Chapter 1: By the Pricking of my thumb....

[TheFred]

 

"Aha, our first prisoner!" Molgrug exclaims triumphantly, choosing not to dwell on the smashing of the whatever-it-was. "Well, not counting Gribbley and his vagrants, of course; I mean our first prisoners here, in this… house? It is, I suppose, a little better than a hovel."

Seeing that Creed looks about to crush the hapless servant, Molgrug turns to him urgently. "Oh, wait, don’t kill him yet, big guy, not until we’ve squeezed him for information!" he says, before looking slyly at the others. "Get it? “Squeezed” him for information, ha ha! As in, interrogated - but, also, Creed is squishing him!"

 

 

Statblock

 

 

[URL=https://test.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2794812][B]Molgrug[/B][/URL] [B]Senses:[/B] Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, [B]Init:[/B] +2 [B]HP:[/B] 9/9 [B]AC:[/B] 15, [B]Touch:[/B] 11, [B]Flat-footed:[/B] 13 [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison) [B]Spells:[/B] Command, Resurgence, [strike]Obscuring Mist[/strike], Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light [B]Special:[/B] None

Molgrug
Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, Init: +2
HP: 9/9
AC: 15, Touch: 11, Flat-footed: 13
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison)
Spells: Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist , Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light
Special: None

Edited September 13, 2023 by TheFred (see edit history)

[Enkhoffer]

 "All of us are getting it, jackal."

 

Brandisher stalks inside the house, past the broken vase and the terrified servant.

Ears piqued, he nears the staircase to the upper floor.

 

"It sounds like now is our moment to pay the two of them a visit, if their guards are gone and they are exhausted from fighting! This way!"

 

Quietly, but surely, he climbs the stairs with his sword held in front of him.

[Michael]

Brandisher head up the stairs. The first thing he notices is the body of a fat middle aged human lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. Clearly he's been stabbed to death.

 

Eastward (around a corner Brandisher has yet to look), he can hear a female voice chanting in a language he doesn't understand. The part of the room he can see has been painted in symbols and glyphs on wall floors and ceiling. There's a door to the west

[coreal]

Julien Male, Medium Outsider (Tanar'ri, Extraplanar, Evil, Chaotic), Incubus, Sorcerer 1

HP: 9/9 | AC/Touch/FF: 14/13/11 | Str/Dex/Con/Int/Wis/Cha: +2/+3/+1/+1/+0/+6 | F/R/W: +3/+5/+2 | Speed: 30ft

---

Julien moves on in, following after Brandisher at least halfway up the stairs to get a view of what's going on up there. "Anything up there?" he calls out as he closes the distance a bit. Then as he draws closer, "What is that dreadful noise?"

 

[Polyphemus]

Kerapsis|Female, Medium Outsider (Tanar'ri, Extraplanar, Evil, Chaotic), Vrock, Cleric 1

HP: 11/11 | AC/Touch/FF: 16/12/14 | Str/Dex/Con/Int/Wis/Cha: +4/+2/+3/+0/+3/+0 | F/R/W: +5/+4/+5 | Speed: 30ft | Spells Active: 

---

Kerapsis follows Brandisher and Julien upstairs. She dips a clawed finger in the dead man's blood, examining it.

"It looks like this witch may be expecting us." She cautiously readies herself, but smiles in anticipation of more bloodshed.

Actions

 

[TheFred]

 

"Hey, hey, wait a moment!" Molgrug hisses. "We haven't finished interrogating the butler yet!"

Leaving the servant to Creed's mercy, Molgrug trails after those heading upstairs. "I still had a few questions for him," he complains. "Just basic stuff: layout of the house; interpersonal relationships; local brewing and distilling facilities; regional geopolitics... that sort of... hmm. Well, this looks interesting."

He eyes the dead body and, then, seeing where the others are looking, the strange glyphs and symbols.

 

 

OoC

Molgrug can of course use his superior knowledge of all things magical to attempt to identify (anything useful about) the glyphs, chanting, or both. I won't try a Detect Magic just yet - perhaps he can glean something just from looking and listening.

Statblock

 

 

[URL=https://test.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2794812][B]Molgrug[/B][/URL] [B]Senses:[/B] Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, [B]Init:[/B] +2 [B]HP:[/B] 9/9 [B]AC:[/B] 15, [B]Touch:[/B] 11, [B]Flat-footed:[/B] 13 [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison) [B]Spells:[/B] Command, Resurgence, [strike]Obscuring Mist[/strike], Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light [B]Special:[/B] None

Molgrug
Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, Init: +2
HP: 9/9
AC: 15, Touch: 11, Flat-footed: 13
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison)
Spells: Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist , Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light
Special: None

Edited September 15, 2023 by TheFred (see edit history)

[Enkhoffer]

 Nostrils flaring, listening and watching, Brandisher rounds the corner in the direction of the chanting voice.

[Ryfte]

DESCRIPTION Kaida was once a powerful and beautiful creature. She had sweeping wings, full and strong, and glorious horns! Her body was a powerful killing machine through which poisonous toxins flowed to strike down her enemies with. Her body had been strong and hardy, capable of going toe to toe with devils of much higher ranks than she.

Now she is but a pale echo of what she once was.

She was never a hulking creature and that is still true. Not even reaching two feet in height she is as tiny as ever. Her wings are small, much less muscle supporting their frame, and her tail, as long and sinuous as ever, was tipped by a stinger that was coated in what should have been a vibrantly colored sap-like toxin. Instead it was dull, and watery, quite weak indeed.

Her choice of color is always black and gray when given the option. Sometimes she'll stray from the more "bland" colors to exceedingly dark blues and purples but she does so very rarely. Clothing with folds and hidden pouches or pockets for concealed weapons are always of interest to her and she is rarely without a hooded vest.| APPLICATION | SHEETKaida Reombath Attor
Female, Tiny Outsider (Baatezu, Extraplanar, Evil, Lawful), Imp, Swordsage 1

---

AC/TAC/FFAC: 16/15/12 HP: 10/10 S/D/C/I/W/C: 0/+4/+3/+1/+3/+0 F/R/W: +5/+6/+5 Move: 20' Init: +5
See in Darkness (Su)Kaida, like other devils, can see perfectly in any form of darkness as if it were full daylight.; Tail StingMelee Attack, 10' Reach, 1d4+StrMod, 20/x2

Poison
Fort save DC 16
Dexterity 1 (primary) / Dexterity 1 (secondary) MA +3, 1d4+Poison (20/x2); Concealment 20% vs. Ranged and Melee
Balance +8, Escape Artist +10, Hide +16, Listen +7, Move Silently +8, Search +5, Spot +7, Survival +7, Tumble +8
Maneuvers: Burning Blade (DW), Counter Charge (SS), Mighty Throw (SS), Shadow Blade Tech. (SH)Shadow Hand Strike 1; Supernatural
Standard action melee attack vs. 1 target

You create a mystical double of your attack and roll two d20's for your attack vs. the target. Select the roll you want to use. If its the higher one its a normal attack. If you use the lower attack (or if both rolls are the same result) and the attack hits then you deal an extra 1d6 points of cold damage as both strikes hit., Child of Shadow (SH, Stance)Shadow Hand 1 Stance; Supernatural

If you move at least 10' during your turn you gain concealment against all melee and ranged attacks until the start of your next turn as well as the standard benefits of concealment. This cannot be used to hide in any form, you still need some other terrain feature that would normally allow you to use the Hide skill.

---

Kaida followed the others quietly and grins at the predicament of the servant. "Tie them up or knock them out if you're done with them. Let's move, quickly." She whispered before she moved up the stairway after those who'd already ascended. It seemed a bit early, without really checking the floor below thoroughly but it did appear that something was already transpiring above anyways.

OoC   Summary: Moved on the map, next to Brandisher. Full Round: --- Move: --- Standard: --- Swift: --- Immediate: --- 5' Step: ---   Current Effects: Concealment 20% from all ranged and melee attacks; Child of Shadows Stance

 

[Michael]

The group, Creed's latest blood sausage included, head up the stairs and around the corner.

The dead human to the south is wearing noble style clothes, it occurs to at least a few in the group this may be the apparently late Mayor Huntsbridge. To the east, 2 very nervous looking town guards, wearing the same livery as those you vanquished in the forest recently, stand clearly unsure as to whether this is a fight or a flight situation.

Sitting in a magic circle, and the source of the incomprehensible chanting, sits a flame haired gnomish woman wearing a gown elaborately brocaded in red and blue patterns.

She ceases her chanting as you arrive and says simply

Took you long enough. I could say more but find questions can reveal as much as answers, so ask yours.

[TheFred]

"Ah, you must be this so-called "witch"!" Molgrug exclaims, ignoring the guards completely. "Questions, you say? Very wise of you. Although, whether the question reveals more or less than the answer rather depends on the question, wouldn't you say? And, I suppose, the answer."

He scratches his head. "I can recall a time, for example, when my boss asked me -- that is, not my current boss; why, I'm not even sure that I have a boss now, though I suppose technically I do, just on another plane of existence and apparently entirely unable to communicate with me! Well, anyway, he asked me: "Molgrug! Have you finished auditing the 25-B requisition forms yet?". Now, what does that question reveal? Well, um, it reveals that he wanted to know if I had finished auditing the 25-B requisition forms! Also, I suppose, that there were 25-B requisition forms that needed to be audited - but I already knew that! After all -- I was auditing them, ha, ha."

He frowns at the humanoid, who appears smaller than most of the others. "You understand my point I assume?

"You know, I'm not sure that I ever did finish auditing those. You see, the 25-B requisition form must be countersigned by an appropriately senior fiend who holds the relevant certifications, and indeed that's one of the things that the audit checks - why, that's why we have an audit! We can't have non-countersigned 25-B requisition forms being processed as if they were countersigned! Ha! So, um, well, naturally, you might assume that those forms were simply rejected... but actually they were resubmitted before the end of the next accounting period, and what I can't remember is whether these were the Second Battalion supply forms or the ones for the Tanners and Leatherworkers Oversight Committee..."

Statblock

 

 

[URL=https://test.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2794812][B]Molgrug[/B][/URL] [B]Senses:[/B] Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, [B]Init:[/B] +2 [B]HP:[/B] 9/9 [B]AC:[/B] 15, [B]Touch:[/B] 11, [B]Flat-footed:[/B] 13 [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison) [B]Spells:[/B] Command, Resurgence, [strike]Obscuring Mist[/strike], Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light [B]Special:[/B] None

Molgrug
Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, Init: +2
HP: 9/9
AC: 15, Touch: 11, Flat-footed: 13
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison)
Spells: Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist , Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light
Special: None

[Michael]

The woman blinks her eyesa few times, trying, unsuccessfully, to understand any of the jargon pouring forth from Molgrug's mouth. She interjects into his endless monologue with some exasperation

 

Is there's someone else I can talk to, someone that actually has a question?

 

[Enkhoffer]

 "I personally did not come here for answers, in fact - I came for your blood."

 

Lowering his blade slightly, Brandisher speaks calmly to this Gnome witch as he takes in the scene.

 

"That said, what is it you're doing here?"

 

He points around the circle and the butchered mayor with his sword tip.

[TheFred]

Molgrug rolls his eyes at Brandisher's melodrama.

"Now, um, just hang on a moment," he says. "I do actually have questions! I suspect all of us do, in fact... and I rather hope the answers will reveal more than they do. Indeed, I already know what my questions will be, so they can hardly be expected to reveal very much to me, can they?"

He looks pointedly at the miniature witch, as if having scored a valuable point.

"But, now, well, it doesn't really make sense, I don't think, to just go around asking questions, um, willy-nilly. For your sake as well as ours I think we should categorise our questions according to general theme, then tackle each group at once. For example.... well, questions pertaining to yourself and your identity. My good companion's query can be included here. Then we could move onto questions regarding the local environs, their geography, and inhabitants, such as "What are the major landmarks around here?" or "What is the population of this backwater?". We should probably get them out of the way, in a manner of speaking -- ah, not to diminish their importance, of course -- before progressing to more esoteric inquiries, perhaps those concerned with the arcane or the theological?"

Statblock

 

 

[URL=https://test.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2794812][B]Molgrug[/B][/URL] [B]Senses:[/B] Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, [B]Init:[/B] +2 [B]HP:[/B] 9/9 [B]AC:[/B] 15, [B]Touch:[/B] 11, [B]Flat-footed:[/B] 13 [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison) [B]Spells:[/B] Command, Resurgence, [strike]Obscuring Mist[/strike], Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light [B]Special:[/B] None

Molgrug
Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, Init: +2
HP: 9/9
AC: 15, Touch: 11, Flat-footed: 13
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison)
Spells: Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist , Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light
Special: None

[Michael]

I had nothing to do with the attack on you, that was all his idea

responds the woman to Brandisher, pointedly ignoring Molgrug's endless stream of consciousness diatribe. She also points to the corpse when she says "his".

My plan was to contact you and see if we could come to some mutually beneficial agreement concerning a few things I need, in return for a few things you need. In the spirit of "good faith", let me explain what I need is some people in Sharn eliminated. My scrying has been...problematic...so I am not entirely sure as to your needs, but I have some connections in this part of the world, and should be able to help with them.

[Polyphemus]

Kerapsis|Female, Medium Outsider (Tanar'ri, Extraplanar, Evil, Chaotic), Vrock, Cleric 1

HP: 11/11 | AC/Touch/FF: 16/12/14 | Str/Dex/Con/Int/Wis/Cha: +4/+2/+3/+0/+3/+0 | F/R/W: +5/+4/+5 | Speed: 30ft | Spells Active: 

---

Kerapsis was looking forward to a fight, but perhaps they could do with having a more capable ally.

"Well, we could use some better equipment, spellbook access for the furry one... and any leads on 'ethical meat'."

She looks to her fellow fiends to gage what they're thinking about the witch's offer.

Actions