Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch's briefing was over rather swiftly:
For the past few days, the city of Magnimar has been in the grip of terror. A murderer stalks the city’s streets in the gloaming pre-dawn hours, and each morning it seems a new and freshly mutilated victim appears in an alley. There have been four bodies discovered to date—all worshipers of the goddess of healing and redemption, Sarenrae. The city guard desperately wants to catch the murderer, yet he is a cagey and elusive foe. In order to expedite the search, they have turned to the society to aid them in stopping the culprit before he slays again. I want you to meet up with the city guard. You primary point of contact is a woman called Kasadei. She will instruct you further. Dismissed.
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A luscious woman with blue hair and a strangely exotic look dressed in the most colorful of dresses joins the others for the meeting. She is armed with a beautifully decorated composite bow and greatsword.
"Though I am not a follower of her clergy, I like Sarenrae's beliefs, they are honorable and good. Why would anyone kill her worshippers." Xerance says with a sad voice.
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An old lady with a humpback, bent from old age, scuffles in. She is clad in armor from top-to-toe, but doesn't seem to be able to properly carry the weight. She uses a tower shield as a walking frame, taking small steps before sitting down on her shield with a heavy sigh. She glances around before giving the blue-haired woman an aloof smile, revealing wickedly pointed black teeth. Her voice is creaky yet lively:
"Well hello there young 'uns! Say, would anyone mind if this old lady drinks a cup of tea before we head off? I've been walking around with my protective gear all day long and now my body aches all over! Sad business, this murderin'. Let's hope it's not one of those demons! I've had my share of those, and they never seem to like followers of the Dawnflower at all for some reason..."
As she takes out a waterskin and pours a cup, she contently nips it and pats the dodo on his head.
"Anybody want some tea...? I've got cookies..."
From her backpack suddenly peeks a dodo's head, nervously twitching and loudly proclaiming its discomfort.
"~Now, now, Frodo, don't worry. These are good people... No ghouls here, I tell ya! I'm Naggy, nice to meet you all. I used to be a crusader, but now i'm in retirement, only doing the off mission for the Society to keep me bones young. Some call me "The Hag", but pay no mind to them, as they are merely afraid of what I'm capable of. Normally i'm just a midwife in the area around Nerosyan... should any of you want to visit, ill have tea and cookies ready."
After a while, seemingly content with her tea, she dozes off into a loud snore with her chin on her chest.
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A muscular dark-skinned Garundi man stood attentively listening the the Venture-Captain and replied "Yes ma'am" when she was done.
He has a quarterstaff in one hand and wears loose, yellow clothes. You can see a mithral chainshirt under the top layer of his clothes.
After Sheila Heidmarch has left the party to themselves he nods to the women "Well met, I am Kintampo. If I ever get to go to Nerosyan I will be certain to join you, as a matter of fact I was in your country recently. I do hope the trouble with those demons can be contained."
Why would anybody kills Sarenrae's followers? That is up to you to find out. As said, it seems the town guard has a plan, and they require your expertise. Please report back to me if your survive.
With that, Sheila wakes up Naggy, and signals for the group to leave the briefing room. The walk to the guard's barracks is but a short one, and Kasadei, a female member of the guard is waiting for the pathfinders.
Welcome, I've been expecting you.
It seems there is a serial killer on the loose. Whoever it is seems to have a specific hatred for cultists of the dawnflower. The victims were all traveling worshipers of Sarenrae, stabbed to death from behind in the early morning. A most gruesome detail: each of the bodies' hearts were cut out.
Our investigations have led us to a dead end, so we need your help. We plan to lure out the attacker with an ambush, which is where your expertise comes in.
None of our members has the right stealth or disguise skills to pull off such an ambush, so we count on you to lure the attacker out, while we stand by to make the arrest.
Of course, you will be well-compensated, she says, as she glanced sideways to a chest filled with gold.
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"Ikozi Stoneclaw at your service. I can shoot a gnat's wing from 10 paces away and cook a delicious rabbit stew."
Izoki stands with a slightly hunched back concealed by his black feathers, darkleaf studded leather and layers of white, brown and black furs. No melee weapons are visible, but a well polished musket is slung next to a heavy backpack and bandoleer of ammo. His large beak nods during the party introductions and speaks in a high pitched Taldoran accent.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD!!!
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I dont like this plan. So many things could go wrong.
A young and skinny elf wearing a green silk jacket steps forward to adress the guard. The black bird perched at his shoulder looks inquisitively from one group member to the next bending its neck in a twisted and very bird-like way.
It sounds rather risky...for us. How are you planning this ambush?
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"Well, it is Nerosyan steel, after all... ment to counter nasty demon fangs! However, I'm not much of a Sarenrae-follower, Falayna bless her immortal soul. Unless someone could help me with that..."
The dodo lets out a terrified shriek when he doesn't hear Naggy's expected declination of the proposal.
"Calm down, Frodo. It's only some thug that likes to kill people... how could it be anything worse than that Vermlek we defeated the other day?"
We have a young acolyte of the dawnflower who was willing to help us get to the bottom of this. Her name is Kyra. She has volunteered to act as bait, as long as your are there to prevent her from being killed.
Next morning, she will take a walk in her typical morning ritual. It is your duty to ensure the murderer takes the bait, and that you are there to catch him red-handed. Stopping for a moment at that, Kadadei corrects herself well, preferably before any hands get red.
A woman dressed in typical Qadiran style enters the room and says in a serious voice you called me?
As Kasadei explains, next morning I will take a walk. I need you to be close, but unseen. My walk will lead through the shadows, the quarter of the city where the murders have taken place so far. The murderer will probably strike in some alley.
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I guess the Venture Captains think I must have learned something from that disaster in Bloodcove, otherwise they wouldn't have selected me for this subterfuge thing.
Well met Kyra. To be honest I am not that good at pretending I am something that I am not, although I could pretend to be someone looking for trouble. Maybe my fellow pathfinders have a better idea.
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"Well, I could cast Alter Winds on our trailing party should the murderer indeed be a werewolf relying on scent, to deny him the opportunity we're near... Otherwise, I could cast Alter self on myself, but I'm not sure wether that would help."
Naggy seems lost for a moment, until a shriek from her Dodo wakes her from her pondering.
"Frodo, you are a genius! I will buy a scroll of Disguise other, making me look like a Dawnflower cultist! This will last for about 30 minutes. Would this be enough, Lady Kasadei?"
Bloody scrolls...
"Tadah! I'm going for the old Sarenrae Midwife look, I've seen some of those in my days. Let me see..."
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Naggy - Sarenrae midwife
Kintampo - disguised as old man
Xerance - disguises Kyra as 'easy target'. Plain commoner.
Izoki - Stealth, lurking out of sight
Ruprecht - Innocent bystander
Variel
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As planned, the party, disguised and all, takes a walk about an hour before dawn.
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The party takes a walk before dawn, in the shady district of the shadow, when suddenly, Naggy spots a draconic figure perched on top of a roof.
As she sights the figure, the surroundings fall silent (). A woman with red hair lurks in the shadow, holding a knife in her hand, ready to spring forward.
Only Ruprecht and Izoki do not notice the silence.
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Xerance
Naggy
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Gargoyle
Woman
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Variel
Kintampo
Izoki
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Kyra
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Ruprecht
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Unable to vocally warn the others, Xerance moves behind Kyra, while drawing her bow, to tap her on the shoulder and points at the redhead. She nocks an arrow should the woman try to strike.
-Posted with Wayfinder
The woman charges up, blade in hand, and tries to move past Naggy without any regard for her own safety.
The woman stabs at Kyra, but her knife just hits her armour. The gargoyle, meanwhile, swoop down and tries to grab the cleric. Grabbing the woman between his claw, the gargoyle starts trying to lift off.
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Variel
Kintampo
Izoki
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(Kyra)
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Ruprecht
Xerance
Naggy
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Gargoyle
Woman
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Naggy will take a 5-foot step out of the silence, and use her Heaven's Leap (wandering hex) to teleport Kyra 25 feet backwards, in between her allies.
"Ruprecht, Izoki! Take care of her while we deal with the girl and the gargoyle!"
Naggy then tries to identify the gargoylesque creature by digging through her substantial memory: