Walt listens in to Tuuli’s pitch and it’s clear froM the expression on his face that he’s all in. 

“You had me at jeli wine. Say no more.”

He searches his pouch and tries to fish out any remaining gold coins he has left. Walt went on a bit of spending spree and his coin purse is a little light  

“I…I can pitch in 18 gold pieces. Maybe a few silver.” Walt says sheepishly. “I spent a little coin in town so I’m a little low on funds. I picked up some ingredients to make a health potion and this here scimitar.” Walt shows off his new moon-touched scimitar.

“I’m all for tagging on for another trip. I was beginning to get a little anxious being cooped up in town anyway.”

~~~~~~~~

Pending any further last-minute preparations you may make before departing, the party finds itself the next day traveling through the rainforest near Zinda, following a caravan of merchants. The trip in the Bastite Concord Jewel was crowded and uneventful. It deposited a large group of traders, tourists, travelers, and adventurers in a rough clearing outside the city. Passing through the semitransparent walls of the incandescent building-sized vessel, you are immediately struck by the stifling humidity, vibrant colors, and rich smells of the rainforest.

Waves of heat rise from the jungle floor and cling to the broad leaves in the canopy above. Ahead, an elephant sways drowsily. Its rider groans and stretches, and then rejoins the ululating marching chant. The road through the jungle is narrow, forcing the caravan to march single file along its trails. The other travelers are in high spirits, offering food and water to anyone who needs it. "Have you been to the March of Vice before, my friends?" asks an overweight merchant riding some sort of massive groundhog in a gaudy saddle decorated with fake gems.

As the forest thins, the gleaming gates of the trade city of Zinda appear a mile ahead.

Welcome to Zinda.

As the group settled on their travel plans for Zinda, Walt bid his friends farewell. "I have to make a quick run to pick up some herbs and a bottle for Aranor's potion. I'll meet you all at the jewel. I promise." With that, Walt slipped away and prepared for travel. Knowing that he and his friends have a knack for finding themselves in sticky situations, Walt picked up his adventuring gear and put out some fresh seed and nectar for the sparrows and humming birds he's been taking care of.

He said his goodbyes to his feathered friends and met the group at the Bastite Concord Jewel just in time for departure. He figured he should make use of this time so he began prepping the potion. He peeled away the woody stems of a pale green aromatic herb, plucked the petals of some bright yellow flowers and added these ingredients to a stoppered glass bottle containing some reddish liquid. He reached in his kit and pulled out a small folded piece of parchment containing a finely ground substance and added it to the concoction. Within a second or two the mixture began to bubble and fiz. He quickly plugged up the bottle and secured it in his pack. He looked up at Aranor and shot him a smile and wink from across the Jewel.

This mixture would have to sit for a few hours, so Walt decided to take a nap for the rest of the journey. The stifling heat and humidity is what woke Walt from his cat nap. He opened his eyes and he was amazed at the site of this forest. Walt his traveled many a pine and oak forest, but never a rainforest like this before. Walt was absolutely ecstatic!

The party slowly approaches the city of Zinda. Your caravan emerges from the rainforest and you begin to travel past wide fields full of cultivated pink flowers. The caravanners cheer loudly as they pass the first field and the bustling city comes fully into view.

Your new traveling friend, the rotund merchant Messer Emran, continues to play your tour guide.  He points out a massive building ahead to your left, outside the city limits, made of sculpted glass set with sparkling gemstones and draped in bright silk and exuberant florals.

"That's the Elucidarium! The bardic college of Zinda. Home of the famous divas of Zinda. Musicians, dancers, orators, and thespians hone their talents there, and also spy-craft and information brokering. And ruthless social climbing. Tough place."

"The gate's ahead. Five silver to enter. Got a fiver? Then you're on the River of Gold. You folks been to Zinda before? Does Uncle Emran need to show you a good time?"

Tuuli is delighted by all of this, the riotous life, the eager people, the fun tour guide. "No, I've never been," she says, fishing five silver out of her purse (not out of the bag of gold in her pack). "I'm actually here to secure a case or two of Jeli wine, that should be easy to find, right?"

As Tuuli chats with Messer, Walt stands by observing the field of pink flowers. He inhales deeply through his nostrils trying to pick up the scent of these flowers. Perception check 21

Once there’s a break in their conversation, Walt questions Messer about the flowers. “Uncle Messer, what are these beautiful pink flowers? Do they have any unique properties?”

Zartan hearing Walt's question about the flowers takes a look

Investigation: 23

Aranor smiles as he watches Walt prepare the healing potion for him during their journey on the Bastite Concord Jewel. He watches with some bemusement as the older man naps for the remainder of the journey. As an elf, he has no need for actual sleep, and he's always found it a bit perplexing that other races need so much of it. The lives of other races are already so short and yet they must spend a third of it sleeping!

When they arrive in the rainforest, Aranor is absolutely astounded. He has never seen such a place before. The foreest is so beautiful and full of creatures he has never seen before, such as the giant groundhog mount. Even the stifling humidity does little to dampen his good mood as they travel with the caravan, although sweat breaks out on his pale brow, and again he knows his pale skin is likely to burn pretty well before the journey is over.

To the groundhog rider, Aranor shakes his head. "We've not yet had the pleasure," he replies.

The moon elf tries not to gawp too much at the beauty of the Elucidarium. He also fishes 5 silver coins out of his pack.

"Jeli wine?" he laughs gently at Tuuli's question. "Oh, my dear, Uncle Emran will take good care of you. I've got a friend I'll take you to who will set you up right. The good stuff, the best prices. Just you wait and see!"

"The flowers?" he turns to Walt with a furrowed brow. "Jeli flowers, of course. They can't be cultivated anywhere outside of Zinda. You can make dye from them, make fabric, paper, and of course wine. Made some Zindanese very, very rich these past few years."

Walt picks up a subtle, sweet scent as you pass huge fields full of the velvety flowers. Zartan notices they are vines, grown on low racks. The flowers have graceful pink leaves and wide petals.

Emran turns in his saddle to shake Aranor's hand. "Messer Emran, Esquire, Emran Enterprises. A pleasure."

You approach Zinda’s open gates, where agents of the city collect a toll of 5 silver per entrant (or goods of equal value.) The tax collectors are in very good spirits. The thoroughfare is paved with yellow potsherds, you notice.

Beyond the city gates, the golden road continues amid silk-draped booths and squat buildings with conical roofs. The chatter of merchants and cheerful youths rings out along the road. Folk sell colorful flowers, beaded charms, and other wares from woven baskets atop their heads, while street performers spin in tight circles, waving long silk streamers. Humans make up the majority of the visible population of the city and have skin tones ranging from light brown to black. Their hair grows in spiral curls; most grow it long and wear it tucked beneath a headscarf topped by a wide-brimmed hat or set in scalp-hugging braids. A handful of elves and halflings round out the crowds.

"You're just in time for the March of Vice," continues Emran. "Ten days of drinking, debauchery, shows, and sales. You'll see the revelers wearing feathered masks and beaded gowns. They'll be making merry day and night in celebration of the city’s prosperity. You'll see! You folks have a place to stay? But first, let me take you to my friend who can set you up with some top-notch wine..."

Aranor shakes Emran's hand in return and replies, "Aranor Talandren, of the Radiant Citadel. You may have heard of my father. He is a Speaker."

As they traverse the city, the moon elf tries to look everywhere at once. So much is going on. The city is vibrant and full of life.

"The March of Vice, huh? That doesn't sound half-bad," remarks the moon elf with a grin. Maybe this excursion for the jeli wine will turn into a sort of leisure getaway. If so, he is looking forward to that and experiencing the pleasures that Zinda has to offer.

Walt sticks close to his friends as they navigate the crowds. His ears perked up when Emran mentioned sales and merchants. Walt is particularly interested in vendors selling medicinal herbs, potions and salves. Given how lush this rainforest appears, he can only imagine wealth of resources one can forage and harvest from the area. Walt moves closer to Emran with a question. 

“Umm excuse me Sir…Uncle Emran. Thank you for showing us around town. This place is truly magnificent, especially the rainforest. But I was wondering, do you know of any healers or merchants that sell medicinal herbs or potions? Or anyone who might dabble in herbalism? I’m a…budding herbalist myself and I’d love to learn about local herbalism practices.”

"Of course! Of course!" booms Emran to Ararnor as you make your way down the yellow-toned thoroughfare. (Walt, with his high passive insight, can tell he's probably never heard of the Talandrens.) "Straight ahead!" Emran shouts, pointing dramatically forward, "The Court of Flowers! We'll go there first."

Hundreds of revelers, merchants, vendors, and entertainers pack the River of Gold. Buildings bear brightly painted signs and are covered with colorful vines bearing lush flowers. Beyond the crowds, you can see the bustling city center Emran refers to as the Court of Flowers, lined with tropical trees whose branches droop to the pavement.

"The Court of Flowers... The vibrant heart of commerce and art in Zinda!" he continues, looking back at you from his gilded saddle. "The streets are lined with palatial homes, towers with overflowing gardens, and museums! Merchants keep their shops open day and night. Most of the city’s guilds—known here as 'trades'—keep their headquarters in the..." He suddenly freezes, pulling the reins tight on his mount, and leans to his right, squinting. 

Tuuli is the first to see what he's gawking at. Down a shadowed alley to their right, Tuuli can see a still figure surrounded by spilled gold coins, slumped against the wall, head tilted to stare at them.

"That's not good," says Emran in a low voice, all merriment dropped.

Aranor was following behind Emran as he led them into the Court of Flowers, which was just as beautiful as the name suggested. Then Emran stopped suddenly, pulling the reins on his groundhog mount, and the moon elf nearly collided with the beast.

"What's not good?" Aranor demands, looking around in confusion.

Tuuli leaps from the cart, swinging her bagpipes and her crossbow out of the way onto her back, hurrying down the alley. "Walt..?" she calls over her shoulder. "I can't tell if they're..." She looks away, not overcome, but intent on noticing any clues to what happened, or how it happened, or who might have been there, too. She snaps her fingers and there is a small, localized gust of wind, and Lucky materializes. He sniffs about the figure, careful not to get in the way.

Perception (igl): 26

Lucky Perception (Adv for smells, igl): 14 or 18 +3 = 21

Zartan, seeing Tuuli spring into action also brings Fang out to scope the area from the air. He follows her

Tuuli finds a freshly dead dwarf wearing lavish robes. Nearby are 20 gold pieces fallen from an open pouch the dwarf wears. His body shows no obvious wounds.

The ten-foot-wide alley is a dead end. There are two service doors leading into the building on either side, but no windows. The alley is otherwise unoccupied; there is no sign of any other creature in the area.

Zartan coming up and seeing the situation says “Can someone go and get the guard and let know what we found; before someone blames us “

Walt spots the dwarf at the end of the alley. He thinks to himself “oh my, does not look good indeed.” He briskly walks down the alley to and stands beside Tuuli. Just then he hears Zartan’s suggestion. Walt looks over his shoulder and says“ Zartan, that is a good idea. Uncle Emran, how Is the government and law enforcement in these parts? On the whole, can they be trusted?”

Walt proceeds closer to the body to see if they are in fact dead. He waves his hand in front of his eyes looking for reaction, he leans in closer to see if he can hear any breathing. Nothing. He finally reaches in and tries to find a pulse. Nothing. He looks back to Tulli with a grim look on his face and slowly nods his head side to side indicating this situation is not good.

Investigation check 1 (2–1) to spot any clues, signs or poison or struggle on the body. 

Walt spies no additional clues (although he's welcome to make an additional Medicine check.) Nor does Fang see anything suspicious from the air.

Nor does Walt get an answer from Emran, as three burly humans wearing gold filigreed armor suddenly block the entrance to the alley. "Stay where you are! Step away from the dwarf!"

"Good luck!" mouths Emran, and nervously spurs his mount into a sprightly canter away from the scene.

Roll initiative!
Three fancy goons: 14

(Tuuli, Walt, and Zartan are trapped in the alley with the body. Is Aranor with them, or is he still in the street, behind the three goons?)

Aranor followed after Walt and frowns when he spots the body. So much for a relaxing getaway, he thinks. Just then he hears someone bark orders at them and turns around to find that their only means of escape is now blocked by three men.

"Let's all stay calm, shall we?" suggests Aranor. "We literally just found him like this only moments ago."

Initiative: 5