"Well, I have an idea that might satisfy all parties involved. But first let's see what's in this little black book that makes it so important. I've no mind to see creature hanged for the crime of not understanding petty human politics or being too stupid to realize when a call for surrender is only given once."
"Which is why you are the Sir..." Harry passes karlan the book and papers. "Lucky he's such a compassionate and upstanding man you are" he remarks to the shapechanger.
Yes, lets see the book.
I cast detect magic on the book to see if there are any spells on it.
If not, I will see what is in it if I can read it. If it is in a strange tongue:
Linguistics:
[b]"As much as I hate to admit it, Karlan has a point. These creatures are not to unlike gnomes themselves, rather misdirected, but none the less. What plan is this of your's, Karl?"
The doppelganger just silently follows your conversation, he curses inaudibly as he spots the book, but just shakes his head, frusrated about his own failure.
The papers consists of the deed of Foxglove Manor as well as some letters about its funding, craftsmen bills etc. There is one thing that surprises you, there is one parchment that indicates that the Foxglove
family only financed two-thirds of the construction. The remaining money came from the "Brotherhood of the Seven". The deed also includes a clause such that ownership of the manor, the surrounding lands, and everything beneath it will return to the Brotherhood of the Seven once the last of Vorel's family has died without an heir.
The small black book is a record of payments and expenses for the household. Over the last three months, there are several payments to “B7” for “Iesha’s Trip to Absalom”. The monies were dropped off at the Sevens Sawmill every several days. The payments amount to 200 gold pieces per week.
Celestra discretely comments to Harry and Karlan."Gentlemen, I am not sure I feel very comfortable turning these shape shifters in to the guard, especially after they have been so cooperative. Do you think there is a way to let them free outside of the city? It would be better to not make further enemies of them or their kind."
"Well to be blunt Miss Zomesco, if you were worried about making enemies and letting them go on that account then I'd also point out dead men tell no tales - you'll likely have more enemies by letting them live. Not like they had a choice about cooperation neither, they drew steel and then lost... their kind hearts only found root after their blades failed to."
"Just bear in mind that if they are treacherous then they might come back as you, me, Sir Karlan, anybody. You'll not know you've been betrayed until you are deep into the trap and then what? Personally I'd like to keep a good tally on where any of these slippery bastards are at, especially now they've come up against us and we have a pile of their dead around us"
"I guess that makes two kind hearted souls, just hope you pair have the right end of this"
"Although I am not fond of imprisonment for anyone, I understand your reasoning. I certainly do not want to be a victim of one of their vile traps. So, once again, Handsome, I will trust to your judgment in this matter!"
"Perhaps there is an island we can send them to. Then we can just forget about them."
"Well, that doesn't tell us much." KArlan says with a sigh. "So, here's our problem." He continues addressing the doppelganger. "Our problem is those people you had met with are responsible for all the murders. I'm sure you know the ones. Famous greedy people being murdered, stars carved in their chests, fairly gruesome stuff I'm sure you'll agree. They're such a secretive little cult that, well, you're the only ones we've met that has had any contact with them and lived. Though I imagine had you not met us you might be strung up next to your friends getting fitted for a nice star shaped tattoo. Do you follow?"
Yes?
the creature replies fearfully
"So folks, what do you think “Iesha’s Trip to Absalom” is all about? Why do you think Aldern's wife went to Absalom? I lived at Cayden Cailean's temple in Absalom when I was younger, but I doubt this Foxglove would have visited the temple. I have such fond memories of Absalom. I wonder if this adventure will someday lead us there."
"So you said they're supposed to meet up with you. I'm inclined to think that it might not be a bad idea for you to do just that. Let's say you got here, got the book, and ran into some trouble where only you got out. You meet with them, get paid. And leave. Then you retrieve your friend and get out of Magnimar as fast as your legs can take you. What do you guys think? Any thoughts? I'm really not one for deception but I see a possible tunnel right into the vipers den."
"My only concern is that I don't want them to find whatever it is that they are looking for in this black book. I wonder if it is possible to forge the book, or simply create a duplicate that looks just like the black book, but without the information. When we have time, the pages needs to be studied and analyzed deeply for its secrets. There is information in there that some evil people obviously want, and we certainly do not want them to get it!"
"I imagine it's to hide evidence." Karlan says. "And obtain the title to the manor."
Ailetha continues to look over the book trying to pick up on any nuances of the language usage to indicate who the writer was, how long ago it was written, over how long a time the records span, and whether there was more than one drafter. And any other information that might be of interest.
It was like you were reading my mind Celestra. I have studied linguistics a fair amount and could try to duplicate the book. I doubt my forgery would be perfect, but it should be close enough if they have not seen the original. In addition, if we find a similar book, we could just change things so as to send them down a wild goose chase should we fail to apprehend them before they get away.
"Then thats the plan. Is there a magical way to duplicate a book? might save us a bit of time, and perhaps if it copies it perfectly we might later find anything from codes in letters through to hidden maps... thats the sort of ruse the Pirates play when hiding treasure. Then maybe we do what Karlan says."
Linguistics:
The question is if you want to copy all pages or only some and if you would also like to make it look exactly the same way - so do you try to get the same materials/ink etc.?
---------
The doppelganger seems to get even more nervous at the prospect of meeting his masters again but now as a double agent
If I were you I wouldn't mess with these people, the Brotherhood is not going to play nice once they found out they have been tricked.
"If I were you I wouldn't mess with these people, the Brotherhood is not going to play nice once they found out they have been tricked."
"Are you sure that they ever played nice in the first place? They sure seem to like giving out their pointy tattoos whether the victim wanted one or not!"
"Well, Ailetha, I hope you know what you are doing. Just make sure we keep the original."
Looking around the room at the dead Alderns. So far they have not played nice with us and we have left a path of dead Brotherhood agents behind us. Or plan is to continue to do so.
When were you to meet with the Brotherhood to give them the book?
Harry, lets go back upstairs and see whether we can find the ink he used on this. Much easier finding it here than trying to track it down at a parchment shop.
Perception:
The doppelganger's countenance darkens a bit and you can nearly see the malevolence in his eyes
Enough of this charade, I will tell you where the secret headquarter of the Brotherhood is, but only if you let us go. You got only this one chance and if you don't agree to work with me, I'll now shut my mouth and be looking forward to meeting the guard.
You're a bit surprised to see that the creature has regained some form of confidence, but maybe its miserable behaviour before was also just acting.
I look at the doppleganger and then walk up to him and look at his face very closely.
Sense Motive:
You see my eyes? You are from the swamp, you know what these eyes mean don't you. My heritage is far darker than my companions with the blood of orcs in their veins. My mother likely consumed my father when she was finished with him. Unlike the good paladin, I am not bound by any code and should the need arise, I would have no problem disposing of you as my mother would have. Now, I will give you one last chance. Tell us what you know about the Brotherhood, or die. Remember, even dead we have the power to make you talk. So, do you wish to divulge your information voluntarily with a slight chance of freedom. Or under the compulsion of magic once dead.
Intimidate:
Bluff:
Turning to Harry and Karlan, Celestra asks, "What do you think? Finding our way to their secret headquarters could be a fine bonus. It would certainly save us trying to gather that information all over the city. The only price they ask for is their freedom. How expensive is that?"
"Reckon then it's a bargain, and in a small basement these fine people will stay and we can release them once we return from the secret headquarters, that way they don't get a case of the guilts and tell their good Captains about our arrival. If it turns out they have sent us into a trap and we perish then they perish too - a slow and lingering death by starvation. I believe we have a deal eh?. Unfortunately as I don't know if these things can change size I will need to find them some kind of cell and a good neck restraint."
"Hmmm...I am lacking the magic to manipulate rope, but we can figure it out where to put them after we have them restrained."
"Yeah trouble is no matter what they say theirs no way of really telling truth from lie until you've got a knife in your back. Personally I'm all for just dumping them with the guard and waiting for the inevitable assassins to come for them. But I'll take whatever course the rest of you want to follow."
"Well they want to be let go in exchange for the information they have, but until we have the full appraisal of the worth of that information then we can't be letting them go too quick, one must tell gems from glass lest ye want to give your gold to a swindler. So perhaps we might talk our way to borrowing a cell from the town guard eh? If all turns out ok then we release these fine upstanding fellows. If we don't come back then it wont take long for the assassins to come get them"
I just want to know whether I scared the crap out of them before the last 5 statements.
The doppelganger does not blink as Celestra hisses her tirade of threats, but still the creature seems impressed
I agree that you also have to make certain preparations. If the paladin gives us his word that you will release us if our informations proves to be valuable, then we have a deal.
"Karlan, I know you do not like to compromise, but this is a great opportunity, that could save us a great deal of time. If they do not speak the truth, then by all means, do what you will with them. However, if what they tell us proves valuable, then freeing them would be the noble thing to do."
"Right, fine but it has to be mroe than simply valuable, it has to be accurate. I don't deal in half truths or information left out."
Neither do we. the doppelganger says and explains
The secret hideout of the cult is a building known as the Seven's Sawmill right in front of the town. It is camouflaged as a normal mill, but there they have their secret meetings and pray to their dark god.
"They call the place Seven's Sawmill? Are they really bold enough to put the seven right in the name of the business? Well, it sounds like the right place. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they meet at a place where sharp blades rotate around slicing up lumber into tiny pieces!"
"Sawmills burn sooooo easily, hehehehe." says the firebug rubbing his hands together.
Yes, and mischievous gnomes slice sooooo easily. We will have to investigate with care, not fire first.
"Depending on how our investigations go, a fire might make for a convenient ending"
"Well let's actually wait to see what's inside before we slash and burn everything okay? So the question becomes what to do with our erstwhile face shifting friends here while we confirm this?"
"This place have a basement?"
"I say we burn this place to the ground when we finish, too."
"Maybe not this one Mr Banderflash, might inconvenience the watch a little and the fires might spread a little further than we'd like. Save it for the sawmill eh?"
"I say we burn this place to the ground when we finish, too."
Karlan glares at Perdition. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. We're in the middle of a city and Aldern still has family with a claim to this place. I will not be the one to pull your ass out of the crap if you can't keep yourself in check."
"I suppose, though watching them would be a good time."
Ailetha looks at Perdition and just frowns while shaking her head in disproval.
The building indeed has a small basement room, large enough to keep two doppelgangers in it and easy to lock up.
"Well, my morphing friends. Let us hope that the information you gave us is true, and you shall soon be able to enjoy your freedom!"
"Basement is sound, suppose you may as well get comfortable down there then eh?"
Harry will secure them and the basement carefully.
Perdition simply smiles at the changling through his bushy beard amused by the bard's disapproving look.