As Blackjack reveals his intentions, Lirianne draws her pistols, though keeps them pointed toward the floor for now. She gives the clerk a hard look, almost daring him to make a move against the party.
Following the group into the office, she stands near the corner of a desk, keeping watch for trouble while Blackjack looks over the books, and covering Ceobryn as he opens the door.
Ceobryrn finds a small kitchen behind the door, while Lirianne threatens the clerk. Th guard in the room immediately reacts by moving his hand to his scabbard, but the clerk simply says with venom in his voice: Tut-tut, there is no need for that. You are here on official inspection. I do trust that you act with integrity, and treat our clients with discretion.
The contracts on the desk are pretty boring, legalistic stuff. There's some chests with more paperwork in the locked iron cage.
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Seeing the Kitchen so close at hand, Ceobryrn comments "You would think Jolwain would have come here to fetch the drinks?"
If it's not too late Ceobryrn heads the same way Jolwain the aid that the clerk sent to fetch drinks.
If that is unknown, the ranger move to the rear court yard {C11} and opens the double door's to the north ready to inspect that warehouse.
I must protest the clerk says as he does so, there is absolutely no need to search those records.
Ceobryrn finds no trace of Jolwain, He moves over to the northwestern warehouse (C10) and opens the doors. This warehouse holds lumber, quarried stone, and other exports. Workers stack materials or store them in crates. There's two guards that can be heard patrolling the roof.
Moving into the room, Ceobryrn find an out of place crate near the north wall.
The item inside the crate is a delicate crown of woven silver feathers looted from the nearby Thassilonian ruins.
"You really do not want to upset the Captain. The inspection will go much better if you continue to cooperate." Hagnar quips.
The guard in the room still looks a bit jumpy, but the clerk again gestures him to stand down. That's the way it's going to be then? He slowly fumbles in his pocket, and produces a key. Ourboreia has already taken care of the lock, though, and the door to the cage is open.
A cabinet contains contracts and loan papers.
There is plenty of damning evidence here of bribes to city officials. There's also two vials of alchemist's fire.
--
Ceobryrn notices that, like in the other warehouse, a part of the room is coated with a greasy substance. He also notices a secret door in the wall.
Inside of the crate is a delicate crown of woven silver feathers.
Hagnar sees nothing of value, or can not decipher the information.
Gleaming gold and radiant enchantments illuminate this hidden treasure room. Ancient statues from sites around Varisia stand in one corner and a ten-foot tapestry depicting a glorious island city covers the northern wall. Cabinets filled with fine garments and rack upon rack of shining armor and weapons stand on the south and east walls. Heavy ironbound chests fill the remaining empty space. A large carriage door leads north.
In the center of the room, a mannequin wears a barbed amulet. A scroll describing the item’s provenance is attached to the mannequin’s chest
There's an obvious passage in the south wall, which is locked.
There are many items here that have been looted from the Thassilonian ruin.
Hearing of Ceobrn's find through their message link, Hagnar looks at Jaquees to see if he wants to join the man..."Perhaps we should continue our investigation in the other storerooms now." he says
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Ceobryrn whispers to the others about the treasures and notes he found in the secret room "I've found quite a bit of loot here!".
The ranger examines the obvious passage in the south wall of the treasure room {C9} checking to make sure there are no traps.
If there is no trap then he uses his large key that looks very much like a +2 adamantine greatsword to break open the lock and/or door to the next room.
Ceobryrn 'unlocks' the secret door, and finds his way to a small workshop. Jeweler’s tools, brushes, and other devices to clean and repair fine art and ancient artifacts cover the two workbenches in this room. A small tome on one table details common techniques of ancient artists and how to identify their work.
The door leads out the corridor, where he rejoins the rest of the pathfinders.
Ourboreia identifies the bribes in the documents, and inspects the crates in the warehouse, confirming the Thassilonian nature of the artefacts. With that, the pathfinders gather up evidence and leave.
A gaunt, fashionably dressed Taldan quivers with outrage as he approaches. His clothes are in disarray, but he moves with surety. The two followers accompanying him half draw their weapons but a gesture from the man stops them. “How dare you hooligans trespass here? Are you fools or simply new to Magnimar? I assure you, you’ll be coming to know the Hells quite well. Explain yourselves before I see your families arrested as conspirators in this vandalism as well.”
"Ahh, the feigned anger of a man caught in his crime. See how his hands are held together, and the way his eyes dart around? Those are signs of his fear at being discovered. And his anger indicators are not genuine. You should stand aside, sir, for your crimes have been discovered." Hagnar says calmly
The bodyguards are posturing aggressively, but Sloan seems in deed somewhat unsettled.
Crimes? he tries What crimes, what give you the right to investigate here?
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Rejoining the group via the hallway, Ceobryn comments to the group via the message spell "There is too much to carry, and I don't like the idea of leaving it until the city guards arrive, it might disappear. Also, we are to detain any persons who engaged in the unlawful practices of possession or looting of historical treasures and artifacts."
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Elindriel shows the man the writ they were given. "We have unearthed sufficient evidence, sir, to justify detaining you. I suggest that you come along quietly and continue to exercise good judgement in restraining your guards, lest they accidentally eviscerate themselves on my blade." Her hand drops to the falcata's hilt in silent promise.
Sloan looks positively shaken by the overbearing attitude of Elindriel, and orders his guards to stand down. He tries to put on a brave face, but falters a bit The council sends a team of rats to steal from me. Hah! You have become... he says with a lack of conviction ...too bold.
Sloan seems to be unhinged somewhat, and could even be tempted to reveal critical information is you play him right.
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"We have significant evidence collected so far. From testimony given to us by captured Aspis agents, the evidence seized from your very own property, as well as reams of documents implicating you in matters of smuggling and conspiracy, yet you act calm - I admire that. In Galt many men acted calm before the Grey Gardeners, at least until they came face to face with the famous and feared guillotines of Galt, the Final Blades, then all composure....'poof'..." Blackjack motions with his hands "You have nothing to say now? Perhaps less Jeggare Wine in future"
Huh-hrm. Sloan say, as he fumbles with a ring on his finger.
One of the pieces rings that Sloan wears comes from the dig site.
There may be more to this may than just smuggling - he is suspected of working with the aspis after all. Would he have had a finger in the attack on the grand convocation? Would he be scheming something now? The pathfinders have no proof, but the man looks vulnerable.
Hagnar eyes the ring the man is fumbling with, trying to discern if it may have any magic in it...
"Come now - confession is good for the soul. Tell us of your plots. Why are you taking these relics? What does the Aspis Consortium plan to do with them? Does it have anything to do with the unprovoked attack on the Pathfinder Society at our Grand Convocation?" The years of training as an investigator now come forth in Hagnar, his green eyes boring into the deflated man.
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"It seems to me that it has everything to do with the attack. The Consortium has clearly paid him quite well for information he provided about the Grand Convocation, perhaps about the Sky Key itself. The fact that he is receiving more from them now means, of course, that he must have more irons in the fire, as it were." A wry grin crosses her face. "Ah, what a fitting analogy; you will soon face interrogation, I'm sure - do you think your interrogators will utilize branding irons?"
How would you know I was involved in the attack on the Convocation? Sloan says, the turns quite nervous as Elindriel intimidates her, and huffs your venture-Captain will soon burn anyway.
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"You better hope the Venture Captain doesn't burn. Why, what plans have you innocently been thrust into? Surely an upstanding man of Taldor has been misled and tricked into going along with things he may well be uncomfortable with... just come clean, so we can find where the blame truly lays and we can try and clear the matter up"
Blackjack tries playing a different set of cards...
Bluff
Sloan shakily mutters to himself while scratching at his hand. Impossible...does it surprise you that one of your masked leaders dances to our tune? Did you truly think there was honor among thieves?
Sloan is telling a complete lie.
There is a trace of white makeup on Sloan’s collar.
The trace contains a hint of burnt incense and balsam, the scent of Lady’s Promise, an expensive woman’s perfume popular among Cheliax nobility.
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Sense Motive
Disguise
"You come here dishevelled and concerned, white makeup still on your collar? It all becomes so clear now, an act of love no? Who is the secret lover who has led you into the madness of passion? What do you mean the Venture Captain will burn? What masked agent? Come now, we can smooth this out if you are honest with us now..."
Jaques continues trying to bring the man around (per Bluff above)
Hagnar adds to Jaques' observations... "I smell a hint of burnt incense and balsam, the scent of Lady’s Promise. That's an expensive perfume popular among Cheliax nobility. Still want us digging around your affairs?"
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Blackjack can't conceal his smile, in some odd way it actually appears genuinely sympathetic and completely understanding "Aha monsieur, it becomes clear now - Chelaxian wine, Chelaxian women... such forbidden fruit but so delicious, I understand your plight" he nods sagely "my men sing of such things on the decks of my ship, and whilst we all laugh in the light of day, we know well that those Egorian women are like Sirens, and we are but helpless to their call. So now we know, let us end this charade and salvage what dignity we can"
When it comes to wine and women, Blackjack is a true Galtan.
It is too late, my plan is set in motion. Your lodge here will burn, just like just grand lodge was a mess after we played our part. Our spying agent is among your number, and you will be none the safer for me. Stop me as you like, you will change nothing!.
With that, kasadei rushes in to arrest Sloan.
"Indeed," Lirianne replies to Blackjack, "and a provider of much work for agents of the law. And it sounds like there's still more work ahead of us, if there is truly a snake in out boots."
Hagnar will take time to study the relics, noting any useful information in his journal. If he can discover any clues as to the identity of the supposed spy, or the plots underway, he will make sure the venture captain hears of them!