The first attack takes down blue;
The cleave and second attack take down green.
The only possible threats left are the casters you can't see, one of which is caught in vines in the wagon, and the creature, which is locked in its cage right now.
Lady Gabrielle and Rilke are up.
Rilke hears screeches from both wizards, as they fall over and reappear.
The northern wagon contains nothing besides a chest.
Lady Gabrielle does not find any traps or other complications on the chest. It is full of gold bars, and is clearly the treasure the team came here to find.
All you find is their combat gear, none of which is likely to be at all desirable at your level. There are no consumables such as scrolls, wands, or potions.
On one of them, you find a letter agreeing to sell a catoblepas to Jorston “Axetongue” Droaeb, the gamesmaster at Serpent’s Run, Magnimar’s famous coliseum, for 20,000 gold.
Both carry the following consumables:
scroll of locate creature, scroll of spell turning, scroll of stoneskin, scroll of true strike, wand of create pit (6 charges), wand of black tentacles (CL 15th, 2 charges)
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The Duchess nods and approaches the remaining caravan workers.
"We're sorry for what happened," she explains in Varisian. "You'll get paid and with a bonus, along with the gratitude of my sisters, if you complete this delivery to the Coliseum."
She hopes that her words are enough to encourage them to get moving.
The caravan drivers noticed how quickly you dispatched their former employers, and that you were careful not to harm them, so drive the cart almost in to town for you. You realize that taking it all the way into town in a Aspis labelled cart would not be a good idea. You bring the gold to Sheila Heidmarch, as requested, and bring the creature and the letter to collect the gold due for the catoblepas. That is also added to the Pathfinder treasury.
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Back at the lodge, Falling Rock resumes his usual appearance as the group awaits their next task. "I agree, that went very well. And it was an interesting change of pace--much more stealth, much less gore, than most of our adventures," he says, gesturing at himself, Rilke, and Cazic. "Of course, there were no giants or dragons or fiends today. Those never go down without a great deal of mess."
A white raven begins circling overhead. The bird is Sheila Heidmarch’s signal that you should wrap things up and head back to Heidmarch Manor with or without the Aspis Consortium’s gold.
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"We still need to dissuade other potential bidders," Falling Rock replies, speaking between bites spooned from a large bowl of pungently spiced meat stew. "Hopefully Sheila's spies have discovered more weak points for us to strike at. Because that's the only part of espionage that I have the temperament for. I'll gladly leave the talky-talky parts to those who actually enjoy such ordeals." He looks around at--well, pretty much everyone else gathered here except for Rilke. "And unless we uncover something vile enough to deserve our full fury--which is considerable--it seems best to let our targets live. Sheila has enough troubles in this city without us adding to them when we can avoid it."
The next morning, two hours before the auction is slated to begin, Sheila Heidmarch calls everyone back to the theater for another emergency briefing. She appears greatly agitated and her tenor is one of immediacy.
”My friends, we have little time and much work to do, so I’m going to make this simple. While you were dealing with the Aspis Consortium, my informants in the city investigated the individuals you reported on from last night’s gala. It seems a number of them have sufficient funds to jeopardize our efforts. In what little time remains, I need you to prevent as many of them from participating in the auction as possible. My agents will provide each of your groups with a mission brief. Once you complete the task, return here to inform us of the results, and we shall quickly set you upon another mission. Again, we need you to complete as many missions as you can before the auction starts. But remember to keep your efforts clandestine and try not to kill anyone important. We’re still trying to win the auction somewhat legally.”
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"I think we got lucky with our merchant friend, Falrig Sneve. He mentioned that he was trying to conserve funds for the auction, so we sent him an invitation to stay at Haruka House on the grounds of our manor. If you have yet to see it, Haruka House sits alone on the west side of the main house and is the most luxurious of the four Thassilonian cottages on the property. As far as I can tell, Sneve suspects us of no foul play. Still, we can’t have him mucking up the auction, can we? Thankfully, I doubt we have to do much. Ensure no actual harm comes to him, though, as such would reflect poorly upon Heidmarch Manor and the Pathfinder Society. Rather, somehow trick him into believing the Runecarved Key is cursed and he should withdraw from the auction without any further urging."
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“Would the ‘Duchess’ like to make an appearance?” Arnaut cleans under his immaculately-groomed fingernails. “It’s a shame of course that she snuck into the church and touched they key and is now haunted by the spirit of a fearsome Shoanti warrior who threatens to kill her and everyone around her, but what’s a lady to do except seek help?” He nods at Gabrielle, then smiles at Falling Rock. “If you’re not comfortable performing your own lines, I can of course handle both the dialogue and the stage effects.”
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"It's a good idea, except for the Shoanti part. It would be too easy to connect back to me," Falling Rock replies. "But this fellow is staying in a Thassilonian cottage, and there's already speculation that the Key is Thassilonian, too. I'm no actor, but I've fought remnants of that people, and I speak the language." He fiddles with his magic hat, and takes on the appearance of a Thassilonian warrior whose armor is encrusted with runes and gemstones.
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"Excellent idea. I could even ask Sneve to translate my pursuer's tauntings. A bit of audience interaction will add to the illusion," she considers. "The costume might be a bit Ustalav, but gentlemen consistently seem to fall for it. Shall I change, then?"
Fortunately, as with last night when it was improvised, this role requires very little preparation, and the Duchess is ready within minutes. She has even added some touches of desperation in her running makeup and frizzled hair, as if she has been pursued overnight.
You approach Sneve, in costume. He greets you, looking cautiously around himself.
Poke, poke... Someone needs to talk to him...
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"Mister Sneve? You have to help me," the Duchess sheepishly admits, in her heavy Varisian accent.
"Can we talk inside? Please?" she asks, her dishevelled hair and running makeup the appearance of someone who hasn't slept.
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"I need your help. I... Don't tell anyone, but I examined the Key we're bidding on. Last night, after dark. And it... Now something is after me! It's been chasing me all night, moaning something in a language I can't understand! A ghost, I think! Can you help me, please? Just tell me what it wants!"
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Sir Hendric will stow his shield, lance, and banner. He will use his Armiger's Panoply to switch to his Silken Ceremonial Armor. This is so different from his usual appearance that he may not be recognized as a Pathfinder; it may help even more if Lady Gabrielle or another can help put his hair in some foreign style (Ulfen or Tien, perhaps).
Sir Hendric will accompany the Duchess as a bodyguard; he will wait outside if directed, but otherwise will go in with her and keep quiet. He does have his Scabbard of Many Blades if it comes to a fight (as well as Snake Style for decent unarmored AC), but he is hoping to not be needed.
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Arnaut wipes invisible dust off his invisible sleeves and rolls his shoulders a few times to open his ribcage. Softly he begins to chant - a barely audible whisper of words not quite Thassilonian, but close enough that if you squinted and looked at it sideways you’d be forgiven for thinking it was. The stage was set - now for the star of the show to make his entrance.
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Falling Rock stowed his distinctive earth breaker in his handy haversack before stealthily hiding in a small copse of trees near the building where Sneve is staying.
When Arnaut begins his spell, Cazic uses Rilke's wand to drop faerie fire on the Shoanti's location. Falling Rock then strides into the open, appearing as a muscular Thassilonian man in rune- and gem-studded armor, flickering with ghostly light. He makes a show of looking around slowly, then his attention fixes upon the disguised Lady Gabrielle.
"Those who covet the Rune Lord's Key shall serve him in death," he declaims in Thassilonian. "Emperor Xin requires souls for his armies." He draws a longsword and stalks menacingly toward the false Duchess and Sneve.
The 'Duchess' passes a bluff check.
Arnaut passes an intimidate check, using magic.
Falling Rock passes at intimidate check, considering circumstance bonuses I'm granting for some of the fun setup.
Sneve flees back into the cottage, seemingly thoroughly convinced.
"We’re still a little short on funds and we need to make some quick coin! If you’re daring enough, head over to the Alabaster District and enter a hydra baiting competition at the Serpent’s Run coliseum. The Master of Games, Axetongue Droaeb, has offered a decent sized purse to adventurers willing to get in the ring with one of his ferocious multi-headed beasts. As always, this event draws a tremendous crowd, one whose coin will more than double the purse he pays to contest participants."
You easily find the coliseum. To win, you must fight a beast for at least six rounds without any of your team dying or going unconscious. Drawing the fight out for longer results in more money for the auction.
You have a chance to do a bit of buffing before you entire the arena if desired.