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The ifrit's eyes flutter open, her voice barely a whisper. "Thank you Dawnflower, I won't forget." Azora begins to focus and she cries out in pain. "Thank you for the healing. I assume this means we won?" She waves away any further ministrations from the team as she draws out her own wand.
Scratching as the recently healed wound, "So, if he was a plant, what does that mean for our efforts?"
Having healed up, the other Sarenites approach the body carefully.
"It, took the form of one of our own. Sarenrae protects us...."
Another looks directly at you.
"If what that thing said is true, you have a disaster to avert.
Heavens forbid that comes to pass, we'll take care of cleaning the place up."
============================
Some time later..
============================
You get to the street where Dalsine manor is located, home to Chalfon Dalsine.
Up ahead, is a coach, stopped in front of its gate. It is decorated with posh details, fine craftsmanship. Fit for someone as important as, say, a faction head?
A man in formal attire and a fine cape steps out and speaks to the guards and is let in. The coach leaves shortly thereafter, yet another coach arrives, this one baring Quadiran decorations.
A few men in Quadiran fashion exit, and have some words with the guards at the gate. As you come closer, their discussion has heated up, as one of the Quadirans points to where the other coach had just left.
A female shape easily scales the 12ft high walls, while the two sides are arguing.
...ou let them in! If you say no entrance, yet you let others in, that's some attitude, Taldan."
Taldan guard: "He was an exception."
Quadiran: "Exception? Then you'll make an exception for our mistress as well, you're discriminating here, just because we are not Taldans?"
Taldan guard: "Listen here, you Quadiran desert scum, why don't you..',
While you can hear it heat up, you have multiple options.
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The oracle takes a moment to call upon her patron for guidance.
Hoping to provide cover for Mosi, Aroza approaches the guards, "Surely you all represent the best both nations have to offer. The eyes of the world watch you, and judge you. Where is the confidence, the conviction expected of the premier forces of Golarion? This squabbling plays into the hands of those lesser than you. Remind them of who you are."
The guards briefly hold arguing with each other, as they look over at Azora.
Taldan guard: "Move along citizen, this is not of your concern.
And if this rabble represents the best of Quadira, then Quadira is a den of disrespect and troublemakers."
The Quadirans take offense, obviously....
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Mosi looks at the wall, looks at his companions moving to speak to the guards, then back at the wall again.
Don't split the party, don't split the party, don't split the party... The logical side of his brain implores him. Any good adventurer is taught that right from the start, either by someone who wants to encourage them, or by the wicked results of experience. At some point, everyone learns not to split the party.
It can't be that bad, right? The wild and adventurous side of his brain says.
The pull is too great, and Mosi the Wanderer cannot resist. Hand over hand, he quickly pulls himself over the wall and drops down on the other side softly, scanning his surroundings.
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Balbo hangs back, not keen on trying to scale the sheer wall that Mosi clambered up so deftly. Neither is the halfling skilled at diplomacy, though perhaps he could try to intimidate one group or the other, should it come to that. Instead, Balbo keeps a sharp eye out for trouble, both with his eyes and his ears.
The Taldan guards think a bit on Asterion's words.
#2 "While i've heard some hearsay such, they are hardly noteworthy, with that attitude."
Meanwhile, Mosi studies the wall, and flats himself against it, using his rough palms and soles of his feet to keep himself from sliding down.
He gets on top of the wall and, peering ahead, notices some guard dogs in the yard, and the woman entering via a window.
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Balbo approaches the knot of people, his fierce eyes fixed on the Quadirans as he rides atop Chompy - though at least the dinosaur isn't trying to chew on anyone.
"These men are guards and deserve your respect and attention, as they have been granted lawful authority." He states flatly, indicating the Taldans.
Includes +3 for Adaptable Luck racial bonus and Fate's Favored trait boost
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The Taldan guards think a bit on Asterion's words.
#2 "While i've heard some hearsay such, they are hardly noteworthy, with that attitude."
Jeskit pleads with the other side, I know you despise them, allow me to say, it is because you do not understand them. His familiar Tetch offers an appoving Guidance.
Balbo makes a solid sudden intimidation, briefly silencing the Quadrians' arguing.
Jeskit quickly follows up on that, somewhat confusing both Quadrians and Taldans, by the mixture of attitudes the newcomers present their thoughts with.
============================================
Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall..
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Mosi nimbly gets down to the ground, finding himself in a 40ft long yard, leading up to the manor.
He finds there's not much space to circle around the dogs, as the walled off yard leads straight towards the manor.
Indeed, the dogs smell his presence, when he skillfully creeps near bushes to within 30ft range of them, and they raise their heads, sniffing the air. He notices two more coming from the sides up ahead.
Azora's riddle puzzles the Quadirans, but one of them, having a sister who quoted a lot of Irori in the past, recalls what she says.
"You...have a point. These pompous fools may serve their purpose in the web of destiny."
As the Taldans are about to respond to this, he turns around, walking a short distance, before starting anther conversation with his comrade.
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Hairy balls! This isn't good. What was I thinking?
The clock is ticking, and Mosi stands frozen, panicked. Any moment and the dogs will find him, and doesn't he look like just the squishy stuffed toy? All leathery and furry.
No time. Mosi dives into the same window that the woman went into, silently cursing himself for splitting the party.
Dumb dumb dumb. Hopefully I live long enough to learn the lesson
Mosi's heart races, thumping so loud he wonders if the dogs will even need to worry about smelling him. Once inside, he keeps his head low and tosses a piece of jerky out of the window, aiming for the middle of the yard.
The windows and door to the manor are in plain view to those within the garden and at the gate.
When Mosi exits the bushes, he finds the dogs quite near him and, naturally, they start to sound the alarm.
*BARK BARK*
*BARK BARK*, and their muscles tense up to engage Mosi.
======================
Outside the gate.....
======================
*bark bark*
The guards look over their shoulders through the gate.
#1: "What's going on?"
#2: "Hey, there's an intruder in the yard!"
#1: "Just our luck....."
========================
The yard, round 1
Asterion, Azora, & Balbo
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Jeskit
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Dogs
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Mosi
One of the three guards opens one of the grated doors, and heads into the yard, while the other 2 dutifully keeps watch as per orders, one closing the door again with his key.
"You there, you are on private property! Leave at once, or the dogs will make their move!"
He moves 30 ft into the yard.
Azora casts bless, which the two don't see as suspicious yet.
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Jeskit
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Dogs
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Mosi
Jeskit's glare catches one of the two off guard (pun unintended).
The other shrugs, "That's what the Quadirans said as well.
Unless you can state what this important business entices, we cannot let anyone in."
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While the conversation goes on, the yard is more eventful.
Contrary to the lone guardsman's attitude of warning, the dogs are less inclined to wait, and start snapping their jaws at Mosi.
The dogs bite at Mosi's ankles and hand, drawing blood upon the monk.
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Mosi
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Mosi knows when he is not wanted...
"Good doggie! Good boy!" he whispers harshly, more out of rising panic than scolding the poor dogs just doing their job.
Knowing this won't be easy to get out of, Mosi spins and tumbles, doing his best to avoid drawing any more snaps and bites. A pack of triggered dogs could quite easily rip him to shreds. He would be dead before his companions even made it over to help.
The pathfinder knows he has probably left himself exposed. He runs as quickly as he can, hoping the dogs don't kill him before he gets to the wall.
[ooc]Another pass.
Mosi quickly makes his way towards the gate and the wall, the dogs barking, and the guard somewhat relieved the trespasser chooses to hightail it.
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The yard, round 2
Asterion, Azora, & Balbo
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Guards
1 in yard
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Jeskit
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Dogs
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Mosi
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Balbo speaks up, hoping to draw the guards' attention away from Asterion. "We have information for Chalfon. It's about the Dawnflower Blossoms." The halfling isn't lying or being deceitful. He has information, alright. And as soon as they're allowed to see Dalsine, the inquisitor plans to tell him all about how they defeated his agent that planned to cause a rift between the Pathfinders and the Quadirians. The nobleman has much to answer for...
#1: "Who?", with a genuinely ignorant look on his face.
#2 Seemingly wracks his brain..
"Say, didn't that bunch the other day mention that name in their drunken stupor?"
#1: "Maybe, i'm not sure."
The two seem torn between their duty and the common 'perhaps the man in charge may want to hear this'....(since explicit guard duties)
Azora's words make the guards decide to let you in.
The one in the yard had heard the conversation, and whistles to the dogs , giving them commands to stay away from the path that leads to the manor.
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Mosi finishes scrambling over the wall, sitting in the shadows at it's base for a few harrowing moments while his heart rate comes back down. He looks down at the bite marks on his thigh and calf, grimacing from the pain.
Dusting himself off and putting himself back together, he calmly and discreetly approaches his companions from behind, staying back there as if he had been there all along.
Then he taps on Azora's shoulder, handing her his wand of cure light wounds.
The team walks their way towards the door, which is pushed open by Asterion and Jeskit.
For what you see, unexpected is too mild a word...
The woman, obviously Quadiran, is clashing blades with the caped man.
With what has transpired outside, it leaves little to the imagination that the two combatants are none other than the faction heads.
Before you can act, the woman parries the man's sword, and with uncanny grace, makes a scissor-like attack, her cut so fine, no blood splatter follows. The man's head is severed from his body, as it makes a double flip backwards, rolling 2 feet away before coming to a stop.
The headless body on the floor, the woman spits on the corpse.
"My sister has been avenged.", and she notices you.
"Pathfinders, no doubt, che. I hereby renounce my position as faction head, i'm done with it all."
She activates some item, and vanishes through teleportation....
Up on the balcony, a the top of the stairs, stands a man in aristocratic attire, chuckling enthusiastically at the display of vengeful murder.