"See? Now three of you are dead and all you've managed to accomplish so far is annoying me and making Kanyk and harry spend extra time oiling their weapons tonight. This is what I don't get about you bad guys. When worse comes to worst UNGH! You'd rather fight to the death and hasten your fall into the abyss rather than take a minute to reflect that maybe the paladin's offer of quarter isn't such a bad deal to take."
Attacking one directly west of karlan.
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22 Sword Attack
1d6 + 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (4) + (5) + 7 = 16 Nonlethal Sword Damage
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27 Shield Attack
1d4 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 Shield damage
R2:
Ailetha (resolved)
Celestra (resolved)
Karlan (resolved)
Kanyk (resolved)
Alderns (resolved)
Perdition (resolved)
Harry
Karlan manages to send the Aldern in front of him into the land of dreams - hit by the broad side of the blade the young noble collapses. Realizing that this is not going to end in a good way, the last remaining Aldern in the pit throws his dagger away and surrenders
We give up!
Harry swaps weapons over to his Sap. An eye on the fake Aldern.
"We give up!"
"And so you should!"
Celestra directs the spiritual rapier to stop attacking but waits before she dismisses the spell in case they will be need again shortly.
"So what is the meaning of this? Why do you all wish to look like Aldern Foxglove? There are certainly a lot more handsome men than him, and certainly ones with much better taste in company!"
Diplomacy
Just as Celestra begins to speak,Perdition comes and says, "Answer the lady or I'll burn your eyes out of your skull and use your hands as an ash tray!"
Aw, do we have to be nice? I wanted to see whether my new rapier was long enough to sever his spine from the nape of the neck to tailbone.
Intimidate(assist other):
With horror the doppelganger changes back to his normal form - a grayish humanoid creature that seems almost unfinished, with a narrow head, gaunt limbs, and a sinister, noseless face.
They paid us! They paid us to search the mansion and takes this form! They told us it would be unsuspicious then!
"Now, now lady and gnome. Mr Not-Foxglove was about to explain his presence here. Were you?"
Diplamacy Aid Celestra.
The black book! We should look for a black book! Please, don't kill me!
the creature yells and takes on the form of a voluptuous blonde women only scantily dressed!
"Black Book? Where is it!?!"
We haven#t found it yet! the blonde bombshell says.
Harry watches on dispassionately, his manacles in one hand, sap in the other. Thumper sits by his side, the Rottweiler also maintaining its discipline.
It's pretty clear that Harry is prepared to follow 'his own line of investigation' if the creature proves less than usefull.
"Remove that facade right now! You were just a man and none of us is going to swayed to feeling anything more than disgust for you. Keep this up and your about to be turned over to the dog for dinner." Perdition begins preparing a round of color spray if the beast fails to cooperate or maybe just because he enjoys color spraying people.
She does not know anything. Please can I skewer her. I want to see if she will pop.
Quickly the doppelganger transform back into his alien appearance
It's the truth - we haven't found the book yet, it must have been hidden very well! Please, let me go, I won't tell anybody about you! I'll leave Magnimar for the swamps immediately!
"Well you see there's good news and bad news. The good news is that the good man who called for your surrender wont be letting this fine lady here gut you like a fish, the bad news is that as an upstanding and law abiding member of the community he is most certainly going to demand we escort you clapped in irons to the constabulary to answer for the crimes committed here this night. Although if you'd prefer to go with her choice I'll just put away my manacles eh?"
"That about right by you Sir?" he regards Karlan.
"I am still curious about who you mean by 'they'. Could you kindly elaborate who asked you to do this?"
They? They wore masks - ugly masks, made of human skin! I don't know their names, they told us to find the book, once we had found it they would contact us again! Please don't call the guard, they would kill us!
"I'm sure creatures as clever as yourselves will probably find some way to dodge even that fate. Speaking of which HArry that one down there is still alive could you kindly shackle him up so he doesn't scurry off if and when he comes to? So where did you meet them?"
Ailetha begins to pout: But you promised I could gut the next one. I want to see whether its spine is in fact humanoid, or as alien as it's face.
The creature scrambles around and fearfully tries to dodge Ailetha's intimidating gaze
They contacted us at "The Last Command", a shaby tavern next to the northern city gate! Please, not the watch, I promise I will never return to Magnimar!
" So do they run around this tavern wearing their ugly masks? How were they suppose to know when you found the book? Were you suppose to be able to contact them at the "Last Command?"
Ailetha looks at the doppleganger for a moment, then turns toward Celestra for a moment before again redirecting her gaze at the monster.
You actually expect me to believe that you met with people wearing masks made of human skin in a tavern? If you are going to tell a lie, at least make it believable. Now then, before they let me dismember you, what did these people look like? What were their accents? What race?
After a pause: You are fortunate that we have a paladin in our numbers, otherwise I would have long since split you. However, even his patience is short when dealing with cretins such as you.
Ailetha draws out her rapier and whetstone and begins to absentmindedly begin to sharpen the adamantine blade.
Harry moves in and secures the creature, cuffing it tightly.
He gently whispers to the captive "The good Sir's word holds a particular weight, but the first provocation will see you stabbed by the fair maiden over there and she ain't one for tender mercy. Frankly I don't care either way."
After a while a plan was beginning to form in KArlan's mind. "Despite my better judgment I'm actually considering releasing you. But only because I'm not the proper authority here and only because I've plans that mean it is best if few actually knew of our arrangement this mercy can change very quickly if you're lying[. You said they contacted you at the Last Command wearing these masks. Where were you supposed to go with this book once you had it, and if they were supposed to contact you, what face were you supposed to be wearing yourself so they can find you?"
The creature's voice more and more becomes a whimpering crescendo of some sort...
No no! We were contacted by someone who looked normal - a blonde man, maybe 40 years, strong and tall - he told us to wait in room no. 3 upstairs. There we met the masked men and women! I don't know how they would know that we found the book, but they told us that they we would meet again then! They were human - or elf...maybe half elf...please...! Accent? They had no accent, really and they wore normal clothes under hooded wide cloaks! Please, I'm telling the truth, really!
Cayden Cailean, guide me to the truth behind these doppelgangers!
Sense Motive
Sense Motive
"Not that it is my specialty, but who'd hire the likes of you for a simple fetch and carry robbery when the local footpads would do just fine? Now I'm not sayin' I'm all of an understanding of how they do it in Magnimar, but you don't send a bunch of fine sailors to do a job fit for for a cabin boy"
"Something here doesn't tally up well"
Glancing up from her blade: Who was this blonde man, I want to know exactly what he looked like. What were his clothes like? Did he appear wealthy? Had you ever seen him before? These are very important details for criminals who are otherwise about to be beheaded.
Ailetha then goes back to sharpening while humming a cheery little tune:
The morph men were so fine;
Then my blade went in their spine;
Now they wiggle when they walk;
And they stutter when they talk;
Perhaps they've learned to avoid Hell's nine.
"See that's just the sort of pleasantry that would have had you as a welcome addition to any seafaring crew Ailetha, those sailing scallywags were always fond of comeing up with something like that as a way of making a point whilst making a point"
He looked like this!
The doppelganger slowly gebins to transform and grows until he looks like a strong ulfen warrior.
@ Celestra: As far as you can judge, the creature is telling the truth.
I don't know why they sent us, maybe they were expecting problems - we could have killed the guards, normal criminals aren't able to do that as effectively.
"I cannot detect any lies on their part, my friends."
Turning back to the doppelgangers, she asks, "So where did you come from before you got involved in all of this Aldern affair? Is the city of Magnimar the place you call home?"
Perdition continues to hold his spell at the ready, though he has a certain appreciation for the creatures constant state of change.
We visit the city every few weeks to check for possible clients...but normally we live in the Mushfens.
the creature quickly admits.
"Possible clients? Are you telling me that you simply come in to the city to earn your keep. Why don't you stay in the Mushfens where you can stop causing such havoc in these lands? Try living off the land or something!"
"That's right, expecting trouble. Reckon there's a fair bit more to this tale but not sure that you are the teller."
" Reckon I'm going to start searching this place for any more creatures, might find a book or two while I'm at it, any objections?"
"I'll come with you, Harry. If there are any others and this fellow hasn't let us know about them, it is not going to turn out well for them or you." he finishes looking at the shapechanger.
Karlan nods an ascent at Harry and waves his sword over the unconscious form of the other one. "So, how much do you care about your friend here?"
Harry notes Karlans nod, and takes Perdition on an explore through the house.
"If you could stop and dtect for traces of magic and the like as we go, that might be handy" he remarks to Perdition.
Perception
The doppelganger ignores Celestra's question - most probably this creature has never thought about anything else than intrigue, spyworks and assassinations...Looking over to his companion he admits
If you would also set him free that would be very much appreciated - we promise to leave Magnimar and go wherever you want us to go.
------About ten minutes later:
Harry and Perdition spend some time searching the upper floor and in the end Perdy finds traces of magic. A simple illusion that makes a hole in a wall look like solid stone. In the opening behind it you find several sheets of paper, a bag with coins (200pp) and a small black book.
Harry bags the goods after showing them to Perdition.
"We can check these in comfort and safety elsewhere"
Heading back downstairs he gives a confirmatory nod to Karlan, out of sight of the creature.
"So then, where are we taking these fine Shapeshifters then? To the stockade or to the city gate?"
"I have never had any experience with these shapeshifting creatures. How trustworthy are they if they tell us they will not return to the city?"
To the city guard. All they are convicted of at present is burglary, the guard will do with them as the law of this city requires.
"What you mean more or less trustworthy than any other sort of fine fellow who gets paid money by murderous villains to rob people's houses and kill anyone that crosses their path? Well I'd say no more or less reliable than that as a guess. Mind you they are probably dead men anyway, they failed their job and they spilled their guts, reckon their employer would be needing to set an example if he or she is any sort of real Chief"
"I think that the real danger is in there likelyhood to play out the lives of others and how this could be put to use once they get snatched by their boss. Most importantly how it could be used against us in retaliation."
"And as much as I am inclined to grant them a bit of mercy for spitting out what we wanted to hear, I reckon they should be happy its Magnimar justice I had in mind, and not the Buccaneer one I am more familiar with"
"To the guard then?"
No, I think the Buccaneer justice involves fishing, except that they would be the bait.