"Hmm. We only saw one - I think it's a strategy they're using. A Dwarf in full stone plate, carrying a Ranseur. My men were damned fools and tried to rush him - suicide, that. Not a one of them could touch him, so he just casually butchered them like the stupid pigs they were."
He pauses the sheathe his klar. "Evidently someone had stolen the money chest from the banker's carriage while he had everyone's attention."
Matthias pulls a longknife from his boot, and begins polishing that. "As I was saying, they attack one at a time. Normally stupid, but the other two are waiting in reserve to hit from behind - or to just rob the carriage with the most money."
Aethon thinks on the information for a moment before speaking. "And none of your men could even touch him through his armor? I'm unfamiliar with stone armor myself- anything you know about it that could help us? A weakness of some sort?"
"Well, you could try to hit it with magic. Stuff's as protective as full plate but heavier, though - he was also packing a tower shield, used it damn well."
He pauses for a moment. "It's made out of stone, though, so maybe you can use that."
Talwyn's eyes flash.
"I think I know just the spell. Anything click for you, Aethon?"
"Nothing in particular. I suppose I'll just try to keep my distance from that one. You can tell me your thoughts later." Aethon turns to Matthias again. "If there's nothing else, I would like to thank you for your time. However, we must be on our way; we have more people to talk to today."
"Agreed. Good sir, good day."
The directions lead you to a shop in the trade district called Kane's Emporium. You push open the door with a jingle, and a positively ancient man looks up from a silken rope he's weaving with a practiced dexterity.
"Welcome to Kane's Emporium!" he croaks. "How can I be of assistance?"
"Are you Julius Kane? We would like to ask you some questions about the bandits in the area. Have you had a run-in with them recently?"
"Ah, yes! The dirty, two-faced thieving unintellectual wizard! Why, he robbed me blind - I was working on an experimental version of one of my more popular items."
He sets the weaving aside, and says "He cast a spell of swarm summoning! I couldn't think in that hurricane of bats - barely managed to throw up an ablative barrier."
"By the time I got clear of the bats and was about to give him what-for, he was gone and my strongbox had vanished from the cart!"
He pauses, and grins. "You wouldn't happen to be hunting him, would you? If you could do me a favor, I could reward you handsomely."
"We are doing exactly that. What kind of favor did you have in mind?" Talwyn's eyes dart quickly about the shop as he speaks, hoping to discern the bent of this particular magic emporium.
Talwyn sees (evidently magical) odds and ends, but no weapons, armor, or similar devices.
"They stole my prototype of a scabbard that could enhance a blade placed in it for twice as long as a comparable magic item! I need that to study how exactly I did it so I can replicate it safely - it was the product of an accident, after all."
He grins, and says "You get that back for me, and I'll give you some knick-knacks I don't really need every week or two. Magical ones."
"Well, that does sound interesting. What exactly does this scabbard look like?"
"Bright read leather with silver embellishments."
"We'll do it. In the interest of recovering your stolen goods and maintaining our own vitality, are there any stratagems your superior experience would suggest to us?"
He considers it, and then his face brightens. "Well, I'm not much of a warrior, but I do happen to possess the spell he used on me in one of my spellbooks - would you like to transcribe it?"
Talwyn pauses. "The swarm spell? It might be an unusual counter to a wizard so fond of conjuring. I would be honored."
He reaches for his wallet.
"Oh, no! Free of charge - I won't cover the inks, though!"
"I am most grateful then," replies Talwyn, returning his money to his pocket, "that you would do me this service, I fervently hope to return the favor. Aethon, do you have anything you would like ask, or should we be moving on?"
"Anything else I need to ask?" Aethon thinks for a moment. "What did he take? Just a normal shipment, or was there anything in particular that might have been of special interest to him?"
"That scabbard would be the only thing of special interest."
He gets up with a grunt, and shuffles into the back office with a quick "One moment please!"
He returns with a heavy, well-cared-for book with the letter "S" embossed on the front. "Let's see... Summon Swarm!"
He passes the book to Talwyn, and says "Go ahead and transcribe it - I'll make some tea."
Again, he bustles out of the room - leaving the no doubt quite valuable spellbook with Talwyn.
Talwyn gazes at the priceless tome before him. He reverently turns each page, devouring the contents until he reaches Summon Swarm. He produces his blessed book, and begins to painstakingly transcribe each and every detail, his eyes slightly misty.
After returning with the tea, Julius sits quietly weaving his rope as Talwyn rapidly transcribes the spell.
"My, you're quite quick! Well, I need to close up - don't forget, red and silver scabbard. Good luck, and teach 'em a lesson!"
He ushers Talwyn and Aethon out, with one last "Just checking - you've asked everything you need to?"
"Aethon?"
Aethon nods. "That should be everything we need to know. Thank you for your help, Mr. Kane. We'll do our best to retrieve your scabbard when we get rid of those damned bandits." He extends a hand to shake.
Smiling warmly, Julius shakes Aethon and Talwyn's hands. "Have a nice night, and take care!"
We wave goodbye, and head off.
The night passes without incident. It is now Saturday. Should you choose, you can go to Mosker now, or you may speak to the other witnesses. Most will likely be home in the morning.
Aethon meets with Talwyn, still stretching and yawning with tiredness. "Good morning, Talwyn? I trust you slept well?" Without really waiting for an answer, he continues. "I think we should finish up talking to the witnesses on Mosker's list. Let's see who's next, shall we?" He reads the list quickly. "Ah, Jeremiah Smith. A tiefling, according to this. Let's hope he saw more than our other witnesses, though based on the pattern of the robberies, I don't hold out too much hope. Still, we should learn all we can at least."
Talwyn is alert as usual. "Agreed."
You arrive at a run-down set of apartments, and go up the second floor.
Immediately after knocking on the peeling door immediately to your left, a man opens the door. "Please tell me you got a job. I'm going crazy with nothing to do."
Because you are looking for it, you notice the reddish tint to - well, everything. His hair, skin, and eyes are all slightly redder than natural, and you can see slight calluses of what have once been horns on his forehead.
Aethon clears his throat apologetically. "Well, not exactly. I'm Aethon and this is my companion, Talwyn. We need to ask you some questions. Have you had any encounters with bandits lately?"
"So what you're saying is you're not here to hire me?"
"We might consider it. Are you a fighter?" Talwyn raises a hand.
"First things first though. We have received reports that you were in a caravan robbed by the bandits that have been plaguing the roads out of town. Can you give us information? We need leads to hunt them down and bring them to justice."
He waits expectantly for an answer.
He narrows his eyes, seeming to consider if it's worth talking to you. At last he says "Yeah. I was. The damn wizard summoned a bunch of squealing monkeys - every time I cut one down, another popped up to take his place."
"By the time we had beaten them back, the carriage had already been hijacked by the goblin. The green bastard killed everyone in it, s'far as I know. We didn't catch up, but we did find the corpse of the driver."
Jeremiah's eyes widen for a split second...
Jeremiah roars, the filed-down horns growing out longer with lightning speed as he claws at Aethon!
42 damage. I'd advise getting out of his threat range.
He had a surprise round, now roll initiative.
It is a fairly typical practice for Summoners to have their Eidolon summoned in the city. If he is, he'd probably be standing a bit back - he'll need to move, but if you step aside he could pounce.
Aethon:
Chrysos:
When it's my turn, I take a five-foot step out of Jeremiah's threat range, then move behind Chrysos and use Cure Light Wounds on myself.
.
On Chysos's turn, he pounces on Jeremiah.
Talwyn slips back with preternatural swiftness (5ft step out of threat range).
He follows up with a summoned pit (DC 18 Reflex) that is 20 feet deep.
Jeremiah falls into the conjured pit with a surprised hiss.
And fails in his efforts to climb out!
Aethon, your CLW comes into effect - move away from the pit or you'll have to save at +2 or fall in.
Chrysos can do something else now.
Talwyn, you may do whatever.
Barring a change in circumstance, Talwyn hisses in a fell language.
Talwyn casts summon swarm (spiders) in the pit.
Roaring as he brushes at the spiders ineffectually, Jeremiah gets a brief foothold and falls back.
A young blonde woman with sky-blue eyes and a slight blue tint to her skin comes running up the stairs.
"What's going on?"
Talwyn raises an eyebrow.
Talwyn recognizes that she is a human-born Aasimar. Judging by her complexion, she is from Valest, the land of the priests, another powerful city-state in the freelands not far to the west.
"I said, what's going on? Where's Jerry?"
Jeremiah fails again in his efforts to climb out, howling.
The aasimar whirls and faces the pit. "Is he- what, how?"
"Madam, we were attacked. Tell me the reason for his aggression and stop this madness, or he may die any moment." Talwyn's eyes are deadly serious.
"I-I don't know! I just, I just visit people like him, try to help them out - please, don't kill him!"
Aethon raises his hand to call Chrysos off. "Talwyn, please. He is subdued; my wounds will heal, and no harm will have been done." He takes a few steps back and finds somewhere to sit down. "He seems stricken by madness, to be sure, but I find it difficult to name it his fault. Punishing him would hardly be fair." He turns towards the Aasimar. "What do you mean 'people like him'? Do you know anything about what just happened?"
"Tief- uh, berserkers. I help them deal, like, with their feelings. Please, dismiss your magic!"
Jeremiah fails to climb out.
Aethon makes a motion to Chrysos to be on guard. Chrysos readies an action to attack Jeremiah if he tries to attack me.