Rise of the Runelords: Chosen of Sandpoint (Inactive)

Game Master polyfrequencies

Jili listens carefully to what Ro is saying. "You won't be forgotten and ignored or a burden. That's what I was trying to say. If the love is that deep abiding love it won't matter what you look like on the outside or how old your body is, the love will still be there shining through. I don't think I would want or need a new relationship. If I did, I wouldn't compare the two. I would remember my first for the amazing person they were, and love the next as the person they are. As much as we wish it would, time does not stand still for any of us."

"How old is Ryn? Think of how she might feel right now. You're running around the countryside taking risks with your life. Yes it's for a very good reason. She has no idea if you will be coming home alive from our latest task. She has to be full of fear for what might happen tomorrow or if she'll ever hear what happened to you if we all die in some lost dungeon."

OK, just to summarize:

Karmid suggested that you get the bounty for Shaz "Redshiv" Bilger. You'll have to ask around to find out which law enforcement institution you would pick that up from.

Although you have the keys to Foxglove Manor, you don't actually know where that is located, so you'll have to ask around for that as well.

Both of these tasks should be quite simple. Just letting you know what the next steps are.

Drasven enjoys a quiet pipe as the journey progresses and had taken up a spot on the main deck, making himself quite comfortable. He even helps with deck cleaning and shares duties with the sailors though it's obvious he helps with the more minor work needed.

Once in Magnimar though, he glances at the city and takes a deep breath to once more remind himself that he has come back to the big cities and no longer at the quiet villages or town he had passed through.

Having spoken to the Sailors during the journey, he's tried to get some information from them on the city itself.

Diplomacy 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 wow all my rolls for all chars are low.
Knowledge(local) via Breadth of knowledge 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23 figures....

At the docks he turns to his youthful companions and shares with them what little he's learnt and his own knowledge of the city.

"Let us claim the bounty first before we proceed to find our lodgings for the day. We might need to ask around the locals first to get our bearings. I may or may not be able remember all of the landmarks of this place."

"So that big broken bridge is the Irespan? Can we go there? It looks very impressive. Pretty. Who built it? And why is it broken?", Lia focuses on the scenery.
"We should also see what local candies they have here. Oh, and fruit. With a harbor this size, they certainly have some interesting ones. I mean, I know we are here to do things, but we should get to know the city. Find out where everything is. Oh, a bath would be good after the ship. Do you think they have a bath house? We should go there. Like locals. Try and not call attention to ourselves, just blend in!"

As Lia talks about blending in, a small number of people and children start tailing her, expecting the colorful oversized butterfly following her to be part of some kind of show about to begin.

Grunting Karmid thinks for a moment...

Lore(Shoanti): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

...then waves at the giant bridge.

"Most Shoanti tell scholars it was built by giant slaves during the age of the ancients here. Those evil people are long gone now, destroyed during the past age along with the bridge by a star falling from the sky. Many of their ruins are scattered all over Varisia. Like the lighthouse in Sandpoint. These people here and now build powerful Stone Golems out of the bridge's remains. Its magical they say...or some such thing."

That might have been too much info for a '17' Lore roll but I was remembering a lot more than I normally do there, and it seems appropriate.

Knowledge(History): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
It might also not be directly "Shoanti"-Lore - i mean, they were warrior slaves of Thassilon, but I don't think that makes it a catch all as Lores are usually very specific - I think in that case mostly for the unique and advanced culture they since developed, not on historical engineering of their ancient-masters(that is, Lore/Thassilon) :) - But Flutters got your back, roll-wise...happy to have the info originate from you regardless.

Ro considers what Jili has said while she finishes off her second applejack.

"Maybe that's a difference between us, our parents. Mine are still together, but as far as I can tell it's because how would they split the business? So they keep on. I've never seen the sort of thing your parents have with any couple I've known myself."

"You describe something that's really lovely. It truly is. But it's hard to be on my side of it. Betting my whole life things will be that way at the end."

"Ryn's thirty-three by the way. I think about the point you make a lot. I try to stay away from telling her the worst of the stuff that's happened. I clean it up so it doesn't sound so bad. No point in worrying her when it would just make things worse for everyone."

Ro pauses and taps a fingernail on the table a few times.

"Thanks Jili. You're given me some things to think about. I'll see you tomorrow."

Ro goes up to the cathedral to pick up her stuff after leaving the Rusty Dragon. When she gets to Ryn's place their reunion kiss is a short one. Ro's breath stinks of alcohol, and Ryn doesn't appreciate Ro's one night and half a day delay in coming there after getting back to town.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ro spends most of her time aboard ship on the deck. Weather permitting she also sleeps on deck. She largely keeps to herself, engaging in solitary pursuits. She occupies her time by writing in her journal. She also practices with a tambourine she's modified. She cut it in half, then fitted a straight handle across the open end. The handle is generously wrapped with leather strips so it bulges in the middle. It doesn't lay flat, which allows her to play it by placing her foot on it and rocking it back and forth. Doing this by itself is very easy of course, but doing while playing her rebec is considerably more difficult to master.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Standing on the docks after disembarking, Ro is amazed by the city's grandeur. It looks imposing with it ancient architecture, but it buzzes with activity and potential excitement.

She agrees with Karmid.

"We should find a place to stay first so we can drop off our extra belongings. But then we should go straight out to find Aldern's place. If it's empty maybe we can go stay there instead. Free is the best price."

Ro begins asking around on the docks about a decent place to stay, as well as where in the city Aldren's address can be found.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

K Local: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

You ask around the docks for a decent place to stay, not too expensive but not a complete dump either. After a few inquiries you are directed to "The Old Fang run by a woman named Ol' Mam Grottle.

The Inn is tucked away on a side street, far away enough from the fish market to avoid the most pungent smells, but close enough that this seems to be a popular watering hole for the dockworkers. A wooden sign carved into the shape of a vicious swamp barracuda hangs in front of its entrance.

The main room of the inn is decorated with hundreds of nautical trophies and knick knacks while a middle-aged Varisian woman runs the bar.

"Whatcha need, ladies and gentlemen? Rooms or just drinks. Judging from your expression you just got off a boat, amirite?"

Liking the place immediately, Karmid waves casually.

"You are a Lady and a Scholar! Drinks, a meal, and a bed for weary travelers. In that order!"

After some earlier inquiries, Ro and Drasven return with information. The Foxglove townhouse is located in the Naos District (at the top of the cliff, an area known as the Summit), not far from Starsilver Plaza. Naos is the "new money" district and is home to some of the city's richer merchant families. The people Ro talked to didn't know whether or not it was occupied.

Drasven learns that the bounty most likely can be collected from officials located in the Pediment Building in the Capital District. The Capital District is located next to the Naos District on the Summit, while the Pediment Building houses the city's justice court and the offices of the lord-mayor.

============================

The woman at The Old Fang nods to Karmid and points you towards a table with enough chairs for everyone. Within moments she brings over mugs, a bottle of red wine, and a flagon of ale. Her helper, a young man with dark hair and eyes that bears a striking resemblance to the innkeeper, carries a large tray containing several bowls of a steaming fish soup with vegetables and some sort of noodle along with a bowl of bred baked that morning.

The clientele of the inn in the early afternoon looks to be mostly off-duty dock workers sprinkled with local merchants and artisans who make their living off of the commerce of the sea.

Trying to ignore the ever-present fish, Karmid gobbles his food quickly then turns to burp politely. He then sips some wine from a wooden cup.

"Slimey...yet satisfying."

Returning to the rest, Drasven relays what he's learnt to the others.

"We have our places to go and the sooner we can off load some of these the better. We might also be able to learn more once we're in the Naos District and Capital District."

Ro sucks down some noodles and picks up where Drasven left off.

"We'll be going to the top of the cliff to get to Naos, the fancy part of town. I wasn't able to find out if anyone's living there, but we'll handle that when the time comes. If nothing else I can always knock on the door with a package to deliver, and then claim wrong address."

Ro takes a sip of wine and turns her attention to looking out the window.

"You know, I really think I could get used to it here."

After finishing your lunch, you decide to head to the Capital District to secure your bounty. Even after coating the worst parts of it in pitch, the head still reeks, giving you a strong incentive to dispose of it.

Travel through the town is a riot of sights and sounds that you have not experienced for a long time, if ever. People from all over northwestern Avistan can be found in its thronging streets, markets and stores sell expensive and exotic wares, and music can be heard coming from numerous plazas and inns.

After seeing the fiftieth statue adorning a square, you understand why Magnimar is called the City of Monuments. Every available public area is festooned with a statue or bust commemorating an important citizen or historical event, but they are dwarfed by the number of sculptures of seemingly regular people. When asked about this, a young woman selling beads and thread from distant Garund tells you that it is a local custom for families to commission statues of their deceased loved ones.

"Magnimarians believe that only when once a statue is made does Pharasma judge the soul and send it to its final reward."

Unless you have questions for this lady, I'll move the story forward to the Pediment Building tomorrow.

Ro asks a couple of questions.

1. "Do you know of a couple of good places in the city to go for music? Not opera, the stuff regular people listen to."

2. "Have you ever heard of anyone by the name Xanesha around here? How about a group called 'The Seven'? Maybe a club or a guild or something like that?"

Ro also buys enough beads and string to make three or four bracelets.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

The bead seller shrugs. "Musicians mostly ply their trade in the city's taverns unless there's a festival or it’s the Serpent's Run. The best of the best go to perform at the Triodea in the Naos, but those tickets can be pricey for normal folk."

Ro, was the Diplomacy check just for talking to the bead seller?

Yep, just the questions asked.

You leave the lower city behind, following directions to the long road that leads up the side of the cliff to the upper city. It begins in the large Dockway plaza near the massive marble sculpture known as the Eyes of the Hawk that depicts two wizards battling monstrous spider creatures. Here you are in the shadows of the Irespan, the ancient cyclopean bridge that towers over you to the northwest.

A steep road leads from here upward to the upper city (known locally as the Summit) that houses the city's government and wealthier neighborhoods. The road follows a zigzag pattern so that the incline is not too intense, and numerous carter companies exist at the foot and head of the road solely to help merchants move their goods up and down. Beside the road runs a mechanical marvel, two tram cars that make the journey to and from the Summit using the power of two stone golems winding and unwinding a massive winch at its base. This small tram is clearly only used by the city's upper classes and unsuited for transporting goods.

Do you want to take the tram up to the Summit or walk the zigzagging road? If you ask at the tram office, you are informed that the cost is 5 gp per person. BTW, this is a mix of canon and my own invention.

Take the scenic route aka walk...

Facinated with the golems and how they work, Karmid nonetheless says he prefers to walk it.

"Aw, come on! You can walk up a steep hill anywhere there's a steep hill. Where else are you ever going to ride up a hill in something like that contraption? We have to go up in it!

Lia looks at the young woman selling beads and thread curiously, picking out some of the items to purchase:"So if someone was evil in his life, their family could protect them to postpone the judgement indefinitely by not commissioning a statue? While their enemies may try to do so in order to have them judged by Pharasma? That seems curious-"
(I suppose that will be silvers or so, I'll have been eating and drinking that much less at the tavern so not tracking separately)

At the tram office, Lia nods and agrees with Ro:"We can walk back down, take the scenic route then. But this looks fun. We should totally try it. We can pretend we fly up. I should learn how to fly - Flutter says it's fun, and he also wants us to use the Tram. So that's 3 votes for."

Lia:

The woman listens to Lia before responding. "I was not born here, so take what I say with a grain of salt as others may tell you differently.
But here's how it has been explained to me: souls linger here in Magnimar until they are released by the creation of their figures in plaster, marble, bronze, or tin. Where else do ghosts come from?"

Lia and Ro: Yes, two silvers for the beads each is more than enough.

===========================

You also don't have to travel up all in one group. Those who wish to ascend via the tram may do so separate from those who chose to walk.

Once on the Summit you quickly orient yourselves at the square that holds the gigantic sculpture known as "Indros cul Vydrarch" that depicts the legendary battle between the founding Magnimaran hero Alcaydian Indros and the giant Vydrarch, a monstrous, two-headed creature that rose from the bay to battle him.

Across the square is the massive gray stone fastness of the Pediment Building, home of the city's Justice Court where Magnimar's laws are interpreted. Its roof is studded with dozens of statues of the city's past justices along with hundreds of stone gargoyles that leer down at you. It is here that you have been directed to go and report to the offices of the Lord-Mayor of Magnimar himself, whose office seems to handle bounties from across the territory.

Ro takes Lia and Flutter up on the tram so they can pretend to fly. They also spend time taking in the incredible views of the city as they ascend. When they get to the top Ro buys some fruit, pears and grapes, for snacking as she and Lia wait at the statue in the square for the killjoy losers who took the road to finally catch up to them.

Drasven waves to his friends who opted for the tram as he takes the long stroll up.
While on his stroll, he observes the buildings and the people marking what makes them standout from among each other and the countryside.

Along the way he'll start random conversations as he tries to learn about the latest gossip or news of the city.

It might take him far longer then his companions to reach their destination but no less then fruitful.

Diplomacy, gather information (gossip and news) 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Taking the long walk with Drasven, Karmid admirers the landscape under and around the city.

"Fascinating cliffs! Did you know Drasven, that my klar's design is based on the skulls of unique giant lizards that live on these cliffs, hidden caves, and the hills beyond."

Knowledge(Geography): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

Drasven speaks with a teamster named Ezelbar who is leading his oxen as they haul a merchant's goods to the Summit.

"Oh you're new to Magnimar, eh? Make sure you catch an event at Serpent's Run, that's the big arena in the Alabaster District. They have at least two to three events a month; the next one happens tomorrow, I believe."

If asked for further information about the Serpent's Run, Ezelbar will state that he believes that the event tomorrow to be some kind of race. He will also confide that it's best to stay out of the Alabaster District unless you are going directly to the arena. The local guards are keen to keep out those who don't belong there, as the city's richest and most prestigious families have their homes there.

After speaking with him, Drasven next talks to a fellow dwarf named Askerath, a merchant from the dwarven settlement of Janderhoff in eastern Varisia. A dour fellow, he seems nervous and more interested in getting back home.

"Don't stay in this city, brother, there are bad people about. Merchants and other wealthy folks have turned up dead here recently. They say the bodies have all had their faces removed and strange symbols carved on their chests. Get back to where you came from as quickly as possible."

If pressed about further details about the murders, Askerath admits that he knows nothing for sure and wishes to not discuss it any further.

Since she has some time alone while they're waiting, Ro tries to get some sort of read on how Lia is dealing with the events involving Aldern Foxglove.

After swallowing a bite of pear, Ro asks Lia as casually as she can make it sound "have you been thinking about the Misgivings and Aldern much now it's over Lia? That was some really ugly stuff for you."

After acquiring the fruit, Lia points at the Irespan: "Drasven wanted to take things slow, it will be hours before they come. Walk with me? I wonder if we can go on the bridge. The view must be impressive."
I believe it's either locked off, a popular suicide spot, a tourist attraction, or a combination of multiple of those - talking about the seaward end of the Span, where it's down to the water.
When Rojava speaks up about Aldern after they walked a while, Lia stops, then turns to her. Her eyes look very sad, but she manages a tight smile regardless: "Often, yes. Stuff for me, yes. All he did, after he turned. The pain he caused. The suffering...all for me. I know it's not my fault, but it still pains me that these things happened. I...I want to do good, to help the people in Sandpoint and the places nearby, until that debt is paid. Until I feel what I did outweighs what he did. And one thing irks me, beyond everything else. You know I see things. I see how things can be, could be, what might happen, or not. Sometimes I forget the present, or mix up what is and could have been. But here...nothing. I had no idea, not even a hint of what could happen. In a different timeline, one of the others kissed me that evening. In another one, we kissed. And more." The smile shortly becomes coy before returning to normal: " But the one that finally happened was with Aldern kissing me. And I was blind. Father Zantus told me I had a gift from Desna that I was too young to understand yet. But if I fail to see things so important, if my sight does not warn me of what would come, it feels like a curse. Unless Desna WANTED all of this to happen, and knew I would not choose this path if she had shown me. But then, why would she do that? I have no crisis of faith, Ro, I just feel lost. Part of something I don't understand. But if Aldern was only the start, and Desna set me down this path, then I hope whatever else awaits is less...personal, or I'm not sure I'll have the strength to deal with it all."

With Karmid.
"That is indeed fascinating. My kin has long worked with metal and stone and though we are ages past renowned for our crafts in that area, the world is wide with such weapons to be formed from bone. I'm afraid my experience with most weapons tend to be either metal, wood or stone. Working with Bone is not something I'm too familiar with but the design of the klars are indeed unique."

Gaining the news. Sharing with Karmid.
"An arena event and recent murders. Even in a city such as Magnimarr, such events occurs. Not a good sign I'd say. Guards are mostly the same all around for they are earning honest coin and wouldn't want to run foul of the rich or noble."

Ro lays her arm across Lia’s shoulders, pulling her in closer as they walk.

”I wish I had something smart or wise to tell you Lia, but I don’t. I don’t see things that will happen or all the things that might happen, so I can’t understand what it’s like, what it does to you. So what I think might not make any sense. I’ll go ahead and say it, but you’re free to ignore me if you want.”

”I’m glad you don’t believe it’s your fault, but I think you’re still putting too much weight on yourself. Foxglove didn’t do anything for you. He blamed you for things he was going to do anyway. He was insane and a murderer before the two of you ever met. You didn’t make him a ghoul. You stepped onto the path he was already traveling, and he ran you over. That’s all. Whether he was claiming it had something to do with you because it eased his guilt, or because he was an obsessive, he did what he did for himself and put it off on you. Don’t buy into his b*~!%#@&. If it makes you feel better to think you need to balance the scales after what he did, that’s alright. But if it stops making you feel better, realize you don’t owe anyone anything because of him.”

”I can’t help you with your Desna questions. I don’t have a crisis of faith. She’s out there. I don’t doubt that. I have a crisis of not liking the b#$+% much. But you already know how I feel about being volunteered at birth for this mess by a deity who preaches choosing one’s own path. The hypocrisy speaks for itself.”

”What I can tell you instead is this. Gods and the rest come second to us sticking together. We, all of us, have to look out for each other first. I will do anything to help you, no matter what. But you have to remember I’m stupid. I don’t see like you do so you’ll have to talk to me, tell me what you need. Can you remember to do that?”

You enter the impressive and oppressive Pediment building by a side door, and walk down a short flight of steps into a long corridor containing many doors. Two guards flank the entrance, and upon inquiry, direct you to the third door on the right, which is labeled "Inquiries for the Office of the Lord-Mayor".

Upon opening the door, you find yourself in a large room with a single counter, behind which sits a woman with a large, leather-bound book in front of her, and a bored guard standing behind her. A line of a half-dozen citizens stands before her, each of them with a different concern ranging from zoning inquiries to celebration permits.

Sighing, Karmid waves the others off.

"I'll take care of this. You guys go relax somewhere nearby. I'll meet you outside when I'm done, by that bronze statue of the dwarf. The one with the full beard touching his toes. He looked like a pirate. Do dwarves become pirates? That would be a new one on me..."

Lia holds on to Ro as she listens, then quickly gives her a kiss on the cheek :"I carry Alderns guilt with me. Not because it is my fault. But because there is nobody else to do so. If I don't atone for what he did, if I don't make things better, then he will have made the world a worse place. I - I don't expect you to understand, but I have to balance those scales. Otherwise what he did will linger, and fester, and Sandpoint will suffer for it." Her eyes seem to look through Ro, at something far out nobody else can see. :"And Desna chose you because she needs you. But there is no hypocrisy...other chosen walked away, and others took their place. She does not force you to comply, she merely asks for it. But you are still around because we stick together. Because we look out for each other. Because we are. You don't have to like her, but don't blame her for the path you have picked. I think you hate all of this and enjoy it, too. But that is how it should be, right? The good and the bad?"

________________________

Assuming Karmid and Drasven share the news with us as well after we reunite-

When the other settle down near the bronze statue, Lia looks up at some birds perching on the Dwarfs bronze hat. Then starts chirping at the birds, who quickly start chirping back, with others coming closer and adding their chirps to the symphony.

Casting "Become a Disney Princess" - "How does the person look that cuts off people's faces?"
I understand birdies have no concept of individual people, but hoping to learn: Is it one person or several? If possible, what race? If masked or concealing himself, what does it look like? I think it's reaonably to assume some birdies might have seen something- even if the murders took place elsewhere and the bodies were just dropped off I doubt they took care to avoid avian witnesses -

Drasven grins as he looks at the line.

"I daresay my friend that something that involves clerks would best be done by me. My patron has had worshippers among these warriors of pen and paper. Why not you entertain yourself in this arena and bring the ladies with you?"

Jili is happy she doesn't have to stand in line at the Lord-Mayors office. She doesn't do well with talking to bureaucrats. "Thank you Drasven. I'm afraid Celestial or Abyssal would start spewing out of my mouth if I had to talk to her. It might make for a interesting few minutes."

She sits next to Lia and Ro by the statue waiting for the gents to return from their chore. She watches people go by, and talks. "This is a really pretty city. It's the biggest place I've ever been to. I'm afraid I will get lost and never find my way back to the Inn. Do you think we can go watch the race tomorrow? Do we have enough money for that? I'd like to see a fancy park with fountains. I hope we find one of those while we are here."

Lia grows distant as she listens to the words of the birds that move through the city. Most seem unconcerned with the dealings of humanoids, unless one of them happens to have birdseed or is killing them for some reason. She is about to give up hope, when a young wren alights on the bronze statue of the dwarf. Still with a tuft of down from when it was a chick, it hops back and forth excitedly.

"I saw them, I saw them!" it seems to chirp excitedly, "they gathered down by the water and their faces were covered."

If questioned, the bird seems to wonder if it will be fed, but it unable to offer any further clues.

==================================

While you are waiting, a Varisian woman wearing a multi-colored dress and a beautiful headscarf approaches.

She nods her head in greeting before looking over her shoulder to see if anyone seems to be watching her.

"Greetings," she intones in deep, heavily accented Chelaxian, "you seem new to the City of Ghosts. Do you require a guide to show you its wonders?"

Karmid/Drasven return(s) soon thereafter with everyone's share of the bounty.

Ro kicks back by the statue, immensely grateful the boys volunteered to stand in line.

"We're in the big city for the first time ever Jili. We're going whatever we want to do, cost be damned."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ro eyes the woman and her offer with curiosity. She doesn't know what to make of either, especially with her glance around looking for eyes on them.

"Maybe after our business in the city is concluded. What are you offering?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

The woman smiles, although the warmth of the gesture never touches her eyes.

"Oh, there are many wonders within the city that entrance the eye, ear, and heart. I know many of its hidden wonders and can show them to you all for a reasonable price."

"Down by the water? Where did you see them?", Lia chirps back, as she offers some of her remaining fruit to the Wren. (I actually checked, since I have no insects that seems a close second for Wrens)
"Could you show us? Maybe leave a piece of colorful cloth on the roof for my friend to find?" Lia chirps, then points at Flutter.

Need to re-cast as it's only one question - a major limitation, but then, one is polling a large population simultaneously- here I am only asking one Wren, but at the same time would like it to perform a service. I could probably reword it as "where did masked people gather near the water" to address the whole sample again, and get a rough description of the nearby area that could help identify the spot, but sticking with the Wren seems more in character.
If the bird agrees, Lia will rip a small strip of cloth from her white dress, cut her finger to bleed on it until it is red, and offer it to the Wren.

The bird seems unable to recall any further information about the people it identified, but did note that the water where she saw them was not "altogether salty".

Karmid sticks it out with Drasven, wanting to know how the bounty system works. Turns out it is as boring as it sounds, and even duller when the person giving you the coin could care less about it altogether.

"Civilization? Red-tape and carelessness is all I see here. Let's go my friend. How many fees did they charge for the bounty transaction? I lost count."

Back at the bronze statue, that might be a dwarf pirate.

Karmid raises his bulk off his perch on the dwarf's foot at the woman's approach. He then leans into Ro and whispers to her.

"She may be able to help us find what we are looking for, or know more about what's-his-name's house here. What do you think? Not all Varisians are trustworthy however: She could be here to lead us down an alleyway into a mugging."

Drasven chuckles at Karmid's expression as he navigates the waves of paperwork. A written report of where the body was found, the confirmation of the body's identity and the filing. It was truly a war conducted in tedium but the dwarf was used to it.

His opponent was inured against the procedures and was doing everything by rote. Likely too numbed by the sheer amount of boredom such processing it might be. It wasn't exciting enough but in their line excitement wasn't in the works or likely to visit.

Upon reuniting with his companions, he looks at the statue much more closely and offers his remarks.
"Perhaps this statue depicts an Admiral instead of pirate though the line between piracy and privateering is a thin line drawn."

The woman though with her offer seems to be eyeing their group? Or did they stand out that much to warrant a guide?

Sense Motive, did she pick us out on purpose? 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12 thanks dice bots.

While a bit dismayed to not have found out more, Lia is still excited to have learned as much as she did, and tugs on Drasvens tunic to get his attention:"Hej...Drasven. Those face-cutting murder people...a little birdie told me they are several guys, wearing masks and meeting near some non-salty water. So it's clearly a murder cult with an agenda going after important people. Are we important?"

History/Knowledge Local: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

"Clearly, this statue depicts Fargrim Dawnforge, an infamous Shackles Pirate that sailed on the Covenant - a ship captained by a Coven of Witches. Eventually, he took his plundered riches and settled down, but the call of the sea led him to invest in shipping regardless, and eventually return to captain his own ship as a pirate hunter to protect his vessel - with an official commission by the city council - so you could say he was a pirate turned admiral, of sorts."

A saltbeard Dwarf from a Skulls and Shackles game I enjoyed, but that died - I was the Undine Witch - but hey, I rolled a 1, I get to make up some Bullcrap I believe to be true :D

Ro can't get a read on the woman. As far as she can tell agreeing to her offer could result in an entertaining and informative day out and about in the city, getting rolled for all their worldly possessions, and having their throats cut.

"Well, like I said we have some business in the city that won't wait. Can we find you around here? We might be interested in your offer in a few days."

Drasven keeps his poker face on as he hears Lia's news.

Her capability to get the news was truly amazing.
He gives her a slight nod to indicate he heard her important news.
Without saying a word he eyes the woman before them and touches his crossbow to indicate that they should be on their guard and to find out if this woman was genuine in her intentions.

"Hello sister Varisian. We could use some help locating things in this city. As my friend said, we need a few days to take care of some business. Then it will be time for fun, and exploration. Can we meet you back here in say three days?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

The Varisian woman seems very hard to read. She is noticeably scared by the arrival of Drasven and especially Karmid and nods at Jiliana's question.

"Yes, yes, I come through here every day around this time. Goodbye."

She gathers her skirts and quickly makes her way in the direction of the lower town.

Unless you want to stop her, she is soon gone.

==========================================

Having finished your business at the Pediment building, you begin to head in the direction of the Foxglove home. The neighborhood changes from mostly government buildings to a very nice residential neighborhood as you cross into the Naos District, as do the number of city guards that keep a close watch on all of you as you move through the city streets.

After asking around a number of times, you finally end up in front of beautiful townhouse that looks boarded up, but contains an iron crest mounted next to the front door that matches the head of the key you found in Misgivings. Three stories tall, boards have been nailed over the ground floor windows.