"Thank ye fer dinner. It looks like we're gonna hafta tell tha townsfolk ourselves. Duke, don't ye try te stop us."
"Don't you worry, big beard! I won't try and stop you. You go right ahead and tell them whatever you want! Just don't send them to Witchcross, because we have enough troubles there as it is, and we don't need any more poor folk hanging about, scrounging off of our food and good fortune! Hey why not send them back to your HammerHold Place?! I'm sure the dwarves there would love to host a bunch of homeless, hungry humans!"
Wrapped tightly in a cloak, a woman approaches out of the shadows of the keep. Whispering in a desperate voice, Lady Nesten speaks to Bofus, Mutamba and any other heroes present. "I need your help! I don't know who to turn to or who I can trust, but I beg of you, could you please kill Hestar Murandal, the Duke of Witchcross?!"
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*blink* *blink*
Sense motive:
M'Lady, you've been hiding something ever since you invited us into your home. And now you come to strangers--granted, heroic, dashing and able strangers with a well-earned reputation, but strangers nonetheless--and ask us to ice your fiancee?? He's a jerk and a fop and an ignoble coward, but is that enough reason to kill him?!?! give me a bone here. What's up???
"My lady, that is not at all who we are! That is the work of the horde and their kind. We came to warn of horrors not become them."
Do I see any rings or other items on the duke quick appear as though he might have a connection to the horde. Ie-like the ring Durgin had.
Perception:
After quietly listening to the interaction with the Duke, I follow the others outside.
M'lady, has the Duke always been so crass and overbearing? Or has he changed as some point in the past few months?
"M'Lady, you've been hiding something ever since you invited us into your home. And now you come to strangers--granted, heroic, dashing and able strangers with a well-earned reputation, but strangers nonetheless--and ask us to ice your fiancee?? He's a jerk and a fop and an ignoble coward, but is that enough reason to kill him?!?! give me a bone here. What's up???"
"My life is rather complicated, Master Swizzler! I do not love the Duke. He is clearly many of the words you have used to describe him, but he is also ruthless and cunning. If he knew what I just asked you to do, he would certainly kill me within the day. He is a nobleman and a deadly swordsman who really just craves power. You see, he has blackmailed me into marrying him and I am at a loss for what I should do. I agreed to marry him, but all he really wants is Talar and the surrounding lands. I think he is trying to expand upon his territory and his power."
"My lady, that is not at all who we are! That is the work of the horde and their kind. We came to warn of horrors not become them."
"If you will not help, then, I am at a complete loss as to how I should proceed. Perhaps taking my own life would solve the problem. Then at least he would not be able to hold anything over me! However, then the poor people of Talar would be at a loss without anyone to govern them."
"M'lady, has the Duke always been so crass and overbearing? Or has he changed as some point in the past few months?"
"No, he started out rather charming and attractive, but I eventually discovered that he is really a wolf in sheep's clothing. He may have a great deal of charm, but I have also seen him viscous and cruel. I think, now that he has me under his thumb, he stopped worrying about trying to charm me, and simply let's his true colors shine."
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M'Lady, you have put your life in our hands by even making this request, as you just said. You know we could go to the Duke at any moment and give you up. We won't, but you've chosen to trust us. So, please continue to do so--do you have any proof of his blackmailing you? Because I'm sure there are more attractive options to gtting you out of this predicament than slitting his throat! I can think of one off the top of my head, which may or may not work depending on whether you can prove your claim.
"My dear Master Swizzler, I am completely aware of the great risk I take by even talking to you of this, but if you knew him, you would understand that his threats are dangerous and most real. I have thought a great deal about this, and I cannot foresee how to solve this problem with courts and the burden of proof. I assure you, the best solution to this problem is the dispatching of this villainous fiend. The matter of the blackmail is a delicate one, and I do not wish the matter to be brought out into the public. However, his untimely death would certainly bring me a great relief. Please, I beg of you to consider. There are few that I can turn to now!"
We have little time, and we are not assassins. In fact, I believe that undertaking such a task would result in at least one of our group falling from the grace of his goddess. So, I have one simple question. How is he blackmailing you? If we are to assist you, we need to know every detail you have. After all, there are more ways to make a man fall than just causing him to bleed out and fall to the ground.
"Madame, sucicide is not the answer for you curse yourself to wander in the spirit realm. If this man is a horrid person, Karma will soon find him and repay his deeds in full."
"We have little time, and we are not assassins. In fact, I believe that undertaking such a task would result in at least one of our group falling from the grace of his goddess."
"Are you referring to the Iomedean Knight? Well I fail to understand how serving justice and righteousness would put the good fellow out of favor with the Inheritor?! Trust me, the man is wicked and deserves to die. Did you hear him speak in there? What more convincing do you need?"
You misunderstand M'Lady. You will find that sometimes upholding good and law requires allowing those who make the lives of others miserable to live. If Mantooth judges him to in fact be evil, then we would have no qualm bringing him to a just end. But, so far, he has only proved himself to be the south end of a north facing donkey.
Which returns to my question to you. If you wish for us to remove him as a problem for you and your town, then you must provide us with details regarding how he is blackmailing you and what deeds he has done which would allow the Knight of the Inheritor to judge him evil.
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If you wish for us to remove him as a problem for you and your town, then you must provide us with details regarding how he is blackmailing you and what deeds he has done which would allow the Knight of the Inheritor to judge him evil.
Here here! I have no problem embarrassing the Duke . . . here I idly flip the gemmed dagger a couple times while continuing . . . but killing a duke on only your word? That's, er, something. No--that's something ELSE. Something else ENTIRELY!
.Now, if you were to, say, suggest that there might be something in his room or on his person that might indicate his villainous intent--THAT'S right up my alley! It would be my pleasure to investigate him *fully*. THEN if it's clear he's a bad egg and not just an egg head, we'd probably be agreed that more . . . prejudicial action was necessary. Right boys?
My dear Master Swizzler . . .
And, uh, with due respect, m'lady, it's "Beerswizzler," if you please!
"Which returns to my question to you. If you wish for us to remove him as a problem for you and your town, then you must provide us with details regarding how he is blackmailing you and what deeds he has done which would allow the Knight of the Inheritor to judge him evil."
"Yes, I feared this would be a problem. Life is a rather complicated affair when dealing with nobility of this sort and the treacherous games they play. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to be able to tell you more at this time. All I can say, is that it involves my father and a secret that he asked me to take with me to the grave. I just hope that I won't be going to the grave anytime soon."
"Here here! I have no problem embarrassing the Duke . . . here I idly flip the gemmed dagger a couple times while continuing . . . but killing a duke on only your word? That's, er, something. No--that's something ELSE. Something else ENTIRELY!"
"Naturally, I would have the same reaction that you have. What goodly person wouldn't have that reaction? I am sorry to have imposed on you as such. Naturally, you have no reason to trust me and even if you did, it is certainly not fair to ask you to commit such an act." With fear still in her eyes and a waver in her voice she asks, "Could I then kindly ask you to please forget that I even asked such a question? I think it would be wise for me not to involve you in this messy affair. Thank you for all you have done for me and the kind warning you have given to this town. I will see that the people of Talar are properly warned."
M'lady. You misunderstand. Our goal is to make this Vale safe, whether it is from human ruffians and thugs, or hordes of hobgoblins and giantkin. As we said, we must leave in the morning for the north. However, we all agree that we would like to assist you and if the Duke is truly a menace, then we should investigate this before we leave. I will give you my word that I will not reveal your secret unless necessary and I am sure that the good paladin will give his word as well. While not all of us are bound by the oaths that the Knight of Iomedae is, we are here on the instruction of the Lord of Brindol and if we were to violate your trust, it would be a violation of the trust that he placed in us.
If you wish to return to the Duke and continue to contemplate sending yourself to Pharasma's realm, that is your choice, but I think that it is a very poor choice.
Diplomacy:
"M'lady. You misunderstand. Our goal is to make this Vale safe, whether it is from human ruffians and thugs, or hordes of hobgoblins and giantkin."
"Yes, you have made that point very clear and that is why I took a chance and came to you, but I see now that I cannot ask such a thing of you. It is fine, I will go ahead and proceed as my duty must demand. However, some day, should you ever have reason to take down Duke Murandal of Witchcross, I urge you to take no delay. Well, I'm sure you have your important work to do. I bid you farewell, gentlemen."
Sense Motive: <-- being completely unaware of her intentions.
M'lady, let me try something that might help you. A simple spell that will cause you no harm, but might help you with your problem.
Bluff:
Cast Charm Person - Will DC16
"What could you possibly cast that would help me with my problem?"
Sense Motive
The Lady Celiira Nesten is unclear what you plan to cast upon her, but she does not resist your efforts.
Will Save
Tirion casts Charm Person upon the Lady.
There, you see, no pain and no harm. Now M'lady. As we mentioned, we really need you to help us with saving the good town. If there is something that you know which would demonstrate that the Duke wishes ill upon yourself or upon Tallas, it would be very beneficial to tell us so that we can resolve this issue before we head north in the morning.
Charisma Check
Charisma Check:
"If there is something that you know which would demonstrate that the Duke wishes ill upon yourself or upon Talar, it would be very beneficial to tell us so that we can resolve this issue before we head north in the morning."
"I will tell you of the blackmail and the awful secret that has plagued my family for years, but you must all give me your word that you will promise not to tell anyone else. This is a secret that you must take to your own grave, for it will disrupt the security of the entire vale. Do you all promise?"
I promise, and if at all possible will seek to rid yourself and the Vale of the cause of this blackmail.
"I, too, promise to keep your word from other's ears."
"Ok, this is the situation. Duke Murandal's father, Festar, was a friend of my father, Lord Nesten, who use to rule this area from this very keep, but who is now very old. Well, the story goes that in the dungeons deep below this keep, my father discovered an entrance to another realm deep below the surface of the earth called the underdark!"
"It was in this underground dark subterranean world where he became acquainted with a dark elf, a black colored creature called a drow who sees in the dark and lives entirely without sunlight! This drow, who's name was Xzartice, was a noble in his own land and my father became close friends with him. Because of the evil nature of these creatures, they kept this friendship secret for many years, but one day, Duke Festar Murandal, the father of the current Duke of Witchcross, discovered this relationship and in his hatred, he killed Xzartice."
"The repercussion from that murder was a deadly raid from this noble drow family. When it happened, Talar never knew what hit them. Many people in the town as well as several members of my family were killed by this raiding party of dark elves. Nobody knew the truth of where these Drow came from, and my father kept silent, afraid of the implications if they found out. Well, for many years, Duke Festar Murandal threatened to expose the truth of where this deadly raid came from, but most importantly, he wanted to place the blame entirely upon the Nesten family. To placate Duke Festar, my father agreed to marry me, his eldest daughter, off to Festar's son when he was of age."
"So, here we are, years later Duke Hestar, the son of Festar, is making his claim to marry me on threat of exposing our family as consorting with the drow and supporting the raiding party to massacre many in the town of Talar. This may not sound so urgent in the light of the oncoming horde, but my family's good name is all I have. This is a very dark piece in the history of Talar and in my family, but should the connection between my old father and the the drow, Xzartice, ever get out, our family honor will be ruined forever. People would not be able to understand the truth of the matter and our local governance would collapse. Clearly you understand the power vacuum this would create in this region."
"I do not love the Duke and I cannot bear the thought of marrying him. I also do not see any way to placate his awful threat other than through his death! I suppose I will simply have to submit to this arrangement. However, it is the thought of having to live with that Duke that makes me contemplate Pharasma's realm. I'm sure you understand that. Don't you?"
"It is a pity another has been able to appoint your path for you, but is it not a legal contract in your country? With the coming of the horde would not do to simply vanish along with the fleeing towns people?"
"It is not the laws of the land that force me to marry the Duke, but the blackmail that was forced upon my father. Failure to do so will result in the downfall of the Nesten family. If I vanish with my people, fleeing before the horde, it will buy me time, but eventually he will find me and if I fail to adhere to his demands, then the price will be paid. This is why I seek to destroy the man and the secret knowledge of my family that he possesses!"
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What proof does he have of his claims? I mean, unless there is some trinket, token, or document to corroborate, you've got to admit--the story sounds a little far-fetched. Is it not possible to simply call his bluff, and when he makes the claim, pooh-pooh it off as absurd? That this tunnel to the Underdark is there without anyone's knowledge, and the evil drow simply raided the town, as is their natural wont?
.
See, if you say "Oh, he's got a document signed by my father and his drow friend. . " well THEN I can help you, and with pleasure! Are you aware of any such item?
Mantooth and Mutamba, could you give me and Bofus a moment with Lady Nesten?
Once they have stepped away.
M'lady, while I am but a small gnome, I do have some skill reading and writing in Undercommon, the most common language among the Drow and other denizens of the underdark. If you perchance have a few samples of the Duke's handwriting, I think I could draft a few nice letters of correspondence between the Duke and some known, or made up, leader of the Drow. Bofus here could then plant one or two on the Duke while we could leave the others where they could be found by those who would lay blame on the Duke.
I cannot guarantee success, but if it appears the Duke has had communications with horde and the Drow, I rather doubt anything he claims about you and your family will be believed.
Yes, and I will need to get more information on the Drow from you. Any names you know, locations, timing of meetings, attack date, etc. The more real information we can add in and relate to the Duke, the better and more believable to deceit will be.
"What proof does he have of his claims?
"I admit, I am not clear of what proof there is, but the fact that he has spoken to me of this family secret that I have known to be true, assures me that he indeed knows the truth of my father's relationship with the drow."
"Is it not possible to simply call his bluff, and when he makes the claim, pooh-pooh it off as absurd?"
"I wish it were that easy, but the fact that the entrance to the underdark is below Nesten Keep does seem rather incriminating, don't you think? All I need is for the Duke to mention it and then the people will demand to see it. I can see our good name being darkened by words and the clear evidence of this cursed entrance."
"If you perchance have a few samples of the Duke's handwriting, I think I could draft a few nice letters of correspondence between the Duke and some known, or made up, leader of the Drow. Bofus here could then plant one or two on the Duke while we could leave the others where they could be found by those who would lay blame on the Duke."
"I could certainly provide you with a few samples of his writing. That would not be difficult. He has written me several letters in the past."
Well, if the letter I write references the import of the upcoming nuptials as it will give him access to the secret entrance to the Underdark of which his ditsy bride is unuware with references to the ease this will allow for the Drow to be able to come forth and join with the Queen of Dragons' horde. Tirion shakes his head in mock sadness. My my, that would not be good for the Duke now would it.
"My my, that would not be good for the Duke now would it."
"Would it now?"
Good evening." The Duke sneers as he emerges out of the shadows. "So this is where you are hiding, my lady. I was wondering what took you away from the dinner table. Now I see there is scheming afoot. Perhaps you would be better off returning to chamber. We would'nt want anything to happen to you now, would we? Now why don't we let these fine gentlemen leave and get on with their own business. I think you've had quite enough to drink for one night."
Turning to you he demands in a sinister cool voice,
"Begone from this keep and bother us no more. You have your work to do and I have mine, and should I find any deceitful notes lying about, I will know who needs a little lesson in justice! Now, leave!"
The Duke grabs the Lady Nesten by the arm as he glares at all of you and expectantly waits for you to depart!
My good Duke, unless I am terribly mistaken, this country is still free of the Infernal influence of Cheliax. As the good Lady is in charge of this town, I do believe that she make make her own decisions. Now as you currently have no formal interest in this town, I would ask that you allow us to continue our PRIVATE discussion. The safety of this town hangs in the balance. You should already be on your horse to Witchtit or whatever hamlet you spawned from. For once the horde is finished here, your land will be the next to be consumed by the evil dragons.
Intimidate: <-- anyone got a camera, I think he just peed his pants.
Also, I forgot:
Bluff: <-- I am believable and scarry.
The Duke looks at the gnome as if he were a dragon in his living room, drops the Lady's arm, and turns on his heels and runs.
Turning to all of you, the Lady Nesten sighs a great relief and addresses all of you.
"I can't thank you enough, but that was too close to call! I am not sure how much he has heard, but he is certainly going to be suspicious of my every move. I may be safe for the moment, but I do fear for my own life!"
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Good evening." The Duke sneers as he emerges out of the shadows.
Without a word (but with a sudden smile and a wink to Tirion and the Lady), I dash after the Duke, moving silent as a shadow and just as invisible . . .
Stealth: <--yeah, that'll do
I tail the Duke, keeping hidden, and watching/listening carefully. I want to see who he talks to, what orders he gives, and if he writes any notes, see where they go (with the intention to steal them). He's clearly been given an ego-bruising, and a bully like him will NOT let that slide! So I'll pounce on his reaction.
Perception:
Well, while my wee friend is following that fop, shall we see what you have to assist me in correcting your problem.
I call Mantooth, Thordak and Mutumba back.
I think that I will need some time with the good lady with some protection. Apparently she is in need of having some documents transcribed which show the Duke's complicity in this matter and she does not wish to release the originals.
You follow the Duke through various hallways into his guest room. Observing him through a key hole, he appears very agitated as he paces back and forth in anger then he sits down and writes a letter on a parchment and seals it with wax and a seal from his signet ring. Slipping behind a tapestry he hide out of sight as he strides from his room, down another hallway to a descending staircase. Next, he descends the stairs to the basement of the keep. Bursting into one of the servant's chambers he addresses one of his own personal attendant. "Gozrah, You will take this letter and deliver it to House Kzlashtarr in the Darklands. Use the portal in the Nesten Keep Tomb! Go with haste and don't wait for confirmation! Report back immediately when you return!"
The servant nods his approval and takes the letter and places it inside his vest pocket.
The count leaves and begins climbing back up the stairs toward his chamber.
As the Duke turns to run, Mantooth casts . If he notices anything he will cast it again for at least a second round. When Tirion beckons the group back over, Mantooth nods. "If it is protection you need, I will accompany you while the documents are being transcribed, Tirion."