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Abaal frowns (not that anyone can see). The situation puts him darkly in mind of the last clergyman-type who wouldn't heal him in the middle of a fight . Granted he was evil, and on the opposite side, but still the thought was there.
Abaal spins kicking up a little vortex of wind in his unseen wake, and charges, blade raised, back into the melee. Suddenly he reappears as his black sword comes slicing down upon the ooze.
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Abaal charges in with the abandon of a true warrior and strikes a telling blow. Janus follows up with a pair of deft strikes as well. It takes but a single slash of Patros' falcata to doom the ooze and Claudia and the rest watch it spread harmlessly across the floor as it bleeds out.
Orange Ooze -137 damage <unconscious, bleeding and soon dead>
Abaal -58 damage
Janus Too
Janus
Magas -65 damage <unconscious, needs help>
--------------------
Patros
Claudia
Jangafzaar -9 damage
Nemesis
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A search of the bedroom reveals a small wastepaper basket beneath the desk that contains some bent nails, a broken quill, and a crumpled paper bearing a partially composed coded letter.
There is also a locked chest at the foot of the bed.
Searching the kitchen finds little remaining from a hasty retreat from the house. Except...
Magas flies around and tries to nod appreciatively.
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I'd hate to see someone lose their companion...he is one of the group, after all... Patros says as he tries his skeleton key on the lock.
Almost...got it...ugh! he says as the teeth just slip the wrong way as he does.
This key should work.. he says with a grin as he hacks the lock with his adamantine blade.
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“This is something that makes me … ehhh … not sad …“ he says.
"Now *that* is a miracle," Nemesis remarks dryly while helping administer healing . Those of you who receive it can't help but notice that the touch of a healing wand is unexpectedly painful in her hand - as though your injuries are being cauterized; you don't see any scars, though.
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Janus examines the cypher on the written note. "We might be able to decode this..."
In the kitchen Janus detects a familiar scent. "Flayleaf." Investigating further, they add "Refined, much more potent than naturally grown leaf. Imelda undoubtedly is involved in the production of narcotics. We should be able to salvage a sample."
Janus sets about scraping surfaces to try to obtain a sample of the refined flayleaf.
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"We must go to the Freemen now. This note is damning evidence. The Gael's clearly planned to addict them to their proprietary strain of flayleaf."
"Abaal, your injuries look severe. Whilst you could no doubt recover at the Blushing Rose, we do not have the luxury of time. Have you a wand?"
Janus makes ready to depart, securing the note in their pack.
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As luck would have it you can head over to the the Common House (of Cayden Cailean) to meet the Freemen and get some healing for the Sword of Katapesh.
After sorting out your healing, you head to the main hall where a maze of small tables fills the crowded floor of the famed establishment, and is currently packed with plainly dressed citizens of the Bottoms enjoying good company and a variety of local brews. One especially long table in the center of the floor seats a dozen humans and halflings, all engaged in debate.
The de facto council members are at the moment busy discussing a variety of topics, and they rattle deftly through such exciting topics as district upkeep, regional injustices, and future plans. You stand politely for a few minutes taking it all in, but soon realize that they tend to take input from the crowd in stride, and onlookers are free to nominate topics for discussion whenever there’s a lull in the conversation.
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Jang stops Abaal when he wants to make a purchase!
"You saved the companion that was sent to me by Erastil and for that I am thankful! Let me treat your wounds!" he says with a sad face as the memory of the acid burnt mosquito comes back.
Converting feather fall and Light Prison and Stone Shape to heal Abaal.
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Janus holds the deciphered note above their head. "Freemen" they announce.
"We need to talk about the Gaels. This note is written by the hand of Imelda Gael. It reveals her intention to addict you to a proprietary strain of potent flayleaf, cultivated by the Gael family, in order to control you and use you as her own private army. We have a sample of this flayleaf also."
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Many of the council members grumble and mutter noncommittally before the de facto leader, a Chelish looking man, sums up the group’s sentiments, saying, “The Gaels have been quiet but have done little harm. We know them and can understand their concerns, but you’re strangers to us. Hmmph, let me look at this letter you've obtained."
After staring at the letter for long enough to make you wonder if he can even read, the council leader pulls you aside. "I'm Halman Wright, and I can speak on belalf of my Freemen brothers. Now I'll concede the Gaels’ activities of late have been suspicious, but I'm a bit reticent to cease supporting fugitives in need based on a note that was obtained Cayden-knows-how. But if you were to prove your worth to me, I just might trust you enough to push the council to vote against continuing to support the Gaels."
He waits for you to tacitly agree before continuing.
“Some folk walked in off the plateau yesterday with a pegasus they captured, Cayden-knows-how, and they plan on selling the poor thing at the Stockyards in Downmarket tomorrow. All intelligent creatures deserve to be free, but we don’t have the budget to buy it, and the Freemen can’t free it by force without starting a war. You, though... you don’t live around here. Being a newcomer doesn’t make things any safer for you, but at least nobody expects your actions to fit into the city’s politics. Make sure the Pegasus escapes the market, and you’ll be sure to find the council tipped in your favor when you return.”
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Halman wrinkles his nose. "I don't know but I suspect the Szarni - a brazen mercantile brotherhood local to Varisia. You'll find the Downmarket is a constant shuffle of carts and tents and people, but at least it is under the sky. If you are going to try paying for it, be ready to give up a couple of magic swords for it - buyers at the stockyards will pay a hefty price for such a graceful and pure prize."
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Halman seems pleased that so many share his quest for universal liberation. "We'll await your triumphant return..."
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Out in the open air of the city’s core, the Stockyards are a maze of animal pens filled with earthy aromas and activity. The occasional roars and bellows of more exotic creatures punctuate the bleating of goats, cows, and other grazing animals.
You easily locate two Varisian looking men corralling your quarry and drawing considerable attention from the passersby. Inside the pen is a white pegasus that is muzzled, hobbled, and has her wings bound to her sides with rope.
One of the Varisians holds a rope tied to the pegasus, while the other shouts enthusiastically at a wealthy looking patron, haranguing them into buying the poor frightened creature.
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Jang stops Abaal when he wants to make a purchase!
"You saved the companion that was sent to me by Erastil and for that I am thankful! Let me treat your wounds!" he says with a sad face as the memory of the acid burnt mosquito comes back.
"What a magnificent horse!" says Abaal striding forward. "How much are you asking?"
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The Varisian turns to Abaal with a disingenuous smile and keeping an eye on his previous mark hoping to spark a bidding war.
"This is a fine specimen of creature from the Storval Plain. I wouldn't part with it for less than 5,000 gold-coin."
You can see the rich patron behind him shake his head in disbelief.
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The Varisian notices the rich patron wander away (under the cover of your conversation developing).
"Ah, well we came across it as it was fighting against an orc patrol on the Sklarkari Road. It was going to die anyway. Would you pay 2,500 gold-coin and keep your musings to yourself?" The lead Varisian continues.
When Janus mentions Karela, however, the two men draw swords. "Speak not that coward's name!" He shouts and thrusts his short sword into Abaal's belly.
The pegasus stretches the rope to full and moves towards your group as much as it can, peering at you intently.
Blue Pegasus
Red Sczarni
Magas
Claudia
Janus
Orange Sczarni
Jangafzaar
Nemesis
Patros
Abaal -12 damage <bleed 3>
Janus Too
Magas just waits for Jang to tell the intelligent vermin what to do.
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Claudia zaps the thug with her fiery tongue as Janus begins his strange twin summoning. Releasing the rope, the Sczarni tries to get revenge against Claudia but it goes horribly.
Blue Pegasus
Red Sczarni
Claudia
Janus
Orange Sczarni -17 damage
Jangafzaar
Magas
Nemesis
Patros
Abaal -15 damage <bleed 3>
Janus Too