Init
Vaclav waits behind Gornak for the big man to push forward.
"Take the speaker first, Gornak," Vaclav urges.
Mace ... damage
Edit: Crit Confirm ... damage
Current AC 20 -- ring is on.
Initiative drops to 5.
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Spellcraft you know what I want to know. Initiative:
Vaclav taps Gornak on the shoulder and points toward the door. Then he intones another chant to Erastil.
Time warp -- downstairs: Vaclav frowns and scoops the masks and war-razors into his pack for future examination. ******************** In the present -- "The men downstairs struck without warning or honor. I doubt those upstairs will be any better. Be careful." The cleric falls into line behind Gornak, clutching his holy symbol in one hand, his mace in the other and praying for Erastil's blessing and care.
Vaclav stares down at the dead men. "Why did the last one take the time to draw on a mask? He was adept, but it makes no sense." The cleric moves beside Gornak to examine the mask and man more closely. Detect magic on the last dead guy. Search him too. Perception
Thanadros' shafts startle Vaclav as they swish past him, on their way to the workman's heart. He whirls to grin thanks to the archer and takes in the scene. The narrow walkway, the angles prevent a direct move to aid Gornak. Vaclav drives his mace into the workman's back and leaves it there. Then he moves steps over the body, drawing his bow and fitting an arrow as he goes.
Held Attack action: Longbow ... damage
At the man's first aggresive movement, Vaclav activates his ring of force shield and swings the invisible shield directly into the man's path. "Friend, that was a mistake. We're on a mission from Cardinal Rochefort and have the backing of the City Guard. Stand down now and you won't make an express trip to the Boneyard."
Sense Motive, Vaclav notices the man's jaw jerk at the name Foxglove and the cleric slightly tightens on his grip on his mace. "I'd be very happy to speak with your boss. Lead on." Vaclav takes a step forward and gestures with his mace for the man to go back the way he came.
Dabbler: And because I'm pretty sure I know what's up his sleeve .. initiative
Vaclav taps Gornak's shoulder for the big man to go right, while Vaclav takes a left along the catwalk. "Where's the owner or manager? We need to talk to someone about Lord Foxglove's account."
"Then let's go. May Erastil grant us success." Vaclav considers their likely scenario. There are probably offices behind the small door. The bow wouldn't be the best weapon. Besides Aylmora and Thanadros could take care of any open space encounters better than he. The cleric takes his mace in hand and steps into line behind the half-giant.
"Probably a loading door with warehouse space behind it. What do you all think? In through the small door or in through the large? Or do we split up and go in through both at once?"
Our business is official. Vaclav muses. "We should find out about exits on the water side. It will do us no good if they are miscreants here and we merely chase them from this place. We need someone to question." " Aylmora, you'd draw the least notice wandering back there, I think. DOn't take any chances, just get a look and come back. Will you go?"
"Then the sawmill first, " Vaclav agrees.
Vaclav nods. "You're right. So we're looking for Ironbriar and this sawmill. Which do we tackle first?"
"I agree about the mill. We must find it and investigate. "He who declares the law's iron tangles -- you probably have it right Thandros, but who? There are many lawgivers in this city from petty magistrates to the highest court to the mayor himself."
"Great. It answers in riddles. DO any of you have any idea of what it means?" Vaclav asks the others.
Encouraged that the thing is responding to the spell, Vaclav asks the first question, "Who tasked you to impersonate Lord Foxglove and lie in ambush here?"
Vaclav then asks the second question, "Where can we find this ~answer to the first question~?"
Vaclav unrolls the scroll and looks at it searchingly. Scroll Deciphering v DC 23 He stares stupidly at the paper.
Vaclav listens to the other's suggestions. "I think we can find the Sawmill in the Magnimar Registry or on the tax rolls. Their boss is a good question. And where he or she resides. Are we agreed those are the questions to ask?" "Oh and we have only one scroll of speak with dead. DO we ask the fake Foxglove or the fake Aesha."
Vaclav takes the scroll. "Thank you, Abbess. We will try to use this wisely." A second later he asks, "How many questions can we pose?" He starts to pivot away, when another thought occurs to him. "Ma'am, what should we do with the bodies? Can you send someone to pick them up? It might start a panic if we drag them here through the streets." ***** WHen V and T get back to the townhouse **** "The abbess gave us a scroll to speak with the dead. We will have questions to ask. It might be best to figure them out ahead of time. Any ideas?"
Vaclav adds, "They were impersonating Lord and Lady Foxglove. Foxglove was the chief ghoul in the pack we fought. We were hoping that you or one of your acolytes could speak with them to learn why."
"I had been thinking we would just drag one and Gornak could carry the other." Vaclav smiles briefly at the idea of being accosted by the Magnimar Watch and then facing them down with the Cardinal's letter. Then he turns more serious. "But that could be awkward for our friend the Cardinal if we run into the watch." "Thanadros and I will go to the Pharasmin and the watch. Aylmora and Gornak stay here with the bodies. How does that sound?"
"There are mills down by the river. Let's take the bodies back to the Pharasmin. We can examine the ledger at length and maybe learn something from the corpses."
Vaclav looks at the documents. "I'm just a simple soldier. Can one of you decipher these?"
"Agreed, on both counts, Thanadros." Vaclav takes Iesha a litte aside. "Aylmora, when you took Lady Foxglove's revenant form, I was shocked. You are not the only one who thinks of her." "Seeing the false Iesha brought the real one to mind. I pity her fate and try to think about the woman she might have been, how dearly she must have loved her husband at one time. Without that earlier love, how could she have hated what he became so much to pursue him after death."
"We search the house then take the bodies back to the Pharasmin. We see if speak with dead can get any more information out of them. And maybe we look up Justice Ironbriar."
Vaclav looks down at the polymorphers. "We've defeated them, but I wish we had one alive to question. Maybe something can be done with speak with dead.... Do they have anything on them?"
"Take her alive!" Vaclav steps forward and swings his mace at "Iesha's" head, but pulls the blow. Mace, non-lethal ... damage
Initiative for Thanadros
Init: Vaclav feels foolish and out maneuvered. It would be nice to walk these two impostors to the Guard without a fight, but the faux Foxglove seems to have his own angle on the game in Ironbriar. He's almost relieved when Aylmora makes her rush forward, and from her choice of aspect she is also sympathetic to the plight of Lady Foxglove. He activates his shield ring and raises his mace.
"No, sir. We will go down to the Guard together and we'll notify Cardinal Rathfold in addition to your friend Ironbriar. Before we go, perhaps a divination or two would be in order." "Erastil, keen of eye and steady of judgement ..."
"I assure you, we are working under legitimate authority for the Guard in this matter. Although we will not surrender, your proposal to go to the Guard is perfectly acceptable. Lead on, sir, madame."
"Surrender now and we'll take you to Cardinal Rathfold for questioning and a fair trial for your crimes. Resist and you will find Gorum has stacked the odds against you today." Sense Motive
Vaclav's thinking: A devious BBEG might plant a fake ghoul-Foxglove at the Manor to wreak havoc and destroy Foxglove's rep, but they'd have to be ludicrously cunning (maybe crazy) to plant a fake revenant of Iesha. The revenant is what makes Vaclav sure that the real Foxglove is dead and that this one and his wife must be a fakes.
Also, Foxglove doesn't recognize the party. Who could miss Gornak? He'd like to take them alive, but we'll see how that plays out. The mistress part is just him trying to convince them that the party knows all.
"A message from your mistress brought us here. You've been found wanting." Looking at Iesha, Vaclav grips his mace more tightly. He again imagines the pain and loss that would rouse a woman to such a horrid fate after death. He could almost imagine himself mistaken about Foxglove except for the stark reality of the revenant. "Submit now and you'll be permitted your life."
"Lord Foxglove!? We thought you were dead."
As expected. This room has been searched too. "Let's secure the rest of the house as quickly as possible. Then we can search all the rooms at our leisure."
Vaclav nudges Gornak and points at the door. He begins another short litany for Erastil's grace.
Vaclav states the obvious, "Someone's been here looking for something before us. Thandros, Aylmora, you're pretty sharp-eyed. Mybe you can find something they missed." Vaclav himself also looks around. Percpetion to Aid another
The stair tread squeaks softly under Vaclav's foot and he freezes for a moment, his prayer interrupted for a breath, before continuing after Gornak.
Foxglove's personal chambers are likely to be higher. GOing up makes sense. Vaclav follows Gornak up the stairs muttering prayers to Erastil.
Vaclav eyes the new set of stairs. He mutters, "Foxglove loved his stairways, and they all lead to no good."
Vaclav follows Gornak while speaking encouraging words.
Perception
"Looks like someone's been in here searching. " Vaclav comments.
"Yes. Someone keep an eye on the stairs."
Vaclav grips his mace and holy symbol and follows right on Gornak's heels, muttering prayerful encouragement. Spam guidance as we go in.
Vaclav stakes out the front while Thanadros reconnoiters.
Vaclav stares at the house from the corner. Calling upon Erastil, he searches the door and windows for magic.
Vaclav taks the letter. "Thank you, sir. We'll do our best to vindicate your confidence." He places the letter in his belt pouch and,if no one has other business, takes leave of the Cardinal. ****
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