As the guard strikes Urdun, Mender steps forward and says "stop that." He them helps up Urdun and says "We've agreed to help get to the bottom of the magic which muddled the mind of the accused. We could share what we've learned so far," He then looks towards Stormmaster Ostur and says, "Or perhaps you're simply satisfied with simply beating people who question you?"
Giuseppe leans in to Quen, Thayans are bad men. Wizards all of them, who hunger for power. Never met an altruistic one...
The young swordsman moves to back up Mender...
Yes, we can help find out what is going on. What will it solve if you hang the lady, just to have an incident like dis again?
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Gilbert keeps his crossbow at the ready as the guard moves in and starts roughing up the people he was just talking to.
"Come on now fellas, you know they had nothing to do any of this...ask anyone. They were helping get the people out safely."
Hey hey hey, we are halfway to figuring this out right now. You will have your arrest, but let's make sure it's the actual culprit.
He watches this jerk guard closely to see which way he twitches next. If he still reaches for Kata, Io plans to figure out a way to release her. If he starts hitting innocent bystanders, well that's not too nice and should probably be stopped. But hopefully cool heads prevail.
Shae steps in between the guard and Ulden.
”Stay your hand, friend. I am Sha’ Lea, a bounty hunter from Baldur’s Gate. There’s more here than meets the eye. We’ve been asking around about what happened, and it seems there may be mind affecting magic afoot. Look at the woman, you can tell she isn’t right. It is likely that a painting was enchanted, causing this mishap. Allow us to investigate, the worst that can happen is we negate a dead lead for you, the best is that we make your job a little easier.”
The shadar kai’s words drop honey, but her body is tense, ready to react if the guard attacks her.
Gorum stands next to Giuseppe for a moment and says under his breath ”Get the woman out of here. I’ll distract the watch. Meet up with us at the inn, I know of a place where we can hide her.”
The large half-orc then moves into the open circle of on lookers surrounding the guard. ” Let the guards do their work!” he then begins shoving onlookers back attempting to help the guards secure the area. In doing so, hoping to draw attention to himself which is the opposite direction of Kata and Giuseppe stealing away into the crowd.
What are Thayans?
"stop that." He them helps up Urdun and says "We've agreed to help...etc
"What's that? Some pissant foreigner giving me an order? No, I must be hearing things. And I dont recall agreeing to anythi-er..." At the sight of the broken wings he seems to be at a loss, his eyebrow twitches in confusion. As Giuseppe and Ionnis chime in, the Stormmaster sighs and tightens the strap on his serrated gauntlet...perhaps double thinking. But finally, when Sha speaks up he shakes his head NO "If that woman is under some chaotic spell, all the more reason to lock her up...for everyone's safety, of course." he says soooo sarcastically.
Gorum bursts in and the crowd scatters like roaches in light...but Giuseppe misreads the guard and takes a wrong step while trying to drag the near catatonic Kata "What the hell? Who do you think you are, to go against the authority of Mulmaster?" he draws a twohanded blade on Giuseppe "Maybe youre drunk...tell you what? I'll give you one chance to unhand her, or I swear I'll cut you down in the name of the High Blade."
The crowd goes silent, none doubting the sick intentions of the Stormmaster.
"Why are you immediately hostile to anyone you see? Most of the people you've threatened or assaulted helped save the lives of people this evening, and you feel it's okay to treat them this way?" asked Mender, clearly not at all a fan, but trying to resolve things without violence.
He glances over his sword shoulder a moment "Tch...what are you saying, wingbeast? That good deeds deserve appreciation or respect? Why?" he asks, honestly confused.
Clenching his sword hand, Giuseppe speaks up, Fine, you win. I thought you might actually care about the glory that will no doubt come when you take the credit for selecting us to get to the bottom of this mess. I mean we have only been here less than an hour and we already have discerned the nature of this disturbance. We already have two leads!
Giuseppe glanced briefly at the others, Isn't that how upward mobility works in the watch? How will the higher ups take the closing of this establishment, especially given how much money it brings into Mulmaster?
"Because as I understand it, mortals consider commerce the lifeblood of civilization, and without it trade would dry up and cities would stop to cities."
"I could be wrong though. I will point out that, unlike your actions here, I saved several lives tonight and managed not to beat a grief-striken husband."
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Seeing the plan fall apart Gorum lets out a growling sigh and looks to Shae. Though their methods are extreme, Gorum is not completely convinced that theses Banites are wrong in their assessment of locking the woman up. At least then she wouldn’t catch anything else on fire while the team tries to find out how this happened.
The half orc resigns himself to a course of diplomacy and moves forward.
Knowing his size and heritage can often set the wrong tone before a conversation starts, the Paladin does his best to look as calm and easy going as possible when he comes to stand next to Giuseppe. ”Why don’t we bring this down a notch guys. I think you ALL have the best interests of the people here in mind and I don’t think any of you are wrong.” he says with a smile that is strangely both unnerving and charming at the same time. ”Now Stormmaster, can we have your word that a verdict for this woman will not be made before we have had the chance to find out what truly happened? This would put at ease, the minds of those who believe this woman MIGHT be innocent while you take her into your custody.”
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His eyes narrow at Mender "Yeah. I hear trade works like that on the Coast. Only one name matters here on the Moonsea...and their commerce don't run on good deeds, that's damn sure." Those familiar with the region think he must be referring to the Zhentarim.
At Gorum and Giu's latest attempts he shakes his head, knowing its likely futile anyways "You've got two days at most. Arsonists might get gentle slaps on the arse in Neverwinter, but they hang in Mulmaster. You make me regret this and she won't be swingin' there alone."
Faltyn seems annoyed that Kata is to be spared, even temporarily, but keeps quiet...after a grunt of protest.
The Stormmaster shouts "The rest of you, clear on out now! You hear? Wink's closed. Get yer fill o' naked halflings and fire whiskey elsewhere."
They shackle up Kata, as the wounded Urdun simply sobs...his only hope in this dark city seems to be this party of bounty hunters and gamblers.
It doesn't take much prodding to get Faltyn to give up the location of his nephew Andrik's home.
The councilman explains that family politics left the painter with little wealth after the death of his parents...with his strange behavior none in the Gos family wanted to take the young man into their household. Faltyn believes he could have much more if his finances were more properly managed...but for now its just a single room studio in a stinking neighborhood near the harbor.
---
After a few hours, the investigators reach the address and find the door locked and the windows shuttered. No sounds can be heard inside. A few local residents and other travelers of the night look over their shoulder, suspicious of the group nosing around.
Giuseppe lets out a breath, not realizing that he was holding it. Helping Urdun to his feet, the swordsman addresses his companions, Well, we have two days, if that guard captain is to be trusted. The sooner we resolve this, the better for Kata.
He looks at Urdun and then to Faltyn, We will get to di bottom of dis, and expect your promised payment to be sure. Dis investigation may get expensive, and we need to at least cover expenses, eh?
"Nice try, at least." offers Mender of Giuseppe and Gorum's attempt.
Urdun sobers somewhat at the mention of money "...Of course...the coin! It will take some time to sift through the wreck...but here, you may need this now..." he turns out his pockets, offering up what looks like about 5 gold, 7 silvers, and 8 coppers of random change. He checks twice. "Anything for my Kata."
Faltyn offers no matching downpayment.
Giuseppe smiles in thanks to Mender, then looks at Urdun, We will get to the bottom of this. Are you sure that you want the truth, even if Kata has fallen in with the wrong people?
When we do get to the boarded up hovel of the artist, Io nonchalantly tests the door and... , ...opens it. Thanks for inviting us in, friend! he calls out just in case some neighbor is looking on.
Ionnis feels the last tumbler click on the cylinder and pushes the door open with his deception.
The narrow confines of the single room barely contain the riot of art supplies that litter the floor and rest on nearly every flat surface.
The bed frame has been turned over to serve as a low shelf for tinctures of dried out paint and jars of multihued water with floating brushes.
Three easels surround a small wooden table blackened by scorch marks and caked in the wax of candles burned down to nubs and the ash and unconsumed twigs and even small pieces of driftwood.
Scorched firewood fills the tiny hearth to overflowing, packed so tightly that whatever fire burned there was choked completely out. Balls of blackened paper are wedged amid the wood at the bottom of the stack.
The half elf will walk up to each of the party and invoke the blessings of Mishakel on them
Mishakel guide your search as he casts guidance
You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends, the target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to one ability check of its choice. It can roll the die before or after making the ability check. The spell then ends.
Gilbert moves over to the fireplace and checks the paper stuffed in with the wood.
Investigation:
Gilbert, remember you have guidance.
Guidance:
Giuseppe looks at the group and asks Ionnis and says, Let us see if we can find a journal or something...
Gorum ducks into the dark doorway and scans the room. Moving to the make shift shelf, Gorum sniffs the paints and jars as if he could smell magic from them.
Getting a whiff of something terrible, the orc reals his head back while scrunching his face up into a grimace.
Io made sure to close the door behind them as they entered the small flat.
He takes Giuseppe's comment as a compliment, and then .... ...is apparently too absorbed in the color choices of the artist to actually notice anything useful.
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