(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown

Leelan listens to the back and forth. It appears that they would not take the Judexi’s job in the end. Probably for the better, he believed. Getting involved in political dispute seemed like getting tangled in a gordian knot.

 ‘’If we are to oppose this ne’er-do-wells, we should do it on advantageous grounds and on our own terms. Perhaps we could ask the followers of Ord to help us investigate for clues that the cult may have left behind in Bardstown after their most recent…’ritual’.’’, the gnome suggests.

Rohuzar lets the team talk it out, and he starts to smile to himself. 

“Is smart team, Lieutenant. Ve can follow up these clues and find resolution. You can make more hands ready to help? Maybe reach out through more official channels to government regarding bounty posting?” 

Guilim gives a shrug and moves to step back since he has nothing else to add to the conversation, looking to the others as it seems the meeting is coming to an end.

Grugga nods his head a little, apparently lost in thought, then shakes it slightly. "Hmmm, I think this can work - we might even be able to get some money for this, like you said." He turns to his allies and says,  "we don't have much time to get things rolling, gang, so let's get to it. Ideally, we need to find their HQ in the next day or two and mess things up for them.

How do you think we could do that? Poke around the waterfront? We could pretend to be searching for those mermen again, like our first job, or we could get new clothes and pretend to be interested in joining the cult. From what I've heard they'll take anyone with money."

Rohuzar holds up a hand. “I think ve are not the first to think of this plan. Contact vith Ord group first. Perhaps Citizen Aubrey knows someone who has been approached before to join?” 

Grugga turns to Rohuzar, "I've got a direct line with Bishop Cleghorn. I'll ask him if he's learned anything new and tell him of our plan, but I don't think we need to start there - that's what I was doing over our break. Granted, I didn't talk to every priest, perhaps some of them have been approached... but Cleghorn is actively looking to root out this cult and ever the priests in Shelley knew of his vendetta against Leviticus, surely he would have found that out from them, right?"

"I'll follow your lead, boss, but I think we should start fresh. Why don't we pay Shaemus a visit? He's been helpful before."

Aubrey nods in agreement with Grugga's suggestion, ready to leave for the Land Shark.

Grugga:

 Making your way to the Land Shark, first securing a bottle of beer, you stride through the wharf district of Bardstown.  Not so long ago this was the scene of your first great victory against the hydra.  Knowing what you know now, though, this feels a very alien place, with the potential for eyes and ears to be lurking around every corner... or perhaps that is just paranoia.

Aubrey, as the group nears the Land Shark, a figure bumps into you, pressing a letter into your hand and making eye contact, before disappearing into the crowd.  It was the Scourge who had met with you all along with the Judexi earlier today.

 [OOC:  DM realizes you decided against the mission, but the Scourge doesn't.]

Arriving at the Land Shark, you find it the same, disgusting, one room bar smelling faintly of vomit, fish and failure that you remember.  Inside, your pal Shaemus is listening to another man finish a story about a lobster that grants wishes.  It sounds like the original version may have been a joke... but this man is passing it on as a folktale, sans any punchlines.  You think at first that Shaemus may not have recognized or remembered you, but as you draw close he whispers, "Tell me you've got some new monster to threaten me with, before this sad sack's tale bores me to death."  He gives you all a wink with his good eye.

He also takes the bottle of beer from Grugga.  "Beer, eh?  What do I look like, a wee toddler?  Never mind, give me that anyway," he says and drinks it down in several loud gulps and then belches loudly.  "So, what brings you sword 'n sorcery types back to the finest bar in all the building where I sleep?"

Before arriving at the Land Shark, the sound of tinkling water from Grugga's pouch heralds the arrival of a letter from Bishop Cleghorn in Bluffton. Grugga undoes the cork on the bottle and unfurls the small note and reads it aloud ((Grugga's spoiler, last post)).

"This isn't good. The Bishop doesn't know what I was talking about when I said that Fidelis was too dangerous." Grugga massages a temple with the hand holding the letter. He sighs, "Well... either Spezza is lying to our faces and wants to get us killed outside his jurisdiction, or he's being fed false information and he actually believes it's from the Bishop." Grugga waves the letter in front of him to emphasize the fact that THIS is the real Bishop. He shakes his head. "Damn. I thought the hard part of adventuring would be fighting monsters - I've never had a mind for politics and... whatever this is. Life's different in the Empire; Gel-Nagev didn't prepare us for this."

Once they arrive at the Land Shark, Grugga greets his old under-dock navigator. "Hello, Shaemus. How are things? We were hoping to pick your brain, do you have a second for a private chat?" If there's a private place, Grugga will start circumspectly explaining what they need from the little drunk. "The less you know about what we're up to, the better. It has to do with that girl we saved the night we took your boat out and fought the hydra. There are some dangerous people who want to keep that up. The sacrificing, that is. No one knows exactly who they are, but we know kind of how they operate. They recruit people - fishermen, dockworkers... people who work in and around the lake - who have fallen on hard times; they offer minor miracles. Do you know anyone like that? Someone who was bad off then suddenly had their fortunes turned around? Or whose enemies suddenly became unfortunate?" He looks at Shaemus to make sure he's paying attention. "Hey, look at me. Don't go talking about this, eh? You'll end up on the bad side of some bad people. We've already had an assassination attempt on us and we just dodged a second. We need time to take them down before you talk about anything you heard tonight." He hands Shaemus 5 gold pieces. "Don't be stupid, huh?"

Before entering the Land Shark Aubrey discreetely shares the information of the letter he just recieved from the scourge with the others. He will then burn it in the fireplace of the Land Shark. "Clearly Judex Spezza didn't tell us everything, but I'm still not entirely convinced he was setting us up, we would do well in not trusting him though, the cult might have a hold on him somehow." He says just as they are about to enter the tavern.

Aubrey wrinkles his nose as he enters the stinking tavern, giving Shaemus a polite nod, then listening to Grugga's offer. "Share what you know and we just might bring you something stronger next time we come and visit you." He adds with a smirk.
Persuasion if needed to get Shaemus talking: 11 Assuming help action from Grugga if roll is needed.
Insight to determine truth in what Shaemus might tell us: 13

Shaemus' eyes go wide at the sight of 5gp.  Unfortunately, a couple of his bar fly friends see it and are attracted to the conversation as well.

Soon you are hearing stories from three directions but they all tell a similar tale.  Imperial agents have been raiding bars, hostels, barges and warehouses for the last week.  They have been demanding information about this same cult you are looking for and nobody seems to know anything.  Many have been roughed up and there are rumors that a few longshoremen have been beaten to death for information.  There is a lot of anger growing among the wharf folk as they feel they are being pressured to find this cult and expose it for the Imperials.  

Eventually, one of Shaemus' pals comes forward with a story.  A man he knows was beaten up pretty badly.  Later, another man came to him and said he could offer him protection from the Imperial bullies.  He was taken to a little church in the backroom of a warehouse... everyone there was very kind to him but he picked up a bad vibe, and he hasn't gone back.  The man can tell you where this warehouse is, but he doesn't know any password or other information about how to get inside.  The man also eyes the gold you gave Shaemus with hungry eyes....

Aubrey:  You suspect the man's story is only being shared with you out of desire for gold, but you don't think he is making it up.

Rohuzar reaches out impotently as Aubrey burns the letter. 

“Citizen Aubrey. You are perhaps a bit trusting. Saving the letter might help show ve are caught in midst of trouble, should be ever need evidence.” 

"Or perhaps I just deemed it very problematic for us if this letter got into the wrong hands Rohuzar." Aubrey answers.
He then joins Grugga at the bar.

"Does anyone else feel that this Judex is going to be a problem in the future? We would probably do well to keep our heads down and stay put of sight." Guilim says quietly as they sit around the bar, waiting for the stories to finish before speaking.

"I agree Guilim." Aubrey says, making sure there is no one listening in on the conversation. "Judex Spezza is clearly unbalanced and we should probably try to distance ourselves from him if possible. There is of course a risk of us crossing paths again soon if we continue investigating the cult, but personally I would still prefer to deal with them as soon as possible."

Leelan begins thinking when Aubrey shares the content of the note. 

‘’I would theorize that perhaps the Judex has personal stakes in this, beyond having his life threatened. That’s possibly why he seems to act brazenly and irrationally. It might be worth figuring out what it is.’’

Listening to Shaemus’ friends’ story, Leelan then asks.

’’And where may we find this friend of yours that you spoke of?’’. 

The man scratches his head at Leelan's question - or perhaps it was due to lice - before answering that he's not sure.  "If he found work this morning he's likely still out pulling nets somewhere.  If not... then he's probably lying in his cot over at the Water Pony Boarding House."

Grugga seems at home with the crowd of salty dogs; farmers, miners, and fishermen all share a certain status in common that he's familiar with from his childhood. "Your friend was right not to join them. They're nasty folk, worshiping a nasty group of hags, who're preying on the poor and downtrodden. No matter how good their offers seem, remember that there're string attached that'll likely cost you your sols in the end." He doesn't know if that last part is true, but these folk love a good story and it might help them keep on the straight and narrow.

Grugga picks up the line of questioning started by Leelan. "What's your friends name? And where's the Water Pony Boarding House?"

Over the course of the "interview," Grugga spends a total of 20g in "gifts" for anyone who has anything helpful. Even those who aren't particularly helpful receive a little money for their attempts. Once the good information stops flowing, Grugga firmly cuts them off from his pouch, thanking them for their time and help, and reminding them to be careful around those cultist folk. He keeps a firm hand on his pouch throughout the night. Then he turns his attention to his allies, "Well, is that all we needed to get started? Let's go see if we can find this friend of theirs."

He makes a mental note to see if he can't introduce some technology into the Bardstown fishing trade once things cool off again.

Once all is said and done, you have the following information:

• The name of the man who was solicited by the cult (Sabbras Abrax) and the location of the Water Pony Boarding House where he sleeps.
• The location of the warehouse which is supposed to have a hidden church inside.

It is roughly one hour before sunset.  The wharf streets are beginning to fill up as workers leave their posts and fishermen return from their boats.