[Name Redacted] (Inactive)

Game Master Shadowtail24

The man shakes his head.

Gray shakes his head after the man does, clucking his tongue. "Look, we're trying to work with you, here, but you've got to give us something in return. A name, an address, where were we supposed to be delivered? Who were you supposed to turn us over to? My lady friend here is kind hearted...she has asked us to try the nice approach. For your sake, I suggest you open up a little, or I'll ask her to excuse herself so that we can delve into a different kind of questioning, if you understand my meaning." The inquisitor grinned amiably at the man, as though he hadn't just threatened him but instead was just offering two different alternatives. His eyes flicked to Ziera, her prompt to jump in and play 'good cop'.

The portraits have no writing, just the picture.

“i told you, we just had to capture you, and then someone else was gonna come take over. ”

The man scowls at Edmund and then firmly closes his mouth.

That's a weird mix of Diplomacy, Intimidation, and Bluff. I'm going to roll all three and you can take your pick.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19
Intimidate: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22
Bluff: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (8) + 20 = 28

The man glares at Ziera. “Theyll live, as will i.”

”I also learned about lemures from my books. Do you know about them? Often called the least of devil kind. You see, they’re what the souls of the damned become when those poor sods die in failure or filth. They’re the ultimate servant of the greater devil kind, the ones formed from the souls of evil men who didn’t die in a sewer at the hand of their own victims. They get used for all...sorts...of...things. So in a way, you’re correct. You probably will continue to live after we’re done with you, but unless you would like to become some barbed devil’s flesh toy for the next THOUSAND MILLENIA...you will answer our questions. Because otherwise, you’re going to die here, drowning in the discarded feces of peasants and stable boys!”

He's all yours Gray. I tried.

Bluff: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (14) + 20 = 34

She starts walking out of the sewer. If the bluff works and he calls her back or starts talking, she will return. If it doesn't, then she actually *will* give up, and goes out, cleaning herself with prestidigitation so no sewer smell remains. Then she just keeps watch on the street, not wanting to know what happens next.

Gray grinned as Ziera started to walk away. He wasn't sure if she was still playing a part or sincere in leaving, but he played along just in case. He took out not his knife, but his chain, the tiny barbs protruding all along its length. "No, my friend, you won't. You'll scream for the pain to end, then I'll let my scholarly friend here have his way with you. Perhaps we'll even leave you down here, chained up, the raw sewage flowing into your multiple wounds. I'm sure the infections you would get would be painful as the disease ate you from the inside."

He peered down the way towards the elven woman, then back to the man. "Last chance to play nice..."

The man finally appears frightened. “The note had a few details on everyone. Like the Dragonborn would heal us after the fight. The man with glasses owned a lot of books and studied the magic within them. ”

The man shrugs. “It just said fight hard, the Dragonborn would heal any injuries. ”

She tries to see if he has really told them all that he knows yet.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

He heads towards the ladder and whispers along the spell to Ziera, ”Suggest to him we have our friends asking his companion these same questions and that their stories had better line up.”

She looks at her companions. [b]Agreed? If they agree (with or without other requirements for what he needs to say), then she turns to him for his answer, and if he agrees to drink voluntarily, and say all that is required within the effective time of the spell, then she fully intends to let him go, so any sense motive on his part will show that she is being sincere.

Gray stares at Ziera and the potion she holds for several long moments, clearly not wanting to let the man go. However, she seemed earnest and he could always disguise himself again, so he finally just shrugged. "Agreed."

He pulled the other two aside first, eyes narrowed, "What he said suggests that Tarken is a traitor, correct?"

Gray just nodded at the others...it seemed like something they should talk about later. Right now they had business to attend to. He returned with the others to the captive's side, putting a hand on his shoulder as Ziera prepared to give him the potion she had indicated.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23

The man nods at Zieras request.

You ask around enough to find someone willing to talk about Dice. They are clear up front that it will cost you a drink (2 cp).

The man tells you that Dice is similar to the stereotype in many ways. He keeps himself isolated and focused on his research. Where most researchers in Leroung are just more interested in information that people, Dice seems to despise everyone. He used to be much more of a socialite, but several years ago he turned into just another recluse researcher. The man doesn’t seem to know what it is that Dice is studying though.

Note that the spell allows a fairly easy will save to not be compelled to tell the truth for each question while still being affected by the spell overall, however, it specifically says "if [the person] does answer, [the person] must tell the truth." So, Ziera will treat any silence as a lie. See below for the text about the item.

This elixir forces the drinker to say nothing but the truth for 10 minutes (Will DC 13 negates). She must answer any questions put to her in that time, but with each question she can make a separate DC 13 Will save. If one of these secondary saves is successful, she doesn’t break free of the truth-compelling enchantment but also doesn’t have to answer that particular question (if she does answer, she must tell the truth). No more than one question can be asked each round. This is a mind-affecting compulsion enchantment.

He does not try to resist, and answers questions with similar answers

He answers as he did before.

As the man does as Ziera asked, then answers Edmund's questions, Gray casts a glance at the elven woman, arching a brow. He didn't necessarily like letting this loose end leave, but she seemed to be confident in whatever she had given him. Maybe she was bluffing. Oh well...it would just be one more body added to those trying to kill/detain them. Looking at both of his companions, he asked, "Are we done here? We've got places to be, and this place reeks of filth."

If the answers and explanations are all acceptable (including not endangering them or causing them to be endangered in the future), she lets the guy go, saying Run far and fast, friend. I don't plan to kill you later, but I can't guarantee the same of my friends.

She turns to Gray and says Agreed. Let's get far away from this place. She hefts the Haversack filled with loot from the battle and adds We should find a place where we can talk (without the stink), and perhaps a place where we can all meet after the ball, if those two things weren't already part of your list. Lead on.

She uses prestidigitation to clean everyone as they leave, so there is no tell-tale sign of where they have been, and she changes outfits and hair color and style again in the first alley they come to.

He shrugs at Ziera comment about the future. “Work is work, i don’t get to choose what i take and what i reject. I do what is available. I won’t go after you of my own volition though, only as commanded. ”

Instead of letting him go, she leaves him tied up, and says to Gray with a sigh, Yes, I suppose we're done. If he can't commit to our safety from him, we can't commit to his from us. What a waste of 500 gold to try to save a life. ... Meet you guys in the alley outside.

She leaves the sewer and waits in the alley, cleaning up and changing her outfit and hair, as noted above.

Gray nodded his understanding to Ziera, waiting for the woman to leave the sewers before 'seeing to' their captive. He makes sure to commit the deed quickly, as he sensed that the pretty elven woman would only frown upon him taking his time. What a waste.

The inquisitor allowed Ziera to clean him and his outfit after they leave the sewers, then changes his appearance to a slightly different version of the handsome nobleman he had been when he had purchased his suit for the Ball. Well-groomed dark hair, bright blue eyes, the picture of aristocratic handsomeness. "If you two wish to talk we could find a random inn to speak in. Otherwise, I have to change before the event this evening."

He basically thinks that since you didn’t walk away he’s now safe, even if he backs off his earlier statement. He’s trying to push what he can get away with and salvage some pride. As understand by his outburst now, his pride isnt worth his life.

The man blurts out as soon as Ziera turns. “Wait. I’ll agree. I don’t know how but I’ll make sure my crew doesn’t target you. ”

I think we can proceed by just redacting the portion where Gray 'took care' of him. The rest can stand, unless anyone objects.

We need to find a place for everyone to meet after the ball, and I thought you guys might want some of the gear from the fight. Should we find a random inn and wait there for you while you change?

Gray thought a moment, then nodded his assent. "A random inn on another side of town. That sounds prudent. And if the inn doesn't seem compromised, we can send word to the others to meet there afterwards. If there's another attack there, we can be assured that one of us is a traitor. Maybe more, as was said."

Perfectly find with splitting loots, as well. I'll let Ziera and Edmund have their pick.

You're now in said inn.

Ziera asks to reserve a quiet back room for tonight, and then, once they are alone, pulls out the loot from the battle:

-masterwork bladed scarf
-light crossbow with 20 bolts,
-dagger
-Keen Mstwk Battleaxe
bracers of armor +1
-Circlet of Persuasion
-Incense of Meditation
-handy haversack
-Wand of Detect Magic (39 / 50 charges)
-Lacquered Wooden Medallion set with Carnelian (600 gp)
-2 potion of cure light wounds,
-2 scrolls of bull’s strength
-scroll of fog cloud
-scroll of floating disk
-scroll of protecting from
-Scroll of protection from law
-scroll of owl's wisdom
1025 gold

We left the swords behind for the staged battle, and 2 sets of armor and 2 swords went to the barkeep to pay for damages, so there are also 6 masterwork Full plates and 8 heavy steel shields, but not sure that we could have carried them (DM call).

She says that she would like the Circlet of Persuasion, but of course if someone else feels they can use it more effectively, she is willing to let them. The Haversack should probably go with whoever is going to carry the party's loot, but she's also very happy to allow someone else that privilege if they would like it.

Does the medallion do anything, or have a symbol on it that we might recognize, or is it just treasure? Also one of the scrolls says "protecting from"
but doesn't say from what. Do we know that, or should we just call it another protection from law?

Gray acquires one of the potions of cure light, but is otherwise uninterested in the rest of the non-liquid assets they have acquired. He already has a Haversack, so graciously turns it down. Turning to the other two, "So, anything else to discuss before the party this evening? I feel we should draw out our traitor, but how do we best do so without tipping our hand?"