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Thorn touches base with the others with him before heading out, "Let's not make a big deal of this either. We should be travelling on the down low in case someone's aunt is dumping the pot, savvy?" Looking for a tail or suspicious eyes.
Thorn makes his way to Gar's and tries to fit in, just getting the lay of the land.
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Thorn spends hours hanging around the Gar's Last Meal. It's fairly popular, with decent, reasonably priced food. A pair of sisters perform a dueling lute act onstage, to great applause.
Unfortunately, the whole place reeks with an overwhelming fishy smell. At about noon, Thorn's eyes are watering so badly he needs to step out for a bit of air. While everyone he met had strong opinions about the smuggling, nobody seemed to have any information that would help you narrow down the source.
General Canvas: 10 AM
Gar's Last Meal: Noon
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Doubtful would like to visit the market ... in theory to track down which merchant is selling the stolen goods and perhaps learn where he's getting them from... but really he wants to buy some vermin repellent... convinced there will be mosquito swarms given all the rumors they're hearing.
Keeping an eye out for suspicious activity
And folks who are lying or acting squirrely
And trying not to mess up the diplomacizing
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And Diplomacy is the best here, but as I've said before, creativity is encouraged. When I played this, a player used Profession (Gambler) by describing how he worked his way into a group of shady types down by the dock and got them to lower their guard over a friendly card game.
Re: Vermin repellent, yeah, unfortunately you won't find any for sale. None that actually works, at least.
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Dunkel agrees to split the party, with "one dwarf for each subgroup being ideal". He selects Thorn, wanting to keep an eye on the "new guy" and knows Amiri, as an honorary dwarf will be helpful wherever they should go.
Dunkel eyes the various sights and inhales deeply within the Gar, smiling at Thorn and Amiri.
"Ahl'right. Ah think we should start by orderin' a big meal. Y'know, t' set everyone at ease?"
Without any chance for a response, Dunkel beckons for attention and begins rattling off things he'd be interesting in eating.
"First, we'll need mead aplenty. Then some o' tha' lamb ah see is th' daily special. N' tha' boar ye 'ave listed too. N' don't be stingy with them spices, lassie..."
Dunkel flips through his travel guide as he eats, hoping to discover something useful in their search.
Thick, dark gravy aplenty litters the pages as he does so.
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Join by Doubtful and Imrana Jair continues her investigation. Following the clue she finds at the baker.
She goes to the Market District and asks questions about Garela's friend, the Varizian's man.
Transforming herself in a varisian's girl, taking the accent and mannerism, she asks around. Again, targetting men rather than women.
Hello, I'm looking for a a fellow of mine ! He says he works for a certain Guaril Karela. But I'm not sure.
May be you've seen him ?
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Gar's Last Meal
After another hours, you're told that the sisters dueling onstage, Lily and Lilah, make a point of gossiping with outsiders, and one of the waitresses promises to introduce you after they finish their set.
As they begin their finale, though, Amiri notices a suspicious woman approaching Dunkel, who is devoting all of his attention to the lamb before him. She has a knife in one hand, and a small bag in the other.
Marketplace
Jair's mentioning of Karela's name makes a few shoppers curse him creatively. Eventually , she finds her way to a less trafficked back-alley.
A tall, obese man with a scraggly red beard approaches, and immediately begins pleading.
"I saw you asking around! I knew this was going to come back to bite me! Guaril sent you here to break my legs or something, right? Well you don’t have to—I’ll tell you everything! Just don’t hurt me! I used to buy from Guaril Karela; now I buy from whoever is stealing from Karela. Hey, what’s it matter to me? When I meet them, it’s always on the north end of town, so I figure they must have a hideout up north somewhere. Please, that’s all I know!”
Meanwhile, Imrana finds herself at a vendor of antique maps. Getting into a discussion about your goals, the shopkeeper mentions that there are a number of abandoned forts outside the city, that might provide a hideout for criminals. Dating from the Shining Crusade, they're all in ruins. Pleased with the quality of the conversation, he lets her keep the map, free of charge.
Amiri glares at the woman with the unsheathed knife in hand.
"Back... off..."
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Gar's Last Meal
All eyes in the room turn to you, the lutes quickly falling silent.
A halfling man approaches, "This woman here stopped the cutpurse! I saw the whole thing. Let's give the bag back to the nice dwarf here." he says, trying to pry the leather bag from her hands. It spills open as he does so, sending silver pieces clattering to the floor. He backs up in shock, confronting the three of you,
Those are Molthuni coins, saying it as if it was a curse word. The only thing worse than a cutpurse is a traitorous spy!'
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take 10. drawing on the knowledge from the briefing, "I know it's not real. Well played, but you're picking the wrong group here. I get why assuming that we're *them* makes for a good mark, but worry not. Back to your drinks." Thorn then stares at him... hard.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Dunkel rubs his eyes as he glances at the pouch and the coins.
"Tha's not me pouch! Nor me coins!"
Dunkel rummages around on his person, pulling out his own coin pouch.
"Now ah know what ye are all thinkin', tha's a coinpurse, but ah really like t' think this be a coinsatchel..."
Dunkel shakes his head, all too used to defending the shape and size of the bag, but bringing his thoughts back to the immediate situation.
"Now why'd ah carry a second coinpurse about with jess Molthuni coins? Less see what ah' really 'ave..."
Dunkel opens it up and spills coins on the table of various denomination - mostly all Absalom and Kasgardian.
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Tell me, cockroach, who do you meet, how many ? And, please, be specific in your descriptions of those who steel from my friend.
Asks Jair to the man.
Seeing Imrana coming to her she smiles broadly at her. Well done Imrana !
Then, once alone, she says to Imrana and Doubtful.
Thanks to your map and the direction of the man, may be we will be able to determine where they hide outside of town ?
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Gar's Last Meal
Between your adamant denials and the man's unconvincing attempts to stir up the crowd, it quickly becomes clear that the crowd are not buying their accusations. Militia soon show up to arrest the woman, while the man throws his hands up in disgust, storming off.
Lutists Lily and Lilah, their performance brought to a sudden halt, make their way over to your table. As you get talking, Lilah says, "We never see that sort of thing here. Hope you won't hold it against us. Tamran's a lovely place. Everyone's just on edge ever since those the Pathfinder shipments started getting stolen."
Lily chimes in, "I heard the thefts were fake. One of those Pathfinders was in here a few weeks back asking around about the Shining Crusade, wanting to know if anyone had a picture or a drawing of what the soldiers back then looked like. I asked her about the thefts, and she said it was all a lie to let the smugglers drive up the prices.”
"Oh yeah, I remember that elf. She gave me the willies, her and her boyfriend both. Glad I haven’t seen them around town lately.”
Marketplace
The terrified man explains "There's always a few militia types. They've got red birds stitched on their shoulders. They're led by one of those Razmiri guys though. Least I think it's a guy. Deep voice, but you never can tell with those masks and robes. They find me when they want to meet, but it's always on the north side of town. Lots of shady places to meet away from prying eyes."
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Imrana copies down the testimony of the frightened man.
"Would you please detail these 'shady places' for us? The more assistance you give us, the better the chance we have of driving away these bullies so you can return to your illegal deals in peace. If you are truly helpful, then we will make sure to tell Mr. Karela that you were coerced and that he should not hold a grudge for working with those stealing from him."
She speaks with her usual cheerful, lackadaisical tone, not even looking up from her book.
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Marketplace
The man will point out a handful of specific locations on the north side of town. As there are few homes in the area, the neighborhood is mostly deserted after dark, making it ideal for clandestine meetings or transactions (in his case, mostly transactions of a pharmacological nature).
On the Way to the Forest Bounty
After a while, you're all able to regroup and compare notes.
Before you arrive at the Forest Bounty, a small bird approaches you, carrying a note in its beak. It waits for one of you to take it before flying away.
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"Looks like we got ourselves a few leads. Seems to me that someone's trying to set us up in a right nasty fashion. I'm guessing they have beef. They've got a ghost of us rootin' so we get the pinch by way of a pigeon plucker. "
Thorn spits on the ground.
"I don't like it."
He looks up at his party mates, and takes a deep breath, conscious of his speech now, "We're walking into a frame job. We've got to get them before they get us. Let's meet up with Guaril, though it sounds suspicious. Why wouldn't we meet him before? Lack of planning leads to rash decisions."
Thorn is ready. He spends the rest of the evening getting ready by smearing his face with soot. "When it's time, I'm going to be off to the side, just in case. I promise, I'd never leave you guys to dry."
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That's strange... Guaril said he will metting us in three days.
Says Jair who looked at the note.
Nevertheless, this invitation even if it's a trap could give us more information about what's going on. But we must go together.
Do you have a description of the two elves ? For my part, I know a varisian guy try to sold Karela's stuff and make profit with it.
I also, with Imrana's help be able to find a guy who seems to have been selling goods given to him by a Razmiran's cleric and back by some militian.
She turns to Imrana and Dunkel.
Do you know which militia have red birds stitched on their shoulders ? It could help us find the culprits.
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Dunkel shrugs.
"Ach, we 'ave a lot o' leads t' pursue now, eh? Abandoned forts. Checkin' fer more rumors at tha' Gar. Guaril wants t' talk t' us now..."
Dunkel considers the options.
"Less' talk t' Guaril. Last 'ah remember 'e almost got 'imself killed on a boat 'n Absalom harbor, so could be e's bein' mugged again n' needs our aid..."
As Dunkel begins to orient himself to their current meet-up location, he considers Jair's question.
"Red birds, eh? Hmmm..."
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There are hundreds of independent militias in Nirmathas, many with similar iconography. The most likely one in this region is the Red Kestrels, a well established group that has been active here for some time. Every militia operates and governs itself independently. The official leader of the country, Forest Marshal Weslen Gavrik, only has the authority to request militias to do something, not give direct orders. You're not sure who commands the Kestrels.
Jair is pretty familiar with Guaril's signature. It's pretty clear that this is not actually his handwriting.
"Right. Now I REALLY want to go to this meeting...."
Thorn puts an extra layer of ash on his face.
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Imrana also peeks over at the note, though with significantly more grace than Dunkel.
"I have learned that it is often better to avoid murder when possible. Every corpse is a possible soldier in the armies of the dead. That is my opinion, but it will likely not affect our mission to only take the leader alive."
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With some time before the meeting is to take place, you head to the Forest Bounty.
The interior of this enormous wooden long house is brightly lit and filled with the sounds of laughter, music, and merriment. Food scents mingle with the smoke of cooking fires and tobacco pipes. Servants carry food and drinks from the open kitchen area to the various wooden benches and tables that fill the hall.
Many of the patrons are armed and armored, proudly bearing the insignia of local militia groups on their cloaks and tabards, along with the sword and tree symbol of Nirmathas. As you don't exactly resemble the typical Nirmathi militia, you get periodic odd looks, but people generally seem content to leave you to your business.
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Jair takes the lead, and began to asks around about the Red Kestrels.
Hi there, I'm looking for someone of the Red Kestrels. I have a friend who... how could I said that. She's not alone anymore, thanks to one of them.
As my friend is not in the state anymore to come and asks around she have sent me to find him.
Could you help me please ?
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The Red Kestrels are a fairly small unit, though their captain, Jana Vaylorne, is well respected, and has been rising through the ranks quickly.
Before long, a man approaches Jair. He walks with a noticeable limp, and is missing his left arm from the elbow down.
“Now is not a good time for strangers to be asking questions in Tamran. There are rumors that spies walk among us and that Pathfinders are among those spies. I find it a little hard to believe, given Pathfinders helped me out in a time of need,” he remarks, gesturing with his hand to his amputated arm.
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I don't know about spies, but I can assure you that Pathfinder are no spies, at least here, in Tamran.
On the contrary, the Society tries to make sure that Nirmathas, and ... the other nation, continue to be peaceful.
But I've heard that people from Razmiran, faithful of their false god, have hired some Nirmati milicia, the Red Kestrel I think by the description of their insignia.
If you're a friend of the Society, your help will be welcome sir.
Says with a charming smile Jair
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Dunkel takes a peek at Doubtful's stew.
"Aww, ah hope ye dinnae get th' only beetle in th' pot!"
Dunkel even goes so far as to prod Doubtful's stew with his own spoon, seeing if he can spot anything interesting.
"Ye sure tha's not chicken? Dun look like anythin' better like a beetle or some mealworms..."
Frowning that no further discovery into the stew's origination was made, Dunkel slides his bowl towards Doubtful, still feeling full from his meal earlier this afternoon, especially since so little digging has been done this day.
He wobbles over to the man-with-no-arm.
"Ah can spot th' sign o' ah diggin' accident anywhere! That looks like th' taletell sign o' a 2 ton support beam collapse!"
He looks a bit surprised as Jair so freely shares every detail they've discovered, but shrugs it off and continues to introduce himself.
"Dunkel Diggerson's th' name, sir. Ye've got some good agents o' th' Society right here. Best ah've worked with since joinin' up me'self!"
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"I'm Imad Sharras. The arm was a Molthuni cavalry saber, actually. Speaking of good folk in the Society, I wouldn't have made it out of there without my old friend Marcos.
Anyway, here's my offer," he says, steering the group towards a quiet corner. "So here is my offer. I know something of these bandits you seek, and I will tell you, but first one of you must drink this,” he says, producing a small blue bottle from his pocket.