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Raindrop catches up with Avery as she completes her sweep of the lab. Letting out a whistle at the destruction, she glides over to the feather in question and immediately responds, "Oh, they're from a vulture."
Looking around the lab, she ponders, "I wonder if there were other taxidermized animals in here, that that was meant to blend in with?"
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Avery discovers fibers from the fuse and determine that the bird was dead before the explosion. This is enough for her to surmise that the explosives were stuffed into a vulture corpse and lit with a very long fuse, but not why.
"Somebody must have used the bird corpse as disguise for the explosive." she infers. "Let's check further the office."
Avery inspects the office especially the windows part, eliminating whatever they left behind when they first entered it.
She then interviews some possible suspects that might be involved in the case, checking whether they carry something that can be used as explosives.
Avery summons her skilled assistant, Ivan, for help to do the talking and interviewing with one of the manor's staff.
Ivan asks Ebrylis the gate guard first on what something unusual did he see during his shift lately. "Tell me, good sir. What have you observed something unusual lately?"
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"Hmmm... I heard both Tagheema and Ingrit screaming so I came to have a look. They both swear up and down that they saw Tiki Stitchfeather, fleeing Eurythnia house (where the Alchemy Lab is) just before the explosion. If it’d been an explosion in Barakhan house, I’d have first seen if the Pathfinder novices could take care of it and viewed it as another training session. But a fire in an alchemist lab can go bad fast, so I yelled for help and joined in the fire fight right away."
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Raindrop leaves the remains of the lab to seek out Tiki Stitchfeather.
She smiles and waves up at the goblin when she finds her, while her eidolon gives her a friendly sniff and rubs his shoulder against her.
"Hi, Tiki! I'm Raindrop. I thought, after the trouble earlier, that I'd check in with you. How are you holding up?"
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You find Tiki outside with a distressed look on her face. Tiki is a female goblin with a somewhat shy and nervous manner. Her blouse has the feathers of many different bird species stitched to the collar and sleeves.
"Is the lab badly damaged? I came running as soon as I heard the explosion. That lab is my life!"
You notice that she has singed feathers on her blouse but also mud on her pants up to her knees.
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Arfsnarf decides to approach Ingrit.
A wizard! Fellow slinger of spells. Perhaps we will connect.
Heyo Ingrit! Arfsnarf here. Looking into recent shenanigans at this lodge and wanted to see what you thought might have happened? Did you see anyone who might have been tampering with magical protections before the attack? Other suspicious activities?
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"Ohh, I think it's going to require some serious TLC before it's operational again. But not, like, ruined"
Raindrop touches one of the singed feathers in a gesture of care and sympathy and asks, "Did you get burned trying to save the lab?"
She redirects her gaze to the mud, leans in, and continues, "What happened? Are you okay? Do you need anything?"
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Hearing the information. Avery shares what she heard to her allies before proceeding to interview more.
She learned that the guard heard both Tagheema and Ingrit screaming so he came to have a look. They both swear up and down that they saw Tiki Stitchfeather, fleeing Eurythnia house (where the Alchemy Lab is) just before the explosion. If it’d been an explosion in Barakhan house, the guard would have first seen if the Pathfinder novices could take care of it and viewed it as another training session. But a fire in an alchemist lab can go bad fast, so the guard yelled for help and joined in the fire fight right away.
She advises, "We should interview others as well and see if we can corroborate their statements. But for now, I will check the dorm rooms to see if we can find more evidence related to the incident."
She heads to the dorm room and investigates it.
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"Oh these? Yeah, I guess I got them when I was helping fight the fire. I was up at dawn and went over the bridge over the carp pond to search for reeds and medicinal marsh plants on the central island. I also wanted to watch a few migratory birds who were flocking to the carp pond before heading further south."
From your observations, the mud backs up her story that she was somewhere muddy prior to the explosion. Also the initial sniff of your eidolon did not detect any accelerants/explosives on her clothes
"Hiya! Thank the gods someone is here. I need to tell you, Tagheema and I were out for a morning run when they saw Tiki fleeing Eurythnia House. She's always sneaking in there, even when it's not open lab hours."
DC 25 Crafting
DC 28 Perception (Sense Motive)
Ekkie is a goblin staffer at the the Lodge. She runs into you as you're seeking her out. "I know some longshanks think 'once a thief, always a thief,' but I spent long time working for Pathfinders and learning so much. Learning and helping is more thrilling than stealing shinies, and Heidmarch Manor's my home. But now I hear Tiki's being blamed for my past and she's a good Pathfinder! A bit weird about vultures, but good Pathfinder still!"
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You head for the dorm rooms and enter Ingrit's room. This is a wizard's dorm room. Books lie open on the bed, the floor, and all over the small desk. A pile of laundry has been kicked under the bed.
DC 25 Perception
Atae manages to find Arfsnarf interviewing Ingrit and Tagheema. With Arfsnarf talking to Ingrit, Atae concentrates on the other novice and pulls her aside.
"Ingrit and I saw Tiki running away from the alchemy lab. She likes sneaking in there after hours. Tiki's goblin mentor, Ekkie, broke into Barakhan House before she became a Pathfinder. What'd you expect from someone being mentored by a thief?"
DC 25 Crafting
DC 28 Perception (Sense Motive)
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This dorm room is covered with the homesick Tagheema's drawings of horses, including horses racing at Serpent's Run. There is a large supply of makeup on the desk, a crafting repair kit next to the bed, and a weapons rack.
You discover a series of marked racing programs from Serpent's Run in one of her drawers — indicating that Tagheema is a regular gambler—and a bill indicating a huge debt to Mendesil Loans company.
DC 25 Society/Underworld Lore
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Avery discovers that Tagheema's dorm room is covered with the homesick Tagheema's drawings of horses, including horses racing at Serpent's Run. There is a large supply of makeup on the desk, a crafting repair kit next to the bed, and a weapons rack. You discover a series of marked racing programs from Serpent's Run in one of her drawers — indicating that Tagheema is a regular gambler — and a bill indicating a huge debt to Mendesil Loans company.
"Ingrit's a messy wizard and Tagheema's a usual gambler. Does anybody know about Mendesil Loans company?" Avery infers about the two persons of whom she investigated the rooms, followed by a question about a loan company.
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The cleric takes a look at the acolyte's clothes and sees something that perhaps those not blessed with elven eyes would have missed.
Herself being a master of words and how to entangle others in them, knows when she is being lied to. However, she does not act on what she knows for now.
Your story is indeed most interesting. she calls our for the dwarf and when he comes she explains, in perfect dwarven what she has discovered.
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This dorm room contains six taxidermied vultures on various shelves, all posed doing things like reading books or playing with test tubes. Each vulture has a plaque with a name, though one shelf has an empty spot with the plaque, "Hangbeak" sitting there. Searching Tiki's room reveals that most of her books are about medicine and elixir-making. There are also anatomical sketches, boxes filled with neatly packed elixirs, and feathers stitched on other clothes in the closet.
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Raindrop convenes with the others and, upon hearing that there are accusations leveled at Tiki, is quite taken aback.
"I'm not a perfect judge of character, but that just can't be. Not only does she have a reasonable alibi, but her attitude and persona just don't fit the crime."
Assuming some suspicions are shared about the other two, she nods. "See... that sounds more like it."
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Hearing about the lies and the residue on Tagheema and Ingrit, Raindrop frowns deeply.
"Well, well... okay, so two culprits instead of one. Great way to be in two places and have someone that will back up your story. Should we report back? Ohh, wait... is there more to do first - check their rooms, perhaps?"
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Helvi's eyes brighten at Arfsnarf and Khaul. She writes, "I saw two people with plain brown cloaks hauling a large bag towards Eurythnia house right after I finished making breakfast for Sheila's morning meeting. I can't tell what height they were because of the distance, but I'm sure I saw two of them!"
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Having rejoined with the Pathfinder team and heard the evidence they've collectively gathered, Arfsnarf paces back and forth stroking his beardless chin thoughtfully.
While I am tempted to consult the clacky rock, I think he is too fickle to be trusted in this situation.
Ingrit and Tagheema had suspicious residue on them. We saw that ourselves. Some of you detected Ingrit spreading misinformation! They both accuse Tiki of sneaking about. But most think Tiki is not a bad person, just a nerd! Also, Helvi saw two figures hauling a large bag towards Eurythnia house. Ingrit and Tagheema always sticking together. Tagheema is a regular gambler and owes a huge debt to Mendesil Loans company.
SO! It was Ingrit and Tagheema in Eurythnia house with the heavy bag! Did I get all three?
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Khaul nods as Arfsnarl speaks. His keen dwarven eyes look for signs that perhaps claky has been imparting extra information to the goblin. Certainly the summation is surprisingly clear.
"I be thinking he be hittin the nail on the head. Tagheema I be thinking be doing the deeds to pay off a gambin debt. I'd be thinking better of Ingrit, maybe they just be stickin with their friend. Or maybe Mendesil be havin a hold over them too."