"Well...that is one way to say hello but it is your aim you need to...sort!" Gobil says charging past the trap to the enemy before biting him.
◆⃟: Rage
◆⃟◆⃟: Sudden Charge
One not to be scared, Allania raises her shield and skips through the tripwires, blocking whatever comes her way. Reaching the opposite side of Hallod she slashes her sword at him.
HP 20/20
AC 18 (20 with shield raised)
Hero Points 1/1
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Light Condition: Merin's Sword, Normal
Active Buffs: Inspire Courage
Active Penalties: None
Hallod(27,Fine)
Hulgur Grimm(-5,Fine)
Chewface(-0,Fine)
Gobil Sliink(-0,Fine)
Merin Talusian(-5,Fine)
Allania(-0,Wounded 1)
Screech Razorsong(-2,Fine)
Hallod looks pretty beaten up from that double combo. He draws his Kukri, and then starts beating on Gobil.
Two Actions: One-Two Move Since Hallod's first hit landed against Gobil, the second hit attacks Gobil flat-footed.
Triggered Free Action: Dirty Trick: When Hallod lands a critical hit, he can attempt to shove or trip the target. This uses the same multiple attack penalty, but does not count as an additional attack.
Allania cringes as the gnome falls. "that looked painful." She steps up to Hallod and strikes back trying to take him down quickly.
HP 20/20
AC 18 (20 with shield raised)
Hero Points 1/1
Merin springs forward to help Gobil, hoping to bandage him up and get him back in the fight.
Chewface bumbles around the wires and, not yet in position to work some real magic, shoots fire at Hallod.
"Ha ha!" Chewface crows. He tosses over a set of manacles. "Let's keep him alive, I guess. Bring him back nice and bumpy."
Merin dives forward as Hallod falls. "No, you're not getting off that easily!" He cries out as he goes to ensure the man doesn't die on them. "Should we see what he's bee doing down here? It might give more insight to why he decided to kill Bort."
"Aaaaagh. What even happened...I had my jaws on him then I wake up to your pretty face Merin." says Gobil looking around the room. He sits up dusting himself off and helps the others however he can.
Merin breathes a sigh of relief as he pulls the villain from death's door.
After checking the man for any other hidden weapons, poisons, and potions ()and using Chewface's offered manacles on the unconsciousness man, he stands.
"Okay, Let's see what trade cost Bort his life, but first: Can someone do something about the tripwires? I'd prefer to not have to search this cave with several dangerous traps around us."
Chewface indulges the Sarenite, looking for where the tripwires begin and where he might be able to snap them safely. "Hope these don't blow up. Maybe that's what he wanted those reagents for?"
Allania scours the area and stripes Hallod of all his possessions. "Let's see what he has here and then take him to the Sheriff so we can leave this town."
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Hallod carries a few objects upon himself. Also folded up in Hallod’s pocket is a note written on a scrap of parchment.
Hallod,
The final shipment of corpse blood is due in just over a week, and it is the last thing I need from that greedy bastard, Bort. I’ve enclosed a parting gift for him that should ensure he never tells anyone of our dealings. Be sure that he gets it, my darling.
Drop off the reagents as soon as they arrive. My work is almost done. You will find your usual reward in the stump.
—V
In the crates around here, some are empty and some have interesting objects.
"Hey, that stuff is nice. Lemme take a look."
Alania has a few burning questions. "Anyone find where that key goes to and what stump?" She sighs. "We may not be able to leave town quite yet. Even though we have Hallod and he obviouslt killed Bort, he was little more than a stooge, hired by 'V'." She helps carry the man, slinging him over her shoulders. "Let's get out of here to wake him up and find us some answers."
"Let's bring all this to the sheriff. Maybe he can have a clue on who V is. As for the key, didn't we find a box back in his little quarters?"
"He doesn't work alone. That means we are all in serious danger...our work may not be done unless we skip town but where is the justice in that!" Gobil cheers still rubbing his wounds.
He offers to help carry some of the supplies back.
"What if we become one of those famous adventuring groups! Imagine the songs Screech can come up with!"
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You continue on your way back..
Chewface believes the kukri is a magical +1 Kukri that hasn't been upgraded beyond that. The rune, he is not certain, but believes you would place it into a ring or something.
The party makes its way back through the caves towards Hallod's home, carrying the large brute with them.
Hulgur notices something in the water as the party passes by it. Looking inside, he sees a Rapier in the water that looks of rather decent quality.
****************************************
Back in Hallod's bedchamber, the party finds the lockbox again.
Chewface does an initial check of the rapier with detect magic. If it comes up positive, he holds on to it for later. The goblin gingerly holds it by the blade and thwacks the unconscious Hallod with the hilt.
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Thhhhk!
A thin needle shoots out at the opener of the lockbox.
Inside the lockbox is a few items of interest. A batch of 14 receipts
that match the logs from Bort’s ledgers, as well as a scrap of parchment
that lists each transaction along with a value slightly higher than that listed on the corresponding receipt from Bort. There is also 21 gold and 37 silver.
On the back of the transaction is a crude map, with a cave helpfully labelled "HIDEOUT", next to a shape that might be a pond. A winding path passes through a strange V-Shaped chamber before ending at what appears to be a clearing with a tree stump labeled "DROP POINT". There is not enough information here to pinpoint the exact location, however.
"Looks like we have enough to at least take to the Sheriff.Maybe he knows where this map leads to?" Allania suggests as the spiked needle narrowly misses them.
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The Pathfinders drag Hallod's unconscious body outside, where they find something they can roll him on and take his handcuffed form back to town.
Heading back to the tavern, the Pathfinders manage to find the sheriff there having afternoon tea .
"What's all this then?" He asks, seeing you have Hallod's body on a cart.
"No, no, he just said he did it," Chewface says sullenly. "Plus he had a note from someone else telling him to. What if you hide behind a stool or something, and we'll get him to fess up when he doesn't know you're here."
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When he has the chance, Screech will take some time to study the magical items that we haven't figured out... which I think is only the runestone.
"Yes, like Chewface says, we have a note. And receipts! More proof! He put it all down in writing!" says Screech, bouncing as he does. "Silly longshanks go and give us proof, that why writing bad!"
He then ponders what Chewface said, "I think we can get him to confess if you want, Sheriff bossman."
Merin lays the folded note and reciepts out in front of the Sheriff. "We haven't followed up on the 'map' on the one, but I believe that's next on the agenda. We were also surprised to find a length of caves under the town, with a shocking serpent and a hideaway where a large pile of supplies were stashed. However, This 'V' that Hallod supposedly works for is a new twist to the story. Maybe you'd have a better clue about that than us?"
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"Honestly, I haven't a clue who this V could be. Though this evidence does seal the deal." He goes over to Hallod and kicks him awake.
"By the authority vested in me, you are under arrest for charges of murder and conspiracy. When the circuit judge comes in you will have your trial then. Until that time, you are to remain locked up."
Hallod groans as he is being kicked awake. "Heh... Do your worst. You got nothing on her."
"'Her'..." Merin echoes. "That alone is something we didn't know. So, we're looking for a woman, with a floral scent, and is a chemist of some sort. Screech, Would you happen to know what Corpse blood is used for? That was what the last shipment from Bort had."
"Greed. Almost always greed that drives jerks like Hallod. We have nothing on her but with all we have on him...maybe he will cooperate for a deal. A chance for redemption." Gobil suggests.
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The sheriff grimaces. "Well, things just got from bad to worse. Certainly, the murderer is captured, but now we got a conspiracy on our hands that goes bigger than just that." He looks at the receipts. "Not only that, but it seems to be going back for years." He shakes Hallod by the collar. "What else do you know? Fess' up, or the I'll see to it that you are hauled off to a Hellknight Devil pit for your crimes!"
Hallod laughs at the sheriff's threats. "Heh heh... If this town only gave a damn. I know her name is Vilree, met her bout six years ago in the forest. She once lived here, but left. Don't know why, don't know when. Found her roasting beetles and then collecting their ashes. Big eyes and big ears, but not like an elf's. Pretty little thing, she was. Over time, we met less and less, she was always too busy with her work. In time, she just kept leaving me drop notes, and telling me where to drop off the ingredients. In turn, she'd pay me with mutagen." Anything beyond that, Hallod doesn't really know.
*******************************************
Tamli, the caravan's second in command, stands nearby and listens with pale clenched knuckles. "So... How do you all plan on catching the mastermind of this?" She looks with hopeful eyes to the Pathfinders.
*******************************************
A woman shrouded in a heavy brown cloak trimmed with leaves marches up to the meeting, pulling a simple wooden sledge behind her. As she approaches, she brings the sledge to one side and uncovers her cargo, a pile of wolf carcasses. She turns to you all, and despite having her cloak’s hood pulled low, it is easy to make out weathered lips and a slender chin. In a pointed tone, she asks, “Is this your work?”
Allania's face grows confused. "Probably, they attacked us on the road. Not much of a choice when they are trying to rip your throat out."
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"This Vilree, she sort of sound like a goblin. Sound really pretty." says Screech. "But Pretty not always good."
"Bossman, " he asks the Sheriff, "Do you know this Vilree? Is she from here?"
"We very sorry and Screech very sad to have to kill pretty wolves. But wolves wanted to eat Screech and his friends! What were we supposed to do?"
"Gonna ask everyone 'round here if they know about her, for starters," Chewface replies to Tamli. "Worked for Hallod. We'll have everything he knows too, just need to poke him enough times. Then see what makes sense from there?"
When the meeting is interrupted, the goblin looks genuinely confused. He points at the corpses in an accusatory manner. "That one was spewing acid, too! But then we always coulda let 'em eat us. That'd solve a few messes, sure. What would you do, sing dogs to sleep?"
"Does the town have some sort of registry or records of people who have lived here? To be honest I am not sure what the next step is if we don't find more information on her." Gobil says scratching his head.
Gobil nods.
"As they said it is our work. It was for good of all travelers on the road too. It seems you know something or want to discuss it further?" he asks.
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"I see." The Elven ranger woman says. "If you have time, I would like your help burning these wolves bodies. Also, we can talk more in private as well."
As thanks for your efforts, Tamli also pays you for your services, and for hope that you finish the investigation. "For Bort, we want to see this entire thing come to an end and the mastermind of this caught." As she hands you a pouch containing 43 gold pieces.
"Why would they need burned?" Allania asks curiously, "Just leave them in the woods."