A Cultural Tour Gone Wrong [IC]

[Pyrophilios]

"Alright. Attenborough seems to be a good starting point to unravel this. Let's buy some new clothes for Katrina, apply that wonderous make-up again and hit the streets to get some answers."
Wendelstein told this companions.

[Lentrax]

"Well... Yes," the woman answers. "If you're offering, we want to find her as soon as we can and make sure she's safe. While her family isn't liable to start a war, the disappearance and, gods forbid, possible death of their daughter might not be something they can ignore."

Right then. Kyra shifts her spear to her other hand so she can hold out the arm not strapped to a shield out.

Kyra of Keliposos, Paladin of Tyche. Where do you need me?

[Riggdgames]

Nilvalor

"Damn you Nilvalor, but you are annoying. But then, I guess, being unpleasant is the best way to get people to leave quickly. So, well done.

"We can't all be as charming as you are, Wendelsmith," Nilvalor says, his voice dripping heavily with sarcasm. "Perhaps next time you can just pick a fight with him openly and save us all a few words and our freedom." Nilvalor stands aside, carefully trying not to provoke the much larger man, but stewing in his own anger nonetheless.

"My divinations weren't very conclusive, but at least I learned, that some of the watchmen are tainted. So whoever is behind this, they have access to the watch - and if its another case of drugging them instead of simple bribery, there must have been some form of contact.
We should probably take a look at this Sergeant Attenborough next. I have a lesser divination for that.
Give me 10 minutes."

"Alright. Attenborough seems to be a good starting point to unravel this. Let's buy some new clothes for Katrina, apply that wonderous make-up again and hit the streets to get some answers."

Taking in all the new information and satisfied the guards are truly gone, Nilvalor dispels his illusion and gazes once more at the princess. "Highness? What are your thoughts?" Nilvalor asks, trying to regain his royal composure. "I'm loath to put you in any more danger than you already are."

Spoiler: OOC

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Katrina can use Nilvalor's disguise kit. Even without proficiency, her intelligence is high enough that she has a better modifier.

[JNAProductions]

The woman shakes your hand, and says "Quite honestly, we don't know. We've not seen any signs of the princess, and we don't have any leads-not that I'm aware of, at least. Do what you can-and thank you."

Upstairs, the male guard moves on to other rooms, letting you close the door.

[Pyrophilios]

"I'll go down to the market and buy some new clothes for you, princess. Make good use of that make-up meanwhile." With that, he carefully touched her shoulder, investing a tiny spark of divine creativity, before leaving the room and going for the marketplace not far away. Without haggling, he bought a white tunic, a pair of deer leather breaches, a waxed cloak as well as a pair of gloves and a scarf. There were no frills or adornments beyond solid quality, which in his eyes was all a piece of gear should have.
A quarter of an hour later, he reentered their room.

[Niobaran]

Bastion

As Wendelstein leaves, Bastion gives him a nod of affirmation, and turns to the princess and Nilvalor, as they remain the only ones in the room.

"I tend to... attract some attention on the streets. Fortunately, I'm often mistaken for a warrior in plate armor, but at second glance most find my appearance to be unnatural." He states, matter-of-fact. "Should we try to do something about this? I do not see a reason for me to hide in the current situation, but if so desired, we can try."

[Riggdgames]

Nilvalor was accustomed to all manner of speech. Diplomacy. Inspiration. Storytelling, deception, flattery, humor. Wheedling and cajoling. Even groveling. Intimidation as well, though he had to admit, trying to intimidate someone had always seemed like a fool's errand. But despite all his experience, Nilvalor had yet to figure out how to master his arch-nemesis: the awkward silence.

He tried to hold his tongue as he deferentially helped the princess apply her make-up, creating a disguise so they might walk the streets unmolested. All the while he looked to her and tried to make eye contact, desperate for a word. Any word. He knew it was bad when he wished Wendelstein would return, even if it would no doubt lead to some unpleasant argument. He began almost to hope she would call him a frog instead of a prince, a fraud instead of royalty, if only to end the miserable quiet.

Then Bastion spoke. Despite his carefully laid preparations to woo the princess, Nilvalor was too relieved at the sound of another voice to worry about his added plans from last night to ignore the Warforged. But he did have a reputation to maintatin. "I had hoped you might follow at a distance where it would be assumed you weren't with us, but if you insist on coming along and staying close, I will do what I can to disguise you as well once I'm through helping Princess Katrina. No doubt it won't hold up to careful scrutiny, but a well-armored man should attract less attention than a...machine," he said haugtily.

Spoiler: OOC

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Roll to disguise Bastion after Wendelstein gets back: (1d20+3)[16]
(1d4)[2]

[JNAProductions]

The princess' face is quite different. While close examination will reveal her to be wearing lots of make up, you feel confident in saying that she'll pass muster for any crowd you'll go through.

Bastion is another matter-no amount of make up will conceal his inorganic construction.

Spoiler: OOC

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With your current tools, or at least with what you've chosen to use, Bastion is impossible to disguise as a regular humanoid.

[Pyrophilios]

"I could create a helmet for you and add a nice symbol of Gond - would make you look like a paladin of my creed. If you stay with me, that shouldn't raise too many eyebrows." Wendelstein suggests when he gets back.

[Illven]

I believe that would be a good idea, perhaps we can throw a cloak on him so he just looks heavily armored?

[Niobaran]

Bastion

He nods to the suggestions. "I shall pull up the hood of my cloak then until we found time and material for a new helmet, and in the meantime pose as the dark brooding veteran who has powers in the service of Gond. I shall direct most questions regarding faith to you though." he confirms, giving Wendelstein another nod, and continues: "My armor is indeed optimized for its usage in combat, and less for incognito investigations. While I may draw the eyes of observers, those eyes might fail to see others or other things instead, which may present itself as a chance."

[Lentrax]

A name would have been nice. Whatever happened to courtesy?

Kyra, good as her word, goes up the streets toward the palace, looking for an officer or sergeant, looking for someone to coordinate with.

[Pyrophilios]

"We'll just stay behind the princess then. Nilvalor and Katrina make a nice pair anyway - like a girl going on a walk with her puppy."

That cleared up, Wendelstein collected his belongings and went down with Bastion to wait in the common room (and get some more food for the day), so they could let the half elf and the princess go ahead.

[JNAProductions]

You head down, and begin to move out. Before long, you catch up to Kyra, who's heading for the barracks as well, searching for an officer.

At the barracks, you see them largely empty-most of the guards are busy searching. There's a few people there, though, two women and a man, discussing something with one another at the front of the building. It seems they're coordinating the search efforts. When they see you all approaching, they look to Kyra first. "Good day," one of the women says. "Sergeant Delilah Attenborough, at your service."

[Lentrax]

Kyra does not get far down the street when the others catch up with her. But she doesn’t break her stride, not stopping until they reach the barracks.

Seeing the three guards talking, Kyra opts to wait until they address her and her party. When one of them finally does, she then takes in the woman and smiles.Sergeant Attenborough. I am Kyra of Keliposos, formerly of the Therixian army, and Paladin in service to Tyche. I have come to offer my aid in your search for the princess.

[Pyrophilios]

"Aye. And for that matter, can you tell us what happened? Was she abducted or did she flee? Are you looking only for her? What about her staff and bodyguards?"
Wendelstein added.
"Sorry, I'm Wendelstein, Mastersmith of Gond with my congregation." He continued as he saw the questioning looks of the seargent.

[JNAProductions]

The sergeant looks unsure about answering, but seeing your competent looks, gives in. "Her guard was found dead, and we believe that she has been abducted. We... Or at least, I don't know who would've done this-and no one I've talked to does either."

[Lentrax]

Evil needs no reason, Kyra says. But kidnapping a beauty as they say the princess is is often reason enough. And there has been no demand or note? No clue as to who did this or why?

[JNAProductions]

"Nothing," she replies. "Not yet, at least."

Spoiler: OOC

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Before opening the spoiler, declare either Passive Insight or roll an Active Insight check. Note that there are higher DCs within the first spoiler.

Spoiler: Insight DC 8

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She's being perfectly honest.

Spoiler: DC 13

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Yup, honest as the day is long.

Spoiler: DC 16

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But...

She thinks something is up. She has more she wants to say, but is nervous about saying it around her comrades.

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler

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Insight
(1d20)[15]+8

"May I invite you over to a quick drink at the bar there - it's maybe not the best idea to discuss all this on the street."
Wendelstein adds.

[JNAProductions]

She looks back to her comrades. "Give me a moment-let me talk to them," she says. She steps back to her fellow officers, who are giving her a bit of the stink eye, but manages to convince them to let her go for a bit.

"I can't drink with you, but I can discuss matters with you in a friendlier environment," she says. "There's a nice place just down the road from the barracks-it gets good traffic from us." She leads you down the road, out of sight from the others.

[Lentrax]

Kyra, sensing something in the way Attenborough said what she did, follows when they move away from the other guards.

When they arrive at the nice place she mentioned, Kyra gets the attention of a serving maid as they take as private a table as they can, and gets some water, and a small, light meal.

That done, she turns to Delilah. Something is amiss. What is it? She gives the woman a comforting smile and a comforting touch to the back of her hand.

Delilah. We only wish to help. You, and the princess. Please. Let us.

[JNAProductions]

"There's been... Unrest," she starts. "Some of the other guards-some of them I barely knew, others were my friends-were acting weirdly. It seems more common with the higher-ups, and I... Well, I'm worried it has something to do with this. I don't have any proof-and even if I did, I don't know who I could trust to show it to! But something's wrong with the government here. Something's rotten."

[Lentrax]

Kyra doesn’t remove her comforting hand from Delilah’s. When did it start?

[JNAProductions]

"Three months ago-I didn't notice till maybe a month after, though," she says. "It didn't start with my friends. The first person who started being... Off, I guess, was Atin. No one liked him-he's an ass who only became a guard to legally rough people up. So no one really noticed when he started behaving oddly. But when I spotted one of my friends at a tavern with him, I knew something was up."

[Pyrophilios]

Wendelstein looked up at that: "Praise be onto Gond for leading us to you then. We suspected that something like this was going on here. We do believe that there is some kind of drug or potentially a drug in combination with sinister magic that makes the people behave like that.
It could very well be, that the earliest victims were used to further poison other ones. If they haven't gotten to you yet, I'd suggest to be very carefully what you consume. Prefer your own canteen and no food that you haven't prepared yourself or watched being prepared.
This Atin, were could we find him? It would help if we could examine him and see if there is a cure to this poison."

[JNAProductions]

"Atin's across the city-he sleeps in the eastern barracks," she says, then gives a more specific address.

Spoiler: OOC

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Anyone with knowledge of the city can easily find the address, as could anyone who talks to locals and gets directions.

[Lentrax]

Thank you, Delilah. Your help now, may be just what we needed to solve the problem before us.

Kyra smiles at the woman. Thank you.

[JNAProductions]

She smiles back. "Yeah... I just want everyone to be safe."

[Lentrax]

Kyra gently lifts the hand to her lips and plants a kiss on Deliliah’s knuckles.

I know exactly what you mean. Now you must excuse me, my dear Delilah. Time is of the essence.

And with those words, Kyra stands from the table, dons her helmet once more, and makes herself ready to leave.