Runt watches the creature intently as it speaks, then turns to the others.
"Well, if it were human I would say that was the truth, but it's hard to say for certain since it is just pretending to be human."
Turning back to the shapeshifter she asks
"Do you know who this powerful member is?"
Kizzy smiles as Camil and Runt interrogate the creature.
Or what baser endeavors he engages in?
Camil, satisfied with his questioning turns his back on the creature and walks away while the other two work on the Aldern thing as he whispers to Lavanor, 2 copper it’s cannibalism, what do you say?
"I do not. It was not necessary to know to do our job nor do the affairs within the city affect my people." it replies. "May I go now?
Camil spins on his heel, staring the monster in its current face taking in every shift of weight, detail and bead of perspiration.
"Best to tie it up, leave a note about what it is, and dump it off at the local magisters and let them deal with the creature
If it is hiding anything you cannot tell. With Zherxikas’ suggestion it says, ”Well, not what I hoped for but it beats having my throat cut.”
So, the Foxglove creature is hogtied and the group heads out to deposit him somewhere safe. There is discussion about heading to the nearest constable's office (about five blocks from here) or taking the thing to Secretary Faust. Most people clear the way when they see a large group of armed people moving a tied victim but at last a young man calls out. "That's Lord Foxglove. Quick someone get the nearest guardsman, they're kidnapping him." This raises a murmur up and down the street as apparently most had not recognized Foxglove by face but the name seems familiar.
Runt sticks the creature with his sword to make a point. Though not normally the type to kill a helpless person, she is used to seeing it done and is not totally adverse to the idea.
"Change back to your normal form if the crowd starts causing trouble. Otherwise I might just have to kill you so you turn back whether you like it or not."
Isabella sighs and says, "Think for a moment. You think Lord Foxglove has no guards? You think that a group of people would just kidnap him from his house in the middle of the day? We're in the middle of an investigation for the sheriff and we're going to go get this all straightened out."
Camil speaks up, My colleague is correct, this isn't your concern, but good on you for saying something when it seems amiss! Be well friend.
The crowd seems to think the group is making sense but the young man does not give up. "They obviously contrived this whole situation. Lord Foxglove speak for yourself. Someone go get the constables so we can rescue him and have these brigands thrown in jail."
The crowd does not seem to be roused to anger but one man shouts, "I'll go get a constable so we can get to the bottom of this." Another from the crowd asks, "What sheriff?"
The man is bleeding from what seems to be a cut from on his right arm.
Isabella cut the one that ran, on its right arm.
Runt's eyes narrow as he takes in the man, the bleeding arm, and the fact that these guys are shapeshifters.
"Guys, I think that one is one of these shape shifters, one we met before and battled."
Runt looks around to see if there are more of them, though she figures it won't be easy to tell without a bleeding wound to clue her in.
Kizzy leans in close to "Foxglove" and whispers in his ear You tell everyone - especially your wounded kin there, that you are fine and going to see the constables, or I will end you right here and now and reveal your true form... then we will hunt down your friend and do worse.
As she waits for the creature to comply, she is impressed with her friend's persuasive nature under pressure.
The Foxglove thing looks out at the man in the crowd and back at Kizzy and Runt. Finally, with a sigh he changes back into his natural form. The crowd gasps, curses can be heard, a woman screams and several hurry away. Then there are calls for the group to get it away. The young man has fled. As you continue down the road you are met by the runner and a pair of constables. They are dressed in leather studded armor, carry truncheons and they each wear a bronze disc, with a face impression upon it, hanging from a cord about their neck.
"Here they are." the runner says.
"Alright, what do we have here." the first says. The second apparently looks before speaking and soon thereafter says, "By the shadow what is that!?"
"How do we know they are not more of them?"
Runt concentrates for a bit and does a detect alignment on them to determine if they are evil.
The one you have is evil. There is no one else within range that you see is evil.
"Well, I can't spot any more of them. Let's move on."
Runt will keep the spell going and keep a lookout for evil encroachments.
Isabella sighs and says to the constables, "We've been investigating some strange events at the behest of the sheriff of Sandpoint, which have led us here. We found this... being... though it has proven to be non-hostile, and we're in the process of pursuing our investigation so that we can return and report our findings. I'd be happy to provide the constable's office with a report as well once we finish our errand."
Its sadly all true, I'd recommend giving this one a break since it sort of did its best to help us in our investigation
"That's a nasty looking thing but you seem to have it tied up well. We'll take it in and notify the district sergeant. Thanks for catching it. Where are you staying in case the sergeant or the magistrate wants to talk to you?" One of the constables says. They take the creature into custody and head back toward their office.
Shakes his head, "That thing will probably escape and kill those city guards before it ever makes it to their office".
"Agreed. We should probably accompany them. Of course with these shapeshifters trying to break him free, it's really only a matter of time. Bah, their problem, not ours, right?"
Off to the mill then - perhaps we should watch who comes and goes there for a couple days?
Runt considers for a moment and then has her own say.
"The mill sounds right. We may want to watch during the day and sneak in at night though. That would be my suggestion.
Do you head back to the Sojouner's Rest and follow up on the mill on the morrow or do you head that direction now?
Now, I'd say. Unless it is really late in the day.
Yeah, let's keep going while we have some good progress!
Let's head to the mill, and see what blood-curdling horror awaits us there....shapchangers, ghouls, cults, goblins, what's next? Camil grumps following the group.
Shrugs, and just adjusts his disguise. "Night or day, bothers me neither... so I guess onwards"
You make your way south through the city. A couple of times you find yourself switchbacking to avoid alleys that stink of refuse. For those who have been to Magnimar before, it is nothing new, but there seems to be more people here per block than all of Sandpoint. This slows down progress so that the walk, that is a little over a mile, takes nearly an hour. It is almost lunch time by the time you reach the sawmill. Built over the Yondabakari River, the sawmill sits on massive wooden pilings driven into the riverbed below. It is three stories high with a rookery on the roof. A wooden boardwalk wraps around the northern rim of the building, and a flight of stairs leads down to a door on the east side just above the water level. The churning of four large water wheels under the mill fills the air with sound and mist.
So, we settling in a hiding place and watching the place until night? anyone disagree?
The team settles in, grabbing food from nearby eateries, stepping away for a drink when needed or desired, and the same for relief of such beverages. Regardless, you do not seem to be noticed. At dusk, ten men leave the mill, some with tool bags, four with bundles of clothes.
"Looks like quitting time. Should we wait a bit longer or send someone sneaky in to investigate? I could try, but I'd have to take off my clunky armor and I'm only fairly decent, and then only because I'm small."
Kizzy checks out the four workers carrying clothing bundles, do they look like they are the clothes of a worker or perhaps a cult victim?
Focusing on the workers, she replies to Runt without even looking in her direction; I am looking for the spotlight, not trying to sneak away, if we have someone sneaky, lets send them, but stay close to back them up.
Early in the day, Isabella uses her healing wand for her friends.
"Well, we should at least try to keep line of sight on each other. No surprises. I just hope we don't find anything like that other sawmill that we investigated before."
I can sneak in and out without being seen, Camil says, holding up the hand with the ring of chameleon power on it, I'm happy to take a look around and report back. Camil says, slipping ahead of the others and into the 'empty' sawmill, blending into his surroundings unnaturally ....
Should the door be locked:
I can make someone invisible. Kizzy says absently as she continues to focus on the clothes.
The clothes are more of an assumption. The four in question eacy carry a sack that is poofy (its a technical term) suggesting clothes, draperies or something similarly light that takes up space. Definitely not something solid and dense like tools, vegetables, or money.
(anyone else going with Camil?)
Camil (plus any other) scoots off toward the sawmill. For his part, Camil blends in with his surroundings making it difficult to see him. The trail down to the sawmill leads to a large boardwalk that goes around one side of the mill. There are steps leading down to the underside of the mill where you can hear the churning of water wheels and see a door. Earlier, it seemed the workers left from a door on the far side of the sawmill's first floor
"I'm pretty good at ambush, but not so great at sneaking. I'll just wait... within hollering distance, I guess."
"I'm not the best at sneaking either with this armor. I could send Scout over to stand guard and let us know if Camil gets into trouble," Lavanor says.
I need a choice of doors from Camil and I need to know if anyone is going with him.
Not Runt. I think he is on his own.
Camil work his way as quietly as possible to the door which the workers left from, figuring that's the least likely to be guarded....
Also waits within shouting distance for Camil to return from scouting.
Concerned that Camil will be out of sight and that the group may not be able to hear anything happening with the sound of the river, Lavanor and Scout move as quietly as they can to the beginning of the boardwalk by the stairs going to the lower level.
Camil reaches the far door and examines the lock. It's a very good one. His initial try on the door does not work. (keep trying?)
Lavanor reaches the boardwalk without incident. There he sits in the shadows waiting for word.