Ifzari, between her prior knowledge of Daggermark and asking around, is able to discern that Brandur's Cottage is 10 minutes travel from the Dryblade House. Meanwhile, Tazra keeps her eyes on the tracks, able to keep sight of them despite moving full speed towards the cottage, and is shocked to discover that in the middle of the path, dwarf sized footprints become human sized, but the gait and mannerisms of the walk remains the same. She questions people standing around, and finds out that no one saw a dwarf, but rather a human wearing ill-fitteing military garb. Other than this oddity, the tracks do lead directly to Brandur's Cottage after about 10 minutes of travel.
Coals smolder in the fireplace of this cozy wooden cottage. The main room is set for company, with two half-empty mugs of ale on the table. A waxy aroma reminiscent of burning vinegar fills the cottage, emanating from the corpse of a dwarf sprawled near the hearth. A crumpled military uniform lies on the floor near a cabinet in the corner.
In the dwarf's hand is a bottle labled "In Case of Poison" that looks much like the same potion that was in Bosk's desk. There is traces of the same mysterious foam that killed Istivil Bosk.
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As the tracks shift, Tazra frowns. "It looks like Bosk was right, that wasn't actually Brandur. Someone took on his appearance. Did whatever spell they were using expire? It doesn't make any sense for them to have shifted midway through running away."
It also doesn't make much sense for them to be going to Brandur's actual house...until Tazra enters and sees the corpse. Oh. We're too late.
She leaves examining the body for those better suited to it and starts looking around the room for any clues to the murderer's true identity.
TARGET LIST
Sergeant Brandur Clovesh
Oathbreaker Istivil Bosk
Ramyla
Timinic
Pemak
Finally, when searching Brandur's desk, you find directions to the safe house where Timinic is hiding.
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”We must have just missed them. The uniform the culprit wore is still warm.” Tazra stands up from where’s she’s been examining the clothing. ”I found a list of targets, and a single pearl earring. It seems likely our culprit has taken on a new appearance for their next murder. Luckily, it seems they didn’t search Brandur’s desk. The directions to Timinic’s safe house are still there.”
She joins the others outside. ”Can you tell in which direction the tracks are headed? It looks like the culprit plans three more murders. If they’re going in the order on the list then Ramyla is the next one in danger and we should go to the distillery. But tracking them would be safer.”
The Pathfinders seem distraught to find the dwarf dead in his own cottage. Upon looking around, the dwarf kept a simple living and does not have much else interesting. The tracks mingle with many other tracks just outside the cottage, but appear to head not in the direction of the safehouse, but rather the distillery. You can follow the tracks to be sure they don't veer off to try to mislead, but it would slow your progress. From asking around, you find the distillery is about 10 minutes from Brandur's cottage. Timinic's safe house is 30 minutes, and again, asking around you find Pemak's Tinctures is about 15 minutes away.
The group makes way for 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 fills 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. Daggermark's countless alchemists and poison-crafters release gaseous waste into the air, and the by-products condense on the cold stone of the city's curtain wall. This distillery is well known for being able to mix this runoff from the wall with whiskey to make unique flavors while still maintaining their guest's safety. Ramyla is easily identified, as she is the only one behind the bar . She looks distressed.
There are three patrons scattered throughout. A curly haired human woman enjoying lunch , a drunk dwarf man , and a half-elf woman reading in a corner .
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Tazra breathes a sigh of relief. She's here. She's not dead. Then a horrifying thought hits her. Or is she?
In a low voice she whispers her new concern to the others, "The murderer took on Brandur's guise, they could have already killed Ramyla and disguised themselves as her. We should avoid making our intentions clear until we know for sure she is who she appears to be."
Following her own advice, she moves confidently into the bar and takes a seat next to the dwarf. "Hello there friend. Seems like you've been enjoying some good whiskey. Any recommendations for an out-of-towner?"
She may be talking to the dwarf, but she's discretely trying to scope out the other occupants of the bar. I doubt our murderer would have risked getting drunk, while the earring points to a female disguise. That leaves three suspects in the bar right now. Is the culprit one of them?
The Dwarf responds, "Hello! I'm Urfus, and yes, this distillery has many excellent whiskeys and brews to choose from!" The dwarf is so loud and boisterous that Tazra has a hard time paying attention to the rest of the bar's patrons.
A definitely feminine surprised squeak eminates through the establishment, but no one is sure which of the three females inside emitted the noise.
Dorrion finds that he may need glasses, or at least is having a hard time adjusting to the smog in Daggermark.
Davor is even more discouraged finding nothing in his quick scan of the room.
Kyunjiro thinks they have a hunch until they watch the other occupants in the room, and finds themselves clueless.
Souja stares down the curly haired woman, whose attention seems to be drawn between Kyunjiro and Tazra.
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"Curly!" Souja cries out as she stalks toward the Tazra and the lady. "You'd think that adding some powder to a drink would be suspicious enough. But considering that we're looking for a poisoner that lost an earring just like the single one you have on..... Whatcha up to? As if to accent the point, she raises her earth breaker and rests it on her shoulder.
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Tazra's eyes widen at Souja's accusation. Seems she found our poisoner! She quickly turns to Ramyla to explain the situation before it all goes wrong.
"Ramyla, I'm Tazra, a Pathfinder. A 'Guardian of the Open Roads.'" Don't know if Timinic would have shared that particular phrase, but at this point it can't hurt.
"We have reason to believe that person is a disguised assassin who's already poisoned several people and was targeting you next. Just...stay calm. We'll take care of this. It's what we do."
The surprised woman dumps the powder on the floor under her table. Only Souja sees this. "Why I never! Ramyla, tell this crude woman that I, Immy, am a regular here! Throw them out, or I may never come here again!"
Ramyla looks torn, and honestly shocked by the news that she was the target of an assassination that clearly does not seem to be the kind sanctioned by the Assassin's Guild of Daggermark. "I-I-I... Immy, what are these people talking about?"
Urfus has a delayed surprised reaction, slides some coin on the counter for his drinks, and quickly makes his way out of the bar. The half-elf is too involved in her book to notice anything just yet.
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Tazra does glance at the departing dwarf, just to make sure his sudden departure is due to the talk of assassins and not because he might be the assassin himself.
However she's still reasonably certain that 'Immy' is their target. Rather than follow Davor out the door, she stays with Ramyla at the bar.
"'I, Immy, am a regular here?'" She shakes her head. "Weird way to phrase that, don't you think? I have no doubt that Immy is indeed a regular, but this isn't Immy. The person we've been following has been using magic to disguise themselves as a friend of their target." A little louder, she says, "Or does 'Immy' have some innocent explanation for the powder they were pouring in a drink, and for how their earring ended up under a corpse?"
Dorrion is fairly sure that the half elf in the corner really is that oblivious. He also is fairly sure that Ramyla is just as worried and nervous as she appears. He's unsure about Immy or Urfus, only knowing that they both want out of dodge as soon as possible.
Tazra gets the same impressions.
However, Immy takes the bait. "Hmph! I never! The nerve of these... who even are you!" Her expression clearly shows her patience is wearing thin. "I have no idea what you are talking about. My earring is one of a kind, made from a pearl I found myself. The powder your friend so rudely made me spill on the floor is my medication!" Her voice is strong and unwavering, if a little pissed off. Neither Tazra or Dorrion can read if she speaks the truth or not.
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The spiritualist is mortified to hear Souja's accusations. She did this without having prepared any attack, without having protected Ramyla before. Now the party has lost her advantage. That's really annoying. Maybe Souja's a spy from the poisoners?
The undine moves quickly to stay back to her phantom.
Now she has to pray that the fighters notice that there are some stairs inside the room... Otherwise, Ramyla is dead.
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Tazra does indeed produce the earring. "Interesting how your one-of-a-kind handmade earring just happens to have a match right here. However, the powder seems more...conclusive. Here's my proposal. We gather that powder and escort you to a neutral third party where it can be identified. Ramyla, are there any apothecaries in the area you trust?"
"If it's medicine, I'll not only replace the dose but additionally compensate you for the trouble. If it's poison..." She shrugs. "Then we'll talk."
While her words sound casual, she's keeping a very close eye on 'Immy' and her hand stays on the hilt of her flail. We're backing her into a corner. It's possible she'll try to kill Ramyla, or us, the old-fashioned way. I have to be ready for that.
Immy's voice cracks into a monsterous tone. "Enough! I tire of these games!" The woman's skin goes pale gray, and her (its?) limbs rapidly morph. Standing where Immy once stood is a grayish humanoid creature that seems almost unfinished, with a narrow head, gaunt limbs, and a sinister, noseless face.
The half-elf in the corner finally looks up from her book in time to see a chair fly across the room towards Ramyla. Ramyla ducks behind the bar, pulling a dagger out of the folds of her clothes. The half-elf woman flees out the nearest exit and out of danger. Anyone's concerns about Urfus are likely dissuaded, he probably felt the tension in the air and didnt' want to be around for a bar fight.