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Gerard
Gerard's disposition softens, remembering that people had to trust him when he was still young and new as well, Thank you Colton and Dravor. My companions and I will return later in the day. Please let your comrades know to expect me if your shift change is soon. Where will the changeling be kept?
The two looks at each other before Colton replies, "At the main guard tower, in the center of the city."
Gerard
Excellent. We will see you shortly, Gerard says, giving both the men a nod. Shall we? he asks the others, pulling away from Colton and Dravor.
I think we should go directly to see our mark, in case Jiasheae has been targeted as well.
Koebu
Koebu nods. "Yes. I doubt she's in danger from this changeling's plans directly. Her efforts seemed sloppy and not well planned. But if our mission was known of by this spy, there could be others. Come Fenti." The dinosaur made of wood and clay and alcohol bounded over toward Koebu. As it jogged in his direction, bits of the creature began to fall away and evaporate into the ether. By the time it reached Koebu's side it had completely disappeared back into the realm of spirits. Koebu steps into line behind Gerard.
Muricia d'Vadalis
While the others had gone into the inn in search for the contact, Muricia had entered the nearest stable to seek accommodation for her griffin. Though it was early in the day, the haste they had made through the night to get the wounded soldier to town had been taxing on Adisa, so she wanted to make sure she was fully rested for wherever they were headed next.
She had been in the middle of explaining the needs of her exotic mount to the stable boys when she heard a commotion outside and a call for guards.
"Wait right here, I'm not through with you yet," Muricia told the stablehands before heading out, though when she didn't hear Adisa following her she turned around and admonished her. "I didn't mean you. Come on, there could be trouble."
"Khweeh, khweeh," Adisa whined, as if to say "there's always trouble," but after some cajoling and finally a food bribe she followed her master out into the street. There they saw a couple of wet-behind-the-ears guards carrying off a changeling from the direction of the Singing Serpent.
"Great, I missed all the fun, thanks girl," she chided her mount before giving her a pet on the cheek. "Well, let's go see what happened."
So saying, they continued on until spotting the others, sans Takashtai, outside the inn looking like they were about to leave.
"Sorry, they have some thick-headed grooms here, that felt like it took months. So, what did I miss?"
Lee
Meeting Muricia at the door, Lee responds, "Attempted impersonation, apparently by a single individual. We can explain in more detail as we go, hurried by the mild concern that our actual consultant may have faced or be facing a similar deceit. Do you have directions to the Strong Magus' Inn?"
One of the bystanders in the Singing Serpent tavern pipes up, "The Strong Magus? It was burned down a few days ago. They found a few bodies inside but they were charred beyond recognition. As far as I heard, no one local died. I heard a rumor that a dwarf merchant paid to have the bodies quickly buried. Bless him, always good to see a man of faith do nice things."
Another man chimes in, "The Magus was a nice little place on the outskirts of town. The owner had just set the place up. It was her second Tavern here in Karrnath. Said she invested a lot of money into the building."
Gerard
Burned down?
They found a few bodies inside but they were charred beyond recognition. As far as I heard, no one local died. I heard a rumor that a dwarf merchant paid to have the bodies quickly buried. Bless him, always good to see a man of faith do nice things.
Yes, it is. Say, do you know who buried the bodies? Or where? And what about the merchant? I'd like to pay my respects. When you hear a story like this, you hope that there will be good people to soften the blow a bit.
Another man chimes in about the Magus, The Magus was a nice little place on the outskirts of town. The owner had just set the place up. It was her second Tavern here in Karrnath. Said she invested a lot of money into the building.
I heard good things about the Magus. Where can I find the owner's first tavern? I reckon it will be an equally fine establishment, and she can probably use the patronage after a loss like this.
"Yeah, freak accident. Lightning struck the tavern. Happened in the middle of the night. People inside probably died from the smoke long before the flames cooked them... As for the merchant, I think his name was Thrandrum Opal-something."
Opalriver, I think.
Yeah, that sounds right! The bodies were buried in the graveyard by the Church.
"The other tavern is in Karrlakton, I think."
Gerard
Thanks for your help, Gerard says to the two men. He beckons the group a bit away and nods to Muricia,You missed a bit of action. A changeling attempting to intercept us before we met with Jiansheae. It's been arrested. Now I wonder if it was involved with the Magus burning down. We need to speak with this dwarf merchant, if he is still around.
The attack on the airship, the messenger on the road, the changeling, and now the Magus. It would have burned down... the same day we received orders to come out here? I think now we must set up this meeting with Barsulbottle in the Holds. Someone very close to this is leaking information.
I say, let's look for Thrandrum Opalriver and then get the changeling to set up this meeting in the Holds.
Koebu
Koebu stands quietly near the rear of the group, as is his habit. When Gerard suggests finding Opalriver, Koebu looks up. "Yes. We should investigate this arson. Opalriver might know more, but the chances of him being a kind benefactor are equaled by the chances he had something to do with the fire. We must be careful while speaking with him. It might even be worth our while to employ a diviner. Maybe someone to speak with the dead from the fire?"
Lee
Lee notes, "We may be able to identify the leak by feeding different pieces of false information to different suspected individuals. As a far-range plan, not something in the immediate."Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr.Samurai
"Traditional necromantic divination would require access to the spirit's corpse," Lee says quietly. "Also, I have the capacity for such a casting but not the funds. Given time to sterilize and reattune my aura, I may be able to take in a sliver of divine insight without the need for necromancy."Quote:
Originally Posted by dariathalon
Muricia d'Vadalis
Muricia listened intently to all the developments, but visibly blanched at the necromancy talk.
"How about we put our eyes and ears to use first before we resort to disturbing the dead?" she asked sarcastically, then scrunching her brow in thought, as if just noticing something, she turned to Gerard.
"Wait, what's this about a meeting at the Mror Holds?"
Gerard
Koebu looks up. Yes. We should investigate this arson. Opalriver might know more, but the chances of him being a kind benefactor are equaled by the chances he had something to do with the fire. We must be careful while speaking with him. It might even be worth our while to employ a diviner. Maybe someone to speak with the dead from the fire?
I think you're right about Opalriver. All the more reason we speak with him. I'm not sure we can speak with the dead.
Traditional necromantic divination would require access to the spirit's corpse, Lee says quietly. Gerard nods, I know a few inquisitives who would have a much easier time of things if they could speak with corpses regularly. But it's generally frowned upon, if not outright banned in some places.
How about we put our eyes and ears to use first before we resort to disturbing the dead? Muricia asks. Gerard points to her as if to accentuate his point about molesting the dead, It's likely that if they died of smoke and heat, they might not have seen who caused the fire. Assuming it's arson, which is a safe bet at this point. Let's find the dwarf first.
Wait, what's this about a meeting at the Mror Holds?
That's right, sorry. The changeling was paid by a Lhazaar Prince to intercept us and bring him back information about what the Ambassador was offering to make an alliance with Valenar. The changeling was supposed to meet with--- wait, that's not right. Hang on... the changeling was paid by a man, a merchant named Barsul Bottlebuckle out of the Mror Holds. He claims he was working for a Lhazaar Prince. The changeling is supposed to meet him to exchange the information. It's the best lead we have on who is leaking our plans and our whereabouts.
Muricia d'Vadalis
Muricia raised an eyebrow at the mention of Lhazaar. Lips pursed, she listened patiently to Gerard's explanation.
"Well that's very interesting," she mused after he'd finished. "Remember that letter I got from the king of Q'barra, the one saying he wants to hire me to train up the hundred head of griffins he'd acquired, along with their riders? He said he bought those griffins off a prince of Lhazaar. That might be a coincidence, but then again it might not."
Lee
Lee stands silent with muscular tension set to Medium, relieved that the party is unlikely to exercise her dark arts.
Gerard
So, someone in Lhazaar is supporting Q'barra. And someone in Lhazaar is trying to foil negotiations between Thrane and Valenar. And they might be the same person.
Gerard steps back to the men offering the information about the Magus, Excuse me, would you happen to know where we can find the merchant Opalriver?
I think he went to the Lighting Rail station to catch a ride back to his home. The rail is not active today. Probably has to wait until tomorrow to catch a ride.
Gerard
Thank you! Gerard turns to the group, Let's see if we can catch up to this Opalriver fellow.
SpoilerSo, my vote is to head to the Lightning Rail station to see if we can catch the merchant and interrogate him. I think that's what Fel's post is saying (that he's at the station). Thoughts?
Koebu
Koebu holds up a finger telling Gerard to hold on for one more moment. "If we're going to try to catch up with this man it would help to have a description of him." He turns to the people they'd been talking to. "Can you tell us what this man looks like? And perhaps where he lives if you know? He might look for other ways home and we must speak with him."
Spoiler
Once we know what the guy looks like I have no problem with going on to the trains.
The man says, "He's an older dwarf with gray hair and a thick nose."
The party then marches off to the train depot. The area is almost deserted, save for a few Lighting Rail workers. No trains are in today. The tavern/inn next to the depot is very busy. Dwarves of all sort and shape mill abound, drinking and reveling. Most look like merchants or mercenaries. The inside of the tavern is very... Dwarvish. Completely made out of stone. The main room is very dimly lit. Very few windows, each of which is barely as big as two fists set side by side. The main room is full of smoke and the stench of beer. the party are met with snide looks as they enter. This establishment is clearly meant for dwarves, outsiders are not welcome.
Gerard
Gerard sighs when they enter the bar, Not ideal. We should have come in separately. Too late now. He makes his way further in, scanning the room for any older dwarves with gray hair and a thick nose.
Spoiler: Perception[roll0]
[roll1]
Roll twice and take highest.
Muricia d'Vadalis
After bidding Adisa to wait outside, Muricia strode into the tavern with the others. Her reaction was about the same as what they received from the patrons.
"This... this really isn't my scene, but let's get on with it," she muttered as she scanned the crowd for any faces that might meet the description they'd been given.
Spoiler
Perception, rolling twice and taking the best result: [roll0]
[roll1]
Lee
Lee hesitates, shrugs, and steps into the building. Seeing the nature of the crowd, she immediately begins calculating likely scenarios for a bar brawl -- who would start it, how it would spread, who looks tough enough to hold their own, who looks disciplined enough not to get involved. If someone dislikes to the party's arrival and tries to sneak off, the observant 'forged might notice the change in the social flow.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr.Samurai
Spoiler: mechanicsCan I just say how much I love Insight? It can give info in, like, 90% of situations where there's more than one person. [roll0]. I'm not sure exactly how much my docent can sense of the situation, but I bet it's not enough to warrant a separate roll.
Spoiler: OOCLooks like when I posted on my phone, it did not go all the way through. Sorry!
The party looks around and, through the dim light, they spy an older dwarf bejeweled with rime-stones and festooned with gems. He is easily the wealthiest man in the room, by orders of magnitude. He sits at the back of the bar, many men and women fawning over him. He looks down upon them the way a vile lord looks down upon his serfs. A woman is kneeling before him, kissing one of the dwarf's particularly large ruby rings. She seems to be beghging him for a loan of some kind, saying that her family will not survive without the extra funds. The noble dwarf looks thoroughly disinterested as he off handedly states, "Three hundred percent interest over five years."
The woman balks, "Ba-ba... We cannot afford such a large sum..."
"Then you will not find the funds you need from me. Be gone, be gone."
The female dwarf runs out of the bar, tears streaming down her face.
The dwarf-lord looks over at the party and nods, "Ah, more people to come to kiss Thrandrum's ring, I see. Come, come. Thrandrum Opalriver shall hear your pleas. If he finds your plight worthy, he shall grant you a loan." The dwarf holds out his thick, meaty paw, while beckoning you to come closer with his other hand.
Gerard
Gerard strides forward and shakes the dwarf's meaty paw in a firm grip. Greetings, Thrandrum Opalriver. I am Gerard d'Deneith, and these are my associates, Muricia d'Vadalis, Caimhe d'Tharashk, Koebu of the Plains, and the warforged Lee. We'd like a few moments of your time.
Lee
The warforged stands and waits as if an unthinking creature. Trying to decouple her eyebrow ridges from her emotions, she thinks to herself, Opalriver will probably demand three hundred percent interest on the time he "gives" us.
Muricia d'Vadalis
Once she realized what he was, Muricia barely acknowledged Opalriver, as moneylenders were only a step above pimps in her estimation. Instead, she kept vigilant as one never knows what might happen in a bar, particularly one with less than welcoming patrons.
Spoiler
I'll continue to make active Perception and Insight checks, at least for the time being.
Perception (best of two): [roll0] [roll1]
Insight: [roll2]
The dwarf laughs. You can practically feel his jowls bobbing up an down. "Fine, fine. 100 gold for 10 minutes of my time."
Gerard
A steep price, and not at all what I expected from the kind and charitable man I'm told you are. Gerard seems to give it some thought, Lose the crowd, and 100 gold seems fair.