Drasven goes off to find a shovel and suitable place to bury the two recently deceased. With that done, he joins the rest in searching for evidence.
Suddenly suspicious, Karmid checks the room with the Lions in it for somewhere the key might fit...
There seems to be a small hole in one of the lion's mouths, big enough to fit the key.
Whistling a jaunty tune, Karmid inserts the key and twists it.
The key opens a small door cleverly built into the fireplace mantel that reveals a small cache of hidden goods including a bag with 200 pp, a shallow wooden case containing the deed to the townhouse and to Foxglove Manor.
Under the case is a thin ledger—the majority of the entries are mundane, but nearly a dozen entries near the end are from the last 3 months. They are labeled as “Iesha’s Trip to Absalom,” each indicating Aldern was paying someone referred to as “B–7” 200 gp a week for her “trip,” dropping off the payment every Oathday at midnight at a place called “the Seven’s Sawmill.”
"Hej, Drasven, don't bury them in our backyard. Karmid found the deed to this place so it is now our house, right? That is how it works? Like, Aldern had no living relatives, so the Brotherhood now owns the smoldering ruins and the mile beneath, and we own this fancy city house. Calling it now: Attic is mine!"
Flutter also reads the documents, simultaneous with someone else.
"The Sawmill mentioned operates on Kyvers Islet, southern edge of the City. As it happens, there's a river, full of non-salty water, going into the ocean there - you know, for murderous cult meetings. And I can't help but think that the Brothers of the Seven with their Seven's Sawmill would really be into Sihedron's."
"Where do you want me to bury them then? I could always hand them over to the local authorities and show that this house belongs to us now. We do have a cult interested in us possibly." Drasven asks.
"Hmm Good money went into making this meeting place for those cultist.".
Drasven leaves the house with two bodies in a sack as he looks for the authorities to dispose of them. The house cleaning could be left with the rest.
Ro helps with the house search but pauses to look through the cache Karmid discovered.
"Nice thinking to remember that key Karmid!"
However she not so sure she and Karmid are exactly on speaking terms at the present time.
As she reads through the documents and ledger, Ro lets gets out a low whistle.
"They sure did have their hooks deep into Foxglove for some reason. Iesha couldn't have been making most of those trips, and if she wasn't making some of them she probably wasn't making any of them. So ledger entries listed under a false pretext, sounds like blackmail to me."
She thinks on the question of what to do with the bodies for a while as she finishes the house search. It should be an easy call to contact the authorities, but she also wonders if that's Sandpoint thinking and maybe not applicable in Magnimar. When it's time to make a decision, she explains her thinking to everyone.
"The thing making me jittery about calling in the Guard is we can't be so sure they're not out adversaries. We know one of them is at least, the judge. I don't know how clubby the authorities are here, but if whoever shows up asks many questions at all, things could get hard to explain."
"Who we are and where we're from, on to why we're in this house, and so forth. If they're curious and dig much with their questions, what we have to say gets outlandish real fast. We can't mention the judge at all, the people asking the questions might know him. Who are they going to believe. Worse, if he were to become involved as an authority, we'd be at his mercy."
"I think they have to go in the back garden. I know it's riskier right now, but it could get really ugly if things get complicated with the law."
Feeling a bit better now that he had a fist full of platinum, for a few minutes at least, Karmid offers an opinion.
"I'm not worried about the dead monsters. I say we scout out the sawmill and the possbile cult. Its seriously obvious something weird was going on between them and Aldern."
Jili sits in the front room quietly watching the street and the front walkway. "I swear I saw some guards while we were coming in here. I don't want to be drug in front of the evil Judge. He'll throw away the key, and we'll never get to go home. I think we should put them in the garden for now. Maybe we can throw them in the river on the way to the Sawmill?" She looks really worried that they will get tossed in prison because they were working for the Judge.
She tips her head when she hears they own the house "We have a place to stay? That's nice. I guess we should clean it up, and get some food. Also do we think we have enough money for some protective items like rings and cloaks?"
When all that needs to be done is finished, Ro suggests it would be best to start back to their lodgings.
"I'd thought maybe we could stay here for the rest of the time we're in town, but now that's looking like a bad idea now. Let's get back to the inn and get some rest. We'll find the mill and check it out tomorrow when we're fresh."
Drasven returns soon having disposed of the bodies with the proper authorities.
"So. What did I miss?"
"Or, you know, we could get some rest now and take a look at the mill later...if they are the cultists, chances are there will be activity at night...", Lia suggests absent-mindedly, while searching for bedding material to use in the attic.
Jili stands and helps Lia look for bedding. "Why the attic Lia?" she asks as she opens up random cabinets.
"I don't want to walk all the way back either, but this place is known. It could very well be watched. If we're here overnight we could be waking up up at any time to a very rude surprise. We'd be begging for trouble."
"It happened to those two we just planted in the back garden. It could happen to us too. We need to go back."
Drasven looks for a suitable room to place his stuff. He isn't too fussy on one. Just needs one would do.
Rolling his eyes at how everyone was juxtaposing themselves after the last encounter...
He waves at everyone with both hands and shouts.
"ENOUGH! Stop acting like Prairie Dogs on Pesh! Ro is our agreed upon leader. YOU ALL AGREED. She says we go back to the inn, so we go back to the inn! Why is that hard to understand? She even gave a 'reasonable' reason for us to do so! Savvy? Now stop picking out rooms, and move out! That means you too Lia! Stop salivating at that attic, and MAYBE later we can 'claim' the rights to the house with the authorities later. Once we have dealt with these Skinsaw guys and whatever her face...name...was. Sheesh."
With that holds the front door open and waves the nearest person to go on through.
Ro accepts Karmid's invitation and walks on out the door. She figures on waiting about 5 minutes before she goes back to the inn, with or without any particular people. She's tired of playing parent.
"What is Pesh? And I am not salivating, I think? I did suggest something but nobody responded. If all we're doing today is go back to the Inn and rest until tomorrow, whats the big hurry? I'd rather spend another hour making this place decent instead of sitting in the common room wasting time with stale ale.", Lia answers poutily. "If they did see us, they'll have someone follow us anyway, so it's not like we'll be safe there."
Regardless, she finishes up swiftly on the things she was currently doing, preparing to leave, while chatting with Jiliana: "The attic because that's right by the roof. I'll want some small window, or a proper door eventually - so when I'm awake at night, I can look up at the stars. It helps me dream...it wasn't an option in Sandpoint, but back at home, at my families farm, I would sleep with the open sky above me when possible. I want that again. Even if it's just here in our new Magnimar Chapter."
Drasven hmphs as he walks out. Obviously offended at Karmid's words.
"Mind your own tone. Were you not the first one to decide that the ones we had to bring down were the genuine articles? Also If those skin saw cultist had already taken note of us, they would have sent out their people to follow us already. I went out and disposed of the bodies and while it is nice to get some rest before leaving. Having confirmation of our next plans would be nice." as he stalks out he leaves his own parting words.
"Since Ro is our agreed leader as you so insisted. Why did you hold back when she proceeded to assail the 'late' Aiden and Lesha?" Drasven doesn't wait for the rest, electing to walk to the Inn. Short Stubby legs be dammed.
After a thorough search of the townhouse, the group decides that almost everything portable must have been moved to the Misgivings when Aldern moved there several years ago. All that is left here is the furniture. The townhouse itself has three floors plus an attic but no basement. There are two bedrooms on the second floor and the master bedroom on the third. The ground floor includes the kitchen, small sitting room, dining room and an empty library. Each of the bedrooms contain a fireplace and the third floor also has a large sitting room and smoking lounge. All furniture has been covered in sheets, but there is no food to be found anywhere.
Ro ignores the bickering and walks back to the inn in silence, engaged in her own private thoughts.
Karmid shrugs as he follows the last person out and locks the door behind everyone.
"Understood, but I'm not a golem Sir Drasven. I follow orders until they don't make sense. Questioning orders is natural, especially once my compatriots turn and take off and attack unknown people I have not even looked in the 'eye' as of yet by that time. Call me weird, but I tend to give most people the benefit of a doubt before I haul off and try to kill them! In the end, Ro WAS right. So my hesitation to follow her orders was unnecessary, even though I still don't think I was wrong to disagree personally. Now we have more info of our enemies, and our chosen leader made a decision based on that information. Whether we like it or not, she has a point, so her reasoning so far is sound. Therefore, to me it needs not be questioned. It may not make sense to any of you, but even though I agreed to work at Ro's orders, I could chose to stop...just like you could right now if you disagree with her orders...and walk away back to Sandpoint. Destiny be damned. And you know what? If she HAD been wrong? Guess where I'd be right NOW? Go on now. Its only going to slow us down if we babble all the way back to the inn."
Drasven doesn't acknowledge or indicate if he has heard Karmid as he makes a detour.
He'll make his way back to the inn but for now, he found it best to move away from the group. Asking around to find out where are the temples located and to whom they are dedicated too.
The Heroes of Sandpoint return to the Old Fang down by the docks and are greeted by Old Mam Grottle, who evaluates them for a second.
"Ah, I see you are back. Looks like you had a good fishing trip in our city, eh? If you're hungry, I have some fish stew and fresh bread and cheese. Well, the cheese isn't fresh, but the bread is. Well, nearly fresh, it was baked this morning."
Karmid waves for a round of stew and bread.
"Mrs. Grottle, we not only had a day of fishing you wouldn't believe, we may have even caught something."
He then orders some mead with his meal and begins to stuff his face with the stew brought forth.
Lia, left unsupervised and feeling treated unfairly, partakes in some youthful rebellion. On the way back, she dallied, taking a more than scenic route. By the time she eventually returns to the Inn, she has a bag with hand-picked souvenirs for other Acolytes at Sandpoint, tasted 3 kinds of 'local specialties', and speaks with a Magnimar Accent.
Ignoring anybody else, she heads straight to her sleeping place, lays down, and closes her eyes.
Drasven makes a small detour to the Naos District to pay a visit to the Cathedral of Abadar. It would be best to at least report his presence to the priest overseeing this town.
With that done, he makes his way back to the Inn.
Drasven's visit to the Cathedral of Abadar is somewhat uneventful. He checks in with a stern acolyte who asks him where he comes from and who his direct superior is.
The night passes uneventfully for the group, although those of you hoped to get to sleep early are thwarted by the singing of many rowsing sea chanties in the main room of the inn until well after midnight.
"Drasven Hammers.
Recently come from Sandpoint, Father Zantus can prove my identify.
I do not have a direct superior as I've being travelling over the years." Drasven informs the acoyte.
Ro doesn't have an appetite, but a bath sounds really good. She asks about facilities on site, or if there aren't any, directions to a nearby bathhouse. Once she's done with her bath, however it gets done, she goes down the street to a market and picks up a small bottle of rum.
She's tired and more than ready to sleep for a while. But before she goes to her room for the night, she stops by Karmid's room and knocks.
Bleery-eyed and scratching his head, Karmid looks down at Ro and waves her in. His muscled chest bare, showing his birth-mark of Gozreh front and center, Karmid sits on his bed and offers her a seat on the only stool in the room.
"I guess I should have seen this coming. Wanna talk? Or just drink?"
Ro smiles the smiles she uses to weasel her way out of blowback when she's pissed someone off. It actually works more often than not.
"Quick drink, quick talk."
Ro pours and and sits down on the offered stool.
After a sip of the rum she says "Not so much a talk as I want to say I'm sorry for what I said to you earlier. I shouldn't have treated you like that. I shouldn't be treating anyone like I'm treating them. I'm not liking myself much lately."
She takes another sip. "This whole thing is so completely f**+ed up" she adds in exasperation.
Karmid merely smiles, and waves the comments off.
"Yes it is, so don't beat yourself up: Leadership has its downsides. And if mere words hurt me I'd be dead ten times over. Although I've heard of some bards and wizards that could actually DO that on occasion. The others? Look, we're an odd lot of kooks at BEST, and you are trying to herd us in the right direction with the best of intentions. Hoever, there IS an old Shoanti saying that might help here: 'Be sure to taste your words, before you spit them out.' You and I are fine. You made the right calls today...I think. But don't think for a minute I would put up with straight out murder at any time. That's not how I ride my horse in this life."