"Proper authorities!?! What? We told you we would tell you what we know in exchange for letting us go! Hold up your end of the bargain!"
The two skulks resolutely refuse to answer any further questions now that they perceive themselves to be double-crossed. If you listen carefully you can hear them muttering to each other something about "... and they have the nerve to say there's no honor among thieves!"
Now that they have realized that sharing information with you isn't going to win them their freedom, the two skulks sulk silently.
Agnes Walder and the guards are shocked to discover the two skulks have been skulking about in the vault and they immediately take custody of them, promising them that they will "pay the price for their crimes." The skulks gaze mournfully at the pathfinders, and shake their heads in dismay.
While the guards secure the skulks, Agnes visits the vault with the group to see if anything is missing. She seems relieved that the theft appears to have been limited to the less valuable items upstairs. "Thank goodness they were trapped in here by our security system. I'm sure they would have robbed us blind if they'd had the chance! If I hadn't been so distraught about poor Archie I reckon I would have noticed that they'd set off the traps... I owe a debt of gratitude to you pathfinders!"
"Thank you again," she tells the group as they make their exit. "We'll get these villains into the hands of Sheriff Feldane."
The pathfinders take their leave of the Locked Box and Mrs. Walder. As they consider their next step, they spy many people running past from the direction of the circus parade grounds, some shouting that a fight is about to break out, and others reporting that their purses were cut while walking around the carnival. One of the crowd says, “The thievin’ Varisians are trying to bleed the town dry!”
When the pathfinders arrive back at the carnival, the situation has escalated into a full-blown confrontation on the parade grounds between four Ilsurian men and two Varisian circus enforcers who are trying to drive them back toward town.
|
Holy Popping Corn-Cobs!
This carnival isn't the problem, folks. Someone is trying to set them up and we are trying to find the culprit. Needing to break up a fight is not going to help. Stop acting like your heads are full of hot spun sugar.
So far we are not a very diplomatic group, combine our rolls and we get a 21??maybe. . . . . yeah I didn't think so.
Wheeler Fire - dmg;
Ninnic - dmg;
Purple - dmg;
Green - dmg;
Blue - dmg;
Gorak - dmg;
Yellow - dmg;
Robbin Redfist - dmg;
Orange - dmg;
Raynard Milton - dmg;
Cortland - dmg;
Red - dmg;
The intervention of the pathfinders seems to only inflame the situation further, as what was a heated argument now turns into a riot!
Wheeler and Ninnic are up!
Wheeler Fire - dmg;
Ninnic - dmg; casting sleep;
Purple - 7 dmg; charging;
Green - 5 dmg; unconscious; prone; dying; weapon dropped in square;
Blue - dmg; charging;
Gorak - (4?) dmg;
Yellow - dmg;
Robbin Redfist - dmg;
Orange - dmg;
Raynard Milton - dmg;
Cortland - dmg;
Red - dmg;
Ninnic begins to cast a spell that he hopes will settle down the rioters.
Wheeler also tries to use magic to create calm, but the fire that he throws into the air only seems to further "inflame" the crowd, which now surges forward.
The carnival guards have had quite enough of all this. They're hired to keep the carnival open and safe and now look what sort of riff-raff are stirring up trouble!
Purple charges towards Gorak!
Green now charges Purple!
... stabbing him squarely. Green, who appears to be more of a fisherman than a warrior, seems startled to see blood upon his blade.
And Blue now in turn charges Green!
... with a single blow to the head he avenges his comrade, knocking Green unconscious!
Gorak is up!
|
The riot quickly descends on Gorak, who is caught off guard by the pressing crowd and swinging clubs. One strikes him clean on his armor- leaving a soot laced line across his bright red jacket. The tophat on his head flashed to a brillant red before shifting back towards a maroon velvet color.
"Blast! Why der you 'ave to do that to me, mate?"
He swings back with this greatsword, but as he swing- he levels the flat side of the blade against the attacker
Wheeler Fire - dmg;
Ninnic - dmg; casting sleep;
Purple - 7 dmg; 17 non-lethal; unconscious; prone; dying; weapon dropped in square;
Green - 5 dmg; unconscious; prone; dying; weapon dropped in square;
Blue - 5 dmg; charging;
Gorak - dmg;
Yellow - dmg; charging;
Robbin Redfist - dmg;
Orange - dmg;
Raynard Milton - dmg;
Cortland - dmg;
Red - dmg;
Gorak knocks Purple into tomorrow.
Yellow charges Blue, shouting "You dirty Varisians! Thieves! Murderers!"
Robbin is up!
Wheeler Fire - dmg;
Ninnic - dmg; casting sleep;
Purple - 7 dmg; 17 non-lethal; unconscious; prone; dying; weapon dropped in square;
Green - 5 dmg; unconscious; prone; dying; weapon dropped in square;
Blue - 5 dmg; 1 non-lethal; charging;
Gorak - dmg;
Yellow - dmg; charging;
Robbin Redfist - dmg;
Orange - dmg; charging;
Raynard Milton - dmg;
Cortland - dmg;
Red - dmg;
Robin moves up and strikes a glancing blow to the chin of blue, but he barely seems to notice it.
The Orange fellow now charges poor Gorak...
... but it seems like it has been a long time since he has practiced actual swordplay.
Raynard and Cortland are up!
Wheeler Fire - dmg;
Ninnic - dmg; casting sleep;
Purple - 7 dmg; 17 non-lethal; unconscious; prone; dying; weapon dropped in square;
Green - 5 dmg; unconscious; prone; dying; weapon dropped in square;
Blue - 5 dmg; 1 non-lethal; charging;
Gorak - dmg;
Yellow - dmg; charging;
Robbin Redfist - dmg;
Orange - dmg; 7 non-lethal; charging; unconscious; prone; weapon dropped in square;
Raynard Milton - dmg;
Cortland - dmg;
Red - 7 dmg; unconscious; prone; weapon dropped in square;
Raynard moves forward and knocks Orange unconscious with a non-lethal blow.
Cortland moves forward and quickly stabs Red in the chest and dropping the poor peasant to the ground.
Wheeler and Ninnic are up. The only combatants who are still conscious are Blue and Yellow.
Blue falls into a gentle slumber, while Yellow manages to resist the urge to doze but, looking around and seeing what has happened to his comrades, throws down his short sword helplessly. "Don't kill me! Me an' me friends was just tryin' to protect ourselves from these thieving murderin' Varisians. Ain't ye heard that they killed old Mr. Walder? Ye ain't murderers too, I hope ye ain't!?!"
|
|
Gorak's hands drop to his belt and he begins to fumble through all of the bobbles and nicknacks strapped to the leather. Finally, he emerges with a slightly crooked wood wand, that appears to have taken its fair share of dings and dents bouncing around with all the junk attached to the half-orcs belt.
He reaches the most injured of the people first, and proceeds to tap each with the wand, releasing its magic and moving awkwardly onto the next.
The group is able to heal the wounded members of the mob before any of them die. The “townies” explain there has been a rash of pickpockets since the carnival opened, but grumblingly agree to leave the premises. The guards are relieved to see them leave but before they can return to business as usual, one of the circus performers rushes up. "A body has been discovered in one of the large tents on the midway! Another death! What is happening!?!"
The pathfinders are directed back to the area where the baby dragon rampaged earlier, but this time they’re led inside the large tent called the Lair of the Sphinx.
This enormous tent is dwarfed only by the big top itself. The southern side has no wall, just a tall curtain pulled across its front. A neatly painted sign posted outside advertises that this area has been set aside for meeting the sphinx at limited times throughout the day. Just inside is a large metal cage with no floor and bars running across the top. A single large door is set on the north corner of the west face, secured by a heavy lock. Strewn about the grass beneath the cage are silk sheets and piles of cushions and satin pillows. Jherizhana, the sphinx, does not appear to be present.
Inside the tent the pathfinders find the body of a slain woman . Her robes clearly identify her as a cleric of Erastil. Her wounds look like claw marks from a large animal, similar to those found on the body of Archivin Walder.
The cage door is unlocked but has been pushed closed.
|
|
Robbin gets in to find the others have a handle on looking over the body and proceeds to attempt to get to higher ground.
|
|
Gorak reaches over and carefully turns the vials in his hands.
"Quite Interesting, ain't it mate. You can learn a lot about things like this simply by feeling the remaining energy, and what not..."
"But, nothing of note here. Seems like simple chemical reagents to me"
"What are we waiting about for, ol' chaps. Nothing to be seeing here, you can trust me 'bout that."
While Robbin is trying - and failing - to climb on top of the cage, Mistress Almara Delisen and Master Venlock, the circus’s chief enforcer, arrive on the scene. Both are visibly shocked to see the body, and Mistress Delisen immediately orders a carnival worker to run to Ilsurian and fetch Sheriff Feldane.
It's not long before the Sheriff arrives and she scowls to see a second murder victim. Looking down at the wounds she sighs deeply. "Sister Esrelda Woodmere, our local priestess of Erastil. Never hurt a fly, nor made an enemy. She was beloved by all. The mood in the town'll be more the worse when word gets out. First Walder, now Sister Esrelda, it ain't good."
She looks up at the pathfinders. "Well, have you learned anything? What have you discovered so far? I'll take any help I can get!"