight lazy circle happened then to finish its arc, bringing her around to face the miniature human.  "Two now with four more coming at the end if we're satisfied with your work."  The gnome's strawberry blonde head took a cant to one side that said, 'Hmm?  What do you think of that?'  And she added, "A total of six not five."

BTW, in the tight lazy circle, Pisca is looking for signs of other people plying a trade similar to Mac's.

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"Heidmarch Manor?"  Mac seemed impressed.  "Ya got crusty chums in Mag at the hop!  Whaddya need me for?"  He looked around.  "No carriage?"  The side of his mouth quirked up as he looked at Cato.  "Yeah, I can get ya there.  But shinies don't like poor folk dirtin' up the Alabaster, so I'll need some vouchin'.  Ya do that, then sure."

Mac's eyes narrowed as Pisca proposed her alternative method of payment.  "I been rooked before, halfie.  But ya pay me three now an' four later, we can do that.  Tha' divvies up th' chances; ya risk three, me two."

He switched his gaze back to Cato.  "I ken a good inn in th' Lowcleft.  Simple Lord runs it, so ya won't get rooked.  He's upright folk.  Not too crusty, but no dump neither.  Just th' kinda place," he ran his eyes over the group, "yar kinda folk might reck."

OOC:  The docks are very crowded and you are very short, so you don't have a great view.  You can't see anyone doing precisely what Mac is doing but your line of sight is effectively 10 feet with all the people going by.  You have seen a couple of urchin-looking kids dodging through the crowds but you don't know what they're up to.

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This message was last edited by the player at 19:35, Fri 01 Sept 2017.

A frown creased the normally peach smooth skin between Pisca's brows.  It dimpled her cheeks at the corners of her mouth with clear disapproval.  She raised a finger as though to exclaim, but instead, she shook her head and began pacing back and forth taking two or three steps before wheeling back around - the outward manifestation of an inner debate.

Finally, she stopped and shook her head, the Naysayers within her head having won out at last.  "You, my Correctly-Sized human, should learn the difference between a halfling and a gnome," is all she said.  The she turned and headed off into the forest of scissoring legs, striking out on her own, and, more than likely, going in the most completely wrong direction.

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“Same thing, far as I ken,” Mac shrugged as Kerr counted out three silver pieces and handed them over to the party's new guide.   The urchin quickly secured the coins somewhere on his person, then frowned as Pisca started forging off through the crowd.  “Na that way.  This 'un!”  He motioned for the group to follow him.

“Bazaar o’ Sails's in Dockway, but ya don’t want ta head there with all yar stuff.”  Mac commented as he dodged around a rough-looking sailor.  The docks continued to bustle with activity as ships bearing travelers and cargo vied for dock space; the calls of fishing eagles flying overhead only added to the din.

The young urchin led them down the dockfront street past several salt-blasted storefronts, then turned right onto a large avenue.  Both streets were cobblestoned, and it seemed as if the City Watch kept a close eye on things; the group saw pairs of guards patrolling or simply observing at regular intervals.  One guard waved at Mac; Mac waved back.

After walking for ten minutes or so things changed; the businesses the group walked past changed from mercantile, import, or other trade-related establishments into small playhouses, pubs, higher-class brothels, hookah bars, dance halls, and a variety of other entertainment venues.  But this new district seemed surprisingly empty for all that.  Very few other people strolled the streets; the difference between this area and the docks could hardly have been more stark.  Thick-looking curtains hung over most windows they passed.

“Th' Rubble’s where folk come ta have fun,” Mac informed them as he waved a small arm at a particularly nice-looking brothel.  “Even crusty folk go divin' down here."  He grinned.  "Rubblers sleep during th' day, work't night.  So if yar lookin’ ta avoid attention,” he shot Pisca a glance, “goin’ and comin’ at night’s th' best.”

With that, he stopped and looked up at a sign hanging from a stone building on the left.  The sign pictured a longsword before an anvil, with dark red lettering helpfully proclaiming “The Sword and Anvil.”

“Sword n’ Anvil’s yar best bet here'n Lowcleft,” Mac informed them.  “Gustav pays th' Gallowed, so yar won’t havta worry 'bout anyone rookin’ your stuff.  No 'un crosses th' Gallowed.  Nice place, too.”

The door opened into a public room that reminded the party of The Rusty Dragon back in Sandpoint, with walls, tables, and chairs all made of polished wood.  Various well-cared-for weapons hung from the walls; it seemed to be the inn’s primary decorating motif.  Any one of them looked as if they might be taken off the wall and used at a moment's notice.

The group seemed to be the inn’s only customers.  A lean man, dressed in a pristine white shirt and black pants, worked behind the bar.  Another much-larger man sat at one of the tables, pouring over some documents.  He looked up as the party entered, then smiled.  “Mac!  Good t’ see you, boy.  Who have you brought me today?”

“Travelers, Gustav.  They’ve Mag business and I told ‘em yar inn was th' best.  No thievin’.”

The large man laughed.  “He tells the truth, my friends.  And I pay a pretty penny for that privilege.  So, what will it be?  Meals?  Rooms?  Or both?”

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This message was last edited by the player at 07:21, Tue 05 Sept 2017.

"Well met Gustav, we'll have both if you please...we've come some way" Kellan offered the man a gloved hand to shake and looked around at the interior of the establishment. The young man just looked plain...different from most of the city dwellers they had passed. More robust, healthier, better teeth...even his skin and hair seemed to glow in comparison. But it also gave him something of a naive look, doe eyed and bucolic...a farm boy wide eyed at the big city.

"Never seen a place like this, kind of a half-boarding house, half armory...it's interesting" he smiled and looked at a few of the most impressive pieces.

Pisca drifted lonely as a cloud, on feet that took her 'cross the floor.  Twixt marshal halls and arms braced walls, on which she'd grace with floral scrawls.

"Daffodils," the gnome muttered quietly to herself, and she then nodded.  "Definitely daffodils."

Pisca looked up and away from the interior decorations of her mind to fix the large table-bound proprietor of the Sword n' Anvil with her large enquiring violet eyes.  "You used to be a blacksmith?" she said, and though her statement was indeed a question, it endeavored greatly to present itself as a statement despite being a question.

Cato felt himself drawing into a shell as they journeyed to the inn.  After so long spent away from the bigger cities of Varisia, the mage felt like the Hellknights would come pounding after him as soon as he set foot in town.  The fact that it hadn't happened yet only seemed to confirm to the wizard that the threat was imminent.  So, after his request to the orphan-guide, Cato had stayed silent, eyeing every alleyway and doorway they passed for evidence of his imagined pursuers.  In the relative safety of the inn, Cato relaxed a little, finally standing up straighter and managing to smile.

He nodded in affirmation of Kellan's request.  "Yes, rooms and food.  We could use both."

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“Some way, eh?”  Gustav roused his considerable bulk from where he had been sitting and walked over to shake Kellan’s hand.  Or perhaps crushed his hand was a better way to put it.  Man had a grip.   “So, where are you all from?  You sound Varisian,” the big man rubbed his chin thoughtfully, “but not Korvosan.”  He eyed Kellan.  “Somewhere along the coast, then?”

The innkeeper was of a size with Kellan, if broader in the shoulder and in the belly.  He had the look of a man who had once been in very good shape and was only now—with sedentary work and good food—running to fat.

“You like it?”  The innkeeper looked up fondly at some of the weapons.  “They’re min . . . yes, I’m a blacksmith.  Or used to be.”  He gave a hearty laugh as Pisca ventured her observation.  “Is it that obvious?  But yes, these are all my work.  They make excellent décor, if I do say so myself.”  He winked at the gnome.  “Keeps the brawls to a minimum.

“But rooms and food it is.  How many do you need?”

“Two, I think,” Kerr replied, glancing at his companions for confirmation.  “That is, if you can fit the three of us,” he indicated himself, Kellan, and Cato, “in one.”

Gustav nodded.  “That I can.”  He looked the party over.  “For the two rooms I have in mind, it will be five gold a night,” Kerr blanched slightly, “for the group of you.  Another two if you take meals here, but you can decide that on a day-by-day basis.”  He raised his eyebrows.  “15 silver to eat today, since you’ve already missed breakfast.  Agreed?”

Kerr looked around for objections, then nodded mutely, stunned at the cost of living in Magnimar.  The group had gold and gems in their packs for purchases in Magnimar, but at this rate their lodging would put a not-insignificant dent in those funds.  He counted out six gold pieces and five silver pieces and handed them over to the innkeeper.

“Give me a moment.”  He left through a door next to the bar and came back not a couple of moments later, bearing two copper keys.  “You’re in rooms five and seven, down at the end of the hallway.  You can stow your gear while we get a late lunch ready for you.  It’s close to third bell, so I don’t have anything hot, but what I do have should be filling for whatever you need to do this afternoon.  Dinner’s served until midnight—The Rubble stays up late—but if you get in after that we’ll keep some leftovers for you.”

Kerr thanked the innkeeper and the group went upstairs to inspect their rooms.  On their way up they passed a room of baths, radiating heat and steam.  A haughty-looking woman occupied one of the porcelain tubs; her harried-looking servant rushed to close the door as the group passed by.

Room seven, at the very end of the hallway, was larger, with four beds, while room five was a smaller version with two.  The hallway also contained—at regular intervals--well-ventilated smaller rooms containing chamber pots.

The rooms themselves were very well-appointed, with polished-wood desks and chairs, linens and quilted comforters on the bed, and a vanity mirror.  Colorful rugs adored the hardwood floors and each room contained a masterful painting of some arboreal paradise.

“Nice.”  Kerr commented as he tossed his bag on the floor.  "Maybe this is worth the money after all.  But seven gold a night?"  He shook his head ruefully.  "So expensive!"

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This message was last edited by the GM at 02:47, Fri 08 Sept 2017.

"Sword and Anvil," Pisca had replied to the proprietor with a great deal of Matter-Of-Fact.  "Lots of ... "  And her arm had then swept the walls to indicate what there were a lot of.  "And the way you're built ...  Equals blacksmith."  Pisca had then shrugged off her own feat of deduction, and things had moved on to the rooms.

"Well, that just means we have to finish what we need as quickly as possible and then leave.  Right?  Right, Kerr Mollin?"  The gnome's eyes tracked the door to the bath with a bit of wistful longing as they passed.  But she dragged them away with a somewhat uncharacteristic power of will and continued on.  "Maybe later," she promised herself.

"Right?  Before we have to get jobs.  Or something."

"Does anybody need to leave anything here?  I don't," announced the business-like gnome that was Pisca.  (Or that Pisca had become.)  "Shall we head out to the Bazaar?"

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There was general agreement that no one needed anything else.  The party stowed their extra gear in their rooms, locked the doors, and headed back down the staircase to the public area, where they found Gustav and Mac waiting for them near a table containing breads, cheeses, various sliced meats, and a large bowl of thin, crisp, salted crackers.  Five glasses of cold water awaited them as well, alongside a large, icy jug in case anyone was particularly thirsty.

Mac already had a plate heaped up in front of him; he plowed into his food with gusto but also with a surprising modicum of manners.

After the group finished their meal, Gustav bid them farewell and they returned to the streets with their pint-sized guide, who seemed all the happier for his mid-afternoon meal.  He led them back down the large avenue to the dock region, taking a right onto a smaller avenue, and then a left.

And there it was:  The Bazaar of Sails.

The avenue opened out into what looked like only slightly-organized chaos.  Thousands of brightly-colored sheets were spread out for acres over an enormous open area, and each sheet belonged to an individual trader hawking their wares.  It was filled with the hustle and bustle of traders from dozens of nation all competing for space, attention and profit. From Osirion spices to Andoran wood to Chelish clothing the markets they could see were filled with goods of every sort.  And their vision was limited to only a few of the closest merchants.

“Th’ say it’s th’ biggest market ‘n all Varisia.”  Mac supplied helpfully as they made their way into the huge open-air bazaar.

The smells, colors, the sense of organized chaos, the new vying for attention with the old . . . it all made traversing the Bazaar of Sails an overwhelming experience.  It was the kind of place where every shop had a story.  Some seemed like holes-in-the-wall, teeming with bargain hunters.  Others were set away, covered with dark fabric emanating an air of mystery.  Street vendors fought for space with carts, mules, horses, and other pack-carrying animals beyond description.  Amid all these treasures waiting to be found, the spicy scent of various ethnic delicacies nearly overpowered the senses, making the party members alternately glad and regretful that they had already eaten.

Through it all, a cacophony of noise—louder even than the din at the docks—created a sort of Music of the Bazaar.

Mac dodged through the shops, stalls, and vending carts, turning this way and that as he made his way confidently through the teeming mass of merchants and customers to a relatively less-crowded alley, stopping in front of what looked like a permanent wooden building.  The well-crafted structure had two curtained windows and an elegant sign above the door depicting a life-like wolf surrounded by foods of all kinds.  Next to the door hung a thin block carved with the number “62.”

“This’s it.”  Mac grinned at them as he pushed the heavy oaken door open.  As the group followed him in, they found something like looked more like a regular shop one might find in Sandpoint or in the more upscale parts of Magnimar; it exuded a sense of permanency and order.  But there didn’t seem to be many goods actually on display for sale.

“Mac!”  A well-dressed halfling rounded the corner.  He sported an ivory-colored button down shirt under a well-tailored crimson jacket with a vaguely military-looking floral design at the wrists.  A shock of black hair was shoved back over his forehead in such an effortlessly casual manner that it was clear he had spent some time doing it.  Tan breeches and shiny black boots completed the ensemble.

“Mac, it is good to see you.”  The halfling had a lower voice than his small stature might suggest.  Not quite baritone, but not tenor either.  “And I see that you’ve brought me guests!”  A large smile lit up the halfling’s face as he turned to the party.  “Welcome to Hungry Wolf Sundries!  And my,” he said, spotting Pisca, “milady!”  He bowed, stepping forward to take her hand and brush his lips across her knuckles.  “It is not often I have the pleasure,” he winked at her.

“But where are my manners?  I am Arwick Tosscobble.”  The store’s proprietor gave an exaggerated bow.  “Yes, that Arwick Tosscobble.”  He looked up to see if any of the party took notice of his name.  Disappointed at the lack of reaction, he continued.  “And it is my pleasure to have you here in my humble shop.  I can only imagine that the intrepid Mac brought you here for a particular reason.  How can I help you?”

---

---

Lady Pisca dipped in a curtsey - an answer to the gallant kiss upon her hand.  On her face was the very quiet smile of a very satisfied gnome.  She shook out her sleeves, and of a sudden her traveling garb was replaced.  She was clad in a dress of crushed crimson velvet with the purest white ruffs at cuff and collar.

"We may not know of That Arwick Tosscobble, but I assure you, those exist who do," began the gnome with a straight backed and regal stance.  "I have heard you described with words such as trustworthy, incorruptible, a friend to all.  You have a moral compass, my friend says, and he says that such men as you are as valuable as you are rare."

One small hand reached behind her and she was presented with a piece of folded parchment.  "Our letter of introduction," she said, and dipped into a curtsy again as she handed over the epistle.

---

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A slight widening of Arwick's eyes was the only sign of his astonishment at Pisca's sudden transformation.  "Well, aren't we the pair of well-turned-out gentlefolk?" He chuckled, then jerked a thumb towards the other, more-casually-attired members of the party.  "How did you get stuck with these ruffians?"

Arwick raised an eyebrow as the gnome listed off her string of complimentary words.  "It seems I have fans.  Or a fan, at least."  He took Pisca's proffered paper.  "I do love my fans.  Who is this mysterious admirer?

"Ah."  That one syllable was all the halfling uttered as he reviewed Jubrayl's letter.  Arwick looked up, chuckling again.  "Moral compass indeed.  Well, I suppose it's good to know that Mr. Vhiski holds me in such high esteem."  He glanced around at the party members again, as if quickly sizing them up.  "But I must say that you do not seem the type of folk normally found in his employ."  He folded up the paper and placed it in an interior jacket pocket.  "I imagine there's a story there."

---

---

"Well, Jubrayl, he's a known associate of a friend of my Aunt Hattie's," admitted the gnome.  "Twice removed.  I worked for him for a while.  Just me.  Not them.  Then ... things happened.  We repelled a goblin invasion of Sandpoint.  And crushed the conspiracy to destroy the town.  And halted the ghoulish threat from Foxglove's Misgivings.  And, well, you know, after those sorts of things happen, you have to sort of go beyond the things that you were doing before."

"Does that make sense?  Am I right?  Or am I right?" Pisca asked, not only of their host, but of every other person in the room.

Cato reacted to Arwick Tosscoble with steady indifference.  I wonder, the mage thought to himself.  Is he trying to hype up his own image in hopes that he can sell some useless trinket as an overpriced treasure to what he perceives as country bumpkins?  I'm sure that sort of thing is all too common.  Or is he really that full of himself that he expects everyone to know the name of a random merchant.  Certainly plenty of those around who are convinced they are Abadar's gift to the world.  Cato shook his head and concentrated on the present, as Pisca's monologue about their exploits grew in length.

Jubrayl Vhiski?  That was Pisca's introduction to Tosscobble?  Cato's estimation of the possible threat of the halfling grew.  He wouldn't bet that all of Vhiski's associates were criminals, but likely a good number were.  And would they be willing to sell out Cato to the Hellknights if he knew his true identity?

Cato cleared his throat.  "Well, as Pisca said, we're not the sort in his employ, just the sort he vouches for."  Cato looked around the shop again.  "So, what exactly is it you specialize in here?  Is it sundries, or information?"

Kellan bristled when Jubrayl's name was brought up. They had gone over his frustrations with being associated with the man in any way, and some how the fact that he had in his own way interfered with their business in Magnimar seemed to set him on edge.

He let out a strained breath and paced a bit, looking at the odds and ends and otherwise keeping within earshot as the introductions were made.

---

---

“It makes perfect sense to me,” Arwick nodded at Pisca.  “It sounds as if you all have been,” he searched for a good phrase, “quite busy.  We heard some rumors from up Sandpoint way but it sounds like there’s much more to them than anyone thought.”

He turned to Cato.  “And oh, my scholarly friend, I specialize in so many things they would be impossible to list in the time we currently have available.  You will not find anyone who can fold laundry quite as neatly as I can.  My juggling skills?  Unsurpassed.  And better folk than you have regretted challenging me to a limerick battle.

“So If you need sundries, information, or most other things, Arwick Tosscobble can help you out.”  He gave the wizard a small smile.  “For a price, of course.  Charity is only good for the soul when you’re giving, not receiving!”  He paused.  “And—all things considered—I’m happy with my soul’s current condition.”

---

---

"Well, now ... "  Pisca began.  Her eyes taking in - in sidelong glances - the confoundingly cool reaction with which her human friends had met the charming Hand-Kissing halfling.  "We were shopping for equipment today, Arwick.  Things we weren't able to obtain in Sandpoint.  Mostly things of a ... magical nature," she added, and raised her strawberry-golden brows to add just that little bit more.

"I myself was looking for a circlet of a particular type."

---

---

"What sort of circlet are you looking for?"  Arwick got down to business.  "Surely not one boosting your already charming personality?  Between that and your--if I may say so--quite lovely personal appearance I don't imagine you require too much help in the way of persuasion."

---

---

This message was last edited by the player at 22:30, Wed 20 Sept 2017.

"Mister Mac," Liseth broke her long silence to speak to their young guide.  The city and its multitude of people were overwhelming to the girl; she stayed close to the others just to keep from being swept away in the sea of people.  It was a wonder that the boy guide could find his way through everyone.

"Mister Mac, you know an awful lot of people in Magnimar, don't you?"  She was content to allow Pisca to deal with her halfling...friend.  "We had a friend who lived here, Aldern Foxglove."  The young acolyte was fairly positive that word of what had happened to the nobleman would not have reached the city yet.  "Did you know him?  Or do you know where his apartment is?"

"Well, Lysa, don't you think ...  Why don't you ... "  Well, the cat was out of the proverbial bag and the gnome let a tiny sigh escape, and with the sigh, the hope that Liseth's casual question would not lead to certain All-Hearing ears.

Her head swiveled, taking in the store before turning to the Curiously-Right-Sized human.  "Excuse us, Mac, would you mind waiting outside for a moment," she asked with a great deal more civility than she'd done so far.

"Please?"

---

---

“Aldern . . . .”  Lord Foxglove’s first name had hardly escaped the urchin’s mouth before Pisca shooed him from Arwick Tosscobble’s establishment.  The party’s guide looked slightly put out—and maybe a little suspicious that the group would use this opportunity to try and stiff him out of his fee—but after a moment he left Hungry Wolf Sundries with as much dignity as he could muster.

Arwick took the opportunity to chat with Pisca and Cato about what they needed.  He informed Cato that he knew a source from which he could obtain a scroll of Cat’s Grace, but that the Lesser Rod of Extend Metamagic would take a little more time.  The halfling had similar news for Pisca; he actually had Muleback Cords on hand, and he could find her a Wand of Mage Armor inside of a week.  But the Circlet of Persuasion, he informed her sadly, was (to his knowledge) not available in the city.  At least at this time.  But he promised her to keep an eye out for one.

---

---

"What a shame," replied the gnome, in tones that didn't seem too very disappointed at all.  Little wonder, as her attention was otherwise diverted to stalking the perimeter of the shop and checking the doors for persons other than herself, her friends, and their host Arwick Tosscobble.

"Well, maybe I'll be able to find something else that I want from your shop, Arwick," she said as she finally finished her round of the room.  "But to come back to Lysa's question, I apologize for the secrecy, but one thing that Jubrayl seemed to stress when we talked was that the organization that we think might be involved in our search has eyes and ears in many places."

"I'm sorry, Lysa, for interrupting you."  She stood in the illusory cloak of her red velvet dress with hands folded apologetically at her middle.  "I should have told all of you sooner, but, in the rush to leave Sandpoint it seemed to have slipped my mind."

"Given your reputation, Arwick, and the nature of your business, Jubrayl seemed to think that you would be less likely to be ... touched by their influence."  And Pisca raised a golden eyebrow as though to enquire as to what the halfling made of the whole thing.

First confused by Pisca's shooing of Mac, Liseth steadily grew embarrassed as the explanation dawned on her.  "You don't think Mac would be involved with them, do you?  He's just a boy."  Subterfuge did not come naturally to the acolyte.  It went against her nature to be suspicious, and it was even more difficult to picture ordinary people as members of an evil cult of murderers.

"It will take us weeks to find anything in the city without a guide we can trust."  Liseth addressed Arwick after Pisca, "And it's really important we work as quickly as possible."

"That's a ... ???"  The strawberry blond brows rose, widening Pisca's violet eyes in surprise.  One delicate finger pointed in the direction of the door out of which she'd just ushered the Right-Sized Mac.  "That's a human child too?" she said, reiterating her surprise.  "He doesn't act a thing like Aeren."

"But ... when you think about it, Lysa, who would make a better spy and sentinel?  As a ... child, he seems innocent enough.  He knows the city.  And his job is to watch for newcomers and get close to them."

"If I were to gather a cadre of scouts I don't think I could find a better source than such as he," said the gnome, taking on the deeply focused tone characteristic of another one of her tangents.  "I would call them ... the Baker Street Irregulars!"

"Where have I heard that name before?"

"At any rate," she said, both literally as well as figuratively turning herself back to the subject at hand, "Jubrayl thinks you're trustworthy, Arwick, and that's good enough for me now.  All we have, really.  So, let me ask you, how much to you trust Mac?"

Cato nodded in appreciation to Arwick, confirming his order, then struggled to maintain a calm facade as Liseth revealed Aldern's name to Mac.  Unsure of what to do next, the wizard just watched as Pisca delved further into their introductions to the halfling.

---

---

“Oh, you can trust Mac.”  Arwick gave Liseth a smile before turning to Pisca.  “As long as you’re paying him.  The boy is . . . unduly concerned about his reputation.  And he has a good one!  I doubt he’ll risk it to lead you astray.”  He paused.  “It sounds like we’ve discussed everything you need.  Let’s get down to business.”

Arwick briefly disappeared, only to return with a nice-looking box festooned with a decorative red bow fashioned like a rose.  The top of the box contained the same wolf’s-head sigil they’d seen on the shop’s sign, sans food items.   “Your Muleback Cords, milady.”  He gave the gnome a sweeping bow as she took the box.  “I will have the remainder of your party’s items delivered to the Sword and Anvil.”

“Mac my boy!  You can come back in!”  As Kerr paid the halfling, Mac appeared almost instantaneously.  Arwick shook his head and sighed but decided not to take issue with the boy’s obvious eavesdropping.

“Lord Foxglove lived in the Grand Arch District in the very northern part of Naos, not far from Starsilver Plaza.  Mac knows where it is, and that’s a good thing for you because they don’t mark street names in that area—they think it deters burglaries.” Arwick chuckled.  “It helps a little.”

After bidding goodbye to Arwick, the party left Hungry Wolf Sundries accompanied by their pint-sized guide.  Mac led them to the northeast, where they quickly left the Dockway and entered the Capital District.  Soon they were walking through a busy square and around a towering marble sculpture depicting an armored man battling a dragon.  The man’s breastplate and shield both bore a winged-eye insignia.

“Tha’s Usher’s Hall, assembly meets there.”  Mac helpfully pointed at a formidable building across the square.  “Don’ do much, accordin’ ta Gustav.  He’s always goin’ on about ‘em.”

Nice houses started appearing as they traveled east down the thoroughfare.  “Grand Arch ain’t the richest place in Summit, but it’s big.”  The boys seemed to enjoy being a tour guide.  “Named after th’ Guardians.  It goes from the Twins' Gate down most of the length of the Avenue.  Lots o’ merchants live ‘ere.”

Mac gestured to a row of deserted homes.  “They travel lots, so ya never ken when they’ll be floodin’ th’ place or all dried up.”

The urchin stopped and pointed.  The group had arrived at another square, but this one looked as if the very ground was shimmering with starlight.  “Starsilver Plaza.”  Mac grinned.  “Got some sorta shells steada stones.”  It really was an amazing sight.

Mac took a right down a side street and stopped in front of a three-story townhome.  Boards were nailed over the windows on the ground floor.  It definitely looked as if it had seen better days, although it had clearly been a well-cared-for home at one point and it did not look as if it had lain derelict long.  The structure’s thick oak door seemed untouched.

“Tha’s where Foxglove lived.”  Mac nodded at the building.

---

---

"That's his city-house?"  Liseth was startled at the condition of Foxglove's former townhouse.  She hadn't expected it to look so disused.  The haunting image of Foxglove Manor came back to her and for a moment she wondered if the curse of his ancestor had followed him even here.  "I suppose I just imagined that he would have had people taking care of it while he was gone..."  Unless he didn't think he would come back.  "We passed by so many marvels on the way here too; finding his house like this just feels...out of place."

"Thank you for showing us here, Mac."  The girl turned from the house to their young guide, "Would you know who it is that Mister Foxglove rented this house from?  Or another caretaker?"  There must be someone who has a key; it would be easier if they could get permission to search the house.  But then again...they were supposed to be sneaky.  And there was really no telling which of Foxglove's former associates were part of the evil cult and which were just regular people.

"What do you think Pisca?  Kerr?"  She looked to her friends, then back to the house.  Would it be okay to try and search it now?

As they little group moved across the city Kellan was once more struck by the sheer vastness of Magnimar. As the child of farmers he wondered at just how they fed them all, three meals a day, day in and day out. As a guardsman he wondered how they knew who was who and what was going on at any given time.

The Sandpoint Guard often looked to Magnimar as the example, they had the money, the prestige and the the resources to equip their men and train to a standard that Sandpoint hoped to aspire to. But now that he was here he realized that it was possible that Magnimar might learn a few things in turn as well...it was much easier to keep order when you knew everybody by first name, their children, where they lived, even their pets and farm animals.

Pro's and cons...he mused to himself.

With his pole axe over one shoulder he stopped with the others and stared up at the boarded up structure. In Sandpoint it would have been one of the largest structures in town, but here it was just one more town home in a district full of them. It suddenly made sense how you could get away with a lot in a place like this...nobody had probably questioned it when the boards went up.

"As long as we're discreet about it...I don't see the harm" Kellan suggested as he glanced up and down the street.

The gnome had wandered the streets wrapped within a cloud of her own thoughts.  So opaque was this cloud that it often enough seemed that she would be straying off on her own, rather than following along with the others on their guided tour.  Each time, however, through some mechanism of either magic, or natural instinct, or sheer dumb coincidence her direction changed, putting her back in the wake of her friends and company.

"We're here?" she asked, giving the Most Certainly Abandoned building only the most cursory of upward glances.

"What do I think of what, Lysa?"

"Oh, that."

"Well, to answer your question in a manner more literally than you probably mean, Lys," Pisca began, even as she took a few exploratory steps in the direction of the front door, "'OKAY' is a tricky state of being.  It doesn't always lend itself to being pinned down to being one thing or the other.  Especially in cases where you're only trying and not really actually doing.  But that's a different line with its own degree of fineness."

Her exploratory steps having brought the gnome up the townhouse landing and to the door itself, she posed and waved back at her friends, as though in the process of touring the noted landmarks of Magnimar.  Then she leaned casually against the door itself, surely a prelude for something both morally as well as mechanically complex.  But then Pisca stopped.  She froze in the manner that people have when remembering that they'd left home without their purse or their keys or some other such vital object of daily use.  And she rushed back down the steps.

"Mac, I must apologize," she said, ending her little rush down the stairs before their guide, "I had no idea that you were a human child, and in such light my behavior toward you has been inexcusable.  I must say, though, you're delightfully gnomish.  Even though that tends to be a bit confusing."

"Anyway, with that out of the way, I would like to ask you whether you have a place to stay?  Do you have people who take care of you?  Unless, of course, I'm being too forward in asking."

Cato walked down the streets in Magnimar, following their urchin-guide through the streets.  He had been to Magnimar before, but certainly couldn't have navigated the streets nearly as efficiently as Mac.  The entire time, he alternated between examining the city, examining his surroundings for Hellknights, and then trying to cover the fact that he was looking paranoid by examining the city so closely.  After a half-dozen blocks of travel, Cato gave up, exhausted with the effort it all required.

He looked around at the others, and at the door to Foxglove's townhouse.  "Do we have a key for this?  I have a Chime of Opening we could use as an alternative, though I'm not sure if that's less conspicuous than just...finessing the lock in other ways."

---

---

“I don’t know.”  Kerr craned his neck back and looked up and down the street.  “Those guard patrols seem pretty regular.  Not sure they’d react well if they caught us breaking in, chime or lockpick.”  He paused, following the conversation.  “But if one of those keys we found at Foxglove Manor work on the door, I can’t see why they’d hassle us.”

---

---

---

---

“Crusties like Foxglove nae rent,” Mac explained to Liseth.  “They buy.  Bout status.  Na trader recks ta look dirty, ‘specially nobles.”  The boy nodded at the house.  “Dirty ones rent rooms.  Gettin’ a place shows crustiness.  That’ll be Foxglove’s own, true factual.”

Mac looked at Liseth as a teacher might look at a particularly-slow student.  “Yar man’s right, if yar gonna crash the house yar gonna reck ta wait ‘til dark.  Shinies see you crashin’ they’ll haul ya ‘fore ya can jump.”

The young urchin looked slightly taken aback by Pisca’s sudden rush of language.  “’Course I’m a kid.  Ain’t got na parents, they died.  But can take care of m’self.”  He looked slightly insulted.  “Got m’ own place,” the urchin spoke with a trace of pride while eyeing Pisca with some suspicion.  “Ain’t in Underbridge, neither.  Creepers wont get me!”

---

---

"Creepers?  What are creepers, Mac?  They get people?"  There was more than just concern or curiosity in Liseth's interest.  The multitude of horrid things they had come across already filtered through the girl's mind.  Rune Dogs, undead; might these creepers be another monster being used by the evil cult they were here to stop?  "And they're in Underbridge?"  This might be something else they had to investigate.

But, while they were here, "Lets try the keys that we got from Mister Foxglove.  He asked us to come here...before..."  Liseth sighed, "Well, you know what happened after he asked us here.  We have to search the house."

"But you have people, right?" Pisca continued with an insistent solicitude.  "People who care for you?  Everyone needs people, and I'd feel so much better if you said yes."

"Just a moment, Lys," The gnome raised a finger for forbearance before dipping into her pouch and coming out with a single gold coin which she folded into the hand of their urchin-guide.

"We may have to part ways here, Mac," she said, her small gnomish hands still clasping that of the street-wise human child.  "The last time we went into one of Foxglove's houses things became ... rather ...  Lets just say, you wouldn't have enjoyed it."

"If things work out, we'll find you again.  At the docks, yes?  If not, then it was a pleasure to meet such a Right-Sized and very gnomish human."

One GP to Mac.

Cato stared at the door, willing it to open.  After all the trouble in Sandpoint, the long travels here, they found themselves at the door to the Foxglove Townhouse, their progress stymied by a simple thing like the city guard.

"Yes, let's try the keys we found.  In truth, I'm not sure the Chimes would be the best for...discreet entry.  I've never used them, but I think they make audible noise when they are used.  Although most of the energy is magical, some of it is actually audible, and I'm not sure how much noise they might make, but it's something keep in mind.  Then again, chimes aren't the usual noise a thief would make, so maybe it would be overlooked?"

"Agreed" Kellan replied when the keys were suggested. "And if they don't fit... nothing says that we can't speak to the guard directly. We have nothing to hide"

There was of course the chance that the group they were after had their influence within the Magnimar Guard, if that were the case it was likely that they could arrange for their arrest and imprisonment anyway...at least to Kellans mind.

---

---

“What’re Creepers?”  Mac looked at Liseth to see if she was joking.  “A gang outta Underbridge, scoot ya right off th’ way if yar na swiveling.  Sczarni rat bastards, th’ lot ‘o em.”  He spit on the ground, then looked at Pisca.  “People?  Guess I sorta got Gustav—he’ll feed me.  But guidin’s good coin . . . I can handle myself.”  He puffed his chest out.

“Yar sure ya can find yar way back?”  The urchin’s tone of voice suggested he had doubts the group could get anywhere without his guidance.  “Up ta ya.  If ya reck me again just tell Gustav, I’ll swing by th’ Sword n’ Anvil every so often ta check.”

---

---

---

---

Kerr paid the rest of Mac’s fee, assuring the boy that they would let Gustav know if they needed further guidance.  The urchin grinned as he pocketed the coin, giving the group a jaunty wave as they moved towards the double front doors.

Upon reaching the doors, Pisca pulled Foxglove’s keys out of their container.  The second key did the trick, sliding easily into the locking mechanism and emitting a satisfying click when turned.  The doors seemed unusually thick and heavy; Pisca had trouble opening them.  They were no problem once Kellan pitched in, although the awful screeching they made while they swung open suggested the hinges could use some oil.

As the party stepped through the front doors they realized that the house wasn’t quite as deserted as they had originally thought.  A roaring fire crackled in the fireplace and a half-full glass of wine sat on a small table between two chairs facing the blaze.  The unmistakable sound of dishes being moved emanated from what must have been the kitchen or dining room further back in the townhouse.

The double doors directly ahead of the party swung open.  A tall man appeared, wearing a dark blue coat with gold stitching that perfectly set off his pristine white shirt.  He stared at the party, then broke into a very recognizable, charismatic smile.  The party stared at the man.

It was Aldern Foxglove.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
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2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDDDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x A|  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--xxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDx--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  C  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--T--F--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  D  |  | K|P |  C  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--xxxxxxxDDDDDxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  | L|C |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15

F = Fireplace
C = Chair
T = Table
A = Aldern Foxglove

"Aldern!"  Wide-eyed in her surprise, the gnome took a step into the room before turning her back on the figure across the room, ostensibly to share her delight with the others.

"Bostisch," she exclaimed with apparent joy, while using her body to shield the act of wrapping a small length of copper wire about her index finger.  That finger, in its copper sheath, stabbed out to first Cato, then, Kerr Mollin, then Liseth, then Kellan, and then came finally around to point at her own chest.  "We've missed you, Aldern.  Each and every one of us."

The smile never faded from her lips, even as Pisca stuck her hand behind her to work the copper wire from her finger.  And it dimmed only slightly, fading from her eyes to a harder sort of look, as she whispered in her throat to the others.

"That can't be him.  It just can't."

Cast Message (60m)

Proposal:  Average of (Bluff + Stealth + Sleight of Hand) / Spell Level (At least 1 because you can't divide by zero.) vs Perception to cast a spell without being noticed as having done so.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 3.  SoH.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 18.  Stealth.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 12.  Bluff.

Average = 11 / 1 = 11 vs Perception to detect Pisca's spell casting Message?

Pisca is going to cast the spell regardless.  The only difference is in whether Aldern recognizes it as such based on either the acceptance of this impromptu method or the success or failure of the perception check.

From behind Kerr and Pisca, Cato stared at Aldern.  No, it can't be.  We already killed him. . Cato slowly shook his head.  When Pisca's message came to him, the mage almost imperceptibly nodded and sent back a reply through Pisca's magic.  "I agree.  It must be a trick.  This can't be him."

Cato spoke a single word and made a gesture, opening his eyes to the flows of magic around him.

Whatever Pisca's using to try and disguise the casting, Cato will likewise use.  But he'll be casting Detect Magic regardless

Kellan's awkward notion of entering the very much occupied home quickly turned to confusion, with a hint of frustrated anger upon seeing none other that Foxglove himself.

His pole axe came off his shoulder in an instant into a more ready posture that was a hairs breadth from outright brandishing, only held so because of Piscas sudden politness.

"Sarenrae...it sure looks like him..."

This wasn't right.  "How...you can't..."  Liseth took a step backward.  This isn't Aldern Foxglove; it had to be a fake; an illusion or...a ghost!  They had talked and met with Foxglove enough times that Liseth knew he would never greet them silently.  "It's like he was waiting for us here..." she whispered.

Suspicious, wary, and a little frightened the oracle grasped Sarenrae's symbol and said a prayer.  "Sarenrae, shine your light down on us and reveal the presence of unholy undead."  If this was an undead trick trying to catch them unaware, Sarenrae would show her the truth.  If not...

OOC: Cast Detect Undead
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/...lls/d/detect-undead/
This message was last edited by the player at 06:01, Fri 13 Apr 2018.

---

---

"I've missed you too, Pisca," Aldern responded with a smile.  His perfectly-coiffed hair seemed to be straight out of a portrait.  He did not respond to the party's somewhat-rude spellcasting, if indeed he noticed it at all.  "I have to admit I am slightly surprised, but it is good to see you all.  We have much to discuss!  Iesha was just putting dinner on the table.  Would you care to join us?

"Iesha, we have visitors!"  He called into the back room.  "We'll need four more place settings!!"

Aldern turned back to the party.  "We were cooking for two, so your portion sizes may be a bit small, but I promise you it will be worthwhile.  Iesha is an amazing chef."

The well-dressed noble opened the door through which he'd come a bit wider and gave the group a gentlemanly bow, stretching his arm out to invite them into the dining room.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDDDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--T--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  T  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--T--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  |  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDDDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x A|  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--xxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDx--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  C  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--T--F--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  D  |  | K|P |  C  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--xxxxxxxDDDDDxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  | L|C |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15

F = Fireplace
C = Chair
T = Table
A = Aldern Foxglove
This message was last edited by the player at 17:42, Fri 13 Apr 2018.

Cato stood still in the doorway, staring at the nobleman they killed...they thought they killed back in Sandpoint?  He relayed his results to the others via Pisca's spell: "I can't detect any magic here.  Of course, Illusion magic is one of my weakest points.  There are ways to circumvent the simple use of Detect Magic.  Mask Dweomer or Magic Aura might work, I suppose, though I don't know either spell myself.  Still, it might be reasonable to assume that if someone knew of our activities in Sandpoint, they would take such relatively simple precautions to defeat the immediate response we might take to such a thing."

Cato thought a little more, and then added a final comment.  "If we...interacted with the glamor, if that's what it truly is, the magic might be defeated.  Pisca, perhaps you could 'accidentally' find a way to do that?  But if we're digging that deep into this magic, maybe this is the real Aldern.  And we killed some kind of simulacrum back in Sandpoint?"

Cato found to keep his expression neutral in the face of the...thing? man? in front of them.

"No," the gnome insisted through her Whisper Magic.  "That is not Aldern."  Her voice contained a certainty that went beyond the simple words.

"Oh Aldren," Pisca replied with false solicitude, "how could we even think of putting you out."  Dipping to her pouch for a pinch of cat hair, the strawberry blonde gnome did not even bother to hide her casting this time.  "Why don't we go out?" she suggested.  "We know an inn with wonderful food."

"We need to capture this one," she whispered to the others as her second spell transformed the limber grace of her body.

Cast Cat's Grace (6m)

Active Spells:
Cat's Grace 6m; Message 60m

Used L1 5/5; L2 2/3

Kellan felt his stomach sink as the interaction continued. Regardless of what he had done in life, the dead deserved to rest...at least here, in the world of the living. It had seemed that time and time again Aldern had been twisted, changed, mimicked, and tormented...and here he was again, acting oblivious to any sort of trouble or wrong doing.

Part of him wished it was true, that there had been some terrible mistake and that the Aldern Foxglove who had given him the boots he was still wearing was real, and was living out his days happily with his beloved...but in his gut he knew it was not the case

"That I can do" Kellan assured Pisca, if this man was flesh and blood Kellan felt confident that he could bring him in alive, it was expected after all...that a guardsman should be able to bring a man in to face justice without having to resort to outright butchery.

No undead in the area.  That alleviated one concern but merely raised others.  "On the outside your house looked abandoned.  We...didn't think that we would see you here...so soon...after we saw you in Sandpoint."  Liseth didn't know what to say or ask.  It can't be Aldern Foxglove!

"He's not undead."  She whispered with Pisca's magic, "There aren't any undead in the area even.  Maybe this is some kind of...extension of the curse from his Manor?"

"How is Iesha?"  Liseth never met the other girl while she was alive but was haunted by the undead form of the girl hauntingly similar to herself in appearance.  Shrieking and clawing and crying..."Should she be cooking?  She was...in a state when we saw her...last."

---

---

Kerr stood in the back of the group, trying to determine how this would play out.  Was this the real Foxglove?  It couldn't be.  But it sure seemed like the real one.  He shot a look backwards towards the street; he hoped they were able to do whatever they needed to do here without attracting the attention of a city guard patrol.  He wasn't sure how common it was for a group to stand at the doorway of a townhouse in this area.

Truth be told he was kind of happy to be standing in the back; interacting with Lord Foxglove had never been one of his strong suits.  As the noble conversed with Liseth and Pisca, Kerr figured it would be a good time to put his training with Ser Klerris to use.  He reached out with his feelings, and . . .

"Guys," Kerr said urgently to the others via Pisca's spell, "there is definitely evil here."

---

---

This message was last edited by the player at 01:12, Sun 15 Apr 2018.

---

---

"An inn?"  Aldern's voice held a musing quality.  "I don't know what Iesha would think about that.  She has . . . particular ideas about a hostess's duties.  Iesha!"  He called back again.  "Come and greet our guests!"  He raised an eyebrow at Liseth.  "I wasn't aware you'd ever met her."

The door to the party's left opened to reveal a beautiful, blonde-haired woman who looked remarkably like Liseth.  Her long navy-blue dress fell to the floor, set off by a baby-blue apron.  Her hands were covered with a white, dust-like substance.

Her smile was radiant.  "Welcome!"  She said brightly.  "Any friends of Aldern are friends of mine.  Please," she invited, waving the party in with a welcoming gesture, "come join us!"

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDDDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--T--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  T  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--T--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  |  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDDDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x A|  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--xxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDx--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |I |  |  |  H  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--T--F--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  D  |  | K|P |  H  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--xxxxxxxDDDDDxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  | L|C |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

F = Fireplace
H = Chair
T = Table
A = Aldern Foxglove
I = Iesha

---

---

Kellan felt the whole thing to be quite surreal. Even after all they had endured, societal convention still seemed to give them pause. Everybody knew it was wrong, Kerr in his own goddess given given way could even feel that it was wrong, and yet here they lingered upon the threshold.

Kellan looked to Iesha, noticed the resemblance immediately,  but something stronger took over...his protective instinct...Liseth behind him, Pisca to his right...

"Back!...back both of you!" Kellan barked as he brought the point of his pole axe to bare against Iesha. "We will not be toyed with!"

Will interrupt when Iesha is still at I11 and attack if she moves any closer.

"I think there's a lot that you aren't aware of, Aldern," Pisca replied, even as Kellan dropped into his protective stance.  "If you have anything to say to us that might convince us that you are who you are, you'd best say it right now."  The shining steel of gnome's small slim blade cleared its sheathe with a singing rasp.

"Tell us about the Misgivings.  Who's in charge there now?"

"Lysa," the gnome whispered with an intensity missing from her audible speech, "do you have the calming spell?"

Draw rapier.

Active Spells:
Cat's Grace 6m; Message 60m

Used L1 5/5; L2 2/3

Cato quietly reaches into his spell component pouch, his fingers moving around through the compartments until he is holding some fine shavings that resemble sawdust - but much more fragrant.  Licorice root in hand, he silently mouths the words to a spell, sensing the tension building up and readying to unleash his arcane powers.

Ready to cast Haste which will affect all party members if Kellan attacks or is attacked.
Basic effects: +1 Attack when using the attack action.  +1 to attack rolls, Dodge AC and Reflex saves.+30 ft movement speed.

Everything was so wrong here.  An ALdern Foxglove that could not be Aldern Foxglove.  An Iesha who could not be Iesha.  For all the world it was like they had simply stumbled into an innocent dinner.  Except that the house was all boarded up and looked abandoned.  And Aldern Foxglove and his wife were lain to rest in Sandpoint...

"I do..." Liseth answered Pisca, "do you want me to calm everyone down?"  It seemed like a natural action given the situation.  "Pisca," the acolyte continued, "we can't fight here...even if this isn't Aldern Foxglove, anyone else would think he is.  What if...it's a trap to get us arrested?"

---

---

Iesha stumbled backwards through the door, looking terrified of Kellan's polearm.  For his part, Aldern appeared equal parts furious and concerned.

"Kellan," the noble put his hands up at chest level, palms out.  He spoke with a measured voice, though some tightness was evident.  "What are you doing?"

"And no, Pisca."  Aldern contradicted the gnome while keeping his eyes fixed on Kellan's weapon.  "I don't think I have to explain anything right now.

"Let me tell you what I am aware of.  You have just walked into my home.  I welcomed you, and you brandished your weapons at me.  I think that is what needs explaining."

"Hello."  A voice rang out from behind the party.  Kerr turned and saw a uniformed city guardsman standing next to him, looking at the group with a mixture of curiosity and concern.  He was taller than Kerr but not so tall as Kellan, with sandy-brown hair and dark eyes.  Like the other guardsmen they'd seen, the man was outfitted in nice-looking scale mail under a blue tabard emblazoned with Magnimar's crest: an angel flying over a stylized bridge.

"So," the guardsman said, leaning casually against his halberd as he kicked mud from his boots, "what's going on here?"

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDDDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--T--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  T  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--T--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  |  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDDDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x A|  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--xxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDx--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  H  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--T--F--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  D  |  | K|P |  H  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--xxxxxxxDDDDDxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  | L|C |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |CG|R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

F = Fireplace
H = Chair
T = Table
A = Aldern Foxglove
I = Iesha
CG = City Guard

---

---

Kellan glanced back over his shoulder and looked somewhat relieved. Even if they were far from home, part of him instinctively seemed to see the Magnimar Watch as a friend in times like these.

He lowered his weapon and took a step back.

"It's a long story sir, and not fit to be told standing in a doorway." Kellan began.
"I know things look bad, but we have our reasons...and no harms been done as of yet." He continued to face the man who claimed to be Aldern as he spoke.

The gnome stood stunned, unsure of her own memories.  Had the things back at Foxglove Manor actually happened?  Or where they figments?  Unreal fancies?  But then the slightest of jingles from the keys in her hand woke Pisca from her doubts.  It had happened.  He'd died with his eyes on Liseth and Iesha's name on his lips.

"No!" the gnome shouted, and bound across the floor.  "We have to force him out!" she continued.  "FOR ALDERN!" she cried as she slid to a stop behind the figure so ghoulishly like the human that they all knew in his better days.

"Can't trust anyone in Magnimar," she whispered to the others through her magic.  "Help me," was her plea.  Then Pisca plunged the tip of her tiny blade into the left buttock of what must certainly be a Faux Foxglove.

Move to K8
Attack A

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 20.  Hit with +2 Archaeologist's Luck +2 Dex Cat's Grace.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 2.  Damage -1STR +2AL.

Active Spells:
Cat's Grace 6m; Message 60m

AL: 13/14

Used L1 5/5; L2 2/3

Cato froze in place when the guardsman appeared, his fears regarding the Hellknights suddenly sprouting wings and taking flight.  Cato's plans to aid his friends vanished as he fears surfaced.

Pisca's sudden spring into action drove Cato to action, though, ironically it was his own Hellknight training that enabled him to act in the face of his worries.  His training as a Signifier had included plenty of practice at acting instead of being frozen by indecision or fear, and the mage stepped into action, finishing his spell.

Cast Haste which will affect all party members
Basic effects: +1 Attack when using the attack action.  +1 to attack rolls, Dodge AC and Reflex saves.+30 ft movement speed.
6 rounds remain

---

---

Pisca's sudden dash forward seemed to catch everyone flat-footed, including Aldern.  The irrepressible bard slipped behind the noble and--before he could even react--she sliced at his posterior with her weapon.  After all, attacks to the rear are the most dangerous.

As the gnome dashed behind Lord Foxglove to deliver her surprise attack, she noticed some things.  Like a rich mahogany dining table set for two.  Expensive looking art on the walls.  Something cooking in the kitchen smelled delicious.  And lurking in the doorway right next to her was the formerly-frightened Iesha Foxglove, now wielding a wicked-looking longsword.

Taking Pisca's attack in stride, Aldern stepped back through the door, placing the gnome between himself and Iesha, then expertly drew his longsword from its back sheath and slashed at his diminutive attacker.

The attack hit home, drawing blood as the sword bit deep into Pisca's shoulder, driving her to her knees.  Before the gnome could do more than grunt Iesha buried her sword into Pisca's side, nearly knocking the gnome to the ground.

The City Guardsman looked at the group as if they had all gone mad.  "WHAT IN INDROS'S NAME IS GOING ON HERE?!?"

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDDDDxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  w  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--T--x--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  T  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDxxxx--T--x--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |I D P|A D  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--xDDDDDxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--x--+--xxxxssx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  |  | sx  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDx--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  H  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--T--F--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  D  |  | K|  |  H  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--xxxwxxxDDDDDxxxwxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  | L|C |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |CG|R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

w = Window
s = Stairs
F = Fireplace
H = Chair
T = Table
A = Aldern Foxglove
I = Iesha
CG = City Guard

COMBAT

Pisca Neep Freemish

Result:  Inflicts 2 points of damage on Aldern Foxglove.

Aldern Foxglove

Free Action:  5' step to L8
Move Action:  Draw Longsword
Standard Action:  Attack Pisca

17:48, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, for the NPC Aldern Foxglove, rolled 16,5 using 2d8+8,2d6.  Critical Longsword Damage to Pisca.
17:45, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, for the NPC Aldern Foxglove, rolled 22 using 1d20+10.  Critical Confirmation.
17:45, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, for the NPC Aldern Foxglove, rolled 29 using 1d20+10.  Longsword Attack on Pisca.

RESULT:  Pisca takes 21 points of damage.

Iesha Foxglove

Standard Action:  Attack Pisca

17:50, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, for the NPC Iesha Foxglove, rolled 17 using 1d8+4+2d6.  Longsword Damage to Pisca.
17:50, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, for the NPC Iesha Foxglove, rolled 25 using 1d20+10.  Longsword Attack on Pisca.

RESULT:  Pisca takes 17 points of damage.  She is rendered disabled.

<b>STATUS:  Pisca has taken 38 points of damage and is disabled.  All party members may now take combat actions.

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 17:48, Wed 18 Apr 2018.

The Faux Iesha had been a surprise, but one that had only confirmed the gnome's suspicions.  The reversal in demeanor and the ready blade in a form that might very well be Liseth whispered a terrifying secret knowledge.  This knowledge, however, was, or so it turned out, to be paid for in blood and pain, proving the maxim that all things come with a price.

Pisca clutched at her shoulder as darkness closed in and in and in and ...  Didn't quite close all the way.  The gnome's large violet eyes darted quickly from one way and then another, noting the two large lower human torsos on either side.  She let her slim blade drop with a clatter as though from a nerveless hand, then she went down to the floor into a growing pool of her own blood.  Still as death - hopefully still as death - Pisca lay, cut down in her prime, defending the very existence of a friend.

Drop Weapon.
Fall Prone.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 15.  Bluff to Play Dead.

Active Spells:
Cat's Grace 6m; Message 60m

Conditions: Prone, Unarmed, Disabled.

AL: 13/14

Used L1 5/5; L2 2/3
This message was last edited by the player at 19:13, Wed 18 Apr 2018.

"Pisca!"

There comes a time when you just have to follow the gnome...

Kellan knew they were being tricked, with Kerr's confirmation and the sudden violence visited upon Pisca it only confirmed those suspicions.

He moved forward , through the doors on his left where he struck out at once for the woman bearing the wicked blade in her hand. But keeping Pisca's words in mind, he struck to injure, not to kill...

Bringing his weapon around he utlilized the langets supporting the blade against the shaft, it shorted his reach by a little, but still provided ample leverage with which to bring the blow home.

HP: 69
AC: 19

Move: to I10
Standard: Non-Lethal Furious Focus Power Attack
Swift: Trip Attempt

19:12, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 22 using 1d20+9.  Potential Free Trip Attempt.

19:12, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 19 using 2d4+13.  Potential Damage.

19:11, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 20 using 1d20+13.  Hasted Felling Smash/Furious Focus Power Attack vs Iesha

Where did she get that sword!?  If nothing else this showed that these two must be imposters sent to ambush them specifically.  They must not know what had happened at Foxglove Manor.

"We..."  Liseth's mind scrambled as Pisca went down to the ground after her sudden charge and Kellan rushed to the attack.  "Aldern Foxglove asked us to find something in his house."  The acolyte had to placate the city guard.  They didn't need trouble with the city too!

"He gave us his key and said the house was supposed to be empty."  The girl pointed quickly to the boarded up windows but her mind kept going to Pisca and the battle.  She found herself talking faster.

"We just left Sandpoint and Aldern could not have been here too.  These imposters were waiting for us disguised as him and his wife Iesha and there's no way Aldern or his wife could fight like that and who hides a sword on themselves in their own kitchen!?"

Action: Placate City Guard.

Effects: Haste

---

---

Kellan's blow crashed down on top of Iesha's shoulder, driving her to the ground and eliciting a pained scream.  As his larger friend dealt with the lady of the house, Kerr slipped by Cato and fired an arrow at Aldern Foxglove, if Aldern Foxglove it was.

The young paladin almost dropped his bow when--as he released the shaft--it crackled with some sort of eldritch energy.  The arrow, also crackling, sped across the entry room and buried itself in Aldern's shoulder with a sparkling electrical crack.

But apparently such arrow fire wasn't enough to shock Lord Foxglove.  The noble immediately moved through the foyer after Kellan, stealing behind the armored Sandpointer and slashing his longsword against Kellan's armor.  At the same time Iesha regained her feet--taking the haft of Kellan's polearm upside the head for her troubles--and stumbled forward to attack Alergast's finest pupil, bringing her longsword around in a wide sweep to bang it against Kellan's helm, briefly causing the guardsman to see stars.

Back in the entryway, the Magnimar city guardsman still gripped his polearm tightly.  But his face softened as Liseth talked.  "They're . . . imposters?"  He asked, skepticism bleeding out of his voice as he took in the ramshackle nature of the building's entryway.  "You saw Lord Foxglove elsewhere?"

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDDDDxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  w  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--T--x--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  T  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDxxxx--T--x--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  D P|  D  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--xDDDDDxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |I x  |  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--x--+--xxxxssx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |K x  |  |  | sx  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDx--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |A |  |  |  H  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--T--F--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  D  |  |  |R |  H  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--xxxwxxxDDDDDxxxwxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  | L|C |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |CG|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

w = Window
s = Stairs
F = Fireplace
H = Chair
T = Table
A = Aldern Foxglove
I = Iesha
CG = City Guard

COMBAT

Kellan Storval

Result:  Inflicts 19 nonlethal damage on Iesha Foxglove, simultaneously tripping her.  Iesha Foxglove is now prone.

Kerr Mollin

Move Action: To L12
Standard Action:  Ranged Attack on Aldern Foxglove

22:46, Today: Kerr Mollin rolled 18 using 1d8+7+1d6.  Longbow Damage to Aldern Foxglove.
22:45, Today: Kerr Mollin rolled 29 using 1d20+10.  Longbow attack on Aldern Foxglove (DA, PBS).

Result:  18 points of damage to Aldern Foxglove

Aldern Foxglove

Move Action:  To J11
Standard Action:  Attack Kellan Storval

23:02, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, on behalf of Aldern Foxglove, rolled 14 using 1d8+4+2d6.  Damage to Kellan Storval.
23:01, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, on behalf of Aldern Foxglove, rolled 28 using 1d20+10.  Attack on Kellan Storval.

RESULT:  14 points of damage to Kellan Storval.


Iesha Foxglove

Move Action:  Stand from prone.

Kellan Storval attack of opportunity

22:56, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 14 using 2d4+7.  Damage to Iesha Foxglove.
22:55, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 29 using 1d20+13.  AoO on Iesha Foxglove (nonlethal damage).

RESULT:  14 points of nonlethal damage to Iesha Foxglove (33 total)

Free Action:  5' step to J9.

Standard Action: Attack Kellan Storval

23:05, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, for the NPC Iesha Foxglove, rolled 11 using 1d8+4+2d6.  Damage to Kellan Storval.
23:04, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, for the NPC Iesha Foxglove, rolled 22 using 1d20+10.  Attack on Kellan Storval.

RESULT:  11 points of damage to Kellan Storval.

STATUS:  Pisca has taken 38 points of damage and is disabled.  Kellan has taken 25 points of damage.  Iesha Foxglove has taken 33 points of nonlethal damage.  Aldern Foxglove has taken 20 points of damage. All party members may now take combat actions.

---

---

Cato steps past Kerr, fully into the townhouse, and holds up his left hand, channeling arcane power through his bonded ring, while his right hand brandishes a small piece of iron.  "[Language unknown: Heoer ain mala!]” he shouts in an ancient tongue.

Move to L11
Hold Person on Aldern (Imposter) DC 17 Will Save
Haste: 5 rounds remain
This message was lightly edited by the player at 12:16, Sat 21 Apr 2018.

The loud ping of Ieshas's blade ringing off of Kellans helm seemed painfully loud in the narrow space, and his head snapped to the side with the motentum and sent him a half step to his left. Although the guardsman endured the blow in relative silence, it looked like a good one.

Kellan was not deterred however. Holding the haft of his poleaxe sideways he checked Iesha hard into the hallway wall and then, unnaturally fast thanks to Cato's arcane skill, proceeded to throw a blinding series of attacks.

The right hook came in first, followed by a wild second punch that crunched through the hallway panneling before he placed both hands back on the weapon and raked it hard to his right, hoping to use the momentum and hook of the blade to drag the imposter down.

HP: 44/69
AC: 19

First Attack: 28 to hit, 17 NL Damage
Free Trip Attempt: 20
Second Attack: 4 to hit
Hasted Bonus Attack: 22 to hit 18 NL Damage
Free Trip Attempt: 25

AOO Preference: Normal NL Attack, -3 if at 5' range

"[Language unknown: Ilwaiv o Outwhered watio ie heathi!]"  Liseth turned for a moment from the Magnimar Guard and channeled divine, white light.  The healing aura spread to touch her injured friends and mend their injuries.

The light faded just as quickly as it had come and she turned back to the guardsman, "Mr Foxglove is our friend, he told us about evil people at work in Magnimar and sent us to get something from his house to expose them.  It was...." she frowned, "his dying request...they can only be evil imposters!"

Standard: Channel Energy to Cure; Exclude 'Foxgloves' (Cure Party for 5)

15:14, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 5 using 3d6+1.  Channel Energy to Heal.

"LYSA!"  If a cry of joy can be conveyed in a whisper, then that is just what Pisca did from her place in mock-crumple on the floor.  With a quick turn, the gnome turned over onto her back, finding no False Foxgloves above her with their cruel stabbing blades.  With a flourish of hands and a few words of power, she drew more healing energies to her body before leaping to her feet.

"I'm back," Pisca informed the others, and her eyes darted about the room to regain her bearings.

Cast CLW
Stand

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 6 using 1d8+5.  CLW.

Active Spells:
Haste 5 remaining, Cat's Grace 6m; Message 60m

HP: 10
AC22/Touch17/CMD17
Conditions: Unarmed.

AL: 13/14
Used L1 4/5; L2 2/3

---

---

Kellan was in a rhythm now.  Shortening up on his shaft, he whirled his poleaxe into a symphony of violence against Iesha Foxglove.  Already slightly stunned, the woman had no chance against Kellan's onslaught; she slumped to the floor unconscious.

Meanwhile, Kerr put his Sir Klerris-inspired training and Cato's magical assistance to good use.  He quickly pulled three arrows out of his quiver, one after the other, and sent them speeding towards Aldern Foxglove as the man brought his longsword around for another strike against Kellan.  Two shafts buried themselves in the noble's torso; one clattered harmlessly against the wall.

"NO!"  The guardsman entered the room, reaching out his hand as if he could stop Kerr from killing one of his city's upper-class denizens.  The man dashed across the room, intent on seeing if he could provide aid.

But as Foxglove slumped to the ground, his skin seemed to ripple and shift, turning the well-coiffed, uniformed noble into a hairless, leathery biped with a face dominated by grotesque and unsettling whorls and slits instead of actual features.

"What . . . what is THAT?!?"  The Magnimarian blanched as he crouched over the creature, unsure of what he was seeing.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDDDDxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  w  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--T--x--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  T  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDxxxx--T--x--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  D P|  D  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--xDDDDDxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |-Ix  |  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--x--+--xxxxssx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |K x  |  |  | sx  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDx--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |-A|  |C |  H  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--T--F--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  D  |CG|  |R |  H  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--xxxwxxxDDDDDxxxwxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  | L|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

w = Window
s = Stairs
F = Fireplace
H = Chair
T = Table
A = Aldern Foxglove
I = Iesha
CG = City Guard

COMBAT

Kellan Storval

Result:  Iesha Foxglove takes 35 points of nonlethal damage and is tripped to the floor.
 She is now unconscious.

Kerr Mollin

Move Action: None.
Standard Action:  Full-attack on Aldern Foxglove.

15:49, Today: Secret Roll: Kerr Mollin rolled 29 using 2d8+14+2d6.  Ranged Damage to Aldern Foxglove.
15:48, Today: Secret Roll: Kerr Mollin rolled 25 using 1d20+8.  Shot No. 3 at Aldern Foxglove (PBS, DA, RF).
15:47, Today: Secret Roll: Kerr Mollin rolled 12 using 1d20+8.  Shot No. 2 at Aldern Foxglove (PBS, DA, RF).
15:47, Today: Secret Roll: Kerr Mollin rolled 24 using 1d20+8.  Shot No. 1 at Aldern Foxglove (PBS, DA, RF).

Result:  Kerr inflicts 29 points of damage on Aldern Foxglove.  He is prone, unconscious, and dying.


STATUS:  Pisca has taken 27 points of damage.  Kellan has taken 20 points of damage.  Iesha Foxglove has taken 68 points of nonlethal damage, and is prone and unconscious.  Aldern Foxglove has taken 49 points of damage and is prone, unconscious, and dying. Combat is over, resume normal posting.

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 00:16, Tue 24 Apr 2018.

"Well.  That's something you don't see everyday," commented the gnome as she poked her head around the corner to see just what the guard was referring to.  "I don't think even I was expecting that."

"This one ... " Pisca, after retrieving her weapon from the floor, wandered across the threshold and stood over the other Faux Foxglove.  With the flat of the blade she patted the woman on the cheek.  "This one still looks like Lysa.  Or, Iesha, I suppose."

"Lets see if they have anything on them that might help us figure out what's going on.  Maybe a card with a number eight," said the gnome as she began going over the fallen woman's clothing.  "Or nine.  Or ten."

Perception 38 Taking 20 to search the bodies for evidence.

Cato watched the transformation take over the downed imposter-nobles, his mind already starting to whirl. “Natural shapeshifters. That would explain the lack of an arcane signature!  Many such things revert to their true form when unconscious.”

Know: Arcana to id?

"That doesn't even look like a person anymore!  Let alone Aldern Foxglove."  To be fair, Liseth had had no idea what to expect ever since they opened the door to see Aldern Foxglove standing there.  "They're shapeshifters," she asked Cato, "They can look like anyone?"

"Sarenrae, if it is your will, preserve this life that we might learn its purpose."  The acolyte said a prayer of mending to stop the creature bleeding to death.  If nothing else, they might learn from it.  She frowned as she cautiously peeked through the door at the one mimicking Iesha, "Is she one of these too?  Why does she still look...human?"

"Pisca, you're still hurt, hold still."  Liseth skirted around the fallen forms to approach Pisca, calling the healing power of the divine to herself, "Gods grant me your healing light."  Then she did the same to cure Kellan of the injuries he had received during the short battle.

The young blonde turned to the flabbergasted city guard, "I'm sorry, even we didn't expect this.  There is something terrible going on in Magnimar, and even reaching out to Sandpoint and possibly the rest of Varisia too.  We're...trying to stop it."

"Oh, be careful."  Liseth suddenly had a thought, "They were trying to get us to eat something when they were pretending to be Mr Foxglove and his wife.  They might have poison hidden around here."  The small acolyte thought a moment and then said a prayer, "Sarenrae, reveal to me the location of foul toxins and hidden poison."

OOC: Cast Stabilize on 'Foxglove' - Should stop dying
Cast CLW on Pisca (Heal 7) and Kellan (Heal 10)
Cast Detect Poison

00:23, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 10 using 1d8+6.  CLW Kellan.
00:23, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 7 using 1d8+6.  CLW Pisca.

Kellan recoiled as he saw the change begin to take place, perhaps expecting some fresh horror...and he was not disappointed.

At that point in his life with all that he had seen and done, he had been feeling fairly "seasoned". They had tackled demons after all... assaulted Thistletop. But the realization that things existed in the world like "natural shape shifters" changed his world view once again.

"A what?" He exclaimed a he squatted over "Iesha's" unconscious body and quickly applied the manacles that Alergast had given him upon joining the guard. "I've never even heard of anything like that. Where does it come from?" He asked as he stares warily at the gray thing.

He glanced to the guardsman with a dip of his head. "I'm sorry sir, just give us a moment"

"Errr ...  Stomper," Pisca commented softly even as her hands continued to work through the Lysa Look Alike's clothing.  "If these are *shape* *shifters*", she went on, emphasizing the relevant words, "then I don't think those are going to hold them."

Cato examined the faces of the unconscious imposters as he muttered to himself.  "Dopplegangers?  No...not gray enough.  Kitsune wouldn't make sense, and it would turn into a fox-humanoid.  A mimic would only turn into an object...."

Suddenly, Cato snaps his fingers.  "A Faceless stalker!  I think that's what it is.  And restraints might work, if I'm remembering my lore right, as long as we observe them.  It takes them 10 minutes to shift forms, and they prefer privacy.  I'm not even sure if they could shapeshift away a hand or something, but I suppose it's best not to test that boundary."

Nodding to Kellan, he continues: "As to where they come from, they were created as spies by the Aboleths long ago, though they were cast aside."

---

---

Kerr nodded along as if he knew what Cato was talking about.  “I guess they only change back to their original shape if they actually die?”  He prodded not-Aldern-Foxglove with a doubtful boot.  “So Iesha wouldn’t have shifted back if she was just knocked out.”

He turned to the guardsman.  “Yes, sir,” he agreed with Liseth.  “This is all something terrible.  We came down to investigate it because Lord Foxglove was killed and,” he prodded the shapeshifter again, “this is what we found.  As you can see.”  He shook his head, and then his eyes widened.  “How many of these things could be out there?  Impersonating Magnimarian nobility?”

The guardsman seemed very taken aback by the possibility.  “This is,” he looked several shades paler than he had when he first approached the group, “I really don’t know what to do about this.”  He took off his helmet and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a glove.  “Don’t move too much around.  I’m going to have to report this and get some investigators here to check this out.”

---

---

"Just these," said the gnome, tossing the two sharply shiny swords to the floor with a clatter.

"Though I'd think twice before assuming that Aboleths are replacing Magnimarian nobles with shape shifters," she warned.  "Consider the state of this house," she continued on to explain.  "Boards nailed over windows.  It definitely looks as though it's seen better days.  If you were replacing nobles, would you let your cover slip so badly?"

Pisca's cheeks dimpled as she pressed her lips together in a thoughtful frown and her hands went to her hips as though in confrontation of a thing she of which she very much disapproved.  "I'm tempted to say that they were here very specifically for us.  They knew things about us.  And they didn't seem very ... surprised when we showed up, did they now?"

"Could you wait a moment," the gnome requested of the Magnimarian guardsman.  "As Lysa's already told you, we're here because Aldern - the *REAL* Aldern - asked us to come and find something in the house.  I'd like to search it now, and it would be nice to have an impartial witness to testify that we haven't done anything ... well, lets just say, that we haven't done anything that we shouldn't."

Kellan glanced down to his manacles, then back to Pisca and Cato. "Well...I suppose they can't hurt, as long as it doesn't try to run off..."

The entire situation had set him on edge, it was quite surreal to be in another place, the big city, where he only knew his close friends and had to contend with such fantastic circumstances. Who had ever heard of such a thing? Aboleths? Shape Changers? It was madness.

But it was all too real.

Kellan approached the fellow guardsman and offered a hand. "Thanks for not stepping in back there, not even sure what I would have done myself in your shoes, but it worked out. You are with the City Watch here in Magnimar?" He asked.

"There's no poison here..."  Liseth said, mostly to herself.  "At least, none I can detect."  Was that good or did that just mean she was using the invocation improperly?

"Cato, what do these...shapeshifters eat?  He had said that they had just set the dinner table."  The girl looked down at the  now-horrid figure of what had appeared to be Aldern Foxglove.  "I mean, can it actually eat the same food as us?"  Liseth thought a moment, "I think I should check the kitchen and the dining room.  If they have a supply of food, it could tell us how long they've been waiting here."

"They didn't seem to know what had already happened at Foxglove Manor, but they did seem to be waiting for us to show up.  I wonder if we might be a step ahead of these evil conspirators.  That would be...a nice change."

With that the young chef entered the dining room to investigate just what it was these creatures had been trying to get them to eat.

Cato looked up at Pisca's comment.  "Well, I don't think Aboleths are attacking Magnimar.  Although they made these shapeshifters originally, they discarded them as useful servants long ago.  Now the faceless stalkers are...free agents?   I suppose that might be the best description.  They could just be masquerading as the Foxgloves, maybe taking advantage of their wealth and position to live in the lap of luxury until the Foxgloves return to Magnimar.  Or they could have been hired to set a trap for us."

He looked over at the table and shuddered.  "Uh, Liseth, from what I know about their eating habits, they can eat only liquids, usually blood, even if they take a form that involves teeth and would normally be capable of eating solids.  In their natural form, they have a kind of hollow tongue that they use to suck blood.  So, steel yourself for anything you might find in that kitchen, if they truly have made their home here.  And Kellan, maybe be careful of being too close to the faces?"

---

---

“As long as you don’t disturb anything too much.”  The guardsman gave the gnome a curt nod, recovering his bearings but still seeming a bit out of his element.  “The investigators are going to want to see it.  But given that these things might have been here specifically to kill you,” his eyes went inexorably to the changed shapeshifter, “seems only fair you get to find out if that’s true, and if so why.”

As Cato spoke with Pisca, the man turned to Kellan.  “Yep, I’m a City Guard.” He gestured at his blue-tinted scale mail.  “Pride of Magnimar.”  He rapped on the chestplate with his free hand.  “What about you?  You have a guardsman’s look about you—I’d know it anywhere.”

As the two guardsmen talked, Liseth wandered into the kitchen.  While it was an impressive facility, with marble countertops, oak cabinetry, and a tiled floor, it seemed as if the talk of dinner was slightly overblown.  The only thing that even suggested eating were a few scattered plates on the table and a sloppily-opened bag of what looked like flour on one of the countertops.  Nothing was cooking or prepared in any way.

Kerr wandered further into the entry room.  “Hey,” he said, motioning to the group, "there’s a stairway over here.  Heading up.”

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDDDDxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  w  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--T--x--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  T  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xDDxxxx--T--x--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  D P|  D  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--xDDDDDxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |-Ix  |  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--x--+--xxxxssx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |K x  |R |  | sx  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDx--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |-A|  |C |  H  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--T--F--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  D  |CG|  |  |  H  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--xxxwxxxDDDDDxxxwxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  | L|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

w = Window
s = Stairs
F = Fireplace
H = Chair
T = Table
A = Aldern Foxglove
I = Iesha
CG = City Guard

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 00:56, Sat 28 Apr 2018.

"Aboleths," Pisca said, turning from the guard to Cato.  The gnome goggled her eyes wide, and her mouth bloop-blooped in a pair of lethargic goldfish gapes.  She put one hand up to each side of her face and waved them as though lazy fins in the sluggish deepwater currents.  Then she dropped the fishy-face and shrugged.  "Who can figure them?"

"By the by," Pisca tossed a question over her shoulder to the guard as she then diverted herself in the direction of the stairs that Lysa's boyfriend had mentioned, "you don't happen to known anything about a group that goes by the name of the Gang of Seven or the Brotherhood of the Unleavened, the Brotherhood of Seven, something like that?" she asked as she began meandering up the stairs, poking and prodding into corners as she went.

Perception 38 Taking 20 to search for traps and hidden compartments.

Kellan remained with their prisoner, but heeded Cato's advice about staying away from their faces. The thought of these things jabbing into something like a tick or a mosquito was enough to make him shake his head again in disgust.

Opening up to the Guardsman was a calculated risk, but he had not attacked them despite the chaotic nature of their introduction, and he had heard all their names, even heard Pisca asking about the Seven. It seemed that they were playing their hand more openly, which fitted his earnest nature just fine.

"I am, just made Sergeant down in Sandpoint actually. I don't know if you know our Sheriff, Hemlock...or Lieutenant Barett...they have both been up this way to train with your men...we've learned a lot from the Magnimar Guard honestly." He admitted, giving credit where it was due.

Cato followed Liseth into the kitchen, once again casting Detect Magic and scanning the area for signs of anything magical.

"I wonder how long they've been here.  Do you think it just happened?  And who sent them?  Word must have come from Sandpoint, right?  But there must be some larger organization in Magnimar that is involved with the Foxgloves.  Didn't Aldern say something about that, where his..." Cato lowered his voice, whispering to Liseth, "where his undead condition came from?"

"Just flour."  There was a note of disappointment at the lack of any foodstuffs.  Liseth grimaced, "At least they don't have any blood in here.  Monsters probably only want fresh..."

"I don't think they've had word from Sandpoint yet; we must have beaten the news here."  The acolyte discussed with Cato, "Otherwise they wouldn't have tried to trick us by looking like the Foxgloves.  But they've probably had people...or things...keeping watch on this house for a long time, in case we did travel here to Magnimar."

The girl frowned at mention of the condition Aldern Foxglove had forced on him, "He said they forced him to...eat the moss under his manor.  That's what changed him...I don't know if the cult might have more here in the city."

Liseth left the kitchen, going back to find Kerr at the entry room.  "There was just flour in the kithcen, enough for her to put on her arms to make us think she was cooking."  Referring to the look-alike of Iesha.  "Let's see if we can find what Aldern told us about.  It must be well hidden if they haven't found it themselves."  She looked up the stairs.

Her oldest nemesis.

---

---

“Brotherhood of the Seven, you mean?”  The city guardsman chuckled.  “That’s just an old wives’ tale used to frighten children.  Did one of the urchins put you on to that?  They blame everything on the Brotherhood.”  The guardsman tugged at his collar uncomfortably.  “Although truth be told there have been some strange murders lately.  Merchants, moneylenders, politicians, even guards—all ending up mutilated, with their faces missing and chests carved with a,” he paused, “seven-pointed star.”

The party climbed the stairs—some with more ease than others—and began a search of the townhouse, with the guardsman keeping an eye on them to ensure nothing too important was disturbed.  The dwelling was luxuriously appointed but somewhat dusty; it seemed as if it had been quite awhile since it has seen any sort of maid service.  The townhouse’s second floor contained nothing more than two guest bedrooms and a sitting room.  On the third floor they found a master bedroom, a bathroom, a study, and a large living room containing a marble fireplace with two carved, roaring lion heads at either end.

Pisca looked down at the keys she’d found at Foxglove Manor and saw that the lion’s head on the mysterious bronze key was strikingly similar to those adorning the fireplace.  Moving closer to inspect, she discovered a tiny keyhole deep in the back of the left lion’s throat.  She inserted the bronze key and turned it.

With an audible click a portion of the mantlepiece swung open to reveal a small cache.  Inside the group found a small bag containing 200 platinum pieces, a shallow wooden case containing a number of legal papers, the deed to Foxglove Manor, and a thin ledger.  The deed indicated that the Foxglove family only financed two-thirds of the Manor’s construction 80 years ago; the rest of the money was provided by a now-familiar group:  The Brotherhood of the Seven.  The deed also contained an unusual clause that after 100 years ownership of the Manor and the lands within a mile “around and below” the estate would revert to the Brotherhood.

The majority of the entries in the ledger were mundane, but towards the end it seemed that Foxglove was paying someone 200 gold pieces a week for “Iesha’s security.”  There are nearly a dozen entries of this nature; they stop three weeks before the incident at the Sandpoint Mill.  Foxglove was apparently making these payments to “B-7” and dropped off the payment every Oathday at a place called “The Seven’s Sawmill.”

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"Your Brotherhood of Seven does some amazing real estate deals," Pisca commented without looking up.  Her small finger followed an invisible spoor hunting through the ledger.  "For a tale of old wives," she added, the irony blunted by her concentration on the various entries.

Then, of a sudden, the gnome sat bolt upright, and her face turned up to the guard.  "You know, it occurs to me that you may not want to tell anyone about what you found here today.  For your own safety that is.  I mean, if this Brotherhood of the Starry Number Seven is as secretive as they seem, they may not want these secrets revealed.  Lets see ... what did you say?" asked the gnome rhetorically, and she began counting off the items on her fingers.  "Merchants, moneylenders, politicians, right?  And even guards," she exclaimed, holding up her thumb to represent the local law enforcement group.

"Ssshhhh. Best not to say anything," she added, holding up the index fingers of the Politicians to her lips.  "To anyone."

"Say, anyone know what day it is today?"

Knowledge Local check, please.  Sawmills in Magnimar for 1000.

Kellan almost seemed embarrassed by the sheer wealth that Pisca pulled out from the fireplace cache. The platinum coins were one thing...but those were somehow insubstantial in their wealth, it was a ton of money, but abstract.

But the deed to Foxglove Manor made the young man puff out his cheeks in a long breath as he read it.

The Storvals were humble people of modest means, Kellan had not even had a room of his own growing up, nor would he have any reason to expect one. A whole room to ones self was the kind of things that came with  getting married...and building or perhaps even buying a home to settle down in.

So to hold the deed to an entire Manor and it's lands in his hand made him realize just how much his life had changed. These people had so much...so so much, even the townhome they now stood in would have been a dream come true for anybody from Sandpoint, but even with such wealth and comfort at their fingertips...they had wanted more.

What were they going to do with all of this?

Piscas words brought him back to the present. "She's right." Kellan said simply. "I know your going to want to report this, I sure would...but you've also got to think about your own safety."

He took another deep breath. "There's been too many good people murdered already, it's why were here. But I'd ask that you at least consider it."

Cato paused to consider the ledger as Pisca talked.  "It does make sense that the sawmill be in Magnimar, but with the Seven being so interested in real estate, is it possible that it's another name for the sawmill back in Sandpoint?  Though it would seem strange to have those transactions recorded in ledger here rather than back in Foxglove's manor in Sandpoint.

Cato considered what he knew of Magnimar, the excitement of following clues overshadowning the wealth they had found hidden as well.

Knowledge: Local check here too.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:55, Thu 03 May 2018.

"Ieshas's security?"  Liseth browsed the ledger over Pisca's shoulder.  "Were they blackmailing Aldern by threatening Iesha too?  It isn't as though they even needed the money..." her face scrunched up, "not with everything else they had to do with the Foxglove family."  The acolyte thought, "B-7 must be one of the cultists; unless he was paying someone else to protect her?  Not that it worked..."

"What about these papers?"  She pulled the stack of legal papers from their case and began browsing the sheets, "Maybe there's something here, some kind of contract or arrangement, we can link back to someone in the cult.  It isn't as though they could use a pseudonym for official legal paperwork."

A frown, "All I can find here are some references to 'The Brothers of the Seven.'  We already knew that Aldern had dealings with them."  Liseth pondered the paperwork, "Maybe they wouldn't use the city's legal system; they are an evil, secret cult after all.  Why would they draw up their own legal papers?"

"I wish I knew more about legal paperwork."  Liseth set the papers down.  She went to the city guard, "You said that the Brothers of the Seven were just stories made to scare children.  So that must be what they want prople to think they are; just stories."  The short blonde thought, "Do you think that they might have people hidden in Magnimar's government? This kind of legal paperwork might be because someone in their group is tied to the city legal system, so he wants the cult's dealings to feel official."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:41, Wed 09 May 2018.

Cato paused, remembering Pisca's whisper magic.  "Wait, I've heard of the Seven's Sawmill.  It's along Kyver's Inlet.  I didn't want to mention it in front of that guardsman, but we should definitely search that!"

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"You're saying . . . you're saying that the Brotherhood is real?"  The guardsman's tone was equal notes incredulity and fear.  "I suppose . . . I suppose if they're real they could be in the government."  He glanced around at the five gathered heroes.  "Maybe I shouldn't report this after all.  Or maybe I should.  Wouldn't it look strange if something happened here and it didn't get reported?"

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In reply to The Raconteur (msg # 102):

Cato thought about the guardsman’s dilemma, then tentatively started speaking. “How would you report this if you didn’t know about the Seven?  Obviously something strange happened here?  Maybe you heard a disturbance at the Foxglove Townhouse, but by the time you arrived, all you found was the two dead faceless stalkers. What would you assume?  Maybe the creatures had replaced the Foxgloves but squabbled amongst themselves?  Or you arrived too late to catch the perpetrators?”

The gnome's face rises from the ledger, her large violet eyes blinking in shock and surprise.  "But, Cato," she said, with that little bit of drama that she was not able to resist, "that would be a lie!"

"Better to tell the truth," she then suggested to the guard, patting his arm and then hopping off her chair with the folded ledger under one arm.  "Best to tell the truth," she continued, her shock of but a moment ago having vanished completely.  "You know they'll sense a lie.  They're good at that.  That's what they do."

"Whether you report this or not is up to you.  Er, excuse me, could you kneel down here for a moment so we can talk face to face?  Thank you," Pisca continued after tugging the guard down to her level with a handful of his tabard.  "I'm sorry, it was my mistake to bring you up here.  I've put you in more danger.  But, at least you know how far this goes now.  How deep the corruption.  How high it could possibly go into government circles."

"Follow your conscience.  But, if you do decide to report this, I suggest that you be very very sure first that your family is in a safe place.  Make sure that the person that you are going to report to is someone that you trust.  Also make sure that the person that you report to can defend him or herself and his or her family, because, by reporting this, - if they are trustworthy - you'll very likely be placing them in danger as well as yourself."

"Do you understand?"  And Pisca ended with a pat of her small pink hand upon the guard's armored shoulder.  "Now you should go.  The more you learn here the worse off for you."

Then the gnome whispered a few short words into her magic, "That might give us some time, at least."

BTW, can I have a sense motive check to make sure that the guard is himself trustworthy.

Kellan could not help but empathize with the poor fellow guardsman. For simply going his job he had been caught up in the whole terrible mess, with Kellan already doing all he could to bring those behind it to justice. He could spare little time to protect this man, or his family or brothers in arms, not when they still needed to get to the root of the problem in the first place.

"Sorry...I wish there was more we could do. Keep your head down out there yeah?" Kellan patted the mans shoulder and exhaled slowly. Even now they had things that needed tending to.

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The guard turned a whiter shade of pale as Pisca talked to him, especially when she mentioned his family.  "I'll figure out what to do," he assured her, looking at the floor before he raised his head to meet her eyes.  "I think you're right, this goes further than we can know right now.  I think you five," he glanced around at the group, "are the right people to be looking into this."

"I'll try and keep you out of my report, if I make one."  He shrugged.  "Honestly I don't think I will make one.  I'll let someone else find this; then when they make their report they won't be lying at all.  All they'll find is those two . . . things."

The man stood from the kneeling position into which Pisca had pulled him.  "I'll be off, then.  Make sure you clear out of here pretty quickly; I'm pretty sure another patrol will be by soon.  I don't know whether to wish you good luck in finding the Brotherhood.  They will be powerful."  He paused to make his words felt.  "Very powerful."

His talk done, the guard saluted Kellan and left the room.  The party heard his boots clattering down the stairs and the sound of the door as he departed.  They were now by themselves.

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Pisca sat in an attentive stillness, listening to the footsteps of the Magnimar city guard fade down the street, or maybe lost in gnomish thought, or, possibly, just waiting for the narration in her head to come to its conclusion.

"Uh ... Lysa, Kerr Mollin, could you watch the street from the window," the gnome finally asked as she snapped into motion, heading for the stairs to the lower floor.  "All the windows on the ground floor have been boarded up, and I want to know whether the coast is clear or not when we leave."

"Stomper, Cato, come with me please."  Pisca disappeared into the stairwell, but turned her head to listen as she descended to the lower floor.  At the bottom the gnome waited for her other two friends, greeting them with a serious face that said that she had matters to discuss.

Cato watched the departing guardsman, wondering if their actions were correct.  For all the wizard knew, the guardsman could himself be tied up with the Seven, and feigning ignorance in order to better lay a trap.  Yet, if that was the case, why wouldn't he(it?) have stepped in in the fight with the Foxgloves, unless it was part of a longer con in order to prove his trustworthiness to the Sandpointers.  What end goal could the Seven have in mind that would be more valuable than simply killing the five of them?  Given that Cato didn't actually know what the Seven wanted, beyond an undead Foxglove and a manor house in Sandpoint, he didn't even know where to start on that line of inquiry.

Shaking his head, Cato followed Pisca down the stairs.  "What are you thinking, Pisca?  At least we've bought ourselves a little bit of time and have the clue about the sawmill to follow up on."

"Well, I wasn't really thinking *that* far ahead, Cato," the gnome replied.  "That is to say, not as far as the Seven's Sawmill was concerned."  She peered back up the stairs to see whether their voices were carrying - as if that were something she could actually see.  "I was thinking more along the lines of what to do with ... " and Pisca jerked her head in the direction of the bodies of the two fallen Stalkers in the other room.  " ... with them."

"I think we're going to have to kill them," she said.  "And, well, you know, Lysa has such a kind heart.  I didn't want to get her involved in anything like that."

Kellan returned the guards salute in an earnest, appreciative way before be glanced to Pisca with a slightly cocked eyebrow.

He followed her down, then pursed his lips and nodded at her sentiments.

"Yeah...I see your point." Kellan nodded slightly. "But we have to tell her...I mean, before we do anything like that. We can't just go around her. She's one of us" he replied as he gestured with his free hand. "She may not agree with it, but at least we should be upfront about our reasons"

The gnome sighed deeply - perhaps more deeply than necessary.  "I guess that's what I thought too," she admitted.  "Poor Lysa," she added commiserating with the human girl upstairs for something she wasn't even aware she needed commiseration for.  Yet.

"Um ... Lysa, could you come down here, please?" Pisca called up the stairwell.  "And you too, Kerr Mollin."

"I suppose we should all make this decision together, huh?" she said, looking up into the faces of the two of her human friends who'd already come down the stairs.

"Do you think they do have people in the city government and the guard?"  Liseth asked Kerr once they were keeping watch out the upstairs window.  "I suppose an evil cult like them would have to.  Just look at how they had wrapped up poor Aldern, the Brothers of the Seven could have any number of nobles and other people in power doing their bidding; willing or not.  Even more of their...shapechangers could be out there."

The girl sighed, "I thought that once we got to the city we'd be able to share what happened at Sandpoint and Foxglove Manor and get all the help we needed to stop this cult.  But now it looks like we can't trust anyone in the city's authority."  That statement punctuated by the fact they were even now keeping watch for a patrol of city guards.

"Coming Pisca!"  Liseth called back to Pisca downstairs.  She steadily made her down the stairs back to the main floor, "Is something wrong?  We didn't see anything from the window yet."

"Well ... " the gnome fidgeted.  Her eyes shifted from left to right, then back again to left, wandering and wandering, and failing, by design, to meet her friends gaze.  "Not so wrong as to have to run away screaming back to our beds," Pisca added, the hem to her previous haw - avoidance only delaying what was inevitable.

"I ... I guess what's wrong is that I lied to you," she confessed, at last, tearing off the bandage of confession with one quick and hopefully-not-so-painful jerk.  "I ... I didn't need anyone watching the street.  I ... we ... we have to kill the Faux Foxgloves.  And ... and I didn't want you to have to see it.  To have to be responsible for ... for their lives.  I saw ... I saw how you saved them.  And I ... I ... I ... "

"I'm sorry.  I'm sorry, Lys."

Cato watched as Pisca revealed her intentions to Liseth.  In a way, it reminded him of the moral dilemmas he had faced with the Hellknights so long ago.

He cleared his throat.  "I think I'm with Pisca on this one.  It might seem like a bad thing to kill fallen foes, but these things were made to hurt people.  They can only subsist on blood, like an undead scourge.  Even if you could barter with them, that's just a fact of their existence.  They need to take from others in order to live.  And we don't know who out there is in league with them, if they're in league with the Seven, or anything else.  I think we need to play things safe here in Magnimar, not know who else we can trust."

Cato brandished his crossbow, loading a bolt and holding it to the back of one of the creature's heads.  "I take no pleasure in this task, but I think it must be done.  Any objections?"

"Oh..."  Liseth's face fell steadily during Pisca's explanation, and she was crestfallen as she realized the necessity with which her friends saw this task.  Was it murder?  She imagined the hideous form of the monster that had masqueraded as Aldern Foxglove, the way Kerr had exclaimed the sheer evil they emanated.  Was it murder to kill a hideous, blood-drinking monster?

"I..."  The acolyte grasped Sarenrae's holy symbol for strength, "Sarenrae says..." a deep breath, "Sarenrae says that if a criminal or a monster can be redeemed to live a better life, then they should be given every chance to.  But if such redemption is impossible, for whatever reason, then the monster should be dealt 'swift justice by the sword's edge.'"

"I don't think these monsters are interested in redemption..." a sigh, "Not after being connected to this 'Brotherhood of the Seven.'"  She looked up towards Cato arming his crossbow, "I'll just go into the other room.  I...feel like I need to pray."

"THANK YOU, LYSA!  Thank you!"  The gnome's relief was as palpable as it was effusive.  She rushed to the departing human girl, nearly bowling her over with a fiercely enthusiastic hug before whirling back to address the pending execution of the two defeated monstrosities.

"I think that a shot to the head would be fine, Cato," Pisca conceded, while simultaneously raising the Dreaded-Finger-Of-But.  "But, wouldn't it be so much better if these two mysteriously disappeared without leaving any trace of what had happened?" she added with a sly grin.  "Leaving whomever sent them to meet us wondering just what might have happened here."  And she hehe'd then in a decidedly trickster-like manner.

"And that would start with not leaving a large bloodstain on the floor, I'd think.  Maybe strangulation.  Maybe.  Yes, maybe.  And then we'll have to clean up any traces of the fight.  And get rid of the bodies themselves.  Maybe feed them to huge ravenous pigs.  Or, or, or ... or maybe cut up the bodies and flush the pieces down the drain after dissolving them with alchemical solvents!"  Pisca's head nodded in time with the workings of some fantastical inner imaginarium, and, for a moment, she seemed entirely captive to her own ideas.

Kellan had be silent for the most part, but after Liseth had gone to pray he cleared his throat.

"Sheriff Hemlock had to hang some bandits a long time back, when I was just a kid." He began as he glanced to the floor and back up. "I've heard of some towns making a big show of it and all that, but from what I gather he just walked them out into the outskirts and made it as quick as he could manage, then buried them. It's unfortunate...that the world can force a mans hand like that, but I think he made the right choice."

He shrugged. "We've got rope, and a second story...and I would wager that we could at least lay them to rest in the basement if we've got no other choice. But whatever we do we should probably get on with it...don't like the thought of them shifting their skins and all that."

Cato let out a sigh of relief at Liseth's acceptance of their actions.  "Thanks, Lysa.  I know this isn't the easiest thing to handle.  It's one thing to kill someone in the heat of combat when you've got no choice, but harder to do it with a rational mind even if it makes sense to do so."

As Pisca started to talk, however, Cato's face paled.  Suddenly, he was uncomfortable reminded of exactly why he had left the Hellknights.  He shook his head forcefully, and after Kellan had his say, Cato added to it: "We're not going to torture them or dismember the bodies.  That's just too much.  I agree with Kellan, a hanging is a good way to off them, good enough for criminals at any case.  Then we can hide or bury the bodies here.  With any luck, it'll be quite some time before anyone finds them.  But let's do it quickly, before they wake up and give us more trouble."  Cato moved to the legs of one of the creatures, nodding to Kellan to grab the arms.

"Huh?  Well, alright."  The gnome returned from her world of spotlessly clean assassinations to acknowledge the plans already in motion.  "Hanging sounds less messy," she agreed.  "They probably won't even wake from it till it's done."

"I'll ... I'll look for a basement.  Or, maybe some other place to hide the bodies," she began, and then looked back.  "Say, Cato, couldn't you ...  Maybe?  Couldn't you possibly summon a pack of ravenous pigs to eat the dead bodies?"