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"This is the first time I've had the good pleasure of fighting alongside a Brawler. Quite impressive...quite impressive indeed. "
Las resist the negative energy as best he can. He then draws his wand of infernal healing and goes to work on himself, then Truk.
<-- Las back to 24
<-- Truk +10
<-- Truk +20
<-- Truk +30 hp
<-- Talisein +10 (if she wants it)
Las offers to heal Morvius, but remembers the elf does not like the after taste.
After the first round of healing Las removes all gear from cleric and examines it, confirming with either of the spell casters for Detect Magic as necessary.
+1 Breastplate
Cloak of Resistance +1
Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds
pyxes of redirected focus
A key
You find little information on the bodies of the pirates. However searching through the house, you find a logbook detailing Deremin's exploits. Two logs in particular stand out.
Met with Helkit in the city today. Charming as ever. Gave her her cut of most recent Pathfinder raids. Don’t know why she needs it; she’s even richer than most bloodied. Fenced supplies are pocket money to her. I’ve heard there’s a Razmiri bounty on Pathfinder boats, and I’m sure that’s where she’s really earning profit here. Need proof—might be able to use as blackmail if things go sour. Til then, just have to trust my Pirate Queen will continue to bless her Favored Son as he plies her ways upon the river.
Helkit wants us keeping an eye out for Sczarni in the area. Sounds like they’re mostly Varisians but have been recruiting others lately. Heard she was supplying muscle to those messing up Guaril Karela’s business—probably fears retaliation. I’l have to keep an eye on her other visitors to see if I can learn about her contact and what he knows for myself.
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Las sighs at the mention of Helkit..but then he smiles and tells everything he reserached on the woman as well as the arena rules
"After watching the three of you carve up and incapacitate, I am now beginning to believe that the arena is possibly a good avenue for settling our differences. I suppose our next course of action is to openly accuse her of conspiring with the Ramziri and then settle our differences in the arena. It is unlikely the locals will settle for anything less given Helkit is the current champion."
Razmiri refers to the nation of Razmir which is directly south of Tymon.
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Las sits down on a table, holding and eyeing one of the CLW potions found earlier,
"We could do that. Let us hope that he is not surreptitiously involved. In any event, I do not think there is much more we can do here. We should return to Tymor. The only question is whether we should burn the place down."
Deremin wakes rather groggily. "You must be pathfinders. Yea, the Razmiran's contracted Helkit to take your shipments. She in turn paid us to do it. Apparently you people pissed them off."
"What about her? She's the current reigning champion in Tymon. Are you really surprised that a whole country is mad at your organization?"
"I dunno, but all I know is they're mad at you lot."
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Las recommends taking all of their possessions of value and letting them off with a warning that: a) they owe use their lives, and b) if the Pathfinders lose any more shipments the next group of Pathfinders will kill them on sight. We'll take back all the stolen goods and sell their possessions as recompense.
The pirates reluctantly agree and are sent on their way. Returning to Tymon is a relatively peaceful affair and takes approximately half a day of travel. Smine listens intently to you as you give their report, clearly as enthralled by the adventure as by the Pathfinder Society’s business. Hearing Helkit’s name dampens his mood and causes him to furrow his brow.
“Well done. Everything I hoped for out there. Whatever else, our immediate enemies are done for. Hopefully gives anyone thinking about doing the same pause. But there’s the problem. There’ll be more, because they weren’t acting on their own. Helkit Silverbane she’s a problem: Lots of money, lots of clout. She could just hire another group and hardly lighten her purse. We need to take this to her—make her see we’re more than she can handle. But going up against the bloodied... that’s like swimming upriver. Through piranha. Bleeding. Law’s not an option. First off bankrolling pirates... barely a crime here—only if you get caught. Even with witnesses, she’s hardly red-handed. And bloodied’s word in court is worth lots more than words from captured bandits or the ones that caught them. Tymon’s got some hard laws, but this wasn’t really even in Tymon. It’s all... borderline. Don’t think we could make formal charges stick. Smine sips his cooling tea thoughtfully, the furrows of worryon his brow slowly evening out. Got one option, if you want to take it. Can’t hit her in court... but Tymon wasn’t built on courts. His eyes widen as he leans in close, “Ever heard of the Law of Grievance?”
Smine nods. "Under the Law of Grievance, anyone in Tymon can challenge another person to arena combat. Even a “bloodied” citizen must accept the challenge of outsiders. In a way, it’s the fairest possible law available to those with the deck stacked against them. You lot can challenge Helkit for having moved against the Pathfinder Society, she must accept. Killing her isn’t even necessary; as challenged, Helkit would set the terms of the fight, and most Grievance matches aren’t lethal. But publicly defeating and humiliating her demonstrates forcefully that Pathfinders protect their interests."
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Taliesin looks askance at Lajas and laughs.
"My bloodlust!? Wonderful! I've only ever killed one person, and it was on accident. Well, sort of. They were attacking us, and I closed my eyes and put my spear in front of me, and he ran onto it. I'm not really much for combat, but I could help you guys do this! You have proven yourselves very proficient!"
"Like I said, you don't have to kill her. Just humiliate and defeat her publicly."
Even empty, the Arena of Aroden is an imposing sight that seems to magnify the sounds of clashing blades and grunts of exertion of a dozen sweaty, muscular men and women sparring on the sandy floor. The synergy of well-trained teamwork and combat style is apparent, though it falls short of the standards set by a tall, broad, iron-haired woman dressed in rich furs. “Watch your flanks, you ham-fingered dolts! Felex, if you leave your partner’s back uncovered again just to make a cheap swing, it’s your back I’ll break in two!” she roars at the gladiators. “Now hold! There’s company.” Turning in your direction, she snaps, “Who in Abaddon are you? The Silver Slayers have the training ground today.”
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Taliesin spreads her arms wide, obviously hoping to attract everyone's attention. Once she has it, she says, while pointing at the fur-dressed woman, "“Helkit may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot, but don't let that fool you. She really is an idiot.”
Knowing she has just kicked the hornet's nest, the bard continues.
"You have harmed the interested of the Pathfinder Society, and the Society does not take that lightly!" Taliesin says, unfurling the banner attached to her longspear. "Thus, under the Law of Grievance, we hereby challenge you to arena combat, you pretentious, cowardly, hyena-faced, vomitous fur-spangled, in need of a good hair-dresser buffoon!"
Helkit almost laughs at first. Atleast until the bold accusation and subsequent catty insults. Her surprised expression curls into a sneer. “Very well, I accept. Some fights are already scheduled for two days from now. We’ll settle this then. As challenged, I set the terms: Group battle—you lot against me and my Slayers. No limits on weapons or magic. Public arena fight, on the shiftng sands—and you should know I’ve never lost on those.” She glances at her trainees for a moment before reluctantly adding, “No need for a death match. The challenge may be decided by yielding. Anyone losing their nerve can call it off for their team.” She smirks. “Mind you, that won’t be anyone on my side. I don’t train cowards.”
"Take it or get the hell out. You challenged me. This is my yard."
"You'll see."