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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Races of Varisia

From the reclusive elves of the Mierani Forest to the orc-blooded interlopers from the Hold of Belkzen to the Varisian wanderers from whom the region takes its name, diversity and conflict characterize the varied cultures that make Varisia their home. Height and Weight Although the races of Golarion are fundamentally the same as those presented in D&D, there are some slight differences in height and weight. Most notably, those of elven blood are taller in Golarion, and the fey-kindred gnomes are lighter. The details of all races are presented  online  for ease of reference. Humans Three distinct human societies dwell in Varisia: the expansionist colonists of Cheliax, the tempestuous tribes of the Shoanti barbarians, and the enigmatic Varisians. Chelaxians: Beyond the Mindspin Mountains and far to the south lies the cosmopolitan heresy of Cheliax. Once an empire of unquestioned might, the death of the empire's god Aroden allowed the rise of a diabolical aristocracy
Read more

Undead Lords

For every type of undead, there exists an undead lord, a being of great power that commands the lesser of its kind. They are powerful creatures that inspire awe and fear in those they rule. Undead lords constantly project an aura that functions as a permanent desecrate spell. In addition, channeling energy is harder. Undead lords ignore damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly. They can take normal damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. Magic weapons can damage undead lords normally. Undead lords are extremely dangerous opponents. They are stronger, tougher, and more intelligent than the ones they command. As such, they are rarely encountered by chance (and rarely encountered alone). Most maintain a lair far away from civilization where they plot and plan, sending their minions on missions to further their goals. Undead lords are less easily a
Read more

Dog, Riding

Image
Riding dogs s are animals. An animal is a living, nonhuman creature, usually a vertebrate with no magical abilities and no innate capacity for language or culture. Animals have low-light vision. Animals breathe, eat, and sleep. Larger dogs (known to Small races like halflings and gnomes as riding dogs) include hardier breeds such as huskies, mastiffs, and wolfhouds. A riding dog can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he is a skilled rider. Riding dogs can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Riding dogs can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights. Riding dogs can detect opponents by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases; if downwind, it drops. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at longer range. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at even longer range. When a rid
Read more