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Tin nods to Old Iron. "Yea, that's good. I'll see if I can ask this Spark-thing to hold back a little." Clearing his throat, Tin stands up straight and addresses the Verdant Spark. "So here's the deal, Sparks. Us pinks don't like stuff done to or for us unless we ask for it. It ain't no disrespect, in fact when you give someone something after they ask for it, they're usually more appreciative. Any chance we could talk you into holding back giving the gift to the kids unless they straight up clearly ask for it?" Tin assumes most parents wouldn't want leaves growing from their kids, but if some of the Robori-nuts actually like that, power to them.
Tin translates for the benefit of the others . Common (to the Pathfinders): "Yea, this plant's got some grand plans to make the whole world lush and green..." Looking back at the plant, Tin cuts right to the point. Plantspeak (to the plant): "Yea, that's good and all. Do you know where you're getting your power to do this from?"
Ah yes, probably Jasmine with the +7. I had forgotten Inspiration could be used on any trained skill, so overlooked the fact Tin was +7-12 on the roll. If he can get a potion of owl's wisdom to meet the Wisdom requirement, that saves one of the checks (the harder one). Then, I suppose if there's any way to juice up UMD for the DC25 check to emulate a 5th level druid. He actually has the pragmatic activator trait and fox's cunning is in his formula book, so if we rest, he can mix and quaff that and be +8+1d6 tomorrow. With guidance if we can get that, up to +9+1d6. If he fails the first roll, there's always the folio reroll at +4 for me, so a second shot at +13+1d6 to hit the DC25. @GMEF: Any chance of purchasing a scroll of owl's wisdom in Mercy? Or if we're not pressed for time, grabbing things in Alkenstar, or hiring a bard/druid NPC for X days to come out?
I'm trying to sort out what we really need to speak to the plants. Here's our two folks who can UMD: Necress: +7
We have really two options, emulate a bard 10 if you have a 13+ charisma, or emulate a druid 5 if you have a 13+ wisdom. Failing the right ability score, it's a burly check to emulate the ability score (it's whatever you roll on UMD-15 as your effective ability score). This means Tin would need a DC28 to emulate a 13 Wisdom, followed by a DC25 to emulate a 5th level druid. Necress would need the same checks to emulate a druid (since she has a <13 Wisdom). Or a single DC30 check to emulate a 10th level bard. Not sure if I'm missing something here. We may need to consider buffing ourselves to make these checks. Guidance. Heroism. A potion or scroll of Owl's Wisdom to meet the minimum Wisdom requirements. Or, not sure if we can hire a bard for an hour (level 1 is fine, since the caster level check for a level 1 bard to use a level 10 scroll would be made with a 9+ on 1d20).
Tin frowns and shakes his head. "Just like that punk down from Absalom's Puddles, this plant ain't talking." Taking a couple steps in a semi-circle he shrugs. "I mean, if it ain't a talking plant, and it's got a chance of being the big bad hurting them kids, don't we bear some sort of social responsibility to relocate it?" The tiefling investigator looks for validation of his less-than-good (but perhaps ultimately good?) thoughts from his allies. "Man, I wish we could trust them Robori's. They probably have the skills to I.D. this thing. That's what we'd do in Absalom at least, call in an unbiased expert. Nira - you know any of those nearby? Any old hermits outside the town limit who ain't thinkin' Robori is the greatest-of-them-all?"
Tin rubs the stubble of his chin. "I wonder if there's one of them Robori sorts we can trust to come down here and talk to this thing? Maybe they'd have more luck with the scroll?" Tin pulls out one of his extracts and examines it before shrugging and downing the contents.
Approaching the large plant, Tin gestures at it, speaking the Common tongue, but trying to coax the plant to speak if it can, hoping that nodding and shaking his head mean the same things to a plant as they seem to most intelligent creatures. "So, uh, plant. Can you hear me? Can you ax-knowledge you got some smarts in there?"
Tin's gaze lingers on Necress for a moment as he seems to not size up whether he approves of what she is doing, but whether it would even work. Twirling his spear, he stabs at the nearest plant before falling back and forming up a position against the pair of plants behind the others. for AoOs if needed: for for
Tin sizes up the plant like a rival, frowning as he does so. "This reminds me sometimes when we'd catch a guy and he'd keep his mouth shut 'til his lawyer showed up. Nothin' more frustratin' than having a hunch a guy's done something bad, but not bein' able to get him to talk about it." Tin spins his oversized spear back and rests in on his shoulder as he narrows his eyes. "Yea, let's keep investigatin' and we can circle back if we get more clues as to what this beanstalk might be."
Tin returns, scowling and furious and picks up his spear. He manages a complimentary smile for Cade. "Yea, you did good kid." He observes as Old Iron flips the strange creature around. "So, the pancake demon is no more, but I agree with my man Cade here... what makes you so certain this creature's behind all the woes plaguin' Mercy?"
Tin scowls as he doesn't recognize the alien creature before him, but he gives Jiro an understanding nod as he recognizes the warrior's taunt and defensive pose. He takes a step to the south, doing his best to angle his spear for any approach that the fiend may take towards Jiro or Old Iron (or anyone behind them).
for for
"Yea, I bet these kids sprouting leaves has somethin' to do with that weird a$$ Robori we keep hearin' bout." Tin's eyes twinkle as he contemplates quips about the rider-riding-the-rider-riding-the horse, but he never voices any of the ones rolling about inside his head.
"No doubt we've uncovered some sort of sick, twisted, side to the local Tree-God down there. Who wants to go first to get their blessin'?"
Tin nods his head, an air of confidence about him as the doll confirms his suspicions. "Thought so..." After hearing her tale, watching her hide, and nodding to the sheriff as he arrives, Tin straightens his collar. "Yea, I had a feelin' you was gonna 'ax us to take care of this big bad wolf tryin' to blow your houses down." Tin crosses his arms. "So, what's the full story? How long's this been happenin' and what do you think Mercy did to get his knickers all twisted up such that he'd send a bunch of bats your way? You guys disturb any crypts you weren't s'posed 'ta?"
Tin shook his head, trying to shake out his suspicions about the local law and bring focus back to the investigation. "Hey, I know I was distracted by them bats, but was that a doll walkin' around earlier?" Tin takes a couple steps, searching for the strange doll, knowing he has a few moments to spare before reuniting with the local sheriff.
Tin juts his chin out in apparent pride at "dealing" with the sheriff's problems as an outsider. "Yea, sheriff. We've been meanin' to talk to you again, too. In private." Tin emphasizes these lasts words, his inflection seeming to indicate that they're certainly wiser to the going-ons in Mercy than when they last spoke.
One again, Tin's tail, normally hidden under his Absalomian jacket, presses another vial into his waiting hand . "Yea, you bats like that?" He moves through the swarm with a scowl until he takes up a new position some distance away from the others. for "And damn, I mean why didn't our vee-sees have the foresight to assign us no damned fire mage this outin'?"
Tin Status:
Tin falls back from the bats circling him . "We betta' spread out - you know, make it harder for these flying rats to get their cheese..." The investigator somehow manages to get a flask into his hand before he hurls it at the bats that seemed to prefer his blood.
for
Tin glares at the various buildings about, searching for someone who might be watching them. "Hey! You! Light some torches and we can help defend this town!" Tin Status:
With the influx of a "confession" spewing from the husband, Tin trains his eyes on the man like a hawk watching a fieldmouse.
"A'ight, don't get all shook up. But look here, I gots to ask you one last thing." Tin looks at the man seriously. "If it ain't you, it's someone whose feathers our girl ruffled up real good. You give us a lead, we ain't botherin' you ever again."
Tin scowls at the toys, his impatient starting to show. He decides the weaver will bear some of his ire. "So what's the deal with all the children? Are these bramble-toys too thorny that their hands are getting cut?" He points towards the weaver. "Look, we're all getting impatient. And I know you gotta get something off your chest, so why don't you spill the beans before they get burnt on the fire?"
Tin, anxious to give the weaver's the "glove treatment", taps his foot impatiently as the other members of the party chat it up with the carpenters and smiths. He scowls, sizing up each person, looking for someone who seems suspicious or ready to bolt when they realize Tin is observing them. "Yea... you alls need to knock this shhh.. " Tin struggles with the next word. "...shhtuff off before it comes to blows."
Tin sorts through his notebook the next morning, going over all the facts he's recorded thus far. Gnolls. Azathoth. Twig-dolls. Mercy. Tree God. Sheriff seems reliable enough, although not really worshipping the Tree God. Bunch of weird a$$ rules and regulations. Trail growing colder every day. As the group readies themselves, he reports the most likely outcome. "Chances are Amenira ain't gonna be found. Once someone disappears, you get like maybe forty-eight hours before a trail goes cold... course them's the rules for a big city like Absalom." Tin follows along as the others seem interested in the market and the tree, but he does go down his list of other potential leads. "So we know Amenira was checkin' into the town weaver's home for some ointment and that our girl was gettin' sick. We should go check out this weaver, could be she got wise on our girl and decided to strike back. Could be she was one of these twig-peeps... if we go back to the church, we should ask if anyone there knew Amenira was sick..."
It takes all of Tin's concentration to exercise the self-restraint he requires to not swear as they make their way through the town.
Once Tin is certain they aren't being watched. "Yea... sometimes when a lizard like us goes around turnin' up rocks, a big bird takes notice and swoops in t' eat the lizard." Tin adjusts his collar and gestures awkwardly before realizing his spear isn't in his hand. Reaching into his pocket, he finds comfort in the brass within. "So... everyone keep their eyes open for angry birds."
Tin dons his gloves and begins to rummage through the house like a man on a mission.
Tin grunts as he flips through the rules of Mercy. "Son of a b****... no cursing? What kind of crazy a$$ town is this?" Closing the book, he passes it along. "What are the odds our girl broke some of these laws? ... 'course the sheriff would've probably sweat a little more when we shook him down..."
Earlier, to Jiro:
Tin just sort of shrugs while keeping his eyes trained ahead before smiling and quipping. "You know what? I'm suspicious of anyone I ain't met yet..."
Tin's eyes narrow as he keeps them trained on the helpful man with the light brown hair, giving his companions a chance to interact while he patiently observes for them to slip up or ignite the kindling of his suspicions.
Tin looks the local lawman up and down a final time. "A'ight. We'll follow up on them priests. Thanks for the heads up, sheriff. We'll do our best to keep you updated if we scare up any roaches we find hiding under rocks." Tin fluffs his studded jacket and begins to head towards the center of the village to speak to the "tree priests". As they create some distance from the sheriff, Tin shares his thoughts. "So, I dunno 'bout you guys, but I've got my suspicions about these tree-huggers. And from what I could tell, the sheriff ain't got no particular love for them either..." Tin sticks his left hand into his jacket where his lithe fingers quickly find welcome in a brassy home.
Tin, ever blunt, continues to get straight to the point, particularly in the presence of Mercy's senior-most lawman. "Man, we just came down from Alkenstar and we ain't seen her up there." Tin pauses, keeping his piercing eyes trained on Sheriff Molume. He then begins to speak matter-of-factly, like he's sharing a story about something as mundane as a mix-up at the local market. "So we on our way down... and we get jumped by a bunch o' them dogheads." Tin juts a thumb at Necress. "Necress here's somethin' of a specialist when it comes to weird religion stuff and she identified their altar as belongin' to Azathoth." Tin looks at the sheriff again, leaning in real close. "That ring any bells, sheriff? You wanna clue us in on what mighta' nabbed our girl?" |
