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Eglantine looks up at the scarred man thoughtfully. "Can we speak somewhere privately, please?" she asks quietly. "I'd be happy to cover the cost of whatever you're eating and drinking."
If Pathfinders are being badmouthed around town, she probably doesn't want to answer him with a hearty yes, she supposes-- other people may be looking away, but that doesn't mean they aren't listening....
"Right here is good. I appreciate the meal. It'll offset the cost of this."
He produces a vial, awaiting someone to sit down. "I only need one of ye to drink this before I talk to ye."
"Bottoms up." Enora gladly takes the drink "Truth Serum? A devil pact? Or are you just trying to get me drunk?"
"It's a simple insurance policy to make sure you speak the truth."
It has the Glyph of the Open Road etched into the bottom
"All yours, big man."
Novid confirms that it is an Elixir of Truth...
There is one, but you can voluntarily fail it. It's DC 13. You can opt to NOT answer a specific question with a new save.
Kara blends in as best as the setting allows.
The question is, does Enora fight the potion, or let it's magic work?
No problem. Novid, do you drink it? If so, do you resist?
He wastes no time, staring intently at Novid, “How long have you been working for Molthune?” Who is your Molthuni contact? Do any of your allies have ties to Molthune?”"
He nods gravely at Novid's responses before speaking. "“Two weeks ago, while my men and I were patrolling along the edge of the Fangwood south of the city, we spotted a group of bandits attacking a smuggler in the woods. The leader looked like a woman with a streak of white hair. We gave chase, and tracked them as they fled west, but lost the trail when they hit the river. I don’t think they simply forded or swam; I’d bet good money your bandits have a ship capable of sailing up the Marideth River.”
You can find ships at bigger places than this. I don't have any leads, but Tamran is rife with rumor and scuttlebutt. Ask around. If you're Pathfinders, I'm confident you'll put it together."
"Next time you see Marcos Farabellus, tell him Imad Sharras sends his greetings."
Although Molthune blocks much of the trade to and from Tamran, the city still does brisk business with other Nirmathi settlements up the river, and there’s plenty of fishing to be done well before reaching Molthune’s interdictors. As a result, the docks still bustle with activity during the day.
"Well, that was fun." Enora skips along. "I guess we can ask the folk on the Marideth River about new ships they have seen. Maybe new bandit groups, too."
The party manages to round up another potential lead:
Jonathram, an amateur apothecary. Jonathram has not aged gracefully, despite his elven heritage. He is completely bald and wears a silver earring in one ear and a snowy white beard.
“Thefts? I don’t know nothing about no thefts. I know about receiving stolen goods though, and I ain’t about t’get locked up on no fool charge like that. Some Varisian feller come by wanting to buy up mah vermin repellent, trying to barter off some potions or whatnot. But I sees the Glyph of the Open Road on ‘em, and I ain’t about to touch no Pathfinder stuffs, so I tell him to shove off. Boy that got ‘im real mad. He was itchin’ up a storm, he was! Must have been living in them marshes, where them skeeters live.”
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Nym looks askance at the facial hair on the fellow elf, recoiling a bit at the apothecary's uncouth tonsorial choices. Swallowing any negative comment, he approaches the man and speaks to him in the mother tongue.
He looks at Nym for a while before speaking, "That's mighty kind of you. There was a woman now that you mention it. He 'ad black and grey streaked hair. Varisians all look the same ta me. That's all I remember."
Indeed additional questions and angles get nowhere. He ultimately doesn't even take Nym up on the offer to look for ingredients.
Frustratedly, as the sun goes down on your first day in town you opt to head back to base and compare notes. The evening meal isn't amazing, but it does it's job. As the conversation turns to business something falls into your lap, literally.
A bird seemingly made of magic drops A NOTE in Reesa's lap...
Now what?
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Eglantine reads the note with bemusement. "From Guaril? Rather convenient, isn't it? Would be a perfect trap, though, and we already know someone's trying to frame us. What if someone's told, say, the city militia that Molthuni sympathizers will be on the dock at just that time...? We'd have a hard time talking our way out of that one."
Eglantine muses to herself, tapping her chin. "Maybe we could scout it early, and then, when the hour draws near, hide ourselves and watch. If it really is Guaril, fine-- we show ourselves. If it's not, we see who's there waiting to ambush us."
You confirm that the bird was a feather token, but not much more.
Anything special about the docs? Any gangs we should look out for?
"Makes sense it may be a trap, but it's our best hope."
Kara doesn't seem to learn anything the others don't. You're confident that no one is spying on the party... for now.
Enora doesn't know much about the area. What are you guys going to do about the note?
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As the feather token drops its message to the group, Nym's lip curls in puzzlement. "How did Guaril find out about this shipment when we've been asking around all day, and not hearing hide nor hair of it? Guess that's why he's a faction leader, and we are grunts. Though the bearded elf did say the man he saw was a Varisian fellow..."
Ultimately, Nym throws his lot in to go to the appointed rendezvous and see what is to be seen. If indeed it is a trap, at least the mystery will be over.
He thinks back to his pre-trip preparations about what the river trade at Tamran might be like and what to expect at the docks of this god-forsaken place.
Nym knows the area is riddled with puddles, ramshackle huts, and few people after dark. It's the perfect place for a clandestine meeting... or a trap.
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"Halfling girl," says Nym to Eglantine his disdain for those he considers little better than servants rather apparent. "The docks are no place for you to go wandering around alone. It's filled with puddles and ramshackle huts, and who knows what else. You remind me of a maid my famiily kept in Kintargo. I'd hate to see anything bad happen to you if you go off alone to a place like that. Get that creepy crow who is always following us around to go with you at least." He waves dismissively at the brave magus, washing his hands of the matter and returning to his studies of devil-summoning and the like, while waiting for the appointed hour to arrive.
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Okay, I know *I* didn't send that bird. Fifty-fifty based on how the party's reacting they're grabbing at straws and walking into a trap. Best to get the... What. Are. You. Doing? It's dangerous to go alone!
Thankfully, he didn't hear the conversation between the wizard and the magus, or he might have had to do something about it. Coin works, sometimes...
"I'm traveling together with you guys. No way is some thief gonna sneak something bad into my pocket."
The scouting mission produces the new map. Place yourselves whereever you'd like for the meeting. If you plan on hiding while someone else does something (or all plan on hiding) then make the roll in the thread. Once people are on the map I'll unveil the scene.
Enora keeps her prized staff of minor arcana ready. She casts Comprehend Languages before midnight.
"Well, I'm ready. You guys see anything?"