PbP GameDay 2: PFS Module: Murder's Mark (Tier 1-2) (Inactive)

Game Master GM Aarvid

looking around, taking 20 on perception for 28

You search the spot of the murder and find some tracks and signs of a scuffle.

survival anyone? .

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Can I take 20 on this roll?

taking 20 on survival takes 20 hours...so yes but may not want to here. Assists are also possible.

For finding tracks, you can retry a failed check after 1 hour (outdoors) or 10 minutes (indoors) of searching.

Well then I hope for an assist to give me at least a 19

Whatcha lookin' for, An? August tries to help his best friend search for what he is looking for.

Survival: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5

survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23 Is dis whut you looking fer?

You investigate the grounds if the murder.

Hmm, hmm, hmm. Dis look very suspicious, if you know what I mean. They be sweeping to hide their footprints to leave the paw prints that aren't even lion tracks like de sphinx would leave. A sphinx is heavy and would leave deep tracks. Dis lookin like a set up.

Holman looks over at Bo'alo, to the tracks, and back. A wide grin on his face, he says, "See? I knew there was a reason we kept you around. Now, we know the murder wasn't committed by the Sphinx, and we know that the key ended up with the two we found in the storefront, so it seems we need to figure out who their contacts were. Anyone know how we might do that?" His grins fades slightly as he looks, hopefully, to the others.

An nod in agreement, and some surprise at the detail the man found in the scant tracks.
"There, you have it! The stinks did not do this, but someone wants us to believe that she did! Now we just have to figure out who has a grudge against the circus...or felt they would make a good scapegoat?"

Swept away? How far away? Maybe there's more tracks further away?

The Sherriff will have to address this and won't be able to brush it off as nothing.

As you finish checking the tracks on the streets near the shop, you hear a commotion down the street in the direction of the circus.

You see people run past from the direction of the circus parade grounds. You overhear some say...

"Get the sheriff. A fight is about to break out with those thieves! " , and dozens of people are reporting their purses cut while walking around the carnival.

One of the crowd says, “The thievin’ Varisians are trying to bleed the town dry!”

If those skunks could not convince her we will need more solid evidence than the tracks to do so. The sheriff will not accept our word as proof enough to... Morvius stops to listen to the commotion.

This does not bode well. We better get there fast!

As your party hastens to the circus towards the commotion, you hear shouting ahead.

When you arrive, the situation has escalated into a full-blown confrontation on the parade grounds between four Ilsurian men and two circus enforcers who are trying to drive them back toward town.

Townsfolk...
"Your circus is nothin but a bunch of thieves and murderers
! "

Circus Guards..
"We assure you we are only entertainers. Please return to you homes. No need for things to get out of hand. . "

Ok fellows listen up. There is no need to get rowdy. You don't want my friend here to intervene

Good cop/bad cop Morvius? :)

diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

"Hey who are you to tell us what ta do? You all ain't from around here either . " they do not seem convinced. The towns people go back to arguing with the guards.

Diplomacy (Adaptable Luck (Before Roll)): 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 7 + 2 = 19

"We are the ones that have been charged, by your own sheriff, with the task of uncovering who is behind this rash of criminal activity in your town. As much as it might be convenient to blame newcomers to the area, please understand that our findings, thus far, do not support that hypothesis. Surely you would prefer to go about things in a legal manner, and let the sheriff do her job?"

The town members look like they are about to fight the guards when Holman speaks up.

"Well, if you are working with the sheriff, why did you not say so? We still think these circus folks are crooks . There has been a rash of pickpockets since the carnival opened today." they grumblingly agree to leave the premises.

Immediately afterward, one the circus performers rushes toward your group...out of breath.

"Quick! Hurry! A body has been discovered in one of the large tents on the midway!"

An growls at the gawkers and troublemakers.

"Break it up here and head home. As my friend said we are on the sheriff's business. Now get, so we can get back to work!"

Hefting his nodachi, An glares at the crowd until they disperse.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

"Yeah, we're leaving already! " they scurry off. Meanwhile the clown stands waiting.

Good cop/bad cop Morvius? :)

Damn, I was too late. :(

Another one?! Morvius looks at his companions in disbelieve.
Cant this people keep themselfs out of harm's way for five minutes? He mumbles following the clown.

An, what's going on? August asks innocently. And why would there be another body? I thought the sinks didn't do it? The dwarf then follows the others to the new crime scene.

You are directed back to the area where the baby dragon
rampaged earlier, but this time you’re led inside the large
tent called the Lair of the Sphinx
(area A7 on Midway Games map at the top).

As before, when you visited, the tent looks mostly unchanged.

This enormous tent is dwarfed only by the big top itself. The
southern side has no wall, just a tall curtain pulled across its front.
A sign posted outside advertises that this area has been set aside
for meeting the sphinx at limited times throughout the day. Just
inside is a large metal cage with no floor and bars running across
the top. A single large door is set on the north corner of the west
face, secured by a heavy lock. Strewn about the grass beneath the
cage are silk sheets and piles of cushions and satin pillows.

"There!"

The body is located towards the eastern end of the tent. You can see by her robes, the victim clearly was a cleric of some sort.

Kath has a look around and will try to examine the body.

Prec: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Her wounds look like claw marks from a large animal, similar to those found on the body of Archivin Walder.

Holman assists Kath in his examination of the body and the surrounding area.

Heal: 1d20 ⇒ 20
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

An will also search the area for tracks.

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Looking over the body
perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Well what have we here... Kath murmers. Stepping away from the body and going to check out those vials.

August will act like he's looking, though he has no idea what he's looking for.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

So, if the sinks didn't kill the other guy, she didn't do this either, right? I hope I'm right. I like the sinks.

Bo'aol and Nigel both make a discovery on the body...

finding a slender rope burn around her throat, indicative of
strangulation by garrote or similar weapon.

Nguyen An notices the ground is
firm and the inside of the tent has seen a lot of foot traffic,
so any recent tracks have been ruined.

"No tracks to speak of...too many people have been in and out of the tent recently."

Anything special about the vials?

This is going to look pretty bad for the circus's folks.
Aid AnotherPerc: 1d20 ⇒ 3

The vials lack enough of their original contents to identify what they contained.

Some of the circus folk are standing nearby.

"No, this is not good. Who is she?"

August also finds the cage door is closed but not locked. The sphinx is not in the cage.

No, where is she? August refers to the empty cage. The sinks ain't here. Maybe she's been kidnapped!

Do we find any form of identification on the body?

Turning to one of the circus's folks Morvius say. You, go and get Almara Delisen. And be fast about it! The rest of you not a word. Dont let nobody inside, now move.
Not sure what to search for Morvius casts detect magic and looks around.

GM - when you said Nigel in your earlier post, did you mean Holman, or Nguyen?

sorry that was a slip on my halfling in another thread. Meant Holman .

NP, just wasn't sure if I should speak up about the garrote stuff...

Holman speaks up, "Look here. See how there's bruising around the neck, there? That is a mark left by a garrote - the rest of these wounds were made after she was already dead, and were almost assuredly not made by the Sphinx..."

The circus performer Morvius directed, takes off to get Almara.

You find a holy symbol on the body. Kn:Rel?

Mistress Almara Delisen and Master Venlock, the circus’s
chief enforcer, arrive on the scene after the perform seeks them.

Both have expressions of shock, but Almara immediately points to a carnival worker and says:

"Run to Ilsurian and fetch Sheriff Feldane. I am certain of the circus’s innocence in this crime and
I refuse to be party to a cover-up. I am sure the truth will come out."

K Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Holman directs his attention to Almara. "So, then - who is this, and why do you suppose she was killed?"

August is still focused on the empty cage and goes to investigate while the others ask the questions.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Morvius determines the woman was a priestess of Erastil.

"I do not know her name. Local woman. She came to try and negotiate a peace between the town folk and our guards and performers.."

Kath asks the people nearby if there is any reason for the vials he found to be nearby.

Nobody seems to know why the vials were in the tent.

August does not find anything out else about the cage other than being unlocked.

"I am not sure why anyone would want to kill this woman. She seemed like she wanted to help. "

Holman thinks on the response, then responds, "Unless someone is trying to continue to get the townsfolk to blame the circus for the goings on around town. There must be some other party involved, here, else there would be no need for this elaborate ruse."