Idun stood idly by as the conversation continued. She was sure nothing good could come of letting Red Fist go, but there didn't seem to be any good way to stop it.
"I do have an idea- I could follow in my alter ego and try to catch whoever is arranging for this shenanigan with Red Fist. But, well, that'd leave you without a dedicated fighter in case anything happens while you try to cleanse the manor, given Grenz is occupied."
"I don't like the that idea Idun. Keeping an eye on a man being hauled off to jail isn't worth having Dora and I's arses swinging in the wind without anyone to cover them. Not to mention your back would be exposed as well. So, I guess we'll catch up to Red Fist in a day or two."
"Fair enough, slow and steady it is then." Idun isn't disappointed at the idea being disagreed with, as she wasn't certain of it herself.
The ring is made of coral and has dolphins carved into it. It functions as a Ring of Jumping, adding +10 to all Athletics checks to Jump
The Sword is adamantine, though its origins are lost to time. While not magical, there is little that can resist its bite.
The Pearl Ring is simply that and is worth around 300gp to the right buyer.
The coins are simply coins adding up to 56gp.
The leather cap is as mentioned earlier, a hat of disguise, allows the use of alter self while worn.
The pickaxe is a +1 dwarven made tool.
Khamul bustles about the town, finding himself some silver dust and holy water . He also picks up a head sized leather sack and a bunch of pickling salt, and uses that to keep Shaz's head in a less messy condition. Having done his shopping, he heads for Belor's office, hoping to pick Belor's brains about Judge Ironbriar. He also wonders if he can hand over Shaz's head to Belor, rather than cart if about...
Toilday, 22 Lamashan 4707, 4:29pm. 69 degrees, Calm, Clear Skies. Sheriff’s Office, Garrison, Sandpoint.
”It seems you have been busy, Khamul. That business with the manor seems more involved. I am not surprised that Zantus won’t send anyone, he may not want to risk more trouble. Still, it sounds like you have it well in hand. I look forward to hearing when it is done. As for Red Fist, my hands are tied. I don’t trust Ironbriar, though I don’t trust elves in general. There are several justices in Magnimar and he is just one of the many that voted against sending troops to help us with the goblin problem. Something about ‘allowing Sandpoint to show its strength by fending for itself.’ Either way, if you’re going to visit with him, I wish you good luck. Maybe you’ll get through that two hundred year old ego of his.”
"Welp, Dora's been a big help. She knows enough to suggest a method of laying the haunting of the manor to rest; we're gonna try it tomorrow... Hope it works. That brings us to the next question about Foxglove Manor: has the town clerk gotten off his duff and got that condemning order written up with your and Mayor Deverin's signatures on it? While the consecration ritual might work, I'd still feel better safe than sorry about burning the place to the ground."
After pausing to let Idun and Dora chime in if they want to, Khamul will ask a couple more questions: "On other matters, we found what we think is the remains of one Shaz Redshiv, and Dora says there's a bounty. I've got his head packed in pickling salt. Can we hand it to you, or do we need to take it to Magnimar?"
Dora listens attentively to Khamul's words. She nods in agreement.
“I agree, Khamul. Hmmm … the consecration ritual may help and it's crucial to ensure that the evil within Foxglove Manor cannot spread or return. Can we really speak with Mayor Deverin and the town clerk to expedite the process?“
Turning her attention to the matter of Shaz Redshiv.
“If there's a bounty on Shaz Redshiv then it would be wise to hand over his remains and claim the reward. It's best to follow the proper procedures and deliver it to the authorities in Sandpoint or Magnimar if that's where they handle such matters!“
Idun's thoughts are still caught up in the missed opportunity of Red Fist, and she doesn't speak.
Sheriff Hemlock nods his head. ”Officially, with the confirmed death of Aldwin Foxglove, there are no remaining claimants to the estate, therefore, we can have it condemned. Not that it will keep local trouble out, but the good folk will steer clear. You may proceed with that.”
He then takes the bag that Khamul has containing the rotting head of Shaz. ”I will gladly take this off of your hands if it will get the smell out of here. I’ll write up a writ of receipt and you can take it to the town hall to collect payment.” He takes out an inkwell and begins to write the writ and then hands it to you. ”You’ve done good work around here, but I feel like this is only the beginning.”
Khamul nods in agreement and replies grimly: "Yeah, I don't think we've seen the end of this. What with the letter we uncovered in the Manor, Aldrin was a piece of a larger thing...
He brightens up as he contemplates legalized arson: "Still, we can wrap up this bit. We'll get off bright and early in the morning, and try the consecration. After that, we'll thoroughly search the place. Then we'll burn it down, because I think we should hide the entrance to the catacombs beneath it. If we sabotage the support timbers right , we should be able to collapse the whole thing into the basement, blocking the access - except for whichever hole the bat thing was hunting through..."
"I figure next, we will head directly to Magnimar, see if we can get the Judge Ironbriar to talk to us about what, if anything, he's got from Red Fist. See if the Pharasman's will talk to us. Then follow up on any clues we find in the Manor when we search it... Speaking of clues, we found what appeared to be a set of messenger birds in the Manor, that were labelled to fly to "Pug's Contraptions, Magnimar". Keep that under your hat for a bit, but if we don't come back, that's a thread to pull."
He pauses again, to let the others get in a word edgewise...
"I'm worried the evils we don't know about are active while we deal with this threat.. But there's no sense worrying about what we don't know when there's things we know and can deal with." Idun says her piece.
"Yeah, there's still trouble out there. I don't doubt 'Xanesha, mistress o of the Seven' and her 'Sihedron ritual' spell trouble in the long run. But we'll do what we can when we can, and for tomorrow, that's Foxglove manor. Unless someone else has something to add, let's make an early night of it, and be on the road at first light tomorrow..."
Sheriff Hemlock bids you farewell and good luck as you discuss the plans for the next day. The Rusty Dragon is starting to become lively as you walk in, a happy tune playing in the background by one of the local minstrels and several dockworkers and merchant laborers enjoying the early evening with drinks and stories. Bethana happily comes over to serve you and wonders aloud, ”Not much brewing about these parts with you folk in town I guess. Heard you put down the killer of some of those poor people.”
"Haha, I'm glad to see that's the way things seem! If things are quieter, we must finally be making a difference." Idun laughs with a lightness of tone not heard in her voice for some time. With all the dark and dreary things going on, that simple statement of Bethany really made Idun feel it was all worth it.
Sheriff Hemlock bids you farewell and good luck as you discuss the plans for the next day. The Rusty Dragon is starting to become lively as you walk in, a happy tune playing in the background by one of the local minstrels and several dockworkers and merchant laborers enjoying the early evening with drinks and stories. Bethana happily comes over to serve you and wonders aloud, ”Not much brewing about these parts with you folk in town I guess. Heard you put down the killer of some of those poor people.”
Khamul is busily putting himself around his dinner and not in the mood for small talk, but he does find time to reply, his tone dark: "I think there's still more brewing going on Bethana, folks should get ready for a big storm." His tone lightens and he continues "But at the least, we have settled that killer. Settled him good. Just keep on solving the problems we can and things will get better in the long run."
Bethana looks dour for a moment. "Best not To let the townsfolk know that more might be coming. We've had enough for one decade I think. Still, you've done well to keep it quiet. What are you off to do next?"
"We'll be off to finish up at Foxglove Manor tomorrow morning, bright and early again, darn it. Then we'll probably be gone for a few, following up on some stuff."
"I bet there'll still be things wrong with it for years to come, but hopefully we can put the worst of it behind us. Then maybe check up on what's wrong with the church in Magnimar."
Dora takes a moment to process the conversation, the weight of their recent accomplishments and the looming challenges still ahead. She looks at Khamul, Caprice, and Bethana, a determined yet somber expression on her face.
"You're right. There's a storm brewing, and we can't afford to let our guard down. We've made great strides in solving these immediate problems, but there's more to be done. I do not know if I mentioned that but I am actually looking for my mother."
She takes a sip of a drink. "Bethana, you're right. The townsfolk have been through enough. They deserve some peace and stability. Checking up on the church in Magnimar is a wise idea."
”Well, we will just have to keep that to ourselves for now. Besides, like you said, there seems to be something cooking up in Magnimar. I’ll leave you to your planning then.”
Bethana does just as she says, leaving a round of drinks and a fine mutton stew with fresh bread rolls for you to enjoy. You have the rest of the evening to yourselves.
Khamul doesn't get the most restful night, having nightmares about tomorrows ritual going wrong, but he still gets himself up before cock's crow and heads over to the Sandpoint Cathedral, to seance a Heirophant spirit again...
He's back at the Rusty Dragon in time for an early breakfast, hoping to be on the road quickly...
Wealday, 23 Lamashan 4707, 9:56am. 59 degrees, Calm, Clear Skies. Carriage Way, Foxglove Manor, Sandpoint Hinterlands.
Though the weather promises to be nice today, the early morning chill from the sea air sends a shiver down your spine. Or perhaps it is knowledge that you are returning to Foxglove once again, hopefully for the last time. Bethana’s lovely breakfast of pig sausage and Magnimar hen eggs with a sauce that she swears is a secret recipe from two centuries ago sits well with you and warms you enough to get through the day, but the thought of going back there is still dark draft upon your mind.
Bethana wishes you well as you leave, your preparations as good as they can be. The early day Southern road is packed with farmers bringing in the last of the year’s harvests before Winter truly sets in. They nod at you in greeting and move on, as if the world were simply going about its business and nothing at all could change it. You know better though and you quicken your steps to the manor.
Upon arriving, the place seems just as ramshackle and decrepit as you left it. It sags upon the cliff and you wonder if you wait long enough, maybe it will just fall into the sea and you can go about your day. No such luck so far. You do notice one thing different though, something you swear you didn’t do when you left last time. The doors to the carriage house are wide open, the chain lying in a heap near them.
Dora's heart skips a beat as she notices the open doors to the carriage house. A sense of unease washes over her … and she quickly motions for her companions to approach cautiously.
She approaches the open doors and she tries to be ready for any potential threats. She scans the area, searching for any signs of movement or disturbance.
"We didn't leave those doors open, with the chain lying on the ground. Has someone been stupid enought to mess with this place?"
Khamul joins with Dora, advancing to the open doors, longspear ready and eyes peeled...
and potentially another +4 for detect danger
5 ranks +3 trained+1 Trait+2 spirit bonus
"Somebody is really strong - they broke the lock rather than pick it. And there are tracks here. Idun, you're our tracker, come take a look. A couple of questions: how many? Are they all going in, or did some people come out?"
Khamul will pause before stepping on the tracks and to focus his psychic energies on helping Idun...
If they're that strong, they might not be stupid..." Caprice squats down to take a look.
Looking around the tracks, Idun tells you that whoever is here had a large number of people with them, maybe around a dozen, most of them around the size of a human. The fact that they did not hide their tracks speaks of either ignorance or hubris and it is difficult to tell which at this point. It appears they milled around the entrance for a time, but then once the lock was off, they all shuffled in quickly. There does not appear to be any exit tracks as of yet.
"Looks like lots of folks entered, none exited..." Idun answers with worry. "Maybe more of Red's gang?"
Khamul's unhappy about this development and it shows the bite in his speech; "I don't like this one bit. Idun, check the front doors if anyone left from there. I'm guessing not, but check anyways... Then we'd better get ready for a fight; get your game face on Idun. I see two possibilities. First, they're some random wanderers who are just looking for loot - at which point, I'd guess most of them are dead by now... but they will probably have reanimated as ghouls, who will try to eat us. If they aren't randoms, then they know what's in there. Which may be worse, because they're probably cultists of some sort, minions of 'Xanesha, Mistress of the Seven' - perhaps the Brothers she referenced in her letter. They'll be unhappy about what we've done to their little scheme..."
Dora listens to Idun's assessment of the tracks.
“It seems these intruders were not concerned with concealing their presence or their actions. Their boldness suggests either a lack of knowledge about the dangers within or an overwhelming confidence in their abilities!“
She ponders the possibilities.
“If they were unaware of the true nature of Foxglove Manor, they may have ventured in without fully understanding the risks they are facing. We need to proceed with caution. These intruders may pose a threat to our mission or even become an unwitting obstacle. Let's continue forward, keeping our guard up and ready to confront whatever awaits us!“
"I was thinking the same thing, Khamul." Idun nods and then looks at Dora. "Um, sorry if this may seem strange- but give me a moment."
After a minute of shifted posture, humming, and makeup, suddenly Idun looks like a whole new person- Caprice!
Caprice points the way inside with her freshly drawn blade, her usual bow now stowed on her back. "Let's go! They either need help or steel!"
Idun-now-Caprice checks the front door. It still appears as you left it, but for one difference. It is slightly ajar with the remains of a bloodied hand print on the door. Looking about the entrance, you can see where blood has spattered in various locations. At this point, you hear movement coming from inside and the sounds of voices, low but hurried.
and potentially another +4 for detect danger
5 ranks +3 trained+1 Trait+2 spirit bonus
Dora tries to support Khamul.
After a few minutes, you no longer hear the voices past the doorway and it seems as if all is quiet, though now you know for sure you aren’t alone here.
"I can hear the people who broke in on the far side of the door, lets go!"
Khamul rushes up to the front door and pushes it open with the butt of his longspear...
Caprice stands aside as Khamul moves forward.
”Now I know I heard something!”, someone yells from the stairwell. You hear rushing footsteps come up as two men in rough leather clothing appear in doorway, their cloth wrapped hands full of various belongings from the manor.
They drop what they are carrying, some of it breaking and pound their fists together. ”This here is our take, scram!”
Or get scrammed!”, the other says, unhelpfully.
+4 Dex
Khamul rushes along one side of the taxidermy (hoping to use it to protect his flank) saying "Surrender or die, bandits. This house is property of Sandpoint Council.". Then he menaces the thugs with his longspear...
2 ranks +3 trained +1 Cha+1 Trait
4 (Dex) +4 (Armor) +1 (Size)
+3 bab +1 str +1 size
+1 str
"Take? The halls are painted with blood!" Caprice seems bewildered by the idea that common thugs that, by all appearances were suffering heavy casualties, would still think this was a winning proposition and a good idea. Thus, she is not quick to action.
The two bandits look at each other and shrug, then look at Khamul. ”First we’ll take the little one, then we split the ladies, one for each of us.” They laugh with cruel smiles as they leap into the air, one landing past Khamul’s spear with a swift side kick and the other using the chimeric statue as a springboard to land behind him with an elbow to his back. Luckily, Khamul’s small stature makes him difficult to hit and he dodges the two strikes, but only by a foot hair.