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Broad country roads lead in four directions away from a crossroad. To the north, the road to the Sauer Vineyard cuts among golden fields and lush vineyards. To the south, the road into Sauerton is flanked by sparse and apparently abandoned houses. To the west, the road to the Andares manor winds through a grove of apple trees whose leaves have begun to yellow. To the east, fields stretch among rolling hills as far as the eye can see, with long autumn wheat lolling in the wind. On the southeast corner, an empty shop sits boarded up with broken windows. On the southwest corner, a sign advertises Koriana’s Exotic Tonics and Remedies and boasts of “long- forgotten delights from all across the Inner Sea.”
The group heads straight for the shop.
This shop is spacious and lined with rack upon wooden rack of exotic herbs, spices, tonics, smoking paraphernalia, and a smattering of glass vials of brightly colored liquids. More such vials stand in display inside a glass-fronted countertop. Strange and smoky odors waft from a back room past a mostly closed door.
Upon entering you are greeted by a middle-aged half- elf woman with platinum blonde hair, gray-green apothecary’s robes, and huge goggles.
”Welcome. I am Koriana Verdothia. What tonic or remedy can I get for you?”
You see what appears to be trace alchemical agent on her hand and what appears to be some instruction.
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Jarat sees everything, but doesn't quite know what to make of it. Are they all being commanded by someone else, is this all a ruse? Why must they write on their hands?
"Wolf. Guard." He says, directing the wolf to guard Laiashi. Much as the odds of a fight breaking out here were miniscule, the Ifrit didn't look the toughest sort.
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Truddig tries his best to not interrupt Laiasha's ruse. Heh, a 'missed connection' gambit is as good as any. Get that randy stud, hahaha. He stays mostly towards the back. When the shopkeeps eyes land on him briefly, he subvocalizes barely perceptively, with a head-nod towards Laiasha, to help redirect the focus to her and her ploy.
”I’d rather not see this turn to uncivilized violence. Although you may think I enjoy profiting from healing injuries inflicted in this neighborhood, I consider it unprofessional for customers to get those injuries inside my own shop. Let’s talk. Perhaps I should brew some tea or perhaps something else to drink to ease the mood. I have a fresh supply of pesh if you’re interested?”
“We all have our goals,” she continues. ”The elder Andares did not hire you to investigate, so what is a band of Pathfinders hoping to acquire here? Perhaps a compromise?”.
Right before any of the group talk she yells, “JYRNAS AND MANDAS.”.
Two medium sized humans wearing chain shirts walk in. They are carrying short swords and throwing axes at their sides.
The alchemist rolls her eyes. "Yes, they're with me. They're here to make sure that you lot don't try anything stupid. Now as I had asked, as I know you were not hired by Andares to investigate, what is it that brings you lot darkening my shop?" She doesn't seem keen to respond to Laiashi's inquiry, but there is a gleam of understanding behind her eyes that tell you she knows something of that which she isn't letting on.
Truddig, for his part, thinks she's looking for a way out of this that doesn't wind up with her in jail.
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Look, we offered to find Andares missing daughter who he believed had been kidnapped. We have found her and you seem be linked to this whole business somehow. Fill us in on what is going on and perhaps we can come to a compromise that people can at least live with.
Obo tunrs to the Andares girl. What do you want out of this? Do you want to go home or not?
The alchemist still doesn't seem to be hearing what she wants. "And how would you be helping me? You come bringing her around, talking about nonexistant employees, making all sort of a fuss, but you don't actually say anything. So let me put it bluntly again, what brings you here? What do you expect to gain here? Why are you investigating a crime you had no business investigating? Answer me mine, and I'll answer you yours."
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"Who's to say who has business investigating a crime? The law is the law, and justice should be served. This young lady was kidnapped; surely she has right to justice?" Truddig speaks carefully, well aware that he often bumbles it when he speaks up.
"Help us strike to the truth of what happened here. If you were involved in that, and share some of the blame, we'll do what we can to advocate for you, for having helped us."
He holds up a hand, forestalling any objection for the moment. "I make no promises; we can't guarantee anything. But even though it may be difficult, if you're forthright with us, we'll do what we can to show that you ended on the side of right, and helped us find that justice. That's fair, no?"
"Bah, just do the right thing, woman, and stop wasting our time!"
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"Non-existent, is that what you're going with?" Laiashi quips, dropping her missed-connection act. I was sure that would work. "We have been hired to return his daughter to him, and part of doing that is ensuring she doesn't go missing again. So in a way you could say that we were hired to investigate this."
”I am convinced that the Andares’s gratitude would do much to refill our war chest for a struggle that is unlikely to end quickly. When you track down Thalia, as I trust you will do quickly, it is important not only to the Pathfinder Society but perhaps to the whole world that you request funding for the military campaign against the Worldwound. Of course, convincing Tercio to contribute troops and military aid would be even better, but aim for finances first.”
"But Andares himself did not hire you to do this," the alchemist says. And for whatever reason, be it instinct, skill at detecting deception, or the effect of the spell, you believe her. There seems to be a sub-text beneath her message.
Zhatara understands the secret message implicitly, anyone else may make a sense motive DC 24 to understand that she's implying that Andares didn't hire them because he hired the alchemist herself.
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"I see..." Zhatara nods.
"What if our patron had a change of heart? Did you think of THAT possibility? The guy is shifty. He will get rid of you without batting an eyelash. But what if he went down for what he did? Let's put it this way. We don't care about those who were hired to make this abduction happen. We only care to get rid of the mastermind behind it all. Help us and it will be as if we were never here... and if we suceed you get rid for free of a venomous snake who you know sooner or later is bound to turn on you"
"You people just don't get it. Trying to fight me, or him, or anything is just a waste of lives and won't accomplish anything. I don't know what your ulterior motives are here, but if you really want to do something about it, you would have to report him with evidence. And even if he was convicted, not a guarantee by any means, and even if after that you got her supported by the people, she couldn't give you what I'm sure you're after. This could even risk the stability of the entire region! This could trigger a witch hunt for corrupt politicians, taking out the innocent and the guilty alike! Had you given even a moment's contemplation to what this could do?" She shakes her head. "No, you're just weapons, you go where you're told and you don't care for the havoc you wreak."
"So, what will it be, do you want to leave the girl with me, or are you so hellbent on seeing 'justice' done that you will doom us? You don't even know what you want yourselves."
"Oh bloody piss. I'm the man you're looking for sweetie. I was the brown-haired man. I can be him again if you like, but it'll be fifty gold pieces for my time and ingredients." She looks exasperated. "You can leave her with me, and I can find her a better life elsewhere, or you can take her back to her father and the world will come to a grinding, screeching halt, at least in our corner of it." Children these days, dense as stone and bright as bathwater.
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Truddig gives the alchemist a hand motion to wait, then circles the others around so that he can speak to them privately. "Look, this may not be the best outcome, necessarily, but what she says isn't off base. Our mission--the number one goal--is to secure funding, and possibly troops, from Andares towards our efforts at the Worldwound. If he's somehow behind this, he's not going to look at our proposals favorably if we challenge him or bring this matter to the authorities."
"Maybe the alchemist is right. If we can get a firm commitment from her to not harm the girl, perhaps that's best. If her own father had her kidnapped, then going back to that home isn't the best for her anyway."
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"She's telling the truth about her being the one who kidnapped the girl. Nontheless I don't think she's right. I believe we know who is behind the kidnapping, Tercio Andares. She" - Zhatara points at the alchemist lady - "basically confirmed this. With Thalia's testimony we can get him to be deposed as mayor. And then his heir would take his place as the head of the Andares family. I'm sure Thalia would be glad to forget about you and your gang if you help our endeavour with more evidence..."
Thalia, for her part, hears out Koriana’s proposal before countering that she could provide the financial backing were her father, whom she perceives more and more as an unjust tyrant in sheep’s clothing, to be convicted of corruption (equivalent to high treason in Andoran). In fact, the Andoren people might rally behind her if she reported her father’s misconduct to the ombudsman’s office. Even if it were to cost her her life, she claims she is willing to pay that price in the name of liberty and justice.
"When my father is convicted of kidnapping me and betraying his oath to uphold Common Rule, his property will be forfeit and pass to his next of kin—me—and I will provide all the funding that my father could.”
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"You..." Laiashi blinks. " You're the kidnapper?" And why does no one else seem surprised by this? Curse it all, I of all people should've seen this coming. "Okay." She listens to the others before speaking again. "We could make this work. Deposing a leader is tricky business-- betrayals are likely and you have to fill the vacuum. But if we can convince the right people of what happened with you, I think you can pull it off."
Laiashi knows that locally, the property would revert to the state, rather than to the heirs, were Andares found guilty of corruption.
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Truddig's eyebrows lift at Thalia's offer. "That sounds intriguing. And we are bandying about your future here; I think your opinion has to be held with the most weight."
He ponders for a moment. "I like this. Our compliance with Andoran law is even stronger this way. If this is your wish, Thalia, let's do it."
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Obo shakes his head a little. I suspect you are being naieve if you think it will be a simple matter to remove Andares. He is a powerful man with powerful friends and in such matters evidence often bears litte weight. I fear we will do the Society and our efforts at the Worldwound a great deal of harm but if you are set on this course of action then so be it, I will do what I can to help.