After briefly chatting to the group, the Hound takes his leave. Before heading out he says "Should look into fitting in a skylight to come in through. This getting wet to get in here is the pits." he says with a grin then leaves.
Not long after he makes a short patrol and stands on a rooftop, keeping an eye out for any disturbances that might warrant his attention.
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During the Night of Ashes, mysterious fires claimed 3 buildings of great significance througout Kintargo. One was the Victocora's estate, Rexus' home, the other 2 were the Thrashing Badger tavern and a music store called the Silver Star.
With everything going on with managing the rebellion, dealing with the traitorous Imp in your midsts,translating the original Silver Ravens' documents and simply trying to live you lives you had not much time for anything else. Yet after dealing with the imp you find yourseves able to consider new projects as well and have a bit of time for yourelves too.
This is the reason why one evening Rexus approaches you while you are all staying at Laria's backery and asks you for a favor:"With everything going on I hesitated to ask this but I need your help with a somewhat personal matter that could prove important for the rebellion as a whole. As you know, during the Night of Ashes my home burned to the ground and my family perished between the flames. No one is sure what happened but I have little doubt in my mind Barzillai Thrune was somehow responsible for the fire, and not only at Victocora's estate but at the Silver Star and Thrashing Badger too. I've tried to search the ruins for clues myself a couple of times, but each time I was forced to flee by dottari patrols before I could accomplish much. I know my parents were part of the Sacred Order of Archivists. If Barzillai Thrune found out about this he probably wanted to get rid of them in order to cement his position as town mayor. As for the other buildings' significance I can't guess why they were burned down but I suspect the hand who reduced my home to ashes was the same who destroyed them, and learning what happened there could very well prove important in the endeavour to oust Thrune from our fine city! I beg you to check these places out and learn everything you can about the events of that terrible night..."
Seeing nothing that night, the Hound went back to hi secret base and took off his fedora and tossed it deftly on a nearby coat rack and then slung his cloak off his shoulders and hung it next to his fedora.
Taking off his coat he folded it and put it over the back of a chair that was close by. then rolling up his sleeves he walked over to some stairs which ascended to a set of tables set up in a "U" shape, filled with all sorts of tools. Lighting a lantern on the table he stood looking at the components set out on the table. A long metal tube and all sorts of metallic pieces. And he smiled.
"Lets get started."
During the next few days he works vigorously on his new project in between his nightly patrols as the Hound of Kintargo, and every other day a visit to the coffee house as Talon Bishop.
On one such day, this Rexus fellow shows up.
Know. Local
Oren's know-how about both the Silver Star and the Thrashing Badger sparks Rocco's determination to continue the fight against Barzillai Thrune once again. "I used to go by the Badger sometimes. They had some good brews on tap. I'll be glad to check on the old place. All the better to show just how desperate Thrune is to dodge anyone who will challenge him."
You can assume you already know everything there is to know about Victocora's estate thanks to Rexus. Where do you want to go first?
"I really miss Shensen. She is an extraordinary talent and the opera lacks for her disappearance. I would really like to find that firebug.
"I think if we go to the estate we might turn up a clue or two.." ponders Valrani.
"How long ago did they burn down?"
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It's a well known fact the "Night of Ashes" occurred a month and half ago, 3 days after Barzillai Thrune was appointed lord mayor ad interim in the wake of the old mayor Jilia Bainilus mysterious disappearance.
After much deliberation you choose to check on the ruins of Victocora's estate first. You spend more than 2 hours there sifting through the ashes of the former noble hose. In the end you realize there's nothing to be found and have to decide which location visit next...
Oren nods when the others suggest the Silver Star.
Valrani nods. "Somewhere we are not too obvious. We don't want lots of nosy folk knowing what we are up to... so lets try to search on the quiet, and maybe at night or when the weather is poor so less folk are out and about. Maybe we can disguise ourselves as beggars looking for a dry spot to rest."
Lirotha nods at Valrani's suggestions.
"Bring your masks my pretties! We have work skulking to do. Memorize that mist spell too Val. We may need it again!"
The Hound will offer his aid in helping to disguise everyone as street urchins and street rabble.
And then himself.
Rocco chuckles to himself for a moment, "Heh! Lirotha won't need much help trying to look like a beggar. No need to spend too much effort on her, Hound! Ha!" He enjoys his jab at the witch for a moment, then gets back to business with the others. "I do think the idea to go at night is a good one, though, both for hiding our activities and for keeping innocents out of the way. My ma told me the other day that some folks still like to wander by the Badger from time to time, just to remember the good times they had in the place."
Rocco's voice trails off, and he assumes a rather thoughtful expression. "Wait a minute, I wonder if some of those folks are some of the ones who used to go for the Badger's other purpose! And if that's the case, then maybe ma...no...never mind. Anyway, I was hoping to head to the Badger first, but seems like most everyone wants to check out the Silver Star, so let's get to it."
"Shove it short stuff! With Rocco's disguise you might have problems Hound...you can cover up a turd, but not the smell!"
The Hound just raises an eyebrow at Lirotha and Rocco's jabs. He tilts back his fedora and leans over and asks Val "Are they always like this?"
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You spend your time thoroughly searching the Silver Star's ruins. After what amounts to little more than an hour you notiche a huge dark shape advancing on you from outside the shop's perimeter. As your sight adjustes you realize what's moving in the darkness is some sort of huge hound like monster and apparently he's decided to make you into his next meal!
The creature quicly moves towards, its eyes shining blood red in the darkness. When is but a few paces away from your group it growls ferociously and then spits a gout of flame right at you!
Round 1 - Bold may post
Hound thing
Valrani
Rocco
Kurglunn
Morricone
Talon
Lirotha
Oren
"I think I know what that is...! Quickly! We must defeat the beast before it draws the Dottari to our presence!"
Moving to get an angle on the beast, Lirotha quickly draws a Harrow card, enchants it with a cantrip and throws!
Valrani tries to duck under the flames..
But fails, badly.
"Let ice fight with fire!" she shouts, sending an ice shard at the beast.
Reflex
Oren takes the flame damage directly to the chest, grimacing in agony. She takes a diagonal 5' step and swings both fists at the hound.
Attack
Damage
Attack
Damage
Kurglunn takes the flames, but is able to shrink away from the worst of the blast. His initial instinct to run begins to well up again, but Rocco's influence wells up a moment later, urging him on to stand up for their friends. The phantom fights for an instant, but soon relents and steps up beside Oren and swings his massive ectoplasmic fists at the terrifying hound.
While Kurglunn and Oren take the frontal assault to the hound, Rocco mirrors Lirotha's move and heads out to the side. Focusing on the hound, he targets whatever degree of mind the beast might possess and attempts to overwhelm it into a state of inactivity.
The Hound of Kintargo immediately draws his pistol when the shadow appeared, but taken aback at the sight of the creature he was one of the last to react to it.
Taking careful aim he takes care to not shoot his friends engaged in melee with the creature and fires.
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Lirotha realizes the creature the party is facing to be an Hell Hound. A chill runs down her spine as she casts her magic at the baleful outsider!
Yet its unnatural resistance allows it to shrug off Lirotha's spell.
Valrani tries to attack the Hell hound with ice magic but her icicle fails to connect with the monster.
Oren steps near the creature and tries to pummel it into submission but both her attacks miss the nimble opponent.
Not so Kurglunn and the Hound who manage to wound it with their fists and pistol. Then it's Rocco's turn to try his magical arts against the otherwordly monster...
And suceeds, stopping the Hell Hound in his tracks!
Round 1 - Bold may post
Hell Hound -14hp
Valrani 19/24hp
Rocco
Kurglunn 22/24hp
Morricone
Talon
Lirotha
Oren 25/30hp
Morricone will start his bardic performance to inspire his comrades and steal their courage. He then moves to a spot where he can charge the monster next round.
Valrani moves around and smashes her scimitar into the hell-hound using both hands.
"Bad doggie!"
Drawing her starknife, Lirotha moves to flank the evil puppy with Oren!
With someone flanking, Oren attacked the creature without mercy.
Flanking Power Attack
Damage
Attack
Damage
Kurglunn joins the pummel party and lashes out at the hound with two massive overhead slams.
Rocco begins weaving a spell to overwhelm the hell hound with dark energy, but decides that it's fangs look a bit too sharp for his liking. So he channels the spell through Kurglunn, who swings at the hound once again to deliver the chilling spell.
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Your combined attack crushes the Hell Hound. The fiendish creature first falls on the ground with a low growl before disappearing in a cloud smelling of sulfur.
You get back to the Silver Star's ruins and resume the investigation only for Valrani to cause the rubble around her to shift and fall risking to bury her alive!
This is not completely bad because the collapsing debris reveals an iron coffer that miracolously survived the fire. Inside you find scrolls and potions...
"Treasure! How nice my pretties. Any intelligence for us? Anything linking to the fire's cause?"
The hell hound falls and disappears, but Rocco continues to frown. "Guess there's no way we'll be able to tell where that thing came from or who sent it. We best get back to our search and get out of here before some dottari scum bags show up."
Resuming the search, Rocco is digging around in another part of the building as Valrani suddenly calls out in shock. He turns to see what's happening, his face full of concern.
After she recovers from the (near?) fall, Rocco greedily picks through the contents of the coffer, trying to figure out what they've found with the aid of some magic.
"affhhhhhhhhh" cries Valrani as the unstable ground moves under her...
"Help?"
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Valrani is half buried by the falling rubble. The rest of you quickly come to her help and drag her out of the debris, wounded but alive.
It's clear there's nothing more to be gained by searching the place beside risking your own hides so you depart for the Thrashing Badger.
The ruins are almost entirely gone. Despite a very thorough search it's apparent the building burned through the boardwalk and collapsed into the water below, and even a search of the submerged ruins yields no clues. You also notice how there's no corpses here as if someone, or something, took care of erasing any evidence of their presence... you think it even possible that someone from the cult of Milani might have survived the arson.
Lirotha immediately checks val for serious damage!
1. Lirotha
2. Morricone
3. Rocco
4. Oren
5. Talon
6.
7. Kurglunn
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After reporting your (limited) discoveries to Rexus you decide to take care of the other issue on your "to do list": Clenchjaw’s tavern, a place that used to be a sort of watering hole for the people of Kintargo now suspiciously turned into an hotbed for sedition and frequent brawls. Unless you get to the bottom of this it's only a matter of time before Thrune's agents crack down on one of the last safe establishments for Kintargo's people.
Lirotha takes the direct route and goes to see the tavernkeeper himself. Under the disguise of a mild-mannered Harrow reader, she'll inquire about working in the Tavern for a while...to help draw in more customers of course!
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Lirotha gets into the tavern during the morning hours but nothing really out of the ordinary happens.
Her inquiries reveal that during the last month several patrons have expirienced strange occurrences ranging from convictions of spotting various old rivals in the crowded room to claims of whispered insults to glimpses of “a weird butterfly” in the dark corners of the tavern.
Oren suggests staking out the place, getting there innearly evening and staying there until the wee hours on multiple days, if necessary until something strange presents itself.
Morricone will also try to get more information. Spending the morning asking around, greasing palms here and there and doing his best to get more informations.
Talon Bishop goes and makes an appointment to see Rinston one evening to talk about possibly supplying the place with some fine imported wines from abroad. And bring with Talon's 'financial advisor' Valrani, and his 'bodyguard' Oren.
And make the appointment for sometime after dinner so we have an excuse to be there late and stick around to see what's what.