The voice sounds younger than the description of Ms. Farkin would suggest. What's more, Amandine can pick up several tells in the woman's voice that lead her to believe that this is someone pretending to be the homeowner.
"You want information? Go to Savories! That new restaurant! That's where you can find the truth!"
Amandine also gets the sense that whoever this is, they are attempting to send you on a wild goose chase to get rid of you.
Dro'gan stands carefully and nods toward the woman's hideout.
"Stay out of sight and hidden for now. I promise we will come back for you later: Within 24 hours. We will take you somewhere truly safe. But no more traps however! You could hurt an innocent kid playing in the trees. Set up some sort of alarm if you need it, but that's it. If you have no choice but to run, make your way to where we are staying..."
Dro'gan proceeds to give the woman the location of their 'home away from home' in the city and about 50 gps from his own pouch. He then wishes her luck and urges the soldier to keep her head down until they can return.
Amandine reaches out mentally to connect with Mira and Meraki. It's best to do it now to save time in case things accelerate rapidly going forward.
She informs them both of her suspicion about the house's occupant because Amandine believes they have the advantage if they press aggressively.
"We are not speaking with Caradinna Farkin. I believe she has been dead for some time now. The killer is still inside, although I don't understand why they have remained here for so long afterward."
Amandine raises her voice to be heard inside.
"We are not seeking information. We are here to speak with Caradinna Farkin. Is this in fact who you are? Understand we are invested with the legal authority to enter this house without your consent if we must. While I hope for a cordial conversation, it needn't be so. Open the door."
"No! I shan't open the door! I won't give the city's secret masters the chance to control my mind again. If I open the door, it'll compromise the house's psychic defenses.
"If you really are interested in seeking the truth, you can find it at Savories, Hedge Hill, or perhaps the Encircling Bower!"
Amandine finds this latest explication from the unseen speaker to be an interesting blend of truth and lies. She is still trying to get rid of you by sending you elsewhere; however, her fear of these "secret masters" and their mind control is sincere. She is legitimately terrified, perhaps paranoid, that someone out there means her ill and that she is only safe within this house.
Amandine is no less determined to get inside, but she needs to keep the person inside talking so her work on the door doesn't raise suspicion with a long silence.
She takes out her picks and starts working on unlocking the door. In the meantime she goes with the reference the person inside has made to "secret masters" to keep the conversation going.
"You are aware of the Secret Masters? Few know of such things, just whispers or rumors with no substance to them when we look into what is claimed about their existence. Again and again, nothing but dead ends when we try to find the truth of it. You must tell us what you know!"
Amandine keeps the conversation going and distracts the woman inside from her attempts to pick the lock on the door - which soon yields results.
Amandine steps into the boarded-up house and finds a woman who, although very agitated, matches the description provided for Farkin. However...something seems...off.
Quickly, Amandine realizes that this woman is wearing some manner of magical disguise. Her mine overcomes the illusion, and it shimmers away to reveal a woman of half-orcish descent, dressed in the rough clothes of a vagabond or bandit.
"Stay back!" she commands in a quavering voice. She draws a short blade to defend herself, but you can tell that - despite her facade - she is notably afraid. "I didn't want to kill the woman. The secret masters forced me! They got into my head and...is that why you're here? Are they in your head, too?"
Amandine stays where she's at, spreading her arms out away from her body some. She turns her hands palms outwards to make it obvious to the woman that she holds no weapon.
What Amandine does do is try and reach into the woman's mind enough to make her more receptive to her words.
"No, the secret masters are not in my head. We want to know more about the secret masters. We want to find them and stop them."
Amandine's magic helps her to overcome the disguised woman's fear and paranoia, breaking down her barriers and eliciting the truth as the conversation flows more freely.
Her name is Inga Narrowknife. She's a drifter who was passing through Yanmass. You get the sense she has more than a few skeletons in her metaphorical closet, but for now it seems prudent not to pry.
A few days ago, she found herself face-to-face with a large dog with pitch black eyes. At the time, she wasn't cognizant of what was happening to her, but now she realizes it used some kind of magic to compel her to kill the real Caradinna Farkin.
While rummaging through Farkin's house, Inga read through Farkin's extensive notes. This broke through the mental block the spell had placed on her, and she realized how bizarre her "hiring" for this job really was. She became convinced that this dog was one of the "secret masters" that Farkin wrote about, or at least one of their agents.
She has been sequestering herself in the house, convinced the "psychic defenses" that the late Farkin had put up were the only things protecting her from further manipulation by the secret masters.
Amandine relaxes her body as Inga talks, doing so obviously in the hope that Inga will do likewise. She does take a step forward into the house when she's finished with her account.
"Truly your tale is a terrifying one. I understand why you are hiding here. We came to speak to Caradinna Farkin, but obviously we cannot do so now. But, I don't see how you can be blamed since you were not acting of your own will."
"Still, we need to know everything we can if we are going to find out who exactly is behind this. Will you give us her notes? It would also help immensely if we could look around the house. We may find other things that could tell us something."
"After we have finished, we will leave you here in peace. But, I will ask you this; how long can you stay here alone without ever going outside again? Eventually you have have to go out or starve. We are your best chance to get free of the secret masters. Help us help you by agreeing to what we're asking for."
Amandine keeps eye contact (but not too much!) with Inga as she talks to her. While her expression is compassionate, Amandine also watches Inga carefully to see how she reacts to what she's saying, especially the part about Inga bearing no blame for Farkin's murder.
The magic used upon Inga leaves her memories about the encounter with the black-eyed dog very fuzzy. She can't even remember what neighborhood she was walking when it happened.
Amandine convinced Inga to share the notes left behind by Farkin. Inga's help actually makes it a bit easier to separate fact from rambling theories among the late conspiracy theorist's writings.
The most important detail you glean is that Farkin suspected the "secret masters" occupied the abandoned Sanguine Brothers slaughterhouse.
The two teams return from their investigation sites, with each set bringing a person of interest back to their lodgings for a group meeting. Amandine and Dro'gan return from the late Caradinna Farkin's house with Inga Narrowknife in tow, while Mira, Meraki, and Greenly escort Lieutenant Gallindra Jonrek. The latter three volunteer to keep an eye on the individuals taken into custody and discuss setting up a safe house in the city to serve as a base of operations.
While Amandine and Dro'gan step back out into the Yanmass street, discussing whether to move on to the slaughterhouse for the next investigation, they are approached by a new trio of unfamiliar individuals.
Carefully smiling at the approaching people, Dro'gan immediately gets suspicious, but relaxes partially once the three show their verified credentials. He smirks.
"Well isn't that a hoot. Back up! Never had that before on a mission. If anything, I'm usually the back-up."
Naliah is a tall woman with light brown skin and hair twisted and pinned into place with several hair sticks. She has no obvious weaponry out, but has a quiver at her hip and an embroidered carrying case strapped to her back.
Given their mission, she has glamered her clothing to look like her idea of "simple urban wear" of an unadorned but silky blue tunic and skirt and soft leather shoes. With dark amber eyes, she seems to be looking everywhere and nowhere at once, which could either indicate distractability... or wariness.
She introduces herself simply as Naliah and gives her call sign. Her accent is decidedly noble. "Perhaps we should chat further somewhere other than the middle of the street."
Next to Naliah is a half elf man wearing what could only be described as "studious attire", complete with a cloak and glasses. He walks around with a simple but elegantly carved walking cane, and sitting on his shoulder is a small white rat, looking around in curiosity.
"Agreed," he replies to Naliah after showing his credentials, "You never know when the walls, windows and trees will have ears."
"Master Dro'gan, Miss Amandine! Such a delight meeting you! Such a delight!" Hasimir greets the two, handing out his 'letter of recommendation' as he speaks. He sounds very much like Taldan nobility - posh accent with very careful pronunciation. Loud, too.
"Hasimir Clement, at your service," he continues with a gracious bow. The nobility is expressed in his choice of clothing as well - expensive and unpractical. Standing by his lean companions, he looks rather 'well-fed' in comparison and not at all suited for adventuring life.
When the talk turns to leaving the streets, his face brightens.
"What a splendid idea! A dare say it's time for some refreshments. I hope there is a place with adequate service, and walls without so many ears."
"Someplace pleasantly noisy," Naliah muses. "Unless you had another direction in mind?" She asks Dro'gyn and Amandine. "We've only just arrived in town, so by all means do please take the lead..."
Smiling, Dro'gan waves towards the door of their assigned domicile.
"Eager are we? Then by all means...make yourself at home. However, if you see an angry oversensitive soldier in there somewhere, I suggest you avoid her for now. She's a bit skittish at moment since all her buddies were killed around her."
At the mention of an oversensitive soldier, Vyranos raises an eyebrow. “Quite…any objections to me making tea or something?”
"Heavens! What happened? Is there a danger of the killers returning?"
Naliah perks up as Vyranos mentions tea, and it's as though murder wasn't mentioned a moment ago. "Oh, that would be wonderful. I've brought my favorite blend with me." She reaches into the elegant satchel at her hip, producing a tin canister as well as a teapot. She offers the tin to Vyranos. "It's a lovely green, do try it. And if they haven't a teapot you can use mine."
"Angry soldier, oh my... Best hope we'll stay out of her way then. Is there anything we should know about the deaths of her friends?" Hasimir inquires, twirling his mustache.
But as soon as the question has escaped his lips, the nobleman's attention is on the tin canister. "Naliah, dear... You are wise beyond your years. I am beginning to regret I did not take my own blends with me. I can only hope the locals will know their tea."
Waving off the talk of tea, Dro’gan smirks and opens the door to the ‘hideout/bunker/group headquarters.
”Yes. The death of her friends is very important, but that’s all I’m willing to say on an open street. Shall we? I can assure you, we don’t bite…much.”
Naliah giggles at Hasimir. "Staying in various cousins' houses recently, I find it's the only way to be sure you can get a decent cup. Hardly the worst problem one has these days, of course, but a good cup of tea works wonders for clear thinking."
She finds a place to sit, taking in the surroundings, judging curtains or lack thereof, looking for places assassins might hide, wondering what it would be like painted another color, etc.
"So, what's this about soldiers getting killed anyway? Is it the followers of the miraculously revived prince I've heard about... or the nightmares everyone seems to be having?"
Vyranos gets to the point of brewing the tea once they all get inside. As he sets the tray down, they notice an extra empty cup. “I was thinking of pouring some for the soldier. Anything to help in these stressful times.”
As he takes a seat, he hands a little snack to his rat familiar, who comfortably sits next to him nibbling the treat like a little furry gentleman.
Dro’gan sits with a sigh trying not to look at the tea.
”I don’t have all the details, and the lady has big trust issues right now. Let’s put that discussion on hold and talk about the repercussions of what happened. That’s more important I fear. All those soldiers gone, and this soldier is the only survivor and witness. We really need to keep her alive and safe: I promised her that.”
"Okay. And from whom, particularly, are we keeping her safe?" Naliah pulls out a pot of honey from her satchel and spoons a bit into her cup after the tea is served, then offers it to anyone else.
Dro'gan sighs dramatically.
"That my dear Naliah...is one of the many questions we need answers to."
After taking a sip of the tea, grimacing slightly, and adding some honey and sugar to it, he was then content with the taste. He then said with a sight, “Then perhaps we should discuss on what we do know, and work from there.”
Ultimately, you bring your witnesses and new party members back to the late Caradinna Farkin's home and commandeer it as a safe house.
Inga Narrowknife, one of your witnesses, was compelled to murder Farkin the conspiracy theorist due to the mental or magical manipulations of the "secret masters" that Farkin was obsessed with. It remains unclear who these beings are and if they are related to the other issues going on in Yanmass. Narrowknife attests that whoever controlled her took the form of a large dog with black eyes.
From the late Farkin's notes, you learned that she suspected the "secret masters" were using the abandoned Sanguine Brothers slaughterhouse as a base.
Lieutenant Gallindra Jonrek of the Taldan Horse is your second witness. You found her hiding out in the woods within Hedge Hill Park after surviving a trap that wiped out her unit. They were sent to investigate the abandoned Orvestikar Manor by their commanding officer, Commander Jalessa Staubel, and some trap or spellcaster within the manor turned the rest of Jonrek's squadmates, and even her elephant mount, into stone. She believes that Commander Staubel intentionally sent them there to die in order to cover something up. Her account at least partially solves the mystery of the Taldan Horse cavalry troops that have gone missing.
In addition to the warning about something dangerous within the manor, Jonrek can provide a lot of intel about the terrain outside of Yanmass, including the fact that her treacherous commanding officer and her loyal troops are encamped at an old caravanserai on the Whistling Plains outside the city, a place called Tallgrasses.
One other lead you have is the Kozan Bravos, a team of adventurers employed by your rival Earl Merkondus as "troubleshooters" to prove that he and Pythareaus' Imperialist Faction can solve the city's problems.
Pointing out the obvious, as he always does, Dro'gan sighs.
"So leads we have. Which one to follow or pull on? I'm unsure. Truth be told I would love to save the Lieutenant's men from their 'stony' predicament first. We need allies right now! As many as possible. These soldiers might provide us some much needed muscle that might aid us in the right situations here."
Naliah sips at her tea. "Well, I hope we will prove ourselves as worthwhile allies to you. Indeed, there are many threads to pull. If I may help choose..." She puts her cup down, as though to look decisive.
"We have also heard rumors about a rash of nightmares in the area. That may seem but fluffy rumor, but then you have the matter of the compulsion of Miss Narrowknife. Enchanters... nightmares... evil dogs... it may go all together. We should be able to find this slaughterhouse easily enough. If the lead is a dead end, that will also be easy to see, and then we can go somewhere else."
She picks her cup back up again. "What is appropriate attire for visiting an abandoned slaughterhouse, do you think?"
Smiling at the woman’s dark humor, Dro’gan nods.
”I would say anything in red should work. The darker the better.”
"You do have a fair point there, Dro'gan. Allies are good. And we surely want the troops with us before taking a move against the Commander Staubel."
Hasimir pauses, takes a slice of lemon and squeezes it into his tea. Taking his time, he grabs his spoon and stirs the tea a few times. Then, it's time to take a careful sip.
"Ahh..." He sighs. "But turning a company of men back to flesh from stone requires some powerful magic. I doubt we have such means at our disposal. Or have I estimated our resources completely wrong?"
Another pause, another sip.
"With that in mind, the slaughterhouse does indeed sound like a good place to start."
Vyranos furrows his brows at the mention of a whole army being turned to stone.
“I need to figure out what exactly can do something like that…especially to a whole army.”
Vyranos furrows his brows at the mention of a whole army being turned to stone.
“I need to figure out what exactly can do something like that…especially to a whole army.”
Vyranos is aware of a number of things that can result in a living being turning to stone.
There is a spell, aptly known commonly as Flesh to Stone, that can have this effect. However, this is a rather potent magical spell, and it seems unlikely - if not impossible - for a single spellcaster to be able to turn an entire cavalry unit to stone.
There are a number of magical beasts and other creatures that also have the natural ability to petrify foes, such as the cockatrice, medusa, and basilisk. Such a creature would be able to turn multiple beings to stone freely, so they seem like more likely suspects.
Meanwhile, Dro'gan mentally compares the new intel with information that has been previously gathered. Collectively, the clues lead his mind to a kind of evil outsider known as a Div, beings who exist to sow misfortune and discord. They possess abilities that could explain what happened to Inga Narrowknife, and they would be plausible suspects for the lurid nightmares that have been plaguing the people of Yanmass.
Once Vyranos gets a hunch, his face pales a little.
"So there are several things that can turn living creatures into stone, including some spells, but there's no spell powerful enough to do this to a whole army. A single soldier, maybe a small troop, but not a whole army. The most likely scenario is a creature who can petrify, like a basilisk, cockatrice, or...Gods help us if it's a medusa. Unfortunately, if I am to make a good educated guess, a medusa is the most likely answer, although it's not impossible for multiple basilisks or cockatrices to be the culprits. Either way, we should probably prepare by getting scrolls that can reverse petrification."
Dro’gan chides the wizard.
”Don’t be afraid to think outside the box young man. There is also divine intervention or even wish magics that could possibly do something similar too, although I admit the chances of such are rather rare.”
Naliah folds her hands on the table. "All the more reason to go to the slaughterhouse first. While I warrant I'd make a lovely statue, I don't see that as a profitable future. Besides, evidence we gather at the slaughterhouse and elsewhere may better inform us how to prepare for what else is to come, and perhaps we also might collect resources to protect ourselves if need be. Not to mention free the poor soldiers so they might help us."
Naliah tilts her head toward whereever Amandine has got off to. "Does your friend have opinions on things, Dro'gan, or is she just here to observe?"
Looking serious, Dro’gan replies carefully.
”She certainly has opinions, you can trust me on that. In fact, up until recently she was our very effective leader in more than just name. Just give the Lady some time, and she will let you know them…she probably wants some time to adjust to the new team dynamics now that you all are involved. And we can check out the Slaughterhouse as soon as I can find out what it takes to kill a Div. Any suggestions?”
"To kill a div..? An interesting proposal. Let me think a moment..."
"Sadly my arcane tutor was far too much of a bore to provide that sort of information, but my general experience is that persistence and a sharp enough blade can accomplish a considerable amount, even for the otherwordly. Although if you know if the blade should be made of something in particular or if it might be vulnerable to poison, that would help..."
Hasimir knows that, unfortunately, Divs have far more resistances than weaknesses.
They are completely immune to fire and poisons, while acid and electricity have a much reduced effect on them. They also have varying resistances to magic spells, with the strength of this resistance dependent on the variety of Div being dealt with.
Ordinary weapons also have trouble harming them, with those either made of cold iron or aligned with goodness being able to fully wound them.
Nodding, Dro'gan listens carefully.
"Cold Iron...I have some of that. A few daggers at least. Sounds like Cold magic, and maybe Force and Sonic magic might have an effect too. Assuming its natural magic resistance does not protect it first. Summoning celestial spirits and monsters for aid might be the most effective magics in truth. Assuming we have to kill it, and not just drive it away. I wonder if a Div can be bargained with like Devils? It is possible Holy Water might even harm them as well if they are evil enough."
"Cold iron... Yes, a fine and cost-effective solution to the unnatural. We could also take a look at the weapon shops so everyone would have their favorite weapons in proper metal." Hasimir muses, and drains the last of tea from his cup.
"Also there is magic to align one's weapon with holiness. Temples could have scrolls for sale."
The half elf scholar frowned at that. “Unfortunately I’m not useful in martial combat. Nor did my studies lead to me learning about outsiders like divs. However, summoning some celestial allies should not be a problem for me.”
"If we could pop by an apothecary shop, I could trade a few perfumes and analgesics for some cold iron coating for my crossbow bolts. And nonsense, Vyranos, it's only sensible to avoid getting your hands dirty in a fight. Believe me if I could have mastered more than a handful of cantrips I'd do the same. Of course, there's an excitement to getting up close and personal, but you're being strategic. That's only a good thing."
Sighing and shrugging, Dro'gan sits down finally.
"I used to have a teacher who would tell me that 'Planning and strategy are the most important things...until they are NOT.' Planning can only take us so far, and I really hate that it is true. Let's prepare ourselves for the slaughterhouse then? Some mild shopping maybe first?"