The Giantesses (IC)

[Ridai]

Nico curses under his breath. Boosting his capabilities once more, he quickly searches for any kind of clues about this assassin and the crime. Once done, he heads back up, pulling the innkeep and Tina aside. "I found the stock boy murdered by an assassin. I don't think Putin had anything to do with the poisoning. Have you seen anyone else enter or leave the cellar?" Meanwhile, Nico is trying to remember any temples in town that might sell scrolls of neutralize poison.

Spoiler: OOC

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Nico casts Improvisation, then makes Search checks (Heroism still in effect)
(1d20+32)[37]
(1d20+32)[36]
(1d20+32)[44]
(1d20+32)[33]

[Debbie_D]

Nico begins to search around but finds no clues, whoever did this looks like he knew what he was doing. He starts back to the upstairs, and as he gets closer to the stairs, he is horrified to hear the sounds of violence, loud curses in frost giant and then the sound of a body falling. Rushing up the stairs, he sees Shake standing over the body of Shiver...at least she is still breathing and doesn't look like she is damaged, which is more than anyone else can say. The Innkeeper is spread over the table with a dagger in his back, and several clients are nursing a variety of wounds. Tina is cowering behind the bar, looking like she is ready to scream.

Some guy in a black cloak and mask came in while I was attempting to tend to Shiver. He went after the Innkeeper and some of the patrons and I went after him. I chased him to the other side of the bar, and then he used his damn magic and suddenly appeared right next to Shiver. He took the gems from her. All this for gems, it doesn't make any sense, they aren't worth anything? I came running back to deal with him and he teleported away.

Nico does remember seeing a few of the temples of the more goodly aligned deities of Daystor, they aren't too prominent in Iqaluit but there are a few.

[Ridai]

"They are worth something to whoever this bloody psychopath is, or whoever he works for. Gods know what they're supposed to be. Putin fell victim to him as well, found him down in the cellar. Poor bastard never saw him coming. Look, forget about the assassin and the stones right now, I'll go and bring a healer and get a scroll to do something about Shiver's poison. Look after Shiver and get the innkeep out of sight." Nico has been with the giantesses long enough for Shake to know how much they mean to him. And to see that he blames himself in part.

Nico walks over to Tina. He can't just leave her in this state. "Tina. Tina, look at me." He focuses her on him only, turning her away from the corpse, giving Shake some time to get it out of sight. He gently holds her by the shoulders to help calm her down a little. "I'll go get a healer. Whoever did this is gone now and we will find him and make him pay. But right now, you are safe. You are safe." He tells her to take deep breaths, doing the same to help, his voice seeking to soothe her mind and soul, even just a little. It's a little thing, but it helps a lot to those in shock. Sadly, he knows very well what dealing with people in shock is like. He also waves an unwounded patron, preferably female, over, telling her to watch after her until he gets back and take her to a different room where it is quiet. "I'll go get help. You are safe now, Tina," he repeats, then heads out of the inn.

He conjures his ghostly steed and makes a beeline for the nearest temple of a good-aligned deity, moving as fast as it can and straight through the air. Once there, he tells them about an urgency at the Lucky Dragon Inn, that a healer is needed, as well as a scroll of neutralize poison.

Spoiler: OOC

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Moving at full 240ft per round. If the mount can also run, Nico will do just that, otherwise, he double moves.

Perform (oratory) to calm Tina down (1d20+33)[49] (also casting Heroism on her dampen the effect of the shock)
Diplomacy to convince the healer to get going right now, also conjuring a steed for him/her (1d20+31)[43]

[Debbie_D]

As luck would have it, the closest temple to the Inn is one of Klintina Bindar, and when you are looking for a talented and good-aligned healer, you cant get much better than that. He returns to the Inn with Nico and is able to use a neutralize poison on Shiver, which gets her back on her feet quickly. Shake fills her in on what happened, while the healer tends to the Innkeeper.

Hes dead. Outside of one of the spells to raise the dead, there is nothing else I can do. And there is no guarantee that someone can even come through such an event successfully.

He tends to the other cuts and bruises suffered by patrons.

Is there anything else I can help with?

[MikelaC1]

They may not be worth anything...but NO ONE poisons me and gets away with it. Im getting them back. Do we have any suspects?

[Ridai]

"No, thank you very much." Nico says, donating the winnings of the evening to the temple (500gp). "Although, if you could check in on the waitress, maybe offer her counsel if she needs it. Tina is her name. She was pretty shaken up. She should still be in the room over there."

Turning to Shiver, he nods. "Shake saw that man in a black cloak and a mask, able to use magic as well. He teleported away, though. I found nothing useful in the cellar, so finding him won't be easy, as we have little more than nothing to work with." Nico does examine the dagger that was used to kill the innkeep, hoping to find some sort of clue.

[Debbie_D]

Examining the dagger, Nico finds it to be one of excellent workmanship, likely magical. Its a thin, long weapon, designed to slide in between ribs and find a vital organ within.
The hilt has an elaborate red and black design, its not one Nico is familiar with, but it likely marks the possessor of the dagger as belonging to some sort of organization or brotherhood...of killers.

[Ridai]

Nico detects magic on the dagger, especially looking for indications of divination magic. He shows the dagger to the giantesses. "Ladies, we are going to hunt us some assassins."

Spoiler: OOC

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How big of a city is Iqaluit? Is it more evil-aligned, since good temples are rare? Anything else that is useful to know?

[Debbie_D]

Detect Magic: Dagger +4, vicious.
Iqaluit is small compared to many Daystor cities, as it is more of a northern frontier town. This is also why good aligned temples are not as numerous, its not that the city is evil-aligned but good aligned deities are not big among northern barbarians. (traditional Vikings)
This also makes the concept of an assassin, especially a magic dagger wielding one, to be a very foreign concept.

[MikelaC1]

This style of assassination is not common to these lands. In fact, the whole idea of assassination runs counter. You want to kill someone, you get in their face and you bash them out. Sneaking and skulking in the shadows is a cowards way.
We are looking for the less civilized lands of the south, the cities of Darius and Rennador would be the closest to us. Darius is a vassal city of Rennador, just as evil but we would stand more chance of getting in there without issue.

[Ridai]

"Getting in will not be a problem. Shall we?" Nico asks, holding a hand up for each of the giantesses to grasp. When they take his hands, they are whisked away onto a dark path, surroundings simply flying by as blurry shadows, Nico guiding them onwards towards Darius, aiming not for the city itself, but the wilderness in front of it.

(Nico casts Shadow Walk)

[MikelaC1]

In the moments that the Shadow Walk takes, the party moves from Iqaluit to the forests outside Darius, and take about half an hour to walk to the city.
The walls and guard around Darius are far more impressive than those of Iqaluit...the walls more fortified and the guard more organized. There are 6 guards outside, interestingly enough, 4 of them are dressed in blue armour, while the other two are in a red and black armour.

Spoiler

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Make Know check, vs. history, local or nobility, but only one check

One of the ones in red and black seems to be in charge, or at least he is the one who approaches the party.
You, human, state your business and reason for wishing to enter Darius. You, giants, can you even speak common? If so, begone, we don't allow savages inside our city.

[Ridai]

"Passing through as part of my investigation of several arcane theories involving geomagical phenomena and structures. I seek to perhaps spend a few days here as part of my research, with the goal being the discovery of a means for a very unpleasant surprise for the self-proclaimed followers of 'good'." Nico adopts an aloof demeanor and his last few words are dripping with derision. "And these 'savages' are my bodyguards, and they understand Common quite well, as opposed to the rabble I encounter in most towns. If you believe I waste my time with simple brutes foaming at the mouth, I'd kindly ask you to take a look at the mercenary scum there is too much of these days instead." The implication of supernatural influence on the giantesses shouldn't be too hard to miss. Why else would a human be travelling with two savages, if not out of a certain pragmatism, given their natural strength?

Bluff (1d20+33)[37]

[Debbie_D]

Theres a good library in the magic guild for you to study in, inside, providing you pay the research fees. But the savages stay outside, they cant be trusted or controlled.

[MikelaC1]

Its probably not helping the issue of whether or not the giantesses can be controlled or trusted, but being constantly referred to by the guard as a savage is not sitting well with Shiver, who is loosening her sword in its sheath.

[Ridai]

Nico begins to look annoyed. "Yes, they can and will be trusted. Now would you kindly step aside and write a permit so that more fools will not bother me with such insolence, or do I have to make sure your careers end rather unpleasantly first?" Embedded into this, aside from the implication of being a mage of influence, is also a mass suggestion.

Spoiler: OOC

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Nico casts mass suggestion (Will DC 27, if the guards count as flat-footed against this spell, Will DC 28) to make them let them in and write said permit that says that the giantesses are deemed trustworthy.

Bluff (1d20+33)[47]

[Debbie_D]

Most of the guards seem to fall sway to Nico's spell, and the lead guard starts to write out the order. One of the blue guards, however starts to speak out....
Boss, we cant let...
Quiet you tool, Im in charge here punctuating his order with a massive backhander that knocks the blue guard to his knees. You Darisians need to remember who is in charge here.
He finishes writing the order.
This will get you in and let you move around town. The mage guild is three blocks over, two blocks down, you cant miss it. Big symbol of golden pentagram

Spoiler: Know Arcane

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symbol of Nocticula.

[Ridai]

"Much better." Nico says, stowing the paper. "Gentlemen." And with this, Nico and the giantesses enter the city. He is heading towards the Nocticula-branded building at first, but eventually diverts. Time for some investigation.

Spoiler: OOC

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Improvisation, followed by Gather Information (1d20+33)[40] to find out more about the dagger and the assassins associated to such a weapon.

[Debbie_D]

Its not easy to find information out about cult of assassins, you cant just come out and say, hey, where's the local assassin's guild. Circumspect is the order of the day, but in this, the giants actually prove to be a bit of help, seeing as most people assume that anyone who would willingly associate with giants has got to have some sort of allegiance to evil.
Eventually, after searching a good chunk of the town, the group is taking a break in a bar in one of the less savoury parts of town, when a rather shifty little human approaches them.

I hears yer lookin' to buy a stabbish

Shiver looks like she wants to bash his head in for his termity...but she's learning a bit from Nico, and lets him talk.

[Ridai]

Nico examines this stranger with a critical eye. "We may be... but not just any kind."

Spoiler: OOC

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Ncio recasts Heroism on himself when it runs out. And the giantesses to boot.

Sense Motive (1d20+21)[38]

[Debbie_D]

The man is hard to get a "read" on, seeing as he is so shifty, but then again, what you are discussing is an illegial act only if you get caught so he has to be a little circumspect. He does seem to be genuine, given the circumstances

It'll cost ye. Mores the more depending on who da mark is

[Ridai]

Nico looks at him like the man simply fails to understand. "Does this ring a bell?" Nico says, showing him the assassin's dagger.

[Debbie_D]

The man's face turns as white as a sheet and he backs away from the table stammering...Da Crimson Brotherhood? You crazy, no one messes with dem, and NO ONE takes one der weapons. Yer dead when dey find ye, I want no part o' dat
He turns and flees

[Ridai]

"Marvelous. Why not sit back down and tell me what you know about them?" Nico calls after him, infused with another suggestion (heightened to 5th level for Will DC 26).

[Debbie_D]

Clearly sullen about the whole idea, but not able to resist the power of the magic, the man takes a seat back at the table.
I don't know nutin'. De broderhood, dey don't do marks for just any outsider. Dey only work for big bosses. No one crosses dem, no one wantin' to keep breathing anyway. Half der marks, dey only do for der own reasons. Dey worship death, not even the cult of Koric want anyting to do with dem. You took one of der weapons, you killed one of dem. Dat gets punished. Doesn't matter if you did or not, you got da weapon, you did da crime. Least in der eyes you did.

Spoiler: Deity references

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God of death=either Morgaz or Dantilus
Koric=God of Assassins

[Ridai]

"I see. Any tips for how to find them, apart from waiting for them?"

[Debbie_D]

I don't want to find dem. And if you're smart, you don't want to find dem either. Dis aint some tough old monster to kill. Dey find out you killed one of der own, you be marked forever. Dey never gonna stop coming after you, not till you're dead. My best advice...get rid of dat dagger, don't sell it, don't turn it in to them, just drop it in some back alley.

[Ridai]

"Alright. Do you have any questions for him?" Nico asks the giantesses.

[MikelaC1]

Do the Scarlet Brotherhood use magic in a big way? Is there some sort of identifying tattoo or piece of clothing, other than the dagger that we have? What is their preferred fighting style, the quick and silent knife in the back, or making a public display of the assassination, as a message to all to not oppose them

[Debbie_D]

Dey dont use magic much. Least, not any more than adventuring folk do. And no, ders no tattooes or clothing. Dat dagger is mark enough and most sane folk steer clear of it. Dey always do the quick stab in the back, most people knows what dat means. De ones dat dont, they get the same.
Can I leaves now? Even talking to you gives me de creeps. You folks dont sound like youse gonna to steer clear of dem, and I dont wanna get caught in de crossfire