|
Clover angles her mirror, and in the reflection she's visible standing between Banterknell and the violent bystanders. And, it turns out, she really is.
"That's enough of that, thank you," she scolds the commoners.
Her attention is really on her other self and the haunt, still. "The sooner we wrap it up here, the sooner we can figure out how to help you. Really, cooperation never hurt anyway. Except maybe their enemies' cooperation."
|
This time, as BK dodges the rock, he proclaims, "Really! You should spend more time sweeping these streets. Far too much rubble to my taste. You should return to your homes until we sort this out!"
To the spirit he suggests, "This ruckus is getting you nowhere."
hero point to reroll
"Seriously? You want to get us pathfinders killed? I swear, you will never be rid of me if you do!"
|
BK finally gets through to the Spirit behind the haunt and calms it down.
The citizens look at you sheepishly as the violent influence of the Haunt leaves them and they calm down.
A young girl is pushed forward by her mother as the crowd departs:
My Mom said to give you this, for calming the spirit. and she hands you a Crying Angel Pendant
A few moment later, a tall Half-Elven woman approaches you.
Um, Um, Hello, my name is Lysandria. I have heard you are looking for someone. Could you please come to my house so we can talk? I don’t live very far from here.
|
|
Lysandria takes you to a small house nearby. Her home is quaint, with just a common space, a kitchen, and a bedroom. Candles fill open spaces on tables and mantles. Lysandria takes a seat in the common room and offers you the couch.
“I’ve heard you’ve been looking around East Hill for the ghost. I haven’t come across it, but I tried multiple times.”
Lysandria begins before taking a break to sob slightly.
“Just over a week ago, my partner Eloise went missing. She was on her way to the Cathedral of Aroden to have some sort of test. She’d been in contact, via letters, with a member of the Society about joining. It had been a life dream of hers to join the Pathfinders.”
Lysandria smiles, then bites her lip.
“I can’t help but feel as if she’ll never get her dream. I don’t know what happened to her, but I fear it’s something terrible. I asked the lodge’s staff a few days ago if they’d heard from her, but they said they didn’t even know her! She would never just disappear without telling me...”
She stands, grabbing a picture frame from the mantle and offering it to you.
“I don’t know if this is of any use, but this is Eloise. We had it commissioned when we moved in here together.”
The portrait’s resemblance to the ghost is uncanny.
|
|
"She wanted to join the Pathfinder Society?" That was potentially interesting context. "Do you know the name of the person she was corresponding with? Or have any of the letters?"
Clover frowns at Banterknell's bluntness. "We're sorry for--well. I suppose we don't have enough information for that yet. But I'm afraid I don't think it looks good."
|
|
Lysandria sniffles as she goes over to a small wooden box and pulls out a letter. Eloise was so proud of this—she talked about having it framed if she became a Pathfinder.”
Eloise’s correspondence
Eloise,
I’d like to congratulate you on your recent responses to my prior inquiries. You’re exactly what the Society needs in a clerking agent right now. I’ve checked with my superior, Venture-Sergeant Brimson, and it looks like we might have a place for you in our ranks. You’ll need to come visit me at the lodge at the Cathedral of Aroden here in Almas tomorrow evening.
Once you’re on-site, I’ll provide you with a bit of orientation and introduce you to the staff here. Otherwise, we should be good to get you inducted right away and get you processing some new information.
Yours sincerely,
Agent Cadmin
|
|
"Abso-positivi-lutely. That would seem to be the next step. Do you think there may be other ghosts. I mean, it is a temple, right. Temples have ghosts? Maybe we could hold a séance. Priests can do that, right? But is it a lodge or a temple, and are there priests..."
BK prattles on about ghosts and priests and temples for a while, looking a bit hopeful.
|
|
There was one other thing. As I was canvassing the area, looking for Elois, there was a foreign man in a run down manor who acted very suspiciously.
Please, please, please continue to investigate and find Eloise’s remains so she can be laid to rest. Eloise admired the Society and really, really wanted to join you. She would be honored if Pathfinders found her and put her to rest.
|
|
”We appreciate the faith you have placed in the Society and hope to live up to your hopes by finding Eloise for you.”
Turning to the others, ”I myself would like to meet this foreign gentleman. I’m don’t think our pretend Pathfinders will be foolish enough to be near the Lodge. Should we set off for this forlorn Manor?”
|
|
It is a depressing walk through the rain until you arrive at the address Lysandria gave you. It’s an impressive manor home that rises up above several of the other nearby buildings.
The structure has fallen into visible disrepair, along with several surrounding properties. The property’s sparse greenery is overgrown in most areas except for some notable pathways, and the windows are boarded up from the inside. The doors to the sunroom are both removed.
See new slide 2
|
|
What must have once been a welcoming reception area is now caked in layers of dust. The floor creaks slightly under shifting weight, and footsteps echo throughout the open space in conjunction with the sounds of rain, thunder, and wind pulling at the aging structure.
Kazmuk disappears and Jirelle arrives and joins BK on the porch.
|
|
Though fascinated by the armor and tempted to get a closer look, he realizes the folly of that idea. Instead he starts up a performance, tooting loudly with his flute, fires up a shield spell, and beats it back outside the door.
*inspire courage +1
*shield spell
*move
Armor! Moving! Moving! Armor!" he calls out as a rather confusing warning.
|
|
The Armor moves out and swings at Jirelle
◆ Ready Glaive
◆ Stride Forward
◆ Strike Jirelle
The armor hits Jirelle with a nasty cut
Jirelle responds
◆ Ready Rapier
◆ Move through Armor attempting to Tumble through
◆ Jirelle Strikes with Panache hoping for a confident finisher
Jirelle hits the Armor, but it looks like not all the damage went through
Bold may act
Banterknell
Animated Armor
Clover
Teneal
Jirelle
◆◆Teneal casts Produce Flame at the Armor
And misses with the Flame
◆ Then casts Shield
|
|
Clover looks over the armor, trying to assess its construction and the magic that empowers it. This should be easy for her!
She swings her hammer once.
Hurting now, but it's badly damaged already and she's hardly even touched it. If they can just bring it down... So she swings a second time, but she's not quite aiming to hit. It's not to set up her own attack--it's to keep it more focused on herself to help Jirelle.
Clover has Helpful Poppet, so in addition to the bonus to the check there is no penalty if she critically fails.
|
|
Princess Clover evaluates what she knows about animation magic and strikes the armor. It clatters to the ground, destroyed.
You are out of combat.
BK and Jirelle both notice a hidden drawer in one of the armor stands. There are two Minor Healing Potions inside