You head to the God's Market to seek out Rialla Barleyhusk, searching out her storefront. The brick building is fronted by two large, many-paned glass windows and a large sign that reads Mercantile, Curiosities, Unique Items, and Magic-Bought and Sold Within. Inside the store, the shelves are lined with all manner of goods, crafts, and artwork both domestic and foreign. A halfling clerk sits on a large stool behind a human-sized countertop.
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Now you all should be aware, Hingle says in a hushed voice, that my best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who says that there's a thriving underground black market of items sold in the God's Market for those who know where to look and whom to ask. Such illicit trading includes both banned items and stolen goods...I guess it's pretty serious.
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Seeing as Brak isn't much for investigations, he'll keep an eye on the street outside, in case someone takes too much interest...
-Posted with Wayfinder
He boldly strides up to the counter. "We are with the Society and are looking for Miss Barleyhusk. Is she here?" asks the Galtan.
The halfling girl nearly bounces out of her chair. "Oh yes! Oh, that's me, of course! How can I help you?"
This time Rialla really does jump off her stool in excitement. She rambles everything in one long, breathless speech. "That poor man you asked about who was attacked, he looked a right mess, he had an arrow in his side, and he could barely walk. I sat him down and started to bandage him up. Then all of a sudden the Graycloak was there and asked if I had a potion to fix him up. I said I could patch him right up because I took a clsss from Berntuck's Fine School of First Aid. That Graycloak gave me the nastiest look and said the Graycloaks would pay full price for the potion. Well, I knew the master had some peppermint-flavored healing potions that weren't selling very well, so I ran back to get the potions and before I could even get to them, I hear the injured fellow gasp really loud. Hurry! the bossy Graycloak said, so I ran back as fast as I could, but when I got there, he was already dead."
The halfling quietly sobers up as she finishes her story, and walks back behind the counter and climbs onto her stool. "I was too slow."
Rialla fidgets in her seat a bit before finally spilling, "Well, yes, you're right. According to what I learned from Berntuck, an injury like that shouldn't have killed your friend so quickly. Bertuck said gut wounds are a long slow death. I'm not sure what happened. I meant to ask the Graycloak about it, but by the time I thought to ask her, she was already gone."
"Well I guess she was a bit pale, with black hair. It's hard to tell much else with her uniform covering her up. Her hood was up."
You say your farewells to Rialla and head off to find the friar. Unfortunately, as soon as you enter back into the streets you find two ugly men holding clubs with a dog between them. "This investigation ain't right. Don't know what you think you're doing but it won't be going on."
(+3 when underground)
Brak charges in and instantly knocks one of the pathetic thugs to the ground. Umaga's javelin misses but Hingle's missile is, of course, right on-target!
Seeing his fellow fall so easily to just a single hit from one of you, the other grabs the dog's collar and mutters, "Well, you get the idea. Just be careful asking questions is all." They then take off down the ally.
The unconscious one has a small book written in Osiriani in addition to his normal gear (studded leather, club, light crossbow, 20 bolts).
You track down your next lead, Friar Horace, at Erastil's Alehouse.
Erastil's Alehouse is a thriving brewery and alehouse run by monks of Erastil. Located near the edge of the Avenue of the Hopeful, it's currently a challenge to enter, with a mob of followers of a would-be-god crowding around the entrance hoping to catch a glimpse of the future godling drinking a swig of ale. A monk stands at the entrance blocking the path of some of the most aggressive followers who are trying to squeeze into the alehouse.
The monk at the entrance looks up with a frustrated expression on his face. "I'm sorry, my friends, but the Alehouse is a mite full at the moment."
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To the party, "eh, we don't need the dining room, we need the brewer. Check the back door?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
When you explain to the monk that you just need to talk to Friar Horace, he nods sympathetically and says. "Aye. Best not to go in then. I'll arrange to have him meet you around back. There's an alley there that won't be so crowded nor noisy."
Friar Horace is a thin, precise man with a hawkish nose. His description of events is precise and to the point. "Aye, I saw what happened; they attacked that Pathfinder right over there," the friar says as he makes a curt gesture to a patch of dirt in the alley behind the alehouse. "They were wearing gray cloaks, but I don't think they were guards. Your friend was holding her own, but then someone shot her from that rooftop." He makes another precise gesture pointing to a building across the alley. "I called out for Brothers Ellis and Freel and grabbed my staff, but by the time I got outside, it was all over. We were able to help your friend back into the alehouse and Brother Freel went to fetch the Graycloaks."
"I didn't see what happened to the relic your friend was carrying-they must have grabbed it while I was getting my staff. When Brother Freel tried to follow the thugs, he found their cloaks discarded at the delivery entrance to the bakery. After that, things open up to the market proper and it's almost impossible to follow anyone out there."
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"So, the greycloaks might be disguises to hide their true identity and let them freely roam the streets." Pierre surmises.
"Thank you for your insight, Friar. It was helpful." he offers kindly to the man.
After the Friar leaves, Pierre turns to his team. "We should keep this between us. Seems like two possibilities. They are fake greycloaks or real greycloaks. If we alert that we know real greycloaks are attacking, then they might change their MO or go underground." Pierre reasons.
"What do you think of setting a trap after talking to the last witness?" Pierre asks.
Pierre will also scout the area where the sniper was with a Climb check of 15.
Pierre climbs to the top of the roof where the Friar indicated seeing the archer. he finds an unused arrow between two roof tiles.
The alley also features a delivery entrance to the bakery, the area where the Friar indicated the men had come from. Searching the area you find a small slip of paper between two bricks. The paper reads Barnel-Noon, Pitview Pub.
On the front of this stall, a large sign proclaims Estelle's Last Hope Mercantile. A smaller sign below, obviously in a different hand, advertises All merchandise verified authentic, and in even smaller text below that is written No Refunds. The stall if filled with a variety of unique items bearing various claims, each less likely than the last. Cayden Cailean's Lost Loincloth sits on a shelf next to a clumsily preserved, half-eaten apple claiming to have been discarded by Norgorber on the day of his ascension.
The shop is run by a rotund Qadiran who smiles widely as you approach. "Ah, such fine gentlemen certainly have exquisite taste! You have come to the right place then, for I have many wares which will delight and excite you! What are you looking for this fine day?"
The man's obnoxious smile falters a bit. He pulls a handkerchief and begins to wipe his brow. "Ah, well then, you've come to the right place! I am Jarid. What exactly do you want from me?"
"Oh! Oh!" Jarid looks even more nervous now that he knows the real reason for your visit. "I had no reason to expect it was stolen. I'm already out good coin, and now you're here trying to scare off my legitimate customers! Please, you must be gone before I lose all of my business."
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Hingle speaks soothingly (well, as soothingly as an excitable gnome can). Now, my good man, we have no desire to drive off those who wish to buy your wares.
His voice drops to make it hard for those customers to overhear. But we do need to know where you got the contraband, though, and to whom you were attempting to sell it. We'll happily leave you in peace once we have what we need, sir.
Jarid calms down a bit at Hingle's quick words. "Ok, ok. I bought the Shard of Iomedae’s Lance from a fence I've dealt with in the past by the name of Barnel. He's generally unwashed and as has scraggly black hair. He comes to me though, so I don't know how to contact him if that's what you're getting at. I'm sorry, that's all I can tell you."
"Truly I do not remember who purchased it. I do not keep such records, as my customers are many and often only come to my stall once in their lifetime. But I recall where each of the items came from and that one certainly came from Barnel. The Ascendant Court is where you will find him."
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Sure enough, with a little more description from Jarid you are able to head to the Ascendant Court district of Absalom where, after some time waiting and snooping, you spot the scrappy rogue coming out of a building nearby. When he realizes that you are watching him and have likely identified him, he starts to bolt through the street but you easily catch him. "What. . . what do you want? Who are you?"