What's your next step, folks?
"Do you have another delivery scheduled soon"
"To Foxglove's house? No ma'am, but maybe he'll order more stuff soon. To be honest, business has been a little low for me. Hey if you're headed up that way, maybe you could put in a good word for me with 'im."
I've seen 2 of you suggest going to the address, but just want to check that that's what you want to do.
Sounds good
The address leads you into the part of town called Naos District, which lies in the northern half (the upper half) of Magnimar. From looking around, it seems as though this area is populated by the upper class who live in small villas or elegant stone townhouses. The city's tallest building, the Arvensoar, looms over you. You also pass by the cathedral of Abadar, the city's biggest temple, seemingly always overflowing with penitent, weepy throngs.
As it turns out, the address is pretty close to the city's northernmost gate which leads to the Lost Coast Road. You've come to an attractive townhouse standing three stories tall. Windows on the ground floor are boarded over. The front door is shut.
It is mid afternoon by the time you arrive at the townhouse.
Also, can i get a Perception check?
Selia refreshes the mage armor spell, just in case this goes south quick.
Lleidr notices 2 things ...
There's a thin, white trail of smoke coming from a chimney on the side of the home.
Coming from the townhouse, you can pick up the faint smell of cooked stew. Your stomach rumbles in response.
"Hunh, looks like someone's home. And not too bad a cook from the smell of it. How do we want to get in?"
An honest approach? It would be novel. We could say we are looking into the affairs of Alden after some unfortunate incidents at his house outside of Sandpoint. Unless there is a more stealthy idea?
"Might get a good meal out of it as well. Let's try to keep this one simple."
I feel a little silly casting the mage armor now...
So, what are you all doing? Opening the door? Knocking politely? Something else?
Selia knocks on the door.
Lleidr will knock the dust of his clothes and straighten his crown in an attempt to look more respectable.
There's no answer, even after several minutes.
"Should we try around back?"
Aye and Nicholae leads the way.
"I'll watch the door while you check around." Selia moves to the corner of the place, to watch front and side.
"I'll head around the other way and meet you around back."
As he makes his way around the house, Lleidr will keep an eye out for signs of passage in or out of the area.
Foxglove Townhouse, Late Afternoon
The back of the home is surrounded by a tall stone wall, finely crafted, but you can see through drainage holes easily enough to view the back lawn. It appears as though the back door of the home is boarded over, along with the windows on the side of the house.
You come to a freshly painted wooden door set into the stone wall, leading to the carefully landscaped lawn behind the townhouse. You see no one else around.
Lleidr will examine the door (Detect Magic, check if it's locked, find traps) and try to get it open.
Front door, right? The back door is all boarded up.
Let's just assume you meant the front door ... no traps that you can find, but it was locked. Lleidr bypasses the lock with practiced ease.
Cool. Sorry for missing your question, but, you know, beer :)
I was thinking we needed to get through the freshly painted wooden door set into the stone wall, but the front door works for me.
[/url=https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/cbBdVWWidMLgUSlqzHAbBoyIVmeFBU1G9L1DPu6z9ys?ref_=cd_ph_share_link_copy]Foxglove Townhouse, Late Afternoon[/url]
You've come into a large and tastefully decorated foyer. You can see a staircase going up to the NE, a brilliantly woodworked set of double doors straight ahead, and single doors - one to the west, one in the north wall, just NW of Lleidr.
Perception checks please!
let's try again ...
Foxglove Townhouse, Late Afternoon
You've come into a large and tastefully decorated foyer. You can see a staircase going up to the NE, a brilliantly woodworked set of double doors straight ahead, and single doors - one to the west, one in the north wall, just NW of Lleidr.
Perception checks please!
You can hear footsteps behind the door just to the NW of Lleidr - the one in the north wall and is the closest door to the party.
Also, the smell of the stew, strong now, seems to come from there.
Selia whispers "Should we announce ourselves?"
Whispering, "I don't think they want guests, so maybe we should stay quiet?"
Lleidr will move over to the door where the smell of stew seems to be coming from and listen for a better idea of what's going on.
The footsteps are very close ... approaching right on the other side of the door.
The door is yanked wide open, and in the kitchen, to your astonishment, you see Aldern and Iesha Foxglove, carrying several bowls of a simmering hot stew.
"See, Aldern, I told you that company would be here soon! Welcome, friends, please relax and let me show you the dining room." Iesha smiles and gestures to the big double doors around the corner.
Aldern is beaming, with a smile spread across his face. "It's been many days since our goblin fun in Sandpoint, eh? I trust you've heard no goblin song this evening?"
wha? where? who?, Nicholae is beyond flustered.
"Whaaaaaaa?"
"Hold it! Why are you both here? And like you are?"
Aldern puts down the bowls on the stovetop, lays his arm across his wife's shoulder and laughs.
"Why, I live here! But, I could ask you the same, milady. I won't accuse you of trespassing, being that I did invite you to my home in Magnimar, but it is the custom of most civilized folks to knock before entering, correct?"
Iesha scolds her husband. "Aldern, really, trespassing? After they've come all this way to visit? Can't you see how hungry they must be at this late hour? You poor things, let me grab some trencher bread while you all go straight into the dining room, and prepare to sup with us."
Ah, gonna need a round of Perception checks, folks.
"Well, to be fair, we did knock and no one answered... wait a minute! This is what bothers you about the situation!?!"
"Ay, supper sounds good, thanks. How have you folks been?"
need a Perception check from Lleidr
Did some signing out and in, and that seems to have reset something. I can post on this tab again.
Hooray!
"Very well" Aldern answers, "but, obviously we're as concerned with these murders plaguing our city as much as anyone else. Let's sit down, eat, and I'd love to hear what you all know about them."
Iesha heads for the double doors, presumably to the dining room, as she mentioned previously.
"Follow me, milords and ladies. We are all ears!"
Well, Lleidr isn't sure what's going on, but he's not missing out on a free meal. He'll follow Iesha.
Nicholae follows
The stew is ladled over the hard trencher bread, and the smell is nearly intoxicating given your grumbling bellies.
Small talk ensues about the weather, local politics (mostly complaints about the Lord Mayor Gramboras), and then the two of them start listing off the recent murders in Magnimar ... murders very similar to what you saw in Sandpoint and what you overheard in the Dockyards district upon your arrival.
Of course, you had solved the Sandpoint murders, and figured out Aldern Foxglove, corrupted into a ghast, was the murderer. Which only brings the question ... how is it that Aldern sits before you, as charming a soul as you met that first day in Sandpoint?
He's very polite, referring to each of you only as 'milady' or 'milord', but seems to rest upon the pinnacle of happiness, in love with his beautiful wife, living in this upscale, if somewhat empty home.
"So, tell us, my friends, tell us what you know of these murders? Have you figured out who is behind them?". Both stare at you with previously unrealized intensity .. nearly breathless, waiting on your response.
"Well, I must say I am not entirely sure right now... How long have you two been here?"
Things are a little confused with us... you see we thought that we saw you, in reduced circumstances, back at Sandpoint just the other day.