Falen: (more actions):
Having searched the Dusk and the dwarf, he surveys injuries and shell shocked citizens. He looks at the monster from a distance, watching the others collect some of the organic matter of it (what is that, the heart?!?!). He makes himself small again, cleaning his visage below his hat of disguise. No more turdnugget. He concentrated on the Dusk, and he adds his visage to his repertoire.
He walks toward the back door of the candle shop, standing in the doorway with his dagger drawn. He surveys the interior. In Kobold: “Tuck, were there civilians who were in here? That Butcher mercenary went into this building and came out of the warehouse, presumably from that cellar. Does Capt. Camburn or Commander Oakfirst know whether all of the buildings are connected?” The question to Tuck is almost rhetorical. The next one isn’t. He says loudly, “Where the hell is the candle maker?”
While Tuck watches Falen's back, he has Sobla go from corpse to corpse to gather what she can in Tuck bag of holding.
"It's all going to be for everyone, so no more pocketing coin pouches. You can have that one you found on the butcher," Tuck says to her.
"Mutt, stay with her."
The big dog whines but stays close to Sobla. Tuck realizes that Falen wants to explore the back of the candle shop, so he gets the key from Sobla.
"You locked it?" He asks her.
She nods.
The kobold urban ranger comes up to Falen just as the unseen seer is about to open the door and hands him the key to the shop. He listens to Falen's questions, as the two of them enter the shop.
"There was a girl, a halfling who works here," Tuck replies.
"She seemed innocent enough. When the Loyalists appeared, she became very frightened. I think she escaped out this door. Akos was back here. I was fighting in the front room."
Tuck points to the door leading to the front room.
"Sobla barricaded that door from the other side once we took down the enemy. We didn't want more of them surprising us."
He watches as Falen pulls back the curtain leading into the second room in the back of the shop. Everything looks in order, but there are obvious signs that the bed has been moved and then slide back into place. Dust has been disturbed along the wall, but the rest of the floor is clean. The single bed is perfect, too perfect. The half-hobgoblin finds that the bed hasn't been slept in for quite some time. A prop to fool anyone who casually came back here.
The girl likely didn't sleep here, but neither did anyone else.
"We didn't see the owner, this Kelik, or Barclay, or whatever his name is," Tuck adds.
"They were expecting us. He's either hiding down below or wasn't even here."
Aust Thale said:
He wonders about the vagabond. Frustrated, he doesn’t like full on open warfare. He prefers skulking, frankly. He’s not afraid of a fight, but tactically, this mess didn’t play to his strength.
He checks the candle shop for alchemical or magical property candles, and if there and if no one in sight, pilfers several in thorough irritation at his situation in this city.
Tuck helps Falen search the shop. They find some fine scented candles that would be highly valuable to the nobility of Old City, as well as ritual candles used to enhance clerical magic, but no
true magic candles. Falen finds a small coin pouch with a handful of silvers and coppers stored in a small crate next to the long table next to the back door. The pouch is small. It probably belongs to the halfling. Her pay? If so, it's not much for such a fancy shop.
In the other room with the bed, there is short stone table and an old wooden chest with some metal banding. It hardly looks worth the effort to get open. It is locked but only with a simple lock. Falen doesn't find any traps and it opens very easily. He isn't surprised to find that it is filled with mundane items of very little value. There are several books containing records for the shop. It all looks in order. No secret purchases, no lost inventory. Very clean. Too clean. There are a handful of letters to Barclay Winton, Kelik's known identity, from various nobles asking about their special orders, as well as official documents from the city and several suppliers. There isn't anything that seems suspicious about them. The documents were likely left to be found by someone like Falen.
It seems this Kelik is very careful.
Tuck looks at the bed and the table while Falen goes through the chest. If there is a way to get down below from this room, he cannot find it. It is too well hidden.
"I don't know if this shop and the warehouse are connected to the other buildings," he says to Falen.
"I saw the commander carrying the captain through the gate. I think the creature killed Camburn."
Aust Thale said:
Falen needs a meal, medicine, a flagon of mead, a nap, and a chunk of quiet time to clear his head. Hopefully the win vs the mercenaries and this giant otherworldly critter will give some comfort and pause to the denizens in the city.
In addition, he is careful where he touched the magic items for the Dusk. When he is in earshot of Akos, he mentions that the amulet or anything else could be scryed. “When we settle where we rest, and I hope it’s soon, we need to find protection from that.”
Once Falen and Tuck finish up in the shop, they head around to the other side to gather with the others. Tuck takes charge of Sobla and gathers up everything he can find. Several guards help him strip the dead foes of anything valuable and dangerous. The guards take stock of all of the poison vials, minus any that Tuck already has stashed in his
bag of holding. Armour is left on the dead foes until the bodies can be taken someplace more secure.
Falen finds Akos and Breva standing near the Sectarian Captain and Vincenzo. The young guard looks to be on death's door. Poison, most likely.
After an hours worth of work, Tuck and Sobla are standing next to Tim.
"That's all of it, I think." Tuck looks up at Tim.
"Did you notice that the dwarf was wearing an adamantine chain shirt when you were fighting him. It seems Waldo has very deep pockets."
Rockhorn snaps out of his musings and curses himself for a fool, the captain is dead and here he is looking at the beast heart. They are really fascinating, especially those that can be affected by the magics like this. But the other captain is right, this group, The Exemplars he heard, need his help.
"On it!" he yells back, once again out of protocol
"Don't worry, warrior, I'll bring one in no time. Spritewing! Let's go!"
Rider and pintsized pegasus are soon winging over Old City and beyond to pass over the ruins of Sem La Vah. Sometimes Bluffside being divided into physically separate district is a hindrance. This is one of those times. Rockhorn knows he'll have to check in at the Temple District's main gate. The letter he received from Oakfirst over a week ago only gave him permission to fly over Old City. The gate guards expected his arrival, but when he was early, they still forced him to land and check in.
When he arrives as the Temple Gate, the guards there go over his paperwork very carefully. It is only when he mentions the Exemplars and that one of them might be dying from poison that they quickly let him through. Luckily, the Temple Market is right on the other side of the gate. However, it is full of so many people that finding anyone to help will take some time. And, Rockhorn's unique appearance doesn't help him much. Yes, the Temple District sees all sorts but most of the merchants and traders think him savage and an easy mark.
One of the gate guards escorting him suggests the Castle of Purification. "They know of the Exemplars. Sir Breva and Custodio are part of their faithful." She points to the large castle-like temple in the adjacent ward down through Gate Street. "but, stay on the ground. You don't have permission to fly over this district. One of the tower guards might try to shoot your down with magic."
Meanwhile...
"There is also the Sublime Market," Breva suggests after Rockhorn and Spritewing take to the air and disappear. "We might find something there. A potion that could ease his symptoms."
"A good idea," Ela nods. She looks at Vincenzo and asks. "Are you up for it?"
Vinny nods.
"That market is very expensive," Petronille notes.
"If any trader tries to profit off this tragedy," Ela replies. "I'll make
damn sure their licence to sell goods in this city are put under review."
She and Breva help Vinny up to his feet. She orders the guards to take charge of the bodies and have them transported to the Palace. The guards understand her reasoning. Old City's main barracks are suspect, at best, full of corrupt officials, at worst. Zenpher and Maena go to find a large wagon to gather up the dead.
"Sobla, stay here with Mutt," Tuck tells his young clan mate.
"We don't need him causing a mess in the market. Help the guards keep the locals away."
The large kobold girl nods.
"The commander has been conducting a review of Old City's barracks for several weeks now, secretly, quietly," Ela de la Camoys whispers as she and Breva walk Vincenzo towards the Sublime Market. She makes sure that only the Exemplars can hear her words. With the Loyalists and mercenaries dead, some of the district's citizens begin risking poking their heads out of their shops and homes. Skirmishes on the streets between the villains and the guards has become commonplace, but The Beast's arrival has both wards on either side of the Golden Gateway on edge. Only the bravest, or most foolhardy, come out onto the street, and most of them followed the commander as he carried the dead form of Captain Camburn to the Palace.
"He is conducting his unofficial review from the Palace," Ela adds. "But, he, no... we, had no idea the Regulars had become this corrupt."
The market is quite subdued when you finally reach it. Most of the traders have gone and taken their wares with them. There are still a dozen or so merchants with permanent stalls who are hiding out of sight. There are no customers in the market at all. The Beast, even though it was on the other side of the inner gate, frightened everyone away.
"Come out!" Ela orders.
"The creature is dead! We need someone who can help this man!"
A few of the braver merchants poke their heads out of their stalls but that is all they do.
One of them yells, his voice wavering. "W- we won't fall for your t- tricks, Loyalist! Tell your master to go s- stuff himself!"
"Damian, be quiet!" Another hisses at the man. "You go to get us all killed!"
They are all deathly afraid, despite the one man's
false bravado.