Following morning. City a little run down since king has been neglecting civil services.
😎Bori wakes up in an alley outside the Dirty Maiden. Here's two women talking in affected high accents about 👿Cast/Lord A. Crowley being bad.
Notice Bori, ask him what he's doing.
Bori starts debate, passes out.
Women realise he heard them, offer him free drinks at 🏰Lenthor (City) to keep quiet.
Gronk wakes up in a (different) alley, gold gone. Sees vagrant looking through his purse, looking disappointed. Gronk casts Friend on vagrant, asks for money. Gets 2 copper pieces, mentions fish people. Vagrant says fish people take vagrants more often than not. Assumes orphans get eaten too as that population also declining.
Gronk suggests vagrant joins army.
Gronk heads back to Dirty Maiden for breakfast. Sees Dirty Maiden dressed Tiefling and Asimar talking a familiar looking vagrant in unusual accent. Seem to be discussing metaphysics. Notices that vagrant is 😎Bori.
Asimar suggests Gronk and Bori go inside Dirty Maiden for day of revelry.
🐰Faefina wakes up in the Queen's Crown. Hears gentle knock, sees Gnomish serving woman who offers Lemon tea and Chicken Soup. Blames the Dirty Maiden. Faefina asks for 😎Bori.
Harald wakes up early at Queen's Crown, has breakfast, goes to local soup kitchen to help. Sees Bori and Gronk, offers food. They eat, Bori calls for 'Fifi'.
Party heads back to Queen's Crown. Gnomish maid finds Bori, tells him Faefina is fine. Bori, still drunk, breaks 3 doors down looking for her. Finds her in bed, she blames 🍺Dirty Maiden.
Gronk keeps reminding himself that 👿Crowley is bad.
Servant brings over plate of steamed hams. Messenger finds party, hands over note - 'Feel free to take on any odd job that comes around. Best to go to Sheriff's Office, they're understaffed. Kineeta'
Horald heads down to docks to see what he could find. Sees fisherman chatting on their boats. Fewer fish to be found. Harald offers to help. Kuatoa numbers are rising, possibly from new world.
Bori and Faefina go to (church of Lore/Eli) mass, teaching that things come to an end. Says Church of Eli does not take King's stance in colonising new world, but looks forward to spreading word to new countries.
Faefina remembers that Sea of Storms came after Eli, so Eli and four maidens must be there. Eli raises question about this - Priest says they may have lost their way. May not be worshipping in the 'right' way. Faefina gets into argument with priest, leaves. On way out, Faefina uses Thaumaturgy to make lights go low, deep voice say 'He's lying'. Then in lighter voice, Faefina says 'It's fine, Eli always forgives - as long as they repent.
At sheriff's office, it's empty. On asking, receptionist says all guards have been requisitioned to King's army - only 100 watches remain and stretched very thin. Party offer to help.
Harald mentions issue with Kuatoa. Guard says to get list of jobs from beginner section, and do that. Group looks at board:
On leaving Sheriff's Office - see Lite - reminds us of dinner invite - has catered out.
Party heads out to investigate the loan shark. Lives in town house, first floor is for business, top two are residence. Faefina proposes jumping to top floor to investigate. Bori throws Faefina up, she lands on windowsill, stays hidden, sees clerks going back and forth. Some work does happen on 2nd floor, books up there too.
Thinks she sees human shadow with no source, gone when she looks. Casts 'Detect Magic', sees hole in the world in shape of man. Faefina jumps down, accuses hole: 'I know you're here!'.
Rest of party sees her disappear into window. Bori jumps perfectly straight up to second window. Harald makes it up, Gronk would have failed if not for Horald's outstretched hand.
Faefina does two radiant damage
Takes two necrotic damage from shadow touch, strength reduced by two
Faefina shouts 'It's Necromancy!'
Bori hits shadow with staff and palm. 13 Damage.
Faefina gives Bori Shield of Faith, Hops away.
Horald approaches Shadow with Halberd, attacks. Misses, twice.
Shadow attacks Bori, misses. Retreats into shadows, Bori gets AoO, kills it.
Seems it was spirit of loan shark's enemies. On investigation, loan shark is doing way higher than usual interest rates. Gronk tries picking up shadow to use as proof. Party jumps out of window. Horald jumps and awkwardly lands, Gronk falls flat, Bori lands smoothly.
Show sheriff the notes. Sheriff will tell banks not to receive excess payment, can't do much else. Sheriff bemoans king and Crowley. Party gets 7Gp ea.
Party goes to find merchant. Merchant sells dyes, is connected but not all powerful.
Merchant is very thin, apparently doesn't eat. Faefina doesn't detect any magic. Merchant says dark spirit Bathsheba stole his ring. Points out house shrouded in darkness down the street where she lives. Merchant pleads with party to fetch ring.
Party heads down to house. Looking back, can't see merchant. Rennesug walking past says 'Conducting business is always good!' and runs off.
Knock on front door, door opens. Very short human invites them in. Party follows behind him as he shuffles in. House looks normal on inside. Party say they're looking for Bathsheba, merchant says other merchant has been trying to steal it for ages, can't get into house. Gronk determines Bathsheba isn't lying. Bathsheba says ring is special because it's gold.
Bathsheba opens door for party to leave, merchant right outside, glides in to get ring. As he does so, face dissolves.
Bori charges, swings with staff and backend. Hits once, 6 damage.
Faefina casts Shield of Fath on Bori. Shoots merchant with crossbow, hits, 8 damage.
Gronk steps up to merchant, uses Shocking Grasp - 5 damage.
Horald hits with Halberd, twice, 12 damage.
Merchant looks at Gronk, hits twice. Almost kills save for Relentless Endurance.
Faefina hits with crossbow, 12 damage - arrow pierces third eye.
Bathsheba thanks party for killing doppelganger, party goes to investigate shop. Find notes that doppelganger was doing bare minimum to keep business going. Investigate rest of house. Basement door is locked. Gronk casts 'Knock' and door opens. Bori falls down stairs. Sees in dim light a number of unsold dyes. Gronk heads down, with better vision, sees man tied up, looking feral. Horald takes merchant over shoulder.
Party goes back to Sheriff. Sheriff says Renesug are going to be all over this. Party gets 14Gp.