What you know/have heard around town:
Ameiko Kaijitsu is a headstrong member of the richest family in town, and is all but disowned by her father. She runs one of the most respected inns in town, "the rusty dragon" and once spent a year adventuring herself.
Tsuto is barely ever mentioned, but he was a scandal at his birth, since he is a half elf, and neither of the Kaijitsu's were elves. He has been disowned, and hasn't been seen in town for a while. Supposedly Ameiko and he got along okay in their early years.
Lonjiku their father, adopted or otherwise, is an upper-middleaged Tian man. Beside the scandal involving his wife's son, he has been involved in very few scandals in town, but few like him at all. He is a widower, and some believe that he killed his wife, including Tsuto, though such claims have never been proved, and the guard considers the case closed
The glass works are an old abandoned building in town.
Damien will follow him out, if for no other reason than the wrinkle factory of a wizard has in his hands the only lead to what is going on.
I'm after having a wee peek at ye note too. Can't let ye be having all the fun..."
Once the company are out of the sheriff's office and a little away Rastislav shares the contents of the letter while he transcribes it into elven before comprehend languages runs out. Emphasizing the part about the desire for the news not to get out.
Sorry, Saoirse, all you see are scribbling in a foreign tongue doing it that way, since comprehend languages affects the target, not the writing.
However, Rastislav just translated it for you all, so you can read both of the spoilers pertaining to that. unless someone wants to try for a higher knowledge local, that is all that you know currently.Once the company are out of the sheriff's office and a little away Rastislav shares the contents of the letter while he transcribes it into elven before comprehend languages runs out. Emphasizing the part about the desire for the news not to get out.
You can just summarize it for Brentol, thereby allowing him to see the letter also.
Now that you are away from the sheriff, and have a general idea of the letters contents (if you haven't read it yet, go back a page and go ahead and read the spoiler[s]), what did you want to do about it?
Thanks to Rastislav, we now have a good lead. This woman is after her father, who he had something to do with the goblins. And we know from the scout that the goblins were listening to a 'long shanks.' So it's fairly likely that Tsuto's father is the person who organized the raid. So, the question is do we want to go to the Glassworks now to look through it, or go at midnight and see if anyone responds to their secret knock?"
My impression is that the midnight in question was last night, and that she hasn't been heard from since. I think we should head to the Glassworks post haste.
"Indeed. But whomever she met might well be there this night as well, for our interrogation. And if not, we can break in and investigate in peace."
"We disagree, and that is balance. Rasti, Brentol, or Saoirse care to tip the scales?"
It is getting late, after you came all the way back from Shalelu's place, and now the burning mother is ending her setting.
"I t'ink t'e t'ing to remember is the element of surprise. Maybe waiting a bit is a better idea. Or at least we should be scouting out the area first."
Rastislav thinks for a moment and then speaks up, "It stands reason past midnight vas midnight in question. Zis due to ease by vich note vas found. If Amieko left note on desk, likely she expect to return. Zherefore she vas going to place she expect to be safe. Zis correlates vis information zat her and sibling got along. As ve vere called back, sheriff not in on. Ve can go to Glassvorks but Amieko likely in hands of fazher or goblins, or both. So if ve go, let us not stay long."
Amieko was know to be an adventurer for a year. this means she can both spot danger and handle herself at least a little bit. As such whatever happened to her was very unlikely the work of one person. So either the brother is working with the father (unlikely due to their relationship, but possible with magics) or there was an ambush of some kind.
The father is the most likely suspect for 2 independent reasons
1) The brother came from out of town due to the "I still don’t understand how you can stand to stay here." With the relationship that we know they had [father and son] and the accusations of the son, it is likely that the father found out about the son's return and kept tabs.
2) The note was written in a rare language that obviously most people wouldn't know. Other-wise the sheriff might have called on someone else to decipher it. If both Amieko and Tsuto know this language it is very likely that the father knows it as well. With it being such a secret location and entrance, the only person that could have intercepted the note was the father.
Now, with Amieko's disappearance, she is likely with the goblins or dead. This is because
1) Whoever ambushed Amieko is likely the 'longshanks'. (she is apparently well respected in this town, so likely has few enemies)
2) The goblins are more organized and taking orders from a 'longshanks'
3) If goblins were still in town we would know by now? I guess that depends on the location of the Glassworks.
Oh, and the brother is probably dead because of above reasons, or magic'ed I guess.
I said likely a lot so there are other possibilities.
"Perhaps we can straddle both sides of the chasm, so to speak. Let us go to the Glassworks with caution and scout what we can. If we see something that raises the alarm, we go in. If not, then there is no reason we can;t wait until midnight. Though, I believe the Rastislav will have difficulty seeing if there s no light source present."
As most seem in favor of exploring the glass works as soon as possible, (3/5) and so, after the burning mother has completely gone down, you arrive at the glass works. However, once you arrive, it is eerily quiet for a factory, even if smoke is still issuing forth from it. How do you wish to proceed?
Sorry, that took me a while to type, I didn't see Damiens post. Well, Take it however you wish, whether or not you leave to comeback, this is what you will find there.
Rastislav speaks quietly, "Let us go in and look around. I vill follow as vell as possible. Zhough I cannot see vell visout light, I vould likely not be useful even if I could."
You will find the front doors to be locked.
However, you can hear the sound of shrill laughter coming from deep within the glass works, soft, but just barely audible
"Are ye hearing that? It seems Damien's instincts were right on the nose. Someone's having the craic! Any objections to jeggering the lock?"
"Sounds like best option"
"Or perhaps we can try the secret knock? I'm not convinced that whomever inside will be hostil. But if we pick the lock they might well be."
You'll be having a secret knock? What about the crazy laugher we're hearing? I'll go along with the majority, for sure, but after hearing t'at, we best be on guard if someone does answer.
Damien draws and readies his spear. Quietly he asks, "Perhaps we should check for other entrances or exits. Perhaps Elthaeron will be more comfortable if we didn't just walk through the front door"
Damien draws and readies his spear. Quietly he asks, "Perhaps we should check for other entrances or exits. Perhaps Elthaeron will be more comfortable if we didn't just walk through the front door"
What say ye Elthaeron? We're burning the night...should we bugger the lock or head on?
"Vell you could 'bugger the lock' and ve could also look for other doors or vindows."
"Damien has the right idea. Given me a few minutes and I'll cover the back door. If you need me up front, call and I'll run back. At the very least though we can be sure of nobody running away."
The back door is also locked, but you find it no problem.
Nodding towards her companions, Saoirse readies her tools for the right moment. After waiting enough time for everyone to get into position, she looks around for anyone hostiles and then sets to work.
there is no one around, but only six seconds of lockpicking is not enough for you to do it. Go ahead and take a ten (a minute of work), and you'll have it.
Rubbing her hands and cursing the lock, Saoirse sets to work to get the dem t'ing open.
The door opens up into a display shop with various glass items on display. It is set up to be comfortable for visitors, and if it wasn't dark outside, and eerily silent inside, it would be most likely pleasant to say the least. Bottles, jars, windows, and even artwork are on display in here. There are two doors out of here behind the counter, on towards the back door where Elthaeron is waiting, and one to the right, going deeper inside the factory.
What would the four entering here like to do?
What does Elthaeron do?
Saoirse peers into the darkness. She spy's the door that Elthaeron is most likely waiting behind. She looks about before entering, seeking any thing that may be laying in wait of an intruder or any traps.
If she sees nothing to impede her progress to the back door, she will sneak towards the door.
Damien enters, spear at the ready, waiting for the stealthy types to make their moves.
Elthaeron holds his position, listening intently.
Brentol can tell that there is no one in this room, but he can just barely hear laughter coming from the north door which is the door Saoirse is now standing by. (the one that leads deeper into the building); and Saoirse would know that the door she is now standing by is in the direction of Elthaeron, but is likely not a door to the outside itself.
Elthaeron can also hear laughter coming from east of himself (when facing the back door this would be to his left), just barely audible through the walls and doors of the place.
Elthaeron holds his position, waiting for either a signal given to come or sounds of combat.
There is the door to the north, and a door to the north east.
Damien heads the north east. If nothing pops out at him, he will try to discretely check if the door is locked and listen at the door.