|
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
Suddenly in the midst of the conversation, through the door (that Myrdon purposely kept open), the figure of a babau steps into view. As commanded, the demon sends a telepathic message directly into the minds of all present.
Fool mortals! Walking meat! The key! The key is the key! Hail Alaznist! Return the Master! And return us!
With a big flourish of his gaudy cloak, Myrdon steps in front of the Sneve and points a finger at the demon. "Foul creature! We would not let you harm an innocent man! Begone from here, I command thee!" With an elaborate weaving of his hands through the air, a burst of brilliant orange light fills the air in front of him and the babau disappears!
Breathing deeply as if the dismissal took quite a bit out of him, Myrdon turns and smiles wanly at Sneve. "Do not worry. I'll be here to protect you for now." He staggers slightly and looks out the door. "Before I take my leave, I'll put up a protection weave around your lodgings."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Falrig Sneve's first surface thoughts are only of the tasty meat sandwiches while sitting by the fire, wearing his fluffy bathrobe and slippers. There were also stray thoughts about which delicious Port the Heidmarch staff would send him next. But then Eadie's casual comment about the seven Runelords gets his mind racing.
Wait. If there are seven runelords, and seven sins, then seven must NOT be an auspicious number... Oh no! The presence of demons, palpable ones that he can see and hear, terrifies him! Demons! I'm doomed! He quivers behind Myrdon, and then his hope soars when Myrdon banishes the foul creature.
He hugs Myrdon fiercely with tears in his eyes. "My good man! My wonderful friends! How lucky it was you were here! You've saved me tonight! I had no idea that there were demons that want the key! I was just worried that it might be cursed. B-b-but this is ten, nay a hundred times worse! I don't want that key now!"
He's shaking and sobbing. "Oh! Does the Society have a messenger? I want to let the Church of Abadar to know that I am withdrawing my name right away!"
Sheila is delighted with the news that Falrig Sneve has withdrawn. "You did well here, no mistake. I don't know what you devious Pathfinders came up with, but he's hailing you as heroes. So... Let's give you another mission and see what you can do."
“While we’re not sure how much of a threat Dymal Rinks poses to our winning the auction, we don’t want to take any chances. Our informants tell us that Rinks owes a considerable debt to the proprietor of the Matador, Master Basaale Minvandu. Short on the funds to cover his debts, Dymal Rinks hopes to cash in on the Runecarved Key as part of a wild investment scheme. Unfortunately for Rinks, Minvandu wants his debts paid immediately and has sent his collectors to track the halfling down. I suspect we can easily knock Rinks out of the auction by turning him over to Minvandu’s thugs." She pauses, drumming her fingers against wood of a lovingly polished desk, then frowns.
"Still, I’m a little wary of this course of action as handing Rinks over to the bone-breakers may very well result in his death. Despite being a desperate little imp, Rinks is a decent arbitrator and if word gets back that we played a part in his death, it might make things difficult for us with the business community in the future. If you can avoid getting him killed it might help. Perhaps you can pretend to be thugs and scare him off or simply threaten to rat him out to Minvandu if he doesn’t back out of the auction. In any event, do whatever you need to do to drive him away. Oh, and he lied about his whereabouts. Our informants say he’s hiding out at the Galesford Inn in Dockway, and with Minvandu's thugs trailing him, there's not a moment for you to lose!”
★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★
Ebryllis, who was totally polishing silver in the next room, is happy to give you directions to Dockway. "Not the best neighborhood, but the Galesford is a tidy place, it is." When you find it, the Galesford is indeed a tidy place. Do you go straight in, or do something else?
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
“I don’t like the idea of capturing Rinks and turning him over to some loan shark to be tortured to death.”
Eadie frowns. “Nor do I want to threaten that we’ll do something like that.”
“My Aunt Alix always said ‘Honesty is the best policy.’”
“How about if we use diplomacy to convince him of the simple truth: His plan to use the Runecarved Key isn’t going to work, because he’ll be dead before he raises the coin.”
“FURTHERMORE, we have it on good authority that if he doesn’t back out of the auction, a certain ‘high-class lady’ from the Alabaster District is going to let his creditor know exactly where he is.”
“A bit of diplomacy and the truth might do it. Thoughts?”
|
|
***...agreed...telempathic projection will be provided to the main speaker, as always...and I will look into his thoughts, sigh, as always...*** says Yanndu telepathically, the melancholy of his forlorn soul palpable on this night...
★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★
Approaching the place, Yanndu takes to the sky and goes invisible to case the joint.
[fly, vanish, going 30 feet above the roof to get a bird's eye view, looking down he casts detect thoughts, then reports anything he mentally hears telepathically]
Yanndu realizes that there is only one person in the room below, but that person appears to be wary and has his mental defenses up. You cannot read his mind, but you know he’s blocked you.
The Main Entrance to the Galesford is not trapped at all. As a public inn, people go in and out all the time. The barkeep greets you. “Hello Ma’am. Are you looking for a room or just a drink and a meal?”
|
"I'm actually here to surprise an old friend of mine. I heard he's in town and has been staying here a few days i but i'm afraid i don't know which room he's in. He's a halfling fellow who goes by the name Rinks, Dymal Rinks. I've known him a long time and he always was a quite a nervous fellow so it's possible he may have given a false name."
Vashara digs in her purse and pulls out 10 gold pieces and puts them on the bar in front of her.
"Me and Dymal have an ongoing friendly competition you see. We always try to out surprise each other whenever we're in the same town, and this time it looks like it's my turn to win! If you could point me his direction and not mention to him that you've seen me I'd be very appreciative." as she says this she pushes the gold over to the barkeep.
|
|
Seeing a tended bar and an open seat, Gunner follows Vashara in and sit down a few seats away.
"Ah, Dymal chose his lodgings well; here's a proper bar if ever I saw one! The Lucky Drunk himself would be happy to raise a glass in just such a place, were he here with us in body as well as spirit. As he's not" he adds, with a grin, "I suppose I'll just have to have one in his honor. Say Vashara, let's take a tankard with us for Dymal, once this fine professional behind the bar here lets us in on the secret of his location. That's sure to soften the blow of your victory a bit."
All the glasses at the bar are embossed with a calligraphed ‘G’. The barkeep raises an eyebrow as he fills glasses for Vashara and Gunner. “Friends, eh?” Still, the offer of gold and the sale of the tankard make him grin in return. “There is a nervous halfling who checked in, Daro Ram. Natty clothes, professional manner? He’s in room 201 on the corner. I offered him one with a view of the park, but he said he wanted to overlook the street.” He shrugs. “I am hoping that you two can keep your reunion friendly-like. The Galesford is a nice place, understand?”
What do you do?
|
|
Well it does have monogrammed glasses and views of the park …
“The Galesford is a nice place, understand?”
Eadie gives the man an enthusiastic pistol-fingered point. “Yes.”
“In fact, it’s so nice you’ll let me borrow a quill to write a little note on the back of a coaster, right?”
We could have broken down the door if we were enemies.
We don’t care if the Galesford is a nice place or not.
We have some info that will help you ♡ ♡ ♡
**Is everyone ready to go up to Rinks’ room?
I thought the note slid under his door might help calm him down.
But if you don’t want to use it, no worries! ☺ **
He hands over the cardstock coaster for you to use, no problem.
|
|
"Shall we then go find our good friend, Daro Ram?" Myrdon exclaims with a smirk.
**Yanndu, we're going to his room. Alert us if he should flee through the window.**
Myrdon takes over the completed card from Eadie and together with the party, makes his way to room 201. He knocks the door with two quick rap, and slides the card under the door. Waiting for a short time for Rinks to have seen and read the card, he calls out through the closed door after he is certain there are no one else in earshot.
"Mr Dymal Rinks? Apologies for this interruption, but would we spare a minute of your time? This is with regards to the auction. We saw your interest in the key during the gala last night, and I think there is some business to discuss. We want to help you against Minvandu"
“You want to help me against Minvandu, eh? Sure you do, and that is exactly the kind of clap trap that Minvandu’s gang would say to get in here.” The voice is terrified. “What, do you think that I’m stupid? I felt that spell... You tried to cast something on me!”
“No beer is worth my life!”
|
|
“And neither is a key.”
Patiently, “We can do this through the door if you really want to.”
“But we know you’re smart enough to realize we could have broken down the door to attack you if we had meant you harm.”
Eadie puts a smile in her voice. “C'mon, Mr Rinks. Will you hear us out with an open mind? Don't you need all the friends you can get right now?”
|
Bruxo rolls his eyes when the man behind the door calls them part of Minvandu's gang. Stupid is as stupid does, he mutters before clearing his throat.
Rinks, we can do this the easy way, where you open the door and talk to us...or we can do this the hard way, where you stay behind the door and Mivandu tracks you down — if we can find you, he can find you.
You are very short on options, I'd say. And the clock is ticking.
“I will not be the hen that opens the door to the foxes!” You can hear the resolution in Dymal Rink’s voice.
Meanwhile, Yanndu flies near the window, getting a good view of the room. He can see that Dymal is frantically putting on some clothes and grabbing what appears to be climbing gear...
|
|
**UGH! This is going to turn into a darn chase if we’re not careful!
Yanndu can you block/web the window somehow?
Or can one of the casters summon something into the room to keep him away from the window?
Once you guys have let me know your thoughts, I think I should break the door down so we can capture him.
Thoughts? **
Yanndu gets a dart in the neck!
Rinks is held in place. Dammit, I’m caught... No, no, no. Not when I was so close... Maybe the traps will slow them down!
What now, my friends?
|
|
As soon as Yanndu alerts the party outside of what's happening inside, Myrdon calls out, "Gunner, we have to go!"
Grabbing whoever he can, and calling the others to grab him, Myrdon calls out a power wor, "මානය!" The word rips a hole in space, pulling the four of them through to the other side of the door.
Bamf! You make it safely inside! Dymal is still held, but Yanndu can hear him clearly...
Minvandu’s thugs are offering me beer? What game is this?
Myrdon and Eadie notice that the door and every window has been trapped. Dymal was rather diligent in how he prepared for his guests...
Rinks blinks and thinks...That beer does look good. Okay, they may not be from Minvandu after all. Crap! I am still held...
Forced to listen to you, he starts to realize that your arguments have merit, even though he believes that he cannot yet respond.
|
|
Yanndu relays all of Dymal's thoughts to the others. Now visible, and having sprung the trap, he flies into the room.
"Mr. Rinks. My friends here have asked you nicely. I will not be so patient. Mivandu is a flea compared to who we work for. You have two choices: withdraw your bid from the auction and leave this city, or point us to Mivandu so we can break his neck, therefore freeing you from your obligations. What will it be?"
Yanndu releases the halfling from the spell.
|
|
Leaving nothing to chance, Eadie gives the halfling a professional search and removes all his personal items and weapons.
She lays them respectfully on the floor beside her, adding “This is just for our safety, Mr Rinks. You can have them back when our conference is over.”
**Vashara, I will hang a rope out the window if you want to re-enter Rinks’ room. We are all safely inside. Yanndu has him ✨held.**
Eadie blocks the window, holding her falchion casually in her folded arms. “We know about your plan to raise money to cover your debts by acquiring the Runecarved Key. But it’s too late. Mivandu wants to make an example of you.”
“Nothing less than making you D-E-D dead will do it for him now. We don’t want that. But you’ve gotta see that if you don’t skip town right now you won’t last a day.”
“Heck, we sniffed out you and your plan, in what? Less than half that time. Mivandu’s crew could be on its way now for all we know. And they'll certainly stake out the auction.”
Whoa. You’re reading the thoughts out of my head?! Rinks sounds impressed.
Who the hell are you people? And just how am I going to get out of town? Minvandu’s got a lot of people... I’d practically have to have an army to get smuggled out of the city now! Rinks is still frozen, held in place by the spell, but his eyes shift nervously back and forth.
|
|
“We’re the army that can escort you safely out of town.”
“We have no truck with evil – putting down bad guys is part of our shtick. But you don’t deserve to die for having a gambling problem, Mr Rinks.”
Eadie steps forward to lay a hand on his shoulder. “I personally think everyone deserves a second chance. But if you’re still in Magnimar tomorrow, you’re not going to get it.”
Alright, alright... What’s it gonna cost for you to smuggle me out?” He looks at you desperately.
|
|
**Guys, it might sound too suspicious if we ask for nothing in return - do you think?? **
“A hooded cloak to cover your face and your willingness to depart the city with us right now is all we really NEED.”
Eadie *shrugs* “But if you want to tip us for our trouble once we’re well outa town, that’s cool. But at least one of us is in holy orders, so even that may not sit particularly well with them.”
Alright, but first I want that beer. Once I’m unfrozen enough to swallow.
You smuggle Rinks out of town, and in return he tips you. He loans most of the funds he raised for bidding on the key on you, making a receipt for the loan to Sheila Heidmarch. “You saved my life, no mistake... And it’s not like I’ll be there for that auction... Thank you.” He takes another beer for the road and disappears...
Sheila Heidmarch claps her hands when you announce that Dymal Rinks is not only on his way out of town, but that you also have the loan of most of his auction funds. “Oh you devious Pathfinders! Wonderful work! Well, I have another mission that requires discreet and talented people.”
“I need not warn you how much of a threat Lady Kaddren is to our mission—she is wealthy, powerful, a wizard, and she hates us. Thankfully, our talented informants seem to have uncovered her weakness: scandal! It seems the lady has been seen slipping in and out of the tower of the Golemworks's master wizard, Toth Bhreacher, at unusual hours. If the two of them are involved in an affair, it could imply Lady Kaddren might be showing Toth political favoritism—an illicit act that would also break her family's long-standing efforts to keep nobility and business separate. Such evidence might stand to ruin her if it fell into the hands of her rivals.” Sheila meets your gaze, spelling out her latest mission in her characteristic no-nonsense fashion. “I need you to collect, fabricate, or purchase enough hard evidence to be able to blackmail her. While blackmailing her won't help ease her opinion of the Pathfinder Society, it is perhaps the only way we can get her to back out of the auction.”
What do you do?