"You...you don't know where Phinnick lives? Well, it seems he is lacking in friends here. I think some of us should at least look for him. Maybe near the feedmill?" Gobil says concerned about the goblin being unaccounted for.
Maybe that is motivation enough...it seems these people don't really like him but Bort is a stranger.
"That or one'a the empty shacks. Who's gonna kick him out of there? It's what I'd do," Chewface muses. "Anything we can do to flush Phinick out, food or stuff he likes?"
Realizing she isn't finding anything in the room that the brawl took place Allania leaves with Gobil to go and search the grounds for any clues. "We aren't getting anywhere in there. You guys find out anything?"
"I think Screech's attempt to bully information out killed most of that, unfortunately," Marin replies, shaking his head. "While you go search, I'll go double check Bort's effects. Maybe there's a clue there. Screech, Chewface, want to help me with that?"
"Might I suggest setting up somewhere that isn't owned by someone you just threatened?"
Chewface opts to go with Merin. "Think Rolth locked Bort's stuff away yet? Didn't see the dwarf-shanks putting it in a room or nothing."
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Your research into the poison takes the rest of the night. You manage to come up with this...
Violet Breath (Uncommon Virulent Poison 5) You can’t reduce your sickened condition while affected by violet breath. Saving Throw DC 24
Fortitude; Onset 1d3 minutes; Maximum Duration 6 minutes;
Stage 1 1d6 poison damage and sickened 1 (1 minute);
Stage 2 2d6 poison damage and you cannot breathe (1 round);
Stage 3 3d6 poison damage and you cannot breathe (1 round)
This is a very rare type of poison, and this kind was specially manufactured. You doubt the materials needed would be common to find in a farm town like Plaguestone.
Searching the grounds..
Searching Bort's wagon..
Searching the grounds outside does not reveal much. There is no sign that anyone unexpected was present. Expanding the search over to the yard outside the barn, however, reveals something of interest.
You both spot a glint in the grass just outside the stable doors, leading to a small glass vial with a simple cork. The vial is empty but contains traces of a floral-smelling liquid.
You both approach Tamli and ask for permission to enter the wagon. "Very well, perhaps there is some clues. I will not, however, let you ransack the place. I want to keep Bort's memories and belongings where they belong. He would have wanted it that way."
Inside, Bort’s wagon is filled with knickknacks and keepsakes from his journeys. His belongings are truly a bewildering assortment of odds and ends, including a bottle with a tiny skull floating in oil, a taxidermic dragon whelp, a mummified owlbear paw, a shining crystal that holds the illusionary image of a mountain peak inside, and so on. There are a number of minor magic trinkets in here, but Tamli will not allow you to take or examine these at all. The merchant’s ledgers are easily found in a rack above his bed.
You two find the ledgers that show Bort's transactions. Merin cannot see any relevance to anything in here, but Chewface uncovers that Bort visited Etran’s Folly at least 22 times in the past decade, and about five years ago the merchant started making deliveries labeled “reagents” to someone referred to only as “H,” receiving rather large sums of gold in exchange. These deliveries are numbered, starting with 1 and ending with delivery number 14, which occurred the day the caravan arrived in town.
"These were already delivered...,"Merin muses, "Tamli, did Bort purchase most of the deliveries himself, or did you or someone else assist him? Maybe finding this 'H' would help find a motive."
Chewface ogles all the strange objects before getting focused. "'Splains why anyone would come through here. Where were you most of yesterday, Tamil? Did you see what Bort was up to, maybe heading off somewhere?"
Allania carries a glass vial witha cork in a small cloth over to show the others. "Found this in the grass over by the barn. Smells a bit like flowers, whatever was in it."
Allania wraps the bottle in the cloth and sets it on the table, wanting to be far from the poison. "I'll show you where we found it." She heads out to look for tracks.
Chewface throws up his hands. "Right, yeah. But he coulda been up to something before dinner. In between or during other trades, I bet." The goblin goes back to rifling through papers, looking for a log of Bort's less sketchy business for the day.
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At this point, Delma comes to those who are still in the tavern. "You still have rooms paid for. Will you be using them tonight? I'm afraid I do need to turn the lights off at some point."
*********************************
In the caravan, after an hour of searching through Bort's ledgers, the transactions that were marked with numbers were the only things found by Chewface and Merin. Their eyes are growing tired from all the reading.
Some Goblins would consider Chewface a heretical monster for not only reading but for doing it for such a long time.
Allania yawns. "We can sort more of this mess out in the morning. Not like we don't have the time." She grabs her stuff and heads back to her room to crash.
Merin yawns. "Might as well go to bed. There's not much more we can do tonight anyway..." And with that, he heads to the inn to partake of the bed there.
Chewface heads to his assigned room. It it's not to his liking, he can always find somewhere else tomorrow.
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The next day comes after a long night of sleep. When you go down to the dining hall. Whenever the first of you come down, she stops you.
"I know that with your situation, things aren't great for budget. I still have a business to run, but I can offer you the lodging still. Normally, the price is 5 silver per day, but if you could do me an errand I can reduce it to 2 silver. Nothing too crazy, just some help with my father. His name is Tagren Fulst and he lives just next to my house."
"Just take him around town so t hat way he can get out. He isn't able to move well anymore, and uses a wheel chair. If you can do that to help, I can cut your costs down."
"Of course we will help with what we can." Allania agrees. She turns to the others. "I can show him around town if some of you want to check in on Phinick and Eallom? Split up into three teams of two each."
"I'll go find Phinick," Chewface nods. "Can't have gotten far, 'specially if he's nice. Big muscly green-shanks wanna come with?"
"What for me Chewface...if you don't mind. I wanna stretch my legs and look around." Gobil says offering to join those looking for Phinnick.
"Finishing food sounds like a great idea," Merin says before yawning loudly. "We have alot of ground to cover, and fast. Since everyone else has made their plans, That leaves Farmer Eallom for us, Hulgur."
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Hulgur and Merin for Farmer Eallom.
Chewface and Gobil for finding Phinick.
Screech and Allania for caretaking Tagren.
The locals tell you where you can find the farmer. He lives in a house that is in disrepair and looks abandoned at the edge of town. It doesn't take long after breakfast to reach his place.
The farmer is in a foul mood, feeling hungover and still scuffed up from the previous night. "What do you want?!" He shouts at the two of you.
You two learn that Phinick generally flees the tavern frequently if there is a fight, the poor goblin being a victim of abuse too often. He usually is the target of a thrown mug or a heavy boot. Worse is when someone picks up the goblin and throws him at someone else.
No one seems to know exactly where he lives. Finding him will take a lot of time and effort.
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The old man lives next door to Delma, his daughter. Finding the house is easy enough, and when you arrive he is awake and in his wheel chair.
"I was expecting Delly.. Is she busy today?" He asks, seemingly expecting her to not be able to visit.
"Well, that is quite alright. I can tell you the route for the walk.. It isn't a hard one to follow." He looks the two of you over, and gives Screech a weary glance. "Is he.. Safe?" He asks Allania.
Targen is proud to talk about the Feedmill, the town’s only major business. Targen opened the Feedmill more than 50 years ago, before the Goblinblood Wars. His brother died in that conflict, along with much of Targen’s extended family. The town itself avoided the worst of the conflict, which occurred primarily to the west.
The path next leads to the plaguestone, which was used to give food and aid to those suffering from the plague. Targen can tell you both much about the plague that came to Etran’s Folly. He recounts how everyone suspected a local witch named Silwyth of starting the plague is), and after Silwyth caught it herself, she cursed the town’s only priest before she died. Soon after, Father Bolgrist contracted the plague and died.
He tells you that Silwyth had a daughter named Vilree who stuck around
her mother’s home for a few years, then probably died or ran off.
After visiting the plaguestone, Targen guides the two of you through the north side of town where most of the plague victims lived. Most of their homes are empty and in a terrible state of disrepair. Only the very poor or desperate call this part of town home. Targen notes that anyone with coin lives on the south side of town.
Leaving the north side of town, Targen wants to be walked along this old shepherd’s path that wanders through the turnip farms around town. He mentions that they were once sheep pastures, but the last large flock left town years ago.
The path leads to an old shrine in the middle of an ancient copse of oak trees. Targen notes as the group wanders through the old woods that while the shrine is currently dedicated to Gozreh, it has served other purposes.
He claims that druids used to gather at the shrine long ago. Since Father Bolgrist’s death, nobody worships here anymore. Unfortunately, the area is overrun by wilderness.
On the way back home, the path leads past Etran’s Hill. Looming to the town’s southeast, this hill was the site of the first home built in the area. Targen notes that Etran spent his fortune founding the town, only to die in a fire that consumed him and his family because the house was too far away from the well and the river. This is how Etran’s Folly got its name.
The path leads back to the Feedmill. Targen nods off and naps for the last leg of the journey, and upon arriving home, he complains that it took too long and he is late for lunch.
Delma thanks you for taking him for the tour before bringing him into the feedmill for lunch.
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"Me completely safe! Me a good healer, patch folks up just right!" says Screech. "You know where Screech can get some iced cream? And where you get this really neat chair? Chair with wheels? That sound fun!"
"You wanna check out the shrine, Allania?" asks Screech as he starts pushing the wheelchair towards the shrine.
From there, he tries to worm specifics out of the locals. "Okay, nobody knows where Phinick at. Where's he look like he sleeps when he comes in every morning? Nice floor, bed, dirty ground? Who's he like that's not Amora?"
But the goblin is as off-putting as ever, and his religious training is of no use when his god isn't relatable. He hopes Gobil has fared better as they searched together. "'Cause my next plan is just walking 'round the outskirts and empty houses, belting out goblin music. And that's a bad one."
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"Like I know anything about that! If anything, that caravan is trying to rip off our town with some money scheme! The two twins gamble me out of my money, and then the dwarf just up's and ends over? Likely story." The bitter farmer says as he scoffs.
You go closer to the shrine...
Suddenly, a bunch of insects the size of birds fly out and attack you both!
Light Condition: Normal
Active Buffs: None
Active Penalties: None
Red Bloodseeker(0,Fine)
Green Bloodseeker(0,Fine)
Blue Bloodseeker(0,Fine)
Orange Bloodseeker(0,Fine)
Allania(-0,Fine)
Screech Razorsong(-0,Fine)
They fly forward, seeking targets to latch onto and suck blood from!
The red and Green bloodseekers manage to latch onto Allania and Screech, starting to drain the two Pathfinders.
Allania draws her sword and shield and begins smashing at the bloodsucker on her shoulder. "What the.. where are they coming from?"
HP 18/19 (Drained 1)
AC 18 (20 with shield raised)
Hero Points 1/1
Merin frowns. Let's try a different tack then, he muses after listening to the bitter old man. "Say, you know most everyone around here, right? Bort was making deliveries to someone that he noted as 'H'. I'm guessing that it's an first or last initial. Any idea who that could be around here??"
"Chewface is right...someone has to be paying attention to at least a direction he is coming from. He isn't sneaking around." Gobil adds trying to find any trail to follow.
The short duo may not be the most convincing investigators but Gobil kind of agrees of walking the perimeter.
"That might not be the worst idea. He may answer back hearing another goblin around for once and I can look for some kind of tracks or something." he laughs a bit at the image of the two patrolling the outskirts.
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Light Condition: Normal
Active Buffs: None
Active Penalties: None
Red Bloodseeker(0,Attached to Allania)
Green Bloodseeker(7,Attached to Screech)
Blue Bloodseeker(0,Fine)
Orange Bloodseeker(0,Fine)
Allania(-2,Drained 1)
Screech Razorsong(-3,Drained 1)
Light Condition: Normal
Active Buffs: None
Active Penalties: None
Red Bloodseeker(0,Attached to Allania, Flatfooted)
Green Bloodseeker(7,Attached to Screech Flatfooted)
Blue Bloodseeker(0,Fine)
Orange Bloodseeker(0,Attached to Screech Flatfooted)
Allania(-5,Drained 1)
Screech Razorsong(-8,Drained 1)
"Ugh.. Maybe Hallod? I don't know. Will you just p*** off now?!" The grumpy farmer says, trying to return to his work.
With one hour of searching, you find yourself no closer to finding Phinick. Would you like to try again?
"Sure. After you direct us where to find this Hallod, we can leave you to your crops," Merin replies, with a pleasant smile on his face.
Allania feels the energy drain from her body and continues to beat at the insects. "Just start smashing them!"
She then swats her shield back at the blue bloodsucker.
HP 14/19 (Drained 1)
AC 18 (20 with shield raised)
Hero Points 1/1
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Your roll got eaten up, but I can see the dice rolls and know that those will work to clean up the bugs.
Allania manages to swat the Red and Blue Bloodseeker with her first two swings of the bastard sword and shield boss. Her third swing misses the orange bloodseeker. As the one that was latched to her comes off, however, she begins bleeding from that wound.