Levisvia tells you that Clerk’s Cloister is a favorite tavern of lawyers, clerks, and Abadarian clerics, located in the district of Sorrowside.
A simple basement tavern crammed under a towering imperial government building, Clerk’s Cloister is dark and unexpectedly quiet. There are a few tables on the common floor, but none are in use. Instead, groups of men and women sit in shadowed booths along the tavern’s walls, and though their lips move in conversation, no words are audible.
The wall booths are warded with a permanent magical effect similar to zone of silence, which keeps conversations private outside the confines of the booths. The tavern specializes in thick, malty, locally brewed beers, but also serves the light and watery red wines of the region and coffee boiled in large vats. During lunch and dinner hours, a cadre of ruthless and competitive bakers hawks meat pies and other morsels in the tavern’s common room.
The proprietor of Clerk’s Cloister is a portly and jovial man named Belnost. "Welcome, welcome!" he says nervously, eyeing Zara's imposing stature. "There's no need for trouble. You'll find only law-abiding citizens here, myself included!"
"I do not doubt it." Imperia says soothingly. "I am simply looking for someone to represent me, a tricky matter of inheritance. My uncled died adn division of his household, including his slips is becoming quite a fraught family subject. Is there anyone that might be able to help me there? A woman preferably, my cousins find it harder to argue when a woman puts them in their places!"
With that opening gambit she settles in to dig up information...
As she does she keeps a sharp eye out for a female barristar woth only one hand.
The more your questioning gets closer to finding out about the one-handed woman, the more nervous Belnost starts to act. It's clear that he has strong feelings for the woman you are looking for. Fortunately, with your silver tongue, you are able to trick him into revealing a few tidbits.
The Barrister's" real name is Maisil. She comes by the bar once a week, usually on Wealday or Oathday night, and never later than Fireday night. He doesn't know where she works or lives, other than a vague idea that it might be somewhere east of Clerk's CLoister in Sorrowgate, a part of the city that’s a warren of tenements and small dwellings.
The bartender may know more, but likely won't reveal it without the application of magical charms or compulsions.
"She sounds like just the woman Im looking for. Smart, capable. Are you sure you can't put us in touch? I'd be so grateful"
Belnost smiles as your charm takes effect. "Yes, Miss Maisil is quite marvelous," he agrees. He glances around before lowering his voice. "I take messages for her here. Usually, they're dropped off by street urchins. Not sure what she does with them, but if you want to leave a message of your own, I'll make sure she gets it."
"Just a message asking for a meeting." Imperia replies. "I'm happy to meet her whenever works, any time this week."
Now to wait and see...
Late that evening, after the other guests at the Lawgiver’s Rest have retired to their rooms, the Levisvia invites you to visit her in her suite above the inn for a nightcap. Once Mr. Aleth has poured each of you a glass of brandy and withdrawn, Levisvia speaks with a mischievous smile.
“I’ve heard a story. Our friend Paraduke Sethic has apparently exhausted his goodwill among Egorian’s creditors, so he’s sought the aid of a rather nefarious Corentyn moneylender. The money is already on its way to the city. It’s due to arrive early this morning before the sun rises, less than two hours from now. Wouldn’t it be a shame if those coins never made it to Sethic?
"The shipment is worth at least 50,000 gp, and Sethic’s lackeys, the halfling Bist and the scarred half-orc Mr. Thope, are bringing the coins up the Adivian River. They’ll land at a dock in Riverside at the appointed time, and then take the gold to Sethic somewhere in the city. It’s imperative you intercept the shipment before it reaches the paraduke.
"I intend to donate the entire sum of the stolen gold to the queen to aid the war effort. The gift would guarantee me a personal and private audience with Queen Abrogail, and give me the perfect opportunity to put in a good word for you. The paraduke’s guards will be well equipped, however, so you would be free to take whatever you want from your fallen foes as extra incentive."
"Why that would be positively tragic wouldn't it?" Imperia replies. "I hear that the egorian docks can be so unruly early in the morning."
She chinks her glass to Levisvia's and then drains hers. [B"Well I'd best get to bed. I have a bright and early start in the mornibg."[/b] The two women share a smile and possibly a giggle as Imperia departs...
--------------------
The next morning finds Imperia and her partners at the docks bright and early, looking for cover.
You arrive on the docks with enough time to find an advantageous position. There is a high workshop nearly 20 feet tall constructed of strong timber. The good wooden door is locked and the grimy windows are barred from the inside. There's also a small bakers' kiosk and a flat-topped wooden building not even 10 feet high that serves as a fish smoker. The front door is locked and the building has no windows. All of these are about 100 feet away from the end of the pier.
The pier itself is bare and devoid of any cover save for a stack of empty barrels at its end, though there is space to hide underneath using spells like spider climb or magical flight.
The issue is one of timing so Imperia keeps everyone in cover near the buildings until the barge is sighted. Then she has Zara drink the potion of spider climbing and supplies herself with flight from the wand, trusting that Jordanna can set things up for herself. Cloaked in invisibility it is easy to close the distance. Zara waits at the end of the dock while Imperia soars overhead to target the hulking half orc with oppressive regrets.
The boat carrying Paraduke Sethic’s money from Corentyn arrives at the docks an hour before sunrise. The vessel is relatively flat, more barge than boat. Sethic’s retainers, Bist and Mr. Thope, guard the paraduke’s gold on the boat, along with four sellswords. The halfling's form is blurry as she has cast a few magical wards. The guards are on the lookout for trouble, but none of them can see invisible creatures.
The hulking Mr. Thope breaks down in sobs as Imperia appears, filling him with regrets. Zara and Jordanna come out of invisbility in flanking positions around the halfling, slicing and stabbing at her! The alchemist is a fearsome sight indeed, an enlarged, massively pregnant monstrosity more beast than woman!
The halfling Bist cries out in pain!
Imperia keeps her focus on Thorpe, but attacks the guards with a spell to take advantage of their late night.
Jordanna stabs the halfling twice more, dealing just enough damage to take her down!
Mr. Thope continues to sob and wail. The other guards fire on Jordanna with their bows, but only one arrow comes close to hitting her, destroying a mirror image instead.
One of the archers falls asleep as you finish your spell!
"No mercy!" Imperia commands, forcing another archer to laugh uncontrollably.
The next raider falls over, laughing hysterically, as Zara and Jordanna slaughter another. The last one manages two lucky hits on the alchemist but she barely registers the arrows sticking out of her legs. She simply impales the last soldier.
You are able to quickly mop up the laughing, sleeping, and sobbing enemies with little difficulty!
The chest on the boat contains the full amount of Sethic’s loan: a total of 50,000 gp
"Put the bodies in the river and weigh them down." Imperia says, "Let the boat drifts downriver. Hopefully that will cover our tracks reasonably well."
With the gold and other items secured the group makes their swift way back to the inn.
"You seem to have come into some funds." Imperia greets Lavisvia at breakfast. "The Queen will appreciate your generosity I'm sure!"
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After breakfast more shopping begins, of the good variety where Imperia, Jordanna and Zara end up with more money than they started with!
Levisvia is overjoyed to hear of your success. "She will, at that. Thank you, dear!" She giggles and gives you a kiss on the cheek.
***
A few relatively quiet days pass. There's no word from the Barrister yet. This afternoon, the archcountess calls you to her suite again. "Thanks to you, we’ve dealt a debilitating blow to that toad Sethic, but now is the time to strike for the jugular. The only reason that Sethic has been able to crawl up as far as he has is because of those damned pigs he breeds. The man’s a paraduke, for Hell’s sake—one would think he could find a hobby more suited to his position than pig farming, even if the swine come from the Pit itself. It’s amazing what jaded aristocrats will pay for such an exotic meal, not to mention a way to permanently dispose of enemies. In any case, if someone were to butcher Sethic’s pigs, it would kill any chance of him getting in my way ever again. Are you up for a pig hunt?” The archcountess smiles deviously.
Imperia returns the kiss with one of her own, perhaps a whisker closer to Levisvia's lips than is strictly appropriate...
-----------------
The fact that the Barrister has not got in contact yet is beginning to annoy Imperia. Fireday is tomorrow. She is almost certain to have the message by now! She's beginning to consider alternative methods when the archcountess asks her for tea.
The proposal is not one to make her happy and Imperia's expression of disdain makes that clear. "How... revolting. Well, it fits the man well I suppose." She says with a sigh. "Where does he keep the beasts? My girls can do the butchering I'm sure. I assume there are guards?"
With that done she turns to more pleasant matters. "I trust Her Majesty was pleased with the donation? Were you able to speak with her?"
Levisvia offers no protest to the positioning of your kiss...
***
”Indeed, Her Infernal Majestrix was most grateful indeed. I dropped your name in her ear, but you still need to make more of a name for yourself here in Egorian before she will deign to acknowledge you.”
***
Thalgano Sethic raises his Avernus razorbacks—infernal swine bred in Hell itself—in a small cave complex south of the Vice, outside the city walls. The entrance to the razorback pens is through a gate in an iron fence divided by a large boulder. A sign on the gate reads, “Dangerous Beasts. Keep Out.”
The fence is 20 feet high and nearly 3 inches thick. The fence’s longer side, northeast of the boulder, is scraped and bent in places, but still holds strong. The shorter side of the fence, southwest of the boulder, stands in a swath of thick mud. The mud provides a weak foundation for the barricade, and this side of the fence has been replaced twice; two weakened, compromised palisades lean drunkenly behind the newest, outer fence. An iron gate stands in the northeast portion of the fence, and is locked with an adamantine padlock.
"I am not walking in that!" Imperia says firmly, activating her wand of fly for herself and Zara. She also touches her companions with a wand of Heroism. They soar over the walls and Imperia produces some more offensive wands, quite happy to conduct an entire 'battle' from well out of the pigs reach.
The three of you descend on the razorbacks like avenging valkyries, staying out of reach and attacking them with spells and longspears. A lone red skinned devil emerges to try to defend the boars, but he quickly succumbs to Imperia’s enchantments and puts up only a pitiable resistance. Soon enough, the devil and the boars have all been slaughtered.
Levisvia is once more delighted by your success. She tells you that she has procured invitations for you to attend one of the best parties in the city, a romp thrown by the eccentric Demibaron Graithus Kavalderic. It’s been rumored that the queen might attend the affair, and while that’s improbable, the party could be an opportunity for you to make an impression personally.
The party is in three days’ time. The archcountess gives you another kiss on the cheek before departing.
Another message has arrived for you as well. Maisil has agreed to meet with you tonight at Clerk’s Cloister.
Imperia smiles delightedly at the kiss, the party invitation and the message. The day may have started with mud and slaying pigs, but it has ended much more positively!
Once again Jordanna is forbidden from attending the meeting - while the alchemist has many skills and talents, even her worst enemies would not call her subtle and that is what is required here.
Zara comes along but fulfills her role as the 'bodyguard' and sits at the bar, glaring across the dark room at anyone who dares move too often. Imperia meanwhile, joins Maisil at her booth.
"Thank you very much for meeting me Madam. As I said to our mutual friend at the bar my families legal matters are becoming extremely convoluted and I am in need of a professional to help me fight my corner."
She continues to spin an intricate and detailed story of a favorite, eccentric uncle who attempted to will all his slips to Imperia, with the stipulation that she had to let them buy their freedom from her. "We had agreed that the price was to be one silver piece each." She says, shaking her head. "He left each of them a bequest, enough to start their own lives, but his sons are contesting the will - claiming that as slaves they cannot inherit or be willed property. They are even trying to claim that, since I am not his child, I cannot be named a beneficiary. So you can see why I need someone to assist me!"
She gestures forcefully with her hands and uses the distraction to slide a spell into the woman's mind. "So, can you help me?"
Maisil is a human woman who stands about 5-1/2 feet tall. She wears a blue bellflower in her blond hair, and is missing her left hand.
She listens to her story with concern, but your spell washes over her with no effect. She seems to sense the magic, though, and she frowns. ”I may be able to help, but I will have to consult some of my colleagues first. We will be in touch, milady.”
She stands and moves to leave.
Imperia curses under her breath, but puts a smile on. "I do hope so Madam. Please do get in touch with me soon."
As the woman walks away Imperia tries again, using a spell powerful enough stun a devil.
Even the powerful charm fails to ensnare the Barrister!
As she leaves the bar, you cast drink an extract of invisibility that Jordanna gave you and follow her out. The woman stops to speak to a nearby halfling urchin, and while the words seem innocuous, you realize she is passing along a secret message, indicating that she has been compromised. Maisil goes off one way, and a few moments later the halfling goes in another direction.
Forced to make a swift decision Imperia hisses "Keep an eye on her." to Zara and follows the halfling.
You follow the halfling through the streets of Egorian until you reach Trick Alley. There, the halfling slips into a seemingly abandoned warehouse. By this point, your invisibility has worn off.
Imperia retreats, berating herself internally, and retreats to the Lawgivers Rest. There she briefs Jordanna on what happened and the two wait for Zara to return.
"Can we return there now?" Imperia asks, "Or do we do best going in at dawn? I don't care if they get a few more slips out of the city, but if they pack up and move their safehouse then this is for nothing." She looks for opinions, and a statement of readiness from her companions before making a decision.
Zara reports that the Barrister went on a roundabout path through the city before eventually going into the same warehouse.
”Maybe it is best if we go there now,” Jordanna says. ”They will be expecting an attack but we have handled worse than slips before. Fight them before they can flee, I say.”
Imperia looks to Zara and when the dour hellknight agrees she nods. "Very well. Make your preparations and we move. I suspect stealth is out of the question for this one so we'll make it quick instead."
She goes to see Lavisvia and briefly explains the situation. "If I do not return tonight, have your fiance and his men raid the place in the morning." She says firmly. "Goodnight Lavisvia."
”Be safe, Imperia. I wouldn’t want you to miss the party!” Levisvia says.
You return to the warehouse. It appears to be empty, but you know better. ”I can make us all invisible still if you want to try to get the drop on them,” Jordanna offers.
"Let's try, at least." Imperia agrees, supplying flight for herself and Zara.
Invisible and flying, you slip into the warehouse. It is dimly lit, but with your darkvision, you can clearly see the Barrister crouched behind some crates, along with three halflings. Two appear to be rogues, while the third is a burly brawler with a heavy shield. They have yet to notice you...
Imperia flies right above the unaware 'ambushers' and targets the brawler with Overwhelming Grief.
"Get the woman!" She commands as she becomes visible!
With a supreme effort of will, the brawler resists your spell!
Jordanna misses the Barrister but Zara scores a hit!
Imperia frowns and targets the brawler again.
The halfling is not so lucky this time, and she breaks down in tears. Jordanna stabs the Barrister twice, badly wounding her.
Maisil concentrates through the pain to cast a spell, brandishing her holy symbol of Abadar and commanding, ”Halt!” The rogues hurl daggers at you!
Imperia barely even notices the spell. "This is how you weave an enchantment." She replies forcing a halfling to fall to the floor in laughter.
Jordanna succumbs to the command, standing still and taking no actions. One of the halfling rogues falls over laughing from your magic.
The brawler is still overcome with grief, but the Barrister takes advantage of the respite to try to incinerate you with a flame strike! The other rogue throws a dagger into your belly!
Jordanna remains compelled to stand still!
Zara only manages one good hit on the Barrister.
"Useless!" Imperia curses, before turning her gaze to the Barrister. "Weep, for your doom is come!" She commands, rather theatrically.
"I do not weep, for Abadar protects me!" Maisil shouts, resisting your spell!
The brawler almost overcomes the grief, but not quite! The Barrister tries to blast you with a holy smite, while the halfling strikes you with another dagger!
Jordanna finally breaks free of the command, leaping on the Barrister and impaling her again and again.
The Barrister dies, and the halflings quickly go down as well.
Imperia reimplants her trick in Zara before considering the halflings. "Kill that one." She commands, pointing to the weeping woman. "I don't want her getting any ideas. We shall interrogate these two."
With the two halflings securely bound she has Jordanna and Zara seperate them before interrogating them one at a time regarding the defenses of the hideout, routes used to get slaves out of the city and other relevant information. She cross-checks both their answers with the other, threatening and lying liberally as needed.
The halflings try to resist the questioning as best they can but they eventually succumb to your "enhanced interrogation techniques." The Bellflower Network's safehouse, or "barn," in Egorian is the Bilgetown manor house of an eccentric half-elf named Helthondous the Addled. His home conceals not only freed halfling slaves waiting to be transported out of the city, but also a tunnel that leads to a secure boathouse on the shore of Lake Sorrow. They tell you a lead golem is located in the house's rear garden to protect against divinations. In order to get to the secret tunnel, you have to go up to the house's second floor and then enter the house's annex before descending through a hidden trapdoor. A glyph of warding protects the entrance--the halflings can tell you the password to bypass it.
Once the halflings have squealed Imperia nods firmly. "Zara, turn them over the City Watch. We will meet you at the Inn."
"So it was merely a trap." She concludes as she and Jordanna return. "At least we have some information though. Get some sleep and we'll hit them early in the morning."
With new magic practically begging to be used Imperia cloaks herself in a powerful spell of invisibility as they approach the 'barn'. Not being a fool she has already alerted the city watch to the issue, although their help has extended to little more than a squad to 'contain' the situation and try to prevent escaping slips.
"Let us move quickly and quietly." She commands. "The Watch can clean up, our job is close off escape routes, claim documents and any other useful information."
A rather unassuming vaneo rises from amid the more decrepit buildings in the neighborhood. A profusion of vines and ivy climbs the manor’s pale gold stucco walls, and a garden grows atop the roof. A lone iron gate seems to serve as the residence’s only entrance. The scent of herbs and fresh earth wafts through the air.
The vaneo’s external walls are constructed of superior masonry covered in stucco. The walls surrounding the front and rear gardens are 10 feet high. The front gate is locked, but the lock is flimsy and easy to break.
You can go in the front entrance, or the back. You know that lead golems can't see invisibility, so you could slip past the construct in the rear garden without it seeing you.
"Around the back." Imperia decides, accepting an extract from Jordanna.
You slip invisibly through the rear garden and past the lead golem standing guard. From there, you enter the inner courtyard. Herbs grow in three neat rows in the center of the courtyard, lit by an open retractable roof 20 feet above. Stairways to the east and west climb to the building’s second floor.
Helthondous the Addled can be found here, the half-elf dressed like an unassuming gardener. But he startles and turns to look in your general direction. "I know you're here! Come for me like you did for Maisil! I'll not let you take the little ones!" he cries.
Jordanna pounces upon the half-elf before he can react.
She stabs him twice, though the spear point is blunted somewhat by his stoneskin.
Helthondous cries out in pain and steps back, then surrounds himself with solid fog to slow you down and obscure him from sight.
Imperia circles around the perimeter of the fog, readying a spell to crush the noble's will.
Zara pushes her way through the fog very slowly, but Jordanna had the forethought to drink an extract of freedom of movement, so she steps easily through to stab at the obscured noble.
Badly hurt, Helthondous casts a spell defensively, blasting Jordanna with cold. A moment later, a towering bronze-skinned azata appears in the fog behind the alchemist, quickly trying to pound her with his fists. He gets lucky and hits twice despite the mirror images.
"Grr! Imperia, get in here!" Jordanna growls.
Rather than fight in her opponents terms Imperia tries to remove the fog instead and then moving in when that fails.