"Guard them," the little mage yells out exhaustedly. "And let's be sure to search this place. Surely they have some gear stashed around here." Uraisa casts Detect Magic to help with the search.
"Oh good it's nice you've both seen sense." Miet to the tower girls "Now maybe we can solve this without killing each other?"
"Well done, Oscar. That was some inspired fighting you did there. Let's you and I keep an eye on these two while the others search. Maybe they will tell us why they come to kill Natalya." She looks at each of the Tower Girls while she wipes the blood from her blade.
Kassandra steps closer to Uraisa and touches her shoulder while whispering a few words. However the witch's exhaustion from the battle prevents her hex from being very effective.
"Thank you, Kassandra. I remember now just how much I stink at trying to use my dagger," she smiled, feeling a bit better.
Current HP 3/8
Looking annoyed at everyone making suggestions, "Shut yer traps and listen." Supporting himself against a wall Shiv directs everyone around with his off-hand dagger, "You two,(pointing at Uraisa and El) strip these lasses down of their belongin's and bind 'em best ya kin. Salt go get Natalya and see if she is still breathin', ya got ta carry her back fer us. Dwarf, kin ya patch us up some?!" He glowers at the two ladies who surrendered, "Best hope she still is breathin' elsewise I'm like ta take 500 gold out a yer hides."
Ellantera looks at Shiv for a moment, eyebrow raised, then sheathes her cleaned sword and turns back to the Tower Girls. "You heard him. Are we going to do this the easy way? What are you carrying and why did you attack us? What did she do?"
Oscar looks strangely at Shiv giving commands, then shrugs and goes to see if Natalya is still breathing.
heal Check
Then shrugging he hoists the limp body onto his shoulder.
"Can't tell".
The two captured Tower Girls glower angrily at Shiv, but do not resist as Ellantera finishes binding them. They also, however, don't answer El's questions, merely staring at her with almost identical expressions of fury.
Searching them for gear, though, turns up a number of potentially useful and interesting items. Although covered in the filth and muck of the septic pits, their hand crossbows and short swords are clearly extremely well-crafted; likewise, they wear finely-made chain shirts and top of the line whips rest in loops on their belts. Each also carries an array of potion bottles (a total of 10 between them), as well as a smokestick and two tanglefoot bags each. Climber's kits, coils of silk rope, second-story harnesses, silver holy symbols in the shape of three daggers connected at their hilts, and pouches with a mix of gold and platinum pieces round out their accoutrements.
Searching Natalya's stash comes up with a handful of additional coins (a mix of gold, silver, and copper pieces totalling a little over 40 gp), some buttons made of semiprecious stones, a faded handbill declaring its possessor to be the rightful owner of the Grand Mastaba of Korvosa (an obvious fake, likely a carnival novelty), and a heavy key made of what appears to be pure adamantine.
Miet decides to try and be diplomatic with the tower girls
"Listen I can see you are really angry with Natalya but lets try and talk this out. Why dont you two tell us what you know Please?"
Diplomacy
The two Tower Girls exchange glances, then one of them says, "It's not so much us, really. It's our boss. Natalya stole something from us and the boss wants it back. Vancaskerin herself is just... a lesson, in case anyone else should get confused about what happens when you cross the boss."
Ellantera presses her lips together at the thought of them killing her friend as 'a lesson', but she decides not to address that - they were tied up, right? She can't resist, however, "There. That wasn't so hard, was it?"
"So what did she take thats so important that youre boss would want to make an example of Natayla there?"
"Come on you can tell me after all I never took a swing at either of you did I?"
Diplomacy
The Tower Girls' expressions harden at Miet's second question, though, and the only reply she receives is, "What, you think we'd get any better treatment if we spill? No deal, short stuff. Take us to the Arvensoar or whatever it is you're going to do, but that's all we've got to say."
"Geez why do people always have to be so difficult. Okay well how about telling me about yourselves? Oh where are my manners my names Miet Silverback and despite the circumstances it's a pleasure to met you."
"Lets take them back and be done with with."
"Better treatment from who? We have no interest in you other than what you know. I'd as soon leave you here to free yourselves as find out if the guard has a wanted poster with your pretty face on it. We only came here to rescue Natalya and then you attacked us."
Galyna moves to where she would stand between the tied women and Natalya.
The Tower Girls exchange another set of glances, then one says, "I'm Terisha," and the other adds, "Mikayna." They are silent then, but when Ellantera adds her bit, they exchange another glance. "Better treatment from the boss," Mikayna replies. "Not the forgiving sort. Someone else would get sent to take care of us like we were sent to take care of Natalya. And I'd honestly rather have the Arvensoar guards between us and whoever that is than just be sitting here tied up like a harvest festival ham."
Ellantera frowns, "I suppose the thugs that ran probably are already spillin' their guts about how they overcame overwhelmin' odds just to have you two surrender and give away the game."
Looking at the others, she asks, "Do we take them to the guard, then? Wouldn't feel right leavin' 'em here to die. Would be easier to do the right thing if they were answerin' the questions, though..."
"Either works for me. But I agree, talking makes things so much easier, so you girls would do well listening to the wee one.
"How about we take them back to the lodge? Pretty sure they would be pretty safe there."
"That's my plan, Miet. Let the Lady figure out what to do with them. She might have some friends that need people with their particular skills.
Ellantera looks between the gnome and the mage. "Right. On your feet, ladies. We're getting out of here before your boyfriends return."
The rogue seems pleased to finally be getting out of this place and headed back to the manor. He is pale and has fallen silent in an effort just to put one foot in front of the other.
The walk back from the Shade through the Shore and back up to the Summit takes most of an hour, but no one interferes with your progress this time. Even in the well-patrolled Alabaster District none of the guards seem interested in your doings, and you reach the Manor without incident. The two men in Heidmarch's own livery look curiously at you as you pass through the gates, but make no attempt to stop you as you lead your three prisoners into the Manor itself.
As before, you are asked to wait in the library. Lady Hiedmarch wastes little time in appearing, and she looks over your "acquisitions" with a raised eyebrow. "Well, now, Pathfinders. What have you brought me?"
Miet spends the entire journey back making small talk with the tower girls (Stuff like Favorite colour, food etc)
"When I was growing up, there was always a guy on the corner with these three shells that looked alike. He would put a copper underneath one and move them around and you would have to guess where the copper was. He called it a shell game and said it was a con."
Indicating the three, she says, "This is close. Three cons, but no shells. If I may be so bold, may I suggest that we separate them and put them under guard before we share our tale? And would there be a cleric available to provide some healing? My brother's so close to death, he's not himself right now, but our friend has done all he can just to get us through the day."
Meeting Lady Hiedmarch's eyes, she adds, "It has been quite a day."
Galyna is relatively silent on the trek back, Natalya's influence at odds with her normal instincts.
Oscar is frowning in concentration on the way back. Constantly taking out his hammer, and swinging it, trying to adjust his grip to see what he was doing wrong.
Lady Heidmarch nods once, disappearing for a moment into another chamber before returning with four potions of cure light wounds. She hands one to Shiv, two more to Erwin (with a brief, "Use them where you think best,") and turns to Natalya, holding the last one with an indecisive expression. After a few seconds' consideration, she calls to her butler, asking him to bring "two guards and Mandali." A short wait later, the two men from the manor gate appear, followed by what is unquestionably a gorilla in light armor, carrying a round shield and short sword. "Pathfinders, this is Mandali, my good friend for many years," Lady Hiedmarch says, indicating the gorilla.
"I honor you, Pathfinders," the gorilla says, offering you all a bow. His voice is quite deep and he over-enunciates most of the words. His canines look quite sharp.
Oblivious to any looks of surprise, Lady Heidmarch quickly instructs her two guards to take the two Tower Girls to one of the outer bungalows and lock them into separate bedrooms; Natalya she sends with Mandali, adding, "Put her in my bedroom for now. Take this potion - if she shows signs of weakening, use it on her, but for the moment, let her stay asleep until we are ready to speak with her." Mandali nods, scooping up the unconscious Varisian as though she were a child and carrying her out; the guards steer the two Tower Girls out as well, leaving you alone with Lady Sheila.
"Now then," she says. "Your tale, if you please."
Literally reeking like an open sewer Shiv throws back the potion and slams down the bottle, "Now that hit the spot." Getting some new chew in his mouth he heedlessly plops himself down in the nicest chair before he begins, "Let's see. We chased down some rumors but finally figgured where the wench was hidin' by way of a local scoundrel by tha name of Fenster. She was hidin' out in a place that smelled and looked like a over flowin' chamber pot. Had a bunch of goblins runnin' 'round with her. Left tha lot of 'em floatin' face down." He gives Ellantera and Galyna sideways look before pointing the two of them out with the strange dagger that has never left his hand, "These two dimwits got themselves all magicked up and are best buddies with Natalya now. We looted the place and all we found is in that bag o'er there. After we trussed Natalya like a prairie hen those two Tower Gals came a callin' and tried putting the poor trussed lass down fer good. We did'na take ta kindly ta that and showed 'em we meant business." He glances around, "And then we brought 'em here. Think that about covers it. Now about that reward..."
Ellantera scowls at being called a dimwit and protests, "I was just trying to get everyone to stop fighting. We can't bring her back alive if we kill her, can we?"
Her eyes narrow at the strange dagger. Surely she would remember that odd weapon...
'Would you like me to check that dagger for magical dweomers, Shiv?"
Lady Sheila looks surprised. "You haven't performed a magical examination on the artifacts you recovered?" she asks. "That is typically one of the first things you do in the fie-" As she speaks, she glances for a moment at the dagger, then does an almost comically-large double take, cutting herself off in mid-sentence. Her jaw drops and she stares, open-mouthed, for a long second at the coppery metal shard.
Then she remembers herself, and the mask of calm slides back into place. "What... what an usual item," she says, attempting to feign casualness. "I.. believe I may know what it is, but there is a test I would need to perform on it to be sure. The shard... there is an indentation on its side, yes? I believe that it is designed to hold an ioun stone there, much in the same way that the wayfinders used by the Pathfinder Society are. I have such a stone - if the shard responds to the stone the way a wayfinder would, then my theory will prove correct." She licks her lips very slightly, then looks straight at Shiv and asks, "Please, if you wouldn't mind waiting here? Mistress Ellsworth, while I am gone, I suggest you perform that examination."
"Sure, not a problem, Ma'am. Hand that blade over here for a second, please, Shiv and I'll take a look."
Shiv's eyes narrow at Uraisa, "I don't think so lass. I've done all the examinin' that's like ta happen or is needed. Take a look at tha rest of tha loot we found if ya need somethin' ta keep yerself busy."
Uraisa tilts her head at his odd reaction. "Don't you want me to find out if it has magical properties for you?"
"We didn't check the stuff right away because those two," she points in the direction where the assassin Tower Girls were taken, "said their boss would send more killers when they failed. It did not seem wise to wait for another fight in the shape we were in."
Her eyebrows raise at Shiv's refusal. "It's not like you to not want to know what your take is worth, brother."
He glares at his sister, "An' it's not like ya ta leave me hangin' and facin' the gallows, like ya did with those Tower lasses! Apparently all that workin' ta'gether in the pits meant nothin' ta ya. Never ya mind, I always was runnin' tha show so guess it's expected if'n I'm not tellin' ya exactly what ta do. I know good an' well what this..." He brandishes the copper dagger in a white-knuckled grip, "is worth! Nothin', ta the rest of ya! Just cleared my head a bit so as ta see yah'll are needin' my help more'n I am needin' yers. Now stop yer yappin' and figgure out tha worth of tha rest of our haul, so as we kin divvy it up!"
"I think he's losing the plot a bit." Miet whispers to Uraisa
El fumes, "When we were in the pits and I was saving your arrogant backside from the netflinger and his partner, you were plenty glad to have a partner. You have always fought better with me than without me. If you hadn't run off to count loot while the rest of us were still fighting, maybe things would have worked out better for you!"
She turns and storms out of the room, looking for some fresh air.
Galyna frowns at Shiv's reaction, overly possessive even for a professional thief. "Just let her examine it and stop being a jackass, it's not like you're like to get into a knife fight right this second."
Kassandra observes the sibling drama that evolves, but does not say anything.
Uraisa doesn't comment any further, not wanting to anger Shiv.