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You get directions and make your way a few blocks to the shop. The potion shop doubles as Kotargo Lodge. There's a light on in the shop and a sign that says open on the door.
Helping Hand slaps Rogarch with Guidance before they enter the shop. He stands perched on her shoulder scanning the store.
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[dice=Perception]1d20+1
"Let's be careful. We are still not sure who's right in this mess." Azora peeks into the store before entering. "It's all clear. Let's go."
Azora doesn't see anything with the dirt in her eye then the party opens the door.
A female goblin polishes the counter. "Ha hum pickles are fun" He mutters as she cleans. As the party opens the door, she looks up. "Hello"
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A look of confusion passes across the oracle. "Um...Hi? Are you open?" Why is anyone here? And there were gobbo's back at the party too. That's weird. It's also not a coincidence. Well, probably not.
"Yes..hi! Me help you!" says the female goblin. "You need tonic for joints?" She holds up a bottle. "Or potion to make you vanish when frog sees you?"
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Rogarch steers the goblin away from the rest of the party asking questions about some purchasable item she sees in the corner of the store. This warrior has no moral difficulty with a little harmless deception especially if the cause is just.
Hopefully the rest of the party will take the hint and look around while the goblin is distracted.
"Tell me about this potion over there. I am interested in what it does."
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Gorrig laughs. ”Never heard of such a potion! I might be persuaded later. But for now, this is the Kotargo Pathfinder Lodge, right? We’re looking into a… recent problem.”
I swore a holy oath never to lie, but I’m not sure the direct approach is best here.
"Yes this act as Lodge. You Pathfinders?"
Rogarch steers the goblin away from the rest of the party asking questions about some purchasable item she sees in the corner of the store. This warrior has no moral difficulty with a little harmless deception especially if the cause is just.
Hopefully the rest of the party will take the hint and look around while the goblin is distracted.
"Tell me about this potion over there. I am interested in what it does."
"It get rid of warts? You want? 5 silver?" says the old goblin.
there's a door behind her.
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Azora approaches the shop clerk. "Um...I mean no offense, but I cannot help but notice the number of...your kind that Phlegos employs. How did you meet him? Is ha a good boss? Are you helping him with a Pathfinder mission?"
[dice=Diplomacy]1d20+10
"Yes a few goblins work here. He knows some friends of friends. That we meet him. We no help on Pathfinder mission just work in shop for now. He good boss."
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Rogarch declines the wart treatment ointment.
"I don't need that now but I will keep it mind for the future."
She points to another item across the room and away from the door.
"This item looks interesting. Maybe you can tell me what it does?"
"That one? It keep rats away from plants! Rats like fresh peppers!"
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Rogarch decides to change tact a bit as they seem to be getting bogged down.
"Sure, we know other goblins. In fact we know Zig. We met him at the pathfinder's party."
"Could you show us around? And to answer your original question. Yes we are pathfinders."
[/ooc]
"Oh Zig good friend! And Pathinfinders good people. You can to buy potion or need something else?" She holds up a bottle. "This take away warts!"
"If you are up for giving a tour, maybe you can shed some light on something for us.
Why do Phlegos and Wulessa Yuul hate each other so much?"
"Me not sure. Me have no time for tour. Me have to do inventory. Do you need something?"
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The arcanist turns to the goblin and says in a low voice.
"Ummm...We are looking for some info on Phelogos"
"What records..."
"Um payment records"
The goblin scratches her head.
"Me be right back"
In about five minutes she comes back with two payment ledgers.
"Me not give you these and me not see you here." She smiles. "Oh password to get in back "break through" She slides the books forward.
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Azora looks over the ledgers.
[dice=INT?]1d20
"I'm no accountant, but I'm not sure these numbers match. Is he skimming money?"
The books do reveal that Phlegos is heavily in debt but has nevertheless continued making very large payments. These payments appear to be bribes or other
forms of under-the-table transactions.
Gorrig grunts. "Who are the payments going to? The ones that don't match up? My guess is, that's where we need to go next."
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You make your way back to the party.
No music plays, and instead of idle chatter, the air is filled with
dread and whispers. A smattering of broken bottles and glasses lie
in pools of golden liquid just a few feet away from three figures
lying on the floor: those of the bard siblings, Kaba, Kora, and Kitt.
It didn’t take long for an investigation to get underway, and
the Pathfinders here have already identified the cause of the
illness: the wine glasses the three were using had been laced
with poison. According to the crowd, the poisoner has also
already been apprehended, the empty poison bottle still in his
possession. The crowd parts as several Pathfinders drag away
Zig the goblin. The young goblin is sobbing hysterically and
screaming over and over again “Not me, not me, not me!” His
cries appear to fall on deaf ears, however, and as his pleading
eyes sweep the room, he is taken away.
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Shocked and horrified, Gorrig rushes to the three bodies. Since he's not much good at investigating injuries, however, he can do little more than look for the obvious. "Zig! You--" His expression slowly turns to confusion. "Didn't... do this?" Then why do you have an empty poison bottle?
"Me no do this!"
Venture captain Roderus approaches you and holds out his hand. "Do you have Phlegos's records? I'd like to see them."
Another Pathfinder tells you. "We have Zig in custody. The matter is being dealt with."
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Azora holds firm to the ledgers, not ready to turn them over yet. "No, that's not what I'm saying at all. We just discovered these, and we didn't have time to tell anyone upon our return. So how does Roderus know what we found before we found it? He told us to look for contracts and proof of sabotaged goods. This ledger might not be either. For all we know it's a forgery. We all saw Zig earlier. He was the only one happy to be here. Something is definitely off with this entire situation. It's all too easy." She looks at her team. "I mean, look at us. With all the trained operatives in the organization, they called us? If they want to win a fight, we're the ones. But an investigation? None of us are detectives, not by a long shot."
Her eyes burn with intensity, "I think we're being played for patsies." She turns back toward the venture captain, "I may be out of line, and that's my behind if it's the case. But I can't in good conscience turn this evidence over just yet. There are simply too many questions."
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Azora holds firm to the ledgers, not ready to turn them over yet. "No, that's not what I'm saying at all. We just discovered these, and we didn't have time to tell anyone upon our return. So how does Roderus know what we found before we found it? He told us to look for contracts and proof of sabotaged goods. This ledger might not be either. For all we know it's a forgery. We all saw Zig earlier. He was the only one happy to be here. Something is definitely off with this entire situation. It's all too easy." She looks at her team. "I mean, look at us. With all the trained operatives in the organization, they called us? If they want to win a fight, we're the ones. But an investigation? None of us are detectives, not by a long shot."
Her eyes burn with intensity, "I think we're being played for patsies." She turns back toward the venture captain, "I may be out of line, and that's my behind if it's the case. But I can't in good conscience turn this evidence over just yet. There are simply too many questions."
Roderus turns to Rogarch "Phlegos in debt? How much?" He appears worried. Then turns to Azora. "I'd like to look at the ledgers please my dear. As for the investigation. It appears the goblin is guilty. But it's growing late. I'll look at the books and give them back in the morning. And we can discuss over break fast."
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Roderus turns to Rogarch "Phlegos in debt? How much?" He appears worried. Then turns to Azora. "I'd like to look at the ledgers please my dear. As for the investigation. It appears the goblin is guilty. But it's growing late. I'll look at the books and give them back in the morning. And we can discuss over break fast."
"Can we visit him? The goblin, I mean, not Phlegos. I know I'd certainly like some visitors if I was him."
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Roderus turns to Rogarch "Phlegos in debt? How much?" He appears worried. Then turns to Azora. "I'd like to look at the ledgers please my dear. As for the investigation. It appears the goblin is guilty. But it's growing late. I'll look at the books and give them back in the morning. And we can discuss over break fast.""Can we visit him? The goblin, I mean, not Phlegos. I know I'd certainly like some visitors if I was him."
"Yes I'll put word in with the town guards first thing in the morning!" He yawns. "The ledgers please madame?"
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Still not convinced that there is not a conspiracy brewing, Azora grudgingly offers the ledgers over the to venture captain. "This still does not feel right. I mean, if Zig is an assassin, why would his friend just hand over the evidence that might help to prove his guilt."
The VC nods. "You can talk to the guards in the morning. Thank you my dear." He heads to his room.
You get rooms at the inn down the street on the 2nd floor. In the middle of the night...
A hushed but emphatic voice suddenly breaks the silence, as
if someone is trying to be heard without being too loud. The
voice speaks in broken Common and is coming from outside the
window. “Wake up! Wake up! Big men with big knives come for
you! Kill you! Wake up!”
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Rogarch gets up and grabs her weapons. She has no need to don her armor as she has slept in it again to keep in practice.
"Everyone ready for battle?"
As the bloodrager says this a wand slides out of her spring loaded wrist sheath and she speaks a word of power activating a Shield spell. She then jams the wand into a ready pocket.