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"Now my dear sir," he says, turning to the Varisian man, "I can tell these events have been most upsetting for you so we will be brief. Before we get to what you've seen and heard, can you please tell me your name and what brought you around here?"
Kysu responds well to Levin’s kindness, informing him that he noticed a group of cloaked individuals chasing what looked like a blue-skinned human with magnificent butterfly wings through the streets. Kysu confesses that he quickly hid in a nearby alley when he realized what was going on…
Waki is not quite able to get much insight on the Varisian though…
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EYLVIAN AND VONYSA AMELURI
Investigation Skills: Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Perform (any), or Sleight of Hand.
KYSU XITAN
Investigation Skills: Bluff, Craft (any), Diplomacy, or Perform (any).
HAVAROC THARVIUS
Investigation Skills: Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Profession (barrister).
YSANDRE GLITTERWING
Investigation Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, or Perform (dance).
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Patchouli tries to read the witnesses, but besides the couple she failed to learn anything useful or beyond what the group as already learned. "Blessing reversing runes......and blue humanoids with butterfly wings......and a scared ghost?"
She then tries to recall information about these weird blue humanoid with wings...
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After Patchouli’s questioning, the couple reveals the following…
Eylvian informs the PCs that they were on their way home from a theatre performance staged by a local dancer when they decided to ask for a blessing at the Mistress of Angels on their way back to the inn. They saw a group of shady individuals in black garb gathering around the monument.
To the Ameluris, it appeared as if these people were drawing something in chalk around the monument. They wanted to avoid trouble, so they moved quickly and pretended to see nothing.
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Impressed by the tengu's deft handiwork in the subtle way he passed them the note, in addition to his praise for their rings, Vonysa describes the appearance of some sort of unholy symbol around each of the cultist’s necks—an image of a faintly glowing skull...
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Levin’s silver tongue pays dividends as Kysu reveals all he knows:
Kysu speaks Celestial, and he distinctly remembers the winged man calling out for Ordellia Whilwren in Celestial as he fled through the streets, though Kysu is unsure what business a butterfly man would have with the town’s ghostly guardian.
Kysu realizes that he recognizes the butterfly man’s appearance, having seen a tapestry that depicts three people who look like him dancing in a swamp along a riverbank.
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Clearly irritated, Havaroc begins to smirk when first questioned…but he’s quickly impressed by the Nagaji’s smooth talking and reveals all he knows:
Havaroc works an overnight shift at the Golemworks twice a week, so he was on his way to work when he happened past the crime. He recalls seeing strange people wearing heavy cloaks and some sort of glowing necklaces.
Havaroc called out to the shady group, asking them what they were doing loitering in a place like the Ordellia’s Townhouse. Someone—he presumes their leader— responded angrily, speaking Common but with an accent Havaroc wasn’t familiar with.
Havaroc recalls the group’s leader saying that they needed to find someone named “Looney Vire.”
The inspector is clearly perturbed at your successful interrogation…
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While Ushi finishes up the interrogation of the witnesses, Greyveil, lacking the others social graces, heads directly to the Mistress of Angels monument to check for clues and Davorge tags along…
The Wayang’s keen eyes find much to ponder over…
A strange, chalky substance coats the ground around the monument even after several weeks. Markings resembling runes are scrawled upon the ground.
The butterfly emblem in the statue’s hand is a holy symbol of Desna. However, in place of the typical images of stars within the symbol’s wings, there are leering skulls.
A spot of dried blood is splashed on the side of the monument, indicating that something violent occurred here recently. Based on the blood’s location, it stands to reason that there was once more blood here, but it was cleaned up in a hurry.
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”A ritual you say,” says a smiling Davorge. ”Precisely what I was going to suggest, my friends...
“I suggest they perform a ritual to purge the corruption at the Mistress of Angels and summon Ordellia Whilwren. Ordellia is something of a guardian of her namesake town, and she might know what’s going on. I’ll need your aid though; the ritual is likely to fail if it involves too few participants. What say you?”
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Davorge nods enthusiastically. ”Excellent…and of course you may take notes!”
Once you are ready, Davorge takes out a symbol of a woman dancing in front of a moon and places it around his neck.
Davorge begins the ritual by drawing a circle on the ground and spreading blue flower petals across the circle. Then he stands in the center and begins to sing an old Desnan lullaby while dancing…
Now each of you must do your part…
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Janus stands near his companions, using his knowledge of the arcane to fight against the foul curse upon this monuments, in conjunction with the party…
Suddenly, the blue petals rise into the air and clump together in groups of four, creating the likeness of a dozen butterflies that flit about before resting on the ground in calm silence. Moments later, a spectral visage of a Chelaxian woman with black hair and plain clothes appears in a nearby alleyway, clutching a silver butterfly in one hand and a starknife in the other. She stares off into the distance, terrified, and mutters a single word: “Help!”
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Davorge tells you he must stay by Ordellia, doing what he can to calm her spirit and gain a better understanding of the situation. He suggests that you explore those locations, wondering aloud if sanctifying them is the key to alleviating Ordellia’s suffering. He also asks you to return to speak with him after you have taken what steps they can to address the situation elsewhere in the city.
Davorge then continues. "Thank you for your help in sanctifying this monument; you were essential and now you know how to sanctify the others. They are roughly of equal distance from this spot…
"You may not know, but after sanctifying a monument, you can take 10 minutes to offer a dance or a prayer at the monument to gain a blessing. If your dance or prayer is accepted, you will gain a boon from Ashava..."
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The Cenotaph is a cylindrical building that towers over Mourner’s Plaza. At 10 stories high, it is one of Magnimar’s tallest structures. As you approach it, you see Pharasmin clerics monitoring the structure, but they obviously haven’t been able to calm the spirits...
Red light engulfs the Cenotaph, emanating from the grand, cylindrical monument’s core as ghostly murmurs echoes from within. Ghostly apparitions occasionally flicker into sight, confused and distorted, before fading back into the stone. As you get closer, the Pharasmin priests stop you, their leader, saying, ”Go no further, visitors, you dare not enter the Cenotaph; we cannot calm the spirits nor guarantee your safety…”