|
Klara thinks how she can aid mates who are frighting with more tough soldiers...
Bah! But the chaos around si so high and vision is so poor that she actually not willing to hit some ally accidentelly.
But as far as situation stabilising - Klara just thinking wether they should hide bodies or take some / all of them.
So she just approach both operatives who a down.
|
|
Sensing the deadliness of the wound, Molly has Silverbeard dissipate with a wave of her hand. Then, with her hands suffused with a sickly green glow, she calls out, ”Are you with us, Jack!?”
A rather short skeleton, with an improbably long sword, claws his way out of the ground next to the last thug. He attacks her with the flat of his blade.
S
|
Klara joins Corelion and opts to keep an eye on the unconscious Ninth Army men.
Laeron hustles the other way passing Klara on the bridge and sees the Cap’n dissipate in a wave of ectoplasmic energy. Then he sees a skeleton crawl from the ground and swing ineffectively at the last enemy.
Shayna retreats to heal Black Molly, and her circle of light pulls back just enough to frustrate the Purple-clad thug even more.
Round 4
Ambush!
Conditions: Dim Light; Courageous Anthem
BOLD May Act
Laeron
Sunshine
Corelion
Red Soldier
Purple Soldier
Black Molly and the Cap’n
Klara
Shayna
Blue Operative
Green Operative
|
|
Corelion makes a long hail-Desna shot but misses.
Laeron snags Purple’s elbow in a wrestler’s grip as he cuts her with his blade.
Sunshine’s first attack finds its target, but the second does not.
The lady soldier keeps her focus on Sunshine - for now - and swings at him first then targets the handsy fighter.
The lighting spoils her second attack, so she just pulls her elbow from Laeron’s snagging grasp and steps away from him and Jack.
Round 4
Ambush!
Conditions: Dim Light; Courageous Anthem
BOLD May Act
Laeron
Sunshine
Corelion
Red Soldier
Purple Soldier
Black Molly and the Cap’n Jack
Klara
Shayna
Blue Operative
Green Operative
|
|
Black Molly gives Sunshine some defensive magic as Jack lashes out with his glaive-from-the-grave. Shanya brings back the light but just barely misses with the rock she threw. Klara continues watching over the operatives and begins disarming and restraining them.
Round 5
Ambush!
Conditions: Dim Light in some areas (see map)
BOLD May Act
Laeron
Sunshine
Corelion
Red Soldier
Purple Soldier
Black Molly and the Cap’n Jack
Klara
Shayna
Blue Operative
Green Operative
|
|
Sunshine and Laeron knock out the last of the soldiers. As the soldier falls to the cobblestones, so too does the square fall eerily quiet.
It seems that you may have a few minutes to search for clues and items and/or deal with the unconscious hoodlums before the distant shouts of hostility begin to grow too close for comfort.
In addition to their combat gear you find a few pouches of various gemstones on the operatives, worth a total of 60 gp.
**
The crossbows, falchions and warhammers they were using in the fight, plus breastplate and studded leather armors, 55 crossbow bolts, 2 daggers, 2 steel shields, 2 signal whistles, and 2 sets of simple manacles.
|
|
Klara continues to tie and search operatives for further weaponary and possibly good clues, keys etc...
SHe does not like option to stay here longer though suggest with couple guesters to search soldiers as well.
- SHould we take one of them with us? I've got a good crypted message. Lets try not to leave obvious tracks.
Klara is capable of Glean Content unsertanding so maybe she is able to understand at least something???
She checks s magical messager from Muesello to ber sure nothing coming (or is it?)
|
|
Sunshine patches himself up, but Black Molly gets distracted and puts her bandages on a little too tightly.
Klara easily finds a letter but can’t make heads or tails of it without further study.
Black Molly’s pirate background shows in her no-nonsense attitude toward the unconscious foes. Klara checks the wayfinder needle and there are no updated instructions from Muesello, leaving the decision to the Pathfinders as to what to do with them.
============================
The team heads to the candle warehouse to meet up with Muesello. When you arrive, you see that the safehouse’s contents have been packed away into a large backpack, save for a small tray of modified and ritually linked wayfinders that Muesello has been using to communicate with Gloriana’s spies across the district. All of these wayfinders are missing their compass needles. Muesello says, ”The coast is clear for now; however, I believe that the movements of the Ninth Army agents suggest that they had somehow known to expect Pathfinders.” He sighs and glances at the tray of wayfinders. ”I hope we don’t have an actual mole in the Society, and that they’re just using divination magic or some other-worldy effect.” He shakes his head in resignation as he gathers up the message devices then asks you to follow him to the real safehouse.
The new safehouse entrance is in the cellar of an abandoned home. The locked front door features a large sign reading “Condemned—Pest Infestation.” Muesello leads you to a cellar entrance in the back hidden by overgrown bushes. At your questioning looks regarding the sign, Muesello informs you that this building was simply abandoned; he made that fake sign to discourage people from coming too close. The building’s interior is old but structurally sound and much cleaner than its exterior. It has enough beds for everyone to rest comfortably, and the cellar is stocked with food, water, and other basic provisions.
Muesello suggests that you see to whatever business you need to complete and then get a good night’s rest.
“Muesello and the Pathfinders have a safehouse in an old candle warehouse in Eastport. The Pathfinders will lead you to it. Take them out, then apprehend Muesello. Bring him alive to the old jail southwest of the arena. Knock nine times and someone will let you in. Try not to mess this up like Cole did. My patience is finite—The Peddler.”
|
|
Klara has a stron intention to decipher and understand the context and she waste no time when arrive to the safehouse and looking at the paper and doing some notes, noding occcasionally
Suddenly she reads in a whisper giving a sign to everyone to approach closer
- Muesello and the Pathfinders have a safehouse in an old candle warehouse in Eastport. The Pathfinders will lead you to it. Take them out, then apprehend Muesello. Bring him alive to the old jail southwest of the arena. Knock nine times and someone will let you in. Try not to mess this up like Cole did. My patience is finite—The Peddler. Sooo... we have a good clue and next lead where to strike.
|
|
With no dissent voiced by his teammates, Sunshine brings one of the unconscious soldiers - secured and blindfolded by Klara - to the safehouse. Once she awakens, she refuses to give her name and is clearly hostile to her captors.
As you finish up your interrogations, Muesello informs you that Gloriana’s agents were able to lure the remaining pursuers away. They also found and arrested the three Ninth Army members that you left behind. He commends you for your efforts before leaving to instruct his spies to break off their investigations and pick up some supplies instead.
When the spies arrive at the safehouse in the morning, you arise refreshed from a comfortable sleep. Gloriana’s staff—disguised as ratcatchers—discreetly deliver a buffet-style breakfast of eggs, potatoes, breads, fresh fruit, coffee, and juices. As you dig into your breakfast, Muesello gives you a note from Gloriana Morilla:
=========================
Thanks to your efforts, we know of a Ninth Army hideout in Eastport. You are to go to the hideout, confront any foes who remain, and search for evidence to exonerate the Society and expose the Ninth Army’s duplicitous plots. My scouts report that the hideout is a former prison. The front entrance is possibly the easiest way in. Thankfully, only a few Ninth Army members remain; the scouts report that most of them fled the site, apparently in great haste. We’ll round them up while you investigate the hideout. Be careful—we don’t know what’s in there, and somehow, someone seems to be watching us.
Explore. Report. Cooperate. Most importantly, stay alive.
—GM
==========================
As you read the note, Muesello digs out some supplies from a leather satchel with a “Poison” insignia on it - presumably to make people think it’s rat poison and keep them from sticking their noses in it. He hands you 5 lesser healing potions and 4 moderate bottled lightnings. Just in case.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Klara does not participate in interrogation, though prepares a plan of entering the jail. With information and code braked it can be pretty simple through the main door with minimum precautions. Though idea to scout building around is really good as good planning makes mission smooth.
She nods in agreement with Sunshine, consuming a sausage pierced by her huge fork.
|
|
The Ninth Army soldier lady smiles slightly at what she perceives to be Black Molly’s flirtatious comment on her bone structure. The Sea Witch quickly realizes how her tone of voice might have made that come across wrong and changes things up. When she finishes her second attempt, her prisoner’s face has gone as white as the sails of a freshly commissioned Taldan Navy ship. Cali - as she quickly introduces herself to Black Molly - wastes no time telling her interrogator all about the abandoned jail. Hoping to keep her skull from becoming a flagon, she adds in that there’s an alarm snare on the door. Normally, upon hearing the 9 knocks, the inside guard would deactivate it before opening the door.
Leaving Cali in Muesello’s hands, you gather your gear and prepare to depart for the abondoned jail. As you leave, Muesello gives you an envelope containing Gloriana’s signet ring and informs you that the Lady has arranged a series of carriages to take you on a roundabout journey through Eastport intended to throw off would-be pursuers. You are to present the ring to the drivers, who will then relay you to your next destination. ”If you feel the need to you can, of course, request a stop along the way from any of the drivers. They don’t know anything except to take Lady Gloriana’s ‘people’ to the destination they were hired for.”
The final carriage veers east at the Gray Market and begins zig-zagging down side roads until it finally stops in a rickety industrial area. The driver informs you this is as far as he goes. ”I ‘as tol’ to gives ya’ d’rections from here. You be goin’ t’ree blocks souf, ‘den two blocks east. Take care,” he finishes with a polite tip of his hat before the carriage speeds off. The indicated route leads past scorched homes and workshops, empty save for perhaps an occasional squatter or family of raccoons. A stone structure stands among the surrounding neighborhoods. It’s mid-morning, and it appears that no one else is around.
Having agreed to scout the building before entering, you find that this single-story prison has only one entry. There are four windows on the east side, plus a few windows looking into empty cells on the north side. The windows are all heavily barred and only a few inches wide on the outside.
Unfortunately, Klara is a bit too short and doesn’t hear the voices that everyone else picks up. Even so, they can’t tell what’s being said. Except for Laeron and Shayna, who manage to make out one man talking about the alarm on the front door He’s also voicing his fears about their fate at the hands of the mysterious and brutal “Peddler”.
Circling back around to the front you find yourselves at the prison’s thick, mahogany front door which bears a lion’s face door-knocker. The door appears to be a recent addition, as it lacks the char that mars the surrounding stone walls.
=========================================
Options as printed, but of course other creative solutions are possible:
Knock nine times, let them disarm the snare and open the door. (No check)
Locate and disable the snare. DC 20 Perception to Seek, then a DC 17 Thievery check to Disable it.
Force open the door (with or without disabling the alarm.) DC 18 Athletics check.
Pick the locked door. This requires THREE DC 20 Thievery checks separate from the Thievery to disable the alarm.
First 2 votes that agree set the path.
|
|
Opening the door reveals a narrow hallway into what was likely the prisoner processing and visitor reception room. There are a few chairs and an old desk, but little else of note. A aged portrait of the previous ruler, Grand Prince Stavian III, has been rehung on the south wall and below it is a crude, rude and tasteless caricature of Princess Eutropia.
The door on the far wall is ajar and you can hear voices coming from somewhere beyond, though clearly not from within the hallway itself.
Having scouted the perimeter and peeked into the window slits, you have a good sense of what’s where inside. The room immediately next to where you are looked to be an armory, and the room beyond that with the garish red carpet was clearly the warden’s office. You didn’t see anyone in either of those rooms during your scouting lap, and the rooms were lit by lanterns providing normal bright lighting throughout the prison.
Klara is not sure why team not using the insights the recieved from xrypred message and otherwise, but she decides not complaining and instead assists Sunshine in breaching through defences and lock.
|
|
Klara has Ongoing Investigation active though she still hesitates.
In a whispering voice the halfling offers to send couple scouts ahead. Or maybe someone who can look like a local ninth army representative...
It's a pity the team has not prepared a masquerade.
Klara is okay to stay behind or be one of couple scouts.
She closes the door behind properly just in case.
She asks everyone to stand calm and silent for few seconds to listen if there are any loud sounds or speech nearby inside the jail.
|
|
Sunshine (presumably) scouts down the hallway with Klara assisting. They find that the doors to the armory and warden's office are both unlocked. The voices are coming from the large area to the north which from your earlier scouting trip you suspect is the yard. A quick peek into the spacious room across from the warden's office reveals what was once the mess-hall that is now also used as a makeshift barracks. The cells at the end of the hall are all abandoned and unused.
From the doors to the yard, the scouts overhear a few Ninth Army members conversing worriedly about what may happen to Jankeli and Ashil, two recruits on their way to meet with The Peddler. One of the soldiers quips, “They’ll be joining Cole soon,” and is promptly scolded by the other members for his insensitivity.
|
|
In the warden’s office, Klara finds stacks of documents with many strewn across the large, mahogany desk in the center of the room. Curios holding toy soldiers, flags, bottles, and a decorative falcata flank the room. The folded flags in the curios resemble Taldan flags, except the lion is yellow instead of white. On the corner of the desk, a glass terrarium houses a single cobble mite exactly like the one that Lady Gloriana had.
Among the papers on the desk, the sleuth finds a letter from “The Peddler” to Cole Farsen—the person who was coordinating the crime spree in Oppara months ago— listing targets that include Lioness Jewelers, a residence in Aroden’s View, an art showing in Grandbridge, and The Queen’s Tears Fountain.* It contains instructions on framing the Pathfinder Society, a list of notable names and phrases, the Glyph of the Open Road, and a reference to a crate of wayfinders that The Peddler provided to Cole. Further sifting through the rest of the documents produces evidence of other coordinated harassments of Grand Princess Eutropia’s supporters.
* Upon showing this information to Laeron, he recognizes these locations as from his previous mission here.
A letter tucked into an opened envelope appears to be the most recent correspondence. It expresses disappointment in Cole’s ability to follow directions. The letter instructs the Ninth Army to apprehend Muesello at a candle warehouse in Eastport and bring him to The Peddler at an isolated dock southeast of the prison—the meeting is to take place this very day. A crude map is drawn at the bottom of the letter, with the specific location marked.
With a quick look at the shelf, Klara can tell that the toy soldiers are all wooden and fashioned to resemble a cavalier riding a horse. The falcata is purely decorative and unwieldy. The bottles, however, are clearly labeled. She finds a moderate alchemist’s fire and a moderate acid flask (each labeled “Do Not Drink!”). She also finds a moderate healing potion labeled “Do Not Throw!” Finally, in the top drawer of the desk, she finds a strange pendant with a symbol of three eyes hovering over a sinister, upraised hand.
It appears that no one heard the little halfling sneaking through the hallway as the general gossip and grumbling continues from the yard.
|
|
Klara is impressed by number of clauses she found here and likely she takes some of findings which she thinks are suitable and not too heavy.
Situation that there should be a meeting with Peddler today pushing her to not slow down as it might be a chance for Pathfinders to find the main person in charge of their / Muesello troubles in Oparra.
Rrho joins the party if no one's visiting the office during her ongoing investigation. She whispers some info about mostly disturbing findings and suggests to check if they still will be able to intercept the Peddler. Untill the caused alarm in here...