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This adventure takes place in Daggermark, the City of Assassins, near the heart of the River Kingdoms. Though lawless and chaotic, Daggermark society remains relatively stable because the city’s omnipresent Assassin’s and Poisoner’s Guilds make causing trouble a dangerous
proposition.
As you travel north from Absalom to the city of Daggermark, you have some time to get to know the fellow Pathfinders you’ll be working with on this mission. Upon arriving in Daggermark, the Pathfinders quickly make their way to the local Lodge, Dryblade House. Getting there is rather easy.
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The little gnome chattered with excitement at yet another mission. Her favored weapon of Desna gleamed at her side. ”I’ve never been to Daggermark...have any of you? It certainly sounds exciting. I wonder what they will have us do? Have the rest of you been on many missions! I’ve had a few,” she went on, filling the silence void with nervous questions.
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A hard faced and heavily muscled Chelaxian male wearing scale mail armor and bearing a halberd ducks through the doorway into the lodge. He eyes everyone wearily before finally setting down his things and taking up a spot on a stool that he drags next to the door.
Omero inwardly grins as being able to bring law and order to a place such as Daggermark. It is a den of iniquity and harbor of death. Yes there is much work to be done here.
The gnome could be a bit of problem. So much excitement and exuberance might cause her to miss the dagger being plunged into her back. I will have to keep a watchful eye on her.
"We'll find out soon enough. The Venture Captains never send us out without a least a cursory briefing."
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Steady sleet patters against the window of Dryblade House, breaking up the Lodge’s eerie silence. Venture-Captain Istivil Bosk emerges from his office accompanied by dwarf in a military uniform, who pulls a flask from his coat pocket and fills two small glasses with vodka.
“I’ve already made excuses to my superiors, and I’ll check in myself every few hours to make sure the safe house is still secure,” the dwarf rumbles, handing one glass to the venture-captain. “You focus on hammering out your agent’s escape route.”
“Ah Pathfinders, please come in. I am just wrapping up. Already working on it,” Bosk replies. The two raise their glasses in a toast.
“Then may we take this story to our graves, and drag our heels the whole way there,” the dwarf proclaims as they each down their vodka. The dwarf sets his glass on the table, dons a thick wool cloak, and trudges out into the sleet.
“That was Brandur Clovesh, a sergeant in Daggermark’s infantry,” Bosk explains, closing the door after his departed guest. “Please excuse his brevity. He’s taking a big risk to help me out of a dire situation, the same situation that led me to request your aid. One of our local agents, a gnome named Timinic, has been exploring and surveying the sewer complexes beneath Daggermark. I made sure to clear his activities with every official possible so we wouldn’t draw unwanted attention from the Assassin’s Guild or the Poisoner’s Guild, which run the city behind the scenes. To my knowledge we’ve stayed in the Guilds’ good graces, but somehow Timinic’s mission ran afoul of...” A fit of coughing interrupts Bosk mid-sentence, and he begins gasping and clutching his chest. His vodka glass shatters as it tumbles from his hand. Moments later, the venture-captain collapses.
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Well it was likely to happen here. Omereo slides off his stool and takes several long steps to the fallen Venture Captain. "Someone stop the dwarf. Be quick about it!"
Omereo kneels down next to the Venture Captain. He places his hand on the mans chest and places his ear near the mans mouth to check both breathing and for a heartbeat.
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Ella looked fairly miserable by the time the briefing started. The steady sleet meant the plumage of her hat was limp and sodden, and she'd had to excuse herself shortly after arriving in order to reapply her face paints and powders.
She was all prepared for a wry remark about the exciting jaunt into the sewers that awaited them when the good captain pitched over.
In a flash she was down at his side, already uncorking a flask of antitoxin and holding it carefully to his lips.
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Sirius Löwenhaupt is a rather average sized young man with a rather slim stature. He has inherited the rather elfish looks of his mother, especially the pointy ears and the azure blue eyes of his father. He has white skin and very long hair in the colour of freshly honey, and usually wears egshelled clothes made of ostrich leather and linnen.
In battle he wears a chainmail of elfish origin and a bardiche.
His voice is a very deep, yet smooth pearly tone.
Sirius jumps forward and puts a finger into the captains throat, trying to force him to vomit.
Take 10 for heal 11
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A man too tall to be a dwarf and too bearded and burly to be completely human stands at the back of the group with a flagon of wine in one hand, and listens to the curt dwarf with a less than bemused look. The rain that soaked through his heavy red and white wool cloak and was threatening to rust the chains sewn into the lining was bringing down everyone's moods. He steps into the office and tries to bring a smile to his face, but only achieves a flat look. He listens to the Venture Captain's explanation not enjoying the idea of having to try deal with a poisoner's guild and an assassin's guild.
When Bosk goes down, Genryl moves to help the man, but quickly realizes that everyone had moved to help him already and that the dwarf was likely also in dire straights. He instead moves to the door and holds back a sigh as he heads out into the rain, looking for what could liekly be a distant relative.
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As the majority of the group rush to the aid of the Venture Captain they’ve just met, they begin to realise the seriousness of the situation. As the others tend directly to the captains health by trying to stagger the effect of the poison. Perrene realises that this is a highly advanced poison that accelerates the effects of the dose.
Genryl runs outside to track the fleeing foe. The street outside is muddy and the sleet makes it difficult to see very far, but there is no sign of the dwarf save for some footprints in the muck. An old woman passing through listens to the leshy's tale and shakes her head, then continues on her way muttering about foolish people giving valuable gems away like zucchini. Another fit of coughing draws the Pathfinders' attention back inside.
Inside the Lodge, the venture-captain thanks the party then shakily lifts a hand. Potion... delay poison... in there... he stammers as he weakly points to the cluttered desk in his office before collapsing again. A quick glance reveals many stacks of notes and maps - a more thorough search will be required.
Round 2 - Pathfinders Go!
...I will post summary eventually! This is a skill check based time event, so please roll something when you take an action.
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Genryl gives the woman muttering about a leshy an odd look along with a booming "Good evening." before taking a swing from his flagon and turning back inside. He quickly notices that the anti-toxin didn't work and that the group needs help getting something else to the Venture captain, he crouches down near the captain's head ready to be the one to hand off the potion.
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Omero rises and steps back out of the way. While another roots through the desk to find the potion he moves to the door to look out and see if the dwarf who fled only moments earlier had been located.
From the doorway and looks up and down the street through the foul weather. Drat! I can't see a dang thing through this foul weather.
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As Perrine swiftly runs up to look through the venture captains desk, she finds in one of the drawers a greeish purple potion. She swiftly passes it to Sirius who is already behind her ready. He runs over and passes it to Genryl, who rushes him by waving his hands. Genryl swiftly administers the potion just in time after Ella finishes administering her antitoxin.
Omero, keeps watch outside, as he realises the culprit is long gone.
The venture-captain beckons the pathfinders closer, his breathing quick and shallow now. “Find... Brandur... Clovesh... he has... answers...” He coughs again, white phlegm and spittle falling back on his face as he lies on the floor.
Character - Round 1 - Round 2
Perrine - Analyse - Search
Ella - Heal - Antitoxin
Omero - Heal - Seeking
Genryl - Seeking - Delay Poison
Sirius - Heal - Helping
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Genryl gives a look at the glasses that had had the poisoned vodka in it and pickes up one. He gives it a sniff before taking a veeerrrrryyy small taste of the remaining liquid.
"Hmmm I'm not normally the one to drink vodka but it seems to be hiding the taste of something that has a lot of... arsnic in it?"
Genryl gives a short prayer to Halcamora and takes a swig of his flagon before bending down and trying to help stabalize the Venture Captain.
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As the party does what they can to help the venture captain, all is for naught. Through a mouth filled pink-tinged mucus, Bosk croaks out, “Timinec... find him... before... too late...” He coughs again, hanging on to life for at least a little while longer thanks to the quick responses of his fellow Pathfinders. Nevertheless, the foam smells waxy, like burning vinegar. The venture captain falls unconscious.
With the venture-captain dead, the Pathfinders must rely on their own wits to discover any useful information in Dryblade House. A quick survey of the room identifies several places of interest: the venture-captain’s locked safe, his cluttered desk... and his lifeless body.
Several files are stored here, as well as a feather and a roll of parchment. Several sections have been circled:
- ...took your Pathfinder Timinic to a safe house on the edge of town - Brandur Clovesh
- ...told Timinec to only open the door for other Pathfinders, or “Guardians of the Open Road”...
- ...wanted killer called Cladara, city-wide investigation, very unusual here...
- ...Pemak, apothecary, Poisoner’s Guild?
The area around the Dripping Wall Distillery is particularly well-mapped, suggesting expeditions into the sewers often started there. Some hastily-written notes in the margins also draw attention:
- ...found another young holligan in the sewers today. Third one this week! Always near the distillery...
- ...requesting extra security for distillery proprietor...never forgive myself if anything happened to Ramya. - Timinec
That smell is a common feature of wares from Pemak’s Tinctures, an apothecary most notable for a recent burglary.
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Omero looks back inside only to find that his fellow pathfinders are pushing the venture captain's eyelids closed with a sorrowful look about them. "He was our best hope for answers as to why this happened." Omero takes a moment to ponder the situation before making any decisions. "We are going to need every advantage if we are going to bring the Venture Captain's murderer or murderers to justice. Check everything and then check it again just to make sure we don't miss anything of importance."
Omero steps over to the desk and starts sorting through anything and everything that is on top of the desk.
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"Rust my blade," Ella whispers, a stricken expression on her face.
With a sigh she recenters herself and begins to toss the place. "We've got to be able to find something that will explain all this."
She begins by unsealing the safe, passing around the notes contained within, then moving on to the desk, pointing out the Captain's extensive detailing of the Dripping Wall Distillery.
As Perrine makes her own observations, Ella nods in agreement, but with a flash of inspiration adds, "I know that smell. Everything you get from Pemak's Tinctures has the same reek. Someone burgled them recently, there might be more we can learn if we visit them!"
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10 minutes have passed since the killer excaped!
Ella helps everyone to find the evidence you required. Having gathered what information they can, the Pathfinders set out from Dryblade House. The sleet is still falling heavily, but Brandur’s footprints can still be seen in the mud next to the Lodge before quickly becoming lost in the morning traffic’s residue. Across the street, the pumpkin plant immediately starts telling Omero that it has seen three more dwarves go by, two of them running.
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Omero solemnly nods and realizes that between the mud, the sleet, and street traffic they stand little chance of tracking their quarry. "Best to start with what Ella's nose picked out and visit Pemak's Tinctures. We can perhaps learn from where or whom the concoction was obtained."
Omero pulls his cloak closed and keeps his hood up as they start off along the street. The sleet stings what flesh is exposed but he does his level best to ignore the inclement weather.
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Current time: 11:10 AM
It takes you 10 minutes to get to your next destination.
The pathfinders depart towards Pemak's Tintures. A wooden sign depicting a flask of blue liquid hangs over the door of this cramped building, and a faint aroma of burning vinegar wafts from the windows, which remain open despite the sleet. As they enter, the half-orc proprietor eyes the party with interest and says cheerfully, ”Oh, welcome! What can Pemak do for you today? Potion for your warts? Ointment for a loved one’s snoring? Cure for a rash in an,” she winks, ”inconvenient place?”
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Diplomacy
Perrine waits for the others to speak up, but when they remained silent, she jumped into the discussion. ”Hi Pemak. We’ve got kind of a sticky situation to speak with you about. We think a friend was poisoned by one of your wares. It smelled just like the burning vinegar I smell here. We did hear that you were recently broken into...could you tell us more about that? Any clues who did such a thing?”
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Omero takes up a position near the door to make sure that they are hopefully not caught off guard by anyone trying eliminate witnesses to the murder of the Venture Captain. All right folks, I hope your tongues wag well and we can get what we need from this individual. I would hate for anything to go wrong and have this turn to violence.
"I'll be right here if I'm needed. Don't want to be caught off guard in case we are being followed."
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Pemak shakes her head, Now now, you think you can come in here and accuse this fine establishment of such doings? It sounds to me like you are in the business of purchasing some specialised medical care. Stop being so cryptic and get on with it - who is this friend of yours? Are you the private security specialists that I am looking in for hiring to deal with the burglars who stole my wares? ...now, go on then, spit it out!
You can gain her trust by making an apropriate DC 12 bluff check.
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Raising an eyebrow at Omero, Alright then. And how do you plan I help you if you won’t tell me the name of whom you’re trying to help? You think you’re scary? I’ve never even seen you around these parts ever - you have no right.... How do I know you’re not one of the hoolagins who broke in here covering your tracks. You all seem like, an honest bunch, so why don’t you stop beating around the bush and start giving me some names.
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You sure are persistent, young lady. Fine, I agree to these terms. as she collects herself, and waves her hand for Omero to fully come inside and close the door.
I do not know exactly who it was that broke into my shop. But I have my suspicions - though you have not earned my trust by busting in here to earn that name yet. However, what I can tell you, is that the culprit had burgled one of my prototype formulas I have been working on. How do I know this? The culprit’s efforts to disguise the theft as a common burglary was for naught, as the rest of the products taken were of no consequence. The thief's knew what they were looking for. Now, your next questions might be what this prototype would be used for, but I suspect you know the answer. Now, your turn. Whom was the target of my precious recipe?
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If you are going to insist on insulting me, then it is you who cannot be trusted. You treat this delicate situation like you hold all of the cards, yet you do not understand the nature of what you are dealing with. Someone, using my life’s work, is trying to disrupt the delicate balance of law and power in Magnimar. I have already said too much, with the rate you’re going, you’ll probably end up dead by sundown. I’d wish you luck, but frankly I don’t owe you anything. Now leave, I have some matters to attend to. the orc puts her fist down on the table, and you feel an overwhelming presence in the room.
Final bone; She Is clearly sounding like she doesn’t know enough about this mornings ordeal. Yes her place was broken into, but she obviously doesn’t know by who, she needs the information you know to connect the dots herself. You are the only witness to the crime that happened, you saw who did it, and you know the target and the weapon.
Unfortunately, with intrigue scenarios such as this, tact is necessary - threatening people won’t get you very far here.
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Ella rattles off the assorted qualities of the poison from memory. Color, scent, specific details, approximate acidity...
"I suspect an excellent craftswoman such as yourself can do quite a bit with information like that.
"As for the recipient of the medicines, he was a great adVenturer. A captain and commander of those who tread the Open Road."
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Sirius holds up his open palms in a method of peace.
"Mylady, please we come as beggars, not to put blame. We were in a shocking situation and we seek the insight of an expert. We know a dwarf, that is all we know, killed our superior and we try to bring him to justice. We are quite willing to trade information "
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As Ella describes the details of the poison and it's work, Pemaks grip loosens and she starts to become fascinated with the story. She smiles as you finish. Now there, is someone who understand my line of work. You have a talent, young lady, a talent for this business.
She pauses and gives a glare at Sirius.
You don't have to speak cryptically, we both want the same thing. To clean up the street. That means you are the new group of pathfinders in town i have been hearing rumors about. Venture-Captain Bosk, was well liked in the community and never drew unwanted attention, meaning a formal assassination contract targeting him was unlikely. What is even stranger, is your reference to the odor. This “project” that was stolen from me does indeed produce the smell, but what you describe is an alteration. I have used my own resources to track down some of the thief's back to some suspicious activity originating from Dripping Wall Distillery.
The dwarf you are refering to is most likely Brandur Clovesh, am i correct? I had heard rumors that he was helping Bosk with settling into Magnimar. For him to so such a thing is out of line. He is an extremely respectable and approachable representative of Daggermark’s military. Brandur is the cousin of Jallor Clovesh, Daggermark’s top infantry commander and leader in Magmimar. You can find his living quaters on the eastern side of town if you wish to investigate further.
She picks up a flask and twirls it around. If i were you, i wouldn't ask too many more questions. It sounds like nither you nor I know enough about this situation to make any practical assumptions. Return to me after you have made further investiagion.
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Current time: 11:45 AM
After about 40 minutes of muddy streets, the party arrives at the distillery. Pipes line the rafters of this squat building, channeling runoff from Daggermark’s curtain wall into large collection barrels. Simple wooden chairs and tables fill the main room, separated from the barrels by a bar stocked with whiskey. A staircase leads down to a lower chamber with a floor of packed earth. The establishment is sparsely populated at this hour - a half-elf sits reading next to a window, trying to ignore the dwarf drunkedly pounding his empty tankard on the bar. ”Dammit Ramyla, where’sh my shpiritsh!” he yells before putting his head down on the table and beginning to sob loudly. The proprietor is nowhere to be seen.