Chasing the Skinsaw, Part 2 (Thuesday-Saturday, Neth (XI) 14-16, 4707 AR)

The heroes spent a few more days exploring Magnimar before exploring AldernFoxglove's townhome. Magnimar's sprawling slate rooftops and marble avenues stretched from the foundations of the Irespan - a ruined stone bridge of impossible size - to beyond the western banks of the Yondabakari River. A sheer cliff, the Seacleft, cut through the city's heart, dividing Magnimar into its two major sections: the Summit, upon the cliff's top, and the Shore, below.

The second largest city in Varisia, Magnimar waged an open war of coins and lies with Korvosa to the east. Both city-states vied for control over vassal communities, natural resources, and trade with the cosmopolitan south. In its constant striving to outdo and exceed Korvosa, Magnimar had opened its gates and harbor to all comers, encouraging traders from many lands to discover the wonders of Varisia away from the excessive taxes and regulations of Korvosa, yet in greater safety than was offered by pirate havens like Riddleport.

Today, more than 16,000 people made their homes in Magnimar, with the majority of that populace consisting of humans of Chelish descent - although an increasing number had Varisian blood. Shoanti were often though of as little more than brutes, and weren't often trusted. Magnimar also hosted a second transient population: thousands of regular traders from far-flung nations. Many of these merchants, emissaries, and adventurers had homes that they resided in while passing through but that otherwise remained empty.

Foxglove Townhouse

Aldern Foxglove's townhouse was the logical first stop in town for heroes seeking more clues about the brotherhood mentioned in the letter. The townhouse was located in the Grand Arch District, not far from Starsilver Plaza. It hadn't been lived in for months, although Aldern still owned the property. The heroes had Aldern's key, and the design on its head gave them the clue they needed to discover a hidden cache that Foxglove used to store personal oddments.

The building itself was three stories tall. Boards had been nailed over the windows on the ground floor. The back door was boarded over, but the front door was only locked. No one questioned the heroes who entered the house using a key.

Two faceless stalkers, swamp dwelling abberations capable of assuming humanoid form, had prepared an ambush. The two creatures took the shapes of Aldern Foxglove and Iesha. Both bid their time on the ground floor, but once they realized their "home" had visitors, they called out to the heroes and tracked them down, apparently eager to treat their guests to a home-cooked meal in the kitchen. Of course, this was a ruse. Once they were ready, the monsters assumed their true forms and attacked.

The faceless stalkers attempted to keep one foe flanked at all times, fighting near walls when possible to prevent the same happening to them. The faceless stalkers fought until one was killed, whereupon the other attempted to flee, unsuccessfully.

A secret cache was hidden in the fireplace mantel on the third floor. This mantel was decorated with two roaring lion heads at either end; the heroes had found Aldern's key ring in Foxglove Manor, and the lions matched the one on the mysterious bronze key. Shalelu revealed a tiny keyhole deep in the back of the lion's throat.

The hidden cache in the master bedroom contained a bag of 200 pp along with a shallow wooden case containing a number of legal papers pertaining to the townhouse, as well as the deed to Foxglove Manor. The deed indicated that the Foxglove family only financed two-thirds of the manor's construction 80 years ago; the remainder was financed by a group called the Brothers of the Seven. The deed also bore an unusual clause near the end that indicated that after 100 years, ownership of Foxglove Manor and the lands within a mile "around and below" reverted to the Brothers.


Under the case was a thin ledger - the majority of the entries were mundane, but several near the end caught the heroes' attention. There were nearly a dozen entries from over the past 3 months labeled as "Iesha's trip to Absalom", each indicating Foxglove was paying someone referred to as "B-7" 200 gp for her trip, dropping off the payment every Oathday at midnight at a place called "the Seven's Sawmill". The heroes revealed the location of this sawmill.

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