Also, postscript. After we get our memories back, Ziera takes up with Gray, finding a way to get him healed and reunited with his parents, probably through some weird quest through the afterlife. Then, whether he chooses to change for the better or not, she starts working her way through all of her previous comrades, starting with Sydney, and trying to similarly improve their lives. She finds that it is much more satisfying than revenge, which is distasteful to her now.
Hmm, suggestions? I kind of like the idea of Sydney coming... I think she can heal. However, a good meat shield might be better, and we did just get a healing wand... what do you guys think?
Pretty good deal... going to write it up that we are going for it, but open to refusals if anyone wants that. Too bad it doesn't seem we can sell other stuff here, but we can probably do that later.
Ziera combines jewelry and a small amount of gold coins to purchase a wand of Cure Light Wounds.
Well, says Ziera reluctantly, fingering a gold bracelet that she had put on specifically for this trip, I suppose I could part with some of my jewelry. The wand is sorely needed. How much are you charging?
Let me know whatever you want me to roll additionally. Ziera is partially a negotiator bard, so most of it she will be good at... that last Knowledge Local is probably just her lack of memory kicking in. :)
Ziera thanks Dice for the information, and goes with the others (whoever wants to go) to buy a wand.
Normal disguises and avoidance measures, but she has put on some extra jewelry from their stash for this visit.
In the shop:
She smiles at the proprietor.
Greetings. I am in need of a healing wand, and I was told that you had an amazing selection. I'm afraid I don't have a lot of gold, but I was hoping you would take this wand in partial trade.
She shows him the wand of detect magic (that they had decided to sell).
Okay, well I think that I will take the circlet of persuasion if no one else wants it, and some of you guys who can't heal should take the healing potions, at least. Anyone know where we can get a healing wand?
Okay, take them all if no one claims them. Anything we don't think we will use, we can sell. And yeah, I have Detect Magic as well. We could probably sell that, unless someone who doesn't have it wants to use it... and can use a wand?
Should we do the job the night of the Charthagnion party?
First, though, now that we have the money, let's take a look at what we have and what we need.
Ziera pulls out the haversack of party loot:
-bracers of armor +1
-Circlet of Persuasion
-Incense of Meditation
-handy haversack (with loot, but can easily be used for something else as needed)
-Wand of Detect Magic (39 / 50 charges)
-Lacquered Wooden Medallion set with Carnelian (600 gp)
-2 potion of cure light wounds,
-2 scrolls of bull’s strength
-scroll of fog cloud
-scroll of floating disk
-scroll of protection from evil
-Scroll of protection from law
-scroll of owl's wisdom
1025 gold
jewelry and clothing worth 712 gp
Tell me if you guys want to use some of this, or whether we should sell it. And what else do we need? Certainly a healing wand, agreed?
Nope, unfortunately. We got information about it, but it was a misdirection, and we never actually went back for it, because we thought we would get caught. I think (as a party) we only have a little over a thousand in gold, which we took off the bad guys that later got healed and hopefully the jewelry that Alana had on her, which was worth about 700 gold, would be easy to liquidate. That leaves about 1300 we need to get from either selling party items, or out of personal stash. We've been trying to solve a mystery rather than hunt treasure... maybe we should reassess. :)
Um, Gray... killing the goblins would ruin Dice's information source, which is how we got this information. Let's not do that. I am sure that he will make sure they know we are friends, and they won't attack us.
She turns back to the group.
I agree with Gray that it is a good, out of the way place to take on another animagus. Do we know where the associated contract is? I assume it is guarding it in some way, but it would be nice if we had a better idea where more defenses were likely to pop up.
Ziera looks over at the Azure Avenger and compares him to the picture.
Hmm. A cape and a mask. Hard to tell, really, but I admit that you don't get that a lot.
What's the significance though? Why do the informants have this? Is there a contract out on him? That other group had drawings of all of us. Do we know who has been trying to kill us?
And just making sure... we are leveling up 2 levels, right? I was on 5, and you said to go to 7. I wanted to make sure since it looks like Zane only leveled once, so I wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page.
Previously posted stuff for reference:
Level:
--Get +1 2nd level and a 3rd level spell per day.
--Get +1 1st level and +2 3rd level spells known.
--Get a feat.
--HP: are we doing half plus 1? If so, +10 HP
--+22 skill points (plus hard bargainer adjustment (half level) for several skills as well.
--+1 rogue talent
--Get Comparative Arcane studies (Once per day, a studious librarian can cast any spell from the bard, sorcerer/wizard, or witch spell lists from a scroll or spellbook in hand as if it were one of his bard spells known, expending a bard spell slot of the same spell level to cast the desired spell. Casting a spell from a scroll this way does not cause the spell to vanish from the scroll.)
I think that is it. Note: I have not actually chosen all of these things, and HP is the only thing I added to my sheet, but it is what I have time for now, and I thought it might help doing it in stages. I will update later when I get it done.
Also, taking suggestions for what people think I should choose, if there is something that will help the group or an individual. No promises, but will definitely consider it.
--Get +1 2nd level and a 3rd level spell per day.
--Get +1 1st level and +2 3rd level spells known.
--Get a feat.
--HP: are we doing half plus 1? If so, +10 HP
--+22 skill points (plus hard bargainer adjustment (half level)
--+1 rogue talent
--Get Comparative Arcane studies (Once per day, a studious librarian can cast any spell from the bard, sorcerer/wizard, or witch spell lists from a scroll or spellbook in hand as if it were one of his bard spells known, expending a bard spell slot of the same spell level to cast the desired spell. Casting a spell from a scroll this way does not cause the spell to vanish from the scroll.)
I think that is it. Note: I have not actually chosen all of these things, and HP is the only thing I added to my sheet, but it is what I have time for now, and I thought it might help doing it in stages. I will update later when I get it done.
Also, taking suggestions for what people think I should choose, if there is something that will help the group or an individual. No promises, but will definitely consider it.
I don't think that Lady Rosalie can help. They've thoroughly wiped her memory too. So, unless some of her memories came back with ours, she can't help.
She recounts the conversation that she had with Lady Rosalie so that everyone is up to speed.
I guess we could check whether she had a recent "fainting" spell at the same time we collapsed. ... In fact, we could check in with the local healers and see if things like that have been reported. Might give us clues about who else has had memory wipes.
Anyone else have ideas about next steps? Gray might be right, and trying Thrune almost immediately could be our best approach. Dangerous, but less dangerous than waiting until Alana is recovered enough to strengthen all of the defenses probably. Either that or wait quite a while until they relax again.
I'm tired, personally, and I think we all need rest and healing. My suggestion for today is that we should probably invest in a healing wand before doing any other jobs.
If she will agree to come, then I would like to have her with us. Her information made that whole thing possible, so I feel like she isn't working against us.
Dice, what are you working on? Will you teach me how to read your notebook, since we're in this together?
I think that Sydney gave me a way to contact her, didn't she? I don't remember, sorry. If she did, I want to contact her and tell her what we learned with her help.
Ziera raises her glass at the toast, but afterward gives it to Gray and orders something non-alcoholic.
When they have eaten and are ready to get down to business in a private room, she asks Okay, then... what next? Should we try to get into Thrune immediately, or wait, hoping that they will eventually be off guard? Or to one of the places Dice knows?
Also, a little bit off topic from what to do next, but still on my mind... if Alana didn't know anything about the memory wipe, then who the crap has done this to us? That's the house that deserve arrows through the eye.
Ziera takes notes, and then tells Gray to take help if he needs it, and to dump her somewhere. She doesn't specify dead or alive, but she does tell him not to mutilate or destroy the body, as promised.
I am moving to Texas next week, and won't be able to post for sure Monday-Thursday, and it just depends on what is going on whether I will be able to post the rest of the week. Hopefully will be back up and normal on Monday the 29th latest, since I start my new job that day, so things have to be resolved at least that much.
Don't avoid questions Alana. Where is the real throne, and how do you get through the entrance? I shouldn't have to ask you these things... you should be volunteering *everything* I need to know, including the most valuable things in your house, and whether there is another vault besides the one where the contract is. All of it. Or, do you prefer the death I described?
Not sure how it would make any difference. The other one wore off, but the effect of the elixir is always that if you speak you must tell the truth. So, she can refuse to drink it, or remain silent as she wishes (and face the consequences), but if she drinks it voluntarily (allowing it to activate) and speaks, it has to be the truth.
In essence, we are threatening her and telling her that yes, we know that she can make the will saves to avoid speaking or blurting out the truth, but if she takes that route, we'll destroy her body so well that it will take a Wish spell to bring her back. The elixir is just there to prevent her pretending to talk and lying. She still has the option to not talk or not drink.
Ziera sighs and enters the room where they have Alana stashed.
Bluff:1d20 + 20 ⇒ (12) + 20 = 32
Princess. You are wasting my time. You have murdered someone close to each of us, and you don't deserve your life, but we are willing to let you go if you tell us how to solve our own personal dilemma.
Perception:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Ziera examines Alana very thoroughly to see if she has anything valuable on her. If so, she takes it. She then removes her outer garments, leaving her tied up and blindfolded in socks and her underdress.
She then asks Gray to join her.
Anyone else can join too. She just needs Gray to be convincing about actually being willing to kill her.
Intimidate:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30
It is very, very hard to resurrect someone if you dissolve the body with acid. It's also quite a long and painful way to die. You've sworn to hunt us down and kill us anyway, so we have nothing to lose.
Ha ha... I probably miss even though she is tied up with no armor. So, she tries until it works. Maybe even throws a couple of misses on purpose, because they could help the intimidation because she can hear them sizzling on the floor. She only actually hits her once or maybe twice.
So, here's the deal. You are going to voluntarily drink this elixir of truth, and you are going to answer all of our questions. If you don't, then my friend here will slit your throat and I will dissolve your body completely. Someone might be able to wish you back, and I'm sure your family has the resources for that. I just wonder if you are confident that they want you back that badly, and woudn't rather just take your place.
She then places an Elixir of Truth in Alana's hands, wondering if she will drink it or not and voluntarily answer.
So, I rolled bluff up front and also intimidate just now because overall it is a bluff... Ziera isn't really going to kill her or torture her to death. This part is intimidate though, because she will dissolve her body to nothing if someone else kills her, and she has no doubt that Gray is willing to do that. I mean, Ziera won't ask for that, but Gray *would* ... does that make sense why I rolled both?
--If she drinks it voluntarily, then Ziera says Okay, talk fast. Tell us how to access and find the contract and overcome the animagi.If this actually works, then Ziera will of course monitor her aura to make sure it is working, and then follow up with distraction questions about how much wealth is stored with the contract, then when there is no wealth there, with questions about how to rob the Thrune vault, etc.
--If she doesn't drink it, then Ziera asks Gray to dump her down a sewer grate or wherever else he thinks best.
She just gave us some cryptic crap about having to find the entrance and find how to open it because of the way the original question was worded. Apparently, the elixir doesn't compel true honesty... just another kind of deception, and you don't get to ask again a better way.
Holy Cats. She is cruel and selfish, but I don't really want to kill her either. She doesn't seem to have been involved in our memory wipe, which is very surprising to me. I thought Alana would surely be behind most of the evil things going on around here.
How did someone get access to all of the Animagi to plant the memories in them anyway? It seems like they went way, way out of their way to come after us... why us? None of this makes sense.
I am worried that they will find someone with a high enough level to cast one of those location spells that doesn't have a distance requirement. Drem, can you think of some immediate benefit she could be to us? Could we trade her to someone for information about the memory wipe?
If we can't use her soon, then perhaps we should just leave her tied up here, or down the nearest sewer entrance. After they locate and rescue her, she will try to kill us, but it isn't like we were ever counting on the goodwill of Thrune, and we already have to rely on disguises, since people are passing out our likenesses in the street. I don't see that it will change much for us.
Then she sits down and lays it all out for Drem, the memory loss and everything. She figures they are all in deep enough to destroy each other already, so why not.
What kind of help can you offer? I seem to remember that you weren't all that helpful last time, considering what you forced us to promise in return. We got the location of one contract, and one way in, with significant effort. The rest was just rumors and guesswork. ... I realize that you betrayed your own house. I get that. But we're trying to accomplish something bigger than that, and one contract is not even close to enough.
Ziera looks around the room at her team members, wondering if they should tell Drem their true goal. Was his help worth the risk?
More angered by Alana's silence than she was before, as well as being frustrated by the ethical conundrum of wanting her dead on one level but also wishing there were a way to save her, Marzela walks away from the blindfolded woman before she loses control.
I'm going to get Drem. I can't stand to be around the woman who murdered my father anymore.
Taking the usual precautions But let me know if you need me to explain them or roll for them in this case, Ziera leaves to get Dice Drem, telling him that they have fulfilled their part of the bargain.
When they arrive, she sends Drem in, and keeps watch outside, hoping that distance will salve her conscience.
Ziera shoots a wary glance at Edmund, and then Gray, at the mention of Zon-Kuthon. What?? she thinks, but says nothing on that subject, for this is not the time for idle talk.
She asks the questions they need answers to in a different way, hoping for more than silence, but she almost doesn't care. She understands Edmund's feeling, since this woman killed her father as well. They needed to get Drem before she gave into the urge to beat her for her cavalier attitude, placing politics before life.
Where is the secret entrance to get to the Thrune Contract?
Follow-up: Who knows where it is?
How do you open the secret entrance to get to the Thrune Contract?
Follow-up: Who knows how to open it?
Do you know the location of any other houses' contracts?
Follow-ups: Which houses?Where are they?Who knows where they are?Who else has the information that we seek about the locations of the contracts?
If she honestly doesn't know anything about the memory deal, then I don't think I have anything else for her except anger because she ordered the death of my father. So, if I can see the aura and I know she is affected by the spell, and she actually spoke, denying she knows anything, then I think that is a guarantee that she does not. The spell doesn't allow lying. Only silence if you refuse to talk of something. So, Thrune didn't do it to us, unless Alana wasn't aware, which seems unlikely. Anyone else have questions about personal vendettas? I'm personally ready to turn her over to Drem.
Ziera makes sure they secure everything that Alana was carrying, blindfolds her, and then pours an elixir of truth down her throat, makes sure that her aura is affected, and then immediately heals her back to wakefulness.
Alana Thrune, what do you know of an ability to take extended memories from people?
Lasts for 10 minutes, so we can ask what we want in that time. I also have more elixirs if we need them. Ask away.
I'm guessing she doesn't get an overall will save because we poured it down her throat while she was unconscious (?), but not sure. She does get a will save on each question to not be compelled to answer (DC 13 Will), but if she *does* say anything, it has to be the truth.
