Kadar suggests the party sell the Wand of Shatter (from an earlier adventure), the Ring of Jumping, the Stalker's Mask (Kadar thinks it would be very useful, but has no interest in placing it on his face; others may feel differently), the adamantine long sword, the +1 war razor (), and the pearl ring.
Kadar will prepare three lesser restoration spells before the party's next rest, in order to cure Quilmop.
Kadar asks Quilmop if he'd be willing to craft a Headband of Inspired Wisdom +2 ().
Eager to show off his spellcrafting, Quilmop will craft anything anyone wants crafted....
If we're still in Sandpoint he'll check in on QWE (pronounced 'kway'), aka Quilmop's Waffle Emporium. I assume the urchins have been making profit, but if not, he's going to want to look at the books... If they have, and have been expanding, great. He's going to invest a bit of the party's gold (if that's OK) in continuing to grow the business, and if possible getting them setup in Magnimar. The oldest of the urchins will be in charge of getting that done...
Kadar thinks that investing in QWE is a great idea. More money, more battle prowess in the eyes of the Sky Mother, a more impressive return to the Lyrune-Quah when the time is right. Kadar will prove his eccentric choices as a warrior to be far superior to the Quah's overdependence on and infatuation with the bow.
The Skinsaw Man's obsession perplexes Kadar to the point that it is simpler for him to ignore it.
Kadar is curious about the dungeon underneath the Glassworks, and feels that perhaps a nighttime excursion to check on things could be beneficial.
Kadar also asks for Quilmop's help in inquiring about Shalelu. He is having a difficult time dispelling the recurrent memories of their seashore tryst.
Our Heroes spend a few days in Sandpoint, buying and selling things at the Sandpoint Market (via Voon as required), healing and restoring Quilmop to health, and crafting bits and pieces.
In that time, word of their brave deeds quickly spreads through Sandpoint. Several times Kadar, Aeryc and Quilmop are greeted by strangers with a cheer, or a round of drinks, or an encouraging word for the "ghoul-killers!".
Shayliss Vender, the not-at-all-shy daughter of Ven Vender (owner of the general store) suddenly becomes more interested in Aeryc, cornering him the Hagfish, and suggesting he show her around the City of Monuments, now that he is so rich and famous. Aeryc is pretty sure she means Magnimar. But maybe this is one of those "play on words" things.
Quilmop makes some inquiries about Shalelu's whereabouts. Ameiko Kaijitsu, owner of the Rusty Dragon, was last to see her. Ameiko said Shalelu had heard reports of a sighting of the Sandpoint Devil, a terrible beast of local legend, from the hinterlands to the east, and had gone off in pursuit. Usually these rumors come to nothing, and likely she will return in a few days.
Quilmop's Waffle Emporium has been doing steady business in Sandpoint, with modest but gradually increasing profits. The enterprising orphans have petitioned for a permanent stall at the Sandpoint Market. Following the quickly spreading rumors, it only takes a day for them to start cranking out "Skinsaw Specials", with pancakes fried up to look like a mask made of human skin. The earthy folk of Sandpoint gobble these downchuckling; their stomachs are not easily turned.
The oldest of the orphans, a sharp-witted twelve year old lad named Kester, has already thought about expanding QWE in Magnimar. One difficulty is that the orphans are under the care of the principal of the Turandarok Academy (the local orphanage and school.) The principal has let them run the waffle stand when they are not in school, but he is unlikely to let them just run off without obvious supervision. Kester suggests that Quilmop legally adopt Kester and three other older lads, so that the principal no longer has authority over them. Kester also suggests adding "A family business" as a tagline to the rudimentary QWE logo they are currently using.
Voon takes a little longer to identify the other items.
"You have a Rod of Wonder there!" he exclaims, when Our Heroes next visit him. "It can produce any number of different magical effects: some helpful, some harmful, some weird, all wonderful! I wouldn't sell it for the life of me if it were mine... but perhaps you want to part with it? For reasons I don't understand, some folk consider them cursed items. How could it be cursed when it's so... well, wonderful!!"
Voon is not sure of all the effects of the particular Rod of Wonder in question; apparently they can vary. He is pretty sure that destructive effects, like fireballs and lightning bolts, and curses, like falling asleep or turning the user large or small, and weird random useless things, like explosions of bubbles, are pretty common effects of using such items. He suggests the best way to find out all the effects is to use the thing: he seems quite keen to experiment with it himself. But he will sell it on if Our Heroes want to be rid of it. Voon doesn't know of a way to predict or control which effect the rod will produce when activated.
Voon also has a look at the fancy gold scarf that was draped around Kadar's neck when Our Heroes confronted the Skinsaw Man. He thinks it's valuable, but not obviously magical. His best guess is that the thing is haunted, and somehow tied to the place where it was found. He doesn't think it will be harmful unless it's near its place of origin. "In these cases, it's as if the haunted object has - or more specifically, is - a bad memory of some terrible deed or event. So long as you don't remind the thing, so to speak, you should be fine."
Lastly, Voon has a quick look at the preserved monkey head that Quilmop retrieved from the hallway in Foxglove Manor. It is called a "hungry decapitant". "But don't let the name fool you," says Voon. "It's not as sinister as all that. The main thing it does is produce a loud shriek when you pull the bellrope, akin to an alarm spell. People used to decorate their homes with them in Cheliax for the ... what's the word they use ... ah yes, for the "kitsch" value. I've no idea what a "kitsch" is, probably some kind of fey. They seem like the kind to really value this sort of thing."
Aeryc realizes that the leather armor probably won't protect him much better than the mithral shirt, and both work equally well for sneaking about. So probably best to sell the leather armor on.
Quilmop rents a room at the Rusty Dragon and tells his comrades he'll need the evening to himself. He procures a loaf of bread, a pound of mixed nuts, three gallons of ale, two long pointy sticks, a couple ears of corn, and plenty of firewood.
He invites (lures?) Charles into the room and begins the ritual. The ritual involves a surprising amount of what could accurately be described as Quilmop "dishing" about the other party members and asking Charles about his early life as a mite, what his plans are for the future, and so on. They share the bread, the (now roasted) nuts, ale, and roast the corn over the fire in the room. As the evening goes on, Quilmop gradually begins to understand Charles' heretofore gibberish ramblings. But not as speech, somehow differently, as meaningful but not linguistically. Both fall asleep around 2am and while they don't quite curl up together next to the fire, when they wake in the morning they're both lightly embarrassed about how close they slept.
As they put out the smoldering embers of the fire and clean up the nut shells, breadcrumbs, empty ale jugs, and the rest of the room, Quilmop thinks to himself: it turns out, the real treasure is the mites you kidnap, stuff in a sack, terrorize, and then turn into familiars along the way. He claps Charles on the shoulder and they go down for breakfast.
Despite no longer feeling quite so attached to the rod (of wonder!), Quilmop is *strongly* against selling or even lending it out. He wants to give it to Charles to hold.
Sell:
+1 war razor (110 pp)
+1 leather armor (55.5 pp)
adamantine long sword (165.8 pp)
wand of shatter (assuming 50 charges: 247.5 pp)
Ring of Jumping (137.5 pp)
pearl ring (5.5 pp)
ivory bowl with animal carvings (???)
= ~ 725 pp
Buy:
materials for Headband of Inspired Wisdom +2, Kadar (200 pp)
materials to upgrade to Cloak of Resistance +2, Kadar (150 pp)
Charles ritual, Quilmop (120 pp)
Darkvision scroll x4, Aeryc (60 pp)
Flaming arrow x25, Aeryc (100 pp) (flaming burst arrows don't seem cost effective, as they are four times more expensive for a ~4% chance at 11 damage)
+1 longbow (if Aeryc needs), Aeryc (162.5 pp, assuming masterwork longbow)
= 630 pp, 792.5 pp if Aeryc needs the +1 longbow
"Sweet Shayliss, it is a delight to see you again. I thought perhaps the sight of my monstrous scar had kept you from approaching me again when I was in Sandpoint last. I'm sure we will see Magnimar together in all its glory, someday soon." Aeryc shifts bashfully, adding "If it pleases your father, naturally."
Shayliss toys with Aeryc's deputy badge as Aeryc chats with her. "You weren't worried about what my father wanted when we first met." she points out. She pouts a little at Aeryc's failure to accede to her request immediately. "I want to go Magnimar now!" She leaves in a huff.
Meanwhile, Kadar and Quilmop manage to sell the ivory bowl with animal carvings for 5pp, along with everything else.
Kadar's magicks manage to keep Quilmop's condition from deteriorating, but it is high time he saw a cleric about the disgusting disease he contracted beneath Foxglove Manor. Father Zantus is a dead loss on this score. (He is very apologetic about his inability to help).
Kadar, in a somewhat lighter mood now that he has fitted himself with two more of the pieces to his maniacal Pathfinder puzzle, reminds everyone that the party knows only one way to travel to to the City of Monuments.
Kadar also mentions that those gleefully glabrous hippocampi swim faster than the fastest horse gallops
Our heroes head to Magnimar on hippocampiback, as before. Kadar prepares two Aquatic Cavalry spells for the journey (six hours each).
Charles rides behind Quilmop, rather than on his own hippocampus.
Also, on arrival in Magnimar, Quilmop immediately suggests heading to the (friendly) cleric for some restoration. He's not feeling great.
Our Heroes head down to the beach in Sandpoint. Kadar summons his aquatic cavalry. As Our Heroes are waiting on the sand, about to wade out and mount up, a small crowd of locals gathers to see them off.
Aeryc overhears a young child, no more than eight, arguing with her mother.
"No!" says the child, pointing at Quilmop. "He's not a gnome, he's a *goblin* dressed up as a gnome!"
"Don't be silly!" says the child's mother dismissively. "That's the Heroes of Sandpoint: they fight goblins, see? Ghouls too, I hear!"
The child is stubbornly unconvinced. No else pays any attention.
The journey to Magnimar is uneventful. The sea air is cold; there is more than a hint of winter coming on.
Our Heroes ride into Magnimar with less fanfare than the previous time, if only because of the weather: overcast, drizzly, a bit miserable, and no clear view of the sun. They quickly head through the Docks area, and on to the Deadeye Lodge, in the Keystone district on the southeast edge of town.
Runners are sent for Father Fendus, cleric of Erastil, now that his new friends are back. It is only a matter of hours before a Quilmop has his disease removed.
Father Fendus refuses to accept payment, but he does express some disappointment that Quilmop "can't keep his quill out of the inkpot". Our Heroes are not entirely sure what that is supposed to mean.
The party heads to the Lord-Mayor’s office.
Quilmop agrees.
Asking directions, Our Heroes are directed to the Pediment Building in the Capital District, towards the northern end of the City of Monuments.
The Pediment Building is an impassive gray stone affair, halfway between an enormous town house, a palace, and a fortress. It is decorated with many statues of stern-faced gargoyles and grim judges.
Showing the letter of introduction to the guards on duty, Our Heroes are escorted up several flights of stairs. Wealth is clearly on display as they ascend to the upper halls: the floors and columns are decked out in marble, and gold chandeliers keep the place lit.
After several hours waiting, and being assured that the Lord-Mayor will see them when he's ready, Our Heroes are eventually shown in to see the Lord-Mayor himself.
Lord-Mayor Grobaras is a portly man, bald, with well developed mutton chops, and unusally fat red lips. He is dressed in flashy silks of blue and white and gold.
His office is palatial inside, with finely crafted velvet furniture, an enormous inlaid decorated oak desk, and a huge viewing window, looking out over the Capital District and much of the lower southern neighborhoods of Magnimar. Several city guards and a wiry looking human dressed in dark leathers occupy unobtrusive positions around the walls of the office.
Grobaras is finishing up a feast of suckling pig when Our Heroes are shown in. He doesn't offer them a seat.
"So you're the special investigators from Sandpoint, eh? Let's have a look at you." He squints at Our Heroes, makes a dismissive huff at their apparent lack of class, and wipes his mouth off with a silk napkin. "Fine, fine. We've had enough of these murders in Magnimar. Bad for business. Go and talk to Lord Justice Ironbriar, he's coordinating investigations."
The footman who showed them in gestures for Our Heroes to follow. The interview has lasted about six seconds.
Excuse me, excuse me, Lord-Mayor?
Quilmop shuffles to the front of the party and tries to stand up as tall as he can. Assuming the Lord-Mayor gives him his attention....
You look like a man who enjoys the finer things in life. I can tell you only smoke the best cigars, drink the finest dark liquors, that sort of thing. A man of your taste, I mean, I'd be remiss if I didn't ask your opinion on something.
I wonder whether you've ever had the rarest of delicacies, the waffle . As you know, we're widely traveled -- that's why we're so poorly dressed, just come from the road, what. Anyway, these waffles have been making the rounds at all the gourmet shops in all the biggest towns we've visited. It's something else. I've actually invested in one of the most profitable, most highly regarded purveyors of these waffles, something called 'QWE' (I confess, I don't know what that's short for). Anywho, I mention this for two reasons. First, I wanted you to be the first to try these waffles; I really value your opinion. Second, assuming they meet your incredibly high gustatory standards, I was wondering whether you'd grant me a license to have one of my sellers start up his (or her! we're a non-discriminatory employer of urch.. er, regular adults...) food tru... er, cart, in Magnimar. Of course, I'd be happy to share the what will be almost certainly mind-blowingly large profits with you.
Anywho, let me know. Assuming this is all OK with you, it'd really help -- and by help of course I mean bring you more profits! -- if you could write me a letter that I could give to my employee saying that they're about the Lord-Mayor's business. That would help keep the city-guards and the other businesses in line (I'm sure you know they can be a bit over-zealous in enforcing zoning requirements...) I know you might be worried about the wording of such a letter being too broad, but I definitely won't make copies of it, and it'll just be used for protecting the QWE stalls against unfair business practices. I'm sure you can see the CENTS in that -- nudge nudge, wink wink, am I right?
The Lord-Mayor seems initially indifferent to Quilmop's overtures. He also seems more than a little bored. But when the prospect of profit-sharing is raised, his eyes light up.
"You have intrigued me, sir." he says, waggling a finger at Quilmop. "I see that you are a Man of Business, like me. That is precisely the kind of mercantile spirit on which this great city is founded! I wish that all merchants coming to the City of Monuments could see the sense in coming to ... mutually agreeable terms, eh?"
He mulls the idea over a little, and then pats his paunch with a certain satisfaction.
"Alas, at this moment I am a bit stuffed, not to put too fine a point on it. Why don't you bring a sample of these fine waffles tomorrow morning, and we can discuss the possibility of a vendor's license?"
Grobaras beckons to the footman. "Tell Vallanni to book an appointment for tomorrow morning. Ten bells, sharp. And get Acacia to attend the meeting too, she is always complaining about the city watch's ration allowance. I spy an opportunity here!"
With that, the interview is concluded.
The footman escorts Our Heroes out of the office, down a flight of stairs, and along a long dim hallway, ending with an imposing door, with a heavy iron knocker, decorated with spikes. The name "Justice Ironbriar" is carved into a small plaque on the door. The footman knocks.
A deep voice answers. "Come." it says.
The doorman tentatively, apologetically enters to announce Our Heroes. "Pardon the interruption Justice Ironbriar, but the Lord-Mayor has sent special investigators to help with the murder investigations. They are from Sandpoint, and have a letter of introduction from the Sheriff there."
The footman returns, and gestures Our Heroes inside Ironbriar's office. It is in stark contrast to the Lord-Mayor's. The blinds are drawn low, so very little light illumines the room. Justice Ironbriar sits behind a desk of plain cedar, reading Sheriff Hemlock's letter of introduction. He is a stern-looking elf, dressed in the fine red and purple ceremonial robes of a Justice of Magnimar.
Ironbriar finishes the letter, and appraises Our Heroes.
"Hmph. Adventurers." he says, with more than a little disdain. "Do you know what happens when we hire adventurers to keep the peace in this town? I'll tell you. They lie, or they steal, or they even kill as it suits them. And then they run off into the wilderness chasing treasure, forgetting their obligations. And just as quickly they come pleading for rewards, claiming to have saved the world or the town or whatever takes their fancy. It's as if they think all of Golarion revolves around them, and the rest of us don't really exist."
Obviously Justice Ironbriar has a chip on his shoulder about this. He holds up the letter in his hand like a warning.
"Well we *do* exist, and not just when adventurers are making use of us! Now tell me: given the risks of hiring mercenaries to help with city business, why should I let you in on this investigation? Do you actually have any useful information? If so, speak now - you have two minutes."
"Good sir, you seem an elf of purpose and pragmatism who holds his duties to the city in high regard. As a duly appointed deputy to the people of Sandpoint, I seek only to protect them and deliver what justice I can to the perpetrators of these heinous acts. As you can see here..." Aeryc presents the pertinent documents and artifacts as succinctly as he can with as much detail as the Justice will allow."...we are on the trail of this "brotherhood" and would be grateful for a chance to offer assistance in ending their terrors. As for treasure, we would only be interested in just compensation commensurate with our personal risk, toil and, of course, the end results."
"But I am one more comfortable in the forests of Golarion rather than its grand cities. Perhaps my diminutive friend, Quilmop could better explain our usefulness. Aeryc blushes slightly, and nervously nudges Quilmop.
Look here Rustshrub, or whatever your name is. Do you have *any* idea who we are? We're the heroes of Sandpoint. Our names ring out so loud I can only assume you haven't heard of us because your ears are just props someone stapled to your head. That would explain their ridiculous shape, if not the hair I can see poking out of them.
The point is: we're not mercenaries. I'm a small business man. No jokes, please. I've heard them all. The only reason I started off helping find these murderers and such is that they completely destroyed my startup in Sandpoint. Now I feel a kind of moral obligation to help.
Aeryc here
Quilmop gestures at Aeryc
he might not be a lot to look at, but whoo-wee, you ought to see him shoot goblins and baddies. And the truly shocking thing -- and I mean shocking -- is that he's *only in it for the justice*. A man like you might understand that, being a justice and all, a man like me I don't get it at all. As I said, I'm a business man. The point is, Aeryc is interested in one thing and one thing only: justice.
My large friend here, he's called Kadar
Quilmop slaps Kadar on the thigh, or wherever he can reach
Kadar is, well... Kadar is as Kadar does, if you get my meaning. I'm sure you have guards in the city that Kadar would remind you of. Or rather, Kadar would remind you of those guards if they were 300+lbs of pure muscle and rage only constrained by his incessant need to (and again, I don't get this myself) help people in endless self-sacrifice.
The point of this is: I take offense when you say we don't care about the people. I mean, it's fair in one sense: I don't care about the people. I care about my business, but my business aligns in this case with your people. And the rest of my friends here really do care. So at least 2/3 caring. That's pretty good.
Aeryc presents the evidence to Justice Ironbriar. Initially the Justice seems unimpressed. But after Aeryc talks him through the confrontation with the Skinsaw Man, he becomes grudgingly more respectful in his demeanor.
When Quilmop interrupts, the Justice quietly listens to his speech. He does not fume, but nor does look away: he fixes his eye on Quilmop. Late in Quilmop's speech, his eyes briefly take on a distant look, as if he is thinking about something or someone else. When Quilmop has finished he leans forward and focuses on Quilmop in particular.
"Such frankness is unusual!" he remarks. "I apologize if I have offended you. There are entirely too many adventurers in this city who could not be frank if their lives depended on it."
His eyes again take on that distant look again for a moment, before he focuses on Quilmop once again. "And you are a *business man*; the very kind of man we want in Magnimar, as Grobaras never tires of repeating. Such men are valuable to us, if only because their motives can be relied upon. Perhaps then we should cut through the chatter and speak of ... rewards. The Lord-Mayor and I are willing to offer 1000 gold pieces - each - for your services in putting a stop to these murders, and 1500 if the matter is put to bed quickly."
The Justice looks from face to face, to see if his offer has sparked any interest in Our Heroes, then he turns his attention back to the letter from Xanesha.
"I judge the expense is worth the results; it seems you have found out quite a lot on your own after all." he says, poring over the letter. "And this Skinsaw Fellow sounds like a dangerous adversary..."
Ironbriar pauses for thought, tapping the letter against his temple.
"I'll grant you access to crime scenes - but only for the purposes of this murder investigation! We'll get you papers in a moment. We've had several murders here in Magnimar in the past few weeks, all similar in mode and outcome to the ones you describe. A bloody mess is left, and a seven pointed star. I would think these ... " He pauses to look over the letter again. "...'Brothers of the Seven' are probably involved somehow."
Ironbriar pauses again, brooding in the gloomy office, as he mulls things over. He seems to come to a decision.
"Now you say this Skinsaw Man was really a noble named Aldern Foxglove? I believe the Foxgloves had a town house somewhere nearby. You should investigate that first. Then report back to me immediately: there is another fresh crime scene, and I think you should be the first to investigate that one too. You should hurry, I think there is no time to waste!"
He calls for the footman, and quickly scrawls out a Letter of Authority, indicating that the city watch are to aid you in your investigation of the recent murders in Magnimar. The interview appears to be concluded.
Quilmop takes the Letter of Authority with a nod.
To his comrades: That was refreshingly easy, no? Better than dealing with gods damned baby rat swarms. To the manor?
Kadar grunts affirmatively.
Aeryc shudders and nods in agreement. "My hatred for those rats approaches that for the undead, and for goblins." He catches himself and turns apologetically to Q, adding "Uh, I mean, not you, of course, my good Quilmop." as the elevator door closes.
On leaving the Pediment Building, Our Heroes realize they don't know precisely where to go. Justice Ironbriar mentioned a Foxglove townhouse "somewhere nearby" but also didn't seem to know precisely where it was.
At the top of his (admittedly small) lungs:
Who wants to make a week's wages in a single day?
Assuming a crowd gathers...
All of you, well... (looking around) let's say a good number of you, well... (glancing at the back of the crowd) let's say some of you, look like fine upstanding citizens of Magnimar who know what they're about.
My friends here and I do not presently know where we're about. But we have a lot of *THESE*
Quilmop does some rolling of the silver coin over his knuckles
about. So, if you'd like to show us about, in exchange for about 1 of these, please come forward
Again assuming at least a few interested faces if not a crowd, Aeryc scans the faces to see if any in particular seem to have thievery or banditry as their intent.
The street outside the Pediment Building is fairly busy with officials, merchants, messengers, guards escorting prisoners, and many ordinary citizens hurrying back and forth. A few bystanders slow a little to listen, curious about Quilmop's silver coin, but no one leaps at the chance. It seems this is a wealthier part of town, where a little silver is a pittance for most.
Aeryc spies two young fellows, dressed in the plain livery of servants. They are having a quiet but heated discussion. Then one of them hurries off, and the other darts forward.
"Sir?" asks the fellow of Quilmop, hesitantly. "You need a guide, sir? Where do you want to go?"
Aeryc has a faint impression of having seen the servant before somewhere.
Yes, a guide. We'd like to go to Foxglove manor. Straightest possible route please!
Stop glaring at the man, Aeryc! He's *obviously* here to help! To the manor!
"Surely, my good gob..uh, good friend. He seems doubtless an upstanding citizen. Besides, our purses have become too heavily laden and cumbersome lately anyway. I'm far too hawkish!" Aeryc rolls his eyes and follows.