Glassworks Basement - Round 2 - concluded
As soon as the stranger struggles through his magical slippery stuff, Robin waves a hand dismissing the stuff, so his allies can move in to finish off the stranger.
Tinuviel finishes her bird-aided circumnavigation of the basement and is now able to see the fight up close from the corner of the hallway.
The priestess of nature calls forth some of her patron's healing energy and it washes over the group, the salty tasting air binding small wound and restoring potency to tired limbs.
The dwarven ranger advances into range and smashes at the cloaked figure with his shield, clanging against the wall instead. He then tries for a off-hand fist attack, that leaves him open for a counter-punch which the stranger delivers but which ends up mashing into the shield, while Rogar's left hand connects with the stranger's ribcage.
Taking the shot in the teeth brings Smoke into fearsome battle rage, and wisps of some ancestral spirit surround the barbarian, unleashing attacks of their own on the hooded man. Unfortunately, all the attacks are avoided by the spry dark-cloaked figure.
End of Round 2
Glassworks Basement - Round 3
18 Robin
14 Stranger
12 Tinuviel
9 Cadas
8 Rogar
7 Smoke
Robin's magical onslaught continues, as he pulls out the goose feather again and tries to slow down the enemy, but the dazing spell has not effect on the figure.
Seeing that he'll have a hard time with the door, the stranger whirls again at Smoke sliding between the warrior's legs and behind him, avoiding any blows by Rogar and landing a punch in Smoke's groin area as he slips under and regains his feet.
Boo casts colour spray, then steps back five feet.
Seeing the man slip past Smoke Cadas becomes concerned that he is trying to flee and double moves back around towards Tinuviel.
At first, the lithe bard's body is limp and cold. Bitemarks and dagger wounds show where the goblins attacked her. As Cadas unbinds her and calls for divine healing, Ameiko starts to stir, then start then awake.
"Where am I...How did...On no, Tsuto is with the goblins. You must stop him!" She is clearly distraught and in shock and begins trembling all over, unable to stand so far.
Glassworks Basement - Round 3 - continued
From the corner, Tinuviel releases a riot of swirling colors at the hooded man, hoping to daze, disorient, or blind him, but the hood and the man's innate quickness let him avoid being stopped by the color patterns.
The elf wizard then retreats a step to keep the stranger from attacking her.
Leaving the now-conscious bard, Cadas moves to help cut off a potential escape by the hooded figure.
Rogar draws a single javelin, hoists it into position and throws.
Attack
With all of the fury that he could muster, Smoke turned to face the man. Focus gave way to anger-- anger that multiplied vastly when he struck him in the codpiece.
And then, calm. Pain reigned back into focus.
With focus, came force. He drew down on him like a monster would draw down on a meal. And like a dragon's tooth came the shadow klar, gripped by an ethereal hand.
Glassworks Basement
Rogar's javelin throw pierces the man's cloak but narrowly misses any contact with flesh or bone.
Meanwhile, the raging Smoke, who just missed the man sliding under him, turns with a great heave of his sword catches the stranger in the side and the blade slices deep into his vital parts. With a groan, the man doubles over, just as the spirit weapon hits him hard across the head and neck, the negative energy sending the cloaked figure to the floor in a heap.
End of Combat
Cadas will move into a central location quickly and channel again, catching the man to stabilize him IF he is not already dead.
She then checks to see if the human is dead, and regardless moves to talk to Ameiko to hear her story.
The man stabilizes under the spell of the Shoanti priestess, his wounds no longer hemorrhaging and he begins to regain consciousness but remains groggy and slowed by the trauma.
Ameiko also appears better off with the additional healing and she stands and comes over the scene with the hooded stranger.
"It is my half-brother, Tsuto. He is in league with goblins and with that girl Nualia, whom we thought dead. She is very much alive and behind all the disturbance. Wait until my father finds out; he hates Tsuto enough already..."
Rogar steps up over the waking stranger and grins.
"Velcome back sleepy head, ve have a nice breakfast vaiting. Eggs, Pancakes and, oh yes, a raging bull," Rogar nods over to Smoke.
"Now, I vant to be sure your sister has some time to show you some love before ve get too busy. But first, how many of your friends are vaiting for us, elsevhere?"
Sense Motive to see if he's telling the truth . I'll let someone else intimidate haha.
Cadas moves to Ameiko's side and offers her some water before helping her up. Then tentatively she says Ameiko, I've some very bad news for you. There is no easy way to say this. Your father, he was a captive of the goblins. I am afraid they've killed him. She shoots the half brother a very accusing "you are gonna pay" look and stands ready to help support the bard should the news prove unsettling enough to cause her to fall.
With several deep breaths, Smoke regains his calm completely. His wounds ache, but he's sure that the man on the floor's hurt worse.
It doesn't stop him from grabbing the man by the collar and hefting him up. "You're Tsuto? You killed your father and tried to kill your sister; you're in deep with goblins! What the hell's wrong with you?!" he shouts, hefting him up-- his sword still in his hands, as if he'll use it to batter him back down if he resists.
Staggered and wounded, the man's hood falls back as Smoke lifts him from the floor revealing a half-elf with obvious Tien features. His dark eyes focus and unfocus as he tries to concentrate on what you are saying.
"The town will burn..." he says with a sardonic smile on his face. "What you do to me doesn't matter. You can't stop it. No one can!"
He coughs and blinks a few times, but otherwise remains defiantly silent.
As Cadas explains about Ameiko's father, she moves her hand to her mouth suddenly in shock, but that look passes quickly, replaced by a calm, quiet stoicism that is perhaps more troubling than an outward display of grief.
"Where is my father? Take me to him? I want to see for myself. As for that one..." she gestures dismissively to towards her half-brother. "Let the Guard have him. A quick death from my blade is too good for one I helped all I could, and then watched turn traitor to his people. Maybe the justices in Magnimar can devise some slow torture for him."
She begins to leave the room, waiting for you to show where her father lies.
Ameiko, we will take you to him. But first we must secure the area to make sure you, and we are safe. And while we do this we would hear your story. How did you come to be tied there in the room? And do you know if there are any more enemy about?
As Smoke hold's him, Rogar clamps a tight grip on the area of his threat to the Half-Elf.
Ameiko nods quietly as you ask for her story.
"I recieved a message from Tsuto, he is my half brother, but you must know that by now. He wanted me to join him and Nualia and several mercenaries at someplace called Thistletop. He said they were planning something big for the town, and I didn't want to be here when it happened."
"I refused to join them and threatened to turn him in finally and he turned his goblins loose on me. I fought them as best I could, but there were many, and I am one. Next thing I know, you are waking me from the floor in that storeroom."
"What else can I tell you? Tsuto and my father always hated each other. My father saw him as an embarrassing reminder of his cuckoldry. They have fought before and I'm not surprised one of them killed the other. I have little love for my father myself, but that is for my mother's sake more than anything else."
Her voice trails off towards the end till she is barely whispering.
"Now can I go see Lord Kaijitsu one final time? Funny, I guess I am lord of the manor now..."
The half-elf smirks at Rogar's threats. "You like my handiwork then? Guess I was good enough to be a Kaijitsu after all. Do your worst Bearded One, my love will come for me, either in life or in death. I do not fear dying."
The room you have Tsuto in (the one they came storming out of) has a simple bed and small writing desk with a few liquor bottles scattered about on it. The man himself seems to have some sort of rucksack under his cloak, along with several belt pouches.
Smoke punctuates the man's pretentious comments by punching him in the face and surreptitiously dropping him.
"You are truly the victor," Smoke says and begins viciously looting him. "We'll take him to the Sheriff.... ugh, we'll take him to the sheriff's office and see about trying our luck at a cell. It'll be easier to interrogate him there-- you know, while the glassworks are being cleared out and we've gathered information on what's going on here."
Roughly looting him, Smoke comes up with the following items, in the rucksack: a silver flute, a leather-bound journal, and 14 small black pouches (about the size of a dice bag) which are filled with heavy substances. In the belt pouches, you find 10pp, a set of fine thieves tools and a leather flask. Additionally, he has a pair of silver earrings and a fine jade-inlaid ring on his right hand. On the ground nearby is a medium composite shortbow (zero draw strength) and the quiver holds 18 arrows.
Cadas will cast detect Magic on the items. Can we survey and secure the other rooms as we pass through on the way to bring Ameiko to the remains of her father? This way Ameiko. And Smoke, can you bring him? Cadas indicates the now unconscious man.
Cadas' attempt at magical detection returns 2 faint dweomers, one from the flask and another from the jade inlaid ring.
faint conjuration
Faint Abjuration
Potion of Cure Light Wounds
Ring of Protection +1
Opening the other door down the hallway reveals another small room, but this one has a long dark tunnel leading from it. A quick look shows the tunnel moving in a basic straight line as far as your light can let you see.
Cadas considers each item she identifies as magic but is unable to discern what the items are. Robin, Tin? She asks each, offering the items.
"Tin? You do realize that if you start calling me that the end result will be everyone calling you 'Cad". Which you aren't" Tinuviel says with a smile.
Tinuviel looks over the items
"That's a ring of protection, an item much beloved by certain sorts of gentlemen." Tinuviel says more confidently than she feels. "I am unsure what the potion is."
The room with tunnel has some old sandbags and decrepit wheelbarrow or two. You can make a barrier, but not easily seal it with existing materials.
You could likely seal it with a brickmason and enough time.
"Store the potion. Ve'll take a look at it later. I say ve dispatch vith the niceties and hang young Tsuto. Vhat is the point of taking him back to the village to be hung, are ve not deputized besides who vill try him, the Sheriff and Mayor are gone. I vill not feel any guilt over a field execution," The Dwarf's face was hard and his expression deadly serious. "If he vas not lying about destroying the village then our vork here is not done and ve do not have the luxury of returning him to Sandpoint. I vote ve execute him and ve put an end to this threat now."
If he will not cooperate at all I can always speak to his corpse....Cadas says, almost in passing. Corpses do not lie. What she does not say it that it will be another level before that is possible for her. :)
Turning to Robin, Ameiko says "Don't you know? Nualia was Father Tobyn, the old priest's daughter. It was thought that she was killed in the fire, but apparently she wasn't. Tsuto said she hates Sandpoint and wants to see it obliterated. I don't know why. She always seemed nice enough when I met her."
You lead her up the stairs, Smoke carrying the renegade half-elf and bring her to the glassed up remains of her father.
When she sees the glassed in man, her hand flies to her mouth, but she doesn't say anything more. If you listen close you hear her whisper:"A fitting end for you, Father. You loved your glass more than your family. You shouldn't have killed my mother."
After a few moments of silence, she nods and gravely moves to the exit.
Robin takes the thieves' tools which are fine quality, if a little big for his fingers (no IG penalty) and the silver flute which is also a fine piece of craftsmanship. He toots around on the flute as the rest divvy up the loot.
Cadas is given the jade magical warding ring by the group, and Tinuvielkeeps the unidentified leather flask. Smoke gathers the rest in his pack, stopping for a moment to look inside the black pouches. He stops and shows the others when he sees that 6 are filled with gold dust and 8 are filled with silver dust.
While the gear is discussed and packed away, Robin begins perusing the leather-bound journal. What he sees makes his eyes widen in surprise and horror, and he quickly shows the others. The book has about two dozen pages, most filled with maps of Sandpoint. The first few pages seem to show the battle plans of the goblin raid on Sandpoint you took part in thwarting, but more ominously, there are several further pages showing another attack, by a larger force of nearly 200 goblins. Several of these are scratched out but a few are not. The last few pages of the journal are filled with erotic drawings of a woman. The very last page showing the woman with a demonic appearance, including wings, horns, fangs, tail and a monstrous hand.
A few of the passages are most interesting and are reproduced below:
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
"All the more reason to go forward," Rogar interjects.
"Ameiko, this fool is your brother and you've already lost so much of your family. I will spare him if you wish, but I believe the luxury of letting someone else carry out the Gods' Justice on this monster is no longer available to us. By your leave I will do what must be done and give you and the town of Sandpoint the justice you deserve."
She turns to you and smiles grimly. "I would not have him executed without proper trial. Take him to the Garrison and let him await his fate. Hopefully, it will be something long and painful rather than the quick death you would provide him, good dwarf. There is no doubt of his complicity, but the full story should be heard publicly before we end his miserable life."
"So be it, bind him tight, gag his mouth and lock him in a closet. I do not believe we can delay longer, if this journal has an ounce of truth, ve must stop vhatever is ritual this girl is planning and stop it soon."
"I have important family business in town, but will bring the guard here to take him to the jail for you. Be about whatever you need to explore to end this mess."
"You have my thanks, and a permanent place to stay as long as you need it. The Dragon will always be open to you." She comes and hugs each of you in turn, eyes lingering with sadness as she looks at Smoke.
"If only it had been another time." she whispers into his ear as they embrace.
She then leaves out the loading door, headed for the Garrison.
Didn't our ranger friend tell us about Thistletop?
"I believe she did." agrees Boo.
As you get back topside and exit the macabre glassworks, a small company of guardsmen are arriving on the scene, sent by Ameiko. They offer to take the villain Tsuto into custody or escort you back to the Garrison. 2 remain posted at the door of the Glassworks to keep out passersby.