"What do you mean? We're standing inside a temple to Iomedae right now," Aradesh replies to Kilien, confused. "There is a second one outside the village, or more like the ruins of one. We call it the plaguehouse. The villagers think the place is cursed and avoid it as far as I know."
She turns to regard Lialda. "That's a shame, but we did our best, I think. Guess it's time to Brinya next."
Kílien looks embarrassed, as she realizes Iomedae and the Inheritor mean the same goddess. Trying to save face, she asks: "This... plaguehouse, is that the same building that I saw Rodrik near as I arrived in town? That, that would be... quite a coincidence."
Aradesh pauses to consider Kilien's words. "That is strange indeed. Maybe we should look into what he was doing there after talking to Brinya."
We might still have time today to talk to her if we press. - said Agatsu, looking to the skies to estimate the time - About Katrezra, though... Even if he didn't skip town, we should probably give some priority to find him. Not only he may be in some sort of danger, but the whole coincidence of his disappearance does sound suspicious and could ar least indicate he knows something.
"Yes, let's try to talk to Brinya next but hopefully we will be able to find Katrezra. He may be able to shed some light on what Rodrik was investigating," Sylvar adds.
Lialda considered the choices before them and then said, "I think speaking with Brinya next is the best option. She's here in town and so not as far away. The ruins would require leaving town and circling almost halfway around to reach them as I recall. That would take a lot of time and might be best left for tomorrow." She shrugged her shoulders and then said, "As far ass Katrezza, we can ask around as we go, it won't cost us anything to do so."
Since you did not spend much time at the Sanctuary, you can still see Brinya before in the early evening.
Rodrik’s fiancée, Brinya Kelver, occupies humble rooms in a boarding house just northwest of the Commons. You catch her in an unenviable state, her face wracked with grief and stained by hours of tears. She composes herself as best she can during the your interview, but breaks into sobs periodically throughout the conversation.
Kílien shakes her head in sympathy for the poor girl. Brinya's display of emotion allays some of the elf-raised dwarf's suspicions about her, though she still hangs back to let others less likely to accidentally say the wrong thing do the questioning.
Aradesh looks a bit uncomfortable, but pats her on the back and says words of consolation throughout the exchange. "Brinya, I know this is hard to speak about, and I am sorry for your loss. But, we need you to answer some things for us. We think Rodrik was murdered based on a note we found, that he was on the trail of something and had to be removed. We were also attacked inside Trunau. There's a good chance his killer is still around here, and that we can catch him if we act quickly."
She then crosses her arms and looks down, thinking on the potential topic. "Do you know what Rodrik was researching? Kilien, my... friend to the left, saw him around the plaguehouse yesterday. Is that place connected to his investigation? And do you know why he would order a new hopeknife with the engraving of 'for Rodrik'?"
"Show her the knife, she should recognize it if it was really his."
"The Plaguehouse is where we used to meet secretly, but a couple of weeks ago Rodrik said it wasn't safe to meet there anymore. Not that it mattered because his father found out about us." Brinya responds.
"I know he was investigating something, but he didn't say what it was. All he said was that it was going to be his greatest work. It was very annoying that he wouldn't say more. I also know he had been spending a lot of time at the Sanctuary. All he said was that he had a "thoughtful muse" there. I originally thought he was just taking solace with Iomedae, but now I believe he was talking with someone there. I know he kept a journal, it isn't here, but maybe his room at the Ramblehouse or at the Sanctuary."
When you ask her about the hopeknife, she says. "He lost the hopeknife I had given to him during his investigation. He told me about it the night of Ruby's hopeknife ceremony. I was furious with him and told him I wouldn't see him until he found it. Now I regret that."
When you show her the hopeknife Brinya’s face suddenly grows sober. “That’s not Rodrik’s hopeknife,” she says levelly after examining the knife, “because his hopeknife was mine. At least, it used to be. When we got engaged, we traded hopeknives to symbolize our union, and had Sara Morninghawk engrave them with our love notes.” Pulling at her heavy silver necklace, Brinya reveals her own hopeknife dangling from the chain. “See? This was Rodrik’s hopeknife. It says, ‘For Brinya, my love.’ I don’t know where that hopeknife came from, but it’s not Rodrik’s. It’s not the knife I grew up with.”
When she saw the state that Brinya was in Lialda gently guided the woman to sit before they talked and then sat down next to her with Hvita hopping into her lap. She reached out and put her arm around Brinya when the woman started sobbing to try and comfort her and Hvita rubbed her ehad against Brinya's hand so the half-orc could pet her. All the world knows foxes are the most affectionate and loving animals with soft fur that comforts people who touch it and not in the least bit greedy opportunists for ear scratches.
Aradesh nods along with the information and smiles at Lialda and Hvita for their attempts at consoling the poor woman. She briefly considered giving her tyche at well, but she didn't want to turn Brinya's house into a chase zone between the familiars.
"I see. Thanks for shadring this with us. We'll do our best to capture and whoever did this. I promise," she says at the end, then turns to the rest of the group while Hvita's distraction was happening. "So, more confirmation that the knife that killed Rodrik isn't his. And he had someone he talked to over this at the sanctuary, which we just left... I guess that it's more likely his journal is there, too. We did a pretty thorough check of all the rooms in the Ramblehouse."
She sighs and looks outside to see how late it was now. "Think we should go back there now? Looks to be the most promising lead other than just investigating the plaguehouse."
Sylvar let the women from town talk to Brinya, figuring she would be more open with them than some stranger. He listens to the conversation, taking mental notes, and nods as the half-orc confirms some of the group's suspicions.
He turns to respond to Aradesh. "We may find Rodrik's jounal when we find Katrezra. I think finding both will give us some very needed information about what he was investigating. That in turn may lead us to the apprentice from the weaponsmith."
Eyeing the sun and the late hour, Kílien tentatively suggests, "Maybe we should see about a meal and a place to rest tonight? What with us having... these enemies, like the wolves... that we cannot yet see, I would rather we did not split up until we know more. Lialda? Can you, um, accommodate us tonight? I don't like to impose, but something tells me your home would be safer than an inn..."
Agreed, young one. - says Agatsu towards Kilien, probably barely realizing she's likely older than him, at least in absolute terms - Let's get some rest and depart again first thing in the morning. Considering the attack we suffered, however, maybe all of us should be sharing rooms and doing shifts through the night.
"Agreed. If someone dared attack during the day, they'll probably do so again during the night," Aradesh replies to Agatsu. "What Kilien says makes sense, too. Since they seem to have experience getting inside the inn, we should sleep somewhere else. I'd offer my grandmother's shop, but maybe Lialda's home would suffice too? Neither are particularly comfortable for six people at once but they'll do, I think."
Aradesh looks at Lialda for her opinion on the sleeping arrangements.
With their meeting with Brinya over Lialda gave the woman one last squeeze before she rose and exited the building. She gathered with her companions as they discussed what to do next. Lialda nodded in agreement when it was suggested they all retire for the night but Kilien's suggestion of her place for all wouldn't work, it was far too small for that. "No, my place is too small, you've been in there Kilien, it's only big enough for a family of two. We could probably squeeze Hannah in with us alright but more than that would be pushing it. I agree that we should stay together after that wolf attack earlier."
Aradesh looks around the fairly large party and takes in the muscular frames of Alistair, Agatsu and herself as well. "I guess you're right, and my grandmother's place isn't much larger considering my grandparents are there too."
She looks back in the direction of the ramblehouse. "To the inn it is, then. But prepare for an attack. We'll sleep together and set a watch. I can take the first one. Make sure you're ready to fight just in case."
Unless anyone objects or has a better idea, she leads the party back to the ramblehouse and negotiates a room with Cham, hoping investigating the murder would get them a discount.
You head to the Ramblehouse, and, since the strangers mentioned before have left, there is plenty of room. You can have a few private rooms, or you can get a single large room that can sleep 8 comfortably.
Aradesh's shift was just ending and she had just roused Alistaire, when the door is opened to their room. Two figures rush in at the two standing people.
The assassins had surprise, so they use their surprise action to close with Alistaire and Aradesh. Since both of them are ahead in initiative, they can now go. Everyone else can make a DC10 Perception check to wake up.
With the assassins already in melee range, Aradesh drops her spear, draws her Falchion and strikes the nearest one! "Everyone, assassins! Wake up!" she screams just as the fighting starts.
They are humans apparently, with glowing blue blades.
Alistaire turns at the sudden intrusion and he swiftly swirls around in an intricate display of swordsmanship to make it obvious that the enemies have zero chance of defeating him in physical combat.
AC-18 (unless I haven't git my armor on yet, then 15)
hp-12/12
effects-none
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Sylvar quietly snuck around the perimeter of the room, careful to stay in the shadows. Reaching the tapestry, he glanced around the room, making sure he hasn't been spotted. Pulling the tapestry aside, he scans the wall for the telltale signs of a secret door. A smile crosses his face as he finds it and he quickly disables the trap. "They will have to do better than that to stop me," he thinks to himself as he opens the door.
There before him on a pedestal in the center of the room was the object of his quest. The blue diamond had to be as big as his fist. It was so close. He approached the pedestal reaching out for the gem.
"Assassins," he hears someone yell in warning from the other room. " He'd been discovered. No matter, he will take care of them just like he did the guards earlier," he thinks to himself.
"Wait a moment, who yelled. I'm alone. That voice sounded a little familiar though, but from where?" Sylvar's eyes open as he quickly sits up, trying to get his bearings.
Aradesh causes a grievous wound on one of the assassins. Alistaire's display shakes them for a couple of rounds. The two who were awake see two more assassins enter tyhrough a window. One of them moves up to Aradesh and Alistaire, the other moves to the first person in bed.
Two attack Alistaire, one attacks Aradesh, and one attacks Agatsu. Both Alistaire and Aradesh are hit once.
Both Aradesh and Alistaire need to make Fort saves vs. poison.
The link to the map:
Map
Everyone (except Lialda who hasn't rolled yet) wakes up. Top of the round, Aradesh, Alistaire, and Agatsu can all go.
Alistaire grimaces in pain at the blow. He feels a burning sensation from the wound. He then strikes the one Aradesh hit hoping to drop one of the attackers, but fights defensively.
Aradesh, also hit pretty hard, roars in pain! She shakes off the strange poison effect, and is about to strike again when she hesitates and instead falls back to the wall where she channels healing energy, excluding the injured or dead assassin.
Aradesh and Alistaire are healed for 5.
Alistaire drops the wounded assassin.
Lialda heard the cry of an ambush and woke up almost as fast as Hvita did. She saw the situation and quickly chanted and gestured. When she finished a ball of snow flew at the nearest of the attacking thugs as she got out of the far side of the bed.