"How...delightful. Thank you Sergeant."
"I guess no one has told him, but I swear you, there was pale green slime everywhere."
"Hmm? This does not sound good at all. Joskul, Has anyone dared touch this green slime by any chance?"
No sir, gods beware, no one was brave enough to touch that stuff. May I ask if you've ever heard of such things before? You look so far travelled, i guess you have already seen a lot of Golarion's wonders.
Johenric turns his head.
I appreciate your openness Sergeant. I guess you notice the question I raised if anything like slime or feathers has been found. The mayor told us nothing was found. I apologize for speaking openly but I have to clarify this for the sake of this city: Joskul, did the mayor not know about the slime? In case he did not, I have strong doubts towards the organization. In case he did know about the slime he has obviously lied to us and the question is if you know why.
He makes a small break.
Again, my intention is not to create trouble. I want to clarify all possibilites and as far as I am concerned it is just about having a frank conversation. Thanks.
No sir, I guess the mayor does not know about the slime...I mean, he wasn't there and he wasn't too keen on hearing reports about the attack. As I said, the mayor is not a warrior and easily frightened.
Pitr ponders the information, "Green slime, huh? Hey Solaric, you're from the pits aren't you? Does that sound like anyone you know?"
The old guard arches an eyebrow but does not dare to ask questions and leads you outside. Your clothes didn't even have the chance to become dry, so it's not so terribly bad to be drenched again after a few moments.
As you arrive at Slipper Market, you find the place in a state of total disorder. What normally must be a bustling market is now abandoned, save for two dozen milling Crows. Goran and Joskul escort you through a throng of guards into a roped off side street. Here Goran lifts the dripping rope barrier and points at a small house
That's Tarrig's home, he witnessed the events and called the guard. The house on the other side was attacked.
He could have saved that for himself, since the ruin now opposite of Tarrig's house is all you need as explanation.
Wide eyed faces watch you from upper floor windows, but no one speaks, neither the watchers, nor the guards, the only sound is the constant onrush of the driving rain.
Near the roped off street entrance, the guards have set up benches under a barely functioning open tent. Under the tent, lie the remains of three bodies, It seems like the guards are still finding new bodies among the rubble.
Kirk silently ventures out into the wreckage of the attack, looking first for signs or clues as to what may have caused the damage. He'll also keep his eyes out for anything of interest among the wreckage: items, bodies, etc.
Perception
Knowledge (nature)
Survival
As you walk over to the ruined house Joskul calls out to you
Hey, wait, shouldn't we firstly speak to Tarrig?
Kirk stops a moment and looks back, "I'm not very good with people."
While the group is standing under the tent, Johenric takes a closer look on the dead bodies.
Perception
""Green slime, huh? Hey Solaric, you're from the pits aren't you? Does that sound like anyone you know?"
"You have quite the sense of humor, my friend. However, I always figured that there was a Pit in Pitr. Perhaps the answer to your question is within."
"That's Tarrig's home, he witnessed the events and called the guard. The house on the other side was attacked."
"Well, let's go and have a word with the gentleman, and see if he can shed any light on the creature. Have you spoke to him yourself, my friend?"
Solaric goes over to the door of Tarrig's home and knocks.
Pitr follows along to see what Tarrig has to say.
Victoria moves to Kirk and assists with inspecting the place.
"Solaric and the others will no doubt be able to tease out what we need to know from the witness."
Checks - not sure what might be required, so using everything!
Knowledge (Arcana):
Knowledge (History):
Knowledge (Planes):
Perception:
Detect Magic
Detect Posion (traces of Slime?)
After Johenric has observed the dead bodies he moves at the Solarics side.
@ Vicky and Kirk:
The ruined building is still best to enter through its front door, which hangs open and a pool of rainwater has collected in the front room of wwhat once was a modest cobbler's shop. Shelves of shoes line the walls, and a small counter covered with shoemaking tools sits near a narrow flight of stairs to the south that leads up to a second floor.
@ The others:
Joskul nods and replies
No, someone else must have spoken to him, follow me.
He leads you to the house and waits as Solaric's knocks.
The door is opened and a slightly obese man with some nasty warts opens the door and is taken aback by the sight of a half-drow
Uahuahua...
Silence!
Commands Joskul and the man calms down nearly instantly.
Hey, ye never know dese days!
@ Johenric:
The bodies have traces of bite and wounds but also from some blunt thing that hit them. Judging by the size of the wounds the thing must have been an elephant or something!
"Tarrig, please calm down. I am Solaric Zekkaran, a priest of the Inheritor, and we are Karcau's Chosen. We have a few questions for you, if you will permit us to enter?"
Diplomacy
Solaric waits for Tarrig's reply to see if he will allow the group to enter his home.
.
Tarrig nods and leads you inside his small home, which consist only of one large living room, with a table and some chairs and two empty shelves of books. A narrow flight of stairs leads to a second floor. Either this man is totally broke and sold most of the things he possessed or he's a real minimalist, judging by the lack of furnitures and fixtures.
OK then, what do you want?
Now that you have entered his tone is rather rough.
His pupils are very expanded.
Perception
"Well met, Tarrig. You are most gracious to welcome us to your home. I promise not to take up too much of your time. Joskul was telling me that you were witness to the events of the nearby attack. He said you called the guard. I commend you for keeping such a level head about you in such a moment of crisis. First, could you please describe to us what you saw?"
Tarrig scratches his forehead
Ok, I'll tell you what I saw...even though the whole thing is still giving me the creeps...As every morning Slipper Market was awake early. The merchants set up stalls in the two hours before dawn and prepared their wares and that was when a terrible something came crashing out of cobbler Marshan's house. There was an awful lot of screams and the entire house shook as if some giant invisible hand has taken its hold on it and was trying to push it into the ground or crumple it in its fist. I ran for the watch, but by the time we had come back everything was quiet. Wasn't more than a couple of heartbeats after the guards had entered the cobbler's home that the shaking and the screaming began again. Some of the guards ran back into the street, just to be lifted into the air by something and unseen and crushed most horrifically. I left behind only some bodies, whatever it was. The house has been quiet ever since, but I guess the thing is still there.
perception
Pitr glances around. "What do you do Tarrig and where are all your things? Folks don't normally keep empty bookshelves."
Perception
Sir, you mentioned "invisible hand"; just for clarification: living persons have been lifted into the air and you did not see anything holding them, right? Please try to remember, did you witness some sort of air movement?
Solaric, I think we should investigate the cobblers house.
After Tarrig has answered. Johenric adds:
Diplomacy
Tarrig, I can see in your face that you do not feel good. Please share with us why you feel like this and Solaric being a representative of Iomedae might be able to help you.
Umm yeah, the rain gave it some shape, but...but I...I...just cannot express what I saw...it was amorph and simultaneously solid and...the bookshelves? Oh yeah, had to sell some things during the last month..you need the shelves by chance?
Oh and I feel super...super horrified mister! Isn't it obvious that a monster killing a whole patrol of guards right in front of me and ruining the neighbourhood is a bit too much for a man to bear?
"No, can't say I have a lot of books. You didn't say what your business is though. Must not be doing too well if you have to sell your stuff."
Ah umm business? No business at all at the moment.
he looks down to his feet, obviously embarassed.
"Solaric, I think we should investigate the cobblers house."
"Agreed!"
"...and that was when a terrible something came crashing out of cobbler Marshan's house. "
"Tarrig, was cobbler Marshan's house the one destroyed next door?"
"Ah umm business? No business at all at the moment."
"There is no shame in that, my good sir. However, you should consider becoming a town guard, with your bravery and level head!"
Yeah the cobbler's house is the place on the other side of the road. A town guard? Oh no, that's too hard kind of work for me, sir.
"No business currently? Well, what were you doing? What's your trade? Maybe we can throw some work your way."
Used to buy and resell this and that, you know? Nothing special or extraordinary.
You sense that he does not really want to speak about work...
Victoria continues looking about the surrounds...
"Well, seeing as you're not doing much now including cooperating with this investigation maybe we should have you thrown in the dungeon until you feel a bit more like answering my questions."
intimidate
Hey, whoa, what is wrong with you? I told you everything I saw!
Pitr turns back to Joskul, "Meh, I'm done here for now. I'm going to take a look at the ruins. Maybe it left a trail."
Pitr heads back to the Countess and Kirk. "Did you find anything? The witness just said whatever it was, it was really big and invisible. I don't think he's telling us everything though."
Tarrig, I understand that this situation is difficult to believe. We may have an assumption about what horror is about; but when we realize the horror this is much more intensive than our mind can suffer. You are a brave man.
Diplomacy
Tarrig, in order to safe further lives, I ask you about the shape of the invisible monster formed by the rain: do you remember anything of the shape?
No, its shape was amorphous to say the least, it had tentacles and horns and large claws and the legs of an elephant and the wings of a butterfly and several trunks and the maw of a tiger and...
Johenric nods towards Tarrig.
Thanks Tarrig.
Does Johenric know any monster fitting to the description?
Knowledge Arcana
Knowledge Planes
NO!
"Hey, whoa, what is wrong with you? I told you everything I saw!"
After Pitr leaves, Solaric appraoches Tarrig and tries to deescalate the tension that had been building.
"Tarrig, do not worry yourself about Master Jendarne. He can get that way when he doesn't get enough sleep. However, please know that we do appreciate all the information that you have been able to share with us thus far. Tell me, my friend, why do you think it attacked the cobbler's house? Do you know any reason why you think his house was attacked?"
Diplomacy
Mhh, I don't know, I mean, do you think the attack really targetted him?
"I don't know if they were targeting him or if Desna simply did not shine on his life that day. I guess I am trying to understand what motivates this creature. Is he simply seeking attention, power, food, or all the above or none of the above? I guess I am just trying to figure out what makes this creature tick? Is he purely evil, or is there something else behind the attacks? I do not expect you to have the answer, but I guess I am just thinking out loud, trying to determine everything we can about this creature based on what you have told us. Do you think it is still inhabiting the cobbler's house?"
I...I hope not!
Joskul touches your shoulder and asks
Sir Zekkaran, shall we go obver to the cobbler's house then?
"By all means, let's walk over and continue the investigation. Will you please show us the way?"
Joskul leads you over the rain drenched street to the front door where Kirk and Victoria are already waiting.
Solaric walk over to the cobbler's shop with Joskul, steps through the front door and calls out to his companions.
Hello, your Grace, Master Spearborn. Have you two found anything of interest looking around this place?"
Looking for Jendarne, Solaric approaches the Taldan and has a few words with him, "Hey Pitr, why did you have to give poor Tarrig such a hard time? The man was obviously embarrassed by his lack of employment. You didn't need to threaten him for failing to answer your questions! Don't try to tell me you've never been unemployed, because I won't believe it!"
Solaric will enter the house and begin his investigation. First, he is looking for any sign of where the creature entered from and any marks it has left behind.
Perception
This one -the sale room- is still relatively unscathed. The damage is mostly done to the back part of the house. You can either access that area via the alley or the stairs.
Johenric follows Solaric and as soon as he entered he investigates the room.
Perception