Pirknok nods and follows Hemlock inside, his brow furrowed worriedly. He shouldn't talk to us like that... it's us they was trying to kill!
Leading the group through the barracks to his office, Hemlock settles into his chair and looks the group over, only now noticing Kaplan.
"Who is he? One of your quah?" the sheriff says with a nod at Pirknok.
"He's uh Peace-born. That shud be uhnuff." responds Pirknok.
Hemlock raises an eyebrow and looks to the rest of the party.
"Aye, I was among the Shoanti many years ago," Kaplan says in his defence. "We share a common enemy now."
-Posted with Wayfinder
-Posted with Wayfinder
-Posted with Wayfinder
Eli hugs his wife and kisses her. "They attacked us and killed some good people. We're going to find out who they were and why they're after us." he says to Marysin. "Shut the shop and don't answer the door until I get back. We're off to meet with the Sherriff." he says.
On the way to the Sherriff's office, Eli looks at the pins and the hood.
Marysin nods and locks the door after Eli's left.
Eli doesn't recognize the pins or hood.
"C'mon sheriff, last time some concerned citizens stepped in to defend the town, they all ended up lieutenants," Ventus said, "I would not be standing right now without him."
"Yeah, we took a chance on you lot and it worked out. This is... different..."
"He helped us against the assassins, sheriff, and I haven't seen him try to eat anyone. If you know something, please, we need to know!"
"Er...do you often run across people who eat other people?" Kaplan asks Jessamy.
Crap, I hope I didn't give him ideas.
"No. I mean, Pirknok hasn't since I've known him, but well, I mean, I've read the stories."
The young woman stammers a bit as she tries to explain to the dwarf that she knows about dwarven diets.
Pirknok raises one eyebrow at Jessamy, then looks to Kaplan. She... what?
Hemlock relents. "Alright. If you vouch for him, I'll take your word for it. Close the door", he warns.
The sheriff pulls a small locker from behind his desk and sets it on top. He undoes the clasp revealing the contents.
"This is all of Ada's person effects. Most of these things didn't mean anything to us until now", he explains.
Hemlock fishes through some bundled clothing until he pulls up a yellow mask with a distinctive pointed top.
"Does this look familiar?"
"It sure does." Eli says with a frown. "So she was one of them? Is that why they tried to kill us? For revenge? Or did we mess up their plans by killing Ada?" he asks.
"Ah thought you sed thuh... 'Brutherhood' had bin takin care uv?"
"Perhaps", the Sheriff says to Eli. "I don't know what you lot stumbled into while you were putting an end to whatever monster Ada became."
"That's what I thought", Hemlock answers Pirknok grimly. "But now I don't know what to believe."
The lean shoanti man opens a drawer and retrieves a folder letter. He offers it to Pirknok.
"That came to me from Justice Ironbriar, a member of Magnimar's Council of Justice. Tell me what's wrong with it."
Sheriff Hemlock,
It is was satisfaction that I can notify you that the 'brotherhood' you found evidence of at the abandoned Foxglove manor has been tracked down and eradicated. It was a bloody battle but the stalwart swords of the Magnimar guard were victorious in the end and every one of the Rough Beast's worshipers were slain. Our thoughts are with the families of those that were murdered.
-Justice Ironbriar
Pirknok studies the note, his lips moving silently as he struggles through it. After a minute or so, he looks up, frowns, and scratches his chin. "Wut's wrong with it?" he asks, passing it to the others.
"Ironbriar hates me, or rather he doesn't respect my position - he never has. He think's Sandpoint is a little rural village without real problems and that I'm its pumped up magistrate flush with imagined power. That letter is entirely too polite for him. I'd assumed he was feeling regret over dragging his feet when I came to him for aid in light of the goblin attack but I'm beginning to suspect something else..."
"Could it be a forgery?" Ventus asked, he had little knowledge about such matters but hoped the sheriff could shed some light on the situation.
"It's possible but I don't think so. It came via one of Magnimar's official couriers with a seal bearing Ironbriar's signet."
"So you think this Justice is part of ... whoever this group is?"
"If he ain't part and parcel then he is being manipulated by someone who is. I suppose we gotta go check out Magnimar."
"What is this 'brotherhood' you speak of?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Ironbriar, hmm." Eli says.
Eli has heard of Ironbriar. He’s a Justice, one of many judges that sit on Magnimar’s Council of Justice. He’s known for being especially harsh with criminals.
Ironbriar is a Forlorn elf – an elf banished from traditional elven society. The reason for Ironbriar’s removal from his kin is unknown.
Pirknok looks over at Kaplan. "It wuz uh group uv... wull, Ada wuz uh murdurer who wanted ta kill Ventus here. An' she wuz werkin' fer this "brutherhood"... she kilt uh lot uv people an' turned 'um into undead, an' she wuz real sick. Ah mean... ik nak sharuk nak kur."
He frowns slightly, as if not sure how well he's explained it.
"I see."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Pirknok nods, satisfied that Kaplan is satisfied, and turns back to Hemlock. "D'ya know anythin' else uhbout wut we shud look fer? Or... or who cud be buhind this?"
"I don't know much else Pirknok", Hemlock says. "But it's clear we've got to learn more about this Brotherhood and put an end to them. I won't have them attacking Sandpoint or her people again."
"Are you all up for a trip?"
Pirknok closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. It's just a bigger... this place. More people. (So there'll be tons more crime than we've had to deal with here.) No, can't think of it like that. We've got to do it... it just needs doing.
Letting the air out of his lungs slowly, he opens his eyes and nods at Hemlock.
"Don't look so glum Pirk, city life ain't all that bad," Ventus said, clapping his hand on the dwarf's back. "Been a while since I've been in a proper city. If it weren't for the arcane assassins trying to kill us I'd suggest we take in some of the sights while we're there."
"And just think, if we stop this in Magnimar, imagine how famous we can be! I mean, it's nice to be a hero and all in Sandpoint, but if we're heroes in Magnimar too? That's the type of thing they write stories about!"
Jessamy grins at the thought of the trip.
"When can we leave?"
Certain there was little else he could learn here, Kaplan stepped outside.
"Magnimar, eh? I need to know more about this Ada person and those like her to understand why the spirits are acting strangely. Are they being attacked or are they just warning me of something to come?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
Eli pales.
Magnimar? Not Magnimar...
"Ah, well. Yes. I... are we sure the authorities there can't handle it?" he says with a stammer.
Pirknok jerks his head up at Eli's tone. His dark eyes move slowly over the alchemist's face, taking in every detail of expression exhibited. Now that's strange...
He shakes his head and smiles, though the smile is quite forced. "Thuh sheriff just sed thuh 'authoritees' told him it wuz handuld alreddy... an' clearly it ain't," he points out, his tone making light of the correction. After a moment or two, he tries to get Eli to meet his eyes as he continues. "'Sides, you herd Ventus... he sed it ain't all that bad."
For Ventus, that is... but if one of their own is afraid to go there, what kind of place is it really?
Hemlock shakes his head, ”I’m afraid we don’t have much choice. If we don’t get to the bottom of this Brotherhood, it’s just a matter of time before they strike here again. And it’s clear we can’t trust the authorities in Magnimar.”
”You know I wouldn’t ask this of you if the safety of Sandpoint depended on it…”
"It's either take the fight to them or wait for 'em to pick us all off one by one," Ventus said, finally admitting the grim undertones of the situation.
Pirknok gets to his feet. "C'mon. We gotta git ready. We kin leave tamarrer mornin."
Packing her gear, Jessamy can barely contain her excitement, having trouble getting to sleep as she goes over and over her arrival in the big city in her head.
In the morning, bleary from lack of sleep, she drags herself to their meeting point, one boot untied as she hides a yawn behind a hand.
Eli's face is still pale. "Ah, well... I'll have to go make some preparations, I don't know how many days I'll need to set my affairs in order..." he says, standing from his chair.