Investigations

January 9, 2019

The group discusses their options. They do have a potential way into the Chateau and where Arakus was staying.  They also have Paine, some suspicions about Gina, wanting to question Olin, and some follow up questions with others.  They go to Paine's house but no one answers.  They look around and consider breaking in but the only way to get into the locked door is Knock, which is quite loud and would be heard by everyone in the marketplace.  They ask a few people passing by but no one knows Paine, so there is little they can do.  

They go to Winston's apothecary and talk to an apprentice there, Sophia.  Sophia finishes selling Mrs. Stein some white powder in a silver snuff box.  Mrs. Stein immediately uses a silver scoop, affixed to her finger as a long nail, to take some and says she feels much better.  Hang buys some of that but doesn't try it.  They show Sophia the slime they got and Sophia thinks it's common slime like they get from their neighbor.  They ask about other types of slime and Sophia does talk about it at length, including wanting giant slugs or flail snails.  The group starts to inquire about this and other ingredients the apothecary wants until Jinn realizes it's gathering work and has no interest.  The group tries to get an audience with Winston himself, as he is the one mentioned in the notes, but it doesn't work and gets Sophia in trouble, so they drop it.  

They go to another house that is marked on the map they got but don't know what it is.  It's a residence that is unlocked.  There is magical stuff and no protections.  Hang does pick up some items and was going to keep them but several noticed and called her out on that.  The only thing locked are the doors down to the cellars, which they don't try and enter.  They ask some of the guards practicing, via Message, who lives here and if they can get inside and the guard tells them it's Garick Honestone, the barber to the nobles and the Duke.  They understand some of the things they found in the house and decide there is nothing else to learn.  

Walking across the field to the jail, the group tries to interrogate Gina, who seems willing to go along and answers their questions.  They were suspicious at the timing of leaving the jail and getting ambushed at "Bando's" house.  However, it turns out that within fifteen minutes of leaving, Gina had to deal with several farmers' fighting over sheep and land and had to hold all of them in the jail until a ruling could be made.  Dorn accepts these answer.  Meanwhile, Tyrel was taught a lesson in trusting a pretty face, as Sami distracts him and then borrows his coin purse.  

They go to Olin's but Olin's servant dismisses them saying Olin isn't seeing anyone today.  

They go to Commander Miller's early and receive disappointment.  Commander Miller thinks they haven't shown enough progress to keep them officially.  She warns them it's going to be a longer issue and would appreciate if they keep looking into it.  She can back them if they find something but not officially anymore, and so takes back the badges of the militia from them.  Dorn's disappointment with his former commander shows on his face.  Further, Miller informs them that Olin is a friend of the Duke and can't authorize them talking to Olin if he doesn't want to talk to them.  

They leave and decide to talk to the Sorceller's Encapsulate.  They meet Gregorivych, a quite boisterous wizard, and ask for his help.  They choke on his asking price of a hundred gold!  Jinn charms him with a spell and while Gergorivych realizes what happens, he's fine with it and decides to help them.  They go to Bando's and get pulled into the trap, which is still active.  Gregorivych loves it!  They check the summoning circles in the basement and can see them being made but only by a shadow that changes and is tough to nail down on anything other than being humanoid.  Gregorivych dispels the trap, so no one else will be hurt or surprised by it.  They bring up the burnt out house and Gergorivych loves the idea of going there.  When they had walked through the still open marketplace, he had attracted followers but thinks it might be best to lose them, so teleports the group to Uilken's house.  

They go into the basement and impress Gergorivych again.  He casts his reveal spell and they see Arakus himself drawing the circle here and working its summoning magic.  The spell reveals to Jinn that Arakus did indeed create and pen the spells and notes in the spellbook he received.  Jinn points that out to the others, who see the same when looking at it.  Hang pulls out a book she received and the group looks over at her as she does this.  They start to see a vision of an altar made from ice.  A coldly beautiful woman is writing in it but looks up at them and says, "no."  The spell ends.  Gregorivych gasps.  

"How did she-, what was tha-," and stammers a bit.  "Why did you not tell me that was penned by your patron before showing it to us with this spell?  I do not wish to invoke her wrath!  Indeed, please respectfully ask that she stay away from Daggerford for as long as she can."  

Hang nods to recognize the request as the others stare.  

"Well, I think I will take this time to take my leave!  I didn't know how much fun this would be and am glad you charmed me into coming," he says, glancing at Jinn with a wide smile on his face.  "Please, come again if you have something as interesting, but no holy works again," he amends, looking to Hang, "I do ask that."  

The group goes back to the Lady Luck tavern for a bit before going back to their rooms to discuss options.  

300 xp

GM Notes

• I'm not sure what authority the group thought they had and I wonder if I was not clear enough. 
• They kept wanting to break into houses and question people. 
• They kept wanting to confiscate items. 
• I think it's also a question of definitions and differences between our expectations of a medieval fantasy world.  We are figuring it out and hopefully enjoying the process!  I am!
• Once again, I probably waited too long to write this up.  I'm still not used to Wednesday night gaming! 
• Yep, forgot the apothecary, so added a bit of that.  I'm sure I'm still forgetting more 
• I did enjoy playing Gregorivych.  He was a lot of fun.  
• I don't think I did Commander Miller justice or the situation.  I think it hurt the friendship they had started with her dismissing their help. 
• I think they are curious about other townsfolk but also aren't sure how to get information on them, especially with Olin who has political power
• At the end, we had a bit of metagaming back and forth on going to the Chateau.  I tell them they could do it and not to think in terms of levels, so we will (hopefully, probably) start with them going there next time. 

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