As the remaining Pathfinders work their charms, Pemak smiles at Feelo approvingly. ”Ah, now there’s a sweet lad. Mind all that shouting outside though - some of the neighbors don’t take kindly to strangers raising their voices," she says cheerfully as she opens various drawers. "Now then, people dying unexpectedly you say? Hmm. Perhaps a certain someone needs specialized medical care? I might know a few people to talk to... Aha!” She says in satisfaction as she pulls out an inkpen and a scrap of parchment.
”Goodness knows it can be hard to find good help in this city," she continues. "Why, I’ve been looking for some private security specialists after my shop was broken into and robbed last week. Oh, there I go again, complaining about my problems when there are so many poor souls who have it worse than I. Now then, what were we all talking about again?” She taps the inkpen to her temple as she looks at the party (including Rizzok and Bennett) expectantly.
"Hush, child," chides Pemak to Bennett as her smile loses warmth. "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything and let this charming young man do the talking." Her grin becomes friendly again as she turns back to Feelo.
Pemak's grin widens. "Oh, that is so sweet of you two!" she says to Feelo and Breezy, reaching down to ruffle their hair/petals. "But perhaps we should first finish discussing our business here, hmm?" She jots down a few notes on the parchment, then continues.
"Let us speak plainly. It is true that a... project... of mine does produce that smell you both have mentioned," Pemak explains to Rizzok and Feelo. "I haven't sent the recipe to the Guild yet - too easy for it to be tracked back to me with that smell, and what self-respecting poisoner would want that?" She winks at Rizzok before continuing, "Unfortunately, my original recipe was stolen recently. I've been asking around, and I think the scoundrels might be connected to all the... suspicious... activities I've been hearing about near the Dripping Wall Distillery. Haven't had a chance to go look for myself though."
She clears her throat, then asks, "Perhaps you still have questions?"
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"So you're saying these poisons didn't necessarily come from your shop? That's intersting... and could change our investigation. While we've seen a lot of murders today--waaaaaay too many, in fact--and most seem to have used your recipe, one seemingly didn't." He looks questioningly at Rizzok and Kyras, hoping to get their expert confirmation. "One lacked that burnt vinegar smell. Does that mean anything to you?"
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Bennett is aware of Pemak's disdain of him and reapproaches as innocuously as possible. That might still mean the murders are connected if they used similar poisons. The poisoner could be creating a signature of some kind, or perhaps erroneously applied this new poison. Master Chemist Pemak, what sort of variation could be applied to the poison? And more importantly, who else has had access to your shop and suppplies? We may have to look around for clues to catch the culprit.
Pemak waves away the Pathfinders' concerns. "You're thinking about this too hard, dearies. My project is simply a... safeguard, an addition to ensure things proceed as planned. It's not very toxic on its own, nor a simple recipe - and it would be difficult to make multiple batches in a short span of time. Much more likely whoever was using it simply ran out and had to trust their poison could do the job on its own."
Still smiling, she asks, "Now, you say my project was involved in not one, but several deaths? Please do tell - the more details, the better." Her inkpen hovers over the parchment expectantly.
"We can discuss the particulars of my work after you finish yours, hmm?" Pemak replies to Kyras, clearly disappointed nobody is willing to discuss how her project worked in the field.
"Was there anything else I can help you with?" she inquires.
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Bennett attempts to recount what he knows. The first victim appeared to suffer from heart failure. The poison used was dark reaver powder, but with aconite root and other substances added to enhance its potency. The scent of burning vinegar brought us here. The second victim died from the same poison featuring the vinegar small. A yellow foam was coming out of his mouth and nose.
"Fascinating," Pemak says as she makes a series of cryptic notes on her parchment. "Was there foam present at the first site, or just the odor? Can you describe the subject in more detail? Both subjects, actually. A pity you can't describe the dosage..." her voice trails off.
"Or was there another topic you wished to discuss?" she asks, still somewhat lost in her own thoughts.
"Don't let me keep you, dears," says Pemak as the Pathfinders head outside. "Feel free to come back anytime!"
Outside, the sleet is still falling, the streets are still muddy, and the sun is probably still shining somewhere above those clouds.
The Pathfinders set out for the Dripping Wall Distillery. After about 15 minutes of walking, they arrive.
The distillery is deserted - even Urfus must have sobered up enough to make his way back home. A note in familiar handwriting with the glyph of the Open Road sits where you last saw Timinic and Ramyla.
I have taken Ramyla's body with me back to the safehouse. I will remain there until all this is done. I've left my notes on the sewers that I was able to map under this barrel, but while I suspect the people responsible for these deaths make their home down there, I haven't the slightest idea where to even start searching for their hideout.
If you haven't already, speak with Pemak. She makes me uneasy, but she always seems to know things going on in the city. Tell her what you know - I don't believe her to be behind these deaths. She's too careful a woman to ever use something so easily traced back to her shop. Hopefully, she can help you where I cannot.
Best of luck,
Timinic
Kyras retrieves Timinic's notes from their hiding place, but even after carefully studying them, the Pathfinders are unable find any leads to potential hideouts. Perhaps they are just not familiar enough with Daggermark.
The Pathfinders turn around and trudge back to Pemak's shop, now quite soaked from the constant precipitation.
"Welcome back, my dears!" says Pemak with a smile as they enter her shop. "Did you forget something?" She quickly retrieves her inkpen and parchment before giving the party her full attention.
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"We found some notes, but we're not familiar enough with this city to put places to names. Now we could use your help and I know people that can help you. I work for people that have extensive networks for commerce. I'm sure we could find a suitable arrangement that would expand your operations. This would of course offer you more opportunities to see your research in the field. I might even buy some of it myself once I've got my own shop set up."
Pemak waves away Rizzok's offer with a smile, knocking over a bottle that pours red liquid onto the counter. "That's very kind of you dearie, but that's a discussion for after we get this mess cleaned up," she says as she deftly pulls out a rag and begins wiping up the spill.
As she looks back up to the group, her smile seems a bit harder. "You know, a little birdie mentioned that Dryblade house is shut tight, with no lights and no answer at the door," she says. "How odd, considering that Bosk always receives his shipments today. And I couldn't help but overhear someone complaining that the Dripping Wall Distillery apparently isn't open today. Perhaps that has something to do with a certain gnome Pathfinder dragging the proprietor's dead body through the streets to a military safehouse, hmm?"
She sets down the rag, now thoroughly soaked crimson, and picks up her inkpen once again. "Now, perhaps there's something you wish to discuss?" she says, eyes matching the hardness of her smile.
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Feelo tries to fill in the gaps for Pemak as best as he can. "Well, yes; Bosk was the first victim we discussed, so that certainly explains why Dryblade House is closed up. And Ramyla was indeed the most recent victim... at least the most recently-discovered victim. Timinic did indeed drag her back to his safehouse, though I'm surprised to hear he did it so casually! He's been very careful up until now."
"Brandur Clovesh was the other victim we found; the other one that had the vinegar smell about him."
"We'd normally keep this information a bit more close to the chest, I think, but Timinic seemed quite confident that you were trustworthy, so we're laying all of our cards out. Does any of that help you?"
"Oh, Timinic was hardly casual," Pemak says as her eyes soften. "But my friends like to keep their eyes out for interesting things, and he certainly qualifies. As do you." She jots down a few things on her parchment, then gives her attention back to the Pathfinders.
"Now, Bosk..." she says thoughtfully. "He's well-liked around here - can't imagine anyone would ever go so far as to draw up a formal assassination contract for him. But I appreciate your descriptions of his symptoms, even if the outcome was... less that desirable."
"And Brandur Clovesh. Now that's troubling," she says with a frown. "He is, well, was a cousin of Jallor Clovesh, Daggermark's top infantry commander. That he's been killed in his home will likely raise some eyebrows - and concerns - around the city." She makes a few more notes.
"You wouldn't have happened to know who's been initiating all these... happenings, would you?" she asks with a knowing look.
Pemak sighs and shakes her head. "I was referring to Ilchok," she says with a hint of exasperation. "The doppelganger left in the back room of the distillery? Ring any bells?"
She sets down her inkpen. "I am quite impressed though that you took care of him," she says as her smile returns. "He's a slippery little bastard." She laughs. "Slippery, but lazy. Dolt never covered his tracks properly after a job and just walked away as someone else. Guild got tired of covering for him eventually and threw him out. I'd heard he'd joined up with other Guild defectors, but never heard anything about what they were doing."
"Now," she says with sudden force, "there is a chance to trim the vine before it takes root. No offense, dearie," she says to Breezy with a wink. "But you seem like quite capable folks. Folks the Poisoner's Guild might be interested in recruiting, should you remove the leaders of this troublesome group. Consider it your entrance exam, if you wish." She smiles at the group before continuing, "I would also be happy, on behalf of the Guild, to extend special protections to Pathfinders operating out of Daggermark should you be successful."
She hands Rizzok the scrap of parchment, now covered in a rough map and annotated heavily. "Based on what I've learned, this should be enough to get you to their hideout once you get close enough. If only you had a map of the sewers around the distillery..." she says with another knowing glance.
"Well, it's been lovely getting to know you," Pemak says briskly as she begins waving the Pathfinders out of her shop. "Good luck storming the sewers, or whatever it is you Pathfinders do!"
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Feelo lets out an audible gasp. "Join the Poisoner's Guild?!? I think not! No offense to you, but that's not how Lady Luck operates! Oh, my!" He shakes his head as if to rid it of the very thought.
"I will need some way to see when we get down in the sewers, though." Thinking of Bosk's death, he ponders. "Hmmm... do we still have Pathfinder contacts here?"
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“I hate the sewers, filthy place.” Kyras finally speaks up, after consumed in deep thought.
“You wouldn’t happen to have a potion of dark vision lying around?” He takes out a small pouch of coins and bounces it around his hand.
Kyras would like to purchase a potion of dark vision just incase. As well, he has an ion stone which he can flick up for a light source.
After some time spent navigating the sewers, the Pathfinders find the area detailed in Pemak's sketch. No source of light (other than what the Pathfinders bring) is present, but the sound of rushing water echoes throughout this dank cistern as sleet-filled runoff pours in from eastern, southern, and western channels before emptying through an outlet in the southeastern corner. Stone walkways line the walls, with a large platform jutting out into the center of the room. Seven coffin-sized crates float on the water, tethered to the platform’s railing by short chains.
Feelo, Qillian, Kyras, and Bennett notice a shape barely peeking out of the water, which starts moving towards the party!
You recognize this as a Violet Fungus, a strange plant well-known for its ability to cause the flesh of those it strikes with its tentacles to rapidly decay.
Surprise Round! Bold may act!
Rizzok
Qillian
Feelo
Kyras
Bennett
Breezy
Fungus
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“That would be a violet fungus. Don’t let that thing touch you, it will burn your skin off with it’s corrosive touch. Just kill it before it can get close.”
Kyras is going to pick a tanglefoot bomb off his sash and chuck it at the creature.
-- Hitting touch, precise shot, DC 15 or entangled. Also difficult terrain within 5 ft.
//I didn’t include penalties for it being j water, if they do apply.
As Feelo and Qillian pull out a wand and a whip respectively, Bennett and Kyras send projectiles flying at the shape in the water - but their missiles are deflected by the liquid and neither strike true.
Kyras's concoction does seem to make the waters like molasses though, and the fungus seems to have a hard time moving through them as it comes closer to the party.
Round 1! Bold may act!
Rizzok
Qillian
Feelo
Kyras
Bennett
Breezy
Fungus
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At the sight of hostilities, Breezy starts speaking loudly, ”A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime.”
”But, a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.”
"’I've been thinking,’" he said. "’I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me this stone.’"
”Sometimes it's not the wealth you have but, what's inside you that others need.” His fellow Pathfinders find it strangely inspiring.
Breezy also arms himself with his small longbow.