"Um...Hetamon's a tailor, if you want to walk all the way across the city," Jack points out, trying to throw some potential business the tiefling Milanite's way. As much as the thought of seeing Canacha in a new dress or two might lift his spirits, the ranger doesn't offer to accompany the others. He seems restless, maybe even more serious than normal.
Truth is, the fact that Varl Wex was killing Kintargan citizens under his very nose and he wouldn't have known about it were it not for Hetamon's contacting the group bothers the urban ranger. I'm supposed to be in touch with the city, always with a finger on her pulse. This shouldn't have happened on my watch.
"I'm going to visit a few local spots...see if I can pick up any scuttlebutt," he announces before departing the Tooth and Nail and heading north. Eventually, his boots lead him to the Three-Legged Devil, what folks in polite company often referred to as a 'dancehall.' Jack's usual wry smile puts in a brief appearance as he approaches the entrance: Pretty girls, loose tongues...and I'll bet a gold sail not a single dress in sight!
"I want to pick up some consumable and contingency for the group. Mostly scrolls. I'm going to buy them either way but if people want to chip in that would be good."
A trip to Hetamon sounds like a lovely idea. We can see if we can pick up some useful items and useful information along the way.
Mirabella spends every opportunity on their trip across town to pick up gossip and rumors.
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Once the others get back from their shopping trip, Jack tells them the distressing rumor he heard at the dance hall.
When they where out looking at dresses and other things, Logan's eyes were caught by a natty looking amulet. He told Canacha and Bicks, "Pricey, but it has an enchantment which makes your skin more resistant to swords and hammers. Pretty useful given the way things are, I can't quite afford it though..."
Later when everyone returned he frowned when Jack mentioned a Tian specialist and suggested, "I've heard it said that the best defence is a good offence. I wonder can we find out who and where this Tian is and bring the fight to them?"
When Mirabella mentions the Poison Pen, Logan admits "I'm not familiar with any Poison Pen, what kind of things have they been writing?"
She blinked at Logan tilting her head for a moment as his declaration that the little amulet would stop such harm...even with an enchantment. Magic was always a little iffy to her truth be told. She could never get the math of it.
"Its not very fancy, there should be feathers or something on it you know?"
She began fishing in her belt pouch and pulling out coin. She grabbed a bunch a handful of platinum peices and then did her best street magician act.
She reached over behind Logans ear and pulled out five platinum coins with a cheeky grin.
"weird place to keep a stash of coin but here you go Logan."
"Someone reminded me you know tailoring. Me and Mirabella are in need of dresses! I've never owned a good dress before what do i need to do?"
Pretty dresses pretty dresses pretty dresses for me! sang/hummed to herself back at the hideout happily. Jack arrived to give his report and her grin grew even more. She couldn't wait to see his eyes when she wore those dresses. It was going to be so....
"Wait. Someone has been hired to track us down? sounds like we need to set a trap then, maybe do some heroic deeds and dash to old haunts and set a trap?"
She began still mentally humming at least. She was trying to hide her worry. If Melly were still here she would have a way to solve it that was for sure.
Pouting at the thought of her missing friend, she fiddled with the abbacus on her thigh not really doing any math just sort of fiddling with something to be doing something.
"The poison pen? I think they wrote anti Thrune poetry.I've heard it is well done, but im not much for poetry really. Most of my socializing is done at teahouses well drinking mint tea, not that i can even do that anymore.
Jack gives Canacha's purchases a glassy-eyed once-over. To him the dresses were just glorified pieces of decorated fabric; it was the wearer who could bring them style, grace, and shape. Currently, though--just folded-up Meh!
He raises an eyebrow, a bit surprised that Logan and Canacha haven't figured it out.
"I think we already know this investigator's name: Tayacet Tiora, the young Tian woman who just happened to show up at the Iudeimus Tenement while we were there hunting Wex. I'm not certain the folks I overheard had the story right--they were rather inebriated--and this Tayacet did seem helpful and trustworthy in dealing with the aftermath of our fight with Wex. Still...it's equally possible that she knew she couldn't take all of us in a fight. Maybe she sent us to the temples because Thrune has spies inside their walls...or at least someone watching those buildings. Are you certain you weren't followed back here?"
"Oh? drat. I didnt think of that, then again I didnt really talk with her much. I was smoothing over things with the landlord."
The pale skinned dhampier frowned. The one with a little fang. He didnt notice the dresses really and he was disapointed.
"Blood and ashes! Thats it potions and extracts of disguise self when in public for everyone, man thats going to eat into my gun fund. Can't be helped i guess."
She said grabbing her packages of clothing and making for her little cove or restyness near her alchemical stuff. She would have to get started to mass produce so many potions all the time.
All the talk of dresses at Hetamon's makes Mirabella recall her appointment with her gnome friend, and she makes a mental note to call on her as soon as they have reported their latest findings to the others.
As Jack mentions the Tian investigator, Mirabella feels a pang of worry."I think you're right Jack. It would be too much of a coincidence to have TWO Tian investigators roaming the town at the same time. We should make it a priority to find out exactly what she's up to. If she's truly working for Thrune, it's only a matter of time before our paths will cross again. Hopefully, we will find out before she brings a battalion of dottari to our doorstep."
When the talk turns to the Poison Pen, she pipes in. [bb]"Actually, we know who the Poison Pen is too...it's that nice young man we helped rescue from his own family."[/b]
Soon after the discussion is over, she heads to her gnome friend.
I'm going to save up most of my funds. I will buy a wand of Cure Light Wounds just in case." She dose go dress shopping with the other girls, and picks up a red and white gown of heavy silks.
"Once we get our base set up, I want to get a forge. I can make weapons. Soon I'll be able to make magic weapons. I needed a way to make money. Milani doesn't have much in the way of churches around here for support."
"My guess is she would still be keeping tabs on us if she is investigating. I'm not sure she is as loyal as Thune would want her to be. But, we should find her and figure it out. She could put everything at risk."
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The next morning you sneak back down to the Lucky Bones before to many people are up and above. With you, you have Sabinus and Mala the wizard Octavio had found to help you open the magically sealed doors. You encounter nothing new on you ways, seems that no one els wants to try and claim the ruins but you. When you get to the doors, Mala quickly pulls out the scroll, starts reading it and speak the words of power and the door unlocks.
As you open the door you are met by a hallway going east and north, the sound of the doors opening are accompanied by long mournful moans of a few dozen starving souls sighing out in greeting. The air in these halls is noticeably colder, only about a few degrees above freezing, and the light sources seem slightly oppressed, as if they were finding it more difficul to illuminate the halls. Distant gasps and moans and the sound of chewing and gasping periodically echo through the halls, but disturbingly, not everyone present hears them all simultaneously.
Sabinus quickly leads Mala back not wanting to stay in these haunted chambers any longer the necessary.
Logan laughed out loud when Canacha produced the platinum coin, "You are gem Canacha, thank you!"
Logan was feeling kind of blasé about getting the door opened, they'd cleared out the place after all. Yet when it was opened to reveal a hallway not just a storage room he quickly readjusted his opinion, especially with the sounds of something in pain or torment echoed through the halls.
"Are you hearing that?" he whispered to his companions, "Seems there is work to be done!"
He cautiously entered the hall looking for anything of interest or for any signs of where the noises might be coming from.
Slipping past Logan, Jack quietly pads east to two doors on the hall's north wall. Positioning himself between them, he listens intently, trying to discern if the moans (or any other sounds) come from behind either of them.
She started to chuckle as the hellknight hastened away. (unless its his cooler cousin then no chuckling or snarky comment)
"I would have figured hellknight's made of sterner stuff i mean whose afraid of ghosts?"
She said to no one really as she checked her pistol. As another moan perfectly punctuated her comment she paused and realized something. She... she was afraid of ghosts.All manner of the undead really.
"Hey uh.. .so second thoughts, maybe we find a nicer place for a base... one less haunted maybe?"
She whispered out a little higher pitched than her normal well high whispers. She didnt look like she was about to panic and run, she did look even more pale than usual.
"I uh, have a gun so i will take the rear. No wait, I'll uh hang by Lena. Yeah, uh That's my best spot."
She hastened to the warpriest's side.
Bicks will also see what information he can overhear.
Jack points a blade at each door, turns to the others, and shakes his head. Then he pads quietly to the nearby double doors just to the east and has a listen there. Then, if the others give him enough time, he checks those doors for traps.
Logan took up a position near the door and said, "Well I assume we're about to have a fight, we'd better get ready!"
2nd level: Bladed Dash, Mirror Image, Rime Frostbite
Bicks stacks up with the rest of the group ready to enter. "Let them make the first move, so we have deniability."
Mirabella moves carefully forward, as always staying near the center of the group.
She readies her whip, but keeps her other hand clear in case she needs to retrieve an item quickly.
"Don't worry about ghosts, Canacha. If we run into some that we have to fight, I have a scroll that will make them as solid as everything else you have fired your gun at."
As the group prepares to open the door, she mentally prepares to raise her voice in inspirational song.
Lena draws her monringstar. "I'm ready." She follows Jack.
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A long mahogany gambling table sits at the center of this chamber, surrounded by richly carved chairs fitted with silk cushions. Shelves carved into the walls hold old broken bottles, while benches with padded seats sit against the walls under these shelves. All of the furnishings are moldering and decaying... as is the skeleton of a halfling clad in dark leather armor and clutching a handful of bone dice, slumped in a chair at the northern head of the table.
As you enter the room, a faint milky shimmering dances in the air around the halfling corpse, then quickly coalesces into the ghostly form of an attractive but wild-eyed halfling woman. She smiles sweetly at you all as the bone dice the skeleton touches float into the air and spin before her. She speaks in a soft, musical voice "A wager? A game? I’ve waited ages for a game. These bones are lucky tonight! Will you wager part of yourself for my secrets, my friends?"
Jack looks at the spirit in wonder for a moment; he's never seen an actual ghost before. Eventually, he gets his mouth and tongue to work.
"Uh, no--we're not interested in wagering parts of ourselves...whatever that means," he tells the small spirit. "We might be willing to play a friendly game or two with you, though. What's your name? And how long have you been stuck in this place?"
Bicks watches onward.
As a follower of Desna, Logan normally was up for a flutter but this time he couldn't help but agree with Jack, "Yeah no thank you.". He was curious if the spirit would respond, hopefully it wouldn't get violent. He'd heard about such things, and it wasn't something he ever wanted to witness first hand.
Before entering, Mirabella casts detect magic and scans the room while the others interact with the ghost.
She also tries to recall what she knows about ghosts.
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Mirabella you know the basic infomation about ghosts including "In most cases, it’s difficult to destroy a ghost through simple combat: the “destroyed” spirit restores itself in 2-8 days. Even the most powerful spells are usually only temporary solutions. The only way to permanently destroy a ghost is to determine the reason for its existence and set right whatever prevents it from resting in peace."
The ghost flies into a fit of anger at your refusal to gamble with her. "If you will not gamble you must pay the price of leaving this place. This is the high stake hall, a place where the players wager their hands, legs or even a loved one for just a tiny chance at a big payout." she screams floating closer to Jack reaching her hands out towards him.
Combat round 1
Mirabella, Jack
Ghost
Lena, Logan, Bicks, Canacha
So, we must fight a ghost after all...thank Shelyn I came prepared for this. I hope this works! Mirabella thinks to herself as she flicks her wrist to activate the spring holding the enchanted scroll in her wrist sheath.
In the blink of an eye, the scroll is in her hand. She rips it open and sings off the words of power as fast as she can. As the spell activates, she points to the translucent form of the undead gambler, which begins to solidify...
Lena sighs. "Poor creature. You need to go to the boneyard to be judged."
"Hey what do you mean wager part of ourse....Oh no."
She pulled out her gun and squeeled when the ghost moved, having no shame in darting behind Lena again.
"Um...what exactly was that spell you just cast supposed to do?" Jack asks Mirabella over his shoulder. While taking a defensive stance he asks, "Anyone know how to fight a ghost?"
"Hey! you stupid smelly ghost. What sort of Big Payday were you expecting when you lost? What sort of stuff are we talking here?"
She cried out as she reached into a belt pouch and frowned taking the mutagen there and drinking. Again her features seemed to harden and her eyes grew more feral.
"Answer me you blasted thing before I use your bones as toothpicks."
She advanced pistol held drawn like a threat.
Bick drops his pack there are three Spiritbane Spikes in that pocket. If you can use a short sword these will hurt the ghost.
Bicks will channel energy to harm undead (DC Will 16).
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Bicks can see the ghost is hurt by his positive energy, but it doesn't seem to affect it as much as he had hoped. "I wasn't expecting anything I am the master of these halls and one of the guildmasters of the Grey Spiders. I am the one controlling the gambling halls." the ghost screams back at Canacha more angry than before for calling her names.
Uncertain of how to combat something like this, Logan concentrated on his blade to invested with a sliver of power. He then stepped into the room and tentatively thrust at the ghost with his now shining rapier!
I tried to make it more solid, but it resisted my spell. Magic weapons and positive energy will still harm it, but it will take longer to defeat it. Don't let it touch you. she says before launching into an inspiring song.
Since the others don't seem to be retreating, Jack figures they must have some method of harming the incorporeal spirit. As a result, he tries to draw all the angry spirit's attacks.
"You know you're dead, right?" he asks the halfling ghost. "But it's probably not all bad for you--now you can finally reach all the stuff up on the top shelf! Then again, you won't actually be able to pick it up...."
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The ghost feints to Jack's right and then delivers a touch attack from the left chilling Jack's body to the bone and making it seemingly age where the touch left it's mark. "You can't win in here. These are my halls, I make the rules here." the ghost continues to taunt you.
Combat round 2+3
Mirabella, Jack
Ghost (DMG 5)
Lena, Logan, Bicks, Canacha
"Thats it. Leave him alone and deal with me you dirty pathetic hag.We were here to help you pass on, now we are here to just cause you pain."
She growled and fished out the single vial of holy water she had. Undoing the stopper she tossed it effieciently at the problem.
Watching the water splash perfectly into the ghosts face Canacha smirked and blew her a kiss.
"Now do you want to play nice or am I taking the gloves off?"
Logan couldn't tell if the ghost was just hard to hit or flat out immune to his blade. There seemed to be only one way to be sure, so he went all out. Whispering a word of power he lashed out, performing a near textbook lunge delivering a spell through his blade that would inscribe a stylised L onto the ghost!
Logan then lashed out once again with even better form this time!