Heinrich hunkered down to inspect the lock, and finds a good standard Ustalav manufactured lock. An older design but more than enough to deter amateurs.
He was about to start raking the pins when he noticed something odd, there was a customization. Very carefully, Agrippa twisted the lock using his longest pair of picks. SNICK! A needle shot out coated with something viscus and foul smelling, just as well he was cautious! Now trap had been spring it was simple, if time consuming, to rake the pins and open the lock.
MUSCARIA
Type ingested; Addiction minor, Fortitude DC 14
Price 15 gp
Onset 30 minutes
Effects 3 hours; +1d6 alchemical bonus on a single Knowledge (any one), Perception, or Sense Motive check once per minute for the duration of the effect.
Damage 1d4 Cha damage
Agrippa pockets the note and takes the coinage for safekeeping.
With the fighting over Momijii tried to clean the foul stuff off of her face but found that it wasn't going to work. Not only that but she could feel her flesh begin to crack where she touched it. She gave the others a plaintive look and asked, "Can anyone do something about this," as she gestured at her face.
Alright then lads. Let's head back to Toli, we should confer with Cesadia and Winter.
Filbert comes over and studies the fungus affecting Momijii, "Sit down a moment and let me look at you Momijii"
twisting his mouth around a bit he looks at her "I can heal the physical damage, but I'm not sure about the all of this completely, but I'll try."
If Momijii agrees, Filbert will try to heal what damage he can"
The monk sat when the small gnome requested it of her so that he could look at the damage to her face. The disfigurement was painful and any poking or prodding he might do made the flesh crack open and threaten to bleed. As Filbert offered healing Momijii shook her head and said, "No, other than the ick of this..." she shuddered, "stuff, I am unharmed." She stepped back, "If things change I will let you know."
Filbert nods in understanding "As you wish" looking to the others, "I think it's time we return to the village, our boat captain has waited long enough in the rain."
While Filbert will not use his own healing on someone unwillingly because of it's draining effect on them, yet Momijii needed to know what is to come. "Momijii, the pain you feel now will continue for at least another two full days, perhaps even becoming more painful but it will go away, yet there is a wand here that can cure this today, you need not suffer any ?penance? for this."
Rummaging around in one of the packs, he withdraws a wand. "I believe this is the correct one" Filbert would still hold for Momijii to give her acceptance.
Cure Disease 9/10 charges left
Momijii nodded in understanding and, when Filbert retrieved the wand, she said, "Do it." She felt the magic of the wand flow over her and infuse her flesh where the growths were. It was slightly painful as the growths seemed to fight back against the magic of the wand but finally they flaked off and vanished into powder. When it was over she reached up and felt her face where the damage had been and almost wept when she felt her flesh return to normal. "Thank you Filbert," she said, punching one fist into a palm as she bowed to him.
Momijii feels a pulse of coldness followed by a rush of warmth and pins and needles. She looks down to see the horrific fungal infestation fade away leaving tingling but whole flesh behind! Magical cures are marvelous!
There's nothing more to do so you all head out of the cave system and wave to the fisherman. Toli is still there but looking scared given the sounds of combat from within. As you scramble into the boat, he asks a little nervously, "Did ye encounter the witch then?" He means THE Briarstone witch.
Crawling into the boat, Filbert looks a little worse for wear, but adopts a wry grin. "Well we met a witch, and she'll not be bothering anyone else. Is she the witch, that remains to be seen. However the tavern's fire and cold drink sound very inviting right now."
"I'd reckon we could all use a drink right now."
Strange...Why do I get this guilt-like feeling as before when I heard about that tavern burning down about a week ago? I'm wondering if I had known this witchwoman before I got into Briarstone.
Luxina seems a bit on edge. Just like everyone else she feels troubled by her unremembered actions of the past.
"Aye, I'm sure ye could." exclaimed Toli. He started to row a but faster and soon you are making good progress towards town. The water is still choppy and the drizzle is incessant, finding its way into every corner. As before visibility is poor with the distant mountains invisible and the shoreline a grey blur. You all breath a sigh of relief when the town suddenly resolves itself. With economical movements speaking of long practice, Toli guides the boat back into its birth. Once you are all off and the boat tied up, he looks at you expectantly.
Handing the boatman the remainder of the fee Agrippa had offered originally, they leave the harbor for the relative comfort of the tavern?
Agrippa nods in thanks to the man Toli Master Toli, a bit of discretion if you please. We dispatched of this witch, but what of the next one. Wouldn't want her to know you had anything to do with this would you?
The man looks at you uncertainly for a moment before nodding, "Aye right you are sir."
As Toli drops them off and ambles away with his payment, Agrippa bids him adieu with a half sardonic wave. The long faced man then turns his attention to his colleagues.
Gentlemen, Ladies. We must now work to gather allies in this hunt. We are almost certainly working against a Cult, and we do not know the breadth nor the depth of its infiltration. We must first ascertain which allies we might call on, Winter Klazcka cannot possibly be a Cultist and so we will trust her for now. To whit, we also have several items that should be sold. Agrippa takes a measured breath
Therefore, I propose that a few of us go to the High Market. The objective there would be twofold, first ascertain if Cult activity is rampant across the city. Second, get a good price for the items in question. While this group conducts its mercantile mission, several of us should also visit Winter and Cesadia. We must know if Mistress Wentz is a cultist, and if not we must turn her into an ally.
I propose that myself and Filbert go to the Sleepless Detective agency, while Luxina, Momijii and Lizzie go to the High Market. We can cover more ground that way and we will meet in a few hours back at the Silver Wagon.
Lizzie looks up at Agrippa's sudden speech.
"No problems with that. We'll give it our best."
(Raises a fist in enthusiasm)
[ooc I'm gonna take that as assent and post a push for Cesadia. [/ooc]
Agrippa and Filbert enter the Sleepless Detective agency offices and if either Winter or Cesadia are present he will lay out his fears.
Mistresses, we are dealing with a Cult dedicated to subversion and defilement. This cult is responsible for the trouble at Briarstone and the recent troubles here in Thrushmoore.
Agrippa will lay out his evidence in a short explanation detailing what the party knows about
1) Losandro/Zandalus/Lowls connection (Tatterman included)
2) The Yellow Sign (and its frequent use in Briarstone)
3) The Chain of Nights (and its connection with the Dreamlands/Tatterman/Yellow Sign/Lowls)
4) The "Witch" that worshipped Xhamen Dor (and Xhamen Dor's connection to the Great Old One cults)
5) The note asking for "dream inducing brews" (Agrippa will specifically show the note to Cesadia
Agrippa is ushered into the Sleepless building and taken to the same drawing room as before. Inside he finds Cesadia reading various letters she looks up and says, "I gather you have some news." She listens to Agrippa's words in silence, the fold of a frown deepening on her forehead.
When Agrippa is finished, she rubs her temple for a moment as if she had a headache. With a sigh, she admits, "That is a deeply concerning possibly, which fits the general pattern. There have been some very strange goings on over the past few weeks. Strangers from far away lands arriveing in dribs and drabs. A lot of townsfolk vanished, easily fifty people with nery a trace. Most of the counts staff were let go a few weeks ago and he hasn't been seen since. The thing I worry about the most however is the hand of the law has simply retreated into Fort Hailcourse. We need the counstsbles to keep the peace, before some of the more boneheaded locals take matters into their own hands. Maybe you can succeed where I failed and get an audience with the Magistrate one way or another..."
Filbert follows Agrippa into the Sleepless building, feeling a bit tired irregardless of the buildings name. Listening quietly as the investigator lays out his fears. Good argument, I'd believe him even if I wasn't there."
As Casedia replies to Filbert turns his attention back to her. "Ms, are the strangers that have been arriving congregating at the Counts estate? We had already planned to meet with the magistrate, and you're right there were locals in the tavern this morning discussing attacking an artist tonight or tomorrow. They think he is painting the strange cityscapes on the walls, gloomy things that they are."
Indeed. the gaunt investigator says This is most distressing. Mistress Wentz, is the name Melisenn of any particular import? Agrippa will wait for her answer before moving on to his next order of business. (but only if Winter is still there...)
My dearest Mistress Klazcka, we liberated these concoctions from the "witch" of the Harbor. I give them over to you for your safekeeping, do with them what you wish. I would be careful not to get any on your hands. Dreadful stuff really. and Agrippa hands over the various poisons that the party liberated from the "witch"
With Agrippa and Filbert having headed off, Lizzie enthusiastically walks off, grabbing Luxina and Momiji by their hands.
Once at the market, she stops.
"Okay, here we are. I see a shop for oddities, food & drinks, trinkets, among others...which would you like to begin with?"
Luxina takes along Momiji and Lizzie off to the High Market, planning to sell their unwanted gear for a reasonable price. Heinrich's request to watch out for cultist activity firmly lodged in her mind.
Ever since putting on the ring, Luxina felt her eyes narrow faster, homing in on anything suspicious or dangerous. She hoped if there were more sins of cultists here, she would see them now.
"Oddities and trinkets is most what we have, so that's an easy choice. Weapons or armour would also be a good one if we find an old arsenal or blacksmith or something."
Starting at the small jetty near The Stein, you all walk east along the water front past the Depository. A large brick building used by the population of Thrushmoor to store coal and lumber, both for retail selling to the population and for wholesale trade. A little further east takes you past the slightly pungent fish market. Originally the site of Thrushmoor’s first town hall, it's been demolished and rebuilt many times over. Always a symbol of the community’s prosperity, it now holds the stalls of three fishmongers’ families, who have handed down their businesses for generations. The atrium shared by the stalls is illuminated by an amber-colored crystal lantern, which the townsfolk have nicknamed Glowing Jill.
From there you pass the Sleepless building, where Agrippa and Filbert stop to talk to Cesadia, and the others head north east to the market.
Just behind the Sleepless building is a small hill, atop of which through the drizzle you spot something curious, what appears to be an old stone needle made of some yellow stone you can't identify from this distance. There appears to be something intricate carved into the stones. A bit further round you find a large wooden warehouse type building with an open front and sides which provides shelter for the high market. Within the building are a number of stalls selling produce from all over Ustalav and the world beyond.
Cesadia replies to Filbert saying, "Well the Count let most of the Iris Hill staff go a couple of weeks ago, replacing them with retainers from out of town. Are they cultists? I don't know for certain. I do know there's a good number of strangers in town too. For example there's a pair of minor nobles staying in the Stein's bunkrooms - I don't know why they're here, but the timing seems suspicious."
When Filbert mentions the plans they overheard to attack an artist, Cesadia rolls her eyes and swears. "Where the devil is the constable when we need him? Sounds like the superstitious fools have it in for Llewlyn Hasok. He's a bit... Oh I don't know, he's not very good with people, a bit snooty. Rubbed more than a few of the fools up the wrong way. He's been here for a few months, painting a mural in the Phrasman church. I'd appreciate if you could things from getting violent, who knows what the fools will do with enough grog in their bellies!"
When Agrippa asks about Melisenn, Cesadia nods, "She's Count Hasterton's personal assistant. Been with him for some years, she's not from round here, I gather she came from Katapesh originally. I always found her perfectly prim and proper, but cold. In fact she can be down right rude at times. Anyway she's still around as far as I know."
When shown the various pharmaceutical wares found in the cave, Cesadia gasps softly. "These are highly illegal, we must destroy them at once." She adds several logs to the fire and once it's burning brightly she flings them in and suggests, maybe we should move into a side office in case there are fumes. Once inside a small study she asks urgently, "Tell me about the circumstances under which you found these!"
A woman. Bearing this sign Agrippa shows Cesadia the symbol he sketched from the wall in the cave. She was making them. And, this same woman had a note. This here. Agrippa shows Cesadia the note See, Melisenn asks for "dream inducing brews"
Cesadia studies the sketch and the note before shaking her head, "I'm afraid that sigil means nothing to me. The note however is potentially damning. I wish magistrate Padgett would come out of that damned fort, he'd want to see this for sure. Might even hire some special advisers when it comes to arresting her. Wouldn't be the first time, before he came here he was the chief magistrate of Ardeal county. The squabbling nobles where quite the handful at times and he wasn't shy of hiring help to keep the peace."
Agrippa nods at the lead detective and says Indeed. and then he poses a question
Mistress Wentz, how many Detectives do you have currently? And, more importantly, how well do they know Thrushmoore?
Agrippa has a plan to combat this subversive cult, but it will take some manpower, and a little time. He will explain that the Sleepless Detective Agency should employ its men to make a full accounting of Thrushmoore's population, and focus its attention on anyone who has arrived in the past year. A list should be drawn up of all newcomers, and those on the list treated as potential suspects and questioned if possible.
This should allow Agrippa, and the Detectives to identify most of the cultists. Unfortunately, that won't help them identify home grown cultists, but its a start.
Come Filbert, lets go see about our friends...and a certain Artist. and Agrippa will depart for the Church of Pharasma.
"Mistress Cesadia, perhaps it would be best if we went to the fort before continuing further in our other investigations. Besides magistrate Padgett might come in handy dealing with the artist situation as well as the situation with this Melisen person. What do you think Heinrich?"
Luxina moves towards the large wooden building that is the High Market and goes inside. Among the things she is able to sell are the Surgeons Tools, the Harrow Deck, six pearls, a promissary note, the scroll of sanctuary and the wand of Command.
As she is trying to sell the Incense of Open Thought, none of the merchants are willing to give a decent price for it, for they know no one who would be willing to pay or afford such a price.
"Is there anywhere you know of where they might be able to purchase something like this?" Luxina immediately inquires at the merchants and shopkeepers.
Her new ring does attract one shady merchant though that seems quite interested and offers several hundred gp for it.
"I'm sorry sir, but this is an heirloom of mine and I'm not parting ways with it."
Well there was a reason of course why Luxina wasn't a haggler. She is terrible at lying.
Lizzie gets about chatting to people, admiring and complimenting some clothing and hairstyles, getting bits of info about the count as she goes.
Eventually she comes back to Luxina and Momiji, chewing on a bite of the salami sausage she had gotten from someone.
*Munch, munch*
*Gulp*
"It's good."
She claps her hands clean.
"Alright, so here's what i was told..."
Cesadia listens to Agrippa's suggestion and nods, "A census? We can do that. Right now we have five active detectives right now, normally we'd have eight but one is running an errand to Caliphas and two are on holiday. The others here are Allard Hagely, Lucky Joslyn, Shevan Toralin and Meg Thalen - you met her at the door previously. They all know Thrushmoor like the back of their hand. We should have an answer by tomorrow afternoon."
Answering Filbert's question, Cesadia replies, "Even under normal circumstances magistrate Padgett would only get involved after somebody has been arrested. It's Constable Tompkins you want. Normally I'd say go get him first, but considering how tight Fort Hailcourse has been of late... There's no guarantee you'd get him to come at all." She shakes her head, sad to see the town come to this.
Luxina asks a spice merchant where they might sell the incense. The man scratches his head for a moment before replying, "Ehhh, have ye tried Pharasma's New Chapel? Mebbe the priestess there, Trilliss Mavaine might be interested."
Agrippa nods in thanks to Cesadia Alright then. We will return on the morrow. Hopefully, we will have more information.
"The temple. Which way is that?"
The merchant replies, "Go south just past the Sleepless building, then turn left onto the island. Cross the bridge and you can't miss it."
Momijii had been very quiet since they left the cave. It was obvious something was bothering her and leaving her out of sorts but she wasn't talking about whatever it was. As they entered the detective's office once more Momijii sits and listens as they all talk. Every so often her hand comes up and rubs at her lips in the place where the growths had been but she continued to be silent. Planning isn't really her strong suits, it never was, so she left the planning to those better suited and simply listens to what they have to say.
As the meeting finishes and they leave for the market the monk continues her silence as they peruse the stalls. The isn't anything she is actively looking for right now, not really, she has never had a need for lots of possessions or equipment being largely self-sufficient, though she realizes that she should pick up some more throwing stars, just in case she needs them. She keeps an eye out for such things in the market but realizes that she'll probably have to commission them from the local blacksmith as she has never had much luck finding them when she needs them on this side of the world. The fact that she remembered a little more brought a slight smile to her face and she decides that maybe helping to gather information would be of help.
As they travel through the stalls Momijii begins to ask questions about the count. Sadly her reticence from her recent disfigurement causes her not to find out as much knowledge as she could have. In the ends she came up with little more than the fact the count just doesn't care about anything. With that she follows her friends along to the temple while keeping an eye out for a blacksmith.
After being back in town for a day or so memories of Thrushmoor, but little else, start to surface and you know where everything is on this
map of Thrushmoor.
The party meet up just outside The Sleepless building and proceed in an easterly direction along the road. The ever present drizzle seems stringer than earlier and the skies are full of angry clouds. Unsurprisingly there's barely a soul on the streets. After a short way you catch a strong whiff of smoked fish as you walk past the squat Smokehouse. There's a few low lights within, but all seems silent otherwise.
a “green hag” for her oversized, greenish-blue eyes. Persostant rumor suggest there's more to this rumor than, ahem, meets the eye.
A little further on you pass over a rickety wooden bride onto what is known locally as the east island. In contrast to the stone buildings to the north, most of the buildings on the island are wooden affairs, many of which are in a shabby state. The area feels deprived and unloved. The only new building is the two story Church of Pharasma known as the New Chapel. However that's not what catches your interest, from a side street you witness a raucous scene. Despite the inclement weather a crowd of towns folk have congregating in front of what you suspect is Lelwyn’s Studio.
"OI! Lelwyn we know you did it, we know you defaced the church." shouts one angry man. "You vandalized my shop!" shouts another. "And my house!" calls a third man. A fourth stocky man shouts, "Come out you coward, and fess up to what you did before we come and get you!" There's general agreement many ayes and more than a few lets get hims... This could turn ugly.
Trying to remain unnoticed until directly behind the men. Flibert calls out in his best imitation of the guards drill sergeant.
"What's going on here! I know you men have somewhere better to be."