Qwerty's PFS Murder's Mark (Inactive)

Game Master qwerty1971

Natraz follow Clarissa, bow at the ready, examining the room.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Beyond the heavy steel door this darkened chamber is lined with shelves, including free standing shelving in the center. There is ample room in the vault, but labeled boxes, bags, weapons, and armor are spread throughout the room. As the group enters the vault they see the pressure plate on the floor that triggers the trap outside.

Natraz and Clarissa enter the vault and begin looking around detecting where the trap level is located and hear the slight click of the trap door prepped as they step on the pressure plate. The vault door swings close as you enter so the other members keep the vault door open as they enter.

While the two lead members look around a figure jumps out of the shadow and tries to race past the team through the door.. it appears to be another skulk...
CMB: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
The creature gets by Natraz but is unable to get by Sol or Ford

Order
Natraz, Clarissa, Dave, Sol
Skulk
Ford

Oh, dear! Another one! These guys must know something. Have to disable him.

"Let me tell you a little joke," Clarissa says as the skulk tries to dart past her. Her hands dip into a pouch on her belt and withdraw tiny pastries and a feather. She utters an incantation while staring at the skulk.

Hideous Laughter, Will DC 14 to negate.

WIL: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
and the skulk stops and drops laughing hysterically...

well that was quick

Well, it's only a round duration at this level, but that should give the others a chance to restrain him.

"Quick, grab him! The spell will only last a few seconds!"

Sol grabs at the runaway Skulk.

Attempt to Grapple
Grapple: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

"Gotcha! Now, we just want to talk. I suggest you cooperate. You can't run, and fighting us is going to end badly for you."

The skulk tries to escape the clutches of the cleric...but can't due to the spell. The others help pin the skulk down. As the spell wears off the skulk begins to struggle once more...

do you have something to bind the skulk with?

From the floor above the group hears the guard once again ask if everything is ok and what is the commotion about.

I pull some rope from my pack and toss it to Natraz and Sol. You might want to tie him up with this Toss 1 of the 50ft Silk Rope that i have.

Sol nods at Natraz to grab the rope, and looking down at the pinned skulk, "Struggling is just going to make it harder for you. I don't want to have to tie you up, but fighting us is forcing our hand and is only going to get you hurt. I suggest you cooperate."

Ford steps back as the others tackle the skulk to the ground, pinning him to the floor. His ears perk a little as he hears the guard upstairs start to get curious again. A little more time... they needed a bit more time.

A smile crossed his face - the kind that shouldn't be trusted, but you couldn't help wondering if that was simply a fluke of charm. "Everything's alright, my good man!" Ford called back, turning smoothly and striding back up the stairs, hands behind his back and nodding to the others to continue their work. And the scary thing was, Ford wasn't in control of any of it. Oh, what am I doing!? This is going to end terribly, what do I sa-!

"Simply caught off guard by the clever trap you have installed. Our big bubbly brute looks like a monkey goblin hanging off the side, but not to worry! Master Sol will have him up in no time!"

What... am I saying? I... I wasn't even-

"But if you don't mind me asking, I confess I've had my eye on a bauble up front since we've walked in, and I simply have to know more about it. You look like a man who takes pride in his wards, surely you know a thing or two about it." The lie started rolling off his tongue like quicksilver, and it was starting to worry Ford. He didn't know where it was coming from... aside from his mouth. "...oh no..."

Bluff: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

And evidently, the dice agreed with me!

Natraz quickly wrapped the rope around the skull, and removed one of the strips of cloth wrapped around his hand, wadding it up and shoving it in the creatures mouth.

"OH...OK... just dont break anything. you would have to talk to the misses about buying stuff. I am no merchant and my math aint too good" the guard yells back at the group as he moves away.

The party manages to bind the skulk and determine the skulk is a female. After being securely bound the skulk stops fighting. The group can now hear the skulk in the trap calling up..."what is going on?....who is up there?....is that you Kymeth?...let me out... Onamae get me out of here....Zahkar help me...Please..."

Ford smiled widely as he nodded up at the guard. "Oh, you are too modest, my good man! I'm sure you could make a fine merchant!" Arms still behind his back, he turned back and walked towards the bound female skulk, motioning to lift her to her feet.

"Natraz, will you help our guest to her feet... I have a few questions I need answers to. Clarissa dear, Master Sol, Master Dave? Would you be so kind as to help our other friend out of that pit? We'll see if we can corroborate her information." Ford waits for the skulk to get to her feet before stepping up to her, his smile almost instantly disappearing as he glared coldly into her eyes, his own eyes developing an inhuman white glaze to them as he spoke. Please! Keep it together! Must... regain... control..!

"Now... you're going to tell me everything you know, or I will break bones you didn't even know you had. So... what are you doing here, and who sent you? Why did you kill the owner of this shop and pin the blame of the Umbra Carnival?"

Intimidate: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Two nat 20s in a row? Hot day-uhm!

nice rolls
Intimidated by Fords presence the female skulk begins speaking and trembling...
"we were sent to do a job....we Nisku do that sometimes...Kymeth and Onamae paid Rogi and me to help rob this place.... we did not see the trap....it was not supposed to be like this.... everyone got scared...the others fled and i got caught in the vault... i think Rogi fell down..."

You can see her eyes are glossy and she appears to be in some sort of withdrawal...

Ford leaned closer as he observed her face, studying it before stepping back. Come on! Almost! His face's expression seemed to relax slightly, though it still had a stern look for the skulk. "Nisku? Is that a tribe or gang name? ...well, you're right, Rogi is in the pit. So there were four of you? Where are... Kymeth and Onamae? And who gives you these jobs?"

Ford's hands finally fell out from behind his back, crossing over his chest as he shook his head. "Your eyes are glossy, and I noticed you twitch sometimes. Have you been... using some kind of drug?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

as she talks her eyes go wide and she looks around constantly, but she manages to answer your questions...
"Some of us Nishku... help out some humans do things... Kymeth and Onamae are lucky and get to work for them all the time....Rogi and I...only do part time work...for shiver...now you let me go...?"

"I doubt we'll get vastly different answers from this poor dear," says Clarissa, pointing to the trapdoor, "Let's open it up and see what this, 'Rogi' has to say while Ford deals with the other one."

"Allow me Miss" Ill walk over to the trap and lift the floor panel up.
"Now listen up Rogi, Im going to come down there and i will tie you up and then haul you out if there is any funny business it will not go good for you."

Im going to tie off the rope to the Vault Door.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18 Im leaving my armor, shield, and greatsword above.
If the drop is greater then 10 feet i will rappel down.
Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Sol, listening in on both conversations will walk up next to Ford, "Who are you working for? What were you hired to do exactly? Was there something specific you were hired to steal? Who killed the shop owner?"

Natraz eases the tension of his bow, returning the arrow to its quiver. He stands next to Ford and Sol and speaks to the skulk. "The murder does seem the more pressing crime, and you have yet to address it." He shrugs. "Perhaps we've done our part, and we should turn these two over to the town to face their justice at the end of a rope."

Bluff: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

"Simple thieves? I'm sure they'll just take their hands."

Clarissa has no clue how the local law dispenses justice, but she picks up on Natraz' attempt to scare the skulk and decides to give it a try herself.

Bluff: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Wow, we're both quite unconvincing...who knows, maybe the obvious lies will put it at ease.

Ford frowned, shaking his head. "No. There will be no more death on my watch. Believe me... the grave has things you wouldn't wish on someone prematurely." Ford folded his arms as he paced along the hallway. "These two seem too timid to kill a mood, much less another person. It sounds like who we really want are these two, Kymeth and Onamae. Two other skulks, I'm guessing."

Ford tapped his chin as he paced, talking out his thoughts to himself before raising a finger and waving it a bit. "...hear me out. This is all purely hypothetical, but it makes some degree of sense. These two are part of this Nisku tribe, who get hired to do work in exchange for access to shiver, yeah? So, whoever is supplying the shiver has to be local and know of the skulks near town, so we assume it's a local gang. She said those other two work for the humans full time, which means they're either brazen, or they've had time to build a rep with them."

"...that's it! That would be undeniable proof!" Ford walked backed to the female skulk, pointing a finger in her face and looking at her sternly. "I have one more question, and if you answer honestly, I'll do all in my power to get the sheriff to pardon you and your friend. But I have to know the truth for sure: how long have you Nisku been working for these humans?"

"We don't know who the humans are.... Kymeth got us the job....we were just supposed to kill the guards for the humans....but there was only one guard here... not all of them....Kymeth and Onamae killed him....me and Zhar took the opportunity.... to steal some things for the humans... for more shiver... but then it all went wrong... and Kymeth and Onamae left us, I fell and Zhar got locked in..."

Rogi says after he is lifted up from the pit. They both seem docile now.

"Where did you get the vault key? Where were you supposed to meet the humans after the job? Where can we find Kymeth and Onamae? How many jobs have you done for the humans? How long ago was the first one?"

"The humans gave Kymeth the keys, where he got them from I dont know..." he begins to cry as the fall, imprisonment, being caught, and his withdrawal all take their toll...

"...look." Ford said, restraining a sigh as he hung his head. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he straightened up, clearly recomposing himself (and oddly seems to hesitate for a brief second), before clasping his hands together.

"I'll be honest, your situation is not good. You've been caught in a robbery, with the shop owner and a guard dead in the process. The town is already up in arms and paranoid. They're about ready to lynch someone... but I won't let that happen. On my family's honor, I swear you'll leave here alive. But I can't help you if I don't have the information I need." Ford placed a hand on the female skulk's shoulder, hoping to calm her.

"How long have your tribe been doing work for the humans? A week? Three weeks? Months? This piece is critical... if I have a time frame, I can form a coherent case to the sheriff. So I need an honest answer... please?"

"We... Nisku... have worked for them... for a while... I dont remember... or maybe recently" Rogi says as he goes to Zahkar...

It is apparent these two do not know any thing else and are lost souls.

Ford grimaced as he shook his head, turning back and tapping his chin. "Blast... that would've made things simpler..." he muttered as he frowned at the others. "I don't think we're going to get anything else out of these two... I was hoping if we could confirm how long they've been working for these humans, we could argue that it couldn't be the carnival, since they've only been in town a short while."

Ford folded his arms as he pondered a bit more. "...but we have some clues, now. We know whoever is employing these skulks has access to shiver. They HAVE to be familiar with the local area to know about the Nisku. And, they have two skulks in their employ. That's a start... I vote we take these two back to Sheriff Feldane and turn them over to her. I imagine they'd be safer under her watch then anywhere else after failing like this. After that... I say we return to the carnival. I'd like to have a talk with this sphinx of theirs."

To the skulks, "Can you take us to Kymeth and Onamae or tell us where you are supposed to meet them?

Back to the part, "We still need to check the inventory and compare it to the ledger to find out what items have been stolen before we move on."

@Sol- "Kymeth always found us....outside of town" they can show you where the Nisku live outside of Ilsurian...

"If you could show us, that'd be great. We have to finish our investigation here first."

Do either Skulk have anything on them? Stolen goods?[ooc]

Turning back to the rest of the party out of earshot of the skulks (even at separate times if necessary) "If we let them go, we could track them. The other two might contact them, once they get word they escaped."

[ooc]Is there a way we can compare the inventory in the vault to the inventory in the ledger?

"Perhaps we let one go, and hold the other as insurance for their good behavior. Not warning the Nisku that we're following, for example." Natraz nods towards the front of the store, and by extension, outside. "At any rate, we should wait for nightfall. If the Nisku are to believe anyone has escaped and returned to them, it would be more believable under cover of darkness."

He pulls the ledger from his backpack. "In the meantime, we should start with this."

The party searches the two skulks and discover they have not useful gear save for daggers and have no stolen gear in their possession. It takes some time but the group determines only a box listed on the ledger is not in the vault. The box is only listed in the ledger as "Items".
do you turn the skulks in or do you let them go free?

As the team is inventorying the vault they hear the return of the Lady of the house.

Clarissa gives Natraz a sideways glance. He's got some devious wits. An interesting blend of his human and elf blood. I must be cautious around him until I know for sure that he's trustworthy.

"I'll be near if needed." Clarissa tells the others before creeping upstairs. She moves quietly, trying to remain concealed to the widow. I still don't quite trust this woman. I couldn't really get a solid read of her emotions. Were those crocodile tears, or genuine grief?

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Clarissa sees the Lady crying with the guards standing by unsure as to how to comfort her. Eventually she closes herself in her room and the guards return to just guarding. The head guard sees Clarissa and tells her it is better if the group leaves the shop if their tasks are done to allow the newly widow time to grieve in private.

"Of course, I understand completely. Thank you for keeping her safe as we investigate. I'll inform the others." Clarissa smiles and returns to the group.

"So, our time here is just about up. Their patience toward us is starting to wear thin."

"...if you think it will work, then I'll go along with it. I'm not so sure it's a good idea, but I'll trust your judgement. We'll just have to be quick about it... and careful. We don't want people thinking we're aiding the robbery." Ford replied.

As Clarissa informs them, Ford nods along. "Understandable. Let's get moving." Ford nods at the guards on his way out, staying silent.

where are you taking the Skulks?

where are you taking the Skulks?

I think the plan from Natraz, and I agree, is we are turning one in and letting one go with the understanding, from the skulks, that as long as he cooperates and doesn't tell anyone he's being tracked the other will be let go; and the sheriff with the same understanding that the skulk will be let go if the other skulk cooperates with us? Can everyone confirm or deny?

Sounds good to me.

That sounds about right to me.

so you are going to bring the skulks over to the sheriff to discuss this plan next?

I think so? That would be what Ford would like to do. I think we should keep the sheriff in the loop for the plan. Makes us look honest.

So the party brings the captured skulks though the town to the sheriffs office. Feldane has a rather surprised look on her face when she sees your party enter her office with 2 rough looking skulks..."Yes, can I help you with something? Is this for me?"

Ford lead the way into the office, nodding. "Sheriff Feldane, we think we have a promising lead to the real culprits. We found these two left behind in the Locked Box, one in the vault trap and the other in the vault itself." Ford explains the details they've learned from the two skulks in depth before finishing.

"I don't know if you've heard of the Nisku tribe, but it sounds like they've been here for a while... and we think the two working for the 'humans' full time are the key piece of the puzzle. With your permission... we have a plan we'd like to set up. We keep one of them here - I suggest the one with the broken leg, as I doubt he'll be going anywhere very quickly - and release the other to return to the tribe. With any luck, the two other skulks will come back looking for more help with jobs, and when they do, we nab them. I firmly believe it can't be the carnival: if they've got skulks from the local tribe working full time, it would have to be a local crime group who knows the Nisku are already here. There aren't any groups like that around here, are there?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

"The skulks' story fits with the what the guards at The Locked Box told us. It's worth checking out, but we need your cooperation and your word that the skulk we leave in your custody will be safe for the time being."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

"So you are telling me you found persons who participated in the murder of the guard at Archivin Walder's estate, you caught them in the home or in the vault, directly implicating them in the murder of a guard and an attempted theft and you want me to simply let one go. Just because a bunch of strangers said so....? Does that about sum it up? What would people say. I accept the carnival may not be involved, at least not proven to be involved as of yet, but that still wont sit well with folks around here. I will hold one here and let the other one go as you say, but you need to find out who killed Walder. Give me proof. Does Mrs. Walder know about these skulks?"

"The good lady Walder is deep in grief. It seemed best to keep gruesome details from her at this particular moment, to allow her to deal with her loss without distractions."

Not to mention my suspicious nature keeps nagging at me.

"We are not simply letting one go," Natraz interjects. "Think of a harrier, chasing its prey. The hound could catch a single rabbit, true. But with patience and skill, that hare will lead us to the entire burrow." He smiles. "Let this one rabbit, and we can net them all in the end."

The sheriff locks up the injured one and allows you to take the female skulk back into your custody.
hard to beat Sol's Diplomacy roll at this level

"I hope you know what you are doing. Remember, bring me evidence. Locals will still blame the carnival without it."