Makoto, what do you think would have happened if they had won? These are not humans or any civilized race. These are monsters. I don’t like to leave monsters around to hurt others, but if you want we can take the rest prisoner and bring them with us.

Rather than continuing to kill them he will bind the rest of them if that is what Makoto wants.

   When Bobble pulls out rope and starts checking to see which ones survived, Makotos frown disappears and she responds with, "I think very bad things would have happened to me if they had won."  You find 3 of the normal hobgoblins are still alive by the time you check.  You can use a heal skill to get them awake after you look around. Conan finds the warhorse very skittish.  It's gear looks foreign, from the south.
   Looking around you find another horse pulling a merchant wagon and a couple of tied/beaten up humans, local merchants by the looks of them.  There is also a tied up dead human warrior nearby, he looks to be from the south by the looks of his gear.

Bobble will make sure to free the local merchants immediately. He will ask them about the hobgoblins, where the nearest law would be, and if they want to take the three hobgoblins there. Also he will ask if they knew the southerner who was killed.

  The merchants were traveling to Siverhall and they had pickup the Southern mercenary as a guard.  The road to Silverhall has a bandit problem.  But they thought if they traveled fast and with a heavily armed/armored warrior on a war horse, normal bandits would leave them alone.  They weren't expecting a hobgoblin raiding party this far from hobgoblin territory.  So when the hobgoblins said surrender, they did hoping an escape or ransom might be possible.  But the hobgoblins didn't like how the mercenary was looking at them and the hobgoblins killed him.  The merchants will give you the mercenaries mw half-plate armor and mw lance for saving them.  He didn't have family or friends as far as they know.  You secure the prisoners in the merchants wagon and take them to the authorities in Silverhall.
   After selling the loot and dividing the gold Bobble, Conan and Makoto get 782gp each.  The group keeps a potion of cure moderate wounds (2d8+3), a wand of cure light wounds (35 charges; 1d8+1), alchemist’s fire (6), tanglefoot bags (2), caltrops and a smokestick.  Not included in total, take if you want - all med size; 100 arrows, 20 bolts(Light), a buckler and a spell component pouch.

   So you have arrived in Silverhall, you know this was Diridon's destination, but you don't know why he came here.  What do you do?
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:25, Mon 11 May 2020.

Bobble will suggest they get rooms at an inn, then start checking around at the various places a bard might perform to see if they can locate him.

Take 10 = 17 on diplomacy/gather information
https://aonprd.com/Skills.aspx?ItemName=Diplomacy
   After taking care of business (turning over the hobgoblins, talking to the guards about the attack, selling loot, splitting loot, etc...) Bobble spends the last part of the day trying to find info on Diridon.  He has no luck with the name Diridon the Dashing, but does find information on a bard matching the current description from Laketown, "40-50 year old halfelf male, good looking and a fine entertainer".  The bard, calling himself Evero, hung around a few days performing, seducing the ladies and asking about local information.  Bobble also overhears the latest "hot gossip" about a group of hobgoblin bandits being defeated.
   Conan apparently does nothing and Makoto takes care of "spellcaster" and "lady" stuff.  That night over dinner at the local inn where the group is staying, the group gathers to discuss what to do next.

To get more information you need a higher skill check.
- you can roll 1 every 1d4 hrs
- spend gp for circumstance bonus
- stack other bonuses
- aid another
- leverage what you already know and ask specific questions
- I'm sure you can come up with other ideas to get + to the skill

That night at dinner when Conan comes in to eat he'll offer Makoto the Healers Kit back.   And ask Bobble how the day went?

Bobble will spread some money around to try to find out more about the bard. He will spend up to 200gp if needed. Also he is always on the lookout for nice daggers to buy.

In addition he will ask about any women in town recently struck by the same kind of malady/curse/illness that has hit our mothers.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:01, Tue 12 May 2020.

  After spreading around/spending 60gp Bobble finds;
a- a woman with an interesting tale.  She thinks her eldest son is a son of Diridon the Dashing.  About 17years+9months ago she was working at the Lebeda estate.  A week before she was to be married she had a brief fling with a halfelf who called himself Diridon the Dashing.  She was having cold feet about getting married and fell for his charm.  But then he left and she realized she wanted stability and married her husband.  However, her son was born 9 months after they were married and doesn't look anything like either her or her husband, so secretly she has always thought of her son as Diridon's son.
b- someone who remembers the bard asking about nobles, specifically the Lebeda family.  There is a rumor that a noble woman has fallen ill with a mysterious disease and Lady Syli Lebeda has not been seen for awhile, coincidence?  The time frame of her supposed illness matches up with when Conan and Bobble's mothers fell ill.  It also seems she has a 17 year old son born 9 months after Diridon was in town.  But Lady Syli Lebeda was at that time a married woman with a daughter, so to suggest her 17 year old son was not her husbands...would not go over well.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:32, Thu 14 May 2020.

Bobble will try to find out more about these ladies. It sounds like 2 separate women? The noble woman would be hard to approach, but her servants shouldn’t be that tough to approach. Below stairs is where the good gossip always happens anyway.

yes, a and b are different women who had sons about the same time.  Woman a, a commoner, is not sick, but thinks her son might be Diridon's.  Woman b, a noble, is sick (you don't know the symptoms so you can neither confirm or deny if it is same as your mothers).

Bobble doubts that woman a had her child with Diridon as she is not ill. Bobble will get in touch with the servants of woman b and try to find out about her symptoms. Then he will try to find out where the bard went when he left here.

Makoto agrees, a logical deduction.  Do you want to tell her she is wrong or let her live with her incorrect deduction?

bobble needs to
1- find out who the servants are
2- contact them and ask about the symptoms
Makoto will offer, "Looking for a traveling bard is 1 thing, but trying to find out information about a local noble family is suspicious and could draw the wrong kind of attention."
How does Bobble want to do this? 
  When he left is easy, about a week ago.  But where, that's will take some digging.

Conan will contact people in the lower tiers of society as to any other women who have come down with a mysterious illness after having a bard's baby.   He'll do this, by going to the local taverns and other watering holes or hangouts in general.    Conan will find out what the symptoms are of his Mom's illness by going to a priest and describe his Mother's illness (from what Gregory told him.)   Conan will also spend 175 gp. in various places to find the information he is looking for. i.e. priestly donation and buying drinks or information.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:11, Fri 15 May 2020.

Bobble will have a bath and dress in his best clothes. He will then go to the noble woman’s house and will request to speak with her family. If he is allowed to he will say the following:

I have heard that a malady has befallen the lady of the house. There is a possibility that this malady is related to one that has struck my own mother. I seek the source of this illness, and any information would be helpful in possibly finding a cure for all of its victims, for there have been many.

   Conan spends time on the poor side of town, but all he does is attract the wrong kind of attention by flashing gold around.  Conan is so big and intimidating no one wants to mess with him or his dog.  At least not physically.  Conan easily falls prey to a couple of sob stories and con jobs, spending 100gp before he knows it and having none of the "hot leads" lead to anything useful.  Finally, a bald human approaches and introduces himself as Marek.  He is  approaching middle age. His skin has been rendered leathery by years of working the forge, and his black beard and eyebrows are patchy from occasional sparks. His manner is warm and inviting and he wears an Aldori dueling sword.  He sits down next to Conan and buys them both a drink, "Kid, this ones on me.  What do you want with woman who are sick?  You don't really want to do nasty vile things to them like people are saying, do you?  You wouldn't happen to be one of the people who brought in the hobgoblins would you?"

---

   Bobble dresses his best and actually gets in to see a secretary( or the equivalent) who asks him to state his business.  After Bobble has made his case the official thinks for a bit, he is obviously wondering (Sense motive 25) "is this gnome a scam artist/crook or the real deal".  Finally he asks 2 questions, "Are you a healer and what are your mothers symptoms?"  What does Bobble reply.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:58, Fri 22 May 2020.

Sadly no, I am no healer. I am seeking a cure for my mother as well as others with the same or similar affliction. I helped bring down a band of hobgoblins on the way to town, so please feel free to have me checked out. I only want to help.

He will then tell the person his mother’s symptoms. NO MENTION of Diridon will be made here!

  The secretary seems disappointed when Bobble says he isn't a healer but seems interested when he describes the symptoms.  The secretary will take down where Bobble is staying and will relay his message.  Bobble gets the sense (sense motive)that the secretary believes him, but since Bobble isn't a healer, and didn't bring a healer along, that there is no reason to think he could be useful to them in any immediate capacity.  The secretary will write down Bobbles contact information and promise "Someone will contact you with an appointment time, thank you."

Bobble may leave or make a final statement.

Bobble will say:  I thank you for your time. I’m not sure a healer could help at this time. I need to find the source of this affliction, which seems like a curse of some sort. If anyone needs me, or has any advice for me, please contact me soon. We will be leaving town fairly soon in pursuit of answers. Thank you again.

Bobble will then bow and take his leave.

Why thank you good sir, say to Marek, I'm afraid, I've attracted the wrong crowd as well as message I was trying to convene by trying to spend money in the poorer parts of town.   Conan continues dejectedly. all the while stroking Conover's fur.   No, I don't want to hurt them, I'm asking about them because my Mother has an illness caused by a wandering minstral.   I had heard it has struck some nobles and commoners in the past and was wondering if there were any commoners struck down here.   Laughingly he responds to Marek's last question, yes I am only smaller.

Bobble
  As Bobble leaves the secretary takes a couple of notes.

---

Conan
  Marek hasn't heard about any women falling mysteriously ill, other than the rumor about the Lebeda woman.  He directs you to visit Galvyn a cleric of Cayden Cailean (a new God of Ale, bravery, freedom and wine).  Galvyn works at a tavern, but he also helps take care of the common folks ailments and injuries.
  Galvyn is a halfelf who will tell Conan that no common women have come down with any mysterious illness in Silverhall, but he has heard a rumor from some traveling merchants that this thing has happened in Laketown (which you already know about) and beyond (but no specific locations).

---

The next day a messenger arrives with an immediate invitation to Bobble, Conan and Makoto to a meeting with Sarrona Lebeda the current matriarch of the Lebeda family.

What are you wearing and taking to this meeting (specifically armor and weapons).

Bobble will pick up some nice clothes, something to go with his orange hair or course, mustn’t be clashing! He will only wear his best 2 daggers to the meeting. He will advise Conan to do the same.

Conan will purchase the best explorer's outfit he can find and put his Agile Breastplate on over it.   He'll wear his sword and bring his bow with him when he goes to meet the Great Lady of the City.

   About 30 minutes after the guys are ready, Makoto will come down to the inns common room. She will stop and look at Conan, "So this is appropriate attire for meetings of this type."  She shrugs "Your culture is very different than mine."
   When you arrive at the castle and present your invitation, the butler will greet Bobble and Makoto politely and then indicate a side room, "Your bodyguard can wait in there."
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:36, Fri 22 May 2020.

Bobble will look at Conan and shake his head.

Please excuse my large friend. He is not very experienced with the world. Conan, please remove your weapons and armor and leave them here. Or wait for us to return. Your choice.