Issac Vale's page

Issac directs his mind outward and his voice raises in a droning incantation cojuring a twisting pattern of shimmering colour.
Hypnotic Pattern directed at the bugbear/hobgoblin cluster. Will DC 17 10HD affected

Phia> Yes, thanks for including the damage roll. If you wanted to use only your rapier you have another +2 on the attack. Alternatively you can keep what you have and also attack with the kukri.

Janras and Isaac weigh in when you can. I'll post up the round tomorrow either way.

"Is this how you talk business? Get your men under control friend."

"Let me help you get your underlings under control." Issac says to the goblin leader. Issac moves to L3. Issac casts whelm on the threatening bugbear to subdue him. Will DC 16 5 points non-lethal damage

If I remember correctly, Oliver may be out of town this weekend. So we likely won't move along till Monday other than if anyone would like to roll Phia's save.

Thought I'd see if my store of luck would prove to be of use...

Phia's save 11=1d20+3

Not so much.

Issac with a low murmur incants words of power and with subtle gestures projects his will upon the goblin leader. Charm Person "Call your men off. Let's discuss business in a civilized manner." (Will DC 16)

Issac's Spot =7

"Well heavens to Betsy! You should have told us you were looking for this gargoyle chap rather than skulking behind us. I'm sure we can work out something mutually beneficial."

Issac Diplomacy 4=14-10 (rushed full round action)

Initiative 11

Vale's mind holds on to his illusion. He whispers to his companions; "Let us see if we can lure them in a bit more. A few of us go down while the others remain up here. With any luck we can seal them in."

Vale resumes concentrating on his illusion waiting for a chance for the quarry to show themselves.

If I understand the situation we know we're being followed but other than Phia we don't know where they are?

Vale concentrates on maintaining Phia's double. His pulse quickens as he senses events moving to confrontation...

Hey guys I'm going to be away this weekend going to Dawson music fest. If things come to head Ithuriel, Vale will shy away from melee hoping to use Hypnotic Pattern(DC 16), Sleep (DC 16) if there is a group or Charm Person (DC 16)if a single target presents itself (charm them to take a rest we're really the best of friends this is all a misunderstanding...). If in melee he'll rely on Casting Defensively.Vale will strive to aid in catching any of their pursuers alive for later questioning. Should be back Monday eve

"Njar. I knew I should have prepared something to create an illusion to cover for you, guys. Sorry. That was unprofessional."

Issac stoops to fix his boot; "I think I can whip something up for Phia but I'll need to stay concentrating on the illusion. If Phia can mix in the crowd I'll create a double of hers. Hopefully that will give her the opportunity to locate the trackers without their knowledge. I'll break off into the crowd and hang back."

Once in the crowd, Vale surreptitiously keeps his eyes open for sign of the pursuers. Spot 10

When Phia is in position Issac casts a silent silent image. A Bluff check to conceal his actions if observed? I don't know if there's a circumstance bonus as I'm casting it silent?Bluff check = 18

"How far is it, Isaac?"

"Not too much further..." I think? Issac absentmindedly whistles a tune while leading through the narrow streets and cramped alleyways.

The Dancing Hare? Sounds like a potential place to try to find this smelly halfling. Issac scans his memory to see what noteworthies he can recall of the Dancing Hare (Knowledge(local) 1d20+6=24)

I be back. Hope everyone is doing well.
"Should we ask further re the halfing or if the victim heard anything that the perps said during the attack?"

Feanor Jhaelian wrote:

Need two more questions for our spirit here.

"I suggest we ask where and when he met the goblin-halfling thing; then we can chase that down with Varlin." Varlin was the halfling that hired us - don't remember him stinking though...

"Hmm, who might be able to tell us about gargoyles? I've never fought one and it sounds like they're resistant to at least simple steel. Anyone have a contact who could help?"

I'd second that re this halfling. The description of his offensive odour matches with that the priest gave at the temple of Kol Korran. Which would make him the most likely organizer of the ambush. Any information re him would open up greater possibilities.

One other possibility as a question to ask is did any of the culprits say anything either to the priest or his guards he may have overheard in his last moments?

"Apologies for tardiness. After some inquiries I found that a criminal group known as the Daask operating out of Khyber's gate have been making some moves into Boramar territory and that of the tyrants as well. Rather busy group these days. The Daask have a large amount of monstrous humanoids operating with them. They seem to be the most likely group behind the attack. Trying to intimidate the Boramar."
The questions posed in Winthorpe should serve well."

Isaac:

Kn Local concerning Daask
DC 10 ** spoiler omitted **
DC 15 ** spoiler omitted **
DC 20 ** spoiler omitted **

Zerann offers Isaac his tea before taking her own. As Isaac lifts his cup she smiles, eyes bright, over her own cup, "Meddling in Daask business... tracking one of their killers... That kind of information would be good as gold in the right ears. Lucky for you we're such old friends." She takes a sip from her cup and traces one finger along Isaac's arm. "I would wish you luck, but I might as well offer to blow on Olladra's lucky dice. You've always had a knack with finding your way out of sticky situations. I'm sure this will be no different."

Someone knocks softly from the front room- once, a pause, then three times in quick succession. Xanthe sighs and sets her cup down, "You know I'd love to keep you here all night Isaac, but I do have a business to run and you, my friend, are trouble. Come back and see me when you find yourself clear of this mess." So saying she stands and straightens the diklo covering her dark hair, offers Isaac a hand, and pulls him to his feet. Leading you to the door, she arches an eyebrow and purses her...

[ooc] Knowledge local 1d20+6=19

Issac smiles wistfully at Zerann as he accepts her hand. "Invaluable aid, my lady as always. But if your construing of the situation is correct things are like to get worse before better. I will not inconvenience you and your business any further. We'll talk again though I assure you." Issac doffs and tips his hat. He then makes his leave.
As he strolls through the streets running over Zerann's words and his knowledge of the Daask. Yes, serious assets indeed. A monstrous creature may very well have been the assassin. The priest a tempting target if he was employed by the Boramar. Perhaps some inquiring re the Daask's haunts and noted strongarms is in order.

Gather Information 1d20+10=13

[ooc] Sorry I haven't posted for awhile, sick, busy and wasn't checking regularly the past little while for your posts.

Ithuriel

Let me know who all is going where and we'll move on to it.

Destinations - Finding the writer for the Sharn Inquisitive (Rodothea), Osram's Miraculous Elixirs (the alchemist's shop), and Isaac's friend. Are you all going together to do these things in succession, or splitting and if so, who goes where?

Also... XP, 375 each for investigative legwork so far.

Vale grabbing his coat. "Very well. The Elixir shop sounds promising. Good hunting to you. I'll drop by to see my contact. I might be able to even swing by the writer's on the way unless anyone else wishes to?"

"Perhaps he tried to get treatment in different temples until frustration got that high, that he took out the priests responsible for the rejection of his queries. Or they tried unsuccessfully, too."

"Possible but there is something about these crimes that seems something more than a man railing against clergy in frustration. Too much premeditation in the setup and ambush. Some hidden purpose... But what we have now is this Scrimshaw and this writer. Shall we each go follow up these leads? With any luck we can find something more solid to go on. I'm not sure if its any use but I think I may go see an old friend. Perhaps she has heard of information through her people."

Ithuriel

At the Watchtower grabbing a seat Vale lights his pipe. "As per our discussion at the temple with the other priest... He had little to add. Save that his colleague had been contracted by an unbathed halfling. As leads go not very promising. Perhaps Var had better luck consulting their records? The author does sound like someone to have words with though."

In response to Isaac's question Olan says, "He was a dark haired little one. Was dressed decent enough, but smelled terrible, like he hadn't bathed in a week. And he had an accent I couldn't place, but he didn't sound like any halfling I'd ever met before."

"Thank you for your time. I'll need to consult with my colleagues. If you remember anything more you can contact us at the Watchtower Agency."

Granite Halls, Shrine of Kol Korran

Olan looks hopefully up at Isaac, "Ah Saint-Demain, yes. I was looking for a Medani inquisitive, but they were fully committed. Saint-Demain came with their recommendation."

"A grudge? No... I can't imagine. Molo is a good man if a little short on sense sometimes." Olan snorts and shakes his head, "No the halfling certainly hasn't been back. That little worm has probably crawled back to whatever sewer pipe it wriggled out of to come around here causing trouble."

"Hmmm.. can you describe this halfling? Any unique features or anything unusual you noted of him?" Issac thinks to himself. The priest isn't likely to know anymore of use. It is this halfling we must find...

"Yes good sir I believe we had the fortune to meet you man, a Victor Saint-Demain? I believe was his name."
Vale listens closely to the priest's testimony.
Sense Motive 23
Is there anyone you know that may have had a grudge against your colleague? Anything odd in his activities recently? As for that matter have you had any dealings with the halfling who contracted him?

Just a heads up I will be away until Sat having to trek thru the wilds to Whitehorse and take care of a few things in the 'big city'. Phia and Var you can assume Vale will take your lead.

"Well we would like to ask you a few questions is there a place that we can sit and talk for a few moments." Phia asks as they wait for a servant or administrator to help Var with the records.

"Thank you for your assistance in this dreadful business. Rest assured we will do everything in our power to help your brother. Please lead the way so we can discuss this further while my colleague has a chance to review your records we would like to ask a few questions."

assuming we reach his office

"Can you tell us something about the circumstances surrounding Moloyotis' hiring for this contract? Do you recall anything unusual about its arrangement? Did your fellow priest have any particular area of expertise to this temple?"

"Very well." Issac follows Phia through the doorway and looks about for the voice that beckoned earlier.
"Good day. Name is Issac Vale, my associates Phia and Var. We're from the Watchtower, an Inquisitve Agency. We'd like to speak with the person in charge of contracts for blessings. Specifically a warehouse blessings that was to take place yesterday in Lower Dura. We would very much like to ask some questions on behalf of the proprietors of the warehouse. They're very concerned about this business and very eager to have engaged our services in bringing the perpetrator of this horrible crime against your church to justice."
Diplomacy 29

"I will follow your lead and stay back a bit to see what there is to see as for what tactic you want to use, I am not sure. Straight up ensures that we would get what we want swiftly but that also means that we could have a door slammed in our face before we can even blink. What do you think Var?"

Vale nods and furrows his brow. "Yes, however this temple also did hire that other Inquisitor... It is likely that at least some must be aware of this fraudulent contract. Well let is see what we can garner with a pretense at first. It might at least give us a chance to look around. Failing that, we can ask straight up. Any thoughts Var my friend?"

Knowledge checks 16

Issac notes of the markings and signs throughout the district. "Khemel Ansell... Ah yes I recall. That was sometime ago. Goblin that tried to stop a robbery. Murdered in cold blood and not a shrap of care from the watch... No good deed goes unpunished. Not much justice for non-citizens I suppose. Hard to be a citizen when you've lost your country."
Arriving at the shrine Issac turns to his companions. "So we're looking to contract a blessing or just be straight up?"

"So a trio? Well without any further ado let us make our way to Granite Hall."
what is the time of day?

failed knowledge local check

Really sorry to hear that Nani. Take it easy and hope you and your family get well soon.

As preparations are made to put the bodies in storage Vale nods at Var, "I hope nothing untoward occurs but if others wish to come with Phia and I well... hope for the best, prepare for the worst, eh? A few more eyes can always help."

Capitol. Well where can we put these bodies for storage? In the meantime, shall we pay a visit to this Granite Hall? Unless anyone else thinks there's some further looking about here we can do? Of course if someone at this hall arranged for this bogus blessing they may not wish to speak with a band of Inquisitives... Perhaps an inquiry about contracting their services could serve as a pretense?

" I too am baffled by all of this, Issac. I think that it might be an ambush as well but for what reason I do not know. I guess we should see if these folks had an alternative motive for being here other than a blessing. And we should figure out just who hired these men as well. I guess that would be a good start. Anybody else have any ideas?"

I would concur with Phia. Our best lead that I can see is finding out the circumstances behind the priest's contract. As Janras notes something stinks about this. Granite Hall? or should we wait until Feanor had an opportunity to speak with the deceased?"

Varlin pulls the gate down and sends Victor back down with a smaller lever on this floor. Once the temple's man is below floor level the halfling replies to Phia, "Seems to be somebody contracted our missing priest here from Kol Korran's shrine over in Granite Halls. I know cause another of their men came round looking for this one when he didn't make it back last night. Funny thing about that is, we own this merchandise and we certainly didn't contract out for it's blessing."

Janras ** spoiler omitted **

Issac turns to his companions; "Well what does anyone make of this? So far we've found sticky goo, an attack from above, strange wounds and a lot of dandruff... All on account that someone was hired to bless this warehouse who hadn't been contracted by the owners... A setup for this ambush? Any thoughts, my esteemed colleagues?"

Janras wrote:

Someone else please speak with this Inquisitor, before he leaves.

___________________________________________________________

"That was a tanglefoot bag, or the remains of it, after it has broken down." He calls out. "But why here at the entrance and not with the victims?"

I don't think the Inquisitor wants to hang around talking. I tried to engage him, but I don't think it worked

"The entrance is also an exit, perhaps it was to ensure the victims didn't use the lift to escape."

"Mayhaps the tanglefoot bag was used to immobilize the missing priest? Bodyguards dispatched, the priest tries to run but is caught..."

As you all step into the room and get your bearings, the light from one of the aisles rises begins to approach. The inquitive hired by the temple steps out from a walkway mid-room, nods curtly to you all, sets his lantern and a cane down on a crate and carefully pulls on a pair of white silk gloves. Inquisitive he might be, but the man dresses more like minor aristocracy. His deep red vest is elaborately trimmed in gold and worn over a light gray silk shirt. "Watchtower is it? Forgive me for not being more familiar with your body of work, but I haven't noticed you in any of the papers yet." He shrugs apologetically. "I typically work with a shortlist of established clients- but I'm sure we'll have a chance to work together in the future if you manage to stay in business for a while. The name is Victor Saint Demain." Gathering up his lantern and cane (which appears to be a dark polished wood studded with rubies, Victor offers a Darel a gloved handshake, before consulting a gold timepiece on a chain in his vest pocket. "Well... I'll be off then. I hear there's a killer on the loose." Victor calls out to the the halfling still waiting in the lift, "Thank you for your time good sir! I think I've found everything I'll need to close this case before another member of the clergy suffers at the hands of this madman. The temple should be along to collect the bodies soon..."

Issac nods amicably to this dashing fellow but his eyes linger enviously upon the man's finery. "Good evening to you sir." Vale tips his hat but leaves it at that as the competition is unlikely to be of much help...
Sense Motive 1d20+4=23

Appraise 1d20+4=19

"Now to the job at hand." Vale moves about the scene with a fine comb looking for clues... Feeling something underfoot he stops to inspect the floor around the lift.
Search 1d20+4=16
"There seems to be some type of residue here. I would hesitate to say alchemical in origin but alas that it is not in my vein of pursuit."
Vale shares the following: There are tiny glass shards scattered in a radius around the lift.
The gate of the lift and parts of the frame of the 3rd floor dock are covered with a
nearly imperceptible residue- miniscule bubbles that have since dried out. They are sticky to the touch.

"Interesting." Vale's face frowns in puzzlement as he scans about the warehouse trying to determine the perpetrator's attack.
Search 1d20+4=21
"Our assailant or assailants used the heights to bring down their quarry and they no doubt a very agile killer."
He shares the following observation: Nearly all of the arrows must have hit from a high angle. The ceiling in this level of the warehouse is fifteen
feet high, so the attacker was likely shooting from on top of the crates.
With the crates blocking field of vision between some of the body locations,
the attacker must have been highly mobile.
Lastly he stoops down to the bodies. His expression turns grim as he inspects the grisly handiwork of this lunatic.
Search 1d20+4=23
"Stranger and stranger. What do you make of this?" Vale holds a white dander on his fingertips and points to more throughout the room. Moving the cloth away from the body Vale remarks "An ashy smudge on the chest and an ashy ring encircling the forearm of the hand with the severed finger... Baffling. Some type of cauterization or heat mark?"

As Vale moves about the scene he quietly notes to his fellow inquisitives regarding the nature of Varlin; "This chap seems to be of the Boramor clan, smugglers with some important stakes in this district. Nothing like working for a halfling crime syndicate I suppose.."

“You’ll be the Watchtower then? I’m Varlin. Other guy’s already up there…” The supervisor waves you into the tower loading dock and turns to lead as he talks, “Temple of the Host hired this guy.” He smirks and opens the lift gate before continuing, “But we’ve hired the six of you- and we expect results. Whoever this psycho is it’s time he learned that there are consequences for running wild in someone else’s territory. We like to keep things tidy.” Varlin slams the gate closed and the lift rises smoothly once he pulls a long lever embedded in the floor. “Deal...

Issac eyes Varlin warily. "Most disagreeable business I am sure. However, we are all experienced with such affairs and you are right to expect results."

I'll also throw in the 2000gp if that's the route we want to go. Hopefully inspiration will strike me and I can throw out some other suggestions for an agency name but I've got a fair amount of work to plow through tonight.

Updated Issac w background, contacts etc. I did make my contacts a bit closer than just a professional contact so they would also fall under the category of people I relate to outside of the party. I still have some money for small stuff and for the upscale lodgings (a little under a 600 left).

Hey there all. Here's Issac partially done. I just need to suss out equipment and put up the spell section. Re the office yeah if people want want to go for upscale I am also fine for chipping in the 2000. I'll probably change my character type a little bit giving him some more expensive and elegant taste. In which case I'll be opting for the upscale rent.
I just have a question re the background story being brainstormed. I like the pow background as a common thread for most of us. Were all of us in the pow camp near Aundair? I know Radavel had suggested a Karnathi situation (which I liked as well).
Re Issac, a Breland patriot born to a well to do merchant family began his university days as an idealist and champion of Breland 'democracy'. His talents as a linguist and cryptographer were used in the war for intelligence gathering but he desired to get his hands 'dirty'. Volunteering again for field work his ideals were quickly shattered. After the harrowing experience of the war his view of governments and kings has become jaded. He refused to have any part with government agencies and thus hoped to strike out as an independent.
Just as a thought as were spies perhaps our goal was to 'break in' to the prison camp and arrange for an extraction of some vital contact/person?