Ling suddenly realizes there is not nearly enough blood present for the victim to have died here. It appears that he was killed elsewhere and then carried here, (which would have taken considerable time and possibly occurred before the trio of Pathfinders had even come to Dawnton).
"He was migrant worker, so he is not far from here. I have hired him occasionally in the past." He answers the question thoughtfully but without any hesitation.
, please see the spoilers above.
Whomever prepared the body for display, lost an obsidian button that fell from his coat and landed in the grass.
Such a button is quite atypical for the region, suggesting whoever lost it is not originally from Dawnton.
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"But... Could not be that Pathfinders did this, no? We ask about button or go see 'evidence' now?"
Ling seems a bit disturbed that this evidence was overlooked. The law should be impartial and thorough in his mind. This is looking more an more like someone is using it as their plaything or tool. grrrr.
The mayor is not too surprised to see a do-gooder on his doorstep. After asking about the case and upcoming execution the party finds the mayor turns to his sheriff's hat. "I suppose it doesn't hurt for you to visit with them, so long as I am present." he invites the party in and asks them to check their weapons. Then, satisfied this is not a prison break, leads them down stone steps to the basement level which functions as the town prison.
The three condemned Pathfinders are Corwin Burke , Torum Grunsch and Dakota Spire . They are frightened but unharmed, and they look to any hope of rescue with abject optimism. Burke is a short, thin, quick redhead with a wry wit even in these dire straits. Grunch and Spire could be fraternal twins, though they’re not related. Both are taciturn, thicker than they are tall, and wear their black hair in long braids. Spire has a wide scar along the top of her right forearm.
The condemned know very little about the murders for which they were framed. "We arrived on a mission to investigate a Sarkorian ruin and were arrested in our beds on the second night in town." They didn’t fight and haven’t tried to escape, saying, "We don’t want to risk harming Luin or any other innocents." They are well-fed and haven’t been mistreated, though all three are worried about their impending executions. When asked about the evidence against them, each shakes their head. Well, we were in our rooms at the time of the second murder. Corwin Burke mentions, "I think we first became suspects after Tobias Luin received a letter identifying us as the culprits."
After the interview and out of earshot from the prisoners, Tobias lays out the evidence against the Pathfinders.
1. The murders began the night the Pathfinders came to town and ceased as soon as the Pathfinders were arrested.
2. At the scene of the second murder, Luin found a dagger belonging to Dakota Spire, one of the dwarven Pathfinders.
3. All three Pathfinders were seen at Otto’s farm just hours before someone found the first victim there.
4. Ekira received an anonymous letter from a concerned but frightened citizen identifying the Pathfinders as the murderers.
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Akito listens to the evidence with a somber ear...
[b]”While I agree that the things you have listed are evidence of a sort. None of them, individually or together, is decisive. In fact, it seems to me that it’s all circumstantial and easily contrived to frame these Pathfinders for a crime they did not commit. What’s more there are certain individuals in town who seem to have a large grudge against Pathfinders in general and it would be relatively easy for someone with such a grudge to produce this “evidence” to satisfy said grudge. I believe we would like to speak to the people at the heart of this evidence. Maybe we can start with having a chat to the prisoners themselves? You can be present if you wish.”
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Caena looks around for the halfling and settles her gaze on Corwin. "We heard people saying in the town that you had blood on your hands and clothes when you were arrested. Is that true?"
She looks at their clothing to see if any of them have buttons that match the obsidian one they found earlier at the farm.
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Struggling to express himself, Ling tries to make a case.
"Body at farm not at farm. Moved to farm. Perhaps? Probably? After death before prisoner, yes?"
"Letter SAY prisoner pathfinders guilty, but where is letter person? Some person might use murders to blame."
The fact that he has not shared much that was new and that he shared it so poorly did not help.
"We didn't visit any farm," Torum Grunsch looks at the others to confirm they didn't either. "We did pass them on the way into town."
Spire admits the knife was hers. "I do not know when it went missing though. It was not on me when we went to bed that night."
We were taken from our beds in the middle of the night. "We were allowed to change into our clothes, but otherwise what you see is what we were." None of their clothes appear to be missing buttons, and the buttons present do not have match the obsidian one found at the farm.
”Hey guys.... I think the handwriting from the note proclaiming the Pathfinders guilt is written by the same person who warned us of their upcoming execution. Sounds like a setup to me! “
[dice=Perception]1d20+8
As the party leaves the mansion are heading to their next questions in town a short woman stops and stares at them. She is looking at the stranger's arms and then decides to approach.
"Word has reached me that strangers with armor and weapons are asking about my prisoners. She looks at you, judging your response before asking bluntly. "What are your intentions in town?"
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Caena glances at the others, not sure whether she can speak for all of them. "I want to make sure justice is done for the community here. Whether it was those three or someone else who committed a murder, the right people should pay the penalty. We went and talked with the prisoners, and they say they are innocent. I know that individuals who are sentenced to death might lie to protect themselves, but I think there is room for doubt. I want to know the truth. Erastil himself would not desire any less."
"I serve the Inheritor," she says. "She speaks to me and says that the Pathfinder Society are engaged in villainy. I received a letter declaring their guilt as well. It is with the Sheriff already."
was a paladin of Aroden, who passed the Starstone test and became a god in her own right. When Aroden disappeared she 'inherited' many of his worshippers. [/ooc]
Though he waits until out of earshot, Lem relates a story about the Third Mendevian Crusade. Mendev suffered from the witch hunts led by overzealous inquisitors of Iomedae, and Ekira’s uniform and behavior hearken back to that disastrous campaign.
Ekira says, "The Pathfinder's have been known to work with demons in the past, and I lost much at Kenebres because of them. I will do everything in my power to see justice be served. The miscreants will be punished."
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Caena bristles at Ekira's words. "Punished for what? For something that happened to you in the past? To me it sounds like you want these three to pay, whether they did anything wrong or not, for what others have done. If that's what you mean by justice, you have a very different understanding of the word than me."
She takes a deep breath and tries not to lose her temper, but this conversation is pushing her buttons. "If we are following legal processes and uncover evidence that proves they are innocent, would you get in the way of that? And if another 'anonymous source' sends a letter accusing somebody else you don't like, will you take that as fact? You might want to re-consider what your goddess is asking you to do here."
Ekira turns quickly on paladin pointing a finger as if it were a blade."I. Do not. Question. Iomadae." Every word becomes its own sentnce. "Perhaps you can question your diety, follow those teachings which only suit your current goal. I do not. She turns to leave, shouting at the crowd, "The evidence has been shared. The guilty have been found. The murderers shall be hanged. Justice will be found. As is the law. I suggest you do not associate yourself with these people. Should they try to subvert justice any further, send for the Sheriff or me. She walks off leaving you in the street.
Just as she is about to leave the street though she turns back. She points the imaginary blade at the party, staring you right in the eye. She then points to the blade to her own eye,then back at you. The gesture is clear. I'll be watching you.
Unfortuntly there is not enough information about the stranger to make an identification yet.
Unfortuntly there is not enough information about the stranger to make an identification yet.
You can also use Bluff & Perform here, as well as attempt a Fortitude save to drink someone under the table and earn the respect of the locals.
Ekira is a demon posing as an inquisitor. She’s used this trick to murder ten heroes up and down the countryside, and nobody is brave enough to speak up.
There’s a witch in town who plans to bring the hanged murderers back as undead. They’ll slaughter the whole town on the morning of the execution.
When he arrived at the second murder site, Sheriff Luin found a dagger that fit a sheath belonging to one of the Pathfinders who was hiding nearby.
Acrobatics, Climb, Ride, and Swim or any other game you imagine your favorite skill can be used for.
Lem watches Lin make a powerful showing and decides to take a chance. he leaps across some uneven steps to jump onto a rope before swinging to the top of a platform. There he grabs a large wheel slung between to bars and rides it down like a zip line. Three spinning blocks suspended over a pool of water makes up his third challenge followed by an elaborate combination of monkey-bars and hula hoops. Finally he faces a large wall, warped so the top overhangs the bottom. He tries for the lip, not once, not twice, but three times before getting a hold and pulling himself over and hits the buzzer!
He makes it through in a record 36 minutes and 18 seconds.
Lin fares much better. The only person to beat him, confides n the human When Kenabres fell, half the survivors got possessed by demons. Those poor Pathfinders most certainly killed those people, but it’s not really their fault.
Akito charms a number of the locals learning that When Kenabres fell, all the survivors got eaten and possessed by demons. Those poor Pathfinders most certainly ate all those people, but it’s not really their fault.
and
There’s a witch in town who plans to bring the hanged murderers back as undead. They’ll slaughter the whole town on the morning of the execution,
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Ling dries off and puts his clothing and armor back on, with reluctance. That swim felt really good and the memory of the feel of the breeze on his skin makes the heavy armor chaff. Still, the layer of protection against the crowd is welcome and the tenseness he didn't even realize he had starts to leave him and he relaxes inside his shell.
I can't wait until I can afford full plate armor.
"Store now?"
The Pathfinders have visited the store to speak with the witness, Orug. You have not had much luck collecting rumors there and as a permanant establishment it is one that sees a lot of traffic. It is a good place to gather rumors.