"I keep decades' worth of meticulous records locked up tight in that safe," Brunna says. "You think they were trying to destroy something there they didn't want people seeing?"
Once you explain the situation, the dwarf leads you down to examine the documents. Brunna remembers the order that Doeswen Aubry was investigating and finds the records quickly. The relevant order is dated 2 years ago. It is from a Kilibrandt Erstwhile, a gnome from the Erstwhile Dyeworks, for a replica of the Shattered Shield of Arnisant.
"I remember the gnome. Pale, with bright purple hair. There was an old human man with her. Rough-looking sort with rotten teeth. Erstwhile Dyeworks has fallen on hard times lately. It's a shame to see such a respectable business fail when the young don't appreciate family traditions."
Brunna allows you to take her copy of the order to use as evidence.
"I really want to meet this gnome," Gabbi mutters to her sister. "We need to take this to Ranton. The shattered shield has been stolen and this is the proof."
"We need to take this to everyone." Allie replies. "The Second Sword Knight was alert to treachery. She should be informed, and the Pathfinders. That hero woman you spoke to," She scowls and Gabbi can detect just a trace of the protectiveness she'd expect from her twin. "No point. She won't listen."
Second Sword Kninght Aylunna Varvatos is gravely concerned by the evidence you present. She encourages you to investigate further, offering you two potions of cure serious wounds and two potions of lesser restoration to aid you. She will instruct the faithful of Iomedae to remain vigilant for danger.
Venture-Captain Evni Zongnoss grows increasingly worried as well. She gives you a wand of detect undead and a scroll of death ward before mobilizing the local Pathfinders in the area to be on the lookout.
Ranton Gandry offers you his +2 halberd to help you rescue Doeswen. He will send word to other veterans about pending danger.
Veena Heliu is initially nonplussed by the evidence you show her, but with the corroborating records from Brunna's Smithy, she begins to take things very seriously indeed. She gives you a wand of magic missile (CL 5th) before recommending her students prepare for trouble.
Ellie scowls somewhat as they receive all these gifts. Sure, it's nice to have, but what would have been really nice is if someone had straight-up believed them when they arrived.
Oh well. You can't have everything. "OK." She adjusts her gauntlets to make sure she has a sure grip on her flail. "Let's go say hello to these people."
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Gabriella takes a deep breath before nodding at Ellie. "Yes, let's."
Allie hands her sister the wand and doesn't even crack a joke. Ulrich gets the wand of magic missile and Allie distributes the potions, along with droplets of her blood to close her sisters wounds.
You make your way towards Erstwhile Dyeworks, winding your way through some of Vigil's alleys. As you pass by an abandond tavern called the Hound's Glory, Gabby notices movement behind the wall of a small turret rising 30 feet above. A flash of purple hair reveals the presence of a female gnome who is raising her bow, preparing to shoot! Gabby notes two human men similarly nocking arrows from other rooftops!
"Enemies on the roof! Gabbi yells out as she mimics their actions as she draws and fires at the gnome.
Gabby's arrow plinks harmlessly off the low wall of the turret.
"The one in the robes first!" the gnome shouts. She fires on Ulrich, and her cronies follow her lead.
The gnome's arrow sinks deep into Ulrich's chest. One of the other arrows stabs into his side, while the third catches him directly in the throat! He goes down hard, gurgling over blood!
Gabriella snarls at the gnome before dropping next to Ulrich's side and presses her hands against the wound.
Ulrich groans as Gabriella brings him back from the verge of death. It would seem that Pharasma does not want him just yet. He mutters a thanks, before swishing his hands and vanishing.
Kamosh takes to the skies and shrieks at the Gnome.
Elká rushes forward and sinks her claws into the wall. No one is going to ambush them, let alone bolt down one of her friends like that and get away with it! The changeling yells expletive after expletive at the gnome as she tries to make her way up.
Gabby moves to heal Ulrich. The wizard quickly disappears while Kamosh shrieks at the gnome. She groans and claps her hands to her ears, dropping her bow as she is momentarily stunned!
Elka clambers up the wall to get to the gnome. Elly tries to follow suit, but struggles to find purchase.
The other archers shift their aim to Elka to try to defend the gnome. Her armor stops one arrow, but three others find their mark, one driving deep into her side and leaving her critically wounded!
Kamosh steals the bow!
Ulrich stands up and casts haste!
Assuming Elká will take care of the gnome, Gabbi turns her attention to the other archers.
Allie curses and slaps Ulrich on the shoulder. She passes on healing magic too, it's not just an assault on the wizard.
Left with the option to drop and gulp down a potion of invisibility or push on and stubbornly refuse to give up, Elká drinks from her inner well of stupidity and rushes forth to rip the gnome's head from her shoulders. Bleeding from all over, the changeling pulls herself onto the battlements and throws herself onto the gnome.
Hasted by magic, Ellie speedily climbs the wall towards the waiting archers.
Allie takes on healing duties, further mending Ulrich's wounds as the wizard casts haste on the group and Kamosh snatches the gnome's bow. Gabby fires three shots at the archers, but only one hits home, striking the man in the arm. Elka finishes her climb and rips at the gnome with a claw, while Ellie moves up to threaten the wounded archer.
The other archer tries to take Elka down, but both of his arrows miss. The one Elly has engaged whistles, and a large dog rushes in to attack the fighter. The man draws his kukri and attacks as well, but neither hits.
The gnome grimaces and draws a poisoned dagger, slicing Elka's belly!
Gabbi continues to draw a bead on the human archers and looses more arrows in their direction.
Unable to help from her position on the floor, Allie incants a spell and attempts to force the gnome archer off the roof.
Ellie grimaces - being flanked by opponents is not a good tactical position, but there's not much she can do about it right now. She focuses instead on knocking the man off his feet.
She smacks at him as he falls
She then strikes at him again as he lies prone.
Ulrich takes out the rod of extend and casts Shield upon himself.
Kamosh continues flying around with the bow in his talons.
Elka resists the poison and slashes at the gnome again, scoring another hit. Elly trips her foe before splitting his skull open with two brutal strikes from her flail! The dog yelps and falls back, retreating. Gabbi shifts aim to the other archer, striking him three times and badly wounding him.
The gnome resists Allie's spell, though her rattling bones still injure her. Despite her grievous wounds, her face is a mask of grim determination. She stabs at Elka again, scoring another light injury that isn't enough to drop the changeling.
The remaining archer shifts his aim to Elly, driving an arrow directly into her chest!
Elká tries to position the gnome between herself and the enemy archers, but the woman's small form and the structure they're fighting on makes all of it rather awkward. It is Ulrich's blessing of haste that might make the difference in all of this.
Ulrich points the wand of magic missile at the archer, and unleashes a small hail of black motes of smoke that impale the archer. In so doing, he finally becomes visible.
Gabbi gasps and staggers back, almost dropping her own bow, as the arrow sinks into her chest.
Raggedly drawing in air and ignoring the blood bubbling up in her breath, she continues to fire at the human archer.
Elka’s claws rip into the gnome, and she crumples to the rooftop, bleeding out but not dead yet. Ulrich blasts the archer with magic missiles before Gabby riddles him with arrows, putting him down for good.
Seeing the last opponent fall, Gabbi drops her bow to the ground and grasps tightly at the arrow still protruding from her chest. Clinching her teeth together she pulls the shaft free and follows immediately with a foul sounding spell.
For a moment, she's not sure what hurt worse, the arrow or the magic to close the wound. She coughs for a moment before spitting out more blood.
"Is ... Is everyone ok?" she rasps out.
Ellie swiftly climbs down from the rooftop now that combat is over. She looks at the dhampir with a degree of concern: "I think you should be asking that of yourself, really. Good shooting, though."
Gabbi nods tiredly. "Thanks. I'm ..." she begins, but then coughs some more and spits out more blood. "I'm better now. Check Elká."
She looks to her sister. "Are you ok, Allie?" she asks.
Elká unceremoniously dumps the gnome's body from the top of the tower as a sacrifice to appease her seething anger. The sickening thunk, when flesh meets the ground, causes some of her anger to dissipate. But with the anger gone, now only pain fills her world. The changeling starts to climb down the turret wall and almost collapses mid-climb but manages to make it down in one piece (or what's left of it). "I ... I don't feel too great."
"Get in here, all of you." Allie commands briskly, rubbing her hands together and unleashing a wave of warmth.
She examines her sister's wound with a clinical eye. "You should have pushed it through. Not pulled it back out." She comments, although there's no real condemnation in her tone. She does swipe a couple of fingers of blood from her sister's skin in the process, which she applies to her own injuries.
"I'm fine now, thank you." Ulrich replies gratefully.
Gabbi looks as if she's going to argue with her sister regarding the treatment of her wound, but then her eyes fall to the ground. "You're right. I'll do that next time."
She enjoys the warmth her sister exudes even if she gains no benefit.
Once Allie's healing has washed over them all, Ellie examines the gnome to see if the thing is still breathing. "We could do with some useful information: I've no objection to you dropping her off a building, Elka - several times, if you like - but maybe next time you could do wait to do that after we've asked some questions?"
"I could have Kamosh ask her some questions." Ulrich offers
Gabriella prods the still figure of the gnome with a boot. "She's not answering any questions without specialty magic," she says. "I think we need to find a place to hole up until we're better rested."
"Do you mean the Speak with Dead spell?" Ulrich asks. He taps his foot near the Gnome corpse.