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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.
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The proprietor is no where to be seen.
The half elf puts the book down only briefly to see the group of loud individuals who came in. He sighs, Its nearly midday, miss, and most normal people have work to do. Do you normally walk into places and ask obvious questions? he is obviously being rude, not liking the interruption.
He gestures at the dwarf. It seems that some people just never have enough...
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The elf, looking more amused than irritated at this point responds. You could say that. I enjoy the company of dimwits like him - they make me look smarter.
He sighs figuring things out in his head. You seem like you’re looking for someone. I’m going to take a wild guess that it’s for the proprietor of this place. Ramyla went round back almost half an hour ago. She said she was meeting a friend. Just through those doors over there. Whatever mess she’s found herself into, just leave my name out of it. He goes back to reading his book.
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The back room is separated from the rest of the establishment by a curtain, and the Pathfinders easily brush it aside. Numerous barrels sit against the walls, each with a series of markings written on the top in white chalk. The air smells more strongly of fermentation and strange chemicals.
As the Pathfinders make their way through the back room, a woman steps out from behind another curtain, a tankard in her hand. "Who's there?"
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Ramyla has a defensive look on her face. Why so heavy handed, Ella - for short. I am Ramyla, but you already knew that. she comes around the front of the bar where the body is, and stands in front of it.
Come, please, let's take this up stairs where it is more comfortable. I can get you all a round on the house! How does this sound?
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”We are kind of with a guild you might say. One of our friends was murdered. He wasn’t the typical type to be a target of the guild. We want you to tell us what you know happened with Venture Captain Vosk, the dwarf. We aren’t here to shut your operation down...we just have to find who murdered our friend.”
Diplomacy
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Listening carefully, she comments, I see, well this isn very serious isn’t it? No wonder you’re in here looking for a drink! Well, I’m not sure how a humble brewer can help in such matters. I would point you to the Magnimar Guard just down the steet. If you truly witnessed a murder, it is your duty to report it!
She moves for the door to show you guys the directions.
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Genryl having stayed outside whenthe group visited the alchemist's shop, this time follows everyone into the distillery. He gives the pretentious sounding half-elf a glance and instead decided to go help what could be a distant cousin. He gives a small gesture and chant and fills the dwarfs tankard with water and give the man a pat on the back. "Here you go friend might want to drink that up before wyou hit anymore of those spirits or you're not going to have a good evening. Now what's got you so down in the dumps?"
After listening to the mans problems with a sympathetic ear, he glances up and around a realizes that he's alone in the room with the half-elf and giving the dwarf a final paton teh back and another tankard of water and a small bottle of wine, Genryl jumps up and races after everyone else.
He arrives just in time to follow everyone upstairs after what must be Ramyla. In the room he gives a look around and nods at the style of the place. "I like the decorations! Is that cerulean wallpaper? Lovely!" With a glance at the cups, Genryl's mind flashes back to the venture captain and his misadventures with drinking and gives a sheepish look. "Thank-you for the offer of a drink but I'll stick to my wine here. Never developed a taste for anything but fermented grapes."
He wrinkles his eyebrows at Perrine's bluntness but gives a shrug and decides to back her up. "We definitely should but before that we heard from a little, okay not quite so little, bird that what killed him might have come from here. You wouldn't happen to know anything about someone brewing something other than just alchol here would you?"
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Musing to Genryl, Ramyla replies. Something other then alcohol you say? Well, other then a good time and a few drinks, i'd say this place isn't good for much else. We have plenty of cheap wine around, what year are you in the fancy for?
As she makes her way out, she is stopped by Ella's quick blade. Now, now miss. I wouldn't do that if I were you. This was a civilized conversation until you pulled that out. Are you mercenaries, hired to kill me? Do I owe someone money? What's going on? I don't know anything about these murders. I've been here all day, you can ask these lot!
Everyone hears a thud of a heavy book, as from over in the corner, the elf hops up! Ramyla! Why do you have a weapon on my favourite bartender! You unhand her...you...monster! ...And yeah, she's been here all morning cleaning up after that guy! as she strikes a, not so convincing hero pose from the other side of the room. He points to the dwarf who lets out a loud burp and passes out.
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Genryl gives a smile at the offer of more wine but hoists his own leather flagon and gives the lump under his cloak a pat. "Oh, I have more wine than I can handle right now but I do appreciate the hospitality."
As Ella and Perrine move to block and accuse the woman, Genryl's eyebrows inch up a notch. I haven't seen anything that suggests this lady has been runing more than a basic brewery, but two of my teamates seem to think other wise. Hmm...
Genryl moves to impose himself inbetween the two three ladies and calm the siuation down. "My friend over there is mostly just worried, we really don't want any more murders to happen today. We are not here to assasinate you or extort you for money, we are jsut following a lead. One that my other friend here seems to think you have some knowledge of. Could we sit down over a nice glass of wine and talk this out? I'll be providing of course."
Genryl then gives a sharp glance at the elf that popped up and continues. "And you good sir can sit back down, pick up your book and not drag yourself into conversations that don't involve you. Maybe take a look after your 'dimwit company' before you start trying to fix other people's problems!"
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Seeing as Sirius moves away from the group and back downstairs towards the body, "Ramyla" makes her move.
I see, and here I was going to let you live... she sighs and continues to claw at Ella's face, ducking under her blade.
Surprise Round!
@ Ella
Omero
Sirius
@ Genril
@ Pirrine
"Ramyla"
@ Ella, Genril and Pirrine may act in surprise round based on the conversation and sense motives.
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Geryl pulls out his longspear and steps closer to the woman, on hand firmly grasping the haft of the weapon and another poised to grab his flagon of wine if the need to enlarge someone arrises. "My, my, that's not a very hospitable thing to do to our friend there! And 'going to let you live'? Why, I do believe you are hiding something! Are we going to have to beat that info out of you?"
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You all watch, and Ramyla's lifts her hands in a defensive posture and proceeds to maul Ella with her claws. Something tells you, she isn't what she seems.
Ella takes a devastating claw, as she looks down and sees blood running down her armor from the cut she just sustained.
Round 1
@ Ella (-17 lethal) (can take a surprise round action if wants)
@ Omero
@ Sirius
@ Genril
@ Pirrine
"Ramyla"
@ Everyone go!
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Genryu gives the woman a narrowed glare and ultimately decides to reach for the flagon of wine. He hoists it up and flicks a few drops of it at Omero invoking, "Oh, Bountiful Halcamora, please see fit to grace this man with your blessed growth!" As the drops of red splatter on the man, they evaporate as he doubles in size.
Genryl then focuses on the woman in from of him and takes a second to call down another grace of the goddess of the plentiful. He incants another short prayer, with the proper hand gestures over his flagon before ingesting a large gulp of the wine. As he does so a small light depends over him. He then prepares to use his longspear to attack the 'woman' should the opportunity arise.
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Ella's attack misses Ramyla in her flatfooted state, as she jumps back and reveals her claws. As the woman goes in for an attack, Ella swiftly parry's the attach to one side and stabs her in the shoulder.
She studders backwards, drawring a flask from her side. The wounds from Ella and Perrine's blades being too much for her. She coughs up a little blood. Ahhh. You, you are stronger than you look. We will meet again, I promise. She takes a sip and goes invisible.
Round 2
@ Ella
@ Omero
@ Sirius
@ Genril
@ Pirrine
"Ramyla" (-29 lethal, invisible)
@ Everyone go!
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Sirius takes a swing!
miss
Genryl takes a swing!
hit
Ella takes a swing!
miss
Ramyla takes a hit from Perrine who is more lucky than the rest. All you here, as the invisible enemy moves away is, Ugh, you're good. But not good enough!
Round 3
@ Ella
@ Omero
@ Sirius
@ Genril
@ Pirrine
"Ramyla" (-37 lethal, invisible)
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After the battle at Dripping Wall Distillery, you find that "Ramyla", or whoever she was has fled. You hear the eventual sound of someone running through the back of the distillery into the sewers underneath. You eventually uncover the real Ramylas body, which seems to been murdered in a similar way to how your venture captain died. Same poison was obviously used here as well.
Checking at Brandur's Cottage you find the dwarfs body on the ground, with spongy foam that reeks of burning vinegar spilling out from his nose and mouth. His hand grips a small bottle labelled “In Case of Poison” that previously contained a potion of delay poison. Brandur must have drunk the potion when he realized he was poisoned, but you think it had no effect. Strange, as this was the dwarf that killed your venture captain.
At Timinic's Safe House you also find his body dead and stuffed in the storeroom of his house. Same trail leads you back to Pemak Tinctures.
Back with Pemak you tell her everything that happened, and she explains that this all makes sense now. She believes that this was the work of an assassin from the Ghostnives, a group of insurgents recently enlisting criminals to disrupt the government inside the city. Their plan, is obviously to disrupt the balance between the Assasins guild and the Poisoners guild (whom Pemak is the leader of) and to cause outright war and chaos. You do not gain her favour, however, she gives you the directions of their hideout.
You eventually make your way into the sewers to track down the Ghostknives! The sound of rushing water echoes throughout this dank cistern as sleet-filled runoff pours in from northern, eastern, and southern channels before emptying through an outlet in the northeast corner. Stone walkways line the walls, with a large platform jutting out into the centre of the room. Seven coffin-sized crates float on the water, tethered to the platform’s railings by short chains.
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Genryl gives a curse as he doesn't take his chance at stabbing the woman when she downs her drink, and the woman gets away. In a bad temper at himself for the rest of the day he stays mostly silent through the rest of the day, face darkening as he finds more and more things to be angry about. When the words Ghostnives pops up, though, he immediately suggests the group go and verify that they are the bastards behind this.
He takes a moment to prepare another Divine Favor for the day, using up his open spell slot before the group marches on the place. He keeps his longspear and flagon at the ready and stormily storms into the place.
"Let's make sure that we look for any traps. I say we test the coffins and that well over there before going for the obvious enterance."
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Keeping in the direction you are moving, cautiously, all move forward towards the hideout. Pirrine and Ella smell the same residual toxins of the poison which linger even inside the sewers coming from up the drain pipe.
You spend some time, and you finally decide that you will check it out and see where it goes. You follow the leads and eventually find yourselves walking through chest high sewer water. Watching your backs carefully, you get to another section of the sewers which lead into darkness. You also find some wet prints which lead into a cornered off part with two doors.
You don't find any taps, but the smell gets stronger. You open the door, and see a messy room which reeks of poison and death. Piles of dead skins line the ground, long discarded after use. Decay and rot fills the room. It looks like whoever is habituating this area doesn't care for pleasantries. To your non-surprise, you find Ramyla's skin there, as stepping out of it a figure. The greyish humanoid looks almost unfinished. It's narrow head lolls to the side and it's gaunt limbs are now bound. The sinister, noseless face looks almost serene.
Still using Ramyla's voice, it stares at you ready for another fight. Hasn't your mother told you to knock before entering? Can't a girl get some privacy once in a while!
Round 1
@ Genryl
"Ramyla"
Ella
Omero
Sirius
Pirrine
@ Genryl go!