To the guards:
"Why no, I've never heard of it. How do you play?" [whether or not he has]
To Kornelius:
"Well, I don't see why not, if you are sure it won't interfere with our duties, I would be glad to cross lances again."
Kornelius smiles in delight.
"I'll arrange a time."
"I will look forward to it, Manny."
She scratches at the back of her head as she looks out of the window. "Well one things for certain that was the entrance and/or exit of someone involved in this, someone who dropped a straw doll that may be a partly finished creation of a priest of Erastil. Such a death doesn't fit with the tenants of Erastil however so either the priest is a little unorthadox, someone took this from the priest for themselves and dropped it or someone is trying to possibly frame the priest in all of this"
"Then there's the table, why was it moved? I'd understand if it had been moved the other way, to cover the stain. Didi anyone else come in here to investigate? Could they have moved the table? Or.." She gives a small weak smile and shakes her head "I'm sorry I could go on for hours with hypotheticals but none of this is going to help is it? Have either of you spotted anything else?"
Yin:
"My dear child, I think you have gleaned as much from this room as anyone could. There are things missing -- wine jug and tankard, to be sure -- but as I suggested to Falcon, concentrate on what is here. Someone came or left through the window, possibly leaving an unfinished doll behind. The paralytic was not ingested, as you have noticed yourself, but on his fingers. Wine was spilt. A fully dressed man was found lying on top of a bed. A poisoned dagger was stabbed with great precision into the chest of a trained fighting man without any indication of a struggle. The window was used as either an entrance, an exit, or both. I think we have seen as much as there is to be seen in this room," says the priest, "Where to next?".
From outside, you hear the sound of guards explaining the rules of a game of chance to Manfred.
To the guards:
"Why no, I've never heard of it. How do you play?" [whether or not he has]
Manfred:
For DM:
Sarpis seems a bit suspicious of this claim but he doesn't press it. After a bit of small talk he starts a rather odd line of inquiry asking how many dwarves and how long it would take to dig a shaft straight down through the rock the keep is built on without making any noise doing so.
"Aye, yuh be meanin' an escape tunnel," Orlan surmises, "I'd have ta take some measures ta be knowin' the proper length such a tunnel would need. Only then could I say how long it'd take a band o' Hammerfoe dwarves ta finish the task."
"As fer doin' it quietly," he rubs his beard, "That be seemin' a somewhat odd request. But I reckon yuh wouldn't be wantin' just anyone ta know about such a route out o' the keep. A priest o' Torag with the proper blessin's could lend a hand with the early diggin' ta make sure no one would hear it...and also ta soften the rock fer easier goin' and quieter handlin'. Then, once the diggers expanded the tunnel far enough inta the bedrock, a simple capstone should sound-proof the rest o' their efforts followin' that."
"It could be done," he finishes, "Why? Yuh be interested in hirin' some o' me lads fer such a task?"
For DM:
"Aye, yuh be meanin' an escape tunnel," Orlan surmises, "I'd have ta take some measures ta be knowin' the proper length such a tunnel would need. Only then could I say how long it'd take a band o' Hammerfoe dwarves ta finish the task."
"As fer doin' it quietly," he rubs his beard, "That be seemin' a somewhat odd request. But I reckon yuh wouldn't be wantin' just anyone ta know about such a route out o' the keep. A priest o' Torag with the proper blessin's could lend a hand with the early diggin' ta make sure no one would hear it...and also ta soften the rock fer easier goin' and quieter handlin'. Then, once the diggers expanded the tunnel far enough inta the bedrock, a simple capstone should sound-proof the rest o' their efforts followin' that."
"It could be done," he finishes, "Why? Yuh be interested in hirin' some o' me lads fer such a task?"
For DM:
"Yes ... an escape route. Just curiousity really. I'd say about 10' in diameter and about 40' down ... But, never thee mind, it is just idle curiousity on my part. We can discuss this again another time. Now," Sarpis says getting up to leave, "... if you'll excuse me, I have to visit the local merchants and pay off the debts of the deceased from the proceeds of the auction. I will be sure to tell them about our new member. Feel free to rest here, as a member of the guild."
"Yuh have my thanks, Master Sarpis. Yuh're most generous," Orlan magnimously accepts, "I may have a bit o' shoppin' with the local merchants ta do on me own, o'course. With so many o' muh clan returned ta the Spires, we'll be needin' a lot more supplies, tools, an' things. I'll wait until yuh're able to mention muh name ta them in the hopes some o' them might be willin' ta lower their prices ta win muh business." Then he adds with a wink, "Yuh might be encouragin' 'em ta do that fer me if yuh're o' a mind ta be even more generous."
For the card game,
Bluff checks(+3 untrained):
Bluff rolls: (1d20+3=6, 1d20+3=5, 1d20+3=11)
Diplomacy Checks (+3 untrained):
Diplomacy rolls: (1d20+3=9, 1d20+3=15, 1d20+3=19)
For DM:
** spoiler omitted **
For the card game,
Bluff checks(+3 untrained):
Bluff rolls: (1d20+3=6, 1d20+3=5, 1d20+3=11)Diplomacy Checks (+3 untrained):
Diplomacy rolls: (1d20+3=9, 1d20+3=15, 1d20+3=19)
Manfred:
As Manfred loses more and more coin, the soldiers become less and less on guard around him.
At first, they talk about Badder. They are under the impression that the correct emotion to feel is 'sadness' but it seems more of an abstract observation then a felt emotion.
In time, they start discussing his strengths and weaknesses as a captain. They also discuss the events at the spire, never suspecting Manny witnessed them: "Bad bit o' business that. Wasn't by no means Kerrigan's order. Burp was sayin' he heard Badder get briefed and there was no mention of an elf."
By the third round of cards at which point, Manny is down 3 gold sails, they turn their talk to Badder's newfound religious beliefs: "Strange to be seein' him with the priest night by night instead of in his cups where he ought want to be. Never did I thought Badder 'd be one for takin' the hunter's path."
** spoiler omitted **
Yin:
The priest makes his excuses as he has to return to the chapel and make some preparations for a service for the deceased.
Falcon leads the way over to the inn and gets directed by Larjen up to room where the priest of Erastil is said to be staying but the knock is not answered.
Yin:
"I couldn't possibly. I've been entrusted with the protection of law and order in this Keep," Falcon says, reaching down and pulling the door latch so hard it splinters a bit and opens. "I couldn't possibly ... but you could. I'll stand out here."
The room contains a small table with chair, a straw mat, some pegs for clothes, and a chest beside the straw mat.
A window exits from here and onto a street behind the inn.
** spoiler omitted **
Yin:
No one appears to be in the room.
Yin sees upon the table a leather saddlebag and a vial of ink and a quill. Several pieces of paper are scattered over the desk.
The chest is locked.
The covering of the straw mat is torn and some of the stuffing has been pulled out.
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
Yin:
Yin recognizes the writing as being infernal, which shares some roots with draconic. The message also has a spattering of other writing systems in it, particularly for names of places and people. She is able to make out the following from a long stream of words: 'Rellios,' 'Dell Granger,' a date two weeks from now, and what appears to be a place name -- 'The Sarcastic Bard.'
Yin:
Falcon looks at Yin with concern: "Shhh ... someone just went into the room two down. But ... I thought that room was empty. He seemed nervous when he saw me..."
Before Falcon is finished speaking, Yin hears a scuff behind her. She turns just in time to see a man reach in from the window ledge to grab the saddlebag and then disappear again.
... if need be.
** spoiler omitted **
Yin:
As Yin climbs out the window she hears Falcon yell something after her. All she catches are "Yin .... danger ... stop .... trained killer." Perhaps he said, "YIN, don't worry about any possible DANGER. You have to STOP the TRAINED KILLER." Anyway, no time to speculate.
Throwing caution to the wind, Yin falls down the wall and ends up in a puddle of grease on top of the man she's chasing. He scrambles up from the puddle and begins to slip, slide away.
Sir Manfred continues to play cards and conversing with the guards:
Bluff (+3 Untrained)
Bluff Checks: (1d20+3=23, 1d20+3=12, 1d20+3=10)
Diplomacy (+3 Untrained)
Diplomacy Checks: (1d20+3=9, 1d20+3=20, 1d20+3=15)
Listen:
Listen Check: (1d20-1=19)
Sir Manfred looks up and says, "Did anyone hear that?"
The man ignores Yin's request to stop and fairly flies out of the back alley and into the crowded marketplace.
Yin, giving chase, almost bumps into Orlan who is carrying a load of goods purchased for the Keep. As she races by, Orlan wonders 'In Torag's name, what trouble has the girl gotten herself into now.' As Falcon races out of the alley after her, Orlan thinks 'The local law after her too. Hope she doesn't make us unwelcome in the Keep.
Manfred's attempts to get more information continue to be successful and only at the cost of 4.5 gp. He finds out that Captain Badder went immediately to the tavern after they returned from the spires waiting for someone -- the guards assume it was the priest he'd become friends with -- but that someone never showed. He came back, went to his room, and woke up dead. Some of the guards are suspicious but this lot tends to think more like criminals than guards.
Manfred hears a familiar voice and looks out to see Yin running out of an alley with Falcon Warchild on her heels.0
When Yin comes out of the alley, she finds the market still fairly crowded. Even without the added excitement of the auction, market day is the most crowded day at the Keep.
Seeing Yin running outside, Sir Manfred grabs what cash he has left and runs outside, looking around for Yin.
Yin utters a shoanti curse word as the man doesn't stop and heads straight into the crowded marketplace. Carrying onwards she tries her hardest to not lose sight of him.
Yin, giving chase, almost bumps into Orlan who is carrying a load of goods purchased for the Keep. As she races by, Orlan wonders 'In Torag's name, what trouble has the girl gotten herself into now.' As Falcon races out of the alley after her, Orlan thinks 'The local law after her too. Hope she doesn't make us unwelcome in the Keep.
Yin, giving chase, almost bumps into Orlan who is carrying a load of goods purchased for the Keep. As she races by, Orlan wonders 'In Torag's name, what trouble has the girl gotten herself into now.' As Falcon races out of the alley after her, Orlan thinks 'The local law after her too. Hope she doesn't make us unwelcome in the Keep.
Lord Orlan shouts out a command to the strangely fleeing priest as he sees that it is he that Yin and Falcon are chasing. The priest halts, but only for a moment. That moment is enough though. Yin, Falcon, Manfred, and Lord Orlan all get a look at him.
Falcon and Yin begin to push their way through the crowd toward him. Manfred makes for the stairs as quickly as possible. Orlan wonders whether he can trust the denizens of this keep with a pile of unguarded purchases.
The priest turns to flee again.
Trying her best to keep up with the priest Yin looks around her surroundings and using her mage hand shifts small items, hoping to get them under the fleeing man's feet totrip him.
Trying her best to keep up with the priest Yin looks around her surroundings and using her mage hand shifts small items, hoping to get them under the fleeing man's feet totrip him.
As Yin uses her magic to throw goods from the marketplace into the strange priest's path, he is forced to slow to avoid them. This gives Falcon and Yin a chance to gain ground. Manfred exits the tower and sees Falcon and Yin closing in on the man. Lord Orlan is also aware.
Although no one has drawn a weapon on him yet, the priest knows he is likely to be caught. He smiles at Yin, pulls a dagger from his belt and stabs a random passerby. She falls to the ground bleeding from the dagger in the side.
He then continues to run towards the stables.
"You.." Yin cuts herself off before swearing a lot in a very public place. Knowing she's not a healer she turns to Falcon as she heads onwards "Can you get some help for her? I'll try to keep up with him" She tells her fellow shoanti before continuing onwards. Holding onto the amulet around her neck she utters another spell and creates a patch of grease under the fleeing 'priest's' feet.
"There won't be time," says Falcon, "She's dying!"
The surprisingly agile priest slips on the grease patch. The crowd has moved back. Yin, Falcon, Orlan, and Manfred now can surround him.
"There won't be time," says Falcon, "She's dying!"
Upon witnessing the cowardly priest stab the unfortunate woman, Orlan leaves the chasing to those with longer legs. Instead, he stoops down next to the woman and offers what aid he can from Torag.
With Falcon, Yin, Manfred, and Orlan all there, the strange priest is surrounded.
Falcon inches closer as he says very calmly, "Drop the dagger. We want to talk. You could still get out of here alive."
"Please, stop." Yin tells the priest as she edges closer "I have used up all of my spells that do not involve fire and I just want to talk and not burn you.."
Sir Manfred hold his action, ready to grapple the man if he tries to run.
The false priest whispers a hateful sounding utterance in a language the learning of which would corrupt young Manfred. Manfred remembers for a moment the fear he felt when faced by the bat-winged creep. Oh no! It's happening again.