Rise of the Runelords: Chosen of Sandpoint (Inactive)

Game Master polyfrequencies

Ro airily shrugs at Ironbriar.

"Nevermind then. Nobody else agrees with me and you're not worth the headache of a debate."

During the evidence collection and investigation by the members of the City Watch on site, Ro slips the book into her pack, with a little luck and a request for Desna's help to make things easier.

Guidance and a round of Luck use on the check.

Sleight of Hand: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 1 + 2 = 30

Yes, we'll keep the cypher book. I wonder if Comprehend Languages can decipher it? I do have the Lingustics skill too. Emphasis: Cult of Murder and Chaos. They targeted us with the monster assassins in the mansion and we got the info on this group from them. There is a hidden third party: A woman named Xanesha who seems she might be a power behind it all and can charm her enemies. Less emphasis? Anything that makes us look bad or incompetent I guess. As far as treasure goes, anything remotely evil (their masks made of skin) can go into evidence. We will pocket anything else for now that seems valuable and does not aid in the investigation. The watch would most likely pocket those items anyway if given the chance... Does that make sense to everyone?"

As for whether Comprehend Languages can break the cypher, I'll give you a hard no, although it might give you insight into how it could be broken.

On the subject of the skinsaw masks, I'll still give you their worth in gold pieces in the form of a reward the city had out for information leading to solving the many murders the cult had committed over the last few years.

It might be easier to handle the things now a bit more in an "out of character fashion" for the sake of speed. You can think of it as a montage where we see the PCs laboriously working on tracking down Xanesha and deciphering the diary. Does that work for everyone?

During the evidence collection and investigation by the members of the City Watch on site, Ro slips the book into her pack, with a little luck and a request for Desna's help to make things easier.

Wow, with a roll like that, YOU might not even be aware that you stole it :)

"How long will we need to be at the station?" Ro asks.

She appreciates that making it as hard as possible for Ironbriar to slip the noose and finding Xanesha are the most important things, but she still wants to make it to the Rose and Rake for her meeting with the playwright sometime soon.

"How long will we need to be at the station?" Ro asks.

She appreciates that making it as hard as possible for Ironbriar to slip the noose and finding Xanesha are the most important things, but she still wants to make it to the Rose and Rake for her meeting with the playwright sometime soon.

The sergeant looks around at all the cultists they have to take in and scratches his head.

"Don't come in today, maybe tomorrow. Where are you staying?"

Karmid gives the officers the name of the Inn they are currently staying at, although...

"We could go back to the mansion now. It is empty and could make a good base of operations while we are here in town now that the murder cult out to get us is stopped."

"If there's nothing else for us today, perhaps we should meet back up at the mansion?" Drasven notes.

"I head back to the church to give a report on what happened here and at least have them aware of such a person wandering around at large."

Technically the townhouse still belongs to the Foxglove family, although you don't know if there are any alive in Magnimar or anywhere else for that matter. In practical terms, it is very unlikely that anyone will throw you out in the near future. The city watch won't bother unless they receive an official complaint. The creatures you killed there even had the keys to the townhouse, so you'll be able to lock the door and everything!

So Karmid is off to talk to the Church of Abadar and Ro is off to meet with the theater owner. Karmid and Lia, anything you want to do while that's going on?

I still have that Adamantine longsword I was hoping to get reforged or traded for something else...

I still have that Adamantine longsword I was hoping to get reforged or traded for something else...

Oh yeah! You want to get it reforged as an earthbraker?

That will be Drasven going off to talk/report to the church while I think Karmid wants to go reforge that longsword.

After leaving the sawmill, Ro first goes back to the inn to quickly clean up and make herself presentable. She takes everything of hers from the inn since she'll be going to the Foxglove townhouse later rather than coming back. Then she hurries on her way to find the Rose and Rake.

Karmid Groundbreaker wrote:

I still have that Adamantine longsword I was hoping to get reforged or traded for something else...

Oh yeah! You want to get it reforged as an earthbraker?

Yep! If that's possible. Or a Klar. One or the other. There should be enough metal for one of those. One of the city's major exports is making and selling high-end magical golems carved from the giant broken bridge that hangs over it. I would think reforging an adamantine weapon wouldn't be too hard here...but that's just a guess on my part.

Yep! If that's possible. Or a Klar. One or the other. There should be enough metal for one of those. One of the city's major exports is making and selling high-end magical golems carved from the giant broken bridge that hangs over it. I would think reforging an adamantine weapon wouldn't be too hard here...but that's just a guess on my part.

Yeah, a klar is probably more realistic. An adamantine earthbreaker would require a lot more of the material. Do you want to RP this or handle it "off-screen"?

Drasven: The following day you find your way back to to the Cathedral of Abadar in the Naos District and are able to once again make contact with Father Aoloisius, with whom you had only spoken the day before. He eagerly hears the story of the previous night's activities, and becomes visibly upset when he hears that it was indeed Justice Ironbriar who was behidn the cult of Norgorber. Seems that the corruption of one of the most prominent members of Magnimar's judiciary is a pretty big deal to him and most likely the church in general. Aloisius asks that you put down your experience about the cult in writing, and assigns you a young acolyte to act as a scribe. As he wants you to be as thorough as possible, you're guessing this will take at least several hours. Finally, in thanks for all that you have accomplished, he also hands over three scrolls inscribed by the Archbanker himself to help you in further investigations: a scroll of restoration, a scroll of remove disease, and a scroll of speak with dead, along with a beautiful necklace of the scales of the Archbanker that identifies you as an official representative of Magnimar's Church of Abadar.

I assumed the Earthbreaker would just have an Adamantine head, not the shaft. But I know the rules... So Klar it is! Technically the blade part is already there anyway. Just need to fix the back half of the sword into a small skull shaped shield then. Dealing with it off screen will be fine. Ro's got a good point too: Let's keep the game moving if we can. I don't have a problem with role-play of course, or similar important things like Drasven's talk with his superiors.

I assumed the Earthbreaker would just have an Adamantine head, not the shaft.

It would just have an adamantine head, but an earthbreaker is a really, really big hammer, and a longsword's blade just isn't quite big enough for it. It terms of the cost, I'll just keep it simple and say that the 3,000 gp cost of the material is covered by what you have brought, so all you have to do is pay for the masterwork cost or 300 gp. It will take the dwarven smiths a few days to do this, however.

I've added a map of the Foxglove townhouse to the "Maps" link in the header so that everyone can see what I am talking about. The townhouse has three bedrooms, the main bedroom on the third floor and two secondary bedrooms on the second floor. There are also plenty of comfy chairs and a couch in the common areas, and of course you can always just sleep on a rug on the floor (although that's obviously not the most comfortable. You can figure out how you want to split up the sleeping arrangements while you are staying there. Also want to confirm again that you are in posessions of keys for the front door, the back door, and the shed in the garden, and the garden gate.

The first night in the Foxglove townhouse passes without interruption, although all of you waken several times during the night when you think you hear movement throughout the home, but it turns out that it is only normal sounds of the house moving and settling.

Chance for you guys to add some canon info: 1) there are several family heirlooms on display in the home. What are they? 2) One of you finds a secret door that leads to a hidden space. Where does it lead adn what do you think was its original purpose. 3) The room in the southwestern corner of the first floor at first looks like a library, but on closer inspection, you realize that is not (or not quite) the case. What do you think is its intended purpose?

--------------------------------------------

Ro: You remember that Lady Annsa Shivarlu of the Rose and Rake theater told you not to show up before 11 AM. What kinds of things do you want to do in the morning? Remember that the creatures who were supposed to kill you were in the middle of cooking, so there is food in the house. Upon closer inspection, was it really food or something else?

Lia: You have a strange dream that night and wake up feeling different? What was the dream about and what feels different this morning?

Karmid: Similar questions to Ro as to what your morning plans are, as you are heading to the dwarven smiths that morning to talk to them about recrafting the adamantine longsword.

The weather is still a bit chilly, especially overnight. There is some wood stacked in a shed in the garden, but it only looks like it will last you for a few days if you keep all the fireplaces going in the house. If you want to do your own cooking, you'll need even more firewood.

While I am dealing with such domestic issues, you could easily hire someone to work as a domestic servant in the townhome while you are there, and if they prove reliable, perhaps even have them stay there when you are gone. Is this something you want to do? Otherwise you have to do all the domestic stuff yourself, or have to eat out all of your meals. Also, if this is all too plebian, and you don't want to spend your RP time thinking about these things, please feel free to ignore it and we'll just move on to more exciting things. I like it, but that doesn't mean anyone else does.

Also, while I have your attention, does anyone want to keep any of the loot you got from the sawmill, or should we just convert it for gold for all of you?

Karmid Groundbreaker wrote:

I assumed the Earthbreaker would just have an Adamantine head, not the shaft.

It would just have an adamantine head, but an earthbreaker is a really, really big hammer, and a longsword's blade just isn't quite big enough for it. It terms of the cost, I'll just keep it simple and say that the 3,000 gp cost of the material is covered by what you have brought, so all you have to do is pay for the masterwork cost or 300 gp. It will take the dwarven smiths a few days to do this, however.

Cool! Done. Could I also pay an extra 1000gps in order to make it a magic shield too? (+1 AC) My AC is a bit behind my level needs.

Here we go...

You can figure out how you want to split up the sleeping arrangements while you are staying there. Also want to confirm again that you are in posessions of keys for the front door, the back door, and the shed in the garden, and the garden gate.

Karmid will sleep in the garden under the stars, or on the rug by the fireplace if the weather is off. I know we had 'a' key to the town-home, but not any other doors...unless that key opens them all. Did we get/find more keys on the monster-assasins here?

Karmid: Similar questions to Ro as to what your morning plans are, as you are heading to the dwarven smiths that morning to talk to them about recrafting the adamantine longsword.

Other than talking to the smiths, Karmid will wander to the city's closest thing to a newspaper or rumormill and make sure they know all about the Cult and its Leader getting caught...and about a mysterious woman who is involved with them somehow called Xanesha who may be behind it all?

The weather is still a bit chilly, especially overnight. There is some wood stacked in a shed in the garden, but it only looks like it will last you for a few days if you keep all the fireplaces going in the house. If you want to do your own cooking, you'll need even more firewood.

I think we found the secret door last time, and pulled out the treasures there. I will leave the more studious PCs examine the 'Library', although Karmid will look for any books about Shoanti he can find. Karmid will pay for a weekly delivery of wood to be kept in the shed. Enough for heat and cooking. How much gps for that?

While I am dealing with such domestic issues, you could easily hire someone to work as a domestic servant in the townhome while you are there, and if they prove reliable, perhaps even have them stay there when you are gone. Is this something you want to do? Otherwise you have to do all the domestic stuff yourself, or have to eat out all of your meals. Also, if this is all too plebian, and you don't want to spend your RP time thinking about these things, please feel free to ignore it and we'll just move on to more exciting things. I like it, but that doesn't mean anyone else does.

No servants. Karmid will put his foot down (and through the floor on that if needed). Too many chances they might accidentally hire a spy, sabatueur, or assassin.

Also, while I have your attention, does anyone want to keep any of the loot you got from the sawmill, or should we just convert it for gold for all of you?

I think I suggested keeping anything 'useful' and getting rid of the evil stuff like the magical human-skin masks. Right? Does anybody else have an opinion on this?

Obviously and of course Ro and Lia take the fancy master bedroom for their own.

With his report done, Drasven retires to the room assigned to him. Having the acolyte prepare ink and parchment, he settles himself down with a prayer to his patron.

As his mind sharpens and his breathing stable, he picks up the quill dips it into the ink and begins writing....

The time it took was indeed several hours........

This begin through a Vision that lead me to Sandpoint where I would meet several other God Marked individuals such as myself. There was when I first had a brief encounter of a cult that at that time I had no idea was growing to be a foci of my adventure.......

......................until the good judge came to his senses, reveling that he had being under a charm spell. Despite all that he still did not reveal his patron.....

....Till date this is what I Drasven Hammers, devoted and God marked to Abadar has uncovered.

Drasven finishes off the report and had the acolyte help in drying the ink before stretching and bidding his farewells to the Head Priest.

Once back at the room, Drasven is fine with any of the rooms that isn't occupied and spends time cleaning it before retiring to rest.

Ro is up fairly early the next morning, enough so that she has time to kill before leaving for her meeting with Annsa Shivarlu. She both curious and excited, which bothers her. It would be easy to start perseverating over it, and Ro hates it when she does that.

She starts imagining what she will say, or what they might say and how she will reply. That kind of thinking does nothing but jumble up her head and her rigid. She far better off not thinking ahead and riding the flow in the moment.

To keep herself otherwise occupied, she brews some tea and takes a cup of it, along with the book of fairy tales into what she presumes to be the library to read for a little while.

She starts with reading, but soon decides the room doesn't seem quite right as a standard one room private library in a home. Ro starts poking around to see what's there instead.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

Did we get/find more keys on the monster-assasins here?

You have keys for all the doors in the townhome. This includes the front door, the back door, the garden gate, all the bedrooms, and the storage shed in the back of the house.

Other than talking to the smiths, Karmid will wander to the city's closest thing to a newspaper or rumormill and make sure they know all about the Cult and its Leader getting caught...and about a mysterious woman who is involved with them somehow called Xanesha who may be behind it all?

There are no newspapers in Magnimar in the format they exist today in our world. The Council of Ushers (Magnimar's legislative-like government body) publishes broadsheets on a bi-weekly basis and posts them around town. A quick perusal of the latest ones show that they contain the Council's most recent decree (outlawing the playing of "Blood Pig", a rather violent team game, within the city, as well as listings of bounties the city has placed on various criminals. No mention of Xanesha or the Cult of Norgorber.

I think we found the secret door last time, and pulled out the treasures there. I will leave the more studious PCs examine the 'Library', although Karmid will look for any books about Shoanti he can find. Karmid will pay for a weekly delivery of wood to be kept in the shed. Enough for heat and cooking. How much gps for that?

There are no books specifically on the Shoanti in the library, although there is one on Varisian history that only goes back to the arrival of the Chelaxians in the land and the founding of Korvosa (the oldest Chelaxian town in Varisia). Shoanti are mentioned quite a bit in the early parts of the book, in which they are portrayed as violent savages who attack the early colonists for decades until they are driven back onto the Storval Plateau. This depiction is not unusual.

Delivery of wood would be minimal. You can get enough seasoned wood for the whole house for about 1 sp a week.

Ro pokes around the library but counter to all the mystery stories she read during her youth, sadly does not find any hidden passages. She does quickly realize that most of the books are not books at all, but fake spines that are made of cheap balsa wood, most likely put there to make the Foxglove collection look a lot bigger than it is. The few books that are there seem more like a random collection purchased without a clear purpose other than to fill the shelves of this room.

I'm assuming you'll want to look into the Lord Ironbriar's diary and try to break his cypher. Doing so requires a DC 25 Linguistics check and 2d4 days of study. There may be scholars in town who could help you with this endeavor. Hiring them would cost 50 gp, and they could solve it for you automatically, but it would take 3d6 days.

I also want to mention something I forgot to talk about when you were at the sawmill. There is a hutch on the roof of the mill that contains several well-trained ravens, along with a small shed containing supplies for sending and receiving messages, but no messages themselves. You should let me know what you want to do with them.

Oohh! Ravens? We should send a message. Right? Make a trap...I mean...a meeting? NOTE: Best I can get on a Linguistics check is 24.

What if you have buffs like guidance on that check?
Guidance gives +1 bonus.
Or Skim which gives +8 bonus but I understand some GMs will argue against this.

In the book you're also required to be able to speak and read three languages that none of you read in order to even MAKE the Linguistics check, so I'm gonna say no, sorry :( You're just going to have to look around for some help.

Ro isn't even trained in Linguistics. She's the knucklehead variety of Bard. XD

Ro purses her lips in disdain as she realizes the 'library' is mostly filled with fake 'books'.

So, on top of everything else the guy was poseur. What a piece of s&*&.

Ro meanders about the first floor of the house looking at the doodads sitting or hanging around the place.

Moving on to look at family heirlooms?

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

Once Firewood is procured for the manor, Karmid will inquire around town as to who can translate/decipher the Diary.

Know(Local)-Unskilled!: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

Drasven finds cleaning the room takes up more time then he expected as he emerges to find that Karmid is gone.
Ro is poking around the house like a treasure seeker while he himself looks covered in dust.

The occupants didn't see fit to at maintain the house cleanliness.

Ro makes the long journey down from the Naos District in Upper Magnimar, carefully making her way down the long road that connects the two parts of the city. She traveles through the Lowcleft and Keystone neighborhoods, finally crossing the bridge over the Yondabakari River to the Ordellia District.

Asking for directios several times, she finally finds the Rose and Rake theater, located on a small hill that overlooks the neighbood and the bay beyond. As she approaches the large, circular building, she notices that considering the time of the morning there is quite a lot of activity in and around the front door, with messengers and other official-looking people coming and going through the wide-open front doors.

Looking into the building, she peers through a long, low tunnel from which numerous passageways branch off of that opens up into a large, dirt-covered courtyard. Numerous people can be seen sitting on chairs and benches in the courtyard.

As she is deciding what to do, a young woman steps up to Ro and gives a short, but polite bow.

"Is there something I can help you with, ma'am? Are you here on official council business?"

Moving on to look at family heirlooms?

Sorry, there don't seem to be any family heirlooms in the townhouse, hidden or otherwise. It seems that everythin that was worth anythin was moved to Misgivings a while ago.

Karmid asks around town for a scholar who might be able to translate the cypher, but doesn't get anywhere. It seems that Magnimar is not known for its scholars and sages, being primarily forcused on trade. There isn't even a college or university in the city. He does get some funny looks and even a rude remark from the academic types, however, who don't seem to understand why a Shoanti would be interested in these types of things. Most of Magnimar's Shoanti are either members of all-Shoanti street gangs, fight as gladiators, or work as bouncers and bodyguards.

Late in the afternoon, as he is about to give up for the day, a young man who works as a guard at the stuffy Founder's Archive, points Karmid in another direction.

"You ever heard of the Pathfinder Society? They're an oranization that gets involved with all kinds of old ruins and stuff. Maybe they could help you out? They're run by a noblewoman named Lady Heidmarch and her husband. I think you can find them at their manor home in the Alabaster District."

Also want to remind you about the raven roost on the roof of the sawmill, in case anyone wants to do anything re: that.

Ro nods back at the woman and tells her "No, not council stuff. I'm supposed to meet Annsa Shivarlu about a play."

Slapping himself on the head for not thinking of the Pathfinder Society himself, Karmid thanks the man and heads for the Alabaster District!

I want to use the Raven Roost to set up a trap for whoever is on the other end of the communication. But we as a group need to discuss it first.

The young woman nods to Ro and asks her to please follow her. She leads Ro through the covered passage to the large open atrium in the center of the building. A good third of the central area holds a covered and raised wooden stage upon which several chairs, benches, fake trees, and other theatrical scenic elements have been placed. In front of the stage is a large open area at ground level with a dirt floor for the audience. Additional covered seating and standing room for the audience ring the open area as balconies that look down upon the stage, some of which are divided into multiple levels. (It looks a bit like THIS Various people move around the stage and audience areas, some of whom are working on building structures on the stage, while others are having conversations, eating food, playing cards and dice, or are amusing themselves in other ways.

Ro is taken up a set of stairs in the audience area to where Annsa Shivarlu is sitting at a large table and having an animated conversation with a short, burly man.

"No, no, you misunderstand Master Beckhardt," she exasperatedly states while pointing at a drawing they are both looking at. "This is supposed to be a forest scene. We'll need more than one tree to indicate this to the audience. When have you ever been in a forest that only has a single tree?" The man grumbles and nods as he grabs the paper from Madam Shivarlu and stomps off.

When she sees Ro, the older woman's eyes flash in recognition and she stands up to shake her hand.

"Ah, you came, Miss Brishen, how wonderful! Or is it Mrs. Brishen? I'm sorry, but in any case, thank you so much for coming. Please, have a seat."

With this she pulls out a chair for Ro to sit.

Ro: We can RP this out or not, it's up to you. I wrote the above in case you do, but we could simply summarize the outcome of the conversation.

I want to use the Raven Roost to set up a trap for whoever is on the other end of the communication. But we as a group need to discuss it first.

Sounds good.

Slapping himself on the head for not thinking of the Pathfinder Society himself, Karmid thanks the man and heads for the Alabaster District!

I don't think that any of you have encountered the Pathfinder Society in this game, but I will leave it up to you to determine how much you actually know about them. They are certainly not a secret organization, but they are also not super well-known locally outside of their circle of history/archaeology buffs. Remember these adventures are set in the years before the Pathfinder Society became more active in Varisia (as detailed in the various PFS scenarios, especially Season 3: Season of the Risen Rune). If you decide that Karmid does know about them, I'd like you to figure out how you know them and what your opinion of the organization is. It would be safe to assume that they are not the most popular among the Shoanti of Varisia, as they happily trespass on Shoanti lands and tombs in search of their historical artifacts without first asking for permission.

After asking around for directions, Karmid makes his way from the Naos district in Upper Magnimar to the even more elite Alabaster District. Heidmarch Manor is easy to locate as the compound takes up several city blocks, and surrounded by a large curtain wall with a single gate.

A knock at the gate brings forth a male half-elf of indeterminate age clad in scale mail and carrying a large scimitar. "Yes, may I help you?" he asks in the bored tones of those who are on guard duty all over Golarion.

Karmid, like with Ro, it's up to you how much you'd like to RP this out. I'm just as happy to summarize.

Part 1: Karmid knowledge of the Pathfinder society is peripheral at best. He is himself an outsider to the Shoanti culture and taught himself most of it on his own. He's probably read many collections, stories, and treatises by various Pathfinder members over the years about Shoanti as well...and most likely vaguely remembers them as a useful tool for gaining knowledge over multiple different subjects.

Part 2:Yeah, I'm not worried about role-play on this. Just want to get the diary translated if possible ASAP.

Karmid is ushered onto the beautifually manicured grounds of Heidmarch Manor and is taken to a small pagoda at the edge of a pond filled with carp. The complex is quite large, with the large central manor and several smaller outbuildings.

After waiting about fifteen minutes, an older, but still quite vibrant man with grey hair approaches with two guards and introduces himself as Canayven Heidmarch, lord of Heidmarch Manor.

When shown the cypher book, he becomes quite interested and asks about its provenance. He also lets Karmid know that at first glance it seems to have been written by someone with a command of three languages: Draconic, Elven, and Infernal.

He agrees to take on the task of trying to translate the book, but in return asks Karmid to agree to perform an unspecified "favor" for him at a future date.

Karmid: a) how much do you tell Heidmarch about where this book comes from. The more context you give him about who wrote it and what it might be about, the easier time he will have breaking the cypher, and b) do you agree to the transaction?

With only a moment's hesitation, Karmid reveals what he knows about the Judge and his insane murder cult. He also reveals his hopes the book helps with getting the man convicted of his crimes all the faster. If the book tells us more about our mysterious foes, then all the better! He also tells the Pathfinder that he would be willing to agree to the terms of the transaction as long as nothing extremely illegal in nature is involved... such as assassination/murder or blackmail...that sort of thing.

I as a player know of the Pathfinder Society. Drasven does not know them well enough other then that they are an organization.

Drasven spends time to clean the house thoroughly from top to bottom, often using Detect magic to check for any suspicious items that should not belong in the house. If they were going to use this as a place to stay, at least they should make it liveable.

He wonders how the rest are doing though.......He straightens up. Armed with a cloth bandana covering his nose, and various cleaning implements upon his back as he goes to war.

A war against the dirt of the house.

Ro is caught off guard by greeting and question. She's almost never in her life been addressed in such formal language.

"Uh, it's 'Miss' like you said. But call me Ro, everyone does."

Ro sits down in the seat with a "Thank you". She not sure whether she should start talking first or wait, but she may be a way to start without being so obvious.

"The production with the forest, except it's just a tree right now, is that the one you mentioned to me a couple of evenings back?"

Karmid: Lord Heidmarch agrees to your terms and assures you that he will check with you before he assigns you anything. He asks that you leave the encoded book with him and that he will get back to you in a few days if you let him know where he can reach you. If you don't feel comfortable giving him that information, he asks that you just return to the Manor in a few days time. He can't promise you that he will definitely be able to decode it, but in a few days he will know for sure one way or the other.

Ro: Madam Shivarlu nods at Ro's question.

"Yes, it is tentatively called 'A Nymph or Not', and has somewhat of a faerie theme. I'm still finishing the dialog on a few of the scenes, but it's mostly done. I had not considered adding music to the play until I saw you recently."

She then smiles again as she flips one of her braids back over her shoulder.

"I must say, Ro, I have to again congratulate you on that performance I saw in the tavern. I've seen many musical acts here in Magnimar, but it has been quite some time since I've come across someone of your innate talent and sensitivity. May I ask where you draw your inspiration from and who taught you to play and sing like that? He must have been a great master."

I don't know if you have a copy of "Magnimar, City of Monuments", but there is a picture of Madam Shivarlu on p. 36.

Karmid: Lord Heidmarch agrees to your terms and assures you that he will check with you before he assigns you anything. He asks that you leave the encoded book with him and that he will get back to you in a few days if you let him know where he can reach you. If you don't feel comfortable giving him that information, he asks that you just return to the Manor in a few days time. He can't promise you that he will definitely be able to decode it, but in a few days he will know for sure one way or the other.

For now Karmid will apologize, and merely come back later. He's not suspicious, just not sure he has the right to 'expose' the rest of the group without their permission really.

For now Karmid will apologize, and merely come back later. He's not suspicious, just not sure he has the right to 'expose' the rest of the group without their permission really.

Understood.

Ro can't help but squirm a tiny bit in her chair. She's not exactly a humble person, and she's not afraid of self-promotion, but Madam Shivarlu is already laying it on thick, and her question has set Ro up to sound like the most ridiculous braggart if she answers it honestly. She does her best to work around the problem.

"Well, I'm from Sandpoint up north of here. I was raised at the cathedral there for a fair amount of my childhood, and we received a good education. Singing was one of the things we learned."

"But for me it's the words that always come first. The music is later, to fit around the words. I guess it's fair to say I'm sort of a poet who sets things to music. Mostly I write about the things I see happening, or maybe I overhear a conversation that sticks with me. A fair amount of it is about me honestly. It helps me organize thoughts and experiences, figure them out."

Ro digs into her bag and pulls out her journal. She opens it at the ribbon bookmark and flips back a couple of pages.

"See, here's an example. This was the way my night went later on after I talked to you."

Ro hands the book over to Madame Shivarlu so she can read the page.

"I guess you could think of this as the raw material, the first step. No music or anything yet. Maybe it won't ever get any. I'll have to think on it for a while."

I don't know if you have a copy of "Magnimar, City of Monuments", but there is a picture of Madam Shivarlu on p. 36.

I do actually! I see, braids or maybe dreadlocks.