[ACO] PFS2e 05-03 Heidmarch Heist (P2) (Inactive)

Game Master UncleFroggy

You manage to find Ingrit and Tagheema the common room. Ingrit speaks up when you ask about the fire.

"Tagheema and I were out for a morning run when we spotted Tiki running from Eurythnia House. She’s always sneaking in there, even when it’s not open lab hours. Next thing we knew, we were lying on the ground after the alchemy lab blew up!"

Tagheema speaks up, "Everyone knows that Tiki’s goblin mentor, Ekkie, broke into Barakhan House before she became a Pathfinder. What can you expect from someone being mentored by a thief?"

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

"Don't blame people's pasts for their present." Miladistra bites her tongue.

But she doesn't sense anything odd about their behavior. Either Tiki's a good liar or these two are scheming. Their stories contradict.

To the others, Yakuthiel whispers "These two. They have something on their clothes that could speed up a fire. I don't understand. They sound so innocent."

”I see”, says Delorn. ”Did you see anyone else on your run?”

Lie to Me for Perception

Deception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29

** spoiler omitted **

To the others, Yakuthiel whispers "These two. They have something on their clothes that could speed up a fire. I don't understand. They sound so innocent."

”They do, but they’re adding truth to their lies to make them stronger, much like an accelerant”, Delorn replies.

Crafting DC 25: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28
Perception DC 28: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15

Khaldan also notes the same accellerant on the pair's clothing but doesn't react for now.

"Ekkie is a respected Pathfinder teacher who has paid their penance - such prejudice is unbecoming for Pathfinder agents in training." Khaldan will scold before moving on to more useful topics

"So, tell us about the morning run please. Where did you go, when did you leave, what was the weather like, did you see anything other than Tiki?"

"Well we saw the usual things. Staff getting ready for the day, birds and such. Much like our normal morning routine. We normally circle the grounds twice before heading to breakfast. Today we noticed Tiki running away from Eurythnia House like a bat outta Hell. We'd only gone a bit further when we were thrown to the ground by the explosion!"

"By the way, have you figured out what caused the explosion? We saw you going into the lab, after all!"

Craft: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21
Perception (sense motive): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

Elondel doesn't remarks anything on the pair nor is able to find any lies in the pair's stories.

Nevetheless, he's attentive to any details that could prove any wrongdoing from them.

”Clever”, says Delorn, ”but not clever enough. We know more than you think, so whoever confesses first will get some leniency. As for the other…” He slowly shakes his head and tsks.

Deroff sniffs the air and woofs. Miladistra's wrinkles her nose. She couldn't identify the scent either, but now that her allies have filled her in and told her it's accelerant, it all makes sense now.

"Confessions make this quick and easy..." Miladistra sighs, but she doubts they will listen. "We have a few ideas. If you could fill us in on the particulars, we'd be much obliged."

"I think we know which rooms we should look through for more information, right?"

Unless these two are going to fess up, I suggest we search their room and look for more evidence.

Unless these two are going to fess up, I suggest we search their room and look for more evidence.

I thought we already searched them

Yes you did. I assumed you shared info when you got back together. Team Alchemy Lab, you can go ahead and open the Team Dorm Room spoilers if you want :)

Miladistra quickly recalls the summary from the dorm room searches and simply sighs. "This is why I don't gamble. Also Mother has shown how easy it is to snatch people with an advance payment."

"I think we're done here." Miladistra stands up. "I'm sorry about yer debt on horse racin', but your plan wasn't very good. I hope you haven't sold the goods to Mendesil Loans yet and you simply have it on hand. Or you have a better explanation for the stuffed vulture and explosive reagents."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14
Hero Point: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25

"Best you give up now and bring us the goods." Miladistra tries to stay on their good side, but it's clear to her it's time to confront. She hates liars!

Khaldan looks a bit surprised at Miladistra's revelation but watches the two suspects closely for their reactions.

"... Or you have a better explanation for the stuffed vulture and explosive reagents."

Ingrit immediately shoots back, "I suggest you ask Tiki, then. She has a collection of taxidermied vultures in her room! Also look at her clothes. The feathers are burnt and smoky! How do you think they got that way? Also, who else in the lodge would have a vulture corpse just lying around?"

Just a reminder that you still have 3 members of the lab staff to question if you need to. Or, if you feel you have enough to solve the case, you can choose to do so... :)

"Of course. Tiki. It's all so convenient, ain't it? Don't forget you had yer chance to make this easy." Miladistra makes a mental note of how they ignored all of the other evidence and stuck to Tiki and the feathers.

Once they are out of earshot, Mildistra pets Deroff. "So. That's their alibi. Tiki's the fallgal. I guess we can ask the lab staff if they saw anything. Let's start with Ekkie."

DC 23 Diplomacy/Society or DC 25 Perception to try to get info from Ekkie and Wumbrout Brios. You met Wumbrout earlier after the fire but you weren't really investigating what happened yet.

Dun dun dun!

Oooh. we have a guest! :)

Lodge staff instead of lab staff. Sorry, my bad :)

"Sorry for taking the spotlight like that, but I was hopin' they would just confess."

"Howdy Ekkie! I was hopin' you could help us. I know Tiki is one of yer friends. And I know she wasn't responsible. Can you help explain where she was when the lab exploded?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14

Miladistra is much too forceful in her request.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

Wumbrout Brios isn't in much of a mood to talk to her or the big wolf either.

Wow, I'm firing all of my dice here.

Replying to Miladistra, Khaldan will say "Oh it was worth a try - it would have made our lives easier for sure. There is little doubt that someone is trying very hard to put us off the trail."

Then later talking to the lodge staff, Khaldan also really doesn't get on well with Ekkie
Society DC 23 for Ekkie: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

but manages much better with Wumbrout Brios "Hello again Wumbrout, could we ask you a bit about the novices please?"
Society DC 23 for Wumbrout: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28
"Interesting that Ingrit and Tiki have been distracted lately, and yes we had heard that Tiki had been getting in a few too many extra lab hours."

Listening to the others’ conversations, Delorn gets a sense of Ekkie’s sensibilities, and tries another tack.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

Society: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

Elondel tries to convince the two to tell the truth.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17

But his words fell flat.

Diplomacy DC 25 Ekkie: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16
Diplomacy DC 25 Wumbrout Brios: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

Zenith tries to find words but doesn't manage to find the right ones.

(GM Tiger, if you are ok with it, Khaldan will use a hero point to try to do a bit better with Ekkie)

Society DC 23 for Ekkie: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24

Khaldan convinces Ekkie to answer questions. As they talk, a human woman shyly taps Khaldan on the shoulder and hands him a note.

If nobody speaks Napsu-sign or has the Sign Language feat, same DC to open the spoiler above

Khaldan tries to work out the sign language but fails.

Society DC 23: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

If need be he can use a scroll of translate

Delorn tries to pick up what the woman is putting down.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16
Hero Point: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19

Miladistra tries to make sense of the woman's motions but it's too difficult to make out.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33

This time, Elondel is able to help!

Replying to Ekkie, Khaldan will say "Indeed, someone is trying to make it look like Tiki did it, but I think now we know who. Someone may have to talk to her about accessing the lab out of hours - it makes it too easy to move the blame to her in a situation like this."

then (assuming Elondel shares the note) Khaldan will pull out his writing kit and write out a note and offer it to Helvi.

Thank-you Helvi, that narrows things down a lot for us.

Turning back to his fellows, Khaldan will ask "Did anyone see brown cloaks in the trainee's rooms? They probably wouldn't have been of note before now."

Helvi grins and writes "You're welcome! Glad I could help" on a slate she carries.

You pretty much have all you need. You can proceed with presenting your findings. As an extra bonus -- one shiny hero point to the best Poirot/Sherlock Holmes style reveal! :)

You pretty much have all you need. You can proceed with presenting your findings. As an extra bonus -- one shiny hero point to the best Poirot/Sherlock Holmes style reveal! :)

Did Delorn (or anyone else) want to take that up? If not, Khaldan can be seen quietly rehearsing the drawing room dénouement.

Miladistra returns to Sheila and Sir Canayven Heidmarch. "I think we figured everything out."

"Now, I'm just a simple country elf." Miladistra paces carefully. "But I know when desperate people are buried in debt. Tagheema and Ingrit must be in deep because they're trying to pin the alchemical fire on Tiki while they take the wayfinder."

">We found a long-dead bird stuffed with explosives on a long fuse.< Likely it was there to set up to stall for time while they went to Heidmarch's office to steal the Wayfinder. Their clothing, especially the >brown cloaks they wear<, has >traces of accelerant<, right?" She turns to Yakuthiel to confirm.

">They disabled the magic wards, climbed out the window and down a tree< so no one would notice 'em." She sighs. "Tagheema draws horses, including horses racing at Serpent’s Run. She's an >avid gambler< there, and she went to Mendesil Loans to cover her debt."

"Delorn is much better than I am at this, I think he >summed it up nicely.< I tried asking 'em to confess but they tried to blame everything on Tiki." She crosses her arms. "I just hopin' they haven't pawned it off!"

Khaldan adds a small observation to the excellent summary "If they were just after money then they would have grabbed your magnificent tea set there. But there is something deeper here. >Ingrit has detailed sketches of the Wayfinder of the Open Road<. Coupled with the debts that Tagheema ran up and the their close friendship I think we are looking at the pair being blackmailed to retrieve the wayfinder for someone else."

Delorn raises his eyebrows and nods slowly. ”Impressive”, he says. ”Clearly my courtroom expertise is rubbing off on you two”

Love the “simple country elf” bit :-)

"Yes, there were traces of an accelerant."

I confirm all our discoveries.

Says Elondel.

At the mention of the "long dead stuffed bird", Tiki erupts, "So YOU took Hangbeak! I thought it was another hazing ritual!!"

In the weight of overwhelming evidence, Ingrit and Tagheema break down in tears and confess everything. "It-it's as the elf said. W-w-we'd sneak out at night and play the p-p-ponies but we just got in too deep! W-w-we met this fellow K-krosovahn. He said he wanted to humiliate the Pathfinder Society as much as possible. He wants us to meet up with him later today at some bar in Dockway known as the Old Fang," Tagheema admits. "He said he would clear our debts there." Meanwhile, Ingrit provides a thorough description of the tall, thin Azlanti thief. "He’s pale with dark oily hair and he’s got some obsession with New Thassilon. He’s got a tattered flag from there tied around his arm."

Shiela outright refuses to let the novices go to their meeting, remarking to them sternly, "We’ll handle you two later. For now, you have a lab to clean." She waves her arm and Wumbrout Brios arrives with a set of mops, brooms, and other cleaning equipment which he shoves at Ingrit and Tagheema before escorting them to Eurythnia House.

Shiela turns to you. "Would you, therefore, head to the Old Fang and meet with this Krosovahn?"

Any prep you need to make, make them now

Hero point to Miladistra for the excellent reveal!

"I'm sorry ladies. But something tells me this Krosovahn feller has no plans to clear yer debt."

She looks at Shiela Heidmarch. "Please go easy on 'em. And also remind them not to blame others for their past, but rather for their present. And uh, let Tagheema head a bit more frequently, I know the feelin' of being far from home."

Deroff howls in agreement. "Oh shush you." She pets the wolf and feeds him a treat. "I think I'm ready." The scent of Rosemary emerges from her as she glows dimly and leaves sprout through her hair.

Casting >Vital Beacon< as a 4th Rank spell. You can Lay Hands and spend 1 action to heal 4d10 Hit Points.

Does anyone want Enlarge or Barkskin? I'm not casting these now, but it will help me decide on Round 1.

I can make use of Enlarge.

Delorn grins at Shiela. ”It would be a pleasure”

"Now isn't it better to have that out on the open - no more secrets."

Khaldan turns to leave but as he reaches the door he turns back "Just one more thing" and fixes Ingrit and Tagheema in his gaze "We haven't seen the wayfinder yet - where is that currently?"

The novices look back at Khaldan. "We don't have it. Do you honestly think we, Pathfinder novices, can disable Shiela's wards?!"

Water laps against the walls of this Dockway landmark. A weathered sign depicting the open maw of a swamp barracuda marks the now abandoned Old Fang tavern. Barnacles cover this former taproom below the waterline, while peeling white paint graces the exterior above.

AREA MAP is posted. It's also linked to the top of the page.

Elondel draws his sword and scepter once next to the Old Fang Tavern.

I suggest that we try our best to be discreet. You can follow me if necessary but if one of you is expert, let them lead.

You and all allies in a 15-foot emanation who can see you, gets a +1 status bonus to saving throws against fear. At the end of your turn, at the same time you would reduce your frightened value by 1, you reduce the frightened value of all allies within your inspiring aura by 1. Your aura has the emotion, mental, and visual traits.

"Unless you think it wise to do otherwise, let's go to the first door and barge our way in."

"An abandoned tavern - those two would have had their debts erased alright! I'm all for being cautious and discrete here - this Krosovahn is most likely waiting to knife whoever arrives."

"I'd prefer being discrete, but I'm not sure how far we'd get with Yakuthiel, no offense" Zenith whispers as they point towards the party member who skipped stealth lessons.